The Dayton Flood of 1913

Disasters! #1

by Beth Livingston

INTERSECTING LIVES BATTLE THE FLOOD OF ALL FLOODS.

Sweeping through Dayton, Ohio, in March of 1913, a flood the strength of Niagara Falls, rose twenty feet and trapped thousands in businesses, houses, and treetops.

Annetta Schmidt and her father huddle on the roof of their shed when it swirls away on a collision course with the Main Street bridge.

Logan Wells, a jewelry salesman stranded in the Beckel House Hotel, loses his fortune but gains a treasure.

Esther and Oliver Garrison never dream that fleeing their home with their two toddlers and elderly mother would cause such anguish.

Sam Marshall, nicknamed Samson, uses his size and strength to rescue hundreds at his own peril.

Mellie Mitchell works alongside Dorothy Patterson, daughter of John Patterson, owner of the National Cash Register Company, to feed thousands of refugees while waiting for news of her own family.

Based on real-life, fictionalized experiences, this is a clean, Christian novel, the first in the Disasters! series.

Genres: Historical Fiction

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Dianne McMahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and Entertaining

This is a very entertaining novel filled with some actual facts,about the great flood that happened in April 1913,that nearly destroyed Dayton and did leave the greater part of downtown in shambles.

The novel centers around one of the biggest floods of that day and three separate stories,that happened during the flood and it's aftermath.
This is a hard book to review, without giving so much away,so I'll just let you read it and see for yourself,that
the author Beth Livingston,does a much better job of it than I can.

[Deb Urbano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Livingston built characters and story lines around actual accounts of how people survived (or did not) the massive flood of 1913. She focuses on Dayton, Ohio, but one of her sources, "Washed Away" by Geoff Williams listed at least 13 states affected. (I am starting his book now, because I need more sordid details and more disaster.) The author injected subplots involving Christian faith, prayer, and scripture. They were interwoven well.

I thought this book did a good job of fleshing out the story, allowing the reader to get a feel for what experience of the flood would have been like to someone who experienced it. Good writing based on sound research.

[Annemarie Du · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baie dankie Beth Livingston,
Ek het jou boek baie geniet, voor ek dit gelees het het ek bietjie navorsing gedoen oor die vloed, en daarom jou eie navorsing aan die einde soveel meer insiggewend gevind.
Die hele vloed het 'n realiteit geword wat my diep getref het.
Ek het sterk waardering vir jou Christelike inslag in die boek en hoe jy dit gebruik om ook die leser die weg van Saligheid te verduidelik.
Ek sien uit na nog meer sulke leesstof uit jou pen.
Mag God jou seen en mag jy Sy dienswillige dienskneg bly om so die evangelie te verkondig, met die talent wat die Here jou gegee het.
Annemarie du Plessis
Suid-Afrika

[Susan Antone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2025
I couldn't put the book down. It is a fictional story but the author did a tremendous amount of research. The events and people are based on historical facts. Although the flood was an unimaginable devastation, the story is filled with hope. Read about miraculous rescues and about people doing everything they can to help those whose lives were ripped apart. Faith in God was the strength that enabled people to get through the situations they were faced with.
Love also blooms in such emotional times and it was interesting to read about what became of those relationships.

[Anne-Marie Webster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting rendition of the actual flood in Dayton, Ohio, the destruction and the heroics that took place. While most of the characters named in the novel were not the actual people who were involved in the occurrence, they were based upon individuals who had similar experiences and performed heroic and/or charitable activities, even to the extent of endangering their own lives. The devastation was horrendous and the means employed to save lives was incredible. A worthwhile and clean read.

[Emma Filbrun · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I came across this book, I knew I wanted to read it. My husband grew up near Dayton, and I have been in the area many times. I found the history presented in this story to be absolutely fascinating—and horrifying. Floods are terrible, and the author did a good job of making me feel that horror. However, I did not enjoy the romantic part of it so well, with people falling in love and getting married within a week. It did not strike me as realistic. I enjoyed this book as a way to learn what happened and as a way of relaxing, but it wasn’t my favorite.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew very little about the Dayton Flood; it seems to have been a story lost over time. But Beth Livingston has brought that story to life in a very compelling way. The experiences of each of the likable characters give the story a lot of variety and perspectives about what it would have actually been like. I found myself not wanting to put this book down and read it much faster than most books I pick up!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book

I’ve read every book by this christian author and have loved them all. This book was no exception. It had very sad moments and very wonderful moments. Beautifully written.

[Brenda L Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being from Columbus, I was familiar with the history of the flooding that happened in 1913. I actually lived in an area that was heavily flooded at the time. I did not know the history of the flood in Dayton tho. very good story.

[Gloria Short · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the most interesting book I've read recently. Based on fact, the characters are believable and interesting. I have never been through a flood, so it was enlightening to see what they went through.

[Kathleen Kinman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stories

I thought this was an excellent book. The story line and characters were fascinating. Well written, it kept me turning the pages. I especially appreciated the information about the actual flood and real people involved.

[Joanne T S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating emotional story

This story is based on a real incident and how people came together to assist and support each other. It showcases resilients,compassion, caring and trust in God. An excellent read.

[Donna Gividen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fiction book based on a real historical event. The characters are not real but they and much of what happens in the book are based on real people and their stories. The author gives real accounts at the end.

[Teri Easterling]

Heartrending and uplifting, great destruction and death, and good people doing great work rescuing and helping others, this story based on facts and real people from the Dayton flood is all of this. It was hard to put down.

[Robin Jansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiction wrapped around an actual event. Wonderful Christian story.

[Linda Zaragoza-zrubek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing book that kept me from wanting to put it down. A part of history I did not remember and my heart was right in with the many characters that lost life, became heroes and to NCR for stepping up to the plate to set up all they did! I highly recommend this book for any reader.