Rayle Family

My great-grandparents William Rayle Sr. and Nancy (Daringer) Rayle were born in Pennsylvania, married and established their home in Ashland Co., Ohio. Their first 3 children were born there: Mary on Dec. 11, 1828; Margaret, Sept. 23, 1830; John on Aug. 3, 1832, born in Richland Co.; Jackson on July 28, 1835; Martha Ann on Feb. 5, 1837 - but died at 4 yrs. old. In 1839 the Rayles moved to Wood Co. "Ten Mile Point" on what is now S. R. #613 near a cemetery west of North Baltimore. William Jr. (my grandfather) was born in Wood Co. on July 21, 1840; Martha on Mar. 1, 1842, who also died in infancy; James on Mar. 1, 1845. Then in 1846 or 47 they moved again by ox team to their new forest home. Their new log house was incomplete, lacking doors and windows. It was located in Section 24, Marion Twp., Henry Co. Here Henry was born on June 20, 1847; Samuel on Sept. 10, 1851.

Micro-film of the Marion Twp. census report for 1850 misspells the family name "Rail," but names and ages of their children agree with other records. According to the census records, however, William Rayle Sr. was 46 yrs. old in 1850 census, and his wife, Nancy was 40. She could not read or write. She died in 1904. The micro-film of 1850 census lists the following from Marion Twp. as also from Penna.: Anderson Deeter, Sarah Hashbarger, Isiah Beaver, Gabriel Shafer, Christian "Leap," John Hamler, John Bates.

Marion Township, Henry Co., was organized in 1847. There were just 10 voters, 7 of them taxpayers; John Hamler, Samuel Harshbarger, Daniel Harshbarger, William Bales, William Rayle, S. K. Warnick, and W. M. Warner. Land, 9,266 acres, was valued at $13,031.15, personal property $680.00, total $13,711.15, total tax $480.00.

Abstract of title gives the first sale price of the North 1/2 of the S.W. 1/4 of Section 35 being 80 acres @ $1.25 per acre - $100.00. My father, Edward Rayle, bought 55 acres in Sec. 34 from The Buckeye Stave Co. @ $30.00 per acre, $1,650, on Aug. 22, 1892, timber rights reserved by Buckeye Stave Co. Early settlers had to clear the stumps, drain the swales, fence the fields and build homes and farmsteads. Power at first was almost all muscle, human, oxen, and horse. Grain separators were driven by horse and oxen at first; then "portable" steam engines moved into position by animal power.

Our log house had been crudely constructed of rough logs with "chinking" of wood pieces and a sand-lime mortar to fill spaces between logs. Inside walls were covered with wrapping paper held in place by strings passed around nails. Wood was, of course, our only fuel, but it was plentiful. I well remember a borrowed "drag saw" operated by horse power and used to make stove wood from logs too large and heavy for practical cutting by buzz saw, and before steam power. Our frame house was built in 1900 when I was 6 years old. In early years water wells were drilled into the rock for a more dependable source of supply. At first 2 inch pipe was used for well casing. An earth augur was used down to the "hard pan" some 8 to 11 feet over the solid rock. A sand-pump drill had to be supplied with water to remove "hard pan" and rock cuttings. 3/4 inch pipe was usually used to reach from the ground surface to the augur or drill. In hand drilling a drill head was attached and men walked around the well, striking the head with sledges while slowly rotating the drill by means of the pipe extending horizontally from the head.

Good wells gave us purer water and better health as typhoid fever became much less common. Drainage ditches both open and "blind" eliminated the anopheles mosquitos, carriers of malarial fever known as "Ague." Tile mills did much to help with drainage, but machine ditching took over the very heavy labor job. Road scrapers filled ruts, helped drainage, but "mud"roads were awfully bad during wet weather. Early autos were put in storage for winter and spring.

Yet early settlers were nearly always good neighbors. Markets were few and distant, but there were many skills among the pioneers. They raised sheep for wool, had it "carded," spun yarn, knitted socks, mittens, gloves. Some even had color fast woolens not available at stores - made from wool which grew on black sheep. Wood ashes were put in "ash hoppers"; water put in to make lye in which animal fat scraps were cooked to make soft soap. Salt was added while hot would precipitate the lye leaving a milder "hard" soap. Orchards and gardens were everywhere; animal hides were tanned for leather for shoes, boots, and coats.

William Rayle Sr. married Nancy Daringer. Here follows the story of their daughter Mary's family.

Mary married Christian Lieb. Their son John married Mary Thomas and lived on their farm in Sec. 35, Marion Twp. They were the parents of Crist and Christina. Mary and Christian's son William married Sarah Ireland and they lived on their farm in Sec. 34, Marion Twp. Their children were Mary, Charles, and Fred. Mary and Christian's son Jacob married Ellen Quick and lived on their farm in Sec. 34, Marion Twp. Their children were Amos, Jane (Lieb) Bolton, Hester, Corinda, Frank, Clara (Lieb) Rader, and Clarence. Mary and Christian's son Levi married Miranda Burns, and they lived on their farm in Sec. 35, Marian Twp. Mary and Christian's daughter Martha married Sameul Thomas and after their divorce bought farmland in Sec. 34. Her children were George, Emma (Thomas) Jones, Oliver, Roy, Bert, Nellie (Thomas) Knepper Lewis. Mary and Christian's son James married Laura (Heinline) Jones, widow of Perry Jones. Their farm home was in Sec. 35, Marion Twp. Nancy and Molly were daughters of Mary and Christian as was Ellen. Ellen married George Snow and they lived out their lives on the ancestral homestead in Sec. 35, Marion Twp. to which Christian Lieb had come as a pioneer about 1846. He had pushed a cart, loaded with his possessions, from Richland Co. by hand. When tax on his quarter sec. of land came due, he lacked the money. He took his dog and his rifle and walked to Napoleon. When there he soldenough "coon" skins to pay his bill. George and Ellen became the parents of two sons, Archie and Walter. Archie remains owner of the homestead and part of the farm of his grandfather, Christian Lieb. George was the last of the nine children to be born to Mary and Christian. He married Candace Dillon and they lived on their farm in Sec. 34, Marion Twp. Their children were: Alice (died in infancy), Ida (Lieb) Cain, George Jr., Innise (Lieb) Moore, Gale, Angie (Lieb) Beckford, Raleigh, Flora (Lieb) Puckett and Myrtle (Lieb) Godeke.

Margaret Rayle (my grandfather's sister) was born in Ashland Co., Ohio, on Sept. 23, 1830. She married Jason Jones on Aug. 28, 1835. They lived on their farm in Sec. 13, Marion Twp., Henry Co. Their children were: Albert, Perry, Lucy (Jones) Hilliard, Charlie, and Ellen (Jones) Heinline. Perry Jones married Laura Heinline and they had 3 children; Charlie, Lulu (Jones) Watkins, and Grover. Lucy Jones married John Hilliard and they lived on their farm in Palmer Twp., Putnam Co. The Hilliard children were: Charlie, Irven, John, and Roy. Charlie Jones (son of Jason) married Mary Leatherman. They had a son John. Ellen Jones (daughter of Jason) married a Heinline; their children were: Myrtle, Lily, and Arthur.

John Rayle (my grandfather's brother) was born in Ashland Co., Ohio, on Aug. 3, 1832. He married Katherine Leffler and they lived on their farm in Sec. 27, Marion Twp., Henry Co. Their children were Mary, Nancy Jane, and David Frank. Mary married Ellas Turner and their children were Della (Turner) Miley, Harvey, Emma (Turner) Ritz, and Pearl (Turner) Wallace. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Mary Turner married William Miley. They had 2 sons Alva and Otho Miley. Nancy Jane Rayle married Perry Stevenson. Their children were Laura (Stevenson) Winkle, Maude (Stevenson) Miley, Charlie, and Lily (Stevenson) Searfoss. Daniel Frank Rayle married Alice Logan and they had a son, Sidney. A divorce was granted with name restored to Logan. Daniel Frank later married Ada McGhee. Their children were: Hugh, Raymond, John Owen, and Florence (Rayle) Beck.

Jackson Rayle was born in Richland Co., Ohio, on July 28, 1835. He married Rachel Fleming and they lived on their farm in Sec. 23, Marion Twp., Ohio. Their children were: John F. William (little bill), Jane (Rayle) Robins, Samuel, Ellis, Jefferson, and Silis. John F. Rayle was born April 12, 1863, married Minnie Punches. Their children were: George, Freddie, and Essie (Rayle) Palmer. William born April 16, 1865, married Margaret Porter. Their children were: Maude (Rayle) Lee, Claude, Cecil J., Ida (Rayle) Settlemire, and Isaac. Jane Rayle was born Sept. 16, 1867. She married Corydon Robins. They had a daughter, Florence. Samuel Rayle was born on Feb. 7, 1869. He married Orpha Pacey. They had a son Glee. Ellis Rayle was born on May 18, 1872, died April 16, 1956. He married Mary Edwards. Their children: Nora (Rayle) Edwards, Guy, Jessie (Rayle) Gray, Bert, Ethel (Rayle) Jaquish, Erma (Rayle) Nichols, and Lynn. Thomas Jefferson Rayle was born July 13, 1875, and married Rene Stevens. Their children were: Hazel, Naoma, Otto, and Sonald. Ellis Rayle was born on Feb. 24, 1882. He married Blanch Spangler. Their children were: Goldie, Edith, and Helen.

William Rayle Jr. was born in Wood Co., Ohio, on July 21, 1840, and died Mar. 14, 1920. He married Hanora Joyce, daughter of Pioneers James and Hanora (Sheehy) Joyce in a Catholic ceremony at Providence, Lucas Co., Ohio. Their children were: James, Oscar, Edward, George Ervin, and Mary Ellen; James, 1869-1941, married Myrta Sterrett. Their children were: Nancy (Rayle) Ferguson, Clyde, and Curtice. Edward, 1871-1951, married Ada May Miller 1871-1949, born in Pleasant Twp., Hancock Co. Her family were pioneers in Bartlow and Marion Townships. Their children were: Arthur, Fred, and Mildred. Oscar, 1873-43, married Lulu Cox. George Ervin, 1876-1960, married Sarah Quick. Their children were: William and Chloris (Rayle) Kelly. After the death of Sarah, George Ervin married Mrs. Jennie Budd. Their children were: Archie, Dessie, (Rayle) Theobold, George, and Lester. Mary Ellen (Rayle) Winkle, 1879-1939, married Moses Winkle. Their children were: Orpha (Winkle) Dillon, Orvil, Neva, Lulu (Winkle) Warren, Edna, Violet (Winkle) Tooman, Mildred (Winkle) Fenstermaker, Wilour, and Edward.

William Rayle's wife, Hanora, died in 1880 and his 5 motherless children were taken into the home of their Aunt and Uncle, the Christian Lieb's who had 9 of their own - some 5 or 6 of them in homes of their own. When widower WILLIAM RAYLE married Phoeba Porter - a kind, affectionate lady - and invited the Rayle children to come home with them, James, Oscar, and George Ervin went, but Edward and his little sister "Ella" chose to stay with the Liebs and did stay until they married.

James Rayle, born in Wood Co., Ohio, on Mar. 1, 1845, married Lydia Palmer and lived on their farm in Sec. 30, Bartlow Twp., Henry Co. Their children were: Elmer and Charles.

Henry Rayle was born in Henry Co., Ohio, on June 20, 1848. He married Caroline Wesner and lived on their farm in Sec. 27, Marion Twp.; they then moved to their farm in Sec. 14 of Marion Twp. Their children were: Perry, David, Bradly, and Clarence. David died young.

Samuel Rayle was born in Henry Co., Ohio, on Sept. 10, 1851, and died in Michigan in Feb., 1941. They were the parents of Isaac Rayle, born in 1883 and John F. Rayle, born Aug. 2, 1885.

Jackson and William Rayle made railroad ties for the building of the new B and 0 Railroad. They went to Defiance and purchased a "crosscut" saw. But being unskilled in its use they put it aside after trial and returned to their axes, chopping logs into proper lengths and squaring ends with axes, to make better time.

A map of Henry Co. in a book called World Atlas records farmland ownership in Henry Co. in the early 1870 period, and public roads. At that time there was no road anywhere on the southern section line across Marion Twp. one mile from and parallel to the Henry-Putnam Co. line. Each district had a school house, but none of the three were located at future cross-road points. Farmsteads along this line were shown with lanes to north-south roads. The last mile was opened from the site of Bishop School in District No. 7 west one mile in the year 1911.

Ridgeland Post Office was located near where the old "Medary" Road crosses the North Ridge Road. Of 16 personal histories of Marion Twp., Henry Co. residents which arerecorded in World Atlas, 8 were patrons of Ridgeland Post Office. They were: J. B. Mess, carpenter; W. P. Young, saw mill and farmer; Henry Rayle, farmer; B. K. Merritt, farmer; John Rayle, farmer; Isaiah Stevenson, farmer; James W. Daily, farmer; Peter Herrick, farmer.

Orchards of large size are shown on most farms of Henry Co. in the Atlas book. Insect pests were few, with seldom a wormy apple. Spraying began when San Jose scale made the lime-sulphur spray almost a must.

"Sugar camps" and "Cane mills" flourished and provided tasty maple syrup and sugar and sorghum molasses.

Arthur, the son of Edward and Ada (Miller) Rayle, served in the first World War. On returning home he did not return to teaching school; instead he married a school teacher, Jessie Myers, and they took up farming. They became owners of a farm in Sec. 35 of Marion Twp. and were the parents of five children. Their daughter Florence married Ray Hagen, and they live on their farm in Sec. 8 of Bartlow Twp. Warren, their son, a chemical engineer, lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Their son, Donald, an electrical engineer, lives in Troy, Ohio. Their daughter, Janet lives in Harrisburg, Penna. Their daughter Carolyn, married William Powell and they live in the home that was built by Edward and Ada Rayle.

Submitted by Mrs. Arthur Rayle