Selected Families and Individuals

Notes


Ernest William Smithberger

On June 5, 1917, 21 year old Ernest WilliamSmithberger of 1 Lower Salem, Ohio filled out a U.S. military draft registration card. He gave his birthdate as Feb. 11, 1896, and that he was a native of Harriettsville. He indicated that he was a farmer working for his father. Ernest stated that he was single, but that his parents were dependent on him. Ernest was described as being tall and slender with blue eyes and light hair, with no obvious physical disabilities.

Served in WWI:
Name: Ernest W. Smithberger
Serial Number: 1941643
Race: W
Residence: Harrietsville, O.
Enlistment Division: National Army
Enlistment Location: Caldwell, O.
Enlistment Date: 19 Separate 1917
Birth Place: Noble Co, O.
Birth Date / Age: 21 8/12 Years
Assigns Comment: Co I 330 Infantry to May 8/18; Co M 332 Infantry to Discharge Mechanic Nov 12/17; Private May 8/18; Private, first class Aug 1/18. Vittorio-Veneto; Defensive Sector. American Expeditionary Forces June 8/18 to April 15/19. Honorable discharge May 5/19.


William Francis Wesel

From Marietta Leader, 23 May 2001 (http://www.mariettaleader.com/052301/businessnotebook.htm)

Wesel family sells businesses

Parts Depot, a major player in the automotive aftermarket, has purchased the assets of Marietta Automotive Warehouse, Marietta Ignition and Auto Paint Works.

With this acquisition, Parts Depot will be operating 17 warehouse locations and 50 store locations from Miami to Pittsburgh.

As part of the transition, four members of the second generation of the family will be resigning: Joe Wesel Sr., Charles W. ‘‘Bill’’ Wesel, Catherine Dickson and Mary A Augenstein.

Eight members of the third generation and one spouse of the second generation working in the business are Joe Wesel II, president of Marietta Automotive Warehouse; David Wesel, vice president of operations Marietta Automotive Warehouse; Marilyn Wesel, corporate counsel; William (Little Bill) Wesel, manager of Auto Paint Works; Ron Wesel, vice president of Marietta Ignition; Diane Hockenberry, advertising/bookkeeper for Marietta Ignition and Auto Paint Works; Greg Dickson, vice president of shop operations, Marietta Ignition; Joseph Augenstein, vice president of field sales, Marietta Automotive Warehouse; and Mark Augenstein, office manager of Marietta Ignition.

Parts Depot has named Joe Wesel II general manager of store operations and marketing, David Wesel as general manager of warehouse operations for the acquired locations, Ron Wesel as manager of Marietta Ignition at 321 Second St., Bill Wesel as manager of Auto Paint Works and Greg Dickson as machine shop manager.

Marietta Ignition was founded on Oct. 1, 1920 at 130 Greene St. by the late William Wesel. The business was built on the repair and the related parts sales of magnetos, generators and starters. On May 1, 1925, the business moved to 181 Front St.

Wesel died in 1945 at the age of 50, and his wife, Genevieve Wesel, ran the family business with the help of the late Charles Morrison.

She raised their four children above the store at 181 Front St.. She died in 1995.

On Sept. 6, 1967, Marietta Ignition moved to its current location at 319-321 Second St., and remains today one of the largest autmotive parts jobbers in the state of Ohio.

In February, 1981, Marietta Ignition opened a branch operation in Reno on Tennis Center Drive.

Marietta Automotive Warehouse began as a division of Marietta Ignition in May, 1960 in the old Brickwede Chair Factory at 811 Gilman St. In April, 1967, it moved to 217 Union St. In June 1971, outgrowing its operations, it moved again to its current location at Tennis Center Drive, which currently has more than 100,000 square feet of warehouse space.

Today, Marietta Automotive Warehouse operates distribution centers in Marietta, Pittsburgh and Akron as well as 12 retail stores.

Auto Paint Works was acquired in 1964 under its former name, the D.A. Kuhn Co. Auto Paint Works is a paint and body shop supply business featuring PPG products and is located at 131 Second St.


Genevieve Catherine Smithberger

Wedding announcement from The Zanesville Times Recorder, 1 Jul 1927:
Harriettsville, O., June 30 - The banns of matrimony
were published Sunday for the last time of Miss Genevieve
Catherine Smithberger and William P. Wesel. The wedding took
place on Wendesday June 29 at 9 o’clock a.m. at St. Henry’s
Catholic church.