The earliest records of the McDERMENT family begin with Joseph McDERMIT who was the first of the family to become an American citizen. He was born in Londonderry, Ireland in the year 1787. He came to America in 1817 and first settled in New Jersey before migrating to Ohio. He married Mary STRAIT of Bergin County, New Jersey. They had the following children:
Joseph
McDERMIT
b. 1821 in New Jersey, died in infancy
Nancy
McDERMIT
b. 1823 who married Harvey FLETCHER
Jane
McDERMIT
b. 1825 who married Elias SLACK
Katherine
McDERMIT b.
1828 who married Jacob SNIDER
James
McCool McDERMIT
b. 16 June 1831 in Jefferson Twp., Franklin County, Ohio who married
1st
Mary W. PACKMAN,
2nd
Phila M. (Phoebe) FIELD
and
3rd Effie ANKRIM.
Missouri
McDERMIT b.
1835 who married Jacob FREED
I
have not been able to locate any records as of this date (1985) to determine
whether Joseph was accompanied by any other family members to America or whether
he had any brothers or sisters or who were his parents.
Joseph
was in Franklin County, Ohio in 1830 where he
paid tax on a cow. He settled in a log cabin in Jefferson Twp. Where his
children James and Missouri were born. My
grandfather James Henry McDERMENT talked about Missouri
so I believe he spent some time with her. The cabin was located on
Blacklick Creek northeast of where Gahanna is
now located. Joseph was probably in the area before 1830. He likely worked on
the canals and squatted as many of the Irish immigrants did in Franklin County
at that time. Joseph was naturalized as an American citizen in Chillicothe,
Ohio on 7 Oct. 1844. He was a member of the International
Order of Odd Fellows. I have searched the local cemeteries and have not
been able to determine his and Mary (STRAIT)
McDERMIT’s place of burial. His son James and daughter Missouri
remained in the area but I have not found records of the other children in
Franklin County. Probably at the time of his naturalization his last name was
changed to McDERMENT.
James
McCool McDERMENT (McDERMIT) the
fifth child of Joseph and Mary (STRAIT) McDERMENT
was born in the log cabin on Blacklick Creek on the 16th June 1831.
James married Phila M. FIELD on the 29th
of Sept. in 1854. Phila was born 23 Jan 1835 in New
York. James was raised on a farm until sixteen years of age when he moved
to Columbus, Ohio on March 1, 1847. There he
worked as a drayman (drove a team of wagon horses) from 1849 to 1863. James
and Phila had the following children:
Virginia
McDERMENT
b.
6 Dec 1835 Jefferson Twp., Franklin
Co., OH
d. 8 Feb 1856 Jefferson Twp.,
Franklin Co., OH
Buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, OH
Clara
McDERMENT
b. 8 Feb 1857 Columbus,
Franklin Co., OH
John
Creswell McDERMENT b. 21 Nov
1859 Columbus, OH
d. 29 Feb 1860 Columbus, OH
Buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, OH
James
Creswell McDERMENT b.
8 May 1861 Columbus, OH
d. 10 Aug 1863 Columbus, OH
Buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, OH
Fanny
McDERMENT
b. 21 Aug 1868 Columbus, OH m.
12 Sep 1894
d. 11 Apr 1927
Buried at Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, OH
Dora
McDERMENT
b. 16 Aug 1871 Columbus, OH m.
22 Jun 1897
d 2 Feb 1907
Elizabeth
Phila McDERMENT b.
15 Jul 1874 Columbus, OH
m. 12 Jul 1897
d. c. 1950’s
Phila
M. (FIELD) McDERMENT died in
1878. She and her children that had died in childhood were not originally buried
at Greenlawn Cemetery. Their remains were moved to the family plot at a later
date.
In
addition to the family of James McCool McDERMENT buried on the family plot are Franklin
FIELD, his wife Patience, and Myrtle J.
FIELD. Franklin FIELD’s headstone is inscribed “Grandpa” and Patience
FIELD’s headstone is inscribed “Grandma”.
These dates are from the cemetery records:
Franklin
FIELD
b. 9 Jun 1797
d. 14 Aug 1850
Patience
FIELD
b. 2 Jun 1812
d. 18 Aug 1850
(Note: there was an epidemic during 1850 which is the probable cause of their deaths.)
There
is no headstone for Myrtle J. FIELD, cemetery
records show her death occurred in 1882.
Fanny
McDERMENT fifth child of James
McCool and Phila M. (FIELD) McDERMENT
married John Payton THOMPSON 12 Sep 1894. John
was born 27 Mar 1851. Fanny died on 11 Apr 1827. John died on 6 Apr 1935. Their
ashes are buried on the family lot at Greenlawn Cemetery in Columbus,
OH.
Elizabeth
Phila McDERMENT seventh child of
James McCool and Phila M. FIELD married Edwyn
F. Arras (well known attorney written about in Franklin Co. history
books) on 12 Jul 1897 in Columbus, OH. They
operated a real estate agency in Columbus. As a child my parents and I visited
her at the agency and her large home in Columbus. I understand that at one time
our family much of what became downtown Columbus, OH. Both are buried at
Greenlawn Cemetery.
I
have not located records for Dora McDERMENT
sixth child of James and Phila except that she had been married 22 Jun 1897.
During the time James
McCool McDERMENT worked as a drayman, he served for the Columbus Fire
Department between the years 1850 through 1862. He was then in the feed business
with M. Fitch and Son. He joined the International
Order of Odd Fellows in 1868. He then ran a packet boat with Captain
Thomas PRITCHARD on the canal from Columbus of Chillicothe, OH. Then he
worked for William MONYPENNY in his warehouse.
In 1876 he started a flour and feed business on West Broad Street. A theatre was
later built at that location. He sold his business in 1898 and from this date he
was in the wholesale flour business locating in Room #2 of the Odd Fellows Hall.
Phila M.
(FIELD) McDERMENT died in 1878. She and her
children that e wholesale flour business locating in Room #2 of the
Odd Fellows Temple in Columbus (next to
the above mentioned theatre). He remained in this business until Oct. 3 1904
when the family moved to Westerville, Franklin Co., OH.
After some changes in ownership the Westerville house became the
administration building for the Westerville School System. I visited the house
in the mid-1980’s. The house and barn were being used by the school board. The
step that ladies used to mount horses and to get into carriages was still on the
front porch.
During
the time he was in the flour and feed business his first wife Phila
(FIELD) McDERMENT passed away (1878).
James
McCool McDERMENT then married Mary
W. PACKMAN (PACMAN) who was born 20 Mar 1854. They had the following
children:
James
Henry McDERMENT b.
10 Apr 1879 Columbus, OH
(my grandfather) m.
6 Apr 1905 Columbus, OH
d. 11 Apr 1957 Cleveland, OH
Mary
McDERMENT
b. 7 Dec 1882 Columbus, OH
m.?
d. 16 Nov 1912
Margaret
McDerment
b. 12 Nov 1885 Columbus, OH
m. 20 Apr 1907 d.
Piqua, Miami Co., OH
Margaret
McDERMENT
third child of James McCool and Mary (PACKMAN)
McDERMENT married a man by the name of KENNEY
on 20 Apr 1907. He served in the First World War and my mother recalls he had
been killed. Margaret resided in Piqua. At the
time of my birth in 1943 she sent a card signed Aunt Margaret. The return
address on the envelope was Mrs. Margaret Kenney, Box 459, Piqua, OH. She died
in Piqua sometime in the mid to late 1950’s. I remember visiting her with my
dad and recall her as a plump, cheery, affectionate woman. Her apartment was one
room with a sink and stove and a common bathroom down the hall. The room was in
a large corner house and the apartment had been a former bedroom converted into
a suite.
At
the time of the death of his second wife, Mary (PACKMAN)
McDERMENT James was residing on Lexington Avenue in Columbus. Several of his
children were at home so he hired a housekeeper, Effie
ANKRIM. Effie became his wife on the 12th of Nov 1898. They
remained at the Lexington Ave. home for about six more years and in that time a
daughter was born to them.
Ruth
J. McDERMENT b.
29 Jan 1900 Columbus, OH
James
and Effie moved to Westerville,
Franklin Co., OH in 1905. There they enjoyed gardening in his retirement
years. James suffered a broken hip in 1915 and developed pneumonia which caused
his death on 4 Dec 1915. He is buried in the family lot at Greenlawn Cemetery,
Columbus.
Effie
was the daughter of William and Mandaine (FRANCES)
ANKRIM. She was born 2 Mar 1865. William and Mandaine had a son earlier, Frank
ANKRIM who was born 6 Oct 1873. He married Lillie
CRAWFORD on 15 Mar 1899. Lillie died 15 Jun 1929. No record of Frank.
Effie
(ANKRIM) McDERMENT remained in Westerville
for some time and then moved to Springfield, OH
where she died on the 18th of Jul 1972. She is buried in the family
lot in Columbus.
Ruth
J. McDERMENT daughter of James
McCool and Effie (ANKRIM) McDERMENT married Jessie
Eldores ROWLAND on 30 Mar 1935. His father was Timothy
ROWLAND b. 1864, d. 1927 and his mother was Asenath
CARR b. 1865, d. 1928.
Jessie
Eldores ROWLAND was born on 9
Jan 1893. Jessie and Ruth J. (McDERMENT) ROWLAND
had the following children:
Frances
Margaret ROWLAND b.
11 May 1918 Westerville, OH
m.
?
d. 16 Jul 1948
James
McDerment ROWLAND
b 3 Apr 1920
Jesse
Eldoras ROWLAND, Jr.
b. 15 Nov 1921
Robert
Franklin ROWLAND
b. 15 Apr 1924
Ruth
Ann ROWLAND
b. 14 Aug 1925
Ruth
J. (McDERMENT) ROWLAND passed
away 26 Jul 1972.
Frances
Margaret ROWLAND was married to Charles
BELZER on 16 Jul 1948. He is the son of Charles
Conway and Mabel (KENNEDY) BELZER and had been born 28 Feb 1918 in Oskaloosa,
Mahska Co., Iowa. To this union were born the following children:
Dennis Charles BELZER b. 18 May 1951 Oskaloosa, Iowa m. 7 Mar 1982 to Cheryl COLTRAIN
Karen
Ruth BELZER
b. 17 Nov 1952
m. 29 May 1970 to Bryan MOOMAW in Newton,
Jasper Co., Iowa
Robert
Franklin ROWLAND is currently
(1985) residing in Arizona. His granddaughter is
continuing the family history for her ancestors. Robert is in possession of the
McDERMENT family Bible which traces ancestors to James
McCool McDERMENT. I am in possession of the index to that Bible. He and
his sister Frances have been very generous with time and information for the
generations prior to my grandfather James Henry
McDERMENT. I owe them my
unending gratitude.
Additional
notes:
Ruth
(McDERMENT) ROWLAND became the
wife of Reed RHODES
after the death of her first husband.
The
following were copied from the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows newsletter and local (Columbus)
newspapers. These clippings were among some family papers which had been in my
father’s possession.
HONORED HIS BIRTHDAY
Bro. James
McDermit is one of the honored and pioneer members
of Capital Lodge No. 334, of Columbus. He had also resided in Columbus for over
a half century, and was identified with the early growth and history of the
city. He now resides at Westerville.
On
Friday, June 16, he reached his eightieth milestone, and upon this occasion he
received a postal card shower from a large number of his old friends. He also
received a number of letters. On that evening was the regular meeting night of
his Lodge. An early session was held, and at its completion the Lodge proceeded
in a body to the residence of Bro. McDermit at Westerville and gave the old
pioneer brother a surprise, as he had no intimation of the visit. During the
evening he was presented with a handsome bouquet of flowers by the Lodge, the
presentation being made by Grand Secretary Lyman, after which an hour or so was
spent in a social manner.
Bro.
McDermit is not only a splendid Odd Fellow, but in his early days was an
enthusiastic member of the Order. Until a few years ago he was engaged in the
mercantile business in Columbus. Recently he has moved to Westerville, where he
purchased a small farm. Although eighty years of age he spends a great deal of
time in his garden.
HONORED HIS BIRTHDAY
James
McDerment, aged 80, gardener of Westerville, upon the occasion of his birthday
was recently given a letter and postal card shower by scores of friends. Many
members of Capital Lodge No. 334, I.O.O.F. of Columbus, sent letters. McDerment
is one of the oldest Odd Fellows in the state.
BIRTHDAY HONORS
James
McDerment, an aged resident of Westerville,
was remembered on his eightieth birthday which occurred recently, with postcards
and letters from members of the I.O.O.F. and
friends from various states. Mr. McDerment was born in Jefferson Township and in
1847 moved to Columbus residing there until six years ago, since which time he
has lived in Westerville.
James
Henry McDERMENT, first child of James
McCool and Mary (PACKMAN) McDERMENT, my grandfather was a very
interesting and talented individual. Among his accomplishments were several
poems published in the I.O.O.F. newsletter and
local newspapers, and a wonderful musical voice. He had performed in many church
choirs and had participated in the Franklin County
Centennial Celebration (1797-1897). His friends and relatives remember
him as being jolly, and he was always singing and whistling. He was fond of
reciting James Whitmore Riley poems (his father had a full set of these). As a
youth, I spent many hours at the checkerboard with him and he spoke often of his
family and his youth. After his wife Nelly (SMITH)
passed away and when his health began to fail, he resided with us at our Oriole
Avenue home in Euclid. He was very kind to my
brother Keith McDERMENT and I. He took delight
in bringing extravagant gifts that were suppose to be from Santa Claus.
James Henry McDERMENT married Nellie SMITH on 6 Apr 1905 in Columbus, Ohio. She had been working at her brother-in-law’s (John L. ELRICH – husband of her sister Mary Melissa SMITH) store in Columbus where they met. They settled in Columbus where their children were born. They are:
Florence
Louise McDERMENT b. 23 Dec 1906
Edmund Marley McDERMENT b. 11 Oct 1908 Village of Leonard, Franklin Co., OH
James
and Nellie moved to Piqua, Miami Co., OH
where he worked in a underwear factory. There he became acquainted with Dora
Jane (WILEY) KEY, my maternal great-grandmother, who was also working
there. (Note: Piqua is well known for the underwear industry and still
celebrated with a festival each year (1995). James and Nellie also lived in Ypsilanti,
Michigan for a short period of time before moving to Cleveland, Cuyahoga
Co., OH. In Cleveland, James worked for the Swartwout
Company, a steam specialty company, where he was employed from 1918 until
retirement. He was the Personnel Director there. He planned a company picnic
every year that was held at the pavilion at Mentor-On-the-Lake and an annual
Christmas party with Santa Claus. As
a child I though he was pretty important and I was treated like a princess at
these functions. A few years ago I spoke to the younger Mr. Swartwout who spoke
highly of my grandfather James. James and
Nellie joined Immanuel Presbyterian Church where
he sang in the choir and served as Deacon. I recall sitting with them many
Sunday mornings up until I was about 9 years old. He and Nellie first lived near
the Kamms Corner area , West 120th Street and Lorain,
on the western side of Cleveland and later moved to 14612 Alder Avenue,
East Cleveland, OH where they rented an upstairs apartment in a duplex. Before
joining Immanuel Presbyterian he had been of the Methodist faith.
Nellie
(SMITH) McDERMENT, daughter of Siebert
and Virginia (KIZER) SMITH, wife of James Henry
McDERMENT, was a very tiny lady who was only five feet eleven inches in
height. In their Alder Avenue home she always had a drawer in the hallway
cupboard filled with dolls, trucks, and other assorted toys for my brother and I
to play with when we visited. I think we were invited to Sunday dinner about
once each month and those dinners were always formal. My dad and grandpa wore
their suits to dinner, “Jimmy” always carved the meat, and we ate on the
good china. I remember the food as always being delicious and I have heard that
Nellie was a good cook. Nellie crocheted and frequently brought little one-inch
rubber dolls that were wearing dresses and hats that she made. I still wonder
how she managed to do such fine and perfect work. We had many of her doilies and
potholders at home until they went out of fashion. Nellie passed away in 1950 at
their home on Alder Avenue in Cleveland, OH.
James suffered a stroke not many years after the death of his wife and he resided with our family until his death on 11 Apr 1957 at Forest Hills Clinic. Both he and Nellie are buried at Lakeview Cemetery near Gilbert and Lily (KEY) BYRAM, Mrs. Evaline ELSHAW, and my parents Edmund Marley and Doris Janet (BYRAM) McDERMENT.
These
articles about James and Nellie appeared in
Cleveland, Ohio newspapers:
Thursday,
April 6 was the day Mr. and Mrs. James H. McDerment of 14612 Alder Ave.
celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. They
began their celebrating with a family
dinner at 6 p.m. at their home, and
were surprised later in the evening with arrival of many of their friends and
neighbors. Attending the dinner were Mr. and Mrs. Wade
Van Schoor, Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. McDerment, their grandchildren, Marlene
and Keith McDerment and Rev. and Mrs. Leroy
Hensel.
SWARTWOUT CO. FETES 18 VETERAN WORKERS
Eighteen employees of the Swartwout
Co., 18511 Euclid Avenue, who are members of the Twenty Year Club, will be feted
by the company tomorrow night with a dinner at Fischer-Rohr’s. Afterward they
will attend the hockey game in the Arena. Members of the club and their years
with the company are: William S. Foster, 33: William E. Clement, 31: Charles P.
Ackerman, 30: Charles A Ross, Sr., 29: Charles E. Cooper and Joseph Samoly, 28:
Denton K. Swartwout, Jr. and George A. Achweinfurth, 26: Willard F. Closson, 25:
George W. Russel, 24: Marty J. Mastenbrook and Curtis L. Shearer, 23: Howard A.
Shearer and John C. Stengel, 22: Henry C. Miller, 21: John Kuhar, Ernest W.
McFeely and James H. McDerment, 20.
Obituary
James
H. McDerment
Former personnel director at the Swartwout
Co., a steam specialty concern, James H. McDerment was associated with the
company form 1918 until he retired three years ago. Mr. McDerment, a church
choir singer until he was past 70, died yesterday at Forest Hills Hospital, a
day after his 78th birthday. Mr. McDerment was a member of Emmanuel
Presbyterian Church and sang in its choir and also in many church choirs in the
city. He was a member of the Masonic Order. He was born in Columbus
and came here in 1938. His wife, Mrs. Nellie Smith
McDerment, died in 1950. Mr. McDerment lived at 26378 Oriole Avenue, Euclid.
Surviving are his daughter, Mrs. Florence Van Schoor:
a son Edmund Marley McDerment, two sisters, Mrs.
Ruth Rhodes of Oskaloosa,
Ia., and Mrs. Elizabeth Arras of
Columbus, and two grand-children. Services will be at 1 p.m. tomorrow at
the Wm. Abel and Sons Co. Funeral Home, 15317 Euclid Avenue. Burial will be in
Lake View Cemetery.
Obituary
Mrs.
Nellie McDerment
A member of an Ohio pioneer family that settled in Westville,
Mrs. Nellie Smith McDerment came to Cleveland in 1919. She died today at her
home, 14612 Alder Avenue, East Cleveland. Mrs. McDerment, 67, was the wife of
James H. McDerment, personnel director of the Swartwout Co, to whom she was
married 46 years. She was a member of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 326 E. 156th
St. Surviving are her husband, a daughter, Mrs. Florence Van Schoor, a son
Edmund M. McDerment, a sister, Mrs. Susie Kern
of South Bend, Ind., two brothers, John
and Frank Smith of Westville, and two grandchildren, Marlene
and Keith McDerment. Services will be
conducted at 3 Friday at the William Abel and Sons Funeral Home, 15332
Euclid Ave., East Cleveland.
Keith
McDERMENT, son of Edmund Marley and Doris Janet
(BYRAM) McDERMENT was born 21 Nov 1946 at Booth Memorial Hospital in Cleveland,
Cuyahoga Co., OH. He was raised in the family’s Oriole Avenue home in Euclid,
OH. After his graduation from Euclid High School in 1964, he worked
briefly for Zagar Tool Company and then for the National Acme Company who had
employed his father until his death. On 23 July 1966 he married Susan
Shirley TAYLOR, daughter of Katherine TAYLOR
of Kentucky. They were divorced and had no
children. During this period, Keith pursued carpentry as an occupation,
following in the footsteps of his Uncle Gilbert BYRAM,
his grandfather Gilbert Newman BYRAM., and his
great-grandfather Henry John BYRAM. He obtained
status of Journeyman Carpenter and purchased a house in Willoughby Hills. On 8 Apr 1972 he married Bonita Caroline BROOKS, daughter of Kenneth
and Patricia (HALL) BROOKS of Willoughby, OH,
originally from PA. Keith had sold his
Willoughby house and purchased a farm on US Route 322 in Colebrook,
Ashtabula County, OH. They returned from their honeymoon to the Colebrook
house. They took delivery of 65 head of Black Angus cattle and began the life of
farming. Keith continued working in carpentry for several years. On 7 Feb 1977
their first son, Brian Marley McDERMENT was
born. On 21 Sep 1979, their second son, Kirt Elliot
McDERMENT was born at Euclid General Hospital in Euclid, OH. Keith opened
Ohio Wide Services a property maintenance company.
Keith
was a typical boy when growing up. He was very interested in automobiles even
when a small boy. He knew the name and year of every car he saw.
When he was a teen he purchased an old car and modified it into a hot rod
with high horsepower. He and his friends and my father spend many hours in the
garage at our Oriole Avenue home working on cars. Many of his friends had no
fathers at home and thought a great deal of our father. When our father passed
away in 1964 these young men were the pall bearers, a most touching sight, and
their expression of love for the man who was a father to many of them.
Keith purchased a cottage on the Grand River near where our grandparents Gil and Lily BYRAM and great aunt and uncle Mary and Harvey FOWLE had a cottage when we were young.
We assemble at this moment to
pay our last tribute of honor and heart respect to the memory of this good
woman, helpful wife, and loving mother. What is more fitting than that this
should be done by our meeting together to worship the good Lord for a few
moments whose she was and whom she served? Mrs. McDerment was born August
6th 1883 at Westville, Champaign County,
Ohio and was married to James H. McDerment
April 6th 1905. Two children were born of this union both living. Mrs. Florence Van Schoor and Edmund McDerment both reside with
their families in Cleveland, Ohio. There are two
grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. McDerment came to Cleveland in 1919. Nellie was a
lover of her home, family, and those many persons whose friendship she cherished
during her life until death. She was a fine help-mate and behind the scenes
entered heartily into the life work of brother McDerment. His duties at the Swartwout
Company called upon him to be the friend of all employees of that fine Company
and to look after their life needs just as most good companies now do for those
who are associated with them. Nellie always, even though indirectly and sight
unseen, did her part in bringing such a human relationship into life for
hundreds of families and homes. She will be remembered always.
Just this year she and Brother McDerment united with our Immanuel Church and during the brief period of membership they have come to be loved by an increasing number of persons who have had the privilege of knowing them. Together with Mrs. Hensel I as her Pastor enjoyed and prized richly this privilege of being a friend of one who knew how to live such a life of wholesome friendship. In my talks with her during the weeks of her last illness she gave evidence of her preparation to meet the Lord and drank into her heart the beautiful consolations of the Savior himself as these are made known to us all through the scriptures and Holy Spirit in our own hearts.
Her passing takes something from life and it leaves a
place that no one nor anything can fill as a substitute. Let her life be a human
guide for us all but far more than this let us all take her Lord as our supreme
master and live for him just as she humbly and helpfully brought honor and glory
to his name and cause.
Florence Louise McDERMENT, eldest child of James Henry and Nellie (SMITH) McDERMENT was born in Franklin County, Ohio on 23 Dec 1906. She remained with her parents until 1949 when she married Wade VAN SCHOOR on 17 Sep 1949 in Cleveland. Florence had a vision problem that limited her somewhat. She worked behind the candy counter at the F. W. Woolworth store at the five-points area on the east side of Cleveland for many years prior to her marriage to Wade. My mother told me that when her mother and father (Gilbert Newman and Lily Ada (KEY) BYRAM) invited the McDerment family to dinner, Florence would follow Lily around the kitchen with her hands clasped behind her back looking over Lily’s shoulder. Lily would be quite busy preparing a dinner for her own six children and guests and would get quite provoked when she would constantly turn and run into Florence. Florence, with her limited vision, was just trying her best to see what Lily was doing. Florence was a very kind woman and never missed what we would consider a normal life. She had been very protected by her mother which added to her awkwardness. After she and Wade were married they moved into Bob’s Mobile Home Park in Bedford Heights, Cuyahoga Co., OH. Wade worked as a stockman for a grocery store chain in their warehouse in Bedford Heights. They enjoyed going to Geauga Lake Park where the “people watched” and played arcade games. I’ve been told that they gambled for so many years on these games that they lost large sums of money. Florence died 22 April 1968 at Polyclinic Hospital. Wade died in 1979 at the place he enjoyed, Geauga Lake Park. They left no children.
Edmund Marley McDERMENT, second and youngest child of James Henry Henry and Nellie (SMITH) McDERMENT was born in Franklin County, Ohio. There was no birth certificate obtained at the time of his birth as they were not required in Ohio at that time. Later, when he applied for a Social Security card and affidavit was sworn by his parents that indicates his place of birth was Village of Leonard in Franklin County, now part of Columbus. When research this village the historical society found there had been a post office branch named Leonard. This was on the east side of Columbus within a few blocks of today’s downtown. He was known for friends and relatives as Marley and his co-workers called him Red.
Due
to having rheumatic fever as a youth and several family moves by his family, he
only attended school through the seventh grade. I was told that after he
recovered from the illness he was much bigger and more mature than the class
members so he dropped out. He was intelligent and amazed me with his grasp
of mathematics. As far as I am concerned the piece of paper known as a diploma
has little relationship to the abilities of the individual.
He and my mother, Doris Janet BYRAM were married on the 30th of June in 1939 by the Rev. Leroy HENSEL at the Immanuel Presbyterian parsonage at 15402 Parkgrove Avenue, Cleveland, OH. Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Miller stood up for them. No family members were present. Doris and Marley eloped. Her engagement ring was a locket that was given to her by Marley as an engagement symbol. Doris was expected to continue to stay at home, work at the Fisher Foods bakery and help support the family during the great depression. She and my father had know each other since childhood in Piqua where both of their families had lived. They lived in an apartment for a while and then in 1941 moved into the home that they had built at 26378 Oriole Avenue, Euclid, Cuyahoga Co., OH. The property is described as Sublot No. 73 in The Homesite Company’s Shore View Sub-division of part of Original Euclid Township Tract No. 20 as shown by the recorded plat in Volume 71 of Maps, Page 38 of Cuyahoga County Records and being 40 feet from on the Southerly side of Oriole Avenue and extending back of equal width 140 feet as appears by said plat be the same more or less.
Marley had worked for the
National Acme Company during the Second World War thus they were able to save
enough for the undertaking of a new home. Marley was draft exempt with a 4-F
classification due to his damaged heart from the rheumatic fever. He regretted
not being a part of the cause but served well in the war effort at home in
manufacturing for the war effort. He was honored and received some medals for
his contribution on the home front.
On 16 Sep 1943, I, their oldest daughter, Marlene Jan McDERMENT was born at Booth Memorial Hospital in Cleveland. After five days I was brought to this home on Oriole Avenue in Euclid. I was named Marlene after my father Marley, and my middle name is Jan, a short version of my mother’s middle name Janet. On 21 Nov 1946, their son, my brother, Keith Jon McDERMENT was born also at Booth Memorial Hospital. We were both raised in this home until my mother gave up the home at the time of Keith’s first marriage and shortly after the death of Edmund Marley McDERMENT on 26 Sep 1964.
Doris moved into an apartment building at E. 260th and Lakeshore Blvd. Later Keith and his wife Susan TAYLOR (nicknamed Dixie) divorced. He purchased a home in Willoughby Hills. Doris moved there and took care of the house and meals. Keith married Bonita (Bonnie) Caroline BROOKS and moved to a farm he purchased in East Orwell, OH. Doris moved back to the same apartment building where she lived until her death 24 Sep 1998.
Edmund
Marley McDERMENT, my father, was a very special parent. He always had
time for us children and kept our home life smooth. He always seemed to want
everything fair for us. It was not until after his death when I spoke to his
physician, Dr. Charles E. BOST, that I was to
know that he had a heart problem which should have cut his life short at a very
early age. Dr. BOST said that my dad had such a will to see his children grown
that he continued to live. The doctor said he had never expected him to live
past age thirty and that every year he lived was a miracle. My parents had been
advised not to have children as it would be a tremendous strain for him. As it
turned out, we were what kept him alive for many more years. A valve in
his heart was damaged when he had rheumatic fever as a youth. Once, when I was
in my early teens, his heart enlarged but that is the only time up until his
death that I had any idea that things were not right for him. At the time of his
death I had just turned twenty-one and Keith was nearly eighteen. He had in fact
lived to see his children grown. There is no need for my saying how much I
missed him, and I still do. Those near to me know how much he meant to me. I
would like to pass on a few amusing stories connected with him. His
friends from the west side of Cleveland got
together in the early 1960’s. These grown men said the only reason they were
there is because my father had a sixth sense. They had been out late one
evening, in the country (all of the West 120th Avenue area of
Cleveland was county at that time). They were driving on a road that cut through
cornfields. It was late summer and the corn was high. They were on a main road
and had the right away. As they approached a cross road, my father suddenly
stopped. They were all amazed to see another car speeding through
the intersection where they would have been if my father had not stopped.
One of his friends as a young
man was Ken LOWREY. He told of their adventures
at a gathering of friends one fall when they were about 15 or 16. As a Halloween
prank it was a custom to turn over out-houses. One time, in their fun, they
tipped over one of these without checking first to see if it were occupied and
were quite surprised to find a man sitting within taking care of business. That
event stopped short that particular prank.
A
tale I recall and heard repeated many time involved my father and what he called
a very expensive and wild cab ride. When his Aunt
Margaret (McDERMENT) KENNY passed away,
he went to Piqua, Ohio for the funeral and then stayed a few days to clear out
her apartment and dispose of her personal effects. Among her effects was an
amethyst ring with the stone set into gold leaves, also a amethyst baby ring and
a simple necklace with a diamond. Those were left to me and remain cherished
possessions.