A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 25

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 25
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 25

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Amzaiah Davisson was educated in a select school and was well prepared for the business of life. April 8, 1852, he married, in Allen county, Miss Eliza J. Nye, daughter of George and Sarah (Pascal) Nye both natives of Penn- sylvania. Eliza J. Nye was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, May 25, 1829. Her parents. however, were married in Berkeley county, Va., and the father, who was a blacksmith by trade, later settled in Pickaway county. Ohio. fought in the war of 1812, and ended his days in Pickaway county, a member of the Lutheran church, April 20, 1835. His widow survived until June, 1881, and died in the Presbyterian faith. The children of these parents were born in the following order: Kate, Maggie, William, Elizabeth, Hetty, James. Mary. Phebe, Eliza J., Sallie and Bell, of whom the only daughters still surviving are Eliza J. and Phebe. The children born to Amaziah Davis- son and wife are named in order of birth as follows: Monroe, a physician, of whom men-

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tion is made in full further on; John, Albert, Bell, wife of J. A. McCartney, postal clerk on the C., H. & D. railroad line and resident of Lima, Ohio. Amaziah Davisson was a self- made man and was the owner of 200 acres of fine farming land. He was free in his financial aid to religions denominations and a friend to educational progression; was a master Mason of lodge No. 105, at Lima, and was one of the old pioneers, well known and highly respected throughout the township. He died, much la- mented, November 24, 1895.

Monroe Davisson, M. D., son of Amaziah Davisson, was born in Auglaize township, Allen county, Ohio, December 12, 1855, and was reared on the home farm. He atttended the normal school at Ada, Ohio, several years and later taught twelve terms. He then read medicine with Dr. H. Thomas, at West New- ton, Ohio, and when fully prepared entered the medical department of the university at Ann Arbor, Mich., studied one year, then en- tered the Eclectic Medical college at Cincin- nati, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1882; he also attended a regular course in 1891- being thus a graduate from diverse schools of medicine. The doctor has a fine library of medical works and also subscribes for the lead- ing medical periodicals of America and keeps well abreast of the progress made in the science of medicine. For the first two years after graduating, Dr. Davisson practiced in Uniopolis, Auglaize county, Ohio, where he at once established a solid reputation for pro- fessional skill; since leaving Uniopolis he has been in the active practice of his profession in his native village of West Newton-the crucial test for all young practitioners being in their native town-and here his reputation, like his practice, has increased from day to day. "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country ". but here the doctor has won both honor and recompense.

The marriage of Dr. Davisson took place. in 1884, to Miss Evanna Blank, who was born in Union township, Auglaize county, Ohio. January 1, 1865, a daughter of George A. Blank, a retired farmer, now residing in Uniopolis-a democrat in politics, and, with his wife, a member of the Lutheran church. The doctor is a member of the Northwest Ohio Eclectic Medical association, standing vers high with his professional brethren; is a mem- ber of Sager lodge, No. 513, F. & A. M., of LaFayette, Ohio, and is a non-affiliating Odd Fellow. His social standing is with the best people of the township and county, and as a physician he stands, as has been intimated, at the head of his profession.

ENRY ALLEN DELONG, an enter- prising and successful farmer of Shaw- nee township, Allen county, Ohio, is a son of John and Esther (Mowery) DeLong. The great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch was a native of France; im- migrating to the United States in his young days, he settled in Pennsylvania, but some years after, while engaged in rafting lumber on the Schuylkill river, in steering the raft in one of its swift currents, it struck a rock, and he was thrown in front of the former and was drowned. He left a widow and five children -Jacob, Andrew, George, Lyda and Henry -- to battle in this world, with the assistance of the elder boys and friends. In a few years after. they moved and settled near Chillicothe. Ohio. Henry, the youngest son, was married to Mary Mowery in the year 1816, and became the father of eight children, and in this mar- riage career they purchased and improved 160 acres of land. They were pious parents and members of the German Reform church: their children, as born and named, are John. Henry, Jacob, and Levi, Isaac, Elizabeth (Mrs. Hin-

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ton), Catherine (Mrs. Jacob Beeler) and Polly (Mrs. Georgia Beeler). John DeLong, the father of the subject, was born in Ross county in 1822, and in 1849 was married to Esther Mowery; he moved to the wilds of Allen county and purchased and settled on eighty acres of land in section No. 26, Shawnee town- ship, to which he added, by purchase, in sec- tions Nos. 23, 26, and 28, until he owned 579 acres; he owns, beside, seventy-eight acres in Auglaize county. In section No. 26, Shaw- nee township, Allen county, he cleared 160 acres for a home farm, upon which he lived until 1891, when he retired to, and is now liv- ing in, Cridersville, Ohio, upon the income from his accumulations in the years of his active life. Politically Mr. DeLong is a democrat and held several township offices; religiously he is a Lutheran. His children are as fol- lows: Mary, wife of Benjamin Bowsher; Sarah, wife of Ephraim Crider; Henry A., the subject; Jacob C., of Auglaize county; John F., of Shawnee township, Allen county; Amanda, wife of John Maher; Elmer, living on the homestead farm; Lyda A., wife of Ira Bittler, and two who died in infancy (George and Edward).

Henry A. DeLong was born September 14, 1856, on the home farm and was reared to a farmer's life; his education was obtained in a district school, and though not so complete as he could wish, yet his natural ability and the experience acquired by contact with the world, together with his scholastic education, enable him to performn all the private and public duties that he has so far been called upon to perform. In 1878, when twenty-two years of age, he settled on his present farm; containing 152 acres, which he now operates: beside, he owns desirable properties in Lima and Criders- ville, and his income is sufficient for all prac- tical purposes. Politically Mr. Delong is a democrat; in 1886, he was by his party friends

elected justice of the peace, and he has per- formed the duty of his office with such unusual ability and satisfaction that he has been re- elected three times; he has also been an active member of the school board for a number of years. Mr. DeLong was married April 11, 1878, to Miss Sarah E. Beeler, daughter of Henry Beeler, and to his marriage have been born the following children: Ollie A., Grover E. and Floyd A. He is a member of the Lutheran church at Cridersville, of which he has been trustee for many years, besides being an industrious and enterprising citizen. Mr. DeLong is of such character and disposition that he is popular with most of the people, is a leading man in his calling, that of agricul- ture, and is in every way a worthy American citizen.

IRAM T. DELONG is a member of a representative family of Allen county, Ohio, and was born in Hocking county Ohio, May 1, 1861. In connection with this brief biography of Mr. DeLong it is proper to note the fact that it is one of the lamentable incidents of our present day civili- zation that so many young men desert the farm for other avenues of industry. If the ablest and best young men, more of them now than now do, should remain upon the farni. argriculture would receive a tremendous im- petus upward and would achieve a prestige that it does not at the present time possess. and which would be more in accord with its ancient glory and wholly restore it to its right- ful place among the callings and professions of men. It is therefore peculiarly pleasant to write of a young man who apparently has de- cided to devote himself to this noblest of industries.

Hiram T. DeLong was born May 1. 1861. and is therefore but little more than thirty

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years of age. His parents were Abraham and Sarah C. (Mowery) DeLong, the former of whom died when the subject of this sketch was but two years old. Abraham DeLong was a farmer by occupation, and left a family of eight children, three by his first marriage and five by his second. Mrs. DeLong, the mother of our subject, is still living, in Hock- ing county, Ohio. Mr. DeLong received his education in the public schools, and was inured to all kinds of farm labor in his youth. When eighteen years of age he removed to Allen county, and worked by the month for seven years for his half-brother, Isaac. After leav- ing his half-brother he continued to perform farin labor for a few years, and in 1892 began farming on his own account. He was married . February 16, 1889, to Miss Einma T. Allen, daughter of J. D. Allen. She was born in German township, Allen county, and by her he has two children: Wilber R. and Zelma F. In March, 1895, Mr. DeLong moved to his present residence, in section No. 14. German township, where he is farming 109 acres of land. Politically Mr. DeLong is a prohi- bitionist, and both he and his wife are mem- bers of the United Brethren church, the radi- cal branch thereof, and they are among the most highly respected people of the county in which they live.

0 H. CRITES, of Amanda township, Allen county, Ohio, was born in Ger- man township, on the old Crites home- stead, April 30, 1857. and is a son of Jacob Crites, one of the pioneers and lead- ing farmers of German township. His boy- hood years were spent on the farm, where a substantial foundation for a future career was laid. As usual with country lads, he attended the public schools, and in the falls of 1876 and 1877 he took courses in the Ada Normal col-

lege, and in 1875 began teaching, which occu- pation he followed for four years, since which time he has devoted himself chiefly to farm- ing. The years 1880 and 1881, however, were spent in Winters, Yolo county, Cal., as clerk in the Parker House, the leading hotel of the city. In 1883 he began life in earnest for him- self in German township, but in the spring of 1887 moved to Amanda township, where, in December, 1891, he purchased forty acres of land, which he owned and operated for about a year, when he exchanged it for another tract. In November, 1893, he bought 193 acres in German township, but remained on his former farm, having remed it, but, in Au- gust of 1894. he inade an exchange of his property in German township for a farm of 240 acres in section No. 11, Amanda town- ship. which he is now making one of the finest and most productive stock farms in this part of the state. Mr. Crites is a man who in his business operations is fully abreast of the times and occupies a back seat for no one. Progressive, enterprising, wide awake-that he is successful remains no mystery. Hereafter much of his time and attention will be given to the raising of choice breeds of cattle and hogs, and with his intelligent and up-to-date ideas the success of his operations is assured. It is such nien that make the world, and, as a rule, with rightly directed impulse. Politicaily he is a democrat of the old school and retains his early faith that the off party can not be well improved npon. He has been connected with the board of education, being especially qualified for such duties.

On November 15. 1882, Mr. Crites was united in marriage to Miss Kate P. Hover, daughter of C. H. and Martha J. Post) Hover. She was born in Delphos, Ohio, April 13. 1859, and spent her early life on the old Hover homestead, where she now lives, as her husband owas the homestead of her

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father, C. H. Hover, upon which she was reared to womanhood and where she has spent her entire life. Two children have come to bless this union, viz: Harold H., who was born August 7, 1883, and Carl C., born Janu- ary 27, 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Crites are prom- inent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and rank in wealth and socially among the first in the county. Mr. Crites is benevo- lent to a fault, being at all times ready and willing to encourage public enterprises, and is liberal in behalf of all charitable bequests.

ILLIAM THOMAS DOLBEY, one of the well-known citizens and busi- ness men of Delphos, Ohio, is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born at Radner, Delaware county, on the 10th day of December, 1846. He is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Thomas) Dolbey, both of whom were natives of Wales. Robert Dolbey came to the United States in 1843, when he was twenty-four years of age, and first located at Utica, N. Y., where he re- mained a few years, and then located at Dela- ware, Ohio. It was at Delaware, in 1845, that lie married Elizabeth Thomas, who was born in 1829, and came with her parents to America when she was three years of age, the family first locating in Utica, N. Y., and later removing to Delaware county, Ohio. Robert Dolbey was a weaver by trade, which trade he followed in the old as well as in this country. From Delaware county he removed to Alpha, Greene county, Ohio, in 1853, and in August, 1856, he removed to Van Wert county. Upon arriving in Van Wert county he spent the win- ter at his brother-in-law's, on Jennings Prairie, and in the following spring purchased a farm southwest of where the town of Venedocia now stands, which farin was unimproved. He | at once began clearing and improving his place,

and remained on the farm, which was a small one, until 1868, and then, selling it, purchased a farm of 120 acres, about one and a half miles south of Middlepoint, and on that farm he spent the remainder of his life. His death occurred in October, 1891, his wife having died in 1890. Both were members of the Welsh Presbyterian church. To the parents eight children were born, six of whom are now living, as follows: William T., Robert, Mar- garet J., Ann E., John and Mary, all of whom reside in Van Wert county, except Margaret, who is a resident of Ailen county. These chil- dren, as may well be inferred, were all reared as strict observers of the moral teachings of the Welsh Presbyterian church.

William T. Dolbey was reared on the farm until he reached his seventeenth year. While on the farm he attended the country schools, receiving from two to three months schooling each winter. In the fall of 1869 he entered the National Normal school at Leba- non, Ohio, where he spent a year, adding very materially to his education. In August, 1863, he left the farm, and moved to Delphos, and entered the drug store of J. W. Hunt, with whom he remained until that gentleman sold out, in 1865, to Alexander Shenk and John Walsh, and with that firin our subject remained for about one year, or until they dissolved. at which time Mr. Hunt purchased Mr. Shenk's interest, the firm becoming that of Hunt & Walsh, with which firm our subject remained until August, 1869, when he entered school at Lebanon, as above mentioned. Returning from school in September, 1870, Mr. Dolbey again took a position with Hunt & Walsh. and continued with then until they dissolved partnership in 1876. During a portion of the time, from 1872 until 1876. Mr. Dolbey had charge of the books of the Delphos foundry and machine shops, and from 18;5 to 18;8 he filled the position of secretary and treasurer of

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that enterprise, he having become also a large stockholder in the same. In 1878 he returned to the employ of Mr. Hunt, who was then engaged in building a railroad from Delphos to Shanes Crossing, and with that gentleman, in the capacity of acting express agent and having charge of the book and news business, he remained. until September1, 1879, at which time the death of Mr. Hunt occurred. He was then appointed agent of the Adams Ex- press company at Delphos, and he also pur- chased Mr. Hunt's interest in the book and news business, and to the above he gave his undivided time and attention until August. 1885, at which time occurred the death of his father-in-law, P. W. Morton, of the firm of Miller & Morton. proprietors of the Delphos Roller inills, and our subject, being appointed executor of his estate, took charge of the iniil business, at the same time continuing the express agency and book and news store. In

November, 1887, Mr. Dolby purchased the ary 16, 1658. In the spring of 1849, William interest of William T. Morton, one of P. W. W. Ditto came with his wife and two children to Allen county, a distance of 140 miles, by means of horses and wagons, and here Mr. Ditto entered eigthy acres of land on the west bank of the Auglaize river, in Marion township, and here the younger two of these children were born. He subsequently increased the number of his acres to 480, and was able to give all his children a start in life. He died "on his farm May 13, 1884. a member of the Methodist church, and his widow died De- cember 6, 1893. Morton's heirs, and at that time became a member of the milling firm, which is still con- ducted under the old firm name of Miller & Morton, Mr. Dolbey being the general man- ager of the business, a position he has held since the death of Mr. Morton. Mr. Dolbey is also a director in the Commercial bank of Delphos, and is a member of the Citizens Savings & Loan association. Mr. Dolbey was married in September, 1873, to Miss Isadore M., daughter of the late P. W. Morton. Mrs. Dolbey was born in Delphos, January 27, 1850. To Mr. and Mrs. Dolbey three chil- dren have been born, two of whom died in infancy. The surviving one is John M., who was born August 3, 1877. He is a graduate of the Delphos public schools and is at present clerking for his father. Mr. and Mrs. Dolbey and son are members of the Presbyterian church.

AVID W, DITTO, a substantial farmer of Marion township, Allen county, son of William W. and Ma- hala (Brown) Ditto, was born in Brown county, Ohio, November 16, 1846. Zebulon Ditto, his great-grandfather, was of Scotch- Irish descent, and was a farmer of North Car- olina; Richard, son of Zebulon, was born in North Carolina September 7. 1799, came to Brown county, Ohio, when a boy, there mar- ried Rebecca Dunham, and reared a family of ten children; William W., son of Richard and father of our subject, was born in Brown county, Ohio, October 24, 1823, was reared to farmning. and married, May 14, 1843, Miss Mahala Brown, who was born August 12, 1822, a daughter of William Brown, a hero of 1812. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ditto were born four children, now living, viz: Melvina, July 16, 1845; David W., as above; Emily. September 18, 1856, and Sammel F., Febru-

David W. Ditto was reared among the pio- neers of Allen county, but favored with good educational advantages. After passing through the common schools of his district and the high schools of Lima, he attended the Leba- non Norma! college, and after he had there completed his studies he taught five terms o' school in Allen county, when be returned to the farm. September 18, 1873. he was united

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DAVID W DITTO.

MRS. FLORENCE B. DITTO.

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in wedlock with Miss Florence B. Harris, who was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, January 7, 1849, a daughter of Calvin and Edith (Dunn) Harris. Calvin Harris was a native of Olean, N. Y., was born October 1, 1810, and was of English descent; the Dunns, of Lockland, Ohio, were of the same extraction. Calvin Harris was a son of Samuel and Sally (Reed) Harris, was a carriage-maker by trade, and married Edith Dunn, May 28, 1835. In the fall of 1850 he came to Allen county, Ohio, and settled on 120 acres of land in Amanda township. To Mr. and Mrs. Harris were born five children: Mary A., Calvin W., Florence B., Roscoe B. and Clarence B.

After marriage Mr. Ditto settled on his present farm, which then consisted of forty acres, thirty of which were in the woods; but this farm has been increased to 165 acres and is now under a fine state of cultivation. To Mr. and Mrs. Ditto have been born four chil- dren : Theodore Walter, Raymond Clyde, Edith Ethel, and one that died in infancy. In politics Mr. Ditto is a prohibitionist, and for the past fifteen years has been a member of the school board: for six years, also, he has been a member of the Allen County Agricul- tural society ; with his wife he is a member of the Baptist church, and both are charter members of Marion grange, No. 302, Patrons of Husbandry, in which Mr. Ditto has held all the offices, including that of the county grange. He is also an unaffiliating member of Hope lodge, No. 214, F. & A. M., of Delphos. Mrs. Ditto has likewise been very active in grange matters, has held all the offices in the home grange, and is now lecturer; she has been secretary of the county grange for three years; she is depaty master for Allen county of the state grange --- the highest office in the county. She is a lady of intelligence and re- finement and is much interested in all educa- tional movements, and her children have all 6

been instructed in the best possible manner. For the past twenty years she has been a church member and her interest in church matters is not only unabated but intensified.

Mr. Ditto is an expert deer hunter, and for the past seven years has been a member of a party formed for deer hunting in northern Michigan and Wisconsin, and has made a fine record, having killed eight deer and crippled two in eight days.

J ' OHN DOLT, roadmaster of the North- ern Ohio R. R., and a well-known citi- zen of V'an Wert county, is a native of Ohio, having been born at Canton, May 13, 1842. He is a son of joseph and Mary (Lang) Dolt, both of whom were natives of the French provinces on the Rhine. They were married in the old country and came to America in 1840, and located at Canton, Ohio, where they remained seven years, and in 1848 came to Delphos, where they remained eight years, and then purchased 100 acres of land in section No. 26, Washington township. Van Wert county, and moving onto the same, ro- mained there the balance of their lives. The father died in July. 1893, aged eighty-five years; the mother died in 186;, in her sixty- seventh year. They were both members of Saint John's Roman Catholic church of De !- phos. To the parents ten children were born. four of whom are now living. Of these chil- dren our subject was the third. He was reared principally in Delphos and the neigh- borhood, and attended the public schools, se- curing a fair English and German education. He remained with his father until he reached the age of twenty-two years, and then was en- gaged in handling grain in Delphos for twelve years. He then began railroading with the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R .. purchasing ties and timber for that road between Lima, Oh,, and

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Fort Wayne, Ind., for about two years, and then went with the Toledo, St. Louis & Kansas City R. R. as roadmaster between Holgate and Celina and between Delphos and Marion. He was with this road about five years, and then became roadmaster of the Pittsburg, Akron & Western R. R., the road then running from Delphos to Carey. With this road he lias remained as roadmaster since the fall of 1881, and is at present roadmaster in charge of the entire road from Delphos to Akron. In 1890 he also began farming, pur- chasing his father-in-law's homestead of eighty acres in section No. 26, Washington township, Van Wert county, where he now makes his home.

Mr. Dolt was married, in 1863, to Martha Will, daughter of Peter Will. deceased, one of the pioneers of Van Wert county. To this union eleven children have been born, viz: Peter J., Robert A., John, deceased; Annie, George, Alice, Katherine, Emmadus, Hugh, Martha, and an unnamed infant. deceased. Mr. Dolt and family are members of Saint John's Roman Catholic church. 1

ULIAN DORIOT, widely and well known as the proprietor of the Bluffton Roller mills, and one of the most highly respected citizens of Bluffton, sprang from French parents, his father, Frederick Doriot, having been born in Canton Doub, August 15, 1820. Frederick Doriot was a blacksmith by trade, as had been his fathers before him for generations in the same canten in which he was born. He married Clemence Chappie, who was born December 25, 1819, in the same canton, and was a daughter of Peter Chappie. Frederick Doriot emigrated to the United States about ten years after his marriage, or in 1854, embarking at Havre, France, in March of that year, in a sailing

vessel, and landed in New York after a voyage of thirty days, which was not a very lengthy voyage for a sailing vessel at that time. At first he went to Buffalo, N. Y., and engaged in blacksmithing. Six months later he went to Pendleton, Ohio, where he lived three years, and moved then to a farm one mile from Pandora, in Putnam county, where bought 160 acres of land, which was partially cleared. The rest of this farm he cleared and lived upon until 1884, when he moved into Pan- dora, and there died September 23, 1893, In politics he was a republican and in religion a Lutheran. His children are as follows: Rose S., Emile and Julian-the later the subject of this sketch. Mr. Doriot was a hard-working, industrious and successful man, accumulating a handsome property, and acquiring a reputa- tion for honorable and fair dealing throughout the community in which he lived. Mrs. Dor- iot is still living. an aged lady, and highly re- spected for her many womanly qualities.

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 25

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