William Christopher Hoover

William Christopher Hoover, wife Iva and young daughter Mary Ethelyn came to Columbus from Sapulpa, Oklahoma in December 1911. Mr. Hoover had been involved in the banking business as well as being an attorney, judge, etc. in Oklahoma., Mary Ethelyn died in late 1912 and was buried in the Columbus cemetery in an unmarked grave. Dorothy Carter born in the hotel on August 11, 1912. William Christopher, Jr. was born in the hotel on May 6, 1914. On .. 3, 1917, David was born in the Hoover home just .... hotel. ... , Mr. Hoover was Mayor of Columbus at the time of the infamous Villa raid. The Hoover Hotel was the center of some of the heaviest fighting the morning of March 9th. Lt. Castleman had set up his machine gun and line of defense in the street just north of the hotel. Castleman chose that location for several reasons. 1- to protect the bank. 2- to keep the Villistas from going north up East Boundry where Camp Commander Colonel Herbert J. Slocum resided. 3- Castleman's family also lived on East Boundry. 4- Castleman's action also protected the Hoover Hotel residents., The hotel was the scene of two deaths. The only woman killed in the raid was killed at the west entrance to the hotel. Bessie James, her husband Milton and sister .... walls when Mr. James was shot through the hips and wife Bessie was hit in the chest. Young Alice ran for the brush and was saved. Mr. Hoover and hotel residents pulled Bessie and Milton in the hotel door. They carried them to the back of the hotel to Mr. Hoover's mother, Sarah's, room where Bessie died. Milton survived, remarried and had several children. Bessie James was with child when she met her death., Charles Chase Miller was a resident of the Hoover Hotel at the time of the Villa raid. When awakened he discovered the hotel residents were not armed. Mr Miller's drug store was across the street and he stated he would go get some guns and shells for their protection at the hotel. He was shot only a step or two from the west...., Captions , L - W.C. Hoover, Mayor R - H.J. Slocum, CO Army Camp 1916 , Mary Ethelyn , Dorothy , Iva Jamison W.C., Jr. 2 William C. Dorothy 4