Woodlawn Cemetery - Lima Ohio

06/12/2026

Gazing on this large, ornate Black family memorial, you are looking at money generated by rail and banking interests. John Black came to America in the early 1850s, leaving his family behind in Scotland. He'd gotten a good job with the railroad located in Hamilton, Ohio, and eventually relocated north to Lima where he was master mechanic with the C., H., & D shops. Son John Black joined him here in 1869, also as a mechanic in the shops. In later years, John Black, Sr. became involved in real estate, putting up a business block downtown, and at the time of his death in 1893, he was vise president of the Metropolitan Bank and agent of the Lima National Bank as well. His son was one of the founders of Citizens' Building & Loan and managed the Black Block - his father's property, which was occupied by Gregg's. He and his wife Kate (Hardesty) Black had four sons - only one of whom married and stayed in Lima, though the others returned in their death. The Lima resident was Charles H. Black, one of Lima's automobile dealer pioneers, who died in Florida in 1949. His widow, Maude (Fritz) died in 1971. The entire family is buried here, minus the patriarch's wives and step-children.

06/04/2026

Perhaps the memorial that attracts the most attention and comment as one enters Woodlawn Cemetery is the monument to John Wheeler and family. It is a huge block of granite with a bronze plaque on top, on a raised platform. A railroad flatcar and a special set of equipment were requested to bring it to the cemetery and erect it. It bears the date 1903, and the text of Revelations 14:13: "And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which died in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them."
Mr. Wheeler had a been a grocer in Lima from about 1858 on. He erected the Wheeler Block on the southeast corner of Market and Elizabeth in 1889. He died a wealthy man in 1901. His widow, Milleretta (Carlin) Wheeler, married again to Dr. Wm. C. Watson and survived until 1905. All three of their sons (Carlin, Charles and Harry) died before their mother, having never married.

05/28/2026

One of Lima's most able and interesting attorneys, Harry O. Bentley, entered the legal profession and eventually was a partner in the firm of Wheeler, Bentley & Neville. He was noted for his brilliant courtroom work. He and his wife, Blanche (Neff) Bentley, selected a classic style monument for their burial site. He passed away in 1942, and she survived him by 17 years.

05/25/2026

Wishing you a special day of remembrance on this Memorial Day and remembering all those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

05/21/2026

William J. & Henry G. Wemmer were partners to Henry Deisel in the Deisel-Wemmer Cigar Company. As the Wemmer brothers shared everything in life, so in death their families are entombed in a very handsome granite mausoleum built in 1918 on the death of Helen J. (Rieckert) Wemmer, William's wife. The two men were noted examples of thrift, ingenuity, and community spirit. William Wemmer died in 1932, and his brother Henry in 1940. He was preceded in death by his son, Henry R. in 1933, and his wife Rose Fredericka (Sautter) in 1937. Henry R.'s wife, Martha (Laughlin) survived until 1987. Also buried there are William and Helen's children: Walter H. d. 1901, Bessie d. 1921, and Henry G. & Frederick's daughter Edna d. 1905.

05/15/2026

The William M. Bell plot, on which there is a dignified memorial stone, contains many members of the Bell family. The Bells operated various industries and commercial endeavors, including the Harman & Bell furniture store on N. Main Street. Frank Harman, married to Bell daughter Clara M., built the building at Market and Elizabeth, which was long known as the Lima First Block, and is now the Enterprise Building. He met with business reverses, but will always be remembered for his civic-minded spirit.

05/10/2026

05/07/2026

George S. Vicary was well known for his wit and practical common sense in business deals. He came to Lima as a master railroad mechanic, later worked at the Solar Refinery, and finally operated the Star Iron Works at 317 E. Eureka Street. Mr. Vicary was first married to Melvina Walker Harden, who died in 1878 in California. He remarried in 1882 to Lima school teacher Anna Bell (Melhorn) and they lived at 332 W. Market Street. He died in 1922 and she in 1933, leaving no children. A tall, draped shaft marks the Vicary family's burial plot.

04/30/2026

Edward Lorenz Bayley, a Shakespearean actor, came to Lima many years ago and was married to Margaret H. (Bowsher) Ridenour, widow of prominent Lima attorney, Jacob Cloyd Ridenour. After her death, Mr. Bayley became chauffer for Nettie Pick (Streeter) Edwards (then in her 80s), and within a short time, married her. Nettie, who was always remembered for her role in Lima's night life, died in 1949 at age 86, leaving her new husband a considerable estate. Two years later, Mr. Bayley died at age 68. A red granite monument marks their graves.

04/23/2026

The Stueber family monument memorializes "Father" and "Mother," Andrew J. Stueber (1834-1902), and Katharine ( Marx) Stueber (1836-1924). Andrew was a railroad blacksmith, who was hit and killed by a P., F.W, & C. train while on duty as a watchman. Katharine was a licensed midwife, trained at Heidelberg, Germany, before coming to America and bringing her parents along. The Stuebers' two sons followed their mother's calling in medicine. Dr. Frederick G. Stueber's specialties were otolaryngology and opthalmology, and Dr. Louis J. Stueber was in the military, which unfortunately ruined his health and led to an early death (1904). Dr. F.G. and his wife Emma (Moser) Stueber, and their son Dr. Paul J. and his wife Alice (Williamson) Stueber are buried in the big mausoleum. Their son, Dr. Paul J. Stueber is here with his wife Anne (Krueger) Stueber (d. 1996 and 2006). Louis's wife Nina E. (Purtscher) Stueber is also buried close by with a smaller monument; however, George Marx, her husband is nowhere to be found (d.1871).