Bye Toledo and George
Thursday, Nov
. 1 Doin' good. Wanted to be on the road at 10 am and made it at 9:59 am. Said our goodbye's to Dave Wed. night when we turned in but Jerry had to have a moment of goodbye's for George his dog-buddy at Dave's. Two peanut butter biscuits and one saved for later helped ease the parting.
Rolling Hills
The topography changed as we eased southeast on state roads, with rolling hills of farmland. Passed through lots of small towns which looked pretty flourishing, many beautiful older homes with wonderfully autumn-landscaped yards...lots of colorful mums and pumpkins.
Arrival in New Philadelphia, OH
After 158 miles and 4 hours (counting a 1/2 hour lunch stop in Monroeville) we arrived in the Tuscarawas county seat. Quickly found an abandoned parking lot near the center of town (looks to be an old restaurant along the street and we're parked in a large lot in the rear, next to an Aldi's. Jerry checked with a homeless man who appears to have made his home in and around the abandoned building. He assured us that if we weren't being a nuisance of ourselves, the police wouldn't mind.
Genealogy
By 2:15 we were a few blocks away at the Tuscarawas Co. Library. Helpful gal at the genealogy desk pointed to a small row of books tucked away in a corner and said that was the sum total. I was disappointed at the size of the collection. However, I hit pay dirt a bit later with a "family history" of the Stiffler's (Jerry's line) who were among the first two settlers here in 1804-5. The genealogy compilation written by a R. Ewing Stiffler from Denver in 1957, also gives a summary of early Stiffler and German history. It is thought that Wurtemberg diminished from 500,000 to 48,000 because of the slaughter of inhabitants. The duke, Eberhard Ludwig, so oppressed the people that many of them emigrated to American between 1717-1720. It is thought our first Stifflers came in 1742 - Jacob and his three sons, John Peter and Jacob. However, the first factual note is though tax returns for Peter Stiffler in Bedford, PA in 1773 and John and Jacob in York Co, PA. It is thought the Stifflers were Palatines.
Pioneer living
The same article says there were a few families, settled together in this valley, despite the necessity of having to seek protection in the Fort at every serious Indian scare. Many of the men were "Rangers on the Frontier" - provincial forces for frontier defense. Peter and his wife, Caherine are buried near Dunning Creek in Bedfor Co, Pa (near the village of Imlertown.) They were early members of the Messiah Lutheran Church.
Casebeer connection
The descendant listing in the article clearly shows Peter and Catherine had a son George who married Mary Casebeer and lived in Tuscrawas Co, OH. They had 14 children - seven boys and seven girls to help with the farming and housekeeping. While I haven't found much about the Casebeers I think are our ancestors, there does seem to be proof that they were here. Mary Casebeer's father, I think, was John, Sr. who married a Catherine Dibert The Dibert's were named as early Tuscarawas settlers. John Casebeer died in 1813 in Tuscarawas Co.
Cemetery quest
Today, I hope to find some of the burial sites for these early pioneers.
