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 1 > Part 15
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Madison W. Alexander was engaged in farming until his enlistment, April 19, 1861, in company A, Twentieth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, for three months, receiving an honor- able discharge at Lima, July 23, 1861. Iņ September, 1861, he again enlisted, entering company B, Eighty-first Ohio infantry, for
three years. He afterward, having filled ont his teri, veteranized, received a thirty-day furlough home, and served until honorably discharge at Camp Dennison July 25, 1865. Among the many battles in which he took part were Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Atlanta, Resaca, Buzzard's Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, Jones- boro and others, and was then with Sherman on the great march to the sea, fonght at Ben- tonville, went clear through to the culmina- tion, and took part in the grand review at Washington, D. C. His military record, it may be said to his honor, is as long as that of any volunteer from Allen county. September 24, 1885, Mr. Alexander married, at Elida, Ohio, Miss Mahala Sherrick, who was born November 27, 1853, a daughter of Samuel and Barbara (Stemen) Sherrick, and to this happy union have been born five children, viz: John L., Cloyd, Carl H., and Earl and Myrl (twins). Mr. and Mrs. Alexander are sincere members of the United Brethren church and in politics Mr. Alexander is a republican. He has been a man of industrious habits, owns seven acres of the homestead and eighty acres in Hancock county, and has an untarnished reputation, both as a soldier and citizen.
EV. JOSEPH D. ALLEN, one of the best known and also one of the lead- ing residents of German township, is the son of George W. and Patience (Lakin) Allen. The father was born in Rock- ingham county, Va., in 1815, and died March 16, 1879; the mother was born in Ohio in May, 1819, and is yet living and a resident of German township.
Joseph D. Allen was born in Hocking county, Ohio, December 6, 1838. His boy- hood was spent in farming and his education obtained in the district schools of the old log school-house of the carly day. When a boy
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of about seventeen years of age he came to Allen county with his parents, in 1856, when they located in German township. He re- mained at home until twenty-one years of age, assisting in clearing up the home farm. De- cember 31, 1859, he was married to Miss Catherine Shock, daughter of Peter and Mary (Boyd) Shock, both natives of Mercer county, Ohio. She was born in Coshocton connty, Ohio, May 21, 1837. The newly married couple located in Amanda township, where they bought fifty-three acres of timberland, erected a log house and established their first home. Here they remained four years, when they sold the place and bought forty-seven acres in sec- tion No. 15, where they lived for twelve years, making many improvements- erecting build- ings, putting out an orchard, ect. This place they sold and purchased eighty acres in section No. 32-a partially cleared farm-on which they now live and engaged in general farming and stockraising, and keeping a fine draft stal- lion. Mr. Miller is a stanch prohibitionist and a member of the radical branch of the United Brethren church, in which he has been a local preacher for the past thirty years. Rev. Allen and wife are the parents of six children living and seven deceased: James R., Amos F., Charles W., John L., all deceased; William 1., Emma T., Elmer W. ; Hanson R. and Elias K., (twins)-the latter deceased; Isaac A. and Anna B., both also deceased; Emry F., and Patience N., deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are among the most highly re- spected citizens of the county. As remarked, Mr. Allen is a thoroughgoing prohibitionist and cast the first vote for that party in German township, and has for years been a faithful worker in the cause of temperance. He has been a delegate to the two last state conven- tions and is always on hand and active at the county conventions. He was a soldier in the late rebellion, enlisting in May, 1864, in comt-
pany B, One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio vol- unteer infantry. His company was stationed on the Maryland side of the fortifications at Washington, and he participated near the Fort Reno skirmish line one day and night. He was mustered out at Camp Chase, Colum- bus, Ohio, Angust 27, 1864.
George W. Allen, the father of Rev. J. D. Allen, whose biography appears above, was born in Loudoun county, Va., September 8, 1813, and was the son of Joseph and Mary (King) Allen, who were of old Virginia stock. Mr. Allen was one of a large family of children, of which but six lived to manhood and woman- hood. When he was eight years old the fam- ily came to Fairfield county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood -living on a farm-and where he married, on June 23, 1833, Miss Patience Lakin, who was a native of Fairfield county and born near Rushville, May 22, 1817. She was the daughter of Daniel and Theodosia Lakin, who came from Cumberland county, Pa. The father was a carpenter, shoemaker and miller, and plied at times all of these oc- cupations. He died in Fairfield county. Mrs. Allen came of a family of seven children, four of whom are now living. She was reared in Fairfield county and remained there two years after her marriage, and then, with her family, came to Hocking county, Ohio, whence, after six years' residence, they moved to Perry county, where they lived twelve years, then returned to Fairfield county, and in the spring of 1856 came to Allen county and bought a farm of 160 acres in German township, where they made their home and where Mrs. Allen now lives, at the age of seventy-eight years. The husband died March 16, 1878, a devout member of the United Brethren church, deeply respected and loved by a large circle of friends. A family of fourteen children were born to them: Mary E. ; James Q., deceased, died at Jeffersonville, Ind., January 11, 1865; he was
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a soldier in the Ninety-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry, having served almost three years; Levi T .; Joseph D .; Savilla, deceased; Moses; Sarah, deceased; Samuel, deceased; was a soldier in the Civil war and served in the Thirty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and was killed June 18, 1863, at Vicksburg, Miss. ; George A .; Isaac A .; Theodosia, deceased; Leander; Emma J. and Patience A.
P ETER ALTHAUS, one of the proprie- tors of the Bhiffton Planing mills, and a highly respected citizen of Allen county, springs from sturdy German · stock on his father's side of the family. He is a son of David and Mary A. (Kilchorfer) Althaus, the latter being of Swiss descent. David Althaus, the father of the subject, was born in canton Berne, Switzerland, and when about twenty years of age emigrated therefrom to the United States. Ile settled in Wayne county, Ohio, and there was married to Mary A. Kilchorfer, by whom he became the father of six children that grew to mature years, as follows: David, John, Elizabeth, Peter, Abra- ham and Christian. The farm upon which Mr. Althans settled, in Wayne county, was at the time a complete wilderness, nothing hav- ing been done upon it in the way of clearing. Thus he was one of the pioneer settlers of that county, and gradually became one of its sub- stantial and prominent farmers. He had 120 acres of good land, well improved. He was a member of the Mennonite church, and died when eighty-six years of age.
Peter Althans, the subject of this sketch, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on his father's farm, May 8, 1841, and received the education common to the children of the pioneers of that carly day. Having learned the carpenter's trade, he went to Moniteau county, Mo., where he followed his trade until
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1869, when he returned to Ohio, in the fall of that year. Ile here engaged alone in carpen- tering and contracting at Bluffton, Allen county, until the fall of 1872, when, in part- nership with Peter Oberly, he erected the present planing mill, in which this firm manu- factures all kinds of dressed limber, doors, sash and blinds, and all kinds of house wood- work, ornamental porches, etc. In 1883 Mr. Oberly sold his interest in the business to P. & A. Althans, the firm name then becoming P. Althaus & Bro, and in 1886 Althans Bros. sold to Frederick Geiger and this firm became well-known as a reliable one throughout the county; in 1896 Mr. Geiger sold to Althaus, Ewing & Co.
Mr. Althans, in 1875, married Christiana Steiner, who was born in 1846 in Wayne county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Christian L. Steiner. To Mr. and Mrs. Althaus there have been born five children, as follows: Amos J., William H., Mary E., Florence A., and Wilbur R. Both parents of these five children are members of the Mennonite church, and highly respected people. Mr. Althans is a democrat in politics and has served for five years as a member of the school board. Mr. Althaus owns a fine residence in Bluffton, be- side other valuable real estate in the city, in ad- dition to his mill property. He also owns an interest in the shoe store of Baumgartner, Eiger & Co., and an interest in two farins. Altogether he is one of the most substantial and reliable citizens of Bluffton, and is highly re- garded because of the known integrity of his character and the excellence of his family.
A SHTON BROTHERS .- One of the well-known business firms of Spen- cerville, Ohio, is that of S. L. & 11. M. Ashton. They are of English I descent, their father's parents coming from
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Lincolnshire, England, to America in 1831. Their mother's parents came from New York state, settling in Hardin county, Ohio, when it was but little more than an unbroken wilder- ness, here endured the hardships of a pioneer life, and lived to a ripe old age. The broth- ers (Ashton) were born in Lima, Ohio, the elder in 1863 and the younger in 1867. They were given the advantage of a common-school education, of which they ever availed them- selves to the fullest extent. S. L. Ashton started at sixteen years of age to learn the printing trade, and, after mastering it, went into the Merchants National bank, where he remained for three years, and there acquired a knowledge of banking and book-keeping. In 1885 the brothers came to Spencerville, July Ist, and took charge of the Spencerville Jour- nal, which was a very badly dilapidated and practically a bankrupt concern. After resusci- tating the paper and putting it fairly on its feet, and operating it for four years, they sold it and began casting around for another loca- tion, but failing to find one they opened a dry- goods house, and, although inexperienced, they operated one of the most successful mercan- tile houses in Spencerville. This business they followed for four years, when, at the beginning of Harrison's administration, the senior brother was appointed postmaster, which position he very satisfactorily filled for nearly four years, when ill health compelled him to resign and seek a change of climate, which he did, going to California and returning greatly improved.
The younger brother, H. M. Ashton, acted as assistant postmaster during the okler broth- er's term of office. Before this time they had organized the Spencerville Home & Savings association, which became one of the champion institutions of the town and now holds first mortgage loans, exceeding in value $75,000. In August, 1893, the brothers again became owners of the Spencerville Journal, and by
hard work and earnest application have made it one of the best local newspapers in north- western Ohio.
The Ashton brothers are enthusiastic champions of all improvements, take an active part in public affairs, and, being large real estate holders, their taxes practically aid in the building up of the town. H. M. Ashton, the junior brother, was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Harbison, a daughter of Dr. Harbison, one of the oldest practitioners of Allen county. He was the founder of the Spencerville Stave factory, which gave the place its first business . impulse. The senior brother is known all over northwest Ohio as the " Bachelor Editor, " and is the the butt of many a good-natured thrust at his single blessedness from the newspaper fraternity. It is a satisfaction to write of men who have in so pronounced a manner come to the front and substantially remained there. As the pen is mightier than the sword, so, too, are pluck, energy and perserverance, in comparison with the inheritance of greatness or fortune.
a APT. JOHN. AKERMAN, one of the most gallant soldiers of the late Civil war and now a prominent farmer of Jackson township, Allen county, Ohio, is a native .of the county, was born May 12, 1838, and is of sturdy German descent, his paternal great-grandfather having been the first of the family to come to America. John Akerman, son of this hardy immigrant and grandfather of our subject, was a thrifty farmer of Cumberland county, Pa., where he married Miss Nancy Baird, and later came to Ohio, settling in Perry county, where he and wife passed their pure and simple lives, both dying in the faith of the Presbyterian church --- the father, in his politics, being a democrat.
William Akerman, son of John and Nancy (Baird) Akerman, and the father of our sub-
JOHN AKERMAN.
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OF ALLEN COUNTY.
ject, Capt. John Akerman, was born in Cum- berland county, Pa., April 17, 1810, and was but five years of age when brought to Perry county, Ohio. There he grew to manhood, when he went to Morgan county, and met and married, May 9, 1833. Miss Keziah Carroll, who was born in Morgan county, May 17, 1814, a daughter of Andrew and Letitia (Beech) Carroll, who came from Pennsylvania and were the parents of the unusually large family of thirteen children, viz: Sam B., Nancy (de- ceased), John, William H. (deceased), Maria J., Andrew (deceased), James M., Mary S., David (deceased), Albert J., Newton, Letitia (deceased) and Keziah. In 1834, William Akerman came to Allen county, entered 120 acres of land in the forests of Jackson town- ship; and, being an industrious, intelligent, and skillful woodsman and farmer, was successful in bringing this tract under cultivation and in adding to it until he accumulated 254 acres. He was very popular with the democratic party, held all the township offices, and for four full terms filled the office of county com- missioner, and it was during his inenmbency of the last-named office that the first county in- firmary was established. William Akerman had one brother, John, and two sisters, Maria and Jane; Mrs. Akerman had three sisters, Margaret, Sabina and Ruth, and these consti- tnted all the members of their respected families.
When William Akerman came to Allen county, in 1834, he and his wife, with their first-born babe, were conveyed hither in a wagon drawn by a small yoke of oxen, which, with a cow and $io in cash, constituted his worldly possessions. The use he made of this small capital has already been explained. He tanght a few terms of school after his arrival, more as an aid in the education of the children of his neighbors than for any pecuniary profit to be derived therefrom. Although he had
accepted the public position named above, also as a matter of public duty, he steadfastly re- fused to accept a nomination for the office of representative of this county in the state legis- lature. He was a master Mason and a char- ter member of Sager lodge, No. 513, and a member of the Patrons of Husbandry. He and wife were also charter members of La- Fayette Christian church, in which he was a deacon, and was a trustee during the erection of the church edifice of that place. In this austere faith his wife passed away February 27, 1887, and he October 9, 1878.
John Akerman, the subject proper of this biography, was thoroughly trained to the vo- cation of farming and had his thews and sin- ews developed to the arduous labor necessary to the development of a frontier farm. At the age of about twenty years he married, Oc- tober 31, 1858, Miss Sarah A. Fisher, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, September 15, 1840, a daughter of Christian and Eve (Stumbaugh) Fisher. Christian Fisher was for over thirty years a resident of Perry county, and in 1855 came to Allen county and became quite a wealthy farmer. He was a democrat in politics and a faithful member of the Enth- eran church, in which faith he died August 21, 1864, and February 1, 1887, was followed to the grave by his faithful wife, who died in the same faith. To the union of Christian and Eve Fisher were born the following children: Joseph; Margaret, wife of Jackson Zartman; Mary, deceased wife of G. W. Zartman; Eve, deceased wife of Sam Ackerman; Charles; Sarah A., Mrs. Capt. Akerman; Catherine, Hannah, Frank and William, all four de- ceased. To the union of Capt. Akerman and his wife have been born ten children, named as follows: Norton J., William N., Enuna M., Eugene, Charles H. (deceased), Loran E., John J. (deceased), Junetta, Newton and Cora - the last named also deceased.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
John Akerman, while yet a young married man, enlisted at La Fayette, Allen county, January 4, 1862, in company 1, Forty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was under Gen. Sherman nearly four years, campaigning in the states of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. He fought at Pittsburg Land- ing (Shiloh), siege of Corinth, siege of Vicks- burg, Jackson, siege of Knoxville, at Mission- ary Ridge, through the entire Atlanta cam- paign, at Dalton, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain (at which point he had four rifle balls shot through his clothing and cartridge box in the grand assault), against Hood in his first sortie from Atlanta, at Jonesboro (Ga.), at Lovejoy Station, at Griswoldville, Savan- nah, Bentonville, and at every historical event in which his regiment took part. He was in the grand review at Washington, D. C., and was a witness of the fact that Gen, Sherman refused to shake the proffered hand of Secre- tary Stanton, while passing the grand stand. The line of promotion of private Akerman for faithful attention to duty and meritorions con- duct in face of the enemy was as follows: To sergeant in May, 1863, at La Grange, Tenn., at which point he was lying dangerously ill in hospital of congestive chills; having veteran- ized at Scottsboro, Ala., January 4, 1864; he was commissioned first lieutenant, September 7, 1864, and, having had the command of his company thereafter, was brevetted captain. He was first honorably discharged December 31, 1863, at Scottsboro, Ala., not for the rea- son that his term had expired but that he intended to re-enlist; next, he was honorably discharged on the seventh day of September, 1864, at East Point, Ga., on account of being commissioned first lientenant, and finally hon- orably discharged, July 22, 1865, at Lonis- ville, Ky., for the reason that the war had come to a close.
Capt. Akerman was a charter member of
Dexter-Gilbert post, No. 206, G. A. R .; is a member of Sager lodge, No. 513, F. & A. M., of which he had been the worshipful master, and is a member of Jackson grange, P. of H. At the first re-mion of his regiment, held at Van Wert, Ohio, September 10, 1879, he was chosen first chairman. While a resident of Washington township, Hardin county, Ohio, where he resided from 1865 until 1872, he was township trustee and after his removal to Latty township, Paulding county, he was trustee for five years, justice of the peace three years, and land appraiser one year. In 1879 he was elected county commis- sioner from Jackson township, Allen county, and filled the office six years, and during his terms the county infirmary was remodeled and the county children's home was built at a cost of $50,000, and.a large room added to the conrthouse. Capt. Akerman is a member of the Christian church and has served as presi- dent of the Northwestern Ohio Christian con- ference. He is a member of the George A. Taylor command of Union Veterans at Lima, Allen county, Ohio. He has a farm of eighty acres, formerly belonging to his father, delight- fully situated one mile east of LaFayette, Allen county, and improved to the utmost in every respect, and here he is passing away his days-one of the most honored men of Allen connty.
3 OHN N. BAILEY, one of the leading representative men of Ohio, is by pro- fession a banker and an attorney at law. He was born in Maulton town- ship, Allen county, Ohio, though now a part of Auglaize county, September 3, 1839, and was the eldest of five sons born to Christopher and Nancy (Noble) Bailey. His grandparents were natives of Virginia and of good old Quaker stock, their family dating back in church rela-
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OF ALLEN COUNTY.
tions to the reign of King Charles II. The father, Christopher Bailey, was born in Vir- ginia in September, 1807, being the son of Thomas and Mary (Timberlake; Bailey, who were also natives of Virginia and of good old English stock. The grandfather, Thomas Bailey, removed with his small family to High- land county, Ohio, in 1808, in which county they became pioneers and were interested in agricultural pursuits during the remainder of their days. They experienced all the priva- tions of pioneer life, and here, in the woods, reared their family and became first among the well-known and highly popular citizens of the neighborhood.
Christopher Bailey was scarcely a year old when his parents immigrated to Highland county, Ohio, where he was reared to man- hood upon a farm, and received his education mainly in the subscription school of that day. He early in life studied civil engineering, which profession he followed occasionally at local work, and also taught school during the win- ter seasons for several years. He remained in Highland county, Ohio, until twenty-eight years of age (1835), when he migrated to Allen county, Ohio, and entered 160 acres of land in what was then Maulton township, but now belongs to Anglaize county. Here he forged from the forest a good farm, upon which he lived and enjoyed many of the comforts and pleasures of this life, rearing his family to man and womanhood, and upon which he died. He was one of the prominent men of his township and served in some of the minor offices, such as justice of the peace and town treasurer; politeally he affiliated with the whig party. He was reared by Quaker parents and adhered to their faith until middle age, when he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was a prominent worker until his death. He was twice married, the first time choosing Miss Phebe Baker for his companion;
she died a few years later, leaving two sons, viz .: Jacob, now a resident of the state of lowa, and Walter, deceased. For his second companion he chose Mss Nancy Noble, who at that time was a resident of Mercer county, Ohio, having been born in Clinton county in September, 1815: by this marriage they be- came the parents of five sons, namely: John N., the immediate subject of this sketch; Girard, a physician and farmer of Mercer county, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, from which he was mustered out as captain; Joshua, also a soldier in the late war, a mem- ber of company B, Ninety-ninth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and was killed in battle in Saint Paris, Ky. ; Greene, a fariner of Auglaize county, and Elisha, deceased in carly manhood. This old couple went hand in hand down life's journey, living to see their family all grown to manhood and established in life, the mother dying in 1888, and the father in the spring of t891, having both been highly esteemed citizens wherever known.
John N. Bailey, the subject of this sketch, remained at home on the farm until seventeen years of age, when he began working at the carpenter trade, and continued in this until twenty-four years of age -- teaching meanwhile three winters-and in all doing a large amount of public work as bridge builder for railroad, etc. About this time he began reading law, and in the winters of 1880-81-82, attended the Cincinnati School of law, graduating in 1882, in which year he began the practice of his profession in Spencerville, to which he has since given his entire attention. He enjoys a large and herative practice .the largest, with- out doubt, in Allen county, outside of the city of Lima. In i891, in company with his son-in- law, Austin Britton, established the Farmers' Bank of Spencerville, which is now doing a large business, with Mr. Bailey as president and Mr. Britton as cashier.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Mr. Bailey is slso an extensive farmer, being the owner of 440 acres of good farmland in Spencer and Amanda townships, operated as stock farms. Mr. Bailey, in 1889, made a trip to Europe, and he has otherwise traveled extensively and is an intelligent and trustworthy observer. It has been his aim to keep himself in touch with the times and fully abreast with current events. Politically he is a republican to the core, and desires nothing better than the republican party to interpret his political views. He is a Mason, a member of Acadia lodge, No. 306, and a Knight of Pythias of Spencerville lodge, No. 251. Mr. Bailey has been twice married, his first wife having been Miss Minerva Babber, who died at the age of thirty-six years, leaving seven children: Mary A., Minnie, Alice (deceased), Emma, Charles F., Lilian and Arthur H. Mr. Bailey was married the second time, in 1879, to Mrs. Hannah Caklwell of Darke county. The family are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church and Mrs. Bailey is superintendent of the Sunday-school. It would be fulsome to add more to this sketch. A good wine needs no bush, so does a good man need no spoken praise. His deeds are his best friends; his actions his stanchest champions.
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