Henry County Genealogical Society Newsletter
Volume 31, Number 1, First Quarter 2017
A PUBLICATION OF:
THE HENRY COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
P. O. BOX 231
DESHLER, OHIO 43516
www.henrycountyohiogenealogy.org
Welcome to the first issue of the Henry County Genealogical Society newsletter for 2017. In this issue, we’ll feature some interesting articles from old newspapers, highlight several queries that have come in, share some photos, and give you a brief walk-through of Library Congress database of digitized newspapers. We think you’ll enjoy our newsletter.
From the Editorial staff
What is the role of a genealogical society? After all, anyone can go to a county courthouse, the National Archives, or subscribe to an online service like Ancestry.com. Well, genealogical societies all over this country are working hard to preserve information on crumbing tombstones, to index county vital records, to preserve old photographs, and to help researchers find information that they simply don’t have the wherewithal or time to find themselves.
The Henry County Genealogical Society has been around since 1986, and while the active members are still from the founding group, they are fewer in number, but they continue to gather information for use by researchers. That is our mission, and we have been doing it proudly for more than 30 years.
Help us by sending articles for our newsletters.
Officers:
President – Bill Latta – billatta8@gmail.com
Treasurer/Membership Chmn. – Lucille Van Scoyoc – elvrrv2c@centurylink.net
Corresponding Secretary – Phyllis LaRue – 409 W. Maple St., Deshler, OH 43516
Recording Secretary and First Families Chmn. – Kathy Bishop – 10-292 Rd. E,
Hamler, OH 43524, skbshp@embarqmail.com
News Reporter – Patricia Marshall – antiquepat@aol.com
Newsletter Editor and Webmaster – Jim Rebar – jamesrebar@roadrunner.com
Upcoming Meetings:
March 20, 2017 – Planning meeting for the upcoming year (weather permitting).
Notice will be posted on the website homepage. We met in January, but it was only a core group meeting to get us all moving in the same direction for the year.
Notice to Our Members
In this age of computers and digital publications, we will continue to send our newsletter by postal mail to all our members who want to have the document in their hands. Whether our members are unable or unwilling to get the newsletter by email, we will honor your wishes. In return, this editor hopes that you will consider sending us information that would be of interest to our members.
Newest Publications:
Northwest Signal Obituaries, 2016. The price is $22.00 plus $3.00 for shipping and handling.
Website Additions
The most recent addition to the databases on our website is the Deshler Flag Obituary Index, 1897-2015. You can find it at:
http://www.henrycountyohiogenealogy.org/FlagObits/obits.php
An interesting feature that we’ve added to this index is that all the records from 1994 through 2015 include the date of birth, the date of death, and the full names of the mother and father. If any of this information is lacking in the obituary, in many cases it is added from other sources. This is an ongoing project that will take years to complete. If any of you would like to help, email me at jamesrebar@gmail.com for instructions. All it takes is access to a spreadsheet program, such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. You would receive a PDF version of one of our Deshler Flag obituary books and a blank spreadsheet, and you could start adding data right away.
In addition to updating the Deshler Flag obituary index, we have created an online, searchable index to obituaries published in the Northwest Signal from 1969 to 2015. This is an index for obituaries that have been published by the Genealogical Society in book form. As of this writing, the database contains more than 6,400 records and covers the years from 2005 through 2015. Due to the sheer volume of records, there is still not much information on date of birth, date of death, and parents’ names, but we hope to add this information in the coming months.
You can find the Northwest Signal obituary index at:
http://www.henrycountyohiogenealogy.org/NWSObits/obits.php
The Napoleon Public Library has a huge collection of Northwest Signal obituaries that have not been catalogued yet, and, time permitting, they will be gradually added to the online index.
The database of obituaries for people buried in Youngs Cemetery in Liberty Center now has more than 1100 obits. It is complete through 1990. When completed, it will stop at 2010.
You can find the Youngs Cemetery obituary database at:
http://www.henrycountyohiogenealogy.org/Youngs_Obits/obits.php
The Society’s president, Bill Latta, and the newsletter editor, Jim Rebar, continue working on databasing Democratic Northwest obituaries from the 1880s. Bill is currently working on 1890, while Jim finishes 1889. As items of interest show up, we try to get them into the newsletter, and that means they will also eventually make it to the website. Now you know why articles from certain years are featured. By the way, the stories have to be unusual or contain a lot of names to make the cut.
You can find the early obituaries at:
http://www.henrycountyohiogenealogy.org/EarlyObits/obits.php
Library of Congress Chronicling America (Historic American Newspapers)
A word about a wonderful research tool for researchers who want to add some human interest to their family history.
The Library of Congress is digitizing America’s newspapers, and you can access them for free.
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
The Democratic Northwest, from which we have been extracting stories of interest for the last several newsletter issues is available from 1881 to 1894 at:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84028296/issues/
You can scan page images, increasing or decreasing the image size with the mouse wheel, or you can view individual pages as PDFs, which allows highlighting and copying text. The quality of the text you copy depends on the quality of the original newspaper. For the most part, it works very well.
Give the site a try. You may find that your ancestor was an important figure in his home town, or he could have been a horse thief. You won’t know unless you look.
2017 Members
Joanne (Richholt) Allison, Bryan, OH 43505
Jean F. Andrews, Aiken, SC 29803
Louise Baden, Hamler, OH 43524
James Baker, Northwood, OH 43619
Kay Clady Baldwin, Defiance, OH 43512
Judy Zilka Barfell, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Robert Barnes, Wilmont House, Fenton, MI 48430
Judy A. Beal, Grand Rapids, OH 43522
Kathy Bishop, Hamler, OH 43524
Janet Blake, East Brunswick, NJ 08816
Carolyn Boge, Waterford, MI 48329
Penny Bonawitz, Lutz, FL 33558
Anita M. Butler, Cincinnati, OH 45347
Leslie C. Calvert, La Porte, IN 46350
Mary Camp, Defiance, OH 43512
Cheryl Carlson, Langley, WA 98260-9302
Richard & Janet Couch, Canaan CT 06018
Donna Dietrick Derstadt, 3Libertyville, IL 60048
Regenia A. Donley, Napoleon, OH 43545
Sandra A. Drabik, Toledo, OH 43514
Elise A. Epple, Olmstedville, NY, 12857-0017
Lori Rabe Esch, Lebanon, OH 45036
Sandy Fankhauser, Bucyrus, OH 44820
Byron E. Fisher, Palmyra, MI 49268
Hancock County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 672, Findlay, OH 45839
Arthur W. Germann, Jr., Napoleon, OH 43545
Carol Harmon, Wauseon, OH 43567
David G. Herr, Fullerton, CA, 92835
LaVonne Hipsher, Fostoria, OH 44830-1842
James Elwood Jones, Grelton, OH 43523
Janet King, Delaware, OH 43015
Ruth M. Koons, Toledo, OH 43623
Robert R. Lange, Clearwater, FL, 33759
Phyllis LaRue, Deshler, OH 43516
Bill Latta, Napoleon, OH 43545-4449
Steven Lauer, Waterville, OH 43566
Phillip Laurell, Charlotte, MI 48813-7746
Linda Lester, Springfield, VA 22153
Patricia Marshall, Deshler, OH 43516
Shirley J. Oberlitner Mayer, Toledo, OH 43614
Bruce McGarvey, Medford, OR 97504-6308
Arnold Miller, Napoleon, OH 43545
Julie Pavlakos Moriyama, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254-2257
Robert Morrison, Napoleon, OH 43545
Robyn Saul Mosher, Fort Gratiot, MI 48059-3924
Betty Ory, Hershey, PA 17033-2371
Randi Patteen, Coleman, MI 48618-9106
Marlene Patterson, Napoleon, OH 43545
Mark Petersen, Archbold, OH 43502
Elizabeth Potts, Elida, OH 45807-1898
Phyllis G. Powell-Welch, Mecosta, MI 49332
Foster Lee Price, Jr., Travelers Rest, SC
Susan Quillman, Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
Carolyn & Jim Rebar, Bowling Green, OH 43402
Rita Marie Dietrick Reimbold, Cedar Springs, MI 49319
Liesa Ritter, North Aurora, IL 60542
Shanron K. Scott, White Lake, MI 48386
Linda Smith, Walnut Creek, CA 94595
Kenneth & Beverly Snyder, Crossville, TN 38558
Norma G. Stair, Canton, OH 44706-4142
Nina A. Stirlin, Garrett, IN 46738
Mary Strausbaugh, Bowling Green, OH 43402-2813
Karen Sunderman, Deshler, OH 43516
Karen Szabo, Swanton, OH 43558
Robert & Lucille VanScoyoc, Deshler, OH 43516
Peg Watkins, Delaware, OH 43015
Arvis Weaks, Liberty Center, OH 43532
Rhoda Wessner, Saylorsburg, PA 18353
Queries
STEWARD, BABCOCK
Looking for information on Emeline Steward born in 1874 and died in 1919. She is buried in Union-Mohler Cemetery in Colton, Ohio. She is buried near Richard Steward.
Also looking for information on the marriage of Richard G. Steward and Anna Nancy Babcock (aka Anna Babcock) married in Napoleon, Ohio around 1868. Richard passed away in 1900 in Henry County. Not sure where or when Anna died. Richard is the brother of Fredrick Steward, once justice of the peace in Liberty Center.
Any help you can provide would be appreciated.
Mary Smith, MS01BPS@aol.com
BAUER
I’m looking for information on my ancestor Andrew (Andreas) Bauer. He was born on May 3, 1825 or May 5, 1826 in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. He was a farmer and came to Henry Co. between 1855-1857. He lived in Flatrock Township. He died in Henry County on June 1, 1891.
His children were Jacob Bauer (born September 6, 1850 in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. Died August 12, 1892), Andrew A. Bauer (born August 25, 1892 in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. Died sometime in 1827), Mary Bauer (born June 2, 1855 in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio. Died 1933), Catherine Bauer (born September 3,1857 in Flatrock Township, Henry County, Ohio. Died 1940), John George (born April 15, 1859, died 1919), Elizabeth Bauer (born 1863. Died 1911), Henry Bauer (born 1865. Died 1938), Cora Bauer (born 1866. Died 1870), Adam Bauer (born 1867. Died 1931), and Ella Louise Bauer (born July 28, 1870 and died in 1945).
I’m also looking for any information about Andrew’s wife Maria Katharina who was born on either December 31, 1825 or January 1, 1826.
Both Andreas and his wife were Lutherans.
I’m looking for any kind of US marriage documents for Andreas and Maria and/or immigration information.
Thank you for your time!
Abigail Bauer
From the Democratic Northwest, July 25, 1889, p. 8, col. 3:
Probate Court Statistics.
The following figures are taken from the annual report made by the Probate Judge for the year ending March 31st, 1889:
Total No. of deaths 213; males 111, females 102; single 113, married 75, widowed 25; of them 172 were born in the United States, 1 in British America, 3 in England, 33 in Germany, 1 in Holland, 3 in Ireland, 1 in Sweden.
Letters of Guardianship — Letters issued 25; children included in same 50; insane persons included 2.
Letters of Administration — Wills admitted to probate 27; letters testimentary 17; letters of administration 28; estates administered upon 45.
Total number of births for the year 562; marriages 231; deaths 213.
Naturalization papers issued 72; sent to the reform farm 1; sent to the insane asylum 12.
From the Democratic Northwest, May 30, 1889, front page:
LibertyCenter Visited by a Destructive Conflagration!
Seven Buildings Destroyed! Together With Their Contents.
Liberty Center was visited by quite a conflagration on last Sunday morning at about 2 o’clock. Seven buildings with most of their contents, were licked up by the fierce flames. The fire started in the oil room of Viers’ hardware store, in some unaccountable manner, the flames spreading rapidly, so fast that it was impossible to remove many things. The stable in the rear of the store was next to succumb to the fiery elements, then the stable across the alley from it owned by J. T. West. At this juncture the residence owned by Mrs. Morris, of Frederickstown, and occupied by John Weidner and family, who were away from home at the time, ignited, as also did the barber shop of John Tester, a business room owned by O. Worden, of Delta, which contained the fixtures of a saloon, and a building owned by the Buckeye Bottling Works of Toledo, occupied as a meat market, and a large ice house in the rear.
Citizens fought the flames with a will and determination, and it was with the hardest kind of work that the fire was stayed at Rodger’s livery stable. As it was the stable was badly scorched.
While this terrible destruction of property was going on, a fire engine was locked op in a building not far distant, which was not available on account of a perpetual injunction being allowed against its purchase by the town council. We believe the good citizens of Liberty would have been justified in taking the machine out from under look and key and using it to save property. No town the size of Liberty should be without fire protection, and it was a sad mistake when the council was debarred from carrying out their original intention of placing the property of Liberty under proper fire protection. The destruction wrought by this fire alone would have purchased three or four fire outfits.
Help was telegraphed for from Napoleon, when it looked as if the whole business portion of the town was doomed to destruction. Our fire alarm was sounded and the apparatus taken to the depot, but there was no engine or cars to convey it to Liberty. The fire was distinctly seen in Napoleon.
Mr. Viers says his stock of goods were valued at $4500, on which there was an insurance of $2000. The building was owned by Mrs. Morris, with no insurance. The dwelling house of Mrs. Morris was insured for $700. It was occupied by J. Weidner, who carried no insurance on his household goods, most of which were consumed. Worden carried $500 insurance on his property and West’s stable was insured for $100. It is supposed the bottling works had an insurance upon their building.
The loss on these buildings and property is a severe one to Liberty Center and will cripple the town to no small extent. But as its citizens are progressive, no doubt it will recover its lost ground in the near future.
From the Democratic Northwest, September 12, 1889, p. 8, col. 3: (Reprinted from the Deshler Flag.)
OBITUARY
Cornelius Bartlow was born Oct. 5th, 1811, in Lycoming county, Penn., died August 16th, 1889, at his late residence, in Bartlow township, Henry county, O., aged 77 years, 10 months, and 21 days. Mr. Bartlow came from Lycoming county, Penn. on foot to Richland County, Ohio, in 1835, and at once went to work at the carpenter trade. On the 25th of August, 1836, he was married to Sarah McMahon. This union was blest with four children one daughter and three sons. One son died in infancy and his wife, Sarah, in 1844. On the 5th of May, 1847, he was married to Elizabeth Medley, which union was blest with one son, still living on the old homestead. During our late rebellion his two sons Elijah S. and Daniel D. enlisted, Elijah S. being fatally wounded died April 9th. 1865. Daniel D. not being able to endure the hardships of war, sickened and died April 12th, 1862.
In the spring of 1850 he moved to Henry connty, Ohio. For three years he was the only man living in the township known as Bartlow, said township being named in honor of Mr. Bartlow, he being the first settler. Moving in the woods, and surrounded with woods for miles around, he depended upon his trade to support his family. Accordingly he would start on Monday morning and walk to Findlay, a distance of 20 miles, and work until Saturday noon, when he would purchase some provisions, put it upon his back and walk home. This he did again and again. Where can we find a young man of the present age with such pluck, energy and perseverance?
He united with the Baptist church in 1840, at Lucas, Ohio. In 1875 he identified himself with the church of Christ of the Christian Union, where he remained a consistent christian until death. He held different officers in his township and would generally walk to Napoleon to make his annual settlement with the county officers.
He was a kind husband, an indulgent father, a good and obliging neighbor and an exemplary christian. His funeral took place at Oakdale Chapel Aug. 28th, 1889, conducted by Rev. G. W. Foltz, to a large congregation of friends and neighbors, after which he was taken to the McComb cemetery, where his body was laid silently away to await the resurrection morn.
From the Democratic Northwest, September 12, 1889, p. 8, col. 4:
(Because the Democratic Northwest was a newspaper of the Democratic Party in Henry County, it is presumed that the County Convention below was a party convention. – Ed)
List of Delegates
The following is a list of the delegates to the County Convention, so far as we have been able to get them:
HARRISON TOWNSHIP. Henry Jeakle, John Riggs, Wm. Showman, J. N. Bliss, S. King, F. B. Suydam, A. J. Starkeu, I. M. Glick. F. F. Hefflinger, D. Hartley, Asa Bigsby, and W. D. Clark.
FREEDOM TOWNSHIP. H. Holers, H. German, Harry Gehrett, C. Myers, Fred Myers, Henry Panning, L. Bockelman, , J. W. Cramer, H. Konzen, H. Behnfield, H. Hoffman, D. Gabers, and J. Harmon.
RIDGEVILLE TOWNSHIP. Adam Keifer, Thos. Jennings, Christ Rohrs, Jacob Wolf, C. Mohr, J. Hanenstein, John Baily, Wm. Treseler, C. Noel, and Wm. Thresher.
FLATROCK TOWNSHIP. Fred Yackee. J. B. Wilson, Jacob Franz, George Leonhart, John Long. F. Neischwitz, Joseph Weible, F. Rothenberger. M. Huston, Henry Westinghauser, Peter Kemmer, John Snyder, William Franz, Joseph Renaker, Henry Leader, and John Knipp.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. F. M. Showman, John McGarvey, John Layhee, Dan Layhee, James Biggins, Dan Donovan, J. Hardy, David Shunk, George Weirich, H. Shumaker, Frank. Nees, and A. O’Hearn.
MONROE TOWNSHIP. J. J. Myers, W. S. Andrix, C. Huber, B. Zwayer, Jacob Bensing, L. Dresbach, C. Bevelhymer, Adam Blim, Geo. Reinmond, John Haffey, J. M. Hines, W. T. Chaney J. M. Wirth, J. E. Mohler, Sol. Heckler, F. Oelfke. J. O. Mohler, B. M. Garrison, David Sampson, Joseph Coppock, H. A. Ellenwood, S. V. Glick, and Sol. Zwayer.
MARION TOWNSHIP. W. N. Dils, M. Kirian, J. B. Mess, G. M. Speck. G. F. Hays, Adam Westrick, Morris McGee, C. H. Singer, D. P. Spangler. C. J. Wheeler, J. R.Collins, N. Jackman, Wm. Bicknell, Corbin Shaffer, Henry Mangus, M. Hayes, M. J. Dietrick, J. O. Merritt, C. M. Thompson, J. P. Bowen, Elias Mitchell, and John Hamler.
PLEASANT–HOLGATE PRECINCT. J. M. Stout, C. Groll, F. M. Rummell, J. Yetter, F. H. Voigt, J. Zachrich; J. Laubenthal, William Rittz, V. Kimmick, S. Pfhalert, Adam Kemmer, and George Hearteck.
PLEASANT-NEW BAVARIA PRECINCT. Henry Bolley, Peter Hornung, L. Hilderbrand, George Rose, W. Saur. George Steffes. Henry Zachrich, H. Rothman, N. Bauer, N. Laubenthal. M. Eider, M. Thome, F. Smith, John Wagner, J. Schueler, M. Dietzer, Wm. Oster, and John Westrick.
NAPOLEON. John Haas, George Davis, Charles Kolbe, George W. Clymer. John Vocke, Boston Gilson, Charles H. Gidley, Joseph Westerman, John V. Cuff, Irwin Bonnafield, Henry Panning, Joseph H. Halter, George Frytag, J. C. Saur, A. F. Miller, D. Meekison, E. E. Decker, Peter Bostleman, D. J. Humphrey, Frank Flogaus, Christ Helberg, John Kuntz, Henry Othmer, Edward Brown, James McGrath, Alex Rafferty, Thos. W. Durbin, J. M. Haag, Dr. A. H. Tyler, Henry Bostelman, Henry J. Tietje, Thomas J. Burns, Fred Badenhop, Oliver Higgins, Wilson Boner, Henry Rohrs, James P. Ragan, Mat Reiser, Nat McColly, Dan. Hartnett, John Johnson, James Donovan, Henry Vajen, Martin Knipp.
BARTLOW TOWNSHIP. John Gribble, C. Bish, S. A. Brown, J. Davidson, A. Lyons, William Earp, J. Folk, G. W. Reynolds, Geo. Kindle, T. Williams, J. Beck, W. Bowen, Z. E. Rutan, Ed. Hennessey, E. A. Blakeley. R. P. Grear, and J. W. VanLue.
LIBERTY-WEST PRECINCT. George Bowers, Fred Stewart. M. Shoemaker, Geo. Chroninger, O. H. Hull, J. M. Frysinger, Len Babcock, B. F. Chroninger, and George Daum.
LIBERTY-EAST PRECINCT. Ed. Fennock, John Lamphier, Geo. Foncannon, Isaac Shumaker, J. H. Smith, John Kessler, G.W. Wright, G. W. Laver, and Harry Wisser.
RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. Roger Dunigan, Howard Galbreth, Isaac Hensy, Jessie Edgerton, Wm. McGee, S. Biddle, John Oden, L. D. Chroninger, and G. W. Smith.
DAMASCUS TOWNSHIP. Mass Delegation.
In every issue of the new online newsletter, we will publish a photo that will either be of interest to researchers with ties to Henry County, or is a photo in serious need of subect identification. This photo was given to us by Jim Koenigsecker, son of Deshler-born Esther Wooley Koenigsecker. All of the children are identified. The photo is of a high enough resolution that you can just right-click on it and save it and take it to a photo processing service and have a print made.
Front row (from left): Arthur Wolfe, Leon Suber, Dick Kerns, Dorothy Ziegler, Helen Metzner, Betty Collier, Betty McMillen, Nedra Booher, Dorothy Puckett, Frances Howe, Frances Moore, Joy Crouch, and Norma Jean Wilcox
Row 2: Danny Phillips, Don Wilcox, Donald Meyer, Paul Boyer, Bob Montain, Arthur Gordon, Jane Young, and Betty Zernhel
Row 3: Wayne Collier, Esther Wooley, Virginia Rugman, Loretta Schendel, Grace Wooley, Stella Firman, Carriette McNally, Guy Dishong, Bob Sigler, and Bill Smith
Row 4: Clyde Dishong, Glenn Fry, Sam Aldrich, teacher Miss Van Scoyoc, Russell Willier, Bob Haughawout, Bob Holder, Kathryn Newman, and Marie Ball
The Henry County Genealogical Society Newsletter is published quarterly. The editor reserves the right to accept or reject any material submitted. The Newsletter is copyright protected, but the Society gives permission for material to be copied for personal research and other chapter newsletters. Annual membership is $10.00 (one or two people at the same address). Meetings will be held four times per year as posted in the newsletter. We post all queries that are related to Henry County-membership is not required. Send queries to Henry County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 231, Deshler, OH 43516, or to jamesrebar@gmail.com or post online.
