With the 308th Engineers From Ohio to the Rhine and Back

In the military section of the Genealogical and Local History books at the Sandusky Library is a book entitled With the 308th Engineers From Ohio to the Rhine and Back. The book was published in 1923 by the 308th Engineers Veterans Association. Pictured below are insignia and symbols associated with the 308th Engineers.

The major operations of the 308th Engineers in World War I were in France in 1918, and included the Aisne-Marne Offensive, the Oise-Aisne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The main tasks of the 308th Engineers were to repair and maintain roads and build bridges. The 308th Engineers were the first American troops to bridge the Rhine. The 308th also furnished Guards of Honor for General Pershing, the Prince of Wales, and Marshall Ferdinand Foch. Several men from Sandusky, Ohio served with the 308th Engineers during the war: Edwin Uhl, Reinhold Ahlers, Henry Baker, Ralph Carney, Vergil Grant, Fred Kranz, Victor J. Moore, John Riesterer, Emil Grahl, Paul Knupke, Robert Mees, Henry Cycoly, Walter J. Kleinfelder, Edward Klueg, Carl Mainzer, Lee Staffler, Guy Norton, Henry Bates, Norman Martin, Charles Hasbrook, Peter Scavio, Charles Voight, and Herbert Textor.

The third annual reunion of the 308th Engineers Veteran Association was held at Cedar Point on August 5 through August 7, 1923. The headquarters for the group during their stay at Cedar Point was at the Hotel Breakers. During the Reunion, business meetings were held, along with a banquet, athletic events, and several speeches. A dance was held at the Coliseum on August 5, 1923. Sandusky resident Herbert Textor served as Treasurer of the Association in 1923.

Visit the Sandusky Library to see the book With the 308th Engineers From Ohio to the Rhine and Back. Another outstanding World War I resource at the library is Erie County Edition, Honor Roll of Ohio, 1917-1918, which provides brief biographical sketches and photographs of Erie County residents who served in the Great War. Inquire at the Reference Services desk for more information.

With the 308th Engineers from Ohio to the Rhine and Back

In the military section of the Genealogical and Local History books at the Sandusky Library is a book entitled With the 308^th Engineers from Ohio to the Rhine and Back. The book was published in 1923 by the 308^th Engineers Veterans Association. Pictured below are insignia and symbols associated with the 308^th Engineers.

The major operations of the 308^th Engineers in World War I were in France in 1918, and included the Aisne-Marne Offensive, the Oise-Aisne Offensive, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. The main tasks of the 308^th Engineers were to repair and maintain roads and build bridges. The 308^th Engineers were the first American troops to bridge the Rhine. The 308^th also furnished Guards of Honor for General Pershing, the Prince of Wales, and Marshall Ferdinand Foch. Several men from Sandusky, Ohio served with the 308^th Engineers during this war: Edwin Uhl, Reinhold Ahlers, Henry Baker, Ralph Carney, Vergil Grant, Fred Kranz, Victor J. Moore, John Riesterer, Emil Grahl, Paul Knupke, Robert Mees, Henry Cycoly, Walter J. Kleinfelder, Edward Klueg, Carl Mainzer, Lee Staffler, Guy Norton, Henry Bates, Norman Martin, Charles Hasbrook, Peter Scavio, Charles Voight, and Herbert Textor.

The third annual reunion of the 308^th Engineers Veteran Association was held at Cedar Point on August 5 through August 7, 1923. The headquarters for the group during their stay at Cedar Point was at the Hotel Breakers. During the reunion, business meetings were held, along with a banquet, athletic events, and several speeches. A dance was held at the Coliseum on August 5, 1923. Sandusky resident Herbert Textor served as Treasurer of the organization for that year.

Visit the Sandusky Library to see the book With the 308^th Engineers from Ohio to the Rhine and Back. Another outstanding resource at the library is Erie County Edition, Honor Roll of Ohio, 1917-1918, which provides brief biographical sketches and photographs of Erie County World War I veterans. Inquire at the Reference Services desk for more information.

Resources for Locating Oakland Cemetery Burial Records

This week the Cemetery Walk: Titans of Transportation will be held at Oakland Cemetery on these days: Tuesday, September 20; Wednesday, September 21; Thursday, September 22; and Saturday, September 24 at 10:00 a.m. 

Even if you cannot attend one of the tours, there are many ways to access individuals buried at Oakland Cemetery!

Oakland Cemetery is the final resting place of thousands of former residents of Sandusky and Erie County, Ohio.. Though it is not 100% inclusive, there is an online database at the City of Sandusky’s website.

Simply enter the first and last name of the person you are researching, and the result will provide you with the date of death, and location of the gravesite. Below is the listing for Moors Farwell, Sandusky’s first Mayor.

Another online database that is helpful in locating Oakland Cemetery records is Find a Grave. This link will take you directly to Find a Grave’s Search Box for Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery.

Resources that are available inside the Sandusky Library include the book Erie County Ohio Cemetery Census Before 1909. Interment information for Oakland Cemetery begins on page 355 of this reference book. Inside the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center are even more places where you can access Oakland Cemetery burial records. A standalone computer provides a database where you can search by first or last name to access burial information. The results vary, sometimes providing very little information, but sometimes giving the cause of death, date of death, and location of death. The interment card for Confida Textor, who died at the age of 2 is seen below.

Yet another place to access Oakland Cemetery records at Sandusky Library is on the microfilmed copies of interment cards in the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center. Complete up to the 1980s, the records are arranged first by cemetery, and then alphabetically by surname. Below is the interment card for Anne Hubbard Butler, the young daughter of Watson Hubbard and Susan Quay Butler.

If you have ancestors buried in Sandusky’s Oakland Cemetery, and you would like to learn more about them, consult some of the many resources of information available to you.

Scene of Downtown Sandusky at Christmas Time

Ernst Niebergall, a well known Sandusky photographer, took this photograph of downtown Sandusky, probably in the 1930s:

 

In a closer view, the Weinberger Cut Rate Drugstore can be seen at the southwest corner of Columbus Avenue and Market Street. Adolph Weinberger owned the drugstore, which was later known as Gray Drug Store. Just south of Weinberger’s Drugstore are the Montgomery Ward and J.C. Penney stores. Later J.C. Penney would have a much larger business at this location. Rosino’s Shoe Store was located south of the J.C. Penney store.

On the east side of Columbus Avenue, the following businesses can be seen: Denzer’s Books and Gifts, Textor Jeweler’s, the S. S. Kresge Company, and the H and S Modern Bakery. In the distance, the marquee of the Seitz State Theater is visible as well.

Albert Textor, Jeweler

 

Albert Textor was a pioneer wine manufacturer in Sandusky. According to an article in the January 23, 1920 issue of the Sandusky Register, Albert Textor came to the United States from Germany in 1849. He and his brothers William and Charles first went to Sandusky, but due to the cholera epidemic, they settled on a farm in Marblehead in Ottawa County. After about a year, Albert moved to Sandusky. On page 417 of History of Erie County, Ohio, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich, we read that Albert Textor manufactured ten to twelve varieties of dry and sweet wines, which were shipped to all parts of the United States east of Kansas.

In 1860 Albert Textor opened a jewelry store. A listing in the 1882 Sandusky City Directory states that A. Textor was a dealer in jewelry, watches, clocks, silverware, spectacles and eye glasses at his store located at 211 Columbus Avenue, opposite the Sloane House. Later, Albert Textor’s son Alexander took over the business. Following the death of Alexander Textor in 1927, Albert Textor’s grandson Herbert M. Textor became owner and operator of the Textor Jewelry store. Pictured below are the owner and employees of the A. Textor store in Sandusky about 1890. Most likely Albert Textor is the gentleman on the far right of the photograph.