Charles H. Hatch

This post was started April 21, 2017 and just recently completed.  --Kate

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Don't think for a second that I've forgotten about the Rudes side of the family but sometimes you have to go where the fish are biting and lately that hasn't been the Rudes side.  However, today I came into the possession of an obituary for Charles Hatch.

Died

HATCH - At his late residence in Vanlue, O., on Saturday evening, Aug. 17, 1889, Mr. Charles H. H. Hatch , aged 53 years, 8 months and 1 day.

Mr. Hatch was born in the state of New York, December 13th 1835, and in early life being left fatherless, by death, he came with friends to Ohio, located in Crawfordsville, Wyandot county.  Here he was apprenticed to Cornelins [sic] Shaw, and learned the blacksmith trade.  After having finished his apprenticeship, on December 6, 1857, he married Miss Catherine Coontz, with whom he pleasantly lived to the day of his death.

In 1858, Mr. Hatch moved to Iowa, where he toiled and prospered till the breaking out of the war, when he sent his family back to friends in Ohio, and enlisted in the 3d Iowa cavalry for one year, obtained a furlough and came home and moved his family to Vanlue where he continued to reside until the day of his death.  After arraigning his affairs at home, he returned to his regiment, and faithfully served his country to the close of the war, and was honorable mustered out of service.  Since the war he has been engaged in saw mill and factory work in Vanlue and Findlay,  and it was in the pursuit of his daily labor, at the former place, that last Saturday morning he met with the frightful accident, necessitating the amputation of his arm from the shock which in the weakened condition of his general health, he died in the evening of the same day. 

Mr Hatch was the father of 9 children, 4 sons and 5 daughters of whom 2 sons and 4 daughters, with the mother, are left to mourn his loss. 

Mr. Hatch was a good citizen, and his absence will be felt in the village of Vanlue.  

The funeral took place from his late residence, on Tuesday morning, August 20th, the services and interment taking place at the Lee church.  A very large congregation of sympathizing neighbors and friends being present to contribute their compassion for the living, and their respect for the dead.  Rev. J. M. Dustman, of Bluffton, officiating.  The burial was conducted according to the beantiful (sic) ritual of the order of the I.O.O.F, of which fraternity he was an honored member.

According to the August 22nd news paper Mr. Hatch was at Fred Sutters saw mill on Saturday when he fell against a saw, cutting his arm off above the elbow.  Medical aid was immediately summoned and the injury dressed and he fell to shock that same evening.  He was only 53.

Where it fits: Charles was the father of Lillie Mae Hatch, wife of Carlos A. Rudes.  Together they are the parents of Merrill Basil Rudes (1890-1939) and seven sons in total (Earle, Ercell, Cecil Harold, Gail Carlton, Raymond Sandwich, Dewey Lee & Merrill Basil), grandparents of Merrill Rudes (1920-1994) & George Rudes (1923-2007).  

Laurie Dangler

I don't know why this was such a hard obituary to post.  We weren't particularly close yet for some reason each time I logged in to share I ended up backing out.  I kept hoping it would magically become easier but it hasn't yet I find that she needs to be here among her family.  Farewell Laurie.  

Laurie A. (Rudes) Dangler, M.D., age 48, died Saturday, June 1, 2019 at her home after a long battle with brain and breast cancer. She was born August 5, 1970 to Randolph and Paulette (Oberhaus) Rudes in Toledo Ohio.

While growing up outside Toledo, Laurie excelled in many activities including playing trumpet in her high school marching band, competitive horseback riding, and learning how to bake the best apple pies ever. She was known for her kind heart, strong work ethic, drive and determination. After graduating with honors from Genoa Area High School, Laurie went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, Cum Laude, from the University of Toledo, and her M.D. from The Ohio State University.

Laurie met the love of her life, Doug, in junior high school and they were married August 1, 1992 in Genoa, Ohio. Throughout their many years together, Laurie and Doug enjoyed participating in Volkswagen clubs throughout Ohio, traveling and a mutual love of music. Laurie and Doug raised two outstanding children, Rebecca and Evan, who Laurie loved deeply.

While training to run the Columbus Half Marathon in 2007, Laurie was diagnosed with brain cancer. She was determined to run again after treatment and formed ROC On! (Run Over Cancer), a charity that raised funds for brain cancer research. Laurie continued to run half-marathons after treatment for many years, inspiring many others to run and raise funds as well.

Laurie was also an excellent doctor who was adored by her patients. Laurie made friends easily wherever she went. Her loving spirit will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Laurie is preceded in death by her parents, Randolph and Paulette Rudes. She is survived by her husband of 26 years, Doug; daughter, Rebecca; son, Evan; sisters Angela Jimerson, Abigail (Jeremy) King, Lindsey (Thomas) Milam; nephews Gregory, Nicholas and Timothy; and niece Sarah.

Services are listed below. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Ohio State University Fund, ROC On Research Fund for Neuro-Oncology Center, Fund #313389 (www.giveto.osu.edu <http://www.giveto.osu.edu>).

**UPDATE #2** Little Brown Box

UPDATE #2:  If you would recall back in December, 2009 I told you about a little brown box I had discovered that contained the wedding pictures of George Rudes & Marian Bringe.  Let me refresh your memory on the mystery photograph in the box.  Below is a small section of the original post:

There were two pictures in the box that I couldn't identify. One was another wedding photograph. On the back I can't make out the first word but the rest is:

Jean
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Bristol England
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15/6/45

Now, since I was working on the confirmation picture tonight (yes, tonight.  You are getting updated as it happens so no lag time this time.)  I picked Merle Porter.  The name sounded familiar and I wasn't sure why.  It turns out that is the name of a famous photographer but as far as I can tell they aren't one in the same.  In that search I found his obituary, if you aren't interested in the whole thing you can read the highlighted part:

PORTER Merle Harrie 1919 - 2012 This man was not a physician or a millionaire or famous in any way...except to his family. This is a bit of his story. Merle Harrie Porter came into the world on January 26, 1919, and left it 93 years later on April 10, 2012. Born in Oberlin, OH, to Burton and Mabel (Kelly) Porter five years after his brother, Burton Durand, he lived most of his life in Genoa, OH excepting the last five years in Ludington, MI. As a boy visiting family back in Oberlin, he became a fan of the Cleveland Indians. He attended games at three different stadiums in Cleveland and after faithfully watching them on TV, saw his last game the evening before he died. After graduating from Genoa High School, he studied pharmacy at Toledo University, but left in 1942 to enter the Army of the United States and serve his country as a medic in Africa and Europe during WWII. It was in Bristol, England, that a local chap befriended him at a barber shop and, while stopping briefly at his new friend's home before going on to the pub, Merle spied his future bride. Twelve days after their meeting, Merle and Jean Boyce were engaged. After several failed leave attempts, they were finally wed in Bristol 3 years later on June 15, 1945, in a wedding that was planned in just two days. Upon return to civilian life, Merle went to work for Walding, Kinnan, and Marvin Co. becoming a pharmaceutical salesman. After retiring in 1981, he remained friends with many of the sales team, office staff, and pharmacists on whom he had called over the years. As a long time member of St. John's United Church of Christ, he served at various times on many committees, taught Sunday school, served as president of the congregation, His greatest joy was to sing in the choir that his father had directed at one time. He had a resonant, deep bass voice and sang for more than seventy-five years, becoming the longest serving choir member in church history. Merle also served on the Genoa village council and school board. Together the Porters raised six daughters, Donna (Jon) Fish, Barbara (Calvin) Wolcott, Gail (Larry) Moss, Sharon (Carl) Dietrich, Marilyn (Bob) London, and Kelly (Roger) Anderson. Through them, Merle and Jean were blessed with sixteen grandchildren, Cris, Jennifer, Ryan, Marty, Josh, Andy, Rachel, Matt, Kerrie, Mark, Chris, Casie, Julia, Megan, Jim, and Joe, and 22 1/2 great-grandchildren. Merle is survived by all of them, along with his sister-in-law Sara Porter and nieces and nephews in the US, Canada, England, and Australia. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother; his wife of 52 years, and an infant grandson. Merle was well loved and well respected in his community. He had an infectious laugh that was loud enough to serve as a beacon for his children. He and Jean set an incredible example of marital love, which all of his family hold up as THE example of what marriage should be. He had a wonderful way with words. Letters written even as a teen show his wit and command of language. His letters to his Jean during the war are voluminous. At home in his later years, he stayed in contact via emails with many of his extended family members and friends. If you were the recipient of any of those mailings, it wasn't long before you realized that he retained his wonderful sense of humor, even after his physical abilities were greatly reduced. As Merle aged and became less able to care for himself, he was able to stay in his home with daughters close by, for which he and his family are very grateful. We wish to especially thank family members Barb and Cal Wolcott and Kelly and Roger Anderson for their loving and tireless attendance to him and Mom over the past 20 plus years. Merle's love of singing was passed on to his family, and those family voices, along with those of friends, will be lifted in celebration of his life at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, 2012, with a dessert reception immediately following in the fellowship hall of St. John's United Church of Christ, 1213 Washington St. Genoa. If you wish to honor Merle's memory with a memorial donation, it would please the family if you would consider writing checks out to "Rachel Volschow" and send it c/o Robinson Walker Funeral Home 501 West St. Genoa, OH 43430. These will be used for Merle's beloved granddaughter's expenses in her ongoing battle with breast cancer. Thank You. Online condolences may be shared with the family at walkerfuneralhomes.com

Published in The Blade on Apr. 20, 2012  

June 15, 1945.  Jean.  I wonder what the chances are that the young man in the confirmation picture, the groom in this wedding picture and the older man below are all one and the same....

Penny for your thoughts on this one all y'all!  

Original post can be found in its entirety here: https://photographsandmysteries.blogspot.com/2009/12/update-little-brown-box.html

UPDATE: Confirmation?

UPDATE:  As you might recall I have been rebuilding my/our tree from the roots up.  This has lead to a number of new discoveries that I might have missed the first time around, weren't important, etc.  One of which was a document listing the home congregation of Della Meyer Rudes.  On a whim I emailed the church and a lovely lady by the name of Mary replied and offered to do some look ups and see if we can get some ducks in a row, especially in regards to this picture.  Ladies and gentleman, I give you the confirmation class of 1933 for St. John's Church in Genoa.  Below you will see Rev. Paul O. David with Donnabel M. Coleman (Ardner), Ruth E. David (Norwine), Alice L. Fondessy (Gleckler), Paul Gaul, William Hahn, Donald D. Lenz, Herbert E. Lorenzen, Leota M. Moritz (Dipman), Margaret C. Moritz (Holbrook), Merle H. Porter, and Merrill B. Rudes Jr.  Laurie had been right in calling out Merrill but the fourth from the left also looks familiar so now with the list of names maybe I can narrow down who he is and why he looks familiar.  

A nice Sunday mystery. This was taken at Northland Studio in Toledo, Ohio. There is no label saying who, what, when, or why. I am assuming it is a confirmation but I'm not sure.

Timeframe: The skirts are short enough that it is fairly safe to assume this was taken after 1908. Since all the girls have a bob cut, which didn't become popular until the 20's, this was taken after 1920. They started to get longer then the jaw length in the 30's and all these girls have the shorter bobs so I am guessing this was taken between 1920 & 1930.

Where It Fits: I don't know. Can you tell me?

Hilda Michel

Hilda M. Michel, 85, of Oak Harbor, Ohio, passed away Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at Riverview Health Care Campus, Oak Harbor. She was born in Toledo, Ohio on July 14, 1933, a daughter of the late Frank & Catherine (Schmitz) Keil. Formerly Sr. Merici of the Sisters of St. Francis, Tiffin, Hilda later worked in the library of the former Mary Manse College, Toledo.

On April 15, 1967, she married Kenneth J. Michel, and he preceded her in death on June 26, 2011. Together they worked on the family farm and vegetable stand near Oak Harbor. Hilda was the secretary at R.C. Waters Elementary School, Oak Harbor, for many years and was a substitute aid. An active member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, Oak Harbor, she was a former organist and was a member of the Altar Rosary Society and the Corda Club. Hilda and Ken enjoyed traveling after their retirement and visited many places in the U.S. and Europe. She was “always busy” and volunteered her time with the Holiday Bureau and Meals on Wheels. Hilda enjoyed reading, playing the piano at Riverview, and going out to eat with her friends.

She is survived by her sons, Ed (Katie) Michel, Joliet, IL and Frank Michel, Oak Harbor; sisters, Sr. Angie Keil, OSF/T, Boonville, KY and Dorothy Murawa, Toledo; and grandchildren, Kyle, Paige, & Daniel Michel. She was preceded in death by her son, Greg Michel, and a sister, Mary Lou Westhoven. 

The family will receive friends from 2-8 PM Sunday at Crosser Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 301 N. Locust St., Oak Harbor, where a Christian Wake service will be held at 7:30 PM Sunday. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM Monday, April 15, 2019 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, 215 Church St., Oak Harbor, where friends may call after 9:00 AM Monday. Rev. Timothy F. Ferris will officiate, and interment will follow at Salem Township Union Cemetery, Oak Harbor. Following the services, a luncheon will be served in the undercroft of St. Boniface Church. Those planning on making a memorial contribution are asked to please consider St. Boniface Church or School, the Sisters of St. Francis, Tiffin, or Heartland Hospice. Crosser Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Oak Harbor, is assisting the family with arrangements and encourages those wishing to send a condolence or share a fond memory to visit www.crosserfuneralhome.com.

Where she fits: Kenneth Michel, husband of Hilda, was the son of Edward Michel and Helen Foos.  Edward Carl Joseph Michel is the son of Frank Michel and "C. Millie Fritsche" (according to Edward's birth certificate).  That being Amelia/Emilie Fritsche, sister of Robert Fritsche making her the aunt of Merle Fritsche.  

Monuments Men in the news

Merrill Rudes, Jr. made the news in March.  (Video at the link at the bottom).  




March 21, 2019 at 12:35 PM EDT - Updated March 21 at 12:37 PM

TOLEDO (WTOL) - In 1949, the world was changing. Quickly.

A television set was becoming a permanent piece of furniture in the living room. Europe was still deep in the recovery from the ravages of World Two. China was declaring itself a future super power, while Russia and the U.S. began to chill in the run up to the cold war.

Here at home in Toledo, family life was starting to return to normal in Post War America as the economy was starting to shift into a new civilian posture.

Men were home from the war and new houses were sprouting up throughout the city. In short, America and Toledo were trying to heal from the wounds of a long war.

In March of 1949 - 70 years ago this week - a remnant of that war came to Toledo and put the Glass City in America’s spotlight as the Toledo Art Museum hosted one of the most important art exhibits in its history.

For ten days, more than 10,000 people a day came to the museum to witness and view the greatest masterpieces of European art. The paintings of the iconic artists that had been stolen by Adolph Hitler and the Nazis during the scourge of the Third Reich.

The Toledo Museum of Art Archivist Julie McMaster says thousands descended on the museum for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the masterpieces that had been rescued by a special detachment of art experts and curators.

They were known as the Monuments Men, made famous in the 2014 movie of the same name. This group of several hundred were able to find many of these treasures in various hiding places, including some deep in a salt mine in Merkers, Germany.

These included priceless works that had been stolen from the Berlin Museum

“There were 202 of them that came over for for safe keeping, and we showed 96 of those paintings.” said McMaster.

Toledo was the last stop on an American tour of 14 large city museums that got to display the masterpieces.

Toledo’s opportunity to have an exhibit was made possible partly because TMA’s curator at the time was Otto Wittman, one of the Monument’s Men.

McMaster said Wittman spent about a year working to research and document the many works of art that were being uncovered by the special team. By late 1946, Wittman accepted a job in Toledo and stayed for 30 years.

Toledo was fortunate to have a man of Wittman’s expertise and stature, and also fortunate to have been a part of this cultural event in 1949.

Area citizens and businesses embraced the show and raised money for charter buses to transport 42,000 schoolchildren to see the paintings that few Americans would ever see.

"It was an opportunity to see things that we would not necessarily be able to see without traveling to Europe,” McMaster said.

In a local grace note to this story, these paintings hidden deep in the Merkers Salt Mines were in part found because of a local solider fron Genoa. Captain Merril Rudes.

It is written that while on patrol with his company at Merkers, two women came up to him and said something about the “treasure in the Salt Mines."

Rudes, a Genoa High School graduate, who later became an Ottawa County Judge, said he didn’t know what they were talking about, but just put the information in his notes and sent it up to headquarters.

The rest is history.

And so, too, is the story of this exhibit that came to Toledo for 10 days, drew 100,000 visitors and raised $190,000 to be given to the children and orphans of Germany.

After the paintings left Toledo, they were sent back to Washington D.C. and eventually returned to Europe and their rightful owners and museums.

Toledo residents were the last Americans ever to see them in person all in one place on U.S. soil.

Copyright 2019 WTOL. All rights reserved.

http://www.wtol.com/2019/03/21/greatest-art-exhibit-ever-seen-toledo-was-made-up-paintings-saved-by-monuments-men-wwii/?fbclid=IwAR3Msq0oXqznEISOy2dVCBtkjcKmsoryNA0dopUnn5vyTjcyC6YAZYu2m-c

Les Meyer Turns 100

On March 7th, there was a very special birthday.  Les Meyer would have turned 100 so the children at the Meyer Center celebrated. 

https://www.foxcarolina.com/slideshows/photos-the-meyer-center-celebrates-founder-s-th-birthday/collection_e8e2183e-4139-11e9-9d80-370107f70c55.html

https://www.wyff4.com/article/project-community-meyer-center-helps-children-with-disabilities-reach-their-full-potential/26757401

Nellie Meyer

As I have previously mentioned I have "trashed" my tree.  Sawed it off at the ground as it were and am working on growing a new tree.  It will be the same species, I haven't decided to find new ancestors but the hope is in attacking the tree with new and more experienced eyes and the vast new world of sources since I started this over 15 years ago that I would find some cool new facts about the same ol' people.  Enter Nellie Meyer.

I was looking for the birth record of Della Meyer.  I usually search by parents names as this sometimes leads one to find siblings you didn't originally know about and lo and behold up pops Nellie.

Line 36 lists Meyers, Nellie.  She was born 1891, Jun 7 in Allen Township to George Myers & Maggie Schnackenberger.  Who is Nellie?  She has the same date of birth as Della so she could be a twin but Della isn't registered.  It all seems very interesting indeed until....

 
Della Matilda Wilhelmina Meyer filed to have her birth record corrected as she is listed as Nellie and both parents have their names misspelled.  Not only does this little gem solve the mystery of Nellie but if you look closely you will be able to see that she was born at home by Dr. J.C. Bowman of Martin, Ohio.  The document was witnessed by George H. Rudes.  Supporting affidavits were submitted by Katherine Clark & A.H. Samsen who are not related but could somehow swear that they knew when Della was born and to her parents identity.  What a cool piece of trivia to uncover.

Where it fits:  Della Meyer is the wife of Merrill Rudes.  She was previously thought to have been born in Woodville, Ohio* but the birth records state otherwise.  No previous birth records had been located but her name was believed to be Della Matilda Katrina Meyer.  She is the daughter and at this time only known child of George Harlow Meyer & Marguerite Schnackenberg.  She is the mother of Merrill Basil Rudes & George Harlow Rudes.

*Her obituary states she was a native of Woodville, Ohio.

Irons in the Fire

Sometimes this little adventure is a lot of tiny steps while looking for an open door.  Right now I am...

• Working on setting up a meeting with a Japsen descendant 
• Awaiting a reply on a possible photograph identification
• Continuing to rebuild my tree which as lead to a number of new discoveries 

Hopefully I will be able to catch you all up soon with lots of new developments.  

The Mysterious Miller Jopp

Originally written several months ago and for some reason I never posted it.

Miller Jopp has been a long standing brickwall for me.  The Horton line was recently expanded (see the post regarding Barnabas Horton) but I was still left bouncing my head against the brickwall that is/was Miller Jopp.  This case was blown wide open after a tip from Mike Allen about the Stoner family in Green Springs Cemetery.  Let's review the cold hard facts together and see what we can figure out.

Miller Jopp & Augusta Horton were married July 4, 1876 in Seneca County, Ohio.  This was the second known marriage for Augusta.  It seems she had married a Mr. Young sometime previous to her marriage to Mr. Jopp and from this union she had a daughter named Cora Young.  Together Miller & Augusta had one child, Laura Etta.  All of this is "fact" received from the family of Laura Etta, minus the marriage date, but it tells you what family group for which we are searching.

Now, let's start searching sources and see if we can work our way backwards.  In the 1880 census for Clyde, Sandusky County, Ohio we find the family of Benjamin Horton (a 60 year old farmer from New York).

• Benjamin Horton, 60, farmer, New York 
• Phoebe Horton, 60, wife, keeping house, New York 
• Bela J., 23, son of Benjamin & Phoebe, carpenter, New York 
• Elmer E., 17, son of Benjamin & Phoebe, farmer, New York 
• Miller D. Jopp, 50, farmer, New York 
• Augusta M. Jopp, 29, wife of Miller, at home, New York 
• Cora Young, 6, daughter of Miller & Augusta, New York 
• Henrietta L. Jopp, 2, daughter of Miller & Augusta, Ohio

This looks like our family since we have Miller, Augusta, Cora and Etta.  They are living with Augusta's known parents so I have a good feeling about this.  Now to see if we can work backwards from 1880.  While searching for other census records another census from 1880 appeared.  This time we have a census in Willowdale, Dickinson County, Kansas.  This time for M.D. Jopp.  

• M.D. Jopp, 53, farmer, New York
• Augusta, 29, wife of M.D., house keeping,  New York 
• Cora Jopp, 6, daughter of M.D. & Augusta, New York 
• Lauraetta, 1, daughter of M.D. & Augusta, Ohio 
• Elmer Horton, 17, brother in law of M.D. Jopp, farmer, New York

This looks like our family since we have Miller, Augusta, Cora and Etta.  A known sibling of Augusta is living with them and everything just seems too close to be a coincidence.  Well, hmm.  All census information is supposed to be accurate as of June 1st but the information is collected on various dates so I took a closer look.  They were enumerated in Clyde on June 11th and enumerated on June 2nd in Willowdale.  They move fast!  I especially love that there is a three year age difference between M.D. and Miller.  Interesting.  

If we assume the information on the census is accurate which is a gamble depending on various factors we now know that Miller was born somewhere in New York and possibly between 1837 & 1840.  If we attempt to drop back ten and punt we'll find Miller in the 1870 census.  He only appears once this time and in Pleasant, Seneca County, Ohio.

• Miller Jopp, 40, farmer, New York
• Orvan Jopp, 56, farmer, New York 
• Mary Jopp, 17, Ohio 
• Eva Jopp, 15, Ohio 
• Mary Jopp, 76, New York 
• Jarusha Jopp, 49, New York 
• Weathly Jopp, 28, New York

Also listed in the same house but as a separate family are

• Isaac Jopp, 53, farmer, New York 
• Mira Jopp, 46, keeping house, New York 
• Ida Jopp, 18, school teacher, Indiana 
• Bertha Jopp, 12, Wisconsin 

Now you should notice that the 1870 census doesn't list the relationship to the head of household so who on earth are all these people living with Miller?!  You can make assumptions but nothing solid anywhere  Maybe the 1860 census will help clear things up a little.  

Miller is again found in Pleasent, Seneca County, Ohio.  This time the household dynamics looks something like this.

• Miller Jopp, 28, farmer, New York 
• Mary Jopp, 66, New York 
• Orange Jopp, 45, New York 
• Wealthy Jopp, 24, school mistress, Ohio 
• Jerusha Jopp, 28, New York 
• Mary Jopp, 6, Ohio 
• Eva Jopp, 4, Ohio 
• Sarah Cummings, 12, Ohio 

Yep, that made things as clear as mud.  Traditionally the census lists breaks the household down into family groups but these all seem to be intermingled and confusing.  If we are to assume they were grouped Mary & Eva would be the daughtesr of Orvan in the 1870 census but they are listed under Jerusha in the 1860 census.  Maybe Jerusha is the wife of Orvan but then why is Wealthy in the middle.  How did Miller go from 53/50 in 1880 to 40 in 1870 to 28 in 1860?  How did Weathly only age four years when the records are ten years apart?  Poor Jerusha goes from 28 to 49 in ten years and changes genders to boot.  Ugh!  Maybe I'll muddy the water a little more and throw the 1850 census in here too.

 In the 1850 census the Jopp family is again in Pleasent, Seneca County, Ohio.  

• Mary Jopp, 50, farmer, New York 
• Orin Jopp, 39, farmer, New York 
• Elbert Jopp, 29, farmer, New York 
• Luther Jopp, 24, farmer, New York 
• Miller Jopp, 22, farmer, New York 
• Jane Jopp 19, New York 
• Elfa A. Jopp, 18, New York 
• Hudson Jopp, 16, New York 

Who the what!  Well, fiddle dee dee.  That made matters worse.  Who's Hudson?  Luther?  *sigh*  Without solid dates to work with it was hard to track down any firm information.  Was Miller living with an aunt and cousins or maybe his mother and siblings?  I had nothing solid until Mike made a comment about where to find the Stoner family in Green Springs Cemetery.  Cemeteries make excellent sources as the dates are written in stone (literally) so they are usually something solid on which to build your case.  (Getting too punny?  Sorry.)  Since Augusta was buried with the Horton's in the GIANT McPherson Cemetery and not with her spouse I was at a loss.  Then I walked into the Green Springs Cemetery and I might have actually been caught jumping up and down.  There buried among the Stoners was the Jopp family plot and in the Jopp family plot you'll spot:

Miller Jopp born May 13, 1828; Died Mar. 13, 1892

J.M. Jopp, 1820-1894

Mary, wife of D.H. Jopp Died May 1, 1876, Aged 82 years, 8 months

-----

Wealthy Ann Jopp, born Feb. 19, 1832, died Mar. 14, 1887

Daniel H. Jopp died Nov. 26, 1849, Aged 60 years, 5 months & 18 days (text below unreadable)

Full view of the Jopp headstone

John, son of O. & F. Jopp

Mabel, daughter of O. & F. Jopp

Earl, son of O. & F. Jopp

Emeline E. wife of Luther S. Jopp, died May 23, 1874 

Entirety of Emeline Jopp's headstone 

Luther Jopp, died May 8, 1874

From the family plot we can gather that the Mary we've seen in the census records was the wife of Daniel.  Daniel died in November of 1849 and the first of the census records to list members of the households was in 1850.  Since they are all buried together and most of them are all on the same headstone it would imply that Daniel and Mary were the parents of Miller, J.M., Wealthy Ann & Luther and all of those people appear in the census with Mary at one time or another so now with some concrete evidence let's see if we can fill in some gaps.  Since I had done a lot of digging on Miller, I tried following up with Jerusha Jopp, who I believe to be J.M. Jopp.  Lo and behold, Jerusha had a write up in the Stemtown News!  (Click here to see her information).  Sadly it was to be continued and I've yet to be able to find any of the other Stemtown News editions but the one I do have starts out with "Daniel Jopp my Father..." and goes on to say "was born in Winsted, Connecticut, June 8, 1790."  There are lots of interesting stories on the early Ohio life and making the trek to the wilderness.  It also says Daniel married Mary Dumond and they were the parents of 11 children, a lot more than what was implied from the census records.  "Orrin the oldest was born Aug 23 1813 (he was the father of Eva Horton & Mary Emery) the others were Betsy, Isaac, Sarah, Jerusha, Elbert, Luther, Miller, Eliza, Wealth Ann and Hudson".  Well, that accounts for everybody in the census records and explains some of the confusion.  There were THREE generations all living in the same house.  If you have the time I highly recommend you check out Jerusha's article in the Stemtown News.  It's fascinating!

Where it fits:  Miller Jopp married Augusta Horton and together they were the parents of Laura Etta.  Laura Etta married David Stoner and was the mother of Helen Naomi Stoner.  Helen married Dale Allen and they were the parents of LaDonna, Donald, Ralph "Jim" James, Richard, Thomas, Virginia, Robert, Carol & Margaret.  

New Year, New Tree

I've been working on this obsession hobby of mine now for 15 years or so.  Seeing that number in black & white and associated with my research strikes me with awe.  When I started climbing this tree of ancestors I thought it would be a quick project, I'd go back to Adam & Eve (or at least Noah) in a matter of a couple of months, figure out how everybody on the planet was related and hang up my completed and flawless tree and be done with it.  Little did I know that brick walls can appear as early as just a few generations back, the stories would feed a desire to know every little detail available, there would be mysteries to solve and that people you'd never meet could hold such a huge place in your heart (not to mention the book shelves which are now stuffed with documents, photo albums, and historical texts).  It's hard to explain to an outsider the desire to match every name to a face (or in the case of unlabeled photographs the faces to the names), to make sure that nobody in the family goes forgotten no matter how seemingly insignificant their life was or seems.  This little adventure has resulted in a HUGE tree.  I'm talking thousands upon thousands of names, each with dates and locations and notes.  To paraphrase Will Parker from Oklahoma I've gone about as fer as I can go and have been giving myself concussions on brick walls that just won't budge.  While attempting to chip away at these walls I've helped my cousin in law work on her family tree with 4-H, I've started helping my sister in laws husband find his birth family, I've been sorting DNA results (p.s. if you have tested and are willing to share please send me an e-mail) & finding and meeting lots of new cousins/relatives.  In the course of growing the tree I've found a good number of sources and have learned a lot from people who look at my 15 years of research and can still call me a rookie.  One of the tips I have received is now that I have mastered logging my sources, understand primary and secondary sources, have a firm grasp on what can be the useful details, how to work with the tiniest clue, etc that I should go back to square one.  Start over.  Retire my tree and plant new seeds and see if what grows is the same.  Of course I'll be working with the same people so hopefully I will arrive at the same conclusions but I've already found a number of new details on close relatives, new leads and trivia and have some of the thrill of the hunt back instead of being more of a caged researcher held in by my brick walls.  I'm working very hard to water and feed this new baby tree and hope to have it thriving soon but not only is this a new tree from seed but I am no longer working on my dinosaur of a program so I have the learning curve/challenge of a new program and laptop.  I'm hoping that while I nurture this little sapling, the fire inside me will continue to be fanned and I'll be soaring to new heights on the limbs of this tree. In the mean time I hope you will allow me to bore you with my research notes, the little oddities I am uncovering and the notes from interviews.  It might be a while before this blog goes back to looking like what it was originally and honestly it might never return that way again.  It might stay as your little window into the terrifying world of ancestors with intertwined branches but I hope in the process of looking into my mind you will get a glimpse of your ancestors and the interesting lives they led.  So here's to seeing what comes from Tree 2.0 and 2019!  :-) 

Michael Dean Holbrook

Visitation:
Monday, October 8, 2018 from 
4:00 PM-8:00 PM 
Willard Church of God
Willard West Road
Willard , Ohio 44890

Visitation 2:
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Willard Church of God
Willard West Road
Willard , Ohio 44890

Service:
Tuesday, October 9, 2018 
12:00 PM 
Willard Church of God
Willard West Road
Willard , Ohio 44890

Michael Dean Holbrook, age 66, resident of Willard, Ohio, passed away on Friday, October 5, 2018 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 21, 1952 in Willard, Ohio a son of the late Alfred and Lee Esther (Montgomery) Holbrook. Mike graduated in 1970 from Willard High School. Following high school, Mike attended Tiffin University where he received his Accounting Degree. He then went on to establish his family business, Holbrook Accounting and was an accountant for Pepperidge Farm for 32 years as well. He was a member of the Willard Church of God. Mike was known for his great sense of humor. He was a big man with a big heart. More than anything, Mike loved spending time with his family and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife, Peggy (Hicks) Holbrook whom he was married to for 47 years; three children, Shane and his wife, Tara (Snyder) Holbrook of Willard, Heather and her husband, Mark Howell of Willard, and Mary and her friend Tiffiany Shepherd of Greenwich; four grandchildren, HarLee and Hannah Holbrook, and Kyla and Isabella Gardner; two brothers, Aron and (Celia) Holbrook, and Larry Holbrook; three sisters, Juanita and (Dillard) Hall, Edith Hall, and Thelma Jean Hamons.

In addition to his parents Mike is preceded in death by a brother, Marvin Holbrook; brothers-in-law, Cleon Hall and Ronald Hamons; and a special sister-in-law, Betty Stein.

Visitation will be held at the Willard Church of God, 4551 Willard West Road, Willard, Ohio on Monday, October 8, 2018 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM and continuing on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 from 9:00 AM to Twelve Noon, where the funeral service will held at Noon with Pastor Donald Bennett officiating. Burial will follow in Maple Grove Cemetery in New Haven. Memorial contributions can be made to the Holbrook Family. Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting www.secorfuneralhomes.com

Ralph James Allen

Ralph James Allen, age 88 of Long Neck, DE formerly of Alexandria, VA went home to be with the Lord on Monday, September 3, 2018, while surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Townsend, OH on May 29, 1930 son of the late Dale Blair Allen and Helen (Stoner) Allen.  Ralph proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1951-1955.  After his discharge from the Air Force, Ralph began a long career in civil service retiring in 1985. 

Ralph volunteered his free time with the Alive and the Koinonia Programs in Alexandria, VA.  After moving to Delaware in 1991, he helped start and continued as a director, the Christian Storehouse in Millsboro, DE. In 1991 he began delivering meals to the homebound at the Cheer Center in Long Neck, DE and continued until his death.  He was awarded the 1995 Bahai Humanitarian Award.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Donald, Rich and Tom Allen and a sister, Debbie Stazen.  He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Joanne Allen; three children, Marci Gott of Manassas, VA, Brian “Tiger” Allen (Pam) of Montclair, VA and John Allen (Ann) of Ormond Beach, FL; six grandchildren, Christopher and Kevin (Hannah) Gott, Teri and Lindsay Allen, Mike (Derina) and Billy (Rachel) Mullins and nine great grandchildren.  Ralph is also survived by a brother, Robert Allen (Judy); four sisters, Ladonna Smart, Virginia Park, Carol Crone (Mike) and Margaret Anderson (Ken) and several nieces and nephews. 

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 on Saturday September 8, 2018 at the Long Neck United Methodist Church, 32051 Long Neck Rd., Long Neck, DE 19966, Where friends and family may visit after 12 noon.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions in Ralph’s name to the Long Neck United Methodist Church at the above address. 

Marion Helen (Bringe) Rudes

Marion H. Rudes, 93 of Martin, Ohio, passed away peacefully, Monday, September 17, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. Marion was born in Martin, Ohio on February 17, 1925 to Clarence and Lillian (Dipman) Bringe. She was a graduate of Genoa High School and Flower Hospital School of Nursing. On November 12, 1944, she married George H. Rudes, her loving husband of 62 years. Marion was a lifelong member of Elliston Zion United Methodist Church where she was a member of the Wina-Kuple Sunday School Class and devoted countless hours to their annual holiday nut sale. Over the years, Marion volunteered with the Ottawa County Board of Elections and numerous blood drives for the American Red Cross. Marion’s life focused around her family; she enjoyed shopping with her daughters, going to dinner with her family, and attending many of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities. Marion is survived by her daughters, Connie ( John) Moore, Amy (Martin)Sutter; grandchildren, Angela Jimerson, Laurie (Doug) Dangler, Abigail ( Jeremy) King, Lindsey (Thomas) Milam, Justin (Katy) Moore, Jordan (Sarah) Moore, Benjamin (Elishia) Sutter, Lucas (Faith) Sutter, Samuel Sutter, and Anna Sutter; great-grandchildren, Gregory, Nicholas, Sarah, Rebecca, Evan, Timothy, Kinsley, Kiera, Kami, Brielle, Amelia, and Lillian; sister, Becky Jensen; lifelong friend, Eloise Hellwig; along with many nieces, nephews, loving family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband; daughter, Jacquelyn Rudes; son and daughter-in-law, Randy & Paulette Rudes; and siblings, Elizabeth Witt, Marvel Johnson, Margie Greuel, Leila Reeder, and Fred Bringe. The family will receive friends at the Eggleston Meinert & Pavley Funeral Home, Millbury Chapel, 1111 Woodville Road ( east of I280) on Wednesday, September 19, 2018 from 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Funeral services will be conducted Thursday, September 20, 2018 at 11:00 am in Elliston Zion United Methodist Church, 18045 West Williams Street, Elliston, Ohio, where the family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 am. Interment: Clay Township Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may be directed to the Genoa Bank Scholarship Fund or ROC ON ( Run Over Cancer).

Lt. Col. Robert "Uncle Bob" Leutz (1919-2018)

Robert L. Leutz, 98, lifelong resident of Oak Harbor, OH passed away Wednesday, April 25, 2018. He was born on November 15, 1919 to Leon H. and Merle Rose (Fritsche) Leutz. On June 24, 1942 in Oak Harbor he married Olelia F. Rhoda, and she preceded him in death on March 18, 2005, after 62 years of marriage. Bob was a U.S. Army Veteran who served during World War II and the Korean War, earning 1 Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, and 3 Purple Hearts. He was a member of the 29th Division that landed on the beaches of Normandy as part of the D-Day Invasion Force. Bob was a life member of the Reserve Officer Association of the United States and taught Reserve classes in Toledo for 20 years at the 2087ARASU. Bob retired from the military at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with 31 years of service credit. He was a lifelong farmer and worked at the Erie Army Depot as a carpenter. In his spare time, he enjoyed woodworking and playing cards. Bob especially loved his family and following their accomplishments. Bob is survived by his son, John R. Leutz of Grandview Heights, OH, grandchildren, Mariah (Paul) Michas, Missy (Terry) Banaszak, Andrea (Nick) Roberts, Rob Leutz, and Julianna (David) Ells, great-grandchildren Landon, Alexis, Barrett, and Timothy, and close family friend and caregiver, Rhonda Bensch Biedlingmaier. Memorial services for Bob will be conducted 2:00 p.m., Sunday, May 27, 2018 at the Robinson-Walker Funeral Home & Crematory, 165 E. Water St., Oak Harbor, OH with visitation 2 hours prior from noon – 2 p.m. Interment will follow in Salem Township Union Cemetery, Oak Harbor with full military graveside honors. Memorial contributions in memory of Bob may be given to the Luther Home of Mercy, Williston, OH, or to the 29th Division Association, P.O. Box 47634, Windsor Mill, MD 21244-0634. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.walkerfuneralhomes.com.

Betty Schmiesing (1924-2018)

Betty Lou Rodenhauser-Schmiesing, 93, of McClure, passed away Monday, April 9, 2018 at Henry County Hospital. She was born in Port Clinton, Ohio on July 20, 1924 to William and Ethel (McMurray) Johannsen. She married William Rodenhauser, who preceded her in death in 1980. She then married Wilbur Schmiesing who preceded her in death. 
Betty is a graduate of Port Clinton High School. She worked at Napco Plastics for 25 years before retiring in 1989. She was a longstanding member of St. Augustine Catholic Church, as well as the Napoleon VFW, the Moose Lodge, Napoleon and the Eagles Lodge in Minster, Ohio. She loved to go dancing, gambling and fishing.Betty is survived by her children William (Barbara) Rodenhauser of Defiance, and Mary (David) Donnelly of McClure; her grandchildren William (Jana) Rodenhauser, Robert (Susan) Rodenhauser, Dwayne Rodenhauser, and Terra Ditton; great grandchildren Nicholas, Zachary, Megan, Dylan, Jalyn, and Emily; great great grandchildren Eberly and Morgan; and brother, Thomas (Dorothy) Johannsen of Cleveland. She was preceded in death by her husbands William and Wilbur; son Thomas Rodenhauser; grandsons Dennis and David Donnelly; sister, Sue Gall and Infant brother William Johannsen.A Mass of Christian burial for Betty will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, April 14, 2018 at St. Augustine Catholic Church. A time of fellowship and luncheon will be held after the service. Interment will follow at 3:00 PM at Riverview Cemetery in Port Clinton, Ohio.Visitation will be held on Friday from 2:00-8:00 PM at Rodenberger Funeral Home, Napoleon.Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Augustine Catholic Church, the Henry County Senior Center or a charity of the Donors Choice.Online condolences can be made at www.rodenbergerfuneralhome.com

When sources collide

Sometimes research is a pretty cut and dry process.  You have sources with a higher "value" or reliability rate than others, i.e. legal documents vs. newspaper accounts.  (Somethings never change, right?)  This would lead one to assume that sources would be consistent throughout the lifetime of the
person being researched and everything will be neat and orderly.  Sometimes that is in fact the case and sometimes we have instances like those to follow.

Case #1:  Ephraim Rudes.  "Ephraim" was born in 1800 in New York and died sometime around 1846 in Medina County, Ohio.  He married Hannah Hudson sometime about 1821 and together they were the parents of 7 children.  Sources for this information include the 1840 census where the family is living in Medina County, Ohio.  A biography on his son previously published here.  And that is where
the trail starts to run cold.  There aren't a lot of official source records that early and apparently Mr. Rudes was not big on leaving a paper trail.  That brings us to his wife, Hannah.  She lived a great deal longer than he placing her death date in 1890.  She is buried in Woodville, Ohio and much like her husband left little behind besides her descendants and census records.  No obituary that I can find and a headstone in Woodville Cemetery...that clearly lists her husband as ISRAEL?!?!  So what was her husbands name?  I can't seem to find anything on Israel so it isn't making life easier in that regard.  Good grief! 

Case #2:  Engle Milton "Jack" Taylor.  Engle, who went by Jack his entire life, was the son of Walter Taylor & Martha McMurray.  He was born, well, he was born and we'll just leave it at that for now.  He died January 19, 1940 in Pool Hospital, Port Clinton, Ohio.  His older sister claims his date of birth was January 1, 1926 but his death certificate says he was born April 13, 1926.  The sisters family Bible supports her claim that he was a New Years baby however if she was the one filling it out it would be logical that she would remain consistent.  However while a death certificate is a primary source for death dates, it isn't necessarily the most accurate when it comes to birth dates, birth locations and the parents of the deceased.  To further complicate matters, the children were
born in Ohio, Virginia, and Tennessee so narrowing down where to look for a birth certificate is difficult at best.  Not to mention that his eldest sister had to file her own well into her adult years as there was none on record and with him dying at 13 I wouldn't think he would have had need of it by the time of his death.  His headstone simply states 1926-1940.  The death certificate could easily be right considering six of the thirteen children were born in either April or May but there is nothing solid enough to hang ones hat on. 

Case #3:  Staying with the same Taylor family but jumping back a generation.  This is regarding Martha's brother, who shall remain semi-nameless.  Here's that I've got.  James I. McMurray & Mary Blair were married 11 August 1888 in Scott County, Virginia.  Since the 1890 cesus records were destroyed the first census record we would have that would offer any clue as to their family is the 1900 census:

McMurry, Mary born 1867
", Matilda born Apr. 1891
", Mattison D. born Mar. 1893
", Kiza E born Mar. 1895
", Cornelius M born Mar. 1897
", Coy born May, 1899

Martha Matilda was born April 25, 1891 so I called Matilda a match and moved on to the next child.
DeWitt was born March 20, 1893 so I assumed he was Mattison Dewitt, called it a match and moved on to the next child.
Ethel was born March 10, 1895.  Unsure of where the Kiza came from I assumed the E was for Ethel and moved to the next child.
Cornelius was born March 8, 1897.  No guessing needed for that one.  JACKPOT!  Next kid.
Coy was born May 15, 1899.  Two jackpots in a row. 

I thought I was hitting the nail on the head until I saw the comments from Jaunita Rhoten & Betty Schmiesing (thank you very much ladies and I hope you'll be able to help sort this out for me) claiming his name is Dewitt Clinton.  Oh snap!  Back to the drawing board.  I headed back to my sources and started the job of sorting Mattison D. & Dewitt out.  With the goal of untangling these two men I found a birth record for Dewitt McMurray listing his parents as Jas. I McMurray & Mary B. McMurray with the birth date of April 25, 1892.  WIN!  Woah, wait a second.  I thought Mattison/Dewitt was born in March 1893.  Ok, maybe something else will clear this up a little for me.  Ah, here is the draft record for Dewitt and it lists his birth date as April 25, 1893.  *cocks head to the side*  Wait.  What?!  I now have it down to Dewitt being born sometime between April 25, 1892 & April 25, 1893.  Oddly enough, April 25th was the birth date of his older sister so talk about a
birthday present.  Did Martha get a brother for her birthday one year?  Maybe a little more digging will help?  As follows are how he appears in the census records:

1900, POSSIBLY him, Mattison D and born March 1893 so he is age 7
1910, Dewitt, 17 and living with his grandparents
1920, Dewitt, 26
1930, Dewitt, 37

Maybe if I try breaking it down by birthdate and sources?

April 25, 1892 - birth certificate for Dewitt
March 20, 1893 -  headstone which matches his Social Security Death record.  That would also
                 make him a match for the Mattison D. listed in the 1900 census
April 25, 1893 - draft record, marriage record only says estimated birth year is 1893

HELP!  If Dewitt Clinton & Mattison Dewitt are the same man, then when was he born?  If they aren't the same man, where was Dewitt in the 1900 census and why wasn't
he listed among his mother and siblings?  Where did Mattison end up disappearing to as I can't find a death record or headstone?  Was Mattison just a ghost?

Margaret Kuhlman (1918-2017)

ELMORE: Margaret Kuhlman, 99 of Elmore, OH passed away Saturday, October 28, 2017 at Riverview Health Care Campus, Oak Harbor, OH. Margaret, the daughter of Boy Andrew and Amanda (Unger) Japsen, was born on July 26, 1918 in Port Clinton, OH. The Japsens' came to the United States from northern Germany in 1905, bringing Margaret's sister, Frieda, age 3 years, with them.

Margaret graduated from Port Clinton High School in 1936 and from the Cleveland City Hospital School of Nursing in 1939, having achieved a degree as a Registered Nurse. Her classmates at Cleveland Hospital became lifelong friends. About that time, she was introduced to Howard Kuhlman of Elmore, by a mutual acquaintance. She married Howard on August 31, 1940 and moved from her membership at Peace Lutheran Church, Port Clinton to Saint John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, Elmore. Saint John's later became the St. John's United Church of Christ where Margaret was the eldest living member.

Mrs. Kuhlman worked early in her career for Fremont Hospital and spent the last 16 ½ years of her working life at the Ottawa County Riverview Nursing Home. In the intervening years, she was a stay-at- home-mom until both children graduated from Harris- Elmore High School. She was a faithful worker at Elmore Bloodmobiles for over 50 years. Margaret was the last living member of the Rice Street Card Club that was very active in the 40's & 50's. She was also a longtime member of St. John's Honor Workers.

Survivors include her children Richard E. (Judy) Kuhlman of Elmore, OH and Linda (Calvin) Jennings of Sidney, OH; grandchildren: Bret Kuhlman, Justin Jennings, and Lisa Kay Jennings; great- grandchildren: Luke and Jillian Kuhlman. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Howard, and sister Frieda Anderson.

Visitation will be Wednesday from 2-8pm at the Crosser Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Elmore- Genoa Chapel. Funeral Services will begin at 11am on Thursday, November 2, 2017 at the Funeral Home, with the Rev. Margaret Mills officiating. Burial will be in Harris- Elmore Union Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to St. John's United Church of Christ General Fund. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.crosserfuneralhome.com.

Published in the News Herald on Nov. 1, 2017

Where it fits:  Margaret is the daughter of Boy Japsen & Amanda Unger.  Boy was the brother of Caroline Japsen, wife of Julius Johannsen.  Thank you for all your help identifying your Johannsen & Japsen relatives.  Your help has been greatly appreciated!