Dr. Henry F. Bucher ^{2 3 4}

   Another name for Henry was Henry P. Bucher.¹

  Noted events in his life were:

1. Census in 1850 in Peters Twp., Franklin, PA. ³ John C. Boocher, minister of the gospel, 45, was living with daughter Mary, 19; John H., student, 17; Joseph, student, 15; Henry, 14; Lydia, 11; Ann, 9; Ellen R., 7; Emma, 4. Also in the home: Henry Frey, 71; Catharine Wolfe, 64. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

2. Census in 1870 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ² Henry F. Bucher, 34, druggist, was living with wife Annie, 29. He was born in Maryland, she in Pennsylvania.

3. Newspaper: Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 Jul 1876, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ⁴ A TERRIBLE MISHAP.

AN EXPLOSION IN A DOWNTOWN DRUG STORE RESULTS IN THE KILLING OF FOUR MEN OUTRIGHT. - MORE VICTIMS OF FOURTH OF JULY PATRIOTISM.

One of the most singular and terrific explosions that has occurred in Philadelphia in years sent a thrill of horror through the lower wards of the city yesterday afternoon, it resulting in the death of four men and the wounding of another. The locality of this terrible and shocking mishap was in Dr. Bucher's drug store, at the northwest corner of Passyunk road and Moore street.

It seems that at an early hour in the afternoon, Dr. Henry F. Bucher, the proprietor of the establishment, and a drug clerk by the name of Bernard Kauseman, were engaged in the laboratory in the rear of the store manufacturing pyrotechnics for a private display of fireworks. Among other articles upon which they were engaged was a large quantity of colored fires. While compounding these the whole mass suddenly exploded with a startling force.

John H. Bucher, a brother of the proprietor, was standing engaged in watching the process of manufacture, and these three men received the full strength of the exploding combustibles. The flesh was literally torn from their bodies, which were hurled violently beneath the counter with such force as to break the boards. J. C. Bucher, the father of the doctor, was also watching his son at work, but, fortunately for himself, he stood some distance away, and had time to escape by a side door with only a slight burn upon one of his hands.

A resident in the vicinity by the name of William Young was entering the store to make a purchase when the explosion occurred, and he was blown into the street through a bulk window and thrown against a tree box with great violence. He clung to this box for a few minutes until some persons rushed to his assistance and carried him into an adjoining house, where he expired soon after. His body received a number of deep cuts from the broken glass, and the severance of a main artery in the right leg produced death.

The explosion fired the building, which was a three-story double brick, and in a short time it and its contents were completely destroyed, the charred walls only remaining. The loss by the disaster will amount to about $5000. A second alarm of fire was sent to the department, as the high wind that prevailed endangered the surrounding property. The flames were confined to the building in which they originated.

Mrs. Bucher, who at the time of the explosion was sitting in the second story of the dwelling part of the house, in the rear, was in great danger of death from fire and smoke. She was rescued by two citizens, who took her out of a window by the aid of a ladder.

Dr. Bucher's body was so terribly mutilated as to be utterly unrecognizable, and had it not been for the finding of a fused watch case in the pocket of his vest, his remains could not have been identified. He leaves a wife but no children. The clerk resided on Passyunk road, below Moore street, and was a widower with two children.

His charred remains were not discovered until last night. Young's home was the first house on Moore street, west of Passyunk road.

The scene of the occurrence was visited by hundreds of people during the afternoon and last night, and the accident itself was the topic that engaged universal public attention in the down town wards.

4. Newspaper: Public Ledger, 5 Jul 1876, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ⁶ Terrible Effects of an Explosion - Four Men Killed - House Partially Destroyed

An explosion of chemicals, attended with terribly fatal results, took place early yesterday afternoon in the drug store of Henry F. Bucher, on the corner of Passyunk road and Moore street. At the time of the explosion, (which is likened by residents in the neighborhood, to the report of a cannon) besides the druggist there was in the store his brother, John T. Bucher, from Ohio, on a visit to the city; William H. Young, who lived adjoining the drug store, and was a friend of Henry F. Bucher, and Bernard Klosterman, residing on Passyunk road below Moore street, and agent for a sewing machine company.

It is not known what the druggist was doing, but as he had on previous Independence days manufactured fireworks for a display in front of his store, it is surmised that he was thus engaged, and that he was using fulminating powder, which is easily exploded, and of a very powerful character. The force of the explosion may be judged of by the fact that it blew Mr. Young through the bulk window, on Moore street, and violently against a tree box several feet off. His body was terribly cut by the glass, and he was otherwise so much injured that he died in a few minutes. The building, which was much damaged by the explosion, took fire and the woodwork burned for an hour or more, destroying the window and door frames not only in the main building, but in the back building, and the doors and shutters were also burned. While the flames were burning furiously Mrs. Bucher was seen at a second-story window extending her hands as if imploring help. The heat in front of the building was most intense at this time, and it seemed as if assistance could not reach her, and that she must perish.

Mr. Robert Robb, a neighbor, at the risk of his own life, ascended by means of an arbor, to the roof of a shed, and getting upon the bulkhead, succeeded in drawing Mrs. Bucher towards him, then made his way back to the arbor, carrying her in his arms, and succeeded in getting her to the ground uninjured.

When the firemen had succeeded in extinguishing the flames, the charred remains of Henry F. Bucher, his brother, and Mr. Klosterman were found, but not distinguishable one form the other.

Mr. Bucher's brother is said to be a school teacher and to have left a large family. The druggist, who was born in Carlisle, Pa., was about 35 years of age, and had no children. For sever or eight years he had been engaged in the drug business at Passyunk road and Moore street, having succeeded Dr. Patterson. He is spoken of by residents thereabouts as a man of fine presence, and as one much esteemed for his good qualities. William H. Young belonged to a family long residing in the Southwestern portion of the city. He was about 30 years of age, and was a son of the well known superintendent of the Philadelphia Cemetery. Bernard Klosterman was about 80 years old, a widower, having two children. He was not known to be in the drug store at the time of the explosion, but being missed and known to be often in the place, the third body was supposed to be his.

The father of the druggist was reported to be burned about the hands, but not seriously. The occurrence naturally created much excitement in the vicinity, and a number of persons gathered about the premises and remained there during the afternoon. All of the men who lost their lives but the unfortunate brother of the druggist having a number of acquaintances, much sorrow was expressed at their untimely deaths, and much sympathy for the widow and other relatives. Last evening Mrs. Young and Mrs. Bucher were reported to be suffering much from nervous prostration.

5. Newspaper: Explosion while creating Fourth of July fireworks, 6 Jul 1876, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ⁵

Williamsport Daily Gazette and Bulletin
July 6, 1876, Page 1

Hastening To Death

A Terrible Dynamite Explosion in Philadelphia
Four Men Killed - An Unfortunate Experiment
(from the Philadelphia Times)

Between 12 and 1 o'clock Tuesday afternoon a terrible explosion, one that shook the frail buildings in the immediate neighborhood and that was heard for squares, occurred at the northwest corner of Passyunk avenue and Moore street, in the First ward. The precise locality of the accident was discovered by the dense smoke that poured from the doors and windows of the drug store which stands on this corner. The store was the property of Dr. H.H. Bucher, who with his wife and a visiting brother, named Edward, lived on the premises.

The doctor, who was a man of scientific mind, had accumulated in the cellar of the house a considerable quantity of dynamite, the properties of which, with sulphuric acid and other combustible chemicals, he had for some time been endeavoring to unite, to effect a pyrotechnic result. It was his ambition to complete his experimenting Tuesday that the people of the lower section of the city might be treated to a grand display of fireworks. At noon on Tuesday he believed that he had overcome all obstacles, and he sent for Mr. William H. Young, his next door neighbor, on Moore street, to see the result.

Hastening to Death

Mr. Young, who had just finished his dinner, hurried into the drug store, and was followed by a passing acquaintance named Bernard Klosti, who lived on Passyunk avenue, a few doors below Moore street. The doctor's brother came down stairs, and the four men walked behind the counter, to see the culmination of Mr. Bucher's experiments. The later exhibited a can of dynamite, and was, it is supposed, proceeding with his test when the explosion took place and killed the entire party instantly. The arms of Edward Bucher and Bernard Kloti were blown entirely from their bodies; Young's body was cut almost in two, and Bucher himself was burned to a crisp. The only one whose features could be recognized a moment after the explosion was Young. The fire did not approach him. The doctor's identity was established by a heavy seal ring, bearing the mark of the thirty-second degree of Masonry, the Scottish rite. The other two bodies were recognized by the clothes they wore only. At the time of the explosion the wife of Dr. Bucher was sitting at the window of the second story, and she narrowly escaped the fate of her husband. Close to her feet a hole 8 by 10 was blown in the floor, and the smoke and flame which speedily followed.

The Explosion

would have smothered her but for the timely assistance of Mr. Robert Robb, who fortunately happened in the neighborhood at the moment of the disaster. He rushed through the burning building, and reached the place where the terrified and fainting woman sat, just in time to save her. With the assistance of the citizens, who were brought to the spot by the crash, he succeeded in lowering her to the pavement, were she sank insensible. A successful effort was made to remove the bodies before the burning building had time to consume them. Bucher and his brother were taken to an undertaker's near by. Young was taken to his home next door and Klosti to the morgue. The alarm of fire which was subsequently spread called engines speedily to the scene and further disaster was prevented.

Henry married Annie Keller on 5 Jan 1864.¹ (Annie Keller was born about 1841 in , , Pennsylvania, USA ².)