Martin Van Buren Trefsger
1863 - 1931
by:
Eleanor Mae Trefsger (Wife of Allen Harry Trefsger, 1911-1995)
Now for some family history.
Allen's father, Martin VanBuren Trefsger, was a miner. He lived and worked in the Mt Carmel area of Pennsylvania as a coal miner. He got miner's asthma. After he was in a mine fire and was badly burned he could no longer work in the mines.
Arthur (Allen's the oldest brother) enlisted in the Army in World War I, and was stationed in Texas where he contracted Tuburculosis. The Army sent him home. The sickness spread through the family.
Earl (Allen's second oldest brother) also worked in the mines. One frosty morning, while spragging the mine cars he slipped on the rail. When he fell a car ran over his arm. He lost the use of the arm.
After Arthur died in 1920 Martin decided to get his family away from the mining area. The reason being "So the young lad (Allen) won't have to go to the mines" (Allen was just 10 years old in 1921). So Martin bought a small farm near in Muncy, PA and moved to the country.
Earl died in 1925. Evelyn died in 1932. Madeline died in 1933. And Alma died in 1945. All died with Tuburculosis. Martin died in 1931 at the Gusinger Hospital from a ruptured appendix.
Allen had various jobs, but then worked in the steel mill for 32 years until he retired. Allen loved the farm. He loved to work in the garden and the yard. He also liked to do wood carvings of birds. I would paint the carvings.
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