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”
Tag Archives: railroad laborer
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”
A Georgian in Uhrichsville: The Murder of Mayfield Mallory
During the Great Migration, a period of American history when millions of Black southerners moved to find work in the industrialized cities of the north, many found themselves in the Twin Cities of Dennison and Uhrichsville, Ohio. This is the sad story of one of those men. According to United States Census records, in 1920Continue reading “A Georgian in Uhrichsville: The Murder of Mayfield Mallory”
A Shot in the Dark: The 1924 Killing of Domenico Macri
An Italian immigrant and widowed father was gunned down in a Dennison home in 1924, exposing a hidden past. Domenico Macri (1880-1924), also recorded in some documents as Domineco Marci, was born in the Italian village of Mansoreto. He spent his early years there before he immigrated to the United States around the turn ofContinue reading “A Shot in the Dark: The 1924 Killing of Domenico Macri”
The Widow’s Story: The Death of Cloyce D. Jones, Part One
The suspicious death of a railroad laborer in Uhrichsville in 1929 sent shock waves through his close-knit neighborhood. 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 toContinue reading “The Widow’s Story: The Death of Cloyce D. Jones, Part One”
The 1906 Somerdale Riot: A Tragic Tale of Immigrant Strife
A gathering of railroad workers in Somerdale ended in violence, culminating in the death of one man, the wounding of another, and a murder conviction that marked the end of one immigrant’s American dream. Throughout Tuscarawas County’s history it has attracted people from elsewhere, at first to farm its fertile land, and later to workContinue reading “The 1906 Somerdale Riot: A Tragic Tale of Immigrant Strife”
A Life for Two Dollars: The 1907 Murder of Joseph Yerian
A deadly altercation over a $2 bet between two transient railroad workers in Bolivar, Ohio led to the town’s first murder. The Yerian family arrived in Ohio from western Pennsylvania in the early nineteenth-century and, by the time Joseph A. Yerian (1883-1907) was born, a branch of that family lived in Washington County, Ohio. JosephContinue reading “A Life for Two Dollars: The 1907 Murder of Joseph Yerian”
One House’s Story: Joseph J. Williams
This week I decided to write about a house that no longer exists. While taking a Google StreetView “stroll” through Dennison, I came across this unique house on Grant Street and wanted to learn more about its history. A note about addresses: House numbers and street names often change over time. The extended Williams familyContinue reading “One House’s Story: Joseph J. Williams”
Tuscarawas County Stories 