WV - Sodder Family - 5 children, Christmas eve 1945 - #1

[Mullins]

Congrats Stacy--I have been following along---I'll be looking forward to the 8 minutes Dec. 23rd and the info that follows!

My piece is going to air on NPR’s show All Things Considered on Friday, December 23rd. I don't have an exact time, but the show is between 4 and 6, and it will probably air towards the end of each hour, so between 4:45 and 5:00 or between 5:45 and 6:00.

Here’s the thing. I only get 8 minutes and in 8 minutes, I barely had time to tell the story. So for those of you here, there’s only one new piece of information in my story. But I found out a lot more, we just couldn’t fit it into my piece. I looked into everything, talked to a lot of people, and I believe I can address every angle.

I have a lot to tell you, but I can’t until after the piece airs and until after I talk to the family first. I'm not doing this to torture you, I'm just trying to do the right thing here.

 

[drema]

My piece is going to air on NPR’s show All Things Considered on Friday, December 23rd. I don't have an exact time, but the show is between 4 and 6, and it will probably air towards the end of each hour, so between 4:45 and 5:00 or between 5:45 and 6:00.

Here’s the thing. I only get 8 minutes and in 8 minutes, I barely had time to tell the story. So for those of you here, there’s only one new piece of information in my story. But I found out a lot more, we just couldn’t fit it into my piece. I looked into everything, talked to a lot of people, and I believe I can address every angle.

I have a lot to tell you, but I can’t until after the piece airs and until after I talk to the family first. I'm not doing this to torture you, I'm just trying to do the right thing here.

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[gardenmom]

Stacy, thanks for caring about this family, and bring it to life again.

 

[on the trail]

good deal ms horn looking forward to hearing the story, :blowkiss:

 

[fox1950]

According to what is written Louis was born December 20, 1935 which would make him 70 years old today, if living.:HappyBday

(Louis A. b: December 20, 1935 in Fayetteville)

 

[mysteriew]

According to what is written Louis was born December 20, 1935 which would make him 70 years old today, if living.:HappyBday

(Louis A. b: December 20, 1935 in Fayetteville)

Has anyone ever checked him out on the social security death index?
It wouldn't hurt to check all of the kids, just to see what shows up.

 

[fox1950]

I have checked out the social security death index for both Louis and Maurice.
there was nothing. There is nothing on people search, telephone search, etc. either.

 

[mysteriew]

I have checked out the social security death index for both Louis and Maurice.
there was nothing. There is nothing on people search, telephone search, etc. either.

Thanks Fox, I couldn't remember if it had been done or not. Did you run the other kids also? They might be younger, but that is not to say they would be healthier.

 

[Shadow205]

I checked all of the kids on social security death index. Nothing there. I even checked inmate searches for random states. I tried every kind of search that I could think of.

 

[mysteriew]

LOL, Katrina lists?

 

[LButler]

Would these kids even had SSN's? I was born in 1969 and I didn't get my SSN until I went to kindergarten. There deaths are recorded at the Fayette County courthouse, but I didn't see any SSN's on the paperwork.

 

[Shadow205]

Way back then, most people did not get a SSN# until they were ready to get a job. It was worth a shot though checking the ss death index but nothing found.

 

[Mullins]

You only needed SS numbers at that time to drive or work.

Would these kids even had SSN's? I was born in 1969 and I didn't get my SSN until I went to kindergarten. There deaths are recorded at the Fayette County courthouse, but I didn't see any SSN's on the paperwork.

 

[fox1950]

I know the children didn't have social security numbers when they came up missing. However, if that had kept their own names, got social security numbers at the age of driving or working and then passed away it should be on social security death index. My father was probably in his 20's before he got his social security number; however, he is listed under social security death index. That's the mystery....no where can you find the boys names listed under anything which makes me believe their names were changed or they were taken to another country. You can just about find anyone under people search but nothing comes up when you look for Maurice or Louis. If the girls had kept their names, they would be harder to find because now they would have a different last name, if married. So it is much harder to find a woman that say, you went to school with and are looking for if you don't know her married name than it is a boy that you went to school with. The only things I can find under any of the names is a Betty Sodders (Sodders not Sodder) who wrote a book in Michigan.

To me this is very strange. I feel they no only exist with their original names, if alive; that they must have been given new names. Or they never grew to adulthood, or as someone mentioned where abducted by aliens. Now I don't believe in aliens but this is the most strangest happening I have encountered and I read all the time expecially about real life mysteries. I find it even stranger that somewhere along the way they would not have wanted to revisit there old life even if they were taken away by someone they grew to love and trust. I can't buy the story about them being told that the family died in the fire. Joe was still in the military and they knew he did not die in that fire that night. I guess the more I think the stranger it gets.

Well, just my thoughts. Thanks for all your responses.

 

[drema]

I agree. As people grow older they get more sentimental about their life. It's hard to believe that somewhere along the way they didn't find out how hard the parents looked or were looking for them. You're talking about four people here-four people who individually or together have never came forward. If they were separated that probably had no contact with their abducted siblings. They would mean that they individually never came forward. If they were kept together, then as a group they have never came forward.

My thoughts or hopes has always been that one of the children would break the silence. Perhaps they feel guility but they shouldn't. They were only children and could not have prevented what happened to them.

It will be sixty years in a few days. It's hard to believe that in sixty years there has been no one that ever leaked out what happened. No death bed confusions, nothing. I hope they are alive-my gut feeling is perhaps they aren't through some other means other than the fire.

 

[fox1950]

Not only were there 4 children involved but if they were abducted those involved and others would have knowledge of this event. No one has ever told or shared the story with someone? :waitasec:

 

[Shadow205]

This Sunday, December 25th marks the 60th anniversary of the disappearance of Maurice, Marth, Louis, Jennie & Betty Sodder. Let's all take a moment out of our busy lives and remember them. I have lit a candle in their memory at http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm. Enter the initials "NR" to view the candle. George & Jennie never gave up hope of finding their children. I am not ready to give up on the hope that they are still alive somewhere. So, to all of the Sodder children wherever you are, Merry Christmas.

 

[shadowangel]

This Sunday, December 25th marks the 60th anniversary of the disappearance of Maurice, Marth, Louis, Jennie & Betty Sodder. Let's all take a moment out of our busy lives and remember them. I have lit a candle in their memory at http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm. Enter the initials "NR" to view the candle. George & Jennie never gave up hope of finding their children. I am not ready to give up on the hope that they are still alive somewhere. So, to all of the Sodder children wherever you are, Merry Christmas.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Let's pray that the 70th anniversary finds us finally able to memorialize the children, and lay their spirits to rest.

 

[Stacy Horn]

I suggested that NPR link to Websleuths on their website, in connection with this piece, saying that this is where I first heard of the Sodder story. I don't know what their plans are (and don't really have any say).

 

[PonderingThings]

Here is a link to Stacy Horn's article;
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5067563