Lem Ordway's Grandpa, Harrison Ordway

Moving on to my great, great, great grandfather!  At last!  (Sorry about the delay while I caught up...or attempted to make progress... on other projects.)

My great-grandpa, Lemuel, and his dad, Richard, spent most of their lives in Henry County, but Richard's father, Harrison was another kind of cat.  He moved around quite a bit, as you will see.

Harrison Ordway was born in Strafford, Orange County, Vermont in 1810 to Aaron and Susannah Johnson Ordway.  It is thought that he married his wife, Philina (also referred to as Phila, Vilena, Philinda...) in Vermont around 1835.  (I have not discovered her maiden name, so if you know, I hope you'll share!The census does say she was born in Vermont)

In the very sketchy 1840 census, which just lists heads of households and has slash marks for members of the household and their ages, I found Harrison Ordway living in Elk Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania, which is near the New York/ Pennsylvania border.  In the household were one male and one female, each age 20 - 30 (Harrison and Philina) and two males under the age of 4 (their sons, Thomas, born 1836, and Richard, born 1839).  Another son, Middleton, would be born in August 1840. 

By 1850, the Harrison Ordway family (Ordeway on the census) was on the move west to Brighton Township, Lorain County, Ohio.  It would appear that they moved sometime between 1842, when their fourth child, Benjamin F. was born in Pennsylvania, and 1847, when their fifth child, Malissa Lydia, was born in Ohio.  So, in 1850, the Ordway family consisted of:
Harrison, 37, a farmer, b. VT
Philina, 34, b. VT
Thomas, 14, b. PA
Richard, 12, b. PA (my gg-grandfather)
Middleton, 10, b. PA
Benjamin, 7, b. PA
Malissa, 3, b. OH
Julia, 1, b. OH
Living with the family was a nine year old girl named Polly Peak.  No relationships are given, so I am not sure why she was with them.  Another son, Alonzo A., born June 3, 1847, died in May 1848 at the age of 11 months.  He was a twin to Malissa.

Ever traveling, the family was found in Grass Lake Village, Jackson County, Michigan in the 1860 census.  Harrison, now listed as 49, has real estate valued at $1400 and personal goods worth $100.  The children at home were Smith, age 20 (Middleton Smith Ordway), a farm laborer and Benjamin, 18, also a farm laborer.  The census claims VT as their birthplace, but PA is probably correct.  Also there were Malissa, 13; Julia H. 11; and Harriet, 7.
Where were the other children?  Well, Richard and Thomas were down in Henry County, Ohio, both married and in their own homes in Monroe Township.  They both married in 1858.

By 1870, Harrison must have decided that Henry County looked inviting because he was now listed as living in Napoleon Township at the age of 56 with his wife, Philena, 54.  With them lived their youngest daughter, Harriet, now 16.  Daughter Malissa had married in Henry County in 1866 and Harriet would marry there in 1876.

At some point, the wandering Harrison pulled up stakes again and was counted in the 1880 census of Ogden Township, Lenawee County, Michigan on June 18th of that year.  He was 68 years old, owned no real estate, and his personal worth was $355.  Philena (Vilena in this census) was 63.  All of their children were in Ohio, except for Middleton and Benjamin F. who were in Michigan. Julia and her husband eventually moved there, too.

Philena Ordway's death certificate notes that she died on November 28, 1884 in Edmore, Montcalm County, Michigan of consumption (tuberculosis).  So, apparently, there was another move made before her death.

The last census where Harrison appears is the 1900 census for Livingston Township, Otsego County, Michigan.  Harrison, at age 89 and widowed, was living with son Benjamin F. Ordway.  Benjamin was 57 and his wife, Phoebe E. was 57.  They had had five children, but four were living at this time and only one was still at home.  Son Harry S, born October 1887, was 12 years old.

My great-great-great grandfather, Harrison Ordway died in Michigan at the age of 89 years, 11 months and 28 days.  He was married 22 years and was the father of eight children, four living at the time of his death.  Cause of death: gangrene of the left foot and limb.  He died November 21, 1900 at 6 1/2 o'clock.  He was buried in Livingston Cemetery (now called Fairview Cemetery) near Gaylord, Michigan, Section J, Lot 148, Grave 4 near his son Benjamin and family.

Thanks to Joan Lamoureux for this photo.  The inscription was chalked in for better reading.
"Harrison Ordway, November 22, 1810 - November 22, 1900"

(Jim and I have traveled to both Warren, PA and Strafford, VT to research the Ordways.  Many discoveries were made, but also some questions left unanswered, too...like Philina's last name. More on those visits in another post.)

Chester, Chester, and Chester Ordway

My great-grandfather, Lemuel Ordway, had eight siblings – four sisters and four brothers.  Two of Lem’s brothers, younger by three years, were twins : Chester and Sylvester.  Born October 1, 1880, both of the brothers had short lives.  Sylvester died before he was two of “brain fever.”  Brain fever would probably have been meningitis or encephalitis, in modern terms.  Sylvester is buried in Hoy Cemetery. 

Chester survived into young adulthood, but died in a most mysterious way.

Three different newspapers described the incident. 

First the Democrat Northwest,  November 1, 1900 –

“BLED TO DEATH

From Bursting a Blood Vessel While Scuffling

A sad accident occurred in Malinta on Monday, by which a young man lost his life.  Early in the morning two young men, Chester Ordway, the 21 year old son of Richard Ordway, and Ollie Taylor got into a friendly tussle, and while scuffling, Ordway was thrown to the ground, Taylor falling on him.  In the fall, Ordway sustained a rupture of a blood vessel in the lungs and bled to death in a few minutes after the accident.  No blame attaches to Taylor, as it was purely accidental, but the sad event cast a gloom over the entire community.  We understand the unfortunate young man was subject to hemorrhages, as on several occasions before his life was despaired of from hemorrhages.

The funeral services were held in the Church of Christ, of which he was a member, yesterday morning at 10 o’clock, Rev. Cline, the pastor, conducting them.”

The Henry County Signal, Thursday, November 1, 1900, reported:

“Chester Ordway died Monday at Malinta from hemorrhage, aged about 20 years.  He had been wrestling with a companion and burst a blood vessel and died almost immediately after being taken to his home.  The funeral was held Wednesday from the Disciple church conducted by Rev. Cline.  The funeral was one of the most largely attended of any held in that vicinity.”

Finally,  the Deshler Flag, November 2, 1900, gave a short notice:

“Killed at Malinta

Two Boys Engaged in a Scuffle – Ruptured a Blood Vessel

Chester Ordway, aged about 17, of Malinta, while scuffling with a young man named Taylor, Monday forenoon, ruptured a blood vessel and bled to death in a few moments.”

Taken all together, I think we all can visualize what happened on October 29, 1900.  The truth is that Chester was 20 years old, but the mystery of the hemorrhaging that seemed to be a factor in his life before this, to the point that he might have been close to death previously is interesting.  I’m sure Lem, at 23, was devastated at this loss of his closest younger brother.  Chester was buried with his father, Richard, in Hoy Cemetery.

Lemuel’s older brother, Albert or “Bert”  named a son after his deceased brother, Chester.  This Chester Ordway was born January 29, 1901, about three months after the mortal incident described above.  Unfortunately, Bert’s son, Chester, died tragically in an automobile accident on August 29, 1937.  His wife, Cora, died in the same accident, leaving four young children parentless.

The third Chester Ordway was the first son of the Chester Ordway who died in the automobile accident in 1937.  Named after his father and born in 1922, this last Chester lived to age 69, married and had a family of four children, one, Melvin, who sacrificed his life in battle in World War II.

I don’t know if the name, Chester, was carried on after that- maybe you do?
Would love to have a picture of all of these Chesters! 

Richard Johnson Ordway, Great-great Grandfather

I never knew the names of my great-great Ordway grandparents until I started to research the family.  Oh, how I wish I had a picture of them to display here, but in all my research, I have never found any. 

My great-grandfather, Henry Lemuel Ordway’s parents were Richard Johnson Ordway and Sarah Jane Hill Ordway.  Richard was born in Elk Township, Warren County, Pennsylvania, very close to the boundary with New York on 15 November 1839.  By 1850, his family had moved to Brighton, a town in Lorain County, Ohio. 

Finding the family in the 1850 census proved difficult, but after a page by page look at Lorain County, I discovered the ORDERWAY family.  Richard, 12, and his parents, Harrison and Philina, were there and five other siblings were named.  Malissa, who was 3 was the first born in Ohio, and brother Benjamin , 7, was born in Pennsylvania.  So, doing the math, the family moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio sometime between 1843 and 1847.  (More on his parents in another post.)

Richard and Sarah Jane Hill were married on 6 June 1858, according to the records of Henry County, Ohio.

Another challenge was finding Richard and Sarah in the 1860 census!  This time, after a tedious page by page search, they were found in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio.  The census taker had creatively spelled the name PRIDAWAY.  Richard, a farmer born in Penn., lived with his wife, Sarah, and their one year old daughter, Almina (Almedia.)  The family had no real estate and only $75 in personal goods value...in other words, they were dirt poor.  Sarah could not read or write.

In June 1863, Richard was chosen for the Civil War draft.  He was 25 years old and married, of course, still living in Monroe Township.  The Enrollment Act of 1863 which legalized the draft was a very controversial law.  Many men had already volunteered for the cause, but now when quotas from states weren’t filled, the draft would be used.  Richard was a Class I draftee, which included men between the ages of 20 and 35. When the draft was held, the men’s names were put into a wheel and then a blindfolded person or a blind person would draw a name, hand it to an official to read, and then a clerk would write the name and pertinent information in a book.   I can find no evidence that Richard was ever called up or volunteered to serve, as his brother did.  He may have paid the $300 commutation fee or he could have procured a substitute to serve for him...and maybe his brother, Thomas, was his substitute.  I have no record at this point to determine that.

Sorry this image is so small.  Richard's name is the third one from the top.

 Richard lived in Monroe Township, Henry County, Ohio until his dying day.  In 1870, he was 31 and farming with real estate valued at $800 and a personal goods value of $200. Sarah, who was 30, had three children by this time: Almedia, 11; Elizabeth, 9; and Mary, 4.

By 1880, the family had expanded to also include Abba (Abigail), 9; Bertie (Albert), 6; and Henry (Lemuel), 3.  Edward Murphy, 24, was staying at the residence, too, as a servant or farm laborer. 

We have to skip ahead to the 1900 census of June 22^nd to find Richard, born November 1839, 60 years old and married for 44 years, now owning his farm.  His wife, Sarah, born March 1841, 58 years old, had borne nine children and eight were living.  Two sons were at home: Chester, born October 1880, was 19, and Benjamin J, born April 1883, was  17.  Little did they know that they would lose Chester later that year in a tragic way.  (Stay tuned.)

My great-great grandfather, Richard Johnson Ordway, died 6 June 1905.

His obituary:

“ORDWAY: - Richard Johnson Ordway was born in Pennsylvania, November 15^th, 1839, and died at Malinta, O., June 6^th, 1905, aged 65 years, 6 months and 21 days.

When but a child, he came with his parents to Lorain county, O., later they came to Henry county when the subject of this notice was about 19 years of age.

In Sept. 1858, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Jane Hill of Monroe township.

The ceremonial words, which joined the young people for life were spoken by the bride’s father, a pioneer minister of the gospel.

Three sons and four daughters out of a family of nine children survive their father.

These, with their devoted mother, the wife of his youth, and his life long companion, together with twenty-six grand children, one great grand child, two brothers and one sister remain to mourn this great earthly loss to them.

but the sadness at his departure is not limited to the comparative few, for his was a grand and noble life.  To know him was to love and respect him, and hence sorrow is as dep and wide as his acquaintance are many.

Born and reared by Methodist parents, he was a faithful student of the doctrines of that denomination.  Later, under the preaching of G. W. Hill, late of Bowling Green, Ohio, he understood the way of the Lord more perfectly and at the age of 25 years, he obeyed the Gospel.  He became a member of the congregation of disciples worshipping at what was known as the Bigford school house.  Later he was one of the chief factors in organizing the Church of Christ of Malinta.  He was one of the elders of the church.  His christian life was consistent, beautiful and altogether Christ like. His brethern keenly feel their great loss, but they sorrow not as those who have hope only for this world, for it is written, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yes, Saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”

The funeral services were conducted by Chas R. Oakly of Wauseon, were held at Malinta, Friday, June 9^th, 1905.  Interment in Hoy Cemetery in Harrison township.”

Richard was buried with Chester, his son.

His will was probated in Henry County and provided for the following:

-          that “the sum of one hundred dollars be paid to the Church of Christ at Malinta, Ohio, to be loaned by the Elders thereof and the interest thereon to be used by the Church as the Church may deem proper as long as the Church at Malinta, Ohio remains one organization: in case the said Church ceases to be an organization then my will is that said one hundred dollars shall revert at once to my lawful heirs.”

-          that “my beloved wife, Sarah J. Ordway, (have) the absolute use and entire control of the residue of my estate…during her natural life.”

-          “It is my will further that upon the death of my said wife, Sarah J. Ordway, and after the funeral and other necessary expenses have been paid, my estate shall pass to and visit in my three sons and four daughters as hereinafter directed to wit:

Lot No. Forty Three in John Bensing’s First Addition to the Village of Malinta, Henry County, Ohio, to my son Benjamin F. Ordway: the residue of my estate to pass to and vest in my sons Elbert O. Ordway and Lemuel Ordway, provided that said Elbert O. Ordway and Lemuel Ordway shall pay to each of daughters the following sums of money, to wit –

To Mrs. Almeda Combs, Three Hundred dollars

To Mrs. Elizabeth Jackson, Three Hundred dollars

To Mrs. Mary Smothers, Three Hundred dollars

To Mrs. Hattie Abigail Berno, Three Hundred dollars

to be paid as follows:  One Hundred dollars to each of my said daughters one year from the death of my said wife, Sarah J. Ordway, and One Hundred dollars to each of said daughters each consecutive year thereafter until the entire sum of Three Hundred dollars shall be paid to each of them without interest.

I hereby appoint and constitute Elbert O. Ordway executor of this my last will and testament.”

The will was signed 19 December 1904.

He asked for no inventory or appraisal of his estate and none was in this packet.  I couldn’t find a will for Sarah in Henry County.  Maybe she thought her husband had pretty well indicated how things were going to happen, so she wouldn’t need anything else.  The obituary indicated that Sarah’s father was a minister – a good clue.  I have just started to research Sarah's family.  Her father may have been Michael Hill, but I can't say for sure yet.  HILL was a fairly common name in Henry County at the time.

Sarah is buried near her husband in Hoy Cemetery.

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."