August Edward Dohme
In the photo on the right is August's family in front of their house at 315 Wayne Avenue in Lockland, Ohio. August is on the right, and Charlotta Louisa Russ
is on the left. They were married January 1, 1885 and resided at this address for many years. All ten of their children, including my grandfather, were
born and raised here. August was the 8th child of Ferdinand Dohme and Louisa M. Plumhoff, born on October 6, 1865. He died on June 13, 1915 after an
unexpected storm hit the Cincinnati area on that Sunday afternoon, as the two articles below illustrate.
Charlotta Louisa Russ was the first born of Stephan Russ and Eva Catherina Von Nida. She was born February 8, 1865 in Cincinnati and died December 7, 1926. It appears the Dohme family and Russ family have known each other for many, many years and that August Dohme and Charlotta Russ probably knew each other while they were children. Stephan Russ's brother, Gotthard Russ, lived at 91 South 12th Street in 1864. This was the same address that my great-great-great-grandparents, Ludwig and Henrietta Dohme, had lived at between 1846 and 1857. August's father, Ferdinand Dohme, resided at this address from 1858 until around 1862.
The children in the photo:
George Edward Dohme Born October 8, 1887 Died December 3, 1917 (Flu) |
Louis Micheal Dohme Born July 14, 1890 Died March 27, 1934 |
Frederick Carl Dohme Born July 21, 1893 Died March 9, 1952 |
Arthur Ferdinand Augustus Dohme Born October 15, 1895 Died April 23, 1968 |
Elmer Abraham Dohme Born June 15, 1898 Died February 11, 1953 |
Helen Louisa Dohme Born August 13, 1900 Died March 13, 1988 |
Lauretta Lyda Charlotte Dohme Born August 21, 1902 Died December 1, 1992 |
There were two younger children, Edna Mae and Edward Willis, who were not in this picture. I am estimating that this photo was taken possibly sometime between 1904 and 1908. Edna Mae Dohme was born August 28, 1908 and died December 10, 1975. Edward Willis Dohme was born April 20, 1912, but I have not yet found his death certificate. Also not pictured is August's oldest daughter, Margaret Virginia Dohme. She was born October 16, 1885, and married George Lyons February 15, 1905. She died June 5, 1958.
Below are the two articles that appeared in the local newspaper, The Cincinnati Enquirer, relating the details of my great-grandfather's death. The second article indicates that August was buried at the Spring Grove Cemetery, but he is actually at Walnut Hills.
June 16, 1915
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Page 11
One death and a vast amount of damage to signs, awnings, trees and other property was the toll gathered by the terrific wind and rainstorm which swept over Cincinnati yesterday afternoon.
Besides, there were water-soaked clothes, ruined dresses, and narrow escapes on the river, the rain coming so suddenly that those who were enjoying the
unusually pleasant Sunday had little time to seek cover before the storm broke.
August DOHME, 55 years old, carpenter, father of eight children, of 315 Wayne Avenue, Lockland, was instantly killed yesterday afternoon when he attempted to pick up a charged electric wire that had fallen during the storm. The accident took place in front of DOHME's home and was witnessed by a score of persons.
It was to save the lives of others that DOHME sacrificed his. A number of small children were coming down the street, apparently in ignorance of the "live" wire lying on the pavement. With a shout, which was his last one, DOHME ran, picked up the wire and fell over dead. A blue haze was about his body. The children, warned by the shout, stopped and their lives were saved.
DOHME's body was carried into the house by one of his grown sons and a doctor hurriedly summoned. When he arrived, he told the family that life had passed from the body immediately on the touching of the wire.
DOHME was well known in the Millcreek Valley and was loved and respected by all for his fine traits.
Last Rites For Dohme
June 17, 1915
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Page 11
The funeral of August E. DOHME of 315 Wayne Avenue, Lockland, Ohio, who was electrocuted during a storm Sunday in heroically saving little children from
injury from fallen live wires was held yesterday at 1:30 o'clock. Reverend Edward T. Swiggett, stated clerk of the Ohio Synod and Cincinnati Presbytarian
officiated. Interment was at Spring Grove Cemetery.
In his verdict in the case of DOHME, Coroner Foetmeyer recommends that wires carrying high voltage should not be strung through heavy foliage. The verdict states that DOHME met his death while trying to pick up the wire and prevent injury to others, but that this work should have been done by employees of the Union Gas and Electric Company.
The Marriage License of August Dohme and Charlotta Russ
