THE GREAT FIRE OF 1881 - MICHIGAN
As the fire began to sweep over Paris Township, in southern Huron county, the powerful southesterly winds met a cold front bearing even stronger northwest winds. The slamming together of these two fronts affected the fires in strange ways. Sgt Bailey's report stated that the fires came into Paris Township at 2:20 P.M. from the west as a solid wall of flame 50 to 100 feet high. When the northwesterly winds hit, things started to happen. A 1,000 pound wagon was picked up in nearby Sherman Township and hurled 15 rods through the air. Trees were flattened, roOfs were torn from buildings, and the fires began an erratic dance of death. And yet, while Paris Township became the deadliest place in the fire zone that day, many miraculously escaped the fire. Bailey wrote. In the midst of the general destruction a shanty would be left untouched, or a gate would remain intact while the house, barns, granaries and fence were destroyed. Northeast of Parisville the flames divided, and the property of some farmers was burned while that of others was untouched. A wooden Crucifix, erected by the Leroanski family, still stands today at a place where the fire divided.		Bailey reported other miracles in Paris that afternoon. "At the Polish church in the village, a cluster of seven houses within an area 80 rods in diameter escaped, while every thing cut side this area was burned. On section 17, a rick of hay and a surrounding rail fence escaped destruction while the owners house, barn, stable and fences were entirely destroyed. Although it bears the name of a French city, Parisville was know as a Polish settlement. The people, like others in the Michigan Thumb, were immigrants who chose to live together for ethnic and language reasons. They were hard working farmers and devout Roman Catholics. The stories of how they died are fragmented, probably because there were few survivors. It was reported that 17 people died in a field north of the village. Father Gratza, Paster of St. Mary's Parish, was one of the representatives who traveled to Detroit the next Wednesday to solicit help for his stricken people. He reported 110 families in Paris Township were without food and shelter, and that 28 bodies had been found. The flanes came with such speed that many people died where they stood. Josephine Loch and her five children attempted to dash a few hundred paces to the farm of her parents, but they were caught in the
THE GREAT FIRE OF 1881 - MICHIGAN
fire and burned alive. Apparently, her husband Frank survived. Others listed among the dead at Parisville were Theresa Sperkowski her five children, Maryana Guza, Leo Kubacki, Theofila Danielski, Matthew Nielewski, Mary Nierzwicki, Victoria Maura and Anna Wrobel. The Port Huron Daily Times on Sept.9,1881 printed the following list of others who died: Mary Zyberski, Mr.and Mrs. Finlay McPherson, Mr. and Mrs. James Spirkowski and their five children, and Mathias Naleski who was smothered while hiding in a well. Note: Maryana (Marcella) Guza and grandchild Leo Kubacki were also placed in a cistern, an effort to save them. They both suffocated.