An account of the fire by close family members...
"On April 28th, 1919 Tom Ballard and family went to the home of Charlie and Maude Ridenour
to stay all night. They were on their way to see about his team of horses that he had working on public works in Ramona, Oklahoma. Tom Ballard wanted to borrow their buggy to travel in. He got up early to build a fire in the king heater stove with a 5 gallon can of kerosene. It exploded and blew him out the door and set the house ablaze. It was a two story house with a window on each end on the second floor. Sleeping upstairs were Charlie Ridenour , age 41, Maude Ridenour , age 30, and children, Della Ridenour , age 10, and Hazel Ridenour age 2. Also two children of Ira Ridenour (Charlie Ridenour's brother, whose wife had died. Her name was Carrie Ridenour Ira was away working. ) Sarah Ridenour , age 10 and Iva Ridenour , age 8. Maude jumped up and went to the stairs and said, "Oh, My lord Charlie , the house is on fire"! Charlie Ridenour jumped out the window and one of the children cried, and Maude went to them. They all burned up in the fire." Charlie said, "she could not get out, for she had already got burned some."
Those sleeping downstairs were Tom Ballard , age 27, his wife, Opal Davis Ballard , age 18, and their baby daughter Floe Ballard .
Andy Ridenour age 7 years, was sleeping with his grandpa, George Ballard age 70 years, who is the father of Tom Ballard and Maude Clementine Ballard Ridenour They all lost their lives in the fire that burned the Ridenour home. It was close to the Verdigris river in the Sunnyside school district, Rogers County, Oklahoma.
Tommy was took to the doctor at Chelsea, Oklahoma by Mr. Levi Lovel but he just lived a few hours."
The family has one big tombstone in Chelsea Cemetery with their names on it. They are buried in three coffins.
Ira Ridenour has two other children who were not there. They were with some of the other folks. Their names are Jerry Ridenour and Mack Ridenour
"On April 28th, 1919 Tom Ballard and family went to the home of Charlie and Maude Ridenour
to stay all night. They were on their way to see about his team of horses that he had working on public works in Ramona, Oklahoma. Tom Ballard wanted to borrow their buggy to travel in. He got up early to build a fire in the king heater stove with a 5 gallon can of kerosene. It exploded and blew him out the door and set the house ablaze. It was a two story house with a window on each end on the second floor. Sleeping upstairs were Charlie Ridenour , age 41, Maude Ridenour , age 30, and children, Della Ridenour , age 10, and Hazel Ridenour age 2. Also two children of Ira Ridenour (Charlie Ridenour's brother, whose wife had died. Her name was Carrie Ridenour Ira was away working. ) Sarah Ridenour , age 10 and Iva Ridenour , age 8. Maude jumped up and went to the stairs and said, "Oh, My lord Charlie , the house is on fire"! Charlie Ridenour jumped out the window and one of the children cried, and Maude went to them. They all burned up in the fire." Charlie said, "she could not get out, for she had already got burned some."
Those sleeping downstairs were Tom Ballard , age 27, his wife, Opal Davis Ballard , age 18, and their baby daughter Floe Ballard .
Andy Ridenour age 7 years, was sleeping with his grandpa, George Ballard age 70 years, who is the father of Tom Ballard and Maude Clementine Ballard Ridenour They all lost their lives in the fire that burned the Ridenour home. It was close to the Verdigris river in the Sunnyside school district, Rogers County, Oklahoma.
Tommy was took to the doctor at Chelsea, Oklahoma by Mr. Levi Lovel but he just lived a few hours."
The family has one big tombstone in Chelsea Cemetery with their names on it. They are buried in three coffins.
Ira Ridenour has two other children who were not there. They were with some of the other folks. Their names are Jerry Ridenour and Mack Ridenour
An account of the fire by close family members...
"On April 28th, 1919 Tom Ballard and family went to the home of Charlie and Maude Ridenour
to stay all night. They were on their way to see about his team of horses that he had working on public works in Ramona, Oklahoma. Tom Ballard wanted to borrow their buggy to travel in. He got up early to build a fire in the king heater stove with a 5 gallon can of kerosene. It exploded and blew him out the door and set the house ablaze. It was a two story house with a window on each end on the second floor. Sleeping upstairs were Charlie Ridenour , age 41, Maude Ridenour , age 30, and children, Della Ridenour , age 10, and Hazel Ridenour age 2. Also two children of Ira Ridenour (Charlie Ridenour's brother, whose wife had died. Her name was Carrie Ridenour Ira was away working. ) Sarah Ridenour , age 10 and Iva Ridenour , age 8. Maude jumped up and went to the stairs and said, "Oh, My lord Charlie , the house is on fire"! Charlie Ridenour jumped out the window and one of the children cried, and Maude went to them. They all burned up in the fire." Charlie said, "she could not get out, for she had already got burned some."
Those sleeping downstairs were Tom Ballard , age 27, his wife, Opal Davis Ballard , age 18, and their baby daughter Floe Ballard .
Andy Ridenour age 7 years, was sleeping with his grandpa, George Ballard age 70 years, who is the father of Tom Ballard and Maude Clementine Ballard Ridenour They all lost their lives in the fire that burned the Ridenour home. It was close to the Verdigris river in the Sunnyside school district, Rogers County, Oklahoma.
Tommy was took to the doctor at Chelsea, Oklahoma by Mr. Levi Lovel but he just lived a few hours."
The family has one big tombstone in Chelsea Cemetery with their names on it. They are buried in three coffins.
Ira Ridenour has two other children who were not there. They were with some of the other folks. Their names are Jerry Ridenour and Mack Ridenour
"On April 28th, 1919 Tom Ballard and family went to the home of Charlie and Maude Ridenour
to stay all night. They were on their way to see about his team of horses that he had working on public works in Ramona, Oklahoma. Tom Ballard wanted to borrow their buggy to travel in. He got up early to build a fire in the king heater stove with a 5 gallon can of kerosene. It exploded and blew him out the door and set the house ablaze. It was a two story house with a window on each end on the second floor. Sleeping upstairs were Charlie Ridenour , age 41, Maude Ridenour , age 30, and children, Della Ridenour , age 10, and Hazel Ridenour age 2. Also two children of Ira Ridenour (Charlie Ridenour's brother, whose wife had died. Her name was Carrie Ridenour Ira was away working. ) Sarah Ridenour , age 10 and Iva Ridenour , age 8. Maude jumped up and went to the stairs and said, "Oh, My lord Charlie , the house is on fire"! Charlie Ridenour jumped out the window and one of the children cried, and Maude went to them. They all burned up in the fire." Charlie said, "she could not get out, for she had already got burned some."
Those sleeping downstairs were Tom Ballard , age 27, his wife, Opal Davis Ballard , age 18, and their baby daughter Floe Ballard .
Andy Ridenour age 7 years, was sleeping with his grandpa, George Ballard age 70 years, who is the father of Tom Ballard and Maude Clementine Ballard Ridenour They all lost their lives in the fire that burned the Ridenour home. It was close to the Verdigris river in the Sunnyside school district, Rogers County, Oklahoma.
Tommy was took to the doctor at Chelsea, Oklahoma by Mr. Levi Lovel but he just lived a few hours."
The family has one big tombstone in Chelsea Cemetery with their names on it. They are buried in three coffins.
Ira Ridenour has two other children who were not there. They were with some of the other folks. Their names are Jerry Ridenour and Mack Ridenour
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