Walter Merwyn (Melvin) Hand Sr.  

19 Walter Merwyn (Melvin) Hand Sr. b. 5 Feb 1874 Marshall county, Indiana d. 14 Jul 1947 Argos, Marshall, Indiana buried Culver Masonic Cemetery. He was the son of William E. and Lucy (Brown) Hand. He his father was a brother to Emily Jane "Jeanne" Hand who married Henry Harrison Culver.

He owned the 1926 catalog which was hard backed - and and is inscribed as: Major W. M. Hand; he is listed on page 39 of the Woodcraft Officers and instructors as "Quartermaster It has two paper back catalogs bound with it. The book was given to the grandaughter of Major W. M. Hand

his name is Walter Merwin / Merwyn (Melvin) Hand Sr. or so the a family member and further states:

but his scrall was much like my father's... they made the 'r' bigger or higher and thin (looks like an l), next letter would be a w but looks similar to a v (again, their handwriting was very high and thin). I recognize it. Someone read it as Melvin, but it is in fact Merwin. He also signed my father's original birth certificate, which was passed down to me. Middle name is definitely Merwin (we always laughed about it with my dad, asking him where they made the name up) We had never ever heard of that name before...."I was named after my Dad, first born, that's what they did back then")

but his name is found as either W. M. , Walter M. or Walter Melvin in records. Newspaper accounst yet gives another spelling to "Merwin"

1935 - Mrs. W. Merwyn Hand Jr . was hostess at a bridge affair on Tuesday evening at which she entertained eight guests. Two tables progressed during, the evening with traveling favors being awarded at each table. Mrs. Luetta Whysong received the grand prize. - - Culver citizen Do you Remember 5 Oct 1965

Besides the census records the first offical record with his full name - and his signature on it is his draft registration for World War I; to me this definitely reads "Melvin"; as the "l's" in Walter, military, and Culver all pretty well mimic the "l" in Melvin. The next record is his obituary in which his name is Walter Melvin Hand which the infromation would of been given either by his wife or his son Donald.

from the Indiana One Hundred and Fify Years of American Development Vol. 3 By Charles Roll, A.M. the Lewis Publishing Company, 1931 if found this biography:

COL. WALTER M. HAND has been intimately associated with the institution known as Culver Military Academy practically from its beginning. He was a member of the original corps of cadets, played on the first football team of the academy, and was the first to hold the rank and title of quartermaster of the school. Colonel Hand's aunt, Emily Jane Hand, was the wife of H. H. Culver , the founder of the school on the shores of Lake Maxinkuckee, and which for over thirty years has ranked as one of the best preparatory and boys military schools in the country.

The father of Colonel Hand was William E. Hand, who was born in Green Township, Marshall County, Indiana, September 29, 1852, son of William J. Hand. William J. Hand settled in Marshall County in 1843 and was not only a successf ul farmer but a leader in agric ultural affairs, being president of the Marshall County Agric ultural Society. William J. Hand married Sabrina Chapman, and of their children the youngest was William E. Hand. The latter for twenty-one years was associated with the development and management of the Culver farm owned by the wealthy iron manufacturer and philanthropist, H. H. Culver . During his later years he was engaged in the grocery business. He married, December 25, 1872, Lucy Brown, daughter of Charles and Lucy (Connor) Brown, who were early settlers of Marshall County. To their marriage were born two children, Walter M. and Maude M.

Walter M. Hand grew up on the farm on Lake Maxinkuckee, but early found that he had no real taste for farming. In 1892 he entered Valparaiso University, graduating in 1893. It was in the summer of 1894 that the first summer school was conducted on Lake Maxinkuckee, and in the fall of that year the reg ular nine months session was opened, and among the thirty-two boys in the school in the opening term was Walter M. Hand, who drilled with the other cadets and played on the first football team. During the second years of the school he had an increasing share in its affairs, holding the rank of first lieutenant, the highest rank of that year, and was one of the school's best athletes. Later he became an assistant in the school business office, helping with the books, writing letters and acting as errand boy in the absence of any telephone communications. He served under all the successive business managers, with a rising status from office boy to clerk, clerk to bookkeeper, and finally secretary and general assistant.

After eight years in the office he was promoted, in 1904, to f ull charge, with the title of quartermaster, and subsequently the military rank of lieutenant-colonel was conferred upon him. Culver Military Academy derives its fine reputation as a school not only from the personnel of its teaching staff and the spirit of the system, but also for the generous material equipment which has been provided, and the manager of the business department steadily for over a quarter of a century has been Colonel Hand.

Colonel Hand is married and both his sons are graduates of Culver , where they stood among the best in scholarship and athletics. Colonel Hand and family reside in a handsome home adjoining the campus of the academy. His chief recreation is golf, and he plays that game over the course laid out on the ground which as a boy he helped c ultivate. For many years he has been an active figure in the church and Sunday school of Culver .

His death is found recorded in the Argos Reflector dated Thursday 17 J uly 1947 pg. 1 col 8

Death Claims Walter Hand Following Long Illness
Walter Melvin Hand, age 73, died at the Kelly Hospital in Argos early Sunday morning where he had been a patient for nearly five years.

He was born in Marshall county near Plymouth Feb. 5, 1874. He atteneded the Culver Military Academy and was a member of the first class when the school was organized., graduating in 1896. He later attended Lehigh University and was graduated from Valparaiso University. He was a member of the staff of the Culver Academy for a period of 36 years, serving as quartermaster from 1906 to 1932, when he retired.

Col Hand served with distinciton as Marshall county director of Civilian Works Administration during the early days of the depression, bringing order and organization out of Chaos.

He is survived by his wife, Blanche. Merywyn of Johnstown, Pa., and Donald of Culver ; five grandchildren, and one sister, Mrs. W. E. Cook of South Bend.

Funeral services were held in Grace Evangelical and Reformed church, Culver , Tuesday afternoon. Burial was in the Culver cemetery. Dr. Hardigg Sexton offficated.

His name is given as Walter Melvin Hand on his death certiciate; and the informant was his wife.

m. 21 Jun 1889 Emma Blanche Barber b. October 19, 1875 in Bremen, Fairfield Co., Oh. d. April 04, 1955 in Plymouth, Marshall, Indana buried Culver Masonic Cemetery she was daugther of Joseph Wilson & Vienna Deborah (Cherry) Barber

Her death is found recorded in the Culver Citizen dated 6 Apr. 1955

Emma B. Hand, 79, Resident since 1893, Dies
Mrs. Emma Blanche Hand, age, 79, mother of Donald B. Hand, president of the Town Board, passed away Monday night at the Sheman Nursing home in Plymouth after an illness of two years.

Born in Bremen, Ohio, Oct. 19, 1875, Mrs. Hand was the daughter of the later Rev. J. W. Barber. The family moved to Culver in 1893 where Rev. Barber was pastor of the Grace Evangelical and Reformed Chuurch for several years.

On June 21, 1899 she was married to Walter M. Hand who preceded her in death J uly 13, 1947.

Surviving relatives include two sons, Walter Merwyn Hand, Johnstown, Pa. and Donald B. Hand, Culver ; four sisters, Mrs. Maude Houser, Payne, Ohio, Mrs. Grace Kemple, Ashville, N.C., Mrs. Hazel Zechiel, North Lima, Ohio, and Mrs. Caroline Zechiel, Culver ; one brother Charles Barber -

Children of Walter Merwin Hand Sr. and Emma Blanche Barber

38 Walter Merwin Hand d. 17 Feb 1982; m. 1st Helen E. Melbourn; m. 2nd Marjory Thompson
1923 Dec 5 - Merwyn Hand, son of Major and Mrs. W.M. Hand, was given one of the highest honors that can come to an Academy athlete at the annual Thanksgiving Ball.


39 Donald Barber Hand b 14 J ul 1908 d: 15 Jun 1977; m. Lois Bess Morris

40 Agnes Ernestine Hand b. 20 March 1910 d. November 20, 1915 buried Culver Masonic Cemetery

41 Beatrice Hand b: May 31, 1912 d. 1912

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