This Day in History: 1896-11-07
Herman Genster, a German immigrant who worked on the Swan farm in Masonicus, died under unusual circumstances. He drove a team of horses with a wagonload of farm produce to Paterson. There he “imbibed too freely of the firewater”. As he drove back, he fell asleep in the body of the wagon with his head hanging out. He slowly strangled to death on the wagon harness. The horses brought the wagon home where he was found dead. As he had no American relatives, he was buried in the cemetery of the “County House”. He was declared dead by Coroner DeBaun (Bristow)