From the outside looking in, William and Constance Richardson had a picture perfect marriage. They had three beautiful kids, Mildred, Dorothy and Dayton. Their social life was always the talk of the town. They were truly a model couple. Sure,…
When Clara Wiley and Olin Castle were joined in marriage in the summer of 1900, they had their whole lives ahead of them. The possibilities were endless. Maybe after they settled into life they’d have a couple of kids or…
In the Spring of 1907, Katherine McCart agreed to keep house for her sister, Lizzie Kadelbach and brother-in-law, George Kadelbach in Long Lake, Minnesota. It was a convenient arrangement for everyone, Lizzie didn’t have to worry about her house while…
Door knobs jiggled with nobody on the other side. A strange knocking filled the house when nobody else was home. Floorboards creaked when nobody walked across them. Were these the actions of a nefarious spirit? Or perhaps a message from…
In 1914, Sherman and Kate Brown moved their family from the quiet countryside of Illinois to the bustling city of Davenport, Iowa. Their new friends described Sherman as a mild-mannered and hardworking family man who kept to himself. No one…
When the McNiers and McCooles moved into the same house William McNier and Ed McCoole figured their wives could keep each other company since they were both away from home so much. Things between the wives quickly soured when Pyrle…
Standing outside the McNier/McCoole house in a quaint neighborhood in Decatur, Illinois you’d hardly know the turmoil going on inside. William McNier was a popular druggist in town. Ed McCoole was a newcomer who quickly made a good impression. And…