Transcribed without making changes to spelling and grammar. Transcribed by Joyce Robinson The Portsmouth Times Dated: February 19, 1870 A House Destroyed by Fire --- A Boy Burned to Death We have learned the appalling particulars of a fire which took place on Pond Creek, in Union Township, in this county, eight miles from Portsmouth, at 3 o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 15th inst., by which the residence of Henry Swords, with two adjoining buildings, were destroyed. The family had been engaged during the evening in boiling sugar. After they had retired, the fire broke out in the kitchen, and spread with such rapidity as to render it impossible to save any of the contents. A German named Valentine Kindler, who was sleeping near the kitchen, was unable to escape and perished in the flames. The blackened bones of the unfortunate boy were afterward found in the ruins. He was about fifteen years of age. The clothing of the inmates, all the winter provistons (sic) and the entire household goods, were destroyed, leaving them exposed to the unclemency (sic) of the weather, with nothing to protect them from the winter's cold.