The Andrew John Cusac Family Newsletter--Issue 18

The Andrew John Cusac Family Newsletter
Issue 18

1 April 2005

This is an electronic newsletter for those looking for information on the family or descendants of Andrew John Cusac (about 1750 - about 1816)

Send comments, questions, photographs or information to:
skratze@wcnet.org
skratze@bgnet.bgsu.edu

1. Marriage announcement of Pansy Kelly (1891 – 1991) to William Clarence Cusac (1868 – 1948)(Alva I Cusac, John B, Andrew John)

Mrs. Pansy Mauvette Kelly and William Clarence Cusac, of this city, were united in marriage Thursday afternoon, July 8, at the home of Rev. James Kinney of North street. The single ring ceremony was read.

Attendants at the wedding were Mr. and Mrs. Frank O. Scott, parents of the bride; Mrs. Violet Perdue, daughter of the bride, and Mrs. Wilma Abbott, daughter of the bridegroom.

Following the ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Scott entertained at their home, 1540 Lewis drive, with a dinner. The couple is making their home on Pine street.”

This is an announcement for the third marriage of William Clarence Cusac and the second for Pansy Mauvette (Scott) Kelly. William was married first to Cecile B Boyd on 06 June 1899 in Muskingum Co, OH. Cecile died on 14 September 1905. William then married Edith Montgomery on 30 December 1915 in Muskingum Co, OH. Edith died on 25 May 1940 in Zanesville, Muskingum Co, OH.

2. Obituary and funeral notice of Annetta (Thompson) Cusac (1888 – 1973) wife of Nickolas Armour Cusac (John Bell Cusac, John B, Andrew John)

Mrs. Annetta Cusac, 84, of the Muskingum County Home, a former 35-year resident of the Dresden-Frazeysburg area, died at 3:25 a.m. Friday at the Home.

She was born Oct. 15, 1888, near White Cottage, a daughter of Robert G. and Nancy Jane Glasgow Thompson. Mrs. Cusac was a former schoolteacher in Newton Township and a member of the Dresden Presbyterian Church. Her husband, Armor, died in October, 1971.

Surviving are two nephews, Max Thompson of New Concord and Neill Thompson of Route 9; plus several great-nieces and great-nephews. Two children, Margaret and Robert, are deceased.

Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday at the William Thompson and Sons Funeral Home in White Cottage. Rev. Ralph Burns will officiate and burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday.”

Services for Mrs. Annetta Cusac, 84, formerly of Frazeyburg Route 1, who died Friday, will be held at 1:30 p.m. today at William Thompson and Son funeral Home in White Cottage. Rev. Ralph O. Burns will officiate and burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.”

3. Death notice and Death Record of Mary (Cochrell) Cusac second wife of Andrew P Cusac (James Cusac, John B, Andrew John)

Mary C Cusac died 29 August 1966 in Zanesville, Muskingum Co, OH; 86y old; resides Zanesville, Muskingum Co, OH; widowed

Miss Mayme A. Bunting of 2117 Marion street, a retired schoolteacher who died March 27, left her estate to Mrs. Mary May Cockerell Cusac. Mrs. Cusac was also named executor of the will which was written July 31, 1961.”

It appears that Mary lived with Miss Mayme A Bunting and Mayme left her estate to Mary. The 1930 Washington Twp, Muskingum Co, OH census shows Mary and Mayme living in the same household. Mayme is listed as the head of household, Mary is listed as partner, and Ella R Bunting is listed as Mayme’s mother. Mayme was a public school teacher and Mary a bookkeeper for Conwell Broker.

If you remember, issue 14 dealt with the disappearance of Mary’s husband Andrew P Cusac just one week after their marriage.

4. Obituaries of Bessie May (Tipton) Cusac (1885 – 1966) wife of Hugh Franklin Cusac (John Bell Cusac, Andrew, John B, Andrew John)

Mrs. Bessie May Cusac, 80, of 516 Eppley avenue died at 1:08 p.m. Tuesday (July 12) at Bethesda Hospital where she had been a patient since June 22. She had been ill two years.

Born in Newton Township on Sept. 14, 1885, she was a daughter of Joseph and Clara Bumgardner Tipton. She had lived in Mount Vernon the past 11 years, returning to the Zanesville area two months ago. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Services will be held t 10:30 a.m. Friday at the funeral home with Rev. C.S. Hayner officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.”

Service for Mrs. Bessie May Cusac, 80, of 516 Eppley avenue, who died Tuesday afternoon, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at William Thompson and Son Funeral Home in White Cottage with Rev. C.S. Hayner officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Surviving are her husband, Hugh F. Cusac; two sisters Mrs. H.L. (Vadah) Swiger of Zanesville Route 7 and Mrs. Jewel Fortier of Columbus; one brother, Charles Tipton of Zanesville Route 7; and a number of nieces and nephews. One sister is deceased.”

Bessie M Cusac d. 12 July 1966 Zanesville, Muskingum Co, OH; 80y old; resides Zanesville, Muskingum Co, OH; married

5. Obituary of Lillian M (Mitchell) Fifer (Margaret Emeline Cusac, John, Daniel J, Andrew John)

FINDLAY – Mrs. Lillie M. Fifer, 78, Zanesfield, a former Findlay resident, died at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. R.A. Firmin, Zanesfield.

She was born Dec. 3, 1881, in Findlay, a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Cusac) Mitchell. In 1904 she was married to James E. DeRodes, who died in 1915. She was married in 1937 to Ebb Fifer, who died in August 1956.

Survivors include her daughter; a stepson, Leroy Fifer of Toledo; a brother, Newton Mitchell of Arlington; two grandchildren, eight step-grandchildren, and three step great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Fifer was a member of the Zanesfield Methodist Church and the Findlay Chapter, OES.

Services will be held in the Barnhart Memorial, Findlay, at 2 p.m. Friday with Rev. Guy Furbay officiating. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Findlay.

Lillian was also married to Sutton Perry Kanel sometime between 1920 and 1930. She appears in the 1930 census with Sutton, her daughter Florence DeRodes and Ilene Kanel (Sutton’s daughter from his first marriage). She divorced Sutton sometime before 1937 when she married Ebb Fifer.

6. Obituary of Lloyd Virgil Powell (husband of Hazel May Cusac, Daniel Jefferson, William, Daniel J, Andrew John)

FINDLAY, Dec. 4 – Funeral services will be held in the Coldren funeral home here at 2 p.m. Monday for Lloyd Virgil Powell, 45, a native of Hancock-co who was found dead in his home in Cleveland, Thursday night.

He is survived by his widow, the former Hazel Cusac, a son, Troy, at Camp Pickett, Va.; a daughter, Mrs. Maxine Cline, Findlay; two brothers, E.P. Powell, Toledo, and Alonzo Powell, Bluffton, Route 4; two sisters, Mrs. Lulu Henry, Arlington, and Mrs. Ruth Henry, Bluffton, Route 1.”

Lloyd is buried in Bishop Cemetery, Eagle Twp, Hancock Co, OH. Hazel remarried and is buried in Elm Grove Cemetery, Marion Twp, Hancock Co, OH.

7. Newspaper articles about Robert Cusac (James Sylvester Cusac, John, Daniel J, Andrew John)

“Robert Cusac, who has been in the employ of Undertaker Renshler, for the last year, returned from Lima, Saturday, where he purchased an interest in an undertaking establishment. Mr. Cusac is an affable young gentleman, qualified in every way for the business in which he is to engage. – Findlay Republican”

“Robert Cusac, of the firm of Blume & Cusac, has returned from a visit with Findlay friends.”

“Robert Cusac, a former south side undertaker, is circulating among his many friends. He is located at McComb.”

It appears that Robert Cusac went to Lima, Allen Co, OH and went into business with an undertaker in April 1904. By July 1906 he returned to McComb, Hancock Co, OH.

I believe that a “church truck” was somewhat like an ambulance. In reading the Lima papers from that time, the firm Blume and Cusac were responsible for transporting numerous people to and from the hospital.

In the 1900 Portage Twp, Hancock Co, OH census records Robert is living with his parents and his occupation is listed as farm laborer. By 1910 he is again living with his father and is working on the family farm. The 1920 and 1930 census records also have him as a farmer on his own farm.

FINDLAY, March 18 – Amos Cusac, 79, prominent Hancock-co farmer, was killed almost instantly this afternoon when his auto crashed into a Nickle Plate passenger train at McComb.

Dr. H.O. Crosby, Hancock-co coroner, said Cusac died of skull fractures. He was thrown 100 feet from his auto, which had been traveling south. The train was westbound.

Officials reported the man was returning to his home, six miles northwest of McComb, after purchasing groceries.

Cusac was born in Liberty-tp Aug. 30, 1859, and had resided in Hancock-co his entire ifetime. He and his wife observed their 50th wedding anniversary in 1934. Surviving are his wife; four sons, Mearl of Pleasant-tp, Ray of Detroit, Roscoe of Pleasant-tp and Ralph of Troy; a brother David of Liberty-tp; and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Shannon of Findlay.

The body was removed to the Jones mortuary in McComb. Rev. Joseph Cook will conduct funeral services from the Deweyville Church of God with burial in the McComb cemetery. Time for services has not been announced.”

9. Thomas Melvin Mitchell Biography (Margaret Cusac, John, Daniel J, Andrew John)

“THOMAS M. MITCHELL, former mayor of the city of Findlay, is one of the representative citizens of the judicial center and metropolis of Hancock County, and is prominently identified with productive industry in the Ohio oil field.

On the old homestead farm which is still in the possession of the family, in Portage Township, Hancock County, Thomas M. Mitchell was born December 28, 1869, a son of Jacob and Emeline (Cusac) Mitchell, both likewise natives of this county, where the former was born November 4, 1840, and the latter in the year 1843. Here the parents were reared and educated, and after their marriage they settled on the farm in Portage Township that continued to represent their home until their death. Jacob Mitchell long held prestige as one of the substantial farmers and loyal citizens of Hancock County, his political support was given to the democratic party, and he served as trustee of Portage Township, beside having been for two terms a member of the Board of Directors of the County Infirmary. He represented his native county and state as a gallant young soldier of the Union in the Civil war, he having enlisted as a private in the Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry and having continued in service until the close of the war. He took part in many engagements, was never wounded, and was with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign and the historic march from Atlanta to the sea. Of his family of nine children six are living at the time of this writing, in the summer of 1923. Jacob Mitchell was a son of George Mitchell, who came from Pennsylvania and established himself as a pioneer farmer in Hancock County, Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his life. Jacob Mitchell and his wife were earnest members of the Presbyterian Church.

The early experiences of Thomas M. Mitchell were those incidental to the life and activities of the home farm and the discipline of the district schools. He remained at the parental home and continued to be associated with the operations of the farm until the time of his marriage, in 1898, and in the passing years he has never severed his allegiance to farm enterprise in his native county, though he now gives his attention principally to oil production in the Lima fields, he being the director of the Tel”Olyle Company. Mr. Mitchell has been active and influential in the affairs of the Hancock County Fair Association, with which he is still actively identified. He is a stalwart in the local ranks of the democratic party, and besides having served in 1920-21 as mayor of Findlay and giving a most progressive administration, he had previously been for one term a member of the City Council. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Loyal Order of Moose and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His wife is an active member of the United Brehres Church in their home city.

September 28, 1898, recorded the marriage of Mr. Mitchell and Miss Christina Moorehead, who likewise was born and reared in Hancock County. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell have two children: Mabel M., a graduate of the Findlay High School, is the wife of Frank Crawfis, of Findlay; Wallace W. completed a commercial course in Findlay College, and is now identified with business interests at Findlay. Mrs. Christina (Moorehead) Mitchell passed to the life eternal on the 7^th of May, 1903. On the 24^th of April, 1907, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Mitchell and Miss Myrtle L. Elsea, who was born in Hancock County and who is a graduate of the Findlay High School and also of the Findlay Business College. No children have been born of the second marriage.

“Robert M. Yost married Lucinda Cusac, a most excellent woman. She was a helpmeet, indeed, and by her upright, Christian character commanded the respect of all who became acquainted with her. After their marriage they lived part of the time in Perry county, and part in Fairfield. In the year 1865 they sold their farm in Ohio and removed to Shelby county, Ills., where they purchased another farm and on which they continued to reside for some years and then moved to Shelbyville, where they have lived quietly and comfortably. They are worthy members of the Presbyterian church, of Shelbyville. Robert M. and Lucinda Yost had two children to live to years of maturity, a daughter, Allie Jelette, and a son, Berthier S. Allie, who was a bright, intelligent, winsome girl, died in the years of her young womanhood. She was unmarried. For some years before her death she had been a successful teacher in the public schools of Shelbyville, Ill. She was born May 10, 1855, died March 28, 1883.

Berthier Stergis Yost was born Feb’y 21, 1861. He is unmarried and makes his home with his parents in Shelbyville, Ill. He has been for several years past engaged in the sale of farm implements, wagons, buggies, ect. His business seems to be prosperous.

Robert M. Yost was born April 18, 1829. His wife Lucinda Ann, was born Dec. 18, 1832. They were married in Perry county, Ohio, Aug. 14, 1851. Robert M. is the only living member of Abram and Sarah Yost’s family.”

History of the McTeear, Brown and Wylie families. Brown, David. V, Butler, Mo. ?. unknown. 1902 p. 69

That's it for issue #18. If you come across any obituaries, documents, essays, photographs, weddings, births, or stories on your line from Andrew John Cusac that you would like to share, please pass them along to me. Feel free to forward this newsletter to others in the family who may have an interest in Andrew John Cusac's history or genealogy. Free back issues will be available for the asking. Do you have a question you want asked of the group? Email it to me and I'll include it in the next issue. Email: skratze@wcnet.org or skratze@bgnet.bgsu.edu Best wishes... Sheila