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 41
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
292
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
to manhood in Toronto, but subsequently moved to Buffalo, New York, where he became engaged in the lithographing business. In 1892 he returned to Toronto, where he spent the remainder of his days, having become superintendent of the McDonald Lithograph- ing Company's plant and holding that position at the time of his death, which occurred in 1900. Ilis widow is now making her home in Buffalo.
The subject of this sketch received his education in the public schools of Buffalo and Toronto. When fifteen years of age he gained wide reputation as a boy soprano singer in the great spectacle, "The Life of Christ," which was shown during the Pan-American Ex- position at Buffalo, and he was afterward the leading boy soprano in St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Cathedral at Buffalo for two years. During the following year he was employed as a singer of illustrated songs in Buffalo, after which he was connected for a time with va- rious theaters in that city. He then produced a comedy. sketch, "I Remember You," which he showed throughout New York state for seven months. He then was employed as a baritone singer at the opening of the Academy Theatre in Buffalo, following which he joined the staff of the Princess Theater at Detroit, Michigan. Later he went on the road in a black-face act, showing at various points over the country for four months, following which he organ- ized the Lancaster & Small Comedy Company. With this company he came to Wauseon, and was so well pleased with this place that he decided to locate here and has made this his home ever since. He entered into a partnership with Harry Sinerick and they bought the Princess Theater, which they operated together for one year, at the end of which time, in 1913, Mr. Caddell bought his partner's interest and since that time has been the sole owner of the house. The theater, which has a seating capacity of 2,350, is one of the most popular amusement houses in this section of the state and draws its patronage from a radius of fifteen miles. It is now de- voted exclusively to the silent drama, Mr. Caddell making it a point to exhibit none but the best films, and owing to this fact and the courteous treatment accorded the patrons of the theater it has be- come the favorite playhouse of the best people of the community.
On October 10, 1916, Mr. Caddell was married to Margaret Payne, the daughter of Charles Payne, of Buffalo, New York, and they have one child, Walter William, Jr., born on September 23, 1917. In his political views Mr. Caddell is independent, fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while his religious affilia- tion is with the Congregational Church. In all his relations with the community Mr. Caddell has been actuated by the highest mo- tives, and his efforts to provide the cleanest and most wholesome amusement and entertainment has been duly appreciated. Genial and unassuming, he has earned and enjoys the respect and good will of all who know him.
ELVAN R. BABYLON. The men whose achievements have been of the greatest benefit to their communities are not those who, through exceptionally favorable opportunities, have in a compara- tively short period of time gained both wealth and prominence, but the men whose careers have shown a steady and gradual develop- ment. Elvan R. Babylon, manager of Baldwin's Tool Works of Wauseon, is eminently one who has risen gradually through his own efforts, and whose love of principle and strength of character
293
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
have gained for him the respect of all with whom he comes in con- tact.
Elvan R. Babylon was born near Sidney in Shelby county, Ohio, in 1895, a son of Marion L. and Emma (Love) Babylon, solid and substantial people of German descent. After attending the common schools of Piqua, Ohio, and Parkersburg, West Virginia, Elvan R. Babylon took the high school course of the latter city and was grad- uated therefrom in 1914.
Resolving upon a practical career Mr. Babylon entered the Bald- win Tool Works at Parkersburg, West Virginia, and spent a year in the handle department. While there he found that better educa- tional training would secure him advancement as nothing else, and so he entered the University of Cincinnati, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and took a three years' course in electrical engineering, and upon the completion of it returned to his old employers, who sent him to their plant at Wauseon, of which they made him manager, for they recog- nized that his natural abilities had been so trained as to make him available timber for such a responsible position.
In 1919 Mr. Babylon was united in marriage with Mary Betty Martin, a daughter of Leo Martin of Parkersburg, West Virginia, whom he had known and admired for several years. Mr. Babylon is a Mason and belongs to Wauseon Lodge No. 349, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He is a typical hustler and knows how to handle the many and intricate problems presented in his everyday work. Having been in the mechanical end of the business, he knows how to enter into the feelings of his men and give them a fair deal, and at the same time protect the interests of his company. Because of this understanding and a naturally sympathetic nature Mr. Babylon is a very valuable man to his concern, and has less labor troubles than many. Upright and honorable, he is a valued addition to the civic life of Wauseon, just as he is to other circles, and although as yet, aside from exercising his right of suffrage by voting the republican ticket, he has taken no decisive part in politics, he is regarded as one who has the best interests of the city at heart and is willing to exert himself to see that good men are elected to office. As he is both intelligent and progressive he naturally is in favor of improvements, but believes that they should be made after due consideration and not merely to afford grounds for foolish boost- ing and the creation of over-confidence. The future before Wau- seon, in his mind, is a very promising one, and expansion is bound to come, but it must be brought about in a sane manner, along legitimate lines, and not through a misguided and extravagant ex- pediture of public funds.
ALLEN BERTRAND CARTER, who for more than forty years has lived in Franklin Township, Fulton county, is among the represen- tative successful farmers of that section of the county, industrious and enterprising in his farming, and generous in his personal and financial support of the public, church, and social responsibilities of the community.
He comes of a family which has place in the early records of Dover Township, his grandfather, Daniel Carter, having come into Fulton county and Dover Township from New England, where the Carter family had previously settled. It is therefore one of the old American families. Daniel Carter raised a family in Dover Town- ship, among his sons being D. Lafayette, who when he grew to man-
294
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
hood himself took to responsible farming in the county. He owned a farm east of Tedrow for some years, but later purchased a good estate in Franklin Township, where he dicd in September, 1906. He married Laodemia A. Minnick, and to them were born two sons, John Roscoe, now of Detroit, married, and the father of two chil- dren, and Allen Bertrand, who has remained on the home farm, which, since his father's death, he has managed and now owns.
Allen Bertrand, son of D. Lafayette and Laodemia A. (Min- nick) Carter, was born on the parental farm east of Tedrow, Fulton county, in 1886. When he was three years old his parents moved to Franklin Township, his father having sold the Tedrow property and purchased a good farm of eighty acres at Franklin Township, where the boy was raised, and where he has ever since lived. He at- tended District School No. 7, of Franklin Township until he was seventeen years old. From that year until the present he has stead- ily continued to apply himself to the working of the home farm, having been responsible for the affairs of the family and the farm for practically the whole period, as he was only three years out of school when his father died. He has shown a sturdy, steady char- acter, and is of enviable repute in the district as one of its most reliable, responsible residents. Politically he is a republican, and upon many occasions he has taken active part in community affairs, but he has never been interested in political affairs to the extent of hoping for or seeking public office. He has preferred to apply him- self steadily to matters of production upon his own farm than to legislative occupations. He has prospered well, and has some other business interests, among them a holding in the Tedrow Mutual Telephone Company, of which he was one of the organizers.
In 1915 he married Edna Bessie Nifzinger, of German Town- ship, Fulton county. They have one child, a son, Ivan Herbert, who was born in 1916.
GLEN D. STETTEN, an enterprising and alert young man, in independent business as an ornamental iron and steel worker and general blacksmith in Archbold, Fulton county, Ohio, in associa- tion with his father, is showing much steady manliness in his work and a business acumen of encouraging grade.
He was born in Morenci, Michigan, in 1897, the son of Peter B. and Retta (Fogelsong) Stetten. His father, Peter B. Stetten, was until quite recently in steady business as a blacksmith in Morenci, Michigan, and during the years of residence in that place the family became widely known and well-regarded, Peter B. Stetten having always been a responsible citizen, of commendable industry and worthy life. He entered much into public affairs in the commu- nity, and held office in the local civic administration. And he also was prominently identified with the functioning of local branches of leading fraternal orders. He belongs to the Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Morenci, to the Morenci branch of the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows, and to the local erie of the Order of Eagles. In connection with the local lodge of Odd Fellows he at- tended the Grand Lodge at Detroit. Politically Peter B. Stetten is a republican, and one of close and intelligent interest in national affairs. To Peter B. and Retta (Fogelsong) Stetten have been born five children, of whom their son Glen D. was the third born. He grew to manhood in his native place, Morenci, Michigan, attending the public schools of that place, and advancing in grade until he
295
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
became a senior in the Morenci High School. Entering business life, he took apprenticeship with his father at blacksmithing and iron and steel working, and for the next three years worked steadily at that trade in Morenci under direction of his father. Eventually he became a journeyman blacksmith, and for about twelve months traveled as such, afterward returning to Morenci and again taking up work with his father. In August, 1919, both came to Archbold, Fulton county, Ohio, and established themselves in business as gen- eral blacksmiths and iron and steel workers. Both father and son are skilled workmen, and apt at most operations connected with the working of iron and steel.
In political allegiance Mr. Glen D. Stetten is a republican, and, like his father, shows indication that he will take an active interest in political movements. He is a young man of good Christian prin- ciple and clean manly life, and will in all probability prosper well, being a man of marked energy and good business instinct, and, withal, of good education.
JOEL YODER, who recently became independently established in business as a grocer and butcher in the town of Archbold, and is handling that business in a promising manner, is a native of Fulton county, and comes of a family which is placed among the early families of the county.
He was born in German Township, Fulton county, in 1889, the son of John and Anna (Yoder) Yoder. His parents, although having the same patronymic, are not blood relatives, but Joel Yoder certainly belongs to the Yoder family of Fulton county record. He was born on the Yoder family homestead in German Township. Joel's early experience was somewhat similar to that of other sons of farmers, in that he attended country school during the winter and spring period, but during the long suminer vacations most of his days were spent in useful work upon the parental farm. He continued to attend school until he was sixteen years old, after which he took increasing part in the operation of the home farm. He remained with his parents, steadily working the family prop- erty, for fourteen years after leaving school, and it was only in the summer of 1919 that he resolved to enter commercial life. In September, 1919, he opened a grocery and meat market in Arch- bold, and although it is too early yet to state that the enterprise will succeed, he is a young man of good reputation, responsible, steady and aggressive; and, withal, of good honest purpose, so that in all probability he will as the years pass gain a reputation for reliability of product and fairness of price. He has shown a steadi- ness of purpose during his fourteen years of farming that augers well for his future as a merchant.
WESLEY S. ROBINSON has always lived in Royalton, having been born February 26, 1860, in that township. He secured a com- mon school education, and in later years he has served as a school director in Royalton. In political matters he is republican, and he holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge of Lyons, fills the chair of noble grand, and also affiliates with the Rebekahs.
Mr. Robinson is a son of Marvin E. and Lavina (Onweller) Robinson, the father having been born in 1833 in Seneca county, New York. The mother is of German parentage. His grandfather,
296
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
Barnett M. Robinson, came to Royalton in 1835-territorial days in Fulton county. The word pioneer applies to the Robinson family.
On January 11, 1887, Mr. Robinson married Victoria MeGurer, who was born in Deeember, 1858, in Lake county. She is a daughter of Eli B. and Harriet (Dowin) McGurer, who lived at Willoughby, Lake county. The mother died in 1859, and in 1887 the father came to Fulton county.
Mr. Robinson lived 21/2 years in Toledo after his marriage, then located on the forty acre farm he had purchased in Royalton. About fifteen acres had been cleared when he located on this farm, and he completed the elearing and the land is all under cultivation. Mr. Robinson gives attention to all branches of farming. He has one daughter, Myrtle May.
ESTILL LEONARD SINDEL, who for many years has been secretary of the Fulton County Mutual Insurance & Aid Association, is a resident of Delta and is deseended from two of the earliest pioneer families in the eounty.
He was born at Winameg May 21, 1865, son of Edward C. and Naney A. (Tappan) Sindel. His paternal grandparents, John and Harriet N. (Dixon) Sindel, were natives of New Jersey and in 1834 traveled with wagon and team overland until they arrived in Pike Township of Fulton county. They settled on a traet of govern- ment land which the father of Harriet Dixon had entered from the government. Mrs. Harriet Sindel from that time until her death never moved from the farm, but through the accident of history it was her fortune to live in two states, four counties and several town- ships. The maternal grandparents, Moses and Hettie (Miller) Tap- pan, were also natives of New Jersey, and eame to Fulton county about the same time as the Sindel family, oeeupying adjoining farms and being neighbors in the wilderness. Edward Sindel after his marriage located at Winameg, and for many years was a ear- penter and builder, sehool teacher, merehant and postmaster. He died in 1907, and his widow, who was born in 1841, is still living at Winameg. Estill L. is the oldest of their children. Herman Elmer lives at Lyons, Bertha Harriet was born in 1872 and died at the age of two years, and Edward Everett lives with his mother, who is now Mrs. Philip Fetter.
Estill Leonard Sindel aequired a first elass education, begin- ning in the distriet schools, attending the publie and high schools at Wauseon and the Fayette Normal and the Valparaiso Business College in Indiana. He taught his first school before he was six- teen years of age. At the age of nineteen he began a career as an educator which continued until he had taught in distriet sehools for twenty-seven years. In all that time it was his daily custom to eat a eold lunch, put up either by his mother or his wife, and his noon meal was of that character except for six months. While teaching Mr. Sindel also busied himself with managing a twenty acre farm in Pike Township.
He was elected secretary of the Fulton County Mutual Insurance & Aid Association and has held that office continuously since Jan- uary 16, 1897. In August, 1913, he moved to Delta, buying a farm nearby, but in 1915 traded his eountry property for a modern frame residence in the village, and maintains his office in his residence.
October 26, 1892, he married Lucy Lueinda Geer, who was born in Fulton county Deeember 7, 1866, daughter of Milo and
297
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
Rebecca (Parker) Geer, the former a native of New York and the latter of New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. Sindel have one son, Walter E., born June 8, 1907.
Mr. Sindel is an elder in the Christian Church. He has served as township clerk and justice of the peace in Pike Township and continuously since the age of twenty-one has held a commission as notary public. He is a republican, is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge at Delta, and he and his wife are members of the Ancient Order of Gleaners. Mr. Sindel also owns an improved eighty acre farm in Pike Township.
WILLIAM H. STANDISH, proprietor of the Royalton Stock Farm and an acknowledged expert and judge of livestock, is in the eighth generation of descent from the famous Capt. Miles Standish, one of the foremost figures in the Pilgrim colony that landed at Ply- mouth Rock in 1620. Mr. Standish's grandfather was Rial Stand- ish, who came to Ohio from western New York in 1831 and settled in Huron county, but a few years later removed to what is now Ful- ton county, and was one of the pioneers in this vicinity. He had made the trip by ox team and wagon, and acquired his tract of government land in section 18.
William H. Standish was born in section 18 of Royalton Town- ship May 17, 1864, son of Rial Clark and Harriet Adelia (Smith) Standish. His father was born in Cayuga county, New York, De- cember 22, 1826, and was about five years of age when the family came to Ohio. Rial Clark Standish as a young man improved the land in section 18 of Royalton Township, cleared away much of the heavy timber and lived there until the spring of 1889, when he moved to Wauseon, and died December 18, 1898. His first wife died October 4, 1873. Later he married Minerva Camburn, who was born in Lenawee county, Michigan, and is now living at Toledo. The children of Rial Clark Standish were all by his first marriage: Fannie M., who died at the age of eight years; Phoebe, Mrs. Orin Ranger, of Newaygo, Michigan; Viola, Mrs. Andrew Dis- brow, of Royalton Township; Miles T., of Royalton; Charlotte, Mrs. Frank Camburn, of Lyons; Rial C., of Royalton; William H .; and Orin C., of Wauseon.
William H. Standish acquired his education in the district schools, was married at the age of twenty-one, and for several years afterwards lived on his father's farm. He then spent one summer season on Seven Islands at Grand Lodge, Michigan, and on return- ing to Fulton county worked his father's farm on the shares for seven years. He then acquired eighty acres of the tract which his father had taken up from the government, and subsequently en- larged it by the purchase of ten acres more from his brother. The Royalton Stock Farm therefore comprises ninety acres. When Mr. Standish bought the land its improvements consisted of a house and some old buildings. The farm is now almost a village center, having a group of twenty-one buildings altogether. He has thor- oughly modernized the house, has built numerous barns, a tenant house, and has his entire farm plant lighted by acetylene gas and has introduced from time to time every other equipment making for efficient and convenient management.
Mr. Standish is deserving of much credit for introducing the first herd of registered Holstein cattle to the township of Rovalton. This is now probably the standard breed of dairy cattle in Fulton
1
298
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
county, and Mr. Standish has been raising registered stock of this class since 1885. He also has Duroc hogs and barred Plymouth Rock poultry, and has been a constant exhibitor of his cattle, hogs and poultry. For a number of years he has been a judge of dairy cattle. His first work of that kind was done at the Michigan State Fair in Detroit. With the exception of one year he has been a judge ever since, and has officiated in that capacity at the Canadian National Fair three years at Toronto, in all the provincial fairs of Alberta, for two years was a judge in the Ohio State Fair, one year at the Western National Fair at Denver, judged the dairy exhibits at the Panama Pacific International Fair at San Francisco, and the Nashville, Tennessee, State Fair of 1919.
Mr. Standish has been one of the prominent members of the Fulton County Agricultural Society, has served as director for six- teen years, and his personal influence has been constantly exerted in the direction of improved livestock for the farms of northern Ohio.
July 12, 1885, Mr. Standish married Carrie A. Campbell, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, a daughter of George and Cora A. (Van Doren) Campbell, natives of the same county. Her maternal grandparents were Nathan and Mary Ann (Cornwall) Van Doren. Mrs. Standish's father is now deceased and her mother is the widow of Dr. G. H. Waddell and now spends winters with a daughter at Raleigh, North Carolina, and the rest of the year lives with Mr. and Mrs. Standish. Mrs. Standish was educated in the grammar and high schools of Wauseon. They have one son, George William, born September 5, 1904, served as a member of the Boy Scouts of Wauseon from the age of twelve, was a member of the Boy Scouts' Band, attended the Culver Military Academy in In- diana and is now a student in King's College at Raleigh, North Carolina. Mr. Standish for many years has served as a trustee of the Universalist Church at Lyons, for two terms he was township trustee, is a republican voter, has held most of the offices of Lyons Lodge No. 622 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife are active in Rebekah Lodge No. 289 at Lyons.
ANDREW JACKSON HART is a citizen of more than half a cen- tury's standing in Fulton county and an old and honored resident of Swan Creek Township.
Mr. Hart was born in Holmes county, Ohio, June 17, 1844, son of Samuel and Eliza (Moore) Hart. His father was a native of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and as a young man lived in Steubenville, Ohio, and then moved to Holmes county. By his first marriage he had the following children: Jacob, Jane, Samuel, Julia, James Henry and John Wesley, all deceased. In Holmes county he married Eliza Moore, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio. She died in Fulton county in 1892. Samuel Hart died in Holmes county about 1866. Their children were Andrew Jackson ; Joseph, deceased; John; Martin, deceased; and Martha, Mrs. Stan- ley Herrin of Michigan.
Andrew Jackson Hart received a common school education in Holmes county and lived there doing farm work to the age of twenty-one. He also learned the trade of wagonmaker, and in 1866 came to Fulton county, and after being employed a few weeks at Delta by Mike Carr he moved to the little community of Ai in Portage Township and opened a shop of his own. He conducted it
299
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY
about six years, and then sold out and bought forty acres of unim- proved land. He was busy with its improvement and cultivation for two years and then resumed his trade at Swanton, establishing a wagon shop and conducting it two years. The shop was then traded for twenty acres of land adjoining his forty acre place, and he went to work with a right good will building house and barn, clearing and improving, and cultivating the land for thirty years. After selling that farm Mr. Hart bought eight acres in Swan Creek Town- ship. This land was improved. He also acquired a three-quarter acre tract at Brailey, Ohio, built a house and grocery store and was in business as a merchant there for 11/2 years. He then returned to his eight acre farm, bought an adjoining thirty-two acres of cleared land, but after five years sold twenty acres. His present home now consists of twenty acres, highly improved with good buildings, and he continues farming it and has also done much work as a carpen- ter in the neighborhood, building a number of houses and barns.
June 18, 1871, Mr. Hart married Mary Templeton, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, June 27, 1844, a daughter of John and Susan (Watkins) Templeton, the former a native of Middle- town, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Steu- benville, Ohio. Her grandparents were Nathaniel and Elizabeth Templeton, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Penn- sylvania. Mr. Hart has served as a school director, is a republican voter, and is affiliated with the Patrons of Husbandry, Good Tem- plars, and the Grange.
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.