October is swiftly coming to an end, and leaves are beginning to leave some of the trees bare. There is still time for a walk highlighting some of the darker ends that befell some of the people buried at Oak Hill. I have seldom gotten to lead people into the hillside area on the right side (facing up the hill) of the wide grassy strip. This walk highlights a few people buried in this area.
So slip into a warm jacket, lace on your hiking shoes and try this final walk featuring some very unfortunate events, but pretty scenery.
1. Irving Crowe (block 151) Crowe's monument is one of a handful of boulders inscribed with names. You can see it in the photo above. The young man had graduated from Janesville schools, worked as a printer, served in World War I, and at the time of his death was working as a steeplejack - clearly he was not intimidated by heights. In 1923 he had a job near Medford, and took a bit of time to go to the Taylor county fairgrounds to see barnstorming pilots do their thrilling aerial tricks. He paid a modest fee and was taken up in one of the old bi-planes. Unfortunately, the airplane crashed, and though the pilot walked away, Irving did not.
2. Fred Bauch (block 155) It should be easy to find the gray granite Bauch family monument, and also Fred's small headstone inscribed with "our son." Fred was also a veteran of World War I, and at the time of his death he was employed at the Samson Tractor plant in Janesville. Fred was instantly killed when the fly wheel and shaft of a 24 ton press fell down on him and crushed his skull. He was a Janesville native, married with a small son.
3. Herbert Brownell (block 160) Young Herbert's simple upright tablet headstone indicates he was nearly 18 years of age at the time of his death. The good looking young man had been employed in his uncle's grocery store, and helped with farming at home. Unfortunately, he and some friends hitched a ride on a freight train, and Herbert slipped under the train's wheels and was run over.
4. Edward J. Brown (block 166) Look for a large red granite family monument with a palm frond wreath. We have another railroad accident here. Edward Brown and J. Seskind, both cattlemen, were killed in a rear-end collision on the Central Vermont railway accident, and three others were injured.
5. Max Pfennig (block 176) Look for a large gray granite family monument inscribed "Pfennig." Born in Germany, Pfennig changed his name when he came to the United States, and engaged in several jobs - hotel manager, proprietor of a saloon, real estate salesman, coroner. In 1899, after some questions about the honesty of his real estate dealings, he took the Lake Michigan ferry to Luddington, and jumped overboard. His body was never recovered, though some people claimed to have seem someone who looked like him afterward in Michigan. This was never proven.
6. Ida Fox (block 186)The Fox family monument is impressive red granite - look for individual headstone around the family plot. Ida's parents were English, and involved in the railroads. Her father, John was an engineer on the Milwaukee and St. Paul line and later was foreman at the roundhouse. Ida worked in the train offices, and was hit by a train at five points when she tripped while delivering a note to a worker.
7. Harvey Boettcher (block 195) Harvey's headstone is a small gray stone with the epitaph "He gave all for his country." The young World War I soldier was twenty-five years of age when he died of pneumonia after contracting the Spanish Influenza at Camp Grant in Illinois.
8. Edwin Disch (block 217) There is a medium sized upright family monument, and a small gray granite headstone for Edwin. John and Lena Disch, Edwin's parents, were immigrant farmers to Wisconsin from Switzerland. Their teenage son Edwin died when while riding his motorcycle he struck a dog, and the impact threw him into the path of an oncoming truck. Edwin's older brother, Herbert, was killed when he was struck by an express train between Doylestown and Fall River. Unfortunate events struck this family twice.
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