OBIT: Annie Virginia HARVEY, 1884, Blair County, PA

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DOUBLY BEREAVED.
Mrs. B. F. Gehrett Simultaneously Loses Husband and Sister.

About the first of last November Dr. Benjamin Franklin Gehrett came to
this place from Newton Hamilton accompanied by his wife, her father,
Mr. Harvey, and her sister, Miss Annie Virginia Harvey.  The family
rented a house at No. 1316 Tenth street and have resided there ever
since.  Previous to locating in this city the doctor had been a
resident of Houtzdale, Shirleysburg and Broad Top, in each of which
places he practiced his profession.  He was born at Cassville,
Huntingdon county, November 9, 1843.  After attending the lower grades
of the local educational institutions he graduated from the Cassville
high school.

At the breaking out of the war, he, being but 18 years of age,
enlisted in Franklin county and went to the front with the nine months
men.  Being greatly exposed in the early part of his term of service
he contracted a severe illness and was in consequence discharged.
Notwithstanding the fact that he was quite ill when he returned home
he entered the office of Dr. Robert Baird Shirleysburg and vigorously
prosecuted the study of medicine.  In 1868 he was united in marriage
with Miss Tillie J. Harvey, a most excellent young lady.  In 1878
after a two years' course at the University of Pennsylvania the doctor
graduated with high honors, and, returning to Shirleysburg, began the
practice of his profession, and subsequently residing for some time at
each of the places above named.  During all this time Dr. Gehrett
suffered greatly from a disease of the spine, the result of his army
experience, and so much prostrated was he when he came to this city
that he was unable to attend to the duties of his calling.  The
services of Dr. Adams were employed, but his skill was unable to check
the inroads of the disease and the patient gradually declined until
about three weeks ago, when he was obliged to take his bed.  From that
time until his death, which occurred at ten minutes of 7 o'clock
Sunday evening, his condition grew rapidly worse.  His death was,
therefore not unexpected.  It was, however, none the less distressing
and sorrowful to his relatives and friends.  His sister-in-law, Miss
Annie V. Harvey, who regarded him with the affection of a brother,
watched his decline with the utmost concern, and often declared that
she could not survive his death.  She, too, had long been in delicate
health.  Of late she had been quite ill.  Her affliction was asthma of
an aggravated form.  She was almost constantly by the doctor's bedside
during the latter days of his illness and at the time of his death she
stood in the doorway leading to his room.  When the fact of his death
was announced to her she instantly fell in a swoon upon the floor.
She was immediately placed upon a bed, by those present, and expired
in a few minutes without recovering consciousness or uttering a word.
Miss Harvey was aged about 23 years, and was greatly esteemed by all
who knew her.

During the illness of the doctor and her sister, Mrs. Gehrett attended
both with untiring watchfulness and loving care, her long vigils and
ceaseless attention to household duties at the same time being
remarked by all her neighbors familiar with all the circumstances.  As
one of her friends remarked she has shown herself to be a true
heroine, a self-sacrificing and noble woman.

Dr. Gehrett and Miss Harvey were both members of the First Methodist
Episcopal church, and consistently obeyed its tenets.  The doctor was
also a member of Broad Top lodge, No. 579, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows.

In addition to the other relatives of the deceased above named, Mr.
Robert B. Harvey, a freight conductor on the middle division, the
doctor's brother-in-law, Miss Harvey's brother, was present at the sad
deaths of his kinsfolk.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, May 1, 1884, page 3

A Double Funeral.

As previously announced the funeral of the late Dr. B. F. Gehrett and
his sister-in-law, Miss Virginia Harvey, whose deaths occurred on
Sunday evening week, took place from the late residence of the
deceased, Tenth street, between Lexington and Chestnut avenues, at 2
o'clock Wednesday afternoon.  Impressive funeral services were held at
the house by their pastor, Rev. G. D. Penepacker, of the First
Methodist Episcopal church, assisted by Revs. George Warren and George
Leidy.  At the grave in addition to the usual services the service
presented by the Odd Fellows ritual was observed, Dr. Gehrett having
been a member of that order.  All the Odd Fellow lodges of this city
were represented at the funeral, there having been a large turn-out of
the fraternity.  A very large number of our citizens followed the
bodies of the deceased to their last resting place in Fairview
cemetery.

Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., May 8, 1884, page 1