Sunday, December 30, 2018

Arnold R. Stoll, 1886-1902


















Arnold Stoll was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Stoll. He died when he was only sixteen years old. An obituary for Arnold Stoll appeared in the Sandusky Star, of December 20, 1902.

































How terribly sad to lose a child at such a young age, and so close to Christmas. Arnold Stoll as buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.


Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Samuel Addison Dennis, Civil War Veteran
















According to records at FamilySearch, Samuel Addison Dennis was born in Oswego County, New York on October 26, 1830 to Eben J. Dennis and his wife, the former Amanda Gilmore Caldwell. During the Civil War, Samuel A. Dennis served in Company K of the 110th New York Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted as a Private, and when he mustered out, he had earned the rank of First Sergeant. In the 1880 U.S. Census, Samuel Dennis was listed as age  49, and he was a resident of Upper Sandusky, Wyandot County, Ohio. His occupation was listed as proprietor of a hub and spoke factory. Other people in the Dennis household included his wife, Adelaide, age 45; son Lloyd, age 23; son Frank, age 21; daughter Anna, age 8; and two other individuals. Samuel Addison Dennis died on December 20, 1899, at the age of 69. His remains were taken to Sandusky, Ohio, for burial at Oakland Cemetery. According to an article in the December 28, 1899 issue of the Marysville Journal-Tribune, Mr. Dennis had suffered liver damage when he was afflicted with yellow fever during his wartime service, which led to his death.

Note: Though the tombstone of Samuel A. Dennis states that he served in the New Jersey infantry during the Civil War, records at Ancestry Library Edition indicate that he was in a unit from New York.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Samuel and Ann Wright


















In the 1850 U.S. Census, Samuel Wright was age 24, and residing in Portland Township, Erie County, Ohio. (Portland Township was later known as the city of Sandusky.) The future Mrs. Samuel Wright was listed as Christina Lyman in the 1850 U.S. Census. (Many spelling errors appear in this census record.) She lived with her family in Townsend Township, Sandusky County, Ohio.  (Christina’s first name appears with several different spelling varations, including Christena, Ann or Christiana.)  On September  10,  1851, Samuel Wright married  Christiana Lyman in Erie County, Ohio.  













Samuel Wright died as young man, on February 13, 1868. He was buried at Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery. Mrs. Ann/Christina Wright eventually moved to Henry County, Ohio, where she lived with her sister and husband. Ann Wright died on June 5, 1903 in Colton, Ohio. Her remains were returned to Sandusky, Ohio, where she was buried beside her husband at Oakland Cemetery.


















Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Adam Kerste, 1820-1862






















According to the ERIE COUNTY, OHIO, CEMETERY CENSUS BEFORE 1909, Adam Kerste was born on February 9, 1820 and he died on November 7, 1862. His tombstone is located in Block 33 of Oakland Cemetery. A German inscription adorns his stone, but I was unable to decipher it at this time. Rest in peace, Adam Kerste!

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Thomas Wieber

















Army Specialist Thomas A. Wieber lost his life in a civilian accident while serving in the U.S. Army in Germany, in November of 1955. Funeral services for Thomas A. Wieber were held at St. Mary's Church, and burial was in Calvary Cemetery. Thank you for your service to your country!

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Carl and Auguste Wommelsdorf














Carl J. Wommelsdorf was born in Germany in 1840. From the 1870s until his retirement in 1903, Mr. Wommelsdorf taught German at the Sandusky City Schools. After his retirement, Carl Wommelsdorf and his wife Auguste (nee Borchers) moved to Cuyahoga County, Ohio. On December 22, 1926, Mr. Wommelsdorf passed away in Cuyahoga County. His wife Auguste died on November 30, 1925. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wommelsdorf were buried in Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.




Saturday, November 17, 2018

Anna Fay Kilbourne, 1871-1954
















Miss Anna Fay Kilbourne was the daughter of Lincoln P. Kilbourne and his wife, the former Mary Webster Radcliffe. Anna was an early registrar in the Vital Statistics division of the Erie County Health Department. Anna Fay Kilbourned died in Cleveland, Ohio, at Lakeside Hospital in June of 1954. Before her death, she had been a resident of the Episcopal Home in Cleveland. Her remains were returned to Sandusky, Ohio, for burial in the family lot at Oakland Cemetery. Anna was a descendant of James Kilbourne, pioneer Ohio resident. An obituary for Miss Kilbourne appeared in the June 22, 1954 issue of the Sandusky Register.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Poem about Ohio by Nellie Grant

In the book POEMS ON OHIO, compiled by Clement Luther Martzoloff (Herr Printing, 1911), on pages 2 and 3 is found a poem written by Nellie Grant of Oak Harbor, Ohio, entitled "Imperium in Imperio."























Notes in the book indicate that Nellie Grant was a teacher, and she wrote the poem after hearing a lecture on "Ohio and the Ohioans" at the Ottawa County Teachers' Institute. I have lived in the state of Ohio all of my life, and of course it is my very favorite state in the U.S.!


Mrs. Nellie Page


















Mrs. Nellie Page was born Nellie Weingates, the daugher of Frank and Bridget Weingates. Mrs. Page died on November 10, 1945, in Tiffin, Ohio. A transcription of her obituary, which appeared in the November 10, 1945 issue of the Sandusky Register read:

Mrs. Nellie Weingates Page widow of Frank C. Page, former Sandusky resident, died Saturday at her residence in Tiffin, following a long illness. She was a life-long member of Holy Angels' Church, this city. Surviving are one daughter, Mrs. Edmond L. Stewart; one son, John Arthur Whetstone, both of this city; a brother, A. C. Weingates, former chief of police here ; a sister, Mrs. John Hennessey, of Canton; two grandchildren John Stewart, this city, and Lieut William L. Stewart, Camp San Luis, Cal.; and one great-grand child. The body is at the Frey Funeral Home, where friends may call after 2 p. m. Sunday. Services will be Tuesday at 8:30 a. m. from the funeral home and 9 a. m. at Holy Angels' Church, the Rev. William Armitage, officiating. Burial will be in St Joseph's Cemetery. 







Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Batting Tips from Paul Orshoski, Sr., by Guest Blogger Paul Orshoski, Jr.

These photos are mostly what dad looked like when he played softball. He usually wore a t-shirt or a Grace Lutheran Church softball team shirt. Shoes were rarely tennis shoes, like the ones in the picture. Mostly he wore his Sunday dress/church shoes to play softball in. He NEVER wore real baseball spikes. He was always our church softball team pitcher. He (and Todd) were the best I ever played with who could hit a softball to the opposite field, which was right field. The reason you tried to hit to right field was this ... the object of baseball is to score more runs that the other team...we all know that. But with a man on second base, if the batter hit the ball to right field, the man on second would always score on that hit to right field. Or .... if you had a man on first base, a hit to right field would easily send the man on first base to third base. Then a sacrifice fly pop up would usually get the guy on third base home (assuming there were less than two outs when the pop up occurred). EVERYBODY in 14 states and half of Canada knew that when Dad was up to bat, he was going to hit the ball to right field. The defensive team would put extra players on the right side of the field to stop him and Dad would STILL find a spot to hit the ball without the defensive team catching it. Many times he trotted into second base with an easy double. Sometimes, depending on the English spin on the ball, his hits would roll way off the baseline into the right field foul area and he would trot in for a triple...sometimes even a home run.  Todd was really good at it too ... but Todd had great power to right center field ... so whereas Dad would try to place the ball RIGHT ON THE FIRST BASE FOUL LINE, Todd would just knock the crap out of the ball and hit it over the heads of the right center fielder or completely over the fence. Matt and I were able to hit to the opposite field too ... but my hits were mostly singles or doubles and mostly just to advance the runner to third base. Matt did it to advance the runners and get on base himself .... but Matt did not have the running speed ... 



Hitting to right field was a skill that not everybody could master because it takes great patience to do it. The natural thing for a right-handed batter (which we all were) is to hit the ball to left field. That is where a right-handed hitters natural power is. To hit it to right field so specifically as Dad and Todd did, you had to stay patient in the batter's box until you got the right pitch to do it...the best pitches were the ones a little on the outside of home plate because an outside pitch is so much easier to take it to right field. So .... many times the pitcher would pitch the ball on the inside corner of the plate so the batter couldn't take it to right field. When then happened, the batter (Dad or all of us) would shift our feet in the batter's box and move our bodies toward right field to accomplish the feat. We all looked like ballet dancers doing it. Sometimes it would cause you to pop the ball up and be an easy out. That happened to me a lot but never seemed to be a problem for Dad and Todd. The other problem with shifting your feet around is that if you stepped on home plate while batting the ball, the batter was called out. You cannot touch home plate while batting the ball ... PLUS, you have to stay in the batter's box, as well....





Friday, November 2, 2018

Victor O. Woodward, Theater Manager













Victor Ovid Woodward was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Woodward. As a young man he was involved in the theater business as well as the circus business. In 1908 he moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where he was a theater manager until 1920. In 1920, John A. Himmelein purchased the Rialto Theater in Elyria, and he asked Mr. Woodward to manage it for him. On November 2, 1927, Victor O. Woodward died at the age of 55 from heart disease. His remains were returned to Sandusky, Ohio, for burial at the Oakland Cemetery. An obituary for Mr. Woodward is found in the November 2, 1927 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal. Mrs. Minnie Woodward lived in Sandusky in the 1960s. She passed away in 1962, and was buried next to her husband at Oakland Cemetery.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

Frederick F. Smith, Former Erie County Sheriff
































Frederick F. Smith served as Erie County Sheriff from 1858 until his death on October 27, 1859. His cause of death was heart disease. Frederick F. Smith was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. You can read more about Frederick F. Smith in the book ELECTED TO SERVE, by Patty Pascoe, at the Sandusky Library.

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Mrs. Minetta Starbird, 1888-1947

















Minetta May was born in 1888 to Charles May and his wife, the former Emma Herbel.  In 1911, Minetta married Wendell B. Starbird. Sadly, Wendell B. Starbird, who was a well-respected lawyer, died in 1916. In 1923, she was listed as a dress maker. In 1932,  Minetta was the proprietor of the Starbird Hotel in Sandusky. In 1942, Minetta Starbird was the owner of the Log Cabin restaurant in Bay View, Ohio. Mrs. Minetta Starbird passed away on October 18, 1947. She was survived by two brothers and a sister. Mrs. Starbird was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

Saturday, October 13, 2018

Maria A Thorwarth






















Maria A. Thorwarth was the daughter of L. and M. Thorwarth. Her tombstone is very weathered, but it appears that Maria may have been born in the 1880s and also died during the 1880s. In the 1880 U.S. Census, Leonhard Thorwart and his wife, A. Mary Thorwart were residing in Sandusky, where Leonhard worked as a foreman in a brewery. Mr. and Mrs. Thorwarth/Thorwart were both born in Germany. There were five children in the family. A lily adorns the top of the tombstone of Maria A. Throwarth.Census records show that the Thorwarth/Thorwart family moved to Cincinnati, Ohio by 1900.

Friday, October 5, 2018

Yvonne Fievet, 1891-1992















Miss Yvonne Fievet was born in 1891 to Pierre and Hyacinth Fievet. In the  1920 U.S. Census, Yvonne was residing on Central Avenue, with her siblings and her parents. Both her parents had been born in Belgium, and spoke the French language. From 1929 to 1965, Yvonne ran Yvonne's hat shop in downtown Sandusky, Ohio. She often traveled to Cleveland to purchase hats for her shop. Yvonne Fievet lived to be 101 years of age. She passed away On October 5, 1992. She was survived by three nieces, one of whom was also named Yvonne Fievet. Funeral services for Yvonne M. Fievet were held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, and burial was at the Calvary Cemetery. Yvonne was very active in her church and community for many, many years. She was quite a lady!

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Nannie Nolan O'Keefe















Though the tombstone of Nannie O’Keefe indicates that she was born in 1879, her death record lists her birth year in Canada as 1876. Nannie was the daughter of John L. Nolan and Emma (Green) Nolan. She married Thomas Jay Keefe (sometimes listed as O’Keefe) in Lucas County, Ohio on July 15, 1902. Only four short years after she was married, Nannie Nolan O’Keefe died of tuberculosis on Apri l10, 1906. She was buried at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

Sunday, September 30, 2018

John Peterson, A Veteran Sailor, and His Wife Ann

Captain John Peterson, a longtime sailor in the United States and abroad, died on January 4, 1900. An obituary for Capt. Peterson appeared in the January 4, 1900 issue of the Norwalk Reflector, having been reprinted from the Sandusky Register. It read:

VETERAN SAILOR
Capt. John Peterson in the Haven of Eternal Rest
From the Sandusky Register

At midnight last night Captain John Peterson, one of the oldest, if not the oldest lake mariner, was called from this world into that port not tossed by storms. His death occurred at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. J. Holland, on East Adams Street, after an illness of some length. His career was in some respects most remarkable. He was born in Sonnderburg, Denmark, in 1812, and was at the time of his death 88 years old. He came to this country when a young man, and in 1837 settled at Huron, where his brother.­ Capt. J. D. Peterson, still re­sides. He followed the lakes for 53 years, during 43 years of which time he was master of some boats. In 1860 he made a trip from Huron to Liverpool, Eng., in the schooner Evelyn Bates. On this trip he ­ encountered the historic whirlwind storm which raged for six days and will be remembered by some of the older residents. In 1864 he came to Sandusky and has resided here since that time. He was captain of several boats, among which were the schooners C. N. Ryan and Provost. During the past ten years he has been of necessity in­ active on account of his advanced age. His wife died in 1881 and his only remaining relatives are his daughter and brother.

Capt. Peterson's wife, the former Ann Lee, had died in 1881. Both John and Ann Peterson are buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.























The Peterson monument stands tall in the western portion of Oakland Cemetery. John Peterson was a brave man, who faced danger on the waters, many a time. Ann Lee Peterson must have been a strong women, as both her husband, and her brother Seth Lee,  were seafaring men. She had to face life head on, by herself, when her husband and brother were on lengthy trips.


Sunday, September 23, 2018

William Wallace






















William Wallace is buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. His tombstone inscription reads:

William Wallace
Born Feb. 10, 1852
In Cathcart, Renfrew
Scotland
Killed on Lake Shore Railroad
Sept. 23, 1881
Aged
29 years, 7 mos., 13 days


In the 1880 U.S. Census for Erie County, Ohio, William Wallace was living in Perkins Township; his occupation was listed as farmer. William's wife Anna was age 21. William and Anna Wallace were the parents of three children: Frank, Matthew, and Elizabeth, all under the age of five.

It is so sad to think of William Wallace losing his life at such a young age. He was brave enough to come to America from Scotland. He was probably full of hopes and dreams, which were all cut short due to his untimely death in a railroad accident.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

John Landeck, Died from Consumption





















According to his tombstone at Oakland Cemetery, John Landeck was born on January 11, 1813, and he died on September 11, 1869. In the 1860 U.S. Census, there is a J. Landick who was listed as  a native of Bavaria. He was age 42 and lived with his wife and five youngsters in Sandusky, Ohio. His occupation was given as: laborer. The Oakland Cemetery interment card for John Landeck states that his cause of death was consumption. He was buried in Block 67 of Oakland Cemetery. The clasped hands which are found above Mr. Landeck's name on his tombstone represent the welcome into the heavenly realm.

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Sentimental Sunday: Sandusky Library 1901 Glass Floor Commemorative Paperweight
















When the Sandusky Library opened to the public in 1901, one of the special features of the new library was the glass floor in the library stacks. Since the building was built before electricity was in use, the glass floor allowed light from the gas lamps to extend to the lowest level of the library building. During the Sandusky Library's major renovation and addition project, from 2001 to 2003, several sections of the original glass floor were cut, polished, and engraved, and sold at the Library's Gift Shop (no longer in operation.)

Recently, at a celebration of one of those special "decade" birthdays, my co-workers gave me a gift of a Sandusky Library 1901 Glass Floor Commemorative Paperweight. It was paperweight number 69, to remember the first year I began working at the Sandusky Library, in 1969. I can still recall so vividly recall the excellent mentoring I received from Miss McCann, Miss Fievet, Mrs. Boylan, Mrs. Doyle, Miss Miller, Mrs. Gosser, Mrs. Kuemmel, Mrs. Schropp, Mrs. Smith, and so many other library staff members in those early days. Even now, I am still continuing to learn, under the leadership of several outstanding librarians. This is a gift I will treasure always! Thanks, my library family!

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Mrs. Amelia Holland Marshall, 1817-1901














According to a brief obituary which appeared in the Firelands Pioneer, Amelia Holland was born in County Galway, Ireland. She came to the U.S. in 1823 with her parents, and they settled in Sandusky, Ohio. In 1835 Amelia Holland married William Marshall. They had a large family of seven children. Mrs. Amelia Holland Marshall died on September 1, 1901, She was buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.



Monday, August 20, 2018

Mrs. Electa Hutchins, 1844-1897






















Electa Hutchins was born  Electa Ruggles. According to U.S. Census records, she was born in Ohio in 1844. On July 25, 1861, Electa Ruggles married John Beaver. This marriage ended, though it is not clear if it was by divorce or death. On March 23, 1865, Electa Beaver married Charles Hutchins. In 1880, Electa Hutchins resided on Market Street in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. She had a husband and son, both named Charles. Her daughter was named Dora. The elder Charles Hutchins worked for the U.S. Express Company. The younger Charles Hutchins was most likely Electa's son from her first marriage. It appears that after Electa remarried, her son took on the surname of his stepfather. Mrs. Electa Hutchins died on August 19, 1897. This tombstone at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery clearly states that Electa was the mother of Charles L. Hutchins. Rest in peace Electa.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

SNGF: Ancestors in the Social Security Death Index

Randy at Genea-Musings has challenged us to learn about ancestors who are listed in the Social Security Death Index. Here are my findings:

My father, Paul Orshoski (1927-1985)  is listed, but my mother, Joyce Parker Orshoski (1931-2010)  is not. My parents are pictured below in a wedding picture from 1950.


















The names of Dad's parents, Steve Orshoski (1905-1971) and Emma Yeager Orshoski (1906-1979) are found in the Social Security Death Index. My paternal grandparents are pictured below, shortly before or after they were married.


















The name of Grandpa Steve Orshoski's father, Joseph Orshoski (1885-1976) is also found in the Social Security Death Index. Joseph Orshoski, who is my great grandfather, is pictured below with his second wife, Julia Orshoski.


















Both Grandpa Joe and my step great grandmother Julia Orshoski were natives of Hungary, and they cherished their adopted new home in America! So, I have found four ancestors in the Social Security Death Index. Thanks for a fun SNGF, Randy!

Friday, August 10, 2018

Elihu Nims, Early Settler of Lyme Township

























Elihu Nims was born in 1783 to Asa Nims and his wife the former Mary Worthington in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.  According to the HISTORY OF THE FIRE LANDS, Asa Nims and several of his sons and their families settled in Lyme Township of Huron County, Ohio  in 1827. Sadly, Elihu Nims died shortly after he arrived in Ohio, on August 10, 1827.  He was buried in the Strong's Ridge Cemetery. The weeping willow at the top of Mr. Nims' tombstone symbolized sorrow. Almost 200 years after his death, the inscription of the tombstone of Elihu Nims is clearly legible. Mr. Nims was survived by his wife and several children.

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Mrs. Azuba Hoyt Pettibone















Azuba Hoyt was the daughter of Aaron Hoyt and Sophia Brooks, born in Lafayette, New York in 1816. (Some sources say 1817.)  According to Lineage Books from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Azuba traced her lineage back to Noah Hoyt (1753-1827), who served in the Connecticut militia during the Revolutionary War. We read in A STANDARD HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY, OHIO, by Hewson L. Peeke, that Azuba's first husband was William Latta Turney. Azuba and William Turney had three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary Augusta, and Josephine. Mr. Turney died before 1852, while on a business trip to the west. By 1870, Azuba had married Hiram Pettibone, and they were residing in Portage, Columbia County, Wisconsin, with Azuba's daughter Josephine Turney. Azuba spent her last years living with her daughter, Mrs. Charles Cooke, in Sandusky, Ohio. On July 21, 1907. Mrs. Azuba Hoty Pettibone died in Sandusky. Funeral services for Mrs. Pettibone were held at the residence of Charles E. Cooke, and burial was at Oakland Cemetery. Obituaries for Azuba Hoyt Pettibone appeared in the July 21 and July 24, 1907 issues of the Sandusky Register.

Sunday, July 29, 2018

The Celebration of the Fifth Wedding Anniversary of Charles and Sarah Steen in 1880



Twin lambs were just many of the gifts that were presented to Charles and Sarah Steen on the occasion of their fifth wedding anniversary in Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio in April of 1880.

The Charles Steen family circa 1895
















A lengthy article in the Sandusky Register of April 5, 1880 details the festive occasion. An excerpt from the article is below:





















The theme for the anniversary party was wooden ware. Some of the many gifts included: fans, toothpicks, a looking glass, hose darner, vases, hamper, sketch of Harry Steen, easy chair, marble top table, rolling pin, horse cart, horseradish grater, pails, clothespins, and of course twin lambs, to celebrate the recent birth of the Steen's twin daughters, Ada and Alpha. 


















It was such a delight to read a detailed account of an event which happened so long ago!!


Friday, July 27, 2018

The Henry Milner Household in the 1880 U.S. Census

















While the picture above was taken much later than 1880, four of the five individuals pictured were listed in the 1880 U.S. Census in Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio. The twins in the back are my great grandmother Ada Steen and her sister Alpha Steen. Their parents were Sarah Steen and Charles F. Steen, and their little brother Rollin is in front of the twins. In the 1880 U.S. Census, the family lived in a big farmhouse on South Columbus Avenue, which was pictured in the 1874 Erie County Atlas.

















Below is the listing from the U.S. Census in 1880.











A transcription of the Census is available at FamilySearch.org :

Household
Role
Sex
Age
Birthplace
Henry MilnerSelfM60England
Huldah MilnerWifeF50Ohio, United States
Chas F SteenSon-in-lawM29Ohio, United States
Sarah L SteenDaughterF29Ohio, United States
Harry M SteenGrandsonM4Ohio, United States
Ada L SteenGranddaughterF0Ohio, United States
Alpha H SteenGranddaughterF0Ohio, United States
Louise ShortsOtherF22England
Jno HandOtherM19Ohio, United States
Frank GriffinOtherM32Louisiana, United States
Fannie IsaacOtherF15England


So many people in one household! There were the owners of the farm, Henry and Huldah Milner. Then came their daughter and son-in-law, Charles and Sarah Steen. Children of the the Steens in 1880 included son Harry, age 4, and baby girl twins, Ada and Alpha. Besides three generations of family members, there were also four servants! Louise Shorto and Fannie Isaac worked as "house girls." John Hand was a hired man, and Frank Griffin was a farm laborer. You may think that Mr. and Mrs. Milner were wealthy. I think they were probably comfortable... In the late 1800s, many farmers had live-in help. The farmers benefited by having help around the house and farm, and the hired folks got room and board, and maybe a salary too! It was a different era...and how I would have loved to been a fly on the wall!!!