On Tuesday night about 7:30 o'clock, fire broke out in the furnace room of the main building of the County Home 
group, one mile east of Rockingham, and completely destroyed the building, with only the bare walls now standing. 
Supt. & Mrs. H.G. McLean lost their entire household effects, and clothing-sacrificing their own valuables for the 
sake of saving and taking care of the unfortunate inmates entrusted to their care.

Josie O'Brien McLean
She saved her children

Mr. & Mrs. McLean had just gone to the second story to put their five children to bed, 
when Mrs. McLean exclaimed that she smelled smoke. Mr. McLean investigated and found 
the basement room full of smoke and the flames rapidly eating the lower portions. He 
gave the alarm, and then set to work removing the inmates from the white and negro 
buildings, thirty feet distant on either side of the central building. Mrs. McLean had 
only time to rush downstairs with her children, and did not save any furniture or any 
of their clothing.

The fire trucks from both Rockingham and Hamlet responded to the call, but there was 
no hydrant there, despite the fact that the water line runs on the highway a stones 
throw away. The fire companies from the two towns, however, did fine work in protecting 
the adjoining buildings from catching. All the inmates were safely and tenderly moved, 
many of them being bed-ridden. In all there were 29 inmates at the home, of whom 17 
are white and 12 colored. Of this number, 16 are men and 13 women.

The basement of this main building houses the central heating system, and it was from 
the furnace that the fire started. As soon as the fire had died out, Supt. McLean and 
many willing hands carried the inmates back to their rooms, and then stoves were secured
and the buildings made comfortable. 

Thesil, James Alexander, Donald Vincent
and baby Carol McLean in Rocking chair.

The County Home was built about eight years ago, the County issuing $30,000 in bonds 
for this purpose. All of this has been funded by the County with exception of about 
$10,000. The County carried $20,000 insurance on the three buildings. Mr. McLean had 
no insurance whatever on his own effects, these being valued at around $750. And he 
saved nothing, as stated above, preferring to save the inmates and protect the County's 
interests at the sacrifice of his own. He has been Supt. of the Home for five years, 
and much sympathy is felt for he and family in their personal loss. 
Source: Richmond County Post Dispatch December 31, 1925 

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