USA > Ohio > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of Wayne County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
Gc 977.101 W36c 1886839
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY -DILECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02499 2528
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/commemorativebio00jhbe_2
C
Ma dessen Sección
11590
COMMEMORATIVE
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO,
CONTAINING
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families.
ILLUSTRATED.
CHICAGO : J. H. BEERS & CO.
-
------
1886839
PRESS OF JOHN MORRIS COMPANY, CHICAGO.
-
SURNAME FILE
PREFACE.
NTIL gnite recently, but little attention has been given to the preservation of biography, except in so far as it pertained to the preferred elasses-persons who had been prominent in governmental affairs, or distinguished in their pro- fession or calling, or in some way made conspicuous before the public. Within the past decade, however, there has been a growing interest in the preservation. not only of biography, but of family genealogy, both for its immediate worth and for its value to coming generations.
The expediency of placing in book form biographical history and genealogy of the representative public is beyond question; and when the difficulties experienced in a majority of cases, by the biographical historian, in procuring ancestral history are considered, the intelligent reasoner will be convinced of the necessity of preserving family records in permanent form.
That the representative public is entitled to the privileges afforded by a work of this kind needs no assertion at our hands, for one of our greatest Americans has said that the history of any country resolves itself into the biographies of its stout, earnest and representative citizens. This medium then serves more than a single purpose; while it perpetuates biography and family genealogy, it records history, much of which would be preserved in no other way.
In presenting this volume to its patrons the publishers acknowledge with gratitude the encouragement and support their enterprise has received, and the willing assist- ance rendered in the surmounting of the many unforeseen obstacles to be met with in the preparation of a work of this character. In nearly every instance the material composing the. sketches has been gathered from those immediately interested, and then submitted in type-written form For their correction and revision.
-
Trusting that the work may prove satisfactory to the citizens of the county, it is . submitted to their considerate judgment.
THE PUBLISHERS.
-- $25,00
0707 66420 0001 0
Jacob Frick
WAYDE
OUNTY.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
RICK, JACOB, one of the best known and most enterprising bus- iness men of Wooster, Ohio, was born on his father's farm, four miles southeast of West Newton, South Hunt- ingdon Township, Westmore- land Co., Penn., September 17, 1834. Daniel Frick, his father, married Catherine Miller, to whom were born six sons and three daughters, of whom the subject of this sketch was next to the youngest. He descends from the sturdy German stock. His forefathers belonged to the early nobil- ity of Switzerland. The ancestors from whom he sprung came to this country in the early part of the seventeenth century.
Hle was reared on his father's farm,
and assisted at times in blacksmithing. which trade his father plied when not en- gaged in farm duties. Here he remained until he was eighteen years of age, when he began to strike out for himself, work- ing one year and a half on another farm, and six months in a flouring-mill, re- ceiving for his services $210 for the two years, and saving out of this small earn- ing the large sum of $175 after keeping himself in clothes, ete. The economy he practiced during this time proved to be later on a very good lesson. He re- ceived just what education could be had from attending a district school in a log school-house five or six months in a year. He had a fondness for figures, and soon became remarkable for his arithmetical computations. This one talent has been of great benefit to him in business,
In 1855 he came with his father to
12
WAYNE COUNTY.
Hancock County, Ohio. He was married in November, 1856, to Mrs. Elizabeth Frick, widow of a cousin, and daughter of Jacob Shelly, of Wayne County, Ohio. There were born to them five daughters and two sons. In 1859 he moved to Wayne County, and has since been iden- tified with its interests and progress. He engaged in the grain, seed and wool busi- ness in 1862, which business he pushed with his characteristic energy up to 1882, about twenty years, doing a business of from $200,000 to $400,000 a year. These operations were a success financially, chiefly because he was able at all times to sell large quantities of produce to Eastern parties at full market value, by always being prompt in shipping and delivering everything just as contracted, at the same time benefiting the farmer from whom he made his purchases. The mar- gin in trade was small, but it was the volume of the business which made it profitable. The banking business, in which he engaged in 1880, was now tak- ing so much of his time that he deemed it necessary to be relieved in a measure, and therefore took W. D. Tyler as part- ner in the grain business, which has since been run in the name of Jacob Frick & Co. From 1874 to 1887 he was an equal partner with J. S. R. Overholt in the City Mills. Soon after the death of E. Quinby, Jr., in the spring of 1880, he with several
others purchased the Wayne County National Bank, of Wooster, of which in- stitution he was made president, which position he still fills. Under his manage- ment the bank has increased its capital stock $55,000, and it still possesses the entire confidence and trust of the com- munity.
Among other interests, he owns in Wooster 120 feet fronting on the north side of West Liberty Street, adjoining the court-house. Part of this ground is cov- ered by an elegant stone and brick struct- ure, fronting sixty feet, which he erected in 1886. The rest of the square contains a fine briek and iron building. These together form the finest business blocks in the city of Wooster. He also owns a large warehouse on South Street, a busi- ness room on East Liberty Street, his residence on North Market Street, a num- ber of other improved lots in the city, and twenty-five acres of valuable land within the corporate limits, besides sey- eral farms in Wayne County and lands in Western States. With his numerous branches of business he still finds time to devote to buying, selling and improving real estate. He was the owner of the Buckeye Mills, of Canton, Ohio, for three years, is the owner of a grain elevator in Ashland, Ohio, and is one of two equal partners in its operations.
Nature has endowed him with a large
·
-
1
---
%
1
1
-
13
WAYNE COUNTY.
share of caution, which has proved of great value to him in his various transac- tions. It has ever been his aim to deal fairly with his fellow-men. He has thus been able to enjoy a very large share of patronage in his several departments of business. In his religious views he is very liberal, but feeling that a better work can be done for the Master by being identified with a religious denomination, he united with the English Lutheran Church of Wooster in 1869. He has contributed largely to its prosperity by giving much of his time and means. When the church edifice and a fine chapel were building, he it was who bore a great part of the burden, financially. He is ever ready to respond liberally when solic- ited to help in every good cause. Many churches as well as institutions of learn- ing have reason to be thankful for his liberality.
In November of 1885 he was called to mourn the loss of his dearest friend in the death of his wife, who was his con- stant companion and helpor during all these busy years. He married, again, in May of 1887, Miss Sara E. Rutter, of Massillon, a teacher in the public schools of that city. They were united in mar- riage at Massillon, by Dr. Bailey, a Pros- byterian divine, assisted by Rev. G. M. Heindel, of the English Lutheran Church of Wooster. This second union has been
blessed with one daughter. In his do- mestie relations he is supremely happy, and his home is all that love and wealth and culture and refinement can possibly make it.
OHN WHITMAN is a son of Chris- tian and Mary ( Manning ) Whitman, and was born May 5, 1843, in Chip- pewa Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. George Whitman, the grandfather of John Whitman, and a native of Pennsyl- vania, came to Wayne County in 1827, and settled in Chippewa Township, and , here he passed the rest of his life.
Christian Whitman, the father, was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Wayne County with his parents; then, after his marriage with Mary Manning, located on a farm adjoining his father, and remained there until 1886, when he retired from the pursuits of the farm, and now lives at Doylestown, Chippewa Township. Ho roared nine children (eight of whom are now living), viz .: George, in Doylestown, Ohio; John, our subject; Catherine, wife of Henry Gardner, in Chippewa Town- ship; Mary C., deceased; William, in Chippewa Township; Franklin, in Doyles- town, Ohio: Levi. in Chippewa Town- ship; Elizabeth, wife of John Deible,
14
WAYNE COUNTY.
in Chippewa Township, and Benjamin. on the homestead. The subject of this sketch attended the township schools, has followed the occupation of a farmer, and has always lived in Wayne County, with the exception of two years spent in Missouri. In 1882 he purchased his present farm of 160 acres in Milton Township. In 1863 Mr. Whitman mar- ried Miss Catherine, daughter of Joseph Eberhart, of Milton Township, Wayne County, and by this union there are seven children, as follows: Joseph, Mary C., Sarah, Angeline, Clara, Charles and Alfred. Mr. Whitman has always been an active Democrat, and has served as school director, supervisor, etc. In 1883 he was elected justice of the peace, which office he now fills. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church of Doylestown.
E LI ZARING, the present efficient and well-known clerk of common pleas of Wayne County, and one who by his own unaided efforts and unabat- ing pluck has gradually but surely rison in the ranks of men, was born in Plain Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, January 16, 1836. In 1832 his parents, Peter and Matilda Zaring, came to Wayne County
( being then unmarried ), and have here since made their home and roared their family. Eli, whose name heads this sketch, first saw the light of day upon a farm. His early life was not the idle, careless one enjoyed by most of the youths of this day, but, being the son of a poor shoemaker, who had a large family to support, he was early put to the treadmill of toil to earn his own sustenance, and soon had mastered the intricacies of his father's trade, at which he labored for years. He made, however, a diligent use of his educational opportunities, and at eighteen he was enabled to teach school, in which employment he spent four winters. thus accumulating sufficient money to enable him to attend for a time the academy at Hayesville, Ohio. August 20, 1857, Mr. Zaring was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary Stevie, a native of Pennsylvania, but who was brought when a child to Wayne County. To this union six children have been born, as follows: Ida F. (deconsed) : James (principal of the Smithville public schools) ; Charles, Cora, Dora (a recent graduate of Wooster High School) and Daniel, at home.
Mr. Zaring has represented the Demo- eratie party in various offices, having been for two terms township clerk in a Republican township; was at one time as- sessor, and assisted in appraising the land in Chester Township, Wayne County. In
15
WAYNE COUNTY.
the fall of 1886 he was elected clerk of the courts of Wayne County, which posi- tion he is now satisfactorily filling. Pre- vious to his coming into the county clerk- ship, Mr. Zaring for two and a half years acted as clerk and book-keeper in the office of the Wayne County Democrat. His life has been an earnest one, and an unremit- ting fight against bitter and adverse cir- cumstances, but his progress has been gradually upward, and he is to-day a man of whom all speak highly.
P ETER FRANKS, son of Jacob Franks, was born in Fayette Coun- ty, Penn., May 21, 1797. His great-grandfather, Michael Franks, emigrated from Eilsen, Germany, with his wife and four children, Jacob, Mi- chael, Catherine and Henry (the last of whom died on the voyage), and settled in Fayette County, Penu., after a brief resi- dence in Baltimore, Md. They are all now deceased. Michael Franks, with other trustees, took up a tract of 145 acres of land, which they presented to the church of which he was a member, and it is still owned and used for church pur- poses. The trusteos were Everly, Ballin- ger, Mason, and Michael Franks, to whom it is proposed to erect a monument, and
toward which Peter Franks has volunta- rily offered to make a very liberal gift. Jacob, son of Michael and grandfather of Peter, married Barbara Brandenberg, and lived and died in Pennsylvania. Their children were George, Jacob, Elizabeth, Catherine, Michael, Conrad and Sarah, all now deceased. Jacob, father of the sub- jeet of this memoir, was born in Pensyl- vania, and married Sarah Livingood. of Fayette County, Penn., where they lived and died. Their children were Eliza- beth, Christina, Jonathan, Sarah, Peter, Reason, Catherine, Solomon and Nancy, all now deceased except Peter. Several of the family lived to extreme old age, one dying when ninety-six years old, another when past ninety-two, and Peter is now ninety-two. Peter married Julia Ann Fletcher, of Fayette County, Penn .. in 1819, and located on the farm he now owns, in Salt Creek Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1820, in which year he took up the land from the Government and paid the first tax. (He came there, however, in 1816.) Their children were William (deceased), Sarah (deceased), Naomi, Jacob, Manoah, Thomas F., Samantha, Solomon and Lemuel (deceased).
Mr. Franks came here when the country was in a wilderness, took up 1703 acres of land, and assisted at the raising of a barn in 1816, he being the only one now liv- ing who was present at that time. He
..
16
WAYNE COUNTY.
lias been trustee of his township, assessor for a period of eight years, and has the respect and confidence of the community where he resides. Mrs. Franks died May 7, 1871. She was a member of the Meth- odist Church. Politically Mr. Franks is a Democrat.
USTAVUS C. FRITZ, son of Will- iam and Louisa (Grave) Fritz, natives of Prussia, was born March 8, 1855, at Millersburg, Holmes Co., Olio. His parents immigrated to America in 1854, arriving December 22, and first located in Millersburg, Ohio. William Fritz was a surgeon by profes- sion, which he followed throughout life. After spending about one year at Millers- burg, the family removed to Zanesville, Ohio, and afterward to Dresden, where they remained until 1861, in which year they came to Wayne County, locating at Moorland, where the father died in 1865. The mother is now living with her son, Gustavus C. Their family consisted of five children, as follows: Louisa, wife of Thomas Finlay, of Stark County, Ohio; Gustavus C., William and Lewis, at home, and Adolph, in Moorland, Ohio, who mar- ried Martha, daughter of Michael and Julia Franks, of Franklin Township,
Wayne Co., Ohio, and has two chil- dren, Amanda and Charles. The subject of this memoir received his edneation at the township schools and the Smithville Academy, and early engaged in teaching, a profession he has since followed, hav- ing taught at Nonpariel. Moorland and several of the township schools.
Mr. Fritz, like his father, is a strong sup- porter of the Democratic party. In 1880 he was elected clerk of Franklin Town- ship, Wayne County, and has since held that office. He is a member of Garfield Lodge, No. 528, F. & A. M., of Shreve, Ohio. At the present writing (1889) Mr. Fritz is unmarried, and remains at the old home with his mother and brother.
AMES F. CRISWELL, son of James and Elizabeth Criswell, was born ou the farm he now owns, in Salt Creek Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, January 3, 1825. His paternal grandfather was a res- ident of Mifflin County, Penn., where he married and died, leaving a family of four children: John, Robert, Sarah and James. His grandfather, Robert Forgey. came from Ireland, settled in Mifflin County. Penn., married and reared a family con- sisting of James, Robert, John, Mary, Will- iam, David, Jane and Elizabeth, all now
17
WAYNE COUNTY.
deceased but Robert and Mary, the for- mer being a resident of Mifflin County, Penn., and the latter of Momnonth, Ill.
James, father of James F., was born in Pennsylvania, where he married; removed to Ohio in 1824, settled on the place now owned by his son, James F., where he engaged in farming, and where both he and his wife passed away. He was offi- cially identified with his township as trustee; was treasurer for many years, and was recognized as one of its progressivo citizens. His children were Isabel, Jane, Elizabeth, William, James F., Maria, Robert, Margaret, Martha and Ann. Of these, Jane was the late . Mrs. Austin Brothers, of Wayne County, Ohio; Eliza- beth was the late Mrs. Elijah Tracy, of Illinois; Isabel was the late Mrs. Isaac Jolmson, of Wayne County, Ohio; Will- iam is married, and a resident of Holmes County, Ohio; Maria was the late Mrs. William Harrison, of Franklin Township, Wayne County; Robert is married, and is a resident of Lake County, Ohio; Mar- garet married Steven Haly, and removed to Fulton County, Ohio, where she died; Martha married Alfred Calhoun, and is now a resident of Holmes County, Ohio; Ann married Spence Fouty, and is now a resident of Fulton County, Ohio; James F. was married August 29, 1850, to Eliz- abeth Seott, who was born May 1, 1832, a daughter of James Scott, of Franklin
Township, Wayne County, and settled on the farm he now owns in Salt Creek Town- ship. To them were born six children: Emma, Martin, Ellsworth, Flora, Lennie and Edwin. Of these, Emma married David Snyder, and is a resident of Holmes County; Martin married Nettie Fluhart, and is a resident of Salt Creek Township, Wayne County; the others are still with their parents.
James F. Criswell is one of tho ex- tensive land-owners of Wayne County, having 411 aeres in a body, including the old homestead, and also 106 acres in Holmes County. He has been officially identified with the township in various ways, and is a member of the Democratic party. Both he and his wife are members of the Congregational Church.
(SAAC A. MUNSON, son of Henry and Mary ( Cutter) Munson, was born September 19, 1523, in Franklin Township. Wayne Co., Ohio. Isaac Manson, the grandfather of Isaac A., was born in Connectient, and located in New York State. In 1815 he and his son, Ilenry, moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and first located in the southern part thereof, or what is now Holmes County. After remaining there a short time he
4
18
WAYNE COUNTY.
purchased the farm which is now owned by his grandson, Henry, where he lived until his death, in 1830. He was a Rev- olutionary soldier, and an active Demo- crat in politics. His son, Henry, the father of Isaac A., was born in Connecti- cut in 1797, and came to Wayne County, Ohio, with his father, in 1815. He was reared a farmer, and always remained on the homestead, except about five years' residence in Shreve. He took quite an active part in the affairs of his township. He died in 1868; his widow in 1871. Henry and Mary Munson reared seven children, three of whom are still living, viz .: Samuel, in Medina County, Ohio, and Isaac A. and Henry, on the old homestead, in Franklin Township.
The subject of this sketch attended the common schools of his township, and has always been engaged in farming. He was married, in 1848, to Miss Eliza An Lowe, daughter of Jacob Lowe, a native of New Jersey, and a settler in Holmes County, Ohio. She died in 1853, leaving two children, one of whom is now de- ceased. The other, Mary E., is the wife of Sammuel Gissenger, of Holmes County, and by him has three children: Iva, Harry and Emma. Our subject married for his second wife, in 1856, Miss Susanna Thomas, daughter of Lewis Thomas, of Wooster, Ohio, and by this union there is one child, Charles, who lives at home.
Mr. Munson moved to his present farm, in Franklin Township, in 1848, and has made it one of the best improved in the township. Politically, he is a Democrat.
(OHN E. STONE was born in Jeffer- son County, Ohio, December 1, 1835, and is a son of William and Ann (Elliott) Stone, natives of that county. They both died when Johm E. was quite young, and consequently the latter ob- tained but a limited education, being thrown upon his own resources to gain a livelihood. He worked at the carpenter's trade for several years, and then turned his attention to farming, which occupation he has since followed, having purchased his present farm in Milton Township, Wayne County, in 1868. In 1860 Mr. Stone married Miss Mary, daughter of Isaac Sellers, of Jefferson County, Ohio, and she died December 4, 1871, leaving four children: Alfred P .. in Minneapolis, Minn. ; Everett, a farmer of Milton Town- ship, Wayne County, married to Flora, daughter of Jacob Amstutz: Edgar E., a law student at Ann Arbor, Mich., and Jessie V., at home. January 1, 1874, Mr. Stone married Sarah J., daughter of Jo- seph Robb, of Lafayette Township, Me- dina Co., Ohio. By this union there
-
19
WAYNE COUNTY.
are no children. In 1864 Mr. Stone en- listed in Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served 100 days. He was also a member of the Home Guards for several years.
He has served the township well as school director for many years, and has been president of the board, and has also been township trustee. In 1887 he was elected to his present position of justice of the peace. He is an elder in the Cres- ton Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat, with Prohibition pro- clivities.
P. GRAVATT, of the firm of H. P. Gravatt & Co., editors and pub- lishers of the Wayne County Democrat, was born in Lexington, Highland Co., Ohio, in the year 1842. His father, Peter R. Gravatt, a teacher by profession, was a native of New Jersey, and died at Dayton, Ohio. in 1849. In : July, 1853, H. P. Gravatt became an ap- prentice in a printing office at Dayton, !
Ohio, and he has ever since followed in the footsteps of Guttenberg. His educa- tion has been the practical one that con- tact with the business men of the world and close application to his chosen work
have given him. In 1870 Mr. Gravatt was united in marriage with Miss Nellie C. Moore, born in Zanesville, Ohio, and a daughter of Cornelius Moore, who for many years was publisher of the Masonic Review of Cincinnati. To this union eight children have been born, four of whom. have passed to the silent majority.
From 1872 to 1881 Mr. Gravatt filled the position of editorial manager of the Odd Fellows' Companion, published at Colum- bus, Ohio, it being then an eighty-page monthly. In 1880, at the May session of the Grand Lodge, he was installed grand master of Odd Fellows, and presided at the session at Youngstown in 1851. In 1875 he was appointed historiographer, and wrote the history of the first ten years of Odd Fellowship in Ohio, which was published in the proceedings of 1878. In 1873 he wrote the first Knights of Pythias manual ever published, and from 1872 to 1881, while in this work, he re- sided at Columbus. In 1869 he became a member of the I. O. O. F .. and for four years was their representative at the Grand Lodge, and also historiographer and grand master: also is a member of Blue Lodge Masons and of the Knights of Pythias. In July, 1881, Mr. Gravatt purchased of Mr. E. B. Eshelman his half interest in the Wayne County Demo- erat, Mr. Eshelman withdrawing, but in 1886 returning to the partnership by pur-
1
WAYNE COUNTY.
chasing the fourth interest belonging to the lato Dr. L. Firestone.
A BRAHAM LANCE is a son of John and Sarah ( Johnson ) Lance, natives of Jefferson County, Ohio, who came to Wayne County in 1820, and purchased a farm in Milton Town- ship, where they resided until their deaths. The grandfather of Abraham, Christopher Lance, was a native of Germany, who came to this country prior to the Revo- lutionary War, and participated in that memorable struggle. John Lance was a prominent man in his day, and was a sup- porter of the old Democratic principles. He was an honored member of the Pres_ byterian Church. He died in 1852, and his widow survived him about twenty years. They had a family of eleven children, Abraham, the subject of this sketch, and John, of Medina County, Ohio, being the only ones now living. Abraham Lance, whose name heads this notice, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, August 25, 1813. His education was obtained in the old-fashioned log school-houses, which he was privileged to attend only when his services were not required on the farm. He has spent his life at farming, and in 1838 bought the farm in Milton Township where he now
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.