The Paulding County History Museum is excited to announce its 2026 Quilt Show, continuing a cherished local tradition celebrating the artistry, craftsmanship, and history of quilting in Paulding County.

Now in its second year at the museum, the event carries forward a long-running quilt show tradition originally started by the Patchwork Pals, a sewing and quilting group from Paulding County Hospital, which was previously held during the Flat Rock Fall Festival. Visitors will enjoy a beautiful display of traditional, modern, and artistic quilts showcased throughout the museum.

The free event will run Monday, June 8 through Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily at the Paulding County History Museum, located at 600 Fairground Drive, Paulding, Ohio. In addition to the quilt show, the entire museum will be open for visitors to explore and enjoy throughout the week.

Special programming during the week will include a presentation from Threads of Love, a quilting ministry from Westgate Chapel, on Saturday, June 13 at 1:00 p.m. The group will share the story behind their ministry and how quilting is used to support and encourage others through handmade gifts.

Guests will also have opportunities to participate in several raffles throughout the week, including daily quilt and sewing package giveaways. Tickets will also be available for purchase for a chance to win a beautiful quilted wall hanging donated by Red Barn Quiltery of Monroeville, Indiana, with the winning ticket to be drawn on Saturday, June 13.

Community members who would like to display a quilt during the show are encouraged to participate. Quilt drop-off dates are scheduled for Saturday, May 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Tuesday, June 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the Quilt Show or quilt submissions, please contact Guy Dasher at 419-769-7269 or Jennifer at 419-796-9098

Antwerp VFW Post 5087 hosted a Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 25th, with a small parade leaving from the VFW and marching to the Riverside Veterans Memorial. The ceremony was a moving display of presentations of wreaths by the VFW, Boy Scouts, and American Legion. The featured speaker was Paulding County Commissioner and local military historian, Mark Holtsberry. He emphasized the importance of remembrance, asking the crowd when they last thought about the names on the lists behind him on the memorial wall, or the infamous “Canal Street Five”. Holtsberry’s speech was well-received by all, including the last World War 2 veteran in the Paulding County area, George Forrest (pictured above with Mark). Following the program, light snacks were served at the VFW Hall.

By: Mark Holtsberry 

Floyd L. Tabler was born January 24, 1901, in Paulding County, the son of Charles G. Tabler, born October 24, 1873, in Auglaize County, Ohio, and Emma May (Stahl) Tabler, born May 17, 1876, in Paulding County, Ohio.

Charles’ father, Marion Thomas Jefferson Tabler, was a Spanish-American War veteran. He passed away January 31, 1924, and was buried in Hedges Cemetery. I strayed off again, didn’t I? Sorry. Anyway, Charles and Emma were married May 7, 1894, in Paulding. By 1900, the couple was living in Jackson Township, where Charles worked as a day laborer. The family consisted of Wretha, born October 1894; Nellie Mae, born October 1896; and Genevieve “Jennie,” born October 1898.

By 1910, the family was still living in Broughton, Jackson Township. Charles was working at the tile mill, possibly the Baughman Tile Mill. The family had grown with the births of Floyd in January 1901 and William Howard in March 1909. On June 11, 1909, Emma passed away and was buried in Hedges Cemetery.

On November 12, 1915, Charles married Lydia Ann Golliver in Jackson, Michigan. She was born August 3, 1869, in Ohio.

On July 3, 1916, Floyd joined the National Guard out of Paulding, serving with Company B, 2nd Ohio National Guard. This unit was sent to the border between Mexico and the United States during the unrest and attacks against United States citizens. He served in the National Guard until October 16, 1917, when he was assigned to Company K, 146th U.S. Infantry, serving as a private until March 24, 1918.

He was then sent to Camp Sheridan, Alabama, to serve as a replacement soldier until May 29, 1918. He was assigned to Company I, 104th Infantry, as a private and was sent to France. He served in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne Defensive Sectors and was wounded in action around October 29, 1918.

After recovering from his wounds, he boarded the ship Mount Vernon at Brest, France, and sailed for home. He arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 4, 1919. His grandfather, Marion Tabler, picked him up there. Floyd was honorably discharged April 23, 1919.

After returning home, Floyd moved to Pennsylvania and began farming in Cambridge, Beaver County. On Tuesday, November 30, 1920, at 9:00 p.m., Floyd was killed by a train at Ambridge, sixteen miles from Pittsburgh. The American Red Cross was asked to locate the family. Found in Floyd’s pocket were his discharge papers, photographs, and documents containing his name and military record.

His remains were shipped back to Paulding and arrived Friday, December 2, 1920. The body was taken to the home of his sister, Mrs. Stanley Howe, west of Paulding, where funeral services were held. Rev. Wilkins officiated, and burial followed at Hedges Cemetery, Lot 11, Block A, Grave 3.

Charles passed away in 1959 and was buried in Hedges Cemetery. Floyd’s sister Nellie passed away in 1966, William in 1969, and Wretha in 1975.

…Until Next Time!

PAULDING – The Paulding County History Museum will hold its annual membership meeting and election of directors at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 31, at the museum in Paulding. The public is cordially invited to attend. The program and meeting are free and open to everyone.

The annual meeting was postponed from February due to an extensive project to upgrade the original electrical system and renovate the 35-year-old kitchen and dining room area. 

The program will feature speakers Kim Sutton and Melinda Krick, both past presidents of the museum, who will present “Zombie History: The Local Stories That Refuse to Die.” “Zombie History” is a term coined by a historian to describe incorrect historical accounts that are repeatedly accepted and passed down through generations as truth. The pair received an enthusiastic response for the same program at the Ohio Local History Alliance’s 11-county northwest regional meeting earlier this spring.

Area residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about Paulding County’s fascinating history and what the museum has planned for 2026.

Refreshments will be served after the program. Guests may tour the new kitchen and browse exhibits before and after the meeting.

Upcoming events include a quilt show starting June 8. The museum will be open daily June 8-13 during the county fair, held across the street. Admission is free.

The museum is located at 600 Fairground Drive in Paulding. Regular hours are Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

By: MELINDA KRICK

It Happened in May …

Many important and memorable events in Paulding County history have taken place in the month of May:

1841 – Shadrach Hudson, the first settler in Paulding County, passed away May 17 in Auglaize Township, just shy of his 70th birthday. He was born May 31, 1771, in New Jersey. At the age of 18, he enlisted as a soldier under Gen. St. Clair, and was in the bloody conflict of 1793, on the Wabash, now known as Ft. Recovery; only seven, besides himself, survived to be discharged. Last fall, he was taken with the prevailing disease of the country and in the spring he was again taken down and after a few days yielded to death. Died, also on the same day, Mrs. [Lydia] Hudson. She too was a native of New Jersey, born Dec. 18, 1775. The disease of which she died was most painful – that of cancer. The proximity of her death and that of her husband to each other, is worthy of remark. She expired at 9 o’clock a.m., and he at 11 a.m., on the same day. They married in 1794 and lived to see a large family of children grow up.

1898 – The Nickel Plate has a new iron bridge over the tunnel on First Street in Oakwood.

1899 – Timber Scarce: The available supply for factory purposes is about exhausted; The mills in this part of Ohio are compelled to discontinue buying on account of the scarcity. The vast forests of prime timber that existed in this part of Ohio at one time are about exhausted. The pioneer rolled logs, burned, destroyed and wasted it in the early days of his advent here to make a “clearing” for crops. Of the many busy factories once located in this county, there remains only here and there a straggling one that runs but a portion of the year and the last one of these must soon close down for want of material.

1901 – A very back wreck occurred on the Nickel Plate R.R. at Melrose. The watchman who tends the drawbridge over the canal at that place had swing the bridge to let a canal boat pass when one of the fast freight trains came into sight. The morning was so foggy that the engineer could not see the signal to stop and the engine with one car load of hides ran into the canal. No one was seriously hurt.

1903 – The large stave, heading and hoop mill, formerly known as the Eagle Stave Works, at Latty, owned by the Fort Wayne Cooperage Co., was entirely destroyed by fire. The plant, a landmark of that village, had been in operation for about 20 years and at one time employed a large force of men. The mill was practically the only industry the town had.

1909 – The cornerstone of the new church of St. Mary, Junction, the best and most flourishing Catholic congregation in the county, was blessed and laid last Sunday. More than 2,300 people from all parts of the county were gathered to witness the solemn ceremony.

1912 – President William H. Taft and ex-President [Theodore] Roosevelt both will be here this week. It is not often a town the size of Paulding is honored by the presence of the two most prominent citizens of the nation. Mr. Roosevelt speaks here today. President Taft will be here Saturday. It will be the first time a president ever visited this town.

1916 – The Catholic Church at Latty was struck by lightning in the belfry early Sunday morning and the bolt set fire to the building and it burned to the ground. The costly altar, the organ and other articles burned with the building.

1918 – Oakwood Mayor Ritchie issued an edict to loafers and panhandlers: Go to work or go to jail. A fellow who does not work and who has no job though able to work will be sent to jail at once.

1919 – Prohibition went into effect in Ohio May 27. The predicted drought enveloped Paulding County as per schedule, Saturday evening. Payne, one of the “damp spots,” did a heavy business until closing hour. The stock of liquors on hand being nearly depleted. It is estimated that $10,000 was spent over the bars of the village on this date. Visitors from dry sections came to town with a thirst. It is reported that in the past few days, more drinking has been done in Payne than in the entire history of the town. Booze by the drink, quart or barrel was on sale, and found ready takers.

1921 – A wooden marker for old Fort Brown was dedicated on Decoration Day by local residents. The marker, 8 feet high and 28 inches square, was placed at the site of the fort, built during the War of 1812. The location has been fixed beyond a doubt by older residents who knew it when part of the structure was standing.

1934 – Recreation Park Planned for Fort Brown: Paulding County will soon have a modern recreation park. Construction is beginning of several summer cabins, a dining pavilion and drives through the grounds. The old aqueduct is to be demolished and the rock of its abutments will be trucked to Fort Brown to build a retaining wall to stop erosion.

1936 – The Paulding Putnam Electric Co-operative was organized May 15 at a joint meeting of the electrification committees of the two counties at the Farm Bureau office in Paulding. F.B. Wortman, Howard R. Mosier, Tom Forder and Guy Bidlack were selected as incorporators from Paulding County.

1938 – This week the work of tearing down the old aqueduct a half mile south of Melrose was commenced. This was the point where the Miami & Erie Canal went over the Little Auglaize River.

1939 – In accordance with state law, all county offices in the courthouse will be closed Saturday afternoons, starting May 1 at 12 noon.

1939 – New post office buildings are open to the public in Oakwood and Paulding. About 1,500 visitors inspected the Paulding Post Office during an open house.

1939 – The construction contractor for the Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative Inc. is constructing distribution lines in Allen County, Ind. This cooperative has the distinction of being the first in the U.S. to cross a state line with their power.

1940 – Paulding County Memorial Hospital was dedicated, appropriately on National Hospital Day, May 12. The hospital opened in 1938 with beds for eight patients. More room and adequate equipment was needed so a new addition has been built, and by donations made by physicians, organizations and individuals, is now well equipped.

1942 – Albert M. Crosby, Paulding County’s last Civil War veteran, who would have been 94 years old May 19, died at his home one mile east of Broughton. In spring 1864, Mr. Crosby enlisted at age 16 in the Union Army and served in Company H, 132nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil War. An enthusiastic hunter, Mr. Crosby was credited with bagging more than 200 deer in the county and with killing the last black bear that roamed the county.

1943 – The Memorial Day observance will include the dedication of the new Paulding County Honor Roll on the west side of the square. The board will honor the brave and courageous boys and girls of our county serving in the armed forces on the battlefields of the world.

1945 – M.G. Stoller was surprised while driving along on U.S. 127 about two miles south of town. A large doe deer suddenly appeared, coming across country headed in an easterly direction then turned and went back west into the Floyd Cook timberland. Its presence was something of a novelty for this part of the country.

1950 – The Auglaize-Brown Local School District is created from all the territories of Brown Local School District and Auglaize Local District, effective July 1.

1963 – The New York, Chicago and St. Louis “Nickel Plate” Railroad will discontinue its two passenger trains that stop at Oakwood. This will be the first time there hasn’t been a passenger stop in Oakwood. Also, there will be no more express picked up or received at the depot after June 1. 

1964 – One of the most spectacular train wrecks in years on the Nickel Plate Railroad occurred when 61 cars and four diesel engines of a 107-car freight train derailed after hitting a semi trailer outfit on the grade crossing in Melrose. The truck driver was critically injured and later died. The crash piled up freight cars like cord wood and tore up nearly one-third mile of track. Railroad officials estimate damage will exceed $1.5 million.

1971 – The Paulding County School Board met in special session regarding district reorganization. The board, by a 3-2 vote, transferred all of the territory of the Blue Creek Local Schools and Grover Hill Local Schools to the adjoining Payne Local School District. The board unanimously approved a second resolution to transfer all of the territory of Auglaize-Brown Local Schools to the adjoining Paulding Exempted Village School District.

1997 – Paulding Mayor Vera Miles invites the public to attend the official streetlighting ceremonies on the courthouses square. The 28 historic-type lights have been installed as part of a downtown revitalization grant project.

9:00 a.m. – Rochester Cemetery, Cecil

Pastor Ric Beals Speaker, Pastor of Paulding First Christian Church

Boy Scout Troop 315 and Cub Scout Pack 1317

Vocalist Dan Wilder

VFW Post 587 Color Guard

VFW Post 587 Auxiliary

11:00 a.m. – Live Oak Cemetery, Paulding

Pastor Bud Larimore Invocation, Pastor of Oakwood and Melrose Community Churches

Capt. Guy Gruters Guest Speaker, United States Air Force Fighter Pilot, Prisoner of War over 5 years in Vietnam

Paulding High School Band

Boy Scout Troop 315 and Cub Scout Pack 1317

VFW Post 587 Color Guard

VFW Post 587 Auxiliary

Complimentary Lunch at VFW Post 587

Memorial Day Observance Planned in Antwerp

Antwerp VFW Post 5087 will host a Memorial Day observance on Monday, May 25^th with a small parade leaving from the VFW and marching to the Riverside Veterans Memorial. A brief ceremony will follow at the memorial, with Mark Holtsberry serving as the guest speaker. Following the program, light snacks will be served at the VFW Hall.

Memorial Day Services in Grover Hill

Grover Hill VFW will be hosting a Memorial Day Service on Monday May 25, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at the Middle Creek Cemetery, 19367 Road 24 Grover Hill, OH.

Village of Payne Memorial Day Parade & Services

Join the Village of Payne for a Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25th. Going down Main Street at 9:30 a.m. with service following at Wiltsie Cemetery (CR-51, outside of the village between CR-94 & SR-500).

John Paulding VFW Post 587 is hosting their annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Live Oak Cemetery in Paulding, Ohio, on Monday, May 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. This community event honors fallen service members and will feature Captain Guy Dennis Gruters as the guest speaker.

Captain Guy Dennis Gruters was a United States Air Force o icer and fighter pilot best known for his survival for over five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He was one of the five hundred and ninety-one surviving POWs of all military services released in 1973 for return to the United States during Operation Homecoming.

Captain Gruters’ decorations include more than thirty combat awards, with two Silver Stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts, three Bronze Star Medals for Valor, the POW Medal, a Presidential Unit Citation, over 20 Air Medals and other medals.

Crane Township is proud to announce the release of its new self-guided driving history tour, created in conjunction with the nationwide America 250 movement commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

This unique and engaging experience offers residents and visitors a chance to explore the rich history of Crane Township at their own pace. The tour highlights significant locations throughout the township, each selected for its role in shaping the community’s story over the past two centuries.

Participants will follow a printed map and booklet that guide them through each stop along the route. While a limited number of printed booklets are available at the Paulding County History Museum and the Paulding County Carnegie Library, the full booklet can also be accessed online at cranetwppcohio.gov, allowing participants to conveniently print their own copy.

Blending past and present, the tour offers a hands-on way to connect with local history while reflecting on the broader American story. From early settlement and transportation routes to community landmarks, each stop invites participants to imagine life in earlier times and appreciate the legacy that continues today.

Although future plans include a GPS-guided version of the tour, the current experience embraces a more traditional approach encouraging participants to navigate using a map, much like travelers of the past.

The tour extends beyond Crane Township, with two stops located in neighboring Carryall Township. As Crane Township concludes its bicentennial celebration, it is proud to recognize Carryall Township as it looks ahead to its own bicentennial in 2029—becoming the second of Paulding County’s twelve townships to reach this milestone. In many ways, this shared history represents a passing of the torch from one community to the next.

In addition, visitors can look forward to new “ghost town” signs that will soon be installed at several tour stops, including Henpeck, Furnace, and Knoxdale, further bringing the township’s early settlements to life.

Whether completed in one trip or explored over time, the driving tour offers a meaningful and memorable way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, right here in Crane Township.

For more information and to download the tour booklet, visit cranetwppcohio.gov.

PAULDING – Paulding County officially joined Ohio’s America 250 celebration with the planting of its Heritage Tree on the courthouse lawn on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

The event brought together Paulding FFA Chapter officers, Paulding County Commissioners, and community leaders as they planted a white oak tree—part of a statewide initiative to place one Heritage Tree in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. The program honors Ohio’s role in the nation’s founding while encouraging communities to preserve their local history and invest in future generations.

Anna Gurney of the Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District played a key role in coordinating the planting and organizing the ceremony, helping ensure the event reflected both the county’s heritage and its forward-looking spirit.

A highlight of the ceremony was the soil presentation conducted by FFA students. Soil collected from meaningful locations across Paulding County—including farms, schools, parks, and other significant sites—was brought together and poured at the base of the newly planted tree. The act symbolized the county’s shared roots and its continued growth into the future.

The white oak, designated as Paulding County’s Heritage Tree, stands as a lasting tribute to the community’s past, present, and future. The planting marks the beginning of local efforts to commemorate America 250, with additional events, celebrations, and projects expected to take place throughout the coming months.

The Defiance Area Foundation has announced the creation of a new charitable fund, the A Walk in the Parks Fund, established by Jay and Chris Hanson to support parks throughout Defiance County.

The fund is designed to provide resources for any existing or future park in Defiance County, as well as public or private parks that are open and free to the public and meet Foundation guidelines. The fund will support maintenance projects, enhancements to park facilities, and the creation of new outdoor spaces that benefit the community.

Jay and Chris Hanson shared the inspiration behind the fund:

“Our family believes in supporting the Defiance community, where we have made a life together, raised our children, and created precious memories along the way. A Walk in the Parks is a fund that we have established to provide a path to give back for all who have enjoyed spending time at any of the Defiance area parks. This is an avenue to literally put the Defiance Area Foundation’s motto, Nelson Henderson’s famous quote into practice, to do something generous to benefit future generations. A strong parks system is just one of the many aspects of a strong community. We encourage anyone in Defiance County who cares about our outdoor parks to name A Walk in the Parks Fund in their estate plan.”

The Defiance Area Foundation expressed its gratitude for the Hanson family’s commitment to strengthening the community and preserving the outdoor spaces that enrich local quality of life. To give to the new A Walk in the Parks Fund at the Foundation, please visit https://defianceareafoundation.org/donate-to-a-fund