In 1945, George and Jennie Sodder were fairly settled in their life in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Known as a respectable, successful couple, the pair ran a small trucking company in the town.
George and Jennie, and their 10 children, lived in a small two-story home a couple of miles from Fayetteville’s center. The family was well-liked and in good standing… not the type of family you’d expect to be involved in a tragedy.
On Christmas Eve, a fire- believed to be set in opposition to Geroge’s opinion on the Italian dictator Mussolini- overtook the Sodder home, leaving five children unaccounted for. With no bones recovered and no help from the police, George, Jennie and their remaining children never stopped searching for their missing family.
What happened to the five Sodder children? Did they perish in the fire that destroyed their family home? Were they kidnapped? Does anyone truly know?
Listen to Living Lore, Episode Nine here to find out.