Weaver Family Visits to Ohio 1950's

I remember visiting my Grandparents in Ohio on several trips from Minnesota. THe first is when I was 5 years old, in the summer of 1952. We flew into the Toledo airport and first visited the Glessner side of the family in Findlay where my mom was born. We then headed to West Carrollton, sound of Dayton. On this trip, I had a right arm sling, as I sustained a broken elbow when I was "helped" from one of the big spruce trees in our Faribault yard by my brother Jack. Here we sit at Ft Ancient, a park that features a 2000 yr old hilltop enclosure site, according to http://www.fortancient.org/. Left to right, Jack, Tom, Jim, Virginia, Hannah Swearington, Paul H, Peg Weaver, and Aunt Esther Eicher. Photo by Noah Elwood Weaver

The Brandt - Paul Family Tree - Esther Grossnickle 1973 Lighting the fire :-)

Here is the original document that Esther Grossnickle gave me in 1973 when I came to West Carrollton for my grandfather Elwood Weaver's funeral. She was the first relative I met that had any interest in our roots and family tree on the Weaver side of the family.

Here is Johann George Paul born in Fellingshausen Germany on May 7, 1774. Church records in Fellingshausen, say the family left in 1836. Other notes say he emigrated to America in 1837. He had a cobblers, shoe shop in a long barn that sat next to the railroad tracks across the Great Miami River from West Carrollton, on the Farmerville-West Carrollton Road, which in the mid 1800's was called Whitfield. Johann George met Amelia his future wife, pictured here, when she got off the train at this location when she was coming from Germany. Family records indicate Amelia Brandt was born 26 Mar 1824 in Krankenhagen, Niedersachsen, Germany and emigrated to Ohio in 1847. According to records, Amelia was the daughter of Fredrick Ludwig Brandt and Angel (Engel) Hecker - "Angel was the only daughter of a cabinet maker. She Married Fredrick Brandt who worked for her father, to this union 13 children were born. 5 died in infincy, the family home was in Rentiln in a town called Krankenhagen, the surviviing children (8) with the exception of 3 sons, comae to America, third son, who remained in Germany continued to live in the family home which was situated on the bank of the Weser River, His names was Ludwig and it is understood he had no children, the 7 home came to America are listed from oldest to youngest" According to the notes of my cousin Jeanette Weaver. "many of the family pictures were taken at the George Paul farm which was on the north east corner of Hemple Road and the Soldiers Home Road. The house is no longer there. There was a huge tree that was struck my lightning, and they leveled off the bottom and left the broken back standing. You can see this in the family pictures that show the families sitting on the old tree stump."

Here is "Mary", Born Amelia Louisa Brandt, Married Johann George Paul, in her later years.

The original photo of a Brandt Family reunion at the Paul Farm.

These are the identifications for the photo,
that Jeannette Weaver, Wanda Grossnickle Bourdeau and Tom Weaver, this author figured out during out visit together in Troy- Farmersville Ohio in Oct 2010. Any additions, editing and corrections are very welcome! Thanks

At the stump on the George and Mary Paul Farm, are Emma Esther Eicher, Charles Albert Eicher and Edna Helena Eicher, siblings from the Henry Eicher and Helena "Lane" Paul part of the family tree. I am the greatgrandson of Helena Paul, Jeanette Allen Weaver is the great granddaugther of Sarah Ann Paul (we are third cousins then) and Wanda Grossnickle Bourdeau is granddaugher of John Paul. In the photo above, #5 Ida Eschbaugh is Jeannette's grandmother # 6 Edna Eicher is my grandmother, and #9 Esther Paul is Wanda's mother. Tom, Jeannette and Wanda are the kissin' 2nd and 3rd cousins!

Henry Eicher's Home Rental on Bellbrook Road

Likely in the summer of 1911, N Elwood Weaver took this photo of Edna's parents, Emma Helena "Lane" Paul Eicher, with his young son, Paul Henry, on their porch facing Bellbrook Road just East of Alexandersville.

Here is Henry Eicher, who Paul Henry called Da Dad as a small boy sharing an egg with him at his home on Bellbrook Road. This is the home Henry lived in during George Eicher his brother farmed the 102 acres of land to the south. My father attributed his interest in conservation and nature to his grandfather Henry Eicher.

Here in the orchard, next to the family farm on the original Franz Eicher farm, now managed by George Eicher his son, are Edna Helena Eicher, Noah Elwood Weaver, who is the photographer, Emma Esther Eicher, Lane Paul Eicher with Paul Henry and Henry Eicher in 1911.

One of my favorites of Granddad N Elwood's photos, has  Paul Henry Weaver, between a young woman on the left, and his mom, Edna Eicher, here by the creek on the George Eicher farm. This land is now in the care of Cox Arboretum and is quite grown over with a succession forest. I published an article using this photo for the Cox Arboretum a few years back.

Eicher and Weaver Connections 1885-86 Maps Miami Township - Farms

Another of Noah Elwood's black and white photos of his wife, Edna, here climbing the "Twine Mill Hill" Road with their small son, Paul Henry, likely about 1914 when he was four. This is on the way to the Weaver Family Farm up from Miamisburg.

On the map here, note the CH and D Railroad on the 1885 map where the road curves up the hill where the photo above was taken. Note the apple orchard on the 110 acre farm with Noah & Magdalena nee Gebhart Weaver labeled with the school house across the street. This is Sect 3 where Jacob Weaver homesteaded and then passed down through Phillip to Noah.

Here is the 1885 Map west of the Big Miami River, note the F Eicher 102 acres in Section 15. The creek here still exists on the Cox Arboretum land. George Eicher brother of Henry my grandfather was the last in the family to farm the land.

Here is a Noah Elwood Weaver Photo, likely with the large format camera on a tripod. Edna Helena Eicher Weaver, N Elwood Weaver, Emma Esther Eicher, Lena Brandt Paul, Paul H Weaver as an infant, and Henry Eicher at the George Eicher orchard, which is the same land the Franz Eicher purchased in the mid 1800's in Section 15, Miami Twp. Notice the orchard and farm home on the 1885 map of the F Eicher 102 acre farm. This is the home where Franz's children were born.

Here is a drawn map I found in Miamisburg that captures the flavor of the time when Noah Elwood Weaver was born on the family farm in 1885. Note the railroad at the base of the hill, bindery hill, and the drawing of the Miamisburg Binder Twine and Cordage Company.

Weaver Ancestral Farm - Near Miamisburg Ohio early 1900's

Here is the home on bindery hill just west of Miamisburg Ohio where my grandfather Noah Elwood Weaver was born. My sense is this is a photo he took as he learned more and more about the art of photography. I am so grateful he was an early adopter of technology. Not scared to try the new fangled stuff! Thanks Grandpa

Here is Noah Elwood with a large format camera in West Carrollton in front of the envelope factory where he was a clerk for many years. I think this is how he got such great resolution.

Family portrait most likely by NEW, Front row, Noah Weaver 1835-1929, Harriet Weaver 1856-1952 holding Paul Henry Weaver, born Dec 24, 1910, his father Noah Elwood Weaver 1885 - 1973, back row, hired workers, male and female (with parrot), William Benton Weaver 1879- 1973, Edna Helena Eicher 1885- 1942.

Working in the wheat field by the farmstead here are two unnamed hired workers left and right side with a child on the top of the stacked wheat. To the left of the stack is Harriet "Hattie" Weaver and to the right is William Benton Weaver.


Likely a threshing machine shared by farmers, this photo was part of Noah Elwoods portfolio from that era. Approx 1908 in Red Album gifting to Wright State Archives page 3

 Will Weaver, with sheep at Weaver farm circa 1908  -----note farm house in background ---

Weaver farm house, Miami Twp Sect 3, 1 Mile west of Miamisburg up the "Stony Hill" road now in 2017 known as route 725 CA 1908  Page 1 red Album

Honoring the Ancestors - Speaking the truth about cultural genocide 1862-3

Here is the photo of the Dakota Concentration Camp that was built by the dominant white culture for the Dakota in 1862-3 when some 1800 or so elders woman and children were herded into this stockade after a miserable walk from the Lower Sioux Agency after the hanging  in Mankato (Maka = earth, to = blue) , where 38 of their male relatives were hung the day after Christmas in 1862 in a mass execution, still the largest ever witnessed in the US of A, I am told. I have learned the the Germans of the 20th century have admitted their wrongs for the Holocaust of non Arians - Jews, Gays, Jahavoh's Witnesses, and have memorials to address their compassion as well as the films like Shindler's List to tell the story for healing. The Dakota People are asking for an apology and recognition by calling the event by the shadow of what really happened. Like the Wounded Knee Massacre in South Dakota, it is important to understand the blatant racism and disrespect to mend the hoop and honor all humans is relatives, to love each other, as Jesus supposedly said do to, at least in the 4 Gospels I was taught be in my Episcopal Christian basics. This display is tastefully done in the visitors center overlooking the site below Ft Snelling near the B'dota, the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Mendota is the english translation of the Dakota word.

Here is a recent artists view of what it likely looked like to be an inmate in the camp in the winter of 1862-63. I understand the
Dakota Oyate, the people were given only thin army blankets and had simple fires to stay warm with, and the soldier were free to "make their way" with the Dakota women, in this camp that is a reflection of disrespect of human rights no different from Abu Ghraib in the Allies treatment of Iraqi prisoners recently. Where is the justice and where is the healing? I man from Crow Creek, who carries the eagle staff for the Crow Creek Horse riders who ride back to this site and support the Mendota Dakota, talked of the continued affects of this racist abuse in the low self esteem on the SD Reservation that has led to series of suicides by young mothers, who have hung themselves. it was suggested that through prayer and reconciliation now, much like has been done through leaders like Nelson Mandala and Desmond Tutu in South Africa with the perpetrators of Apartheid, much can be don NOW in America with recognition of this and action by our politicians and church leaders who have the courage to share from their hearts for healing. The drum and the pipe ceremony lead here by Jimmy Anderson-Dakota and Arvol Lookinghorse- Lakota modeled how the hoop can be healed with the 50-60 of various ethnicities attending. I remember last year, my son Jesse and his girlfriend Amy attended this ceremony for which I am grateful.

Here is the view from the sculpture labeled in Dakota "Remembering and Honoring" those that died here. In the foreground is a circle of prayer ties (tobacco ties) that honor each direction and each of the four races of skin color on Mother Earth. All ceremonies that I have attended in D-Lakota tradition honor all our relations, two leggeds and our plant and animal allies as well.

Taken from where I was sitting at the drum, Jimmy Anderson, Dakota history leader with the feather fan, and with the eagle bonnet, Arvol Lookinghorse with the altar and fire prior to the pipe and prayer ceremony for the honoring of the ancestors and healing of the hoop. We gathered for our feast-Wopida at the Minneapolis Indian Center on Franklin afterwards with a planning for a world peace day event here on June 21st. Wichozani!