Hessecastle School, Milford Township 1908-1913

The Hessencastle School saw many spellings through the years - Hessen Castle, Hessecastle, Hesselcastle, Hessecassel.  According to some, the school was named after the Hesse state of Germany.  The school was known as District #2 and was located on Kramer Road, two miles north of Route 249.  
The school closed in the spring of 1938 and was then moved to Lake Road and used as a shed.  

Hessecastle School, 1913 - only one identified, far left in row 3, Esther Weisz

Frederick Martch - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Sometimes known as Fred March, this Fred used Martch more often, especially on census and any official records.  Frederick Martch was born in New York on October 31, 1834, but came early to Henry County, Ohio and there married Anna Maria Ruecke in 1857.  They lived in Pleasant Township, Henry County, in both the 1860 and 1870 censuses.

He was a family man, father to Sophia and Frederick Wesley and perhaps George Phillip, when he enlisted on August 21, 1862, joining Company D, 124th O.V.I. at about 28 years old.  He served two years, nine months and ten days, until mustering out on May 31, 1865.  He reported no disabilities on the 1890 Veterans Census.

By 1880, the census enumerator found Frederick and Anna in Highland Township, Defiance County.  Lizzie, Willie, Peter, Emma, Mathilde and Susan had joined the family by that time. (In 1883, Bertha was added.)  Frederick was farming, and remained in Highland Township until his death in 1926.  His wife preceded him in death in 1912.

He was an active member of the G.A.R., and for many years, was the oldest member of the organization.  His obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on July 22, 1926.

Frederick Martch on www.findagrave.com

(This is part of a series on Civil War veterans of Defiance County who were part of the G.A.R., Bishop Post, that headquartered in the city.  Formed in 1879, the post was named after a local man, Captain William Bishop, Company D, 100th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Army who died as a result of wounds received in battle.  The veterans' photos are part of a composite photo of members that has survived.  If you have other information or corrections to add to the soldiers' stories, please add to the comments!)

Frederick W March, Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Frederick William March was the son of Johann and Anna M. Merz.  After arriving in America in 1847, someone in the family decided to "Americanize" the name.
As the Defiance Evening News wrote, changing a name was not disrespectful to Germany, but instead a sign of wanting to be a good American. 
"The German name of our highly esteemed German-American citizen Frederick W. March is Herr Merz; of Henry J. Smith, Herr Schmidt.  The same is true of hundreds of other cases...Though of Teuton blood, they are now children of the great American republic and have a right under the constitution to anglize their names if they so desire."

Frederick Merz came to America on the ship, New York, on August 9, 1847, from the port of Bremen with his parents, Johann Merz, 54, and Anna Margaretha, 50, and his brother Joh. Michel, 19.  Friedrich Wilhelm was 14 at the time, stated the ship's manifest.  At some point between their arrival and the census of 1850, it appeared that the father, Johann, died.  In 1850, an older son, John, 30, (who many have come earlier) was named as head of the household with brothers, Michael, 24, and Frederick, 20, and their mother, Ann M., 56.  They were farmers in Adams Township, Defiance County.

In 1857, at the age of about 37, Frederick married Christina Souder and they had children, John, Henry and Christina.

Fred served in Company E of the 67th Regiment, Ohio Infantry.  According to his reporting on the 1890 Veterans Census, he enlisted on November 1, 1864 and was discharged on October 31, 1865, serving 11 months and 30 days. 

In 1866, Christina had a son, Frederick, on August 23, and on September 2, 1866, Christina died, perhaps of some complications of childbirth.  Left with four small children, Frederick wasted little time in marrying again on June 13, 1867, to Anna Maria (nee Schliesser) Stetter, a widow.  From his second marriage would come daughter Philopena.  On March 2, 1872, Anna Maria died and by October 20, he was married to Maria Hartman.  She was about 22 and he was 42; they would have four children together: Lydia, Edward, Dora and Karl.  On a public ancestry tree, the record of the marriages may be seen HERE.

Frederick moved to Defiance before the 1870 census and worked as a clerk in a store before acquiring his own dry goods store.  By 1880, he gave his occupation as dry goods merchant and his son, Henry, worked as a store clerk.  Son, John was a sadler (saddler).

Frederick W. March died on August 27, 1900.  He was buried at the Independence Cemetery, and strangely, his obituary never listed his military service. There is also a variation in the birth of Frederick. Was his mother Christina or Anna Maria - a job for the March family researchers to confirm.  But, for the genealogist, the naming of his village of birth in Germany is invaluable!

Fred March at www.findagrave.com

Lost Creek School Records of Farmer Township - 1842-1858

Some of the oldest documents from the townships are the old school records held by the trustees or whoever was in charge of the township at the time.  Some were thrown out long ago, and some languished in barns or basements and were ruined, but the records of Jesse Haller, first clerk of the Lost Creek school district survived.  The old book, itself, cost him 50 cents and was inscribed "Champaign, Ohio, March 4, 1837" and then "Williams County, 1837."

The first meeting was advertised by Jesse Haller, district clerk, on August 25, 1834.  After that, a gap occurs in the record until September, 1842, when citizens met at the home of Isaac Wartenbee's and elected Jesse Haller (3 year term), Miller Arrowsmith(2 year term) and Isaac Wartenbee (1 year term as school directors with Jesse Haller to serve again as district clerk.








 On December 10, 1842,another public meeting was held and a site was chosen for the building of a school in the district in Section 32.  The school house was to be built of round logs, 16 x 18 feet long, covered with boards, with a hewed puncheon floor, "as agreed upon by a majority of the district."

At this point, Farmer Township was still a part of Williams County.
"June 26, 1843 - The directors of school district #4 in Farmer Twp., Williams county, Ohio, report that there have been taught in this district 8 weeks and 3 days common school by a female teacher whose term of hire will expire when she has taught these months.  The average number of scholars attending said school was nearly seven.  The wage agreed upon to pay said teacher was $1.12 and 1/2 cents a week. The branches taught were reading, writing and spelling.  There have been built in the district within the last year one school house not yet finished, built by the liberality of the inhabitants.  (Signed) Jesse Haller, District Clerk and Treasurer." 

Here are the highlights from subsequent years:
1843 - "Agree to pay Oliver T. Evans $30.00 for teaching school for 3 months, Sundays and every other Saturday excepted, six hours a day, commencing on Jan. 4, 1844, and is to be boarded and lodged by the inhabitants.  Each inhabitant to bear his equal ratio of boarding and lodging Evans in proportion to the scholars he sends to said school"  

1844 - April 12 - Mercy Crarey was hired to teach at $1.25 a week.  In September of that year, a tax of $2.50 per 80 acres was levied so that another school house could be built in Section 30.

"Dec 5, 1845 - Resolved that a tax be levied to purchase a lot of ground also for purpose of erecting a school house in Dist #4 Farmer Twp. Williams Co.
The board met at Miller Arrowsmith's and agreed to purchas of Abram Bercaw a lot of ground on which to erect a school house.  Mr. Bercaw gave deed for the sum of 75 ct. "

In 1845, these teachers were hired - J. L. Haller, Marisa Hulbert, James Drunker, Lucy M. Hulbert and in 1846, M. Arrowsmith.

On September 17, 1847, the board decided to make seats and writing tables, purchase a stove and raise a tax of $20 for a library.  Daniel Cheney was employed to teach 3 months in the quarter for $40.00.  In April of that year, each inhabitant of the district was instructed to deliver one cord of stove wood to the school by the first day of the commencement of school.  

Teaching in 1850 was Minnie Hulbert and in 1851, Warren Lazell, now to teach four months of school.

Once again, a gap occurred in the record until April 9th, 1860, when one school was to be taught by A. Waltz and the second school by Oscar Palmer, and later by Lydia Loving and G. D. Ensign.

An interesting directive in 1865 was that "School children should not be permitted to make a playground out of the graveyard." 

In 1866, a vote was taken to build a new school and it passed 11 - 0.  At that point, bids were being taken on a yearly supply of wood and F. Walden won the bid at 85 cents per cord.  Six cord was ordered. 

The last entry in the book was in April, 1870 - "Miller Arrowsmith elected director, 10 cords of wood, $1.37 1/2 per.

Who knows how many other old treasures of the townships have survived?  If you have something of historical interest, think about having it preserved, transcribed, photographed or in some way kept for future generations.  Contact our society for more information.

W. P. A. Cemetery Survey - Lintz Cemetery, Washington Township

In this series, some of the general surveys of Defiance County cemeteries will be shared, transcribed as written on the original W.P.A. reports, with a few punctuation and/or spelling changes for readability.  The surveys were probably done around 1936.

For more up to date information on the cemeteries, check out this chart on our website:
 http://defiancecountygenealogy.org/cemeteries.html)

Lintz Cemetery

1. Name of Cemetery: The Lintz Cemetery, Washington Township

2. Location:

One mile directly west of Ney, Ohio, in section #20, Washington Township.  One half mile south of state route #249, and on the Old Bellefountaine pike, out of Ney.  To reach this place from the main street of Ney, Ohio, which is route #15, turn west on the macadam at the city service gas station and go one mile along an angling road.  The grave yard is to the right of this road going out of Ney.

3. Caretaker: Mr. Geo. Garver, Ney, Ohio and the Washington Twp. Trustees.

Photo from www.findagrave.com

4. Description:

A pretty little graveyard containing about an acre of ground, setting on a hill and fenced in with a good ornamental wire fence.  It is well kept, all but the trees which need trimming and the rotten and dead limbs sawed off.  The grass is kept mowed and the graves and markers are in good shape.  

It is undenominational and was the original Ney graveyard before the one in the village of Ney was taken over by the town.  It gets its name from the people who formerly owned the land on which it stands.  It is quite well known in and around Ney.  The trees are mostly all pine and cedar. 

5. First Burial:

The oldest marked grave is that of William Keller who died in 1849, but I am told there are older graves in the place which are unmarked today.  About 1838 is thedate given as the original plotting of the graveyard. 

6. Important persons:

Charles Gardner at www.findagrave.com

Chas., Henry and John Gardner, three brothers of importance in and around Ney, are the chief persons.  These brothers were well to do farmers and also business men in Ney up to ten years ago.  All three have died in the last ten years at ages in the 80s.

Others are the Thomases and Gollers, important farm people.  This family of Gollers is a distant relative of Merle Goller, prominent attorney of Defiance, Ohio.  The direct descendants of this family still live one mile to the north of this graveyard on route #249.

7. Markers:

There is a unique marker in this graveyard over the grave of Prudence Kimmel.  It is a whole bronze open coffin covering the whole grave, and has flowers planted in the open top.  At the head is a stone rising a foot above this coffin ... grave covering, and on this is her name and birth and death dates.  It is very well kept.

Prudence Kimmel at www.findagrave.com

There are also several very nice, large granite markers here and some very old ones.

8. Epitaphs:  None unique, unusual or original

9. This graveyard is still kept up and used.  Several open lots are still to be had.

Cecil Cadwallader and Chas. Gish

Authority: Mrs. Chas. Walker, Route #1, Ney, Ohio 

(The Works Progress Administration was formed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in reaction to the Great Depression as a means of employing Americans and stimulating the economy.  Established in 1935, one of the projects of the W.P.A. was to conduct Historical Records Surveys, one of which included finding information on cemeteries and the graves of veterans.  The W.P.A. was disbanded in 1943, but the historical information provided on these surveys continue to be of interest and are, thankfully, preserved.)

Hironimus Neaderhauser - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Hironimus Neaderhauser came to America from Switzerland with his parents, Hironimus Sr. and Elisabeth, and sisters, Elisabeth and Anna, when he was ten years old.  They were on the passenger list of the ship, Indiana, which landed in New York City in 1851. 
(List may be viewed on www.familysearch.org)

Eventually, the family made its way to Tuscawaras County, Ohio, were naturalization records there show that Hironimus was naturalized in 1856.  He would go on to defend his country by joining the 57th Ohio Infantry, Company D, enlisting on March 15 1865 and mustering out on August 14, 1865.

Pension card

In 1867, he married Catherine Helmick and the couple settled in Tiffin Township, Defiance County where Hironimus began farming. 

In 1898, one of their sons, John Henry, enlisted to fight in the Spanish-American War.  Hironimus decided he would check for himself on the condition of Camp Poland in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Eventually, the units here would go on to Cuba.



The couple would have seven children, five of whom were living when the census enumerator came in 1910.  Hironimus, then 69, and Catherine, 70, still lived on the farm with two single daughters, Mary E., 34,who worked for the Y.M.C.A., and Alice, 30, who helped the hired man, Franklin Bennett, work on the farm.















By April, 1917, the couple had moved to 409 Nicholas Street in Defiance.  Daughter Mary still was single and lived with them.  That year, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party that was covered by the newspaper.  

Defiance Crescent-News - April 6, 1917  (Click on to make images larger.)

 Just six months later, son Fred from Illinois would precede his father in death.  
Hironimus Neaderhauser died on November 8, 1920 in Defiance.  His wife would live another ten years.

 Crescent-News - November 16, 1920

Noble-Tiffin (Webb) Cemetery in Defiance County

Kelly School, Noble Township

The Kelly School was located in Section 12 of Noble Township, on Route 66, 1/4 mile south of the Jewell Road.  It was known as District #1.  It was first a brick school, but after the tornado that swept through here in 1920, it was replaced with a frame structure.

Kelly School, brick structure, circa 1917

Notice frame building in the background, 1924-1925 photo

Carrie Leaders, Teacher

Back Row  (L to R) - Rosie Becher, Goldie Relyea, Carrie Leaders (Teacher), Elnora Roehrs, Dorothy Kehnast, Genevieve Wonderly, Maynard Kohout, Isaac Relyea, Angus Relyea

Middle Row - Daniel Relyea, Edna Ripke, Lois Wonderly, Veulah Hornish, Evelyn Hanna, Katherine Sisco, Eugene Carpenter, Virgil Hornish

Front Row - Herman Steffel, Willard Sisco, Glenn Hornish, Richard Kohout, Robert Kehnast, William Ripke, Victor Steffel