Notes for Jonathan Franklin Clingerman: In the 1880 Federal Census of Ohio, Frank is shown living with his parents Horatio and Lucy in Jefferson Township, Logan County Ohio. The members of the household were Horatio, age 45, Lucy, age 42, William, age 15, Franklin, age 13, Harry, age 10, and Charles age 8.
The 1900 Federal Census shows Frank Clingerman living in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio. The other members of his household were Avis and Leon.
The 1910 Federal Census shows John F. Clingerman living in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio. Others living in his household were his wife Avis, son Leon, daughter Mary, daughter Ila, son James, and daughter Mabel. The household listed on the census form just prior to John's listing was that of his father Horatio and mother Lucy.
The 1920 Federal Census shows Frank Clingerman at age 53 living in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio. Others living in his household were his wife Avis, age 46; his daughters Ila, age 17, Mabel, age 11, and Leila, age 2 years and nine months; his son, James, age 14; and his mother Lucie, age 80.
The 1930 Federal Census shows Frank Clingerman living in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio. Others living in his household were his son James, his daughters Mabel and Leila, his son-in-law Ralph Williams, and his granddaughter Alice J.
Although he died before I was born, I recall lots of stories that were told about my grandfather Clingerman. He borrowed money in the 1920's and remodeled his farm home. With the depression, he could not make the mortgage payments and lost the farm. The story I recall is that he lost the farm because he could not come up with $500. My uncle Bob Yoder could have probably loaned him that much because he was doing alright as a grocer during the depression. However, my grandfather was reportedly too proud to take or ask for a loan.
Frank and Avis mortgaged the property on March 7, 1913 for $4300 to the Citizens Building and Loan Company. The mortgage is recorded in the offices of the Logan County Recorder, mortgage book volume 47, page 110. This mortgage was apparently canceled according to the records in the Recorders office.
Records in the offices of the Logan County Recorder, book 60, page 29, records a mortgage of the farm property by Frank and Avis. E. Clingerman to Flora A. Levan on July 2, 1921. An assignee's deed recorded in the offices of the Logan County Recorder, book 141, page 556, provides details of Frank losing the farm. On December 24,1930, Frank made an assignment of all of his property, including the real estate, to Eugene C. Williams in trust for the benefit of his creditors. The deed of assignment was filed in Probate Court of Logan County on December 24,1930. On February 11, 1931, Eugene Williams filed an action in Probate Court of Logan County against Flora Levan and Frank Clingerman which was case number 2056 in the court. The action, among other things, requested the sale of the real estate. The court ordered the sale of the real estate at public sale for not less than two-thirds of the appraised value. The property was appraised, advertised for four weeks before sale in the Daily Examiner, and sold at the west door of the court house in Bellefontaine on March 28, 1931 to the highest bidder. John L. Allen, Anna M. Allen, and Emerson M. Collins bid $2,100 and were awarded the property by action of the Probate Court on April 2, 1931.
The history of the farm after that sale is of interest to family members. The following transactions are recorded in the offices of the Logan County Recorder. On January 28, 1947, John E. Allen, Anna M. Allen, and Emerson M. Collins transferred the land to George A. Hone and M. Trisabel Hone, book 191, page 83. On March 24, 1953, George Hone and M. Trisabel Hone transferred the land to Stanley Tennant and Elizabeth Tennant, book 212, page 9. On March 11, 1968, Elizabeth Tennant transferred the land to Geo. A. Wackerman, book 318, page 955.
My grandfather ran a sugar camp on the farm. As a youth, I hiked many times to the site of the camp. There was little left of the camp, but there was a spring that was piped out of the hillside and into Mad River at the site of the camp. My mother told me about the spring and showed me where it was once when we were hunting for spring mushrooms. The camp was along Mad River near the northern edge of the farm where it adjoined the land then owned by Harry Gilbert.
Starting the summer before my junior year in high school, I started working for Charles and Lena Henry in Brookside Orchard along with Danny Levan. One day, I mentioned to Charles that my grandfather owned land in the area near the orchard, and he said he used to run a sugar camp with my grandfather and knew him well. He spoke highly of Frank, and I felt he always treated me very well after that time. Charles and Lena were good to me and always found work for me to do in the summers as I was going through college. They seemed pleased that the were able to help me earn the money I needed each year.
Frank spent his last years living in the home of his daughter Mabel Williams and her husband Ralph Williams in Zanesfield. Aunt Mabel told me the story that Frank fell asleep in a rocking chair and died in his sleep.
A biographical sketch of Jonathan Clingerman appears on pages 115-16 of Memoirs of the Miami Valley Volume III edited by John C. Hover, Joseph D. Barnes, Walter D. Jones, Charlotte Reeve Conover, Willard J. Wright, Clayton A. Leiter, John Ewing Bradford, and W. C. Culkins which was published by Robert O. Law Company of Chicago in 1920. The complete text of the sketch is presented below.
Frank Clingerman. By practical industry, wisely and vigorously applied, Frank Clingerman has won a place prominent in agricultural circles of Logan county and is now known as one of the most respected and honored, as well as successful, farmers of Jefferson township. He was born at Zanesfield, Ohio, May 12, 1866, a son of Horatio and Lucy (Brookins) Clingerman, the former of Muskingum County, this state, and the latter of Prospect, Marion County, Ohio. Horatio Clingerman was a small boy when he was taken by his parents to the southeastern part of Logan county, where he received his education, and in the early part of his life devoted himself to the harness-making trade, while in later years he applied himself to farming. Following his marriage he removed to Zanesfield, and subsequently bought a farm east of that place, where he continued to carry on operations until his death, July 14, 1917. He and his wife were the parents of six children, of whom four are living: William W., Frank, Harry and Charles. Frank Clingerman received his education in the public schools of Jefferson township and on leaving school engaged in farming with his father, remaining on the home place until his marriage. At that time he engaged in operations on his own account, first as a renter for nineteen years and then as the owner of his present farm, a tract of 154 acres on which he carries on general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Clingerman has achieved success, and his reputation in business circles is one of which any man might be proud. He has never incurred an obligation which he has failed to fulfill, nor made an engagement that he has not met, and wherever known is respected and esteemed. He is a Republican in his political actions and as a churchman lives up to the faith of the Lutheran denomination. November 22,1894, Mr. Clingerman married Avis Collins, who was born in Logan county, Ohio, daughter of James and Mary (Haas) Collins, also natives of this county, a sketch of whose careers as well as a history of the family will be found in the review of J. P. Collins, elsewhere in this work. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Clingerman: Leon, who married Lova Schroyer and has one child, Kenneth, and is engaged in assisting his father on the home place; Mary, who married Herman Levan and has one child, John Henry; Leona, who married Russell Fershee; Ila, James and Mabel, at home.
More About Jonathan Franklin Clingerman: Burial: December 10, 1942, New Salem Cemetery, Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio.630, 631
More About Jonathan Franklin Clingerman and Avis Eudoria Collins: Marriage: November 22, 1894632, 633
Children of Jonathan Franklin Clingerman and Avis Eudoria Collins are:
Jonathan Franklin Clingerman (b. May 12, 1866, d. December 07, 1942)
Notes for Jonathan Franklin Clingerman: