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 45
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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 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
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infantry, in which Joseph died after having seen a little more than a year's service; John, liaving also served a year or more, was taken seriously ill, but later fought at Vicksburg, and later died at home. The record of Daniel will be given further on. Henry Mullenhour was always a hard-working man, was a member of the Lutheran church and enjoyed the esteem of all who knew him, and died October 29, 1895, his wife having died twenty-two years ago.
Daniel Mullenhour, our subject, was reared a farmer and received a fair common-school education. In 1862 he enlisted, at Gomer, in company E., Capt. John C. Walters, Ninety- ninth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was enrolled August 12, to serve three years, or during the war. He was in the battle of Stone River and was in all the marches and skirmishes in which his regiment took part for seven months, when he was entirely disabled for duty by an attack of general debility, and was honorably dis- charged at Murfreesboro, March 5, 1863. On his return to Allen county he resumed farming, and October 15, 1865, married Mary Sherrick, a daughter of Henry and Margaret (Stemen) Sherrick, pioneers of Sugar Creek township, Allen county, coming from Fairfield county, and the parents of nine children, of whom four are living and five deceased. Henry Sherrick was a substantial farmer, was much respected by his neighbors, and died after he had passed his eightieth birthday.
After marriage, Mr. Mullenhour lived in Sugar Creek township until 1875, when he came to his present farm in Marion township, of which he has made as fine a homestead as there is of its dimensions in the township. February 4, 1894, Mr. Mullenhour was visited with a sad affliction --- his wife dying on that day, a member of the Mennonite church, a devout Christian, a devoted mother and a faithful helpmate to her husband. Mr. Mul- lenhour has reared a respected family of chil-
dren, who are named as follows: Charles, Lodanne (who died at the age of twenty-six years), Beinna, Henry, Lizzie, Noah, Wesley and Ethel -- all of whom have been well edu- cated. Mr. Mullenhour has been a member of the school board for two years, was a faithful soldier, is a good citizen and is in every respect a desirable acquaintance and neighbor.
J ULIUS CURTIS MUSSER, proprietor of a livery and transfer business in Lima, Ohio, was born in that city, November 15, 1837. He is a son of Daniel and Maria (Mitchell) Musser, the former of whom was a native of Lancaster county, Pa., and the latter a native of Ohio. They were married in Lima, and afterward Mr. Musser engaged in keeping a hotel where the Union block now stands, remaining thus en- gaged for several years and at the same time having charge of several mail routes. Mr. Musser was a very popular citizen, a good man, and died in 1881. His wife had died in 1864. They were the parents of four children, two that died early in their lives, and Harriet, now the widow Harrington, and Julius C., the subject of this sketch. The parents of these four children were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Musser was a republican.
Julius Curtis Musser was reared to manhood in Lima, and received his education in the public schools. When he was ten years old his father engaged in the furniture and under- taking business, and not long afterward he had to assist his father in the store, continuing thus employed until he was twenty-four years of age. His father then sold out and young Julius C. became an employee of the succeed- ing firm, Mitchell & Mahan, with which firm he remained four years. At the end of this period he succeeded Mr. Mahan in the firm,
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and T. T. Mitchell becoming owner of the share previously owned by Uriah Prangle, the firm became Mitchell & Musser, and continued in existence four years. Then Daniel Musser bought the interest of Mr. Mitchell and the firm became Musser & Son, and this firm lasted until the death of the elder Musser in 1881, from which time until 1893 the subject carried on the business alone. At this time he sold the entire business and embarked in the livery and transfer business, in which he is still engaged.
Julius C. Musser was married November 15, 1862, to Henrietta Basehore, who was born in Lima, and by whom he has three children, viz .: Aurelius N., William and Milton J. Mr. Musser is a republican and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is an upright, honorable citizen, highly respected by all.
0 ANIEL MYERS, one of the oldest and most favorably known residents of Allen county, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, May 1, 1827, and was the son of Abraham and Sarah (Conrad) Myers, the father dying in Fairfield county. The mother died in German township, Allen county, in 1877, at the ripe age of seventy-seven ycars. She had been married five times.
Mr. Myers, our subject, came with his mother and stepfather to Allen county in the year 1829, and grew up in the woods, his playmates being the Indians, from whom he learned to shoot the bow and arrow to a nicety. Much of his time was spent in hunt- ing and fishing, killing wild animals, such as deer, wolves, etc., not needing to leave the door-yard to kill deer and squirrel. When not ten years of age he began the tug of life for himself on his own hook, working by the day and job. He once took a contract of clearing
eighty-five acres in German township, cutting cord wood at eighteen cents per cord, and made rails at the same price per hundred. After completing this big job, he worked for William Knittle for twenty-five cents per day, with which earnings he purchased his first tract of land-forty acres of timber in Sugar Creek township. .
Mr. Myers remained single until twenty- two years of age, and on April 19, 1849, he married Miss Rebecca Spangler, daughter of Samuel and Polly (Marts) Spangler. After this marriage he cleared eleven acres of land for William Smith in German township, for which he received $90, which money he had used to fit up his home and purchase the necessary articles for housekeeping. But while earning this money he must needs take care of his bride, but in default of having money to build a log house and furnish it, they fitted up an old disused pole sheep pen on Mr. Smith's farm, making their bed out of poles, the bottom of which was platted bark, on which they placed their straw tick. Their chairs were little benches made from split logs, with wooden pins put in for legs; their table was an old chest, which Mr. Myers has to-day in his possession, and their cooking utensils a fryingpan and a dutch oven. Here they lived until they had cleared the eleven acres of land, and after clearing another five acres on contract they moved into their own home on his own land, which he partially cleared, and after three years sold it and moved into Elida and with $33 capital started a store and with $40 bought a lot. He " kept grocery " four years, when he traded his city property for eighty acres of land, on which he lived for a year and a half. The career of Daniel Myers was a busy one, full of stiring incidents and episodes pecuhar to a pioneer life in the west, but, with a competence gained, he has settled down in Elida, one of
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the old, substantial and well-to-do and highly respected citizens of the place. To follow his career minutely would be intensely interesting, but the space allotted forbids. His first wife died December 3, 1875, having borne him twelve children, of whom the living are: Levi M., Samuel, Maria, David A., Eli and Em- eline. July 25, 1877, he was married to Mrs. Sarah Moon, the widow of George Moon. They are both members of the Lutheran church, Mr. Myers having joined it over forty years ago, and in which he is an elder. In politics he is a democrat of the old stanch variety.
J AMES H. NEELY, one of the most prominent citizens of German town- .ship, Allen connty, is a farmer and the son of a farmer. He was born in Bath township, March 4, 1844, and is a son of Will- iam and Martha (Snodgrass) Neely, both of whom are now dead. William F. Neely was born in Kentucky in 1806, and died February 5, 1880. His parents moved to Greene county, Ohio, when he was quite young, and there he was reared to farm life and labor, and he fol- lowed that calling all his life. He removed from Greene to Allen county about 1830, when the site and vicinity of the present fine city of Lima was nothing but a wilderness. He pur- chased :20 acres of land in Bath township, just opposite the present county farm, the land he purchased being then entirely covered with wood and underbrush, so that the term wilder - ness was no misnomer as apphed thereto. He immediately erected a log cabin, in which to live for a time, and began to clear his land, and was employed in cutting down trees and rolling and burning logs, preparatory to the cultiva- tion of the soil, for several years, plowing and cultivating piece by piece as it was " brought under the barrow." So scarce were milling
facilities in Ohio at that early day that Mi Neely was compelled to go to Greene county to the east of and a little further south tha Montgomery county, to get corn ground int meal or wheat into flour. For one entire wee he lived on cracked corn, an experience which would now be called starving. But those ok pioneers were made of the material that dir not run away from hardship. but, in many in stances, took pride in their ability to stand them. Eighty acres of this farm he cleared and in 1871 traded it for a tract of 120 acres in sections Nos. 15 and 22, in German tow ship, eighty acres of this latter tract being im- proved. Upon this farm he lived until his death William F. Neely was twice married first to Miss Ruth Panlin, who after thirteen years (+ happy married life, died, leaving five children, viz: Bizaliel, who died in the army of th Union during the war; William P., deceased, Rebecca J., deceased wife of Lorin Smith, of Lima, Ohio; Elizabeth, wife of J. McLain, of California, and Malinda A., wife ot stephen Greer, of Bath township. Mr. Neely married, for his second wife, Miss Matilda Spedgrass. who was born in Virginia in 1817, and died in 1877, leaving seven children three of whom are still living, viz: Henry C., of Lima, James H., and Arthur A., of Columbus Ohio. The others died in early life
James H. Neely was reared in Bat !: town- ship on the farm, and was educated in the com- mon schools. Farming has been continually his occupation, and he assisted his father to improve the old farm, which now has on it some of the best buildings in 1.is part of the county. The residence is unosrally large for a country home, being 30x40 feet in size. He always strives to keep the best of stock and to inake not only the best possible showing, but also the most profit out of what he keeps. Politically Mr. Neely is a w ablican, and though in no sense an office server, yet he has
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been chosen a member of the school board. During the late war he served in the 100-day service, enlisting in the spring of 1864. Mr. Neely was married October 29, 1864, to Miss Helen Mason, daughter of Jarvis and Elizabeth (Hall) Mason. She was born in Bath town- ship, Allen county, October 29, 1846. She and her husband are the parents of seven chil- dren, viz: Charles E., who married Miss Viola Cotner, and who resides in Lima and is in the employ of the P., Ft. W. & C. railroad company; Junia L., wife of Sherman Shook, of Lima: Jesse, who married Miss Nettie Clap- per, is employed by the L. E. & W. railroad company and resides at Lima; Clifton L., a telegraph operator, resides at home; Rufus M .. lives at home, and Olive L., now Mrs. Ozro Copus, lives at home. Charles E. Neely, the eldest son, has taught school four terms. Mrs. Neely is a member of the United Brethren church, and the entire family stand among the most respected people of Allen county.
J OHN MUELLER, one of the well- known young citizens and business men of Delphos, Ohio, and the leading dealer in agriculture implements in the city, was born in Van Wert county, about five iniles southwest from Delphos, on October 5, 1863. His parents were Nicholas and Mar- garet (Gremling) Mueller, both of whom were born in Germany.
Nicholas Mueller came to the United States in about the year 1850, and located first near Tiffin, Seneca county, Ohio, where he engaged in farming for a number of years, and where he was married. From Seneca county he re- moved to Van Wert county and purchased a farm in Jennings township, where he has re- sided ever since. His wife died in January, 1893, in het fifty-ninth year. To these par- ents twelve children were born, eight of whom
are living. Of the children, our subject was the fourth. He was reared on the farm and attended the schools of the neighborhood. He remained on the farm until he was twenty- five years of age, and then came to Delphos, in 1888, and engaged in his present business. He began on a small scale, handling agricul- tural implements of all kinds, and has in- creased his business from year to year until he has the largest house in his line in Del- phos and the leading one in this part of the state, He handles all kinds of trac- tion and stationary steam engines, thresh- ers, etc., wagons, buggies and everything in his line. He keeps five mnen o! the road as salesmen, and his business extends over all the adjoining counties. He also owns a half-interest in an extensive tile mill in Jen- nings township, Van Wert county. He is a stockholder in the Citizens Building & Loan association, and has also various other inter- ests. He owns real estate in Van Wert and Paulding counties, and his place of business in Delphos, which is a two and a half story building on Main street, near the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago railroad depot, having 160 feet frontage.
Mr. Mueller was married October 1, 1889, to Miss Laura Shaffer, daughter of Charles Shaffer, deceased, of Delphos. Mr. and Mrs. Mueller are members of the Saint John's Roman Catholic church. Mr. Mueller is re- garded as one of the leading young citizens of Delphos. He is enterprising, entergetic and liberal minded, always ready to do his share in the building up of his city and community. As a democrat he is exceedingly popular with his party, and has frequently been solicited to accept nomination for public office, but prefers to attend to the calls of his numerous patrons in a business way than to assume the responsi- bilities and perplexing duties of official position, which are not quite to his taste.
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J 'OHN S. NICOLET, one of the most prominent and substantial farmers of Richland township, Allen county, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, was born in canton Berne, Switzerland, May 7, 1846, and is a son of Francis and Harriet (Savine) Nicolet. Francis Nicolet was born in 1805, also in canton Berne, Switzerland, of French and Swiss ancestors. By trade and by occu- pation he was a stone-mason and a farmer, and to him, by his first wife, there were born two children, viz: Celestine and Caroline. He emigrated from his native country to the United States, coming across the ocean in a sailing vessel, in 1851, embarking at Havre and landing in New York. At first he located in Wayne county, Ohio, remaining there two years, and then removed to Allen county in 1853. settling on land in Monroe township. His first purchase of land here was of forty acres, which he cleared, and which he sold, and then removed to Richland township, trad- ing for the farm now occupied by the subject of this sketch. He was a hard-working man, always industrious and doing something to ad- vance his own or some one else's interests, for he was a man who cared for the welfare of others as well as for his own. He was a mein- ber of the French Reformed church, and died at the liome of the subject in 1888, when he was eighty-two years of age.
John S. Nicolet was not quite five years of age when brought to the United States by liis parents. He received but a limited education in the common schools and began to work when yet very young. He became a member of the Ohio national guard in 1863, enlisting for five years, and on May 2, 1864, he enlisted in company E, One Hundred and Fifty-first regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, under Capt. Samuel D. McKee, enlisting in this service for 100 days, and was honorably dis- charged therefrom August 25, 1864, at Camp
Chase, Ohio, by reason of his term of enlist ment having expired. He served in the de fense of Washington, at Fort Sumner, at For Reno and at Fort Simmonds. He was en gaged in one battle, that with Gen. Early' forces when they made a raid on Washington D. C., with the view of its capture. He wa one of those that were taken sick with feve and with camp diarrhea, and was sent to the hospital, became very weak, and yet suffer from his war's experience. But he performed his duties as a soldier faithfully and cheer fully, and, unless sick, was always at his post
After the war he returned to Richland township, and resumed farming. In 1872 ha married Electa Roberts, who was born in 1853 in Allen county, and is a daughter of Louis and Elizabeth (Rumbaugh) Roberts. . Lewis Roberts was born in the United States, and descends from an old colonial family. He served in the Civil war, is a farmer of means, and is a highly respected citizen of Lima, Ohio. His children are as follows: Samuel, Electa and Lafayette.
Mr. and Mrs. Nicolet settled on their pres- ent farm of sixty-eight acres, which at that was only partially cleared. This he has de- veloped and improved and now has a valuable farm and a pleasant home. To his marriage were born the following children: Ulysses, Eva, Frank and Gladys. Mrs. Nicolet was a member of the Disciples' clurch, and died April 10, 1890, a woman of many virtues and highly esteemed. December 31, 1895, Mr. Nicolet married for his second wife, Mrs. Hannah E. Yant, daughter of J. L. and Lucy L. Everett. Mr. Nicolet is a member of Mat Armstrong post, No. 202, G. A. R., Lima, Ohio, and in politics is a republican; he has always been a hard-working, industrious man, and has reared an excellent family of children. Few families, if any, stand higher in the esti- mation of their neighbors, than his.
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J ACOB A. NONNAMAKER, a respected citizen of Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, a veteran of the Civil war and present commander of Robert Hamilton post, No. 262. G. A. R., was born in Hancock county, Ohio, May 30, 1845, and is a son of Ami and Lucinda (Hondshell) Nonnamaker.
Ami Nonnamaker was born in Wurtenberg, Germany, December 10, 1809, and came to America with his parents, his father, Andrew, settling in Fairfield county, Ohio, where he passed the remainder of his days. Ami there grew to manhood and there married his first wife, Miss Hondshell; in 1836 he removed with his wife and two children to Hancock county, where the remainder of his children were born -- thirteen in all --- in the following order: An- drew, Eli,. Catherine, Nancy, Mary, John, Jacob, George (who died at the age of four years), Henry, David, Samuel, Lucinda and one that died in infancy. Mrs. Lucinda Non- namaker having died in Hancock county, Mr. Nonnamker made a trip to Fairfield county and there secured, as his second helpmate, Mrs. Ann Saliday, and to this union were born four children, viz: Elizabeth and Lucy A., twins, and Franklin C. and Sylvester J. M. Mr. Nonnamaker, as a pioneer of Hancock county, first cleared up a farm of 160 acres, to which he added, through his thrift and industry, un- til lie owned, in Orange township, 480 acres, and at his death, which occurred October 28, 1884, at the age of seventy-four years, ten months and eighteen days, he gave all his children a good start in life, leaving land to his sons, and to his daughters $1,000 each in cash. In his younger days he had been a very strong man, was very industrious and consequently successful. He early became a member of the !evangelical church, in the faith of which he died, and was always respected for his strict integrity and charitable disposition. In poli- | tics he was a democrat, but was loyal to the | Mountain (and assault), and was in the front
Union and had two sons in the Civil war -- John J. and Jacob A., both of whom served in the same company, and the record of both being identical, it will be given in full in the biography of our subject, Jacob A.
Jacob A. Nonnamaker received a good dis- trict school education and lived on the home farm until, at the early age of sixteen years, he enlisted, at Cannonsburg, Hancock county, in company G, Fifty-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, under Capt. J. Wilson, for the period of three years, unless sooner discharged be- cause of the cessation of hostilities, but at nearly the close of three years, January I, 1864, he veteranized, at Bellefonte, Ala., for three additional years, in the same organiza- tion, and served until honorably discharged at Little Rock, Ark., August 14, 1865 -his muster out taking place at Columbus, Ohio, December 10, 1865. He fought at Shiloh and in the siege of Corinth (forty days). He was also in the battles of Holly Springs, Grenada, Shewalla, LaGrange, Morning Sun, Wolf River Bridge and in several battles in Tennessee, the names of which he does not remember; was at Yazoo, Miss., Chickasaw Bayou (a four-day fight), Arkansas Post, the campaign at Steel's Bayou, Miss., at Walnut Hills, Grand Gulf, Champion Hills, Vicksburg, and in the siege and assault of Jackson, Miss. His regiment next then returned to Vicksburg and thence by way of land to Memphis and Stevenson, fight- ing two battles on the way; he was then at Missionary Ridge-his regiment having marched three days and nights without sleep, excepting the naps they caught while march- ing, and in this condition went into the fight; next, the regiment marched from Chattanooga to Knoxville, Tenn., and to Bellefonte, Ala., I and here veteranized. Mr. Nonnamaker, in the first Atlanta campaign, fought in the bat- tles of Resaca, Dallas, Marietti, Kenesaw
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line of the Fifteeth army corps, under Gen. John A. Logan; was in front of Atlanta when Gen. McPherson was killed, June 22, 1864, and later was at Jonesboro, Ga .; was then with Sherman in his march to the sea, took part at Fort McAllister," and was in many skirmishes on the march through to Savannah, whence the regiment went by boat to Buford's Landing and took part at Columbia, S. C., and Bentonville, N. C., whence it went to Goldsboro, and was present at the surrender of Johnston; was in the grand review at Wash- ington, D. C., after which it was sent west to Louisville, Ky., and thence to Little Rock, Ark. Mr. Nonnamaker sustained a few inju- ries during his service, receiving a slight scalp wound, another over the right temple, and also had his left hand disabled, but never was confined to hospital.
After the war Mr. Nonnamaker worked as a carpenter in Hancock county, Ohio, until 1868, on July 4th of which year he married, at Find- lay, Miss Jennie Rogers, who was born in Demorestville, Canada, August 9, 1851, a daughter of Rev. J. and Catherine (Howell) Rogers. Rev. Mr. Rogers, a Presbyterian minister, was of Scotch-Irish descent, but was born in Ireland in July, 1808, and graduated from Belfast in 1828. He was pastor of Dem- orestville Presbyterian church for twenty-two years, and was married in that town, the union resulting in the birth of seven children. After his marriage, Mr. Nonnamaker settled in Bluff- ton and has here since followed carpentering and contracting, doing an excellent business. In politics he is a democrat and is an honor- able and respected gentleman. To the nion of Mr. and Mrs. Nonnamaker have been born two children-Clarence and John-(the latter dying at the age of fifteen years). The family reside in a pleasant dwelling of their own, and are highly esteemed by all who know them throughout the county.
LEMENT L. ODUM is a native of Marion township, Allen county, Ohio, was born on the homestead April 30, 1863, is one of the ex-assessors and is a rising young farmer.
Richard Oduin, father of Clement L. Odum, was born in Franklin county, N. C., and was a farmer by vocation. From North Carolina he went to Virginia when a young man, and later came to Ohio and located in Clermont county, where he married Miss Catherine Runyan, December 11, 1852. This lady was a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Lamon) Runyan, and was born in Brown county, Ohio. March 19, 1825. David Runyan, father of Mrs. Odum, was a native of Virginia, born in 1793, and when ten years old came to Ohio with his father, William Runvan, who located in Brown county at first, but later removed to Warren county, where he cleared up a farm of 200 acres and passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1860. To him ane his first wife wer born Parmelia, Hester, Jolin, Wilhelmina, James, William, Elizabeth and Catherine. The mother of this family was called away when Catherine (Mrs. Odum) was a little girl. and then Mr. Runyan married Rebecca Sharp, who became the mother of nine children, as follows : David, Jackson, Simon, Hiram, Mary, Martin, Abigail, Julia Ann and Hannah. In 1861 Richard Odum moved from Clermont county to Allen county and settled on a farm of forty acres, from which a small patch had been cleared away, but Mr. Odum Acceeded in clearing up the entire tract and in making a model farm, which is still the family home- stead. Eight children blessed the marriage of Richard Odum, viz: David, Hannah, Saman- tha, Rebecca, Clement L. (our subject), Flora B., Alice and Frances. The parents of this family were strongly adherents of the United Brethren church, in which the father was a class leader. In politics he was a democrat
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