IN THE know
Did you know?
The terrible luck
of Carnegie’s
Frank Sethner
By Mark Berton
56 724.942.0940 to advertise | Carlynton-Montour
I
t’s often said that truth is stranger than fiction.
In the mid 1930s, Frank Sethner’s otherwise ordinary life took an extraordinary
turn for the worse. Until then, Sethner, who was looking forward to his golden years,
had it all: a 16-acre farm along Campbells Run Road that he bought in 1923, a loving
wife, a son, and a dog. The farm had a 150-year-old home to house Sethner’s family,
orchards and vineyard, and livestock comprised of horses, cows and about 200 chickens.
The downward slide began when his wife underwent five surgeries to address a
mystery illness that baffled local doctors. Distraught, Sethner spent his life’s savings of
$1,500 – more than $20,000 in today’s dollars – to save his wife, but to no avail. After
her death, he came home to find that in his absence, three of his horses were dead from
being tied up with leads that were too short. His son had left, heading west and leaving
Sethner no idea where or for how long.
Alone and short on funds, Sethner rented out a small shack to a tenant who was
looking for shelter from the January winter. The renter lit a fire in the shack that burned
out of control enveloping the structure and spreading to Sethner’s house which, despite
the efforts of some neighbors, burned to the ground, killing Sethner’s dog.
All that was left of Sethner’s farm was his chicken coop, which was now empty, due to
some unscrupulous person stealing his chickens in the confusion of the fire.
At 66, Frank Sethner called the room beneath his chicken coop home, with his new
dog, Sport. Above him, eight chickens scratched about. His days were spent going to an
abandoned coal mine each day to get some fuel for his donated stove, begging for food
along the way and back.
Did You Know? We are looking for little-known facts, history or other interesting stories
about your community. Please send your ideas to [email protected]. Thank you! ■