USA > Ohio > Seneca County > A centennial biographical history of Seneca County, Ohio > Part 14
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Mr. Houck is a native of Hopewell township, Seneca county, where he was born on the 10th of May, 1854, a representative of two of the sterling pioneer families of Seneca county. He is one of the nine chil- dren of Isaac and Mary (Heirholzer) Houck, and eight of the number are living, namely : Mary, the wife of Casper Zerolf, a resident of the state of Oregon ; Magdalene, the wife of Emmanuel Lonsway, of Loudon township, Seneca county ; Joseph, a resident of Clinton township; George, who resides in the city of San Francisco, California; Jacob, the subject of this review ; Armenia, who is unmarried and who maintains her home in Sacramento, California; Peter, of Hopewell township; and Isaac,
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who is associated with our subject in business. Isaac Houck was a native of Germany, where he was born in the year 1820, being the son of Isaac Houck, Sr., who emigrated to America when his son and name- sake was a lad of eleven years, entering a tract of land in Big Spring township, Seneca county, Ohio, where the family were numbered among the earliest settlers. Here the father of our subject was reared to maturity and here his marriage was solemnized, after which he settled on the old home farm, where he continued actively engaged in agricult- ural pursuits until about 1878, when he removed to Tiffin, where he passed the residue of his long and useful life, passing away on the 5th of August, 1893, in the fulness of years and well earned honors. He was an influential factor in the local councils and work of the Demo- cratic party, but never sought the honors or emoluments of political office. He was a devoted member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, as was also his wife. She was likewise born in Germany, in 1821, and as a child accompanied her parents on their emigration to Seneca county, the family also becoming pioneer settlers of Big Spring township. She died in the year 1884, at the age of sixty-three years, having been a woman of noble and gentle character.
Jacob Houck, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared under the sturdy discipline of the old homestead farm, and his educational advantages were such as were afforded by the common schools of the locality and period. In 1877 he went to Hancock county, where he cultivated one of his father's farms on shares. In 1882 he and his brother Isaac located on their present fine homestead, in Reed township, this likewise having been the property of their father, and they have continued to be associated in their agricultural and stock-growing opera- tions, which have been attended with gratifying success, their position being one of prominence in conection with this line of industry in this section of the state. In his political proclivities our subject has been a stalwart supporter of the Democratic party and he has been one of the active and zealous advocates of its cause in his section of the county. In 1883 he was elected to the office of justice of the peace, and has served continuously ever since, giving a most able administration of the
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affairs of the same, while his counsel and advice are held in high estima- tion in the community. In the spring of 1896 he was elected township clerk, and was in tenure of this office for two terms. In the spring of 1901 he was one of twelve whose names were considered in convention in connection with candidacy for the office of county commissioner, and notwithstanding the implied opposition in the convention he missed the nomination by but seven votes. In 1900 Mr. Houck was elected treas- urer of the Seneca County Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association, and was incumbent of this office for two years, doing much to advance the inter- ests of the organization. His religious faith is that of the Catholic church, in which he was reared, being a communicant of the church of Sts. Peter and Paul at Attica, and of which he has served as trustee ever since the erection of the church. He is one of the influential men of his township, and to him is accorded the fullest measure of confidence and esteem in the community.
October 15, 1884, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Houck to Miss Carrie Walters, who was born near Bryan, Ohio; and of their six children all are living except Mary, the second born, who died at the age of six years. Those surviving are Alice, Walter, Anna, Clara and Ida.
GEORGE W. CUNNINGHAM.
In business, military, fraternal and political circles George W. Cun- ningham has gained honorable distinction, and well he may be numbered among the representative and influential citizens of Fostoria. He is to-day the honored and capable mayor of the city, elected to that position on the Republican ticket. That party is more than fortunate that has the loyal, unswerving support of intelligent men who are ever willing to largely devote the energies of their nature to the upholding of its princi- ples and who assist in fostering its progress and promoting its welfare in the community which they honor with their presence, and the Repub- lican ranks of Seneca county has a valued addition in George W. Cun-
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ningham, whose allegiance arises from firm faith in the party principles and unfaltering devotion to the nation's good, both of which he places before personal aggrandizement.
Mr. Cunningham is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Allen county. After acquiring his preliminary education in the public schools he became a student in the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Dela- ware, this state, and later he was matriculated in the National Normal School, at Ada, Ohio. For four years he engaged in teaching, and was recognized as a capable instructor. In 1880 he came to Fostoria and has since been identified with its business interests, as proprietor of a drug store, which he has successfully conducted, enjoying an ever increasing patronage. He has a neat and attractive store, well equipped with a large line of drugs and other articles found in such an establishment, and his honorable business policy and earnest desire to please his patrons have brought to him a large business.
September 15, 1887, Mr. Cunningham was united in marriage, in Fostoria, to Miss Mary Kenower, a daughter of J. L. Kenower, a pioneer resident and business man of this city, now deceased. Their union has been blessed with two sons-Harold and George. Both our subject and his wife have many warm friends here, and the hospitality of the best homes of Fostoria is extended to them.
Mr. Cunningham takes a deep interest in military affairs, and in 1897 he became a member of Company D, Sixteenth Regiment of the Ohio National Guard, of which he was made a second lieutenant. When trouble arose with Spain and hostilities were inaugurated, on the 25th of April, 1898, he went to Columbus, where with his regiment he was mustered into the United States service, on the 12th of May, as a mem- ber of the Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served as second lieu- tenant until the Ist of November, when he was made first lieutenant and was assigned to Company G, of the same regiment. The command pro- ceeded to Chickamauga park, thence to Knoxville, Tennessee, and from there was ordered to Cuba, his regiment being the first of the American soldiers to land at Cienfuegos. After four months spent on the island, the regiment was ordered back to this country, and after thirteen months
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in the service was mustered out, on the 24th of May, 1899, at Augusta, Georgia.
Mr. Cunningham is also an active and prominent member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and is serving on the staff of Brigadier General Minshull, of Cleveland, with the rank of colonel. He is equally prominent as a Knight Templar, and in the commandery has served with the rank of generalissimo. From the time age gave to him the right of franchise Mr. Cunningham has been an earnest Republican and, having closely studied the issues and questions of the day, he is able to support his position by intelligent effort and to so direct his political labors as to make him an active and valued factor in party ranks. He has served as a member of both the city and county committees and of the former has been chairman, in which capacity he controlled the campaign forces so as to bring desired results. From 1893 until 1897 he was a member of the city council and the last year served as its president. In April, 1901, he was elected mayor of Fostoria, and is now the chief executive of the city. His administration, business-like, practical and progressive, is giving excellent satisfaction to all fair-minded citizens and is furnishing additional proof of Mr. Cunningham's loyalty to good government and the welfare of his adopted home. His public career has ever been hon- orable and straightforward and in his life history there are no esoteric chapters, all being an open book. Much is worthy of emulation, all is above condemnation, and thus it is that George Cunningham commands and receives the respect and confidence of his fellow men.
ALBERT HUGHES.
Albert Hughes was born on the 3d of March, 1848, on the farm in Liberty township which is now his home, and he represents one of those old families of Ohio that from pioneer days in the development of this locality has been connected with the promotion of interests leading to its substantial improvement. His father, Thomas Hughes, was born in
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Franklin county, Ohio, and in the year 1827 came to Seneca county, settling in Liberty township. Much of the land was still in possession of the government and in consequence was in its wild state, destitute of all improvement. Thomas Hughes entered one hundred and sixty acres and built thereon a substantial cabin of round logs. His farm was cov- ered with a dense growth of timber, and soon the woodman's ax awak- ened the echoes of the forest as he cleared his land for purposes of culti- vation. Upon his farm he continued to labor until his death. He met his death by accident, being killed by a train, near Fremont, in 1864, when sixty-three years of age. His wife bore the maiden name of Eliza- beth McCracken, and they became the parents of ten children. David died in Williams county twenty-three years ago; Ephraim, who lived in Williams county, died February 7, 1902, just twenty-three years after David's death ; Elihu is deceased; Harvey is also deceased; Gilbert re- sides in Indiana; Rena is now living in Liberty township; Minerva has passed away ; John is a resident of Seneca county ; Albert is the subject of this review ; and one died in infancy. The mother is still living at the old homestead and has attained the very advanced age of ninety-three years.
In many respects the life of Albert Hughes has been a quiet and un- eventful one, for he has always lived upon the home farm. When old enough to handle the plow he began to work in the fields and from that time to the present he has continued to devote his attention to the culti- vation of the land. On attaining his majority he took charge of the old homestead, and now he owns the original tract of one hundred and sixty acres, which his father entered from the government and transformed from a densely timber region into fertile fields. In his farming opera- tions he is progressive and practical. In his fields he produces the cereals best adapted to the climate, and in his pastures are found high grades of cattle, for he makes stock-raising an important branch of his business.
On the 23d of February, 1876, Albert Hughes was united in mar- riage to Miss Ellen Good, a most estimable lady, and their union has been blessed with three children, Nora, Ada, and Bertie, all at home, the family circle yet remaining unbroken by the hand of death. In his polit-
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ical views Mr. Hughes is a Republican, supporting the men and measures of that party but never seeking office for himself. His time and atten- tion are closely occupied by business affairs. He is a man of strong pur- pose and unfaltering industry, and by the capable management of his farm he has gained a comfortable competence. His friends-and they are many-know him to be a reliable and enterprising gentleman, faith- ful to his duties of citizenship and working in harmony with all pro- gressive measures for the general good.
H. BERNHARDT BERLEKEMP.
The career of the subject of this review illustrates what is possible of accomplishment on the part of the honest and industrious young man who leaves his native land and identifies himself with the industrial activities of the great American republic. Mr. Berlekemp is a sterling representative of the German-American element in our national life, and is now one of the successful farmers and stock-growers of Seneca county, having come here without other reinforcement than a stout heart and willing hands and having attained a high measure of prosperity through his own efforts.
Mr. Berlekemp is a native of Prussia, Germany, where he was born on the 12th of October, 1843, being one of the eight children of Henry and Mary Berlekemp, both of whom passed their entire lives in Prussia, where the father gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. The sub- ject of this review was reared on the homestead farm and received a limited educational training in the schools of his native land. At the age of twenty-three, in accordance with the laws of the country, he entered the Prussian army, and his military service covered a period of three years, including the Austro-Prussian war. At the expiration of this time, in 1869, he severed the ties which bound him to home and native land, emigrating to America, where he felt superior opportunities were afforded for individual accomplishment. He came to the city of
MRS. H. B. BERLEKEMP.
H. B. BERLEKEMP.
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Cincinnati, where a sister was already living, and there he was employed in a brick-yard for one year, and then came to Seneca county, where the lady who later became his wife was living. He was employed at farm work in Pleasant township for Byron Rule, and there he remained two years. After his marriage he rented a farm in Pleasant township, starting married life with about two hundred dollars, and there con- tinued operations for nine years. He then purchased eighty-five acres in Adams township, but disposed of that and in 1883 bought his present farm, where he has ever since maintained his home, the place being located in Pleasant township. His first purchase here comprised one hundred and eight acres, for which he paid nine thousand, four hundred and eighty dollars, assuming a debt of over six thousand dollars. In 1899 he bought an additional tract of one hundred and seven acres at fifty dollars per acre, so that he is now the owner of a fine estate of two hundred and fifteen acres, in two farms. He has made the best of improvements on his farm property, building a modern residence in 1893 and a fine barn in 1899. He has been very successful in his farming and stock-raising, his energy and industry being unflagging, while his efforts have been directed with signal ability and discrimina- tion. In his political adherency Mr. Berlekemp is identified with the Republican party, and his religious faith is that of the German Reformed church, in which he has served as deacon for six years, being one of the influential members of the church at Fremont, of which Mrs. Berlekemp is also a devoted member. They are held in the highest esteem in the community and their pleasant home is one in which a genial hospitality is ever in evidence.
On the Ist of February, 1871, Mr. Berlekemp was united in mar- riage to Miss Caroline Cook, who was born in Prussia, the daughter of Fred and Elizabeth Cook, and of their union eight children have been born, namely: Amelia, the wife of Lawrence Sheddenhelm, of Adams township; Louisa, the wife of Edel Farver, of Pleasant township ; August, who died at the age of seventeen years; Jennie, the wife of William A. Oller, of Tiffin; and Frank W., Oscar, Charles and Robert, who remain at the parental home. In 1870 Mrs. Berlekemp came to Ohio with her
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parents, who located on a farm at Republic, where they both died, the father passing away in 1889, aged seventy years, and the mother in 1884, aged sixty-six.
JACOB ZEIGLER.
Few sections of Seneca county, Ohio, are more justly noted for fine farms and for a high class of citizenship, than is that part known as Bloom township, and one of the most prominent and substantial agricul- turists of this locality is Jacob Zeigler, the owner of two hundred and seven acres of valuable land. Mr. Zeigler's farm is one of the most de- sirable in this township, and is well adapted to the purposes to which it is put, a general line of farming and the raising of stock, both branches. of his enterprise being carried on by Mr. Zeigler with complete success.
Jacob Zeigler is not only a native son of the state, but he is also a native of Seneca county, having been born in Venice township, February 12, 1859. His ancestry is of German extraction, and his parents were Henry and Louise Zeigler, who removed to Eden township when he was five years of age. There their lives were spent, and there he grew up a farmer boy, and all his life has been identified with agricultural affairs. He obtained a good common-school education, assisting during his youth in the farm work, and when his school days were concluded he took charge of the home farm, conducting it successfully until he was twenty-seven years old, leaving it at the time of his marriage, to settle upon a farm of his own.
September 24, 1885, Mr. Zeigler was married to Miss Hanny Brauser, who was born in Lykens township, Crawford county, Ohio, being a daughter of Rudolph and Catherine Brauser. Mr. and Mrs. Zeigler have a family of seven children, namely: Alva George, Charles Adam, Hattie Catherine Louisa, Eddie J., Florence M., Mary E., and Wernie Joyce.
After his marriage Mr. Zeigler moved to the farm which he has ever since occupied, and where he owns and operates two hundred and seven
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acres, although he is a large landholder in Crawford county also, owning there a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres, located in Texas town- ship. Mr. Zeigler is a man of progressive ideas and believes in the use. of modern methods and machinery, and he has done much in the way of the introduction of such in this locality. His interests have been centered in agriculture for so many years that there are few details with which he is not thoroughly acquainted and he is justly regarded as one of the lead- ing farmers of the township. He has been very successful also in the raising of stock, having very practical ideas on their scientific breeding as well as economic feeding, and his methods are regarded as most sen- sible and valuable, his success testifying to their practical importance.
Mr. Zeigler has been a lifelong Democrat and has been an active and intelligent upholder of the principles of the Democratic party. He has been no office-seeker, but has taken an interest in good government and in the progress and advancement in his locality. He is a liberal supporter and a consistent member of the German Reformed church, in which he is highly valued. During a long and industrious career Mr. Zeigler has not only gained a strong position by the ability with which he has managed his business, but as a man of force of character, upright and honest in his dealings with his fellow citizens, and as a kind husband and devoted and careful father, he has gained the esteem of all who know him.
WILLIAM H. PATTERSON.
To go back in the history of the state of Ohio to the time of the founding of the Patterson family, would carry us to the early settlement of a great part of the state, to the beginnings of the vast canal system, and to a date when no railroads connected northern Ohio with sister states. Prior to 1829 the records tell of the location of members of this family in Seneca county, whither they came from Perry county, where Edward Patterson lived, and where his son, Daniel H. Patterson, was born, in 1818. The son accompanied his father to Seneca county, and
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the latter bought two hundred acres of land in Scipio township. From this family of early settlers, descended William H. Patterson, who is one of the prominent citizens of Bloom township.
Daniel H. Patterson, who was the father of our subject, lived in Scipio township until his marriage, moving then to Adams township, and finally locating in Bloom township, prior to the birth of his son, William H., of this sketch. He was united in marriage to Catherine Seitz, and they had a family of twelve children, five of whom are still surviving, namely: William H., who is our subject; James K., who re- sides in Sidney, Ohio; Martha, who is the wife of John K. Spitler, of Bloom township; Clara A., who is the wife of A. F. Spitler, of Mans- field, Ohio; and Ida J., who is the wife of Henry Spitler, of Melmore, Eden township.
After his marriage Daniel H. Patterson carried on farming in Adams township, where he became a well known man. From there he removed to Bloom township, and located on the farm where his son-in- law, J. K. Spitler, resides, and there his death occurred at the age of seventy-two years. His wife passed away in 1861, and subsequently four of the children, Jasper, Lewis, Ellen and John, also were removed by death.
William H. Patterson was born April 3. 1844, on the home farm, in Bloom township, Seneca county, and his boyhood and early youth were spent amid rural surroundings. He took advantage of all educa- tional opportunities offered and displayed such attainments that his par- ents willingly consented to his securing an academic course in Republic, and later he had higher educational advantages in the normal school at Lebanon. Mr. Patterson naturally adopted the profession of teaching after completing his course in the normal school, and followed this, with unusual success, for eight winters, being regarded as one of the most reliable educators in Seneca county.
During all this time Mr. Patterson was associated with his respected father in business enterprises and in the management of the home farm, but he did not remove thither until 1894, since which time this has been his pleasant home. His property includes eighty acres of well cultivated
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land, most desirably situated, and here Mr. Patterson has developed into a first-class farmer and intelligent and successful stock-raiser. In his methods he is energetic and progressive, and he worthily represents an old agricultural family.
In 1891 Mr. Patterson was united in marriage to Miss Ida Seiple, who was born in Illinois, a daughter of B. F. and Maria (Spitler ) Seiple. To this marriage was born one son, Jesse G., a bright and interesting child. Mrs. Patterson died October 9, 1896, having been a devoted wife and mother. Mr. Patterson is a man of intellect and has shown his in- terest in educational matters by long service on the school board. His views on public questions are not in accord with either of the dominant parties, inclining in the direction of socialism. In private life he is de- voted to the welfare of his family; his section of the county contains many of his warm personal friends; and the interests of his country are very dear to him.
WILLIAM PALMER.
The biographical history of Seneca county would be incomplete were there failure to make specific mention of Mr. Palmer, who has passed his entire life on the farm which is now his home. In his youth he was familiar with the scenes and incidents of pioneer life, his father having been one of the early settlers in the county, coming here at a time when the section was practically an unbroken forest, when Indians and wild animals were still plentiful and when the homes of the settlers were log cabins of the most primitive type. Reared thus on the frontier, as it was then called, our subject has borne his part in the work of develop- ment, as did his honored father, both having been factors in bringing about the transformation which has made this one of the leading coun- ties in the state, with its highly cultivated farms, thriving towns and vil- lages, its school-houses, churches and all other evidences that show the mark of progress and culture.
William Palmer was born on his present homestead, in Eden town-
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ship, Seneca county, Ohio, on the 18th of September, 1846, and that the name has been identified with the annals of the Buckeye state from the earliest pioneer epoch is evident when we revert to the fact that Daniel Palmer, the father of our subject, was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1804, only two years after its admission to statehood. He was reared in his native county and there learned the trade of carpenter and cabinet maker. In 1821 he came to Seneca county, as a youth of about eighteen years, in company with John Gibson, making the trip with a team of horses. He located in Eden township, where he remained until his marriage, when he established his home in the little hamlet of Melmore, where he continued to follow his trade for some time. He then purchased eighty acres of government land in Eden township, and on the same erected a log cabin of two rooms. He then set himself to the task of lit- erally hewing out a farm from the forest wilderness, remaining on that place for a period of fifteen years and then purchasing the northeast quarter of section 31, the tract being covered with a dense growth of timber and being entirely without a clearing. He began the erection of a house of hewed logs, and while engaged in its erection walked back and forth from his home, six miles distant, each day until the work was completed and the house made ready for the occupancy of his fam- ily. He reclaimed a considerable portion of the farm as the years passed, and also aided materially in the construction of roads through the for- ests, and in the establishing of the primitive schools which are often referred to as "log-cabin colleges." He passed the residue of his long and honorable life on this farm, which is now the home of his son, and passed to his reward on the 13th of March, 1880, at the venerable age of seventy-six years. He was a Republican in his political adherency from the time of the organization of that party, and his religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church. He was a man of unbending integ- rity and strong individuality, impressing a beneficent influence on the community in which he lived and labored to such goodly ends. He was united in marriage, in Eden township, to Miss Nancy Wagner, daughter of John Wagner, likewise a representative of one of Ohio's pioneer fam- ilies, and of this union seven children were born, namely: John, de-
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