June 17, 1850 after sailing from Buffalo, New York the steamer G. P. Griffith caught fire. The ship was carrying 321 passengers and crew bound for Chicago when the disaster struck. A fire started in the hold, caused by unknown origins, and rapidly engulfed the ship. The captain made a desperate attempt to beach the burning ship but, to no avail. Soon all the passengers, mostly immigrants from England, Ireland and Germany, were assembled on deck by the crew however, the fire broke through the deck trapping everyone. The quick moving fire left nobody any choice but to abandon the ship. When it was all over the death toll was 295. None of the children on board survived, leaving 25 men and one woman as the only survivors.