SPANISH - AMERICAN SOLDIERS - Private Martin O. Young

 

#53 William Conners, #54 Martin O. Young

# 54 Private Martin Oscar Young

Martin Oscar Young, the son of John Reuben and Nancy (Willeman) Young, was born in Richland Township, Defiance County, on November 5, 1876. He enlisted in M Company when he was 21 years old.

He seemed to serve without incident in Cuba and was mustered out with his company in the spring of 1899.

When he was a youngster of about 19, his name made the Defiance County Republic Express on August 31, 1895, p. 5:

"POWDER FLASK EXPLODED

'WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE,' SAID THE POET HISTORIAN

The advancement of civilization does not curtail the duties of the fool killer and there is always plenty of work if advantage is taken of the situation.

Last Sunday Martin Young, of North Richland Township, was out hunting.

The bright thought struck him of pouring some powder on the ground and touching it off with a match. He did so, and the flame reached the quarter pound flask which he held in his hand. An explosion followed which kept young Mr. Young busy locating his head for some moments.

He finally got home and Dr. Cameron of Evansport was called to attend him. The boy's face wqs fearfully burned. Dr. Cameron says that if the power flask had been a little nearer Young's head, it would have blown it off."

Martin married Ellen Lenora in 1905, and they had three children: Helen, Luella, and Martin O. Young Jr.  The family was found in the 1910 Federal Census for Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. At that time, he was a laborer at a starch company. Two little girls graced their home, Helen, 2, and Louella, 2 months. Martin Jr. came along in about 1916.

The family moved to Decatur, Marion County, Indiana, at some point. Martin turned to the carpentry trade, and in 1930, worked with the B. & O. Railroad. He owned his own home worth $3000 and his oldest daughter, Helen, 22, brought in extra money working in a printing company office.

In 1930, the Crescent-News mentioned that they were back in Defiance for a visit.

"Mr and Mrs. Martin Young, daughters Helen and Luella and son, Martin Jr. of Indianapolis spent the weekend at the A. E. Trubey home."

Eventually, all the children moved on, and his wife, Ellen, died in 1941. By 1935, they had moved to a place called Mars Hill, Marion County, Indiana.

Martin lived alone at age 63 and was not working, nor had he any income, according to the 1940 census.

Martin O. Young died on February 15, 1950, in Brownsburg, Hendricks County, Indiana. He was buried on February 21 in Holy Cross & St. Joseph Cemetery in Indianapolis. He was 72. Four months before his death, he had moved in with his daughter, Louella, in Brownsburg.

His obituary appeared in The Indianapolis News on Thursday, February 16, 1950 on page 13:

"MARTIN YOUNG DIES AT BROWNSBURG

Martin O. Young, 73, retired carpenter and former Indianapolis resident, died yesterday in his home at Brownsburg.

Born at Defiance, O., Mr. Young had lived in Indianapolis 45 years, moving to Brownsburg four months ago. In Indianapolis, he was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church and at Brownsburg of St. Malachy's Catholic Church.

A veteran of the Spanish-American War, he was a member of Maj. Harold C. Megrew Camp, Spanish-American War Veterans in Indianapolis.

Services will be held at 8:45 a.m. Saturday in the Jones & Matthews Mortuary, Brownsburg, and at 9 a.m. in St. Malachy's Church. Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Indianapolis.

Survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Louella David, Brownsburg, and Mrs. Helen Wissel, Indianapolis; a son, Martin O. Young, Jr. , Indianapolis;  two brothers, Alfred L. and J. Arthur Young, Linwood, Cal; two sisters, Mrs. Orvilla Harper, Linwood, Cal. and Mrs. Mary McAfee, Venita, Okla., and five grandchildren.

His death certificate indicated cause of death as a coronary thrombosis (heart attack) with which he lingered ten days.

THE TRIALS OF GEORGE HOUCK, NOBLE TOWNSHIP

 George Clarence Houck and his bride of 5 or 6 years were firmly settled in Noble Township when they decided in March 1905 to throw a little party for their friends. George was about 33 years old, and he and his wife, Christina (Wolf) had no children yet.  But the party turned into a disaster when a few locals, sons of William Ward, decided to take over the fun.

From the Defiance Weekly Express, March 3, 1905, p. 10;

"COUNTRY DANCE RUDELY BROKEN UP -

BRICKS AND IRONS WERE USED TO DEMOLISH FURNITURE AT GEO. HOUCK'S.

 

The peace of Noble township was rudely disturbed Saturday night in a manner that was crude and barbaric. A country dance was in progress at the home of George Houck, two- and one-half-mile northwest of Brunersburg. About twelve or fifteen couples were tripping to the merry music of the fiddler, when two of the sons of William Ward, also of Noble township, made their appearance, and gave indications to participate in the festivities.

They were, however, invited to leave the premises, as on a former occasion, they had been instrumental in breaking up a dance at the same place, and the dancers did not care for an interruption to their enjoyment. The Ward boys did not take their refusal in a graceful manner, and they left vowing that they would get even.

They returned to their home getting their father, two other brothers and five of their friends in the neighborhood, (and) they started to the scene of the dance with the intention of giving those present substantial evidence that there would be no dance without their presence. The people on whom they were going to wreak vengeance were given no warning, and when they reached the Houck home, they proceeded rapidly and with very little attention to rule of etiquette governing such occasions, to break up the dance.

One or two were stationed at the doors to prevent anyone from escaping and in the kitchen where the dance was going on, the lights were extinguished, and a free for all fight and rough house commenced. Several were armed with bricks, and these were hurled through the windows at people within. Several took effect, for one now in the possession of the sheriff is covered with hair and blood, showing that it came in forcible contact with someone's head.

Joe Kahl, of this city, who was one of the guests, was struck in the stomach with a brick, and temporarily disabled.

Ed Royer, also of this city was hit in the head. George Houck was struck on the head with a clock weight that was attached to a rope. The sheriff has that instrument also in his possession. Frank Beiswenger had a gash over his eye where he was struck with a chair. Only one of the ladies attending was hurt, and she but slightly."

Every window in the Houck kitchen was broken, chairs broken, stove overturned, cupboard doors torn off, and a hole was punched in the wall.

The sheriff was called at about 10 p.m., and he came with Chief of Police Hubbard and several others. They could clearly see the aftermath. That night was a long one for them, but by 3 a.m. warrants were sworn and these men were taken into custody:

William Ward and sons, Henry, Alva, Charles and Arthur, George Stitsel, Charles Steffel, Ed Olson, Henry Stuckey, Frank Warner (Weaner) - all confined to the county jail except Warner, Sr. who was 47 and Ed Olson who was 34.

The courthouse was jammed full all day the next Saturday for the hearing where the charge was assault and battery with intent to kill and willful destruction of property in excess of $100. Judge Costello fined Henry Wilson Ward Sr. $40 and all costs. His two boys, Alva and Henry, were determined to be the brick throwers; Alva was fined $10 and 50 days in Toledo workhouse, while Henry Ward had a $10 fine and 30 days in the workhouse. Charles Ward was fined $5 and the rest of the defendants were discharged.

In 1912, George and Christina Houck were blessed with a baby daughter, Freida, and in 1914, a son, Clarence. But in January 1915, tragedy struck the little Houck family. George worked as a teamster at the Defiance Truck & Transfer Company and was assigned to pick up something at the B & O depot on January 2.

"GEORGE HOUCK IS BADLY INJURED

IN A RUNAWAY OF NEW BUS TEAM OF 

TRANSFER COMPANY SATURDAY NIGHT.

George Houck was seriously injured and in a serious condition as a result of having his leg broken in a couple places in a runaway Saturday night.

Mr. Houck and another man were removing the blankets from the new team of grays which was attached to the new bus of the Defiance Truck & Transfer Company at the B & O Depot, when the horses started to run east on Deatrick street

Mr. Houck caught hold of the bits of one of the horses and hung on till the Gunderman grocery was reached when he lost his hold and fell. He was picked up and later cared for by doctors Rigrish and Zellers. The break on one leg is a bad one, a couple bones between the hip and knee protruding from the flesh becoming infected from cloth which was driven into the flesh.

The team continued to run north on Perry, and when at the corner of Fifth and Perry streets, a wheel hit a fire plug and was broken off from the bus. The horses turned east on Fifth street turning at the corner of Fifth and Clinton and running north on Clinton to the front of the City Garage where they were stopped, the team dragging the bus with them.

Robert Packer, of the Defiance Truck & Transfer Company, states that a bob hit the bus which alarmed the horses and caused them to run away."

The "bus" may have looked similar to this.

George was under doctor's care for two days, having also suffered fatal internal hemorrhaging, according to his death certificate. He died on January 4, 1915, at the age of 42. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery.

His wife, Christina Wolf Houck, was left with two very young children, so as his widow and administratix for his estate, she filed a wrongful death suit for $10,000 against the city of Defiance.

The Crescent-News, December 31, 1915, page 1:

"The adverment is made that the team ran about 150 feet with the deceased thus hanging on to the bit, when they ran close to a pile of dirt, ashes and cinders, which the city had carelessly and negligently allowed to remain in the street. The assertion is made that the deceased stumbled on the pile and was thrown under the team and hack and received injures which caused his death. These consisted of a broken leg, broken ribs, serious bruises and internal injuries.

...it was dark at the time, that there was no light on the pile of debris or other warning set out to apprise him of its presence. The deceased left in addition to a widow, two children: one a daughter Freda Viola Houck, aged 3, and one a son, Clarence Michael Houck, aged one."

The trial finally got under way in mid-March 1917, when a jury was chosen and the plaintiff herself, testified. 

So, the city won, and her lawyers did not file in time for a new motion.

SPANISH - AMERICAN WAR SOLDIERS - #53 Private William Conners

 

#53 William Conners

#53 Private William Conners

Born on Christmas Day, 1864, in Cummery, Connell, Rouls, Cork, Ireland, William was the son of John Conners and Catherine Linehan. From the 1880 U.S. census, we can deduce that they probably immigrated to America sometime between 1872 and 1875. Father John was 60 in 1880 and worked as a day laborer, while his wife, Catherine, was only 45. Their children - John-16, William -14, Peter - 12, Ella - 11, and Patrick - 8, were all born in Ireland, while the youngest, Mary, was born in VanWert, Ohio in 1875.

William seemed to first find trouble in Defiance as a youth. When 21, he was indicted along with Frank Miller and August Holzer.

The Defiance Democrat of June 13, 1895, reported:

"Frank Miller, August Holzer and William Conners are indicted for conspiring to intimidate a witness in cases against Holzer and Ed. Miller, who are also indicted for retailing liquor without payment of the government tax.

Pomeroy Helmick is indicted on a similar charge. These are the youths who sold whisky from a bottle at a dance at Sherwood. The liquor was obtained from Frank Miller's saloon.

After the young fellows were arrested, Holzer, Frank Miller, and Wm Conners tried to bully a witness in the case and were arrested for that."

Conners joined the 6th Regiment, Company M for the 1898 mission. One of the local newpapers recorded on February 9, 1899, that he was home and very sick. He was formally discharged on January 23, 1899.

Various local newspapers contained articles about his mischief in Defiance. 

On September 27, 1900, the Defiance Democrat reported his first major crime.

He escaped for a while but was caught far away.

The Defiance Weekly Express had as a headline on November 11, 1900:

"Conners Arrested. William Conners, who is wanted in this county, for criminal assault, has been arrested in Baltimore, Md.  Sheriff Elser has gone to that city after Conners."

"William Conners who plead guilty to the charge of criminal assault was sentenced to eight years in the penitentiary by Judge Hubbard today."

Defiance Daily Express, Nov. 26, 1900, p. 2

On December 6, 1900, he was escorted to the Ohio Penitentiary by Sheriff Elser.

Then, on July 3, 1903, the Crescent-News ran this notice:

So, had our William Conners been in prison for the previous three years?

He was first admitted to the National Home for Disabled Soldiers in Dayton on December 14, 1908. His record there showed his service in Company M, 6th O.V.I. His vital statistics included that he was born in Ireland, currently 5 feet tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. William could read and write, was Catholic, and worked on the railroads. He claimed he was married, but named his mother, Catharine Conners, as his nearest relative, living at 1630 Schultz Street in Defiance. He was receiving $30 a month in pension.

His disabilities were listed as a loss of the tips of his middle and ring finger on the right hand, and rheumatism, especially in his left hip and leg. William stated that he had chronic constipation and a history of malaria and typhoid. He dropped off the rolls on September 10, 1909; his mother died in that year which may or may not have contributed to the discharge.

He was out in 1910, apparently, when the Crescent-News reported on May 7, 1910, that William Conners was arrested for intoxication and resisting arrest for which he was fined $200. On May 17, the same paper noted that Sheriff Buchholz had taken William Conners to the Toledo Workhouse. He was about 44 years old. 

Conners was readmitted to the Dayton facility on January 20, 1911. The next discharge was March 23, 1924. Then, again, he was readmitted on June 14, 1927 and discharged on June 12, 1930. 

At this point, William Conners seemed to disappear completely. No marriage record, tombstone, obituary, or death record could be found. Was he buried in a pauper's grave? Further research would be needed.

Diphtheria Hits Defiance At Least Twice

 

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When diphtheria entered Defiance the first time, we were just entering the nineteenth century. (No doubt, it had also thrived among earlier settlers, too.) This was an unimmunized community, as was every community since no vaccine had been developed yet for this disease.

Deaths in Henry County were also included in our local papers.

For example:

Defiance Express, Jan. 25, 1901 - "Schools at Florida are closed. Only one case of diphtheria, but it was thought best to close the schools."

Sept. 18, 1902 - "Death - Hurd, Fanny, the 7-year-old-daughter of James of Florida, died Saturday at 3:30 of diphtheria...two more children have the disease.

Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease, so quarantines had to be enacted each time a case appeared. It spread through direct physical contact, breathing in air around an infected person or touching something they had touched.

One type of diphtheria attacked the mucous membranes of the throat, tonsils (seen in photo above) or nose; the other was a milder form, cutaneous diphtheria, that involved a rash on the skin and other possible skin deformities.  The victims were usually children and young adults, one to fourteen years old.  Symptoms could include a sore throat, fever, lethargy, hoarseness, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The thick, leathery coating could obstruct breathing causing suffocation.

It was sometimes called the "strangling disease."

From 1901-1911 roughly, more and more cases of diphtheria were mentioned in the local papers. The disease would diminish for a while and then reappear.

Defiance Express, March 4, 1905 - "New case of diphtheria in city. Miss Berissa Milligan of Summit street was employed by family of Virgil Squire who are now quarantine."

Defiance Democrat, September 27, 1907 - "First Victim of Diphtheria. Alfred Merrihugh, eleven year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Merrihugh, died Sunday morning at 4 o'clock after an illness of eight days duration with diphtheria. The funeral service occurred Sunday morning at 10."

Defiance Democrat, Aug 13, 1909 - "HAROLD McGOVNEY

After suffering for several weeks with nasal diphtheria, Harold McGovney, son of Mr. and Mrs. John McGovney of Holgate Avenue, died this afternoon at about 2 o'clock. The little boy contracted the dreaded disease while on a visit in southern Ohio with his mother.

When the disease became apparent, every possible care was given and up until the last evening hopes for his recovery were bright. The boy made a very brave fight for life and for a while it seemed that he would conquer, but the battle became too severe, and he gave up last evening and passed away this afternoon. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made."

Defiance Daily Crescent, October 2, 1911 -"St. John's Parochial School voluntarily closed as the result of diphtheria in school and exposure. Eight cases in the school; eleven cases in Defiance"

Burials happened quickly to quell the spread of the disease. Without a vaccine, little could be done to save diphtheria victims. Bleeding, purgatives to cleanse the system, inhaling steam, sucking on ice, and small shots of brandy were some of the many ineffective treatments tried.

In the late 1890s, the diphtheria toxin was discovered, and by 1901 a serum to treat it was found.  It took until 1923 to research and prepare an effective vaccine to help eradicate the disease. In the late 1920s, the vaccine became more available.

In the meantime, the disease again invaded Defiance in the 1920s.

Sept 27, 1921 - "Four Families are Quarantine as diphtheria and scarlet fever make their appearance in Defiance again."

By 1922, an announcement was made that the city was again free of diphtheria. But it came back.

Crescent-News, October 22, 1927 - "Child, 4, Dies of Diphtheria. First Fatality in Three Years. Immunization Urged. Livia King, 4 1/2 at home of parents, Mr. and Mrs. Russell King, 102 East Street.

Immunizations available at health department. 

Crescent-News, August 27, 1923

"DIPHTHERIA CAUSES MORE DEATHS HERE THAN OHIO AVERAGE

Continuing a study of disease death rates by counties, C. E. Lively, professor of sociology at the Ohio State University, finds that diphtheria has been on the average for the past 12 years, more fatal in Defiance County than over the state as a whole."

Unfortunately, there are still unimmunized areas of the world. In 2025, Nigeria reported 8,585 cases, and of those, 884 people died - children and young adults.

Spanish - American Soldiers - Private Edward L. Conway

 

L to R -ALBERT B. VOLTRIE, JAMES J. HARPER, EDWARD L. CONWAY

#29  PRIVATE EDWARD LAWRENCE CONWAY

Private Edward L Conway, a resident of Defiance, mustered into the Army when he was 21 years old. A son of Margaret (Corrigan) Conway (2nd Crane) and Mr. Conway, he lived in Defiance during his early years, sometimes with his aunt, his mother's sister, Mary Corrigan.  Census records show that both of Pvt. Conway's parents were born in Ireland.

Born on March 12, 1877, Edward mustered into duty with the rest of Company M, 6th Regiment. By September 2, he was in the Division Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was given a sick furlough on October 6, and that was then extended until November 8, 1898. Again, it was expanded to December 6, 1898. Eventually, he must have joined his company as he was mustered out with the rest on May 24, 1899.

On December 24, 1900, a notice in the local newspaper announced that Edward Conley had left Defiance to open up a grocery store in Youngstown, Ohio, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Charles E. Riley. Charles was the husband of Edward's sister, Molly Conway, who ran a milliner shop in Defiance with her aunt, Mary Corrigan.

Edward's mother died in March 1905, and her obituary gave further details on her origin in Ireland and the rest of her children.

The Defiance Weekly Express, March 3, 1905:  

"Mrs. Margaret Crane, wife of Charles Crane, died Sunday afternoon at her home on Summit street, in this city. She was born Margaret Corrigan in King's county, Ireland, in 1845. When five years of age, with the parents, she moved to the United States, going immediately to Lebanon, Warren county, where she resided for many years.

In 1862, she was married to Mr. Conway by whom she had four children, all now living. They are Mrs. Charles Riley and Edward Conway, of Youngstown, George Conway, of Ashland, Wis., and Miss Margaret Conway of Chicago. A sister, Miss Mary Corrigan, of this city, also survives her.

She was married to Mr. Crane eighteen years ago at Lebanon, but for fifteen years they resided in this city. Her death occurred after four months of suffering from a complication of diseases."

On Thanksgiving Day in 1913, Edward married Loretta Ruth Ruht (Ruff) at St. Columbus Church in Youngstown, where they were both living. He was 34 and Loretta was 28. After the grocery store, Edward worked first as a produce salesman and by 1930, as a coffee salesman, employed by a coffee company. They owned a house in Youngstown worth $10,000. He and Loretta had no children.  

It was 1930 before Pvt Conway applied for a pension for his service. The requirement was 90 days of service or more. The Pension Act of May 1, 1926, finally gave reimbursement to those Spanish-American War soldiers.

Private Edward Conway died in Youngstown, Ohio, on November 14, 1948, and is buried in Section 5 of Calvary Cemetery there. A tombstone exists for his wife, who died later, but none was found for Edward, nor was an obituary located.

An extra note -

An obituary for his sister, Molly, was printed in the Crescent-News on October, 21, 1935, on the front page:

'FORMER MILLINER OF DEFIANCE DIES

Mrs. Charles E. Riley of Youngstown, a sister-in-law of Mrs. Martin Miller and Mrs. Frank Kusian of Defiance, died in St. Elizabeth hospital, Youngstown, at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Mrs. Riley, the former Molly Conway, who made her girlhood home here with her aunt, Mrs. Mary Corrigan, has been in the Youngstown hospital for observation about three weeks. Saturday evening, she underwent an operation for gall bladder trouble and had rallied from the operation when a relapse occurred.

During her life in Defiance, Mrs. Riley was affiliated with her aunt in the millinery business. She came to Defiance from Springfield while yet a small girl and left here about thirty years ago.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday from St. Patrick's church in Youngstown. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery there.

Mrs. Riley is survived by her husband; a daughter D'Nelle Riley, at home; and two brothers, Edward Conway of Youngstown and George Conway of South Bend, both of whom are known here."

Spanish -American War Soldiers - Private James J. Harper

 

#27 -A. B. Votrie, #28 J.J. Harper

# 28 PRIVATE JAMES JOHNSON HARPER

Born on April 28, 1874, to Joshua and Carolina (Hosey) Harper, James grew up in Defiance and stayed there most of his life. He had a brother, William H. and a sister, Clara Hattie. In 1892, he had a job with the H.C. Gerken Company. 

On July 2, 1898, he enlisted in Company M, 6th Regiment and served with them in Cuba until mustered out on May 24, 1899, at Augusta, Georgia.

On November 4, 1901, the twenty-year-old James married Lois L. Hadley, who was also 20. The Defiance Democrat, November 21, 1901 reported:

"JAMES HARPER AND LOIS HADLEY MARRIED

James Harper, of Holgate Avenue, and Miss Lois Hadley of Burr Oak, Mich., were married on Monday, Nov. 4th at Paulding.

The marriage was kept a secret while the bride and groom were visiting in the southern part of the state.

They returned home Saturday and will reside in this city.

It may have ended in divorce, but no record could be found.

J J. Harper's name made the Defiance Democrat on November 16, 1906, when he was part of a fracas in one of the saloons in Defiance.

"THREE MEN FACE COURT

WHITEFORD, COMPANY, AND HARPER HEAR THEIR FATE IN COURT

Three of the five men who were indicted by the grand jury on the charge of assault and battery, with the exception of one, for participating in the affray at Ed. Company's saloon, near the B&O depot, faced Judge Snook Tuesday afternoon.

Fred Whiteford came into court and changed his plea of not guilty entered some time ago to that of guilty. He was given a fine of $50 and costs and sentenced to serve four months in the Toledo work house.

Edward Company, who was indicted for keeping his saloon open on Sundays, plead guilty to the charge, and he was fined $50 and costs. He paid up rather than go to jail.

James J. Harper, the man who claims to have received a bullet in his body at the hands of Company, when the fracas was on tap, plead guilty to assault and battery and was given a fine of $15 and costs..."

In 1910, James Harper married second Laura Antoinette Maynard (Archer) on October 4. They set up residence at 1103 Holgate Avenue in Defiance. It was Laura's second marriage; she was a widow of Mr. Archer. Harper registered for the World War I draft in 1918 at the age of 44 when he worked as a salesman. 

One of the biggest surprises about Mr. Harper was that he owned a patent for inventing an egg tester. More can be read about that HERE. He applied for the patent on June 13, 1913, and it was granted in August 1914.

By 1920, James was single again at age 45 as listed in the Federal Census. He lived with his mother, Caroline, on Holgate Avenue, and she was listed as the owner. It is unsure what happened to his wife, Laura. His mother died in 1923 of pneumonia, and James' health began to decline as well.

At the age of 53 in 1928,  J. J. Harper was admitted to the U.S. Home for Disabled Soldiers in Dayton. His health issues were listed at admittance as arthritis, dental disease and deficient vision. At the time, he was 5'8", with brown eyes and gray hair. He received a pension of $50 a month.

He stayed there until his death on February 14, 1930. 

"JAMES HARPER RITES MONDAY

Spanish-American War Veteran Dies in Soldiers' Home, Dayton

The body of James J. Harper, 55, Spanish-American War veteran, who died of heart trouble at 5:10 a.m. in the soldiers' home at Dayton, arrived here this morning and was taken to Mansfield funeral home.

Last rites will be held there Monday at 2 p.m., with Rev. Theodore Strauss, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church, officiating. Burial will be made in Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Harper was born in Defiance April 28, 1874, a son of the late Joshua and Caroline Harper, and had spent most of his life in this city.

Surviving are a brother, William Harper, Defiance, and a sister, Mrs. Hattie C. Flanigan, Flint, Mich."

The Crescent-News, February 15, 1930, p. 1

Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio

His death certificate indicated that bronchial pneumonia was the cause of  death. His personal effects were sold at auction on December 19, 1930..

Two sources dispute the death date engraved on his tombstone as 1931.

Spanish - American War Soldier -#27 Sergeant Albert B. Votrie

 

Left to right: A.B. Votrie 

#27 ALBERT B. VOTRIE

Albert was a little elusive at first as his name was misspelled on the photo as Votree.  Votrie was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his family moving to Ohio later. His mother, Josephine F Pariset,  married Peter Votrie, the second of three husbands (Huss, Miller). Albert was born on December 28, 1865.

In 1883 Albert was married to Ida Musselman and they had a daughter, Cleo, in 1885. At the time of his enlistment in 1898, they lived in Emmett, Ohio, now a ghost town of Paulding County. He was 32 years old when he enlisted as a Private in Company M, and he climbed the military ladder quickly. In November 1898, he was promoted to Corporal and then in April 1898, he became a Sergeant.

In November 1898, he wrote a letter to the Defiance Daily Express defending Captain James Crandall against what Votrie felt were disparaging and false rumors spread by the press. Crandall was considering a run for sheriff when the troops came home, and some did not like that.

"AN OPEN LETTER

Another Soldier Tells The Truth

Camp Poland, Knoxville, Tenn.

Nov. 1st, 1898

Editor of Express:

    Some time ago my attention was called to an article which appeared in the columns of the Defiance News attacking the military as well as the political record of our commanding officer, Captain James F. Crandall. The captain defended his military position in a well-written letter to the Express and the boys of Company M endorsed the same as being a true statement of affairs up to the time of writing, but still the News appears in our camp loaded with statements which we know are false.

    A person not acquainted with the facts and conditions of the park at Chickamauga would be lead to believe that Captain Crandall of our own good company was directly responsible for the epidemic of typhoid fever which swept so many to eternity, and took from us our comrade, Ed Kindig.

    I am not a citizen of Defiance, therefore it is immaterial to me whether Captain Crandall is elected to fill of office of sheriff of Defiance county or not, but in justice to him, I believe I am safe in saying that his military record is without a blemish. He took upon himself the duty of commanding a company of young men who were inexperienced and not used to the hardships generally endured by men in times of war.The captain is a veteran of the civil war and he knows the needs of his men. And there is not in the Sixth Regiment a captain more diligent in looking after the comforts of their men than is Captain Crandall.

    True, it is natural for soldiers to grumble without cause; I have done my share of that, but my grumbling has never went beyond the confines of my own company street, and I trust it never shall.

     Now as to the statement of Mr. Crandall's cruel treatment of military prisoners, you have the word of a prisoner then confined in the 6th regiment guard house and Mr. Crandall's denial. I leave it to the people of Defiance to decide in between the two. For my part, I trust I shall never regret having become a member of Mr. Crandall's company. I also trust that when we again arrive at home with friends and relatives, that my regard for my commanding officer will not have diminished one iota. The sensible boys of Co. M, both Democrats and Republicans know that the - of the News is for political effect and nothing more.

Yours truly,

Albert B. Votrie

Co. M 6th O.V.I."

 From his letter, it would seem that he was loyal, educated and understood military life. He mustered out with Company M, and at some point, he joined Company K of the 39th Volunteer Infantry who went on to fight in the Philippine Insurrection (Philippine-American War), beginning in January 1899. He was killed in action on February 3, 1900, at Baybay, Luzon.

The story of Sergeant Votrie's death is a complicated one. The Lima Times Democrat first reported on April 25, 1900, p.6, that he was shot in battle.

"Thrilling Experience of Five American Soldiers

Sergeant Votrie Was Shot

"A scouting party of the Thirty-ninth was sent out to cover the country west of Tauanan and ascertain if there were any insurgents in that locality. During the day five men of K company who had ventured some distance from the rest of the party were cut off about four miles west of Tauanan and fired upon by rebels supposed to be about 150 strong...

The men put up a running fight for some distance in hope of either reaching the rest of the scouting party or that, hearing the sound of firing, their comrades would come to their relief. They continued their retreat, firing as they went, until one of their number, Quartermaster Sergeant Votrie, fell, having been shot through the head.

When the sergeant fell, the bullets were flying like hailstones..."

The following day a searching party was sent out to find the bodies and give them burial. They found Sergeant Votrie where he had fallen, shot and terribly boleed after death by the savages and buried him where he fell."

Even though his name was spelled incorrectly in that article, the story was upheld by a later newspaper article that finished Votrie's story.

The Defiance Democrat, June 14, 1900:

"VOTRIE MURDERED

General Otis Exercises Clemency on His Slayers

Not in Battle But By the Assassin's Hand was a Former Member of Company M Killed

The following special from Washington appeared Saturday which shows that Albert Votrie, formerly of Company M, Sixth OVI was murdered by three natives and not killed while in battle:

Newspaper reports just received at the war department shows that three natives were convicted by a military commission of having murdered quartermaster Sergeant Albert Votrie, Company K, 39th volunteer infantry, at the Barrio of Bagbag, near Tananan, in the province of Batangas, February 2, and were sentenced to death by hanging.

In passing upon the case, General Otis, as the final reviewing authority, said that the findings of the commission were fully sustained in the evidence and that the death sentence imposed by it had the express sanction of the laws of war. 

He was, however, unwilling to direct the execution of the sentence, as he believed that the accused were influenced to commit the crime of which they were convicted by local guerilla chiefs, who he said were the principal criminals in the affair. Moreover, he said the prisoners were ignorant of the legal consequences of their art. Therefore, he commuted the sentence in each case to 20 years imprisonment at hard labor in the presidio at Manila."

               Hedges Cemetery, Paulding County, Ohio

The story goes that Albert's mother, Josephine, fought hard to have his body exhumed and reburied in the United States. She won the battle and his body was returned home for burial in Paulding County.

By June of 1900, his widow, Ida, 37, and his only daughter, Cleo, 14,appeared on the census of Ukiah City, Mendocino, California, where Ida found work as a seamstress. They remained there for their lifetimes, as far as can be determined.