Fulton County Historical Society
Press Releases
|
7/14/2010 Updated 7/21/2010 Brigadeer-General E.L. Hayes Collection c. 1862 - 1865 Gift of William & Charlotte Terry, 2010
This collection of Civil War and personal memorabilia once owned by Wauseon native, Edwin Lewis Hayes, fourth cousin to President Rutherford B. Hayes, is being donated by his great-great-great grandson to the Fulton County Historical Society in a ceremony at 6:30 pm on the South Stage of the Wauseon Homecoming on Friday, August 6. Hayes’ daughter, Hortensia, is attributed with naming the town after the native chief, Wa-se-on.
Among the collection is a presentation sword, commissioned by the town of Wauseon in the summer of 1862 from Tiffany & Company in New York City. The sword was presented by Mayor Jewell to then, Major E.L. Hayes, who was leaving his post as city councilman and his downtown business to recruit Fulton County men to form the 100th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The 100th fought throughout the south, and were even held as prisoners of war at one point during the war.
The collection
will be part of the Fulton County Museum’s special exhibit, “Hell &
Homefront: Civil War Through Fulton County Eyes,” opening in the
spring of 2011 as
The Fulton County Museum features 14 rooms showcasing permanent exhibits and changing displays dating from about 1820-1960. The museum and archives research room is located at 229 Monroe Street in downtown Wauseon, OH, 2 blocks west of N. Fulton St. on State Route 2 (Elm St), then one half block north on Monroe. Through Labor Day, the museum is open on Tuesdays from 1 – 7 pm, Wednesday through Friday from 10 am – 4 pm, and on Saturdays from 10 am – 2 pm. For more information, call (419) 337-7922 or visit the museum web site, at www.fultoncountyhs.org.
|
7/14/2010History of the 100th Regiment InfantryOrganized in July and August, 1862, under Colonel John C. Groom, it served in Kentucky until September, 1863, when it marched to East Tennessee. On the 4th of September a detachment of the Regiment, two hundred and forty strong, was captured by the enemy and sent to Richmond. The Regiment participated in the defense of Knoxville, and in the spring of 1864 marched with the 23d Corps, joined Sherman's Atlanta campaign, and was engaged in almost every battle from Rocky Face Ridge to Atlanta. In an assault upon Atlanta, August 6th, it lost one hundred and three men. It joined in the pursuit of Hood and was at the battles of Franklin and Nashville, afterwards moving into North Carolina. The Regiment was mustered out July 1, 1865. From Dyer's Compendium100th Regiment Infantry. Organized at Toledo, Ohio,
July to September, 1862. Ordered to Cincinnati, Ohio, September 8,
thence to Covington, Ky., and duty there till October 8. Attached to 2nd
Brigade, 1st Division, Army of Kentucky, Dept. of the Ohio, to October,
1862. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, Army of Kentucky, to January, 1863.
District of Central Kentucky, Dept. Ohio, to June, 1863. 2nd Brigade,
1st Division, 23rd Army Corps, Army Ohio, to July, 1863. 2nd Brigade,
4th Division, 23rd Army Corps, to August, 1863. 1st Brigade, 3rd
Division, 23rd Army Corps, to February, 1865. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division,
23rd Army Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to June, 1865. Companies by CountyCompany A Wood County County listing from Steve Ward's Buckeyes All Part V Revised. Thanks to Dr. Richard A. Sauers for the initial research and indexing of the National Tribune articles. More about the Civil War in Ohio. Copyright © 1995 Larry Stevens Last updated July 4 2006
|
|
6/22/2010 Decorated Blanket Chest By Jacob Werrey (7/20/1838 – 8/30/1893) German Township, Fulton County, Ohio January 23, 1890
Acquisition made possible through the Lowell Yoder Family Foundation, 2010
This Signed piece of poplar construction, with original decorative grain painted finish, and green feet and moldings is further decorated on the front with a pot of flowers and initialed "S. S. 1890" (presumed purchaser of chest) in two colors of Bronzing powder.
Wes Cowan, founder and owner of Cowan’s Auctions, Inc. and star of PBS televisions series “History Detectives” writes,
“In Ohio, painted blanket chests primarily were made in the northern part of the state. Most were made by unknown craftsmen, though Mennonite Jacob Werrey was an exception.
Mr. Lowell Yoder, left, with chest and society president, Carl Buehrer, right
The Peter “Werry” family first shows up in an 1840 German Township census, indicating Peter as a farmer with a wife and 4 children. In 1850, Peter recorded his birthplace as Germany, and Catherine’s as Switzerland -- implying that they were part of the Lauber Hill Mennonite Community that began in the county. After their father’s death in 1859, the unmarried Werrey children helped farm their mother, Catherine’s farm. After her death in 1874, Jacob is shown in the 1880 census living with a Hochstetler family in Elkhart, IN., and in 1888, a county atlas shows a very tiny lot east of the village of Burlington being owned by Jacob alone, presumably the carpentry shop where this piece was made. Werrey died of “paralysis” 7 days after collapsing while painting a house with his helper. Cowan continues concerning Werrey’s work,
“Werrey's chest production seems to have taken place between 1863 and his death. His furniture was painstakingly crafted in the Germanic tradition and is in every aspect equal to examples of similar heritage from other regions. Using various shades of red and ochre paint, his "grained" designs are acknowledged by collectors to be some of the most masterful of the Midwestern makers.”
Approximately twenty pieces of Werry-made furniture survive. Werrey`s earliest chests often had simpler painted decoration, while his later work, was much bolder and more elaborate. His stenciling also became fancier, as he incorporated a vase with flowers and wheat, typically flanked by initials, and with the date underneath. Most of his pieces are blanket chests (or miniature blanket chests) with heavy moldings and turned feet; of these blanket chests, green painted moldings and feet seem to have remained standard throughout his career. Other case type furniture by Werrey is exceedingly rare, with purportedly six surviving examples known to exist in museums and private collections.
One Werrey chest appeared in the 1984 “Made in Ohio” exhibition at the Columbus Museum of Art.
Blanket Chest, Jacob Werrey, 1890 2010.10 Acquisition Made Possible through the Lowell Yoder Foundation
The Werrey Blanket Chest is currently on display in the exhibit, “Fulton County Treasures” along with the baby cradle of race car driver, Barney Oldfield, several presidential signature documents, and other unique items from around the county. The Museum features 14 rooms showcasing permanent exhibits and changing displays dating from about 1820-1960. The museum and archives research room is located at 229 Monroe Street in downtown Wauseon, OH, 2 blocks west of N. Fulton St. on State Route 2 (Elm St), then one half block north on Monroe. Through Labor Day, the museum is open on Tuesdays from 1 – 7pm, Wednesday through Friday from 10am – 4pm, and on Saturdays from 10am – 2pm. For more information, call (419)337-7922 or visit the museum web site, at www.fultoncountyhs.org.
|
|
Fulton County Museum on the Road, Down the Road 6/29/2010
Sauder Village’s Museum building now contains a newly re-installed exhibit entitled, “Expressions of Grief” centered on its horse-drawn funeral hearse. The Fulton County Museum has contributed several funeral related objects for the display, including a commemorative pocket watch chain made from human hair, a photograph of the carriage used for the funeral of Fulton County native and former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Joel Brigham, and a G.A.R. ribbon worn by a Civil War veteran during grave-side services.
The Sauder Village Museum contains over 1,000 different artifacts ranging from carriages, automobiles, household appliances, farm equipment, glassware and toys. Permanent exhibits located within the building include, “Erie Sauder: A Man Who Made a Difference”, and “Natives and Newcomers” featuring what remains of the Winameg Council Oak Tree.
The museum
building will also house a special weekend, entitled, “Preserving our
Memories” on Friday, July 23 and Saturday, July 24, (saudervillage.org/Creativity/events.asp#Memories
) featuring a display by our organization. The Museum is open now through October 31, 2010.
Hours:
Sunday 12:00-4:00 p.m. Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.
|
Area Civil War Legacy RevealedReprinted from the Defiance Crescent News May 16, 2010
By LISA NICELY Ohio is gearing up to celebrate the Civil War's 150 anniversary from 2011-2015, and events throughout the region and state are already underway to give individuals a fresh perspective of the state's history in the war. Many events are being planned throughout the state. Ohio Civil War 150, a project of the Ohio Historical Society, Ohio Humanities Council and Cleveland State University's Center for Public History and Digital Humanities, is keeping track of projects as well as having forums on how every county in the state was affected by the war. Ohio Civil War 150's website is www.ohiocivilwar150.org. According to Ohio Civil War 150, "Although most of the American Civil War was fought outside of Ohio's borders, the Buckeye State played a huge role in determining the outcome. ...A total of 310,654 Ohioans served in the Northern army for vary lengths of time. Ohio men fought in every major battle in the war." In fact, the last surviving Civil War veteran in Ohio was from the six-county area. Daniel Clingamon of Wauseon was the last Ohio Civil War veteran. Events celebrating the region's local Civil War history are already underway. In Fulton County, the historical society is sponsoring free presentations by local historian John Swearingen Jr. about the history of the county during the civil war. The society was awarded a research planning grant from the Ohio Humanity's Council for its contributions to Ohio Civil War 150. "This was a grant we received from Ohio Humanities to do research on our collection and Fulton County history so we would be prepared for programs next springs," said Swearingen. The current presentations, called "Hell & Homefront: Civil War Through Fulton County Eyes," are based on that research. Presentations will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Archbold Community Library and at 6 p.m. May 25 at Delta Public Library. The first presentation was conducted May 10 at the Evergreen Community Library. It was well received with more than 50 people in attendance. Swearingen said the research that has been done will be used for other events next year, including a display in the museum, located in Wauseon. "We're planning on some re-enactors (date to be set) in the park and in April we'll open our five year exhibit called "Hell & Homefront" which will be changing each year," he said. "I don't have enough room to display everything at once and paper artifacts shouldn't be on display very long," Swearingen explained. Among the items to be displayed are letters from area soldiers from each year of the Civil War, swords, a belt, ammunition sack, letters, diaries, pocket Bibles and other documents. Another thing that is being discussed is doing a show in 2013. Civil War veterans and Wauseon resident William Sohn wrote a play called "Beyond the Lines: The Price of Loyalty" in 1884. "It hasn't been performed in 100 years," Swearingen said. He said he realizes not many people realize how involved residents of this area were in the Civil War. "One from every three men (in Fulton County) from age 18-40 were involved in the war," Swearingen said. "I think four to five percent of all the state of Ohio's men was from Fulton County. There are six units of the Ohio infantry that were from Fulton County or had men from the county." Other agencies around the area are also planning items to help celebrate the Civil War's 150th anniversary and the region's involvement. In Defiance, there will be a Town and Gown Series later on dealing with the Civil War. The current series is on the War of 1812. "The Town and Gown has in its project's future programs on the Civil War," said Randy Buchman, local historian. "It will focus on local involvement and national significance. A lot of veterans came out of the Defiance area." Buchman said that research is going on now for the program. Research and planning is also underway in Williams County for events and programs. "We've formed a committee and are looking at different events," said Kara Dreher of the Williams County Historical Society. "We are planning on doing something." Also in Fulton County, Sauder Village in Archbold is planning a Civil War display for 2011. Kim Kreiger, PR/media relations for the village, said the exhibit is still in the planning stages and more details will be released later.
|
* * *VIEW or PARTICIPATE in the BLOG:* * *
part of the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the United States Civil
War. This five year project will contain exhibits, educational programs,
and a publication on the history of Fulton County from the underground
railroad movement in the 1830s through the reconstruction era. The project
will not be a glorification of war, or particular battles, but show
visitors the viewpoints of Fulton County citizens, both on the battle
field, and those left behind at home. The museum’s extensive collection of
Civil War era artifacts will be the centerpiece of this commemoration.
