George J. Edwards made New Philadelphia history in 1902 by becoming the town’s first automobile owner, a milestone that drew significant public interest and marked the beginning of a new era in local transportation. George J. Edwards (1866-1937) was the son of Joshua Edwards (1815-c. 1890) and his wife Maria Johnson (1829-1915). It is notContinue reading “George J. Edwards and New Philadelphia’s First Automobile”
Tag Archives: new philadelphia
Rails to Riches: The Journey of James Carlile from Tuscarawas County to Colorado
New Philadelphia carpenter William Carlile laid the foundation for his family’s future. Little did he know, his son James N. Carlile would carve a path far beyond the realm of sawdust and nails. William Carlile (1806-1887) was a Pennsylvania born carpenter who migrated to Tuscarawas County, Ohio in the 1830s with his family. He originallyContinue reading “Rails to Riches: The Journey of James Carlile from Tuscarawas County to Colorado”
Seances and Slates: W.A Mansfield Visits New Philadelphia
During the last half of the 19th century, the spiritualism movement garnered a great deal of attention and followers. Oftentimes those interested in spiritualism attempted to contact those who had passed away through seances and people known as mediums. Tuscarawas County was not immune to the attraction of spiritualism. Content warning: This post contains aContinue reading “Seances and Slates: W.A Mansfield Visits New Philadelphia”
Shine On: Philip Barnhard and the Birth of New Philadelphia’s Iconic Sign
Cover photo by Brenda Gottsabend In the winter of 1910, amidst the warmth of Eagle Hall, a newcomer to New Philadelphia ignited the imagination of the community with a visionary proposal for an electrified welcome sign and set in motion a tale of civic pride that would span decades. There were nearly 150 members ofContinue reading “Shine On: Philip Barnhard and the Birth of New Philadelphia’s Iconic Sign”
Dreams of Disaster: Laura Martin and the Sinking of RMS Lusitania
A couple travelled to New Philadelphia, Ohio from England in 1914 to visit family members and possibly create a new home in America. The husband’s death resulted in the wife returning home on an ill-fated, soon to be infamous, ocean liner. Elizabeth (1854-1921) and Laura (1860-1941) Truman (sometimes spelled Trueman) were the daughters of aContinue reading “Dreams of Disaster: Laura Martin and the Sinking of RMS Lusitania”
Emmet D. Sharp and the Sharp Building of New Philadelphia
A building down the street from my home is lovingly being given a new life and purpose as a community gathering place. I thought I would take a look at the man responsible for its original construction over 100 years ago. John Sharp (?-1853) immigrated from England to the United States before the 1830s andContinue reading “Emmet D. Sharp and the Sharp Building of New Philadelphia”
The “Venerable Jonas Warner” of Tuscarawas County
My employer, the Ohio Genealogical Society, recently acquired a collection of materials that included items and documents relating to a Tuscarawas County family. I thought I would explore the story of one of those family members. Jonas Warner (1821-1905) was born in February 1821 at the home of his parents on Fry’s Creek in TuscarawasContinue reading “The “Venerable Jonas Warner” of Tuscarawas County”
A Business Card Tells a Story: Robert Bruce Tomlinson
During my usual perusing of eBay searching for Tuscarawas County material, I came across a simple business card from the early 20th century for a New Philadelphia piano tuner. What I discovered was that the individual was far more than what his business card claimed. The card reads simply “Bruce Tomlinson, Fine Piano Tuning andContinue reading “A Business Card Tells a Story: Robert Bruce Tomlinson”
The Mystery of a 1913 Wedding Photo
I am always searching various auctions for Tuscarawas County related material and recently I discovered this photo-postcard for sale on eBay. It piqued my interest and I thought I would share what I learned about the story behind this photograph. Frederick Alexander (1850-1911) immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1865 and made hisContinue reading “The Mystery of a 1913 Wedding Photo”
One House’s Story: The Crossland Family
The story of my home’s construction is said to have started with a 19th century butcher named Samuel Crossland. I thought I would take a deeper dive into his life and discover more about the man who had my home built in the 1850s. The Crossland family immigrated from Germany and originally settled in LancasterContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Crossland Family”
Tuscarawas County Stories 