Skunks at Skeels Crossroads

It seems that southern Liberty Township had a pest problem some years back. And getting rid of the smelly little critters proved to be a problem for a couple men.

Below is a little news piece from a 1915 issue of The Celina Democrat, concerning the Alexanders from Skeel’s Crossroads.

Skeel’s Crossroad was a few miles south of Chatt, in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on State Route 49. It is just a crossroad today, but at one time it was a hamlet that had a post office by 1888. Their post office was discontinued in 1905 and their mail was sent to Celina. Skeels Road still exists today.

Celina Democrat, 19 Nov 1915

The Celina Democrat, Celina, Ohio, 19 Nov 1915:

SKUNKS
John and Alexander Kincaid, of near Skeels X Roads, were arrested last Friday by Deputy Game Wardens Herman Nohr, of Lewistown, and Harry Lininger, of this city, on a charge of killing and having skunks in their possession out of season. The season opened last Monday, the 15th.

They were taken to Coldwater and arraigned before Justice of the Peace D.W. Frick. They plead guilty and were each fined $10 and costs. The former settled, but Alex did not and was committed to jail until the fine and costs were paid. The mittimus to the sheriff was not properly made out and Sheriff Pumphrey would not accept the prisoner from the Butler township constable.

The constable took his man back to Coldwater and Squire Frick attempted to correct the mittimus. He then sentenced Kincaid to two days in the county jail and fined him $10 and costs. The error in the mittimus was corrected and Sheriff Pumphrey took charge of the prisoner.

Wednesday Mr. Kincaid, through his attorney Frank V. Short, filed habeas corpus proceedings before Probate Judge Raudabaugh and immediately discharged the court finding that the Justice had sentenced Mr. Kincaid to jail, when the law governing the matter provided for nothing more than a fine. The entire sentence of Kincaid was therefore declared illegal.

Well, that stinks!

Skunk

A couple things here.

They were arrested on Friday and the season opened on Monday, three days later. Someone was watching the Kincaids and their skunks very closely.

A $10 fine seems plausible, but jail-time for killing and having skunks out of season seems a little severe. Did that mean they had live skunks? Plus, Alex hired an attorney.

I had no idea there was a market for skunk pelts, but I guess there was and still is. I looked online and there are skunk coats. Actually, they are rather attractive and probably pretty warm.

I suppose people also trap skunks because they are a pest, nuisance, and a possible risk of rabies. Skunks like to live under decks and buildings and will spray a nasty oily scent on humans or pets if they are threatened. I know. We have had them here. We have never been sprayed, but they do create an unpleasant scent around their living quarters, which is sometimes beneath our deck.

Skunks are classified among the fur-bearing animals in Ohio’s codes. Not being a hunter or trapper, I did not know there was a skunk season.

From the website, Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules, with Ohio codes, today’s rules:

Rule 1501:31-15-18 | Furbearing animals, seasons, and bag limits.
Ohio Administrative Code 1501:31 Chapter 1501:31-15 | Hunting and Trapping:

Unless otherwise provided by division rule, it shall be unlawful to hunt, take, or possess a furbearing animal at any time except during the respective open season. Provided further:

(1) The open season for hunting raccoon, opossum, skunk, fox, and weasel is from November tenth through midnight, January thirty-first;

(2) The open season for trapping raccoon, opossum, skunk, fox, and weasel is from November tenth through midnight, January thirty-first…

(7) Coyotes may be hunted and trapped year-round unless otherwise provided by division rule;

(8) The furbearing animals listed in this rule may be possessed at any time during the respective open season through the next immediate June fifteenth or by a person having a permit issued by the division of wildlife…

Skunks aren’t all bad and can be beneficial around the yard. They keep other pesky animal populations down and prey on rodents, grubs, rats, mice, moles, gophers, beetles, grasshoppers, yellow jackets, spiders, cockroaches, and snails. And they are kind of cute.

My closest encounter with a skunk was years ago, when I was about 10. Riding my bike, I rounded the corner of the barn and there was a skunk, right in front of me. Evidently I did not appear to be a threat to him and I was able to back away without getting sprayed. The incident made my heart race, though.

Skunk

A couple skunk jokes:

What did the skunk say when he went to church? Let us spray.

What did the skunks do with their letters? They scent them.

Yesterday I found a broken skunk. It was out of odor.

Where did the skunk go after losing his tail? A retail store.

Skunks don’t make dollars, they make scents.

Lastly, remember, today, January 31, is the end of skunk season in Ohio.

Tombstone Tuesday-Christ & Anna K. (Gehm) Linn

Christ & Anna K. (Gehm) Linn, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Twp, Mercer County, Ohio. (2024 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Christ and Anna K. (Gehm) Linn, located in row 7 of St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

LINN
Christ
1874-1953
Anna K.
1877-1941

Christian “Christ” Linn was born in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on 28 April 1874, the son of Jacob (1838-1919) and Katharina (Mueller) (1839-1913) Linn. His parents were both born in Germany and immigrated to America in 1872 and settled in Liberty Township. His mother Katharina was the sister of my great-grandfather Jacob Mueller/Miller.

Christian “Christ” Linn with his family in 1880: Jacob Linn, 41, farmer; Katharina, 40; Jacob, 15; Philip, 12; Henry, 9; Christian, 6; and John, 6 months. [1]

Christ Linn married Anna K. Gehm on 3 May 1894 in Mercer County, married by Karl Mueller. [2]

Anna Katherine Gehm was born 13 December 1877, the daughter of William Gehm (1847-1893) and Barbara Brecheisen (1851-1914).

The William Gehm household in 1880: William Gehm, 32, wife Barbara, 28, and their four children, Jacob Gehm, 5; Henry Gehm, 4; Anne C Gehm, 2; and Mary Gehm, 5 months. William’s father, Philip Gehm, 60, also resided with them. [3]

Sic years after their marriage, Christ and Anna Linn and their four children resided in Liberty Township, where Christ was a farmer. Their family in 1900: Christopher Linn, 25; Anna, 23; Willie, 5; Bertha C, 4; Edith K, 2; and Clara M, 5 months. The couple had been married six years and four of their four children were living. [4] By 1910 they had another daughter, Laura, born in 1901, [5] and they had another son, Bevan, born in 1919.

By 1920, four of their six children had left home, leaving only Laura, 18, and Bevan, 7 months, living at home with their parents. [6]

In 1940 the family consisted of Christ Linn, 65; Anna K Linn, 63, wife; Bevan Linn, 32, son, single; and Laura Nelson, 38, daughter, widow. Daughter Laura lived in Adams County, Indiana, in 1935. [7]

Anna K. (Gehm) Linn died 25 May 1941.

In 1950, widower Christ Linn resided in Coldwater, Mercer County, Ohio, with his son Bevan Linn, Bevan’s wife Romania, and their daughter Linda. [8]

Christ Linn died 3 August 1953 in Coldwater, Ohio, age 79.

Christ Linn’s obituary:
Coldwater-Christ Linn, 79, a native of Liberty-tp, died Monday morning in Mercy Hospital here following a two-year illness. Mr. Linn was a retired farmer, a former trustee of Liberty-tp, and a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed church in Liberty-tp.

Surviving are one son, Bevan, Coldwater, with whom he had made his home for the last four years; four daughters, Mrs. Filmore Donovan, Celina; Mrs. Delphia Fennig, Wabash; Mrs. Ora Weil, Phoenix, Ariz; and Mrs. James Nelson, Celina; six grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.

Desch funeral home is in charge of the funeral arrangements. [9]

Christ and Anna (Gehm) Linn had the following children:
William Chris “Willie” Linn (1894-1953), married Martha Amelia Behmer
Bertha Caroline Linn (1896-1977), married Filmore A. Donovan
Edith K. Linn (1898-1977), married Delphia Enos Fennig
Clara M. Linn, (1899-1995), married Ora Weil
Laura Linn (1901-1984), married James Nelson
Bevan Wilbur Linn (1919-2005), married Ramonia E. Zumbrink

[1] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.477B, dwelling 114, family 121, Jacob Linn; Ancestry.com.

[2] Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993, Ohio, Mercer, 1887-1904, p.37, Christian Linn & Anna Gehm, 3 May 1894; Ancestry.com.

[3] 1880 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 188, p.479B, dwelling 144, family 152, William Gehm; Ancestry.com.

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Black Creek, ED 74, p.7, dwelling 156, household 156, Christopher Linn; Ancestry.com.

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.2B, dwelling 37, family 37, Christ Linn; Ancestry.com.

[6] 1920 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p.9B, dwelling 181, family 198, Christ Linn; Ancestry.com.  

[7] 1940 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 54-22, p.11B, household 223, Christ Linn; Ancestry.com.

[8] 1950 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Coldwater, Ed 54-4, p.19, dwelling 184, Bevan W Linn; Ancestry.com.  

[9] Christopher “Christ” Linn, Find a Grave.com memorial no. 27666294, St. Pauls United Church of Christ Cemetery, Rockford, Mercer County, Ohio.

Willshire’s Mr. Renner & Mr. Knape

Jack Renner.

The name sounded vaguely familiar to me, but it wasn’t until I looked up his photo in The Willow, Willshire School’s yearbook, that I remembered him.

Mr. Jack Renner, Willow, 1958

It was a long time ago that he headed the music department at Willshire and was my music teacher in the late 1950s. Since Willshire was a rather small school, he was the music teacher for the entire school, elementary through senior high.

Mr. Renner, Willow, 1959

He is shown directing the chorus and band in other yearbook photos.

Mr. Renner and the Willshire High School chorus, Willow, 1959

Under the direction of Mr. Renner, the Willshire High School chorus received Superior ratings. 

Mr. Jack Renner, Willow, 1959

Jack Renner, called Mr. Renner by his students, was my music teacher when I was in first and second grades. I don’t remember much about those music classes, just an image in my mind of Mr. Renner standing in the front of our music classroom, teaching us new songs, and trying to direct the singing of six and seven year-old students.

Mr. Renner, Willow, 1960

As I recall, Mr. Renner was soft-spoken and nice. He would have been about 24 years old at the time and Willshire was probably his first teaching assignment.

Looking through old Willow yearbooks, Mr. Renner was the music teacher between the music terms of Rosella Vining. Mrs. Vining taught music before and after Mr. Renner was there, and she taught history and English while he was there as the music teacher.

Jack Renner, Rosella Vining, Willow, 1960

The subject of Mr. Renner came up in a recent email, an email from the son of Ned Knape. Ned Knape was also a teacher and a coach at Willshire with Renner. The two men became life-long friends and Knape’s son brought Jack Renner’s musical career to my attention. Something I knew nothing about.

Willshire faculty, Mr. Knape & Mr. Renner, Willow, 1958

Mr. Renner taught music at Willshire for about 3 years, 1958-1960, and after leaving Willshire he made quite a name for himself in the music world.

Jack Lee Renner was born 13 April 1935 in Barnesville, Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from The Ohio State University in Columbus. He was a music teacher, professional trumpeter, conductor, freelance recording engineer, recording engineering consultant, record label executive, and public speaker. He made his first recording in 1962 and pioneered the development of the digital recording process for jazz, classical, and symphonic music.

He co-founded the Cleveland-based international record label Telarc in 1977. In 1978 he made the first symphonic digital recording and the first orchestral digital recording in the United States. Telarc made over twelve hundred recordings that were recognized with more than fifty Grammy Awards. Renner was nominated for 25 Grammy Awards and won eleven Grammys.

In 1990 he was recognized as an outstanding alumnus at The Ohio State University School of Music. He taught audio recording at the Cleveland Institute of Music for thirty years and received an honorary doctorate of Musical Arts from there in 1997. In 2004 he received the American Bandmasters Association’s Edwin Franko Goldman citation for his lifelong passion and promotion of concert band music in America. He retired from Telarc in 2006 but continued his music.

Jack Renner died 19 June 2019 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, at the age of 84. He was survived by his wife and three children.

To think that he started his music career as a teacher in Willshire. I have it on very good authority that Jack Renner boarded at Dale and Bess Cowan’s house during the time he taught at Willshire. The class of 1959 invited him back to Willshire for an alumni banquet when they were the honor class. He directed a chorus of class members as entertainment at the banquet.  

What about his friend Ned Knape, who I do not remember at all. Knape taught high school classes and had little or no contact with the elementary students. He coached basketball and baseball in those years immediately after Willshire’s two state basketball teams in 1955 and 1956, coached by Mr. Games. Knape taught and coached at Willshire for about three years, 1957-1959.  According to his son, Ned was good friends with coach Don Black.

Ned Knape & Don Black, Willow, 1959

Knape taught history and was also was a driver’s ed instructor, bus driver, and senior class sponsor for the class of 1959. All that plus coaching.

Mr. Knape, Willow, 1958

Willshire bus drivers, Ned Knape, Willow, 1958

Ned Knape, 1959 Senior Class Advisor, Willow 1959

Ned Knape, Willow, 1959

Ned Knape, Willow, 1959

Ned Knape (1930-2014) was born in Ridgeville Corners, Ohio. He graduated from Valparaiso University in 1953, where he lettered in basketball and baseball. He received a master’s degree in education from Ball State and taught and coached in East Allen County Schools and in Willshire.

Some of you will remember one or both of these men, as a music director, teacher, coach, driver’s ed instructor, class sponsor, or bus driver.

What interesting stories and such fun looking through the old Willow yearbooks.

Sources:

Jack Renner (recording engineer), Wikipedia.com.

Jack Renner obituary, Legacy.com.

Ned R Knape, Find a Grave memorial no. 142649285, Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Adams County Indiana; FindaGrave.com.

Bruno and The Babe

Mercer County’s own Bruno Betzel was a baseball star in the 19-teens and 1920s. In fact, he spent his entire adult life in the baseball field.

He was born in Chattanooga, Ohio, on 6 December 1894, the son of Heinrich and Anna Sophia (Kessler) Betzel. He was christened Christian Friedrich Albert Betzel, called Albert, and nicknamed Bruno. Albert “Bruno” Betzel is inscribed on his tombstone. His family moved to Celina when he was a young boy, sometime between 1900 and 1910.

Bruno was playing short stop for Celina by 1911, as seen in the photo below.

The Celina Democrat, 16 June 1911

Celina’s team in 1911: Betzel, ss; McComb, c; Frederick, p; Wenning, 1b; C Myers, lf; Ellis, rf; Meyer, cf; Betz, 2b; G Myers, 3b; and Jim Carlin, manager.

Bruno Betzel played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1914-1918, his major league career. After retirement from playing, he continued to play local ball for Celina for a time and managed several minor league teams.  

Mercer County followed Bruno Betzel in 1924:

BRUNO BETZEL HITTING HARD
Celina baseball fans have watched with much interest the splendid second base play of Bruno Betzel, local boy with the Louisville Americans association team, this year. In addition to performing in superb fashion in the field, Betzel has been hitting like a demon. On Sunday he got 6 hits in 8 times at bat and on Labor Day he made 3 hits in 7 trips to the plate…
Rogers Hornsby of the St. Louis Nationals, nor “Babe” Ruth, of the New York Americans, have done much better than this.—Celina Standard, 5 Sep 1924.

Bruno knew some baseball greats. He roomed with Rogers Hornsby, played with Hank Robinson, managed Jackie Robinson, and once beaned Ty Cobb.

He also crossed paths at least once with Babe Ruth. In Lima, Ohio.

Bruno played for Celina, of course, and the Babe played for Lima.

It was the third and deciding game of the inter-county championship series. Each team had won a game and this game, played Friday 16 October 1926 at Murphy St. ballpark in Lima, would determine the winner.

The Lima News, 10 Oct 1926

Record crowds were expected.

…The coming of Ruth to Lima in an actual game of ball in which both sides will be out for blood is expected to mark a red letter day in the history of baseball in northwestern Ohio. Only the larger cities have been angling for his services…and this city will be the smallest in which he will appear as a regular player…The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, 10 Oct 1926.    

it was apparent that the only way to win the deciding tilt from the lake town outfit was to get players who could smack the apple…

Lima brought in a couple big league and class AA players, Babe Ruth, Pittinger, Gilhooley, Heath, Butch Henline, star catcher with the Philadelphia National league club.

…Reports from Celina are to the effect that the club is also loading up for the fray. Berly Horne has been loaned to the Brunck club…Bruno Betzel, who will lead the Celina combination, is said to be guarding his lineup closely and it is possible that some other stars will be inserted at the last minute… The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, 10 Oct 1926.    

Berly Horne [Berlyn Dale Horne] was signed by Celina to help out in the pitching with Jacobs.

Game day. 15 October 1926, Murphy St. ballpark, Lima.

Over four thousand baseball fans reportedly attended the game.

There was a 10-minute batting exhibition before the game, and the Babe hit 11 balls over the fence, some going beyond the B & O RR tracks beyond the field.

Babe Ruth hit 2 home runs and had two 2-base hits. He was at bat 5 times, had 4 hits, 3 runs, 2 put-outs, and no errors.

Bruno Betzel was at bat 4 times, with 2 hits, 1 run, 3 put-outs, and no errors.

It must have been something to see. Babe played seven positions during the game. He started at first base, shifted to second, then short stop, third, left field, center field, and finally the pitching mound, relieving Settlemire for the last three innings.

…Celina came to life in the seventh with four runs and then ended up the with day with two more in the ninth…

Bruno was involved in a double play, Karch to Betzel to Heckler. Celina’s Heckler was hit by a ball pitched by Babe Ruth.

The Lima team consisted of Gilhooley, cf; Dugan, 2b, lf; Ruth, 1b, 2b, ss, 3b, lf, cf, p; Pittenger, ss, 2b; Hianke, c; Henline, c; Marquard, 3b, ss; Leis, lf.

The Celina team consisted of Karch, 2b; Heckler, 1b; Sandquist, ss; Betzel 2b; Poorman, lf; Harlow, cf; Wildermuth, rf; Landis, rf; Bixler, c; and Jacobs, p.

Some of these major and minor league stars were “Butch” Henline, Philadelphia National League catcher; Clarke Pittenger, Cincinnati Reds’ next year’s shortstop; Frank Gilhooley, Bruno Betzel, Mickey Heath, International and American Association League players.

In the end, Lima defeated Celina 11 to 7, winning the inter-county championship series.

The game lasted 2 hours 45 minutes. –The Lima News, Lima, Ohio, 16 Oct 1926.

Soon after this historic Lima game, Bruno Betzel would become the manager of the Indianapolis baseball team of the American Association, succeeding Ownie Bush. Bush would become the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. —Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, Cincinnati, Ohio, 3 Dec 1926

Finally, a genealogy connection. I am a third cousin once removed to Bruno Betzel, related through his mother Anna Sophia (Kessler).

Tombstone Tuesday-Jacob & Elizabeth (Ulrich) Weismann

Weismann, Jacob & Elizabeth (Ulrich) Weismann, St. Paul UCC Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio (2024 photo by Karen

This is the tombstone of Jacob and Elizabeth (Ulrich) Weismann, located in row 5 of St. Paul CC Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

Mother–Father
Elizabeth
His Wife
1844-1926

Jacob
1840-1927
WEISMANN

Jacob Weismann was born in Rheinpfalz, Bavaria, Germany, on 16 December 1840, the son of Philip and [?] (Eichler) Weismann. [1] Jacob’s wife Elizabeth (Ulrich) was born in Yettin Bach [Jettenbach, Rheinland, Bavaria?], Germany on 28 July 1844, the daughter of Philip and Maggie (Hatter) Ulrich. [2]

Jacob and Elizabeth married in Germany in about 1868 and at least four of their children were born there. In the spring of 1883 the Jacob Weismann family, consisting of Jacob, 42, wife Elizabeth, 39, and children Anna, 10, Caroline, 9, Carl, 3, and Edward, 3 months, departed Antwerp Belgium on the ship Waesland and arrived in New York City on 4 May 1883. [3]

In 1900 the Jacob Weismann family resided in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. Jacob, 60, a farmer, and Elizabeth, 56, had been married 32 years and four of their seven children were living. Two of their children had left home but Charles, 20, and Edward, 18, still lived at home with their parents. All the members of the household were born in Germany and all immigrated in 1883. [4] 

The family resided in Section 12 of Liberty Township, on Oregon Road, very near the Liberty-Hopewell Township line.

The 1910 enumeration of the Jacob Weismann family repeats much of the same information as the 1900 census. Two of their children resided with them in 1910, Annie, 39, single, and Edward, 28, single. [5]

Their daughter Anna Weismann died in Liberty Township on 15 January 1914, at the age of 43. [6]

In 1920, Jacob and Elizabeth lived very near to their son Edward and his family and near Jacob and Effie Bollenbacher in Liberty Township. Jacob, 79, was now a retired farmer. [7]

Elizabeth (Ulrich) Weismann, age 82, died in Liberty Township, Mercer County, on 22 September 1926. She was buried on the 25th. [2]

Widower Jacob Weismann, 86, died in Liberty Township, Mercer County, from bronchial pneumonia and heart disease, on 25 November 1927. He was buried on the 27th. [1]

Jacob and Elisabeth Weismann had the following children. Two other children may have died in infancy:
Anna Weismann (1870-1914)
Caroline Weismann (1872-1949), married Jacob Miller
Charles Weismann (1879-1933), married Catherine Siebert
Edward Weismann (1882-1959), married Myrtle Brough
Ludwig Weismann (1887-1887)

[1] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Mercer, Jacob Weismann, 25 Nov 1927; FamilySearch.org

[2] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Mercer, Elizabeth Weismann, 22 Sep 1926; FamilySearch.org.

[3] Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897, Records of the U.S. Customs Service, RG 36, NAID M237, Jacob Weissmann; Ancestry.com.

[4] 1900 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 85, dwelling 267, family 272, Jacob Weismann; Ancestry.com. 

[5] 1910 U.S. Census, Ohio, Mercer, Liberty, ED 119, p.13B, dwelling 294, family 251, Jacob Weiseman [sic]; Ancestry.com.

[6] “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” Mercer, Annie Weismann, 17 Jan 1914; FamilySearch.org.

[7] 1920 U.S. Census, Mercer, Liberty, ED 140, p.7A, dwelling 124, family 137, Jacob Weisman [sic]; Ancestry.com.