Author: Louise Clamme

The discovery of gas and oil, which produced inexpensive fuel, lured great glass and paper making factories to East Central Indiana. Although the American Window Glass Company was by far the largest plant, there were several other glass factories located in Blackford County.

Belgian and French people, excellent glass workers for many generations, were drawn to the New World by the chance to follow their own trade and the promise of good wages. These people lived mostly on the South Side of Hartford City near the American Window Glass Company factory, though not exclusively, and not all were glassworkers. There were other ethnic groups living in the area including Germans, Italians, Irish, Spanish etc.

Grave Matters contains stories of actual murder, attempted murder, killing, and unsolved mysteries relating to the general them of "Murder". We have selected these stories because we have found them to be of interest to ourselves and to others. These crimes did not all happen locally, but affected people of Blackford County in some way.

Guest Writer: Judge Bruce C. Bade
Technical Assistance: Mary Lou Marshall, Ron Storms, Amy L. Sorrell

In these pages you will find more bits and pieces of Blackford County history that you never knew, history you knew but have forgotten, and history you know and remember.

In these pages you will find more bits and pieces of Blackford County history that you never knew, history you knew but have forgotten, and history you know and remember.

Technical Assistance: Mary Lou Marshall, Ron Storms, Don Rogers, Amy Sorrell