Attleboro Kitchen Style Clock

Clock Pendulum

My 3rd great grandfather, Eli D. Waits, scratched his name (“E. Waits”) into the back of the pendulum from this “kitchen” style clock, sold by the Attleboro Clock Company. He most likely purchased the clock in the Lancaster, Ohio area.

According to the website, Attleboro Clock Co., little is known about these clocks. They were produced between 1890 and 1915, manufactured by the Waterbury, Ansonia, E. Ingraham, or Sessions companies, and sold under the Attleboro Clock Company name.

It is unknown whether the dial of this clock has been replaced, as they usually have “Attleboro Clock Co., Attleboro, Mass.” printed on them, where ours does not. It may have been repaired in the 1970s or 80s. I’m planning on having the clock appraised in the near future and will update the blog with the information when available.

Clock Pendulum (Back)

Eli Waits

Brian Davis – Christine (Williams) Davis – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth (Waits) Williams – Harmon Clay Waits – Eli D. Waits

Yearbook Cover

I saw this item on eBay last weekend and couldn’t resist buying it. It is the senior yearbook for my great grand aunt, Florence Edna Miller (Waits): the 1929 Lancaster (OH) High School Mirage. Due to the binding, individual pages were difficult to scan.

Florence was the yearbook staff photographer, an honor student, and a member of the Wa Wa Kee Club, the Junior and Senior high school girls division of the “Y.W.C.A.” She also wrote the Senior class history. Next to her Senior portrait, it says the following:

Little lady of the shining locks,
Sincerely loved by all,
Were we without you for a day,
The universe would fall.

Look for more yearbook profiles in the near future and please take some time to browse through the above pictures of Florence’s Senior year at Lancaster (OH) High School.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/sister of Florence Edna Waits)

I’m trying something new on Fridays… posting family tree items related to crime. I haven’t found many to-date (thankfully), but will eventually post them all.

Clinton and Margaret Waits Divorce Article

This Friday, I have chosen the divorce of my 2nd great grand uncle, Clinton Morris “Clint” Waits, from his wife, Margaret (Kramer) Waits Yontz. The two were married on 4/15/1896 in Pickaway County, Ohio. They had three children, Claude, Mildred, and Helen. Mildred died at the age of three from Whooping Cough, and Helen was stillborn.

Clinton and Margaret divorced in 1926, with the above article appearing in the 11/8/1926 issue of the Lancaster Daily Eagle.  The grounds for divorce was Margaret’s infidelity.  Due to the divorce, she was barred from her dower interest in Clinton’s property.

Clinton Waits Arrest Article

On 12/9/1926, Margaret charged Clinton with attempted murder, and he was arrested by the sheriff in Lancaster, Ohio. Clinton posted $700 bond and his case was bound over to the grand jury. The above article appeared in the 12/10/1926 edition of the Lancaster Daily Eagle.

I have been unable to find any additional articles on the murder charges, but did find Clinton living in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, Ohio in 1930 as a farm hand, with Jesse Carpenter and his family.  I’m assuming that the case was settled or the charges were dropped. Prior to 1930, Clinton was a glass worker at the Lancaster (OH) Lens Company.

Margaret would later remarry Hamilton Yontz, also a glass worker, on 5/6/1928 in Franklin County, Ohio.  In 1930, they lived in Circleville, Ohio.  Margaret was employed as a restaurant cook.

Clinton Morris Waits Portrait

Clinton died 3/13/1943 in Lancaster, Ohio from a coronary thrombosis. Margaret died 4/20/1953 in Lancaster, Ohio from coronary occlusion. They, along with their daughters, are buried in Reber Hill Cemetery in Walnut Township, Pickaway County, Ohio.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits) – Harmon Clay Waits (brother of Clinton Morris Waits)

This obituary is of my great grand uncle, Charles Richard “Dick” Waits, and was most likely featured in The Circleville (OH) Herald:

Charles Waits Listed Killed Fighting Nazis

Mrs. Charles R. Waits, Circleville, received word Thursday from the war department that her husband Cpl. Charles R. Waits had been killed in action.

Cpl. Waits has been in the Army three years, 26 months overseas. He was in the African, Sicilian, Italian campaigns. He was also in the French invasion.

At the time of his death he was assigned to General Patch’s Seventh Army in Germany. Mrs. Waits, who is employed at Isaly’s, last heard from him by letter dated March 30. The War Department announcement stated that he had been killed about April 6.

Cpl. Waits was a resident of Lancaster at the time of his enlistment in the Army. His wife is living with her sister, Mrs. Paul Hang, Scioto street. Pfc. Hang is now home on furlough from the European theatre of war.

Many thanks to Paul Hang for providing the article and picture. On the back of the picture, it reads, “Hi Red!” The picture was sent from Dick to his wife, Margaret Ann “Peggy” Waits (Phillips), who had “strikingly” red hair.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/sister of Charles Richard Waits)

Ralph Scott “Button” Williams Jr., my grandfather, was born 1/24/1922  in Lancaster, Ohio.  He died 6/20/1967 from cardiac arrest at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Ralph was 45 years-old at the time of his death.

Madrith Jean Williams (Williams), my grandmother, was born 11/5/1924 in Portsmouth, Ohio.  She died 10/15/1968 at the age of 43 in Minford, Ohio.

Their gravesite is located in Maple Hill Cemetery in Stoutsville, Ohio. The headstone was recently purchased by their daughters: my mother, Chris, and my aunt, Terry Kaiser. The headstone photo was taken on a recent family research trip to Ohio on 7/29/2010. Many thanks to my cousin, Jane Mason, for the portrait of my grandparents.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. and Madrith Jean Williams (Williams)

This obituary is of my maternal grandfather, Ralph Scott Williams Jr., and was featured in the July 1967 edition of On Stream, the Columbia Gulf Transmission Company newsletter:

RALPH S. WILLIAMS JR. DIES OF HEART SEIZURE

Ralph S. Williams Jr., Measurement Superintendent since January 1960, died Tuesday, June 20, in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Williams, 45, was attending an Advanced Management Course at the University of Virginia at the time of his death. He was playing golf during a classroom break when he suffered a heart seizure. He died early Tuesday evening at a hospital without regaining consciousness. Funeral services were held Saturday, June 24, in Lancaster, Ohio, his hometown. Burial was in Stoutsville, Ohio.

Surviving are his wife, Jean, two daughters, Teresa, 19, and Christine, 15, and his father, Ralph S. Williams Sr. of Columbus, Ohio.

Williams joined Columbia Gulf in 1954 as Measurement Engineer and later served as Corrosion Engineer and Transmission Engineer before his promotion to Measurement Superintendent. Previously he had worked for Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation and Ohio Fuel Gas Company.

He had served on committees of the American Gas Association, Southern Gas Association, Appalachian Gas Measurement Short Course and the Gulf Coast Gas Measurement Society of Houston. At the time of his death he was president of the Gulf Coast group. Members of that group, in a tribute, said, “Words cannot express the deep loss felt by our membership. Ralph’s knowledge of men and measurement, his dedication to his work and to his company and his many hours of extra commitment on behalf of our measurement science must not go without recognition. He will be missed at future gatherings of measurement men.”

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr.

This article is about my maternal grandfather, Ralph Scott Williams Jr., and was featured in the 10/30/1925 edition of a Columbus, Ohio newspaper, possibly The Columbus Dispatch:

Lancaster Boy Is Youngest Flyer

RALPH S. WILLIAMS JR.

LANCASTER, O., claims the youngest air traveler in the country in Ralph Scott Williams Jr., aged 2 1/2 years.

The youngster has taken a number of rides at Norton Field, near Columbus, and more recently took a long ride over Lancaster with Charles Ames, pilot, who was killed near Bellefonte, Pa.

Williams has a certificate from Ames, saying the lad was the youngest the aviator ever carried.

Young Williams says he is thru with flying, however, due to Ames’ untimely death.

Williams is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph S. Williams and formerly lived in Columbus.

Photograph of Airmail Pilot Charles Ames

The following information about Charles Ames was taken from Arago: People, Postage & The Post and the Smithsonian National Postal Museum:

Charles Ames had over 700 flight hours before signing on with the Air Mail Service on December 8, 1920. Ames flew mail out of Hazelhurst Field, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio. On October 1, 1925, Ames disappeared from sight in the mountains near Bellefonte, Pennsylvania while flying a de Havilland airplane on his portion of the Cleveland to New York run. Dozens of groups worked to find Ames over the next several days, including National Guard troops. The 32-year old pilot was finally found in the wreckage of his airplane, where he had died on impact.

Ames had taken off at 9:40 p.m. from Hadley Field in New Brunswick, New Jersey for the regular night flight to Bellefonte. The watchman at the Hartleton, Pennsylvania, an emergency airmail landing field twenty miles east of Bellefonte, reported he heard the airplane flying overhead 11:35 that night. That was the last report of Ames and his airplane before the crash. The search for Ames and his airplane took several days and was the focus of attention across the northeast. Ames’ body was found on October 11, still strapped inside his downed airplane. He had crashed through trees into the north side of a ridge in the Nittany mountains. Ames had apparently been flying low, possibly becoming lost in a dense fog. Ames appeared to have been killed instantly on impact. The airplanes’ wings had been destroyed when the airplane crashed into the trees. The trees were so close that they covered the ship, making it almost impossible to locate.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr.

This obituary is of my 3rd great grandfather, George Milligan, and was featured in the 7/30/1907 edition of the Lancaster Daily Eagle:

DEATH OF OLR SOLDIER

Mr. George Milligan, aged about 60 years, a veteran of the Civil war, died today at his home in Oakland, after only a few days’ illness. He leaves a wife and five children to mourn. He was also a brother-in-law of Mrs. William Rogers of Lancaster. Mrs. Rogers will go to Oakland Wednesday morning.

The following appeared in the 8/1/1907 edition of the Lancaster Daily Eagle:

The following persons were called to attend the funeral of Mr. George Milligan, which was conducted this forenoon at 10 o’clock: Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Rodgers, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Cave, Mrs. Ned Wait, Mrs. Andrew Saum.

Many thanks to Charlotte Dittmar for her assistance in locating and mailing the final Lancaster, Ohio obituary. She has been an enormous help with my research.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits) – Mellie Waits (Milligan) – George Milligan

Mary Louise Waits (Morris) Obituary

This obituary is of my 3rd great grandmother, Mary Louise Waits (Morris), and was featured in the 7/14/1922 edition of the Lancaster Daily Gazette:

Mary Louise, daughter of Henry and Lydia Morris was born Dec. 20, 1851 at West Rushville Ohio. Died at Drinkle July 10, 1922, age 70 years, six months and 21 days. She was uinted (sic) in marriage to Eli Waits October 28, 1869. To this union were born four sons, Perry, Clint, and Clay of Lancaster, William of Columbus and one daughter, Mrs. May Hedges. Four sisters, one brother, thirteen grandchildren, one great grandchild and a host of friends mourn her loss.

During the pastorale of Rev. Montgomery, thirty-eight years ago, she united with the Zion United Brethren Church. Since that time she has been an earnest Christian and a faithful consistent member of the church. She was a good neighbor and a loving mother and her departure saddens many hearts.

The funeral was held from the home and was largely attended, showing the esteem in which she was held. Rev. Chester E. Tulga was in charge of the services. Resolutions of apreciation (sic) and sympathy from the Ladies’ Aid Society were read.

Her body was laid to rest in the Stoutsville cemetery, there to await the morning of the resurrection.

We desire to thank those who so kindly assisted through the illness and death of our dear wife and mother, Rev. Tulga for his words of comfort and Mr. Crite the funeral director for his good service and kindess.

Mr. Eli Waits and children 7-14

Many thanks to Charlotte Dittmar for all of her assistance in locating and mailing all of the Lancaster, Ohio obituaries. She has been an enormous help with my research.

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits) – Harmon Clay Waits – Mary Louise Waits (Morris)

This obituary is of my great grand uncle, Charles Richard “Dick” Waits. At the time, he was the 90th Fairfield County, Ohio serviceman killed in action, and the 109th war death from that county since Pearl Harbor. The article was featured in the 4/20/1945 edition of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

Three Lancastrians Lose Lives At War

… T-5 Corporal Charles Richard (Dick) Waits, 25, husband of Mrs. Margaret Ann Waits, 111 North Pearl-av, and only son of Mr. and Mrs. Harmon C. Waits, 702 Eastwood-av. A tank gunner in an armored division of the Seventh Army, Cpl. Waits was reported by the War Department as killed in action April 6 in Germany.

T-5 Corporal Waits, who would have been 26 years old on April 27, has been reported by the War Department as killed in action April 6, somewhere in Germany. His wife is the former Margaret Ann Phillips, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Phillips of the Pearl-av address. For the past year, Mrs. Waits has been helping her sister, Mrs. Paul Hang (Betty Phillips) operate the Isaly Company store in Circleville during the absence of Paul Hang, formerly of Lancaster, who has been serving overseas. Twice wounded, Pvt. Hang has been returned to the States and is now visiting his family in Circleville.

Cpl. Waits entered the Army here December 9, 1941, received training at Fort Knox, Ky. and Camp Polk, La., in the Armored Force, then was at Temple, Texas, Camp Hood, Texas, receiving further instruction in tank and tank destroyer operation and maintenance, and also at Camp Pickett, Va. He sailed overseas in April, 1943, two years ago; arriving in North Africa where he served in the North African campaign.

Waits took part in the invasion of Sicily in July, 1943 and also in the invasion of Italy at Salerno in September, 1943, attached to a unit of the 45th Division, then a part of the U.S. 5th Army.

He also saw service at Cassino, Gela, Palermo and during the drive on Rome with the armored force. Last August Waits participated in the invasion of Southern France. He was in maintenance, then a half-track crew member, then a tank driver, and at the time of his death was a tank gunner attached to the 753rd Tank battalion of an armored division in the 7th Army, possibly in the Nuermberg (sic) sector of Germany.

Battalion Honored

Cpl. Waits and other members of the battalion had received the French Croix de Guerre, and the Vermillion Star recently for their outstanding operations with French units during a phase of the Italian campaign last year.

Prior to his induction T/5 Cpl. Waits was employed at the Sohio filling station, corner Broad and Chestnut-sts. He was a graduate of Lancaster High School, where he played football.

In addition to his wife and parents, Cpl. Waits leaves three sisters, Miss May Waits, chief telephone operator here, Mrs. Ernest Miller, Muskegon, Mich., and Mrs. Ralph Williams, Columbus.

The last letter Mrs. Waits received from her husband was dated March 30, from somewhere inside Germany.

I’d also like to mention the other two servicemen mentioned in the article:

First Lieutenant William S. Massey (5/9/1917 – 3/26/1945), 187th Glider Infantry, 11th Airborne, United States Army, died of battle wounds in the Philippines. He is buried in the Manila American Cemetery.

Corporal Kenneth Kinney Metcalf (8/15/1922 – 4/5/1945), 6th Division, United States Marine Corps, was KIA at Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands, 350 miles from Japan. He is buried in Forest Rose Cemetery in Lancaster, Ohio.

Through my many internet wanderings and various Ohio contacts, I had never been able to locate this newspaper article. Many, many thanks to Jane Mason (Miller) for locating and mailing a copy!

Brian Davis – Christine Davis (Williams) – Ralph Scott Williams Jr. – Nellie Ruth Williams (Waits/sister of Charles Richard Waits)