The George W. and Jane R. Balser Family - Sherwood, Ohio

 This photo arrived from a kind gentleman in Michigan who found it at an antique show.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could find a descendant of this family to treasure it?

George and Jane Rosella (Bassett) Balser were residents of Delaware Township, Defiance County, Ohio.  In this photo, they are shown with six children, five girls - Ethel, Mary Etta, Audrey, Hazel and J. Carrie.  The baby may be their only son, Elmer, born in 1901 and died in 1902, which helps date the photo to circa 1901.

J

Jane and George are buried in the Sherwood Cemetery.

If you are a descendant interested in this photo, please email defiancegenealogy2002@yahoo.com and state your connection to the family.

This photo has found a home with a great grandson of the Balsers.

Asa Hagert, Congressional Medal of Honor Winner - The Rest of the Story

 Asa Hagert (Asel Hagerty) is the only Congressional Medal of Honor recipient buried in Defiance County.  The Civil War hero's tombstone stands proudly in Riverside Cemetery.

Asa was born in New York on June 30, 1849, and by 1864, he had enlisted in the 61st New York Infantry, Company A.  

In August, 1864, when he enlisted at the age of 22 in Watertown, NY, the 61st was fighting in Virginia.  His medal was awarded for an incident at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, when he captured the flag of a  Confederate regiment on April 6, 1865. It was a grand morale booster for the Union troops.  Just three days later, Lee surrendered at Appomatox.  

Asa mustered out with his unit on July 14, 1865 in Alexandria, Virginia.

Asa received his award on May 10, 1865. 

"The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Asel Hagerty, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 6 April 1865, while serving with Company A, 61st New York Infantry, in action at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia, for capture of flag".

The medal is awarded for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty."

In 1997, thanks to the work of the local Veterans' Office, a new stone listing his accomplishments was placed at the grave with a memorial ceremony.

The Battle of Sailor's Creek

Asa Hagert was in Defiance, Ohio, at least by 1878, when he married Mary Brown of Brunersburg, the daughter of Dr. Wesley and Eliza (Doll) Brown.  The marriage occurred on February 10th, solemnized by Rev. Slagle.

Their residence was found in the Federal Census of 1900 on Ayersville Avenue.  Asa was 50, owned his home free and clear, and listed his occupation as landlord.  Mary, born in September, 1855, was 44, and the couple had no children.  Living with them was Mary's sister, Minerva Brown, 53 and single.

By 1910, they had moved to 211 Jackson Street in Defiance.  Asa W. Hagert, 60, and Mary L.,54, rented their home and took in two boarders: Alva C. Brown, 50, divorced, and Joseph W. LaFreve, 50 and divorced. Only Joseph worked outside the home as a machinist.

The true patriotism of Asa Hagert was revealed again in 1917, when he went to sign up for service in World War I at the age of 70.  The Defiance Crescent News reported on his action on March 31, 1917:

"MARTIAL SPIRIT BURNS STRONG IN THIS VETERAN

More than half a century ago, Asa W. Hagert laid down the rifle he had taken up for the defense of his country, an returned to the peaceful pursuits of business.

Today with the country getting under arms, the same martial spirit rages in Hagert, and the same loyalty that prompted him to answer the call to the colors in the '60s burns undimmed in his body.  The only change that has been made is that the frame is not so tall, the hair has turned from black to gray and time has seared his face with wrinkles.

Hagert offered himself as a recruit at the local recruiting station yesterday afternoon.  He is nearing his 70th milestone of life, but he would like to again wear the uniform of the Nation's army and serve the country as he did in one other crisis.

'I would go just as quickly today as I did in 1862,' said Hagert. 'The young men of today do not seem to have the courage and the fiery patriotic spirit that we had in the '60s. I do not regret the years that I spent on the battlefields in the service of the greatest country in the world, and I would not hesitate to go again.'

Hagert went out in 1862 with Troop A of the Black Horse cavalry, New York state.  The command went through some of the hardest fighting of the great civil conflict.  Hagert participated in the battles of Cold Harbor, Antietam, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge."

So we find that when Asa went in 1864, he was reenlisting into an infantry unit.  The Black Horse cavalry was also known as the First Regiment Mounted Rifles.  Two years after this patriotic statement made to the newspaper, Asa passed away, March 30, 1919.

His wife, Mary, lived on into 1931. Her obituary appeared in the Crescent-News on May 12, 1931:

"DEATH TAKES MARY HAGERT.  

75-Year-Old Woman's Rites to be Thursday at Home in Perry Street.

Mrs. Mary L. Hagert, 75, widow of Asa W. Hagart, died at midnight at her home, 1030 Perry street, after a week's illness due to pneumonia.

The funeral will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. at her home with Dr. F. M. Swinehart, pastor of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church officiating.  Burial will be made in Riverside cemetery.

Mrs. Hagert was born Sept. 17, 1855, in Brunersburg, a daughter of the late Dr. Wesley and Eliza Doll Brown.  On Aug. 6, 1878, she came to Defiance with her parents and continued to make her home there the remainder of her life.  She and Mr. Hagert were married here Feb.10, 1887, by Rev. B.W. Slagle.  Mr. Hagert passed away March 30, 1919.

When 15 years old, Mrs. Hagert became a member of the Methodist church here and held her membership until her death.  She leaves a brother, Alvah C. Brown, who lived with her."

Riverside Cemetery

 

Margaret Jane Moore Waltenberger, George I. Grover, and Francis A. C. Parker

 From  Early Pioneers of Northwest Ohio, a collection of obituaries from the early 1900s, found in all the Defiance Public Library collections.

"Margaret Jane Moore Waltenberger

Margaret Jane Moore was born near Dublin, Ireland, June 6, 1840.  When about 9 years old, she came to America, the family settling first in Medina county, Ohio, but not long after coming to Defiance county, and locating a couple miles south of Hicksville.

On June 1, 1862, she was married to J. J. Waltenberger, who died in May, 1902.  To them were born three sons, Frank, Cyrus and John, and one daughter, Mrs. Clara Gorrell.

About 14 years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Waltenberger came to Hicksville to live.  They both united with the Presbyterian church shortly after.  When the husband died, Mrs. Waltenberger went to reside with her daughter, Mrs. Gorrell, six miles southwest of Hicksville, where after several years of patient suffering, she fell asleep April 5, 1909, aged 68 years, 9 months and 29 days.

A few years before she had transferred her church membership to North Scipio M. E. church.  She lived a consistent Christian life, and longed for the time to come when she might go to be with her Lord.  She leaves her four children, eight grandchildren, five brothers and three sisters. The brothers and sisters are Elliott, Henry, Thomas, John and Frank Moore, Mrs. Mary Lybarger, Mrs. Kate Hoffmeister and Miss Sarah Moore.  Mrs. Waltenberger was loved by allwho knew her and will be greatly missed by her many loved ones.

The funeral was held at the M.E. church, Hicksville, Thursday, April 8, conducted by Rev. D. F. Helms.  Burial at Forest Home."

George Isaac Gruver   (Grover)

"George Isaac, son of John L., Sr. and Harriet L. Gruver, was born in Greenfield township, Huron county, Ohio, May 3, 1882, and the same year moved with his parents to Hicksville township, Defiance county, Ohio, where he has since made his home.  After attending the local school he began work on he farm.  As a young man, he was industrious and enterprising and early showed considerable business ability.  Up until the time of his sickness, he was a strong, ambitious boy and one of his great desires was to be a soldier.

When the militia was organized in Hicksville, he was one of the first to enlist and was always a steady, conscientious member until his health failed him and he was honorably discharged on December 3, 1908.  At this time a very severe trouble manifested itself in the form of a tubercular disease of the back and right thigh bone. Since then he was a great sufferer and underwent a number of severe operations.  The disease is rarely curable but his condition had so far improved during the winter that here was some hope of a favorable result.  But these hopes were not to be realized.

He died at his home on March 16, 1911, after a long and lingering illness, at the age of 28years, 10 months, and 13 days.  He leaves to mourn their loss, a father, mother, two sisters, five brothers and a host of friends. One sister preceded him to the better world.  He was always very patient in his four years of suffering, a kind and obedient son, a loving brothers, and kind to his fellow men.  Only those who constantly attended him can appreciate how patient and hopeful George has been.  Funeral services were conducted at his home Monday at one o'clock p.m. by Rev. Dunnigan of Cecil.  Interment at Forest Home."

Francis A. C. Parker

"Francis A. C. Parker, was born in Preble county, December 22, 1831. When only a few years old, he, with his parents moved to Allen county, Ind.

He was twice married, first to Jane Arney  to whom two children were born.  His second marriage was to Elvina Madden in 1864, to which union eight children were born, three of these preceded him in death.

 

He, with his family, came to Hicksville twenty-one years ago where he continued to reside until last Saturday evening when death took him at the age of 74 years, 11 months and 25 days.

He enlisted as a soldier in the civil war in company H 91st Indiana infantry in 1863 and served until the close of the war.  He became a member of the Hicksville United Brethern church in 1889 under the pastoral labors of Rev. A. E. Goff, which relationships continued until death.  There remain as near relatives of the deceased, his wife, seven children, one brother, one sister, sixteen grandchildren and one great grandchild.  The names of the surviving children are: Mrs. Sam Comparette, Mrs. Bruce Crowl, Bert Parker, Mrs. Merton Greenwalt, Miss Harriet Parker, John Parker, and Mrs. Scott Filberry.

His funeral service was conducted in the U.B. church by the pastor, Rev. J. F. Miller, Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock."

                                                          

Franklin Lloyd - Civil War Soldier in Farmer Cemetery

 

Franklin Lloyd was a Vermont native, born on January 17, 1844, to David Lloyd and Emily Phillips.  He was in Ohio with his family by the 1860 census of Centre Township, Williams County.  David, a farmer, with real estate worth $1000, was enumerated with his wife, Emily, and children Mary, 19; Frank, 15; Alice 3; and Emma, 1.  The youngest two children were born in Ohio.  Martin Lloyd, the grandfather, born Massachusetts, 79, also resided there.

A very young Frank Lloyd enlisted in the 86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company E when it reorganized at Camp Cleveland on July 17, 1863, for six months service.  The company traveled to Zanesville, Ohio and then on to Eagle Point to intercept John Hunt Morgan.  There they skirmished for four days, capturing his command.  Morgan was on a mission to raid Indiana and Ohio and had taken thousands of prisoners along the way.  At the interception, he lost much of his regiment, but he escaped.

Company E then moved into Kentucky, around the Cumberland Gap, where they garrisoned until January, 1864, before moving back to Cleveland. Thirty-one men of the company were lost to disease. Frank was discharged on February 10, 1864.

According to Defiance County Marriage Records, Frank married Mary Bell Wolford on January 27, 1872. The couple settled in Centre Township, Williams County.  The 1880 census named Frank Lloyd, 35, a farmer, with a checkmark on maimed, crippled or bedridden.  Perhaps this indicated a war injury, but not enough to keep him from his farm work.  Mary was 24 in this census, and the couple had two children: Clara B., 7, and William H.,3.  Later, in 1883, son Martin M., was born.

Frank lost his discharge papers as reported in the 1890 veterans' census, so no information other than his name, was included on the census.  By 1900, Frank and Mary Bell, now married 28 years, were located in Farmer, Defiance County. Frank, 55, now described himself as a landlord, and he owned his farm free of mortgage.  Mary was 43. Son, Martin, the youngest, lived with Thomas and Henrietta Richardson, as a servant/farm laborer, while the other son, William H. worked as a farm laborer for George S. and Cora Richardson in the Farmer, Ohio area. Daughter, Clara, had married Irvin Graham; they would divorce in 1906, having two children.  

Defiance Weekly Express, January 26, 1906, p. 9 - "A divorce has been granted Irvin H. Graham from Clara B. Graham and the care and custody of their children, although defendant may visit them on certain specified occasions.The grounds forgranting the separation are gross neglect of duty."

Frank died on January 17, 1900.  His wife, Mary Bell, lived until August, 1949.

By that time, she had settled in Edgerton, Ohio.  In the 1930 census, Mary, then 72, lived in Edgerton with sons, William,52, a carpenter, and Martin M., 47, an independent well driller, both single.  In 1933, William died, followed by Martin in 1940. 

 Clara lived until 1951, having remarried to Jacob Bangard.  

Defiance Crescent-News, July 21, 1951, p. 3 - "Clara B. Bangard.  Edgerton, July 21 - Mrs. Clara B. Bangard, 77, widow of Jacob Bangard, died Friday evening at the Meagley sanitarium in Hicksville, where she had been a patient for seven weeks. She had been in failing health fifteen months.

Surviving are a son, Walter Graham, rt. 2, Hicksville, and a daughter, Mrs. Viola Cosper, Butler, Ind.  There are two grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Mrs. Bangard was born in Defiance county Oct.13,1873. With her first husband, Irvin Graham, she lived in Farmer Tp.

The body, now at Krill funeral home in Edgerton, will be taken to the residence in Edgerton this afternoon.  Monday, the body will be returned to the funeral home for services at 2:30 p.m. in charge of Rev. Ralph C. Tucker, Methodist pastor.  Burial will take place at Maple Grove cemetery."

The Frank Lloyd family, except Clara, are all buried in Farmer Cemetery.

Who Remembers the Funnel Inn in Mark Center, Ohio? Part 2

 

The Defiance Crescent

November 4, 1968, p. 13

On the right, Deputy Sheriff 

Tom Mick points to a hole in the

wall caused by a shot fired by

Kelly Hayes, owner of the 

Funnel Inn.

It was in the wee hours of a Sunday morning when Robert A. Heffley and another patron, William Temple, argued over the ownership of a quarter which had fallen on the floor as they attempted to pay for some beer.  Eventually Heffley allegedly knocked the other patron down and owner, Kelly Hayes attempted to stop the fight.  In the struggle, Hayes was stabbed.

"He (Hayes) then went from the rear dance floor to the kitchen area in the front of the building and picked up a gun. Returning to the scene of the fight, Hayes ordered Heffley to put down the knife and allegedly shot when the Indiana youth refused to drop it," the Crescent reported.

Hayes and Heffley, 19, were both taken to Parkview Hospital, Heffley having received a bullet wound in the upper right arm. 

And then, in September, 1969, James Gamble, 31, had his

throat cut, allegedly by an unknown assailant about midnight

at the Paradise Palms (aka Funnel Inn).  Gamble was attacked

by a man wielding what appeared to be a straight razor.  After

being cut, Gamble allegedly assaulted Trebor Vaughn,

 Paulding, with a beer bottle. Both men ended up in the 

hospital.

By this time, the Funnel Inn was under the ownership of the Northwest Tavern Company and Ralph Harvey was managing the tavern.  The name change to Paradise Palms came with the new ownership.

And then an era closed at the end of January, 1970, when the tavern building and all its contents were decimated by a fire; the loss was estimated at $15,000.

An employee had closed the tavern at midnight on a Monday night and the fire was discovered at 2:10 a.m. by a neighbor, Mrs. Wonderly, who thought she saw flames through the bar's windows.  She called her son, Forrest, who called the Hicksville fire department.  The thought was that the fire started in the kitchen.

Who Remembers the Funnel Inn in Mark Center? Part 1

 The rumors relate that there were some wild times in The Funnel Inn (later called Paradise Palms) on the main drag in Mark Center, Ohio.  The tavern, opened from sometime in the 1950s until 1970, when it burnt down completely, had people visiting from all over the area, including Indiana. Numerous reports hit the papers of bartenders or waitresses serving minors 3.2 beer or mixed drinks.  Several times the building itself was crashed into by inebriated drivers just trying to get out of the parking lot.  And occasionally, fists flew and weapons were drawn.

In February and March of 1961, when the bar was owned by Kelly Hayes, burglars thought they could take advantage and relieve the business of some cash. Hayes, who lived across the street, had different ideas.  On February 20, 1961, Hayes closed down the bar around 1 a.m. and then went to the Vagabond on Rt. 24 to grab a bite to eat.  Upon returning home around 3 a.m., he spotted a car with two men driving by, and soon one of those men was busy breaking into the tavern.

"He (Hayes) grabbed his 12 gauge shotgun and the Luger pistol and ran into the street.  When he saw a man pass a front window and approach a cigarette machine on the northeast side of the inn, Hayes fired three shotgun loads through a window.  As the man ran toward the south side of the building, Hayes fired again through a door window and a fifth shotgun blast as the man broke a window on the south side and ran.  Hayes then fired at him with the Luger.  When the suspect's car sped away, Hayes pursued in his own auto."

Deputy Sheriff Doug Zeigler and his men found the burglers' abandoned car along route 24 with its blood stained handles.  As it turned out, Sites' wife took him to St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne where Sites had to have his right eye removed via surgery.  He also had two shotgun pellets imbedded in his forehead and a third in the right shoulder.  Risley was the getaway car driver. They both spent some time in Mansfield Prison.

In July, 1961, the Funnel Inn was hit again, after Larry Wayne Fett tried to get into the inn around 3 a.m. in the morning.  A neighbor, Mr. Miller, nabbed him.

Fett pleaded his innocence, but a sack containing $45 in change was found in his pocket, probably from the cigarette and shuffle board machines which he had taken earlier and dumped in the bushes.

And then there was the time that someone took a pretty terrifying ride on the hood of a car at 110 mph.  In September, 1965, Deputy Norval L. Stairhime, Noel "Butch" Melia and Jerry Finn, posse members, were about to leave the Funnel Inn after checking on it when Clarence Powell, 23, ran up to them to report that a man had stolen a girl's purse.

"The man (Powell) then ran outside and jumped into the path of a car driven by James A. Harter, 23, Fort Wayne, attempting to flag it down, the deputy said.  The car struck Powell, hurling him onto the hood to which he clung as the vehicle pulled out of the lot at a high rate of speed, turning north onto Farmer-Mark Road.  The vehicle ran the State Route 18 stop sign at about 80 miles an hour and Powell was thrown onto the roof by the wind pressure, the officer said.

As the sheriff pursued the car north at speeds up to 110 miles an hour, Powell clung to the rain gutters, the force of the wind cutting both hands.  The car was stopped and Harter and a passenger, Mike Conroy, 23, also of Fort Wayne, were taken into custody."

The car was stopped a half mile south of Farmer by a deputy sheriff and two posse members. The purse which had been stolen from Connie Mason, 22, Garrett, Ind. was found along the highway, thrown from the car. Some of its contents were also discovered in the car. The driver was under the influence of alcohol and charged, of course, and Powell, had a bump on the forehead and injury and cuts to both hands.  

To be continued...

Record of Contagious Diseases - Mark Township 1896 - 1897

 The trustees of each township were in charge of reporting any contagious diseases directly to the Board of Health.  The information was to include the residence of the ill person, the disease and doctor who diagnosed it, the date reported and the outcome of the disease - discharged or died.

These entries were in the book of the David Gusler (trustee) family of Mark Township.

Edger Burd , son of Myron Burd, Mark Township, typhoid fever, reported September 18, 1896, Dr. George Rock, no discharge information.

Mrs. Delilah Rohn, Henry Rohn, Mark Township, typhoid fever, reported September 18, 1896, Dr. Geo. Rock, no discharge info.

Oliver Denning, son of Gill Denning, Mark Township, typhoid fever, reported September 18, 1896, Dr. George Rock, no discharge information

Elmer and Hattie Denning, children of Gill Denning, Mark Township, typhoid fever, reported Sept 20, 1896, Dr. J. L. Demuth.

Adeline Jones, daughter of Albert Jones, residence -Mark Center, typhoid pneumonia, reported Sept. 24, 1896, Dr. J. L. Demuth, discharged Sept 25, 1896

Frank Strattler, son of Stotler, Section 10, Mark Township, typhoid fever, reported Sept. 30, 1896, Dr. Geo. Rock, no discharge information given.

Poulter - John, Charley, Arthur, Wallace, Anna and Bernice, children of August Poulter, Section 26, Mark Township, diptheria, reported October 24, 1896, Dr. Geo. Rock.  It was requested of the Board of Health by Dr. Rock that on Oct.26, 1896, to quarantine to the premises, as he cannot make the people stay there in the house and keep others away.

Bernice Jones, daughter of Albert, Section 27, Mark Township, typhoid fever, reported on October 31, 1896, Dr. J. L. Demuth, no discharge information.

Mirrel Garver, father Chas. Garver, Mark Township, Section 15, typhoid fever, reported February 5, 1897,Dr. George Rock, no discharge information

Clinton Rickerd, son of P.P. Rickerd, Mark Township, Section 18, scarlet fever, reported May 15, 1897, Dr. J. Demuth, discharged May 30, 1897.

Ephram Stuckman, Kyle &Anderson's Addition, Lot 9, Mark Center, typhoid fever, reported August 19, 1897, Dr. Geo. Rock, discharged Sept. 11, 1897.

lMrs. E. Lovejoy, father Hill, Mark Center, Block 12, typhoid fever, reported August 21, 1897, discharged Sept. 11, 1897.

George Holton, father Nath. Holton, Mark Center, Block 3, Lot 1, typhoid fever, reported Aug. 30, 1897, Dr. Geo. Rock, died September 6, 1897, buried in Sherwood Cemetery on Sept. 7, 1897.

E. J. Pugh, son of W. H. Pugh, Mark Center, Block 11, Lot 5, typhoid fever, reported September 15, 1897, Dr. Geo. Rock, discharged September 27, 1897.