Francis Lore, pictured above, did not die in a plane crash in 1952, as reported in last month’s Ewing Then & Now, but passed away due to a stroke 10 years later.
By Helen Kull
Searching through some long-forgotten files on Ewing history, I recently stumbled across some pretty amazing stuff which I’m excited to share in this April column!
It seems that Ewing was settled centuries earlier than previously thought! A thriving, international community existed on the banks of the river just above the falls in the 15th century.
Not only did Columbus make a brief, unscheduled visit to this area; a number of his crew disembarked and remained, being tired of the voyage and sea rations. They were met by a wildly disparate yet cohesive welcoming party comprised of local native Americans, local Aztecs and Incas (who had arrived here in search of cooler climes), Prussian immigrants, Bohemian artists, Turks, Ninjas, Portuguese fishermen, outcasts of the Golden Horde, and fallen Roman statesmen.
All parties sought escape from their prior struggles and tribulations. In search of Utopia (thought to be an island in the Atlantic), they all had incredibly wound up in this area, and formed their peaceful, utopian society here. They kept it secret, to avoid ruin by wars and plagues. Unfortunately, it was completely obliterated by the 2nd Martian Invasion of 1602…
I do hope you’re reading this on April 1, because that was my attempt at an April Fools column! But I do it to make a point: this “history” is now in print, and thanks to the Internet, may be archived indefinitely. One always has to be careful not to take as “fact” everything they see in print.
This is particularly true when researching historical events and people. It’s so easy to assume what is printed or online is true; finding corroborating primary sources is not nearly as easy.
Case in point: Last month, I wrote about Francis Lore, stated that he had three children, and remarked about his tragic death in a plane crash in August of 1952. Not having had much luck researching him, I found the names of his children in 1940 census data, and reiterated the reason for his death based on a “fact” appearing both in the Ewing historical society library and on the Lore School’s website.
Fortunately, Mr. Lore has understanding family members still in the area who graciously pointed out the inaccuracies of my column. Mr. Lore’s fourth child, Anthony, was born later in 1940, and missed the census.
But more importantly, Mr. Lore did NOT die in a plane crash in August of 1952! He died of a stroke 10 years later while visiting his sister in California in January, 1962. This is according to both his daughter, Marjorie, and her son Bruce, who otherwise were tickled to see the article on their father/grandfather Francis.
In a phone interview, Marjorie also shared other memories of her father. Although he had not had the opportunity for school beyond high school, his wife Margaret had attended private school, and he strongly believed in education. He worked hard for his own sons to attend college at Bucknell and Annapolis. And he fought hard for quality education in Ewing.
As the proud president of the Ewing school board when the new high school was built, many wanted to name it after him. But he would have no part of it! In his mind, Ewing was finally getting its own high school, and it should absolutely be named EWING High School! He successfully — yet controversially — opposed having a pool built in the school, believing that academics should be emphasized.
He was a strict man, but caring — and a great cook! While his wife and children attended mass every week, he’d prepare a big breakfast for them upon their return, which the children loved.
He also prepared pasta, chili, and other dishes learned from his early days cooking for the tugboat workers his grandfather employed in Camden.
He was active in other community organizations, including the Lions Club, and became a member of Ewing Presbyterian Church.
After his death, his wife agreed that he would have been honored to have the new elementary school named after him. His wife, children and grandchildren were present at the laying of the cornerstone in 1963.
No martians were present — and THAT’s a fact!
Do you have a Ewing story to share? Contact Helen at ewingthenandnow@gmail.com
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