By: Mark Holtsberry
Blanchard Bert Reeb was born April 21, 1897 in Antwerp, Ohio. The son of Berton Clayton “Bert” Reeb and Irene Iva (Fauver) Reeb born February 17, 1879 in Ridgeville, Henry Co., Ohio. This couple was married in 1896. This marriage did not last.
By 1900, Blachard and his mother were living with her parents Wilson and Catherine (Kigar) Fauver. On December 15, 1902, Irene married a fella named Edward A. Swilley. They moved to Hicksville, Ohio. In 1910, Blanchard was still living in Hicksville on Main Street, was a student in school and had stepbrothers, John and Edward Swilley.
On July 15, 1916, Blanchard signed up with the National Guard and served with Company E. 2nd Ohio National Guard. He was promoted to Machine Gun Company, 2nd Infantry Ohio National Guard and served until September 1, 1917. Blanchard then served with the Headquarters Company 2nd Infantry Ohio National Guard until October 4, 1917, he was then sent to Company E. 1st Training Battalion 2nd Depot Brigade serving until October of 1917.
He was transferred to Company B. 146th United States Infantry to November 15, 1917. He was sent overseas June 15, 1918. He was promoted to Private 1st Class January 16, 1918, but was demoted to Private April 1, 1918. He sailed on the ship “Leviathan” from Hoboken, New Jersey. He served in the Meuse-Argonne and Ypres-Lys defensive sectors and was slightly wounded on October 3, 1918.
Blanchard was promoted back to Private 1st Class, January 11, 1919, Corporal March 5, 1919 and back to Private March 15, 1919. He was Honorably Discharged April 13, 1919.
By 1920, Blanchard was living with his mother, Irene, step father Edward, grandmother Kate Fauver, step brothers John E. and Edward H. Swilley, aunt Minnie (Fauver) Root and cousin Eugene F. Root, on West Arthur Street, Hicksville.
Blanchard was a laborer, working for the Electric Manufacturing Company and on July 25, 1920, he married Mytle Ive May Spiegal, born December 8, 1901 in Defiance, Ohio. The daughter of Frank O. Spiegal and Lura Lone (Hastings) Spiegal. On December 27, 1923, Blanchard and Mytle became parents of Blachard Bert Reeb Jr.
On June 15, 1924, while working as an electrician for Inland Steel Company, Indiana Harbor, a suburb of Chicago, Blanchard and 28 other workers were working in the power station of the steel mill. Blanchard and two other workers were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes. This was ruled as an industrial accident and death occurred at 10:20 A.M. June 15, 1924.
Blanchard was buried in Chicago, Illinois, burial site unknown. His wife never remarried and continued to live in the Chicago area, working various jobs. She passed away January 26, 1981 in Chicago is buried in Oakswoods Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. I am guessing that is where Blanchard is buried.
As for son, Blanchard Jr., he became a doctor, served in World War Two December 13, 1943-March 22, 1946 and also served January 1, 1951-September 30, 1952. He married Jean Garrand Lansdown on May 30, 1949 and became a father to John Garrand Reeb, born in 1959.
Dr. Blanchard Bert Reeb Jr. passed away January 12, 2005 and is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Valpariso, Indiana.
…Until Next Time!
