Elizabeth Rutan Hartle Grier of HIcksville

Elizabeth Rutan Hartle Grier was a well-known fixture in Hicksville Society in the nineteenth century and was called "Grandma Grier" respectfully.  Born to Samuel and Mary Hartle on March 29, 1816, in Portage County, Ohio, she married David Greer sometime between 1836 and 1838.  By 1840, the couple had settled in the Hicksville area.

In the 1860 census of Hicksville Township, D. (David) Grier, 46, a farmer, owned real estate valued at $2500 and had a personal worth of $957.  The 1866 plat book showed that he owned 80 acres in Section 1 of the township.  HIs wife, Elizabeth, 44, and children: Samuel, 20; Mary, 18; James, 16; and Charles 8 were with him.

On August 29, 1861, Elizabeth's oldest son, Samuel, enlisted as a Union soldier in the 21st Regiment, Company E.  Not long after, her husband died in 1862, followed by Samuel, on March 23, 1863.  Samuel died of gangrene from a gun shot wound in the flesh of his thigh received at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  He died in Hospital #3 on the field and was buried at what is now Stones River National Cemetery at Murfreesboro.  His mother also put up a memorial stone in Six Corners Cemetery near Hicksville, where her husband is also buried.

As one could imagine, Elizabeth was handed a strong blow with the loss of her husband and her oldest son approximately a year apart from each other.  She did, however, stay on the farm and she and the remaining siblings worked on it.  In 1870, she was enumerated there at 55 years old with Harmon (Charles), 16, at school, James, 24, farming, and Francis, 23,  keeping house.  The real estate was then valued at $4000.

Elizabeth stayed on the farm and was still there in 1880.   By this time, she was 64 years old and her daughter, Mary Hatery, lived with her, accompanied by Mary's three children: Terressa 15; Andrew, 13; and Effie, 11.  

It was 1890 before Elizabeth applied for the military pension due her as the mother of soldier, Samuel Grier.  She would have been eligible much earlier than this, so it is a mystery why she waited so long to apply.

Her life was well told in her obituaries and memorials, found in the Hicksville Tribune, April 22 and 29, 1909.

"Remembrance of Elizabeth R. Hartle - Greier

Grier, Elizabeth R. Hartle, daughter of Samuel and Mary Hartle, was born at Rootstown, Portage County, Ohio, March 28, 1816, and departed this life April 20, 1909, aged 93 years and 23 days.  

She was married to David M. Grier in 1836, who departed this life March 1, 1862.  To this union were born three sons and two daughters.  The eldest son died at Murfreesboro, Tennessee in 1863.  One daughter dying in infancy, the other daughter, Mrs. Hatery, died in 1901.   She leaves to mourn two sons, seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren and many relatives and friends.

She was the eldest of a family of eleven children, all preceding her to the spirit world.

She was converted at the age of 19 years and united with the U.B. church and remained a faithful member until death.

She, with her husband, moved to Hicksville in 1840, meeting with many hardships and privations which she endured with christian fortitude.  During her last illness, she was often heard praising her Master and patiently waited until he took her home..."

Hicksville Tribune, April 29, 1909

***

"AGED LADY DEPARTS.  

'GRANDMA GRIER' ANSWERS THE FINAL CALL AT AGE OF 93 YEARS.

Tuesday morning at the home of her son, Harmon Grier in Jericho, occurred the death of Elizabeth Grier, one of the oldest and most respected residents of this community.  By the whole public, she was affectionately called Grandma.

She passed her ninety-third birth anniversary last month, and has been in critical health since even before that.

Funeral services will be held from the Radical U. B. church, Thursday morning at 11 o'clock."

Hicksville Tribune, April 22, 1909

From the Marckel Scrapbook - Thomas Elliott and Calvin A. VanWagner

 

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

Date on the cover - March the 11th, 1906

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

"THOMAS ELLIOTT. 

Thomas Elliott, better known as 'Grandpa Tom Elliott,' a well known resident and pioneer of Defiance county, died Tuesday morning about 11 o'clock at his home one mile and a half east of the city on the river road, after a lingering illness of some months with old age.

The deceased was born May 1, 1822, in Coshocton county.  His school days were spent in that locality.  In 1840, he came to Richland township and settled there.  He married Miss May Williams of Holmes county, February 20, 1842.  His family consists of James, Matthew and Sarah (twins, Lany, Fanny, Hester, George, Thomas C., Hannah and May.  Of these, Hester, George, Hannah and May are dead.  Matthew and James live in Richland township.  They were in the late Rebellion.  Sarah married John W. Robinson and lives in Hardin county.

When the deceased settled in North Richland township in 1840, there were but a few settlers.  At the time, there was no one living between his place and Bean Creek, his neighbors all living down the Maumee River.  He cleared up his many acres by hard toil, having at one time 1,140 acres, which he gave to his children, reserving nothing for himself, but the homestead in which he died, the place being surrounded by 160 acres.  His wife died about six years ago.

The funeral occurred Friday afternoon at 1:30 from the M.E. church at Independence.  The remains were interred there."

A different obituary appeared in the Defiance Express on Saturday, February 7, 1903 which provided some additional information. This was not in the Markle scrapbook

"Thomas Elliott was born of Irish parentage in Coshocton county, Ohio, May 1st, 1821, and died in Defiance county, O. Feb. 3, 1903, aged 81 years, 9 months and 2 days.

He was married to Mary Williams, daughter of Matthew Williams of Holmes county, O.  Feb. 20, 1842, who preceded her to the future world April 16, 1896.

To this union were born ten children, namely, James, Matthew, Sarah, Hannah, Hester, George, Magdalena, Frances, Mame and Thomas, of whom Matthew, Frances and Thomas survive.

There were twenty-four grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren.

Mr. Elliott was one of the early pioneers of northwestern Ohio, having moved to Richland township, Defiance county in 1843, where by hard work and frugal habits, he acquired a competence to sustain him in his declining years and was widely known and highly respected by all who made his acquaintance.

He joined the Methodist Episcopal church about 1859, under the ministry of Rev. Lindsay and remained a faithful christian to the end and will be remembered by all as an honest and upright man."

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CALVIN A. VAN WAGNER

 In 1900, Calvin Van Wagner was a resident of Springfield Township, Williams County, at the age of 32.  He rented a farmer and also worked as a carpenter.  He lived with his wife Phoebe isabelle (nee' Christy) and seven children: Eunice, Robert, Bertha, Melvin, Glen, Mary and an adopted child, Andrew Stork.  Apparently, by the time of his death, he had moved to Defiance County, close to the Children's Home.  He evidently fell on hard times which led him to drink and die tragically in 1907.  His obituary was found in the Markle scrapbook:

"CALVIN A. VAN WAGNER.  

BLEW OUT HIS BRAINS.  CALVIN VAN WAGNER, A FARMER, ENDS LIFE WITH A PISTOL.  IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS FAMILY, THE RASH ACT WAS COMMITTED - DESPONDENCY, THE CAUSE.

In the presence of his family and one of the owners of the farm on which he resided and in his own home, Calvin A. VanWagner, who resided on mile west of the Children's Home, intoxicated from the abuse of liquor while in the city during the day, took his own life Thursday evening at 6:30 by pressing the barrel of a revolver to his temple and blowing out his brains.  Despondency is thought to have been the cause of the rash act.

Entering the house on his return from spending the day in Defiance, the drink crazed man said to Mr. Davidson of Henry county, who is interested in the farm and who was at the house on business, 'Tonight I'm going to kill myself."  Mr. Davidson, thinking it simply a threat caused by the man's condition, paid little attention to the threat.  As he insisted on it, however, the visitor argued with him to the effect that he was talking in a foolish manner.  In a moment, the demented man had leaped to the center of the room, pulled a revolver and, before anyone could interfere, fired the bullet into his brain.

VanWagner had driven to Defiance with a daughter, early in the morning.  About the middle of the morning the daughter, having an opportunity to ride home with a neighbor, had availed herself of it.  The man remained in town until late in the afternoon, drinking to excess throughout the entire day.

It is said that lately he has been very despondent because of crops and financial matters and the suicide is attributed to this.

Calvin A. VanWagner was aged 41 years and 3 months.  He is survived by a widow, three sons and three daughters, the eldest of the children being sixteen and the youngest four.  The funeral will occur Sunday at 12:30 o'clock from the house. Interment at Evansport cemetery."

Phoebe went on to marry twice more, last to Charles Elliott.  She died in 1949.

A Letter About School Days in Western Defiance County

After an article about schools in 1889 appeared in the Sherwood Chronicle, Mrs. J. E. Etchie wrote a letter to the paper telling of some of her educational experiences in the area.  The writer was most likely Josephine Ellen Etchie, former owner and publisher of this same paper, who often contributed items even after she was no longer in the business.  This letter, which was reprinted in the paper in April 1948, found the writer reminiscing about her attendance at several different schools in the county.  

"SCHOOL DAYS

Editor, The Chronicle:

In remembrance over my early school days, I can recall when I read in the primer.

My first teacher that I can remember was an elderly man by the name of Crowell.  Because of the small salary paid teachers in those days, he boarded among the scholars.  When in our house, I recall when supper was ready and he was yet in the school house, mother would send me to tell him that we were ready to eat.

The little white school house stood at what are now Sherwood Corners, where the Jones filling station is located.  It was called the Collins School, as that was the name of the party father bought the farm from.  Our house was just west.

The school house was the scene of many activities.  As I grew older and read in the sixth reader, there were spelling bees, and singing was taught there, too  Religious services, and now and then, a show would come along for a night's entertainment.  Some rough stuff was also occasionally pulled off.  Can recall one time in a singing school a man opened the door and rode in on horseback.

I also went to the Shoestring School, north of the corners.  The teacher, who had been a Confederate soldier and lost a leg to the service, taught us to sing a little song, the first verse of which I still remember:

'Forty little urchins coming through the door,

Pushing, crowding, making a tremendous roar,

Can't you be more quiet, can't you mind the rule?

Bless me! This is pleasant, teaching public school!'

I also went to school in my 'teen days in Mark Township, when the late Mrs. Elta Kyle, mother of Homer Kyle and grandmother of Mrs. Ethel Croyle, was the teacher.  The little school house, located north of Mark Center, was nearly surrounded by woods.  That was in the time immediately after the building of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.  A little boy was asked by Mrs. Kyle to repeat a word he had just read, and he said, 'The train makes so d___ much noise (It was nearly a mile away) that I can't tell what it is!'

Before Sherwood was on the map, the nearest trading post was over ten miles away, and the nearest grist mill was in Brunersburg, where farmers took wheat to have it ground into flour.  Many changes have occurred since then.  Many new faces have taken the places of the early pioneers who came here to a new country of woods, stumps and muddy roads.  Folks didn't have much money, but I believe they lived happier and were more content than they are today in this 'cockeyed,' messed up old world, where wind, storms, floods, tornadoes are taking such a heavy toll of life and destruction of property, leaving so many homeless and without food.  To say nothing of the high 

cost of living, and another war in the making.  Seemingly, the end is not yet.  What think ye?

Mrs. J. E. Etchie

*The original letter was written before World War II which was then on the horizon.

Mrs. Etchie lived on North Harrison Street In Sherwood for many years and at the time of her death at the age of 87, her obituary appeared on October 5, 1950, in The Chronicle:

"Mrs. Josephine Ellen Etchie, who died at her home here Friday, is shown at work in The Chronicle office in this photograph taken some years ago.  Mrs. Etchie owned and edited The Chronicle for 36 years.

          MRS. JOSEPHINE ETCHIE, FORMER EDITOR DIES

Mrs. Josephine Ellen Etchie, former owner and editor of The Chronicle, died at her Sherwood home Friday evening.  She was 87.

Mrs. Etchie was buried Monday in Sherwood Cemetery, a scant half dozen steps from the grave of the late Charles Dickey, who founded  the Chronicle in 1902 and sold the paper to Mrs. Etchie eight years later.

Mrs. Etchie was born in Crawford County on February 8, 1863.  She was the daughter of Henry Rock and Elizabeth (Shawstoll) Rock.  She became a resident of Sherwood as a small girl - one of nine brothers and sisters - and was later married to Frank Etchie, who died in 1903.

In 1906 Mrs Etchie became the manager of the old Bell Telephone office here.  She held that post until 1910, when she purchased The Chronicle from Mr. Dickey.

Although several other attempts at publishing a newspaper here had failed, The Chronicle flourished under the guiding hand of Mrs. Etchie.  She remained at the paper's helm until her printer, the late Seth Noffsinger, died.  Unable to secure anyone in his place, Mrs. Etchie was finally forced to cease publication.  Her familiar pose, perching on the high stool, and her even more familiar, 'And that's that!' disappeared for a time until she sold the paper to Judson W. Arnett in 1944.  Mrs. Etchie never again entered the newspaper's office, although she was a frequent contributor of news items.

In addition to her editorial duties, Mrs. Etchie found time to be active in the Women's Relief Corps The Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the Methodist Church.

Last week, Mrs. Etchie caught cold.  It developed into pneumonia and resulted in her death at 6:15 p.m. Friday.  Funeral services were held Monday at the Moats Funeral home with the Rev. Anthony Drake officiating.  Mrs. Etchie is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ora Lehman, Sherwood, and Mrs. Ray Porath, Alvordton; a son, Floyd, Defiance; eleven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. One other daughter, Blanche, preceded her in death, as did all of her brothers and sisters."

Upcoming Meeting and Membership 2023

 The Defiance County Genealogical Society meetings will commence for 2023 on Monday, February 27, 7:00 P.M. at the St. John Church of Christ near the Defiance College campus. Open to the public.

Our speaker will be Rhonda Casler and her topic:

CRIMINALS, CONVICTS AND OUTLAWS  

How can genealogists find out more about these lawbreakers in our family trees?

MEMBERSHIPS FOR 2023

All of our meetings are open to the public, but we hope that you will consider a membership, as well.  

Memberships are only $15 for a single yearly or $18 for a family.

This would include four newsletters, delivered by email.  For USPS delivery, please add $5.00 to your membership to cover the cost of mailing.

A membership application may be found HERE.

Mail to the address noted on the application.

Sherwood-Delaware Seventh Grade Students - 1948

 

Lucas Speaker, Potter, and His Sons, Lucas and Frederick Speaker from Brunersburg

 In 2016, I posted about the Speaker Pottery in Brunersburg, Ohio .

No one ever came forth with an example of this pottery, but it was made very early in the history of the county.  The potter and his family have an interesting story, as well.

An example of pottery from 1840

Paulus Lukecas Speaker immigrated from Baden, Germany, in 1832, To Buffalo, NY, with his wife, Mary.  At some point, after arriving and settllng south of Brunersburg in Section 15 along the Tiffin River, he began using the abundant river clay and water to begin his pottery business.

Unlike some of the large pottery businesses that formed in southern Ohio, such as Weller, Rockwood, and McCoy, Lucas Speaker's pottery was most likely very important locally for utilitarian items for the settlers.  When he arrived, he came into what was then Williams County and he appeared in the 1840 census. 

By the 1850 census, he was in the "new" Defiance County, living on his farm in Noble Township with his wife and three of his children.  He described himself as a potter with real estate valued at $500. Others have reported that he had older children, but those living at home in 1850 were Josephine, 20; Lucas, 18, farming; and Frederick, 13.

The senior Lucas Speaker, born October 18, 1788 in Baden, Germany, died in America on November 9, 1854.  His brief obituary appeared in the Defiance Democrat on November 18, 1854:

"Died in Brunersburgh, on Thursday, 9th inst., Lucas Speaker, aged 67 years.

He was buried in Brunersburg Cemetery.

That seemed to be the end of the pottery business.  HIs sons, Lucas and Frederick identified themselves as farmers in subsequent censuses.

After her husband's death, Mary moved in with her son, Lucas, and was enumerated with him in the 1860 census.  Luke, 30, single, farmed and with him were Mary, 64, and two little girls, Clara Jane, 5, and Mary E., 2. It seemed likely that these children were relation in some way, perhaps taken in by their grandmother, but the relationship is unknown currently. By the 1870 census, it was just Lucas, 40, and his mother, Mary, 76, living on the farm. His real estate was valued at $3500.

Mary Speaker died at her home on March 29, 1871.  Her short obituary appeared in the Defiance Democrat on April 8, 1871:

Mrs. Speaker.  Died at her residence near Brunersburg, March 29, Mrs. Speaker, aged 71 years.

She was buried with her husband in Brunersburg Cemetery.  It appeared new stones have been placed for both.

It would appear that Lucas Speaker (Jr.) never married.  He was enumerated alone in the 1880 census in Noble Township.  At 51, he described himself as a retired farmer.  

He had scarlet fever in 1889, as reported by the newspaper, and by January, 1890, a nephew and his bride had moved in with Lucas.  The Defiance County Republican Express reported that Charles Speaker and his bride, nee Kuhn, had moved into the house.

The couple stayed there and were enumerated in 1900 as living with Lucas Speaker, uncle, 69. Charles Speaker was noted as head of household (born April 1867), 33.  His wife, Ella, 30 and 6 year old daughter, Emma, completed the home.

In 1910, he lived with John F. and Ella Dowe, his niece and their six children.  By that time, Lucas was 78 and he still owned the farm, free and clear of any mortgage.

He died in February, 1911, and the Defiance Democrat ran his obituary on February 4:

"Lucas Speaker, uncle of John Dowe, died Saturday afternoon.  For the past five years, the deceased, who is unmarried, has been living at the Dowe home. The funeral of Lucius Speaker was held at 1:30 this afternoon in Brunersburg.  Buried in Brunersburg Cemetery.

The obituary of Lucas's brother, Frederick, who died in December, 1907, gave more information on the Speaker family:

"Obituary: Frederick Speaker, son of Lucas and Mary Speaker, who settled in Defiance county in 1832 was born in Buffalo, N. Y., 1832.  He lived with his parents near Brunersburg on the farm until a young man when he learned the harnessmakers trade at Defiance with John Kiser where he remained until the war of 1861 when he enlisted in company F, 48th regiment O.V.I. and remained there until the spring of 1866. He was in 16 battles, among them Shiloh, Cornith, Vicksburg, and Red River when he was taken prisoner and taken to Texas where he remained for six months. 

In the year of 1867, he was married to Catherine Webb who lived with her parents on the farm one mile above Brunersburg where they lived until a few years when they moved to Brunersburg where he died Dec. 7, 1907.  His age being 75 years, 1 month, 14 days.

They reared a family of four children being Charles, Hanna, Alva and Luke.  An elegant sermon was preached by Rev. Lance of Defiance after which funeral ceremonies were taken in charge by the G.A.R. encampment of Defiance.  The pall bearers were Peter Dickman, John B. Houtz, Adam Hall, J. J. Osborn, James Corbit and Obediah Partee." 

 

 

Hicksville Township Teachers in 1909

Hicksville Tribune, June 24, 1909, p 1

 "School Days, School Days

TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS WILL BE FILLED AS FOLLOWS THE COMING SEASON

The township school board has now filled all the appointments for district schools for the fall and winter.

Before giving their names, we wish to express our hearty approval of the staff as made up.  It is our opinion that it will be found that splendid work will result in all the schools, especially if the various families of each district will lend their earnest efforts to those of the teachers to obtain good results.

By district and names they are as follows:

No. 1 - Dutch Street, Virgil Overholt

No. 2 - Six Corners, Norma Connolly

No. 3 - Pleasant Ridge, Sadie Bender

No. 4 - Harts - Elsie Cole

No 5 - Coughenour - Lottie Metz

No 6 - Crail, Stella Peacock

No. 7 - Patton, Harold Bevington

No. 8 - Jerico, Frank Coughenour

No. 9 - Fountain Street Florence Gruber"