A glance through some old Fairview High School yearbooks led us to the story of Mr. Henry Gecowets, a teacher in the Mark Center area for 42 years. A student of several one-room schools in the area and a graduate of Mark Center High School himself, Mr Gecowets spent 40 years in some one-room schools and at the Mark Center High School teaching math and commercial subjects and then, after consolidation, he spent his last two years at Fairview High School. That is quite a career and a record of distinction. And to add to that, he never missed a day of school! But what of his family and his other interests?
Born on June 4, 1894, the son of George Andrew Gecowets, born in Poland when controlled by Russia, and Margaret J. Morris, born Germany, Henry was in Mark Township for his first breath. He had two half brothers, George William Gecowets, born 1883, and George Orley from his father's previous marriage. He also had a full brother, Morris Andrew, born 1891, and then Henry was the youngest. His father was a farmer in Mark Township.
As Mr. Gecowets told a Crescent-News reporter when asked about his family in 1960,
"His mother, who was born on a farm near Arthur was the daughter of George and Anna W. Morris. She was one of 11 children His grandmother, Anna Morris, was a midwife and is said to have brought more children into the world than any doctor in the area. Anna was said to have been related to Benjamin Harrison and to be a descendant of Col. Crawford, who was burned at the stake by the Indians.
Henry's grandfather, George Gecowets, came to America from Russian occupied Poland in the mid 1800's, so he spoke both Polish and Russian. His father, Andrew, was born in 1859 in Defiance Twp... My Grandmother Gecowets, the former Christina Bowers, had come from Germany, Mr. Gecowets remarked."
Henry was born in a log cabin, three-fourths of a mile west of the Mark Center School. When he was four, his family moved into District 8 in the township, the Porter School. As the story goes, he came to school one day with an older brother so his mother could attend a funeral, but then he didn't want to leave. He did so well that the teacher let him stay and he kept up with the first graders.
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| Henry Gecowets is in the back row, second from the end on the right, in 1909-1910 |
Henry graduated from Mark Center High School when he was 16. At that time the building was on State Route 18 on the northwest corner of the intersection, diagonally across from the present school. By the time he was 18, he was certified to teach. Eventually, he would attend International Business College, Tri-State in Angola, Indiana, and graduate from Defiance College in 1940. His high school graduation ceremonies were held in the Methodist Church, and their senior trip was an "excursion" to Defiance.
After he was certified to teach in 1912, he taught two years at the Mark Township District School #2 where his future wife, Audry Lee Stuckman, was one of his first students. He also taught in District #9, Shady Corners, Spindler School, and again in the Mark Center School. He reported that in his first two years of teaching he made $42.50 a month.
He and Audry moved into the Gecowets home located on Farmer-Mark Road 2.5 miles north of Mark Center. In an effort to support his family beyond teaching, Henry farmed, hauled gravel, worked on the railroad, baled straw and did any other job that would help sustain the family. The Crescent- News reported in his interview that "at one time during the years of the depression, Henry Gecowets was the only wage earner in a family of 13 he and Audry managed." In the 1930 census, he had his mother, Maggie, 75, and father, 70, living with the family, along with Susan Johnson, 81, a widowed aunt. Then, "Audry's parents and cousins were housed with the family in the large 12 room house."
The house, located a few miles north of Mark Center on the Farmer-Mark Road, was originally owned by Audry's parents, the Stuckman family. In 1960, parts of the house were 100 years old, so by now that would be 160 years old. Many rooms were added over the years. When Henry and Audry lived there, it had 80 acres around it which had some cold natural springs and some possibilities for oil wells.
Henry and Audry had three sons. In 1918, Morris Junior Gecowets was born. He attended the Defiance College and then enlisted in the Army on November 13, 1941. He served as a radio technician with the Flying Fortress, "Banshee," during the war. On April 16, 1943, he was gunned down over Bremen, Germany on his last flying mission. On April 25, the family received the telegram reporting him Missing in Action. It took until June 3, 1943, for the Red Cross to verify his death through the German government, and that telegram for the family ended all hope of rescue.
The American Air Museum website provided this information: Gecowets was an orginal member of the crew - Tech Sgt, Waist Gunner and Radio Operator Gunner. On 17 April 1943, he was the leading officer of the 367th low squadron on a mission to Bremen in a B-17 Banshee II.
Fighters attacked the plane. Left with one engine, they headed back toward land. Another fighter raked the plane and killed five crewmen in the back of the plane The remainder of the crew bailed out in the Frisian Islands and were captured to be Prisoners of War.
A second son, Max Emery Gecowets, was born on May 14, 1921. Max, an outstanding basketball player, also graduated from Mark Center High School in 1939. The Ohio State basketball team welcomed him and he played there while he graduated in 1946. Max entered the service at the end of the war when the U.S. was exchanging German prisoners for Americans. Again, from the Crescent-News, " ..one of the fellows he brought back was Wilson Elliott, Detroit, who was on the Banshee when it was shot down over Bremen. He had been seriously injured and taken prisoner. About four of the crew had thus escaped death." Max went on to coach basketball at Defiance High School. He passed away in 1996.
Lee Laird, youngest son of Henry and Audry was born in 1939, and also graduated from Mark Center High School. His father reported that he was musical like his mother and he worked at the Ohio Art Company. Lee died in 2002.
The Gecowets were very active in community affairs, founders of the Grange and organizers of the Mark Center Homecoming. Their lives touched innumerable students and adults in the area.
Henry and Audry were buried with his parents at Six Corners Cemetery, Hicksville
Additional information available:
Defiance Crescent-News, "Henry Gecowets, Mark Center Teacher 42 Years, to Retire, April 21, 1960, pp. 1, 2.
Defiance Crescent-News, "Plan Open House July 2" (55th wedding anniversary, photo), June 23, 1972, p. 10.
Defiance Crescent-News, "Enlisting as U.S. Flying Cadets" (Morris J. Gecowets and Don Weidenhamer, photo), March 28, 1941, p. 1.
Defiance Crescent-News, "Morris J. Gecowets"(obituary) June 12, 1950, p. 8.
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