Wednesday, December 30, 2015

WHO WOULD YELL FIRE IN A CROWDED ROOM?


Calumet, Michigan was a copper mining town in 1913.  In July of that year over 7,000 miners struck, and almost 6 months later no agreement had been reached.  Of course the miner's families knew that their Christmas would be bleak, so the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Western Federation of Miners gave a Christmas party on Christmas eve for the children.  Held on the second floor of Italian Hall, accessible only by a steep staircase on the left side of the building, the party saw about 500 children receiving presents and some 200 parents watched the festivities. 

About the time the party was drawing to a close, the door at the bottom of the staircase was opened and someone outside yelled "FIRE!"

As would be suspected, everyone made a run for the door, only to find it blocked from the outside. Fifty-nine children and 14 adults, most of them Finnish immigrants, were trampled and suffocated by the throng of bodies trying to escape a fire which actually did not exist. 

The youngest child killed was 2-1/2 years old.  The oldest person killed was 66.  A few families lost all of their children.

The perpetrators of this terrible disaster were never discovered, thus no one was ever prosecuted. 

-~~-

I have listed the names of those who died and the person who created this list.    I know it is a long list, but for me, it is a list of Immortal Nobodies.  I don't want them to be forgotten. 
  
1. Lempi Ala..........................12 years.........................Female.......................Finnish
2. Herman Alla......................60 years.........................Male..........................Finnish
3. Sanna L. Aaltonen..............39 years.........................Female.......................Finnish
4. Syvia Altonen.....................3 years...........................Female........................Finnish
5. Wilama Altonen..................9 years...........................Female.......................Finnish
6. Will Biri..............................7 years 11 mo................Male............................Finnish
7. Ivana Bolf...........................9 years 4mo...................Female........................Croatian
8. Katarine Bronzo................21 years.........................Female.........................Italian
9. Victoria Burcar...................9 years 4 mo..................Female.......................Croation
10. Joseph Butala...................7 years 8 mo..................Male............................Slovenian
11. Nick Cvetkovich..............33 years.........................Male.............................Croatian
12. Jenny Giacoletto...............9 years 10 mo................Female.......................Italian
13. Katarina Gregorich..........10 years 10 mo...............Female......................Croatian
14. Edwin Heikkinen..............7 years...........................Male..........................Finnish
15. Eino Felpus O. Heikkinen.10 years 5 mo................Male.........................Finnish
16. Eli Issac Heikkinen...........9 years 5 mo..................Male..........................Finnish
17. Ina Isola...........................33 years........................Female..........................Finnish
18. Tilma Isola.......................5 years 4 mo..................Female........................Finnish
19. Barbra Jesic.....................25 years.........................Female........................Croatian
20. Rosie Jesic.......................5 years 6 mo..................Female.........................Croatian
21. Uno Jokepil......................13 years.........................Male............................Finnish
22. Anna E. Kalunki................9 years 7 mo.................Female.......................Finnish
23. Brida Liisa Kalunki............42 years........................Female.......................Finnish
24. Efia P. Kulunki...................8 years.........................Female........................Finnish
25. Johan Emil Kiemaki...........7 years..........................Male..........................Finnish
26. Katarina Karich.................7 years..........................Female.......................Croatian
27. Kristina Klarich..................11 years ......................Female....................... Croatian
28. Mary Klarich.....................9 years..........................Female........................Croatian
29. Johan Hendrik Koskela......10 years........................Male..........................Finnish
30. Anna Kotajarvi...................4 years.........................Female........................Finnish
31. Anna Kotajarvi...................39 years.......................Female........................Finnish
32. Mary Krainatz....................11 years.......................Female........................Croatian
33. Hilja K Lanto......................5 years........................Female.........................Finnish
34. Maria G. Lanto...................40 years......................Female.........................Finnish
35. Sulo Rubet Lauri..................8 years.......................Male.............................Finnish
36. Mary Lesar.........................13 years......................Female..........................Slovenian
37. Rafael Lesar........................2 years 6 mo...............Male.............................Slovenian
38. Arthur Lindstrom.................12 years......................Male...........................Unknown
39. Lydia Johanna Luoma..........10 years......................Female.......................Finnish
40. Alfred J.W. Lustic................7 years 9 mo...............Male............................Finnish
41. Elina Manley........................26 years......................Female..........................Finnish
42. Wesley M. Manley...............4 years........................Male..............................Finnish
43. Ella E. Mantanen..................8 years........................Female.........................Finnish
44. Mathias E. Mantanen...........10 years......................Male.............................Finnish
45. Y.H. Mantanen....................13 years......................Male...............................Finnish
46. Agnes Mihelchich.................7 years........................Female..........................Croatian
47. Elizabeth Mihelchich............5 years........................Female..........................Croatian
48. Paul Mihelchich....................9 years........................Male..............................Croatian
49. Walter Murto.......................9 years........................Male...............................Finnish
50. Edward Emil Myllykangas....7 years.........................Male...........................Finnish
51. Johan W. Myllykangas.........10 years.......................Male.............................Finnish
52. Abram Niemela....................24 years......................Male...............................Finnish
53. Maria Elizabeth Niemela.......22 years......................Female.........................Finnish
54. Annie Papesh.......................6 years........................Female............................Slovenian
55. Mary Papesh........................14 years......................Female............................Slovenian
56. Kate Petteri..........................66 years......................Female............................Finnish
57. Saida M. Raja......................10 years......................Female............................Finnish
58. Terresa Renaldi....................12 years......................Female...........................Italian
59. Elma W. Ristel......................6 years.......................Female............................Finnish
60. Emilia Rydilahti.....................16 years..................... Female..........................Finnish
61. Heli Rydilahti........................13 years......................Female...........................Finnish
62. John Saari.............................5 years 11 mo.............Male...............................Finnish
63. Elida Saatio..........................11 years 9 mo.............Female............................Finnish
64. Mary Smuk..........................5 years........................Female............................Solvenian
65. Antonia Staudohar................7 years........................Female..........................Croat/Slov
66. Elisina J. Taipalus..................6 years........................Female.........................Finnish
67. Sandra M. Taipalus...............4 years........................Female..........................Finnish
68. Edward Richard Takola........9 years........................Female.........................Finnish
69. Lydia E. Talpaka..................10 years.......................Female..........................Finnish
70. Kaisa G. Tuippo...................45 years.......................Female...........................Finnish
71. Mamie Tuippo.....................10 years.......................Female............................Finnish
72. Hilja Wualukka ....................8 years.........................Female..........................Finnish
73. Johan Peter Westola.............48 years........................Male.............................Finnish

This list was complied by Ms. Peggy Germain. She is the author of an excellently researched book on the subject of the 1913 tragedy entitled "Tinsel & Tears" The book is available for only $5 + $1.25 postage. The address is Peggy Germain, 712 Pine Street, Calumet, Michigan



Wednesday, December 23, 2015

DOBBINS CEMETERY - VERMONT, FULTON CO., ILLINOIS


Robert Boyd Dobbins and the Dobbins Cemetery full of Immortal Dobbins Nobodies.

Not all cemeteries have a lock on the land they fill.  When I was a little kid growing up in Whittier California, there was a wonderful cemetery near our house that my dad often took my sis and I walking thought.  Mother did not like cemeteries, and she wasn't crazy about daddy taking us there; she always said it is sacrilegious to walk over graves.  But dad was respectful of those buried there, and the only reason he let us walk up to the headstones was he was teaching us the letters of the alphabet by having us touch the letters in the words and say what they were ' H, E, R. E.  L. I. E. S...."
and eventually we began knowing the letters and putting them together into words.

Many years later I had occasion to be in Whitter and I drove to that cemetery.....but it wasn't there anymore.  In its place was "Pioneer Park" and a single large stone with names inscribed on it.  I was SO disappointed.  

In the prairie area of Illinois not too far from the Spoon River the Dobbins Cemetery still stands.  Like many rural cemeteries, it was set aside buy Rev. Robert B. Dobbins when he bought property in Illinois after retiring as a circuit riding Presbyterian minister who covered Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.  He bought enough property to give each of his children a farm when he died.  All the people buried in this cemetery are related to Robert B. Dobbins and his wife Katy Alexander Dobbins.  And thus to me.

Just in the event that this cemetery disappears, I want to put the names of all these Immortal Dobbins Nobodies in my blog today.  There are a couple of people that I do not recognize, but I am sure there was a reason they were there.  

DOBBINS FAMILY CEMETERY
VERMONT TOWNSHIP, FULTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Robert B. Dobbins, b Aug 23, 1773 d in 82nd y of his age
Catherine Alexander, wife of Robert B. Dobbins, d Nov 18, 1849 74y 6m

FAMILY OF JAMES A. DOBBINS
               Robert Gaston, son of James Alexander & Elizabeth Perkins Dobbins, d July 28, 1851 23y 1m 9d
               Emma S., dau of Levi J. & Paulina .Jane Dobbins  Sperry d Sept 13, 1852 7m 24d
               Olive Alvira Winton b June 19, 1862 d Dec. 21, 1885 (Olive is daughter of Caroline Elizabeth
                               Dobbins Winton)

FAMILY OF ELIZA DOBBINS THOMAS
               William Thomas d June 8, 1882 81y 11m 25d
Eliza Dobbins, wife of William Thomas, d Feb 25, 1894 87y 2m 4d
John F., son of William.A. & M.S. Kost Thomas d Jan 12, 1848 3y 3m 7d

FAMILY OF MARY GAGE DOBBINS MILLER
               Abram Miller d Dec. 5, 1889 85y 4m 14d
Mary Gage Dobbins., wife of Abram Miller, d Apr 16, 1891 82y 7m 13d
Addie, dau of J.C. & A.F. Cadwalader, d Apr 1, 1863 3y 3m 9d

FAMILY OF JOHN CALVIN DOBBINS
James H., son of John  C. & Harriet A. Miller Dobbins d June 20, 1842 1y 8m
Laura C., dau of John C. & Harriet A. Miller Dobbins d Nov. 22, 1858 2y 18d
William A. Dobbins  (son of John C. & Harriet A. Miller Dobbins)  Sept. 1863 age 28y

FAMILY OF ROBERT NEWTON DOBBINS
               Robert Newton Dobbins b Jan 20, 1814 d March 26, 1892
Martha J. Ewing, wife of Robert Newton Dobbins, b 19 Sept. 1819 d 22 June 1891
               Ady Clemens b May 15, 1839 d Feb 14, 1914
Mary J. Dobbins., wife of Ady Clemens, (dau of Robert Newton &
Martha Jane Ewing Dobbins)   b Aug 30, 1845 d Mar 9, 1908
               Martha L, dau of Robert.Newton & Martha Jane Ewing Dobbins d Apr 1, 1862 6y 11m 1d
Eliza M., dau of Robert Newton & Martha Jane Ewing Dobbins d Jan 23, 1860 1y 11m 23d
Catherine E., dau of Robert Newton & Martha Jane Ewing Dobbins, d Oct 9, 1854 11y 5m 7d
James Ewing d Mar 8, 1869 89y 7m 28d
Jannat, wife of James Ewing d Sept 8, 1854 70 y
Eliza Amelia Ewing d Apr 20, 1880 65y 2m 14d
Fanny J. Clemens b Dec. 22, 1892 d Mar 29, 1908
James, son of A. & M.J. Clemens d Apr 2, 1866 (age illegible)

FAMILY OF AMANDA JANE DOBBINS MILLER
Phyletus N. Miller, son of Jacob. & Amanda Miller, d Oct 21, 1863 19 yr 7m 7d
Jacob Miller, d Aug. 30, 1894 79y 8m 24d
Amanda J. Dobbins Miller, his wife, d Feb 22, 1894 76y 6m 18d
Eliza Miller, 1848-1910
Charles O. Hickson,, d Nov. 3, 1888 29y 5m 8d
Caroline J  Hickson (dau of Jacob & Amanda., wife of Charles O. Hickson,) b Jan 6, 1853
d June 19, 1915
               Clyde M. Hickson,  b June 21, 1887 d March 13, 1968

FAMILY OF WILLIAM STEVENSON DOBBINS
               William S. Dobbins d Jan 25, 1847 25y 8m 27d

UNIDENTIFIED

               Ann Eliza O’Brien d Sept 24, 1852 age 41y  ( Anne appears with Levi J. Smith family on the 1850  census – age 38.  No relationship shown.  Born in N.Y.  Also an 18 year old Ann O'Brian with her.  


Friday, December 11, 2015

WHEN IS A McVICKER NOT A McVICKER? WHEN HE'S A YORK!


Little Jack Russell McVicker was born to Paul Russell McVicker and Lucile Fulton McVicker in August of 1919.  I don't know much about Paul, because shortly after Jack's birth, Paul was sent to San Quentin for a long time on a robbery charge and was divorced by Lucile.  In due time Lucile remarried and took on the surname of York, becoming the wife of Rex York.  At some point, little Jack dropped McVicker as his name and took on York.  In fact, he married Virginia Nash as Jack York and also joined the military using that name.  I don't know if it was a legal change or not.

What I do know is that in 1948 Jack was a 1st Lieutenant and piloted an airplane that took his life in a crash in Michigan.  He was 29.

This is the kind of plane he was piloting.  The picture above and the material below are from the website of the Michigan Aviation Archaeology website.

Ethel Popek was in the observation tower on the Wurtsmith AFB gunnery and bombing range watching her husband, Major Edward Popek, leading a flight of F-80 Shooting Stars of the 62nd Fighter Squadron in a practice bombing run.  At about 5:30, the fourth plane in the flight of four, flown by 1st Lt. Jack York began its bombing run.  As Ethel watched, she thought that York's dive seemed a little steeper and faster than the other planes' had been.  No doubt she was horrified when the jet leveled out at just 300 ft. and smashed into the ground just beyond the bombing target, bursting into flames and skidding to a halt after 2,000 feet.  Rescue teams responded within minutes and the remaining planes flew out over nearby Lake Huron, dropped their remaining bombs and landed to await word on their comrade.  Sadly, 1st Lt. Jack R. York was killed on impact.  He was survived by his wife Virginia and two children.  The cause of the crash was determined to be either failure of the dive flaps to properly deploy or failure of the pilot to deploy the dive flaps prior to beginning the dive.  The 62nd Fighter Squadron was using the first production jets in the USAF. Training SOPs in use at the time were still those written for the much slower propeller planes.


At the time there was a small article shown in a local newspaper,

  

I later learned his two children were a son Allan Russell York, born 4 October 1941 in Los Angeles, CA, and a daughter Carol Louise York, born 21 Dec 1942 also in Los Angeles.  His wife later married a Mr. Saban and then a William C. Murray of Lynwood, California.

Why is Jack York of interest to me?  His grandma was Pamelia "Millie" Stevens Fulton, a sister of my great-grandmother Nellie Stevens Davis.    Millie's daughter, Lucile, (Jack's mom) was a cousin of my grandma Jessie Davis Ryland.  My mother, Virginia, was a second cousin of Jack York…. making me a fourth cousin of Jack's children.  Interestingly, at the time they were living in the area around Inglewood, California, I was in college in that same area.  Since my grandma was already long dead, I didn't have a clue that a distant relative lived nearby.  But like a good genealogist I was was interested to learn "historically" that our paths could have crossed.

In 1984 I read a letter that his mother Lucile had written in a genealogy search:  "I had three children, two boys and a girl.  My older son Jack was a pilot in WWII.  He came back from Italy - but cracked up his jet in '48."  And sad to say in all those years since, Jack is the only descendant whose whereabouts I have found.


Jack's remains were brought back to California for burial and he rests in Inglewood Cemetery.