Orange County, NC - Obituary of Lewis Holt, 1819

DIED, in Orange County N.C. on the 11th ult. Mr. Lewis Holt, aged 26 
years. The circumstances (says the Raleigh Register) attending the 
death of this unfortunate young man, were so singularly melancholy and 
awful as to merit particular regard. He, with his family, consisting of 
his wife and two small children, had on that day attended the funeral 
sermon of his brother-in-law, Mr. B. Whitbey.

After preaching he invited, with his usual cordiality, some of his 
friends to accompany him home, but at length retired attended only by 
his wife and children. After dinner, himself, wife and two children all 
sat down together on a bed, situated directly under a small window. 

A cloud was rising which promised a shower which was greatly needed. As 
the rain approached he gave his infant daughter, whom he had been 
nursing, to its mother and rising upon his knees, called to his wife as 
he looked through the window to notice the darkness of the air, when, 
most dreadful thought, a flash of lightning fell upon him and killed 
him in the twinkling of an eye.

Can the liveliest human fancy portray a scene more eminently shocking 
that was here, exhibited to his astonished wife? With the exception of 
the two children above mentioned, and two small negroes in the kitchen, 
she was quite alone. 

On recovering from the shock into which she had herself been thrown, 
the first object that met her view was her husband, who but a few 
seconds before might have exulted in all the pride and vigor of 
youthful manhood, now a pale and lifeless body. A pale blue flame was 
kindling around him – she approached and extinguished the fire – called 
to him but he heard her not – she extended the kind hand of assistance, 
but in vain the fatal fluid had penetrated every part, unstrung every 
nerve, and dislodged the immortal spirit from its earthly abode.

Source: Winyaw Intelligencer – August 11, 1819

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