On Friday, August 19, 1892, Ed. Sexson’s threshing machine threshed at Scott Gastineau’s farm, about six miles west of Grant. Many of his neighbors had assembled there to assist.
After the day’s work was done most of them went home but some remained late. Levi Gastineau, James McHugh, Doc Gastineau, John Sexson and Tom Ford, having eaten supper walked out toward the barn. A storm came up about half past seven and the men took shelter at the barn. Levi stood outside leaning against the doorframe, Doc Gastineau standing beside him. McHugh leaned against the same frame from the inside. The others were on the inside standing a little from the walls. There was a vivid flame of lightning, a startling crash and Jim Gastineau, Bill Hayes and Ed Sexson who were eating supper in the house, a hundred feet distant, ran out scarified to see what had happened. The found Levi lying in the doorway dead, his clothing aflame, and Doc Gastineau beside him motionless. On the inside they found James McHugh breathing his last, and John Sexson and Tom Ford unconscious.
Two dead were carried to the house and the injured were taken in hand and brought to consciousness. The neighbors were alarmed and soon many had gathered at the scene. It was more than a half hour before those who were injured recovered consciousness. Heroic efforts were made to resusotate Levi and McHugh, but it was useless. Each had been struck on the head and had received the full force of the shock. The flesh on McHugh’s right side was all mashed into a pulp and mortification made its appearance within an hour. His interment the following afternoon was a matter of urgent necessity. He was temporarily interred in his dooryard and will probably be moved to Illinois.
The lightning struck the comb of the roof over the double door. There was a two by four from the roof down to the upper doorsill and a post in the doorway directly under the one above. The charge ran down these posts. Against the lower one leaned Levi Gasteneau and James McHugh. Jim was smoking and was in the act of handing Levi a match when the flash occurred.
There were ten head of horses in the barn at the time. All were knocked down and one of them, belonging to Eli Sexson, killed. A colt standing fifty feet from the barn was also killed. A curious thing was that John Sexson was standing between the horse and Jim McHugh, both killed. It is quite probable that all the men would have been killed had they been leaning against the walls of the barn. Doc Gasteneau was pretty badly burned on the arm and shoulder. John Sexson was also burned. The charge went from his shoulder to his foot leaving a blister to mark its course. Tom Ford was worst burned in the abdominal region. They were all severely shocked and will not fully recover from the effects for months.
The community is most profound impressed, and nothing has ever before happened in this county to parallel it. The news settled like a pall upon those connected with the family. The news spread rapidly through the country and many people out of sympathy and curiously, visited the place. We can only hope that such a dreadful thing will never occur again.
The remains of Levi Gastineau were interred in the Grant Cemetery Sunday. The funeral procession was the largest ever seen here. Fully forty-five conveyances were in the train. Many people from Graig were at the burial ground to meet the procession. Levi Gastineau was born November 19, 1859, near Owensburg, Indiana. He was married to Rebecca Sexson, January 16th 1878. He came to York County, Nebraska in 1882 and in 1885 he came to his homestead in Perkins County, Nebraska. He became a member of the Christian church in October 1899. He was an upright man and a generous husband and father. Dr. C. Gastineau, one of the victims of the electric shock, was in town Monday. Doc was pretty badly burned but is recovering rapidly.
---Grant Nebraska Exchange
