Our Old Bookcase
This first post card photograph was postmarked Waynesburg, Ohio, dated April 1887. Waynesburg hosts the Blue Star Memorial, and located near Canton, Ohio. The envelope was addressed to Harold McDaniel Post G.A.R., Fort Recovery, Ohio. G.A.R. stands for Grand Army of the Republic. The second postmark on the back of this envelope was at Fort Recovery, Ohio, April 7, 1887. The G.A.R. was a national association of Union Civil War veterans, founded in Springfield, IL in 1866, following the Civil War. The G.A.R. was dissolved in 1956 at the death of the last G.A.R. Member. In the 1916 “Directory of Mercer County, Ohio,” Harry McDaniel, and his wife Verna, were listed with three children. McDaniel was noted as a photographer in 1916. Perhaps the Fort Recovery Historical Society or the Fort Recovery Library has records of the Harold McDaniel Post G.A.R. Perhaps the McDaniel relatives still live in Fort Recovery.
Civil War, GAR Posts, listed in Mercer County: D.J. Roop Post 61 — Celina; Harrod & McDaniel Post 181 — Fort Recovery; Harold McDaniel Post (181) — Fort Recovery; McKendre-Murlin Post 319 — Mendon; Drury Post (372) — Neptune; Dolph Graves Post 429
— Rockford and Celina Post (710) — Celina.
This second post card photograph was of the altar in the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, South Wayne Street, Fort Recovery. The cornerstone of this church was laid in 1901 and dedicated on Aug. 15, 1902. On Dec. 11, 1977, their new church was dedicated on Sharpsburg Road, in Fort Recovery. Thus, this altar on the post card was a part of the Church on South Wayne Street. This information is found on page 311, in the 1978 “Mercer County Ohio History” book, edited by Joyce L. Alig, and published by the Mercer County Historical Society, Inc.
Sunday, Nov. 14, the Open House at the Mercer County Historical Museum, 130 East
Market, Celina, will feature the Historic Post Card Exhibit by Dale Poeppelman, and Unique Signatures of Historic Individuals by David Gray. Post cards of Grand Lake will also be displayed. You would be surprised at how many people go through these post card photographs, while being reminded of the past scenes in their villages.
The public is invited to bring their own historic photograph post cards, either to show for the afternoon, and/or to ask questions of Dale Poeppelman and David Gray.
Our Museum Guests, that Sunday afternoon, will receive a free copy of the book, “Mercer County Centennial Buildings,” from 1888 & 1900 “Mercer County Atlases.”