[NI003]
Worked as a foundryman and owned his own foundry at one time.
Memorial Park Cemetery - entombment
5668 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119
(901) 767-8930
[NI004]
John Elvis Hodge, known by his middle name, was born on May 26, 1885. He married Nannie Dunlap in August 1903--the license was given on August 7th in Henry County, Tennessee. Nannie and Elvis had two children, Suelah born 1905 and Hubert born 1907. By 1910, Elvis and Nannie were divorced and he is listed as single and working as a blacksmith in the census of 1910 in Smithland, Kentucky. He married a second time on November 28, 1912 in Smithland to Maggie Zanone. Elvis drowned in the Fluor Spar Mine at Rosiclare, Illinois, on January 17, 1918. His body was in the mine 15 days before he was found. John R. Hodge, with his grandson, Finis Dewey Webb, traveled by boat to the mine and saw the place where his son went into. In a letter dated February 7, he described the scene as "a dark gloomy picture in my mind ... and always will be."
Elvis' daughter, Suelah May Hodge, was born on April 12, 1905 and died on April 2, 1922, in Paris, Tennessee. McEvoy Funeral Home in Paris had the arrangements.
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Hardin County Independent, January 24, 1918, Front Page
"ROSICLARE MINES FLOOD
TWO MEN ENTOMBED
Last Thursday evening the Rosiclare Fluor Spar Mine flooded because of a break in a concrete dam and entombed two of the workmen, Chas. I. Hawkins and John Hodge. The concrete dam, which was. . . reinforced by steel, had served to keep the water back from an abandoned mine at Fairview and appeared absolutely safe, but the violent onrush of water caused by a cave in at the abandoned mine had no respect for concrete or steel. There is no doubt but that the two men have perished. Even had they escaped drowning, which is almost impossible, they would have died from other causes.
The mines have been short of fuel for some time and have been barely able to keep their pump machine running, having only wood and what coal the Fairview Mines could spare them for fuel. This condition is no doubt responsible for there not being many more lives lost. Had the mines been running to full capacity and all of the underground men at work, many more lives would have been lost.
Mr. Hawkins was one of the County's best citizens, an upright Christian gentleman and a trustworthy employee. His family, his company and his employers will feel a distinct loss. We know nothing of Mr. Hodge, the other unfortunate employee.
Up until noon Wednesday, little or no progress had been made in the effort to pump the water out of the mine and recover the bodies."
And from the ? January 1918 Hardin County Independent:
"The fearful accident that happened at Rosiclare mines in the early evening of last Thursday, in which two men, Charley Hawkins and a young man by the name of John Hodge, lost their lives. It is too awful to contemplate. The men were in a shaft 500 ft. underground, and a bulkhead gave way above and let a flood of water, that came down in such quantity and with such force that if it did not kill them instantly, they evidently drowned in a few minutes. Mr. Hawkins was an old miner, was an elder in the Christian Church at Rosiclare, was a member of that church and was a most esteemable citizen. We deeply sympathize with the bereft."
And also "Word was received this morning (Friday) that the body of C.I. Hawkins, one of the entombed miners at Rosiclare, was found in the mine. The body was lying across the pump in an undisturbed condition."
And from the February 7, 1918 issue of the same paper:
"LOCAL AND PERSONAL
The body of John Hodges entombed in the Rosiclare Mine was found last week and buried at Rosiclare. The authopsy revealed that death was dur to some other cause than drowning as the lungs contained no water."
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From "Hardin County, Illinois Deaths 1884-1919 & Pleasant Hill Church Notes" compiled by Marion Lavender Reynolds, 1995, p. 125:
"2B - 114 JOHN ELVES HODGE - Male. White. Married. Occ: Mining. Age: 32y 7m 21d. Born: Tenn. Died: 17 Jan 1918, Rosiclare. CD: death by drowning and fracture of skull in Rosiclare mines. Bur: I.O.O.F. Cem., Rosiclare. Untkr: LEE & SCOTT, Rosiclare, Phy: WM. G. GREGORY, Cave-in-Rock."
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Letter written by Elvis's father, John, to Verlie after making the trip to Illinois to claim Elvis's body.
John R. Hodge
Blacksmith
Gun Repair Work and Horse Shoeing a Specialty
Mansfield, Tenn. Feb. 7, 1918
Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Bain
Camden, Tenn.
Dear Verlie,
You most kind and ever welcome letter to hand glad to have a letter from you. Glad you all are well. Glad to know the boy is doing so well. We are getting along as well as could be expected. Mama is down hearted but hope she will be doing better soon.
I am as well as usual as far as health is concerned. I am heart broken and feel all down and out. I have a great deal more to think about than the rest of you all. I can see the place where he was at and it is a dark gloomy picture in my mind and sight. And always will be and I have his condition to see and to think about while you and the rest don't know about it as I do. You all can only think and immagion (sic) about these things. While I have the actual sun to _____ and no immagination about it and I am glad you all don't have these thing to think about as I do.
Say, Mama said she wanted Drtr. to send her some more tablets for that drawing in hur (sic) neck. She said she was some better, but wanted some more tablets to be taking rite a-long send them rite a way if you can.
We will come over to see you all as soon as we can and than I can tell you all about things if you want to know all about it when I see you. Listen I am glad you don't see things as I do. I see the place where Elvis went into and I see him and have it on my mind to think about while you all don't see it and are much better off.
Verlie, our baby child, don't worry about it any more than you can help. Look for a bright spot in this dark picture.
I think I have said enough for this time and hope to be able to see you all soon.
We went to here (sic) from you again soon. It is a pleasure to us for you all to write to us. (Write soon.)
Take care of the Little Doctor. I want to see him so bad.
From your Loving
Father and Mother
P.S.
Find stamp inclosed (sic) for postage on the tablets.
[NI007]
No obituary found. "Card of Thanks" in July 12, 1973 Paris Post-Intelligentser, Paris, TN. It reads:
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kindness during our sorrow. Especially the nurses, of Henry County General Hospital, Dr. Neumann and McEvoy Funeral Home. Also the neighbors for the food, flowers and prayers.
The Family of Nanny Smith"
[NI008]
Obituary in Parisian newspaper, Paris, Tennessee March 29, 1960
"Services for Ed Smith To Be Wednesday
Ed Smith, 404 Routon Street, died suddenly at his home Monday afternoon. He was 72.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday morning at 10:30 at the McEvoy Chapel with the Reverend O. E. Turner officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood cemetery under the direction of the McEvoy Funeral Home. The body will be at the funeral home until time for the services.
Mr. Smith was born August 9, 1887 in Henry County the son of the late Frank Smith and Ada Murphy.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Nannie Dunlap Smith, to whom he was married in 1910. In addition to his wife he leaves three daughters, Mrs. Bruce Williams, Henry, Mrs. H. L. Ownby, Mrs. Guy Edwards, both of Paris; a step-son, Hubert Hodge, Memphis; two sisters, Mrs. Ora McDaniel, Mrs. Nora Winsett, both of Gleason, a half-sister, Mrs. Cleaty Taylor, Martin; one brother, Hallet Smith, McKenzie; two grandchildren and one great grandchild."
[NI015]
"The engagement of Miss Martha Jeanette Stracener to H. L. Hodge, Jr., son of Mrs Estelle Goodson of 602 Bodley and H. L. Hodge of Memphis, is announced by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Stracener of 837 East Gage. The wedding will take place at Boulevard Baptist Church Dec 16th."
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Obituary, New Orleans Times Picayune, April 20, 2001
LAUBERSHEIMER
Martha Stracener Laubersheimer on Thursday, April 19, 2001 at 9:20 a.m. Wife of the late R.J. (Jim) Laubersheimer. Mother of Lee Allen Hodge, Lisa H. Clay, Lynne H. St. Amant and J. Scott Laubersheimer. Sister of William F. Stracener, Jr. and the late Wayne Stracener. Also survived by 2 grandchildren: David Hodge and Renee St. Amant. Age 70 years. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas and a resident of New Orleans, LA for the past 40 years. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the memorial. Memorial Services will be held in the Chapel of JACOB SCHOEN & SON FUNERAL HOME, 3827 Canal Street on Saturday, April 21, 2001 at 5:00 p.m. Friends may visit after 3:00 p.m.