FOLLOW UP ON HOBART B. STEWART–MURDER VICTIM

In a post on February 13th, I wrote about the tragic killing of Hobart B. Stewart.  He was killed during an escape attempt from the Boys  Industrial School in Fairfield County, Ohio.  You can read about it in this post:  http://www.michiganfamilytrails.com/2014/02/thriller-thursdayhobart-b-stewart.html

I could not locate any death certificate or burial record for Hobart Stewart, in my usual haunts like FindAGrave, Ancestry or Family Search.  I checked on FindAGrave in Woodland Cemetery, Ironton, Lawrence, Ohio, as that is where is deceased wife, Marcella is buried, according to her death certificate.  Neither of them were listed on the site.  

Next, I went to the Ohio Historical Society website, as I know that they have vital records information at that site.  I put his name into the search criteria and up popped this record:  STEWART, Hobart B., 12/17/1936, Fairfield County, Cert. 75584 (Ohio Death Certificate)

I knew that had to be our Hobart because the date of death and location matched what information I already had.  I was able to order the certificate online for only $7.  About 6 days later the certificate arrived in the mail.

NOTE:  I'm as excited as a kid at Christmas when I get the mail and see that a record I ordered has arrived.
 

DEATH CERTIFICATE FOR HOBART B. STEWART (click to enlarge the image)

This certificate confirms much of what I already know such as his date of birth, date of death, his parent’s names and that his death was a homicide.

WHAT NEW INFORMATION DID I LEARN FROM THIS CERTIFICATE?

• His residence at the time of his death – 1123 S. Broad
• That he was married at the time of his death to a woman named Ruth who was the informant on this certificate.
• That he was either buried or removed to Ironton, Ohio
• That an autopsy had been performed after his death
• The name of the Coroner who performed the autopsy
• The name of the funeral home and that his body was embalmed

All of these items help to complete the story for Hobart B. Stewart.  Of these items the most surprising to me was that he was married at the time of his death.  There was no mention of a wife in any of the articles I read.  

NOTE:  I have not located an actual obituary for him yet.  

We know his wife, Marcella died in 1930. 
So who is Ruth and when did they marry?

I have not located a marriage record for Hobart & Ruth yet, despite my intensive efforts on familysearch.org and Ancestry.  

However, I did locate two CITY DIRECTORY listings which have Hobart and a woman named Ruth in the same house in 1934 & 1936.  This certainly fits with her being his wife on the death certificate.  Also of note is that his son Charles H. is listed in this directory at the same address.

Here are images of those directory listings.

1934 Lancaster, Ohio directory listing for Hobart B. Stewart

1936 Lancaster, Ohio directory listing for Hobart B. Stewart

  
TIP:  City Directory listings can tell you a great many things about someone and they are a very useful source of information which I use frequently.

What did I do next?

I went onto one of the genealogy Facebook pages I belong to and posted a query about the burial location for Hobart B. Stewart.  The name of the page is  I Come from Lawrence County/Ironton, Ohio   

Here is my post.

"Looking for burial site in Ironton. Hobart B. Stewart died on 17 Dec 1936. Actually he didn't just die, he was murdered. The incident occurred in Hocking, Fairfield, Ohio and the Boys Industrial School. I sent for and have just rec'd his death certificate. I have tried locating him on FAG, with no luck. His death cert states he was buried/removed to Ironton. It does not have "cremation" circled, so I'm assuming he was buried, although not certain. His first wife was M...arcella Jean Wood who died in 1931. She is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Ironton. I'm wondering if he could also be in Woodland?
If any of you have any idea, records from Woodland or other info, I would be very grateful. AND, if any of you are related to this family I would love to hear from you. Thanks!"

Within an hour I had a response from someone I have communicated with often via the Ohio Facebook groups I belong to.  She told me that Hobart is buried at Woodland Cemetery in Ironton, Ohio and gave me a burial number.  

TIP:  As I have said before, belonging to regional groups on Facebook and being on social media in general, is a great way to enhance your research and meet others who can assist you.  It’s also fun to assist them when they need something.

Now I need to call Woodland Cemetery and see if I can find his exact location.  

What I did today was to double check entries at Woodland Cemetery on FindAGrave.  There were none for either Hobart or his wife, Marcella.  

I created memorials for them and requested photos of their headstones.  There are several Facebook friends who are regular photo volunteers in the area.  I may have to wait til the weather clears though, in order for the photos to be taken.

Here are the links to the memorials:

Hobart B. Stewart memorial #125478990

Marcella Jean Wood Stewart memorial #125480839

WHAT I STILL WANT TO DO

As I said in my previous post about Hobart B. Stewart.  I would like to know what became of his children and I am still looking.  I have not been able to locate any information about them after the 1940 census.

If you are related or have information about Charles H. Stewart, born 30 Apr 1918 in Ohio or Phyllis Jane Stewart, born Feb 1926 in Ohio, please contact me.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST:

ADDING SIBLING LINKS TO FINDAGRAVE MEMORIALS

CEMETERY RECORDS - WHAT THEY CAN TELL YOU, HOW TO USE THEM

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2014   Diane Gould Hall

THRILLER THURSDAY–Hobart B. Stewart Murdered - 1936

HOBART B. STEWART, PRISON GUARD, MURDERED BY TWO YOUTH INMATES DURING ESCAPE ATTEMPT

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT

Hobart Basil “Hob” STEWART is a 3rd cousin twice removed on my maternal side of the family.  I was surprised to find this article at Genealogy Bank when I was researching his family.  Hobart was the son of Dr. Charles E. Stewart and Ida Lunsford.  He was born on 18 Sep 1896 in Lawrence Co., Ohio.  I have located many articles about his murder, but so far have not located an obituary.  

Hobart married Marcella Wood, daughter of Royal H. & Matilda Wagner, on 9 Jun 1917 in Ashland, Boyd, Kentucky. Hobart & Marcella had three children, Page Albert, Charles & Phyllis Jane. 

In 1920 we find Hobart & Marcella living with their two young sons in Mingo Junction, Jefferson, Ohio.  He is working as an Engineer in, I believe, a steel factory.  The entry for the type of industry is a bit difficult to read.



On 21 Oct 1923, their young son, Page Albert, dies of meningitis at the young age of 4 years. 

DEATH CERTIFICATE FOR PAGE ALBERT STEWART

In 1926 their daughter, Phyllis Jane was born.



The family moved from Mingo Junction to Hocking, Ohio sometime between 1920 & 1930.  The 1930 census is enumerated on 6 Apr 1930  and you see that Hobart has taken a job as a Stationary Engineer at the power plant in a Boy’s Industrial School.



A SAD DAY FOR HOBART & HIS CHILDREN
On 7 Aug 1930, just 4 months after the 1930 census was taken, Marcella Wood Stewart, Hobart’s wife, died at Deaconess Hospital of a post operative embolism after a laparotomy.   Now Hobart has his son Charles, age 12 & daughter, Phyllis, age 4 to raise by himself.  What trials he and his children went through during those times we may never know.  

But, it’s about to get much worse.

On 17 Dec 1936 Hobart is killed, at work, during an escape attempt by two youth’s at the Boy’s Industrial School.

This was a very horrible and sad thing for the Stewart family.  They lost a young son, then the mother dies and now their father is murdered.  Stories like this break my heart.
 
The two youth’s who committed this crime were caught, tried and convicted.

  

In the 1940 census we find Charles, now 21 and his sister, Phyllis, now 14 yrs. old, living with their Grandmother Ida Lunsford Stewart.  Also in the house is their Uncle Mark & his wife, Myrtle. 

I haven’t taken this story any further, yet.  I need to find out what became of Charles & his sister Phyllis.  Did they marry and have children of their own?  I hope whatever they did that they were happy.  They certainly experienced a lot of tragedy when they were young.

NOTE:  Normally I wouldn’t spend this much time researching a 3rd cousin, twice removed and his wife and children.  They aren’t closely related to me and certainly aren’t blood relations.  However, sometimes you run across stories that peak your interest and you just have to follow them.  Of course, any time we research one part of the family, we never know what we will run across that will help with another part of the family.  As genealogists it isn’t always about  how close to us the person is, but about their story. 

Our ancestors were no different than we are today.  They lived and loved.  They made mistakes, they worked hard, and, they experienced the joys and sadness life brings.  

If anyone reading this is related to this Stewart family, I would really enjoy hearing from you.

I apologize for the fact that the articles are blurry when you enlarge them.  I have tried and tried to fix that issue and don't seem to be able to.  

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2014   Diane Gould Hall