Death comes for Hiram Chalmers

I created this blog to capture stories that are not easily found by family tree owners when they do a search. I used a newspaper layout because the stories presented here are picked at random similar to what one finds in the pages of old newspapers.

A case in point is the following item from the 1913 ” New Oxford Item” of ” New Oxford, Pennsylvania”

Transcription of newspaper item

Hiram Chalmers, of West Middleton, Pa., met death in a peculiar way while plying his trade as a gravedigger. Chalmers received an order to have a grave ready for a funeral Friday morning. The time was very short but Chalmers set to work, and had nearly finished the grave when the funeral cortege arrived at the cemetery. Rather than have the services delayed Chalmers told the minister to proceed with the service while he continued to clear the bottom of the grave, preparatory to lowering the casket. While Chalmers was at work the casket, which had been set on a pile of loose dirt, suddenly slipped down, and before the mourners could secure a firm hold it had fallen on Chalmers, breaking his neck. He was taken out of the grave, a corpse.

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I was unable to find a family tree for this item but by posting it here maybe someone will claim it.

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