Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Nonnemacher, Charles Leroy July 20, 1926
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com April 27, 2019, 11:18 pm

Sentinel-Std. - Tuesday, July 20, 1926

                    IONIA CHILD DIES IN FIRE AT TENT HOME
   Charles Leroy Nonnemacher, 3, Burned to Death as Explosion Sets Tent Afire.
                     HIGH WIND SPEEDS TENT'S DESTRUCTION
    Family Is Left Destitute by Blaze; Ionia Red Cross Comes to Family's Aid.

Charles Leroy Nonnemacher, three years old, was burned to death about 8 o'clock 
Tuesday morning when fire destroyed the tent home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles 
Nonnemacher, on Maple street just south of Washington street in the fourth 
ward. The child was asleep in his crib when the tent caught fire from an oil 
stove of which Mrs. Nonnemacher was heating water for a washing. The mother had 
left the tent a few moments before and gone to home of a neighbor a short 
distance west of the tent, carrying her 19-months-old child with her. Before 
she could get back, after children playing near had given the alarm, the tent 
had been consumed with all of the possessions of the family, except the 
clothing they wore and had charred to a crisp the body of the boy,

A high wind which swept the hilltop on which the tent was pitched is believed 
to have swayed the tent wall against the stove two burners of which were 
lighted beneath a boiler of water. The fire lasted but a short time as the 
flames, fanned by a brisk wind, quickly burned the dry canvas.

Mr. and Mrs. Nonnemacher who were left destitute in their grief temporarily 
went to the home of Mr. and Ms. Hudson Lewis, on Johnson street Tuesday. Mrs. 
Lewis, a cousin of Mr. Nonnemacher, and the Lewis family had itself felt the 
grief of grim tragedy in the drowning of their son Freddie in high water near 
Grand River a few years ago and the smothering to death of a baby in its bed. 
Mr. and Mrs. Nonnemacher buried a baby last May and have endured considerable 
sickness in recent months. They have lived in the Maple street tent for the 
past few months and the father had gone to his work in a hay field east of 
Ionia Tuesday morning from which he was summoned when the fire occurred.

Immediately after the fire, steps were taken by the Ionia County Chapter, 
American Red Cross, to relieve the condition in which the grief stricken family 
found itself plunged. Through its secretary A. H. Tuttle, the Red Cross assumed 
the responsibility of meeting the temporary needs of the family and the expense 
of burial of the child. The Ionia Welfare league represented by Mrs. Alex 
Robertson and Mrs. Harold Hiler were assisting the Red Cross in providing 
clothing and other necessities and there were numerous offers of individual aid.

Any persons who have clothing or furniture which can be used in reestablishing 
the family in another home are asked to notify A. H. Tuttle, at the office of 
the Red Cross and the goods will be called for. The family now consists of the 
parents and the 19 months old child. The funeral services will be held from 
Bradley's chapel Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial will take place at 
Highland Park cemetery. 

Additional Comments:
Age: 3 yr.
Services: July 1926
Highland Park cemetery #5-27




b. 17 June 1923, Ionia Co.
Son of Charles Estis Nonnenmacher & Aleath Nora (Bennett)

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/n/nonnemac9398gob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/

File size: 3.7 Kb