Blank, Christian Y. (1885-1943)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1943 Mar 17 p. 1

Birth date: 1885

text of obituary:

Unusual Tragedy In Mennonite Community At Gap, Pennsylvania

CHRIS. Y. BLANK KILLED, JAC. B. KING DANGEROUSLY INJURED DURING RUNAWAY

A correspondent from the Amish Mennonite community at Gap, Pa., in a report to the Sugar Creek (Ohio) Budget gives the news of an unusual accident on March 2, in which one of two well known settlers there was killed and the other dangerously injured. The report from the Budget follows.

A sad accident occurred on Mar. 2, which cost the life of Christian Y. Blank, 58, gap, R. D. 1, and seriously injured Jacob B. King, 70, a brother-in-law and close neighbor of the former.

A son-in-law of the deceased with several of his brothers went out to Gap Hill early Tuesday morning to cut wood and a few hours later the two unfortunate men also went out to inspect some trees and tell the others where to cut. The place where the men were working was in Blank's wood lot, located possibly a mile east of the Gap. After the two had transacted their business they started on their homeward journey and had gone possibly one-half mile when the horse gave a violent shake of his head, thus releasing the bit from his mouth, and apparently had made a dash for freedom, which he attained after realizing he was beyond control of his master.

The two occupants were thrown from the vehicle, one on top of the other and thus remained about three hours until help came. The exact nature of the accident can hardly be learned, but according to King who was conscious, Blank might have lived one-half hour. The latter died with a fractured skull, crushed face, and a deep laceration of the right arm. King is suffering a fractured cervical vertebrae, in a Lancaster hospital and from last reports is as good as can be expected.

Funeral of deceased was held at the home Friday, March 5th, conducted by Bish. David Z. Fisher and Bish. Aaron R. Glick. Text, Matt. 24: 42-47. Blank was born and raised on the farm where he lived, but died in a lonely spot on the Gap hills.