Woman, 103, Dies At Reynoldsburg

Oldest Resident Remembered Stage Coach Days

Reynoldsburg had lost its oldest resident Thursday with the death of Mrs. Mary Ann Hickman who died at her home at the age of 103 Wednesday.

“Grandma Hickman,” as she resident, had watched the town residenst [sic], had watched the town progress for more than a century and liked to recall the days when stage coaches passed over the National pike.

Despite her advanced age, she was active until become ill seven weeks ago.  Doing her own housework, each year she would celebrate her birthday by serving a family meal at her home.

Mrs. Ada Elnora Brown

Mrs. Ada Elnora Brown, aged 83 years, passed away at the home of her daughter in St. Louis, Mo., last Monday.

Mrs. Brown was born at Sashabaw Plains in Oakland County September 20, 1857, the daughter of Charles and Susan Beardslee. She had lived in St. Louis, Mo,, for the past six years.

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Carl Brown of St. Louis and Mrs. G.N. Oille of Detroit; one son, Fred Brown of Beaver Dam, Wis.; two brothers, Charles F. Beardslee of Highland Park and Frederick E. Beardslee of Grand Rapids, and four sisters, Mrs. Anna E. Hart of Oxford, Katherine A. Beardslee and Grace L. Beardslee of Highland Park and Minnie I. Keys of Rutherford, N.J.

The funeral service was held at the Sashabaw church on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock with Rev. C.J. Sutton, pastor of the Drayton Plains Presbyterian church, officiating. Interment was in Sashabaw cemetery.

Source: The Clarkston News, April 25, 1941.

Untitled (Ada Beardslee Brown)

BROWN, ADA E. (nee Beardslee) – Of 4455 Grave av., on Mon., April 21, 1941, at 4:30 p.m., widow of the late Fred A. Brown and dear mother of Mrs. G.V. Oille, Mrs. Carl W. Brown and Frederick Brown, our dear sister, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, grandmother and aunt, aged 83 years.

Remains in state at the Schumacher Funeral Home, 3013 Meramec, until Tues., April 22, at 10:30 p.m. Interment, Pontiac, Mich.

Source:  St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 22, 1941. 

Mrs. Palmer Writes Interesting Letter From Arizona

Describes Points of Interest Visited on Trip to California

Mrs. George Palmer writes the following interesting letter of their trip enroute to California, from Phoenix, Arizona, December 18^th.

She writes: You asked me to write to you and as this is the last night of our journey, am going to tell you a little of our trip.

Made very good time the first two days.  It started to rain late in the afternoon of the second day.  We stayed overnight in the Will Rogers hometown of Claremoore.

Mrs. Hickman To Celebrate Her 103rd Birthday Friday

Mrs. Mary Ann Hickman, who has watched the life of her community, Reynoldsburg, revolve about her for more than a century, will celebrate her one hundred and third birthday Friday.

With a daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Myers of Reynoldsburg, and a friend, Mrs. Rebecca Gossard of Russells Point, Ohio, she will share a birthday dinner. Plans for a family gathering were cancelled.

Members of Congregation Work to Improve Church

Through a gift of $100 by Mrs. Mary Ann Hickman, aged 103, Reynoldsburg’s oldest resident, an improvement program at the Methodist church in the village is well under way, with the men of the congregation supplying the labor.

The program, under director of Rev. Carlton Babbs, past of the church, calls for an assembly room with a stove, a kitchen, stage for church festivals and a separate Sunday school and new lavatories in the building.  Other improvements will be made on the church grounds, including the installation of a new sewer and water line.  Future plans call for the excavation of the basement so that it can be used for social purposes.

Members of the improvement committee are Alonzo Foltz, chairman; Gus Schultz, Don Warner, Merle Brill, Rox Whitehead and D.W. Foltz.

Source: Columbus Dispatch, July 17, 1940.

Woman Who Has Lived 102 Years On National Highway, Greets Caravan

Mrs. Mary Ann Hickman Resides in Reynoldsburg

Of the thousands who thronged the streets of Columbus and surrounding towns to watch the colorful caravan of the National Highway Friday probably none was more vibrant with youthful enthusiasm than the oldest of them all—Mrs. Mary Ann Hickman of Reynoldsburg, who for 102 years has lived with this artery of American transportation.

As Mrs. Hickman in a voice made querulous by excitement demanded that the window of the modern auto in which she was seated be rolled down that she might “hear the music,” nostalgic memories of past days flooder her still agile mind as she nodded her white head in rhythm.

Rites Wednesday For Crooksville Woman

CROOKSVILLE—Funeral services for Rose Ella Brown, 88, widow of Alexander Brown, will be held at 2 o’clock Wednesday afternoon at the Methodist church here.  Burial will be in the Crooksville mausoleum.  The body was removed to the residence today from Driggs funeral home.

Mrs. Brown died Monday at her home two miles west of Crooksville following a long illness from infirmities.

She is survived by three sons, E.H. of Springfield, O.; G.L. of Marquette, Mich., and R.W. of Cambridge, Mass.; one daughter, Mrs. Mary Nelson of Crooksville; two brothers, Frank Search, of Crooksville, and William Search of Red Wing, Minn.; five sisters, Mrs. Lucinda Hamilton and Mrs. Ora Gerose of Roseville; Mrs. Ollie [sic] Finley and Mrs. Bessie Finley, of Crooksville, and Mrs. Cora Dunnington, of Columbus.  Two grandchildren also survive.

Source:  Zanesville Signal, October 3, 1939.

Kirk Rorick Found Guilty

Kirk Rorick, charged in the Lenawee circuit court with the crime of involuntary manslaughter was found guilty as charged by a jury of nine men and three women who returned their verdict of guilty to Judge Jesse H. Root of Monroe, presiding at 3:05 p.m. Wednesday, approximately five hours after being sent out at 9:55 a.m.

Judge Root announced that sentence would be pronounced June 21.  Rorick’s bond was continued until that date.  The jury was dismissed.

It was the second trial through which the young son of C.M. Rorick, a prominent Morenci banker, had sat.  He was charged with having caused injuries to Page Stockwell, another Morenci resident, and his own boyhood friend, that resulted in the latter’s death last July 4.

Source: Archbold Buckeye, June 9, 1926.

Youth Convicted Of Manslaughter

ADRIAN, Mich., May 27.—(By A.P.)—Kirk Rorick, 23-year-old son of a prominent Morenci, Mich. banker, was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury in circuit court here late Wednesday afternoon. Rorick was accused of killing Page Stockwell, 22, a life-long friend, on July 4, 1925.

Rorick was charged with having struck Stockwell during an argument on a street in Morenci causing the youth to fall to the sidewalk.  His head struck the curb and he was rendered unconscious.  He never regained consciousness.  Rorick claimed self-defense.

Source: Lansing State Journal, May 27, 1926.