A Bit of Erie History Have you ever been up to Wintergreen Gorge? Have you walked through the cemetery up there and peered over the side? If you have you probably came face to face with a large monument near the chapel. The monument reads, ” Warren M Behrend on his way to join his family at Christmas + gave his life that school children placed in jeopardy through no fault of his + might live + The date was December 19th, 1929. We have taken walks there a couple of times a year and I always wanted to know the whole story. I finally got around to looking it up in on microfilm at the library. This is what I found out. Here is the front page of the newspaper and some additional photocopies. I transcribed the words because the microfilm contained poor copies. I typed the words as they read on the microfilm. I didn’t change capitalization or spelling. Click to enlarge the photos.

Machine Overturns at Pleasant Hills, N. Carolina

CLASSMATE HURT

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

On Way to Visit His Parents Over Christmas

 

W. Moritz Behrend, 20-year-old son of Mr. And Mrs. Ernst R. Behrend, was instantly killed in an automobile accident Thursday afternoon at Pleasant Hills, North Carolina, while on his way to spend the Christmas holidays with his parents in Charleston, S. C. Mr. Behrend is president of the Hammermill Paper Co.

Ned Richardson, of California and classmate of Warren at Dearfield academy, Dearfield, Mass., was seriously injured in the crash, according to reports.

Moritz and his companion were driving from Washington, D. C., to Charleston in the former’s automobile when it overturned on Pleasant Hills. The accident occurred, according to reports, when Moritz veered his car sharply to avoid hitting a bus loaded with school children.

HAMMERMILL

HEAD’S BOY IS

CRASH VICTIM

Continued from Page One

He was dead when witnesses reached his side while, according to first reports, little hope was held for the recovery of his classmate.

The injured youth was removed to a hospital in Roanoke Rapids. The body of the Behrend boy was taken to an undertaking establishment in Weldon, N.C.

On Way to Charleston

Moritz and his companion had left Dearfield Academy and were on their way to Charleston, where the former had made plans to spend Christmas Day with Mr. And Mrs. Behrend, who arrived there recently aboard Mr. Behrend’s yacht, the “Amida.”

Moritz was the only son of Mr. And Mrs. Behrend. He attended East High school and afterward took a course at Hill school in Pottstown, Pa. He then went to Dearfield Academy.

Besides his parents, who reside at 1516 E. Lake rd**. He leaves a sister, Miss Harriet Behrend, who is attending the Miss Spence school in Salem, N.Y.

No funeral plans had been made Friday morning, according to reports reaching here from Mr. Behrend, who took charge of his son’s remains after he and Mrs. Behrend, had been notified of the tragedy.

Learns of Tragedy

Norman W. Wilson, who has been associated with E. R. Behrend for 25 years, and who is vice president of the Hammermill, was the host at a dinner party given for Mr. And Mrs. Brust Thursday night when the news of the tragic death of Moritz Behrend came to Hammermill.

The death message, from authorities of the small town in North Carolina near the scene of the accident, was addressed to E. R. Behrend. The message was turned over to Mr. Wilson, who tried to get in touch with Mr. Behrend at Charleston. Mr. Wilson then left immediately for Weldon.

The scene of the accident was near Roanoke Rapids, a village on the Roanoke river and a short distance south of the Virginia line. It is along the new highways skirting the Atlantic seaboard. Moritz Behrend was driving his La Salle to join his parents for the holidays at Charleston, S. C., where Mr. Behrend’s yacht, “Amida,” was at anchor awaiting the order of its owners to go on a cruise to Miami and the Carribbean.

Crash Near Weldon.

The nearest city of any size to Weldon, where the remains were taken, is Raleigh, 70 miles southwest. Rocky Mount, N.C., a big railroad division point is directly south of the point of the accident. The country is sparsely settled in that section.

His school days at Deerfield Academy were interrupted last year by illness. He spent some time in the southwest and had sufficiently recuperated to resume his studies at school this fall. Though not of tall stature he was athletic and was an excellent swimmer. His instructor was J. C. Ainsworth of the Y.M.C.A. His chief hobby was automobling. He spent his summer vacations with his parents at their home in Newport.

(Note the paper said he was 20, the obit said 19 which was most likely correct.) I emailed the Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery and asked if W M Behrend is buried there or if it is just a monument to him. The obit says the funeral was in Washington DC and Interment Abbey mausoleum. Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery never answered my email. How Rude! ** That address no longer exists according the the Erie County Tax website. It appears to be all industrial now. Dearfield, and Deerfield. Spelled both ways in article.