Kennette Godfrey Beecher ^{1 2}

   Another name for Kennette was Kenneth G. Beecher.³

   FamilySearch ID: LDHM-GKJ.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1930 in Greensboro, Guilford, NC. ⁷ The 1930 census recorded at 1312 W. Market Street: Henry W. Beecher, proprietor real estate company, 42, living with wife Katherine, 36; sons Henry J., 7; Kenneth, 4 and 2 months; David, 2. Also with them: Lula Mills, servant, 34. The parents and their parents were born in Pennsylvania, and the children and Lula in North Carolina.

2. Census in 1940 in Manchester, York, PA. ³ The 1940 census recorded at 69 S. Main Street: Henry Beecher, 52, candy maker candy factory, living with wife Katherine, candy maker candy factory, 47; and son Kenneth, 14. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

3. Cause of Death: Died at York Hospital due to auto-bicycle accident. Skull injury, right leg fractured., 19 Jul 1941, Manchester, York, PA. ⁵

4. Newspaper: The Gazette and Daily: Bicyclist Hit By Auto Dies, 21 Jul 1941, York, York, PA. ⁸ 15-Year-Old Kenneth Beecher, Manchester, Dies In Hospital From Fractured Skull
Manchester, July 20 - Kenneth G. Beecher 15, son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Beecher, this place, died in the York hospital shortly before 4 o'clock Saturday morning, less than eight hours after his cycle collided head-on with an auto machine in Manchester.
Coroner L. U. Zech said the youth's skull was fractured and that he suffered a compound fracture of the right leg and contusions of the arms. His bicycle was demolished.
The coroner and State Motor Deputy Policeman C. F. Dietz said the driver was Arthur Hartman, of Manchester.
According to a witness, the Beecher boy was on the left side of the road about 100 feet east of the intersection. The accident occurred on the road which connects route 24 with Mt. Wolf.
John Updegraff, 14, Manchester, was riding on another bicycle, saw his companion hit. Officer Dietz reported damage to the front of Mr. Hartman's car.

5. Newspaper: The Gazette and Daily: Coroner's Jury Finds Arthur Hartman Not Responsible For Crash At Manchester In Which Kennette Beecher, 15, Was Fatally Injured, 29 Aug 1941, York, York, PA. ⁹ Coroner's Jury Finds Arthur Hartman Not Responsible For Crash At Manchester In Which Kennette Beecher, 15, Was Fatally Injured

A coroner's jury last night exonerated Arthur Hartman, York street, Manchester, of any guilt in the death of 15-year-old Kennette G. Beecher, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Beecher, Manchester. Young Beecher died in the York hospital Friday morning, July 38, as a result of injuries suffered when the bicycle which he was riding collided with a car operated by Mr. Hartman the evening before. The accident occurred on Railroad street, just off Main street in Manchester. Hartman was driving east towards Mt. Wolf and young Beecher, west.

Coroner L. U. Zech and District Attorney John E. Brenneman examined the witnesses. The jurors were: J. Cletus Gentzler, Marvin A. Rahe, James L. Beck, Christian W. Bauer, Harry E. Garver and William H. Saylor.

Those who testified, all eye-witnesses but the last named, were: Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hartman, John Updegraph, postmaster, and Mrs. H. E. Bixler, Mr. and Mrs. Luther Schreiber, John Emenheiser and State Motor Policeman J. A. Dietz.

All except Officer Dietz are from Manchester. At the time of the accident Officer Dietz was stationed at the York sub-station of the Pennsylvania Motor Police, but since has been transferred to Chambersburg.

Witnesses Testify

All of the witnesses were unanimous in declaring that the accident was unavoidable. John Updegraph, who was riding another bicycle in the company of the victim, stated that Kennette was riding in front of him. All witnesses said they saw Kennette cut over in front of the car operated by Mr. Hartman.

The motorist, it was testified, was driving at a very moderate rate of speed, not over 20 miles per hour, when the accident occurred. Mr. Hartman had just pulled away from a stop sign after coming to a halt, it was added, and that he could not have gained much speed.

Mr. Schreiber said that the boy was "absolutely in the wrong." Each witness stated that the boy was on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash. Young Beecher, all agreed, was not looking in front of him, his head being turned to the side.

Officer Dietz stated that from his investigation he concluded that the "boy was at fault." He said there were tire marks on the street a distance of 18 feet.