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 74
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He was born in Hamburg, Province of Ontario, Canada, the fam- ily having lived in Canada for some generations, although originally the American progenitor of this branch of the German family came from Hanover, Germany, to the United States, settling near Pitts- burgh, in Pennsylvania. This pioneer, Benjamin Morningstar, was of mature age when he immigrated from Germany, but for many years farmed in Pennsylvania, where he raised a family. His son, Benjamin, grandfather of David Morningstar of Wauseon, farmed with his father in Pennsylvania, but eventually went into Canada, settling in Ontario province, where he farmed for the remainder of his life, and raised a family of eleven children, Jesse, father of David, being the tenth-born. Jesse Morningstar was educated in Canadian schools, but was not in Canada for long afterwards. He came into the United States, and to Franklin county, Pennsylvania. In Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, he married, and there for some years he was in business. He was a machinist of marked ability, an in- ventor, and in partnership with Daniel Geyser, founded some ma- chine shops well-known in Pennsylvania before the Civil war, under the name of his partner. Eventually Jesse Morningstar sold his interest in the Geyser shops to his partner, and again went into Canada, settling in Hamburg, a German settlement, in the Province of Ontario. There he built a machine shop for the manufacture of boilers and engines, and threshing machinery. He developed a sub- stantial business, but his plant was gutted by fire, the catastrophe being a total loss to him, as he carried no insurance. However, he was a man of strong purpose, and some substance, and notwithstand-
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ing his heavy loss, here built the plant quickly, although he incurred heavy financial liability in doing so. He made a valiant effort to re-establish his business again, but the incubus of debt was too great, and eventually he was compelled to sell the business. He brought his family into the United States, and settled in Ohio, three miles south of Archbold, Fulton county, where he purchased a farm of 120 acres. Later, he came to Wauseon, and commenced the building of a threshing machine factory, at Napoleon, Henry county, Ohio. Three years later, he sold that plant, and retired altogether from business activities. He died in July, 1913.
David Morningstar, son of Jesse and Martha (Spangler) Morn- ingstar, was only two years old when his parents brought him from his native place, Hamburg, Ontario, Canada, to Archbold, Ohio, near which place his father had bought a farm. There he grew to manhood, attending the district school nearest to the parental farm during the winter, and during the summer assisting his father in the working of the property. When he had reached the age of thir- teen years he went to work in the stove factory at Archbold, and in that work passed the next five years. For two years thereafter, he gave all his time to his father, in operating the home farm, after which he spent a short time in Canada, visiting his old home, and later for about eighteen months was in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, where he worked in the machine shops formerly owned by his father. There he learned the machinist's trade. Returning to Ohio, he spent the next two years in association with his father who at that time was in Napoleon, busy with the affairs of his threshing ma- chine enterprise. After his father sold that business and retired from business, David returned to Pennsylvania, and for eight months was foreman in the Heading Factory, at Cross Forks, Allen county, of that state. Eventually he returned to Ohio, and came to Wauseon to live. That was in 1901, the next five years being spent in satis- factory employment as foreman of the Barrel Heading Factory in Wauseon. In 1906 he entered the employ of the Van Camp Pack- ing Company, as boxmaker at their Wauseon plant. A year later he had a change of employment, working for a while in a Wauseon machine shop. Then followed his first essay into independent busi- ness, for eight months handling automobile repairs, although at that timne he had no shop of his own. Although he took salaried em- ployment thereafter, it was always connected with the automobile business, and eventually led to his being comfortably established in his own business. For four years he worked as foreman for John A. Crow, who owned an automobile machine shop in Wauseon; and for two years he remained in like capacity with Elmer Upp, successor to John A. Crow. At the end of that period he himself purchased the business, and conducted it very successfully, for five years, at 123 Commercial street, Wauseon, under the name of the Wauseon Garage and Machine Shop. . At the end of that time, having gained the means wherewith to do so, he extended his business activities considerably, establishing the Ford Sales Company, with salesrooms at 138 Chestnut street, Wauseon, where he has since 1918 maintained a modern sales centre, one that has been stated to be the most modern and one of the largest in northwestern Ohio. His building has ground floor space of 207 by 64 feet, and his trading embraces the local sales of Ford cars, as well as an efficient repairs and gas serv- ice station, and he had a large business in auto accessories and tires, handling the Goodyear, Goodrich, and Lee products. His Chestnut
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street business was such that, in January, 1919, he sold his original business situated on Commercial strect, so that he might be free to give his whole tinie to the rapidly growing Ford Sales Company he had established in the previous year. He has every prospect of doing very well in that business, and has this in his favor, that he gives prompt and good service at the lowest price possible.
Politically he is an independent, but has not given indication of a desire to actively interest himself in politics. By religious con- viction he is a Baptist and is a member of the local church of that denomination. His enterprise, industry, and personal steadiness, have brought him good repute and many friends since he has lived in Wauseon, and he has always been a good neighbor and responsible loyal citizen. He married, in 1906, Elizabeth, daughter of William and Minnie Ludeman, of Napoleon, Ohio. They have one child, a daughter, Eileen Elizabeth.
HOMER OTHA WAGNER. Deeds are thoughts crystallized, and according to their brilliancy do we judge the worth of a man to the country which produced him, and in his work we expect to find the true index to his character. The study of the life of the representa- tive American never fails to offer much of pleasing interest and val- uable instruction. The subject of this review is a worthy representa- tive of that type of American character and of that progressive spirit which promotes public good in advancing individual prosperity and conserving popular interests. He has earnestly done his part as a farmer and as an intelligent citizen of his community and is de- servedly held in high esteem in his locality. 1
Homer Otha Wagner was born in Clinton Township, Fulton county, on December 23, 1892, and is the son of James Calvin and Lilly (Serrick) Wagner. His paternal grandfather, John Wagner, was a native of Germany, where he was reared to manhood, when he came to the United States and settled in Fulton county on a tract of government land, and there he devoted himself to the strenuous task of clearing the land and creating a home. He devoted his en- tire life here to agricultural pursuits and reared a family of ten children. His son, James C., has lived in this section practically all his life and followed farming during his active years, but is now retired from active labor.
Homer O. Wagner was reared at home and secured his education in the Olive Branch School in Clinton Township, followed by at- tendance at the Wauseon High School. Then for about a year he was employed as a farm hand by a neighbor, at the end of which time he rented eighty acres of land and for a year conducted farm- ing operations on his own account. His father's advancing age and desire to relinquish the active management of the home farm, necessitated the subject's return home and since then he has had the entire management and operation of his mother's home place. He carries on general farming operations and has been very successful. He is thoroughly practical in his work, exercising sound judgment and excellent discrimination and is well known as an enterprising and progressive agriculturist.
In 1916 Mr. Wagner was married to Edna Snyder, the daughter of Valentine and Eura (Fouty) Snyder, of Clinton Township. Politically, Mr. Wagner is an earnest supporter of the democratic party, but takes no very active part in political affairs. He is a mem- ber of the State Grange. He possesses a strong social nature and by
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his genial and kindly, attitude to those with whom he comes in con- tact he has won the confidence and respect of everyone.
WILLIAM GODFREY THEOBALD, general manager and stockholder of the American Woodworking Company, successors to the Archbold Veneered Sash and Door Company, is one of the consequential men of affairs of Archbold. He is an able executive, an able organizer, and an enterprising yet conservative and stable man of business. Besides his official connection with the American Woodworking Company, he is identified with the Buckeye State Manufacturing Company of Archbold. Although his part in the development of the town has been mainly in the indirect, yet important way of giv- ing close attention to the expansion of industrial concerns with which he is interested, he has nevertheless given clear indication in the past that he is of public-spirited inclination. He has furthered by gen- erous support many local projects of civic, church or social conse- quence to the community, and has given some time to the civic administration, having served one term as councilman. Generally he is a man of good repute in his home town. He was born in the family homestead near Archbold, the son of Valentine and Barbara (Miller) Theobald, in both paternal and maternal lines coming of families of long residence in Fulton county. He was reared in the wholesome environment of country life, and as a boy attended the local public school. He remained in school until he had passed the eighth grade when he resolved to qualify properly for a commercial career. His carly business experience was in the capacity of travel ing salesman. In 1907, however, he returned to Archbold, and took executive capacity in the office of the Archbold Grain Separator Company, continuing as bookkeeper for that corporation for about twelve months. For the next year he was bookkeeper for the Ver- nier and Mclaughlin Company of Archbold, and head clerk of that company for four years. Then he formed partnership with Mr. R. Bernheisel, and the two acquired the plant and business of the Arch- bold Sash and Door Company. Mr. Theobald holds the responsi- bility of the general management of its affairs. It would not be a misstatement to state that the present standing of the company is in great measure due to the executive and general business ability of its manager, Mr. Theobald, who devotes his time and thought al- most exclusively to its affairs. He is careful, painstaking and thor- ough in most things, and following his general characteristics he probably insists upon an equal thoroughness in the product of the plant. He is also officially connected with another Archbold in- dustrial concern, the Buckeye State Manufacturing Company, of which he is secretary. And as a business man he is now placed among the representative business men of Fulton county.
His interest in Archbold, his native place has always been mani- fest in his views and statements. And his general actions have been that of a public-spirited man. He has in many ways contributed to the welfare of the community, and would in all probability take even more active part in public affairs were it not for the business duties and responsibilities he has in connection with the rapidly ex- panding affairs of the corporations with which he is officially con- nected. He did, however, serve one term as councilman, and he has in other ways done much for the betterment of the town. Politi- cally he is a republican. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow, member of the Archbold encampment, and also to a Cleveland encampment,
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and by religious conviction he is a member of the Reformed Church. During the reecnt World war lic was active and earnest in co-operat- ing with the local efforts to secure the proper subseription of the various national funds raised for the purposes of the nation in the war, and during that trying time proved himself to be a worthy patriotic eitizen.
In 1909 he married Alice Britseh, daughter of II. G. and Anna (Kutzli) Britseh, of Archbold. Prior to her marriage, Mrs. Theo- bald was a school teacher in the Archbold public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Theobald have one child, a daughter, Clarice Rosa, who was born in 1912. Both Mr. and Mrs. Theobald have very many friends in Archbold, and in the years that have passed have taken good part in social and church activities in the borough.
CONRAD REICHHARDT. The Reichhardt family story was trans- ferred from Germany to the United States in 1883 when Mrs. Cath- arine Reichhardt and two sons came from Germany. Conrad Reich- hardt of Amboy was one of the sons. He was born November 20, 1875, at Hestine, Germany. His father was Paul Reichhardt and he died in Germany. Two sisters of Conrad Reichhardt had mar- ried and come to Ameriea in advance of their mother and she and the sons joined them in Wauscon.
The mother and boys soon moved on to a timber tract in Ger- man Township and with the son-in-law, Adam Effeln, they cleared it. In a short time the mother married Michael Felters, and Con- rad lived one year with her when he went to Henry county and worked two years by the month. He then returned to German Township and worked two years for John Zimmerman and he con- tinued working out by the month until he was twenty-one years old, saving his money.
On October 21, 1900, Conrad Reichhardt married Lula Grove, a native of Fulton Township. She is a daughter of Joel and Anna (Sharp) Grove, the father born in Pennsylvania and the mother in England. For a time they rented a farm in Fulton and then bought thirty acres where they lived twelve years. When they sold the place they bought forty acres, and five years later they sold and bought 120 acres in Amboy. It is a well improved place with five acres of timber on it. He later bought eighty acres in Royalton as an 'in- vestment and sold it again. Mr. Reichhardt has one son, Clarenee LeRoy.
CHARLES M. MCLAUGHLIN. Improvement and progress may well be said to form the keynote of the eharaeter of Charles M. McLaugh- lin, a well known merchant of Arehbold and one of Fulton county's representative citizens, and he has not only been interested in the work of advancement of individual affairs, but his influence is felt in the upbuilding of the community which has so long been honored by his citizenship. The prosperity which he enjoys is the result of energy rightly applied, and has been won by eommendable qualities.
Charles M. Mclaughlin is a native son of Fulton county, Ohio, having been born in German Township on the 13th day of May, 1863, and he is the son of Daniel and Eva (Geesey) Mclaughlin. Through the paternal line he inherits sterling Scotch blood and characteristics, his grandfather. John MeLaughlin, having been a native of the land of hills and heather. Charles M. Mclaughlin received his educational training in the common school of German
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Township, Fulton county, Ohio and the high school of West Unity, Williams county, Ohio, completing his studies when about eighteen years of age. He then entered tlie employ of Jacob Vernier in the latters hardware store, a business with which he has been connected ever since, a period of almost forty years. His first engagement was to work for Mr. Vernier as a clerk for one year, but he remained with him for six years. At the end of that time Mr. Mclaughlin with two partners, purchased Mr. Vernier's interest in the business and conducted it under the name of Vernier, Dimke & Company, for about four years. At the end of that time, Mr. Dimke with- drew from the firm, which thereafter for five years was known as Vernier & Mclaughlin. With the addition some time afterward of George H. Probeck to the firm, the style was changed to Vernier, Mclaughlin & Company, and in 1918 the name was finally changed to the Vernier-McLaughlin-Probeck Company, of which Mr Mc- Laughlin is now president. They carry a large and complete stock of shelf and heavy hardware implements and allied lines and occupy a fine concrete and brick store building, 250 by 135 feet in size, one of the conveniences of which is a railroad spur, thus facilitating the unloading and shipping of goods.
In addition to the business referred to, Mr. Mclaughlin is a director and vice president of the Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Archbold and is a director of the Archbold Telephone Company, and also owns considerable real estate, including 120 acres of land in Lucas county, Ohio, houses and lots in Toledo and telephone in- terests in other cities in Ohio. He has exercised sound judgment in all his business deals and is held in high regard among his business associates.
In 1889 Mr. Mclaughlin was married to Helen K. Probeck, the daughter of Henry and Margaret Probeck, of Toledo, Ohio. Of this marriage was born one son, Ralph Charles on May 22, 1893. Their child after completing his public school studies entered St. John's Military Academy at Delafield, Wisconsin, where he was graduated with the highest honors ever won by any student in the history of that school, namely, "Most Worthy Cadet" and "Most Soldierly Cadet." He then entered the law department of the Uni- versity of of Michigan, where he was graduated and immediately thereafter was admitted to the bar in the states of Michigan and Ohio, being but twenty-one years of age at that time. He then en- gaged in the real estate business with Moor Brothers of Toledo, Ohio, and was so occupied until April, 1917, when he was called into the service of his country, being made commandant of cadets at St. John's Military Academy, his previous record at that school hav- ing influenced his appointment. He had been sent for this purpose by Major Farrand, commandant of the school and Gen. Charles A. King, also officially connected with the school. Captain McLaugh- lin had charge of the military department of the school and his serv- ices were greatly appreciated by those in authority. During the war and up to the hour of his untimely death, he labored incessantly in the interest of the school and of the graduates preparing to enter the training camps. His death which occurred on December 15, 1918, was sincerely mourned by a host of friends, for he was a pop- ular member of the social circles in which he moved. He was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, in which he had attained to the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and was also a mem- ber of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
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Charles M. MeLaughlin is an earnest supporter of the republican party and is a member of the Christian Church of Wauseon. He has for many years been deeply interested in everything pertaining to the commercial welfare of the community, and at one time was part owner of the Hotel Vernier and had an interest in the Archbold Grist Mill and Elevator Company for about five years. He has carried great energy and rare judgment into all the affairs in which he has been interested and enjoys an enviable standing in the community.
GEORGE BRATTON is a native of Fulton county and has spent many years as a farmer in the county and is now enjoying a well earned retirement at his home in Swanton.
He was born in Swan Creek Township in April, 1852, son of Robert and Elizabeth (Dull) Bratton. His father was a native of Ireland and his mother of Pennsylvania. George Bratton was edu- cated in the district schools of his home locality and was sixteen years of age when his father died in 1868. After that he lived with his mother, and helped work the home farm.
May 13, 1877, he married Hattie H. Hufftile. She was born in Spencer Township of Lucas county, Ohio, a daughter of Enoch and Sarah (Wicks) Ilufftile. After his marriage Mr. Bratton rented farms in the home community ten years and then bought the home in Swanton where he has since lived. His first wife died in 1902, the mother of two children, the older Harry having died in infancy. The son Enoch Alfred, now living with Mr. George Bratton, mar- ried Catherine Hatfield, a native of Lucas county, Ohio, .and a daughter of Emery and Catherine (Riley) Hatfield.
In 1904 Mr. George Bratton married Sarah (Harris) Palmer, widow of Harry Palmer. By her first union she had three children : James who died at the age of seven years; William, a resident of Ray, Indiana; and Artie, now deceased. Mr. Bratton was again called upon to mourn the loss of his companion when his wife died Jan- uary 8, 1919. Mr. Bratton is a member of the Methodist Church, is a republican voter, and has been active in Odd Fellowship, being affiliated with Lodge No. 528 at Swanton and has been through the chairs of that lodge and is a member of the encampment at Delta.
HARRY RANDOLPHI TREDWAY. There is Michigan and New York ancestry in the Tredway family of which Harry Randolph Tredway of Metamora is a representative. While he was born April 4, 1892, in Metamora, his father, Horace Tredway, is a native of Lenawee county, Michigan, and his mother, Anna (Collins) Tredway, is a native of New York. When they were married they settled in Meta- mora. While Mr. Tredway had been a farmer he became a mer- chant and engaged in various lines, but now he lives in Lucas county. Their children are: Frank R., of Lucas county; Hartwin H., of Metamora; Horace Greeley, who died in infancy; Stuart W., of Metamora; Georgia, wife of Denton Crowl, of Metamora; and Harry Randolph, the youngest in the family.
After receiving a common and high school education H. R. Tredway attended Ohio Northern University at Ada. When he was twenty-one years old he became assistant cashier in the Home Sav- ings Bank of Metamora, remaining here until February 1, 1916, when he became cashier of the Lyons Commercial Bank of Lyons. Two years later he became assistant cashier in the First National Bank of Wauseon.
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On May 28, 1918, Mr. Tredway enlisted in the Ninth Company, Third Battalion of Depot Brigade, and was stationed at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky. On September 1 he was transferred to Camp Hancock, Georgia, to the Machine Gun Officers' Training School, where he had training for an army officer, but along came the Armistice and on December 18 he received his military discharge and returned to his former position at Lyons. The Commercial Bank of Lyons was organized in 1911, with R. C. Roth- fuss, president; A. F. Mitchell, vice president; and F. H. Carpenter, cashier. Under the banks present organization H. H. Tredway is president ; E. S. Davoll, vice president, and H. R. Tredway is cashier. Miss Louise Meehle is assistant cashier.
On June 11, 1919, Mr. Tredway married Beulah Fetterman. She is a daughter of Jerome and Elizabeth (Foster) Fetterman, of Metamora. The family belong to the Methodist Church. Mr. Tred- way votes the republican ticket, and fraternally belongs to the Ma- sons in Lyons, a member of Royalton Union Chapter, Defiance Com- mandery, the Council of Wauseon, and has served as junior warden of the Blue Lodge.
JOHN MILLER, of Fulton Township, was born in Switzerland in 1878, and came with his mother, Mrs. Clara Notzinger who was a widow, to the United States. They came in 1881, and located in German Township, Fulton county. The mother married Leonard Miller and moved to Fulton Township, where John Miller, who as- sumed her name, grew into manhood and where on August 21, 1915, he married Mary Bejoski. She was a widow with one daugh- ter, Elward. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller: Ed- ward, born June 15, 1916, and John F., born July 14, 1918, and with Elward, there are three children in the family.
When Mr. Miller first came to Fulton Township he worked on the railroad, saving his earnings and from time to time he bought land until he now owns forty acres. It is well improved and mostly under cultivation. He had limited educational advantages when he was young, and means to make up for it by educating his chil- dren as well as it is possible for him to do it. Mr. Miller votes with the republican party.
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