Cora Kinner's Sunday School

For many years, Lloyd V. Tuttle contributed historic photos and information to the Defiance Crescent-News for his column, "A Backward Glance."  This undated clipping featured a class of young men led by Cora Kinner in Sunday School.  No church was mentioned.

"THE LESSONS haven't changed much, but appearance of the students certainly has.  These young men were members of Cora Kinner's Sunday School class.

They are: Ray Varner, Robert Stork, William Lang, Norris Rickner, Ben Morris, Floyd Morris, Louis Ryan, and Kelly Rickner.  Mrs. Kinner is seated in the foreground.

The photograph was taken in front of the home of Jackson Kinner.  It was submitted by Mr. and Mrs. Mills Deatrick who own the home now."

W. P. A. Cemetery Survey - Defiance County Farm Cemetery, Tiffin Twp.

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.

In this series, some of the general surveys of Defiance County cemeteries will be shared, transcribed as written 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

Defiance County Farm Cemetery

(now known as the Defiance County Home Cemetery)

1. Name:

The Defiance County Farm Cemetery (County Infirmary Graveyard)

2. Location:

Located in Tiffin Township, across the road from the buildings on the Defiance County farm, in section 32 and on the county infirmary road.  Reached by going out route 15 from Defiance to the North-west through Brunersburg, past the Alva Laverne Farm, and at the corner above this farm instead of following #15 around the curve, go straight on for one mile.  The grave yard can be easily seen from the road; it sets back about 220 feet.

3.  Caretaker: 

Glen Leaders is superintendent of the Defiance County Home. Inmates generally take care of the graveyard, but special work is done by county men.

4. This graveyard has recently been fixed over.  A new fence put up.  A driveway made clear around it and the whole place mounded up and several evergreen shrubs planted here.  Also many new stone markers put up and all reset.  It lies on a flat piece of ground with not a tree in sight.  The markers, all but one, are alike and all set in rows.  There is two acres in the field, not nearly all used.

5. First burial - exact date unknown.

This graveyard was started in 1875, but many of the graves were moved here from farther up the road.   And in the start, all was marked by number - no names were written on the stones.  Mr. Glen Leaders, the Superintendent, would have looked the names to these numbers if we had requested him to and also found out exactly the first burial date by going back over the old records.

6. Important persons:

Unknown.  One marker only, that of John Taft, a Civil War veteran is larger than the rest.  He is, of course, the only veteran buried here. How he came to be here, I cannot find out. He no doubt has a history. 

Original stone of John Taft

 

New stone donated by Homier Monuments

 7. All stones except the one to John Taft are alike.  Small grey stone slabs about a foot above the ground. John Taft's is larger and pure white and stands out amoung the rest.

8. Epitaphs:

Of course, there are no readings on the stones.  A few have their last names, but most are just numbers.  All except the one mentioned of John Taft.

9. This is still yet the County Cemetery for inmates of the County Farm Home.

Cecil Cadwallader, Reporter

Consultant: Glen Leaders, Superintendent of the Home

William Shanklin - Civil War Soldier Buried in Farmer Cemetery

William Shanklin spent most of his life in Hicksville and Milford Townships, but he was born in Crawford County about 1837.  As early as 1860, he lived in Hicksville Township with the John Ryan family and their three children.  William was 23 and a laborer.  


But soon after the war began in 1861, William enlisted in Company D of the 120th Ohio Infantry.  He spent several years with that unit until being transferred to Company E, 48th Ohio Infantry on November 27, 1864.  One more transfer at the end of the war placed him in Company E, 114th Ohio on July 24, 1865 from which he mustered out.  All of the units appeared on his pension card.

 A complete study of the 120th Ohio Infantry and of William Shanklin himself has been completed.  Read about the 120th, Company D HERE.

A different researcher studied the life of William Shanklin and posted it on a related website.   Read about William Shanklin HERE.

An obituary of William Shanklin, who died on March 28, 1916 in Defiance County, at the age of 78 years, 11 months and 7 days, appeared in the Hicksville Tribune on March 30, 1916.  The newspaper article could not be accessed at the time of this writing, but the microfilm could be searched at the Johnson Memorial Library in Hicksville, Ohio.

Farmer Cemetery

William was married twice - first to Mary Lawson on May 2, 1868, and second to Mary Jane Chapman on January 11, 1887, after his first wife's death.  An obituary could be found for Mary Jane in the Crescent-News on January 26, 1922:

Hicksville Men Who Served Our Country in the Mexican Revolution, 1916

The Mexican Revolution actually began in 1910, but it wasn't until Pancho Villa and about 800 of his men attacked the U.S. border town of Columbus, New Mexico, in May, 1916, that President Woodrow Wilson decided to get even more involved.

Just a week later, the President ordered over 10,000 U.S.soldiers into Mexico to find and capture Pancho Villa.  It was called the Punitive Expedition.  General John Pershing was named commander of the troops.  By June, the President decided to activate National Guard units from every state into Mexico.

Ultimately, a full fledged war with Mexico did not happen. Most of the soldiers sent to the border or into Mexico spent their time on guard duty or training until they were called home in February, 1917.  Although Pershing led men more than 400 miles deep into Mexico, Pancho Villa was never found.

A large commemorative poster was issued by Washington, D. C., naming soldiers who served in Company E, Second Ohio Infantry, enlisted in Hicksville, Ohio.  Too large to photograph or scan well, the contents will be listed here.

COLONEL - J. Guy Deming
LIEUT. COLONEL - Albert E. Gale
MAJOR - John A. Harley

Company Officers -
Captain David P. Anderson
First Lt. - Lee M. Deardorf
*Second Lt. - Ben P. Edgerton
Secnd Lt. - Fred I. Rowe

First Sgt. - Walter C. Blalock
Supply Sgt. - Edward C. Smart
Mess Sgt. - Roy A. Cole

Sergeants -
F. Lloyd Mann, Paul L. Tustison, Floyd E. O'Neil, Karl P. Hoffman
Welcome W. Dalrymple, Robert C. Griffith, Esse Rhodes, Earl J. Blalock,
Herbert Ginther, Glenn Place, Walter Bates

Corporals -
Edward C. Scott, Dale Edson, Asher B. Phillips, Sumner F. Dorsey, Carl R. Clark,
Bert C. Treaster, Charles C. Jensen, Elwood Rickard, Herbert L. Hosack,
Lewis R. Newman, Owen P. Kelly, Douglas Warfield

Cooks -
George L. Forder and Homer F. Ayers

Mechanics -
John C. Mull and Hiram Cunningham

Buglers - 
Paul R. Blacker, Forest B. Ridenour, Ross Tustison

Privates -
Anderson, Charles D.
Attleberger, Emmet C.
Bailey, Ford J.
Boyd, Clyde M.
Byers, Glenn
Chapman, Roland C.
Comparette, Kenneth
Connolly, Harry

Davis, Russel L.
Dohner, Harold J.
Evans, Harry G.
Farmer, George W.
Franks, Irvin G.

Glassmire, Clayton J.
Gloy, James A.
Harkey, Harry
Hosler, Levi
Howard, Jesse E.
Hull, Charles D.
Jolly, Oscar L.
Loar, Melvin D.

Maxwell, Paul P.
Miller Dewey L.
Miller, Lloyd J.
Morrow, Merril D.
Meyers, Peter W.
Phillips, Claron V.
Phillips, Ivan K.

Reeb, Blanchard B.
Reeb, Delta H.
Rhodes, Joe
Rickard, Emmet
Ruckman, Roy
Rumbaugh, Otha O.

Saylor, James E.
Seely, Earl C.
Shumaker, Ralph
Shuff, Harry E.
Shutt, John P.

Walden, Dane
Warner, Othello
Wearley, Samuel T.
Zimmerman, Ray W.

George Mollencup - G.A.R., Bishop Post

George Mollencup, a native of Lucas County, settled in Defiance after the Civil War.  He was only 18 when he enlisted in Company F of the 9th Regiment Ohio Cavalry on November/December 1865.
This company had formed in 1863, but George had to wait until he was old enough to join in.

This enlistment date put him into the middle of the Siege of Savannah which lasted from December 10 - 21.  Then the cavalry served in the Campaign of the Carolinas where they served until the end of the war, mustering out on July 20, 1865 in Lexington, North Carolina.

When he reported for the 1890 veterans' census, he said he had served 1 year, 5 months and 5 days, so perhaps he began in a different regiment, but that information could not be found. George reported no disabilities related to his war service.

The various spellings of Mollencup (Mollencop, Mollenkopz, etc.) and the fact that another man named George Mollencup existed, at least in Monclova, Ohio, made it difficult to follow our George in the census.  It is known that George worked at the Turnbull Wagon Factory after he moved to Defiance.  He was very active in the G.A.R. and held offices there.

The Defiance Daily Republic reported on September 10, 1896:
"George Mollencup, of Ottawa Avenue, has in his possession a relic which he values very highly.  It is one of the first Republican tickets ever cast in the United States, and was for Lincoln and Hamlin, dated 1860.  It is from the state of Virginia and Mr. Mollencup got it in 1865, as he was on his way to Washington after the war."

George Mollencup, however, was a troubled man, although he seemed to hide it well from family and friends.  Born in 1847, he died in 1896, of suicide just before Christmas.  The reports of his death fill in some of the blanks of his past life.

The Defiance Express reported on page 19 of the December 24, 1896 issue:

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

George Mollencup of East Defiance Commits Suicide.

No Cause Given for His Death.

The Action Undoubtedly a Premeditated One.

The Body Discovered by W. D. Bridenbaugh While on the Way to Work -

Such Particulars as Could be Ascertained Given in Full.

This morning the city was startled by the news that George Mollencup, who resided on Ottawa Avenue, East Defiance, had committed suicide.  The tragedy occurred this morning at about seven o'clock and there is no cause assigned to the terrible deed.

It was the custom of Mr. Mollencup to arise in the morning, make the fire, and get the breakfast started before the other members of the family arose.  This morning he got up as usual to start the fire.  Instead he started down the street.  When he reached East Second Street, he turned and walked towards the ravine.  Near the school building, he was met by William Jones to whom he gave his usual cheery salutation saying in answer to Mr. Jones' question that 'he was just going for a walk.'  He went on until four or five rods east of the ravine, quite near the residence of John F. Frost.  There he stopped and, drawing a revolver, shot himself through the right temple.

He was found shortly afterward by W. H. Bridenbaugh who was going to work.  The news quickly spread and in a few minutes, quite a crowd had assembled at the spot.  When found, Mr. Mollencup was still alive but unconscious.  The coroner was immediately summoned and the suffering man was at once taken to Marin's Undertaking establishment where he died about an hour after being found.  During that time, he never regained consciousness and the only movement he made was to relax the grip on the revolver still clutched in his hand.

The awful news was carried to the members of the addicted family by their pastor, Rev. Pilgrim.  They were prostrated with grief and horror and would not assign any causes for the rash deed.

George W. Mollencup was born in Monclova, Lucas County and was aged about 49 years.  He came to Defiance in 1876 and has since resided here.  He was the father of three children, two of whom, Harley and Pearl, with his wife, survive him.

He was a member of the National Union of the Union Veterans United and the Turnbull Aid Society.  He earned an insurance of $5000 in the National Union and the family will also receive about $100 from the Turnbull Aid Society.  No arrangement has as yet been made for the funeral, but the remains will probably be taken to Monclova where other members of the dead man's family are interred.

The news of the suicide came as a surprise and shock to the friends and acquaintances of the deceased, as he seemed to be of an unusually cheery and optimistic temperament  and never seemed in the least despondent even when things seemed darkest.  

Mr. Mollencup was on the streets last night with his daughter and seemed in excellent spirits, laughing and joking with those he met, has always been his wont.  Frank Holly met him this morning and he seemed to be in his usual good health.  William Jones, who last saw him alive said that he was unusually cheery and stated to him he was taking his usual morning walk.  The family says there was not a single thing in his actions at any time that would indicate that he contemplated such a terrible deed.  He complained some of his head hurting him Wednesday night, but nothing more was thought of that.

The letter found on his person was addressed to his family and was couched in words of endearment and begged forgiveness for what he was about to do.  He stated that he had the grip and was taking quinine and was dependent.*  He also said that financial matters depressed him.  He also stated that O. A. Frick of the Turnbull Wagon Company had treated him unkindly and cut his wages and in fact, driven him to suicide.  This letter was dated December (November?) 30, 1896.  Coroner McCoy refused to given the letter to the press today and consequently, the full text cannot be given to the public.

(* The grippe (grip) is the same an influenza.  Quinine is an anti-malarial drug, not thought to be addicting.)

Mr. C. F. Ferguson of the Turnbull Wagon Company was seen this afternoon and said that Mr. Frick has always been pleasant and Mr. Mollencup, who had been doing bending work by contract, had been making more money that when working by the day.  He also said that Mr. Mollencup had not been discharged and that his department would have been opened as usual next Tuesday.  This statement would indicate that there was something wrong with Mollencup when he wrote his letter...

The deceased was a member of the UVU.  He was a member of the G.A.R..  He was a member of the 9th Ohio Cavalry with George D. Killey, W. A. Kehnast and Christ Garver.  His death was a very sad affair. The remains will be taken to Monclova Saturday morning for interment, Rev. C. E. Pilgrim will officiate.

  

Defiance Express, January 7, 1897

Riverside Cemetery.  His death actually occurred in 1896.

George Mollencup's wife, Cora, died in 1928.  Her obituary appeared in the Defiance Crescent-News on March 14, 1928.

(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!)

Rinaldo Kimmel Appeared

An update -

Thanks to a descendant of Rinaldo Kimmel, a photograph of him now appears on the blog post that appears here:

http://defiancecountyohiogenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/12/rinaldo-kimmel-civil-war-soldier-buried.html

Defiance County Pioneers - Mary E. Smith Weisenberger Eck

"Grandma Weisenberger" was a well respected citizen of Defiance.  Born Mary Elizabeth Smith (Schmidt) in Germany, she married twice - first to Francis "Frank" Weisenberger and second, to John P. Eck.  Francis died in 1860, so by the 1880 census, Mary had remarried to John Eck, a saloonist in Defiance.  In 1880, she was 59 and John was 43 - quite a distance between their ages.  They lived on Clinton Street and had two boarders, Rudolph Smith, a laborer, and Henry Weisenberger, probably her youngest son.  The passing of Mrs. Weisenberger - Eck was well covered by the Defiance Democrat on May 5, 1898.

 "Mrs. Weisenberger-Eck.

An Aged Pioneer.  Summoned. 

Sketch of Her Earthly Career.  Most of Which Was Associated With Defiance.

A general feeling of sadness and regret pervaded the community Thursday occasioned by the death of Mrs. Weisenberger-Eck, who passed from time to eternity at twenty minutes past 9 o'clock Thursday morning, after an illness of some months. 

True, the old must die, but 'Grandma Weisenberger,' as she has been affectionately called by so many for years, has been such a landmark in the local history of Defiance that her death seems a personal loss to many.

She has lately been a great sufferer, but as her feet have drawn near to the brink of death's river, her faith has not faltered and her trust in her Savior has been an example to others, for from her earliest childhood, she has been a conscientious Christian.

Miss Smith came to Defiance in 1836, from Tiffin, O., following the old Indian trail.  She had in her possession at the time of her death, the old kettle in which she has made soup many times for the suffering hungry Indians, for she was a kind, good woman.

On February 13, 1837, she was married to Frank Weisenberger, and became, in time, the mother of 13 children, 6 of whom are living and all of whom were with her at the time of her death, as follows: Mrs. Josephine Haller, Mrs. Mary Hoeffle, Henry, George and John Weisengerber, of Defiance, and Mrs. Frances Shoner, of Napoleon.  She leaves also a large number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She has been a resident of Defiance for 61 consecutive years.  She was born in 1820, on the 9th of February, and was 17 years of age when she came to Defiance.  She is a native of Germany, being born in the Saxon province, and came with her parents to this country in 1832.

In 1870, she was married the second time to Mr. Eck, and for 41 years, she has been living in the house in which she died.

The date of the funeral will be Saturday morning at 9 o'clock at Our Lady of Perpetual Help church.  Rev. M. P. Kinkead officiating.

 

Riverside Cemetery, Defiance

"LAST SAD RITES.

Mrs. Eck's Funeral Fittingly Conducted at Father Kinkead's Church.

The funeral services over the remains of Mrs. Weisenberger-Eck were solemnized Saturday morning from Our Lady of Perpetual Help church, at 9 o'clock, Rev. M. P. Kinkead officiating.  

The church was crowded with the friends of the departed lady.  The flowers were beautiful.  During the service, the choir sang a familiar hymn the mother had learned to love from hearing her youngest son, 'Hen,' play it upon his flute.  The air is "Raise Me Jesus to Thy Bosom.'  There were a large number of relatives present and six of the grandsons.

Frank and Arthur Weisenberger, Fred and Charlie Haller, Harry and Earl Weisenberger acted as the pall bearers for their grandma.

Mrs. Rosa Smith Keisel, of Tiffin, only living sister of Grandma Weisenberger - Eck, was present with her son...

The body was laid to rest by the side of the departed children...

See full inscription and information at www.findagrave.com

 

Maple Grove School, Washington Township - 1911

The Maple Grove School was located at the corner of the Bend and Blosser Roads.

William Brown Yeagley - Civil War Soldier Buried in Farmer Cemetery

William Yeagley once described himself as a "capitalist," and he surely was.  He bought and sold land, ran a farm, worked as a surveyor and invested in a canning factory.  William was a Pennsylvania man, born on November 15, 1833, to Andrew and Catharine (Dougherty) Yeagley.  



When he was 21, he married Margaret Hendershot, but after settling the family in Dekalb County, Indiana, and starting a family, he enlisted in the Indiana Volunteer Infantry - Company H, 88th Regiment.  He was twenty eight years old and had three children (and possibly one on the way) at the time of his enlistment on August 12, 1862.  Organized at Newville, Indiana, the 88th met together in Fort Wayne before marching together to Louisville.  They pursued Bragg through Kentucky and Tennessee, losing fifty-six men at the Battle of Stones River.  They were involved in the horrendous battle at Chickamauga, climbed Lookout Mountain with Hooker by November 24th, and then fought at Missionary Ridge on the next day.  They were heavily involved in the fighting on Sherman's march to the sea.  Later, William would name his son, born in 1863, Sherman, in honor of the general he admired.  

By 1870, William and Margaret had settled in Center Township, Williams County, where he farmed.  Their children, at that time, were Blanche, 14; Park, 13; Lottie, 8; and Sherman, 7.  The first two children were born in Ohio and the second two in Indiana.  

Washington Township, Defiance County, was the family's home in 1880.  Little Madge, who was 5 then, was now in the family.  Park and Sherman helped their father on the farm.  In 1886, William purchased 80 acres in Farmer Township from Allen Barrows, and at some point the family moved there.  William not only farmed, but he was a businessman, too, investing in and serving on the board of the Farmer Canning Company.

Defiance Weekly Express, August 10, 1899

In the 1900 census, William, then 66, gave "capitalist" as his occupation, as did his sister, Catharine J. Britton, a widow, who lived with him.  Margarette, 62, also had Madge, 25, single, at home, and Ella B. Tharp, 22, a granddaughter.  Madge worked as a saleslady in a grocery store and Ella was a dressmaker.  It was noted that Ella was married less than a year, but her husband's whereabouts...and name...are unknown.

About 1901, Madge married Vernon E. Cunningham, a house painter, and the couple lived with her parents.  William was then 76 and Margaret, 72, in Farmer Township.  

William died on February 19, 1915.  His obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on March 5, 1915:

Daniel D Diehl, comrade of William Yeagley in Company H

Margaret Hendershot Yeagley lived on another ten years, passing away in February, 1925.  Her obituary appeared in the Crescent News on February 7, 1925:

Farmer Cemetery

  

The Methodist Episcopal Church, Third and Wayne, Defiance, Ohio

From the Defiance Democrat, July 26, 1894...an article describing the beautiful churches and cemeteries of Defiance, Ohio

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

"The Methodist Episcopal church of Defiance is situated on the corner of Third and Wayne streets, and is a fine brick building which was built in 1873 at a cost of nearly $25,000.  It is a handsome structure with a basement and upper story, is out of debt, and has 600 members.  The interior is finished and frescoed and presents an attractive appearance.  It also has a nice, large lecture room.  Rev. J. M. Mills is the pastor and has been for the past four years.

The first Methodist sermon was preached in this city in 1825 by Rev. William Simmons of Xenia, Ohio, nearly seventy years ago.  Not long after, Rev. Wier preached at the residence of Mr. Seavell.  In 1826 Rev. Elias Pettit was regularly appointed as minister to take charge of Defiance.  He organized a small society which in the same year, built a log church on the lot where the parsonage now stands.  In 1834, the first Sunday school was organized with four officers and teachers and thirty-four scholars.

The new church was built by J. B. Seamans in 1841 at a cost of $1,050.  Defiance was made a station in 1857 and in 1873, the present handsome church was built.

From the Historic Homes Calendar, July 2004

The principal societies of the church are: The Epworth League, with over 100 members.  The Woman's Home Missionary Society.  The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society.  The Ladies' Helping Hand Society.  The Young Ladies' Lend-a-Hand Missionary Society.

The parsonage is a magnificent building of brick, beautifully trimmed with cut stone and is a modification of the Queen Anne style of architecture.  Peter Kuhn was the contractor and architect.

The parsonage cost about $6,000, $1,000 of which was raised by the Helping Hand Society, $600 was given by J. A. Orcutt and the balance was raised by the members of the church.

The interior is convenient and is finished off in handsome, modern style. It was carpeted throughout by the members of the church with beautiful carpets of finest texture.  Altogether the home of the Methodist minister is a lovely and luxurious one." 

Defiance City Police Force, 1916 - 1917

For many years, Lloyd V. Tuttle contributed historic photos and information to the Defiance Crescent-News for his column, "A Backward Glance."
On March 5, 1963, Tuttle wrote about the Defiance police force, a small, but dedicated group of men.

"Here is a picture of the Defiance police force in 1916 - 1917 when Edward S. Bronson was serving his first term as mayor.  Note that the helmets have been discarded for caps.

Reading from left to right, lower row, are: Charles Miller, patrolman; Julius Spengler, chief; Gus Wahl, patrolman and
back row, Henry Hall, patrolman; S. A. Craven, safety director; Mayor Bronson, and Frank Baker, patrolman

The patrolmen were paid $60 per month.  They worked seven days a week, and extra time when required.  The mayor's salary during this era was $700 annually.  Each patrolman walked all over his assigned ward.  The chief did duty downtown during the day and was always on call."

Lewis D. Blue - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Born in 1832 in Miami County, Ohio, Lewis DeWeese Blue lost both of his parents when he was young.  His mother, whose maiden name was DeWeese, died when he was about eight, and his father when Lewis was a teenager.

By the 1850 census, he lived with Charlotte Blue, 45, head of the family, and Joseph Blue, 39, a teacher, who were probably relatives of his deceased father.  He had attended school that year. Marriage records for that county indicated that Lewis married Martha Elizabeth Kelly on January 8, 1856, in Piqua.





At some point Lewis, sometimes called L.D., moved to Highland Township, Defiance County, where he and Elizabeth were enumerated on the 1860 census with their young daughter, Anna.  The couple lived with Charles and Deborah Lockey that year.

When Lewis enlisted in 1862, he and Elizabeth had two small children, Anna Bell and Nelson Scott.  On July 18, 1862, he joined Company D of the 100th Ohio Regiment.  Later on, he would also serve with the 2nd North Carolina Mounted Infantry in Company D which he helped to organize. 

Identified as Lewis D. Blue on an ancestry family tree

 Most records indicated that Lewis joined them on October 1, 1863, in Cedar Creek, Tennessee at the age of 31.  On the day he mustered out of the 100th Ohio Regiment in October, 1863, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant.  He then served with the mounted infantry until October 11, 1864.






















Lewis could not be located on the 1870 regular census, but he was on the HIghland Township agricultural census.  With one horse, one milk cow, and five swine, his livestock holdings were small.  He had only fourteen improved acres and thirty-nine unimproved, and from that he gained one hundred bushels of corn and forty bushels of oats.

By 1880, children Harry, Clarence, Edwin, Mattie and Nellie were added to the family.  L.D. farmed and his son, Scott (Nelson), who was eighteen then, helped him.  Only Mattie, 28, and Nellie, 19, were home with parents, Lewis, 67, and Elizabeth, 64, in 1900.  Martha Elizabeth had had nine children and by 1900, just six survived.

Mrs. Lewis D. Blue died at the age of 70 in 1906.  Her obituary appeared in several newspapers, but this was from the Defiance Express, published on November 6, 1906:

Lewis DeWeese Blue followed his wife in death on January 18, 1907, just a few months later.  His obituary appeared in the Defiance Weekly Express on January 25, 1907:

In the will of Lewis Blue, he divided his property, giving 21 acres for Mattie and Nellie to divide evenly and 9 acres to Nelson Scott.  To insure equity, he had some children paying others various amounts of money.

He was buried in the Ayersville Cemetery.

(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!)

Highland Township Schools - 1903-1904

This old souvenir booklet contained not only the high school, but also all the individual, one room school pupils' names.  The graduating class appeared on the front.