Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Reginald Chetwood Exley and Clara Florence Merritt


Husband Reginald Chetwood Exley 1 

           Born: 26 Dec 1885 - Avonia, Erie Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 5 Sep 1949 - Fairview, Erie Co, PA 1
         Buried:  - Fairview Cemetery, Fairview Twp, Erie Co, PA


         Father: Jacob B. Exley (1853-1931) 2
         Mother: Elizabeth Julia "Libby" Childs (1859-1936) 2


       Marriage: 23 Oct 1907 - Fairview, Erie Co, PA 1

Wife Clara Florence Merritt 1 

           Born: 17 Jul 1887 - Lorain, Lorain Co, OH 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 12 Feb 1969 - Erie, Erie Co, PA 1
         Buried:  - Fairview Cemetery, Fairview Twp, Erie Co, PA


         Father: William H. Merritt (      -      )
         Mother: Flora Ester [Unk] (      -      )


Children
1 F Ester Elizabeth Exley 3 

           Born: 1 Aug 1908 - Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 10 Aug 1908 - Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
         Buried:  - Fairview Cemetery, Fairview Twp, Erie Co, PA

         Spouse: Did Not Marry

2 M Reginald Chetwood "Dale" Exley II 3 

           Born: 5 Jun 1911 - Seattle, King Co, WA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 11 Jun 1980 - Tacoma, Pierce Co, WA 3
         Buried:  - Tacoma, Pierce Co, WA

         Spouse: Ruth Alberta Vanstone (1915-1974) 3
           Marr: 20 Aug 1932 - Ripley, Chautauqua Co, NY 3

         Spouse: Dora E. Park (      -      ) 3
           Marr: 21 Apr 1979 - Denver, CO 3

3 F Elizabeth Childs "Betty" Exley 3 

           Born: 17 Nov 1913 - Bratenahl, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 18 Jul 2003 - East Springfield, Erie Co, PA 3
         Buried:  - Fairview Cemetery, Fairview Twp, Erie Co, PA

         Spouse: Raymond Petri (1911-1984) 3
           Marr: 5 Jul 1933 3

4 F Margaret Ruth Exley 3 

           Born: 25 May 1915 - Bratenahl, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 21 Aug 2005 - Erie Co, PA 3
         Buried:  - Fairview Cemetery, Fairview Twp, Erie Co, PA

         Spouse: Harold A. Foster (1914-1971) 3
           Marr: 23 Mar 1940 3

5 M Reginald Chetwood Exley, Jr. 3 

           Born: 21 Oct 1916 - Bratenahl, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 12 Feb 1984 - Erie Co, PA 3
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Dorothy Lucille King (Abt 1917-2002) 3
           Marr: 19 Apr 1940 3. (Divorced)

         Spouse: Ann Aranyos (1919-      ) 3
           Marr: 12 May 1949 3

6 M Robert Jacob Exley 3 

           Born: 21 May 1919 - Bratenahl, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 10 May 2001 - Orlando, FL 3
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Mary Alice Bernhardt (1919-      ) 3
           Marr: 11 Aug 1944 3

7 F Hannah Jane Exley 3 

           Born: 13 Jun 1922 - Bratenahl, Cuyahoga Co, OH 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Frank Alton Ploss (1914-1992) 3
           Marr: 29 Nov 1940 3

8 M William Henry Exley 3 

           Born: 22 Dec 1926 - Fairview, Erie Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 4 Apr 1997 - Erie, Erie Co, PA 3
         Buried:  - Fairview Cemetery, Fairview Twp, Erie Co, PA

         Spouse: Edith Jean Foster (1927-2000) 3
           Marr: 20 Dec 1945 3

General Notes: Husband - Reginald Chetwood Exley


The Erie County Sportsman, Erie, PA
Sept, 1948
"X" Marks the Spot
It was a cool fall evening back in 1946, when through the mist that hovered over Lake LeBoeuf, two men rowed back and forth as the light from their gas lantern glowed across the surface of the lake. Back and forth they rowed, trowling a live frog in quest of the big game of the deep, the lowly muskellunge, for which Lake LeBoeuf is famous.
Each time the lure was retreived and the men caught a glance of the frog, he had his front legs wrapped around the leader as if trying to take the strain off the hook, that was embedded in him and this was just too much for the hero of our story.
That night when Chet Exley returned to his cottage in Porter Park, near the lake, he remarked to his wife Clara that he would never use a live frog for bait again, but something would have to be done to fool the muskies as they seemed to be partial to the "green-backs."
It was that night in the cottage named "X" on the shore of Lake LeBoeuf that the LeBoeuf Creep­er was "hatched." This creeper has now grown to be the most popular bait in all parts of the country, was born in the brain of Reginald Chetwood Exley, the mayor of Fairview, Pa.
Chet caught a frog and took him into the cot­tage and studied him for detail, as to color and markings. The next week when Chet returned to Lake LeBoeuf he had the original Le Boeuf Creep­er, which he had carved of cedar and attached metal wings.
This writer visited the home of Chet Exley re­cently, on the corner of Pine and East Main Streets in Fairview, in what is known as Willow Run, Here "RC" and his wife Clara have raised a family of four boys and three girls in a rambling 11 room house on 1.4 acres of ground which in its day was the show place of the community with its beautiful flower garden and lily pond.
Despite the beauty of their home it is apprec­iated by the Exley's only from Monday through Friday afternoon for as soon as Chet gets home from his duties as Signal Inspector on the New York Central railroad, they are off through the back country via Steritania, McKean for Waterford and Muskie fishing.
In addition to the cottage at Lake LeBoeuf the Exley's have a hunting camp near Claredon where they go during the hunting season.
During the early days of the evolution of the Creeper from the cedar hand-carved model, to the present day plastic design, there were weeks when as many as four different men would borrow the model during the day and Chet would use it in the evenings. When a friend called at the "X" and asked to be allowed to use it, Mother Exley warned them that it must be back by four, when Dad would be home.
Chet Exley was born and raised in Fairview township and he did his early fishing with a bent pin in Trout Run and even in those days he used to be able to bring home his share of fish.
About the best day Chet has enjoyed with the Creeper was on July 4th of this year when, after catching one Muskie, he kidded the boys at the lake by going back out again and in less than two hours he had accounted for his second of the battling beauties.
Having spent 48 years in the service of the N.Y.C. and yet only 63 years old Chet and Mrs. Exley are looking forward to the day when he can take his pension and spend all of their time making creepers and using them. They have a trip to Florida up near the top of the list of things to do when that day arrives.
Frank Ploss, a son-in-law of the Exley's, has taken over the man­agement of the manufacture and sale of the Creeper and Chet plans to continue on some new novel color schemes and a few variations in design at a later date.
Being an artist and wood carver no doubt had a great deal to do with the development of the Creeper. Exley has some beauti­ful wood carvings which he has made from wood blocks two inch­es thick and two feet high by three feet long.
He made his own pattern for the dies from which the plastic is cast and with the exception of the ac­tual machining of the moulds and casting of the plastic he has done all of the work himself.
With results already being at­tested to by fishermen from all parts of the country it is impos­sible to keep the production up to the demand so this sure fire lure is still hard to procure but with this winter's production you should be able to add one to your collection of lures by next season and take a trip over to Lake Le Boeuf and try your luck at land­ing "old Mossback," the Muskie the boys claim is at least seven feet long. Chet has had him hook­ed but could not land him. He is still trying.

The Dispatch, Erie, PA
Sept, 1949
Felled by Heart Attack
Fairview's Mayor, Chief Of Police. 63, Succumbs
Reginald C. Exley, Sr., 63, mayor and chief of police of Fairview, died of a heart attack Monday in his home, 114 Pine St., Fairview.
Mr. Exley was signal inspector for the New York Central Railroad 40 years prior to his election two years ago.
He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, Fairview Firemen's Relief Association, State Police, and Glenville Masonic Lodge of Cleveland, and a life-long resi­dent of Fairview.
Surviving are his wife, Clara Merritt Exley; four sons, Dale M. and William H., of Fairview; Reg­inald, Jr., of Albion, and Robert J. Exley, North Girard; three daugh­ters, Mrs. Raymond Petri, Fairview; Mrs. Harold Foster, North Girard, and Mrs. Frank Ploss, Wesleyville; a sister, Mrs. Clayton Johnson, Fairview, and 21 grandchildren.
FRIENDS may call at the Bruce W. Hicks Funeral home, Girard, until noon Thursday.
Funeral services will be conducted by the Rev. John F. Hewitt at 1:30 p. m. Thursday in the Fairview Presbyterian Church.
Masonic graveside services will be conducted at Fairview Cemetery by Lake Erie Lodge No. 347.

Another source states that he died Sept 16, 1949; however this date was not a Monday.

General Notes: Wife - Clara Florence Merritt


The Times, Erie, PA
Feb 14, 1969
Mrs. Clara Exley
Mrs. Clara Merritt Exley, eighty one, 139 Curize Drive, Fairview, died Wednesday at Battersby Convalescent Home, Erie.
Born in Lorain, Ohio, Mrs. Exley was the daughter of the late William H. and Flora Ester Merritt.
She was a member of the Fairview Presbyterian Church, Chapter No, 84 Order of the Eastern Star and a charter member of the Fairview Garden Club.
Her husband, Reginald C. Ex­ley, Sr., preceded her in death.
Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Raymond (Betty) Petri, Mrs. Harold (Peg) Foster and Mrs. Frank (Jane) Ploss, Fairview; four sons, Reginald C. Exley, Sr., Houston, Tex.; Reginald C. Exley, Jr., Cranesville, Pa.; Robert J. Exley, Orlando, Fla.; William H. Exley, Fairview; three brothers, Harry and Frank Merritt, Orlando, Fla., and Raymond Merritt, Cleveland; 34 grandchildren; and 21 great grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Bruce W. Hicks Funeral Home, Girard, today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited to services Satur­day at 2 p.m., with Rev. Charles Crist of the Girard Presbyterian church officiating.
Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery.

Notes: Marriage

Unk newspaper,
Miss Clara F. Merritt, of Manchester, Pa, and Reginald C. Exley, of Ashtabula, OH, were married Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. Merritt, of Manchester, PA. The bride was gowned in cream colored nun's veiling and carried a bouquet of bride's roses. Her bridesmaid, Miss Edythe Holland, of Erie, PA, wore pale green chiffon and carried pink roses. Harry E. Merritt, the bride's brother, acted as best man. Mr. & Mrs. Exley expect to be at home in Ashtabula in the near future, where Mr. Exley holds a position in the Lake Shore signal department's office. The Rev. L. Sohl officiated.

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Sources

1 Terrance L. Johnson-Cooney, The Exley Family 1789 to 2005 (Self-published, Aug, 2005), Pg 239.

2 Terrance L. Johnson-Cooney, The Exley Family 1789 to 2005 (Self-published, Aug, 2005), Pg 232.

3 Terrance L. Johnson-Cooney, The Exley Family 1789 to 2005 (Self-published, Aug, 2005), Pg 244.

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