Eleanor McCluskey (abt. 1827 - 1882)

Born about 1827 in Ireland

Descendants

Died 10 Feb 1882 at about age 55 in Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin, USA

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Biography

Eleanor "Ellen" was born about 1827 in Ireland to John and Susan McCluskey. She immigrated to the United States in 1833 with her family as a young girl. The family sailed aboard the ship, Prudence, and landed in Philadelphia on 31 Jul 1833. She married Emanuel Hilt and they had 10 children. The family lived in Philadelphia for awhile before moving to Wilmington, Delaware. By the late 1860's they had moved to and settled in Janesville, Wisconsin. Ellen passed away after a tragic accident in February of 1882. I have copied the newspaper article below.

Mrs. E. W. Hilt Burned to Death Last Night - The Particulars of the Terrible Accident: One of the saddest accidents that has occurred in Janesville for a long time, was that of last evening in the First ward, which resulted in the death of Mrs. Hilt, wife of Mr. E. W. Hilt, one of the proprietors of the morocco factory. The particulars of the accident which led to her tragic death, are given by the daughter. Mrs. Hilt began to fill a fluid lamp about eight o' clock, pouring the fluid from a jug into the lamp. There was a defect, or broken place, in the neck of the jug which Mrs. Hilt could not see, the room being dark, and when she began to pour the fluid into the lamp, a large quantity of it run through the broken place into her dress. When she had filled the lamp, and unconscious of the danger before her, she struck a match to light the lamp, and no sooner had this been done than her dress caught fire, and almost instantly the flames covered her entire person. Appalled by the frightfulness of her situation, and altogether losing her presence of mind, she ran frantically out of doors which only added fury to the flames. She reached the street a human torch, screaming for help, when Mr. Burt Putnam ran to her and throwing an overcoat about her burning form, extinguish the flames. But the fire had already done its worst. When she was taken home and Dr. St. John called, it was found that she was burned nearly to a crisp. Drs. Whiting, Chittenden, and Sutherland were also called for consultation, but soon after arriving the unfortunate woman went into a chill, then into a state of unconsciousness, and at one o'clock fell asleep in death. During two or three hours immediately preceding death, she had no sense of suffering. The terribleness of such a fate can not but create the deepest sympathy for the afflicted family, and they certainly have it, not only from those merely who were the intimate friends of the deceased, but from a wide circle whose feelings are saddened by the visitation of such a calamity and the coming of such a death. Here is another powerful sermon against the handling of petroleum in the dark or keeping it in anything but thoroughly tight cans. It is treacherous stuff; and unless the greatest precautions are taken, it will, now and then, do its fatal work, and when it is least suspected. Accident after accident occurs, and death follows death in quick succession though lack of caution in handling petroleum fluid. It is time the people appreciate the gravity and importance of this matter, and if they did, and heeded the dictates of this common reason, there would be a vast falling off in the number of fatal accidents resulting from the careless use of this fluid. As we go to press, testimony is still being taken, and the manner of the death of the unfortunate woman, as related by the witness, does not differ materially from that given elsewhere in the Gazette. (Janesville Daily Gazette, Feb. 10 1882)

Research Notes

I have not been able to find out when or where Ellen and Emanuel where married. I would presume about 1848-1849 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but I have not found any record of it yet.

Sources

Name: Ellen Hilt; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1850; Event Place: Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Citing this Record: United States Census, 1850, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4CX-H87 : 24 December 2020), Ellen Hilt in household of Emmanuel Hilt, Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

Name: Ellen Hilt; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1860; Event Place: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware, United States

Citing this Record: United States Census, 1860, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4S4-71L : 10 November 2020), Ellen Hilt in entry for Emanuel Hilt, 1860.

Name: Ellen Hilt; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1870; Event Place: Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin, United States

Citing this Record: United States Census, 1870, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNS7-J1Y : 19 March 2020), Ellen Hilt in entry for E W Hilt, 1870.

Name: Ellen Hilt; Event Type: Census; Event Date: 1880; Event Place: Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin, United States

Citing this Record: United States Census, 1880, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNH6-XJY : 14 November 2020), Ellen Hilt in household of Emanuel Hilt, Janesville, Rock, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district ED 184, sheet 168A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,444.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207337172/eleanor_%22ellen%22-mccluskey), memorial page for Eleanor "Ellen" McCluskey (1827–10 Feb 1882), Find a Grave Memorial no. 207337172, ; Maintained by Jessica Symons (contributor 47253204) Burial Details Unknown.