Mar 09

Tombstone Tuesday-Catharine (Hardzog) Strete

Catharine (Hardzog) Strete, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of Catharine (Hardzog) Strete, located in row 7 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

IN
Memory of
Catharine wife
of John Strete who
Died Feb. 27th 1845
Aged 20 [?] Years, 3 Mo
& 8 days

Catharine Hardzog was born 19 November 1824, as calculated from her tombstone, when she died at age of 20. She was the daughter of Christian and Katharine (Lintermoot) Hardzog and her family lived in Black Creek Township, Mercer County, Ohio, in 1840. [1]

Her death predates the records of Zion Lutheran Church, Schumm, so there was no information about her in the church records.

Catharine Hardzog married John Strete in Mercer County, Ohio, on 31 Aug 1841. John Strete was also a resident of Mercer County. [2]

Catherine was only 16 years old when she married, legally underage to marry without the consent of her father or guardian. Therefore their marriage record tells us that her father was Christian Hardzog. Christian gave his consent for his daughter Catherine to marry John Strete and several people attested to Christian’s signed consent. The following is a transcription of that document:

The State of Ohio
Mercer County ss
Personally appeared John Streete who being duly sworn says that in the contemplated marriage between himself and Catharine Hardzogg he the said John Streete is of lawful age and both reside in the County aforesaid and further that the certificate produced by him and signed by Christian Hardzogg as the father of said Catharine Hardzogg giving his consent to said marriage he saw him sign the same and heard him acknowledge his consent thereto.
Sworn to this 31 day of August 1841.
Franklin Linzee, Clerk Pro Tem

August the 30 1841
To the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County Ohio I hereby certify in the presents of the subscribing witness that it is my wish and with my consent that you grant to John Streete License for the marriage of the said John Streete to Catharine Hardzogg my daughter in testimony whereof I sign my name in presence of Joseph John Hartzog. Christian Hardzogg. We hereby testify that we saw Christian Hardzogg subscribe his name to the above order.
Attest Daniel Berger
Attest John Streete

John Streete
&
Catharine Hardzogg

License Issued Aug. 31 1841
I hereby certify that John Streete and Catharine Hartzogg were joined in marriage on the 31 day of August A.D. 1841.
By Josephus Dowus, Justice of the Peace
Sept. 7, 1841
Franklin Linzee, Clerk Pro. Tem

I love it when research comes together and results in new revelations. Catharine’s sandstone tombstone is weathered and her surname has been misread. Her maiden name and her true identity have probably been unknown for some time.

But it all fits together.

The surname on the tombstone is Strete. The marriage record of John Strete and Catharine Hardzog states that Christian Hardzog was Catharine’s father. Several Hardzog family members are buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery at Schumm, including Catharine’s mother Katherine and Catharine’s sister Caroline Hardzog, who are both buried row 7. Their markers are some of the oldest sandstone markers that remain in Zion Schumm’s cemetery. Catherine’s father Christian is buried down the road in Hileman/Smith/Hartzog/Alspaugh Cemetery.  

Catharine Hardzog can now be added to the list of children of Christian Hardzog and his first wife Katharine (Lintemoot/Lindenmuth).

Catharine (Hardzog) Strete, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

However, other questions remain unanswered. Did John and Catharine (Hardzog) Strete have any children and if so, did any survive to adulthood? What happened to John Strete after Catharine’s death? Where did John and Catharine live?

I may continue to research this family…

[1] 1840 U.S. census, Mercer County, Ohio, Black Creek Township, p. 84, line 10, Christian Hartsock; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/8057/ : accessed 13 January 2013).

[2] “Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016,” Mercer County Marriages, Vol. ABC (1838-1852), p.79, John Streets & Catharine Hertzogg/Hardzogg, 31 Aug 1841; FamilySearch.org (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-BJSW-SQ?i=71&cc=1614804&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXZC5-8Y3 : viewed 7 Mar 2021). 

Mar 05

Black Creek Township’s Old Schools

A couple weeks back I posted a photo of Grove School, Black Creek’s School no. 8. The other day, while looking through the 1978 Mercer County History, edited by Joyce Alig, I ran across an article about all nine schools that were in Black Creek Township years ago. The article was written by the late Florence Gause, a local genealogist who lived in Black Creek Township. Additional information about School no. 3 was written by Edith Adams.  

Like most townships, there were 9 schools in Black Creek Township. Numbering of the schools started in the northeast part of the township, went west, then south, east, south, and back west, ending at Wildcat School.

Black Creek Township, 1900 map showing the 9 schools.

I knew some of the people Florence mentions. And remember, this was written in 1978 and some things have changed since then.

“Early School History Black Creek Township,” by Florence Gause:

School no. 1, King School: named for one of the first settlers in the township and had also been used by the United Brethern for their meeting house. It sat on the east side of the road with a small cemetery called Zimmerman on the west side. It was one of the first schools to be closed and its few pupils were bused to Center. The building has long been torn down.

School no. 2, Winkler School: still standing as a storage shed near the Zion church. Its early log cabin had been replaced with a larger frame building that was in turn moved and served as a meeting place for a time of the Pleasant Gove members who later built Zion and was also used as the dwelling of the Frank Stetler family. Just before the school closed its pupils were bused to Center.

School no. 3, Lower Duck Creek/Brandt/Dellinger School: …located 1 mile south of the Van Wert-Mercer County line, and 1 ½ miles east of the Indiana-Ohio state line, at Short and Winkler Roads. Louis Brandt granted land for the school and a red schoolhouse was built in 1893. The name was changed to Dellinger School in the early 1900s. The school closed in 1929 and the students went to Willshire. This was the only one of the Black Creek schools to still hold a reunion as late as 1978. [written by Edith Adams]

School no. 4, Duck Creek School: …one of the earliest schools in the township and also the center of several community activities. It served as a hall for Grange number 402. (which caused no little amount of controversy because it was also used as a meetinghouse for a religious sect that did not believe in secret organizations). Its last building of brick is still being used as a machine shed.

School no. 5, Center/Central School: …was one of the last to close when the school hacks [buses] began hauling the country children into Rockford and to Willshire. It is the only one of the nine still in public use. It was started about 1859, built with a stove in the center. Once it caught fire and had to be rebuilt and then the furnace type stove was put in a corner. It was rebuilt in 1885 with the brick house being in 1894. Among its list of teachers were Nelson Bricker, Lee and James Addy, Doc Kennel, John Ray, Lewis and Albert Johnson, Sam Vining, N.L. Hinton LeRoy Pifer, Clark Sipe, Edith Dudgeon (Bowen), Edna Winkler, Lottie Morrison, Esther Morrow, with Carlotta Smith (Gilbert) being the last for the term 1938-39.

School no. 6, Manley School: …in Section 14 on Erastus-Durbin Road, at the end of Manley Road. The first was a log building, later a frame school was built but it caught fire and burned when the stove door was open and sparks spit out. The third was brick and had vestibules. Boys still sat on one side and girls on the other as most schools did. For several years, off and on, it was used for church services and other social activities, including box socials.

School no. 7, Robinson School: …on 707 at Erastus Durbin Road. Lillian Martz Carr started there in 1904 and years later her sons also attended. Some of its teachers were Mable Wolf, Mary Coil, Ned Place, and Buress McBride. In the winter the children would go into the woods to a patch of ice and play shinny (hockey) and the teacher would give a five-minute whistle for them to get back.

School no. 8, Grove School: …near the corner of 707 and Wabash Road. It had a natural spring for drinking water and was very near Black Creek ditch, for skating during winter. It has been torn down and there’s nothing there today except memories for some Gauses, Homer Carr, Vernon Counterman, Kettenrings, Roebucks, and a few of their children.

School no. 9, Wildcat School: …located at Wildcat corner, where the [oil] pipe and equipment were stored on one side, and on another was the only two-room school of the township. Lee Kuhn and Leo Baker are but two who graduated from Wildcat… [1]

Wild Cat School, Mercer County, Ohio. c1897-8.

I learned that Edith Bowen, who was my 5th grade teacher at Parkway (at Willshire), taught at a one-room school, Center School.

The old Black Creek school information, particularly information about Wildcat School no.9, is of interest to me since I grew up on Wildcat corner. A couple of my aunts as well as my Grandpa Miller and his siblings attended Wildcat School. I did not know that Wildcat had two rooms and I always thought of it as a one-room school.

1925 Wildcat School, Mercer County, Ohio.

[1] Joyce L. Alig, editor, Mercer County, Ohio History 1978, published by The Mercer County Historical Society, Inc. (printed Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing Co, 1980), 211.

 

Mar 02

Tombstone Tuesday-Vacant Chair with Shoes Grave Marker

A pair of child’s shoes on a small vacant chair indicates the site of a child’s grave. One of the shoes is usually on its side.

Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio, 1907 Vacant Chari, Infant Son Medaugh. (2018 photo by Karen)

A vacant chair marker is usually found in an older cemetery and may be located near the graves of other family members.

Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio, 1922 Vacant Chair, Rex Eugene Medaugh. (2018 photo by Karen)

These two vacant chair markers are located side-by-side in Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County. They identify two sons of J.G. and D.F. Medaugh. One is for an unnamed infant who died in 1907 at the age of 3 days, and the other for Rex Eugene, who died in 1922 at the age of 11 months and 26 days.

Infant son and Rex Eugene Medaugh, row 2, Greenbriar Cemetery, Van Wert County.

  

Feb 26

Jacob Bolenbaugher Will, 1843

Below is the 1843 will of Jacob Bolenbaugher, Van Wert County, Ohio.

I am not sure who Jacob Bolenbaugher was or if the spelling of this surname eventually changed to Bolenbaugh or Bollenbacher.

Jacob Bolenbaugher was a very early settler in Willshire Township. Jacob voted there in 1833 and he was enumerated in Willshire Township in 1839. The 1840 census shows 3 “Bollenbaucher” families living in Willshire Township: Jacob (1 male 30-40 and 1 female 15-20); John (1 male 5-10, 0-15, 15-20, 20-30, 40-50; 1 female under 5, 5-10, 2/15-20, 30-40); and Peter (1 male 5-10, 2/10-15, 15-20, 20-30, 40-50; 1 female under 5, 10-15). Jacob and John were enumerated next to each other.

Henry Reichard, John W. Pierce, and Ansel Blossom were also mentioned in the will. Pierce lived close to Jacob, while Henry Reichard and Ansel Blossom lived closer to Peter Bolenbaugher.

Pierce and Blossom lived just east of Willshire and I wonder if Jacob lived just east of town, too, north of the St. Marys River.

There are some Bolenbaucher/Bolenbauchs buried in Willshire Cemetery, among them Elizabeth (1830-1847) and Peter (1819-1847). They may be the Elizabeth and Peter mentioned in Jacob’s will. Jacob may be buried there, too.

I was able to gather the following information from Jacob’s will: Jacob was probably ill for about 6 weeks before he died around the first of October 1843. Jacob had at least 3 brothers: John, Peter, and Michael. No wife or children were mentioned, otherwise he likely would have willed them something or would have seen that they were taken care of after his death. In addition, a wife would have a widow’s interest in his estate. Of course, Jacob could have been widowed with no children or no surviving children. Jacob and his executor Henry Reichard were probably good friends and/or neighbors. J.W. Pearce, Ansel Blossom, and Joshua Miller witnessed the signing of Jacob’s will and were probably neighbors as well. Jacob lived on a farm on the north side of the St. Marys River and it appears he had 80 acres of land in Section 33, Township 3, Mercer County. Jacob bequeathed Elizabeth $10, but does not mention his relationship to her.

Jacob Bolenbaugher will, 1843, Van Wert County, Ohio.

The Last Will and Testament of Jacob Bolenbaugher, Van Wert County, Ohio, Wills, Vol. 1, p.3-4, FamilySearch.org:

Know all men by these presents that I Jacob Bolenbaugher of the County of Van Wert & State of Ohio being as I believe about to go the way of all the earth & being of sound mind do this 15th day of August 1843 make this my last will and testament viz

1st I appoint Henry Reichard my executor to fulfill my will & settle all my business affairs & conduct the disposition of my estate as herein directed and according to law.

2nd I will & bequeath to my brothers Peter and Michael all the balance

2nd I will & bequeath to my brother John the farm on which I now live lying on the North side of the St. Marys River.

3rd I will & bequeath to my brothers Peter and Michael all the balance of my property not hereinafter excepted consisting of eighty acres of land in Mercer County Ohio Section 33 Township No 3, also stock, horses, cattle grains to be also all debts dues and demands.

4th I will & bequeath to Elizabeth the sum of ten dollars in cash.

5th I will that my funeral expenses & all other lawful demands upon my estate be liquidated from out of the money in cash which I have on hand & the remainder to be paid over to my brother John.

In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand this fifteenth day of August, the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & forty-three. 1843.

We testify that the interlining of first line, 3rd article was done before signing & that it exposes the will of the said J.B. accordingly. 

[signed] Jacob Bolenbaugher X his mark
Witnesses present: J.W. Pearce, Ansel Blossom, Joshua Miller

On this 2nd day of October A.D. 1843 came J.W Pearce and Joshua Miller, two of the subscribing witnesses to the witness will and being in open court sworn and examined, and it appearing to the satisfaction of the court that at the time of the execution of said will and testator was of sound mind and memory, of lawful age and not acting under restraint the Court, orders that the testimony be reduced to writing signed by said witnesses and that the proof together with said will be recorded, and Henry Reichard the executor in said will named in said will being in Court accepted the trust reposed in him, by said testator, and forthwith executed his bond to the acceptance of the Court in the penalty of twelve hundred dollars with James G. Williams and Joseph Gleason his ?, and to him, Letters testamentary granted.  Robt Gilliand, clerk.

The State of Ohio
Van Wert County

On this 2nd day of October A.D. 1843 came J.W. Pearce and being duly sworn saith that the last will and testament of Jacob Bullenbaugher deceased now produced in Court was signed by him and Ansel Blossom as witnesses at the request of and in the presence of the Testator and Ansel Blossom and Joshua Miller subscribing witnesses thereto that at the time of making said will said Testator was of sound mind and memory, of lawful age, and not acting under restraint that said Testator signed the same, with his own hand and acknowledged the same as his last will and testament and further saith not.

Sworn to & subscribed in open Court
Oct 2nd 1843, Rbt Gilliland Clerk
[signed] J.W. Pearce

Joshua Miller, of Van Wert County being duly sworn, saith that he signed the will of Jacob Bullenbaugher now produced by the executor named therein for probate as a witness, that he was present at the execution of said will and heard the testator acknowledge and declare the same that said testator was at the time of the execution thereof of sound mind and disposing memory of lawful age ad not acting under restraint and further saith not.

Sworn to and subscribed in open Court
The 2nd day of October 1843, Rbt. Gilliland, clerk
[signed] Joshua Miller

[end of document]

Another interesting local document.

                            

Feb 23

Tombstone Tuesday-John Andrew Lillich

John Andrew Lillich, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

This is the tombstone of John Andrew Lillich, located in row 5 of Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Schumm, Van Wert County, Ohio. The marker is inscribed:

John
Andrew
Lillich
Born
Oct. 6, 1792
Died
June 16
1847
Aged
54 Y, 8 m, 10d

According to Zion Schumm’s records John Andrew Lillich died of stomach cancer on 16 June 1847 at the age of 55 years, 6 months, and 9 days. He was buried on the 18th.

As is often the case, the age information on his tombstone does not agree with the information in the church records. Going by his age in the church records, his date of birth would be calculated as 7 December 1791.

Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. (2012 photo by Karen)

There is very little information about John Andrew Lillich, just his tombstone and the scant church record of his death and burial. I could not locate him in the 1840 census and he died before the 1850 census, which would have given a little information about him.

John Andrew Lillich’s wife was likely Catherine Lillich, who is buried in Ridge Slater Cemetery, Van Wert County. [1] Catharine’s tombstone indicates that she was the wife of Andrew and that she died 28 Oct 1873, at the age of 82. She was born about 1790 and was about the same age as John Andrew. Her death record indicates she was born in Germany and that she was a widow. [2] In 1870, Catharine Lillich, age 80, born in Germany, lived with the John Buchner family. [3]

Fredrick Samuel Lillich (1829-1890) was likely the son of John Andrew and Catharine. He is also buried in Ridge Slater Cemetery and was reportedly born in Germany. [4]

My theory is that John Andrew Lillich was married to Catherine, they were both born in Germany and married there, and they had a son Frederick Samuel Lillich, who was born in Germany as well.

[1] Find a Grave, memorial 33998218, Julia Elizabeth Catharine Lenk Lillich gravestone, (1790-1873), Ridge Slater Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.

[2] “Ohio, County Death Records, 1840-2001,” Willshire Twp, Van Wert County, p.80, Catharine Lillich, 28 Oct 1873; database with images, FamilySearch.org, viewed 21 Feb 2021.

[3] 1870 U.S. Census, Willshire, Van Wert, Ohio, p.445B, dwelling 218, family 219, John Buechner; digital image by subscription, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/7163/ : viewed 11 May 2020).

[4] Find a Grave, memorial 33998228, Fredrick Samuel Lillich gravestone, (1829-1890), Ridge Slater Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio.