Diphtheria Hits Defiance At Least Twice

 

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When diphtheria entered Defiance the first time, we were just entering the nineteenth century. (No doubt, it had also thrived among earlier settlers, too.) This was an unimmunized community, as was every community since no vaccine had been developed yet for this disease.

Deaths in Henry County were also included in our local papers.

For example:

Defiance Express, Jan. 25, 1901 - "Schools at Florida are closed. Only one case of diphtheria, but it was thought best to close the schools."

Sept. 18, 1902 - "Death - Hurd, Fanny, the 7-year-old-daughter of James of Florida, died Saturday at 3:30 of diphtheria...two more children have the disease.

Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease, so quarantines had to be enacted each time a case appeared. It spread through direct physical contact, breathing in air around an infected person or touching something they had touched.

One type of diphtheria attacked the mucous membranes of the throat, tonsils (seen in photo above) or nose; the other was a milder form, cutaneous diphtheria, that involved a rash on the skin and other possible skin deformities.  The victims were usually children and young adults, one to fourteen years old.  Symptoms could include a sore throat, fever, lethargy, hoarseness, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The thick, leathery coating could obstruct breathing causing suffocation.

It was sometimes called the "strangling disease."

From 1901-1911 roughly, more and more cases of diphtheria were mentioned in the local papers. The disease would diminish for a while and then reappear.

Defiance Express, March 4, 1905 - "New case of diphtheria in city. Miss Berissa Milligan of Summit street was employed by family of Virgil Squire who are now quarantine."

Defiance Democrat, September 27, 1907 - "First Victim of Diphtheria. Alfred Merrihugh, eleven year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Merrihugh, died Sunday morning at 4 o'clock after an illness of eight days duration with diphtheria. The funeral service occurred Sunday morning at 10."

Defiance Democrat, Aug 13, 1909 - "HAROLD McGOVNEY

After suffering for several weeks with nasal diphtheria, Harold McGovney, son of Mr. and Mrs. John McGovney of Holgate Avenue, died this afternoon at about 2 o'clock. The little boy contracted the dreaded disease while on a visit in southern Ohio with his mother.

When the disease became apparent, every possible care was given and up until the last evening hopes for his recovery were bright. The boy made a very brave fight for life and for a while it seemed that he would conquer, but the battle became too severe, and he gave up last evening and passed away this afternoon. The funeral arrangements have not yet been made."

Defiance Daily Crescent, October 2, 1911 -"St. John's Parochial School voluntarily closed as the result of diphtheria in school and exposure. Eight cases in the school; eleven cases in Defiance"

Burials happened quickly to quell the spread of the disease. Without a vaccine, little could be done to save diphtheria victims. Bleeding, purgatives to cleanse the system, inhaling steam, sucking on ice, and small shots of brandy were some of the many ineffective treatments tried.

In the late 1890s, the diphtheria toxin was discovered, and by 1901 a serum to treat it was found.  It took until 1923 to research and prepare an effective vaccine to help eradicate the disease. In the late 1920s, the vaccine became more available.

In the meantime, the disease again invaded Defiance in the 1920s.

Sept 27, 1921 - "Four Families are Quarantine as diphtheria and scarlet fever make their appearance in Defiance again."

By 1922, an announcement was made that the city was again free of diphtheria. But it came back.

Crescent-News, October 22, 1927 - "Child, 4, Dies of Diphtheria. First Fatality in Three Years. Immunization Urged. Livia King, 4 1/2 at home of parents, Mr. and Mrs. Russell King, 102 East Street.

Immunizations available at health department. 

Crescent-News, August 27, 1923

"DIPHTHERIA CAUSES MORE DEATHS HERE THAN OHIO AVERAGE

Continuing a study of disease death rates by counties, C. E. Lively, professor of sociology at the Ohio State University, finds that diphtheria has been on the average for the past 12 years, more fatal in Defiance County than over the state as a whole."

Unfortunately, there are still unimmunized areas of the world. In 2025, Nigeria reported 8,585 cases, and of those, 884 people died - children and young adults.

Spanish - American Soldiers - Private Edward L. Conway

 

L to R -ALBERT B. VOLTRIE, JAMES J. HARPER, EDWARD L. CONWAY

#29  PRIVATE EDWARD LAWRENCE CONWAY

Private Edward L Conway, a resident of Defiance, mustered into the Army when he was 21 years old. A son of Margaret (Corrigan) Conway (2nd Crane) and Mr. Conway, he lived in Defiance during his early years, sometimes with his aunt, his mother's sister, Mary Corrigan.  Census records show that both of Pvt. Conway's parents were born in Ireland.

Born on March 12, 1877, Edward mustered into duty with the rest of Company M, 6th Regiment. By September 2, he was in the Division Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was given a sick furlough on October 6, and that was then extended until November 8, 1898. Again, it was expanded to December 6, 1898. Eventually, he must have joined his company as he was mustered out with the rest on May 24, 1899.

On December 24, 1900, a notice in the local newspaper announced that Edward Conley had left Defiance to open up a grocery store in Youngstown, Ohio, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Charles E. Riley. Charles was the husband of Edward's sister, Molly Conway, who ran a milliner shop in Defiance with her aunt, Mary Corrigan.

Edward's mother died in March 1905, and her obituary gave further details on her origin in Ireland and the rest of her children.

The Defiance Weekly Express, March 3, 1905:  

"Mrs. Margaret Crane, wife of Charles Crane, died Sunday afternoon at her home on Summit street, in this city. She was born Margaret Corrigan in King's county, Ireland, in 1845. When five years of age, with the parents, she moved to the United States, going immediately to Lebanon, Warren county, where she resided for many years.

In 1862, she was married to Mr. Conway by whom she had four children, all now living. They are Mrs. Charles Riley and Edward Conway, of Youngstown, George Conway, of Ashland, Wis., and Miss Margaret Conway of Chicago. A sister, Miss Mary Corrigan, of this city, also survives her.

She was married to Mr. Crane eighteen years ago at Lebanon, but for fifteen years they resided in this city. Her death occurred after four months of suffering from a complication of diseases."

On Thanksgiving Day in 1913, Edward married Loretta Ruth Ruht (Ruff) at St. Columbus Church in Youngstown, where they were both living. He was 34 and Loretta was 28. After the grocery store, Edward worked first as a produce salesman and by 1930, as a coffee salesman, employed by a coffee company. They owned a house in Youngstown worth $10,000. He and Loretta had no children.  

It was 1930 before Pvt Conway applied for a pension for his service. The requirement was 90 days of service or more. The Pension Act of May 1, 1926, finally gave reimbursement to those Spanish-American War soldiers.

Private Edward Conway died in Youngstown, Ohio, on November 14, 1948, and is buried in Section 5 of Calvary Cemetery there. A tombstone exists for his wife, who died later, but none was found for Edward, nor was an obituary located.

An extra note -

An obituary for his sister, Molly, was printed in the Crescent-News on October, 21, 1935, on the front page:

'FORMER MILLINER OF DEFIANCE DIES

Mrs. Charles E. Riley of Youngstown, a sister-in-law of Mrs. Martin Miller and Mrs. Frank Kusian of Defiance, died in St. Elizabeth hospital, Youngstown, at 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Mrs. Riley, the former Molly Conway, who made her girlhood home here with her aunt, Mrs. Mary Corrigan, has been in the Youngstown hospital for observation about three weeks. Saturday evening, she underwent an operation for gall bladder trouble and had rallied from the operation when a relapse occurred.

During her life in Defiance, Mrs. Riley was affiliated with her aunt in the millinery business. She came to Defiance from Springfield while yet a small girl and left here about thirty years ago.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday from St. Patrick's church in Youngstown. Burial will be in Calvary cemetery there.

Mrs. Riley is survived by her husband; a daughter D'Nelle Riley, at home; and two brothers, Edward Conway of Youngstown and George Conway of South Bend, both of whom are known here."

Spanish -American War Soldiers - Private James J. Harper

 

#27 -A. B. Votrie, #28 J.J. Harper

# 28 PRIVATE JAMES JOHNSON HARPER

Born on April 28, 1874, to Joshua and Carolina (Hosey) Harper, James grew up in Defiance and stayed there most of his life. He had a brother, William H. and a sister, Clara Hattie. In 1892, he had a job with the H.C. Gerken Company. 

On July 2, 1898, he enlisted in Company M, 6th Regiment and served with them in Cuba until mustered out on May 24, 1899, at Augusta, Georgia.

On November 4, 1901, the twenty-year-old James married Lois L. Hadley, who was also 20. The Defiance Democrat, November 21, 1901 reported:

"JAMES HARPER AND LOIS HADLEY MARRIED

James Harper, of Holgate Avenue, and Miss Lois Hadley of Burr Oak, Mich., were married on Monday, Nov. 4th at Paulding.

The marriage was kept a secret while the bride and groom were visiting in the southern part of the state.

They returned home Saturday and will reside in this city.

It may have ended in divorce, but no record could be found.

J J. Harper's name made the Defiance Democrat on November 16, 1906, when he was part of a fracas in one of the saloons in Defiance.

"THREE MEN FACE COURT

WHITEFORD, COMPANY, AND HARPER HEAR THEIR FATE IN COURT

Three of the five men who were indicted by the grand jury on the charge of assault and battery, with the exception of one, for participating in the affray at Ed. Company's saloon, near the B&O depot, faced Judge Snook Tuesday afternoon.

Fred Whiteford came into court and changed his plea of not guilty entered some time ago to that of guilty. He was given a fine of $50 and costs and sentenced to serve four months in the Toledo work house.

Edward Company, who was indicted for keeping his saloon open on Sundays, plead guilty to the charge, and he was fined $50 and costs. He paid up rather than go to jail.

James J. Harper, the man who claims to have received a bullet in his body at the hands of Company, when the fracas was on tap, plead guilty to assault and battery and was given a fine of $15 and costs..."

In 1910, James Harper married second Laura Antoinette Maynard (Archer) on October 4. They set up residence at 1103 Holgate Avenue in Defiance. It was Laura's second marriage; she was a widow of Mr. Archer. Harper registered for the World War I draft in 1918 at the age of 44 when he worked as a salesman. 

One of the biggest surprises about Mr. Harper was that he owned a patent for inventing an egg tester. More can be read about that HERE. He applied for the patent on June 13, 1913, and it was granted in August 1914.

By 1920, James was single again at age 45 as listed in the Federal Census. He lived with his mother, Caroline, on Holgate Avenue, and she was listed as the owner. It is unsure what happened to his wife, Laura. His mother died in 1923 of pneumonia, and James' health began to decline as well.

At the age of 53 in 1928,  J. J. Harper was admitted to the U.S. Home for Disabled Soldiers in Dayton. His health issues were listed at admittance as arthritis, dental disease and deficient vision. At the time, he was 5'8", with brown eyes and gray hair. He received a pension of $50 a month.

He stayed there until his death on February 14, 1930. 

"JAMES HARPER RITES MONDAY

Spanish-American War Veteran Dies in Soldiers' Home, Dayton

The body of James J. Harper, 55, Spanish-American War veteran, who died of heart trouble at 5:10 a.m. in the soldiers' home at Dayton, arrived here this morning and was taken to Mansfield funeral home.

Last rites will be held there Monday at 2 p.m., with Rev. Theodore Strauss, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church, officiating. Burial will be made in Riverside Cemetery.

Mr. Harper was born in Defiance April 28, 1874, a son of the late Joshua and Caroline Harper, and had spent most of his life in this city.

Surviving are a brother, William Harper, Defiance, and a sister, Mrs. Hattie C. Flanigan, Flint, Mich."

The Crescent-News, February 15, 1930, p. 1

Riverside Cemetery, Defiance, Ohio

His death certificate indicated that bronchial pneumonia was the cause of  death. His personal effects were sold at auction on December 19, 1930..

Two sources dispute the death date engraved on his tombstone as 1931.

Spanish - American War Soldier -#27 Sergeant Albert B. Votrie

 

Left to right: A.B. Votrie 

#27 ALBERT B. VOTRIE

Albert was a little elusive at first as his name was misspelled on the photo as Votree.  Votrie was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his family moving to Ohio later. His mother, Josephine F Pariset,  married Peter Votrie, the second of three husbands (Huss, Miller). Albert was born on December 28, 1865.

In 1883 Albert was married to Ida Musselman and they had a daughter, Cleo, in 1885. At the time of his enlistment in 1898, they lived in Emmett, Ohio, now a ghost town of Paulding County. He was 32 years old when he enlisted as a Private in Company M, and he climbed the military ladder quickly. In November 1898, he was promoted to Corporal and then in April 1898, he became a Sergeant.

In November 1898, he wrote a letter to the Defiance Daily Express defending Captain James Crandall against what Votrie felt were disparaging and false rumors spread by the press. Crandall was considering a run for sheriff when the troops came home, and some did not like that.

"AN OPEN LETTER

Another Soldier Tells The Truth

Camp Poland, Knoxville, Tenn.

Nov. 1st, 1898

Editor of Express:

    Some time ago my attention was called to an article which appeared in the columns of the Defiance News attacking the military as well as the political record of our commanding officer, Captain James F. Crandall. The captain defended his military position in a well-written letter to the Express and the boys of Company M endorsed the same as being a true statement of affairs up to the time of writing, but still the News appears in our camp loaded with statements which we know are false.

    A person not acquainted with the facts and conditions of the park at Chickamauga would be lead to believe that Captain Crandall of our own good company was directly responsible for the epidemic of typhoid fever which swept so many to eternity, and took from us our comrade, Ed Kindig.

    I am not a citizen of Defiance, therefore it is immaterial to me whether Captain Crandall is elected to fill of office of sheriff of Defiance county or not, but in justice to him, I believe I am safe in saying that his military record is without a blemish. He took upon himself the duty of commanding a company of young men who were inexperienced and not used to the hardships generally endured by men in times of war.The captain is a veteran of the civil war and he knows the needs of his men. And there is not in the Sixth Regiment a captain more diligent in looking after the comforts of their men than is Captain Crandall.

    True, it is natural for soldiers to grumble without cause; I have done my share of that, but my grumbling has never went beyond the confines of my own company street, and I trust it never shall.

     Now as to the statement of Mr. Crandall's cruel treatment of military prisoners, you have the word of a prisoner then confined in the 6th regiment guard house and Mr. Crandall's denial. I leave it to the people of Defiance to decide in between the two. For my part, I trust I shall never regret having become a member of Mr. Crandall's company. I also trust that when we again arrive at home with friends and relatives, that my regard for my commanding officer will not have diminished one iota. The sensible boys of Co. M, both Democrats and Republicans know that the - of the News is for political effect and nothing more.

Yours truly,

Albert B. Votrie

Co. M 6th O.V.I."

 From his letter, it would seem that he was loyal, educated and understood military life. He mustered out with Company M, and at some point, he joined Company K of the 39th Volunteer Infantry who went on to fight in the Philippine Insurrection (Philippine-American War), beginning in January 1899. He was killed in action on February 3, 1900, at Baybay, Luzon.

The story of Sergeant Votrie's death is a complicated one. The Lima Times Democrat first reported on April 25, 1900, p.6, that he was shot in battle.

"Thrilling Experience of Five American Soldiers

Sergeant Votrie Was Shot

"A scouting party of the Thirty-ninth was sent out to cover the country west of Tauanan and ascertain if there were any insurgents in that locality. During the day five men of K company who had ventured some distance from the rest of the party were cut off about four miles west of Tauanan and fired upon by rebels supposed to be about 150 strong...

The men put up a running fight for some distance in hope of either reaching the rest of the scouting party or that, hearing the sound of firing, their comrades would come to their relief. They continued their retreat, firing as they went, until one of their number, Quartermaster Sergeant Votrie, fell, having been shot through the head.

When the sergeant fell, the bullets were flying like hailstones..."

The following day a searching party was sent out to find the bodies and give them burial. They found Sergeant Votrie where he had fallen, shot and terribly boleed after death by the savages and buried him where he fell."

Even though his name was spelled incorrectly in that article, the story was upheld by a later newspaper article that finished Votrie's story.

The Defiance Democrat, June 14, 1900:

"VOTRIE MURDERED

General Otis Exercises Clemency on His Slayers

Not in Battle But By the Assassin's Hand was a Former Member of Company M Killed

The following special from Washington appeared Saturday which shows that Albert Votrie, formerly of Company M, Sixth OVI was murdered by three natives and not killed while in battle:

Newspaper reports just received at the war department shows that three natives were convicted by a military commission of having murdered quartermaster Sergeant Albert Votrie, Company K, 39th volunteer infantry, at the Barrio of Bagbag, near Tananan, in the province of Batangas, February 2, and were sentenced to death by hanging.

In passing upon the case, General Otis, as the final reviewing authority, said that the findings of the commission were fully sustained in the evidence and that the death sentence imposed by it had the express sanction of the laws of war. 

He was, however, unwilling to direct the execution of the sentence, as he believed that the accused were influenced to commit the crime of which they were convicted by local guerilla chiefs, who he said were the principal criminals in the affair. Moreover, he said the prisoners were ignorant of the legal consequences of their art. Therefore, he commuted the sentence in each case to 20 years imprisonment at hard labor in the presidio at Manila."

               Hedges Cemetery, Paulding County, Ohio

The story goes that Albert's mother, Josephine, fought hard to have his body exhumed and reburied in the United States. She won the battle and his body was returned home for burial in Paulding County.

By June of 1900, his widow, Ida, 37, and his only daughter, Cleo, 14,appeared on the census of Ukiah City, Mendocino, California, where Ida found work as a seamstress. They remained there for their lifetimes, as far as can be determined.

Murder, Manslaughter, Accident? Frank Sabo and Steve Oswald

 

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Both Frank Sabo and Steve Oswald were born in Hungary and immigrated to the United States, Sabo in 1907 and Oswald in 1912. Both lived in Ohio and Michigan at various times and had met each other, but around 1942, they reestablished their acquaintance in Defiance County, Ohio.

Frank Sabo, 67 and divorced, was born in 1875 in Hungary. He was enumerated in the Defiance County census in 1940 where he was renting a house and farming, as well as doing some cattle buying. Living with him was Joseph Molnar, 52, also born in Hungary; Sabo had hired him as a farm hand. The census stated that Sabo was at the same home in 1935.

Newspaper articles revealed that Steve Oswald, 66, was born in a small community near Budapest. His father died when he was three and his mother when he was twenty-one. His father had owned a small vineyard - one acre - and he supplied wine to the local village tavern. His mother kept the small farm going until her death. Oswald served in the Hungarian Army for five years, "breaking horses for officers." In 1912, at the age of 36, he came to Illinois in the United States where he joined a small Hungarian community.

Later, the two men met in Detroit, Michigan, where they worked together. Oswald went to South Bend to work at Studebaker and then became a seasonal farm laborer and other times collected ashes and rubbish. In September 1941, he came to the William Forder home near Hicksville where he was hired as a farm hand. In that winter, he renewed his acquaintance with Sabo, as they met at a stock sale in Hicksville.

It was reported that Oswald, at least, could not read and barely could write his name. He spoke broken English, even though in the United States for thirty years.

Now, for the story...in the Defiance Crescent-News on November 21, 1942:

"GUN OWNER SOUGHT AFTER MAN

FOUND SLAIN"

That was the headline that faced the citizens of Defiance County on Saturday, November 21, 1942. The victim was a local man, Frank Sabo, 67, local farmer and cattle buyer, found lying on the Washington-Delaware County Road near his home. A shotgun was found in a ditch near the body. Who would do this? The hunt had begun before the readers had even had their breakfasts.

"FRANK SABO KILLED ON TOWNSHIP ROAD NORTH OF SHERWOOD

Acquaintance Who Discovers Body Quizzed, Distance from Weapon Rules Out Suicide.

"...Steve Oswald, 66 year old farm laborer of route 3, Hicksville, was held after questioning while officers checked his story. Oswald discovered the body about 12:10 p.m. Friday when he went to the home of 'my friend' Sabo to invite him to go hunting, he told authorities.

Oswald was taken into custody after Deputy Sheriff Alner D. Ryan found a shotgun and a box of shells, with five cartridges missing, in the car in which Oswald had driven from his beet wagon home, one mile southwest of Hicksville, on the Williams-Forder farm, to the Sabo place three miles north and one half mile west of Sherwood."

When he was questioned, Oswald said that he had taken five shells from the box last week to shoot at woodchuck. Officers were going to his home to check out the story that Oswald had swabbed out the gun he had borrowed from a friend, Lewis Tote, Hicksville - the 12-gauge shotgun found in Oswald's car. That story was true, but there was a second shotgun also, which was found 3 hours after finding the body, and that gun had been fired recently - also a 12-gauge. A hunting party found it tossed behind some bushes at the bottom of the ditch.

"Hollis Breininger, 35, route 1, Ney and Donald Fix, 26, Ney, who were driving west along the township line road to go hunting, discovered Sabo's body just a few minutes after Oswald had made his discover. They informed officers...

Officer Crawford took Oswald back to the scene...(where) he denied ownership of the shells found near the body. Officers said he claimed he did not notice the cartridges in the pool of blood until the second trip back to the body."

"We are certain," Sheriff Bridenbaugh declared early today, "that because of the nature of Sabo's wound he must have fallen almost on the spot where he was killed...There is no doubt that someone shot Sabo at close range and from behind." Suicide was ruled out early on.

A full investigation ensued, first with ballistics experts who recovered pellets from Sabo and took fingerprints from the gun. Acquaintances informed police that Sabo often carried large sums of money; could that be a motive? No, only $5 was found in his pockets. Friends said he hardly ever hunted and had no hunting license.

Not Oswald

Oswald's story, at that time, was "that he arrived at the Sabo place about 11 a.m. He said he found the door open and called for Sabo and got no answer. He said he then went back outside and called for him, thinking he might be in a field husking corn. When he got no answer, he said he walked over to a small orchard of Sabo's place east of the house and it was then he first saw the body in the road.

He said he walked up to it, leaned over and shook the body by the shoulder and called to Sabo to arouse him. He said he then saw blood and realized he was dead.

 Oswald said he was very excited as he ran back to the Sabo place for his car and on arrival at the Crawford farm had considerable difficulty getting people there to understand what he wanted them to do."

He entered a "NOT GUILTY" plea to manslaughter.

The Defiance Crescent published this on December 14, 1942, on the front page:

"OSWALD ENTERS NOT GUILTY PLEA

Steve Oswald, 66 -year old Hicksville farm hand pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter when arraigned today before Common Pleas Judge C. W. Palmer. He was bound over to the grand jury under $5,000 bond and returned to the county jail. The jury will convene Jan. 4.

The charge was brought by Prosecutor Erwin L. Clemens in connection with the shotgun slaying Nov. 2 of Frank Sabo, 67, Washington Twp stock buyer. Oswald had contended he shot Sabo accidentally when he stumbled in a ditch and his gun discharged as they were walking along the road near Sabo's home."

It took a second lie detector test in Toledo to verify the story that Oswald told on his first test. This time a Hungarian priest also talked to Oswald to be sure he understood the proceedings. 

The jury absolved Oswald of blame in the shooting, believing that it happened accidentally. He said he slipped and fell in the ditch, his finger on the trigger, and his gun accidentally discharged. A day and a half was spent examining evidence at the trial, and Oswald did not take the stand in his own defense.

The jurors: Ruby Hall, Dorothy Lavan, Beatrice Haller, Clifford English, Julie Ann Ryan, Helen Seither, Adam Riger, J. Ray Schlib, Clayton Dunmire, Maria Monroe, Mary Ames, Estella Singer, Ralph Richardson, Henry Blunk

The Verdict: NOT GUILTY