The Hirschy Newsletter

for descendants of Philip and Julianne (Frey) Hirschy
October 1995 No. 8

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TIME TO RENEW SUBSCRIPTIONS

  Subscriptions ended July 30, and many
of you sent in renewals. For those who
did not, this issue is still being sent
with a renewal slip. If you want to
continue to receive future issues, return
your renewal today.

LETTERS

  Nancy Cornell (4.8.3.3.6) Salt Lake
City, UT "I have enjoyed the Hirschy
Newsletter and would like to renew my
subscription. Also, I would like to thank
those who helped in compiling the History
& Genealogy of the Hirschy family. It has
been a treat for me and my family to
browse through the book many times."

  Tim and Jeanette Sprunger (3.6.1.8),
Berne, IN "We enjoy the Hirschy
Newsletter. Next week we are going on a
Brenneman Tour to the New England States
and Niagara Falls."

  Betty Scott (6.1.3.2.1) Columbia City,
IN "I received your card today and am
sending the check for my Hirschy
Newsletter subscription. Thank you for
reminding me. I also noted in Friday's
paper that Neva Elliott (6.1.7.4) died on
July 6, 1995. My aunt Joan Weber and@her
daughter Joan Sue plan to visit me. I'll
share my Hirschy Genealogy book with them.
I'm sure they will enjoy it as much as I
do."

  Lois Trimble (3.10.2) Lexington, KY,
July 11, 1995 "Just recently I finally
had time to read,the latest Hirschy
Newsletter. Enclosed is my check.
  In reading about the death of my first
cousin, Magdalena Hirschy Johnson, I was
surprised to read that she was the last
grandchild of Philip Hirschy. As a
daughter of Noah C. Hirschy, am I not also
a grandchild of Philip Hirschy? [Sorry I
missed you, you are likely the last! Ed.]
  Other corrections I should perhaps have
written about earlier. They are in the
chapter on my father in The Hirschy
Genealogy. The first slight error was in
the spelling of my brother's name. It was

Hermon (from Mount Hermon). The other, I think was my fault due to misunderstanding
the questionnaire. Though I have no copy,
I assume that immediately after giving my
spouse's name, it asked for "education"
and I gave the facts about his, not my
education. I have a Bachelor's degree
from Berea College (1924) and a Master's
degree in German Literature (1935) from
the University of Kentucky. Sorry to have
made such a blunder.
  It was good to re-read that very fine
chapter on my father. I learned some
things from it and relived many of the
times reported there, things that had been
almost forgotten.
  I had not known of the June 15, 1907
letter and was much interested in it.
Could you tell me to whom that was written
or is that confidential. Could it
possibly have been to Gotthart Althaus?
[It was to Dr. E.I. Bosworth of Oberlin
College, Ed.]
  My life goes well. Life has been full
of joy in spite of many sorrows. I am
comfortable in this small retirement home
- only 16 ladies - where I can be
completely independent and yet be part of
a nice family.
  With kind regards."

John G. Hirschy (4.6.2.3.2) Coppel, TX
"Enclosed is a check for $5.00 for another
year's subscription to The Hirschy
Newsletter. The newsletter has been a
wonderful addition to my genealogical
records. Sharon, my wife, and I named our
last child after Emma Johnson, who Aaron
William Hirschy paid tribute to in the
last newsletter. She was a wonderful
woman.
  Eden, my 13 year old, continues to have
severe asthma, which is an ongoing concern
with medicine, treatments, doctor visits,
and hospital stays. Her illness has made
life unpredictable. Planning for
activities can be very frustrating, often
having to cancel planned activities
because of illness. Even so, we are
grateful for all of our children. Eden
has shown a valiant spirit, continuing to
involve herself in sports and school
clubs, even when she can only minimally
attend. She's a true "trooper," never

giving in to discouragement nor shying
away from friends or other&.
  The Lord has blessed us with a peaceful
satisfaction with life, and the hope of
being able to do more--more genealogy and
service to other--in the future. Until
then we will remain faithful.

Carolyn McCoy (4.8.1*5.2) Lagrange, IN "I
would like to renew my subscription to the
Hirschy Newsletter. I always enjoy
receiving it.
  My son Bryan McCoy was in the Genealogy
project in 4-H this year and he received a
special merit on his book at state fair*
The information in the Hirschy Genealogy
book was a great help. We have used the
book many times for resource."

  Joyce Giles (4.6.3.3.3) Vallejo, CA "I
am afraid that the information I gave you
at the gathering in Los Angeles is all
that I have on the family of Zenas Hirschy
at this time. I sent a letter to Anna
Berge and Phyllis Thatcher to see if they
might know additional information on
Susanna Bandy or on how Zenas and Susan
met. Both have replied, and they-had no
additional information. Zenas' family was
so large that it seems the brothers,
sisters, and other extended family did not
keep in touch. The aunts, uncles, and
cousins never even met. As for Susanna
Bandy possibly being adopted, it is the
last paragraph of page 253 in the Hirschy
family book,
  As I told you, our son got married this
year, so this is the update on page 265
for Dwight Ferris Giles, Jr. 4.6.3.3.3.3
M. 1-8-95 in Cebu City Philippines, JenJen
Ferolino, b. 11-27-70 in the Philippines,
dau. of Peter and Flordeliza Ferolino.
Educ: year of nursing and accounting. Oc.
Accounting. Church-Church of Christ."

Grace Wilson (4.6.13.8) Winnipeg,
Manitoba "Enclosed is a Money Order to
cover cost of Newsletter. This summer we
went to Maple Creek, Saskatchewan and
looked up my Grandmother's grave [Susanna
(Bandy) Hirschy (4.6.)]. It was well
cared for and a man was on duty at the
cemetery so had no trouble finding it. We
never knew her and I didn't know where she
was buried until the publication of The
Hirschy Genealogy. Susan's daughter
Magdalena is buried at the same site but
there is no head stone.

Note from editor: Corrections and
additions to The Hirschy Genealogy and
this newsletter, are welcomed.

THE CURRENT
GENERATION
The following article from The
Brownsville (Texas) Herald was published
Dec. 1, 1994 on their front page. It was
sent in by Sherry Clair (5.7.1.1.2),
Rochester Hills, MI. See genealogy page.

Brownsville man meets
his long-lost sister

By MARK A. GARCIA
  For many decades, Harold J. Clair of
Brownsville has had one wish. He's wished
he had a sister.
  Now, thanks to his nephew and niece,
Russell and Sherry Clair, Harold's wish
has come true.
  After 72 years of separation, Harold, 82,
and his half sister, Audrey Braatz, 72,
met for the first time Dec. 3.

  "Ever since we were first married,
Harold's always thought that it would be
nice to have a sister," says Harold's
wife, Bernell. "Now his wish has been
fulfilled and I'm happy for him and his
new sister."
  Audrey of Toledo, Ohio, was found after
a long and expensive search by Sherry
while blazing what turned out to be a long
and twisted family tree. A twist that
started with the mystery of Harold's past.
  Harold was born on Nov. 19, 1912 to
Edith Clair and Edison (Edson)
Klopfenstein. His parents divorced when
Harold was 1 1/2 years old, and he and his
brother, Lester, were then adopted by his
maternal grand-parents, Arthur and Tillie
Clair.
  While growing up, Harold was told that
Edith was his older sister and that his
grandparents were his mother and father.
  Eight years after the divorce, Edson
married Lydia Wolcott and had two
daughters, Arlene [Aryliene] and Audrey.
Audrey was born on Sept 3, 1922.
  In 1923, when Tillie died, Lester and
Harold were told that Edith was really
their mother and that Arthur and Tillie
had adopted them.
  Two years later, Edson was killed in an
auto accident in Detroit at the age of 35.
After hearing word of the accident, Edith
asked both Lester and Harold if they
wanted to see their father in the morgue.
According to Harold, "If I couldn't see my
father when he was alive, I didn't want to
see him when he was dead." Lester also
declined.
  Back in Toledo, Audrey's mother passed
away in 1927. Audrey was told the cause
of death was cancer. After the death,
Arlene and Audrey were raised by
grandparents, aunts and uncles.
  Several years later, in 1969, Harold
decided to look for his father's grave,
thinking that he was buried in a potter's
field. Since Harold had no knowledge of
Edson's second marriage, he feared that no
one identified his body at the time of
death and wanted to give him a proper
burial if he hadn't received one.
  After doing a little research, Harold
found that his father was properly buried
in a veterans lot by the American Legion
at Roselawn Cemetery in Detroit. Edson
was a World War I veteran. According to
Harold, he felt completely relieved after
seeing his father's grave.

  What Harold didn't know was that Edson's
second wife, Lydia, had sent Peter
Kieffer, a friend of the family [actually
his grandmother's second husband], from
Toledo to Detroit at the time of death, to
claim the body and make all funeral
arrangements. It was Peter who contacted
the American Legion and made the burial
possible.
  Earlier this year, Sherry Clair decided
to do a tree researching her side of the
family. After completion, she then
decided to do one of her husband's family.
It was then that she found there was a
severed limb before Harold and Lester.
Now, after a few months of hard work and a
huge phone bill, Harold and Audrey are
getting to know each other. Lester and
Arlene have since passed away. Lester
died in 1958, and Arlene died recently, in
1989 [actually 7-6-90).
  "I was shocked when I found out about
Harold, ti says a tearful Audrey. "i can't
really say how I felt."
  Harold, who has been battling emphysema
since January, was excited." All these
years I've been wanting to know about my
kinfolk and now I find out that I've had a
sister. Now I wish this could have been
done years ago when I was younger."
  After Audrey found out, she wanted to
meet Harold, so she flew to Brownsville
along with her [step]son Lee and nephew
Russell. On the evening of Dec. 3, at
Royal Poinciana Park lot number 91, Audrey
walked into the white-and-red mobile home
to see Harold get up from his wheelchair,
hold both her hands, give her a huge kiss
on the cheek, and warmly said, "Hi,
there!"
  Audrey, who is in the beginning stages
of Alzheimer's disease, responded by
saying, "Thank God!"
  "She's as good-looking as I am!" Harold
remarked.
  The siblings shared some long-awaited
quality time until last Wednesday, when
Audrey and company returned to their homes
in Toledo.
  "I've read about these types of things
all the time,' said Harold. "Now I know
exactly how they feel."

Sherry Clair reports that Harold Clair
died of emphysema on Jan. 23, 1995. She
commented, "He was so happy to meet his
sister and we did it just in time."

WEDDINGS
  Announcements of several weddings have
been sent to me. Two sisters were married
almost a year apart. Both took place in
St. Jude Catholic Church, Fort Wayne, IN.

  Susan Marie Stahly (4.5.2.1.3.1) was
married July 9, 1994 to Michael James
Holbrook. Susan received a Bachelor of
Science degree in Supervision from Indiana
Purdue, Fort Wayne. She and her husband
were employed in his father's Holbrook's
Mobile Home Service, Roanoke, IN.

  Michelle Lynn Stahly (4.5.2.1.3.2) was
married July 8, 1995 to Steven Vincent
Shank. Michelle has a Bachelor of Science
in Elementary Education from Indiana
Purdue, Fort Wayne. She is a teacher in
Abbett Elementary School, Fort Wayne and
is pursuing a master's degree in education
at Saint Francis College.

  Stephanie Marie Stahly (4.5.2.1.2.1) was
married Oct. 7, 1995 to Daman Christensen
at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church,
Brentwood, CA. She is a cousin to the two
sisters named above. All three are
granddaughters of Mildred (Neuenschwander)
Stahly (4.5.2.1) of Berne, Indiana.

William Snell of Cleveland, TN has given
the following information:
  Mark Thomas Smith (3.1.4.3.1.4) married
Apr. 28, 1995 in Birmingham, AL, Janice
Schell, b. May 10, 1966, dau. of Harold
Raymond Schell and Carol Author Phillips.

  A person who is descended from two
Hirschy ancestors is Linney Magaly
Biberatein (1.2.4.8.2.2 and 3.6.1.5.2.2)
who was married August 1995 to Douglas
Reese Kensey of Lexington, KY.

IN MEMORIAM
Velma D. Runyon (4.8.3.3) East Lansing,
MI, sent in the notice of the passing of
her husband's (Gerald L. Runyun), brother,
Tillman "Tim" Runyon. Tim died Sunday,
March 19, 1995 in Miami, Oklahoma. He
moved to Miami in 1969 from Wichita,
Kansas. In his life he had been a farmer,
welder and machinist.

  Marcella (Lehman) Burke (3.4.4.1) of
Turlock, CA died March 12, 1995. She was
buried in Toledo, OH beside her husband.
In recent years she was afflicted with
Parkinson's disease.

  Anita (Yoder) Steury (1.5.3.1.5) of
Belleview, WA died Sept 21, 1995 in
Seattle, WA. She was a teacher and
librarian. Funeral services were held in
Washington Cathedral, Redmond, WA.

  James E. Fox (3.1.3.3) Swiss Village,
Berne, IN, died Sept 23, 1995. He was a
lifetime resident of Adams Co., and a
member of the First Mennonite Church,
Berne, where he had been a Sunday School
teacher and a member of the Men's Chorus.
He was retired from Berne Furniture
Company.

  Harry Grant Augsburger (1.5.2.3) of
Berne, IN died July 16, 1995 at the age of
83. He retired as owner of Berne Corner
Meat Market and co-owner of
Geneva Locker.
Surviving are his wife, Lillie; two sons,
David of Berne and Lyle of Fort Lauder-
dale, FL; a daughter Kathleen Kohl of
Berne; six grandchildren; and three great-
grandchildren.

*    *    *
DAD'S FIRST CAR

By David Augsburger (1.5.2.3.3)

  My dad, [Harry G.] at age eighty-two
told me, "I remember the first new car my
dad, Noah, bought. The year was 1921. At
that time we lived two miles west of Berne
on 218, then south to the old Yoder farm.
  One September morning, father got up
early. After the morning chores were done
and breakfast was over, he left and went
to Berne with a neighbor. I thought this
was strange because he usually went to
town with his horse and buggy.
  I was nine years old. Back then I had
to entertain myself. There weren't a lot
of toys to play with. An old man gave me
a wooden top. I was proud of it and
played with it for hours at a time. That
morning, I was playing with it when I
heard a car. As I listened it got closer.
It sounded like the car was coming in our
lane. What a surprise! It was my dad,
driving a car!
  He stopped the car and we all gathered

around it. We had never seen a new car
before. Father said it was a Model T Ford
touring car. The car was black, open on
the sides, and it had a top. Curtains
came with the car that could be put on if
it rained or was cold outside.
  The car cost around $260.00. 1
remember it had three pedals on the floor:
a clutch, a brake, and a reverse pedal.
  This Model T had no spare tire with it,
but it did have a kit to repair any holes.
This kit contained some rubber patches,
glue, and a tire boot. There was also a
jack and a hand operated air pump. If we
had a flat tire, we just jacked up the
car, took the tire off, and repaired it on
the spot. Then we spent a long time
pumping up the tire so we could continue
on our way.
  After lunch that day my Dad decided it
was time to take the new car out for a
drive. I asked if I could go along.
"Sure," said Dad, "we will all go." I ran
out and jumped in the back seat. I was so
excited and proud of our new car. It was
the most exciting day of my life!
  Dad and my brother, Palmer, proceeded
to crank the car. There was a throttle
lever and a spark lever on the steering
post. Dad set the spark and the throttle.
Then they cranked and cranked. Finally,
they got it started and we were off.
  We went to Linn Grove, drove thru town,
and then headed back home. That was
really a big thrill for a nine year old
boy.
  A few days later my dad had to go to
Decatur and went in the car. When he
returned home my mother asked him how he
got along with the car, "Well," he said,
"I had to go around the court-house three
times to make sure I remembered how to
stop the car. This car isn't like the
horse. When you holler, 'whoa', it
doesn't stop."
  Our uncle, Charlie Tremp, lived at
Woodburn, Indiana. Dad and mom decided we
would go visit them on Sunday. Saturday
afternoon, Dad and Palmer drove that car
out of the grainery.
  "What are you two going to do?" I
asked. "We're going to chage the oil in
the car. This is a big trip we are taking
on Sunday. So we thought we had better
change the oil."
  Sunday morning bright and early we all
piled in the car and headed for Uncle
Charlie's house at Woodburn. Woodburn was

about 50 miles from where we lived. The
top speed during that trip was just over
twenty miles an hour. "That's fast enough
for anyone to go," he said.
  We arrived at Uncle Charlie's at 11:00
a.m. It took us about three hours to make
the trip. We visited and then started
back later in the afternoon. The trip
back home went fine. We had made it to
Woodburn and back in one day!
  I remember the first time we drove at
night. Palmer and Dad din't think the
lights were very bright. They didn't put
out enough light to drive by. Soon they
discovered the dimmer switch. The lights
had been set on dim. When they put them
on bright we had plent of light. What a
difference!
  Once they figured out everything they
needed to know about this car, it turned
out to be a good means of transportation.

OMII GENEALOGICAL PROJECT
(Ohio, Michigan,Indiana & Illinois)
  Progress is being made on the
cooperative project to place
information on all the Swiss and
South German Amish and Mennonite
immigrants to America in the 18008,
and their descendats, into a common
computer data base. The names of
some 12,000 persons who lived in
Adams County have been entered.
  The Kidron Historical Society
has over 60,000 names entered, and
in addition they have information
on some 65,000 members of the
Hochstettler family entered.
  If you are using a computer and
wish to participate in this
program, contact David Habegger.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION

  The Hirschy Newsletter is published
four times a year. Cost is $5.00 for four
issues.
  The editor is David L. Habegger, 6929
Hillsboro Ct., Fort Wayne, IN 46835-1818.
  If you have material you would like to
submit for publication, send it to the
editor.
  In correspondence please use the number
behind your name to identify yourself.

FAMILY NUMBER	NAME	BIRTH	DEATH

5.7	Joseph Klopfenstein	03-02-1859	1912
	B. Fulton Co., OH R. Fulton Co., OH
	M. Arminta Barnes b. 1868, d. 1926. After the death of Joseph she married Peter Kieffer.
5.7.1	Edison (Edson?) Klopfenstein	1889	1925
	M. Edith Louise Clair, dau. of Arthur and Tillie Clair. Div. 1914.
	M2. Lydia Woolcott (She was the widow of Paul Coleman), died 1927.
	After Edison and Edith were divorced her parents adopted Lester and Harold and raised them as their children. They grew up thinking that Edith, their mother, was their sister. When Tillie died in 1923 they were told the true story.
5.7.1.1	Lester Arthur (Klopfenstein) Clair	01-23-1911	1958
	M.Mildred Ida Van Ittersum
5.7.1.1.1	Roy Lester Clair	01-13-1942
	B. Detroit, MI R. Westland, MI
	M. Sharon Koeher, Divor.
	M. 1981, Gwendolyn
5.7.1.1.1.1	Tracey Clair
	B. Westland, MI
5.7.1.1.2	Russell Neil Clair	01-13-1942
	B. Detroit, MI R.
	M. 11-04-1972 Sherron ( Sherry) Vogt, b. July 6, 1940, dau. of Russelll Alpheus Vogt and Shirley Maxine Morris.
	Oc. Electrician, her-secretary at General Motors
	Ch. Five Point Community Church
5.7.1.2	Harold Joseph (Klopfenstein) Clair	11-19-1912	01-23-1995
	M. Lorraine Van Ittersum
	M. Bernell
5.7.1.2.1	Frederick Joseph Clair
5.7.1.2.2	Joanne Clair
5.7.1.3	Peace Arylein Klopfenstein	1918	07-06-l990
	B. Ohio R. Toledo, OH
	M. Leonard Bethel
5.7.1.3.1	Richard Lee Bethel
5.7.1.3.1	Leonard Paul Bethel
5.7.1.4	Audrey Klopfenstein	09-03-1922
	D. Ohio R. Toledo, OH
	M. Harold Braatz
5.7.1.4.1	Mary Braatz
5.7.1.4.2	Lester Braatz
5.7.1.4.3	Louie Braatz
5.7.1.4.4	George Braatz
5.7.1.4.5	Paul Braatz

385

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