S. Winfield & Una Maude (LeMaster) Phillips: David City, Nebraska

Thanks to Miriam at AnceStories for her post on Digital Archives and Databases in Nebraska, I was able to discover some photos of my relatives.  Miriam listed several databases for Nebraska research, which I'm just now getting around to discovering.


At the Nebraska Memories website, I searched under "LeMaster" and found 5 x 7 photos of my paternal great grandaunt, Una Maude (LeMASTER) PHILLIPS and her husband, Dr. S. Winfield PHILLIPS of David City, Nebraska.


The photos are under copyright of the Boston Studio Project, so I won't post them there.  How neat to find the biographical information as well.

S. Winfield Phillips was born December 22, 1883 in Kansas City, Kansas, the son of Winfield S. and Mary Jane Bates Phillips. He married Una Maude LeMaster December 22, 1907, in Salamonia, Indiana. They were the parents of two children. He worked as a farm hand until 1908 when he attended the Veterinary College in Kansas City. He moved his family to David City, Nebraska, in 1911 and opened a veterinary practice where he practiced until his retirement in 1958. He was a state senator, active in community activities, and the Methodist Church. He died September 13, 1968 in David City, NE. [My data shows December 29, 1977]

 Una was born April 26, 1884, in Portland, Indiana, to Luman and Mary Chew LeMaster. She married S. Winfield Phillips December 22, 1907, in Salamonia, Indiana. Una taught school while her husband worked as a farm hand, then moved to Kansas City, Kansas, while her husband attended the Veterinary College. They moved to David City, Nebraska in 1911 to establish a veterinary practice and animal hospital. hey were the parents of two children. She was active in community activities and the Methodist Church. She died September 13, 1968, in David City, NE.

 My dad has photos of a family trip that he took out to David City, NE in the summer of 1968 with his parents to visit them.  

L-R: Victor LeMaster, Ord LeMaster, Ruth (Haley) LeMaster, 

Una Maude (LeMaster) Phillips, Senator Winfield Phillips

Surname Saturday : METZNER

The METZNER surname is in my paternal line.  The origins are surname are German.


Ahnentafel # 11: Cora Belle Metzner (1868-1955). Cora was born August 21, 1868 in Jay County, Indiana.  She married July 21, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana to Eli Weldon Haley (1866-1957).  They raised 7 children in Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Eli died July 14, 1957 in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Cora died April 28, 1955 in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 22: John Adam Metzner (1840-1895).  John was born August 23, 1840 in Licking County, Ohio.  He married November 13, 1864 in Jay County, Indiana to Clara Moulton (1843-1899). Clara was born September 1843 in Licking County, Ohio.  They raised 4 children in Wayne Township, Jay County, Indiana where John was a farmer.  He was a Civil War veteran, serving in Co G., 40th Ohio Infantry and the 51st Ohio Infantry.  Clara died July 2, 1899 in Westchester, Jay County, Indiana.  John died December 4, 1895 in Westchester, Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.


Ahnentafel # 44: John Metzner (1805-1888).  John was born October 2, 1805 in Saxony.  He married November 4, 1839 in Newark, Licking County, Ohio to Catherine Young (1819-1910).  Catherine was born July 18, 1819 in Alsace.  They raised 11 children in Licking County, Ohio and Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Catherine died June 22, 1910 in Jay County, Indiana.  John died January 10, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.


Our John's father has been given as Jasper Metzner, who died in 1838 at sea on the way to America by Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana (Lewis Publishing, 1887, pp. 585-6).  This mug book states that John's parents were Jasper and Hannah (Reisenberg) Metzner, and that Jasper died on the voyage.  Since this was published some 40 years after the fact, it may have been mis-interpreted, and in fact John's father died while John was at sea.  A potential line back into Germany has been discovered by cousin, Paula Metzner. She researched Heldburg Church records. I hope to discuss the evidence she found in an later post.  The coincidences are compelling, but not proof that this is the same family.  If so, the line would be as follows:


Ahnentafel # 88: Johann Caspar Metzner (1777-1838).  Johann was born July 19, 1777 at Heldburg, Saxony.  He married on August 21, 1804 in Heldburg, Saxony to Johanna Susanna Weissenborn.   They had 8 children, including two daughters and six sons (one of who had moved to America in 1837 according to Caspar's death record).  Caspar died March 11, 1837 in Heldburg, Saxony and was buried March 14, 1837 in Heldburg, Saxony.


Ahnentafel # 176: Johann Andreas Metzner.


Related blog posts:

• Civil War Pension Index Card: John A. Metzner

• John Adam Metzner (1840-1895)

• Obituary: John Adam Metzner (1840-1895)

• Tombstone Tuesday: John and Catherine (Young) Metzner

• Marriage: John Adam Metzner to Clara Moulton

• Wordless Wednesday: John Adam Metzner

• John Metzner household - Jay County, Indiana

• Today in my database: John Adam Metzner (b. August 23, 1840)

• Today in my database: Cora Belle Metzner (b. August 21, 1868)

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Family Recipe Friday: Open Faced Peach Pie

Open Faced Peach Pie

Weldon's mom made this peach pie.  It's very easy to make and good with cool whip or ice cream.  Several of Ruth's grandchildren have mentioned that they enjoyed this pie.

    1 baked crust                                                  
    1-2 eggs                                                       
    1 cup sugar                                                    
    2 cups sliced peaches                                          
    2 tablespoons flour                                            
    Butter                         
                                
Stir all the ingredients together and pour on a baked pie crust.   Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30-45 minutes. 
Note:   I didn't have any directions as to how long to bake so I estimated.  Ingredients could be doubled to make a fuller pie.


Family Recipe Friday – is an opportunity to share your family recipes with fellow bloggers and foodies alike. Whether it’s an old-fashioned recipe passed down through generations, a recipe uncovered through your family history research, or a discovered recipe that embraces your ancestral heritage share them on Family Recipe Friday. This series was suggested by Lynn Palermo of The Armchair Genealogist.

Random Research Updates

A few random research threads that I'm working on this week:

• Contacted a volunteer from the Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness website, attempting to locate an obituary of William Clifford LeMaster, who died July 26, 1922 in Victor, Colorado.  Received a quick response back from the volunteer, who was going to check to see if Colorado Springs genealogy library had local papers on microfilm to help me.
• Sent off to the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO for records of Luther P. Cummings, U.S. Navy records.  With Eileen as next-of-kin, there should be no charge for anything that they find using SF-180.
• Attempting to track down the records of the Salamonia Methodist Episcopal Church.  Contacted Jay County Historical Society, Indiana Conference of United Methodist Church and finally DePauw University.  Their archives have records of memberships, baptisms, marriages and funerals.  Will have to plan a research trip.
• Contacted the Colorado State Archives regarding records of the divorce and will of William Clifford LeMaster.  They responded positively, but it may be cost prohibitive to obtain these records.  Choices, choices...

Polio Epidemic : Jay County, Indiana (1949)

Source: The Commercial-Review, Portland, Indiana, July 30, 1949, page 1

City Board of Health

and

Jay County Board of Health

Portland, Indiana

July 30, 1949

ORDER OF HEALTH OFFICE

By virtue of the power vested in me by Section 409 of Chapter 157 of the Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Indiana for the year 1949, it is hereby ordered that all places of public gatherings within the corporate limits of the city of Portland, Jay County, State of Indiana, and the entire county of Jay, State of Indiana, be closed and all public gatherings in any schools, churches, theatres, halls or other inclosed place intended for public gatherings and all fairs, carnivals, circuses and all other open places of public gatherings be closed for the purpose of stopping the poliomyelitis epidemic in the said city of Portland, Indiana; and the entire county of Jay, State of Indiana; this order to remain in full force and effect until further order issued by this officer.

GEORGE G. MORRISON, M.D., Secretary, City Board of Health and City Health Officer, and Jay County Board of Health.

---

The polio epidemic struck the city of Portland and Jay County, Indiana so severely in the summer of 1949 that the Board of Health shut down all outside activity.  I stumbled across this notice while searching for obituaries on my last trip to the Jay County Public Library.

My father was a young boy during this time, just 5 years old.  Though it did not affect any directly in the family, the polio scare was bad enough that he remembers that his parents would let him go across the street to play with neighbor kids.  Dad wasn't in school yet, and did not go to kindergarten, possibly due to this scare.  At that time, kindergarten was not part of the school system - it was held in the basement of the public library.  The American Legion building in Portland was used as a polio hospital during this time period.  Dad did have a classmate he remembers graduating high school with who had suffered from polio as a child.

The library has a book that was details the events in Portland during this polio epidemic which I will have to check out on my next trip.

Cash Received For Water Bonds

Source: The Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, May 29, 1902, page 1.


CASH RECEIVED FOR WATER BONDS


The $153,000 Stowed Away to the Water Works Trustees' Credit


NO OBSTACLE NOW REMAINS


Employment of an Engineer and Other Steps can Now go Forward Sale Took Place on Tuesday


The first issue of lake water bonds was finally sold on Tuesday fore noon and the $153,000 received is now on deposit to the credit of the board of waterworks trustees.  The sale took place on Tuesday morning. Mayor Reefy and Clerk Purk signed the necessary documents and they were taken to Cleveland for delivery by Chairman LeMaster of the council committee on finance.


No obstacle now remains to prevent the step toward installing a lake water plant.  The employment of an engineer to take charge of the work and advertising for bids for material and labor can now proceed.


---
William Clifford LeMaster (1871-1922) was a member of the Elyria, Ohio city council and my paternal great granduncle.

Wordless Wednesday: Don Coats & Idola LeMaster

Don Coats & Idola LeMaster

Wordless Wednesday – a great way to share your old family photos! Create a post with the main focus being a photograph or image. Some posters also include attribute information as to the source of the image (date, location, owner, etc.). Wordless Wednesday is one of the longest running “memes” in the blogosphere and is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

The Elyria Savings & Banking Company

Source: The Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, May 2, 1901, page 4.

The Elyria Savings & Banking Company.

Organized February 12th; opened for business April 8, 1901.

Authorized Capital $ 100,000

Additional Liability $ 100,000

Pays 4 percent interest semi-annually on deposits if left three months or more.

Absolute burglar and fire proof safe and vault.  Safe deposit boxes for rent.

The only bank in Elyria where German is spoken.

Over ninety stockholders representing more than $2,000,000.

The public is cordially invited to call and inspect our facilities for taking care of our customers.

Money to loan on mortgages, collateral, or other approved security.

The aim of the managers is to do a safe, conservative strictly banking business.

Wm. A. Braman, President; W.C. LeMaster, Cashier; H.W. Ingersoll, First Vice-president; Wm. Heldmyer, Second Vice-president.

----

The above advertisement appeared in The Elyria Republican of Elyria, Ohio on May 2, 1901 for the bank where my paternal great granduncle was the head cashier.  William Clifford LeMaster (1871-1922) was the son of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (CHEW) LEMASTERS.

Tombstone Tuesday: William Henry Wehrly

Source: Salamonia Cemetery (Jay County, Indiana), William H. Wehrly marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 26 March 2009.

William Henry WEHRLY is buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  William was my paternal 1st cousin twice removed.


William was born 1911 in Jay County, Indiana, the son of Alva Monroe and Emma C. (YAEGER) WEHRLY.


In the 1930 census, he was listed as an 18 year old farm laborer in his father's household in Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.


William died in 1958.  I do not yet have information regarding the exact date.


Tombstone Tuesday – To participate in Tombstone Tuesday simply create a post which includes an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors and it may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Two From Portland To Tour With Choir

Source: The Graphic, Portland, Indiana, March 26, 1953

Portland - Idola LeMaster and Glen Priest of Portland are members of the Earlham College Concert Choir which will present programs in four Indiana communities and in Chicago and Evanston, Illinois on its annual Spring Concert Tour which begins March 27.

The Richmond collegiate musicians will open their tour with a concert at 7:30 p.m., March 27 at the First Friends church in Indianapolis.

Sunday, March 29 they will sing for the morning worship service at The Chicago Meetinghouse and in the evening at the Evanston Meeting of Friends.

The choir will present a secular program at Peru high school Monday afternoon, March 30 and a sacred and secular program at The Union Street Friends Meeting, Kokomo, in the evening.

Tuesday evening they will complete their tour by giving a concert at The First Methodist Church, Fort Wayne.

The Earlham choir members last year were chosen to sing with the Cincinnati Symphony under the direction of Thor Johnson and will make their second appearance with this symphony in an April concert.

They also will present a television program over WLW-T in May.  The group has been popular performers on both radio and television.  They have sung for a number of Friends meetings in Indiana and annually take a concert tour.

---

Idola LeMaster, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ord LeMaster, West Water street, Portland.

Glen Priest, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.J. Priest, Portland.

Mappy Monday: Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana

Source: B.N. Griffin, Atlas of Jay County, Indiana (Philadelpha, Pennsylvania: Griffing, Gordon & Co., 1887)

This portion of the map of Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana shows the Salamonia area where my paternal ancestors lived.  Though spelled Salamonie on this atlas, the town was originally known as Lancaster.  


My Lemasters ancestors bought land as early as 1854, settling in Section 8.  On this map, you can see Luman Walker Lemasters 80 acres in the northwest corner of the section, along with an additional 77 acre tract on the far west side.  This is where the "Lookout Hill farm" mentioned in the 1887 county history was located.  His son, Luman Walker Jr., had 3 acres carved out.  To the northwest in Section 6, Luman Sr.'s brother Phillip had an 80 acre tract.  To the northwest of Salamonia in Sections 6 and 5, John P. Wehrly had two tracts of land.  John was married to Catherine Lemasters, sister of Phillip and Luman Sr.




Mappy Monday – do maps, deeds and land records factor in to your family history? Join us for Mappy Monday where you can post map images and how they relate to your research or discuss other aspects of land ownership and your ancestors. Several members of GeneaBloggers suggested this type of theme and in fact Holly Spencer of Ravenna Area Historical Society Blog has been using this theme since March 2009.

When You Break The Microfilm Reader, It's Time To Go Home

Microfilm reader at Jay County Public Library

My first research trip of 2011 turned out to be a productive one.  I had planned a visit to the Jay County Public Library in Portland, Indiana in order to obtain copies of obituaries from the local newspaper.  Prior to my trip, I had created a "to-do list" using the features of my RootsMagic database.

Though my focus was going to be strictly on obituaries, I decided to contact the Jay County Historical Society via email to see if by chance someone could come in on Saturday and let us look around.  Normally, the museum is only opened through the week.  On my last research trip, the microfilm reader at the library stopped working, and I wanted to have a back up plan in case it was broken again.

My dad wanted to go with me on this trip, and I was excited to have him come along.  He's been getting interested in family history again, reading my blog daily, doing off site research and preparing mini-history books on our ancestors.  We met at 7 a.m. in the morning and headed out to Portland.

Arriving at the library, my cell phone rang and it was Tom Young from the Historical Society letting me know that he could open the museum for us and let us do some research.  We agreed to meet at 10 a.m., so that still gave dad and I a few hours at the library.

As I quickly began to scour the local newspapers, which stretch back into the 1880s, I was pleased with the rate of success.  At only $0.15 per copy, these obituaries are a bargain.  I only wish that the entire collection of these small town newspapers were online somewhere, such as Ancestry, so that I could do an every name search and locate tidbits of information about the daily lives of the families.  The society notes in the earlier newspapers are great sources of information.

Just before 10 a.m., we headed down the Historical Society, where we met Tom.  My dad and Tom graduated from Portland High School in the same class, and as we talked we also realized that we have a distant connection through the Haley-Easterday families.  Tom mentioned that he has read my blog, always nice to hear that as well.  Will have to see what more information I could share with Tom about the Haley and Easterday families.

I wanted to focus on the records of the township schools at the museum, and right away dad found a school photo from 1931-32 of Mt. Zion school in Noble Township that had included his mother, Ruth Pauline Haley.  Fortunately, someone had taken the time to identify each and every person in the photo.  Very serendipitous to find such a picture right off the bat.

We spent about two hours at the museum, where I obtained copies of anniversary notices from the local newspapers, recipes submitted by family members to locally-published cookbooks, funeral home records and marriage supplemental transcript records.  Someone had taken the time to print these from the courthouse and place them in binders at the Historical Society, giving me access to information that normally would have been locked up at the courthouse on a weekend.

It's easy to get so involved in your research that you forget to eat, but around noon we decided that we'd better not overstay our welcome with Tom. We thanked him for letting us research on Saturday, and headed to lunch for a sandwich.

After lunch, we called my aunt Juanita and uncle Harold, and found out they were home.  We were able to visit with them for a good couple of hours, sharing the information we had just discovered.  Dad gave Juanita a booklet he had put together on the Lemasters family, including records on our ancestors' Civil War service.  Harold and Juanita shared some memories about the members of the families in the obits I had discovered.  My cousin Mark and his wife and daughter showed up right as we were leaving, and it was good to see them again.  Dad told them about this blog, so hopefully they will check it out and see some of the information we've discovered.

Then it was back to the library for a couple more hours of research.  Dad was digging into the plat maps and the city directories while I was burning up the microfilm reader printing obituaries.  As in the morning, was able to make great headway.  Just around 4 p.m., however, the microfilm reader decided it was time to surrender.  The reel just refused to advance forward or backwards. That was my cue that it was time to call it a day.  After notifying the staff of the problems, we decided to pack it in and call it a day.

We called my uncle Paul and aunt Betty, found out they were home, and stopped by for a visit on the way out of town.  We again shared the research and gave them a copy of the family history dad had put together.  Uncle Paul remembered some stories and shared a few tidbits about the family members whose obituaries I had obtained.  Cousin Nancy stopped by and we found out she is getting married in June; also saw cousin Phil briefly.

It was a long day, but a good day from a research standpoint.  Now I just have to source the data, and will post copies of the obituaries on the blog.

Finds from the visit to the Jay County Public Library:

• Information regarding the 1949 polio epidemic in Portland, something I want to document as it affected my family
• Obituary of Patty Lou LeMaster, age 12, from the November 1, 1945 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Maxine Elizabeth LeMaster, age 10, from the April 4, 1931 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• LeMaster, Sr., age 77, from the January 14, 1980 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Clarence Harrison LeMaster, age 75, from the November 29, 1963 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Elvin Cooper LeMaster, age 87, from the May 17, 2000 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Garth Luman LeMaster, Sr., age 76, from the February 6, 1998 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Bertha A. (LeMasters) Hercules, age 69, from the January 2, 1962 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of John Leland LeMaster, Jr., age 50, from the March 28, 1973 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of William A. LeMaster, age 54, from the October 16, 1978 edition of The Commerical-Review.
• Obituary of Roger A. LeMaster, age 45, from the March 6, 1972 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Bertha (LeMasters) Yaeger, age 47, from the March 17, 1922 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Beulah S. (LeMasters) Rockwell, from the July 18, 1940 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Catherine Elizabeth (Lemasters) Wehrly, from the December 26, 1911 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ralph V. LeMaster, age 73, from the February 1, 1996 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Floyd LeMasters, Sr., from the February 12, 1982 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Mary Elsie (LeMasters) Atkinson, age 70, from the June 5, 1942 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ord Otterbein LeMasters, from the September 15, 1937 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Rachel (Lemasters) Cunningham, from the March 12, 1913 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Maude (LeMasters) Phillips, from the September 16, 1968 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Matthias Jefferson Atkinson, age 59, from the August 25, 1923 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ferry Mae (Bickel) LeMaster, age 86, from the July 21, 1978 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Ora Lee (Brady) LeMaster, age 87, from the April 16, 2008 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Clara L. (Burkey) LeMaster, age 90, from the October 31, 1985 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Dr. William Anderson Chew, from the January 7, 1914 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Carrie V. (Haley) Thornburg, age 98, from the August 6, 2003 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Obituary of Larry LeMaster, age 24, from the February 28, 1974 edition of The Commercial-Review.
• Wedding announcement of Ora Lee Brady and Garth L. LeMaster from the May 11, 1942 edition of The Commercial-Review.

Finds from the visit to the Jay County Historical Society:

• Photograph of my grandmother, Ruth Pauline Haley, int he Mt. Zion School of Noble Township, 1931-32.
• Funeral record of Frank Haley, August 1, 1937 from the Baird Funeral Home.
• Marriage supplemental record of Pearl M. Metzner to Edward H. Baumgartner from June 2, 1915.
• Marriage supplemental record of Archibald E. Chew from October 27, 1909.
• Marriage supplemental record of Mamie Petry from October 12, 1907.
• 45th Anniversary announcement of Mr. and Mrs. Lisle Wehrly, from April 1, 1969.
• 50th Anniversary announcement of Mr. and Mrs. Vern Haley, from March 3, 1966.
• LeMaster entries in the 1927 Jay County Directory
• LeMaster entries in the 1941 Portland, Indiana City Directory
• LeMaster entries in the 1949 Portland, Indiana City Directory

I'm looking forward to planning out my next research trip.  

Surname Saturday : YOUNG

The YOUNG surname is in my paternal line. The origins of the surname are German.  There is no known connection to my other YOUNG family line.


Stories and history:


Ahnentafel # 45: Catherine YOUNG (1819-1910).  Catherine was born July 18, 1819 in the Alsace region of France/Germany.  She married November 4, 1839 in Newark, Licking County, Ohio to John METZNER (1805-1888).  John was born October 2, 1805 in Saxony.  They lived in Licking County, Ohio until just before the 1850 census when they moved to Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.  They had 11 children.  John died January 10, 1888 in Jay County, Indiana.  Catherine died June 22, 1910 in Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.


Ahntentafel# 90: Nicholas YOUNG (1790-1855).  Nicholas was born in 1790 in Alsace.  He married Salome ________ (c1793-1887) circa 1813.  They had at least 3 children and came to Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Salome died September 3, 1887 in Jay County, Indiana.  Nicholas died in 1855 in Jay County, Indiana.  Both are buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Noble Township, Jay County, Indiana.


Related blog posts:

• Tombstone Tuesday: John and Catherine (YOUNG) METZNER

• John Metzner household, Jay County Indiana

• Obituary : Salome Young

• Today in my database: Catherine YOUNG (b. July 18, 1719)

Surname Saturday – create a post in which you discuss a surname and mention its origins, its geographical location(s) and how it fits into your genealogy research. Surname Saturday is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

The Councilman Objects: William Clifford LeMaster (1871-1922)

Apparently, it didn't take long for my relative, William Clifford LeMaster, newly elected councilman of the city of Elyria, to become involved in a bit of political controversy.  Perhaps it was his opposition to this gentleman that prompted him to run for office.

Source: Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, May 17, 1900, page 1.

COUNCIL ENDORSES CHAPIN

His Waterworks Estimate Is Re-Adopted

TWO COUNCILMEN OBJECTING

LeMaster and Eady Fear that Bond Issue Will Be Defeated at Polls if Chapin Is Employed

Engineer Chapin, away in Canton, must have felt a warm sensation about the ears on Tuesday evening.  He certainly was being talked about.  The council reviewed his career, discussed his moral, social and professional standing.  Most of all, his popularity was questioned.

Councilman Eady and LeMaster took part in the effort to get another engineer.  They were afraid that a proposition involving the employment of Chapin would  not carry at the polls, and said that they represented popular opposition to him.  In justice to Chapin it may be said that not a single reason was given for such opposition.  The council very properly refused to take notice of opposition unfounded in reason and re-adopted Chapin's estimate with only one dissenting vote, that of LeMaster.  The resolution of necessity calling for the bond election was voted to be taken up at a special meeting Wednesday night.

At a special meeting of the council on Wednesday night the resolution calling for the bond election was taken up and passed.

Election Day, 1900 : The Vote in Detail

Source: The Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, April 5, 1900, page 1

Thanks to Ancestry.com, I've found out that my paternal great-granduncle, William Clifford LeMASTER, was elected as the Fourth Ward Councilman for the city of Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio in 1900.  Republicans only one two of the four wards in the city, and William received more votes than any other councilman.  He received 247 votes to his opponents 119 votes.

The article was fascinating, not so much for the family history, but for the grandstanding and spin that the editors put into their articles.  Granted, this was a Republican house organ, but the manner in which they complained about the democratic shenanigans was pretty funny.  Makes what goes on today seem tame.

The article is partially transcribed below:

TWO WOMEN WERE ELECTED

Will Serve On Elyria's Board of Education.

MANY BALLOTS WERE REJECTED

School Bond Issue Approved By Large Ward Majorities - Democrats Make Slight Gains

Monday's election in Elyria, while not without its surprises, was generaly satisfactory to republicans under the existing conditions.

The advantage which the democrats gained in keeping the republican nominees off the ticket served to elect democratic councilmen in the second and third wards, democratic assessor in the second ward, and made the margins in other contests closer than is consistent with the customary republican majorities.

The conditions affecting the election were such as to make both sides active in getting out the voters, and a large vote was polled.

WOMEN ATTEND THE POLLS

For the first time in the history of local politics the women exercised the franchise in the selection of members of the school board, and the two women candidates were triumphantly elected.  All day long they thronged the polling places, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather.  They came in pairs, or small groups, singly and with male escorts.  Their vote aggregated 334, being highest in the fourth ward, where 124 women voted.  Many republicans voted for the women's ticket.  It is alike flattering to the chivalry and sense of the voters that Miss Metcalf and Mrs. Young were elected.  In affairs which pertain to the welfare of the young, the counsel of women is never to be despised.

BALLOTS IMPROPERLY MARKED

Many ballots were thrown out as being improperly marked.  In some wards tickets all written out and voted straight with an X under the eagle were accepted, and in others thrown out.  The intention of these will be probably made matters of contest before the proper authorities.

The partisan complexion of the council remains unchanged, two democratic members going out this spring.

The school bond issue carried by large majorities in each ward.  The vote on the issue of bonds was 934 for and 258 against.

Carlisle, which is in this school district, gave for the board of education, Chamberlain, one vote, Miss Metcalf, two votes, Dr. Sampsel and Thos. Seward two votes each.

MAJORITIES OF WINNING CANDIDATES

The winning candidates with their respective majorities follow:

Water Works Trustee

P.H. Boynton, R.............................37

Councilmen

First Ward - R.B. Dersch, R.............93

Second Ward - Grant Grundy, D.....93

Third Ward - Martin Mueller.............61

Fourth Ward - W.C. LeMaster.......128

[end of transcription]

Republicans In Trouble

Source: Elyria Republican, Elyria, Ohio, March 29, 1900, page 1.


REPUBLICANS IN TROUBLE


Voters in Elyria Must Write Their Tickets


USUAL CAUTION REQUIRED


Because of Technical Error the Party Ticket Cannot Be Printed by the Election Board.


The ticket nominated by the republicans of Elyria at the recent city and township primaries has been thrown out by the Lorain County Board of Elections.  Elyria republicans will therefore have to write in the names of their party's choice on each ballot which they vote.


The trouble was occassioned by the failure of the city republican committee to certify the nomination up to the board within the statutory time, fifteen days before election.


Arthur J. Laundon, a democratic nominee for council, filed a protest with the board and a hearing was given the republican candidates Monday.  The entire ticket was thrown out.


The ticket will be printed with the republican emblem and designation of each office to be filled, but with no names.  Each republican voter must therefore write in the names of the republican candidates, and mark an "X" in the circle under the eagle.


The first ward ticket, for example, should read as follows:


For water works trustee,
P.H. Boynton.
For councilman,
Robt. B. Lersch.
For assesor,
Wm. A. Garford.
For township trustees
John Langton, 
E.L. Disbro.
For township clerk,
W.H. Park.
For cemetery trustee,
J.A. Jacob.
For justice of the peace,
A.E. Lawrence,
For constable,
R.E. Braman,
C.A. Cahoon.
For township assesor,
A.E. Baus


In the other wards the republicans will write their tickets just the same, except that they will substitute the name of their party's choice for councilman and assessor in their respective wards. These are:


SECOND WARD
Councilman - M.N. Terry
Assessor - Chas. Chandler
THIRD WARD
Councilman - Chas. J. Smith
Assessor - Frank Quayle
FOURTH WARD
Councilman - W.C. LeMaster
Assessor - Wm. Sage


The republican ballot for board of education will be also blank and the names must be written in. The republican choice for these officers were E.E. Williams and Geo. H. Chamberlain.


There is reason to believe that this technical irregularity will make no appreciable difference in the result and should if anything make the republican voters more vigilant than ever to get out and write their ticket.


---
W.C. LeMASTER was my paternal great-granduncle, William Clifford LeMASTER (1871-1922), son of Luman Walker and Mary Keziah (CHEW) LEMASTERS.

Wordless Wednesday: School Days

Weldon LeMaster, 1951-52

Weldon LeMaster, 1957-58

Weldon LeMaster, 1960

Wordless Wednesday – a great way to share your old family photos! Create a post with the main focus being a photograph or image. Some posters also include attribute information as to the source of the image (date, location, owner, etc.). Wordless Wednesday is one of the longest running “memes” in the blogosphere and is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.

Tombstone Tuesday: Orville Bernand and Ada (________) Chew

Source: Salamonia Cemetery (Jay County, Indiana), Bernard and Ada Chew marker, photographed by Travis LeMaster, 26 March 2009.

Orville Bernard and Ada (________) CHEW are buried in the Salamonia Cemetery, Madison Township, Jay County, Indiana.  Bernard was my paternal 1st cousin 3 times removed.

Bernard was born August 5, 1896 in Jay County, Indiana, the son of William Anderson and Emma Susan (STRAIGHT) CHEW.

Ada was born in 1901 to unknown parentage.  I do not yet know when and where they were married.

Bernard died in 1947 and Ada died in 1986.

Tombstone Tuesday – To participate in Tombstone Tuesday simply create a post which includes an image of a gravestone of one or more ancestors and it may also include a brief description of the image or the ancestor. This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.