When I am driving through small and larger towns I am fascinated by the turn of the 20th century architecture and building facades. Many of those that have survived the test of time have the building’s name and date carved in stone at the top. Today, many of those names have been highlighted with paint to identify the first tenant. I often wonder who owned the building and what was housed inside. This series of blogs will grow as I continue to photograph and research those that I see on my travels.
The “J Oehm” building on Route 20 that runs through Bellevue, Ohio is Main Street. Perhaps lost in time, it is named for the German immigrant, Justuce Oehm. Old timers of Bellevue will remember that housed in the store was a shoe and boot store and indeed, when the brick store was built; Justuce Oehm was the shoemaker and dealer.
The Family
1. DAD: Justuce Oehm born 1832 in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany; died 1890 in Bellevue, Sandusky County, Ohio; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio. Shoe and boot maker.
2. MOM: Catherine Klussman Oehm born November 25, 1835 in Essoda, Germany; daughter of Henry Klussman; died June 1, 1923 Bellevue, Huron County, Ohio; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio.
3. DAUGHTER: Eliza Oehm born about 1859 in Ohio. Out of the house by the 1880 census, perhaps married, spouse unknown.
4. SON: Henry C. Oehm born April 10, 1860 in Bellevue, Sandusky County, Ohio; died September 7, 1931 in Bellevue, Huron County, Ohio; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio. Married about 1907, Mary W. born 1870; died 1971; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio. Henry and Mary had one child, a daughter, Justine. Henry ran the shoe store after his father’s death.
5. DAUGHTER: Anna M. Oehm born April 1864 in Ohio; died 1952; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio. Anna never married.
6. SON: Louis P. Oehm born December 12, 1865 in Bellevue, Sandusky County, Ohio; died March 11, 1950 in Bellevue, Sandusky County, Ohio; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio. Married Ida Amanda Buderus, daughter of Anton Buderus and Amanda Hinsch; born August 25, 1871 in Sandusky, Ohio; died September 4, 1953; buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio. Louis and Ida had a daughter, Laurena Laura. Was involved in banking and became the president of the First National Bank of Bellevue, Ohio.
A little clarification of county names is needed here. It seems that Bellevue must straddle two county lines. I have seen parts of the town listed as Huron County and also listed as Sandusky County. Sandusky is to the west and Huron would be the east.
Justuce is was settled in Bellevue, Huron County, Ohio by 1860. Wife Catherine and children Eliza and an infant son,William, who I believe is Henry, are also listed. Justuce is employed as a shoemaker.
Justuce was enumerated in Clyde, Sandusky County, Ohio on the 1870 census report with his family; wife, Catherine, daughters, Eliza and Anna, and son, Henry. For those of you do have not driven in the area, Clyde is the next town to the west of Bellevue and connected by Route 20. Justuce was a shoemaker and had two men living in the home who were also shoemakers.
The 1880 Ohio census reveals that the Oehm’s were living back in Bellevue, Sandusky County, York Township, Ohio. Justuce was listed as a shoe dealer and son, Henry, was a clerk in the store.
From the 1900 Ohio census I found that Catherine immigrated to the United States in 1855 and Henry was running the family business. Louis is employed as a “paying teller” in a bank.
In 1910 Catherine and Anna were living at 262 Southwest Street in Bellevue, Henry and family were living at 112 East Main Street (probably in an apartment above the shoe store). Louis and family were at 115 Broad Street in Bellevue and he is employed as a bank cashier.
The year 1920 finds the family still in Bellevue. The only change is Louis and family. He has moved to 423 Northwest Street and his daughter, Laurena has married. She and her husband, William Mugg Greenslade, are living with her parents and William is employed as a shoe salesman. Further research has uncovered that William’s father was also a shoe store proprietor in Bellevue, Ohio.
The final open census report in 1930 has all the players in the same locale and the same houses. Only Louis has a significant change, he is now the president of the bank and his son-in-law, William Greenslade is also employed at a bank. His married daughter, Laurene Greenslade and family live next door and have two daughters, Betty Jane and Patricia.
The Oehm’s are buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue Ohio and to see photos of the tombstones, please see Tombstone Tuesday—Oehm Family.
More research is needed to trace Eliza and Justine Oehm and to bring the Greenslade family up to present day. I must confess that I did not know about the Greenslade surname when I was wandering about the Bellevue Cemetery or I would have taken photos of them.
Please contact me if you relate to this family as I do have more newspaper articles and death certificates to share.
Notes:
Ohio Death Certificates for:
Catherine Klussman Oehm
Henry C. Oehm
Ida Amanda Buderus Oehm
Louis P. Oehm
Various newspaper articles from: The Register, Sandusky, Ohio
Bellevue Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio visit
Tombstone photographs Ohio Census Reports 1860-1930
World War I and World War II Draft Registration for William Mugg Greenslade
© 2009, copyright Linda Hughes Hiser
