Washington Township High School - Class of 1943

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1943

TOP ROW, L TO R: Richard Gisler, Faculty

Rita Hankish, Faculty

Dale O. Sander, Principal

Dudley Ebersole, Faculty

June Wilsberg, Faculty

Mary Bauders

Second Row from Top: John Crites, President

Clair Baker - V.Pres.

Calvin Ester - Treas.

Anita Chase - Secy.

Joan Garber

Rose Hammersmith

Ned Garver

Third Row from Top: Madonna Schindler

Frank Sims

Helen Mack

Norville Boland

Betty Temmerman

Harry Miller

Letha Hellemn

Bottom Row: Seldon Schad

Mary Koeppe

James Mack

Ruth Ruder

Raymond Van Wagner

From the Marckel Scrapbook - Francis M. Smith and Catharine (Martin) Carpenter

 From the Marckel Scrapbook...

“FRANCIS M. SMITH

Francis M. Smith was born Nov. 5^th, 1844, and departed this life Sept. 4, 1911.  Aged 66 years, - months and 29 days.  He was born in Kerkersville, Licking Co., O. and moved with his parents to Defiance county, O. when he was 12 years old.

Mr. Smith always lived on the farm purchased by his father, buying a portion of the old homestead after his father’s death.  He enlisted in the 48^th Ohio in October 1861 under Captain Moats and was honorably mustered out of service May 1866.  In the service he had many narrow escapes, at the battle of Shiloah six pieces of shell hitting one of his ears.

He was married to Miss Mary E. English Nov. 26, 1868.  To this union were born four children, two sons and two daughters, the daughters and one son having preceded their father to the world beyond.  Leeland J. of Moats, O. being the only living child.  Besides this son, he leaves a wife, one brother, Wm. Smith of Ney, and one sister, Mrs. Lucy Johnson of Sherwood, and many relatives and friends to mourn their loss. 

He was a member of the M. E. church at Moats and tried to live a devoted Christian life and through a protracted illness of many years, he was an example of patience and quiet endurance worthy of example of his many friends.  The funeral services were conducted by Rev. A. D. Miller of…”

CATHARINE ELIZABETH (MARTIN) CARPENTER

“Catharine Elizabeth Martin was born in Pennsylvania August 5^th, 1824.  At the age of one year, she, with her parents, moved to Cumberland, Maryland, and from there to Coschocton Co., O.   March 5^th, 1842, she was united in marriage to Charles Carpenter, they then moved to Defiance County.  Coming as pioneers, they then moved to Williams county near Evansport, purchasing a farm, clearing the land, and building a house which they enjoyed the greater part of their life.   Three sons and one daughter came to bless their home.  Husband, two sons and daughter having preceded to the better land.  Her husband departed this life November 7^th, 1888.

She united with the Evangelical church between thirty and forty years ago and has lived a Christian life since, on account of ill health, she has not attended church for a number of years.  She enjoyed reading her bible daily until a very short time before she died.  She was a great sufferer but bore her suffering with patience, anxiously awaiting the summons calling her home.

She was highly respected by everyone and in her younger days was always found where there was sickness or death.  She departed this life at the home of her son, J. F., in Tiffin township, April 25^th, 1912, aged 87 years, 8 months and 20 days, leaving to mourn her loss one son and wife, eight grand children, four great grandchildren and a host of friends and neighbors.

The funeral was held Sunday from the U. B. church at Evansport conducted by Rev. William Jark.  Interment taking place in the Evansport cemetery.”

(J. F. – John F. Carpenter)

Henry F. Hopkins - Civil War Soldier Buried in Farmer Cemetery

He died so young.

Henry Hopkins was just a boy when the census enumerator found him in Farmer Township in 1860.  Living with his parents, S. and Harriet, and siblings, Truman, 18; Mary, 16; and Herman, 11, Henry's age was given as 14.  Truman was born in New York, but all the other children were Ohio born.

Enlistment records showed that Henry enlisted into the 111th Ohio Infantry, Company F on August 18, 1862, and it was a three year enlistment.  He was approximately 17 at the time.

This is not Henry Hopkins.  This young soldier is unidentified.

His unit was organized at Camp Toledo and by September, they were marched to Louisville, Kentucky.  They chased Bragg around Kentucky, but at some point, Henry became ill.  So ill, that he was transported back across the Ohio River to the military hospital set up at New Albany, Indiana.  New Albany was a strategic spot for the Union, with hospitals set up and supply depots.  The fairground there was turned into Camp Noble for training troops.

The records indicated that Henry died in the hospital on December 15, 1862, of pneumonia at the age of 17 years, 3 months and 2 days.  His body was taken back to his home and he was buried in Farmer Cemetery.

In the late summer of 1902, Company F held a reunion and Henry was remembered among his fellow soldiers.  

Defiance Democrat - September 4, 1902

North vs South in Farmer, Ohio, 1914! Catch Those Varmits!

Farmer's citizens gathered in front of the grange hall where the feast was served.  On the right was the Post Office.

This article was written by Madge Cunningham and submitted to one of the local papers:

"A BIG NEW YEARS BANQUET

Losers in Unique Contest in Farmer Township Set 'Em Up to the Winners

If ever an affair of this sort deserved capital letters, this is it!  Therefore, I do not hesitate to name it an Unqualified Success.

I refer to the Banquet given on New Year's day by the Honorable Losers of the South Side to the Honored Winners of the North Side in the Farmer twp. Rat Killing Contest, which ended December 24, after about 5 weeks pretty continuous hunting.

Following are figures for both sides:

North Side                    South Side

2,696            rats           2,741

4,636            mice          3,387

2,913           sparrows   2,705

9                   hawks             3

-                   crows               2

25,890        points         23,279

Although, there were killed 5,437 rats, 8023 mice, 5,618 sparrows, 12 hawks, and 2 crows, which ought to count a good many points for the farmers and others who benefited.

About 10:30 the crowd began to collect from all directions but long before this, the fires had been started and water carried so that all might be in readiness for cooks and baskets.  And when they came!  Words are weak things to use in describing such an outlay of edibles.  Nothing like it had ever been seen or even imagined by most of us.  Besides everything of the best in a super abundance from out of the farms, there was served by agile, white aproned men and boys, 15 gallons of oysters, 1000 buns and 5 lbs. of most excellent coffees.

A humorous photo set up with a large knife and fork and a huge platter for a plate, filled with food and a jumbo coffee cup.  This winner planned to eat well!

 A register was made of all who sat down at the loaded tables and there were found upon actual count to have been a total of 530 fed upon this occasion between the hours of 12 and 3 p.m.  One continuous performance and a lot of fun mixed in for seasoning.

We of the South Side wish especially to thank our friends on the North Side for the well filled baskets brought by most of them, also Messrs. W. S. Tomlinson, P. W. Burns, R. E. Foote, G. W. Richardson, C. J. Kittredge, O. A. Rice and six other gentlemen, names unknown, for their liberal cash donations, totaling $13.60...

Indeed we can only end as we begun by saying we had a Big Day in Farmer!

M.B. C."

Farmer citizens enjoying their feast in the top room of the Grange.

The Wells Fargo Wagons

For many years, Lloyd V. Tuttle contributed historic photos and information to the Defiance Crescent-News for his column: "A Backward Glance."  This article ran on March 19, 1964, with information on the Wells Fargo Express Company.

"A LOCAL CREW of the Wells-Fargo Express Co. is shown in this picture brought in by Harry Wahl, 1046 Holgate Ave.  It was taken about 1917 or 1918.

At that time the company operated three wagons in Defiance.

The picture was taken at the Maumee River camp of Ed Lambertson, the agent.  It was located at the stone dam near the present U. S. route 24 bypass bridge.

Shown are: From left, John Plummer, Harry Wahl, Irvin Killian, Ralph Tuttle, William Haver, Guy Brewer, Riley Wortman, Alonzo Krontz, H. E. Hughes and Ed Lambertson." 


The Wells Fargo Company began in 1852 with the leadership of Henry Wells and William Fargo.  The company was settled in San Francisco during the gold rush and it offered banking services and eventually delivery of valuable items for its customers.  Eventually, it became a general delivery service and it also ran stage coaches in the West, primarily, and it took over the Pony Express.  

By 1888, it began an expansion eastward, and by about 1910, it reached our area in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions.  Wells Fargo wagons became a common sight in the area.  The picture below appeared in The Wells Fargo Messenger, published in 1918.  

 It was about 1918 that the federal government took over the Wells Fargo operations for the war effort.  
This nostalgic poem, written by Miss Clara Hall of Defiance, appeared in the same book as the photo above

 

James Noble Replogle - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

James N. Replogle worked as a cooper, just like his father before him.  Born in Germantown, Montgomery County, Ohio, James was one of the sons of Phillip and Elisabeth Replogle, both born in Pennsylvania.  All of their children, however, were born in Ohio.  The 1850 census named these children as part of the family at the time: Reason T. 22; Phillip W., 16 (both laborers); James N, 18 (cooper); and at school were Amalia, 13; Jacob, 11; Elisabeth, 9; and George, 6.

Official rosters noted that James enlisted when he was 18 into the 112th Regiment, Company B, Ohio Infantry.*  On August 22, 1862, he signed up and was sent to Missouri. By November 9 of that year, he had transferred to Company G, 63rd Ohio Infantry.  He quickly advanced in the ranks, attaining Corporal on January 1, 1864, and Sergeant on June 30, 1865.  
*Age difference with 1850 census

The 63rd was under the command of Colonel James W. Sprague, and they were in some of the fiercest battles of the war.  Most of the time, James would have been in Georgia, fighting at Kenesaw Mountain, in the campaigns in Atlanta and Savannah, and then on to South and North Carolina.  In May, 1865, his regiment attended the Grand Review of the Armies in Washington, D.C., and then took a train to Louisville where they were mustered out on July 8, 1865.

Another pension card exists with 63rd Reg. as primary

Upon arriving home, James married Malinda Keister in 1865, who died in 1867, leaving one child, James.  In 1869, James remarried to Ruey Snyder (Ruhema Snider) on October 5th. They settled in Tiffin Township, Defiance County, where James plied his trade as a cooper and he owned real estate valued at $1400.  Ruey was only 19 when the 1870 census was taken.  Living with them was William Replogle, also a cooper, perhaps some relation. By 1880, the family had added a son, Malvin, and a daughter, Blanche (Gertrude Blanche).

In 1890, James applied for his military pension and was enumerated on the Veterans' Census for Defiance County.  He reported a disability obtained during the war - pleurisy.

In 1894, James ran for the position of infirmary director in Defiance County, and won.  His biography appeared in the Defiance Republican Express on November 22, 1894 to help with his campaign.

Son Malvin Replogle went on to become a physician and daughter, Gertrude, a teacher. In the latter censuses of 1910 and 1920, James was no longer working.

James N. Replogle died on April 4, 1923 of heart disease, according to his death certificate. This obituary appeared on April 17 in the Defiance Crescent News:

After her husband's death, Ruey moved to live with her daughter and family, and it was there that she passed away in February, 1925.  She was brought back to Defiance and buried with her husband in the Evansport Cemetery.

From the Defiance Crescent News, February 20, 1925:

"MRS. REPLOGLE DIES IN CANTON

Body of Life-Long Evansport Resident Brought Home for Burial

Mrs. Rule Replogle, 74, widow of James N. Replogle, who was born in Evansort and lived there practically all her life, died yesterday at 8 a.m. at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Gertrude Van Dorsten, Canton, where she had spent the winter.  Mrs. Replogle was sick only a few days with pleural pneumonia.

The body arrived in Defiance over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at 2:45 today and was taken to her Evansport home which she has maintained since her husband's death two years ago.

The funeral will be held at the Methodist church in Evansport at 2 p.m. tomorrow in charge of Rev. Michael Yeagle, Middlepoint, former pastor, assisted by the resident minister, Rev. Ralph Wright.  Mrs. Replogle leaves the daughter at Canton and a son, Dr. M. V. Replogle of Bryan."

 

(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!)

Carnival on Clinton Street

For many years, Lloyd V. Tuttle contributed historic photos and information to the Defiance Crescent-News for his column: "A Backward Glance."  This article was dated October 31, 1963, but the date of the carnival itself is unknown.  They seemed to be most popular in the early nineteen hundreds.

"THIS PICTURE, loaned by L. W. Burrell, 509 Ravine Ave., dates back to the days when carnivals pitched their tents in the downtown section of Clinton St.  The date is not known but the picture depicts one of the finest free acts ever brought to Defiance by a carnival company.  The woman ascended the looped runway by turning the ball on which she stands with her feet.  Here she has reached the top and waves 'Old Glory."

It was a long time ago as you can see a one story building at Clinton and Fifth Sts.  It was torn down at the order of the state fire marshal, George (Spot) Smith, who was then chief of the Fire Department.  Next to it is another frame building and then the two story pressed brick building at Nolan Bros. Grocery which was a new building.  Adjoining, was the three story Blanchard Building which was razed to make room for the Strand Theater building, now converted into business rooms." 

Many of the newspaper correspondents from around the county mentioned people from their area who had attended the street carnival in Defiance.  The carnival usually lasted a week and was loved by all.  The Defiance-Express had this to say on August 16, 1902:

By about 1915, nothing was found in the newspapers on the street fair which had given way to the circus and various festivals and carnivals held by groups in the city. 

Emory Shank and the Farmer School Bus

Emory Shank drove his school bus in the village of Farmer or in the Farmer area, picking up the school children along the way.  Notice the door and the steps at the back of the bus.  (Hmmm...that front wheel on the bus looks a little wonky, too.)
No date was on the photo, but the children were identified.

Paul McCullough, Kenneth McCullough, Helen Hutchins, Ida Smith, Isola Walters, Mabel Rice, Francis Meek, Ralph Burns

Emory passed away in 1939, and his obituary appeared in the Defiance Crescent-News on December 20.

Delaware Township School, District 1 - 1930-1932

1932

1930 - 1931

The 100th Anniversary of Fort Defiance

For many years, Lloyd V. Tuttle contributed historic photos and information to the Defiance Crescent-News for his column: "A Backward Glance."  The following articles were dated October 24, 1963 and October 31,1963.

"Aug. 7, 8, 9, 1894, when Defiance celebrated the 100th anniversary of Fort Defiance, one of the features of the observance was the restoration of the fort as it was when established by Gen. Anthony Wayne in 1794.

It had been a log fort and farmers, individuals, organizations and business firms sponsored logs to go into the restoration.  The logs were cut from the extensive forests that still existed in northwestern Ohio in 1894.  All together, 553 logs were donated.

The blockhouses and barricades were restored in exact duplicate of the old fort that stood there in 1794.  John H. Kiser, of the firm of Corwin and Kiser, was superintendent of construction.

After the centennial, the blockhouse stood on the fort ground for several years, but there were vandals those days, same as today, and they had to be torn down.  All that remains now are the embankments.

An interesting souvenir book was published during the centennial.  It contained a complete history of Fort Defiance and a list of the donors of the logs that were used to restore the old fort.  It was edited by William Carter and Henry G. Baker.

The picture is the work of Winters Bros., artists, Paulding.  It was loaned by Edward S. Bronson, who furnished the information."

"In 1894, when Defiance celebrated the 100th anniversary of Fort Defiance, the original fort was restored.  The log blockhouses and escarpments were built in every detail.  The above picture shows how Fort Defiance actually looked.

The blockhouses stood for a number of years, when it was found necessary to raze them because of vandalism.

The picture was taken by Winter Bros., Paulding, Ohio, and furnished by Edward S. Bronson."

John Oakley Fisher - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

John Oakley Fisher was known as a prominent architect and builder, once served as the Commander of the Bishop Post, and was elected as a county commissioner and infirmary director.  Although born and raised in Pennsylvania and settled in Illinois before coming to Defiance, Ohio, he contributed greatly to his community here.

John's birthday was September 3, 1834, born in Lycoming, Pennsylvania.  It was there he was found in the 1850 census, listed as an apprentice for John Martin, cabinet maker.  Also at the residence were Elizabeth, Martin's wife, and Benjamin Bowers, 35, also a cabinet maker.  John Fisher was just 16.


On August 16, 1855, he married Sarah Lucretia Klinefelter in Pennsylvania, and by the 1860 census, they were settled in LaMoille, Bureau, Illinois.  John worked as a cabinet maker, and Sarah kept house and raised three children - Thomas D., 4, and Robert, 2, both born in Pennsylvania,  and Mary, 8 months, born in Illinois.  So their move was probably made circa 1859.

John O. Fisher was found on the Civil War Draft Registration of Mendota, Illinois, in 1863.  He was 28 years old and married, of course, but he did enlist, as required, on October 18, 1864, into Company E, 31st Illinois Regiment.  He came late into the battle, but managed to see plenty of warfare as he was led by General Sherman after Atlanta.  A regimental history of the 31st, noted, in short:

"Retracing its steps, the Regiment reached Atlanta on the 13th of November, and on the 15th it there began with Sherman the triumphant march to the sea, and on it marched, with that magnificent army, cutting roads through tangled forests, bridging streams for the passage of the troops, tearing up railroad tracks,twisting the rails "as crooked as rams horns", "discovering" and Devouring sweet potatoes and other provender, surging over the country "from Atlanta to the sea", "shouting the battle-cry of freedom", and proceeding by way of Millen, it arrived the 10th of December 1864, at Savannah. 

Here the Regiment went into camp on the rice plantation of Dr. Owen, where the rice was consumed for food, the husks being first beaten off by means of wooden mortars and pestles appropriated from the slave quarters near by. On of the incidents of the day was the encountering of a battery mounted on a flat car, pushed along the railroad by a locomotive. 

On the 4th of January 1865, the Thirty-first bade farewell to Savannah, and shipped on the steamer Harvest Moon, and after the novel experience and sights of a sea voyage, disembarked at Beaufort, S.C., where it remained, enjoying the luxury of fresh oysters at low prices, until the 13th. To this succeeded some skirmishing at Fort Pocotaligo-"Poke-em-till-they-go", as the men called it-which was evacuated by the enemy. 

On the 30th of January the march began through the Carolinas by way of Salkahatchie, Orangeburg-which was captured, after some fighting by the Regiment's skirmishers,-Columbia-scourged by destroying flames-Winsborough, Cheraw,Fayetteville-captured by foragers-and Bentonville-scene of the last great struggle of Johnston's army, and the Regiment came out of the swamps, out of the pine forests, "out of the wilderness",the men ragged, dirty, many of them barefooted, to Goldsborough, N.C., where it arrived the 24th of March 1865, and where letters from home and news from the world were received. These and the prospect of the nearing of the end were cheering and refreshing to men who for 54 days had been without communication with home or the world, and were weary with long marching and fighting".

When the weary soldier came home, he joined his wife and children again in Mendota, Lasalle, Illinois.  By 1870, Dora (Isadora), Charles, and Margaret (Maggie) were added to the family.  In 1871, son Will was born, but the next child, Herbert, was born in Ohio (1875), as was Egbert (1876), so the move from Illinois occurred sometime between 1871 and 1875.

In the 1880 Federal Census, the Fisher family resided at 425 Front Street in Defiance.  With eight children to support, John continued his vocation as carpenter, with some of his sons helping him.  Soon his name appeared frequently in the paper as he served on the board of education and a mayor's committee, as a commissioner, jury member, election judge, and most often as a very competent builder.  In 1898, the death of his dog made the paper!

Defiance-Express, December 8, 1898

 When he ran for county commissioner as a Democrat in 1899, his biography ran in the Defiance-Express on November 2, 1899:

  In 1900, John and Sarah lived at 707 West High in a home they owned.  But, in 1902, Sarah died and was buried back in Illinois at the Restland Cemetery, near Mendota, Illinois.  Eventually John moved in with his daughter, Mary, and her husband, John Hammon, and their children, and that's where he was enumerated in 1910.  He is listed as a stepfather and crossed off on that census.  He was not the stepfather, and it is unclear why he was crossed off.

In 1913 or perhaps before, John was admitted to the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home in Erie County, Ohio. His registration in Sandusky indicated that he was 78 when he entered the home, 5' 11 1/2 " tall, with a light complexion and gray eyes and hair. A widowed carpenter, Protestant, he named his nearest relation as his daughter, Mary Hammon, Jewell, Defiance County, Ohio. John received $20 a month pension for his service.  Someone listed his disabilities as defective vision (cataracts), heart disease (cardio hypertrophy, mitral insufficiency, hardening of the arteries), chronic rheumatism and a contraction of flexor tendons (hands and fingers were locked, probably in a claw type position.)  The home's conclusion was that he was in fair condition. He was discharged and readmitted at least once.  It was there that he passed away, and then was transported back to Illinois to be buried next to his wife.

Restland Cemetery, Mendota, Lasalle County, Illinois

(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!)