Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th, Part 92

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 926

USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th > Part 92

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many of his neighbors, and was proportion- ally successful. In early life he was a Whig. but later became a Republican. He married Martha Faulkner, and seven of their io chil- dren grew up to maturity, namely : Mary N., who died at the age of 19 years; Ennice MI .. who married Gordon S. Furniss and, with her husband, is now deceased : Lyman Jerome, whose name begins this article: Harvey J .. who resides in Lebanon, Missouri ; William B , who resides on the home farm in Orange Township: Hiland F., who is a resident of Auburn, New York; and Julia E., who mar- ried James Harris and resides at Monett. Mis- souri. James H. Crumb was born October 25. 1823, and died January 15. 1890, in his 67th year. His wife, who was born April 1, 1826, survived him until January. 1900. They were faithful and consistent members of the United Brethren Church, quiet, unassuming, virtuous people, whose presence was a benefit to the community in which they resided.

Lyman J. Crumb, the direct subject of this sketch, remained on the home farm until he was 25 years old. acquiring a good common school education and an agricultural training that has proved of great advantage to him since. He was subsequently engaged in a saw-mill and ' tile manufacturing business for three years, in partnership with Frank Johnson, under the firm name of Crumb & Johnson. In 1885 Mr. Crumb withdrew and came to Delaware, where he carried on a dairy business for six years. during which time he had a paying milk route. selling to private families. He had clean and sanitary quarters at No. 55 West William Street. In 1891 he bought 50 acres of his pres- ent farm. subsequently acquiring the remain- (ler-65 acres, making 115 in all. He culti- vates about 75 acres and devotes the rest to pasturage, also retaining his interest in the old homestead consisting of 32 acres. He keeps 30 or more head of cattle, and from six to eight head of horses, raising a number each year. His buildings, including a 120-ton silo. are substantial and appropriate, their capacity being ample for the needs of the farm. From 1895 to 1907 he supplied Monnett Ilall with milk. since which time he has sold to the

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY

creamery. In 1881 Mr. Crumb contracted for and built the brick school building in Sub-dis- trict No. 10. Berlin Township.

MIr. Crumb married Ella May Besse, who is a daughter of the late Dr. Henry Besse. of Delaware, and a graduate of the Ohio Wes- levan University, at Delaware, Class of '76. They are the parents of three children-Stan- ley. Dale and Pearl. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church. In politics Mr. Crumb is a Democrat.

OHN WHERRY. a prominent farmer and stockraiser of Genoa Township, residing on his valuable farm of 122 acres, is an honored survivor of the great Civil War in which he took an active part. He was born in Pennsylvania, May o, 1838, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah ( Galey) Wherry.

Mr. Wherry is of German-Irish extraction. In 1856 Samuel Wherry brought his family from Pennsylvania to Ohio and settled on a farm of 60 acres which he purchased in Genoa Township. Delaware County, which he culti- vated for two years and also followed the blacksmith trade. In 1858 he went to Missouri and there worked at his trade until the time of his death which took place in middle life. Of his it children four reached maturity, namely : Samuel, John. Mary Jane and Eliza- beth, the two latter being since deceased. Samuel Wherry was a Republican in his po- litical views.

John Wherry accompanied his father to Missouri in 1858, but in June, 1860, he re- turned to the old homestead in Genoa Town- ship and in the following year he was married. Shortly afterward Mr. and Mrs. Wherry set- tled on the Steele homestead and to the old farm he has added until his land aggregates 122 acres, and here he has carried on a gen- eral line of agriculture for many years. In 1864 Mr. Wherry enlisted for service in the Civil War. entering Company II, One 1lin- dred and Seventy-fourth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, with which he remained connected until

the close of the Rebellion and the return of peace. his discharge bearing the date of June 28, 1865. He saw hard service, participating in the battles of Nashville and Murfreesboro. Tennessee : Athens, Alabama : the evacuation of Decatur; the siege of Murfreesboro: Over- alls Creek : battle of the Cedars, and the battle at Wise Fork, North Carolina. His record shows that at all times he was a fearless, effec- tive soldier ever at the post of duty.

On Macrh 20, 1861, Mr. Wherry was mar- ried to Margaret Ann Steele, who was born in Carroll County, Ohio. August 25. 1839. and is a daughter of William Stewart and Margaret ( McEldary) Steele. William S. Steele was born in Pennsylvania. April 29. 1805, went to Carroll County, Ohio, in young manhood and on December 23, 1834, was mar- ried to Margaret McEldary, who was born in Pennsylvania, April 20. 1815. They had Il children, three of whom were born in Delaware County. In 1849 Mr. Steele moved to the latter county and bought a farm of 100 acres in Genoa Township, paying $11 per acre and cleared 50 of the same, later selling 50 of the original purchase and still later buying 60 more acres. He died on the present farm of Mr. and Mrs. Wherry, aged 83 years. He was a leading member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Wherry's one daughter and three sons were born on the home farmn. namely: Eva Adelle. George Grant. William Sherman and Nathaniel. The daughter is (leceased. Mr. Wherry is a stanch Republi- can.

ILLER BROTHERS, undertakers and embalmers, at Delaware, have one of the best equipped establish- ments. in their line. in this State. and they enjoy the confidence of the public to a large degree. The firm of Mil- ler Brothers is made up of O. F. and II. Il. Miller, and is located at No. 20 East William Street.

O. F. Miller was born in Harrison County, Ohio, but was taken, in childhood. to Co-

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shocton County, where he attended the public schools and later the Ohio Normal University at Ada. Ile is a member of the Masons, the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He attends to the main business of the firm. Ile is a graduate of the Champion College of Embalming and was licensed by the Ohio State Board of Embalming. In addition to his ser- vices, two other graduate embalmers are em- ployed. O. F. Miller is a member of the Wil- liam Street Methodist Church.

H. H. Miller, the second member of the firm, is an evangelist and has been in the field for the past five years and will soon receive his theological degree from the Ohio Wesleyan University.

The Miller Brothers established themselves first at Chesterville, Morrow County, where they remained for some years. They then re- moved to Ashley, Delaware County, remaining there for three years and then coming to Dela- ware. As funeral directors they are widely known and during the past year their services were engaged 139 times, an unusual record for any one firm.

ILLIAM W. MCKENZIE, president of the Mckenzie Lumber Com- pany. at Delaware, has been a resident of this city since 1897. He was born in Scotland in 1870, and was 14 years of age when he came to America. Mr. MeKenzie completed his edit- eation at Tiffin, Ohio. and was then engaged for about 10 years in getting out timber for the manufacture of seetion rods, being located at Bloomville during this time. Later he went to West Mansfield, where he carried on a lum- ber business for four years, and then came to Delaware, where the lumber firm of Mckenzie & Thompson was established. Subsequently, Mr. Mckenzie bought Mr. Thompson's inter- est and established the Mckenzie Lumber Company, of which he is president. The com- pany does business on East Winter Street, and they operate a planing and a saw-mill together with a rod factory, doing both a retail and

wholesale business. Mr. MeKenzie is also president of the Chaseland Building Company and is a large owner of valuable real estate in this section.

In June, 1900, Mr. Mckenzie was married to Rachel B. Colber, and they have three chil- dren-Marguerite, Frances Marie and Mary Olive. The family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Mckenzie's fraternal connections include membership in the Odd Fellows and the Masons. In the latter organ- ization he belongs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council, at Delaware, the Commandery at Marion, and the Shrine at Columbus.

R ODNEY. D. McGONIGLE, one of the best-known residents of Oxford Township, extensively engaged in general farming and stock-raising, making specialties of French draft horses, Shorthorn cattle and American Merino and Delaine sheep, has been a life-long resi- dent here, having been born on his present farm February 24. 1848. He is a son of Rob- ert Jones and Almira ( Foust ) MeGonigle, and a grandson of Joseph McGonigle.

Joseph MeGonigle came to America from Ireland when a young man and located in Virginia. He served through the War of 1812, and subsequently while in the Indian War. passed through the part of Ohio which was later to become his home. Upon settling in Ohio he first located in Ross County, but a few years later, in 1825, he came to Oxford Township, in Delaware County, where he pur- chased 200 acres of unimproved land. He first built a log house of the pioneer type. and set about clearing the place. Some years later he erected a more substantial house and lived in it the remainder of his days. He was a man of fair education for those days and for a time taught school. While a resident of Virginia, he was joined in marriage with Elizabeth Jones, who was born in that State and came of one of the first families of Virginia.

Robert J. McGonigle was born in Virginia. January 6, 1817, and was very young when

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY

his parents came to Ohio. Here he grew to maturity, living with his people until after his marriage when he built a house on the same farm where his son Rodney D. now lives. 11c followed farming throughout his entire life, dying on the home place, AApril 8, 1892. Ilis wife, Almira Foust, was born in Oxford Township, December 28, 1819, and they were parents of the following children: Chauncey H., deceased, lived in this township: Mary clied in young womanhood ; Elizabeth died aged about six years ; Sidney died aged three years ; Rodney D .: and Joseph A., living in Olympia, Washington. Robert J. McGonigle was a jus- tice of the peace for some years.

Rodney D. McGonigle was reared on the home place and received his educational train- ing in the public schools. He has followed agricultural pursuits entirely and has made a specialty of stockraising. In 1904 he began growing American Merino sheep, purchasing from some of the best-known breeders in the United States. He has met with success and is establishing quite a reputation, having taken prizes at the State fairs in Ohio. Virginia, Illinois, Michigan and New York. He has made many sales at big prices and has shipped to Texas, New Mexico and Idaho, as well as to States nearer home. He is a stockholder and director in the Farmers Savings Bank at Ashley. Mr. MeGonigle is one of the fore- most men of the township. enterprising and public-spirited, and is hell in highest esteem by his fellow citizens.

September 4, 1870, he was joined in mar- riage with Miss Ella G. Cline, who was born in Marlborough Township, Delaware County, and is a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Downing ) Cline, pioneers of that vicinity. Seven children were born to them: Maude, born December 24, 1871, is the wife of Charles II. Bell and has two children, Walter and Rodney: Murray B., a physician, born Sep- tember 12, 1873, married Persis Scheble and has two children. Ruth and Mary : Mary, born August 22, 1875, married Orrie Jeffrey and they have two children, Lorain and Ellen; Myra, born April 11, 1878, married Dallas Coleman, and they have one son. Day ; Robert

Mart, born December 25. 1880; Tod Cline, born June 16, 1882; and Walden, born June 3. 1884, died October 11. 1884. Mr. Mc- Gonigle is a Democrat in politics and has served six years as township trustee. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge at Ashley. and to the Patrons of Husbandry.

€ LIHU CLARK, retired farmer and veteran of the Civil War, is a well- known resident of Ashley, Ohio. He was born in the northwestern part of Oxford Township, Delaware County. August 9. 1837, and is a son of Isaac and Clarissa (Gale) Clark.

Isaac Clark, father of Elihu, was born in New York State and at an early date came" west to Ohio, locating in Oxford Township, Delaware County, on what was known as the Henry Foust farm, and near there he owned a tract of 50 acres on which he resided some years, then moved to the farm of 50 acres on which his son was born. llere he resided until his death. His union with Clarissa Gale re- sulted in the birth of twelve children, of whom three survive, namely: Elihu; John, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Berlin Township; and Mary Jane, who is the wife of Edward Morgan, now living in Kansas.

Elihu Clark was reared on the home place and received his educational training in the common schools of that neighborhood. He helped to clear the home property, a part of which was heavily timbered, and followed farming until he entered the army. He en- listed August 13, 1862, in Company D. One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and after a service of 10 months re-enlisted in Company F. of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He continued in active service until the close of the Civil War, and participated in many important engagements. among them Cedar Creek. Petersburg and Sailor's Run. He was in the Army of the Potomac, and in the summer of 1864 was with

ELMER A. WIGTON

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General Sheridan's forces in the Shenandoah Valley, and was with General Grant's through the Virginia campaign. He participated in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C., and was then mustered out and discharged in July, 1865.

After returning home he remained until the following spring, after which he followed general farming on the second purchase of his father and with much success. In 1882 he erected a handsome brick residence in which he lived until 1899, when he sold his property and moved to Ashley, buying a small home there. He is now living in retirement in the enjoyment of a well earned rest after years of activity.

October 10, 1863, Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Felky, a native of Delaware County, Ohio, and they became the parents of three children, as follows: Eva, deceased, who married Byron Porterfield, left two children, Vita and Fay; Josephine, who married William Morehouse of Columbus, has two children, Pearl and Verner ; and Chesley, who lives in Ashley, married Bertie Vining and has two children, Merle and Lloyd. In 1885 Mr. Clark was deprived of the com- panionship of his beloved wife and helpmeet ly death. Politically, he is a Republican. He is a member of J. E. Coomer Post, No. 281, G. A. R .. at Ashley.

€ LMER A. WIGTON. There are few residents of Delaware County, in all probability, who have passed through so many thrilling experiences and survived more dangers or encoun- tered more adventures than Elmer .A. Wigton. who spent many years on the frontier. on the outskirts of civilization, but who now is an es- teemed citizen of Liberty Township. Mr. Wigton was born in Brown Township. Dela- ware County, Ohio, June 22, 1839, and is 1 son of Sylvester and Elmina ( Perry ) Wig- t: 11.

The paternal grandfather, Thomas Wig- ten, was born in Pennsylvania in 1777 and

came to Delaware County in 1819. He set- tled on a farm in Kingston Township, near the Blue Church, where he lived until 1852, when he moved to Berkshire. Four years later he settled on a farm between Berkshire and Sun- bury, a property that is occupied by his grand- son, Charles Wigton, and his mother. Thomas Wigton died in 1877 when almost 100 years old. His children were respectively as fol- lows : David, Sylvester, Abiram. Jacob. James, Frazier, William. Mrs. Samuel Hall. Mrs. Orlin Root, Mrs. Joel Root, Mrs. Benja- min Lee, Mary Jane and Mrs. Peter Colum, all of whom are now deceased.

The maternal grandparents of Mr. Wigton were William and Electa Perry. After the death of William Perry his widow married Benjamin McMaster. The Perry children were: William A., Elmina Rachel, Philemon F .; and the McMasters children were: Rob- ert Gordon, Horace P. and William A. ; and the children of the McMaster-Perry mar- riage were: George, Esther, Hiram and Elosia.

The father of Mr. Wigton was born in Pennsylvania, in 1812, and was seven years of age when he accompanied his parents to Dela- ware County. He died in Brown Township, in March, 1873, aged sixty-one years. In 1837 he married Elmina Rachel Perry, who was born in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio, October 11, 1819. After the death of Sylvester Wigton, she married Dr. Besse, of Delaware. The parents of Mr. Wig- ton settled in Brown Township, one and one- half miles west of Eden, when the country was vet all covered with forest. They had two children: William Perry and Elmer \. The former was born June 14. 1838. In 1862. just before entering the army, he married Esther E. Holt. He was a member of the Ninety- sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed at Arkansas Post, in February. 1863.

Elmer .A. Wigton always had a strong in- stinct of direction and a faculty for woods travel. When a mere child of only four or five years of age, he would go far out into the dense woods alone and ramble about in every

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direction, amusing himself by throwing sticks at wild turkeys, and when he thought he had them driven far enough away, he would strike out in the right direction for the little cabin which was his home at that time. This latter feat he would perform as accurately as a pig would have done if it had been carried away in a sack and then turned loose.

About 1844 or '45 Brown Township was almost an unbroken wilderness, with the ex- ception of the small patches that had been cleared around the cabins of the few hardy pio- neers that came in from the East to establish new homes for themselves. Many times these settlers would become uneasy about their chil- dren when they had not seen or heard them for an hour or two, fearing they were lost in the woods. In those days there was more of harmony and friendly feeling existing between neighbors than now. They would take their families and pay their neighbors a visit and have a good time and a good dinner. On such occasions a strong cup of coffee, with cream and maple sugar, hot biscuit with butter and maple syrup or honey, chicken and dumplings, fried ham, boiled eggs, mashed potatoes, boiled parsnips, pumpkin pie and cakes sweetened with maple sugar-all the cooking done on the fireplace-would have been considered a good dinner, and would not be very bad to take NOW.

At one time a family, the children of which ranged in age from eight to twelve years, came to the cabin of Sylvester Wigton, the fa- ther of the subject of this sketch, where they were cordially received. Neighbor set- tler and Mr. Wigton were busily engaged in talking, when all of a sudden neighbor said, "Where are the children? 1 haven't heard them for some time : I am afraid they are lost." Mr. Wigton looked up in his good natured manner, and said, "They are not lost, for lit- tle Elmer followed them, and he will keep with them. When he gets hungry and tired, he will say, 'I am going home.' They will all be hungry about that time, and that little pig will start out on a bee-line for home." Neigh- bor said, apparently with some surprise, "Sup- pose they have rambled around in the woods

until they do not know where they are, and he starts out in the wrong direction?" Mr. Wig- ton said with a smile, "He was never known to go the wrong way; I have had him in test for over a year. He has followed me many times into the woods, so thick with spice brush that a person could not see out one rod from where he started, and I would then ask him, Which way is home?' He would raise his little hand and point the right direction every time."

Mr. Sylvester Wigton was also a good woods traveler. He was never known to get lost, or to hunt for the moss which is always more plentiful on the north side of the stand- ing tree in order to keep his course, although he traveled many dark, cloudy nights through the woods, and showed many lost persons to their homes.

Elmer A. Wigton in his boyhood days, went to school winters in the old log school- house, and in the summer assisted his father in clearing the land and raising crops. This life continued until March 6, 1860, when he left the parental roof and started for the West, going by rail to Cincinnati, where he took a steamer down the Ohio River, Then he took the steamboat "White Cloud" and went up the Missouri for Leavenworth, Kansas. It was the month of March, when the Missouri River is lower than at any other time of year. It was then so low that in many places the boat had to be moved by use of the spar and capstan. Many times passengers were landed and walked up the river a mile or more until deep water was reached, when the boat would make a landing and take them aboard. On March 26th he arrived at Leavenworth, having been twenty days on his journey. He remained in the city the first night ; in the morning taking his grip-sack, he started out on the Lawrence and Leavenworth road, continuing on that road until he came to the stream, Little Stranger. Here there was a hotel which was a stage station on the route between Leaven- worth and Lawrence. Here he took dinner and in the afternoon. abandoning the road, he went across the prairie in a southwesterly di- rection, and at night put up at John Wright's on the south bank of the Big Stranger, where

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

he remained a week, daily walking about the adjoining country, and down into the Dela- ware Reservation which was near by. The In- dians were more of a curiosity to him at that time than they were later. Since then Mr. Wigton has passed weeks at a time without seeing any other class of people.

On the 16th of April he started on another tramp, going in a westerly direction. After traveling fourteen miles, he pulled into the lit- tle town of Osackee. The next day he took the stage for Le Compton, which was the first pro- posed capital of Kansas. He remained in this town and vicinity during the greater part of the summer of 1860, and in August left for the southern part of Kansas and northern part of Indian Territory. In October, 1860, while stopping at Le Roy, on the Neosha River in southern Kansas, he first met Capt. E. H. Mosley, the great trader and trapper of the Southwest. He was a hardy frontiersman, about fifty-four years of age, with long brown hair, and flowing whiskers mixed with gray. He wore a drab coat and badger-skin cap, to which raccoon skin was hanging in the rear. While on the plains he always had a revolver and a long knife hanging to his belt, and would entertain newcomers from the east with his thrilling adventures and hair-breath es- capes from the Indians. This humorous old pioneer took quite a fancy to young Wigton, giving him a new name, which clung to him for years-Wild Buck. The Captain insisted on Buck accompanying him to the extreme frontier, which he consented to do. Soon after this an old Indian trader had returned to his trading post, which at that time was situated on the southwest bank of the Arkansas River, about one mile west of where Wichita now stands. At that time the region was the home of the wolf and the buffalo. The old Captain and a man named Moxley on the west bank of the Little Arkansas River, at the crossing of the old California trail of '49, which place is now within the limits of North Wichita, had the only houses west of El Dorado, which is situated on the Big Walnut, twenty-five miles east of Wichita.

At the time young Wigton arrived at the trading post, Captain Mosley had several men in his employ putting up hay, there being nu- merous stacks which had been mowed on the surrounding prairie. A few days later an old Frenchman accompanied by an Indian came into the post, and requested Captain Mosley to take some merchandise and go with them to their camp, as they had many buffalo robes and other articles of traffic to dispose of. After loading some prairie schooners, Captain Mos- ley said, "Now. Buck, come and go with me, and we will see Indians in their purity. We will be off in the morning, as the wagons will be loaded tonight, and then we will have noth- ing to do but to yoke up the oxen-there were six yoke to a wagon-and start." In the morning when all was ready to start, Captain Mosley said to the little Frenchman, Lobo by name, "I will expect you to guide me to your camp, as you have not vet told me where it is located." At this request, Lobo told the In- dian in his native tongue to act as guide. The Indian adjusted his blanket and started on about twenty paces in advance of the rest of the party. The whole outfit was soon moving. and Buck was standing with his rifle on his shoulder ready to start out on his first trip to an Indian camp. Captain Mosley gave a few orders to the men who were to remain at the post, and shouldered his favorite old rifle. "Sweet Lips," as he called it, said "We will go." Captain Mosley and Buck walked slowly and steadily on their way, about a quarter of a mile in the rear of the outfit. They did not come up with it until it had reached a little stream called the Cow Skin, about eight miles from the post. Here they had unyoked the oxen and struck camp to remain for the night. By this time there were many clouds in sight giving prospects of rain. By the time the cook had dinner ready, the clouds had become dense, and Captain Mosley said, "I wish it would rain, for it has not rained for so long that I have almost forgotten what it looks like." This was in the fall of 1860, the driest year ever known in that part of the country. Night passed but without rain, though it was

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Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th, Part 92

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company Number of Pages: 926

Author: Lytle, James Robert, 1841- [from old catalog] ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing company
Number of Pages: 926