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The Ku Klux Klan Funeral of Lenore Schwalm of Hegins, 1925
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on April 25, 2018
Lenore Felicia [Schwalm] Otto Stutzman died in 1925. Her obituary, which appeared in the West Schuylkill Herald of Tower City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, told of many achievements in her life, but also did not fail to mention her Ku Klux Klan membership or the participation of that organization in her funeral rites.
This post is a continuation of the reporting on hate groups that were active in the Lykens Valley area in the years following the Civil War. It was a widely known fact that the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence in the Lykens Valley and adjacent valleys during the early years of the 20th Century. This iteration of the Klan was strongly white supremacist and was opposed to equal rights for African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.
From the West Schuylkill Herald, 20 Nov 1925:
Mrs. Lenore Felicia Stutzman, nee Schwalm, residing on the old Schwalm homestead in East Hegins, where she was born 28 June 1883, and where she was raised and resided most of her life, died there after a brief illness of peritonitis, early Friday morning, 13 November 1925, aged 42 years, 4 months, 15 days. She was a daughter of Squire A. A. Schwalm and his wife Alvaretta Schwalm, nee Fisher, who preceded her in death from a stroke of apoplexy while shopping in Willier’s store in the town of Hegins, 16 April 1913, and was baptized by Rev. C. Baum, then pastor of the Reformed Church at Hegins, on 12 August 1883. On 2 April 1899, she was confirmed by Rev. O. F. Schaeffer, and became a member of the Reformed Church at Hegins to which she remained faithful to the end according to the instruction then given by her pastor from Hebrews 10:23 and appearing on her confirmation certificate: “Let us hold fast without wavering: for he is faithful that promised.” Her name was selected by the parents – Lenore from the “Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe, who was born in Baltimore in 1809 and died there in 1849, Felicia was taken from Felicia Dorthea Hemans, an English writer, who lived from 1793 to 1835 dying at the age of 42 years. Among her writings appear “Where Is The Spirit-Land” the last verse of which reads: “Speak then, thou voice of God within!” Thou of the deep, low tone, Answer me! through life’s restless din, Where hath the spirit flown? Where hath the spirit flown? And the voice answered: “Be thou still! Enough to know is given: Clouds, winds, and stars their task fulfill. THINE IS TO TRUST IN HEAVEN!”
On 27 December 1902, she was first married to Aaron Alfred Otto, a son of the late David H. Otto, and his wife Permilla, nee Schreffler, of East Hegins, by Rev. O. F. Schaeffer.
To this marriage two children were born, one son who died in infancy here in Hegins at the same homestead. Afterwards the family started housekeeping at Wormleysburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, where a daughter was born on 3 January 1905, who afterwards received the name of Bertha Elizabeth [Otto] and now intermarried with Irvin E. Stutzman of Hegins, who is the head blacksmith at the Good Spring Colliery, also residing at the same homestead.
Shortly after the birth of this daughter the father and husband was stricken with malaria and typhoid. In March of the same year the mother, Mrs. David H. Otto, died, and the family with the young child, although Mr. Otto had not yet fully recovered from his sickness, came home to attend the mother’s funeral, when he took a relapse and died at the same homestead on Easter, 1905, whereupon the widow removed with her daughter and homestead effects from Wormleysburg to the home of her parents at Hegins.
On 18 October 1909, she was married to Rufus R. Stutzman by Rev. M. P. Hocker of Steelton. With this marriage, no children were born. She is survived by her father and stepmother, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred A. Schwalm; her bereaved husband, Rufus R. Stutzman; her daughter Bertha Elizabeth; a brother John Dewitt Schwalm, residing at Elizabethville with his family; and two sisters, Annie Alvaretta at home, and Sarah Louisa, wife of Charles M. Koppenhaver, residing at Pillow where she is postmaster in connection with the general store business of her husband; and a host of friends.
Kind and amiable disposition and from early life was surrounded by the beauties of nature, incident to country life, a pleasant home with all its comforts, good schools, churches and Sunday schools, so necessary and important in the full enjoyment of life and in the training and bringing up of children. As a wife and mother, though ailing some for years, but not thought serious, she found her enjoyment in following her household duties and always looking after the interest and welfare of her family in which her burden was always shared and supported by a kind and loving husband.
When the hour came for her spirit to take flight to that better world for which she had always tried to live and longed, she was surrounded by her parents, husband, her daughter Bertha, her husband, and her sister Annie Alvaretta who with kind and loving hands tried to smooth her dying pillow, at 2:15 A.M., 13 November, she had been conscious to the end and just a short time she kissed little Mary, 2 years old, her granddaughter good-night for the last time. “Her sun went down while it is yet day.”
Outside of her church she was socially connected with Rebekah of Valley View, Daughters of America and [the Ku Klux] Klan of Hegins, who attended the funeral in a body which was held Tuesday morning, 17 November, under the direction of C. F. Miller of Valley View, with short services at the house. Burial was made in the family burial lot in the Reformed and Lutheran Cemetery at Hegins. Concluding with further services in the church connected with the cemetery, her pastor, the Rev. Mr. Custer of the Reformed Church, officiating, assisted by Rev. M. S. Mumma, of the Evangelical church.
The pall bearers were selected from members of the [Ku Klux] Klan.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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