Ratay-Johnstone Ancestors - Person Sheet
Ratay-Johnstone Ancestors - Person Sheet
NameJoseph F. “Joe” HEIDENREICH 
Memosuicide; age 24 yrs, 3 mos, 18 days
MemoIOOF section
OccupationDairy Rancher
FatherHenry HEIDENREICH (1853-1935)
MotherKatherine SAUER (1864-1943)
Never married
Census notes for Joseph F. “Joe” HEIDENREICH
1900 Nevada, Washoe County, Franktown Precinct, E.D. 43, sheet 1B
dwelling 20, family 21
Heidenreich, Henry, head, white, male, May 1853, age 47, married for 14 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, imm 1871, naturalized, farmer
---------------, Kate, wife, white, female, Dec 1863, age 36, married for 14 years, mother of 7 children, 7 living, born Nevada, parents born Germany
---------------, Lillian M., daughter, white, female, Dec 1886, age 13, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Edwin E., son, white, male, Feb 1888, age 12, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Joseph F., son, white, male, Feb 1890, age 10, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Martha L., daughter, white, female, May 1891, age 9, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Henry E., son, white, male, Feb 1893, age 7, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Francis R., daughter, white, female, Oct 1895, age 4, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Roy F., son, white, male, Aug 1897, age 2, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
Rosselli, Guy, boarder, white, male, July 1874, age 25, single born Switzerland, parents born Switzerland, imm 1890, alien, barryman?
1910 Nevada, Washoe County, Franktown Precinct, E.D. 66, sheet 1B
Reno to Carson City Road, dwelling 12, family 12
Heidenreich, Henry, head, male, white, age 56, married once for 24 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, imm 1871, naturalized, farmer
---------------, Kate, wife, female, white, age 46, married once for 24 years, mother of 7 children, 7 living, born Nevada, parents born Germany
---------------, Lillian, daughter, female, white, age 23, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Edwin E., son, male, white, age 22, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, farmer
---------------, Joe F., son, male, white, age 20, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, farmer
---------------, Martha, daughter, female, white, age 19, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Henry, son, male, white, age 17, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, farmer
---------------, Francis, daughter, female, white, age 15, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Roy, son, male, white, age 11, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
dwelling 20, family 21
Heidenreich, Henry, head, white, male, May 1853, age 47, married for 14 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, imm 1871, naturalized, farmer
---------------, Kate, wife, white, female, Dec 1863, age 36, married for 14 years, mother of 7 children, 7 living, born Nevada, parents born Germany
---------------, Lillian M., daughter, white, female, Dec 1886, age 13, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Edwin E., son, white, male, Feb 1888, age 12, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Joseph F., son, white, male, Feb 1890, age 10, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Martha L., daughter, white, female, May 1891, age 9, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, at school
---------------, Henry E., son, white, male, Feb 1893, age 7, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Francis R., daughter, white, female, Oct 1895, age 4, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Roy F., son, white, male, Aug 1897, age 2, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
Rosselli, Guy, boarder, white, male, July 1874, age 25, single born Switzerland, parents born Switzerland, imm 1890, alien, barryman?
1910 Nevada, Washoe County, Franktown Precinct, E.D. 66, sheet 1B
Reno to Carson City Road, dwelling 12, family 12
Heidenreich, Henry, head, male, white, age 56, married once for 24 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, imm 1871, naturalized, farmer
---------------, Kate, wife, female, white, age 46, married once for 24 years, mother of 7 children, 7 living, born Nevada, parents born Germany
---------------, Lillian, daughter, female, white, age 23, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Edwin E., son, male, white, age 22, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, farmer
---------------, Joe F., son, male, white, age 20, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, farmer
---------------, Martha, daughter, female, white, age 19, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Henry, son, male, white, age 17, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada, farmer
---------------, Francis, daughter, female, white, age 15, single, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
---------------, Roy, son, male, white, age 11, born Nevada, father born Germany, mother born Nevada
Obituary notes for Joseph F. “Joe” HEIDENREICH
Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) 10 June 1914
HEIDENREICH- Near Franktown, Nev, June 8, 1914, Joseph, beloved son of Henry and Kate Heidenreich, brother of Edwin, Henry, Roy, Martha and Frances Heidenreich of Franktown and Mrs. John Sanger of Carson City, aged 24 years, 3 months, 18 days, a native of Nevada.
Funeral services will be held from the residence of Preston B. Smith, 729 West Fifth street, Reno, today at 2 p.m. Rev. Samuel Unsworth officiating. Interment at the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
Reno Evening Gazette
08 Jun 1914
Anonymous Writer Has Suicide to Answer For
Carson Rancher Ends Life After Brooding Over Threatening Letters
Goes to Milk Cows and Shoots Self in Mouth
Leaves Note to Parents Explaining Reason For His Rash Action
Special to the Gazette
Carson City, June 8 - Brooding over the receipt of anonymous, threateding letters received within the last few weeks by himself and brother, caused Joe Heidenreich, a 24-year-old rancher of this place, to commit suicide this morning. Heidenreich place the muzzle of a Colt’s revolver in his mouth and pulled the trigger, the bullet ploughing its way through his brain and bringing instant death. The body was discovered by the suicide’s father.
Left Explanatory Memoranda
Memoranda found in Heidenreich’s pocket evidently were written to his parents. The young man wrote that he had decided it would be better to take his own life than to commit murder and said that in case he lived he would be compelled to kill Robinson, from whom he and his brother leased the ranch. The memoranda also made reference to a young lady to whom the young man evidently was attached and asked that in the disposition of his estate she be provided for in case there was anything available. The memoranda were ended by a farewell to the young man’s parents.
Heidenreich committed suicide in the barn yard at the ranch where he went to milk his cows. There were no witnesses, the hired man having left the corral some time before. The older Heidenreich went to the barn yard to see what was delaying his son and found his dead body.
Bullet Entered Brain
Heidenreich was 24 years old and a native of Franktown. A coroner’s jury is hearing the evidence in the case and an autopsy was performed this afternoon. The autopsy showed that the bullet entered the roof of the mouth and lodged in the brain. Feeling in Carson City is high over the affair which is the second climax in connection with a series of anonymous letters threatening (Continued on page 2)
Carson Man Kills Self
Anonymous Letters Drive Rancher to End Life With Pistol
(Continued from Page One)
harm to the Heidenreich boys, Joe and Henry, within the last month. In case the anonymous letter writer is identified, drastic action by the citizens probably will follow.
Authoritis [sic] Baffled
The identity of the party of parties responsible for the threatening letters sent anonymously to Heidenreich brothers, Joe and Robert [sic?], and the burning of the barn on the ranch they have been operating under lease, has occupied the attention and puzzled the authorities of Carson City for many weeks. The case presented baffling and mysterious circumstances, and the officers have found it almost impossible to pick up the tangled ends of the mystery and carry them to solution.
Apparently there is no motive for the actions of the mysterious letter writer and incendiary, and with unusual cleverness the guilty party worked in such a manner as to cover up all avenues which might have led to discovery.
Anonymuos [sic] Letters Gegan [sic]
The Heidenreich boys and their father own a ranch in Washoe Valley and about April 1 moved to the Robinson and Folsom ranch which they leased from Robinson. It is located on the outskirts of Carson City to the west and contains 160 acres, practically all under cultivation. The leasers encountered no difficulty at first and established a milk route in Carson City as well as making preparations to harvest their crops. On May 10 Joe Heidenreich received through the mail a threatening anonymous letter ordering him to dispose of the ranch and close out his milk route within five days. He was warned that if he failed to do this, something would happen to him. The authorities were notified and placed in possession of the letter, which later was turned over to the United States inspector. The letter was typewritten.
Threats Made
On May 12, the first letter was followed by a second. It was left under a tub at the Heidenreich ranch. The tub occupied a position on the doorstep of the ranch house and was used every morning by the Heidenreich boys in washing their dairy utensils. The fact that it was left under the tub led Capt. Donnelley to believe the letter writer was some person familiar with the habits of the Heidenreich boys and well acquainted with the ranch premises. The second letter contained threatening statements similar to those in the first letter. It was turned over to the authorities.
Fire Discovered
On May 20 the third letter was received by one of the Heidenreich boys. It was left sticking in the door of the Sanger residence in Carson City, Heidenreich having stayed there that night. Mrs. Sanger is a sister of the Heidenreich boys. The third letter was printed with pen and ink, as was the second, but in the place of a paper being used, the end of a shoe box had been cut to the size of an envelope and the writing place on both sides. The third letter threatened the lives of the Heidenreich boys unless they left the Robinson ranch. The third letter was removed from the door by a sergeant of the state police.
On June 2 the threats made by the anonymous letter write [sic] bore fruit. At about eight o’clock in the evening fire was discovered in an abandoned house on the Robinson ranch in close proximity to the barn. The shack was hidden from the ranch house by a grove of trees. From the shack the flames spread to the barn, which was destroyed. The loss, however, did not fall on the Heidenreich boys, but on Robinson & Fulson, from whom they leased the place.
No Motive Known
The Heidenreich boys were at a loss as to the motive for the anonymous threatening letters and the act of incendiarism. They had no enemies they knew of and no previous trouble or quarrels with any person. Robinson, from whom the lease was obtained said he had refused no other party possession of the premises in preference to the Heidenreich boys.
Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) 8 June 1914
Tragedy is End Letter Mystery
Joseph Heidenreich Kills Self After Receiving Threatening Missives on Ranch
Driven desperate, it is believed by the receipt of threatening letters followed by the destruction of his farm premises by fire, Joseph F. Heidenreich committed suicide early yesterday on the Robinson ranch two miles from Carson, by shooting himself in the head. Heidenreich was 24 years of age, the son of Henry Heidenreich, a well-known rancher of Franktown, and a nephew of George Sauer and of Preston B. Smith of Reno. His death caused a sensation in Carson where it is regarded as the culminating tragedy resulting from a series of threatening anonymous letters sent to that city for several months past to several residents.
Young Heidenreich was found in the milking corral of the Robinson ranch, which was leased by the Heidenreich boys. His father on going to investigate his absence at milking time found the young man dying from a wound caused by a 32 calibre bullet which entered the mouth and penetrated the brain.
Letters were introduced in evidence at the coroner’s inquest showing threats. The verdict was suicide.
Fire destroyed the farm buildings owned by the Heidenreich boys on the Robinson ranch a week ago last Monday. No solution of the fire could be had. One of the threatening letters introduced reads:
“Carson City, May 20, 1914.
“To whom this concerns: We see that you have not taken any steps in moving from the Robinson ranch. You have been away from the place a few days. Now understand we do not intend to do any dirty work ourselves, but there are plenty that will. We know who you are accusing but you have the wrong party. Give up the ranch is all we ask of you or we will show you that we mean business.
Yours truly.”
Evidence given by W.J. Robinson the owner of the ranch, was to the effect that the leasers wished to give up the lease which had four years to run.
The funeral will be held in Reno Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the residence of Preston B. Smith 829 W. Fifth street with interment in Odd Fellows cemetery.
HEIDENREICH- Near Franktown, Nev, June 8, 1914, Joseph, beloved son of Henry and Kate Heidenreich, brother of Edwin, Henry, Roy, Martha and Frances Heidenreich of Franktown and Mrs. John Sanger of Carson City, aged 24 years, 3 months, 18 days, a native of Nevada.
Funeral services will be held from the residence of Preston B. Smith, 729 West Fifth street, Reno, today at 2 p.m. Rev. Samuel Unsworth officiating. Interment at the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
Reno Evening Gazette
08 Jun 1914
Anonymous Writer Has Suicide to Answer For
Carson Rancher Ends Life After Brooding Over Threatening Letters
Goes to Milk Cows and Shoots Self in Mouth
Leaves Note to Parents Explaining Reason For His Rash Action
Special to the Gazette
Carson City, June 8 - Brooding over the receipt of anonymous, threateding letters received within the last few weeks by himself and brother, caused Joe Heidenreich, a 24-year-old rancher of this place, to commit suicide this morning. Heidenreich place the muzzle of a Colt’s revolver in his mouth and pulled the trigger, the bullet ploughing its way through his brain and bringing instant death. The body was discovered by the suicide’s father.
Left Explanatory Memoranda
Memoranda found in Heidenreich’s pocket evidently were written to his parents. The young man wrote that he had decided it would be better to take his own life than to commit murder and said that in case he lived he would be compelled to kill Robinson, from whom he and his brother leased the ranch. The memoranda also made reference to a young lady to whom the young man evidently was attached and asked that in the disposition of his estate she be provided for in case there was anything available. The memoranda were ended by a farewell to the young man’s parents.
Heidenreich committed suicide in the barn yard at the ranch where he went to milk his cows. There were no witnesses, the hired man having left the corral some time before. The older Heidenreich went to the barn yard to see what was delaying his son and found his dead body.
Bullet Entered Brain
Heidenreich was 24 years old and a native of Franktown. A coroner’s jury is hearing the evidence in the case and an autopsy was performed this afternoon. The autopsy showed that the bullet entered the roof of the mouth and lodged in the brain. Feeling in Carson City is high over the affair which is the second climax in connection with a series of anonymous letters threatening (Continued on page 2)
Carson Man Kills Self
Anonymous Letters Drive Rancher to End Life With Pistol
(Continued from Page One)
harm to the Heidenreich boys, Joe and Henry, within the last month. In case the anonymous letter writer is identified, drastic action by the citizens probably will follow.
Authoritis [sic] Baffled
The identity of the party of parties responsible for the threatening letters sent anonymously to Heidenreich brothers, Joe and Robert [sic?], and the burning of the barn on the ranch they have been operating under lease, has occupied the attention and puzzled the authorities of Carson City for many weeks. The case presented baffling and mysterious circumstances, and the officers have found it almost impossible to pick up the tangled ends of the mystery and carry them to solution.
Apparently there is no motive for the actions of the mysterious letter writer and incendiary, and with unusual cleverness the guilty party worked in such a manner as to cover up all avenues which might have led to discovery.
Anonymuos [sic] Letters Gegan [sic]
The Heidenreich boys and their father own a ranch in Washoe Valley and about April 1 moved to the Robinson and Folsom ranch which they leased from Robinson. It is located on the outskirts of Carson City to the west and contains 160 acres, practically all under cultivation. The leasers encountered no difficulty at first and established a milk route in Carson City as well as making preparations to harvest their crops. On May 10 Joe Heidenreich received through the mail a threatening anonymous letter ordering him to dispose of the ranch and close out his milk route within five days. He was warned that if he failed to do this, something would happen to him. The authorities were notified and placed in possession of the letter, which later was turned over to the United States inspector. The letter was typewritten.
Threats Made
On May 12, the first letter was followed by a second. It was left under a tub at the Heidenreich ranch. The tub occupied a position on the doorstep of the ranch house and was used every morning by the Heidenreich boys in washing their dairy utensils. The fact that it was left under the tub led Capt. Donnelley to believe the letter writer was some person familiar with the habits of the Heidenreich boys and well acquainted with the ranch premises. The second letter contained threatening statements similar to those in the first letter. It was turned over to the authorities.
Fire Discovered
On May 20 the third letter was received by one of the Heidenreich boys. It was left sticking in the door of the Sanger residence in Carson City, Heidenreich having stayed there that night. Mrs. Sanger is a sister of the Heidenreich boys. The third letter was printed with pen and ink, as was the second, but in the place of a paper being used, the end of a shoe box had been cut to the size of an envelope and the writing place on both sides. The third letter threatened the lives of the Heidenreich boys unless they left the Robinson ranch. The third letter was removed from the door by a sergeant of the state police.
On June 2 the threats made by the anonymous letter write [sic] bore fruit. At about eight o’clock in the evening fire was discovered in an abandoned house on the Robinson ranch in close proximity to the barn. The shack was hidden from the ranch house by a grove of trees. From the shack the flames spread to the barn, which was destroyed. The loss, however, did not fall on the Heidenreich boys, but on Robinson & Fulson, from whom they leased the place.
No Motive Known
The Heidenreich boys were at a loss as to the motive for the anonymous threatening letters and the act of incendiarism. They had no enemies they knew of and no previous trouble or quarrels with any person. Robinson, from whom the lease was obtained said he had refused no other party possession of the premises in preference to the Heidenreich boys.
Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) 8 June 1914
Tragedy is End Letter Mystery
Joseph Heidenreich Kills Self After Receiving Threatening Missives on Ranch
Driven desperate, it is believed by the receipt of threatening letters followed by the destruction of his farm premises by fire, Joseph F. Heidenreich committed suicide early yesterday on the Robinson ranch two miles from Carson, by shooting himself in the head. Heidenreich was 24 years of age, the son of Henry Heidenreich, a well-known rancher of Franktown, and a nephew of George Sauer and of Preston B. Smith of Reno. His death caused a sensation in Carson where it is regarded as the culminating tragedy resulting from a series of threatening anonymous letters sent to that city for several months past to several residents.
Young Heidenreich was found in the milking corral of the Robinson ranch, which was leased by the Heidenreich boys. His father on going to investigate his absence at milking time found the young man dying from a wound caused by a 32 calibre bullet which entered the mouth and penetrated the brain.
Letters were introduced in evidence at the coroner’s inquest showing threats. The verdict was suicide.
Fire destroyed the farm buildings owned by the Heidenreich boys on the Robinson ranch a week ago last Monday. No solution of the fire could be had. One of the threatening letters introduced reads:
“Carson City, May 20, 1914.
“To whom this concerns: We see that you have not taken any steps in moving from the Robinson ranch. You have been away from the place a few days. Now understand we do not intend to do any dirty work ourselves, but there are plenty that will. We know who you are accusing but you have the wrong party. Give up the ranch is all we ask of you or we will show you that we mean business.
Yours truly.”
Evidence given by W.J. Robinson the owner of the ranch, was to the effect that the leasers wished to give up the lease which had four years to run.
The funeral will be held in Reno Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock from the residence of Preston B. Smith 829 W. Fifth street with interment in Odd Fellows cemetery.