Easter Service

In 1899, a late March edition of the Marysville Tribune announced that the Lewis Chapel Sunday School was hosting special entertainment in the evening on Easter.

Confirmation at the German Church

Confirmation is a sacred rite in the Lutheran Church. And, traditionally, confirmation takes place on Palm Sunday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Chuckery. In March of 1899, the Marysville Tribune reported that 4 boys and 5 girls were confirmed at the German Church in Chuckery. Namely, the confirmation class included Wilhelm (William) Bischof (Bishop), Martin Edward Nicol, Daniel Georg (George) Rausch, Georg (George) Adam Streng, Carolina Rosina Bischof (Bishop), Ursala Elizabeth Loschky, Elisabeth Dorothea Renner, Magdalina Scheiderer, and Magdalina Troesch.

The Great Flood of 1913

The Richwood Gazette Reported that the small hamlet of Chuckery in southern Union County was almost completely underwater. Property losses and damages were estimated to be great.

More Comings and Goings. . .

On March 25, 1891, the Marysville Tribune reported that Isaac Temple moved to a house south of Chuckery. This home had been recently vacated by C. McGill and family. The McGill family moved to a home owned by Joe Morris near Milford Center.

A Trip to Grandma's House

No matter the time period, a trip to Grandma's is always a rite of passage for children. In March of 1892, little Johnny Smith from the Smith Settlement near Plain City spent time in the neighborhood visiting his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Smith.

A Visitor to the Fairbanks Residence

In March of 1893, it was reported that Miss Ethel McCloud of Milford spent the third week of the month with her good friend, Miss Mary Fairbanks.

John George Mayer

From the Evening Tribune March 21, 1919

JOHN GEORGE MAYER PASSED AWAY FRIDAY

NATIVE OF UNION COUNTY
RETIRED FROM FARMING TWO YEARS AGO AND MOVED TO MARYSVILE

John George Mayer, aged 61 years, died Friday morning at 8:30 o’clock at his home, 420 East Seventh Street, from lung trouble following an attack of influenza. He had been confined to his bed for six weeks prior to his death.

He was born at New California, November 23, 1857, and spent his entire life in Union County.
In 1887, he was married to Miss Mary Rausch a daughter of Philip and Dora Rausch. The latter is still living but her husband is deceased. By this union, 3 sons were born, two of whom are still living, Charles and Herman Mayer, who reside near Unionville Ctr. in Darby township.

Mrs. Mayer died several years ago and Mr. Mayer later married Mrs. Margaret Scheiderer, who survives. Mr. Mayer also has two step sons living, William Scheiderer of Toledo, and August Scheiderer of Cortland, Ohio. Mr. Mayer is also survived by one brother, Christian Mayer of Dipple Station, and a sister, Mrs. Mary Kreakbaum of Delaware Avenue. Three brothers and a sister are deceased.

Mr. Mayer had been a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in the Settlement for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Mayer moved to Marysville from their farm near Unionville Center.

Go West!

In March of 1895, Miss Rena Morse contemplated giving up the Mitchell School so that she could travel west with her uncle, Joseph Morse, and his family.

Moving to Unionville

In late March of 1899, George Renner told friends near Chuckery that he intended to move his family to Chuckery in the near future.

A Visit to the German Settlement

March of 1898 found Mr. and Mrs. Zack Scheiderer of Chuckery headed to Neudettlesau to visit Zack's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Scheiderer.

Rag Sewings

In the nineteenth century, work gatherings often doubled as social events. In early March of 1887, two women in the Chuckery neighborhood held rag-sewing parties. The hostesses were Mrs. (Peter?) Rausch and Mrs. R. G. Morse.

The Lombard School

There used to be a small, one-room school house at the southern end of Lombard-Chuckery Road in Madison County. There is now a house on the site. Many of the area children attended this school. In 1886, the winter session was taught by a Miss Volky. Mr. E. T. Fairbanks taught the spring term in the Lombard District.

A Land Purchase in Chuckery

On March 14, 1892 John and Elizabeth Schiderer (Scheiderer) sold 10 acres of land in Chuckery to St. Johns Lutheran Church of Neudettelsau. This land was bought for $67.00 an acre. Upon completion of this purchase, St. Johns proceeded to erect a small frame building on the site. This building would serve as both a church and school for the next ten years. The land was later deeded to the St. Paul Lutheran congregation on the day that they officially requested release from St. Johns in 1893.

Two New Babies!

The March 12, 1898 edition of the Marysville Evening Tribune reported two births in the Chuckery Community. Mr. and Mrs. George Nicol welcomed a baby boy on March, Lorenz. And, the Reverend and Mrs. Knust welcomed a baby girl, Meta on March 8.

Spring Break!

In early March of 1890, Miss Carrie Morris closed the winter term of the Mitchell School District. Classes were dismissed until the start of the spring term in April.

Farewell, Mr. Rausch

The March 11, 1885 Marysville Tribune reported that Mr. Peter Rausch of Chuckery passed away in early March at his residence. He was buried at St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery.

Coming and Going

March 10, 1897 once again found many residents of Chuckery moving. Howard Bidwell and family set out for Kansas, where they intended to purchase a farm. John Cheney of Chuckery moved to Mt. Olive (a small community on the Marysville-Plain City Road). John Burns moved to his farm north of Marysville, while Richard Dascher took up residence in Burns' Chuckery home. And Adam Halsey had plans to move to a farm on the Axe-Handel Road.

This, That, and the Other

The March 9, 1887 Marysville Tribune had much to report in the was of Chuckery happenings. It first reported that Irwin Canter had moved into a house on the Geo. Burns farm. Another report listed a son of Mike Dellinger as being very ill. It also mentioned that Alf Minturn of the Post Road had sold his farm to a Mr. Philip Rausch. And, the final mention was that Mr. Ernest McCann recently closed a successful term of the Lombard School.

Chuckery Needs a Blacksmith

March 8, 1904 Marysville Evening Tribune

"Our Blacksmith shop is again looking for a proprietor as John Kennedy was bought out by James Dandon at Irwin, and will move there this week."

A Land Transfer

On March 7, 1894, the Marysville Evening Tribune reported that Joseph Morse of Chuckery sold his farm to a Mr. Schiederer from near (New) California last week.

A Marriage License

On March 6, 1878, it was reported by the Union County Probate Court that a young Mathias Loschky and mistress Anna B. Jordan had recently applied for a license to wed.

The Creation of the Chuckery Special School District

It was reported in the June 27, 1904 edition of the Marysville Tribune that residents of four townships in Union and Madison Counties (including Darby/Union, Darby/Madison, Pike, and Union Townships) were successful in the petition to the Union County Probate Court for a special school district. The matter was continued to July 7, 1904, at which time it would be decided what monies were due to the new special school district.

Chuckery and a Graded School

In May of 1904, residents of Chuckery and the surrounding area petitioned the Probate Court in Union County for a "graded" school. The petition claimed that without a graded school in Chuckery, the area children would miss out on the privilege of attending a school as such because there was none within a five mile radius.

Chuckery Special Public School

Chuckery had an eleven-year progam for educating the youth in the community. I do not know when the the first school began at Chuckery. However, in 1893 a brick building was built facing west on route 38 north of route 161 about ¼ of a mile. It was a two story building with a basement.

Samuel Geyer, a carpenter, was happy to get work and be employed to build this new brick school building. He moved his family here from southern Ohio and rented a home on Renner land just west of Chuckery across the Little Darby Creek. They had to cross a footbridge to reach their home. Sam & Mary Geyer were originally from Chester in Meigs County, Ohio.

The first six of my father’s family went to this school for their 11-year program. Most of them went to Darby High School in Unionville Center for their 12th year. Most of the family members learned 4 years of Latin and much more math than I did 20-25 years later. They had a large number of course offerings, but the same thing was not offered each year. In that way, the classes could be larger. In the later years, the classes were quite small. The faculty was small and taught many areas including baseball. The school closed in 1937 uniting with Darby and made the school district, Chuckery Darby School.

My grandfather, George Nelson Morse, served on the school board for this school for over 25 years. He had completed his twelfth year of education at Milford Center’s School. He supported all school issues and projects and was a supporter of the Republican Party and everything patriotic.

This school was purchased by St. Paul Lutheran Church in 1942. St. Paul had many annual church picnics at this location and I remember being there and playing with my friends inside and outside of the school The building was later razed and returned back to farm land.

- Lois Morse Barr
September 2007

Many Residents are Moving

March 1, 1893 found many Chuckery residents on the move. It was reported that John Rausch moved to the Smith farm. Ben Homasher moved to the Paris farm. And, Mr. Baker from Resaca moved to Mr. Homasher's old farm. Fortunately, all of these families remained a part of the Chuckery community.