Edward Lyon Buchwalter

Capt. Edward Lyon Buchwalter was born and raised on the Buchwalter farmstead in Hallsville, Ohio, Ross County, Ohio, June 1, 1841. The eldest of Levi Buchwalter (March 5, 1814, Schuylkill County, PA - December 1900 in Ross County, Ohio) and Margaret Lyon. Lineage of the Buchwalter family traces back to residents of one of the German-speaking cantons of Switzerland, from which republic the progenitors of the American branch came to this country in 1710, and established residence in Pennsylvania. Edward had two brothers, Morris Lyon Buchwalter and Captain Luther Morris Buchwalter, an officer with the Ohio Volunteers.

Education

He was educated at public schools in Hallsville and enrolled in Ohio University, at Athens, Ohio at the inception of the American Civil War, he did not long deny manifestation of his youthful patriotism and volunteered into the Western Army of Civil War.

Overview

Captain Edward L. Buchwalter, a veteran of the Civil War, return to Hallsville, Ohio, continued to work on the family farming. In 1872, he and his wife moved to Springfield, Ohio where he join the Industrial Era and became president of the Superior Drill Company (later the American Seeding Machine Company) and president of the Citizens' National Bank.

Government official

After the war came to a close he continued in the service of the Government, first as Provost Marshal at Macon, Mississippi, and later in similar service at Meridian, Mississippi, where he had charge also of the Freedmen's Bureau.

Stockholding and farming

Corporate endeavors

Superior Drill Company

Buchwalter was one of the organizers of the Superior Drill Company and president of the same, 1883–1903. In 1903 the company merged into American Seeding Machine Co.

Capt. E.L. Buchwalter married Clementine Cordelia Berry (1843–1912) on Sept 1, 1868. In 1893, he purchased a home at 359 East High Street, Springfield, Ohio from the Charles Clark estate. Built in 1852 and situated just moments from downtown, it is one of the oldest homes in Springfield. Clementine Berry Buchwalter provided hospitality for decades of club parties originated by women from all over the United States. She opened her residence to the local women for gatherings. Out of this grew the foundation of the Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs.

In 1908 the city renumbered East High Street and the Buchwalter home became 805 East High Street. Today the mansion is home of the Woman's Town Club of Springfield, Ohio. Founded in 1922, the Woman's Town Club provides a social center for women in the Springfield community and maintains and preserves this historic home.

Clementine Berry Buchwalter, his first wife.

Clementine Cordelia Berry M.L.A. (Master of Liberal Arts), the eldest of the family of seven of Rev. John A. Berry and his wife, Eleanora Evelyn Andrews, was born in Danville, Ohio, February 8, 1843; died in Dansville, N.Y., November 1912.

She graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan Female College, at Delaware, Ohio, the summer of 1862, a classmate of Mary Wood, now the celebrated Dr. Mary Wood-Allen. From 1864 to 1865, Berry taught in Public Schools in Columbus, Ohio and Granville Female College, in Granville, Ohio from 1865 to 1866. She taught Latin and French in the Illinois Female College, at Quincy, and the Indiana State Female College, at Indianapolis. She was vice-president of the Board of Lady Managers of the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 (Louisiana Purchase Exposition), and President Francis telegraphed her husband she was the Mark Hanna of the Board. She was a charter member of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, of which she was made honorary vice-president for life. She was vice-president of the Pioneers of the General Federation. She organized the Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs, of which she was made honorary president for life, and her name is in the Founders' Roll of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

The summer of last year of her life and the 50th anniversary of her class, she attended the commencement at Delaware as guest of honor and delivered the diplomas to the class of 1912. At the time of her death in 1912, the Ohio Federation decided at a memorial service held in Springfield to establish the Clementine Berry Buchwalter Fund, and at the next annual meeting at Chillicothe, Ohio, Capt. Edward L. Buchwalter was present and wrote the president that he would provide an endowment fund of $10,000 in memory of his wife, Clementine Berry Buchwalter, the annual net income to be used in such a way as the directors might desire. If the clubs decided to do this, for every $400 they raised he would give $100, up to the amount of $10,000, not including the $5,000 first given by him. The club women consulted him as to whether he preferred a scholarship or a fund to be used in the club work, but as no one knew better than he how much money was needed to carry on the Federation work, he advised an endowment fund like the one to her dearest friend, Sarah Piatt Decker. In October 1915, the sum had reached $10,000, $6,000 of which had been contributed by Captain Buchwalter.