Abram Coy, Willie Foss, Nancy Lantow Obituaries

From the scrapbook of Doris E. Marckel Bates, Defiance, Ohio

Date on the cover – March the 11, 1906

A collection of newspaper articles about the folks of Defiance County, Ohio, all undated and with no source named.

ABRAM COY      

“Mr. Abram Coy, one of the oldest and most respected residents of Evansport, died very suddenly at his home this morning.  Mr. Coy was apparently in the best of health and spirits.  At about 7 o’clock this morning, he went out to do his chores.  No more was seen of him until at about noon, when he was found in the hay mow, dead.  Death was due to heart failure.

The deceased, who was the son of Jacob and Mary Coy, was born January 18, 1832, at Evansport.  He lived with his parents until manhood, when he set out for himself.  February 14, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Marguerite Donaldson, whose death occurred December 2, 1888.  Having no children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Coy adopted two, a daughter, Ida, whose death occurred some years ago, and a son, Mr. Jacob E. Mercer, who now resides in Hicksville.

Mr. Coy spent the greater part of his life in the milling business, having built three mills upon the Tiffin River, all of which have been destroyed by fire.

The deceased is survived by four brothers, D. E. Coy, of Defiance; Dr. Clinton Coy, of Napoleon; Dr. Isaac Coy, of Archbold; and Dr. Martin Coy, of Evansport, and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Fager and Mrs. Martha Johnson, both of Defiance.  Mr. Coy has always been a prominent member of the Methodist church, and was also one of the charter members of the Evansport Lodge F. & A. M. No. 511.  Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.”

JOHN WILLIAM (WILLIE)  FOSS

“John William Foss was born April 3^rd, 1894, died March 30, 1908, aged 13 years, 11 months, and 26 days. He leaves a father, mother, two sisters, relatives and friends to mourn his sad death.”

MRS. NANCY LANTOW

“Mrs. Nancy Lantow, wife of John Lantow, died this morning at 7:30 at her home on Gray street in North Defiance, after a lingering illness.  Mrs. Lantow was well known in this city and has a large circle of friends who mourn her death.  She was 50 years of age and leaves a husband and five children who are, Mrs. Bud Murphy, and four sons, Aleck, Geo., Fred, and Eugene, all residing in this city.  She also leaves two sisters and two brothers, Mrs. Susan Ball, Mrs. Mary Devault, Henry Merrihugh, and Robert Merrihugh. The funeral will occur Wednesday afternoon at the residence at 2 o’clock, Rev. Griffith officiating.  Burial will be in Riverside cemetery.”

Henry F. Fager - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Born in Pennsylvania, Henry Fager (Feger) was a true patriot who served multiple enlistments in the Union Army.  He reported on the 1890 Veterans Census that he enlisted as a private in Company B, 10th Pennsylvania Infantry, on April 26, 1861, and served until July 31, 1861 - a 3 month enlistment.  

Then, on August 10, 1862 he enlisted again as a private in Company K, 127th Pennsylvania Infantry, serving until May 29, 1863.







On February 3, 1864, he enlisted once more as a private in Company H, 21st Pennsylvania Cavalry.  At some point, he suffered a gunshot wound in his left foot.  Perhaps some of the time unaccounted for was recuperation time for this wound.  His list of service differs somewhat from his pension card. 

A photo of a young Henry F. Fager appeared on a public family tree on Ancestry, and it may be seen HERE.

By the mid- 1870s, Henry had settled in Defiance, Ohio where he obtained work at the wheel factory.  The 1880 census indicated that he and his wife, Mary E. (Coy) were here with three children: William, 6, born in Ohio; Mattie, 5, born in Pennsylvania, and Clinton, 2, born in Ohio.  It could be possible that Henry came ahead to find work and a home in Ohio, and then went back to Pennsylvania where he had family waiting or his wife might have gone to her own home for the birth of her second child. This might be an explanation for Mattie's birth in Pennsylvania.

By 1900, Henry was still working at the wheel factory, but now the family rented a home at 702 Hopkins Street.  The census reported that Mary had had seven children, but only four were living at the time.  At home still was Frances, 23, who worked as a stenographer.  

By 1920, Henry and Mary were approaching 80 and they shared the home at 702 Hopkins Street with their daughter, Mattie, and her husband, John Imbers, and their son, Roger.  Henry was retired and John was employed as a machine hand at the machine works.

Sadly, on January 29, 1922, Mary Coy Fager died.  Her funeral was held at the Hopkins Street home and she was buried in the Evansport Cemetery. Henry lived on until July 10, 1928.  

Henry and Mary Fager on www.findagrave.com

(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!)