Calhoun County, AL House Fire, Dec 1928

FATHER OF CALHOUN FAMILY AND VISITOR DIE FROM INJURIES.

PARENTS AND FIVE OF THEIR CHILDREN DEAD AFTER FLAMES SWEEP HOME IN WESTERN PART OF COUNTY.

GIRL MAY BE CLAIMED AS TRAGEDY'S NINTH VICTIM.

MOTHER, THREE OTHERS BURNED TO ASHES; THIRETEEN SLEEPING IN HOUSE; THREE BOYS ESCAPE WITH ONLY MINOR HURTS.

The death toll in a fire which swept the home of MR. and MRS. ALBERT CALHOUN, in the western part of Calhoun County at midnight Saturday, today mounted to eight.
The eight victim, ETTA BRIGHT, 12, died in a local hospital early Monday morning and MR. CALHOUN, the seventh to pass away, succumbed at 6:15 o'clock Sunday night.
The fire was raging when first discovered and spread rapidly to al portions of the house, burning five persons to death, the sixth, EMETTE CALHOUN, nine-year-old girl, dying at 5 o'clock Sunday morning.
The dead are:
MRS. ALBERT CALHOUN.
FREELAND CALHOUN, 4.
ROBERT LEE CALHOUN, 2.
EULALA CALHOUN, 11.
EMMETT CALHOUN, 7.
ALBERT CALHOUN, JR., infant.
ALBERT CALHOUN.
ETTA BRIGHT,12.
ESSIE CALHOUN, 16, is in St. Luke's Hospital in a critical condition with burns about the head, face, shoulders and arms. It is believed that flames were sucked down her throat and that complications will result.
LOIS HERALD, a visitor, 13 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Herald, living near Lincoln, was severely burned about the face, arms and shoulders. Her condition was considered serious. She is at her home under the care of a Lincoln physician.
MRS. CALHOUN, EULALA, 11, FREELAND, four, ROBERT LEE, two, were the four who perished in the flames -- nothing being left except bones and ashes. The body of the infant, ALBERT, JR., was badly burned.
Coroner J. Ralph Usrey madean investigation Sunday concerning the origin of the fire and stated today that he did not think that the house caught from falling sparks, that from what he could ascertain the fire began in the hallway.
Therer were 13 persons sleeping in the CALHOUN home at the time of the fire. Of that number five are still alive, oneis in a critical condition, another is seriously burned and three boys, RAYMOND, 17, LINOS, 12, and an adopted nephew, A. M. CALHOUN, escaped the flames with only slight injuries.
The fire was first discovered by MRS. CALHOUN who woke her husband. MR. CALHOUN spread the alarm, crossing the hall through a mass of flames, to awaken the boys.
The boys RAYMOND, LINOS, and A. M., and the father worked frantically imperilling their own lives in an effort to save the lives of the two visitors and members of the CALHOUN family.
With the house almost a mass of flames the boys and the father were unable to save all on acount of the intense heat.
ERNEST CALHOUN, age 7, was away from home when the fire occurred. He was spending the night with his grandmother, Mrs. Betsy Jean Calhoun, who lived about a quarter of a mile away -- the nearest dwelling to the CALHOUN home.
Mark Jones, who lived about a mile and a half away, and his son, Aubrey, were the only persons in that section who were attracted by the light of the fire. They rushed to the scene and the house was only a mass of flaming debris when they arrived. The injured and the un-injured went to the home of Mrs. Betty Jean Calhoun.

Anniston Star Alabama 1928-12-24
__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!