WV WV - Sodder Family - 5 children, Christmas eve 1945 - #4

[freak]

As I said I need to do some more digging on the case I will not share any evidence I may have found at this time due to uncertainty.
Assuming you've looked at this case in detail what makes you certain they died in the fire? keeping in mind no remains were found and items in the fire were only partly burned up, leading to more evidence that it did not reach temperatures hot enough to destroy bones.

 

[Laura_Bean]

Can you show us this photo? Thank you.

 

[Laura_Bean]

Here is the photo I think George saw.
This girl is NOT Betty but she looks a lot like Betty, and is in a extremely shy looking position.
Her brother became a famous ballet dancer, and I have spoken with him.
She is NOT Betty but he thinks this very photo may have been used in an ad.
If this is what George saw, he may very well have thought it was Betty.
The girl with her head resting on her arm, almost like she is hiding from the picture, in a very introverted position.

 

[Laura_Bean]

Here is a closer up of her face....

 

[Laura_Bean]

Lets do a comparison..

 

[bienpense]

Hello everyone ! Two french newbies here. Apologies in advance if this comment is misplaced but we couldn’t find a thread about this kind of topic and don't really know where to post this. We are desperate to get our hands on a copy of George BRAGG'S book (or any serious book about the Sodder Tragedy for that matter) for research purposes. These kinds of books seem impossible to find in Europe and most stores which happen to sell them don’t ship worldwide. Does anybody know where we could buy them or if they exist in form of e-books? Any help is appreciated.Thanks for your time ! W&B.

 

[DakotaMayi]

Hello everyone ! Two french newbies here. Apologies in advance if this comment is misplaced but we couldn’t find a thread about this kind of topic and don't really know where to post this. We are desperate to get our hands on a copy of George BRAGG'S book (or any serious book about the Sodder Tragedy for that matter) for research purposes. These kinds of books seem impossible to find in Europe and most stores which happen to sell them don’t ship worldwide. Does anybody know where we could buy them or if they exist in form of e-books? Any help is appreciated.Thanks for your time ! W&B.

:welcome4: !! Thank for joining us! I will have a click around and see what I can find. I'll let you know if I find anything.

 

[Carnifax]

Honestly, not a lot about this case is published beyond newspaper articles or internet searches. I spent a lot of time in the area before I even heard of the case. There seems to be a lot of interest in this case suddenly and it wouldnt surprise me to see more and more info available.

George (and Melody) Bragg's books are something of the gold standard for info about this case. A lot of their research comes directly from the official investigation files. George Bragg is very well respected in West Virginia as a historian and gentleman.

The only place I have been able to locate them is from local sources like Tamarac(sp?) Arts Center in WV but the best place for someone outside of the greater Fayetteville area (much less across the ocean) would be to go directly to the source: George Bragg. If you have never read any of the books , they are fascinating and well worth the money. I have passed around my copies to many family and friends. Let me dig for his email (found it!).

Contact him direct at:

Gem Publications and Photography
269 Maplewood Lane
Beaver, WV 25813
304-256-8400

gemphoto@suddenlink.net

 

[dmacgowan]

Hello! The first book solely devoted to the Sodder case: "The Sodder Family Tragedy" is now available via Amazon.

 

[MrsThreadgoode]

Hello all!

A terrific and fascinating podcast episode about the Sodder Family was released tonight.

It is an interview with the Sodder family granddaughter, Jennie Henthorn. It definitely is a "must listen".

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/most-notorious!-true-crime/id1055044256?mt=2&i=378028475

(The podcast is called "Most Notorious", created/hosted by Erik Rivenes. IMHO! every single episode is a "must listen." So well done. One of my all-time favourite podcasts.)






Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ozoner]

As I said I need to do some more digging on the case I will not share any evidence I may have found at this time due to uncertainty.
Assuming you've looked at this case in detail what makes you certain they died in the fire? keeping in mind no remains were found and items in the fire were only partly burned up, leading to more evidence that it did not reach temperatures hot enough to destroy bones.

I believe the children perished in the fire. For one thing, John tried to wake his brothers and sisters but could not: I believe that they had already died of smoke inhalation.
*
I don't buy the argument that full skeletons would have been found. In any fire, there will be some areas that burn more completely than others. If the children were in an area that burned long and hot, there might not have been anything left of them that could be identified using the techniques of that era.
*
The initial search for remains was not as thorough as what we would expect today. It is possible that some bone fragments remained but were missed.
*
I don't belive the picture of the supposed "adult Louis" looks anything like the real Louis Sodder; I believe the picture was a prank or a misguided attempt to make the family feel better.
*
I'm not entirely convinced that the fire was electrical--it may have been arson--but that does not alter the probable fate of the children.

 

[Tulessa]

The human bones consist of four lumbar vertebrae belonging to one individual. Since the transverse recesses are fused, the age of this individual at death should have been 16 or 17 years. The top limit of age should be about 22 since the centra, which normally fuse at 23, are still unfused. On this basis, the bones show greater skeletal maturation than one would expect for a 14-year-old boy (the oldest missing Sodder child). It is however possible, although not probable, for a boy 14 ½ years old to show 16-17 maturation.


Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...nt-up-in-smoke-172429802/#X4wu5xsYDu7bo1RM.99
Give the gift of Smithsonian magazine for only $12! http://bit.ly/1cGUiGv
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http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-children-who-went-up-in-smoke-172429802/

 

[dogperson]

Thinking about the Sodder children during this holiday season. I wish the coming year would bring the answers.

 

[cutter99]

From three years ago...

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/201312230105

 

[DakotaMayi]

Thinking of them all today. :heartbeat:

 

[Roselvr]

From three years ago...

http://www.wvgazettemail.com/News/201312230105

She really should put her DNA in the main 3 family tree sites, Ancestry, 23 and me and family tree. That could be one way this mystery may get solved. There are a few FB groups with search angels that would gladly help for free

 

[bettedavideyes69]

The fact that mrs sodder heard a loud thud on the roof then a rolling is so imperative. Mr sodder found a napalm pineapple just days later within yards of the house. My issue is why would kidnappers throw a napalm pineapple on the roof? They are designed to blow small amounts of schrapnel Andrew gas outward. Were they aiming for the attic window and missed? Also napalm was a war weapon designed in 1942. The crime occurred. 1945. Pineapples were primarily used in Vietnam. Why would someone bring a napalm weapon to their house and throw it on the roof and also was it actually a napalm weapon or something else? I can't find a record of a napalm pineapple design around the mid forties.

 

[dalsglen]

Thinking of them all today. :heartbeat:

This post bumped this thread up into the new posts, which caught my eye, thanks kpetrova, im a 30 yr old mum of 4 who has only ever set foot in NY and PA, clearly no idea of WV or really any individual state before the time I visited (camp america) 12 years ago. Still no bloody idea!
Ive spent 2 days, *ahem 3* between the festivities(none of you guys better tell my kids I wasnt that interested in their new toys lol, this one got me)

71 years... im trying to solve a minor point in my family history from nearly 60 years ago and it seems impossible to do so.

I believe that anyone who did know the truth will be dead by now, who in the right mind who was directly involved would pass info onto their children etc?!

I know theres a few thoughts re mrs sodder hearing the bang on the roof, but could it simply be that it was the ladder hitting the top of the house/the roof?

I hope at least jenni(y?) gets the answers within their lifetime, I doubt it though

 

[helaina.renaee]

I found a media link for a state run site in Kentucky. http://corrections.ky.gov/depts/AI/EKCC/Pages/default.aspx

 

[DakotaMayi]

This post bumped this thread up into the new posts, which caught my eye, thanks kpetrova, im a 30 yr old mum of 4 who has only ever set foot in NY and PA, clearly no idea of WV or really any individual state before the time I visited (camp america) 12 years ago. Still no bloody idea!
Ive spent 2 days, *ahem 3* between the festivities(none of you guys better tell my kids I wasnt that interested in their new toys lol, this one got me)

71 years... im trying to solve a minor point in my family history from nearly 60 years ago and it seems impossible to do so.

I believe that anyone who did know the truth will be dead by now, who in the right mind who was directly involved would pass info onto their children etc?!

I know theres a few thoughts re mrs sodder hearing the bang on the roof, but could it simply be that it was the ladder hitting the top of the house/the roof?

I hope at least jenni(y?) gets the answers within their lifetime, I doubt it though

dalsglen! I'm sorry I didn't see your post until now.

Oh no problem, I like to go around few of the cold ones to revive them every so often.

I did the same, I've spent days pouring of this one. I've hoped for answers for years since reading about it but I don't think that will happen now. So much time has past.