Hettie Ogle

Hettie Ogle

Quick Facts

Significance:

Hettie was the Western Union Office manager in Johnstown

Place of Birth:

Somerset County, Pennsylvania

Date of Birth:

November 20, 1834

Place of Death:

Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

Date of Death:

May 31, 1889

Place of Burial:

Southmont, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

Cemetery Name:

Grandview Cemetery

"This is my last message." -Hettie Ogle

Hettie Ogle was born Esther Mullen Earl on November 20, 1834 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Her parents were Joseph Biddle Earl and Rachel Hitchman Allen Earl. Her father was a tavern owner.

Hettie married Charles Ogle and had two children, James and Minnie. Charles died in 1862 during the Civil War at the Battle of Gaines’ Mill. After the death of her husband, she left Somerset County and found employment in Bedford County as a telegraph operator.

Hettie moved to Johnstown on 1869 to manage the Western Union telegraph office where she was employed on the day of the flood. Her residence was 110 Washington Street, next to the Cambria County Library. This also served as the Western Union office. Unlike many other telegraph operators associated with messaging on the day of the flood, Hettie was not employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad. She was a commercial operator. Three women were employed by Hettie; Grace Garman, Mary Jane Waktins and her daughter Minnie. They all died in the flood including Hettie. 

A timeline of Hettie's activity on May 31, 1889:
7:44 a.m. -She sent a river reading. The water level was 14 feet.
10:44 a.m. -The river level was 20 feet.
11:00 a.m. -She wired the following message to Pittsburgh. "Rain gauge carried away."
12:30 p.m. -She wired "Water higher than ever known. Can't give exact measurement" to Pittsburgh.
1:00 p.m. -Hettie moved to the second floor of her home due to the rising water.
3:00 p.m. -Hettie alerted Pittsburgh about the dam after receiving a warning from South Fork that the dam "may possibly go." She wired "this is my last message." The water was grounding her wires. A piece of sheet music titled "My Last Message" was published after the flood.

Hettie's house on Washington Street was struck by the flood wave shortly after 4:00 p.m. A keychain belonging to Hettie was found by her son James near the Stone Bridge amongst all the debris. It is part of the collection at Heritage Johnstown.