Two Sons, One Day Apart

 A strange coincidence was finding tragic death reports for two Carl William Bahrt sons published one day apart, but separated by 32 years.

Robert Bahrt was the seven year old son of Capt. Carl William Bahrt and Catherine Elizabeth Davidson. He was born in 1883 and died in 1890. The newspaper had liberty to enhance death notices back then so the article that was published in the Manatee River Journal could easily be mistaken as coming from a family member.

Robby was fishing near his parents large home on the Manatee river when he fell in and drowned. He wasn't found for several hours and the family's grief was poured out in the article. The article says he was buried in the Fogartyville Cemetery but there is no marker for him. His parents were later buried there too but I haven't found a marker for them either.



Manatee River Journal May 22, 1890

Manatee River Journal May 22, 1890

Thirty two years and one day later the death notice of another Capt. Carl William Bahrt son was published in the Tampa Tribune. John "Jack" Bahrt was the son of Carl William Bahrt, Jr. and Luddie Garner Bahrt. Luddie was the sister of my great grandmother.

Jack was born in 1917 and was only five years old when he was struck and killed by a car. He and his father had stopped to look at Palma Ceia Springs in Tampa when he ran across the road and was hit by a car. Some thought the warm water of the spring had healing power but it didn't work that day.

Jack was buried in Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Tampa in a plot that was later filled out by his parents and other family members.





Tampa Tribune May 23, 1922