Herman Joseph (Joe) Meiring Born: 18 April 1833 Lowick, Westphalia, Prussia Died: 05 October 1883 Washington Township, Lucas County, Ohio

Joe was the sixth of eight children of Johannes Bernhard Meyering and Henrica Aleida van Oepen, who lived in Lowick.

He left his homeland on 27 September 1853, apparently "without consent." He is almost certainly the 20-year old "Joseph Meyerink" listed as a passenger on the Powhatan, which left from Rotterdam with 196 passengers. There were thirteen deaths during the 47-day passage. The ship arrived at New York City on 28 November 1853. (Click here to read about the grisly end of the Powhatan.)

Joe became a naturalized citizen on 25 January 1859.

He married Ursula Shears on 28 June 1859 at St. Mary's in Toledo.

In the early years of their marriage, they may have lived on Fitchland Avenue. They may also have lived for a time in a small house on the Tyrell farm on Secor Road, near the present-day Valleston Boulevard.

Between 1860 and 1882, Joe and Ursula had eleven children, including Frank Meiring.

In the 1870 and 1880 censuses, Joe and his family were recorded as living in Washington Township, Lucas County, where he worked as a farmer.

Joe bought the forty-acre farm on the south side of Central Avenue from Daniel Segur. The quit claim deed for the land was conveyed to him on 27 February 1875. It is likely that the Meirings built the small saltbox-type house on Central. Today, the land is largely covered by the western half of Westgate Shopping Center and the houses along Manchester Avenue.

Joe died at age 50 from ulcers of the stomach, and was buried in St. Peter's cemetery in Toledo. On 18 December 1913 his remains were moved to Calvary Cemetery.