Henry County Genealogical Society Newsletter
Volume 6, Number 5, September-October 1992

MEETINGS

September 21, 1992, Monday, 7:00 pm

Work meeting at the Deshler Edwin Wood Memorial Library. We will correlate the information from Forest Hill Cemetery with the Sexton's Records. Come and help!

October 19, 1992, Monday, 7:00 pm

Our speaker will be Darlene Lewis from Arcadia, Ohio. Darlene is very active in the Hancock County Chapter and her topic will be "Preservation of One-Room Schoolhouses".

THANKS FOR HELPING

    Quite a few members and former members turned out twice this summer to help read the markers at Forest Hill Cemetery, Napoleon, OH. All the cemeteries in the county have been read now and Phyllis is up to date with the typing. This has been a big project and we thank everyone who has helped. Special thanks go to Phyllis LaRue and Lucille Van Scoyoc who have spent many, many hours in cemeteries the last few years. P. S. They have just found another private cemetery and we will publish the information in a future issue. The family was Baughman or Bachman.

HELP! HELP!

    We have been unable to fill our slate of officers for the October election. There are not very many local members, so if you can help, please let us know!! We need a president and vice president.

QUERIES

PARRISH, JONES
    Searching for information on my gg aunt Maud Parrish b. about 1869 in Ohio. Daughter of Eliza Jones and Andrew Parrish. She is recorded living with her grandparents, George and Barbara Parrish in the 1880 Census in Liberty (Twp.?), Henry Co. and attending school.
--Laverne S. Coburn, Leslie, Idaho 83255

ASK A QUESTION...

    In the July-August Newsletter I asked if anyone knew the status of the project to computerize the names of the millions of immigrants who came through Ellis Island, New York, NY. Member Cliff Mawer was the one who gave us the original information and he also came up with the answer to the update question. Thanks, Cliff!
    "From the NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE:
    Question: I have heard that there is a computer at Ellis Island where one can enter the name of an immigrant and find out when that person arrived in the United States. Is this true?
    Answer: There are plans to enter into a computer the records of all 12 million immigrants who passed through Ellis Island and make the information available at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, (212) 363-7620. However, that project is years away, and needs much more funding, according to the National Park Service. There are computers at the museum that contain the names on the Wall of Honor in front of the museum, and their location on it. These names were put on the wall to honor families that contributed at least $100 to the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation (the donors' names are in the computer, too.)
    In the summer, Circle Line ferries leave Battery Park at the southern end of Manhattan every half hour between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (most stop at the Statue of Liberty first); the trip takes 30 minutes. Ferries also travel on the same schedule from Liberty State Park in New Jersey. The round-trip fare includes entrance to the museum: $6, $3 for those aged 3 to 17, and $5 for those 62 and older."

* * * NOTICE * * *

    A BIG APOLOGY. .

    If you have ever helped compile a book for a genealogical society, you know that every precaution is taken to insure that correct and complete information is included. Well, I goofed, and I apologize.
    Six pages of THE NAPOLEON TOWNSHIP CEMETERY BOOK are missing from the index. If you have purchased one of these books, please write to us (at the address on the front page) and we will send you a supplement to the index which will include these pages. They are from the GLENWOOD CEMETERY only. This supplement will be inserted into all future books.
Again, I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I thought I had a fool-proof system of cross-checking to see that this couldn't happen.

GERMAN ROOTS WORKSHOP AT PEMBERVILLE

    A "German Roots and Branches" genealogy workshop will be held Oct. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pemberville. The workshop is sponsored by the Pemberville Public Library and the Wood County Genealogy Society.
Featured speaker is Ernest Thode of Marietta, a German translator and transliterator, consultant, author, lecturer and research tour guide. He will present two programs, "How to Identify Hard-to-Locate German Place Names" and "German Surnames and Given Names."
    Stephen Charter, research archivist for the Center for Archival Collections at Bowling Green State University, will teach "German Handwriting 101," a hands-on experience at identifying key terms in German script. Thomas Orth of Wauseon will present the program "Caring for Your Family Photographs."
    Lunch will be served at the workshop site, which is handicap accessible. Cost is $10 per person, which includes lunch. Deadline for registration is Sept. 25. For more information or to register, call the Pemberville Public Library at 287-4012.

From the OGS NEWSLETTER, August 1992 . .

    The Northwestern Ohio Genealogical Society of Toledo, OH presents the 11th Annual Family Tree Festival -- "Boats, Buggies & Bugles" on Saturday, October 24, 1992, Grace Lutheran Church, 4441 Monroe St. near Secor Rd. The seminar runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pre-registration is $11.00 or $15.00 at the door. Julie Overton will speak on "Naturalization" and "Ships Passenger Lists"; Delbert Gratz on "Swiss Mennonite Family History Research"; and Diane Gagel on "Revolutionary Military Research." A 30-word FREE query will be accepted with registration. Send to NWOGS Registrar, 4831 Wickford Dr. E. #2, Sylvania, OH 43560.

BAD NEWS FOR GENEALOGISTS

    The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that government agencies and other organizations do not have to make public records available by mail. The decision could cut off access to records by anyone unable to seek the information in person.
    The decision stemmed from a 1989 case in which genealogist Ann Fenley objected to fees charged by the Ohio Historical Society for mailing copies of documents she wanted. The cost was $7 for documents sent by mail while the same material was available in person for 25 cents. The court said state law requires only that the material be made available for inspection during business hours and that copies be provided at cost.

CIVIL WAR DISCHARGE RECORDS

    We continue our listing of Civil War Discharge Records. These records were taken from Vol. 1 Soldier's Discharge Records at the Recorder's Office, Henry County Court House. The initials OVI refer to Ohio Volunteer Infantry; OVVI refers to Ohio Veterans Volunteer Infantry. Some additional information may appear in the courthouse records such as who the company commander was and where the soldier was discharged.
    In the attestations accompanying the records it is not always clear whether the soldier resides in a town or township; for example, Napoleon. When two spellings are given for a name one usually occurred in the index and ttir~ other in the record itself. Question marks indicate that it was not possible to read the handwriting. Records copied by Karen Sunderman.

INGEL, Isaac W. Private, Co. I 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 23 Dec 1861 - discharged 4 Jan 1865. Born: Seneca Co., OH. At discharge age 20, 5'7", light complexion, blue eyes, dark hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Harrison Twp. 1865.

JONES, John. Private, Co. F 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 19 Oct 1861 - discharged 18 Oct 1864. Born: New Brunswick, NJ. At discharge age 24, 5' 8 3/4", dark complexion, blonde hair, brown eyes. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Liberty Center 1866.

JONES, Allen. Private, Co. F 68th OVI. Enrolled 19 Oct 1861 discharged 15 July 1862 at Columbus, OH. Reason: surgeon's certificate. Born: NJ. At discharge age 18, 5'9", light complexion, gray eyes, dark hair. Occupation before enrollment farmer. Lived Napoleon 1866.

JOHNSON, Willard C. (or E.?) Private, Co. I 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 1 Sept 1862 - discharged 29 May 1865. Born: Cuyahoga Co., OH. At discharge age 25, 5' 8 1/2", light complexion, brown eyes, black hair. Occupation before enrollment - blacksmith. Lived Harrison Twp. 1866.

KELLEY, James Sr. Private, Co. B 68th Reg. Ohio Infantry. Enrolled 14 Dec 1861 - discharged 31 May 1862 by reason of Surgeon's Certificate of Disability - Phthisis (means to waste away, as in tuberculosis, and pulmonary refers to lungs) Pulmonatis. Born: Piekawa (sic) (probably Piqua), OH. At discharge age 49, 6', dark complexion, brown eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Napoleon, 1865.

KETTERMANN (Kutermann, with umlaut), William. Private, Co. C or E 55th Reg. OVVI. Enrolled 28 Sept 1864 - discharged 9 June 1865. Born: Germany. At discharge age 36, 5' 6 1/2", fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Damascus Twp. 1865.

KETTERING (Ketring), Philip. Private, Co. B 184th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 25 Jan 1865 - discharged 20 Sept 1865. Born:-Ohio. At discharge age 23, 5'6", florid complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Recorded 17 Oct 1865.

KIGER, William. Private, Co. B 184th Reg. OVI. No enrollment date - discharged 11 Sept 1865. Discharged at Dennison U.S.A. Gen. Hospital, Dennison, OH - reason: mustered out. No other information. Recorded 21 Oct 1865.

KESSELMAYER, Charles. Private, Co. H Ohio Vol. Cavalry. Enrolled 30 Oct 1862 - discharged 24 July 1865. Born: State of Baden, Germany. At discharge age 28, 5'8", sandy complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair. Occupation before enrollment - wagon maker. Lived New Bavaria, 1865.

KIGAR, John. Corporal, Co. A 68th Reg. OVVI. Enrolled 15 Dec 1863 - discharged 10 July 1865. Born: Hancock Co., OH. At discharge 19 years, 5'9", light complexion, grey eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - soldier. Lived Washington Twp. 1866.
ALSO: (No rank) Co. A 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 17 Oct 1861 - discharged 19 Dec 1863. Born: Hancock Co., OH. At discharge age 19, 5'9", light complexion, grey eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Washington Twp. 1866.

KAUFFMAN (Coffman), William. Private, Co. B 100th Reg. OVI. Enrolled I Sept 1862 - discharged 20 June 1865. Born: Prussia, Germany. At discharge age 23, 5'7", dark complexion, blue eyes, dark hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Pleasant Twp. 1866.

KINNEY, James. Private, Co. I 68th Reg. OVVI. Enrolled 10 Dec 1863 - discharged 10 July 1865. Born: Knox Co., OH. At discharge age 25, 5'3", dark complexion, dark eyes, dark hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Belmore, Putnam Co., OH 1866. Also: Private, Co. I 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 26 Oct 1861 - discharged 9 Dec 1863. Born: Knox Co., OH. At discharge age 25, 5'4", dark complexion, dark eyes, dark hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Bellmore (sic) Putnam Co., OH 1866.

KAHNAST, August. Private, Co. F 68th Reg. OVVI. Enrolled 5 Jan 1864 - discharged 10 July 1865. Born: Germany. At discharge age 26, 5' 5 1/2", light complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Richland Twp., Defiance Co., OH 1866.

KELLY, George W. Private, Co. F 9th Reg. OH Cavalry Vols. Enrolled 10 Feb 1864 - discharged 18 July 1865 at Trexler Hospital, Columbus, OH. Born: Castalia, Erie Co., OH. At discharge age 16, 5'6", light complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - laborer. Lived Napoleon, 1866.

KILPATRICK, David. Private, Co. B 38th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 10 Sept 1861 - discharged 29 May 1863 by reason of disability. Born: Ireland. At discharge age 31, 5'8", fair complexion, blue eyes, auburn hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Recorded 1870.

LETTIC, Simon. Private, Co. A 68th Reg. OVVI. Enrolled 9 Oct 1862 - discharged 10 July 1865. Born: Ashland Co., OH. At discharge age 19, 5'8", light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Recorded 1865.

LINDLEY, Nathan. No rank given. Co. G (?) 68th Reg. OH Vols. Enrolled 24 Oct 1861 - discharged 7 July 1862. Born: Cuyahoga Co., OH. At discharge age 25, 5' 7 1/2", dark complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Ridgeville 1865.

LOVE, Reuben. Private, Co. D 68th Reg. OVVI. Enrolled 6 May 1864 - discharged 10 July 1865. Born: Stark Co., OH. At discharge age 18, 5'5", light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Recorded 1865.

LEACH, John W. Sgt., Co. F (?) 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 11 Oct 1861 - discharged 10 Dec 1863 to be re-enlisted. Born: Marsales (sic) Co., VA (possibly what is now Marshall Co., W. VA). At discharge age 26, 5' 10 1/2", light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Defiance Twp., Defiance Co. 1866.

LONG, William. Private, Co. B 184th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 27 Jan 1865 - discharged 20 Sept 1865. Born: Indiana. At discharge age 19, 5'7", fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Flatrock Twp. 1866.

LUTNER (Leitner), Jacob. Sgt. Co. G 10th Reg. OH Cavalry Vols. Enrolled 7 Nov 1862 - discharged 24 July 1865. Born: Pickawa (sic) Co., OH. At discharge age 33, 5' 9 3/4", fair complexion, grey eyes, dark hair. Occupation before enrollment - cooper. Recorded 1866.

LANTEMAN (Lauterman), John Private, Co. I 103rd Reg. OVI. Enrolled 11 Aug 1862 - discharged 24 May 1865. Born: Portage Co., OH. At discharge age 36, 5'6", light complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - tinner. Lived Napoleon 1866.

LOWERY, John B. Corporal, Co. B 100th Reg. OVI Enrolled 1 Sept 1862 - discharged 20 June 1865. Born: Henry Co., OH. at discharge age 20, 5'6", light complexion, grey eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Napoleon 1868.

LAMB, Harrison H. Private, Co. H, 68th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 17 Dec 1863 - discharged 25 Oct 1864 at Cleveland by reason of physical disability (disease contracted in the service) . Born: New York. At discharge age 18, 5'10", fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Recorded 1875.

McCOLLOUGH, William D. Farrier Co. (? Unreadable) 7th Reg. OH Calvary Vols. Enrolled 12 Sept 1862 - discharged 8 June 1865. Born: Green Co., PA. At discharge age 38, 5' 7 1/2", light complexion, blue eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - blacksmith. Lived Napoleon 1865.

MURDOCK, John. Private, Co. B 128th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 23 Aug 1864 - discharged 9 June 1865 at Johnson's Island, OH. Born: Henry Co., OH. At discharge age 22, 5'8", dark complexion, black eyes, brown hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Richfield Twp. 1865.

MOORE, George. Drafted Private Co. I (or J ?) 38th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 9 Oct 1862 - discharged 8 Aug 1863. Born: Allen Co., OH. At discharge age 21, 5'8", light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Recorded 17 Oct 1865.

MYERHOLTS (Meyerholtz), Henry F. Private, Co. F 198th Reg. OVI. Enrolled 9 Feb 1865 - discharged 8 May 1865. Born: Germany. At discharge age 20, 5'6", light complexion, blue eyes, light hair. Occupation before enrollment - farmer. Lived Ridgeville Twp. 1865.

MORE CIVIL WAR INFORMATION

    The following was taken from the ARCHIVAL CHRONICLE, Dec. 1989, Vol. 8, Number 3, The Center for Archival Collections, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio and written by Victor Wagher.

    "County officials have kept records regarding the military service of residents at various times. The Civil War and its aftermath are especially well documented. A wealth of information about how the war affected servicemen, their families, and the general public can be found throughout such records.
    COURT OF COMMON PLEAS. Manumissions, or emancipations from slavery, contain copies of manumission deeds, showing the age, occupation, and physical description of the freed person, as well as the state, county, date deed issued, and former owner.
    COUNTY AUDITOR. Civil War Bounties contain a list of volunteers, company and date of enlistment, age, names of dependents, sworn statements, and abstract of county payments. Such bounties were paid to encourage enlistment. Commutation Records concern those men drafted into the Army who chose to pay substitutes to serve for them. They contain a list of conscripts, place of residence, and amount of commutation paid. Enumeration of Soldiers and Sailors contain names of veterans, their branch of service, company, regiment, battery, vessel, rank, and address. Exemptions from Military Service include affidavits from physicians relative to the condition of men drafted for service, name of draftees, and reason for exemptions. Militia Rolls list names of males subject to the draft. The list included all male residents, their ages, and place of residence.
    COUNTY RECORDER. Soldier's Discharge Records contain honorable discharges from service showing name and address of soldier, rank, date of birth, and last duty assignment. These records may also contain transcripts of Squirrel Hunters' Discharges. (This was the nickname given to the men who answered the call to defend the city of Cincinnati in 1862.) Soldiers' Grave Records include the soldier's name, branch of service, birth and death dates, and place of burial.
    BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. Indigent Soldier Burial Records contain reports of the burial of indigent veterans showing decedent, company, regiment, and branch of service, date of death and burial, undertaker, place of burial, and date payment approved. These records may also be found in the County Auditor's office.
    The SOLDIER' RELIEF COMMISSION (now Veterans' Assistance) was created in 1886 to provide for the relief of indigent servicemen and the indigent widows and children of deceased veterans. Records such as Burial and Headstone Applications, Burial Records, Grave Marker Records, Minutes, and other relief records may be found in this office. Relief records prior to the creation of the commission may be found at the Township Trustees or City Council Office.
    Those who are researching the children of Civil War casualties may examine the records of the COUNTY CHILDREN'S HOME (now Children's Services Board). In 1866 the Ohio General Assembly, in response to a dramatic increase of homeless children following the Civil War, authorized boards of county commissioners to construct orphans' asylums or other facilities and to levy taxes to pay for them. Children's Homes accepted children who were orphaned, abandoned, neglected, inadequately provided for by the parents, or placed in the home by the juvenile court. Admittance Records and Registers, Case Files, and Minutes are just a few of the many valuable records.

FARMERS' DIRECTORY - DESHLER

    Shirley Lufts gave us a copy of the Deshler section of the FARMERS' DIRECTORY of 1916. The directory gives the name, wife's name if married, number of children, occupation, street of residence, tells if the person was a boarder, tells if the person had a Bell telephone, tells if the person owns a house and lot or is a tenant, and lists number of cattle and horses the person owns. In this listing only information pertinent to genealogy will be given.