Bethel Madison

Here is another picture I took to Uncle Bob for identification. Without hesitation he proclaimed her to be Bethel Madison. He then told me to look in 'A History of The Oak Harbor Public School and the Benton-Carroll-Salem Local School District' by George Thierwechter. He had recently given my father a copy and I was slowly working my way through but he mentioned a picture so when I got home I started looking in earnest.

Sure enough he was right. (Not that I doubted him.) On page 175 you will find a picture of the Oak Harbor High School Graduates - Class of 1920. There, sitting in the "bottom row", almost front and center is Bethel Madison. For those of you who don't have the book the rest of the people in the picture are as follows:

Bottom Row: Frederick Heller, Margaret Boylan, Francis Claser, Bethel Madison, Helene Schimansky, Martha Schuster, Esther Schutte, Orlena Miller, Walter Kern

Second Row: Marie Schuster, Gertrude Peters, Ruth Linder, William Roose, Walter Meyer, Lester Peters, Arthur Atwater, Agnes Mulligan

Third Row: Pearl Price, Raymond Steinmiller, Vernon Getterman, Milton Atwater, Herbert Fitch, William Mylander, Orland Humphrey, Franklin Yingling, Nellie Bearss

Top Row: Pauline Rice, Helen Nehls, Alice Blatt, Frances Auxter, Adelyn Neipp, Martha Peters, Dorothy Nehls, Minnie Goodsite, Florence Ludwig, Freda Hoedt & Grace Glecker.

Timeframe: Since the two images are very similar and one is the class of 1920 I am guessing both images hail from 1920 or there abouts.

Where It Fits: Bethel Madison is the daughter of Myrtle Leutz. She was later adopted by Peter Madison. George Thierwechter is the husband of Florence Hopfinger. Florence is the daughter of August Hopfinger. August Hopfinger is the brother of Caroline (Hopfinger) Fritsche.