OH OH - Ruth Baumgardner, 21, Delaware, 4 May 1937

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The archived news of the day reported that Ruth suffered from depression and had bouts where she was neuroic.
The news also stated the man who called 3 times by phone (a local call) wasn't put through to Ruth as she couldn't be found to take the call.
Her friend from the college Helen Specht stated she dated other men up to the time she met and got engaged to Bud which was on the 23rd Feb that year.
If she was pregnant, I would guess she didn't know up to the 23rd Feb or she would have dealt with that first - IMO.
It was her room key that was found on the steps and not her car key according to the press.

Harry Moore went to Fenn college of engineering in Cleveland and pumped gas as a side job.
 
I THINK this is Bud, if it is, he married two years later.

http://www.memorialobituaries.com/memorials/memorials.cgi?action=Obit&memid=30763&clientid=jenki1

He was adopted by the Moores if my info is accurate.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X4QD-P43


Harry Bruehler Moore
Census
event date:
1930
event place: Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio
gender:
Male
age: 16
marital status: Single
race: White
birthplace: Ohio
estimated birth year: 1914
relationship to head of household: Adopted Son father's birthplace: Ohiomother's birthplace:Ohio
enumeration district number:
0654
family number: 72

Head
John B Moore 53 Ohio
wife May B Moore 49 Ohio

adopted son

Harry Bruehler Moore M 16 Ohio Ohio

Harry was from his mothers former marriage.
 
Robin Hood said:
I THINK this is Bud, if it is, he married two years later.

http://www.memorialobituaries.com/memorials/memorials.cgi?action=Obit&memid=30763&clientid=jenki1

He was adopted by the Moores if my info is accurate.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X4QD-P43


Harry Bruehler Moore
Census
event date:
1930
event place: Lakewood, Cuyahoga, Ohio
gender:
Male
age: 16
marital status: Single
race: White
birthplace: Ohio
estimated birth year: 1914
relationship to head of household: Adopted Son father's birthplace: Ohiomother's birthplace:Ohio
enumeration district number:
0654
family number: 72

Head
John B Moore 53 Ohio
wife May B Moore 49 Ohio

adopted son

Harry Bruehler Moore M 16 Ohio Ohio

Harry was from his mothers former marriage.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is the right Bud, and yes, he was adopted.

Isn't Ancestry.com the greatest!?!
 
Robin Hood said:
The archived news of the day reported that Ruth suffered from depression and had bouts where she was neuroic.
The news also stated the man who called 3 times by phone (a local call) wasn't put through to Ruth as she couldn't be found to take the call.
Her friend from the college Helen Specht stated she dated other men up to the time she met and got engaged to Bud which was on the 23rd Feb that year.
If she was pregnant, I would guess she didn't know up to the 23rd Feb or she would have dealt with that first - IMO.
It was her room key that was found on the steps and not her car key according to the press.

Harry Moore went to Fenn college of engineering in Cleveland and pumped gas as a side job.
Click to expand...

BBM

Which "archived news of the day" are you referring to? Have you seen more than one article that contains the info you posted above?

Please understand that I am not trying to be snarky, witchy or unkind. But I have been researching Ruth's case since I originally posted it here on WS, and I have found only one article that mentioned "Ruth suffered from depression and had bouts where she was neurotic". I knew Ruth was sometimes depressed, but from what I discovered she was not what we would consider clinically depressed, and certainly not neurotic. If this info appeared in more than one article (not AP/UPI reprints of the original article, I sure would like a link or source so that I can look them up myself, because most of what you have posted is completely different than the articles I've found over the years.

FYI, for those who care, the police report on Ruth's disappearance states there were two sets of keys found, her room key found near the stairs, and her car keys found outside.

Thanks for doing some research into this case, it's fun to run across someone who digs into these cases like I do!!
 
Found this on Porchlight
http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/ar/t7233.htm

''The Tri-Delts alerted campus authorities about Baumgardner's disappearance at 10:30 p.m. the following day, when they realized she had not attended any of her classes. Subsequent investigation revealed that someone, probably Baumgardner herself, had left her dormitory room key on the back corner of an Austin Hall staircase between the second and third floors. Her new red Dodge was found parked undisturbed in its regular garage; the key was in the ignition''

Seems those car keys had a life of their own.

Edited to add a possible pic of similar Red Dodge Convertible

1937 Dodge | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
 
Robin Hood said:
Found this on Porchlight
http://z10.invisionfree.com/usedtobedoe/ar/t7233.htm

''The Tri-Delts alerted campus authorities about Baumgardner's disappearance at 10:30 p.m. the following day, when they realized she had not attended any of her classes. Subsequent investigation revealed that someone, probably Baumgardner herself, had left her dormitory room key on the back corner of an Austin Hall staircase between the second and third floors. Her new red Dodge was found parked undisturbed in its regular garage; the key was in the ignition''

Seems those car keys had a life of their own.

Edited to add a possible pic of similar Red Dodge Convertible

1937 Dodge | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Click to expand...

IIRC, the keys were not in the ignition. In fact, in those days a key was not needed in order to start a car. There was some info posted about this fairly early in this thread. I'll see if I can find that post info and re-post it here for anyone who is interested.
 
Richard said:
Strange of her to leave her car keys on the porch, but perhaps she thought of them after going outside and closing/locking house door. Not wanting to wake the housemother, but wanting to leave her keys behind, she may have placed them on the porch. Were there other keys on the ring as well? Cars back then did have keys, but they were not like ignition keys today. A 1936/37 era car with an electric starter was actually started by pushing a button on the instrument panel/ dashboard.
Click to expand...

SBM, BBM.

Based on this info, IMO any story claiming that Ruth's keys were found in the ignition was incorrect. They were found outside on the porch of her dorm house.
 
The locations of Ruth's keys remains puzzling to me. Why would she leave her car keys on the front porch? Did she unknowingly drop them? Why leave the dorm key on an upstairs landing in plain view? Why were the keys not on the same keychain (if she used keychains?)? If she didn't want to take her keys with her to the abortion site (and that is understandable), why not hide them behind the bushes or under the door mat where she could easily retrieve them?
 
Stella said:
The locations of Ruth's keys remains puzzling to me. Why would she leave her car keys on the front porch? Did she unknowingly drop them? Why leave the dorm key on an upstairs landing in plain view? Why were the keys not on the same keychain (if she used keychains?)? If she didn't want to take her keys with her to the abortion site (and that is understandable), why not hide them behind the bushes or under the door mat where she could easily retrieve them?
Click to expand...

Is it known for a fact that Ruth was pregnant ? Or going to get an abortion ? TIA
 
Marilynilpa said:
No, it is not a known fact. It's speculation based on what little info we have.
Click to expand...

Marilynilpa, TY. I appreciate your dedication to Ruth's case. Do you happen to know if Ruth was/is Jewish ? TIA...
 
Just had an email from a guy who has one of the cars Ruth had. I asked him how it was originally started, here's his reply

Monday, 12 November 2012, 8:57

Hello

Key for ignition and start button to start the car

Regards
 
Robin Hood said:
Just had an email from a guy who has one of the cars Ruth had. I asked him how it was originally started, here's his reply

Monday, 12 November 2012, 8:57

Hello

Key for ignition and start button to start the car

Regards
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I have never done much research into Ruth's car. I knew the car was started by a button, but didn't know a key was necessary for the ignition.
 
Was she ever declared to be dead? Did her family ever make motions in this regard? I realize that there would be no need to do so from a monetary standpoint as she had no immediate heirs but, if they did not believe that she was alive, wouldn't they have wanted closure of some sort?
 
Pink Panther said:
Was she ever declared to be dead? Did her family ever make motions in this regard? I realize that there would be no need to do so from a monetary standpoint as she had no immediate heirs but, if they did not believe that she was alive, wouldn't they have wanted closure of some sort?
Click to expand...

I'm not certain if she was legally declared to be deceased, but in both parents' obituaries they refer to her as proceeding them in death.

I believe the family DID learn what happened to Ruth, via the Pinkerton Detective Agency which they hired to find her. IMO, that is why they asked LE not to continuing looking into her disappearance.

PinkPanther, I'm glad to see you on this thread - next to Alice Parsons, this is my favorite old case. Have you ever checked out the Lola Celli (Red Shoe Mystery) thread? If not, you might like it. Another woman who just vanished without a trace.
 
Marilyn, have you ever visited the cemetery where Ruth's family are buried? They were in the mortuary business, right? I'm just wondering if Ruth (if she's dead) was buried near her family members. Was cremation done at their mortuary business, or was it done at all during those times?

If we could find a grave for her, it might answer a lot of questions.
 
marie-chantal said:
Marilyn, have you ever visited the cemetery where Ruth's family are buried? They were in the mortuary business, right? I'm just wondering if Ruth (if she's dead) was buried near her family members. Was cremation done at their mortuary business, or was it done at all during those times?

If we could find a grave for her, it might answer a lot of questions.
Click to expand...

Ruth was referred to as the late Ruth E Baumgardner in the obituaries for both of her parents.

I have never attempted to locate a death certificate for her, so I don't know if one exists.

I don't believe Ruth was buried, as I don't think her body was ever located. JMO

I'll contact the cemetery to see if I can find out any info regarding Ruth.
 
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