Fred Ellwanger - Only Survivor of the 1908 Marianna Mine Explosion
Fred Ellwanger's native land was Germany. He was born on November 23rd, 1869. He worked only a few days in the Rachel mine before the explosion, which was said to have been "caused by a blown-out shot in Blanche Entry No. 3, which ignited gas and dust and caused a secondary explosion in the main dip almost simultaneously." According to reports, he was married twice. His 2nd wife and 4 children (two children to the first wife and two to the 2nd wife) remained in Germany. Ellwanger had plans to save enough money to finish building a house on a lot he had purchased in West Zollarsville, shortly before the disaster, in hopes to have bring his family to live with him there. Frederick's last name is misspelled in various newspaper articles as Elwanger, L. Wanger, Ellinger, Elinger, Elvarna, Elvarmo.EAt the turn of the last century surnames were often spelled the way the writer heard them.
December 21st, 1908 -(Ellwanger leaves hospital and received word that his wife who on her way from Germany to America with their 4 children.)
January, 1909 -(Ellwanger learned his wife died in Germany).
July 16, 1909- Ellwanger charged with operating a speakeasy.
April 10, 1911-Ellwanger charged with stealing freight. This same year his mother is believed to have died who had taken his children (more on the date of his mother's death when and if I find it).
May 5, 1911-Ellwanger cannot find work.
May 6th, 1911-Ellwanger exonerated by the grand jury on charges of robbing cars of the Pennsylvania railroad.
August 7th, 1911-Ellwanger arrested for violation of mining laws. Pleaded guilty. However, Ellwanger says he was not smoking the pipe found on him, and only had it on him because he smoked going to and from work, and that he was not aware it was a violation of mining law to simply have the pipe in his possession at work.
April 26th,1915-Ellwanger (spelling on his death certificate) died in Washington hospital at age 46, from apparent issues with diabetes. Widow. He is buried at Horn Cemetery in West Beth twp, Washington county. H.S Dotts of Marianna, was the informant's signature on the death certificate. Undertaker John A. Barr of Marianna, Pa. At time of death was a labor.
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| Nov 28th, 1908 The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pa) |
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| November 30, 1908- Evening Star, Washington District of Columbia |
December 1, 1908 Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa)
Dec 23, 1908- The Daily Courior (Connellsville, Pa)
December 22nd, 1909
December 1, 1908 Baltimore Sun-Maryland
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| Jan 6, 1909 -Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pa.) |
December 1, 1908 The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois)
Dec 21, 1908
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| Jan 13, 1909 The Daily Notes (Canonsburg,Pa) |
July 16th, 1909 The Daily Republican, April 10th 1911 The Daily Republican
August 19th 1909-The Daily Notes
April 10, 1911 The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pa)
May 5th, 1911 Wilks-Barre Times Leader -The Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
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| May 6th, 1911 The Pittsburgh Post Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pa.) |
August 7th, 1911-The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pa.)
August 19th, 1911-The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pa.)
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| April 26, 1915 As told in a article in St. Louis Post Dispatch (St Louis, Missouri) on April 27th, 1915, 42 pieces of coal were driven into Ellwanger's body in the Marianna mine explosion. |
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| April 27th, 1915 The Daily Republican (Monongahela, Pa.) ______________________________________________________________________________________________ December 1st, 1908 Deutsche Correspondence (Baltimore, Maryland) Fred Elinger   May 23rd, 1928 The News Herald, Newspapers.com |
