Joseph H. Bohnert

b. March 1866, d. 31 December 1943
  • Joseph H. Bohnert was born in March 1866 in Pennsylvania.
  • Francis Xavier Bohnert and Margaretha Deck, appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Pine Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. Other members of the household included Joseph H. Bohnert, Elizabeth Bohnert, Laura J. Bohnert, Katherine Bohnert, Margaret Bohnert and Franklin Pierce Bohnert.
  • Francis Xavier Bohnert and Margaretha Deck appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Pine Township, Pennsylvania. Other members of the household included Joseph H. Bohnert, Katherine Bohnert, Laura J. Bohnert, Franklin Pierce Bohnert and William Blake Bohnert.
  • Joseph H. Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Morris Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, boarding with widow Elizabeth Sharping.
  • He was working as a clerk in a general store, according to the 1900 census (likely employed by merchant Elizabeth Sharping).
  • Joseph H. Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Endicott, Broome County, New York, boarding in the household of widow Elizabeth Sharping.
  • He was a retail merchant in the grocery business, according to the 1910 census.
  • The following appeared on 15 March 1916 in the Binghamton Press and Leader: The following deeds were recorded today in the Broome County Clerk's office: . . . Charles B. Webb and wife, of Endicott, to Joseph H. Bohnert, of the same place; property on North street, Endicott, $1.
  • The following appeared on 28 August 1916 in the Binghamton Press and Leader: Two men and two children were killed and two men and two women were injured when a seven-passenger touring car, bearing an Endicott funeral party, plunged over an 18-foot embankment into the Tioga river near Covington, Pa., at 10:30 o'clock Saturday night.
         Blinded by a dense fog, the chauffeur, on a strange road, failed to make a sharp turn at the approach of a bridge, and steered diagonally across the road, the machine jumping a small ditch and falling bottom up into the river below.
         Earl Sherman, 35 years old, of 14-1/2 Madison avenue, Endicott, and his two small daughters, Katherine, six years old, and Geraldine, six months old, pinned under the car, were drowned. Perry Williams, of 107 Jefferson avenue, Endicott, the chauffeur, an employe in Claude Van Patten's garage, also caught beneath the car, died of a broken neck.
         Of the four survivors, Mrs. Caroline Becker of 114 Garfield avenue, Endicott, was most seriously injured. She sustained a dislocated shoulder, three fractured ribs and internal injuries. The others injured are Joseph Bohnert, also of 114 Garfield avenue, a brother of Mrs. Becker, who suffered a fractured knee cap, contusions of the body and lacerations of the face; Rev. George N. Underwood of Madison avenue, Endicott, whose face was cut and who sustained contusions of the body and limbs; and Mrs. Earl Sherman of 14-1/2 Madison avenue, Endicott. Mrs. Sherman's injuries were mainly bruises.
         Althought the water is only three feet deep at the point where the big car struck, Mr. Sherman and his two children were pinioned without chance of escape, and drowned like rats in a trap. Williams, the chauffeur, also was jammed beneath the car, but did not drown. His life was crushed out as the machine ground into the bed of the river.
         The party left Endicott at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon, starting for Lorenton, Pa., where the funeral services were to be held for the mother of Mrs. Sherman. The Endicott family intended to take a train, but finding that they could not make satisfactory connections, hired the automobile.
         They had been on the road little more than an hour when a steady and heavy rain began to fall. The side curtains were lowered. The downpour proved to be only a shower, but as night fell, was followed by another storm. This abated long before the accident, however, but was followed by a thick fog.
         Sherman rode in the front seat with Williams. In the rear of the car were the other members of the party, Mrs. Sherman holding her baby in her lap. Beyond Mansfield, the roads became a little better, and the chauffeur increased the speed, continuing to drive with caution, however, because of the fog.
         Survivors, describing the accident in the meager details which they could recollect, told Claude Van Patten, the owner of the automobile, that just before the fatal crash, the machine descended a slight grade leading to a turn at the approach to a bridge. According to Mr. Van Patten, there is no railing around the turn and the chauffeur, through this fact, probably was deceived into believing that the road led straight ahead. At the Blossburg Hospital, where the injured were taken, it was said today that a stone wall borders the curve.
         Whether or not there is a protecting rail or fence, however, does not matter much now. Nothing was there to stop the big car as it leaped from the road. In the soft mud at the foot of the incline, it skidded, swung sideways across the road and plunged over the embankment. Van Patten was informed yesterday, he said today, that the bank where the car left the road is between 15 and 18 feet in height, falling off into the Tioga river.
         In the air, the car turned over and when it struck the shallow water, its occupants, or most of them, were under it. The survivors do not know exactly how they escaped. In disjointed sentences, with the fear of death still upon them, they tried to tell later, how they struggled from the water, leaving behind them, although they did not know it then. . . [Continued on Page Seven.]
  • The following appeared on 29 August 1916 in the Binghamton Press and Leader: Survivors of the fatal automobile accident in which four Endicott people were killed Saturday night are improving in the Blossburg Hospital, it was announced at the hospital this afternoon. Unless unexpected complications develop all will recover.
         Mrs. Caroline Becker, who was most seriously hurt, is much better today, it was said at the hospital this afternoon. She is suffering from a dislocation of the right shoulder and three fractured ribs.
         The right knee joint of Joesph Bohnert may become useless. Dr. DeWitt and assistants operated on the knee, which was smashed in the accident.
         Rev. George N. Underwood will be able to leave the hospital within a day or two. Mrs. Earl Sherman, whose husband and two children were killed, is virtually recovered from her injuries.
         The bodies of the four victims who met death when the automobile crashed down the incline into the river Saturday night were shipped out of Blossburg yesterday. The body of Perry Williams, the chauffeur, was sent to the home of his parents in Illinois. The bodies of Sherman and his two little duaghters were sent to Morris, Pa., the home of Mrs. Sherman's parents, for burial.
  • Joseph H. Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Endicott, Broome County, New York, at 114 Garfield Avenue a roomer in the household of widow Elizabeth Sharping.
  • He was a real estate broker, according to the 1920 census.
  • The following appeared on 18 May 1929 in The Binghamton Press: Transfers of Real Estate. Joseph Bohnert, lot 18, block 305, plot 3, "Endicott Land Subdivision," Endicott, to Pietro Darpino and wife.
  • Joseph H. Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Endicott, New York, at 114 Garfield Avenue boarding with widow Elizabeth Sharping.
  • He was a farmer, according to the 1930 census.
  • The following appeared on 11 October 1930 in The Binghamton Press: Transfers of Real Estate. Joseph H. Bohnert, lot 16, block 211, Subdivision 2, Endicott Land Subdivision, Endicott, to Caroline Becker.
  • The following appeared on 14 October 1935 in The Binghamton Press: The funeral of Mrs. Ella J. Duygan was held at 2:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Stalker & Downey homelike funeral home. The Rev. John A. Visser officiated. The pallbearers were George Hart, Joseph Bohnert, Lamont Lane and Harold Rich. Burial was in Hope cemetery, Newark Valley.
  • The following appeared on 6 August 1943 in The Binghamton Press: Real Estate Transfers. Joseph Bohnert, lot 28, west side of Sunset Avenue, to Albert L. Wilcox and wife.
  • Joseph H. Bohnert died on 31 December 1943 at age 77 in Endicott, Broome County, New York, at 406 Marion Street at his residence.
  • The following appeared on 31 December 1943 in The Binghamton Press: Joseph H. Bohnert, 77, of 406 Marion Street, Endicott, died suddenly at 7 a. m. today at his home. He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Caroline Becker of Endicott and Mrs. Margaret Callahan of Jersey Shore, Pa; a brother, Frank Bohnert of Morris, Pa., and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Bohnert was a member of Endicott Lodge Modern Woodmen of the World. The body was removed to the Allen Memorial Home, 511-13 East Main Street, Endicott, where the family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p. m. Saturday.
  • The following appeared on 28 January 1944 in the Binghamton Press: The estate of Joseph Bonnert of Endicott, retired shoe merchant and real estate dealer, who died last Dec. 31, is estimated as exceeding $1,000 in the petion for probate filed by Roy S. Wallace of 1000 Monroe Street, executor. /P/ Beneficiaries are: Mrs. Margaret Callahan of Jersey Shore, Pa., sister; Frank P. Bohnert of Morris, Pa., brother; John Sautter of Elmira Heights, nephew; Frank Sautter of Locke, nephew; Delia Teed of 105 Grand Avenue, niece; Maggie Root of Vestal, neice; Catherine Green of 26 McKinley Avenue, Endicott, niece; Myra Love of 506 Nanticoke Avenue, Endicott, niece; Wilhelmina Morris of 26 Grant Avenue, niece; Joseph T. Bohnert of Morris, Daniel Becker of Jeffersonville, Preston Becker of Livingston Manor, Ernest Callahan of Jersey Shore, Doris Widler of Jersey Shore and Preston Bohnert of Morris. Warren D. Jennings is the attorney.
  • Last Edited: 13 May 2015