A short sketch of Reason Wall Sr. and Abigail Kuder Wall of Sharon Center, Sharon Township, Medina County, Ohio

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Reason Wall, Sr.

Reason and Abigail (Kuder) Wall Family around the turn of the century

Reason Wall, Sr.

Reason was the sixth child born to CHARLES WALL and SOPHIA FREDERICK on May 19, 1840 in Sharon Township. At the age of twenty-one he married seventeen year old ABIGAIL KUDER, daughter of JACOB KUDER and MARY M. KIME of Sharon. Abby was born on January 4, 1844 probably in Sharon. The Reverend Hamilton married the couple in Wadsworth on December 12, 1861. Between 1861 and 1870 Reason and Abby lived in Montville Township just west of Sharon and in Granger Township north of Sharon. In April 1872 Reason and Abby purchased approximately 94 acres in section 32 and 33 of Sharon Township from James H. Stoop. They were living there when the cyclone of 1890 hit their farm. Sometime later they purchased a farm just east of Sharon Center and lived there until their deaths. This property passed to the Stauffer family. The original farm passed down to their son and my grandfather, Reason Deforest Wall. It is located on Hatch Road, once known as Wall Road, just north of the intersection of Hatch and Burdett roads. This is the farm I knew as I was growing up in Sharon.

Reason and Abby had five children, Charles, William, Albert, Mary and Reason Deforest Wall. Abigail died on April 7, 1910 and the following notice was given of her death, "A devoted husband, five children, fifteen grandchildren, one brother and many relatives and friends remain to mourn her death. Death came to her Thursday morning, April 7, after a week of intense suffering at the age of 66 years, 3 months and 2 days. In her disposition as friend, neighbor, mother and wife, her life gives evidence of a rare genuineness. As a friend, she was faithful and sympathetic, though quiet by nature, nevertheless her influence was effective. As a neighbor, she was interested in her community and always ready to sacrifice her comfort."

Less than a year later Reason died, on March 24, 1911. Both he and Abby are buried in the Copley cemetery on State Route 162 not far from their old farm. A few months before his death Reason made his last will and testament. It is a hand written document dated December 31, 1910 and filed in the Medina County Courthouse. Paraphrased, it states in part:

It is my will that the farm owned by me and containing about ninety four acres of land situated in Sharon township, Medina County, Ohio, shall be deeded by my executors to my son R. D. Wall upon my son R. D. Wall paying to my executors the sum of four thousand dollars. It is my will that my other farm on which I now reside shall be deeded by my Executors to my daughter Mary Sophia Stauffer upon my daughter paying my executors the sum of three thousand dollars. I hereby give to my son R. D. Wall my cook stove and my wolf robe. I give to my son William Wall my lap robe. I give to my son Charles Wall my two horse blankets. I give my son Albert Wall my bath robe which was a present to me from Jimmie Hollinger. I direct my executors to sell my three watches at auction to the highest bidder, but no person shall be allowed to bid except my four sons.

My uncle Ira Wall once remarked he remembered his Dad saying he was promised a gold watch that was passed down to his mother from his grandfather, Jacob Kuder. After the death of Reason, he was unable to bid on the watch because he was the executor of the estate. The watches went to his three brothers.

CHARLES JACOB WALL was born in Sharon or Montville Township on February 9, 1863. He was married twice, first to FLORA A. HOUGLAN probably in the mid 1880's. Flora was born on June 13, 1863 and died on May 12, 1913. Charles then married BELLE DANIELS, about whom I have no other information. Charles died on October 31, 1944 probably in Sharon and apparently left no descendants.

WILLIAM LORENZON WALL was born on January 31, 1865 in Montville Township of Medina County.He married IDA C. HAZEN probably about 1890. Ida was born on August 4, 1863. The couple moved to Copley Township in Summit County where William raised hogs. Ida and William had two daughters, Martha and Luella. Ida died in Copley on June 16, 1917 at the age of 53. William retired from farming in 1940 and lived the rest of his life with his daughter Luella who never married. In 1956 on the occasion of his ninety-first birthday he was interviewed by the Akron Beacon Journal. He claimed to have never "smoked, drank or chewed." He also recalled the days of horse drawn streetcars in Akron and the Main Street canal. It is possible that the Henry Wall mentioned in the story of the cyclone of 1890 was in fact William and the name was reported incorrectly. He was 25 years of age and probably recently married when the tornado struck. A few days prior to his 92nd birthday he died, on January 18, 1957 in his home in Copley.At the time of his death the Beacon Journal reported that he had two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Children of WILLIAM WALL and IDA HAZEN:

(1) MARTHA WALL was born in April 1892 and married first Charles Shanafelt and had two sons, Orlin and Neal. She married second Schuyler Wagar and lived in Medina. Her date of death is unknown to me.

(2) LUELLA A. WALL was born on April 10, 1897 in either Sharon or Copley. She died on August 16, 1978 in Copley leaving no descendants.

ALBERT ALLEN WALL was born in August 1868 in Granger Township. He married Mary Wagner on April 20, 1890 in Wadsworth. Mary was born on May 20, 1871 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Albert and Mary had three children, Kleber, Natina and George. Albert and Mary lived and farmed in Sharon from about 1895 until their deaths. In April 1940 the Akron Beacon Journal published a notice of their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Albert died sometime between 1940 and 1957. Mary died on November 3, 1957 in Sharon. Their place of burial is unknown to me.

Children of ALBERT WALL and MARY WAGNER:

(1) Reverend KLEBER WALL was born in Sharon in September 1891. He married ESTHER HOLMES. Kleber and Esther had one daughter, Esther Louise Wall. Kleber was the chaplain at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio for many years. He died in January 1957 at the age of 65. His wife proceeded him in death.

(2) NATINA C. WALL was born on April 10, 1894 in Sharon. She married first WARREN CALVERY and had a son, GEORGE CALVERY. She married second CHARLES OPLINGER and third a Mr. Wheeler. Natina died on September 13, 1980 at the age of 86 and is buried in the Copley cemetery on Route 162.

(3) GEORGE R. WALL was born in March 1897 in Sharon. He married first HILDA EVERHARD on June 25, 1917. George and Hilda had a daughter Jean. Hilda died on July 3, 1937 and George married ADDI SNEIDER and had a daughter Karen. George's farm was at the corner of Route 162 and Route 44 just east of Sharon Center. When I was growing up in Sharon we passed his farm on the way to and from our grandfather's farm but I do not remember ever meeting him or his family. George died on July 3, 1966 in Sharon Township.

MARY SOPHIA WALL was born on May 20, 1871 in Sharon. She married CHARLES STAUFFER of Sharon probably about 1880. Mary died on November 2, 1957 in Wadsworth.

Children of MARY WALL and CHARLES STAUFFER:

(1) ROY O. STAUFFER who married MAE WORTH. Roy was living in Ottawa, Illinois in 1978 and died there probably around 1990.

(2) ELNO R. STAUFFER was born in 1882 in Sharon. Elno married JESSIE D. DANIELS and had a son, Blake E. Stauffer. Elno owned and operated with Blake the Stauffer's Country Store located on the southwest corner of Sharon Center town center. He served for six years on the Republican Central Committee and in 1938 ran for County Commissioner, losing by a few votes. He ran again in 1940 and won handily and served in that capacity for eight years. He was Director and President of the Medina County Agricultural Society and served as Medina County Fair Board President from 1960 through 1968. He spent six years in the 1920's as the Sharon Postmaster and the Sharon Post Office was located in his store as I was growing up in Sharon Center. Elno passed away at the age of 85 on March 6, 1978 at the Crestview Nursing Home in Medina after a lengthy illness.

(3) FLORENCE S. STAUFFER was born on October 9, 1894 in Sharon. She married HOWARD CASKEY and had three sons, Myron, Boyd and Clark. Florence died on January 30, 1993 at the age of 98. She is buried in the Copley cemetery.

(4) REASON DEFOREST WALL was born on November 25, 1875. He married WINIFRED PEARL TYLER on December 25, 1895.

 

Ronald N. Wall
Modified: 11 July 2017