The Grand River Times, August, 1851

River Drownings.

8/20/1851

   Two small boys named named HENRY GRANTS and JOSEPH FRENCH, resident of this village, were missing on Friday evening last. Some believe them to be drowned, others thought them to be in the woods. A very thorough search was made on Saturday and Sunday, in dragging the river and scouring the woods.—The only hopes now being entertained of them being alive, is that they may have been picked up and carried to the other side of the Lake, by some vessel outward bound. The parents are frantic, and there is not much of consolation for them.

8/27/1851

   The following Inquisition, will account for the loss of the two children mentioned in our last. It will probably be received by many parents, as a lesson of admonition, teaching them in the full discharge of all their duties, in rearing families—that the whereabouts of children, at all times should be known to the parents or guardians. From all that can be gathered from the school children, these two boys had made up their minds they would cross the river after cherries, and without the knowledge or consent of their parents, they went across the logs, in "Throop’s Boom," for the purpose of reaching a canoe to cross with, and on that day, the water in the river and bayou, was ebbing and flowing at a great rate. The conclusion that the Coroner’s Jury came to, was that the boys must have gone out on the logs, while they were held compact by the tide rushing up stream—the tide turning to run out, the logs were scattered and the two boys were thrown in and drowned. Both of these children, were bright active little boys, perfect pictures of health, at the time they were lost.—Finding the bodies dispels the fear that they were in the woods, dying of starvation—or that worse fear, that they might possibly have been kidnapped and clandestinely taken away. We trust that hereafter, parents in this village and vicinity will be mindful of the dangers by which their children are surrounded. Likewise, let all boys be taught to swim, by experienced tutors, and many a scene of distraction like the present, will be saved.

   COUNTY OF OTTAWA, ss—An Inquisition taken at the town of Ottawa, in said county, on the 23rd day of August, A. D. 1851, by GEORGE PARKS, one of the Justices of the Peace, in said County, upon the view of the bodies of HENRY GRANTS and JOSEPH FRENCH Jr., there lying dead, by the oaths of the Jurors whose names are hereto subscribed, who being sworn to inquire in behalf of the people of the State, when and in what manner, and by which means, the said HENRY GRANTS and JOSEPH FRENCH Jr., came to their death. Upon their oaths do say, that RUDOLF HENRY GRANTS and JOSEPH FRENCH Jr., aged ten years, came to their death by falling from the logs, enclosed in "Throop’s Boom," into the bayou, of Grand River, and were there drowned.

   In testimony whereof, the said Justices of the Peace, have set their hands the day and year aforesaid.

GEORGE PARKS, Justice of the Peace.

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