dover iron furnace – Noel B. Poirier

“Negligence Born of Familiarity”: Tragedy at the Penn Iron and Coal Company

The Penn Iron and Coal Company as depicted on a 1899 perspective map of Dover, Ohio. (Source: loc.gov)

I am often drawn to tragic stories because, in many cases, the individuals involved end up being lost to the historic record. This often happens because many tragedies occur when people are younger and have yet to establish themselves or create a family to carry on their names and stories. This is one such tragedy.Continue reading ““Negligence Born of Familiarity”: Tragedy at the Penn Iron and Coal Company”

Burned, Broken & Illness: The 1883 Winkler Family Tragedy

The development of heavy industry in Tuscarawas County in the 19th century led to an influx of immigration from all over the European continent. Among the immigrant families that relocated to the county was the Winkler family from Switzerland. Four brothers hoped to start a new life in America and bring the rest of theirContinue reading “Burned, Broken & Illness: The 1883 Winkler Family Tragedy”