Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery - Washington Township, Defiance County, Ohio

This cemetery was formed with the Emanuel Lutheran Church, State Route 15, Ney, when the church was founded. According to the Civilian Conservation Corps survey, it was once called the Ginther Graveyard.  Perhaps it already contained some graves when the church acquired the land.  It sits on the bank of Lick Creek which is at the back of the property.

The CCC survey, probably completed in the 1930s, but undated, noted that Mr. Geo. Garver was the caretaker.  At that time, it was "well wooded with oak and pine trees and was fenced on three sides with an ornamental wire fence" with the front side toward the church open.

The first burial in the graveyard, according to the survey, was Sarah Goller, 1876, a six year old child of the Gollers.  The surveyors, Cecil Cadwallader and Charles Gish, also named these 'important people" buried there:

Geo. Ginther, 1830-1915, a well-to-do and county known farmer

John Weber, 1853 - 1916, widely known farmer

Geo. Goller, a German settler from Whittenberg, who came to this county in 1855, and became one of the first citizens; he died in 1888

On the Goller stone is written his history about coming to America and "by frugal effort, became a foremost citizen of the county."

This information was provided by Arlo Fidder (Fidler?), Route 1, Ney, O.
 

On the early stones, information is often engraved in German or even a mix of German and English.  (gest - died and alter - aged, den - on) Some of the earliest burials here are listed below:

Goller, Mary Strahle: Born Feb. 27, 1830 at Wittenburgh, Germany.  Married to George Goller Jan. 3, 1850; Died Nov. 3, 1850; Aged 76y 8m 29d

            George - Born Wuertenburg, Germany, came to America in 1830, to Washington Twp 1855; died Jan. 12, 1908, aged 80y 2m 18d

Fieldner

Rosa, died May 9, 1882, aged 22y, 4m 23d, Dtr of C & R. Fieldner

Otto, died Apr 22, 1883, aged 75y 27d

Rosina C., died Oct. 3, 1910, aged 82y 9m 20d

Uffer

Christiana, Mutter: Frau Christ Uffer, Gest 3 Dec 1879, Alter 71j 3m 17t

Bergman

Herman, son of C & W Bergman Gest den 6  Sept 1, 1879, Alter 10m

Vollmer

Louisa, Frau des J. G. Vollmer, Gest Den 2 March 1889, Alter 58y 2m 1 t

Jacob George, Gest Den 26 July 1829 in Bruken, Den 22 October 1883, Alter 54 2m 26t

This is just a sampling; the cemetery's tombstones were last read in 1999 and published by the Defiance County Genealogical Society.  A copy may be purchased from the website or a copy of the Washington Twp. Cemetery Tombstone readings should be in all the Defiance Public Libraries.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Washington Township, Defiance County, Ohio

 As one travels north of Ney on Route 15 just past Beerbower Road, on the left, a cemetery will come into view.  Once a church sat there, founded by early immigrant settlers in about 1864.  According to a history of the church, the founders of this congregation were:

O. Fieldner - J. C. Vollmer - J. G. Vollmer - Jacob Goller - John Goller, Sr. - G. Goller - J. Armbruster - J. G. Renz - John Goller - J. Spieth - F. Straehle - J. Schmidt -A. Haase - G. Straehle - G. Guenther - C. Schwarzbek - F. Wilhelm - C. Dreher and F. Ihmelmann

 

On photo: Ev. Luth. Immanuels Kirche - Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Ney, Ohio

This church building was erected here in 1875 by Chr. Bergman, contractor, for $1,500, with the dedication on December 5, 1875.  In 1879, the congregation joined the Evangelical Synod.  In 1912, the church was remodeled with a new addition added, along with some stained glass windows.

Parishioners of the church in about 1902, with photo from the collection of John and Luella Weller.

Row 1 (l to r): John Billow, Ferman Haase, Fay Moog, Elmer Schwartzbek, Carl Schwarzbek, Dale Vollmer, Esther Bruner, Alma Haase Weller, Lydia Vollmer Billow, William Weller, Ernest Smith

Row 2: Court Schwarzbek, Julius Moog, Frank Vollmer, William Vollmer, Amand Weber?, Harry Billow, Otis Moog, Laura Wilhelm, Emma Fieldner Goller, Florence Vollmer Moog, Ida Haase Harmon, Martha Kaltenback Fieldner, Frieda Smith Mulligan

Row 3: Gusta Moog Vollmer, Wilhelmina Bergman, Charles Smith, Carl Fieldner, George Vollmer, Willie Billow, Tillie Vollmer, Emma Bruner?, Stella Haase, ? , Rosa Bergman, Martha Koeppe, ?Burgbacher, Rose Fieldner Goller, Ethel Harmon Fieldner, Grandma Vollmer, Grandpa Vollmer, Rev. Frederick Hinkleman

Row 4: Dorothea Vollmer, Christian Vollmer, Lisetta Vollmer, Clara Burgbacher, Herman Burgbacher, Emanuel Vollmer, Theodore Schwarzbek, William Koeppe, Louisa Vollmer, William Bergman, Stella Goller, Oscar Bergman, Carrie Burgbacher, Own Burgbacher, Bertha Koeppe Goller, Gottlieb (John) Weller, Hulda Vollmer Koeppe, Leo Bergman, Sophia Weller, Selina Weller Lampl, Oney Goller, Amelia Smith Elser, Emma Moog, Otto Koeppe, Anna Vollmer, Albert Haase Jr. , John Bergman, Clara Vollmer, Otto Fieldner, Sherm Bruner, Ernest Vollmer, Wilma Vollmer    

In the 1930s, this church and St. Paul Lutheran in Bryan merged with Trinity Lutheran Church in Bryan.  Eventually, in 1947, the Emanuel church building was purchased and moved to Williams Center.

                                                   Bryan Press, December 10, 1947

The church was officially formed in 1864, and birth and baptismal records are available from 1865-1931; marriage records from 1879, confirmation records fro 1869 on to 1931.  Records may be at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bryan, but BGSU has also microfilmed all the records.

This church also had its own burying grounds behind and eventually to the sides of the church building.  Next blog - the cemetery at Emmanuel.

Thank you for all the research contributions, Deb Dietrich Conley.