596327

[preston.FTW]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 9, Ed. 1, Tree #0216, Date of Import: Oct 19, 1998]

Bucyrus Evening Telegraph, June 20, 1902: John Messner, and aged and respected citizen and one of Crawford County's pioneers died at his home on Galion Street at 10 o'clock this morning, aged eighty four years, seven months and three days. Death was caused by heart failure due to his advanced age.

Funeral services will be held at the late residence, Sunday morning at 9:30 o'clock. Rev. M. J. Keyes will conduct the ceremony which will be private and the burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Mr. Messner began to show signs of failing strength a little more than a week ago, and although he was able to be up and around the house, he was very weak and the end was not altogether unexpected. He was still able to walk about yesterday but his strength failed suddenly and this morning, conscious almost to the last, he passed into peaceful sleep.

John Messner was born in Lyken's Valley, Dauphin Co., PA Nov 17, 1817. He grew to young manhood in his native town and came to this city about 1836. He was a shoemaker by trade and followed this occupation until with a few weeks of his death. During the entire time that he followed this trade, with the exception of one year, he used the same shoemaker's bench with which he began his trade. He was twice married and has one son, Thomas, by his first marriage. HIs wife died about 1848 and on April 8, 1855 he was married at Millersburg, PA to Margaret Catherine Gardner, who survives him. There are eight children; Thomas, of Allegheny; Mrs. Ida Smith, of Cleveland; Mrs. Margaret Traub, of Sandusky; Mrs. Hattie Green; Mrs. Nellie Johnston; Martha Jane, Jessie, and Jay of this city.

During the long years of his residence in this city, he has grown to be one of the respected and popular citizens. In his early life, he was popular socially and his old friends speak of him in warm terms as a young man always seen at social entertainments and who was always in demand. In his later years, he has been a citizen giving careful attention to his work, always anxious to greet the friends of his earlier years. He has been identified with Bucyrus as a prominent citizen and hs death robs his family of a thougtful father and the community of a kind citizen and neighbor.