By: Mark Holtsberry
Ralph Oscar Shrider was born in Lafayette, Indiana, on November 30, 1892. He was the son of William Carlysle Shrider, born September 28, 1859, in Jackson Township, Allen County, Ohio, and Tena E. (Stombaugh) Shrider, born in 1870 in Ohio. The couple was married in 1890.
By 1900, the Shrider family was living in Paulding. William was a farmer. William and Tena were the parents of Ray Walter, born July 7, 1890; Ralph Oscar, born November 30, 1892; and Ross Frederick, born July 18, 1894. Tena’s mother, Francis Stombaugh, as well as Jacob F. Sprague, were living with the Shrider family. Jacob was a Spanish-American War veteran from Paulding and was renting living quarters. The boys were in school.
By 1910, the Shrider family was still living on a farm in the Paulding area. The family had grown with the births of Vira E., born September 14, 1900; William Dale, born August 12, 1903; Virgil L., born November 17, 1905; and Daniel Paul, born November 11, 1908. William was still farming, and Ralph had quit school to help his father on the farm.
On June 5, 1917, Ralph registered for the draft at the Paulding West Precinct. He was listed as short in height, of medium build, with brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was single and working as a farmer. His brother Walter also registered that day, while Ross had registered earlier on May 28, 1917. Ross would go on to serve in France during World War I.
On June 25, 1918, Ralph joined the National Army out of Paulding. He served with Company D, 334th Infantry. On September 2, 1918, he departed New York City aboard the ship Aquitania, bound for France. He was promoted to Private First Class on December 4, 1918, and to Corporal on June 18, 1919. He later served with Company C, 16th Infantry, until September 5, 1919, and was honorably discharged on September 24, 1919.
Ralph received a Citation for Gallantry in Action under Paragraph C of General Orders #5, 1st Infantry Brigade, on June 1, 1919.
After the war, Ralph returned home and helped his parents on the farm. On May 21, 1921, he married Mabel Edith Gray in Paulding. She was born August 31, 1896, the daughter of Harvey E. and May Ann (Freeze) Gray.
The couple had four children: Dorothy Jean, born December 7, 1921; William Bruce, born December 6, 1923; and twin sons Harry Frederick and Harvey Edward, born October 1, 1928. By 1930, the family was living on a farm on Ringer Pike (#500), about six miles outside of Paulding. Sadly, daughter Dorothy passed away on May 7, 1931, and was buried in St. Paul Cemetery.
On June 29, 1937, at 8:30 a.m., Ralph and his brother were preparing to hook up a mower to a tractor when the tractor slipped into reverse, pinning and crushing Ralph in the chest and running over him. He sustained multiple leg fractures and shoulder injuries. He was rushed to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne but passed away at 2:15 p.m. that same day.
His body was taken to the Crowell Funeral Home. Services were held at the Lutheran Church, where he was a member. Ralph was also a member of the American Legion. He was buried in St. Paul Cemetery, Lot 76, Block B, Grave 4. A military tombstone was placed at his grave in 1938.
His wife, Edith, passed away in 1973 and is buried beside him.
