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 54
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The same fall in which Mr. Sherrick settled on his first farm in the woods of Marion town- ship he enlisted in the Ohio national guards, in Sugar Creek township, September 8, 1863, for five years, leaving his wife and two small children in an humble log cabin on a small clearing. He served in this branch of the serv- ice, however, for about eight months only, being honorably discharged in May, 186; on i account of his enlistment in company F, One
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Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio volunteer infan- try, under Capt. Isaac Patrick, in order to go to the front for 100 days, but served twelve days over his time and was honorably dis- charged at Columbus, Ohio, in August, 1864- he and his comrades receiving a letter of thanks from the President of the United States for their meritorious services. He was assigned to duty in Virginia, Maryland the District of Columbia, and defended the city of Washing- ton against the raid of the rebels in July, 1864, and at one time had charge of a 100-pound Parrott gun in guarding the Potomac river. He was a strong and active soldier and did his full duty faithfully and cheerfully. After his return home he suffered for a time from an at- tack of sickness, but on his recovery suc- ceeded in clearing up the remainder of his farm and became a substantial and prosperous citizen.
Mrs. Mary M. Sherrick was called from earth September 25, 1881, a pious member of the United Brethren church, which organiza- tion she had joined at the age of thirteen years. She was a loving wife and a devoted mother, and her death was a sad blow to her family. December 6, 1883, Mr. Sherrick chose, for his second life-companion, Miss Sabina Dustman, who was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, December 4, 1843, a daughter of George and Metta (Peters) Dustman, but to this union no children have been born. Mrs. Sherrick's father, George Dustman, is a pio- neer of Van Wert connty, Ohio, is a prosper- ous farmer, and has reared his family in a most respectable manner, all its members being well educated and trained to habits of industry and usefulness. Mr. and Mrs. Sher -. rick are. consistnent members of the United Brethren church, in which Mr. Sherrick has been a trustee for many years and is now a class leader and steward. In politics he is a republican, but simply contents himself with
the exercise of his franchise at the polls, hav- ing no ambition for holding office. He is a gentleman of the strictest integrity and a pro- gressive citizen, taking much interest in the growth of his township. Always a man of great physical strength, he has never hesitated in using it for the benefit of his family, and much of what he owns has been gained through his labors for a wage compensation at the start. He is still well preserved and vig- orous, and to such pioneers as he is due the material progress of Allen county.
ENRY M. SHERRICK, one of the prominent and active citizens of the town of Elida, Allen county, Ohio, was born in Sugar Creek township, same county, December 23, 1849, he being the second son but sixth born, in the family of eleven children of Henry and Margaret (Stemen) Sherrick, the foriner of whom was born in Fairfield county, August 25, 1811, and died on his farm, two and a half miles north of Elida, April 12, 1891, from paralysis. The father was reared to manhood in his native county, receiving a limited education from the common schools of his day, and was early inured to hard labor, as he assisted his father, who was one of the pioneers of that county, and redeemed from the forests a good home. Upon arriving at his majority, he began life's work in the world, starting ont empty handed, but with a willing disposition and a determina- tion to succeed, and soon found that the task of making a home not so difficult as it had been pictured. At the age of twenty-four, feeling the need of a home, and the desirability of a companion, he chose for his helpmate Miss Margaret Stemen, with whom he was united in marriage on the 14th day of June, 1835. Three years later they both united
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with the Mennonite church and became active workers in that organization.
In 1841 they sold their possessions in Fair- field county and migrated by an overland route. to Allen . county, Ohio, locating in the dense woods in Sugar Creek township, north of Elida, being compelled to cut away the forests before they could erect their pioneer home, and Mrs. Sherrick performed her part of the task in preparing meals for her husband and his assistants, by cooking in kettles over a log-heap, until they could move into their cabin and prepare for living the life of a pio- neer. Their cabin home was one of the modern dwellings, with two rooms on the first floor and the same number on the second, in which they lived, while they were redeeming from the forest a 129-acre farm and rearing their family of eleven children. In course of time, having practiced economy, the were enabled to build a modern frame dwelling, in which they spent the remainder of their lives.
Mr. Sherrick, the father of our subject, was one of the pioneers of Allen county, locat- ing here before there were any roads to the north of Lima, and he was one of the party who blazed and cut out the road from the county seat to the town of Gomer, in Sugar Creek township. He was a public-spirited man, always taking an active interest in the welfare of the county and the home community where he resided for nearly fifty years, being looked to as one of the model citizens and farmers of the county. He was a strong, hardy, robust man, and hardly knew what it was to be sick a day for a period of fifty years. He was a stanch republican and took an active interest in the public schools. He and wife, soon after locating in Sugar Creek township, along with sixteen of their neighbors, assisted in organizing the first Mennonite congregation in the county, and in erecting a buil ling first known as Dutch Hollow church, now called
Salem church. Mr. Sherrick was at that time placed in charge of the church and cemetery and faithfully executed the duties devolved upon him as a church worker and a guardian of the house of worship until within eight years of his death. His worthy companion survives him at the ripe old age of seventy-seven years, and is one of the well-known and active mem- bers of the church of her choice, being highly respected in the community in which she has lived for over half a century. To the un on of Henry and Margaret (Stemen) Sherrick were born eleven children, viz: Nancy, Mattie, Eliza- beth, Mary, John W., Henry .M., Noah, Christian, an infant daughter deceased. Will- iam and Andrew.
Henry M. Sherrick was reared on a farm and remained at home until he was married, which event took place April 25, 1872, to Miss Mary C. Pfeifer, daughter of J. Nicholas and Eva B. (Zeor) Pfeifer, both now deceased. The father died September 29, 1871. the mother November 2. 1871, aged respectively fifty-nine and fifty-seven years. A family of eleven children were born to them, viz: Eliz- abeth, Anna B., Henry (deceased), Cathrine, John A., Jacob, Mary C. (wife of Henry M. Sherrick, our subject), Nicholas, Adam !. An- thony, and Martha. Two of the children were teachers -- Henry and Mary C. Mr. Showrick, after his marriage, located in Sugar Creek township, Allen county, and engaged in per- ating a saw-mill and running a threshing ma- chine, but in February, 1876, he moved to Elida and erected the house which he now oc- cupies, and since his residence here has been engaged in selling farm implements, threshung, and in buying and shipping stock, of which he handles large quantities, shipping to, Chicago and Pittsburg. He sells the reaper and mower of the Buckeye manufacture and the Deoring threshers and engines, and now gives his entire attention to the sale of f rin implements. Hle
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is a republican member of the town council, and he and Mrs. Sherrick are members of the Lutheran church. Three interesting children have blessed their union: Gertrude, wife of William Kesler; Eva M, deceased, and Lloyd P., at home; Miss Gertrude Sherrick, before her marriage, was a teacher and was a grad- uate of the Elida high school.
3 OHN W. ROBY, attorney-at-law of Lima, Ohio, was born in Delphos, Jan- uary 8. 1868, and is a son of John and Melinda (Searing) Roby, both of whom will be mentioned more fully in this sketch. John W. Roby received his education first in Delphos public schools, from which he gradu- ated in 1884, and then he attended the Ohio Wesleyan university, at Delaware, Ohio, re- mamning there for two years. For two years afterward he was in attendance at Yale college, which institution conferred upon him the de- grees of LL. B., and M. L., the latter in 1891. During his vacations he engaged in teaching in Delphos, and in June, 1891, was admitted to the bar in Delphos, and at once began the practice of the law in partnership with H. A. Reeve. This partnership lasted until 1895, when Mr. Roby removed to Lima and forined a partner- ship with F. H. Leland, under the firm name of Leland & Roby. Mr. Roby is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias. He is also a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, is popular in Lima, and is a growing young lawyer, having met with marvelous success in his professional practice.
John Roby, father of the above, is pro- prietor of the Phelan House in Delphos. He was born in the province of Bavaria, Germany, March 31, 1839, and is a son of John and Mary (Munger) Roby. His parents were both natives of Bavaria, were reared and educated in Bavaria, and there Mr. Roby followed farin-
ing for a livelihood. When John Roby was six years of age the family emigrated to the United States, landing in New York, and go- ing thence to Perrysburg, Wood county, Ohio, by way of Buffalo, N. Y., where Mrs. Roby died in the winter of 1845, leaving a family of four children, viz: Mary, two that have since died, and John. After the death of his wife Mr. Roby continued his journey to Perrysburg, engaged in farming, and there, in 1850, mar- ried his second wife. Residing in Perrysburg until the death of this wife, he afterward lived with his daughter, Mary, at Maumee, until his death in 1882. He and his family were all members of the Catholic church, all were good people, and in politics he was a stanch democrat.
John Roby was but seven years old when his mother died and after her death he lived wherever he could find a home. Having friends along the canal, his home for years was practically on board of a canal boat. This mode of life he continued until he was twenty- eight years of age, and then he engaged in teaming for some time, and afterward bought a canal boat which he ran for about three years. Selling his boat, he engaged in the produce business, which he followed for three years, when he opened a hotel at Delphos, which he managed until the building of the new Phelan House, when he assumed charge thereof and has been thus engaged ever since. In Delphos he married Malinda Searing, a na- tive of Ohio, born in Maumee, and by whom he has had one son, John W. Roby, now en- gaged in the practice of the law in Lima. The Phelan House is one of the fine hotels along the line of P., Ft. W. & C. railroad, contains forty rooms, and everything in con- nection with it is in first-class order. Mr. Roby is a republican in politics, is a pleasant and genial gentleman, and is popular with all classes of the people.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
ANIEL SELLERS, an intelligent and thriving farmer, was born April 3, 1853, on the homestead where he now lives in Perry township, Allen county, Ohio, and is of Pennsylvania-German descent.
Leonard Sellers, grandfather of our subject, was a native of Berks county, Pa., born in 1785, where he followed agricultural pursuits for many years, and eventually came to Ohio, making his residence in Franklin county until 1856, when he came to Allen county and pur- chased 282 acres of land in the wild woods of tliat part of Allen county known as Auglaize county; subsequently he settled in section No. 30, in Perry township, Allen county. where he owned 100 acres; he also owned 180 in section No. 31, in the same township; in Auglaize county he owned six-six acres, and in Williams county owned 640 acres, but later divided all this land among his children-giving to his sons the land in Auglaize and Allen counties, and to his daughters the Williams county prop- erty. His own homestead was the farm on which his son William now lives, in Auglaize county. He married Elizabeth Wengar, and to this marriage were born the following chil- dren: Joseph, John W., Henry, Samuel, William, Catherine, Susan Eliza and Harriet. The death of this old and respected pioneer, Leonard Sellers, took place on his Auglaize county homestead in 1861, and his widow died at the ripe old age of eighty years.
Joseph Sellers, the eldest son of Leonard and Elizabeth (Wengar) Sellers, and the fatlier of Daniel Sellers, our subject, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, about 1829, and was reared on his father's farm. On coming to Allen county he selected for his homestead that part of his father's estate for his home on which his son Daniel now resides, increasing hi, property by his industry and frugality until in owned 500 broad acres, becoming one of
the most prosperous farmers of Perry township. He married Elvis Crumrine, by which union the children named as follows were born: Daniel, David, William, Catherine, and Mar- garet. In politics Mr. Sellers was a democrat and held a term of township trustee, and school director several terins each, but served only at the solicitation of his friends. Mr. Sellers died in the faith of the Lutheran church, a sincere Christian, but his wife still survives.
Daniel Sellers, the eldest son of Joseph Sellers, was well educated in the common schools of his native township, and so well trained in agriculture that he is today recog- nized as one of the best farmers in the neighbor- hood. His farm comprises 100 acres and is a model one. Mr. Sellers was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Beeler, who died in 1888, leaving two children -- Clinton and Levis C. In politics Mr. Sellers is a democrat, but has never been a partisan in the office-s eking sense of the word, and in religion is a lu- theran of the purest and simplest type, and is greatly respected by his neighbors for the fidel- ity with which he holds to the teachings of his church.
HARLES M. SHOEMAKER, one of the pioneers of Sugar Creek township, Allen county, Ohio, is a native of Fairfield county, and was born Oc- tober 8, 1824, of remotely Swiss ancestry, but of more recent Pennsylvania descent-h's fore- fathers in this country having left Switzerland in the latter of the seventeenth century, on account of some religious persecutions, with no property except their extra clothing, and found refuge in Pennsylvania, settling in Berks county, were there engaged in farming. and their descendants after them for generations. Jacob Shoemaker, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of the Keystone state,
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CHAS M. SHOEMAKER.
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was a patriot of the American Revolution, and took part in the battle of Bunker Hill, in the battle of the Brandywine, where he was twice wounded; in the battle of Cowpens, and in many other conflicts. About 1784 he married Madelina Reicheldeffer, of Pennsylvania-Dutch descent, and before the opening of the war of 1812 came to Ohio and was the third settler in the townsliip of Clear Creek, Fairfield county, where he cleared up a farm from the woods and acquired large landed estates, so that he was enabled to give to his sons a quarter sec- tion of land each and still retain a quarter sec- tion for his own use. His children were six in number and were named Mary M., Mary, Catherine, Rebecca. Henry and Daniel R. Jacob Shoemaker was a founder and a pillar of the Lutheran church in Ohio, was a demo- crat in politics, and lived to reach a ripe old age, dying a prominent and respected citizen and an honored pioneer.
Daniel R. Shoemaker, father of our subject, was also born in Pennsylvania, in the county of Berks, and was a boy when brought to Fair- field county, Ohio, by his parents. . Here he grew to manhood on his father's homestead and later embarked in business on his own account as farmer and stock dealer, and also ran a saw and grist-mill. He first married in Pickaway county, Ohio, Sophia Martz, daugh- ter of Abraham and Katie (Harmon) Martz -- John Harmon, the grandfather of Mrs. Sophia Shoemaker, having lived to the ex- treme age of 104 years. Mr. Shoemaker owned 400 acres of land in different tracts in Clear Creek township, and was a highly re- spected citizen. To his first marriage were born five children, viz: Charles M., Sophia, Joseph, Jacob and Emily, all deceased except our subject. Mrs. Shoemaker having died in the homestead in Fairfield county, Mr. Shoe- maker there married his second wife Mrs. Elizabeth Walters, a widow who had bome
the maiden name of Baker-and to this mar- riage were born Malinda, Daniel, George, Noah, Abraham, Andrew and Mary Ann. Mr. Shoemaker was a soldier in the war of 1812, was a democrat in politics, and for many years was an elder in the Lutheran church. About 1859, or 1860, he removed to Indiana and set- tled in Wells county, where he died in 1863, a recognized gentleman of culture and high- toned character.
Charles M. Shoemaker, the subject proper of this biography, was educated in the pioneer schools of Fairfield county, Ohio, especially in German, and this education he supplemented by a wide course of reading. He was reared to farming and milling, and August 9, 1846, came to Allen county, Ohio, and in 1847, purchased forty acres of land in German town- ship, where, also, October 12, 1848, he mar- ried Rebecca Sawmiller, who was born Sep- tember 4, 1829, in Fairfield county, Ohio, a daughter of Jacob and Rachael (Fry) Saw- miller-or Sakemiller, as the name was orig- inally spelled-the family being of Pennsyl- vania-Dutch stock. The parents of Mrs. Shoemaker came to Allen county in 1831 and settled on the land now owned by our subject, and reared the following children: John, Fred, Elizabeth, Jacob, Daniel, Benjamin, Jane, Rebecca, Mary and Samson. The father of this family died on his farm at the age of seventy-eight years. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker at once settled on their forty-acre farm in German township, where Mr Shoemaker fol- lowed carpentering in conjunction with farm- ing until 1855, when he removed to his present farm in Sugar Creek township, which farm then consisted of eighty acres, but, by thrift and industry, he has increased it to 155 acres, of which he has cleared fifty acres. This tract he has placed in a good state of cultivation and has improved it with a tasteful residence, erected in 1884. Here he has reared his six
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children, named Rachael, Phebe, Elizabeth, Charles, Rebecca, and Emily. Mr. Shoemaker is a member of the Lutheran church, of which denomination he has been an elder nine years -- his wife being a member of the United Brethren church. In politics Mr. Shoemaker is a dem- ocrat and as such has served as township trustee for four years and also as assessor. He stands very high in the esteem of his neigh- bors and is recognized as a skillful and saga- cious farmer, and, above all, as an honest man and useful citizen. Mr. Shoemaker, in con- nection with his farming, was fifty-three years engaged in the undertaking business and was the first in this locality to engage especially in this business-his first funeral took place March 19, 1847 --- and his last February 17, 1893.
J ACOB W. SHOBE, a man of high character and varied experience, one of the representative citizens of Allen county, residing on section No. 31, German township, was born in Amanda town- ship, Allen county, June 15, 1854 He is a son of Samuel and Mary (Gracy) Shobe, excellent people, but both of whom are still living, and of whom further mention will be made.
Jacob W. Shobe was reared on the home farm with his parents, receiving as good an education as they could give him, in the public schools. Having remained at home until he became of age, he then learned the blacksmith's trade at Vera Cruz, Ind., working at that trade from June 5, 1876, until 1890, two years and a half of which time he remained at Vera Cruz. Returning to Allen county May 28, 1879, he continued his trade at Allentown until 1886, he then returned to Indiana, work- mg four years at his trade, at a point in Ran- dolph county; at Rochester, in Fulton county, and at Tiosa, in the same county. In 1890
he returned to Allen county, locating on the present farm in German township, where he has been living, engaged in farming, and where they own sixty-five acres of good farming land. He is engaged for the most part in general farming, raising some stock, but not making a specialty of any particular breed.
Mr. Shobe has been married three times- first, on March 22, 1878, to Miss Eliza A. Nunn, daughter of Mrs. Emeline, Nunn, who was born in German township, Allen county, and who died March 4, 1882, at the age of twenty-five years, eleven months and one day. To this marriage one child was born, viz: Myrtle V. On November 22, 1882, Mr. Shobe was married to Miss Fannie E. Thume, laugh- ter of Mrs. Catherine Thuma. She was born in Augusta county, Va., May 30, 1860, and died February 24, 1887. By this second mar- riage Mr. Shobe had two children, viz. Virginia and Laverna. Mr Shobe's third marriage occurred March 22, 1891, to Mrs. Naomi Baumgardner, widow of Jacob Baumgardner, and a daughter of Henry and Lydia A. Inler She was born in German township Allen county, June 12, 1854, and by her present husband is the mother of one child. James Wilber, born January 3, 1893. Henry Inler was born June 20, 1827, and died Varch 7, 1889; his wife, Lydia A. Imler, was born Au- gust 15, 1835, in Jackson county, Ohio, and died May 8, 1895, in German township, Allen county, Ohio-members, respectively of the Methodist Episcopal and United Brethren churches. Henry Inler had been a wagon- maker and farmer through life and died a highly respected gentleman. Mrs. Naomi Shobe, by her marriage with Jacob Baumgard- ner, March 12, 1872, became the mother of two children-Anna J., boru January 30, 1873, and Curtis P., born October 15, 1874, Mr. Baumgardner dying July 21, 1889
In politics Mr. Shebe is a stanch democrat,
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OF ALLEN COUNTY.
and fraternally he is a member of Bloomings- burg lodge, No. 516, I. O. O. F., of Bloom- ingsburg, Ind. Mr. Shobe, though a young man, has yet done a great deal of work, has seen much of the world, and is one of the most progressive and enterprising of the foremost citizens of Allen county.
Samnel Shobe, father of our subject, was born in Ross county, Ohio, April 6, 1822, and was a son of Jacob and Mary (Bush) Shobe, natives, respectively, of Hardy and Pendleton counties, Va. The father of Samuel came to Ohio in 1810, and followed farming in Ross county until his death, in August, 1823; his widow died February 28, 1866, the inother of three sons and six daughters, all deceased with exception of our subject and one daugh- ter, Mrs Ireland, now living in German town- ship. Henry Shobe came to Allen county, Ohio, in 1851, and settled in Amanda town- ship on his present farm of 120 acres, in sec- tions Nos. 23 and 24. He had been educated in Ross county, and first married, in 1844, Harriet Jones, of Ross county, who died in 1845, the mother of one daughter, Harriet E. His second marriage was on June 5, 1847, with Mary Gracy, who was born in Fayette county, Ohio, Jannary 12, 1828, and to this union were born twelve children, viz: Albert (deceased), Johannah (deceased), Rachael J., Franklin P., Jacob W., Samuel A. (deceased), Mary E. (deceased), Sarah A., Alva, Cyrus D., Harry and Martha . E. Mr. and Mrs. Shobe are members of the Christian Union church. of which Mi. Shobe is an elder and trustee. In politics he is a democrat.
LIAS H. SHOOK. - It is always a pleasant task to write of an intelligent und progressive man, especially of one devoted to the development of mod- ern methods in agriculture. Such a man is
Elias H. Shook, the subject of this biographi- cal sketch, who in this respect is one of the leading citizens of the county. Mr. Shook was born in Ottawa county, Ohio, near Port Clinton, the county seat, September 30, 1835. He is a son of Isaac and Susan (East) Shook, the former of whom, like his son, was a prac- tical farmer.
Elias H. Shook was reared in Allen county from the time he was a small boy, about four or five years of age, his parents at that time locating in German township, on section No. 21, where Mr. Shook himself now lives. He there assisted in clearing up the farm, which contained eighty acres, and in securing his education, at the public schools and in a subscription school, so that he was more than ordinarily well educated for the times in which he spent his youth. His father died about 1845, and he then went to live with his uncle, John East, where he remained until he was eighteen years old. At this time he returned to his home and began to learn the trade of carpenter, which trade occupied the most of his time for twenty years. Many of the best residences in Allen county have been erected by Mr. Shook. At the same time, however, that he was engaged in the carpenter trade and in erecting houses for other people, he was also engaged in farmning to a consider- able extent, and about 1876 he erected a manufactory, for the purpose of making drain- ing tile, at which he was employed in connec- tion with his farming and building until 1892, when he sold out the tile manufacturing business.
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