USA > Ohio > Hancock County > A centennial biographical history of Hancock County, Ohio > Part 12
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HENRY C. SMITH.
Henry C. Smith is one who owes his own advancement entirely to his enterprising efforts. He has steadily worked his way upward until he is now manager of the carpet department for the firm of J. S. Patterson & Sons, in their store at Findlay. His parents were William H. and Caroline (Glick) Smith, natives of Germany, where he was born in 1838 and she in 1842. They came to this country in early life, where he pursued the cabinetmaker's trade with success and they are now enjoying the fruits of their industry in quiet retirement. Their son, Henry C., was born in December, 1859, at Find- lay, was graduated in the high school in 1879, and after putting aside his text books entered upon his business career, his first year being spent in the em- ployment of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad Company. In 1882 he entered the store of Patterson & Sons, in which he accepted the position of clerk and utility man, but his willingness to work, his close application and fidelity to duty led continuously to promotion, until in 1894 he was made manager of the car- pet department and has since served in this capacity.
In 1891, in Findlay, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Leotia
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A. Keltner, and they now have two children: Agnes E., born September 3, 1892, and Herbert L., born March 14, 1897. Orlando Keltner, father of Mrs. Smith, was a son of Isaiah Keltner, a veteran of the Mexican and Civil wars, who is still living at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Mr. Smith votes with the Democracy and has served as a member of the library board of this city. Socially he is connected with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of Korassan. In business he is found as a genial, obliging and courteous salesman, and in all relations of life he manifests strong fidelity to honorable principles, so that he has gained the esteem and confidence of a large circle of friends.
LEVI FALK.
Levi Falk is one of the prominent business men of the village of Mount Cory, Ohio, and certainly merits mention among the men of action and progress who have been the principal forces in the growth and develop- ment of Hancock county within the past half century. While his life has not been filled with the eventful scenes which add color to the history of many men, yet, as history proves that the nation without war-burdened and sen- sational annals is the most prosperous, so in individuals the busy man who does his work carefully and conscientiously may have no record that would appeal to the imagination of the novelist; and Mr. Falk is pre-eminently a busy man, and although he is not the oldest man in the thriving little town of Mount Cory, he is said to be the oldest business man in the limits of that corporation.
Gideon and Hannah (Kemerer) Falk were the parents of our subject; they were both natives of the state of Pennsylvania, the former born in 181I and the latter in 1816. In 1848 Gideon removed with his father Mathias to Hancock county, and the former located in section 22 of Union township, where he bought two hundred and forty acres of land, some of which was partially improved. He began at once the work of improvement and culti- vation and he was one of the pioneers to whom much credit is due for the reclaiming of the wilderness and the breaking of the virgin soil. He pos- sessed rare business qualifications, and his advice and counsel were often sought by his neighbors. And not only was he an expert farmer and a keen, foresighted business man, but he had those characteristics which allowed his fellow-citizens to designate him by that high itle of "a good man," in which is summed up the estimate of one's influence toward the cause of all that is high and noble and true. He and his wife were members of the
Maggie M. Halk .
Levi Fracks
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Evangelical church, and he was a firm believer in the principles of the Re- publican party. His death occurred in 1892, when he was eighty-one years old, and his good wife died in 1901, aged eighty-six years. They were the parents of eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity and three are living at present, Levi and his sister being residents of this county.
Levi Falk was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, November 26, 1847, and was therefore one year old when he was brought by his parents to Hancock. He owes much to the careful training which he received at the hands of his father and mother and he made good use of the golden op- portunities which lie before the feet of every youth, in the school-room, in his recreation and in the performance of his set tasks. His first important business enterprise was the operating of an elevator and grist-mill combined. This plant had been built at Mount Cory some years before by Dr. H. P. Eaton and operated by him; he was succeeded by Zay & Runkle, and they by Mr. Falk in 1877. Mr. Falk was very successful in this enterprise and he continued its operation up to 1895, in which year it was destroyed by fire and was not rebuilt. He next began making extensive deals in hay, shipping it to various points, but in 1902 he discontinued his active business career, and while he is too young and vigorous to go on the retired list, he takes life more leisurely and does not find it necessary to push forward with the energy he has displayed in the past. He owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Union township, which he purchased in 1894, and he now oversees the cultivation of its crops.
In 1871 Mr. Falk was united in marriage to Miss Maggie M. Zay, the daughter of William E. and Margaret Zay; she was born in Germany in 1847, of which country Mr. Falk's ancestors were also natives. Mr. and Mrs. Falk have no children. They are members of the Protestant Methodist church at Mount Cory; he is one of the popular citizens of the township and has been chosen to the office of treasurer for several terms. He is a man of many sterling qualities and well deserves his success. In politics, he has been a life-long Republican and is a member of Mt. Cory Lodge, No. 495, Knights of Pythias.
JOHN MONTGOMERY.
This gentleman, who is at present a retired farmer living at Bluffton, Ohio, is a worthy member of an interesting family, whose history carries us back to the most exciting times of the pioneer period. John Montgomery, the young Irishman whose emigration led to the founding of this family in
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America, came over in the eighteenth century, at a time sufficiently early to enable him to take part in the Revolutionary war as a soldier under Wash- ington. He made his way to southwestern Pennsylvania, where his descend- ants lived during the time when there was almost constant conflict between the white and red men in the frontier regions bordering the Ohio river. William Montgomery, son of the Irish emigrant and Revolutionary patriot, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, but found his way at an early age to the nearby county of Columbiana, just across the river in Ohio. There he married Sarah, daughter of William Fouts, also from Pennsyl- vania, engaged in farming and followed that occupation until his death, at the age of eighty-seven years, his wife living to celebrate hier eighty-third birthday. This pioneer couple had twelve children, five sons and seven daugh- ters, all of whom grew to maturity. Jolin Montgomery, the venerable farmer whose biography is the main object of this writing, was the fourth child and eldest son in the family above mentioned. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, February 1, 1824, and remained on the farm in his native hills until a year or two after reaching his majority. In 1847 he came to Han- cock county and took up his residence in a log cabin situated on unimproved land in Orange township. Mr. Montgomery was young and robust, was not afraid of work and thus the task before him did not seem so appalling as it does to a modern "tenderfoot." He set resolutely to the business before him, which was to convert a lot of heavily-wooded and partly submerged land into a farm fit for cultivation. This, of course, involved an immense amount of labor and no end of worry, as they say in the country, but by patience and unflagging industry Mr. Montgomery eventually accomplished his object. The result is now before any one who visits that section in the shape of a well cleared, well fenced and well ordered farm of the modern Ohio type, with its neat residence, commodious outbuildings and all other essentials of up-to-date agriculture. After continuing in the business over sixty years Mr. Montgomery decided that he had done his share and was entitled to a rest. In 1891 he turned the farm over to his sons and located at Bluffton, where he lived retired from all active business and free from worrying pursuits of every kind. No one of his means did more than Mr. Montgomery to build up and civilize Orange township, and his long life there was made useful in many ways, not only to himself and family, but to the public.
February 18, 1847, Mr. Montgomery was married in his native county to Eleanor McClain, who had come there from Greene county, Pennsylvania, where she was born November 12, 1827. She was the daughter of a Penn- sylvania farmer named David McClain, who married Rebecca West and later
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removed to Ohio, where they reared a family of ten children, consisting of three sons and seven daughters. Mrs. Montgomery, the third child and sec- ond daughter, when nine years old was brought from Pennsylvania by her parents to Wyandot county, Ohio, and spent all of her subsequent life in dif- ferent parts of the state. By her marriage to Mr. Montgomery she became the mother of seven children, but of these only three are now living: Re- becca, wife of William Kinnel, is a resident of Bluffton; Jesse S. and F. Marion are farmers in Orange township; Eliza, William and Alice, the first, second and seventh born, respectively, are deceased. Mr. Montgomery, as previously stated, retired from business some years ago and left the farm in charge of his sons. During his active career he held various township offices, including those of trustee, treasurer and assessor, and for a long period was one of the principal men in reclamation of the land comprising Orange township and in building up that portion of Hancock county.
MELVIN E. EWING.
During the latter. part of the eighteenth century, there lived in Ireland a hard working and honest mechanic by the name of William Ewing. Weary- ing of rack-rents, oppressive landlords and the other ills which "Patient merit of the unworthy takes," this poor peasant determined to seek refuge in the land of freedom across the deep sea. Accordingly, about the year 1800, he made his appearance in America and found a hospitable welcome in the state of Maryland, where he worked for a while at his trade as a mason. He mar- ried Miss Polly England, removed to Fairfield county, Ohio, cultivated a small farm and reared a family of eight children, all of whom did well and reached places of prominence in various occupations. Samuel Ewing, one of his sons, born in 1811, was married in Fairfield county to Rebecca Alspach and in 1834 removed to Hancock county, where he purchased and improved one hundred and twenty acres of land in Amanda township. Samuel was a brickmaker and manufactured the first brick that were made in that part of the country where he had settled. He was a man of upright life and indus- trious habits, a class leader and steward in the Methodist Protestant church, and altogether his life may be pronounced an unusually prosperous one. He accumulated considerable property and some time before his death, which occurred in 1878, he had sold his farm and retired from business after making suitable provision for his children. His wife, who was of the same age as her husband, having been born in 1811, outlived him ten years and passed away in 1888. Of their seven children four are living and included in this
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number is William E. Ewing, who was born in Hancock county, Ohio, in 1836. He grew up on his father's farm in Amanda township and eventually became the owner of seventy-three acres of land on which he has resided during his entire life, with the exception of four years. He is regarded as a good farmer as well as a worthy citizen, belongs to the United Brethern church and has served his township in various offices of trust and responsi- bility. In 1856 he married Lydia Cross, who died June 28, 1859, leaving one son, Melvin E. In 1861 Mr. Ewing espoused Sarah E. Beck, who died in 1873 without issue. His third wife, with whom he is now living, was Levina Alspach and by this union there is one son, Loren B. Melvin E. Ewing, the subject of this sketch and product of his father's first marriage, was born in Amanda township, Hancock county, Ohio, June 9, 1857, and from that time on has been a continuous resident of his native place. Having grown up on the farm and learned the details of the business, he chose this as his life's work and though he has had his share of the cares and disappointments inci- dent to the calling, on the whole he has been quite successful. In 1885 he made his first purchase of real estate, consisting of the eighty acres which constitute his present home. He was fortunate in the selection of a life part- ner, having chosen as his bride Miss Lizzie A. Bright, a talented lady who had gained high reputation as an experienced school teacher. Her birth occurred in Delaware county, Ohio, February 2, 1858, and she was married to Mr. Ewing in December, 1882. This union, which has proved in every way con- genial and helpful to the contracting parties, has been strengthened by the birth of the following named children: Dressel D., in 1883; Frank W., in 1887; Selwin B., in 1892, and Orin E., in 1894. Dressel is a graduate of the Van Lue school and Frank W. expects to graduate in 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing are members of the United Brethren church, in which he has held the position of Sunday-school superintendent, conference delegate, trustee and steward. In fact, both as a church member and a man of affairs, the influence of Melvin E. Ewing has long been recognized in the community of which he is an esteemed member.
DAVID M. DREISBACH.
The above named gentleman, at present a prominent farmer of Blanch- ard township, is a member of an extensive family long known in various callings, but especially in connection with religious affairs. Both the father and grandfather of Mr. Dreisbach were distinguished ministers of the Evangelical church, and two of his brothers are also ministers of the gospel
MRS. D. M. DREISBACH.
LO. d. Dreisbach
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of the same denomination. As the genealogy of the family is sketched in connection with Mr. Gabriel M. Dreisbach in another part of this volume, it will not be necessary to repeat all the particulars concerning the earlier branches, but some additional particulars will be given about the more im- mediate ancestors. The grandparents of our subject were Rev. John and Fannie (Eyer) Dreisbach, who had thirteen children. The former was a pioneer of the infant Evangelical church in Pennsylvania, became its first presiding elder and was instrumental in the organization of its first general conference. He was a man of prominence and influence in his native state, being elected to the legislature and editor of the church paper called the "Evangelical Messenger." He was recognized as a pulpit orator of great power and his fame as a church worker, during his long and blameless life, extended over Pennsylvania and even beyond the limits of his native state. His mantle and many of his personal characteristics descended to his son, Abraham E. Dreisbach, who also became noted in the Evangelical ministry. Born in Union county, Pennsylvania, in 1818, he married Mary A. Miesse, a native of the same state and county, who was two years his junior. Of the ten children born to this union the following named are living: Caroline M., John M., Susanna M., David M., Gabriel M., Cornelius M., Abraham M., Mary A. M., and Benjamin. Daniel, twin brother of the last mentioned, died at an early age. The mother died in 1857, and the husband's second wife was Elizabeth Strome, who died in 1871 without issue. The third wife of Mr. Dreisbach was Sarah Hankey who was also childless. In 1844 Rev. Abraham Dreisbach entered the Evangelical ministry and was for thirty years actively connected therewith. His circuit at one time embraced the counties of Pickaway, Franklin, Delaware, Wyandot, Seneca, Sandusky, Wood and Hancock, and it was his custom to visit them twice a year. Like his father, he rose to a position of influence and was considered one of the leading min- isters of the association, being presiding elder for four years. He also achieved a name in literature, and deserved especial credit from the fact that he was entirely self-made and owed all his success to his individual efforts. This good man passed away August 28, 1876, leaving to his children the priceless heritage of an unsullied name. Two of his sons also became min- isters of the gospel, John M. belonging to the Evangelical, and Abraham to the ministry of the United Brethren church.
David M. Dreisbaclı, fourth of the children, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, September 28, IS45, but was reared and educated in Seneca county, where he had been taken by his father when seven years old. In 1868 he came to Hancock county and located on forty acres of land purchased in
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Liberty township. Subsequently he sold this farm and moved to Benton Ridge, where he engaged in general merchandising, besides operating a flour- ing mill in which he owned a half interest. After continuing in these lines until 1871, Mr. Dreisbach purchased eighty acres of land in Findlay town- ship, which he cultivated for the ten following years, and then removed to Delaware township. There he purchased two hundred and forty acres of well improved land which he devoted to the raising of fine stock. At the present time Mr. Dreisbach resides on and operates three hundred and twenty acres of fertile land in Blanchard township, where he is recognized as one of the county's representative agriculturists. He enlisted as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, and served in the army of the Potomac until honorably discharged in December, 1865. While living in Delaware township he served several years as assessor, and land appraiser, and he has served six years as assessor of Blanchard township.
October 15, 1867, Mr. Dreisbach was united in marriage with Miss Caroline, daughter of Jacob and Mary B. Wagner, of Fairfield county, Ohio. The children resulting from this union are: Lillie W., born in 1869; Silas W., born in 1873; Helen W., in 1875; William H. W., in 1877; Aaron W., in 1879; David W., in 1881; and Arthur W. in 1884. Mr. Dreisbach is a member of the United Brethren church, in which he has held all the offices except that of minister. He also holds membership in the Free and Accepted Masons, the Maccabees and the Grand Ariny of the Republic, being a popu- lar and esteemed associate in all these fraternal orders.
H. A. BRICKMAN.
This gentleman, who is one of the most prosperous and progressive of the younger generation of farmers in Hancock county, belongs to that element generally designated in this country, German-Americans. His father, Fred- erick Brickman, was born in Germany in 1833 and married a lady named Frederika Zenkel, whose birth occurred in the same country in 1835. In 1857 not long after their marriage, this worthy German couple concluded to try their fortunes in the "land of the free," and in due time made their way to Hancock county. They located at Arcadia, where they remained six years, and in 1863 removed to Portage township, where Mr. Brickman had purchased a farm of eighty acres. As his affairs prospered his real estate holdings in- creased until they amounted to the one hundred and seventy-two acres, which are now in possession of his son. Frederick Brickman was a man of more
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than average good qualities and commanded universal respect in his com- munity. The fact that he was several times elected to the important office of township trustee shows the estimate put upon his business ability and honesty by his neighbors and constituents. He was a man of moral and upright char- acter and a consistent member of the German Lutheran church, in which he held various responsible offices at different times. His hospitality was of the most cordial kind, he loved to entertain his numerous friends and so many were his acts of charity and assistance in time of need to the deserving that it would be useless to attempt to mention half of them. Few men were more popular and none could count their friends in larger numbers than this kind native of the "vaterland." After a life of usefulness, largely devoted to the happiness of others, this good man passed to his final rest, December 20, 1892. His ex- cellent wife, who shared his joys and sorrows for so many years, survived him only a year or two, her death occurring in 1894. Of their eight children, the only survivors are W. G. and H. A. Brickman. The latter was born on the farm he now owns, in Portage township, Hancock county, Ohio, in 1877, and he received his education in the neighborhood schools. Since reaching man- hood he has devoted his entire time to agricultural pursuits and the general appearance of his fine farm shows that he understands his business. He is up-to-date in his methods and keeps well informed as to the various improve- ments so constantly taking place in modern agriculture. Mr. Brickman de- votes his place to general farming and stock raising, depending on the stand- ard crops and natural increase of his herds for the remuneration which sel- dom fails to come to the industrious farmer. He inherits many of the traits of his excellent father and is one of the popular young men of his township, tor whom' a prosperous future is freely predicted by his associates. In 1899 Mr. Brickman was united in marriage with Miss Nora, daughter of Peter Kuaile, a young lady of great popularity, attractive manners and a most agreeable personality.
MOSES MCANELLY.
No family in Hancock county has been longer or more favorably known than the one which bears the name above transcribed. It was founded by the late Moses McAnelly, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1804 and became a resident of Hancock county in 1836. Before leaving his native state he taught school several years and this occupation he continued for some time after he established his new home in Ohio. He soon found himself able to purchase one hundred and sixty acres of land in Big Lick township, which during the
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course of his long and industrious life he increased to four hundred acres. His public career, which was destined to be conspicuous for its usefulness and brilliant display of varied ability, commenced in 1839 by his election to the lower house of the Ohio legislature. After two terms in that body, served with constantly increasing popularity, Mr. McAnelly was rewarded by pro- motion to the state senate, in which he also served two terms most acceptably to his constituents. The districts were then larger than at the present time and the one represented by Mr. McAnelly included five counties of Ohio. In ad- dition to his legislative duties he served various terms as justice of the peace and his judicial responsibility was discharged with the same fidelity and integ- rity that characterized all of his public work. His affiliations were with the Democratic party, of which he became a conspicuous and influential leader. He was a forcible and eloquent speaker and few men of his day excelled him in the art of convincing his hearers to think as he did. He enjoyed the repu- tation of being an honest and conscientious public functionary whose efforts were always directed toward rendering the best possible service for the wel- fare of his constituents. In 1833 he was united in marriage with Mary, daugh- ter of Hon. William and Nancy Roller, a lady of high social rank, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania, September 28, 1812, and who came to Rich- land county, Ohio, with her parents at the age of twelve years. The union of Hon. Moses McAnelly and Mary Roller resulted in the birth of eight children, of whom the following named grew to maturity: Lucinda, Charlotte, Moses, Judge Jefferson, Nancy and Mary. The father died October 21, 1854, but his wife long survived him, not passing to her final rest until March 5, 1898, when she closed her career at the advanced age of eighty-five years, five months and five days. Moses McAnelly, his father's namesake and youngest surviving son, was born in Hancock county, Ohio, March 15, 1853, attended the district schools of his township and was trained to farm work from his earliest years. In due time he inherited the paternal homestead and his entire life has been spent in the place of his nativity. He has shown skill in his chosen calling and has so managed his fine estate as to gain recognition as a successful and progressive farmer. He has found time, however, for public duties and has served his constituents six years as township clerk, assessor two terms, and for the last five years has been justice of the peace, an office whose duties he has discharged with marked ability and efficiency. December 15, 1881, Mr. McAnelly was united in marriage with Miss Phebe E., daugh- ter of John and Eliza Cooper, whose family was one of distinction and in- fluence. Her father, Judge John Cooper, was a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where his birth occurred April 25, 18II. He was the eldest
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