My great great grandfather, Wilbur L-, lived in Newport. He supposedly committed suicide (I think by exhaust fumes) I have also heard he was a bookie of the mob. I have always wondered what his involvement in the mob truly was (if any) and whether it related to his death.
Continue reading “Verdict of Self Destruction”On August 26th, 1906, five shots rang out in the early evening on a dark Chillicothe, Ohio street. The crowd that gathered found a “man cold in death and his woman companion writhing unconscious with a bullet wound in the breast” (Chillicothe Gazette, 27 Aug 1906). The shooter ran away into the darkness, knocking into several pedestrians in the process before disappearing. The victims were identified as Mrs. Flora H- and Mr. John B-. John died at the scene. There was an attempt to save Flora, but she died in the ambulance as she reached City Hospital.
Continue reading “Killed With Her Paramour”
Richard Linde was born on December 20, 1940 to Elmer Linde and Geraldine Pittillo. Richard had three siblings Pearl, Barbara, and Gary. The family lived in Miamitown, Ohio. Richard attended Miamitown High School until 1956 and then worked as an auto mechanic and truck driver until joining the military in January of 1966. A member of his family reached out to learn more about his life, and with their permission, this is what I was able to find.
Continue reading “Killed In Action”
In late September 1879, at nearly one in the morning, a young woman died suddenly on Price’s Hill (now the Cincinnati neighborhood of Price Hill).
Continue reading “Supposed Suicide”
On September 26, 1879 Mrs. Olive B- and Mrs. Mollie W- were driving down Findlay Street when their horse’s harness broke. The break spooked the horse, which took off running. If you’re unfamiliar, harnesses are fairly instrumental in convincing giant animals to do what you want.
Continue reading “Thrown From a Buggy”The year is 1885, it’s 10 years after the first Kentucky Derby and 100 years before REO Speedwagon decided they couldn’t fight that feeling anymore. John and Mary Belle Tucker live in Robertson County, Kentucky. The population of the county in 2010 was 2,300. In 1880, it was double that, which still isn’t very many people. It is the least populated county in the state and the smallest by area.
Continue reading “John Tucker Did Die”William H. Vitt was born in Mount Healthy, Ohio on October 13, 1896 to Katherine Vitt. His short life involves a few mysteries. Katherine, a single mother, was 34 years old at the time of the birth.
Continue reading “Engulfed in Sawdust”Family history research, genealogy, ancestry, it’s all just the study of past relatives. It takes on a different form depending on who does the research and what the purpose is. For many Americans, genealogical research is about finding where our families came from. For others the request can be more specific. Maybe a relative died at war, ran a successful business, or was rumored to be a criminal and you just want to know more about them. All of those are good reasons to dive into historical documents.
