William John Ebinger (Larry's note: born Wilhelm Johann Ebinger) was born Sept. 15, 1858 in Province of Wuertemburg, Germany. died Apr. 12, 1936, New Haven, Ohio. 78 years old.
married Carolina Freda Wolfe, born Jan. 17, 1867, died Sept. 21, 1937 in New Haven, Ohio. 70 years old.
Married July 28, 1885 in Wittenburg, Germany. came to United States in 1893, settled in area of Chicago Junction, now Willard, Ohio.
They brought three children along to this country.
William 5 yrs. Minnie 2 yrs. and Carrie, a baby. It was a long hard crossing and the baby was very sick.
Wm. born July 9, 1888, died Dec. 8, 1972, 84 yrs.
Minnie born Jan. 22, 1881, died Sept. 28, 1971.
Carrie Sept. 26, 1883. died. aged.
All other children born in the Huron County area.
Herman ("Hiney") Nov. 9, 18-- died Feb. 14, 1986
Loretta born June 18, 1896 died Feb. 14, 1986
(note by Larry: If you ever search for records at the Huron County Court House, her birth records were misspelled by the county tax assessor, who went door-to-door each year assessing property taxes and recording births. Her name is recorded as Lauretta Ebberinger. All other family members are spelled correctly. )
Lillie born April 21, 1898 died
Fred born Oct. 25, 1899 died
Walter born June 14, 18 -- died Apr. 11, 1948
Marie born Apr. 30, 1895 died May --, 1933
1 son Norman died in infnacy.
Loretta married Clarence Billiard, born in Fargo, North Dakota, parents Thomas J. born Oct. 20, 1857, died Dec. 28, 1937, 80 yrs. old.
Minnie Almina (Davis) born Feb. 18, 1860, died May 27, 1923 63 yrs.
To this union three daughters were born.
Gladys Coletta May 18, 1916
Bessie Marie Oct. 7, 1919
Dorothy Louise Dec. 17, 1924
In 1916 parents were living with Grandad and Grandma Billiard on their farm about 2 miles east of Attica RD #1 (Larry's note: Fairgrounds Road east of Attica, first house on left over the Huron County line).
Jessie and Guy Kirkwood lived down the road several miles but in Huron County. Instead of going to hospital Jessie wanted Mother to come there, but wanted to take care of her first niece or nephew.
Attending physician was Dr. McCreight birth certificate Chicago Junction now Willard, Ohio. Gladys Coletta
They (Kirkwoods) had a daugher Viola then later 4 more boys.
The next move was to Elyria, Ohio 1917 or 1918?
Had a nice bungalow and really nice neighbors there.
Art & Flickie. The Jacksons, had a daughter Doris.
On Oct. 7, 1919 I was born.
Gladys would have been 3 yrs. old. Flickie was always trying to have her come across the drive so she could play with her.
Mother tried to keep her home so took her shoes off knew she wouldn't cross over the stones -- but did anyway.
While living there Grandma Billiard would come visit for several days at a time. By then they had moved from farm to Attica (Larry's note: diagonal from Baptist Church on E. High St., a very nice house even today; described later in the narrative) and Grandma wasn't happy with the house so she would take the train & checkbook & come to Elyria. Her & Flicke would go shopping & they always brought goodies back.
One time a wicker doll buggy for Gladys and one time she bought an organ for Mother. (Larry's note: Grandma Loretta could play the organ by ear. Her parents bought an organ when she was a child so that she could play hymns.)
The war was over on Nov. 11, 1919 & when the church bells starting ringing, fire sirens blowing. Mother was scrubbing front porch & she threw the bucket in the air to celebrate.
Flickie did lots of crocheting & knitting. And one evening when they were there, Flickie said, Oh I dropped a stitch, so her husband got down on his hands & knees & started looking for the stitch she dropped. He was really a funny guy -- so they said.
Moved back to Granddad's farm about 1920 or 1921.
Gladys saw the Link girls, Ina & Doris walk past the farm to school and Gladys went with them one day liked it & teacher said she could start. Age 5 yrs. That would be 1921. I would have been 2 yrs. old.
One day Gypsies came, went first to Wurtz's & then came to the house. Mother had just canned peaches & had them on table to cool. They wanted those peaches & I guess other things. Mrs. Wurtz came over & helped get them out of the house. The Wurtz family lived across (kitty corner) the road. Had daughtrer Mable & Son Roy. Mable was a good friend of Mothers. She later married Ralph Swander & they moved down the road several miles east.
When Gladys was in second grade or about 7 yrs. old all the neighbrors came in one evening & gave them a farewell party. They were going to move to a farm outside of Willard.
School wasn't out yet so Gladys stayed with Links to finish. They had a girl her age. About 1923
This farm was back a long lane across the road from Charlie & Minnie Feichtner. For free rent of the farm they were to take care of an older lady that wasn't quite right. She wouldn't move with the folks to another place.
Every morning she would get up & come out of her room & say "Did it rain last night".
Gladys had a long way to walk to school, but I wasn't old enough to go yet.
The winter months were cold & Gladys said they would often eat in the sitting room or library table cause the big kitchen was so cold. I don't remember about living there only the old lady chased Gladys & I with a butcher knife one time & Mother locked up in bedroom till she got her quieted down.
While living on farm visited the Grandparents in town. I hid in bedroom & pulled all cherries off Grandma's hat. We later took the train to Carrothers to visit Hazel & Ashley Williams & daughter LaVerne.
From that farm we moved to Griffins farm. That was on Egypt Rd. about 3 miles from Steuben & maybe 10 miles from Willard. (SEE PICTURE ABOVE.) It was a 2 story house & had screened in back porch. Have a picture of it taken in 1924 Gladys & I with the wicker doll buggie between us, Teddy the collie dog by Gladys & in the back ground the goat. (Larry's note: I have this picture somewhere. House is no longer standing). Back of the house towards the east to the south couple big trees. It was warm - we didn't have coats or sweaters on. looks like I had a "crock" hair cut - black stockings. I was 5 yrs. Gladys 8 yrs. We used to catch fire flies put them in a jar & take them to bedroom at night - watch them lite while in bed. Don't remember much about house kitchen, dining room don't remember the living room at all. Don't remember anything about the barns, only a pr. of horses - was the outhouse.
Had a 2 seated car with side curtains, went to Sunday school in Steuben. Rode the school bus to Steuben school. 1st grade, Gladys 3rd. We had outside toilets & had drinking cups - teacher had a pail of water with a dipper or would pour from that to our cup. Only remember recess & using Lifebouy soap.
Neighbors there across the road (kitty corner) were Steins, had couple daughters. Elmer had a deformed face. The grandchildren would stay with them & we played together. Lucille & Helen they had a contagious disease (impetigo) & Gladys & I caught it had it on our hands bad & Mother had to keep them bandaged all the time till sores healed.
We had a young man that worked for us Paul Rutaball (Larry's note: Rudabaugh). When he left had older man Oak Philhour, he always chewed Pinch Hit tobacco & when we would go to town (Willard) Mother would have to get it for him, she was afraid to say pinch hit so she would get a different kind (Larry's note: maybe a playful storekeeper would pinch and hit her???). but would have to take it back, wouldn't use any other kind.
Mother would take the butter & eggs to the dairy in Willard. It was the last street in town - overlooking the train tracks & depot.
We would get ice cream cones there.
Used horses to do the farm work
Dottie was born while living here at the farm. Dec. 17, 1924.
This is where the trouble started and one Sun. Aunt Minnie & Uncle Will (Thumma) came & got us Mother Dottie & I. Gladys was at Lucille Langs for week end. They took us to there place in New Haven. Next day picked up Gladys. From there Mother went to Clint & Rose Smeltz's to work. They had 4 boys & Rose couldn't do all the work. They had the Sohio service station & they would give the men their dinners. Gladys stayed with Uncle Hiney, Aunt Laura, & Jr. at Aunt Minnies & Dottie with Aunt Marie in Plymouth. Later we went to Smeltzes too. I probably was in 2nd or 3rd grade 7 to 8 yrs. in Willard in one schol. Gladys in 5th or 6th in another school. I got lost coming home from school, ended up in neighbors back yard crying my heart out - lady came out said where do you live - so I was just across the street from Clints.
Remember in winter I was pouring coffee for supper. spilled it on my hand & burned it bad. It hurt so terrible went outside & stuck it in snow.
Don't remember anything more about living there. Lots of work though with their kids & us. Hazel and Ashley Williams lived on street in back of them, daughter LaVern we played with her.
From the Smeltz's we moved in with Grandad Billiard. He has a large house on corner of East High & Liberty on North Corner Olie & Grover Croxton with 2 boys & a girl. (Larry's note: Bessie married a son, Ghale Croxton.) Baptist Church on N.E. corner, Rose Miller with 4 kids in Seiple's house on east corner. (Larry's note: Grandma Miller's second husband, Wade Evers Miller, was Rose's brother-in-law) Other neighbors were: Mable, Vernetta, Vern Cook - Snays - Allie Woolet - Wolfords - Reeds also a Methodist church 2 doors west from us. (Larry's note: Most of these people lived in the same places when I was a child.)
Granddads house - kitchen, dining room - 2 living rooms & all open stair way with a big hall. Kitchen had a cook stove (wood or coal) old cast iron sink with cistern pump. Off the kitchen was a closed in porch that had oil stone used in summer for cooking. Ate in dining room all the time. had big bay window with a storage box underneath that we kept toys in. Had hunting scenes in the wall paper & it could be washed. Had book case with wind up 8 day clock on it & a couch that Grandad always rested on. (old fashion kind)
Used the one living room for sewing etc. living room had a piano - chairs & a library table in center of floor with a lamp. that's the way they used them back then. The upstaris had a bath, old fashion tub with wood around the top. Stool was back in where the attic steps were. Only part of house that had running water. 3 bedrooms & a small room we used to play in. All these rooms had dressers with marble tops. A large attic & a big basement - had furnace but didn't wash down there. Used the old wash board back then. And washed in kitchen. Winter hung cloths on lines in kitchen area. cook stove was there & cloths dried good. The attic caught fire and we had to move out. Grandad slept in the barn with Louie Marie the horse; no he didn't sleep in her stall but she did have a day & night one and Grandad went to the farm in his buggie most days. I went out several times with him & it was fun riding in the buggie. Louie Marie stopped at all places without Grandad saying anything. There was 2 way to go to farm, one had to cross railroad tracks & she wouldn't go across after stopping until he said OK, Louis Marie you can go now.
After the fire we stayed different places but liked it. Rose Miller quite awhile along with her 4 kids.
We then rented a house that had 2 apts. side by side Virgie Crum & husband lived in one side. Ours had kitchen, living room & 2 bedrooms - outside john & well water that had to be carried in. Had a hard coal stove which you filled & the coal came down when needed. Cooked on kerosene stove. Don't know how long lived here but Gladys was in high school - 12th grade class she went to a prom. Or I should say the prom was there had her dress etc. but got 3 day measles & couldn't go. Wasn't very sick. So boy friend took her out on date.
Next move was down town in upstairs of the hat store (Larry's note: present large gas station on the square). The lady gave piano lessons too. Really large apt. big kitchen with room off that -- washed cloths in there.
Long hall that led to bathroom, one bedroom & sitting room. Across front was living room & bedroom.
Gladys & Robert Jacobs, his siter Ruth & boy friend went to Kentucky & got married. So Dot moved in with me in front bedroom & Mother had one by herself. Mother was working at Hassler Hotel then so didn't have far to work. Apt. was on North side of square & hotel on south side.
The square was route 4 and 224 so had lots of traffic going thru town.
Our next move was a house downstairs on Eden St. (Larry's note: My parents bought this house when I was 11, and that's where I grew up. Before our mothers lived there, it was owned by the funeral home and was the casket display house.) Kitchen, room off that, 2 bedrooms & I think 2 living rooms - one for heating stove which was coal & gas kitchen stove. Really huge porch - from front along side to the kitchen. Had coal shed with a trellis with beautiful rose bush & loads of roses. By then I had graduated & worked as waitress at the hotel along with Dorothy White as other waitress & we changed shifts wach week. Start at 7:00 and work till 2:00 other shift 1:30 till 9:00.
I was working afternoon shift & in evening about 8:00 was doing the supper work. Customer came in so walked up to wait on him & here it was Old Fuzzy (Larry's note: their father, Clarence Billiard) & I asked what he would like he said cup of coffee so I gave it to him started back to kitchen & he said wait Bessie I wanta talk to you. By then I was a nervous wreck. So he said you know who I am? I said no - and he said I'm your Dad. I said no you aren't cause I don't have one. It was getting close to 9:00 & time for me to go home. Had quite far to go & streets rather dark so went over in the hotel lobby & asked Johnny to walk me home. He did & took me right to the door. When I got inside I said Mother lock all doors & windows Old Fuzzy in town. Didn't get much sleep that night.
Our next move was up town again only on west side of square in Shermans apt. He was after Mother to rent from him for several months. (Larry's note: behind Decker Furniture on the alley -- building no longer standing). His brother & wife lived in other appt: 3 room & 2 bedrooms & the outside john was at end of the long porch that covered both apts & garage door below.
Now really close to work & could go out back door a short way & into kitchen at hotel.
Don't know how many I would but not more than couple (Larry's note: apparently meant how long they lived there) Do know it was two Christmas cause I got box candy from Pick 2 times.
I know I left out lots of years - Hope this will bring back some memories.
Old school house tore down 1927 51 yr. old New school 1928 - 3rd grade. We 3 girls Baptised Nov. 11, 1928. I was confirmed Jun 4:1933 Lutheran Church Oct 2. 1930 at Attica Fair plane crash killed Franklin Croxton. Injured Jr. Kaufman
Tornado Lorain Ohio June 28, 1924
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