USA > Ohio > Hancock County > A centennial biographical history of Hancock County, Ohio > Part 29
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church, and during his active career did much to build up that organization in that part of the state. By trade Levi Wolfe was a blacksmith in his younger life, but when the Civil war broke out he offered himself a willing sacrifice on the altar of his country, by enlisting in 1862 in Company E, Fifty-seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. In the bloody battle of Shiloh, while trying to bind up a comrade's wound, he was taken prisoner and confined for a period at Macon, Georgia. He was finally exchanged, but was in such an cmaciated condition as to cause his death before he reached home. He died in the city of Cincinnati on July 30, 1862. During his life he held some of the responsible township offices, was a man of influence in his neighborhood and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Previous to his army life he made provision for his family by laying the foundation for their present home. His kindness of heart and noble traits of character erected in the memories of the members of his family a lasting monument.
ALDEN H. COBB.
Alden H. Cobb was born in Cass township, Hancock county, Ohio, in 1847, on the farm where he now resides, which has never been out of the fan- ily since it was purchased by his grandfather, Foster Cobb. The latter was a native of Vermont, as was also his wife, Elizabeth, who died in 1811, hav- ing been born in 1782.
In 1835 Foster Cobb with his four children moved upon the farm in Cass township, Hancock county, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, and with the assistance of his son Foster, did much of the clearing and im- provement. He died on August 3, 1840. His second wife, Lydia, died in 1835. His children were as follows: Alonzo, Chester, John, Foster, Jane, David, Nathan, Nancy and Elmira.
Foster Cobb, fourth in the above list of children, was born on June 15, 1817, in Vermont, and walked closely in the footsteps of his honored father, proving himself a most worthy citizen. He was a justice of the peace for many years, a trustee and held most of the local offices, filling each to the complete satisfaction of every one, being held in high esteem. He married Mary Davis, who was born in Fairfield county, Ohio. Of their four children, our subject is the only survivor. His father's death occurred in 1883, the mother of our subject having passed away in 1851.
Alden H. Cobb was educated in the district schools of the time and place, but in great measure he fitted himself for the life of usefulness he has led. Mr. Cobb is a practical farmer and no one better understands the qualities of
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soil and the advantages of different methods of agriculture than he. He is also a successful stockraiser, giving close attention to that part of his busi- ness also. April 29, 1875, he was married to Catherine, daughter of Jacob Stecker, who was born in Cass township, August 13, 1856. One son, Charles Curtis, was born to this union.
Jacob Stecker was born in 1824, in Germany and emigrated to America in 1840, being at that time about sixteen years of age. He attained a position of influence in Hancock county, where he established his home, and for many years was a justice of the peace in Cass township. He was a worthy member of the Methodist church. Mr. Stecker died on October 12, 1901. He first married Rosanna C. Klink, a native of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, who died leaving four children, Mrs. Cobb being the eldest. His second wife was Mariah Jameson, who died February 22, 1899, without issue.
Mr. Cobb is one of the intelligent and progressive farmers of Cass town- ship and his fine farm shows the cultivation which it receives. He is a leading member of the Lutheran church and has held the office of deacon in this re- ligious body. In public matters Mr. Cobb has always taken a deep interest and he has served the township at times as trustee and as clerk. He is a man of enlarged ideas, possesses most excellent judgment and stands high among his neighbors on account of his many estimable traits of . character.
CHARLES R. WATSON.
The attractions of the life of a farmer are many; he is free and inde- pendent, monarch of all he surveys, so to speak, and he is the owner of the most stable and satisfying property in the world, little subject to the fluctua- tions of the market; while the sowing of the grain and the patient toil and waiting for the harvest add a touch of color to the occupation and afford something of the fever of the speculators on the stock market, uncertain what time may bring forth. And in the modern conditions of agriculture with all the late improvements there is a vast field for the progressive man who de- sires to make the most out of his land.
One of the young and promising farmers of Union township, Hancock county, whose future outlook is clear and bright is Charles R. Watson. This hardy tiller of the soil is the son of William and Susan (Heck) Watson, of Liberty township, who are weil and favorably known citizens of the county. Charles made his advent into the world in Liberty township in 1867, and with the usual lot of a farmer boy he spent his youthful days in learning the duties of the farm, in attending the country school in the
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winter season, and enjoying, as only a farmer boy can enjoy, the sports and recreations of the country. He was an unusually bright and studious lad in school and he has found in after life abundant opportunity to apply the les- lons which he learned in the familiar old school. He early made farming the choice of vocations and has since devoted his best efforts to the work. He came into the possession of his present farm in 1899; it consists of two hundred and four acres of fertile and highly cultivated soil, which he de- votes to the raising of general farm produce and stock. Mr. Watson also has an interest in his father's farm in Liberty township. This farm is a val- nable one from the fact that there are twenty-eight producing oil wells in operation, and thus he has a share in the production of one of the most im- portant of the world's commodities, one, by the way, which has been avail- able for commercial purposes only a little more than forty years.
In 1900 Mr. Watson celebrated his marriage to Miss Myrtie Oman the daughter of Jacob and Nellie Oman, of Eagle township, Hancock coun- ty ; she was born in this township on December 20, 1876, and her parents are also natives of the same place and are members of an old pioneer family. Mr. and Mrs. Watson are numbered among the county's highly respected citizens and enjoy a well deserved prosperity. He is a Democrat in political views, well known throughout the county. He engaged in the oil business in 1902 on the home farm in Liberty township.
HENRY REITER.
As one passes through an agricultural community and notes the general condition of the farms to the right and left and learns the general charac- teristics of the owners, he is soon impressed with the marked excellence of the places which are owned by German-Americans ; the large barns and other farm buildings, the well arranged grounds and well tilled fields, and the air of neatness and thrift pervading the whole place show the farmer of Teu- tonic origin to deserve rank among the peers of agriculturists and most substantial citizens.
Henry Reiter, who is an enterprising farmer and resident of Union township, Hancock county, has the honor to be classed among these citi- zens of the fatherland. His parents, Sebastian and Charlotte Reiter, were both native Germans, who emigrated to this country in 1835 and settled in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where they remained for two years. In 1838 they removed to Hancock county, Ohio, making their home in Union township, and about 1842 they purchased a small farm of forty acres, just
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enough to give him a fair start,-and that was all he needed,-for at this time he was a very poor man. A few years later he sold the place at an ad- vance and in 1855 bought another and larger farm of eighty acres, 110W the property of his son and daughter, Sebastian and Lydia. Mr. Reiter was a good business man for one whose education had been necessarily limited and by his hard work and good management he accumulated enough prop- erty at his death to give each of his seven living children eight hundred dollars. He died in September, 1878, aged sixty-nine years, having been born in 1809, while his wife, who was born in 1816, passed away Decem- ber 28, 1898. They had eleven children, of whom six are now alive.
The birth of Mr. Reiter occurred in Baden, Germany, before his parents left their native land. Being brought to this country at an early age he has been under American institutions and influences and is therefore a thor- ough American in everything except his birth. He has been a successful farmer and has owned and resided on his present farm since 1872.
In 1871 Mr. Reiter became the husband of Miss Eliza Brown, and to this happy union have been born three children, Franklin, on August 27, 1872; Arthur, on March 26, 1874; and Mable, August 5, 1878. His first wife died in 1880 and for his second wife Mr. Reiter married Miss Leah Steiner in 1882, to which union no children have been born. Mr. and Mrs. Reiter are devout members of the Disciples church and enjoy the confidence and esteem of their many friends.
SEBASTIAN J. REITER.
Sebastian J. Reiter is a member of that class of farmers who are so much needed in every farming section and are necessarily prosperous because of their methods and excellent habits of doing things; he is a man of intelli- gence in regard to farming methods and believes in conducting matters on a thoroughly systematic basis, which is just as necessary in farming as in any other line of business. He is the son of German parents, Sebastian and Charlotte B. (Bookmiller) Reiter, who in 1835 came to America with a family of five children and located in Mercer county, Pennsylvania. They were in very poor circumstances when they arrived, being in debt to the amount of twenty-one dollars. In 1838 they moved farther west to Han- cock county and in the course of a few years bought a little farm of forty acres in Union township, where by his industry and capable management he obtained a vantage ground in the business world. He afterward sold this place and in 1855 bought the eighty acres of land which is now the
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property of our subject and his sister. Although an illiterate man through force of circumstances, Mr. Reiter possessed the requisite quality for suc- cess in this land of opportunity and at his death was able to give each of his seven living children eight hundred dollars, over and above the farm on which he resided and which was later bought by its present owners; eleven children were born to them in all. In religious belief they originally belonged to the Evangelical church, later joined the Christian Union, in which faith they passed away, he in September, 1878, aged sixty-nine years and nine months, and his wife in December 28, 1898, aged eighty-two years.
Sebastian J. Reiter is a native of Union township, Hancock county, being born January 10, 1852, and in his native place he was reared and edu- cated; so well did he improve his opportunities in school that he was him- self able to instruct others and for six terms taught in the state of Illinois. He then traveled around extensively, getting as far west as Nebraska, and in 1882 he returned to his native county, where he has lived ever since. He and his sister Lydia live on their eighty acre farm, which he manages and is meeting with gratifying success. He still enjoys the blessings of single life and is devoted to his business. He has taken much interest in public affairs and has served his township in the capacity of trustee, assessor and supervisor. Like the other members of his family, he is a communi- cant of the Christian Union church.
VALENTINE POWELL.
No name is better or more favorably known in the agricultural circles of Hancock county than that borne by the subject of this sketch. He belongs to a numerous family connection, long established in this part of Ohio, and identified permanently with its growth and development. The particular branch to which our subject belongs originated in the Keystone state, where his ancestors figured in the agricultural and industrial movements for many generations in the past. They sent forth offshoots toward the west during the pioneer period and had representatives at various points while the wilder- ness was being reclaimed. In 1834 Samuel and Sarah Powell, shortly after their marriage and while still enjoying the enthusiasm of youth, left Fair- field for Hancock county, Ohio, where they formed a permanent location in Liberty township. They reared a family of thirteen children, who, as they grew up, ramified throughout their native and neighboring counties and with their descendants furnished representatives to most of the various vocations
V. Powell + Wife
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in life. As previously stated, the Powells, both of the older and younger generations, are most favorably known as citizens of probity and usefulness.
Valentine Powell, son of Samuel and Sarah, was born on his father's large farm in Liberty township, Hancock county, Ohio, August 19, 1847, and was reared as well as educated in the neighborhood of the ancestral home. In 1864, when sixteen years of age, he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for four months and saw some active service in Virginia. In his earlier years he was engaged in the lumbering business, but later took up farming and has since adhered to agricultural pursuits. In 1878 he made his first purchase of land, consisting of eighty acres, in Blanchard township, which he has greatly improved and modernized. This tract constitutes Mr. Powell's present home, whose commodiousness and surrounding comforts afford ample proof of good husbandry. In 1871 he was happily married to Miss Sophironia, daughter of John and Mary Schoonover, well-to-do people of Lib- erty township. who was born January 11, 1852. This union resulted in the birth of eight children, of whom the seven now living are: Earl R., Carrie, Everett, Bertha, Olive, Carl and Orville. Mr. and Mrs. Powell are members of the United Brethren church. In politics Mr. Powell's affiliations have always been with the Republican party, but his interest is confined to voting, as he has never been either a seeker or holder of office. His whole attention has been concentrated upon his business, and that his efforts have been re- warded is seen by a glance at his well tilled and neatly arranged estate. He is a practical as well as progressive farmer and keeps abreast of all improvements relating to agriculture, employing the best implements and using only up-to- date methods.
LEVI MILLER.
Sixty years a resident of Orange township, Hancock county, there are not many who can boast to have lived here for a longer period. And when Levi Miller first arrived at the age when his boyish eyes would roam around him and take note of the strange scenes that greeted him on every side, he became acquainted with an entirely different environment than that which now lies before him as he goes down the other side of the slope of life. The log house which figured as the birth place and home of boyhood for many who have wrought and are now passing away is one of the curiosities and re- minders to the American of to-day of the transformations and progress of time; and as young Levi stood in the doorway of his log home, he
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probably never dreamed, notwithstanding all the air castles which youth can construct of flimsy nothing, of the changes which would make this inland state almost the center of the great world of commerce and industry which was moving westward.
His father, William Miller, who was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, came to Hancock county about 1840 and located in Orange township, on the farm which is now owned by Edward Battles. His occupation throughout his life was that of farming, but he died at the comparatively early age of forty years. He had married a native daughter of Vermont, Roxanna Patch, who lived to be seventy-eight years old and became the mother of five sons and four daughters. The third child and second son of these was Levi, and his birth was announced in that little house of hewn logs in Orange township on June 20, 1842. Until he was twenty years of age his life was not unusual, but was sufficiently varied by his work on the farm and by his attendance in the winter at the old school house. But the Civil war came on and afforded all the interest that may have been lacking from his earlier career. He enlisted in 1862 in Company D, Ninety-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and carried a musket in the ranks for twenty-seven months, at the close of which period he received his discharge on account of disability. He participated in the battle of Chickamauga and other engagements, but escaped without a wound; but he was taken sick and compelled to lie in the hospitals at Louisville, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee, never recovering sufficiently to do active service.
Returning from the war, Mr. Miller at first worked out by the month on the farms of the neighborhood, but he was married a few years later and then decided to take up a permanent location. He is not ashamed to recall that he and his wife made their first home in a rather rude log house on the farm which he still owns. But time and his diligence soon rewarded him, and he has put up a good home, barns and all necessary farm buildings and devoted his eighty acres of land to general farming and stock raising. His farm is not only productive in the ordinary products of the soil but has five oil wells which furnish fuel for all time.
The first marriage of Mr. Miller, which we have mentioned, was in 1870, to Mary Miller, who was born in Ohio and came to Hancock county when a child. This lady passed away after she had been his faithful companion for a fiumber of years and had become the mother of three children. One of these died in infancy, while Newton was killed by the cars at Findlay; the remain- ing son, John, is a resident of Bluffton, Ohio. Mr. Miller married his present wife in 1893; her name was Jane Reddick, the widow of Lemuel Reddick. Mr. Miller has not neglected the other phases of life's interests, and is a mem-
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ber of the Grand Army post at Bluffton and remains a firm adherent of the Republican party. His long residence in the county has identified him with many of the public matters, and he is one of the well known citizens who help and are helped by the common welfare of the community.
GEORGE W. WATKINS.
Thomas Watkins, a native of Wayne county, Ohio, was the first mem- ber of this well known family to take up his residence in Hancock county. About 1825, when the country was still in that raw and unsettled state which precedes the full bloom of civilization, he located in what is now Union township. His wife, whose Christian name was Susan, bore him twelve children, and of this number ten grew to maturity. An example of his kindness in providing for his children has come down, that to each of these children as they successively reached maturity, he gave eighty acres of land, a good team and a plough, with which outfit they were well pre- pared to fight the battles of life. And not only did Thomas Watkins bear the reputation of being kind to his own family, but he was known every- where as an upright and self-sacrificing man, devoted to the best interests of his community and his fellow citizens. He was a farmer of the old pio- neer stripe, making the very best of all circumstances and never complain- ing at adverse fate. The period of his life extended over seventy-two years, from 1786 to August 19, 1858, and his wife, Susannah, was born in 1792, and died March 17, 1872, aged eighty years. Only one of their large family is now living.
Isaac Watkins was one of the sons of the above parents and was born in Union township, Hancock county, in 1826. Being reared and educated on his father's farm and inheriting his father's generous equipment, he naturally took to farming on his eighty acres situated north of Mount Cory. In 1864 he felt it his duty to go to the defense of the Union and as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Ninety-second Ohio Volunteers, he was with General Sheridan on his famous raid through the Shenandoah valley, at the close of the war receiving his honorable discharge. He was married in 1845 to Esther Corwin, who became the mother of his nine children, seven of whom are living and two are residents of Hancock county. Later in life Mr. Watkins removed to the state of Michigan, where in 1893 he died at the age of sixty-seven years, but his widow is still living in that state.
G. W. Watkins is the son of the last named parents, and his birth oc- curred in Union township in 1853, there being reared and educated. He
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has always followed agricultural pursuits and has met with marked success, such as one would expect from a man of his native energy and ability. His first farm consisted of one hundred acres and in 1894 he sold it and bought his present place of one hundred and sixty acres, which he devotes to gen- eral farming and stock raising.
In 1877 Mr. Watkins was married to Miss Lydia A. Shoemaker, the daughter of Jacob and Judith Shoemaker, who was born on the farm upon which she now resides in 1859. Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Watkins, the five now living are Forest W., Charles M., Etta J., Jessie A. and Everett. While Mr. Watkins takes a true American's interest in political affairs in general he has never aspired to office. He is devoted to his family and the practical business of his beautiful farm, which is located to the south of the peaceful village of Mount Cory.
GEORGE McARTHUR.
The subject of this sketch is one of the contributors of Scotland to this country, and those acquainted with him agree that "old Scotia" has sent out no worthier or more industrious son. All of his adult life has been spent in America and most of it at Findlay, where as a manufacturer of boilers he has done his full share toward the growth and prosperity of the city's industries. The British Isles are famous for their mechanics, whose rigid technical training and reliability in execution make them desirable acquisi- tions in every workshop in the world, and Mr. McArthur has shown him- self to be a worthy representative of this guild.
George McArthur was born at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1863, and thir- teen years later was brought across the ocean by his parents, who located in Canada. In 1881, when he had reached his eighteenth year, young McAr- thur went alone to Detroit, where he remained for fifteen years in the ent- ploy of John McGregor in the manufacture of boilers, and then came to Findlay, where he has since been engaged in the boiler business. His fa- ther, Alexander McArthur, who was also born in Scotland, finally joined the son at Findlay and is now a resident of that city. Mr. McAr- thur has prospered in his business, in the management of which he has exhibited energy, skill and good judgment, and the products of his estab- lishment find no difficulty in obtaining purchasers. He has the Scottish fondness for fraternal fellowship and gratifies this social inclination by meni- bership in several of the important fraternities. Included in these is Masonry, in which ancient order he has reached the thirty-second degree, and he is
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also a member of the Odd Fellows, the Encampment, Knights of Pythias and Elks. In addition to this he is district deputy of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and altogether devotes considerable time to duties devolved upon him by connection with these various orders. Though in politics in sympathy with the Republican party, he neither seeks nor cares for office and contents himself with a silent vote on what he considers the right side. In 1885 Mr. McArthur was married at Detroit, Michigan, to Mary Mur- phy, by whom he has two children, George and James. The family moves in an excellent social circle and the members are welcome guests in the most substantial households of the city.
WILLIAM A. WILLIAMSON.
The noble art of husbandry has ever been the conservator of our na- tional progress and prosperity, and among those prominently concerned as its votaries in this section is the subject of this review. He was born in Orange township, Hancock county, Ohio, on the 19th of February, 1854, his parents being William and Jane (McCroskey) Williamson, the former born in Greene county, Ohio, in 1810, and the latter in Vriginia, in 1813. Their marriage is believed to have been celebrated in Virginia, from which commonwealth they removed to Greene county, Ohio, and some years later took up their abode in Tuscarawas county, this state. In 1851 they cast in their lot with the early settlers of Hancock county, and in the following year Mr. Williamson purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Orange township, to which he subsequently added an additional tract of eighty acres. At the time of the purchase this land was in its primitive condition, but during the lifetime of Mr. Williamson it was cleared and improved and be- came one of the valuable homesteads of the locality. This worthy pioneer was a valued and consistent member of the United Presbyterian church, and in his political views was a stanch supporter of Republican principles. Ever loyal and patriotic, he gave three of his six sons to the cause of the Union during the dark days of the rebellion, one, Granville L., having died from the effects of wounds received in the battle of Chattanooga, while Madison H. died of disease contracted in the army. Joseph H., who was taken prisoner previous to the capture of the city of Richmond, is now a resident of Orange township, Hancock county. Of the ten children born unto Mr. and Mrs. Williamson only five are now living. The mother was called to her final rest on the IIth of September, 1877, and on the 24th of May, 1894, her husband joined her in the spirit world.
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