WV - Sodder Family - 5 children, Christmas eve 1945 - #2

[JustmeinTN]

I lived in Fayette County as a child and remember seeing that billboard all the time. I never forgot it either. I was in WV just last week and ask someone if the billboard was still up. Then I ran across this site.
My great grandfather was a coal miner and he said something one time about the real story never being told but would not say any more and never did tell me about the kids. So I dont know if he really knew something or just had some ideas of his own. I hope one day the mystery will be solved.

 

[LisainWV]

Welcome, Justme!! I think anyone who ever saw that billboard will never forget it. The kids posted that way were just so haunting.

Did you drive by the property when you were "home?" It was hard for me to recognize because the fence and sign were gone and it had been many years since I had been there, but I found it. I drive down that way occassionally just to see if God has decided to grant me the psychic powers I pray for and I might get a vibe. Not yet.

Oddly enough, I just renewed my newspaperarchive sub and found an article from 1945 when the fire happened. It mentioned 2 fires - the Sodder house in Fayetteville and the Murphy 5 & 10 cent store in Montgomery. Since I have felt, and continue to feel, that this had something to do with Jennie's family, Cipriani's and their possible Mafia ties, and since they lived in the Smithers/Montgomery area, I've been trying to find out who owned the store that caught on fire. Supposedly happened about 5:00 pm.

Probably unrelated, but worth looking at.

 

[Gina_M]

Here is a copy of the May 14, 1946 Look Magazine for sale. Is this the one that Granddaughter purchased that did not have the ballet picture in it?

http://www.goantiques.com/detail,look-magazine-cover,1181719.html

Is it possible this is the correct issue, and the other copy was missing pages?

 

[Gina_M]

Other magazines (could it be any of these?)

October 15, 1946 edition of LOOK
http://cgi.ebay.com/1946-LOOK-MAGAZ...goryZ280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

November 18, 1946 edition of LIFE
http://cgi.ebay.com/LIFE-MAGAZINE-1...QihZ012QQcategoryZ280QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

November 25, 1946 edition of LIFE
http://cgi.ebay.com/LIFE-MAGAZINE-1...goryZ280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

June 24, 1946 edition of LIFE
http://cgi.ebay.com/LIFE-MAGAZINE-1...goryZ280QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

June 17, 1946 edition of LIFE
http://cgi.ebay.com/LIFE-MAGAZINE-1...QihZ012QQcategoryZ280QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Aug. 20, 1946 edition of LOOK
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOOK-Magazine-A...135957951QQihZ009QQcategoryZ280QQcmdZViewItem

Aug. 5, 1946 edition of LIFE
http://cgi.ebay.com/LIFE-Magazine-A...137067703QQihZ009QQcategoryZ280QQcmdZViewItem

March 19, 1946 edition of LOOK
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOOK-magazine-M...QihZ016QQcategoryZ280QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Oct. 1946 edition of PIC
http://cgi.ebay.com/PIC-mag-October...QihZ016QQcategoryZ280QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

 

[Gina_M]

Collier's magazine - March 22, 1947
COVER SUBJECT: Ballet Dancer
The Ballet Hits High Cotton / John Kord Lagemann / Photos of:
- Dancers
http://cgi.ebay.com/Colliers-magazi...136001563QQihZ011QQcategoryZ280QQcmdZViewItem

Collier's magazine - Sept. 27, 1947
COVER SUBJECT: Ballet Dancer
http://cgi.ebay.com/Colliers-magazi...144048766QQihZ011QQcategoryZ280QQcmdZViewItem

Collier's magazine - Aug. 9, 1947
The Kids Get a Night Club / L. Richard Guylay / Photos of:
- Dance at the Barney Toby
http://cgi.ebay.com/Colliers-magazi...144048729QQihZ011QQcategoryZ280QQcmdZViewItem

Collier's magazine - May 14, 1949
COVER SUBJECT: Broadway to Ballet
http://cgi.ebay.com/Colliers-magazi...144048781QQihZ011QQcategoryZ280QQcmdZViewItem

 

[fox1950]

The May 14, 1946 Look Magazine does not have a picture of a ballet class from Walt Whitman School. Either Mr. Sodder had the date wrong or the name of the magazine wrong. It does have an article "Children Paint It Their Own Way"-with children's pictures at New York's Museum of Find Art. The picture does have a couple of dark haired girls in it-One girl pictured alone does resemble sightly Betty-(haven't seen but one picture of Betty). The children's ages range from 4-8 and the article does not say what school or who the children are.

Gina, I purchased a copy of the Look Magazine-no picture of the ballet class-see quote about. Anyone have a gold classmates.com account?
Maybe could find someone who went to school in the 1940's who knew something about the picture in Look or knew who this girl is. Probably not Betty, but it would be nice to know who she is/was.

Since Mr. Sodder was probably having this letter written by one of his private detective, it could easily have been a typo or a mistake by the person who wrote the letter. (about the date)

 

[fox1950]

Corrected to add: Maybe someone from Walt Whitman Elementary School, New York went to school there in the 1940's and would remember who the girl was in the picture.

 

[drema]

Bumping up for the Sodder children. Anything new on the case?

 

[White Rain]

bumping.

 

[fox1950]

This Christmas it will be 62 years since the Sodder tragedy occurred. Lets keep them in our prayers that someday someone will come forward to let us know what happened that Christmas eve night or some solid evidence will be found that they indeed died in the fire.

 

[christine2448]

This Christmas it will be 62 years since the Sodder tragedy occurred. Lets keep them in our prayers that someday someone will come forward to let us know what happened that Christmas eve night or some solid evidence will be found that they indeed died in the fire.

I am going to talk to Shadow this evening and get her to contact the reporter we worked with last year to get their story on the front page.

Maybe we need start a media campaign on this one??? I think this is the perfect time to do so. Sadly, the older the case gets, the less people are going to be around that know anything.

Wonder if we can get an investigative journalist to do a special on this for Christmas?

Thoughts?

 

[Gina_M]

Sergeant Danny Swiger, WV Police Cold Case Unit Investigator, was recently on Missing Pieces talking about some other cases in WV. I wonder if he has looked at the Sodder case as well. Has anyone been in contact with him about this?

 

[Teresa Larson]

I don't remember has this ever been on AMW? With so many people missing in the United States there should be a missing persons program.

 

[drema]

I was wondering if anyone had heard from the Sodder family-with any updates, etc. Seems like with all the attention the case has gotten in the past couple of years someone would have told the Sodder's something to give them more of a clue as to what happened to the children. I just can't believe that everyone is so tight lipped that no hints have ever came forth......makes you wonder if the children really did die in the fire.

Please Jenny, if you have any updates, please let us know.

 

[wv171]

I think Trooper Swiger, is over the Northern part of the state and they got a trooper I think base out of Lewisburg WV over the Southern Half of the state I know him but his name I can't remember right now.

There enough case's to keep them busy I say, but they can allway's take on one more I guess. That one from Southern half it's been year's but he a very nice guy what I remember out of him..

I was on Sodder family web site not long ago and it has no new update's

Last I heard was I think back in the spring, I looked few time's but didn't find much

 

[Teresa Larson]

I was wondering if anyone had heard from the Sodder family-with any updates, etc. Seems like with all the attention the case has gotten in the past couple of years someone would have told the Sodder's something to give them more of a clue as to what happened to the children. I just can't believe that everyone is so tight lipped that no hints have ever came forth......makes you wonder if the children really did die in the fire.

Please Jenny, if you have any updates, please let us know.

I think the reason nobody came forward was because of the Mafia's involvement back then. I have no doubt that's why lots of people kept quiet. The Mafia and the coal miners didn't get along too well back in those days. Mr Sodder owned his own trucking company He probably refused to pay his dues to the Mafia I do not believe those kids died in the fire because their bones would have been found and they never were. I think they were kidnapped. IMO

 

[ttrachel04]

hi, my name is rachel, and im new here! this is my first post! i was reading through and i have some ideas ... i don't know if any of this is helpful, but they're just some stuff that came across my mind and i found on the internet.

1) i googled 90132, and found that it used to be a zip code in Italy. It was the zip code for Palmero until 2005. 90135 is also a zip code ... and it looks like it was for Palmero as well! I thought this may be important because it seemed like their was some speculation about the children being sent to Italy.

2) I saw somewhere that the girl that Mr. Sodder thought was Betty went to Walt Whitman school. I'm not sure if you're referring to a high school, but I did find a link to a Walt Whitman High School alumni website!

Also, I wanted to say to those of you in the Sodder family, I think it is amazing that you're keeping the search alive! I checked out the website and have read your posts especially thoroughly. I think it is very commendable and honorable of you!

 

[forthelost]

http://www.forthelost.org/calikids/Sodder.doc

 

[ida55]

Hello all Ida
I have been going over some newspaper articles and I have discovered that everyone involved in this case has had some connection in one way or another. The chief and others were part of a lumber comp or in the same clubs or have had other dealings with each other. The Sodder Children I have came up with this theory remember this is my own.

That night the sister was maybe reading and the boys went out too close up the animals have to small kids of my own I could see the younger kids following the brothers out. Someone was already outside someone they new and was woundering why they were at the home at that time of night. The kids were taken and the fire was set by someone who had a way to get ahold of the divice Mrs. Sodder heard clue someone who have known how to use the device. The Sodder kids were being held in a vehicle by another person that was holding the kids while the person was setting the divice to be used. I tkink that in some way family could have been upset because of how good the Sodder's were doing and everyone was upset because the family was making money. The kids I feel in my own opinion were not hurt but used maybe as a pawn to keep the Sodder's in check about the mining industry. We have to remember that this was the time when the Union's were happening. The people who were involved in the investigation were part of the involvment of the kids missing. I in my own oppinion feel that we need to look at all because all were part of the problem. Even the State Prosecution Brother was part of the Moose lodge that all and I mean all were involved even the chief.

 

[gaia227]

I've read the threads here and although I have known about the Sodders for many years I never researched it real thoroughly. I just have one thing to add that I didn't really see mentioned in the thread.
Did anyone actually see the five children during the chaos of getting out of the burning house? Mrs. Sodder said when she woke up she noticed the lamp was on and the door unlocked - other than Marion did she see any of her other children? I think it may be possible the children were not even in the house when the fire started and the fire was started to be a rouse, a cover-up, a distraction. If everyone think they are dead then they won't look for them.
There was some speculation regarding family back in Italy. Is it possible they were distressed enough about seeing their grandchildren, nieces, nephews, etc growing up in America that they divised a plan to kidnap them and get them back to their own country. That seems very unlikely and far-fetched......but just a thought.
Basically I just wanted to throw the idea that perhaps the kids were already gone when the fire started.
I hate to say it but has the avenue of child slavery and *advertiser censored* rings been explored?