Thomas L. Karr - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

THOMAS L. KARR 

Born in Coshocton County, Ohio, on April 6, 1833, Thomas and his family came to Defiance County sometime after 1870. He was an established farmer in Clark Township, Coshocton County in 1870, with property worth $3500 and personal property of $900. He and his wife, Zipporah (nee Elliott,) had five children together at that time: John M., 12, Guy Eugene, 7, Margaret, 6, Thomas Elliott, 3 and little Melissa, aged 1.

Thomas would have finished a short stint in the Union Army in the Civil War.  He enlisted on May 2, 1864,and was mustered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, with his company on September 13, 1864, having served four months in Company H, 143rd Infantry (National Guard.)  He signed up for 100 days and was at Camp Chase the whole time. He listed diarrhea as his disability on the 1890 Veterans Census, which he suffered from while in service.

By 1880, he was firmly settled in Defiance County in the Hicksville area. Thomas farmed with the help of his three oldest sons, John, Eugene and Thomas. The three younger children listed were: Jane, 10; Ray G., 9; and Dora Bell.  The family had one servant, Nancy Carsner, and two young men boarding. 

On August 27, 1891, the Defiance County Republican Express reported that:

"T. L. Karr lost his sight of an eye and is now suffering intensely with stomach troubles. Dr. Slocum is the attending physician."

As the Karrs aged, they sought a home in Defiance City at 137 Main Street, Ward 4, and that was where they were enumerated in the census of 1900. Thomas, 67, and Ziporah, 65, had been married 44 years.  Now he gave his occupation as landlord..  The only child living with them was Dora, 26, then divorced from a first husband.  Later, in June 1901, she would remarry at age 27 to Harris (Harry) C. Weaner.

Thomas L. Karr died on March 13, 1910.  The Defiance Democrat reported his death:

"THOMAS L. CARR

The funeral of Thomas L. Carr who died Sunday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. W. L. Johnston of Hicksville will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2:00 at the St. Paul's M.E. church. Rev. W. W. Lance, pastor of the church will officiate assisted by Rev. B. W. Slagle.  Interment wlll be in Riverside.

Thomas L. Carr is an old and very well known resident of this part of the county.  He was born at Coshocton, April 6, 1833, and at the time of his death was aged seventy six years, ten months and seventeen days.

He is survived by a wife, four sons and two daughters, J. M Carr of Little Rock Arkansas; G. E. Carr and R. G. Carr of Defiance; T. E. Carr and Mrs. H. C. Weaver of Butler, In, and Mrs. W. L. Johnston of Hicksville"

"FUNERAL.  THOMAS L. KARR

The funeral of Thomas L. Karr was held at the St. Paul's Methodist Church, Tuesday afternoon, at 2:00.  Rev. W. W. Lance officiated, assisted by Rev. B. W. Slagle. Interment was at Riverside.

The remains arrived in the city at 1:30 p.m.  via the B. & O. and was met at the depot by a delegation of the local G.A.R. of which the deceased was a member."

The land in the center of this photo belonged to Zipporah Karr - her part being over 700 acres just south west of the city and on the north side of the Auglaize River. Was this the land that Thomas was renting out to someone to farm, as he called himself a landlord? The land does have a residence on it along the river, as well as, the Auglaize Methodist Church.

Land Ownership Map of Defiance County, 1890

At some point, Thomas's wife, Zipporah, moved in with a daughter in Newville, Dekalb County, Indiana, and that was where she passed away in 1927.  The local newspapers reported:

"EARLY RESIDENT DIES AT AGE 92

Death claimed Mrs. Zipporah Karr, one of the early residents of Defiance County, Sunday, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Weaner of Newville, Indiana after a few days illness, resulting from the infirmities of age.  Her age was 92 years.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Newville United Brethren Church.  The remains will then be brought to the home of her son, Ray Karr, 830 Perry Street, where friends may view the remains from 12 until 2 o'clock..  Last rites will be held at the son's home at 2:30 p.m. with Rev. R. B. Foster, pastor of the St. Paul's M. E. church officiating.  Interment will be in Riverside cemetery.

Mrs. Karr was born in Coshocton County and came to Defiance County in 1880.  She lived here until 1909, moving then to Newville.  Her husband, T. L. Karr, died 17 years ago this spring, two years after they had moved from Defiance.

She is survived by three sons, Guy E. and Ray G. of Defiance, and Tom E. of Hicksville and two daughters, Mrs. Weaner of Newville and Mrs. W. L. Johnson of Hicksville.  Eighteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren also survive."

The Coshocton Tribune, Coshocton, Ohio, also ran an obituary on March 24, 1927.

 

"MRS. THOS. KARR, FORMER RESIDENT OF COUNTY, DIES

Funeral services for Mrs. Safora Karr, aged 92, former resident of this county who died of infirmities of age at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Harry Weiner of Butler, Indiana, were conducted at the home of another daughter, Mrs. Lissie Johnson of Hicksville, Defiance Co., Ohio Wednesday afternoon.

Safora Elliott, who was a sister of the late Harrison Elliott, this city, and the late Mrs. John Q. Endsley of Keene, was born and reared in Clark Tp., this county.  She was the widow of Thomas Karr who died 18 years ago.  The Karrs lived their early married life in Clark Tp., this county and moved to a farm near Defiance 43 years ago.

Mrs. Karr was a member of the Presbyterian church before leaving this county.  After moving to Defiance, she and her husband were instrumental in founding a Methodist congregation and building the church on their farm.  She remained a member of the M.E. church for the remainder of her life.

Five children, 18 grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren survive Mrs. Karr.  The children are Guy and Ray Karr of Defiance; Thomas Karr and Lissie Johnson of Hicksville and Mrs. Harry Weiner of Butler, Indiana.  A son, Harry Karr, died several years ago.

Samuel T. Elliott, Route 3, one of the numerous nephews and nieces of this county, attended the funeral."

 

**This research for this post was a spelling challenge as Karr was spelled also as Carr in some documents.  Zipporah was Sophora, Ziporrah, Zip Lora, Tiporah used interchangeably.  

(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!)