USA > Ohio > Crawford County > A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio > Part 51
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About 1855, desiring to see something of the world, Mr. Ross went to Charlotte, Michigan, and worked through one year in a sawmill there, going then to Marion, in Linn county, Iowa, where he was employed during the next year on a farm. A party of friends desired Mr. Ross to accompany them to Kansas, and he bought a horse and made his way to Independence, Missouri, where he joined them, but the party was detained some weeks and our sub- ject in the meantime found temporary employment. They all reached Neo- sho Falls, Kansas, but finally decided to turn back. Mr. Ross returned with them to Ohio, and found business conditions better in his native place than in other sections of the country. In 1858 he entered into a partnership with Samuel Hilborn and Samuel Wynn and they built a steam sawmill in this township, and this enterprise was successfully conducted for seven years. During this time Mr. Ross bought a farm of one hundred acres, known as the Williams farm, later trading this for one of eighty acres, located near the mill. Two years later he sold this property to advantage and bought eighty acres, where he now resides, selling the mill at this time and removing to his present property, where he now owns one hundred and twenty acres of well-improved and highly cultivated land. Forty acres of desirable land our- subject gave to his sons.
The marriage of Mr. Ross was in 1860, to Miss Mary A. Aumena, and to this union five children were born, their names being as follows :
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Emmons W., who is a farmer in this township; William B., who is a farmer of Richland county, Ohio; Fred R., who is a resident of Bloomville, Ohio; and Amelia A. and Howard, who have passed away.
In politics Mr. Ross is a Republican and has filled a number of the local offices with credit to himself, notably those of justice of the peace for two terms and some five terms as township trustee. He is a member of the Meth- odist church, in which he is both trustee and class-leader and to which he contributes most liberally. Mr. Ross is highly respected as a self-made man and as one of sterling character, upright and honorable in his citizenship and esteemed in every relation of life.
GILBERT F. MALCOLM.
A busy, useful and successful career has been that of Gilbert Ferris Malcolm, who is one of Crawford county's native sons and who has through- out his entire life been connected with the agricultural and stock-raising inter- ests of this locality. He stands to-day as one of the leading representatives of this department of labor and in his business affairs he is meeting with splendid success.
.A son of James Harvey and Elsie M. ( Monnett ) Malcolm, he was born on a farm in the southeastern portion of Bucyrus township, April 29, 1865, and there the days of his youth were passed. His father was an extensive farmer and stock-raiser and early he became familiar with the best methods of caring for stock and cultivating the fields. He pursued his education in the public schools, acquiring a good knowledge of the English branches of learning usually taught in such institutions. He was a stout and hearty youth and even at the early age of twelve years he was able to perform the labors usually assigned to a man. Between that time and his majority no man of the many employed on his father's farm ever did more hard labor than our subject. In fact, he has experienced many hardships and has done much difficult work. Learning in early life the value of industry and perseverance, he has made them salient features in his career and they have contributed in large measure to his prosperity. He continued to work and labor in the interests of his father with no salary or any agreement about the work until he was twenty-nine years of age, at which time he was given a fourth interest in the profits of his father's stock business and was also given two hundred and eighty acres of land. In the stock business he was associated with his father until the latter's death.
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Mr. Malcolm remained under the parental roof until his marriage and just after the celebration of that event he removed with his young bride to their present residence, situated on section 33, Bucyrus township, the place being known as the Ed Monnett homestead. Upon the death of his father, in June, 1900, he assumed the business control of the estate and now superin- tends the operation of nineteen hundred acres of land, of which he leases and cultivates six hundred and sixty-eight acres, all in one body and constitut- ing one of the finest farms in the entire county. In addition to this he op- erates his farm of two hundred and eighty acres, given him by his father on the twenty-ninth anniversary of his birth, and a tract of four hundred acres, which he owns in Dallas township and which adjoins his Bucyrus township land on the south. He is one of the largest, if not the largest, cattle feeders of the county, having at this time about two hundred and fifty head upon his farm. He buys all of the cattle which he feeds, and in addition he raises horses, mules and hogs on quite an extensive scale. He has a large frame barn with stone foundation and basement, a modern and convenient frame residence and other good improvements upon his place.
On the 18th of February, 1897, Mr. Malcolm was married to Miss Eliza- beth Hinamon, a daughter of Fred Hinamon, of Marion county, Ohio, where occurred the birth of Mrs. Malcolm. Two children grace their union: Cath- erine Elsie and James Harvey. Their home is celebrated for its pleasing hospitality and their friends throughout the community are many and the circle is constantly increasing. In his political views Mr. Malcolm is a Re- publican and is a firm believer in the principles and policy of the party, but has never sought office as a reward for party allegiance. He prefers to give his time and attention to his business interests, which are extensive and im- portant, demanding capable management and keen business discernment in their control. He is widely regarded as a most enterprising farmer and stock- raiser, reliable in business and in all trade transactions, conducting his inter- ests along the lines of the strictest commercial honor.
JOHN SHALTER.
The once prominent citizen of Lykens township, Crawford county, Ohio, whose name is above, was born in Stark county, Ohio, December 30, 1815, and died at his home in Lykens township, August 3, 1880. His parents died when he was three years of age and he lived with different families until he was able to begin the battle of life for himself. He passed his early life in
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working at whatever he could find to do and in 1832 moved to Crawford county and took up eighty acres of government land in Lykens township, on which he built a log cabin, which a few years later he replaced by a more commodious log house, which in turn was superseded by the modern house which is the home of his daughters. At the time of his death he owned one hundred and fifty-five acres, which had been cleared and improved by his own industry. His wife died August 30, 1892, aged eighty-two years and six months. They were active workers in the church and useful citizens in the community. Mrs. Shalter was Miss Elizabeth Albaugh, of Jefferson county, Ohio, and she bore her husband thirteen children, the following informa- tion concerning whom will be of interest in this connection. Hiram, the first born, is a farmer in Texas township, Crawford county. John lives in Putnam county, Ohio. Abraham lives in Seneca county, Ohio. Saloma is the wife of Daniel C. Savage and lives at Cripple Creek, Colorado. Mary A., Levi, Catharine, Susannah, Emma and David are dead. Nancy, Lizzie and Della live on their father's homestead. For several years the three were the proprietors of millinery stores at Bloomville and at other places in Ohio, and before that, for several years, Della was a successful teacher.
ROBERT E. CROWLEY.
Robert E. Crowley, who is a passenger conductor on the Big Four Railroad, was born in Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, in 1849, and is a son of Robert Crowley, a native of Scotland. Having arrived at years of ma- turity, the father married Miss Agnes J. Mccullough, also a native of the land of hills and heather, their wedding being celebrated in Edinburg. Cross- ing the Atlantic to America, they became residents of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where occurred the birth of our subject. He spent his boy- hood days under the parental roof until fifteen years of age. when he ran away from home in order to aid his country in preserving the Union. On account of his extreme youth his parents withheld their consent for him to become a soldier, but his spirit of loyalty could not be checked and he there- fore quietly left the parental abode in 1864 and was enrolled as a member of the Sixth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Five other boys of the neighborhood en- listed at the same time, but four of the number were killed or died in the service. Mr. Crowley was with Sheridan in the Shenandoah valley and did dispatch duty for a long time. This service was particularly arduous and
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dangerous, but he never faltered, although so young, and was ever found true to the trusts reposed in him and to the important work given into his charge. He was twice slightly wounded, and at the close of the war was m11stered out at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, receiving an honorable discharge.
Throughout the greater part of his business career Mr. Crowley has been connected with railroad service, having been for twenty-eight years in the em- ploy of the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway Company. He was on the road when it was known as the Bee line, and since 1873 he has been a conductor on what is now the Big Four Railroad, a part of the Vander- bilt system. For some years he acted as freight conductor between Galion and Union City, Indiana, but since 1880 has been a passenger conductor, running to Indianapolis. During all of the years of his connection with the road he has never had an accident, never been suspended and has never been reprimanded by railway authorities. It is a record of which he has every reason to be proud and one indicating close application and unques- tioned fidelity.
Mr. Crowley was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Carrothers, a daughter of George Carrothers, who came from county Fermnagh, Ireland, to the new world when a lad of ten summers, accompanied by his parents, who located in Guernsey county, Ohio. This family of Carrothers were heirs to the Abercrombie castle and estates in Scotland. After some time spent in Guernsey county, George Carrothers removed to Noble county, from there to Morrow county, where his last days were passed. His widow is still living on a farm in that county, her home being seven miles from Galion. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Crowley have been born five children : Agness Jane and Clyde W., twins, who died in infancy, at the ages of eight months and two years, respectively; Margaret, who is in Little Rock, Arkansas, acting as private secretary to Bishop Brown, of the Episcopal church. She was edu- cated in St. Mary's Episcopal school, at Knoxville, Illinois, being graduated with the class of 1898, in which she won class and valedictorian honors. She learned stenography and typewriting in three months, after which she ac- cepted her present position. Bishop Brown was residing in Galion during her infancy and acted as her godfather and Mrs. Brown as godmother. There are also two sons in Mr. Crowley's family,-Forest Glenn and Robert Gar- field,-both of Galion, the latter now a student in the high school.
Mr. Crowley is a Republican in his political views, and, though he takes no active part in campaign work, he believes firmly in the principles of the party and keeps well informed on the issues of the day. He was reared in
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the Episcopal church and he and his family attend its services. Although his life has been quietly passed it contains many lessons worthy of emulation, as does that of every man, who, like Mr. Crowley, is true to his duties, to himself, to his neighbors and to his country.
IVILSON C. LEMERT.
No adequate memorial of Colonel Wilson C. Lemert can be written until many of the useful enterprises with which he has been connected have com- pleted their full measure of good in the world and until his personal influ- ence and example shall have ceased their fruitage in the lives of those with whom he has been associated while an actor in the busy places of the world. Yet there is much concerning him that may with profit be set down here as an illustration of what can be done if a man with a clear brain and willing hands but seriously undertakes the real labors and responsibilities of life.
Colonel Lemert is numbered among the native sons of Crawford county who have attained distinction and honor in connection with commercial and industrial interests. He was born upon a farm in Texas township, in 1837. His father, Louis Lemert, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, August 5. 1802, and was a son of Joshua Lemert, who was also a native of the Old Dominion, but whose parents were of German birth. Joshua Lemert was united in marriage, in Virginia, to Miss Mary Wright, and in 1808 emigrated to Ohio, settling on a farm in Coshocton county, Ohio. He served as an officer in the war of 1812 and is said to have been the strongest man in the regiment. He died in Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1858. Lewis Lemert, the father of the Colonel, acquired a fair education in his youth, and on the 2d of January, 1823, was united in marriage to .Miss Ruth Perdew, who was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, April 4, 1802, a daughter of William and Rachel Perdew, who removed to Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1816. In 1826 Lewis Lemert came with his young wife to Crawford county and took up his abode on a farm in Texas township, where he won prosperity through the tilling of the soil. Both he and his wife were active members and liberal supporters of the Methodist church in an early day and they lived. exemplary Christian lives. The father held various positions of public trust and ever merited the honor and confidence reposed in him. Their son, Joshua, was for three years a member of the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry at the time of the Civil war and for one year commanded his company, with the rank of captain.
W/ement
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Wilson C. Lemert pursued his preliminary education in the schools of Crawford county, later entered the Republic Academy, in Seneca county, Ohio, subsequently was a student in Heidelberg College, of Tiffin, Ohio, and was graudated in the Ohio Wesleyan University, in Delaware, with the class of 1858. In the following year he was graduated in the Cleveland Law Col- lege, and in 1860 began the practice of his chosen profession in Greensburg. Indiana, but about a year later he put aside all personal considerations that he might aid his country, then engaged in civil war.
During the first year of hostilities between the north and the south Wilson C. Lemert joined the Seventh Indiana Infantry, was chosen second lieutenant of his company, and during the first year of his services was pro- moted to first lieutenant and afterward to captain, receiving the latter pro- motion in recognition of meritorious conduct on the battlefield of Winchester .. In 1862 Governor Tod tendered him a major's commission in the Eighty- sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and in 1863, on the reorganization of that regiment, he became its colonel. The regiment was assigned to the command of General Burnside, with the Ninth Army Corps and was active in the his- torical campaign of eastern Tennessee. Colonel Lemert was given command of the Third Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps, consisting of over seven thousand soldiers, including infantry, cavalry and artillery troops, which constituted the Federal forces in the department of Clinch river. His headquarters were at Cumberland Gap, the strategic gateway of east Ten- nessee. Colonel Lemert continued in command of this brigade and a part of the time was acting commander of the division, until the expiration of his services in 1865. The movement of his troops formed an important chapter in the history of the war. He was a gallant officer, with a comprehensive. and practical knowledge of military tactics. Ever fearless himself, he in- spired his men with his own bravery, yet he was never reckless in exposing them to needless danger. His loyalty was above question and he enjoyed the confidence of his superior officers and those who served under him.
On his return from the war the Colonel entered upon a business career requiring generalship no less marked than that needed in commanding troops on the field of battle. It requires a master mind to plan, formulate and ex- ecute gigantic business enterprises, and this the Colonel has done. No citizen of Crawford county has been connected to a greater degree with important commercial and industrial concerns. In 1865 he was president and general manager of the Bellefontaine Cotton Company, engaged in raising and trading- in cotton in Mississippi and Alabama. From 1867 until 1877 he was a part-
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ner and manager in the business of A. M. Jones & Company, extensive manu- facturers of wagons, carriages and sleighs. In 1877 he became manager of the firm of McDonald & Company, railroad builders, who constructed and operated the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad. In 1878 he became president and manager of the Moxahala Furnace Company, of Perry county, Ohio, con- structed and opreated the plant and opened coal, iron-ore and fire-clay mines at Moxahala. During the same time he superintended the construction of the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad from Moxahala to Corning. He pur- chased the land, platted and built the town of Corning and there developed other coal mines, with a daily capacity of three thousand tons. In 1880 he completed the Corning mines and built the railroad from Corning to Buck- ingham, and raised by subscription along the line to Toledo one hundred thousand dollars to complete the line to Toledo and enlarge its equip- ment. He was appointed manager of the entire mining and railroad prop- erties and conducted the "Corning war" which resulted satisfactorily to miners and operators. During the same year he secured a location of the railroad machine shops at Bucyrus and purchased and reorganized the Bu- cyrus Manufacturing Company, which became large producers of mining and railway equipments, steam shovels and dredges. In 188i he built an extension to the Ohio Central Railroad from Corning to the Ohio river, a distance of fifty-one miles. He also successfully operated extensive draft- horse ranches in Iowa and Colorado for ten years. He was appointed chief engineer on the staff of Governor Foster. In 1882 he built the St. Louis & Emporia Railroad, afterward a part of the Missouri Pacific system, and in 1883 began the construction of a railroad from Findlay, Ohio, to Columbus, which was sold to the Ohio Central Railroad Company. He was also in- terested in the Nickel Plate enterprise, which was sold at a good profit to the Vanderbilts.
Colonel Lemert organized the Northwestern Natural Gas Company, which supplied Toledo, Sandusky. Tiffin, Fostoria. Fremont. Clyde. Bellville and Detroit with natural gas. Colonel Lemert then assumed the general supervision of the Brice & Thomas natural gas plants in Ohio and Indiana, -at Springfield, Dayton, Piqua, Sidney, Troy and Lima, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Logansport and Lafayette, Indiana. In 1887 he purchased, rebuilt and consolidated the gas and electric light properties at Bucyrus and in 1889 purchased the brick machinery factory of Frey, Sheckler & Hoover, organiz- ing the Frey-Sheckler Company, which he later consolidated with the Pen- field & Son plant, at Willoughby, Ohio, the new organization being known
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as the American Clay Working Machinery Company. This company has enlarged its business until it now has the most extensive plant in the world in the manufacture of clay-working machinery. In 1894 Mr. Lemert pur- chased, combined and rebuilt the gas and electric light plant and the electric railroad at Fort Smith, Arkansas, so that the different concerns are now un- der one management. In addition to all his other interests the Colonel is a director in the First National Bank at Bucyrus. In his manifold under- takings he has prospered and is now able to retire with a comfortable fortune acquired through good management, close attention to business and careful economy. His relations with his employes have ever been of the most desirable character. His bearing is entirely free from os- tentation and there is a kindly interest manifest in his intercourse with those who serve him. He is generous in helping the needy and distressed, is quick to reward merit and is ever prompt in payment.
Colonel Lemert was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. Jones, a daugh- ter of Dr. A. M. and Elizabeth Jones, of Bucyrus, and unto them were born two daughters, Katie E. and Blanche, but the former died on the LIth of March, 1896. The Colonel has traveled extensively, visiting many points of interest in Europe, continuing his travels to Palestine and looking upon the evidences of the ancient civilization of Africa. He has always preferred to control gigantic business enterprises rather than to enter politics and has declined many responsible positions of honor and trust. He has never held office, save when in 1866-7 he was postmaster of Bucyrus. The career of Colonel W. C. Lemert has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence of the business world, for he has ever conducted all transactions on the strict- est principles of honor and integrity. His devotion to the public good is un- questioned and arises from a sincere interest in the welfare of his fellow men. What the world needs is such men-men capable of managing extensive, gi- gantic mercantile concerns, and conducting business on terms that are fair alike to employer and employe-men of genuine worth, of unquestioned in- tegrity and honor,-and then the questions of oppression by capitalists and re- sistance and violence by laborers will be forever at rest.
HENRY D. MILLER.
Henry D. Miller, who is engaged in general farming, was born May 25, 1869, on the farm in Lykens township, Crawford county, upon which he now resides. He is a son of Christian Miller, deceased. He attended the
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common schools in his youth and also assisted in the cultivation of the fields upon the old homestead, thus early becoming familiar with farm work in its various branches. When eighteen years of age he took charge of the old homestead, practical experience having well qualified him for the work. Since that time he has managed the farm, and its well cultivated fields and neat appearance indicate his careful supervision. He is an industrious, progress- ive farmer, and he annually harvests good crops. He now owns one hundred and seventeen acres of the old home place in Lykens township and is therefore numbered among the substantial young farmers of the community.
On the 28th of November, 1895. Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Ida Margraff, a daughter of Charles and Leal ( Miller ) Margraff, and they now have one child, Donna Blanche, who is a most interesting mem- ber of the household. Mr. Miller is well known in Crawford county and his fellow citizens of Lykens township have honored him with office. He served as assessor in 1894 and 1895, and in his political affiliations he is a Democrat. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Reformed church, and he holds social relations with the Knights of Pythias lodge of Lykens. He is a charter member of the organization and has filled all of its offices. A wide-awake and progressive farmer, he well deserves mention in the his- tory of his native county.
ABRAHAM MONNETT.
Abraham Monnett was for many years a prominent resident of Craw- ford county, but the boundaries of the locality in which he made his home were too limited for the capabilities of such a man. He was a typical repre- sentative of the Aemrican spirit, which within the past century has achieved a work which arouses at once the astonishment and admiration of the world. Crawford county was fortunate in that he allied his interests with hers, for his labors proved of benefit to the entire community, as well as resulting to. his individual prosperity. The marvelous development of the middle west is due to such men, whose indomitable energy and progressive spirit have overcome all obstacles and reached the goal of success. He was not so ab- normally developed as to be called a genius, but was one of the strongest be- cause one of the best balanced. the most even and self-masterful of men, and he acted so well his part in both public and private life that Ohio as well as Bucy- rus has been enriched by his example, his character and his labor. When he was
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