John M. and Catherine Wirth

John M. Wirth was born in Germany in 1829. According to Erie County Probate Court records, John M. Wirth married Catherine Deehr on November 14, 1857. In the 1890 Schedule of Civil War veterans, John M. Wirth was enumerated with several other veterans from the Venice area of Margaretta Township, Erie County, Ohio. He had served in Company I of the 145th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Wirth is number 9 on the listing below.

John M. Wirth died in 1899, and he was laid to rest in the Venice Cemetery. Mrs. Catherine Worth survived him, along with several children. Mrs. Worth died suddenly on February 14, 1907, when she was staying with friends in Sandusky, Ohio. Rev. Theo. Stellhorn officiated at the funeral of Mrs. Wirth, and burial was at the Venice Cemetery. Pallbearers were: Fred With, George Wirth, William J. Frey, Darwin Zehner, John Diehr and Julius Diehr. A broken log adorns the top of the Wirth monument.Obituaries for Mrs. Catherine Wirth appeared in Sandusky Register on February 15, 16, and 18, 1907.

The Census Taker Wrote Down the Wrong Name of Great Grandpa Parker's Wife in 1910

My great grandmother, Ada Steen, and her identical twin sister Alpha, were born to Charles and Sarah Steen on February 3, 1880.  Below is a picture of the Charles Steen family, in the late 1890s.

Grandma Ada marred Leroy Parker on March 7, 1901.

For an unknown reason, the census enumerator for the 1910 U.S. Census wrote down Alpha as the wife of Leroy Parker, instead of the name of her twin sister, Ada. Grandpa Roy was definitely married to Ada, and not Alpha! (By 1910, Alpha was married to Fred Martin, who ran a confectionery business in Sandusky.)

Even though the U.S. Census is considered a valid government record, be aware that sometimes mistake were made!

Plat Map of Perkins Township, Erie County,Ohio from the 1920s

A wide variety of historical maps is found at the website of the Erie County Auditor. Above is a portion of a 1920s era map of Perkins Township. My great grandfather Leroy J. Parker's name is listed at the corner of Taylor Road and Columbus Avenue, above the words "Acre 8." The name of my  great great grandfather, Charles Steen, can be seen at the top of this map, opposite his father-in-law's name, Henry Milner (number 16.) The full map can be seen at this link. When you look at the full map, you can see Oakland Cemetery, the Erie County Infirmary, and dozens of land owners who lived in Perkins Township in the 1920s. When you see the listing below, each link takes you to another menu of more maps. Take some time to investigate this interesting collections of historical maps! It helps you learn more about where your ancestors may have lived, and who their neighbors were. My mother told me time and again, that in the 1940s, in Perkins Township, neighbors were almost like family, as the farmers shared equipment, went to church and Grange together, and shared deeply in the joys and sorrows of everyday life in a rural setting.

• Berlin Twp 1900 Series
• Berlin Twp 1920 - 1986 Series
• Florence Twp 1900 Series
• Florence Twp 1920 - 1986 Series
• Groton Twp 1920 - 1986 Series
• Huron Twp 1900 Series
• Huron Twp 1920 - 1986 Series
• Kelley's Island 1920 - 1986 Series
• Margaretta Twp 1902 Series
• Margaretta Twp 1906 Series
• Margaretta Twp 1920 - 1986 Series
• Milan and Oxford Twps 1920 - 1986 Series
• Milan Twp 1902 Series
• Miscellaneous Documents
• Oxford and Groton Twps 1900 Series
• Perkins Twp 1900 Series
• Perkins Twp 1920 - 1986 Series
• Sandusky City 1900 Series Fifth and Sixth Wards
• Sandusky City 1900 Series First and Tenth Wards
• Sandusky City 1900 Series Fourth and Seventh Wards
• Sandusky City 1900 Series Second and Ninth Wards
• Sandusky City 1900 Series Third and Eigth Wards
• Sandusky City 1920 - 1986 Series First Ward
• Sandusky City 1920 - 1986 Series Fourth Ward
• Sandusky City 1920 - 1986 Series Second Ward
• Sandusky City 1920 - 1986 Series Third Ward
• Vermillion Twp 1900 Series
• Vermillion Twp 1920 - 1986 Series

Zilpha Vandercook, Died in 1848

Zilpha Vandercook was the daughter of L. and E. Vandercook. She died on February 10, 1848, at the age of 4 years and 6 months. She was buried at the Strong's Ridge Cemetery in Lyme Township, Huron County, Ohio.

Mrs. Barbara Schoepflin, 1844-1919

Mrs. Barbara Schoepflin, the widow of Henry Schoepflin, died on February 8, 1919. She was buried at Sandusky's Oakland Cemetery. The eight-sided stone reads "Our Mother" at the top of the stone, and "Gone but not forgotten" at the bottom of the stone. Mrs. Schoepflin had been born in Germany, and was a pioneer resident of Sandusky. An obituary which appeared in the Sandusky Register of February 9, 1919, reported that she was survived by four daughters, three sons, and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

John Seibel, A Native of Bavaria

According to Sandusky Then and Now, John Seibel was born on February 12, 1820 in Hauenstein, Rhenish, Bavaria, Germany.  In 1851 he married Margaret Bieck. That same year he emigrated to the United States, and settled in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. In the 1880 U.S. Census, John Seibel and his wife were residing in Sandusky, Ohio, and he listed his occupation as Grocer. In 1880 the Seibels had a large family of seven children. John Seibel died of blood poisoning on February 4, 1884. He was buried in the St. Mary's Cemetery in Sandusky, Ohio.

Catharine Sexton, Wife of Henry Sexton

According to marriage records at Erie County Probate Court, Catharine Bennett married Henry Sexton on Christmas Day in 1851. Sadly, Mrs. Catharine Sexton died on February 2, 1853, at the age of 28 years and 2 months. This touching inscription is found at the base of Catharine's tombstone at Perkins Cemetery, Erie County, Ohio:

How vain is all beneath the skies
How transient every earthly bliss
How slender all the fondest ties
That bind us to a world like this

Though some of the words have been worn away after all the years of exposure to the elements, a quick Google search helped me track down the inscription, which was found in a book of spiritual songs and poems.