Daniel D. Punches

Daniel D. Punches, son of Peter and Mary Ann Punches, married Matilda Ritz, daughter of Peter and Mary Ann Ritz, and went to housekeeping on a farm on the Ridge Road west of Maderia Road. In addition to farming Daniel and his brother Charles operated a cane mill. Later Daniel and family moved to a home on the Maderia Road which was destroyed by fire, and tyey moved 1/2 mile north where they resided until Daniel and Matilda's deaths. Matilda was killed east of Hamler in 1927 in an auto train wreck. They were faithful members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church until their death.

Daniel and Matilda were the parents of six children, namely: William W., Mary Johanna (Hattie), Effie, Grover C., Adelia, and John J.

William married Nellie Willard, a teacher and they farmed in Marion Twp. until he retired and moved to Putnam Co. William died in 1953, and Nellie lives in Leipsic. In addition to farming each winter William and some neighbors would store ice from their farm pond for use in the summer, and each fall a pleasant task was the making of apple butter.

William and Nellie had two children, Mary and James. Mary, a secretary, married Lloyd A. Ward of Leipsic. They have always lived in Liberty Twp., Putnam Co. They have one daughter, Patricia Sue, who married William Courtney of Findlay where they reside. They are the parents of eight children, four are deceased.

James, an employee of John Mansville, Defiance, married Cordelia Heistand, a teacher of Bluffton, and they live at Evansport, OH. They have 3 sons: Paul of Defiance, who is an employee of General Motors; Doyle, of Defiance, who married Connie Fleagle; and Ralph at home.

The 2nd child of Daniel and Matilda, Mary Johanna (Hattie) married Oliver P. Blue a Marion Twp. farmer and an insurance agent. They are deceased.

Effie lived with her parents until their death, then moved to Hamler,and until her death was a seamstress.

Grover C. married Mae Brubaker and they resided on a farm on the Ridge Road, S/W of Hamler and were the parents of three children, Donald, Harold, and Betty. After Mae's death, he married Belle Harvitt Shively of Findlay. Later Grover and Belle moved to Hamler where they resided until their deaths.

Their son Donald married Donna Rentz and they had 9 children: Connie Sue, Karen Ruth, Nancy Jo, Colleen Marie, Robert, Daniel Douglas, William Wesley, John Thomas, and Tracy.

Harold married Margaret Erford and they had 6 children: Randall, Kay Eileen, Kevin, Lou Ann, Pamela, and Jackie.

Don and Harold farmed in Marion Twp. until their deaths. Each was killed in auto accidents, Harold in 1963 and Donald in 1964.

Their sister Betty, Mrs. Raymond Anderson lives in Toledo and has one sort, Michael.

Adelia Punches married Gerald Collins. After farming a number of years they moved to Willard where he was employed by the B & O Railroad, until his death. She resided in Huron, Ohio, with her eldest daughter Helen and husband, Mr. and Mrs. William Murphy. Adelia's youngest daughter, Catherine, and her husband Renee Hubner live in Miami, Fla.

The youngest son of Daniel and Matilda was John J. who farmed for many years in Marion Twp. after his marriage to Florence Robbins of Leipsic. Later they moved to Dayton and he was employed by the National Cash Register Co. until his death. Florence now resides in Dayton and Winter Haven, Fla. They had three children: Gwendolyn, who married Chester Koontz of Dayton, (Following his death she married Norris Thompson and they live in Winter Haven, Fla.); Dick died a short time after being discharged from the army during World War II, and their youngest daughter Janet; Mrs. Harry H. Hammond lives in Dayton as do their children who are all married, Brenda, Richard, and Krista.

Submitted by the Family