A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 15

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1310

USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 15
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 15

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

177

OF ALLEN COUNTY.

a soldier in the Ninety-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry, having served almost three years; Levi T .; Joseph D .; Savilla, deceased; Moses: Sarah, deceased; Samuel, deceased: was a soldier in the Civil war and served in the Thirty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and was killed June 18, 1863, at Vicksburg, Miss. ; George A .; Isaac A .; Theodosia, deceased; Leander; Emma J. and Patience A.

ETER ALTHAUS, one of the proprie- tors of the Bluffton Planing mills, and a highly respected citizen of Allen county, springs from sturdy German stock on his father's side of the family. He is a son of David and Mary A. (Kilchorfer) Althaus, the latter being of Swiss descent. ; David Althaus, the father of the subject, was born in canton Berne, Switzerland, and when about twenty years of age emigrated therefrom to the United States. He settled in Wayne county, Ohio, and there was married to Mary A. Kilchorfer, by whom he became the father of six children that grew to mature years, as follows: David, John. Elizabeth, Peter. Abra- ham and Christian. The farm upon which Mr. Althaus settled, in Wayne county, was at the time a complete wilderness, nothing hav- ing been done upon it in the way of ciearing. Thus he was one of the pioneer settlers of that county, and gradually became one of its sub- stantial and prominent farmers. He had 120 acres of good land, well improved He was a member of the Mennonite church, and died when eighty-six years of age.

Peter Althaus. the subject of this sketch, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, on his father's farm, May S. 1840, and received the education common to the children of the pioneers of that early day. Having learned the carpenter's trade. he went to Moniteau county, Mo., where he follo ved his trade until

1869, when he returned to Ohio, in the fall of that year. He here engaged alone in carpen- tering and contracting at Bluffton. Allen county, until the fall of 1872, when, in part- nership with Peter Oberly, he erected the present planing mill, in which this firm manu- factures all kinds of dressed lumber, doors. sash and blinds, and all kinds of house wood- work, ornamental porches, etc. In 1883 Mr. Oberly sold his interest in the business to P. & A. Althaus, the firm name then becoming P. Althaus & Bro. and in 1886 Althaus Bros. sold to Frederick Geiger and this firm became well-known as a reliable one throughout the county; in 1896 Mr. Geiger sold to Althaus. Ewing & Co.

Mr. Althaus, in 1875, married Christiana Steiner, who was born in 1846 in Wayne county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Christian L. Steiner. To Mr. and Mrs. Althaus there have been born five children, as follows: Amos J .. William H., Mary E., Florence A., and Wilbur R. Both parents of these five children are members of the Mennonite church. and highly respected people. Mr. Althans is a democrat in politics and has served for five years as a member of the school board. Mr. Althaus owns a fine residence in Bluffton. be- side other valuable real estate in the city, in ad- dition to his mill property. He also ow ns an interest in the shoe store of Baumgartner. Eiger & Co., and an interest in two farms. Altogether he is one of the most substantial and reliable citizens of Bluffton, and is highly re- garded because of the known integrity of his character and the excellence of his family.

SHION BROTHERS .- One of the well-known business firms of Spen- cerville, Ohio, is that of S. L. N. H. M. Ashton. They are of English descent, their father's parents comun, it m

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Lincolnshire, England, to America in 1331. Their mother's parents came from New York state. settling in Hardin county, Ohio, when it was but little more than an unbroken wilder- ness, here endured the hardships of a pioneer life, and lived to a ripe old age. The broth- ers (Ashton) were born in Lima, Ohio, the elder in 1863 and the younger in 1867. They were given the advantage of a common-school education, of which they ever availed thein- selves to the fullest extent. S. L. Ashton started at sixteen years of age to learn the printing trade, and, after mastering it, went into the Merchants National bank, where he remained for three years, and there acquired a :

knowledge of banking and book-keeping. In 1885 the brothers cante to Spencerville, July Ist. and took charge of the Spencerville Jour- nal, which was a very badly dilapidated and practically a bankrupt concern. After resusci- tating the paper and putting it fairly on its feet, and operating it for four years, they sold it and began casting around for another loca- tion, but failing to find one they opened a dry- goods house, and. although inexperienced, they operated one of the most successful mercan- tile houses in Spencerville. This business they followed for four years. when, at the beginning of Harrison's administration. the senior brother was appointed postmaster, which position he very satisfactorily filled for nearly four years, when ill health compelled him to resign and seek a change of climate, which he did, going to California and returning greatly improved.

The younger brother. H. M. Ashton, acted as assistant. postmaster during the okler broth- er's terin of office. Before this time they had organized the Spencerville Home & Savings association, which became one of the champion institutions of the town and now holds first mortgage loans, exceeding in value $;5,000. . In August, 1803. the brothers again became owners of the Spencerville Journal, and by

hard work and earnest application have ne de it one of the best local newspapers in north- western Ohio.

The Ashton brothers are enthusiasth. champions of all improvements, take an active part in public affairs, and. being large real estate holders. their taxes practically aid in the building up of the town. H. M. Ashton, the junior brother, was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Harbison, a daughter of Dr. Harbison. one of the oldest practitioners of Allen county. He was the founder of the Spencerville Stare factory, which gave the place its first business impulse. The senior brother is known all over northwest Ohio as the " Bachelor Editor, " and is the the butt of many a good-natured thrust at his single blessedness from the newspaper fraternity. It is a satisfaction to write of men who have in so pronounced a manner come to the front and substantially remained there. As the pen is mightier than the sword. so, too, are pluck, energy and perserverance, in comparison with the inheritance of greatness or fortune.

a APT. JOHN AKERMAN, one of the most gallant soldiers of the late Civil war and now a prominent farmer of Jackson township, Allen county, Ohio, is a native of the county, was born May te. 1838, and is of stardy German descent, his paternal great-grandfather having been the first of the family to come to America. John Akerman, son of this hardy innmigrant and grandfather of our subject, was a thrifty farmer of Cumberland county, Pa., where be married Miss Nancy Baird, and later came to Ohio. settling in Perry county where he and wife passed their pare and simple Ines be the dying in the faith of the Presbyterian church -.. the father, in his politics, beiner a democrat.

Wlham Akerman, son of John and Saves (Baird) Akerman, and the father of our snb.

/ الدولي

JOHN AKERMAN.

179-150

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

ject, Capt. John Akerman, was born in Cum- berland county, Pa., April 17, 1810, and was but five years of age when brought to Perry county, Ohio. There he grew to manhood, when he went to Morgan county, and met and married, May 9. 1833. Miss Keziah Carroll, who was born in Morgan county, May 17, 1814. a daughter of Andrew and Letitia (Beech) Carroll, who came from Pennsylvania and were the parents of the unusually large family of thirteen children, viz: Sam B., Nancy (de- ceased), John, William H. (deceased), Maria J., Andrew (deceased), James M., Mary S., David (deceased), Albert J., Newton, Letitia (deceased) and Keziah. In 1834, Williami Akerman came to Allen county, entered 120 acres of land in the forests of Jackson town- ship, and, being an industrious, intelligent, and skillful woodsman and farmer, was successful in bringing this tract under cultivation and in adding to it until he accumulated 254 acres. He was very popular with the democratic party, held all the township offices, and for four full terms filled the office of county com- missioner, and it was during his incumbency of the last-named office that the first county in- firinary was established. William Akerman had one brother. John, and two sisters, Maria and Jane, Mrs. Akerman had three sisters. Margaret. Sabina and Rath, and these consti- tuted all the members of their respected families.

When William Akerman came to Allen county, in 1834, he and his wife, with their first-born babe, were conveved hither in a wagon drawn by a small yoke of oxen, which. with a cow and $10 in cash, constituted his worldly possessions. The use he made of this small capital has already been explained. He taught a few terms of school after his arrival, more as an aid in the education of the children of his neighbors than for any pecuniary profit to be derived therefrom. Although he had

accepted the public position named above, also as a matter of public duty. he steadfastly re- fused to accept a nomination for the office of representative of this county in the state legis- lature. He was a master Mason and a char- ter member of Sager lodge, No. 513, and a member of the Patrons of Husbandry. He and wife were also charter members of La- Fayette Christian church, in which he was a deacon, and was a trustee during the erection of the church edifice of that place. In this austere faith his wife passed away February 27, 1887, and he October 9, 1878.

John Akerman, the subject proper of this biography, was thoroughly trained to the vo- cation of farming and had his thews and sin- ews developed to the ardnous labor necessary to the development of a frontier farm. At the age of about twenty years he married, Oc- tober 31. 1858, Miss Sarah A. Fisher, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, September 15, 1840, a daughter of Christian and Eve (Stumbaugh) Fisher. Christian Fisher was for over thirty years a resident of Perry county. and in 1855 came to Allen county and became quite a wealthy farmer. He was a democrat in politics and a faithful member of the Luth- eran church, in which faith he died August 21. 1864, and February 1. 1887, was followed to the grave by his faithful wife, who died in the same faith. To the union of Christian and Eve Fisher were born the following children: Joseph: Margaret, wife of Jackson Zartman; Mary, deceased wife of G. W. Zartman: Eve, deceased wife of Sam Ackerman: Charles; Sarah A., Mrs. Capt. Akerman: Catherme. Hannah, Frank and William, all four de- ceased. To the union of Capt. Akerman and his wife have been born. ten children, named as follows: Norton J., William N., Emma M. Eugene, Charles H. deceased, Loran E .. John J. deceased:, Junetta, Newton and Cora -the last named also deceased.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

John Akerman, while yet a young married man, enlisted at La Fayette, Allen county, January 4, 1862. in company I, Forty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was under Gen. Sherman nearly four years, campaigning in the states of Tennessee, Mississippi. Alabama and Georgia. He fought at Pittsburg Land- ing (Shiloh), siege of Corinth, siege of Vicks- burg, Jackson, siege of Knoxville, at Mission- ary Ridge, through the entire Atlanta cam- paign. at Dalton, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain (at which point he had four rifle balls shot through his clothing and cartridge box in the grand assault), against Hood in his first sortie from Atlanta, at Jonesboro Ga.). at Lovejoy Station, at Griswoldville, Savan- nah, Bentonville, and at every historical event in which his regiment took part. He was in the grand review at Washington, D. C., and was a witness of the fact that Gen. Sherman refused to shake the proffered hand of Secre- tary Stanton, while passing the grand stand. The line of promotion of private Akerman for faithful attention to duty and meritorious con- duct in face of the enemy was as follows: To sergeant in May, 1863, at La Grange, Tenn., at which point he was lying dangerously ill in hospital of congestive chills; having veteran- ized at Scottsboro, Ala., January 4, 1864; he was commissioned first lieutenant, September 7, 1864, and, having had the command of his company thereafter, was brevetted captain. He was first honorably discharged December 31, 1863, at Scottsboro, Ala., not for the rea- son that his term had expired but that he intended to re-eniist; next, he was honorably discharged on the seventh day of September. 1864, at East Point, Ga .. on account of being commissioned first lieutenant, and finally hon- orably discharged. July 22, 1865. at Louis- ville, Ky., for the reason that the war had come to a close.

Capt. Akerman was a charter member of

Dexter-Gilbert post, No. 206, G. A. R .: is a member of Sager lodge, No. 513, F. & A. M., of which he had been the worshipful master, and is a member of Jackson grange. P. of H. At the first re-union of his regiment, held at Van Wert, Ohio, September 10, 1879, he was chosen first chairman. While a resident of Washington township, Hardin county, Ohio, where he resided from 1865 until 1872, he was township trustee and after his removal to Latty township, Paulding county, he was trustee for five years, justice of the peace three years, and land appraiser one year. In 1879 he was elected county commis- sioner from jackson township, Allen county, and filled the office six years, and during his terms the county infirmary was remodeled and the county children's home was built at a cost of $50,000, and a large room added to the courthouse. Capt. Akerman is a member of the Christian church and has served as presi- dent of the Northwestern Ohio Christian con .. ference. He is a member of the George A. Taylor command of Union Veterans at Lima, Allen county, Ohio. He has a farm of eighty acres, formerly belonging to his father, delight- fully situated one mile east of LaFayette. Allen county, and improved to the utmost in every respect, and here he is passing away his days-one of the most honored men of Allen county.

POHN N. BAILEY, one of the leading representative men of Ohio, is by pro- fession a banker and an attorney at law. He was born in Maulton town- ship. Allen county, Ohio, though now a part of Auglaize county, September 3, 1839, and was the eldest of five sons born to Christopher and Nancy Noble Bailey. His grandparents were natives of Virginia and of good old Quaker stock. their family dating back in church rein-

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

tions to the reign of King Charles II. The father, Christopher Bailey, was born in Vir- ginia in September, 1807, being the son of Thomas and Mary (Timberlake) Bailey, who were also natives of Virginia and of good old English stock. The grandfather, Thomas Bailey, removed with his small family to High- land county, Ohio, in 1808, in which county they became pioneers and were interested in agricultural pursuits during the reinainder of their days. They experienced all the priva- tions of pioneer life, and here, in the woods, reared their family and became first among the well-known and highly popular citizens of the neighborhood.

Christopher Bailey was scarcely a year old when his parents immigrated to Highland county, Ohio, where he was reared to man- hood upon a farm, and received his education mainly in the subscription school of that day. He early in life studied civil engineering, which profession he followed occasionally at local work, and also taught school during the win- ter seasons for several years. He remained in Highland county, Ohio, until twenty-eight years of age (1835), when he migrated to Allen county, Ohio, and entered 160 acres of land in what was then Maulton township, but now belongs to Auglaize county. Here he forged from the forest a good farin, upon which he lived and enjoyed many of the comforts and pleasures of this life, rearing his family to man and womanhood, and upon which he died. He was one of the prominent men of 1

she died a few years later, leaving two sons. viz .: Jacob, now a resident of the state of Iowa, and Walter, deceased. For his second companion he chose Miss Nancy Noble, who at that time was a resident of Mercer county, Ohio, having been born in Clinton county in September, 1815; by this marriage they be- came the parents of five sons, namely: John N., the immediate subject of this sketch; Girard, a physician and farmer of Mercer county, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war. from which he was mustered out as captain: Joshua, also a soldier in the late war. a mem- ber of company B, Ninety-ninth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and was killed in battle in Saint Paris, Ky .; Greene, a farmer of Auglaize county, and Elisha, deceased in early manhood. This old couple went hand in hand down life's journey, living to see their family all grown to manhood and established in life, the mother dying in 1888, and the father in the spring of 1891, having both been highly esteemed citizens wherever known.

John N. Bailey, the subject of this sketch. remained at home on the farin until seventeen years of age, when he began working at the carpenter trade, and continued in this upril twenty-four years of age-teaching meanwhile three winters -- and in all doing a large amount of public work as bridge builder for railroad. etc. About this time he began reading law, and in the winters of isso-81-83. attended the Cincinnati School of law, graduating in 1882, in which year he began the pracuce of his profession in Spencerville, to which he has since given his entire attention. He enjoys a large and lucrative practice -- the largest, with- out doubt, in Allen county, outside of the city of Lima. In 1891, in company with his son-in- law. Austin Britton, established the Farmers

his township and served in some of the minor offices, such as justice of the peace and town treasurer; politcally he affiliated with the whig party. He was reared by Quaker parents and adhered to their faith until middle age, when he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was a prominent worker until his : Bank of Spencerville, which is now doing a death. He was twice married, the first time : large business, with Mr. Bailey as president and choosing Miss Phebe Baker for his companion; 'Mr. Britton as cashier.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Mr. Bailey is slso an extensive farmer, being the owner of 440 acres of good farmland in Spencer and Amanda townships, operated as stock farms. Mr. Bailey, in 1889, made a trip to Europe, and he has otherwise traveled extensively and is an intelligent and trustworthy observer. It has been his aim to keep himself in touch with the times and fully abreast with current events. Politically he is a republican to the core, and desires nothing better than the republican party to interpret his political views. He is a Mason, a member of Acadia lodge, No. 306, and a Knight of Pythias of Spencerville lodge, No. 251. Mr. Bailey has been twice married. his first wife having been Miss Minerva Babber, who died at the age of thirty-six years, leaving seven children: Mary A., Minnie. Alice (deceased). Emma, Charles F., Lillian and Arthur H. Mr. Bailey was married the second time, in 1879, to Mrs. Hannah Caldwell of Darke county. The family are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church and Mrs. Bailey is superintendent of the Sunday-school. It would be fulsome to add more to this sketch. A good wine needs no bush, so does a good man need no spoken praise. His deeds are his best friends; his actions his stanchest champions.

OHN A. BARR, a highly respected citi- zen of Beaver Dam, Allen county, and one of the veterans of the war of the Rebellion, was born in Tuscarawas. county, Ohio. August 14, 1837. He is de- scended from Irish ancestry, his grandfather having emigrated from Ireland, and settled in Tuscarawas county. It is believed that his father, John Barr. was born in Tuscarawas county, and served as a soldier of the war of 1812-15, or, as it is sometimes called, the sec- ond war for independence. He was married twice; first, to a Miss Baker, by whom he had

three children: Thomas, Hughes and Mar- garet. After the death of his first wife he was married to a Miss Boone, who was born in Maryland, of German ancestry, August 17, 1814, and died in Tuscarawas county, Jan- uary 9, 1859. After this marriage he settled down in Tuscarawas county on 100 acres of land, and cleared it up from the woods, mak- ing of it a good farm. To this second mar- riage there were born three children, one that died in infancy, and James and John A., the latter being the subject of this sketch. Thomas, a son by his first wife, was in the Nineteenth regiment Michigan volunteer infantry, and was killed at Resaca, Ga. James was in the Twenty-fifth Illinois volunteer infantry, and served three years, being in the Atlanta carn- paign and being wounded near Marietta. Ga.

John A. Barr received in his youth the ed- ucation common to boys of that day and age of the world. When he was but two years of age his father died and he was reared among strangers. He was living in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, when the war broke out, and was the first man in his company to enlist in the service of his country, becoming a private soldier in company B, Fifty-first regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, under Captain Woods. his term of enlistment being for three years or dur- ing the war. He served in this company until he veteranized at Shell Mound, Tenn .. Jan- mary 1, 1864, and continued in the service un- til honorably discharged as a corporal, October 3. 1865, at Victoria, Tex. During his period of service he participated in the following bat- tles: Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mis- sionary Ridge, and in most if not all of those of the Atlanta campaign, including Resaca, Barnt Hickory, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station. and many smaller battles and skirmishes too numer- ous to mention. Afterwird he was in the Fourth corps under Gen. Thomas, and fought

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OF ALLEN COUNTY

at the battle of Franklin and that of Nashville, and then went to Texas, where he remained until honorably discharged. He was always an active soldier, ready to perform any duty assigned him, was never captured by the en- emy, and was never in the hospital. He was in all the battles, skirmishes, marches, and campaigns in which his regiment was engaged, except the battle of Murfreesboro, when he was sick in his tent. Always a faithful soldier. his duty was promptly and cheerfully per- formed. His left eye was blinded early in the war, and the sight of this eve was later entirely destroyed. He was promoted corporal for meritorious conduct near the close of his teri of service. After the war was over Mr. Barr returned to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and not long afterward removed to Williams county, still later removing to Allen county, and was married at Beaver Dam, April 26, 1883. to Mrs. Levina Dilly) Murray, who was born August 14, 1855, and is a daughter of Jacob and Anna ( Johnson : Dilly.

Jacob Dilly was born in New Jersey July 15, 1809, of an old American family. On February 13. 1834, he was married in his na- tive state, and moved to Ohio, settling in Tus- carawas county in 1837, and in the spring of 1855 he moved to Allen county. The farm he purchased and cleared lies on the line of Monroe and Richland townships, and here he labored for years. making a good and com- fortable home for himself and family. In 1865 he removed to Beaver Dam and died when eighty-three years of age. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, beside Mrs. Barr, as follows: Margaret, Catherine. James. John, Leona A .. and Aaron, and three that died in youth. john and Aaron were soldiers in the Civil war, serving in an infantry regi- ment. Mr. Dilly was a member of the Dis- ciples' church at Beaver Dam, was a repub- lican in politics, and a highly honored citizen.

Mr. and Mrs. Barr, soon after their mar- riage, settled at Beaver Dam and there he en- gaged in various kinds of employment for some years, such as farming, running a sta- tionary engine, etc. In politics he is a prohi- bitionist, and both are members of the Dis- ciples' church. They are the parents of two children, Sadie and Mary. Mr. Barr was one of the best and bravest of the soldiers of the Unoin ariny, and since then he has been one of the Union's best citizens, standing high as a man of honor and integrity. Mrs. Barr had been married, previous to her marriage with Mr. Barr, to George Murray, by whom she had one child, Wilda.

URTIS BAXTER, one of the oldest and best known farmers of Marion township, Allen county, was born in Ross county, Ohio, October 26, 1822. His great-grandfather was a native of Ireland and an early settler of Pennsylvania. Samuel Baxter, the father of our subject, it is thought, was born in Knox county, Ohio, where he married Polly Boyd. who became the mother of three children-Sarah. Polly and John. Polly (Boyd) Baxter died in Knox county, where he married, for his second wife, Keziah Cremean, daughter of Curtis Cremean. and to this union were born nine children. viz: Jane, James, Maria. Samuel. Curtis, Smith Rachael, David and Eliza. all of whom were born in Ross county, with the exception of Eliza, who was born in Allen county, Ohio. Samuel Baxter, in October, 1828, came to Allen county and settled on the Auglaize river, in Amanda township, about seven miles south of the farm now occupied by our subject Curtis Baxter. The county was at that time an utter wilderness, and Mr. Baxter's hfe here was but brief, as he died two years after in- arrival, leaving his widow with her large funny

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 15

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen Number of Pages: 1310

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1310