MEETINGS

July 15, 2002, Monday, 7:00 pm

"Family Folklore" presented by Steve Charter of BGSU Library Archival Dept.

August 2002, No meeting

See you at the Fair!

Those of us who regularly work with the mail sincerely thank the members who use their membership numbers when corresponding. It saves us a lot of time.

WE ARE PUBLISHING. . .

Northwest Signal Obituaries 2002 -- the cost is $12. plus $2.00 postage and handling.
Towns and Ghost Towns of Henry County 1794 - Present -- the cost is $5.00 plus $1.50 postage and handling.

WE HAVE PURCHASED. . .

Now at the library: a CD entitled, Military Records: Civil War/Service Records with name, company, unit and rank.

RECORDS + PREPARATION = SUCCESS

    In September we will be visiting the new records room of the Clerk of Courts office which is located in the basement of the building next to the courthouse. While some of the old volumes of records will be available for us to search (or for Mrs. Sonnenberg to search for us), the indexes are housed in the Clerk of Courts office in the courthouse. It is advisable for you to make a trip to Napoleon before September 16 and list the Volume and Page of any specific case you will want to look at during our meeting.

    DIRECTIONS: Park at attorney Ed Peper's office (555 Monroe, behind the courthouse) or at J & B Feed, walk up between the brick building and Omni Electric, take the stairway to the door. This route will be marked for us. We will have a business meeting at 7:00 and will be able to stay until 8:00 or a little later.

QUERIES

 MARCH, MERTZ, HUBER, RAUSCH, WAGGONER, SMITH
    Descendents of Fred March/Mertz, descendants of Charles Carl Ludwig Huber, descendants of Herman Rausch, descendants of Peter Waggoner, and descendants of Paulus Reineker have been submitted for First Families of Henry County. This information was passed on to me to use as a query. Laura Knott also has an REINEKER obituary for Harold Richard Smith.
-- Laura J. Knott, Berlin Heights, OH 44814

    Member Michael T. WAHL has sent "Russell Rothenburger WAHL, A Native Son of Holgate, Henry County, Ohio" to add to our family history collection in Edwin Wood Memorial Library, Deshler. Our thanks to Mike.

     This is your space. We print all queries that come to us and are related to Henry County. Send queries to Henry Co. Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 231, Deshler, OH 43516 or to the editor at: (If emailing, please put "Hen. Co. query" in subject line.)

    From the Defiance Crescent-News, Friday 13 Aug 1937 - - George A. BECK, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (WITMER) BECK was born 7 Dec 1861 in Sandusky Co. near Lindsey, OH and died 29 Aug ­at age 72 yrs., 8 mo. 22 da. when a brick fell from a silo crushing his skull. On 2 June 1894 he married Louisa OBERHAUS of Pemberville. OH. They spent their first years of married life on a farm near Elmore and later moved to Henry Co., OH where he died. Mr. Beck was a prominent farmer and a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church at Napoleon, where he served on the church counci1 and as an elder. Survivors include his wife, two sons, Fred of Liberty Twp., and Harold of Napoleon, and daughter Vernice BECK of Napoleon; 10 grandchildren; sister, Bertha FEILOACH of Elmore; 3 brothers; Ed of Elmore: Fred of Toledo and Charles of New Mexico. One daughter, Ida BARTLEY of Erie, MI preceded him in death.

From THE DESHLER FLAG, 27 August 1925

OLD LARMORE CHURCH MOVED
Landmark in Richfield Township to be Used for School Room at West Hope

    The old Larmore church, a landmark for over a half century in Richfield township, two miles east of West Hope, is to be a landmark no more, which, no doubt, will be regretted by many people all over this section of northwestern Ohio. The church was built on the Jack Larmore farm on ground donated by him to be used as a Methodist church. And it was in use as a church for nearly a half century, many of the good old-fashioned revival meetings were held there when people for miles around attended. Old-fashioned Christmas celebrations were held there, when a tree was used and it contained presents for the countryside, individuals going to the rostrum to receive their presents when their name was called. Often jokes were in the presents and a condition was announced, on one occasion that we recall, that presents should be opened. It was very amusing, but led to a discontinuance of the Christmas tree.
Some few years ago the attendance dropped off, probably due to the automobile taking the younger set elsewhere and a lack of funds to continue holding services, the church was closed and the trustees later deeded it to Mr. Larmore's son Virgil.
    Several weeks ago the board of education of Richfield township bought the building, desiring to move it to West Hope to provide more room for school purposes, so now the old Larmore building is on its way to West Hope and the old church site looks forsaken and causes many a sigh of sadness to travelers going that way, who recall many pleasant memories of association in its activities as a church center.
    Is there a Flag reader in that vicinity who will write the history of the Larmore church giving names of its founders and the early membership? We would be very glad indeed to publish such a historical sketch.

NOTE: The Henry County Genealogical Society is still trying to put together information on all the churches that have existed in the county and, especially, on what records exist. Please let us know if you have access to such information. Thanks!

EARLY SETTLERS OF HENRY COUNTY
(from OHIO, The Cross Road of Our Nation, Records & Pioneer Families, July-Sept 1974, Vol. XV, No. 2. Used with permission)

BRINEY, Henry b. Seneca Co., OH, 14 Feb 1841, son of Henry & Rebecca (LINEBACK). Henry b. Elces, France in 1810 and Rebecca in Lehigh Co., PA in 1809. Henry, Sr. the father of Henry, brought his family to Lehigh Co., PA in 1824 and later to Seneca Co. where he d. ca. 1870. His 1st wife d. 1848 leaving Henry, Christian & Barbara. Henry & Rebecca had Jacob, Caroline, Henry, George, Catherine & Mary. The son Henry b. 1841, m. Helena M. ROGGE b. Oldenburg, Ger. 1842, dau. of Henry & Anna (WULFF) and had son George b. 1875, who m. Emma COLLENBECK, dau. of Fred & Barbara (OVERFIELD) of Lucas Co. Helena d. 1895 and Henry m2 Mrs. Mary (CONN) TODD, dau. of Robert & Mary CONN.

68th OHIO VOLUNTEER INFANTRY
From The Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion 1861-1866 Vol. V.

    The 68th was organized in Nov. and Dec. 1861 at Camp Latty, Napoleon, OH and mustered out July 10, 1865 at Louisville, KY. Due to the huge amount of information, only the soldier's name, his company, rank, age and pertinent information such as being wounded or killed is included here. Note that being detached to a colored regiment does not mean the soldier was
black. Colored regiments had white officers.

FIELD AND STAFF

Name, Rank, Age
Samuel H. STEEDMAN, Col., 55
Robert K. SCOTT, Col., 36
John S. SNOOK, Lt. Col., 46, killed 16 May 1863, in battle of Champion Hills, MS
George E. WELLS, Lt. Col., 22
Arthur CROCKETT, Major, 24
Eugene B. HARRISON, Surgeon, 31
M. A. BROWN, Surgeon, --
John G. BIGHAM, Surgeon, --
Benjamin F. BERKLEY, As. Surg., 41
S. C. CHASE, As. Surg., --
David C. RATHBURNE, As. Surg., --
W. C. CATLIN, As. Surg., --
William MASSIE, As. Surg. --
L. B. VORHEES, As. Surg., --
E. C. DeFORREST, As. Surg., --
Andrew JACKSON, Adjutant, --
Thomas T. COWAN Adjutant, --
Henry WELTY, Adjutant, 33
James G HALY, Quarter Master, 44
Leverett G. RANDALL, Q.M., 30, detailed 24 Apr 1863 to command mortar boats which opened bombardment of Vicksburg, 20 May 1863
Charles BALES, Q. M., 20
Elmer Y. SMUTZ Q.M., 20
Martin PERKEV, Chaplain, 45
Samuel R. ADAMS, Ser. Major, 21
Isaac McCOY, Ser. Major, 20
Milton STOUT, Ser. Major, 33
Alfred M. RUSSEL, Ser. Major, 32
Jacob BRUNER, Q.M.S., 29, discharged 9 Apr 1863 to accept promotion in 9th Louisiana Vol., African descent; killed 7 June 1863 in action at Milliken's Bend, LA
Charles E. REYNOLDS, Q.M.S., 18, captured --May 1863 at Clinton, MS, while carrying dispatches; exchanged -- Aug 1863; captured 10 Feb 1864 at Morton, MS; exchanged 17 Apr 1865
William G. LAMB, Com. Ser., 41, discharged 23 July 1862 at Cincinnati on Cert. of Disability
Jacob A. DORSHIMER, Com. Ser., 21
Frank FLEMMER, Com. Ser., 27
James M. McGIFFIN, Hos. St'd, 34, discharged 8 May 1862 at Shiloh, TN on Cert. of Disability
Linthicum LARKIN, Prin. Mus., 29
John G. PARRY, Hos. St'd, 44, wounded 16 May 1863 in battle of Champion Hills, MS
Cary E. McCANN, Hos. St'd, 20
Ithamer CULBERTSON, Prin. Mus., 21
Guy E. EASTMAN, Drum Major, 42
John B. MIKESELL, Fife Major, 24, d. 11 Mar 1862 at Ft. Donelson, TN

COMPANY A OFFICERS

Name, Rank, Age
Lewis Y. RIDHARDS, Capt., --
Isaac McCOY, Capt., 20
Abram C. URQUHART, 1st Lieut., 29
William F. WILLIAMS, 1st Lieut., 32
Henry WELTY, 1st Lieut., 33
Upton SPURGEON, 1st Lieut., 28
Samuel R. ADAMS, 2nd Lieut., 21
Peter HUNER, 1st. Sergt., 25
Elmer Y. SMUTZ, 1st. Sergt., 20
Andrew J. TRESLER, 1st Sergt., 24, wounded 16 May 1863 in battle of Champion Hills, MS
Jacob BATTENFIELD, Sergt., 25
Horace WATERS, Sergt., 20
Elias KIGAR, Sergt., 31
Robert B. WOOD, Sergt., 23
Samuel MORSE, Sergt., 25, d. 14 Dec 1863 at Vicksburg, MS
Elmer Y. BAKER, Cpl., 18
Richard STEWARD, Cpl., 21, wounded 16 May 1863 in battle of Champion Hills, MS
Thomas JENKINS, Cpl, 23
Ebenezer W. SCHOOLEY, Cpl., 23
Joseph RICKEY, Cpl., 27
John KIGAR, Cpl, 18
Henry DICKERSON, Cpl., 29, discharged (no date) at Columbus, OH on Cert. of Disability
Henry C. WIILLIAMS, Cpl., 23, d. 3 Sept 1864 at Cairo, IL of wounds received 11 June 1863 in action near Vicksburg, MS

COMPANY A PRIVATES

Name, Age
BARR, William J., 18
BURROW, Thomas, 24, captured 10 Feb 1864 at Morton, MS
BORTZ, George, 26
BUCHELE, Louis, 19
BECK, Adam, 18, wounded 16 May 1863 in battle of Champion Hills, MS
BECK, Benton, 18
BECK, Paul, 33, d.8 June 1863 in hospital at Lake Providence, LA
BATTENFIELD, William D., 19
BEAR, Abraham, 21
BRENNER, Nathanial, 18, captured 10 Feb 1864 at Morton, MS; died 11 Sept 1864 in Rebel Prison at Andersonville, GA
BOWMAN, Frederick, 23
BOWMAN, Frederick, 42
BORDNER, Henry, 22
BANGHNO, John, 18
BABCOCK, John D., 18
BABCOCK, William O., 18
BABCOCK, Alonzo A., 21
BABCOCK, James H., 43, died 4 June 1865 in Harwood General Hospital at Washington, D. C.
BRACKHAM, Frederick, 30
BERTHMYER, David, 31, d. 22 May1862 at Napoleon, OH
BOST, Azariah, 33, d. 26 Mar 1862 at Crump's Landing, TN
BAKER, John K., 21, discharged 1 July 1862 at Columbus, OH on Cert. of Disability
BONNY, Joseph M., 18, discharged 20 June, 1862 at Columbus, OH on Cert. of Disability
CROSS, Abel, 37, discharged 2 May 1862 at Pittsburg, TN on Cert of Disability
CAREY, Harlan P., 21, transferred to 8th MI Light Artillery 10 Dec 1862 DUNBAR, John 23
DUNBAR, Boyd, 19, wounded 16 May 1863 in battle of Champion Hills, MS
DUNBAR, James, 24
DAVIS, George R., 18
DAVIS, John 18
DRUMMOND, Levi, 19
DENNIS, Andrew J., 25
DONE, Eugene O., 18
DUELL, Eugene F., 18, died 22 Apr 1864 at Vicksburg, MS

EPIDEMICS IN THE UNITED STATES
From Ancestors West, SSBCGS, Vol. 20, No. 1, Fall, 1993, South Bend, IN

In case you've wondered why a large number of your ancestors disappeared during a certain period in history, this might help. Many cases can be traced to dying during an epidemic or moving away from the affected area. Some of the major epidemics in the United States are listed below:

1657, Boston, Measles
1687, Boston, Measles
1690, New York, Yellow Fever
1713, Boston, Measles
1729, Boston, Measles
1732-33, Worldwide, Influenza
1738, South Carolina, Smallpox
1739-40, Boston, Measles
1747, CT, NY, PA, SC Measles
1759, N. America, Measles
1761, N. Am. & W. Indies, Influenza
1772, N. America, Measles
1775, N. America (esp. NE), unknown epidemic
1775-76, Worldwide, Influenza
1783, Dover, DE, Bilious Disorder
1788, Phila. & N. York Measles
1793, Vermont, "Putrid" fever and influenza
1793, Virginia, Influenza
1793, Philadelphia Yellow Fever
1793, Harrisburg, PA, Unknown
1793, Middletown, PA Unknown
1794, Philadelphia, Yellow Fever
1796-97, Philadelphia, Yellow Fever
1798, Philadelphia, Yellow Fever
1803, New York, Yellow Fever
1820-23, Nationwide,  "Fever"
1831-32, Nationwide, Asiatic Cholera (brought by English immigrants)
1832, New York & major cities, Cholera
1837, Philadelphia, Typhus
1841, Nationwide, Yellow Fever
1847, New Orleans, Yellow Fever
1847-48, Worldwide, Influenza
1848-49, North America, Cholera
1850, Nationwide, Yellow Fever
1850-51, N. America, Influenza
1852, Nationwide, Yellow Fever (8,000 die in New Orleans in summer)
1855, Nationwide, Yellow Fever
1857-59, Worldwide, Influenza
1860-61, Pennsylvania Smallpox
1865-73, Philadelphia, NY, Boston, N. Orleans, Smallpox
            Balt., Memphis, Wash. DC, Cholera
            A series of recurring epidemics of: Cholera, Typhus, Typhoid, Scarlet Fever and Yellow Fever
1873-75, N. Am. & Europe, Influenza
1878, New Orleans, Yellow Fever
1885, Plymouth, PA, Typhoid
1886, Jacksonville, FL, Typhoid
1918, Worldwide, Influenza

Cholera in these cities and dates:
1833 Columbus, Ohio
1834 New York City
1849 New York
1851 Coles Co., IL, The Great Plains, and Missouri

HOW GRANDPA SIGNED HIS NAME
(from the Holmes Co. OGS newsletter)

Some people say his name was DEETZ or DEITZ
His mother says she was SHEETS or SCHEETZ;
Just how my grandpa spelled his name-I certainly am confused.

The census taker spelled it DEATS
And on his stone it's shown as DIETS
You'd think that just two times
The same spelling would be used.

Now Uncle Wilhelm swears that DEEDS
Is how the family spelled it back
When he was just a lad of eight or ten.

But Aunt Virginia says that DEADS
Is how her parents signed it when
A legal matter came, time and again.
Could it be DEATZ or DEADZ or DEEDZ?

I need some guidance in this - please;
Some proof that this problem
My poor ulcer will not vex.

And so you bring his will to me,
And there in all simplicity
I find that grandpa signed it ---
With an --- X.

 OGS IMPROVES THE OGS GENEALOGY NEWS

    Some of us have been disappointed in the past by the services and information provided by the Ohio Genealogical Society. They are making a big effort to correct and improve what they are doing. An example is the May/June issue of the OGS GENEALOGY NEWS.

    To quote just three of the more informative articles: "New Services on the OGS Web Site" gives the web site for the society (http://www.ogs.org). Members can use the Databases section that includes the Bible records index, Miami Valley Genealogical Index, and 1880 Federal Census Index. The Lending Library features over 1350 titles, and a section on the Library.

    "Digital Versions of Important Documents and Artifacts Available on the Internet" describes the Ohio Memory Scrapbook that is being entered on-line. This includes letters, diaries, historical photos, clothing, furniture, pre-historic artifacts and government records. This bicentennial project may be viewed at www.ohiomemory.org.

If there is a possibility that your ancestor traveled with Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Ocean, visit the web site at http://home.pacifier.com/~karenl/lewis&clark.htm. They are searching for descendants to be awarded certificates with proof of names, dates and places that tie each generation to the member of the Corps of Discovery.

1916 FARMERS’ DIRECTORY, NAPOLEON