Resolved OH - Mary Jane Croft VanGilder, 43, Plymouth, 1945

[Mindy71]

It says James was abusive. Looking at his expression in the photo he looks like he was on drugs? Or possibly an alcoholic? Do you know anything about your grandfather Mindy?

He was an alcoholic, and we are not sure of there was abuse, its what my grandmother used as a reason for filling for divorce in 1945

 

[Mindy71]

Perhaps a family member could try and get the transcript of the divorce records, could shed some light on the first the time?

We have both divorce records, none of it wax helpful

 

[4SAM]

I looked her up on the census and her children were pretty young, did the children go with her? What did they hear or see during that time period?

 

[Elainera]

I looked her up on the census and her children were pretty young, did the children go with her? What did they hear or see during that time period?

On Namus it says

She was in touch with her children via mail but all contact abruptly stopped.

It sounds to me like she went without her children.

 

[4SAM]

Since her children were not with her, wonder what they were told? Did the father have them?

 

[Hounddog75]

I just read these posts and the attached article, and I am wondering if LE from W.VA. has stepped up and tried to help. Starting at the victim's original place of residence can really turn things around.

Edit: I was just thinking about something. How did she get to Ohio, and with whom did she stay with? We can look at census records for that time of where she first migrated to Ohio and who she stayed with, then build from there?

 

[Mindy71]

I looked her up on the census and her children were pretty young, did the children go with her? What did they hear or see during that time period?

No her children did not go with her, but she wrote often, sent money and clothing to them, then all contact abruptly stoppef

 

[Mindy71]

I just read these posts and the attached article, and I am wondering if LE from W.VA. has stepped up and tried to help. Starting at the victim's original place of residence can really turn things around.

Edit: I was just thinking about something. How did she get to Ohio, and with whom did she stay with? We can look at census records for that time of where she first migrated to Ohio and who she stayed with, then build from there?

She went alone to ohio to work, we have no records past 1945.

 

[Hounddog75]

She went alone to ohio to work, we have no records past 1945.

Did someone give her money to travel? Do you have a last known address?

 

[Mindy71]

I just read these posts and the attached article, and I am wondering if LE from W.VA. has stepped up and tried to help. Starting at the victim's original place of residence can really turn things around.

Edit: I was just thinking about something. How did she get to Ohio, and with whom did she stay with? We can look at census records for that time of where she first migrated to Ohio and who she stayed with, then build from there?

No le has not stepped up, but im trying to get an article written in her hometown

 

[Mindy71]

Did someone give her money to travel? Do you have a last known address?

Yes we have her last know address, it had since been torn down. 19 Sandusky street,Plymouth ohio

 

[Mindy71]

Yes we have her last know address, it had since been torn down. 19 Sandusky street,Plymouth ohio

Not sure about money, she worked before she left.

 

[Mindy71]

No le has not stepped up, but im trying to get an article written in her hometown

Ohio police have stepped up though, and is currently investigating her disappearance

 

[Mindy71]

Since her children were not with her, wonder what they were told? Did the father have them?

Yes father had them, when she filed for divorce in ohio she requested custody of the children.

 

[Mysteries1974]

I was just looking over doe network and noticed that a few other girls and women disappeared in Ohio before and after Mary Jane did.

The Doe Network: Ruth Elizabeth Baumgardner - 1800DFOH

3950DFOH - Mary Jane Croft Vangilder

The Doe Network: Case File 1119DFOH

162DFOH - Beverly Rose Potts

Timeline:

1937: Ruth Elizabeth Baumgardner vanishes from her college in Delaware Ohio

1945: Mary Jane “Croft” Vangilder vanishes under unknown circumstances at some point in 1945 in Shelby Ohio

1948: Bertha Marie Tidd Newell vanishes in Zanesville Ohio after telling her family she was going to the grocery store

1951: Beverly Rose Potts vanishes on August 24th 1951 in Cleveland Ohio after attending a fair in a park. She is a presumed kidnapping victim.

 

[Mindy71]

Wow.. very interesting..

 

[Mysteries1974]

Wow.. very interesting..

Yes, Ruth and Beverly are presumed victims of foul play. There was a possibility that a prostitution ring or trade was operating in the time that all these women vanished

 

[Hounddog75]

I did a map of the above listed missing, and this is what I traced on the Google Maps app. This case has me thinking, especially when you consider the last 3 victims are 3 years apart.

Part of the timing of the disappearances makes me think this is one person, who may have been in prison or a mental institution between the inter-missing period.

However, and I hate to say this, but Mary's disappearance points more in the direction of the husband.

 

[Mysteries1974]

Well unless we can prove that her husband was in Ohio at the time then I’m still considering a connection between the 4 disappearances. I’ll post the threads for the other women below:

OH - OH - Bertha Marie Tidd Newell, 40, Zanesville, 13 July 1948

OH - OH - Ruth Baumgardner, 21, Delaware, 4 May 1937

OH - OH - Beverly Potts, 10, Cleveland, 24 Aug 1951

 

[Mysteries1974]

There is also another woman who disappeared in 1946:

1900DFOH - Lola Celli