A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 28

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 28
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 28

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than two years, but in June, 1895, the busi- ness was disposed of to C. Nelson, and Mr. Enslen became connected with the Union Clothing house, of Lima.

Politically George S. Enslen is a strong democrat, and is one of the leading men in his party, as well as one of the most popular, and in 1894 he was appointed postmaster of Allen- town. Mr. Enslen was married October 25, 1893, to Miss Lydia Sereff, daughter of Will- iam and Sarah Sereff. She was born in Ger- man township. To this marriage of the sub- ject there has been born one child -- Erwin. Both Mr. and Mrs. Enslen are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and are highly esteemed members of general society. Mr. Enslen is a class leader in his church, and takes great interest in the work of the Sun- day-school.

Thus it will be seen that for a man vet on the sunny side of the prime of life, Mr. Enslen has made a most creditable record. and cer- tainly has in store for him greater successes than any he has yet achieved. The young men of the county have thus before theni an example worthy of all emulation, and it is doubtless true that many are already profiting thereby, either in their outward lives or in their private plans; for an example is often a more powerful teacher than any precept or collec- - tion of precepts that can be publicly or pri- vately taught or presented.

A. EVANS. M. D., deceased, was for over a quarter of a century a resident of Delphos, and during all that time was closely identified with the city as a citizen. a physician and public man, doing as much in his way as any other one man to materially improve and build up the town and to foster and build up the enterprises and in- stitutions of the community. Dr. Evans came

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

from a family which has furnished a number of eminent and successful physicians to the west, among whom he was not the least in professional ability and success. On the pa- ternal side the family date their coming to America in about 1775, and their coming to Ohio from Kentucky in 1802. On the mater- nal side, the Duckwells came from the Rhine provinces early in the eighteenth century, and were interested with the Methodist mission work here. Dr. Evans was a native of Ohio. having been born at Hillsboro, this state, July 29, 1828, and at the age of nineteen years he began the study of medicine. At twenty-two years he was graduated from the Ohio Medica! college, at Cincinnati, in the class of 1849-50, and in June of the latter year came to Delphos, then a small town, and entered into the prac- tice of medicine. He soon took high rank in the profession, and was successfully identified with the practice until his death. On the fourth day of April, 1855, in Columbia City. Ind., he was married to Miss A. C. Enslen, a most estimable lady, who survives him.

Dr. Evans was a most prominent and use- ful citizen, was full of energy and enterprise. possessed a broad and liberal mind. and was unusually public spirited. Few enterprises were inaugurated in Delphos during his life but had him in some way as a supporter, and few, if any, were the public movements that he was not identified with. His public-spirited- ness caused him to lose sight of personal pecuniary gains when the good of the commu- nity and the development and growth of the city were concerned. A few of the important ; enterprises with which he was connected may be mentioned briefly. Upon the organization of the T., C. & St. L. railway, Dr. Evans took up work with that corporation, and was iden- tified with the same until it ceased to be a Delphos enterprise. He organized the Delphos & Kokomo railway, of which he served as

president until 1878. In 1879 he organized a railway to Kokomo, Ind. (D., B. &. F. R. R. . and was its president. In ISSo he organized the Cleveland. Delphos & St. Louis R. R .. and was president of the same until 1881. He was also interested in an official way with other enterprises of a local character, and a stock- holder in many; during the last few years of his life, however, he devoted mest of his time to the practice of medicine.

From 1862 to 1865 Dr. Evans served as mayor of Delphos, and he also served as a member of the city council several terms. Dr. Evans was a liberal supporter of the Presby- terian church. of which his widow has long been a devout member. He was a member of Hope lodge, No. 214, F. & A. M., which fra- ternity, at his death, which occurred on Feb- ruary 16, 1889. passed commemorative res; - lutions in his memory. Dr. Evans was a most genial and kind-hearted man. He was a warm and steadfast friend through prosperity and adversity alike. He was charitable and bener- olent, and was never appealed to in vain by the needy or those in distress.

. HOMAS F. EVANS. as the name ip- theates, is of Welsh descent, is one of the substantial farmers of Sugar Crack township. Allen county, Ohio. and is a son of John Evans, one of the old pioniers

Timothy Evans, the grandfather of the subject, was a farmer by occupation. He married Ann Owens, by whom he became the father of the following children: John. Benja- min. David. Evan, Daniel, Elizabeth and Mary. Mr. Evans was w: H educated, and had a life-lease of a large farm, long hopes hine much more common in the wold. nunes than in the United States. He was : menter of the Welsh Congregational church. .. 11 . .deacon in same for many years, and a man :

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honorable character, and died in Wales when about seventy years of age, his wife dying when she was eighty.

John Evans, eldest son of Timothy, and the father of the subject, was born in southern Wales, June 10, 1810, ' was well educated there, and became a farmer. He married, about 1833, Miss Mary Bynnon, who was born in 1812, also in southern Wales, a daughter of Evan and Margaret Bynnon. Evan Bynnon was a shoemaker by trade, and was also a miller, lived all his life in Wales, was a devout member of the Welsh Congregational church, and he and his wife were the parents of five children, viz: Mary, Hattie, Elizabeth, Sarah and Margaret. He died in Wales at the age of seventy years.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Evans settled on a farm in Wales, upon which they lived about eleven years, and while living in their native country four children were born to them, viz: Ann, Rachel, Evan and Elizabeth. In 1843 they came to the United States, sail- ing from Liverpool on the sailing vessel, Stephen Whitney, and being seven weeks on the ocean. Landing at New York, they came part of the way by canal, and part of the way by wagon, passing through Defiance and Kalida, arriving in Sugar Creek township. Allen county, Ohio, in August, 1843, just at the time when corn was in condition for roasting ears, something that was then entirely new to them. They settled on eighty acres of land, in the woods. on which land a log house had already been erected, and this house the family still occupy. The land . Mr. Evans bought of Mr. Samuel Breese, and there was about one acre cleared at the time of purchase. The price paid for the eighty acres was $305, that being every dollar Mr. Evans had. Having purchased a farm, he then worked among the pioneers, and in this way made a living for a while, the the pioneers themselves turning in and assist-

ing him with a portion of his work. The pioneer in every land is noted for his hospi- tality and helpfulness, and those of Allen county were no exception to the rule. Giant trees were standing thick upon the land, and there were many fallen trees all around. Roads were not yet laid out, and Mr. Evans had to go through the woods to mill at Saint Mary's and Sidney, many miles away. By industry and continuous hard work he in time cleared his farm of surplus timber, and made a good home for himself.

Mr. Evans and his wife were the parents of the following children: Mary. Sarah and Thomas L., that were born in America and lived to mature years. Mr Evans assisted in building the Welsh Congregational church at Gomer, and for many years taught a Bible class in the Sunday-school. Having a good voice, he also was one of the principal singers, and thus in many ways was of great use to his congregation. He was a great reader and student of the Bible, and could quote passage after passage in illustration of his views. He was also a great reader of secular books, and was well informed on most important sub- jects. In .politics he was in his younger days an old-line whig, but later he became a re- publican, and acted with that party the rest of his life. His death occurred March 19, 1895. when he was eighty-five years of age. Through- out his entire life he was a hard-working, in- dustrious man, and was highly respected by all who knew him as a man of sterling character and of true work. His wife died in 1890. at the age of seventy-seven.

Thomas F. Evans, the subject of this sketch, was born june 27. 1854, on the old homestead farm, where he now lives. But little education fell to his let, but he found plenty of hard work on the farm and in the woods, the nature of which need not here be stated. He has always remained on the home

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

farm. He is a thoroughly practical farmer, industrious and honest, and is buying out the heirs of the estate. He is a member of the Welsh Congregational church at Gomer, and in politics is a republican, standing well with his party. Ann, his sister, was born in Wales, in September, 1834 and was about ten years old when she came to the United States. She can well remember the entire journey, and the forest home as it was when they arrived, and to her this sketch is largely indebted for the facts that it contains. She married Nathaniel Glass, and to them were born eight children. Mr. Glass died February 12, 1891, and Mrs. Glass lives on the old homestead with her brother.

When John Evans first came to this country, he lived six weeks with his uncle, David Evans, in Sugar Creek township in a temporary log hut. Corn bread baked on a board before a fire built of logs was their principal article of food. No money was in circulation at that time, nor were there any markets near. Prices ranged about as follows: Butter was 4 cents per pound; wheat, 40 cents per bushel; corn, 12 cents per bushel; cows. $8 per head; horses; $40 per head, and wages, for a laboring man, 25 cents per day, except that, in harvest time, they were 50 cents per day. Many changes have taken place since then, the tendency of the effect of civilization on wages being to ele- vate them in proportion to other commodities.

ILLIAM T. EXLINE, one of the prominent citizens of Delphos, and ex-auditor of Van Wert county, Ohio, is a native of Tnscarawas county, born September 22. 1837. His father was Valentine Exline, who was a native of Bedford county, Pa., born April 4, 1809, the son of Bernard Exline, a Virginian by birth. The Exline family was originally from Switzer-

land, and came to America before the Revolu- tionary war, settling in the Shenandoah valley, in Virginia. Adam Exline, the great-grand- father of our subject, had four sons. He went into Bedford county, Pa., and bought each of his sons a farm and they all settled in the Keystone state. A brother of his, John Exline, remained in Virginia, and his descend- ants,. as they became American, Anglicised their name to that of Axline. In 1825 Bern- ard Exline sold his farm in Pennsylvania and moved to Ohio, settling in Muskingum county, on Muskingum river, the land he purchased including the present site of Conesville, and here death occurred a short time afterward. A short time following the death of Bernard Exline his son Valentine was apprenticed by his brother and guardian to learn the cabinet- maker's and wheelwright trade at Carlisle, Ohio. While there he was married to Eva- line Thompson, who was a native of Coshoc- ton county, born August 31, 1814. Valentine Exline returned to the old home from Carlisle and bought the interest of the other heirs in the home place, and for about three years made his home there. He then sold out the place, and removed to Tuscarawas county. In 1846 he came to Allen county, settling about three and a half miles south of Lima. Previous to his settling in this county he tray- eled through this part of Ohio as a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran church. His death occurred January 8, 1887, and his wife lied July 8, 1894. There were eleven children born to these parents, three sons and three daughters of whom are living.

William T. Exline was in his ninth year when he came to Allen county. He received his education in the common schools, in his eighteenth year he began teaching, and for fre winters preceding the war he followed the v0. cation in Van Wert ind Mercer counties, Ohio In 1852 the family removed to Van Wert

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county, in the south part of which Valentine Exline had entered 316 acres of land in 1837, of which he still owns 160 acres. In July, 1862, our subject was commissioned by Gov. Tod as second lieutenant of company A, Ninety- ninth Ohio voluntary infantry. The regiment left Camp Lima September 1, 1862, and in the following November he was promoted to first lieutenant. At Murfreesboro, Tenn., in 1863, where his captain was killed, he was commissioned captain of company A. After the battle of Nashville, Tenn, in December, 1864, the Ninety-ninth and Fiftieth Ohio regi- ments were consolidated at Columbia, Tenn .. and were afterward known as the Fiftieth Ohio regiment, and of this Capt. Exline was captain of company A, until they were mustered out of service at Salisbury, N. C., June 26, 1865, but the regiment was not disbanded until the 17th of the following month. At the storming of Lookout Mountain, November 23, 1863, Capt. Exline was wounded in the right hip by a sharpshooter, and for a time was in the hos- pital at Bridgeport and Nashville. He re- turned to Van Wert county, Ohio, Thursday, July 22, 1865, and the following Saturday was nominated by the republicans for auditor of Van Wert county, and was elected for the term of two years; leaving the office he re- moved to the farm. In 1878 Capt. Exline was re-elected auditor of Van Wert county, for a three years' term, and was re-elected at the expiration of that term. He returned to the farm in 1885, where he remained until the spring of 1894 when he removed to Delphos to take the position of general manager of the Ohio Wheel company.

- Capt. Exline was married, December 21. 1865, to Esther Scott, of Putnam county, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, daughter of Richard and Margaret Scott. To this union seven children have been born, two sons and five daughters, all living. Capt. Exline is a

member of the Royal Arcanum, and of the G. A. R., and is one of the most prominent men in the county, both socially and politically Following are the names of Capt. Exline's children, in order of birth: Eva May, wife of J. A. Foore, of Saint Mary's; Scott L., of the First National bank, Cleveland, Ohio; William Grant, book-keeper of the Enterprise Printing & Lithograph company. of Cleveland, Ohio: Margaret G., assistant book-keeper of the Ohio Wheel company: Estella, Ethel and Georgia E., at liome.

OHN FENTON, retired fariner and py- soldier of the Civil war, residing now in Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, is a son of Robert and Jane (McCrey) Fenton, is a native of the Buckeye state, and was born in Trumbull county, July 11, 1825.

Samuel Fenton, grandfather of our subject. was of sterling Irish descent, was a farmer of Cumberland county, Pa., where he passed all his life, and was the father of the following children: David, John, James (who was a colonel in the Civil war), and Robert, the father of Joli, our subject. Robert Fenton was born in Cumberland county, Pa .. August 19, 1775 (or 1776), was reared a farmer, and when a young man came to Ohio, and married. in Trumbull county, Miss Jane McCrey who was born in Ireland, a daughter of William McCrey. Mr. Fenton then cicared up a farm in Trumbull county, on which he resided until 1836, when he became a pioneer of Richland township, Allen county, and here bought and cleared up a fine farm of 160 acres, becoming one of the substantial and respected citizens of the township. In politics he was a democrat. and in the interests of that party filled nearly all of the township offices; in religion he, with his wife, was a member of the Seceder church. and lived faithfully up to its doctrines To

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

himself and wife were born eight children, in the order here given: Samuel, Mary A., Will- iam, Margaret, Joseph, Thomas and the twins, Elizabeth and John.

John Fenton, our subject, received a very good common-school education, and was reared to farming on the homestead. He came with his parents to Allen county in 1836, and as- sisted on the home farm until his marriage, in Hancock county, Ohio, October 25, 1849, with Miss Isabella Outhwaite, a daughter of George and Isabella (Swan) Outhwaite, and born in February, 1830. The father of this lady, George Outhwaite, was born in England, was there married in June, 1814, and there were born all his children, viz: William, Joseph, Mary, Ann, George and Isabella. Mr. Outhwaite brought his family to America in 1830, landed at Baltimore, Md., and finally purchased a home in Findlay, Ohio, where he resided until 1836, when he moved to Hancock county and purchased a farm, on which his death took place September 4, 1854, at the age of sixty-one years, four months and nine days, a member of the church of England.

After his marriage John Fenton, with his wife, made his home on the Fenton farm of eighty acres for many years. Inspired with a patriotism redounding to his credit, he left his cherished wife and enlisted, at Bluffton, June 23, 1863, in company I, Capt. Joshua Preble, First regiment Ohio heavy artillery, for three years or during the war, but at the close of about twenty-five months, on account of the termination of the strife. was honorably discharged at Washington, D. C., July 22. 1865. He was in active service in Kentucky and east Tennessee, including Knoxville, but, with fifteen others, was transferred to Wash- Migton, D. C., was there detailed as a teamster, and had served in that capacity for eight months when discharged from the service, as mentioned above. Mr. Fenton, on returning

home, cultivated his farm until aboat 1879, when, being a sufferer from rheumatism re- sulting from exposure in the army, and thus being incapacitated for the arduous labors of farm life, he retired to Bluffton, where he is passing his days in quietude and peace. Having no children of their own, Mr. and Mrs. Fen- ton have adopted Frederick George Ballard, son of Mrs. Fenton's sister Mary, who died when her son was but three days old, and, dy- ing, placed the babe in the care of Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, who have legally adopted him and reared him to consummate manhood. He is now married to Mary E. Hamilton, has three children living, and resides on the Fenton homestead.

Mr. and Mrs. Fenton are consistent mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Fenton is a trustee. In politics he is a stanch republican and was one of the founders of the party in Allen county. He is a member of the Robert Hamilton post. No. 262, G.A.R., and recognized as one who, as a soldier, was always active and alert and who did his duty promptly and cheerfully. As a citizen Mr. Fenton is public spirited and liberal, and is ever ready to aid any measure likely to accrue to the public welfare. and he and wife are truly respected wherever known.

ANIEL E. FETTER, of Bath town- ship, Allen county, Ohio, was here born, on the homestead of his father, George Fetter, September 17. 1800. He was reared and lived upon his place until his marriage, June 5. 1881, with Miss Ida Molla, daughter of Reuben and Anu E. Edge- comb) White, of Perry township, which union has been blessed with the birth of the follow- ing children: Eva, Clarence, Louis , deceased), Fannie. Clara and Josie After his marriage he settled on his present place of seventy-eight

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acres, which he received from a kind father and which he has improved in every detail and converted into a handsome and fertile farm. He is also interested with his brothers George and Jacob in the lime and stone quarry busi- ness, and, like them, has proved himself to be a capable business man, winning the respect of all his neighbors through his industrious habits and upright walk through life. In poli- tics he affiliates with the democratic party, and in religion he and his wife are consistent mem- bers of the Lutheran church. The attention of the reader is called to the biographies of Mr. Fetter's younger brothers, which follow.

EORGE R. FETTER, a thriving young farmer and rising citizen of Bath township, Allen county, Ohio, his birthplace, is a son of George and Sarah (Dent) Fetter, and was born on the homestead November 15, 1863, and here his life has been spent up to the present time.

George Fetter, Sr., paternal grandfater of the subject of this biography, came from Baden, Germany, in 1835, bringing his family, consisting of himself, wife (who had borne the name of Cupp), and four children, named George, Catherine, Jacob and Daniel, of whom George and Jacob are now deceased. The family, on landing in the United States, at once came to Ohio, where the father entered eighty acres of wild land in Bath township, Allen county, which, he cleared up and trans- formed into a productive farin, and on which he passed the remainder of his days, a re- spected citizen, a democrat in politics, and in religion a Lutheran.

cation in the frontier log school-house. After assisting in clearing and cultivating the home place until twenty-six years of age, he married and settled down in section No. 22, same town- ship, where he improved a farm. He then settled in section No. 27, where J. K., his son. now resides, and later added to his landed possessions until he became one of the largest land-owners in Bath township, his broad acres being now divided up into farms and occupied . by his children. His wife bore the maiden name of Sarah Ward and was a daughter of William Ward, of German township, Allen county. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Fetter were born nine children, in the following order: John W .: Elizabeth, wife of Edward Gray; Eliza E., wife of James C. Hull: Daniel ER. ; George R .; Jacob E .; Sarah I., wife of Owen Griffith; Julius K., and Alberta, wife of Joshua Bibel. The mother of this family died in 1885 and the father in January, 1895, bothi members of the Lutheran church, and the re- mains of both lie interred in Zion churchyard. Bath township. Mr. Fetter was in politics a democrat, and was a man who took consider- able interest in the affairs of his township and county. He served for many years as a school director, was for a long time township trustee, and was universally looked up to by his fellow- townsmen as a man of great sagacity and as one to be relied on in all emergencies.

George R. Fetter, the subject proper of this sketch, remained on the home farm, as- sisting his father, until the latter's death. when he came into possession of his present farin. in section No. 27, on the Lafayette road. four iniles east of Lima. His marriage took place. in 1885, with Miss Nancy A. Hefner, daughter of Amos Hefner, of Bath township, the union resulting in the birth of five children-George A., Hattie B., Orrie A., Retta B. and Aaron

George Fetter, Jr., eldest son of George, Sr., and father of our subject, was born in Germany in 1826, came to America with his father, and was reared to manhood on the : W. Mr. Fetter had acquired a good knowl- Bath township homestead, receiving his edu- I edge of business as well as of farming, and is

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

now quite extensively engaged in developing the stone quarries on his land,, operating lime- kilns, etc. In politics he is a democrat, and for four or five years has been honored with the position of township trustee, an office he has filled with credit to himself and to the sat- isfaction of the public. As a business man the name of Mr. Fetter stands without a blemish, and his social standing is a very de- sirable one.

J ACOB E. FETTER, engineer, quarry- man and general business man, was born on the old homestead in Bath township, Allen county, Ohio, on the old Findlay road, November 8, 1866, a son of George and Sarah (Ward) Fetter. He re- ceived a good common-school education, and at the age of nine years started to run an engine in his father's stone quarry and lime works, one-quarter of a mile south of the resi- dence, where he was employed for six years, and then moved east, up the creek, to the present place, where he was employed in run- ning a steam drill. Jacob E. Fetter remained with his parents until his marriage, April 14, 1879, to Miss Martha Swain, daughter of Jacob Swain, of Branch county, Mich., and settled on a farm then owned by his father, consisting of sixty-nine acres, in section No. 23, Bath township, Allen county, Ohio, five miles east of Lima, on the Lafayette road, which farin has since, in July, 1894, been deeded to him by his respected parent. His marriage has been blessed with four children, of whom the youngest died in infancy, those living to adult age being named Jacob L., Catherine and Henrietta. Jacob Swain, father of Mrs. Martha Fetter, was born in Pennsylvania and married Miss Henrietta Frey, of Michigan, to which union were born three children, as follows: David L., Albert and Martha (Mrs.

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 28

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