A standard history of Fulton County, Ohio, an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. II, Part 31

Author: Reighard, Frank H., 1867-
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 628


USA > Ohio > Fulton County > A standard history of Fulton County, Ohio, an authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and county, Vol. II > Part 31


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


Mr. Roedel does not actively concern himself with political move- ments. He is a business man, actively engaged in a growing business, and he has little time for politics. In local affairs he of course takes much interest, and votes intelligently, studying the candidate rather than the party. By religious conviction he is a Lutheran, and as such has steadily attended the local church.


In 1899 he married Selma Hahn, daughter of Antoine and Sophie Hahn, of Napoleon. They have one child, Charles Robert, who was born April 10, 1918.


WILLIAM LUMAN MOREY. While there were never greater opportunities than at present for the American farmer, it is true


220


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


that many of the most substantial men of the agricultural class laid the foundation of their present prosperity years ago in times of low prices and as a result of a long uphill climb and struggle. An ex- ample of this class in Fulton county is William Luman Morey, who began his career as a renter in Gorham Township, and today enjoys his possession of one of the most attractive country liomes and valu- able farms in the township.


Mr. Morcy was born in Wayne county, New York, November 22, 1861, a son of Israel and Mary (Conklin) Morey. His father was a native of Canada, and was married in New York state, where his wife was born. In the fall of 1864 the family came to Williams county, Ohio, and lived on a farm there until 1884, when the par- ents removed to Isabella county. Michigan. The father died in 1901 and the mother in 1911. Their children were: John, of Palmyra, Michigan ; George of Isabella county: William Luman; Barrett, of Kent, Washington; Loren, of Isabella county, Michigan; Tina, the oldest of the family who married William K. Martin and is now deceased ; Nettie, wife of David Riggle, of Isabella county, Michigan ; and Mabel, Mrs. William Sipley, of Isabella county.


After attending the district schools in Williams county William Luman Morey at the age of sixteen began working for monthly wages on a farm. During the next ten years he managed to accumulate a little capital and equipment and after his marriage he rented a farm in Gorham Township for thirteen years, and by much industry and self denial was able at the end of that time to buy fifty-three and one-third acres in section 36 of Gorham Township. The farm was then regarded as only partly improved. Mr. Morey has carried out a complete scheme of improvement sinee then, tiling the low ground, building new fences, putting up modern buildings, and in 1914 ereeted a fine modern home, equipped with electric light and all the conveniences of a city residenee. Mr. Morey also has a farm of fifty acres in Franklin Township.


He has always taken a public spirited interest in the development of the community as well as his own property, and has rendered valuable service as road supervisor and school director.


December 22, 1887, Mr. Morey married Lydia ADell Ritter. She was born in Gorham Township July 13, 1866, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Baer) Ritter. They have one daughter, Hazel May, born May 11, 1889, and at home. Mr. Morey is a republican, is affiliated with Fayette Lodge No. 431, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, and his daughter is a member of Fayette Lodge No. 332 of the Rebekahs. The family attend the Methodist Church in Franklin Township.


FRED E. SKEELS. One of the enterprising men of York Town- ship who is profitably engaged in conducting the homestead of his father is Fred E. Skeels, a native son of the township. He was born on March 18, 1870, his parents being William and Clara (Struble) Skeels, and his grandfather Benjamin Skeels. The latter was one of the pioneers of York Township.


After their marriage, William Skeels and his wife located in section 33, York Township, their farm containing eighty acres. This continued to be his home until his death, which occurred January 1, 1901. His widow only remained on it for four years after he died, and then removed to Wauseon, where she is still living. Their children were as follows: Fred E., who was the eldest born; and


221


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


Nellie, who married Sherman Frederick and died at the age of thirty- eight years.


Growing up on his father's farm, Fred E. Skeels learned to be a practical farmer and attended the Blue district school. In 1900 he was married to May Myers, who was born in York Township, a daughter of George and Rhena (Farwell) Meyers. For the first two or three years following his marriage Mr. Skeels lived on his father-in-law's farm, but then went on the old Skeels homestead, where he is still engaged in general farming. He has always been a farmer with the exception of 1899, when he spent a year at carpen- ter work.


Mr. and Mrs. Skeels became the parents of the following children : Floyd, who is a farmer of York Township, married Dorotha Leist, and they have two children, Vera and Carma; and Ward, who is at home. Both these sons were sent to the local schools and learned farm work under their father's experienced supervision. Unlike some young men of the country they have not cared to leave farming for city life, and Mr. Skeels is glad that he has taught them a love for the country and developed in them a taste for agricultural activities. In politics Mr. Skeels is a republican, but he contents himself with exercising his right of suffrage, not caring to participate more fully in public affairs. Fraternally he belongs to Wauseon Camp No. 3902, Modern Woodmen of America, and is interested in its growth. Mr. Skeels is a friend of the public schools and of the good roads move- ment, and can be depended upon to give both these important ques- tions an intelligent support whenever they come up for considera- tion in his neighborhood.


PETER C. SHORT, partner in the firm of Roedel & Short, cloth- iers, haberdashers and shoe merchants of Archbold, Fulton county, is an able business man and has had wide experience. He has many business interests outside that of the firm above named, being a large stockholder in and vice president of the Elmira Elevator Company, Elmira Ohio, and connected with the E. F. Hansen Company, of Wauseon, Ohio, and the Winner Manufacturing Company of the same place. He has been active in community affairs, has been a councilman, and might have had other local offices had he so wished.


He is a native of Fulton county, born in German Township, in 1878. the son of Peter C. and Mary (Stuckey) Short. The Short family has had long residence in Fulton county, and Peter C., Sr., farmed for the greater part of his life in German Township, clear- ing a somewhat extensive acreage of wild land. Peter C., son of Peter C. and Mary (Stuckey) Short, spent his young days in German Township attending the district school during the winter months, and during the very long summer vacations gave most of his time to his father, and thus became almost an experienced farmer before he reached manhood. He attended school until he was eighteen years old, and thereafter until he was twenty-one years old helped his father in the work of the home farm in German Township. Soon after he became of age Peter C. Short left home and went to Wood- burne, Indiana, where for two years he worked as a clerk in a gen- eral store. Returning to Fulton county, he was for a short while in the employ of J. P. Flury, owner of a general store in Archbold and after leaving that store young Short for a vear clerked in the general store of Theobald Brothers of Archbold. He had been of steady life and had saved some of his earnings, and about that time was able


222


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


to purchase an interest in the Elmira Elevator Company of Elmira, Ohio. For six months he worked in the office of that company as bookkeeper, and then became manager of the West Unity plant of that same company, maintaining that connection for eight years, and aiding apprceiably in the expansion of the trading of the firm. At the elose of that time he sold a portion of his interest and severed his official connection with the West Unity plant, retaining only a seat on the directorate and the corporate office of vice president. As such he is still identified with the Elmira Elevator Company. After relinquishing the management of the West Unity plant he again went into Indiana and at Shipshewana, LaGrange county, conducted a general store for about a year, selling the business to advantage and returning to West Unity, Fulton county, Ohio. He came to Arch- bold and in May, 1914, formed a business partnership with George C. Roedel, the two becoming established then as elothier's and shoe merchants. Since that year the partners have substantially expanded the business, which today is of wide scope, well patronized, both by the people of Archbold and country people of that section of Fulton county. The firm has a good reputation for reliable goods at rea- sonable prices, and the partners are placed among the enterprising, substantial business men of the county. Besides his holding in the Archbold firm, to which he gives practically the whole of his time, Mr. Short has an interest in the E. F. Hansen Company, of Wau- seon, Ohio, and in the Winner Manufacturing Company of the same city, as well as official connection, as before stated, in the Elmira Elevator Company.


Mr. Short is a man of much interest in public affairs, although he is not able to give as much time as he would like to such matters. When he resided in West Unity he was for two years councilman of that community, and since he has lived in Archbold he has given willing support to many local projects of public character. He is an earnest churehman, member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.


He was married in 1909 at West Unity to Mary, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Smith) Beach, of that plaee. They have two children : Ralph Beach, who was born in 1915, and Paul Nathan, born in 1916. Politically Mr. Short gives staunch allegianee to the democratic party in national polities, but loeally he is more inclined to study the candidate. During the recent World war Mr. Short demonstrated by his actions that he is a man of steady, patriotic citizenship and helpful loyalty.


JAMES CLARK STRUBLE. The late James Clark Struble was one of the progressive men and successful farmers of York Township, whose untimely death put an end to his activities just when he was beginning to take life a little more easily. He was born in York Township on February 2, 1851, a son of William and Elizabeth (Dixon) Struble, who were among the earliest settlers of York Town- ship. They bought a farm from Lawyer Rawson, who had entered the land from the government. The original farm comprised 160 acres of land, and to it they later added twenty acres, all of it being wild timberland. At the time of their settlement there were Indians in the neighborhood and plenty of deer, and William Struble shot many of the latter from his own doorstep. On this farm was a small mound or elevation, an ideal site for residential purposes, and it was selected for the first home. This somewhat primitive building has been replaced in turn by two others, the last one being a fine modern residenee. In the spring of 1881 William Struble and his


223


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


wife retired from the farm, moving to Wauseon, where she died on December 25, 1889, he surviving her until about 1893.


James Clark Struble was reared in York Township and attended its rural schools. On August 6, 1878, he was married to Rose Stean- barge, born in Lorain county, Ohio, a daughter of Artemus and Louisa (Gillet) Steanbarge, who were married in Seneca county, Ohio, although he was a native of Vermont and she was born at Colchester, Connecticut, on April 15, 1819. After his marriage Mr. Struble moved to Pettisville, Ohio, where both he and his wife taught in the public schools for two years, and then they returned to the old farm and rented it from his parents for fifteen years. They then bought 120 acres of it, and Mr. Struble began making exten- sive improvements, tiling, building new fences, and erecting new buildings, including the present residence, but was not spared to see them all completed, he dying October 13, 1913. Always a hard worker, he never shirked anything and took a pride in having everything modern and in good order. The one child of Mr. and Mrs. Struble, Arthur Leland, who was born September 18, 1887, died on February 20, 1893.


Both Mr. and Mrs. Struble received better educational advantages than fell to the lot of many, he attending both the Wauseon High School and the Ada Normal School, and his wife the schools of Lib- erty Center, Ohio, and the Ada Normal School. Mr. Struble was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and took an active part in its work. In politics a republican, he served as a justice of the peace and as a member of the school board for a number of years. Mrs. Struble continued to reside on her farm until November 12, 1919, and then moved to her residence at 120 Cherry street, Wau- seon. She is a lady held in the highest esteem by the whole neighbor- hood where she had lived for so many years, and where her excellent traits of character are known and appreciated.


EDWARD ALBERT LEININGER. It is not so remarkable that men who have inherited valuable farms prefer to devote themselves to agriculture, but when a man spends his best years in farming and works with the end in view of investing his savings in land on which he can make a permanent home for his family, then he deserves the highest praise, for there is no calling in which more need is felt for intelligent, dependable men than that which has to do with the tilling of the soil and the production of foodstuffs. One of the men who has been connected with the agricultural life of Fulton county for many years, and who within recent ones acquired ownership of a fine farm of eighty acres of land in Franklin Township is Edward Albert Leininger.


The birth of Edward Albert Leininger took place in Henry county, Ohio, on January 30, 1888. and he is a son of W. A. and Catherine (Brodbeck) Leininger. Until he was seventeen years old Mr. Leininger attended the rural schools of Henry county during the winter months, and in the summer season assisted his father in oper- ating the homestead. After he left school he worked for his father until he attained his majority. For the year subsequent to his com- ing of age Mr. Leininger worked with threshing outfit and baled hay, and then took charge of the Bailey Hay Farm and conducted it until 1918, when he purchased his present farm, on which he is now carrying on general farming. Although his property was an improved one when he bought it, Mr. Leininger has made a number of desirable changes, and is contemplating others, for he takes a pride


224


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


in having everything in first-class order and his premises show that a good manager and excellent farmer is in charge.


In 1910 Mr. Leininger was united marriage with Carrie Lether- man. daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth ( Althouse) Letherman. Mr. and Mrs. Leininger became the parents of three children, all of whom are living, namely : Jonas, born March 22, 1911; Pearl, born July 17, 1915, and Lodema, born May 23, 1917. A man of independent thought and action, Mr. Leininger makes his own selection of candi- dates for whom to cast his ballot and does not definitely connect himself with any party. The local Lutheran Church holds his mem- bership and benefits from his donations. Entering upon his career with nothing but his willingness to work and a natural aptitude for farming, Mr. Leininger has distinctly made good in his undertaking, and at the same time he has won the respect of his neighbors for his sturdy traits of character and his interest in township improvement.


AARON LEININGER, who for more than forty-five years has been in independent business in Archbold, Fulton county, Ohio, as a wagon maker and repairer, is widely known throughout that section of Ful- ton county. The family was among the earliest pioneer settlers in Archbold, and Aaron Leininger was for more than twenty years connected with the public administration of the neighborhood, be- ing deputy sheriff for sixteen years and marshal for four years. He has been a responsible, useful citizen, and his friendship is esteemed by many of the older residents.


He is a native of Archbold, born in the old Leininger home- stead, which was situated in the borough of Archbold, in 1850. The family was originally from Alsace, France, and with the children of Aaron Leininger four generations have had residence in America. Jacob, his grandfather, was the American progenitor of the family. He brought his wife and children, including George, then only eleven years old, to America, and soon afterward came into the wild territory of Ohio, entering government land in Fulton county, his holding being situated where eventually grew the borough of Arch- bold. At the time he acquired it the land was a wilderness, and the purchase price was $1.25 per acre. He purchased eighty acres, the government deed for which is still in the possession of his grandson, Aaron, and in course of time, by dint of hard work and cheerful en- durance of the rigors of pioneering life, he cleared his acreage, bring- ing it into good cultivation. George Leininger, son of Jacob and father of Aaron, grew to manhood and hardihood in the rugged environment of frontier life, and as he grew in strength and years gave increasing assistance to his father in the work of the family holding. Eventually he succeeded to the property, and there raised his own family, including Aaron. George Leininger was a man of worthy characteristics, steady of purpose and honorable in his ac- tions. He had a good reputation in Archbold, and is still respect- fully remembered by many Archbold residents. He lived to a good old age, death not coming to him until 1914. He survived his wife, Nancy, by eighteen years, her decease being in 1896. Both were buried in Archbold.


Aaron, their son, attended the log school house on the border of Archbold borough until he had reached the age of thirteen years, gaining what general academic knowledge was possible in the some- what primitive facilities of the district at that time. After leaving school he took to farming occupations, there being more than ample work to fully occupy his time on the home farm. He remained at


225


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


home, assisting his father, until his twenty-first year, when he went to Bremen, Indiana, in order to learn the trade of wagon-making under his uncle. Louis Theobald. He remained with his uncle for three years, qualifying as a journeyman, and as such he worked in various places during the succeeding two years, following which he spent about twelve nionths at his trade in his native place, and then for thirteen months he was in Toledo, and for seven months in Ot- tawa Lake, Michigan, after which he returned to and settled in Archbold, in which borough he has ever since been in business, a period of forty-six years of industrious and generally profitable busi- ness. It may safely be stated that the majority of the agriculturists that come into Archbold are acquainted with Aaron Leininger. Most of them at some time or other have done business with him, and those that have not, know him quite well by reputation, for he has been prominent in the vicinity for very many years. He has always been staunchly republican in his political affiliations, and has en- tered much into the civic movements in the borough that has grown around his parental homestead. He was the city marshal of Arch- bold for four years and city councilman for three years. For six- teen years he was deputy sheriff, under Sheriffs Blair, Shimberger and Rittenhouse.


Religiously Mr. Leininger is a member of the English Lutheran Church, and throughout his life he has been earnest in church sup- port. Generally he has proved himself to be a man always ready to enter personally and enthusiastically into movements that have the welfare of the community as an object, and he has amply demon- strated his capability in public office. During the World war he showed a worthy patriotism, following the progress of the nation in the war with close interest, and co-operating with the efforts of war workers in his own community to accomplish the aim of the national administration in the various war fund campaigns.


On July 1, 1875, Aaron Leininger married Emma Base, daugh- ter of Andrew and Frederica Base, of Pettisville. To them have been born five children, all of which have been raised to healthy, useful manhood and womanhood, and all are now established in life and in independent state in various parts of the country. He with his brother Philip are doing well in Oklahoma, having large landed interests, and being connected with one tract of Oklahoma land, 119,000 acres in extent.


PETER P. ROTH. For his long residence, the hard work he per- formed in his active career and the wholesome relationship he has always sustained to the community, Peter P. Roth thoroughly de- serves the respect and esteem paid him in German township, where he has lived the greater part of his active life.


Mr. Roth, who still lives on his 120 acre farm in that town- ship, was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, in 1845, and was brought to this country at the age of ten years by his parents, Peter and Catherine (Rich) Roth. More than sixty years ago the Roth family bought 140 acres of land a mile west of the present home- stead of Peter P. Roth. The latter grew up there, went to school a few months each winter in the nearby schoolhouse, and in early manhood employed his strength in association with his two brothers, Christian and John, in clearing up a ninety acre farm. Both these brothers are now deceased. After four years they traded that land. and in 1865 Peter P. Roth came to the farm where he now resides. His father and mother lived with him until their death.


226


HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY


Mr. Roth continued growing erops and looking after his farm inter- ests under his personal supervision until 1906. Since then he has enjoyed a well earned retirement.


August 10, 1876, he married Barbara Roth, daughter of John and Mary (Amstutz) Roth. Four children were born to their mar- riage. Mary is still at home with her father. Daniel P. married Kate Reichhardt and has a family of four children. Katie B. is the wife of William Rupp, and their two children are Bessic Alice and Levi William.


JAMES H. NOBBS. In 1920 occurred the death of a man whose life and career were of more than ordinary interest in Fulton county. For eighty-four years James H. Nobbs was a resident of this section of northwestern Ohio. He had the distinetion of being the second white child born in the county, and while this was a distinction con- ferred by the accident of birth, the productive labors of his hand and brain, his good character, and his relations with the community serve to make his memory peculiarly grateful in the section where he lived so long.


He was born June 2, 1836, in the home of John and Jane (Mason) Nobbs. The family is of English origin, and had lived for a number of generations in Gloucestershire. John and Jane Nobbs crossed the ocean and settled at Syracuse, New York, in 1834, and soon after- ward sought a better home in the western country, traveling by the Erie Canal and Lake Erie to Toledo. During the '30s and '40s what is now Fulton county was a part of Lucas county. John Nobbs on coming here entered forty aeres covered with heavy woods, and with courage and hope of the future started the work of developing a home and incidentally developing the country. He and his family knew all the hardships of the frontier. John Nobbs was born in England in 1796 and died in Fulton county in 1870. His wife was born ten years later than he was, and she died fifteen years later. Most of their children are now deceased, the record being: Thomas, of Swan Creek; Sarah, who became the wife of Samuel Saeger, of Delta, and both are now deceased; James H .; John, of Delta; Robert, deceased; Daniel, of Fulton; Anna, who was the wife of J. G. Halsey ; and Jane, who married Edward Vaughan and both are now deceased. In this as in many families who have lived many years in the com- munity there are more names on gravestones than in current directories.


James H. Nobbs grew up in a real pioneer environment. He lived among the great woods, saw the swamps before they were drained, attended a pioneer school, and his muscles were hardened and his resolution strengthened by the strenuous activities of boy- hood. At the age of twenty-one he began farming for himself on rented land. In 1862 he bought an eighty-acre tract in partnership with his brother-in-law, J. G. Halsey, but a couple of years later they divided the land in two separate farms. Mr. Nobbs increased his portion until he owned 107 acres, all under cultivation except about fifteen aeres of woods pasture. Though he lived to be an octo- genarian, he carried on the work of agriculture until a few years be- fore his death.




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.