USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 1
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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
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02399 1877
Gc 977.101 Al5m pt.2
7031566
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofallenco02mill
HISTORY
OF
ALLEN COUNTY, OHIO
AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
EDITED AND COMPILED BY CHARLES C. MILLER, Ph. D. ASSISTED BY DR. SAMUEL A. BAXTER LIMA, OHIO
"History is Philosophy Teaching by Example."
PUBLISHED BY RICHMOND & ARNOLD GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD CHICAGO, ILL. 1906
PART TWO
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE, INDIANA
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
7031566
MEYERS, a leading grocer of Lima was born in German township, Al- len County, Ohio, in 1858, and is a son of Jackson Meyers, one of the influential and highly esteemed- citizens of this city. His grandfather was Wil- liam Meyers, an early pioneer of Allen County, who settled here during the first years of the last century. Jackson Meyers was born in this vicinity 73 years ago and was one of the best known farmers in this section ; some years ago he retired from active life and is spending the sunset of life in the enjoyment of the fruits of past industry. He served more than three years in the Civil War as a member of the 91st Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., seeing much active service and leaving two fingers on the battle- field of Bull Run.
Our subject received his schooling in the old West School Building of Lima, and then entered the service of the local street car com- pany, driving the horses to the first car that made the run over the lines in Lima. He re- mained in this employment for three years and then secured a place as clerk in the grocery store of Beeman & Company. After remain- ing with this firm for about 14 years, Mr. Mey- ers purchased the stock from them and moved it from the old location at No. 141 North Main street to his present quarters at No. 124 East High street, where he carries a complete line of staple and fancy groceries. He is also a stock- holder in the Superior Brick Company.
Mr. Meyers was married in 1881 to Ida Gamble, daughter of E. D. Gamble, a justice of the peace in Lima for many years. They have three children-Bess, Fred and Mary. The son is associated with Mr. Meyers in the gro- cery business and has a half interest in it. The family are members of the Disciples' Church.
A DAM C. LACKEY, a well-known stock buyer of Allen County, is also an agriculturist of more than ordinary ability, who owns two well-improved farms in Monroe township, one in section 22 containing 86 acres, and the other in sections 24 and 27. containing 77 acres. Mr. Lackey was born on his father's old homestead,
September 18, 1861, and is a son of William and Diadama (Hall) Lackey. The grand- father was Alexander Lackey, a Pennsylvania Dutchman, who died leaving two young sons, William and Alexander, both of whom came to Allen County. Alexander afterwards moved to Indiana, where he died.
William Lackey was born in the State of Pennsylvania, September 18, 1818, and was still young when he came to Ohio and located in Tuscarawas County. There he was married to Diadama Hall, who was born in Maryland in December, 1828. They lived in Tuscarawas County until after the birth 'of their second child when they came to Allen County; here they spent the remainder of their lives. Wil- liam Lackey was a wagon-maker by trade and also a successful teacher, both in this and in Tuscarawas County ; but in his later years he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits and was the owner of 110 acres of land in Monroe township. He was a man of deep religious con- victions and an earnest worker in the Methodist Church. In earlier life a Republican, he later espoused the cause of prohibition and was a loyal supporter of that policy until his death. He passed away in the ripeness of age, having passed his 85th mile-stone when his summons came. His wife, who survived him about one year, dying October 31, 1904, did not quite reach her 76th year. Upright and honorable in all things, they reared their children to lives of usefulness and honor, inculcating those prin- ciples which have made the name of Lackey uni- versally respected. The family consisted of nine children, viz. : John, who died when about 40 years of age, leaving a widow and six chil- dren; Martha Jane ( Brown). of Lima; Wil- liam Hall, of Michigan; Sarah (Wright), of Paulding County ; Alice ( Snyder ), of Paulding County; James, also of Paulding County ; Adam; Henry and one child that died in infancy.
Adam Lackey remained with his parents un- til his 23rd year, when he purchased 40 acres of woodland in Paulding County, living there for two years and clearing about 20 acres of it. Selling that property. he then purchased 66 acres in section 22. afterwards adding an- other 20 which he still owns, and upon which he
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL O. RIDENOUR AND FAMILY
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lived until 1902. Moving to West Cairo, he engaged in buying and shipping stock for several years, and then moved to his present farm where he is now engaged in general farm- ing and in handling stock. Mr. Lacky is a Re- publican. He is a member of Bethel Grove Methodist Episcopal Church of which he is a steward.
In 1886 our subject married Emma Augs- burger by whom he has two children, Jason Carl and Gale Juanita. Mrs. Lackey was born in Richland township, this county, January I, 1862, and is a daughter of Louis and Margaret (Wise) Augsburger, both of whom were na- tives of Germany and came to this country with their parents.
AMUEL O. RIDENOUR, deceased, formerly one of the best-known citi- zens of this county, and the owner of a valuable farm of 90 acres in section 8, Perry township, was born in Allen County, Ohio, September 11, 1832, and was a son of Jacob and Catherine (Oats) Ridenour.
The Ridenour family is of German extrac- tion and was established in America by Lewis Ridenour, the great-grandfather of our subject. He came to the Colonies prior to the Ameri- can Revolution and assisted the Patriot Army in the capacity of a teamster. He first settled in Virginia, whence he removed to Westmore- land County, Pennsylvania, and there engaged in farming until 1803, when he migrated to Ohio. He settled in Perry County, being ac- companied by his wife and 10 children. He had seven sons and three daughters. His sons, all of whom served in the war of 1812, were as follows : Mathias, David, John, Jacob, Lewis, Isaac and Martin. Of these, David, John and Isaac came to Allen County and all settled in Perry township. David never mar- ried, but John and Isaac both reared families and their descendants to-day are numbered with the most prominent and reliable citizens of their various communities.
John Ridenour, the grandfather of Samuel O., was born in Virginia in 1785: he accom- panied his father to Pennsylvania and subse-
quently to Ohio. In March, 1831, he entered a half section of land in section 5, Perry town- ship. Here he cleared up a farm, on which he died in 1874, being survived by his widow until July, 1879. John Ridenour married Han- nah Spahn, who was born at Hagerstown, Maryland, and accompanied her parents to Perry township. The children of this marriage were: Jacob, father of our subject ; John, who died in Perry township; Mathias, of Paulding County, Ohio; George, who died in Perry township; Rebecca, deceased, who was the wife of Samuel Wollett; Hannah, deceased, who was the wife of J. L. Stevenson; Phebe, de- ceased, who was the wife of Samuel Wollett; and Amelia, deceased.
Jacob Ridenour, son of John and Hannah Ridenour, was born in Perry County, Ohio, January 14, 1809, and there learned the black- smith's trade. In 1831 he came to Perry town- ship, Allen County, and settled on the 80 acres of land acquired by his father, and on which Samuel O. Ridenour lived at the time of his death. Here, in the latter part of 1832, he es- tablished a blacksmith shop, and for many years carried on his trade in connection with farm- ing. Politically he was a stanch Democrat, and always assumed a lively interest in public af- fairs. He served as township trustee, and per- formed his full share in the development of the section in which he lived. He was one of the original members of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, aiding liberally in its erec- tion and serving as one of its trustees. His first wife was Catherine Oats, a daughter of William Oats, of Perry County, Ohio. She died in 1836, leaving three children as fol- lows: Samuel O .; Jacob, who died from ex- posure while in the service of his country, as a member of Company K, 118th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. ; and Catherine, who married Daniel Losh and died in 1860.
Jacob Ridenour's second wife was Mrs. Lovis ( Mechling) Boyer. They had six chil- dren, namely : Rebecca, wife of William Ver- bryke; Phebe, wife of James K. Spear; Lovis, widow of Isaac Lehman, of Indiana ; Emma. deceased, who was the wife of J. G. Barr ; Knox P., of Dayton, Ohio: and John W., deceased.
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Mr. Ridenour died November 9, 1879, his wife having preceded him in 1872.
Samuel O. Ridenour was reared from in- fancy to manhood on the old family homestead in Perry township. He passed his entire life here, and was always identified with the best interests of the locality. He was a man of public spirit, with modern ideas and methods, and became one of the substantial and repre- sentative men of the community. He owned 90 acres of the old homestead and, in addition to engaging in general farming, developed the oil-wells on his property and demonstrated them to be very remunerative. His improved farm was managed with modern machinery and scientific intelligence.
Mr. Ridenour was an honored survivor of the Civil War. He enlisted in 1864 in Com- pany A, 180th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., which was assigned to the 23d Army Corps, under Gen- eral Schofield. The last engagement in which he participated was at Kingston, North Caro- lina, after, taking part in all the hard marching and fighting in which his regiment engaged. He was honorably discharged at the close of the war and returned to his home in Allen County.
In 1870 Samuel O. Ridenour was joined in marriage with Mary C. Sellers, a daughter of John Sellers. She died in 1875, leaving two children, viz: John F., now deceased; and Hattie, wife of Morgan L. Harrod. Mr. Rid- enour married (second) Elizabeth Swinehart, daughter of Samuel' Swinehart, of Perry County, Ohio, and they had two children, viz : Grover DeWitt and Samuel O., Jr.
Politically, Mr. Ridenour was a stanch Democrat and always upheld the principles of his party. He served as township trustee, clerk and treasurer and, by the efficient discharge of the duties of his office, merited the confidence reposed in him. In his religious views he was a Lutheran, and a valued member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was very liberal in his support of this church, being a man of marked charitable impulses.
The death of Samuel O. Ridenour occurred on his farm, July 23, 1902. He had almost reached the age of 70 years and had he not suf- fered from the exposures incident to the army life of the Civil War his years might still further
have been prolonged. Mrs. Ridenour still sur- vives him and she, also, is a member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
GROVER DEWITT RIDENOUR, who, with his. younger brother, has charge of the homestead, was born on this place November 2, 1884. He was educated in the district schools of the. neighborhood and has always made this farm his home. Samuel O., who bears his father's. honored name, was also born on the family homestead, May 20, 1888, and still continues to reside upon it. Imitating their deceased father, the brothers have continued his progres- sive methods of conducting the agricultural operations, having also displayed energy and good management in the improvements which. they themselves have made. They are young men who are thoroughly respected and can claim a very wide circle of friends in Perry township ..
On a preceding page in proximity to this. is shown a group of the Ridenour, family, exe- cuted from a photograph later taken before the decease of Samuel O. Ridenour.
RED E. HEROLD was born in Lima, Ohio, July 3, 1859, was here reared. and educated and here has for several years occupied a prominent place- among the leading business men. His father, M. Herold, located in Lima in 1853. and opened the first brick-yard conducted in the village. He was also engaged in the gro- cery business, having at the time of his death in 1870 one of the largest grocery stores in Lima. He was a public-spirited, whole-souled man and was ever found at the front in all movements which would promote the general welfare of the people of the community.
Fred E. Herold left school at an early age to begin the actual battle of life, securing work as a delivery boy in the store of James Lan- gan. After being in this place a few months, he had the misfortune to be thrown from his wagon and have his leg broken, which neces- sitated an enforced retirement for a short time. When he was able to get around once more, he entered the Lima Business College for the win-
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ter, when spring came, he obtained a situation in the dry goods store of Holmes & Brown, with whom he remained eight years. While here he had the satisfaction of washing the first plate-glass window used in Lima. In 1882 he opened a grocery store which he conducted un- til 1894, at the same time running a restaurant in connection with it. Mr. Herold has engaged largely in outside enterprises, and these have en- croached so closely upon his time that he found it necessary to retire from the grocery and res- taurant business in order to give the attention demanded by his other interests. . In addition to extensive real estate holdings in Lima, Mr. Herold is vice-president of the Mckibben Gas Engine Company ; and is a stockholder of The Crystal Ice & Coal Company and The Lima Telephone & Telegraph Company.
In 1881 Mr. Herold was married to Lizzie Meyer, daughter of John Meyer, a druggist of Lima, now deceased. To this union one child, Minnie, was born. Mr. Herold is a member of the German Reformed Church and is also a prominent member of Lima Lodge of Elks, of which he is trustee.
L. WATT, one of the highly esteemed residents of Lima, now living re- tired in his pleasant home at No. 133 North Pierce street, can re- member when this busy, populous city consisted of but a few scattering houses, not more than one or two being constructed of brick. He was born in this city, April 27, 1836, and is a son of Hudson Watt, once a very prom- inent citizen here.
Hudson Watt was the pioneer shoe manu- facturer in Allen County and was identified with nearly all the early important business en- terprises. He was born at Flemmingsburg, Kentucky, and came in 1808 to Ohio, settling in Champaign County. After his marriage in 1829 he continued to live there until 1833, when he came to Lima and immediately became one of the leading factors in the development of the city's resources. He was, as noted, one of the earliest as well as one of the largest shoe manufacturers in this section, and later he em-
barked in a general mercantile business which he continued during his business career. He was very active in the Whig party and later be- came just as closely allied with the Republican party. For years he was a leading business man of Lima. He retired in 1868, his sons suc- ceeding him.
W. L. Watt was reared and educated at Lima and was about 20 years old when he en- tered his father's general mercantile store, al- though he had been more or less connected with the shoe manufacturing business from early youth. At that time his father did business un- der the firm name of H. Watt, which at a later period became H. Watt & Sons and still later, upon the father's retirement, Watt Brothers.
The opening of the Civil War turned the young merchant's attention from his former peaceful pursuits and, in July, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company I, 27th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. which was mustered into the service at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. The regi- ment was assigned to the Army of the West and spent the first nine months in Missouri, mainly pursuing the Confederate forces under General Price, finally, after a pursuit of 3,200 miles, engaging the enemy in battle at New Madrid, Missouri. Later the 27th Ohio went down the Mississippi River to Fort Pillow and then back again and up the Tennessee River to Pittsburg Landing. The regiment then took part in the siege of Corinth Mississippi, occupying Corinth until the battle of Iuka, after which they were assigned to provost duty at Memphis for six months. Returning then to Corinth, the 27th Ohio was a part of the Ohio brigade, which . fought the battle of Corinth on October 3-4, 1863. They then started for Chattanooga, Tennessee. Reaching Pulaski, they assisted in opening up to traffic the Nashville & Decatur Railroad. In the following spirng they moved on to Chattanooga. The regiment, a part of General McPherson's force, went through Smoke Valley and flanked the Confederate troops at Resaca, earning well-merited applause from their comrades and the country in gen- eral .. The 27th Ohio made a fine record in all the battles of the campaign which resulted in the capture of Atlanta, taking part in the siege of that city, and it was Mr. Watt's briade, as-
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sisted by another, that made the final charge which drove the enemy across the Chattahoo- chee River on that memorable occasion. It was during that gallant charge that Mr. Watt suffered the injury which retired him from ac- tive service for a time. A bullet wound in the kneepan is not a pleasant thing to endure and Mr. Watt was obliged to lay aside his musket for a time.
At Marietta, Georgia, to which point he was conveyed, he met an old friend and rested with him from July 5th until July 18th, when he re- turned to his regiment, being under the neces- sity of wading the Chattahoochee River in or- der to rejoin it in front of Atlanta, where he arrived in time to participate in the battle before that city of July 22nd. It was on this day that the brave and beloved General McPherson fell. On he third day the movement was made by General Sherman's forces, which resulted in the Confederates evacuating Atlanta. The 27th Ohio helped to fight the battle of Jonesboro and was then sent to Marietta, where our subject was put in charge of a battery and sent on to Chattanooga to turn over some ordnance. In November, 1864, he came home, with the rank of captain, his commission dating from July, 1864.
Mr. Watt then entered his father's store as a salesman and in 1866 he became a member of the firm. After his father's retirement from business in 1868, the firm became Watt Broth- ers, and this continued for six years, when the firm style became J. D. & W. L. Watt, and this was retained until 1882, when our subject with- drew. He then embarked in a shoe business in which he continued until the winter of 1886-87. Since then he has occupied himself in extensive dealings in real estate, having large interests in this direction, and he has also done considera- ble building.
On January 2, 1860, Mr. Watt was married to Marion Augusta Fowler, formerly of Ro- chester, New York, and they have one child, Jessie, who is the wife of M. L. Johnson of Pe- toskey, Michigan where Mr. Watt and wife have spent the past 26 summers.
Mr. Watt was a member of the first City Council of Lima, serving two terms, and has
been a member of the Board of Education for one term. He belongs to Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R. For many years Mr. Watt has been a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, and has served as a member of the board of trustees since 1866.
AMUEL M. FLETCHER, president of the Board of Public Safety, Lima, and one of the prominent oil men of this section, is also an honored survivor of of the Civil War. He was born De- cember 13, 1844, in Potter County, Pennsyl- vania, being a son of one of the old substantial agricultural families of that locality.
Mr. Fletcher remained on the home farm until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he was 18 years of age. With his two brothers, Lorenzo D. and John, he enlisted for service in the defense of the Union. Both his brothers were members of Company H, 86th Reg., New York Vol. Inf. Lorenzo D. Fletcher was killed in the second battle of Bull Run. John Fletch- er, although wounded three times, still survives and resides at Ithaca, New York. Our sub- ject became a member of Company D, 136th Reg., Pennsylvania Vol. Inf., under Captain Phillips. After completing his first term of en- listment, of nine months duration, Mr. Fletcher reenlisted, entering the 50th New York En- gineer Corps, and served continuously with this organization until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Fredericksburg. Cold Harbor, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Stony Creek, and was with Gen- eral Grant's army in front of Petersburg and at Appomattox. He also took part in the Grand review at Washington, D. C.
After the close of his army service, which re- flected the greatest credit upon him, he returned to the home farm which he operated until 1878, when he was attracted to the oil fields in Mckean County, Pennsylvania. There he re- mained until 1886, when he came to the Lima oil field. He has since been continuously in the employ of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company and his duty is that of receiver of crude oil as it
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comes from the fields to the refinery. He is one of the stockholders in the Independent Gyp- sum Company.
In 1893 Mr. Fletcher was married to Sarah Etta Church, who is a daughter of James P. Church, a veteran of the Civil War. They have three children : Helen, James and Marion. By a previous marriage Mr. Fletcher had two chil- dren : Leland D. and Nancy Ada, the latter of whom is the wife of E. B. Hawkins, of Tiffin, Ohio.
For many years Mr. Fletcher has been one of the hard workers in the Republican party of this section. He served one year on the Repub- lican State Committee. For 24 years he has been a Knight Templar. He belongs also to Mart Armstrong Post No. 202, G. A. R. He is a well-known and popular citizen.
OHN JACOB GAYER, one of Spencer- ville's leading citizens and representa- tive business men, manager of the Spencerville Artificial Stone Company and interested in other successful con- cerns, was born in 1860, in Auglaize County, Ohio, and is a son of Gottlieb and Magdalena (Beck) Gayer.
The ancestors of Mr. Gayer may be traced as far back as the days when religious persecu- tions banished many of the natives of France to other countries, his great-grandfather set- tling in Germany. Gottlieb Gayer, his father, was born at Wittenberg, Germany, in October, 1816, and died in Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1899, aged 83 years. He was married at Wit- tenberg to Magdalena Beck, who died in 1902, aged 77 years. The five survivors of their fam- ily of eight children are: Frederika, who re- sides on the old homestead farm in Auglaize County; Katherine, wife of Gottlieb Eibling, of Marion, Ohio; Gottlieb, who owns the home- stead farm; John Jacob; and Mary, who died December 9, 1905. The parents, with five chil- dren, emigrated to America in 1861, settling first in Marion County, Ohio, but locating per- manently in Auglaize County in 1863, living on two separate farms which the father improved.
John Jacob Gayer was reared and educated
in Auglaize County and remained at home until he was 30 years of age. After completing the common school course, he took a business train- ing at Berea College, but continued to live on the homestead farm until 1891, when he located . in Spencerville. He first engaged in a livery enterprise, but disposed of it later and entered into the meat business. Since 1896 he has been contracting for Eastern capitalists who are in- terested in oil drilling, he having been identi- fied with every branch of the oil development business for years. Since coming to Spencer- ville he has invested in both city and country real estate, owning a fine farm on the edge of the town and one of the handsomest homes in the locality. It is constructed of stone, is beau- tifully situated and is equipped with every mod- ern convenience. When the Spencerville Arti- ficial Stone Company was organized, he was one of its founders, and in 1904 was president and manager. It is now incorporated, Dr. Ja- cob R. Welch being president and Mr. Gayer manager, and its business prospects are most flattering.
Mr. Gayer married Phoebe Metzger, who was born in Auglaize County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Frederick Metzger, and they have had three children, the two survivors being : Ir- win Benson, residing in Spencerville, who is a cement walk contractor; and Edith Marie, a student in the Spencerville High School.
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