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 76
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
At Huron was solemnized the marriage of Captain Montague to Miss Sarah Newton, who was born and reared on the old homestead farm of her parents, in Huron Township, and who now owns this property, the old home being endeared to her by the hallowed memories and associations of the past. Mrs. Montague was graduated in Oberlin College, and is a gracious and popular gentlewoman of distinctive culture,-a leader in the representative social activities of her home community. She is a daughter of the late Isaac Newton, who was one of the sterling pioneers of Erie County. The mother of Mrs. Montague was born and reared in England, and after the death of her first husband, whose name was Rielett, she came with her two children to the United States and established her home in Erie County, where she met and finally became the wife of Isaac Newton, Mrs. Montague being the only child of this union and her father having died when she was a mere child, her mother continued to reside on the fine old homestead farm until her death, in 1889. Captain and Mrs. Montague became the parents of two children. Newton Bruce Montague was but fifteen years of age at the time of his death, and was attending the Kenyon Military Academy, at Gambier, Ohio, at the time of his untimely demise. Miss Edith Montague acquired her education in the Gambier Episcopal College for young women and in St. Mary's Academy, in the State of Illinois. She remains at the parental home and is one of the most popular young ladies in the social circles of Huron.
972
IIISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
GUST EBERT. A business that well deserves some particular men- tion is the wholesale butcher plant of Gust Ebert, in Perkins Township, located on Perkins Avenue. Mr. Ebert is a native of Erie County, a young man whose experience since leaving school has been in his present trade and sinee loeating on Perkins Avenue in May, 1913, he has built up a most successful enterprise, which is combined with considerable farming.
Gust Ebert was born in Oxford Township, Erie County, on Novem- ber 17, 1886, a son of Louis and Catherine (Herble) Ebert. His par- ents are still living in Oxford Township, and were born in Germany, and came to Erie County many years ago. Louis Ebert owns a. good farm of fifty-three aeres in Oxford Township, but for years has been identified with the wholesale butcher business.
Gust Ebert grew up on the old place in Oxford Township, acquired his education in the local schools there, and early began learning the trade of his father. In 1909 he started in business for himself, and now enjoys a reputation as a rising young business factor in Erie County.
On July 2, 1908, he married Miss Catherine Klotz of Sandusky, a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Klotz. By their marriage they have one son, Neill, born November 13, 1911. In polities Mr. Ebert is an independent and devotes all his time and energy to his growing business.
ROBERT SICKINGER. Certainly few citizens of Erie County have had a more varied and eventful life than Robert Sickinger of Milan. Born in Germany, brought when a child to this country, serving in the Union army during the Civil war, afterwards in the regular army fighting the Indians of the Far West, spending several years on the western plains as a hunter, with a variety of business experience and much to his eredit as a farmer and fruit grower in Erie County, he is now living and enjoying a well deserved leisure and retirement in one of the best homes at Milan.
Born at Hambourg, Baden, Germany, December 25, 1846, he is a son of Edgar Sickinger, who was also born in Baden, and of an old Catholie family. The family have been members of the Catholic Church for several generations. The mother of Robert Sickinger died in Baden when the latter was only four years of age. Of her children Louise was the first to come to America. She came over with a kinsman, located in Milan, and married Louis Link. Both are now deceased, and they left Charles, Louise and Fannie, and both the daughters are now married and have children of their own. Pauline and her sister Adeline eame as young women to the United States about 1850, also located and were married in Milan. Pauline became the wife of Christian Dorr and they lived and spent the rest of their lives in Erie County, and were survived by sons and daughters. Adeline married Anson Streck of Milan, who died there in 1906, while she is still living at Milan. Mr. Streek was for nearly half a century engaged in the retail meat business at Milan and was a highly respected citizen. Besides his widow he was survived by two sons and two daughters.
In 1852 Edgar Sickinger and his other two sons, Robert and Rein- hart, came to the United States by way of England and New York, spending thirty days on a slow going sailing vessel. From New York they came on West to Cleveland, and reached that city destitute of money. From Cleveland Edgar Siekinger and his two young sons started to walk to their destination, but a sympathetic railroad seetion hand took them aboard his hand ear and carried them into Huron over the tracks of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad. At that time Robert Sickinger was a boy of six or seven years. Edgar Sickinger
Mrs. Poft Sickinger
Robert Sickinger
973
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
soon found work on neighboring farms, and spent most of his subsequent years with his son-in-law, Anson Streek, at Milan. He died at the Streck home in 1888. He was then a very old man, having been born in 1801. He and other members of the family were active in the Catholic Church.
Robert Sickinger spent his early life on a farm, and for a man whose early career was hemmed in by such inauspicious circumstances and comparative poverty he has effected a success that is in every way praiseworthy. Hle was not sixteen years of age when the Civil war broke out, but in the heat of that conflict both he and his brother Reinhart enlisted as privates. Reinhart went out with an Erie County company in the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served faith- fully until disabled by a gunshot wound at Chancellorsville. On account of that wound he was given an honorable discharge, but later re-enlisted and was a member of General Hancock's Invalid Corps and remained with that organization until the elose of the war. After returning home he wandered out to the West, and finally died from dysentery contracted during his army service at St. Louis. He was unmarried.
It was in August, 1863, that Robert Sickinger, not yet seventeen years of age, enlisted in the Ninth Ohio Cavalry. He went out with Company E, and was soon with his command in the splendid cavalry brigado of General Kilpatrick. He took part in those great campaigns which broke the back of the Confederaey, beginning at Chattanooga and ending with the capture of Atlanta, fought at Decatur, Alabama, and in many other battles and skirmishes, and remained with the Union armies until the close of the war and until he received his honorable discharge at Concord, North Carolina. He was mustered out at Camp Chase in Columbus, and though he was in the army almost three years he escaped without injury. Not long after returning to Erie County, being still unsatisfied of military life, he decided to join the regular army, and went into the Thirteenth Regiment under Gen. N. G. Whist- ler. This regiment was subsequently reorganized as the Thirty-first Infantry, and he remained the full period of three years, being finally discharged at Fort Stephenson, now the City of Bismarck, North Dakota.
With all this varied experience Robert Sickinger returned to Erie County and for a time worked in the butcher trade under his brother- in-law, Mr. Streck. But the call of the West was still strong upon him, and in about a year he went to Kansas and Nebraska and was employed on the Star routes of the postal service. Three years later he took part in the final onslaughts which practically destroyed the great buffalo herds of the West. The elimax of buffalo hunting come during the late '70s, and in two or three years, so vigorously was the industry prose- euted, the buffaloes had practically disappeared from the western plains. Mr. Sickinger did his hunting in the Dakotas, and shot hundreds of the noble animals, and has seen many thousands of their careasses litter- ing the prairies. The buffaloes were killed for their hides, which found a good market, and the industry gave occupation to thousands of venture- some men as long as it lasted.
Once more back in Erie County Mr. Sickinger took up merehandis- ing, and for ten years condueted one of the successful establishments at Milan. He then bought 120 acres in North Milan, and converted it into a fruit and berry farm, and still later made general farming his chief resouree, raising grain and stock. Altogether he lived on the farm and conducted its operations for twenty-four years. Then, having acquired an ample competence, he retired from the cares and responsi- bilities which he had borne for so many years, and bought a fine thirteen-room house on Center Street in Milan. There he and his wife
974
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
now enjoy all the comforts of life, and were among the most highly honored and respected people of Erie County.
Mr. Sickinger married his first wife in Milan, Miss Anna Beers. She was born at Milan, and died in 1887, ten years after her marriage. She left no children, and was thirty years old when she died. Mr. Sickinger was married in 1888 at Fremont, Ohio, to Mrs. Louise Fries, whose maiden name was Newberger. Her first husband, Joseph Fries, was born in Erie County and died near Milan just ten weeks after they were married at the age of twenty-one years six months. Mrs. Sickinger was born in Jackson Township of Sandusky County, Ohio, April 1, 1857. She was the only one of the six children in her parents' family born in that township. Her parents were John and Mary (Fries) Newberger, who were natives of Germany and had come to this country when young people and were married in New York State. Mr. New- berger was a cabinet maker by trade. After the birth of their first child, Joseph, the Newberger family came to a piece of wooded land in Sandusky County, and after elearing off a site erected a cabin of logs and began improvement which eventually converted the land into a handsome farm. Mrs. Sickinger's parents lived in Sandusky County the rest of their lives, and her father died there in 1895 at the age of sixty-five, and her mother in 1911 at the age of ninety-four. The Newbergers were also Catholic people.
To Mr. and Mrs. Siekinger were born three sons. Robert E. is now well known in Milan Township as postmaster at Milan. Ile was reared in this county, received his education in the high school, and is now twenty-seven years of age, and unmarried. Herman B., aged twenty- five, was edueated in Milan and in a business college at Sandusky, and already has an established position in business at Milan. He married Miss Madeline Doan. Clifford P., aged twenty, graduated from the Milan High School and the Sandusky Business College, and is now a elerk with the Lockwood, Smith & Company in their store at Milan. Mrs. Sickinger is a member of the Catholic Church at Milan. Mr. Siekinger served three years as township trustee, and has always enjoyed influential position in democratic politics and in civic affairs. He is an active member and has served as quartermaster of the local Grand Army Post.
HENRY DIEHL. Many of the best farms in Erie County illustrate the thrift, businesslike management and industry of people of German aneestry and birth. One of the most noteworthy of these is the home of Henry Diehl in Milan Township, situated on Rural Route No. 1 out of the Village of Milan. Mr. Diehl and his mother jointly own a splendid farm, and they represent the typical thrift and progressiveness of German agriculturists. This is a fine old German family, and Mrs. Diehl, the mother, eame of stock that was connected with the royalty in the fatherland.
For upwards of fifty years the name of Diehl has been identified with Erie County. Henry Diehl was born in Berlin Township Novem- ber 15, 1863, but has lived in Milan Township sinee he was three years old. Ilis parents were Philip and Marie (Goodlach) Diehl. Mrs. Diehl was born in Hesse Kassel, Germany, while her husband was a native of Rhenish Bavaria. When he was twenty-four years of age he set out alone to find his fortune in the New World. For forty-eight days he lived on a sailing vessel that slowly made its way aeross the Atlantic, and from New York eame on by boat as far as Cleveland, and thenee by railroad to Sandusky. Four years later he met and married Miss Goodlach, who had come to this part of Northern Ohio a number of years before as a young woman, with her parents, Henry
975
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
and Anna Goodlach. The Goodlach family located in Berlin Township. where Henry died at the age of sixty-three and his wife at seventy-two. They were both horn in Hesse Kassel, Germany, and were loyal mem- bers of the Lutheran Church. Philip Diehl after his marriage began life as a renter on farms in Berlin Township, but after three years thus employed he moved to Milan Township, bought 7934 acres, to which he devoted his energies and management until his death on July 2, 1892. Philip Diehl was a good citizen, a good man, faithful to his obligations to family, church and society, and enjoyed the love and respect of all who knew him. He was reared in the faith of the ('atholie Church, and died in that same faith. Politically he was a democrat.
Since the death of her husband Mrs. Diehl has continued to live at the old homestead, and her declining years are sustained and com- forted by the presence of her son Henry and her daughter Elizabeth, both of whom are unmarried. Mrs. Diehl owns seventy-five aeres included in the old homestead, also two farms, of seventy-nine and forty-seven acres that lie not far distant from the present home, and just across the road her son Henry has a fine farm of seventy-one acres. This place is located three miles north of the Village of Milan. Altogether the farm is known as the Lone Star Farm. In general improvement it bears favorable comparison with any of the best farms in Milan Township. A eonspienous feature on the place is the large red barn, on a foundation 30 by 46 feet, conspicuously displayed on one of the gable ends is painted a large white star, from which designa- tion the farm receives its name. The family occupy a substantial modern home of nine rooms, and they are people who get a great deal out of life, enjoy home comforts, and move in the best social circles. As a farmer Henry Diehl earries on his industry on mixed principles, growing crops of oats, corn, wheat, and keeping some good grades of livestock, including six good horses, five or six head of eattle and from eighteen to twenty hogs.
Henry Diehl as was also true of the other children, received a good education in Erie County. Ilis married brother Philip also lives on the old homestead, while another sister Ilelen is the wife of John Fischer, of Milan Township, and the mother of two sons, William and Walter. All the family are members and attendants of the Catholie Church, and Henry Diehl and his brother are democrats. Henry has been the recipient of several honors in local offices in his township.
WILLIAM ROSEKELLY. By reason of the extensive holdings and the interests as an agrieulturist and by his long standing as a citizen, William Rosekelly deserves first mention among the citizens of Milan Township. He represents a family that during more than sixty years of residence in this part of Ohio has worked out a commendable destiny from beginnings in comparative poverty. Mr. Rosekelly himself has now reached a point in his career where he well could afford to with- draw from the heavier responsibilities and burdens of affairs and enjoy a well earned leisure. He is one of the largest landholders in Milan Township and has done much to raise the general average of the farm- ing and stock raising industry in his section of Erie County.
Ilis birth occurred at the Village of Huron, Ohio, January 15, 1851. ITis parents were Edward and Mary (Jeffrey ) Rosekelly. They were . both natives of Cornwall, England, and for several generations both branches had lived in that part of England and were substantial agri- culturists. The Jeffreys were especially well to do people, and grand- father George Jeffrey at one time owned a considerable estate, but for some cause lost most of his property and in order to recoup his fortunes
976
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
set out for the United States, being accompanied by his wife and his married son. It was about 1840 that they arrived in Erie County and there he and his wife spent the rest of their days, passing away in Berlin Township. They were both members of the English Church. and they and their descendants were valuable additions to local citizen- ship.
Edward Rosekelly grew up in his part of England, and after his marriage to Mary Jeffrey and after the birth of their first child Eliza- beth, set out for the United States on a sailing vessel from Liverpool. Six weeks later they landed in New York City, and thence came to Huron County, Ohio. Other members of the family came about the same time, some of them locating in Berlin Township on farms. Edward Rosekelly was at that time in very humble circumstances, and located at Huron Village in order to find immediate employment to meet the needs of his household. While living in Huron there were born to himself and wife the following children, named Edward, Mary, John. William and George. They were all born in or about Huron. Edward Rosekelly lived as a renter on different farms for some years, but finally bought a place on the River road between Huron and Milan in Iluron Township. There the parents spent their remaining days and the old homestead is still occupied by their bachelor son Jobu. The father died March 5, 1880, at the age of sixty-five, and the mother passed away in December, 1890, when about seventy years old. They were for a number of years members of the Episcopal Church in Huron. Of their children the son Edward, Jr., was accidentally killed by a falling tree which he was engaged in cutting down on January 19, 1887, being then a single man. George also lost his life by a lamentable accident at Huron, September 2, 1904. A coal car standing on an ineline became unbraked and starting down unexpectedly struck him and killed him instantly. He left a wife and four children, and his widow died soon afterwards, on March 22, 1906. The danghter Eliza- beth, the oldest of the children, died March 5, 1878, leaving six children.
In and about the Village of Huron and on his father's farm William Rosekelly grew to manhood, and his early experiences were characterized by much self-supporting toil in addition to the advantages he received from local schools. In 1877 he married Augusta Evertson. She was born in 1858 in Huron Village, and died at her home in Milan Town- ship, December 23, 1879. Her parents were Nicholas and Ann (Nichols) Evertson, who were early settlers in Erie County. Her father died before Mrs. Rosekelly was born, and her mother lived to 1914, being then past fourscore years. By this marriage Mr. Rosekelly became the father of two children. Grace M., born April 10, 1878, is now the wife of A. W. Paul, who lives on one of Mr. Rosekelly's farms in Milan Township. Arthur W., born September 7, 1879, owns and occupies a farm adjoining the estate of his father, and by his marriage to Maude HIarmon has a son Gerald HI., born March 31, 1906.
On December 8, 1886, Mr. Rosekelly married for his present wife Miss Sarah Hathaway. She was born on the farm where she now lives and where she has spent all her life, and represents an early family in this part of Ohio of old and substantial American stock. She was born January 18, 1852. and was liberally educated. Her parents were Peter A. and Betsey ( Stevens) Hathaway, both also natives of Ohio. IIer father was born in Oxford Township of Erie County August 2. 1824, and died February 18, 1880. His life was spent as a farmer, and for a great many years he owned the farm now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Rosekelly, where he constructed a substantial home that is still standing and doing service. Peter Hathaway was a son of Caleb and Rachel ( Wood) Hathaway. This Caleb was a son of Capt. Caleb
977
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
llathaway, who was born on the Atlantic Coast in 1761 and died in Milan Township of Erie County in 1834. Captain Caleb for a number of years sailed the Atlantic ocean as captain of a vessel, and at one time was quite wealthy, but suffered severe reverses and started anew in the western wilderness of Erie County. Captain Caleb was married January 1, 1792, to Mrs. Mary (Wire) Maxfield, who died in 1807, at the age of forty. Their son Caleb was born November 7, 1797. Both Captain Caleb and his son Caleb spent their last years on the old home- stead which is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Rosekelly. Rachel Wood, who became the wife of Caleb Hathaway, was born in New York State December 2, 1805, and died December 22, 1893, and was laid to rest by the side of her husband in Milan Village. In the earlier generations the Hathaways were of the orthodox Quaker stock, and the male members of the family voted regularly with the whigs and later with the republicans.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Rosekelly moved to their present farm, and he has used his resourees most intelligently and in the course of years has aeeumulated nearly 500 acres of some of the finest land in Milan Township and in Erie County. As a farmer he has never been wasteful in his methods, and for many years has produced perhaps as large a volume of crops as any other agriculturist in his section of the state. His extensive land holdings are improved with five complete sets of farm buildings. His fields produce the staple crops of corn, wheat, oats and potatoes, and each farm is well stocked with high grade animals. For a number of years Mr. Rosekelly carried on an extensive business in the feeding of live stock, and much of his prosperity came from this source.
To their marriage was born only one son, Rowland, born April 3 .. 1888, and who died at the age of sixteen while a student in the Sandusky Iligh School. Mr. and Mrs. Rosekelly are members of the Milan Presby- terian Church, in which he has served as an elder and trustee for a number of years. In polities he is a republican, and his son is similarly disposed in his political faith.
REV. GEORGE J. BARTLETT. In Rev. George J. Bartlett is found one of the most wholesome and human of philosophers and most courageous religious teachers that Erie County has known. Since 1880 he has been in charge of the meetings of the Society of Friends at Page's Corners. also for fourteen years during this time was in charge of the meetings at Berlinville and the first two years had the charge at ('omptown, and the fragrance of his faith, his zeal, energy and devotion, unite in the making of a career of more than average purpose and usefulness.
Reverend Bartlett was born at Greenwich, Ohio, January 3, 1842, and is a son of James and Phoebe A. (Barnes) Bartlett, the former born at Tuekerton, New Jersey, and the latter in New York City. The parents were married at Tuckerton, where Mrs. Bartlett had been a teacher, and in May, 1839, after the birth of two daughters, came to Ohio, by way of the Iludson River and the Erie Canal, Buffalo and Lake Erie to Iluron, and thence by teams through Erie County to HIuron County, locating at Greenwich. They were members of the Society of Friends and found a church of their faith there, and were soon established in a small log cabin home. The church at that point had been founded by Quakers who had gone before, and was located in a large log meeting-house, and Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett soon became active in the work of the denomination. They also engaged in agricul- tural pursuits, on a farm of 109 acres, of which only a small part had been cleared of timber, and the remaining years of their lives were passed in the development and cultivation of this property. They con-
978
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
tinned to work devotedly in the church, in which both were deacons. and were thus connected when they died, the father passing away March 3, 1886, aged seventy-seven years, and the mother in 1884, when seventy-five years of age.
George J. Bartlett was brought up as a Quaker and was educated in the schools of Greenwich, being engaged in agricultural work and preaching in Huron County until 1880. In that year he came to Milan Township, Erie County, to build up the congregations at Pages Corners and Berlinville, both of which had been founded by his parents. Here he found only twenty-two members at one place and twenty-three at the other, but during the time he has labored here he has increased the congregations many times over, and with the exception of 212 years in charge at Comptown, has devoted his entire time and labors to his floeks at these places.
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.