A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2, Part 61

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1248

USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 61
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 61

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On the 15th of August, 1850, Mr. Tumble- son and Lucinda J. Eller were united in the bonds of wedlock. Mrs. Tumbleson is a daugh- ter of Frederick and Eliza J. (Huston) Eller, and was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1836. The following are the names of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Tumbleson: Clara A., who died in infancy; Alice D., wife of I. C. Warner; George W .: Emma, wife of Al- bert Terry; Alfred S .; Elmore, deceased;

Eliza J., wife of James Bowers; Mary, wife of John Kreider; Addie B., wife of F. Arnold; Susan, wife of John Eckfelt; Onoma, wife of Ken Gamble; Rosa, wife of Adam Gilliland; Birdie, Frank J., Cecelia and Charles.

HOMAS MARION THORPE, post- master of Willshire, Van Wert coun- ty, Ohio, is also a thoroughly ac- complished salesman, and for the past ten years has been in the employ of Henry Althoen, hardware merchant of Willshire. His grandfather, William Thorpe, was a native of England, where he was married, and a few years after that event occurred. sought a home in the United States. Benjamin F. Thorpe, son of William, was born on Albion's isle, and was an infant in his mother's arms when brought to this country. For some years after reaching maturity he followed agricultural pur- suits, and during this period married Cynthia Feebus, to which union were born the follow- ing children: Daniel O., Jemima, Isaiah (de- ceased), James (deceased), Darius, Frank, Thomas M., and Nancy (deceased). For eight years the father, quitting agriculture, was en- gaged in general merchandising at LaPorte, Ind., and at the same time conducted an in- surance agency. From LaPorte the family moved to Three Rivers, Mich., where, for several years, the father was a confirmed in- valid and eventually died; his widow subse- quently made her home with her son, Thomas M., in Willshire, where she was called to her final rest February 3, 1883.

Thomas M. Thorpe was born in Elkhart county, Ind., November 6. 1844, received a good common-school education, and December 9, 1860, enlisted in company F, First Michigan light artillery, and served his country three years and six months with true valor and pa- triotism. He was active in the campaigns in

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Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia, and was, in fact, in all the battles of the army of the Cumberland, in which his regiment had a hand, from Richland, Ky., in 1861, to Nashville, Tenn., in December, 1864. The following are the principal engagements that Mr. Thorpe en- gaged in while a member of the Cumberland army, viz: Elizabeth. Ky., Pittsburg Land- ing, or Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Stone River, Resaca, and then on the Atlantic campaign and at the fall of Atlanta; then, under Gen. Thonias' com- mand, was at the battle of Franklin and second battle of Nashville. During this long period of service, he was never sick, wounded nor taken prisoner. March 6, 1885, Mr. Thorpe was happily married to Mary F. Alspaugh, daughter of Ansley and Margaret (Dellinger) Alspaugh, to which union were born three children, viz: Otto, Cynthia and Eugene, all still living to gladden the home of their father, the mother having been called away to a still brighter home, March 13, 1894. Mr. Thorpe owns a tasteful modern village residence, with very pleasant surroundings. He is a democrat in politics, has served as township clerk, pike commissioner, and was appointed postmaster August 18, 1893. Fraternally he is a Mason, and was worshipful master for six years of Willshire lodge, No. 402; he is also a member of the chapter and council at Van Wert, and a member of Heath post, No. 351, G. A. R., at Willshire. Socially he stands very high and every one knows him as a genial and accomo- dating salesinan for Henry Althoen, with whom he has been for so many years associated.

J OHN T. THOMAS, of Jennings town- ship, Van Wert county, Ohio, is a native of Wales, where his birth oc- curred March 8, 1830. His parents, Thomas and Mary (Davis) Thomas, were also

natives of that country, and the following are the names of their children: William, a resi- dent of Allen county; Thomas, deceased: David, deceased; John; Hugh T., a farmer of Jennings township; Evan and Edward, the last two dead.

John T. Thomas remained in his native land until attaining his majority, at which time, in 1851, he came to the United States, locat- ing first in Pennsylvania; then moved to Pad- dy's Run, Ohio; thence, the following year, went to Cincinnati, where for about six years he worked at the trade of boiler making. In 1858, he came from Cincinnati to the county of Van Wert and purchased eighty acres of land in Jennings township, all of which, with the exception of three. acres, was unimproved. He at once set about erecting a cabin, and making other improvements, and in September, 1861, brought to his new home a helpmate, in the person of Miss Margaret Richards, to whom he was united in marriage on the 21st day of the aforesaid month, Since moving to Van Wert county, Mr. Thomas has given the greater part of his attention to agriculture, and has met with well merited success in that use- ful calling. He owns a pleasant home of eighty-seven acres, upon which he has recently erected a modern brick residence, and in ad- dition to the place where he lives has land in the township of York. Mr. Thomas was one of the first men to introduce the manufacture of drain tiling in Van Wert county, and to him, as much as to any other individual, is due the credit of encouraging the present success- ful system of underdrainage, by means of which so much land has been reclaimed and made fruitful. He also manufactured brick for some years, and supplied building material for many of the best residences in the county of Van Wert. Mr. Thomas has held every official position in the Calvinistic church, being at this time an elder of the local congregation.

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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.

and also trustee. In township affairs, he has been active in promoting the material inter- ests of the country, having been called to fill various offices, at different times.

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are the parents of six children, viz: Jeannett died in childhood; Hugh R., a farmer, married Miss Lizzie Ann George, whose father is one of the best known and highly respected citizens of York township. The third in order of birth is Robert, a mer- chant of Venedocia, who wedded Ann Morris; Mary R. is the wife of William G. Jones, of Allen county; Thomas R. is a medical student of Chicago, Ill., and Sarah Elizabeth is still with her parents. The parents of Mrs. Thomas, Robert and Jeannett (Owens) Rich- ards, were natives of Wales. Robert Rich- ards came with his family to America, going direct to Racine, Wis., where he remained three years, when he moved to Van Wert county, Ohio, locating in York township, where he purchased a farm and spent the re- mainder of his days, dying in 1875 at the age of seventy-five years. There were but five Welsh families in Van Wert county when Mr. Richards arrived; his children, three in num- ber, were as follows: Margaret, Hugh and Richard, the last-named of whom died in the old country.

ZRA THOMAS, deceased, was a na- tive of Perry county, Ohio, and was born August 2, 1834, a son of Samuel and Sarah (Miller) Thomas, also na- tives of Ohio. The father was a well-to-do- farmer, and both he and wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Both parents breathed their last in Perry county, where they had reared a family of six children, viz: Elizabeth,' wife of J. Gaines; Ezra, our sub- ject; Lucretia, deceased; Wesley, of Perry

county; Jacob, deceased, and Almeda, wife of W. Turner, of Picking county, Ohio.

Ezra Thomas was educated principally in the common schools of his native county and also at the Rushville academy. He followed farming until 1865, when he went to New Salem, Fairfield county, Ohio, where he was for a short time engaged in the hotel business, and later in the dry-goods trade, until 1870, when he located in the Van Wert and opened in a book and stationery store, which he profit- ably conducted until his death, which took place April 27, 1873. He was married in Van Wert, June, 1869, to Miss Anna Rebecca Pen- nell, who was born in New Salem, Fairfield county, Ohio, October 12, 1845, and is a sis- ter of William Pennell, of whom an extended notice is given elsewhere. To the brief but happy marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas were born two children, of whom the elder, Albert, was early called away, dying at the home of his mother of that fell disease, consumption, at the age of about twenty-four years-honored by a large circle of friends, not only for his sterling qualities of noble young manhood, but also for a genius that promised a bright and useful future. The younger child born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas, named Malvern E., is at present a popular young druggist of Van Wert.

Ezra Thomas, in religion, was a believer in the doctrine of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was an active and pious member, and was also a leading and active member in the Sunday-school. In politics he was a republican, and in the early days of the Rebellion did good and faithful service as a soldier. He enlisted in Rushville, Ohio, Octo- ber 11, 1861, in company D, Sixty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, in which he served until honorably discharged, January 16, 1862. He next enlisted at Jamesville, in company C, One Hundred and Sixtieth reginient Ohio vol- unteers, in which he served as corporal until

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

his final discharge. He was subsequently granted a pension of $12 per month, which, with back pay, amounting in all to $2,222.38, was recently turned over to his widow; he also left real estate, including a business room on West Main street, and a valuable dwelling.

S IMON TIMBERS, a reliable and sub- stantial farmer of Washington town- ship, Van Wert county, Ohio, was born at Amanda, in Fairfield county, May 31, 1845. His father, Reuben Timbers, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1807, was an orphan, and served an apprenticeship of five years at the blacksmith's trade. When a young man he came to Ohio, settled at Amanda, Fairfield county, and there married Barbara Kessler, of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, which union resulted in the birth of eleven children, viz: Peter, George, Sarah, Eli, William, Si- mon, Charles, John, Mary Ann, Reuben and Alice -- the eldest eight being born in Fairfield county, and the youngest three in Van Wert county, to which county Mr. Timbers moved about 1853, and bought . 176 acres of land in the woods of Washington township, now occu- pied by his son Simon, our subject. After clearing up this farm, Reuben Timbers here died, in 1883, at the age of seventy-six years, a member of the Methodist church, and in pol- itics a republican- greatly respected by his fellow-citizens and sincerely mourned by his surviving family.

Of the above-namned children, George, Eli, William and Simon were soldiers in the late Civil war-George and Eli in company H, Fif- teenth Ohio volunteer infantry. George served about eighteen months, when he was honora- bly discharged on account of disability; Eli served through his full term and veteranized, was wounded and taken prisoner at Murfrees- boro, was confined in Libby prison two months,

was exchanged, and finally received an honor- able discharge on account of his wounds; Will- iam served nine months in the Fifty-fifth Ohio infantry, and was honorably discharged at the cessation of hostilities.

Simon Timbers was a lad of but eight years when brought to Van Wert county by his par- ents, was here reared on the home farm and educated in the common schools. July 1, 1863, he enlisted, at Van Wert, in company K. Eighty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, under Capt. Walter T. Davis, to serve three years or during the war, and faithfully executed his duty as a soldier until honorably discharged at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, July 3, 1865, the war being at that time at an end. His service was principally performed at this camp, guarding prisoners, of which there were at one time from 12,000 to 15,000 in confinement. These rebels were treated well and were fed with good and wholesome rations, and were strong, resolute men, when contrasted with the unfortunate Union soldiers brought in for ex- change, who were so emaciated as to be hardly able to walk, and many so far weakened by starvation in southern prison pens that they had to be carried.

While in the performance of his duty, Mr. Timbers was seized with typhoid fever, which caused his confinement in hospital about three months, and, going on duty again when but convalescent, was permanently injured. He was ruptured while on duty, on the memor- able "cold New Year's day" of 1864-the coldest day for many years and well remem- bered by soldiers and old settlers alike. After the war Mr. Timbers returned to his home and former employment. December 24, 1874, he married Miss Maggie Carpenter, who was born July 4, 1850, in Fairfield county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Susan (Ream) Car- penter. Mr. Carpenter came to Van Wert county about 1851 and cleared up from the

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woods a farmi of 160 acres, and is the father of twelve children --- Wilson, Jane, Ann, Rebecca, Maggie, David, Emma, Clara, Lincoln, Mi- nerva, Lucetta and Nora. He is still living on his farm, an honored citizen. His son William was a soldier in company A, Ninety- ninth Ohio infantry, fought in many battles, and for a long time was confined in a rebel prison. Mr. Timbers, after his marriage, partly cleared up a farm in Washington town- ship, then moved to another farm, which he also partly cleared and resided upon until 1891, when he entered upon his present handsome estate, which is the old homestead. His happy marriage with Miss Carpenter has been blessed with five children-Nellie, Ova, Earnest, Har- ley and Price-ane is very comfortably and happily situated. He and wife are consistent members of the Methodist church, and in pol- itics he is a republican. He has been an in- dustrious man, but this industry has been guided by an intelligence that has resulted in a competency. He is recognized as a truly honorable man and as a useful and worthy cit- izen, and but few men in the township stand in a more favorable light in the esteem of their fellow-men than he.

J OHN A. TOMLINSON, one of the prom- inent and thoroughly competent agricul- turists of Ridge township, Van Wert county, Ohio, as a native of Mercer county, in the same state, and was born Octo- ber II, 1848. His father, Joseph Tomlinson, was also a native of the Buckeye state, and was born in 1824, in Madison county. The mother of our subject, Mary (Arnold) Tomlin- son, was born in Fayette county, Ohio. Joseph Tomlinson was taken, about the year 1836, from his native county to Mercer county, he being then twelve years of age, by his pa-

ternal grandfather, John Tomlinson. Joseph was reared to manhood in Mercer county, where he still resides, a prosperous farmer and land owner. To his marriage with Miss Mary Arnold have been born the following children : Elias, who died in childhood; John A., the subject of this sketch; Elijah, a farmer of Mercer county; Madison, of York township, Van Wert county; Rachael, widow of Edward Hughes, a late conductor on the Panhandle railroad-Mrs. Hughes being now a resident of Indianapolis, Ind .; Nancy, wife of George Pritchard, of Van Wert county, Ohio; Pris- cilla, deceased; Charles, residing on the old homestead in Mercer county, and Ida, wife of Walter Nichols, also of Mercer county. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Tomlinson are devout mem- bers of the Methodist church; in politics Mr. Tomlinson is a republican and for many years has served as trustee of Union township, Mercer county, where he is highly esteemed by the citizens.

John A. Tomlinson was reared on the home farm, where he rendered his father most valu- able assistance. November 4, 1873, he was united in wedlock with Miss Martha E. Gilli- land, daughter of Adam and Sarah Gilliland, of whom mention is made in detail elsewhere in this volume. To this genial union have been born eight children, in the following order: Mabel, Edward, Lulu, Bertha, Wilma, Clarence, and two that died in infancy. In 1872 Mr. Tomlinson bought seventy acres of land in York township, Van Wert county, but this tract he disposed of in 1882, and bought his present handsome place, containing 140 acres, in Ridge township, which he has con- verted into a model farm. In politics Mr. Tomlinson is a republican, and in I889 was elected assessor of his township; in 1890 he was elected township clerk and was re-elected in 1894, and has always performed the duties of the office in a most satisfactory manner.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

He and wife are devoted members of the Methodist church, and socially hold a high position with the citizens of Ridge township.

PILLIAM V. TOPE, a rising young farmer of Willshire township, Van Wert county, was born in Allen county, Ohio, March 5, 1852, and is of German descent. His grandfather, George Tope, was married in Virginia and soon afterward came to Ohio, and located in Carroll county, where he erected a grist-mill, which still bears his name, and in Carroll county he and his wife both died. Their son, Levi Tope. who was a native of the county of Carroll, was born December 25. 1813, and was reared in his father's mill. His education was acquired in the common schools and he also obtained a fair knowledge of music, becoming an instruct- or in the vocal branch of that art. He mar- ried Miss Sarah Davis, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Melville) Davis, to which union were born the following children: Hiram J., Martha A., George D., Eli H. (deceased), Catherine, Sarah E. (deceased), William V., Melville F. and Celina (deceased). For some time after marriage Levi Tope continued to work in the grist-mill and then entered a farm of eighty acres in Allen county, but afterward sold this place, and, in 1861, came to Van Wert county and bought 155 acres in Will- shire township; here his wife died March 18, 1872, and here, also, his own death followed November 14, 1889.

William V. Tope has always been a farmer and received the common-school education usually falling to the lot of farmers' lads. No- vember 29, 1879, he married Miss Myra B. Smith, daughter of James and Elizabeth (Read) Smith, but his connubial bliss, in this instance, was of short duration, as his bride died May 16, 1881, in the full faith of the Presbyterian

church. Mr. Tope next married Miss Alverda B. Beiler, daughter of Cicero and Mary J. (LaRue) Beiler, and this union was crowned by the birth of two children -- Roy B. and Goldie B., the latter deceased. Mrs. Alverda Tope was a devout Baptist, who never failed to attend divine services, and in the sanctifi- cation of that faith was called away May 26, 1888. The third marriage of Mr. Tope was with Miss C. Viola Snyder, daughter of Martin and Minerva (Agler) Snyder, whose other chil- dren were named Melissa Emma B., and Minerva (deceased). To Mr. Tope's third marriage has been born one child-Ray F. The farm of Mr. Tope comprises seventy-seven and a half acres of good arable land, and is under an advanced state of cultivatoin, sug- gested by the most approved modern theories of agricultural development. In politics Mr. Tope is a democrat and has been elected to the office of township trustee; in religion he is a Baptist and is a deacon in his church-while his wife is a member of the United Brethren church; fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, and is a noble grand of Willshire lodge, No. 813; he was also a charter member of Willshire grange, P. of H., and for five years was mas- ter thereof, but the grange is now defunct; he likewise was a charter member and first presi- dent of the Farmers' Mutual Benefit lodge -- Honey Hook lodge No. 5,580-and is alto- gether a progressive and enterprising citizen, who enjoys the respect of the entire community.

PILLIAM A. TOWNSEND, a well- to-do fariner of Jennings township, Van Wert county, was born in Co- lumbiana county, Ohio, April 16, 1849, and is a son of Jesse and Jane (Maxwell) Townsend-the former of whom was born in eastern Ohio, April 7, 1812, and was a son of Benjamin Townsend, of Welsh descent.

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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.

Jesse Townsend, one of the seven children, was reared a farmer, and about 1833 married Miss Maxwell, also a native of the eastern part of Ohio, and born in 1813, the result of this union being ten children, who were born in the following order: A daughter who died in in- fancy; Aaron, deceased; Alvina, widow of James Nelson, of Mercer county; Jacob Neis- ley, deceased; Melvina, widow of William Fryar, of Mercer county; Sarah, deceased wife of E. Slantz; Frank, deceased member of the Eighty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry; Rebecca, deceased wife of L. Price; William A., of this mention, and Mary, wife of J. Miller, of Jennings township. After marriage Jesse Townsend located in Columbiana county and farmed until the fall of 1849, when he moved to Van Wert county, Ohio, and bought a quarter section of land, on part of which our subject now lives. Here his wife died May 17, 1868, a member of the Church of God, and for his second wife he chose Mrs. Sarah (Partner) Sheets. Mr. Townsend was in politics a stanch republican, and for several terms served as township trustee; in religion, he was first an adherent of the Church of the Disci- ples, but later became a Baptist, and in the latter faith he died December 30, 1879, an honored and useful citizen. His widow, Mrs. Sarah (Sheets) Townsend, then married Rich- ard Hantz, and is now a resident of Spencer -. ville, Allen county.

William A. Townsend, like his father, was reared a farmer, and received a good literary education in Jennings township. At the age of eighteen years he became a school-teacher, and for eleven years taught in Van Wert and adjoining counties. March 25, 1875, he mar- ried Miss Mary Sheets, who was born in Salem township. Anglaize county, Ohio, October 3. 1856, a daughter of Harrison and Sarah (Part- ner) Sheets, of Pennsylvania-Dutch descent. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Townsend has been :

blessed by the birth of four children, viz: Mabel, wife of Elijah Goodwin, a teacher of Elgin; Ethel, Frank. and Pearl. After mar- riage Mr. Townsend settled on his home place, where he still resides, engaged in farming. He is a stanch republican in politics, and has served two terms as township trustee. As a member of the Church of God, he has been an elder for several years and has filled other offices. Fraternally, he is a member of the F. M. B. A. He is liberal and public-spirited as a citizen, as a farmer is enterprising and successful, and as a neighbor is respected by all who know him.

LIJAH TRACY, a highly respected old settler and farmer of Tully town- ship, Van Wert county, Ohio, was born April 15, 1832, in Licking coun- ty, Ohio, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Tracy) Tracy-the mother, although bearing the same family name, being nevertheless of no known relationship. Tego Taacy, the founder of the family in America, came from England in colonial days, and a descendant, John Tracy, Sr., paternal grandfather of our sub- ject, was a farmer of Westmoreland.county, Pa., where John Tracy, Jr., his son, was born, and whence he moved to Licking county, Ohio, thence to Jefferson county. thence to Franklin county, Ohio, and thence to Michigan; in IS52 he returned to Ohio and located in Van Wert county, but in 1855 emigrated to Iowa, where he entered eighty acres of land, and died, about 1865, at the age of eighty-seven years. He was highly respected, and for two years served as clerk of Jennings township, Van Wert county, Ohio. and was twice elected treasurer of his township in Monroe county, Iowa; he and his wife were parents of eight children, viz: Mary A., Keziah, Sarah, Ruth, Elijah, Basil, John and one that died young.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

Elijah Tracy was twenty years of age when he came to Van Wert county with his parents. Two years later, January 5, 1854, he married Sarah Reed, daughter of Daniel Reed, whose biography will be found on another page. To this marriage have been born six children, of whom two died when very young, and the four that grew to maturity were named Mary, Victor, Ulysses (who died at the age of twenty- four years) and Dora. After marriage Mr. Tracy resided some time in Jennings township, and, later on, removed to Tully township. August 13, 1862, he enlisted, at Spencerville, · Allen county, Ohio, in company A, Eighty-first Ohio infantry, to serve three years, if not sooner discharged, and this event occurred at the end of one year and four months, in De- cember, 1863, owing to disability, which re- sulted from exposure. He had done duty chiefly at Memphis, Tenn., and on a very hot day he, and fifty men from his regiment, were detailed to bury an officer with the honors of war, and were double-quicked four miles back to camp, Mr. Tracy becoming over heated and then drenched with a heavy rain storm, which came down unexpectedly. The next day he was seized with hemorrhage of the lungs, was soon found to be in a very critical condition, and was sent to hospital at Camp Chase, Ohio, where he was pronounced incurable, honorably discharged, and sent home. Here he was sick a long time and unable to do any work, and is even now unfit for any ordinary labor. He has, however, a good farm of forty acres, nicely improved and well tilled. He is a member of Capper post, No. 153, G. A. R., of which he has served as commander, by ap- pointment, to fill a vacancy. He and wife are members of the Methodist church, in which he has held the office of steward, and in politics he is a republican, under which party he has served as township supervisor. Mr. Tracy and his family are greatly respected by the com-

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2, Part 61

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen Number of Pages: 1248

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1248