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KATE SHELLEY- HEROINE OF IOWA
Kate Shelley, was born in Loughaun Co. Offaly, Ireland, of Michael Shelley
and Margaret Dwan.
Burlington Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
March 30, 1882
Des Moines Register
How very few of the many acts of great bodies live
after them. The only thing the late legislature of Iowa did-with its one hundred
and fifty wise men at work for three months-that will go into history, or be
remembered more than ten years probably, was the gold medal that it voted to
Kate Shelley in recognition of a girl's heroism. It did a great deal else, a
large detail of things, but all that were temporary in their nature and will be
fleeting in their existence. But the little hoop of gold, an heir-loom in the
Shelley family, will grow greater with the lapse of time. After five years there
will probably be no public library in the world that will not contain a sketch
of the story of the medal, and no collection of historic medals that will not
contain a copy of this one of Kate's. A medal of honor, worthily won and
worthily bestowed, is the most enduring as well as the most grateful of mortal
baubles. The medallic history of the world is of remarkable interest. The mother
of this Iowa heroine, sitting in the poverty of her humble home, and yet with a
pride that came in her blood of some ancestor whose valor had been proved by
field and fire-perhaps centuries ago-perhaps by a Sir Galahad or an Arthur
himself-in saying she would rather have the state giver her daughter a medal
than a home, was right. The circle of gold she knows is more than money, and
means more in the present, and very much more in the future. She could work for
money. Potatoes would bring money, eggs would -even begging But this shining
stamp of gold, expressing the appreciation and admiration of a state, and
preserving the record of heroism to history, mere labor could not earn nor money
buy. Such tokens of immortality are only won by mortals of more than mortal
courage or merit. So a double lesson has been taught here: A great legislature
perpetuating its name in history by the one act of recognizing heroism-and next,
a simple Irish woman, born from lowliest peasantry of poor and mendicant
Ireland, verifying anew the quality of human nature at its best; by saying even
in her poverty that the gold of honor is more than the gold of bread. It teaches
further, that in the humblest breast and in the poorest home, as well as in
prouder breasts in higher life, there is still burning yet the sparks of the
living fire of noblest human purpose. It is this light falling on Kate Shelley's
medal, that will give its purest radiance.
Burlington Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
April 6, 1882
Since the action of the legislature in recognizing the
heroism of Kate Shelley, an effort is being made to increase the fund for her
benefit, so that she may go to school. The postmaster at Boone has been selected
as custodian of all funds.
Burlington Hawkeye
Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa
May 4, 1882
It is said Kate Shelley, the heroine, is not engaged
to be married, but it is intimated that when the time does come for venturing
upon the matrimonial sea, there was a switchman in the yards at Moingona who was
with her in the sickness following her terrible adventure, and who, although
wearing the clothes of a laborer and carrying a hand crippled in the service of
the railroad company, will probably put in the first and best claim.
Daily Iowa State Press
Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa
Feb 17, 1899
Stories of Brave Girls.
On July 6, 1881, a storm of wind and rain burst over
Iowa, and in an hour's time every creek was out of its banks. So sudden was the
flood that houses, barns, lumber and all portable objects within reach of the
waters were carried away. Looking from her window, which in daylight commanded a
view of the Honey creek railroad bridge, Kate Shelley saw, through the darkness
and storm, a locomotive headlight. A second later it dropped; she knew that the
bridge had gone and that a train of cars had fallen into the abyss. There was no
one at home but her mother and her little brother and sister, and the girl
understood that if help was to be given to the sufferers and the express train,
then nearly due, warned, she would have to undertake the task alone.
Hastily filling and lighting an old lantern and
wrapping herself in a waterproof, she sallied out in the storm. She climbed
painfully up the steep bluff to the track, tearing her clothes to rags on the
thick undergrowth and lacerating her flesh most painfully. A part of the bridge
still remained, and crawling out on this to the last tie, she swung her lantern
over the abyss, and called out at the top of her voice. It was pitchy dark below
but she was answered faintly by the engineer, who had crawled upon some of the
broken timbers, and though injured, was safe for the time being. From him the
girl learned that it was a freight train that had gone into the chasm, and that
he alone of that train's hands had escaped. He urged her, however, to proceed at
once to the nearest station, to secure help for him, and to warn the approaching
express train of the fall of the bridge.
The girl then retraced her steps, gained the track and
made her way toward Moingona, a small station about one mile from Honey creek.
In making this perilous journey it was necessary for her to cross the Des Moines
river, about five hundred feet in length. Just as she tremblingly put her foot
on this structure, the wind, rain, thunder and lightning were so appalling that
she nearly lost her balance, and in the endeavor to save herself, her sole
companion-the old lantern-went out. Deprived of her light she could not see a
foot ahead of her, save when dazzling flashes of lightning revealed the grim
outlines of the bridge and the seething waters beneath. Knowing that she had no
time to lose, the brave girl threw away the useless lamp, and dropping on her
hands and knees, crawled from tie to tie across the high trestle. Having gained
the ground again, she ran the short distance remaining to the station, told her
story in breathless haste and then fell unconscious. She was, however, in time
to save the express with the scores of lives it carried.
Chief Reporter
Perry, Dallas Co, IA.
June 14, 1900
Kate Shelly.- Mrs. Benj. Swisher, living east of
Perry, is enjoying a visit from her mother and sister, Mrs. Shelley and Miss
Kate, of Moingona. Kate Shelley is well remembered in this part of the country
as the young heroine who saved the express train from a terrible calamity at the
bridge near Boone some sixteen years ago.
Daily Iowa State Press
Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa
October 17, 1903
KATE SHELLEY REMEMBERED
The Northwestern Railway company has given the station
at Moingona in charge of Miss Kate Shelley, to whom their gratitude can never be
wanting. As all the telegraph instruments have been removed from this office,
her work will be entirely the sale of tickets. Many times before the
Northwestern has offered her high salaried positions on their road, but as each
one would necessitate her removal from the home town at Moingona, where her aged
mother is enjoying the last years of her life, she refused them all. This in
part shows her unselfish devotion to her parent. Now as passengers go to and
from this little station, they may see from this station, they may see and grow
better acquainted with the woman whose bravery "saved the train."--
Ames Intelligencer.
Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler, Iowa
June 7, 1911
Kate Shelley, who prevented a loaded Northwestern
passenger train from going into an open bridge near Boone 25 years ago, is at
the point of death in a hospital at Carroll.
Washington Post
Washington, D.C.
Jan 22, 1912
HONEY CREEK HEROINE DEAD
Kate Shelly Crept Across Bridge in Storm to Save Train.
Boone, Iowa, Jan. 21- Kate Shelly, heroine of the Honey Creek
flood in 1881, died today at her home, a quarter of a mile from the Moingona
bridge across the Des Moines River, the scene of her heroic act. Six months ago
she was operated on for appendicitis, and before she recovered, Bright's disease
set in.
During a violent storm 30 years ago Miss Shelly, who
was station agent at Moingona, crossed the bridge on her hands and knees at
midnight to flag a passenger train on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and
save it from plunging into Honey Creek, over which the bridge had been washed
away.
For her bravery the Iowa legislature awarded her a
medal and a sum of money. She also received substantial recognition from the
railroad.
Iowa Recorder
Greene, Butler, Iowa
Jan 24, 1912
The funeral of Miss Kate Shelley, the Iowa heroine,
will be held at Boone today. The Northwestern railroad company will furnish a
special train to convey the remains and relatives to Boone.
For a biography and picture of Miss Shelley see:
http://www.irishmidlandsancestry.com/content/offaly/people/shelley_kate.htm
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