The first Tuscarawas County soldier to lose his life in Vietnam was not some young-faced draftee straight out of high school. He was a career soldier who had served in two previous wars and been wounded in battle once. His death, and those that died with him that day, would bring the Vietnam War intoContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Specialist 5 James B. Alexander”
Tag Archives: history
Fallen Heroes: Private Darrell O. Beiter
Many Tuscarawas County young men witnessed the brutality of trench warfare in France during World War One. Many of those suffered debilitating wounds and the less obvious mental illnesses associated with “shell-shock”. Then there were those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and among them, as in the case of this fallen hero, were the menContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Darrell O. Beiter”
Fallen Heroes: Private Jacob Fribley
The battlefields of the Civil War are well known to most students of history, and in some cases certain parts of those battlefields become famous. The Burnside Bridge on the Antietam battlefield is one example. This fallen hero gave the ultimate sacrifice defending that landmark. Jacob Fribley (1784-1852) was born in Pennsylvania and, shortly afterContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Jacob Fribley”
Fallen Heroes: Private Carl Ankrim
Often times the death of a soldier in a far-off land is, unfortunately, politicized by some to support their arguments for or against a given conflict. We tend to think of this as a modern practice, but there are ample instances of it from history. The loss of this fallen hero is but one example.Continue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Carl Ankrim”
“Witches at their Old Tricks”: The Stone Creek Witch of 1870
When strange happenings occur within a community, the public’s perception of the validity of those happenings often hinge on the credibility of the witnesses. The family in this case was a well known and respected family and their unusual experience in the spring of 1870 was documented in the local newspaper. Henry Fisher (1795-1882) andContinue reading ““Witches at their Old Tricks”: The Stone Creek Witch of 1870″
Fallen Heroes: Staff Sergeant Richard K. Breting
When a soldier, sailor or marine goes off to war there is always the chance that they may not return. In some cases not only is one killed, but their mortal remains are unable to be recovered and sent home for burial. Oftentimes these cases, like the following story, occur among those serving in aircraftContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Staff Sergeant Richard K. Breting”
Fallen Heroes: Corporal Charles W. Newton
Many of the men covered in this series of profiles were young men, in the prime of their lives, when war took them away from their friends and families. This profile illustrates that point better than many, the “young man” was barely a man when he went off to war. The ancestors of Charles W.Continue reading “Fallen Heroes: Corporal Charles W. Newton”
The Goshen Road Ghost
Ghost stories capture the imagination of the reader perhaps more than most, and local ones even more so. A ghost story is more fun to read when you are familiar with an area, its history, its lore, and landmarks. During the spring of 1904, the south side of New Philadelphia made the papers when twoContinue reading “The Goshen Road Ghost”
Fallen Heroes: Specialist 4 Thomas Michael Struchen
The stories of fallen heroes are composed of long lists of “All American Boys.” Young men often went from their high school playing fields to the jungles of Vietnam within a few short months. They, like many heroes before them, gave their lives far from the people they loved and the country they served. TheContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Specialist 4 Thomas Michael Struchen”
“Everyone Thinks I Am Crazy”: A UFO Sighting in Tuscarawas County
Sometimes when you are doing research on a subject, you accidently stumble upon the unexpected. This is one of those cases. While researching a fallen hero, and unrelated to his story, I came across a document on a UFO sighting that occurred in New Philadelphia, Ohio in 1968. There was no way I was notContinue reading ““Everyone Thinks I Am Crazy”: A UFO Sighting in Tuscarawas County”
Tuscarawas County Stories 