So I skipped Week 12 for the 52 to Ancestors, but I did post a comment on the facebook group's page about the ancestor that fell into that category. I just wasn't prepared to write a long blog post about him. So onto the next week. This week's post is entitled, "In the News". Newspapers have been around since we have been able to publish materials. It used to be the quickest and most efficient way to get the news out to so many people. I didn't matter what it was. If it was news, it could end up in the paper.
So in thinking of who to write about for this topic, there were many ancestors to chose from. Newspapers have been very helpful to me in my research. I've learned of when marriages took place, traced a traveling minister, tracked a murder investigation, but the one article that sticks out the most is the one mentioning Alberta Huerner nee Strawhun. She is my great Aunt on my father's side. I never got a chance to meet her as she passed away four years before I was born. She was married to my great Uncle Lee (Leroy Huerner), a very sweet man. Loved him very much. We would visit him when we would travel down to Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas. Both he and his wife very active in the Oakland, Arkansas community for years. But before that, in 1937, Alberta was featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch for a small, but courageous act. She saved the life of a young woman from drowning.
All the Strawhun siblings were very athletic and extremely active. So swimming was something Alberta was very comfortable with. According to the clipping they had went to Newburg for a family outing. Great Grandpa, Robert Strawhun, was originally from Newburg, but had moved to Kirkwood to be a fireman. They were down at Little Piney River near Newburg, Missouri, more than likely cooling off from the hot weather, when all of a sudden, they noticed a young woman in danger. She had been bathing in the river when she all of a sudden lost control. She could not swim, and if you are not familiar with the current a river can have, it can sweep you under very fast. I've been told many stories from my dad's side of the family about how dangerous the river current can be, even for the most experienced swimmer. Those undertows will pull you under before you even know what's going on. So for someone who didn't even know how to swim, this was a particularly dangerous situation. Aunt Alberta was quick to jump into action. She swam over to the young girl, Mary Gilbert was her name, and grabbed her by her bathing suit just as she went under. She was able to get her to safety with no problem.
It was a good thing the family decided to go there for the day. Aunt Alberta was at the right place at the right time. I'm so glad the St. Louis Post Dispatch ran a small story on her otherwise I never would have know this. They even included a picture of her. What a treasure!
Have you found any interesting stories about your ancestors in the newspaper? Share them in the comments.
So in thinking of who to write about for this topic, there were many ancestors to chose from. Newspapers have been very helpful to me in my research. I've learned of when marriages took place, traced a traveling minister, tracked a murder investigation, but the one article that sticks out the most is the one mentioning Alberta Huerner nee Strawhun. She is my great Aunt on my father's side. I never got a chance to meet her as she passed away four years before I was born. She was married to my great Uncle Lee (Leroy Huerner), a very sweet man. Loved him very much. We would visit him when we would travel down to Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas. Both he and his wife very active in the Oakland, Arkansas community for years. But before that, in 1937, Alberta was featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch for a small, but courageous act. She saved the life of a young woman from drowning.
All the Strawhun siblings were very athletic and extremely active. So swimming was something Alberta was very comfortable with. According to the clipping they had went to Newburg for a family outing. Great Grandpa, Robert Strawhun, was originally from Newburg, but had moved to Kirkwood to be a fireman. They were down at Little Piney River near Newburg, Missouri, more than likely cooling off from the hot weather, when all of a sudden, they noticed a young woman in danger. She had been bathing in the river when she all of a sudden lost control. She could not swim, and if you are not familiar with the current a river can have, it can sweep you under very fast. I've been told many stories from my dad's side of the family about how dangerous the river current can be, even for the most experienced swimmer. Those undertows will pull you under before you even know what's going on. So for someone who didn't even know how to swim, this was a particularly dangerous situation. Aunt Alberta was quick to jump into action. She swam over to the young girl, Mary Gilbert was her name, and grabbed her by her bathing suit just as she went under. She was able to get her to safety with no problem.
It was a good thing the family decided to go there for the day. Aunt Alberta was at the right place at the right time. I'm so glad the St. Louis Post Dispatch ran a small story on her otherwise I never would have know this. They even included a picture of her. What a treasure!
Have you found any interesting stories about your ancestors in the newspaper? Share them in the comments.
St. Louis Post Dispatch - July 13, 1937
St. Louis Post Dispatch - July 12, 1937
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