By: Mark Holtsberry
Harry Clifford Sheefel was born April 18, 1897, in Convoy, Ohio, Harry was the son of Frederick Daniel Sheefel, born October 21, 1863, in Ohio, and Mary A. (Barger) Sheefel, born December 25, 1857, in Ohio. Frederick and Mary were married on July 7, 1891.
By 1900, the family was living at 203 Wayne Street in Van Wert, Ohio. Frederick and Mary were raising two children: Lillie M., born September 3, 1894, in Harrison Township, Payne, Ohio, and Harry Clifford, born in 1897. On January 21, 1909, Mary passed away and was buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Convoy, Ohio. On May 28, 1909, Frederick married Sarah E. (Kain) in Allen County, Indiana.
By 1910, Frederick, Sarah, and the children were living in Tully Township, Van Wert County. The children were in school, and Frederick was working various odd jobs. By 1911, Harry had quit school after completing the eighth grade. On December 2, 1912, Frederick passed away and was buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Convoy, Ohio. By 1915, Sarah and the children had moved to Payne, Ohio.
On June 3, 1917, Harry traveled to Paulding to join the Paulding National Guard. He served in Company B, 2nd Ohio National Guard until October 16, 1917, when he was assigned to the 62nd Depot Brigade. He was later transferred to serve with Company K, 146th Infantry, 73rd Division of the United States Army. On June 15, 1918, Harry boarded the ship Leviathan at Hoboken, New Jersey, and set sail for France. He was promoted to Private First Class on August 1, 1918. He served in the Ypres-Lys and Meuse-Argonne defensive sectors until March 31, 1919. He was honorably discharged on April 13, 1919.
After returning home, by 1920, Harry found work in Van Wert. On May 27, 1926, he married Anna Mary Wiegman, who was born on February 11, 1904, in Allen County, Indiana. She was the daughter of William and Elizabeth A. (Kruse) Wiegman. On December 14, 1926, Harry’s stepmother, Sarah, passed away and was also buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Convoy, Ohio.
By 1930, Harry and Anna were living at 731 West Superior Street in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Their daughter, Mary Ann, was born on December 15, 1926, in Fort Wayne. Their son, Harry Clifford Sheefel Jr., was born on July 20, 1929, also in Fort Wayne. By 1935, the family had moved to 1327 Jackson Street in Fort Wayne, and Harry was working as a driver.
By 1940, Harry and Anna were blessed with another son, Donald Lee Sheefel, born on August 7, 1935. The family had moved to Jackson, Indiana, where Harry became a farmer. On February 16, 1942, Harry registered for the World War II draft.
By 1950, Harry and Anna were still living on Carnahan Road in Jackson, Indiana. Harry was employed at the General Electric Company in Fort Wayne. However, his health began to decline, and he became disabled. He spent the last twelve years of his life in and out of the Veterans Hospital in Marion, Indiana.
On Friday, April 24, 1959, at 7:50 a.m., Harry passed away at the Veterans Hospital in Marion, Indiana. His body was taken to the Gerig Funeral Home in Auburn, Indiana. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 1959, officiated by Rev. P.J. Klasson of the County Line Church of God, south of Auburn, Indiana. Harry was laid to rest in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Convoy, Ohio. He was a member of the American Legion Post #97 in Auburn.
Anna passed away on December 26, 2004, and is buried alongside Harry.
…Until Next Time!
