Nancy McIntosh was born in Cleveland , Ohio , the daughter of William A. McIntosh ( died 1921 ) and his wife Minerva '' née '' Bottenberg ( died 1883 ) . Her father was the president of a public company , the New York and Cleveland Gas Coal Company , and a member of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club . The club 's activities were blamed ( but the members were not held legally responsible ) for the failure of the South Fork Dam , which caused the Johnstown Flood in 1889 that resulted in the loss of over 2,200 lives in Johnstown , Pennsylvania . Nancy 's brothers were John S. McIntosh ( 1860 – 1889 ) , a businessman , and Burr McIntosh , a writer , publisher , photographer , war correspondent , radio personality , and stage and film actor . Nancy was " an expert horsewoman , had won prizes in sculling matches , could shoot and fence , played baseball and cricket and enjoyed swimming and diving . " A pupil of Signor Achille Errani , McIntosh commenced a singing career , making her debut on the concert platform on 3 March 1887 in Harrisburg , Pennsylvania . On 1 November 1887 , she appeared in the first of a series of concerts with William H. Sherwod in the Chickering Musical Bureau concerts in Boston , Massachusetts , singing pieces by , among others , Tosti , Chopin , Bach and Wagner . She also made a specialty of singing Scottish songs . In 1890 '' The Daily Gazette and Free Press '' in Elmira , New York wrote of her : " Miss McIntosh has studied under the best masters in Paris , London and New York . She will sail for London on June 25th and will make her debut there as a concert singer under Randegger at the London academy . It is safe to prophecy that her name will be added to the list of American girls who have carried London by storm . " McIntosh travelled to England with her father in 1890 ( shortly after the flood disaster ) , where she studied voice for a year under George Henschel . She then sang in concerts , including in Henschel 's '' Serbischer Liederspiel '' at Kensington Town Hall in December 1891 and at The Crystal Palace , where she sang in Beethoven 's '' Choral Symphony '' and selections from Wagner 's '' Die Meistersinger '' . She also performed with the London Symphony Orchestra , among others , and in oratorio in the British provinces . Throughout 1892 she sang in Monday Popular Concerts in Hull , Sheffield , Manchester and Liverpool . On one occasion Arthur Sullivan was in the audience . In December 1892 she sang in Handel 's '' Messiah '' . Early in 1893 McIntosh sang in a series of concerts under Sir Charles Hallé in Manchester , Wales and Bowness-on-Windermere , among other places
Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood
Nancy McIntosh