An Old Settler - Robert Shirley Sr. - PART ONE/ The Trek to Defiance

 

An Old Settler in Defiance - Robert Shirley, Sr.

The story that follows appeared in The History of Defiance County 1883 and again in the Crescent-News on August 23, 1915. The story of Robert Shirley was presented by his daughter, Mrs. Ruth Austin, who was deceased by 1915 when it appeared in the newspaper. The old Fort Defiance referred to, actually Fort Winchester, was standing when they came to Defiance in 1821, and the Shirley family moved in there. They were one of the last families to live in one of the block houses.

"LIVED IN THE OLD FORT BLOCK HOUSES

Said Mrs. Ruth Austin, Deceased, Who Came to Defiance in 1822.

My father, Mr. Robert Shirley, Sr., moved with his family from Ross county, near Chillicothe, Ohio, to Fort Defiance in the spring of 1821. Our family numbered nine persons, namely my parents, Mr. Robert Shirley, Sr. and Mrs. Rachel Shirley, Sr., my brother(s) James, Elias and Robert; my sisters Mary and Nancy, myself (Ruth) and my baby brother, John Gilbert. My brother Nathan, the eldest of the family was at that time married and settled in Ross county. At the time of our removal, I was eleven years of age. I have a vivid recollection of the journey and of the wild appearance of the country.

Tecumseh, Shawnee chief

We started for Defiance in March, 1822, and arrived at our destination in April, having been three weeks on the way. The first place we saw Indians was at Wapakoneta. They were Shawnees and partly civilized. Mr. John Johnson was the Indian agent. Through his influence, the government established a blacksmith shop, and a store to supply the Indians, and appointed Mr. Broadax to superintend the work of teaching the Indians agricultural and mechanical pursuits. Some of the Indians lived in log cabins."

The family next came to Fort Amanda and then to Fort Jennings. Ruth did not remember any buildings being at either place. They were entertained by a white family who lived at Fort Jennings, and, as she recalled, they were the last white people the family encountered until Fort Defiance.

"We were now truly in the wilderness. On one side was the river Auglaize, on the other, a vast wooded country with no road, only an Indian trail along the river. It required a man to go ahead with an ax in order to cut away trees that had fallen across the trail and to blaze the trees and often to cut through brush some distance in order to get a place to ford the streams tributary to the Auglaize.  The weather was unusually fine, so the family did not suffer much inconvenience in camping out."

Robert Shirley and two of his friends had originally planned to live at Fort Finley, so the previous summer in 1821, they took provisions there, including plows and seed corn and potatoes. Two older brothers, James and Elias, cleared some land there before returning home. James' horse got away and returned home without him, worrying the Shirley family greatly. James decided to visit Fort Defiance before going home and, "was so captivated by it... he persuaded his father to change the location of their home" to Fort Defiance. Now, on the journey to Fort Defiance, James was sent back to Finley to bring back the stored goods.

Pontiac, Ottawa chief

"Nothing of interest transpired after James left us for Fort Finley, until we came to Okonokee's village on the Auglaize, thirteen mlles above Fort Defiance, where Charloe now stands. These Indians were of the Ottawa nation, called by the whites, Tawas. They had here a reservation seven miles square. 

Okonokaee was chief, and the village was named after him. The Indians were all at home, it being the close of the hunting and sugar-making seasons. Many came out to see us. They were civil and manifested a curiosity to see the big horses and the big wigwam on wheels....

This was a great day with them, being the day of their yearly feast and dance to celebrate... The next morning, we started early in the hope of finding fire, but were disappointed; so at noon we stopped and unloaded the wagon until we reached the chest and got the flints when we soon had a fire made.

My eldest sister quickly prepared nourishing food for our dear mother, who was almost overcome by her fast of thirty hours and her care of her nursing baby, ten months old. After we were all refreshed by a good dinner, we started on. When the sun was getting low, we came to a little stream that was difficult to cross."

About that time an Indian came down the path on foot and helped them cross safely and get back to the trail. There they camped for the night and invited the Indian to dine with them. He warned them of the wolves and the rain to come. "He then took a brand of fire and, making a circuit, set fire to several dry logs to protect us from wolves, and then left for his village." At that point, the Shirleys were only three miles from the end of the journey which they reached the next forenoon.

Their son, Robert Jr., had been there several days ,waiting on them at Fort Defiance.

To be continued...

Dianne Kline, Researcher

World War I Series - Charles Butler

 

Charles Butler

Charles Butler, the last of the soldiers in this series, was an enigma for quite a while.  He was born in Michigan, was on the 1900 and 1910 censuses with his parents in Minnesota, lived in Defiance for a short time, and enlisted in Ohio and then joined the National Army in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

Charles was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan, on November 15, 1889, the son of Charles Carroll Butler, Sr. and his wife, Alice M. Parmalee.  Charles, the soldier, was actually a junior to his father, but he never used his middle initial or the junior on the documents for the military.  His parents were born in Wisconsin, adding to their travel journey.  From at least 1900 until their son's death, the family lived in Virginia, St. Louis County, Minnesota.  

Why Charles was in Defiance, Ohio in 1917 when he enlisted is a mystery, but the book, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, placed him there, living at 814 Clinton Street. He seemed to claim Defiance as is residence in all things military. Nothing could be found on his life in Defiance.  

After enlisting on November 23, 1917, into the National Army at 28 years old, he was placed in Company A, 304th Engineers where he stayed until January 7, 1918.  By occupation, Charles had trained as a civil engineer at the University of Wisconsin, and on the 1910 census was employed by the city of Virginia, Minnesota as such. He was last assigned in the Army to Company A, 301st Battalion TC (Tank Corps). 

On March 28, 1918, Charles departed New York City on the ship Olympic, headed for France. His contact person was his mother, Alice P (Parmalee) Butler.  He was with the 65th Engineers, Company A, Heavy Tank Section. (It is unknown if his father was alive at this time.)

He moved up the ranks quickly from his first assignment as a Private until he was promoted to Captain on February 25, 1918, and finally, Sergeant on March 3, 1918.  He was part of the Somme Second Offensive, often called one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

At first, Charles was reported as Missing in Action during the Battle of St. Quentin Canal, but later that was changed to Killed in Action.  He was declared dead on September 28, 1918.  His name rests on the "Tablets of the Missing" at the Somme American Cemetery, Bony, Aisne, France.

His body, if found later, was memorialized in the Somme American Cemetery. For his bravery, he was awarded a Purple Heart and a World War I Victory Medal with one bronze service star, posthumously.  No obituary or photograph of him could be found.

Defiance Crescent-News, May 17, 1921

"Butler Street 

Sgt. Charles Butler

 Co. A 301st Tank Battalion 

Killed in Action 

Somme Offensive, France 

September 28th, 1918"

In Memoriam

Charles Carroll Butler, Jr.

The Rice House in Farmer, Ohio - Dr. Oney Sr., Hiram, and Clark Rice

From the History of Defiance County, Ohio, 1883:

 

"Along with his parents, Oney Rice came with his wife to Defiance County in 1836. Dr. Oney Rice and family settled on Section 21, Farmer Township. The doctor built a log cabin, in which he and his family lived. 

The settlers Edward Lacost, John Rice, Spencer Hopkins, Harrison Conkey, all came and helped raise the cabin. It was of split logs for the upper and lower floor, made of basswood logs and window frames and sashes bought in Defiance, the door was made of pine boxes. 

The doctor had a large practice which he continued until July 1848 when he died at the age of 51. Mr. Oney Rice served as Justice of the Peace and was appointed the first Postmaster at Farmer Center August 31, 1843; was also a Commissioner of the county and one of the founders of the Universalist Church in this township. Was a man greatly respected and esteemed by all who knew him."

"Who remembers that the Rice house at Farmer, that burned down about March 11, 1920, was the oldest house in the township at the time?'It was built from 1842 to 1845 by Oney Rice, who died in 1848, and after his passing, it was occupied by his son, Hiram Rice, who passed in 1905 and since that it was used by his son, Clark Rice, three generations of Rices in one house.

Of the antique furniture lost in the fire was a corded walnut bedstead worth over $100, a bed more than 80 years old, used in the house for 75 years.

Of the 80-year-old things saved were a bureau, rocking chair stand and the sole survivor of a set of dining chairs. Another rare article burned was an old-style spinning wheel.

Wonder if the Rice family yet have these things mentioned and possibly some overlooked in our note-booking?"

Bryan Press, November 18, 1926

Defiance County Pioneers - Mary Schleger Wisda

As an immigrant widow with six children to raise, Mary Schleger Wisda kept the family together and financially prospered enough to support them all into adulthood.

"MRS. MARY WISDA

Mary Wisda died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Chas. Clemens, near Domersville, on Saturday, October 12, 1895, at 1 o'clock p.m. of infirmities due to old age.

She was born in Klattan county, Bohemia, in 1817, and was 79 years old at her demise.  She came to this country with her husband and family in the spring of 1854, in a sailing vessel, the voyage occupying 42 days, and settled in Sandusky county where her husband John Wisda, Sr. was killed in 1862 by a falling tree, leaving her a widow with a family of six children, of which John, the oldest, was 18 years of age.

 

Photo, courtesty of C. C. Brown

She managed to keep the family together and soon the debt of $150 on the homestead of 40 acres was paid off and another 40 was purchased and added to the farm.  In 1871, the family sold their property and removed to Defiance county in Tiffin township, later she removed to Adams township, where she has since resided.

She had been unusually vigorous up to about one year ago when she began to fail and on Saturday, heart failure closed the scene.  Her maiden name was Schleger.  She was united in marriage in 1843 to John Wisda, Sr.

Six children were the fruits of this union, viz: John Jr., Joseph J., Albert who is at present in South Africa, James W. of Ord, Neb., Mary, wife of Charles Clemens and Anna, wife of M. J. Shondel of Holgate.  

The funeral services were held Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock at North Ridge Catholic church, conducted by Rev. J. B. Heiland; interment in the Catholic cemetery on the Ridge.  A large circle of friends mourn her loss."  

The Defiance Democrat - October 17, 1895 

The burial was at what is now called St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery.

This is a tombstone full of the symbolism of the time.  Mary's name is written on the book of life; the IHS cross of Christ is at the head of the tree of life, the sawed off branches and the vine - "I am the vine; you are the branches."