After the Christmas holiday, my son and I spent a pleasant afternoon wandering around the Western Reserve Historical Society in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. I must admit that neither of us had been a visitor to this unique museum in decades and were somewhat dismayed to learn that the Crawford Automobile Museum is closed until perhaps the Fall 2012 for renovations.
I seem to remember that, back in the day, more floors of this old museum was open to the public. It seemed that when we toured, there wasn't all that much Western Reserve history to observe. HOWEVER, my son did see something in a display cabinet which is the focus of this particular blog.
There was a special exhibit featuring Abraham Lincoln and his connection to Ohio and the Western Reserve during his lifetime. We poured over the many displays of personal letters and photographs. Of particular interest were the numerous period political cartoons.
As we neared one display case, my son's eyes focused in on one small typewritten card which listed Tiffin, Ohio from which the object originated. "Dried Flowers from the grave of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, May 3, 1865. Preserved the day of the funeral by Mrs. Judge William Lang of Tiffin, Ohio."
Nice find!!! My son, through his grandmother, Helena Smith Hiser, is a relation of Judge and Mrs. William Lang of Tiffin, Ohio. Judge William Lang is my son's 4th great grand-uncle.
The Lang's were early pioneer settlers in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio. George Ludwig Henry Lang and his wife, Catherine Scheutz, arrived in America in 1832/1833 and made their way to Tiffin, Ohio. William's older sister, Louisa Lang Seewald (my son's paternal 4th great grandmother and link to the Lang family) also removed to Tiffin with her husband and children.
The wife mentioned on the little card as Mrs. Judge William Lang is Mary Patience Owen Lang. Obviously Judge Lang was a very prominent member of the Tiffin community. Not only a judge, he was also the first mayor of the city of Tiffin and was the author of The History of Seneca County, Ohio published by Warner & Beers Company in 1886. There is a detailed political history on Rootsweb and he has written the story of his family's journey to Tiffin from Germany in his book. There is also a section on his sister's Seewald family.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. All comments are welcome; however, if they are inappropriate, they will not be published.
PLEASE post your e-mail in the comment section if you would like to network about a particular surname or topic. I will capture it for my use only and not include it when I publish your comment.
© 2012, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser
What an exciting find!! So interesting to read of flowers preserved from Lincoln's funeral!
ReplyDeleteAgree, a VERY nice find! A Reflection's WAHHOOO on this one!
ReplyDeletePlease contact us. We are 5th generation descendants of Phiip Seewald and Louisa Lang. We are trying to locate our Ohio relatives. Our great grandfather, William Henry Seewald and your husband's ancestor, Kathryn Seewald( Mrs. John Oster), were siblings. So excited to locate your fabulous blog. Thanks so much from Houston, Texas!
ReplyDeleteElaine&Gloria
I too am a descendant from Henry Seewald. I recently inherited some items of his from the civil war. I googled his name, and this blog came up. My grandmother left my father a very detailed family tree, maybe I can help find the rest of your family, or perhaps you just did, lol. My email is missdana419@aol.com, my name is Dana, and I live in Millbury Ohio.
ReplyDeleteI will email you Dana. I am very interested in anything you have on the Seewald family. Thanks for including your comment on Flipside.
Delete