OBIT: John & Mary Ann WERTZ, 1873, Frankstown Township, Blair County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by MS
<MMSGemstone@aol.com>

Copyright 2009.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/
_________________________________________ 

Horrible Accident
Two Persons Burned To Death

  One of the most horrible accidents that ever occured in this 
vicinity, happened in the Loop, about five miles from this place, on 
Monday morning, the 29th ult. 
  John Wertz, aged about 47 years, and Mary Ann Wertz, aged between 35 
and 40 years, children of Jacob Wertz, Sr., have been insane for many 
years, and were kept in a small frame house containing two rooms, near 
the residence of their father, they being quite wild, at times, it was 
necessary to exercise great care over them.  About seven o'clock, a 
fire was observed in the house, by Messrs. Rohrer and Bonine, of this 
place, who were on a hunting excursion, and by several other persons, 
but before they could get there, the fire had made such headway that it 
could not be extinguished, and the building was soon consumed.  The 
bodies of the poor unfortunates were horribly burned, and almost 
unrecognizable.  It is to be hoped that they died the more easy death 
of suffocation.  The fire in the stove was made about half an hour 
before the fire in the building was discovered, and Mary Ann was awake 
and up.  Cries were heard, but as this was not unusual, not much notice 
was taken of the noise, until the fire was discovered.  The building 
contained two rooms, with a small entry between, in which was the stove 
to heat both rooms, in which the unfortunates were confined, and some 
suppose that one of them set the straw of his or her bed on fire: but 
it might have occured in some other way.  The aged father and other 
relatives of the family have the sympathy of the community in this 
terrible bereavement.  Esq. Leet of this place held an inquest on the 
bodies.  After hearing the evidence, the jury found the following 
verdict - that John and Mary Ann Wertz, came to their death by 
suffocation and burning, caused by the accidental burning of the 
building in which they were confined.

The Register, Hollidaysburg, Pa., Wednesday, January 7, 1874