MARION GREENLER

Marion D. Greenler was born on a farm west of New Bavaria on April 30th, 1920. He was the second child since a sister, Margaret Elizabeth, had been born on August 13th, 1918. Their ancestors on the paternal side were: Harry L. Greenler, who farmed, was disabled in World War I, attended Ohio State University, and was in business in Holgate until his death in 1952;

The father of Harry L. was George W. Greenler, born in Holgate in 1870. He was old enough to ride his pony and carry water to the men building the Nickel Plate Railroad. He was a farmer his entire life;

The father of George W. was William G. Greenler, born in Defiance County in 1840. He was instrumental in developing Holgate. He operated a saw mill and store, and was one of Holgate's first settlers;

The father of William G. immigrated to the United States, from Germany in about 1830.

The mother of Harry L. was Emma Icie Mullholand, born in 1873. Her father William was born in 1831, and her mother, Lucinda Long, was born in 1833. Lucinda Long's mother was the hearty pioneer type. She walked all the way from the Dutch Country in Pennsylvania, carrying Lucinda a month old baby in her arms, and Lucinda had to complicate the situation by breaking out with the measles on the way.

On the maternal side, Luella M. Deckrosh was born in 1898. A rather unusual situation was that when her father purchased their first automobile in 1913, Luella was the one who learned to drive and drove the family wherever they went.

The father of Luella was Christian S. Deckrash born in 1859 in New Bavaria. He farmed over 140 acres, which was a large number of acres for that time.

The father of Christian S. also named Christian, immigrated to the New Bavaria area about 1850 from Alsace-Lorraine.

The mother of Luella was Elizabeth Lesh, born in 1861 in a log cabin on theridge, west of New Bavaria.

Her mother was Elizabeth Young, born in 1840. She told stories of feeding the Indians, who would walk on the high ground or ridge past their cabin.

Marion Greenler grew up in Holgate. He was nine years old at the time of the stock market "Crash," and remembers the great Depression very well. At the age of 12 years, he worked hoeing corn, ten hour days at ten cents (10c) per hour. By the time he was 16, he had moved up to hired man on the farm in the summer and for a 10 hour day had raised his pay to $1.25 per day. And then came the sugar beets, blocking and thinning, with a short handled hoe. If he worked from daylight to dark, he could make the huge sum of $9.00 in one day. When he was 18, it was work on the railroad section gang for $3.68 a day. Of course, you could buy a hamburger for 5c, and a jumbo one for 10c. Soda pop, (the 12 oz. size) sold for a nickel, as well as a double dip ice cream cone. And a good pair of work shoes ran about $3.50. Gas was 16c to 18c per gallon and cigarettes sold for 15c a pack. A dollar went a long way, but then, a dollar was also hard to get.

But families pulled together, and married children came home to live with their parents on the farm or in the small towns. They took whatever work they could get and struggled through the Depression. Times were really hard, but for those who lived through it, there was a strengthening, and an appreciation for better times when they came.

Marion Greenler graduated from Holgate High School, attended Bowling Green University, and Ohio State University, graduating from the latter in 1942. He joined the navy at the start of World War II, and received a commission as Ensign. In 1943, he married Nova Groll. After 38 months of service, he returned to Holgate, and operated a hatchery and poultry business for ten years.

Two children were born to Marion and Nova Greenler: a daughter, Dianne Lee, in 1948; and a son, Lynn Dougla", in 1950.

In 1955 Marion Greenler sold the hatchery and entered into business at Automatic Feed Company. In 1966, the founder of Automatic Feed Company, Alvin Groll died of a heart attack, and

Marion and William Beck, assumed the management of the business.

They celebrated their 20th year in the business in June, 1975.

Submitted by Marion Greenler