John Thomas FORCE (16/1/1908 Shoals, IN - 15/1/1990 Loogootee, IN)
= (21/7/1934) Anna Margaret McCARTY (5/1/1905 Shoals, IN - 15/4/1992 Loogootee, IN)

John worked as foreman on bridge construction during the 1930's--including in Pensacola, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Shoals, Indiana. Ran his own floor refinishing business during the 1940's. Started his own construction business in the 1950's--primarily heavy concrete; based in Shoals.

Undated newspaper clippings found at Shoals:

"YOUNG PEOPLE HURT IN 25-FT FALL FROM CLIFF

Losing their way while descend-ing the west slope of the Pinnacle ridge about 10 o'clock Tuesday night, John T. Force of this city and Miss Betty Ackerman of Loo-gootee, members of a picnic party, walked off the edge of a project-ing ledge of stone and fell a dis-tance of about twenty-five feet to the ground below. Miss Ackerman suffered three fractured ribs and severe bruises about her back, while Mr. Force sustained serious injury to his left wrist, the tendons and ligaments of which were torn loose, and suf-fered deep cuts in his knees and minor cuts about his face. Other members of the party brought the injured young people to the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Kunkler, and Dr. J. W. Strange of Loogootee was called to attend them. After receiving treatment at the Kunkler home, Miss Acker-man was taken to her home at Loo-gootee. Her injuries likely will keep her confined to her home for several days. - Mr. Force is able to be out, but is obliged to carry his arm in a sling. He will be unable to attend to his work as a foreman on con-struction of the state highway bridge here for a few days."

"LOGGOOTEE YOUNG FOLK INJURED IN FALL OFF CLIFF

BETIY ACKERMAN AND HERMAN FORCE [Not Herman-CTF] LAND ON LEDGE IN 20-FT DROP

Miss Betty Ackerman, about 20 years old, daughter of Isom Ackerman of Loogootee, and John Force, son of Herman Force of Loogoote, were in-jured when they fell off a cliff at the Pinnacle, favorite picnic site on White river near Shoals. The accident hap-pened about 10-o'clock last night. Miss Ackerman suffered three brok-en ribs, which were torn loose from the spine, and numerous bruises. Force received a crushed wrist, bruises, and a few minor cuts. Force and Miss Ackerman were members of a party having a ham-burger fry at the Pinnacle. They were walking along a path over the giant cliff, Force, through frequent visits to the place, thinking that he knew every inch of the way. In the darkness, however, the couple got too close to the edge of the cliff and stepped off. They fell a distance of about twenty feet, landing on the ledge below. Couples with them called to them but got no response. Shining a headlight used in bridge construction work nearby, Miss Ackerman and Force were discovered lying on the rocks below. They were removed to the top of the bluff and then taken to the home of H. T. Kunkler at Shoals. Dr. J. W. Strange of Loogootee was called to give attention. Later they were removed to their respective homes. The scene of the accident is to the right of the path. Had they fallen off the face ant the cliff certain death would have been their fate."

"NARROW ESCAPE FOR COUPLE IN FALL OFF CLIFF

Loogootee Girl and Shoals Youth Fall Over Cliff.

Miss Betty Ackerman, 21, of Loogootee, and John Force, 22 of Shoals, members of a picnic party at the Pinnacle near Shoa1s, last night had a narrow escape from death or serious injury about 10 o'clock when they accidentally fell over a 20-foot cliff as they were climbing to the top of the Pinnacle rock. Mr. Force, who is well acquainted with the neighborhood and who once served as a guide about the Pinnacle, today said he was unable to explain how it happened they fell over the cliff. The two were alone at the time of the accident, but others in the picnic party knew they had start-ed up the steep cliff. After being absent from the crowd for several minutes, others began calling to them and when no replies came they began investigating, finding the two in a semi-conscious condition at the foot of the cliff where they had fallen. Dr. Strange of Loogootee was called, and an examination re-vealed Miss Ackerman to be suffering from three fractured ribs at the back and numerous painful bruises and minor lacerations. She will be confined to her bed for several days. She is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Isom Ackerman of Loogootee. Mr. Force suffered a crushed left wrist, and was cut and bruised all over by the fall. He also will be confined for a short. time."

John had Parkinson's disease & lived in a nursing home for last years of his life.

Claudia Mabel TEUFEL (24/10/1889 Shoals, IN - 18/11/1974 Loogootee, IN) = (bfr 1908) Herman Schwey FORCE (10/5/1886 Martin County, IN - 22/2/1944 Camp Atterbury, IN)

Claudia died suddenly at the "Star Tavern" in Loogootee, where she had driven several of her friends for lunch.

Obit from Shoals News, 11/20/1974:

Funeral services for Mrs. Claudia Vance, 85, were held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Queen Funeral Home, with Bro. Bill Jackson conducting the rites. Rev. Sam Ohanian sang "How Great Thou Art," accompanied by Mrs. Harry Lee.

Pallbearers were Clyde Sallee, Clifford Sallee, Howard Sherfick, Harry Lee, Phillip Thimling and Dewey Harker. Burial was made at Spring Hill Cemetry. Mrs. Vance died at the Star Cafe, at Loogootee, at 4 p.m. Tuesday, November 12, 1974, of an apparent heart attack. She was born in Martin County on October 24, 1889, the daughter of John and Katherine (Thimling) Teufel. Her husband, Jack Vance, died in 1953.

She was a graduate of the Shoals High School, Danville Normal College and Indiana State, at Terre Haute. She taught school in the Fairland, Ind. schools for twenty-eight years, until her retirement. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society and the Woman's Club, of Fairland, and of the Woman's Study Club and Dover Hill Home Demonstration Club, of Shoals.

She is survived by one son, John T. Force, of Shoals; three grandsons, Charles Force, of Dunkirk, Md.; Robert Force, of Longwood, Fla., and James Force, of El Paso, Texas; seven great grandchildren and a brother, Henry Edward Teufel, of Washington. One daughter, Catherine, is deceased.

Katherine Camilla FORCE (17/1/1910 Shoals, IN - 27/7/1933 Washington, IN) = (24/11/1931) Reid C. STRANGE (15/9/1904 Loogootee, IN - 3/11/1932 Shoals, IN)

Unidentified newspaper clipping in AMF's material:

"Shoals Girl Wins Honors - Katherine Force Awarded Four-year College course at Oxford, O

H.E. Teufel, of the Democrat's force, received a letter from his niece, Miss Katherine Force, that gives him just a little reason to feel a bit elated. Miss Force, whose home is in Shoals, attended high school in Jamestown, Ind., the past winter. She was graduated from this school April 22 and to her surprise was awarded a gold medal for the scholar having the highest general average of the school term. She was, however, striving for a scholarship at Oxford College for Women, Oxford, O., which was being offered by the school, but inasmuch as she had only attended the Jamestown school during her last year in high school, it was rather doubtful to her that she would be granted this singular honor. But her application was made for the scholarship along with the necessary papers from the school authorities as to her grades and school work, and after due investigation by the authorities of Oxford, Miss Force was awarded a four year' scholarship carrying a $200 yearly allowance. She will enter that insitiution in September. At present, Miss Force is with her mother, Mrs. Claudia Force, at Danville, Ind., where she is taking some special work in the normal there while her mother, too, is taking a summer's course in teaching."

Unidentified newspaper clipping in AMF's material:

"Strange-Force

The residence of "Uncle" John Teufel, North Main street, was the scene of a quiet wedding at 8:30 o'clock Tuesday evening when his granddaughter, Miss Katherine Force, became the bride of Reid C. Strange, with the Rev. E.M. Mckown, pastor of the Methodist church, officiating. The bride is the daughter of Herman S. and Claudia Teufel Force. She graduated from Jamestown high school and, during the past three years, has been a student at Butler University, Indianapolis. She is a comely and likeable young woman, possessed of splendid accomplishments and has a wide circle of friends. Mr. Strange is the son of Harry G. and Anna L. Strange, of this city. He "quituated" from Shoals high school in his junior year and has since been associated with his father in the publication of this newspaper. (Shoals News-ctf) The young couple will continue to live in Shoals and will be at home either here, there or enroute."

Obit - Shoals (News?) date ?

"Short Illness is Fatal to Mrs. Catherine Strange

Mrs. Catherine Force Strange, 23, widow of Reid C. Strange, passed away at 12:15 o'clock yesterday morning at the Daviess county hospital, Washington, to which institution she was moved a week ago after suffering a stroke of paralysis. Meningitis was the immediate cause of her death. Mrs. Strange had not been feeling well for a month or more and shortly ater noon on Thursday of last week she suffered a paralytic attack which affected her entire right side, throat and tongue, leaving her helpless and unable to speak or swallow anything. Following examination by a local physician, Mrs. Strange was rushed to the Washington hospital where she remained in a critical condition, with almost no hope at any time for her recovery. She remained conscious and was able to recognize those about her until Wednesday morning when her condition became much worse and she continued to grow weaker until the end came at 12:15 Thursday morning, when she passed away without having been able to utter a word since the moment she was stricken. The body was removed to the Keller & Williams mortuary at Washington to be prepared for burial and was brought to Shoals yesterday afternoon. Funeral services will be conducted at the residence of Mrs. Strange's grandfather, John Teufel, North Main street, Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, with interment following at Spring Hill cemetery. Catherine Camilla Force, daughter of Herman T. and Claudia Teufel Force, was born in Shoals, January 17, 1910. When Catherine was a little child her parents moved to a farm near Loogootee where several years of her childhood were spent, then later returned to this city. She attended grade school in Loogootee and here in Shoals and did the first two years of her high school work in the local school. She graduated from high school at Jamestown, Indiana, with the class of 1927, winning the Marker medal for highest scholarship in her class and was awarded a scholarship to Oxford College for Women, at Oxford, Ohio. After attending Oxford College for one year she entered Butler University, Indianapolis, and was in her senior year when she and Mr. Strange were married on November 24, 1931. They made their home in Shoals where Mr. Strange was associated with his father in the publication of this newspaper. Following her husband's death on November 3, 1932, Mrs. Strange made her home for a time with his parents, after which she went to live with her mother and grandfather in this city. Mrs. Strange was a member of the Shoals Christian chruch, held membership in the Indiana Academy of Science and the Shoals Home Economics Club, and was a leader in 4-H club work in Martin county. She had a host of friends here and among her school acquanintances, all of whom are grieved by her untimely passing. Surviving Mrs. Strange are her mother, Mrs. Claudia Force, of Shoals; her father, Herman T. Force, of Bedford; a brother, John T. Force, of Shoals; a half-sister, Marilyn Force, of Bedford; her grandfather, John Teufel, of Shoals, and her grandmother, Mrs. Emma Force, of Center twonship."

Dup: Undated newspaper clipping at Shoals: STRANGE-FORCE The residence of "Uncle" John Teufel, North Main street, was the scene of a quiet wedding at 8:30 o'clock Tuesday evening when his granddaughter, Miss Katherine Force, became the bride of Reid C. Strange, with the Rev. E. M. McKown, pastor of the Methodist church, officiating. The bride is the daughter of Herman S. and Claudia Teufel Force. She graduated from James-town high school and, during the past three years, has been a student at Butler University, Ind-ianapolis. She is a comely and likeable young woman, possessed of splendid accomplishments and has a wide circle of friends; Mr. Strange is the son of Harry G. and Anna L. Strange, of this city. He "quituated" from Shoals high school in his junior year and has since been associated with his father in the publication of this newspaper. The young couple will continue to live in Shoals and will be at home either here, there or enroute.

Newspaper clipping from Shoals News August 4, 1933:

MRS. STRANGE'S FUNERAL HELD SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Funeral services for Mrs. Catherine Strange, widow of the late Reid C. Strange, whose death occurred Thursday morning of last week at the Daviess county hospital, were held Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the residence of her grandfather, John Teufel, North Main street, and were attended by a large gathering of sorrowing relatives, neighbors and friends. The service was conducted by Rev. E. M. McKown, pastor of the Shoals Methodist church. Music for the service was rendered by Mr. and Mrs. Grover C. Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Allan W.Torrey, Mrs. Will Stone, Mrs. Frank Breidenbaug, Miss Alberta Williams and Miss Pauline Jones. Misses Grace Shrum, Marie Brown, Daisy Vogel, Margaret McCarty, Opal Rogers and Lenna Morris were pallbetrers, and members of Mrs. Strange's 4-H cooking club served as flower girls. The floral tributes were both numerous and beautiful, attesting the high esteem in which the deceased was held by those near to her. Interment was made in the Teufel family burial plot at Spring Hill Cemetery. Those from outside, the county who came to pay their respects included: Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Baker, Columbus, O.; Mr. and Mrs. C. P. Coleman, New Albany; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Force and daughter, Marilyn, Bedford; Miss Hazel T. Force, Indianapolis; Mrs. Catherine Lang, Sullivan; Miss Emma Force, Milwaukee, Wisc. ;Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Hud-son and Mr. and Mrs. Harley Hard-ing, Bedford; Mr. and Mrs. Martin Thimling, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nikam, Mrs. Emma Thimling and Misses Esther, Emma and Carolyn Thimling, Dubois; Mr. and Mrs. Willard Bateman, Mr. and Mrs. Gibbon Essig, Mr. and Mrs. Oren Orr, Misses Sylvia and Sarah Orr, Mr. and Mrs. Allan Torrey, Edw. Teufel, Miss Eva Greenwell and Joseph Raney, Washington; Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Eslinger and Miss Elizabeth Vogel, St. Louis; Mrs. Laura Neiswander, Mrs. Bert Moberley and Mrs. C. O. Williams, Dan-ville; Miss Florence Kocher, Avon; Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Alexander, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Nigh and Mrs. Perry Harry, Fairland and Mrs. O. A Campbell and Mrs. May C. Hendricks, Vincennes.