sugar creek township – Tuscarawas County Stories

Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie

AI generated image depicting the scene of Tony Gerriod lying on the ground outside the boxcar where he was killed in September 1911, 2025. (Source: ImageFX)

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”

“Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Conclusion

AI generated image depicting Ellen Crites Athey sitting in her cell at the Columbus State Hospital for the Insane in 1903. (Source: ChatGPT)

The tragic aftermath of Mary Senff’s murder unfolded not only in the haunting fate of Ellen but in ghostly legends that lingered in the community. Read Part Four Note on spelling: Not surprisingly, the Senff surname is spelled differently across many of the historical documents, newspaper articles, headstones, etc. For consistency, I have decided toContinue reading ““Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Conclusion”

“Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Four

AI generated image depicting Mary Senff and Ellen Crites Athey arguing in Mary's bedchamber the night of May 28, 1880. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

The murder of Mary Senff inside the Athey farmhouse in May 1880 was one of the most brutal crimes in Tuscarawas County history. Read Part Three Note on spelling: Not surprisingly, the Senff surname is spelled differently across many of the historical documents, newspaper articles, headstones, etc. For consistency, I have decided to use theContinue reading ““Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Four”

“Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Three

AI generated image, altered, depicting the discovery of Mary Senff's body in the Sugar Creek in 1880.

When missing Mary Senff’s body was discovered in June 1880, the attention of investigators quickly turned to the Athey and Crites families. Read Part Two Note on spelling: Not surprisingly, the Senff surname is spelled differently across many of the historical documents, newspaper articles, headstones, etc. For consistency, I have decided to use the spellingContinue reading ““Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Three”

“Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Two

AI generated image of two young women walking along a dirt path under the soft glow of a full moon on a spring night in 1880, in rural Ohio. They are returning from an evening spent at a cozy, lantern-lit farmhouse, which is visible in the background, nestled among rolling fields and budding trees. The women wear period-appropriate dresses with delicate lace trims and shawls draped over their shoulders, their skirts gently swaying as they walk. The night sky is speckled with stars, and fireflies flicker in the cool night air. Their expressions convey warmth and quiet conversation as they make their way home.

The second part of the story of the 1880 murder of 18-year-old Mary Senff by a member of a prominent local family that ignited a national sensation. Read Part One Note on spelling: Not surprisingly, the Senff surname is spelled differently across many of the historical documents, newspaper articles, headstones, etc. For consistency, I haveContinue reading ““Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Two”

“Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part One

AI generated image depicting the discovery of the body of Mary Sneff in 1880. (Source: Chatgpt)

The 1880 brutal murder of 18-year-old Mary Senff by a member of a prominent local family ignited a national sensation. Note on spelling: Not surprisingly, the Senff surname is spelled differently across many of the historical documents, newspaper articles, headstones, etc. For consistency, I have decided to use the spelling that appeared on the 1850Continue reading ““Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part One”

“For Both White Men and Indians”: Tuscarawas County Gunsmith George Biddle

The discussion of the making of the uniquely American long rifle is a subject most often associated with Pennsylvania or Kentucky. There were, however, gunsmiths who produced these artistic and practical objects in other regions. Many of those gunsmiths, like the subject of this story, learned their trade in a gunsmith shop in Pennsylvania. TheyContinue reading ““For Both White Men and Indians”: Tuscarawas County Gunsmith George Biddle”