A Perplexing Tombstone

Clete Milan’s eyes were drawn to a tombstone that revealed a connection between Mauch Chunk and the second worst disaster in America’s history.

Prior to 9/11, the General Slocum disaster was the cause of the most loss of life in the United States. On June 15, 1904, officially 1,021 but some estimates go as high as 1,300, died when an excursion boat taking mostly women and children caught fire and sank in New York City.


	Clete Milan’s eyes were drawn to a tombstone that revealed a connection between Mauch Chunk and the second worst disaster in America’s history.

East Jim Thorpe’s Evergreen Cemetery is on a quiet loop that connects Fifth and Tenth Streets. Clete Milan often leaves his North Street home to walk this loop. One day, while passing Evergreen Cemetery, a tombstone not far from the road caught his eye.

Milan is a former newspaper editor. Perhaps it caught his attention because the stone marker was filled with much more text than usual. The marker had the names of seven people—all members of the Weaver family.

Curiously, the marker had John Weaver 1865 –1899, written on the topside with the other written on the front face. These read A. Friedericke, his wife, born 1869, and their children: Christian A. 1893, Carolina M. 1895, Mamie H. 1897, and Ester E. and Helen E. – twins – 1898. The last line read, “Who all perished in the General Slocum disaster June 15, 1904.

“I was not familiar with the General Slocum disaster,” said Milan. “I was wondering about the local connection. Apparently there must be a local connection if they are all buried there.”

Milan researched the General Slocum disaster on the Internet and the local connection through the microfilm records that were provided through the courtesy of the Dimmick Library.

The General Slocum Disaster

Prior to 9/11, the General Slocum disaster was the cause of the most loss of life in the United States. On June 15, 1904, officially 1,021 but some estimates go as high as 1,300, died when an excursion boat taking mostly women and children caught fire and sank in New York City

Why have so few people heard of this tragedy? Perhaps because the victims were mostly immigrant Germans or perhaps it was difficult to place blame for its cause. It may also have been forgotten because in a few years the sinking of the Titanic and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire provided more picturesque stories.

On June 15, 1904, approximately 1,500 members—83 men and the rest—mothers and children of St. Mark’s German Lutheran Church boarded the General Slocum paddlewheel excursion boat to go to a picnic on Long Island. As it was a day trip, the passenger list was not recorded.

The ship had recently been painted and varnished and the paint lockers were left open. The ship left the Third Street pier at 9:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., as it steamed up the East River passing 130^th Street, a woman shouted, “Fire” followed by an explosion in the forward end of the ship.

The fire spread rapidly, riding the fumes of the fresh paint and quickly burning the rotted frame beneath, Rather than head for shore, just 300 yards away—with oil tanks near the shore, Captain Van Schaick proceeded full steam ahead and beached the boat onto the rocky shoals of the difficult to reach North Brother Island.

The speed of the boat fanned the flames making the fire spread rapidly. The fire hoses, though they had been recently inspected, were blocked and when finally opened, were too full of leaks to deliver more than a trickle of water.

As the ship began to collapse and sink, the captain and 20 of crew of 23 escaped without attempting to aid the passengers. Tugboats came to the scene and rescued those that hadn’t burned or drowned. It is said that there were so many bodies that some survivors walked across a carpet of bodies to get to shore.

Family on the Tombstone

According to old newspaper reports, The Weaver family once lived in East Mauch Chunk. John Weaver died on the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1899. Three years later, the family moved to the “Little Germany” section of New York City

John Weaver’s widow, Friedericke “Ricky” Fies Weaver age 36, the twins - Helen and Ester five years old, Mamie seven years old, Carrie ten years old, and Chryssie 11 years old all died that day.

Reports of the day indicated that the body of the mother and at least one child were not recovered. Mrs. Weaver’s sister, Mrs. William Leibensperger, and her daughter, had accompanied Mrs. Weaver, and both were saved.

A Perplexing Tombstone

Clete Milan’s eyes were drawn to a tombstone that revealed a connection between Mauch Chunk and the second worst disaster in America’s history.

Prior to 9/11, the General Slocum disaster was the cause of the most loss of life in the United States. On June 15, 1904, officially 1,021 but some estimates go as high as 1,300, died when an excursion boat taking mostly women and children caught fire and sank in New York City.

Clete Milan’s eyes were drawn to a tombstone that revealed a connection between Mauch Chunk and the second worst disaster in America’s history.

East Jim Thorpe’s Evergreen Cemetery is on a quiet loop that connects Fifth and Tenth Streets. Clete Milan often leaves his North Street home to walk this loop. One day, while passing Evergreen Cemetery, a tombstone not far from the road caught his eye.

Milan is a former newspaper editor. Perhaps it caught his attention because the stone marker was filled with much more text than usual. The marker had the names of seven people—all members of the Weaver family.

“I was not familiar with the General Slocum disaster,” said Milan. “I was wondering about the local connection. Apparently there must be a local connection if they are all buried there.”

Milan researched the General Slocum disaster on the Internet and the local connection through the microfilm records that were provided through the courtesy of the Dimmick Library.

The General Slocum Disaster

Prior to 9/11, the General Slocum disaster was the cause of the most loss of life in the United States. On June 15, 1904, officially 1,021 but some estimates go as high as 1,300, died when an excursion boat taking mostly women and children caught fire and sank in New York City

On June 15, 1904, approximately 1,500 members—83 men and the rest—mothers and children of St. Mark’s German Lutheran Church boarded the General Slocum paddlewheel excursion boat to go to a picnic on Long Island. As it was a day trip, the passenger list was not recorded.

The ship had recently been painted and varnished and the paint lockers were left open. The ship left the Third Street pier at 9:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., as it steamed up the East River passing 130th Street, a woman shouted, “Fire” followed by an explosion in the forward end of the ship.

The speed of the boat fanned the flames making the fire spread rapidly. The fire hoses, though they had been recently inspected, were blocked and when finally opened, were too full of leaks to deliver more than a trickle of water.

Family on the Tombstone

According to old newspaper reports, The Weaver family once lived in East Mauch Chunk. John Weaver died on the Lehigh Valley Railroad in 1899. Three years later, the family moved to the “Little Germany” section of New York City

John Weaver’s widow, Friedericke “Ricky” Fies Weaver age 36, the twins - Helen and Ester five years old, Mamie seven years old, Carrie ten years old, and Chryssie 11 years old all died that day.

Reports of the day indicated that the body of the mother and at least one child were not recovered. Mrs. Weaver’s sister, Mrs. William Leibensperger, and her daughter, had accompanied Mrs. Weaver, and both were saved.

The ship had recently been painted and varnished and the paint lockers were left open. The ship left the Third Street pier at 9:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m., as it steamed up the East River passing 130^th Street, a woman shouted, “Fire” followed by an explosion in the forward end of the ship.