A mysterious night, missing belongings, and a crushed skull. What really happened to Albert Bates in 1929? Albert “Alva” Jerome Bates (1868-1929) was born in Ashland County, Ohio, to farmer Elias Bates (1831-1891) and his wife Harriet Charlton (1824-1900). His early life was marked by hardship when, at the age of two, he suffered aContinue reading ““Unknown Causes”: The Mysterious Death of Albert J. Bates”
Tag Archives: true crime murder
Jealousy on the Farm: The 1940 Murder of Nellie Kail
A devoted farm wife, a jealous husband, and a fatal morning confrontation – unraveling the tragic, forgotten story of Nellie Vansickle Kail. Content warning: 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 “Jealousy on the Farm: The 1940 Murder of Nellie Kail”
A Killing in Dennison: The Story of Minnie Adkins
Minnie Adkins—a young Black mother and domestic worker—sparked a rare wave of public sympathy after she shot and killed a white man who threatened her. Minnie Williamson (1884-aft. 1950) was born in 1884 in North Carolina to Bedford Williamson and Della Willis. One of nine siblings, Minnie came of age in the post-Reconstruction South asContinue reading “A Killing in Dennison: The Story of Minnie Adkins”
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”
No Apology Given: The Leo Byers Murder of 1934
On a quiet street in Dover, Ohio, a friendship turned fatal one Sunday in 1934. Leo E. Byers (1894-1934) was born in 1894 in Pennsylvania to William E. Byers (1868-1945), who later served as police chief in Dover, Ohio, and Jane Robertson (1869-1907). During his early years, he lived with his family in Westmoreland County,Continue reading “No Apology Given: The Leo Byers Murder of 1934”
A Son’s Madness and the Murder of Dr. James Dickson
A respected doctor, Civil War veteran, and county coroner, James A. Dickson built a life of service in Dover—until a tragic turn of events in the summer of 1903 led to his shocking murder at the hands of his own son. James A. Dickson (1837-1903) was born on July 2, 1837, in Huron County, Ohio,Continue reading “A Son’s Madness and the Murder of Dr. James Dickson”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Conclusion
The murder of John Myers ended his life, but not his legacy. Meanwhile, the question of who murdered him remained unknown. Click here to read part six. John Myers, the man senselessly murdered outside a tavern in Zoar in November 1947, was on his way home to his wife and daughter in Bolivar, Ohio. AContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Conclusion”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Six
Delbert Sizemore’s life of crime—spanning armed robberies, violent assaults, and state-hopping schemes, possibly included the 1947 murder of John Myers where his own words and actions pointed to his guilt. Click here to read part five. Delbert Sizemore was in and out of prison from at least the age of 18, and possibly even earlierContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Six”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Five
Was it probable that Delbert Sizemore was responsible for the murder of John Myers in November 1947? There were reasons to doubt it. Click here to read part four. Tuscarawas County law enforcement had, by the end of December 1947, a man they believed was responsible for the murder of John Myers outside a tavernContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Five”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Four
Who was Delbert Hershel Sizemore, the violent Indiana convicted felon, and what was his connection to the murder of John Myers on the evening of November 19, 1947? Click here to read part three. Delbert Hershel Sizemore’s life began quietly enough in 1914, in the small Indiana town of Center Point. But beneath the surfaceContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Four”
Tuscarawas County Stories 