USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 37
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
At the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, the organization of the Ohio national guard was effected. Col. Marble was assigned to the command of the Allen county regiment, and retained this command to the close of the war. This regiment, having been consolidated with the Hocking county regiment, and numbered as the One Hundred and Fifty-first regiment, Ohio national guard, was mustered into the Federal service, ordered to the department of Washington, and stationed at Washington, during the summer of 1864. Col. Marble was first assigned to the command of Forts Sumter. Simmons, Stevens and Mansfield. Later he was given command of the second brigade, Haskins division, Twenty-second army corps; and Forts Reno and Kearney, and batteries Smead, Cameron, Parrott and Vermont. It was the fortune of this brigade, while under his command, to assist in repelling the attack of Gen. Early upon the defenses of the national capital and retard his advance until the arrival of the Sixth army corps.
554
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Col. Marble was married, in 1861, to Miss Mary L. Coleman, the second daughter of Dr. Guilford D. Coleman, and of Myrilla Skinner, his wife. She died in 1865, leaving one son -- Guilford L. Marble. In May, 1870, he was married to Elizabeth Emerson, eldest daughter of Dr. Charles Emerson, and Margaret Bay- man, his wife. Two sons and one daughter were born to them-John Emerson, Elizabeth Dana and William Carey. Since October, 1888, Col. Marble has maintained his residence in Los Angeles, Cal., and has been president of the National bank of California, at Los Angeles, since October, 1889.
UILFORD LIONEL MARBLE, son of Col. John M. C. and Mary L. Marble, is recognized as one of the representative members of the bar of Van Wert county and as one of the most pro- gressive and enterprising citizens of Van Wert, where he remains to represent the name of his honored father. Mr. Marble was born in Del- phos, Allen county, Ohio, September 27, 1862, receiving his preliminary education in the public schools. Thereafter he was able to secure most excellent scholastic advantages, being a student in turn at the college of New Jersey, Princeton, N. J .; the Ohio Wesleyan university, at Delaware, Ohio, and the univer- sity of Wooster, Ohio. Having determined to devote his attention to the legal profession, he began his technical preparations in 1880, when he entered the office of J. K. O'Neal, at Lebanon, Ohio. Shortly after he entered the office of Irvine, Brice (Senator Brice) & Hackedorn, at Lima, Ohio, under whose effective preceptorship he contin- ued his studies until his admission to the bar, when, the firm was reorganized and he became a member of the same, under the asso-
ciate title of Hackedorn, Wheeler & Marble, and while a member of this distinguished legal firm established an enviable reputation.
Our subject's first important work in the line of his profession was a settlement of the affairs of the Lima Car works, the adjustment of the affairs of said corporation having been placed in his hands when it failed, in 1884. In 1885 Mr. Marble returned to Van Wert and became identified with the Cincinnati, Jack- son & Mackinaw railroad, as general counsel of the company from 1886 until 1888. In 1885. also, he was made vice-president of the Edi- son Mutual Telegraph company, continuing in that connection until the company was ab- sorbed by the Western Union Telegraph com- pany. In 1890 Mr. Marble reorganized and re-established the Electric Light works at Van Wert, and has also considerable oil interests in Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio. He has ever maintained a lively interest in all that pertains to legitimate municipal improve- ments and to the conservation of public inter- ests, being known as an alert and progressive young business man, whose counsel is to be relied upon as wise and duly conservative. In his political affiliations Mr. Marble is suffi- ciently well thought of by his party to have been made a delegate from his congressional district to the republican national convention, at Minneapolis, 1892.
Mr. Marble is a man of high professional at- tainments and strong intellectuality, while his personality is of that sort that has gained for him a distinctive popularity. He has been twice married; first, in December, 1887, to Miss Lenora Sherwood, by whom he had one daughter, Katherine, born April 8, 1891. In September, 1894, he was married to Cora M. DePuy, a highly accomplished young lady of Van Wert, and this union has been blessed by the birth of one son, named John Mckinley. born December 13, 1895.
555
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
ILLIAM M. MILTENBERGER, of the firin of Miltenberger & Son, wholesale and retail dealers in wines and liquors, Main street, Van Wert, Ohio, was born on the Atlantic ocean, October 29, 1857, while his parents, Peter J. and Eliz- abeth Miltenberger, were on the voyage from Germany to America. Peter J. Miltenberger was born in Prussia, November 23, 1825, and the birth of his wife took place, in the same country, November 18, 1831. They became the parents of nine children, born in the fol- lowing order: William M., our subject: Jacob, of Harrison township; Katie, wife of George Oglesbee, of Kansas City, Mo .; Lizzie, mar- ried to George Williamson, of Van Wert county, Ohio; Peter, of the same county; Adam, of Van Wert city; Martin and two younger children, deceased-all natives of Van Wert county, save our subject. Peter J. Mil- tenbeger and his wife, on their arrival in this country, settled at once (in 1857) in Harrison township, Van Wert county, Ohio, where the father followed farming until 1874, when he moved to the city of Van Wert with his family and engaged in merchandising, in which he continued alone until 1892, when his son, William M., became his partner. The father is now retired from active business, and is liv- ing on his handsome inconie. With his wife he is a member of the German church, and in politics he is a stanch democrat.
William M. Miltenberger was reared in Van Wert county and educated in its common schools. He made his home with his father until his marriage, May 14, 1880, with Miss Nettie Moyer, who was born in Darke county, Ohio, in 1854. Upon marrying he settled in the city and was employed in a saw-mill until 1882, when he engaged in merchandising, which he followed, on his own account, until 1892, when, as stated above, he became a partner with his father, and is now the general
manager for the firm. He is the owner of a fine farm of 160 acres, beside valuable city property, and has a large circle of acquaint- ances, among whoni he is very popular. In politics he is a democrat.
ILLIAM TAYLOR MITCHENER, county recorder, with his residence in Van Wert city, was born in New Lexington, Highland county, Ohio, February 20, 1850, a son of John and Eliza J. (Johnson) Mitchener, the former of whom was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1816, was a son of Benjamin and Ann (Brown) Mitchener. Benjamin, here mentioned, the grandfather of William Taylor Mitchener, was also born in Chester county, Pa., but back of him the antecedents of the Mitchener family cannot be traced, although it is known that Benjamin was of Scotch-Irish lineage, was reared a farmer in the county of his birth, was there married, and there he and wife died. In their religious connection the parents were Quakers, and the male members of the family were whigs in politics until the formation of the republican party, when they united with the latter. John Mitchener, son of Benjamin and father of William T. Mitchener, was reared on the home farm in Chester county, Pa., until he was nineteen years of age, when he came to Ohio and located in Highland county, where he married, and where he worked at cabinet- making and engaged in undertaking until 1863. when he enlisted in company M. Eighth Ohio cavalry, and served until the close of the war. when he was honorably discharged. He had the misfortune of being captured by the enemy during his term of service and of being confined in the rebel prisons of Libby and Belle Isle. but not for any great length of time. On his return to Ohio he settled at Staunton, Fayette county, where he has since lived in retirement.
----
------
556
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Mrs. Eliza J. (Johnson) Mitchener is a native of Highland county, Ohio, and a daughter of William and Jane B. (Dowden) Johnson, natives of Virginia, and to this union have been born the following children : Henry C., who was in the same regiment with his father, and died in Salisbury prison; William T., our sub- ject ; John H., of Staunton, Ohio; Sarah A., wife of Tasso Post, of Fayette county, Ohio; Phillip S., of Michigan; U. S. Grant, of Val- paraiso, Ind., and Fannie, wife of Frank Weaver, decorator and contractor of Colum- bus. Ohio. The parents of this family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics John Mitchener is a republican; fraternally he is a Mason, and all the family are held in very high repute.
William Taylor Mitchener was reared to manhood in Fayette county, Ohio, was edu- cated in the common schools, and remained with his parents until he reached twenty-eight years of age, when he was married in Staun- ton, Ohio, December 5, 1878, to Mrs. Harriet Sprinkle, a native of Fayette county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Isabelle (Mark) Severs. After marriage, Mr. Mitchener lo- cated on a farm near Staunton, Ohio, on which he resided until 1885, when he moved to Van Wert county; in ISS6 he became con- nected with the grange warehouse of Van Wert city, held the position of weighmaster until promoted to the superintendency, which position he held until 1892, a period of two and a half years. In the meantime, however, in 1885, he moved from Fayette county to Van Wert county, as above mentioned, and purchased eighty acres of land in Hoaglin township, which he cultivated until 1887. In 1893, he was selected by the republican party as their standard bearer, in June of the same year, in the struggle for the office of county recorder, and won a glorious victory at the polls the following fall-being elected by a
majority of 238 votes, and taking possession of the office January 1, 1894. Mr. Mitchener also served as township clerk for five years while a resident of Fayette county, and has rendered other valuable services to his party. He is the owner of a fine residence on the corner of First and North Market streets, Van Wert, and is the father of three children, viz: Fred, Frank and Bertha. ' Fraternally he is a member of the National Union and of the Knights of Pythias, and his . social position is on an equally high plane with his fraternal and political standing.
ONAS MOLLENKOPF, a substantial and respected farmer of Tully township. Van Wert county, Ohio, was born in Crawford county, in the same .state, September 28, 1834, a son of Jacob and Sarah (Mentzer) Mollenkopf. Jacob, the father, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1799, and was a son of a carpenter. He came to Amer- ica in 1817, when about eighteen years of age. landed in Philadelphia, and for five years worked on a farm near that city. He then went to New Orleans, where he worked at blacksmithing a few months, and then came to Ohio and located in Columbiana county, was married in that county about 1826 or 182;, became a farmer, and in 1829 moved to Craw- ford county, entered eighty acres of land in the woods, cleared it up and added eighty acres more; this land he sold and purchased 160 acres of improved land, on which he passed the remainder of his days, dying in 1874. He was the father of eleven children, viz: One that died in infancy, the others being named Susan, George, Jonas, John, Mary, Franklin. Alexander, Jacob, Isaac and Abraham. A !! the Mollenkopfs of Van Wert county are de- scended from Jacob, or from George, his brother. who came to America some time after the
557
* OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
former, bringing his wife. Maria. The nine children born to George and Maria, were named Mary, Frederica, Margaret, Charles, George, Jacob, Joseph and Sarah.
Jonas Mollenkopf, our subject, was reared a farmer, was educated in the common schools of Crawford county, and at the age of twenty- eight years, October, 30, 1862, married Fred- erica Meyers, daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Crum) Meyers. He followed farming in Craw- ford county until 1876, then came to Van Wert county and bought 160 acres in Tully township, on which he lived until June, 1894, when he moved to his present place near Con- voy, on which he has a substantial and beauti- ful modern residence. To Mr. and Mrs. Mol- lenkopf were born ten children, named as fol- lows: Albert G., Edward J., Clinton W., John, and James (twins), Sarah, Ella, Miller, Wil- son J. and one that died in infancy. Mrs. Mollenkopf passed from earth January 1, 1893. a sincere professor of the Presbyterian faith. Of the above named children. Albert married Rosa A. Webster, is the father of two children and is a carpenter of Convoy: Edward, a clerk in an uncle's hardware store, married Edith Webster, a sister of Rosa A., and has one child; William C., manager of the home farmn, married Nettie Stephenson, and is the father of one child. The Mollenkopfs constitute one of the most substantial and respected families of Van Wert county, and Mr. Mollenkopf is strictly a self-made man, as far as success in business is concerned.
J AMES MONTGOMERY, representative farmer and stock-raiser of Pleasant township and an ex official of Van Wert county, Ohio, is descended paternally from Irish ancestry. his grandfather, James Montgomery, having been born in the Emerald isle about the year 1765. Thinking
that the new world afforded better opportuni- ties for a young man than his native country, James Montgomery came to the United States in an early day and settled in Washington county, Pa., where for some time he operated a flouring-mill, being by trade a millwright. Subsequently, in ISo8, he moved to Columbiana county, Ohio, and founded a home in the al- most unbroken wilderness, and for several years thereafter acted well his part as a pio- neer, surrounded by wild beasts and scarcely less wild men. He was a Presbyterian of the most orthodox type, lived the remainder of his life in the state and county of his adoption, and died at the advanced age of eighty-five years. .
John Montgomery, son of the above and father of the subject of this biography, was born in Washington county in 1798, and was a lad of nine years when brought by his par- ents to the frontier home in Ohio. When a young man he engaged in the river trade. making a number of trips with produce boats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. He aban- doned this business about the year 1825 and purchased a farm, upon which he lived until his death, in 1881. In 1825 he married Sarah Poe, daughter of Andrew and Mary (Hoy) Poe, and became the the father of the follow- ing children: Andrew (deceased), James, Nancy. Joseph (deceased) Eleanor (wife of John Mc- Coy), Elizabeth (wife of William McCoy), Sarah J. (wife of George F. Huston). John M., and Rachel (wife of George Gaston). Mrs. Sarah Montgomery was born in Columbiana county in the year 1800; her father was a na- tive of Pennsylvania and a pioneer of Colum- biana and Stark counties, Ohio, in the latter of which his death occurred about the year 1850. Mrs. Montgomery was a woman of deep piety and belonged to the Presbyterian church, in which her husband was for many years, a ruling elder.
558
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
James Montgomery, the leading events of whose life here follow, was born December 20, 1829, in Columbiana county, in the common schools of which he received a limited knowl- edge of the English branches, and later pur- sued his studies in a select school at the town of Calcutta. He received his first lessons in practical life on the farm, and remained with his father until 1854, when he came to Van Wert county and purchased his present place in Pleasant township, the land at that time being covered with a dense wildwood. In due time the forest giants fell beneath the sturdy strokes of his ax, and within a few years, his labors were rewarded with a good farm, which has since become one of the most beautiful and valuable country homes in the county. This place had been entered by his father as early as the year 1838. In 1854 Mr. Montgomery was married to Ann Eliza Gilliland, daughter of Gordon and Margaret (Lawson) Gilliland, a union blessed with eight children: Josephine, deceased; John V., deceased; Mary, wife of Columbus Huston; Edgar; Sarah, wife of William Duprey; Andrew B., Oscar, and Joseph, who was killed by a stroke of light- ning June 24, 1895.
Mr. Montgomery sustains the reputation of being one of Van Wert county's most honor- able and respectable citizens, and at different times has been called to fill positions of re- spectability, and never proved unworthy of the trust reposed in him. In 1860 he was elected a member of the board of county commission- ers, the duties of which he discharged faithfully and conscientiously for a period of four years, and in 1877 he was further honored by being elected treasurer of Van Wert county, which office he filled two terms to the entire satisfac- tion of the public. Later he acted in the capacity of deputy treasurer one year, and it is universally conceded that the county never had a more capable, painstaking and popular
public servant. Mr. Montgomery subscribes to the creed of the Presbyterian church; his daily life has ever been in harmony with the faith he professes, and he contributes liberally of his means for the promotion of all moral and religious movements, having for their ob- ject the upbuilding of the community to a higher plane of living. In his business affairs, Mr. Montgomery has exercised excellent judg- ment, and while broad-minded and liberal, has succeeded in accumulating a comfortable for- tune, owning a valuable farm of 326 acres within a short distance of Van Wert-a most beautiful and comfortable home, where genu- ine old-time hospitality is dispensed with a liberal hand; enterprising, progressive and popular with all, Mr. Montgomery may well feel proud of the place he occupies in the esteem of his fellow-citizens of Van Wert county.
J AMES E. MONTGOMERY, the gentle- manly postmaster of the city of Van Wert, was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, July 27, 1860, a son of James and Ann Eliza (Gilliland) Montgomery, of whom further mention is made within the covers of this volume. James E. Montgomery was rearedto the ennobling vocation of agriculture in Pleasant township on his father's farm, and was educa- ted in the common schools of his district, ac- quiring sufficient knowledge for the practical transaction of all business demands. At the age of eighteen he became an assistant to his father, who was then the county treasurer, and remained in the office until 1881, and was then united with his father in farming until IS91. when he came to the city of Van Wert and en- tered upon the duties of weighmaster in the grange warehouse, which position he filled un- til commissioned postmaster, January 27. 1894 -his able deputy being C. H. Brown, and his
559
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
general assistants Miss E. M. Scott and Miss Susie Haines-and the duties of this office were never before more satisfactorily pre- formed.
Mr. Montgomery was united in matrimony March 26, 1886, in the city of Van Wert, with Miss Clara Harnly, who was born in Van Wert county, April 21, 1862, a daughter of Levi and Millie (Morse) Harnly, and to this union were born three children, named Edna, James G., and Edgar M .- but Mr. Mont- gomery had the sad misfortune of losing his life partner April 14, 1892. She was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church, was fondly attached to her home and family and greatly respected by her numerous friends, who sorrowfully deposited her earthly remains in the Woodlawn cemetery. Mr. Montgomery also has a host of friends who delight to do him honor. He is courteous and affable, of fine personal appearance, and quite prominent in city affairs in general.
S AMUEL S. BURTSFIELD, an at- torney of Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Richland county, Ohio, October 25, 1861, and is a son of John and Matilda (Shoup) Burtsfield, now residents of Union township, Van Wert county, in which township they settled when our subject was eleven years of age, and where the latter was reared to manhood on the home farmi and at- tended the country schools. In 1883 Samuel S. entered Wittenberg college of Springfield, Ohio, graduated in June, 1888, and at once entered upon the study of law under Saltzgaber & Glenn, with the former of whom he re- mained until he was admitted to the bar in 1890, since which time he has devoted his attention to the practice of law. Mr. Burts- field, June 17, 1891, married Miss Eudora Thomas, a native of Maryland, born in 1869,
and daughter of O. J. and Anna (Gray) Thomas, and this union has been rendered the more happy by the birth of a daughter-Mary Marguerite. Mr. and Mrs. Burtsfield are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Burts- field, as a lawyer, is recognized as competent and trustworthy.
a S. G. MOORE, a retired farmer of Van Wert county, was born May I, 1825. He is a son of Joseph W. Moore, who was born in Westmore- land county, Pa., in 1786. Having a natural aptitude for the carpenter's trade, he began to work at that vocation at a very early age, and followed it successfully until 1830. He then bought a farm in Franklin county, Ohio, and became a farmer for the remainder of his life, also meeting with success in this calling. His death occurred November 16, 1862.
Joseph W. Moore was married three times -first, to Elizabeth Mccutchen, of Pennsyl- vania, at Greensburg. To this marriage there were born two children, viz: James and William, both of whom are now deceased- William dying in infancy and James in 18;3. The mother of these two children died in Pennsylvania in ISto. Mr. Moore was mar- ried, the second time, to Miss Elizabeth Jones, of Jefferson county, Pa., and by her he had one child, David, still living near Brookville, Jefferson county, Pa. Mr. Moore's second wife died in 1812, and he was married, the third time, to Miss Rhodie Grant, of Gettys- burg, Pa. To this marriage there were born ten children, as follows: Jane, Joseph, Sarah. John, Elizabeth, William, Mary, Isaac, Cath- erine and Jane. Just one-half of these children are living, viz: John, William, Isaac, Cath- erine and Jane. The father of these children was a democrat in politics and served as justice of the peace in Franklin county, Ohio. He
560
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
served in the war of 1812 as a brave, patriotic soldier. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was in every way an upright, honorable man.
W. S. G. Moore born in Franklin county, Ohio, and resided with his parents until the war of the Rebellion broke out. On May I, 1864, he enlisted in company B, One Hundred and Thirty-third Ohio voluntary infantry, and and served under Gen. Franz Sigel. When he left home for the war he had no money to leave his wife for her support and that of the children, but supplied her as well as he could out of his soldier's pay. He was at the time thirty-nine years old, and he had a family of seven children. He was wounded at Buffalo Gap, Va., but would not stop fighting, contin- uing in the fight till the battle was over. He was also wounded in the battle of Petersburg, Va., and was digcharged August 18, 1864. He is now receiving a pension of $30 per month, and when his claim was granted he received $1, 350 back pension. He is also suffering from a slight stroke of paralysis.
On August 9, 1843, he was married to Miss Amanda M. Butler, of Van Wert, Ohio, by whom he became the father of thirteen chil- dren, viz: Rosa, William F., Mary E., J. J., C. J., David, Charles, Amanda, Marion E., Alice E., Louis V., Isaac and A. W. Seven of these children are still living. Mr. Moore was in the early days a whig, but upon the organi- zation of the republican party he became a re- publican, and has adhered thereto ever since. In religion he is a Methodist, and lives con- sistently with his profession.
Amanda M. Butler, wife of Mr. Moore, was born in 1830. Her father, James, was born in Culpeper county, Va., and followed farming for a livelihood all his life. He was married to Elizabeth Baumgardner, and to their mar- riage there were born ten children, viz: James, Nancy, Adrian, Amanda M., William
H .; Elizabeth, Eliza, John, Washington and Mary. Amanda M. Butler, who married Mr. Moore, and who died in Van Wert, January 9, 1893, was born in Franklin county, Ohio, and was a member of the Friends' society. She was a modest, and good woman, wife and mother, respected by all who knew her, and her mem- ory is revered by all. Mr. Moore, now living retired from active business life, has always been an honorable, upright man, and is held in high esteem by the community in which he lives. He has won for himself a name which he will bequeath to his posterity, and which they will doubtless transmit, which is an honor to himself, to his family and to mankind in general.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.