Samuel Andrew Procuniar 1875-1954

Samuel Andrew Procuniar 1875-1954

A Thumbnail Biography by David C. Procuniar

Copyright 1997-1998-1999-2000-2001

Samuel Andrew Procuniar, the son of Samuel Procuniar & Catharine Miller; Samuel born 20 Nov 1875 in Montgomery County, Dayton, Ohio; died 19 Jul 1954; married twice, 1st Myrtle Forest Swarner circa 1898 in Dayton, Ohio; three children. Married 2nd Harriet M. Brown circa 1938 (no issue).

Children:

Earl Raymond Procuniar 1899-1966 married 15 Nov 1921 Dayton, Ohio Mable Elizabeth Brenner (1902-1957)

Children: Betty Jane Procuniar 1922 & Emma Jean Procuniar 1924

May Arbutus Procuniar 1903-1997 married 28 Jan 1927 John Leonard Macbeth (1896-1958)

Children: Jacquelyn June Macbeth 1935 & Judith Barbara Macbeth 1940

Robert W. Procuniar 1905-1976 married 1928 Irene M. Miller (1906-1985)

Children: Robert W. Procuniar 1929

Samuel married Myrtle Forest Swarner circa 1899-1900 (directory shows them living on N. S. Valley Pike east of Findlay). By 1903-1904 the city directory shows them living at 430 N. Daller Street. Together Samuel and Myrtle had three children, two sons & a daughter.

Samuel worked with his father Jacob at Calvin L. Hawes' paper mill as a laborer, paper maker, machine tender, pipe fitter until he became a Dayton Ohio Policeman around 1910-1911after training and served his city for 27 years. Samuel claimed to have chased the famous John Dillinger through Dayton but not being able to catch him. (Samuel was living at 430 N. Daller Street Dayton Ohio in 1903-1922). In 1923 Samuel is listed as living at 816 Wellmeier Avenue. Myrtle died at the age of 56 in 1931 after being married to Samuel for 33 years . About six years later Samuel married Hattie (don't know her maiden or if she was married before). Hattie and Samuel continued to live at 816 Wellmeier Avenue through 1948 when Hattie passed away in February of that year. After outliving two wives Samuel stayed single until his death in 1954. I do not know where Samuel was living when he died in July of 1954. Samuel and his first wife Myrtle are buried in the Arlington Cemetery.

SHORT BIO:

Samuel Andrew Procuniar was born November 20, 1875 the first child of Jacob and Mary Catharine (McMaster) Procuniar. Samuel lived in his parents home at 1455 Valley Pike in Dayton, Ohio through out his boyhood until his marriage. Samuel attended the Trinity United Methodist Church on Valley Pike with his family. Samuel is listed as a laborer in the Dayton City Directory while living at home with his father from 1895-1896. In 1898 Samuel married Myrtle Swarner and went to work with his father Jacob as a machine tender at Calvin L. Hawes' ND (a paper company). Both Samuel and Myrtle lived with his father and mother on Valley Pike for a while after their marriage. In July of 1899 their first child, Earl Raymond was born. At that time there were nine people living in the Jacob Procuniar home. Jacob, his wife Mary Catharine, their son Samuel and his wife Myrtle and son Earl. Jacob's other children, Thomas 19, Nettie Belle 17, Charles 11 and John Henry (my grandfather) who had just turned nine were all living together. At that same time Samuel's uncle Isaac aged 71 and family were living in Whitley County, Indiana, his aunt Emaline (Procuniar) North aged 66 was living in Canada with her family and his aunt Eliza (Procuniar) Evans aged 63 was living in Green County, Ohio near Xenia. Samuel's uncle David Procuniar had died in June of 1864 while serving in the Civil War. His uncle John Procuniar had died back in 1863 and John's widow Sarah (Wike) was 63 years old and living in downtown Dayton, Ohio. On May 1, 1903 Myrtle gave birth to their second child who they named May Arbutus. By then the Jacob Procuniar house was filling up with family so in early 1904 Samuel & Myrtle moved into their first home at 430 N. Daller St.

Samuel continued to work for Calvin L. Hawes' ND and in June of 1905 Myrtle gave birth to their third and last child Robert W. Procuniar Sr. In 1908 Samuel was listed in the Dayton Directory as a pipe fitter and in 1909 he became a Dayton Police Officer. Samuel and his family moved to 816 Wellmeier Ave. in 1923. Samuel's wife Myrtle died in May of 1931 and in 1936 Samuel finally retired as a Dayton Policeman after 27 years. Samuel liked to tell his grandchildren about the time the feared gangster John Dillinger came through Dayton. Samuel said he was hot on Dillinger's trail, when Dillinger gave them the slip. To the dismay and disappointment of his children, Samuel remarried in 1938 to Hattie M. Brown. Ten years later on February 25, Samuel's second wife Hattie passed away. Finally at the age of 78 years, 4 months and one day, Samuel died leaving 5 grand children, and 18 great grand children. Two of his great grandson's played professional basketball, Jim Paxson Jr. "Celtics" and "Trail Blazers" and John Paxson played for the "Chicago Bulls". His granddaughter Jackie's husband Jim Paxson Sr. played for the "Cincinnati Royals" several years ago. Samuel's son Earl Raymond married Mable Brenner in 1921. Earl had 2 children both girls. Samuel's daughter May Arbutus married John L. Macbeth in 1927. They had two children, both girls. Samuel's youngest son Robert W. married Irene M. Miller. They had one child, a boy Robert Jr. who was shot and killed in a hunting accident in Wilmington, Ohio in the early 1960's at the age of 31 leaving two children, a boy and girl. Robert's wife Joan remarried after his death to an Air Force officer and was transferred to Germany. Robert Jr.'s son Stephen was hit by a car and killed only three weeks after arriving in Germany and the age of 15. Robert's daughter Vickie lives in Dayton, Ohio and has never married (as of 1991). Vickie and I have exchanged email, though I have never met her personally.

David Charles Procuniar

Sources:

Research by David Charles Procuniar 3598 Harry Truman Road, Dayton, Ohio 45432

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