Albert Hohman was the second child and oldest son of John and Theresa Hohman. In addition to farming, his father was the schoolteacher at the one-room schoolhouse in Rado (Noble Co., OH), so Albert helped his mother run the farm in the fall and spring when school was in session.
Albert was a lover of horses. He began training work horses early in his life. As a young teenager he and his brother George “broke” (trained) a team of colts to work the family farm. The colts were so small that ordinary harness would not fit them, so Albert and George contrived custom made harness for them. Polly, one of the team, remained with the family and provided work and rides for all of my dad’s six brothers. That horse could probably tell plenty of stories of all the girlfriends she visited with her riders.
On September 12, 1918, Albert Sebastian Hohman (20 - November 22, 1898) of RFD #1, Caldwell, Noble Co., Ohio registered for the military draft. His occupation is listed as farmer and his employer as F. A. Smith of RFD #1, Caldwell, Ohio. His nearest relative is given as Mrs. Teresia Hohm, RFD #4, Cladwell, Noble co., Ohio. His physical description is given as: height: medium; build: medium; eyes: gray; hair: brown.
After working for a couple of years as teamster for Frank Smith who owned the general store in Fulda, Albert left home in 1918.
In 1920, 22 year old unmarried Albert Hohman was a roomer in the home of Fred and Mary Coats in Hudson Twp., Summit Co., Ohio. Albert worked as a teamster on a dairy farm.
He traveled to Kent, Ohio and was hired by a dairy farmer, W.C. Arnold. This farm was near that of Andrew Anthony Yeager. Albert was sent to help on the Yeager farm at threshing and haying time. That is how he met Loretta Margaret Yeager whom he married in 1923. The best man was Frank Yeager, brother of the bride and the maid of honor was Mary Agnes Hohman later known as Sister Benita Marie who was a sister of the groom.
Albert left the farm and hired in to work building tires for the B.F. Goodrich Co. The newlyweds moved to 523 Seth Court, Akron, Ohio. After a couple of years working in the rubber shop, Albert took the civil service exam to become a postal employee. Loretta helped him study and Albert passed with flying colors, despite the fact that he had not finished eighth grade.
In 1930, 32 year old postal worker Albert S. Hohman lived with his wife Loretta M. (29) in a home they owned (value $4500) at 523 Seth Court, Akron, Summit Co., Ohio. Living with them were their children Martha (5) and Maurice A. (2 yrs. 8 mos). Also living with them was Albert's brother Clement H. (26). Based on census records, they had been married for 7 years. All members of the household were born in Ohio, as were Albert's parents and Loretta's mother. Loretta's father was born in West Virginia. The family did not own a radio set.
In addition to working for the post office, running the family farm was a priority for him and the family. Albert carried mail for 33 years. Twice each day Albert walked a route around Delia Ave. and St. Sebastian Church. He walked 14 miles each day carrying a bag of mail weighing 30 or 40 pounds. He was a conscientious mail carrier and a great friend of the children and dogs on his route. When Albert began to work at the post office and had to spend several weeks learning routes money was in short supply. Loretta supplemented the income by keeping boarders. She cooked for them, did their laundry and provided a sleeping room, and sharing the front-room living space.
In 1931 Albert moved his family to 1052 Frederick Blvd in West Akron. Albert was a wonderful provider and keeper of promises. He played with his children; he treated them to sled rides as he came down the street from the bus stop after work. The family spent each Sunday afternoon traveling to visit relatives - many lived on farms not far away. Albert made arrangements to purchase fresh fruit and produce and meat from our relatives who lived on the farms nearby.
When Albert’s younger brothers and sisters were ready to leave Fulda they often came to Akron to find employment. Albert offered them a place to stay and helped them comb the want ads for jobs.
In late April of 1943 a tornado struck the house at 1052 and did a great amount of damage. The south wall of the house was torn loose; there is still a block and tackle in the attic holding that wall in place. The garage was collapsed and the material thrown up broke all the rafters on the west side of the house roof as well as two chimneys every window in the house. Mud and glass splinters were driven into the wallpaper and woodwork throughout the house. That entailed major cleanup
Albert supplied train fare to his sisters, Sr. Cordea and Sr. Benita Marie whenever they could come to Ohio. He would also provide rides for them to get around to visit the relatives. He also gave the tuition shortfall for Andrew Hohman during his seminary days when the summer job did not furnish enough money for the year ahead. Toward the end of his life when the grandchildren were ready to get married, Albert purchased a $500.00 government bond for each which was to be their wedding present. Albert died before Donald was married but the gift was delivered posthumously.
Following his first wife's death and his subsequent marriage to Mabel Girard, Albert sold the house at 1052 Frederick to his son Maurice and his wife They moved to Juneau Ave., then to Seward Ave., just a block away from Maurice, Nancy, and the grandchildren.
Albert battled chronic leukemia successfully for about the last 15 years of his life. He was sick only 2 days before he died. He bought a new car-- a little blue Plymouth Horizon just four days before his death. He died in Akron General Hospital on April 15, 1980 as a result of his leukemia going on a sudden rampage. The Plymouth Horizon served Mabel until 1993 and then Maurice and his family until 1998. Albert would have been proud of his little blue car. It performed faithfully for 18 years.
Albert's daughter Sister Marie Hohman reminisces: "As I look back over my life and remember Dad I see quite clearly what a fine representative of God he was. Dad paved the way for my understanding of how a heavenly Father operates. This sense of being treasured and cared for has grown and deepened as I have lived, prayed and watched God working in my life and the lives of those I love and serve. And I thank God often for giving me an earthly father who such a window on God himself."
Albert Hohman's obituary appeared in The Akron Beacon Journal on 16 Apr 1980:
Albert S. Hohman, 82, of 1000 Seward Av. died April 15 at Akron General Medical
Center. Mr. Hohman was born in Fulda, Ohio and was an Akron resident for 62 years. He
was a member of St. Sebastian Church and the Holy Name Society. He was a retired letter
carrier and a life member of the NALC.
He is survived by his wife, Mabel M.; daughter, Sr. Marie Hohman O.P. of Our Lady of
the Elms; son, Maurice A. Hohman of Copley, brothers Clem of Zanesville, Francis of Louisville,
Joseph of Fulda, sisters, Sr. Benita Marie, Sr. M. Cordea, both of Manitowoc, Wisc., Mrs.
Clara Smithberger of Reynoldsburg, Mrs. Rose O'Brien of Mentone, Calif.; and three grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial Friday, 10 a.m. at St. Sebastian Church. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery.
Rosary will be recited Thursday, 8 p.m. at the Hummel Funeral Home 3475 Copley Rd., Copley,
where friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
Mabel Girard was a member of Father Andrew Hohman's parish... the brother of her future husband, Albert Hohman.
Mabel Hohman's step-daughter, Sister Marie Hohman (Martha C. Hohman) provided a copy of her obituary from the Akron Beacon Journal on 17 Jun 1993.
Mabel Mary Hohman, 87, of the Village of St. Edward, died June 15, 1993. Mrs.
Hohman was born in Maysville, Ohio and was a former member of St. Sebastian Parish
and its Sanctuary Society.
Preceded in death by her husband, Albert S., in 1980, she is survived by children Sr.
Marie Hohman, O.P. of Our Lady of the Elms, Maurice and Nancy Hohman of Copley;
nieces and nephews Joyce and David Gill of Atlanta, Ga., James and Rita Nommay of
Indianapolis, Ind., Mary Lou and Terry Strouse of Clinton, Sherry and Hal Hunsberger
of Shreve, Ohio, Robert and Renee Girard of Cuyahoga Falls' grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, 11 a.m. at the Village of St. Edward Chapel.
Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends may call at the Hummel Funeral Home
West, 3475 Copley Rd. Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Memorials in Mabel's
name may be made to the Village of St. Edward or to the charity of the donor's
choice.The nieces and nephews mentioned in the obituary are the children of Mabel's siblings. Albert Hohman was Mabel's only husband.
A newspaper clipping of the wedding announcement of Rose Hohman and Edward O'Brien was provided by her niece Sister Marie Hohman (Martha C. Hohman). The exact source of the article is unknown:
Fulda -- Rosa Hohman of Columbus, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Hohman,
was united in marriage to Edward O'Brien, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard O'Brien of San
Francisco, Calif., before a Nuptial Mass in St. Mary's Church here Nov. 4.
The Rev. Andrew Hohman, brother of the bride, officiated at the ceremonies. Eulalia
Hohman of Akron and Joseph Hohman, sister and brother of the bride, served as maid of
honor and best man, respectively.
The couple left on a wedding trip to Mexico, after which they will make their home
in Oakland, Calif., where the bridegroom is employed.In 2003, Rose Hohman O'Brien lived at 2052 Anzio Ave., Mentone, San Bernardino County, California 92359-1310. (909-794-2839)
In 1901 an oil well was drilled on the family farm in St. Joseph WV-- a first in the area. Andrew Yaeger migrated to northern Ohio and farmed a dairy farm in what is now Stow (Summit Co). When Sr. Marie Hohman (Martha C. Hohman) was a child, Andrew lived at 1234 N. Mantua St. in Kent (Portage Co.) OH. He is buried in Standing Rock cemetery, which is just down the street from his former home.
Andrew had been a resident of the Restview Convalescent Home in Akron for three months prior to his death.
Sources conflict on place of birth:
St. Joseph, Wetzel Co., WV -- Sr. Marie Hohman
Noble Co., OH -- death certificateEva Burkhart Yeager died at the home of her daughter, Loretta Yeager Hohman, at 1052 Frederick Blvd. Akron, OH.
The following article appeared on page 4 of the Zanesville Times Recorder on 4 Jul 1940:
STITCH--IN--TIME 4--H CLUB
Thursday afternoon the Stitch-in-Time 4-H club met
at Fulda School at 1 o’clock. Nineteen members were present,
and the advisor, Marcella Fox. Several of the girls had completed
their projects.
Plays were practiced, several songs were sung. Demon-
strations were given on sewing on snaps by Vera Crock; sewing
on buttons by Ardelia Miller; working blanket stitch by Rita
Smithberger; filled stitch by Gladys Crock; working button hole
by Elenora Roehirg. The roll call was answered by naming a fav-
orite tree. Refreshments were served by Eileen Weisent, Arline
Schoeppner, Gladys Crock, Alberta Arnold. The next meeting
will be on July 11 at 1 o’clock at Fulda school.
Ronald Schafer and his wife Annette Smithberger are third cousins. They are both descended from Franz Jacob Singer.
Ronald lived in Detroit, MI in 1963.
The following announcement appeared on page 6C of The Zanesville Signal on 06 Jul 1958, accompanied by a photograph of Annette Smithberger:
ENGAGED COUPLE SELECTS FALL AS SEASON FOR THEIR VOWS
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Smithberger of Caldwell, O. announce the
engagement of their daughter Annette to Ronald Schafer, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Schafer of 1119 Eastman street. Early fall
has been selected as the season for the nuptials.
Miss Smithberger is employed as a receptionist for Drs. Fred
W. Phillips and Donald A. Urban. She is a graduate of Caldwell
high school and is a member of Alpha Psi chapter of Beta Sigma
Phi sorority.
Mr. Schafer is employed by the General Electric company. He
is a graduate of St. Nicholas high school.
In 1930, 30 year old Edwin L. Schafer owned a home worth $4000 at 758 Shelby St., Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio. He lived there with his wife, Bernice B. (26) and daughters Pauline R. (5) and Catherine J. (2 yrs 8 mos). Edwin's occupation was listed as "cold roll" in a steel mill. Like many of their neighbors, the Schafers owned a radio set.
The following article appeared on page 10 of The Zanesville Signal on 22 Jan 1945 (excerpts):
ARMCO VETERANS HONOR NEW MEMBERS
More than 150 persons attended the 13th annual winter meeting of veteran employees
of the American Rolling Mill Company Plant here held at Hotel Rogge Saturday evening.
The session was featured by the reception of 23 new members who will have completed
25 years of service with Armco sometime this year.
Those to receive the 25-year service insignia are: ... Edwin L. Schafer...The following anniversary announcement was published in the Zanesville Times Recorder on 21 May 1974, accompanied by a photo of the couple:
EDWIN L. SCHAFERS MARRIED 50 YEARS
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin L. Schafer of 842 Orchard Hill road were married 50 years ago today.
Rt. Rev. Msgr. A. L. Leininger officiated at the ceremony May 21, 1924, in St. Nicholas Catholic
church. A family celebration is planned.
Mr. Schafer is a retired Armco Steel employe.
The couple has five children: Mrs. Richard E. (Polly) Archer of 621 Garden road; Mrs. Jean
Harnetty, 3710 Harmony lane; Ronald E. Schafer, Louisville, Ky.; Mrs. Eugene G. (Phyllis)
Strahler, the Netherlands, and Mrs. Robert E. (Judy) Kessler of Charleston, W.Va.
There are 13 grandchildren.
Bernice enjoyed playing euchre (a card game) with her friends.
From The Republican Journal (Caldwell, OH newspaper) 15 Jan 1919
Mrs. Francis Crock, Bernice Warner and Catherine Sorg spent Tuesday at Leo Schehl's.Wedding announcement:
Miss Bernice Warner, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Warner of Summerfield
was united in marriage Wednesday morning to Edwin Schafer of this city [Zanesville],
the ceremony taking place at St. Nicholas Catholic church with the Rev. Father A.L.
Leininger officiating.
Miss Marcella Schafer and William Warner were the attendants. Following the
ceremony a wedding breakfast was served at the home of the bridegroom’s parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Leonard Schafer of the West Pike. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Schafer left for an
extended wedding tour.
Jacob Long is not listed by Delores Snider as one of the children of Jacob Lang/Long and Elizabeth Smithberger. He does appear in the 1860 census, although his age is listed as 9, not 19 (as would be expected from his birthdate). The census also states that he ws born in Ohio, not Pennsylvania (per Anderson).
From Harrittsville section of the The Caldwell Journal, 3 Dec 1885:
A number of our citiazens attended a public sale of Joseph Burkhart Jr. lait
(sic) Tuesday. Mr. Burkhart and his brother-in-law, Jacob Long, will move
to Kansas anon.In 1900, Jacob Long (60 - Mar 1840) and his wife Louvina J. (56 - Apr 1844) owned a farm in Spring Creek, Coffey County, Kansas. Living with them were children Joseph (30 - Aug 1869), Jacob (19 - Oct 1880), Anna (17 - Jun 1882), Margaret (16 - May 1883) and Lizzie (27 - Oct 1872). (It is not known why Elizabeth was listed last. It is customary for the children to be listed in descending chronological order.) According to the census, Jacob and Louvina had been married for 25 years. Jacob was a native of Pennsylvania; his parents were German. Louvina and her parents were natives of Ohio, as were all of the children. The census states that Louvina had given birth to eight children, one of whom was deceased.
Margaret Long is not listed by Delores Snider as one of the children of Jacob Lang/Long and Elizabeth Smithberger. She appears in the 1860 census, but her age is listed as 8, not 16 (as would be expected from her birthdate per Anderson.)