Yokohl Valley Becomes a Place of Terror and Death

A few miles east of Visalia, just beyond Exeter's Rocky Hill, lies Yokohl Valley. Tucked into the Sierra Nevada foothills, this picturesque special place is framed by rolling hills, small ravines and the seasonally meandering Yokohl Creek. It's an idyllic escape from an often busy and hectic life.

But historically, on rare occasions, this quiet haven offered a surprise. And at least one time, the calm there was shattered by the roar of rushing water and cries of people being washed away – an event that left an entire family drowned and a community in mourning.

Despite the tragic ending, the story is an interesting one. On Sunday morning, June 1, 1884, a Yokohl man named Joel Osborn rode into Visalia with a horrific story to tell. The Stewart Family – all five of them – had been swept away by a summer flash flood and killed. Osborn came to purchase five burial coffins and to summon the Tulare County coroner.

When the Visalia Weekly Delta got word of the event, it dispatched a reporter to the scene to get a firsthand account. Arriving at the lower end of the valley near Gill's Ranch, the correspondent found several local farmers standing vigil beside five sheet-draped dead bodies. As he lifted each cloth, it revealed a heartbreaking sight. The victims were bruised, scraped and battered, and their clothing had been torn away by the fury of the torrent.

Among the dead was Peter Stewart, 45, the family patriarch; Mary, his wife, about 23-years old; their 25-month old son, Frank; and their four-month old infant boy. Beside them lay 76-year old, Ellen Stewart, Peter's elderly mother, who had been visiting from Missouri and was preparing to return home.

The Stewarts lived in a simple 40-by-16 foot wood framed cabin tucked deep inside a narrow gorge. Flanked by high, boulder-strewn hills, the home site sat directly in the path of natural runoff. Neighbors had previously cautioned the Stewarts against building in the ravine, but the warnings went unheeded.

Yokohl Valley had been parched by drought, but the spring of 1884 brought heavier than normal rains and high hopes for a bumper crop. On the afternoon of Saturday, May 31st, the skies darkened, the wind whipped across the ridges, and loud thunder rattled through the little valley. Then, the skies opened up with a cloud burst.

Seeking protection, the family huddled inside their cabin as the deluge came down. Water rapidly filled their gorge, quickly rising over the cabin's foundation. The family was trapped inside. As massive rocks, boulders, and debris tumbled down, they slammed against the cabin walls.

Under the immense pressure from the surging water, the cabin broke down. Structurally, the building gave way with boards, cabin contents, and the five family members tumbling down the gorge. Neighbors could only watch helplessly, as they were no match for the rushing water. Only later could they help in recovering the bodies.

Coroner Lovelace convened an official inquest and the deaths were ruled the result of a natural disaster. County officials provided for a proper burial, and all five members of the Stewart family were laid to rest together in a common grave at Oak Cemetery (now called Deep Creek) near Farmersville.

The funeral drew many from across the valley. As one local reporter in attendance observed, "It was one of the most solemn burials ever seen in this county, and when the five coffins were placed side by side in the large grave, there were few dry eyes among the women present."

The obelisk marker can be seen today at the Deep Creek Cemetery. It serves as a permanent reminder of the tragedy that occurred 142 years ago.