Highland Township Schools - 1902-1903

An unusual booklet, this shows the teachers of the Highland Township High School in 1902-1903, pictured with the superintendent, F. G. Blue.

H. S. VanVlerah - G.A.R., Bishop Post

Photo taken in 1910 (according to Bishop Post minutes)

HENRY S. VAN VLERAH

Born in 1838, Henry Van Vlerah enlisted in the Union Army on April 24, 1861 for a three month term.  He was discharged on August 12, 1861 after 3 months and 16 days.     

Henry was a private in Company K, 21st Infantry, better known as the Dennison Guards.  Men from Hancock and Defiance Counties were the largest part of this unit which was under Captain Strong.  The mustering in point was Camp Taylor, Cleveland, but before leaving, a farewell party was held for the local men here in Defiance, sponsored by the Methodist Church.  The ladies presented the men with a flag, fed them well, and those in attendance escorted the men to the depot.

After mustering in, Henry served under Captain Jesse Norton.  The group marched to Gallipolis and camped along the Ohio River at Camp Carrington.  After several months, they crossed over into Virginia where they joined McClellan and fought the Battle at Scary Creek on July 17, 1861.  It was a five hour battle in which 9 of the group were killed and 17 wounded.  Their captain, Norton, was captured but later exchanged.  

On the 1890 veterans census, Henry noted a disability from his service, but it was illegible.  He was a married man when he joined the Ohio Infantry, having married Angeline Boucher on January 14, 1858.  

After the war, he and his family were enumerated on the 1870 census: Henry - 32, Angeline - 30, and children- Viola - 11, Iva - 9, Lloyd - 7, Robert - 4, Estella - 2 and General W. - 0.  He had acquired real estate valued at $1000 by that time and he was farming.

Henry continued to farm and serve his community and the G.A.R. in various offices.  He attended G.A.R. company reunions and events and accepted jury duty when called.  

In 1910, he was still farming at the age of 72.  The census noted that he and Angeline had six children, with four living at that time.  By 1920, Henry had retired and was 82.  Angeline died in 1928 and Henry in 1929.  He lived to 91 years, a well-respected man in Defiance County.  

His obituary:

Defiance Crescent-News - July 15, 1929

 "HENRY S. VAN VLERAH, CIVIL WAR VETERAN, DIES AT AGE 91

Henry S. Van Vlerah, 92, died at his home in Defiance township, a mile and a quarter south of the Power Dam, Saturday at 3 p.m. due to the infirmities of old age.  He had lived on the farm on which he passed away for more than 65 years, although for the past three years, his son-in-law, Theodore Keller, has lived on the farm with him.

Mr. Van Vlerah was a Civil War veteran and a member of Bishop Post of the G.A.R. at Defiance.

He was born near Ulrichsville, Tuscarawas County, Jan. 8, 1838, and came to Defiance county in 1854, settling first in Highland township, where he married Miss Angeline Boucher in 1858.  Mrs. Van Vlerah died Dec. 17, 1928, less than a month before the celebration of their seventy-first wedding anniversary.

Mr. Van Vlerah held a number of township offices, such as trustee, assessor and land appraiser.  He also taught school seven years and carried mail on horseback between Defiance and Delphos for four years.

His father lived to the age of 98, and other relatives also reached ripe old ages.  He was the last of a family of 12 children.

Three of his children are surviving, as follows: Mrs. Theodore Keller, Mrs. Clara Kramer and Mrs. Agnes Beall, all living within a short distance of the home farm.

Mr. Van Vlerah has subscribed to the Defiance Democrat and then the Crescent-News for more than 70 years without a break.

Funeral services will be held at the home at 10 a.m. Tuesday, then at the Mansfield Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m.  Burial will be made in the Myers Cemetery on the Ottawa-Defiance pike."

(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!)

Shady Corners School, Mark Township

The Shady Corners School was located at the corner of Williams Center-Cecil Road and Fountain Street, in the southeast corner of Section 22, Mark Township.  This was an extra school in the township, formed because of the large number of students who lived in the immediate area.  

The school burned in 1911 when a threshing machine stopped in front of the school with engine problems.  As the driver revved his engine, sparks flew out of the top of the machine and landed on the roof of the school, starting a fire.  That year, the children finished school in someone's chicken coop because only a short period of the school year was left.  (Interview with G. Donson, 2000.  Her mother attended this school.)

                   Photo of the rebuilt school after the fire


Defiance Daily News - Tuesday, March 7, 1911

"DESTROYED BY FIRE

Was School House Near Mark Center.

Children Escaped in Safety But Buildings and Contents Were Completely Destroyed.

Sparks from a passing engine set fire to the country school house at Shady Corners, one mile south and one mile east of Mark Center Monday afternoon.

The building and contents were completely destroyed.  The insurance on the building amounted to $500 and on the contents, $150.  At a special meeting of the board of education of the special district held Monday evening, it was decided to rebuild at once.

School had just been resumed for the afternoon when the teacher noticed fire breaking through the ceiling.  The room was quickly vacated, and no sooner had the children made their exit than the entire structure burst into flames.  It was found impossible to save any of the contents.  The building, which was a frame structure, was burned to the foundation."

Mark Center High School - 1922, 1938

Several newspaper clippings from the "new" Mark Center School, Mark Township -

Cornelius McGuire - Bishop Post, G.A.R.

Photo taken in 1919 (according to Bishop Post minutes)

CORNELIUS McGUIRE

Cornelius McGuire was Irish by birth, born there on March 14, 1840 and traveling to America in 1860 as a 21 year old.  

The new immigrant enlisted in the Ohio Infantry, Company K, 12th regiment first on April 25, 1861.  He served a three month term, and he was discharged on August 18, 1861.

Later, he re-enlisted in Co. K, 10th (11th?) regiment Ohio Cavalry and this time served 2 years, 4 months and 18 days.  He enlisted on March 3, 1864, and was discharged on July 21, 1866.

On the 1890 veterans census, it was noted that he had fallen from a horse and was disabled in his left knee.

In the spring of 1864, that particular company was just reorganizing itself after losing its horses to starvation in 1863.  Company K was involved in the Atlanta campaign, charging the Rebels at Resaca, Georgia with high losses in the battle.  They marched with Sherman to the sea, fighting the enemy all the way, and then moved north through the Carolinas.  They were in active service until the end of the war.

Cornelius's pension card

After the war, Cornelius settled with his wife, the former Rachel Beavers, in Defiance and worked as a day laborer.  The couple had five children, but four were living at the time of the 1910 census: Mary E., Christena, C. Henry, and Claud.

Several references were made to Cornelius in the local papers.  On April 18, 1890, the Defiance County Republican Express reported:
"While Cornelius McGuire of East Defiance was removing dirt from his lot Wednesday, an Indian skeleton was unearthed.  There were gold bracelets on the wrists and gold ear rings near the head.  A tomahawk, pocket knife, and bullet moulds were also picked up and were in a good state of preservation."

On April 4, 1891, The Defiance Daily Crescent noted this court news:
"This morning Cornelius McGuire was arrested at the instance of Mrs. Andrew Baker of East Defiance and charged with the malicious destruction of property.  The trouble grew out of a line of fence which separates the complainant and defendants lots.  The trial caused considerable excitement and was heard before the Mayor.  There was evidently some misunderstanding on behalf of the prosecuting witness, for after hearing testimony, Mr. McGuire was discharged as it was proven he had not infringed on Mrs. Baker's premises."

It was interesting that in May, 1906, Cornelius ran for street commissioner and did not receive a single vote, according to the Defiance Daily Crescent.  Perhaps there is a story behind that?

In the 1920 census, Cornelius reported himself as a widower, as his wife had died on November 15, 1919, at the age of 85.  She was older than he was by about five years.  Cornelius was living at 425 Auglaize Street, a home that he owned.
Cornelius died August 9, 1921, while visiting or staying with his daughter in Mansfield, Ohio, and his obituary appeared in one of the papers.

   

"CORNELIUS McGUIRE

Cornelius McGuire died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Crossland at Mansfield.  The body arrived over the Baltimore and Ohio railroad this afternoon and was taken to the home at 425 Auglaize avenue.  He was a member of the Bishop Post of G.A.R.

The funeral services will be held  tomorrow at 9 a.m. from the St. Mary's church with Rev. Fr. Merickel in charge.

Members of the G.A.R. and American Legion will be pallbearers.  Members of Bishop's Post are asked to meet at Mansfield's Undertaking establishment so as to attend the services in a body." 

Defiance Crescent-News, August 1921

Riverside Cemetery - 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!)

The "New" Mark Center School -

A summary of the story of the school by guest blogger, Gladys Donson -

"The Mark Center School

 The Mark Center High School was erected in 1922 in the northwest corner of Section 22 in Mark Township, Defiance County, Ohio, across the corner from the two story wooden structure which housed the previous high school and district elementary school.

The land was transferred from D. F. Openlander and wife to the Mark Township Board of Education on November 15, 1921, being eight acres.  As is often the case, feelings had run high at the time the additional levy was on the ballot to provide money to build the new school.  Some considered it progress and necessary.  Others thought it a waste of money.

The Board of Education in 1920-1921 consisted of: George Stuckman, President; R. D. Dunson, Vice-President, Perry Horn, Charley Wonderly, Burt Blackburn, and Lavon A. Elder, Clerk.  By 1922-1923, the Board had almost completely changed to: Edgar Haver, President; Elmer Lobdell, Vice-President, Lavon A. Elder, Henry Gecowits, Walter Burd, and H. O. Beltz, Clerk.

Thomas D. McLaughlin and Associates were the architects from Lima, Ohio.  Baker and Shindler Contracting Company of Defiance were the general contractors.

The building housed grades one through twelve until the fall of 1958 when consolidation was implemented and the high school was moved to the Farmer building temporarily, until the Fairview High School was completed.  In the fall of 1967, the seventh and eighth grades were removed to the Ney building until a junior high building was added to the Fairview High School.  

From this time until the building was closed at the end of the 1989-1990 school year, it housed only kindergarten through sixth grade.  The elementary children were divided between the Farmer and Sherwood buildings after Mark Center was closed."

G. Donson, July 26, 1993

Old Mark Center High School Commencement - 1909

 The old, frame building that was first the Mark Center School had the high school on its second floor.  Located at the intersection of State Route 18 and Farmer-Mark Road, it sat in the midst of the first location of the town of Mark Center.  In 1909, the high school had five graduates.