My friend's great grandfather found RIP 71.5 years later.

Several months back while attending Randy Seaver's research meeting a fellow society member, our treasurer Jaye Wight, shared she wished she had data on her great grandfather. She mentioned no one knew what happened to him. He left his wife and children and not much was known about him. She mentioned how some day she would like to visit Hutchinson Kansas and browse the newspapers for data on a rumor. The rumor was that her great grandfather was ran over by a street sprinkler in Hutchinson, Kansas.

WOW WOW I was planning a trip to Hutchinson, Kansas. So we exchanged some information and I spent some time researching Jaye's great grandfather.

excerpt from Randy's blog posted 10/13/10

http://cvgencafe.blogspot.com/2010/10/cvgs-research-group-summary-13-october.html

* Jaye was grinning ear to ear as Ruth handed her a folder with the newspaper clippings found in Hutchinson, Kansas about Jaye's grandfather's death by a street cleaning truck in 1939. The accident was the result of teenage joy-riding. Ruth found several articles about the driver, including previous run-ins with the police, and his enlistment, service, capture and death in World War II. Ruth also found the obituary for Jaye's grandfather, which provided family information and a burial place

Now a little back ground of how I found this data and thank yous to the people that helped:




First we went to the Genealogy Section of the Hutchinson Kansas Public Library. If you look closely you will see Aunt Helen (or at least her back) in the upper right corner working at a microfiche reader. The section was busy, and library assistants were very cordial and helpful.



Off I went to County Records to follow up with the legal records of the case.




The case gets more interesting. I wanted to find out more about this young man that caused my friend's great grandfather's death. This is AMANDA! She and I both research what became of the young man that caused this fatal accident. She was very efficient and patient with the search.




So with Aunt Helen's help we continued to research newspaper articles about this young man.


I am then sent to the salt mines to retrieve court records from 1939.

See blogspot OFF TO THE SALT MINES posted Sept 19, 2010.


The troubled youth was sent to the Navy Services and dies in World War II. Everyone stated how this story is the making of so many novels.

In an indirect way, Jaye's grandfather did not die in vain. His death encouraged (forced) a young man to grow up, serve and protect his country, and contributed to the European Efforts in World War II.

May they both REST IN PEACE.

Now Jaye has information to share with the rest of the family. The town did give the elderly man a proper and decent burial, published the data in the newspaper so that
71 and a half years, we could find the burial spot of Jaye great grandfather.


Now there is a genealogy story!!