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1908

NOTIFIES FAMILY THEN CREMATES SELF     

Punxsutawney, PA, July 16.     

Crazed by jealousy Stephen Joshua, proprietor of a store at Wishaw, near here, drove his family from the home, barred the doors and after setting fire to a kerosene saturated bed, shot himself, dying almost instantly.

When Mrs. Joshua saw her husband's fury she fled with three small daughters to the home of a neighbor across the street.

Joshua detained his two boys.  After giving them $1,500 in notes, $50 in cash and a deed to his property he sent the boys to their mother, telling them he intended killing himself.

Fastening doors and windows Joshua secured a can of oil, poured     the oil over a bed and ignited it.  Crawling behind the bed he fired     three shots into his brain.  Neighbors broke in, in time to save the house from destruction.  It is said that Joshua had been jealous of a foreigner who boarded with the family and five weeks ago sent the intruder away.  It is thought a letter received by Mrs. Joshua from the boarder last Saturday caused Joshua's action.  He is well known and conducted a store at Wishaw many years.     

[from the "Daily Gazette And Bulletin," Williamsport, PA, Fri., July 17, 1908.]

1911

SEARCHING FOR HIS DAUGHTER.     

Young Italian Girl Left Her Home a Week Age.         

Frank Nato, an Italian, who lived on a farm near Wishaw, PA, is searching in this vicinity for his 18-years-old daughter, Katie, who left home a week ago without telling her parents her destination.

It is supposed that she took a street car to Punxsutawney and from that place came to Indiana or to some other point in this county. The father has not yet learned anything regarding to the girl's whereabouts.  The girl was of average height.  She wore a green skirt and a white shirt waist, had no hat and carried an umbrella.

It is the custom among the Italian people not to permit young men to talk to young unmarried girls except in the presence of their parents. His daughter, he says, had violated this custom and had talked to a young man from Wishaw.  Nato is of the opinion that his daughter ran away fearing paternal rebuke.    

[from the "Indiana Evening Gazette," Indiana, PA, Mon., July 3, 1911.]

1912

GUEST SHOT DEAD AT A WEDDING     

Playful Tussle That Resulted in the Accidental Discharge of a Revolver,  Punxsutawney, Pa, Feb. 18     

John Barr, aged 20, son of Samuel Barr of Reynoldsville, Jefferson county, was accidentally shot and killed at a wedding at Wishaw, 10 miles from here at 11 0'clock Tuesday night by Arthur Heffner, aged 19 of Reynoldsville.  Coroner J.C. Sayers of Reynoldsville held an inquest and a verdict of accidental death was rendered.

The two youths and Carl Reydborn had gone to the home of Isaac Knapp at Wishaw to attend the wedding of his daughter Helen, and Neil McMinn. On the way Heffner fired his revolver in celebration of the event.  At the Knapp house Barr asked for the gun so that he, too, could have expression of his jubilation, but Heffner refused.

The three youths sat on a couch, where Barr played a harmonica.  Reydborn sat in the middle and while Barr was holding the harmonica in one hand he surreptitiously extended his other behind Reydborn's back and tried to extract Heffner's revolver from his pocket.

Detecting the ruse, Heffner sized the weapon.   The playful struggle which followed, it went off, the bullet grazing Reydborn's back and entering Barr's heart.  He died instantly.  [from the "New Castle News," New Castle, PA, Thurs., Feb. 15, 1912.]

1918

MINES CLOSED AT WISHAW FOR SEVERINI FUNERAL         

Required Two Flower Wagons to Carry the Flowers Presented.  Funeral services over the body of Mrs. Catherine Severini, who died Sunday at her home in Wishaw, of heart disease, were held in Reynoldsville yesterday.

Mrs Severini was the wife of Mazerni Severini, and is survived by her husband, three daughters and one son.

The services were held in the Catholic Church at Reynoldsville and interment made in the Catholic Cemetery there.  The mines at Wishaw were closed.  It required two wagons to carry the flowers sent.         

[from  Newspaper Obit., July 14, 1918.]

     

The 1918 Spanish Influenza Epidemic at Wishaw

     

NINE DEATHS FROM SPANISH INFLUENZA  NEAR DUBOIS

WISHAW QUARANTINED     

Condition at Wishaw in Jefferson county near DuBois, where the disease has been rampant for several weeks, is acute and strict quarantine measures have been taken.  Nine have already died at that place and it is stated that several others are dying.  Practically every resident of that town is sick with the disease and more than half of the cases are complicated with bronchial pneumonia.  Physicians attending the cases believe that many more deaths will occur within the next few days.

Six died at Wishaw Monday and two the day preceding.  One Big Soldier resident succumbed to the disease Monday and yesterday morning it was stated that several more were dying at Wishaw.     

[from "The Clearfield Progress," Clearfield, PA, Wed. Oct. 2, 1918.]

TWO MORE DEATHS FROM SPANISH FLU     

Two deaths in addition to those published yesterday took place at Wishaw as the result of the epidemic of Spanish influenza that has been ravaging the small mining town.  Mrs Frank Cuba, aged 28, and Pasquale Artilini, aged 30 years, succumbed to pneumonia.  An infant child of the dead man died early in the morning and his widow and four children are critically ill.

J. Moore Campbell a representative of the State Health Department arrived in Wishaw Wednesday morning to aid local and county authorities in the fight top check the disease.  Four volunteer nurses have been secured and physicians from Reynoldsville, Punxsutawney and Eleanora are lending their aid in caring for the afflicted ones.     

[from "The Clearfield Progress," Clearfield, PA, Thurs., Oct. 3, 1918.]

7 More Deaths at Wishaw     

Seven deaths from Spanish influenza occurred at Wishaw, Jefferson county, on Sabbath, according to a report made today.  Many cases are critical and additional deaths are expected.  Dr. C. M. Rickert, state medical inspector went to the Wishaw-Eleanora field today to go over the situation with the local health officials.  The street-car line running between Punxsutawney and Reynoldsville was closed today.  But, two freight cars will be run until the epidemic has been conquered.  There are 12 cases of the disease in Punxsutawney.     

[from the "Indiana Evening Gazette," Indiana, PA, Mon., Oct. 7, 1918.]

INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC IS CONTINUING     

The total deaths at Wishaw, Jefferson county, as a result of the Spanish influenza epidemic there reached 48 yesterday morning, six having died there since Monday noon, five residents of Wishaw and Miss Anna McAndrews, a graduate nurse of DuBois.  No new cases have developed in the past 24 hours and physicians in charge believe the epidemic has started to subside, although it is believed that many more will succumb to the disease.  Nurses and physicians are badly needed.

Reynoldsville     

There are about 400 cases in the town, many complicated with pneumonia.  The school building is being used as a hospital and the most severe cases are being taken there.  Here nurses and physicians are also badly needed.     

[from "The Clearfield Progress," Clearfield, PA, Wed., Oct. 9, 1918.]

SPANISH "FLU" IS BEING CHECKED     

At Wishaw two deaths occurred yesterday, making the total fifty up to the present time.  The number of serious cases seems to be abating and the situation generally is improving.     

[from "The Clearfield Progress," Clearfield, PA, Thurs., Oct. 10, 1918.]

SEVERAL NEW CASES OF FLU YESTERDAY     

Punxsutawney has 12 cases in their emergency hospital and about 20 cases now prevail there.

Reynoldsville has one death in the emergency hospital yesterday and a few additional cases were reported.  The total of deaths from the disease here has now reached 12.

At Wishaw physicians say they have the disease licked.  There was one death Wednesday and about 26 cases pending.  The total deaths reached very close to 60.

At Adrian, near Punxsy the flu deaths thus far total 7.

Brookville is now in a fair way to conquer the disease, but has had 20 deaths from it.

Knoxdale, another Jefferson county village reports six deaths;  Ramseytown, three deaths in past three days, a large number of new cases and about 150 cases in the village;  Walston has 30 cases but week.

Spanish influenza is directly responsible for the decrease, its inroads having completely closed many mines in seven places, while as many more had their output restricted 50 per cent.  Wishaw, Eleanora, Florence, Soldier, McIntyre, Coal Run and Conifer mines were closed;  the operations at Ernest, Finleyville, Clymer, Dixonville, Rossiter and in the Broad Top regions were heavily cut, while practically every mine in the field was affected to some degree.

Conditions are improving in most of the towns, according to reports from the State Health Department, and Charles O'Neill, production manager for the Central Pennsylvania district, has requested miners living in places not affected by the epidemic, to increase their output so that the coal so vital to the success of the war may be produced.     

[from "Indiana Weekly Messenger," Indiana, PA, Thurs., Oct. 24, 1918.]

[from the "Indiana Evening Gazette," Indiana, PA, Fri., Oct. 18, 1918.]

Heavy Toll at Wishaw     

It is stated that at Wishaw out of a total of thirty-five young men who had registered for the army only three are alive at the present time, the other 32 having died as the result of the epidemic that prevailed there.     

[from "The Clearfield Progress," Clearfield, PA, Mon., Oct. 28, 1918.]

NEWS PARAGRAPHS

     

1919

Constantino Cattivera, of Wishaw, is lying in the Adrian hospital, at Punxsutawney, with his back bone fractured and the possibility of a torn spinal cord as the result of a fall of rock in the Wishaw mines, on Thursday.    

[from the "Indiana Weekly Messenger," Indiana, PA, Thurs., Oct. 9, 1919.]

1920

Man With Broken Back Sails For Old Country     

Constantine Cattivera, aged 36, left yesterday in company with four friends for New York, where Thursday he will sail for his old home in Italy to join his wife and children.  Cattivera is making the trip in a basket, his back having been broken by a fall of coal October last, said the Punxsutawney Spirit.

Cattivera was employed in the R. and P. Company's mine at Wishaw and while at work was caught beneath a heavy fall of coal.  Two of the vertebrae at the small of the back were broken and he has been paralyzed since from the waist down.  At the Adrian Hospital, where he had been a patient since the accident, Cattivera grew impatient to see his wife and children who are in a southern province of Italy and who had been planning to come to this country to make their way, he was much the happiest man in the little coterie that was returning to the homeland.

Within recent weeks Cattivera has shown signs of improvement.  The power to move his legs slightly has returned and this leads his physician to believe that he will ultimately regain full use of his legs.     

[from the "Indiana Evening Gazette," Indiana, PA, Wed., June 23, 1920.]

1925

Nine Houses Burn;  Fire Bug Blamed;  Loss is $50,000     

Punxsutawney, Pa, April 8.     

Fire of incendiary origin this morning destroyed 18 frame houses at Wishaw this county entailing a loss of $50,000.  All were the property of the Pittsburgh Coal and Iron Co.. which not long ago closed its mine at Wishaw.

The fire started in the same house in which flames were discovered and extinguished a week ago.  Several other fires have occurred recently in company houses.  Only a few houses of the Pittsburgh Coal and Iron company remain standing.     

[from the "New Castle News," New Castle, PA Wed., April 8, 1925.]

NEWS PARAGRAPHS    

Monday night nine double houses were burned in the mining town of Wishaw, Jefferson county, property of the Rochester & Pittsburg Coal & Iron Co.  Six families were rendered homeless and some of their household goods destroyed.  Most of the houses were empty.         

[from the "Indiana Weekly Messenger," Indiana, PA, Thurs., April 16, 1925.]

   

   

VICTIM OF WISHAW TIPPLE ACCIDENT DIED YESTERDAY   

April 14, 1925       

Samuel Clontz, of Reynoldsville, Succumbs to Pneumonia at Age of 30 Years.

Samuel Clontz, aged 30, injured a week ago today at the Wishaw mine tipple when a mine car ran over him crushing his right leg above the knee and the left leg below the knee, as he attempted to board it, died at 4:30 p. m. yesterday in the Adrian hospital. Following the accident both his legs were amputated and the victim of the accident rallied, but pneumonia developed causing death.

The deceased was born at Goat Hill, a son of Jacob and Rachael Clontz and had lived all his life in the vicinity of Reynoldsville. He was a veteran of the World War, having served a year overseas. At the end of     the conflict he came home and was united in marriage December 26, 1919, to Miss Mae Armagost in Reynoldsville. He was a member of the Red Men and the Protected Home Circle and was held in high regard in the vicinity where he had spent his life.

He is survived by his mother, his widow and two children: Irvin aged 4, and Irvin aged 18 months. Three brothers and one sister also survive: Lester, of Panic; John, of Brookville; Dallas and Mrs. Claude Brumbaugh, of Reynoldsville.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday beginning at 2 o'clock at the late home of the deceased and interment made in the Reynoldsville cemetery. Rev. W. V. McLain will officiate.

1926

MOTHER, TWO CHILDREN BURN IN HOUSE FIRE     

Overheated Stove Believed Responsible for Wishaw Tragedy - Grampian Women Burned to Death.     

In a futile effort to save her children, Mrs. Teresini Santini, wife of Vincenzo Santini, perished in a fire that destroyed their home at Wishaw at 9:30 o'clock Friday night and with her died her nine-year-old daughter, Hilda, and her four-year-old son, Ghilardo.

The dead:  Mrs. Vincenzo Santini, aged 26.     

Hilda, her daughter, aged 9.     

Ghilardo, her son, aged 4.

The fire, believed due to an over heated stove, was discovered shortly after 9:30 o'clock last night.  Stories of the fire are conflicting, but it is the generally accepted belief that Mrs. Santini guided three of her children to safety and returned to the fiercely blazing home to rescue the others, who were preparing to go to bed.  Trapped in the upper floor of the house with every egress cutoff the mother and her two children perished.

The charred bodies of the three, burned almost beyond semblance of human form were found Saturday when the ruins had sufficiently cooled to permit an inspection of the ruins.

Neighbors who were attracted by the flames say that for a second Mrs. Santini appeared in an upper window and rapped on the glass.  Whether she was too badly confused to jump or whether she was searching for her children will never be known.  When found this morning the charred bodies were closely grouped.

Another version of the story of the manner in which the three met their death is that Mrs. Santini guided two of her children to safety and then believing that three other children remained in the burning building, rushed back into the flames in the hope of rescuing them.  Hilda and Ghilardo, it is said, followed their mother back into the house and perished with her.  The others, it is said, had escaped without there mother's knowledge.

Prior to her marriage the deceased was Teressa DeLucca, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DeLucca of Wishaw, who died in the influenza epidemic several years ago.  She leaved her husband, who had been employed at the Sagamore mines, and who arrived home early Saturday and three children.  Mrs. Carlos Cuba, of Reynoldsvilkle and Mrs. Charles Fallesetta, of Dixonville, are sisters of the deceased.     

[from the "Indiana Evening Gazette," Indiana, PA, Mon., March 8, 1926.]

NEWS PARAGRAPHS

Mrs. Tressie Santani, aged 26, wife of Vincent Santani, of Wishaw, an employe in the Sagamore mines, with two of her children, was burned to death Friday.  Mrs. Santani has rescued three children and in making another trip to rescue two other children was caught in the falling debris and lost her life.

[from the "Indiana Weekly Messenger," Indiana, PA, Thurs., March 18, 1926.]

1927

CHILD BURNED TO DEATH IN BLAZE WHICH RAZES HOME

Left In House With Two Small Sisters DuBois Boy Is Lost in Flames, Others Are Rescued.

DuBois, July 17. (Special to the Mirror.)

Left in the house while the older folks were visiting neighbors, two-year-old Billie Eugene Craft was burned to death and the home destroyed in a fire of undetermined origin.  The little lad and his two sisters had been taken to the home of their grandmother, Mrs. Lloyd Mottarn at Wishaw near here, and left in the house while the elder folks went a short distance away.

Later neighbors discovered the residence to be on fire and frantic efforts were made to rescue the children, the two girls being found alive but the little boy could not be located.  The fire burned fiercely and it was not until this morning that searchers could make a good investigation.  A shoe, containing a human foot told the gruesome story.  The mother is distracted.

[from  the "Warren Morning Mirror," Warren, PA, Mon., July 18, 1927.]

1939

ELECTRIC CONTRACT AWARDED     

Brookville, March 17. (AP)     

The Central Rural Electric Co-Operative Association announced today the award of a contract to the firm of Day & Zimmerman of Philadelphia for construction of 52 miles of line to provide electricity for 208 Jefferson county farms.  The line will serve Troutville, Big Run, Big Soldier, Reynoldsville, Desire and Wishaw. 

[from the "Titusville Herald," Titusville, PA, Sat., March 18, 1939.]