UT UT - Ellsworth Wilson Mielke, 33, Salt Lake City, 25 Aug 1947

[TinfoilYarmulke]

New listing on the Doe Network

5923DMUT - Ellsworth Wilson Mielke

5923DMUT - Ellsworth Wilson Mielke​

Name: Ellsworth Wilson Mielke
Case Classification: Missing
Missing Since: August 25, 1947
Location Last Seen: Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: July 28, 1914
Age: 33 years old
Race: White
Gender: Male
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 170-180 lbs.
Hair Color: Black, wavy
Eye Color: Grey
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Wears glasses; sometimes has a moustache; occasionally suffers from blackout spells

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Probably wearing dark pants and a black leather coat
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Ellsworth worked as a truck driver for Gould Gasoline Transportation Company. He drove his truck to Tremonton on August 17 and returned to Salt Lake City on the 25th. When he arrived back to work at around 11:00 a.m., he told his employer that wasn't feeling well. Ellsworth's boss told him to go home but he never arrived.

One month later, Ellsworth's car was found abandoned at Lagoon Amusement Park. Inside the car was found Ellsworth's cap, lunch bucket, and the keys were still in the ignition.

Ellsworth was not known to have been despondent or moody and investigators have no leads in his disappearance.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Salt Lake City Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 801-799-3000
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: N/A

Information Source(s)​

The Salt Lake Tribune - Sep. 20, 1947
Deseret News - Jan. 30, 1950
Salt Lake Telegram - Aug. 17, 1950

 

[Quoththeraven]

He was missing a month before he was reported missing and that was only after his abandoned vehicle was traced to his residence?

 

[victoriarobinson642]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Now in NAMUS

 

[Quoththeraven]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Now in NAMUS

Ellsworth Mielke is reported to have left his job mid-day on August 25th, 1947, stating he felt ill. He never reached his home and has not been seen or heard from since. A vehicle associated with him was found abandoned at lagoon with keys and his personal effects still inside.

The big question is why his family didn't report him missing within a reasonable period of time. I assume he made it home after work that day from how the newspaper articles are worded. You'd also think his company would have been concerned that he never came back to work after leaving work ill and would have inquired as to why he didn't come back.

There's also no evidence that it was Mielke who parked the car at Lagoon Resort in Farmington, 18 miles north of SLC. If he went home after work wouldn't he have taken his lunch bucket into the house? I also wonder why he was allowed to drive gasoline trucks if he was subject to blackout spells.

The Salt Lake Tribune 22 Aug 1947, Fri ·Page 14 from Newspapers.com shows that there was to be a family reunion Monday, August 25 for the Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Storrs family at Lagoon Resort but it's unknown if that's why he went there, if he even went there.​

Because he wasn't reported missing for a month (until the police got there) raises a red flag for me.



Map of his place of employment, his residence and Lagoon Amusement Park where his vehicle was found.

 

[TinfoilYarmulke]

The Doe Network link and a couple articles mentioned that he had black out spells.

I wonder if his family assumed he was having another episode and would come back?

 

[crissianni]

Yes I imagine being a 1940's wife with a husband who has episodes of amnesia has a high chance of being dismissed when she goes to report him missing. ("wait a few weeks, he'll be back") sort of comment and kind of hand waving it off.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Yes I imagine being a 1940's wife with a husband who has episodes of amnesia has a high chance of being dismissed when she goes to report him missing. ("wait a few weeks, he'll be back") sort of comment and kind of hand waving it off.

And, according to Ancestry.com under Helen Mielke in the Salt Lake County, Utah, U.S., Deaths, 1847-1949, guess who the informant was on the death of their baby?​

Ellsworth Mielke. Dated 10-2-47. ​

If he was missing August 25, 1947, how the heck could he be the informant on a death certificate a month after they said he was missing? And his occupation was listed as a chauffer on the death certificate. He was a gas truck driver.​

WARNING: It is a criminal violation to make false statements on vital records application forms or to fraudulently obtain a birth certificate. Punishment may include a civil penalty of up to $5,000.00 and up to five years in prison. Utah Code, Sections 26-23-5, 26-23-5.5 and 26-23-6.​

The baby died from Acute toxemia of pregnancy with convulsions. The police investigated Mielke's disappearance on September 20, 19 days after the baby died. And they didn't pick up on this?​

Another red flag. No wonder she didn't report him missing. He wasn't missing after all. And then he really does go 'missing' and the baby dies from preeclampsia, formerly called toxemia, happens when you're pregnant and have high blood pressure, too much protein in your pee, and also swelling in your legs, feet, and hands. It can range from mild to severe. It usually happens late in pregnancy, though it can come earlier or just after delivery.

 

[TinfoilYarmulke]

That has to be a mix up on the death certificate. He wouldn't have gotten his own name and age incorrect.

Plus, the baby was a boy, not a girl. The name Helen (the mother's name) was incorrectly inserted for the name of the baby. Check out the FindAGrave entry.

Infant Boy Meilke (1947-1947) - Find a Grave...

Father: Elsworth Wilson Mielke 1914–Deceased Mother: Helen Olive Hansen 1916–1990 -- NOTE: I am not sure why Cemetery Record specifies 'Boy'. Not a never, but a Rare recording, so I can imagine the family Who Gave the information, at the time, would have known the burial was for a girl. So I...

www.findagrave.com

"I believe that the birth certificate is incorrect. My Grandmother (Helen O. Hansen Mielke) talked about the son that was stillborn. He was to have been named Keith. I believe that the mix up is that her name (Helen) was inserted into the location for the infants name on the birth certificate. He was a single child."

And if the dates are correct, I imagine this poor woman was going through A LOT while her husband was missing. And she was probably recovering before she reported him missing. My goodness.

 

[TinfoilYarmulke]

CORRECTION: Rereading that death certificate, it says the baby was stillborn on September 30th. That is after both his disappearance and the start of the investigation.

Ellsworth went missing on August 25th.
Police started investigating on Sept 19th. The article dated Sept 20th says the investigation was started "yesterday".

Did the situation have an effect on her pregnancy? If she hoped he would come back after a few days and it just kept getting longer and longer, the stress must have been tremendous with three other children as well.

 

[Quoththeraven]

CORRECTION: Rereading that death certificate, it says the baby was stillborn on September 30th. That is after both his disappearance and the start of the investigation.

Ellsworth went missing on August 25th.
Police started investigating on Sept 19th. The article dated Sept 20th says the investigation was started "yesterday".

Did the situation have an effect on her pregnancy? If she hoped he would come back after a few days and it just kept getting longer and longer, the stress must have been tremendous with three other children as well.

I'm with you on all that, but if Ellsworth was the informant on the death certificate in September, how could he have been missing August 25? And he wasn't reported missing UNTIL the police came to the house a month later. And the burial came before the stillbirth. (I thought that was his signature on the death certificate but it's not, it may be the funeral director's filling that section out. But that doesn't explain Ellsworth informing the funeral director if he was missing.

 

[TinfoilYarmulke]

I see what you're saying. But there are enough errors on that death certificate for a healthy dose of reasonable doubt.
Side note: I don't think any of the errors were made INTENTIONALLY or PURPOSELY.
Its a bridge too far for me to believe that a 9 month pregnant woman whose husband was subject to amnesia spells whose boss confirmed he wasn't feeling well that day even (sounds like an episode coming on) killed him and forged the death certificate of her baby!

If she thought he really ran off, I don't think she would keep his case open. There is also a newspaper article from both 1950 and 1951 that list him as still missing in the police files. 3 and 4 years later, respectively.

On top of all that, we don't know if his wife tried to report him missing before that and was turned away. Maybe she was having pregnancy complications. If doctors KNEW beforehand that she had preeclampsia, formerly called toxemia, she may have been on bed rest orders. She may have been experiencing symptoms that kept her from going to report him.

I just don't see it as a huge red flag. Definitely worth noting though.

 

[bettyboop]

@TinfoilYarmulke , Thank You for starting the thread. I might be misreading , but are you related to this family? There is a quote on one of your posts from Find A Grave with implies you might be Helen's granddaughter. Also, could the person who gave the information for the death certificate be Ellsworth's father of the same name? JMO MOO

 

[bettyboop]

Also, I'm going to tag @Laughing , who does genealogy, and might be able to help with finding information. JMO MOO

 

[TinfoilYarmulke]

@TinfoilYarmulke , Thank You for starting the thread. I might be misreading , but are you related to this family? There is a quote on one of your posts from Find A Grave with implies you might be Helen's granddaughter. Also, could the person who gave the information for the death certificate be Ellsworth's father of the same name? JMO MOO

Thank you @bettyboop
Sorry for any confusion. No, I am not related to the family in any way. I was just pulling a quote that I saw on the FindAGrave webpage. Whoever wrote that quote is Ellsworth and Helen's granddaughter though.

 

[Laughing]

So interesting about the stillbirth, the timeline....

Wonder if this gentleman served in WWII? Suggestion of a source for the 'blackout spells?'

That some sort of local code for 'shell shocked vet who sometimes drinks himself into a stupor?'

TY, @bettyboop I'll see what I can find -- and to use a poker term, raise you @LotsaLatte

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[Quoththeraven]

I see what you're saying. But there are enough errors on that death certificate for a healthy dose of reasonable doubt.
Side note: I don't think any of the errors were made INTENTIONALLY or PURPOSELY.
Its a bridge too far for me to believe that a 9 month pregnant woman whose husband was subject to amnesia spells whose boss confirmed he wasn't feeling well that day even (sounds like an episode coming on) killed him and forged the death certificate of her baby!

If she thought he really ran off, I don't think she would keep his case open. There is also a newspaper article from both 1950 and 1951 that list him as still missing in the police files. 3 and 4 years later, respectively.

On top of all that, we don't know if his wife tried to report him missing before that and was turned away. Maybe she was having pregnancy complications. If doctors KNEW beforehand that she had preeclampsia, formerly called toxemia, she may have been on bed rest orders. She may have been experiencing symptoms that kept her from going to report him.

I just don't see it as a huge red flag. Definitely worth noting though.

There is room for human error, I agree. And she didn't remarry until 27 Jan 1950 in Davis, Utah to Thomas Lloyd Baker, (according to Ancestry.com) and, incidently, moved in with her at the Sunset address. I would assume somewhere is a legal document granting her a divorce between Sep 1947 and Jan 1950. The only glaring error I see is that Ellsworth was the informant and was self-employed as a chauffer AFTER he was reported missing according to the death certificate. That would be hard to explain away since he was employee of a trucking company when he went missing.

 

[Laughing]

Per FindAGrave, a brother:

Paul Leroy Mielke (1942-2011) - Find a Grave...

Born in Salt Lake City, July 13, 1942- Died October 18, 2011 Married Joan Andrus November 15, 1975 Retired from Kennecott and became an avid train collector. Owned and operated The Hobby Shop in Magna for 10 years. He enjoyed being around people and loved to travel to train shows. He is survived...

www.findagrave.com

So who took care of this brother when Mom was taken to LS Hospital?

We don't sleuth family members, but it is often helpful to get a broader picture of the affected individuals. Wonder what this brother was told about his deceased brother & his missing Dad?

 

[Laughing]

Apparently Ellsworth was born in New York State, and did serve in the military.

Mr. Laughing has cooked my dinner, gotta go, more tomorrow!

 

[TinfoilYarmulke]

There is room for human error, I agree. And she didn't remarry until 27 Jan 1950 in Davis, Utah to Thomas Lloyd Baker, (according to Ancestry.com) and, incidently, moved in with her at the Sunset address. I would assume somewhere is a legal document granting her a divorce between Sep 1947 and Jan 1950. The only glaring error I see is that Ellsworth was the informant and was self-employed as a chauffer AFTER he was reported missing according to the death certificate. That would be hard to explain away since he was employee of a trucking company when he went missing.

The term chauffer back in 1947 was used in the context of transporting goods, not just a personal driver or driving a limousine as we imagine today. As a standalone article, I could see how each would look different, but given all of them together you can see they are referring to the same job/position. Yes he was an employee at a trucking company as a chauffeur, chauffeuring the gasoline.

If you look up the Gould Gasoline company he worked for, there is a mention about a Truckers and Chauffers Union as well.

 

[Quoththeraven]

Thank you @bettyboop
Sorry for any confusion. No, I am not related to the family in any way. I was just pulling a quote that I saw on the FindAGrave webpage. Whoever wrote that quote is Ellsworth and Helen's granddaughter though.

REading between the lines tells me that Ellsworth was still alive and went back to San Born, New York to live with his parents. That would explain a lot. They just failed to inform the police he was still alive. In New York.

Does that sound plausible?

Infant Boy Meilke (1947-1947) - Find a Grave...

Father: Elsworth Wilson Mielke 1914–Deceased Mother: Helen Olive Hansen 1916–1990 -- NOTE: I am not sure why Cemetery Record specifies 'Boy'. Not a never, but a Rare recording, so I can imagine the family Who Gave the information, at the time, would have known the burial was for a girl. So I...

www.findagrave.com

Father Elsworth W Mielkie
white, age 31
Birth place Now York (I assume New York)
Chauffeur
self employed
Mother: Helen Hansen