Obituaries and Death Notices of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Allegheny County
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Obituaries and Death Notices

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 18, 1824 - Page 1
Pittsburg, Jan. 31

We understand that a gentleman named M’Grew, and his son, were both drowned in the Monongahela, about 5 miles above this city, on Thursday night last. – Statesman
[Submitted by Nancy Piper]

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 8, 1824

Meadville, Pa., Aug. 26

Fatal Accident

The horses in the Pittsburgh Stage, on Saturday morning last, while descending a hill, about 4 miles from this place, took fright, from the appearance of a cow with a board tied to her horns, suddenly turned off the road, and upset the stage, by which one of the passengers unfortunately lost his life.
The name of the deceased, we learn, was M’Bride, a hatter by trade, and recently from the state of Ohio.
He survived the accident but a short period. No blame can attach to the driver. – Messenger.
[Submitted by Nancy Piper]

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 29,1824

Pittsburgh, Sept 22
Riot

An attempt was made, on the night on the 20^th, by a mob, to tear down the Circus, in this city, during the time of performance.

Several shots were fired from the inside of the circus; and we are sorry to add, that a man named Hartzell, a laborer, who was not engaged in the affray, was killed by a musket shot. – Mercury.
[Submitted by Nancy Piper]
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), August 22, 1827

Died on Sunday morning the 12^th inst., Col. John M’Farland, Editor of the Allegheny Democrat, in the 30^th year of his age.

[Submitted by Nancy Piper]
A Fearful Calamity.
Pittsburg, Sept. 24. (1860)

One of the most appalling calamities that ever occurred here took place at one P. M. to-day. The boiler in the marble works of N. W. Wallace exploded, killing several men, the number not ascertained, and wounding several others. The boiler passed through the building, reducing the back part to a heap of ruins, and striking the front of Robert Banker's clothing store, opposite West Liberty street, killed the proprietor who was standing at the door. His head was nearly taken off. It then passed through the rear wall of the store into Swartz's lager beer hall, which it nearly demolished. A German named Wilpefer, who was in the saloon, was killed. The boiler passed through the walls and landed in the Presbyterian graveyard back of the saloon. The number of men engaged at the works were in all about 60; some 10 or 12 are supposed to be in the ruins.

The following are among the killed: Robert Burke, J. H. Hamilton, William Agnew, John McCutcheon, James McCutcheon, Thomas Mc-Dermott, William Burke, James Lafferty, William McMelan. The Coroner's inquest will be held to-morrow. Illinois State Democrat, 9-26-1860

The Mount Joy (Pa.) Herald says that "about three years ago an apparent boy, giving his name as John Marsh, reached that place, and engaged himself to Mr. L. P. Brady to learn the tin-smithing. He was a fair-skinned, fine-looking fellow, but after remaining four or five months, left for Highspire, Dauphin county, where he has since been engaged as hostler. He was boat-driving several years before going to Mount Joy. A few months ago this John Marsh was taken ill, and in the course of natural events turned out to be a woman, giving birth to a child, much to the astonishment of those with whom he daily associated." Illinois State Democrat, Aug. 29, 1860
[Submitted by Candi Horton]
Father’s Devotion Displayed At Fire
Refused to Leave Burning Home Without Wife and Child

Pittsburg, Pa., Dec. 6 – Two persons were burned to death and seven injured in a fire at Carnegie, Pa., this morning. The dead are:
Mrs. Sarah Klee, aged 43; Mary Klee, aged 9.
The injured are:
Samuel Klee, aged 50; Ida Klee, aged 20; Anna Klee,, aged 17; Rachel Klee, aged 14; Eva Klee, aged 10; Jennie Klee; Harry Klee, aged 4.
The Klee residence is a two-story frame house, the ground floor front being rented to a grocery store kept by Klee and the rest of the house being occupied by the family. The fire was discovered at 4:30 o’clock this morning by Grocery Clerk Morris Fisis. The immediately gave the alarm but the flames spread so rapidly that the occupants of the upper story were shut off from the stairway and Klee and his wife realized that there was but one way to save the children and that was to throw them from the window, a distance of about twenty feet. One by one the children were brought to the front window and dropped to the ground by the father. All of them were more or less seriously injured, but all escaped from death by the flames, except Mary.
By the time Harry, the baby, was reached, not only was the father exhausted with his exertions and the terrible conditions under which he worked, but the flames were fast making his efforts impossible.

When he was able to get at Harry it was found the fire had already reached him and that the little one’s face, feet and hands were blistered and burned. He snatched him from the flames just in time, and it is thought he will survive.

After rescuing the baby, the father looked around for his wife, whom he had missed from his side for some time. Unable to locate her, he called to hose whom he had saved for the purpose of ascertaining if she had joined them. She had not, and the husband became almost distracted with fear and panic.

It seems, however, that while the father was rescuing the youngest and most helpless children, she was making an attempt to save the life of Mary, and in doing so gave up her own life.
The house was entirely destroyed. The charred remains of the mother and daughter were found in the ruins side by side. Both had been overcome by smoke before they could escape.
When the firemen arrived the father refused to leave the building without his wife and child and the firemen were compelled to forcibly carry him from the burning building.

[The Guthrie Daily Leader; Guthrie, OK; December 6, 1901, Transcribed as Written by D. Donlon]
Reuben Maxwell and Frank Wilson
PITTSBURG--Reuben Maxwell, 56 years old, of Dravosburg, and Frank Wilson, aged 35, of Coal Valley, brothers-in-law, were struck by a work train on the P. V. & C. Railroad and killed near Dravosburg yesterday. Maxwell had jumped from the track in time, but rushed back to save Wilson and met death also. A revolver in the pocket of Maxwell was discharged by the wheels passing over it and a bullet sent through the body of the man.
[Wilkes-Barre Times, March 7, 1903 - Transcribed by C. Anthony]
Died with the Baby. Desperate Attempt of a Little Girl to Save Her Brother
Pittsburg, June 8.—Three children met death in a frightful manner last evening in Allegheny. By an explosion of a can of oil their clothing was ignited and the children were burned so terribly they died in a short time, The victims were:
ELLA, EDITH AND HARVILLE WATTS, children of Charles Watts, of Woodville avenue.

Mrs. Watts was also burned in trying to save her children. The children were playing in a out-house in the yard and one of them struck a match. In the same room was a large can containing two gallons of oil. When the match was thrown down it dropped into the can and an explosion followed instantly.
[Date: 1898-06-09; Paper: Butte Weekly Miner; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer]

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