Dr. William Faber
Dr. William Faber was born April 16th,
1864 near the small town of McZena, Ashland County, Ohio to Philip and Sarah
(Spreng) Faber. William spent his early
years on the family farm.
On May 2, 1889 William Faber Married
Filena Kick, of near Lake, Ohio.
William attended The Ohio State
University where he received a degree as a physician in 1895. For a number of years prior to receiving his
degree William pursed his practice in Ashland, Ohio. In 1894 William moved his family to Rittman,
however, the family was less than impressed with the struggling village and
soon the family relocated to Wooster, Ohio.
William was elected to two terms of Wayne County coroner starting in
1897 on the democratic ticket. In 1902
William was elected Orrville’s Mayor, serving in this capacity for one year
(reviewing the list of Orrville Mayors which dates back to 1865, ten of
fourteen mayor’s prior to William only served a one year term, so this time
frame was not unusual at the time as it might be today). While in Orrville, William continued his
practice which became rather lucrative.
The Faber family relocated a final time to
Rittman, Ohio in 1906. William built a
new family home on Salt Street (this property still stands at the time of this
writing). Dr. William Faber continued
his practice until the 4th of January 1909 when for the third time
William was elected county coroner, unfortunately this term would only last a
few short weeks.
Several newspaper articles at the time of
William’s death point to the fact he had acquired a “habit” in the later years
or his life. The articles never directly
define this “habit”, however William was abruptly bed ridden in the last days
of his life, there had been speculation of an overdose. After an examination by several physicians an
overdose was ruled out, the doctors agreed his death was due to natural
causes. At the early age of 44, William
Faber peacefully passed away at home on February 4th, 1909. William left behind three boys, Roy Ernest, Harmon
Dudley, John Philip and his wife Filena.
Filena passed away only 6 months after William, leaving Roy Ernest to
raise the two younger boys with his new wife.
William Faber is buried next to his wife
in Fairview Cemetery near Craigton, Wayne County Ohio.
In searching for historical documents
related to William Faber an unusual account of a Rittman happening surfaced:
“Word has been
received here that several Rittman people have seen a phantom train at the
River Styx Bridge on the Erie Railroad. The first appearance of this
awe-inspiring train was last week, Saturday night and was witnessed by Dr. Wm.
Faber, coroner of Wayne County and a companion.
The doctor had
been to see a sick patient and was driving leisurely along about 11 o'clock,
when his attention was attracted by the noise of a swiftly moving train. He
casually watched the train and saw its glaring headlight and dense clouds of
smoke rolling up from the smokestack. He paid no more attention to the train,
but just before it reached the bridge the shrill whistle of the engine calling
for brakes caused for the men to glance back. On came the train with the speed
of a whirlwind as it swept down the grade, throwing out great sparks of fire
from the wheels. Just then they heard the "chuck chuck" of the
engine, as it had been reversed, and the escaping of the air of the fir-brakes.
Then a strange sight met their gaze as they sat spellbound. The train was
enveloped in flames which shot up the escaping steam making a terrific noise,
and the cracking of timber and breaking of iron bars was plainly heard, but
above all came the piercing shrieks of human beings pinned beneath the wreckage.
The noise was plainly heard by a number of others.
The Doctor and his
companion started immediately for the place of the wreck for the purpose of
rendering assistance, but to their surprise they found everything perfectly
quiet and no sign of a wrecked train.
Near this spot the
ill-fated train No 5 jumped the track last spring, and the engineer was killed,
ever since that time many people have believed that the place is haunted.”
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