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 35
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Mr. Rockwell always gave allegiance to the republican party, and he manifested his abiding interest in his old comrades of the Civil war by his affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic, in which he was a popular member of the post in the City of Sandusky. For twenty years prior to their removal to the home where he died, in Perkins Township, Mr. Rockwell and his wife had resided on a farm in Oxford Township, and for more than a quarter of a century he maintained his residenec on his finely improved farm in Perkins Township, near the City of Sandusky, where his widow still resides. The domestic life of Mr. Rockwell was one of ideal order, and he found his chief pleasure and satisfaction in the associations of his home, with the companionship of his cultured wife. There can be no wish to lift the veil that guards the sanctuary of such a home but it is but consistent that this memorial tribute give certain data concerning the marriage of Mr. Rockwell and concerning the devoted wife who finds her chief consolation and com- pensation in the memories of their long and happy companionship, now that he has passed onward to "that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns."
On the 2d of September, 1868, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Rockwell to Miss Ellen R. Bartow, who was born in Milan Town- ship, this county, and who is a daughter of Allen and Ellen E. ( Bron- son) Bartow, the former of whom likewise was born and reared in this county and the latter of whom was born in Onondaga County. Now York. Allen Bartow was a son of Jonah Bartow, who was a valiant soldier in the War of 1812 and whose father was a patriot soldier in the Continental Line in the War of the Revolution, so that Mrs. Rockwell is eligible for membership in the Society of the Daughters of the Amer- ican Revolution. Hannah ( Allen) Bartow, wife of Jonah Bartow, was
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a grand-niece of that historie revolutionary patriot, Ethan Allen. After his marriage, Allen Bartow continued his residence in Milan Township until the elose of his life-a prosperous farmer, a liberal and publie- spirited citizen. and an honored and influential representative of one of the prominent pioneer families of Erie County. Prior to his marriage he had resided for several years in Wood County. He was influential in public affairs of a local order and served for a number of terms in the office of township trustee. His political support was given to the repub- lican party and his wife was a zealous member of the Universalist ('hurch. He was sixty-eight years of age at the time of his demise, and his wife passed to eternal rest at the age of eighty years. Concerning their surviving children, the following brief record is given: Mrs. Rockwell is the eldest of the number: Allen A. is now a resident of the City of Seattle, Washington ; Alice B. is the widow of John VonEmon and maintains her home in the beautiful City of Pasadena, California ; and Winfield B. is a resident of Milan.
The mother of Mrs. Rockwell was a woman of gentle personality and of fine intellectuality. She had much literary ability, and through her admirable poetical writings achieved local fame, besides which her abil- ity in this line gained to her further recognition, in that her name was consistently incorporated, with incidental biographical data, in a pub- lished volume entitled "The Poets of America." She received excellent educational advantages in her youth and continued throughout her beau- tiful life a deep and appreciative student of the best in literature, so that her influence was a veritable benediction resting upon all who came within its compass. Her father, James Bronson, was a local clergyman of the Universalist Church, and was one of its revered pioneer ministers in Wood County, this state, where he organized the Universalist Society and effected the ereetion of a modest church edifiee in the Village of Eagleville.
Mrs. Rockwell has inherited much of the literary appreciation and ability of her revered mother, and is a woman of most distinctive culture. She acquired her early education in the schools of her native township, including the high school at Milan, where also she was a student in the normal school that was there maintained during her girlhood. She put her scholastic attainments to practical test when she was a young woman, by entering the pedagogie profession, as a representative of which she taught two terms in the schools of Milan Township. She is now president of the Ensign Union, a branch of the Erie County Wom- an's Christian Temperance Union, and is a member of the Twentieth Century Club, a representative literary and social organization in the City of Sandusky. She is a close student of the principles and precepts of Christian Science and is prominent in and attends the First Church of Christ, Scientist. in the City of Sandusky.
AUGUST HEMINGER. This publication exercises one of its most impor- tant functions in according specific recognition to so large a percentage of the representative agriculturists who are ably upholding the prestige of the noble art of husbandry in Erie County, and to such consideration Mr. Heminger is well entitled, for he is one of the substantial and pro- gressive farmers and stock-growers of Perkins Township and is a loyal and public-spirited citizen who has secure place in popular confidence and good will. He has owned and operated his present well-improved farm in Perkins Township since 1895, and the place is eligibly situated in the vicinity of the Village of Bogart.
Of the staunehest of German lineage, Mr. Heminger claims the old Buckeye State as the place of his nativity, as he was born in Ottawa County, Ohio, on the 14th of October, 1855, a son of Frederick and
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Catherine (Holt) Heminger. The parents were born and reared in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg. Germany, where their marriage was solemn- ized and where their first two children were born. In 1850 they immi- grated to America, the voyage having been made on one of the sailing vessels of the type common to that day, and soon after their arrival in the United States they came to Ohio and established their home on a pioneer farm near Oak Harbor, Ottawa County, where they passed the residue of their lives and where prosperity and independence erowned their earnest and industrious efforts, the father having passed away in 1888 and the mother having survived him by several years.
August Heminger, the immediate subject of this review, was reared to the sturdy discipline of the old home farm, and there gained in his youth an abiding appreciation of the dignity and value of honest toil and endeavor, the experience being sneh as to fortify him admirably for the duties and responsibilities that have devolved upon him in later years. His educational advantages were those afforded in the schools of his native county, where he continued his identification with agricul- tural pursuits until 1875, when, at the age of twenty years, he made his first sojourn in Erie County. Here he remained only a few months and then returned to Ottawa County, but the spring of the following year. 1876, found him again in Erie County, where he established his resi- dence in the Village of Bogart. Ile had previously served a thorough apprenticeship to the trade of blacksmith, and after locating at Bogart he became a member of the firm of Siegel & Heminger, which there built up a prosperons blacksmithing business. With this line of enterprise he continued to be actively identified for a period of about twelve years after coming to Erie county, and he finally turned his attention once more to the great basic industry of agriculture, of which he has become one of the prominent and sneeessful representatives in this county. In Perkins Township he is now the owner of a valuable and well-improved landed estate of 238 acres, his homestead place comprising fifty acres. lle has achieved prosperity and commendable advancement entirely through his own ability and well-directed endeavors, and as a farmer and stock-grower he exemplifies the utmost progressiveness, the while he is signally loyal and publie spirited in his civic attitude and his vital interest in the general welfare of the community shows that he fully appreciates the responsibilities which personal success imposes. He is a democrat, but in local affairs gives his support to the men and meas- ures meeting the approval of his judgment, irrespective of striet partisan lines. He and his wife are zealous communicants of the Lutheran Church, and in their home community their cirele of friends is limited only by that of their acquaintances.
At the age of twenty-six years Mr. Heminger took unto himself a wife, in the person of Miss Mary Boos, who was born and reared in Huron Township, this county, and whose father, the late George Boos, was one of the early settlers and honored citizens of that township, where he and his wife continued to reside until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Heminger have six children, namely : August, Jr., Amy. George, Carl, William and Elsie.
HENRY E. BROWN. Castalia has been the home of Mr. Brown and family since 1908. Though a native of Germany, the greater part of his active career has been spent in Northern Ohio, and he has exempli- fied many of those fine qualities which are commonly associated with the German people. He has been able to realize many of the substantial ambitions of his youth, and aside from what he has accumulated in a material way, it is a matter of satisfaction that his friends and neighbors have been always able to rely implicitly upon his absolute integrity and
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his publie-spirited co-operation with movements directed toward the public welfare.
A native of Hesse-Cassel, Germany, Henry E. Brown was born February 12, 1849, a son of Henry and Elizabeth Brown. His parents were respected and hard-working people of Hesse-Cassel. Up to his sey- enteenth year he lived in the old country, and then set out for America. A sailing vessel brought him to these shores from Bremen, and he was seven weeks on the voyage to New York City. He came on direct to Erie County, and for a number of years identified himself aetively with farming, at first in the employ of others, and later for himself. For three years he operated a sawmill. Most of his farming enterprise was carried on in Sandusky County, in Townsend Township, and from there he moved to Castalia about eight years ago. While a boy in Germany he attended the public schools, and acquired some English education after coming to Erie County by attending the local schools as opportu- nity offered, for four winters.
On December 4, 1878, Mr. Brown married Eva L. German, a native of Erie County, born in Margaretta Township, December 10. 1856. Mrs. Brown is a member of a well-known family of Northern Ohio, a daughter of Henry and Lydia A. (Howe) German, the former a native of Steuben County and the latter of Otsego County, New York. The father of Henry German was a Massachusetts Yankee, and the original ancestors were Scoteh and French. Henry German came to Margaretta Township when about eighteen years of age, from New York State, being in company with his widowed mother and with other members of the family who comprised in all thirteen individuals. They made settlement in Margaretta Township, where IIenry German became one of the sub- stantial farmers, and in his younger years was a sawmill man. Ile died in 1906. IIe was a republican in politics, and a man of more than ordi- nary judgment and knowledge. Ile had always been a great reader, and profited not only from books, but by his observation and dealing with men. Margaretta Township lost one of its most highly respected and substantial citizens in the death of Henry German. He was quiet and unassuming in disposition, had an even temper, but was always ready to work for anything that would help the homes and institutions of his locality. His wife died in 1898, in Townsend Township of Sandusky County. Ilenry German had a special reputation in Erie and Sandusky counties as an expert in fruit growing. For eleven years he served as superintendent for the Ed Marsh & Company at the gypsum plant at Plaster Bed, in Ottawa County, and not only had the supervision of the gypsum works, but also over the fruit farm conducted in connection therewith. This experience gave him his valuable and expert knowledge of fruit growing.
Mr. and Mrs. Brown are both attendants at the Congregational Church in Castalia, and take an active part in social affairs in that community. Mr. Brown is a republican in politics, and whenever men- tioned his name suggests the qualities of honest worth and ability.
JOIIN J. NEILL. The Neill farm out in Margaretta Township has for a number of years been known as one of the principal sourees of the fine sheep that are produced by Erie County. While a practical farmer and stockman, John J. Neill has also identified himself closely with com- munity life, has done a great deal to promote the interests of the local schools in his home township, and. has been almost equally active in church affairs.
Ile belongs to the third generation of the Neill family in Erie County. The people of this name have always been extensive owners of land. and at different times their names have appeared in connection with impor-
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tant local offices and always as friends and supporters of local institu- tions and general improvement and uplift. John J. Neill was born on the farm where he still lives in Margaretta Township, December 28. 1863, a son of William II. and Catherine (Sheldon) Neill. Thomas Neill, the grandfather, was a pioneer settler in Erie County, lived for a short time in Sandusky, but subsequently settled in Margaretta Township, where at one time he was the owner of more than 1,300 acres of land, one of the most extensive tracts under one ownership in the county. Ile spent his life actively and usefully in that township and died there. The Neill family is of Scotch-Irish extraction. The late William II. Neill, who was born in Maryland during the '20s, was brought to Erie County when a child, and was married here to Miss Sheldon, who was a native of Sandusky. her father having been one of the early commis- sion merchants of that eity and at one time the owner of Johnson's Island in Lake Erie. William II. Neill died in 1910, when in his eighty- fourth year. He grew up in Erie County, and gained a reputation for successful farming enterprise. Ile had served as trustee of Mar- garetta Township and was an active member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Sandusky. It was William II. Neill who laid the foundation for the sheep business which has long been associated with the name in Erie County. For many years he kept a flock of about 250 fine Merinos. and combined this with the management of a large farming estate. Ile was in politics a republican. His widow is still living, being now in her seventy-fifth year, and a woman whose life has been spent almost en- tirely in Erie County and with many interesting recollections of early days. The late William H. Neill was a man of good education, and long enjoyed the dignity and influence which go with successful accomplish- ment. He and his wife were the parents of four children: William S., of Margaretta Township : Sallie O., wife of A. H. Ransom, of Townsend Township, in Sandusky County ; John J., of Margaretta Township; and Thomas, now deceased.
John J. Neill grew up on his father's farm, and when only a boy learned many of the details of agriculture and sheep husbandry. For his education he attended the public schools of his home township and at Castalia and also the Sandusky High School, and for one year was a student in the Ohio State University at Columbus. For a number of years he has spent time, money and exhaustive study on the problems connected with sheep husbandry. He is now regarded as one of the most successful breeders in Ohio of the Dickerson Delaine Merino sheep. Ilis fine farm comprises 125 acres, and it has all the facilities for the sue- cessful handling of live stock.
On March 1, 1888, Mr. Neill married Harriet J. White, who was born in Groton Township of Erie County, a daughter of Ebenezer White, who in his time was a leading citizen of Groton Township. To their mar- riage were born a fine family of ten children: Ruth, who is a teacher of voeal music at Sandusky; Mildred; Thomas, who graduated from Oberlin College with the class of 1915 ; Catherine ; Sallie, now deceased : Marion ; Ellen, deecased ; Sheldon W .: Harriet ; and Owen C.
This sketch would not be complete without some reference to Mr. Neill's publie services. For twenty years he was a member of the Board of Education of Margaretta Township and a portion of that time was president of the board. For five years he served as a director of the Erie County Infirmary. He is a republican in politics, though often voting and acting independently of party ties, and has always worked to promote the best ideals of local government and well-consid- ered plans for community improvement. For many years he and his family have been members of the Congregational Church at Castalia.
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and for six years he served as superintendent of the Sunday School of the church.
JOHN SCHONHARDT. Lying on the Venice Road, in Margaretta Town- ship, is found the thirty-two-acre fruit farm belonging to John Sehon- hardt, one of the progressive and prosperous agriculturists of Erie County. Here are grown some of the finest grapes, apples and peaches in the state, for which Mr. Sehonhardt always finds a ready market, for his years of honorable dealing and fidelity to engagements have won him an enviable reputation in business eireles. He is a native of the Buckeye state, having been born at Tiffin, the county seat of Seneca County, December 8, 1856, and is a son of Anthony and Josephine Schonhardt, natives of Alsace-Lorraine.
Anthony Sehonhardt was a young unmarried man at the time he rame to the United States, making the voyage in a sailing vessel which , required three months to cross the ocean. He eame almost at once to Ohio, and among other places lived at Tiffin for a number of years, but in 1864 came to Erie County and located at Sandusky. This eity continued to be his home during the remainder of his life, his death occurring during the '90s, when he was seventy-eight years of age. When he came to the United States Mr. Schonhardt was possessed of neither capital nor influential friends, but had a full share of energy, ambition and native ability and thrift, with which he labored so well that he was able to pass his declining years in the midst of most com- fortable circumstances. In his political views a democrat, he was not a politician, but was a good and publie-spirited citizen, nevertheless, and a friend of progress, edneation and morality.
John Schonhardt continued to be a resident of Tiffin, his native place, until reaching the age of eight years, at which time he accom- panied his parents to Sandusky, and which city has continued to be his home practically ever since. For several years in his young manhood he followed the trade of brickmaker, and also for a short time was em- ployed at boilermaking, but eventually turned his attention to agricul- tural pursuits, in which he has continued to be engaged to the present time. He has all of his land under a high state of cultivation, and as before noted has specialized in the field of fruit-growing, having twenty avres in grapes, five acres in peaches and apples, and the balance of the land in general truck. He has made a success of every department of his operations, and is justly accounted one of the skilled farmers of his township. He is independent in his political views, endeavoring to support those men and measures which he believes will most greatly benefit his community and county, but all else being equal is inclined to favor democracy. Every progressive movement has his earnest and unselfish support. and it has been his fortune to have been associated with other progressive men in seeuring civie betterment.
On November 9, 1880, Mr. Schonhardt was married to Miss Sarah M. Mantey, of Margaretta Township, and of their children one survives. Eva D., who is the wife of George L. Curth, of Sandusky. bookkeeper for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company of this city.
FOSTER F. NEILL. A long life and the enjoyment of the passing years which have been filled with honorable activities, a sense of patriotie duty performed during the most critical period in the nation's history, and a courageous performance of the everyday duties and responsibilities of life-such have been the salient characteristics in the career of this old and well known citizen of Margaretta Township. Foster F. Neill has lived in that community nearly all his life more
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than three score years and ten, and his name is significant of all that is honest and of good report.
With Margaretta Township as his birthplace, he was born July 10, 1844, a son of Thomas and Rebecca Neill, the former a native of Phila- delphia and the latter of Hagerstown, Maryland. For more than eighty years the Neill family have been identified with Erie County. It was established here about 1832 by Lewis Neill, grandfather of Foster Neill. Lewis Neill was a merchant in Philadelphia, and his ancestors were Scotch-Irish and were early settlers in America. The family on coming to Erie County made the journey in a covered wagon, and located in Sandusky for a short time, from which city Thomas Neill moved out to Margaretta Township and bought a large tract of land, containing several thousand acres, and situated partly in Erie and partly in Sandusky County. He was in many ways a typical pioneer, hardy, industrious, and well able to meet and solve the prob- lems of existence in a sparsely settled distriet. Ile possessed an edu- cation better than most men of his times, and by his intensive oper- ations as a farmer became well known in two counties. Of his chil- dren only two now survive: Foster F. and Ann, wife of Henry McCartney of Sandusky.
Foster F. Neill grew up on his father's homestead in Margaretta Township. The experience of his boyhood well fitted him for the career of a farmer, and he also secured a good training in the local schools. IIe has always had an interest in the farming activities of Margaretta Township, and his homestead comprises 195 acres of fertile and produr- tive soil devoted to general farming purposes.
He was about seventeen years of age when he enlisted on July 14. 1861, in Company G of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio Volun- teer Infantry. His army experience brought him into some of the most important campaigns during the first three years of the great conflict between the North and the South. His regiment was a part of the Eighth Corps of the army of Western Virginia. IIe fought at Win- chester, Newmarket, Cedar Creek, second battle of Winehester, Pied- mont and Berryville, Virginia. IIe was also present in numerous skirmishes and minor engagements, and was with the army two years ten months, at the end of which time he received an honorable dis- charge. At the battle of Berryville, Virginia, he lost two fingers from his right hand, and spent three months in a hospital. Ile was also raptured and held in Confederate prisons, being thirty days confined in Belle Island in the James River and thirty-four days in the notorious Libby Prison at Richmond.
Following the war he returned to Erie County and has now con- tinuously resided in Margaretta Township for fully half a century. On December 10, 1866, the young soldier and farmer was united in marriage bonds that have now endured for almost half a century with Martha Martin. Mrs. Neill was born in Margaretta Township, October 29, 1845, a daughter of Richard and Sallie (Tuller) Martin. Her par- ents were among the early settlers of Margaretta Township, and for several years had their home in one of the typical log cabins of that time. Mrs. Neill is one of the three children of her parents still living. the other two being: Rachel L., who lives in Paulding County. the widow of James Copeland : and Jacob, a farmer in Margaretta Township.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Neill were born six children : Grace, wife of R. Ransom of Margaretta Township: Foster F., JJr., now deceased : Mattie, wife of William J. Ilire of Castalia ; Maggie, dercased : Nelson P., of Margaretta Township; and Mabel, wife of Walter Ilart- ness of Margaretta Township. Mr. and Mrs. Neill are members of the
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Episcopal Church, and in polities he is a republican who has several times been called upon to assume the duties of public office. For sev- eral years he has served as township trustee and while not caring for the honors of polities has not avoided those obligations which rest upon good citizenship. Mrs. Neill has been his devoted companion and capable helpmate for nearly half of a century, and while in their retrospeet they are able to consider many things for which they may be grateful they have gathered the best of the world's joys from their long continued association as man and wife.
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