USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 15
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 15
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George M. Hoaglin laid the foundation of his education in the common schools of his na- tive county, and supplemented this by enter- ing, in 1881, the Northern Indiana Normal school at Valparaiso, where he took a course of scientific studies, including teaching and civil engineering, and was graduated there- from in 1886. In the intervals between his studies he taught in the common schools of Van Wert county from ISSt to 1886, and then for a year engaged in book canvassing, which proved an excellent school for a business train- ing. He then engaged in civil engineering in the office of Geyer Bros., at Paulding, Ohio, and while with this firm received the appoint- ment of school examiner for the county of Van Wert, a position he resigned two years later, in 1890, having been elected during the inter- val, in 1888, superintendent of the public
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
schools of Scott-which office he also resigned in 1890. He then went back to Paulding and engaged in civil engineering; in 1891 he was elected city engineer, served until 1893, and then returned to Scott, where he entered into the hardware business with his brother-in-law, Edgar C. Schnorf. The same year he was ap- pointed school examiner of Paulding county, and still holds that position.
The marriage of Mr. Hoaglin took place March 28, 1889, to Miss Jennie G. Schnorf, a school-teacher, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, March 5, 1870, a daughter of William C. and Mary E. (Renner) Schnorf, now of Paulding. To this congenial union have been born two children-Burton R. and Georgia N. The father of Mrs. Hoaglin, William C. Schnorf, was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1834, a son of Jacob, a native of Pennsylvania and a pioneer of Ohio. He was a gentleman of extensive means and was twice married- his second wife being Mahala Brandon, of Butler county, Ohio, who became the mother of eighteen children, of whom William C. was the third son. The father of this large family died in Montgomery county in 1858, and hon- ored and respected citizen. William C. Schnorf was reared a farmer and was educated in the common schools of Montgomery county. In 1861 he married Mary E. Renner, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, April 29, 1844, a daughter of Emanuel and Sarah (Cecil) Ren- ner, the union resulting in the birth of four children, viz: Dolia, wife of Edward Hahn, of Mandale, Ohio; Colfax, a hardware mer- chant of Cloverdale, Ohio; Edgar C., of the hardware firm of Hoaglin & Schnorf. Scott, Ohio, and Jennie G., now Mrs. G. M. Hoag- lin. Mr. and Mrs. William C. Schnorf are members of the United Brethren church, and after marriage resided in Preble county until 1887, when they removed to Panlding county, where they still reside, being among the most
highly respected members of their community. Mr. Schnorf is a republican in is politics, and as a farmer is recognized as one of the most skillful in the county.
Mr. and Mrs. Hoaglin are prominent mem- bers of the Paulding Methodist Episcopal church, and he is also an active member of the Van Wert lodge of Freemasons. In politics he is an ardent democrat, was elected mayor of Scott in 1894, and May 6, 1895, was unani- mously re-elected superintendent of the schools of Scott. He is an energetic and enterprising gentleman, and has made a success of his chosen line of trade, and holds the confidence and esteem of all with whom he is associated.
HE HOAGLIN FAMILY of Van Wert county, Ohio, descended from Aaron Hoaglin of Pennsylvania, who was among the earliest pioneers of Jefferson county, and later of Richland coun- ty, Ohio, and still later entered 240 acres of government land in Van Wert county, which in after years was settled upon by his sons, he dying in Putnam county about 1840. Aaron, ssn of this pioneer, was born in Jefferson coun- ty, Ohio, in 1799, and lived in Richland county until October, 1839, when he came to Van Wert county and settled on the wild land entered by his father, there being at that time only five log cabins in the present city of that name. In his honor was the township of Hoaglin so named. He was an active demo- crat, held many local offices, and died in 1864. in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was a prominent member. His widow, who had born the maiden name of Sarah Emery, was born in 1807 and was mar- ried at the age of twenty years. She became the mother of eight children, viz: One who died unnamed, Rozella, Nicholas D., David E., Edith, Elizabeth A., Enoch M. and Me-
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
lissa. She, also was an earnest worker in the Methodist church and died in 1874.
David E. Hoaglin, father of George M. Hoaglin, was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1832, and when six years of age was brought to Van Wert county by his parents. Here he grew to manhood on his father's farm, and is now the owner of 120 acres, which he has cleared, underdrained and otherwise so im- proved that it ranks among the best farms of its size in the county. In politics he is a stanch democrat and has held the offices of district clerk and township trustee, in both positions giving entire satisfaction. He has been three times married; first, January 31, 1856, to Elizabeth Snyder, daughter of John and Catherine (Nunnamaker) Snyder, and to this .union were born the following children: Harriet A., wife of Haxton P. Borrow, of Van Wert; William, deceased; Horace M., de- ceased; Catherine M. J., wife of James Davis, a farmer of Union township; George M .; John A., deceased; Francis E., a farmer of Union township; David M., deceased, and an infant, deceased. Mrs. Elizabeth Hoaglin was a devout member of the Methodist church, in which she took a deep interest, and in the faith of which she passed away April 10, 1866, her loss being keenly felt by her fel- low church members and in the home circle. February, 1873, Mr. Hoaglin chose for his sec- ond helpmate Miss Almira J. Curren, who was born January 6, 1843, a daughter of Jesse and Catherine Curren, of Morrow county, and to this union were born five children, viz: Archie E., Jesse E., Clyde L., Ada C. and Winona M., all at school. This wife was also a con- sistent member of the Methodist church, and died, much lamented. September 15, 1887. The third marriage of Mr. Hoaglin took place December 26, 1888, to Miss Maggie J. Haynes, who was born January 1, 1846, a daughter of Samuel and Nancy (Braddish) Haynes, natives
of Vermont and early pioneers of Hardin county, Ohio. This lady also is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, with which her husband has been identified since early manhood, and in which he holds a high position-contributing liberally of his means to its support. Mr. Hoaglin is one of the most enterprising farmers of Union town- ship; he is a useful citizen and holds the confi- dence and esteem of a large circle of friends and of the public at large.
J ACOB HOELLE, one of the most re- putable citizens of Convoy, Van Wert county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier, is a native of Germany. having been born in Leidringen, Wurtemberg, February 2, 1834. a son of Jacob and Mary (Stein) Hoelle. He attended the schools of Wurtemberg until he reached the age of fourteen years, and was em- ployed in rustic occupations until twenty, when he came to America, in 1854, reaching Miamisburg, Ohio, direct, where he at once engaged at farm work. Here he married Mary, daughter of John Jacob and Mary B. (Houser) Rumple, to which union have been born eight children, of whom four died while still young and four lived to maturity, the latter being named John G., Jacob F., Christina H. and Anna B. At Willshire, Van Wert county, he enlisted, in September, 1862, and was mustered into company G, Twentieth Ohio volunteer infantry, October 6, 1862, for nine months. under Capt. Uptegraff, and served until hon- orably discharged at Vicksburg, Miss., Au- gust 13, 1863, his term having exceeded ten months. In August, 1864. he re-enlisted for one year, or during the war, at Lima, Ohio, in company F, Sixty-fourth Ohio infantry, under Capt. Norman K. Brown, of Van Wert, and served until his discharge at Camp Parker, near Nashville, Tenn., in August, 1865, the
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY .
war being then closed. His service to his adopted country reached the term of nearly twenty-two months, including his two enlist- ments, and the engagements in which he took part were those at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hill, Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin and others. At Franklin Mr. Hoelle's regiment went in with 397 men and caine out with 274, and this was the hardest fight in which he had an experience. At this battle, in a bayonet charge, to capture a bat- tery, a ball struck his knapsack and lodged in a pair of stockings, and he was also clubbed over the head with a musket and partially stunned; with these exceptions he suffered no other casualities, saving a confinement in the hospital for two months from chronic diarrhoea during his first term of service. After the war was over, Mr. Hoelle returned to Van Wert county and bought eighty acres of land in the woods, two miles north of Convoy, of which he cleared off twenty-seven acres, then sold and moved into town, entered into mer- cantile business, made for himself a good name, and considerable wealth, and is now retired. He and wife are members of the Lutheran church and in politics he is a democrat. He has always been a straightforward man, and has won the respect of all who know him.
ILSON FLETCHER HIRE, of Van Wert, Ohio, formerly a most exten- sive dealer in tobacco and cigars, and now in the grocery trade, was born in Van Wert county May 6, 1847, and is a son of Jeremiah and Sarah (Summersett ) Hire. The father was born in Clarke county, Ohio, February 22, 1818, and was a son of Abraham Hire, a native of Germany, the for- mer born in 1795. He and wife came to America separately, met in New York, and were there married in (812, and located in'
western Pennsylvania, where they lived on a "farm until 1834, when they came to Van Wert county, Ohio, and cleared up a farm in Wash- ington township, on which they resided until called from earth. They were the parents of six children, named Mary, Jeremiah, John, Elijah, Peter and Josiah.
The father of our subject, Jeremiah Hire, was sixteen years old when he came with his parents to Van Wert county, and here he re- sided with them on the frontier farm until twenty-one years of age. when he went to farming in Washington township, worked hard until 1892, when he retired to Van Wert and died in peace in May, 1894, leaving 120 acres of finely improved land. His marriage took place in Washington township, 1843, to Sarah Summersett, who was born in West Virginia January 13, 1822, a daughter of John and Rachael ( Shillenbarger ) Summersett, and by this union were born the following children: Mary J., wife of Charles Davis, of Ridge township; John A., deceased: Wilson F., our subject; Loraine E., married to Charles Crosby. a merchant of Van Wert; Rachael A., wife of John Addison, an employee of the Standard Oil company at Van Wert; M. R., a stave manufacturer; William G., chief clerk for Lewis .Graves, proprietor of the "Hub" gro- cery; Frances, deceased; Lucy, wife of James Davis, of Ridge township; and Lincoln, Sulli- van and Ophelia, all three deceased. The mother and father of this family died respect- ively January 27, 1870, and May 15, 1894. both respected members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Wilson Fletcher Hire was reared on the farm in Washington township and remained with his parents until 1865, and then went to work in the Eagle Stave works, laboring until March, 1885. when, with a capital of $25. he embarked in the tobacco business in a smal! room on North Washington street: July 15,
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WILSON F. HIRE.
321-322
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
1887, he moved to South Washington street, and in May, 1894, secured the fine large room adjoining the Marsh hotel, where he carried a stock valued at $15,000, and did a large whole- sale trade in northern Ohio and eastern Indi- ana, and also a retail trade that required the constant attention of one salesman. Mir. Hire was first married in Van Wert, April 7, 1872, to Mary C. Bowers, a native of Allen county, Ohio, born April 6, 1851, and to this union were born three children, viz: Carrie C. (deceased), Lola (deceased), and Hazel. The mother of these children was called to her last rest January 15, 1892. Mr. Hire is a member of the I. O. R. M., of the National Union and of the I. O. O. F., and in his poli- tics is a republican. He has been industrious, enterprising and sagacious in his business, now owns considerable real estate, and is emphatic- ally a self-made man. On June 6, 1895, Mr. Hire sold his tobacco business, and November 28 purchased one-half interest in the grocery and provision trade with L. E. Crosby, and under the firm name of Crosby & Hire. March IS, 1896, Mr. Hire was united in marriage with Elizabeth M. Erler, a native of Van Wert.
ELCINA C. HOGHE, widow of Clement R. Hoghe, and daughter of William A. and Nellie (Jones) War- ner, is a native of Tennessee, where her birth occurred March 22, 1843. The father was a native of North Carolina and a son of Frederick Warner, a descendant of an early English family of that state and a tailor by occupation. William A. Warner was reared and educated at Winston, N. C., and when young learned the tailor's trade with his father, who was a skillful workman. After becoming proficient in his trade he went to Sullivan county, Tenn., where, in (841, he married Nellie Jones, who bore him the follow-
ing children : Delcina C .; Penelope A., wife of Gideon Miller; Decatur F., of Richmond, Ind. ; Mrs. Mary Miller and William A., all deceased except Decatur and the subject of this sketch. In 1848 Mr. Jones returned to his home in North Carolina, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in the town of Winston in 1852. He was a man of deep re- ligious convictions, belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church, and succeeded well in his business affairs, leaving his family a comforta- ble share of this world's goods. In 1857 Mrs. Nellie Jones entered into the marriage relation with Thomas Fetter, of North Carolina, by whom she had one child, a daughter, Alice (deceased). Mr. Jones was born about the year 1820 and was called from the scene of his early labors in March, 1868.
Delcina C. Warner received a good educa- tion at Salem academy, Winston, N. C., and after the death of her father, which sad event occurred when she was ten years of age, made her home for some time with an uncle, Henry Runnager. In June, 1865, she went to the town of Hope, Ind., where the year following she was united in marriage to Clement R. Hoghe, a union blessed with the birth of seven children, whose names are as follows : Harry WV., of Van Wert: Carrie W., of Pleasant township: Perry R .. who resides on the home farm; Nettie E., Terry D. : Abraham C and. Princess L.
Clement R. Hoghe was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, in 1843, and was a son of Abra- ham and Eliza (Caldwell Hoghe, both parents of German descent and early pioneers of the above county. When a small boy Mr. Hoghe was brought by his parents to the county of Van Wert. in the common schools of which he. acquired a fair English education, and, until the breaking out of the late Civil war, assisted his father on the farm. In 1862 he entered the army, enlisting in October of that year in.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
company B, Tenth Ohio cavalry, with which he served for sometime in the eastern army and afterward saw much active service in Tennessee, Georgia and other states. During his period of service he participated in some of bloodiest battles of the war, including Gettys- burg, Nashville, Jonesboro, Chickamauga, Lost Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, and numerous other engagements of the Atlanta campaign, in all of which his conduct was that of a gallant defender of the nation's honor. He was early wounded at Mossy Creek, and at the close of the war was honorably discharged in 1865. On quitting the service Mr. Hoghe returned to Van Wert county and engaged in the pursuit of agriculture, which he followed with en- couraging success until his death, which oc- curred on the 21st day of November, 1893. In all the essentials of true manhood Mr. Hoghe was not wanting, and few citizens of Pleasant township stood as high in the estimation of the people as he. He wielded an influence for the democratic party, the principles of which he ever intelligently defended, and more than once was honored by his fellow-citizens with official positions, in the discharge of the duties of which he proved himself worthy of the con- fidence reposed in him. He belonged to the G. A. R., was an active worker in the Van Wert grange, of which his wife was also a
. member, and in his death his family lost a kind husband and indulgent father, and the com- munity one of its most esteemed and highly respected citizens.
J AMES M. HOMAN, grocer, flour and feed merchant, of Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, May 8, 1855, a son of Emanuel and Salome ( Yockey ) Homan, natives of Washington county, Pa. Emanuel Homan was one of the pioneers of Wayne county, where he followed
the vocation of stationary engineer until his death in 1877, having lost his wife February I, 1870. Of the ten children born to these par- ents, seven still survive, viz: Eber ( of In- diana ), Martha, Eliza, William J., Henry, Caroline and James M. The parents were con- sistent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church; in politics the father was a republican and served 100 days in the Union service in the late war.
: James M. Homan left his parental roof in Wayne county at the age of fourteen years, went to learn the miller's trade with Reuben Sellers, at Dalton, Ohio, and with him re- mained until he was twenty years of age, hav- ing become proficient in his trade: he then went to Toledo, Ohio, where he was employed in milling until 1877, when he went to Massil- lon, Ohio, where he was employed in a mill until ISS1, when he moved to Warsaw, Ind., where he lived until 1885, and then came to Van Wert, and was employed in the Union mills until 1894, when he opened his flour, feed and grocery store on Main street, in the old court-house building, where he has built up a good trade, carrying, as he does, a well selected stock of general groceries.
The marriage of Mr. Homan took place at Dalton, Wayne county, Ohio, December 15. 1878, to Miss Minnie J. Stager, who was born in Jonestown, Lebanon county, Pa., August 15, 1862, a daughter of Henry and Mary ( Roebuck ) Stager. This happy marriage has been blessed by the birth of three children. born in the following order: Roy C., Septem- ber 23, 1879; James Frank, August 1I, ISSI, and Mary E., March 30, 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Homan are sincere members of the'Methodist Episcopal church; Mr. Homan is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, in which he has passed all the chairs, and for the past five years has been secretary of the order: he is also a member of the Knights of Maccabees.
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منية سمارسة لحـ
WILLIAM HEATH.
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
He owns a nice home at the corner of First and Walnut streets, where his leisure hours are passed in domestic felicity, and in the enjoy- ment of social intercourse with his numerous intimate friends.
ILLIAM HEATH, an experienced and respected farmer of York town- ship, Van Wert county, is a native of Auglaize county, Ohio, and was born December 29, 1824, son of John and Nancy (Tomlin) Heath. John Heath came to what is now Van Wert county, in the year of 1836, and entered 240 acres of and in the wildest of wildernesses, which he succeeded in converting into one of the finest farms of the township, now owned by our subject. Eighty acres, however, on which our subject now re- sides were entered by an uncle, John Tomlin. William Heath, our subject, relates that his father caught many wolves, on his settlement here, and made it aprofitable business, as the government was at that time paying $4.25 for wolf scalps, although Mr. Heath was a farmer and followed that vocation until his death at the age eighty-nine years, his wife having reached four-score years. This worthy couple reared a family of four sons and five daughters. who were named, in order of birth. as follows: Lovis, Betsy, James, Jane, Melchia, Mary, Joseph, William and John, all now deceased with the exception of our subject (William), and Betsy, widow of John Bevington.
At the age of twenty-six years William Heath, the subject of this sketch, wedded Adeline Crook. She was a true and faithful helpmate and died a sincere Christian. In February, 1889, Mr. Heath took for his second wife, Mellie Devoe, and to this union were were born six children, named in order of birth as follows: Nancy, William, Harrison, Emina (deceased). Reed and James. Mr.
Heath is a prosperous farmer, now owning 1, 160 acres of land, the greater portion of which he has brought to a high state of culti- vation. Mrs. Heath is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church, with which Mr. Heath also affiliates. In politics Mr. Heath is a re- publican, and considers it his duty to vote for his party at each and every election, although he is by no means an office seeker. Mr. Heath has been one of the most enterprising citizens of York township, and has won the respect of all with whom he has come in con- tact, being especially esteemed for his honesty, and for his interest in all enterprises that would tend to the public good.
ILLIAM HENDERSON, a retired manufacturer of Van Wert, Ohio. was born near Cannonsburg, Wash- ington county, Pa., September 28, 1814, a son of William and Elizabeth Harpe) Henderson. The father, William, was also a native of the Keystone state and was reared in Washington county, there learned the wheel- wright's trade, and there married Elizabeth Harper, a native of Ireland. by whom he became the father of five children, viz: Robert, deceased: William, our subject ; Jane, Elizabeth and John, deceased. Mr. Henderson followed his trade in Pennsylvania until 1815, when he came to Ohio and settled in Jefferson county. where he died in 1857 and his wife in 1837. both devoted members of the United Presby- terian church.
William Henderson, the subject of this biographical notice, was but six months old when his parents settled in Jefferson county, where he was reared, until nineteen years of age, on the home farm; he then apprenticed himself to learn carriage and wagon making. for three years, to George Hott, his compen- sation for the whole term to be $roo and board
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and washing. When he had finished his ap- prenticeship he had saved $85 of his $100. He then assisted on the home farm for a year, and the following two years he engaged in car- riage making on his father's place; he then moved to Martinsburg, Knox county, Ohio, where he was successfully engaged in carriage and wagon manufacturing from 1840 until 1872, when he came to Van Wert county, and, in company with William Scott, established a stave and heading manufactory at Convoy, which was profitably conducted until the spring of 1873, when the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Henderson purchased the ground and erected the fine residence which he still makes his home, at the corner of Wall and Caroline streets, in the city of Van Wert. In 1874 Mr. Henderson, whose nature would never permit him to lead a life of inactivity as long as health and strength were his, and being a man of foresight and enterprise, established a factory for the making of wooden stirrups at Van Wert, which he conducted until he had the misfortune to lose his wife, when he retired.
Mr. Henderson was inarried in Knox coun- ty, Ohio, February 14, 1841, to Miss Rachael . Kerr, a native of Washington county, Pa., and a daughter of John and Sarah (Scott) Kerr. Four children were born to this union, but the fell destroyer, Death, invaded the household and carried away three of the chil- dren in infancy, and the eldest child, Sarah E., at the age of forty-six years. The wife and mother was called away in 1882, dying in the faith of the United Presbyterian church, of which she was a pious inember, and to which church Mr. Henderson also belongs.
In his earlier days Mr. Henderson was a Jacksonian democrat, but later changed his views and became an ardent republican; yet he has never been an office seeker. Mr. Hender- son formerly owned large tracts of land in Ohio, Iowa and other states, but these he has
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disposed of for other real or personal property. His present real estate consists of forty acres in Van Wert county and valuably city prop- erty, and he takes much interest in the build- ing and loan association of the city. Mr. Hen- derson has always been an enterprising and energetic business man, and is public spirited and philanthropic, and no undertaking designed for the well-being of the people of the city or county goes without help from his willing hand - or assistance from his freely opened purse.
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