Nicholas Regnier (1884-1920)
When scrolling through Woodlawn Cemetery in Fairmont in March of 2023, I was surprised to come across a grave stone written in French. After taking pictures at a variety of angles for the best reading (the stone is fairly worn), I discovered that it read: "Ici Repose Nicolas Regnier mor à l'âge de 36 ans et un mois mor le 26 Décembre 1920". Roughly translated, that's "Here rests Nicolas Regnier died at the age of 36 years and one month died on 26 December 1920".
Curious to learn more, I turned to Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, which includes newspapers from (among many many others) West Virginia. It had some pretty horrifying results. Here's Nicholas' story.
Nicholas Regnier was born November 25, 1884 in Liège, Belgium, the son of Jean François Regnier and Marie Jeanne Sion. He had three siblings- Catherine and Jules, who were twins, and Dennis. Jules immigrated to the U.S. in 1901, with Nicholas following in 1903, as well as Dennis at an unknown time. On August 5, 1905, Nicholas wed Mathilde Demoulin in Vaux-sous-Chèvremont, Belgium.
Curious to learn more, I turned to Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, which includes newspapers from (among many many others) West Virginia. It had some pretty horrifying results. Here's Nicholas' story.
Both Nicholas and Jules registered for the WWI draft, Nicholas in Pennsylvania and Jules in Wellsburg, WV. However, it is unclear whether either of them ended up serving in WWI.
When Nicholas died in 1920, he was living in Fairmont, WV.
Surviving Family:
He was survived by his wife, Matilda (34), and four children: Marie (15), Matilda (9), Enil (7), and Dennis (3). These ages were pulled from the 1920 census report.
Nicholas' wife, Matilda, appears to have settled in Wellsburg after Nicholas' death, presumably to be near his brother Jules and Jules' wife, Marie.
Marie had married Fairmont firefighter CPL Ernie Clyde Kuhn (U.S. Marines) in Oakland, Maryland on November 17, 1920, and is subsequently listed in the obituary as "Mrs. Clyde Kuhn." They had a child some time between Nicholas' death in December 1920 and January 13, 1922 when The West Virginian reported "Clyde Kuhn of the local fire station was called to Wellsburg last evening by the illness of his wife and child who are visiting the former's mother Mrs. Nicholas Regner [SIC] for several weeks."
In March of 1922, Clyde also took sick, as reported in The West Virginian: "Clyde Kuhn, member of the central fire department is ill at his home in Hawthorne street. Kuhn is suffering from a bad cold and has been unable to work for a week or ten days." That was the last mention of Clyde or Marie in the digitized copies of The West Virginian, which end December 30, 1922. After this, Marie drops off the radar, and Ernie Clyde Kuhn married Letha Jarrett Hill on November 3, 1926. Whether Marie and Clyde divorced or Marie died, I'm not sure. I haven't been able to find any further records on her or their baby. Marion County birth records on the WV Vital Research Records site end after 1920. Clyde died Mach 19, 1937 at almost 39 years old, of aortitis (inflamation of the aorta). At the time, he was living in Boone County with his wife and second child.
As for the other children, and brother Dennis, there is little information to be found, though I have not yet given up.
Nicholas' brother, Jules, also died with grievous injuries, in 1951. According to Jules' death certificate, he died of cornorary occlusion....one month after receiving second and third degree burns on his legs. Jules was employed as a glass worker and still lived in Wellsburg at his time of death. Jules' wife, also named Marie, died slightly six months later of a cerebral hemorrhage.
Details about Nicholas' injury and death.
WARNING, graphic descriptions of injury
"Brakeman was Badly Injured
Nicholas Regnier, popular B. and O. brakeman, was severely injured last evening when has caught between two cars near the Baltimore and Ohio round house and crushed about the body. The man's right hip was dislocated and lacerated, and both bones in his left forearm broken. Mr. Regnier who is aged 36 years, and is a large man was hanging on the side of the car when it reached a point when clearance ceased and was caught and badly crushed. The accident took place at about 5:30 o'clock last evening and he was rushed to Fairmont hospital where at first it was feared his injuries would prove fatal, howeber he is resting easier today and his condition looks favorable.
Mr. Regnier is a married man with children and resides on Fourteenth street. He was a brakeman on yard engine No. 1654 in charge of Conductor Pickens and the engine was placing coal in the boiler track leading to the boilers in the round house to the rear. Cars on this track do not clear."
The West Virginian, December 27, 1920 (page 8):
"Brakeman Regnier Dies of His Injuries
Nicholas Regnier, aged 36, a brakeman in the employ of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company, died at Fairmont Hospital yesterday evening after an illness with injuries which befell him at work for the railroad company on December 8. He is survived by his wife and four children. The man was caught between two cars and his body severely crushed. The surviving children are Mrs. Clyde Kuhn, Matilda, Enil and Dennis. Two brothers, Dennis, of Morgantown; and Julius, of Wellsburg, also survive him. Mr Regnier resided at 204 Fourteenth street. The body was prepared for burial by Undertaker R.C. Jones."
The West Virginian, December 29, 1920 (page 3):
"Nicholas Regnier Buried Today
The funeral of Nicholas regnier, popular employe [SIC] of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company, whose death took place at Fairmont hospital several days ago as the result of injuries received in the railroad yards, was held this afternoon at two o'clock from his late residence on Fourteenth street. The Rev. Claude H. King, pastor of the First M.E. church, officiated and burial was made in Woodlawn cemetery by Undertaker R.C. Jones.
Members of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen attended the services in large numbers and the pallbearers selected from the order were as follows: H.L.M. Clayton, J.S. Bartholow, S.E. Bice, Bert Higginbotham, T.L. Steel, and O.C. Willis."
Additional Sources:
Nicholas Regnier Birth Registration (Accessed through familysearch)
United States Census, 1920: "Nichlous Regnier" (Accessed through familysearch)
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