Esli T. Clouse
1851-1926
1860 Census (#1088)
1870 Census (#1087)
1880 Census (#1067)
1900 Census (#1066)
1910 Census (#1070)
1920 Census (#1138)
Marriage license, Wayne County, Ohio
(#2190)
Esli Clouse in mentioned in Michael Clouse Biography in the Allan and Van Wert County,
Ohio History
(#1017) -
(#1017a) -
(#1017b)
Esli Clouse Van Wert death index, LDS Film,
(#117)
Esli Clouse, Rebecca Swartz, Cemetery Record , Woodlawn Cemetery, Van Wert,
Ohio, (#111)
About Esli Clouse: Esli was born in Van Wert County, Liberty Township, Ohio, to the parents of George Clouse and Elizabeth Kesler. One month after his 8th. birthday in 1859 his father George died. At that time Esli was the youngest of six siblings ages 8 to 20 all still living at home. One year after the death of his father, Esli is listed in the 1870 census living with his mother and working as a farm laborer. The family property at that time was valued at $4500. That is $3500 more than their property value in 1860. I assume this valuation may have reflected the family's inheritance from Esli's grandfather Michael's estate in 1868 (#164) - (#164a) - (#164b) - #164c).
In 1870, Esli is 19 and living in Van Wert County while future wife Rebecca Swartz is 16 living in Wayne County. Wayne County is where Esli's wife Rebecca Swartz was born. The counties are not that far apart and travel back and forth to visit was probably common. See Ohio County Map.
By 1875 Esli and Rebecca were married and in 1880 were living in Calhoun County, Michigan, where they had their first child, Silvia Clouse, who died sometime before 1880. Next child born was son William T. Clouse on 31 Jan 1880. By 1882 when daughter Mary E. Clouse is born the family had moved to Van Wert County, Liberty Twp., Ohio. Next born were Lucinda Clouse in 1887, Ada Elisabeth Clouse in 1888 and Matilda in 1893. In the 1890 census, 10 year old son William was not living at home. All other children are there. A search of the census records turned up a William Clouse living as a boarder with James and Mary Swartz in St Louis, Missouri. I do not know who James Swartz and Mary Swartz were but suspect they could be related to William's mother, Rebecca Swartz. (More research needed) The Clouse family owned a 40-acre farm in Van Wert County, Ohio. Some interesting documents below show Esli, a farmer by trade, even with oil wells on his property, did not appear to be a wealthy man. I found the following documents interesting. Not just because Esli was my great grandfather but because they show a remarkable contrast between today's economy and the economy at the turn of the 20th century, when a barrel of oil could be bought for less than a dollar and it took 5 years to pay back a $400 debt. Esli borrowed $400 in 1889 from Evan Hughes. He used the 40 acre farm in Van Wert as collateral. (#1199a) - (#1199b) - (#1199c) - (#1199d) - (#1199e) He and Rebecca again borrowed $600 in 1892 from Humphrey Howels and again used the farm for collateral. (#2000a) - (#2000b) - (#2000c) - (#2000d) . In 1898, (date is uncertain, see document) Esli signed an agreement with The Coronet Oil and Gas Company to drill for gas and oil on their farm. (#1198a) - (#1198b) - (#1198c) - (#1198d). Oil sales receipts from 1905-1906 show Esli sold oil at between 81 and 93 cents per barrel. (#1186a) - (#1186) - (#1186c). He again mortgaged the farm in 1905 for $1200 to the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company and paid back the loan by 1910 (#1195a-#1195b-#1195c). Then in 1915 he borrowed $1400 from the American Insurance Union and pay it back by 1923 (#2001a) - (#2001b) - (#2001) - (#2001d) - (#2001e). Interesting to note that he and Rebecca must have been hard working and trustworthy since they always seemed to have paid their debts.
On 20 Sep 1917 at age 63, Esli's wife Rebecca Susan Swartz died. Esli continued living on the farm, although on the 1920 census, at the age of 69, he listed his occupation as none. About 5 weeks before his death, Esli had a mild stroke and was taken to his daughter's house on Shaffer Street in the near by town of Van Wert, Ohio. My mother, Virginia (Mihm) Kohus, who was 6 years old at the time, told me the story about Esli's death: "On December 31, 1926 at midnight, as the bells were ringing in the new year 1927, Esli had died and his body was being removed from the house." Here is Esli's death certificate (#176) and Obituary (#1170).
Esli Clouse is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Ohio City, Ohio.
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE HISTORY OF VAN WERT COUNTY, OHIO, EDITED AND COMPILED BY THADDEUS S. GILLILAND. VAN WERT, OHIO. PUBLISHED IN 1906
THE OHIO CITY OIL FIELD
The first oil-well drilled in the Ohio City field was drilled in by C. S. King & Company, of Lima, Ohio, on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section 18, Liberty township, on. land owned by Valentine Exline's heirs. The first oil piped into the line was from this well. This was in the month of February, 1902. The second well in the Ohio City field was drilled by the same company on the southwest quarter of section 17, land owned by W. T. Exline. The third well drilled in this same field—the first gusher in the Ohio City oil field—was drilled on the farm of W. N. Williams in section 21, Liberty township.
The second gusher came in a short time after the Williams. It was drilled by the Ohio Oil Company, on land owned by Andrew Medaugh in Willshire township, about one mile west of Dull station. The third gusher was drilled on the farm of W. H. Ayers. These three gushers coming in quick succession raised the oil excitement to a fever heat. Oil men from everywhere came to see the new oil field and secure leases. Over 200 oil-wells have been drilled in Liberty township. A gusher was drilled in very recently on Mrs. Louisa Tickel's farm in section 21, one mile west of Ohio City.
While the oil excitement has abated in a measure in this field, the rush having extended to other newly discovered oil fields, yet the Ohio City oil field has only been partially developed and oil operations in this field will be continued for a number of years to come. The oil boom, as it was, may not return, but a steady development of this field will bring its reward. Everybody was benefited by the oil boom, business men and laboring men alike.
PIPE LINES IN LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
There are three pipe lines laid through Liberty township; these lines extend from Lima to Chicago. Two of these lines are on the south side of the right of way of the Chicago & Erie Railroad ; the third line is contiguous to the other two, but not on the railroad company's land, the right to lay another line having been secured from the farmers residing along the other two lines. A fourth line will be constructed this spring (1906) ; it is to be laid in close proximity to the three already laid.
The pipes laid in these lines are all eight inches in diameter. For the privilege of laying their line through their farms, the pipe line company pays the farmers 25 cents per rod and all damages to crops and timber destroyed by reason of the laying of these lines. The lines are buried to a depth of two feet on an average.
