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 37
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John Hinkle, the man who brought the family name to Fulton county, entered 240 acres of wild land and later he secured 400 acres where Lyons now stands, part of it having been platted for the town. When the Houghton ancestry settled in what is now Amboy they entered 240 acres of wild land, and before coming to Fulton county they had entered a half section of land in what is now Toledo. This proved an excellent investment.
MR. AND MRS. STEPHEN E. HINKLE
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On April 10, 1872, S. E. Hinkle married Hattie Cass, of Mau- mee. She was born March 12, 1853, a daughter of Joseph G. and Mary Ellen (Wilson) Cass. Her father came from New Hamp- shire while her mother was from Coshocton county. Her grand- father, Barnard Cass, was among the early residents of Maumee. Mr. Hinkle brought his bride to the home of his parents, and then located on an eighty acre farm west of Lyons, remaining there three years. From there he moved to Washington Township, Lucas county, remaining seven years.
When Mr. Hinkle returned to Fulton county he bought out the heirs to the family homestead, and another eighty acre place. He laid out Plainfield addition to Lyons, and sold out some of the lots, and he still owns lots and some improved property there. On the farm Mr. Hinkle always has from twenty to thirty head of grade Holstein dairy cows, and the milk business is a profitable industry.'
The children are: Ephraim C., who met death on a railroad, had married Georgia Ferguson, and they had two sons, Kenneth and Ray, who live in Detroit; Philena is the wife of Houghton Fer- guson of Toledo and her children are: Harry L. and Keron, the last named, deceased; Herbert H. lives in Royalton; Stephen Eu- gene, of Royalton, married Ina Disbrow and has one child, Clare; Homer B. married Emma Mallendick (deccased) and he lives with his parents.
Mr. Hinkle supplemented his education in common school at the Toledo High School and at Maumee. His wife attended Maumee Seminary. In politics he is a republican, and he has served as a councilman in Lyons. The family belongs to the Universalist Church, and Mr. Hinkle has served as a trustee for many years. The organization of the Universalist Church of Lyons was com- pleted by Rev. Samuel Binns, in 1867 with thirty-four charter mem- bers. A church was built and dedicated in October, 1868. In the year 1904, under the pastorate of Rev. G. H. Ashworth, this church was remodeled with beautiful memorial windows. Mr. Hinkle is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows No. 622 of Lyons, and has passed all of the chairs. Mr. and Mrs. Hinkle are Rebekahs.
It is evident from what has been said above that one of the most useful members of the pioneer Hinkle family has been Stephen Edgar. While due recognition is given to the work and influence of his father and grandfather in the county, Mr. Hinkle has exer- cised a great energy of his own, and has built both wisely and well on the foundation which was prepared for his own career. Farm- ing, town building and public spirit in all his relations have been prominent features in his life, and his activities and character de- serve the memory of the future.
SAMUEL ERASTUS MERRILL. The late Samuel Erastus Merrill was closely associated with the agricultural interests of Fulton county, and during his lifetime became the owner of a fine farm in Swan Creek Township that is now operated by his widow and sons. He was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, on June 24, 1851, a son of Joseph and Nancy (Mardis) Merrill, natives of New Hampshire, who moved to Ohio after their marriage, and all of their children were born in the latter state. Not long after the close of the war between the states Joseph Merrill went to Franklin county, Ohio, and still later located in Putnam county, Ohio.
Samuel Erastus Merrill was reared to be a farmer and attended
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the district schools during his boyhood. On May 24, 1887, he was married to Mary F. Beavers, born in Franklin county, Ohio, on January 6, 1867, a daughter of James and Sarah (Lane) Beavers, natives of Franklin county, Ohio. The grandparents, Thomas and Sarah (Beavers) Beavers, were also natives of Ohio, and the ma- ternal grandparents, William and Mary (Athy) Lane, were born in Fairfield county, Ohio.
Following his marriage Mr. Merrill moved to Henry county, Ohio, where he first leased a farm, but later bought one and con- ducted it until 1892, when he came to Fulton county, and spent two years in Swan Creck Township. He then bought a farm in Put- nam county, Ohio, and lived on it for two years, or until he sold it, at which time he came back to Swan Creek Township, buying the seventy-nine acre farm now owned by his heirs, and on it he passed away on December 2, 1908.
Mr. and Mrs. Merrill became the parents of the following chil- dren: Jennie L., who is Mrs. Michael B. Smith, of Swan Creek Township; James Harrison, of Ottawa county, Ohio, married Grace Masters, and they have one daughter, Frances Emma; Bertha, who is Mrs. Otto Conklin, of Swan Creek Township, has one daughter, Erma; Francis C., who is now at home, is a veteran of the great war, having served as a member of Company M, Three Hundred and Fifty-sixth Infantry in France and also in the Army of Occupation in Germany; Goldie Vivian, who is Mrs. Ray Watkins, of Swan Creek Township; and Florie M. and Harlow R., who are assisting their mother in conducting the homestead. Mr. Merrill had two children by a former marriage, namely: Emmit Le Roy, who mar- ried Mary Westcott, has three children, Orrin, Lenora and Harold; and Ira Elmo, who married Gertrude Haguewood, has two children, Hilbert and Maxine. Mrs. Ray Watkins has two children, Eudora and an infant son.
In his religious views Mr. Merrill was a United Brethren, and his widow belongs to the radical branch of that society. A strong re- publican, Mr. Merrill always gave an active support to the candi- dates and principles of his party, but did not care to hold office. He was an upright, honorable and conscientious man, who if he asked much of others was always willing to live up to his requirements himself. A hard worker, he accumulated a nice property, and earned the respect of his fellow citizens to such an extent that his death was regarded as a distinct loss to his community.
CHARLES JOHNSON. The late Charles Johnson, of Swan Crcek Township, always voted the democratic ticket, and for many years he was a deacon in the Christian Church, of which Mrs. Johnson is a member today. He was a son of John and Cynthia (Saulsbury) Johnson, and was born January 6, 1841, in York Township. He died March 18, 1886, at the age of forty-five years. The Johnson family were early settlers in Fulton county.
In May, 1862, Mr. Johnson married Amanda M. Pierce, of Indianapolis. She is a daughter of Eber and Betsey (Vandalium) Pierce. They resided in Stark county, Indiana, until the fall of 1864, when they moved to York Township. In 1883 they removed to the presnt home in Swan Creek Township. It was an unimproved farm when they came to it. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Johnson has continued living there. A son, Charles, remained several years with her, and then a grandson, Arthur Stits, operated the farm, but now Mrs. Johnson lives alone. The fields are rented and she has a garden and poultry.
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There were five children: Ada, who died in young womanhood; G. William, of West Alton, Missouri; Nettie, wife of John Whit- meyer, of Pike Township; Ledora, of Cleveland; and Charles P., of Toledo.
While he did not live long enough to realize all his plans and ambition for the improvement of his farm and the making of a home in Swan Creek Township, Mr. Johnson had lived effectively and worthily during the years allotted to him, and grateful memory is cherished of his character and deeds by his descendants. Mrs. John- son on her part did nobly in carrying forward the farm and rear- ing her children, and is one of the very highly esteemed women of Fulton county.
ALEXANDER YOUNG MONTGOMERY, who for more than fifty years was a resident in Delta, Fulton county, Ohio, and for the greater part of the time one of its leading citizens, had a worthy life record in every way. Denied the educational facilities possible to even the poorest boy in these days, he nevertheless acquired much learn- ing, so much in fact that for many years he was himself a school teacher. He saw valiant service as a soldier during the Civil war, was for many years in successful merchandising business in Delta, Fulton county, was postmaster for eight years, and throughout his long life of public activities and service in Delta gave some time to the execution of the duties of almost every public office of the bor- ough, including the responsibilities of the offices of mayor, council- man, treasurer, and chief of the fire department. Generally, he was esteemed as one of the most helpful and public-spirited of the lead- ing residents of Delta.
He was born in Belmont county, Ohio, December 9, 1835, the son of James and Mary (Young) Montgomery. The Montgomery family is of Scotch ancestry, although for some generations the branch to which Alexander Y. belonged had been resident in the United States. His father had been born in Washington, Pennsyl- vania. His mother, however, was of Swiss descent, although also born in America. His parents were among the early settlers in Bel- mont county, Ohio, where James Montgomery bought a tract of wild land, clearing it of timber, and eventually developing it into a good agricultural property. Upon it Alexander Y. grew to manhood, and there his parents died. The conditions of life in the vicinity of his parents' property were somewhat primitive during his boyhood. He had to content himself with very little schooling; as a matter of fact he was unable to attend school until he was nine years old, and even then the district school that had been established was only open for four months in the year, the boys of the settlers being needed by their parents for many minor farming duties during the grow- ing season. Alexander Y. Montgomery, however, was a studious youth, was naturally of intellectual bent, and, like Abraham Lin- coln, profited much by the reading of good books. He was fortu- nate also in having some contact with men of letters, so that even- tually he had attained a sufficient degree of general learning to qualify as a school teacher. He followed that profession until his twenty-sixth year, concurrently farming and he might have con- tinued as an educator had not national conditions become such that all young men of patriotic heart felt prompted to cast aside all per- sonal interests and place themselves at the disposal of the nation. Alexander Y. Montgomery was not wanting or even halting when
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the call to arms eame in 1861. He enlisted in the Union forces in that year, and when the first brief term of enlistment had expired, re-enlisted in Company E of the West Virginia Infantry. He served under Generals Siegel, Milroy, Fremont and Pope, his regiment being part of the Army of Virginia, which engaged in most of the battles of Virginia and the Shenendoah Valley, including Cedar Mountain. Bull Run (second) and Cross Keys. In 1863 he entered the hazardous seouting arm of the Union Army, and continued as a scout until eventually mustered out of service, with a certificate of honorable discharge, on June 22, 1864. What his movements were between that time and the spring of 1866 are not known to the present biographer, but from the spring of 1866 until his death in 1918 he lived in Delta, Fulton county, Ohio, and lived a life well filled with consequential activities, of business and public character. For sixteen years he was in an established merchandising business in Delta, having appreciable sueeess in that enterprise and later he was express agent at Delta. He was a man of strong personality, and was a factor of much influenee in Delta. He had the confidenee and good will of his fellow citizens, and was preferred by them for many publie honors and offices of responsibility in civic affairs. His record in public service includes a period as mayor of the borough, as bor- ough treasurer and as chief of the fire department. He was a mem- ber of the Cemetery Board, and all his public work, whether of mi- nor or major importanee, was marked by a painstaking, honorable attention and devotion to the interests of the community that stamped him as a publie servant of the highest type. He was ever ready to give personal and financial support to any worthy loeal movement, and during the administration of United States President Hayes he was the efficient postmaster at Delta, being continued in the office for eight years. Fraternally he was for many years prominently identified with the functioning of local lodges of the Odd Fellows and Masonie Orders. Of the former organization he belonged to Delta Lodge No. 400, and of the Masonie bodies he was a member of Fulton Lodge No. 248, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of the Octavius Waters Chapter No. 154, Royal Arch Masons; and of the Aurora Chapter. In the order of the Eastern Star he belonged to Fulton encampment No. 197. As a veteran of the Civil war he was of course a member of the Grand Army of the Republie, being affiliated with McQuillan Post. Religiously he was a Methodist, member of the Delta Methodist Episcopal Church. Politieally he was a republican, and actively interested in national as well as loeal affairs. He died on April 15, 1919, his obsequies being attended by a very large number of Delta people, in which town he was esteemed for his commendable private life and notable helpful public work in the community. He succeeded well in his business endeavors, and erected one of the finest residences in Delta, a substantial almost modern house of fourteen rooms. He was buried in Green Lawn Cemetery, Delta, Ohio, of which he was for so many years a director.
He was married on November 4, 1867, at Lordstown, to Mary McCorkle, who was born in Lordstown, Trumbull county, Ohio, August 22, 1843, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Slough) Me- Corkle, of that place. Her father was one of the early residents in Youngstown, Ohio, but her mother belonged to an old Pennsylvania family, and was born in Carlisle, Cumberland county of that state. In her girlhood Mrs. Montgomery attended the public schools of her native place, and eventually took the academic course at the semi- nary at Lordstown, Ohio. In her younger days in Delta she entered
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much into the social movements of the place, and throughout her life has been interested in church work. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and she and her late husband have been good supporters of the local church of that denomination. Mrs. Montgomery has many sincere friends in Delta, many of long standing.
WILLIAM WALLACE WILLIAMS, who during his active life, which ended March 29, 1890, was one of the most prominent citizens of Delta, Fulton county, Ohio, a former mayor and leading attorney of that place, and who also had to his credit personal service in a military capacity during the Civil war, the period during which the manhood of the nation was tested to the uttermost.
He was born in Michigan February 3, 1833, while his par- ents, David and Phoebe Williams, were on a visit in Michigan, to a brother of Mrs. Williams. William W., however, was early thrown upon his own resources, his parents dying when he was still comparatively young. He went to live with Doctor Taylor in Wau- seon, Ohio, attending the public schools of that city. What he did in his early manhood does not appear in data before the present biographer, excepting that during the Civil war he was in the mili- tary forces of the Union, enlisting in Company I of the Thirty- eighth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and eventually receiv- ing honorable discharge from the national forces. In 1867, being then thirty-four years old, he married, soon after which important event in his history he began to study law, resolving to qualify for admittance to the legal profession. Eventually he was admitted, and for many years thereafter was one of the most prominent lawyers of the Delta section of Fulton county. He resided in that place, his law practice centering there, and in that city he was greatly esteemed. He was a man of commendable public spirit, a convincing public speaker, and he took a helpful part in the civic affairs of Delta. He was popular in that part of Fulton county, and held the confidence of the people of Delta; so much that they elected him mayor of the town. He was fifty-seven years old in the year of his death, 1890, and his life, although not of very long duration, was yet filled with consequential achievements, not the least of which was his strength of purpose in making his own way after the death of his parents.
He was a good Christian, member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Delta, and a steady supporter thereof. Politically he was a republican, and was a factor of some consequence to that party in his home district. He took a leading part in political movements in his own district; in fact he was active and useful in almost all phases of the public affairs of Delta. As a veteran of the Civil war he be- longed to the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
His wife has lived a widowhood of thirty years, and fifty-three years have passed since she, Jane Casler, was married to William Wallace Williams. She was born within twenty-five miles of To- ronto, Canada, January 30, 1845, the daughter of Hugh and Eliza- beth (Yake) Casler, who were both Canadians by birth, although Mrs. Williams is descended in the maternal line from an old colonial New York family, her grandparent having been born at Mohawk River, New York state, the son of John Yake, who came from Ger- many to one of the New York settlements. In the paternal line Mrs. Williams evidently belongs to a family of British antecedents, long resident in Canada. She has lived quietly in Delta amid a large circle of good friends since the death of her husband thirty
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years ago, and she owns an artistic bungalow on Front street. The children born to William Wallace and Jane (Casler) Williams were: William, who is a successful and enterprising business man in Min- neapolis, Minnesota; Ila, who married Lewis Cameron, of Delta; Charles, who died at the age of twenty-one years, just as he had entered promising manhood; Harry, now of Detroit, Michigan, is a veteran of two wars, having served through the Spanish-American war, rising to the rank of sergeant, and as a commissioned officer in the World war, 1917-19; Paul, now of Wauseon, also a former sol- dier, having for seven years been in the United States Regular Army ; Leland S., of Wauseon, who is also a veteran of the Spanish-Ameri- can war. The family is thus of military record in the last three wars in which the nation has engaged, a noteworthy record of patriotism, seeing that in each case the service was voluntary. Mrs. Jane (Cas- ler) Williams is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in her younger days took an earnest part in church work, and also in the social functions of community life of Delta.
ISAAC WILEY. While there is Scotch in the ancestry of Isaac Wiley of Fulton, his birth occurred October 24, 1850, in West- moreland county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Robert and Maria (Walters) Wilcy. In 1851, when Isaac Wiley was one year old, his parents came from Pennsylvania via Cleveland and Toledo to Ful- ton Township, and in 1854 they bought eighty acres of timber, ex- cept a clearing of about five acres, where they made their home in Ohio. They lived in a log house until 1869, when they built a frame house.
With the assistance of his son Isaac Wiley, Robert Wiley cleared all this land but ten acres and later the son cleared that tract. Rob- ert Wiley was a cripple and unable to walk without a cane and a crutch, and yet he made a farm in the wilds of the new country. His wife died in 1885, and he died two years later. Beside Isaac, who re- lates the family history, their children were: Sarah, widow of Eli Winchell, of North Adams, Michigan; Susan, deceased wife of Harri- son Hamp; and John. By a previous marriage Robert Wiley had three children: William, Lemuel and Jemima, but none are living today.
As long as his parents lived Isaac Wiley lived with them and cared for them. When he was nineteen he worked away from home less than two months, the only time he ever lived away from the family homestead. In January, 1872, Mr. Wiley married Iva Hamp, who was the daughter of a neighbor and born April 26, 1852, in > Fulton Township. Her parents are John and Rebecca (Norris) Hamp, the father born in Germany and the mother in Lucas county. For a time they lived with his parents and then they built another house on the farm, but later they moved in with his parents again. He bought the other shares, and has always lived on the one farm.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Wiley are: Eugene, of Ful- ton, who married May Fraker. He has one son, Fraker Wiley. Min- nie is the wife of George Percival, of Toledo, and has two children, Homer and Harold.
Until he was sixteen years old Isaac Wiley had common school advantages, but from that time on his life has been given to hard work, grubbing and otherwise developing the farmstead. For eleven years he has served the township as a school director. In politics he is a republican. Mr. Wiley is a member of the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 528 of Swanton, and has occupied all
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of the chairs. Together, Mr. Wiley and his wife are members of the Rebekahs, Pythians, Women's Relief Corps and Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Swanton.
This brief record seems to indicate that the dominating character- istic of Mr. Wiley has been faithfulness to duty, wherever duty has called him. While his present prosperity is due in some degree to an enlightened self interest, it is proper to say that he has worked for others as well as for himself, and the estecm in which he is gen- erally held is due to the unselfishness that has guided his labors.
OLIVER WILLIAM DETWILER. Although living in Delta, Oliver William Detwiler gives personal supervision to his farm interests in Fulton county. He was born November 2, 1853, in Marion county. He is a son of Jacob and Penelope (Miller) Detwiler. The father came from Pennsylvania and the mother from Maryland. They lived on a farm in Marion county, Ohio, but in 1865 they moved to Swan Creek Township in Fulton county. He bought a tract of wild land and improved it. They both died on the old homestead in Swan Creek Township. O. W. Detwiler was the sixth child in order of birth into this pioneer family. Martha, a daughter, is mentioned in the H. B. Mann sketch. Oscar lives at West Unity, Williams county.
Oliver W. Detwiler married Mary Tefft January 17, 1877. She is a daughter of Gardner and Leah (Wollam) Tefft. After his mar- riage Mr. Detwiler bought a farm in Swan Creck Township. He lived there twenty years. When his father died he sold the place and moved to the old Detwiler homestead. There were 225 acres of the land, and he bought some of the shares and now has a quar- ter section of it. In 1908 he rented the farm and located in Delta.
Mr. Detwiler bought a property in the business section and re- moved an old blacksmith shop and built a modern house. The chil- dren are: Ellen, wife of Fred Richards, who lives on the farm; Minnie, wife of Earl Slagel, of Swan Creek; and Alpheus living in New York. Mr. Detwiler votes with the democrats.
As this brief record shows, the Detwilers have been factors in the development of portions of Fulton county for fifty-five years. Some excellent farms represent their aggregate and productive ener- gies, and whether living in Delta or on his farm Mr. O. W. Det- wiler has ever manifested a degree of public spirit expressive of his high character and a constant willingness to promote the best inter- ests of his community.
GEORGE SCHAMP. Fulton county has some of the most energetic and successful farmers in this part of the state, and these men are satisfied with the results of their years of endeavor, for they have not only made an excellent living, but have built up valuable prop- crty interests and been of use to their community. Such a repre- sentative citizen is George Schamp of York Township, who is con- ducting his valuable farm in a modern manner and carrying on gen- eral crop raising and stock breeding. He was born in York Town- ship on January 8, 1858, a son of Henry G. and Catherine (Bat- dorf) Schamp, natives of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, respec- tively. They were married in Wayne county, Ohio, and in 1853 came to Fulton county, buying a farm in York Township. On it they built a brick residence, and lived in it, both passing away in 1899, although she survived him for a few months. Their children are as follows: James and John W., both of whom are farmers of
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