The Trustees and I invite you to join us on Sunday, March 28th, to celebrate the 40th birthday of the Auglaize County Historical Society. We will celebrate th ededication of hundreds of Auglaize County residents who through the years have worked so diligently to preserve both the county history and the ACHS organization.
The celebration will take the form of an Open House from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Daniel F. Mooney Museum, St. Marys, the Wapakoneta Local History Museum, Wapakoneta, and the Olive Branch Church at Shinbone, St. Rt. 219, East of new Knoxville, with refreshments at all three sites.
The ACHS was chartered in 1963 with its objective to be: discovery, preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the history of Auglaize County. We are so grateful to these founders and all those who have followed in their footsteps. Thankful for the use of the Mooney Home and all those who worked so hard to remodel and restore it so that it could be a show case for the bountiful artifacts acquired by the ACHS in those early years.
The Gary Log House, with a dedicated hard working ACHS crew to relocate it, stands as a lasting monument to the early settlers of Auglaize County.
The vision and dedication goes on to purchase the Wapakoneta Women's Club building for a local history museum in Wapakoneta and the vision continues with the acceptance of the Olive Branch Church and the creation of our own web site at www.auglaizecountyhistory.org.
This past year the trustees were very busy preserving -- siding the Mooney Museum, keeping the Gate House at the fairgrounds from being torn down andseeing to it that it got a new roof, wrapping all the exposed wood at both the Wapakoneta History Museum and the Olive Branch Church and closing in the bell tower with louvers at the church.
Yes, forty years later we are still about "discovery, preservation and dissemination of knowledge about the history of Auglaize County and the State of Ohio." I believe the ACHS through forty years has followed well in the forming footsteps of its founders.
Plan now to join us in celebrating the dedication of all those people who have helped build the ACHS into what it is today.
How The Historical Society Started
It was in October in 1962 that Verda Ramsey Campbell's third grade class at the West School in St. Marys decided to have a social study project having students working together to obtain articles from the past for an exhibit at the school.
It was kathleen Chiles who won the contest for naming the exhibit the History, Science and Art Museum. they had on display old clothes, dishes, lamps, pictures, books and many things from the past.
They had the museum opened after their PTA meeting and invited the members to attend. they received many favorable comments on the exhibits. George Scott, Linda Main and Jan Sidenbender were the guides dressed in clothes loaned to the school by St. Marys piioneers residents. The students, teachers and parents stated that a permanent museum should be considered.
Museum Organization Meeting.
On October 8, 1963 an organization meeting was held at McBroom School in St. marys. The first officers were elected: Verda Ramsey Campbell, President; Ed Noble, Vice President; Louis Comus, Treasurer; and K.C. Geiger, Secretary. Trustees, Mrs. Fred Grewe, Mrs Julia Tschantz, Mrs. Edrie Bittegar, mary McClintock, and Miss Katherine Conner. The president appointed the following Committees:
- Finance Committee: Raymond Hartman, Chairman; Ailene Grunden; Fred Wisener; William Uetrecht, and Eldon Montague.
- Publicity Committee: Mrs. Edrie Bittegar, Chairman; Miss Alice Hager; Mrs. Vivian Glass; Walter Myers; and Mrs. Cliff Harris.
- Membership Committee: Miss Katherine Conner, Chairman; Pat Axe; George Neargarder; William Thieman; and Mrs. Velma Schmieder.
On November 12, 1963, the first regular meeting was held in McBroom School cafeteria. Daniel Porter, assistant director of the Ohio Historical Society was the speaker and urged the society to have its membership county-wide, and have regional representatives in every area to promote the history of the area. Miss Conner reported that her committee has approximately 150 members already signed up through out the county.
Over the next 15 years the historical society board meetings were held in both St. Marys and Wapakoneta and other communities through out the county. Donations were stored in the St. Marys Area chamber of commerce basement and membership meetings were held in the Community Room in the Midwest Electric Office building.
One Hundred Year Certificates.
In 1971, the first Certificates were awarded to families who had farms in the same family name for 100 years or more. In 1975 Ancestral Certificates to farms that were in the same families (not necessarily the same family name) for 100 years. Today the Historical Society awards Certificates for Farms, Business or Homes that are in the same family 100 years or more.
The oldest farm certificate awarded in 1971 was to Mary Ethel Armstrong. Her family acquired the farm in 1818 in St. Marys Township, in section 10.
On November 2, 2003, there were 22 certificates awarded for farms in the same families for 100 years and older. 15 certificates awarded for farms in the same families for 150 years and older.4 certificates for homes 100 years or older in the same families and 2 certificate awarded for businesses -- one for over 100 years and one for over 150 years.
Barb Harrod was chairperson assisted by Julie McCullough, Betty Bubp, Judy Waesch, Don Regula, Barb Vogel, Jim McCullough, Linda and Dale Turner, George and Janet Gibson, and Don Hager.
Cracker Barrel Days
In 1973 after several successful auctions at the Auglaize County Fair Grounds the Society decided to expand along with the auction to have lunch stands, few arts and crafts, stgeam and gas engines and entertainment in 1974 to raise funds. They also sold badges.
In 1973 the Auglaize County Historical Society news was first printed. It consisted of one page informing the members about meetings and activities. Today this is our newsletter.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE FOR 2004
Membership Meetings
May 29th W.W. II Monument dedication at the St. Marys Theatre. Event will be shown on the big screen live from Washington D. C. Event to honor local W. W. II veterans.
July 15th Stories and Memories of Neil Armstrong, Moon Landing etc.
September 2nd Preserving Archival Documents
November 4th Civil War Readings by Dr. Todd Spieles at Shinbone Church
Ask Your Friends To Join
Auglaize County Historical Society
- Adult Member $15.00
- Family Member $25.00
- Student Member $5.00
- 62 or older Sr. Adult Member $12.00
- 62 or older Sr. Family Member $20.00
- Life Member $250.00
Make check payable to: Auglaize County Historical Society
Mail to: Anna Mae Saum, 131 Bayshore Court, St. Marys, Ohio 45885
"We are Saving History Now for Future Generations."
40 YEAR CELEBRATION
Sunday, March 28, 2004
1 P.M. TO 4 P.M. AT
DANIEL MOONEY MUSEUM, ST. MARYS, OHIO
WAPAKONETA LOCAL HISTORY MUSEUM, WAPAKONETA, OHIO
OLIVE BRANCH CHURCH MUSEUM, SHINBONE - SR 219 - EAST OF NEW KNOXVILLE
REFRESHMENTS AT ALL THREE SITES.
WELCOME TO OUR OPEN HOUSE AT ALL OUR MUSEUMS
COME AND BRING A FRIEND!
In 1980, a year after her death, volunteers cleaned, painted and opened the home as a museum in 1981.
In 1922 it was purchased by Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Mooney. He was elected in 1906 as an Ohio State Senator and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson chose him to serve as Ambassador to Paraguay. After his death in 1930, Mrs. Mooney married Mr. Bettelini and it became their home.
The Gary Log House was built about 1850 on State Route 720 one mile west of the village of Santa Fe.
In 1983, Harold Dammeyer of St. Marys donated a log Smoke house that was built in 1880. It was moved to the fairgrounds and placed aside the Gary Log House.
