The Bigelow Cemetery - An Ohio State Nature Preserve

The Bigelow Cemetery is a pioneer cemetery containing many of the remains of the Bigelow family and their neighbors. This cemetery is alternately known as both the Chuckery Cemetery and the Boerger Cemetery. This is due to its location near land presently owned by the Boerger Family and the Chuckery community.

In pioneer days, native vegetation was cleared from the Darby Plains by setting fire to the prairie each spring. Then the land would be prepared for planting. Largely, the land was not heavily tilled. It is here on the Darby Plains that people came from the New England states to settle. These pioneers included the Bigelow family, the Reed family, the Mc Cloud family, and the Smith family. In old histories, scarcely a family was left untouched by the plague and malaria in the early 1800s.

In 1978, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources named the Bigelow Cemetery a state nature preserve. This was due to the fact that it had never been tilled, and it is considered to be a remnant of the vast Darby Plains. This site is owned by the Pike Township trustees, while being managed by ODNR.

For me, this is another one of those spots that I get lost, I get lost in yesteryear as I read the tombstones. My heart breaks as I read of young children who died very young. And, my heart rejoices as I read of those pioneers who have lived to ripe old ages. And, sometimes, if I close my eyes, I can smell the light fragrance of the prairie flowers, I can see a wagon on the road. I can hear the clip-clop of the horse hooves, and for a moment I am truly living a life on the Chuckery Prairie.

Do you need an organ cleaned?

In 1887, the Marysville Tribune reported that H. W. Felkner from Ostrander was in the Chuckery area repairing organs. H. W. Felkner was a expert in organ repair, and he was highly recommended by the Tribune.

This is an interesting blurb. . . I wonder how many households near Chuckery had organs in 1887. Today it is very common for a family to own a piano, but not many have organs. However, this all said, the Headings family has an organ that is in working condition. We also have a player piano that my grandmother-in-law had purposely dismantled because she felt that the player mechanism made the piano too cumbersome to move. Restoring this piano is on our TO DO list. . . after finishing the house remodel, raising our daughters, weeding the garden, finishing homework, etc. . .

Did Chuckery ever have a Post Office?

So many places marked on maps were never platted towns. They were simply locations of post offices. And, it would seem that this is true for Chuckery. There was a US Post Office at Chuckery in the General Store on the corner of SR 38 and SR 161. This post office was active from 1898 to 1903. After the post office was closed, mail delivery in the community was split between Plain City, Milford Center, and Irwin.

If anyone has an example of a Chuckery post mark, please send in a scan of it. I am sure many exist, and my Chuckery neighbors would just need to look through old letter to find one.

A Friday Visit to the German Settlement

A late January 1894 Marysville Tribune reported that Reverend Knust, German minister in Chuckery, traveled to Neudettelsau last Friday to visit with friends. He also went to Marysville.

Be Careful with Lanterns in Your Buggy!

In the Marysville Evening Tribune in 1894, quite a scary event on the Post Road was reported. Jean Collet and Mr. Nash had quite a scare last Thursday evening. They drove to church in Irwin, leaving their lantern, robes and an overcoat in their buggy while they went into the church. When they returned to the buggy, they found that the lantern had tipped, burning their robes, the overcoat, the dash of the buggy, and a seat. The moral of the story is do not leave lighted lanterns in unattended buggies!

A Brief History of Chuckery

Chuckery was never formally surveyed or platted as a village. Earliest mention of this village in local histories date to 1814. In approximately 1858 a small Methodist Episcopal Church was built at Chuckery. This church, named for its founding pastor, was called Lewis Chapel and was a part of the Milford Circuit. In 1892 a Lutheran parochial school was built in Chuckery as a branch school to the St. John's Lutheran congregation also located in Darby Township. In 1893 St. Paul Lutheran Church was formally recognized as a separate entity from the St. John's congregation. On April 8, 1898 a US post office was established in this small village, based out of the general store. The St. Paul Lutheran Church congregation erected a house of worship in 1902. In 1903 the post office was closed. The Little Darby Creek was dredged in the vicinity of the village in the early 1920s as a flood control measure. The 1930 US Census reported that there were 36 inhabitants of Chuckery. In 1946 the store in Chuckery was closed, and in 1953 a semi truck hit the abandoned store building. At one time there was also a blacksmith and a hotel in this village. Today Chuckery is still home to St. Paul Lutheran Church and School. There is also a parsonage in the village limits for the church, and one farmstead also lies within the town limits.

The Chuckery Special School was built in the village in 1905. The school received a grade school charter in 1917 and again in 1929. In 1937 the public school in Chuckery was closed with the consolidation of the Chuckery and Unionville school districts. St. Paul Lutheran Church bought the vacant building, using it for a few years while they constructed a new parochial school building.

St. Paul Lutheran Church has maintained a school in Chuckery since its founding in 1892. The school originally taught just students in grades 1 through 7. A kindergarten was added in the late 1980s. A preschool was added in 2006. Students from this school usually transfer to Fairbanks Local Schools, Jonathan Alder High School, or Mechanicsburg Village Schools to complete their education.

A Fire Near Chuckery

A house on Mr. Kennedy's land burned in January of 1893. The house was occupied by Cyrus Stoddard and family. The house was deemed a total loss. Until a new residence could be built, the Stoddard family stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Claire Kent, the parents of Mrs. Stoddard.

Samuel Geyer (1852-1922)

Samuel Geyer came to Chuckery in 1893 to assist in the building of a school house at Chuckery. He was a carpenter. He and his family first lived just about ½ west of Chuckery off Route 161—on the opposite side of the Little Darby Creek. They had to walk a footbridge to get to their home. Then he built a house for his family—first house south of Chuckery on Route 38; it is a two-story home. It is still standing. In 1908, Sam & Mary bought a farm and moved to Tremont City just outside Springfield, Ohio.


- Lois Morse Barr
September 2007

The George Burns House

In January of 1898 it was reported that George Burns had nearly completed work on his new house. This grand house was built using bricks from the Burns Brick Yard near Marysville. Mr. Burns moved into the house immediately upon its completion. The house was built for Mr. Burns' wife, Katharina, but she passed away in September of 1897.

John Leonard Boerger

From the Evening Journal-Tribune January 23, 1957

John L. Boerger Dies Tuesday At Home Near Irwin

John L. Boerger, 88, died about 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Irwin Rt. 1 farm home where he had lived since 1901.

A retired farmer, Mr. Boerger had been ill about two years. He was the last voting charter member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Chuckery.

Born Nov. 15, 1868 in Union county, he was a son of Killian and Margaret Boerger. He was confirmed April 2, 1882 in St. John's Lutheran Church.

His wife, Caroline Rausch Boerger, whom he married April 16, 1891 in Marysville, died Sept. 29, 1913.

Surviving children are two sons Chris Boerger, Marysville Rt. 2, and Lennie Boerger, Irwin Rt. 1, and four daughters, Mrs. Otto (Irene) Burger, Marysville Rt. 2, Mrs, Fred (Lydia) Schmidt, Milford Center Rt. 1, Mrs. Gustav (Bertha) Schmidt of Lorain and Mrs. Dean (Ruth) Arnold of Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Also surviving are five brothers, the Rev. Fred Boerger of Racine,Wis., Emanuel Boerger, Plain City, the Rev. Alfred Boerger, of Hamilton Gerhardt and Carl Boerger, both of Marysville, Rt. 5, two sisters, Mrs, Mary Rausch, Marysville, and Mrs. Lena Rausch, Plain City; 28 grandchildren and 31 great grandchildren. Two children, Laura and Edgar, preceded him in death.

The Rev. Alfred Booster will conduct funeral services at 2 p.m. Friday in St. Paul's Lutheran church. Friends may call after 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Grigg Funeral Home. Prayer services
will be conducted in the funeral home at 1:15 p.m. Friday.

Protracted Meetings

In reading through old newspaper clippings and histories, I frequently find accounts of protracted meetings at different churches. So, I have decided today to define a protracted meeting. In evangelical terms, a protracted meeting was a service that would last several days. It was the pioneer equivalent of today's revivals.

In January of 1896, the Marysville Tribune published accounts from both Lewis Chapel in Chuckery and the Unionville Center Methodist Episcopal Church of successful protracted meetings. Lewis Chapel gained 13 new members. And, the UC Church gained 11 members.

George Casper Rausch

From the Evening Tribune January 22, 1948

DEATH CLAIMS AGED CITIZEN

George Casper Rausch, 91, retired farmer of Milford center, Route 1, died last evening at the home of his son, of a cerebral hemorrhage following a stroke last Saturday.

He was in Union County on September 23, 1856, to George and Margaret (Gase) Rausch and was married on October 17, 1880, at St. John’s to the former Mary Bunsold, who died in 1883. He was married to the former Margaret Streng on November 23, 1884,. at St. John's. His second wife died in July of 1940. He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Survivors include a son by the first marriage, John Frank, and four sons and two daughters by the second: Daniel G., Edward, Walter, and Louis, and Mrs. Rosina Nicol and Mrs. Laura Kleiber; thirty grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. Mrs. Emma Mayer, Mrs. Lydia Ell and Edward, children by the first marriage, are deceased, as are five brothers and three sisters.

Funeral services are to be conducted on Saturday afternoon by the Rev, Carl E. Zehner at 1:30 o'clock at the residence and at 2 o'clock at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Burial will be in John's Lutheran cemetery.

Rest in Peace, Ida Bidwell

Mrs. Ida Bidwell, wife of Horace Bidwell died in January of 1891. She died from consumption at her home 1/2 mile east of Chuckery. The funeral service was held at Lewis Chapel. The funeral was well attended by many people, including some who came from as far as Urbana.

Extreme Cold in January

In 1886 an extremely cold spell hit Ohio. Activities in Chuckery slowed down. It was so cold that the area schools held very few spelling bees. This way, families did not have to come out in the cold to watch the bees. Also, the extreme cold in the neighborhood prevented Chuckery correspondence from being delivered to the Marysville Tribune office in a timely fashion.

January Illnesses

It was reported in the January 19, 1887 edition of the Marysville Tribune that there were several people sick in the Chuckery neighborhood. Miss Emma Rausch was just beginning to feel well enough to return to school. Dick Watson had just become ill. And, it was reported that on of Hiram Kent's children was quite ill.

George Fenner

George Fenner, a farmer, eldest son of Hezekiah and Lucinda (Kimball) Fenner, was born in Union County, in October 1846; his grandfather, Benjamin Fenner, came to near Liverpool, Madison County, at an early day, and purchased a farm of sixty acres. The subject of this sketch was reared in Union County, and educated in the common schools of his native place. In 1871, he was married to Celia Morse, daughter of Jason Morse. Mrs. Fenner died in 1874, and left one son-Alfred E. Mr. F. married for his second wife Alvira Bidwell, a native of this county, and a daughter of Addison Bidwell, an early settler of the county. Two children were born to this union-Howard N. and Oscar A. Mr. Fenner settled on his present farm in 1871, and is engaged in agriculture and stock-raising. His farm contains 121 acres of land, valued at $75 per acre.


- from the 1883 Beers' HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY, OHIO

St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery

St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery is located where Burns Road meets State Route 38 on the north side of Big Darby Creek in Darby Township, Union County, Ohio. The original 1.45 acre plot was purchased January 17, 1899 from Gottlieb and Lizzee (Lizzie) Burns for a total price of $37.50. On February 17, 1974 the congregation purchased an additional 3 acres from William and Mary Burns for a price of $2,400. The original layout of the cemetery contained steps leading to a central walkway. This walkway is now being utilized for additional gravesites. The ground water level is too high much of the year at Chuckery, therefore, it was not a suitable site for the cemetery. The present site has excellent drainage because it is located on a gravel bank.

There are markers indicating 17 graves which are not listed in our caretaker's book. Four of these were deceased prior to the purchase of the land. It is presumed they were moved to the cemetery from another burial site. To explain the missing entries would be conjecture on our part; most likely they had not kept a "caretaker's book" but were recorded in other church records prior to 1909. The first recorded burial in the caretaker's register was that of Andrew Greenbaum, a stillborn child, on February 2, 1909.

Early caretakers of the cemetery were presumed to have been the Church Trustees. Sometime in the late 1940's the congregation elected George Vollrath as the official caretaker. He was replaced by William Schmidt in 1956. Edwin "Bud" Bosley took over the duties in 1967. Bud maintained burial records on a map, drawn by Irene (Boerger) Burger, at the recommendation of Reverend C. J. Wachholz who served the congregation from 1925 to 1946. Harold Gaulke was the cemetery care taker after Bud Bosley. Larry Nicol and Dave Picklesimer became the care takers after Harold’s death in 2008.

The July 3, 1921 minutes of a church meeting include a motion to reimburse the grave digger $8.00 for a grave lined with stone or brick; if without, then he was to be paid only $6.00. The older graves did not have a sealed vault; the coffin was placed on a stone slab, the sides were built up with bricks and another stone slab was placed on top.

When Florence Rausch was buried, the Chuckery band, in uniform, assembled at the covered bridge and led the funeral procession into the cemetery playing the Funeral March in a cadence of either 90 or 60 steps per minute.

In 1985 the church accepted an endowment grant from Dr. Lorenz Nicol, former member, with the proceeds being used to establish the St. Paul Cemetery Turf Fund which is used for upkeep of cemetery grass.

In July of 1993 a flag and flag pole were donated to the church by VFW Post 3320. The flagpole was erected at the west end of St. Paul Cemetery near the adjoining Mitchell Cemetery so that it can be accessible for military services in either cemetery. On July 4, 1993 the flag and pole were dedicated in a service conducted by Reverend Hubert Rausch of St. Paul.

The purpose of St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery shall be to provide a final resting place for the family of believers belonging to St. Paul Lutheran Church of Chuckery, Ohio. Any member of St. Paul Lutheran Church may acquire the use of a burial lot for himself, his spouse, and any minors in his care. Members are granted the right to bury; they do not own a specific plot.


- from the 2011 St. Paul Genealogy Book

Joseph Morse

Joseph Morse, a farmer, is a son of Ray G. Morse, and was born in Union Township in 1837. He was married in 1872 to Elizabeth, daughter J. S. Taylor, of Madison County, Ohio, by whom he has had one child, viz., Sadie. Mr. Morse enlisted in 1862 in Company E, Eighty-sixth Regiment, in which he served four months. He owns ninety-two acres of land, valued at $100 per acre. Politically he is Republican, and, besides, is one of the enterprising farmers of the county.



- from the 1883 Beers' HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY, OHIO

George Conrad Burger

From the Evening Tribune January 15, 1945

CONRAD BURGER DIED SATURDAY

Conrad Burger, 80, passed away at his home near Chuckery Saturday evening. Surviving are two daughters, Elizabeth of California, and Charlotte of near Plain City; three sons, Otto of near Marysville, Alfred and Leroy of near Plain City; and eight grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 1:30 o’clock at the home and at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with the Rev. C. J. S. Waccholz officiating. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery. Friends may call at the home Thursday and Friday and are asked to omit flowers.

James McCloud

James McCloud, a farmer, is a grandson of Thomas McCloud, a native of Vermont, who with two brothers, Charles and David, came to the West and settled on Darby Plains, this county and township, in 1810, and were among its earliest pioneers. The subject of this sketch was born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1833. His parents, John and Laura (Tinkham) McCloud, were natives of Delaware County and Vermont, respectively. They settled in Madison County in 1853. Two years later they moved to Whitley County, Ind., thence to Miami County, and to Union County, Ohio, in 1850,. and settled on a farm in Union Township. His death occurred at Unionville Center, January 19, 1872. His wife, who survives, is in the seventy-first year of her age. James McCloud was married in 1854 to Miss Melinda, daughter of Jeremiah Converse. a pioneer family of Madison County, where she was born. This union has produced six children, three of whom are living, viz., Jeremiah B., Nina R. and Mamie M. Mr. McCloud served the three months' call for troops during the rebellion, in the ranks of Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Ohio National Guard, and suffered by sickness nearly the whole time of service. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church or Lewis Chapel of Chuckery.

- from the 1883 Beers' HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY, OHIO

A Scheiderer Visit to Neudettelsau

In 1897, it was reported that John Scheiderer and wife went to the German Settlement to visit relatives. It should be noted that John and Elizabeth Scheiderer sold ten acres of their land to the Plains Branch of St. Johns in 1892. This is where St. Paul Lutheran Church was founded in 1893. More about St. Paul will be covered in a later post.

More about Lewis Chapel

In the 1883 History of Union County by Beers, it is stated that the Unionville Center Methodist Church probably began in a home in the southern part of the township as early as maybe 1820—home of Charles McCloud. James McCloud was listed as an early member of Lewis Chapel. Charles and James were probably related and lived very close to each other. Chuckery is only several miles from Unionville and is at the very southern tip of the township. So, there may be some early connections and division with this early worshipping community. Ohio Wesleyan University (archives holder for the Methodist Church in central Ohio) tells me that they have no records about Lewis Chapel. All of the information previously written here about Lewis Chapel has been gleaned from the 1883 Beers History Book and comments passed down by ancestors to their descendants. Information for Unionville Center Methodist church can be found at Beers’ Union County History, p. 234.

- Lois Morse Barr
September 2007

An Oyster Benefit Dinner

In early January of 1887 Lewis Chapel held an Oyster Benefit Dinner for the Sunday School. The dinner was well attended. It was held at the James McCloud residence near Irwin. The Chuckery Boys Brass Band provided the entertainment.

J. George Nicol (II)

From the Marysville Tribune January 11, 1937

J. GEO NICOL PASSED AWAY

WELL-KNOW FARMER OF CHUCKERY DISTRICT DIED SATURDAY OF HEART DISEASE

J. Geo. Nicol, aged 73, well-known farmer of the Chuckery district, died of heart trouble at his residence on Route 161 at about 6:30 p. m. Saturday. He was stricken ill about a week ago. Mr. Nicol was a native of Darby Township, born near Bridgeport to John Leonard and Sophie Beech Nicol, both deceased. His parents were natives of Germany.

Mr. Nicol is survived by his wife, Katherine Rausch Nicol, with whom he wedded on April 12, 1888. He was a lifelong member of the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at Chuckery.

A Surprise Wedding!

W. B. Mitchell reported in the Marysville Tribune that there was quite a surprise at the Lewis Chapel on Sunday, December 29, 1890. During the course of the morning worship service, a couple went up and stood before the minister to be married. The couple was James Dunn and Laura Taylor. What a surprise that must have been to all in church on that very special Sunday!

The New St. Paul Lutheran Church

On January 8, 1961, the St. Paul Lutheran Church Council made a recommendation to improve the 1902 church building. A committee which included the church trustees was formed. The trustees also chose Hugo Vollrath, HArold Nicol, and Edgar Burns to help them. After polling the church membership, it was determined that most members favored repainting the interior of the church, remodeling the entrance, and redecorating the church. The committee was then instructed to enlist the service of an architect to determine the next course of action. The four options that the architect were 1.) Spend very little money - Paint the church, reinforce the steeple, repair bad spots in ceiling - Plan for a new building in the NEAR future. 2.) Spend $6,000 - Repair the ceiling - Redecorate the interior - Paint the exterior. 3.) Spend $30,000 - Remodel the building - Add a new front - Add restrooms - Replaster. 4.) Build a new church. When these options reached the voters' assembly, the congregation voted on option 4. The estimated cost of this option was $80,000.

Chuckery Gossip

In 1887 it was reported that a gentleman from Chuckery has been making frequent visits to Homer. There was speculation as to what the attraction was in Homer. . .

Christmas at the German Church

In 1904, it was reported that a Christmas Service was held recently in the German Church in Chuckery. The service was very well attended.

A Deed Transfer from St. Johns to St. Paul

It was officially recorded in Union County records that the St. Paul property was officially transferred from St. Johns on January 3, 1894. Prior to this transfer, the deed to the St. Paul property in Chuckery was held by St. Johns - Neudettelsau.

An Addition to St. Paul Lutheran School

On January 3, 1988, the St. Paul Lutheran Church voters' assembly voted to add two rooms to the east side of the school building. Included in this plan was a conversion of the lower grade classroom into office space and a Kindergarten room.

No Hunting on Sunday!

In 1887 a complaint was published in the Marysville Tribune. This complaint that dealt with hunting near Chuckery on Sundays. The complaint mentions that "the law ought to be enforced." So, apparently, it was once illegal to hunt on Sunday in the Chuckery area. Oh, how times have changed!

When was Chuckery founded?

First mention of Chuckery in local histories date to pre-1820. But, to pinpoint an exact founding date is proving to be impossible. Chuckery has never been platted. It has never been much more than a community that grew up on the old Post Road (present day State Route 161) next to the Little Darby Creek. There have been many residents of Chuckery over the years, but the actual population of Chuckery has never been great in number. Over the years, there have been more houses in Chuckery. There were two schools at one time - a public school and a parochial school. There also were two churches simultaneously. There once was a country general store, a post office, a blacksmith, and a hotel. But, in spite of this, Chuckery is still just a tiny community. Yet, Chuckery is my home.

Welcome to Chuckery!

If you have stumbled upon this blog, you are probably lost. . . or, perhaps you, like me, call Chuckery home and want to know more about its history. No matter how you found me, I welcome you with open arms. Welcome to the place I have fondly called home for over eight years. And, please join me on this journey as I discover the history of Chuckery. Welcome friends!