On May 11, 1868, at age 27, Sebastian Walby married Maria Regina “Mary Jane” Meyer in Riley Township, Sandusky County in Ohio. Mary Jane was Sebastian’s contemporary – being just nine years younger. She birthed children from age 19 to age 46. Sixteen children were born to this marriage, two of which died as unnamed infants. The remaining fourteen reached adulthood and eventually, split off into three groups – becoming the Ohio, Michigan and Canadian Walbys.
Romance “Roman” Nicholas Walby (b 1885) was a “jack-of-all-trades.” As a young man, he was a farm laborer and a master brick layer, who saved his money and became proprietor of a “café, saloon and pool room” serving the oil boomers and horse racing gamblers in Helena. Roman was a member of St Mary’s Church in Millersville and belonged to the Knights of Columbus lodge. Later, Roman relocated to Detroit, Michigan and became a building contractor – putting up catalog homes on the city’s eastside. Roman never married, but built a house for his brother Rudy on Elgin Street and roomed with him until his death. Roman died suddenly of a heart attack at the young age of 54 in 1939.
Matelda Regina Walby (b 1888) met Ligouri Benedict Logsdon in Jackson Township where he had settled as a Farm Laborer. They married and had 12 children. The family relocated to Detroit, Michigan where Liguori began work as an Inspector with a “motor car company” in Detroit, Michigan. Matelda died at the young age of 50 in 1938. Death followed a stroke suffered one week previously. Her youngest two daughters were raised by Sister Marcella Logsdon in a convent outside Monroe, Michigan.
As a young man in his twenties, Peter Walby (b 1889) lived with his brother Roman. Both made a living as general farm laborers. Later, Peter rejoins Roman in Rudy’s Detroit home and gets a job as a Die Maker for an auto factory in Detroit, Michigan. Ultimately, he becomes a proprietor of the Walby Paint and Wallpaper Store on Main Street in Royal Oak, Michigan (active through 1996). Peter wed Adelaide Stringle, but had no children. He died at age 87 in 1976.
George Thomas Walby (b 1891) married a seamstress named Agnes Barbara Stempl in Windsor, Essex County, Ontario, Canada. The couple settled in Detroit, Michigan and produced four children. George managed a hardware store on Connor Avenue east of Van Dyke. In 1940, George ran for U.S. Representative as a Republican in the 14th District, but was defeated in the primary election. Ultimately, he was a successful local politician in St Clair Shores, Michigan. He died at age 83 in 1974.
Aloysius “Ollie” Leander Walby (b 1894) married Rose Mary Molyet and fathered eight children. He became a hardware dealer and later, owned his own paint store on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Ollie lived in a Detroit home built by his brother Roman on Montlieu Street and stayed only two blocks away from his other brother Rudy. Ollie died at age 69 in 1966.
Rudolph “Rudy” Anthony Walby (b 1896), the youngest of Sebastian’s children, grew up on the family farm in Millersville, Ohio and relocated to Detroit, Michigan after his mother died in 1935. Rudy married Eva Marie Herman and had a family of seven children. Rudy opened a successful hardware store on Van Dyke Avenue that also featured gasoline pumps “out-front” and Ford car parts (before dealerships existed). Rudy died at age 69 in 1965 following a lengthy illness.
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