Lose Four of 12 Children in Fire

Article taken from The Clearfield Progress, January 24, 1930

Parents Unable to Rescue All When Home Burns in Ohio; Four More Injured

Portsmouth, OH January 24-- Four children were burned to death and four others, all members of the same family, were seriously injured, when fire destroyed their home at Ottaway, 25 miles west of here, early today.

The fire, which is believed to have been caused, by a defective flue, completely destroyed the home.

The dead:

Raymond Perry, 16.
Elsie, a sister, 10.
Elmer, a brother, 8.
Bessie, another sister, 6.

The children were sleeping on the second floor, when they were awakened by their father, Lawrence Perry, who had discovered the fire when he was aroused by the thick smoke. There were 12 children in the family, and the parents were unable to save them all.

Arthur, 15, sustained a broken ankle when he jumped from a second story window, and his brother, Melvin, 20, was probably fatally injured when he landed on his head after having jumped from a window.