Frederick Post, Saturday, October 18, 1952

Polio Is Fatal To 9-Year Old

Emmitsburg Boy Succumbs in Baltimore On Thursday

The second death from polio in Frederick County occurred Thursday while nine-year-old Russell Topper of the Emmitsburg area was being taken to Baltimore City Hospitals for treatment.

An autopsy was performed Friday and the child’s illness was diagnosed as polio. Death occurred while the boy was being transported from Annie Warner Hospital, Gettysburg, Pa. to the Baltimore hospital.

Thursday the child was reported in serious condition and was reported having difficulty breathing,

The boy is a son of Jacob J. and Helen Myers Topper of near Emmitsburg. Survivors in addition to the parents include twelve brothers and sisters: Rebecca, David, Clyde, Theodore, Geraldine, Edward, John and Lucille, all at home; Mrs. Francis Kreitz, Emmitsburg; Mrs. Robert Kaas, Rocky Ridge, Mrs. Carl Little, Thurmont and Paul, serving with the Armed Services in Japan. In addition the child’s maternal grandfather Charles Myers of Emmitsburg survives.

The boy was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Emmitsburg. Private funeral services were held Friday afternoon with Interment in St. Joseph’s Catholic cemetery. Rev. Fr. John Sullivan, the pastor, officiated.

Gettysburg Times, April 1, 1957

DEATHS
RITES FOR PAUL TOPPER

Funeral services were held from St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Emmitsburg, Saturday morning for Paul Vincent Topper, 25, of Emmitsburg R.D who died at the Veterans Hospital, Martinsburg , W. Va. Wednesday evening. The Rev. Father John Sullivan officiated. Interment was made in the church cemetery.

Military rites were in charge of Francis X. Elder Post, American Legion, of Emmitsburg. The pallbearers were Joseph Geiselman, Andrew Shorb, Louis Rosensteel, George Ashbaugh, Jr., Edward Houck and Brooke Damauth.

Color bearers were T. Eugene Rodgers, commander, Charles B. Harner, Edgar Wesley and Robert Jordan; firing squad, Thomas C. Harbaugh, commander, William Rodgers, Robert Shorb, Clarence Orndoff, Carroll Topper and buglar, Allen Gelwick.

Star and Sentinel, Saturday, October 7, 1944

Lewis Topper Dies Suddenly

J. Lewis Topper. 72, died suddenly at his home near Emmitsburg, Wednesday evening at 6:45 o’clock. He had been ill for two years.

The deceased was a son of the late Jacob I. and Christine (Krise) Topper and farmed near Emmitsburg most of his life. He was a member of St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Emmitsburg, the Holy Name Society and the Emerald Society.

Surviving are his widow, the former Margaret E. Florence; five children, Mrs. Frank Fitzgerald, Emmitsburg; Mrs. Alton Roberts, Baltimore; Stewart J., Baltimore; Pvt. Curtis, Ft. Belvoir, Va. and Pfc James, somewhere in Germany; 12 grandchildren; four brothers and sisters, Mrs. Christine Baker, John, Mrs. William Troxell and Maurice A., all of Emmitsburg.

Funeral services Saturday morning at 10 o’clock with a requiem high mass at St. Catholic church conducted by the Rev. Fr. Francis Rodgers. Interment in the adjoining cemetery.

Emmitsburg Chronicle, February 19, 1965

Mrs. James L. Topper

Mrs. Margaret E. Topper, 85, widow of James Lewis Topper, died Friday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Julia Fitzgerald, Emmitsburg.

A daughter of the late Joseph and Josephine Long Florence, she was a life-long resident of the Emmitsburg area.

She was a member of St. Joseph Church and the Sodality of the church in Emmitsburg.

Survivors include two daughters: Mrs. Julia Fitzgerald, Emmitsburg, and Mrs. Gertrude Roberts, Baltimore; three sons, Stewart Topper, Baltimore; Curtis Topper, and James Topper, both of Emmitsburg; two brothers, Edward Florence, Waynesboro; and Raymond Florence, Rouzerville; nineteen grandchildren and forty-four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday morning from the Wilson Funeral Home, Emmitsburg, followed by a Requiem Mass in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Emmitsburg. The Rev. Father Louis S. Storms officiated and burial was made in the church cemetery.

The pallbearers were Louis Topper, Quinn Topper, Earl Topper, Robert Troxell, J. Laurence Orendorff and Jacob E. Baker.

Star and Sentinel, April 22, 1944

W. J. Topper, 68, Is Found Dead

William Joseph Topper, 68, Liberty township farmer, died suddenly this morning at 2 o’clock. He was found dead in his bed. Dr. C. G. Crist, county coroner said death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage. A son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Topper, he is survived by his wife, the former Mary Walter; five children, Ralph, at home; Pvt. Earl, England; Guy, Emmitsburg; Clair, at home; and Donald, Fairfield R. 2. Seven grandchildren, and three brothers, Maurice, Emmitsburg R. D.; J. Lewis, Emmitsburg R. D. and John, Emmitsburg and two sisters, Mrs. William Troxell, Emmitsburg and Mrs. J. C. Baker, Emmitsburg R. D. also survive.

He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Emmitsburg and the Emerald Beneficial society, Emmitsburg. Funeral services Monday at 9 a. m. with requiem mass at St. Joseph’s Church conducted by the Rev. Francis Rogers. Interment in the church cemetery. Friends may call at the late home Sunday evening.

Gettysburg Times, October 14, 1961

Mrs. W. J. Topper, Fairfield R. 2, Dies

Mrs. Mary Anna Topper, 78, widow of William J. Topper. died Saturday morning at 11:15 a.m. at he r home, Fairfield R. 2, after an illness of a year.

A native and life-long resident of Adams County she was a daughter of the late Conrad and Lucy (Cool) Walters, and a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Emmitsburg and of the Sodality of that church. Her husband died April 14, 1944.

Surviving are five sons: Ralph, Earl and Clair Topper, all of Fairfield R.2; Guy Topper, Baltimore, and Donald Topper, Emmitsburg; 11 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; two brothers Charles and Lawrence Walters, both of Waynesboro, and three sisters, Mrs. Fenton Bagenhart and Mrs. Roy Stottlemeyer, both of Waynesboro, and Sister Julian, stationed at the Sister of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y.

Funeral services Tuesday morning with meeting at the Wilson Funeral Home, Emmitsburg at 9:30 o’clock to go to St. Josephs Catholic Church, Emmitsburg at 10 o’clock for a requiem mass at which Rev. Fr. James Toomey will officiate. Interment in the church cemetery…

Gettysburg Times, June 20, 1968

Miss Sarah E. Topper

Miss Sarah Elizabeth Topper, 75, Fairfield, Pa., died at the Annie M. Warner Hospital, Gettysburg. Pa., Wednesday afternoon. A daughter of the late Francis and Ellen Felix Topper, she was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and had been a housekeeper in the rectory for the last 14 years.

Survivors include three brothers, Joseph Topper, Baltimore; Quinn Topper, Emmitsburg; Roger Topper, RFD 1, Fairfield, Pa and several nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Wilson Funeral Home in Fairfield Friday evening where the rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Friends will meet Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home and proceed to St. Mary’s Catholic Church where a requiem mass will be said at 11 a.m. Rev. Charles Procopio and Rev. Dan Mahoney will officiate. Interment will be in St. Joseph’s cemetery, Emmitsburg.

Gettysburg Times, May 5, 1934, page 1

J. F. Topper, Farmer, Found Dead In Barn

69-Year-Old Liberty Resident Township Resident Succumbs to Kidney Condition.

Body Found By Daughter

J. Frank Topper, 69, a well-known farmer of Liberty township was found dead in the barn at his home at 5 o’clock Friday evening. Death resulted from a kidney condition and followed an illness of six weeks.

Mr. Topper had been in the habit of lying down in the barn when he felt ill. He was lying down in the feeding entry,

Friday afternoon, when his daughter, Miss Bessie, went to the barn. Believing her father asleep, she called to him to get up, and then returned to the house.

When Mr. Topper did not return to the house, Miss Topper again went to the barn and found her father had died.

Dr. Edgar A. Miller, Adams county coroner, was summoned and issued a death certificate.

Mr. Topper was born in Frederick county, Maryland, a son of the late Jacob and Julia (Krise) Topper and lived in that county until he was a young man, when he moved to Adams county where he has since resided.

Survivors

Surviving are the widow, whose maiden name was Miss Helen Pelux; six sons, Joseph Topper, Catonsville,Maryland; Clarence Topper, Waynesboro; Norbert Topper, at home; Raymond Topper, Baltimore; Quinn Topper, Liberty township; Roger Topper, near Fairfield; one daughter, Miss Bessie Topper. at home; fifteen grandchildren and the following brother and sisters:

William Topper, Liberty township; John Topper, Maurice Topper and Lewis Topper, all of Frederick county and three sister Mrs. Joseph Orndorff, Mrs. Edward Baker; and Mrs. William Troxell all of Emmitsburg.

Mr. Topper was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Emmitsburg.

Funeral Services, Monday morning at the home at 8:30 o’clock with requiem high mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Emmitsburg, at 9 o’clock, the Rev. Father Hulett Piper officiating. Interment in St. Joseph’s cemetery.

Star and Sentinel, July 8, 1939

Mrs. Ellen Topper

Mrs. Ellen Regina Topper, 80, widow of J. Frank Topper, died at her home in Liberty township, Wednesday morning at 2:45 o’clock from complications.

Mrs. Topper had been in failing health for several years. She had been confined to her home during several months.

Born in Adams county, she was a daughter of the late J. Francis and Sarah (Felix) Felix. She always had resided in the county.

She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Emmitsburg. She also belonged to the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality of the church.

Surviving are six sons and one daughter: Joseph, Catonsville, Maryland; Clarence, Waynesboro; Bessie, at home Quinn, Emmitsburg R. D.; Norbert, Hanover; Raymond, Brooklyn, Maryland and Roger, Fairfield R.D. Eighteen grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services …

Gettysburg Times, November 15, 1984

Quinn F. Topper

Funeral services for Quinn Felix Topper, 90, North Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, Md. who died Sunday at the Homewood Retirement Home, Frederick, Md. were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday with a Mass of Christian Burial from St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Emmitsburg. His pastor. the Rev. Father Francis X. Quinn, was celebrant. Interment was in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. Pallbearers were Douglas Orner, Craig Orner, Harold Ditzler, Paul Weagly, David Ohler and Emmet Eyler. Arrangements were handled by Skiles Funeral Home in Emmitsburg.

Gettysburg Times, May 21, 1981

Gertrude K. Topper

Gertrude K. Topper, 86, of Seton Avenue in Emmitsburg, Md., died this morning in the Warner Hospital in Gettysburg.

Born in Frederick County, Mrs. Topper was the daughter of the late John and Lillian (Poole) Kennedy.

She is survived by her husband, Quinn F. Topper.

Mrs. Topper was a member of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Emmitsburg and was also a member of the church’s sodality and altar society.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Topper is survived by two daughters. Anne Marie Topper of Emmitsburg and Jean Walter of Gettysburg, R.2 and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Skiles Funeral Home in Emmitsburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 9 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church where the Rev. Father Francis X. Quinn will serve as celebrant.

Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Friends will be received at the funeral home Friday evening. Rosary will be recited at 8 p.m.

Gettysburg Compiler, April 30, 1901

Mrs. Julia A. Topper, wife of John [sic] I. Topper, died at her late home near Emmitsburg, last Friday afternoon a week, after a brief illness of hemorrhages, aged 62 years and 5 days.

She is survived by her husband and eight children, five sons and three daughters, viz.: Messrs. J. Frank, John D. , J. Lute, William J, and Maurice A.; Miss Annie M. Topper, Mrs. J. Edward Baker and Mrs. W. H. Troxell, all of near Emmitsburg, and also fourteen grandchildren, and one brother, Mr. David C. Krise, of McSherrystown.

The funeral services were held in St. Joseph's Catholic church Sunday morning and the remains were laid to rest in the cemetery adjoining the church.

The pallbearers were: Messrs, Sebastian J. Florence, John F. Adelsberger, Harry Waddles, David Guise, Frank Kreitz and Charles Smith.

News (Frederick, Md.), December 2, 1958

Maurice Anthony Topper

Maurice Anthony Topper, RFD 2, Emmitsburg, died at his home this morning at 7:15 o’clock, aged 78, after an illness of six months. He was the last of his immediate family and died in the same house in which he was born the son of the late Jacob I. and Julia Krise Topper. His wife, Elizabeth Strack Topper, predeceased him in death. He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Emmitsburg, Holy Name Society, Altar Society and was a member of the Emmitsburg Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include a number of nieces and nephews. One nephew, Jacob Baker, lives at the Topper residence.

Funeral services will be held Saturday with friends and relatives meeting at the Allison funeral home at 9:30 a.m. with a requien mass at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic church with Rev. Fr. James Twoomey officiating. Friends …

Interment: St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery.

Elizabeth G. “Lizzie” Strack died in childbirth, January 5, 1905.

Emmitsburg Chronicle, January 1, 1955

Charles B. Topper

Charles B. Topper, 86, Emmitsburg, died last Sunday evening at 6 o’clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. James Orndorff near Emmitsburg. Death followed a cerebral hemorrhage which he suffered on Saturday.

Mr. Topper, a well-known resident of the Emmitsburg section, was the last of 16 children of James and Elizabeth Sanders Topper of Emmitsburg. As a young man he was a farmer and later worked for a number of years at St. Joseph’s College. His wife, the former Adelaide Little, died 40 years ago. Surviving are the following children: Mrs. Orndorff, Sister Mary Topper of St. Joseph’s College; Charles L. and Joseph E., both of Baltimore; George D. and Mrs. Nellie Wetzel, both of Emmitsburg; Russell, Baltimore; Mrs. Caroline Hock, Washington, D.C.; Mrs. John Hemler, McSherrystown; Mrs. Edwin O. Fitz, Emmitsburg; Albert A. Topper, Baltimore; Mrs. Walter Benchoff, Charmian, and Mrs. Robert Wormley, Emmitsburg. In addition, 47 grandchildren and 42 great grandchildren survive.

Mr. Topper was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Emmitsburg and the Holy Name Society.

Funeral services were conducted Wednesday morning. Burial adjoining cemetery…

Gettysburg Compiler June 26, 1915

Deaths

MRS. ADDIE B. TOPPER, wife of Charles Topper, whose death on June 11 was briefly noted last week lived in Liberty township. Her death was due to peritonitus at age 45 years. Her maiden name was Miss Addie Little and leaves besides her husband fifteen children, the youngest a baby of a few days of age, three sisters and four brothers, Sister Victorine, of Nazareth, Ky. Mrs. Charles Starner of York, and Mrs. Albert Humerick of Altoona, Edgar and Mack Little both of Altoona, Eugene Little of McSherrystown, and John Little of Emmitsburg.

Gettysburg Times, September 6, 1961

Dies After Falling Off Roof Today

George D. Topper, 61, 319 W. Main St. died this morning at 10:50 o’clock at the Warner Hospital from injuries received from a fall from a about 9:10.

A self-employed painter, Topper was painting the roof of a property owned by Mrs. George Miller at the corner of Franklin and W. High St.

He was scraping paint while holding on to the chimney when the bricks gave way and he fell to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital in the Gettysburg Fire Co. ambulance.

Dr. C. G. Crist, Adams county, investigated and said that Topper suffered a broken back, brain concussion, punctured lung, internal hemorrhage and 11 fractured ribs on the left side.

World War Veteran

The deceased was born near Emmitsburg, a son of the late Charles B. and Mary Adelaide (Little) Topper. He was a veteran of World War II and a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Emmitsburg; VFW Emmitsburg and American Legion.

Surviving are four brothers, Charles, Russell, Joseph Edgar and Albert, all of Baltimore; six sisters, Mrs. Robert Wormley, Emmitsburg, with whom he resided; Mrs. Iva Orndorff and Mrs. Nellie Wetzel, both of Thurmont R.2; Mrs. Oscar Fritz, Emmitsburg; Mrs. Walter Benchoff, Charmian, and Sister Mary Topper , St. Joseph’s Central House, Emmitsburg.

Funeral arrangements are being made by the Wilson Funeral Home, Emmitsburg.