The Wesselowski Van Wert Family Tree

Newspaper article:

AUTOMOBILE LEAVES EMBANKMENT AND LIVERY MAN AT OAK CREEK DIES AT FATEFUL RAILROAD CROSSING
Forest E. Van Wert. well known liveryman of Oak Creek, was killed yesterday afternoon when his automobile plunged from the road in Argo gulch, a short distance trout the Moffat Coal company mine, and while he was returning from a trip to the Egry ranch near Pyramid.
The manner of the accident is something of a mystery, the only witness being Joe Mudra a young lad who was riding with Mr. Van Wert at the time, and who without injury. Van Wert had gone from Oak Creek in the afternoon, making a trip to the Egry ranch, and was on his return to his home when the accident occurred. About an hour before the accident he was met by Samuel Abbs of Oak Creek. Who was returning from a trip to twenty mile park. Van Wert had taken William Egry out some distance on the trout creek road to a point where they were met by another member of the Egry family, who had bought a saddle horse for the purpose of taking Mr. Egry home. The roads were in bad condition and when last seen, Mr. Van Wert was driving carefully.
Although the Mudra boy was unable to tell a coherent story it is evident that he was walking along the road and was picked up by Van Wert and was riding into town. The tracks of the automobile indicate that something had gone wrong with the steering gear of the machine, as the tracks led around a curve, and then straight for a fifteen-foot embankment, at the bottom of which the machine was discovered badly damaged.
When the accident occurred the Mudra boy made his way hastily to Oak Creek, a distance of about two miles, and excitedly informed the first people he met that Mr. Van Wert was badly hurt or killed. It seems that little attention was paid to the story, and that some time elapsed before the excited lad finally prevailed upon someone to go to the scene of the wreck.
Finally a machine was secured and after a delay of about an hour a party went to the place of the accident and discovered Van Wert among the wreckage and nearly dead. He was taken in the machine to Oak Creek, but expired just as the railroad crossing was reached. A peculiar coincidence to this fact. In June of this year, while crossing the railroad at this point, Mr. Van Wert’s machine collided with a locomotive, the machine being carried 100 feet along the track and totally wrecked, while he barely escaped with his own life. It seemed his fate to die at this particular point, and it was just as the machine in which he was being taken to town crossed the tracks that he drew his last breath.
Mr. Van Wert was one of Oak Creek’s most authentic citizens, and prior to his residence there was engaged in ranching in Twenty mile park, near the J. B. Male ranch. Two years ago he moved to the mining town and became interested in the livery and coal business. Two months ago his livery barn was destroyed by fire, but he had started to rebuild.
He is survived by his widow and a son, by a brother, Herman, with whom he was associated in business.

 

Transcribed by Renee Schmidt