August J. Sporer

b. October 1890, d. 16 August 1909
  • August J. Sporer was born in October 1890 in New York.
  • Joseph Sporer and Christina Grassly appeared in the New York state census of 16 February 1892 in Niagara, Niagara County, New York. Other members of the household included August J. Sporer, Anna D. Sporer, Rose A. Sporer and Magdalene C. Sporer.
  • Joseph Sporer and Christina Grassly appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York, at 713 Linwood Avenue. Other members of the household included August J. Sporer, Anna D. Sporer, Rose A. Sporer, Magdalene C. Sporer, Gertrude C. Sporer, Francis A. Sporer and Agnes M. Sporer.
  • Joseph Sporer and Christina Grassly appeared in the New York state census of 1 June 1905 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York, at 2240 Whirlpool Street. Other members of the household included August J. Sporer, Anna D. Sporer, Rose A. Sporer, Magdalene C. Sporer, Gertrude C. Sporer, Francis A. Sporer, Agnes M. Sporer and Clarence W. Sporer.
  • August J. Sporer died on 16 August 1909 at age 18 in Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York.
  • He was interred at Saint Mary's Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York.
  • The following appeared on 17 August 1909 in the Niagara Falls Gazette: Three search parties are busy along the river today attempting to recover the bodies of Walter McCabe, the Lewiston boy who was drowned in the river at that village Friday; Frank Thompson, who met his death in the upper river near Mang's Grove Saturday afternoon; and Augustus Sporer of No. 2240 Whirlpool street, who was carried through the Whirlpool Rapids yesterday afternoon. No trace of any of the bodies had been found up till a late hour this afternoon. . . .
         All night long several men kept a weary watch on the Whirlpool in the hope that the body of Sporer would appear, but nothing of it has yet been seen. The watch is being kept up today. Along the river banks a systematic search was made for the body, but nothing was found to indicate that the unfortunate young man was not carried below the surface of the water and into the Whirlpool.
         Augustus Sporer is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sporer, three brothers, Frank, Clarence and Lawrence and five sisters, Mrs. Rose Massen of Waterbury, Conn., Anna, L[en]a, Gertrude and Agnes.
  • The following appeared on 23 August 1909 in The Buffalo Courier: (Niagara Falls, Aug. 22) The body of August Sporer, the lad who went through the Whirlpool Rapids to death last Monday afternoon, was recovered tonight near the Lewiston bridge by a Canadian boatman. The skull had been crushed by the rocks in the stream.
  • The following appeared on 24 August 1909 in the Niagara Falls Gazette: The funeral of August Sporer, the young man who went to his death in the Whirlpool rapids on August 16th, was held this morning. The services were conducted by the Rev. Father Spetz, assistant rector of the Church of the Sacred Heart. The funeral procession moved from the home of the young man's parents, No. 2240 Whirlpool street at 8:30 o'clock to the church where a solemn high mass was sung. The church was well filled with relatives and friends of the young man.
         The interment was made in St. Mary's Cemetery. The pall bearers were six young friends of the deceased as follows: Paul Cottringer, John Hahn, Arthur Welch, Henry Gutbrodt, Joseph Whelan and James McMurray.
  • Last Edited: 12 Jul 2013