USA > Ohio > Seneca County > A centennial biographical history of Seneca County, Ohio > Part 60
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Upon the old family homestead Edward F. Gray was reared, and like most lads of the period he attended the common schools of the neighborhood and was trained to the work of the farm, by assisting his father in the development and cultivation of the fields. He was thus engaged until May, 1864, when, as a private of Company K, One Hun- dred and Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, he went to the front for one hundred days' service and participated in the defense at Washing- ton. When twenty years of age he assumed the management of the home farm, which he has since continued. To-day he owns two hundred and fifteen acres of rich and arable land, on which he is carrying on gen- eral farming. Since 1884 he has been extensively engaged in stock-rais- ing, making a specialty of Shropshire sheep and Jersey cattle, and finds ready sale for all surplus breeding animals at satisfactory prices.
On Christmas day of 1879 was celebrated the marriage of Edward F. Gray and Miss Harriet L. Smith, and their union has been blessed with three children,-Gretta T., Frank Grattan and Letha Louise, to whom he has given the best local educational advantages. Mrs. Gray was born on an adjoining farm. Her father, David Smith, came on horseback from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Ohio when about twenty
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years of age. In 1839 he married Susan Neikirk, a daughter of Jacob Neikirk, and she was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, and was eight years old when her people came to Ohio. She died August 26, 1899, at the age of seventy-eight years, and Mr. Smith February 26, 1901, at the age of ninety. In the family there were twelve in all, who reached ma- turity, of whom eleven are still living, 1902.
Mr. Gray exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party and has served as assessor and trustee for a number of years. In 1884 he was a candidate for county commis- sioner, and he was a land appraiser in 1900. He belongs to Hildreth Lodge, F. & A. M., of Republic, and maintains pleasant relation with his army comrades through his connection with Robinson Post, at Re- public, in which he has served as the commander, and he attends the re- unions and national encampments. He enjoys reading history, espe- cially of the rebellion, and has taken interest in details of noted battles of the civil war. There are but few points about the leading battles, the officers, the cause and sequence of historical events in the war, etc., with which he is not acquainted. His interest is keenly alive to public affairs and he enjoys helping in political work.
Having always resided in this county, his life history is largely familiar to many of its citizens, and his career is known to be well worthy of regard. It has been characterized by diligence and enterprise in busi- ness and by trustworthiness in all life's relations.
ELIAS H. GRIMES.
Elias H. Grimes is a well known and progressive farmer in Seneca county, where he has acquired valuable landed interests. He is now suc- cessfully engaged in the operation of his farms and derives therefrom a good income. Mr. Grimes was born in Frederick county, Maryland, on the 7th of March, 1829, and is a son of James and Rebecca (Ott) Grimes, in whose family were eleven children, five sons and six daugh- ters. In the year 1833 James Grimes came to Ohio, taking up his abode
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in Liberty township, Seneca county, where he purchased eighty acres of land from the government. Not a furrow had been turned or an im- provement made upon the place, the entire tract being still in its primi- tive condition as left by the hand of nature. Mr. Grimes erected a rude log house of two rooms and with characteristic energy began the devel- opment of his farm, which in time yielded to him golden harvests in return for the care and labor he bestowed upon it. His was a useful, honorable and active career and he passed away in his eighty-fifth year, respected by all who knew him. He had served as justice of the peace for nine years and his rulings were strictly fair and impartial. His wife passed away when fifty years of age.
Elias H. Grimes was a little lad of only four summers when he left his native state and accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio. Here in the midst of the wild scenes of the frontier he was reared to manhood, enjoying the pleasures as well as enduring the hardships and trials incident to the establishment of a home in a pioneer region. He pursued his education in a log school-house and early became famil- iar with the arduous task of developing a new farm. To his father he gave the benefit of his services until he had attained the age of twenty- two years, when he entered upon an independent business career, work- ing as a farm hand in this county. After he had been employed in that capacity for a few years, he rented land and began farming on his own account. Eighteen years later he removed to St. Joseph county, Indiana, where he purchased eighty acres of land, making his home thereon for seven years, after which he returned to Seneca county and took up his abode on the old family homestead in Liberty township. He conducted work upon that farm for five years and then came to his present place of residence. He owns here a rich tract of eighty acres and has a second tract of like amount, being a part of the old homestead, so that his landed possessions comprise a quarter section of the rich soil of Ohio. He is now successfully carrying on general farming in a most modern way, and all of the improvements and accessories of a model farm are found upon his place.
March 19; 1861, Mr. Grimes was united in marriage to Miss Mar- garet Luman, and unto them have been born the following children :
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James E., Ellen Emma (a twin who died at one year ), David O., Charles, Joseph B., Samuel, John, Amanda, George, Mary E., Myrtle May, Blanche B., Rosa A., Howard E. and Willard M. Charles and James are in Washington and all the remainder are at home or living near. The family is well known in the community and the members of the house- hold have many warm friends.
Mr. Grimes exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, but has never sought or desired office, preferring to give his time and attention to his business affairs, in which he is meeting with creditable and well deserved success. All that he has is the reward of his own labor and his life record proves what a potent element is diligence in the active affairs of life.
JOSEPH L. ANWAY.
Mr. Anway was born October 13, 1829, on the farm where he now resides, His father, William Anway, was a native of Cayuga county, New York, where he was born in 1803. His father was William Anway, who, with his son William came to Seneca county, Ohio, soon after the land sales in 1821, taking up his abode in Scipio township. He entered three hundred and twenty acres of land from the government and is re- membered as one of the honored pioneer settlers of this locality. The work of improvement and civilization had then scarcely begun, and he rendered substantial aid in laying broad and deep the foundations for the present prosperity and progress of this portion of the state. He was accompanied to this state by his seven sons and three daughters, all of whom became active factors in the upbuilding and improvement of this region. William Anway passed away at the early age of forty-eight years.
William Anway, Jr., was twenty-one years of age on the very day of his arrival. in Scipio township, and relates that the first night was spent in an old Indian hut which stood near the present Baltimore & Ohio depot in Republic. He married Eliza Lapham, who was born in
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1809, in Massachusetts, the daughter of Joseph and Lovina (Howland) Lapham. Her parents had eight children to reach the years of maturity, namely: Eliza; Noah, who married and died in Attica, aged eighty-five years; Henry, who became a farmer in Reed township and died past seventy years of age; Ruth and Phebe, who married and died young; Slocum, who lives at Odessa, Michigan; Mary Ann, now the wife of Jacob High and living at Portland, Michigan, being aged eighty-one years ; and William, who lived on the old homestead and is now retired and living at Republic, aged seventy-four years. Joseph and Lovina, the parents, died aged respectively eighty-nine and eighty-five years. On emigration from Massachusetts the family made their home for a time in New York state, and came to Ohio about 1825. The residence was a mansion, erected sixty years ago, and was the largest in the county. Mrs. Anway was seventeen years of age at the time of her marriage. She and her husband had four children, of whom Joseph L., the subject of this sketch, is the eldest. William H., of Republic, has separate men- tion on another page of this work; Morgan H., born July 14, 1840, is a resident of Scipio township; and Phoebe J., still unmarried, is living at the old home, identified with all the advancement of the community.
Soon after their marriage the parents removed to the farm one and a half miles southeast of Republic, upon which Joseph L. Anway is now living. It then comprised eighty acres, upon which the father erected a log cabin and where with characteristic energy he began to clear the timber off and improve the land, in the course of years developing a valuable farm. He prospered in his business and by additional pur- chases extended the boundaries of his property until he owned six hun- dred and ten acres at the time of his death. Both he and his wife were consistent and influential members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were active in its work. Mr. Anway departed this life in 1863, being survived by his companion until July 31, 1881, when she, too, was called to rejoin him beyond the boundless sea.
Joseph L. Anway was reared on the family homestead, and the com- mon schools afforded him his educational privileges. The first school which he attended was held in a small log building, but later he was a student in the academy at Republic. When twenty years of age he be-
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gan to teach, which profession he followed through three winter terms, with reasonable success. With the exception of a few years his entire life has been passed at the old home, and well does he deserve mention among the progressive agriculturists of the community. In October, 1852, Mr. Anway was united in marriage with Miss Betsey A. Thomp- son, who died in 1864. By this marriage there were three children : Martha and Ida J., who died in infancy ; and Myrta Ann, now the wife of Irvin Ogden, having one child, M. Josie, aged six years. On the 16th of December, 1869, Mr. Anway was again married, his union being with Miss Maryette Ames, a daughter of Charles and Alvira (Higley) Ames. Her father, born in Connecticut, married in Genesee county, New York, and came to Scipio township, Seneca county, Ohio, in 1863, and died in November, 1898, at the age of eighty-five years, while his wife had passed away in July of the same year, at the age of eighty years. At the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage all but one of their nine children were living. The record is as follows: Judson, a resident of North Dakota, was a member of the Twenty-fifth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, serving for three years in the civil war, and was wound- ed at the battle of Chancellorsville; Henry was a member of the Sixty- sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and was killed during the war, in the battle of Lookout Mountain; Louisa is the wife of Morgan H. Anway, of Scipio township; William lives in the state of Washington ; Emily is the wife of John E. Anway, of Chicago Junction; Maryette, already spoken of; Joseph, a resident of Fargo, North Dakota; Albert, who re- sides at Minneapolis; and David, also a resident of Fargo.
Mr. Anway, our subject, owns and cultivates two hundred and sev- enty acres of fertile land in the homestead. He also has another tract of eighty acres on section 21 of the same township. Nearly all of the improvements upon these places are his work and stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise. The residence was erected in 1845. The home has ever been open to welcome the homeless or destitute. Twelve boys and one girl have resided here with the family from early years, being given school and other advantages. The girl, Mary J. Ames, is now a teacher at Big Lake, Minnesota, being principal of the schools.
In public affairs Mr. Anway has been prominent, and for eighteen
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years held the office of trustee of Scipio township, discharging his duties with marked faithfulness and capability. Socially he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and politically he is a Repub- lican. He manifested his loyalty to the government during the civil war by his enlistment, on the 2d of May, 1864, as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Ohio Infantry, which was sent to the defense of Washington. He is a member of Captain Robinson Post, G. A. R., of Republic.
WILLIAM HOUCK.
Among Seneca county's native sons William Houck is numbered, his birth having occurred in Clinton township on the 31st of January, 1842. His father, Henry Houck, was born in Frederick county, Mary- land, whence in 1832 he made his way to the Buckeye state, settling in Seneca county. He married Rachel J. Shriver, and they became the par- ents of five sons, of whom William is the eldest, the others being Louis, a merchant of Webster City, Iowa; Ezra M., who is living in Seneca township; Wilson, who died at the age of ten years; and Hiram S., whose death occurred in Sumner county, Kansas. The second son was a soldier of the civil war, enlisting twice during the progress of that event.
William Houck remained in Clinton township until fifteen years of age, when he removed with his parents to Seneca township, continuing at home until his marriage, which important event in his life occurred in 1862, the lady of his choice being Miss Ann M. Manges, by whom he has four children: Margaretta J., the wife of John Claybaugh, a resi- dent of Seneca township; Mary A., the wife of Alvin Johnson, who is also living in that township ; Ida O .; and an infant son, deceased.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Houck began their domestic life upon a farm which belonged to her father and there resided for three years, when they removed to the farm which has since been the home of our subject. At the time of his marriage, however, he put aside all business and personal consideration, bade adieu to his young wife and on
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the 2d of May, 1864, joined Company B, One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Infantry, as a private. The regiment was mustered in for one hundred days' service and was sent to the defense of Washington. When the term had expired Mr. Houck was mustered out and returned to his home in Seneca county. He is now a member of Gibson Post, G. A. R. In 1896 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 23d of December of that year, leaving many friends, for her excellencies of character had gained for her the love and esteem of all. Mr. Houck and family hold membership in the Presbyterian church, in which Mr. Houck has served as elder since 1877. He has always endeavored to shape his life according to his Christian belief and his name is synony- mous with integrity and with fair dealing in all his relations with his fellow men.
ABRAM D. SHIDLER.
Among the worthy and progressive agriculturists of Seneca county no one is more justly entitled to an honorable place in its history than Mr. Shidler, who was born on the farm which is now his home and who has been usefully identified with the prosperity of the county in the pro- motion of its agricultural interests and of progressive measures for the general good. He has made the county his home throughout his entire life and has been a witness of its development from the early pioneer epoch, while his also is the distinction of having been one of the brave defenders of the Union during the war of the Rebellion.
Mr. Shidler was born on his present farm, in Pleasant township, on the 8th of January, 1850, being the son of John and Annie ( Sellers) Shidler, the former of whom was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. Of their six children we make record as follows: Charlotte is deceased ; Catherine is the wife of John P. Lousway, of Putnam county ; Abram D. is the subject of this sketch : Laura B. is the wife of Charles Ross, of In- diana : Eliza A. is deceased; and Ellsworth is a resident of Sandusky county. John Shidler came to Seneca county in 1838, in company with his father, Jacob Shidler, and they located in Pleasant township, of
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which they thus became pioneers : the father of our subject here purchas- ing a tract of seventy-nine acres of government land, the same being heavily timbered. Here he erected a little house of hewed logs, and on the place the family remained until 1861, when the father removed to an- other farm, of fifty acres, in the same township, where he remained until his death, in 1889, his widow thereafter abiding in the home of our sub- ject until she, too, was called to her eternal rest, in December, 1901. Both were devoted members of the German Baptist church and they were held in the highest esteem in the community where so many years of their lives were passed. The father was a shingle-maker and carpenter, and in the former line he did a profitable business here in the early days, manufacturing the shingles by hand. The farm which he first purchased is now the home of his son, to whom this sketch is principally devoted.
Abram D. Shidler was reared on the old homestead and attended the district schools as opportunity afforded, but when a mere lad, but little past his fifteenth birthday, he manifested his youthful patriotism and loyalty by tendering his services in support of the Union, enlisting, on the 13th day of January, 1864, as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered into the service at Camp Chase, in the city of Columbus, and thence pro- ceeded with his command to Winchester, Virginia, where they remained at the front until July 12, 1865. Thence they went to Harper's Ferry, where they remained about ten days, after which they proceeded to the national capital and then to Alexandria, Virginia, where they were sta- tioned until the 23d of December. The war having.now closed, the regi- ment returned to Columbus, where our subject received his honorable discharge and was mustered out as a youthful veteran. He then came back to Seneca county and was associated with his father in his farm- ing operations until 1870, when he came back to his present farm, which his father still owned, and here he has ever since maintained his home and devoted his attention to general agriculture, having added fifty-five acres to the original tract and now having a finely improved farmstead of one hundred and twenty-nine acres. In politics he is a stalwart Re- publican, but has never sought official preferment, though he served with marked efficiency as clerk of the school board of his district for a term
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of years. His religious faith is that of the Progressive Dunkard church, of which his family are also members. Fraternally he maintains his- association with his old comrades in arms, through his identification with the Grand Army of the Republic, being a member of General William Gibson Post, at Tiffin.
In 1870 Mr. Shidler was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Ross, who was a daughter of William Ross, a pioneer of Seneca county, and of this union twelve children were born, of whom six are deceased, namely : William, Charles, Logan, Jesse, Roy and Albert. The surviv- ing children are: Annie, the wife of Ezra Smith, of Pleasant township; Franklin, at home; Clara, the wife of Willard W. Jones, of Old Fort; and Oliver, Elmer and Russell, who remain at the parental home. Mrs. Shidler passed away in 1893, and on the 26th of November, 1895, our subject was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary E. Osborn, who was born in Seneca county, the daughter of Absalom and Malissa (Parker) Hall. She was first married to Roswell Osborn, by whom she had one daugh- ter, Lottie M., who remains at the subject's home. Mr. and Mrs. Shidler have two children,-Abraham Dewey and Violet M., who died on the. 27th of June, 1901. Their pleasant home is the center of gracious hos- pitality and they have a host of friends in the community.
EPHRAIM STAHL.
It is pleasing to note the large number of native sons of Seneca county who are identified with its industrial activities and who command unqualified confidence and esteem in the communities where they have passed their entire lives. Of this number is Mr. Stahl, who is one of the successful men of the county where he was for many years a representa- tive farmer, having now retired from active business and maintaining his home in the city of Fostoria.
Mr. Stahl was born on the old homestead farm in Jackson township, on the 29th of July, 1848, being the son of Henry Stahl, who was born in Perry county, this state, on the 2d of January, 1821, his father having been one of the pioneers of Ohio. When he was seventeen years of age-
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he accompanied his widowed mother on her removal to Jackson town- ship, Seneca county, and they settled on the farm where our subject was born, having purchased a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, and there he made his home until 1851, when he located on the Sandusky road, erecting a brick house, where he lived until his death, which occurred May 3, 1902. His wife, whose maiden name was Eliza- beth Rineboldt, departed this life only a short time before, on March 6, 1902. She was born in Perry county, Ohio. They became the parents of six children, namely: Rebecca, who became the wife of John Feasel, is deceased; Lucinda is the wife of Jacob Ecker, of Jackson township; Lydia is the wife of Gottlieb Mertz, of Hancock county; Ephraim is the immediate subject of this sketch; Esther is the widow of Jacob Hiser- man, of Jackson township; and Levi, who died in infancy. Henry Stahl was a man of fine mentality, having secured his education principally through personal application outside of the school-room, and as a youth he was a successful teacher in the primitive log school-houses of this county, teaching the first school in Jackson township, and following this profession for several years during the winter months. In politics he al- ways gave a stanch support to the Democratic party, and his religious faith was that of the Lutheran church, in which he was a zealous and active worker. For many years he held the office of justice of the peace, and he also served as trustee of his township. Prior to dividing his estate among his children he was the owner of about eight hundred acres of land, being one of the prosperous and influential men of the county.
Ephraim Stahl, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the old homestead farm and received his educational discipline in the public schools of the place and period. At the age of twenty-one years he was married, and he thereafter continued to devote his attention to agricul- tural pursuits, on the old homestead, until 1896, when he took up his resi- dence in Fostoria, where he has an attractive home in a desirable section of the city. He still retains possession of his farming property, having a valuable and finely improved estate of three hundred and sixty acres. His political allegiance is given to the Democratic party, and both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church.
On the 10th of June, 1869, Mr. Stahl was united in marriage to
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Miss Louisa Peters, who was born in Loudon township, Seneca county, Ohio, the daughter of Abraham Peters, one of the pioneers of Seneca county. Mr. and Mrs. Stahl had three children, namely: John F. and William E., who are successful farmers of Jackson township; and Henry, who died in infancy.
SAMUEL HORN.
The subject of this memoir was at the time of his death incun- bent of the responsible position of superintendent of the Seneca county infirmary, being known as a capable and faithful executive and being held in the highest esteem in the community. It is eminently consistent that we here direct attention to the more salient points in the life his- tory of Mr. Horn, who maintained his residence in Seneca county for thirty-four years, being prominently identified with its industrial and official interests.
Mr. Horn was a native of the old Keystone state of the Union, having been born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, on the Ioth of June, 1829. He was reared on a farm and received a common-school educa- tion. When eighteen years of age he entered upon an apprenticeship at the shoemaker's trade, devoting his attention to this line of work for a period of three years and then returning to the farm. He continued to be thereafter engaged in agricultural pursuits in his native state until 1869, when he came with his family to Seneca county, Ohio, locating in Fort Seneca, where he purchased a gristmill, to whose operation he thereafter gave his attention for a period of five years, at the expiration of which he again turned to the vocation of an agriculturist, in Clinton township, where he remained until 1883, when he was chosen superin- tendent of the county infirmary, retaining this incumbency two years and two months and managing the affairs of the institution with distinctive discrimination and ability. He then resumed farming in Clinton town- ship, where he made his home until 1892, when he removed to a farm of his own in Crawford county, but a few years later he returned to Clin-
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