A portrait of Jonas Garman (1827-1908) that appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in March, 1899, included with a description of him as a missing person. Garman, who had been postmaster of Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War was a druggist and successful businessman there when he disappeared because he was confused with the state of his financial affairs and sought to start anew in a different location. His family hired private detectives who conducted a nationwide hunt, eventually locating him in St. Louis, Missouri. Upon coming home he agreed to submit his affairs to a Harrisburg attorney, who then proceeded to collect his debts and pay off his creditors.
Today’s post, one of a series of four, describes how he went missing and some dead end leads on his whereabouts.
From the Pottsville Republican & Herald, January 2, 1899:
Jonas Garman, a Lykens druggist, is missing from his home since Tuesday, when he went to Harrisburg, expecting to return in the evening.
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From the Pottsville Republican, February 2, 1899:
Word has been received at Lykens to the effect that a man answering the description of Jonas Garman, who disappeared from his home at that place, was seen at Alexandria, Virginia. His daughter Jessie Garman teaches school at a Bowling Green Women’s College, which is distant 50 miles away.
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From the Lancaster Semi-Weekly New Era, January 4, 1899:
Jonas Garman, a Lykens druggist, left home on Tuesday for Harrisburg, to attend to business, leaving word with his family that he would return that evening. His wife had heard nothing of his since, other than a telegram from Harrisburg on Tuesday evening, purporting to come from him, in which it was said he missed the train. Not returning home on Wednesday of Thursday, the family and friends of Mr. Garman became uneasy, and have notified the authorities in Harrisburg to be on the lookout for him.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, January 5, 1889:
The Telegraph gives the following account oof the disappearance of Jonas Garman of Lykens, Tuesday of last week. Since then, however, a photo of Mr. Garman has been shown the ticket agent at Harrisburg, and it is his recollection that Mr. Garman purchased a ticket for St. Louis on Tuesday evening:
Dauphin County has another case of mysterious disappearance on its hands. This time the mystery is furnished by Jonas Garman, an aged and well-to-do resident of Lykens, who left his home Tuesday morning last to come to Harrisburg to attend a meeting of the Susquehanna Mutual Fire insurance company, in which he is a director. No meeting was held and Mr. Garman transacted other business about town. He called on his step-son, Wirt Mosser, a salesman for Smith and Keffer, wholesale tobacconists, Market Street near Fifth, shortly before 6 in the evening, and in response to the latter’s inquiry as to whether he was going home that evening, Mr. Garman replied that he thought he would stop at a hotel in this city over night. That was the last seen of him by Mr. Mosser and the aged wife and relatives are filled with many misgivings as to his probable whereabouts or fate.
Late in the day Mrs. Garman received a telegram from her husband as follows: “Missed train, Jonas.” She inferred from this that Mr. Garman had arrived at Union Station too late to catch the Lykens accommodation, which leaves at 5:30 P. M., and had gone over to Smith and Keffer’s to see his step-son. Every effort is being made to ascertain something about the aged traveler, who left home in good spirits and apparently feeling in good health. He had some money with him when he came to Harrisburg. Mr. Garman was 71 years of age, was rather tall and somewhat stoop-shouldered and had a full gray beard. He weighed about 140 pounds and on Tuesday wore a dark overcoat and black derby hat. A brother came to town yesterday to inquire further regarding the missing merchant, but was afforded no further enlightenment.
It now transpires that the telegram sent by Garman to his wife in Lykens, was received at least forty-five minutes before the departure of Lykens Accommodation from this city. It is known that when he left for Harrisburg, Mr. Garman had a certified check for considerably over $100 in his pockets, besides other money. He was seen by a lady from Lykens walking in the middle of Market Street, this city, Tuesday afternoon, apparently in a bewildered state. The lady led him back to the pavement. Mr. Garman had a stroke of paralysis some time ago, and was confined to his home for four months from its effects, only recently being able to be about again. He may have been suffering from the approach of another stroke when seen by the Lykens lady in the middle of the street.
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From the Lykens Register, January 5, 1889:
John L. Weidler and family of Renovo, arrived at noon, summoned here by the disappearance of Mrs. Weidler’s father, Jonas Garman.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, January 19, 1899:
Nothing has yet been heard of Jonas Garman, who disappeared from Lykens recently.
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From the Harrisburg Daily Independent, January 21, 1899:
WHO IS HE?
Body of An Old Man Found Near Mapleton On December 27, 1898 – Has a Son-In-Law in Harrisburg
Detective Anderson has received a photograph of a man whose body was found west of the Mapleton Depot on the night of December 17, 1898 [sic]. The body was lying along the river but there are no marks of violence by which it could be inferred that the man lost his life by being struck by a train or being foully dealt with. The station agent at Mapleton ways he saw the old man a short time before the body was discovered, when he said he had a son-in-law living at Harrisburg, who is a machinist by trade.
A Star-Independent reporter was shown a photograph of the old gentleman today. It very much resembles the appearance of Jonas Garman, who recently disappeared from the upper end of this county. The body found at Mapleton is that of a man 65 or 70 year of age, five feet, nine inches in height, weighing 150 pounds, well built, bald spot on back of head, gray hair, full beard and moustache. Any one knowing anything about this man will receive complete details by calling at the Star-Independent editorial rooms, or on Detective Samuel J. Anderson. The body is well-preserved.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, March 17, 1899:
Jonas Garman Still Missing
Jonas Garman, the aged Lykens merchant, who disappeared so mysteriously from this city, early in December, has not been located as yet, although diligent effort has been made in that direction. Member of his family say they cannot imagine where he has gone, or what has become of him.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, March 30, 1899:
No News of Garman Yet
Thus far there has been no definite information received of the present whereabouts of Jonas Garman, the Lykens grocer who disappeared from this city over two weeks ago. He had been reported as in Pittsburgh.
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From the Lykens Register, January 26, 1899:
Was He Mr. Garman?
Word was received by the local lodge of Odd Fellows last Saturday evening from Alexandria, Virginia, stating that a man answering the description of Jonas Garman spent last Wednesday night in this city and left next morning for parts unknown.
The clue is being worked up. This city is but fifty miles away from Bowling Green, where his daughter, Miss Jessie Garman, is teaching in a ladies’ college.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.