Aug 31

Willshire Public School

Postcard photo of Willshire Public School, 1917. Van Wert County, Ohio.

After looking at last week’s old school photos I got to thinking about my elementary school, Willshire Public School, in Van Wert County, Ohio. I attended school there from first grade through eighth grade, although the school system expanded and changed its name during that time.

Construction on the Willshire school building was started in 1900 and completed in 1901 at a cost of $14,000. The first class graduated from the new building in 1902 with a three-year high school certificate.

In the 1920s one-room country schools were closing and the township schools in the Willshire area merged with the Willshire School system. Even the students from Blackcreek and Liberty Townships in Mercer County transferred to Willshire. Some of these students were from the Chatt School  No. 3.

So, to accommodate of the increasing number of students in the system, an addition was built in 1930. The addition included a gymnasium-auditorium, an office, indoor restrooms, a cafeteria, science lab, a home economics department and a study hall.

Another addition was built in 1953 and included the two-story addition of eight classrooms and a combination cafeteria-library. [1]

Willshire High School Class of 1939-40, Junior year.

Junior Class, Willshire High School, years 1938-39 (class of 1939-40) left to right:
Row 1, seated: (1) Mary Stetler, (2) LaVerne Bollenbacher, (3) Barbara Dull, (4) Bernice Pond, (5) Alice Handwerk, (6) Helen Miller, (7) Catherine Leininger, (8) Ruth Kuhn
Row 2: (9) LaVerne Stetler, (10) Margaret Painter, (11) Virginia Hamrick, (12) Lola Schumm, (13) Florence Dull, (14) Anita Stetler, (15) Genevive August, (16) Marjorie Pifer, (17) Orvie Putman, (18)Teacher
Row 3: (19) Bob Andrews, (20) Gene Duff, (21) Bob Myers, (22) Donnie Dellinger, (23) Marcus Hey, (24) Lincoln Cully, (25) Milton Schumm, (26) LaVerne Ripley

No. 6, Helen Miller was my aunt, one of my dad’s sisters.

Willshire and Rockford Public Schools consolidated in 1961 to form the Parkway Local School System. I remember that there was a contest to name the new school and all students were invited to enter. My entry was “Willrock”. My choice seemed pretty obvious to me, but it was not a winner.

After the consolidation of Willshire and Rockford schools, students in the elementary grades remained in the same school they had been attending and I continued to attend Willshire. Students from the former Willshire and Rockford schools were merged together for the seventh and eighth grades and were schooled at the Willshire building. Parkway High School was at the Rockford building.

Mendon Union joined the Parkway Local School system in 1992 and students were then bussed to all three schools. Then the Willshire building became the Parkway Middle School. A new Parkway Local School was erected at Rockford in 2005 and all the students in the district now attend the one building. The Willshire school building was demolished in 2006. The school buildings at Rockford and Mendon have also been torn down.

Some notable facts about the Willshire Public School: The Willshire School building was named in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The Willshire Bearcats basketball team was the state runner-up for the 1954-55 season. Both of my parents graduated from Willshire High School, my dad in 1943 and my mom in 1947. In fact, all of my aunts and uncles graduated from Willshire.

Willshire Public School, November 1932.

Unfortunately, I do not know the identities of the students in the above 2 photos. If anyone can identify them I would appreciate knowing.

 

[1] “Willshire Public School, 1900-1961”, 2006 Willshire High School Alumni Banquet program, reprinted in a 1994 Photo Star article; information originally compiled by Sondra Samples from Willshire Herald and Photo Star articles, Willshire Sesqui Booklet and from Phyllis Brockmyer, historical preservation consultant.

Aug 28

Tombstone Tuesday–Bernice E. and Robert L. Dudgeon

Tombstone of Bernice and Bob Dudgeon, Riverside Cemetery, Adams County, Indiana.

This is the tombstone of Bernice and Robert Dudgeon, located east of Geneva in Riverside Cemetery, Wabash Township, Adams County, Indiana, The marker is inscribed: DUDGEON, Bernice E., 1907-1994, Robert L., 1903-1992.

Obituary:
ROBERT L. DUDGEON
Robert L. Dudgeon, 88, route 2, Berne, died Friday, Mar. 27 at Lutheran Hospital in Ft. Wayne. Death was attributed to a heart ailment. He had been ill for two years.

He was born in Adams County to Truman and Pearl Jones Dudgeon on Nov. 12, 1903. He married Bernice Brewster on Jan. 11, 1927 in Blue Creek Township; she survives.

Other survivors include a son, Richard L. Dudgeon, route 2, Geneva; two sisters, Mrs. Laurel (Edith) Bowen, Willshire, Ohio, and Nora Byer, Ft. Wayne; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Three sisters, Florine, Cecil and Bernice, preceded him in death.

Services were held Sunday at Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home, Berne with the Rev. Marcel Lamb officiating. Burial was in Riverside Cemetery, Geneva.

Preferred memorials are to Gideons International. [1]

Obituary:
Bernice Dudgeon, 87, of rural Berne died yesterday at her son’s home. The Adams County native was the widow of Robert L., who died in 1992. Surviving are her son, Richard L. of Geneva; sisters, Elva V. Ellenberger and Dorothy Weaver, both of Geneva; three grandchildren; and seven great- grandchildren. Services are 2 p.m. Saturday in Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home, Berne, where calling is 2 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Geneva. Preferred memorials are gifts to Allen Home Health Care & Hospice or Gideons International. [2]

Bernice & Bob Dudgeon

I knew them as Bernice and Bob. We pronounced her name “Burrnuss”, sounds like furnace.Bernice was one of my grandma Miller’s sisters, the children of Philip and Peral (Reid) Brewster.  Grandma and Bernice were close and I remember Bernice coming to visit on the Miller farm often. I knew Bernice better than any of my grandma’s other siblings.

My grandma, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller with her sister Bernice.

When my grandma was first married she was homesick and Bernice and their other sister Elvie would come and stay with her. When Bernice and Bob were first married they lived on State Route 49, across from where Vernon and Donna Caffee used to live. That was about a half mile from the Miller farm, across the field.

Bernice always had a smile on her face. Both she and my grandma had a terrific sense of humor and liked to kid around and play practical jokes. I bet those two got into a lot of mischief when they were little girls.

Bob’s sister Edith (Dudgeon) Bowen was my 5th grade teacher at Willshire Elementary School.

Bernice & Bob Dudgeon, 1978.

 

Sources:
[1] Robert Dudgeon obituary, Photo Star, Willshire, Ohio, 1 April 1992, page3.

[2] Bernice Dudgeon obituary, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 15 September 1994, page 10A, Record No. 9401090618, (http://www.obitsarchive.com : accessed 24 August 2012).

Aug 24

School Days

Right now I’m sure most local school-aged children are wondering where this summer has gone, lamenting because most of the schools in our area opened this past week. I remember those days.

I have been sorting through several groups of photos that I obtained this summer. There were several school pictures among my dad’s photos and he had even identified and labeled some of them.

So, to commemorate back-to-school, here are a couple local school photos.

I have been told that the old building to the right is the former Chattanooga School. Chatt School, aka School No. 3, was located in Section 8, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio, on what is now the southeast corner of Schaadt Road and State Route 49. The school was listed on the 1876, 1888, and 1900 Mercer County plat maps.

During the local oil boom a second school house was erected to house the additional pupils. There were four grades in each building. The north building was a little smaller and there was a pump between the two buildings. Chatt School closed over 70 years ago, in 1939. After the school closed the students were bussed to Willshire.  [1]

Below is a photo of the students and teacher at Chatt School during the 1935-36 school year. Clark Sipe, the teacher, is standing in back. Clark Sipe and his family lived a couple miles from where I grew up and I remember him. He was the sixth grade teacher at Willshire School when I started school there but I never had him for a teacher.

Chatt School, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio,1935-36. Clark Sipe, teacher.

Row 1: Glenna Smith, Alfred Schott, Anna Lee Schott, Dale Schott, Kenny Branstetter, Norma Mae Schaadt, Donald Deitsch, Bob Carr, Anna Lee Schaadt, Bob Hunziker, Jug Andrews, Norval Weitz.
Row 2: Margaret Schaadt, Dale Baumgartner, Genevieve Wendel, Floyd Andrews, Geevieve Johnson, Barney Sapp, Catherine Leininger, Gene Duff, Genevieve Baker, Betty Hunziker, Paul Schott, Dorothy Leininger.
Row 3: Lois Schaadt, JoAnn Smith, Rex Vining, Rosemary Schaadt, Harold Sapp, Bob Wendel, Bob Deitsch, Vera Mae Andrews, Robert Heffner, Helen Jean Hileman, Bob Andress.

The photo below was taken about 1927 at Mosier School, Willshire Township, Van Wert County, Ohio. According to Ohio HomeTown Locator, Mosier School was located on the corner of State Route 49 and County Highway 50, aka Willshire-Ohio City Road. The school was northeast of Willshire.

Mosier School, Willshire Township, Van Wert County, Ohio, c1927.

(1) ? (2) Mamie (Cully) Tumbleson (3) Calvin August (4) Mildred (Bowen) Johnson (5) Mr. Troutner, teacher (6) Mildred (Cully) Friend [cousin to Alvera] (7) Bob Swoveland (8 & 9) ? (10) Bob Cully [brother to #6, Mildred] (11) Alvin August (12) Mercedes Swoveland [sister to #7, Bob] (13) Wilma (Swoveland) Hileman [w/o Isaac Hileman] (14) ? (15) Mary Lou Suman (16) Maxine Stetler (17) Virginia (August) Johnson (18) Ruth (Cully) Baker (19) Marjorie (Cully) Baker (20) Maxine (Pond) Briner (21) ? (22) Barbara (Cully) Freestone (23) ? (24) Tim Dull (25) Robert August (26) Jack August (27) Tim DeBolt (28) Uler Dull [brother to #24, Tim] (29) Eugene “Biscuit” Stetler (30) Oakaleea Stetler.

It is interesting to note that Jack August later resided in the Chatt area.

[1] Joyce L. Alig, editor, Mercer County, Ohio History 1978 (Dallas, Texas: The Taylor Publishing Company, 1980), 696-7.

Aug 21

Tombstone Tuesday–Caroline Biberstein

Caroline Biberstein, Kessler Cemetery, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the tombstone of Caroline Biberstein, located in row 14 of Kessler Cemetery, Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed Hier ruhet, Caroline Biberstein, Geb. 14 Nov 1874, Gest 15 Oct 1890, Alter 15 Jah, 11 Mo, 1 Td. Translation: Here rests Caroline Biberstein, born 14 Nov 1874, died 15 Oct 1890, aged 15 years, 11 months, 1 day.

This is the fifth and remaining Biberstein/Beberstein tombstone in Kessler Cemetery. It is between the tombstone of her father and mother.

Caroline’s inscription is on the north side of the tombstone. The name Frederike Biberstein is inscribed on the south side of the tombstone and nothing more is written on that side. There is no mention of another Frederike Biberstein in the church records of Zion Lutheran, Chattanooga, just Friedricka the mother.

Frederike Biberstein, south side of tombstone.

According to the records of Zion Lutheran Church, Chattanooga, Caroline Margaretha “Baberstein” was born 14 November 1874 in Liberty Township, Mercer County, Ohio. Her parents were Abraham Baberstein, born in Canton Bern, Switzerland, and his wife Friedricka, born Stretter, born in Murr, Württemberg. Caroline was baptized 12 December 1874.

Caroline Biberstein inscription, north side of tombstone.

I did some further research on the Biberstein family. It appears that Abraham and Friedricke had a son, George Washington, who lived to maturity and married. George W. “Beverstine”, age 2 [born c1858] was enumerated in the 1860 census, in Sandy Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. According to Zion’s records Washington Biberstein was confirmed in 1873. Since Lutherans are usually confirmed at about age 14 this was likely the same person.

G.W. “Beberstine” married Magdalena Wiedman on 18 January 1883, in Mercer County, R. H. Besel, mg, officiating.  [1]

According to Zion’s records Georg Washington and Magdalena (Widmann) Biberstein had a son Georg Abraham, born 11 September 1884 and baptized 17 September 1884. His sponsor was Johann Enkel, in place of Wilhelmina Ritter, who was absent. Georg Abraham’s baptismal record also gives the birth place of his father as Sidney Township [a spelling error?], Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and that of his mother as Recovery Township, Mercer County, Ohio.

This is the George Beberstein family as they appeared in 1900 in Allen County, Indiana: George (42, Oh; father born in Switzerland, mother born in Germany), Magdalina, (33, Oh), George A (15, Oh), Charles M (12, Ind), Mary M (11, Ind), Elizabeth (8, Ind), Emma (6, Ind), Alwis (3, Ind). [2]  

There a memorial to George W. Beberstein on Find A Grave.com, #28524191. There is no photo of his tombstone but the memorial indicates that he was born in 1857 and died in 1933. He is buried in Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. Also memorialized on Find A Grave in the same cemetery are the following Bebersteins: Magdelena (1865-1932), #28524189; Dortha Lucile (1900-1918), #28524172; and Theodore O. (1897-1950), #28524178. [3] 

There were two other Bibersteins in Zion’s records, very likely members and/or descendants of this original Beberstein family.

Maria Louisa Biberstien was confirmed in 1873. This would indicate that she was born about 1859 if she was confirmed at about age 14, She might be Mary, age 1, enumerated in the 1860 census, Sandy, Tuscarawas County, in the Abraham “Beverstine” household. [4]

Maria Wilhelmine Engel was baptized in 1885. Her parents were Johann and Friderike Wilhelmine (Biberstein) Engel. Further research shows that John P. Engle married Minnie Beberstine on 23 October 1884 in Mercer County, Ohio. [5] This was probably Minnie “Beaverstein” age 16 in the 1880 census. [6]

Sources:
[1] Mercer County Marriages Vol. 5: 185, Probate Court, Celina, Ohio.

[2] 1900 US Census, Wayne, Allen, Indiana; Roll: 358; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 22; FHL microfilm: 1240358, (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Aug 2012).

[3] Beberstein memorials, Saint Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana, added 25 Jul 2008 by Jim Cox, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 18 Aug 2012).

[4] 1860 US Census, Sandy, Tuscarawas, Ohio; Roll: M653_1043; Page: 354; Image 297; Family History Library Film: 805043, (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 29 July 2012).

[5] Mercer County Marriages Vol. 5: 275, Probate Court, Celina, Ohio.

[6] 1880 US Census, Liberty, Mercer, Ohio; Roll: 1048; Family History Film: 1255048; Page: 472C; Enumeration District: 188; Image: 0656, (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 29 July 2012).

 

Aug 17

This & That During The Summer of 2012

Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds, and me! June 2012.

This busy summer is quickly coming to an end. As usual, I didn’t get everything accomplished that I had planned.

I wasn’t able to research as much as I had hoped and I still haven’t started my 1812 application. But I did collect, digitize and organize a lot of old family photos. I attended a national conference (NGS) in May and two family reunions a couple months later.

I signed up as a volunteer indexer for FamilySearch and enjoyed indexing Ohio batches of the 1940 census. I participated in 5 Million Record Day on 2 July, the day when volunteers were asked to index a few extra batches in order to achieve a new indexing record–5 million records in one day. Thanks to all those indexing that day we surpassed that goal, and then some. On that day over 46,000 indexers and arbitrators indexed and arbitrated over 10 million records. I indexed 19 batches of Ohio census records that day. The 1940 census has been completely indexed by now thanks to the many 1940 US Census Community Project volunteers.

We went all the way to Cincinnati for a vacation in June and attended two Reds games. While near the ballpark one afternoon Joe recognized Cincinnati Reds’ ballplayer Todd Frazier. Todd is very nice in addition to being a very versatile ball player. He was playing 3rd base for the injured Scott Rolen but has since taken charge of 1st base after Joey Votto injured his knee. Todd is also in the running for Rookie of the Year and IMHO he deserves it, hands down. Take for example that 474 foot home run Wednesday night! And there was that nifty little toss to Leake to make an out at first base during the same game. Way to go Todd! He even saved a man from choking earlier in the year. Todd and the Reds are both having a great season.

I managed to take a little time away from genealogy and my computer to venture into the great outdoors for a little yard work. Our yard was quite a mess after a hurricane-like storm went through the Midwest the end of June. My yard work went like this:

Day 1: south half of the front yard; picked up sticks, hauled away many loads in wheel barrow.
Day 2: north half of front yard; too stiff to bend over; raked sticks into 14 separate piles instead.
Day 3: blisters on hands and feet; still could not bend over; recuperated in house.

Some interesting birds passed through our yard this year. A pair of pileated woodpeckers were pounding on our trees for several months. These are the large woodpeckers, about 20 inches tall. They look like Woody Woodpecker, for those of you that remember that cartoon. We were thrilled. We thought we would never see one of these in our lifetime.

Pileated Woodpecker. This was the best photo I could get.

We also have a pair of wild turkeys that occasionally show up and wander through the yard. They like to nibble their way around the pond, possibly plumping themselves up for Thanksgiving.

Wild turkeys grazing around the pond.

Speaking of birds, this headline caught our attention a couple weeks ago:

Headline in “The Daily Standard”

We wondered what type of heron is illegal to possess. Could it be a Great Blue? The Green Heron? We often see both types on our lot. Nope, it was neither of those varieties. It seems the couple in the headline plead not guilty to possession of heroin. One little letter can change the whole story. Editors can be helpful and I do appreciate my editor Miriam.

Last, but not least, our son became engaged this past week! Wahoo! He is engaged to a wonderful girl and they make great couple. I’m sure they will be very happy together. Best of all, I will soon have a beautiful daughter-in-law. Can’t wait!

Yes, it has been an eventful summer so far and there is still have a month of it left to enjoy. And GO REDS!