The Decade Was 1940's

Various newspaper items concerning Boone County and its residents in the 1940's. You'll find a bit of everything ... deaths, births, accidents, crime ... and even humor. All items are transcribed exactly as they appeared in the publication, so please bear in mind that it was a different time and sometimes those editors wrote with a bit of flair, and describing gory details seemed to be their specialty! Even if you don't find an ancestor or two among these pages, you'll still find it interesting to read the news of their day. And if you *do* find a relative in some of these news clips, you might turn up a real surprise or two!

Use the "find" feature on your browser to locate particular surnames

The Mountain Democrat
Placerville, California
September 18, 1947

REUNION

Mr. and Mrs. Edward P. McGinley, of Detroit, and Mrs. Mary McLaughlin, of Lebanon, Indiana, are here visiting the William Maguires. [sic] The ladies are sister and mother, respectively, of Mrs. Maguire.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - 8/10/2007

Reno Evening Gazette
Reno, Nevada
November 20, 1941

Deer Adopts Pasture For Its Home

Lebanon, Ind., Nov. 20 (AP) -- Farmer Shirley Fetheringill wonders what to do about a deer which presumably strayed from a game preserve fifty miles away leaped a six-foot fence to adopt his pasture as its home.

But his livestock have learned what is best for them. The deer has engaged in combat, in succession, with a horse, a boar and a bull. A good set of antlers gave the deer each decision.

Now, the livestock just watch the intruder from a discreet distance.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - July 17, 2007

Lima News
Lima, Ohio
May 3, 1945
Thursday, Page 13, col. 6

"GROW-A-GARDEN" CLUB IS FORMED
Lima Man Named On Nation-Wide Oil Company Group

J. H. Holmes, Zionsville, Ind has been appointed chairman of the Shell Oil Co.'s "Grow-A-Garden Club" for 1945, J. H. Hall superintendent of the Shell Products Pipe Line, Zionsville, announced Thursday. He will be assisted by J. O. Awalt, Zionsville, C. R. Warner, Lima, and J. W. Reeves of Vandalia, Ill.

"The gardening program, both nationally and in Lima, has proved so successful the past two years that this year we have decided to open participation in it to wives of Shell gardeners who will also be eligible for membership," Hall said. "And to encourage the feminine contingent of the family, prizes will be awarded for flowers."

Shell gardeners in Lima were part of the company's 6,700 gardeners last year. They grew a substantial portion of the vegetables used, thus contributing to a record year in which between 40 and 50 percent of the national vegetable production was grown by home gardeners.

Holmes urges everyone who can do so, to raise his own garden in 1945, and mentioned that a free leaflet on planning and planting entitled "Grow a Garden" is available at any Shell service station.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - April 14, 2007

Lima News
Lima, Ohio
August 5, 1940
Page 4

ONE KILLED IN AIRPLANE CRASH

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug 5--(INS)--Capt. Dwight W. Brill, 49, World war aviator of Zionsville, Ind., was killed Saturday when his two-seater training ship crashed from a height of 1,000 feet and burst into flames about 15 miles south of Indianapolis.

His companion, Sergt. Edward E. Toye, 26, of Ft. Benjamin Harrison, a member of the army reserve air corps, was saved when he bailed out at 500 feet.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - April 14, 2007

Clearfield Progress
Clearfield, Pennsylvania
January 9, 1940
Page 9

PASTOR LENDS A HAND

Zionsville, Ind -- (AP) -- Milkman Fred Gregory, going to a hospital for an operation, couldn't find a substitute driver for his 30-mile route.

So the Rev Frank Shottelkorb, pastor of the Zionsville Christian Church, volunteered -- and has been on the job daily since Gregory left.

Transcribed by: T. Stover - April 14, 2007

The Vidette Messenger
Valparaiso, Indiana
May 27, 1940

The Misses Jennie and Ada Tudor, sisters of Mrs. C. A. Harmon, and Mrs. Robert Foster, a niece of Mrs. Harmon, all of Zionsville, Ind., were week-end guests in the Harmon home.

The Vidette Messenger
Valparaiso, Indiana
August 19, 1940

Mr. & Mrs. C. A. Harmon and sons Charles, Harold and Donald have returned home from a visit with Mrs. Harmon's mother, Mrs. W. A. Tudor of Zionsville, Ind. They went there last Thursday. Mrs. Harmon spent Friday and Saturday at Elwood, Ind., working as telegrapher for the Western Union during the Wilkie notification ceremony.

The Lebanon Reporter
Lebanon, Indiana
Wednesday, March 5, 1941 (p. 1, col. 1)

BOONE WOMAN DIES WHEN HOME BURNS WEST OF ADVANCE

Mrs. Nora Cogle Trapped Attempting To Save Belongings

Trapped by flames which destroyed her home three miles west of Advance on the James Gray farm, Mrs. Nora Cogle burned to death this morning after she had rushed into the blazing building to try to save some of her belongings. Her body was recovered after firemen from the Advance department had extinguished the fire.

Mrs. Cogle was alone in the house when she discovered the fire, which is believed to have started in the roof. She summoned her son, Floyd, 25, who was working in the barn, and the two attempted to remove some of the furnishings. While the son was dragging a trunk into the yard Mrs. Cogle, against his protests, said she would get part of the bedclothing out of a west room. He yelled to her to leave the burning home but received no answer.

Attempted Rescuer Injured

In the meantime Earl Ray, a neighbor, observed the flames and telephoned an alarm to the Advance fire department which took a truck to the scene. Ray then ran to the Cogle home in time to restrain young Cogle from reentering the dwelling as the roof was about to collapse. Ray ran to the west bedroom window and broke the glass with his fist. Smoke, gas and heat formed a concussion which knocked him against a fence, several yards from the house. Ray, not badly injured, and Cogle again attempted to enter the house, but the roof and walls toppled and the structure was soon reduced to ashes.

When the embers had cooled sufficiently to permit a search to be made, the body of Mrs. Cogle was found near the west bedroom window.

Mr. Cogle was away from home at the time the fire had started, having gone to the home of a neighbor to assist in the morning chores.

Montgomery County Native

Mrs. Cogle was born in Montgomery county, December 1, 1890, a daughter of Ell and Fairy May (Miller) Rutan. The mother preceded her in death and the father survives and resides at Mace. She was married January 28, 1912, in Crawfordsville to Egbert Cogle, who survives. She spent her entire life in Indiana with exception of two years residence in Danville, Ill. She was a member of the Mace Presbyterian Church.

Survivors are the father, the husband, two sons, Russell Cogle of the U.S.S. Case, stationed at Mare Island Navy Yard, California, and Floyd Cogle at home; four brothers, Wiley Rutan of near Crawfordsville, Wallace Rutan of Roachdale, Roy Rutan of Hendricks county and Raymond Rutan of Crawfordsville. One sister, Mrs. Millie Lewis, is deceased.

No arrangements have been made for the funeral, pending word from the son in California.

Note: See obituary for Nora (Rutan) Cogle

[continued on page 1 of same newspaper, same day]

Former Home Also Burns

A coincidence is seen in the fact that at approximately the same time the Cogle home burned, fire destroyed a bungalow type tenant house on the George Daggy farm, six miles southwest of Thorntown, occupied until a year ago by the Cogle family. The Bradley Cornett family was residing in the Daggy house and Mr. Cornett's invalid mother narrowly escaped death when the chair to which she was confined caught fire. She was carried to safety, but all the family's household goods and personal belongings burned. Mr. Daggy carried insurance(?) on the house, but there was no coverage on the contents.

Note: The husband of the deceased, Egbert Cogle, was a great-uncle of the submitter.

Transcribed and Submitted by: Vernon L. Threlkeld - December 9, 2006
Repository: Lebanon Public Library