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Archiver > OHMERCER > 2000-07 > 0964231314


From: "Leila and Donald Alfier" <> (by way of Wally Garchow <>)
Subject: Re: [MERCER] Grand Lake Saint Marys
Date: Fri, 21 Jul 2000 19:01:54 -0700


Mr. Denney,

This has absolutely nothing to do with genealogy but I wanted to respond to
your last sentence. I am now 57 years old and haven't visited the lake for
over 40 years. But my fondest memories, as a small child, was being taken
to the lake to fish. Mom would sit me down where a school of sunfish were
and I'd fish and catch them for hours. When I got older, she told me that
when she took them off my hook, she would walk to where she was fishing and
return each one to the lake. That wonderful lady, who died this past St.
Patrick's Day at age 88, made my childhood a happy one and taught me to love
and respect Lake St. Marys, the name we always called it. I hope, one day,
to take my granddaughter, the 4th generation, to fish there as well. I've
been told that my grandfather worked on the oil rigs in the lake years ago.
Leila Smith Alfier


----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard F. Denney (by way of Wally Garchow <>)"
<>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2000 3:54 PM
Subject: [MERCER] Grand Lake Saint Marys


> Thought I would put my two cents worth in on the subject of Grand Lake, my
> father (mentioned below) worked on this project and this is what I was
told
> about it. I was born in Saint Marys, Ohio.
>
> I would bet many of the listers ancestors worked on this project as did my
> dad and perhaps even his dad.
>
> During construction of the Miami-Erie Canal in the 1800s and early 1900s,
it
> was discovered that feeder reservoirs would be necessary to keep the water
> level in the Canal relatively consistent. Lake Loramie in southern
Auglaize
> County Ohio would feed the reservoirs southern end, while a new reservoir
> (eventually Grand Lake St. Marys) would be constructed in Mercer County,
> Ohio. Glacier activity had left a natural low area in the land that could
be
> readily turned into a lake. The only embankments needed were on the east
and
> west ends. Using picks and shovels, 1700 men proceeded to dig out the lake
> and build the embankments between the years 1839 and 1945. In the early
> years, the men were paid thirty cents per day and a jigger of whiskey to
> ward off malaria and boost morale. The coming of the railroads around 1870
> spelled the demise for the need of the canal system. The project continued
> however and the result was Grand Lake St. Marys, Ohio. This turned out to
be
> at one time, the largest man made lake ever. The reason this story is even
> here, my dad Herbert Denney did work on this project during the years 1929
> and 1930, I hope at more then thirty cents per day. I am sure that many
> other kinfolk of ours in that area also provided many hours of blood and
> sweat to accomplish this great feat. You future descendants should make it
a
> point to visit this lake in your lifetime.
>
> Richard Denney
>
>
>
>
>
>
> PLEASE CHECK OUT MY WEB SITES
>
> http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Lake/7853/denney
> http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rdenney
> http://members.xoom.com/dickdenney/xoom
>
>
>
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