Real identity of Bill Vance aka William Cole revealed
After some digging in Tennessee newspapers I found articles on a Mr William Van Sickle, one of his numerous names. Below are some details from 1949 St Louis Post and 1957 and 1958 TN newspapers (the Tennessean, the Hancock County News, and the Kingsport Times) He was known to use the name Hammic as well, as you'll see his mother remarried a man named Hammic. In one Missouri newspaper article from 1949 you'll see he uses the name Hamic https://www.asylumprojects.org/index.php/Missouri_Reform_School_for_Boys#:~:text=The%20Missouri%20State%20Training%20School,medical%20attention%20and%20religious%20opportunities. \\ What can be determined from other searches like city directories : His mother was Fernie Belle Katherine (Van Sickle) Hamic of Breckenridge, MO. Fern's father, Elmer Van Sickle, may have died young as in 1920 and 1930 she is with her mom Leva and stepdad George Scott. Fern was married to Mr Albert Hamic by 1940 (There's the Hamic name!) and lived with him in