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