November
12, 1914 – The seven small children of Gideon Oinonnen, a
victim of the Sibley mines disaster at Ely this past Monday, and whose mother
is in the Fergus Falls insane asylum, will not have to face a winter of want
and starvation alone. The protecting arm of the state has wrapped itself around
the little colony of unfortunates and it is likely that all will be made wards
of the state at the next sitting of the juvenile court.
Oinonnen, father of the children, is one of the six entombed miners buried beneath thousands of tons of rock and ore in a collapsed shaft of the Sibley Mine. Since the fatal accident, four forces of rescue workers have been working day and night in tunneling towards the imprisoned miners. None of the bodies have yet been discovered. It is believed that they are buried 200 feet below the surface.
Sibley Mine1
All of the men who were caught in the death trap were married and leave families, but by far the most pitiable case is that of the Oinonnen family. The mother is insane and has been an inmate of the Fergus Falls state asylum since last May. Her seven children range in age from 12 to 1-1/2 years. The three oldest are boys, then come twin girls, aged 4, a boy, 3, and a baby sister, 18 months old.
Upon learning of the destitute circumstances of the Oinonnen orphans, R. D. McKercher, agent for the Duluth Humane Society, made a trip to Ely, where he found the youngsters in dire poverty. Today McKercher brought the seven children to Duluth and placed them in the Children’s Home, where they were fitted with clean and warm clothing and will be temporarily cared for.
As soon as the body of their father is recovered from the mine, McKercher will take the older children back to Ely to attend the funeral. He has also written to the Owatonna authorities to arrange for the commitment of the children to the state public school.
The young orphans have not yet fully realized their situation. The three older boys seem to understand that something has happened to their father, but seem to cling to the hope that rescuers at the mine will save his life.
The children look upon McKercher as their best friend and while coming to Duluth from Ely could not be coaxed away from their benefactor by passengers on the train. They clung to his side until he finally turned them over to the matron of the Children’s Home.
The children are bright for their age and it is possible that homes will be found for some of the unfortunates before they are committed and taken away to the state institution.
The Duluth Herald; “Mother in Fergus Falls Asylum; Father Entombed in Ely Mine; Children’s Home Takes Children”; Nov. 13, 1914; p. 8.
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The body of Gideon Oinonnen was found Saturday, Nov. 14. He was crushed to a pulp and with every bone in his body broken, lying about 70 feet from the surface, 113 hours after the accident.2
Wilhelmina Oinonnen, the children’s mother died in 1953 in the Anoka State Asylum, Grow Township, where she had lived as a patient since about 1915.3
1https://www.ely.org/_site_components/uploads/item_files/file-1131.pdf
2Tower Weekly News; “Survives Terrible Experience”; Nov. 20, 1914; p. 1.
3https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53867425/wilhelmina-oinonen
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If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including: census records, birth records, death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records. I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.
If you are interested in finding out more about your family history in Minnesota, I specialize in researching genealogical and historical records in Minn. and western Wis., including: census records, birth records, death certificates, obits, grave site photos, ship passenger lists, marriage records and declarations of intent/naturalization records. I will visit locations to research local history and county records, as well as take photos. Quick turnaround on MNHS records. Both short searches and family history reports available.
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