Mulconery, Ella Nora

• Individual
• Ancestors
• Descendants
• Relationship
• Timeline
• Family
• GEDCOM
• Suggest

«Prev 1 2 3     » Slide Show

Neefe, Gowanda Jane awful tragedy 19190703 news_PottEnt

20201022HAv-
An Awful Tragedy, Gowanda Jane Neefe

CLIPPED FROM
The Potter Enterprise
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
03 Jul 1919, Thu • Page 1
BYwetzupdoc · 22 October 2020

WAS AWFUL TRAGEDY Gowanda Jane, Oldest Daughter Mr. and Mr. Harold Neefe of Sweden, Killed by Automobile Accident Saturday
Saturday evening about seven o'clock occurred one of the saddest accidents this community has known for some time, when Gowanda Jane, the eight year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Neefe was struck and instantly killed by an automobile just in front of the family home on Sweden Hill.
Mr. and Mrs. Neefe were preparing to come to Coudersport with Mr. and Mrs. Ed Gross in the latter's car, which was waiting for them just at the conjunction of the lane coming from the Neefe home with the Brookland road, leading to Coudersport. Mr. and Mrs. Neefe were standing in the lane behind the car, Mrs. Neefe holding in her arms, little Virginia Louise, their youngest child, a little over a year old. The other two little girls, Blanche and Gowanda were to go to Mr. Gross' to stay with some members of that family until their parents returned from town Gowanda started out into the road from the lane directly in front of a car driven by Frank Mosch, and although they called to her she did not hear the car being killed almost instantly. Frank made a desperate effort to avoid the child, turning his car to the other side of the road where it collided with a stone pile and went into a ditch.
The little girl was carried to her hme and Dr R. B. Knight summoned at once, but she was past all earthly help. The injuries inflicted were most severe, both sides of her face being badly bruised, her left ear torn almost off and a deep incised wound in the back of her head besides the entire body being badly bruised. Dr. Knight was on the scene in a very short time and exonerated Mr. Mosch from all blame as it was impossible for him to see the child until almost upon her.
The car driven by Frank Mosch and in which were Misses Mildred Klesa, Minnie Mosch, Lillian Welfling and Walter Mosch was going toward Galeton at the rate of about twenty miles per hour, is the report. As soon as Frank Mosch caught a glimpse of little Gowanda as she emerged from in front of the Gross car and into the road only a few feet in front of his car, he turned his car with all possible haste to the right to avoid the little child as it was impossible to stop before reaching her. His car, which was a Ford, went with great force into the ditch and was badly damaged and the inmates were all badly shaken up but no one seriously hurt.
Dr. R. B. Knight and County Detective Coleman Smith, the former acting as Coroner, made a thorough investigation of the entire affair and after hearing what everybody who knew anything about it had to say came to the conclusion that while it was a terrible tragedy no wrong was intended and no carelessness displayed. Dr. Knight in his official capacity reported it as an "unavoidable" accident.
Mr. and Mrs. Neefe are well known throughout this section of the county and their friends are numbered by their acquaintances. They have the deepest sympathy of everyone in their bereavement. Little Gowanda was a charming little girl and the loss is heartbreaking.
The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon at two o'clock with Rev. T. V. Caulkins officiating. Interment was made in the Sweden Hill cemetery. Schutt and Gillon, funeral directors.
Of course everybody realizes the terrible loss and deep affliction of Mr. and Mrs. Neefe and many will also sympathize with Frank Mosch, the driver of the car. He is a fine young man with an excellent reputation and probably no one outside the family will suffer so much as a result of the terrible accident. Upon seeing the little child, who had been somewhat deaf since a recent illness, he took his own life and the lives of all the others in the car with him in his hands and placed them in jeopardy when he turned his car off into the ditch in order to avoid striking little Gowanda. It is in fact almost miraculous that some or all of those riding in the car wre not killed. All were thrown out with great force and badly jarred and bruised, while Miss Mildred Klesa suffered a bad cut on the neck caused by coming in contact with the wind shield. This was certainly an awful catastrophe and yet when one knows the facts it is plain that it might easily have been still worse.

HAS SHORT FURLOUGH
Major Dee G. VanDeBoe is Home for a few Days With His family. Goes Back July 10.
Major Dee G. VanDeBoe arrived in Coudersport a few days ago and has since been quite busy with a certain very nicely ornamented baby carriage. He says that since arriving his command has decreased very materially in numbers but has increased in importance. The Major is looking fine and appears to be in the pink of condition.
Major VanDeBoe is not yet certain j whether he will remain permanently in the army or not. The service is j velT mucn to ms uk.us auu u n , nave a sansiaciory assignment uC . will priably stay. It is usually the ; case that when in case of emergency a civilian is given an important offl- ! cer's rank, when the war is over and he desires to remain in the service his nk more or less reduced It . 18 to e n0Ped that Mor VanDeBoe, ; wno nas certaimy maue guuu m lug war will not be asked to accept a lcwer rank than the one he has earn- ed. He is Potter county's only Major and the folks are mighty proud to be thus honored. However, it will de- pend upon the reduction in rank . . . . ui i .T., wnlcn may come iu mm, lu .- er the Major will stay in the army. He is certainly going to remain a while at least and expects to return military duty at Camp Dix on July .

AN ARTIFICIAL FOOT Yesterday the County Commission- ers ordered a new artificial foot for Hiram Rarey of Millport whose foot was amputated at the County Home some months ago by Dr. F. G. Reese as a result of its being frozen trom exposure.

HE HAS RESIGNED
Guy Danforth has resigned as collector of Shinglehouse borough. He was a good officer. A petition for the appointment of D. S. Engler has been filed.

ATTENDING MASONIC MEETING
Ernest Wentworth, accompanied by his son, Milton, and Attorney Harry Nelson, are in Buttaio attending a Consistory meeting this week.

Clipping location on The Potter Enterprise page 1
wetzupdoc Member Photo
CLIPPED BY
wetzupdoc · 22 October 2020

CLIPPED FROM
The Potter Enterprise
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
03 Jul 1919, Thu • Page 1
BYwetzupdoc · 22 October 2020

«Prev 1 2 3     » Slide Show