Marie Julia Ordway




My grandmother, Dorothy Doty Ordway
and Marie Ordway Baker

 
Marie Julia Ordway was the youngest daughter and last child of Lemuel and Elizabeth Ordway.  Her middle name was the same as one of her mother's older sisters, Julia Delph Spangler.  Marie was born on 24 June 1904 in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio.

The 1930 census found Marie at age 25, still living at home with her parents in Malinta and employed as an assistant cashier at a bank.  I can remember Aunt Marie once telling me that she was working at a bank when it was robbed!  I am still searching for the clipping I once found of that incident and will post when it is located.



The census taker in 1930 visited in April, and by August 28th of that year, Marie married Charles J. Baker.  She was a homemaker and mother of two children, living much of her life in Liberty Center, Ohio.  She was, at one time, the clerk for the Village of Liberty Center, and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.


"Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Baker, Liberty Center, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with their children at a dinner party held at the Holiday Inn, Napoleon.  An open house for the immediate family followed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Baker.  The couple was married August 23, 1930, by the Reverend Stockmier, St. John's Reformed Church, Holgate.  They are the parents of Robert, Napoleon, and Sue, Nashville, Tenneseee.  There are six grandchildren."
(Another clipping from my mother, probably from the Northwest-Signal, undated)

Marie Ordway Baker died on 20 Dec 1997 at the age of 93, the last surviving child of Lem and Lizzie Ordway.  At the time of her death, she was at Country View Haven in Napoleon.  She is buried at Young's Cemetery, Liberty Center.







Frederick D. Ordway

Frederick D. Ordway was the third child and second son of Lemuel and Elizabeth (Delph) Ordway.  To me, he was my "Grandpa Butch," but others knew him as "Fritz."  I have never been able to find what the D. middle initial stands for, but my guess is Delph.

Fritz was born on 16 March 1902 in Malinta, Ohio.  On 10 June 1922, he married Dorothy Elizabeth Doty of Monroe, Michigan.  One of my mother's cousins told me that Fritz was working with his brother, Phil, as a salesman for the silo company and they were in Monroe on business when Fritz met Dorothy. 


The undated newspaper clipping announcing their marriage license reads
"Those who took out marriage licenses here Friday were: ...Frederick D. Ordway, 21, salesman, Malenta, Ohio, and Dorothy Doty, 22, Azalia, Michigan."
and their marriage news account reads
"Doty-Ordway
A quiet wedding took place at the Evangelical Parsonage, Saturday, June 10, at 1:30, when Miss Dorothy Doty, daughter of Mrs. Alice Doty, of Raisinville, was united in marriage to Frederick Ordway, of Malinta, Ohio.
Rev. G. H. Kellerman performed the ceremony.
The bride wore a tan canton crepe dress with hat to match, and corsage of bridal roses.  The attendants were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lohr, of Azalia.  The young couple left Detroit, by boat, for Buffalo, Niagra, and other eastern points.
Mr. and Mrs. Ordway have the best wishes of their many friends for a long and happy married life."

I have their marriage remembrance book which lists their wedding gifts - interesting, compared to today's choices ...
~silver knives, forks, teaspoons and dessert spoons from Uncle Lew & Aunt Ada Newcomer
~silver pickle fork - Alta Besier
~silver spoon - Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Wright
~china sugar & creamer - The Opferman family
~check for $25 - Guy and Elsie
~check for $20 - Mother
~check for $10 - Father and Mother Ordway
~linen tablecloth - Aunt Mary Smothers
~linen scarf - Mrs. Delong
~6 china plates - Blanche and Nettie
~2 pictures - George and Constance
~candlesticks - Belle & Clarence R.

Photos in a locket owned by my grandmother - Fritz and Dorothy

In the 1930 census taken on April 2nd, Fritz and wife Dorothy and their only child, Donna, were living in Malinta.  Fritz was 28, Dorothy, 30, and Donna, 4 1/2.  Donna was born in Michigan, as Dorothy had gone home to her mother's house to have her baby.  Fritz's occupation is Retail Merchant.

I don't know the partnership arrangement, but I know that the Delph brothers (Fritz's uncles) had a general store in Malinta at one point.  Eventually, Fritz took it over or at least a partnership in it.

In this undated clipping found in Donna Ordway's Bible, from the Northwest Signal, I assume, a burglary attempt at the grocery was mentioned:

"Backward Glance - 50 Years Ago - D.E. Rusling, a 26 year old Toledo man, was captured by Ernest Tobias, Malinta blacksmith, and Fritz Ordway after Tobias heard breaking glass at 3 a.m. and saw a prowler at the door of Ordway's grocery across the street.  Tobias summoned Ordway by phone and the two Malinta businessmen caught Rusling without a fight when he attempted to dodge between two buildings."

Grandpa Butch in his younger days - note the boater hat and the vehicle behind him.

Fritz's wife, Dorothy, died of a heart attack at the age of 47 on 3 May 1946.

I don't yet have a specific date, but after 1947, he married again to Nina Lawson Hensley and moved to Toledo where he worked as a meat cutter.



Grandpa Butch and Grandma Nina

Fritz died on November 12, 1972 and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Toledo, whereas his first wife and my grandmother, Dorothy, is buried in Monroe, Michigan and his second wife, Nina, is buried near her first husband in Virginia. 

Philip Richard Ordway

Named after his two grandfathers, Philip Delph and Richard Ordway, Philip Richard Ordway was the oldest son of Lemuel and Elizabeth Ordway.  He was born in Monroe Township, Henry County on 28 November, 1899.

On September 13, 1918, Philip completed his World War I draft registration.  At the time, he was farming for or with his father.  He described himself as of average height and build, with hazel eyes and brown hair. He was not called to serve in the military.
At the age of 24, Philip married Bonnie Glick, age 23.
The 1930 Federal Census shows Philip living on Henry Street in Malinta with his wife, Bonnie and daughter, Lois, 2 1/2.  (Later, in 1937, another daughter, Phyllis, was born.)  Phil's occupation is listed as Silo Manufacturing.
Sadly, in 1947, when the girls were young, their mother, Bonnie, died of influenza.
Later, Phil remarried to Freda M. Symons Mohler who died in 1989.  Phil died in 1990.  He celebrated his 90th birthday BIG with a hot air balloon ride.

My great-uncle Phil died on 25 June 1990. 
His obituary:
"Philip Ordway
Napoleon - Philip R. Ordway, 90, died at 3:30 p.m. Monday in Henry County Hospital.
He was born Nov. 28, 1899, in Malinta, the son of Lemuel and Elizabeth (Delph) Ordway.  He married Bonnie Glick, who preceded him in death.  In 1947, he married Freda Symons, who also preceded him in death.  A retired employee of the Malinta Silo Co., he was a member of Sharon United Methodist Church and a 37 year member of Oddfellows Lodge 260.  He was a Harrison Township trustee for 12 years and was a former trustee of Malinta United Methodist Church.
Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Duane (Lois) Saul of Liberty Center, and Mrs. Thomas (Phyllis) Spieth, Napoleon; a sister, Mrs. Charles (Marie) Baker, Liberty Center; seven grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.
Services will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. in Sharon United Methodist Church with Rev. Roger Reese officiating.  Burial will follow in Hoy Cemetery.  Visitation will be from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at Walker Mortuary.  Oddfellows Lodge will hold a memorial service Wednesday at 8 p.m.  Memorials may be made to Sharon United Methodist Church."

Five Generations

Another clipping from my mom, showing five generations of the family.  It is not the best photo, coming from an old newspaper, but what a joy to see my great-grandmother and great-great grandmother in the same photo.

An error in the paper named my great-grandmother as Lena Ordway.  It should have been Elizabeth,
Lizzie or Bess.  I never heard of her being called Lena.

Ordways in Malinta, Ohio - Fay and Am

I love this photo of my great-grandparents as young folks with four children in what I remember as a pretty small house with no running water. Yes, that means an outhouse and drinking water in a bucket with a metal dipper from which everyone drank.  But more on that in a later post.  I'm guessing this photo was taken around 1910 - 1912.

First, the oldest child and daughter - Fay Eunice Ordway.
The first and only census, released so far, that we have after Fay and Am married on 4 May 1921 is the 1930 census.  The census shows Am, aged 34, and Fay, aged 33, living with their two daughters, Alta Mae, aged 7, and Marcella, aged 6, on Henry Street in Malinta.  Down the street from them lived her two brothers and their wives in separate residences.  Around the corner were her mom and dad and sister Marie. 
The census also states that Am was 25 when married and Fay, 24, and they and their parents were all born in Ohio.  The value of their home was $3500, they owned it, AND they had a radio...one of those strange questions asked in 1930.  Am's occupation was proprietor of a restaurant.  That was a new piece of information to me. 

They are both buried in Hoy (Shunk) Cemetery and I wanted to include their obituaries in this post, once again thanks to my mom who was a good "clipper" of family news from the daily paper.

Fay Eunice Ordway died on May 7, 1986.

"Fay Gunter
Fay Gunter, 88, formerly of Malinta, died Wednesday at Henry County Hospital. 
Born in Monroe Township, Henry County on March 2, 1898, she was the daughter of Lemuel and Elizabeth (Delph) Ordway.  She married Ammasa Gunter on May 14, 1921, and he preceded her in death on Jan. 4, 1978.
She was a member of Memorial United Methodist Church, Malinta.
Surviving are one daughter, Alta Mae Ritz, Fairborn, Oh.; one brother, Phillip Ordway, Napoleon; one sister, Marie Baker, Liberty Center; six grand-children and thirteen great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by one daughter, Marcella Rice.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Walker Mortuary, Inc. with Rev. Edgar Shady, former pastor of Memorial United Methodis Church, officiating.  Interment will be in Hoy Cemetery, Harrison Township.
Preferred memorials are to the Henry County Home Memorial Fund."

"Ammasa Gunter
Ammasa Daniel Gunter, 81, Malinta, died Wednesday evening at Defiance Hospital. 
He was born June 20, 1896, in Monroe Township, Henry County, the son of David and Jennie (Cary) Gunter.  The deceased was a retired employee of Campbell Soup Company, Napoleon.  He was a former groundskeeper at Bowling Green State University.  He was a member of Malinta United Methodist Church, The Liberty Center V.F.W. Post, the American Legion Post #400, Malinta, and the 42nd Rainbow Association of Cincinnati.  He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, Napoleon.  He was a United States Army Veteran of World War I.
Surviving are his wife, Fay; two daughters, Mrs. Charles (Marcella) Rice, Defiance, and Mrs. Dorvin (Alta Mae) Ritz, Fairborn; one brother, Walter, Malinta; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at Walker Mortuary, Napoleon.  Reverend Edgar Shady, pastor of Malinta United Methodist Church, will officiate.
Interment will be made in Hoy Cemetery, Harrison Township, where Military Graveside Rites will be conducted by the Malinta American Legion Post #400.
Friends may call at Walker Mortuary, Napoleon, after 2 p.m. on Friday.  A Disabled American Veterans memorial service will be held Friday at 8 p.m. at the funeral home."


A War-Time Wedding

Marriage Licenses

Rudolph A. Elling, 21, machinist, Napoleon, and

Donna Ordway, 19, defense worker, Malinta.





Back: Lorna Elling, Eldor Elling
Donna Ordway, Rudolph Elling

"Ordway - Elling Nuptials

On Sunday afternoon, October 29 (1943), Miss Donna Ordway, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ordway, became the bride of Mr. Rudolph Elling.  The ceremony was performed in the home of the bride at Malinta by the Rev. Martin Zschoche, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Napoleon.  Attendants were Mr. Eldor Elling and Miss Lorna Elling.  The young couple will make their home in Toledo, Ohio

Those attending the wedding were: Mr. and Mrs. Albert Elling, parents of the groom, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Elling, Misses Elinor and Louise Elling, Lt. Kenneth Musshel of the U.S. Air Corps, Mr. and Mrs. Henning**, grandparents of the bride, Rev. and Mrs. Martin Zschoche and Myra Berno of Toledo.

A tasty buffet supper was served by the parents of the bride.  The living room in which the ceremony was performed was decorated with beautiful bouquets of chrysanthemums.  The bride and the maid of honor wore beautiful corsages of American Beauty roses, while the groom and best man wore a buttonier of carnations."

**Newspaper error - should have been Mr. and Mrs. Ordway, grandparents of the bride.  There were no Henning grandparents and Donna Ordway's grandparents lived right next door and were very close to her, so it is most likely that they attended.

Both Donna and Rudy worked at the Willys Jeep plant in Toledo during the war.





Ammasa Gunter - World War I Letters - Part 3

Continued...

After awhile, the realities of war struck and the good times were over.  The men were in the trenches and home began to look better and better.
Uncle Am was wounded in action and had to spend some time in the hospital. The Army called it a 25% disability at discharge.  Worst of all, he was assigned to a much more dangerous job...message runner.

Northwest-News,  Napoleon, Ohio,
November 14, 1918, p. 5
Somewhere in France
"Dear Brother Bib:
Hello, old top.  Well, kid, when I tell you what I have been doing for the last couple months, you won't be surprised at me not writing.  In the first place, I was knocked out July 11th, Hospital for me.    Slightly wounded from shrapnel that old Fritzy sent over, and a little gas that did not affect me very bad.  I was only absent from the company 5 weeks.  After returning, I was disappointed as my old friend Captain was gone to the hospital and a lot of the boys in the Co. were not there, so things did not seem the same as before.  After learning that the captain would not be back again, it gave me a sad feeling for a while as he was the only one I knew in our Co. 
I am a runner now.  Don't like it as well as Orderly because there are so many times the Runners don't make a home run when he carries messages.  There are eight of us that run in the Co., so you see not only myself is taking chances, but each of us carries messages, taking turns.  We are once more back of the lines.  Just left a few nights ago where it was getting pretty warm at times.  It seems like home again to get back where the French people are living and hear the old rooster crow.
Don't know how soon it will be until we are on our way to the Front again, possibly tonight or in a day or two as we don't stay long in one place.  That is why I don't write often.  We are going through Hun land like a dose of salts.  Believe me, boy, we are going to hit the goal before long, the way it looks now.  We see a lot of destruction but the boys are happy and I the same.
Can't tell you all the dope I heard about the Kaiser as it would take too long, but keep the home fires burning, it won't be long any more.  I could bring back souvenirs but they are too heavy to carry.
I suppose you are getting lots of war news.  Have you heard from Lewis Bachtol?  The last I saw him was on the 12th of July.  He went to the Hospital a few days before I did and I have not seen or heard from him since.  I guess he was operated upon.  Let me know if his folks have heard from him.  Well, I will bring this letter to a close or miss my chow.
Your brother,
Ammasa D. Gunter
Co. H., 166th U.S. Infantry"

(Ammasa's grandson wrote: "In Ammasa's copy of Ohio in the Rainbow, he marked a lot of passages that pertained to him.  Early on during the Champagne defensive, a German shell fell near a small shelter in the trench that he and 8 others were in.  It included the company supply sergeant, 4 mechanics, 2 French liaison agents and 2 runners, one runner being Ammasa.  One mechanic and a French man were killed and the other 7 were wounded.  Not hurt as badly as some, Ammasa gave aid to the more severely wounded.  The bombing continued all day and night, as they were moved to the aid stations in the rear.  The Champagne defensive was the Rainbow's most important engagement because it was the battle that marked the turning point of the war.  Grandpa Am told me about getting wounded and said he was hit with bomb shrapnel in the foot.  Not a severe wound, but bad enough to put him out of commission for around 5 weeks."

The last two letters from a more homesick Ammasa are from Germany in January 1919.  He was discharged in May of that year.  Both letters appear in the Northwest-News, February 27, 1919, p. 3.
"Germany, Jan. 18, 1919
Dear Sister and Folks:
I received your letter dated Dec. 28, found me feeling O.K. and am the same at present.  I was awfully glad to hear from you and know that all are feeling well back there.  Am sorry to hear that Dad has asthma so bad, if he can only get thru the Winter alright it won't be so hard on him during the summer.
Ruth, expect you have often wondered why I haven't been writing so often as I used to, but has been so in the last couple months that I didn't get any mail at all during my absence from the company, now that I am back with them again, I will write more or at least try to.  Have been back a few days - found all the boys well, but very anxious to get home.  We don't know how long it will be yet before we start for over there.  We are all living in hopes that it won't be very long.  you said it would be a glorious time when we come home; well, it surely will (is no mistake)   
 I think Robert is lucky for getting out of service so soon.  Am glad to hear that he is so heavy.  Must have had a good mess sergeant in his Company.  Ha,ha.  I have been getting plenty to eat altho I don't gain much in weight, have gained 20 lbs. since I entered in the service, is not so bad at that.
O yes, Lewis B. is back to the outfit again, the day I got back was the first I had seen him since July 13th.  He is looking healthy as ever.  I have had a couple long talks with him since I have gotten back, we often talk about the old days back home and long to see them come again.
Ruth, talk of weather back there, you can't beat it over here.  It is almost like Summer all the time, it hasn't frozen ice to amount to anything except I will have to go down South during the Winter when I get back in the States, as this is my second Winter over here and neither one was like you have over there.    Maybe your scheme would be alright about hugging the gal, ha, ha!  I'll tell the world I am not going to hug any stoves when I get back.
Lewis received a lot of County papers from home and I have been reading all day.  It sure is appealing to one who has been away from home 18 mo. and get to read the news that is gathered up around the county.  Suppose you'll be surprised to read so much of this all at once.  Wouldn't write so much but this is Sunday evening and I did not drill today.  Seems like I can spread it tonight, ha, ha! 
Maybe you would be interested to know what we are doing now days.  We don't lay around at all, we have our same old daily drill, same as before we knew what war was, we also stand guard, have inspection, and target practice, sometimes gas drill, and we are located along the River Rhine. 
Everything is beautiful, even down to some of the Dutch gals (some! did you get it?)  There is no joking this country is far ahead of France on everything.  On my way from France back to my Division, I saw a great many large towns in France, but none of them looked as nice as the German towns as being clean, you have to hand it to the Huns in that respect.  Well, sis, I will close, hoping all will be well when you receive this.  My love and best to all, I remain your brother,
Amasa Gunter
Co. H, 166 U.S. Inft."

"Germany, Jan. 23, 1919
Dear Sister Ruth:
Will have to answer to my Christmas package I just received.  I was much pleased to get it and on't think I will ever forget how good it tasted.  Everything in it was fine and nothing could have pleased me better than what it had in it and to know it was from home made it much better than I would have thought. 
Ruth, it has been snowing today and the coldest it has been the whole winter.  Maybe we are going to have a few weeks of it being the first signs of any winter, but the Germans say that Jan. is the coldest month here and it being nearly over, I don't think our cold will last long.  Suppose it has been awful fresh back there.  Hope nothing like last winter.
Well, Ruth, you might be surprised to see me rolling in there before long, can't promise you how long it will be yet, but don't think I will spend any more Christmas over here.  I haven't been drilling any today; but have been on a detail of my own.  A person is seldom ever on that kind of detail, ha, ha!  I was detailed by the Captain to help a Lieutenant distribute some books around to the battallion.  I hustled it up and finished at noon so I have had the afternoon for myself. 
Am hoping now that I won't be on guard tonight as it is so cold.  We stand 4 hours on and 8 off, there are 3 reliefs.  One person gets to stand 8 hours out of 24. 
Well, what is Perry doing now days?  Expect he is busy at something for he always kept that way, ha, ha!  Wish he was with me tonight.  There is a little German boy about 17 years old that comes up in our billet to see me every night, but I can't talk to him. 
Well, sis, it is getting late and almost time for retreat so I close wishing you all good luck and hope to meet you soon.  I remain your brother,
Amasa Gunter.

A very special thanks to Jim Ritz, great-grandson of Ammasa for these documents and the soldier photo in a previous post.  What a great addition to his story!



Clipping found in my mother's Bible from 1971
Ammasa and Fay Gunter's 50th Anniversary



 "Friday, May 14, marks the Golden Wedding Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Ammasa D. Gunter, Malinta.  Mr. Gunter and the former Fay Ordway were married in Napoleon, May 14, 1921, by Reverend D. G. Hall, pastor of the Methodist Church. The Gunters have two children: Mrs. Dorvin (Alta Mae) Ritz, Fairborn, and Mrs. Charles (Marcella) Rice, Ayersville.  They have six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.  A family dinner will be held at the Holiday Inn, Defiance, Ohio, Sunday, May 16.  Prentiss Photo"









Burial in Hoy (Shunk) Cemetery, near Malinta, Ohio