OBIT:  John M. SPROAT, 1889, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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DROWNING ACCIDENT.
John M. Sproat Loses His Life at Root's Dam, Near Elizabeth Furnace.

  On Friday afternoon the pleasure of a party of five young men was 
marred by a fatal accident to one of their number.  At about 1 o'clock 
on that afternoon, John M. Sproat, Charles Gipe, A. Sheeley, E. J. 
Sisler and Weston Young left this city, their destination being Root's 
dam, about half a mile east of Elizabeth Furnace, and their object was 
to fish.  The young men arrived at their objective point in due course 
of time, and after trying to catch fish for some time with a dip-net, 
and not meeting with any great success, they concluded that the pole 
they had was too short, and seeing a larger one on the opposite shore, 
they determined to have it.  Extending across the damn there is a large 
piece of timber that answers to the purpose of a foot log when the 
water is low and for the breast of the dam when the water is high.
  The water was high Friday, and Gipe ran through it from one shore to 
the other on the log, and succeeded in crossing without meeting any 
mishap.  Sproat followed but was not so lucky as Gipe, and when at 
about the middle of the breast of the dam he fell into the water and 
immediately sank from view.  His companions hastily procured a long 
pole which they threw to him.  When he came up he took hold of it, but 
he seemed to be powerless and immediately relaxed his grasp, sank again 
and did not come to the surface.  His companions did every thing they 
could do to recover the body, but this was not accomplished until after 
7 o'clock in the evening.  The accident occurred between 3 and 4 
o'clock in the afternoon.
  The news of the affair was brought to this city by Mr. Sheeley, who 
notified Coroner Glenn, and that official went to the scene.
  Deceased was a son of James and Matilda Sproat of Tipton, Iowa, and 
was in the 23d year of his age.  He was a cousin of Edward M. Kennedy, 
of 411 Lexington avenue, and was employed in the general store of Mr. 
Kennedy at 340 Chestnut avenue.  He had been a resident of this city 
for about one year and had a large circle of friends.  He was a member 
of castle No. 138, Knights of the Mystic Chain.
  The body was brought to this city at twenty minutes past 9 o'clock in 
the evening and taken to the store of E. M. Kennedy by Coroner Glenn, 
who swore the following jury to investigate into the cause leading to 
the death: James W. McKee, W. Reading, Cameron Johnston, W. W. Trout, 
James Conrad and W. B. Hershey.  After viewing the remains and taking 
testimony a verdict of accidental death was rendered.  The remains were 
sent to Tipton, Iowa, the home of his parents.

Altoona Tribune, Thursday, March 28, 1889