USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 36
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 36
USA > Ohio > Ashtabula County > Biographical history of northeastern Ohio : embracing the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull and Mahoning > Part 36
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G EORGE KEEFER, deceased, was one of the early settlers of Trinnbull county, Ohio. He was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, and when a young man learned the trade of milling in his native county. About 1830 or 1831 he came to Ohio and located in Jackson, Mahoning county, where he spent probably about twenty years, and where he was united in marriage to a Miss Deihl. Some years later his wife died, leaving three children, viz .: Simon, a resident of Cambria Mills, Hillsdale county, Michigan; Phoebe, wife of Henry Helsley, of Southington, Ohio; and Sallie, wife of Ben- jamine Youngsimer, of Medina county, Ohio. Mr. Keefer's second marriage was to Miss Mariah Ohl, a native of Mahoning county. She died in Champion, Ohio, in 1880, aged eighty years. By his second wife Mr. Keefer had six children, namely: Polly, deceased; David, deceased; Ilenry, of whom further
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mention is made in connection with this sketch; Elizabeth, widow of David Dillon; Bailey, deceased; and Lucinda, also deceased. Mr. Keefer improved a fine farm of 100 acres in Southington township. The closing years of his life were spent in Champion, where he died in 1881, aged eighty-four years. He started in life a poor boy, and by honest industry was enabled to secure a competency, being in well-to-do circumstances at the time of his death and being ranked with the leading men of his township. In politics, he was a Democrat; in religion, a member of the German Reform Church. He left to his children not only a snug little fortune, but also the heritage of a good name.
Henry Keefer was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, November 8, 1836, and was reared on his father's farm, receiving his ed- ucation in the common schools of that period. At the age of twenty he began work at the carpenter's trade, which he followed nntil a few years ago. During his active career as a contractor and builder he erected many of the most important buildings throughont the county. Since 1861 he has made his home on his present farm, sixty-four acres in ex- tent, and well improved with good buildings, etc. His entire surroundings bespeak thrift.
Henry Keefer was married in 1860, to Miss Elizabeth Templeton, a native of Trum- bull county, Ohio, daughter of William and Mariah (Shafer) Templeton. Mrs. Keefer died in 1877, leaving four children: William S., a resident of Champion, Ohio; Ruth, wife of Homer Jones, of Mesopotamia, Ohio; Lois, at home; and Christopher N., also at home. In 1879 Mr. Keefer wedded Miss Helen Eggleston, who was born in Trumbull county, daughter of Cornelius and Louisa (Mervin) Eggleston. They have four children: Lula, Idel, Blaine and Henry.
Politically, Mr. Keefer is a Republican, and is now serving as Township Trustee and also as Township Treasurer. In connection with his farming, Mr. Keefer has also for the past two years been engaged in saw-mill- ing, operating a portable mill.
D ANIEL HINE, one of the leading citi- zens of Johnston township, Trumbull county, Ohio, is a representative of one of the pioneer families of this township. He was born on the old farm where he now lives, June 1, 1860, son of Josiah Hine, de- ceased. Josiah Hine was born in Connecti- cut, May 23, 1803, son of Daniel Hine, Jr., born in Connecticut, May 30, 1776, son of Daniel Hine Sr., also a native of Connecticut, born in 1850. The elder Daniel Hine mar- ried Mary Stowe, and his son Daniel married Lanra Finney, the wife of each being a native of Connecticut. Daniel Hine, Sr., and his wife passed the greater portion of their lives in their native State and died in Shalersville, Portage county, Ohio, the former in 1828 and the latter in 1812. Their son Daniel and his wife, in company with three other famil- ies, carne out to Ohio in 1805 and settled in the vicinity in which the subject of our sketchi now lives. This company had four teams of horses and oxen, and were forty days in making the journey from Connecti- cut to their destination. Here in the wilder- ness the Hine family began the erection of a log cabin, and before it was completed Daniel Hine had the misfortune to have his leg broken. Daniel and Laura Hine had six children: Josiah, Wealthy, Lester, Niram, Chauncey and Lucinda. The mother of this family died September 15, 1851, and the father died January 19, 1859.
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Josiah Hine was only two years old when he came with his parents to this township. He was married March 5, 1848, to Desire B. Pitcher, who was born in Norwich, Connecti- . cut, January 27. 1822, daughter of Ephraim and Desire (Brown) Pitcher, natives of Con- necticut, who came to this State in 1846. . Her father died here at the age of seventy- eight years. She was one of a family of five children. Josiah and Desire B. Hine had five children, three of whom are now living: George, a resident of Kansas; Mary; and Daniel, the subject of this sketch. The two who died were Oren and Loren, twins, the first dying at the age of two years and the second at eight months. Josiah Hine died July 26, 1879. He was a successful busi- ness man, took an active interest in educa- tional and other public affairs, and was a consistent member of the Congregational Church.
The Hine farm comprises 278 acres, is well improved with nice residence, commodious barn, and other farm buildings. Stock of all kind is kept on the farm, a dairy being one of the important features. Daniel Hine has the entire management and supervision of this farm.
He is a stanch Republican, an enterprising and progressive yonng inan, and is following in the footsteps of his honored father, having the respect and confidence of all who know him.
A LBERT A. WHEELER, the able presi- dent of the Western Reserve National Bank, of Warren, Ohio, and a widely known and respected citizen, was born in Trumbull county, October 22, 1826. He comes of good old New England stock of
English ancestry, liis grandfather, Simeon Wheeler, a pioneer of Ohio, having been born in Connecticut. The latter came to the West- ern Reserve in 1804, when it was a wilder- ness, being among the first to plant those seeds of civilization which have since attained such a marvelous growth. He and his family settled in Brookfield township, Trumbull county, which continued their home for many years. The devoted- wife and mother died here, and when past eighty years of age the father went to Michigan to reside with his son, Niles Wheeler, in which State the old gentleman died. He was the father of three sons and two daughters, of whom Alfred Wheeler, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Connecticut and was fonr years of age when the family removed to Ohio. Alfred was reared on the home farni of his father, and afterward married Sabra Andrews, also a native of Connecticut, whose parents removed to Trumbull county about the same time as her husband's family. The young couple settled on the father's old homestead, where they passed their lives. Alfred Wheeler was a clock maker, bnt farming was his main ocenpation. He and his worthy wife reared four sons and two daughters. This worthy couple survived to a good old age, the father dying on the old homestead in 1879, aged seventy-nine years, and the mother living until 1892, reaching the advanced age of eighty-eight years. They were well and favor- ably known in the community which was their home for so many years, and died regretted by all who knew then.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm until sixteen years of age, and gained a good common-school education. At the age mentioned he came to Warren and began learning the tinner's trade, at which he worked for three years, receiving for the
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
first year $50 and his board, which was in- creased the second year to $75 and board, and this raised to $100 and board during the third year of his apprenticeship, a compli- ment to his acquired expertness. He after- ward worked a year for the Howard Brothers, who went out of business at the end of that time, after which Mr. Wheeler worked on a salary for others in his vicinity until 1847. He then accepted a position with William Reaves, proprietor of a flat-boat plying be- tween Beaver, Pennsylvania, and New Or- leans, being engaged at a salary and working at his trade in the towns and cities on the river, tying the boat up at the landings where they did work. From this trip Mr. Wheeler returned in 1848 to Warren with $200, which he invested in the tinware and stove business with B. P. Jameson, with whom Mr. Wheeler became a partner, which connection was profitably continued for twenty-one years. At the end of this time, in 1869, Mr. Wheeler retired from this business, buying the build- ing which they had occupied and disposing of the stock to other parties. He has been president of the Western Reserve National Bank since its organization in July, 1885, and much of that institution's prosperity may be attributed to his well-known reputation for uprightness and thorough financial abil- ity. He has been administrator and trustee of several estates, in the management of which he has shown his usual exactness in business affairs.
In 1856 Mr. Wheeler was married to Sarah Jane Gaskill, a worthy lady, and they have three daughters: Lillie L., who was married to Eugene Chase, deceased, and she has one child, Eugenia, her second husband being J. L. Abell; Anna married Albert Bogg, of Detroit, Michigan, and they have three chil- dren, Gertrude, Mary and Earl; Mary, is now
Mrs. Howard Ingersoll, of Warren, and one child, Raymond, has been born to them.
Although not active in politics, he is a firm advocate of Republican principles. He is par- ticularly notable for the highest honor and most exalted public spirit, always prompt to aid any enterprise tending to advance the in- terest of his community and increase the welfare of the people.
A P. KING has been a resident of Mecca township, Trumbull county, Ohio, since 1877. He was born in Portage county, this State, October 8, 1849, son of John R. King, a prominent citizen of this place, who died in 1877, at the age of sixty-six years. John R. King was born and reared in Massachusetts, and was educated in Bennington, Vermont. He was twice mar- ried. By his first wife, nee Alcista Miles, whom he wedded in Bennington, he had three children: Lewis, David M. and Chester. The last named served all through the war as a member of the Second Ohio Battalion, under Captain Conklin, and is now a resident of California. The mother of these children died in 1836. His second wife, whose maiden name was Hannah A. Montgomery, was a daughter of Robert Montgomery, a Revolu- tionary soldier. She died in Mecca township, January 21, 1892, at the age of seventy-nine years. This union resulted in the birth of ten children, four of whom died in childhood. Those living are Augusta P., Horace M., George E., Rose Ellen, A. P. and Elmer P. John R. King was one of the pioneer farmers and stock men of Portage county, Ohio. In 1863 he removed to Jefferson county, Mon- tana, and located fifty miles south of Helena, . where he remained until 1877, the time of his death.
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
A. P. King was reared and educated in Portage county. He was fourteen when lie went with his father to Montana, wliere his youth and early manhood were spent in assist- ing his father on their stock ranch. In the fall of 1876 he and his father returned to Ohio, and here lie has continued to reside. He owns two good farms, well improved and under a high state of cultivation. His com- inodious two-story residence is beautifully located, and is a most delightful rural home.
Mr. King was married, in 1879, in Mecca, to Miss Grace Lake, daughter of Harmon and Abigail Mary Lake, and they have six chil- dren, as follows: Minnie Pearl, Rose Belle, John R., Robin P., Linus L. and Ellis.
Mr. King is in the prime of life, is a man of genial disposition, and is generous and public-spirited. He is one of the most active workers in the ranks of the Democratic party in Mecca township, and lias served in various local offices, being at present Township Treas- nrer. He is a member of Masonic Lodge No. 529, at Cortland.
H ON. CHARLES H. STROCK, Niles, Ohio, is one of Trumbull county's favorite sons, upon whom she has con- ferred high honors. His career has shown that in him her hopes were not mis- placed and that lier pride in his achievements was justifiable. In tracing the lineage of the family it is found that they originated in Warteinburg, Germany, and that the name was formerly spelled " Strauch;" to conform more nearly to the English pronunciation the spelling has gradually been changed to the present form. The first member of the fam- ily who came to America was Joseph Stranch: lie was a lad of twelve years when he reached
Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, and there he lived for many years. Espousing the cause of liis chosen country as his own, he gave his service to secure American independence and the blessing of liberty to the people. After the war of the Revolution was ended lie mar- ried the widow of a Hessian soldier, and about the year 1812, he emigrated to Ohio, and settled in Austintown, Mahoning county, where he died and where his remains lie buried in the Canfield grave-yard. His son, Samuel, was the grandfather of the Hon. C. H. Strock. He was a man of fine physique, large, strong and muscular, well fitted to endure the toil and labor of farming on the frontier; he made neither a political nor military career for him- self. He was buried in the old Dutch grave- yard south of Newton Falls. He married Polly Brunstetter, who also sprung from Revolutionary stock, and to them were born four children: Gideon, Amanda, who married Jacob Best; Levi, who died in youtlı, and Joseph, a resident of Newton township. Gideon Strock was born in Anstintown town- ship, Mahoning county, Ohio, and there grew to man's estate; he was a farmer by occupa- tion, and spent the most of his life in Newton and Kent townships in his native county. He married Sarah Gamber, a daughter of Peter Gamber, one of the early settlers of Austin- town. To Gideon Strock and wife were born six children: Mira O., the wife of Captain J. H. McFarland; Mary A., wife of J. E. John- son; Charles H., the subject of this sketch; Elizabeth, wife of Ancil Johnson; Alice, wife of Charles E. Carlisle, and Elmer E.
C. H. Strock was born in Newton town- ship, November 10, 1849, and was not from under the protecting shadow of the parental roof until he had attained his fifteenth year. He then went to work in Braceville township as a farin hand, and continued farm work
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
until the fall of 1865, when he went to Michigan, and was employed in the lumber regions for a year and a half. At the end of that time he returned to his home, and until 1878, was engaged in studying, farming and teaching as circumstances favored. Having determined upon the law as a profession young Strock began to prepare himself for the bar. After a hard year's work in the office of T. H. Gilmer, of Newton Falls, he continued his studies under the direction of Gilmer & Jones, attorneys of Warren, Ohio, and remained with them until his examina- tion and admission to the bar, May 5, 1880, at Columbus, Ohio, being the first man ad- mitted to the bar by the Supreme Court from Trumbull county. On the first day of Au- gust thereafter he came to Niles, Ohio, where he opened his office and where lie has since taken a leading place among the attorneys of Trumbull county. His energy and ability soon brought him to the notice of the public, which is not slow to attest its approbation and appreciation of individual worth. In 1880 he was the choice of the Republican party for City Solicitor, and he discharged the duties of this office with so much intelli- gence and perception of the best interests of the people that he was re-elected six success- ive terms, serving in all twelve years.
Mr. Strock's fore-fathers were Democrats " of the deepest dye" and when he cast his first vote for General U. S. Grant, his aged grandfather looked upon the act in the light of a direful calamity, which he made a strenu- ous effort to prevent. In 1889, a spirited contest occurred in Trumbull among several able men for the office of representative to the General Assembly of the State. Mr. Strock was the choice of the Republican nominating convention, and was triumphantly elected. In 1891, his candidacy for the same
office was endorsed without opposition. As a legislator he was active, outspoken and aggressive. Cognizant of the wishes and desires of his constituency, his energies were bent toward securing legislation that would advance their welfare. He was an efficient member of the committees on Election and Insane Asylumis, being chairman of the former.
October 5, 1881, he was united in marriage with Miss Kate H. Hills, a daughter of Ches- ter Hills, a prominent attorney of Medina, Ohio; three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Strock, Cora Bee, Bessie and Thomas G. In his social relations Mr. Strock is con- nected with the I. O. O. F., the Knights of Pythias, and the Elks, Young Aaron Lodge, No. 55.
OHN B. RAMSDELL, a resident of Cortland, Trumbull county, Ohio, was born at Bristol, this county, May 21, 1841, and was the only child of Gideon Ramsdell, a native of Vermont, who came to Ohio in 1834 and settled in Bristol township, Trumbull county, where he was married to Hannah Cummings, a native of Bristol, and a daughter of James Cummings, who settled in Bristol in 1804.
The subject of our sketch was left an orphan at the early age of three years, and was reared by his uncle, Edson Hescock, who married Gideon Ramsdell's sister. Mr. Hes- cock was a man highly respected in this county, and he did a good part by the little orphan who had come into his home. At the age of sixteen John began to learn the trade of shoemaker, that being Mr. Hescock's trade, and under him he served an apprentice- ship. When the Civil war came on John's ambitions young spirit was fired with patriot-
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
ism, and he at once responded to his coun- try's call for troops, enlisting at Bristol, August 2, 1862, in Company B, One Hun- dred and Fifth Ohio Infantry. His great- grandfather had served in the Revolutionary war and his grandfather in the war of 1812, and his record in the Civil war is one of which his posterity may well be proud. At Lincoln's call for "300,000 more " he en- listed in Company B, One Hundred and Fifth Ohio Infantry, and his service covered a period of about three years, two years and eight months of which time he served as color guard. He was in the battle of Perry- ville; was at Milton, Tennessee, and made a forced march of 120 miles to Stone river, arriving at that place too late to take part in the battle. Ile also took his share of service at Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge, Ringgold, Dalton, Resaca, Kenesaw Mount- ain, New Hope Church, Peach Tree Creek; assisting at the siege of Atlanta, was in the famous raid after General Hood, returning to Atlanta by way of Rome and Kingston, this being the second visit to Kingston. At Atlanta the company again joined Sherman's main army. After burning Atlanta they started for Savannah, Georgia, taking part in the battles of Thomas Station and Waynes- boro before arriving at Savannah. After staying in Savannah a month for supplies and for rest, which was greatly needed, as they had been without communication for a period of seventy days, they took up the line of march through the Carolinas, and were pres- ent at the capture and burning of Columbia, South Carolina. They then marched to Goldsboro, where they rested for two weeks, receiving supplies and communications. Leaving this place for Raleigh, North Caro- lina, they were met by the officials of the city, who surrendered it without resistance.
After a week's rest they left for Holly Springs, waiting at this place for the terms of surrender to be made between General Joseph Johnston and General Sherman at Greensboro, North Carolina. After the sur- render of Johnston, there being no resistance, they marched to Richmond, Virginia. After viewing the places of interest in the city dur- ing a stay of a week they left for Washing- ton, District of Columbia, where they had a grand review of the army of the Potomac and Sherman's army. Thus ended the famous march which was begun at Atlanta, Georgia, November 7, 1864, and ended May 19 at Washington, District of Columbia. General Sherman is anthority in stating the distance traveled to have been 1,850 miles. He was slightly wounded by a ball at Perryville. He received a sunstroke while in the service, and is now a recipient of a pension.
After his honorable discharge at Cleve- land, Ohio, Mr. Ramsdell returned to Trum- bull county. About a year and a half later he went to Indianola, Iowa, where he was engaged in business two years. At the end of that time he returned to Ohio, and to the home of his uncle and auut, whom he cared for until the time of their death, repaying in a measure for the kindness they had bestowed on him.
Mr. Ramsdell has been married twice. In 1868, at Bristol, Ohio, he wedded Louise Huntley, a native of Canandaigua, New York, daughter of Calvin Huntley. Five children were born to them: Eva J., Bert E., Frank H. and two that died in infancy. Eva J. and Frank II. died in 1888, leaving Bert the only survivor. Mrs. Ramsdell died Au- gust 4, 1889. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a woman whose pure Christian character was admired by all who knew her.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
At Bloomfield, Trumbull county, Ohio, March 20. 1892, Mr. Ramsdell was wedded the second time, being united to Mrs. Emma J. Towns, whose former home was Olean, New York, and a native of that State. A relative, on the maternal side, of Colonel Don Piatt, Mrs. Towns was the widow of a soldier who was killed at the siege of Charleston, South Carolina, and buried at that place.
Mr. Ramsdell is an ardent Republican, and a member of Books Post, No. 2, G. A. R., at Bristol. He took an active part in organ- izing this post. He was made a member of Masonic Rural Lodge, F. & A. M., Bloom - field, Ohio, in 1867, and was at one time associated with the order of American Me- chanics. Hehas all the characteristics of the old soldier, is frank, cordial, genial, and is well liked by all who know him.
EROY W. SANFORD, the popular proprietor and manager of the Sanford Hotel, Niles, Ohio, one of the best ap- pointed and most home-like hotels in the county, was born in Vienna township, Trum- bull county, this State, November 23, 1830. Samnel E. Sanford, his father, was born in Oswego, New York, in 1798, and when quite young joined the westward tide of emigration, traveling until he found a place that suited him. He was employed for a time by Jus- tin Eddy, of Ravenna, Ohio, but afterward made a permanent settlement in Trumbull county, where he bought a farm, for which he paid by clearing another. He married Dorcas Alderman, a native of Connecticut and a descendant of an old and respected New England family. Her father, Timothy Alderman, came overland alone from Con-
necticut to the wilds of Ohio in 1804, when the Buckeye State was covered with a primeval forest, haunted only by the Indian, and an abundance of wild game, which lived undisturbed in their leafy haunts. Two years later he returned to Connecticut for his fam- ily and they settled in Brookfield. . He was a man of energetic and progressive disposi- tion, and became a prosperous man and prominent official of his township, . serving in his public capacity as he did in his private affairs, with integrity and impartiality, with- out fear or favor, thereby engaging the es- teem of all who knew him. He was the father of nine children: Ruby, Chauncey, Riley, Phoebe, who married Calvin Phelps; Eliza- beth, who becanie the wife of Lester Marvin; and three other daughters whose names are unknown to Mr. Sanford; besides Dorcas, mother of the subject of this sketch. When Mr. Sanford married, his ox was almost his only possession, proving indeed a most in- dispensable means for obtaining a livelihood in those pioneer days, when hauling and rough farm work were done almost entirely by this means and such work was largely in excess of all other. By industry and economy this young couple were prospered and lived to become prominent and influential people of their community. They had seven chil- dren: Lorinda Ruth, who married John S. Williams, of Vienna township, Trumbull county; Eher, who died in Illinois; Eras- tus, married and living in East Dubuque, Iowa; L. W., whose name heads this sketch; Lorena; Minerva, who died aged three, and Noble F., residing near Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania.
The subject of this sketch remained on his father's farm until he reached his twentieth year, when, induced by the discovery of gold in California, he packed his effects and with
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OF NORTHEASTERN OHIO.
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