USA > Ohio > Erie County > A standard history of Erie County, Ohio: an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic, and social development. A chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs > Part 14
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 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114
Sandusky has always been the home and center of activity for John II. Ilomegardner. He was reared in the city, was educated in St. Mary's parochial school and at the old Buckeye Business College, all institution which trained a great many successful business men. When he was only thirteen years of age he began gaining a practical knowledge of the sand business in the employ of his father, and was associated with the elder Homegardner for eleven years. He subsequently became a member of the retail shoe house of Giedeman & Homegardner, of San- dusky, and that was one of the best known stores of the kind in the city for a quarter of a century. In 1899 Mr. Homegardner engaged in his present business, with which his earlier experience had made him ac- quainted, and was vice president and cashier of the Homegardner Sand Company until the death of his father, at which time he was made president.
Mr. Homegardner married Miss Louise Stang. of Monroeville, Ohio, a daughter of the late Peter A. Stang. To their marriage were born two daughters: Norma L. and Wanda, both living at home with their parents. Mr. Homegardner is a democrat in politics, and is affiliated with Sandusky Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a liberal and active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Ile has proved himself a friend of all public-spirited movements under- taken in his city and county, and by a long career has established him- self securely in the confidence and estcem of his fellow citizens.
ALEXANDER DECK. For many years a well known and prosperous merchant of Sandusky, Erie County, Alexander Deck, through his good business judgment and management, acquired a competency, and is now living retired from active pursuits, enjoying to the utmost a well merited leisure. His birth occurred in the month of May, 1840, in the Town of Ahrenstten, Baden, Germany. His parents were life-long residents of Baden, where his brother, Ferdinand, and his sister, Mary, are still living.
Leaving school at the age of sixteen years, Mr. Deck, who as a boy was bright and ambitions, began an apprenticeship at the cabinetmaker's trade, and served faithfully for four years. Ile subsequently worked as a journeyman in several different cities, from each of his emplovers receiving a certificate testifying to his good character and his skillful workmanship. Returning to his home, Mr. Deck was for four years in the employ of the Kaiser, and in 1866, during the progress of the war between Austria and Prussia, he served as a soldier in the German army.
Immigrating to the United States in 1867, Mr. Deck located at San- dusky, Ohio, where he soon found employment, first as a cabinetmaker and later as a millwright. Then for a period of three years he was en- gaged in the dry goods business, but owing to ill health he was forced to give up work for a time, and therefore disposed of his store and stock. On recovering his former vigor, he embarked in the furniture and under- taking business, conducting a store on East Market Street until 1898. when he sold out, and has since lived retired, as above stated.
562
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
Mr. Deck was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Cable, who was born in Indiana, being the eldest daughter of Lawrence Cable. Mrs. Deek died in June, 1912, at a comparatively early age. She was a most estimable woman, and a devout member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, to which Mr. Deck also belongs.
WILLIAM G. SARGEANT. A long life has been vouchsafed to this ven- erable resident of Oxford township, where his home has been eontinu- ously for more than fifty-five years. An Englishman by birth, he came a young man full of hope and enthusiasm to this country, and after sev- eral years of varied experience in other localities moved into Erie County in 1859, and until he gave over some of the exacting toil by which he acquired his competence was one of the leading agrieulturists of that locality. His birth occurred in Staffordshire, England, August 8, 1831, so that he is now four years past the eightieth milestone of life's jour- ney. His parents were John and Ann (Gould) Sargeant, both natives of England. His early years up to his majority were spent in England, and his education so far as schools and books were concerned was termi- nated when about twelve years old. His father combined the vocations of farming and the butcher business, and the son had more or less thor- ough training in those occupations until he came to America. It was in 1856 that he embarked at Liverpool on the old sailing vessel William Stetson, and after a voyage of forty-two days landed in New York City. From there he came on West as far as Huron County, Ohio, remained only a short time there, and afterwards had several months or a year of life in the young City of Chicago. About 1859 he became perma- nently identified with Erie County and soon afterward located in Oxford Township.
For his first wife Mr. Sargeant married Miss Margaret A. Gill, who was born on the Isle of Man. She became the mother of five children, and the two now living are Martha A., wife of C. W. DeLamatre, a prominent lawyer of Omaha, Nebraska; and Elizabeth, wife of Professor Edwin Sherwood, who is an instructor in languages in the State Uni- versity of Oregon at Salem. The present Mrs. Sargeant bore the maiden name of Sarah Isabel Struggles. She was born in Lineolnshire, England, October 21, 1839, a daughter of William and Susanna (Calting) Strug- gles, who were also natives of England. In 1872 Miss Struggles accom- panied a married sister and the latter's two children to America, and after living for a time at Bellevue, Ohio, came on to Erie County, where she resided until her marriage to Mr. Sargeant. She is the mother of one daughter, Susie Isabel, now the wife of C. R. Withgott of Spring- field, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Sargeant are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the early days Mr. Sargeant went through many hardships in order to get established as a farmer, but has done more than ordi- narily well, and at the present time still owns about 165 acres of land in Oxford Township, devoted chiefly to the staple erops. He is a repub- lican in politics, having taken up that political faith soon after becom- ing a naturalized citizen, and has always so condueted himself as to enjoy the confidence and esteem of the community with which he has been for so many years associated.
JACOB J. CRECELIUS. The votes of a large number of Erie County citizens called Jaeob J. Crecelius to the position of commissioner, and after taking his seat on that board he was further honored by election as chairman, and now presides over the deliberations and activities of that body in its administration of the fiseal affairs of the county. Mr. Cre- celius is a practical and widely experienced agriculturist of Oxford Town-
Q 6 Tilling hast
563
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
ship, and represents some of the most substantial and early settled Ger- man stock in the connty.
A native of Oxford Township, he was born December 7, 1869, a son of Jacob and Catherine (Erf) Crecelins. Both parents were born in Germany, and his father came to America in 1850, first locating in Huron County, and in 1852 moving to Erie County. He was a farmer, and located where his son now resides, and where his death occurred in 1899. Jacob Crecelins was a man of no little prominence in Oxford Township, served as trustee and for a number of years as a member of the Oxford Township school board, and was not only keenly interested but an influ- ential and helpful factor in matters of local progress. He was a demo- erat in politics, and in every way public spirited.
Jacob J. Crecelins has spent practically all his life in Oxford Town- ship, where he obtained his education from the local schools, and having been reared to farming pursuits has made that a stable and prosperous vocation. He has a large farm, devotes it to general crops and graded stock.
Mr. Crecelius married Minnie Ohlemacher of Milan Township, daugh- ter of Frederick Ohlemacher, of that locality. To their marriage have been born five children. Esther, the oldest, is now a teacher in the pub- lie schools, while the four younger children are named Homer A., Cath- erine, Frederick and Robert.
During his career in Oxford Township Jacob J. Crecelius has served two years as a trustee, and also as a member of the Oxford Township school board. For six years he was a constable in the township, and is now on his third consecutive term as county commissioner. In his public service as in his own business he is hard headed, commonsense and prac- tical, and has the reputation of getting things done efficiently and eco- nomically. In politics he is a democrat. Fraternally his affiliations are with the Masonic Lodge at Milan and also the Odd Fellows Lodge at the same place, and with the Knights of Pythias Order at Sandusky. His name is known everywhere in Erie County, and he has ordered his career in such a way as to establish and merit the confidence and good will of all who know him.
CHARLES TILLINGHAST. The venerable Charles Tillinghast, now aged eighty-three, is probably the oldest native son of Berlin Township in Erie County. He represents that fine old stoek of Connecticut people who largely populated and owned the "fire lands" and who built some of the first log cabins, made some of the first elearings in the woods, and used the first plows in cultivating the soil in this rich and fertile frontier dis- triet. Tillinghast has for upwards of a century been an honored name in Erie County, and it is only a matter of due fitness that some space should be devoted to the career of Charles Tillinghast and his family relationship.
Charles Tillinghast was born on the old Tillinghast homestead in Berlin Township, April 11, 1832. His father was Oliver Cromwell Til- linghast, who was horn in Rhode Island, March 31, 1801. The Tilling- hasts were originally French people who located in Rhode Island more than two hundred years ago. The grandparents of Mr. Tillinghast spent practically all their lives in Providence, and died there. After the war of 1812 the grandfather came out to Northern Ohio, and under the privi- leges extended to the fire sufferers in Connecticut entered a traet of land in the district set apart for those sufferers in the southern part of Berlin Township, his claim being located on what is now the State Road sonth- east of Berlin Heights. Ile did not remain to permanently ocenpy this claim, but one of his sons, Joseph Tillinghast, came out soon afterwards and made the beginnings of improvement on the land. Joseph Tillinghast
564
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
subsequently married in Berlin Township Maria Walker, and late in life they left Ohio and spent their last years in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Oliver Cromwell Tillinghast grew up in Connecticut, received a com- mon school education, and came to Ohio when he was about twenty-one years of age, in 1822. His brother Joseph had preceded him several years, and his own journey to this frontier distriet was made with a horse and wagon, for the entire distance. He spent four weeks on the road, and arriving in the wilderness his first thought was the erection of a log cabin home. He had brought from Connecticut tools with which he did most of the labor involved in this construction. The cabin was situated on a part of the land entered by his father, and after its building and after bringing about some other improvements which would serve to pre- pare conditions suitable for a permanent residence, he returned to Rhode Island after his wife by way of the Erie Canal, opening of which on his arrival at Buffalo was being celebrated by firing of cannon. In his native state he had married Ruth Aborn, who was born in Rhode Island in October, 1801. Her parents were Massachusetts people and of fine New England stock. she being the youngest of the children of her parents, who died about the time she was married. Her father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, having gone out with the Massachusetts troops. Mrs. Tillinghast was well educated, and prior to her marriage, which was celebrated in June. 1827, had taught school. Thus these two pioneers were fine types of the thrifty, hard-working, intelligent and high minded people who did so much to lay a substantial foundation for civilization in Erie County. Soon after their marriage they started for the West. Grandfather Tillinghast accompanied them with a wagon as far as Troy, New York. In the meantime, sinee Oliver's first visit to Northern Ohio, the Erie Canal had been completed and opened for traffic, and at Troy they embarked on a canal boat which carried them by successive stages to Buffalo. Thenee they journeyed by a lake vessel to Sandusky, where their goods were loaded on a wagon drawn by oxen to the distance of twenty miles to their farm. These sturdy young people bravely con- fronted the conditions of the wilderness and accommodated themselves cheerfully to the limitations of a log cabin home. By 1834 they had advanced so far as to be able to build a new frame dwelling upon their land, and this house is one of the noteworthy landmarks of the early days still standing in Berlin township. It is in a good state of repair, and it together with all of the land is still owned by the Tillinghast family. In that locality Oliver C. Tillinghast and wife spent the major portion of their very active and worthy lives. By his own hands he cleared up a hundred acres, and by hard work and intelligent management provided abundant means for the upbringing of his children. Oliver C. Tilling- hast died at the old home April 16, 1884, and his wife on May 16, 1889. Both eame of hardy and well preserved stoek, and like many other mem- bers of their respective families lived to green old age. They were for a number of years active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, but Oliver Tillinghast prior to the Civil war gave up his membership on account of the stand taken by the church on the question of slavery. He was himself a determined abolitionist, and could not consistently affiliate with an organization which assumed a somewhat neutral attitude on those critical problems that were threatening to divide and subsequently did divide the country in Civil war. Mr. Tillinghast was true to his convic- tions as an anti-slavery man. and helped many a runaway black to the safety and security found beyond the Canadian border. Though he gave up his active membership in the Methodist church he did not surrender the essential principles of Christian living. and throughout the rest of his life liberally supported all churches and attended some church meeting every Sunday, never missing a Sunday for several years. In the early
565
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
days he was aligned with the whig party, and subsequently became an equally strong republican.
Brief record concerning the children of Oliver C. Tillinghast and wife is as follows: Emeline died in Chicago in 1907. She married Fred R. Otis, a Chicago real estate man, who is also deceased. Of their two sons and four daughters, three are now married. Oliver Tillinghast came into possession of the old Tillinghast homestead, where he was born, and died there December 2, 1913. He married Eliza Reynolds of Berlin Township, who is now living at Berlin Heights with her only child, Margaret, the wife of Joseph T. Burnham, the Berlin Heights banker. The next in order of age is Charles Tillinghast. Mary, the youngest, is now living in Washington, the widow of Leman Iline, who died in February, 1914, after an active career as a prominent lawyer in Washington for fifty years.
Charles Tillinghast was born in the original log cabin constructed by his father in Berlin Township more than eighty-three years ago. Ilis first associations, however, are with the old frame dwelling which his father built about two years after his birth. He grew up and received his education there, and when twenty-four years of age started out for him- self and bought a farm in Berlin Township, which he occupied and improved for twelve years. He then bought his present farm south of Berlin Heights, comprising 240 acres, and in the course of time developed it into one of the best country homesteads in Berlin Township. He lived there and pursued a successful career as an agriculturist from 1869 to 1896. Since then Mr. Tillinghast has lived retired in the village of Berlin Heights, and occupies and owns a comfortable home on South street. As a farmer he gained his revenues from general agrienlture and fruit growing and stock raising, and was noted for his particular skill and success in the raising and feeding of sheep.
In Berlin Township, December 10, 1857, Mr. Tillinghast married Alpha Ilill, who was born in Berlin Township November 1, 1838, and who died at her home in Berlin Heights, January 23, 1911. She had spent all her life in this township, and for fifty-three years they had traveled life's journey as man and wife. One of the faets that should not be omitted from this family history is that not only Charles Tilling- hast and wife lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary, but the same was true of his parents and his grandparents, and also his brother and his two sisters. In several cases the ties of wedlock were not broken for several years after this impressive and solemn celebration of fifty years of wedded life. Mrs. Tillinghast was the daughter of Edwin and Lucy (Tennant) Hill, who were early settlers in Erie county from Connecticut. Edwin Hill was a man of successful ability and influential citizenship, and he and his wife died in Berlin Heights. ITis father was Noah Hill, who came to Erie County during the decade of the '20s, and owned considerable land in and near the town of Berlin Heights. He was a meehanie and farmer, and it was due to his individual influence that in the decade of the '30s the name of the village and township was changed from Eldridge to Berlin and Berlin Heights. Mr. Eldridge was a large land owner in the township. and his name had been suitably honored in the locality, but subsequently the leadership of Noah Hill brought about the change which has persisted to the present time.
To the marriage of Charles Tillinghast and wife were born four ehil- dren. Edward C., who is now managing part of his father's homestead in Berlin Heights. is a resident of Oberlin, where he received his eduea- tion. Edward Tillinghast married Angusta Sears, whose parents were from New York State. She died in February, 1914, leaving a son and daughter: Lucile, who is a graduate of Oberlin College and lives at home with her father; and Raymond, who is a well edneated young man, pro-
566
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
ficient in the Spanish language, and now a resident of Cuba. Glenn H., who died in 1903 at the age of forty, married Lucy Hitsman, and their two children were Ruth and Grace, both married and living in Cleveland. Mrs. Glenn Tillinghast is now living with her second husband in Berlin Heights. Emma, the third child, died in September, 1902, at the age of twenty-eight years; she was the wife of Jerome Hine. Lucy, who married Fred Page, lives at her father's home, and her daughter Wini- fred is the wife of Earl Welsh of Vermillion, Erie county.
Mr. Charles Tillinghast and wife practice the principle that right is right and God is just, and on that solid verity they built up the fabric of their just and kindly relations with their fellow men. Mr. . Tilling- hast is a republican, but overshadowing his belief and action in behalf of the economic principles of this party have been his strong belief and support of the prohibition cause. In this his wife shared the same views and principles. IIe has done much to influence the township elections in favor of prohibition, and has been a fit standard bearer of the cause, since personally he has never drunk intoxicating liquors, has never smoked nor chewed tobacco, and the same abstemiousness was character- istie of his father before him and of his sons.
WILLIAM WALLRABENSTEIN. Few of the citizens of Oxford Township have ordered their career more energetically and with better results as measured by material standards and by good citizenship than William Wallrabenstein, who is now the possessor of a handsome farm estate in that part of Erie County, and for a number of years has given some spe- cial service in aid of the local schools as a member of the township board of education.
Though a native of Germany he has spent practically all his life in Erie County, since his parents emigrated when he was only a few weeks old. He was born in Nassau, March 5, 1852, a son of Peter and Marga- retta (Wolf) Wallrabenstein, who were likewise natives of Nassau. In the same year that he was born his parents set out for America, first locating in Huron County, Ohio, but when he was nine years of age came into Erie County and settled in Oxford Township, where they joined the early community of German-Americans in that locality. Peter Wall- rabenstein died several years ago, having survived his wife ten years. Ile was not only a capable farmer, having gained a fair competence through his well directed labors, but was also a leader in the community in which he lived, and for four years served as township trustee. He was a democrat in politics and his church was the Evangelical Associ- ation. In his death Oxford Township lost one of its best citizens.
William Wallrabenstein grew to manhood in Oxford Township, and for his education attended the local schools. As a young man he had active fellowship with hard labor and the necessity of self support, and being industrious, self-reliant, and adhering to the strict ideals of hon- esty and probity has steadily prospered so that his career has been a constant upward path toward independence.
Mr. Wallrabenstein has been twice married. ITis first wife was Eliza- beth Weiker of Sandusky County. She became the mother of four chil- dren, and the three now living are William P. of Oxford Township; George P. of Milan Township; and May, wife of Arnold Seip of Belle- vue, Ohio. For his second wife Mr. Wallrabenstein married Emma Con- radi, who was born in Oxford Township, a daughter of Christian Con- radi, a native of Germany, but for many years an active farmer in Ox- ford Township. By the second marriage there are three children, and the two now living are Rupert C. and Fred A .. both at home. Mr. Wall- rabenstein and family are members of St. John's Evangelical Associ- ation of East Oxford and he has served that congregation as treasurer
567
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
and in other official positions. In polities he is a democrat, and is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees at Milan. Public spirited in everything that concerns the locality in which he lives, he has been espe- cially interested in the welfare of the local schools and for more than fifteen years has been a member of the township board of education. His success as a business man is indicated by his ownership of 233 acres of land, his homestead comprising about 130 acres.
JOSEPH G. SARGEANT. One of the valuable country homes of Erie County which represents many years of toil and capable management under one ownership is that owned by Joseph G. Sargeant in Oxford Township, situated on Rural Route No. 3 out of Monroeville. Mr. Sar- geant has spent fully fifty-five years in Oxford Township and has grown in prosperity and popular esteem in proportion to the years of his residence.
Born in Staffordshire, England, February 22, 1838, a son of John and Ann (Gould) Sargeant, he grew up in his native country, had a fair education in the local schools and also gained some knowledge of farming and practical industry. In 1856, at the age of eighteen, he accompanied by his older brother, William G., who is likewise a venerable citizen of Oxford Township, and went to Liverpool, where they embarked on the sailing vessel William Stetson and forty-two days later reached New York City. The brothers came on ont to Huron County, Ohio, and about three years later, in 1859, Mr. Sargeant located permanently in Erie County. As a means of livelihood he worked for a time in a stone quarry, and having realized a small amount of money from his labors secured a few acres of land and began its cultivation, and by close econ- omy and continuous work finally raised himself into the scale of inde- pendence as an agriculturist. He is now the possessor of a fine farm of nearly 200 acres, and he and his good wife have all the substantial com- forts they desire for their declining years.
Mr. Sargeant married Miss Estelle Crockett of Oxford Township. She was born in Seneea County, Ohio, a daughter of Josiah Crockett, who for many years was a well known farmer in that county. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sargeant : Josiah C., of Oxford Township; Hattie, wife of M. Bacon, of Toledo; Clayton C., of Oxford Township; and Dr. Walter S. Sargeant, of Toledo. Mr. Sargeant is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and in polities is a repub- lican. He is public spirited in all his relations, and in many ways has helped to forward progress in his home township.
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.