USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 48
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 48
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Richard Scott was reared a farmer, and about 1839 married Margaret Lynn, daughter of James and Esther (Thongson) Lynn, the union resulting in the birth of eleven children, as follows: Mary, wife of Alonzo Crawford, of Columbus Grove; Esther, wife of William Ex-
line, formerly for thirteen years auditor of Van Wert county, but now a farmer and gen- eral superintendent of the wheel company at Delphos, Ohio; Anna, wife of the Rev. Thomas J. Harbaugh, minister of the United Bretliren church and residing on the old Scott home- stead in Putnam county; Thomas, a farmer of Allen county; James, a deceased Methodist minister of Athens, Tenn .; Samuel, a Metho- dist minister of Jackson Center, Shelby county, Ohio; John T., the subject of this memoir; Richard, deceased; Henry, a farmer of Har- din county, Ohio; Margaret, deceased: and Charles, deceased.
September 10, 1859, Richard Scott, with his family, moved to Putnam county, Ohio, where he purchased a tract of 2, 100 acres of land, on which he lived until 1875, when he purchased 160 acres near Athens, McMinn county, Tenn., where he passed the remainder of his life, dying at the age of seventy-eight years. For six years he was a minister of the Methodist church, and afterward of the United Brethren church, was a pious, eloquent and faithful worker in the Lord's vineyard, and his loss was deeply deplored by a large circle of friends and admirers, whose grief at his loss was truly heartfelt. Mrs. Margaret ( Lynn ) Scott was a native of Pennsylvania, was a daughter of James and Esther ( Thompson ). Lynn, and was but a child when brought to Ohio by her parents, who settled in Warren, then known as Preble county; she also became prominent in the Methodist Episcopal church. and later in the church of the United Brethren, while her parents were both devoted, sincere Presbyterians.
John T. Scott, the subject of our sketch, was reared on the home farm and educated in the common schools of Warren and Putnam counties, and attended one terin at Kalida. December 28, 1872, Mr. Scott married Miss Marvilla Uhrich, a native of Uhrichsville, Tus-
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
carawas county, Ohio, born June 12, 1851, and a daughter of William and Catherine (Houston) Uhrich, and this marriage has been crowned by the birth of twelve children, namely: Mittie L., Richard S., Margaret C., William H., Sina M., Anna E., Jessie I. (deceased), Fannie F., Lizzie F., Ruth, Wreath, and an infant, deceased. The father of Mrs. Scott, William Uhrich, was also boru at Uhrichsville about 1820, was there educated, and there learned the blacksmith's trade. About 1842 he married Catherine Houston, to which union were born four children, viz: Mrs. Jane Collins, of Steubenville, Ohio; Florenda, wife of John Buffington, a mechanic of Uhrichsville; Catherine, deceased wife of William McClusky, also of Uhrichsville, and Marvilla, wife of Mr. Scott, our subject. When Mrs. Scott was quite small she lost her mother, and her father married, for his second wife, Susan Meyers, who became the mother of the following children: Dula Belle, wife of Alpha Exline, of Van Wert county; William, de- ceased; Adam, a farmer of Van Wert county: Scott F., of Tuscarawas county, and Edward, of Scott, Ohio. Mr. Uhrich lived in Tuscara- was county until 1870, when he came to Van Wert county, where he passed away the re- maining years of his life. He was for more than a quarter of a century a steward and class leader in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which faith he died in 1882.
After his marriage Mr. Scott located in Putnam county, and also bought a tract of land on the Vau Wert county line, hired a surveyor and parceled the tract out in town lots, thus founding the city of Scott, and presenting to W. H. Drury, at the same time, two lots, on condition that the latter would build and en- gage in business. Mr. Scott is altogether a man of enterprise, push and energy, and now operates the largest tile factory in the county, and is moreover a self-made man. He is
thoroughly upright in all his tranactions and moral to the core, having, ever since a boy of seventeen, been a steward in the Methodist Episcopal church, and he has been the means of having organized the Methodist church at Scott, of which he has been a leader three years, as well as trustee; of this denomination, also, Mrs. Scott has been a devout member ever since girlhood. Miss Margaret Scott, daughter of the above, graduated April 9, 1895, with honors, with the first graduating class from the Scott high school, and the en- tire family have more than a local reputation for native intelligence and amiability. Cer- tainly no one person has done more to advance the business, moral and educational advantages of both Van Wert and Putnam counties than John T. Scott.
J OSEPH SCHULTZ, deceased, was a son of Joseph and Sophia (Cope) Schultz, and was born in Germany, in September, 1819. The father was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, received an excel- lent education, and was a prominent member of the Lutheran church. In January, 1843. subject married Miss Mary Foning, a daughter of Christopher and Sophia (Rose) Foning, the former of whom was born in Mecklenburg. Germany, in 1786, and died in 1844. The union of this respected couple was blessed with three children, viz: Henry, deceased; Mary, wife of subject, and an infant, deceased. Mrs. Schultz was born in Germany in 1824. was educated there and was a devoted mem- ber of the Lutheran church. In 1855 she came to America with her husband, who bought a tract of thirteen acres of land near Dayton, Ohio, and carried on farming for five years, then rented more land, and continued this vocation five years longer, utilizing both tracts. In 1865, Mr. Schultz sold his tract
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near Dayton and came to Van Wert county and bought a farm, which he cleared up, and on which he erected a modern dwelling, hav- ing heretofore lived in a house of logs. To his marriage were born the following children: Henry, of Auglaize county, deceased; Rachel, widow of George Slife, of Decatur, Ala., but now at home with her mother; Mary, wife of Chris Thompson, of Van Wert county; Joe, of Van Wert county, and an infant boy and an infant girl, deceased.
Joseph Schultz, our subject, had three brothers and two sisters, as follows: Charles, of Berlin, Germany; John, who came to Amer- ica two years after his brother, Joseph, had come, passed five or six years in Canada and then came to Van Wert county, where he died; Herman J., of Auglaize county, who came over with Joseph; Elsby, wife of John Schroeder, of Chicago, and Sophia, who died in her native Germany.
About fourteen years age our subject was kicked by a horse and for several weeks was not expected to live, but finally he recovered, yet was never a strong man again. Some four years before his death, Mr. Schultz began to complain of pain in his right arm, and for two years had it under medical treatment, and then went to Fort Wayne, where it was am- putated. His death took place, in 1869, from cancer of the lungs, two years after the am- putation had taken place-and this disorder was presumably what caused the pain in the right arm.
Mr. Shultz was in politics a democrat and was also a prominent citizen; he was a hard- working man, energetic farmer, a good pro- vider for his family, and was much respected by a large circle of friends His remains were interred in the family lot at Van Wert, and his loss was deeply deplored by his sorrowing family and neighbors. Since this sad event, Mrs. Schultz has rented out the farm, but still
makes her home on the place. Mrs. Schultz has now reached her seventy-first year, is a devout member of the Lutheran church, and is truly beloved by her family and honored by all who know her. Her aged mother, who came to this county with her, was called to her final home three years before the family left Dayton.
NDREW RICHTER, deceased, a nian of excellent characteristics, with varied experience and with varied fortune, was born in Saxony. Ger- many, October 19, 1836. As is common with most if not all of the children in his native land he early began attending school, and was graduated from one of the best schools in his home city. Afterward he took a course of study in a religious school. Thus well equipped he began the battle of life for himself, at first being employed in a soap factory for three years, and then engaging in the mercantile business for himself with gratifying success. When twenty-four years of age he left his own country for the United States, landing in New York, and coming thence directly to Mansfield. Ohio, where he was married, and near which city he settled down on a farm with his wife's parents. His wife dying, he removed to Van Wert, in 1861, where he married again, this time, Miss Louisa Bieber, in 1865. After be- ing employed as clerk for some time he again went into business on his own account, and again met with success. In 1889 he removed with his family to Willshire, Van W'ert county. where he once more engaged in business, re- inaining there until his death, which occurred August 6, 1881. Mr. Richter for some portions of his life was engaged in speculating, but in this line of activity was not uniformly success- ful; for which reason he was not so well off when he died as he probably otherwise would
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ANDREW RICHTER.
6605-666
7 x
MRS. LOUISA RICHTER.
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
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have been. He was, however, a liberal and charitable man, using this last word in its two senses, as applied to his mental attitude toward other people, and also as to the free use of his means in aid of worthy persons and worthy objects. He assisted in founding Saint Peter's Evangelical church of Van Wert, of which he was a consistent member; and other institu- tions and causes found in him a ready helper in time of need. Politically he was a democrat.
Mr. Richter and his second wife were the parents of four children, viz: Emma, Anna, William and Oscar, all of whom are living but Emma, who died October 16, 1895, in Del- phos, Ohio. Emma Richter was a most ex- cellent young lady, modest, true, and well be- loved by all. She was employed for several years in the telephone exchange in Lima, Ohio, where her absence will be keenly felt by all her former associates. Anna is married and living in Delphos, Ohio: Orcar is engaged in business in Corning, Ohio, and is single, and William is living with his mother in Van Wert. Miss Louisa Bieber, second wife of Mr. Rich- ter, was born in New York city, September 12, 1846. After her husband's death she found it necessary to work for a subsistence. At first she engaged in the millinery business in Will- shire, where she remained for some time, when she and her children removed to Portland, Ind., whence after some time she moved to Van Wert, where she now resides. At the death of her father she inherited some valuable property, and is now so situated as to live in comparative ease and comfort.
One incident in her life is well worthy of noting in this connection. 'She was once sailing down the Mississippi river in company with her father on a steamboat, when eight or nine boats, the one she was in being included in the number, were racing. The boat she and her father were on struck a snag and was sunk, the accident occurring during the night. Her
father grasped her in his arms, sprang into the river, and managed to get upon a piece of the wreckage, saving himself and his daughter, but not saving $2,000 in gold which he had in his clothes, the money and the clothes sinking to the bottom of the river with the boat. Mr. Richter also had the misfortune to have his nose broken in the accident.
OUIS J. SCHUMM, an enterprising farmer, was born in Willshire town- ship, Van Wert county, Ohio, April 26, 1851, and is a son of George M. and Mary (Pflueger) Schumm, and grandson of John Schumm, of whom mention in full is niade in the biography of Henry G. Schumm, on another page. Louis J. was, like his pio- neer ancestor and his children, reared to farm- ing, but was also taught the trade of a carpen- ter, and for thirteen years he followed this calling, proving himself to be an excellent me- chanic and a master of his trade, erecting, dur- ing the period mentioned, some of the finest dwelling houses and barns in Willshire town- ship. He received a very good education, was taught botlı the English and German lan- guages, while his business training was in no manner neglected. He was joined in matri- mony, February 8, 1883, with Miss Sarah Breuninger, the accomplished daughter of Lewis and Mary Seckel) Breuninger. The parents of this amiabel young lady were born in Wurtumberg, Germany, and were married in Green Bay City, Wis., where the father had for many years held a position as clerk, then he engaged in merchandising on his own account. and finally came to Van Wert county, Ohio. where he purchased a farm of 100 acres, which he cultivated until his death. His widow resides on this farm and is a respected meniber of the Lutheran church, of which her husband has also been a member. To the
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happy marriage of our subject has been born one child-Frieda E. Schumm -- now the idol of his parents and the pet of his relatives.
Mr. Schumm had bought his present farin before his marriage, and it now comprises 100 acres. It is drained with over 1, 500 rods of tiling, and is improved with a neat modern frame dwelling and a bank barn of his own planning and construction, and which, owing to his skill as a carpenter, surpasses any simi- lar structure in the county. The most of his property Mr. Schumm has realized through his personal industry and the exercise of a sound discretion in the management of his affairs, and to his skill both as a mechanic and farmer. In politics. Mr. Schumm has always exercised his franchise in the interests of the democratic party. With his wife he is a devout member of the Lutheran church, and his and her social standing is with the best families of Van Wert county. Ohio.
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ENRY M. SCHUMM, a thriving young general merchant, at Schumm post-off.ce, Willshire township, Van Wert county, Ohio, is a native of the township and was born June 18, 1861. His father, Frederick Schumm, was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, born April 24, 1814, and at the age of eighteen years came to the United States with his father, John Schumm, and family, as related in several sketches in proximity to this biography. After a residence of five years in Holmes county, Ohio, Fred- erick was married to Magdalena Meyer, which union resulted in the birth of the following children: William, John M. (deceased), Fred- erick, Catherine (married to David Stamm), Jacob (deceased), Hannah (Mrs. John Zimmer- man), Mary (Mrs. John Zimmerinan), Louis G, George F., Barbara A., Henry M. and Ferdinand C. G. Soon after his marriage, i flinching integrity.
Frederick settled in Willshire township, Van Wert county (1839), among the earliest set- tlers. At one time Frederick owned 500 acres of fine land, of which he retains 160 acres for his own homestead, having generously divided the remainder among his children. He is an elder in the Lutheran church, is a charter member of the congregation at Willshire, and was one of the most liberal contributors to- ward the erection of the present Lutheran house of worship.
Henry M. Schumm was born on his father's farm, assisted in its cultivation until he was twenty-four years of age, and then entered into the general mercantile trade. Having re- ceived a solid education, and having been well grounded in the German and English lan- guages, he was well prepared for this business, and has succeeded therein most admirably. He carries an extensive and well selected stock, suited to the wants of his patrons, and, being polite, affable and accommodating, never loses a customer who once deals with him. Beside carrying on his store, he is agent for the Clover Leaf railway, and for six years has been post- master at Schumm, a position he has filled to the entire satisfaction of the public; he is also secretary and superintendent of the Schumm creamery, and is the proprietor of a modern elevator at this point, which is operated under his personal supervision.
The marriage of Mr. Schumm was solemn- ized May 5, 1887, with Miss Wilhelmina H. Hoppe, daughter of John and Abbie (Guenther Hoppe, and this marriage has been blessed by the birth of five children, viz: Agnes, Alma, Emanuel H. J., Emil and Edna. In politics Mr. Schumm is a stanch democrat, and, like his ancestors, is an ardent and consistent mem- ber of the Lutheran church. His reputation as a business man is without a stain, and his success is due, to a large extent, to his un- His social standing is
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
among the best people of the county and his pioneer descent is also a factor in his highly social respectability.
ENRY G. SCHUMM, a progressive young farmer of Willshire township, Van Wert county, descends from a very old German-American family. His grandfather, John Schumm, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, where the major por- tion of his life was passed in farming, and where he was considered one of the well-to-do men of his day. After the death of his wife, he immigrated, with his four sons and one daughter, to the United States, locating in Holmes county, Ohio. In 1837 the family reached Van Wert county, and here Mr. Schumm entered 160 acres each for his four sons and his daughter, who were named in order of birth as follows: Rosanna (Mrs. Shueler), George M., Frederick, Jacob and Louis. At the date mentioned, Van Wert county was a primitive wilderness, abounding with pregnant frog ponds, with not a tree felled on the land entered by this family. But all hands set to work, built cabins, and after undergoing the oft-told hardships of pioneer life, the fine farms and dwellings of the Schumm family that adorn the landscape. of Willshire township to-day were the result of their well-directed energies. John Schumm died a member of the Lutheran church, of which his wife had also been a member.
George M. Schumm, father of Henry G. Schumm and son of John Schumm named above, as will be seen, was born in Wurtem- berg, Germany, and had received a good edu- cation before coming to the United States with his father, sister and brothers. After reaching man's estate he married Mary Pflueger, to which union children were born in the follow-
ing order: Frederick, Louis, George, John (deceased), Mary (deceased), Jacob (deceased), Crist (deceased), Henry G., our subject, Martin, Sophia, William (deceased), Margaret (de- ceased). After marriage the father and mother immediately erected a cabin and set to work to improve the 160 acre farm originally entered when the Schumm family came to the county. and this in due course of time was converted into one of the finest farms of the township. When first the Schumm family came to Van Wert county, George M. and his father walked through the wild country from Holmes county, Ohio, where the family had made a short stay, and on settling on his farm, George M. made trips to Fort Wayne, Ind., where was the nearest mill, in order to have corn ground. George M. Schumm and wife were both char- ter members of the Lutheran church, to the construction of which he aided liberally, and in the faith of which he died in June, 1871. His death was a sad blow, not only to his family, but to the community at large, in which he had lived so long and of which he was so useful and beloved a member. Henry G. Schumm was born November 14, 1854, a son of George M. above mentioned. He was reared on his present farm and received a com- mon education. He married, in 1879, April I, Anna M. Roehm, who was born in Tully township, Van Wert county, May 24, 1857, a daughter of Andrew and Catherine (Bienz) Roehin, and to this union five children have been born, viz: Amelia, Anna, Henrietta, Walter and Esther. Mr. Schuinm is a democrat in politics, and in religion he and wife are
Lutherans. He has been a trustee in his church since twenty-five years of age. He is at present a trustee of his township, and has been since 1893. He owns 160 acres of fine land, and is also interested in the Van Wert County Mutual Aid association, and many other things not herein stated.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
RANCIS M. SHAFFER, a popular traveling salesman and machinist of Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Hagers- town, Carroll county, Ohio, May 14, 1834, a son of Samuel and Ruth (Croghan) Shaffer, who were married in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and subsequently moved to Hagerstown, where the father followed his trade of cabinet maker until 1860, when he relinquished his trade and thenceforth devoted - his attention to his very extensive farming in- terests in Mercer county until his death, in 1 886, his widow being still a resident of Mercer county. Of the ten children born to Samuel and Ruth Shaffer eight still survive, viz: Francis M., our subject; Sarah A., wife of : dent, for which he received a judgment of
William Lumison, of Lima, Ohio; Jemima, now Mrs. H. Walters; L. B. and W. W. of Mercercounty; Elizabeth, married to J. Heath, of Oklahoma territory; Matilda, wife of G. Laurel, of Mercer county, Ohio, and Bird, wife of George Klime, of Leipsic, Ohio. Sam- uel Shaffer was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and in politics was a repub- lican; as a business man he was successful, and left to his heirs 254 acres of land, besides other valuable property.
Francis M. Shaffer was reared in Mercer county, he being but a child when his parents settled there, and remained on the home farm until twenty-three years of age, when he mar- ried and engaged in saw-milling in company with a brother, and this business he followed until the fall of 1873, and then took the posi- tion of foreman of a stave factory at Middle- point for a year, when, his health failing. he came to the city of Van Wert, and here has been engaged as a merchant or followed the vocation of a salesman ever since. He is now agent for the Port Huron Threshing Machine company. and travels through northwestern Ohio, disposing of this excellent agricultural piece of machinery.
The marriage of Mr. Shaffer took place in Van Wert county, Ohio, in July, 1857, to Maria Putnam, who was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, July 11, 1840-a daughter of Peter Put- nam of Van Wert county. To this union have been born two children, viz: Samuel W., a dray- man, and Mary B., at home. Mr. Shaffer is a republican in politics, and has served as town- ship treasurer, assessor, clerk, and for four years as city cocncilman, and at present is trustee of Pleasant township. He is popular, not only as a salesman and as a party man, but is a favorite through the community. Mr. Shaffer had the misfortune, in ISSS, to lose his right foot at Ohio City, by a railroad acci- $6,000.
J OHN SHAW, deceased, was born in Stark county, Ohio, on the seventeenth day of June, 1820, a son of George and Dorcas (Smith) Shaw. George, the father, was born in Franklin county. Ohio, made his way to Stark county and there married Dor- cas Smith, by whom he became the father of eleven children, of whom eight lived to ma- turity and were named as follows: John (whose name opens this biography); George, Lewis, Thomas and Charles. all deceased: Mary; Elizabeth, now of Ottowa, Ohio, and Jane, of Hancock county. George Shaw re- inoved from Stark county to Hancock county, some time after marriage, and there made his home until his decease in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he and wife had been life long and honored members. In politics Mr. Shaw was a stanch democrat, and his social standing was with the best and wealthiest agriculturists of his county.
John Shaw, the subject proper of this sketch, was reared to manhood on the home farm in Hancock county, remaining with his
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
parents until twenty- one years of age, when he began the study of law and civil engineer- ing. October 26, 1843, in Findlay, Hancock county, Ohio, he married Miss Eleanor Day, and January 1, 1844, came to Van Wert county, and for the first few years was em- ployed in surveying; he was elected county auditor in 1853, filled the office for three con- secutive terms, and then in 1856 was elected state representative from Van Wert county, and served one term, with great credit to him- self; in 1857 he bought a farm in Tully town- ship, Van Wert county, and engaged in buying and shipping live stock until 1881, when he returned to Van Wert city and assisted in the promotion of the construction of the Cincin- nati, Jackson & Mackinaw railway, securing the right of way through means of township bonds; in 1883 he was appointed postmaster of Van Wert and served three years, when ill health compelled him to resign the office, after which he lived in retirement until May 29, 1893, when he passed away, mourned alike by his extensive family connection and the com- munity at large. Mr. Shaw was a gentleman possessed of considerable property at his de- mise, had always been an active and useful citizen, and had led a consistent christian life; in politics he was a democrat. He was a Mason, and Odd Fellow and Patron of Hus- bandry, and was interred with Masonic honors.
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