OBLINGER-BILLMAN
STORE IN LEWISVILLE, OHIO
History
of Oblinger-Billman Store
By
Grace Billman Stallings (deceased)
of Westerville, OH
After reading the
article on the stores in Lewisville, which I was glad to get, I thought you
might like to hear about another store.
The Oblinger Store was
first owned by Mr. Packenburg, who sold to Frank and Charles Oblinger. Clem, another brother, bought Frank's
share. Later Charles became sole owner,
around Sept. 1, 1877. The old ledgers which were the charge account books, that
I have, start back to Oct. 2, 1863, and it shows It changed hands about that
date. I have all four of the old, thick, leather bound ledgers. The two-story front of the store was shipped
from Germany.
Oblinger sold one
third interest in the store to Marion Robinson, whose wife was Eunice Feiock
and one third interest to F.R. Billman. In July 1918 Mr. Robinson sold his
interest to Billman, since he entered the war.
F.R. Billman had
worked in the oil field for five years before starting to work for Mr. Oblinger
on Aug. 18, 1907. He had married Ollie Fisher on May 29, 1907. They had one
daughter.
Mr. Oblinger's store
was a general store and he also bought tobacco, and had packing houses, one of
which is still standing across the street from the former Egger's Hardware
Store. It was later sold to Mr. Egger. Before the new high school was built,
the boys played basketball games here, using gas stoves to heat the building.
In those days people would
deal at the store, using tobacco and other goods as their payment. Billman bought chickens and turkeys as did
the Feiock's store. Two weeks before
Thanksgiving and Christmas were big days for the farmers who would bring their
turkeys to the store, which were picked up by a wholesale company in
Pittsburgh.
Mr. Oblinger made his
home with Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bott who lived in the big palatial house which he
built next to the store. Mr. Oblinger was born May 19, 1848 and died Dec. 10,
1920.
Mr. Billman bought the
store in Jan., 1921. He had several
different clerks, but John Billman, his father, and Clayton English worked the
longest. English worked for 24 years
before going with Nationwide Insurance.
F. R., as he was
known, had to retire because of failing health and sold to George Radon who
took over June 1, 1953. F. R. passed away Nov. 22, 1953.
The store burned down
Sept: 7, 1956. I'm so glad Dad didn't live to see it burn, as it was hard
enough on my mother.