The Union County journal. [volume] (Marysville, Ohio) 1875-1951, 1949-08-25
Otto RQusch Third Fair
Official from His Family


elevated to the position of secre-
tary of the Union County Fair,
the Directors couldn't have cho-
sen person whose family
interest in the Fair made him
more deserving of the job.
Otto is the third member of
his family to serve as Fair
official, his father and grand
father having been on the Board
of Directors before him.
Let it be understood that the
task of being secretary of a Fair
is not all honor and glory To the
contrary, there is probably more
hard work, ead-aches and grief
connected with that job than any
other a man could have wished on
him, but Otto is willing to
shoulder it--and do everything
he can to help the Fair succeed
because of his and his forebears'
lifelong interest in it.
Perfect Attendance Record
The Rausch family probably
holds a Fair attendance record
which is unique in Ohio, if not
the nation. Mr.. and Mrs. William
j. RauSch have been married 54
years. In all that time, they have
never missed a Union County
Fair.
AS it happened each of their
Sons--Otto, Philip, Edward and
Harry--was born at a time of the
year which permitted their par
ents to take them to the Fairs as
babiess AS a result, none of the
four sons has ever missed a
Union County Fair, either.
First of the Rausch clan to take
an active interest in the Fair was
Philip, father of William },
Rausch. Philip was born in Balti-
more, but came to Union County
in 1850, when he built the brick
home just east of the Settlement
which is still the home place.
f. for the Rausch family, five gen
erations having been born there.
Made Own Bricks
: 1t is interesting to note thai
| he made the bricks himself from
clay on the farm he had purchas,
ed there. Il imagine he paio
around SIS or Sc all acre for il
at that time," William Rausct
says.
At the Union County Fair 9S
years ago, one of the race events
was an all-county race. One more
horse was needed to fill it anc
Philip Rausch was asked to enter
his rig. He did, and he won the
race.
"His horse was Old Polly anc
! he had her hitched to a regular
| road cart" his son recalls. The
time of the race was 2:42."
Descendants of "Old Polly are
still owned and raised by the
Rausch family. One of them
Kathleen Volo, won a race at the
Redwood Fair last week, driver
for w. j, Rausch by Milt Haines
Besides Kathleen Volo, two
other horses out of the same
Rausch-owned mare will race a
the Union County Fair this year
They are My Spencer, 4-year'
old with a record of 2:07, ano
Fondabelle 2-years old. The
latter two are owned by Mr.
Webb, of London.
Served as Directors
A few years after hat FAN
in which he entered and wor
his first race, Philip Rausch be-
came a director of the Unior
County Agricultural Society
and served many years arounc
the 1905.
w. J. Rausch, following hiS
fathers footsteps, served as
Director of the Fair for "a years
resigning from the Board wher
he was elected Union County
Commissioner in 1882
Today, at rs, he is still keenlJ
interested in the Fair and anx'
/ ious to see it a success.
"It's had an up and down life,
Mr.. Rausch recalls. "At times, Il
has been flat broke and hope,
lessly in debt, and at other times
it has had money in the bank
Continued oh rage 2. Col. ID