Person:Russell Hertsel (1)

Cassopolis Vigilante

Russell Hertsel Drowned Saturday in Lewis Lake

Vandalia Man's body was recovered Saturday Afternoon

Russell LeRoy Hertsel, 62 of Vandalia died last Saturday, June 7, 1941 in Lewis Lake to which he had gone with a neighbor, Russell Loux, to catch frogs. According to Loux, Hertsel had been doing the rowing and asked to be relieved at about 2:00 a.m. and he stood up preparatory to changing places he fell out of the boat into the water at a point about 100 feet from where the outlet leaves Lewis Lake to flow into Donnell Lake and where the water was quite deep. Mr. Hertsel had complained of not feeling well.

Coroner Dr. E. H. Zwergel reports that Mr. Hertsel's death was due to drowning and not a heart attack. (Russell Hertsel's grandfather Jesse died at a young age; he had grandson's that had heart attacks: Charles Richard Hertsel died young from a heart attack; Ralph Hertsel had a heart attack at age 63 but did not die from it he had a heart bypass and lived to 74); Glen died in his 40's but I don't know the cause. Just some evidence to show that he could of had heart attack.)

Sheriff Burch's office was notified and he, with officers Remus, Long and Dunning and volunteer help attempted to locate the body, but it was not recovered until 3:45 Sat. afternoon when a grappling hook caught it. The body was near the outlet. It was located by Frank Lewis Jr. and August Kiner and was in a cluster of lily pads about ten feet east of the channel mouth.

Deceased was a son of Otis and Missouri (Taylor) Hertsel and was born in Indiana April 11, 1879. for the past twenty years he had resided in Vandalia and vicinity. A brief service was held at the Connelly funeral home by Pastor Frank Davis, Monday morning and the body was taken to Columbia City, IN, where funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, burial will be made there. (South Park Cemetery).

Mr. Hertsel's wife died in May, 1938. he is survived by five children, Ardith at home, who was graduated from Vandalia High School this year, Mrs. (Earl) Cleo Bonine of Cassopolis; and three sons, Otis and Murlin of Niles and Donald of Cassopolis.

1930 Census shows family lived in Penn Township, Cass County, MI. Their son Donald with his wife Marie and their two children lived with Russell and Orpha. .

1900 Census shows Russell and Orpha Tyler Hertsel, ages 21 and 16 and their daughter Callie age 1 living in Columbia Township, Whitley County, IN next door to Daniel Mohn's family.

HERTSEL, Russel R to Orpha TYLER on May 15, 1898 - Book 5:572 From: Whitley County Indiana Marriages 1838-1910

Obituary Finder

Last Name:  Hertsel 

First Name: Russell Middle Name/Initial: Maiden Name: Date of Death: 06/06/1941 Birth Date: 04/11/1879 Spouse: Survived By: Other: Cemetery: Obituary Source: CC Post: 06/07/1941 p. 1 06/11/1941 p. 2