Four sets of twins; one set of triplets in Bluffton school - early 1950s
This story is believed to be from the Lim News. Twins and triplets in the Bluffton schools taken in the 1951 school year.
Front from left, Arlene Kay and Marlene Rae Basinger; Carol, Walter and Charles Jordan; Jerry Ray and Garry Jay Althaus.
Back row from left, Rae Ann and Rachael Mae Devier; Connie Janes and Nancy Lane Patterson.
Enrolled in the Bluffton grade school are four sets of twins and one set of triplets, a record for the school. Two pairs of twins and the triplets are in the second grade.
Arlene Kay and Marlene Rae Basinger, age 7, are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Leland Basinger. The Basingers live on a farm two miles west of town.
Their father is manager of the Master Feed Mill in Bluffton. Nearly everyone who knows them have difficulty in telling the girls apart as they are so nearly alike in appearance.
They both like the outdoors and animals and enjoy to help with chores. There are no other children in the family. Mrs. Truman Bixel is their second grade teacher.
Jerry Rae and Garry Jay, age 7, are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Althaus. They live in the country and their father is a farmer. There is considerable difference in the appearance of the brothers as is also in their interests.
Jerry likes athletics and spends much time outdoors, while Garry caters to reading and art. They are the only children in the home. Mrs., Bixel is their second grade teacher.
Carol, Charles and Walter Jordan, age 7, triplets are the children of Mr. and Mrs. James T. Jordan. Their father is a serviceman for the Surface Combustion Corporation, Toledo. In their family are three other children, James Jr., age 8, in the third grade, Sally, age 10, in the fourth grade, and Richard, 16, a senior in Bluffton high school. Mrs. Clayton Murray is their second grade teacher.
Connie Jane and Nancy Lane, age 8, are the twin daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Don Patterson, South Lawn avenue. Mr. Patterson is the proprietor of Pat’s Barber shop. One prefers outdoors play while the other chooses to play more quietly in the home. They are studying piano with their mother as teacher. Both their father and mother are one of a pair of twins. They have a brother Donny, three years old. Miss Minerva Hilty is their third grade teacher.
Rachael Ma and Rae Ann Devier, age 11, are the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. Carl Devier, 656 South Main street. They enjoy school and like to be in plays. They are the only children in the home. Mrs. Paul Cramer is their fifth grade teacher.
Stories Posted This Week
Thursday, October 29, 2026
- Ada Icon headlines, October 29
- Bluffton chamber welcomes six new members in October 2026
- Scam talk with Chief Ryan Burkholder
- Apollo Career Center honored as Gold Star Institution
- Peanut brittle time at the Senior Center begins Nov. 9
- Bluffton University Forum explores faith, hope and care for creation
- Business Collective networking night, Nov. 5
- Radio play staging of It's a Wonderful Life on Nov. 29
- Test-to-Treat not Trick-or-Treat
- If only we could put these fall days on pause
Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Monday, October 26, 2026
- Beavers sports roundup, October 19-25
- Ada Icon headlines, October 26
- November 13 fish fry at Emmanuel UCC
- Citizens National Bank customer appreciation day, October 30
- Bluffton University offers free agricultural and environmental field trips
- Trinity Trunk or Treat, October 31
- Public invited to Bluffton Lions program with President Sider