USA > Ohio > Crawford County > A centennial biographical history of Crawford County, Ohio > Part 8
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In 1895 he was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Myrtle Bowsher, who had taken a select course at Wittenberg College and was previously a teacher in the public schools of Millersburg, Ohio, where her parents reside, her father being a prominent merchant of that place. Mrs. Hadley is a lady of superior intelligence and culture and is of great assistance to her husband in the exercise of the high functions of his holy calling.
CHRIST'S ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH.
Christ's English Lutheran church of Galion, Ohio, had its beginning in the summer of 1831 when the Rev. John Stough on the invitation of some Lutheran and Reformed church families came to Galion. He at once organ- ized a united church, composed of the two denominations and served the congregation as pastor for five years, when on account of the infirmities of age he was compelled to resign. During his ministry he added to the church through instruction and confirmation forty-three members. He was suc- ceeded by the Rev. Mr. Lower of the Lutheran church and then followed three pastors of the German Reformed church in succession. About this time the united congregation built a church edifice on the southeast corner of Church and Union streets. During the existence of the united congrega-
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tion the Rev. Solomon Ritz, George Leiter and F. J. Ruth of the Lutheran church occasionally preached in the English language. About 1841 the united church separated, the German Lutherans and the German Reformed people each building a church of their own, while those who preferred the services in the English language bought the old church property, organized an Eng- lish Lutheran church and secured as their pastor the Rev. J. B. Hoffman. The immediate succeeding pastors were Revs. Andrew Kuhn, J. Crouse, E. Eastman and I. Culler. Of these pastorates very little can now be learned save that Rev. Andrew Kuhn served the congregation for nearly four years, dur- ing which time nearly sixty-one members were added to the church. The choice of a successor to Rev. Kuhn resulted in a division of the church. There were two candidates for the position. The friends of the defeated candidate were dissatisfied and a number withdrew from the church and united with other denominations. Rev. Crouse was the successful candidate and remained as pastor for two years and nine months, during which time he was only able to add seven members owing to the inharmonious condition of the congregation. In September, 1851, Wittenberg synod in its session at Bucyrus arranged the church of the synod into pastorates. By this act the Galion pastorate was composed of the following named churches: Galion, New Castle, Leesville and Lost Creek. In April, 1852. the Rev. J. F. Ruth became the pastor of this new charge. He found the Galion church small in membership but composed of faithful and pious people. This congregation received one service every two weeks. Rev. Ruth continued as pastor until April, 1861. During the nine years of his service here seventy-five persons were received as members of this congregation.
Rev. Ruth was succeeded by Rev. J. Stover, whose pastorate continued two years and nine months, during which time the membership was increased by twenty-one, but the church largely felt the depressing influences of the Civil war. In March, 1864, Rev. J. F. Ruth was recalled to Galion and served this charge until 1870. The old church edifice had become dangerous and for nearly two years the congregation worshipped in the Baptist church. During this time an effort was made to buy a lot and erect a new house of worship. The work progressed and the new church was dedicated in Febru- ary, 1869. The indebtedness of the church was fully covered by subscriptions but as there was a shrinkage in the collection the church was left in debt. The membership was increased by thirty-eight during the second pastorate of Rev. Ruth.
During the fall of 1869 some of the members, enjoying their new church
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home and recognizing a good opportunity for building up a strong English Lutheran church in this growing city, desired to be separated from the rest of the charge and employ a pastor to devote his entire time to the congregation. This was accomplished during the following year. Rev. Ruth continued as the pastor of the remainder of the charge and the Rev. H. B. Miller was invited to become the pastor of Christ's English Lutheran church.
On the Ist of January, 1871, Rev. Miller took charge of the congregation and on the 29th of the same month organized it under the name of Christ's Evangelical Lutheran church of Galion. There were about fifty-six mem- bers. Rev. Miller continued as pastor until 1876, during which time he re- ceived one hundred and seventeen members into the church, but lost by letter, removal and excommunications fifty-three, thus leaving a net gain of sixty- four. At the end of his pastorate the church membership was one hundred and twenty: His successor, the Rev. E. W. Souders, served the congregation from July, 1876, until July, 1881, and at the close of this pastorate the church had one hundred and fifty-three members. He was succeeded by the Rev. C. S. Ernsberger, who took charge November 13, 1881, and continued as pastor until January 1, 1891, during which time there were two hundred and forty-seven new members received, but by letter and otherwise one hundred and forty-three left the church, its membership being two hundred and fifty-seven at the close of his pastoral service here. By the Ist of October, 1882, he had also liquidated a debt of ten hundred and fifty dollars and during 1884 and 1885 the church was repaired at a cost of fifty-seven hundred dollars, the repairs consisting of the building of a Sunday-school annex and the remodeling of the auditorium. The church also made great advancement along all the lines of church work.
From the Ist of April, 1891, until September 1, 1893, the Rev. James K. Argo was pastor, and during that time the church membership was in- creased by sixty-six, though death, removal and other causes reduced the net gain to thirty-nine, and the church indebtedness was decreased from ten hun- dred and seventy dollars to three hundred and twenty-five. On the Ist of December, 1893, Rev. M. Colver became pastor of the church, then number- ing three hundred and seventeen members, but though eighty-eight people were received into the church by him the net gain was only twenty-eight. He remained until December 1, 1897.
The present pastor Rev. N. J. Hadley, assumed charge March 15, 1898, at which time there were found by careful examination only three hundred and eighteen names upon the church record. There have been received up to
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the present time (October 1, 1901) one hundred and thirty-one new members, but lost by death, letter and otherwise forty-seven, leaving a net gain of eighty- four, thus making the present membership four hundred and two. The aver- age attendance at the Sunday-school in the beginning of this pastorate was eighty-seven and at the present time is one hundred and sixty; the Christian Endeavor society has thirty members and the Women's Home and Foreign Missionary Society is meeting every demand made upon it by the general society. The indebtedness of the church, which was composed of the deficit on the current expenses, was one thousand dollars. This amount was can- celed during the first year of his pastorate. The church has been repaired, including repainting, papering and carpentering at a cost of between four and five hundred dollars, all of which has been paid for and the church is free from debt. Thus far during this pastorate there have been fifty-three funerals conducted, fifty children baptized and thirty-one marriages solem- nized.
CHARLES VOLLRATH.
The subject of this sketch is a native of Saxony, Germany, born May 16, 1835, a son of Gottlieb and Fredericke (Meissner) Vollrath. He attended the schools of his native land seven years, and came to this country with his father's family, which lived the first year in Rochester, New York, and in May of 1849 came to Bucyrus. Here Charles Vollrath learned the car- penter's trade and followed it till 1855, when he became interested in a planing- mill, a business in which he prospered for years.
March 23, 1858, he married Elizabeth Hocker, a native of Baden, Ger- many, born in June of 1831.
JAMES R. HOMER.
In the following record will be given the history of the busy and useful career of a distinguished resident of Galion, who as a citizen, a leading busi- ness man and a soldier has ever done his duty without fear and without reproach, with an eye single to the greatest good to the greatest number. He has been honored by election to public office and is now filling the posi- tion of mayor in a most acceptable manner. He is a man of keen discrimina- tion, sound judgment, and his executive ability and excellent management have been a great benefit to the city of which he is now the municipal head.
IR Homer
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He has made his home in Galion since 1854, and throughout this long period he has been the promoter of many movements and measures for the general welfare and advancement of the material progress of the community.
James Rodolphus Homer is a native of the Pine Tree state, his birth hav- ing occurred in Monson, Maine, on the 7th of April, 1833. His father, William Hoar, was a native of Monson, Massachusetts, and died in the year 1870, when more than sixty years of age. His wife bore the maiden name of Betsy Goodel and she, too, was born in Monson, Massachusetts, but died in Monson, Maine, in 1897, when she had almost attained the age of ninety years. Their son, James R. Homer, spent the period of his boyhood and youth in his father's home and pursued his education in the schools of his native city, also spending one winter in the city of Monson, Massachusetts. He had but one brother and no sisters. His brother, Henry Homer, died at Monson, Maine, leaving two sons, who reside at the old homestead, from which place is taken the famous Monson slate. The subject of this review was about eighteen years of age when, in 1851, he left home and started out to make his own way in the world. In 1854 he emigrated westward and became identified with the interests of Crawford county as a resident of Galion. Here he secured employment in a foundry, being thus engaged until after the inauguration of the Civil war, when he put aside all personal and business interests in order to aid his country in the preservation of the Union. His patriotic spirit was aroused, and in August, 1862. he joined Company E. of the One Hundred and First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which company was organized at Galion. He entered the service as a private, but was promoted from time to time until he was made first lieutenant, and as such had command of his company. The regiment was attached to the Army of the Cumberland, and with that great military force he participated in the engagements at Perryville, Stone River and Chickamauga, the last named being a continuous engagement of many days. Subsequently he took part in the Atlanta campaign, and though under fire for one hundred days he was never wounded or injured in the slightest degree. Always found at the post of duty, he was brave and loyal in his efforts to protect the old flag and with a most honorable military record he returned to his home, the blue uniform being a badge of honor.
In Galion Mr. Homer worked at his trade, and in 1869 he embarked in business on his own account, purchasing a half interest in the foundry owned by A. C. Squier. the relationship being continued almost without a break for about twenty-nine years, and was then terminated by the death of Mr. Squier,
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who passed away on the 4th of April, 1896. Since that time Mr. Homer has been alone in business, and is now sole proprietor of the enterprise with which he has been so long identified. That it has been attended with success is indicated by its long continuance as an active factor in the industrial circles of Galion. Its patronage has steadily increased in volume and importance, and as a result Mr. Homer has acquired a good income.
In 1857 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Homer and Miss Jane E. Nave, of Galion, who came from Pennsylvania to Crawford county with her parents. both of whom died here. The Naves were pioneer farmers of Polk township. Her brother, Sol P. Nave, was one of the first postmasters of Galion, and his son, the Rev. Orvill Nave, is now a chaplain in the regular army. He spent fourteen years in producing a topical Bible, which has recently been published and which is now meeting with an excellent sale. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Homer have been born two children, the son, Charles O., is a graduate of the high school of Galion, and is now interested in the Building & Loan Association. He married Miss Lewis, of Galion, a daugh- ter of the late George F. Lewis, who died in this city in 1897. Charles O. and Minnie Homer now have two children : James Lewis and Lucile, aged, respectively. five and two years. The daughter of the family, Lulu Belle, is a graduate of the high school, and for seven years successfully taught in the public schools of this city.
Mr. Homer has ever taken a deep and commendable interest in every- thing pertaining to the welfare and progress of his adopted town, and has been honored with several positions of public trust. On his forty-sixth birthday he was elected mayor of Galion, which at that time contained a population of about three thousand, he being the first mayor chosen under the new city charter, which was obtained in 1879. He served for one term, and then, after an interval of twenty years, he was again elected to the same position, taking the office April 7. 1899. on the sixty-sixth anniversary of his birth. He is now the present incumbent and capably handles the reins of the city government. He exercises his official prerogatives in support of many movements of reform and improvement. For four terms he has been a member of the city council, having first been elected to that office in 1862, while his last term was in 1896. For eight years he was a member of the school board and labored earnestly for the advancement of the edu- cational interests. He is identified with the Republican party, the principles of which he warmly advocates and is untiring in his labors for the promotion of its success.
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Mr. Homer is prominent in social circles, being identified with various fraternal organizations. He became the first commander of Dick Morris Post, G. A. R., of Galion, and has ever manifested an abiding interest in the organization whereby he retains a pleasant relationship with his old army comrades. A prominent Mason, he belongs to the blue lodge, chapter, council and commandery, and has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, in the consistory of Cleveland, Ohio. He has passed all of the chairs in the blue lodge and has served as worthy master. In his life he has exemplified the benevolent spirit of the fraternity, which inculcates among its members principles of mutual helpfulness. The family attend the services of the Episcopal church. In all life's relations Mr. Homer has won the confidence and respect of his fellow townsmen. He is public spirited to a degree that renders him a very helpful citizen and he is held in the highest esteem by people of all classes and of all shades of political and religious belief.
DAVID E. NEFF.
As a thorough and successful farmer, an excellent neighbor and a highly respected citizen David E. Neff enjoys the esteem of the community in which he lives, and is regarded as a representative citizen of Liberty township. His birth was in Hepburn township, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, on Sep- tember 17, 1825, a son of John Michael and Christina ( Wagner) Neff, and he was one of a family of eight children, the three survivors being David E .; Christina, a maiden lady living with her brother Joseph; and Joseph, a farmer in Holmes township.
John Michael Neff, the father of our subject, was born in the town of Mahrenjen, Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1783, a son of Michael and Catherine (Groff) Neff, both of whom died in Germany, after rearing a family of six sons and one daughter. These sons were all of fine physique. all of them except John Michael being over six feet in stature. Two of them, Lorentz and Frederick, during the German war with France were chosen, on account of their fine appearance, as members of the king's body guard at the battle of Leipsic. In 1818 our subject's father, with his own family and three brothers, Lorentz, Abraham and John, emigrated to America. At that time the trip was a long and wearisome one. They took a flatboat from their home and came down the river Rhine on it to Amsterdam, and there embarked on a sailing vessel, the Susan, and added their number to the three hundred
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passengers already on board. Before sailing two deaths occurred, but there were none later on the voyage: on the contrary there were two births, one of these being a son born to our subject's parents, when in sight of land, and he was piously named Gottlobe, the meaning of the name being Praise God. As the voyage had consumed eighty-six days, seventy-six of these being with- out sight of land, the joy and thankfulness over its ending was universal, and perhaps no one rejoiced more than did John, who had been hidden in a barrel of household effects.
The destination of the family was Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, and there they settled. The father was thrice married, his first wife and her infant died together. It was the wife of the second marriage that made the voyage with him, and she bore four children, all of whom are deceased. The mother of our subject, Christina Wagner, was the third wife. She was born in the same locality as the father, and was a daughter of John and Christina (Herdtneck) Wagner. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Neff came to America on the same vessel with Mr. Neff, and were in very limited cir- cumstances. Having a family of seven children, Christina and her sister Dorothy were bound out, after landing. to a family in Philadelphia, to work out their passage, and at the expiration of three years Christina was mar- ried to our subject's father and became the former's estimable mother. An uncle of Mrs. Neff occupied the position of veterinary surgeon to the king of Wurtemberg. In Germany the Wagner family at one time had been pros- perous, but unfortunate times came and they also came to America to repair their fortunes and settled in Lycoming county.
With his brother Abraham, John Michael Neff bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in Hepburn township, each taking sixty acres, and both added to their estates in later years, the father owning at one time one hun- dred and twelve acres. After the death of his second wife he walked to Philadelphia to bring back with him the bright girl he remembered so well, and with her as his bride returned to the farm, through ten inches of snow. By trade he was a potter, and he established a pottery on his estate, but the country was too sparsely settled to make this pay. Here he lived, and died on April 21, 1841.
Our subject grew up on his father's farm in Pennsylvania and received his education in the common schools, in the German language, and for six weeks received instruction in English, after he was twenty-one years of age. At the age of eighteen he apprenticed himself to the cabinet-making trade, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and remained until he was a finished workman.
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In April, 1848, he took passage on a canal boat to Philadelphia, being able to work for his passage, as the owner of the boat was a friend, and he soon found employment in Philadelphia, at his trade, following it there for fifteen months, at the expiration of which time he returned to Williamsport.
In 1851 Mr. Neff took a trip to Crawford county, Ohio, with his brother John, who was returning to Ohio with his bride, this being a pleasant excursion of sixteen days in an old prairie schooner. He spent the winter in Crawford county, returning to Williamsport in the following June, but in the spring of 1858, as his health seemed impaired, he removed with his wife and two children to Crawford county, in order to be again with other members of his family. His mother, with his brothers Jonathan and Joseph, with three sisters, had moved to this locality the previous year. Our subject lived with the family eight years. They had purchased two hundred acres of land and our subject worked with them in Holmes township and assisted in paying for it. In the spring of 1866 he purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres and removed to it, where he has ever since resided, engaged in developing and operating this fine property.
The marriage of Mr. Neff was on September 7, 1854, to Miss Mary Wise, a native of Lycoming county and the daughter of Jacob Wise, also a native of Pennsylvania, who with his wife, Mary Magdalene (Ott) Wise, were of German extraction. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Neff numbered four, these being Henry E., living at Ada, Ohio: Ellen M .. deceased : Charles J., the farmer on the home farm ; and Louisa, deceased.
In politics Mr. Neff has been for many years a stanch supporter of the Republican party, although his first vote was cast for a Democratic candidate. His family belongs to the English Lutheran church, which he also attends and to which he gives liberal support. The social standing of the family in Liberty township is high, and Mr. Neff is well known as a liberal-minded and most estimable citizen who enjoys the respect of all with whom he has either business or other relations.
WILLIAM A. BLICKE.
The history of a community as well as that of a nation is chiefly the chronicle of the lives and deeds of those who have conferred honor and dignity upon society. The world judges the character of a community by that of its representative citizens, and yields its tribute of admiration and respect for the genius, learning or virtues of those whose works and actions constitute the
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record of a state's prosperity and pride; and it is in their character, as exempli- fied in probity and benevolence, kindly virtues and integrity in the affairs of life, they are ever affording worthy examples for emulation and valuable lessons of incentive.
Mr. Blicke, who is now acting as cashier of the Bucyrus City Bank and who through almost two decades has been connected with this institution, was born in Bucyrus, April 4, 1866, his parents being Frank and Theressa ( Voll- rath) Blicke. The father was born May 6, 1836, in the town of Nice, Ger- many, and between the ages of seven and sixteen years pursued his education in the public schools there, receiving good mental discipline. In the year 1860 he determined to try his fortune in America and crossed the briny deep to the new world. After landing in New York he made his way westward to Bucyrus, where he began merchandising, conducting a store for twenty-five years with signal success. His trade grew with the increase of population and his business brought to him an excellent financial return. He carried on operations along that line until 1898, when, with a handsome competence. he retired to private life to enjoy the fruits of his former toil. He is now living in his adopted city, surrounded by many of the comforts and luxuries of life, and enjoying the esteem of many warm friends. His fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have called him to public office, and from 1888 until 1892 he served as county treasurer. He was also the treasurer of Bucyrus township for several terms, was city treasurer for four years and for a number of terms was a member of the city council. His public duties have ever been discharged with promptness and fidelity, and the record of his service is one worthy of the highest commendation. His wife resides with him in their pleasant home in Bucyrus, and they have two daughters,-Carry M. and Lulu M., who are still under the parental roof.
The boyhood days of William A. Blicke were spent in a manner usual to lads of the period. He enjoyed the pleasures of the play-ground and devoted considerable time to the duties of the schoolroom. In 1879 he entered the county recorder's office, where he served as deputy for a year and a half, and on the expiration of that period he entered the Monnett Bank, now the Bucyrus City Bank, in the capacity of bookkeeper and assistant cashier, filling the dual position in a most acceptable manner. On the Ist of January, 1901, he was elected cashier, and is now acting in that capacity. He is thoroughly familiar with banking, and his close application, energy and creditable business methods have been potent factors in securing the success of the institution which he represents. His labors have not been confined to one line, for in
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