KELCH, Edward, Ed Jr., Janet, Don, Arlene (*-1943)

KELCH, NUMAN, WAGNER, STUDER, PHILIPS, OVERHELM, BEERS

Posted By: Hancock Co Genealogical Society (email)
Date: 12/30/2013 at 16:20:30

Five Members of Corwith Family Burned to Death

Edward Kelch, 32, and his four older children, Edward 8, Janet 7, Donald 5, and Arlene 2, perished in a fire that destroyed the Kelch farm home a mile north of

Corwith Thursday morning. Mrs. Kelch and a 10-month old baby were the only members of the family to survive.

The four children were asleep in upstairs rooms when the flames started from an explosion after Mr. Kelch used kerosene to build a fire in the stove downstairs.

Mrs. Kelch and the baby were rescued by Mr. Kelch from a downstairs bedroom.

Upon returning to the house in an attempt to rescue the four children, Mr. Kelch's clothes caught on fire and he was forced to leave the home. Mrs. Kelch took

him by car to the Merwin Aatchensen home, and from there he was taken by ambulance to the General hospital in Algona, where he died at 12:25 p.m.

Mr. Kelch is survived by his wife and baby daughter, Sandra, both of whom received burns when they escaped from the fire, and by his parents, Mr. and Mrs.

George Kelch Sr., Kanawha; two brothers, George Jr. and Albert, Kanawha, and five sisters, Mrs. Francis Numan, Shell Lake, Wis, Mrs. Mary Wagner, Kanawha,

Mrs. Irene Studer, Wesley, Mrs. Elsie Philips, Cicero, Ill., and Mrs. Berths Overhelm, Corwith.

Mrs. Kelch and the baby are at the home of Mrs. Kelch's mother, Mrs. Carrie Beers at Corwith.

source: Titoka Topic 18 Mar 1943