Sentimental Sunday: Osborne School, My Mom's Elementary School

A part of the Sandusky City Schools, Osborne Elementary School is the school my mom, Joyce Parker Orshoski, attended from 1937 to 1943. During her years in elementary school, the United States entered World War Two, money was tight (at least it was in the Parker family), Mom's parents got divorced, her Grandpa Larkins had a stroke, and Mom's mother died while she was still in her 30s. In spite of all these negative things in her life, Mom loved her memories of Osborne School. She made many life long friends there, and she adored her teachers. A brief article in the December 14, 1941 issue of the Sandusky Register Star News reported that Joyce Orshoski brought suckers for a treat for her fifth grade class. I'm sure it was in celebration of her tenth birthday, the very month that Pearl Harbor was attacked and the U.S. entered World War Two. One of Mom's favorite memories from Osborne School was working on the mural of Cedar Point, which still stands in the toy room of the Follett House Museum.

Miss you Mom!

Historical and Genealogical Records at the Coats Museum in North Carolina

The Coats Museum is located in Coats, North Carolina, in Harnett County. Several historical and genealogical records are found at the website of the Coats Museum. Under the Records Tab are links to:

• Coats City Cemetery
• Census Records from 1870 and 1880 for Coats, North Carolina
• Listing of Coats Mayors and Commissioners, 1905-2005
• The Coats Town Charter

In the "Reflections" portion of the website of the Coats Museums are several video recordings of individuals who have shared their memories of living in the Coats, North Carolina area. I've only viewed a few of these, and I hope to view more soon. Other features of the Coats Museum's website include online exhibits, photos,  information about those who served in the military from Coats, and a link to the Cotton Museum. 
While I do not have any ancestors from Coats, North Carolina, I truly enjoyed browsing through the website of the Coats Museum! I encourage you to take a look at the website as well! I learned a lot about the history and culture of the Southern U.S.

Augustus W. and Christina B. Horning

Augustus William Horning (sometimes spelled Hornung) was born in 1827 in Wuerttemberg, Germany. He came to the United States as a youngster, with his parents, John and Anna Horning. The family settled in Sandusky in 1835. John Horning died in the cholera epidemic of 1849. On January 30, 1852, Augustus Horning married Christina Boos (sometimes spelled Booz), a native of Baden. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Joachim Schladermundt, an early German Lutheran minister.

 Augustus was a moulder by trade. In the 1860 Sandusky City Directory, he was listed with James Pringle and George Barney as partners in Horning, Pringle and Company, located at the southeast corner of Water and Fulton Streets. Augustus William Horning died on June 22, 1912. His funeral was held at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Herman Kugel. He was buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Christina Boos Horning lived to be 91 years of age. She died  on March 30, 1922.  Mrs. Horning was survived by three daughters, a son, three grandchildren, and one great grandchild. You can read more about the Horning family in HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, OHIO, ed. by Lewis Cass Aldrich (Mason, 1889.)

Sentimental Sunday:Ohio Historical Marker at DeRivera Park, Put in Bay

A marker in honor of Joseph De Rivera St. Jurgo, 1813-1889,  is found at DeRivera Park at Put in Bay, South Bass Island, one of Lake Erie's many islands. The text of the marker, placed at the park by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission, De Rivera Park Trust, Lake Erie Islands History Society, and the Ohio Historical Society, reads:

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Joseph (José) de Rivera was born in Barcelona, Spain, and built an import business in New York City. In 1854, he bought six Lake Erie Islands and had South Bass Island surveyed and subdivided into ten-acre lots. De Rivera traveled between New York and South Bass Island, initially turning Put-in-Bay into a sheep farm. He encouraged settlement on the island and its wine industry by helping German immigrants purchase land to plant vineyards. He donated five acres for this waterfront park, the site for the first school, and the land for the first church. To promote travel to the island, de Rivera opened the island's largest cave as a tourist attraction. He is buried in the island's cemetery, which is on land he donated for that purpose. 

You can read more about Joseph/Jose De Rivera at the website of the Bridgeport Library's website. The gravesite of Joseph De Rivera at Crown Hill Cemetery on South Bass Island can be seen at FindaGrave. A visit to Put in Bay and South Bass Island, usually more enjoyable in warm weather months, will provide you with a wide variety of educational, historical, and recreational experiences!

Louis and Ida Matthias

Louis H. Matthias was the oldest employee of the Medusa Portland Cement Company at the time of his death on June 19, 1953. An article in the June 20, 1953 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that the management of the Medusa Portland Cement Company paid tribute Mr. Matthias on the occasion of his death. Louis worked at the cement plant for 60 years, having begun at Medusa as a cooper in 1893. He helped to make barrels for shipping the cement. When he still lived in Sandusky, as a young man, he drove his horse to Venice, and stabled the horse there. Then, he would walk along the New York Central railroad tracks from Venice to Bay Bridge to work at Medusa. Louis Matthias was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Venice, Ohio. Funeral services for Louis Matthias were held at the Lutz Funeral Home, and he was buried at the Venice Cemetery. Mrs. Ida Matthias died in 1962, and she was buried next to Louis at Venice Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Matthias were the parents of two daughters and one son, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mr. Matthias is one of the "twenty five year men" from the Bay Bridge plant of the Medusa Portland Cement Company, pictured below:

Mary J. Deeley Featured at Sandusky History Blog

Miss Mary J. Deeley, (1868-1945) is the topic of a recent post at the Sandusky History blog. Mary is my first cousin, three times removed. She was the longtime principal at Sycamore School in Sandusky, Ohio. Though Mary J. Deeley passed away before I was born, her nephew Dr. George Deeley, told me stories of how he used to spend summers with his aunts, Mary and Sarah Deeley. During his time in Sandusky, he worked at Cedar Point, to help pay for his college expenses. I wish I could have known Miss Mary J. Deeley.

Jacob Crecelius

Hewson L. Peeke wrote in his 1916 edition of A STANDARD HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, OHIO, that Jacob Crecelius was born in Germany, and was married to Catherine Erf. He came to the United States in 1850, first settling in Huron County, Ohio, and then moving to Erie County in 1852. He was a farmer in Oxford Township, Ohio. Mr. Peeke stated, "Jacob Crecelius was a man of no little prominence in Oxford Township, served as trustee and for a number of years as a member of the Oxford Township school board, and was not only keenly interested but an influential and helpful factor in matters of local progress. He was a democrat in politics, and in every way public spirited." Mr. Jacob Crecelius was the father of Jacob J. Crecelius,who was also a farmer in Oxford Township. The younger Jacob Crecelius served as an Erie County Commissioner for several years.
















An obituary for Jacob Crecelius, the father, who died on June 14, 1899, appeared in the Sandusky Star newspaper on June 16, 1899. Jacob Crecelius was buried at St. John's Cemetery, near the intersection of Mason and Thomas Roads in Oxford Township, Erie County, Ohio. Many surnames of German descent can be seen on the tombstones of individuals buried at the St. John's Cemetery.

SNGF: What Did Your Father Love To Do?

Randy, at Genea-Musings, challenged with this latest edition of Saturday Night Genealogy Fun:

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):

1) It's Father's Day in the USA on Sunday, so let's talk about our fathers.  

2)  What did your father really like to do in his work or spare time?  Did he have hobbies, or a workshop, or did he like sports, or reading, or watching TV?

3)  Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook or Google+ post.

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The favorite past-time of my dad, Paul R. Orshoski, Sr., seen at the far right in the picture above, was to coach Little League baseball, most often at the "atom league" level. He and several friends from Bay View, Ohio helped to raise funds to get a baseball field started in Bay View, Ohio in the early 1960s. Here is a picture of one of his teams from 1963.

 














The assistant coach was dad's cousin, Frank "Sonny" Orshoski. My brother Todd, and cousins Scott and Craig Orshoski were all on this team. Little brother Matt Orshoski is in the front row. Matt used to try to carry bat when he was not yet two years old! A family friend told me that Dad was considered the "pied piper" of baseball in Bay View. If he saw a youngster in Bay View who was not signed up for a ball team, he did his best to persuade that youngster to sign up! I think he felt that a busy young person would not have time to get into trouble, so he saw baseball as a positive force. Later on, Dad even coached a girls' team, with baby sister Kellie on it! 

I miss Dad so much each Father's Day, but he gave us lasting and wonderful memories! Even though I have never been on a ball team, and have no athletic ability, I was at more ball games than I can recall, and I loved holding the Cokes of some of the players as they sat on the bench, and rooted enthusiastically for the team.  Dad had teams that played very well, and some that were not so great, but he saw to it that each player learned the fundamentals of baseball, and had a good time, and learned to work together with others on the team. Miss you Dad!!

 

Mrs. Fanny Van Alstyne

Mrs. Fanny Van Alstyne is buried in the North Ridge of Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. She passed away on June 13, 1867. Her tombstone notes that she was the wife of Pierre Van Alstyne. Fanny was born in New York on May 11, 1843. According to FamilySearch records, Fanny was the daughter of Julius Bellamy and Sarah Jane Barney. In the 1860 U.S. Census, there is a Fanny living at the household of Freeland T. Barney, the brother of Sarah Jane Barney. Helen Hansen wrote in AT HOME IN EARLY SANDUSKY, that while Mr. and Mrs. Freeland Barney were childless, they adopted several children. Fanny Bellamy may have been adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Freeland Barney, but no official records have been found to confirm that fact.

Fanny Van Alstyne had a son, also named Pierre Van Alstyne. He was born in Tennessee about 1866, per U.S. Census records found on Ancestry Library Edition. In the 1880 U.S. Census, Pierre Van Alstyne is residing with Mrs. Mary Barney, the widow of Freeland T. Barney. Pierre is listed as Mary's grandson. Pierre worked at the Barney family's hardware business in Sandusky. While do not know all the details of Mrs. Fanny Van Alstyne's family connections, or what happened to her spouse, it is clear that Mr. and Mrs. Freeland T. Barney dearly loved Fanny, and took care of her young child after her death.

Military Monday: Joseph Hower, Civil War Veteran

Joseph Hower was born in Baden, Germany in 1843, and he came to the U.S. in 1858. After residing in the state of New York for a brief time, Joseph settled in Sandusky, Ohio in 1859, where he worked as a cabinet maker. In 1861, Joseph Hower enlisted in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served under R.B. Hayes, who would later become the president of the United States. Joseph Hower served in the Civil War for three years and three months. He was discharged from military service in 1864. From about 1870 to 1898, Joseph Hower ran a restaurant in Sandusky. On June 9, 1907, Joseph Hower died after a lengthy illness. He was survived by a daughter and son, his wife having preceded him in death. Mr. Hower had been a member of the G.A.R., the Union Veterans' Legion, the I.O.O.F., and the Knights of Pythias. Funeral services for Joseph Hower were held at the family residence, with Rev. A.N. Slayton officiating. Hundreds of friends and fraternal associates attended Mr. Hower's funeral, and he was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. A G.A.R. marker adorns the tombstone of Joseph Hower. Obituaries for Mr. Hower appeared in the Sandusky Register of June 10, 11, and 13, 1907.

Walter J. Gorey

Walter J. Gorey, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Gorey, was born in Ohio in 1867. In the 1880 U.S. Census, he was age 13, and residing with his parents and brother and sister in Huron, Erie County, Ohio. Records at Erie County Probate Court indicate that Walter J. Gorey, of Huron, Ohio,  married Anna Schipley, of Ceylon, Ohio, on December 1, 1892. After being married less than one year, Walter J. Gorey passed away from pneumonia on June 6, 1893. Walter J. Gorey was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. An inscription on the front of Walter's tombstone reads:

MEMORY CLINGS TO THEE

An obituary for Walter J. Gorey appeared in the June 7, 1893 issue of the Sandusky Register.

Everett N. Bennett, M.D.

Everett N. Bennett was the son of John and Eliza Bennett, born in Sharpsville, Indiana in 1886. In 1915, Everett N. Bennett earned his medical degree from the Western Reserve University in Ohio. That same year he married Wilma Wick, a native of Sandusky, Ohio. During World War One, Dr. Bennett served with the Medical Corps. A biographical sketch of Dr. Everett N. Bennett is found in the book HISTORY OF HOWARD COUNTY IN THE WORLD WAR.

Dr. Everett Bennett practiced medicine in Kokomo, Indiana for a number of years. He served as Commander of the American Legion post in Kokomo, and was instrumental in the formation of the Sons of the Legion chapter. On June 2, 1938, Dr. Everett Bennett passed away after suffering a heart attack. His remains were brought to Ohio from Indiana on the Nickel Plate Railroad. Funeral services for Dr. Everett were held at the Frey Funeral Home with Father William Armitage officiating. Dr. Everett Bennett was buried in Oakland Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. An obituary for Dr. Everett N. Bennett appeared in the June 4, 1938 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal.

Sentimental Sunday: Note pad from Famous Supply

This sheet of paper from an old Famous Supply notepad reminds me of my life in Bay View, on Martin's Point Road, where I lived from age 5 until 21. For most of those years, my dad, Paul R. Orshoski, Sr., worked as a plumber and pipe fitter. Dad often stopped at Famous Supply in Sandusky, Ohio,  to get parts for work. He got to know the district manager, Thad, very well. My brother even got a job at Famous Supply. The note pad was the "go to" spot for writing phone messages, grocery lists, Sunday School notes, and to do lists. I cannot remember a day at the old family house in Bay View that I didn't see one of these note pads. Thad and Dad and Mom are all gone now, but this note paper from Famous Supply, with the"F" forming a wrench, brings back many happy memories!