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 44
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bears, wolves and deer and small game were plentiful. Mr. Shenk located in Greensburg township and went hard to work to erect a small log house for his family and to clear a place where he could raise something for their immediate necessities. By hard and faithful work he finally had a farm cleared for himself, and this he continued to improve until he had one of the best in that section; he was an ac- tive member of the Menonnite church and a prominent and public-spirited citizen. His death occurred in October, 1885, his wife sur- viving him nearly four years, dying April 19, 1889. Their family consisted of seven chil- dren, Mary, the wife of the subject of this sketch, being the eldest; Jonas, deceased; Nancy, the widow of Daniel Hoover, of Indi- ana; Michael, deceased; Barbara and Fannie, still live on the old home place, and Sophia, the wife of Joseph T. Crow, a farmer of Pahner township.
After his marriage, Mr. Prowant, the sub- ject of our biographical sketch, took his young wife to the old Prowant homestead, where he took charge of the entire farm, relieving his parents of the most of their duties. After the death of his father, in 1867, he purchased the old homestead place and live there until 1883, when he moved to a piece of uncleared land, which he purchased in 1863, six months after his marriage-a son purchasing his former home, the original Prowant home. Having moved upon the new land, he set resolutely to work clearing it, living in a log cabin for several years. By hard work, carly and late, he was soon able to see fine fields of grain standing where but a short time before stood nothing but large forest trees. He continued to improve his farmi and soon could boast of one of the best tilled farms in the township. In 1887 he built a fine large barn, and the fol- lowing year his present large and commodious two-story house. In 1895 he built another
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large barn to hold his ever-increasing harvests. Every year he added to his improvements, but all his prosperity has not been without some reverses. On March 9, 1872, he lost his home and entire contents by fire, and again, Angust 20, 1883, fire visited him, his barn being struck by lightning and destroyed, but he had the latter covered by insurance except about $800. These fires occurred while living on the old homestead. These losses did not discourage him, but he set to work more resolutely to re- trieve them, and the prosperous looks of every- thing about the place show that he has fully done so. He has 120 acres under cultivation, and it is considered one of the especially good farms in this township. He makes a specialty of raising short-horned cattle, Poland China . hogs and horses of the higher grades. Politi- cally he is a stanch republican and has been intrusted with the office of township trustee for four terms. He has also been a member of the school board for a number of years and takes an active interest in all things that are for the good of the neighborhood. He is not a member of any church, although his wife is member of the Menonnite church, to which he he gives liberally. He is a thoroughly self- made man, having begun life with only a team of horses, which he had paid for by the savings of many months of hard labor, working by the month. He is prominent and influential in the neighborhood and is known as one of the most progressive farmers in the township. His family consists of six children: Noah W., druggist of Dupont; Joseph C., who farms the old Myers place in Greensburg township, and with him Mrs. Prowant's two maiden sisters live; Jacob D., a farmer of Perry township, owning and living on the original Prowant homestead, where his father was born; Henry Orlando, a farmer at home; Elizabeth E., the only daughter, who still lives at home, and Michael 19., also at home.
DMUND F. QUAINTANCE, one of the younger but prominent and rising young farmers of Pahner township, Putnam county, is a native of Craw- ford county, Ohio, born March 28, 1863, and is of sterling English stock. His great-great- grandfather was drafted, in England, into the British army and was sent over to America to assist in subduing the Revolutionary colonists, but seeing the injustice of the English canse, deserted it and joined the army of the patriots. After independence was gained, he settled in Chester county, Pa., and engaged in farming, dying there, in the faith of the Friends' so- ciety, and in politics a whig. His son, Joseph Quaintance, great-grandfather of our subject, was born in Chester county, Pa., was reared to farming, married Susannah Lambourn, and then came to Ohio with wife and children and located in Jefferson county, but late in 1829, moved to Crawford county, where he cleared up a farm from the wilderness, and where he and wife both passed the remainder of their lives. They, also, were members of the so- ciety of Friends. In politics he was an old- line whig. Fisher Onaintance, our subject's grandfather, was also a native of Chester county, Pa., born in 1792, was a cooper by trade, but mostly followed farming after com- ing to Ohio, clearing up 160 acres from the wilderness. He married Sarah Irey, who was born in Loudoun county, Va., in 1291, a daughter of Philip and Hannah Irey. Fisher Quaintance, like his forefathers, was also a whig, but voted for Abraham Lincoln for pres- ident of the United States. To the marriage of Fisher and Sarah Quaintance were born the following children: Ann, Eli P., Hannah, Ira, Susanna, Dawson, George E. and Charles R. (twins), and Sarah J.
Dawson Quaintance, the father of Edmund F., our subject, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, June 22, 1826, was reared a farmer, and
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was married December 31, 1850, to Catherine Ferrell, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, February 23, 1833, a daughter of Edmund and Nancy (Eaton) Ferrell. To this union have been born the following children: Hiran, who died in infancy; Minerva, who died an infant; Nancy M., deceased; Fisher D., Ed- mund F., Ben T., and Santford A .- the last named also deceased. To this family may be added the names of Ural L. and Vinton O., two grandchildren, whom Mr. Onaintance is rearing, their mother being dead. Mr. and Mrs. Dawson Quaintance lived for four years in Crawford county after marriage and then moved to Iowa, where they remained eight years; then returned to Ohio and lived in Crawford county four years; then to Allen county, and finally settled in Palmer township, Putnam county, on their present farin, in 1876. This tract was little better than a huge frog pond when Mr. Quaintance took possession, but by industry and the application of the im- proved draining system and the use of proper agricultural implements, he has converted it into as fine a sixty-acre farin as there is in the county. Mr. Quaintance is a devout mem- ber of the church of Christ, of which he has been a deacon and trustee for many years, and in politics he has for the past two years affil- iated with the populist party.
Edmund F. Quaintance, the subject proper of the sketch, has been always engaged in farming since his early youth, and few of his age are better advanced in the calling. Jan- mary 6, 1884. he married Miss Delilah Rigg, a native of Palmer township, Putnam comity, born January 7, 1861, daughter of Mahlon and Mary A. (Cox) Rigg, of Pahner township, the father being a substantial farmer. Im- mediately on his marriage Mr. Onaintance set- tied on lus present forty acres, and by con- stant attention and indomitable industry has placed it on a favorable comparison with any
farm of considerable proportions in the town- ship. In politics Mr. Quaintance is a populist. But the subject in which Mr. Quaintance is most absorbed is the church of Christ, of which he is now an elder, and also a trustee, clerk, superintendent of Sunday-school and teacher; he is also treasurer of the township Sunday- school association and a member of the com- mittee on program, as well as a member of the building committee of his church, and in the last-named capacity has displayed great zeal and activity in collecting funds for church use. He is successful in his good work, for the rea- son that his heart is in it.
J OHN RAABE was born in the village of Lander, Germany, October 10, 1828, a son of Conrad and Eva Elizabeth (Stemmler) Raabe, a full record of whom is given in the biography of Henry C. Raabe, following. John Raabe was not quite four years of age when brought to America, with his father Conrad, who, with John Discher, was the first German to settle in Putnam county, Ohio. The family landed in New York, October 7, 1832, and reached Fort Jen- nings February 11, 1833, John Raabe, our subject, who had been baptized in the German Reform church two days after birth, bringing his certificate of baptisin with him -a document lie still has in his possession. Our subject was of course too young to remember the voyage across the ocean, but he does remember that his father and John Discher at first lived, on arrival, in the cabin of Jim Thatcher, an Ameri- can pioneer, a half-mile south of Fort Jen- nings, where they remained for two months, or until they could put up their own cabins. Raabe and Discher were married to sisters, and both settled on the same tract m the woods, but lived in separate cabins. There was but
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
one log house at Fort Jennings, and that was occupied, Mr. Raabe thinks, by Edward Ladd; the Harris family lived a half mile north of the fort, and the widow Walton family, American, one mile northeast; Henry Boda, a Virginia Dutchman, lived abont three and a half miles north of Fort Jennings at Hedrick's ford. An American family by the name of Stuck lived abont one mile south of the fort, and about a half mile further south lived Norman Washburn; another settler, either a Mr. Miller or a Mr. Harter, lived near Washburn, and south of him the Cochrans had been settled since 1821.
John Raabe had but slight educational ad- vantages in the wilderness of Jennings township and thinks that he attended the first school taught at Fort Jennings. He had to learn to clear land, to farm, to turn his hand to car- pentry, to mill building, to butchering, and other pioneer pursuits in order to live in com- fort. Deer were plentiful, and he has seen as many as sixteen in a drove on the Little Au- glaize river, coming from the Sulphur springs. At the age fourteen years he killed his first deer, but many subsequently fell before his deadly aim -- he at times killing as many as three in a day-and also killing wild turkeys innumerable. In fact, the pionecers lived largely on game and fish, with which latter An- glaize river was bountifully supplied and which were easily captured.
The marriage of Mr. Raabe took place November 22, 1853, with Martha E. Discher, who was born February 3, 1835, at Fort Jen- nings, a daughter of John and Maria (Hedrick) Discher, of whom more may be read in the biography of Sigmond Rekart, on another page. John Hedrick was a German, who, when single, came to America with John Discher and located at Fort Jennings. He married a widow, Mrs. Catherine Wellman, a German lady, with one child Charles. To the union of John and Catherine (Wellman)
Hedrick were born six children, viz: William, John, George, Louis, Phoeny and Malinda. John Hedrick, after living with his father-in- law for a short time, settled at Hedrick's ford, four miles north of Fort Jennings, on the Auglaize river, where he cleared np a good farm from the woods. He was an upright, industrious pioneer and a member of the Luth- eran church, while his wife was a devout Cath- olic. He lived on his farm until his death in 1884, dying an honored and venerated man at the age of seventy-nine years, ten months and eight days,
After his marriage John Raabe settled on his present farm of ninety acres in the wild woods, seventy acres of which farm he bought from Joseph Rekart, and twenty acres from Frederick Schuerman- the latter clears'- but all now converted into as fine : farm as any of its size in the township. He lived in , hewn log house for twenty-four years, but in 1877 built a modern frame dwelling, which for com- fort, convenience and appearance will compare favorably with the homes of his neghbors. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Raabe have been born eleven children, named as follows: John W., Annie, Louisa, Harmon, Lena, Al- bert (died at nine years), Arnolds, Emma A. (who died at the age of five years), Mary, Julia and Lizzie -- all born on the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Raab : are Lutheran in religion, and assisted with their means to build the first Lutheran church at Fort Jennings, m which he has held the office of trustee. In politics Mr. Raabe is a democrat, and has been hon- ored by his party with a number of offices, in- cluding that of township treasurer eleven years, township trustee several years, constable ten years, and supervisor for several terms. Mr. Raabe is a typical pioneer, is thoroughly hon- est, and it is an bonor to his descendants to have sprung from so worthy a sire as this, one of the first German settlers of Putnam county.
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OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
ENRY C. RAABE, of Jennings town- ship, Putnam county, Ohio, is a son of Henry Raabe, who was a son of one of the two original German set- tlers of Putnam county-Conrad Raabe, the father of Henry, being one, and John Discher the other. Conrad Raabe was born March 18, 1783, in the village of Lenderscheit, Germany, and was the eldest of a family of five children born to Henry and Catherine Elizabeth (Miller) Raabe, viz: Conrad, Christian, Henry, Henry (second) and Catherine E. The parents were farmers and owned fifty-three acres of land in their own right, which was quite an estate, as things existed in the old country. Henry and his family were members of the German Re- form church, in the faith of which he died, at the age of seventy-three years, in 1833.
Conrad Raabe, the father of Henry, was married at the age of twenty-eight, in his na- tive village, to Miss Eva Elizabeth Stemmler, by whom he had seven children, viz: Cather- ine E., who died at two and one-half years; Henry C., Henry (second), Annie E., Annie C., John and Christian. On the 9th of July, 1832, Conrad Raabe left the old country, with his wife and small family, in company with John Discher, a sketch of whose family will be found in connection with that of Mr. Boehmer on an- other page, sailing from Bremen in the good ship Germany, and landing, after a passage of seventy-three days, in the port of New York, October 7, 1832. From New York they went by steamer to Philadelphia, and thence by a six-horse freight wagon to Pittsburg, Pa., thence to Dayton, Ohio, thence to Pickaway county, and eventually reached Fort Jennings February 11, 1883. They found a deserted log house and a log stable on a clearing of about ten acres that had partly grown to brush -the log house then standing on the site of the present residence of Charles A. King, and the log stable occupying the present site of
Amos Boehmer's barn. The old cemetery was east of the old log house and south of the present farm of Charles A. King, and on the east side of the present road, and in this old cemetery the grave of Col. Jennings was marked by two upright posts connected with two rails, and there was a cluster, beside, of ten or twelve graves.
Conrad Raabe settled one-half a mile south of Fort Jennings on the farm now occupied by Mr. Dickman, and there resided until 1834, and then lived on the land of Henry Joseph Boehmer, one-quarter of a mile southeast of Fort Jennings. Both the places were in the woods, and a patch on each had to be cleared before any crop could be raised. The first year Mr. Raabe and his two sons, Henry and Henry (second), assisted by the mother, cleared up three acres of the last-named place, and in June of 1833 put in a crop of corn, with good results, and for some time the family lived on corn bread and game. There were some few settlers on the Auglaize river, and Thaddeus Harris and his son Henry, Americans, lived three-quarters of a mile north of Fort Jen- nings, owning fifteen or twenty acres cleared, and had been there several years. Jim Thatcher lived one-half a mile south of the fort, and had abont thirty acres cleared, and an old Revolutionary soldier, who had settled two miles south, had ten acres cleared, and had a son named Aaron living in the vicinity. These were about all the settlers in the neigh- borhood of Fort Jennings at that time, and there were no settlers at all in Delphos. A man named Henry Boda lived at Hedrick's ford, three and a half miles north, and the Cochrans were settled four miles or so to the south, on the Auglaize river, and had been there since 1821. The Raabe family did not suffer for want of food, and were quite com- fortable in their log cabin. Conrad Raabe and his family were members of the German
2
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Reform church, but there was no preaching of that faith in the neighborhood for several years. About eight years later a Catholic priest came from Minster and held services at Fort Jennings-about 1838- and abont 1843 the Rev. William Fuhrman came from New Bremen in the interest of the Reform church. Mr. Raabe died in this faith August 23, 1854, at the age of seventy-two years. In January, 1845, Conrad Raabe had purchased ninety- four acres of the farm on which our subject, Henry C. Raabe, now lives. He settled on this place in 1842, built a log cabin, cleared mp fifteen acres, and in 1851 sold the place to his son Henry and went to live with his dangh- ter, Annie C., wife of William Rasner, living in Peru, Ind., where his death took place on the day named above.
Henry Raabe, father of our subject, was born November 16, 1815, on the old home- stead in Germany, received a good education in his native land, and through his own efforts and by aid of a spelling-book learned English after reaching this country. He was about seventeen years of age on his arrival here, and still remembers the incidents that occurred on the voyage and the settlement in the wilder- ness of Ohio. He, being the eldest son, set at work to aid in clearing up the land and in mak- ing a farin. At the age of twenty-two, Novem- ber 5, 1837, at Fort Jennings, he married Miss Ann Catherine Peters, who was born Septem- ber 29, 1818, in the same village with himself in Germany, a daughter of Andrew and An Elizabeth (Idia) Peters-old acquaintances. Andrew Peters and his family came to America in 1837, and settled on Jennings creek, pur- chasing a tract of forty acres, which he subse- quently converted into a good farm. He here died at the age of seventy-two years, the father of eight children, viz .: Conrad, Ann C., Eck- hart, Catherine E., Charles, Mary A., Fred- erick and Louis. After his marriage Mr.
Raabe settled on forty acres in the woods one mile north of Fort Jennings. This land he had purchased previously and afterward added to it until he owned eighty-five acres, of which he cleared thirty-five acres. He then sold and bought a portion of his father's place, consisting of ninety-four acres, to which he added thirteen, making a total of 107 acres, all of which he cleared and improved, and by thrift and industry earned sufficient to purchase an additional tract of eighty acres in Monterey township. To Henry Raabe and wife were born ten children, of whom eight grew to man- ' hood and womanhood, as follows: John C., Elizabeth, Eckhart, Mary A., Christian. Philo- mena, Henry C, and Charles. In politics Henry Raabe is a democrat and has beld all the offices in his township except that of con- stable. He and all his family are members of the German Reform church, of which he was one of the organizers in Jennings township; he also assisted in the erection of the church at Delphos, as well as in building the first hewn-log house in the town in 1843. He has probably lived in Putnam conuty longer than any other person within its bounderies, and has always been known and honored for his public spirit and sterling honesty. He possesses one of the most tenacious memories that man was ever endowed with and can withont a moment's hesitation give the date of any public event within his cognizance or any occurrence in his own life. He is esteemed by all who know him and is passing his declining years in blissful peace. His estimable wife was called to rest November 5, 1890, after a mar- ried life of fifty-three years to a day.
Henry C. Raabe, son of above, was born on the homestead in Jennings township Jan- nary 5, 1858, received a good common-school education and was reared a practical farmer. September 12, 1888, at the residence of the bride's parents at Delphos, he was married to
James Patrick
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OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Miss Anna Loeffel, daughter of Frederick and Barbara Loeffel, natives of Germany and the parents of three daughters-Lizzie, Anna and Amelia. This family are all members of the German Reform church and are of the highest respectability. After marriage Mr. Raabe settled on the old place, where he still lives, his marriage having been blessed with three children- Lena, Lucille and Jennie. He and wife are members of the German Reform church; in politics he is a democrat, and has served as supervisor of his township. Frater- nally he is a member of Delphos tribe, No. 138, I. O. R. M. He is the owner of a fine farmi of ninety-six acres, and is one of the most skillful agriculturists in Putnam county, where he is widely known and highly respected.
ILLIAM PATRICK, deceased, was born in Ireland, April 27, 1792, and on first coming to America located in Pennsylvania, whence he moved to Indiana, in which state he lived fourteen years, and then came to Ohio, locating in Knox county -- following his trade of black- smithing in all these places. March 11, 1834, he came to Putnam county and entered 123 acres of land on the river, two miles above Gilboa, in Blanchard township, and here estab- lished a blacksmith shop, and cleared up and improved his land. He had married Nellie Smith, born in Pennsylvania December 8, 1796, and to their union were born eleven children, as follows: Louisa, who was first married to William Coakley, and, after his death, to a Mr. Hope; James; Joseph, deceased; Mary, who was married to a Mr. Rutledge; Catherine, now Mrs. Wesley Ebins; Martha, deceased wife of Simon Frantz; Ellen, wife of John conn; Sarah, wife of Richard Wood; Wilson, of Mielngan; Lucinda, who died in infancy, and Betsey. now Mrs. Simpson. Both parents 23
died on the homestead in Putnam county, the father, May 23, 1862, and the mother, Sep- tember 12, 1888, both deeply mourned by their sorrowing children and an extensive cir- cle of true friends.
James Patrick, the eldest son in the above family, was born September 8, 1817, in Alle- gheny county,- Pa., and in 1834 came with his parents to Blanchard township, Putnam county, Ohio. He lived on the homestead till 1847, then he bought eighty acres in sections 4 and 5, in the same township. This land was in the deep forest and in its primitive condi- tion, but under the usual penalty of hard labor and deprivation, Mr. Patrick succeeded in con- verting it into as fine a farin as there is in the county. Later, Mr. Patrick purchased the old homestead in its entirety, but later sold this to George Wineman, and added forty acres to his own farm, thus extending it to Van Buren township.
The marriage of Mr. Patrick took place August 21, 1842. to Harriet Con, who was born in 1816, a daughter of Thomas Conn, the union resulting in the birth of seven children, as follows: William, who was a soldier in company I, Ninety-ninth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, and died in New Albany, Ind., January, 1863, from the effects of exposure during his service. Thomas, the second child, also died in 1863; Amanda was first married to Lewis Carter, and after his death to Lewis Woodruff; Mary A., wife of James Carnahan; Lucinda, who became the wife of Andrew Criss, but, with her husband, is deceased; Harriet P. is the wife of Jacob Bright, and Martha, who is the wife of John Farrentine. Mr. Patrick has been very prominent in the affairs of Blanch- ard township ever since settling here. In the earlier days he was one of the most lamons hunters and trappers of his section of the country, and has always been popular as a democrat, has filled the office of township trus-
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
tee, and has been an able worker for his party. As an agriculturist he has few equals, and as a citizen he is liberal, enterprising and progressive.
B ENJAMIN P. RADABAUGH, one of the substantial and progressive farni- ers of Ottawa township, Putnam coun- ty, Ohio, was born in Hancock county, July 20, 1833. His father, John M. Rada- baugh, the son of Martin Radabaugh, was born in Virginia, in 1800, and when but three years old his parents brought him to Ohio and set- tled in Licking county, where they were among the very carliest pioneers of that county, and underwent the many hardships and privations incident to opening up a new country. He received his education in a little school-house in the neighborhood and then learned the cooper's trade. About 1823 he married Sophia Fairbanks, a daughter of Samuel Fairbanks. She was born in 1803 in Vermont, her parents, who were also natives of that state, having, in 1814, joined the throng of those crossing the mountains, and settling in Muskingum county, Ohio, where they lived the rest of their lives.
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