Tawney Family

My grandparents, Benjamin Abraham Tawney and Elizabeth Virginia Ward Tawney, moved to Henry Co. about the year 1871. They settled in Marion Township in the southeastern part in the big swamp area. They built a log cabin and set up family life and farming, after clearing away the trees. Their family consisted of the following: Virmella Jane Tawney b. Dec., 1875 - d. Apr., 1876; Mary Alta Tawney Wise b. June, 1877 - d. July, 1945; Lillian May Tawney b. Feb., 1879 - d. Mar., 1879; George Stuart Tawney b. Apr., 1881 - d. July, 1956; Annabel Tawney Brumley b. Mar., 1883 - d. Dec., 1971; Robert John Tawney b. Feb., 1887 - d. Aug., 1888.

Grandfather Benjamin A. Tawney carried a petition for ditching to drain the swamp area. The story is told that at one time a calf was shot by hunters who mistook it for a deer. Grandfather was really more concerned with community activities than farming so grandmother had much to do with keeping family cared for. Not only this, she had a recipe for homemade drawing salve (I still have a piece of it) and was called to many homes in the neighborhood to doctor sores with this strong drawing salve. Being a devout Christian, she helped comfort many families where sorrow struck.

The three children attended Hashbarger School, later known as Dist. 8. The family helped organize the Butler Church, now known as Bethel, one mile south in Putnam Co. on State Route 109.

George Tawney, my father, attended Leipsic College with L. S. Lafferty as president and instructor. He went to Oklahoma about 1901-2 with the great rush into Oklahoma for homesteading, later coming back to Chicago as a strike breaker with American Express Co. In 1914 he decided that the city was no place to raise a family so he and my mother, who was expecting her third child, my brother, George Donald, and I moved to the little log cabin which Grandfather had built. Dad started building a new house (still being used on that farm) and we moved in the next year. We children all attended the Hashbarger School and Hamler High School. I, Doris, attended Defiance College and taught in Hashbarger School for 4 years,1928-1931, having my two brothers,

Dwight and Doyle and my sister, Mary Virginia Tawney Collier in my classes.

My Aunt Alta Tawney Wise married a boy from the neighboring farm to the north - Bert Wise, son of John Wise. Their daughter Leona Wise Felsted Jones went on to higher learning, teaching in high schools and colleges and received her Doctorate. (See Wise Family History.)

My Aunt Annabel Tawney married Oscar Brumley who studied in Ohio State University and also in Germany and became Dean of the Veterinary Dept. at O.S.U. until the year of his death, 1945.

The Tawney Farm still remains in the family - now belonging to my sister and husband, Mr. and Mrs. John Collier of Deshler and my brother Don Tawney's wife. Don passed away April 17, 1973.

Submitted by Mrs. Doris Tawney Smith