He was born Herman Heinrich Wilhelm Thesing in Rieste, Northwest Germany in 1870. When he was 3-years old in 1873, he moved with his parents to the U.S. and settled in Cincinnati, Ohio. He became a U.S. citizen on March 28, 1891 and took the name William. The family has no idea what the "H" in the middle name was for. Possibly Herman or Heirich. Will met, courted and married Johanna Rose Stadtmiller. Hannah lived in Saint Leon, Indiana, essentially a German speaking rural community not far from Cincinnati. They were married in Saint PAul's Catholic Church in Cincinnati on Oct. 2, 1894. Following the marriage, William and Hannah moved to Akron, Ohio living first on Euclid Ave. then on Chestnut St. They attended the newly built St. Bernard's Catholic Church which served a predominantly German congregation. They had 6-children, Helen,(see Helen Thesing), John,(see John Thesing), Anna, Barbara,(see Barbara Thesing McGrath), Joseph and Sylvester Michael. Will was an excellent wood engraver and worked in the printing industry untill the advent of steel engraving. Then in about 1904, he became a partner in the Barberton Plumbing Co. In the 1933 election primaries, the Republican party got Will to run for Mayor of Barberton. He lost and a Democrat ultimately won the election.
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FROM THE AKRON CITY DIRECTORIES:

1895
William H. Thesing, (Johanna R.), wood engraver, home - 505 Cedar St.

1900
William H. Thesing, (Johanna R.), wood engraver, home - 113 Euclid Ave.

1905
William H. Thesing, (Johanna), wood engraver, home - 214 W. Chestnut St.

1910
William H. Thesing, (Johanna R.), (Barberton Plumbing Co.), home - 418 N. 2nd St., Barberton, Ohio.

1915
William H. Thesing, (Johanna), (Barberton Plumbing Co.), home - 855 Cornell St.

1920 same as 1915.

1930
William H. Thesing, (Johanna R.), (Barberton Plumbing Co.), home - 423 Wooster Road, N., Barberton, Ohio.

1935 same as 1930.
1940 same as 1930.

1946
William H. Thesing, (Johanna R.), plumber, home - 423 Wooster Rd., N., Barberton, Ohio.
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For more info on the Thesing family,
e-mail Buck at:
[email protected]
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