Author: Julie Musick

FROM OUR NEWSLETTER, “ONCE UPON A TIME”, JANUARY 2021.

While reading newspapers from 100 years ago, an intriguing headline caught my eye, “Yorktown Boys Disappear”. Originally, the only information that police had was that the boys were seen boarding a west-bound Interurban at a stop west of Yorktown. The article explained that on 1 October 1920, cards bearing the picture of two missing boys were mailed to cities throughout the state. The police asked for citizens to be on the lookout for the two teenage boys. The boys had been missing since September 25th. Parents were frantic!

The missing boys were Corwin Cummins (14), son of Rollins and Eva Andre Cummins, and his buddy, Howard Staggs (15), son of Perry and Verna Dunn Staggs.  Soon after the pair left, they were found to have run away from home. The boys sent dispatches to their parents giving their location. The first dispatch said that they were in Milwaukee and they were going to Utah. 

“We’ll be back in two years.” 

Apparently, the boys had no intention of returning home any time soon!

What happened to the two young men was found in the 2 November 1920, Muncie Star Press after they had been missing for over five weeks. The ending was a hoot. See the original clipping below, learn a little about their families, and what happened to them when they grew up.          ~Julie Musick Hillgrove 

Look for their biographies for more information.