USA > Ohio > Portage County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 19
USA > Ohio > Summit County > A portrait and biographical record of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio > Part 19
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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
William Holzhauer was born June 16, 1816, at Baden, Germany, and married, in Germany, Catherine Ann Forbach, becoming the father of Almeda, Amelia and Lewis. Mr. Holzhauer is still living and has always been a good and law-abiding citizen. Mrs. Lewis (Kirsch) Holzhauer was called from earth February 28, 1891, a lady of many virtues.
OHN H. JOHNSON, a prosperous farmer of Northfield township, Suinmit county, Ohio, an old soldier of the Civil war and an ex-prisoner of the infamous Andersonville prison, descends pri- marily from sterling English ancestry and was born in Bedford township, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, May 8, 1847, a son of William and Elizabeth (Wycle) Johnson. He received a very limited common education, his father
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having died when he was but an infant of six months. He was bound out when but four years old, and was reared by Plato S. Brew- ster, a farmer of Summit county. He · en- listed, when but fifteen years old, August 4, 1862, in Northfield township, Summit county, in company G, One Hundred and Fifteenth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years or during the war, and served until hon- orably discharged at Columbus, Ohio, June 13, 1865, the war having closed.
He was in several skirmishes with Wheel- er's cavalry in Tennessee in August, 1864, and on one occasion, when he and thirty-two of his comrades were guarding a block house on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga rail- road, in Tennessee, being on detached duty, were surprised by Confederate cavalry and ar- tillery under Gen's. Forrest and Buford, after a day's hard fighting, and were taken prison- ers-having surrendered with promise of being exchanged. He was taken with other prison- ers to Columbia, Tenn., and thence to Merid- ian, Miss., and thence to the dreaded stock- ade at Andersonville. When first captured they were stripped and robbed of guns, blank- ets, overcoats, knapsacks and valuables. In January, 1865, Andersonville had a large number of prisoners, was very filthy and af- forded no shelter from the weather. The rations were of the poorest quality, consisting of beans uncooked, corn-meal ground cob and all, and a very little meat, and Mr. Johnson was held a prisoner until the close of the war, about four months. He was sick with typhoid fever in Woodward hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, from August 23, 1863, to January, 1864, and came near death. After the war he returned to Ohio, and married, on the farm where he now lives, March 11, 1880, Miss Catherine Allbaugh, who was born in Carroll county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Catherine (Sell) Allbaugh. In politics Mr. Johnson is a
republican, and his first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. He is a good citi- zen, and has always been industrious, and respected, and is a member of the Ex-Prison- ers' of War association of Cleveland, Ohio.
William Johnson, father of John H., was born in New York state, a son of William, a soldier in the war of 1812. William, father of subject, married, in New York state, Eliza- beth Wycle, and their children were Hiram, Thomas, John H., Sarah Jane and Martha E. Mr. Johnson owned a small farm in Bedford, Cuyahoga county, Ohio. He died a young man of twenty-eight years of age. He had three sons in the Civil war-Hiram, Thomas and John H. Hiram was in the One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry and died of heart disease in Camp Chase, Ohio. Thomas was in company H, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry. three years, and was disabled at Franklin, Tenn., and assigned to the veteran corps. Mrs. Johnson, mother of J. H. Johnson, married for her second husband John H. Gardner, of Bedford, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and their children were Oliver, Mary, William Helman, Alton and Harrison. William served in the Tenth Ohio cavalry during the late war, and died in the army, and thus five of the family served as soldiers and two died in the service.
Mr. Johnson has thriven as a farmer, is in- dustrious and steady in his habits, and has won for himself a high standing in the esteem of his fellow-citizens.
J OHN S. LEE, a well-known carpenter of Richfield township, Summit county, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, was born July 4, 1847, in Orland, Steuben county, Ind .. a son of John and Elizabeth (Sanborn) Lee, both early settlers of Summit county, Ohio. Elizabeth Sanborn was a
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
daughter of John Sanborn and Sibyl (Fanwell) Sanborn, natives of Vermont. Elizabeth Lee died at Orland, Ind., in 1851.
John Lee, a farmer, was born in Pennsyl- vania, July 4, 1820, and was a son of George Lee, of German descent and an early settler of Boston, Summit county, Ohio. John Lee was married in Boston and to him and wife were born John S. and Helen A. His death occurred in December, 1865, a highly re- spected gentleman. John Lee married, for his second wife, Electa Oviatt, in 1864, to whom was born one son, Park P. Lec. She sur- vived him a few years.
John S. Lee was about four years of age when his parents returned from Indiana to Richfield, Ohio, where they had previously resided. Here he received a common-school education, and at the age of sixteen years en- listed in the volunteer service, but was dis- charged through the action of his father, with- out whose consent he had enlisted. When he had reached the age of seventeen, however, he was permitted to enlist, August 29, 1864, at West Richfield, as drummer in company H. One Hundred and Seventeenth Ohio volunteer in'antry, to serve one year, if the war were not sooner closed, and received an honorable discharge at Greensboro, N. C., June 24, 1865, the war having ended the previous month. He fought at Murfreesboro, Tenn., Fort An- derson and Town Creek, N. C., and took part in several skirmishes. He was on one forced march of two days, from Tullahoma to Mur- freesboro, and this was the hardest he had to undergo, although he took part, necessarily, in many others. After the war he returned to Richfield, where he has since been employed at his trade of carpenter.
April 18, 1868, Mr. Lee married. at West Richfield. Miss Frances A. Pettit, a daughter of John and Charlotte (Hoight) Pettit, and who was born at Brecksville, April 9, 1847.
John Pettit, her father, was a native of New York state, and when a young man came to Ohio, and located in Brecksville. Cuyahoga county, but married in Westfield, N. Y., the result being five children -- Henry B., Alice, Esther, Sarah, and Frances A. His second marriage was to Hannah Scarle, of Hinckley, Ohio, and to this union were born eight chil- dren. The death of Mr. Pettit took place in Newark, Ohio, 1880, at the age of seventy-five years, being a Methodist in religion and a re- publican in politics.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lee went to Manistee county, Mich., and located on a farm of forty acres in the woods at Bear Lake. This farm Mr. Lee partially cleared up, but two years later returned to West Rich- fleld, Ohio, moved to Newark, Ohio, in 1874, lived one year, and then came back to Rich- field, where he has ever since been engaged at his trade. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lee have been born two children, Lenna C. and Cora A Mr. Lce is a member of A. N. Goldwood post, No. 144, G. A. R., at West Richfield, and is greatly respected for his moral, temperate and industrious course through life. In politics Mr. Lee is republican.
PILLIAM OLIVER WISE, attorney at law, of Akron, Ohio, is one of four children born to Jacob and Martha Elizabeth Wise. He was born in the village of East Liberty. Ohio, Sep- tember 8, 1875. His only sister, Idella Ray, who was his junior by nearly two years, died at the age of three and one-half years; his two brothers, twins, died in their early infancy.
His father, Jacob Wise, is the son of Will- iam Wise, who was one of the most progressive and thriving farmers of Summit county darin .; his day. He was a direct descendant of the famous Wise family who to this day mhabit
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
the Shenandoah Valley of Pennsylvania and Virginia and which stock emigrated originally from Holland. Jacob Wise, aside from being a landlord of a village tavern, was also a dealer in all kinds of agricultural implements, thereby gaining a large circle of friends, especially among the tillers of the soil. He was also a partner of the firm, Betz, Hammerly & Wise, of Canton, Ohio, who were manufacturers of the Corn Stalk King Feed Cutter; Jacob Wise spent much time and money on this machine and took out several patents for improving it; and still later on the partnership organized it- self in a stock company which later amalgamat- ed with the Champion Lawn Rake Co., and which was then known as the Champion Lawn Rake & Feed Cutter company of Canton, Ohio. Several years later this company went into the hands of a receiver, as did numbers of other like institutions on the advent of the panic. Jacob Wise then managed the hotel at Moga- dore, Ohio, for several years and in the sum- mer of 1896 he sold out and moved to Akron. Ohio, and became engaged in the selling of cigars, representing the S. R. Moss Cigar com- pany of Harrisburg, Pa. He is also the pat- entee of " Wise's Vehicle Headlight."
Martha Elizabeth Wise was the daughter of Solomon Gigger, also a well-to-do farmer near East Liberty, Summit county, Ohio. Her father also spent a greater part of the winters in Akron and Cleveland, building ships and canal boats, this being his regular trade.
Oliver Wise, whose name opens this sketch, met with a sad misforture at the age of three and one-half years; he fell off of a fence at his Grandma Wise's home and in falling was caught by two fence pales and heng there until his cries caused his grandma to come to his rescue. In falling he broke his ankle and was confined to his bed for months, the final re- hults of the wounds being two strokes of paralysis.
He received his early primary education in the village schools of Manchester and Union- town, Ohio; also attended a country school outh of Akron, known as Moore's districts school. At the age of fifteen he removed with his parents to Akron, Ohio, and attended the Akron high school, from which he was gradu- ated. During a portion of his time spent in the Akron high school his parents were con- ducting the village tavern at Mogadore, Ohio. During a part of this time, after school hours, Oliver worked for Messrs. F. J. Kolb & Son, dealers in groceries, hay, straw and feed, doing business at the corner of West Exchange and Water streets. He baled hay and straw and delivered groceries and clerked in the store and did " chores " about the house, all in return for his board and a small salary. After graduating from the Akron high school he went to Pittsburg, Pa., and completed a course of study in Duff's mercantile college, and was graduated with first honors in his class from that institution. He immediately entered the law offices of Judge E. P. Green, Judge C. R. Grant and Col. George W. Sieber, of Akron, Ohio, and in the autumn of 1894 entered the Cincinnati law school, now the law department of the University of Cincin- nati, and was graduated in the class of 1896 with high honors, receiving the LL. B. de- gree (Bachelor of Laws), also completing a regular three-years' course in two years. He passed the Ohio bar examinations at the age of twenty, and on September 8, 1896, his twenty-first birthday, was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of the state of Ohio and had the distinction of being the youngest law- yer in the state.
During the autumn of 1896 he matriculated as a post-graduate in law at Columbian uni- versity, Washington, D. C. At the same time that he attended this university he also held a law clerkship in the offices of Judge I. G.
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PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Kimball and his son, Harry G. Kimball, whoee offices are located on Fifth street, N. W., better known in legal circles as " Judi- ciary Row." On November 9, 1896, he be- came a member of the Washington bar, hav- ing passed the examination and been admitted to practice in all the United States courts of . the District of Columbia. Having fulfilled all requirements, he was very soon after also ad- mitted to practice in all the departments of the government, the war, navy, state, pen- sion, interior and treasury, and on the 3d of March, 1397, was admitted to practice before the United States court of claims, on motion of the Hon. Willism A. Maury, sometime assistant attorney-general of the United States. On March 8, 1897, Gov. Asa S. Bushnell, of Ohio, appointed him commissioner of deeds of Ohio within the District of Columbia. He also took an active part in the debates of the uni- versity. The post-graduate class in law of Columbian university selected him as one of its three representatives of the executive commit- tee of the Columbian Law Debating society. He was also honored by being elected by the post-graduate law class as its representative in several public debates. Having been a success- ful contestant in those debates, lie was again elected by an unanimous vote to represent the post-graduate class in law in the final prize debate which was held at the end of the col- legiate year. To be selected as a representa- tive in this final prize debate is considered one of the highest honors a university student can aspire to. The other contestant selected with him from the post-graduate law class was Francis William Henry Clay, of Kentucky, a Cornell graduate, and a direct descendant of old Henry Clay. Oliver was graduated from Columbian university on June 8, 1897, and received the LL. M. degree (Master of Laws). On August 26, 1897, he began the practice of the law at Akron, Ohio, associating himself
with A. B. Tinker, with offices in the Akron Savings bank building. There are but few young men better qualified to fight life's bat- tles, as well as legal ones, and we predict for Mr. Wise a very bright future.
ERRY W. JOHNSON, one of the best business men of Franklin town- ship, Portage county, Ohio, and well known in Kent and throughout the county, was born in Shalersville, this county, December 21, 1857, and is a son of Alonzo and Mary J. (Cook) Johnson, also natives of Portage county.
Alonzo Johnson, father of Perry W., farmer and butcher of Kent, was born in Sbalerville township, May 25, 1835, a son of Ebenezer and Annis (Stoddard) Johnson, na- tives of Vermont and New Hampshire respect- ively-the latter born April 8, 1811. Alonzo's paternal grandfather, Sylvester Johnson, was a farmer of Rutland, Vt., and his maternal grandfather, Stoddard, a native of New Hampshire. The parents of Alonzo settled in Stowe township, Summit county, Ohio, in 1834, and in 1835 purchased a tract of heavily timbered land in Shalersville township, Port- age county, which they cleared and improved, and where they l.ved until the death of the father in 1850, in his forty-second year. They had seven children: Alonzo, Lucinda (de- ceased), Emma (Mrs. Willard Seward), Syi- vester, Leander, Silas (died in the army dur- ing the late war) and Eben. The mother next married Rufus Newton, of Franklin township. Portage county, in 1857. He died in 1862 and she moved to Daviess county, Mo., in 1869, and subsequently married William Hughes, who died in 1879, and his widow re- turned to Ohio in 1880, and is now residing "!1 Kent. . Alonzo Johnson was reared in Shalt rs- ville township, and was educated in the com-
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
mon schools. He resided in Shaleisville township until 1863, when he removed to Kent, Portage county, and embarked in the grocery business, in which he was engaged two years. He then built the hotel known as the Collins House, which he conducted for three years, and during that time opened a meat market, which he carried on from 1866 to March 30, 1885, when he retired from that business. He is now engaged in farming, in Franklin township, Portage county. owning the farm formerly occupied by Warren Burt.
Alonzo Johnson was married in November, 1855, to Mary J., daughter of William and Lavina Cook, of Franklin township, by whom he had twelve children, nine now living: Willard, Berry, Emma (Mrs. Henry Barker), Albert, Ora, Nella, Clayton, Cora and Selah. Mr. Johnson is a representative citizen of the township and in politics is a democrat.
Perry W. Johnson was engaged in the teat business with his father and older brother until 1885, when they dissolved partnership; in connection with this they also held the ice business of Kent, after which Perry W. John- son carried on the ice business alone until 1889. His wife, Miss Carrie (Luce) Johnson, was born August 14, 1860, being the youngest child of Elihu Luce. They had five children: Britton Johnson, Berty J. (deceased), Fay J., Malissa J. and Leonard J. Mr. Luce was born June 4, 1820, and Melissa Shirtliff Luce, born August 26, 1820. Elihu Luce came from Ferrysburg, Gene-ee county, N. Y., and settled at Franklin, Ohio. Melissa Shirtliff was the eldest daughter of Rule Shirtliff. who was born February 14, 1793 (died 1865), and Mrs. Melissa Loomis Shirtliff, born December 5. 1795 (died in 1873). They caine from Massachusetts to Franklin, Ohio, in 1818, the occupation of Mr. Shirtliff being that of gen- eral farming.
Zebulon Luce, father of Elihu, was born 1
July 4, 1790, was engaged in farming and also ran a saw and grist-mill at Sheldon, N. J., and died July 12, 1849. Rachael (Tomkins) Luce, his wife, was born September 10, 1795, a daughter of a farmer owning 1,600 acres of land at Ferrysburg, N. Y., and had born to them thirteen children. Zebulon Luce died July 12, 1849, a highly respected and useful citizen.
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YMAN LAUDENSLAGER, one of the prominent and substantial busi- ness men of Hudson, Summit county, was born in Suffield township, Port- age county, Ohio, June 27, 1861, a son of John and Catherine (Hull) I.audenslager, Jr. John Laudenslager, Jr., was one of the pioneers of Suffield township, Portage county, Ohio. They first settled in Springfield township, Sum- mit county, Ohio, and in 1839 removed to Suffield township, Portage county, Ohio. Here the grandfather of subject, John Laudenslager, Sr., cleared up a farm from the woods, con- sisting of about 100 acres. He lived to be seventy-six years of age and died in 1879. His children were Jacob, Henry, John, Lydia and Fannie. John Laudenslager, Sr., was born in Northumberland county, Pa., about 1803 of sturdy Pennsylvania-Dutch ancestry. He was a member of the German Reform church, in which he was a deacon many years, and a very prominent man in his church, assisting to build the first German Reform church in his town- ship. He was a much respected citizen and a democrat in politics. He had one son-Henry -in the Civil war, who died in the service of pneumonia. John Laudenslager, Sr., was well known among the pioneers as a substantial citizen and much respected man, noted for his sturdy and honest character.
John Laudenslager, jr., son of above and father of our subject, was born in Suffield
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township, Summit county, June 19, 1835. He was a farmer and also traveling salesman, and married Catherine Hull, daughter of John and Catherine Hull. Mr. Laudenslager settled in Suffield township and moved in 1874 to Brim- field township, where he bought 100 acres of land and had a good home and farm. He was a life-long member of the German Reformed church, in which he was a deacon many years, taking his father's place. He was an active church worker and assisted to bui'd the pres- eut Reformed church in his town-hip. His children were Allen, Emanuel, Lyman, George, Frank and Mary. Mr. Laudenslager was an upright and practical business man, greatly re- spected in his community, and a good friendly neighbor. He died May 27, 1897.
Lyman Laudenslager, our subject, received a good common-school education in the dis- trict schools, and was reared to farming. He next became a foreman of a company of men in the roofing business with his father, and afterward, in 1880, a foreman in the Carriage Gear works of Hudson. He married, Febru- ary 24, 1886, Miss Aurie Post, who was born at Twinsburg, Ohio, Aug. 12, 1861, a daugh- ter of Ebenezer and Maria (Davis) Post. Mr. Post was a pioneer farmer of Twinsburg and a prominent stock dealer and speculator.
Mr. Landenslager engaged in the livery business in Ohio in 1886, in company with H. Wehner and Andrew May. Mr. Laudenslager and Mr. May bought out Mr. Wehner two and a half years later, and Mr. Laudenslager bought out Mr. May in 1892 and became sole proprietor, and has since conducted the busi- ness. He has a well-equipped stable and keeps a first-class livery -- one of the best in he county. Mr. Laudenslager is entirely a self-made man, having accumulated his prop- erty solely by his own exertions. In politics he is a stanch democrat and has been twice a member of the council of Hudson. He is a
member of the German reformed church of Suffield township and assisted to build its church. Mr. Laudenslager is a man of straight- forward honesty of character among the peo- pie of the county, and as a business man is ex- ceedingly popular. He has prospered by his thrift, industry and integrity. Mr. Lauden- slager has just bought, in company with E. W. Eby and Robert Adams, a large and first-class flouring-mill at Clinton, Ohio, but will still continue to reside in Hudson. He is a very publ c-spirited man and takes an active inter- est in all public improvements.
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ICHARD LIMBER, a practical build- er and carpenter of Tallmadge town- ship, Summit county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier, is a son of Isaac and Nancy (Keller) Limber, and was born in Tallmadge, May 12, 1838.
Isaac Limber was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, and is thought to have been of Irish ancestry, the surname being at one time in t e past spelled Lambert. His wife, Nancy Keller, was of Pennsylvania-Dutch and Eng- lish descent. Isaac was a carpenter by trade, and came to Tallmadge township from Mahon- ing county about 1835, and here passed the remainder of his life, dying at the age of six- ty-five years. He and wife were the parents of twelve children, viz: John, Alexander, Jefferson, Allen, Jesse, Otto, Richard, Hiram, Sarah A., Elizabeth, Fannie and Valentine who died at the age of three years. Five of these boys were soldiers in the Civil war, viz: Jefferson, Allen, Jesse, Otto and Richard. Of the se, Jefferson was in the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Ohio, roo-day service; Allen and Otto were in the three years' service in the Sixty-fourth Ohio infantry, and Jesse was in the One Huddred and Fourth Ohio infan- try, in the three-year service. Richard's mil-
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OF PORTAGE AND SUMMIT COUNTIES.
itary record will be mentioned more fully. Isaac Limber was a skillful mechanic, was a man of good education and fine intellectual capacity and genial disposition, and was much respected by all who knew him.
Richard Limber received a fair common- school education and was reared to farm laber. he enlisted at Tallmadge, August 22, 1862, and was mustered in at Massillon, Ohio, under Capt. Joseph W. McConnell, in company I, One Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, Col. J. A. Lucy, to served three years or through the war, if sooner ended, and end it did before he received his honorable discharge at Cleveland, Ohio, July 5, 1865. having been mustered out at Murfreesboro, Tenn .-- just two months short of three years from the date of his enlistment. His services in the army were rendered at Cincinnati, Ohio, for about a year; thence his regiment was sent to . Nashville, Tenn., where it was divided, part going to Murfreesboro, and to this part Mr. Limber was attached. and there he re- mained, guarding the military works and the city until discharged. His only time off duty was when he was laid up a month with typhoid fever in Cincinnati, and one month at Mur- freesboro.
After the war Mr. Limber returned to Tall- madge, and learned carpentering, bricklaying and plastering, and is now able to construct all kinds of buildings, and building has since been his occupation. January 2, 1869, he married, in Tallmadge, Miss Hattie G. Ogle .. the nuptial knot being tied by Rev. Benjamin F. Wade, a Methodist clergyman. Miss Ogle was born in Barrow Waterside, Lincolnshire, England, December 11. 1848, a daughter of Richard and Sarah (Thompson) Ogle. To Mr. and Mrs. Limber the following-named children have been born: Edward L. (who died at the age of three years), Perry R., Philo E. and Clinton B. The surviving children have
all been well educated, Pnilo E. being a grad- uate of the Tallmadge high school.
Richard Ogle, father of Mrs. Limber, was a brick and tile foreman for his father in Eng- land. To his marriage with Miss Sarah Thompson were born George, Elizabeth, At- kin, William, Sarah, Hattie G. and Mary in England, and after coming to America, in 1851, there were born to him Richard, Henry, Charles, Thomas and Rebecca. After coming to America, Mr. Ogle located in Tallmadge township and engaged in farming; two years later he sent for his then family, who arrived in the spring of 1853, and here remained un- til 1868, when he removed to Clark, and then to Edgar county, Ill., where he died at the age of seventy-one years. Two of his sons served in the Civil war --- Atkin in the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Ohio infantry for 100 days; William was in the Ohio cava'ry. in the three-year service, acted as scout for Sherman in his march to the sea, was captured by the enemy, and eventually died from the effects of prison life.
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