USA > Ohio > Putnam County > A Portrait and biographical record of Allen and Putnam counties, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Ohio, pt 2 > Part 12
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Mrs. Robert (Spain) Dunlap, mother of the gentleman whose name opens this article:, was born in Virginia, March 18, 1815, a danghter of William and Mary (Cole) Spain, who were the parents of fourteen children, of whom five were born in Virginia and the remainder in Ohio, the parents having come to this state abont the year 1821, settling in Champaign county, where they resided twenty years, after which the father made one or two removes, and died in Union county, Ohio, at the age of ninety-two years. He and wife were both members of the Methodist church. Their fourteen children were named. Edward, Al- mede, Lonisa, Steph. a .A., William J., Fer-
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nando, Eliza A., Matthew, Hamilton, Enoch, Elijah, John, Moses and Aaron. The father of this family was a true patriot and served in the war of 1812; he had, beside, eight sons in the late Civil war, viz: Almede, William J., Fernando; Hamilton, Elijah, Moses, John and Enoch, of whom Hamilton and Moses died in the service.
Robert Dunlap, the father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania October 29, 1811, was reared a farmer and came to Ohio with his father, who settled in Guernsey county. He married in his twenty-ninth year, August 8, 1840, Miss Louisa Spain, who was about twenty-five years of age, and to this union were born three children. viz: Sibyl, Lester and Amelia J. After marriage, Mr. Dunlap set- tled in Allen township, Union county, Ohio, on forty-three acres of land that he reclaimed from the woods, and in 1861 removed to Sugar Creek township, Putnam county. In 1864 he bought forty acres of land that he reclaimed from the woods in Jennings town- ship, Putnam county; in 1864 he bought forty acres of the farm on which his son Lester now resides, and with the assistance of the latter converted it into a fertile and beautiful farm, His death occurred in 1884 at the age of about seventy-five years. His aged widow is now living with our subject at the age of eighty-one years, venerated as a typical pioneer
a PHRAIM R. EASTMAN, attorney at law, of Ottawa, Putnam county, Ohio, and a member of the law firm of Krauss & Eastman, is a native of Champaign county, Ohio, and a son of Richard and Christian (Groves) Eastman. Mr. East- man's maternal ancestors came to America from Holland in the time of the colonies and settled in Pennsylvania, where many of their descendants still reside. The subject's grand-
parents, on the mother's side, were Adam and Catherine (Zeller) Groves, who located in Dela- ware county, Ohio, with their family. during the 'thirties, and remained there until their emi- gration, in 1860, to Clinton county, Iowa. Adam and Catharine Groves had a family of seven daughters and two sons who grew to maturity, and whose names are as follows: Martin V .; Joseph; Sarah, wife of Fowler Long; Mary, wife of Henry Wise; Christiana, mother of the subject of this sketch; Alvira, married a Mr. Grover; Melissa, wife of Z. Drake; Martha, wife of David Kincade, and Maria, who married a Mr. Black.
Reverting to the subject s paternal ances- tors, it is learned that he is a direct descend- ant of Joseph Eastman, one of the pilgrims who came to America in the historic May Flower. The subject's great-grandfather, Jacob Eastman, a native of Connecticut, emi- grated to Ohio in an early day and located on the Maumee river, about the year 1812, in what is now Wood county, and became one of the first settlers in that part ot the state. He passed the remainder of his days near where he settled, and reared a family, among whom was Appollos, the grandfather of our subject. Appollos Eastman was reared amid pioneer surroundings, married Barbara Seger, danghter of German parents, after which he moved to Madison county, thence, later, to the county of Union, which was his home until 1861; in that year he emigrated to lowa, in which state his death occurred in 1879. The wife of Ap- pollos Eastman died in 1887 at the advanced age of ninety-four years; her father, Abraham Seger, a native of Europe, came to the United States in early childhood, and lived to the phenomenal age of 104 years. The following are the names of the children born to Appollos and Barbara Eastman: Jacob, deceased; Richard, father of Ephraim R. ; Malintha, wife of Thomas M. Osborn: Oliver; Ephran
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and Adolierus. By a previous marriage with a Mr. Peasley, Mrs. Eastman had three chil- dren-John A., Orri and Maria, widow of John Parish.
Richard K. Eastman, father of the subject of this sketch, was born January 7, 1832, in Madison county, Ohio, where he was reared a farmer. He followed the pursuit of agricul- ture as long as his health would permit, and then turned his attention to various kinds of lighter employment. He has spent his life in the counties of Madison, Union and Van Wert, and is now living in Ottawa. In 1861 he en- listed in company F, Thirty-first Ohio infantry, afterward veteranized, and was honorably dis- charged in July, 1865. He took part in twenty- three heavy engagements, aside from numerous skirmishes, was in the front during the bloody battles of the Atlanta campaign, marched with Sherman to the sea and participated in the grand review at Washington at the close of the war. On leaving the army he returned to Union county, where he lived until 1874, at which time he became a citizen of Van Wert county, and later made his home with his son, E. R. Eastman, at Ottawa. Mr. Eastman was a democrat until the Blaine campaign in 1884, since which time he has supported the republican party; he belongs to the G. A. R., 1. O. O. F., 1. O. R. M. and other fraternal organizations. Mr. Eastman was married in Champaign county, Ohio, in 1852, to Christiana Groves, the union resulting in seven children: Ephraim R., whose name introduces this biog- raphy; Malintha E., wife of Alphonso Marks; John M., Anna T., wife of Frank P. Stewart; Martin K., Clara, wife of Owen Donaldson, and Howard E. The mother of these children died in Union county, Ohio, August 8, 1868, aged thirty-seven years.
Epliraim R. Eastman was born May 6, 1854. grew to manhood in Union county, and at- tended the public schools there until his seven-
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teenth year, when he began receiving private instruction. So well did he advance in his studies, that at the age of seventeen he entered the profession of school-teacher, and continued in educational work for a number of years thereafter, teaching in all about twenty three ternis, mostly in the county of Putnam, to which he removed in 1872. He also gave private instruction in the meantime, and kept up his own studies, taking a full course in his- tory, literature and the sciences, beside pur- suing other studies included in the regular college courses. He completed the Chautauqua literary courses, and is still a student, taking a course in English literature, at this time, under Prof. W. D. McClintock, of the uni- versity of Chicago. From 1879 to 1882, Mr. Eastman read law in the offices of Win. M. Randall and Henry Hardy, of Defiance, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in 1885. He began the practice of his profession at Dupont, Ohio, where he remained until 1886, when he
came to Ottawa, and became associated withi David I. Brown, Sr., the firm thus constituted
lasting until 1887, at which time he effected a co-partnership with Mi. Wm. C. G. Krauss, under the firm name of Krauss & Eastman. Mr. Eastman has been successful in his pro- fession and has won a commendable standing among lhe attorneys of the Putnam county bar. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., F. & A. M., and belongs to the State Bar as- sociation.
Mr. Eastman was married October 18, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth E. Parrett, daughter of John S. Parrett. Mr. and Mrs. Eastman are the parents of ten children, viz. Lillie A., who graduated from the Ottawa public schools, at- tended the Ohio State university one year, spent two years at Findlay college, and was graduated from the Ohno Wesleyan university, Delaware; Ora M., a graduate of the Ottawa public schools, class of 1895. Maude E., a
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student of the high school; Ivan L., Ethel I., Leroy E., Marie A. and Herbert P., living, and Alphonso M. and Dorothea G. who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs Eastman and chil- dren are members of the M. E. church of Ottawa. Mrs. Eastman is a lady of many accomplishments, is a member of the Ladies' Centennial Book club and the National Con- federation of Women's clubs. Mr. Eastman is a republican in politics, and an active worker in his party; he was one of the organizers and the principal promoter of tha Ottawa Home & Savings association, was elected its first secretary and still fills the position. He was also one of the organizers of and is still a di- rector in the Putnam county abstract company. From the time of his first experience in teach- ing, he has been an earnest advocate of a compulsory school law and a system of county superintendence of schools. He also advocates such reform in the state school system as to make every grade of school a step toward the university: and that the government ought of right to control all great highways and all natural monopolies, and that such highways and monopolies should be managed by the nation, state or municipality, as the nature of each case may require, in such manner as to give the great mass of the people all benefits accruing therefrom at cost.
J OHN M. EASTMAN, a worthy repre- sentative of a pioneer family, and one of the wide-awake young farmers of Monroe township, is well known in this portion of Putnam county, Ohio, where his life has thus far been passed. Several gener- ations of his ancestors have been pioneers in the Buckeye state, where they have aided ma- terially in the task of converting the wilder- ness into the beautiful and fertile country which the section now represents.
Aplas Eastman, our subject's paternal grandfather, was a native of Vermont, but in early life he came, in company with his parents, to Ohio, settling in Champaign county. Here he grew to manhood, and was united in marriage to Miss Barbara Sager. They made their home, for many years, in Union county, Ohio, and afterward removed to Iowa, where he died. He was in politics a Jacksonian democrat, and in Union county, Ohio, he was a man of wealth and influence. Richard K. Eastman, father of subject, was borh in Champaign county, Ohio, Janu- ary 8, 1830. He was reared upon the pa- ternal farmstead, but after attaining maturity he became a mechanic and has found occupa- tion in this line of endeavor, proving success- ful in his efforts. At the breaking out of the late war of the Rebellion he enlisted as a member of company K, Thirty-first Ohio vol- unteer infantry, and was in the western divis- ion of the Union army, under Gen. Sherman, where he saw four years of active service. He participated in the entire campaign which led up to the taking of the city of Atlanta; was with Sherman in his memorable march to the sea, and saw much active service. He was twice married, his first hymencal partner be- ing Miss. Christine Groves, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, m 1829, her father being Adam Groves. The children of Richard K. and wife, in the order of birth, were: Ephraim R., Malintha C., wife of Alfonso Marks; John M., Nannie C., wife of F. Stew- art; Martin K .; Clara, wife of Owen Donald- son; and Howard R. The mother was a de- voted member of the Baptist church, and was a loving wife and mother. Her death, which occurred August 22, 1869, was a sad blow to the family. The father later consummated a second marriage, being united to Mrs. Mary Riley, and to them have been born two chil- dren, Retta and Lulu, the former of whom is
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deceased, and the latter still living at home with her parents.
John M. Eastman, subject of this memoir, was born in Union county, Ohio, January 8, 1858. His early life was passed upon the farın, where, in addition to a careful home training, he obtained a good common-school education. This has been supplemented by a practical training for the affairs of life which one of his observant nature could not fail to acquire. In January, 1879, he led to the altar Miss Annie Brower, a native of Putnam county, Ohio, where she was born August 17, 1857, being the daughter of H. M. and Lydia (Crow) Brower, respected citizens of that section. Our subject and his wife became the parents of seven children, of whom one, Susan, is deceased. The others are Daisy C., Essie, Collie, Alona, Effie, and Russell. It was soon after his marriage that our subject located upon the the farm now owned by him. The tract was practically unreclaimed, there having been only twelve acres cleared, and the surroundings were of a very primitive nature. To-day the land is all cleared, well tiled and provided with good buildings, all the result of personal endeavor on the part of Mr. Eastman. In the effort to make a comfortable home he has found a worthy helpmate in the person of his estimable wife. Mr. Eastman is a repub- lican in politics, and while in no sense a seeker after office, he has still been called upon by his fellow-citizens to perform duties of a pub- lic nature. At present he is filling his second term as township trustee, a position which he occupies with signal satisfaction to his consti- tutents. He is not identified with any relig- ious body, but he lends his financial aid in church work, and is one of the highly esteemed citizens of Monroe township. As an agricul- turist Mr. Eastman has few superiors in his township, and as a neighbor his friendship is never lacking in the exercise of kindly acts.
NDREW EDELBROCK, one of the. leading and substantial farmers of Jackson township, Putnamn county, Ohio, was the son of Peter and Anna M. Edelbrock and was born near Uilda, Prussia, January 6, 1827. The father was a native of Prussia and was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools, and, marry- ing in 1823, nine children blessed his union, viz: William, deceased; Henry, a prosperous and well-to-do farmer of Greensburg township, Putnam county Ohio; Andrew, the subject of this sketch; Louise, deceased, Mrs. Mary C. Harlager, deceased; Edward, deceased, I heo- dore, an infant buried at sea on the parents' passage to America; Charles, living in Greens- burg township, and Frank. William and Frank were volunteers in the Thirty-seventh @ hio in- fantry, of whom Frank died while valiantly serving his country in its late war. M. Edel- brock followed his occupation of farming in Prussia until 1834, when he came to the United States, landing in Baltimore, Md .; thence he made his way to Putnam county. Ohio, where he purchased a farin three miles from Glandorf, on which he spent the re- inainder of his years and died honored and re- spected by all who knew him in 1840. He was a member of the Catholic church and had ever lived a consistent and upright life. The death of his aged wife occurred about 1864.
Andrew Edelbrock, whom this sketch largely concerns, lived through his early boyhood > cars on the farm and adopted farming as his life occupation. At the age of fifteen years he went to Shiloh, Ohio, and was employed in a tavern for a year and a half, after which he clerked in a store, having received what edu- cation he had in the schools of Greensburg township, but his education was mostly ob- tained by self teaching After leaving Shiloh he went to Auglaize county, where for three years he was employed as a teamster On
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November 14, 1856, he returned to his old home, and in 1860 was united in marriage to · Miss Katie Harlager; this union was blessed with a number of children, whose names are: William, Mrs. Mary Ellerbrock, Frank, Anna (wife of George Northaus, of Glandorf), Ig- natius, Barney, Lena, John, Mollie, Peter, Albert and Emma-all living at this writing and prominent and active members of the Catholic church at Kalida. The mother of this family of children was born in Prussia, May 12, 1840, and was a year old when her parents came to America, stopping in Putnam county, Ohio, where she received a good edu -. cation. In her religious faith she was a con- sistent Catholic from her birth. Her death occurred August 20, 1892, which came in- stantly and tragically, having been killed in a runaway. She was a woman of great and un- usual force of character, and her influence for good was felt wherever she was known. Faith -: ful as a wife and tenderly loving as a mother, her loss was keenly felt and her place can, never be filled in the hearts of those who had so deeply and truly loved her.
Mr. Edelbrock had settled on an unim- proved farm in Greensburg township, which he cleared and improved, and in 1870 moved to his present home in Jackson township, where. he owns a handsome and highly cultivated farm, which ranks among the best in the county. He has been peculiarly successful in life, which he has found to be more than ordinarily worth living. Genial and social in his habits, honorable and upright in his deal- ings, he is esteemed as a friend and neighbor and is one of the highly valued citizens of the county. Politically he votes with the democratic party and has received at its hands a number of distinctions in the way of township offices. He is a stanch supporter of the Catholic church und is a liberal and willing contributor to all good and worthy causes. It is of such
men as Mr. Edelbrock that it is said, "their deeds live after them," as they surely follow them through life as blessings by the wayside.
RANK N. ELLIS is a member of the firm of F. N. Ellis & Co., of Glandorf, Putnam county, Ohio, manufacturers of bent work and hard-wood lumber and dealers in pine and poplar, and sash, doors and blinds. The firm was formed May 16, 1889, and succeeded S. A. Ellis & Co., who founded the plant November 20, 1872. It is one of the largest concerns of the kind in the country, and also does a large contracting and building business.
Smith A. Ellis was born in Hunter, Greene county, N. Y., August 24, 1808, a son of Gid- eon and Hannah (Scofield) Ellis, of Welsh de- scent. He came to Ohio in 1840, and located in Huron county. In 1852 he established a bent wood factory at Townsend station, which he operated until 1872, when he came to Put- nam county. Prior to 1840, however, he had been a railroad contractor in the days of scrap- iron rails, and he also erected a number of railroad bridges in the south that were de- stroyed during the late war. He was a well- informed gentleman and well read on general topics, and altogether domestic in his habits. He carried on the Glandorf bent wood works until 1889, when he was succeeded by his son. F. N. Ellis, and V. Fries, of Milan, Ohio. He died February 7, 1890, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, the father of eight children, viz: Nelson, born January 13. 1832, and now living in retirement at Glandorf. Maryetta, born October 8, 1834, deceased wife of L. D. Vin- ing; Henry C., born June 25. 18.41, a con- tractor of Sisterville, W. Va . Charles F., born September 3, 1840, ched at the age of twelve years; Theodore G, born May 20, 18.pl. de- ceased, Albert P., born July 28, 1852, also
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deceased; Frank N., born March 31, 1855, the subject of this sketch.
The mother of these children bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Pennybecker. She was a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Fox) Pennybecker, of Schuylkill county, Pa., was born August 24, 1814, and was married August 13, 1830. Her death took place January 8, 1895.
Frank N. Ellis, the subject proper of this sketch, was born in Huron county, Ohio, was educated in the common schools of that county, and also attended a course of business studies at Sandusky city. He came to Putnam county with his father in 1873, and entered the bent wood works, beginning at the bottom and working for eight years as a hired man, and advancing step by step through every branch of the business until he reached the top of the ladder, metaphorically speaking. He kept the books of the concern at night, and in 1882, owing to his father's advanced age, he assumed the management, and in 1889 became the owner. He is a thorough master of every de- tail of the business, can operate any and every piece of machinery in the factory, and under his supervision the concern has greatly enlarged the volume per annum of its transactions, the business having increased from $20,000 to $60,000. Mr. Ellis is also a half owner of the tile manufactory at Glandorf, the plant having been conducted for the past twelve years un- der the firin name of Winkelman & Ellis in the manufacture of all sizes and qualities of drain tile. The marriage of Mr. Ellis took place September 7, 1882, to Miss Catherine M. Hornung, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 5, 1859, a daughter of Eberhart and Mary (Schierloh) Hornung, and this union has been blessed with one child, Cornelius H. In 1891 Mr. Ellis erected at Glandorf one of the finest modern dwellings in Putnam county. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis are members of the Roman
Catholic church at Glandorf, and in politics Mr. Ellis is a republican. As a business man he enjoys a reputation unexcelled by any other man in the county.
J OHN W. EDWARDS, a native young farmer of Sugar Creek township, Put- nam county, Ohio, was born January 5, 1871, and is still a resident of the old homestead on which he was reared and edu- cated. He married Miss Zoe Gardner, daugh- ter of Henry Gardner, a merchant of Vaughns- ville, Olio.
Henry Gardner is the sixth of the sever children born to Samuel and Catherine Gard- ner, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Germar descent, the former of whom was born in 1802, and died in Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, in 1863, and the latter, born June 19, 1809, died at Columbus Grove, Ohio, April 16, 1887. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and was a militia captain at an early day. b: religion he was a Presbyterian, while his wife was ar adherent of the Lutheran faith. Herry Gard- ner was born in Richland county, Ohio, Jun: 18, 1840, and from the age of eighteen years until 1890 followed the trade of blacksmith, and then became a merchant. In 1850 the father of Henry, Samuel Gardner, moved with his family to Mercer county, Ohio, bought an improved farm, remained there eight years, then passed two years in Wayne county, and finally settled at Bluffton. Here Henry Gard- ner enlisted, in 1861, in the Fourth Ohio cavalry, served three years in the army of the Cumberland, and was honorably discharged at Cincinnati, Ohio. Ile was married m 1866. engaged in hotel keeping at Columbus Grove, Ohio, about a year, and then settled in Vaughnsville. He has served as township trustee, as treasurer of the school district, and in 1880 as census taker; he is now serving his
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second year as commander of G. A. R. post, No. 192. He married Miss Angelina Calhoun, who was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, Oc- tober 24, 1845, a daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Calhoun, and to this union were born five daughters, viz: Minnie, Carrie, Zoe (Mrs. Edwards), Maud and Blanche.
J. Edwards, the father of our subject, was was an early settler and a prominent farmer of Sugar Creek township, but is now retired from active business. He was born in the northern part of Wales May 30, 1824, a son of Josiah and Margaret (Jones) Edwards. He sailed for America in 1861, landed at New York, passed six months at Utica, that state, and the same year reached Allen county, Ohio, where he farmed on rented land for eight years; in 1869 he came to Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, and bought the eighty-acre tract of raw land where he still lives, but has developed into a first-class farm. In the beginning there were but two acres cleared, on which there was a rough log house, but now the whole tract is under fence, is tilled throughout, and the old log cabin is replaced by a substantial modern two-story frame dwelling, and the commodious barn and out-buildings, supple- mented with a fine orchard, all combine to make the place a most desirable home. His wife, Susan, is a daughter of John and Mary (Edwards) Breese, and was born in Wales in 1826; there their marriage took place in 1850, and their first child was born January 24, 1851, but died in this country November 8, 1853; their second child, Margaret, born in America, April 24, 1856, and ched January 20, 1881, was married to B. F. Thomas, bore one child (Josiah Thomas, who has been reared by his grandfather since five years of age); the third child, Joseph B., was born November 27, 1859, and is now a prominent farmer and trustee of ' ship; Lizzie, the wife of Herman Minnick, of Sugar Creek township, the fourth child, Mary
of T. S. Williams, a farmer, and the fifth child is John W., whose name opens this sketch. The father of this family has proven loyal to his adopted country, as he enlisted, in 1864, in the 100-day service of the Ohio vol- unteer infantry, and filled out his term in Maryland and in Washington, D. C .; he re- ceived an honorable discharge at Columbus, Ohio, and for rheumatism contracted in the service he now receives a small pension. Mr. Edwards has always been a republican in pol- itics, but never an office-seeker, yet, as a mat- ter of public duty, he has filled the office of township trustee and other minor positions. He and his family are devoted members of the Congregational church, and few people in the township enjoy a higher degree of respect than they. It is related of Mr. Edwards that when he left Wales he borrowed money to pay pass- age from his minister, and that all his wealth has been made since coming to America, these facts proving two important points, viz: that Mr. Edwards stood in good repute in his na- tive land, and that he is a worthy citizen of his adopted country.
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