Did Maidie Macella Vernon ever regret her decision to give up her teaching job in Virginia to move to Ohio?
Maidie was the oldest daughter of my 2X great-grandmother’s sister Victoria Shiflett Vernon. At 22, Maidie was still single and working as a teacher in Greene County, Virginia. By 1910, she was a crew manager of canvassers for a furniture company in Richland, Ohio. She had been married less than a year to Reinhold Merschel, a naturalized citizen who emigrated from Germany in 1892. He was the manager at a furniture factory.
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| Marriage Record Reinhold Merschel and Maidie Vernon 26 May 1909 |
It seems that Reinhold had a little side job going. He and Ernest W. Toadvine went into business together, but it was NOT a legitimate business. It was a SCAM. They sent agents to call on women convincing them to sign contracts agreeing to pay 50 cents every week to enter a drawing. The prize was their choice of a piece of furniture out of the Union Furniture Company catalogue.
A nice piece of furniture for 50 cents?? As they say, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”
How long the money-making scheme went on is not clear,
but eventually the two men were caught. Their story was covered in newspapers
throughout the country.
Sandusky Star Journal
18 Feb 1916
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| Fort Wayne Sentinal 6 Oct 1916 |
In 1917, Reinhold Merschel and Ernest Toadvine were
charged with mail fraud and sent to the US Federal Penitentiary in Atlanta,
Georgia. Toadvine was released a year later in 1918, Merschel 2 years later in
1919. Evidently, he had a larger role in their business venture.
Interestingly enough, despite being incarcerated, Reinhold registered for the draft. His occupation? Prisoner. The flip side of his card indicated that the first joint of his right thumb was crippled.
After his release in 1919, Reinhold returned to Toledo,
Ohio, but it seems Maidie did not welcome him with open arms. The 1920 census
shows him as a roomer across town from Maidie and daughter Ottielie. The City
Directory that same year lists Maidie as a widow of Reinhold. However, he was
not dead. He was very much alive and working as a salesman.
They eventually patched things up, apparently, because the City Directories from at least 1923 on list the couple together. But things were about to change once again.
The 1930 census shows Maidie claimed she was divorced. The 1932 City Directory shows her as the widow of Reinhold Merschel. Whether he was really dead this time is not known.
Toledo, Ohio City Directory
I can’t help wondering how much Maidie knew about her husband’s business venture. On their marriage record, she claimed her occupation was “soliciter,” and then in the 1910 census she worked as the crew manager of canvassers. Whether she was a willing participant in the scheme or merely another victim, she was not punished in the legal system.
Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.”
Wendy
© 2021, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
Wow, what a scam story! Really interesting.
ReplyDeleteWow! Interesting! The precursor to the car warranty scam!
ReplyDeleteWhat a story!!!!
ReplyDeleteGoes to show there have been those willing to take advantage of trusting souls in every era. Any evidence they made restitution to their victims? Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what we find when we're researching. What did you find first that led you to continue researching this couple, Wendy? It's interesting that Maidie listed herself as a widow, then divorced, then as married again. What a mix of emotions she must have felt.
ReplyDelete