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 72
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and that gave him association with the incidents of the pioneer days in the history of Erie County, Ohio, to which section of the Buckeye State he was brought by his parents when he was a child of three years, his father having become one of the early settlers in Florence Town- ship. llere the captain was reared to adult age and here his early educational advantages were those afforded in the pioneer schools. lle is a son of William and Sallie (Lawrence) Blanchard, both of whom were born in Connecticut, as representatives of sterling old colonial families in New England. In the year 1833 the parents of the captain came from New York and established their home on a tract of land in Florence Township, Erie County, Ohio, where the father reclaimed a productive farm from the virtual wilderness and where he and his wife continued to reside until they attained to advanced age, the closing years of their lives having been passed in the home of one of their daughters, Mrs. Harriet Garrish, at Oberlin, Lorain County, where each died at the age of somewhat more than three score years and ten. Mrs. Blanchard was a devout member of the Congregational Church and her husband was reared in the faith of the Baptist Church, but he withdrew from the same in later years and attended that with which his wife was affiliated. William Blanchard was originally a whig and later a republican in politics and he was a man of strong mentality and sterling character, his name and that of his wife meriting an enduring place on the roster of the honored pioneers of Erie County. Of their children the captain is one of the three now living. His sister, Abigail, who died September 6, 1915, was a resident of the City of Norwalk, Huron County, and the widow of Capt. Isaac Walton, who was long identified with the lake-marine service. Charles Blanchard, another son, entered the Union service at the outbreak of the Civil war, and became captain of a company in an Ohio battery of light artillery. He developed tuberculosis while in the army and this disability compelled him to withdraw from the ranks. After receiving his honorable dis- charge he returned home, and his death occurred a short time later. Captain Blanchard celebrated in the spring of 1915 his eighty-fourth birthday anniversary ; his elder sister, Mrs. Walton, is more than ninety years of age in the same year, and she has one daughter, her husband having had one danghter also by a preceding marriage. Mrs. Lavinia Wiekwire, the younger sister of Captain Blanchard, is the wife of Sebert Wiekwire, and they reside in the Village of Clyde, Sandusky County, she having passed the seventieth milestone on the journey of life and her husband being ninety years of age.
On the old homestead farm, in the township that is now his place of residence, Captain Blanchard remained until he had attained to the age of sixteen years, when he initiated his career as a sailor on the Great Lakes by obtaining employment on the schooner Margaret Allen, which was in commission on Lake Erie. By efficient work he raised himself through the various grades of promotion, and after hav- ing served in turn as second and first mate on different vessels he was given his first command as master when he became captain of the Herbert Spencer, a vessel named in honor of a leading banker at Sackett's Harbor, New York. This boat was in the lumber transpor- tation trade, and Captain Blanchard retained command for several years, after which he was associated with the Bidler line of vessels, of Chicago. Thereafter he commanded the Oden, likewise in the Ium- ber trade, and later he assnmed command of the Helen Blood, oper- ated by the Mason & Davis Lumber Company, of Muskegon, Michigan. After continuing in this company's employ about three years he com- manded for several years a larger vessel, the schooner Artic, plying between Muskegon and Chicago. Still later he commanded the Robert
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Campbell and other vessels, and after continuing his active and effi- cient service as one of the representative navigators on the Great Lakes for a period of about half a century, the captain felt justified in retiring from the interesting vocation which he had long followed and which he had honored by his services. He was not, however, content to with- draw from the sight of and association with the inland seas, for he pur- chased Hen Island, in Lake Erie, and instituted on this tract of six acres the development of a vineyard and orehard. He finally sold the property to the Quinnebaque Club, of Sandusky, which organization erected a fine club house on the island and made the place a fine resort. Captain Blanchard sold the island property about twenty years ago and since that time he has lived in well ordered and pleasing retire- ment in the Village of Birmingham, where he is surrounded by friends that are tried and true and where he is honored not only for his own sturdy and upright character but also as a member of one of the well known pioneer families of this favored section of the old Buckeye State. Though he has never manifested any ambition for political office the captain has shown a loyal interest in community and governmental affairs and is a stalwart in the camp of the republican party.
In 1859 Captain Blanchard wedded Miss Mary Haise, who was born and reared in Ohio and who was a member of a prominent family of this section of the state, as may be understood by reference to sketches concerning other representatives of the family, elsewhere in this publi- cation. Mrs. Blanchard died at the family home in Birmingham, on the 2d of October, 1869, and here her remains were laid to rest beside those of her parents, Edwin and Ann (Klady) Haise, who were resi- dents of Florence Township for many years prior to their death. There were no children by Captain Blanchard's first marriage. At Birmingham was solemnized, in 1894, the marriage of Captain Blanchard to Mrs. Florence Moore, who was born in this county in the year 1852 and who is a daughter of Isaac and Sylvia (Arnold) Moore, early settlers of Florence Township, where they continued to reside until their death. Captain and Mrs. Blanchard have no children, but they delight to enter- tain in their pleasant home their many young friends, as well as those of maturer years.
WILLIAM PARKER. Much that is worthy and estimable in human life has been the lot of William Parker, of Florence Township. He is an honored old time citizen, has performed his obligations faithfully to country, home and community, and is one of the oldest native sons of Florence Township, having lived there continuously for a period of nearly eighty-five years. Another distinctive fact about his career is that he was born on the farm where he now resides with his two sons. It will soon be a century since the Parker family came into the wilder- ness of Northern Ohio and established a home in Erie County, and they were among the first to break down the barriers of the wilderness and to set up the institutions of civilization. Of an old New York State family, William Parker was born on the farm that is now his home January 7, 1831. Only a few years before his birth his father, William W., had settled in this township. William W. Parker was born in New York State, and was a son of Ansel Parker, who in early manhood enlisted from Connecticut for service in the Revolutionary armies and made a record of which his descendants will always be proud. Ansel Parker was married in New York State to Phoebe Finch, and they sub- sequently came to Erie County and died in Florence Township when old people. Ansel Parker was a democratic voter, and that brand of polities has largely characterized the family for more than a century.
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William W. Parker moved to Erie County, in 1823. He secured a tract of land in the Township of Florence between the east and west forks of Vermilion River, built a log cabin, but being a young man and with little ready money, and there being no opportunities to get profitable employment in this vicinity, he soon returned to New York State and earned some money which enabled him to carry out his improvements on his farm in Erie County. Soon after coming back to Erie County he married Sarah Parker, who though of the same name was not related, unless very distantly. She was born in Orange County, Vermont, a daughter of Levi Parker. Levi Parker also served in the Revolutionary war, and in addition to his own record he had a son Isaac who went through the War of 1812 as a commissioned officer. Levi Parker married Miss Davis, who after the death of her husband went East, but finally returned to Ohio and spent her last years in the home of William Parker, where she died about 1864. She was born in 1766 and was therefore about ninety-eight years of age at the time of her death. After their marriage William W. Parker and wife located on their new farm in Florence Township, and there his sturdy toil and persistent effort finally evolved a fine farm and a comfortable home from the wilderness. However, his first farm was lost through some tech- nieality, but without allowing this circumstance to discourage him he bought another place not far to the north of the first farm, and became one of the most prosperous citizens in that vicinity. William W. Parker was born in 1802 and died in 1880. Ilis wife, who was born in 1802 within one day of her husband's birthday, died May 17, 1889. These good people did much to build up their community outside of their own home. They were early members and assisted in organizing the Chris- tian Church. He was a strong and active democrat, and as a citizen could be counted upon to assist in any movement for the local welfare.
It was with the background of such substantial ancestry and with the home environment of one of the best families of pioneers in Erie County that William Parker grew to manhood. Though now eighty- five he is still a smart and active man, and his career has in every way been most creditable to himself and to his community.
On January 6, 1860, Mr. Parker was married in Michigan to Miss Susan Ann Stark. She was born at Rushville, Yates County, New York, May 3, 1840, when a child came with her mother to Ohio, where the latter died, and in young womanhood moved to Michigan, where she lived until her marriage. She died in the old Parker homestead of Florence Township February 4, 1899.
Mr. and Mrs. Parker had two sons, both of whom are now living with their father, and both are unmarried. Smith D., the older, born December 10, 1860, acquired his early education in the local schools and in the Wakeman High School, and is now a progressive agricul- turist assisting his father in the management of the large Parker estate. Mr. William Parker owns about 200 acres of fine farming land in the eastern part of Florence Township. This land is divided into three distinct farms. The homestead comprises sixty-eight aeres, and its improvements include a substantial nine-room house, a barn 26 by 30 feet, and the land is all well fitted for general farming purposes. Besides the buildings around the home there is an extra set of farm buildings, including a large silo. The second farm comprises seventy- five aeres, and is situated in Wakeman Township of Huron County. The second son, Jay C. Parker, is proprietor of the third farm of fifty- five aeres located in Florence Township and adjoining the old home- stead. This is a portion of the old John Denman estate, and for fully a century the land has been occupied and much of it cultivated and improved.
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Jay C. Parker was born on the old homestead April 11, 1868, grew up there, and part of his education was received under the instruction of the venerable educator, Job Fish. He obtained a certificate permit- ting him to teach school, but never took up that profession. Ile and his brother, Smith, and their father occupy the old home which was built about seventy-five years ago, and the three have many of their interests in common both socially and in business affairs. The father and sons are all democrats in politics, and Mr. William Parker served some years as trustee of his township, and Jay C. filled the same office for four years. Mr. William Parker has been a member of the Masonic Lodge since 1860. His father, William W. Parker, was the first man to take his early degrees in Masonry in the old lodge, Gibson Lodge at Birmingham, and William Parker took his degrees in the same fra- ternity two years later.
CHARLES PARKER. Among the old families of Erie County the Park- ers have quite a prominent place from the time when this county was a wilderness. They have been farmers as a rule, and for upwards of a century their lives have been led along the paths of quiet industry and prosperity, and as men of the soil and good eitizens they have done their full share for the enrichment of community life.
Representing the third generation of this name in Erie County, Charles Parker by his career has re-enforeed the general reputation of the family name. He is a general farmer, stock raiser and fruit grower, his home being located on the River Road in Florence Township. This farm is one of the historic old places of Florence Township, having been originally the Denman plaee, and Mr. Parker bought the land from the Denman heirs. The Denmans located there fully a century ago, and it was the homestead about which a great many people of that name have some of their life associations. Mr. Parker is the owner of 100 acres, nearly all of it well improved, and growing abundant erops of all kinds, excellent both in quality and quantity. As a stock man Mr. Parker takes much pains in developing and maintaining a high grade of horses, eattle and sheep, and has shown proficiency in all branches of agriculture and stock husbandry. Much of his land is underlaid with a sand stone base, making it adaptable to fruit growing. Mr. Parker is also a practical fruit man, and has three acres of fine peach orchard.
Ilis birthplace was close to the home where he now lives in Florence Township. He was born April 25, 1865, grew up in Florence Town- ship, attended its schools during the '70s and early 'SOs, and like many others pays a tribute to the splendid old educator, Job Fish, under whose instruction he graduated into a life of purposeful activity. It was in 1899 that Mr. Parker bought the old Denman farm and has since carried forward its improvements and cultivation with a most profitable degree of skill and excellence of management.
The parents of Mr. Parker were Alexander and Mary (Small) Parker. His father was also born in Florence Township on the old Parker farm, located between the east and west branches of the Ver- milion River. He was born in 1823 and spent all his life on the old homestead, where he quietly pursued his vocation as a farmer until his death in 1894 at the age of seventy-one. He owned eighty-six aeres of land, and had improved most of it by his own labors. His widow is still living there at the age of eighty-one, spending her last days in peace and comfort on a small homestead of twenty-four aeres, eom- prising a part of the original estate.
The originator of the Parker family in Erie County was Ormal Parker, grandfather of Charles Parker. He was born in New York
MRS. ANN BARBARA OETZEL
JUSTUS P. OETZEL
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HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
State, was married there to Hannah Bass, a native of the same state, and immediately after their marriage they started for the West, to make a new home in the pioneer wilderness of Northern Ohio. They made the journey with ox teams, and on arriving after a long and tedious journey in Florence Township, located on a tract of the wildest of wild woods. For several years they lived in the midst of a forest which had been unbroken for centuries, and most of the meat which supplied their table was the flesh of wild game, which abounded everywhere. The Indians also still lived in that section and were not infrequent visitors at their humble log cabin. The nearest market and mill were at Milan, and theirs was a life of simple rugged industry not unmixed with hard- ships and privations. Grandfather Parker was a hard worker, cleared off and improved many acres of his land, and substituted a substan- tial frame house for the original log cabin, and having surrounded him- self with reasonable comforts spent the rest of his days, passing away when quite an old man. IJe was a democrat, and as a citizen measured up to the best standards of pioneers.
Charles Parker was the third of the nine children born to his par- ents, five of whom are still living. all of them in Florence Township. and all have children of their own. Charles Parker was married in Florence Township to Catherine Hayman. She was born at Joppa in Vermilion Township March 2, 1865, and grew up and received her edu- cation in this county. Her parents were Henry and Martha (Krepps) Ilayman, who were born in Germany and were quite young when brought to the United States by their respective parents, both families loeating in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Krepps grew up and were married in Erie County, then moved to the State of Kentucky but soon returned to Ver- milion Township and located at Birmingham, where he died in 1894 when past three score. His widow is still living at Clyde in Sandusky County, and is now bearing the burden of eighty-one years, although her physical activity and mental alertness heavily discount her real age. She and her husband were reared in the faith of the Reformed Church.
Mrs. Parker was one of a large family of children, all of whom married and had families of their own. Mrs. Parker passed away June 3, 1915. She had been a devoted wife and mother, and every- where enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew her. To mourn her loss she left her husband and two children. Martha, horn May 28. 1886, received her education in Erie County and is still living at home. Clarence E., born July 10, 1903, is now attending the seventh grade of the publie sehools.
JUSTUS P. OETZEL. In a lifetime that has been prolonged to nse- fulness and honor for more than fourseore years, Justus P. Oetzel has spent more than sixty years of this in Erie County. He is one of the citizens whose name and a brief record of whose career should be per- manently recorded in any history of the community. Ile is more than typical of the indomitable spirit and energy of the German fatherland, where he was born and reared. Hard work was the means by which he opened the door of prosperity, and from the position of a common laborer he has raised himself to a place among the largest property holders of Milan Township, where the respect and esteem paid him as a citizen and man are fully equal to his business achievements.
Born in Hesse Casell, Germany, October 24, 1833, Justus P. Oetzel is a son of George and Magdalena (Oetzel) Oetzel. His parents were only distantly related if at all and were born in the same general loeality of Germany. They were born before the elose of the eighteenth century. grew up and married, and his father was a farmer in Germany until
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his death. Ile died in the old country after his son Justus had come to America in 1853, while the mother passed away in 1855. They were both members of the German Reformed Church. George Oetzel was old enough to participate as a soldier in some of the latter campaigns of the Napoleonie wars in Europe, but escaped unhurt. In their family were two sons and three daughters, all of whom grew up and married, reared families, but Justus was the only one to leave the fatherland and seek a home in America.
Hle was nineteen years old when, having completed his education and early training, and in order to escape the compulsory military service, he embarked on a vessel at Bremen and started for America. The vessel, named America, was exactly eight weeks in making the voy- age. Ile landed at what was later Castle Garden, August 15, 1853. Five days later he arrived at Sandusky. At that time he was one dollar in debt, having borrowed this amount from a casual acquaintance at Dunkirk, New York, in order to get something to eat, as he was nearly starved. On arriving at Sandusky he immediately sought and found employment in carrying brick for the construction of a new church building. At night as soon as he received his day's wages of one dollar, he redeemed his debt to the young man who had proved a friend in need. This serupulous respect for his obligations. thus evi- deneed, has been a dominating characteristic of Mr. Oetzel throughout his career and he has made it a point of honor as well as business policy to discharge every just indebtedness.
From Sandusky he soon went out into the country and found a home on a farm along the lake shore. In 1854 he began working for Harvey Curtis, and in the fall of the same year came to Milan. The greater part of his career since then has been spent in Milan Township. For eight years he was employed in a foundry. While learning the trade of molder his wages were $10 a month for the first year and $12 the second year. From 1861 to 1865 Mr. Oetzel was engaged in mer- chandising at Milan, having bought a grocery store, but after four years sold out and purchased a small tract of land of fifty-five aeres in Oxford Township. Here he laid the basis of his sound accomplishments as a farmer. Ile improved the land, erected a good house, barns and fences, and remained there in the midst of his agricultural activities and responsibilities from 1866 to 1883. In the latter vear coming to Milan Township, he bought 173 aeres on the east side of the Huron River, 21% miles north of Milan. This has been his home for more than thirty years. It would take mueh spaee to deseribe in detail all his activities as an agrieulturist and as an improver of his holdings in this locality. ITe erceted two sets of farm buildings, and now has a handsome and valuable property. Many years of steady industry have merited reward, and having gained an ample competenee sufficient for all his future needs, Mr. Oetzel turned over his property to the management of his son Justus. Jr. In the high tide of his work as a farmer Mr. Oetzel grew as high as 4,000 bushels of potatoes in a season. his fields pro- dueed 40 bushels of wheat, and his corn yield was not infrequently as high as 120 bushels per acre. This indicates the judgment and intelli- genee with which he looked after his farm.
At the Village of Milan Mr. Oetzel married Ann Barbara Banereis. She was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Mareh 21, 1836. She was seventeen years of age when in 1853 she eame to the United States on a sailing vessel. She was accompanied by her younger sister Elizabeth, and they both joined their brother Frederick, who had previously Joeated at Milan. This brother afterward died in a soldiers' home in Spring- field, Illinois. Her sister Elizabeth is now living in Chicago. A
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brother, Thomas, who was the last of the family to come to America, died one year later.
Ever since their marriage on December 25, 1857, Mr. and Mrs. Oetzel were active members of the German Lutheran Church at Norwalk, Ohio. Mrs. Oetzel died July 16, 1907. While his accomplishments have been such as to justify a reasonable degree of pride and a pleasing retro- spect over the many useful years in the past, Mr. Oetzel probably finds his best solace in the fine family which have grown up around him and several of whom have already found worthy places in the world. The first daughter, Mary, died when four years of age. The next child is Justus, who now owns 100 acres of the old homestead. He married Clara M. Bollman, who was born in the Province of Posen in Eastern Germany, and when a child came to America with her parents, who lived in Illinois and Nebraska until their death in the latter state, and she grew to womanhood in those localities. Justus Oetzel and wife have the following children: Cecilia and Amelia (twins), who graduated from the public schools in 1914 and are at home; Elizabeth, who is a member of the graduating class of 1916, William, of the class of 1917, Caroline, of the class of 1918, and Fred in the seventh grade of the public schools. The third child, Emma, is the wife of John Schwitters, a merchant at Prophetstown, Illinois, and their children are named Carrie, Carl, Amelia, Hattie and Henry, twins, Freda and Theodore. Carrie, the fourth in this interest- ing family, is the wife of John Schamp, a farmer in Milan Township. and their two children are named Anna and Maria. The son Henry is unmarried. Thomas is an employee in the Hoover Manufacturing Company at Milan, and has children named Justus, Barbara, Violet and John. Catherine is the wife of Miles Lander. to whom reference is made on other pages of this work. George and Joseph, the youngest, are twins, and they married sisters, Iva and Mary Roscoe, respectively. George and wife have children named Roscoe, Alice M. and Ransom. Joseph and wife have no children. Mr. Oetzel is a democrat in politics.
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