Jane Simon Ammeson's Books

How to Murder Your Wealthy Lovers and Get Away With It

Money & Mayhem in the Gilded Age

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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How to Murder Your Wealthy Lovers and Get Away With It

Money & Mayhem in the Gilded Age

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

“Minnie Wallace Walkup Ketcham’s criminal career as an unsung triple murderess and black widow . . . is told in rich detail and with pleasingly dark wit.” —Keven McQueen, author of Louisville Murder & Mayhem What’s a gal to do when her loaded lover is getting to be a nuisance? Why, just murder him and take all his money, of course. If you want to be fabulously single with tons of cash, just follow the lead of the beautiful and conniving Minnie Wallace Walkup Ketcham, who left a trail of broken hearts, empty wallets, and corpses. Minnie was just 16 when she stood trial in 1885 for the wrongful death of her first husband, a successful businessman and politician almost 40 years her senior. Despite overwhelming witness testimony that the Creole beauty from New Orleans had purchased the arsenic that killed him, Minnie’s own testimony brought the entire courtroom to tears. She was acquitted. Minnie returned to New Orleans with James Walkup’s fortune, life insurance, Civil War pension, and all the expensive clothes she had shipped home before he even died. Minnie still didn’t have enough cash for her liking, so she successfully targeted, seduced, and murdered two more wealthy older men while evading justice in the courtroom (and escaping her lawyer’s fees, too). How to Murder Your Wealthy Lovers and Get Away With It is an extraordinary and off-the-wall true story of intrigue, scandal, and murder. “Compelling and entertaining . . . A great guide to one of America’s most thrilling true stories.” —Mike Flannery, political editor, FOX 32 News Chicago “This gossipy true crime account paints a comprehensive portrait of a woman shrouded in mystery.” —Publishers Weekly

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145

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1684350530

ISBN 13

9781684350537

A Jazz Age Murder in Northwest Indiana:

The Tragic Betrayal of Nettie Diamond

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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A Jazz Age Murder in Northwest Indiana:

The Tragic Betrayal of Nettie Diamond

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

The sensational Diamond murder was a Roaring Twenties story of roadhouse floozies, illegal booze, orphaned children, trust funds and legal acrobatics. Nettie Herskovitz-- wealthy and widowed-- at first resisted the advances of Harry Diamond, a dashing young bootlegger a decade and a half her junior. After the two were married with an infant daughter, Diamond became disinterested in a domestic life. He shot Nettie on Valentines Day 1923 while riding in their Hudson sedan. He tried to pin the crime on the fleeing chauffeur, but Nettie lived long enough to identify her attacker to police and change her will.

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160

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1626194785

ISBN 13

9781626194786

Lincoln Road Trip

The Back-Roads Guide to America's Favorite President

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Lincoln Road Trip

The Back-Roads Guide to America's Favorite President

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

America's favorite president sure got around. Before Abraham Lincoln's sojourned to the Oval Office, he grew up in Kentucky and began his career as a lawyer in Illinois. In fact, Lincoln toured some amazing places throughout the Midwest in his lifetime. In Lincoln Road Trip: The Back-Roads Guide to America's Favorite President, Jane Simon Ammeson will help you step back into history by visiting the sites where Lincoln lived and visited. This fun and entertaining travel guide includes the stories behind the quintessential Lincoln sites, while also taking you off the beaten path to fascinating and lesser-known historical places. Visit the Log Inn in Warrenton, Indiana (now the oldest restaurant in the state), where Lincoln stayed in 1844 when he was campaigning for Henry Clay. Or visit key places in Lincoln's life, like the home of merchant Colonel Jones, who allowed a young Abe to read all his books, or Ward's Academy, where Mary Todd Lincoln attended school. Along with both famous and overlooked places with Lincoln connections, Ammeson profiles nearby attractions to round out your trip, like Holiday World, a family-owned amusement park that goes well with a trip to the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial and Lincoln State Park. Featuring new and exciting Lincoln tales from Springfield, Illinois; Beardstown, Kentucky; Booneville, Indiana; Alton, Illinois; and many more, Lincoln Road Trip is a fun adventure through America's heartland that will bring Lincoln's incredible story to life.

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Page Count

198

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1684350646

ISBN 13

9781684350643

Murders That Made Headlines

Crimes of Indiana

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Murders That Made Headlines

Crimes of Indiana

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

This fascinating chronicle of murder in the Hoosier State paints a chilling portrait of the American Midwest from mid-19th century to the Jazz Age. In Murders that Made Headlines, Jane Simon Ammeson uncovers a grizzly history of crime in Indiana, offering a stark contrast to the nostalgic image of a simpler time in America’s heartland. While the Midwest saw many changes between the 1850s and the 1930s—from horses and buggies to Hudson sedans; ladies in long dresses to flappers in short skirts—the passions that led to murder remained the same. In this compendium of sensational and scandalous crimes, you will find tales of romantic jealousy, manic greed, racism, and family dysfunction—themes that remain all too familiar today. Ammeson recounts the astonishing and sometimes bizarre stories of arsenic murders, Ponzi schemes, prison escapes, perjury, and other shocking crimes that took place in the Hoosier state. These extraordinary true events once captured the public’s attention, only to be forgotten by time. But through extensive research into public records, genealogies, and even exhumed graves, Ammeson reveals the notorious true crimes lurking in our history.

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212

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0253031273

ISBN 13

9780253031273

Hauntings of the Underground Railroad

Ghosts of the Midwest

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Hauntings of the Underground Railroad

Ghosts of the Midwest

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

Stories of the runaway slaves who left their spirits behind. “An easy read and an odd collection of tales of murders, mayhem, madness, and sadness.” —Folklore Before the Civil War, a network of secret routes and safe houses crisscrossed the Midwest to help African Americans travel north to escape slavery. Although many slaves were able to escape to the safety of Canada, others met untimely deaths on the treacherous journey—and some of these unfortunates still linger, unable to rest in peace. In Hauntings of the Underground Railroad: Ghosts of the Midwest, Jane Simon Ammeson investigates unforgettable and chilling tales of these restless ghosts that still walk the night. This unique collection includes true and gruesome stories, like the story of a lost toddler who wanders the woods near the Story Inn, eternally searching for the mother torn from him by slave hunters, or the tale of the Hannah House, where an overturned oil lamp sparked a fire that trapped slaves hiding in the basement and burned them alive. Brave visitors who visit the house, which is now a bed and breakfast, claim they can still hear voices moaning and crying from the basement. Ammeson also includes incredible true stories of daring escapes and close calls on the Underground Railroad. A fascinating and spine-tingling glimpse into our past, Hauntings of the Underground Railroad will keep you up all night.

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Page Count

211

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

025303129X

ISBN 13

9780253031297

Little Ohio

Small-Town Destinations

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Little Ohio

Small-Town Destinations

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

Where can you travel the Erie Canal on a boat pulled by a horse? What is Wapakoneta, and what does it have to do with Neil Armstrong? Where can you eat ice cream at a stop on the Underground Railroad? Find these answers and more in Little Ohio: Small-Town Destinations. Author and blogger Jane Simon Ammeson traveled across the state to discover where to eat, stay, play, and shop in more than 90 charming small towns. Organized by region, Little Ohio offers fellow road trippers an easy-to-use guide of must-see attractions. Full-color images showcase unmissable museums, quaint Main Streets, historic sites, and more. From wineries to chocolate shops, old mills to Amish villages, river boats to covered bridges, Little Ohio has everything you need for a day, weekend, or week full of fun. No matter where you are in the Buckeye State, there's always something to explore!"--

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Page Count

384

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0253065119

ISBN 13

9780253065117

Lincoln Road Trip

The Back-Roads Guide to America's Favorite President

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Lincoln Road Trip

The Back-Roads Guide to America's Favorite President

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Page Count

198

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1684350646

ISBN 13

9781684350643

Hauntings of the Underground Railroad

Ghosts of the Midwest

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Hauntings of the Underground Railroad

Ghosts of the Midwest

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Page Count

211

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

025303129X

ISBN 13

9780253031297

Little Ohio

Small-Town Destinations

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Little Ohio

Small-Town Destinations

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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384

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0253065119

ISBN 13

9780253065117

America's Femme Fatale

The Story of Serial Killer Belle Gunness

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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America's Femme Fatale

The Story of Serial Killer Belle Gunness

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

How does a Norwegian farm girl become an infamous American serial killer, responsible for upward of 40 murders? Born in rural Norway in 1859, "Belle" Storset Sorenson Gunness was constantly dealt bad hands in life—so she decided to take life into her own hands. In America's Femme Fatale: The Story of Serial Killer Belle Gunness, Jane Simon Ammeson traces Gunness's path from a poor teenager rejected by a wealthy lover; to a new wife in Chicago, desperate to escape the poverty of her childhood and impatient for a child to love; to an ambitious, widowed landowner in La Porte, Indiana. Ammeson's careful research reveals how the young immigrant slowly turned into one of America's most dangerous serial killers, allegedly murdering husbands, lovers, and children, and, for a price, disposing of inconvenient corpses for others. Ammeson brings this shocking story to life, detailing the suspicious neighbors who were cowed into silence by Belle's intimidating personality, the culture of orphanages trafficking children and matrimonial agencies, the carnival atmosphere that exploded around the pile of bones found on Gunness's farm, and the sensational reporting that filled newspapers for months. Perfect for true crime fans fascinated by the creation of a sociopathic serial killer, America's Femme Fatale will leave you entertained and looking over your shoulder.

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207

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1684351618

ISBN 13

9781684351619

Murders That Made Headlines

Crimes of Indiana

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Murders That Made Headlines

Crimes of Indiana

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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212

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Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0253031273

ISBN 13

9780253031273

How to Murder Your Wealthy Lovers and Get Away With It

Money & Mayhem in the Gilded Age

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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How to Murder Your Wealthy Lovers and Get Away With It

Money & Mayhem in the Gilded Age

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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145

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1684350530

ISBN 13

9781684350537

A Jazz Age Murder in Northwest Indiana:

The Tragic Betrayal of Nettie Diamond

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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A Jazz Age Murder in Northwest Indiana:

The Tragic Betrayal of Nettie Diamond

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Page Count

160

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1626194785

ISBN 13

9781626194786

St. Joseph County's Historic River Country

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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St. Joseph County's Historic River Country

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

River Country is the name given to St. Joseph County, Michigan, an area of historic small towns including Three Rivers, Mendon, Centreville, Constantine, Sturgis, and Nottawa. Home to one of the largest Amish populations in the state, it is a place of meandering roads often frequented by horse-driven black buggies. The county's towns, many of which are on the Michigan and National Registers of Historic Places, feature architecture that harkens back to the 1800s with styles ranging from Italianate and Greek Revival to Queen Anne and Colonial. This book chronicles River Country's historic development, with insight into the businesses, personalities, activities, and architecture that have contributed to its remarkable charm and character.

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Page Count

132

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

0738533831

ISBN 13

9780738533834

East Chicago

By: Jane and Evan Ammeson

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East Chicago

By: Jane and Evan Ammeson

Once a landscape of dunes, marshes, and woodlands hugging the southern edge of Lake Michigan, the city of East Chicago was a developer's dream for the emerging steel industry. The industrial jobs provided a way out of poverty, but the area also offered parks, schools, neighborhoods, and civil organizations. Ammeson, born and raised in East Chicago, shows that the city had a sense of vitality and the essence that the American dream was available for all. -- adapted from back cover

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128

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1467115002

ISBN 13

9781467115001

Athenaeum, The

By: Jane Ammeson and Rick Hofstetter

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Athenaeum, The

By: Jane Ammeson and Rick Hofstetter

Das Deutsche Haus, now known at the Athenaeum, is one of the great architectural and historic treasures of Indianapolis. Now recognized as a national landmark, it is emblematic not just of the culture of this great Midwestern city but also of the role of German immigrants, particularly die Freidenker (the freethinkers), who sought to build a community centered on secular ideas and family. ...a multicultural center, throbbing with life, that united a diverse community with its past and beckons a bright future. The structure looks the same as it did a century and a quarter ago and serves much the same purpose."--Back cover.

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128

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1467104604

ISBN 13

9781467104609

Classic Restaurants of The Region: Northwest Indiana’s All-Time Favorite Eats

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Classic Restaurants of The Region: Northwest Indiana’s All-Time Favorite Eats

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

A wonderful diversity of flavors has defined Northwest Indiana as a dining destination from its earliest days to the present. So great was the demand for frogs legs that the venerable Vogel's raised its own at a small lake nearby. Indiana-style, crisped-edged hamburgers at Miner-Dunn and Schoops survived the onslaught of fast-food chains. Ammeson leads a tasty tour of historic Region restaurants, some still serving but others almost lost to memory.--Adapted from back cover.

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Page Count

192

Publisher

Arcadia Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1467145661

ISBN 13

9781467145664

America's Femme Fatale

The Story of Serial Killer Belle Gunness

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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America's Femme Fatale

The Story of Serial Killer Belle Gunness

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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Page Count

207

Publisher

Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1684351618

ISBN 13

9781684351619

St. Joseph County's Historic River Country

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

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St. Joseph County's Historic River Country

By: Jane Simon Ammeson

River Country is the name given to St. Joseph County, Michigan, an area of historic small towns including Three Rivers, Mendon, Centreville, Constantine, Sturgis, and Nottawa. Home to one of the largest Amish populations in the state, it is a place of meandering roads often frequented by horse-driven black buggies. The countys towns, many of which are on the Michigan and National Registers of Historic Places, feature architecture that harkens back to the 1800s with styles ranging from Italianate and Greek Revival to Queen Anne and Colonial. This book chronicles River Countrys historic development, with insight into the businesses, personalities, activities, and architecture that have contributed to its remarkable charm and character.

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