The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

We have received the following Account of the melancholy Occurrence at Andover, dated Andover January 15.

" Last Lord's-Day, near the North-Meeting-House, in this Town, there stood an old Dwelling-House, in the lower Part of which there lived a Bachelor named David Farnum with two maiden Sisters of his; the man upwards of sixty, one of his Sisters seventy-two, and the other between sixty and seventy Years of Age: And in the Chamber over them, there lived a Widow, named Elizabeth Redington; who is upwards of sixty. Which house, by some Means unknown, got on Fire some time in the last Night, in the lower Room, where the Man and his Sisters lodged, and got (as is supposed) to such a Degree as almost suffocated the People in that Room before they were well awake; and in their Distress one of them cried out, O dear, what shall I do? which Words were heard by the Widow in the Chamber, (who by Reason of the Cold) had covered her Head over with the Bed-Clothes, which she instantly threw off, and found the Fire began to blaze up thro' the floor near the head of her Bed; upon which she jumped up, and catched some of her Cloaths in her Hands; clapped them over her Body, & made her Escape down Stairs and out of the House, and run to one of the nearest Neighbours, alarmed the People there, and they communicated the Alarm to others; so that in a little Time a considerable Number of People got to the House, but it was all in Flames, and soon burnt down to the Ground, with the Man and his two Sisters in it. If the Wind had been southerly, the Meeting-House mentioned above would undoubtedly have shared the same Fate with the Dwelling-House, as they were situated but about four Rods apart; but it being at North-West, the Meeting-House was providentially preserved. This Day has been spent by a Number of People in searching the Ruins, Remains of the unhappy sufferers, & such Parts of the Bodies of each of them been found. It is not known how the House took Fire, yet it's well known the said aged maid, made it their practice to smoke their Pipes after they got into Bed; which affords a greater Reason to think the House was fired by one of their Pipes than any other Way.; therefore it may not be amiss to caution People against such a Practice."