The path of Joseph McClain led from his rural Tennessee roots to a dramatic shooting spree in the heart of Dover, Ohio. Joseph L. McClain (1909-1969) was born in Tennessee in late 1909 or early 1910, the son of farmer Charles McClain and his wife, Laura (Skillern) McClain. Recorded as four months old in theContinue reading “Intent to Kill: The 1946 Joseph McClain Shooting Spree”
Tag Archives: dover oh
One House’s Story: The Brucks Family
Ferdinand Brucks (1830-1915) was born in Germany and immigrated to the United States when he was 22 years old. He arrived in Tuscarawas County shortly after his immigration and, in 1854, he married German-born Catherine Wegele (1837-1914). It is likely that Ferdinand chose Tuscarawas County as his home because of other family members who hadContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Brucks Family”
A Daughter’s Testimony: The Killing of Ella Lenarz
Ella Lenarz’s life ended in violence, her family torn apart, and justice proved painfully short-lived. Oella “Ella” Kelley (1900-1936) was born in Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, to James Kelley (1880-1930) and Catherine Brannan (1881-1968). She grew up in a working-class family that endured both hardship and loss. Her early years were marked by the birthContinue reading “A Daughter’s Testimony: The Killing of Ella Lenarz”
The Fatal Obsession of Harvey Colvin
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”
Adam Lantzer and The Newlywed Killing of 1913
A moment of joy between a Dover couple was shattered by a drunken driver on Wooster Road. Verna C. Dawson (1892–1923) was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, the daughter of Robert E. Dawson (1862–1916) and Etta Little Dawson (1874–1949). Her father, once employed at a pipe works in Newcomerstown, later returned to farming as theContinue reading “Adam Lantzer and The Newlywed Killing of 1913”
The Mysterious Death of Florence Weber
In the fall of 1909, twenty-year old Florence Weber vanished after a phone call. Two days later, her body was found beneath a Dover bridge. John W. Weber (1854-1927) was the son of German immigrants who settled in Ohio in the early 1850s. The Webers found themselves in Tuscarawas County, Ohio by the time theContinue reading “The Mysterious Death of Florence Weber”
Frank Burns and a Christmas Eve Murder on Depot Street
A quiet laborer in Dover, Ohio, Frank Burns became the unintended victim of a Christmas Eve shooting in 1943. Note: The Clakley surname is spelled a number of different ways in the various source material. I have chosen the spelling that appeared in the official criminal court records. Frank C. Burns was born in Milton,Continue reading “Frank Burns and a Christmas Eve Murder on Depot Street”
The Unsolved Murder of Salvatore Favazzo
Over a century later, the brutal murder of Salvatore Favazzo remains one of Tuscarawas County’s most haunting unsolved crimes. In the summer of 1917, Salvatore “Sam” Favazzo (c. 1887-1917) was a familiar face in the Italian neighborhoods of Dennison, Ohio. A man in his early forties, he lived in a local boarding house and ownedContinue reading “The Unsolved Murder of Salvatore Favazzo”
Innocence Buried: The Feutz Tragedy of 1935
The lives of a Dover family unraveled in 1935 with a secret birth and a tragic crime. Content warning: The post contains discussion of infanticide. Mary Warther (1887-1969) was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the daughter of Swiss immigrants Jacob Godfrey Warther (1844-1888) and Elizabeth Anna Haney (1855-1938). Her early years were marked by theContinue reading “Innocence Buried: The Feutz Tragedy of 1935”
January 12, 1913: The Night Dover Held Its Breath
Four well-liked young men, a flooded bridge, and a night that nearly claimed their futures forever. It was cold and rainy Sunday afternoon, January 12, 1913 when four friends decided to travel from Dover to visit Mineral City’s newspaper office. It was a trip the group – made up of Perry Floyd Bixler (1895-1972), linotypeContinue reading “January 12, 1913: The Night Dover Held Its Breath”
Tuscarawas County Stories 