A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 34

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 34
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 34

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In 1858 Father Francis Westerholt suc- ceeded the deceased pastor. Father Wester- holt was born in Westphalia, May 31, 1827, and was ordained priest at Cleveland, Ohio, July 8, 1855. For three years he was pastor at Defiance, Ohio, whence he came to Delphos, where he remained nine and one-half years, when he was appointed vicar-general of the diocese, and is now pastor of Saint Peter's. On assuming charge at Delphos he at once set to work to carry out the undertaking of his venerable predecessor. He adorned the audi- torium with two side altars, an organ at a cost of $1,000; also some new pews. In 1860, Saint Jeseph's society was formed, and on the Ioth of April, in the same year, the sodalities, male and female, were organized; in 1861-62,

the steeple, 160 feet high, was added to the edifice, and soon afterwards two bells, the heaviest of which weighed 1, 800 pounds, were added to the small one which had already been in use; in 1863 some necessary repairs were made and the interior plastered for the first time and painted; in 1865 a second gallery was added; in 1866 the congregation was divided and that of Landeck, five miles distant, erected a church; in 1867 a new parochial residence at Delphos was substituted for the old-a com- modious two-story brick building, costing $6,500. Rev. Father Westerholt continued his connection with the congregation until the close of the year (1867), and was succeeded by Rev. A. I. Hoeffel. who also ministered in- officially to the wants of the Van Wert congre- gation until 1877. On assuming his unofficial charge, in 1868 at Van Wert, Father Hoeffel purchased two town lots, with a frame house, wherein worship was held by the congregation: in 1870 he undertook the erection of the pres- ent substantial edifice-a brick building 35x55 feet, at a cost of $4,000 and in due course of tiine the scheme was consummated.

The congregation at Deiphos were now in good circumstances and the needy pioneers had become wealthy and substantial farmers. Many needs were to be supplied, however, in the meantime, and they were attended to by Father Hoeffel in the following order: In 1869-70 a new brick school-house, three stories high, containing four spacious rooms and a hall, was erected; in 1872 a two-story brick building was erected on First street as a sisters' residence, but both school and residence narrowly escaped destruction by fire in the latter year, when the pioneer church, school and sisters' residence were destroyed; in 18;5 a new organ, at a cost of $2, 8oo, was pur- chased, and in January of the same year an addition to the chapel had been built at a cost of $1,000. At this time the pew rents aggre-

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gated $6,000 per annum, and the amount in the treasury was $1,639, over all debts. Father Hoeffel, the next year, brought up the discussion of the new church project, and a subscription list of $30,000 was soon gathered, which, with $10,000 now in the treasury. justified the undertaking, and in 1878 plāns, designed by S. W. Lane, of Cleveland. were adopted by the building committee, Francis H. Heitz, Theodore Wrocklage and Herman Ricker, and the councilmen, Alexander Shenk, Bernard Germann, Conrad Geise and Joseph Gerdemann. F. H. Heitz, of Delphos, was made superintendent of the entire work. Con- tracts were awarded to Werner & Son, of Del- phos, for stone foundation; S. J. Burkhart, of Kenton, for brick and sawed stone; Derwort & Zimerle, of Delphos, for tin, iron and copper; Hall & Conger, of Cleveland, roofing and slating, and Goeckinger, of Upper San- dusky, woodwork on spire. September 1, 1878, F. H. Heitz laid off and measured the ground, and March 31, 1879, when the population of Delphos amounted to 4.000 souls and the congregation had reached 300 families, the last services in the old church took place and the building demolished, and devotions rendered in a temporary frame church, 110 x 50 feet, until the completion of the new edifice. June 15, 1879, the corner-stone for this was laid by the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Gilmor. In the fall of 1880 the building was completed, and January 16, 1881. the dedicatory address was most eloquently made by Bishop Gilmor, under the most imposing ceremonies ever known to Delphos, and the congregation of St. John justly feel proud of one of the grand- est churches in Ohio. The edifice, which is of brick, with stone trimmings, is built in the Roman style, and stands on an open lot, 2803 feet square. The length of the church is 192 feet, width of transept 100 feet, width of the body of the church seventy-eight feet, and the

front eighty-eight feet. The height of the floor to the top of the nave is fifty-eight feet. The spire is 222 feet high and is surmounted by a gilded cross ten feet high. The seating capacity is 1, 800. The building cost $60,000, equivalent, with gratuitous labor and material, to over $100,000; a sisters' school, costing $11,000, was also erected in 1889.

The congregation of Delphos number over 400 families, and 515 children attending the parochial schools. The baptismal records of the past fifty years give 3,699 baptisms, among which are sixty-three converts. Rev. Father Bredeick baptized 386; Rev Fater Westerholt, 694; Rev. Father Hoeffel, 2,619. The first person baptized by Rev. Bredeick was Maria C. Trentman, now Mrs. H. Ricker, although she was not the first one born in Delphos. The first one born on the west side of the canal, in Van Wert county, was Amelia Bredeick, now Mrs. George Lang; the first one on the east side in Allen county, was Bernardina Jetting- hoff, now Mrs. A. Florin.

In the Catholic cemetery rest the remains of 1, 186 persons. The first one buried here was Franciscus H. Krift, aged seventeen years. Rev. Bredeick buried ninety-eight; Rev. West- erholt, 166; Rev. Hoeffel, 922. Marriages are recorded to the number of 548. The first ones who entered the bonds of matrimony were J. Grothaus and M. G. Krift. During Rev. Bredeick's time fifteen marriages were recorded, which is an incomplete record. During Rev. Westerholt's time eighty-seven, and by Rev. Hoeffel 444 have been solemnized.

In 1894. the Saint John's congregation celebrated the Golden Jubilee in a manner be- coming for such an event. The festivities began on the evening of Tuesday, September LIth, with a grand jubilee concert, continued on Wednesday with a solemn divine service in Saint John's church, followed by a grand parade and concluding in an old-fashioned

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picnic. In 1894. also, three bells were do- nated by Father Hoeffel, and also, for recast- ing, two others. These bells bear the names of the three pastors -- Bredeick, Westerholt and Hoeffel.

Any words of commendation touching the herculean task performed by Rev. A. I. Hoeffel would be here superfluous, weak and inadequate, and it may be in better taste to abstain from any attempt at laudation and let his great and pious deeds speak for themselves rather than attempt to " paint the lilly."

ENRY HUBER, one of the highly re- spected citizens of Bluffton, and a pioneer of Allen county, springs from the best of German stock. Jacob Frederick Huber, his father, was born in Wur- temberg, Germany, and was the only child of his father, who died when the son was quite small. He married in Germany, Barbara Elizabeth Meyers, a daughter of Benjamin Meyers, of Prussia, and to this marriage there were born six children that lived to be grown men and women, as follows: Charles, William, Jacob, Caroline, Frederick, and Henry. By trade Mr. Huber was a blacksmith and came to the United States in April, 1832, embark- ing at Amsterdam, in a sailing vessel, and landing in New York, being over 100 days on the voyage, and contrary winds prevailing. In order to reach Amsterdam his family rode down the river Rhine on a flat-boat. Mr. Huber settled on a farm of 100 acres in Butler county, . Pa., improved this farm and lived thereon until 1835, when he removed to Rich- land township, Allen county, Ohio, where he settled on 120 acres in the woods. For this land he paid $1.25 per acre. By continued and persistent hard labor he at length succeeded in clearing up this farm, aided by the labor of his sons. He was always in poor health after

coming to this country, because of having con- tracted consumption in Germany by hooping wine-casks in the deep wine-cellars of the fatherland. so that in reality he did but little manual labor after coming to the United States. He died in Richland township in 1845, when he was about forty-eight years old. He was as long as he lived a straightforward, honorable citizen, and possessed to a remarkable degree the confidence and esteem of his fellow-men. He and his wife were both members of the Lutheran church.

Henry Huber, son of the above, was born November 3, 1838, on his father's farm in Richland township, and having but the poorest kind of schools to attend, his education was necessarily limited, and for a time such schools as did exist were kept in some ones's dwelling- house, and at other times in a blacksmith-shop. He was brought up a farmer, and on Novem. ber 12, 1867, when he was twenty-nine years of age, married Sarah Shaw, who died four- teen years after the marriage, leaving no children. He was married, the second time, to Mrs. Adelia Siler, nee Harris, widow of Seymour B. Siler, and daughter of Perry W. and Mary A. (Pound) Harris. Perry W. Harris was born in Licking county, Ohio, and was one of the pioneers of Blanchard township. Putnam county, Ohio. He was the father of Isaac, George, Joseph, Reese, Adrain, Emily and Isabel Harris. He is a member of the Christian Union church, and in politics he is a democrat, as such serving as township truster for some time. He is now seventy-three years of age, and is a man of substantial property. owning 1. 200 acres of land in Putnam county Mrs. Huber had two brothers who were law - yers; Burr moved to Oregom where he died. and where he was very successful in his pro- fession, and Robert, who is practicing law with success in Findlay, Ohio. John was teaching school before he died. All were intelligent

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and good citizens, striving to do what good they could in the world.

To this second marriage of Mr. Huber there were born three children, as follows: Luva- dia, who died at the age of four years and four months; Henry P. and and Reese H. Mrs. Huber had one child by her first husband, named Mary Siler. Mrs. Huber died August 25, 1891, at the age of forty-three years. On September 20, 1894, Mr. Huber married his third wife, Minerva Morris, born in Hancock county, Ohio, and a daughter of Mahlon and Elizabeth (Eaton) Morris, the former of whom was of an old colonial Virginia family, and of Welsh ancestry. He was born in Loudoun county, Va., and was a son of Robert and Nancy (Tribby) Morris, the former of whom was a pioneer of Columbiana county, Ohio, cleared up a farm in that county, and there died.

Mahlon Morris was reared a farmer in Co- lumbiana county, and removed thence to Han- cock county, Ohio, in 1833, settling on wild land in Portage township. This he cleared and converted into a good farm. In 1847 he was elected treasurer of Hancock county, served two years, and was then re-elected, but died August 5, 1849. He had been justice of the peace in his township for fifteen years before his death, and was a well known and highily respected citizen to the last. To him and his wife there were born nine ehildren, as follows: Nancy, Catherine, Elvira, John E., Burr, Robert, Sarah A., Minerva and Mary J. Mrs. Morris was a member of the Methodist Episco- pal church, and being a woman of many virtues was highly respected by all who knew her. She died at the age of sixty-seven years. The family and relatives of Mr. Morris are among the best citizens in the county.

Henry Huber, the subject of this sketch, has always been an industrious and honored citizen. In the best and truest sense of the term he is a self-inade man, what property he

has now in his possession having been acquired through his own exertions. In 1874 he erected a tasteful and comfortable two-story brick res- idence, and has a most pleasant and happy home. He is one of the most successful farin- ers in his township, and has reared a most ex- cellent family.

VAN HUMPHREYS, one of the pio- neers of Allen county, Ohio. a vener- able man and a substantial farmer, was born in Wales. He is a son of Morris and Mary (Roberts) Humphreys, the former of whom was a weaver by trade, and was the father of three children. viz: Evan, Hannah and Annie. Morris Humphreys lived in Montgomeryshire, Wales, and died there before his son, Evan, can remember.

Evan Humphreys was born in Montgom- eryshire, Wales, from which country many excellent citizens have come to Allen county, Ohio. The date of his birth was October 18. 1819. He was well educated in his native country, and there became a farmer. He mar- ried Elizabeth Pugh, who was born December 12, 1817, in the same county with himself. To them were born two children, who lived to mnature age, viz: Elizabeth, and Evan P., both of whom were born in the United States. Mr. Humphreys and his wife came to America on the same ship with Richard Breese, namely, the ship William Penn, sailing from Liverpool, England, and being seven weeks on the voy- age, landing in Philadelphia.

Upon arriving in this country Mr. Evans first went to Paddy's Run, Butler county, Ohio; for some time he worked at farm labor, re- maining about three years. At the end of this time he removed to Sugar Creek township. Allen county, where he rented a piece of land near Gomer. In April, of 1850, Mr. Hum- phireys bought eighty acres of timbered land,

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upon which he now lives, and three years later moved upon it. By hard work, continued through several years, he cleared up a consid- erable portion of this land-first, however, building a log cabin, in which he lived until he erected his present brick house, in 1860, and it is worthy of note that there were at the same time three other houses, similar to his, being erected.

Mr. Humphreys, by continued industry and by careful management; was enabled to add, from time to time, other acres to his original eighty, until at length he owned 377 acres, aided, however, materially by his son, Evan P. Humphreys, who constantly worked with him, and of whom fuller mention is made in this sketch. Mr. Humphreys has always been a hard-working, industrious citizen, and he has accumulated by his own management, and by his own careful investments, the handsome property he now possesses. He has always been known as a man of integrity, honesty and truthfulness, and as one who was never willing to wrong another of money or of reputation. Politically he is a democrat, and both he and his wife were united in Wales with the Welsh Congregational church, in the faith of which Mrs. Humphreys died February 10, 1892, re- spected and loved by all who knew her, as she was a woman true in all the relations of life, and to all good principles. Mr. Humphreys has always been a liberal man, assisting with his means such enterprises as appealed to his sense of propriety and right. The two churches, one at Gomer, the other at Leatherwood, he aided largely when they were erected, and in numerous other ways he has been a public- spirited man.

Evan P. Humphreys, his son, was born in Sugar Creek township, Allen county, Ohio, May 14, 1851. His education was received in the common schools of the county, and lie was reared on the farm, aiding liis father in

clearing and improving it, and in acquiring the means with which to purchase other lands. He married, when twenty-seven years of age, December 19, 1878, Margaret E. Davis, daugh- ter of Edward B. and Ann (Davis) Davis. Ed- ward B. Davis was born in Cardiganshire, Wales, the county which is famous for having been in ancient times the kingdom of Roderick the Great. In Wales Mr. Davis found his wife, by whom he had six children, viz: David E .; Evan, who died at the age of seven; Margaret E .; Mary E .; Maria and Annie. Mr. and Mrs. Davis, on coming to the United States, settled on land in Jackson county, Ohio, where he worked in an iron foundry un- til 1861, when he removed to Jennings town- ship, Van Wert county, and there cleared eighty acres of land. There lie lived the re- mainder of his days, dying September 29, 1878. He was always a hard-working and indus- trious man, and worthy of all respect.

Atter their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Hum- phreys settled on their present farm, and to them have been born five children, viz: Evan C .; Annie E .; Edward, Maggie and John. They are both members of the Welsh Congre- gational church, and are recognized by all as good and estimable citizens. Mr. Humphreys, like his father, has always been a hard-work- ing man and has succeeded in whatever he has undertaken. At the present time he owns nearly 300 acres of the homestead, his father having retained eighty acres for his own use during the remainder of his life, though Evan P. manages it all. The principal improvement inade on this farm by its present owner is a very fine, substantial barn, erected in 1883. Both Mr. Humphreys and his wife are indus- trious and careful managers, appreciating the value of property, and are thoroughly in ear- nest in the determination to bring up their chil- dren in the way they should go, a determina- tion which can not be too highly commended.

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for it is upon an honest and intelligent citizen- ship that the perpetuation of the republic depends.

S AMUEL HUNSAKER, J. P., one of the pioneer farmers of Allen county, Ohio, and an early settler of Marion township, his present place of resi- dence, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, May 20, 1832, and descends from a very old Swiss family who settled in Pennsylvania in the early colonial days.

The great-grandfather of our subject was one of the original settlers of what is now known as Allegheny county, Pa., and both he and wife were slaughtered by Indians who made an attack on their settlement, and, beside scalping the parents, took prisoners three of their children, Jacob, Isaac and a daughter whose naine is not remembered by the present generation. The scalps of the parents were sold-or, rather, presented at the headquarters of the British commandant for the bounty offered; Jacob, the son, was finally exchanged; Isaac, the second son, made his escape, and later settled in Kentucky, but the fate of the daughter has ever remained a mystery.

Jacob Hunsaker, grandfather of our sub- ject and the unfortunate Indian captive named above, was born where the city of Pittsburg, Pa., now stands. about the year 1783, and was about eight years of age when made a captive, he was taken to Canada and turned over to an Indian chief named McKee, who kept a trad- ing post near the Falls of Niagara. Nine years later, at the death of McKee, he was ex- changed as a prisoner and returned to Penn- sylvania. About the year 1804 Jacob married Eliza Hoffman, a native of Lancaster county, Pa., whose father had been a soldier under " Mad " Anthony Wayne in his gallant expedi-

tion against the tubulent Indians of the western part of what is now known as the state of Ohio, and was killed in battle, below Fort Defiance, on the Maumee river, in August, 1794. Shortly after their marriage, in the same year, 1804, Jacob Hunsaker settled in Rush Creek township, Fairfield county, Ohio, where he and wife died in 1853 and 1854 respect- ively. There had been born to Jacob and his wife three sons and three daughters.

George Hunsaker, the eldest son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hoffman) Hunsaker, was born May 12, 1809, and married, June 16, 1831, Mary Stemen, who was born August 26, 1806, in Fairfield county, Ohio, her parents having come from Greene county, Pa., in 1.803, and in October, 1841, moving to Sugar Creek township, Allen county, where the mother died August 23, 1844, and the father in Octo- ber, 1855. George Hunsaker and wife lived in Fairfield county three years, and there their son Samuel was born. In 1834 George Hun- saker and wife moved to Perry county, where the remainder of their children, four daughters and one son, were born-the son dying in infancy, April 25, 1849. In the year 1852. George, wife and children-one son (Samuel) and four daughters-came to Allen county and settled in the woods of Marion township, three miles east of Delphos, on the land now occu- pied by their son Samuel, our subject, and there George and wife passed their remaining years, George dying January 9, 1877, and itis widow June 12, 1883, both members of the Baptist church, in which Mr. Hunsaker had been a deacon for many years, and a licensed preacher. He and wife were among the founders of the present Baptist church in Marion township, but their remains lie interred in the Mennonite cemetery in Sugar Creek township. In politics Mr. Hunsaker was a democrat, and for about twelve years served as justice of the peace, was township super-

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visor, and for many years member of the school board, and in every way a prominent citizen.

The children born to George and Mary Hunsaker were named as follows: Samuel, our subject; Elizabeth, who died in 1881, mother of four children: Lydia, now Mrs. Herring; Annie, now Mrs. Brenneman; Mary, now Mrs. Chamberlin, and Henry, who died in infancy. In his young manhood, George Hun- saker was a school-teacher, gave instruction in both the German and English languages, and followed the profession for two years after he . had married. . He was a typical pioneer and frontiersman. He cleared up his first farm of 144 acres in Perry county, Ohio, and on com- ing to Allen county cleared up from the woods, near the Auglaize river, all but twenty acres of a tract of 270 acres, assisted by his son Samuel. He added to his property until he owned 320 acres in one body in Marion town- ship and eighty acres in Amanda township, Allen county, and 160 acres in Van Wert county-a total of 560 acres-all of which he had accumulated by his industry and good management. He was a gentleman of ex- tended acquaintance and was well informed on all subjects -- especially the law-and had the confidence of all neighbors, who frequently in- trusted him with the management of their legal affairs, and no man in Marion township was ever more sincerely respected or more conscientiously honored than he.

Samuel Hunsaker, the gentleman whose name opens this memoir, was educated in the district schools for a course of home study and the reading of good, solid, standard books, which were always at his command; and he was also a close student of the Bible. He was reared to farining on the home place in Perry county, Ohio, and when about twenty years of age came with his father to Allen county-October 20, 1852-he being the only living son and consequently the constant com-

panion of his father. On reaching his major- ity, the two entered into a business compact by which it was arranged that the son should receive a percentage of the crops. Samuel Hunsaker was united in matrimony, Decein- ber 13, 1866, with Miss Petronella Huyssman. who was born March 10, 1844, in the province of North Brabant, in the southern part of Hol- land, and is a daughter of Henry and Petron- ella (Kortier) Huyssman. Her father, Henry Huyssman, caine from Holland to America in 1848, and settled in Monterey township, Put- nam county, Ohio, where he cleared up from the woods a good farm of 120 acres. He and wife were members of the German Reform church, and reared a respectable family of children, viz: Wilhelmina. Mary, Aaron, Walter, Petronella and Andrico, all born in Holland, and Cornelius and Hern, born in America. After his marriage, Mr. Hunsaker first settled on a 100-acre farm adjoining his father's land, and on this he resided fifteen years and then moved on the original home- stead and into the old dwelling, which had been erected by his father in 1855. He now owns 300 acres of fine farming land, and is in a very prosperous condition generally. In re- ligion Mrs. Hunsaker is a Methodist, but Mir. Hunsaker is independent in matters spiritual: he is, nevertheless, very liberal in his aid to the churches in a pecuniary sense. As a pio- neer he has taken great interest in the schools of the township and in the construction of good roads. In politics he is a democrat, has been a member of the board of education ten years, has been its president five years, and has been supervisor of the township three years; in 1893 he was elected justice of the peace, and now holds court in the same reom where his father dispensed justice years ago: for twenty-two years he has been a Patron of Husbandry and has held all the offices in his grange, except that of master.

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ALEXANDER F. IRICK

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The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hunsaker has been made happy by the birth of ten children, as follows: Augusta, born November II, 1867, the wife of John W. Miller, and the mother of one child; Nellie W., born January 10, 1869, wife of Edward Porter and the mother of three children (one deceased); George H., born September 29, 1870, and mar- ried to Annie Myers; Louisa, born March 12, 1872; Mary, born January 3, 1874, now Mrs. Joseph Tilden and the mother of two children; Emma H., born January 27, 1876; Samuel, born May 2, 1878 and died September 1, 1878; Aaron, born March 11, 1880; Lydia E., born September 11, 1882 and William Clar- ence, born September 6, 1885.

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 34

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