A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 20

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 20
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 20

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Mr. and Mrs. Brenneman, after their mar- riage, settled on 150 acres of land near Cairo, in Allen county, a portion of which belonged to his wife before her marriage. Part of the town of Cairo is laid out on this land. When he settled thereon but eight acres were cleared. but the remainder was cleared by him and was made into a good farm. A good and pleasant house was erected by him, and also 'OSEPH BROWER, one of the most substantial farmers and most highly respected citizens of Allen county, is descended from an old colonial Vir- ginia family of Holland origin. As will be other buildings, and many other improvements were made. In 1877 Mr. Brenneman bought his present farm, then containing 250 acres. This farm was cleared and improved, and cost him $80 per acre, the total cost being $20,000. " seen, however, the Virginia family traces its

This is one of the best farms in Allen county, together with its improvements. Previously he had purchased, in Monroe township, 1773 acres, and in Monroe and Sugar Creek town- ships, 160 acres. He had also 166 acres in Bath township, 185 acres in German township, and eighty acres in Paulding county; making in all 972 acres, all fine farming land. This property, which is a good fortune in itself, he has acquired and accumulated by his own in- dustry and good management, generally mak- ing sure of his investments beforehand, but notwithstanding all the care he has taken, he lost, by misfortune, some $15,000.

Mr. Brenneman and his wife are the par- ents of eight children, viz: Henrietta, born October 24, 1858-died October 20, 1887: William C., born November 20. 1860: Mary C., born February 2. 1863; David W., born March 31, 1865-and died October 15, 1868; Sarah A., born July 20, 1867; Abraham P., born March 7, 1870-died October 12, 1871; Jacob B., born August 19, 1872, and Frank H .. born December 23, 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Brenneman are members of the Christian church, and Mr. Brenneman has served his church as trustee. In politics he is a democrat, but as the above brief sketch indicates, he has always cared less for politics than success in life as an agriculturists and as an accumulator of property. His career and example forcibly illustrate the possibilities of American citizen- ship, teaching what may be accomplished by industry, economy, hard work and good judgment,

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

first American ancestor back to Pennsylvania, where he lived a very short time after coming to America, more than 200 years ago. Four brothers came to America together as early as the time mentioned. One settled on Long Island, in the state of New York, one in the state of North Carolina, one in Kentucky and the fourth in Pennsylvania. The Pennsyl- vania branch finally settled in Virginia. Enoch Brower, the grandfather of the subject belong- ing to this branch, settled in Augusta county. that state, where he died, about 1835, the father of the following children: John, Daniel, Christian and Magdalena-these are all that are remembered. Enoch Brower was a Ger- man Baptist or Dunkard in religion. He was a farmer by occupation and was always highly esteemed by all that knew him.

John Brower, the eldest son of Enoch, and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Pennsylvania, and went with his father to Virginia. Like his father he was a farmer, likewise was a minister in the German Baptist church, and was among the first to preach in the English language in that state, beginning his ministry about 1830. He married Hannah Miller, who was born in Augusta county, Va. To this marriage there were born fourteen children; of these Samuel, Daniel, David, Enoch, Joseph, Elizabeth and Lydia grew to maturity-the others died in infancy or in childhood. John Brower was a prosperous farmer, owning several farms. He also owned a carding-mill and a linseed-oil mill, hauling the products of his mills to Richmond, Va., 129 miles distant. to market. He prospered, and in addition to all his other labors he preached the gospel to the people of his vicin- ity. He lived to be fifty-five years of age, and died in Rockingham county, in 1842. He was one of the most devout of Christians, and of the strictest integrity in his life. He died as ! he had lived, highly respected and loved by all.

Joseph Brower, the subject of this sketch, was born February 16, 1827, in a hewed-log house in Rockingham county, Va., three miles from Bridgewater, and twelve miles from Harrisonburg. He has brought up to work on his father's farm, and in his mills, and received the usual pioneer education of that day, attending school three months in the winter season, and working the other nine months throughout the year, until he was sixteen years old. Being versed in all kinds of farm labor he determined to make agriculture his life calling, and in 1844 started ont to seek his own fortune in the new county of Allen. Ohio. In fact, others of the family also de- termined then to leave Virginia, and when the subject of this sketch came to Ohio he was accompanied by his mother, and his brothers, Daniel and Enoch. Daniel settled in what is now Sugar Creek township, three miles east of the home residence of the subject. The amount of land taken up was 170 acres, all covered with timber. It was then worth between $3 and $4 per acre. Upon this farm he lived until twenty one years of age, assisting his elder brothers clear up the land, and then began working out on other farms. On August 9, 1849, he was married to Elizabeth Stephens, of Pittsburg, Pa., who was born October 17, 1824. She was a daughter of John and Rachel (Davis) Stephens. The name of the father of John Stephens was John Jones, so that John Stephen's naine was in reality John Joues, but in crossing the ocean he gave his name to the captain of the ship as John Ste- phens, in order to preserve his father's christian name, and in part in heedlessness. He was always afterward known as John Stephens.

John Stephens was married in southern Wales, and he and his wife were natives of that country. They came to the United States about 1820, and settled in Pittsburg. Pa., where Mr. Stephens followed his trade,

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that of merchant tailor. After living there until 1836, he removed to Sugar Creek town- ship, Allen county, and settled on land he had entered in 1834, the piece containing eighty acres, all in the woods. Here he labored the rest of his life, clearing up his land, putting in and gathering his crops, erecting his buildings, and altogether doing what was necessary to make a good home. He and his wife were the parents of five children, viz: David, Mary, Stephen, William and Elizabeth. The first three were born in Wales, the others in the United States. Mr. Stephens lived to be seventy-nine years old, and died at Lima, Ohio, July 25, 1869. His wife died Septem- ber 23, 1865, on the farm, aged eighty-five years. Mr. Stephens was during his entire life a member of the Welsh Congregational church, and was always honored and respected by all that knew him.

After his marriage Mr. Brower first settled on rented land and lived on it for a year. This was east of his present farm, which he bought in 1847, when he was nearly twenty- one years old. The price paid for his first land was $4 per acre, and he earned the money with which to pay for it by splitting rails and clearing land This farm he cleared, and im- proved, living on it until 1864, when he sold it and moved to his present farm. This con- tains 157 acres. It is now highly improved, well drained, and fenced, and has good build- ings upon it, so that it is in every way a splen- did farın and home.

To Mr. and Mrs. Brower have been born four children, viz: Rachel, who died at the age of nine; John, who died at the age of five: Alonzo, and Abraham L. Mr. and Mrs. Brower are members of the United Brethren church. in which Mr. Brower holds the office of trustee, and of which he has been Sunday-school sup- erintendent for many years. He has always been liberal with his means in the support of

the church, and aided to erect the present church building in Elida belonging to his de- nomination. He served as township trustee four years, and as justice of the peace two terms, also as assessor and land appraiser. He has been a republican during his entire life since attaining his majority, and is one of the patriotic and honored citizens of his county. He is a successful farmer and stock raiser, is a prominent man in many ways, and especially in that of having acquired a comfortable for- tune by his own exertions, so that it is proper to consider liim one of the self-made men of his day.

ADISON BRYAN, city marshal of Delphos, and one of the well known citizens, is a native of Marion town- ship, Allen county, Ohio, where he was born on August 26, 1852, is the son of Morgan and Sarah (Seathers) Bryan, deceased, both natives of Fairfield county, Ohio. They were among the early settlers of Allen county, at the time of their coming Delphos being known as section No. ro. They lived and died in Allen county, and of their twelve children ten are now living.

Madison Bryan was reared on his father's farm in Allen county, and attended the country schools. He left the farm' in 18;2. was elected city marshal of Delphos. for a term of two years; in 1895 he was re-elected for another term of two years, and is filling the office at the present time in a most efficient and satisfactory manner. In politics Mr. Bryan is a democrat, and is quite prominent in the councils of his party. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity. and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Bryan was married July 1, 1873, to Allie Lewis, who was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, the

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daughter of Morgan Lewis, deceased. To this union two children have been born, as follows: Arminta Gertrude and Nellie.

NOS G. BURTON, M. D., of Lima, Allen county, Ohio, with his office in the Kendall block, was born in Pick- away county, Ohio, April 14, 1846, and is of English-Scotch descent paternally, and maternally of German extraction.

Thomas Burton, grandfather of the doctor, was an early pioneer of Pickaway county, was a substantial farmer, and married a Miss Cut- ler, of Scotch descent. Their son, Luke D. Burton, father of the doctor, was born in Pick- away connty in 1818 and was also a farmer. He married Cynthia A. Hoffhines, who was born in Pickaway county January 10, 1819, this union resulting in the birth of the follow- ing children in the order named: William V., John H. and Sarah A., deceased; George W .. Enos G,, Edward T., Nelson J .; Luke, de- ceased. In 1860 Luke D. Burton brought his family to Auglaize county and bought a farm in Douchequet township, which he cultivated until his death, which occurred in June, 1876. He was a sincere member of the Lutheran church and in politics was a democrat, while as a citizen he was public spirited, generous and useful. His widow is now a resident of Wapakoneta, Auglaize county, where she is passing the declining years of her life in peace and comfort.

Dr. Enos G. Burton was reared on the farm until seventeen years of age, received a good academical education, and for six years followed the vocation of school-teaching. He then read medicine under Dr. C. Berlin, of Wapakoneta, and then attended the Medical college at Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he graduated in September, 1871. He immedi- ately began the practice of his chosen pro-

fession at Westminster, where his skill and ability were quickly recognized and where he has met with success in his practice and a re- munerative patronage seldom equaled in rural towns. He is still an ardent student of the science and practice of medicine, and beside his well-assorted and well-stocked library of choice standard medical works, he subscribes for the best periodical literature devoted to the science of medicine and surgery, published either in America or Europe, and is thus en- abled to keep abreast of the progress made in his profession from day to day and keep him- self fully posted in its technology.

The marriage of Dr. Burton took place May 18, 1875, to Miss Emma J. Brown. and to this felicitous union have been born the fol- lowing children: Greg E., deceased; Edna O., Elma V., Don M. and Helen H. Of these Miss Edna O. has been, for the past six years, under the instruction of a noted local teacher of music in Lima and is already quite profi- cient in the art. Fraternally Dr. Burton is a master Mason of lodge No. 205, at Lima, and is also chief ranger of tent No 650, Independ- ent Order of Foresters, of the same city. In polities he is active as a democrat.

Mrs. Emma J. (Brown) Burton was born in Logan county, Ohio, December 6, 1856, graduated from the high school at Rushsylva- nia, and for two years was engaged in teach- ing. The father of this accomplished lady was born in Petersburg. Va., April 7, 1824. and a minister of the Methodist Protestant church all his useful life, and never attended a con- ference to which he did not devote all his salary. He married December 24, 1846, in Rushsylvania, Logan county, Ohio, Miss Martha J. Blair, a native of Nicholas county, Ky., born June 19, 1825, the union resulting in the following children: William C. (deceased). Henry M., John F. (deceased), Margaret .A. (wife of Samuel McCoy), Emma J. (Mrs. Dr.

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Burton), and Marshall (deceased). In 1860, Rev. Mr. Brown left Logan county and brought his family to Allen county and located in West- minister. The reverend gentleman was a true patriot and entered the Union army as a pri- vate in company A, One Hundred and Eighty- first Ohio volunteer infantry, but was speedily promoted from the ranks to the chaplaincy of his regiment. This service, however, ruined his health, producing an incipient comsump- tion that culminated in his death some six or seven years later. For eight years after locat- ing in Westminister, the Rev. Mr. Brown filled a number of circuits in his ministerial capacity, and was called-the pious, good and faithful steward that he was-to meet the Master, August 25, 1873. His venerated widow is still a resident of Westminister and is beloved by all who knew her or who remember her la- mented husband-and none who knew him can ever forget him.

EORGE BURKHART .- The Burk- hart family had its origin in Germany, as its name implies. It belongs there- fore to that strong race of people, usually industrious, usually honest, usually able. The influx of German blood into this country is exceedingly valuable to Americans, whose habits of life tend too much toward the production of a weakly and nervous race. The eldest one of the family to whom it is deemed necessary in this biography to refer, was George Burkhart, a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, who died in his native land, aged sixty years. He was married twice, and by his first marriage had one son, Michael, who emigrated to the United States and settled in Jackson county, Ohio. By his second mar- riage he had two sons, George and Jacob, who came to this country and joined Michael in Jackson county in 1843. Upon the arrival of

the latter two brothers they found Michael en- gaged in the manufacture of matches, and not long after their arrival in this country all three brothers moved to Columbus, Ohio, where they all continued in the same industry for some six years. Then, owing to the introduc- tion of machinery into the manufacture of these useful little articles, they found them- selves unable to compete with the more inod- ern methods, and in 1847 they abandoned the field. permitted machinery to have its way, and purchased three eighty-acre tracts of land, all adjoining, each having the same quantity of land, and settled down as it seemed for life to the occupation of farming. This land was in Noble township, Auglaize county, Ohio. The trees they cut down mostly for the sake of clearing the land, but not feeling willing to sacrifice so much excellent timber, as many others did and still do, they engaged here again on their farmns in making matches, thas con- verting at least a portion of their trees into value instead of into ashes. Michael and his family still live in Auglaize county. Jacob Burkhart with his family removed from Auglaize county and are scattered around the country, while George remained upon his farm, where he still resides. He was married the first time in Germany, and his wife died in 1343. For a second wife he married Catherine Miller, of Lancaster county, Ohio. By his first wife he had two children: Henry, who died on the way to America; and George, who resides in Shawnee township, Allen county. By his ses- ond marriage he had the following children: Frederick, Henry, William, Jacob, Caroline. wife of William Stevely; Christiana. deceased wife of Lewis Bowsher, and Maggie, wife of John Fisher.

George Burkhart, the subject of this sketch. is the second son of George and Elizabeth (Treerginger) Burkhart, and was born m Wurtemberg, Germany, March 20, 1843.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

With his father he camne to the United States, and was reared upon the farm, with but little or no educational facilities, except such as he found at home around the family fireside, his father serving as his teacher as well as circumstances would permit; but with all that could be done he was compelled to rely mainly on his own efforts for such learning as he ae- quired, as he has since done for the wealthi that he has acquired. He is therefore a self-edu- cated and a self-made man in every respect. At an early age he began working away from home, in order that he might make a little money for himself. Brought up in the woods as he was, it was but natural that he should be a skillful wood-chopper, for there is, or at least used to be, such a thing as skill in chop- ping wood, especially in cutting down a tree so as to have it fall precisely where it was de- sired to lie, and then also in chopping off a log, all of which is Greek to the modern farmer's boy. When he was twenty-two years of age he purchased forty acres of land in section No. 22, which is a portion of his pres- ent farm, and upon this forty acres he settled down. Here he erected a sorghum mnill and engaged in making sorghum syrup, in which industry he has been engaged ever since. His farm contains 121 acres of well-improved land, and the improvements thereon are among the best. He has a fine residence and other good buildings, upon the former putting the first slate roof in the township. Mr. Burkhart's specialty is potatoes, of which tuber he raises on an average 3,000 bushels per year. He is also engaged in breeding and raising stock, feeding all the produce of his fields, which he finds much more profitable than to sell grain, hay, etc., from his farm, for by this process he retains tlie fertilizers. Besides these branches of industry Mr. Burkhart is also engaged in the production of oil.

Mr. Burkhart, politically, is a democrat,

and is always interested in his party's success, whether prospects are bright or gloomy. He has served twice as township trustee. At the first election there was but one scratched ticket against him, and at the second election, in 1892, there was none. He is interested in educational matters, equally with politics, and has served as school director in his district. At the present time he is a trustee of Lima college, and he was on the executive commit- tee on organization. He was also one of the building committee, and one of the first board of trustees

Religiously Mr. Burkhart is a member of the Lutheran church, and has served as elder thereof and also as treasurer. Mr. Burkhart has been married twice, his first wife having been Miss Mary Bowsher, daughter of Benja- min Bowsher, who died in 1876, leaving the following children: Charles, Ida, Frank, Will- iam and Mary. His second wife was Miss Emma Bowsher, daughter of Samuel Bowsher, by whom he has one child, viz: Francis, who was born in 1869, was educated first in the common schools, and afterward at the West- ern Normal university at Ada, and is a gradu- ate therefrom. He has taught school in country districts and in Lima college, and is at the present time secretary of the Lima College association. Politically he is a democrat, and in 1895 was elected justice of the peace of Shawnee township. Mr. Burkhart is a strong believer in the education of the young, and has given his children the best education possible to him. In every other way he is an enter- prising, intelligent and progressive citizen.

UDSON J. CALL, the leading insur- ance agent of Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the late Civil war, was born July 28, 1845, in Erie county, Ohio, is descended from an okd

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colonial family of Vermont, and is a son of Dana and Eliza (Grenald) Call.

Dana Call, the father of our subject and son of Cyrus Call, a soldier of the war of 1812, came with his father to Ohio in an early day, located in Erie county, and is now living on a farmi in Allen county, near Lima, at an advanced age. To him and wife were born the following children: Henry S., Hudson J., Serena, Adna, Amina and Eva. In politics he is a prohibitionist, and of his sons two -- Henry S. and Hudson J .- served in the late war. Henry S. Call responded to the first call for volunteers in April, 1861, and enlisted for three inonths, at Cleveland, Ohio, served out his time, and then enlisted in a company of sharpshooters, which was stationed at Wash- ington, D. C., to assist in repelling the sttack of the rebel general, Jubal Early.

Hudson J. Call, our subject, was educated at Oberlin college, and at the early age of six- teen years enlisted, at Camp Dennison, Ohio, June 3, 1861, for three years, or during the war, but was honorably discharged August 28, 1863, at Frederick City, Md., being incapaci- tated from sickness. On recuperating, how- ever, he re-enlisted for three years, unless sooner discharged on account of the closing of the war, entering, at Lima, Ohio, company C, Seventy-eighth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and serving throughout the struggle, being honorably discharged at Newark, N. J., July 27. 1865. He fought at Cross Lane, W. Va., Winchester, Monocacy, South Mountain and Antietam; was also on Sherman's famous march to the sea and in skirmishes innumera- ble; was through the Carolina campaigns and from Goldsboro, N. C., was sent on detailed duty to New Berne, N. C., and thence went to Newark, N. J., where he received his discharge on the day named above.

On his return to Ohio, Mr. Call went mto business at Ottawa, Putnam county, and mar-

ried in Gilboa, in the same county, December 13, 1865, to Miss Nancy Hoaglin, who was born in Holmes county, Ohio, July 5, 1848, a daughter of James and Nancy Hoagland. Mr. Call continued his residence in Ottawa about a year and a half after marriage, and in the fall of 1867 came to Bluffton, where he still resides. In the spring of 1880 he entered into the general insurance business, and now repre- sents some of the most substantial companies doing business in this country, among which may be enumerated the North American, the Hartford, the National of Hartford, the Queen, the Royal of Liverpool (England), and the Phoenix of Brooklyn, N. Y. He stands at the head of this line of business in this section of of the country, and is far-famed for his alac- rity in adjusting losses, a feature which never fails to please his patron.

Mr. Call is a member of Bluffton lodge, No. 437, F. & A. M., of Bluffton; and Heroic lodge, No. 466, K. of P., in which he has held the office of chancellor, commander and pre- late; of Robert Hamilton post, No. 262, G.A. R .. of which he has been commander' and is also a member of the Royal Arcanum, in which he has held the office of regent and collector. In politics Mr. Call is a democrat and has served as a member of the town council. Mrs. Call is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and to herself and husband have been born three children-Louvella, Jennie E. and Addie. Mr. Call is a gentleman well informed on all current subjects and possesses excellent business qualifications, and stand highs in the respect of all for his strict integrity. As a sol- dier his record stands without a blemish, and from his long service came out withont a wound, excepting a slight one on his right hand. and all thongh his enlistment performed his duty manfully, faithfully and cheerfully ; as a civilian he has performed ali the duties that have devolved upon him with credit to himself

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and to the satisfaction of all concerned, and stands to-day one of the most honored citizens of Bluffton.

LIAB CARMAN, the oldest of the living pioneers of Sugar Creek town- ship, Allen county, Ohio, and also the oldest man in the township, being now in his eighty-seventh year, was born in Shelby county, Ky., July 14, 1809, and is of French-German descent, his ancestors on his mother's side, having fled from France to Ger- many, to avoid religious persecution, and there intenmarried with German families, the Car- mans being of that race.

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 20

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