Fort Smith Weekly New Era
Feb. 14. 1877
Last Sunday afternoon, Frank McClure, a little son of Capt. McClure, the County Clerk, in trying to step from the steamer Fannie Moore on to the
ferry boat lying outside, fell in the river, which at that point is very deep and rapid. An older brother of the boy, seeing the latter’s peril,
was on the point of getting overboard to attempt his brother’s rescue, though not much of a swimmer himself, when he was pulled back by a colored
man, employed on the ferry, who plunging into the rapid stream himself, soon snatched the little fellow from a watery grave, and most likely
saved the life of the older brother too by preventing him from executing his generous but dangerous attempt at rescue. But for the brave act
of the ferryman, Capt. McClure would most probably have had to mourn the loss of two promising sons. The name of the colored man is simply
Joe Smith, but he is a noble fellow for all that.
(Frank McClure was born 1869 to John H. and Margrette McClure)
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