By: Mark Holtsberry
Clare William Keck was born May 20, 1894 in Jackson Township. The son of George Thomas born June 18, 1870 in Ohio and Eva Edith (Good) Keck born January 28, 1873 in Ohio. This couple was married October 7, 1891 in Paulding. By 1900, George and Eva had four children. Annie born in June 1892, Clare May 1894, Elva August 1896 and Effie May December 1898. Thomas was farming in Jackson Township. Annie and Clare were in school. On October 17, 1901, Eva Edith Keck passed away, she was buried in Bowholtz Cemetery.
By 1910, George Thomas was still farming and the four children were in school. Clare joined the National Guard out of Paulding, July 11, 1914. He was promoted to Corporal, September 23, 1916. On May 12, 1917, Clare married, Gladys Lara Straw in Paulding. Born in Brown Township, August 18, 1899, she is the daughter of Lowel and Mary M. Straw. On July 15, 1917, Clare was promoted to Sergeant. Clare served with Company B. 2nd Ohio National Guard until October 4, 1917. He was transferred to serve with the 11th Company 3rd Training Battalion, Camp Sheridan, Alabama October 27, 1917.
On June 5, 1918, Clare’s brother, Elva M. Keck, joined the Ohio National Guard May 5, 1915. He served in France in Company I. 145th Infantry, 37th Division. Elva was honorably discharged, December 1, 1917 on Surgeons Certificate of Disability.
Clare was sent to France, on the ship, Leviathan, at Hoboken, New Jersey, June 15, 1918. Clare saw action with Company I. 145th Infantry, 37th Division in the Meuse-Argonne and Ypres-Lys defensive sector. Wounded in action not determined to what degree, November 4, 1918. Clare was awarded the French C de G Bronze Star, On March 23, 1919, Clare boarded the ship, Aquitania, from Brest, France and set sail for America. After returning home he and Gladys lived in Paulding County.
By 1920, Clare and Gladys moved to Defiance, Ohio, living on 1000 Ottawa Terrance Street in Defiance ward 4. Clare took a job as a day laborer in a factory. On September 15, 1926 at 2:30 in the afternoon, Clare was in a head on collision on the Paulding Van Wert County line. Clare’s wife, Gladys and her mother were passengers.
According to records, another car, driver from Chicago, was passing a farmer with a wagon and team of horses and hit Clare head on. Gladys and her mother suffered bruises while Clare was crushed and suffered numerous broken bones. Taken to the Van Wert County Hospital, Clare passed away the next day at 7:00 a.m. Clare had just passed a test in telegraphy in a Government Training School. He was working as a relief telegraph operator for the Nickle Plate Railroad. Due to the injuries he suffered in World War 1, Clare was limited to what level of work he could perform. Clare was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Defiance.
Gladys never remarried and they had no children. She passed away in Los Angles, California, April 19, 1994. She was brought back to Defiance and buried beside Clare. George, Clare’s father, passed away January 8, 1945 and was buried with Eva in Bowholtz Cemetery. Clare’s brother, Elva, passed away August 30, 1970 and was buried in Hedges Cemetery, lot 10, west section, grave 1.
… Until next time!
