Sheboygan County, Wisconsin Genealogy & History
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This News Article was transcribed & contributed by Kay R.


Lincoln Daily Star - Lincoln Nebraska - December 15, 1916

Girl Rescued Two


Sheboygan, Wis., Dec. 5 - When her brother Jacob, aged 6, and Cecile Melzer, aged 7, fell through the ice into the river at Sheboygan Falls, while trying to rescue their dog, 15-year-old Virginia Fessler, although handicapped with a heavy coat, broke a channel through the ice with her fists and swam in and rescued both.

Coshocton Morning Tribune - Coshocton, Ohio - February 6, 1917

Girl Show Her Pluck

Handicapped by Coat, She saves Two from Drowning


Sheboygan, Wis. - Virginia Fessler, aged 15, daughter of Bernard Fessler of Sheboygan, was unable to unfasten her heavy coat and cape in her anxiety when her brother Jacob, aged six, and Cecilia Melger, seven, broke through the ice in the Sheboygan river above the cofferdam at Sheboygan Falls, so she broke through the thin ice and swam in her heavy clothes to the middle of the river and rescued her brother as he sank for the third time, came back to shore, then returned and saved Cecilia.

The children were throwing sticks on the ice for a pet dog to bring back. One went to the open channel and the dog fell into eight feet of water. The children went out to rescue the dog and broke through. Virginia learned to swim last summer. She wore gloves and could not unfasten he cloak as she ran out on the ice, but broke through, and with her fist broke a channel to rescue her brother and his companion.


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