The Thome Families

Front row, left to right: Jos. Thome Sr. with Alb. Thome on lap, Wm. Thome, Elizabeth Thome, Mrs. Jos. Thome with Cora Thome Peck on lap; back row: Mathias J. Thome, Peter Thome, Mary Thome Schwab.

Bartholomew and Catherine Thome emigrated from Cologne, Germany, in 1845. They settled at French Creek, Lorain County, Ohio, where some cousins were already living.

A severe storm in 1864 wrecked the steeple of Sacred Heart Church. Mr. Thome being an accomplished millwright was asked to come to New Bavaria to repair the steeple. Seeing the excellent native timber used in the construction of the steeple and also the prolific growth of sycamores and other varieties of huge trees, Bartholomew decided to move to Henry County and build a sawmill.

In 1865 traveling in a wagon drawn by oxen, Mr. and Mrs. Thome and children, Mathias, Joseph, Peter, John, Barbara, and Elizabeth came to Henry County and settled on a farm in Pleasant Township about one mile east New Bavaria on the Ridge Road now Henry County Road "Y." At this location he built his sawmill. For many years they cleared the timbers on a majority of farms in the vicinity.

Bartholomew sold the sawmill to his sons Joseph and Mathias. Joseph married Mary Klear in 1874. Their children were Mary, Mathias J., Peter, Elizabeth, William, Albert, Cora, and Leo. Joseph resided on the farm for the rest of his life. While his health permitted he was an active and interested member of the community. The sawmill was in service until the death of Joseph Thome, April, 1930.

The farm has been in the Thome Family over 100 years. Joseph L. Thome and family now live on the original farm.

Joseph Sr.'s youngest son, Leo, was ordained a Catholic priest in June, 1934, at Denver, Colorado. In 1945 he was honored with the title of Monsignor. He spent his entire priesthood in Colorado.

Joseph's children, Mary, Mathias J., Elizabeth, William, and Cora, remained in Henry County; Elizabeth aged 93 is the only one still living.

Mathias J. Thome, the oldest son, supervised the sawmill for a number of years. They employed extra men, who lived in with the family the year round. Five or six teams of horses and some oxen were in continual use. The trees were cut and skit from the woods in winter time. In the summer the lumber was hauled to Defiance, Ohio, to Hoffman Furniture Co., the Turnbull Wagon Works, and Carson-Tenzer Lumber Co. The teams would leave the mill at midnight and reach Defiance at 6 A.M., to avoid the extreme heat while pulling the heavy loads. Some lumber was shipped from New Bavaria via the old Clover Leaf R.R. This schedule was continued on and on until all orders were filled.

Mathias J. Thome, 93rd birthday

Thome Sawmill, 1892, Joe Snyder, John Ohuly, John Theisen, Peter Thome, Mathias J. Thome, Jos. Hohenbrink, Mike Frank

Wedding picture of Mathias J. Thome and Eleanora Schwab with witnesses, Jos. Schwab, Peter Thome, Hermina Schwab, Elizabeth Thome

Thome Sawmill Pond about 1905

The residence of John Thome on E. Main St., New Bavaria. Left to right: Agnes Reibe Giesige. in Buggy: Oswald Thome, Frances (Schwab) Thome holding Stella Thome, John Thome, Mattie Thome, Ella Schwab Thome holding Margaret; In Front: Cecelia and Elix Thome. (This was the residence of Dr. Lawlius and his family in 1897)

Left to right: Cecelia, Angela, Mathias J. Thome and Margaret Thome Konzen.

Mathias J. married Eleanora Schwab in 1904. Mr. Thome purchased the Philip C. Schwab homestead and operated the farm till retirement. Their children were Cecelia, the twins, Margaret and Oswald, and Angela. Cecelia, a graduate of Bowling Green State University, taught 40 years in schools at Hamler, South Ridge and Pleasant Twp. Margaret, a graduate of Ohio Northern University, taught 18 years at Marion Twp. and South Ridge Schools. Oswald married Genevieve Leopold in 1945 and died in 1946.

Cecelia and Angela are living on the home farm, the original farm of their grandfather, Philip C. Schwab.

Mathias J. Thome, a life member of Sacred Heart Church, the Holy Name Society and a past member of South Ridge Board of Education over 20 years, spent his entire life in Pleasant Township, Henry County. He died June 22, 1973, 95 years old.

Submitted by Cecelia Thome