Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....Drownings, 1942 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 20, No. 61, Mon., June 1, 1942, pp. 1 & 8 TWO MEN DROWN; BODIES MISSING Fishing Trip Ends In Tragic Manner The bodies of Claud S. Howell, 36, and Luther Robertson, 26, who drowned late Saturday afternoon while fishing near the Nansemond ordinance Depot pier 15 miles southeast of here in the Nansemond River, were still being sought at noon today, county police said. Two Coast Guard boats were summoned soon after both men were reported drowned and have been seeking both bodies since. According to Deputy Sheriff N.H. Byrd, Howell and Mrs. Howell were fishing at the time he apparently lost balance and fell into the river. Howell saw his billfold floating down the stream and started for it. He was able to recover it but was unable to return to the boat. It was reported a strong tide was flowing at the time. Hearing Mrs. Howell scream for help, Robertson, knowing that he could not swim, pulled off his shirt and jumped overboard to rescue Howell. He also went down. Robertson was fishing in a nearby boat with George Ferguson. Howell was a member of the firm of V-C Cleaners. Surviving are his widow, his mother, Mrs. Gabie Howell, and his father, Claud S. Howell Sr. Robertson's survivors are: his widow Mrs. Dorothy Matthews Robertson; his mother; a half-brother, Ray Ellis; his step-father, J.E. Ellis, and his grandmother, Mrs. Willie Robertson. He was employed by Mason and Hanes, automobile dealers of Portsmouth. Drownings, and not highway accidents, took the leading role in causing accidental deaths in Virginia over the memorial holiday week-end. There were four deaths by drownlngs reported compared to only one death reported in highway traffic, curtailed by gasoline rationing. Norbert Earl Reynolds, Jr., 33-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. N.E. Reynolds, of Roanoke, was drowned last night in two feet of water in a fish pond at a residence about a block from his parents' home. Dr. Charles M. Irvin, city coroner, estimated the child had been in the water about an hour when the body was found. Felix Lantz, 18, of Harrisonburg, was drowned while swimming in the North Fork of the Shenandoah River at Timberville Saturday afternoon. ****************************************************************************** "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 20, No. 62, Tues., June 2, 1942, p. 1 BODY OF HOWELL FOUND IN RIVER NEAR CAPT. AL'S Colored Fishing Couple Discovers Accident Victim The body of a man believed to be that of Claud S. Howell, 36, who drowned Memorial Day 15 miles southeast of Suffolk in the Nansemond River while fishing with his wife, was discovered this morning around 10 o'clock by a colored fisherman five miles west of the place where he fell overboard. The body was so decomposed that Howell's wife may be called upon to describe the clothes he was wearing at the time of his drowning. No identifying objects were found on him. Coroner Views Body Dr. G. Richardson Joyner, county coroner, viewed the body before it was turned over to the I.O. Hill and Company funeral directors. Deputy Sheriff N.H. Byrd, who investigated the case, said today that at the time of the drowning Howell wore a shirt. Luther Robertson pulled off his shirt to try to save Howell. The body found this morning was fully clothed. An old Negro fisherman saw an object floating near the shore just across the river from Capt. Al's place at the lower end of the Nansemond River bridge. The Negro fisherman tied the body to a stake and notified the county police. Howell and his wife were fishing in a rowboat at the time he lost his balance and fell into the river. Trying to save his pocketbook, he was unable to return to the boat. Mrs. Howell, screaming for help, was answered by Robertson, who pulled off his shirt and jumped overboard. He was reported by police to have known that he could not swim. His body is still missing. A rumor that Robertson's body had been discovered near Bennett's creek shortly after Howell's body was discovered was said by the county police at noon today to have been a false report. ****************************************************************************** "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 20, No. 63, Wed., June 3, 1942, pp. 1 & 8 DROWNED MEN'S FUNERALS TODAY Robertson's Body Found Last Night Funeral services for Claud S. Howell, 36, and Luther Edward Robertson, 26, who drowned Memorial Day while fishing in the Nansemond River and whose bodies were discovered yesterday morning and late last night, will be held this afternoon. Howell's body was discovered yesterday five miles west of where he fell overboard while fishing with his wife. Robertson's body was found late last night around three miles from where he was drowned. Both bodies were discovered by fishermen. Dr. G. Richardson Joyner, county coroner, who viewed both bodies, said this morning that his verdict would be in both cases, accidental drowning in the Nansemond River. Both bodies were badly decomposed. Funeral services for Howell will be conducted today at 4 p.m. at the grave in Cedar Hill cemetery by the Rev. N.H. Davis, pastor of the Oxford Methodist Church, and the Rev. Louis A. Haskell, rector of the St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Funeral rites for Robertson will be conducted at the I.O. Hill and Company funeral home at 5 p.m. by Dr. H.J. Godwin, pastor of the First Baptist Church. Burial will be made in the Cedar Hill cemetery. According to a report from Robertson's family he was reported to have been a good swimmer and has been swimming most of his life. Rumors that he could not swim are false, it was reported today by his mother. ****************************************************************************** Claude Samuel HOWELL, Jr., foreman for Luck & Black Contractors, b. 10 Aug 1906, Nansemond Co., drowned 30 May 1942, Nansemond R., interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block F, Lot 67*), Suffolk, 3 Jun 1942 *His parents are also buried there. Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_g.txt *His widow, Virginia Mae (PERRY) HOWELL, is buried with her parents in Block A, Lot 56. She 2m. Norman Clayton SHORT, 10 Oct 1945, in Elizabeth City, Pasquotank Co., NC, but they div. the same year in FL. ****************************************************************************** Luther Elliott ROBERTSON, mechanic, b. 30 Sep 1916, Eure, Gates Co., NC, drowned 30 May 1942, Nansemond R., interred in Cedar Hill Cemetery (Block I, Lot 204*), Suffolk, 3 Jun 1942 *His widow, Dorothy M. (MATTHEWS ROBERTSON) PARKER, is buried in Block I, Lot 75. Cedar Hill list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_p.txt They m. 18 Jun 1941. Their M.Cert. (Suffolk #86) gives son of Willie W. and Huldah ROBERTSON. His WW-II draft card gives son of Huldah (ELLIS) ROBERTSON. It was cancelled 12 Jun 1942. His D.Cert. 11796 (Sleepy Hole) gives ROBINSON, Willie and Huldah ROBINSON; the informant was Mrs. Joe E. ELLIS. Huldah (ROBERTSON; Mrs. "Joe" Joseph Elliott) ELLIS is also buried in Block I, Lot 204: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/cedar_d.txt It seems likely that she was Luther's mother. Joe's first wife, Mary Sue (ALBERTSON) PARKER, d. 14 Nov 1924, and was buried in Hertford, Peruimans Co., NC. Huldah's D.Cert. 1960-13652 (Suffolk #28) gives daughter Willie and Pennie (SMITH) ROBERTSON. However, the 1900 Census - Holy Neck, Nan.Co. - gives Huldah & her brother Romie O. as step-children of Willie. Pennie is also buried in Cedar Hill, possibly unmarked. Luther's widow 2m. Thomas Everett PARKER, 6 Jun 1947 in Nansemond Co. (Suffolk #88). Thomas (1917 - 1983) is buried in Somerton Methodist Church Cemetery. Somerton Methodist list, another extension of the SCHS Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/sommeth.txt She 3m. Charlie Thomas SHOOK, 12 May 1985 in Chesapeake, but they separated in 1986 & div. in 1987. Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Mrs. Bruce Saunders (bs4403@verizon.net), and re-formatted by File Manager. file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/newspapers/19420601nh.txt