A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 65

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 65
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 65

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Jacob F. Ackom was about eighteen years of age when he came to Van Wert county with his father. May 15. 1862, he married Mis Rebecca Baxter, daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Suddeth) Baxter, who are both now deceased. He enlisted, first, in an independent

company, state guards, and was mustered into the United States service at Camp Cleveland. Ohio, in May, 1864, for the term of ico days. but served until honorably discharged in Sep- tember, 1864, as commissary sergeant. On his return home he resumed luis trade as car- penter, and for four years lived in Van Wert. He bought his present farm in 1870. ft then comprised sixteen acres only, but he has since increased it to fifty-four acres, and improved it with substantial buildlings, constructed with his own hands. In 1869, also, he engaged in the undertaking business, which he success- fully conducted for sixteen years. He has also devoted considerable attention to the insurance business, and for two terms has been a director in the Farmers' Mutual Aid association of Van Wert county.

The union of Mr. Ackom with Rebecca Baxter has been blessed with four children, viz: Rosecrans S . John J. (who died at the age of two years, Nettie A. and Dera wife of John Snyder, of Harrison township. The etd- est, Rosecranz S., has been school-teacher for seven years. He married Fliza Pruden, who has borne him five children. Mr. and Mrs Ackom are members of the Baptist churchyani ! in politics Mr. Ackom is a republican. He is

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

a member of Capper post, G. A. R., of Con- voy, and for two terms held the position of quartermaster, and is also a member of the grange, of which he has served as master for four years. He and his devoted wife are greatly respected by the citizens of Harrison and adjoining townships, not only for their in- telligence and morality, but for their patriot- ism, which was made manifest by the young wife when her newly-made husband volunteered to aid in the suppression of the Rebellion. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Ackom- Elias Suddeth-lived to the remarkable age of 113 years, dying in Harrison county, Ohio, and his eleven children also attained an extraordi- nary longevity.

OSEPH AGLER, the subject of this biography, is an enterprising farmer of Liberty township, and one of the sub- stantial citizens of the community in which he resides, he is of German descent paternally, and from his mother he inherits the characteristics of the English. His great- grandfather came to America from England in colonial times, and settled in Pennsylvania, but afterward returned to the old country, where his death occurred. William Agler, grandfather of Joseph, was born in England, but early came to America, settling in one of the eastern states, where he was living at the breaking ont of the war of the Revolution, in which struggle he took part, serving seven years. After remaining in Pennsylvania unti! his marriage with Miss Mary Fox, he immi- grated to Stark county, Ohio, being one of the pioneers that led the van of civilization into that part of the Buckeye state. William Agler entered 160 acres of land, made a fine farm, and was one of the substantial men of the community which he assisted in founding; he and wife both died in the county of Stark.

Conrad Agler, son of William Agler and father of the subject of this biography, was a Pennsylvanian by birth and a farmer by occu- pation. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret Wagner, daughter of Valentine Wagner, became the mother of the following children in the order named: Mary, Ann, Matilda, Katic, Valentine, William, Jane, John, Charlotte, Sarah, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Minerva. After a residence of a few years n. Stark county, Conrad and Margaret Agler, about the year 1841, moved to the county of Van Wert, and purchased a farm in Liberty township. Mr. and Mrs. Agler were devout members of the Lutheran church and in poli- tics he was an old-line whig.

Joseph Agler was born in Stark county. Ohio, August 1, 1835. He was scared to agri- culture, bas given his attention to the same ali his life, and is now a prominent farmer of the township of Liberty, Van Wert county. His life bas been one of great activity, and he has never known what it was to eat the bread of idleness. The improvements upon his place. all of which are in first-class condition, byspeak for its owner a thorough knowledge of farming. and he is a true believer in the dignity of his calling. Mr. Agler, was married October 1 ;. 1856, to Susan Neiford, daughter of Geor ;.. and Mary (Swank) Neiford, and to this union the following children in the order named have been born; Conrad, died at the age of twenty two; Charity, wife of George Johnson: Nane !. wife of Alonzo Smith, Willis, who marre !! Ida Walters. The sons, Isaac and Frank, at also married, the former to Louisa Voltz ant! the latter to lda F. Bumickhouse. The pri- ents of Mrs. Agier were born and mario! ! Pennsylvania, and in an early day moved to Stark county. Ohio, thence the county of Van Wert, where they resided until death parte i thein from this world for a better place. M .. Agler's parents were believers of the Dunkiri

OF VAN WERT COUNTY.

church, of which they were members, and Mr. Neiford died leaving his wife in good surround- ings, although the family of children consisted of twelve. There are eight of these living and four dead. The names of the dead sisters and brothers were Lydia, Samuel, Mahala and Jolinnie; those that are living are James, who is married to Polly Wagers; Mary, to Jerry Swigart; Sallie, to Peter Putnam; Susan, to Joseph Agler, the subject of this sketch; Naney, to David King; Elizabeth, to John Agler; William. to Maria Anders; George, to Libbie Roberts; Samuel was married to Polly Rush. In politics George Neiford, the father of Agler, was a demoerat. Mr. and Mrs. Agler are glad to say they are the father and mother of seven children and grandparents of fifteen.

ERRY AGLER, a prosperous young general merchant at Abanaka post-office, Van Wert county, Ohio, was born on his father's farin in Willshire township. April 8, 1860, and comes from a pioneer Buek- eye family, his great-grandfather. Peter Agler. a native of Pennsylvania, having settled in Stark county, Ohio, in a very early day. Jere- miah Agler, a son of Peter, was also a native of the Keystone state, was still a young man when he eanie to Ohio with his parents and located in Stark county, where the later married Mrs. Mary Putnam, daughter of John and Betsey Putnam, also natives of Pennsylvania. In 1837, Jeremiah and his wife came to Van Wert county, which was then an unbounded wilderness, with but two or three cabios in Liberty township, where he settled and hewed out a farm from the wild woods, and became a citizen of considerable note and a hunter of J SPOHN AIKEN, a well-known lumber dealer of Scott, Union township, Van Wert county, Ohio, was born in Wash- ington county, Pa., in 1830, aud is a son great renown. He was a democrat in politics : and served two terms as township trustee; in religion be believed with the United Brethren in Christ, and was a charter member of the | of James Aiken, who was also a native of Wash-

congregation in Liberty township; his death took place in 1872, and his widow was eighty- two years old on the 14th day of February. 1895. Timothy Agler, son of Jeremiah and father of our subjeet, was born in Stark county. Ohio, March 3, 1834. and was reared on his father's farm. In September, 1864, he enlisted in company A, Fifteenth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, and was honorably discharged in June, 1865. His marriage took place February S. 1855. with Elizabeth Brewer, daughter of Mathias Brewer, the result of the union being the following children: Jeremiah, Charles, Lillie. McCoy and Ira. After his marriage he settled on the farm now occupied by our sub- ject, and here lost his wife November 25, 1893.

Jerry Agler, the subject proper of this sketch. was first married, in 1881, to Ida Moor, daugh- ter of Isaac Moor, to which marriage one child --- Roland -- was born, the mother died May 29, 1883, and the second marriage of Mr. Agter took place September 18, 1885. with Cora Shaffer, daughter of L. B. and Elizabeth ; King; Shaffer, of Liberty township, and this union has been blessed with three children, viz. Robby, Blanche and Carrie M. In 1886 Mr. Agler began in mercantile business at Abanaka, where he since carried on a most prosperous and remunerative trade, his stock, which has just been invoiced, amounting to over $2, 400. He also owns a neat little farm of twenty-two aeres in the township, and a pleasant village residence, all made through his own labor and industry. In politics Mr. Agler is a democrat, and in religion both he and wife worship with United Brethren in Chirist.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

ington county, and was born in 18ot; the father of James, George Aiken, was born in Cork county, Ireland, and was reared a farmer; while still a young man he came to America, located in Pennsylvania, served in the war of 1812, and probably held a captain's commis- sion. He lived through four score years, and died in Pennsylvania about the year 1840.

James Aiken was reared on the home farm in Pennsylvania, and was also instructed in the trade of carpentry, following the latter chiefly for a livelihood. About the year 1827 he mar- ried Miss Jane Scott, who was born in Wash- ington county, Pa., in 1805, and was a daugh- ter of Robert and Elizabeth (Mullen) Scott, this marriage resulting in the birth of the fol- lowing children, beside John, our subject: Elizabeth, deceased wife of Samuel Kilbreth, of Washington county, Ohio; Martha, deceased wife of Henry Spence, of Jefferson county; Jane, wife of John Roberts, of Harrison county; Robert and James, both farmers of Jefferson county; Benton, a soldier, deceased; Josiah, deceased; Alexander, who died from a wound received in the late war, and Coe, who was killed in a railroad accident.

Robert Scott, father of Mrs. Jane Aiken, was also a native of Pennsylvania, of Scotch ancestry, was a farmer and was an early pio- neer of Carroll county, Ohio, where he died in 1833. Mrs. Elizabeth (Mullen) Scott was also of Scottish descent and a uative of the Keystone state. Mrs. Jane Aiken, a strict member of the Presbyterian church, died in 1863, in Jefferson county, Ohio, whither she had come with husband shortly after mar- riage. James Aiken was a strong advocate of the principles of the democratic party, was a pioneer of Jefferson county, Ohio, where he became quite prominent, and died in 1883, in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which he had been a life-long member.

John Aiken, our subject, was reared in

Jefferson county, Ohio, and there learned the trade of wagon-making. In 1851 he married Miss Martha J. Trainer, a native of Lancaster county and born in 1828-a daughter of John and Esther (Holmes) Trainer. To this union were born the following children: Ida, now Mrs. Edward Shefler, of Rush county, Ind. ; James, a farmer of Allen county, Ind .; Martha J., wife of Wallace Beard, residing near Fort Wayne, Ind .; Mary J., married to Erastes Wilson, of Huntington county, Ind. ; Annie, wife of Eli Larimer, of Fort Wayne; Edwin. in the saw-mill and lumber business at Scott. Ohio, and John H., Jr., an attorney at Fort Wayne, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Trainer, parents of Mrs. Aiken, were born near the city of Cork. Ireland, and came to America in: 1823, locat- ing on a farm in Lancaster county, Pa., whence. about 1835, they came to Ohio and first located in Jefferson county, whence they moved to Allen county, Ind., where the mother died in ISSI and the father in 1884. Their children were named as follows: William, deceased: Mary, deceased wife of John McClave, of Indi- ana; John, attorney of Steubenville, Ohio: Nancy, deceased wife of Abner Kelsey; Rob- ert, deceased, and Mrs Aiken.

At the breaking out of the Civil war, our subject gave up his trade and purchased a farm in Allen county, Ind., near Fort Wayne, and for twenty-eight years was prominently identified with the agricultural and other inter- ests of that county. In 1890 he disposed of his property in Indiana and came to Scott. Van Wert county, Ohio, engaged in the lui- ber business in company with his son Elwia, and has since been doing an active and pros- perous trade. In religion Mr. Aiken is a pious and consistent member of the Methodist Epi -- copai church, of which he is a trustee and : the support of which he freely contributes : t his means; he is also a member of the Masona fraternity, and is, beside, town treasurer. H.

OF VAN WERT COUNTY.

is an upright gentleman, whose integrity no one has ever disputed, and has the entire confi- dence and respect of his neighbors as a suc- cessful and pious man and useful citizen.

ILLIAM ALBRIGHT, a well-known and prominent farmer of Pleasant township, Van Wert county, Ohio, is descended from Dutch ancestors, his grandfather, Henry Albright, having emigrated from Holland to the United States a number of years prior to the beginning of the present century. Henry Albright was born in 1758. became a resident of the new world when a young man, settling in Pennsylvania, of which state he was a pioneer; his death occurred in ISTI. John Albright, son of the above, and father of the subject, was born in Schuylkill county, Pa., in 1792, grew to manhood in his native state and at the age of nineteen entered the army and served with credit in the war of 1812. He held a captain's commission while in the army and for services rendered subsequently re- ceived from the government a land grant, which he afterward laid in Wells county, Ind., and Van Wert county, Ohio.

In 1859 John Albright disposed of his inter- est in Fairfield county, to which part of Ohio he moved about the year 1814 in company with a younger brother and sister, and came to the county of Van Wert, where he pur- chased a large tract of unimproved land. Many years previously he had become profi- cient as a veterinary surgeon, and after locat- ing in Van Wert county followed that profes- sion in connection with farming. He was quite successful in his business enterprises and accumulated a comfortable competence, the greater part of which consisted of real estate, which afterward increased greatly in value. He married, in 1818, Hannah, daughter of , Mr. Albright was united in marriage with

Adam Wagoner of Fairfield county, who bore him the following children in the order named: Jacob, John, George, Henry, Lena, Danie!, Isaac and Samuel. Mrs. Albright died in 1836, and later Mr. Albright entered into the marriage relation with Eliza, daughter of Daniel and Hannah Gearheart, to which union were born five children. namely: Eli, Mrs. Catherine Spencer, William, Mrs. Victorine Baltzell and Josiah S. Mrs. Hannah Albright was born about the year 1806, in Fairfield county, where her parents settled in an early day, moving there from Maryland. She was a member of the German Reform church and departed this life on the 5th day of March. 1873. Mr. Albright was also a member of the same denomination and gave liberally of his means to the support of the church and to all other causes tending tos advance the moral well-being of the community. A commend- able trait of Mr. Albright was his benevolence. and no one in need of assistance ever applied to him in vain. In politics he was an old-line whig, and later a republican. This excellent man was accidentally killed by the falling of a tree in January, 1861.

William Albright, whose name introduces this sketch, is a native of Ohio, born in the county of Fairfield in 1840, being the second son of John and Eliza (Gearheart) Albright. above mentioned. In his boyhood years he attended at intervals such schools as the coun- try at that time afforded, and at the age of seventeen accompanied his parents to Van Wert county, where he assisted his father in clearing the faim and fitting the soil for culti- vation. He was reared to agricultural par- suits, to which he has always given his atten- tion, and in which his success has indeed been encouraging, he being at this time the owner of a good farm and a comfortable share of this world's goods. In 1863, in Van Wert county

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Martha J. Rowland, daughter of John and Ann (Marshall) Rowland-the parents early settlers of this part of the state. To Mr. and Mrs. Albright have been born the following chil- dren: Magdalene, Irene, deceased; Lovell, Victorine, deceased; William L., Ferre, Hat- tie and Charles. Mrs. Albright was born in Van Wert county, September 2, 1845; her father is a native of the county of Harrison, Ohio, born in the year of 1811, became a resi- dent of the county of Van Wert in 1837, and resided here until 1869, at which time he emi- grated to Kansas, where he still lives. Mr. Albright is a practical and successful farmer, a useful citizen of the community, and enjoys the respect of his fellow-man. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and stands high in the local lodge to which he belongs.

IMEON SWINEFORD .- The record of a busy life, a successful life, must ever prove fecund in interest and profit as scanned by the student who would learn of the intrinsic essence of individn- ality, who would attempt an analysis of character and trace back to the fountain-head the widely diverging channels which mark the onward flow, the constantly augmentive pro- cess, if we may be permitted the phrase, of such individuality. All human achievements, all human weal or woe-in short, all things within the mental ken-are but mirrored back from the composite individuality of those who have lived. "The proper study of mankind is man," said Pope, and aside from this, in its broader sense, what base of study and inform- ation have we? In entering a memoir to one who has played well his part in life and who has ended his earthly career with a full quota of lionors and tangible rewards does biography exercise its highest function, and in this con- nection we may well take satisfaction in ad-

verting to the life history of this honored pioneer of the city of Van Wert.

The subject of this review was one of the best known and most prominent business men of Van Wert for a course of many years, hay - ing been intimately concerned in all that con- cerned the development and material pros- perity of the community and having here con- ducted a mercantile enterprise which was rep- resentative in that line of industry. He was born in Snyder county, Pa., July 10, 1819, securing a common-school education, and in his youth being apprenticed to learn the trade of chair-making, to which he devoted his atten- tion for a number of years in his native state. In 1839 he removed to Ashland county, Ohio, and there engaged in the business of his trade, continuing in this line of enterprise, at this point, for five years. He then located at Ashland, in Crawford county, where he secured employment as a salesman in a dry-goods store. retaining this incumbency for seven years. The year of 1852 represents the date of our subject's advent in Van Wert, and upon his arrival here he became associated with the industrial activities of the place by engaging in the chair and furniture business, in which he continued for some time, and then entered the employ of Judge A. W. Baker, with whom he remained, in a clerical capacity, until he formed a partnership with Alonzo Conant, in the mer- cantile business, which association continued for a number of years, after which Mr. Swine- ford engaged in business for himelf. Locating at the corner of Main and Washington streets. he there engaged in the grocery business and continued this enterprise most successfully for a long period of years and until the time of his death, securing a representative patronage and retaining the confidence and good will of the entire community. He was a man of scrupu .- lous honor and integrity, was careful and coa- servative in his business incthods, and was

1 Of Ocumeford

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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.

animated by a broad spirit of humanity and charity. Distinctly individual and with strong and well defined convictions, he never swerved from the strict path of that which he consid- ered his duty, but against him there has never been charged an unkindly deed or a disregard of the rights of others. When this honored pioneer was summoned into the life eternal. on November 30, 1874, the community mourned the loss of a valuable citizen, and an honest and noble man. To him came a full measure of success in the material affairs of life, and this none could be begrudging. He was one of the original stockholders of the First Na- tional bank of Van Wert, and for many years served as a member of its board of directors, and as vice-president.

In political adherency, Mr. Swineford was an uncompromising republican, but the extrac- tion of his active business affairs rendered it inexpedient for him to aspire to political pre- ferment, though it must be said that he ever manifested a signal reluctance to securing no- toriety in any way, and had no desire to become a candidate for public office.

December 22, 1840, was soleinnized the marriage of the honored subject to Miss Rach- acl Clayburg, daughter of Isaac Clayburg, of Ashland, Ohio, he having been a native of York county, Pa. Mrs. Swineford was born in that county of the old Keystone state and accompanied her father on his emigration to Ashland county, Ohio, where Mr. Clayburg attained prestige as one of the pioneer settlers and most honored citizens of that section. Mr. Mr. and Mrs. Swineford became the parents of five children, viz: Benjamin C .; Lawrence R. ; Mary A. ; wife of Orlando D. Swartout, of Van Wert, and Charles M., whose death occurred in infancy, and Henry, deceased. Mrs. Swine- ford survives her husband and lives to hold in perpetual regard and honor the memory of the one whose name she bears and who represented

in his domestic life the truest virtues and the utmost devotion to those who placed depend- ence upon him. High upon the scroll of the honored pioneers of Van Wert will ever be in- scribed the name of Simeon Swineford.

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$OHN C. ALBRIGHT, one of the wealthiest and most influential farmers of Union township, Van Wert county. Ohio, and a veteran of the late Civil war, is a son of Solomon and Margaret (Cramer) Albright, and was born in Marion county, Ohio, in 1842. Solomon was a na- tive of Schuylkill county, Pa., born in 1809. and a boy when he came to Ohio with a brother, on whose farm in Fairfield county they lived until 1836, when he entered eighty acres and lived thereon until 1870, then sold and purchased his present farm, adjoining. His wife was born in Fairfield county, Chio, in 1815, a daughter of Benjamin and Mar- garet Cramer, of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, and they were married in 1834, eleven chil- dren being the result, of whom six are still liv- ing, viz: Henry Il., of Michigan; John C . our subject; William and Silas, of Paulding county, Ohio; Samuel, farmer and stock raiser of Morrow county, Ohio, and Amanda, wife of Jaines Wescott, of Marion county, Ohio.

John C. Albright was reared a farmer, and after four years of farming on his own account in Marion county came to Union township. Van Wert county, and purchased eighty acres of land, to which he has since added eighty acres, and has also bought eighty acres in Paulding county, adjoining: his home place is now one of the finest in the county, having 3,000 rods of tile drainage. December 9. 1861, Mr. Albright enlisted in company D. Eighty-second Chio volunteer infantry. under Capt. John S. Riggs, and was mustered into service at Kenton, Ohio, December 31, 1861.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

under James Cantwell. They left Keaton January 25, 1862, and the next day crossed the Ohio river and camped, on the 27th, at Graf- ton, West Va .; March IS, they left by rail, and on the 19th marched to Pittsburg and Franklin; April 10 they fought the battle of McDowell, returned to Franklin and skir- mished with the enemy on the 12th. May 25, they joined Fremont's expedition through the Shenandoah valley and skirmished with Jack- sou's forces near Strasburg; June 1, marched through the place, thence to Woodstock and to Mount Jackson, and on the 4th reached Harris- burg; June 8 they went to Cross Keys, on the 9th fought the battle of Port Republic; on the roth reached Harrisburg, and the 11th New Market, thence to Perryville. August 8th they went to Culpeper and fought under Gen. Sigel; from 7th to 12th went by Port Royal and Luray to Robinson's Ferry; 13th and 14th, marched to Rapahannock Station, where they took part in that battle; September 19th camped at Arling- ton Heights, and the 25th at Fairfax C. H. ; November 5th, at Gainsville, and the 18th re- turned to Fairfax C. H. ; thence went to Janc- tion and Leesburg and Edwards' Ferry, and crossed the Potomac; January 25th, the fol- lowing year, they went to Emnettsburg, Md., and July 1-3 participated in the battle of Get- tysburg; September 29, reached Bridgeport. Ala .; October 1, reached Wauhatchie; thence inarched to Missionary Ridge, when a battle was fought. November 29, was at Knoxville, Tenn. ; thence went to Lookout Mountain; Jan- hary 10, 1864. he started home on a furlough as a veteran, and reached Columbus, Ohio, January 21; February 26, returned to the fiekl. reaching Bridgeport, Ala., March 3: from there went to Chattanooga. where a battle was fought; thence to Chickamauga, Resaca, Dalton, Peach Tree Creek, New Hope, Lost and Kenesaw Mountains, Atlanta and Savanah; from there crossed to South Carolina, thence to Beaton-

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 65

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