An Old Settler in Farmer - Ethan R. Weldon

 

An Old Settler

Ethan R. Weldon

Died at Farmer Center, April 11th, 1883, Ethan R. Weldon, father of H.O. Weldon, of Hicksville, aged sixty-nine years, ten months, and two days.  Mr. Weldon was entitled to be considered an old settler of Defiance county, having been a resident for thirty years.

He was born at Plattsburg, N.Y. June 9th, 1813, where he spent his early life, and where he was married Feb. 14th, 1839, to Harriet E. Spaulding, who survives him.

In 1844, he removed to Herman, N.Y., and in 1853, came to Farmer, in this county where he has since resided. Mr. Weldon was a man whom to know was to respect and esteem. He was a consistently good citizen and exerted a good influence on all about him.

He was never connected with any Christian church, but as a Bible reader, and Bible student, he had very few equals in the common walks of life. He had read the Bible through forty-four times and was as well acquainted with its contents that he was an interesting, and a very successful Bible class teacher.

The estimation in which he was held was well expressed by a neighbor, who knew him well, 'He was an awful good man,' and when, after many years of disability, on account of paralysis, death came and called for him, he was ready to respond, and to trust his future in the hands of Him who doeth all things well."

The Hicksville News, Hicksville, OH, Thursday, April 19, 1883

Farmer Cemetery

Ethan Roberts Weldon
June 9, 1813 - April 11, 1883
Harriet Elizabeth Spaulding Weldon
November 27, 1822 - October 15, 1902

Spanish-American Soldiers - Corporal Frederick G. Root

 

  

Private John E. Rowan #66

Corporal Frederick G. Root #67

Corporal Frederick G. Root

Harriet A. (Wilsdorf) and Eugene E. Root, of Ridgeville Township, Lorain County, Ohio, were the parents of Fred.  He was born there on September 17, 1871, but at the time of his military enrollment, he was listed as a resident of Defiance. 

He mustered into Company M, 6th Regiment O.V.I. at the age of 27, but he was discharged early on February 24, 1899.

In March of 1892, he had married Minnie Fauver, and before he left for duty, they had a daughter, Frances M. in 1895. After he returned home, a son was added to the family in 1900, Eugene Frankfort Root. By 1900, the family had returned to their original stomping grounds in Ridgeville Township.

In the Federal Census of 1900, they were in Lorain County (Ridgeville Twp) living with his parents, Harriet, 48, and Eugene, 53.  His father was a boots and shoes merchant and Frederick, 28, had a job as a salesman there. Minnie, who was 24, was busy with her five-year-old daughter and her 1-month-old baby son.

By 1910, the Root family had moved into their own home in Ridgeville Township; they had been married eighteen years. Minnie had had four children, but only two survived - Frances M., now 14 and Eugene, 9. Fred worked at a telephone factory using a milling machine. They owned their home free and clear.

In 1915, Fred may have been hoping for a little extra cash, as he ventured into gambling.  The Chronicle-Telegram of Elyria reported on January 15th on page 6:

"FRIENDLY GAME OF POKER WAS PLAYED AT RIDGEVILLE

Fred Root Indicted by the Grand Jury for Keeping Gambling House.

Fred Root, of Ridgeville, was indicted by the grand jury, Wednesday, on a charge of maintaining a gambling room in that village.

It is claimed that there are quite a few Elyrians who have been 'sitting in' the game at different times and a number of the players are praying that the case will not come to trial.

A large number of young men from Ridgeville were summoned to appear before the grand jury when the case was investigated."

From another article in the same newspaper:

RIDGEVILLE MAN SEVERELY FINED FOR GAMBLING

The arrest of Fred Root, hotel keeper, charged with keeping a gambling house, has caused a decided sensation in that staid little village.  For some time, Prosecuting Attorney Adams has received complaints that Root was learning young boys to play poker for money, and finally he got the evidence which was presented to the grand jury. An indictment and arrest followed.

This afternoon Root came into court and plead guilty. He had nothing to say except that he did not induce boys to play and generally rented the room to someone else. Judge Redington was exceptionally severe and gave Root a lecture, winding up sentencing him to 30 days in jail and to pay the fine of $100 and costs.

A number of men in this city and Ridgeville who have been in the habit of playing in the hotel, swe(a)t several kinds of blood since the news got out that an indictment had been found. They are thanking their lucky stars that they were not indicted also."

Frederick G. Root died at the age of 46 in 1918. HIs death certificate noted that he died of cardiac dilation and general vascular collapse as the result of **acetanilid poisoning which was taken for a headache. He must have taken too much.

**Introduced in 1886, acetanilid was used for pain relief and fever reduction. 

Now we have safer medications.

The Chronicle - Telegram reported on March 11, 1918, on page 1:

"MILITARY BURIAL WAS ACCORDED THE DECEDENT.

SONS OF VETERANS HONOR MEMORY OF THAT ASSOCIATION.

A military burial was accorded the remains of Fred G. Root, Ridgeville hotel proprietor, by the members of the Spanish-American war veterans' association of this city, Sunday, in that village.

The decedent was a member of that order and therefore, arrangements were made to conduct a military burial."

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Fred's wife, Minnie, did not pass on until 1943 when she died in Cleveland of heart and circulation issues. Minnie was the daughter of William and Katherine (Killpatrick) Fauver.

Her obituary appeared in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer on May 23, 1943:

"MRS. MINNIE ROOT

Mrs. Minnie Root, 68, widow of Fred G. Root, member of an early North Ridgeville family for whom Root Road was named, died yesterday at St. John's Hospital. She lived at 7532 Detroit Avenue N.W.

Two children, Mrs. Frances Morgan and Eugene Root, survive her.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Heinrich Funeral home, 7311 Detroit Ave."

She was buried with Fred in the Ridgeville Cemetery, North Ridgeville.

Dianne Kline, Researcher

The Marckel Scrapbook - Edward M. Hubbard Obituary

 

From the scrapbook of Doris E. Marckel Bates, Defiance, Ohio

1906

A collection of newspaper articles about the folks of Defiance County, Ohio all undated and with no source named.

"EDWARD M. HUBBARD

After an illness of about four weeks duration, Edward M. Hubbard succumbed Saturday afternoon at about four o'clock to meningitis. All day Saturday his condition grew more critical and late in the afternoon he quietly answered his final summons,

Edward M. Hubbard was taken by death just after his entrance into active life. Married, but a little over a year and about to enter his chosen profession of law with new enthusiasm, the death seems all the sadder.

The deceased was born in Napoleon twenty-three years ago. He came to Defiance with his parents but a short time later and has spent practically his entire life in the city Although but a young man, Mr. Hubbard held the position of court reporter receiving his appointment four years ago. He was also a justice of the peace. It was his intention to go to Columbus in the near future where he was to take up the study of his chosen profession, law, along advanced lines. Mr. Hubbard was a graduate of the Defiance High School, graduating with the class of 1900. He had a bright future before him, had he lived.

A little over a year ago, he was united in marriage to Miss Maude Harley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Harley. The young couple had but settled down when death brought grief and sorrow.

The deceased is survived by widow, mother and two sisters, Mrs. Frank Case and Miss Nan Hubbard, residing in Cleveland at the present. The father, Judge Hubbard, died about two years ago.

The funeral will occur Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the Harley home on Holgate Avenue, Reverends Cooper and Bigler officiating. The body will be placed in the Holgate vault at Riverside."

Spanish American Soldiers - John E. Rowan

 

#66 John E. Rowan

  #66 Private John Elbert Rowan 

John Elbert Rowan was born on October 12, 1867, in Napoleon, Ohio, Henry County. He served in the war as a private from Defiance County, Ohio, mustering in at the age of 30. He was discharged on February 9. 1899, with a Certificate of Disability from the Surgeon's Headquarters in Santa Clara, Cuba..

John married Lenora Evelyn "Nora" (Hall) who was born in Williams County on April 8, 1875. They were married in Williams County on August 5, 1896, the same day that they applied for their marriage license, and they requested that the marriage not be published in the newspapers.

Lenora Evelyn Rowan
"Nora"

By the Federal Census of 1900, Nora and John were settled in at 107 Main Street, Defiance, a rented home. With them were their daughter, Elberta C., 3 months, and his mother, Senson S. J. Rowan, a 68 year old widow. John had a bookkeeping job.

In 1910, the family was enumerated in New Haven, Huron County, Ohio. John worked as a clerk for the B & O Railroad, while Nora was at home with their four children: Elberta C. - 10, George Norris - 8, Theodore S. - 4, and Robert S. - 2.  It is in this record that it was noted that this was his second marriage. (We can not confidently report on the first marriage.)

They stayed in Huron County, moving to Greenfield by 1920. John maintained his job with the railroad, now as chief rider. Elberta was a teacher, while George worked as a laborer on the railroad. According to John's obituary, the family moved to Willard, Ohio in 1928. But, by 1935, they were back in Evansport in Tiffin Township, Defiance County. 

By that time, both John, 72, and Nora, 65, were no longer employed. Two sons lived with them: Theodore, 35, a mechanic on farm machinery, and Robert, 32, a laborer (hay baler) and his little son, Robert Jr., 7.

John Rowan died on October 6, 1941, at the age of 76 in Tiffin Township.

Nora lived on until February 1951 when she died at the age of 75 in Archbold.

Researcher - Mary Williams

SPANISH - AMERICAN SOLDIERS - Sergeant Harry H. Van Horn

 

#53-William Conners, #54-Martin O. Young, #72-Merle Richardson, #84 Harry H. Van Horn

#84 Sergeant Harry Hayes Van Horn

In 1897, Harry was a resident of Toledo, living with his parents, Nathaniel and Sarah Ann "Sadie" (Pelton) Van Horn. When he enlisted into Company M, 6th O.V.I. in 1898, however, he was listed as a resident of Defiance at the age of 23. He mustered in as a sergeant and by October 26, 1898, he was detailed as acting Sergeant Major of the 3rd Battalion, 6th O.V.I.  Harry Van Horn was a leader in many ways throughout his life.

He was born in Clark County on February 21, 1877, where his father worked as a carpenter. When the soldiers came home in May 1899, Harry led a drill on Clinton Street for the entertainment of the people of Defiance, as reported by the Defiance Democrat on June 1, 1899.  His next step was to marry his sweetheart, Jessie Bell McCullough, the daughter of William and Emma (Booth) McCullough, on September 4, 1899, in Defiance. 

"MR. AND MRS. HARRY VAN HORN

The secret marriage of Miss Jessie McCullough and Harry Van Horn Discovered.

Popular Young People Enter Wedlock all on the Quiet Decoration Day and Guarded Their Secret Well.

How well Miss Jessie McCullough and Harry Van Horn kept the secret of their marriage is best shown by the fact that although they joined heart and hand May 30, the nearest friends and relatives will be surprised when they read this item. The altar was well managed and it has just leaked out that Miss McCullough and Mr Van Horn, instead of being friends, are and have been for nearly four months, husband and wife.

Mrs. Van Horn is a charming young lady of a kind and loving disposition and pleasant manners. She is held in the highest regard by all who know her, and all feel that Mr. VanHorn can be proud of his choice and congratulate himself on having won so delightful a companion. She is one of the pleasant salesladies at Hadey & Whitaker's bargain house.

Harry Van Horn is a stately, graceful young man, who is an enameler by trade. He is very popular with his associates and stands high among the boys of Company M, in which he served his country during the Spanish-American war.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn took place on the evening of May 30th, when they dropped into the office of Squire Phelps, who announced the words that united the futures of the happy couple. The license, permitting the marriage, was obtained in Henry County, and therefore the records of Defiance county did not disclose the secret.

Mr. Van Horn has a good position on the B & O railroad running from Pittsburgh to Wheeling and will be joined by his bride in a few days."

Defiance Daily Crescent, September 27, 1899

In 1900, Harry became very sick and spent some months at the Veterans Home in Dayton to recover; he was released on April 23, 1900.  When the enumerators came around in May 1900, they mistakenly counted Harry twice - once in Toledo with his parents and once in Defiance with his wife and brand new son, Russell, zero months old. Harry noted unemployment for four months that year (perhaps while in Dayton), but now they rented a home at 219 Summit Street and he had a job as a machinist.

**In some sources, the boy is called Robert.

In 1904, Van Horn and friends came together to invent a new version of a carpet sweeper. The Crescent-News reported on January 25, 1904:

An invention of a carpet cleaner, the work of several Defiance men, is now before the "patent office at Washington, and within a few days a patent right will be issued.

The new product is a sweeper manufactured almost entirely of steel and was first conceived by Harry VanHorn. Later S. A. Craven became interested and then several more business men. Recently they perfected the model and then applied for the patent. So far the papers for the latter have not yet arrived but are expected daily.

Nine-tenths interest in this sweeper is owned by S.A. Craven, W.H. Ruess, F.J. Papenhagen, J.A. Diendorfer, R.T. Whitaker and John C. Vandenbroek. The other tenth is held by Mr. VanHorn."

Manual sweeper made of metal

This is in a time when wooden sweepers were the norm, which were heavy and costly to make, and they had one roller. The new invention was made of steel which was more durable, lighter to use, less costly to make, and it had two rollers. The plan was to have it manufactured in Defiance by the American Steel Packaging Company. An offer had also been received from a Chicago firm for all patent rights which was being considered and would have been very prosperous for the owners. The patent could not be located under the name Van Horn, but they could have taken the Chicago offer.

 

Also in November 1904, Harry Van Horn and Herman A. Spangler took the lead in organizing a Veterans of the Spanish-American War organization which was to be known as Camp Wayne. Spangler was voted Commander and Van Horn as Senior Vice Commander.

On April 2, 1908, Harry lost his first love and mother of his young son, Jessie Bell. Her obituary appeared in the Defiance Democrat on April 4th:

"JESSIE VAN HORN PASSES AWAY AT TOLEDO HOSPITAL AFTER AN OPERATION

Jessie Bell Van Horn, eldest daughter of Mrs. Emma McCullough, died Thursday afternoon at 4 o'clock at Toledo Hospital, the result of an operation for peritonitis. She had been in ill health for about six weeks.

The deceased was born in Defiance, October 8, 1879, and was therefore 29 years of age. All her life was spent in Defiance.

She was united in marriage in 1899 at the close of the, Spanish war to Harry Van Horn, to which union one son, Robert aged 8, was born. In addition to a husband and son, she is survived by mother, Mrs. Emma McCullough of the city, two brothers, Robert and George of the city and four sisters, Mrs. P.L. Schlosser of Toledo, Mrs. W. D. Beardsley and Helen and Mae McCullough of this city.

The deceased was a member of Grace Episcopal Church and leaves a large circle of friends to mourn her departure. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but the services will be private..."

Jessie was buried in Riverside Cemetery.

Now, with a young son to raise, Harry moved back with his parents for a while in Toledo.

On September 6, 1927, Harry married a second time to Katherine G. (Radcliffe) in Cook County, Illinois. Harry was fifty years old by this time, and his bride was 39. They settled in Chicago and were there in the 1930 and 1940 censuses. Harry worked as a salesman for an air-conditioning and refrigeration company, while Katherine worked as a rental agent for a real estate company. She reported her income as $1350 a year, but Harry had only worked 17 weeks at his job with an income of $400. 

Harry Van Horn died on March 4, 1950, and his obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on March 10th:

Katherine survived him until 1964 when she died in California. Her death notice appeared in the Los Angeles Times on March 23, 1964:

"VanHorn, Katherine. Remains forwarded to Toledo, Ohio for Requiem Mass and interment."

Both Harry and Katherine were buried in the mausoleum at Fort Meigs Cemetery, Perrysburg, Wood County, Ohio.

Dianne Kline, Researcher

News from the Sherwood Chronicle - 1948

 News from The Chronicle, April 1, 1948

• "Don Bayliss Joins Camp of St. Louis Browns   -  Don Bayliss left Sunday evening for Pine Bluff, Arkansas, to join the camp of minor league players under control of the St. Louis Browns.  
  
•     The BGSU Band is to give a concert in the Sherwood-Delaware Auditorium under sponsorship of the Booster Club. Members include William Easterly of Hicksville, Betty Heater of Sherwood, and Alice Jean Eaton of Bryan. Admission  $.75 adults, $.50 children.

• The third annual Mark Township School Carnival of Fun with Rollie Shuler as Chairman was held with the profits to purchase supplies for the classrooms and playgrounds. Who sold the most tickets? Jerry and Joann Stutz who then won $3.00, 2nd place- David Culler, $2.00, Lauren Mast, $1.00, Calvin Renollet - candy.  In the raffle, Loren Dickerhoof won the 200# hog and Murial Blair won the 100# hog. Also, Paul Coy - pressure cooker, Jack Anderson - crocheted chair set.  About $705 was taken in.

•  Twenty Years Ago - The youngest depositor at the Sherwood Savings Bank was Milo Lee Renz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Renz.  Milo was born on March 6, 1928. His grandfather, Mr. C. C. Renz, opened an account for him on March 28, 1928.

"Those were the days..."

SPANISH - AMERICAN SOLDIERS - Private Merle Richardson

 

#53 William Conners, #54 Martin Young, # 72 Merle Richardson

#72 Private Merle Richardson

A native of Defiance City, Merle was found in the 1880 census with his parents, John E. and Rosetta (Bowdle), 48 and 38 respectively. His father worked as a carpenter and his mother as a seamstress, and the house was full of children. Frank Merle, born on January 7, 1879, was enumerated as one year old, along with Ophelia -18, James -12, George -10, and Leroy - 4.

The young 19 year old Merle enlisted in Company M in 1898, and in July, he sent a letter home to his parents describing his experiences. It was published on July 7, 1898, in the Defiance Daily Crescent:

"Dear Mother and All the Rest:

I am on the sick list today, so I can write you a few lines, although I don't feel like sitting up very long. I received your letter the other day, yesterday and last night received one from Jennie. I was very glad to hear from you both.

Well, last Tuesday our company was on guard duty. I was on four times in twenty-four hours. That means two hours at a time. Oh, oh, but my shoulders did ache and the next day every joint in my body ached. You know on picket duty we dare not sit down or stop walking. Just ask dad about it. He can tell you. Of course, it was my first experience and perhaps I felt it a great deal more than I will the next time.

There was a negro in the guard house that day. He got away and caused us all kinds of trouble. We were ordered to tie him up. He then drew a knife and swore at us worse than I ever heard before. If it had not been for Harry Lewis, our lieutenant, we would have hung him to a tree, as we had the rope with the noose, also had him in hands. Since it is all over, I am glad we did not hang him, but mother, at that time, we were too much enraged to stop and think. He was drummed out of camp soon after and disfranchised, that means that he is no longer an American citizen. Two others went the same way the next day.

I am so hsppy that I passed the examination without a criticism or having to undress. I will tell you what they said.

'What is your name?'

How old are you?

Was you examined in Defiance?

Have you the consent of your parents?'

I answered them to their satisfaction and that was all.

I run right out to my comrades and turned on a handspring in the air.

I tell you, mother, I, like a great many others in the company, almost love dear old Captain Crandall. You should not fear for me while I am with such a man as he is.

My heart thrills with rapture at the sound of our sunrises and sunsets, and I am so anxious to get to Chickamauga, where army life is more like the real thing. Two of the flunkers were my mess mates, which I could not help. They were very lazy and would not clean up anything, not even their own dishes, and in that way, we could not keep things in shape and like we wished to, but now that they have gone, we have commenced to brighten up. We took Howard McCauley in our mens place. You know he is so fat that he takes the room of two, but he is full of fun that we just have a circus every night after taps.

Last night for supper we had boiled ham, chicken, scrambled egg, bread, butter, and coffee, and this morning, I had one half cup of coffee, as I was sick and did not care for anything else.

No mama, you need not send me a __ as I prefer to get used to sleeping any old way, because we may sometime have to do so. Now as soon as you can, I want you to take that trip to Ories and stay as long as possible. Now do this for my sake, and please do not worry about me, because your health is poor enough without worrying and you must live to welcome me home again, as I shall surely come home if God permits.

Well, I am unable to write more this time, so I will close. Give my love to all the relatives and regards ...to our friends. Write soon and have Alice write some too. Anybody write just so you can write a long letter. Good-bye and a kiss.

From your loving son,

Merle Richardson"

His mother lived till April 1902 when she died at the home of her daughter.

After Merle came home in 1899, he began work at the Ross Hotel in Deshler as a day clerk. On October 19, 1904, he married Edna Ethel Conley. They were married at Fostoria, Ohio, as reported in the Defiance Daily Crescent on October 24:

"The following from a Fostoria paper tells of the marriage of Merle Richardson and Edna Conley, formerly of this city. At the home of Mr. & Mrs. A.E. Torrence on West Fremont Street, yesterday afternoon at three o'clock occurred the wedding of Miss Edna Conley, a sister of Mrs. Torrence, to Mr. Merle Richardson, of Toledo, the Rev. E. D. Smith officiating. 

The house was beautifully decorated with autumn leaves, ferns, fitting in keeping with the quiet beautiful wedding.

Mr. and Mrs. Richardson accompanied by her father, I. C. Conley, her brothers, A.B. and Will left via the B.& O. for Chicago Junction, where they were entertained at a wedding feast by Mrs. Clyde Hurst, a sister of the bride.

Mrs. Richardson is the youngest daughter of the family, a resident of this city and will be greatly missed in her home as well as among her associates, all of whom wish for her the unbounded happiness of which she is worthy,and extend congratulations to the groom in his good fortune in capturing one of the most worthy young ladies. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson will be at home in Toledo."

Defiance, 1915

Merle Richardson was only 36 when he died unexpectedly at his home in Fremont, Ohio. His wife died in 1907, and there were no children. His sisters, Orphelia Strumm and Alice Lantow attended to the burial.

He was buried in Fountain Cemetery, Fostoria, Hancock County where his wife rested.

Dianne Kline, Researcher