William Mascho -1895 was born the son of Francis Legrande Mascho 9/23/1847-1/26/1912) and Lois (Louise) Minerva (Lewis) Mascho (4/21/1851-5/15/1888). After Lois passed away Francis had two other wifes, Flora Permelia Broughton and Fannie Lois Robbins. Links provided by Findagrave member, Chris Hobson.

His siblings: Sheridan Mascho (1875-1894), Nellie Adella Mascho Burdick (1875-1915), Charles H. Mascho (1876-1894),
Burt Vanamber Mascho (1879-1946), Randolph Anson Mascho (1883-1909), Anson Legrande "Lee" Mascho (1889-1970), Russell Earl Mascho (1891 - 1980), Harry C. Mascho (1892-1956), Sarah B. Mascho Loucks (1895-1953), and Costello Gladys "Stella" Mascho Gleason (1899-1925).

He married, Alice Allen in 9/24/1893. Alice, remarried in 1897 to Bryan Barnes and had a son, Ernest E Barnes. The divorced round 1903 And Alice married one more time to William S, Macauley and had four children with him. L. Brown assisted.

They had one son together, Clayton Leroy Mascho, before they parted. L. Brown

Bolivar Breeze, Bolivar N. Y, FRIDAY. JANUARY 4, 1895
DEATH IN THE DARKNESS.
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Three Mascbo Brothers Drowned in Crossing the Allegany at Portville.
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BODIES LAY IN THE RIYER A WEEK.
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Just How the Accident Happened Will
Always Remain a Mystery. Full
Details of the Tragedy.
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The people of Portville and vicinity are just now discussing one of the strangest accidents that has ever happened in this section of country. LeGrand Mascho is a farmer who lives one mile west of Portville, across the river and over the hill opposite the village. He is also a lumberman in a small way and jobs in the Millgrove Hollow district for Weston Bros. He has eight boys. The oldest one William, is 22 years of age, is married and makes his; home with his father-in-law, W. M. Allen, who lives in large white farm house, just across the river from Portville, within 150 feet of the stream. William Mascho works for his father in, the lumber woods and comes to Mr. Alien's on Saturday nights and remains over Sunday.
One week ago Saturday night, William Mascho and his two oldest brothers, Charles, aged 19, and Edward, aged 17, after their days work was done, started over the hill to visit Portville and make some purchases at the stores.
When Mr. Allen's home on the river bank was reached, a stop was made for supper. William Mascho told his wife that he would be back from the village ,in about an hour. It was then 6:30, p. m. and very dark outside.
The three walked down to the bank and stepped into an old boat which for years has been used in crossing the river at that point. The crossing is made in the center of a long stretch of eddy. The river is about 250 feet wide and ten feet deep. It was a cold night and some ancho ice was running, but the crossing was made safely. The boys scrambled up the bank and went tip to the village. William had a check cashed at one of the stores, paid up some small accounts about town, and made some purchases, among other things a dress for his wife. It was about 8:30, when
the trio started for home. They stepped into the boat, but never reached the other side. Just how they met death in the darkness will never be known. Whether one of the younger brothers accidentally fell out of the boat and the other two sprang to his rescue, or whether they engaged in a scuffle will always be a matter for conjecture. The boat was found the next day lodged on an island in the river half a mile below the crossing. It was right side up, contained but little water and one oar was missing. And now comes the strangest part of the story. The bodies lay on the bottom of the river for six days before the river was searched, almost within stone's throw of a village of
several hundred people. This was the result of a strange train of circumstances.
When Mr. Mascho two sons did not return home, Saturday night, he thought nothing about it. He supposed they were at Mr. Aliens. On Sunday he walked over to Mr. Aliens and was surprised to find that they were not there. When he learned that the boat was missing, he felt sure that the
boys were in the river but the rest of the family laughed at him. The idea that three brawny young men," two of them good swimmers, could be drowned in a narrow river seemed preposterous. The three boys had been talking of making a visit to their grandfather in Tioga county, and that was where they were, some of the family argued When the Portville merchants heard of the disappearance of the boys, they laughed at the idea of drowning. Many of them argued that the water at the crossing was not more than
waist deep. On Wednesday a message was sent to Tioga county to the grandfather. That was the day the big snow storm came and interfered with the wires.
No answer came until Thursday. The message said the boys had not, been there. The drowning theory began to revive again and on Saturday forenoon the work of searching the river began.. When the big storm came on Wednesday the river froze over and on Saturday morning it was covered with six inches of ice. The search party numbered about forty. Rows of circular holes three feet across, were cut in the ice near the center of the river, just below the crossing. A tent was placed over the holes as fast as they were cut out and the river bottom scanned. Then long pike poles were inserted, and the river bottom raked from every side. About 1 :00 p. m. the searchers found the body of Edward, near the center of the river, about 80 feet below the crossing, and in a short time the body of Charles was found about ten feet away. The bodies were swollen and discolored, and were quickly covered with blankets, placed in a sleigh and removed to the undertaker's rooms in
the village.
It was bitter cold on the river and a keen, cutting wind annoyed the searchers, but they kept steadily at work. It was just five o'clock, when the body of William was found about fifty feet farther up the river and nearer the shore. Both his boots had been removed and one stocking was partly off, showing that he had made a desperate fight for life. He met death within 300 feet of his home, and the friendly light placed in the window to guide him through the darkness was of no avail. No cry for help was heard and just how the awful accident happened will always remain a mystery, to be told and retold by the people about there as the generations come and go.
In the pocket of one of the younger brothers, a half pint bottle half full of liquor was found. As the three had always borne a reputation for sobriety, it is not believed by those best acquainted with them, that whiskey was in anyway responsible for their death.
After the bodies were placed in Worden's undertaking rooms, the coroner was notified, but he decided that an inquest was unnecessary.
The funeral was held at the Methodist church on Monday afternoon, and was largely attended. Services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. W. H. Manning, who did his best to lighten the burden of sorrow of the afflicted family.
There are three new graves in the Portville cemetery, but they are hidden from sight by the drifting snow. In these graves peacefully rest the three unfortunate young men who met death so mysteriously on the night of December 22, 1894.

It appears that cemetery records are wrong as they show interment on 6 May 1897 and should be 1895. MW

Thanks to Mark Weitzel, Chris Hobson, Old Fulton NY Postcards, L. Brown. and Family Search.