USA > Ohio > Crawford County > A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio > Part 10
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H. S. Z. MATTHIAS.
The press has not only recorded the history of advancement, but has also ever been the leader in the work of progress and improvement,-the vanguard of civilization. The philosopher of some centuries ago proclaimed the truth that "the pen is mightier than the sword," and the statement is continually being verified in the affairs of life. In molding public opinion the power of the newspaper cannot be estimated, but at all events its influ- ence is greater than any other single agency. In the history of Crawford county therefore an account of the Galion Inquirer should form an important factor, and as the paper is the mirror of the thought, effort and labor of its editor, the history of Mr. Matthias well deserves place in the annals of his native county.
He was born in Sandusky township May 21. 1844, on what is now known as the "Old Biddle Farm," east of Kinsely Springs. His father, the late M. Matthias, was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and at
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an early age accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, the family taking up their abode upon a farm in Stark county, where at the age of twenty- five years Mr. Matthias was married to Miss Frances Bryfogle, of the same county, who had removed to this state from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, with her parents. For a number of years Mr. and Mrs. Matthias resided in Stark county, but in 1837 came to Crawford county, accompanied by four children, who had been born to them in their first home. While residing on the Biddle farm three children were added to the family, one of whom was the subject of this sketch. At Galion two more children were born, making nine in all. The parents both died a number of years ago.
Mr. Matthias, of this review, was about three and a half years of age when his parents sold their farm to the late Rev. Alexander Biddle and removed to a farm on the Columbus and Portland state road, one mile north- west of Galion, where, at the age of about five years H. S. Z. Matthias lost the use of his lower limbs from the effects of scarlet fever. A year later his parents sold their farm and removed to Galion, where they purchased and conducted the Franklin House, and old-time tavern. This move was made principally for the purpose of securing better educational facilities for the cripple boy, and there in the private and public schools he received the mental discipline and training which fitted him for his life work. With great ambition and an indomitable will the boy grew to young manhood, and on the 7th of January, 1864, he purchased the only printing office in Galion, entering the field of journalism as the youngest editor in Ohio. He success- fully conducted the Galion District Democrat and several other newspapers,. and for the past twenty-four years he has been part owner and editor of the Galion Inquirer, a weekly Democratic paper, and for nine years the editor of the Evening Inquirer, which is the daily issue of the journal. He has always been devoted to his work and starting out in a modest way he has steadily improved his papers until to-day they are among the brightest and best journals published in the state, being gems in mechanical and typo- graphical appearance.
On the 26th of November. 1868, Mr. Matthias was united in marriage to Miss Delia French, at Mount Vernon, Knox county, and they now have two children, Verna, who is now the wife of B. A. Baker, and George G .. who is his father's assistant in the recorder's office. Mr. Matthias has never held any public position except that of recorder. although he was elected justice of the peace in 1893. He refused to serve, however, on account of the duties of the office interfering with his business. In the spring of 1896 he was
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nominated on the Democratic ticket for the position of county recorder and was elected to that office the following November by a plurality of two thou- sand, seven hundred and eighty-seven votes, leading the ticket by forty-nine more than were cast for William J. Bryan. He assumed the duties of the office September 6, 1897, and in the spring of 1898 he was nominated for a second term, being re-elected the following fall. In his official duties he has been punctual, careful and obliging, and has given the best of satisfaction in every respect.
Fraternally Mr. Matthias is a member of Galion Lodge, No. 215, I. O. O. F., and of Lebanon Encampment, No. 123. While he has always been a very busy man, he has found time to devote to literary pursuits outside of his newspaper work. He has written a number of very creditable poems. He reads widely, is a deep thinker and carefully digests what he reads. Through the columns of his paper he has had marked influence in promoting public interests in Crawford county, and has ever been found the champion of reform, improvement and advancement.
HENRY SCHIEBER.
Among the successful farmers and highly esteemed citizens of Liberty township, Crawford county, Henry Schieber takes a leading position. He was born in this township on May 24, 1860, and was the second son of Jacob and Eva (Mauer) Schieber, to whom nine children were born. The survivors are : John, Jr., of Bucyrus, Ohio; Henry, of this sketch : David S., of Bucy- rus; Emanuel, of Liberty township: Mary, the wife of Frederick Hieber, of Liberty township; Elizabeth, wife of John Hieber, of Liberty township; and Samuel Abraham, of Holmes township. The father was born in Wurtem- berg, Germany, on May 19, 1831, a son of Gottleib and Magdalena ( Brose) Schieber, who emigrated to the United States in 1832, settling in Liberty town- ship. The father of our subject was only one year old when brought by his parents to America ; and as he was the youngest son who grew to maturity he remained with his parents until his twenty-fourth year, assisting in clearing the land. On June 14, 1855, he was united in marriage to Miss Eva Mauer, and he continued to farm on his father's land during the following year. In 1856 he purchased eighty acres of land in Liberty township, twenty of which had been cleared, on which stood a log cabin, and here Mr. Schieber moved his family, both he and wife energetically laboring to make this a comfortable home. Prosperity rewarded their efforts, and later they added thirty-seven
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and one-half acres and eighty more purchased in Liberty township. Grad- ually additions made to the farm increased it to two hundred and eighty-seven acres ; and as time went on, each year saw improvements added, in the way of excellent buildings, fences, and planting of orchards, the estate being finally regarded as one of the most desirable in the township. In the meantime Mr. Schieber had made himself well known and had gained the confidence of his fellow-citizens to such a degree that he was made township trustee for a period of two years, faithfully performing the duties. He was long a valued member of the Lutheran church. His death occurred November 4, 1883.
The estimable widow of the late Jacob Schieber, Martha Mauer Schieber, was born on June 21, 1835, in Stark county, Ohio, and was but two weeks old when her parents removed to Crawford county. Her father, Jacob Mauer, emigrated from Germany, with his wife and one child, settling in Stark county, subsequently removing to this county, where he died, leaving a widow who later married Simeon Price. Mrs. Schieber now makes her home with Mrs. John Hieber, of this township, one of her daughters. She is the only survivor of a family of six children.
Henry Schieber, our immediate subject, grew up to honest labor on the home farm and acquired his education in the common schools, remaining at home until his twenty-first year and then was given regular wages. On Feb- ruary 29, 1884, he was married to Miss Elizabeth S. Pfleiderer, a daughter of Daniel Pfleiderer, who was a son of Jacob Pfleiderer ; a sketch of the last men- tioned appears in another part of this volume. After marriage Mr. Schieber and his bride removed to Holmes township, where he rented a farm of eighty acres, and upon that they lived for eighteen months, and there his young wife died and he returned to Liberty township and took charge of the home farm and remained there a number of months.
On October 3. 1900, our subject contracted a second marriage, this time with Mrs. William O. Steen, formerly Miss Clara C. Pfleiderer, a daughter of David Pfleiderer, and then Mr. Schieber purchased his present home farm, which consists of eighty acres, and has carried on general farming and stock- raising ever since. Mrs. Schieber's first husband was a son of William Steen, one of the early settlers of Crawford county. One child was born to this marriage, Rufus D. Steen, May 1, 1892.
Politically Mr. Schieber is a prominent member of the Democratic ranks. Both he and his estimable wife are valued and consistent members of the Evangelical church, where they are known to be kind, charitable and devoted
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Christians. Mr. Schieber has a fine farm, is esteemed in the community, happy in domestic life, a valued member of the church, and thus represents the best class of citizens.
TILGHMAN GEORGE.
An eminently successful and thoroughly representative farmer of Holmes. township, Crawford county, is Tilghman George, who was born in North- ampton county, Pennsylvania, on May 12, 1834, and was a son of Jacob G. and Elizabeth ( Houpt ) George. Jacob G. George was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood and learned the trade of shoemaker. In 1852 he emigrated to Ohio, settling in Mccutchenville in Wyandot county, where he remained but a short time, going then to Lykens township, in Crawford county, where he rented a farm, placed his sons in charge of it while he continued to work at his trade. About 1858 he re- moved to Seneca county and here rented a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, continuing to engage in farming and shoemaking. About seven years after his last removal his first wife died, and some time later he married a Mrs. Trombold, formerly a Miss Elizabeth Yeager, who was a native of Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. Shortly after this marriage he removed to Tiffin, Ohio, where he worked at his trade for many years. After the death of his second wife he made his home with our subject and his other son, William, until the time of his decease, in his eighty-second year. He was always an ardent Democrat, and a consistent member of the German Reformed church. His first marriage had been to Elizabeth Houpt, and they became the parents. of eight children. Those living are Tilghman, our subject; William, of this township; James, of Tiffin, Ohio; Elizabeth, the wife of Julius Deal. also of Tiffin, Ohio; and Stephen, of the same place, while the three deceased are Apecena, who married a Mr. Sloat, and died in Indiana; and two daughters died in girlhood.
Our subject was reared on a farm and had but limited opportunities for acquiring an education. In May, 1852, he left his parental home and came to Ohio, reaching Mccutchenville on May 5th, and during the following sum- mer worked as a farm hand; but when his father arrived, five months later, he assisted him in the shoe shop, accompanying the family in its removal to Lykens township. The following summer was spent in work on the farm, and the winter in work at shoemaking. In November, 1857, our subject was married to Miss Sarah Miller, who was a native of Holmes township and was
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were among the earliest settlers of Holmes township.
the daughter of Jonathan and Anna (Shupp) Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Miller
The winter following his marriage was spent by Mr. George in hauling cord wood for the Pennsylvania Railroad, with an ox team which he had purchased, but in the following spring he removed to Wyandot county, where he conducted a shoe shop through the summer, and returned to Crawford county in the autumn. He again opened up a shoe shop, and conducted it in Lykens township for a period of eighteen months, removing then to Seneca county. where he rented a small farm and began to operate it. Here he farmed for some twelve years as a renter, continuously, with the exception of one summer spent in Holmes township. At the expiration of his ten years as a renter, Mr. George purchased a farm of fifty-five acres and operated this for two years, selling it then to locate in Crawford county, where he pur- chased seventy-one and one-half acres, his present home farm. During his early farming experiences, Mr. George operated a threshing machine, with success, for several years. His land has been well cultivated and his methods of farming meet with the commendation of his neighbors who in friendly spirit rejoice in his prosperity.
To Mr. and Mrs. George were born seven children, six of whom sur- vive, as follows : William, of Seneca county, Ohio ; Wesley, a baggagemaster for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, at Chicago; John, of Holmes township; Anna, the wife of Reuben R. McBride, of Van Wert, Ohio; Raleigh, of Wyandot county, Ohio: and Rosetta, the wife of Abraham Schaal, of Mar- shall county, Indiana. Mr. George has been a life-long Democrat, but is lib- eral in his views. For two terms he faithfully served the township as trustee, and he is one of the leading members of the Evangelical church, having held almost all of its lay offices, discharging the duties most efficiently.
ANDREW J. HARVEY.
Andrew Jackson Harvey was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. August 14, 1817, and is a son of Thomas and Frances ( Bartley ) Harvey, who were also natives of the same county and there the father died in 1830 at the age of fifty-three years. He was a son of Thomas Harvey, who came to the United States from Ireland at an early period in the development of our coun- try's history. On the maternal side, our subject is also of Irish lineage.
Andrew J. Harvey is one of a family of fourteen children, eleven of whom reached mature years. He was reared upon a farm and pursued his
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education in the common schools in a log school house. He was only four- teen years of age at the time of his father's death. The mother and her chil- dren came to Ohio in 1835 and settled in Crawford county, where Mrs. Harvey died when about sixty-seven years of age. Here our subject has since resided, and throughout his entire business career he has carried on agricultural pur- suits. For about eighteen years he also operated a threshing machine and owned the second thresher ever used in the county. Until 1846 he resided in Whetstone township, but has since made his home in Bucyrus township, where he owns two hundred and eleven acres of fine land.
When thirty-six years of age Mr. Harvey was united in marriage to Miss Maria McCracken, but she lived only a year afterward, and three years later lie wedded Elizabeth Price, by whom he had six children now living, namely : Olive, Lawrence Lincoln, Minnie May, Ulysses Grant, Clay Mc- Cracken and Ida Annetta. In his political views Mr. Harvey is a stalwart Republican, but has never sought office, preferring to give his time and atten- tion to his business affairs. In his work he has prospered, and as the years have passed, he has added continually to his income so that he is to-day the possessor of a handsome competence. He has now reached the age of eighty- four years-a venerable old gentleman, honored and esteemed by all who know him.
. JOHN G. MYERS.
Prominent among the progressive, intelligent and broad-minded citizens of Holmes township, is John G. Myers, who is well and favorably known through Crawford county, having been for many years one of its most popular teachers. Mr. Myers was born in Berkeley county. Virginia, which is now in- cluded in West Virginia, on February 6, 1826, a son of John L. and Margaret ( Fiser) Myers, and was a member of a family of eight children, the survivors of whom are: Susan L., the widow of Nathaniel Heaton, now a resident of Seneca county, Ohio; John G., of this biography; and Isaiah and Margaret P., both members of our subject's household. The father, John L. Myers, was born in Berkeley county, Virginia, a son of Henry and Susan Myers, natives of the same place, the former being a veteran of the Revolutionary war. In the fall of 1832. Jolin L. Myers, with his family of six children, his parents and one sister, emigrated to Ohio, settling in Richland county, where they spent the succeeding winter, in the spring of 1833 locating near Melmore, in what was then a part of Crawford county but now is included in Seneca county ..
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There Mr. Myers bought eighty acres of land, upon which was a hewed-log cabin and a recently erected log barn, paying for it five hundred dollars. Some four acres of the land had been cleared, but the balance was still virgin forest. Here the father of our subject passed his life, showing his aged parents a most filial regard and caring for them until their lives ended, when at ad- vanced age. John L. Myers died about 1846. His life had been a busy and useful one. Reared in a slave state, he always adhered to the belief that the negro could never learn self-government, and continued all his life a pro- slavery man. His religious connection was with the Methodist church. The mother, a daughter of Michael Fiser, also was born in Berkeley county.
John G. Myers grew up in his pleasant home, with a decidedly studious bent of mind. After completing the common-school course he was given edu- cational advantages at the Ashland Academy, and at Republic, where he was under the instruction of Professor Harvey and also his assistant, Professor Schuyler, the author of Schuyler's Arithmetic. A short time was spent at Delaware, but sickness compelled his return home. Prior to his twenty-first year Mr. Myers began teaching school and continued with marked success in this profession for fifteen or twenty years, teaching in every school in Holmes township except the one in district No. 3.
In 1855 Mr. Myers purchased eighty acres of land in section 30, Holmes township, where he resided from 1856 to 1858, in the latter year selling this farm and buying sixty acres of the present home farm. Some years later he purchased forty acres across the road from his other possessions, making his present ownership of land about one hundred acres.
In politics Mr. Myers is a stanch Republican and has twice efficiently served as assessor of the township and several terms as a member of the election board. He is held in high esteem in this section and has a wide circle of friends, both in public and private life.
ROBERT WILLIAM KERR.
Among the prosperous young agriculturists of Bucyrus township is Robert William Kerr, who is successfully cultivating a fine farm of ninety acres. Mr. Kerr is a native of Ohio, born in Wyandot county on Septem- ber 22, 1872, a son of John and Alice (Chambers) Kerr, the former of whom was born in Marion county and the latter in Wyandot county. For many years John Kerr was a successful and extensive farmer, but is now one of the respected retired citizens of Bucyrus.
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Robert W. Kerr was reared on a farm and received his primary educa- tion in the common schools, supplementing this with a period at a military school in Orchard Lake, Michigan, and later by a course in a business col- lege in Poughkeepsie, New York. For several years Mr. Kerr was variously employed, undecided as to the choice of a career. He was a member of Com- pany A, Eighth Ohio National Guards, and when this company was called into service in 1898, in the war of the United States with Spain, he went with his company to Cuba as a corporal. His command landed at Sibona, but it saw no active service. Corporal Kerr was very fortunate, as his excellent constitution prevented him from falling ill of Cuban fever ; nevertheless he returned with his company with a well nigh broken constitution, reaching home in September, 1898, and was mustered out of the service in November, 1898.
In the spring of 1899 Mr. Kerr rented a fine and productive farm from his father, which he has successfully operated ever since. On March 20, 1900, he was married to Miss Jessie Strawbridge, a most estimable young lady, who ably assists him in dispensing the hospitality of their pleasant country home. Unto the marriage a son, John Milton, has been born.
JOHN A. CHESNEY, M. D.
One of the exacting of all the higher lines of occupation to which a man may lend his energies is that of the physician. A most scrupulous preliminary training is demanded, and a nicety of judgment little understood by the laity. Then, again, the profession brings one of its devotees into almost constant association with the sadder side of life,-that of pain and sufferings,-so that a mind capable of great self control and a heart responsive and sympathetic are essential attributes of him who would essay the practice of the healing art. Thus when professional success is attained in any instance it may be taken as certain that such measure of success has been thoroughly merited. Dr. Chesney was born in Marseilles, Wyandot county, Ohio, November 10, 1857, and is of Scotch lineage. His parents were John M. and Jumelia (Thompson) Chesney. His paternal grandfather, John Chesney, was a native of Scotland and became the founder of the family in America. He married Elizabeth Mahon, and unto them, in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, on the 31st of May, 1825, was born a son, to whom they gave the name of John M. The latter was educated in an academy at Jamestown, Pennsyl- vania, and studied medicine under the direction of his brother, Dr. Robert
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Chesney, of Shelocta. From 1853 until 1876 he was engaged in practice in Marseilles, Ohio, and prior to that time had been a member of the medical fraternity in Kenton and in Huntersville, Ohio. In 1876 he came to Bucyrus and established a drug store, which he conducted up to the time of his death, in 1883. He wedded Jumelia Thompson, a daughter of James and Eliza- beth Thompson, who came from Lynchburg, Virginia, and settled in Marion, Ohio, where Mrs. Chesney was born. Her father was a colonel in a Vir- ginia regiment during the Mexican war. In Marion he took quite an active part in public affairs, and at one time served as sheriff of his county. His death occurred a number of years ago.
Dr. Chesney, whose name introduces this record, pursued his literary education in Wooster University, of Wooster, Ohio, and, determining to make the practice of medicine his life work. he then began study in the office and under the direction of Dr. Cuykendall, in 1876. Subsequently he entered the Columbus Medical College and was graduated at that institution with the class of 1879. In 1880 he became connected in practice with Dr. J. N. Richie, of Oceola, their relation being maintained until 1881, when Dr. Chesney completed his medical studies in New York, in the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons, where he graduated in 1882. He then formed a partner- ship with Dr. Thrift. of Lima, Ohio, at that time a leading physician in that city and a professor in the Fort Wayne Medical College. Owing to his father's death Dr. Chesney came to Bucyrus and has since practiced his pro- fession in this city with excellent success. His reputation is not limited by the confines of the county and his practice has extended into adjoining counties. He has very superior ability as a surgeon, and the fraternity as well as the public accord him a foremost place as a representative of the medical science. In 1883 he declined the chair of physiology in the Fort Wayne Medical College. In connection with his private practice he has served as division Argeon for the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad for the past sixteen years, is local surgeon of the Pennsylvania Railroad, also for the Columbus, Sandusky & Hocking Railroad. He was one of the organ- izers of the National Association of Surgeons, and as a student he is contin- ually carrying his investigations into broader realms of medical knowledge. Each year finds him further advanced on the road to perfection in his pro- fession. He is also identified with other lines of business activity, is presi- dent of the Caledonia Deposit Bank, of Marion county, Ohio, and is a director in the First National Bank of Bucyrus. He is also president of the Broken Sword Stone Company.
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In 1887 Dr. Chesney was united in marriage to Miss Cora Rouse, a daughter of William and Catherine Rouse. Her death occurred in 1892, and a daughter, Edith, was left to mourn her loss. In 1898 the Doctor was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Celia B. Mulford, of Han- over, New Jersey. In the summer of 1900 the Doctor and his wife visited Europe, traveling over a portion of the continent and visiting many places of historic and modern interest. Theirs is one of the tasteful and finely appointed homes of Bucyrus, and he also has a splendidly equipped office, supplied with all modern accessories that prove of aid and value in the line of his profession. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Masonic and Knights of Pythias fraternities. A man of scholarly attainments and broad general information, he is not only a leader in professional circles but is held in high esteem in fraternal and social circles,. and enjoys the warm regard of all with whom he is associated.
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