Stories in Stone--Michael Motz of Loudonville, Ohio

Loudonville, a village in Ashland County, Ohio has retained it's small town charm. Walking along the main and side streets I saw many of the original late 19th and early 20th century buildings. They have not been modernized. My disappointment came when I only found one brick storefront that had the original owner's name in stone at the top. That shop would be the Motz building which is located at 255 Main Street and is the office of the Loudonville Times, the Mohican Area Shopper and The Ashland Times Gazette.

Michael Motz, son of Philip Jacob Motz and Barbara Young, was born on November 6, 1845 in Knox County, Ohio. He married Magdalena Ullman, daughter of John Ullman and Catherine Derrenburger Ullman on May 19, 1867 in Holmes County, Ohio. Magdalena, known as Lana, was born on January 16, 1844 in Washington Township, Holmes County, Ohio.

On the 1880 Ohio Federal Census, the Motz family was living on Main Street in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio and Michael was employed as a baker. A female servant is listed as living in the home. By the 1900 Ohio census, the Michael had relocated his family to Loudonville Village, Hanover Township in Ashland County, Ohio and he was a grocer. Michael ran his grocery store on Main Street until his death in 1927 at which time his youngest child, Josephine Laura Motz became the proprietor.

Michael Motz died at age eighty-one, on March 7, 1927 in Loudonville, Ashland County, Ohio and was buried in the Loudonville Cemetery just down the street from his grocery store. In his honor all the merchants in town closed their stores for one hour during his funeral service. Magdalena contined to live in Loudonville until her death on September 11, 1935 at age ninety-one. She is buried next to her husband in Loudonville Cemetery.

Children of Michael and Magdalena Ullman Motz:

1. Charles Edward Motz--born on January 10, 1868 in Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio and died on May 13, 1868 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio.

2. Clara Catherine Motz--born on March 20, 1869 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio and died on June 17, 1940 in Loudonville, Ashland County, Ohio. Clara was a teacher in the Loudonville Public School system and never married. She is buried in the Loudonville Cemetery.

3. James Arthur Motz--born on February 11, 1874 in Newe Lexington, Perry County, Ohio and died on July 7, 1874 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio.

4. Ella Louise Motz--born on August 12, 1875 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio and died on June 18, 1880 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio.

5. Albert William Motz--born on April 16, 1880 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio and died on July 9, 1963 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. On May 19, 1909 he married Rachel Letitia Kelly at Galion, Crawford County, Ohio. She was born on April 23, 1889 in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio and died on May 29, 1966 in Seal Beach, Orange County, California. They had three daughters: Martha Jane Motz, Ruth Lucile Motz and Elinor Lile Motz.

6. Josephine Laura Motz--born July 11, 1882 in New Lexington, Perry County, Ohio and died November 29, 1969 in Loundonville, Ashland County, Ohio. She married Harry LeRoy Redd in Ashland County, Ohio on July 10, 1948. Both Josephine and Harry are buried in the Loudonville Cemetery. In 1971 a bequeath from the estate of Josephine Motz Redd was made to the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Loudonville in the amount of $5000 which was designated as The Josephine Motz Redd Memorial Scholarship of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Loudonville, Ohio. The scholarship is to be used for students of archeology assigned to archaelogical digs in Palestine.

Sources:

-Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Loudonville, Ohio Weekly Bulletin

-Clara Motz Ohio Death Certificate, Ashland County, Number 35205

-Michael Motz Ohio Death Certificate, Ashland County, Number 13225

-Magdalena Ullman Motz Ohio Death Certificate, Ashland County, Number 52184

-1880 Ohio Census, New Lexington, Perry County

-1990 Ohio Census, Loudonville Village, Hanover Township, Ashland County, ED 3, Sheet 3B

-1910 Ohio Census, Loudonville Village, Hanover Township, Ashland County, ED 4, Sheet 4B

-1920 Ohio Census, Loudonville Village, Hanover Township, Ashland County, ED 4, Sheet 20A

-1930 Ohio Census, Loudonville Village, Hanover Township, Ashland County, ED 3-6, Sheet 14B

-Franks-Kaylor/Koehler-Leininger Genealogy

-The Mansfield News, Mansfield, Ohio

-Mansfield News Journal, Mansfield, Ohio

-Ancestry.com

-Rootsweb

-Find-A-Grave, Motz and Redd, Loudonville Cemetery, Loudonville, Ohio

© 2009, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser