Ripley Floods of 1832 and 1847 Reminiscences

              ji/:.)jjx/.'ii:i:y<\t:s of the j-loo/'.< of .'..--i:.
REMINISCENCES
OF THE FLOODS OF '32 .^;:3 '47. By C.-iPT. R, C, Rakkik,
'The ^re;U l-'lciod L'f i8_^;lias been rccordc-d in the miiids of those who '-.ere uitnes.ses of and suli'ercrs by it, as being the L;reatcst volume of water that e\er ll<jwcd down tile Ohio River t'rom tlie earliest pcrKnl of civiiiza tion down ti> iScS4. I have resided in plain view of the beautiful Ohio from 1S22, until the i)rcsent time and have been an eye witness ol" the four great floods that have < ausei! so much damaiie and suffering along its banks and tribut '.ries.
1 mention tr;bvitaries from tlie fact that the great body of water in the main river m seeking its le^el backs up the small stre.ims fir miles, dri\in.£; the inhabitants along their banks to higher grounds. When the w iters recede leaving their houses, barns, fences, grain and hay crops, iV-c, in a \ ery (iamaginn condition; even in many cases great loss of sto< k by drowning. Thus yoii see the in¬ habitants of tlie towns and on the immediate banks ol the ri\er are not the only sufferers by these migiity Hoods.
Rildey, ilroun County, Ohio, and tiie vicinity in which I have lived, was more than two-thirds under wa¬ ter. On Front street, but three or lour houses escaped having vv.iter on the lirst floors. The house known as the .Middleton property, ni)w owned and oc:ciii-ie(l by .Mr. Wm. Rady. The .\IcNish property lacked o-ie inch. Will. .\l(;\i>h occupied the part down the river for a dwelling.    The middle rooms for .< carpenter shop.     Tiie