Adam Specht was born 4 August 1870 in
Liberty, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to Jacob and Margaret (Ketter) Specht. He was the third child out of eleven. The Spechts were farmers who had immigrated
to the United States from Prussia in the 1850s.
In 1870, the family had real estate valued at $3,000 and their home was
also home to three boarders – two from Prussia and one from
Hesse-Darmstadt. By 1880, the family had
moved to Marshfield, Wood, Wisconsin, where they continued to farm.
The
1900 United States Census shows Adam living in the City of Marshfield. He has been married for five years to Mary
Matejowitz. They have a four year old
“boarder” listed also. I believe that it
is possible that this boarder is in fact a child the couple adopted. Adam is listed as a lumber man.
Unfortunately,
fate intervened on 17 July 1901, when Adam was killed in a logging train accident. The description given by the Marshfield News
on 18 July 1901 (page 1, column 2) was like one I had never read. I am including it here:
Adam Specht left his
home on North Depot street yesterday morning at six o'clock to go out as
brakeman on the Upham logging train and was brought back one hour and a half
later with both legs crushed and in a dying condition.
The
sad accident occurred at Romeo and was witnessed by but one person, Engineer
Frank Luckenbach. Specht stood on the
pilot as the engine pulled out of a spur and was thrown head foremost between
the rails by a violent jar, which after investigation was found to have been
caused by a defective "blind" switch.
The engineer saw him fall and speedily brought the engine to a
standstill but not before the unfortunate man had received fatal injuries. He was rolled over and over in front of the
pilot and when the train crew reached him the lower portion of his body was
under the engine between the pilot and the forward wheels. Both limbs to the knees were crushed to a
shapeless mass. The injured man was
carried to the caboose and strong cords wound tightly above the bruised portion
of the limbs to check the flow of blood, after which a lightning trip was made
to Marshfield.
E.E.
Finney, of the Upham Co., had received a telephone message and was on hand with
a conveyance and physicians. When Specht
was taken from the train at the depot here he was suffering intensely but bore
up with great fortitude. Several friends
stepped forward and sympathetically pressed his hand. To one, Officer Griffin, Specht remarked
"hard luck, eh Mike?" He said
he realized death was near and requested the driver to turn up North Depot
street that he might look upon his home for the last time. When the house was reached and his gaze
rested upon the happy home he had left less than two hours before tears welled
to his eyes. Before reaching St.
Joseph's hospital the injured man gave evidence that his fife was ebbing
fast. He complained that he was becoming
deathly cold and asked that the horses be urged to all possible speed.
At the
hospital the heartbroken parents, wife, brothers and sisters of the young man
gathered about his bedside. It was a
most pathetic scene which will never fade from the memories of those who were
present. The only person he recognized
was John Gauger, a fellow brakeman for many years on the logging train, who
stood head bowed, with tears coursing down his cheeks, and brushed back the
hair from his dying comrade's forehead.
Adam Specht breathed his last about 8:30 o'clock a.m. The crushed limbs were not amputated as the
attending physicians realized there was no hope of saving his life.
The
deceased was one of eleven children of ex-Supervisor Jacob Specht, an old and
highly respected resident of this city.
The family settled on a farm in the town of Marshfield twenty-one years
ago and in 1891 moved to this city. Adam
was 30 years of age and had been employed as brakeman on the logging train for
the past twelve years. The officers of
the Upham Co. state that he was one of the most faithful and conscientious men
in their employ. Seven years ago he was
married to Miss Mary Mattowitz. They
have no children, but adopted a girl several years ago. His brothers and sisters are: Mrs. Michael Noonan of Tomahawk, J.M. Specht
of Cornielle, Neb., Philip, George, Henry, Joseph, Jacob and Miss Rosa Specht
of this city. Deceased was a member of
the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin and carried a life insurance policy of $1000
in the order. The funeral will be held
tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock from St. John's Catholic church. The C.K. of W. lodge will attend in a
body. The bereaved family and relatives
have the sympathy of the entire community in their bereavement.
