Mrs. Martha A. Houpt

Mrs. Martha A. Houpt (spelled Haupt in her obituary) passed away on July 28, 1903, and she was buried at Oakland Cemetery. An obituary for Martha Houpt appeared in the July 31, 1903 issue of the Sandusky Register. It read:

Mrs. Martha A. Haupt

Mrs. Martha A. Haupt, wife of Geo. W. Haupt, died at her late home at Hull's Corners, Tuesday morning, after a long illness. The funeral services were held at the home Wednesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. W. H. Oswalt. Mrs. J.D. Parker and Mrs. W. H. Oswalt sang "Nearer, My God, to Thee" and "Asleep in Jesus." The burial was in Oakland Cemetery.

Martha A. Turner, daughter of Rev. James Turner and Mary Turner, was born in Kenninghall Heath, Norfolk, England, Aug. 13, 1842. Died at Hull's Corners, Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio, July 28, 1903, aged 60 years, 11 months and 15 days.

When 16 years of age, with her parents, she emigrated to America, and settled in Williams County, Ohio. On Nov. 18, 1866, she was married to Geo. W. Haupt. to them was born one child, a daughter, now Mrs. Clara I. Seitter, of New Washington, Ohio.

With the exception of a short time spent in Williams County, Mr. and Mrs. Haupt lived in Crawford County until about four years ago, since when they have lived in Erie County. Mrs. Haupt won the esteem of all who knew her by her pure, noble womanhood. In every relation as wife, mother, friend, and neighbor, she was good and faithful. On march 18, 1866, she united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in New Washington, Ohio and throughout her long illness she was wonderfully sustained by her Christian faith, and hope of immortal life. She expressed herself as prepared for the change, and peacefully fell asleep in her Lord.

Roxannia B. Morehous

According to the ERIE COUNTY CEMETERY CENSUS, BEFORE 1909, Roxannia B. Morehous died on July 24, 1849. She was the daughter of C.D. and A. Morehous. Her age was 10 years, 8 months, and 28 days. She was a victim of the dreadful cholera epidemic that swept through Sandusky, Ohio in the summer of 1849. Roxannia Morehous was buried in Oakland Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

Reuben Storrs, Pioneer Settler of Perkins Township

Reuben Storrs was born in Connecticut on January 12, 1787 to Ebenzer and Lois (Southworth) Storrs. Here is a brief sketch of Reuben Storrs from the book The Storrs Family in America:

Reuben Storrs went from Connecticut to Utica, N. Y.,  and was in business with his brother Shubael for two years.  In 1820 he removed to Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, where  he bought a farm of a hundred acres. Here his son was  born. He lived in Dunkirk till the spring of 1835, when he went to Perkins Township, near Sandusky, Ohio, where he  remained until his death, which occurred May 9, 1881. He  never returned to Connecticut, but heard occasionally from his old home by the way of a cousin, Schuyler Ross of Buffalo, N. Y.

In 1810, Reuben Storrs married Lucy Robinson. They were married for fifty years. Sadly she died in 1860. Reuben Storrs died on May 9, 1881, at the age of 94. A lengthy obituary for Mr. Storrs appeared in the Sandusky Register of May 18, 1881. The article stated that endured many hardships and privations in the pioneer life that he lived. he was "a good neighbor, kind and obliging, and ever willing to go forth, night or day, to minister to suffering humanity. During the last twenty years of his life his cane and his Bible were his constant companion...."

Reuben Storrs was buried in Perkins Cemetery next to his beloved wife Lucy. Reuben Storrs was the great great grandfather of my Great Aunt Maribel Storrs Parker. She indeed came from hearty stock!

(Aunt Maribel is the lady to the far right of the picture below.)

Gram Irene Re-Connected with an Old Friend in 1954

I accidentally stumbled onto a delightful newspaper article while browsing through Newspaper Archive. It turns out that my great grandmother Irene Larkins Risko re-connected with an old friend in 1954 in Florida. A transcription of the article from the June 15, 1954 issue of the Fort Pierce News Tribune is below.

Girls Together

Mrs. W.R. Fogerty is entertaining an old friend of her girlhood whom she has not seen in 43 years. She is Mrs. Michael Risko of Sandusky, O. She and Mrs. Fogerty were chums during their teenages. After this lapse of 43 years they are going over old photographs taken at that time. One photograph was particularly interesting. It was in the possession of Mrs. Stanley Stevens, sister of Mrs. Fogerty, and in the group were Mrs. Risko’s parents and two aunts, all deceased. Mrs. Risko is the only remaining member of her family.

She will remain here for a number of weeks or until, as they stated, they have those past years all thrashed out.

Oh, how I would love to have seen those old pictures!

Patrick McSorley, Railroad Conductor

Patrick McSorley was born in Ireland about 1836. By the 1860s, he was married and was working as a railroad conductor in Sandusky, Ohio. He died following a tragic railway accident. His obituary, which appeared in the July 12, 1878 issue of the Sandusky Register describes his accident and death.

Death of Conductor McSorley

Conductor Patrick McSorley, of the Cincinnati, Sandusky and Cleveland railroad, died at his residence this morning. It will be remembered that Conductor McSorley had his right hand badly injured at Kenton a few days ago while trying to couple two cars. He was standing near the track and saw the cars coming together, and as there were none of the brakemen on the spot at the time, he hastened to the cars to make the coupling himself, and while doing so he was struck by one of the cars and thrown forward against the other one. Just as the car struck him he threw out his right hand to support himself and the hand was caught in the coupling apparatus and badly torn and mangled. Mr. McSorley was brought home that day, and shortly afterwards became afflicted with lockjaw. It was reported two or three days ago that he was dying, but he subsequently revived and his condition improved so much that hopes were entertained of his recovery; but about ten o'clock yesterday morning he died. He leaves a family. Deceased was well and favorably known among railroad men and others throughout this State.

Patrick McSorley's final resting place is St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio. May he rest in peace. 

Eddy Monument at Perkins Cemetery

This tall monument at Perkins Cemetery in Erie County, Ohio honors the memory of several members of the Eddy Family. Roswell Eddy, was born in Connecticut about 1780. He died in April of 1866. Roswell Eddy married Hannah Taylor in 1802. Hannah died in January, 1871 at the age of 87 years. You can read much more about the Roswell Eddy family, and their journey from Connecticut to Ohio in the June, 1866 issue of the Firelands Pioneer.  Elmira (sometimes spelled Almira) Eddy, the daughter of Roswell and Hannah died in 1857, at the age of 55.

Joseph Eddy was a son of Roswell and Hannah Eddy. He lived on farmland in Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio,  with his family. Joseph Eddy married Caroline Akins, and they raised six children, four sons and two daughters. Joseph Eddy died in 1898. Caroline Eddy died in 1883.

Martha J. Eddy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Eddy, and grandchild of Mr. and Mrs. Roswell Eddy, died in 1848 at the age of 6.

Three Taylor Siblings Married Three Individuals with the Surname of House

Image courtesy: Origami Resource Center

In my family tree, I have many instances where siblings of one family married siblings of another family. Recently it came to my attention that this also happened in my House and Taylor lines. Percy Taylorwas the daughter of Joseph Taylor and his first wife Hannah Bell. She married Julius House in the early 1800s. Julius House’s twin sister Julia married JesseTaylor, the sister of Percy Taylor.  Another sibling of Percy Taylor and Jesse Taylor was Joseph Taylor, Jr. He married someone with the surname House also, but Sophia Smith House was a cousin to the twins Julia House and Julius House. Many members of the extended House and Taylor families migrated from Connecticut to Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio in 1815, and found their final resting place in the old Perkins Cemetery, which during World War Two was moved to the current Perkins Cemetery.

Exciting News about Perkins Cemetery in Erie County, Ohio

Above is a screenshot from the Online Search Feature of the Perkins Cemetery, in Erie County, Ohio. To search for a burial record in this database, go to the url:

http://perkins.erie.oh.govern.com/

Just enter the surname and first name, and click on the Search Button. There is even a spot where one can add further genealogical details on many of the newer burials. Genealogists thank you, Perkins Township Trustees, for adding this terrific tool for family history research!

Sentimental Sunday: St. Stephen's AME Church in Sandusky

According to volume 2 of the  Ohio Historic Places Dictionary, the St. Stephen's AME Church was begun in 1866 in the home of Benjamin Brown, In 1879, this church was built by men of the church, some of whom had been slaves before moving to Ohio. Beautiful windows are located in each of the two towers of the church.

This cornerstone is found on the front of the church. Though covered by ivy, the date of 1879 is visible on the left side of the cornerstone. The year 1922 and name of W.S. Amos is found on the right side of the cornerstone. I am reasonably sure that the church must have been renovated in 1922, when W.S. Amos was in leadership.

This church building has been named to the National Register of Historic Places. It is still in operation today. In the 1870s, Rev. Thomas Holland Brown was the minister of the St. Stephen AME Church.

Daniel P. Larkins, 1872-1924

Daniel P. Larkins was born in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio to Daniel and Bridget Larkins on March 6, 1872. On February 21, 1911, Daniel P. Larkins was issued Patent number 984,941, for a radiator truck.

He married Florence Wilson in 1914. In the early twentieth century, Daniel P. Larkins and John H. Zoellner ran a plumbing and heating business in Sandusky. This advertisement appeared in the June 17, 1905 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal.

Following a lengthy illness, Daniel P. Larkins died on June 27, 1924. This obituary appeared in the June 28, 1924 issue of the Sandusky Register.

Daniel P. Larkins was buried at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky. Though I am not sure if he was related to my ancestor, Thomas F. Larkins, both Daniel and Thomas are buried in Row 9, Section D of the St. Joseph Cemetery.