Coroner’s Inquest Records in Williams County, Ohio

Coroner’s Inquest Records in Williams County, Ohio

By Pamela Pattison Lash

(Scattered references found in Roll 86 of microfilm titled Williams County Ohio Probate; microfilm housed at Williams County Public Library in Bryan, Ohio.  Many how-to genealogy books mention the value of unusual or hard-to-locate records; these fit into that category.)

I am always harping on the value of old records found in Civil and Criminal Court aka Common Pleas data.  Here is an extraction done several years ago from Roll 86, which is the only coroner inquest data I have found to-date.  I hope it proves helpful to you.

30 June 1898

Henry Herholzer, 30, male, res Edon, OH, born USA, brown eyes, brown hair, no marks; found with no articles of property and no money

Henry Wertz, coroner; Stephen Lash, undertaker

11 Sept 1900

Letter to Probate Judge from HF Taylor, Montpelier.  Ohio division point on the Wabash…I have the body of Ed Watson, a colored man killed in Wabash Yards here the morning of the 8^th (8 Sept 1900).  Inventory taken and found one very old razor with broken handle and rusty blade, one old razor case, WCTU cards (Women’s Christian Temperance Union).

20 Dec 1900

Orrin H. Nihart has body at Blakeslee on Wabash right of way; Charles Carmon, 22, male, res of Montpelier, light eyes and hair, no marks, property consisted of 5 silver dollars, 1 quarter, 1 nickel, Silverine watch, lead pencils, notebook, letters

27 Dec 1900

Orrin H. Nihart has a body at Blakeslee on Wabash Railroad company grounds; Wayne Crowl, 22 male, res of Montpelier, black hair, no marks, property found on him: watch, several letters, notebook, $3.30

19 Apr 1901

SS Frazier, coroner; Mrs. Emma Colon 36, res of West Unity, dark eyes and hair, no marks; no property and no money

6 Jan 1902

Augustus Warren, acting coroner in village of Melbern; unknown male bet 45-50; supposed to be from Ireland; gray eyes, black streaked with gray hair, heavy sandy eyelashes and mustache; property included a shirt, towel, handkerchief, pair of socks, pipe and tobacco, 2 cakes of soap, 2 pocket combs, 2 pocket knives, one small brush, one pack matches, one lead pencil, one copy of Toledo Daily Blade, dated 27 Nov 1901; one nickel and five pennies; one beer check good for five cents in trade at bar at the Pearl

30 May 1902

SS Frazier, coroner; home of and body of TM Lambright, 52, male, Pioneer, OH res with blue eyes and dark hair, property consisted of small bunch of tobacco, one jack knife, pocket handkerchief, no money

11 Jan 1903

Sherman S. Frazier, coroner, in Montpelier Fred Haight, 36, male, born in IN, burned beyond recognition

1 July 1903

Nicholas Bauman, 83, male, res Superior Twp, born Germany, blue eyes, gray hair, 5”7”, missing right hip which made right leg shorter; full gray beard and whiskers, thin cotton shirt and light cotton trousers, lungs full of water which freely flowed when he was turned over, small pocket knife in pants

22 July 1903

Sherman S. Frazier, coroner, Bryan, OH res of FA Boluis, 53, male, born in Germany, dark hair and eyes; no property, no money

2 Oct 1903

Sherman S. Frazier, coroner; Kunkle, OH res of Harvey B. Coleman, 76, blue eyes, white hair, born USA, small place on back of right hand where the skin is peeled off and small place on left side of face about two lines in length, property consisted of empty pocket book, handkerchief, penknife, matchbox, no money

6 Oct 1903

no coroner available so info supplied by John E. Meek, JP Springfield Twp; body of Erastus R. Carter, 48, res Stryker, grey eyes, brown hair, struck by train at Tiffin River crossing, found that he died by his own carelessness

28 Sept 1904

Sherman S. Frazier, coroner; Bryan OH, George Clum, 18, male, from Auburn, IN, blue eyes, red hair, gash on upper part of head and running down to back of head on both sides of median line of scalp and skull, both severed; scar on left hand, right thigh is broken, both legs broken, right leg crushed, no property or money

26 Sept 1911

HH Patton, coroner; West Unity, OH; Mrs. Harriet Gardener, 74, female, res of West Unity; born Lorain Co, OH; light brown eyes, gray hair, no marks; property found on body was night dress, stockings, slippers, no money

11 Oct 1916

Coroner report; John Folk, 86, male, res Florence Twp, born USA, blue eyes, dark mixed with gray hair, found one and one half miles east of Blakeslee on Wabash RR; articles of property included a hickory cane, handkerchief, drinking cup partially damaged, bunch of keys, money purse, $5 bill, 2 dollar bills, 1 silver dollar, and other loose change, total money $9.72