It’s time for the Ohls and the news to come together

Photo

Standing at the tombstone of Michael Ohl, founder of Ohltown, are descendants, from left, Lester Handwork, Mary Liming, Margaret Grace and Cheryl and Lloyd Zimmet. The 135th Ohl family reunion will take place Aug. 19 at Ohltown United Methodist Church, Mineral Ridge.

AUSTINTOWN

In the 1850s a thriving village called Ohltown bustled near what is now Meander Reservoir in Austintown.

Within the three village blocks were nestled many residences, a general store, grocery store, post office, shoemaker, cabinetmaker and blacksmith shops, two churches and a school.

Fast forward to 2012, and committee members are finalizing plans for the 135th reunion for the Ohl family, descendants of Henry Ohl, father of Ohltown founder Michael Ohl.

All descendants of the Ohl family are invited to the picnic, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Ohltown United Methodist Church in Mineral Ridge.

Guests are welcome to arrive early and are asked to take a favorite covered dish, table service and other goodies. Coffee and cold beverages will be provided.

Family dues cost $2, and scholarship donations are requested. Make checks payable to Ohl Reunion and mail to: Mary Liming, 3840 Austintown-Warren Road, Mineral Ridge, OH 44440.

To qualify for a scholarship, young people must attend two business meetings. Those who applied last year should take a copy of their latest report card or grade transcript for the scholarship committee.

Following are committee officers: Laddie L. Ohl, president, 724-588-7076; Lloyd G. Zimmet, vice president, 330-233-1574; Liming, treasurer, 330-652-9092; Judy K. Robinson, scholarship chairman, 330-759-2179; and Joan Deal-Haul, reunion secretary, 330-394-6370.

A genealogy book dating to Michael Ohl’s great-grandfather, John Henry Ohl, was published in 1951. Todd E. Prince of Beaver, Pa., is updating the book.

To be included in family records, notify the secretary of births, deaths, marriages and any other special events. Those who can’t attend are asked to send a message to the family as well as provide a change of address with ZIP code, phone number and email to be included in the address book.

Behind Ohltown United Methodist, Michael Ohl and many of his descendants rest in the Weathersfield Township Cemetery. The cemetery, because it’s on higher ground, was spared when the Meander Reservoir was built. In 1932 the village was turned into a lake, and Ohltown Road, the church and cemetery are pretty much all that remain.

Liming, whose grandmother was Ida Ohl, lives near the church on Lou-Ida Farms in Lordstown, which was Ida Ohl Young’s home.

Lester Handwork of Ellsworth, a grandson of Mary Ohl, was honored at last year’s reunion as the oldest man in attendance. Lloyd Zimmet, vice president of the reunion committee, and his wife, Cheryl, live in Stow, Ohio. Zimmet’s grandmother was Hattie May Ohl. The Ohl reunion photographer, Rosemary Grayson of Warren, great-granddaughter of Ella Ohl, organizes a group picture each year at the gathering.

Margaret Ohl Grace of Boardman, daughter of the late David E. and Ruth D. Ohl, recalls fond memories of attending the annual reunions in Packard Park, Warren, when she was a child. In 2000 the reunion location was moved to the Ohltown Church.