Jealousy erupted into violence when Harvey Colvin attacked Maud Shaffer with a hatchet in a New Philadelphia home. Content warning: This post contains references to suicide and domestic assault. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Click hereContinue reading “The Fatal Obsession of Harvey Colvin”
Category Archives: Stories
A Mile of Fury: The Tappan Cyclone of 1940
In 1940, an unusual storm tore through Tuscarawas and Harrison Counties, leaving a trail of splinters where covered bridges and barns once stood. Strong storms and a tornado struck Tuscarawas and Harrison counties in early April 1940, bringing with it an unusual combination of hail and electrical storms. The tornado left a path of destructionContinue reading “A Mile of Fury: The Tappan Cyclone of 1940”
Indicted but Never Convicted: The Murder of Antonio Di Simone
In 1919, Italian immigrant Antonio Di Simone was murdered near Dennison, Ohio—two suspects were arrested, but justice never came. I have chosen to use the surname Di Simone as opposed to the others that appear in the historical record. It was the surname under which Antonio Di Simone was buried by his friends and itContinue reading “Indicted but Never Convicted: The Murder of Antonio Di Simone”
Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie
The 1911 murder of Tony Gerriod remains a mystery in Tuscarawas County history. Tony Gerriod’s surname was spelled a number of ways in the newspaper including Geraid and Gerald. I have chosen the spelling that appeared on the only legal document associated with him, his death certificate. His nationality is also vague, sometimes reported asContinue reading “Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie”
Eleven Years a Thief: The Goshen Robbery Plot
A cunning thief plotted a midnight robbery, but shared his plans with the wrong man and paid the price. John F. Myers (1799-1875) and his wife Elizabeth (1800-1872) were Moravians who migrated from Pennsylvania to Tuscarawas County in the first half of the 19th century. The family settled in southern Goshen Township and northern WarwickContinue reading “Eleven Years a Thief: The Goshen Robbery Plot”
Gunfire and Nitroglycerin: The Shanesville Bank Robbery
Gunfire shattered the quiet of Shanesville in 1900, when burglars blew open the town bank and terrorized villagers. In the early morning hours of Thursday, December 13, 1900, the village of Shanesville was thrown into chaos when burglars attacked the private bank owned by John Doerschuk (1841-1916). Around 2 o’clock in the morning, neighbors wereContinue reading “Gunfire and Nitroglycerin: The Shanesville Bank Robbery”
The Lenape “Old Town”: Roots of Tuscarawas County
Before European settlers arrived, Tuscarawas County was home to a thriving indigenous community that gave the county its name. Like many people, I spend a great deal of my time researching my family history. I try to discover who the “first” ancestor of mine was to settle somewhere, whether that’s my family line in Ohio,Continue reading “The Lenape “Old Town”: Roots of Tuscarawas County”
The Crucifix Oath: The Sinibaldi Murder of 1913
In 1913 Dennison, Ohio, jealousy, violence, and a desperate struggle turned a marriage deal into murder. Antonio “Tony” Sinibaldi (1873-1913) was born in L’Aquila, San Benedetto dei Marsi, Italy, to Antonio Sinibaldi and Maria Ficcadehli. He grew up in Italy but as a young man decided to seek opportunities in America. Antonio immigrated to theContinue reading “The Crucifix Oath: The Sinibaldi Murder of 1913”
The Cistern Secret: The 1919 Clara Shroyer Case
A shocking discovery in a city cistern would unravel the dark, hidden chapter of young woman’s short life. Clara Madge Shroyer (1897–1930) was born in Mineral City, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the daughter of Henry Shroyer (1872–1930), a local farm laborer, and his wife, Selena Emma Fisher Shroyer (1876–1937). She grew up in a rural farmingContinue reading “The Cistern Secret: The 1919 Clara Shroyer Case”
In the Line of Duty: The Murder of Deputy Myers
A tense standoff between a veteran sheriff’s deputy and an unstable Tuscarawas County farmer ended in deadly tragedy. Martin L. Myers (1890-1940) was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Victor E. Myers (?-1892) and Ella McBarnes Myers (1872-1943). After his father’s death in 1892, young Martin grew up in Dennison, Ohio, where he livedContinue reading “In the Line of Duty: The Murder of Deputy Myers”
Tuscarawas County Stories 