Ruth Irene Beecher ^{1 2 3 4}

   FamilySearch ID: LXM4-FQQ.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Census in 1900 in Hartford City, Blackford, IN. ¹ Renting at 119 Chestnut St: William P. Beecher, 33, born May 1867, was married for 13 years to wife Luella M., 30, Oct 1869. She had birthed 4 children, 3 alive in 1900: Chester E., 11, Dec 1888; Alta E., 10, Jan 1890; and Ruth J., 2, May 1898. He was a laborer in a paper mill. Everyone and their parents were born in Indiana, except William's parents were from Pennsylvania.

2. Census in 1910 in Hartford City, Blackford, IN. ⁶ The 1910 census recorded renting at 418 Washington Street: Chester E. Beecher, backtender paper mill, 21, living with wife Edith S., 16; and Chester A., 0. They had been married 1 year. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

On the same census page at 718 Water Street is Chester's father, William P. Beecher, millright in paper mill, 43, with wife Lewella M., 41. They had been married 21 years and she had birthed 7 children, 6 alive in 1910. Living with them: Ruth J., 11; Opal M., 9; William R., 6; and Watson H., 2. Everyone and their parents were born in Indiana.

3. Census in 1920 in West Conshohocken, Montgomery, PA. ⁷ The 1920 census recorded William Beecher, machiinist in paper mill, 55, with wife Luella, 53; Ruth, stenographer, 20; William, laborer in paper mill, 17; Watson, 12. Also in the home is Opal Williams, 19; Opal's daughter Helen Williams, 1 year 1 month; Watson P. Vance, 38; Alta Vance, 29; Thelma Vance, 11; William Vance, 9; and Pauline Vance, 1 year 5 months. Everyone was born in Indiana except the elder William, Helen, and Pauline were born in Pennsylvania.

4. Residence: Belvoir Road & Old Arch Road, Norristown, PA on 1 Apr 1952 in Norristown, Montgomery, PA. ²

5. Cause of Death: accidental fire in home at 6:40 a.m., suffocation and general burns, 1 Apr 1954, Norristown, Montgomery, PA. ²

6. Newspaper: Philadelphia Inquirer: Couple Burned To Death as Fire Sweeps Home. Son Is Rescued., 2 Apr 1954, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. ⁵ Walter S. Jones, 62, a paper company sales manager, and his wife, Ruth, 54, died of burns and smoke inhalation yesterday when a slow-burning fire destroyed a section of the first floor of their home in Plymouth Valley, near Norristown. The body of Jones, clad in pajamas, was found near a closed window in a bedroom at the rear. His wife's body, badly burned, was in the living room, where the fire was centered. Their son, Walter, 29, who hurried to the scene from his apartment in Norristown when a neighbor telephoned, was rescued when he became trapped after entering the smoke-filled dwelling in a futile attempt to save his parents.
NOTICED BY PASSER-BY
Jones was employed by the Westfleld River Paper Co., West Conshohocken. Both he and his wife were amateur golfers, playing mostly in competition at the Plymouth Country Club, where they were members.
The fire was discovered at 6:30 A. M. by Mrs. Vivian Hutelmyer, who was driving to work when she noticed smoke pouring from the fire-floor windows. She hammered at the front door and windows and when she got no response ran next door to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald William L. Rafsky,
Mrs Rafsky telephoned an alarm to the Norristown police radio center, then called the younger Jones at his apartment at 1205 W. Oak St., Norristown. The fire companies were sent to the scene. Also responding were Police Sgt. Vito Fusco and Patrolman Hugh Byrne.
FIREMEN DRIVEN BACK
Firemen broke open the front door but were driven back by the dense smoke and flames. About the same time they heard the son shouting "Mother! Mother!"
Young Jones had climbed a ladder and entered a second floor window. Firemen wearing gas masks followed him into the building and found him reeling in the second-floor bedroom. Jones and his wife, the former Ruth Beecher, sold their home in East Norriton township about a year ago and moved to the Plymouth Valley residence.

7. Obituary: The Star Press: Ruth Beecher Jones Killed In Fire on 3 Apr 1954 in Muncie, Delaware, IN. ⁸ Ex-Blackford Woman, Mate Perish in Fire Hartford City, Ind.
Walter Jones, 57, and his wife, the former Ruth Beecher, also 57, and a native of Hartford City, were suffocated and their bodies badly seared by flames which partially destroy their home at Norristown, Pa., early Thursday morning, relatives were informed Friday. Officials at Norristown theorized the two were dead before the fire reached them. The body of Mrs. Jones lay near a door in the living room, and the body of her husband lay near a heat register in a guest room.
Wiring Short Is Blamed
The fire, it was reported, appeared to have started beneath the living room floor, possibly due to a short-circuit in an electric fuse box. This was not definitely as established, however. It was announced. The bodies were discovered after neighbors saw smoke pouring from the home. A portion of the living room floor had collapsed. Mrs. Jones was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. William Beecher, formerly of this city, and had a number of relatives here and at Muncie. They include Mrs. Florence Wanner, Fred Townsend and Waldo Wilson, all of this city; Mrs. Joseph Thornburg and Mrs. Gertrude Robbing of Millgrove, and Mrs. Mary Toppin of Muncie. Immediate survivors include a son, Sonny, at home; two brothers of Mrs. Jones. William Beecher Jr. and Watson Beecher end two sisters, Mrs. Alta Vance and Mrs. Opal Fernside, all of Norristown. First word of the tragedy was received at Eaton by Mrs. Edith Beecher Smith, wife of the Eaton fire chief.

Ruth married Walter Shuler Jones, son of John S. Jones and Lydia Melinda Shuler. (Walter Shuler Jones was born on 3 Nov 1892 in Norristown, Montgomery, PA,^{9 10} died on 1 Apr 1954 in Norristown, Montgomery, PA ^{5 9 11} and was buried on 5 Apr 1954 in Ambler: Whitemarsh Memorial Park, Montgomery, PA ⁹.)