Shultz, Ida Mae

Posted By: Dale Motschman
Date: 21 August 2003

The Shultz Family of Darke County, Ohio

The Biography of Ida Mae Shultz
Daughter of George Washington Shultz and Sarah Marie Hunter
by Francis D. Motschman, Sr.

Ida Mae Shultz was born in the Ansonia, Darke County area on Wash Day, Mon., March 19, 1866. Ida Mae, as soon as she was old enough, was a big help around the house and was especially close to her mother, Sarah. She liked the idea of being a mother and having her own home. It is no wonder, then, that she married at seventeen years old.

We don't know how Benjamin Kenworthy and Ida Mae Shultz met, but meet they did and theirs was a lifelong love. Benjamin lived in Camden, Preble County and arrived to live with his mother and father on Sat., November 1, 1862. He may have been an only child as no siblings are on record. Anyway, in 1883 seventeen year old Ida Mae and 21 year old Benjamin got married on Sun., December 30th and if his farm grew at the rate his family grew over the next 22 years they would have been extremely wealthy.

First to come along was Ora Burns Kenworthy b. Sat., October 25, 1884 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio. He died on Sun., March 10, 1974 in Greenville Twp., Darke County, Ohio.
#2. was Homer Carlos Kenworthy b. Tue., December 28, 1886 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio and he died on Thu., February 25, 1965, in Greenville Twp., Darke County, Ohio.
"Homer always had a twinkle in his eye and loved to tease."
__Maxine Kenworthy Didier, Niece.
#3. Chalmer Boyd Kenworthy b. Thu., August 22, 1889 in Sherwood, Preble Co., Ohio. He died in Greenville Twp., Darke Co., Ohio on Mon., November 22, 1982. Married Lura L. Olwine, Thu., August 9, 1917. She was born in Van Buren Twp., Ohio and died on Tue., September 9, 1930.
According to Maxine Kenworthy Didier, a Niece, Chalmer farmed up until Lura's death. After that he raised bee's and sold honey from his home, near Greenville, Darke Co., Ohio. His sister Theresa kept house for him then.
#4. Willard Sherman Kenworthy b. Tue., August 11, 1891 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio and died in Troy, Miami Co., Ohio on Sun., March 18, 1962.
"Uncle Williard lived in Preble County, Ohio during the early years of his marriage but I only remember him living near Bradford, Ohio, where he moved after all of his children were born. He resembled my father more than any of the other children, I think."
__Maxine Kenworthy Didier, niece.
#5. Rosa Lucille Kenworthy b. Thu., December 21, 1893 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio. Passed away on Sun., August 21, 1977 in Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio.
"I always considered my Aunt Rosie and Uncle Martin my 'Rich' aunt and uncle. I knew they weren't any richer than others but their life style was so different than my other relatives, most of whom lived a rural life style. I adored her for this difference, the fact that she was always dressed so neatly, every hair in place, tiny Gold earings in her ears and always able to handle things in a calm manner. Uncle Martin was a calm quiet man. I always thought it so wonderful that he always wore a dress shirt rather than the blue denim shirts favored by my father and most of his brothers."
__ Maxine Kenworthy Didier, Niece, Oct. 30, 2002[fdm042503.ged.FBK.FTW]

"'Rosie', the family name for her was a gentle person." (Maxine Kenworthy Didier_Niece)
#6. David Kenworthy b. Wed., December 4, 1895 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio. He left this life on Sat., July 11, 1981 in Somerville, Butler Co., Ohio
"He was one of those people who was always positive and a favorite among all his nieces and nephews because of this. Always a smile on his face and he could wiggle his ears!! I loved for him to do this when I was little. My dad always drove down to David's to have his car worked on until Uncle David was no longer able to do the work. Aunt Edna died first and Uncle David missed her terribly."
Maxine Kenworthy Didier, Niece, November, 2002.
#7. Walter George Kenworthy b. Wed., February 16, 1898 Near Ansonia, Darke Co., Ohio. Died on Sun., June 19, 1983 in Greenville Twp., Darke Co., Ohio.
#8. Viola Ethel Kenworthy b. Tue., April 3, 1900 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio. She died in Lewisburg, Ohio on Thu., November 15, 1900, just 7 mos. old.
#9. Edward Kenworthy was born on Thu., August 29, 1901 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio.
#10. Sadie Ellen Kenworthy b. Wed., September 3, 1902. d. Thu., April 17, 1969 in Greenville Twp., Darke County, Ohio.
#11. Olive Frances Kenworthy, a special child born Tue., February 14, 1905, Valentine's Day, in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio. d. Tue., June 20, 1989. Married True Denzel Hoffman, another special child born on Wed., November 3, 1897. He died Fri., July 23, 1969
"Olive was very small at birth. My father told of how they kept her warm by laying her on the oven door. She never grew as tall as the other sister's and brother's ( although none of them were real tall). She was never able to learn well, or so they thought. I think that had they allowed her to do more, they would have been surprised at all she could do. She was very interested in birthdays and anniversaries and kept a record on all of these. Many of the facts that we have came from her records. We children all adored her. She was our size and always interested in each of us.
Her marriage to True caused great unhappiness in the family as she was not considered mature enough to marry. He was a neighbor who also had mental limitations but his family had left him a home and some money so they went out on their own."
Maxine Kenworthy Didier, Niece
#12. Theresa Laura Kenworthy b. Fri., March 3, 1911 in Lewisburg, Preble Co., Ohio. d. Sun., March 6, 1983 in Greenville Twp., Darke Co., Ohio. She married Lowell Robeson on Fri., November 18, 1949.
"Her marriage came about after a long courtship and they were divorced within two years. She moved in with Uncle Chalmer after his wife died and never left. I was very close to my aunt in her later years but I always felt sorry that she had missed out on so much in life because she followed what ever Uncle Chalmer told her. She was by no means a meek woman, but with no job and not being able to drive, I guess she never felt able to leave. She would never have wanted anyone to feel sorry for her.
Maxine Kenworthy Didier", Niece.

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