USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 54
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 54
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
when he went to Oregon and had further ex- perience in the mines there for some time; then engaged in teaming goods from the Colum- bia river to the mining region of Idaho and Montana until 1869, when he retarned to his old home in Allen county, Ohio, and the fol- lowing spring came to Van Wert county, and bought a farm in Ridge township. Twelve years later he purchased his present farm of 157 acres in Union township, which he has cleared from the woods and underdrained, and on which he has built a neat, modern dwelling and excellent barns, and in connection with his agricultural pursuits is engaged in breeding Duroc Jersey swine, and is altogether an enter- prising and progressive farmer. The marriage of Mr. Sunderland took place March 6, 1870, to Miss Francis Little, daughter of George W. and Fannie (Walters) Little-the father a na- tive of Virginia and the mother of Pennsylva- nia. Mrs. Sunderland was born in 1837, and is now the mother of three children, viz: Lu- cinda B., deceased, Mary F. and William E. One of the daughters is now a teacher in the schools of Van Wert county, and the son is teaching in Paulding county. Mrs. Sunder- land is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and with her husband en- joys the respect of the entire community. In politics Mr. Sunderland is a stanch republican.
S AMUEL NORTON SIMPSON, form- erly of York township, Van Wert county, is a native of Hardin county. Ohio, and was born November 28. 1840, and there grew to manhood on the home farm, receiving the usual common-school edu- cation. From the age of sixteen until the breaking out of the Civil war he was employed in carrying the mails. On the 4th day of June, 1861, he enlisted in company D. Fourth | Ohio volunteer infantry, and served until June,
..
.
ELISHA F. SUNDERLAND.
7.23 - 7:24
MRS. FRANCES L. SUNDERLAND.
725-726
727
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
1864, doing faithful and gallant work. During this period, in July, 1861, he took part in the battle of Rich Mountain, and in October of the same year he fought in the battle of Romney; on March 22 and 23, 1862, he again faced the rebels in an engagement at Winchester, Va., and took part in the pursuit of Gen. Stonewall Jackson up the Shenandoah valley to Harris- burg, returning down the valley to New Market, crossing the mountains to Fredericks- burg, joining McDowell's forces then doubled the road to Port Royal, the regiment doing some skirmishing; he then descended Luray valley to Port Republic, and had an engage- mient June 9, 1862, where the Union boys were repulsed; then by rail and water he went to Harrison's Landing, where they went into camp until August 15; here our subject had an atttack of diarrhea, and was confined to the convalescent camp until October Ist, when he joined his regiment at Harper's Ferry; but, having a relapse, was sent to Camp Ohio, for recuperation. The following spring he joined his regiment at Falmouth, and in May, 1863, fought at the battle of Chancellorsville; the regiment then crossed the Rappahannock, marching on to Gettysburg, Pa., and partici- pated in the engagement there, in July, 1863; after this battle the troops started after Gen. Lee in Virginia, and while in camp at Bristol, they were ordered to report at New York, where they remained three weeks, thence were ordered to Alexandria, Va., and thence to Cul- peper, whence the entire forces were driven back to Bull Run, from which point the troops went into winter quarters at Brandy Station. In February, 1864, the brigade waded in Rapidan river, the water reaching to their arm-pits, but soon recrossed again and there rested until May 4, 1864. May 6, of that year, they fought the battle of the Wilderness, and their next engagement was in Spottslvania C. H., charging the breastworks on the 12th,
where, on the 13th, the boys in blue captured 3,000 prisoners and twenty-two pieces of ar- tillery; the next battle was at Cold Harbor June 3, 1864, where the rebels were driven back, our subject barely escaping capture; June 6, they fell back to where the wagons were guarded, and on the 7th took boat for Wash- ington city. June 24, he received his dis- charge at Columbus, Ohio, and reached home on the 26th.
In 1865 Mr. Simpson came to Van Wert county, and for a brief time was engaged in farm work, and in the summer of 1868 he at- tended the college at Oberlin, in the fall fol- lowing he returned to Van Wert and began teaching school and for fifteen years followed this calling, and during this long period was employed in three districts only in York town- ship. In 1866 he bought forty acres of land, which land he sold in 1875 and bought another tract of forty acres, which he sold in Novem- ber, ISSo. September 2, 1875, he wedded Mary A. Hughes, daughter of an old pioneer: seven sons were born to this union, viz: Ed- win Elsworth, born in June, 1876, and died November 7, 1878; Harley Alvin; Charles Eugene, died November 17, ISS4: John Thomas, died at sixteen months of age: LeRoy C., Wilbur Guy, and Forest Talford.
In the spring of 1882, Mr. Simpson was elected to the office of township clerk, being located in Jonestown, where he was also made station agent of the T., St. L. & K. C. Railway company, and was also engaged in general merchandising. In 1887 he was nom- inated for county recorder but went down with his party; in 1882 he was appointed postmaster in Jonestown, the name of the post-office being Tokio. In October, 1895, Mr. Simpson sold out his business at Jonestown and moved to the city of Van Wert, where he is now pros- perously engaged in the grocery trade. The father of our subject was John Simpson, who
728
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
married Margaret Clark, the foriner a native of Beaver county, Pa., born in June, 1812, and the latter was born March 9, ISTS, and. died December 13, 1883, the mother of two sons and six daughters, viz: William C., who died in September, 1877; Samuel N., our sub- ject; Eliza E., Margaret J., Mary Ann, Har- riet E., Leora M. and Fannie E .- the last named deceased. John Simpson, father of our subject, still resides on the old homestead in Hardin county, Ohio. Samuel N. Simpson was one of the most useful citizens of York township and is highly respected by his neigh- bors of the city of Van Wert.
'ACOB W. SMALLEY, M. D., retired, the father of Dr. W. M. Smalley of Ohio City, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, August 30, 1822. He is the son of Richard and Catherine (Emmons) Smalley, natives of New Jersey, and of Holland descent. They were the parents of thirteen children, all attaining their majority, and two living at the present time (1896), viz : Abraham and Jacob WV. They removed to Wayne county in 1816, Mr. Smalley having entered 320 acres of land one year previously, where they resided until his death in April, 1845, aged seventy-seven years. Mrs. Smalley died in 1861, aged eighty-six years. Dr. Smalley, the subject of this sketch, was brought up on the farm, and shared such advantages of education as the dis- trict schools afforded. He remained at home with his parents until twenty-one years of age, at which time he entered college at Ashland, Ohio, taking a preparatory course, and begin- ning the study of medicine at the age of twen- ty-four, under the instruction of Drs. Cook & Maxwell, at Berlin, Holmes county, Ohio. He graduated at the Western Reserve Medical college, Cleveland, and began the practice of his profession at Shanesville, Tuscarawas coun-
ty, formning a partnership with Dr. Strese. Hc removed to Fredericksburg, Wayne county, in IS48, and in 1862 to Upper Sandusky, where he formed a partnership with Dr. R. A. Hen- derson. In 1869, Mr. Smalley withdrew from the partnership, and resumed his practice in- dependently, continuing the same until 1878, when he retired from the profession. Dr. Smalley was married in Fredericksburg, April 15, 1856, to Margaret C. Armstrong, née Por- ter, daughter of William and Mary (McNeal) Porter, early settlers of Holmes county. Mr. Porter was at time representative of Holmes county; he died about 1839. Mrs. Porter died in her eighty-second year, at Peru, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Smalley are the parents of seven children, four now living-William P., born June 8, 1860; Walter M., January 19, 1862; Charles E., February 21. 1864; Richard E., May 10, 1871. The deceased are : Mary C., born March 13, 1857, died April 6, 1861; Anne E., born September 5, 1858, died March 21, 1861; Rolla, born June 25, 1867: died September 30, 1868. Mrs. Smalley was born June S, 1832. Mr. Smalley has been a mem- ber of the F. & A. M. since 1847, and was a member of the Upper Sandusky school board nine consecutive years. In politics he is a strong republican.
R. WALTER M. SMALLEY. of Ohio City, Van Wert county, Ohio, and one of the best known practi- tioners of his town and township. was born in Holmes county, Ohio. January 19, 1862, and descends from one of the early set- tlers of the Buckeye state. His grandfather. Richard Smalley, was a wealthy farmer of Ashland county, where his son, Jacob W .. the father of our subject, was born Angust 31. 1822. Jacob W. married Margaret Porter. April 15, 1856. This lady was a daughter of
720
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
William Porter, who, for a number of years, represented Holmes county in the state legis- lature. To Jacob W. and Margaret (Porter) Smalley the following children were born: William P., Walter M., Charles E., Rollie (who died at the age of two years) and Richard E. The father, who was also a physician of much note, was educated to his profession at the Western Reserve college of Medicine, at Cleveland, Ohio, was married in Holmes coun- ty, and immediately thereafter commenced practice in Fredericksburg, Wayne county, whence, after acquiring a professional reputa- tion, he removed to Upper Sandusky, where for twenty-five years he was the leading physi- cian, accumulated a competence, and retired, an honored member of the Masonic order. (See his sketch immediately preceding.)
Dr. Walter M. Smalley passed his early days in his father's office, graduated from the Sandusky high school in 1879, and for a year or two thereafter was employed in mercantile business. He then entered the Western Re- serve Medical college of Cleveland, but after one term of study therein, changed to the Fort Wayne Medical college, from which he gradu- ated in March, 1889, receiving honorable men- tion by dean and faculty. Immediately there- after he located in his present field, where his profound knowledge of his art has won him a most enviable reputation and a lucrative prac- tice-his rooms in the new Union block, where he also has his residence, being hourly crowded by expectant visitors. His library is well sup- plied with standard medical works, and he is a 1 subscriber for the best current medical litera- ture of the age, through which he keeps abreast of every step made in the advance of medical science. His relations with his fellow-practi- tioners are intimate and close, being a member of the Van Wert county Medical association, and of the Northwestern Ohio State Medical association. In politics he is a republican, 1
but not at all radical, and in religion he is equally liberal, contributing freely to all de- nominations. On April 23, 1890, he was united in marriage with Miss Myrtle Kenan, an old schoolmate of Upper Sandusky, and a daugh- ter of Alvin and Elizabeth (Tory) Kenan, the former of which is engaged in the real estate business. Two children have blessed the mar- riage of the doctor, viz: Margaret E., who is the idol of the household and was born Feb- ruary 9, 1892; and Alvin Kenan, born August 14, in the year 1895.
J OHN A. SMITH, late a prominent resident of Liberty township, Van Wert county, Ohio, was a native of Germany, and came to the United States after his father's death, in 1832, in company with his mother and a brother, Adam Smith, all three of whom stopped for some time in Pennsyl- vania. Within a short time, however. Mrs. Smith and her sons moved to Tuscarawas county, Ohio, which was their home for seven- teen years, when she moved to the county of Richland. From the latter county Mr. Smith came to the county of Van Wert, in 1848, and entered eighty acres in Liberty township, upon which he placed his mother. Mr. Smith then went to Piqua, where he worked at his trade of blacksmith; then went to California, in 1849, where he spent four years in gold mining and other business, when he returned to Piqua and engaged in the blacksmith business. In 1856 he settled upon his farm in Liberty town- ship and engaged in blacksmithing, and added to his farm 160 acres. He raised the first sorghum cane and made the first syrup in the county. He purchased a saw-mill in 1868, but was burntout in 1871, and rebuilt in 1872. He was one of the organizers and one of the principal stockholders and directors of the Clo- ver Leaf railroad. He was a justice of the
730
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
peace from 1858 to 1867, and later was county infirmary director. In politics he was a re- :publican. He died August 9, 1890.
John A. Smith was married September 27, 1854, to Rebecca Hardenbrook, daughter of Peter and Mary (Wagner) Hardenbrook, and became the father of the following children: Lucinda J .. born in 1857; Cora L., born in 1860; Ralso L., born in 1865: Celia G., born in 1867; and Roscoe G., born in 1869, and died in infancy. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Smith spent one year and a half in Piqua, Ohio, and settled on the present home farm, Liberty township. in the year 1856. At that time the country was but sparsely settled, a few log cabins, at remote distances from each other, being the only residences in the neigh- borhood, and the country was covered with a dense forest grove, interspersed with swamps and quagmires. To rid the ground of these incumbrances required patient and persistent toil, but in due time the task was accomplished, ·and a fine home of 240 acres developed. This is one of the best places of the township, and contains a large two-story residence, and other improvements usually found on all first-class and well cared-for farms.
Peter Hardenbrook, father of Mrs. Smith, was a native of New Jersey, but early moved to Hamilton county, Ohio, where he married Mary Wagner. He then emigrated to Iroquois county, Ill., where his wife died; thence he returned to Ohio, settling in the county of Miami. He was a successful farmer, a sub- stantial citizen, and left to his family an un- tarnished reputation. The following are the names of the brothers and sisters of Mrs. Smith: John G., deceased; Phæbe, deceased, wife of a Mr. Kuhl; Mrs. Leah Buckles, de- ceased; Mrs. Mary A. Eisley, deceased, and Laura. Peter Hardenbrook, some time after the death of his first wife, married Susan Merit; he was a well known and highly re-
spected man in Hamilton and Miami counties. and his life was one of great industry; he de- voted himself to the interest of his family, and while not wealthy, always gave liberally of his means to worthy charities. James Harden- brook, father of Peter, was also a native of New Jersey, where he married Phoebe Smith; he was one of the first settlers of Hamilton county, Ohio, where he spent the greater part of his life in clearing up farms and following the pursuit of agriculture. .
J AMES B. SMITH, organizer of, and the junior partner in, the Leeson Cooper- age company of Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Saint Catherines, Canada, July 15, 1838, a son of John and Ellen (McDermott) Smith. The father, John Smith, was born in Ireland, came to America in 1832, and at Buffalo, N. Y., in 1835, met and married Ellen McDermott, also a native of Ireland and who also came to America in 1832. Immedi- ately after inarriage they located in Lockport. N. Y., where Mr. Smith followed his trade of cooper until 1837, when he moved to Canada, worked there until 1840, then returned to Lockport, N. Y., remained until 1850, and then moved to Jackson, Mich., and followed his trade until his death in 1860. His widow then removed to Kalamazoo, Mich., where her death occurred in 1892. They were the parents of five children, viz: James B., our subject; George C., a cooper of Kalamazoo. and Stephen B .. Marie and John C., all three deceased. The parents were Protestants, and in politics the father was a democrat.
James B. Smith was educated in the schools of Jackson and Albion, Mich., and for four years was himself a school-teacher. He lived with his mother until 1861, when he married !. and September 24. of that year, located in Hamlin, Mich., where he followed his trade of
781
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
cooper for about a year, and in 1862 moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., where he worked until 1865; thence he went to Plainwell, Mich., fol- lowed his trade until 1868; and then went to Wayland, Mich., where, in company with W. P. Manly he engaged in hotel-keeping until IS71; he that year went to Saint Louis, Mo., and until 1883 was superintendent of the cooperage establishment of Jaynes & Co .; he then came to Van Wert, Ohio, and was here employed as book-keeper and office man by George H. Marsh, and then, in the fall of 1887, organized the Leeson Cooperage com- pany, of which he is at the present the secre- tary and manager-the firm now doing a busi- ness of $80,000 per annum.
The date of marriage of Mr. Smith was September 21, 1861. His bride, Eunice Whit- comb, was born iu Eaton county, Mich., and is a daughter of Luther and Louisa (Pierson) Whitcomb, natives of New England. This union has been blessed with three children, viz: Ella L., at home; Byron J., superin- tendent of the Mill Shoals (Ill.) Cooperage company, and Burton L. In politics Mr. Smith is a democrat, and fraternally he is a knight templar Mason; socially. the family enjoys the acquaintanceship of some of the best people in Van Wert.
p ETER SNYDER, one of the most substantial farmers of Jackson town- ship, Van Wert county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, is of sturdy German descent.
John M. Snyder, father of Peter, was born in Hesse Darmstadt in iSo8, and was taught shoemaking. He came to America in 1829 or 1830, coming across the sea in the same vessel with his intended wife, Mary Ann Heist, landed in Baltimore, where they married, .at 1
once went to Washington, Pa., and near the college there followed his trade until 1835 or 1836, when lie came to Ohio and located in Mansfield, Richland, county, where he fol- lowed his trade until 1853, when he moved to. Morrow county and bought a farm of 300 acres near Mount Gilead, on which he died about the year 1887. At Mansfield he formed the acquaintance of Senator John Sherman, who had then just begun the practice of law, and who was in the habit of discussing poli- tics in the shop owned by Mr. Snyder, and was ever after a life-long friend. The latter became a stanch republican, voted for John C. Fremont, the first candidate of that party for the presidency of the United States, and dur- ing the Civil war was a warm friend of the Union cause, to which he gave the services of his two sons-Peter and George, the latter serving 100 days in an Ohio regiment and do- ing general duty at Washington, D. C. John M. Snyder, with his wife, Mary Ann, was a member of the German Reformed church, in Mansfield, in which he was a leader and a member of the building committee, and was- known throughout life as an honorable indus- trious and strictly moral gentleman. To his marriage, with Mary Ann Heist, were born eight children, all of whom are still living, viz: Peter, George, Elizabeth, Louis, Annie, Margaret A., John R. and John M.
Peter Snyder, the subject proper of this biography, was born in Washington, Pa., August 30, 1832, was educated in the com- mon schools, learned the trade of shoemaking from his father, and was also reared to farin- ing-going with his father to Morrow county, and working on the home farm, and there mar- rying Miss Martha A. Imnes, whose brothers and sisters were named Frank, Samuel, Matilda, Nancy, Mary and Thomas; of whom Samuel and Thomas were soldiers in the Union service during the late war, in the same.
732
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
regiment with our subject, and with him marched with Sherman to the sea.
After marriage Mr. Snyder remained on the home farm a short time, then for two years lived in Knox county, and then, in 1859, came to Van Wert county, where he had already purchased, from his father, 160 acres of the farin on which he now resides, and which the latter had entered from the government. This land was all in woods, as was nearly all of Jackson township at that time, when there were but fifteen or sixteen settlers in the town- ship, and the forest was the home of game of all descriptions. Mr. Snyder set about the usual pioneer duties of erecting a log cabin and clearing up his place, and had made consider- able progress when he responded to the call to arms and enlisted on the home farm in Morrow county, in company K, Eighty-first regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and was enrolled at Lima, Allen county, August 21, 1862, to serve three years or during the war, and received an honorable discharge at Louisville, Ky., July 13, 1865, by reason of the termination of hos- tilities. Among the other battles in which he took part may be mentioned Austinola River, Dallas. Rome, Kenesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek, the general engagement at Atlanta, Ebenezer church, in the siege of Atlanta and Jonesboro. After the fall of Atlanta he marched with Sherman through Georgia to the sea, taking part in numerous skirmishes; was in the battle of Columbus, Bentonville and Goldsboro, N. C., and on to Raleigh, and was present at the grand review at Washington, D. C. Mr. Snyder was never wounded, nor taken prisoner, but was always on active duty, doing full, faithful and cheerful service through- out the term of his enlistment, and participat- ing in all the engagements, skirmishes and marches in which his regiment took a share.
After his honorable discharge, Mr. Snyder returned to Morrow county, Ohio, where his
two children, Clorilda A. and John M., borne him by his first wife, still lived. The mother of these passed away in Morrow county, at her father's residence, January 3, 1862, a few months before Mr. Snyder's enlistment, and the latter remained on her father's farm until 1869, on February 28th of which year he mar- ried at Gallion, Ohio, Mrs. Amelia Elizabeth Spraw, who was born January 4, 1835. a daughter of George A. and Mary (Patterson Spraw. George A. Spraw, of Crawford county, Ohio, was the father of the following named children: Amelia E., Sarah, Kate, Louis, Will- iam, Israel, Halmina and Elizabeth. Mr. Spraw was a member of the German Reform church, and died at Gallion, in that faith, when seventy-six years of age. respected as among the representative agriculturists and citizens of the township in which he had lived so many years of his useful life.
In 1869 Mr. and Mrs. Snyder came to the homestead in Jackson township, on which he had lived prior to his entering the army, and on which he had erected a cabin, and from which he had cleared three acres of the forest growth. But he found on returning that his cabin had been destroyed by fire. With in- defatigable energy he immediately erected another dwelling and cleared up an excellent farm of 230 acres, that will now favorably compare with any other in the county. To his second union there were born three chil- dren, of whom two are still living-George F. and Lola A. Mrs. Snyder, a woman of many christian virtues, died in the faith of the Ger- man Reform church April 17, 1892-a true helpmate to her husband and a loving and affectionate mother. Mr. Snyder, since his last bereavement, has continued to reside on the homestead, honored as a pioneer, as a de- fender of his country's flag, and as a true citi- zen-and through industry, as a farmer, has accumulated a competence, enjoys that respect
...
. rom
.
783
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
with which the efforts all .men are met, who faithfully use the best efforts of life to make, through their individual efforts, an independ- ence. Possibly no gentleman of Jackson township stands to-day higher in the esteem of his fellow-men than Mr. Snyder, and cer- tainly no man has done more, though a long and upright, useful and patriotic life, than he, to win the esteem in which he is universally held.
S ERGT. JOSEPH C. SPRAY, of Wash- ington township, Van Wert county, Ohio. is a veteran of the late Civil war who lost his good right arm in the service. He came from an old North Car- olina family of English-Irish extraction, and was born in Shelby county, seven miles south of Wapakoneta, in Auglaize county, Ohio, February 4, 1842.
James Spray, father of Sergt. Spray, was reared a farmer in Warren county, Ohio, his father having first emigrated from North Car- olina to western Pennsylvania, and thence came to Ohio, being among the pioneers of Warren county. James was still a young man when he went to Auglaize county, Ohio, and there married Nancy Lucas, daughter of Ebe- nezer Lucas, to which union were born five children, of whom two died young and three reached adult age-Ebenezer, Hester and Na- omi. Mrs. Spray died in Auglaize county, and Mr. Spray took for his second wife, in the same county, Jane Huey, daughter of John Huey, a native of Scotland, and this union was blessed with two children-James M. and Joseph C. Mr. Spray was one of the original pioneers of Auglaize county, and settled four miles south of Wapakoneta, when the country thereabout was all a wilderness, and assisted the United States authorities to remove the Indians west. He was an expert marksman and hunter, shot many a deer and wild turkey,
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.