Chicago, Illinois
Dundee Pioneer Charles Blow A Hero at 94 Years Old
The Rock Island Argus
July 18, 1913
Page 9
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HUSBAND, 94, SAVES WIFE FROM FLAMES
Stairway Crashes as Aged Man Bears Helpmate Away from Burning House.
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Muscatine, Iowa, July 18
Heroism which parallels that of genuine fiction was exhibited by Charles Blow, 94 years old, from possible death in a fire which totally destroyed the residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Contriman at Fruitland yesterday.
The aged people were in the home alone at the time of the fire. They have been guests at the Contriman home for the past several weeks, coming here from their home at Elgin, Ill. Their daughter, Mrs. Contriman was out in the pasture while Mr. Contriman was in the field.
The fire was discovered by Mr. Blow just as he had descended to the kitchen preparatory toward securing his breakfast. Considerable headway has already been made by the fire, a gust of flame enveloping him as he opened the kitchen door. Staggering from the noxious fumes he pluckily made his way upstairs where his wife was dressing. The aged woman was almost prostrated by the smoke which filled the upstairs portion of the dwelling and her husband practically carried her down the flight of the stairs. The passageway was dense with smoke and the two old people were compelled to fight their way to safety blindly. Flames singed the hair of both although neither was otherwise injured.
Barely a minute after they reached fresh air, the stairway crashed in.
The home was burned to the ground in its entirety. Nothing was saved. The loss to the furniture is estimated at about $1,500, while to the dwelling about $1,2000. The house was owned by Theodore Drake, a well known Muscatine Island resident. But a small amount of insurance was carried. The dwelling had recently been remodeled but since the improvements the insurance had not been increased.
Mr. and Mrs. Contriman had made their home in Fruitland since last February coming here from Chicago.
daughter of Charles BLOW
son of Maria Elizabeth BLOW
daughter of Frederick Judson “Fred” HOAGLAND
son of Helen Marie HOAGLAND
Me, the daughter of Frank Hunt BOSWORTH
Mr. Charles Blow and his wife, Lucy Flude Knott, are my 3x great grandparents.
Submitted by Tenderly Rose-Robin Melissa Bosworth Reininger
Chicago Police Hunt Biloxi Dentist
Chicago Daily Tribune
May 05, 2937
Page 13
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CHICAGO POLICE HUNT MISSING BILOXI DENTIST
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Wife Delays Operation and Flies Home.
Chicago police were notified last night of the disappearance of Dr. Wilder M. Bosworth, 34 years old, a Biloxi, Miss., dentist who has been missing since Sunday night when he started for Chicago by automobile to be at the bedside of his wife, who was to have had an operation in the Presbyterian hospital.
When the dentist did not appear Mrs. Bosworth had the operation postponed and flew home to Biloxi to join her two small children and aid in the search.
Finds Husband Gone.
Upon her arrival there she learned her husband had gone to visit a friend, Dr. W. C. White, in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday and had left Dr. White’s home on Sunday and had left Dr. White’s home on Sunday evening for Chicago, saying he was going to drive all night.
Both the dentist and his wife are members of prominent Elgin families. Dr. Bosworth’s parents died a few years ago. Mrs. Bosworth is the daughter of Mrs. G. Mabel Hoagland, 225 Walnut avenue, Elgin, who said she had heard nothing from her son-in-law.
Shot in Roadhouse Gunfire.
Eight years ago Bosworth, before going into dentistry, had a narrow escape from death while entertaining a party of friends in a roadhouse on the Lincoln highway in North Aurora. He was shot and critically wounded by Emmett Lyons, moonshine crazed caddy master of the Aurora Country club.
Note:
From another newspaper clipping about this fiasco in my collection, I learned the Bosworths had moved to Biloxi from Florida a year earlier and Mrs. Bosworth was the president of a coast committee for the advancement of world peace.
This story was picked up by the Associated Press and went nationwide. Some of the newspapers I’ve found it in are: Anniston Star of Alabama, Centralia Evening Sentinel of Illinois, Register Republic-Rockford of Illinois, Freeport Journal Standard, among others.
As reported in a 1941 Biloxi Daily Herald, a divorce suit was docketed for Wilder Morris Bosworth and Helen Hoagland Bosworth stating “Cruel and Inhuman Treatment Listed as cause for complaint”. I learned the date of their marriage from this newspaper clipping, I had searched for quite a while for that. My father Frank had listed their divorce date in his family history notes.
Dr. Wilder Morris Boswoth , D.D.S. and Helen Hoagland Bosworth were my grandparents.
Submitted by Tenderly Rose-Robin Melissa Bosworth Reininger
Maria Elizabeth (Blow) Hoagland of Dundee, Illinois, Pioneer Family
A Letter from Alfred Bosworth (1773-1861) – to His Brother Hezekiah
Alfred Bosworth’s Letter to His Brother Hezekiah
Dundee Kane Co. Ill. Jan. 7 AD 1846
Dear Brother,
I must say I have for a long time neglected to wright to you. When I left you I was soon unwell and not willing for my son to leave me. After leaving Warren I was soon in Pittstown. I was in Pittstown 7 or 8 days. My hoarseness and cold wore off.
Brother Nathaniel took me to Adams and about to see his children.
I left Pittstown and went to Gorham, Ontario where Judge Child lives and his children. I was in Ontario County 6 days. They took me about the county to see some relatives and old acquaintances. I was on the Fourth of July in Canandaigue Village. The people was celebrating the Fourth of July.
I left Ontario ounty for Hanover in Chautauqua county where my daughter in law and three little children lives. I was with them 6 days. She has a good house and lot and some money at interest. I went from Chautauqua to Michigan State. There I stopt to see Mrs. Bosworth’s relatives.
From Michigan I went to Chicago and I arrived home in Dundee the 22 of July. In looking over my journey in 2 months and 2 days I traveled near four thousand miles in the time, visited a number of relatives and friends. It was a consolation to find my relatives enjoying good health. Mrs. Bosworth and my children enjoyed good health the past year. My health in September and October was poor but through Divine Goodness my health is now good. I see it stated in some of the western papers that the health of the people was for 2 or 3 months the last year poor in the great Valley of the Mississippi but now good.
The farmers in this country have been blest with good crops the past year and the short crops in Europe helped them to an advanced price for their produce. This country is increasing fast in population and wealth. The people are enterprising and of industrious habits and respect the Sabbath. There is in Dundee Baptists Methodists and Presbyterians preaching. There will soon be a railroad from Chiago through Dundee to Galena.
I have just received a newspaper from Leonard Waldron. I received it as a favor. I must come to a close I never was a ready wrighter. If I had a been I would have wrighten to you all, and much oftener than I have done. It is seldom that I take a pen in my hand. I will be 73 years of age….months and I do feel a degree of thankfulness for the health and blessings that I have enjoyed. I have had some unpleasant feeling about Sister Usher’s living alone in her advanced age.
I do wish that my near relatives might see this letter for I cannot wright to them all–and I do hope that some one of the number will soon let me hear from you all. I have just received a newspaper from Leonard Waldron. I received it as a favor and I have sent in this letter a five dollar bill No. 141 the Ontario bank, Canandaigue. Brother I wish you would take this money and pay the Bristol printer for a newspaper one year directed to A. Bosworth, Dundee, Kane co., Ill. Give the balance of it to our Sister Waldron. In so doing you will oblige a brother.
I must close and leave room for Mrs. Bosworth to wright a few lines. Now we want four or five or six of you to come out and see us and see where we live. Such a visit would be gratifying to all.
4th great-grandfather
son of Alfred BOSWORTH
son of Benjamin Franklin BOSWORTH M.D.
son of Franklin Smith BOSWORTH
son of Frank Hunt BOSWORTH
son of Dr. Wilder Morris BOSWORTH Sr., D.D.S.
The Tenderly Rose Collection 