Fallen Heroes: Staff Sergeant Kenneth L. Foutz

The Silver Star is the third highest United States combat-only award. It was established in 1918 as the Citation Star, and it has been awarded posthumously for actions as far back as the Spanish-American War. This fallen hero earned his Silver Star fighting in a jungle far from his Tuscarawas County home. The Foutz family,Continue reading “Fallen Heroes: Staff Sergeant Kenneth L. Foutz”

One House’s Story: Professor George A.B. Wyly (and more).

One of my mantras is that every building, every place, has a story to tell us if we are willing to look and listen. While the histories of pristinely restored stately homes attract the most attention, the more modest homes that dominate any community have histories as well. The people that lived in those homesContinue reading “One House’s Story: Professor George A.B. Wyly (and more).”

Fallen Heroes: Private Wesley A. Little

I will admit that the stories of fallen heroes lost on battlefields in North Africa during World War Two always captures my attention. My own grandfather served in North Africa during that war and every soldier’s story on those battlefields remind me of him. This fallen hero’s story is one of those reminders. The familyContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Wesley A. Little”

One House’s Story: Honorable Simpson Harmount

I thought I would continue my look into the stories behind some of the community’s historic houses by taking a look at another home located on Fair Avenue in New Philadelphia. This home’s current status belies its history and the significance to the community of its past owners. Robert Harmount (1775-1842) and his wife, ElizabethContinue reading “One House’s Story: Honorable Simpson Harmount”

Fallen Heroes: Private Roy W. Emhoff

This Tuscarawas County fallen hero’s coal mining family lost their first son to illness before his eighteenth birthday and, exactly twenty years later, lost their second son on a far-off battlefield. The Emhoff family arrived in Philadelphia from Switzerland in 1837. There were four children in the family and, among them, was a son namedContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Roy W. Emhoff”

One House’s Story: Dr. George Hiram Peck

The streets of my community are lined with historic homes, churches, and other buildings. While many of them are beautifully restored to their former glory, others show the of signs of time and neglect. All of them though have many stories to tell us; stories of families and businesses long past. On my regular walksContinue reading “One House’s Story: Dr. George Hiram Peck”

Fallen Heroes: Private Samuel Stocker

It is all too common that we rarely discover the exact circumstances of a fallen heroes death. Unless a witness thinks to write down the particulars, the sacrifice often becomes merely a footnote in their own history. This is yet another example of such a sacrifice, but worthy of telling nonetheless. The Stocker family inContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Samuel Stocker”

Fallen Heroes: Private Carl C. Stoller

I was recently contacted by the Carl C. Stoller VFW, Post 1445 of New Philadelphia regarding the post’s namesake and whether I had done any research into his life. I had not, but felt that it was important to put the story to the name. This is Private Stoller’s story. There is some debate aboutContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private Carl C. Stoller”

“Six Cents and a Muskrat Tail”: Ohio Hatter John Scroggs

It happens. Sometimes when I am researching one subject I come across something that I can’t resist looking into further. In this case it was an advertisement for a runaway apprentice hatter that took me down, fittingly, a rabbit hole and into the life of an early 19th century Ohio tradesman. When his father AllenContinue reading ““Six Cents and a Muskrat Tail”: Ohio Hatter John Scroggs”

Fallen Heroes: Private William Border

There are many soldiers who train as medics or corpsman so that they can aid their fellow soldiers wounded in the heat of battle. Unfortunately, in this case, one of those trained soldiers never had the chance. The Border family can trace their Tuscarawas County roots back to the arrival of Christopher Border (1800-1856) andContinue reading “Fallen Heroes: Private William Border”