Victim of the General Slocum Fire - age 34 years old, death cert #3428 Bronx, lived at 611 Marcy Avenue, Husband William was suppose to go but was called for jury duty, Anna was then going to keep the family home but William encouraged her to go. Mr Oellrich was a grocer at Willoughby & Marcy Avenue.
Anna Oellrich, was invited by her two sisters to join the families on an excursion put on my their local church, Saint Mark's Evangelical church. The picnic would be attended by thousands of locals from the booming German population.
Anna took her five children along with her: Henry, 11, Frederick, 5, Wilhelmina, 4, Elizabeth, 3 and Helen, 20 months. Her husband, William, stayed home. Anna's two sisters, Mrs Velbuch and Mrs Sackmann and their children joined the Oellrich's on what was a very rare vacation.
Shortly after departing, the ship caught fire,which spread fast. Most of those on board were children woman who cold not swim. Family and friends watched in horror on shore as their loved ones had no choice but to stay on a burning ship or risk drowning in the water.
Several people tried to use the life jackets provided by the company in 1891. These were of no use, as the cork broke to pieces i their hands. In the rare case where a person had manged to get one on, the cork acted like a dead weight and pulled the person deeper into the river.
Anna and her sisters perished, as did Anna's children, Helen, Frederick, Elizabeth and Wilhelmina. Only Henry who had been playing with a group of boys away from his family, survived.
Anna Oellrich, was invited by her two sisters to join the families on an excursion put on my their local church, Saint Mark's Evangelical church. The picnic would be attended by thousands of locals from the booming German population.
Anna took her five children along with her: Henry, 11, Frederick, 5, Wilhelmina, 4, Elizabeth, 3 and Helen, 20 months. Her husband, William, stayed home. Anna's two sisters, Mrs Velbuch and Mrs Sackmann and their children joined the Oellrich's on what was a very rare vacation.
Shortly after departing, the ship caught fire,which spread fast. Most of those on board were children woman who cold not swim. Family and friends watched in horror on shore as their loved ones had no choice but to stay on a burning ship or risk drowning in the water.
Several people tried to use the life jackets provided by the company in 1891. These were of no use, as the cork broke to pieces i their hands. In the rare case where a person had manged to get one on, the cork acted like a dead weight and pulled the person deeper into the river.
Anna and her sisters perished, as did Anna's children, Helen, Frederick, Elizabeth and Wilhelmina. Only Henry who had been playing with a group of boys away from his family, survived.
Victim of the General Slocum Fire - age 34 years old, death cert #3428 Bronx, lived at 611 Marcy Avenue, Husband William was suppose to go but was called for jury duty, Anna was then going to keep the family home but William encouraged her to go. Mr Oellrich was a grocer at Willoughby & Marcy Avenue.
Anna Oellrich, was invited by her two sisters to join the families on an excursion put on my their local church, Saint Mark's Evangelical church. The picnic would be attended by thousands of locals from the booming German population.
Anna took her five children along with her: Henry, 11, Frederick, 5, Wilhelmina, 4, Elizabeth, 3 and Helen, 20 months. Her husband, William, stayed home. Anna's two sisters, Mrs Velbuch and Mrs Sackmann and their children joined the Oellrich's on what was a very rare vacation.
Shortly after departing, the ship caught fire,which spread fast. Most of those on board were children woman who cold not swim. Family and friends watched in horror on shore as their loved ones had no choice but to stay on a burning ship or risk drowning in the water.
Several people tried to use the life jackets provided by the company in 1891. These were of no use, as the cork broke to pieces i their hands. In the rare case where a person had manged to get one on, the cork acted like a dead weight and pulled the person deeper into the river.
Anna and her sisters perished, as did Anna's children, Helen, Frederick, Elizabeth and Wilhelmina. Only Henry who had been playing with a group of boys away from his family, survived.
Anna Oellrich, was invited by her two sisters to join the families on an excursion put on my their local church, Saint Mark's Evangelical church. The picnic would be attended by thousands of locals from the booming German population.
Anna took her five children along with her: Henry, 11, Frederick, 5, Wilhelmina, 4, Elizabeth, 3 and Helen, 20 months. Her husband, William, stayed home. Anna's two sisters, Mrs Velbuch and Mrs Sackmann and their children joined the Oellrich's on what was a very rare vacation.
Shortly after departing, the ship caught fire,which spread fast. Most of those on board were children woman who cold not swim. Family and friends watched in horror on shore as their loved ones had no choice but to stay on a burning ship or risk drowning in the water.
Several people tried to use the life jackets provided by the company in 1891. These were of no use, as the cork broke to pieces i their hands. In the rare case where a person had manged to get one on, the cork acted like a dead weight and pulled the person deeper into the river.
Anna and her sisters perished, as did Anna's children, Helen, Frederick, Elizabeth and Wilhelmina. Only Henry who had been playing with a group of boys away from his family, survived.
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