Notes for: Clarence Bodine
From Ronny Bodine:
Clarence Bodine was not included with his parents in the 1900 census when he would have been just under 3 years of age. Yet his Delaware death certificate records he was the son of George and Annie Clendaniel Bodine. On 24 Aug 1918, Clarence Bodine registered for the World War 1 draft in Kent County, Delaware. He reported he was born 6 Aug 1897 in Seaford, Delaware, that his father had been born in Kent County, that he worked for Dan Hirsh & Bros. of Milford, and that Florence Bodine, his wife, was his next of kin. In 1920-1940, Clarence Bodine lived with his parents in Milford, Kent County. He reported he was married, but his wife Florence did not live with the family. In 1930, he worked as a laborer in a bone mill and in 1940 was unemployed. Florence (Emory) Bodine was the daughter of John and Sarah J. (Stokes) Emory.
From The Morning News (Wilmington, Del.) of Thurs. 26 June 1941.
MILFORD, June 25---Funeral services were arranged for the victims of a murder and suicide near here Tuesday. Private services for Lowe Rogers, 76, said by police to have killed himself after fatally shooting Miss Florence Emory, will be held at the William A. Berry Funeral Home at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon, with the Rev. Marion E. Hungerford of Calvary Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery. The funeral of Miss Emory will be at the Berry Funeral Home at 2 o'clock Friday, with the Rev. Dr. Frank Herson, pastor of Avenue Methodist Church, officiating. Interment will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery. An inquest will be called later this week by Coroner William M. Chambers, who said that he believed the case was one of murder and suicide while Rogers was in a jealous rage. Clarence Bodine of Milford told police today he married Miss Emory on Aug. 15, 1917, but that they had been separated for 12 years and his wife had been known here by her maiden name.
From The News Journal (Wilmington, DE) of Monday, 10 Dec 1945.
Police of Milford were still seeking information today on an unidentified companion of Clarence Bodine, 47, a Milford resident whose body was discovered in the Mispillion River yesterday morning. Bodine's body was found by a young girl, and was laying face down in the shallow water of the river beneath the South Front Street bridge in Milford. Coroner Edgar Smith of Kent County, who investigated, said Bodine had been drinking earlier, but that he will have an autopsy performed to determine if the drowning was accidental. Oscar Maloney, caretaker at the Milford fire house, said he saw Bodine walking towards the river with another man, but he was unable to identify the victim's companion. Bodine, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Bodine of Milford, had been employed as a handyman.