Esther Barbara Wolf Gruissy; Disabled?

Esther Barbara Wolf Gruissy

16 May 1840 OH – 8 December 1915 OH

My Great Great Grandmother

Esther Barbara (Wolf) Gruissy was the daughter of John Frederick Wolf & Esther Barbara Shaffer. She was one of nine children. Her siblings were: Sarah, Susan, John W S, Joseph, Margaret Ann, Justina, Samuel & Frederick. John Wolf was a stone mason. In 1850 Esther and her siblings lived in Franklin Twp., York, PA with their oldest sister and brother in law, in a house next door to their parents.[1]

Esther married Augustus Ceaser Gruissy, son of Christian Gruissy & Mary Grorisclauss. She was the second of his three wives. They were married 6 December 1868 in OH.[2]  They had five children, two of whom grew to adulthood. Augustus and family were in the Village of West Lebanon, Paint Twp., OH in the 1870 census[3]. Augustus was working as a carpenter. In 1880 the Gruissy family lived in Wadsworth Township.[4]  Augustus was a peddler. Five daughters were living at home.The census report indicated Esther was either “Maimed, Crippled, Bedridden, or otherwise Disabled.”  I don’t know what disabilities she had. In her letters she talks about many activities & does not sound bedridden or crippled. 

 

1902 from Esther B Gruissy to daughter Regina Gruissy

I am very fortunate to have copies of letters written between Esther & her daughter, N. Regina (Gruissy) Mark. Esther’s handwriting is rough and her spelling is very poor but she writes about family members and daily chores such as chopping wood and canning fruit. Watch for some of those letters in future posts.

Esther is buried in SpringGrove Cemetery in Medina with her husband. Her obituary is brief.

Gruissy - At the home of her daughter, Mrs. T. K. Marks, in Sharon. Aug 11, Mrs. Ester [sic] Gruissy, aged 70 years. Funeral, Aug. 14 at the house; burial at Spring Grove, Medina.[5]

Esther, Augustus & Family:

1 Augustus Ceaser Gruissy b: 16 May 1840 OH, d: 8 Dec 1915 Stark, OH

... + Esther Barbara Wolf b: 14 Jun 1836 Little York, York, PA, m: 6 Dec 1868 Stark, OH, d: 11 Aug 1906 Medina, OH

......2 Rephenia C Gruissy b: 04 Apr 1870 OH, d: 17 Jan 1943 Norton Twp., Muskegan, MI

...... + Willis L. Nichols b: Jan 1869 OH, m: Abt. 1891, d: 16 Aug 1940 MI

......2 Algedena Gruissy b: 17 Oct 1871 OH, d: 1871 OH

......2 John Andrew Gruissy b: 7 Sep 1872 OH, d: 1878 OH

......2 Sarah Barbara Gruissy b: 22 Jun 1874 OH, d: 22 Jun 1874 OH

......2 Nancy Regina Victoria Gruissy b: 31 Jan 1879 Sharon, Medina, OH, d: 24 May 1959 Wadsworth, Medina, OH

...... + Thomas Kenneth Mark b: 19 Jul 1879 Wooster, Wayne, OH, m: 28 Jan 1903 Medina, OH, d: 12 Feb 1975 Wadsworth, Medina OH

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[1] 1850 U. S. Census, Franklin Township, York, Pennsylvania; James T Williamson family.

[2] Marriage Record for Augustus Gruissy & Esther B Wolf;   Family History Center Microfilm #897630. Page 82. 1868 - 1872 Marriage Records in Stark County, Ohio.  Augustus Gruissy and Esther B. Wolf married on 6 December 1868.

[3] 1870 United States Census, Village of West Lebanon, Paint Township, Wayne County, Ohio, Line 27, Page 28. The August Gurnsey family.

[4] 1880 United States Census, Wadsworth Township, Medina County, Ohio, T767Roll48, Volume 44, E.D. 199, Sheet 41; Line 26; National Archives, Pittsfield Region, Mass. Augustus Gruissy family.

[5]  "Died." Medina County Gazette August 17, 1906: 8; Mrs Ester [sic] Gruissy. Medina Co Library OH; microfilm #26.