Merle David Unkle (1894 - 1966)

Born 30 Jan 1894 in Hocking, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Phyllis (Sines) Raether — married 29 May 1913 in Hocking, Ohio, United States

Died 11 Jul 1966 at age 72 in Toledo, Lucas, Ohio, United States

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Biography

Merle was born in 1894. He is the son of Solomon Unkle and Sarah McCowen. He died on 11 Jul 1966 in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio.

Information from Toledo Blade obituary, 12 Jul 1966, page 16: Merle Unkle Retired Policeman, Led Morals Squad Merle D. Unkle, 74, retired head of the Toledo police morals squad, and one time police chief of Mansfield, O., died yesterday in Toledo Hospital. He lived at 5315 Lewis Ave. Mr. Unkle, born in Logan, O., lived in Toledo 52 years. He was credited with doing much of the detective work which helped to smash the notorious Licavoli gang and sent several members to the Ohio Penitentiary on charges of conspiring to murder. That was during the 1932-1935 period, when he was assigned to the office of Frazier Reams, then prosecutor of Lucas County. Chief at Mansfield Shortly thereafter, Mr. Unkle was given leave of absence from the Toledo police department to serve as chief of police at Mansfield. He joined the Mansfield force Feb. 1, 1935, resigning the following January to return to Toledo. Mr. Unkle joined the police force Dec. 30, 1917, serving a total of 23 years. During that time he rose to the rank of detective lieutenant, and for four years the commanding officer of the morals squad. He retired Jan. 15, 1941 and had been employed at a number of temporary positions since that time, his family said today. The veteran investigator also helped the late Common Pleas Judge Thomas O'Connor, who then was prosecutor in gathering evidence to round up a gang of 12 confidence-game operators alleged to have fleeced residents of some $200,000 during 1935 to 1938. Harassed Gamblers He was credited with harassing Toledo gamblers in the downtown area to abandon their dice games and move out. He subsequently harassed numbers game operators, as well. Mr. Unkle was a member of Toledo Lodge, F&AM; Scottish Rite, Valley of Toledo, and the Zenobia Shrine....

Sources

• "Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6LS-5DQ : 18 May 2020), Merl David Uncle, 1893.

• Obituary: Toledo Blade, July 12, 1966, page 16, column 1

• "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z8SF-CH2M : 12 May 2020), Murl David Unkle and Phillis Sines, 1913.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 9 August 2020), memorial page for Merle D Unkle (29 Jun 1892–11 Jul 1966), Find a Grave Memorial no. 211178429, citing Toledo Memorial Park, Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio, USA ; Maintained by Lisa (contributor 47155679) .

• "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K3LL-2FL : 10 December 2017), Merle D Unkle and Clara Miller, 01 Sep 1934; citing Steuben, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 005329136.