A Special Thank You To Pam

[bonnie]

For providing the lead that solved a 100 year old  family mystery.My one regret is that my mother passed away before I could deliver on my promise to her

Thank you Pam.

[Tom Wetmore]

Now you got us all curious!

[bonnie]

Death of my grandmother in 1920 of influenza My mother and brother were placed in St. Paul orphanage due to a foster care situation. At that time when you voluntarily placed your children in foster care you had to pay for their keep. My grandfather developed pneumonia and was hospitalized for several weeks. Some speculation was possibly TB rather than pneumonia. Foster mother took the children to the Red Cross and claimed they were abandoned children because my grandfather of course could not pay from his hospital bed.

When he recovered he tried to regain custody and they refused,claiming he had abandoned them. 

Many twists and turns making a very convoluted story but needless to say my mother always wanted to be reunited with her dad or at least find out what happened to him that he didn't come to get her. She maintained to her death that her dad wanted her and would not have given up easily.

Surprisingly there is quite a record in surrogate court,complete with letters from my grandfather to my mother. They were able to find one another in 1933 and in 1936 he disappeared,never to be heard from again.

It is pretty conclusive that he was murdered in 1936. He was staying in a hotel in N.Dak and the landlady was questioned when he did not respond to inquiries from the court or my mother. She claimed she saw him place a large amount of cash in his wallet and walk out of the hotel. That was the last anyone ever heard from him or saw him. He left all his clothing,possessions,and vehicle as if he were coming back.After a intensive police investigation they concluded he was likely murdered at that time for the large amount of cash. That kind of money in the 30's would have tempted many

He was involved with gold mining in MT and also a professional gambler,reportedly very good at what he did. 

Pam provided the one piece of information that led to the information and personal letters. I wish I could have found this before my mother passed away.

[Tom Wetmore]

That is very interesting.  Thanks for sharing it with us.    It really is satisfying to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of family history.  And especially so when the missing parts are so meaningful.