Silas Van Tassel

Silas Van Tassel, born March 4, 1829, came to Henry Co. from Wood County. The Van Tassel family ancestors came from Netherlands in Holland. They first settled in New York State then some of family began to come west to Ohio. When he was a young man, he went west to California during the Gold Rush. He was gone so long his family didn't know if he was dead or alive. He staked a claim in California but finally came home one day and he never went back to his claim. He served in the Spanish American War and also the Civil War, Company I, Second Cavalry.

When he returned, he settled down on a farm at the east edge of McClure, Ohio, on what is now known as Route 6. He married Rachel Mollock of New Orleans. To this union were born 10 children, including one pair of twins: Harrick, born 1866; Amelia, born 1867; James and Oran, born 1869; Etta May, born 1871; Fred, born 1873; Katherine, born 1875; Sidney, born 1877; Edith, born 1879; Walter, born 1881. They all went to schools near McClure and to Methodist Church.

His sons James and Oran worked in the stave factory when boys of 15 years for 50c a day. The stave factory closed down in 1903.

James Van Tassel went to work for Bell Telephone Co. for several years building telephone lines in all southern states east of the Mississippi River and some west of the river. He became one of their foremen. He and Jay Moorhead had their own campwagon on the telephone line.

He contracted typhoid fever in Richmond, Va., and lay in the hospital for 77 days, 44 of those days unconscious. He then came home to his parents in McClure, Ohio, and never went back on lines. He met and married Mary Willoughby; they were married in Feb., 1903.

James Van Tassel and Fred Bayner built the first telephone lines in McClure and the office was situated in a building on Main Street next to the old Nelson Store. Service was 75 cents a month. A Mr. Kerr then bought out Bell Telephone and Mr. Van Tassel moved the office to Mr. Kerr's home. The service was 50 cents a month. Mr. Van Tassel remained there as the telephone repairman.

In November, 1910, the Telephone Company was moved back in McClure. James Van Tassel, his brother Oran, Howard Anthony and Roy Clark did the moving of the telephone office and Roy Clark became their repairman. It was then known as Citizens Mutual.

James Van Tassel met and married Mary Willoughby in February, 1903. They moved on the farm next to Hock- man Cemetery that he owned. To this union were born three girls: Milly Burnice, November 29, 1903; Helen Eileen, February 21, 1906; and Frances Eliza, September 30, 1910.

In 1917, Mr. Van Tassel bought what was known as Fred Euler's farm, 80 acres on Route 6, 11/2 miles west of McClure, Ohio, and lived there until his death in December, 1939.

Helen Eileen passed away in October, 1939. Frances Eliza passed away June, 1940. Frances was married to Wilbur Buck of Toledo, Ohio. She had one son, James, who passed away at the age of 29.

Milly Burnice married John Roberts of Toledo, Ohio, and to this union were born two girls: Aley Anne, September 12, 1925 and Ruth Ellen on November 8, 1926.

Milly Burnice and her husband now live in retirement on the family farm on Route 6 and County Road 5 A. They have 6 grandchildren. Mary Van Tassel, her mother still survives at the age of 93 and lives in McClure, Ohio, with her daughter.

Submitted by Milly Roberts