WV - Sodder Family - 5 children, Christmas eve 1945 - #3

[Laura_Bean]

Okay guys I have been attempting to get 20/20 to do a story about this. I don't know if they will decide to do it or not. Please hope that they do. I think, no I know that this story NEEDS some publicity. If 20/20 did a story and the children or families of the children or friends who knew or know the children saw it, anyone who knows or knew or heard stories about it, they would probably call in to the station with info.

 

[Laura_Bean]

I want to know everyone's take on this story and the Sodder case. This was on the Doe Network.

Ricky Jean Bryant
Missing since December 19, 1949 from Mauston, Juneau County, Wisconsin
Classification: Lost, Injured, Missing



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: November 9, 1945
Age at Time of Disappearance: 4 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 3'4" (102 cm); 40 lbs (18 kg)
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde hair; hazel eyes.
AKA: Jeannie


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Circumstances of Disappearance
Ricky Jean Bryant disappeared while her family farm was destroyed by a fire in December 1949 in rural Mauston. She was last seen in the front yard while the fire was being put out. When the fire was extinguished, Ricky was no longer in the yard.
Jeannie and two of her siblings were home with their grandparents, who also lived on the farm.
Ricky's brother, how was 5 years old at the time, remembers leaving Jeannie and their younger sister outside, when a tall blonde lady in a new car, drove up and told him to run to a neighbor's house for help. He said the woman sent him to a home further away and told him the phone wasn't working at the nearby house. When he come back with a neighbour, Jeannie was gone, and the lady and the car were no where to be found. The neighbour said she put the children in the family car and then went inside to look for Jeannie.
She found the grandmother in the kitchen collecting canned goods, and she said that Jeannie was gone.
As the house continued to burn, the neighbour kept searching for Jeannie. Finally, the grandmother told her to stop worrying about Jeannie because she was with relatives.

HERE IS WHERE IT GETS VERY INTERESTING ::: After the fire, Jeannie's father had the local authorities, state police and the FBI searching the ruins of the fire for any possible human remains. No remains were found during the search and her father searched the property three additional times by himself. --- SOUNDS FAMILIAR --- Each time he found nothing. He never believed that Jeannie perished in the fire.


I would love to know who this "Blond woman was", and how she just happened to be in the neighborhood to take the little girl when a fire broke out. It sounds to me like she may have been running one of those adoption agencies, back than they would sell children to the highest bidder.

Also, the woman would have needed to move from town to town, state to state, because she couldn't do it a bunch of times in the same neighborhood, could she? She would have been noticed and recognized, and lots of people would have the same description. Kind of a good way to steal children and not get caught, make it look like they died in a fire so no one would come looking for the missing children, and than take them out of state to your "adoption agency" and sell them.

 

[snowme]

Wow, and hmmm. Very interesting Laura. Other than the obvious, something about the part where the grandmother had "poo-pooed" the idea of looking for Ricky because she said she was with relatives seems familiar to me. Not sure if I've seen this case highlighted recently on a program (seems like it) or if I just read it somewhere recently. But the other details about going to phone & such I didn't catch or connect to this (Sodder) case before! Sure does seem too eerily similar and close in general timeframe.

Whatever it was I saw that had this case, as I recall, it left me with the impression the grandmother had been in question. I don't recall the car and blonde woman tho from that story.

You've got me hmming alot over here, LOL. Going to read up and see if there are other similar incidents from back then.

I want to know everyone's take on this story and the Sodder case. This was on the Doe Network.

Ricky Jean Bryant
Missing since December 19, 1949 from Mauston, Juneau County, Wisconsin
Classification: Lost, Injured, Missing



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: November 9, 1945
Age at Time of Disappearance: 4 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 3'4" (102 cm); 40 lbs (18 kg)
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Blonde hair; hazel eyes.
AKA: Jeannie


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Circumstances of Disappearance
Ricky Jean Bryant disappeared while her family farm was destroyed by a fire in December 1949 in rural Mauston. She was last seen in the front yard while the fire was being put out. When the fire was extinguished, Ricky was no longer in the yard.
Jeannie and two of her siblings were home with their grandparents, who also lived on the farm.
Ricky's brother, how was 5 years old at the time, remembers leaving Jeannie and their younger sister outside, when a tall blonde lady in a new car, drove up and told him to run to a neighbor's house for help. He said the woman sent him to a home further away and told him the phone wasn't working at the nearby house. When he come back with a neighbour, Jeannie was gone, and the lady and the car were no where to be found. The neighbour said she put the children in the family car and then went inside to look for Jeannie.
She found the grandmother in the kitchen collecting canned goods, and she said that Jeannie was gone.
As the house continued to burn, the neighbour kept searching for Jeannie. Finally, the grandmother told her to stop worrying about Jeannie because she was with relatives.

HERE IS WHERE IT GETS VERY INTERESTING ::: After the fire, Jeannie's father had the local authorities, state police and the FBI searching the ruins of the fire for any possible human remains. No remains were found during the search and her father searched the property three additional times by himself. --- SOUNDS FAMILIAR --- Each time he found nothing. He never believed that Jeannie perished in the fire.


I would love to know who this "Blond woman was", and how she just happened to be in the neighborhood to take the little girl when a fire broke out. It sounds to me like she may have been running one of those adoption agencies, back than they would sell children to the highest bidder.

Also, the woman would have needed to move from town to town, state to state, because she couldn't do it a bunch of times in the same neighborhood, could she? She would have been noticed and recognized, and lots of people would have the same description. Kind of a good way to steal children and not get caught, make it look like they died in a fire so no one would come looking for the missing children, and than take them out of state to your "adoption agency" and sell them.

 

[Laura_Bean]

Here is the hard part tho, if this was some sort of adoption money making scheme, and the woman always set the homes on fire to distract and make it look like the child or children died, how many people would NOT have reported it as an abduction? How many families would have just, thought it was a fire and not said anything, not called police or FBI? How many of them would have just simply believed the farce, that their children or child had died and the fire had completely consumed the bodies?

So instead of kidnapping, I think we should be searching for old fire stories, news articles, etc. Things about fires, nothing left of children's bodies or children that "perished" in the fire.

 

[tunker2000]

Ok, I'm confused is one or two children missing, the article states" the boy was sent to a house further a way and his two sister were left back". Then the Neighbor states" the women put the children in the car" however the article only lists one child as missing.

 

[Laura_Bean]

Only one. I am not sure why only the one girl was taken. I know that orphanages like that ran on making money from pretty children, adorable children, and children who were strong and could work like if someone wanted to "adopt" a child who could work on a farm or do other manual labor. Perhaps one of the little girls was prettier, or perhaps the lady already had someone who wanted to buy a specific type of child, someone who was blond or had blue eyes or something. Or perhaps the lady was about to grab the other one and someone came out of the house and almost spotted her, or the neighbor may have come running out of the house when she saw the lady put the child into the car.

 

[snowme]

Here is the hard part tho, if this was some sort of adoption money making scheme, and the woman always set the homes on fire to distract and make it look like the child or children died, how many people would NOT have reported it as an abduction? How many families would have just, thought it was a fire and not said anything, not called police or FBI? How many of them would have just simply believed the farce, that their children or child had died and the fire had completely consumed the bodies?

So instead of kidnapping, I think we should be searching for old fire stories, news articles, etc. Things about fires, nothing left of children's bodies or children that "perished" in the fire.

Exactly, that's what I went out looking for. So far nothing in particular from me tho.

As to the odds of believing it was simply the fire destroying these children rather than thinking they've gone missing or were kidnapped... if (and it's a big if at this point so far) the party or parties responsible for such a scheme kept it rural (as in the case of Ricky Jean Bryant, and the Sodder children) so as to have the fact that emergency services weren't going to be immediate, perhaps even phone systems weren't going to be helpful at all times, etc. then I think the odds are higher. As opposed to if this were to happen in a more populated, more progressive area for the time.. where services would have been likely quicker, more modern etc. and therefore working against the scheme. If such a scheme were used I'd bet that someone did a day or two's worth of research on how remote an area was and if they could pull it off etc.

 

[JenBMomto3]

The picture sent to the family with the writing on the back. Do we know what ilil means. Maybe somone found out something about the boys and were trying to give the family hints like It said ilil boys as in the "Smith Boys" or sometimes how people would refer to brothers or children from a family... So maybe that was a last name they were using for the kids?? And I love my brother Frankie is that maybe what the other brother was going by now Frankie?? Maybe both boys were sent to Italy hence what seems to be maybe a zipcode there....

 

[snowme]

The picture sent to the family with the writing on the back. Do we know what ilil means. Maybe somone found out something about the boys and were trying to give the family hints like It said ilil boys as in the "Smith Boys" or sometimes how people would refer to brothers or children from a family... So maybe that was a last name they were using for the kids?? And I love my brother Frankie is that maybe what the other brother was going by now Frankie?? Maybe both boys were sent to Italy hence what seems to be maybe a zipcode there....

To my recollection, we don't know for sure what ilil means. I just searched the forum and requested it to show specific posts with that term in them... it's been discussed on all three "missing in wv" threads, the original one and the #2 and #3 threads.

If it will take you to the results here is the search link: http://www.websleuths.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1796525

There's not "tons" of posts but enough that you might want to go thru them yourself just to see everything that people posted on it.

 

[wv171]

The thought of them adoption agencies involvement in this one case and made me think a lot about it....

#1 Christmas eve I don't think you could pick a worst time of the year to try to pull this off without taking a big chance of someone awake if they was not allready awake and you talking about maybe 2 people that pretty much the average of them adoption agencies traveled together. With no friend's in that area to help them..

Back in them days kids might get 1 toy a piece if they lucky and I remember that was a big job putting them toys together Christmas Eve after parents made the kids go to sleep.. most toys did not come assembled and most times a male kin or a friend of the father would come to the house to help with this task..

No toys??? Well this allways been a good time for very close kin or friends of the parents that was childless to stop in and they enjoy each other company after kids was asleep... There no way a adoption agencies would known this unless they case this house for months on end..

The Sodder Household was different on these fact's as we know now.. But back in 1945 I can not see no stranger sneak up and look in the window without atleast 2 or 3 dogs on there heal's barking and going crazy on these strangers.... Most all WV homes at that time had 2 or more dogs around there homes...

#2 I really don't think a adoption agencies Person would be trolling for kids on Christmas Eve, What little I found out about there life style they be living it up the good life enjoying the ill gotten gain's through the hollidays,

Yes I could see them maybe grab a kid on there way home after enjoying the hollidays for over a week after 1st of the year...

But If you had a enemy and you really wanted to hurt them.. What day of the year would you pick to really pay them back and take there love ones mainly children ???? Christmas Eve.. Perfect Time..

That Hand Grenade that was saw throw by that passing bus driver, These was very easy to get right after WWII, I bet 1 in 3 servicemen brought that plus a whole bunch other stuff home with them right after the war, I feel it was the type they used to throw into big guns to melt the metal inside the gun to make them useless, I think they had Napalm & some Manganese in it.... It got so hot it melt harden steel in big thick barrel guns so a house would have no chance of not catching on fire as long as it hit very near a house... I bet just in the Fayetteville area they was over 12 case's of just these type of hand grenade's at that time period... You still read in papers today of Bomb Squads getting called out to WWII Veterans homes over what they brought home with them after the war..

Strange action's after the fact from local offical's..For some reason atleast some of them know a lot more about this that they admited..Or I feel this way..

This very well could been a action that started out very small maybe in a local tavern and too much booze that went terribly wrong, Like that guy caught up stealling some of Mr Sodders tools, He might just walked up and stumbled upon this who knows right now..

I am just trying to put myself back into that time frame, You had a very lot of just released out of work servicemen, I never seen a serviceman that was really in combat that was not pretty wild right when they got back home,

Some overcome this with few years and some never overcome this... I am not trying to take up for them but them guys burn homes and raided places daily and did really what they wanted to do as long as they was moving foward towarrow the front lines and this was there normal daily life...

WWII was the last war where the ememy was so clear cut as The Good Guys and The Bad Guys , I never seen a war after that this clear black & white... I think them guys maybe was gave little bit more lead way than other troops in other wars after that... Germany & Japan had to be beaten at all cost... Can't forget Italy I think Mr. Sodder came from there or Sicily, Could this played a roll into this???? Maybe I call it myself a long shot... They was mad at him here in US over something happen in US, I think I could be wrong too..

But myself I might get side track on a other theory for a while ... But I keep coming back as this was some type of vendetta aim at Mr Sodder himself.... Pay him back over something... Them kids could very well could seen and know somebody that was hid in the background during the fire and they could put him in jail...

Myself I can't make up my mind if this could been a bunch of people drinking too much during hollidays and this got completely out of control..

Or this was a very well plan attack...

I follow this case for years and this just my own personal idea maybe a dumb idea but its my own thought's what might happen that terrible night 64 years ago..

 

[christine2448]

FYI, I am getting info to all so they can coordinate this, pray for all involved!

Audrey Stanton to Christine
show details Feb 11 (13 days ago) Reply

Hi Christine,
I'm so glad you e-mailed me around Thanksgiving about the Sodder case. I regret that I wasn't able to do another story. My editor thought it had been too soon since the last one ran. But, there is new hope now! I just received an e-mail from a screenwriting student who is very interested in writing about the case. His forwarded message is below. As you'll read, he's hopeful he can speak with some of the family members, and, if I recall correctly, you were instrumental in helping me get in touch with them. I hope you can do the same for him and, perhaps, shed some new light on this old mystery.

His e-mail address is, of course, with his message, so if you're interested in speaking with him, you could e-mail him. I've already told him I'd love to read the final project when he completes it. A new screenplay about the case would certainly make new headlines around here!

Thanks so much!
Audrey

Audrey Stanton
Features Editor
Beckley Newspapers/W.Va. South
801 N. Kanawha Street
Beckley, WV 25801
304-256-5643
www.wvsouth.com


Begin forwarded message:

From: hotshot <hotshotwriter@yahoo.com>
Date: February 10, 2009 6:42:51 PM EST
To: bnaudrey@register-herald.com
Subject: Missing Sodder Children Case

Hi,
My name is Jeff Haarsager and came across the piece you did about the missing Sodder children. I am finishing up my degree in Screenwriting at Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis, MN and am interested in writing about this case for my final screenplay project. I have done some searches to locate Sylvia Sodder Paxton and her daughter Jennie Henthorn but cannot locate them. From what I have read from other sources, they are very adament about keeping this case "alive" in the hopes that one day answers will turn up and give them peace of mind. My intentions are not to sensationalize their story in anyway, but to present their story as they've lived it in the hopes of bringing them closer to the truth.
If you have means to forward my address and e-mail to them, it would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to invade their privacy, but if they wanted to contact me, the ball would be in their court.
I thank you for your time and in the event you would like to talk to me about the case, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Jeff Haarsager
hotshotwriter@yahoo.com
jhaarsager@yahoo.com

 

[wv171]

Thanks christine2448

Myself I allway's though this case would make a wonderfull "who done it" Mystery movie...

There just so many different ideas of what really happen it sure keep everybody on the edge of there seat not wanting to miss a second of the movie...

Or better put you best have a big huge bowl of popcorn and plenty ice and Pop before the start of the movie...

What so amazing this is a true story not made up in some writer's imagination.. The sad part is this family still looking for there love ones at this very time I am typing this..

WV has its share of strange but true stories...

Like this one people was in this flood swears happened , I heard it from a number different flood surviver's and it very hard on them to talk about that terrible morning, Most lost kin folk or friends in this flood and some complete familys was found dead,,

On Feb, 1972 there was a huge coal refuse dam broke one early Saturday morning that killed I think 119 people don't use that number as truth I really forgot the real number but its very close to that number of people lost there life on Buffalo Creek Dam Flood that morning..

But a old woman setting up in a 2nd story room of her house in a rocking chair when the flood happened, She set there reading her bible in a rocking chair and rode clear down 17 miles of turning and twisting valley called Buffalo Creek on top of the Dam busting flood waters to Man WV until that house settle back down to earth and she did not get a scratch..

There many people said they saw her in her house riding on top of the waters at places the water was est. over 150 foot high going by them after they ran for there lifes some still in what little they wear to bed that night before way up the side of the mountain trying to get away from the raging rising flood waters..

Many and Many Flood survivers swear they seen this happen... Sadly I never got the woman's name, But I was very lucky to be there even with them when they talked about there experance that Feb morning...

I worked with many of them.. I worked with 1 guy lost his wife and his small infant daughter his complete married family in that flood.. Everybody know to even stop talking about it if you saw him walking up..

A very sad true story that cost many people's there life's .. Everybody say if it happened during a weekday many many more lifes would been lost.. #1 school would been in just look at the thousands of school children would been in classroom's at around 8:15 am in the morning..

WV got many many true stuff like that happened within its boarders through the years...

Sorry I got off the main subject little bit, But both these stories had lost WV children in them I though some of you like to read about that quick subject..As a small break from this main subject..

 

[birdie74]

Christine, that's very exciting about the potential screenplay! And wv171, you made some good points, like Christmas being a time when an enemy might want to get revenge.

Sorry I haven't been posting as much. I haven't really had anything new to add, but I still check in to read updates. I've gotten busier and haven't had the chance to go back to Cortez yet, but I still hope to do that in the next few months. I hope you are all doing well!

 

[wv171]

birdie74 I known you for a while, I say you even seen me go down a other theory road's searching for the truth,, But I keep coming back as this crime was over some type of a vendetta against Mr Sodder..

It very well could been a small allmost non-sense vendetta that was fuel by way too much drinking during the hollidays and got way out of hand..

It may just be myself but for some reason I think some local people in charge of the safety of the citizens know a lot more about this case than they put down on paper or gave in interviews..

If the person did this was not from this area they would not have the friends at the courthouse in turn no protection from the courthouse and there buddy's as I feel this case show's..

I am getting ready to start a other big project in next few days so I say I will not be around for a while..

Anybody slove this case I would say go down in the history book's as a great detective, Even if most of us are just Armchair Detective's... Just think you might have your own TV show on USA TV right after Monk. You can send Monk a case of them small wipe's towels he use so much on his show to clear the tears on his face when you just might be a better detective than him..

I use to live in that area and there are a very large Pop. of people from Italy and Sicily that settled in that area, Some of my best friend's grandparents was from there came over on the boat... So I really think it would not been that hard to get them kids back into the homeland to try to hid them or different parts of the USA .... Plus just think about all that old time manual paperwork They didn't have these computers back in them days so I say it would not been too hard moving kids around back in them days.. Giving them new names and stuff

 

[hotshotwriter]

Hi to all..this is my first post since signing up...I'm the screenwriting student that Audrey was kind enough to forward my message. I've been intrigued to say the least about this case ever since I stumbled upon it while searching the web. So many different angles and theories but no resolution for the family. That really is just as horrible as the case itself. I haven't heard from anyone directly yet but I am hopeful. I've been busy working on it, using as much information as I can get my hands on...my eyes are constantly bloodshot from reading all the posts on websleuths.com alone. The truth is out there somewhere and hopefully one day, the family can have peace of mind, knowing what really happened. Until then, all we can do is to try and keep this case alive and continue to search for answers and clues. I'm trying to be objective in researching the case so that the screenplay puts all the information out there while trying to tell the human angle of the story. Like I told Audrey when I e-mailed her, I'd rather not fictionalize, but without the blessing of the family I really can only go with a "based on a true story" angle. Anyone wanting to discuss the case please feel free to e-mail me at hotshotwriter@yahoo.com or jhaarsager@yahoo.com.

 

[birdie74]

Welcome hotshotwriter! I know the tired feeling of trying to catch up on all the info... quite a project in itself. Thank you for taking on the case!

 

[snowme]

But myself I might get side track on a other theory for a while ... But I keep coming back as this was some type of vendetta aim at Mr Sodder himself.... Pay him back over something... Them kids could very well could seen and know somebody that was hid in the background during the fire and they could put him in jail...

Myself I can't make up my mind if this could been a bunch of people drinking too much during hollidays and this got completely out of control..

Or this was a very well plan attack...

I follow this case for years and this just my own personal idea maybe a dumb idea but its my own thought's what might happen that terrible night 64 years ago..

snipped by me

Thanks for your insight wv171. I tend to go back to the thought that it was something to do with a vendetta against Mr. Sodder too. That and the thing about Mrs. Sodder's father and the settling of debt or accounts (can't recall exactly at this moment what the phrasing was).

I honestly hadn't thought too much before on Christmas Eve drinking getting out of hand perhaps and something just happening and going too far... that is something to think about. I agree with idea that the adoption agency people probably doesn't work here. For alot of reasons, altho it fits the time period & some history, but I really don't think they'd want that many children out of the venture. Perhaps if it went haywire?! But my perception of that type of thing was "made to order" kind of thing.... "we want a cute little 3 yr. old boy with curly dark hair"... know how I'm thinking?

I don't think your ideas are dumb at all, I appreciate your insight!

 

[snowme]

birdie74 I known you for a while, I say you even seen me go down a other theory road's searching for the truth,, But I keep coming back as this crime was over some type of a vendetta against Mr Sodder..

It very well could been a small allmost non-sense vendetta that was fuel by way too much drinking during the hollidays and got way out of hand..

It may just be myself but for some reason I think some local people in charge of the safety of the citizens know a lot more about this case than they put down on paper or gave in interviews..
If the person did this was not from this area they would not have the friends at the courthouse in turn no protection from the courthouse and there buddy's as I feel this case show's..

I am getting ready to start a other big project in next few days so I say I will not be around for a while..

Anybody slove this case I would say go down in the history book's as a great detective, Even if most of us are just Armchair Detective's... Just think you might have your own TV show on USA TV right after Monk. You can send Monk a case of them small wipe's towels he use so much on his show to clear the tears on his face when you just might be a better detective than him..

I use to live in that area and there are a very large Pop. of people from Italy and Sicily that settled in that area, Some of my best friend's grandparents was from there came over on the boat... So I really think it would not been that hard to get them kids back into the homeland to try to hid them or different parts of the USA .... Plus just think about all that old time manual paperwork They didn't have these computers back in them days so I say it would not been too hard moving kids around back in them days.. Giving them new names and stuff

bold by me
I think those are two very good and valid points of thought. I think the same.

ha, I love Monk! He's a hoot. Good luck with your new project wv171.

 

[snowme]

Christine, that's very exciting about the potential screenplay! And wv171, you made some good points, like Christmas being a time when an enemy might want to get revenge.

Sorry I haven't been posting as much. I haven't really had anything new to add, but I still check in to read updates. I've gotten busier and haven't had the chance to go back to Cortez yet, but I still hope to do that in the next few months. I hope you are all doing well!

Hi there birdie, I hear ya on the busy! Hope you've been well also.

 

[snowme]

Yes, welcome hotshotwriter, I am very glad to see this kind of interest in the missing Sodder children's story. I wish you much success.

(and thanks Christine for putting the right people in touch with one another!)

Hi to all..this is my first post since signing up...I'm the screenwriting student that Audrey was kind enough to forward my message. I've been intrigued to say the least about this case ever since I stumbled upon it while searching the web. So many different angles and theories but no resolution for the family. That really is just as horrible as the case itself. I haven't heard from anyone directly yet but I am hopeful. I've been busy working on it, using as much information as I can get my hands on...my eyes are constantly bloodshot from reading all the posts on websleuths.com alone. The truth is out there somewhere and hopefully one day, the family can have peace of mind, knowing what really happened. Until then, all we can do is to try and keep this case alive and continue to search for answers and clues. I'm trying to be objective in researching the case so that the screenplay puts all the information out there while trying to tell the human angle of the story. Like I told Audrey when I e-mailed her, I'd rather not fictionalize, but without the blessing of the family I really can only go with a "based on a true story" angle. Anyone wanting to discuss the case please feel free to e-mail me at hotshotwriter@yahoo.com or jhaarsager@yahoo.com.