Caroline Bohnert

Caroline Bohnert

• Father: Francis Xavier Bohnert b. 9 December 1832, d. 9 March 1915
• Mother: Margaretha Deck b. 24 March 1829, d. 8 August 1907

• Caroline Bohnert was born on 9 November 1856 in English Center, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
• Her name was recorded as as Laura J. in the 1870 and 1880 censuses, but was known as Caroline thereafter.
• It is possible that 13-year-old "Caroline Bower," working as a "domestic" in the household of physician Samuel Pollock in Williamsport in 1870, is actually Caroline Bohnert. She was not enumerated in the 1870 census in the household of her parents.
• She married Jacob Becker, son of Jacob Becker and Philippina Mueller, circa 1873.
• Jacob Becker and Caroline Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1880 in Letonia Oak Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. Other members of the household included Daniel Frank Becker and Joseph F. Becker.
• Jacob Becker and Caroline Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1900 in Callicoon, Sullivan County, New York. Other members of the household included Joseph F. Becker, Preston A. Becker and Maude Elizabeth Becker.
• Jacob Becker and Caroline Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 15 April 1910 in Callicoon Township, Sullivan County, New York. Other members of the household included Preston A. Becker and Francis Xavier Bohnert.
• 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.
• Jacob Becker and Caroline Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Endicott, Broome County, New York, at 2 North McKinley Avenue and one male lodger, an inspector at the shoe factory.. Other members of the household included Maude Elizabeth Becker and Samuel E. Parsons.
• Caroline Bohnert became a widow at the 20 September 1921 death of her husband Jacob Becker.
• The following appeared on 23 September 1921 in the Republican Watchman: Jacob Becker, aged 74, for many years a farmer living between Youngsville and Livingston Manor, died suddenly in an automobile at Callicoon Tuesday. [:CR;]      For the past several years Mr. Becker and his wife had been living at Union, near Binghamton. Two weeks ago they came to visit the old homestead, and on Tuesday morning started for home, their son Preston motoring them to Callicoon. Mr. and Mrs. Becker were sitting in the back seat of the car and talking, when the conversation ceased and nothing more was said until the Erie Station at Callicoon was reached. Then it was discovered that Mr. Becker was dead, the cause being heart affection and hardening of the arteries. [:CR;]      Deceased was born in Germany, coming to America when only five years old, his family locating near Jeffersonville.
• Caroline Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Endicott, Broome County, New York, at 21 Grant Avenue. Also in the household were four roomers.
• 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 8 October 1938 in The Binghamton Press: Mrs. Maude Elizabeth Parsons. Mrs. Maude Elizabeth Parsons, 49 years old, of 19 Myatt street, died Friday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock. She is survived by her husband, Samuel Parsons; three daughters, Mrs. Gilbert Hutchings and Irene and Ruth Parsons of this city; a son, Walter Parsons of this city; her mother, Caroline Becker of Endicott; two brothers, Daniel and Preston Becker of Youngsville; and a grandson, Ronald Hutchings. The body was removed to the Benjamin L. Bradbury funeral home, 65 Main street.
• Caroline Bohnert appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1940 in Callicoon, New York. Her age is understated by ten years. Also in the household were Grace (age 33) and Alfred (30) ?Casse?, identified as daughter and son-in-law.
• 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 4 August 1947 in the Williamsport Gazette and Bulletin: Frank P. Bohnert, 78, of Morris R.D., died Saturday, August 2, 1947, at the Blossburg Hospital after an extended illness.
       Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Reuben Thompson, Mrs. Millard Comstock, and Mrs. Russell, Guy, all of Morris R.D., two sons, Preston, of Earlville, N. Y., and Franklin, of Morris R.D; a sister, Mrs. Caroline Becker, of Youngsville, 19 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
       Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the home of Mrs. Guy, with the Rev. Mr. Herrold, Methodist pastor of Morris, officiating. Burial will be in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. /P/ Friends may call at the Guy home this afternoon and evening.
• Caroline Bohnert died on 24 January 1950 at age 93 in Morris Township, Tioga County, Pennsyvlania, . Informant was Elizabeth B. Guy, Morris, Pennsylvania.
• She was interred at Dutch Reform Cemetery, Youngsville, Sullivan County, New York.

• Last Edited: 16 Sep 2015