The Mathias Schwab Family

Mathias Schwab as a young man came to the United States from Gevenich, Rhine Province, Germany. His first home in the U.S. was in Seneca County, Ohio. He served in the Civil War in 1861. After his discharge he moved to Henry County. He married Anna Schneideer. They had 9 children: Casper, Margaret, Kate, Phillip, John, Anna, Matilda, Mary, and William. Casper Schwab joined the U.S. Army in 1880 and served in Arizona during the Indian wars. Sgt. Casper Schwab led a patrol on Christmas Day 1885 under the command of Gen. Nelson A. Miles around what is now Tucson, Arizona, to try and track down and have "Geronimo" the Chief of the Apache Indians, whose band was raiding and plundering the settlers in that area for 8 years, to surrender and have his people put on a reservation in southern New Mexico. However, this was not done until March, 1886. He also served in Cuba and the Philippine Islands, 1899-1902. He was wounded in battle 4 times and received a medical discharge in 1902, and died in 1934. John, Phillip and William were farmers in Henry County all their lives. Kate, Anna, and Mary married and moved elsewhere. Margaret married John Spangler and Matilda married Peter Buet and stayed in Henry County.

John Schwab, a grandson of Oswald Schwab, married Mary Thome in September, 1901. Their 8 children were: Marcella, Leo, Larry, Corleen, Mary, Monica, Minard, and Cletus. Marcella married Frank Steinberger and lives in Defiance. Larry was killed in a train accident in 1922. Corleen married William Like and resides in Holgate. Mary married Alton Brown and lives in New Bavaria. Leo and Monica are deceased. Minard married Anna Descrange; Cletus married Ann Babek; both families live near Holgate.

Cletus and Ann Babek Schwab have 3 children, Jacqualine, James, and Mary Ann, one deceased son, John Jeffery. Jacqualine, a registered nurse lives in Hawaii. James, a mech. engineer lives in Seattle, Wash. Mary Ann is a lab. tech. and lives near Holgate. Mrs. Schwab graduated from Bowling Green University and has taught school 43 years in various schools in Putnam and Henry Counties.

Cletus served in U.S. Army, 37th Div. during World War II. (Entered service Jan. 1941-Jan. 1946. Served in South Pacific and the Philippine Islands, 43 months, rank First Lieutenant.) He received the Battlefield Commission while fighting in Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Also he was past Commander of Holgate Legion Post 340 and past Commander of V.F.W. Post 8847, New Bavaria. He served as a member of Henry County Draft Board 1960-1970, past Mayor of New Bavaria, served on Holgate School Board, New Bavaria Telephone Co. and Henry County Soldiers and Sailors Relief Commission. He is now on his 18th year as Pleasant Trustee.

Submitted by Cletus J. Schwab