USA > Ohio > Hancock County > A centennial biographical history of Hancock County, Ohio > Part 16
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Richard Lee, the father of our subject, was reared in Fairfield county, and in 1830 came to Hancock county and entered a tract of land, upon which he located in the spring of the following year. He took up his abode in the midst of the wilderness, for there were no roads leading into the depths of the forest, and he devoted his energies to opening up a farm. He became the owner of several hundred acres of land, including two hundred and forty acres in the home place, and he gave to each of his children a farm. He died of lung fever, in 1856, at the age of forty-eight years, and was buried in the Lee church cemetery. His wife survived him a quarter of a century, passing away in 1881, at the age of seventy-two years. In their family were the following: Zebulon P., who is living in Weston, Ohio; John W., who died at the age of thirty-three years; Caroline, the wife of Daniel Gilbert, of Van Lue, Ohio; Francis Marion, who is living retired in Findlay; David, who died when past the age of sixty years; Stephen, a resident of Amanda town- ship; Jason, who is probably in Oklahoma : and Noah. The death of David, the fourth son, occurred in a rather tragic manner. He was tolling the bell for a funeral, when the rope broke and he went to the top of the belfry. The board on which he was standing slipped, he fell eight feet, and several hours later was found dead. This took place in the Lee church in Amanda town- ship, where he had tolled the bell for twenty-five years.
Upon the old home farm the boyhood days of our subject were passed. His father died when he was nine years of age and his mother afterward
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married Jacob F. Houck, of Houcktown. They removed to the farm upon which our subject now resides. Mr. Houck had also been married previous- ly. He came from Baltimore county, Maryland, and settled on this farm. He died in March, 1881, from injuries received while in a saw-mill, and the mother of our subject passed away in December of the same year.
Noah Lee was thirteen years of age when he went to the Houck farm. He was the youngest and only child left with his mother at that time and he remained with her until his marriage, in 1866, a month before he attained his majority. He wedded Mary E. Sampson, a daughter of Nicholas and Eliza Sampson. She lived upon an adjoining farm and was twenty years of age at the time of their marriage. Mr. Lee rented the Houck farm for six or seven years and finally purchased the property, becoming owner of one hundred and forty-six acres. A corner, covering fifteen acres had previ- ously been sold and the village of Houcktown established thereon. Mr. Lee added to his place until it now contains two hundred and sixty acres of val- uable land, upon which he has erected a set of excellent farm buildings. He has two hundred and twenty acres of the place under a high state of cultivation and the farm is as good as any in the locality, being well tiled and improved with all modern equipments. He has always carried on general farming, generally feeding his own stock, and his attention being closely given to his agricultural pursuits, he has prospered as the years have passed.
In 1881 Mr. Lee was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 20th of August of that year and his mother died in the following December. Seven children were born unto our subject and his wife, five of whom are living. Ora E. is the wife of Mack B. Smith, of Jackson township; C. A., who resides on the farm, married Lura Bell and she died leaving one child, Edith Gertrude, who has since resided with her grandparents; Rozilla is the wife of Harry Croft, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Richard N. is a practicing physician of Mount Blanchard, Ohio; Jesse is still on the home farm; and two of the children died in infancy. On the 15th of April, 1883, Mr. Lee was united in marriage to Mrs. Belle Parker, the widow of W. F. Parker, who was a harnessmaker of Van Lue, Ohio. Her parents were Frederick and Catherine (Funk) Shuler, and she was born in Pennsylvania, coming to Amanda township, Hancock county, when nine years of age, while at the age of twenty she gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Parker, by whom she had one child, Harry J. Parker, who now as- sists in operating the Lee farm, being a partner of Jesse Lee in the enterprise. No children were born of the second marriage, but Edith Gertrude, whose
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mother was buried the day she was two weeks old, has since lived with them as their own child.
Mr. and Mrs. Lee hold menibership in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has served as steward, class leader and as Sunday-school super- intendent for a quarter of a century. He is a Democrat in his political affil- iations. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Mount Blanchard and both he and his wife are connected with the Rebekah degree. Well known in the county, their friends are many and will receive with pleas- ure this record of their lives.
WILLIAM FOGLER.
This gentleman, who owns a fine farm in Big Lick township, belongs to the younger generation of Hancock county's agriculturists, and is re- garded as one of the county's representative citizens. He is a son of Christian and Mary A. (Wagner) Fogler, both of whom were natives of Ohio and spent their whole lives in the borders of this state. In 1863 Christian Fogler re- moved with his family to Hancock county, where he located on two hundred and forty acres of land, which he had purchased in Liberty township. He lived there, however, but a short time, when he disposed of his estate and purchased a small farm of eighty acres. This, too, he disposed of after three years, and his next purchase was a farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres in Jackson township. On this place he remained eleven years, in the meantime adding one hundred and seventeen acres to his original holding. This estate he eventually sold and made another purchase of land, amount- ing to about one hundred acres. Three years was spent upon this farm, after which Mr. Fogler disposed of it and moved to Carey, where he bought a grist-mill, conducted it for a while and then established himself upon a farm in Wyandot county. The next move of Mr. Fogler was to Wood county, Ohio, where he lived for a while on a rented farm and later purchased a place of forty acres in the same county. This was also disposed of, after which he bought another farm in Wood county, which proved to be his final purchase, as he died February 29, 1897. The family of Christian and Mary (Wagner) Fogler consisted of ten children, of whom nine are living.
William Fogler, the subject of this sketch, was born in Fairfield county, March 22, 1850, and is the only one of the children who is living in Hancock county. After the usual routine in the district schools he commenced work early on the farm and has always followed agricultural pursuits. His first investment in real estate was the purchase of ninety-two acres of land in
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Jackson township, which, however, he soon disposed of, and in 1893 removed to Big Lick township. There he owns and operates a farm consisting of sev- enty-seven and a half acres, devoted to general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Fogler keeps his place in a high state of cultivation and allows no one to surpass him in keeping up with modern improvements.
In 1874 Mr. Fogler was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Lee, who has borne him three children : Jennie, born in 1877, died May 2, 1878; Anna, born June 6, 1879; and Eva, born January 4, 1881. Margaret Lee was the daughter of Z. P. and Zilla (Gilbert) Lee, the former a farmer, who is still living, while she died in 1896. Richard Lee, the grandfather of Mrs. Fogler, was a farmer and died in the prime of life, while his father, Zebulin, was born in Wales and came to this country as a young man to seek his fortune. He came to Hancock county when it was all a forest. Zilla Gilbert was a daughter of Aquilla Gilbert, who was born in England and came over to this country to better his financial condition. He met with good success and died here at the age of eighty-nine years. John Fogler, grandfather of our subject, was a farmer who lived to advanced years.
JAMES A. ENFIELD.
During his residence of thirty-two years in Hancock county, the gentle- man above mentioned, by his exemplary life and industrious habits has proved himself a worthy addition to its citizenship. He comes of excellent old Mary- land stock, his ancestry having always enjoyed respectable standing in their community, reared their children in the pathways of truth and honor, and trained them to lives of usefulness. Jacob Enfield, though a native of York county, Pennsylvania, went early to Harford county, Maryland, and there spent forty years of his life. He became acquainted with Miss Nancy How- lett, member of one of the old families of Harford county, and in due time was united in marriage with that lady. During his earlier years Jacob fol- lowed the trade of a miller, by which occupation he obtained a good liveli- hood, but eventually he drifted into agricultural pursuits, to which he ex- clusively devoted all of his later life. He lost his first wife by death in 1855, subsequently married a Miss Smith, by whom there was no issue, and his own career was closed by the final summons in 1892. By his first wife Jacob Enfield had eight children, seven of whom grew to maturity and three are still living. James A. Enfield, who is one of the latter and the immediate subject of this biography, was born in Harford county, Maryland, March 10, 1846, and was reared and educated in his native place. In 1870 he re-
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moved to Hancock county, where he in time became the possessor of a neat little farm of forty acres, where he has since lived and carried on general agri- culture. Though his place is small it is well cultivated and well managed, Mr. Enfield making his land so productive as to yield him a comfortable living.
December 27, 1868, a year or two before coming to Ohio, Mr. Enfield was married to Miss Emma, daughter of Benjamin and Emma (Harvey) Weeks, substantial citizens of Harford county, where the former was a suc- cessful farmer. Of the six children who came to bless their union, George A. has passed away ; Florence M., the eldest daughter, is now the wife of Jason Snyder; three children blessed this union, Everett, Arena and Christa; Aura married LeRoy Garber ; two children came to this union, Wilber and Francis; O. D. is attending normal school at Angola, Indiana, where he expects to graduate in 1903; John W. is the husband of Etha, daughter of Levi Bright; and James B. is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Enfield are members of the United Brethren church, in which he has held the position of class leader for twenty years, being also trustee for a number of years and for a term was superin- tendent of the Sunday-school. He has never been an aspirant for office, pre- ferring business to politics, but his neighbors having elected him constable, he discharged the duties of that place to the best of his ability and was com- mended as a good official. Both the older and younger members of the Enfield family are highly esteemed in their respective spheres, and contribute their full share to the upbuilding of the communities in which they reside. John S., the oldest brother of our subject, moved to Missouri in 1873. He is a farmer and Christian gentleman of high standing in that state. Samuel P., second oldest son, lives in York county, Pennsylvania, where he has been quite successful in farming.
ANDREW CRAMER.
The late Andrew Cramer, a well known and highly respected resident of Liberty township, Hancock county, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, on July 22, 1827. His parents were Henry and Mary Cramer, who came to Hancock county when Andrew was a lad of fifteen years.
The early life of Andrew Cramer was one of toil. He learned the black- smith trade and worked at this in connection with farming for a number of years. Although he died possessed of a large farm, he earned his first eighty acres of it by chopping wood from it and selling the same. As soon as he cleared this eighty, he bought forty acres more, located in Wood county, and also bought a small farm in Henry county. He was a hard working man
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of upright character and through life enjoyed the respect of his neighbors. In politics he was a life-long Democrat, but during the Civil war, when he became subjected to draft, he immediately secured a substitute. Mr. Cramer was a quiet, home-loving man who attends closely to his business, and providently secured a fine estate for his family. His death occurred in 1895, after a long and useful life.
In 1840 he married Christina Allen, who was born on March 16, 1829, in Pickaway county, Ohio, and they had a family of six children : John, Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, Julia and Amos. Mrs. Cramer came to Hancock county when she was fourteen years old. She owns two hundred acres of fine land suitable for farming purposes, but her greatest revenues are received from some fourteen oil wells which are in operation on it. She is a much respected resident of Liberty township.
SAMUEL LEMOTT.
In Samuel Lemott Uncle Sam has one of his many public servants who daily conduct the great government enterprise which has added more to the comfort and material, intellectual and moral progress of this country than any institution under the control of the central government, the United States postoffice. And his popular and genial character enables him to fill this posi- tion to the eminent satisfaction of the citizens of the thriving little village of Vanlue.
John Lemott, the father of Samuel, is a native of Franklin county, this state, his birth occurring there in 1834, thus being one of Ohio's old set- tlers. By trade he was a plasterer and bore the reputation of being a first-class mechanic; he was honest and industrious and his long life, though unmarked with stirring events, has been fruitful in the good deeds that are within the power of every man. In 1840 he removed to Hancock county, taking up his residence in Amanda township, and there in connection with his trade he followed farming. He married Miss Jane Starr, and of their nine children four are now living. Mrs. Lemott died in 1875, but Mr. Lemott is still living and, retired from active labor, makes his home in Carey.
Samuel, the son of John and Jane (Starr) Lemott, was born in Amanda township, Hancock county, December 15, 1853; he there grew up to manhood and while gaining his education in the common schools he was accounted one of the brightest and most eager pupils, imbibing many lessons which should be valuable to him when tempered in the schools of after life. His school days over, he himself became a teacher and in this met with success beyond
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his most sanguine expectations. But with wise forethought, in order that he might have some manual occupation to which he could turn in case of an emergency, he served time with his father and became skilled in the plasterer's trade, at which he worked for a few years. His next employment was in the mercantile line and for eight years he was clerk for Mr. U. Sillik. Mr. Le- mott has been especially prominent in the public affairs of his community. Although he is a stanch adherent of the Republican party, he has by his strict integrity and capable administration of public places of trust met with the approval of men of both parties. He has filled the office of assessor of the township for four years, held the office of justice of the peace for three years, and was a member of the school board for fourteen years, part of which time he was clerk; and, as has been mentioned, he now is in the place of postmaster of the town. In connection with these interests he is agent for the Farmers' Mutual Fire and Storm Insurance Company, his territory em- bracing Jackson, Delaware and Amanda townships.
On February 22, 1877, Mr. Lemott married Miss Martha Snider, who is the daughter of John and Eliza (Treece) Snider, and was born on her father's farm in Amanda township, February 7, 1858. To this marriage have been born eight children: Wellie, who is now deputy postmaster; Inez; Otto; Burnice; Edward; Grace; Dorotha; and Henry. Mr. Lemott owns a pleasant little farm near Vanlue, and there he resides and delights to enter- tain his many friends, who rejoice in his hospitality and unite in wishing him continued success. Mr. Lemott's father, who was a soldier of the Union during the Civil war, is a well preserved veteran of sixty-eight years. He is still working at his trade and able to hold his own with the best of them.
E. V. VAN LUE.
Perhaps no name has been longer and better known in Hancock county than that of Van Lue. Infallible evidence that some one of the family has impressed his individuality on the community is furnished by the fact that one of the villages of the county is named in his honor. In pioneer periods towns, rivers, creeks and notable natural features usually got their designations from the first discoverers or earliest settlers or as the result of some remarkable hap- pening, like a battle or murder. Thus the nomenclature of a locality often furnishes clues both to its general and personal history, and a name frequently points a moral as well as adorns a tale. In the case under consideration the village in Amanda township recalls William Van Lue, who is shown on in- quiry to have been one of the earliest arrivals and a man of sufficient strength
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of character to make himself remembered after his day. Other members of the family, however, are worthy of consideration and included among these is Frederick Van Lue, who was the first comer and founder of the family in Hancock county. He married Rebecca Brown in the east and "moved in" at a time when Hancock county gave little evidence that it would eventually be- come the abode of peace and plenty which it now presents to the beholder. Mrs. Alspach, who resides in Amanda township and is one of the few inter- esting relicts surviving the brave days of the long ago, knew the first Van Lue quite well, and her career covers the whole period of the family's growth in the county. Jacob Van Lue, a son of the original emigrant, inherited some of the push and daring which characterized the first founders, and is a man who impresses one favorably on acquaintance. He is a living refutation of the old saying that "a jack of all trades is a master of none," because Jacob has tried many things and has succeeded in them all. He has been a butcher, a a hotel keeper, a farmer and other things, but it was common re- mark around the neighborhood that whatever Jake Van Lue undertook was sure to succeed. This shows not only that he had business ability but that he was above the average in the art of knowing just what he wanted to do as well as how to do it. He was born in Amanda township, on the farm where his father first located, and there, after reaching maturity, he married one of his neighbor's daughters, named Leah Fenstermacher. This lady died in 1877, when still young, but left her husband as a memorial of their union a son, con- cerning whom something more will be said later on. Jacob married again, and is now living in Michigan, where his old good fortune seems to have fol- lowed him, as the reports coming back all agree in saying that he is doing a prosperous business. His uncle William, the same who gave his name to the village of Van Lue, was more of a public character than any of the family, and was perhaps the most noted of the connection. He was quite popular in politics as well as business, as is evidenced by the fact that the people elected him to the important office of county treasurer, in which he made a highly commendable record, and his neighbors also insisted that he should try their cases and settle their disputes as a justice of the peace.
Having now disposed of the ancestry we come to the gentleman whose life and surroundings furnish the real reasons for the compilation of this bi- ography. E. V. Van Lue, the only son of Jacob and Lealı alluded to above, was born at the ancestral home in Hancock county, Ohio, July 20, 1863. He grew up in his native township of Amanda, and his natural inclination was to become a farmer on his own acocunt, which laudable ambition was gratified by the purchase in 1893 of the pleasant and productive place which has since
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constituted his homestead. This land was originally entered by a man named Daniel Beck, but has since and quite generally been known in the neighbor- hood as the "L. C. Clark farm." Like most of the Amanda township acre- age, this tract is fertile, and Mr. Van Lue, by his skillful management has made it produce up to the best standard of land in that vicinity. In fact he is a decidedly progressive and up-to-date farmer, carrying things on by modern methods, using the latest improvements and altogether setting an example worthy of twentieth century agriculture. The result is seen not only in the abundant crops and fine fat stock turned off but in the neat appearance of all the surroundings. Personally Mr. Van Lue has the reputation of being an unusually well informed man for his opportunities, and certainly exhibits a keen perception as well as accurate information on subjects relating to his special industry. Aside from his private business affairs he has given up some time to service of the public as township trustee, an office which he held six years, and to transacting the business of clerk for a somewhat shorter period. On the social side Mr. Van Lue has been as fortunate as in his busi- ness relations, having chosen his wife wisely and lived with her happily. His choice of a bride fell upon Miss Ida Clark, one of the popular farmer's daugh- ters of Richland township, Wyandot county, Ohio, and to her he was wedded in 1892, at her home in Amanda township. An examination indicates that the four children springing from this union are thus recorded in the family register :' Frances was born April 8, 1893; Ethel, November 9, 1894; Mary, on January 13, 1900, and Gouldier, October 30, 1902.
EPHRAIM I. OMAN.
Though not among the first the Omans were very early settlers of Han- cock county, as the family was established here as far back as 1840. In that year John Oman, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1804, made his appearance in Hancock county and identified himself with its interests by purchasing eighty acres of land in Eagle township. Previously he had met and married Faithful Ellet, who was born in Summit county, Ohio, in 1809, and after locating on his new purchase he built a log cabin for the accommodation of his wife and children. In this rude and temporary shelter they resided until John's circumstances enabled him to provide a more commodious dwelling house. Being a good farmer, of industrious habits and strictly attentive to his own business, he prospered from the start and was soon comfortably fixed for those early days in Ohio. In due time he had added eighty acres of land to his original purchase, and all of it was greatly improved by skillful cultivation 10
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and the other adjuncts of wise husbandry. He and his wife, who died May 28, 1876, were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and re- garded as model Christians by their friends and neighbors. In 1890 Mr. Oman sold his farm property to the Standard Oil Company and purchased a place in Amanda township, on which he lived until his death, June 17, 1893. He had five children, but of these Ephraim I. Oman, the subject of this sketch, is the only survivor.
He was born on his father's farm in Eagle township, Hancock county, Ohio, October 11, 1843, and grew up to a familiarity with agricultural pur- suits, which he has followed throughout the course of his life. He remained on the farms in both Eagle and Amanda townships, and after his father's death fell heir to all the property as the only surviving son. When twenty years old he enlisted as a member of Company E, Twenty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, and served faithfully with his command until honorably dis- charged at the close of the war. After the termination of hostilities Mr. Oman returned to his Ohio home and quietly resumed farm work, in which he showed that industry and steady application which in the long run are the direct factors of success. In 1867 he was married to Minerva, daughter of Joseph and Barbara (Bibbler) Newell, of Jackson township. The only child of this union was a daughter named Emma, who was born in 1868 and died March 18, 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Oman are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in which he has held some offices. Mr. Oman ranks as one of the leading as well as most popular citizens of his neighborhood, and has been honored by election to important township offices. He is a Republican in his political views, but in local affairs votes for the man best fitted for the office, regardless of party.
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