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Post by lurp173 on Mar 31, 2023 19:04:00 GMT -5
Guest,
Thanks for that information on the skylights. Installation of those skylights during the roof construction would be a good explanation for why a window/door carpenter was on the roof on May 29th. Those skylights that you refer to in your attached house photo are definitely discreetly camouflaged (I'm not certain I even see the one you refer to on the nursery roof location). It would have taken a very skilled carpenter to install them and to ensure they were leak proof. From all accounts, that seems to fit my grandfather's carpentry skills at the time of his death.
You definitely have a great knowledge of the LKC. I enjoy reading your interesting and informative posts.
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Post by Michael on Apr 1, 2023 13:02:26 GMT -5
Here is a news photo story recently discovered by Sue, which appeared July 28, 1931 and indicates the Lindbergh home was expected to be ready for occupancy at the conclusion of their Orient trip in late 1931. From such a source, would a potential kidnapper have reason to believe the Lindberghs would not have been living full time in Hopewell by the end of February 1932? View AttachmentYes, of course they would. An article like this might be the impetus to investigate but this idea they'd formulate everything around this picture without verification and preparation is silly. Guest, Thanks for that information on the skylights. Installation of those skylights during the roof construction would be a good explanation for why a window/door carpenter was on the roof on May 29th. Those skylights that you refer to in your attached house photo are definitely discreetly camouflaged (I'm not certain I even see the one you refer to on the nursery roof location). It would have taken a very skilled carpenter to install them and to ensure they were leak proof. From all accounts, that seems to fit my grandfather's carpentry skills at the time of his death. Lurp, I know I've searched before, but I'm going to take another look for your grandfather in my files. The NJSP investigation into the builders was rather large. Most of the reports seem to show they obtained a list then attempted to get alibis for the various people. I think this was inadequate but for the most part that was their initial strategy. I'm guessing I don't have anything because I probably chose not to copy a report that eliminated someone because they were already dead before the crime occurred but I still want to double check. I do know the Roofers were employed by the Tilton Brothers out of Princeton. If your grandfather didn't work for them then there's more evidence that what Guest suggested could be correct. I just want to make sure I'm searching for the right guy ... was his name Morris Van Nest?
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Joe
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Post by Joe on Apr 1, 2023 14:14:40 GMT -5
Here is a news photo story recently discovered by Sue, which appeared July 28, 1931 and indicates the Lindbergh home was expected to be ready for occupancy at the conclusion of their Orient trip in late 1931. From such a source, would a potential kidnapper have reason to believe the Lindberghs would not have been living full time in Hopewell by the end of February 1932? View AttachmentYes, of course they would. An article like this might be the impetus to investigate but this idea they'd formulate everything around this picture without verification and preparation is silly. And no one's saying here that they would have formulated everything around such a picture. So once again, you're reflexively counter-punching at a position that doesn't exist. Clearly, personal surveillance and careful preparation would have been a necessity, and he would have had plenty of time for that.
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Post by lurp173 on Apr 1, 2023 18:37:06 GMT -5
Thanks Michael for offering to check your research files on this. My grandfather's name was Irvin D. Van Nest (I don't recognize the name Morris Van Nest). His death occurred while working on the house on Friday, May 29, 1931. He was a member of the local Hopewell area carpenters union (still in existence), but I never heard who actually employed him for the Lindbergh house construction. The unions of course were always seeking employment for their members, and I would imagine even union jobs were sparse during the depression years. I never heard my mother say that anyone in the immediate family was ever interviewed by the NJSP in regards to his work performed on the house prior to his death. Of course, as I have mentioned in the past, my grandfather's best friend was Chief Harry Wolfe so he (Harry) could have validated my grandfather's reputation. My grandfather and Harry Wolfe had married sisters in 1910 and lived in the same house (a two family duplex) on Broad Street.
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Joe
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Post by Joe on Apr 1, 2023 20:01:06 GMT -5
Irvin, you may already have this account of your grandfather's death from the June 3, 1931 edition of the Hopewell Herald, but I just looked it up and thought I'd pass this along.
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Post by Michael on Apr 1, 2023 20:34:37 GMT -5
Thanks Michael for offering to check your research files on this. My grandfather's name was Irvin D. Van Nest (I don't recognize the name Morris Van Nest). His death occurred while working on the house on Friday, May 29, 1931. He was a member of the local Hopewell area carpenters union (still in existence), but I never heard who actually employed him for the Lindbergh house construction. The unions of course were always seeking employment for their members, and I would imagine even union jobs were sparse during the depression years. I never heard my mother say that anyone in the immediate family was ever interviewed by the NJSP in regards to his work performed on the house prior to his death. Of course, as I have mentioned in the past, my grandfather's best friend was Chief Harry Wolfe so he (Harry) could have validated my grandfather's reputation. My grandfather and Harry Wolfe had married sisters in 1910 and lived in the same house (a two family duplex) on Broad Street. Ok, so I think I know why I've been having so much trouble finding information about your grandfather. What I've found so far is that he isn't among those listed as working on the house. Instead, Morris Van Nest is listed as a "Carpenter": ibb.co/QfHTtFqWhen they went to interview Morris at his home in Princeton, you can see he did work for Matthews Construction Company, but he told Officers he hadn't worked on the house: ibb.co/X4DvpWrWhile I haven't finished going through everything, I believe they mistook Morris for your grandfather. I'll keep going to see if I can find anything more....
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Post by lurp173 on Apr 1, 2023 20:41:14 GMT -5
Joe, I do have that news article on my grandfather's death, but thanks greatly for taking the time to find and post it. You found that very quickly; you and Sue must have good newspaper research accounts as you both find amazing news articles related to everything about the LKC. I also have a second death notice news article (I believe from the Trenton paper) that states my grandfather was "engaged in building the new home of Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh at Sorrel Mountain north of here". I had never remembered that area of the Sourland Mountains being referred to as "Sorrel Mountain". The word "mountain" is used very loosely when referring to the Sourland Mountains where the house was built---the highest peak in these "mountains" is less than 600 feet above sea level!
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Joe
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Post by Joe on Apr 3, 2023 14:41:04 GMT -5
You're welcome Irvin, and I've actually heard it referred to "Sorrel Hill." You're right that 600 ft. of elevation isn't much of a rise but I guess it's all relatively speaking to the surrounding geography. I used to live in a small village and outside it was a rough back road that peaked at about 300 ft. A hundred years ago it was called "Heartbreak Mountain" because if you forgot to take the ascent with your car in reverse, the line which required gravity to feed gas to the engine, meant stalling and rolling back down the hill!
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