north atlantic – Tuscarawas County Stories

Before the Titanic: John E. Joss and the City of Rome

Image of the SS City of Rome striking an iceberg in 1899 from the New York Journal newspaper. (Source: loc.gov)

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”

Fallen Heroes: Seaman 2nd Class Robert L. Hammersley

AI generated image of the USS Leary being struck by a German torpedo in the North Atlantic, 2024. (Source: Google ImageFX"

The story of this fallen hero traces a young Ohioan’s journey from his small-town roots to his ultimate sacrifice at sea during World War II. The Hammersley family’s roots were firmly planted in Ohio by the time Thomas E. Hammersley (1896–1957) was born in Coshocton County. The family moved to Wheeling Township, Guernsey County whereContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Seaman 2nd Class Robert L. Hammersley”