On the road: Goodbye Ohio--almost

Haven't been able to write much because of work. I've been stuck in my hotel rooms in the morning the last two days. Since I last wrote, I've been mostly in Oberlin, where I stayed last night. I went to Oberlin in the hope of seeing a copy of a little booklet of views of the Oberlin campus that my Grandfather, Warren R. Laity, published and illustrated with his own photographs, but Oberlin doesn't have a copy. I remembered there was one at the Ohio Historical Society Library in Columbus, so made plans to go home through Columbus. I was also hoping to see the Columbus Museum of Art, but work got in the way. I'm now having a late dinner in Centerville (decent Mexican), hoping to get as far east as I can tonight.

I enjoyed seeing the campus at Oberlin. Judging from the photographs in my Grandfather's publication (which I saw and copied this afternoon), it hasn't changed much since he was here, in 1923-24. I especially enjoyed the art museum on Campus. It's a small space, but the quality of the work is excellent. The large addition was closed for renovation. I assume they usually show more than what I was able to see, but there was an interesting special exhibit of German Expressionists and one of Japanese prints as well. As a souvenir, I picked up an Oberlin T-shirt. Stayed at an inexpensive B&B in Oberlin.

I didn't get back to Columbus until 4:00PM, but the OHS is open late on Thursdays, which was lucky. Actually, it's closed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so it's very lucky I hit it. I found and had them copy the book of views of Oberlin and also found some family records in their collections while I was waiting. The OHS is huge. I had no idea. You could spend a week in the place looking things up. Wish I had known when I lived nearby.

Then headed south and east, hoping to make some headway. I was hoping to see Corinne, my old friend from Japan, in Dayton, but it didn't work out. I have no idea where I'll stay tonight, but I suspect I'll stop driving earlier rather than later.

On the road: Millersburg and Winesburg, Ohio

Worked in the morning, but spent most of the day with Scott driving around Millersburg and Winesburg, Ohio. I went to the library in Millersburg and looked through the genealogy library, mostly marriage, probate, obituary, and cemetery records. I found records for all the people we already know about and some others, which may or may not be relatives. I went to the Millersburg Oak Hill Cemetery. I found the graves of Godfrey Heinig, Ernestine Heinig (as the stone reads), and right beside them a Julia A. Heinig, which must be a relative, but that’s a name I’ve never seen before. According to the stone, she died on Dec. 19, 1903 at 50 years, 5 months, and 24 days, which would mean she was born around 1853. There are two other Heinigs in the cemetery, in different plots, that probably are not connected with us—oddly, both Julius Heinig.

The records showed that Abraham Kratsch and his wife Caroline are buried in Winesburg, in the old cemetery behind what is now Zion Reformed Church. Sadly, about 70% of the monuments were made of a very soft stone and they are entirely unreadable. I DID, however, find Abraham’s stone—barely legible—but, it definitely says “A. Kratsch.” There is a nearly identical one next to it that I have to assume is Caroline, but I couldn’t really read it. Both stones are at the back of the cemetery (furthest from the church, on the left with the church behind you). I asked around town, and I was told that records from the church have all been lost, so there’s nothing to be found there. Two Amish women in a store suggested I talk to the local historian, one Glen Wengerd. I found him and he took down the information and offered to see what he could find. Maybe that will turn up something.

I talked to a librarian at Oberlin today, too. I plan to go there tomorrow. She said they have a student file on my grandfather, Warren R. Laity (and Harold, his brother) that I can see, but they don’t have a copy of the Oberlin Campus Views book I was hoping to find. There appears to be a copy at the Ohio Historical Society Library in Columbus. I may swing back there on my way home. I plan to start back tomorrow.