By: Mark Holtsberry
Orin Webster Donat
Orin was born September 6, 1874 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio. He was the son of George W. and Celeste May (Hartzog) Donat. Orin was the oldest of seven children. His father, George, was born in Ohio, his mother was born in Willshire, Van Wert County, Ohio. George was a hardware merchant who settled into being an undertaker, as well as his son Clement. Then later in life, George became a grocery store owner.
When Orin was little, he was raised in Wabash, Adams County, Indiana. Sometime after that, he moved to Paulding, Ohio. Schooling was very important for him as he wanted to become a lawyer. He enrolled in Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee. He graduated from this institution in 1896 with high honors and a degree in law. He was admitted to the bar in 1897.
Moving back to Paulding after graduation, he found that Paulding was trying to raise a company of men to serve in the Spanish American War. Orin was voted to be a sergeant by the men of Company M. 2nd Ohio Volunteer Army (all Paulding County boys). Here he was a college graduate (with a law degree, 24 years old, 5-6”, fair complexion, brown eyes, dark hair) going off to war. Orin was mustered into service on June 23, 1898. From December 24, 1898 till February 3, 1899, he was on detached service in Cuba, through special orders #34, 1st Division Headquarters. He was discharged February 10, 1899.
His service was honest and faithful. The stories he wrote for the Paulding Republican Newspaper kept everyone informed of the happenings with the company; hours of sleepless nights, eating scorched bacon and potatoes, standing in the rain, in formation, to the details of the tall and long sage grasses, he kept the interest in reading about the company.
Orin returned to Paulding to practice his trade, law. His dignified looking features, gathered a bit of business, but his true business was a gal by the name of Edna Deane Barnes. She was born December 25, 1877, in Medina County, Ohio, the daughter of Ervin and Rosa (Williams) Barnes.
Orin and Edna were married in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, November 30, 1904. They had a daughter, named Deana Donat who was born January 4, 1915, in Wisconsin. Orin and his family moved back to Paulding and lived on Copeland Street. Orin continued working as a lawyer, but for an insurance company.
Something happened to the marriage with Edna, they were together no more. Edna was teaching at Paulding High School, Orin remarried, March 6, 1923, to a woman by the name of Chloe R. (Bashore) Roebuck, in Monroe, Michigan.
Sadly, the daughter, Deana, becomes an inmate in an institution for the feeble minded sometime before 1930. She remained there for forty years. She passed away on March 26, 1997 and is buried in Wisconsin.
Orin and Chloe lived on South Cherry Street in Paulding, Ohio with Orin’s stepson, Frank Delbert Roebuck and stepdaughter, Bourban B. Roebuck. Frank worked as a clerk for a loan company, Bourban was a school teacher in Paulding. Bourban was married to guy by the name of Forrest Smith who was also a school teacher.
Sometime before 1940, Orin, Chloe and Frank moved to Florida where Orin still practiced law, Chloe became an apartment house manager and Frank worked as a law clerk, working for Orin.
Orin lived out his days in Florida and he passed away on May 21, 1947. He is buried in Veterans Administration Cemetery, Bay Pines, Pinellas County, Florida. Section 14, Row 1, Site 3.
Until Next Time
