USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 69
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 2 > Part 69
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doubtless has many years of usefulness and happiness before him. He owns seventy acres of land in section No. 20, Union town- ship. Fraternally he is a member of I. O. R. M., Hiawatha Tribe, No. 116. Mr. Whit- man has rented his farm and is now devoting his time to contracting and building.
EORGE WOLFE, Jate a prominent farmer of Jennings township. Van Wert county, Ohio, was a son of George and Hannah (McKage) Wolfe, and was born in Licking county, August 20, 1831. The father, George, was born in Penn- sylvania, and was a son of George, a native of Germany, who married a Miss Owl, and to this union were born the following children: Jacob, George (the father of our subject), Peter, David, Susan, Hannah and John. The father of this family and grandfather of our subject, was a farmer, and ended his days in the Keystone state.
George Wolfe, father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was reared to agricultural pursuits on his father's farm and was educated in the common schools of his native state; at the age of thirty-two years he left his Pennsylvania home, having worked eleven years, after reaching his majority, in the interest of his father; he came to the Buckeye state direct, and entered a quarter section of government land in Licking county, to which he later added by purchase 100 acres. He married Hannah McKage, a native of Mor- gan county, Ohio, to which union were born six children, viz: John, of Licking county, Ohio; Davie, of Monticello, Kans. ; George, our subject; Joshua, deceased; Elizabeth, widow of James Smith, of Licking county, Ohio, and Annie, deceased wife of S. J. Lamb- ton, and now residing on the old homestead. The father of this family was a gallant soldier
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in the war of 1812; he was a democrat in pol- itics and held several local offices; was a sin- cere member of the Methodist church and died in that faith. His wife was also a mem- ber of this church.
George Wolfe, the subject proper of this sketch, was, like his forefathers, reared to the pursuit of agriculture on his father's farm. He was educated in Licking county, and in 1857 moved to Putnam county, bought, cleared up and improved a farm to some extent, and in 1859 returned to Licking county, where he re- sided four years and then came to Van Wert county, where he died January 22, 1896. In June, 1857, he married Miss Mary Jane Will- iams daughter of Edward and Sophia (Keith) Williams. This lady was born in Madison county December 14, 1835, and was brought to Van Wert by her parents in 1837. She has borne her husband the following children: Joseph, of Mercer county; Lewis, of Jennings township, Van Wert county; Emma, who died at the age of seventeen years; Hannah and Edward, the former of whom died at the age of sixteen and the latter at the age of twenty- six years; John, a graduate of the medical col- lege in Columbus; Marion, on the home place, and Ira, at home, aged seventeen years.
The farm of the late Mr. Wolfe comprises 180 acres, and is one of the handsomest and best cultivated in the township, he having been recognized as one of the most skillful agricul- turists of Van Wert county. In politics he was active as a democrat, but never indulged in aspiration to public office, being content with doing his full duty to the party at the polls. He was not a member of any religious organ- ization, but was a free and liberal contributor to the support of all, as well as to all enter- prises designed to benefit township and county. He was universally esteemed for his manly and straightforward course of life, and for his un- flinching integrity, and well deserved the en-
viable position he held in the hearts of his fel- low-citizens. His wife's brother Marion, was a brave Union soldier in the late war, but is now deceased.
G. WRIGHT, an experienced farm- er of Ridge township, Van Wert county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier, is a native of Virginia, and was born May 3, 1827. His parents, William S. and Rhoda R. Wright, had a family of eight chil- dren, who were named as follows; Lucinda, a resident of Missouri, and a widow of John Hen- sel; Winfield Scott and John H., deceased; Priscilla, wife of Elisha Johnson, of Clinton county, Ohio: William Greenberry, the sub- ject of this sketch: Elizabeth, who resides in Missouri; James L., a physician, residing in the Argentine Republic, and Anthony G., of Highland county, Ohio. The parents of these children came to Ohio in 1835 and settled in Highland county, where the father followed farming. He had served in the war of 1812, and died in tranquility in the land which he had fought to preserve, in the eighty-eighth year, his life-partner having died in her eighty- fifth-both members of the Baptist church.
William Greenberry Wright passed the earliest part of his life on his father's farm in Highland county, Ohio, he having been about eight years of age when his parents came to this state. He was married. January 2, 1850. to Miss Louisa Manker, to which marriage were born the following children: Wesley T .. who resides in Delphos, Ohio, and who is an active member of the republican party; V. II .. a farmer of Van Wert county; Luella Belle, deceased; Eugenie, wife of Oliver Poland, mail agent on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad, with his residence near Delphos; Novada E .. wife of Dr. William Roush, of Spencerville, Ohio; Lena, and two who died
OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
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in infancy without being named. The mother of this family was also called to her final rest October 4, 1871.
February 10, 1863, W. G. Wright, our subject, enlisted for three years in the Thir- teenth Ohio cavalry. He was wounded in the side by a rifle-ball at Petersburg, Va., and shortly thereafter was wounded in the knee; he was then detailed as recruiting officer at Cincinnati, his regiment having suffered severe losses, and was finally discharged at Amelia C. H., Va., by reason of the close of the war. On returning home he re-engaged in farming. and June 13, 1872, married Miss Martha R. Judkins, daughter of Franklin and Caroline A. Judkins, early settlers of Highland county, Ohio, who died, respectively, in 1863 and March 10, 1885. To this second marriage of Mr. Wright have been born the following- named children: Birdie Delle, Loutellis, Mabel Rosaline, Cletus Orlin, Lillie A., Rhoda D., and Goldie-the last named meeting a sad death by being drowned in a cistern. Beside the children here named, there were four who died unchristened.
In 1882 Mr. Wright came to Van Wert county and purchased a farm of 100 acres on the Ridge road, about three and one-half miles cast of the city of Van Wert, and this farm is one of the best improved in the township. In politics Mr. Wright is a democrat, and in 1893 was elected trustee of his township, in which there have been graded sixteen miles of gravel roads under his management. It may here be recorded that Mr. Wright is a man of note asa deer hunter, and many trophies of his skill and prowess, and marksmanship adorn his dwelling. The apiary has also claimed his at- tention for more than forty-five years, and a card attached to the gable end of his dwelling house bears the inscription, "Hunters' Home -Home of the Bee." Mr. Wright is a Mason in good standing and Mrs. Wright is a consist-
ent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and socially the family mingle with the best of Ridge township's citizens.
ILLIAM WRIGHT, one of the most substantial farmers of Washington township, Van Wert county, Ohio, descends from an old colonial family, was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, March 25. 1840, was reared a farmer, and attained his education in the district schools during the winter seasons, when he could best be spared from farm labor.
Samuel Wright, father of William, our subject, was of Irish descent; was born in Alle- ghany county, Md., near Fosterburg, in I Soo, and married, in his native state, Margaret Hoffman, of German extraction. After the birth of four children Mr. Wright, about 1830, brought his family to Ohio and located in the woods of Tuscarawas county. where he bought 200 acres of land, the greater part of which he cleared up and transformed into a fertile farm. There were born to himself and wife a family of twelve children, of whom eleven lived to adult age, as follows: Elizabeth, Georgie, Mary, Harriet, Valentine and Rachael (twins ), Jolin and Henry ( also twins ), Mar- garet, William and Elisha. Mr. Wright died on his farm at the age of fifty-nine years, a member of the Lutheran church, of which he had been a deacon for many years and of which his wife was also a devout member. In politics he was first a whig, afterwards became a republican, and gave two of his sons to the defense of the Union-Valentine and Elisha- both of whom were in company D, Fifty-sec- ond Ohio infantry-Valentine serving three years and Elisha being killed after one year's service, in a railroad accident between Nash- ville and Chattanooga.
William Wright, our subject, first married,
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
in Tuscarawas county, Susannah Belch, daugh- ter of Joseph and Rebecca (Alfred ) Belch, and to this union were born three children- Flora, Edwin and George. Directly after this union was consummated, Mr. Wright, in 1864, moved to Putnam county, Ohio, and bought eighty acres of partially cleared land in Sugar Creed township; after clearing up the re- mainder of the tract he sold out and in 1872 came to his present farm of eighty acres in Washington township, Van Wert county, this tract at the time being also but partially cleared, but by dilligence and skillful labor he has made of it one of the best homesteads in the township. Here, April 1, 1884, he was be- reaved by the death of his wife, and July 2, ISS5, he selected, for his second helpmate, Mrs. Marinda Lehman, widow of Frederick Lehman and daughter of Louis and Nancy (Binkley ) Corderman. This lady was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, April 27, 1851, and has blessed Mr. Wright with one son-Henry Otis -who was born February 17, 1886. Louis Corderman was a farmer of Fairfield county and also a wagon-maker, and both the Corder- mans and Binkleys were of Pennsylvania- Dutch extraction. Mr. Corderman came to Van Wert county in 1853 and settled on 160 acres in Washington township, where he died. about 1859, at the age of fifty-one years. Of his three children-Mary, John and Marinda- Mary married John Long, who was killed in the Civil war, John sought his own fortune, and Marinda became the second wife of Mr. Wright. After the death of Mr. Corderman his widow finished the clearing up of the farm to the extent of eighty acres, made a good home, and died about 1889, aged seventy-eight years, a devout member of the United Breth- ren church.
Mr. and Mrs. Wright are consistent and pious members of the Methodist church, in which he has been a class leader thirty years
and for a long time a trustee. He has always been liberal in his contributions in aid of re- ligion and also toward all projects designed for the public good. In politics he is a republi- can, and bears a high character as an upright man, a true Christian and a public-spirited citizen of true worth.
J SOHN WYANDT, a prominent farmer of Harrison township, Van Wert coun- ty. Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the late Civil war, was born in Stark county, Ohio, January 30, 1837. His grandfather. Henry Wyandt, was a native of Maryland. was married there, had a family of eleven children, early came to Ohio, settled where Wilmont now stands in Stark county, and died on his farm at the age of seventy-six years. Simon Wyandt, son of Henry and father of John, our subject, was born in Mary- land, May 25. 1812, came to Ohio with his father and married Elizabeth Dull, daughter of John and Hannah (Lenhart) Dull. John Dull came from Pennsylvania and settled on a farmi adjoining that of the Wyandt family. in Obio, and here he and his wife died of cholera in 1832. In 1839 Simon Wyandt brought his wife and family to Van Wert county and en- tered eighty acres in the woods of Harrison township, made a good farm and reared a fam- ily of eight children, viz: Henry, John, Han- nah, Jacob, Catherine (died at sixteen . George W., David (died at nine), and Frank- lin, who died when three years old. Of these children, three sons served in the Union army during the late Civil war-Henry, John and Jacob. The death of Simon Wyandt took place at the comparatively early age of forty- seven years.
John Wyandt, as intimated above, was brought to Van Wert county, when but two years of age, and was here reared to man-
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
hood, receiving his education at the log school- house in district No. I, a school-house, indeed, in which his children were subsequently edu- cated. The marriage of Mr. Wyandt took December 5, 1861, to Harriet Gunsett. a daughter of Henry and Catherine (Smith) Gunsett, born August 2, 1839. After his mar- riage, John Wyandt bought forty acres of land in Harrison township, which is still his home- stead. Between then and now, however, Mr. Wyandt has had a varied experience. Sep- tember 21, 1864, he enlisted at Lima, Ohio, in company F, Forty-first Ohio volunteer in- fantry, for one year, or during the war, and faithfully served until honorably discharged at Nashville, Tenn., June 14, 1865, the war hav- ing ended. During this short term of service, however, he did much active duty, taking part at Spring Hill, Columbia, Franklin, Nashville and Lexington, Tenn., and in many skir- mishes, and was on the Hood campaign under the lead of the gallant general, "Pap" Thomas. When he entered the army he left at home his wife and three small children, the youngest two being twins and but three months old. What more can be said of patri- otisin? And in the wilderness of Van Wert the faithful wife struggled along alone with her young family. What compliment can be paid to her? The little family of Mr. Wyandt has, however, been increased, but, sad to re- late, decreased, but it is proper that a record of the birth of his children should be given in regular order, that is to say: Jacob, Welling- ton, Simon and Catherine (twins), Henry, and John and a twin brother, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Wyandt are members of the Evangelical church, in which Mr. Wyandt is an elder and for a long time was a deacon. He has taken a great interest in matters edu- cational, and for twenty-four years has been a school director. In politics he is a republican, and fraternizes with Capper post, No. 236,
G. A. R., in which he has filled the office of vice-commander. .. He has always been an industrious man and has doubled his acreage since he first settled on it; he has won the re- spect of all who have known him, and the United States government in 1890 had suffi- cient confidence in him to appoint him census enumerator for Harrison township.
J ACOB WYANDT, a well known busi- ness man of Van Wert city, Ohio, was born August 3, 1842, in the county of Van Wert, township of Harrison, a son of Simon and Elizabeth (Dull) Wyandt. Simon Wyandt was a native of Somerset county, Pa., born May 25, 1815, a son of Henry Wyandt, who was born in Maryland, in which State Christian Wyandt, the progenitor of the fam- ily, made settlement on coming to America in 1760, later taking part in the war of the Rev- olution. Simon Wyandt was reared in Stark county, Ohio, and there married, November 5, 1834, Elizabeth Dull, who was born in Cum- berland, county, Pa., June 4, 1813, a daughter of John Dull. Mr. and Mrs. Simon Wyandt resided in Stark county until 1839, when they came to Van Wert county and bought land in Harrison township, where Simon died January 4, 1859. His widow now lives in Convoy, Van Wert county, and still owns the farm of eighty acres. She bore her husband eight children, viz: Henry, deceased: John. of Har- rison township; Hannah, wife of J. Gunsett, of Ohio City: Jacob, the subject of this sketch; Catherine, deceased; George W., of Black- ford county, Ind .; David S., deceased; and Franklin. deceased. Mrs. Wyandt is a mem- ber of the Lutheran church; in politics her hus- band was a republican.
Jacob Wyandt was reared on' the old homestead in Harrison township, remained there until twenty-one years of age, and then
ris
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
enlisted, July 9, 1863, in company K, Eighty- eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was on detached duty for thirteen months as clerk for the assistant judge advocate of the department comprising Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Mich- igan, the documents of all courts martial in this department passing through subject's hands during this period. He was honorably discharged at Cincinnati, June 30, 1865, and on his return engaged as clerk in a store in Convoy. He was there married, and there made his home, engaged in the general mer- cantile business in partnership with James Pettit, but sold his interest therein a year later, and for the two years following dealt in oil -. barrels, staves and heading; then entered the drug trade in Convoy, which he conducted for eight years, and sold out in ISSo. He had been appointed post-master at Convoy, Ohio, May 25, 1869, and held the office until September 15, 1885; during this period he also kept the post-office book and news stand. At the ex- piration of his term as post-master he moved to Van Wert city and bought one-quarter in- terest in the Bulletin, and was co-editor with J. W. Sommersett until 1886, when he sold his interest and bought a one-half interest in the Van Wert Book & News company, J. M. C. Marble being his partner; at the end of a ·year he disposed of his stock in this concern and established the book and periodical stand in the lobby of the post-office, and also assists the wholesale grocery firm of Humphreys & Hughes as bill clerk.
Mr. Wyandt was joined in wedlock, March 26. 1867, in Tully township, Van Wert county, with Miss Sarah E. North, a native of Wash- ington county, Pa., born May 11, 1846, a daughter of Joseph and Rachael (Dahlhausen) North, and to this union have been born four children, viz: Anna Laura Belle, wife of W. S. Little, a machinist of Chicago; Edwin P., with his father; a deceased infant, and Minnie
May. Mr. and Mrs. Wyandt reside in their pleasant home on Lynn street, which he owns, and both are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church. In politics Mr. Wyandt is a re- publican and was a member of the school- board in Convoy for ten years and its clerk: he has been secretary of the county Sunday- school association ever since its organization in ISS3; he is also a notary public, and frater- nally he is a member of lodge No. 251, I. O. O. F., of Van Wert, Marion encampment, No. 61, and Pearl Rebekah No. 53. The social standing of Mr. and Mrs. Wyandt is with the best of Van Wert county.
J OSEPH WILLIAMSON, deceased, was born in New Castle. England, Septem- ber 27, 1843. His father was Edward Williamson, also a native of England, who was married at an early age and was the father of seven children, namely: Joseph, of our sketch; John Edward, Jr .; Mary, Jane, Matthew, Opodias and Harriet; of these, five are still living. The father died when sixty years old. His eldest son, Joseph, the subject of this sketch, was given a fair schooling, and then learned the stone-cutter's trade. At the age of twenty-three (1867) he decided to leave the parental roof and seek his fortune in the great land to the westward, America. He landed in New York in fair circumstances and immediately went to work at his trade. After remaining there a while he went to Pittsburg, Pa., where he continued at his trade; later on he moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and there he met and married Anna Profit, February 6, 1870. After marriage he worked at his trade in the following mentioned places: Cleveland and Sandusky, Ohio; Pontiac, Mich .; and then at Sandusky, Ohio, again. He then moved to Toledo, Ohio, afterward to Fort Wayne, Ind ..
893-814
.. .
das
JOHN WILLIAMSON, DECEASED.
895 896
MRS. ANNA' WILLIAMSON.
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OF VAN WERT COUNTY.
and then to Van Wert, Ohio. After remain- ing here some time he moved his family to Marysville, Ohio, and finally back to Van Wert, where he remained and worked at his trade until death called him away October 4, 1881. Although he moved from place to place as a rolling stone, yet he accumulated quite a good deal of property and left his wife in very good circumstances. Mr. Williamson was a good Christian of much liberality, and of considerable ability, was honored and re- spected by all, and was much liked by those with whom he walked. He was the father of three children, viz: Victoria, who died while the parents were living in Sandusky, at the age of seven months and five days; Edward, who was born in Sandusky on May 16, 1874, and when grown to manhood learned the molder's trade and followed it for three years, and then accepted a position in the Harris laundry in Van Wert; here he worked until he learned the business thoroughly, and then bought out Mr. Harris, and now owns the laundry him- self. He has a finely equipped establishment with the latest improved machinery, and enjoys a very large patronage not only in Van Wert. but in many of the neighboring towns. He gives employmeut to quite a number of per- sons. Fred, the youngest son, was born in Sandusky on March 18, 1877, and is now with his brother in the laundry.
Mrs. Williamson, the wife and mother, was born in New York April 26, 1847. Her father, Jacob Profit, was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1827, and was a weaver by trade. In 1847 he left the fatherland and came to America, and worked at his trade in New York a while. He had married Maggie Bark in 1842, in Germany, and after leaving New York lived in Mansfield, Ohio. Their children were five in number and named as follows: Peter. who died in 1877: Jacob; Philip, who died when quite young, and Anna (Mrs. Will-
iamson) now lives in Van Wert, and is com- forted by her two sons, who are young men of exemplary habits.
ENRY YOUNG, a pioneer farmer of Tully township, Van Wert county; Ohio, is a son of John and Sarah (Coffman) Young, and was born in Little - York, Pa., December 18, ISIS. John Young, the father, was also born in Little York, his grandfather coming from Germany. John moved first to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1826-7, and located in the wilderness; thence, in 1836, he moved to Holmes county, then to Ashland county and then to Richland, whence he came to Tully township, Van Wert county, and from here went to Kansas, where he died at the age of eighty-eight years, the father of seven chil- dren, viz: Henry. John (died an infant), Cath- erine, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel and Leah. John and wife were members of the Albright Meth- odist church; in politics was a Jacksonian dem- ocrat and a strong Union man; he fought in the war of 1812, and in the Civil war had three sons-all in Ohio regiments.
Henry Young was reared to the onerous duties of farm life and was educated in the common schools. December 27, 1843, he was married, in Holmes county, to Ellen Hornet, daughter of Noah and Sarah Hornet, to which union were born four children, viz: Peter, Mary. Sarah and Hubbard. After his marriage, Mr. Young resided in Holmes county until 1848, when he moved to Ashland county, remained two years, and then moved to near Shelby. Ricliland county, where Mrs. Young died. July 21, 1851. Mr. Young then went to Crestline, Crawford county, and for four years was em- ployed at carpenter work. Here he married Diana Hershey, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Hershey. Jacob Hershey and family came from Lancaster county, Pa., his children
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
being four in number, named William W .. Samuel, Harriet and Diana. Mr. Hershey eventually came to Van Wert county and passed his waning days at the home of our subject, dying at the age of seventy-five years, a member of the Lutheran church. Mr. Young, who was an excellent carpenter and mechanic and learned his trade when thirty years of age, continued to work in the car shops at Crest- line for the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R. company for about eight years (having first worked at bridge building a year and a half for the same com- pany), and in 1864 came to Van Wert and bought forty acres of his present farm in the wild woods, and in the same spring bought twenty-six acres adjoining on the south, and all this land he has earned by hard labor, suc- ceeded in clearing, and in making a pleasant home and a profitable farm.
The nine children born to Henry Young by his second marriage were named William, Frances, Henry, Jacob, John, Samuel, Alex- ander, Nettie and Turey. His eldest son by his first marriage, Peter, served as a private in company K, Forty-sixth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, for a short time, and was in the battle of Shiloh; he was then seized with typhus fever, and died in hospital at Memphis, Tenn., November 28, 1862. The marriages among his remaining children took place as follows: Mary was married to David Lowper, who became the father of two children and died, and she then married Thomas Hawkins, a farmer of Harrison township; Sarah was mar- ried to Alfred Baer, and had four children; Hubbard, a carpenter, married Eliza Current who has borne ,one child; Frances, now de- ceased, was married to Jacob Mosel, a farmer of Tully township; Jacob married Ollie Lock- heart, and is now in Lima, Ohio, a mechanic in the D. & M. shops, with no children. Samuel Young, one of the sons by the second marriage, graduated from the normal school,
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