Accidental Deaths
Updated - 10/23/2023
Accidental Deaths have claimed dozens of lives of Auburn-area residents over the decades. These fatalities are sometimes the most difficult to process because, due to their very nature, the deaths should have never occurred in the first place. Whether the accidental death was due to the actions of the deceased or occurred due to the actions of another party, the death could have been prevented if a particular act would have been avoided or handled in a different manner. The Auburn Area Historical Society does not attempt to assign blame or responsibility for any of these deaths, but these fatalities are listed to emphasize the unpredictable nature of death, and just a few of the countless ways these accidental deaths can occur. (NOTE: Accidental deaths pertaining to Canal-related or Railroad-related accidents are listed separately under those categories).
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Baver, Mary Amelia - Cause of
Death: Accidental Poisoning Mary Amelia Baver was born on 05/26/1896 in West Brunswick Town-ship, Schuylkill County, PA. She was a daughter of Franklin David Baver and Catherine A. Kramer Baver. She was a sister of Allen Albert Baver; Annie May Baver (who lived only eight years, three months, two days); Charles Lewis Baver; Clinton Manden Baver; Herbert Franklin Baver; Raymond Theodore Baver; Vernon David Baver. Her listing on the genalogical website findagrave.com only states "Died from accidental poisoning" with no other details provided. Mary died on 11/01/1897 at the age of one year, five months, five days in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA, and was interred within the Zions Red Church cemetery, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, PA. |
Berger, Beryl Eileen - Cause of Death: Ingestion of Safety Pin "Auburn R. D. Child Dies; Swallowed Safety Pin - Beryl Eileen, two and a half-year-old daughter of Jay (Berger) and Edna A. Brommer Berger, Auburn, R. D., died in the Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, as a result of having swallowed a safety pin on December 3." (Excerpt from an unidentified newspaper clipping tentatively dated as Dec. 18, 1947)
Beryl Eileen Berger was born on 08/03/1945. She was the daughter of Jay Berger and Edna A. Brommer Berger. She was a sister of Sylvia Ann Berger. Beryl died on 12/11/1947 and was interred within the "new" St. John's Church cemetery, located adjacent of Rt. 895 east of Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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Berger, Bruce W. -
Cause of Death: Lightning Strike On August 20, 1959, Bruce W. Berger and his wife Martha attended a picnic festival being conducted at the Schoenersdale Pavilion, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. In their company was a guest Martha had invited, six year old Diane Lehman from Auburn. During the festivities, an electrical storm formed. Many of the individuals attending, including Bruce, Martha and Diane, sought shelter beneath the roof of the pavilion. A massive lightning bolt struck a tree near the pavilion. Tragically, its millions of volts of electrical discharge traveled down the tree and through its roots...upon which the three members of the picnic crowd were unwittingly standing. In addition to Bruce, his wife Martha and their guest Diane were killed as a result of this lightning strike. Bruce W. Berger was born in Auburn on 04/01/1913. He was the son of Andrew Clayton Berger and Lillie (Lillian?) Wildermuth Berger. He was a brother of Helen L. Berger, Joan Louise Berger Carey and an unnamed male child who died in infancy. Bruce married Martha M. Hill Berger. They had the no children of their own listed on the website findagrave.com. Bruce served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 09/05/1942 until 12/22/1945. He was employed at one point by the Auburn Brick Company. Bruce died in "Schoenersdale", Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA on 08/29/1959 and is interred within the Auburn Church of God cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
Berger, Martha M. Hill -
Cause of Death: Lightning Strike On August 20, 1959, Bruce W. Berger and his wife Martha attended a picnic festival being conducted at the Schoenersdale Pavilion, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. In their company was a guest Martha had invited, six year old Diane Lehman from Auburn. During the festivities, an electrical storm formed. Many of the individuals attending, including Bruce, Martha and Diane, sought shelter beneath the roof of the pavilion. A massive lightning bolt struck a tree near the pavilion. Tragically, its millions of volts of electrical discharge traveled down the tree and through its roots...upon which the three members of the picnic crowd were unwittingly standing. In addition to Bruce, his wife Martha and their guest Diane were killed as a result of this lightning strike. Martha M. Hill Berger was born in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, on 07/11/1917. She was the daughter of David Francis Hill and Anna "Annie" A. Auman Hill Wike (David's was her first of two husbands; and she was his first of two wives). She was a step-sister of Albert Henderson Hill. Martha married Bruce W. Berger. They had no children of their own listed on the website findagrave.com. She was employed at one point by the Auburn Knitting Mills. She also served as a leader of the Auburn Brownie troop. Martha died in "Schoenersdale", Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, on 08/29/1959 and was interred within the Auburn Church of God cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
Burkey, Robert William Jr. -
Cause of Death: Drowning "Robert William Burkey, Jr., eight year old son of Robert W. Burkey Sr. and Barbara Staller Burkey, Market St., Auburn, died yesterday at 12:25 p.m. of drowning in the Schuylkill River, one and one-half blocks from his home. The boy, together with five other boys all around the same age, was swimming near the railroad tracks along Rt. 895, east of Auburn, a place where they had been forbidden to swim. Robert, an inexperienced swimmer, was caught in the under-current. His friends threw a rope to him but the current pulled the youngster under and the boys were unable to swim to his aid. Several of the boys ran home and told their parents that the body was floating on top of the water. The adults called the Auburn Ambulance and Deputy Coroner Dr. Warren Moyer (of Auburn), who pronounced the boy dead and released the body to the Binner Funeral Home (of Auburn)." (Excerpt from an unidentified newspaper clipping from 1965). Robert William Burkey Jr. was born in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, PA, on October 27, 1956. In addition to his aforementioned parents, Robert had a brother, Keith William Burkey, who died in 1969 at 16 years of age as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident on Rt. 61 one mile north of Port Clintion, Schuylkill County, PA.. Robert William Borkey Jr. died on 07/14/1965 near Auburn and was interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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Carl, Harold R. -
Cause of Death: Electrocution Private Harold R. Carl, who served in the Army from 07/08/1940 until his death in service, was accidentally electrocuted on 06/14/1943 when a metal flag pole he was carrying came in contact with electrical wires. Harold R. Carl was born in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, on 10/20/1919. He was the son of Morris R. Carl and Rose Mabel Reber Carl. He was a brother of Anna A. Carl Webber, Earl R. Carl and Maude Mabel Carl Wenz. The website findagrave.com does not list any wife or children for Harold. Harold died in the District of Columbia on 06/14/1943 and was interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
Emerich, Jae Archie -
Cause of Death: Scalding Jae Archie Emerich was born in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, on 03/24/1930. He was a son of Archie Edwin Emerich and Mabel Jane Moyer Emerich. He was a brother of Guy Edwin Emerich (who was Killed In Action in France during World War Two); Leona June Emerich Stephen and Lita Jane Emerich Adams. Tragically, Jae was only three years, one month, three weeks old when he died after falling into a bucket of scalding water. He was interred within the Zions Red Church cemetery, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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Fahl, Mary -
Possible Cause of Death: Injuries sustained while sledding "While coasting (sledding) Mary, the fifteen-year-old daughter of John H. Fahl, of Auburn, sustained probable fatal injuries." - (Miner's Journal newspaper, Tuesday, January 11, 1910) NOTE: We are happy to report that Mary E. Fahl Kellogg not only survived her "probable fatal injuries", but she later married and lived to the respectable age of 82. Mary E. Fahl Kellogg was born in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, on 11/19/1895. She was the daughter of John Howard Fahl and Elizabeth Louise Ebling Fahl. She was a sister of James Ebling Fahl, Louise Jeanette Fahl Hoy, Martha Amanda Fahl and Ruth Anna Fahl Nuss. Mary married (Colonel) John Gordon Kellogg. The website findagrave.com does not list any children by this union. Mary died in Hazleton, Luzerne County, PA on 02/08/1978 and was interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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Hoffman, Paul Victor -
Cause of Death: Shot during Hunting Accident Paul Victor Hoffman was born in Drehersville, Schuylkill County, PA, on 07/06/1923. He was the son of Victor K. Hoffman and Esther O. Schwenk Hoffman. He was a brother of Helen E. Hoffman Smith. Paul was killed in West Brunswick Township, Schuylkill County, PA, on 12/04/1937, while deer hunting on Blue Mountain, by the accidental discharge of Milton Kaufman's gun. He was interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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Long, Sallie Wagner Hartman - Cause of Death: Fire
Sallie (Sara or Sarah?) Wagner Hartman Long was born in Berks County, PA, on 07/14/1858. She was the daughter of Joseph Wagner. Sallie married twice; first to a Hartman whose first name is currently unknown; and secondly to a Preston Benjamin Long in 1908. Although this union is not known to have resulted in any children of their own, Sallie would have been a step mother to Herbert E. Long, Jennie (Jennifer?) Emma Long Werner, Robert Milton Long, Sally (Sara or Sarah?) E. Long Fritz and Stella (Anastasia, Estella or Estelle?) M. Long Rhine. Robert would have been twenty at this time but the others ranged in age between possibly seventeen years old and possibly five or six years old. Sallie died in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA, on 07/23/1915. The website findagrave.com lists her cause of death as an accidental fire, stating that Sallie had "burned to death after her clothing caught fire while burning rubbish". She was interred within the Auburn Church of God cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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McAllister, (3 year old girl) -
Cause of Death - Shot Gun Blast "Sad Accident at Auburn. Mr. McAllister and wife, of Auburn, arose early this morning and went into the garden to do some work, leaving their two children, a little boy and girl aged 5 and 3 years asleep in bed. Some time afterwards the boy awakened, and started out into the next room on a voyage of discovery. He spied a shotgun standing in the corner which he picked up and carried into the room where his little sister was asleep, and commenced playing with it, when it accidentally was discharged, the load passing through the back part of the little girl's head killing her instantly." - News article from the Pottsville Republican Newspaper circa 1885. The website findagrave.com lists a three year old girl who died June 7, 1886 named Katie McAllister. She was the daughter of David McAllister and Sarah Strause McAllister of Auburn, PA. She was a sister to Charles H. McAllister, Emma McAllister (1863 - 1866), Frederick McAllister (1888 - 1891), George McAllister (1871 - 1872), Henriet McAllister (1864 - 1864), Ida Alice McAllister (1867 - 1867), Samuel McAllister and William McAllister (1872 - 1875). NOTE: Sadly, six of the eight siblings all died at three years of age or younger. Although Katie is a three-year old McAllister girl from the Auburn area who died within the general period of the McAllister child mentioned in the article, we cannot confirm that this is the same child; and it should be noted that although this webpage may contain a partial listing of siblings only, none of the male siblings listed were within the proper age range as the unfortunate brother mentioned withing the article; and that the article was tentatively dated as being published in 1885 while the girl's date of death wasn't until mid-1886. Whether this is the same McAllister girl simply is unknown at this time. What can definitively be stated is that this McAllister family certainly suffered its share of tragedy with seven out of nine known children having died at the age of three years old or less. Katie is interred within the St. John's Church cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
Miller, Vinnie (or Winnie) -
Cause of Death: Fire "Vinnie" (Alvina?) or "Winnie" (Edwina, Gwenyth, Win(n)ifred, or Winona?) Miller was born in Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA on 05/18/1882. She was the daughter of William H. Miller and Sarah Kramer Miller. She was a sister of Clyde Miller (1898-1901) who died while a toddler. The website findagrave.com states that Winnie "died from burns after her clothing caught fire" in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, PA on 02/02/1940. Winnie is interred within the Auburn Church of God cemetery, Cemetery Road, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. |
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Moyer, Harry (or Henry) Z. - Cause of Death:
Accidental Discharge of Gun (04/13/1860 - 01/26/1878) - "Auburn, Pa. Jan. 1 - A son of Abraham Mayer (Moyer), proprietor of the Delmonico Hotel, of this place, while celebrating the last of the old year last night shot part of his face and head away by the accidental discharge of a gun. Strange to say the boy still lives but is in terrible agony. The case baffles scientific ability, and the spectacle is presented of a human being living with half a head." (Elk County Advocate January 10, 1878). Note: Even though the newspaper article is from Elk County, the byline clearly states Auburn, PA rather than any other Auburn-related location name in Pennsylvania or other states. Auburn, PA, did have a hotel named "Delmonico Hotel" (or "Hotel Delmonico" in existence at that time. The proprietor of the hotel that year was, in fact, an Abraham Moyer (easily confused with, or misspelled, "Mayer"). Abraham did have a son within that age-range named Henry Z. Moyer, who was born on 04/13/1860, and would have been seventeen years of age at the time...old enough to attempt to use a shotgun discharge as a means of celebrating the New Year. Henry is known to have died less than one month after the incident, and approx. two weeks after the news report, so the probability of complications due to the devastating injury as having contributed to his cause of death is highly likely. Henry was interred within the Auburn Cemetery, Mill Street, Auburn, Schuylkill County, PA. Additionally, by the Fall of 1879, Abraham withdrew from proprietorship of the hotel while still in his mid-fifties, possibly in part due to the grief over the horrible death of his son. One of Abraham's other sons, Jackson, took over proprietorship of the Delmonico Hotel. |
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