USA > Ohio > Crawford County > A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio > Part 39
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P. Shaw, Peter Sharp, John Conway, Oren Mitchell, John Hazzard, Hibbard B. Ward, Henry Warner, Hubert Dubois and a few others whose names have not been secured.
In 1850 a two-story brick church was begun on the site of the old house of worship and was dedicated the following year by Adam Poe. Few churches have had as many changes made in their district and conference re- lations as the Bucyrus church. In 1850 Bucyrus circuit was in Tiffin district of the North Ohio conference. Various earnest and energetic men acted as pastors of the church from time to time. The year 1877 was a memorable one in the history of the church. J. J. Henry was appointed pastor. Young, earnest, devout, zealous and winning all hearts, he labored for the salvation of souls and gave up his life as a sacrifice to his Master. Holding a great revival in the winter of 1877-78, with over two hundred conversions and one hundred and eighty accessions to the church, from overwork he took brain fever, and after three weeks of suffering passed to his rest on March 16, 1878. His death was mourned by thousands of people, and his name is held in precious memory. Rev. J. H. Barron came to fill the unexpired time of Brother Henry. In 1884 a large and commodious parsonage was built on the corner of East and Warren streets. The present pastor, M. J. Keys, has been in charge since 1896 and has been successful in lifting the heavy debt that was upon the church.
The work is now thoroughly organized in its various departments and is having great influence in public affairs. In addition to the regular work of the church there is a growing Epworth League, a Sunday-school, a Ladies' Aid Society and Pastors' Union, together with the missionary societies. The Epworth League supports a school in India. The church has sent two of its young ladies into the mission field, while some of its young men have become ministers of the gospel. The people of Bucyrus are progressive and the church has in it many public-spirited men who bring into the church the same energy and resolution which characterizes their work in business life. As a result of this the membership has nearly doubled itself and the work is being carried on in a most commendable manner.
JOHN H. TRAGO.
A substantial and representative farmer of Crawford county, Ohio, is John H. Trago, of Auburn township, who was born here on May 31, 1840. He was a son of Daniel and Sarah ( Waters) Trago, who reared a family of
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ten children, the two survivors being our subject and his sister, Mary, who is the wife of William N. Keller, a resident of Allen county, Indiana.
Daniel Trago was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on May 8, 1796, of Quaker ancestry, and grew to manhood in his native state, where he learned the trade of millwright. This trade he followed for a number of years, but in 1832 he decided to become a farmer, and with his family he emigrated to Columbiana county, Ohio. Five years later he came to Crawford county, then Richland county, and bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land in Auburn township, which lies on the corner of our subject's present farm. At different times in later years he purchased other property and be- came the owner of three farms beside the one mentioned, one of which con- sisted of one hundred and twenty acres, another of eighty, and still another of eighty acres.
The death of Mr. Trago occurred on January 3, 1876. He was formerly a Whig in his political faith, but later identified himself with the Republican party, which, in fact, has conserved Whig principles. He had been reared in the quiet and peaceful religious belief of the Quakers, and never departed from it. The mother of our subject was born in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, on January 1, 1806, and died in May, 1871. She had been reared in the Episcopal church, but found no congregation of that kind in the neighbor- hood of her home, therefore she associated herself with the Baptist church and became a willing and consistent worker therein as long as she lived.
Our subject grew up in a good home, under the training of a most es- timable father and mother. His education was acquired in the common schools, and his recollections are very vivid of the old pioneer log school house, with its slab benches, etc. He continued to work on the farm with his father until the date of his marriage, October 21, 1866, at which time he was married to Miss Nancy A. Mount. She was a native of Cass township, Rich- land county, and she was the daughter of James Mount, who was a native of Ireland. To this union four children were born, viz .: Fannie, who is a teacher in the New Washington schools, filling her sixth term in this school; Justus J., who is a civil engineer, in the employ of the chief engineer's office of the Richland & Mahoning Railroad at Akron, Ohio; Andrew E., who has passed away ; and John Henry, who met his death in a sawmill by being thrown against the saw.
Following his marriage Mr. Trago rented the farm which he occupies from his father, and at the latter's death he purchased the property from the other heirs and since that time this has been the pleasant and comfortable
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family home. In politics Mr. Trago is a Republican, but he has never sought office. His mother brought him up in the Baptist church, but he has never become a member of any religious denomination, attending the Lutheran church with his wife, and teaching in their Sunday-school, exerting thus an influence in the direction of morality that but adds to the high esteem in which he is held in the community. On February 9, 1892, Mrs. Trago passed out of life and left behind a deeply bereaved family and a wide circle of sorrowing friends.
JOSEPH GLEDHILL.
Joseph Gledhill, of Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio, a plain, unassuming man and a wealthy and progressive farmer, whose neighbors say that his farm is in many respects the best in that township, was born near Little Beaver, Trumbull county, Ohio, a son of Joseph and Mary ( Mitchell) Gledhill, April 2, 1832. His father was a native of the north of England, and his good wife bore him eleven children, eight of whom grew to man- hood and womanhood. Elizabeth, the first born, married David Snyder and she and her husband are both dead. Mary is the wife of Perry Russell, of Middletown, Ohio. Esther, who was the wife of John Shoemaker, is dead. Martha, who married Colonel Calvin Burwell, is dead. Sarah is the wife of Henry Castle, of Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio. Joseph, the subject of this sketch, was the fourth in order of birth. John is dead. Will- iam lives on his father's old homestead in Jefferson township. The father of these children came to America in 1826 and located in Trumbull county, Ohio, where he put a woolen mill in operation. He had brought quite a sum of money with him to America from England, but because of over-confidence in some people with whom he dealt he failed in business in Trumbull county, in 1832. By means of a one-horse wagon he removed to Crawford county, where he bought eighty acres of land, upon which some improvements had been made, for eighty dollars. He lived in a small house of round logs, which stood on the place, and not knowing anything about farming he busied himself at cutting down trees and chopping them up into cordwood, which he piled up on his land and sold, when occasion offered, to such advantage as was possible, and thus he was employed mostly for several years. He died there in 1868, at the age of sixty-eight years, and his wife lived on the home- stead farm until 1886, when she died, aged eighty-four years.
When his parents removed to Jefferson township, Crawford county,
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Ohio, the subject of this sketch was about six months old. He grew up amid the most primitive surroundings, helping to clear land and raise crops and availing himself of such scanty educational facilities as the locality afforded. In 1858, when he was twenty-six years old, he married Elizabeth Hershner. The following items of information concerning their children will add to the interest of this sketch: William and Edward are both dead. The eldest daughter, Della, is the wife of J. Stough, of Galion, Ohio. Minnie is the wife of J. G. Brown, of Covington, Kentucky. Myrtie married R. C. Tracht, a lawyer, and lives at Galion, Ohio. Matie is the wife of James Morton, ticket agent for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company. at Mt. Gilead, Ohio. Kittie is the wife of J. C. Schaber. of Henry county, Ohio. Arthur married Alma Farrell and lives in Jefferson township, Craw- ford county, Ohio. Mack married Verna Beck and is a farmer in Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio.
After his marriage Mr. Gledhill bought and moved upon the place in Jefferson township, Crawford county, which is now his home farm. He now owns four hundred acres of land, most of it well improved and very pro- ductive, well equipped with all necessary buildings, appliances and utensils, a farm which by common consent is conceded to be for all practical purposes the finest in the township. Mr. Gledhill is a Republican and has held the office of township trustee for seven years.
DAVID M. PEPPARD.
One of the prominent railroad engineers on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, now living in Crestline, Ohio. has been in the service of that company through a very long period and is one of its most faithful and trustworthy employes. He was born near Mansfield, Richland county, Ohio, December 25: 1834. His father, Francis Peppard, was a native of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and when about twelve years of age became a resident of Wayne county, Ohio, whither he went with his parents. There he was reared, and from an early age he followed the plasterer's trade. Removing to Mansfield. he carried on business along that line through a lengthy period. There he married Miss Mary Ann Morrison, a native of Crawford county, Pennsylvania. Her parents, however, were born in Ireland, and, crossing the Atlantic to the new world, settled on French creek, Crawford county, Penn- sylvania, whence they afterward removed to Richland county, Ohio, casting in their lot with the early settlers there. Mr. and Mrs. Peppard began their
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domestic life in Mansfield, Ohio, but after a short time the father purchased land where our subject now resides. The place was then a part of Richland county, but this portion of the state has since been placed in Crawford county. After carrying on agricultural pursuits for a number of years the father sold the farm and removed to Crestline, where he died when more than seventy- eight years of age. He was one of the pioneers of the county and cleared and improved ninety acres of land where the son now makes his home. In poli- tics he was first a Freesoiler, and when James G. Birney became a candidate of the Abolition party for the office of president he gave him his support. Later, when the Republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery, he joined its ranks. He held membership in the Methodist Epis- copal church, although reared in the Presbyterian faith. His wife also be- longed to the Methodist Episcopal church. She lived to be only thirty-six years of age. Their children, two sons and three daughters, all reached ma- ture years and all are yet living. David M., of this review, being the eldest. The others are Margaret Ann, wife of J. J. Talbott ; Eliza Jane, the wife of E. L. Mclaughlin, engineer on the Great Northern railroad; William, who is engineer on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago road: and Lydia A., the wife of Jerome Brokar, a laundryman of Elyria, Ohio.
David M. Peppard was only about a year old when his parents removed to Crawford county, where he pursued his education in the district schools. He worked on the home farm until seventeen years of age, and then took up railroad work, being first employed at shoveling dirt on the Sandusky, Mans- field & Newark line. After thirteen and a half days spent in that way he was made brakeman on the same road. This was in the year 1852. He afterward became a fireman, and on the 15th of August, 1853, he entered the service of the Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad Company as car inspector, and in April, 1854, was made brakeman on a passenger train running between Crestline and Pittsburg. The following year he was transferred to the position of fireman on the same road, and acted in that capacity until November, 1859, when he was promoted to engineer on a freight train running from Crestline to Alli- ance, Ohio. On the 15th of August, 1873, he took charge of a roundhouse as foreman, and was thus engaged until April 18, 1882, when he became master mechanic in the Crestline shops, thus serving until February, 1890, when he again went upon the road as engineer on a passenger train running between Crestline and Alliance. He worked in that way until November, 1897, since which time he has run a shifting engine in the Crestline yard. He is one of the oldest employes of the Pennsylvania road, and his long con-
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nection therewith indicates in an unmistakable manner the trust reposed in him as well as his fidelity and close application to duty.
In February, 1856, Mr. Peppard was united in marriage to Miss Maria A. Iloffman, a native of Richland county, Ohio, and a daughter of Nathan and Electa ( Parrott) Hoffman. They have become the parents of eight chil- dren : Mary, now the wife of G. P. Welshons, a farmer of Crawford county ; Kate, who married J. P. Brown, formerly an engineer in Crestline ; Frank, de- ceased; William, who is married and lives in Crestline; Grant, a machinist in the tube works at Shelby, Ohio; Edwin, who follows the painter's trade in Crestline ; and Harry and Samuel, at home. Mr. Peppard is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to lodge No. 272, of Crestline. He also holds membership relations with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and with the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as trustee for some time, filling the office in a commendable manner and doing everything in his power to promote the best interests of the church and the cause it represents. His father voted for William Henry Harrison in 1840 and Mr. Peppard has ever since been a stanch Republican. He began voting in Crestline when only fifty Republican votes were cast in the town. His first presidential bal- lot supported John C. Fremont; twice he voted for Lincoln and twice for Grant, and never has he failed to indicate his political preferences at a presi- dential election by casting a ballot for the candidates of his choice. He owns and occupies a little farm of fourteen acres near Crestline, and it is cultivated under his supervision. He has long resided in the city and is well known as a capable and prominent representative of railway interests.
CHARLES A. BROWN.
One of the most substantial, intelligent and highly respected citizens of Crawford county, Ohio, who owns a large acreage of valuable land in San- dusky township, where he is also a leader in political and social circles, is Charles A. Brown, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, on November 13, 1831. He was a son of John and Rosanna ( Gruber) Brown, who be- came the parents of a family of seven children, of whom our subject is the only survivor.
Both John and Rosanna Brown, the parents of our subject, were born in , Wurtemberg, the former in 1790 and the latter in 1795, and there they grew to maturity and were united in marriage. The father was a soldier
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in the Russian war, under King Frederic, of Wittenberg, and was, in fact, one of his body-guard. In 1832 John Brown decided to emigrate to America, in the hope of being able to secure lands for his children, and preparations were made for the long journey, and landing was finally made in New York City, after a long and stormy voyage of sixty-two days. With his wife and six children, our subject then being a child of six months, Mr. Brown started westward, making the trip from New York to Albany by the river, thence by canal to Buffalo and thence to Cleveland via the lakes. Here they secured teams and proceeded to Columbiana county, where they passed their first winter. Determining to proceed farther west, the father bought three yoke of cattle and a wagon, and thus the family came, as did many another, into Crawford county. When the party reached the Wyandot Indian reservation it then turned back, locating in Sandusky township, where Mr. Brown pur- chased a farm of eighty acres, in section 13, that being the same farm now oc- cupied by the widow of Christian Brown. Upon this land Mr. Brown settled and made it his home until his death, in 1856. After locating on this land he entered three tracts of eighty acres each, in Chatfield township, with the idea of thus providing for his children, but shortly afterward he sold those tracts and bought extensive lands in Mercer county, which in course of time he di- vided among his children, whose welfare he always had at heart. Mr. Brown was a most worthy and consistent member of the German Lutheran church and contributed largely to its spread and support. The mother of our sub- ject died in 1886, at the age of ninety-one years.
Charles A. Brown, of this biography, was reared on the home farm and attended school in the little log school house of pioneer times. Although he was handicapped at first by his inability to either speak or understand any- thing but the German tongue, he was very apt and soon improved and later became well educated, and is now one of the intelligent and leading men of the county. When he was about twenty years of age, by the marriage of his brother, Christian, the charge of the farm was given into his hands, and our subject began his own career outside the home limits. Farm work in the neighborhood was easy to find, and other occupations presented themselves, so that he was kept quite busy, until he was given his farm in Mercer county. This consisted of eighty acres of unimproved land and our subject decided to wait until a favorable oportunity came to make an exchange, and in 1856 he was able to trade his Mercer county farm for eighty acres in Lykens town- ship. This land he retained until 1860, and then sold it advantageously and bought the one hundred and twenty acres in Sandusky township where he now
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resides. Unil 1871 he rented his farm, since which time it has been the fam- ily home.
In 1871 Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Lovina Easterday, a native of Chatfield township and a daughter of Jacob Easterday, who was one of the early settlers of this county, coming here from Germany. After his marriage our subject and wife settled on his farm, to which he has since made many additions, until now it comprises three hundred and ten acres and is finely improved. Mr. Brown has engaged extensively in the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, and is just making a trial of the new breed of cattle known as the Aberdeen, there being but few of these yet in the county. His operations both in cattle and stock-raising, as well as in farming, have proved very successful, and he is regarded as one of the most substantial citizens of Crawford county.
A family of twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, and nine of these still survive, several of them located in this or neighboring townships, while the others still remain under the home roof. Their names are as follows: Willis L., a farmer of this township; Charles Elburtis, of Broken Sword, in Holmes township ; Milton F., at home ; Waldo F., a teacher and pursuing a course in Heidelberg University, Tiffin, Ohio; and Carl .1., Floyd E., Dora G., Edson J. and Samuel E. are all at home.
Mr. Brown is a stanch Republican at present, having become so within the past few years, and has efficiently served four years as township trustee. His fellow citizens desired to honor him with the offices of justice of the peace and assessor, but met with his refusal to fill these, the only other office that he accepted being that of treasurer. He is a consistent member of the Reformed church and is one of the most influential men in this part of Crawford county, and well represents its best interests.
FREDERICK LUST.
Among the settlers who came to Crawford county in pioneer days and were long identified with the upbuilding and development of this portion of the state, and none have been more highly respected or more worthy of high regard than the Rev. Frederick Lust, who not only gave his attention to agricultural pursuits, but also devoted much of his time through forty years to the work of preaching the gospel as a minister of the Pietist church. He was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1815, and with his father, John David Lust, he came to America in 1820, crossing the ocean on one of the old-time
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sailing vessels, which required weeks to make the passage. On reaching the shores of the new world the father brought his family to Ohio, and first located in Marion county, and ten years later coming to Crawford county. From that time forward until his death Frederick Lust was a resident of this county. He lived in Lykens township and there he purchased a tract of wild land, which he transformed into a productive farm.
As a companion and helpmate for the journey of life Mr. Lust chose Sophia Beal, and unto them were born nine children: Samuel, now de- ceased; Lydia, the wife of Frederick Heiber, of Liberty township; Sophia, the wife of Martin Durr, by whom she had three children; Benjamin, de- ceased; Louisa, who married Charles Lindner, of Valparaiso, Indiana; Su- san, deceased; Emanuel, who is living in Holmes township; Isaac, who has passed away ; and Nathaniel, who resides at Sulphur Springs, Ohio. For his second wife Rev. Mr. Lust chose Dorothy Gross.
Throughout his active business career he carried on farming, and at the time of his death was the owner of two hundred and fifty acres of valuable land, for as time passed he made judicious investments of his earnings and thus gained a valuable property. He was also the first minister of the Pietist church in this locality and for forty years gave much time, energy and con- secrated thought to the work of helping his fellow men to walk in the path pointed out by the Savior. In politics he was a Democrat, and served as school director and trustee of his township. He took an active interest in educational affairs and in all movements tending to benefit the community. By precept and example he labored for the cause of the church, and his in- fluence was very marked. His memory remains as a benediction to all who knew this worthy and upright pioneer.
JOHN LEONHART.
Enterprise and determination have formed the foundation upon which the success of Mr. Leonhart has been builded. He is to-day numbered among the leading agriculturists of the county, wide-awake, progressive and enterprising, and his farm of three hundred and twenty acres, with its many excellent improvements, is a monument to his labor and resolution.
Mr. Leonhart is a native of Stark county, Ohio, his birth having occurred near Canton, on the 4th of October, 1834, his parents being George and Mar- garet (Capst) Leonhart. Both were natives of Alsace, Germany. They be-
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MR. AND MRS. JOHN LEONHART AND CHILDREN.
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came the parents of six children, the eldest being the subject of this review. The others are Catherine, the widow of Conrod Hammer; Elizabeth, the wife of Adam Reichard, of Chatfield township; George, who is living in Kansas; Adam, also of Chatfield township; and Adolph, who makes his home in Virginia. In the year 1832 George Leonhart, the father of this family, came to America, landing on the shores of the new world after a voyage of forty days. He settled in Stark county, Ohio, where he pur- chased eighty acres of land, upon which he made his home until March, 1837, when he came to Crawford county, taking up his abode in Chatfield township. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, of which only five acres had been cleared, while a log cabin constituted the improve- ments that had been made in the shape of buildings. He cleared and im- proved that farm and as the years passed added to his property until at one time he owned seven hundred acres of valuable land. He died in 1886, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. respected by all who knew him. He was a member of the German Evangelical Lutheran church, served as one of its trustees and took an active interest in its work. His widow still survives him and is now eighty-seven years of age.
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