MO Ralph C. Doles, 40, Pineyville, Nov. 1937 *Faked Death?*

[HumblePie]

The "official records" I have for this are related to court cases involving Ralph C. Doles and other records supporting that he possibly faked his own death to avoid prosecution. This is somewhat of a unique case in the fact that Ralph's family never reported him missing, it was assumed that he abandoned the family up until a news reporter for the Neosho Daily News wrote an article in 2009 implying that Ralph in fact drowned in 1937. The article is demonstrated poor research and I had more questions than answers after reading it which prompted the research. Upon discovering that Ralph was alive well into the 1970s, it begs the question...who is buried in Owsley Cemetery? Is anyone even buried there? The link following this paragraph will take you to the Find-A-Grave site with a copy of the 2009 news article. I have had little luck finding a copy of the actual article. I will direct the article in a follow-up post.

Ralph C. Doles (1896-1937) - Find a Grave...

Buckley, Amye, "Mystery solved after 72 years" Neosho Daily News, 2 Oct 2009

"Beth Page — Ralph Doles died 72 years ago, but his funeral will be this Saturday. For years, family members have been plagued by the mystery surrounding his death, but now they feel like they have answers.
They will set the headstone this afternoon and will hold services just before 11 a.m. Saturday at Owsley-Union Cemetery.
For years, all Mary Doles Faulkner knew about her father is that he left. She wished he could have been there to meet her children and that got them thinking. Her sons started researching family history.
Her son, Ralph Doles' grandson, Rick Jones, found information leading him to a "second family" Doles started after leaving Faulkner. His brother talked to a caretaker named Junior Wollard at Owsley-Union Cemetery who claimed Doles had saved his life years ago. ed his life years ago." (Ralph C. Doles (1896-1937) - Find a Grave...)

 

[HumblePie]

Let's start with the obvious, Ralph married Mamie Bunch in 1915 and had 6 children. Around 1928/29 Ralph abandoned the family. I have yet to find any divorce decree or any divorce records for the two. He then marries Ellen Heis, they have 3 children. (by the way, he has a daughter Mary with each wife...Mary 1-1930/1930~Mary 2-1936/2000.) In October 1937, when his 3rd child with Ellen is still-born, he signs the death certificate for the child, and in the last days of October, a funeral is held, which Ralph is present at. He signs the bill for the funeral in the first days of November 1937. So....November 1937 he is alive in St. Joseph, Mo. The family legend is that he went to see family in southern Missouri to clear his head after the funeral. Understandable...Here is where the newspaper article comes in and throws some huge loops into the story.
According to the newspaper article from 2009, a CEMETERY KEEPER FROM OWSLEY CEMETERY named Junior Wollord is interviewed and he claims that Ralph "saved him from drowning". The article says they went down to the creek to fish and swim, an escape from the summer heat. But it was at least early if not mid-November... "They had been eating wild plumbs all day", yes plumb season is May through early October. It would have been at least a month late for that. And, it still doesn't make sense why they would be going swimming in November, in Southern Missouri, in a creek or river...
Let's talk about the next thing. Mr. Wollord is the cemetery keeper for Owsley Cemetery. This must mean he is well versed in how things work when people die. Authorities are notified, family is notified, death certificates are produced, death benefits paid to family members, etc. So why did this man and another fisherman carry his body, 25 miles and bury it in the cemetery without notifying anyone? Also, if one of the people there was one of the nephews (who is conveniently deceased now too) why did he not tell anyone? not his parents? one of his aunts or uncles? no cousins? not his grandparents? Something is off.
And last but not least, if Ralph was actually still alive, then who is buried in the grave that now bears his name? Or, is anyone buried there? Is it possible someone killed him and assumed his name? Although I can't imagine it would be a good move on their part.

 

[cenazoic]

This is fascinating!

Looks like you can buy a copy of the article for $3.95 from Neosho Daily News' archives.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I think the town should be be Pineville, MO, not Pineyville in the title.

Let's start with the obvious, Ralph married Mamie Bunch in 1915 and had 6 children. Around 1928/29 Ralph abandoned the family. I have yet to find any divorce decree or any divorce records for the two.

The May 3, 1930 US Census shows Mamie E. Doles, age 32, (divorced) living with her father, John D. Bunch, age 62, (divorced) and her 6 children (all last name, Doles), Clarence (pob, Stella, MO) dob 24 Dec 1917), age 13, Clyde, age 10, Elsie, age 6, Robert, age 4 yrs/4 mo., Mary, age 2 yrs/9 mo., & Lucelle (Lucille), age 6 mo.

Lucille Mildred Doles was born in Gardner, Johnson County, Kansas 13 Nov 1929 Assuming the baby was conceived 9 months earlier, approximately Feb 1929, that would establish about when Ralph abandoned his family, anytime after February, 1929.

Note that the census shows she was already divorced at the time of the census, May 3, 1930. I don't know how long one has to wait for a divorce in Missouri, but it was after Feb, 1929. Why would she say she was divorced on the census if she wasn't?

The Kansas City and County Records for 1944 show Ralph living in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas, 9 miles from his youngest daughter, Lucille Mildred Doles, who was living in Gardner, Johnson County, Kansas.

April 23, 1940 St. Joseph, MO Census shows Ellen doles, head of Household, living with her father and two children, Leland and Mary Jean.

A 1960 city directory for Ralph's second wife, Martha Ellen Hise Doles, (10 Feb 1901-14Dec1959) shows her living in Norfolk, Virginia. Her marital status lists her as widowed from Ralph (wid Ralph).

The real clincher is Ralph Doles WWI and WWII draft cards with his signatures on both of them. Are they the same person? Do the signatures match? I don't think so, but, I'm not a handwriting expert. The next of kin on the draft card is Mrs. Nellie Butler, the mother of Violet Doles, wife of Ralph Doles. That item, Ralph & Violet Doles judgement and her obit in the attachments below show yet another wife, Violet Doles. All in Cass County. So, how could Martha Ellen Hise Doles be widowed from him?

If Ralph C. Doles died in 1937, who filled out his WWII Draft Registration Card?

 

[Quoththeraven]

This is fascinating!

Looks like you can buy a copy of the article for $3.95 from Neosho Daily News' archives.

Clarence Junior Wolford or Junior Wollord?

 

[cenazoic]

The article for purchase is

Buckley, Amye, "Mystery solved after 72 years" Neosho Daily News, 2 Oct 2009

Clarence Junior Wolford or Junior Wollord

The only newspaper article I saw referencing Junior Wollord included his mother’s name, Mrs. Lee Wollord. (1976)

Unfortunately I didn’t save it, but it’s findable in newspaperarchive. I started searching for Lee Wollord Sr with the assumption that Junior probably had a different birth name, but didn’t get far.

Amazing find on the service records!

 

[Quoththeraven]

The article for purchase is

Buckley, Amye, "Mystery solved after 72 years" Neosho Daily News, 2 Oct 2009



The only newspaper article I saw referencing Junior Wollord included his mother’s name, Mrs. Lee Wollord. (1976)

Unfortunately I didn’t save it, but it’s findable in newspaperarchive. I started searching for Lee Wollord Sr with the assumption that Junior probably had a different birth name, but didn’t get far.

Amazing find on the service records!

Thanks for the info on Junior. Here's another signature to compare from Ralph C. Doles application to marry Martha Ellen Hise in 1933 with his draft cards. Note he left out his middle initial on his WWII draft card (the yellow one).

 

[HumblePie]

I think the town should be be Pineville, MO, not Pineyville in the title.



The May 3, 1930 US Census shows Mamie E. Doles, age 32, (divorced) living with her father, John D. Bunch, age 62, (divorced) and her 6 children (all last name, Doles), Clarence (pob, Stella, MO) dob 24 Dec 1917), age 13, Clyde, age 10, Elsie, age 6, Robert, age 4 yrs/4 mo., Mary, age 2 yrs/9 mo., & Lucelle (Lucille), age 6 mo.

Lucille Mildred Doles was born in Gardner, Johnson County, Kansas 13 Nov 1929 Assuming the baby was conceived 9 months earlier, approximately Feb 1929, that would establish about when Ralph abandoned his family, anytime after February, 1929.

Note that the census shows she was already divorced at the time of the census, May 3, 1930. I don't know how long one has to wait for a divorce in Missouri, but it was after Feb, 1929. Why would she say she was divorced on the census if she wasn't?

The Kansas City and County Records for 1944 show Ralph living in Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas, 9 miles from his youngest daughter, Lucille Mildred Doles, who was living in Gardner, Johnson County, Kansas.

April 23, 1940 St. Joseph, MO Census shows Ellen doles, head of Household, living with her father and two children, Leland and Mary Jean.

A 1960 city directory for Ralph's second wife, Martha Ellen Hise Doles, (10 Feb 1901-14Dec1959) shows her living in Norfolk, Virginia. Her marital status lists her as widowed from Ralph (wid Ralph).

The real clincher is Ralph Doles WWI and WWII draft cards with his signatures on both of them. Are they the same person? Do the signatures match? I don't think so, but, I'm not a handwriting expert. The next of kin on the draft card is Mrs. Nellie Butler, the mother of Violet Doles, wife of Ralph Doles. That item, Ralph & Violet Doles judgement and her obit in the attachments below show yet another wife, Violet Doles. All in Cass County. So, how could Martha Ellen Hise Doles be widowed from him?

If Ralph C. Doles died in 1937, who filled out his WWII Draft Registration Card?

Wow! You found more than I did! I will try to touch on all of this. I did not know that there had been a divorce between Mamie and Ralph, Clarence (My Great Grand) always said that his mom said "he ran off with all the money and we're better off without the drunkard". As far as the date, he must have left shortly after Lucille's birth because Clarence stated he was taken out of school and sent to the WPA at age 11. He was 13 in 1930. I would also cite that he was just finishing with the courts regarding embezzlement charges regarding his mothers estate in the fall of 1929.
Him living in Olathe: I was relatively positive I had seen a death certificate for one of his siblings where he was listed as "notifying party" but that was almost 2 years ago and I changed computers and now I can't find it. I believe it was dated 1963 or 1968? But that was my first clue that he was alive...and the location made sense because that is where we went to visit the great aunts. I had always suspected that he had at least one other family and I'm not positive that a man named Ralph C. Boles in Springfield between the 1940-1950's also seems to fit...and there were pictures in the Spfld papers. The man resembles Ralph Doles, but it is a black and white newspaper photo so there is no real definitive yes or no. As far as Ellen stating widowed, I do not know for sure, the rumor was always that she thought he went back to Mamie. But it seemed to fit his M.O. for starting a family, stealing, and abandoning them while taking the money. So I always suspected.
As far as the WWII card, this is something I frequently questioned and the only hint i got was: does the handwriting on the entire document match? If so, it's not his signature, it was signed for him. I also am not a handwriting expert so I can not say which signature is his and if they are matches. I should point out that Ralph has a nephew named Ralph Doles also, different middle initial but he was born 1958 so def. not in WWII.

 

[HumblePie]

Thanks for the info on Junior. Here's another signature to compare from Ralph C. Doles application to marry Martha Ellen Hise in 1933 with his draft cards. Note he left out his middle initial on his WWII draft card (the yellow one).

Well...none of them match lmao. It does appear they get sloppy-er as they progress...age maybe? And I never considered injury from war, that could have impeded his handwriting but I do not recall any war hero stories. But i feel like it strengthens the idea that he was alive past 1937. Can anyone find the marriage license for Violet? What's the signature on that like?

 

[HumblePie]

The article for purchase is

Buckley, Amye, "Mystery solved after 72 years" Neosho Daily News, 2 Oct 2009



The only newspaper article I saw referencing Junior Wollord included his mother’s name, Mrs. Lee Wollord. (1976)

Unfortunately I didn’t save it, but it’s findable in newspaperarchive. I started searching for Lee Wollord Sr with the assumption that Junior probably had a different birth name, but didn’t get far.

Amazing find on the service records!

Awesome, I will scan some newspapers for the name. Thannk you!

 

[Quoththeraven]

Regarding the WWII draft card. I didn't realize it was two pages until I went to Fold3 and found the other page. It wouldn't let me save it to my computer so I had to screenshot it. The bottom of the scan is covered up with some icons. "Local Board No. 1 - 75 095 001 Stamp of local board: Jackson County - County Courthouse - Independence, Missouri. When you compare the WWI card with the WWII card you'll see that both have gray eyes and brown hair. That's a good indication they're both Ralph Doles. If you knew him to have a slight scar under his lower lip then you know for sure he never died in 1937. It's a strong possibility there's no one in that 1937 grave or somebody else other than Ralph Doles is in it.

The 4 Mar 1920 issue of the Neosho Times shows the State vs Ralph Doles for check forgery
The 28 Jan 1929 issue of the Neosho Daily News shows the State vs Ralph Doles for Obtaining Money Falsely & Fraudulent Checks. I couldn't find the outcome of those charges.

There was a case by us where someone was collecting SS on an elderly woman well past 100 and when the records showed she never used her Medicare they investigated and found out one of her children had been collecting her SS for over 20 years. She had disappeared years before. They suspected him of killing her but could never prove it.

In the event it ever comes to exhuming his body from the grave that he's supposedly in, they can always check to see if one of the legs of the exhumed body were broken as stated on the WWI card.

BTW, just because there's a draft card doesn't mean he was actually drafted or enlisted. Those two cards are the only items related to him serving. I doubt that he did at all.

You can always check with NARA to see if he actually served.
Veterans' Service Records

 

[HumblePie]

Regarding the WWII draft card. I didn't realize it was two pages until I went to Fold3 and found the other page. It wouldn't let me save it to my computer so I had to screenshot it. The bottom of the scan is covered up with some icons. "Local Board No. 1 - 75 095 001 Stamp of local board: Jackson County - County Courthouse - Independence, Missouri. When you compare the WWI card with the WWII card you'll see that both have gray eyes and brown hair. That's a good indication they're both Ralph Doles. If you knew him to have a slight scar under his lower lip then you know for sure he never died in 1937. It's a strong possibility there's no one in that 1937 grave or somebody else other than Ralph Doles is in it.

The 4 Mar 1920 issue of the Neosho Times shows the State vs Ralph Doles for check forgery
The 28 Jan 1929 issue of the Neosho Daily News shows the State vs Ralph Doles for Obtaining Money Falsely & Fraudulent Checks. I couldn't find the outcome of those charges.

There was a case by us where someone was collecting SS on an elderly woman well past 100 and when the records showed she never used her Medicare they investigated and found out one of her children had been collecting her SS for over 20 years. She had disappeared years before. They suspected him of killing her but could never prove it.

In the event it ever comes to exhuming his body from the grave that he's supposedly in, they can always check to see if one of the legs of the exhumed body were broken as stated on the WWI card.

BTW, just because there's a draft card doesn't mean he was actually drafted or enlisted. Those two cards are the only items related to him serving. I doubt that he did at all.

You can always check with NARA to see if he actually served.
Veterans' Service Records

ABSOLUTLY AMAZING!! Thank you so much!!! I do know that his siblings sued him in 1928 regarding the estate because he owed a loan and was in possession of a portion of his mothers share. The person he owed the loan to sued him and the end result was the judge ordered Ralph to sell his share of the land and the person he owed the loan to got all the proceeds. I am going to share this information with my grandfather and see if he can get ahold of the cemetery and see what we should do from there. You all are amazing.

 

[Quoththeraven]

ABSOLUTLY AMAZING!! Thank you so much!!! I do know that his siblings sued him in 1928 regarding the estate because he owed a loan and was in possession of a portion of his mothers share. The person he owed the loan to sued him and the end result was the judge ordered Ralph to sell his share of the land and the person he owed the loan to got all the proceeds. I am going to share this information with my grandfather and see if he can get ahold of the cemetery and see what we should do from there. You all are amazing.

That was for $912.00 if I recall right. He stiffed a guy who sued him and he lost his land as a result. Karma. Didn't he get that land from his mother's estate? Elizabeth Doles?

I don't know who's buried in that grave, but it prob isn't Ralph. The cemetery worker seems complicit somehow. That cockamamie story of his doesn't hold water and I haven't even read the story.

"He then marries Ellen Heis, they have 3 children"

That should be Martha Ellen Hise 10 Feb 1901-14 Dec 1959. They blocked some information out on her death certificate behind Ralph Doles name. The informant was her daughter, I presume.

 

[HumblePie]

That was for $912.00 if I recall right. He stiffed a guy who sued him and he lost his land as a result. Karma. Didn't he get that land from his mother's estate? Elizabeth Doles?

I don't know who's buried in that grave, but it prob isn't Ralph. The cemetery worker seems complicit somehow. That cockamamie story of his doesn't hold water and I haven't even read the story.

"He then marries Ellen Heis, they have 3 children"

That should be Martha Ellen Hise 10 Feb 1901-14 Dec 1959. They blocked some information out on her death certificate behind Ralph Doles name. The informant was her daughter, I presume.

Yes, he did get it from his mother's estate! he had been sued earlier also for stealing from his father's estate also. He seemed like a real nice guy lol. I just knew the story was too sweet to be true. What really burns my toast is that all of his kids thought he abandoned them (which he did) and he was living nearby the whole time and never made contact with them. And Mary (from Martha Ellen) really believed this news report. I guess if it brought her peace it's whatever, but i never believed it.