By: Mark Holtsberry
John Chester Dangler was the son of John Hiram, born May 1853 in Ohio and Phoebe Florence (McGill) Dangler born February 1863 in Ohio. This couple was married in 1888. John was born January 25, 1896 in Antwerp, Ohio.
By 1900, the Dangler couple had three children. Mary Ellen born August 29, 1889, Henry Edward December 29, 1892 and John Chester. The family lived in Carryall Township on a farm. On August 24, 1900, a daughter, Missouri Elizabeth, was born into the Dangler family. On September 21, 1905, Phoebe passed away. By 1910, John Chester was living with his aunt and uncle, George W. and Lydia C. Helsel in Carryall Township.
Lydia was a sister to John Hiram Dangler. John’s brother, Edward or Henry, was working as a hired hand for John T. and Ada A. Hudson in Carryall Township on Hicksville Road.
Mary Ellen, 20 years old, married a fella named Harry Leaman and was living in Carryall Township as a farmer. Missouri Elizabeth went to live with uncle and aunt, George and Missouri Troyer. Mrs. Troyer is a sister to John Hiram Dangler.
On June 5, 1917, at the age of 21, John Chester Dangler, with his short 5’3″, grey eyes, dark brown hair fair complexion, registered for the draft at the West Carryall Precinct His brother Henry Edward registered, but was not chosen. On July 22, 1918, John joined the National Army out of Paulding. John was assigned to Company K. 335th Infantry. On September 3, 1918, John boarded the ship “Karmala” out of New York and set sail for France. Sometime after arrival, John was assigned to Company I. 28th Infantry. He will serve in the Meuse-Argonne sector.
John was assigned to the St. Aikman Casual Company from Ohio. I believe this unit is to recover military equipment and horse harness left on the battlefield to be reused. John was shipped out February 8, 1919 at Brest, France on the ship, St. Louis. He arrived at Hoboken, New Jersey, February 21, 1919. John was Honorably Discharged March 6, 1919.
By 1920, John was living with his brother Edward and sister-in-law Helen and John was working the land with his brother. John met and married Minnie Mildred Franks on February 11, 1922. John and Minnie were farming on their own land and a daughter, Virginia Florence was born April 20, 1923, another daughter, Muriel Lucile February 2, 1925, she went on to became a nurse serving in World War Two in the Navy.
Another daughter, Thelma Jeanette was born May 1, 1927. A son, Clifford Max born January 19, 1930. Clifford went on and served in the Korean War at the rank of a Corporal. In 1930, an outbreak of spinal meningitis epidemic had folks in a panic, John Chester Dangler caught this and was hospitalized March 4, 1930, at the Ft. Wayne Methodist Hospital. On March 7, 1930 at 1:30 A.M., John Chester Dangler passed away. He was brought back by the Schilb Funeral Home. He was buried in Maumee Cemetery, Lot 115, Grave 5. His wife, Minnie, passed away September 24, 1934. She was buried beside John. The children were sent to live with various aunts and uncles in different parts of Ohio.
