The Danger and Tragedy of Tiot’s Swimming Holes
- Patricia Fanning
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Peter Wagner (c. 1823-1862) Lot 185
Johauss Hurst (1838-1862) Lot 184
Arthur Lowell (1870-1880) Lot 116
Frank Brooks (1885-1888) Lot 69/Highland 36
Curtis Talbot (1798-1884) Lot 105
In the eighteenth century, the nicknamed given to South Dedham was “Tiot.” Throughout the town’s history the name was used in common parlance and today remains a visible symbol of town pride as the name of the high school yearbook. The derivation of the word is muddled but local historians and townspeople generally accept that it refers to native language words signifying “enclosed by waters” or “watering place,” a logical assumption since the town is bordered by a river and several smaller streams, brooks, and man-made ponds. Local historian and newspaperman Win Everett recounted some of these “Swimmin’ Holes of Tiot” in 1935. Purgatory Pond, in the woods of Purgatory swamp was a favorite, as was the Car Shop Pond, “a small dirty mud-hole” just west of Lenox Street. There was a pond just south of Chapel Street, and another near today’s Elks off Winslow. Then there was Ellis Pond, Guild’s Pond, Pettee’s Pond and, of course, the Neponset River. All before George Willett created “Willett’s Pond.”
All of these watering holes come to mind in discussing one of the most tragic causes of death among those interred in Old Parish Cemetery: drowning.
Peter Wagner and Johauss Hurst
On August 17, 1862, apparently while swimming in one of Tiot’s many waterways on a hot summer day, Peter Wagner, 39, and Johauss (John) Hurst, 25, accidentally drowned. Wagner was a cabinet maker, likely employed either at Everett’s furniture factory or the Haley, Morse & Boyden shop. Johauss Hurst was a barkeeper, a business and occupation common within any immigrant population.
Records note that Wagner was born in Luxemburg to Tean and Maria Wagner and that he was single when he died. Hurst, also single, was born in February of 1838 in Germany, and his parents, listed as George and Catherine, still lived there.
Arthur Lowell
Arthur G. Lowell was born on November 18, 1870. He was the second child born to Leonard Lowell, a Civil War veteran, and his wife, Frances J. Gay Lowell. Their first child, Alice Fanny Lowell, had lived just over a year, dying on December 10, 1869 of confluent small pox.
Tragedy struck the Lowell family again almost a decade later when on June 24, 1880, nine-year-old Arthur was the victim of an accidental drowning.
Frank Brooks
Charles A. Brooks and Catherine Madora Webster Brooks were born and married in Nova Scotia, Canada. They moved to South Dedham where Charles was a blacksmith. The couple had twelve children, born between 1867 and 1887. Their youngest son, Frank, was born on January 2, 1885. He died tragically on May 25, 1888 due to an accidental drowning. He was three years old and was interred in Old Parish. The family later purchased a lot in Highland Cemetery and removed Frank’s remains to that spot.
Curtis Talbot.
This is perhaps the most tragic story of all. Curtis Talbot was born on November 15, 1798 to Enoch Talbot and his wife Catherine Reynolds Talbot. Curtis Talbot was a farmer, like his father.
On October 30, 1831, Curtis Talbot married Hannah F. Andrews, the daughter of David and Susey Fisher Andrews. Hannah had been born on October 15, 1815. Curtis and Hannah had one child, David Curtis Talbot. On June 17, 1835, Hannah F. Andrews Talbot died at the age of 25.
Two years later, on October 29, 1837, Curtis Talbot married Emeline Fisher, the daughter of Calvin and Sibbel Fisher of Dedham. Curtis and Emeline had two sons, Edward Payson Talbot and Granville A. O. Talbot. On April 7, 1877 Emeline Fisher Talbot died having suffered from paralysis; she was 71.
On May 22, 1884, Curtis Talbot drowned. According to his death certificate, his was a case of “suicide by drowning.”. He was 86. Talbot and both his wives are interred in Old Parish Cemetery.
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