Distressing Casualty!

The Star of Freedom was a newspaper published in Newtown by Asher Miner from 1817-1818. 

The subject matter of the paper is not particularly interesting, it's mostly poetry, prose, national political coverage, uninteresting articles and banal minutiae. There was very little local coverage outside of some marriage and death announcements and a few advertisements. By far the most interesting article in the entire paper is the following account of the drowning death of Edward Hicks' sister, Eliza Kennedy.

July 30, 1817 Star of Freedom

Distressing Casualty! Was drowned, on Monday evening last, Mrs. Kennedy, wire of Thomas G. Kennedy, Esq., of this town. The circumstances attending her death were peculiarly distressing. One of her sons about eight years of age, while amusing himself by flowing on a board in the creek opposite the town, was overturned into the water. Attracted by his cries, she rushed to his assistance, and almost immediately sank in the stream. Mr. Kennedy instantly followed, and soon became exhausted by unsuccessful attempts to rescue them. He was snatched from instant death by the citizens, who had collected on the spot; - the child was saved. In consequence of the depth of the water, (about twelve feet,) a few minutes elapsed before the body of Mrs. Kennedy was found. The skill of several medical gentlemen was promptly applied in endeavors for its resuscitation, but without effect. 

We learn that the point where the distressing accident occurred, was the turn in the creek just below the bridge on the road to Doylestown, where there is yet quite a depth of water. 

It's hard to imagine Newtown Creek deep enough to drown in, but apparently it was more treacherous 200 years ago. 

Thomas G. Kennedy, Esq. was a man of some prominence. He was the Sheriff of Bucks County around the time of the Star's publication and he was also a cartographer, publishing a map of Bucks County in 1817. His son was mapmaker Augustus Willet Kennedy.

One other interesting note is that Edward Hicks and his partner Thomas Goslin advertised their business in a few issues of the Star of Freedom. 

Edward Hicks Advertisement