1919/1920

FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE
By Lew Williams


William Navarre

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One of the most illustrous names in the annals of Toledo history, familiar to every Toledo school child, and a living monument to courage and progress is borne by William Navarre, a member of Corn City Lodge and a Patriarch of Reuel Encampment. A direct descendent of the famous Robert and grandnephew of Peter Navarre who blazed the trails through the virgin forests and carried the mail through the wilds of this locality when the country was young, he is a worthy one, indeed, to carry on the name that will live forever in the history of these United States of America. Brother Navarre joined Corn City Lodge in 1891 and has been the solid backbone of that organization ever since. He is now 57 years of age and looks and feels about 35. He has taken an active part in nearly every degree that Corn City ever conferred and his work in the degree work of the Encampment is a thing of joy and well worth seeing. We do not know of any member of the Order in Toledo, who is thought of with more respect and real liking than "Bill" Navarre. There is nothing false in his makeup; there is no deecit or hypocrisy deceit or hypocracy under his skin. His bare word is enough for his fellow men. He has a habit of looking at one right square in the eyes; when he talks, his words are right to the point of the matter in hand and he is business from the ground up. He has a memory that is one of the seven wonders of the world. He can call every member of the lodge by name; there is no part of the ritual that he cannot repeat off hand, both in the Subordinate Lodge and the Encampment. Bro. Bill is on who is classified as the "Faithful Few" and if he should, by any chance be absent form meeting, which very seldom happens, everyone seems to want to know what the matter is. Twice has Brother Navarre passed through the chairs of his lodge, and has acted as lodge trustee from the time he joined the Order up to the present day. Honesty of purpose, courageous in his convictions of what is right and wrong; faithful and loyal in all matters in his daily life; these are a few of the outstanding principles that go to make up the personality of William Navarre who has all of the qualities that made his illustrious ancestors historical. Probably the sentiment of his lodge, Encampment and numerous friends may be summed up in words of his friend, William B. Roberts, who freely remarks

    "May he live forever."
    "Tis God alone who knoweth well
    in earthly love for one another,
    There is none like that he sent to dwell
    Within the...?...of truth and brothers

Toledo Times, 24 March 1935.

Proud of Historic Rifle

William Navarre

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Famous Navarre Rifle
Still Held by Family

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Though the Smithsonian institute in Washington, D. C., exhibits the rifle used by the famed Indian scout, Peter Navarre, a Toledoan has in his possession the rifle used by Robert Navarre, Sr., older brother of Peter.

William Navarre, 72, of 280 Dearborn avenue, is the present owner of the rifle. He said it was left in his care by his late father, Robert Navarre, Jr., son of Robert, Sr. His father left orders to retain possesion of the gun and pass it on to the next of kin. Mr. Navarre said.

The story related by Mr. Navarre tells of the acquisition of the rifle by Robert, Sr. while spying on the Ottokee Indians located in this section of the country in 1812.

Robert, Sr., attired in Ottokee dress was in their camp living and associating with them while on a spying mission that year. One old Indian chief noticed that the rifle of the spy was in very poor condition. Calling the unknown spy to his side, he remarked that he would exchange his good rifle for the one possessed by Robert, Sr.

Fearing that he would need a rifle if his true mission was ever learned by the Indians, Robert, Sr., made the exchange. That rifle is the one now in Mr. Navarre's possession.

Robert, Sr., in his mission as an Indian scout, covered the territory between Bucyrus and Detroit, Mr. Navarre said.

Mr. Navarre said the rifle was last used in 1884 when he shot it on Goss road in what is now Wood county. Goss road is now called East Broadway.

Toledo Blade, August 18, 1936.

William Navarre, 280 Dearborn avenue, is celebrating his 74th birthday anniversary today.

His son, Llewellyn, is observing his 38th birthday. Last year Mr. Navarre was 73 and his son 37, the numbers being reversed. Mr. Navarre lived 37 years in the last century and 37 years in the present century.

Peter Navarre, American scout in the War of 1812, was a great uncle, and Robert Navarre, also a scout with his brother Peter, was a great-grandfather grandfather. Mr. Navarre's father also was named Robert. Mr. Navarre has worked in getting out ship timber in nearly every county in Ohio, and worked on a special order for the Battleship Maine, which was destroyed in Havana Harbor. He has read The Blade for 65 years, beginning when The Blade was a semi-weekly. He has been a Republican all his life.

Mr. Navarre, active in Odd Fellowship, united with that order in 1891, holding in Corn City lodge, I. O. O. F.; the Patriachs Militant and a minor office in the grand lodge. Mr. Navarre says the original Navarres were of two families, one of Spanish and another of French descent.

Toledo Blade, 1938

Memorable dates are Jan. 31 and Feb 1 for William Navarre, 280 Dearborn avenue, for they mark events of 51 years ago that are impressed indelibly on his mind.

Mr. Navarre with his bride-to-be, Miss Rose E[mma]. Faneuff, and wedding attendants, David Jacobs and Miss Alice Faneuff, came to Toledo from Walbridge by train, expecting to remain at the boarding house of Joseph Munch, Front and Main streets, until the wedding the next morning.

When they arrived they found that rolling mill men, caught in a big snowstorm, had filled the place and there was no room for the wedding party. There were no conveyances so the four persons walked across the river to the Empire House in lower Summit street. That hotel, too was filled and they were forced to walk to the United States hotel, kept by Herman Baumbach, where they were accommodated. At 6 a. m. they left for St. Louis church, Sixth street, East Side, where the wedding took place at 7 a. m.

Mr. Munch arranged a place for the wedding party and gave the members rooms and free meals. The wedding reception continued for three days because the guests could not get home through the snowstorm.

Mr. Navarre is a son of Robert Navarre whose father, also named Robert Navarre, was an American scout with his brother Peter Navarre.

Mrs. Navarre died three years ago [July 15, 1935]. Mr. Navarre has daughters, Mrs. H. F. Menne, Cleveland, and Mrs. Rachael Lloyd, Toledo; and sons, Howard and Llewellyn Lloyd Navarre, both of Toledo.

Toledo Blade, Sunday, August 18, 1940.

William Navarre, 280 Dearborn Avenue, is celebrating his 78th birthday today, together with his son, Llewellyn Lloyd Navarre, who is 42 today.

Mr. Navarre has lived all his life within three miles of his present home and is known among older citizens through past activities in civic and political affairs and as a district officer of the Odd Fellows.

The father and grandfather were named Robert Navarre, the grandfather having been a brother of Peter Navarre and was associated with him as an American scout in the War of 1812. Mr. Navarre has a second son, Howard M. Navarre, who will be 48 Aug 21, and daughters, Mrs. Rach[a]el Lloyd wife of Marshall Lloyd, Toledo, and Mrs. Celia Menne, wife of Henry Menne, Cleveland.

Toledo Blade, after Friday, August 18, 1944.

William Navarre, Dearborn Ave., reached his 81st birthday last friday, August 18, 1944. Born in a home near Big Ditch and Seaman Rds., he has lived all his years within four miles of there. William's grandfather was a Robert H. Navarre, brother of the famous Peter Navarre. At one time he was an active Odd Fellow and served as district deputy and is still a member of Viking Lodge.

Toledo Blade, Wednesday, October 17, 1945

William Navarre, 280 Dearborn Ave. died yesterday Tuesday, October 16, 1945 in his home after two weeks' illness. He was 82.

Born near Momeneetown, he was the son of the late Robert Navarre and grandson of Robert N. [read H.] Navarre, who, with a brother Peter Navarre, was a noted American scout.

He was a past master of Viking Lodge, IOOF; Read Encampment, Corn City Rebekah; Knights of Malta and Samaritans. He also was a member of Imperial Canton.

Surviving are daughtes, Mrs. Henry Menne, Cleveland Heights, O.; Mrs. Rachael Lloyd, Toledo; sons, L. L. [Lewellen Lloyd] and Howard Navarre; sisters, Mrs. Mary Carlon, Mrs. Delia Perry and a brother, Edward, all of Toledo, and another brother, Louis, Grand Rapids, O.; seven grandchildren and three great-granchildren.

Services will be at 3 p. m. Friday in Foth Mortuary with burial in Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery.

The Foth Mortuary;