Tragic Death of J. Nilas Wolf of Bremen, 1926

Tragic Death of J. Nilas Wolf of Bremen, 1926

by | May 20, 2026 | Bremen, Visitor Stories & Oral Histories

Cars along downtown Plymouth, IN in the 1930s.

This article is from about 100 years ago from the Bourbon News Mirror on June 3, 1926. It can be found in our vast collection of microfilms from various newspapers in Marshall County. It has been edited lightly for clarity.

“TRAGIC DEATH OF J. NILAS WOLF FALLS FROM RUNNING BOARD OF AUTO AND SUSTAINS THE FATAL INJURY

Nilas Wolf is dead!

Death came to him Tuesday afternoon, about 4:45, following a fall from an auto. He never regained consciousness from the time he fell, which was about eleven o’clock a.m., until he died.

His death was one of the greatest shocks the community has had in a long time, and the bereaved family and innumerable friends of the deceased are dazed even yet.

The accident happened as follows:

Chauncey Berkey and Mr. Wolf had the same kind of cars. Both were new. Mr. Berkey came into town Tuesday morning and on seeing Mr. Wolf asked him if his car had a peculiar click as it ran. Mr. Wolf replied that it did not. Mr. Berkey explained to him what he had noticed about his car for a few days whereupon Mr. Wolf said he would get in the car and ride a piece to see if he could detect it. They went east on Center Street. When about the Walter Senour home, Mr. Wolf told him he heard it and asked that Mr. Berkey stop and he would get on the running board, with the left side of the hood open and ride there to see if he could find just where the trouble was. Mr. Berkey drove about 12 to 14 miles per hour. When near the Orville Martin home, Mr. Wolf raised up and called “Oh,” or “Woah,” Mr. Berkey did not know, and before the car could stop, he had fallen off. The car did not hit him and was stopped within about thirty feet. Mr. Berkey rushed back to Mr. Wolf, to find him unconscious and with blood flowing from a small wound in his head and some from his mouth. He began calling for help and Orville Martin heard it, at the same time his little daughter, Frances, was telling her father she had seen a man fall off the car. It was Mr. Wolf she saw. Mr. Martin rushed out, Herbert Sickman came, too, and a young man and lady going by stopped and the limp body of Mr. Wolf was taken into the Martin home where Dr. Graham and Dr. Marshall were called. Indications were that a fracture of the skull had taken place, as well as a concussion of the brain, and he never regained consciousness.

Just what was the real cause of the fall never will be known. Some thought he had touched a wire of the machine and got shocked so that he fell: others believed he had been attacked with a dizzy spell and fell, though he had not complained of this to his wife. But Frank Newcomb, partner of Mr. Wolf. In the auto business, stated to us that Mr. Wolf had not been feeling well for a few days and had complained of some slight dizzy spells at times. Mr. Wolf was in this office the night before and we visited with him quite a little while, but he did not complain, though we suspicioned by his conversation he was not feeling as well as usual.

Where Mr. Wolf fell from the car there is much coarse gravel and the wound in the back of the head indicated a stone had caused it. His glasses were found later on, devoid of the glasses, only the frame remaining and it was in fair state of preservation.

Mr. Berkey remained at the Martin home all the time the injured man was there and went after the mother, Mrs. Sarah Wolf, and brought her to the home. The grief of the wife, the mother and other members of the family is too pitiful to narrate.

No blame whatever is attached to Mr. Berkey, for it is more than likely, in fact more than possible, that Mr. Wolf had been attacked with a dizzy spell when he rode on the running board and fender of the car, and this caused the fall.

One peculiar incident was the fact that Mrs. Wolf felt a premonition that day that something terrible was to happen. Try as hard as she might she could not dispel the idea, and the tragedy verified her fears.

Mr. Wolf had been identified with the business interests of the community for a number of years and for several years was postmaster. At the time of his death, he was director of the Chamber of Commerce, being recently elected. He was a member of, and a hard worker, in the U.B. Church, a fine man, highly esteemed by everyone.

The funeral is Friday afternoon at the U.B. Church with burial in the Parks Cemetery.

Obituary later.”

If you would like to scroll through microfilms or research a specific topic, visit our research library in the Museum. We are located at 123. N. Michigan St in Plymouth, IN. Our hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10-4. Call at (574)-936-2306.

Learning to Drive the Hard Way

Learning to Drive the Hard Way

by | May 20, 2026 | Bremen, Visitor Stories & Oral Histories

William Erwin, Jr. and his brother Lewis in Will’s automobile.

Edited by Sue Irwin

The dawn of the automobile age in Marshall County saw an incomplete and primitive road system, many different automobile models from many companies with varying operating systems and no safety features to speak of. Some early cars had tillers instead of steering wheels. There was no driver’s training, indeed, no driver’s licensing. It would be many years before automobiles would overtake wagons and buggies on the roads, but that didn’t stop folks from being curious about how the dad-blamed contraptions worked.

William Erwin, Jr., at age 17, brought some excitement to town when he became the first resident of Bourbon to own an automobile. The local newspaper, the Bourbon News Mirror, printed the following humorous anecdote in April 1902.

“What we have been waiting for has happened. Mr. (William, Sr.) Erwin has tried the automobile belonging to his son Will. The critter stood in the yard one day last week as docile and meek as a little lamb. Steam was up, no one was looking, and Mr. Erwin’s curiosity was aroused. It seemed a most propitious time to take a little whirl.

“In a mule, one can detect by the roll of its eyes whether it harbors any ill will toward he who has the desire to mount, and likewise in a Texas bronco, but if an auto has a green apple pain, and designs against any who desires to ride, it never whimpers, and you only know “where you are at” when the family talk in whispers around your bed, the house is filled with the aroma of liniment and camphor, or the coroner gets out a search warrant for you.

“Mr. Erwin got it. A simple twist of the wrist threw on the power, and in less time than a collar button slips down your back, the pesky critter’s ire was up, and it made for the nearest pine tree and up it started. Bang! it went; then it backed off, made a sidestep to the right, the back wheels slinging the sand like a Kansas cyclone, and started for the tree again. Mr. Erwin wasn’t scared. He was simply getting the gait of the thing and didn’t shut off the steam.

“Boom! An explosion! The tire blew up! Will then appeared and put a stop to the proceedings. Mr. Erwin conquered the thing at least, for it is now in the hospital while he is telling us how it happened.”

The article does not elaborate on how Junior felt about the wreck of his new automobile, but trial and error was most likely the way he learned to drive as well. It was the primary way all new drivers got their training. Sometimes car dealers provided instruction if the car was purchased from one. In 1902, however, there were few dealerships and only in big cities. Buyers went straight to the factory to pick out their auto or ordered it through a catalog at the general store. Delivery of the new automobile was via railroad car.

As more people purchased cars, drove, and had accidents, local and state governments began regulating the operation of the automobile. In Indiana, drivers were required to register their cars and have a license beginning in 1929. This was also the year that driver’s examinations were introduced.

The Marshall County Museum houses the Historic Crossroads Center, a comprehensive exhibit about transportation in Indiana and the various changes that have taken place because of it. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The interactive model trains operate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays in the adjacent Train Room.

The Marshall County Museum houses the Historic Crossroads Center, a comprehensive exhibit about transportation in Indiana and the various changes that have taken place because of it. The Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The interactive model trains operate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays in the adjacent Train Room.

The Firemen’s Ball

The Firemen’s Ball

by | Apr 22, 2026 | Uncategorized

Wide Awake Fire Company, Plymouth Fire Department, Dec. 12, 1920.

Starting in 1921, Marshall County residents looked forward to the very successful Firemen’s Ball hosted by the Wide Awake Fire Company. Records show the social event hosted upwards of 850 guests in certain years! News articles indicate that guests delighted in refreshments like punch and doughnuts, savoring every moment. The following article from the Pilot News on February 2, 1924, tells more about the fourth annual Firemen’s Ball. The article is lightly edited.

FOURTH ANNUAL FIREMEN’S BALL IS BIGGEST YET

LARGEST CROWD THAT EVER APPEARED AT COUNTRY CLUB WAS ON HAND - AFFAIR FINANCIAL SUCCESS

The fourth annual Firemen’s Ball of the Wide Awake Fire Company, held at the Country Club Friday evening, was a highly enjoyable affair, with an attendance larger than any of the previous ones. In fact, the crowd was the largest that ever appeared at the Country Club.

Dr. and Mrs. Harry Knott led the grand march in which 144 couples took part. The Bell Hop orchestra played unusually well. The favors were paper bonnets for the ladies and paper caps for the gentlemen. During the evening the refreshment committee was busy serving punch, sandwiches, doughnuts and coffee.

The committeemen in charge of the affair and who worked unceasingly for its success were Russell Ellis, Sammy Belt, Peter Wickey, John Klapp. In fact, each fireman did his part.

One very pretty feature for the evening was the solo dancing by Miss Melba Steele. Rochester, Argos and Bourbon were represented in the out-of-town guests, the Argos visitors numbering 30 couples.

Plymouth people have always had a certain pride in their “fire laddies” and are ever ready to show their appreciation when called upon to give them a lift. The money received is for an emergency fund for injured firemen. The boys deserve the hearty support of our citizens, and they surely will always have it.

The MCHS and Museum has many images of the Historic Plymouth Firehouse and others in Marshall County. Visitors are always invited to look through our shared history! The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 123 N. Michigan St. Call us at 574-936-2306 for more information.

John R. Jacoby’s Meat Preservation Technique

John R. Jacoby’s Meat Preservation Technique

by | Apr 15, 2026 | Agriculture, Plymouth, Visitor Stories & Oral Histories

Food planning and preparation books.

Meat preservation involves methods to retain the taste, texture and safety of meats. Artificial refrigeration began in the 1750s, and developed more fully in the early 1800s, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that refrigerators became popular in the U.S. Before this, knowing how to preserve food without refrigeration was vital for families!

Read this excerpt from the memories of John R. Jacoby, born in Center Township in 1859, on his days-long process of preserving meat. Jacoby was a lifelong Marshall County farmer and secretary of the Jacoby Church and Cemetery in Plymouth, which his grandfather co-founded. The article has been edited for clarity.

How to Preserve Meat by John R. Jacoby

“First to do is to rub saltpeter over the meat. Then, put salt in the kettle, enough to cover the hams and shoulders good. Get the salt good and hot so it smokes.

Take a hoe and dig a hole in the salt, then drop a ham in and cover it completely. Leave in for two minutes and then take it out and turn it over. Leave in salt for two minutes more, or a little longer according to the size of the hams.

Then wash the meat again with Borax and hang the meat up. Let it drip for a couple of days, then smoke the meat all it needs. Then take down the meat and wrap in paper and put in sacks. Then it is ready to put away.”

The MCHS and Museum is currently renovating its Dairy and Ice Room which tells all about the history of refrigeration and ice harvesting in Marshall County. Stay tuned for its grand reopening later this year! The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am-4 pm at 123 N. Michigan St. Call us at 574-936-2306 for more information.

The Bloomer Costume

The Bloomer Costume

by | Apr 1, 2026 | General History

Ehrhart, S. D. (1895) The bicycle – the great dress reformer of the nineteenth century! / Ehrhart. , 1895. N.Y.: Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann, August 7. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2012648650/.

This article is taken directly from “A Twentieth Century History of Marshall County,” written by Daniel McDonald. Although McDonald is adept at expressing himself, I have edited lightly. Here he takes on a contemporary fashion craze – bloomer suits. Bloomers were known as “Turkish Pants,” hence the editorial rant below.

All About Bloomers by Daniel McDonald

The bloomer costume for ladies, which created much excitement throughout America during 1851, was just then being introduced in Plymouth. On this topic, the editor of The Pilot delivered himself as follows:

“New Dress – The bloomer costume is decidedly an improvement upon the dress of the female portion of the community. It is light, graceful and seraphic, well suited to the female figure. It will be welcomed by all the lovers of taste and refinement in the fashionable world. The Asian societies have long been celebrated for their beauty, polished manners and splendid attire. Our rivers will now be the Golden Horn; our valleys the Valley of Sweet Waters and our Seas the Bosphorus of the Turkish capital. A voyage to Constantinople will be useless. We may now take our siesta in the gay pavilion, and glide over the moonlit waters in the light caique (skiff)! Come ladies, step forth in your gorgeous apparel, decked with rose of gold and leaves of silver, and gladden our hearts with sweet smiles.”

 

The Bloomer Costume, Nathaniel Currier (1851)

Evidently, this was a facetious way the editor had of poking fun at the “costume” and killing it before the fad got a fair start here. At any rate, that was perhaps the result of it. Apparently, only one or two Plymouth ladies had the courage to procure bloomer suits and attempt to introduce them by wearing them as they would other female apparel. When they appeared in the streets, it was reported that they were objects of much curiosity—as if they had been untamed animals from Borneo. There is no easier way to kill anything that the people do not take very kindly to than to make fun of it, just as the editor of The Pilot did in his hifalutin article above quoted. At least that was what happened to the bloomer costume. McDonald might say, “It disappeared from the social horizon like the morning mist before the rays of the rising sun.”

Suffice it to say, ladies’ apparel has come a long, long way. If you want more commentary on life in Marshall County in the 1800s, McDonald’s book is for sale in our Museum Shop. Stop in anytime between 10 and 4 on Tuesday through Saturday and pick up your copy. The Museum is located at 123 N. Michigan St. in Plymouth. Call us at 574-936-2306.