David Meek - Emily's Oldest Brother

The first son of Samuel and Eliza (Fuller) Meek, David was no doubt named after his father's twin brother of the same name.  Born on November 5, 1858, near Hicksville, David was enumerated in the census with his parents in 1860, 1870, and, at age 21, in 1880.

His obituary stated that he taught school for awhile, but eventually went back to his farming roots.  In the 1900 Federal Census, David was a boarder in the home of Isiah and Emma Miller with their two small children, Melvin and Milo. At 41, David was single and working as a farm laborer in Carryall Township, Paulding County, Ohio.

At some point, David purchased a cottage on Lake George in Fremont, Indiana.  I could not locate him in the 1910 census, but in 1920, he was boarding still in Carryall Township, Paulding County, Ohio, but now with Clyde and Gladys Strubing and their little son, Darrel.  David's was listed as having no occupation at the age of 61.

On the back of photo: "Uncle Dave's cottage on Lake George"

 

Again, I could not locate David in the 1930 census. David Meek never married and he lived his last days with his family.  In 1940, at the age of 82, he resided with Horace and Elsie Meek and Horace's brother, Clarence ("Sammy") on a farm north of Hicksville in Newville Township, DeKalb County, Indiana.  Horace and Clarence were the sons of David's younger brother, Sherman.

On May 13, 1941, David Meek died in the hospital in Hicksville, Ohio.  His obituary appeared in the Hicksville News-Tribune on May 15th:

"PARALYTIC STROKE IS FATAL TO DAVID MEEK
Was Born Near Six Corners and Was Lifelong Resident of This Neighborhood

David Meek, aged 82, passed away Tuesday morning at The Community Hospital where he had been taken May 9th after having suffered a paralytic stroke the day before at the home of his nephew, Horace Meek, about five miles north of Hicksville on the Spencerville road.

He was born November 5th, 1858, in Hicksville township,near Six Corners, a son of Samuel and Eliza Fuller Meek, pioneer residents of that neighborhood.  He grew to manhood and spent the greater part of his life in this community.

As a young man he taught school a short time, and followed farming until about twenty-five years ago when he retired and has since made his home at Lake George, near Fremont, Indiana, during the summer months.

Surviving him are a sister, Mrs. Emily Kline of Newville township; a brother, John Meek of Bryan; also several nieces and nephews. The remains are at the Perkins & Reeb funeral home, where funeral services will be held at 2:30 Thursday, Rev. J. H. Townsend of Frontier, Mich. assisted by Rev. Paul D. Chiles, officiating.  Burial at Six Corners cemetery."

(Mmmmm...Why Rev. Townsend of Michigan?  Relation?  Neighbor?) 

Emily Anna Meek Kline -

Emily Anna Meek was the only daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Fuller) Meek.  Born on October 25, 1871, she joined a family of five brothers - David, Solomon, William Oscar, Hiram and Sherman T.  She was the youngest child until the sixth and final sibling, another brother - John - was born in 1874. It would seem that Emily was named after both her grandmothers: Emily for her maternal grandmother Emily Camp Fuller and Anna for Anna Cooper Meek, her paternal grandmother.

Emily's father, Samuel was a farmer on a farm in Hicksville Township, Defiance County, Ohio.  Emily attended the Six Corners School, and several newspapers of the time named her as a champion of the spelling bees.  Her scrapbook, featured in this post, also included a number of Rewards of Merit.  Rewards of Merit were popular in the latter part of the 19th century and were awarded by teachers to students who showed outstanding academics, conduct and/ or attendance.

Often called "Emma", Emily Meek received Rewards of Merit that were signed, but not dated, from the following instructors: Rosa Hilbert, Andy Zuber, Etta Sensenbacher, Tildie Bercaw, Samuel Dalrymple, M. M. Hattery, Ella Butler, and M. R. Evritt.  If she went to school just eight years, as was common then, she would have received one every year.  Family lore is that Emily then taught in the Six Corners School for some years, but a recent source also recorded that she once taught at the Crary School in Milford Township.

From teacher's souvenir booklet

In the 1900 census, she was with her elderly parents at home.  But, when she was 30 years old, she married Daniel F. Kline, a newcomer to the area from Hocking County, Ohio.  Daniel was also 30.  The marriage license, dated January 16, 1902, noted that she was a teacher and Daniel was a farmer with his residence in Hocking County.  The couple were married on January 19, 1902, by Rev. Geo. W. Lilly.  Emily's father, Samuel, died the following August at the age of 78.

Emily and Daniel eventually moved to a farm just across the Ohio - Indiana line in Newville Township, Dekalb County, Indiana.  There they welcomed their first son, Boyd, on June 21, 1903.  

Other children soon followed: Hazel in 1904; Ethel in 1906; Gladys in 1908; twins Marian and Mildred in 1909; Maurice in 1912; and Woodrow in 1914. On May 17, 1909, when the twins were born, Marian did not survive the day or could have been stillborn.  Just a few months later, in July 1909, Emily's mother, Eliza, also died at the age of 75.  

The children attended school a mile or so down the road from their farm, at the Newville Center, one room school.  Life was the hard farming life of the Depression days where it was pretty hard scrabble most of the time.

First Row, third girl from left is Mildred Kline and last girl on right is Gladys Kline.  Back Row, fourth girl from left is Ethel Kline  and second girl from right is Hazel Kline.

In 1919, the oldest son, Boyd, died, and in February 1926, daughter Ethel succumbed to tuberculosis. By the 1930 census, some of the children had married and moved out, leaving Gladys, 21; Mildred F. (called "Mid"), 19; Maurice F., 17; and Woodrow (called "Woody",) 15, at home.  Dan and Emily were both 58 at that time and living on the same farm, struggling financially and in their marriage.

On June 30, 1932, Daniel moved back to Hocking County, Ohio, and Emily filed for divorce after thirty years of marriage.  Daniel left the farm to Emily and the children and it is unknown how much contact he had with the family after that. The livestock was sold except for a milk cow and a few chickens and the money split.  Emily wanted $5000 in alimony, but she was awarded $1700 and court costs.  It was not a friendly split.

In the 1940 census, Emily, 68, reported herself as a widow, perhaps a more socially acceptable term than divorced.  But, truly, Daniel Kline was very much alive in Hocking County, Ohio.  Emily was listed as head of the family and with her were only her two surviving sons, Maurice, 27, and Woodrow, 25, both still single.  Maurice noted that he worked on the farm 60 hours a week, and Woodrow had a job as a section hand on the railroad half the year, making $480 in that time.  I would expect that he helped on the farm the rest of the year. 
Emily Meek lived out her life on the farm until she died on May 6, 1942, at the age of 70.
 

 She was buried near her old home grounds at the Six Corners Cemetery.

The Hicksville Tribune, Hicksville, Ohio, carried her obituary on May 7, 1942:

"DEATH COMES AFTER THREE WEEKS ILLNESS
Mrs. Emily Kline Is Taken Unexpectedly at Her Home in Newville Township.

Mrs. Emily Kline, aged 70, died Wednesday morning at her home in Newville township, four miles west of Hicksville.
She had been ill about three weeks, her death being unexpected and somewhat sudden.  Complications and heart trouble are stated to be the cause of the death.
Mrs. Kline was born Oct. 28, 1871, in Hicksville township,near Six Corners, and was a daughter of Samuel and Eliza Fuller Meek.
She grew to womanhood in the local neighborhood, and January 19, 1902, was united in marriage with Daniel Kline of Hocking county.
She had lived in the present home for thirty-five years.
Surviving relatives are three daughters, Mrs. Gladys Impton, near the home; Mrs. Hazel Bennett of Edon, O.; and Mrs. Mildred Cook of Paulding; two sons, Maurice Kline of St. Joe, Ind. and Woodrow Kline at the home; three grandchildren; a brother, John Meek of Bryan.
the body was taken to the Perkins and Reeb funeral home. Complete funeral arrangements had not been completed, as to place and time, but burial will be made in Six Corners Cemetery."

Moore School, Dekalb County, Indiana

Two more old school photos were found recently showing classes from the Moore School, grades 1-4 and grades 5-8.  My guess at the year would be around 1939, but it's only supposition.  
The photos, sadly, were unidentified, but maybe someone out there can help put some names on these children's faces.

 

Grades 1 - 4

 Grades 5 - 8

 

Mrs. Clara (Potterf) Hollabaugh

A newly discovered obituary will add to the post about Jacob B. Hollabaugh and his wife, Clara.
http://www.attheriverbend.blogspot.com/2013/06/jacob-bittinger-hollabaugh-eighth-child.html

The Gettysburg Times
Tuesday, July 13, 1948, page 1

"Services Thursday for Mrs. Hollabaugh
Funeral services for Mrs. Clara Hollabaugh, 83, who died Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from a heart attack while enroute to the Warner hospital in an auto, will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Bender funeral home conducted by the Rev. B. W. Sternat, Biglerville.  Interment in Evergreen Cemeteray.
Mrs. Hollabaugh was a native of Adams county, a daughter of the late Henry and Martha Matilda (Lawver) Pottorff.  She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran church, Biglerville.  Since shortly after the death of her husband, Jacob B. Hollabaugh, Biglerville, on February 22, 1943, she madeher home with a daughter, Mrs. James Howe, 243 York street.
Surviving are two children, Mrs. Howe, and J. P. Hollabaugh, Biglerville; seven grandchildren two great-grandchildren, and one half-brother, John Cook, Orrtanna.
Friends may call at the Bender funeral home Wednesday evening."

 

Emily's Scrapbook

Emily Meek was my husband's grandmother who died when he was quite young.  A few of her things have trickled down to us, one of which is a very battered, deteriorating scrapbook filled with what must have been the prized collection of her youth.

Pasted inside are dozens of Lion Coffee collectable cards, carefully saved from the one pound sacks of coffee probably purchased by her parents.  I believe she saved these as a youth because intermingled with the cards are awards of merit from school and classmate's name cards (to be discussed in a future blog).

Lion Coffee was first roasted and bagged in 1864 in Toledo, Ohio by L. B. Shattucck, who also had a spice grinding business, all located on Summit Street. The Lion Brand Company carried on under several different owners until 1882.

After the Civil War, a young man named Alvin Woolson, returned home to Ohio, and after trying his hand working with the railroads in the West, he came back to Wauseon, Ohio, where he started in the grocery business in 1875.  Eventually, he married and moved to Toledo where he formed the Woolson Spice Company, after buying the foreclosed Lion Brand Co.  

He wanted to make Lion Coffee a nationally known brand and he worked hard at advertising. Much money was spent on newspaper advertising and big ad campaigns.  Buyers could save wrappers or cut out lions' heads to turn in for premiums. Giveaways included dolls and sheet music.   Offering these colorful picture cards, some three dimensional, in every pound of coffee was another lure to buyers.

Woolson retired and in 1897, he sold his business for about two million dollars.

But the subsequent owners did not do well, and eventually, the assets of the company were taken over by the Lucas County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court.  Lawsuits had been filed against the new owners for fraud.  And there it was until 1980 when a company from Hawaii obtained the rights to the Lion Coffee name and the assets of the old Woolson Company.  Lion Coffee was born again in Hawaii and can be purchased today under that name.

The cards in the scrapbook are bright in color and beautifully printed.  Sadly, I have not been able to safely remove some of them from their glued existence on the yellowed scrapbook paper.  About half have just fallen off the page and remain in great condition.

Front and back views of some stand-up shadow pictures

 

"The cup that cheers but not inebriates."

"A luxury within the reach of all."

"Lion is the King of Coffees!"

"A beautiful picture card in every package."

News from Levi Enck's Family

About a year ago, I wrote of the family of Alice Catherine Hollabaugh and her husband, Henry Enck.   From reading that post, Jack Reichert, a researcher on the Enck family, wrote to say that he thought that that Henry Enck was a son of John Enck, brother to his great-grandfather, Levi Enck.

According to Jack, the immigrant Enck came to the United States in 1743, sailing from Rotterdam in Holland on the ship, Snow Charlotte, which landed in Philadelphia.  The family mostly settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, near Brickerville in Dundee, later known as Lexington.  

Henry Enck later moved to Monroe Township, Cumberland County, PA, in 1837 where he bought 120 acres of land which he farmed.  This Enck homestead was constructed sometime between 1840 - 1850, Jack said.

He began his story of his Enck line with Henry Enck, Sr., born August 17, 1796, who married first, Anna Mary Schiffler.  The couple had one child named Henry, born in 1817. 

Henry Enck

 Anna died, perhaps in childbirth, and Henry Sr. married again to Anna Khiel. 
The couple had 12 children.
The children of Henry Enck, Sr. and Anna Kiehl Enck were:

George A. Enck 1821- 1899
John Enck  1823 - 1903
Elizabeth Enck  1824 - 1877
Mary Ann Enck   1826 -1909
Jacob Enck  1828 - 1903
Anna Enck   1830 - 1877
Catherine    1832 - 1923
Reuben Enck   1834 - 1907
Isaac Enck   1836 - 1919
William Henry Enck   1838 - 1913
Hiram K. Enck   1840 - 1922
Levi Enck    1847- 1923

Like clockwork, a child arrived into the Enck family every two years or so, until little Levi, who may have been a surprise in 1847!

Henry Enck, in later years

 Thanks so much, Jack for this story of your line of the Enck family.  The daughter of the 13th child of Henry Enck Sr. was Jack's grandmother.  

Platt Camp's Box

Thanks to Ian Camp for this story and the photos!  I love when this blog leads me to the great family stories I know are out there somewhere.

Ian's parents obtained this box indirectly at an auction held in Earlville, NY.  The box was actually purchased by someone else, but later, upon pleading that it was a family heirloom, the original owner let his parents buy it back for the price that was paid at auction.
Yes, it's a handmade box.

 We're not really sure what it was intended to hold.

 But the worth of it lies under the lid...

The couple who had consigned the box to the auction used to live in the house Platt Camp built on Putnam Street in Waterville, NY.  (To read about Platt Camp,
CLICK HERE.)

Did Platt construct the box or did he have someone make it for him, later to have the name inscribed?  One of the mysteries.
But isn't it great that it survived and made it back into family hands?