A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 60

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 60
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 60

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

amount of the purchase money. Subsequently ,events proved how well founded was the faith of Mr. Hunt in his young clerk. Since 1878 Mr. Wahmhoff has continued in the drug business, meeting with deserved success, and building up a large business, and his establish- ment is now considered one of the leading drug houses in the city.

Mr. Wahmhoff has always taken an active interest in the affairs of Delphos, and for some time has been quite prominent in a public and official way. In 1872 hc became a member of the volunteer fire department of Delphos, and continued a member of that organization for eighteen years, serving during that time in every capacity from private to chicf of the dc- partment, holding the position of chief three or four years, during which time he was of great service to the city. In ISS5 he was elected from the Second ward of Delphos to the city council, serving two years. In 1888 he was again elected from the Second ward, serving until 1890. In 1894 he was for the third time elected to the council. His serv- ices in the council have been of great value and benefit to the city, as he has always pur- sued a safe, sound and conservative policy. He served three years on the Delphos board of health, and is at the present time a member of the Delphos board of education. Since 1880 he has been a member of the Ohio State Pharmaceutical association, in which he has been quite prominent. He was one of five who drafted the present Ohio state pharmacy laws. Mr. Wahmhoff is a member of the Saint John's Roman Catholic church of Delphos, and has been quite active in the matters pertaining to the church; also a member of the American Pharmaceutical association of the United States and Canada. Mr. Wahmhoff was married, in 1851, to Christina C. Eich, who is American born and the mother of five children, viz: Elizabeth, Henrietta, Agnes, John and Anna. ! W. Shnabel, of Lima: Frederick and Leopard,

HILIP WALTHER. - It is always pleasant and profitable to contem- plate the career of a man who has become distinguished in any honorable walk of life, whether private or public. Such a career is that of Philip Walther, auditor of Allen county. Mr. Walther is a son of George J. and Eva Marie (Miller) Walther, and was born February 26. 1860, in Mckeesport, Pa. His grandfather, Bernard Walther, was a na- tive of Germany, and lived and died in Hesse Darmstadt. George J. Walther, father of Philip, was born in that city August 6. : 830. and in 1854 emigrated from his native land and city to the United States of America, set- tling at Mckeesport, Allegheny county, Pa. Here he lived ten years, engaged in mining. and in 1864 he removed to Ohio, and settled in Monroe township, Allen county, and engaged in farming the greater part of that year. Ro- turning to McKeesport in the fall he remained there till 1866, when he returned to Ohio, settled in Lima, and conducted the Central hotel of that city until 1890, when he estab- lished himself in the grocery business. He was thus engaged until his death, which ot- curred November 9, 1892. Politically Mir. Walther was a democrat, taking an active interest in the success and good reputation of everything connected with his party's history and prosperity. In matters of religion he was a member and a trustee of the German Refom. church for many years. Mrs. Walther was a daugliter of George Miller, and was a native of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. She survives her husband and resides in Lima, enjoying the society of her children and the respect of all with whom she is acquainted. To her and her husband were born the following children Catherine, wife of Martin Dibling, of Lima. Ohio; John, who died in infancy; Philip, che subject of this memoir: Margaret, wife of John

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merchants of Lima; Mollie, wife of Philip Runinger, and Phoebe, wife of Jacob P. Huff -. man, of Lima.

Philip Walther was born in Mckeesport, Pa., February 26, 1860, and came to Lima, Ohio, with his parents, in 1866, and here he was reared and received the rudiments of his education in the Lima public schools. This education was well supplemented by a com- mercial course of instruction, which has been of great value to him in his business career. Later he became a furniture finisher and worked at this trade until 1882, when he became clerk and book-keeper for his father in the Central hotel. This position he retained until 1887, when he was appointed letter-carrier in the Lima post-office, which position he resigned in 1889 to accept the position of deputy auditor of the county of Allen under C. D. Crites, and held this responsible position for six years, and in 1893 he was elected county auditor for the term beginning in October, 1894, a position which he has acceptably filled ever since and still retains.

Politically Mr. Walther has always been a pronounced democrat and has been and is an active and prominent worker in the councils of his party, as is evident from his having been a member of the county central committee in 1887, and in 1891-92. Fraternally he is a member of Lima lodge, No. 581, I. O. O. F., of Lima lodge, No. 162, B. P. O. E., of Lima lodge, No. 91, K. of P., and of Lima lodge. No. 267, U. O. R. M. Mr. Walther was mar- ried in September, 1884, to Miss Mary Thor- ing, daughter of Henry and Catherine Thor- ing, highly respectable residents of Allen county. and to their marriage there have been born five children, viz: Charles; Alfred C., de- ceased; J. William, deceased; Bessie and Pauline. Such is the record, brief though it may appear, of the career of Philip Walther. Much more might have been said of the life of

a worthy citizen, but doubtless enough has been given to teach again the useful lesson to all young people whose future is always doubt- ful and uncertain; for it is as true now as it ever was of old, that those who are faithful in the small and comparatively unimportant things of life, shall in due time be intrusted with the larger and clearly more important things.

PILLIAM A. WAGNER, one of the well known business men of Del- phos, and proprietor of the Oyster Bay restaurant and bakery, is a na- tive of Tiffin, Ohio, where he was born August 15, 1860. He was reared in Tiffin, where he attended the public schools, after which he took a three years' course at Saint Mary's col- lege in Dayton. About 1874 he went west and spent some ten years in Colorado and New Mexico, where he was engaged in business, and was in Leadville. Colo., during the excite- ment of the first gold discovery of that place. Returning to Tiffin about 1885 he remained there about six months and then came to Del- phos, and took a position as book-keeper for John Widmer, with whom he remained for about one year, engaging in business for him- self at the end of that time by opening a res. taurant on Main street, four doors north of his present place. He remained at that location about five years and then removed one door south, and three years later removed to his present location on in-lot No. 15, midway on the west side of Main, between Second and Third streets. Beside his restaurant, Mr. Wagner carries a large and general stock of notions, toys, candies, cigars and sheet music and music supplies. He also conducts oue of the leading bakeries in the city, doing a whole- sale and retail business in the line, being the only wholesale baker in Delphos. He is a

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stockholder in the Commercial bank and the Citizens' Building & Loan association.

Mr. Wagner was married in 1885 to Leota Hood, who was born in Delphos, and is the daughter of John Hood, deceased. To their union three children have been born, as fol- lows: LeRoy, Edward, and Pearl. Mr. Wag- ner and family are members of Saint John's Roman Catholic church. The parents of Mr. Wagner were Martin and Susanna (Arnold) Wagner, the former a native of Baden, Ger- many, and the latter of Seneca county, Ohio; they are now residing in Tiffin, Ohio.

HE WARD FAMILY .- One of the most distinguished families of Allen county, Ohio, is that of which the history is here presented. Abraham Ward, in 1833, removed from Jackson town- ship, Pickaway county, Ohio, to Allen county, but was born in what is now West Virginia. His ancestry were among those who settled early at Plymouth. Mass., and who came originally from England: and the descendants of those carly emigrants may now be found in all parts of the United States. Abraham Ward was a son of Joseph Ward, a soldier in the Revolutionary war, who after the close of that war settled in Norfolk, Va. Later he removed to Moorefield, in Hardy county, now in West Virginia, where he died. Abraham. following the example of his father, became a soldier in the war of 1812, in an Ohio regiment. He married Miss Christiana Jolison, by whom he had two children, Joseph and John. After the death of Mrs. Ward, Mr. Ward married again, but the maiden name of his second wife is not now known. By this second marriage he had four children -- two sons and two daughters, and in the fullness of time he died in Jackson township. Allen county.

Joseph Ward, the elder son of Abraham

Ward and his first wife, was born in Moore. field, Va., in 1793, and settled in Champaign county, Ohio, in 1812, where he lived until 1827, when he removed to Allen county, locat- ing on what is now known as the Felter farm. He erected the first grist-mill in Allen county, and upon this farm he died in 1839. leaving a family of four sons and two daughters.

John Ward, the second son of Abrahan! and Christiana Ward, was born in Moorefield. Va., in 1795, and removed to Champaign county, Ohio, in 1812, locating in Union town- ship. In January, 1830, he removed to Allen county, having in 1828 entered eighty acres of land in Bath township. Upon arriving in Allen county and getting settled, he engaged in teaching a select school in the winter time. and in farming in the summer season. He took a very active part in the organization of Allen county, and was appointed the first clerk of the county court, under the old constitution. in which capacity he served until his death December 25, 1842. He also filled the office of recorder several terms. Beside being active and prominent in these local ways, he was also prominent in the military affairs of the state, holding commissions as captain, colonel and brigadier-general. Politically he was a democrat and religiously he was a Presbyterian. assisting to organize the Presbyterian church at Lima, and serving therein as an elder for many years.

John Ward married Miss Rosamond Har- per, daughter of Samuel Harper, who was . member of the family after whom Harper: Ferry was named. She died June 24. 1953. at the age of seventy years. She and bor husband were the parents of six children, vi ... Margaret, who died unmarried: Samuel I !.. . Paniding county, Ohio: Joseph, of Lima, Chi Rebecca, deceased: Simon, of Toledo, Ohi. and Elizabeth. Joseph Ward, the second a . of John, was born in Champaign county. 1.

WILLIAM WATT.

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

ruary 16, 1829. He was, however, reared and educated in Lima, and learned the trade of carpenter. Upon the breaking out of the Re- bellion he felt it his duty to assist in preserving the Union, and in September, 1861, enlisted in company D, Fifty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, in which company he served until July 22, 1862, when he was discharged because of a gun-shot wound received in the battle of Shiloh, Miss. The bullet entered the left leg, passed through the body and came out through the right hip. From this wound he at length recovered, and again enlisted in 1864, in com- pany B, One Hundred and Eighty-first regiment, in which regiment he served one hundred days. After the war was over be purchased some land in Latty township, Paulding county, Ohio, and was there engaged in farining until 1876, when he removed to Labette county, Kans., where he remained until 1879, when, owing to the death of his wife, he returned to Ohio, and since then has lived a retired life at Lima. He and his wife were the parents of three children, viz: Rosie, deceased; Isaac W., of Van Wert, and Bruce of Fort Smith, Ark.

ILLIAM WATT is the leading gen- eral merchant of La Fayette, Jack- son township, Allen county, Ohio, and carries a full line of boots, shoes, hats, caps, groceries, dry goods, etc., and for over thirty years has conducted a straightforward business in the village, and has been the trusted agent of the Pennsylvania railway during twenty-four years of that time, and in 1893 was appointed postinaster, the name of the office being Herring-a position he still holds, to the satisfaction of the public and with credit to himself.

William Watt was born in Jackson town- sluip, Allen county, April 4, 1839, a son of William and Elizabeth (Hawk) Watt, the 21

father being a pioneer of the county and a farmer, born in Brown county, Ohio, 1798. He became quiet prominent in the public affairs of Allen county, was at one time judge of the court of common pleas, and died an honored citizen on October 10, 1838; his wife was a native of Maysville, Ky., was born in 1794, and died November 14, 1883, the mother of ten children, viz: John, Susanna, Mary, Sarah, Willis, Elspy, Margaret, Samuel, Eliza J. and William. William Watt, our subject proper, remained on the home farm until sixteen years of age, when he entered the employ of Dr. N. Sager, with whom he re- mained nine years, being an extraordinarily industrious and faithful young man. He was next employed by a Mr. Fisher until 1872. when he formed a partnership in the general merchandise business with J. W. Umbaugh, but soon bought the latter's interest, and has since conducted the business on his sole ac- count, carrying everything needed by a farmi- ing community. The better to accommodate his constantly increasing trade, for his name as a liberal and square-dealing merchant had become very popular, he erected, in 18;9, a large two-story frame building, with three storerooms-having the year previously pro- vided his family with a commodious, handsome and spacious brick dwelling. He was married, June 17, 18Go, to Miss Sarah Cloore, who was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, January 7, 1838, a daughter of Daniel and Thesh Ewing) Cloere, both now deceased. To the happy marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Watt have been born five children, viz: Walter; Lulu. wife of A. C. Kyle; Arthur, Port and Harry. During the late Civil war Mr. Watt was a true patriot and left behind him his young wife and family to enlist in company F, Fourth Ohio volunteer cavalry, in February, 1864, and served faithfully until the conclusion of the war, taking part in the campaigns through

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia, and fighting at Chattanooga, Knoxville, and the engagements about Atlanta and elsewhere.

Mr. Watt has been an ardent member of the Christian church for many years and in politics is an unswerving democrat. He has filled the office of township clerk and township treasurer, the duties of which offices he per- formed with the strictest fidelity and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. Mr. Watt is also a member of Sager lodge, No. 513, F. & A. M. His social position and that of his family are with the best people of Jackson and adjoining townships, and his business reputa- tion has never been tarnished by the slightest breath of suspicion as to his violations of any law of honor or of honest, straightforward and upright dealing.

EWIS E. WESTCOTT, superintend- ent of the Delphos paper-mills, Allen county, Ohio, was born at Maumee, Ohio, on November 9, 1862. His father was Thomas Westcott, a native of New York state, born in 1821. He came to Maumee, Ohio, in 1845, where he resided the balance of his life. He was in the railroad business for about eighteen years, being connected with the old Toledo, Wabash & Westeru, now the Toledo, Wabash & Saint Louis railroad, which road he helped to build. From 1853 until five years prior to his death he was connected with the Campbell & Claflin paper-mill at Maumee. His death occurred July 31, 1893. He served in the war between the United States and Mexico, being a member of a Peu- sylvania regiment. While a soldier he was married in Pennsylvania to Hannah Welch, a native of Pennsylvania, whose death occurred March 14, 1895. To these parents three boys and five girls were born, two sons and two daughters of whom are still having. Both par-

ents were members of the Methodist Episco- pal church.

Lewis E. Westcott was reared in Maumec, and received a common-school education. At the age of fourteen years he began an appren- ticesluip at the paper-making trade in the fac- tory of Campbell & Claflin, at Maumee, and continued with that company until he was nineteen years of age. In ISSi he went to Monroe Mich., and worked in the paper-mil! of Waldorf & Son for about eighteen months. He was next in the employ of Adams & Terry, paper manufacturers of Monroe, for about fif- teen months. He then went to Dayton, Ohio, and for over four years was in the paper-mills of Diem & Bittinger. He then returned to Maumee and for between two or three years was in the employ of the Lake Side paper. mills, of that place. ^In February, 1892. he came to Delphos and took charge of the Del- phos mills as superintendent. and has con- tinued in that capacity. Mr. Westcott was married May 8, 1882, at Monroe, Mich .. to Miss Libbie Strong, of Monroe, who was born and reared in that city, and is the daughter of Alonzo Strong, a marine engineer. To Mr and Mrs. Westcott two daughters have been born: Myrtle M., born June 26, 1887, and Agnes I., born June 18, 1893. Mr. Westcott is a member of Manmee lodge, I. O. O. F .. No. 682, and Toledo (Ohio) encampment, No 118. Mrs. Westcott is a member of the Ro- man Catholic church.

...

J OSEPH WATKINS, a well-to-do ani experienced farmer of Sugar Creek township. Allen county, was born at Paddy's Run, Butler county. Ohis March 12, 1831, and is of sterling Weish di. scent. Evan Watkins, grandfather of 09 subject, was a native of Montgomeryshire northern Wales, and by trade was a wheel-

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OF ALLEN COUNTY.

wright and carpenter, an occupation that had been followed in the family for generations. He died in Wales about 1821, a member of the church of England, leaving the following children: William, John, Watkin, David, Thomas, Evan, Edward and Margaret. John Watkins, son of Evan Watkins and the father of our subject, was also a native of Montgom- eryshire, Wales, and was born in February, 1801; he learned his father's trade, and at the age of twenty-one years, in June, 1822, landed in Baltimore, Md., from Liverpool, England, having made the voyage in a sailing vessel, accompanied by his mother and the rest of her children. He immediately came to Ohio, and at Delhi, Delaware county, joined his brother William, who had come to America in 1820. John Watkins worked at his trade in Delaware county two years, and in 1824 went to the Welsh settlement at Paddy's Run, in Butler county, where, in 1826, he married Jane Grif- fith, daughter of Joseph and Jane Griffith, who were parents of the following children, beside Jane, as far as they are remembered-David, Samuel, Edward, Joseph, Evan, Ebenezer, Benjamin, Thomas, Abraham, John, Betsey, Ellen and Mary. Joseph Griffith was one of the pioneers of Paddy's Run, having come from Wales, a farmer of wealth, in an early day. In 1836 he removed to Allen county and bought a tract of land from the govern- ment a short distance from Gomer, added largely to his first purchase, and at his death was able to give to each of his children a farm He was a deacon for many years in the Welsh Congregational church and died in 1854, at the age of seventy-six years, a wealthy and highly respected citizen.

After marriage, John Watkins continued to reside at Paddy's Run until 1834, when he re- moved with his family, which then consisted of his wife and three children-Even, Eliza- beth and Joseph -- to Sugar Creek township,

Allen county (then Putnam county), and set- tled on the land now occupied by our subject. He bought 160 acres of government land, at $1.25 per acre, clearing up a space for a round log cabin, with a stick chinincs, but moved in before the chimney was finished or the puu- cheon floor laid, and built his first fre in the middle of the room. but he evemually cleared up a fine farm from the forest and added to his possessions until he owned 360 acres. which subsequently he willed to his children. of whom several were added to the family after coming to Allen county, but of whom two, only, reached manhood, viz: William W. Watkins, who was the first child born of Welsh parents in northwest Ohio, and Thomas. Mrs. John Watkins died September 8. 1850, and for his second wife Mr. Watkins married Ellen Evans who bore three children-Margaret, John and David.

When John Watkins first came to Sugar Creek township there had but three Welsh families preceded him, those of David Rob- erts, Thomas Watkins and James Nichols, but with Mr. Watkins came Evan Jones and his family. For many years Mr. Watkins and four of his sons followed carpentering in Sugar Creek township-the sons being Joseph. Will- jam W., Thomas G., and John E. Three of the sons were also soldiers in the late Civil war-our subject, Joseph, and Thomas G .. who was a sergeant in the Sixthi Ohio battery and served abont four years, doing some very severe duty. Jolen Watkins was a man of very superior intelligence and was the founder of one of the first families in the township; he was witha! a very industrious farmer and me- chanic, was respected by the entire contou- nity, and died on his farm, April 26, 1593, at the patriarchal age of eighty-two vers Joseph Watkins, whose life this sketch is it- tended most to commemorate, was about three Yand a half years old when brought from But-

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ler county by his parents to Allen county; he was reared among the pioneers, receiving his education in the frontier log school-house, with its greased paper window-panes, and im- provised log furniture. He learned the carpen- ter's trade from his father, and this was the vocation he principally followed in the earlier days, although his agricultural education had not been neglected. September 23, 1854, he married, in Marion township, Allen county, Miss Mary Breese, who was born March 22, 1831, in Montgomeryshire, Wales, a daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Rowland) Breese who were the parents of the following children, born in the order named: Mary, Thomas, Samuel, Ann. James, Alice, and Richard. In September, 1848 or 1849, Mr. Breese brought his family from Paddy's Run to Butler county, bought a 160-acre tract of land in Allen county, cleared up a good farm and reared a respected family, of whom one son, Samuel, served in the Thirty-third Ohio (zouave) in- fantry during the late Civil war. Richard Breese was for many years a deacon in the Welsh Congregational church, of which his family still are members, and died in this faith in 1875, aged seventy-two years.

After marriage, Joseph Watkins lived in Gomer for four years, following his trade, and then lived in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, for eight years, with the exception of his term of service in the Civil war, and then, his father being in feeble health, settled ou the home farm, in 1867, which has since been his place of residence. His enlistment took place at Gomer, in May, 1864, in company H, Capt. J. W. Patrick, Thirty-third Ohio volun- teer regiment, for 100 days. He served chiefly on guard duty near Washington, D. C., and was always an active and faithful soldier. On the conclusion of his term of service he was honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio, and returned home.

The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Watkins has been blessed with the following children, viz: Alice, who died at the age of thirty-two years: Jennie; Hattie, who died at nineteen years of age; Edson and Henry. Mr. Watkins and family are members of the Welsh Congregational church, of which he has been a trustee for years; in politics he is a repub- lican, has served as township trustee two terms and has been a member of the school board five years. He is the owner of a fine farin of 160 acres, on which he erected, in 188c. a beautiful and substantial residence, and his circumstances are altogether comfortable, he and family enjoying the sincere respect of all who know them -- which is equivalent to say- ing, everybody in the township and county.

HOMAS A. WEGER, one of the well-known citizens of Delphos, Allen county, Ohio, and proprietor of the Washington Stave works, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, where he was born, December 20, 1841. He is a son of George A. and Frances (Schreiber) Weger, both na- tives of Bavaria. In December, 1849, the family came to America and located in the city of Baltimore, Md., where for thirty-nve years George A. Weger was engaged in the cooperage business. He retired from business about 1883, and then he came to Delphos an i made his home with his son. Frauk A., arti! his death in 1888. His wife died in Bakt :- more in 1870. To the parents twelve chil- dren were born, five of whom are now living.

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 60

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