The Bickert farm was situated near the Lehigh River and canal in the vicinity of Rittersville in Hanover Twp., Lehigh Co. In June of 1862 a flood (aka. a freshet) occured on the river and George Bickert, and two of his sons, Joseph Henry and Milton, were drowned. Newspaper accounts of this tragic event show that more than 150 persons were drowned in the Lehigh Valley in this flood including seven people in what is now South Bethlehem. The worst flood to hit the area since 1841, it destroyed all bridges over the Lehigh River and all boats in the Lehigh Canal and rendered the canal useless. In Allentown, the Hamilton Street bridge and the dike forming the Allentown Basin (or Lehigh Port) were washed away.
The funeral services for George Bickert and his two sons, Joseph Henry and Milton, were conducted by Rev. Daniel F. Brendle. Widow Catharine Bickert erected a monument to her husband and two sons in the cemetery at St. Peter's Church at Rittersville. It is not known if they are actually buried there or were never found after the flood.
The funeral services for George Bickert and his two sons, Joseph Henry and Milton, were conducted by Rev. Daniel F. Brendle. Widow Catharine Bickert erected a monument to her husband and two sons in the cemetery at St. Peter's Church at Rittersville. It is not known if they are actually buried there or were never found after the flood.
The Bickert farm was situated near the Lehigh River and canal in the vicinity of Rittersville in Hanover Twp., Lehigh Co. In June of 1862 a flood (aka. a freshet) occured on the river and George Bickert, and two of his sons, Joseph Henry and Milton, were drowned. Newspaper accounts of this tragic event show that more than 150 persons were drowned in the Lehigh Valley in this flood including seven people in what is now South Bethlehem. The worst flood to hit the area since 1841, it destroyed all bridges over the Lehigh River and all boats in the Lehigh Canal and rendered the canal useless. In Allentown, the Hamilton Street bridge and the dike forming the Allentown Basin (or Lehigh Port) were washed away.
The funeral services for George Bickert and his two sons, Joseph Henry and Milton, were conducted by Rev. Daniel F. Brendle. Widow Catharine Bickert erected a monument to her husband and two sons in the cemetery at St. Peter's Church at Rittersville. It is not known if they are actually buried there or were never found after the flood.
The funeral services for George Bickert and his two sons, Joseph Henry and Milton, were conducted by Rev. Daniel F. Brendle. Widow Catharine Bickert erected a monument to her husband and two sons in the cemetery at St. Peter's Church at Rittersville. It is not known if they are actually buried there or were never found after the flood.
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