Person Page 119

1. Peter and Rachel Windle lived on the Windle farm near Mt. Olive in Shenandoah County, Virginia, which he inherited from his father. They had several children baptized at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Strasburg. In 1807 Peter Windle posted bond to guarantee the welfare of Elizabeth Wolf, his wife's invalid sister, whom he offered to care for rather than let her be sent to the state hospital in Williamsburg. In the fall of 1811 Peter sold his land in Virginia and moved to Fayette County, Ohio with his family (From the Rhine to the Shenandoah; Vol III, Daniel W. Bly, Gateway Press; Baltimore, Maryland, 2002, p. 22).

2. History of Fayette County: FTM CD#450 (regarding Henry Windle, b.1827):

Henry's great grandfather was Valentine Windle, a native of Germany, who came with three brothers to this country at an early period, and settled in Virginia, on the South Branch of the Potomac. His grandfather was Peter Windle, and his grandmother, Rachel (Wolf) Windle, of Virginia. They came to Ohio in 1795, and purchased a tract of land on Paint Creek, this county, containing six hundred acres. The portion on which they located is now owned by Burton Vesey. Their family consisted of four sons and eight daughters.

Henry's father was Abraham Windle, born in Pendleton County, Virginia. February 25, 1786, but came to Ohio with his father's family. He united in marriage July 1822, with Sarah Smith, Joel Woods Esq., officiating. She was born September 5, 1823, and died June 15, 1840. James M., born April 16, 1825, and died August 11, 1827. Henry, our subject, was born May 28, 1827.

The Windle family were noted for industry and honesty. The emigrants to this country in an early day were often found destitute of means. Such always met a kind reception, and found a liberal hand at Windle's.

At the death of his father, in 1863, Henry fell heir not only to the homestead, but to a farm of several hundred acres in Missouri, well improved, and at the death of his mother, which occured September 28, 1879, he inherited a valuable farm on Paint, which she owned before her marriage. In addition, Henry controls a large and valuable farm belonging to Clarissa his wife, whom he married November 12, 1850, and divided from her fathers (Joseph Hidy) estate. Henry and Clarissa occupy one of the finest houses in this county, with a beautiful lawn, adorned by choicest evergreens. Henry started out to take life easy, and has very nearly made a success of it. He is blessed with a more than ordinary mental powers. He has a great taste for instrumental music, and is somewhat of a genius in that line. Earlier in life he was very fond of hunting. He relishes a discussion on some theological questions, more than a warm breakfast. He possesses fine flow of spirit, receives his friends with open arms, but takes very little pleasure in the society of his enemies. In religion he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In Politics he is a Democrat. His excellent wife does well her part in keeping up their cozy home.

3. Some Peter Windle descendant information is from Frederic Z. Saunders.

The Wendel burial ground is gone now (2000).

It was located in Paint Township, on the west side of Prairie Road just north of Parrott Station Road where Paint Creek comes the closest to the road.

Ceremony by Simon Harr.

Wayland's "History of Shenandoah County", Appendix p.744.

; Birth and christening dates from Wayland's History of Shenandoah County, Appendix p.739. It says the parents were "John Wendell and Mary". Do not know whether his wife's full name was "Magdalena" or "Maria Magdalena" - suspect the latter, which would be consistent with a daughter named "Mary". Cannot identify another John Wendel in the area who would have been a father at this date.

This date is also a near perfect match to the headstone inscription of Mary M. Rhoades, who died 10 MAR 1853, which reads "aged 79y 2m 21d". (DLB 2008.)