Today I'm adding a narration that Uncle John (John Winkelman, Jr.) told to someone in the family (I don't know who) about his family. Although the article is about Uncle John's parents, it's written by one of their grandchildren, so where the person speaking says "grandpa and grandma", Uncle John would have used "father and mother". I'm going to edit as I go along and correct some things that I have discovered since this article was written.
Grandpa (John Winkelman) was born in Teddinghausen, in the State of Brunswick, Germany, on October 2, 1845. His father's name was Cordt. Never knew his mother's name (Rebecca Wendt). Grandpa came to this country in April, 1865 (actually March, 1865). He was on the train in Buffalo, New York on his way to Cincinnati, Ohio, when he got the word that President Lincoln had been shot. He worked in Cincinnati several years, then came to West Alexandria, Ohio. The Shoemaker and the Oclschlager boys who lived there had gone to school with him in Germany. So had the Bohlman boys. He lived with and worked for Dietrich Glander, who had a distillery, farm and sawmill about 1.5 miles south of West Alexandria.
Grandma (Sarah Hoops) was born on the Licking river between Covington and Newport, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hoops. Her name was Sarah. Her mother died when she was small. Her father married again. She was born October 21, 1853. She had two brothers, John and Henry and a sister Kate. John died when he was a young man. He was never married. Henry married Maltie Kesling. They lived in Eaton, Ohio. He drove the log wagon for Heistands sawmill for many years. They had two girls and three boys. Only one of the boys married.
Grandpa and Grandma met at choir practice held by Ed Schlingman at the old Lutheran Church (where Peace Park is now located). They were married in 1872 by Rev. Baugerman.
When they married they moved into a tenant house on the Glander farm. They then moved north of Dayton where they ran a dairy on the Old Troy Pike. They then bought the sawmill east of New Lexington, Ohio, and moved into a log house across the road from the sawmill where John was born. The house is gone now. They then moved to New Lexington in the first house south of the old school house, on the north side of town. While living there they built the house west of the railroad which we called the "old home place" (1889).
There were two girls. Caroline died as a young girl from typhoid fever. Esther married Elmer Loxley. They had one son, Paul. He died from appendicitis at about 9 or 10 years of age. Esther died January, 1953 of arthritis and complications. William died young. Leonard was struck and killed by an automobile while crossing the street in New Lebanon, July 29, 1932. John married Hazel Ozias December, 1908. They had three girls; Mildred, Juanita and Marjorie. Marjorie is deceased. Juanita married Frank Duvall and had one daughter, Karen. Mildred never married. They had one son, Richard, who never married.
After all the children were married, Grandpa and Grandma moved to West Alexandria, Ohio, where they lived for a few years. Aunt Esther lived in the home place. They moved back to the home place in New Lexington. Grandpa died September, 1918, and Grandma died in November, 1924.
Grandpa had two brothers, Henry and Herman. Louise and Charles Winkelman were the children of Herman.
The following was written by the same person who wrote Uncle John's story.
George was born February 1, 1888, in New Lexington, Ohio. He married Mary McGregor on June 4, 1911. (Mary was born November 4, 1892 at Clinton County, Ohio) They had twelve children. The different occupations that he had during his life (as Charles can remember) were; he worked in his father's sawmill; he worked for Kemper Furniture Store in Dayton; he was a farmer living on several different farms, at different times; he worked at the Water Works in the village of West Alexandria; was a plumber in West Alexandria for many years; he was a fireman at Johnsville-New Lebanon school; then went to the Preble County Home in Eaton for several years; then to the Sight Feed Generator Co., and last back to the Water Works.
They lived in New Lexington, in the house south of the schoolhouse, when Charles was born, then moved to Richmond, Indiana, where Wilbur was born, then back to New Lexington where Cora was born in the house across from the schoolhouse. Then up on Rt. 503 across from No. 8 schoolhouse where Nina was born. Donald, Sarah, and John were all born when they lived at 72 South Main Street. They moved to the country in Lanier Twp., where Mary was born and John died at the age of two. They moved to the cement block house east of West Alexandria, where Ralph was born. He died at birth. They lived in the second house from the firehouse on Second Street, then moved to Dewey Street where Versae and Harry were born. They moved to the house next door and that is where George was born. From there they went to Johnsville-New Lebanon, then to the Preble County home, then to the little house on Central Ave. Then they moved back to the house at 72 South Main Street where George died October 10, 1970, and Mary died August 4, 1971.
The children as of June 1974--
Charles married Evelyn Crauder. They had three daughter; Joan, Marjorie, and Barbara, and they live in Columbus, Ohio.
Wilbur, never married, lives in West Alexandria.
Cora married George Carico and they had six children; Tom, Ruth Ann, Joyce, Judy, Stanley, and Janet. Cora died September 10, 1973.
Nina married Virgil Keltner and they had five children; Gary, John, Lloyd, Sharon, and Robert and they live in New Miami, Ohio.
Donald married Laura Lore and they had three daughters; Donna, Gloria, and Janet. They live in West Alexandria.
Sarah married Eugene Brock and they had four sons; Wesley, Donald, Richard, and Roger. Gene died in November, 1961, Sarah lives in Miamisburg.
Mary married Eugene Crauder and they have three children; Michell, Shirley, and David. They live in Dayton.
Versae married Gene Moore and they have six children; Kathy, Patty, Connie, Jackie, Ella Mae, and Buddy (Gene, Jr.). They live in West Alexandria.
Harry married Norma Hobbs and they have three children; Bob, Mike, and Kim. They live in Kettering, Ohio.
George married Freda Lanthrop and they have two children; Diana, and George. They live in West Carrollton, Ohio.
My next post will be an article written by Audrey Patrie for the Twin Valley News in 1968.
