Tombstone Tuesday: Dr. Edwin Gillard

Dr. Edwin Gillard practiced medicine in Sandusky for 54 years. In the mid 1880's, Dr. Gillard operated a sanitarium in Sandusky. Dr. Edwin Gillard passed away on October 14, 1917, as a result of heart disease. He is buried in Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery.

Charles H. Muenscher, Sandusky Merchant

Charles H. Muenscher was born in Knox County, Ohio on November 13, 1887. He attended Kenyon College, and also studied engineering at Union College in Schenectady, New York. Mr. Muenscher moved to Sandusky, Ohio in 1857, and he was in the fur business for almost fifty years, on Water Street in downtown Sandusky. On October 11, 1906, Mr. Muenscher died at his home on Shelby Street. He was survived by a wife and four children. Charles H. Muenscher is buried in Oakland Cemetery.

The back of Mr. Muenscher's tombstone features a lovely vine border, and clasped hands in the center of the stone. An obituary for Charles H. Muenscher is found in the Sandusky Register of October 12, 1906.

Ida Voight Falley

Ida Voight was born on May 6, 1869 to Casper and Emmeline (Fike) Voight. Ida Voight married Lewis Huntington Falley on September 26, 1892, according to family information reported on WorldConnect.

Mrs. Ida Voight Falley died in Chicago on October 21, 1903. The funeral was held at Krupp's Chapel in the Mahala Block of Sandusky, and burial was in Oakland Cemetery. Obituaries for Ida Voight Falley appeared in the October 23 and 24, 1903 issues of the Sandusky Register.

By 1920, U.S. Census records indicate that Lewis H. Falley had remarried, and was living in Kansas City, Missouri where he working in the operation of mines.

Sentimental Sunday: Combination Desk and Book Case

The combination desk and book case pictured above was once sold in Sandusky at Sandusky's Big Store. It was made of solid oak, and sold for $12.50 to $42.00, according an ad which appeared in the September 18, 1905 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal. Each side had wooden shelves, and a window made of curved glass was on the door of each book shelf. In the center was a pull down desk, with storage for pens, envelopes and stationery inside, under the mirror.

A piece of furniture very similar to this one sat in the living room of the home of the Paul Orshoski family from the mid 1960's to the mid 1980's. Though it is no longer in the family, I will never forget the night that Dad brought it home. He found this item it the attic of a home where he was working. The owner said that if he could manage to get it moved, he could have it at no cost. When the furniture arrived at our home in Bay View, it was covered in dust. We kids told Dad that it looked like it belonged to "The Addams Family," a television show that was popular at the time. Well, after Mom cleaned it up, and polished it, and washed the windows, it was an absolutely beautiful piece of furniture! Mom always referred to it as the China Cabinet, and she put her best dishes and glasses in it. We all cherished it for many years.  Imagine my delight when I ran into this old advertisement on microfilm, while I was searching for something else! You can see our old china cabinet in the picture below, along with several members of the extended Orshoski family at family gathering.

Erie County, Ohio Information at Linkpendium.Com

Linkpendium.com is a collection of links to genealogical websites. You can read more about the development of Linkpendium by Karen Isaacson and Brian (Wolf) Leverich by clicking here.

The url for the Erie County, Ohio section of Linkpendium is:

http://www.linkpendium.com/genealogy/USA/OH/Erie/

Featured are links to biographies, blogs, cemeteries, libraries, mailing lists, and much more. Of particular interest to me is the link to the Erie County, Ohio 1905 Rural Mail Directory, which has directory listings for several of my ancestors who resided in Perkins Township of Erie County, Ohio in 1905. A link to the full text of the 1855 Sandusky City Directory provides a searchable resource for anyone with ancestors who lived in Sandusky in 1855. Listings include name, address, and occupation.

Visit Linkpendium for the countries,states, and counties of your ancestors. You'll find an organized list of resources to explore!

Margaret Kraft

According to volume 23 of GERMANS TO AMERICA, Margaret and Jacob Kraft came from Germany to the United States on the ship Bavaria, and arrived in New York's harbor on June 28, 1869. Along with Jacob, who was 38, and Margaret, who was 32, were four children ranging in age from six months to seven years. By 1872, Margaret Kraft died, at the age of 35. She was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. A heart and the word Mother is inscribed above her name.

By the year 1880, according to the U.S. Census, it appears that Jacob Kraft had remarried, and had more children with his second wife. Here are the names of the individuals residing in the Jacob Kraft household in 1880 in Erie County.

Jacob KRAFT,age 48
Henerica KRAFT, age 26
Jacob KRAFT, age 21
Mike KRAFT, age 17
Maggie KRAFT, age 16
Adam KRAFT, age 12
John KRAFT, age 6
Henry KRAFT, age 4
Lera KRAFT, age 2

The Wedding of Leona Schoenegge and Clifford Lindsley

Leona Schoenegge and Clifford Lindsley were married on September 21, 1935. Below is a transcription of an article from the Sandusky Star Journal, of September 21, 1935. (Note: In the article Clifford Lindsley's last name is misspelled Linsley.)


Leona Schoenegge, Bloomingville Clifford Linsley of Perkins Are Married on Saturday Afternoon

Saturday afternoon Miss Leona Schoenegge of Bloomingville and Clifford Linsley of Perkins, were married in the parsonage of the Rev. G. F. Stengel of Bellevue.
Dinner will be served this evening at the home of the bride's mother, covers laid for members of the immediate families. Immediate following the dinner the couple will leave on a short motor trip. Mrs. Gerald Dickman of North Monroeville entertained with a miscellaneous shower Thursday evening honoring her sister. Miss Schoenegge. Mrs. John Everingham and Mrs. L. Dideon won in the bunco games and later luncheon was served. Guests included Miss Harriet Behrensen, Henrietta Blume, Esther and Harriet Mack. Ruth Russell, Harriet Schlessman, Thelma Miller, Elva Truman, Edith Tommias, Gertrude DeLamatre, Mrs. John Everingham. Mrs. Alvin Wilson, Mrs. Linus Dideon, Mrs. Clifford Dickman, Mrs. Kenneth Winslow, Mrs. Denver Miller, Mrs. Edward Clark.

It appears that Leona and Clifford really enjoyed automobile trips, as in an article in the January 25, 1935 issue of the Sandusky Star Journal reported that Miss Janet Parker, Paul Baumeister,Miss Maribel Storrs, Paul Parker, Miss Leona Schoenegge and Clifford Lindsley had motored to Toledo Saturday to attend the automobile show.

Clifford Lindsley was the son of Frank Lindsley and the former Elizabeth Horn. Clifford was a direct descendant of W.D. Lindsley, who served two terms in the United States Congress. Leona Schoenegge was the daughter of Leopold Schoenegge, a native of Germany, and his wife, the former Eva Francis. After their marriage, Clifford and Leona lived on a farm in Perkins Township of Erie County, Ohio. During World War Two, their farm was purchased by the United States Government, to make way for a munitions factory. Clifford and Leona moved to York Township in Sandusky County, Ohio, and farmed there for many years. The Lindsley farm is still in the Lindsley family.

While Clifford and Leona Lindsley are not directly related to me, Clifford's sister Florence married my great uncle Glenn Parker. As long as I can recall, we always called the Lindsleys by "Uncle Cliff" and "Aunt Leona." They welcomed my family, my mom and dad, and all six children, to their home many times. We would bound out of the car, and head for the hay loft and spring house, and rang the dinner bell. After playing, Aunt Leona would make lunch for the whole gang, and we would fall asleep on the way home, with many happy memories. Uncle Cliff had a way of making everything seem funny, and he entertained us with stories quite often.

Clifford Lindsley passed away on June 1, 1985. Leona Schoenegge Lindsley passed away on June 24, 2003. They are buried in the York Chapel Cemetery in Sandusky County, Ohio, southwest of Bellevue, Ohio. Pictured below are just a few of my family members enjoying a visit to the Lindsley farm in 1959.