Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-27
NOT SEPARATED IN DEATH.

| Two Sisters Die About the Same Time o.
Pneumouia-They Will Be Buried To.
Eether To.day-They Were Married tC
Two Brothers md Devoted to EacE
Other.
One of the saddest funerals that have
taken place in this city for long time will
occur on the Southside to-day. On Thurs
| day evening Mrs. Frederick Pifer, of Baker
street, died of acute pneumonia. which had
developed from a severe attack of la grippe
and on Saturday her sister, Mrs. Jacot
PIfer, who had taken the disease while at.
tending her, died also. The case is, nc
doubt, one of the most remarkable ones on
record. The two women were sisters; they
had been devoted to each other all their
lives; went to school together, Joined the
same church at the same time, lived to-
gether, married two brothers, died together
of the same disease, and will be buried side
by side in similar caskets in the Southside
Cemetery.
The deceased were daughters of William
Cooper, Williamsburg, adjoining the east
end of the Southside. Emma, the eldest.
was married to Frederick Pifer, of the
Eighteenth ward, about eight years ago.
Maggie, the youngest, went with her sister
to live, and remained with her until Decem-
Der IL, 1889, when she was married to Jacob
Pifer. This separation was hard to bear.
The sisters had been together for SO long,
and had developed such devotion for each
other that their lives seemed like one.
Wherever one went the other followed.
Whatever one got the other always had.
Soon after the wedding of the younger
sister she went to live with her husband at
the corner of South Eighteenth and Whar-
ton street Four weeks ago, when Mrs.
Frederick Pifer took sick, she sent for her
sister to go and nurse her, The latter, with
the love and devotion that had character
lied both lives from childhood, left her new
home, never to return. She watched her
sister through her sickness until she herself
became afflicted with the dread disease. On
Thursday evening, when the death of the
elder Mrs. Pifer was announced to the
younger, the shock was SO great that she
fell in a swoon. When she recovered she
gave a prolonged sigh and said: ''WeIl,
Emma dear, I'll soon follow" In less than
4S hours she, too, was cold in death.
Arrangements had been made for the
funeral of Mrs. Frederick Pifer, which was
to have taken place yesterday, but when the
sister died it was decided to have double
funeral. 1t will take place from the South
eighteenth street M. L. Church this after
noon. The women had connected them
selves with this church when quite young,
and are spoken of as being ardent and de-
voted Christians. Their pastor, Rev. C. A.
Strum, will be prevented by sickness from
conducting the funeral services. Rev. B.
F. Wilbur, OF the Walton NJ. E. Church,
will oficiate. Interment will be made in
the Southside Cemetery.
Frederick and Jacob Pifer are brothers of
Mrs. DR.. A. j. Barchfeld of the Southside
The parents of the deceased still live in
Williamsburg. Two children resulted from
the marriage of Frederick Pifer. One of
these, a 4-year-oId son, died on October 5,
last, the other, son, still lives.
In this connection there is another family
on the Southside, in which three deaths
have occurred within almost as many
months. Mrs. Clara Strodtman, of 604 Car
son street, died yesterday. She was the
daughter of George Rommel. OF the South
side. Her sister, Rose Rommel, died in the
latter part of September and brother John
died in October.
Selma Cecilia Bates, daughter of John P.
and Mary A. Bates, of 1903 Sarah street,
lied Yesterday of membranous Group This |
was the second death within month in that |
family.