Thursday, August 26, 2010

Reno Street Cars were not Good to this Jamison Family

NVreno-st1910r

I’ve been writing about my husband’s 1st cousin (4 times removed) Samuel M. Jamison, who left his home in Indiana, Pennsylvania in 1849 to join the Gold Rush to California. NewspaperArchives have a LOT of the Reno, Nevada and Indiana, PA Evening Gazettes online at Ancestry.com. Samuel and his family lived in Reno, NV in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Today, from the Indiana, PA Evening Gazette I read this tragic story about Samuel’s son-in-law Nathaniel W. Roff.

Indiana (PA) Evening Gazette, 6 Nov 1907:
NATE ROFF DIED FROM HIS INJURIES
Nevada's Auditor General, Who is Known Here, Succumbs to Internal Injuries
MAN OF THE GOLDEN WEST
Nate Roff, State Auditor, of Nevada, who visited here last year, died on Oct. 29 from injuries received a week previous in a runaway. He and a companion were driving in Reno on Oct 21 when their horse shied at a street car and threw both men out. Roff had both legs fractured, the other many was but slightly hurt. A perforation of the bowels was the direct cause of death and Roff was believed to be on the road to recovery when the change came, death following in a few hours.

He is survived by his wife, Edwina Jamison Roff, a daughter of Samuel M. Jamison, and two sons, of Reno.

Roff was aged 55 years and had spent all but 10 years of that time in Nevada. He was formerly manager of the Oregon Stage Line and a prominent lodgeman and politician. last year he and his wife visited the Jamison families and other relatives here.

By an odd coincidence, Mr. Jamison lost his other son-in-law as the result of a similar accident about two year ago.

This tragedy happened in November, 1907. Read what happened in May, 1913 to his son Claire:

Nevada-trolley

31 May 1913 Reno Evening Gazette:
"Claire Roff, Well Known Young Man, Meets With Accident on Street Car"
His right arm crushed under the wheels of a street car, Claire Roff of 20 West Second Street, lost the member by amputation at a local hospital last night. He will recover, according to an announcement made at the hospital this afternoon.

The accident occurred shortly after 8 o'clock last night. Roff, with several friends, was going to Moana Springs, and boarded the interurban car. According to some of these who saw the accident Roff was standing on the front step, and fell off, his right arm falling over the car track. The motorman, seeing the accident, brought the car to a quick stop and it was necessary to back the car up a few feet in order to get the injured man clear of the wheels.

Sadly, street cars figured heavily in the tragedies suffered by the members of this family.

2 comments:

Karen said...

What sad accidents. Families really had to be tough, with all the losses between accidents and illnesses.

Nancy said...

Isn't it sad - and surprising - to learn these things about ancestors! I'm thrilled when I find newspaper articles, then sad when I found how an accidental death happened.