Harry Sherman "Guss" Wert was one of five sons of George Lawrence and Laura Agnes (Swartz) Wert.
Harry Sherman (Guss) Wert was born 12 Mar 1897 in Millerstown, Perry County, PA and he died on 23 Aug 1938 from injuries sustained in an auto accident on the Lewistown Narrows.
Guss spent his youth assisting his father and brothers operate the Eel Basket located below the mouth of the Tuscarora Creek on the Juniata River. Most of his adult life was spent working as a carpenter building houses in Juniata and Mifflin Counties with his father George L., and brothers: Charles (1895-1977), William (1904-1986), Park (1907-1977), and Jonathan (1909-1989).
Harry was married on 10 May 1922 to Sara Glenn Swartz (b. 12 Apr 1902, d. 02 Jan 1960), daughter of Harry A. and Margaret Walters Swartz of Port Royal. "Guss" and Sara had two daughters: 1. Laura Margaret "Marjorie" Wert (b. 02 Sep 1922 d. 02 Jul 2011) married Robert David Landis, and they had two daughters: Marjorie Eleanor Landis and Letitia Sue Landis. 2. Letitia Marie “Tish” Wert (b. 19 Jul 1927; d. 30 Aug 2009) married Oscar Edward Hower, Jr., and they had a son and daughter: Oscar Edward Hower, III, and Sandra Lee Hower. The Wert’s lived on First Street, Port Royal, PA.
"Guss" was a good father to his children. He was musically talented, and it was said that he could play just about any instrument by ear. He played the mandolin and fiddle and banjo at local square dances.
Guss and Jonathan Wert rode to work in the rumble seat of a roadster driven by their brother Park Roscoe "Ham" Wert. George L. rode as a front seat passenger. On the way home from working in Lewistown, Park struck a car, and the rumble seat closed on "Guss" and Jonathan. All passengers had injuries and were taken to the Lewistown Hospital. "Guss" bled internally and died on 23 Aug 1938 from his injuries. He was buried in the New Church Hill Cemetery near Port Royal. His brother Jonathan was hospitalized for two weeks with a concussion, but eventually recovered.
OBITUARY for HARRY S. “GUSS” WERT
Mr. Harry Sherman Wert, of Port Royal, died at the Lewistown Hospital, Tuesday, August 23rd, [1938] from injuries received in an auto accident, aged 40 years, 5 months and 11 days.
The deceased was a member of the Port Royal Lutheran Church and was an honest, upright citizen and an outstanding carpenter and had the respect and esteem of most everybody, as was attested to by the large group of friends who attended his funeral.
The deceased is survived by his widow, Mrs. Sarah Wert, and two children, Marjorie and Leticia, at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Wert and four brothers and one sister, Charles Wert, of Port Royal; Eleanor, Mrs. Leone Crozier, of Mifflin; [Jonathan Wert, of Port Royal;] William Wert of Reading, Pa; and Park Wert, of Port Royal.
Funeral services were held at the Stimmel Funeral Home, Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock, conducted by his pastor, Rev. H. W. Webner and interment was in the [New] Church Hill Cemetery.
The casket carriers were: Brooks Kennedy, Robert Robinson, Alvin Leonard, Thomas Krug, Robert Groninger and Dwight Hower.
Among the out of county friends and relayives attending the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Swartz, Mr. and Mrs. John McMeen, Boyd Swartz of Philadelphia; Mr. and Mrs. Banks Stahl and family and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Rumbaugh and family of Millerstown; Mr. and Mrs. Edward Trexler and family and Mrs. Harry Morrow, of Newport; Mr. and Mrs. William Swartz, of Altoona; Andrew Hartman, of Lancaster; Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Solomon and son, of New Berlin, Pa.; Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Eisenberger and son, of Lancaster and Mr. and Mrs. Landis Brubaker, of Lititz, Pa.
FATAL AUTO ACCIDENT IN LEWISTOWN NARROWS
Tuesday afternoon August 23rd, 1938, about 2:30 o’clock an auto accident occurred in the Lewistown Narrows, when the car driven by Mr. Park Wert, of Port Royal, struck the rear end of a car driven by William Shawver of Howard, Centre County, Pa., resulting in fatal injuries to Harry Wert, serious injuries to Jonathan Wert and lacerations and bruises to G. L. and Park Wert.
The car was occupied by G. L. Wert and his three sons, Harry, Jonathan and Park. Park was the owner and driver and his father G. L. was in the front beside him, while Harry and Jonathan were in the rumble seats. They were on their way home from work in Lewistown to Port Royal.
It is said that the accident occurred because the occupants were distracted while looking at an eel basket in the Juniata River.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 9/7/16 - Image Year: 1925
FATHER & SONS - WERT CARPENTERS: (l-r) Jonathan Maxwell, Park Roscoe, George Lawrence (father), William Lawrence, Harry "Guss" Sherman, and Charles Henry.
Contributed by rkohler3 on 10/25/16 - Image Year: 1938
WRECKED AUTO THAT CAUSED THE DEATH OF "GUSS" WERT Tuesday afternoon August 23rd, 1938, about 2:30 o’clock an auto accident occurred in the Lewistown Narrows, when the car driven by Mr. Park Wert, of Port Royal, struck the rear end of a car driven by William Shawver of Howard, Centre County, Pa., resulting in fatal injuries to Harry Wert, serious injuries to Jonathan Wert and lacerations and bruises to G. L. and Park Wert. (Photo submitted by Jonathan Wert, Jr.)
