USA > Ohio > Hancock County > A centennial biographical history of Hancock County, Ohio > Part 31
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In 1889 Mr. Grimm was married, at Findlay, to Miss Alice, daughter of William B. Miller, and they have five children: Bernice, DeWitt Miller, Helen, John and Flora. W. B. Miller, the father of Mrs. Grimm, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, and is one of the pioneers of Hancock county, hav- ing now reached the age of seventy-eight years. He is a farmer and stock raiser by occupation, and is one of the leading Republicans of the county. Mr. Grimm is also one of the leading Republicans of Hancock county and also of northwestern Ohio. He has for many years attended nearly all of the conventions of his party, both state and local, and has been a member of
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the central and executive committees for many years. In his fraternal rela- tions he is a member of the Masonic order, Findlay Lodge, No. 227; of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 400; and of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica, Bishop Camp No. 4678, of Findlay. He and his family are leading mem- bers of the First Presbyterian church of this city.
DANIEL WALTER.
The subject of this sketch, a prosperous and much esteemed farmer of Blanchard township, is descended from German parents who emigrated while young and became pioneers of Hancock county at an early period of its his- tory. Peter Walter was born in Germany in 1796, and served six years in the army of his native land during his early manhood. He married Anna M. Ginder, whose birth occurred May 6, 1819, in Switzerland. He made his way directly to Ohio, where Mr. Walter purchased eighty acres of virgin forest in Blanchard township. It took much hard work to "whip this land into shape," but by assiduous labor and wise management this worthy couple eventually brought their farm to a high state of cultivation, and, as prosperity smiled upon them, by degrees added one hundred and sixty acres more to their estate. Peter Walter came to this country extremely poor, and all his accumulations were due to the efforts of himself and wife, who proved a most valuable assist- ant during the period of struggle. They finally obtained a firm foothold financially and were much esteemed socially, Mr. Walter himself being an industrious, unassuming man of the strictest integrity and honesty. He was a man of remarkable physique, robust and possessed of an unusually strong constitution, qualities which stood him in good stead for the hard work neces- sary at the beginning of his career. He was a consistent member of the United Brethren church and model of uprightness and good morals in all the affairs of life. Peter Walter ended his long and honored career in 1875. at the age of seventy-nine years. He was married three times, and all of his wives are now deceased. Their family consisted of five children, of whom three are still living and all residents of Hancock county.
One of these survivors is Daniel Walter, subject of this sketch, who was born on his father's farm in Blanchard township, Hancock county, January 9. 1843. He was reared to farm work while getting the benefit of such educa- tional opportunities as were afforded by the common schools, and has de- voted all of his adult life to agricultural pursuits. At the death of his father he inherited the home farm, his holdings now consisting of two hundred and forty acres of valuable land in two tracts. This property has been managed
Daniel Walter And wife
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and operated with skill and good judgment, being devoted to stock raising and the standard crops of the latitude where located. Mr. Walter has greatly improved the appearance as well as the quality of his land since taking charge, the most noticeable changes being the erection of commodious buildings of modern construction, adapted to the needs of up-to-date agriculture. He is practical in his methods and has inherited the fine qualities which brought such marked success to his lamented father.
December 20, 1866, Mr. Walter was married to Miss Louisa J., daughter of Daniel and Phebe Flick, whose birth occurred in Union township, June 7, 1847. Her parents were old settlers of Hancock county, who acquired own- nership of one hundred and sixty acres of land and were much esteemed in the circle of their acquaintance. The union of Daniel and Louisa Walter proved prosperous and happy, their five children being reared in health and strength and all now married with the exception of the youngest. Mary E., the eldest daughter, was born August 9, 1868, married W. C. Elsea in March, 1891, and has two children, Bernice E. and Walter C. Clara A., the second daughter, was born February 7, 1872, and married Dr. E. A. Powell, by whom she has one child, Avery D. Emmet C., the third child and only son, was born May 12, 1874, and married August 16, 1896, to Jettie Bish, and has one child, Velma Lucile. Ida V., who was born April 29, 1880, was united in marriage with W. L. Daymon on the 10th of November, 1898, and had one child, Marie, now deceased. Eva W., the youngest of the children, whose birth oc- curred January 28, 1885, still remains at home. Mr. and Mrs. Walter are both members of the United Brethren church. In politics he is a Democrat.
HAMILTON L. RAMSEY.
It is a pleasure to enter in this work a brief review of the genealogical history and personal career of the popular and efficient chief of police of the city of Findlay. His life has been one of continuous application and he has gained prestige as an able and discriminating business man and official, while he has so ordered his life as to retain the respect and esteeem of those with whom he has been thrown in contact. He has passed practically his entire life in Ohio, and from his youth has depended upon his own resources, so that he is thoroughly appreciative of the dignity of honest toil and is known as a whole-souled, tolerant and genial gentleman.
Back to that cradle of much of our national history, the Old Dominion state, must we turn in tracing the genealogy of Hamilton Lee Ramsey, and he himself is a native of that patrician old commonwealth, having been
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born in Augusta county, Virginia, on the 16th of September, 1861. In 1865 he accompanied his parents on their removal to Washington Court House, Ohio, where they maintained their home about five years, then removing to Bucyrus, in which place our subject received the major portion of his early education. At the expiration of about six years they removed to another point in Crawford county and a year later to Shelby, which was the family home for two years, and thereafter they resided for intervals of greater or less length in other parts of the state, while in 1882 our subject came to Findlay, and has ever since been a resident of Hancok county. Here he was employed at farm work for two years, and then turned his attention to the building of oil rigs in the oil fields of this locality, having been identified with this line of work from the time of the discovery of oil in Findlay up to April, 1900, when he was appointed to his present responsible office as chief of police. He has brought to bear marked energy and judgment in the discharge of the duties of his office and has made his department a model of efficiency, safe- guarding the city and adequately handling such malefactors as seek to in- fringe law and order. He is a thorough disciplinarian, but has the respect and high regard of his men and the confidence of the general public. He is also popular in fraternal circles, being identified with the local organiza- tion of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party.
In th year 1888, at Dunkirk, Ohio, Chief Ramsey was united in mar- riage to Miss Florence Alexander, the daughter of Joseph B. and Charlottie (Smith) Alexander, and they have a pleasant home at 218 West Main Cross. The chief is familiarly known by his second name, Lee.
Rev. Osbert Hamilton Ramsey, the father of our subject, was born in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1829, and was there reared and educated. He was a wheelwright by trade and followed this vocation for a number of years. At the outbreak of the Civil war he held commission as first lieu- tenant in the Virginia militia, and was given the same rank in the Confed- erate service, becoming a member of Company F, Fifth Regiment of In- fantry, which was assigned to Stonewall Jackson's brigade. He served as first lieutenant until the spring of 1862, when he was detailed to superintend the manufacture of saddles for the cavalry, in which connection he was lo- cated in turn at several different points, passing the greater portion of the time at Clarksville, West Virginia, where he remained until February, when he came to the north, securing a position in a machine shop at Pittsburg Landing, Pennsylvania, where he remained for a year and then removed to Washington Court House, Ohio. In 1872 he entered the ministry of the
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United Brethren church and rendered effective service to this denomination until 1886, when he united with the Wesleyan Methodist conference, with which he has since been identified as a zealous and devoted clergyman, being now located in Greersville, Knox county, Ohio. In the year 1842, in Virginia, he was united in marriage to Miss Ann Brown, who still survives. They became the parents of six children, of whom two sons and one daughter survive, namely : Augusta V .; the widow of John W. Michener, of Dela- ware, Ohio; H. Lee, the subject of this sketch; and William H., who is a clerk in the department of justice in Washington, D. C.
HAVILAH L. PARKER.
This gentleman, who is one of the most progressive and successful agriculturists in Hancock county, is the renter of a valuable farm in Marion township, and his management of the estate is marked by the scientific knowl- edge and skill which characterizes the modern farmer. He was born at Find- lay and throughout his active business life has been prominently identified with the agricultural and industrial interests of Hancock county. The date of his birth was April 28, 1853. He was reared and educated in his native town, and has been a continuous resident of the county ever since. His pa- rents were George W. and Margaret (Anderson) Parker. Mr. Parker was a native of Virginia, while Mrs. Parker was born in Wayne county, Ohio. The Parkers are of German extraction, while the Andersons are natives of the Emerald Isle.
Havilah L. Parker operates the Burnes farm, consisting of ninety- seven acres of land, on the Sandusky road, two miles east of the city of Findlay. He is a man of many fine traits of character, a member in good stand- ing in the Methodist Episcopal church of Findlay, a member of the Protected Home Circle, a fraternal organization, and a gentleman in whom his neighbors have implicit confidence. His married life dates from January 7, 1879, when he was united to Miss Irene, daughter of George W. and Emily Graham, of Findlay, and to this most felicitous union twelve chil- dren have been born, nine of whom are living :- Nellie B., born November 23, 1881, a successful and popular teacher in the Findlay public schools ; Lemuel O., born July 20, 1883; Clark L., born November 4, 1886, a student in college at Findlay ; Ruby M., born May 3, 1890; Willard H., born Decem- ber 7, 1891 ; Roy C., born February 17, 1894; Florence, born July 20, 1895; Helen L., born July 18, 1898; and Clara F., born August 9, 1899. Lemuel O., after finishing at Findlay College, received from the board
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of agriculture a free scholarship in the Ohio State University, and is now there. He is very popular and is making his way by his industry. Mrs. Parker, the mother of these children, is a native of Big Lick township of this county, where she was born October 21, 1858. George W. Parker, the father of the subject of this review, was born in Virginia in 1825, came to this county in 1849, located at Findlay and died in March, 1899. He was a cabinet and chair maker, and for many years was in partnership with Mr. J. R. Clark, now a prominent business man of Findlay. He was a man of great force of character and of considerable influence in the community in which he resided, being connected with much of the public service. He was a firm believer in the principles of faith as enunciated by the Methodist Episcopal creed, and held membership during his entire life in the church of that name in Findlay. He was an active member of the organization, having for long years prior to his death been a class leader. His family consisted of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely : Havilah L., the subject of this review; Jonathan A .; Mary C .; Phila J .; and George W. The father died March 4, 1899 and the mother of the family, who was a lady of fine intelligence and many estimable traits of character, still lives at the age of seventy-three years. John Graham, grandfather of Mrs. Parker was a native of Virginia and one of the first pioneers of Hancock county, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land which still remain in the family. George W. Graham, his son and father of Mrs. Parker, is liv- ing in retirement at Findlay, after a successful career as a farmer.
THOMAS H. CLYMER.
Thomas H. Clymer, a young man of superior business ability and ex- ecutive force, whose labors are bringing to him creditable and gratifying success in industrial circles, is a native son of the Buckeye state. His birth occurred in Union township, Hancock county, on the 16th of November, 1861, and he is a grandson of Francis and Susan Clymer, who removed from Fairfield county, Ohio, to Hancock county in 1834, being accompanied by their family, and the father of our subject was one of the number. Francis Clymer entered one hundred and sixty acres of government land in Union township, one hundred and eight acres of which is now owned by his son David, and he was one of the sturdy old pioneers of the commonwealth. With his family, consisting of six children, three of whom are now living, he endured the privations incident to a new and unsettled country, and he nobly bore his share in its subsequent development and improvement. Both he and
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his wife lived to a good old age, and in their death the community suffered the loss of true and upright citizens.
David Clymer, the father of him whose name introduces this review, is now the only member of his father's family residing in Hancock county. He was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1828, and in his youth accom- panied his parents on their removal to this county, where he has won an enviable place among the progressive and influential agriculturists of his com- munity. His landed possessions consist of about eight hundred acres, and he is recognized as one of the largest real estate owners in Hancock county. His career has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence of the business world, for he has always conducted all transactions on the strictest principles of honor and integrity, and at the same time his devotion to the public good is unquestioned. Mr. Clymer was united in marriage to Emily Cook, also a native of Fairfield county, where her birth occurred in 1830, and this union was blessed by the birth of eight children, five of whom are now living, and all are residents of Hancock county. They have all been pro- vided with excellent farms, the result of the father's forethought and enter- prise. In political matters the Clymers have long been allied with Demo- cratic principles.
Thomas H. Clymer, the immediate subject of this review, was reared and educated in the township of his nativity, and here he has spent his en- tire life. After completing his studies he assisted his father in the work of the home farm until his marriage, after which he purchased and removed to his present place. He is a young man of exceptional promise, and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and ability, have chosen him as a mem- ber of the school board, in which capacity he has served for seven years. For his wife he chose Miss Nora, the daughter of Henry Aurand. Their marriage was celebrated in 1884, and four children have come to brighten and bless their home,-Jessie, Estella, Lewis and Grace. Mrs. Clymer was born in Blanchard township, Hancock county, in 1866. The family are held in high esteem in Hancock county, and their many excellent qualities render them favorites with a large circle of friends. Mr. and Mrs. Clymer are mem- bers of the United Brethren church.
WILBUR F. TRUESLOW.
The above named gentleman has devoted all the active years of his busi- ness life to the carpet trade, in which he has been employed in various cities and states and is a recognized expert in that line. He has also risen to prom-
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inence in the political world at Findlay, where he has long been connected with public affairs, and at present holds the position of president of the city council. His father, George W. Trueslow, was born at Malden, now West Virginia, in 1813, and after reaching manhood removed to Lynchburg, Vir- ginia, where he accumulated a fortune amounting to near one hundred thou- sand dollars in the mercantile business. He was intensely Union in his sen- timents, however, and when the Civil war opened found it impossible to live in the hotbed of secession where he found himself, the result being that he had to leave at a sacrifice of all his hard-earned wealth. He therefore fled with his family to the more congenial atmosphere of Illinois, and about 1861 enlisted, at Jacksonville, in Company F, Eighty-seventh Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which he was elected captain. He served gallantly with his command until ill health compelled his resignation in December, 1864. In 1866 he removed to Hannibal, Missouri, where he engaged in the lumber business, which he carried on until his death in 1876. About 1850 he was married at Gallipolis, Ohio, to Mary A. Jewell, by whom he had three children : Alice, deceased wife of George W. Hugo; Wilbur F .; and Silas, who died in the nineteenth year of his age.
Wilbur F. Trueslow, second of the children, was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, January 29, 1853, and was consequently eight years old when his parents fled to Illinois to escape the fury of the hot-headed "secesh." While the father was absent in the army his family continued to reside at Jackson- ville, and later, as previously stated, accompanied him to Missouri. Wilbur F. attended school at Hannibal, and remained there until 1871, when he went to St. Louis and secured employment in the carpet store of Henry Barr. He retained this position about six years and then entered the carpet store of Albert Gall at Indianapolis. After a period of five years in the Indiana capital Mr. Trueslow's next move was to Cincinnati, where he took service with Lowry & Goble, and remained with that well known firm of carpet dealers until 1888. In June of that year he transferred his scene of opera- tions to Findlay, where he has since been engaged in laying carpets for the large firms in that city.
Mr. Trueslow is rather fond of the excitement of politics, and has long been active on the Republican side in the political battles that have made Ohio famous. In 1898 he was elected to the city council from the seventh ward of Findlay, and was endorsed by a re-election in 1900. At the organization of the council in that year he was chosen vice president, and several months later, upon the resignation of the president, succeeded to that place by elec- tion, and in April, 1900, was elected to succeed himself in the same honorable
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position. He has traveled over a vast amount of territory for a man of moderate means, having visited every state and territory of the Union with the exception of the far eastern states. He has made the trip from Denver to Pike's Peak, by government train, this being before railroads had invaded that then wild country, and one incident of his travels worthy of note is that when at Charleston, South Carolina, he went by ferry to Sullivan's Island and stood upon the gun which fired the first shot at Major Anderson's men in Fort Sumter. As he thus stood upon that gun in Fort Moultre, looking across the channel at the stars and stripes once again waving over Fort Sum- ter, his remarks were: "Oh if this island could have sunk before that shot was fired." Mr. Trueslow's fraternal connections are with the Knights of Pythias, his membership being in Justus H. Rathbone Lodge, No. 400, of which he is a past chancellor, also past county deputy and a past district deputy, and he is also a member of the uniform and endowment ranks. His lodge now has a membership of three hundred and ninety.
In December, 1890, Mr. Trueslow was married to Jessie D. Wentz, a daughter of Jacob A. and Elizabeth Wentz. She was born in Blackford county, Indiana, in 1867, and came with her parents in 1874 to Findlay, Ohio, her father purchasing a farm four miles north of that city, where they resided for a number of years, finally moving to Findlay, making this their permanent home. Mr. and Mrs. Trueslow have two children,-Alice E., born February 10, 1892; and Myron W., born November 13, 1893.
JACOB GRESSLY.
Hancock county has no more honored or highly esteemed citizen than the gentleman whose name introduces this review. He was born in Hock- ing county, Ohio, on the 18th of February, 1842, his parents being Henry and Annie (Whisler) Gressly. The former, who was born in Germany, in 1809, was a son of Jacob Gressly, who emigrated from that country to America in 1829, being accompanied on the journey by his six children,- Barabara, Henry, Jacob, Catherine, Charles and Margaret. Jacob Gressly first took up his abode in Fairfield county, Ohio, but a short time afterward 1emoved to Pickaway county, this state, where he spent the remainder of his life, his life's labors having been ended in death in 1857. His son Henry came to Hancock county in 1846, locating on a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres in Union township, which he placed under an excellent state of cultivation, and to this tract he subsequently added one hundred and forty acres more, making it one of the valuable homesteads of Union town-
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ship. He was well versed in all the branches of agriculture, and his life was characterized by energy, perseverance and hard work, qualities which won for him a high and well merited degree of success. At one time he was the owner of over seven hundred acres of land, and was long recognized as one of the most progressive farmers of his community. He was united in mar- riage to Annie Whisler, who was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, in 1818, being a daughter of Michael Whisler. This union was blessed with the fol- lowing children : Jacob, Rebecca, Sarah (deceased), Loretta J., Samuel and two who died in infancy, The living ones are all residents of Hancock county. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gressly were worthy members for many years of the Evangelical church. The father died in 1891 and the mother in 1882.
Jacob Gressly, the immediate subject of this review, was early inured to the work of the farm, and when the time came for him to inaugurate inde- pendent action he chose the vocation of farming, which has been his life occupation. In 1871 he located on the farm on which he now resides, where he has erected a substantial and commodious residence, suitable barns and outbuildings, and has placed his fields under an excellent state of cultivation. He is one of the representative citizens of Hancock county, and has achieved a most worthy success. His public spirit is such that he always aids every movement which in his judgment promises good to the people at large, and for one year he efficiently served his township as its trustee. The marriage of Mr. Gressly was celebrated in 1865, when Miss Martha West became his wife. She was born in Hancock county, Ohio, in 1845, and is a daughter of John and Catherine West. By her marriage she became the mother of the the following children: Theodocia (deceased), Ferdinand W., Ivy A., Pearl J. and Bessie E. Mrs. Gressly and her daughters are members of the Church of God, and the family are among the well known and highly re- spected residents of Hancock county. In politics Mr. Gressly is a Democrat. The improvements on the farm of Mr. Gressly are among the best in this party of Hancock county.
JEFFERSON C. McRILL.
Among the most promising and successful of the younger generation of Hancock county farmers is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He comes of a family which has been represented in the county for seventy years, whose members have always stood well and enjoyed high consideration among their neighbors. A brief review, given in chronological order, will show who they have been and something of what they have done to bring this county to
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