Accidents / Survival / Dramatic Recovery

Luman Shurtliff Survives Wagon Accident and Multiple Injuries as a Child

Published March 25, 2026 at 6:25 PM

1810s · 1812
Montgomery, Hampden County, Massachusetts
Todd Morgan

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Todd Morgan

Beaumont, CA, 92223

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Luman Shurtliff documented numerous miraculous preservations throughout his life, beginning in childhood. As he recounted: 'When three years of age, I fell into a caldron of scalding water, was instantly caught out, and so badly scalded, that it was nine months before they considered me out of danger.' He continued: 'My fifth and sixth years was interwoven with many accidents.' During one incident while playing in the barn, 'I fell from the great beam upon my face upon the bare floor' but 'shortly recovered from the fall.' After being chastened by his father, he 'made a misstep and fell to the bottom of the stairs and broke one of my arms in the fall.' On another occasion, 'while distributing pumpkins' with cattle, a large bull charged at him. 'I ran down a hill with all my might and the Bull at my heels... while the Bull was approaching me with the fierceness of a tiger I made a miss step fell flat upon the ground, the pumpkin rolled out of my arms the Bull leaped over me run his horns into the pumpkin and tore it to pieces.' Shurtliff attributed his repeated preservation to 'the mercy and goodness of GOD.'

Sources & References

Luman Andros Shurtliff, 'Biographical Sketch of the Life of Luman Andros Shurtliff', HBLL Typescript

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