Jesse Horton Weidman
Jesse Horton Weidman was the son of Adam Roop Weidman and Amanda Catherine (Cole )Weidman. He was born at Belleville Pa. June 26, 1864. His father was a veteran of the Civil War and a blacksmith by trade with his own shop in Belleville Pa. for many years. He was one of ten children. Both of his parents and a brother William E. Weidman died in 1919. 1883 he left Belleville Pa. and first went to Holmes Co. Ohio and in 1884 to Wayne County Ohio. He worked on farms as a hired hand for about three years and then rented a farm for about seven years. He also worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He married Drusilla Kurtz on December 24, 1885 in Green Twp. Wayne County Ohio. She was born in Lawrence County. Pa., on May 21, 1863, the daughter of John H. and Drusilla (Yoder) Kurtz. Drusilla's mother died when she was six months old and she was raised by C. H. Yoder, her mother's cousin. Mr. Yoder was a native of Mifflin County Pa. and when Drusilla was about eleven months old they moved to Ohio. Drusilla inherited a farm at Paradise Green Twp. Wayne Co. Ohio of about 95 acres from C. H. Yoder. It was there that they continued to farm for many years.
As a young man he was received into the Oak Grove Mennonite Church Smithville Ohio and remained a member until his death. To this union were born four children: Laura (Bertsch) Weidman of Orrville, Ohio, Allen W. Weidman of Wooster Ohio, Effie (Weiser) Weidman of Wooster Ohio and Frank W. Weidman of Cleveland Ohio. He was predeceased by his wife, who died on November 14, 1925 at the age of 62y 5m 23d. Services were held for her at the oak Grove Church by brethren Aaron Heistand and J. S. Gerig. She was survived by her husband, children, five grandchildren and one brother and one sister, her stepmother and one half-brother and three half-sisters.
Jesse died at the home of his daughter Mrs. Carl Weiser near Wooster Ohio. At the time of his death on June 19, 1950 all of his children were still living as were eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Two siblings also survived him: Grant Weidman of Wellersville, Ohio and Mrs. Ella Bennett, of Delanco, New Jersey. He was predeceased by five sisters, Barbara and Leah who died as children and Laura (Bennett) and Kate (Pennepacker)and Sara (Lytle) all of Belleville Pa. and a brother John H. Weidman of Bucks County Pa. Services were held at the Oak Grove Mennonite Church on June 22, 1950. William G. Detweiler was in charge of the service and he was assisted by John Kurtz of Harrisonburg Va. a nephew of the deceased.
Submited by Kathleen Waters