USA > Ohio > Crawford County > A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio > Part 65
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In the spring following his marriage Mr. Tobin assumed the manage- ment of the home farm, which he has since operated on the shares. He has placed the land under a high state of cultivation, and the neat and thrifty ap- pearance of the place indicates his careful supervision. In politics he is quite prominent in Democratic circles, and in 1892 was appointed township trustee to fill the vacancy caused by the death of John Bland. In the spring of 1893 he was regularly elected to the office, and in 1896 was re-elected, so that he has served for more than two terms. He and his wife are members of the Presby- terian church, and also belong to Cranberry Grange, No. 1435, Patrons of
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Husbandry. Mr. Tobin is accounted one of the progressive agriculturists of his community. His entire life has been passed within the borders of Craw- ford county, and the fact that many of his warmest friends are numbered among those who have known him from childhood is an indication of his up- right and straightforward career.
JOHN HILBORN.
John Hilborn, one of the highly esteemed citizens of Crawford county, Ohio, now engaged in the coal and draying business in the town of Tiro, was born in Liberty township, in this county, on November 16, 1838. He was a son of Isaac and Nancy ( George) Hilborn, and was a member of a family of nine children, the two survivors being the subject of this sketch and his brother Samuel, who now resides on the old home farm in Auburn township.
Our subject grew to manhood on the home farm, which is located within one mile of his present home in Tiro. He received an excellent common- school education, and, as his father was growing old and he was the youngest son, he remained under the parental roof. When he was twenty-two years of age his father gave him forty acres of timber land and he went to work clearing this property. Into his peaceful life, as into that of many another farmer boy, sounded the call to arms in defense of his country, and our subject was quick to respond. On September 7, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army, entering Company I, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and soon they were sent from Mansfield to Camp Dennison to be trained in the arts of war. Shortly after, our subject and his companions were sent to Covington, Ken- tucky, and camped there for a short time, going then to Camp Nevin, where they spent the greater part of the winter. While here our subject was at- tacked with a serious illness which necessitated a season in the hospital, and a month later he obtained a furlough for twenty-six days' leave, on condition that some one would take charge of him. A brother-in-law came for him and brought him home. One week after his return he broke out with small-pox, but this did not prevent his reporting for duty on the day before the expiration of his furlough. However, under the circumstances his services were not needed in camp and he was sent back home with orders to remain there until he was fit for duty. About ten days later he again reported, but was then sent to what was known as Hospital No. 4, but his condition was such that he could not be received there and he was sent to Park Barracks, and here he was later detailed as assistant waiter in the officers' mess.
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Some three weeks later our subject was permitted to join his regiment, which was but one day's march from Corinth, and the battle at Pittsburg Land- ing had been fought but a few days previously. Our subject crossed the field of carnage on his way to join his regiment, and soon after reaching it his company was detailed to guard a bridge near Huntsville. Here the regiment threw up breastworks and then returned to Louisville with the idea of pre- venting the Confederate General Bragg from crossing the river. A few weeks later they pursued General Bragg and broke up his plans in that locality. Our subject took part in the greater number of the battles of the Army of the Cum- berland. In the one-hundred-day fight in the march from Chattanooga to Atlanta our subject was wounded at Pumpkin Vine creek, suffering both in the face and also in the left hand, but he declined to leave his company, although for several days he was totally unable to handle his gun.
Mr. Hilborn had his endurance tried again the first day following his again accepting his gun, as he was then severely wounded. He was on the picket line at what was known as Picket's Mills or New Hope church, and found it necessary to shoot an intruder, and before he had an opportunity to load his gun a party of the enemy came upon him, demanding his surrender, but he declined to do that and ran as fast as he could toward the camp, reaching there alive but with two bullets in his body. He was then sent to the division hos- pital, where he endured agonies from the operations necessary, and three weeks later was removed to Chattanooga, and four weeks later was passed on to the hospital in Nashville. Four weeks after he was sent home on a furlough and remained for twenty days. Returning to his company, our subject found it at Atlanta, Georgia, but before he reached there he had an encounter with Confederate scouts which almost prevented this gallant and faithful soldier from giving more service to his country.
At Atlanta the Fourth Army Corps and the Twenty-third Army Corps were left to pursue General Hood. Our subject's command belonged to the former, and they pressed on to Nashville and later the country heard of the fierce battle of Franklin, and later the battle of Nasliville. Our subject re- ceived his honorable and well-earned discharge on December 24, 1865. after having been five months in camp in Texas.
After Mr. Hilborn's return from the army he resumed farming, and on July 10, 1866, he was married to Miss Emmeline Clark, and to this marriage one child was born, which died when five months old, and Mrs. Hilborn died soon after its birth. On June 29. 1869, our subject was married to Miss S. J. Davis, and the one child of this marriage died in infancy.
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In 1868 Mr. Hilborn sold his farm and bought eighty acres located five miles north of his former farm, residing there for six months, then disposing of it and removing to Mechanicsburg, where he purchased two and one-half acres. This tract he also sold and then bought three acres and built upon it a good house and barn, making excellent improvements, and there he resided for four years and then sold and purchased five acres of land in Tiro. This he laid out in town lots and has sold all but his home place. Mr. Hilborn has done well in his real estate transactions and has displayed excellent judgment in every sale and purchase.
For about ten years Mr. Hilborn engaged in truck gardening, but for the past few years he has conducted a coal and draying business in Tiro, where he is well and favorably known. For many years our subject has been a lead- ing member of the United Brethren church and is one of the trustees of the same. In political sympathy he has ever been an ardent Republican, and has efficiently served on the town council for two terms. Socially he is connected with the G. A. R. organization, and both in this community and through the county where he is well known he is universally esteemed.
JOHN BURGER.
One of the substantial and successful farmers as well as much respected citizens of Crawford county, Ohio, is John Burger, who was born in Alsace while it was still a province of France, in the year 1845. He was one of a family of twelve children born to John and Mary (Shearer ) Burger, five of whom still survive, as follows: Horace, of this township: John, the subject of this sketch ; Margaret, the wife of Louis Phillips, of Norwalk, Ohio ; George, a resident of this township ; and Mathias, also of this township. Mr. and Mrs. John Burger were also natives of Alsace, where the former was born on May 25, 1810, and the latter was born on February 2, 1816. There they grew to maturity, in the same neighborhood, and there the father learned the trade of weaver. At the age of twenty years he entered the army and served in it for seven years, marrying soon after his discharge. During the summer months it was his custom to engage in farming, while the winter months were em- ployed in work at his trade. In 1846 Mr. Burger brought his family, by sail- ing vessel, to America. The voyage consumed forty-two days and after land- ing in New York city they came direct to Crawford county, Ohio.
After coming to Ohio Mr. Burger bought a farm of forty acres, in Cran- berry township, consisting of forest land. For this he paid two hundred and
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forty dollars, and here he built a cabin and was busily engaged during the suc- ceeding eight years in clearing and improving this land, succeeding in getting the larger portion of it ready for cultivation. In 1853 Mr. Burger exchanged this farm for one of eighty acres in Auburn township, this property adjoining the farm of our subject on the west, and here he resided until the time of his death, in 1873. Mr. Burger was a man of great energy and endurance, but was stricken with paralysis seven years prior to his death, and this entirely incapaci- tated him for further work. For a man of his industry this was a heavy af- fliction, but he bore it with Christian fortitude. His wife survived him some twenty-two years, dying in 1895, in the eightieth year of her age. Both par- ents had been worthy members of the Catholic church.
John Burger, of this biography, grew up at home, but received only lim- ited educational advantages, his whole time at school being included in the eight or nine months when he was able to receive instruction in a subscription school. However, reading and association with others have done their work, and Mr. Burger is now able to take his place with the most intelligent and best informed farmer citizens in his neighborhood. He was not more than eighteen years of age when the management of the home farm of one hundred and ninety acres fell upon his youthful shoulders, but he possessed much of his father's energy and industry and managed so well that at the age of twenty-one he took entire charge of affairs and farmed the land on shares.
The marriage of our subject was on November 22. 1870, to Miss Louisa Fisher, who was a native of Erie county, Ohio, and who was a daughter of Anthony Fisher, who was born in Baden, Germany. After marriage our sub- ject continued to manage the home farm for the three succeeding years, but in 1876 he purchased one hundred and forty acres of land where he now re- sides and removed to this place. With the additions he has since made, this farm now consists of some two hundred and seventeen acres, but this does not represent all the land owned by Mr. Burger. Two other farms in this town- ship belong to him, one consisting of one hundred and twenty acres, and an- other of eighty acres, while in Huron county he owns one farm of one hundred and seventeen acres and another of one hundred and twenty-two acres, making his landed possessions amount to six hundred and fifty-nine acres. Mr. Burger has been very successful in his land transactions, possessing good judgment and a thorough knowledge of the value of property in the different parts of the county.
Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Burger, namely: Amelia, the wife of Adam Miller, a merchant of New Washington, Ohio; Edward, at
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home ; and Josephine, a student in New Washington. In his political belief Mr. Burger has always been a Democrat, and has taken a great interest in the success of his party. He is a leading member of the Catholic church, in which he is a trustee, and is one of the solid and reliable citizens of Auburn town- ship, where he is widely known and universally respected.
MRS. CATHERINE B. BROWN.
Prominent among the residents of Crawford county, Ohio, in Sandusky township, is Mrs. Catherine B. Brown, the widow of the late Christian Brown, who during life was one of the highly esteemed citizens of this township. Mrs. Brown was born in Liberty township, on April 23, 1834, and she was a daughter of Caleb and Magdalena ( Brosie) Schieber.
Mrs. Brown grew to womanhood under paternal care and acquired her education in the common schools of the neighborhood and became thoroughly fitted to assume the position of farmer's wife, skilled in housewifery and pos- sessed of those estimable qualities which through life have won for her warm and appreciative friends. On January 10, 1853, she was united in marriage to Mr. Christian Brown. The latter was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, where he was born on July 28, 1825, and he was a son of John and Rosanna Brown, who came into Sandusky township at an early day, where Mr. Brown, the father, purchased the farm upon which our subject now resides.
Mr. Brown was seven years of age when his parents came to America, and his education was pursued in the common schools. Shortly after reach- ing his majority Mr. Brown began farming operations on the home farm, working on shares. After his marriage in 1853 he settled with his bride on the home farin and continued to follow agricultural pursuits until the death of his parents. The father died first, passing from life as one of the esteemed men of his locality. The mother resided with her son until she also passed away. Both had been most worthy members of the German Reformed church and in that church Christian Brown was also a leading and valued member.
After coming into possession of the home farm Mr. Brown bought twen- ty-six acres which adjoined it, making the farm to consist of one hundred and six acres, and in addition to this he bought another farm, comprising sixty acres, upon which his son Oscar now lives. Eight children were born to Mrs. Brown and her lamented husband, these being as follows: Oscar, a farmer ; Rosanna, the wife of H. J. Shupp, of Holmes township : Autillie, deceased ;
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Mary E., at home ; Sarah, the wife of Lincoln Majors, the manager of the home farm : Charles, at home ; and two infants, who died early.
The death of Mr. Brown on January 23, 1873, removed from the town- ship one of its most worthy citizens. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, although he never sought office, and was highly regarded by all who knew him for his many fine traits of character. Mrs. Brown is surrounded by her children and is a lady well and favorably known both in the church and in the neighborhood.
JOHN R. ECKERT.
The Eckert family has long been prominent in Germany and is ably represented in America, east and west. John Eckert and his wife, who was Annie M. Reuter, came to America in 1847, and located at Lancaster, Penn- sylvania, where John R. Eckert, their only child, was born October 3. 1849. John R. Eckert, who is a well-known farmer of Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio, is the immediate subject of this sketch, and his career will be treated more at length further on.
In 1866 John Eckert came with his family from Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, to Jefferson township. Crawford county. Ohio, and bought fifty acres of land, which is now comprised in his son's homestead. Later he bought seventy-eight acres more. He was a thrifty and successful farmer and a good business man and he and his wife were devout members of the Lutheran church. He died in 1886, at the age of seventy years. His wife died in 1883.
John R. Eckert was in his seventeenth year when his father located on the Eckert farm in Jefferson township. He received a good education in the common schools and early became a valuable assistant to his father. He now owns one hundred and ninety-six acres of valuable farming land which he devotes to miscellaneous crops and to stock-raising. He is a man of in- fluence in the township, who consistently votes the Democratic ticket. He was elected land appraiser in 1890 and again in 1900, and filled the office of town- ship trustee from 1892 to 1898, and for three years has been central com- mitteeman. His public spirit has impelled him to ally himself with many movements for the general good and he is an active and helpful member of the Lutheran church.
In 1871 Mr. Eckert married Miss Barbara Vulkmar, and they have had
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nine children, named as follows: Jacob, George Henry, Annie Margaret, Elizabeth Eva, John William, Albert Carl, Ernest Paul, Maud Mae and Ruth Oleona. Elizabeth Eva is dead.
FREDERICK PRY.
The subject of this sketch was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1803. emigrated to this country in 1828 and settled in New Lisbon, Columbiana county, Ohio. There he resided one year and was united in marriage with Rica Bowman, who, with her parents, emigrated to this country the same year. Soon after their marriage they moved to Liberty township. Mr. Pry bought a small farm of forty acres, built a log cabin in the woods and com- menced to clear the ground for a farm, upon which he resided until 1840, when he removed to Sandusky township, Crawford county, and purchased a larger farm, on which he lived until his death, which occurred in 1893. in the ninetieth year of his age.
He had thirteen children, five of whom were deceased over thirty years ago. The family Bible in which their records were kept was burned about ten years ago, at the burning of his son Lewis' house. The other children, of whom a record was preserved, are as follows: John, of Richland county ; Eliza Heller, a resident of Williams county ; Christ, who resided in Auburn township, Crawford county, until his death, which occurred in 1898: Jacob, who resides in Sandusky township on the old homestead ; Lewis, a resident of Sandusky township: Christena, now Mrs. Lewis Dapper, who resides in Leesville, this county : William, who lives in Liberty township, this county ; and Celia, the youngest, who was married to J. M. Solinger in the year 1876. They lived with her parents until their death. In the year 1894 she, with her husband, moved to a point near Crestline, on which place she resided until her death, which occurred in 1900.
The mother of our subject also was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 18II, and died in 1887, at the age of seventy-six. She was a daughter of Jacob and Margaret Bowman, who came to this country about the same time as did the Pry family, and they located in Vernon township, Crawford county.
John Pry acquired a common-school education and early began assisting his father on the farm, remaining with him until his marriage. On December 1, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Cole, who was a daughter of Barnet Cole, the latter being a native of Pennsylvania. He came to Craw- ford county, Ohio, when he was a young man, was married in this state and
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here reared his family. After marriage Mr. Pry moved to Plymouth, Ohio, and there engaged in the hotel business for one year, returning then to a farming life. His father-in-law wished him to take charge of his farm and conduct operations on shares, and this our subject consented to do for the following three years. After this period he rented a farm from James En- glish, later one from Thomas Mickey, and followed agricultural pursuits on these tracts until 1866. At this time, in association with his brother, Jacob Pry, hie purchased the farm of one hundred and twenty acres upon which he now resides, and for twelve years the brothers farmed in partnership, and then our subject bought his brother's interest, the latter removing to San- dusky township. This farm shows the care and attention which has been given it and ranks with the best in the county. Our subject's eighty-acre farm lies in Crawford county, and forty acres lie in Richland county, both tracts being highly improved and most desirable property. Mr. Pry is known as a most industrious and worthy citizen and has a wide circle of friends. In politics his vote is always given to the candidates of the Republican party and he is a stanch supporter of its principles. Socially he has long been connected with the Odd Fellows order, and both he and wife are leading members in the Methodist church.
Our subject and wife have reared a family of eight children, six of whom still survive, namely: Lewis Franklin, born September 15, 1860; Albert Wilis, born May 3, 1865; Lucy Jane, who was born October 18, 1862, and was married to Henry J. Kahil in 1884: John Crowvalia, born October 13, 1875; Charles C., January 1. 1877: Rica Maudesta, born April 18, 1880; Barnet J. C., who was born July 13. 1870, and died August 27, 1886; and Meda Belle, who was born February 18, 1868, and died August 7, following.
BENJAMIN STEVENS.
The Stevens family has been one of the most prominent in the develop- ment of Crawford county, Ohio, and no member of it stood higher in the esteem of the community in which his useful life was passed than did Benja- min Stevens, whose death occurred on December 4, 1893.
Benjamin Stevens was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, on April 4, 1820, and he was a son of Amos and Hannah ( Cummings) Stevens, of whom a more extended mention is made in the sketch of Jacob Stevens, which may be found in another part of this volume. Mr. Stevens, of this sketch, was fourteen years of age when his parents came to Crawford county, and here
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he grew to manhood and took advantage of every educational opportunity. Through life he was a reflective reader and gained thus much knowledge, while his association in later years with men of affairs widened his stock of information, rendering his education both practical and useful. During years of invalidism his books were companions.
He assumed control of the home farm when he was about twenty-five years old, his parents making their home with him, and he looked after their comfort as long as they survived. In 1850 he was united in marriage to Miss Eliza A. S. Barker, who was a native of Geauga county, Ohio, and a daugh- ter of Asa and Roby (Adams) Barker, both of whom were natives of Con- necticut, where they grew to maturity and were married, and five of their six children were born in that state prior to the birth of the late Mrs. Stevens. The Barker family came to Geauga county, Ohio, but later removed into Richland county, where they resided for a number of years, finally removing to Illinois, to which state two sons had preceded them. They continued to re- side there until their lives ended, and the only member of the family still sur- viving is Sidney Barker, of Illinois.
Following his marriage the late Mr. Stevens farmed on the home place and took a prominent position in the county for the succeeding fifteen years. His father had passed away in 1852 and the old home place reverted to him, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres of land, with buildings and so forth. Here Mr. Stevens remained until April 4, 1865. when he celebrated his birthday by removing to the farm he last occupied, consisting of one hun- dred and twenty acres, he having sold the former one. This place possessed many attractions for our subject, as he had helped to clear the land and as- sisted in the building of the first cabin on it. The land had been entered by a Mr. Wells and was intended for his daughter at that time. This was the comfortable and attractive home in which the remainder of the life of Mr. Stevens was spent. His attention was given to this property and it is one of the best improved and most desirable estates in Crawford county.
Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, one of whom died in infancy, the other being Minelva G., who resides on the farm, a worthy repre- sentative of one of the most esteemed citizens of the community. The mother of Miss Stevens died in 1854 and some years later the father married Miss Ann McCracken, who was a native of Bucyrus, where she resided until her eightli year, at which time her parents removed to a farm that was located one mile east of Bucyrus, where her parents resided during the rest of their
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lives. Mrs. Stevens survived her husband for six years, dying on September 24, 1899.
In politics Mr. Stevens was an ardent Republican, but his tastes never caused him to desire office, although he always performed his duty as a citizen. Neither was he formally connected with any church organization, having early taken the Golden Rule as his guide through life and conscientiously fol- lowing its leadings. Although leading a quiet life and rarely assuming a conspicuous position even in county affairs, he was always to be found when charitable or benevolent objects were to be furthered or action taken in edil- cational or moral movements. The sterling qualities which made him a man above his fellows have in great degree been displayed in the character of his only surviving child, and she is both highly esteemed and much respected through Sandusky township.
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