Died: 29 April 1919
Mr. and Mrs. John Gerner met an accidental death by being struck by a Southern Pacific train at the Minnewawa vineyard, on 29 April 1919. The funeral, one of the largest in Fresno, was held at the home on 6 May 1919. Harriett was 48 years young and John was 60 years.
Harriett “Hattie” Lydia Van Tassell was born on 2 April 1871 in Iowa to John William and Alice L (Newell) Van Tassell. Hattie also had two sisters; Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” (VanTassell) Cole, Estelle “Stella” Mae (Van Tassell) Baley, and a brother William Edward Van Tassell. On 24 October 1892 she married Alonzo Prentice Darling Sr. in Fresno, Fresno, California.They had three children; Audrey Edilli (Darling) Guest, Mildred “Milly´A Darling, and Alonzo Prentice Darling, Jr. He husband; Alonzo Sr. died on 11 October 1910 at the age of 53 years.
Harriett married John (no middle name) Gerner (born on 14 July 1856) on 18 May 1916 Fresno, Fresno, California. There were no children born to this marriage.
Hattie is listed in the 4th edition of the Friedrich Seidemann Family Tree Book on page 272 with her husband John Gerner.