Missing Our Son Joel

Tomorrow will be one year since we lost our son Joel to suicide. Though all these days have gone by, we still miss him so much. I will never forget the joy he brought to us, and not a day goes by that I don't think of him. Below are a few pictures of our son Joel through the years.

Perry Family Information at the Website of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society

Though the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society is now closed for the season, you can still access its website. This link will take to you to a page that lists direct and indirect descendants of the War of 1812 naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry.  A slide show is found on the "About Us" page of the website. Next summer if you have a chance, travel to South Bass Island and visit the museum of the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society. Several items honoring Oliver Hazard Perry are found in its collections.

Souvenirs from the Centennial of the Battle of Lake Erie and Perry's Monument are on display at the museum.

All through the museum, you will be taken back in time as you view murals, artifacts, and  pictures which  show you what Put in Bay was like in days long ago.

The Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum  is located next to the police station  in the village of Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island.

Sentimental Sunday: Vintage Postcards of Cedar Point on Display at Sandusky Library

Cedar Point has been a destination for my family members for several decades! In preparation for the premiere of the documentary "Under the Baton: Music at Old Cedar Point," the Sandusky Library has enlargements of vintage postcards from the resort on display in the lobby of the library.  If you had ancestors from northern Ohio or southern Michigan, they may also have visited Cedar Point! Click here to read more about the upcoming documentary.

Loyal C. Miller, 1926-1949

Loyal C. Miller was an instructor of Physics at Capital University. Sadly, he died on October 26, 1949,  after a lengthy illness. Mr. Miller was a graduate of Sandusky High School and Capital University. At his graduation from Sandusky High in 1944, he had been awarded the Citizens Bank Cup and the Trojan Powder Award at commencement exercises. Mr. Miller was survived by his wife, a young son, a brother, his parents, and his grandparents. Funeral services for Loyal C. Miller were held at both Capital University and at Zion Lutheran Church in Sandusky, Ohio. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery. An obituary for Mr. Miller appeared in the October 27, 1949 issue of the Sandusky Register Star News. An inscription of the tombstone of Loyal C. Miller reads:

"You helped to make my life's structure a temple."

Verena Schmidlin, 1821-1887

The tombstone of Verena Schmidlin is found at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. The inscription on her tombstone states that Verena was born on July 1, 1821 in the Canton of Clarus in Switzerland. She was the wife of Mathias Schmidlin, and she died on October 24, 1887. To date I have not found many details about Verena Schmidlin.  In the Ohio County Marriages database, a part of FamilySearch, we learn that a Verona Blumer married Mathias Schmidlin in Lucas County, Ohio on March 13, 1857. In the 1873 Sandusky City Directory, Matthias Schmitling was listed as a carpet weaver who resided on the north side of Neil Street, west of Wayne Street. Verona’s name appears as Frona Schmitting in the 1880 U.S. Census. At that time she was living by herself on Neil Street, and her occupation was housekeeper. In the1886 Sandusky City Directory, Verena Schmiedling was listed as a widow, residing at 625 Neil Street. As often is the case in 18th century records, Verena's name appears with a variety of spellings of both her first and last name.  Rest in peace Verena.

Tombstone Tuesday: Butler-Caldwell Monument at Oakland Cemetery

Sisters Clarissa Boalt Butler and Susan Boalt Caldwell are buried with their husbands in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Butler's names are inscribed on the side of the monument which faces east, and the Caldwell inscriptions are on the side of the monument which faces west. Susan and Clarissa were daughters of John and Ruth Boalt, early settlers of the Firelands. Samuel B. Caldwell was born in Washington County, New York in 1792, and he died in Sandusky on July 11, 1873.



According to A STANDARD HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, OHIO, by Hewson L. Peeke, S. B. Caldwell was an early Associate Judge of the Common Pleas Court, and he served as Sandusky's Mayor in the 1830's. Susan Boalt was the second wife of Judge S. B. Caldwell, his first wife Mary having died in 1825. Mrs. Susan Boalt Caldwell died on May 7, 1886. An obituary for Mrs. Caldwell, which appeared in volume 4 of the Firelands Pioneer, stated that the characteristics by which Mrs. Caldwell were known were "her domestic virtues, benevolent spirit, and universal kindness."








S. W. Butler was a prominent commission merchant in Sandusky. He and Mrs. Clarissa Boalt Butler were the parents of five sons. (Sometimes Clarissa's first name is listed as Clara.) Their son John M. Butler married the daughter of Civil War financier Jay Cooke. Another son, Jay Caldwell Butler, served in the 101st Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Jay's letters to and from home were arranged in book form, by Jay's son, Watson Hubbard Butler. You can read about the book LETTERS HOME at the Sandusky History website. S.W. Butler died in Sandusky on August 7, 1896. Mrs. Clarissa Boalt Butler passed away on May 15, 1897.A letter from Judge Caldwell, in which he invites S.B. and Clara Butler to Thanksgiving dinner in 1846, is pictured at the Sandusky History website.

Philip Hornig

In the excerpt above from the McKelvey's Sandusky City Directory, we read that Philip Hornig was in business with Alexander Hornig at a marble works at the corner of Market and Jackson Streets in Sandusky, Ohio. Philip was residing at 89 Monroe Street in Sandusky in 1867. The tombstone below, for Lieut. Dolsen VanKirk, found at Oakland Cemetery, was created at the Hornig Marble Works.

The inscription of the monument maker reads:
P. and J. Hornig

Vital records on file at FamilySearch indicate that Philipp Hornig and Mary Shatzer applied for a marriage license in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on May 4, 1868. By the time of the 1880 U.S. Census, the Hornig family was residing in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. The family unit at that time consisted of:

Philip Hornig, age 41, born in Germany, occupation marble cutter
Mary Hornig, age 32, born in Ohio
Albert Hornig, age 10, born in Ohio
Willie Hornig, age 9, born in Ohio
Robert Hornig, age 7,born in Ohio
Herbert Hornig, age 4, born in Ohio
and
Roland Hornig, age 2

By 1900, the Hornig family had re-located to the city of Cleveland, Ohio, where Philip Hornig was still employed as a marble cutter. On October 21, 1906, Philip Hornig passed away in Cleveland, Ohio. His remains were brought back to Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Several members of the Hornig family are buried in the family lot at Oakland.

Mrs. Elizabeth Hubbard Butler

Miss Elizabeth Hubbard was the daughter of Watson and Georgiana (Holcombe) Hubbard, born in Michigan on April 23, 1852. Watson Hubbard was a prominent businessman, who had interests in the lumber business in both Michigan and Ohio. In the 1870 Census listing for the Hubbard family,Elizabeth was aged 18, and resided with her parents at 429 Wanye Street in Sandusky, Ohio. In October of 1873, Elizabeth Hubbard married Jay Caldwell Butler, a Civil War veteran. Jay Caldwell Butler was in business with his brother at a factory which made sashes and doors in Sandusky. Mr and Mrs. Jay Caldwell Butler were the parents of three children, Elizabeth, Watson H., and Leontine, who died in infancy. Sadly, Jay Caldwell Butler died in 1885. He had never fully recovered from his war injuries. Elizabeth Hubbard Butler served on the Board of Trustees of the Sandusky Library, and was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church. Mrs. Butler died on October 17, 1943,at the age of 93, at her home on Wayne Street, according to the October 18, 1943 issue of the Sandusky Register. Funeral services for Elizabeth Hubbard Butler were held at the Butler residence, with Rev. Donald Wonders officiating. Burial was at Oakland Cemetery. A picture of Elizabeth Hubbard Butler and her daughter can be seen at the Sandusky History website.

Finding Parker Family Members at FindaGrave

Today I was trying to sort out my Parker ancestors, catching up on my genealogical database. (I am SO behind...maybe when I retire I can devote more time to this task?) I was zooming in on Reuben Parker and his wife, the former Mary Elizabeth Roe. It was such a blessing to find an actual picture of them on FindaGrave! Here is a screenshot of the FindaGrave entry for Reuben Parker, who was the granduncle of my great grandfather Leroy Joshua Parker.

Here is a screenshot of the FindaGrave entry for Mary Elizabeth (Roe)  Parker, who was the wife of the granduncle of my great grandfather Leroy Joshua Parker.

Thanks so much to Greentree for your posts at FindaGrave, and for helping me to put a face with some of my Parker family members!

Waitstill H. Squire, Victim of Influenza

Waitstill Hastings Squire was born on February 7, 1893 in Sandusky, Ohio to Herbert H. Squire and Carrie (Hastings) Squire. Waitstill Squire was a graduate of Sandusky High School, the University of Michigan, and Harvard University. According to the Sandusky Star Journal of October 14, 1918, "Desiring to be of some service to his country in the great world war he entered the offices of the American Red Cross at Washington and was assigned to a responsible position in the executive department." Mr. Squire had been with the American Red Cross for about a year. and while attending to his duties, he was taken ill. On February 13, 1918, Waitstill Hastings died from complications of influenza. He was survived by his parents, and a brother and sister. Private funeral services for Waitstill H. Squire were held at his parents' home, and burial was at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Obituaries for Waitstill Hastings Squire appeared in the Sandusky Star Journal and Sandusky Register on October 14, 1918.

Sentimental Sunday: School Picture from Huron, Ohio in 1919

My cousin who lives nearby recently allowed me to scan a few photos, mostly from the Yeager and Orshoski sides of our mutual family. Above are 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from Huron, Ohio in 1919. Most of the people in this picture look very serious. The two young men at the left side of the picture look like they are good buddies. Thinking about which possible relative of mine may in this group, I took a look at the Yeager Family Group Sheet.

Since Andrew Yeager (1908 - 1942) would have been about age 11 in 1919, I am guessing he is somewhere in this vintage school picture. Andrew would have been my granduncle, the younger brother of my paternal grandmother, Emma Yeager Orshoski. Uncle Andy passed away before I was born, and I do not really know which of the youngsters he could be. Here is a photo of the Yeager family from about 1918.

If anyone can identify any of the individuals in 1919 Huron school picture, please contact me. Thanks!

Wordless Wednesday: Fall 2013 at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery

Lucius W. Lewis Lot at Oakland Cemetery

According to the U.S. Census in 1850, Lucius Waite Lewis was born in the state of New York in 1818. In 1850 he was residing in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio, where he worked as a bookkeeper. A brief biographical sketch from the Lewisiana or the Lewis Letter provides us with information about Mr. Lewis. 

 Lucius Waite Lewis married Clarissa Jane Belknap in Sandusky, Ohio in 1846. Sadly Clarissa died on July 16, 1850. She was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. 

On February 6, 1851, Lucius Waite Lewis married Mary Elizabeth Wolcott, who was a daughter of Benajah Wolcott, the first keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse.  Lucius and Mary had three children: Tamerzon, William and Lisbeth Arvilla.  Mary Elizabeth Wolcott Lewis also died young, on January 6, 1864.

 

Lucius Waite Lewis took as his third wife Caroline Electa Jenkins. She outlived her husband,and died on December 3, 1906.

For most of his adult life, Lucius Waite Lewis worked as a grocer in downtown Sandusky. In the 1860s, he was with Post, Lewis and Radcliff. By the 1880s he was in business with B.F.  Dwelle. Lucius Waite Lewis passed away on October 30, 1889. Mr. Lewis and all three of his wives are buried together in the family lot at Oakland Cemetery. The Masonic Temple Association had this resolution published in the Sandusky Register, in honor of Lucius W. Lewis on November 1, 1889.

Note: I apologize for the inconsistent formatting in this blog post. At the time this post was written, I was having some technical issues, which remain unresolved.

Rev. and Mrs. J. G. Ensslin

According to his death certificate, Rev. J. G. Ensslin was born in Germany on September 9, 1840 to Casper Ensslin and Mary Von Pearmsmantel Ensslin. Hewson L. Peeke wrote in his book A STANDARD HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, that Rev. J. G. Ensslin became the pastor of Immanuel's Church on May 1, 1876, and continued in that role for thirty years. The church, also formerly known as the German Evangelical Protestant Church is now the Emmanuel United Church of Christ.


Rev. J. G. Ensslin died of heart disease on January 6, 1914. He is buried at Oakland Cemetery next to his wife, the former Wilhelmina Schleicher, who had passed away in 1910.