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Paul Lynn Gardner
17 July 2021 ·
A HANDWERK FAMILY TRAGETY AND MYSTERY
In 1866, the year before Markus Handwerk was born, His older brother, Peter went missing and was never to be found. Markus Handwerk 1867-1937 is the son of Marcus Sr. and Regina Hartmann Handwerk. His wife is Anna Kortz 1870-1942.
The following clip is from the Potter County Historical Society:
Peter Handwerk
Lost Boy of Germania
A sad incident occurred during the fall of 1866. Peter, the seven-year old son of Mr & Mrs M. Handwerk, was watching a cow, that had but recently been purchased, on a small pasture lt. The day had been rainy and raw. Towards evening the cow ran towards the woods and the boy followed, intent on bringing her back. About half a mile from home, as it was getting dusk, he passed a neighbor who admonished him to let the cow go and return home, but the boy gave no heed. That was the last seen of him.
The boy being missed, the parents began searching for him, a search in which first the neighbors and then the whole community joined, and which was kept up for days without avail. No trace was ever found of him. So thorough was the search that a wallet with some money and papers, which was lost by one of the searching party was recovered the next day. This was one of the tragedies of the great woods.
Comments
Brenda Kenealy Williams
Very sad story.
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Marlene Mosch
God Bless Peter and whole family.
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Janice McConnell
Was there a road near Lyman Run called The Lost Boy road.
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Larry Herbstritt
It seems like the cow should have been found and that would have been a clue for the boy's whereabouts. Truly a sad story but a bit creepy too. There should have been some kind of recovery if the search was as thorough as the article indicates.
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Susanne Brown
My father told of a boy disappearing on the property next to our farm years ago. The disappearance was suspicious because the father was a really mean person. Not sure if same one. So many questions I’d like to ask my parents after they have passed away.
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Larry Herbstritt
Susanne Brown I'm suspicious about this story as well.
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Larry Herbstritt
That opening sentence I find most perplexing. How can you have a younger brother before you are born?
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Paul Lynn Gardner
Larry Herbstritt, you are correct. My mistake. Corrected.
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Larry Herbstritt
Paul Lynn Gardner ah, okay ????????
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Ken Habeck
Sad but fascinating stories.. always left to wonder what unfortunate fate befell the youngster..
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Joan L Welfling
Paul, I believe there was also a Handwerk boy that drowned in their farm pond?
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John C Wetzel
As I'm transcribing this, it occurs to me to be suspicious of the person whose wallet was found. Maybe it wasn't lost in the search but in the abduction(?) Just saying. Were this a screen script, that would be the plot. I wonder whose wallet it was. In case anyone wants the transcription, I can save you some work: 20210726GHLn-
Peter Handwerk
Lost Boy of Germania
A sad incident occurred during the fall of 1866. Peter, the seven-year old son of Mr & Mrs M. Handwerk, was watching a cow, that had but recently been purchased, on a small pasture lt. The day had been rainy and raw. Towards evening the cow ran towards the woods and the boy followed, intent on bringing her back. About half a mile from home, as it was getting dusk, he passed a neighbor who admonished him to let the cow go and return home, but the boy gave no heed. That was the last seen of him.
The boy being missed, the parents began searching for him, a search in which first the neighbors and then the whole community joined, and which was kept up for days without avail. No trace was ever found of him. So thorough was the search that a wallet with some money and papers, which was lost by one of the searching party was recovered the next day. This was one of the tragedies of the great woods.
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John C Wetzel
Such heartache for Marcus and Anna, as well. Of the four children I have for them, posted by paintedhills.org, in the Germania Cemetery, only Anna Helena lived to be an adult: HANDWERK, A. Helene. Born 3-2-1907, died 10-9-2003. Age: 96 - Dau of Marcus J. and Anna L. (Kortz) Handwerk
HANDWERK, Eloise. Born 1911, died 1911
HANDWERK, Helene. Born 1911, died 1911
HANDWERK, Mildred. Born 6-1896, died 1901 - Dau of Marcus J. and Anna (Kortz) Handwerk. (1900 Abbott Census)
Painted Hills Genealogy Society Home
PAINTEDHILLS.ORG
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- Presumed dead. 7-year old Peter, watching a cow in inclement weather, chased after it as the cow wondered off into the woods. That was the last anyone saw of Peter.
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Abt 1859 - Abt 1866 (7 years)
