HARTSAW, Harley - Putnam

The tornado claimed the lives of two Hadley residents.  Hadley is a town of about 125 persons on the NY Central Railroad midway between Danville and Coatsville.  The dead are Harley Hartsaw and Mrs. Grace Hadley, Mrs. Hadley, an elderly lady whose age was not learned was blown from her home.  Her body was found near the garage.  Mr. Hartsaw was killed in the collapse of the Hadley General Store where he sought refuge from the storm.  Injured at Hadley was Clifford Hadley owner of a large dairy farm near the village.  He was in the milk house on his farm when the twister toppled the silo, crushing the small building.  Only one other serious injury was reported.  It was that of Ralph McGuire who was caught in the general store with Mr. Hartsaw. Damage in the small village whose only place of business was the store was extensive but no estimate has been made.  A church was torn to pieces by the violent winds.

Source: Williamsburg Iowa Journal Tribune Thu 8 April 1948 p 1

Harley Fletcher Hartsaw was born April 4, 1894 near Cloverdale, Ind a son of Isaac Alonzo and Susan Atkins Hartsaw. He spent his early life near Cloverdale, later moving to Iowa where he was employed on a farm near Williamsburg.  On April 5, 1918 he entered the US Army as a mechanic in the Motor Transport Corps. He went to France in Nov 1918 and returned home in July of the following year.  He was united in marriage Sept 9, 1919 to Marjory Cameron Barnes of near Williamsburg. To t his union was born one daughter, Ruby Chrystal, now a student at Canterbury College, Indiana. Mr. Hartsaw united with the Methodist Church in Cloverdale early in life and in 1938 transferred to the Methodist Church in Pilot Grove near here. About 3 years ago his health became so impaired that he was forced to give up farming and in March 1946 he purchased his present home at Hadley, Ind. The family moved there and soon after united with the Friends Church at Hadley. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Milo S. Hinckle of Plainfield, Ind Tuesday March 30 at one o’clock at the Friends Church at Amo, Ind. The church in Hadley was damaged too badly in the tornado for the services to be held there.  Music was furnished by Mrs. Carol Walters as soloist, accompanied by her daughter, Marilyn at the piano. Pallbearers were six nephews: Frank Hartsaw, Russell Shillings, William Hartsaw, James Maines, Clifton Barr and Harley Black. Those from Iowa attended the funeral were Mrs. Hartsaw’s sister, Mrs. Clayton Rowe abd Mr. Rowe of Watkins and the former’s daughter, Dolly Black of Iowa City.  Surviving besides the widow and daughter are three sisters, Mrs. Ida Springer of Hadley, Mrs. Minta Shillings of north of Greencastle, Ind and Mrs. Blanche Baar of Alexandria, Ind. There are also four brothers, all living in Indiana; Elmer of near Harrodsburg; Alonzo of near Cloverdale; James of Greencastle and Jesse of near Paragon. Mr. Hartsaw’s parents and 8 brothers and sisters preceded him in death.  Mr. Hartsaw’s daughter, Ruby had just arrived in Iowa Friday morning to spend her Easter vacation but was called home the following morning. Fred Puegner of Marengo kindly took her to her Indiana home.  She was accompanied also by other friends, Leah Klenk of Marengo and Mrs. Charles Edwards and son, Ivan of near Millersburg. They returned to Iowa Sunday morning regretting that they could not remain for the funeral. – kbz