Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 16.

[p. 43] was a pupil at Dr. John Hosmer's private school, as was one whose name was not recorded who died March 3, 1806. Lousianna Galluzza, ‘a Native of Havanna Cuba,’ who died September 24, 1838, was a pupil at Mr. John Angier's school. These schools were kept in a house on Forest street, on the site of the one now standing, lately occupied by Joseph K. Manning (No. 37). The last two deaths were not by drowning.

A tragic accident which excited much sympathy in Medford was the death by drowning at Sheffield, Mass., of Gertrude and Mary Lemist, August, 1859. They were children of Mr.Lemist and Mrs. George Lemist, whose first years of married life were spent in this town,¹ where they were very well known, Mrs. Lemist being a daughter of Deacon Samuel Train. The family was, at that time, living in New York, and the young girls had been spending the summer months with their uncle, Dr. H. D. Train. With a companion of their own age, who was also drowned, they were bathing in the Housatonic river. It was supposed that Mary, the elder, was on the bank when she heard the cry of the others struggling in the water, and was drawn in when she tried to save her sister.

The bodies were brought to Medford and funeral services were held at their grandfather's house (161 High street). Rev. Dr. William Adams of New York mentioned the sad accident in a sermon and gave a beautiful eulogy, which was printed by permission in the New York Observer. In it he said, ‘Two of these, sisters, ten and twelve years of age, were little less to me than my own children. I had known them from their birth. Special relations had brought them into my intimacy. But recently removed to this city, they had been frequent inmates of my family, as they had been for a season members of our Sabbath School.’

Dr. Adams for many years spent the summer in Medford. He was son-in-law of the elder Thatcher Magoun.