RANDALL CARPENTER

Randall Carpenter resides on the Carpenter homestead which was purchased in 1855 by Henry Carpenter, who had been sent to America from France by his mother at the age of 12. He was accompanied by his brothers George and David.

The homestead is located two miles north and 1/2 mile west of Liberty Center on the north side of the road. The original purchase of the farm from the state of Ohio was to Alfred B. Gunn in 1845 for $60. Three years later Gunn sold to Elijah Smith. Henry Carpenter purchased this 40 acres in 1855. Another 40 acres north of the homestead was purchased by Henry's brother David. They also owned and resided at this time 2 1/2 miles north of Liberty Center on State Route 109 on the west side of the road. Henry and wife Rachael had five children who were Robert Carpenter, Della (Mrs. Chas.) Crawford, Amanda (Mrs. Edwin) Smith, Cora (Mrs. Frank) Hahn, (who previously was married to Welson) and Mae (Mrs. Chas.) Slagle.

One acre of the Carpenter homestead was sold to Liberty township for Reed School, by Henry. Twenty additional acres was added to the 40, purchased from Ed Smith who had married Henry's daughter Amanda.

Henry's only son, Robert, married Lillian (Arcie) Tremain and went to housekeeping in a log cabin which had been the school. After the forty acres was cleared for farming a new home was built in 1900 where the log school had set. Robert resided there, farmed and bought livestock for a living. Robert's children were: Roy and Imo.

Imo married Lester Clapp in 1911. They had one child, Lois (Mrs. Nathaniel) Cuff. When the Cuffs could have no children they adopted a boy Steve who married Amey Bowman. The Cuffs now reside near Waterville.

Robert's only son, Roy, married Gertie (Meyer) in 1912. Gertie was the daughter of Christ Meyer who was born in Germany in 1855 and came to America with his mother when he was about ten, after his father had died when he was four. They were seven weeks on the ocean and settled in Henry County where he grew up. In 1879 he married Cecelia Yarnell, who was the daughter of Daniel Yarnell, a Henry County merchant, who owned a sawmill in Liberty township and was also Henry County Sheriff.

Christ owned forty acres in Section 19 of Liberty Township near Napoleon known as Maple Shade homestead and also 25 acres in Freedom Township. Gertie was their only daughter. Her brothers were Elmer and Walter. After her eighth grade diploma she passed the teacher's examination and went to teaching at Reed School where she met Roy. Roy attended Reed and also Liberty Center High School. After they married in 1912, they lived on the Yarnell Homestead until 1920 when he took over the Carpenter farm. His parents then moved to Liberty Center. Roy also farmed and bought livestock as his father did. The family attended Victory Chapel Church where Roy's mother Arcie was a charter member. Gertie was a member of that church for 65 years. Their children were Randall, Lowell, Elmer, Donna, and Cecelia.

[Photo, p. 132] Left: Robert and Arcie Carpenter; right: Roy and Imo Carpenter — Liberty Township.

Randall purchased the homestead in 1945 where he has lived and farmed since. He also is employed at Dana Corp, Toledo, where he has worked for 24 years. He married Josephine Whitmire. Their 10 children are: Robert, Janet, Richard, Ronald, Roger, Ray, Judy, Joyce, Joan, and Jean. Robert married Mary Lou (Caudill). They have three sons, Robert, Randy, and Kevin and reside at R # 1, Liberty Center. Janet's (Mrs. Charles Hill) children are Brenda, Jerry, and twins Douglas and Dennis, and Barbara. They reside at R. # 1, Liberty Center. Richard and his wife (Janice Carter) have 3 children, Dawn, Michele, Debra, reside at Titusville, Fla. Ronald and wife Carol (Rower) have 2 children, Mark, Rhonda, Maumee, Ohio. Roger and wife (Corinne Gribler) have 2 children, Tracy, Sheila, Holgate. Ray and wife (Carol Kurtz) have 2 children, Kimberly and Amy, Liberty Center. Judy (Mrs. Dennis Loar) and her children, Michael John and Heidi, live in Wauseon. Joyce (Mrs. James Savage) has children Chad, Christopher, in Delta. Joan (Mrs. Terry Davis) and her children Kristy, Cindy, live in Liberty Center. Jean is unmarried in Auburn, Indiana.

Their second son Lowell married Doris White. He managed the 5 & 10c store in Napoleon for a while, served in the U.S. Navy, W.W.II, attended Iowa State University and then went to work for Gould Corp., Cleveland. They reside at 21790 Kennison, Euclid, and have four children: David, Edward, Jon, and Susan. David, wife(Marilyn Thompson) children, Cathy, Patty, David, Jeffrey and Ann, reside in Noblesville, Ind.; Edward, wife (Sandy King), children Scott, Matthew, reside in Euclid; Jon, wife (Sigrid Von Rekowski) no children; Susan (unmarried); third son Elmer married Jancie Ross, and they reside at R#1, Liberty Center. Elmer was employed at Napoleon Products, Napoleon, then Continental Motors, Detroit, before going into the U.S. Navy where he served during W.W. II. He is now self-employed and the owner of Clapp & Haney Tool Co., Inc., Whitehouse. Children of Elmer are: Andrea (Mrs. James Mendiola) children Lori, Jodi, and reside in Waterville; Annette (Mrs. Joe Braden) children Jonette, Heidi, Rachael, reside in Perrysburg; Michael (wife Mary Ann Stiles) children Michael and Amy, R. # 1 Liberty Center; and twins Keith and Kenneth (unmarried).

First of Roy's daughters, Donna, married Doran Haley and they have one son John still at home. They reside in Woodbury, Tennessee. After graduation Donna worked as a secretary in Huntington College and then was a waitress at the Hillcrest Hotel, Toledo, for many years.

Youngest of the family was Cecelia who married Clifford (Kip) Kern. Cecelia was a private secretary to David Meekison attorney for a while and has been the editor of The Liberty Press, Liberty Center, since March, 1966. Their children are Barry, Tom and Debra. Barry, wife (Susan Walker) one son Kyle; Tom, wife (Louise Mohler) and Debra (unmarried). Husband Kip is the owner of Kip's Garage, Liberty Center, since 1954.

Submitted by Randall Carpenter