Résumé

Chaplain, US Army, World War II, South Pacific, 1943-1946.

Sculptor, Portland, OR, c. 1952- . He had his first exhibition at the Friendship House in OR in 1954, followed by another show at Maryylhurst College, Marylhurst, OR, a year later.

College

Dvinity degree, Eden Theological Seminary, Webster Grove, MO, c. 1942.

Training, US Army Chaplain School, Harvard University, Cambridgem MA, c. 1943.

Graduate coursework, Peabody Institute, Baltimore, MD, 1947.

Graduate coursework in philosophy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, c. 1949-1951.

Relocation

The minister and wood sculptor Leroy Irving Setziol was born in Bristol, Bucks County, PA, on 12/04/1915. Bristol was about 44 miles east of Paoli, PA, in Chester County, where the wood carver and artist Wharton Esherick (1887-1970) built his home and studio beginning in 1928. Esherick's work in some ways presaged that of Setziol, in that he sculpted in primarily wood and utilized carving techniques that emphasized the force of the hand in creating the work. Esherick, a pivotal figure in the American Studio Furniture Movement, had a do-it-yourself aesthetic vision that motivated Setziol, as well.

Setziol's work also suggested the work of the Ukrianian-American artist Louise Nevelson, (1899-1988) She also created relief panels, although hers had a much more pronounced character of bricolage, while Setziol's reliefs were more tightly disciplined arrays of geometric wood elements that emphasized expressive chiselwork. In her mature work, Nevelson painted her found object assemblages in monotones to enhance the interplay of forms. Setziol did not paint his work, but allowed the wood's natural tones to affect the viewer. Still, her work also anticipated his in important ways.

On 09/29/1942, Setziol and his wife resided at 902 Tyler Street in Saint Louis, MO. He was a student at the Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, MO, at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Missouri, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 292, accessed 01/21/2024)

After this he received training at the US Army Chaplain Training School at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. He performed chaplain service with the US Army's 43rd Infantry in the South Pacific theatre between 1943 and 1946.

Following World War II, he studied at both the Peabody Institute and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, between c. 1947 and 1951. In 1950, the US Census recorded that the Setziols lived at 317 Patapsco Street, Baltimore, MD. Leroy worked as a church pastoral worker and Ruth was a nursery school supervisor.

Ruth and Leroy moved west to Portland, OR, in 1951, when she got a teaching position.

Spouse

He wed He wed Ruth Louise Davis (born 01/10/1915 in Buffalo, NY-d. 06/09/2002 in Yamhill County, OR) in 1940.

Ruth's parents were Martin Peter Davis (born 07/20/1884 in Freeport, IL-d. 03/22/1977 in Cincinnati, OH) and Edna Christine Schaufele (born 02/11/1890 in Newport, KY-d. 09/25/1958 in OH). Edna worked in the household, while Martin was a minister, who worked in various cities, including Buffalo, NY, and Bellevue, KY.

Davis was a world traveler who had spent two years in Europe between 07/1907 and 03/1909. He also had done missionary work in Chandhuri, India, between 09/1912 and 06/1913. (See Ancestry.com, U.S., Consular Registration Applications, 1916-1925 for Martin P Davis Boxes 41-80 54 20150 - 20499, accessed 01/21/2024.)

Ruth's parents applied for US passports on 08/16/1917 to undertake a seven-year evangelical mission in India. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; NARA Series: Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925; Roll #: 393; Volume #: Roll 0393 - Certificates: 62501-62800, 16 Aug 1917-19 Aug 1917, accessed 01/21/2024.) They left the US from San Francisco, CA, on 01/31/1918 en route to Japan and then arrived in Raipur District, India, on 03/20/1918. He undertook this mission for the American Evangelical Mission of the Evangelical and Reformed Church, headquartered in Washington, DC. Martin Davis returned to the US aboard the R.M.S. Berengaria that sailed from Cherbourg, France, to New York NY, between 02/18/1925 and 02/24/1925. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957; Microfilm Serial or NAID: T715; RG Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; RG: 85, accessed 01/21/2024.)

Ruth may not have accompanied her parents to India. On 06/01/1925, she lived with her paternal grandmother Bland Davis in Buffalo, NY, as per the 1925 NY State Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 03; Assembly District: 03; City: Buffalo Ward 06; County: Erie; Page: 20, accessed 01/21/2024.)

In 1925, the Davis Family maintained its residence at 343 Fairfield Avenue, Bellevue, KY.

In later years, Davis wrote a book entitled, I Never Saw a Missionary, (Raipur, India: Christian Book Depot, 1944).

Children

He and Ruth had a daughter Monica Setziol Phillips (born 12/24/1941 in Buffalo, NY) and Paul Leroy Setziol (born 10/26/1946 in Baltimore, MD).

Biographical Notes

His World War II draft registration card listed Setziol as Caucasian with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He stood 6-feet-and-1/2-inches tall and weighed 150 pounds. The registration card also listed that he had a "scar on right ankle." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For Missouri, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 292, accessed 01/21/2024)

The work of the OR artist Jay D. Wilson was strongly influenced by that of Setziol.