Following the life of Julia Anna Townsend Jacobs

Photo credit: J. Mazza

 

Mrs. Julia Anna Townsend Jacobs was born in 1837, in Sandusky, Ohio, to William and Maria (Lamson) Townsend. Sadly, Mr. and Mrs. Townsend, and one of their daughters, and Mrs. Townsend's sister. all died in the 1849 Cholera epidemic. By 1850, Julia was residing with her sister, Mary Townsend Cooke, and her brother in law Pitt Cooke.

In 1859, Julia Townsend married Angelo Jacobs, sometimes known as Thomas Angelo Jacobs. Julia and Angelo Jacobs had two sons in the early 1860s, Townsend Jacobs and Thomas Pitt Jacobs.

Angelo Jacobs seems to disappear from Julia's life in later census records. In 1872, Julia A. Jacobs applied for a Passport (accessed at Ancestry.com) with the intention of traveling with two minor sons.

By 1885, a Minnesota Territorial Census lists a J.A. Jacobs with two sons, T.H. and T.P. (most likely T.A.) Jacobs.

An article in the June 11, 1914 issue of the Sandusky Register reported that Tacoma praised former Sandusky resident Julia Jacobs.

The article stated that Mrs. Julia Jacobs died in Chicago on May 23, 1914. She had resided in Tacoma, Washington from 1887 to 1897. While in Tacoma, Julia was very active in St. Luke's Church, where she served as president of the Girls Guild. An excerpt from the article reads "She endeared herself to many friends in the years she lived here." 

The remains of Julia Anna Townsend Jacobs were taken to Sandusky, for burial at Oakland Cemetery. Julia Jacobs was survived by two sons, Townsend Jacobs and Thomas Pitt Jacobs. She was laid to rest in the family lot, near her parents and sisters.

Ayres Lot at Oakland Cemetery

Ebenezer Raymond Ayres was born in 1842 in the state of New York, to Frederick Seymour Ayres and his wife, the former Nancy Raymond. During the Civil War, Ebenezer served as a Lieutenant in Company I of the 23rd Michigan Volunteer Infantry.

In 1871, Ebenezer R. Ayres took Caroline Mills as his wife. By 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Ebenezer R. Ayres resided in Sandusky, Ohio. They had two children at this time, Fred and Sophia. Ebenezer listed his occupation as merchant. Eventually Ebenezer R. Ayres moved to Saginaw, Michigan, where he was a prominent businessman dealing in lumber.

Caroline "Lena" Mills Ayres died in 1886, and she was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. Another young son, Charles Mills Ayres died in 1882. Charles was also buried in the family lot at Oakland.Caroline Mills Ayres' paternal grandfather, Isaac Mills, was one of the founding fathers of Sandusky, Ohio. Mills Creek, Mills School, and  Mills Street were all named after the Mills family.

In 1896, Ebenezer took as his second wife, Martha Hawkins. Martha Hawkins Ayers died in Missouri in 1928

Ebenezer R. Ayres died in Saginaw, Michigan in 1914. His remains were returned to Sandusky, Ohio, where he was laid to rest beside his first wife and infant son. 

Frederick Seymour Mills Ayres lived until 1930. He too was buried in the family lot at Oakland. Sophia Ayres James was living in Athens, Greece at the time of her death in 1909.

Though the Ayres family had strong ties to Saginaw, Michigan, the monument at Oakland Cemetery is a reminder of the times  the Ayres family had in Sandusky, Ohio, when their children were young.

How a Facebook Group Helped me Learn about My Grandfather

 

My paternal grandfather, Steve Orshoski (second man from the right) was baptized as an adult on May 17, 1931 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sandusky, Ohio. A genealogist who follows an Erie County Genealogy Facebook Page shared this picture with me. Grandpa Steve was raised Catholic, and then converted to the Lutheran Church.  I suspect my great grandma Lena Yeager,or perhaps his wife, Emma Yeager Orshoski, persuaded Grandpa Steve to change faiths, so that the family would all be of same religion.

In 1944, three of Steve and Emma Orshoski's sons, as well as cousin Rolland Orshoski were confirmed at Trinity Lutheran. Someone in their class once told me that the Bay Bridge residents attended classes at the Bay Bridge town hall as mission from Trinity Lutheran.

 Seated in front: Elmer Wahl, Wayne Orshoski, Joyce Galloway, Betty Martin, Rev. John Braun, Joyce Gardner, Nancy Klafter, Donald Orshoski, and Rolland Orshoski. In the back row: Norm Oeder, Richard Quinn, Marilyn Martin, Albert Oeder, Paul R. Orshoski, Stan Perry and Curtis Miller. 

Many of our Orshoski ancestors have strong ties to Trinity Lutheran Church!

Sleep on Sweet Hattie

 

Infant Hattie Frohman was borrn to David and Rachel Frohman in Febuary of 1865. Sadly, she died on December 28, 1866. An inscription on her tombstone begins:

Sleep on sweet Hattie

And take thy rest

Hattie Frohman is buried at Oheb Shalom Cemetery in Erie County, Ohio, along with several members of her extended family. The Frohman family is well known in Sandusky and beyond, in the fields of drama, business, and history. Rest in peace Hattie.

Erastus Sheldon, Pioneer Resident of Sandusky, Ohio

Erastus Sheldon and his wife, the former  Angeline Adams, were pioneer residents of Sandusky, Ohio. According to the April 18, 1933 issue of the Sandusky Register, the Sheldon homestead was a stone structure that stood north of the Old First (Presbyterian) Church on Jackson St. in Sandusky, Ohio. (The former Sheldon home no longer stands.) Below is brief genealogical information about Mr. and Mrs. Erastus Sheldon from a book entitled The Descendants of Thomas Olcott.

Erastus and Angeline Sheldon both died in 1852 and were buried in the North Ridge section of Oakland Cemetery.

Townsend, Montana was Named for a Sandusky Native

Image of Townsend, Montana courtesy Wikipedia

In 1834 (sources vary as to exact year of birth) a baby girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. William Townsend, named Susan Townsend. When Susan was a young woman  her parents and sister all died during the 1849 Cholera Epidemic. Susan went on to marry Charles Barstow Wright, an executive in the Northern Pacific Railway. The town of Townsend, Montana was named after Mr. Wright's wife's maiden name, Townsend. Charles Barstow Wright (1859-1832) and Susan Townsend Wright (1834-1882)  are both buried at the Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

To read more about Townsend, Montana, see these links.

Townsend, Montana

Information on Townsend, Montana from "Helena As She Was"

Leopold Monat, Sandusky Businessman

Photo credit: J Mazza

This lovely monument at the Oheb Shalom Cemetery in Erie County, Ohio, honors the memory of Leopold Monat, who was born in Germany in 1832, and died in Sandusky, Ohio on November 24, 1895. During his time in Sandusky, Ohio, Leopold Monat operated a men's clothing store in downtown Sandusky in West's Block on Columbus Avenue, often in partnership with his brother in law Moses Lebensberger. The following obituary appeard  in the Firelands Pioneer in 1896:

Mr. L. Monat died at the residence of M. Lebensburger, at 10 o'clock on Sunday morning, Nov. 24, 1895.  Mr. Monat was one of Sandusky's oldest business men, but during the past fifteen years had not been actively engaged in business..  He came to Sandusky from Dayton in 1852 and has ever since been a resident of this city.  Immediately after his arrival here he engaged in the clothing and gent's furnishing business with Mr. M. Lebensburger.  It was from this was formed the now well known house of M. & A. Lebensburger on Columbus Avenue.  He never married and always made his home with Mr. M. Lebensburger.  He was a member of the board of trustees of the Masonic temple building association.

Masonic emblems are found at the top and side of the monument for Mr. Monat.

According to the will of Leopold Monat, on file at Erie County Probate Court, as well as at Ancestry.com, he left bequests to: The Ladies Library Building Fund of Sandusky, Jewish Orphan Asylum of Cleveland, Ohio, the Sir Moses Montifore Kesher Home for the Aged, Hebrew Union College, the Masonic Home at Springfield, Ohio, and he left money for his sister, sister in law, and  several nieces and nephews. Several relatives of Leopold Monat are buried at the Oheb Shalom Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio, including his brother in law Moses Lebensberger and Joseph Joseph, and their families.

Leopold Monat was active in his new homeland, and was very generous, even in his death. Rest in peace!

Note: The surname Lebersberger is sometimes spelled Lebensburger.