After vanishing from an Ohio country road, Mae Eberly protected her stalker’s identity until her death. In January 1911, the brief and mysterious disappearance of Edna Mae Eberly (1889-1912) dominated front-page headlines in the New Philadelphia press for days as the newspapers tracked every dramatic revelation. The disturbing backstory began around 1907, when Mae, theContinue reading “The Mae Eberly Mystery of 1911”
Tag Archives: new philadelphia
The Great Swiss Cheese Heist of 1931
A three-year-old mystery involving 800 pounds of stolen Swiss cheese finally cracked open in 1935. On a Saturday night in November 1931, a massive quantity of Swiss cheese was stolen from a cellar near Stone Creek at the dairy operated by Swiss immigrant Samuel Knutti (1873–1943). The heist was carried out by Kenneth Umstead (1894–1961),Continue reading “The Great Swiss Cheese Heist of 1931”
Two Lives Lost: The 1909 Midvale Boiler Explosion
Tragedy struck Midvale when a violent boiler explosion claimed the lives of two young workers. On the morning of December 17, 1909, the Royal plant of the Robinson Clay Product Company in Midvale, Ohio, was operating a battery of eight horizontal tubular boilers under approximately 95 pounds of pressure. At 7:10 AM, a catastrophic explosionContinue reading “Two Lives Lost: The 1909 Midvale Boiler Explosion”
Field of Mystery: The 1965 Killing of Ronald Weigand
The tragic 1965 shooting of teenager Ronnie Weigand remains a haunting, unsolved Tuscarawas County mystery. On the afternoon of July 29, 1965, 16-year-old Ronald “Ronnie” Weigand (1948-1965) left his home with a sense of accomplishment. Just that morning, he had received credits from summer school, officially making him a senior for the upcoming fall term.Continue reading “Field of Mystery: The 1965 Killing of Ronald Weigand”
A Veteran’s Final Battle: The Murder of George LeMasters
New Philadelphia WWII veteran George Jasper LeMasters was tragically murdered during a robbery at a Canton hotel. George Jasper LeMasters (1906–1950), known to many as “Jap,” was born in Union Township, Tuscarawas County. His early life was marked by tragedy when his father, Ernest LeMasters (1877–1918), was killed in a mine accident when George wasContinue reading “A Veteran’s Final Battle: The Murder of George LeMasters”
Before the Titanic: John E. Joss and the City of Rome
Thirteen years before the Titanic disaster, a New Philadelphia jeweler survived a terrifying North Atlantic iceberg collision. In April 1912, as the world reeled from the news of the Titanic disaster, John Ernest Joss (1873–1961) came forward to share a chillingly similar experience from thirteen years earlier. A prominent jeweler and optometrist in New Philadelphia,Continue reading “Before the Titanic: John E. Joss and the City of Rome”
The 1914 Killing of Joseph Reed on Beaver Avenue
A New Philadelphia teen desperately defended his family from his abusive stepfather. Content warning: The following story contains references to domestic violence. If you are experiencing domestic abuse or violence and need help, please visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The story begins with Catherine Swan Nelson (1867-1957), a Swedish immigrant who, after being widowed fromContinue reading “The 1914 Killing of Joseph Reed on Beaver Avenue”
Twenty-Two Years a Chief: Abraham L. Espich
I often write about the various criminal activity of Tuscarawas County and thought it was only right to share the history of one of the men who fought that crime. Elijah Abraham Lincoln Espich (1861-1945), often referred to as A. L. or by his popular nickname “Lige,” was born in Ragersville, Ohio, to Charles FredericContinue reading “Twenty-Two Years a Chief: Abraham L. Espich”
Theodore Umstead’s Secret
Theodore Umstead’s death in 1910 revealed a twenty-five year old secret. Theodore Umstead (1846-1910) was a well-known resident of New Philadelphia’s West End, a cabinet maker who served as a private in the 12th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry during the Civil War. He lived a seemingly quiet life until his death on February 27, 1910, atContinue reading “Theodore Umstead’s Secret”
“I May As Well Give Up”: The Final Hours of James Ferguson
In October 1953, James Ferguson kidnapped his estranged wife, sparking a 50-mile police chase that ended tragically. Content warning: This post contains references to suicide. 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 here for resources to findContinue reading ““I May As Well Give Up”: The Final Hours of James Ferguson”
