Man With Many Names Would Be So Surprising

By: Karen Zach

I “met” this fellow when I was researching for the March Montgomery Memories as he was an inventor of sorts. Thus, since I didn’t use him for that, I thought I’d do some more research and do an ATC article.

Then came the surprises, the first being he was extremely hard to research because his name was spelled so many ways. Frank Raredon was often found with the same first name (a few times as his given name, Francis) but also as Raridon, Rardon, Rairdin, Reardon and oh my, the list went on. As I perused various articles discovering other big surprises in regards to our fellow, Frank, I quickly exposed that he would have fit perfectly in to our recent Bad Boys, Bad Girls Montgomery Memories! So read on!

Before I get into that, let me tell ya’ about his inventions which was the original purpose for checking him out. One was a self-winding clock; an imperial automatic union for steam heaters to replace stoves in passenger cars as well as an automatic draw bar for railroads. He was applying for a patent for an automatic nut and bolt lock which was said to be quite superior to other such devices when he fell into my knowledge. So, Frank was either intelligent, creative, mechanical, pure lucky or all of the above.

Definitely, he carried much luck in his life as it seemed each time he got himself into some nutty trouble he would wiggle his way into good graces. Frank’s marriage couldn’t be found but he and wife, Mary Jane (Jennie) Harvey were living in Fountain County in the 1880 census (Van Buren Twp) with their first child, Orpha (Oafy). Of course, the 1890 census was burned and in 1889, their children (no names or even a number mentioned) were removed from “Frank Raredon’s filthy den,” and sent to the Orphan’s Home.

The year 1890 brought some interesting tides flowing into Frank Raredon’s life, one being his wife left him. He went to Steele’s where she worked, drew a knife and threatened to kill her. When Scott Steele got between them to save Jennie, Frank began slashing at Steele, cutting him badly in several places before he was assisted by others in “overpowering the brute.” Frank was arrested for attempted murder.

Again, in Oct 1893, Frank was being bad when he got Willis Crouch, a young man, soused at Annabel’s Saloon near the Monon depot. When Willis awoke he was missing his nice silver watch and $3 he had in his pocket. Frank had the watch in his possession but said Crouch had pawned it to him for $2.50 and as for the $3, Frank said Willis hadn’t had that much money for years. At Frank’s trial he borrowed a wad of chew from one of the jurors and shortly thereafter was acquitted. Actually not sure what nationality Raredon is but I’d say Frank sure had the luck of the Irish.

On 31 July 1894, Jennie Harvey Rariden married Boaz Ellis (both divorced) in the Methodist Church, he 44, she 43, by Rev. HA Tucker. Cost $2. Immediately, the newlyweds headed to St. Louis for their wedding trip and possibly where he would work. The Daily Journal (13 Aug 1894) referred to her as the “famous Mrs. Rariden,” but did not explain that further.

At any rate, a few days after her mother’s marriage, Oafy killed herself. She had been her usually happy self, made sure the breakfast dishes had been done and disappeared. It was assumed she had gone to church which was her usual Sunday morning routine; however, when she didn’t come to the noon meal someone went to check. Oafy had taken a wine glass full of powerful carbolic acid that the coroner and two local doctors in a postmortem exam noted the first touch of the poison on her throat immediately killed her. Many said she was spurned by the young saloon owner, Ora Pickett, who firmly denied it, saying he only knew her as a boarder at Steele’s, nothing more, nothing less and he desired that local papers stop defaming him and a wonderful young lady, Oafy.

Momma Rariden did not return from her honeymoon to her daughter’s funeral but Frank did indeed attend, quietly mourning for his daughter. He and Jennie had at least two other children and guessing possibly more. Oddly, their son, William born 23 Jan 1883, married, a laborer, killed himself just a day before his 29th birthday by drinking a large dose of carbolic acid. Then, the last child I found of theirs was Laura Lutisha born in Waynetown 12 August 1889. She married a bit late in life (age 35) to William E. Burkhart. One exciting item here is that she lived to be 85.

Early on, many times when a man or woman was leaning toward insanity, the person would be put in the pits (of despair, as I call it) at the poor farm, put in jail or when an opening be put in the state insane asylum. Yet as early as 1892 Frank was provoking B. Harrison and was just fined. We know what he tried to do to his wife, and several other fractions. In 1896, everything did seem to point to insanity as he sent out threatening letters to Orpheus M. Gregg (owner of our Match Factory) as well as Theodore Ristine, lawyer (and Supreme Justice) and Judge Harney whom he felt had wronged him … in some way! This particular group of letters were threats because he wanted his children back (but most grown at this point).

In May 1896, Frank yelled, “Clear the track! I’ve killed two men in my life and going to kill TH Ristine this evening.” Policeman Bannister came up behind him seized him by the throat and started him to jail. Peacefully he went until the corner of Washington and Market. Rariden suddenly pulled a pair of brass knuckles and attacked Bannister with great bluntness. Bannister was ready and bonked a good blow on Frank’s head. When they got Frank to the jail he was found with a pair of heavy knucks and a murderous looking 32-revolver. He stayed in a few days to detox and then given a 35-day jail sentence; but when he promised to “get out of Dodge” (C’ville in this case) the authorities relented and made a deal with him to leave and stay away from town or he’d be sent to prison. They even gave him a free ticket to Danville, Ill where he felt he could get a job

Seems he may have done just that as in July 1906, he was killed on the electric line between Danville and Champaigne, Ill. His body was returned to Montgomery County and was buried in Darlington so that he could finally Rest In Peace!

– Karen Zach is the editor of Montgomery Memories, our monthly magazine all about Montgomery County. Her column, Around the County, appears each Thursday in The Paper of Montgomery County. You can reach her at [email protected].