Wittmer Business And Technology

Posted on March 20, 2024March 23, 2024 by FHadmin

Above Image: Xavier and George Wittmer

What do ice elevators, recording devices for fluid meters, gas meters, and a device for turning bolts and screws have in common?

The Simple Answer

All of these devices were either invented by or had novel enhancements made by the Wittmer family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The inventor listed on the patents for these devices were the brothers and nephews of Rod’s 3^rd great-grandmother, Elizabeth (Wittmer) Ackerman.

Why such diverse inventions?

Before they came to America, their father Franz Xavier Wittmer had tried his hand at multiple occupations. He had been a farmer, miner, and a tailor. He found none of these occupations to be very profitable. His sons, George and Xavier, carried on in his tradition of searching for profitable business ventures. Their business focus led the Wittmer family to own and invest in several businesses operating in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Each of these businesses had specific needs and, in all cases, the Wittmer family desired efficiency.

The Companies

Wittmer Ice Company

The first significant company that George and Xavier Wittmer created was the Wittmer Ice Company. They started their business in 1872 by renting an ice house that was already in existence. The business was profitable and the brothers purchased a large tract of land.

On that land they made large ponds and built 11 large ice houses. It was estimated that 20,000 pounds of ice were gathered and stored there each year.

Xavier invented enhancements to ice elevators. His ice elevator used one continuous chain instead of two and could have a variable number of hooks as needed. He made four specific claims of invention in his patent granted December 23, 1875.

Wittmer Brick Company

In 1884, the Wittmers established the Wittmer Brick Company seven miles outside the city. The hillside had extensive clay deposits, perfect for making bricks. And, the Pittsburgh and Western Railway ran through the area, perfect for shipping bricks. The location became known as Wittmer, or sometimes referred to as Wittmer Station.

In 1897, The Clay Worker, the Official Organ of the National Brick Manufacturers’ Association of the United States of America, highlighted Wittmer Brick Company’s brick making process. It was quite complicated with numerous steps. They used gas to heat the kilns. It wasn’t common in the United States, but it was used in Germany, where the Wittmer family originated, for finer pieces, such as terra cotta.

Wittmer Brick Company – Incline Railway; Adapted from the *Clay Work*er December 1897.

The Wittmer works also had a novel incline railroad to move the bricks from the kiln to the railroad freight cars, some 25 feet lower. It was designed so that as a car loaded with bricks comes down to the railroad platform, an empty car is pulled up from the platform to the kiln. This process was very efficient and greatly decreased the effort required to move the bricks from the kiln to the freight car.

The business was incorporated January 1, 1901. At the time, the Wittmer Brick Company was all in the family with Xavier, his son, and his brother George’s 3 sons all involved in the business. George, who was much older than Xavier, was retired.

At the time of incorporation, the company was described as makers of brick, tile, terra cotta, and other similar products. It was a reorganization of the company as it had stood and had its headquarters in Pittsburgh with the “works” at Wittmer Station. The primary reason for reorganization was for it to issue stock.

American Natural Gas Company

In 1889, the Wittmers and some of their associates formed the American Natural Gas Company, with the Wittmers having a controlling interest. The founders all used large amounts of gas in their other businesses that they owned. They believed it would cost less and be more efficient to go together and create their own gas company rather than their current situation. The plan was to pay the company to supply themselves, sell gas to others, and profit from it as shareholders.

They started out with 700 acres of land in an area about 10 miles north of Wittmer Station. They hit their first gusher in July and planned to have pipe laid and operational by the end of the fall.

Xavier’s son George X. Wittmer became the secretary/treasure of the company. He also invented several devices for use in the gas business. One of those inventions was a recording apparatus for fluid meters granted December 30, 1902. It measured both pressure and volume flowing throw it.

In 1925, Xavier’s brother George’s son Henry was running the company and it was valued at $14,000,000 (nearly $250m in today’s dollars). The following year Wittmer Oil & Gas Properties was formed with Henry as president. American Natural Gas Company was reorganized and some properties sold off. It became a subsidiary of Wittmer Oil & Gas Properties. By this time the Wittmers had or had previously had interests in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, New York, and Michigan under multiple company names.

The family sold controlling interest in the company in 1942.

American Telephone Company

The American Telephone Company was chartered in 1897. Xavier and Henry Wittmer were two of the directors of the company. Their interest in having a telephone company was to provide communication to their business interests. Since they had gas right of ways, they could lay the telephone lines in the same area. Thus, no additional land needed to be acquired or set aside. Thus, this venture required minimal capital.

The Big Fire

Out of necessity, the Wittmer’s businesses were situated along the Pittsburgh & Western Railway. Their location provided them ease of shipping their goods, but it would also cause the end to some of their businesses.

On May 19, 1903, a train went down the tracks and a spark flew into a freight car of oats that was near the glass works on the Wittmer property . Very quickly the fire spread to the glass works. Before the local people were able to knock the fire down, half of Wittmer had burned. The Wittmers lost their brick manufacturing facility and their ice storage houses.

Profitable

When Xavier died in 1921, he left a $630,000 estate (over $11.5 million in today’s dollars), including a summer home in Atlantic City. He had invested in his family’s businesses and served as president of their gas and brick companies. Additionally, Xavier had been a member of the board and a vice-president of North American Savings Company. It was formed in 1901 and grew from $350,000 in capital to $2,000,000 in a couple of years. Similarly, he had become a member of the board and vice-president of Merchants Savings & Trust when it was formed in 1903.

Xavier and George had achieved their father’s vision of a successful business by creating new businesses, creating new technology to support those businesses, and by grooming their sons to work with them and carry on those businesses.

The Accomplished Gentleman

Posted on March 14, 2024March 23, 2024 by FHadmin

Many members of my family accomplished numerous things throughout their life. In some cases, they simply kept their families fed and alive which often was no small feat. For others it was business success. However, one man in particular comes to mind when I think of “achievement.” And, as I researched him, I found that he achieved in even more ways that I previously knew.

The Early Years

Stanton Judkins Peelle was born on a farm in Indiana and rose to be a member of the Washington D. C. elite. He was born February 11, 1843 to John Cox Peelle and Ruth Smith. He was a brother to Christopher Columbus and James Thompson Peelle, the newspapermen that were the subject of my previous blog.

Stanton attended the local schools in Randolph and Wayne Counties in Indiana. He followed that by attending the seminary in Winchester in 1860.

Union Soldier

In 1861, while teaching north of Farmland in Randolph County, Indiana, he heard the calling to join the war effort supporting the Union. On August 5, 1861, he joined Company G of the 8^th Regiment of the Indiana Infantry and was made a corporal upon entry to the Army. His service with this unit included fighting at the Battle of Pea Ridge (in Arkansas just south of the Missouri border) March 6, 1862 through March 8, 1862. The Union soldiers were outnumbered. However, supply issues limited the Confederates ability to fight and the Union won control of the Missouri-Arkansas border in the biggest battle of the Civil War to be fought west of the Mississippi River.

Later that year, he was released from that unit to join Company K of the 57^th Regiment of the Indiana Infantry. He joined the organization as a 2^nd Lt. During the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863, the Union soldiers outnumbered the Confederate soldiers. Although the Union won the battle, it came at a cost of more casualties with 12, 906 casualties including KIA, wounded, MIA, and captured. Stanton was lucky as he received only a slight wound.

His Career

Becoming a Lawyer

After the war, Stanton returned to Indiana and began studying law in Centerville with his uncle Judge William A. Peelle, who had been the Secretary of State for Indiana. He also studied with Thomas M. Browne. In 1866, Stanton was admitted to the Indiana Bar. At some point, he received his law degree from Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute, which later was renamed Valparaiso University.

He practiced in Winchester, Indiana from 1866 until 1869 when he moved his practice to Indianapolis. During 1872 and 1873, he was the assistant district attorney for Marion County, Indiana. He kept and office in Indianapolis until 1892.

In Politics

Stanton ran for the Indiana House of Representatives, campaigning in every little town. He won, but only served one term from 1877 until 1879.

Then, in 1880, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Indiana’s 7^th congressional district. He won and as soon as he was sworn into the 47^th United States Congress on March 4 1881, he went to work. One month he proposed at least 4 pieces of legislation. In 1882, he got a bill passed for a colleague from Indiana. The Speaker of the House remarked that “his success was due to his uniform courtesy coupled with the confidence of members that he would not favor any improper legislation.”

Stanton’s term ended on March 3, 1883. He was re-elected and continued to serve. However, his second term was cut short, ending on May 22, 1884. What occurred is a story in itself, but the bottom line is that his opponent had contested the election. Mr. English claimed the Republicans intimidated voters, that they had fraudulently voted paupers and prisoners, and that the Republicans had printed fraudulent ballots.

Meanwhile, Stanton and his cohorts accused Mr. English’s father, who had been the Democrat VP nominee in 1880, of lobbying on the floor of the house. After so much work and trying to manage who was in attendance so that it would pass, Mr. English was finally seated despite Stanton’s right to the seat having previously upheld. Still, Mr. English served less than a year. He retired at the end of the term.

Stanton did not run in 1888. Instead, he returned to his law practice, partnering with William L. Taylor, who later became the Indiana Attorney General. However, he did not leave politics or turn his back on his political ties. During this interval, the Governor of Indiana named him to the board of control for the Indiana Reform School for Boys

Being a politician, Stanton was an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention. In 1892, he was selected as a delegate to the same convention. However, he did not attend as he had moved onto to his role as a justice in Washington D.C.

Court of Claims

On March 24, 1892, President Benjamin Harrison nominated Stanton to be a judge on the Court of Claims in Washington, D.C. He was confirmed by the Senate only four days later. He served in this capacity for fourteen years when President Theodore Roosevelt nominated him to take the position of chief justice of the same court. This appointment was confirmed in a single day in December 1905. Stanton served as chief justice until he retired February 11, 1913, his 70^th birthday.

The last opinion that he wrote was in a case of a Baltimore contractor who wanted additional pay for extra work on the Army War College, but had not been able to collect the money the contractor felt was due their company. The opinion was read just prior to his retirement. During his time on the bench, the Honorable Stanton J. Peelle wrote 300 opinions. Thirty-five of them were appealed. When he retired, six of the appeals were still pending. Of the remaining opinions, only 4 had been reversed.

Community Involvement

Education

Stanton was attracted to educational pursuits for himself and others. His first venture into teaching did not last long due to the war. However, he would make greater contributions to education in his later years through teaching, supporting schools, and supporting activities of the schools.

During his tenure on the Court of Claims, Stanton was a professor of law at Columbian/George Washington University. He served in this capacity from 1901 until 1911. Additionally, he was involved with debates and Moot Court.

After he retired from the court, Stanton was the President of the Montgomery County, Maryland Board of Education and school commissioner for the county. One of his roles was to preside over graduation exercises, handing out diplomas, give graduation speeches, and address students on various topics. He also performed many of these duties at other schools (e.g. Garfield Nurses School).

In other duties, he was the President of West Nottingham Academy in Cecil County, Maryland. And, he was one of the inaugural directors of the Yorktown Memorial Institute, which taught facts of American history with a special emphasis on the Battle of Yorktown in 1922.

Committed to African American Success

Stanton’s involvement with Howard University, an African American college, began before he became chief justice of the Court of Claims. He became a trustee of the university, serving in that capacity from at least 1906 until 1925. For a number of years, he was the president of the board of trustees. After he retired from the court, he also lectured at Howard.

In 1917, he gave an address at Howard University’s 50^th year celebration. In that presentation, he spoke about the significance of the university and what it meant to African Americans. He spoke again about the significance of the university to the African American community in 1919 at the Interior Department’s exposition stating, “we are not only imparting knowledge, but turning out good citizens.” The president of the university added that the students at Howard want to find the best that is in them – just like students at any other university.

In 1924, the university gave him an engraved gold-inlaid solid ebony cane for being a member and chairman/president of the board of trustees.

Promotion of Women

Stanton championed the rights of women throughout his career. He served on the board of trustees of Washington College of Law. The college was created primarily for women, but was co-ed. At the time women could be members of the bar in some places, but not nearly everywhere and many colleges didn’t allow women to study law even if they allowed them in other areas of study.

Stanton was the second president of the board, serving from 1910 to 1925. He also lectured at the college.

Throughout the years, he spoke at many events for women, including to the Women’s Suffrage League In 1917, the Women’s Republican Club, and the Federation of Women’s Club. Based on Stanton’s claims, his first presentation supporting women’s suffrage occurred during the years he was in the Indiana State Legislature or the U.S. House of Representatives. He stated that women’s suffrage was necessary in order to meet “the spirit of the constitution.” According to the May 29 1913 issue of the Washington, “He declared that the Federal Constitution should be amended with a view to conferring upon them this privilege, and added that ‘every right and privilege belonging to men in the home, in society and the State and nation should apply equally to women.”

Religion

Stanton was very active in the Presbyterian Church and other religious activities. He taught a bible class at Church of the Covenant and was an elder in the church for over 30 years. Stanton served as moderator of the Presbyterian Central Assembly and was a member of the Presbyterian Alliance, serving as an officer.

Stanton was on the World Bible Conference Executive Committee (chair of the general committee) and was a member of the board of managers for the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) of Washington D.C. He was also on the boards or otherwise involved in multiple missions.

Stanton spoke on religion numerous times. At the Washington District Epworth League, his speech was titled “The Lack of Trust in God.” In a very different vein, on the 400^th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin, he spoke about “Calvin and Civilization.”

Patriot

Stanton belonged to the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of District Columbia and served for a time as its commander. He was very concerned with maintaining military readiness.

When the world war (WWI) began in Europe, Stanton was 100% behind the United States’ efforts. Although he was 74, he said that he would volunteer to do whatever he could if war was declared. He tried to instill the same level of patriotism in students. He succeeded in getting the Washington Law College to pledge their full support as a body to the President and to Congress.

Keeping with his word, in 1917, Stanton joined the Presbyterian Committee on Food Conservation in support of the war effort.

The Cosmos Club in the 1920s; Source: Public Domain via Wikipedia

High Society

Somehow Stanton and his wives (he had 3 with two dying during his lifetime) managed to have time and money to be members of high society in Washington D.C. Or, perhaps, because they were members of high society, he was able to get involved in so many different areas.

In any case, Stanton was very well known and very well connected, being personal friends to President Benjamin Harrison and President Taft. He was a member of the Cosmos Club, a prestigious club providing social and intellectual opportunities for distinguished people in certain career pursuits. He also appeared to be a member of the Chevy Chase Club, which is a social club patronized by many of the Washington D.C. elite. Additionally, he was involved, including holding multiple leadership positions, with the Indiana Society, which is a “non-partisan social and philanthropic group.”

And, More . . .

Stanton spoke at many different engagements and was called upon in many different capacities during his time in Washington, D. C. He did a little of everything from being a member of the committee for the creation of the Lincoln Memorial to being called upon to settle a dispute between tradesmen plumbers and Master Plumbers to being appointed a special advisor to the Secretary of War in the settlement of claims at the close of WWI.

He dealt with property, spoke about his concerns with required vaccinations, raised the issue of narcotics usage, and was asked to represent a man killed in an explosion. It seemed if anyone needed an orator, a leader, a fundraiser, a lawyer, or simply a passionate man, Stanton was called upon to fulfill the task. He was even asked to be on President Wilson’s Inaugural Reception Committee despite being of different political affiliation than Wilson.

Stanton J. Peelle died on September 4, 1928, in Washington, D.C. at 85 years of age. He had been failing more in recent days, but had attended church only a couple of days earlier. A man ahead of his time, he had accomplished so much in so many different areas. This article just scratches the surface of his accomplishments and his life in general.

Printing News Is In Their Blood

Posted on March 6, 2024March 6, 2024 by FHadmin

It started with two brothers and before it was done six Peelle men were in the newspaper publishing business.

The Brothers

The venture by the Peelle family into the newspaper business began with two brothers: James Thompson Peelle and Christopher Columbus Peelle. They were the sons of John Cox Peelle and Ruth Smith. My family line is doubly related to the brothers and their descendants. John was a brother to my great-great grandfather Passco Peelle. Passco married Martha Johnson, my great-great grandmother. Martha was the daughter of Rachel Smith, Ruth Smith’s older sister. Thus, the two brothers mentioned here are biological nephews of Passco and are biological first cousins to Martha.

James Thompson Peelle

According to various accounts, James Thompson Peelle was known as Thomas, Tom, Tromp, and Tompy. By the time he was 13 years of age, he was a typesetter. He became a compositor (typesetter) and proof-reader for a newspaper in Cincinnati, Ohio. For a time, he was a printer in Indianapolis, Indiana. He also held a position at the Chicago Herald and possibly the Chicago Evening Post.

In Competition

Thompson competed for several years in typesetting contests. According to another printer that knew him, J. Thompson had won thousands of dollars in these competitions because he was so fast to set type. According to his nephew, he was referred to as “Four in the Air,” because he could remember four lines of material at a time and had four pieces of type in progress at all times when things were flowing right.

Troubles

Thompson also spent some time around Fort Wayne, Indiana. It is there that in the early 1880s, he ran into a bit of trouble. On one occasion, he was accused of stealing a watch and selling it to buy whiskey. However, he said that the owner of the watch, another printer, sold it and that he used the money to buy them drinks. The results of the investigation are unknown.

It was also here that he was stabbed by a man one night for reasons that are unknown. Fortunately, he wasn’t significantly injured, but the perpetrator would go on to murder other people.

He seemed to live life to the fullest and apparently traveled extensively. Unfortunately, his life was cut short as he died of dropsy (edema) when he was only 36 years of age.

Christopher Columbus Peelle

For a newspaperman, Christopher Columbus Peelle, also known as “Lum,” is difficult to find in newspaper articles. This may simply be a matter of the newspapers that are readily available. Yet, we can learn some about his many years in the newspaper business.

In Business

As a teenager, Christopher was already working as a typesetter. He learned the trade at the Winchester Journal. In his early days as a printer, compositor, and publisher, he was the foreman at the Richmond Palladium and at The Telegram in Richmond. He may also have worked at other publications before partnering with Seward Watson publishing news at the Journal’s competitor, The Winchester Herald. They apparently worked together in the publishing and printing business for multiple decades.

In 1902, it was reported that Christopher had sold his part of the Winchester Herald to his partner Mr. Watson. And, he had supposedly purchased The Record in Paris, Illinois. However, I have found no evidence of him moving to Illinois. This may have been due to some health concerns. He did, however, become a mail carrier in his later years.

Killed, But Still Alive

His most interesting scrape that I uncovered was that he was reported killed by a train. Only to be reported later as recovering from his injuries. He lived for many years after this accident, dying at age 63.

Christopher Columbus’ Sons

Christopher had three sons: Robert Smith Peelle, Omar Stanton Peelle, and John Cox Peelle. All of them followed in their father’s footsteps, joining the printing and publishing trade.

John Cox Peelle

In Business

By the time John was 18, he was a lover of all things baseball – both playing and talking about the sport. He was also already working in the newspaper industry. He joined with his brothers in their publishing business, becoming an associate editor of the National Road Traveler. By 1913, he had ventured out on his own. In 1913, he was with the New Castle Daily Star. Then, in 1914, he became the business manager for a new semi-weekly paper the Progressive Herald in New Castle.

John C. Peelle Home; Source: *Palladium-Item* Richmond Indiana

His Injury

One day near the Central Hotel in Cambridge City, John was walking with his son. Seeing a car coming toward them, John pushed his son to safety. However, he ended up with broken ribs and an injured lung. Later, when trying to relieve congestion in the lung, poison was accidentally released from the damage portion of the lung into his system.

By 1920, John and his family headed west to California for his health, selling his nice home in East Cambridge City. The home was later known as Cambridge Manor and used as a hotel.

In California, John worked in advertising at the Santa Ana Register. He died in 1927 in Burbank, California at age 35.

Robert Peelle, son of C.C. Peelle; Source: *Palladium-Item*, Richmond, Indiana.

Robert Smith Peelle

Robert Smith Peelle was known to friends as “Bob.” He was the oldest of Christopher’s three sons and also got started in the publishing and printing business at an early age.

Success

Robert, along with Omar and John bought their first newspaper around 1908 or 1909. They changed the name to the National Road Traveler. However, by 1915, Robert ventured out on his own starting a new newspaper Old Trails Echo.

In 1920, he bought a plant in Butler, Ohio. It was the location where the Butler County Citizen had previously been published. He planned to continue to manage the Old Trails Echo and to use the new location to publish weekly or semi-weekly news of the Ford Tractor Plant at Hamilton, Ohio as well as the Miami College paper. By 1923, he was also publishing the Fountain City Times, The New Paris Leader, and the Boston Traveler.

Robert was quite successful. It appears that he may have eventually published 5 or 6 newspapers. He was able to purchase a new car and even donated a water fountain to the city.

Trouble

Robert, however, couldn’t quite keep himself out of trouble. Much of his trouble began when he testified against the local bully. That led to several altercations between them and subsequent arrests of the two. However, the town bully wasn’t the only person that he fought. When a printer that worked for Robert had a patchy print, Robert knocked him to the floor. The fights with the bully at least were fueled by alcohol, which brought many issues on its own.

Numerous times, Robert was picked up for public drunkenness or driving while intoxicated. One time he was accused of stealing $20 from a guy when they were both drunk. It also led him into gambling, having motor car accidents, accidentally discharging a gun in a store, and other trouble. When his wife filed for divorce, she also claimed that he treated her badly and that he caroused with women who had bad reputations. Robert was even arrested once on suspicion of being someone else that was wanted by law enforcement.

Some of his biggest trouble, however, came during Prohibition when the local clergy, Law Enforcement League, and federal officers started a war with him. Officers raided his shed behind his duplex and found 192 pints of home-brewed beer. He claimed it belonged to the other tenant in the duplex and visa versa. With his previous record, which even included being charged with taking whiskey out of state, it was speculated that if charged with violating the National Prohibition Act, he would go to prison for two years. However, sentencing was deferred for a year so that he could “take the cure.”

Well, after a year, he was no more sober than he was when he was arrested. So, the judge sentenced him, but only to 30 days in jail and $100 fine. Well, that is until Robert said that he needed time to get things in order since he published several newspapers and his wife spoke up out of turn admonishing him for requesting time to get his affairs in order since it was only 30 days. At that point, the judge changed his sentence to 60 days in jail.

Luck Ran Out

He just kept bouncing back and likely got a few breaks from law enforcement since he was a successful businessman. His luck ended in 1948 at age 60.

One day he said that “if he died the following day he would have lived 100 years – and seen everything.” [National Road Traveler] Two weeks later, he checked himself into the hospital in Richmond, Indiana for a checkup because he said that when he couldn’t drink a beer, there must be something wrong with him. [National Road Traveler] That night, he had a heart attack and died.

Omar Stanton Peelle

When he was 7 years old, Omar began doing typeset. As a teen, he worked for his father’s newspaper as a junior printer, reporter, and errand boy. By the time he was 17, as editor of the Ridgeville News, he was the youngest editor in Indiana.

The National Road Traveler

In 1908-1909, Omar, Robert, and John purchased the Lewisville Freeman. They changed the name to the National Road Traveler as Lewisville was on the National Road. In 1911, they added the Knightstown Star to their newspaper business. By 1912, the National Road Traveler was claimed to have circulation five to six times the population of the town of Lewisville. Additionally, articles from their publication were often carried in other area publications.

By 1915, all wasn’t well in the working relationship between the brothers. Lawsuits primarily between Omar (Associate Editor) and Robert (Editor), were filed in each direction. It seems each claimed the other was getting too much of the profits. Additionally, Omar stated that Robert was using business funds for personal use while not reporting business income. In the end, Omar bought out his brothers and they moved on to other ventures while he continued to build the National Road Traveler.

In 1916, he upgraded the printing machinery, purchasing a linograph typesetting machine. Then in 1920, Omar took a huge step when he raised the price of the paper from $1 per year to $2 per year. However, he had bigger things in mind. In 1924, Omar moved the National Road Traveler to Cambridge City, Indiana, where he also purchased the Cambridge City News. The following year he merge the two newspapers under the name of the National Road Traveler.

Colonel, as Omar was often called, was a man of integrity and hard work. He was self-educated and self-made. Yet, he remained humble. Unlike some publishers, he knew when to write a story and when not to write a story. He didn’t write a sensational story if it was going to negatively impact a family, particularly if it could affect young children.

Omar had a good relationship with his employees and trusted them. When someone would get upset about something said in the newspaper, he would calmly ask the employee if what they wrote was true. It was and he eventually gave up on even asking his employees about the integrity of what they wrote. Bob Gray, Sr., an employee of the National Road Traveler stated that Colonel “published about the truest freedom of the press newspaper in America.”

Personal Life

Unlike his good relationship with his employees, Omar seemed to have issues with his first two wives. Each of them filed for divorce. His second wife, Myrtle, filed for divorce at least three times. At one point, she had a restraining order against him, claiming that he was a drunk, threatened her, and even choked her when they separated. She started by requesting (demanding) very significant compensation including $12,000, $25 per week, and a stake in his newspaper business. They ended up attempting to reconcile and he bought the Tumble Inn for her to run. Each time, reconciliation did not work out. Eventually, they divorced and he married a third time. His third wife joined him working at the National Road Traveler.

Gene Lincoln “Bud” Peelle

Omar brought his son Gene Lincoln Peelle, who was better known as “Bud,” into the newspaper business while he was still going to school. Bud began writing a column in the newspaper when he was going to Lincoln High School.

Bud’s writing and publishing career was interrupted by World War II. Bud spent a lot of time state-side learning many technical aspects of B-24 bomber before going overseas. Before he was discharged, Bud had spent over three years in the Army Air Force and reached the rank of Technical Sergeant.

Bud’s overseas service included time in Italy when my Uncle Howard was there. Christmas of 1944, Bud and Howard would have been in very close proximity to each other, although their paths likely never crossed.

During his time in the service, Bud wrote a column here or there for the newspaper. Later, a few of his letters home were printed in the newspaper. His letters contrasted greatly to the ones Howard sent home. You could tell Bud was a talented writer and not a farm boy writing home to his folks.

After Bud returned home, he continued to write for the National Road Traveler and worked his way up to associate editor. He was married and starting to build a house for him and his wife when his life was cut short in a horrific automobile accident.

Life After Bud

Omar carried on without his son, the planned heir to the newspaper. For years to come, he continued to mentioned Bud in the pages of his newspaper. And, it was said that Omar wasn’t quite the same after losing Bud. It seems he wasn’t the only one affected by Bud’s death. Although Omar was thought of as a talented writer, people reported missing Bud’s writing. He just seemed to have a flair with words.

Omar died in 1961 at age 71. His obituary ran in his newspaper the same day he died, but it was not front-page news simply because page 1 had already been printed at the time of his death. Instead, a corner of page 2 was wiped clean and his obituary was inserted.

When he died, Omar was still the owner and publisher of the National Road Traveler, although he hadn’t been in the office for about a month. However, his wife was listed with him as publisher the last five years of his life. His wife continued on with the paper for some time after his death. Still, reading issues after his death, his absence could be seen.

He was the last newspaperman in the family.

Afterward

I have to wonder what publishing legacy these men might have left if they had lived longer than an average of 48 years. Perhaps there would have been more generations of publishers. Or, perhaps a much larger publishing empire.

Must say that I am not 100% sure of some of the “facts” contained in this story as many of them were taken from various newspapers and I found numerous errors that were confirmed by official records.

Bonus Story 1

Always Neighbors

In an odd coincidence, Bud lived at one time across the street from the mayor of Straughn. They ended up being buried in the same cemetery – across the aisle from each other.

Bonus Story 2

The Story of the Torn Dollar Bill

A young waitress died in an auto accident. When she was sent to the mortuary, they looked in her purse and found half of a dollar bill. This caused the staff to wonder how she came to have it and where the other half of the dollar might be.

When Bud died less than two weeks later, he was taken to the same mortuary. And, they found the other half of the dollar. It seems that when he was picking up the tab one day at the restaurant where the young lady worked, he was down to his last dollar when it was time to give the waitress a tip. And, a dollar was quite a tip. Thus, he gave her half with the plan to give her the other half the next time he owed her a tip.

Adapted from stories in The Tri-County Banner and the National Road Traveler.]

A Man With Two Names

Posted on February 26, 2024February 27, 2024 by FHadmin

My grandmother’s brother was Leland or Leonard – depending on who you ask. . . And, no, the answer isn’t all that simple.

Leland (center) in Mexico. Appears to have been during his early military service as he appears very young.

The Early Years

Leland was born Leland William Thomas January 17, 1908 to James William “Will” and Sadie Ella (Ashby) Thomas in Vernon County, Missouri. He joined three older siblings. His mother would give birth to two more healthy babies before she died during childbirth when he was ten. After Sadie died, her oldest daughter Dessie, my grandmother, took over running the household and helping raise her younger siblings. (Photo at top: Back: Dessie, Verda,Delbert ; Front: Theo “Bud”, Oren, Leland.)

On December 31, 1926, before Leland turned 19, he joined the U.S. Navy. He served just over 2 ½ years completing his service August 21, 1929.

His First Wife

A couple of weeks after being discharged from the Navy (September 3, 1929), Leland married Frances Marie Howell. In the census the following year, Leland and Frances were living with Frances’ mother and sister. In 1933, they had a daughter Joan Berniece. She was followed by a son Leland William Thomas Jr. in 1934. At the end of 1936, they had a son John Carl that only lived two days.

One version of the story from another researcher is that it was around 1935 that Frances claimed that Leland, who she said was a traveling salesman, headed to California. However, no evidence has been found to date of his being a traveling salesman, If he left in 1935 John Carl could not be his son, and Leland would not make it to California for several years. Another version of the story said that he left for California to join the Navy for WWII. This aligns with his timeline of reaching California. However, there is more to the story. . .

His Second Wife

In July 1936, several months before Leland and Frances’ son John Carl briefly visited the earth, He married Edith Lehr in Elkton, Maryland using the name Leonard Thomas. It seems the name change and the out of state marriage may have been because Leland had not divorced Frances.

Leonard and Edith lived in the general area of York, Pennsylvania for several years. The year following their marriage, they had a stillborn daughter. In 1941, a stillborn son would follow at only seven months gestation. They are not known to have had any children that survived childbirth.

U.S.S. Seminole Image from 1960s. U.S. Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

WWII

When WWII came about, Leonard joined the United States Navy Reserves. He served from May 22, 1942 until October 21, 1945. During his service he spent a significant amount of time in San Diego, where he was assigned to the US Navy Sub Repair Unit where he was a metalsmith. He was attached for a time to the U.S.S. Griffin.

On March 8, 1945, when the U.S.S. Seminole was commissioned, Leonard was assigned to the ship. He sailed with the ship to do training in the Hawaiian Islands before heading to Okinawa. Twice during this period, the ship had to take evasive maneuvers, not to avoid the Japanese, but to avoid typhoons.

Leland with his niece Ruby Pellett at a family gathering at Gunn Park, Fort Scott, Kansas.

After the War

After the war, Leonard and Edith lived in California. To my knowledge, he never made an effort to see his children. I can’t fathom leaving my children and moving a couple thousand miles away. Our family knew about the children, but I don’t know if any pictures of them survived. I did hear a story, however, that my grandmother had a picture of Leland and Frances and he wanted her to destroy it.

He continued to exclusively use the name Leonard as his legal name. However, to the day she died, my grandmother called him Leland. Meanwhile, to be completely different, Edith called him “Tom.”. When I spoke to a distant relative a few years ago that had known Leonard when he lived in California, he was surprised to learn that his name wasn’t Tom. It was the only name he had ever known.

Perhaps Edith called him “Tom” because she didn’t want to slip and call him Leland when referring to him in official communication or maybe it was simply a pet name. However, between my grandmother’s insistence that he was Leland and the family’s knowledge of his first wife and children, Edith had to have known about his past. It is unknown what version of the story he shared with her.

Leonard died March 1, 1960. The military apparently figured out the connection between Leland and Leonard as the application for his military gravestone had his earlier service added onto the card with his WWII service.

Not Quite Done . . . One more mystery!

As if there wasn’t enough mystery in this story, another mystery showed up in the 1950 census. In that census, Frances is with John Squares, a new husband (or they at least claim to be married). Her known children with Leland are in the household. However, there are two additional children listed with the last name of Thomas who are listed as step children to her husband. These are Robert F. Thomas, who was born in 1939, and Jacquelyn Thomas, who was born in 1943. They are not children that John had with his prior wife and I have found no explanation for these children.

Leland’s Kids?

Could they be Leland’s and he went back and forth between Frances and Edith for a period of time?

This option is definitely possibly for Robert. Depending on the exact date of Jacqueline’s birth, it could rule this option out based on his WWII service dates. At this point, it cannot be ruled out.

Half-Siblings?

Could Frances have gotten pregnant by another man and just used the Thomas name saying her husband was a traveling salesman and gone a lot?

This is very possible. It definitely wouldn’t have been the first or last time a woman whose husband was absent or even dead claimed him as the father of a child born out of wedlock.

Someone Else’s kids?

Could they be someone else’s kids entirely?

This is possible, but if so, they were considered members of the family. A death record for Leland W. Thomas Jr. mentions their names. Unfortunately, a complete obituary, which might tell us more, has not been located.

The Locket

Posted on February 20, 2024February 21, 2024 by FHadmin

“I looked at your picture today, you know I have four besides the one in my locket,

and it made me feel home-sick or love sick or something like that.”

The Letters

The words in the quote were written upside down on the top of a letter from Nellie Peelle to Joe McCracken in August of 1913. Joe, who was 20 years of age, had gone out of state to work in the fields, leaving his 19-year-old “girl” Nellie behind. It was one of several letters that they wrote that summer. The letters between them were a mixture of everyday happenings and sweet romance.

Joe would discuss things along the lines of his work and how far he was from a town. Nellie would respond to his statements and tell him about local happenings, such as, the rain, church, or their friends.

Nellie always seem to give off a vibe of a very proper lady. She never appeared to me to be as strict and rigid as her sister, but definitely proper. This makes the romantic banter between them all the more interesting.

In their letters, both admitted that they were sweethearts and that they loved the other. Nellie told Joe, “I sure do get lonesome on Sunday evenings or when I go somewhere.” She also indicated that everyone knew she was his gal and that no one had tried to make a move for her in his absence. She also told him never to change his looks, but she teased, “What are you going to do next sprout a mustache? If you do I’ll_____________ (pull it out)” And, just about the time Joe’s letters seemed to be mundane, he would throw in a statement, such as, “I am as ever a boy that will always love you.”

Seven months after this letter was written, Nellie and Joe married. Clearly, they were in love and it wasn’t just a matter of needing a mate or convenience.

Joe McCracken’s photo on the left. The right is Nellie (Peelle) McCracken, but Joe’s photo reflects over it.

The Search

It has been at least 15 years since I first read the letters between Nellie and Joe, my paternal grandparents. When I read the statement about the locket, I wondered what it looked like and if it still existed. I didn’t remember seeing my grandmother wearing a locket and I hadn’t heard anyone mention it. Thus, the search was on.

Photographs

I first started going through photographs and enlarged any that showed a necklace with a pendant. However, I didn’t find anything that clearly looked to be a locket. One of the pictures from when they married showed a necklace of interest, but upon further research, it was determined not to be a locket.

Very faint photo of Nellie (Peelle) McCracken

What Does The Family Know

I asked my dad about the locket. He didn’t remember a locket, but said that if it still existed, he figured that his mom had given it to one of his sisters. His guess was his oldest sister O’Ella or his youngest sister Kay. However, any of his six sisters might have had it. Only one of his sisters was still living. So, most of my questions about it were directed toward my cousins. However, no one seemed to know anything about it.

In early 2009, I was talking with my cousin Ava about it. She said that she had her mother’s jewelry box, but she hadn’t looked through it and missing her mother who had passed a few years earlier she sounded hesitant to do so. To my surprise, she messaged me sometime later and said that she had looked in her mom’s jewelry box and that she thought she had found the locket. It had no chain, but the locket was intact.

Inside the locket was a photograph of a young Grandpa Joe. No doubt it was the very same photo that Grandma Nellie mentioned in her letter all those years ago. On the opposite side was a very, very faded photo of Grandma Nellie. The locket had survived and had indeed been handed down to her oldest daughter.

It was very fortunate that it was found before Ava’s passing and that it was transferred to me to preserve for future generations. To someone not looking for it, its significance might have been missed.

Becoming An Heirloom

I don’t know exactly when Grandma Nellie got the locket. Perhaps it was a gift from her family or her sweetheart. But, the letter shows that it is now over 110 years old. It is more than just an “old” item that the family owned. The photos inside make it special and the letter documenting its existence makes it extra special.