Charles Dailey - lost photos

OMG!! I just found these 2 photos of my grandpa Charles Dailey. There are no dates on them but it would be between 1911 when they were first in the 27th St. house and 1920 when he died. That would put Charles between the ages of 45 to 54 years old.

This was taken in the Dailey house on 27th St. in Akron, Ohio. It would either be the front room or dining room.

This is a photo of a portrait taken in the side yard on 27th St. Mom had no idea what happened to the portrait as she never saw it herself. 

Joseph Mathias or Mathis

Joseph Mathias, was my Great Great Grandfather. Joseph was born in Endigen, Freiburg, Baden, Germany February 15, 1811, and worked as an Apprentice Shoemaker. He came to America as a young man, and once in America he settled in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio and married Maria Anna Merkle on December 17, 1834.

Joseph and Maria were the parents of 9 known children. All were born in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio:

1.  Magdalena "Ellen" [1835-?] married Augustus Eisele

2. Joseph [1837-?]

3.  John [1840-1904] married Margaret Schuees

4.  Mary [1842-1842]

5.  Elizabeth [1844-1844]

6. Elizabeth [1845-?] married Lucas Keller

7.  Lucas "Luke" [1848-1914]

8.  Philomena [1850-?]

9. Joseph Aloysius [1854-1854]

Joseph also raised his granddaughter, my grandmother, Philomena Margaret Mathias Dailey.

Joseph Mathias died December 6, 1890 in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio and is buried, with his wife Maria, in St. Margaret Cemetery in Chillicothe.

I'm not sure why his gravestone carries the surname Mathis. I'm not sure who his parents were but I have indications they were Bernard Mathis and Magdalena Fleiz or Gleiz. I'm trying to confirm or deny this supposition. This would explain the surname Mathis on Joseph's grave stone.

I had collaborated with two Mathias cousins I found through my research in Chillicothe. The one cousin had in his possession a small book belonging to Joseph and it contained a record of his children's births.

It breaks my heart to say that in 2011 a good portion of my genealogy, and the photocopies of records I obtained, were destroyed in a home burglary. 

John Mathias

John Mathias, my Paternal Great Grandfather, was born in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio on February 24, 1839. He was the son of Joseph Mathias and Maria Anna Merkle. His father, Joseph, emigrated from Endigen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany.

John Mathias married Margaret Schuees who was born in Bavaria on February 20, 1836. Her parents are unknown at this time. Their marriage was in Chillicothe on August 27, 1860. Together they had the following 7 known children, all born in Chillicothe:

           1.  Aloysius Mathias; 22 Nov 1860 – 1922

            2. John J Mathias; 1862 – 5 Jun 1919

            3. Joseph Mathias; 5 Sep 1864 – 5 Jul 1929

            4. Elizabeth Blanche Mathias; 1 Oct 1866 – 17 Oct 1950

            5. Magdalena “Lena” Mathias born about 1869.

            6. Edward Mathias; 30 Nov 1870 – 15 Jan 1871

            7. Philomena Margaret “Minnie” Mathias; 25 Nov 1874 – 17 Mar 1959

                        (my Paternal Grandmother)

Margaret Schuees Mathias died in Chillicothe on March 27, 1875, when my Grandmother was only a few months old. In May of 1875 John remarried to Mary (Long) Keller.

John enlisted in the Civil War on October 26, 1861 and served as a Private in Co. E, 63rd Ohio, in the Union Army. He  was discharged with a medical disability January 15, 1863 in Cairo, Illinois.  John had been wounded in the shoulder by a mini ball during the battle of Corinth, Mississippi on October 15, 1862. John spent the remainder of his years in and out of the Soldiers and Sailors Hospital in Dayton, Montogmery County, Ohio (The current site of the Veteran’s Administration). John died there on August 5, 1904 and is buried at the Dayton National Cemetery. 

Diefendorf Clan

The Diefendorf/Diefendorff family has been a hard one to trace. The first record of a Diefendorf/Diefendorff in Summit County, Ohio is Jeremiah, and yes, his surname is found  both as Diefendorf and Diefendorff.   

[1st Gen]   Jeremiah Diefendorff [1824-1859] married

                       Elizabeth Jeanette Reese [ ?-1870] they had 4 know children:
                                Menzo H [1847-1882]
                                Charles [1849-1870]
                                John J [1851-1930]
                                Dolly Ann [1854-1865]

     [2nd Gen]   John J Diefendorff  [1851-1930] married

                              Thomascinna Ravely [1850-1923] they had 2 known children
                                  Jerry Migha [1875-1932]
                                  Dora Elizabeth [1880-1980]

           [3rd Gen]   Jerry Migha Diefendorff [1875-1932] married

                                   Eva Mae Serfass [1875-1961] had 9 known children

                                          John Everett [1896-1969]
                                          Earl Russell [1902-1967]
                                          Ruth Violet [1904-1958]
                                          Gladys Irene [1906-1985]
                                          Geraldine Sadie [1908-2000]
                                          Dora Elizabeth [1911-1996]
                                          Clarence Alvin [1913-1945]
                                          Robert Arle [1918-1994]
                                          Clifford Forest [1921-2008]                                           

                [4th Gen]   John Everett Diefendorf  [1896-1969] married

                                        Mildred Marie Norris [1899-1983] had 11 children
                                             Betty Jane [1917-2002]
                                             Russell Henry [1919-1985]
                                             Anna Mae [1920-1966]
                                             Madeline Marie [1923-1999]
                                             June Louise
                                             John Emmit [1926-1926] 
                                             Ella Jean [1929-1997]
                                             Dorothy Jacqueline 
                                             Naomi Lee
                                             Kenneth Burl [1935-2006]

I will be posting more on each individual family unit with more information and documentation. This is just a "bare bones" outline of the Diefendorfs. From this you should be able to find your parent or grandparents.

Joseph Dailey & Elizabeth Corder

Joseph Dailey was my paternal Great Grandfather. Records (mainly Census records and a Death record) indicate that Joseph was born in, or around, Martinsburg, Berkeley County, Virginia in December 1825. I have reason to believe Joseph was the son of John Daily and Rebecca Booth of Virginia, but cannot prove it 100% at this time.

Important background: In 1863 the state of West Virginia was formed when 50 counties (including Berkeley) separated from Virginia. It makes it difficult to find out where a document might be. I have found on records the surname spelling of Dailey and Daily are interchangeable, and many times on the same document. And… I find the same problem no matter what state I’m researching.

Although Joseph was born in Virginia it seems he came to Ross County, Ohio by the 1840 census, as did his alleged parents John and Rebecca (Booth) Dailey or Daily. Joseph and his family originally settled in Ross County is Richmondale,

Joseph married Elizabeth Corder in Chillicothe on January 9, 1848. Elizatbeth’s surname is another mystery as to what the actual spelling. On their marriage record it's listed as Corder. On the birth records for their children it is written Corder, Cordy, Cordery, Cowdry, and Cordray. Joseph may have married a 2nd time to a Elizabeth Crathers; but I have not been able to confirm or deny this.

Joseph and Elizabeth had 9 known children:
       Thurman   [1847-?] married Nellie Piles
       John          [1852-1919]
       Lydia "Liddie" [1854-1946] married David Leach
       Darthulia        [1855-?] married Wesley Denny
       Jacob "Jake"  [1859-1914] married Molly Davis
       Elizabeth Rebecca "Libby" [1860-1932] married Peter H Flesher
       Aretha Mae    [1864-1938] married Joseph Mathias
       Charles           [1866-1920] married Philomena "Minnie" Mathias
       Anneta Jane "Nettie" [1871-1932] married Frank Hirn

Joseph Dailey died June 15, 1900 and is buried in Greenlawn Cemetery, Frankfort, Ross County, Ohio. There is also an Elizabeth Dailey buried with him at the same Cemetery. Several years ago I was able to track down the lady who had the burial records and she confirmed this information. She also stated that there was no gravestones for either Joseph or Elizabeth Dailey.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

The Wedding

Who: Martin John Dailey an Martha Ellen Renner

What: Their Wedding Day

When: June 22, 1946

Where: Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; Akron, Ohio

Why: Love

Their Studio Photograph

At The Church

Mom with her parents Charles and Nellie Hitchcock Renner

Mom and Dad on the left. Their Best Man & Maid on Honor on right

When Mom and Dad got married he was almost 15 years her senior. That is challenging enough, and I know this first hand.  On top of that add that as a new bride mom had to start her married life in the home of dad's mom, who was elderly. My mom didn't have a chance to put any of her personal touches to the home until Grandma died in 1959.

Although dad died in 1987 mom would have mixed emotions every year on their Anniversary. Today I don't think mom's concept of time would allow her to know it's her Anniversary. That may be a good thing.

Mom's brother & sister-in-law, Ernie & Myrtle Billings Renner were the Best Man and Maid of Honor. I really don't know why Aunt Myrtle's dress looks like a bridal gown. One of my unanswered questions. Another unanswered question is why there was no picture of my Grandma Minnie Dailey with either my Dad or my Dad & Mom. I know she was at the wedding. Strange!

I always thought my mom was "some kind of special" because she converted to Catholocism in order to marry my dad who was Roman Catholic. Back then both bride and groom had to be Catholic to marry in the Catholic Church, and for it to be recognized by the Church. After my dad passed away my mom started going back to her original religion, United Methodist.

I still have mom's wedding dress and veil. I'd like to do something with it but I'm not sure what as it's very fragile. I'm thinking of of making some kind of small keepsake for each of the kids and grandkids.

Happy Father's Day Daddy

This year it's 28 yrs since Dad went to his heavenly home, and not a year goes by that I don't miss popping in on Father's Day with some goofy gift. If I bought him useful stuff, like clothes or tools, he'd throw a fit claiming there was nothing wrong with the clothes or tools he had. Soooo... I got him goofy stuff. He didn't seem to mind those gifts.

My dad as a boy making his First Holy Communion

My dad in his younger days returning from the hunt.

My dad when he was in the Army Air Corps, WWII