USA > Ohio > Hancock County > A centennial biographical history of Hancock County, Ohio > Part 39
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MORRISON HOSLER.
That Hancock county can support so many retired farmers who are amply provided for old age, and who can spend their later lives in ease, speaks well for the kinds of farms to be found in it, and still better for the class of men who have brought this condition about.
Mr. Hosler learned farming in the most practical way, having been reared on a farm. His education was gotten in the country schools, and
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though he now lives in Findlay, keeps up his interests in the country, and attends to his business affairs which are necessarily large. His success as a stock-raiser in connection with farming is unquestioned and he is looked on as an authority in all matters pertaining to agriculture.
Our subject was born in Fostoria, Ohio, in 1847, though at the early age of two he came with his parents to Hancock county, where they settled on a farm in Washington township. Mr. Hosler was married on February 27, 1868, in Washington township to Sarah E. Linhart, daughter of Philip Linhart, and by this union there were two children: Cora May died in 1892, at the age of twenty-eight; she was the wife of William Henderson, and left two children: John Morrison and Frances Ruth. The other daughter is Eliza A., wife of Charles Henderson, and their two children are Goldie M. and Howard Wilson.
Mr. Hosler gives his support to the Democratic party, and fraternizes with the Benevolent and. Protective Order of Elks of Findlay.
BENJAMIN J. WISE.
The above named is a worthy member of the agricultural class in Han- cock county, residing in Marion township, on a farm of fifty acres. He is exceedingly well known throughout all this section of the country, from the fact that he was not only prominently identified with the agricultural element of this section, but for years previous had been connected with the ministry. He was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1835, the son of Benjamin and Lydia Wise, both of whom were natives of the Keystone state. He in early life received all the advantages of the common and select schools. of his section, and so thoroughly fitted himself for the teacher's profssion that he followed that vocation most successfully for a number of years. He was thirty-five years a minister of the Gospel in the United Brethren church, twelve of this number having been passed in the work exclusively, the balance of the period in the local ranks, though he has officiated frequently in the pulpit. Later in life Mr. Wise came under the influence of the teachers of the faith popularly known as the Christian Catholic church, Chicago, Illinois, to which organization he now devotes his religious activities.
In July, 1870, he was joined in marriage to Miss Anna, daughter of Nicodemus B. and Margaret (Buckingham) Ingham, the former an agri- culturist, who was born in Ohio and died at the age of sixty-four years. He was the son of Necodemus Ingham, the oldest heir of a wealthy estate in England, where he was born. Seven children were the result of this union,
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namely : Alvin S., who married Ida V. Swank, and now resides in Carey, Wyandot county, Ohio; Elam, who married Emma L. Folk, and is living in Marion township; Homer; Orpha, who married Charles A. Byal, and resides in Eagle township, this county; Virgil, who married Grace Miller and resides in Carey, Ohio; Blanche and Clarence. The mother of this . family was born in Putnam county, Ohio, on the 6th of September, 1847. This estimable lady had a fair training for school teaching, and in the ranks of the noble calling she served with much satisfaction to her patrons, and with great honor to herself, for a considerable period of years. The parents of Benjamin J. Wise removed from the Keystone state in 1842, and located in Marion township on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Wise was a practical and most successful farmer, and during his lifetime was a man of great influence in the community. He, in his earlier days, carried on a mer- cantile business, and finally abandoned it for the more free and less lucrative business of farming. He held some of the important offices in the township during his lifetime, having been assessor for a period of years. His family consisted of eleven children, eight of whom are now living: Fannie; Lovina ; Benjamin J .; Isabelle, deceased; Israel, deceased; Mary; Sarah; Jane, de- ceased; Lydia ; Franklin and Dixon. After a long life of usefulness in the con- munity, the parents of this family died, the wife in March, 1885, and the father in 1890. Our subject's paternal grandfather was a fine cabinet-maker and farmer. He was a very exact man, always looking after the details of life, a Presbyterian and very devout. Our subject's grandfather on his mother's side, whose name was Corad Opp, was a successful farmer and a man of considerable influence in his day, being a zealous Presbyterian.
NELSON POE.
Nelson Poe, a retired farmer residing in Findlay, Ohio, is a representa- tive of one of the oldest families of which Ohio can boast; for from the time when the country had only a few scattered settlements, and most of these without government authority, when the vast stretches of fertile prairie and woodland lay untouched except by the futile and improvident scratch- ings of the Indian in his shiftless effort to produce his winter's grain, from that early period has the Peo family been represented among the hardy Ohio pioneers.
Grandfather John Poe was a native of old Virginia and came, along with the thousands making for the great west, to Ohio about the year 1798, and there he lived to the advanced age of ninety-six years. He had taken part in
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the Revolutionary war, serving in the cavalry forces and had his horse shot which fell upon him and he was taken prisoner by the British. The horse, in falling, caught him on one of the legs and bound him. After being shot, the animal ran one hundred yards before falling. His son, Jacob Poe, was also born in Virginia, in 1782, and when about sixteen years of age came with his father to Ross county, Ohio, and in 1822 removed to Han- cock county, where his long life as a tiller of the soil came to an end in 1856.
Eighty years ago, on September 4, 1822, on Paint creek, Ross county, near Chillicothe, Ohio, was born Nelson Poe; and in December of the same year he came with his parents to Hancock county, where the latter located on the farm in Liberty township, which now belongs to our subject. Here he lived until 1857, when he rented a farm in Findlay township, three miles north of Findlay, where he lived until 1860; he then purchased and moved to a farm in Liberty township; in 1864 the old home place passed into his hands and he made that his home until November 15, 1888, when he retired and has since resided in Findlay.
Mr. Poe was married in August, 1846, in Hancock county, to Mary, the step-daughter of John Lytle, and three children have been born to them. Philip Melancthon Poe was born March 5, 1847, and died February 13, 1865; on October 16, 1864, he enlisted in Company B, Twenty-ninth Regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was with Sherman on his famous march to the sea, and died at Savannah of disease contracted in the service. Martin Luther Poe was born July 29, 1850, and died July 23, 1889. The third child, Annetta, is the wife of P. W. Ewing, of Findlay. Mr. Poe is a mem- ber of the Methodist church, and his political tendencies are toward the Pro- hibition party.
WILLIAM W. ERNEST.
Of the farmers of Washington township whose association with the public life of the community is such as to deserve recognition in this volume we find the above named gentleman. He resides on and operates a farm of one hundred and seventy acres. He is a native of the Keystone state, hav- ing been born in Perry county, September 27, 1846. His father's name was Frederick Ernest and his mother was Mary A. Hall, both of them having been natives of the same state and county. Frederick Ernest was a stone and brick mason, at which trade he labored for a number of years before abandoning it for agricultural pursuits. He with his family removed to Hancock county in 1849, where he located on forty acres of land, subsequently
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adding thirty. The most of this land was in its primitive wild state, and the first years were years of toil devoted to clearing, in which the subject of this sketch did his part. The father was a good, industrious man, who made many friends by his upright dealings. It is noted that he had been a soldier of the war of 1812. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and by that congregation was very greatly esteemed. The family consisted of thirteen children, six of whom are now living: Samuel J., George K., William W., Mary E., F. J., and Isaac M. Frederick Ernest died in the year 1874, and his wife, Mary A., died in April, 1902.
William W. Ernest has passed a lifetime in agricultural pursuits. He received the rather limited education of the pioneer days in Hancock county, but it was enough, together with that which he has added by observation and experience, to equip him for the duties of life. He purchased his first farm in 1880, and later added one hundred acres, all of which he devotes to general farming. He was united in marriage to Miss Emma, daughter of Jonathan and Margaret Adams, in 1874. To this happy union were born two children : Rella M. and W. J. Mrs. Emma Ernest was born near Fos- toria, Hancock county, December 10, 1846. Mr. Ernest and his wife are con- sistent members of the United Brethren church, in which organization he is a trustee. He is an industrious and honored citizen, and is prominently identified with the active life of the community in which he resides, and in which he and Mrs. Ernest are highly esteemed citizens. In 1902 Mr. Ernest added to his one hundred and seventy acres twelve acres more, making in all a farm of one hundred and eighty-two acres, which is devoted to general farming and stock-raising.
DON C. HUGHES, M. D.
We have liere one of the younger members of the medical fraternity of Hancock county, Ohio, a gentleman who is a product of the city of Find- lay, having been born there February 17, 1870, and where he was reared and received his primary education. He graduated from the High school in Findlay in 1888, and immediately entered upon the study of civil engineer- ing, which he intended to adopt as a life profession. After eighteen months of the study he was forced to abandon that idea owing to an accident which incapacitated him from pursuing such an active life. He thereupon entered the office of Dr. F. W. Firmin in Findlay, and began the study of medicine. The school which he selected to complete his education was the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Maryland, where, after due time, he
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graduated in 1893. He then repaired to the city of Chicago, where he hung out his shingle and practiced for some eighteen monthis, when he located in his own city. This was in September, 1895, and he has continued to prac- tice here since that date. Dr. Hughes is keenly alive to the interests of his profession, keeping in touch with the medical thought of his section of the state. He is a member of the American Medical Association, of the Ohio State Medical Society, of the Northwestern Ohio Medical Society, and for the past five years has been secretary of the Hancock County Medical So- ciety. He is a young man of great promise in his chosen profession, and has already succeeded in building up a very creditable practice. The Doctor is a prominent and active Republican, the policies of which party he delights in furthering at every opportunity. Fraternally he affiliates with the popu- ular insurance organization known as the Modern Woodmen of America. Dr. Hughes was united in marriage December 31, 1898, to Mamie, the daugh- ter of John W. Dempsey, of New Albany, Pennsylvania.
ยท The chief points in the family history of Dr. Hughes may be summed up as follows. The first member of the family of which any authentic in- formation can be given was of his great-grandfather, William Hughes, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and at the time of the struggle for independ- ence took a prominent part in the cause of freedom. The next in line was our subject's grandfather, who was also a native of Pennsylvania and lived and died there. The father of Dr. Hughes was Leonidas H. Hughes, born in Pennsylvania in 1845. He married Eva Swapp and to them was born one child, Don C. He removed to Hancock county in 1858, and is now deputy internal revenue collector for the eighth district. At the time when his country needed his services, Mr. Hughes gladly went to the front, serving the entire period of the war as a private soldier in Company E, Fifty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. While meeting a charge of the enemy at Chickamauga, he received a wound in the right knee, which incapacitated him for some time from participating in the service.
Dr. Don C. Hughes is a figure in the medical and social life of his com- munity. He merits and receives the good wishes of a very large circle of friends.
GABRIEL M. DREISBACH.
This name suggests Germany and inquiry proves that the surmise is correct, as the family originated in that country, though the descendants have long been residents of the United States. The original emigrants and founders of the family in America were Martin and Eva Hoffman Dreisbach,
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who came across the ocean in 1746 and found a location in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Their son Martin, who was born in Berks county, Penn- sylvania, in 1764, and died in 1831, married Selina F. Bucks, a native of Sussex county, New Jersey, who died in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1849. John Dreisbach, son of the last mentioned couple, was born in Buffalo Valley. Pennsylvania, June 5, 1789, entered the ministry of the Evangelical church at an early age and was one of the first ministers of that denomination in the United States. In 1811 he married Catherine Eyer, who died in 1815, leav- ing two children, Salome and Elizabeth. In 1817 he married Fannie Eyer, sister of his first wife, and the children by this union were: Abraham E., Isaac E., Catherine, Sophia, Jacob B., Leah E., Martin E., Susannah E., John E., Fannie and Martha E. The father died August 20, 1877. Abra- ham E. Dreisbach, eldest son of the above mentioned children, was born in Union county, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1818, and in 1840 was married to Mary A. Miesse of Fairfield county, Ohio. He was ordained to the min- istry of the Evangelical church and devoted to the service of this denomina- tion the best part of his active life. The children of the marriage above recorded, ten in number, thus appear in the family register: Caroline M., John M., Susan M., David M., Gabriel M., C. M., Abraham M., Mary A .. Benjamin M. and Daniel (twins). The last named is dead and of the other brothers, John M. and Abraham M. are ministers of the gospel. The mother of these children died February 9, 1857, and her husband's second wife was Elizabeth Strome, by whom there was no issue. Rev. Abraham E. Dreisbach, who did much good for the cause of religion and morality and remained in harness as long as strengtli lasted, ended his earthly career August 28, 1876.
Gabriel M. Dreisbach, fifth of his children in order of birth, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, March 30, 1848. He was taken in early life to Seneca county, where he was reared, educated and remained until he reached his majority. In the spring of 1869 he came to Hancock county and some time later made his first purchase of land, consisting of fifty acres in Union township. This tract was increased by various purchases from time to time, but finally Mr. Dreisbach disposed of his entire holdings in Union and in 1892 bought the farm of ninety-five acres in Blanchard township, which constitutes his present homestead. Oct. 26, 1869, he married Miss Mary A. Whisler, a native of Putnam county, Ohio, where she was born July 2, 1853. The five children resulting from this union are: H. D., born in 1871; Blanch L., born in 1873; Irvin W., born in 1875; Floretta, in 1878; and Edith A., in 1882. The family belongs to the Evangelical church, which for many generations has been the hereditary faith of their long line
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of ancestors, a number of whom, as previously shown, were ministers of this denomination. Mr. Dreisbach was recently elected treasurer of this township and at present is serving his second year in that office. In politics he is a Republican.
H. D. Dreisbach, the oldest child, married Verna Whitmore of Fremont, Ohio. Blanch I. is now Mrs. Rev. Green, and has three children, viz: Ethel, Oral and Mary C. Irvin W. married Ethel McLish and has one child, Francis Fern. Edith A. married Rev. O. J. Baker, of Delmore, Ohio.
JOHN VAN SICKLE.
In these times and in this country, where birth and social position have an inconsiderable influence on one's success in life, the man whom history most honors is he who has started in life with little capital and has made his way to the top in spite of obstacles. John Van Sickle of Pleasant township is a good example of this character of a man. The parents of this man were John and Elizabeth (Felters) Van Sickle. The former was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1812, and his ancestry is traceable to good Holland stock; the latter was a native of Stark county, Ohio. They located in Blanch- ard township of this county in 1837, at first buying forty acres of land and later eighty acres more. In 1855 they sold this and removed to Pleasant township in 1856, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres, but little of this was improved and he spent a good many years in bringing it under cultivation. Afterwards he sold this farm and bought one of eighty acres near McComb, upon which he lived until his death in 1885, in the month of March. He was married three times, his first wife being Angeline Hous- worth, who bore no children. His second wife was Elizabeth Felters, who was the mother of Thomas, deceased; David; Isaac; John, our subject ; George, who died in the army; Elizabeth; Nancy; Samantha and Servatus. By his third wife, Jane Brooks, he had Steven, William and Martha. His second wife, the mother of our subject, died on December 8, 1861. He was a strong, rugged man, of large build, above the average in intelligence, an inveterate hunter, and always provided well for his large family. He was the first man in his county to own and operate a threshing machine. He was a strong adherent of the principles of the Republican party and a worthy citi- zen of his county.
John Van Sickle, Jr., was born in Blanchard township, Hancock county, Ohio, in 1841, attended the district schools and completed his education in Findlay. After his school days were over he taught for several terms, but
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finding a life of confinement too great a strain he turned his attention to agriculture. He and his three brothers served in the Civil war; David was in the Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry; George enlisted in the same regiment after its reorganization ; Isaac was in the One Hundred and Thirty- second Ohio; and John served in Company L, First Heavy Artillery, Ohio Volunteers from August 8. 1864, to the end of the war. On his return from the army John bought his present farm. On March 16, 1868, he was united in marriage to Laura D. Davis, daughter of Alfred Davis, and born January 5, 1843; two children were born : Irvin L., in 1871, and Ivy Dell, in 1879. who became the wife of B. B. Brumby.
Mr. Van Sickle is a self-made man who began life with his hands and an earnest purpose as his capital, and by thrift and industry has accumu- lated considerable property. In 1879 he built a commodious and comforta- ble brick house; besides his general farming he devotes some time to fruit growing. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Post No. 155; he and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist church ; and in all affairs concerning business or society in general he makes the influence of his upright character felt.
A. J. OVERHOLT.
This native of the Keystone state, who is by descent a German, lives in Washington township, where he resides on a farm of seventy-two acres devoted to general farming. His birth occurred in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, on January 24, 1848. His paternal sire was Abraham Over- holt, his mother's maiden name having been Barbara Sherick. The father was born in February, 1811, and the mother in the year 1813. Mr. Overholt was ten years of age when his parents, in 1858, removed from Pennsylvania to Hancock county, Ohio. Here his father bought three hundred and twen- ty-five acres of virgin forest land, which was cleared during the lifetime of Abraham Overholt. This gentleman was a good and thrifty farmer, and was one of the heaviest payers of tax on real estate in his day in the county. Po- litically he affiliated with the Republican party, and religiously he was what was known as a Mennonite, but. not having a church organization nearby, he later joined the United Brethren church. His death occurred January 23, 1896, the wife having preceded him, dying December 5, 1891. The children, besides the subject of this sketch, were Anna, Christian M., Eliza- beth, Jacob, deceased. Joseph, Abraham, Sara, Maria, Barbara and Mar- tin B.
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A. J. Overholt was reared in Washington township, and early became familiar with the labors of the field and meadow, and assisted in the work of the home farm. His elementary education was acquired in the district school, which was later supplemented by further literary work in the schools of the city of Fostoria. His instincts and training fitted him peculiarly for the life of an agriculturist, and he chose that pursuit, in which he has been eminently successful. The first farm he owned was purchased in January, 1880, and lies partly in Wood county. He lives, however, in Hancock county, where he caused to be built the handsome brick structure in which he now resides, the other improvements being in consonance. The marriage of Mr. Overholt occurred January 14, 1869, the lady being Elmira, the daughter of Isaac and Susan Marietta. Two children have been born to this union : Earl L., May 2, 1870, and Mabel M. The son, after pursuing a four years' classi- cal course at Fostoria Academy, became a student of the Cincinnati Medical Academy, and after graduating at this institution enrolled at the Rush Medi- cal College in Chicago, Illinois, where he spent two years and obtained his de- gree. He is now a successful physician in his home town of Fostoria, where he enjoys a large and lucrative practice. The daughter Mabel is also a grad- uate of Fostoria high school, in which institution she is now a successful and popular instructor. Mr. Overholt has always taken an exceedingly active part in the public life of his county. He gives his every effort to the advancement of the interests of the Republican party, by whose suffrages he is at the pres- ent time serving as county commissioner, to which office he was elected in 1902. He has also served in the more minor but not less responsible office of trustee of his township. He and his family are consistent members of the United Brethren church, in which organization he has been for years a trus- tee. They are honored for their many good qualities of heart and mind, and well deserve representation in a history devoted to the representative fam- ilies of Hancock county.
FREDERICK A. HOLLIGER.
Many Swiss compatriots have found a home in America, where they have succeeded in building up fortunes and in winning the respect of their fellow citizens. The subject of this sketch, however, was but five years old when he came to America, but he looks on it as his mother country and has served it faithfully in war as well as in peace.
Mr. Holliger's father, Nicholas Holliger, was born in Switzerland in 1821, and came to America in 1850, locating in Uhrichsville, Ohio. It was . there that Mr. Holliger lived and was educated, liis parents afterwards moving
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to a farm. He enlisted in September, 1863, in Company I, One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, as a private, and served until the close of the war, when he was mustered out at Nashville, Tennes- see, in November, 1865. He was in the following battles: Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, Cynthiana, Kentucky, the first fight at Saltville, Virginia, where he was badly wounded in the right thigh and captured. He was also in many minor engagements. He was sent to the Emory Henry hospital, fifteen miles from Saltville, Virginia, and there held three weeks. He was then sent to Richmond, Virginia, and paroled and exchanged at City Point. From there he was taken to the hospital at Annapolis, Maryland, where he remained until December, 1864, and was given a furlough of thirty days home. At the ex- piration of his furlough he reported at Camp Chase, Ohio, and rejoined his regiment at Richmond, Kentucky, his wound still being a running sore. In spite of this he went with General Stoneman in co-operation with Sherman on his march to the sea, and was in the fight at Salisbury, North Carolina, where they released about three thousand Federal prisoners and came so near to capturing Jefferson Davis.
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