Surnames: Garbrecht, Shives, Beil, Krueger, Terrio, Lieders, Nickolay, Trevalle, Chitwood, Moore, Mittlesteadt, Brunkhorst, Rusk, Berry, Fosbender, Kelly, Revor, Skea, Leonard, O’Day, Fitzgibbons, Hanemann, Schafer, Arndt, Berger, Meyers, Rieder, Mannes, Lafinere, Sedlack, Rasick, Bunnell, Revore, Luther

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 08/15/1935

Garbrecht, William F. (8 Nov. 1883 - 15 Aug. 1935)

W. F. Garbrecht, 52, well known local man, who was employed as a switchman by the Soo Line Road, had both legs cut off and his left arm fractured, at 10 o’clock Wednesday morning in a tragic accident, when he fell under a moving ore car at the Montreal mine at Iron Mountain, Mich.

The injured man was given first aid the Montreal mine and then was placed in an ambulance and rushed to Grand View hospital at Iron Mountain.

He suffered from shock and loss of blood and passed away at 2:45 in the afternoon. The right leg was cut off above the knee, while the left was severed below the knee. He also had a fracture of the left arm and bruises and cuts on his head.

Mr. Garbrecht was employed with the switch engine crew at Iron Mountain. Wednesday morning he was riding at the front end of a string of cars which was being switched at the time. He was applying the hand brake, when, according to railroad officials, "something went wrong" and he fell off the car. The wheels passed over both legs.

Immediately after hearing of the accident, Mrs. Garbrecht and son, ? drove to Iron Mountain and returned Thursday afternoon.

Mr. Garbrecht’s body will arrive home, this evening by rail. The funeral will take place Saturday afternoon with services at the home at 2 o’clock and at the Christ Evangelical church at 2:30. The Trainmen will be in charge of the ceremonies.

----Source: Abbotsford Tribune (Abbotsford, Clark County, Wis.) 08/22/1935

Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the home and at 2:30 from the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church here for William F. Garbrecht, who died as a result of a railroad accident at Ironwood, Mich., Wednesday afternoon. The services were in charge of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Internment was made in the Abbotsford cemetery.

Pallbearers were Joe Shives, M. C. Bunnell, Frank Beil, William Krueger, Frank Terrrio and Arnold Lieders. Flowers were in charge of Misses Helen Nickolay, Iva Trevalle, Marie Chitwood, Vivian Moore, Lois Mittlesteadt, Audrey Brunkhorst, Ione and Eleanor Rusk and Birdell Berry.

Among those from out of town who attended the funeral were Harvey Garbrecht, Ft. Snelling, Minn., Fred Garbrecht, Fairchild; Mrs. Frank Fosbender, Miss Marie Garbrecht, Mrs. Robert Kelly and Horace Revor, Minneapolis; Mrs. James Skea, Hibbing, Minn.; Mrs. Albert Leonard, Duluth; Thomas O’Day, Ashland; Herman Garbrecht, Mrs. Tom Fitzgibbons, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Hanemann, Oshkosh; Frank Fosbender, Fifield; Mrs. John Schafer, Dorchester; Mr. and Mrs. William Arndt and family, Weyauwega; Mrs. John Berger, and Mr. and Mrs. George Rieder, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Meyers, Fond du Lac; Mr. and Mrs. Joe Shives, Phillips; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Mannes, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Lafinere, Hibbing, Minn.; Mrs. James Sedlack, Spencer; Mrs. Frank Rasick and daughter, Clara, Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Bunnell and sons, Fritz and Eli, Stevens Point.

William Garbrecht was born at Fremont, Nov. 8, 1883, the son of A. F. and Amelia Arndt Garbrecht, both of whom preceded him in death. When six years old he came to Dorchester with his parents and lived there on a farm. He was married to Marie O’Day of Ashland. They made their home in Abbotsford, Wis.

Mr. Garbrecht is survived by his wife and four sons, Harvey of Minneapolis, Fred of Fairchild and Arthur and George at home; one son died in infancy. He also leaves a half-brother, Herman Garbrecht and five sisters, Mrs. Hannah Fosbender, Mrs. Emma Kelly, Mrs. Elizabeth Revore, all of Minneapolis; Mrs. Minnie Skea, Hibbing, Minn., and Mrs. Madeline Luther of California.

At the time of his death Mr. Garbrecht was switchman on an ore train in Michigan. He has been in the employ of the Soo Line railroad for nearly 30 years.

Mr. Garbrecht at one time played baseball on the Ashland city team. He is remembered as a snappy infielder and ardent fan, who never missed a game when off duty.

His many friends in and around Ashland and here deeply feel his loss.