Drowning of Four, A Bullitt Flood Tragedy

In it's issue, published on 18 Feb 1937, The Pioneer News reported the deaths of four people due to drowning associated with the great flood. Below is a transcription of the report, together with an image of the story taken from microfilm. It is presented here with the permission of The Pioneer News.

Drowning of Four, A Bullitt Flood Tragedy
By Mrs. J.R. Holsclaw

One of Bullitt's worst tragedies, incident upon the flood was that which occurred on February 5, when Mr. and Mrs. Will Jenkins, Mrs. Clara Melton and Mr. Greer were drowned in Brooks Run here.

Mrs. Melton and daughter had been sheltered in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, warm friends, and Friday, as the waters had abated, Mr. Jenkins took Mrs. Melton back to her home to see its condition and as they returned their car went into the deep waters of Brooks Run at the bridge.

No one will ever know what happened but the supposition is that Mr. Jenkins had a heart attack, perhaps died at the wheel and the car turned upside down in the creek. Not until the bodies were taken out was their identity known.

Such widespread sorrow as was felt for these our neighbors and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, Mrs. Melton had resided here all their lives and were of the highest character and each had large connections to mourn their loss.

Mr. Greer lived with Mr. and Mrs. I. James and was respected by all who knew him. He was buried at Fairfield, Ky.

The funerals of the others were held at Hebron Sunday afternoon at 1 and 8 p.m. respectively. A vast concourse of people assembled to pay the last tribute of respect.

Mrs. Clara Bell Melton is survived by two brothers, Willard and Warner Bell, and five daughters, Mrs. Harry Kulmer, Covington, Ky., Mrs. Ralph Henderson, Mrs. Frank Carpenter, Mrs. Will Grove and Miss Clara (Bobbie) Melton, all of Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The husband, Tom Melton, was killed by a train at Shepherdsville a few years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins are survived by three sons, Chester, Crumbacker and Russell, one daughter, Mrs. Douglas Robards. One brother D.J. Crumbacker, and one sister, Mrs. O.N. Scott, survive Mrs. Jenkins, while one sister, Mrs. Maude Gentry and one brother, Norman Jenkins, and his aged father survived Mr. Jenkins.

Our hearts are wrung as we feel the sorrow of the bereaved ones who in their grief have the hope of a meeting on the other show.

---

Mr. Greer was John Milton Greer. At the time of his death he was married to Minnie Chesser Greer, and they had four children: James Richard, Nancy, Charles, and Evelyn.

---

Links to Victim's Death Certificates:

• John Greer
• Blanch Jenkins
• William Jenkins
• Clara Melton

---

This is a work in progress. The web page is copyright 2008 by Charles Hartley, Shepherdsville KY. All rights are reserved. The Pioneer News holds the copyright on the newspaper story, and it is presented here with the paper's permission.

---

If you, the reader, have an interest in any particular part of our county history, and wish to contribute to this effort, use the form on our Contact Us page to send us your comments about this, or any Bullitt County History page. We welcome your comments and suggestions. If you feel that we have misspoken at any point, please feel free to point this out to us.