War of 1812 on the Ohio Frontier Exhibit at R.B. Hayes Presidential Center

Above are just a few pictures from the War of 1812 on the Ohio Frontier exhibit at the Museum of the  Hayes Presidential Center. Highlights of the War of 1812 in and around Lake Erie are exhibited in chronological order. Click here to read more about the exhibit. Read more about the Ohio War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission at http://warof1812.ohio.gov.

Mattie G. Worthington, 1845-1865

In THE GENEALOGY OF THE WORTHINGTON FAMILY, we read that Martha, known fondly as "Mattie," was the daughter of David S. Worthington and Emily Temperance Spalding Worthington. She was born on August 9, 1845. Sadly, Mattie Worthington died at the age of 19 on March 30, 1865. She was laid to rest in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Below is a closer view of the inscription on Mattie's tombstone:

The inscription reads:

Sweet is the slumber beneath the sod
While the pure spirit is resting with God.
         Peacefully sleep.

Jacob and Katharina Hornig

According to his death certificate, Jacob Hornig was born in Germany on September 25, 1845 to Michael and Catherine Hornig. Records on file at the Erie County Probate Court indicate that on January 26, 1869, Jacob Hornig married Catharine Balduff.

In 1870, Jacob Hornig was a marble cutter in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. Most likely, this tombstone for young Grace Barney was created by Jacob and Philip Hornig in 1871.

You can see his initial and last name at the base of Grace's tombstone.

In 1880, he was still associated with a marble works, but he had moved to Vermilion, Erie County, Ohio. In 1880, the Jacob Hornig household consisted of:

Jacob Hornig - age 35, born in Baden
Catherine Hornig - age 51, born in Baden
Their children were: Walter E., age 10; Clara, age 8; Emma, age 5; and George, age 2

In 1900, Jacob and Catherine were living in Vermilion, but Jacob listed his occupation as farmer at this time. The children still at home were: George, age 22; and Carl, age 18. Jacob said he had been living in the U.S. for 41 years, and Catherine had been living in the U.S. for 52 years.

On March 28, 1918, Jacob Hornig died at his residence on South Street in Vermilion, Ohio, after a lengthy illness. An obituary for Mr. Hornig appeared in the April 2, 1918 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal. Funeral services for Jacob Hornig were held at the family residence, with Rev. Moyer of the Methodist Episcopal Church officiating. Burial was in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Jacob Hornig was survived by his wife, two daughters, and three sons. Mrs. Jacob Hornig passed away in 1924 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Rev. and Mrs. P.H. Welsheimer of Canton, Ohio. Mrs. Hornig was also buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

(Note: As often is the case,  there are many variations in the spelling of the first and last names of members of the Hornig family, depending on the source of the record.)

Dad's Been Gone for Thirty Years!

Today marks thirty years since my father, Paul R. Orshoski, Sr. lost his battle with cancer. I still miss him so much...if he had still been here, I would have consulted him on a number of difficult situations that have come up in recent years, dealing with parenting, illness, loss, and a variety of other perplexing questions about life! He was a wonderful listener, and he always seemed to know just what to do or say, in any situation. Thinking of you today, Dad! Thanks for the wonderful memories, and the many years of guidance and unconditional love!

                     






Click here to read a tribute written about my dad several years ago.

Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, Georgia

The Margaret Mitchell House, located at 990 Peach Street in Atlanta, Georgia, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is operated by the Atlanta History Center. This is the place where Margaret Mitchell wrote her well known book GONE WITH THE WIND.

You can read more about this historic home at the website of the Margaret Mitchell House. Margaret Mitchell became Mrs. John Marsh. Sadly, she died in a traffic accident when she was 48 years old. She was buried in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta.

(Image courtesy Wikipedia.)

Both Margaret Mitchell and her well known novel are not without controversy. Margaret Mitchell grew up in the South, and in her younger years she was not open-minded in her views of African-Americans. I urge you to watch the PBS American Masters special, Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel, which covers her life's journey. After her death, it was learned that Margaret Mitchell had made monetary contributions to the historically black Morehouse College.

"Meet Me There"

Clarence Reeder Upp was born on September 12, 1882 in Huron County, Ohio to Reeder Upp and Lottie Kennedy Upp. He was employed as a clerk for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway. Sadly, Clarence R. Upp died from tuberculosis on March 22, 1906, when he was only 23 years old. He passed away at the family's residence on Pearl Street in Sandusky, Ohio. Clarence was survived by his parents and a brother, George. Funeral services for Clarence R. Upp were held at the Upp home, and burial was at Oakland Cemetery. A poignant phrase, "Met Me There," is inscribed on Clarence's tombstone, indicating that his loved ones hoped to re-unite with him in Heaven when their earthly life was over.

John and Christine Lipp

The 1870 U.S. Census for Erie County, Ohio lists John Lipp, age 50, and his wife, Christina, age 41, as residents of Sandusky. John's occupation was stone cutter. John and Christina were both born in Württemberg, Germany. The children in the Lipp family in 1870 included:

Frederick, age 19
John, age 16
Henry, age 13
Caroline, age 10
Pauline, age 8
Charles, age 6

In the 1880 Census, John stated that his occupation was farmer. On March 21, 1884, John Lipp died at the age of 63. J. Krupp and Son were in charge of funeral arrangements, and burial was at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Mrs. Christina/Christine Lipp passed away in 1894. John and Christine Lipp's lovely monument is found in Lot 5, Block 93 at Oakland Cemetery.

An interesting article in the March 25, 1884 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that Mr. John Lipp's death took place on the Venice Road. By the time his remains arrived at the Krupp funeral home, "his body was in a bad state of mortification." Mr. Charles Krupp's hard work brought back a life-like look to the deceased. A few individuals thought that Mr. Lipp looked so life-like, that they were afraid he had been embalmed before he was actually dead. J. Krupp reported that Mr. Lipp was indeed dead at the time of the embalming, and there was indeed no case of "suspended animation."

Ode to Daniel Larkins

Long ago, across the sea,
You began your days in Tipperary.
After landing here in the U.S.A.,
To Ohio your family would make its way.

Your toiled on the land
In this strange new place
And raised many children
With wisdom and grace.

At the church you found hope
With folks you grew to know well.
So many weddings, and babies,
The family pew would soon swell.

Some stayed on the farm.
Others wed, moved away...
Many sons and grandsons
Found work on the railway

You worked hard and were faithful,
Though you never found fame.
Yet a stone at St. Joseph's
Still honors your name.

When the song "Danny Boy"
Makes its way to my ear,
I recall oh so fondly
My Larkins family so dear.

















(Note: This post was originally written for a Carnival of Genealogy. I am re-posting it today in honor of my Irish ancestors.)

Moors Farwell, First Mayor of Sandusky

Moors Farwell was the first Mayor of Sandusky. He was first married to Sarah Cooke. (Sarah Cooke was the sister of Eleutheros Cooke, the first lawyer in Sandusky.) Sarah Cooke Farwell died on February 28, 1827, and she is buried in Huron County.

Moors and Sarah Farwell had a daughter Sarah Farwell, who married Jeremiah Cochran. According to the publication NEWSPAPER ABSTRACTS, HURON COUNTY, OHIO, 1822-1835, by H. R. Timman,Moors Farwell of Sandusky, married Miss Semantha Dean of Cortlandville, on June 17, 1831 at Cortlandville, New York. (This item appeared in the Sandusky Clarion on July 6,1831.) Three young children of Moors and Samantha Farwell died young, and are buried at Oakland Cemetery.













The R. B. Hayes Center's Obituary Index indicates that Moors Farwell died on December 14, 1850, and he was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Following the death of Moors Farwell, Mrs. Samantha Farwell married Rev. Samuel Enoch Hitchcock in 1858. They moved to Alpena, Michigan, where Samuel was instrumental in organizing the first church of Alpena County.

Sons of Thomas and Rhoda Harvey

George W. Harvey died in 1853 at the age of six. According to the 1850 U.S. Census for Margaretta Township of Erie County, his parents were Thomas and Rhoda Harvey. Thomas was a farmer, born in New Jersey. Rhoda Harvey was born in New York State.

Another son of Thomas and Rhoda Harvey, named Edwin Harvey, died in 1856 at the age of thirty. George W. Harvey and Edwin Harvey are buried beside each other in Castalia Cemetery. Edwin was the older brother of George W. Harvey. Comparing the height of their tombstones, it almost appears as though the big brother is watching over the little brother.

Mrs. Elizabeth Fischer Eisen, 1881-1919

According to her marriage record, Elizabeth Fischer was born in Medaryville, Indiana in 1881, to Rev. Christian Fischer and Elise Burkhardt.  She married Rev. Theophilus Eisen on July 2, 1907 in Auglaize County, Ohio. By 1919, Rev. and Mrs. Theo. Eisen were residing in Sandusky, where Rev. Eisen was serving as the minister of the Emmanuel Church. Mrs. Elizabeth Fischer Eisen passed away on March 13, 1919, after a lengthy illness. Her obituary, which appeared in the March 14, 1919 issue of the Sandusky Register read in part:

Mrs. Elizabeth Eisen, 37, wife of Rev. Theo. Eisen, pastor of the German Emmanuel Evangelical Church, died at the family residence, 623 Jackson St., Thurs. night at 9:15 o'clock after a lingering illness of nearly one and one-half years. The death was not unexpected, as Mrs. Eisen has been slowly growing for the past two years. The decedent was a woman of a strong Christian character, and proved a great help to her husband in the church work in which he is engaged. She was an ardent worker in all departments of the churches of which he has been pastor since their marriage. Her death will be a distinct loss to the congregation of Emmanuel Church.

Mrs. Eisen was survived by her husband, three children, her parents, three sisters, and three brothers. She was laid to rest at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

Sentimental Sunday: 20 Mule Team Borax Advertisement

Recently I ran into this advertisement for 20 Mule Team Borax on Google Books in Volume 78 of Southern Planter. 20 Mule Team Borax has been a natural laundry booster for over one hundred years. It can still be found on shelves of supermarkets, grocery stores, and hardware stores today. Though I don't recall my mom ever using 20 Mule Team Borax on laundry day, I can distinctly remember the old television ads for this product as my dad watched Death Valley Days on television.  According to WikiPedia, Death Valley Days was broadcast on radio until 1945 and continued on television from 1952 to 1975. Here is a snapshot of my parents and me, along with my Aunt Pat in the early 1950s.

My parents' wedding picture is on top of the 1950s era television, along with an ashtray, of course!

Children of James H. and Elizabeth Magruder

Two sleeping lambs adorn the tombstone of these two young children of James H. and Elizabeth Magruder, who are buried at Shook Cemetery in Ottawa County, Ohio. Lydia Magruder died on August 8, 1853 at the age of 1 year and 7 months. Her brother James H. Magruder died on September 29, 1865 at the age of 9 months and days.

The 1870 U.S. Census for Ottawa County lists the parents of these two little ones who died so young as James H. Magruder, an attorney, age 52, who was born in Maryland. Elizabeth is 45 years old in this census; she was born in Ohio. The children, all born in Ohio, were:

Martha, age 16
Howard, age 14
James, age 12
Angella, age 10
and
Clara, age 5

According to information accessed via Google Books, Howard Magruder, who became an attorney like his father, left $200,000 in his will for the purpose of building a hospital in Port Clinton, Ohio. The hospital, Magruder Hospital, was named after its benefactor.

If Lydia and the first James H. Magruder had lived, they would have grown up in a prominent family, and they would have had all the advantages given them that life has to offer. It is so sad that their lives ended so soon.

Tuesday's Tip: McKelvey's 1867-1868 Sandusky City Direcoty

McKelvey's Sandusky Directory for 1867-1868 is available full-text at the Internet Archive. Click on "Read Online" to view this item. An informative population table is found in McKelvey's Directory. The population data was collected in July of 1867, and the table breaks down the population of Sandusky's five wards by sex, age, religion, and birthplace. The table also indicates that 535 individuals served in the last war (Civil War), and that fifty individuals had died in service. It is unusual to find such detailed information about the residents of a city from a time frame that falls between the years of U.S. Census enumeration.

The page below shows a portion of the churches in Sandusky, as well as the members of the Board of Education. The descriptions of the churches enlightens us as to the various ethnic groups in Sandusky, including German, Irish, and African American.

McKelvey's 1867-1868 Directory features the typical listings of individuals of Sandusky residents arranged by surname alphabetically.

In the back of the directory are business listings. Note that all the Dress Makers listed are female.

If you have ancestors who resided in Sandusky, Ohio in 1867-1868, look through this online city directory to learn more details about them. Thank you Internet Archive for hosting so many valuable primary resources online!

Sentimental Sunday: Poem by Mary Katherine Clark

While browsing through the Interent Archive, I found a poem written about a cemetery in the book Verses, by Mary Katherine Clark. The book was published in 1900, by the Register Press of Sandusky, Ohio. The poem is entitled "The City of the Dead."

The poetic view of those who lie in rest in cemeteries evokes images of peace and calm, as the poetess considers the individuals in the cemetery to be those who are sleeping.

Perished in the Lake

On March 1, 1904, Horace Chamberlain and Edward Finn went out onto Sandusky Bay in a skiff to set some fish nets. The bay was filled with  large cakes of ice. When the small vessel ran into a large ice cake, the two young men were thrown into the cold water, Edward Finn was able to find safety atop an ice cake, but Horace Chamberlain was not able to get to safety. An article in the March 2, 1904 issue of the Sandusky Star reported that Mr. Chamberlain was seen "throwing up his hands" and he "cried Good Bye all and disappeared." Local men were able to rescue Edward Finn, but they could not save Horace Chamberlain. Horace Chamberlain was an employee of Cedar Point, working as a grounds keeper. He and his wife and child lived in a cottage at the resort. Funeral services for Horace Chamberlain were conducted by Rev. A.N. Slayton, at Marquart's mortuary. Mr. Chamberlain was laid to rest at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.