In the 1910 census, the census taker visited on April 15th and found Harmon living at home with his parents and helping out on the home farm.
On January 25, 1914, Harmon, at 22, married Helen S. Gerken who was 18. By the 1920 census, they were renting a home in Ridgeville Township, Henry County, Ohio. Harmon farmed and three children had been born - Lorence, Martin and Fredrick. (Census taker's spelling)
On June 5 in either 1917 or 1918, Herman registered for the WW I draft. He reported then that he had a wife and family and was farming. He gave his name as Herman and noted that he was of slender build with blue eyes and brown hair. Strangely, he wrote his birthdate as October 17, 1889 (the year his sister Kate was born) instead of 1891.
In the 1930 census for Monroe Township in Henry County, Herman, 38, and Helen, 34, were renting again and farming. Added to their family were Freddie, Eldor and Hildegarde.
At the age of 50 in 1942, Herman registered for the WW II draft, giving his address as Route 1, Napoleon. He said he was a self-employed farmer and gave his birthdate as October 17, 1891. He was a part of the "Old Man's Draft" and was really not expected to have to serve.
Helen died in 1991 and Herman in 1978. Together they had seven children: Lorenz, Martin, Fred, Eldor, Hildegarde, Leona and Richard.
"HERMAN H. ELLING
NAPOLEON
- Herman H. Elling, 86, Route 1, Napoleon, a retired farmer, died early
Saturday in Heller Memorial Hospital, where he had been a patient one
day.
He
was born Oct. 17, 1891 in Freedom Twp., Henry County to Frederick and
Marie (Rohrs) Elling and married Helen Gerken on January 25, 1914. They
were residents of Henry County all their married lives. He was a
member of St. John Lutheran Church, Freedom Twp., and was a former elder
of the church.
Surviving
are his wife, Helen; five sons, Lorenz, Route 1, Swanton; Martin, Route
3, Napoleon; Freddie, Holgate; Eldor, Route 1, Liberty Center; and
Richard, Ocala, Fla.; two daughters, Mrs. Derald (Hildegard) Sindel,
Monroe, Mich, and Mrs. Arnold Ehlers, Route 2, Defiance; two brothers,
Henry, Delphos, and Fred, Napoleon; a sister, Mrs. Minnie Miller,
Defiance; 35 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren.
Friends
may call in the Wesche Funeral Home 2-4 and 7-9 today. Services will
be at 2:30 p.m.today, Tuesday, in St. John Lutheran Church, Rev. A. M.
Bickel officiating, and burial will be in the church cemetery Memorials
are preferred to the St. John Lutheran Church building fund or the
Filling Memorial Home of Mercy."
 |
| St. John Lutheran Church Cemetery |
Helen lived to be 94 years old, passing away in 1991. Her obituary appeared also in the Defiance Crescent-News:
"HELEN ELLING
Helen S. Elling, 94, Freedom Township, Henry County, died at 5:15 a.m. Thursday in Northcrest Nursing Home.
She
was born Oct. 9, 1896, in Freedom Township, Henry County, the daughter
of George and Emma (Meyer) Gerken. On Jan. 25, 1914, she married Herman
H. Elling, who died Aug. 5, 1978. She was a member of St. John
Lutheran Church and its Ladies Aid.
Surviving
are five sons, Lorenz of Swanton, Martin and Freddie, both of the
Napoleon area, Eldor, Route 1, Liberty Center, and Richard Wild Wood,
Fla.; two daughters Hildegarde Sindel, of Toledo, and Mrs. Arnold
(Leona) Ehlers, Route 2; 30 grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, 54
great-grandchildren, 21 great step-grandchildren, 19 great-great
grandchildren, and a sister, Emma VonDeylen, Napoleon.
Also preceding her in death were two sisters, Mary and Rufina Gerken; a brother, Ernest; and three grandchildren.
Services
will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. John Lutheran Church with Rev.
Kenneth Schroeder officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be 2-9 p.m. today at the Wesche Funeral Home.
Preferred memorials are to the church's general fund, Filling Memorial Home of Mercy or the donor's choice."
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