Unexpected Legacies: Horatio Spafford

By Matthew J. Elliott

Upfront, I am compelled to warn you that the story I have to share for this post is not one to be taken lightly. Aside from how purposeful the words Horatio Spafford wrote over 150 years ago, there is a story behind what led him to the words of the song ‘It is Well with My Soul’. Some stories just need to be told, and that have been told before, but hit differently once you understand where they came from and this story is one of those. 

To provide a little of background on why I selected this song. In truth, this is one song that is difficult for me to listen to. My father sang it at my mother’s memorial service in 2009 after cancer took her life much sooner than expected. While that is not a story for me to share with you in this post, knowing the story behind this song now gives me a much better understanding of the legacy ‘It is Well with My Soul’ has for us today. 

If you can imagine with me for a moment, or two…what it was like to live in the 1870s. There were no phones, computers, TVs, or even any type of vehicle we’d consider using today. It sounds like something the word would never survive today, doesn’t it? Now, let’s dig even deeper. Travel with me to Chicago, one of the nation’s biggest cities, and a bustling economy filled with opportunities to build something worth investing in. 

As we walk through the streets of this ever-growing environment, we find ourselves standing in front of a well-known district filled with thriving businesses and successful people living out their daily lives. Suddenly, everything changes! Out of nowhere, a huge, uncontrollable fire breaks out and changes everything. The once prosperous district is gone, and what’s more, the fire continues, killing hundreds of people and leaving a third of the population homeless. 

In the heart of a once vibrant metropolis, the feeling of desolation is overwhelming as the only visible sights for miles are blackened ashes and fragmented rocks. Almost everything in this society is beyond repair, leaving no choice but to start from scratch. The survivors are left in a state of complete shock. Their souls rattled to their very core, with little hope for a restoration of their former lives in any form. Many people ask themselves the same question: Does this mark the long-awaited culmination?

The road ahead leads us to a man named Horatio Spafford. He is a well-known lawyer, who invested his entire fortune into Chicago real estate. Much of which was no longer there. Recognizing this, he looks up at his wife and their four daughters. His mind becomes filled with fear and worry. Considering this, the family makes plans to journey to England for some time to recover and heal from the monumental loss they all had just endured. 

When the time comes to journey upon the sea to the old country, Horatio is unable to join his family because of other matters with the estate. He stays behind to tie up a few things and plans to join his family soon. As they depart, imagine his family waving to him from the ship as it leaves port and begins a journey it will never recover from. Along the way, their ship unexpectedly collides with another ship, resulting in the death of over 200 people, including his four daughters, at sea. 

Upon being rescued, Anna, his wife, sends a single note to tell her husband of what had transpired, “Saved and Alone, what should I do?” This note hits on so many levels, but Horatio immediately departs. Eventually, he finds his way to the exact spot where his daughters were lost. While the captain takes a break from the journey to remember those who have passed, Horatio stands in quiet contemplation. The significance of certain words are imprinted on his heart.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll—

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to know

It is well, it is well with my soul.

In the midst of this unprecedented storm, Horatio is given a gift. A promise that regardless of what he has faced, there is hope and it can be well with his soul. As the journey continued, he eventually reunited with his beloved, and things found a new routine once more. Nothing will ever be the same again, but there is something he can place his hope in. There is something he and his wife can hold on to. 

There is a profound depth to the story that extends beyond what has been mentioned in this post. In truth, immense tragedy marks Horatio and Anna’s path. While the rest of his story speaks to the unexpected legacy they have left behind, it is not my place to continue sharing their pain. Feel free to look it up, though, because it adds to their legacy’s value. It is a powerful story to discover as well. 

This article focuses on the message that was left behind. Horatio’s legacy, built through the words he wrote in the hymn we now call “It is Well with My Soul,” is meaningful to us all. The storms of life will always be there, doing everything they can to keep us from finding purpose in the pain and value of the trials we face. It is never easy to survive those storms.

Say what you will about the unexpected legacy of Horatio Spafford, but the proof is there. It is up to you to determine what you do with it. History has many stories that capture experiences like this, and each one has a lesson for us to learn from.  

  

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He has served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which has given him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is happily married to Traci, and they have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, Matthew's goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

A Kindle Vella Story in progress, Read the first 10 episodes FREE!

One Man. His Continued Journey. Working to Build the Early Church. 

John Mark is haunted by his past, and there is one person he has never been able to reconcile with. Join him on his continuing missionary journey as he leaves Cyprus to search for Saul, now known as Paul, before the epic ending of his Missionary Journey in Cyprus. Who will he meet along the way and what lessons will he learn? Will this journey help him find the answers he seeks?

Simultaneous fires of October 1871

Multiple movies, television shows, books, and other fictional and non-fictional stories have been told about the Great Chicago Fire which burned on October 8th, 1871, but did you know that from October 7th until the 10th, a rash of fires spread across the Mid-west?

First, a little bit about the most famous of the Mid-west fires, the Great Chicago 

Chicago Fire 1871

Fire. On the night of October 8th, 1871, at 137 DeKoven Street on the city’s southwest side in or near the barn of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary something ignited a small fire. Legend says the family’s cow knocked over a lighted lantern which set the city ablaze, but Mrs. O’Leary vehemently denied the charges. Regardless, due to a dry summer and a city full of structures built of untreated wood, the city burnt out of control until October 10th. Approximately 300 

Aftermath of the Chicago fire 1871

fatalities, 17,500 buildings and 222 million dollars in damages USD 1871. (4.593 billion USD 2018 accordingly)

Two Hundred and fifty miles away from Chicago in Peshtigo, Wisconsin another fire raged. Though historically overshadowed by the Chicago city inferno, the Peshtigo blaze was the most devastating fire in U.S history. It began in the forest, no one knows exactly how or where. Flames moved so quickly that it raced through the small town of Sugar Bush, killing every resident. High winds and dry 

Peshtigo area

 condition fed a two-hundred feet high wall of flames. Temperatures were so hot, ranging to two thousand degrees that trees exploded from the extreme heat. On October 8th, without warning, the fire reached Peshtigo. In a single tavern, two-hundred people perished. Desperate and panicked, folks ran to a nearby river for refuge—some drowned. Three unfortunate residents tried to save themselves by sheltering in a water tank. Tragically, they were boiled to death. In total, 800 – 2,500 (reports vary greatly) people were killed by this fire. The worst in history.

On October 8th, across Lake Michigan multiple fires tore through small and large towns alike. On the west coast, Holland, Michigan and Manistee, Michigan both

Manistee MI

suffered from runaway fires. Theories prevail that the high winds carried embers across the Great Lake and ignited these fires, and that may be so, but what about the simultaneous fire on the east coast of Michigan? Port Huron is located at the base of the thumb area, and on the same day, fire burned this town. Then there’s Alpena, Michigan located on the northeast coast. Another fire—on the same day as the others—burned this town. It would very improbable for embers from the Chicago fire to carry this far east. Additional fires burned towns in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on the same day. Strange, right? Unfortunately, the death toll is unknown due to the numerous lumber

Alpena, MI

operations and migrating lumberjack population.

So, what caused these simultaneous Midwest fires? Some have said embers—some say the dry conditions, warm temperatures and very high winds were the culprit. One theory that has been proposed claims that as the earth passed through the tail of a comet, the debris ignited fires through the Midwest. Apparently, including a steamship passing through the Manitou Islands in Lake Michigan which reported a spontaneous fire on the deck of the boat.

After more than a hundred years, why or how these fires started is still a mystery, but what is known is that October 8th, 1871 was a day of death, destruction and terror throughout the Midwest—one which I hope is never again repeated in history.

Thanks for stopping by Heroes, Heroines and History. Stay warm and safe until we meet again in February.

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Award winning author, Michele K. Morris’s love for historical fiction began when she first read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House book series. She grew up riding horses and spending her free time in the woods of mid-Michigan. Married to her high school sweetheart, they are living happily-ever-after with their six children, three in-loves, and ten grandchildren in the sunshine state. Michele loves to hear from readers on Facebook, Twitter, and through the group blog, Heroes, Heroines, and History at HHHistory.com. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.