1876 - Joe's brother, Bill, and sister-in-law, Mary, on their wedding day, January 5, 1876.
1908 - Joe and Eva Ditman were active in the Darrtown Methodist Church, which explains the presence of a photo of the church among the many items that Eva preserved.
1912- May 3 - A newsclipping reported a social gathering during which the marriage of Miss Leona Breese to Mr. Egbert Haldane Kramer was announced. Those in attendance represented a "who's who" among Darrtown society.
The location of the "Center School" has not been verified. The school was likely located at the site indicated on the map at the right. The site was the closest to the Ditman home and it is situated in the center of the township. See Milford Township one-room school locations.
1908 - BELOW: Lewis P. Ditman, age five years. Lewis, born June 30, 1903, was the first of two sons born to Joe and Eva Ditman). His brother, Joshua, was born in August 24,1905.
The items that appear on this page came from a trove of historical documents related to Josephus Ditman and his family - both immediate and extended. A great-grandson of Josephus, James Ditman and his wife, Claudia contributed the items on display.
The Josephus Ditman family was actively connected to the Darrtown community. Those connections are evident in numerous items displayed below. The Ditman items reveal names of people, organizations, and events related to Darrtown and the surroundiing area.
1880 - Unfortunately, when Charles Ditman wrote a letter to his brother, Josephus, about Charlie's idea of coming back from Nebraska to Ohio to court "little Maggie Gard," Charles did not know that Margaret Gard had already died. The young girl's headstone, seen in the image linked below, stands in the Pioneer section of the Darrtown cemetery, alongside the graves of her father and her paternal grand-parents.
The items on this page are, as much as possible, presented in chronological order - by decades.
Click the gray oval links to see additional information and/or enlarged images.
1883 - Josephus Ditman received a "letter of interest," from a Camden, Ohio man, regarding the pastor's position at the Darrtown Methodist Church.
1894 - photo of Mary Eva Polster
1901 - Mary "Mamie" Unzicker married Josephus Burns, who was Josephus Ditman's nephew. Foreshadowing! When Joe and Eva Ditman move back to Maryland, Joe and Mary Burns move to the Ditman's Radiance Farm.
1903 - Lewis Ditman, the first-born son of Josephus and Eva Ditman was born June 30. See who assisted Dr. Wilke with the birth. (Hint: The doctor's assistant had two daughters named Nell and Maria).
1907 - Josephus Ditman became a member of the Darrtown Stock Protection Company. See an image of his original membership, signed by George R. Hansel, president, and H.L. Kramer, secretary.
1908 - Some people gathered at the Harry Kramer home for a group photo. Unfortunately, we do not know the names of those in the image; but, we can get a sense of how things were back then.
1880's & 90's
1900's
1910's
1906- Lewis Ditman's younger brother, Joshua, was born August 24, 1905. Click the link to see a larger view of the brothers.
1889 - This photo shows three Ditman brothers; Josephus, Joshua, and Lewis. Foreshadowing: Josephus will name his two sons in honor of these two brothers.
1900 - On the first of March, Josephus Ditman bought the 174.75 acre Hoffman farm - which was located on the west side of the Hamilton-Richmond Road, about a half-mile north of the intersection of Ohio St. Rt. 177 and Ohio St. Rt. 73. See "Radiance farm map" link below.
In an October 10, 1900 letter to Mary Eva Polster (see "Letter excerpt" link below), Josephus told how "Billy Burns and his wife" were keeping house for him ... and that he (Josephus) had rented out part of his land to Billy.
This living arrangement with Billy and his wife is reflected in the 1900 federal census report (see the 1900 census link).
1900 - Clyde Brown is listed in the 1900 census as a farm hand, living with the neighboring Kramer family. A photo of Clyde appeared among the files that Eva Ditman saved.
1902 - Mary Eva (Polster) Ditman resigned from her publc school teaching job in Maryland to marry Josephus Ditman and move with him to his farm in Section 20 of Milford Township. She taught Sunday School for many years (see the "Eva and teaching" link below). A document from the Butler County Teachers' Association lists her as presenting a paper at a 1902 teachers' meeting in Collinsville, Ohio.
1908 - This year is based on the size of the boys in the photo.
Joe and Eva, with Lewis in front and Joshua in the back.
1910 - Among the documents saved by Eva Ditman was a sample ballot related to the prohibition of alcohol. Sponsored by the Anti-Saloon League, the bottom line on the sample ballot reads "To vote dry, mark your ballot as above." Handwriting along the margins reads "Oxford, O" and "1910 + or -"
FYI - For some history about the prohibition issue in Milford Township, see Tavern History.
1910 - Here is a summary of the federal census report for the Josephus Ditman family in Milford Township, Butler County, Ohio.
1911 - Both Ditman boys are seen in this photo of students who were attending the "Center School." Josh is second from the left in the front row and Lewis is at the far right of the front row.
The following was written on the back of the photo: "For Joshua near 6 yrs. old Centre School 1911 - 1st school teacher - Miss Leona Breese | For Lewis near 8 yrs. old Leona Macbeth Breese teacher Centre School Butler Co. Ohio"
1912 - John Polster, Eva Ditman's father, died in Maryland. His death would be a precursor to the Ditman family leaving their Darrtown farm and returning to Maryland. How soon they left is questionable. The following note cites Eva's distress; but does not specify a date of departure. An obituary for Josephus in 1934 states that the Ditmans departed in 1915.
1915 - We have an image of an Ohio automobile registration card in the name of Josephus and sons. The car was a 1915 Ford touring car with a 20-horsepower gasoline engine.
The serial number on the regstration card indicated the car was bullt in 1914. Info found at this source.
1915 - Eva Ditman also appears in this photo of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Darrtown Methodist Church. She is sitting in the middle of the second row, with a white "x" marked on her skirt.
Some who knew Maria Davis believe she is the lady sitting in the front row, third from the left.
1915 - This is a photo of the Ladies' Aid Society of the Darrtown Methodist Church. Eva Ditman has been marked in the photo as standing in the back row, third from the left. The handwritten caption at the bottom of the photo verifies the group and the year.
1915 - There was a two-day gathering in Seven Mile, Ohio for persons interested in farming. An image of the event's printed program was among the items preserved by Eva Ditman.
FYI: Seven MIle, Ohio is about seven miles southeast of Darrtown.
1917 - The Ditman family lived in Section 20 of Milford Township. The Harris family lived in Section 21. Thus, the two families were within a neighborly distance - which likely explains why Eva Ditman's files contained two photos of Dorothy Sun Harris - one at age ten weeks and the other at age 15 months. In the second photo, Dorothy Sun Harris (1917-2011) is being held by her mother, Clara (Hoffman) Harris. Dorothy (Harris) Pierson grew up to become the first female from Butler County to join the U.S. Navy. See more at the "Obituary" link below.
Seven weeks later, Lewis made a public appearance at the Darrtown M.E. Church.
The images of Dorothy Sun Harris were printed on postcards - perhaps indicating that the Harris family mailed the photos to the Ditmans, after the Ditmans moved to Maryland.
Dorothy Sun Harris was born February 11, 1917, which suggests the "15-month" postcard was mailed, no earlier than, the spring of 1918.
1920 - Records suggest that the Josephus Ditman family left Milford Township in 1915 and returned to Maryland. The 1920 U.S. census shows Josephus, Eva, and their two sons living in Maryland.
1920's
Click these links to see the Harris photos
In November, 2021, James Ditman, great-grandson of Josephus and Eva Ditman, wrote the following about Eva's teaching career: "As For Mary Eva's public school teaching career, this ended when she left Westminster, in Feb 1901. But, she did teach Sunday school classes - both in Darrtown and before her move from and after her return to Westminster. So she taught Sunday school her entire life, except when she left Westminster late in her life. She was apparently quite a smart young lady. She had passed all the tests to become a teacher at age 16; but, they would not let her have her own class, until she was 21. They thought that the boys would not take too well to a young teacher. That did not please her."
1901 - Eva Ditman saved an image of a butter churn, as a reminder of how she made butter, when she first arrived in Milford Township. See Eva's comments in the margin of this drawing.
1922 - Further evidence that the Josephus Ditman family was living in Maryland in the 1920s is provided in a letter written by S.L. Herzog to Lewis Ditman. The letter references Lewis' graduation from high school (in Maryland).
1922 - When he left Milford Township (in 1915) to return to Maryland with his wife, Eva, and their two sons, Josephus Ditman retained ownership of the Radiance farm.
Josephus arranged for his nephew, Joe (Josephus) Burns to operate the farm. In 1922, Josephus Ditman returned to his Radiance Farm and a photo captured the occasion. The first link below identifies the persons in the photo and the second link shows how those in the photo were related.
It may be that Josephus Ditman was in the process of selling his Radiance Farm, during his 1922 visit.
We know, from county real estate records, that Josephus sold his Radiance Farm on August 31, 1922 to John W. Smith.
1923 - On February 19, 1923, Joe Burns sold his livestock, implements, and other items at a public auction that was held on the Joe Ditman farm. A larger view of the sale bill appears at the link at the right.
Presumably, the Herzogs and the Ditmans were friends, when the Ditmans lived in the Darrtown area. See the proximity of the two farms in the map below.
1926 - Even though the Josephus Ditman family left the Darrtown area and moved to Maryland in 1915, friendships were retained between the Ditmans and their Milford Township neighbors. One example is an Easter note from Nellie Hansel to Eva Ditman.
The Hansel farm was located across the road from the Ditman farm. See map at the link below.
The Ditmans and their former neighbors in MIlford Township stayed in touch, after the Ditmans moved to Maryland in 1915. LISTED BELOW are some ways that the families maintained contact:
> Two examples have already been cited above, in the 1920s section: (1) the letter from S.L. Herzog to Lewis Ditman and
(2) the Easter note from Nellie Hansel to Eva Ditman.
> The Josephus Ditman obituary (see it in the 1930s section above) describes how the Ditmans kept up with Darrtown news. The obituary included this comment about Joe: "... he had been a constant reader of the Hamilton Journal during the past 18 years when he resided in Maryland and also for many years before locating there."
1930's
1932 - In a photo from Ancestry.com, Josephus is seen with his grandson, Joseph.
1934 - Joseph Ditman died January 4, 1934, in Westminster, Maryland. Thanks to Eva's files, four of Joe's obituaries are accessible at the links below.
No. 1 is from an unnamed Maryland newspaper.
No. 2 is from the Hamilton (Ohio) Journal News
No. 3 is reportedly from the Hamilton (Ohio) Republican
No. 4 is from the Oxford (Ohio) Press
1940's & 50's
1929 - Mary Elizabeth Kramer died in 1929 and her obituary was found among the papers that Eva Ditman preserved. There was a strong connection between Josephus Ditman and the Kramer family. Josephus came to Milford Township, from Indiana, with the George Kramer family in 1874. Josephus lived with Kramer family, as a farmhand, for 12 years, until he married Barbara Ditman, Mary's younger sister.
1941 - William T. Ditman died at age 89 years, on March 6, 1941. His obituary appears at the following link. He came to Butler County in 1873, which is the same year that his brother, Josephus arrived with the Kramer family. Ancestry records indicate that William T. Ditman lived on Morning Sun Road in Oxford Township, which is located on the west side of Milford Township. He was married to Mary Clara Watt.
An 1875 map of Milford Township shows that J.J. Watt owned a 60-acre tract of land in Section 20 - adjacent to the George Kramer farm, on the west side. So, the Watt family and the Kramer family were, in farming parlance, "next-door" neighbors.
John J. Watt was the father of Mary Clara Watt, according to records at Ancestry.com. It seems conceivable that William Ditman may have met Clara, his future wife, through his brother, Josephus, while working on the neighboring Kramer farm.
SECTION 20 NEIGHBORS...coincidence or fate?
ABOVE: The Davis home at Davis Corner. The Davis family farm was located immediately south of the Ditman's farm. The year is unknown.
ABOVE: George Hansel with daughters, Patricia (left) and Myra (right). The date appeared on the back of the photo as 1948.
1952 - Joe Burns died in 1952. Eva's records contained a funeral card and an obituary for her husband's nephew ... the man that worked their Radiance Farm, after the Ditmans moved to Maryland.
1954 - Eva's records contained a letter from Margaret Kramer, Fred Kramer's wife. Mrs. Kramer reported on family and neighbors, including a mention of the Kramer's daughter, Cathy, who was in the second grade. Margaret also referred to Dr. Munns, and told about a visit from Nell and Maria Davis (see the photo of the Davis home above-left).
Mary Eva Ditman died December 27, 1957. Her passing was reported in a Maryland newspaper (see the first link below) and in a Hamilton, Ohio newspaper (see the second link below).
In addition to the accolades that appear in her obituaries, it is appropriate to acknowledge that, by her devotion to preserving family records, Mary Eva Ditman contributed far more than she could have ever imagined to the history of the Darrtown and Milford Township community - via the presentation of her work on the internet.
Beyond the 1950's
1975 - Lewis Ditman, the older son of Josephus and Eva Ditman died Saturday, July 26, 1975.
According to an 1836 map of Butler County (Ohio), Jeramiah Guard owned 160 acres in the northwest quarter of Section 20 in Milford Township (county property records show the family name spelled as "Gard"). The neighbor to the east of the Gards was George Kramer. Josephus Ditman worked for Geo. Kramer and, presumably, Charles Ditman had met or learned of Maggie Gard through Josephus.
1957
The following is an excerpted part of a letter that Josephus sent to Eva, in which he explains that Billy Burns and his wife have been keeping house for Josephus - and that he, Josephus, plans to end that arrangement, so that Josephus and Eva could make a life together on that property. Note the referral to Billy's plan to move to Illinois. A Nov. 8, 1926 edition of the Evening Sun (of Baltimore, Maryland) included an obiturary for Anna Burns that reports that she had two sons, Joseph, of Oxford, Ohio, and William of Elgin, Illinois. The reference in the obituary (that William was an Illinois resident) reinforces a comment in the following excerpt, by Josephus that Billy and his wife were "fixin to move to Illinois in the spring." .... HERE IS THE EXCERPT from Joe's Oct. 10 letter to Eva: … "Now Eva I want to tell you somthing that I had not spoke of before. I think you know that Billie Burns and his wife have bin keeping house for me and I have bin renting a part of my land to Billie giving him one 1/3 of what he raised and I furnished him everry thing. So wen I came home I concluded that I would not rent enney more and doo the seeding all myself as I had a hand beside Billie and could doo verry well. So Billie sys that if I did not let him have enney ground that he would not stay. So I told him all right. His wife was in Ill at the time so he wrote to hur about it and I think as near as I can tha are fixing to move to Illinois in the spring. So you can see that wen tha are gone I will be alone. That is ontill you ar redy to come. I dont want to get a strange family in hear and try to stay with them. I would rather be alone ontill I get one who will take an interest in what I have. Will you tell me what you think of it."
After Josephus and Eva moved to this Milford Township farm, they named it the "Radiance Farm."
The sale bill reported that dinner was being served by the Ladies' Aid Society of the Darrtown M.E. church.
> Personal correspondence continued to play a part in keeping touch. Eva Ditman died in January, 1958. Among items that Eva kept, there is a 1954 letter from Margaret Kramer to Eva Ditman that exemplifies the manner in which the Ditman-Kramer connection continued. The Kramer letter is available at the "Kramer letter" link in the 1950s section below.
> Images from other families appeared in the items saved by Eva. For example, see the 1908 photo of the Kramer family (above). Also, see the two photos below. On the left, a wintery photo of the Davis homestead and, on the right, an image of George Hansel and his two daughters, Patricia and Myra.
> Eva kept a notebook, in which there were several newspaper clippings about Darrtown and Milford Township people and events (post 1915). An image of one page from her notebook appears at the right. The articles seen on the page are replicated separately here - Margaret Kramer's obituary in the 1920s section and Joe Ditman's obituary in the 1930s section.) Eva's preface to her notebook also appears at the right.
William T. "Bill' Ditman appears in the photo above. Bill married Mary Watt. The link at the right provides a remembrance of them - from their grand-daugher, Mildred Gartside.
James Ditman, great-grandson of Josephus Ditman, sent the following email to the webmaster regarding his memory of meeting Edward C. Burns. ============= From: James Ditman Date: Monday, November 29, 2021 To: Frederick Lindley Subject: Edward Burns Fred I remember meeting Edward C. Burns at the first Ditman Family reunion (abt. 1982). When I first laid eyes on him, I was sure I was looking at my grandfather, Lewis P Ditman. I walked over a talked with him a bit. I told him that he looked just like what I remembered my grandfather looked like. He said he knew Lewis very well, as they were born the same year(1903, with Lewis 18 days older) and were both raised in the Darrtown area. He said he played with Lewis and Josh all the time. He said they were cousins. I have some photos of him that I took at that reunion here somewhere. He had large features on his face and those big ears sticking out, just like Lewis. This guy really made my day.
1913 - This was the year of the Great Miami Valley Flood. See postcard acknowledging Joe Ditman's flood relief donation.
1908 - The death of James K. Bradbury is acknowledged by the Darrtown Methodist Church with a paid notice, in the Hamilton Republican newspaper.
A copy of the paid notice was pasted to a newspaper receipt. Click the links below to see the notice folded and unfolded.
This is a fine example of "Darrtown Connections." Note the names of the three church reprsentatives listed at the bottom of the paid notice; Ditman, McVicker, and Hansel.
The link below shows a newspaper item about the death of Jas. K. Bradbury
See more Herzog family info at the Hertzog Family page.
The following link reveals a 1933 letter that Joseph wrote to the Darrtown Methodist Church regarding a church homecoming.