Military History in Paulding County
By: Mark Holtsberry
Charles Francis Purdy was born January 9, 1891, in Antwerp, Ohio. He was the son of Valentine Elrey Purdy, born in January 1858 in Ohio, and Ida Lee (Lewis) Purdy, born in February 1867. Ida’s father was a Civil War veteran buried in Riverside Cemetery in Antwerp. Valentine and Ida were married on August 18, 1887, in Paulding.
By 1890, Valentine and Ida were living in Carryall Township, where Valentine worked as a farmer. The couple had three children: a daughter, Ella B. Purdy, born in March 1888; Charles, born in 1891; and Dwight Lewis Purdy, born February 20, 1900.
By 1900, the Purdy family was still residing in Carryall Township, and Valentine continued farming. On September 27, 1906, Ella Purdy married a man named Harry C. Donat.
In 1910, the family remained in Carryall Township, with Valentine still farming. Sons Charles and Dwight were helping on the farm.
On December 25, 1912, Charles married Norma R. Langham, born January 5, 1895, the daughter of James and Lily Langham. By 1916, Charles and Norma were living at 923 College Avenue Northeast in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Charles worked as a farmer.
On June 5, 1917, Charles returned to the Carryall West precinct to register for the World War I draft. He was described as tall with a medium build, gray eyes, and light brown hair, and listed his occupation as farmer. On June 11, 1917, Charles enlisted in Company E, 2nd Ohio National Guard based out of Hicksville, Ohio. He was honorably discharged on July 31, 1917, due to dependency issues and was not assigned a serial number. His brother Dwight registered for the draft on September 12, 1918, but was not selected for service.
By 1920, Charles and Norma had returned to Carryall Township, where they were living on a farm and raising Norma’s three-year-old brother, Harold.
On January 28, 1927, Charles’s mother, Ida, passed away and was buried in Maumee Cemetery in Antwerp.
By 1930, Charles, Norma, and Harold had moved back to Grand Rapids, Michigan, residing at 1019 Jeanette Avenue. Charles was employed by a furniture company as an upholsterer.
On September 11, 1935, Charles passed away from heart disease. His body was returned to Antwerp, where services were held at his father’s home. Perkins and Reeb Funeral Directors managed the arrangements. Charles was buried in Maumee Cemetery.
Norma later remarried around 1937–1938 to Arthur Eckenhoad. Together, they had a daughter named Helen Louise, born in late 1938. The family lived on Buffalo Street in Antwerp for several years before relocating to Florida.
Charles’s father, Valentine, passed away on January 6, 1942, and was buried alongside Ida in Maumee Cemetery.
Ida Eckenhoad (formerly Purdy) passed away on December 14, 1981, in Duval County, Florida. She was buried in Edgewood Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida. Arthur Eckenhoad passed away on February 27, 1986, and was buried with her.
… Until Next Time!
