The grave of Savilla [Coleman] Hepler and her daughter Mary Martha Hepler can be found at St. Michael’s United Church of Christ Cemetery, Lykens Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Both were victims of the same fire that their destroyed their home east of Gratz in November 1882.
The story of the fire was first found in a Memories Book published by the Gratz Historical Society. Newspaper accounts were then sought to obtain additional information. One news account differs in that a neighbor, Henry Reed, assisted in saving the children.
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From Gratz Memories Book, Vol. 3, p. 97:
A DEVASTATING FIRE
One Wednesday afternoon in November 1882 the wife (Savilla Hepler, nee Coleman) and five children of John D. Hepler said good-bye to him as he left the house to go to work in the mines in Bear Valley. The young family was living in a house several miles east of Gratz which was owned by Hillery B. Schriner. In normal fashion, the mother and children retired to their beds later that evening. Some time during the night Mrs. Hepler was awakened by an unusual noise, only to discover that the whole house was in flames. Frantically, the horror-stricken woman went heroically to work to rescue her children from the burning building. She succeeded in removing four of them, but when she returned for the fifth time she was overcome by flames, and she and nine year old Mary Martha Hepler perished together in the fire.
The building was burned to the ground with all of its contents. The fire occurred about midnight, and being remote from other families the unfortunate woman had to depend entirely upon herself to save her family. To do this she sacrificed her own life. The bodies were found in the charred and still burning debris the following morning.
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From the Sunbury Gazette & Northumberland County Republican, November 17, 1882:
BURNED TO DEATH WHILE TRYING TO RESCUE HER CHILD
Harrisburg, November 10 [1882] — The particulars of a horrible burning affair in the upper end of this county have just been received here. John D. Hepler, his wife and several children occupied a tenement house three miles east of Gratz, in Lykens Township. On Wednesday night Mr. Hepler, who is stable boss at the Bear Valley work of the Summit Branch Colliery with one of his sons, were at their accustomed employment, The other members of the family retired early, Mrs. Hepler placing some shavings in the kitchen stove with which to start the fire in the morning. About 11 o’clock at night the oldest boy was awakened and found the house on fire. his mother was aroused, and the son, with her assistance, was able to rescue two of the children, when Henry Reed, the nearest neighbor, living about a hundred yards distant, arrived at the scene. Mr. Reed caught two more of the little ones in his arms as they were passed from a second story window by the mother, but before she and her eldest daughter, Mary Hepler, eight years of age, could effect their escape from the burning building, the timbers gave way and both were enveloped by the flames. The shrieks of the two unfortunate could be plainly heard as they met their death with no one able to save them. The smallest child was severely burned about the head, face and hands. The others are burned slightly. One of the sons was hurt in being thrown from the house. The charred remains of the victims were found yesterday noon. Mr. Hepler and his son were sent for, a distance of three miles, and when the husband and father reached the scene he was so much overcome that he became unconscious and remained in that state for some time. The fire is supposed to have been caused by the shavings in the stove igniting. The dwelling, an old two-story house, was burned to the ground, together with all its contents and between $300 and $400 in money.
THE DEVOTED MOTHER
Pottsville, November 10 [1882] — When the fire at the Hepler residence, in the Williams Valley, near Tower City, had burned itself out, neighbors to whom the rescued children had gone found the charred remains of the little one hugged close to those of the mother, whose sacrifice cost her own life. Mrs. Hepler was forty years of age, and came of a weathy family. While the escape of the five children is considered miraculous, the sad fate of the mother and youngest child has spread gloom over the whole valley.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, November 11, 1882, also reprinted in the Sunbury Republican, November 17, 1882:
A TERRIBLE BURNING AFFAIR
Thursday morning the upper end of the county was convulsed with excitement over the report of a heart-rending scene near Gratz. John D. Hepler, with his wife and five children lived happily together in a tenant house owned by Hillary B. Schriner, and located about four miles northeast of the borough of Gratz. Mr. Hepler is a miner by occupation and was away from home at his work in Bear Valley on Wednesday night. In the evening the family retired as usual. Some time during the night the faithful wife and mother was awakened by an unusual noise to discover her house in flames. Frantic with excitement, the horror-stricken women at once went heroically to work to rescue her children from the burning building. She succeeded in removing four of them, but when she returned for the fifth time she was overcome by the flames, and she and a nine-year-old daughter perished together in the fire. The building was burned to the ground with all its contents. The fire occurred about midnight, and being remote from other families, the unfortunate woman had to depend entirely upon herself to save her family. To do this she sacrificed her own life. The fire is supposed to have originated in the stove in which damp kindling wood had been placed the evening before for drying. The bodies were found in the debris the next morning, charred and still burning. When the fire had burned itself out, neighbors to whom the rescued children had gone found the charred remains of the little one hugged close to those of the mother, whose sacrifice cost her own life. Mrs. Hepler was forty years of age, and came of a wealthy family. While the escape of the five children is considered miraculous, the sad fate of the mother and youngest child has spread gloom over the whole valley.
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From the Millersburg Herald, November 10, 1882, and reprinted in the Northumberland County Democrat, November 17, 1882:
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT
Yesterday morning the upper end of the county was convulsed with excitement over the report of a heart-rending scene near Gratz. John D. Hepler with his wife and five children lived happily together in a tenant house owned by Hillary B. Schriner, and located about four miles northeast of the borough of Gratz. Mr. Hepler is a miner by occupation and was away from home at his work in Bear Valley on Wednesday night. In the evening the family retired as usual. Some time during the night the faithful wife and mother was awakened by an unusual noise to discover her house in flames. Frantic with excitement, the horror-stricken woman at once went heroically to work to rescue her children from the burning building. She succeeded in removing four of them, but when she returned for the fifth time when was overcome by the flames and she and a nine-year-old daughter perished together in the fire, The building was burned to the ground with all its contents. The fire occurred about midnight and being remoted from other families, the unfortunate woman had to depend entirely upon herself to save her family. To do this she sacrificed her own life. The fire is supposed to have originated in the stove in which damp kindling wood had been placed the evening before drying. The bodies were found in the debris the next morning, charred and still burning.
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News articles from Newspapers.com. Grave Marker photo from Findagrave.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.