Ambrose Lieb, Stone Cutter

An ornate cross is found at the top of the monument which honors Ambrose Lieb, who died in Sandusky, Ohio on June 2, 1916. According to his death certificate (available at Family Search Labs) Ambrose Lieb was born to Herman Lieb and Elizabeth Gollas in Germany on December 28, 1845. An obituary appeared in the Sandusky Register on June 3 and June 6, 1916.

Ambrose Lieb was "one of the most highly respected citizens of the community." He passed away at his residence on 918 Shelby Street. He had been a resident of Sandusky for almost fifty years, and worked as a stone cutter and mason. Ambrose Lieb was survived by his wife, five sons, four daughters, twenty-one grandchildren, and four sisters, three of whom resided in Germany. The funeral for Ambrose Lieb was held at St. Mary's Church with Rev. Joseph Widman officiating. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery.

Wordless Wednesday

Albert and Elnora Nims

According to THE NIMS FAMILY: SEVEN GENERATIONS OF DESCENDANTS FROM GODFREY NIMS, edited by Elizabeth C. Suddaby, Albert A. Nims was born on April 24, 1841 at Parker's Corners, Ohio to Joel B. and Huldah Munn Nims. He married Samantha Elnora Sweet in 1875. Samantha Elnora Sweet was the daughter of Benjamin and Amelia Sweet. She was orphaned at a young ages, and was raised by Rev. W. T. Hart, pastor of the Ridge Congregational Church.

Samantha Elnora Sweet Nims died on September 4, 1908 at Bellevue, Ohio. Albert found her death to be such a shock, that he never fully recovered from the loss and he died nine months later, on May 26, 1909. Both Albert A. and Samantha Elnora Nims are buried at the Strong's Ridge Cemetery in Huron County, Ohio. The name of their young son, Reuben Nims, also appears on their tombstone. Reuben died in 1891 in Bellevue, Ohio.

More information about the Nims Family can be found at the Nims Family Association website.

I. F. Mack

Isaac F. Mack was the longtime editor of the Sandusky Register, having been associated with the newspaper from 1869 until 1909. He was a Civil War Veteran, and was very influential in securing Erie County as the location for the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home, now the Ohio Veterans Home.


In 1892 Mack was elected Commander of the Ohio Department of the Grand Army of the Republic. Isaac F. Mack was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.




Mr. Mack was very opinionated, and expressed his views often in his newspaper. Charles E. Frohman wrote a biography of I. F. Mack entitled SANDUSY’S EDITOR. I. F. Mack died in April 1912, and he is buried in Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.

Benajah Wolcott, Keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse

The Marblehead Lighthouse, which overlooks Sandusky Bay, has been in operation since 1822. At the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website for the Marblehead Lighthouse State Park, we read that Benajah Wolcott was the first keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse.



Benajah Wolcott was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and one of the area’s first settlers. Benajah and his wife, the former Rachel Miller, and their family lived in a stone cabin a short distance from the lighthouse. The cabin, now known as the “Keeper’s House,” was built by stonemason William Kelly. Mr. Kelly had also been the mason in charge of building the Marblehead Lighthouse.


Benajah Wolcott died of cholera on August 11, 832. After his death, his wife Rachel became the lighthouse keeper. Seasonal tours are available of both the Marblehead Lighthouse and the Keeper’s House.



The Wolcott Cemetery is located about a half mile behind the Keeper’s House. The cemetery is open to the public, but there are chains on the gate that need to be unfastened and reconnected after your visit. Surrounding the cemetery is undeveloped wooded land, resulting in a very peaceful setting.

(Click on the image to the left, for an enlarged view.)

Andrew Orshoski, World War Two Veteran

Andrew "Andy" Orshoski was born in Dorcester, Virginia (now West Virginia) on March 9, 1911 to Joseph and Julia Orshoski. Around 1917 the Orshoski family moved to Bay Bridge, Ohio, where a cement factory was located. Andrew worked for 27 years at the Medusa Cement Company, and he then worked as a maintenance man for the Margaretta School system in Castalia, Ohio. Andy, whose nickname was Pancake, often gave candy to the school students. The family legend was that when Andy was faced with a particularly terrifying situation during the Second World War, his hair suddenly turned white. Because his hair was the color of pancake flour, his buddies called him Pancake.

On November 18, 1943, Andrew Orshoski enlisted in the United States Army, at Fort Hayes, Ohio. He served with Battery A of the 55th Field Artillery Battalion. Has was a cannoneer, and was involved in battles in New Guinea and Luzon. Andrew Orshoski earned many awards during his military service, including:

Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, with Two Bronze Stars
Philippine Liberation Ribbon, with One Bronze Star
Good Conduct Medal
Purple Heart
and
World War Two Victory Medal

Andrew was wounded on May 4, 1945. He left the Army on April 3, 1946, from Camp Atterbury, Indiana.

On November 30, 1980, Andy Orshoski died at the Medical College of Ohio Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. He was survived by his wife, the former Mary Clark, and daughters Linda and Debbie. Andrew Orshoski was buried at Restlawn Memorial Park in Huron, Ohio. The VFW conducted services on Tuesday, December 2, 1980. (Click on the image below, for a larger view.)

Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Hosmer

A beautiful sculpture adorns the monument for Theodore and Louisa Townsend Hosmer. (Some records list Mrs. Hosmer's name as Louise.) According to an 1890 issue of the Magazine of Western History, Theodore Hosmer was born in Sandusky, Ohio in 1843 to Sidney and Elizabeth Camp Hosmer. (Elizabeth was the daughter of Major J. G. Camp.) During the Civil War, Theodore Hosmer served in the 145th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In 1870 Theodore married Louisa Townsend, daughter of Sandusky pioneer William Townsend. They had one son, Alexander Hosmer.

Theodore Hosmer had many different business ventures. In 1873, he went to the state of Washington to help select a western terminus for the Northern Pacific Railroad. He was in charge of clearing the land and laying out the town, to prepare the area for the coming of the railroad. The Northern Pacific Railroad Co. organized the Tacoma Land Co. and placed Theodore Hosmer as general manager. He held that position until he resigned and left the city in 1882, due to his wife’s poor health. After Mrs. Hosmer’s death in 1885, Theodore Hosmer returned west. He became president of the Tacoma Light and Water Company. He had also served as the first Mayor of Tacoma.

On January 28, 1900, Theodore Hosmer died in Tacoma. His body was taken back to Sandusky, Ohio for burial. He is buried with his wife Louisa in the North Ridge section of Oakland Cemetery. In Tacoma, Washington, there is a street named for Theodore Hosmer. You can find an image of Theodore Hosmer and his former home by searching for "Theodore Hosmer" in the Image Archives of the Tacoma Public Library.