CARDINGTON- Five hometown heroes were recognized when the annual Glendale Cemetery Tour was held at the Glendale Cemetery in Cardington on October 2.
Remembered were Thomas Bunker, Winnie Clements, Earl Linstedt, Lucy Myers and Hayes Ulrey. Pat Drouhard portrayed his great great grandfather, Pierre Drouhard, a French immigrant living near Glenmont, Ohio and whose path crossed that of Captain Thomas Bunker of Cardington in June 1863.
Bunker was a company captain in a force of 420 Union soldiers that were ordered into southwestern Holmes County to quell what was believed to be a military draft insurrection in the midst of the Civil War. Pierre Drouhard was one of 11 men indicted for treason in the affair, with charges eventually being dropped when the war ended. Pat then related the Bunker family’s early role in Cardington’s history in becoming today’s thriving village. He traced it back to Thomas Bunker’s father, a Vermont native who had settled in Peru Township in 1811. 11 years later he came to this area with an eye on the Whetstone Creek that flowed through the area. He harnessed the power of the Whetstone Creek by constructing a dam and mill race and then built a sawmill and gristmill which resulted in people moving into the area for those services. Pat also explained that a wool carding mill was built along the Whetstone down stream from Bunker’s mills.
Honoring her grandmother, Winnie Clements, was her granddaughter, Denise Johnson, who said Winifred Jean Westbrook Clements was born February 12, 1923 in Ashley. She had an older brother and older sister. Winnie graduated from Ashley High School in 1941 where she was an honor student and vice president of her class.
She married Tollie Earl Clements at Trinity Methodist Church in Mount Gilead on October 2, 1942. The couple remodeled a house on State Route 746, built a log cabin and later constructed their dream home. In 1973 they opened Clements Fine Furniture at 110 East Main Street Cardington. Sadly, the tornado on June 13, 1981 destroyed the entire business and Earl and Winnie’s lives were saved.
The life of Earl Linstedt was portrayed by his granddaughter, Robin Nesbitt. Earl was born March 13, 1913 and passed away in 1966. He served as Cardington postmaster for 17 years. Earlier he was a Gulf and Sohio bulk dealer and a road inspector for the state of Ohio.
Earl was born in Canaan Township. His parents were Benjamin and Bertha Strawser Linstedt. He married Naomi Maxine Ansley on December 23, 1939. Earl came from Edison and lived in the Cardington area 40 years. He was active with St. Paul Lutheran Church. He had two sons, David Linstedt, and John E. Linstedt, two daughters; Mrs. Edward (Judy) Nesbitt and Ruth Callentine. He also had four grandchildren .
Describing the life of Hayes Ulery was Mike Wilson. Hayes was born August 21, 1905 in Harmony Township. He graduated from Cardington High School in 1924 and married Eilene Messenger, a teacher in the Cardington School. Hayes worked for the Morrow County Independent newspaper for 56 years as a printer and linotype operator. He was the newspaper’s photographer. He served as the mayor of Cardington when oil was first struck in the village on December 28, 1963 on Williams Street.
Hayes passed away May 2, 1980. In addition to his widow, he was survived by two daughters, Nancy McIlvaine and Ann Pearl and four grandchildren. Nancy has since passed away.
Donna Carver re-enacted the life of Louise Kehrwecker Myers, who with her husband, George, lived at 200 South Marion Street. George owned the Myers Market on West Main Street. She and her husband, who lived at 200 South Marion Street, had four children, two died as youngsters . She then described the lives of her two children who lived to adulthood, Fannie and Frank, both of whom graduated from Cardington High School, Fannie in 1909 and Frank, 1915. Fannie received degrees from the College of Oratory and Music at Capital University and later served as instructor in both departments. Frank served in France with the American Expeditionary Forces assigned to the Army Regional and was part of the 329th Infantry 83rd Division. Later, Frank served Morrow County as county recorder for four years and Fannie was his Deputy Recorder. Fannie later became the Deputy Probate Clerk when Judge Ethel Elder assumed the bench.
Tour guides were Vickie Ullom, Becky Drouhard, Don and Nancy Burdsall, Darlene Wallace, Emily Levings, Lori Levings, Stan Sipe, Monty and Stephanie Maceyko, Kelly Lopez, Michael and Kay Patterson and Diana McClure. Traffic control was by Terry McClure, Merek McClure and Paul Lopaz. Refreshments were served by Lisa Brake, Realtor, Re/Max Impact. Special thanks to LeAnne Gompf for videography and media support; the Gleaners for selling tickets and Joanne Mathews for the cemetery history tour facts. Thanks also to the cemetery staff who does an outstanding job of maintaining the cemetery.
Members of the History tour committee are Troy and Dawn Ruehrmund and Evelyn Long.
