USA > Ohio > Wayne County > Commemorative biographical record of Wayne County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 19
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Mr. Eshelman has been first assistant clerk of the Ohio Senate, and for a time was clerk in the treasury department at Washington. While living in Chillicothe he was postmaster over four years, and president of the Chillicothe City Council. In 1874 75 he represented Wayne Coun- ty in the Ohio House of Representatives,
and was chairman of the financo commit- tee. In 1888 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention at St. Louis from the Twentieth District. In April, 1889, he was elected, against his wishes, a member of the city council of Wooster, and is now chairman of the finance committee of that body.
Mr. Eshelman is, and persists in being, a bachelor.
H ON. JOHN BRINKERHOFF, re- siding in Bloomington, Wayne County, was born near New Kings- town, Cumberland Co., Penn., June 9, 1813, the eldest son and second child of Daniel and Rebecca ( Frazier) Brink- erhoff. He was educated near Dillsburgh, Pom., at a private academy, under James ()'Hail and John Jones, both men of marked ability. Mr. Brinkerhoff at eight- een began teaching at Roxbury, where he remained one year, when he removed with his parents to Wayne County, Ohio. Upon his arrival in Wayne Conuty he began teaching in Canaan Township, where the village of Golden Corners now stands, and where he taught school thirteen consecu- tive years,
He was married November 18, 1533, to Miss Rebecca Sommers, who was born in Washington County, Poun., AAngust 7,
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1817, a daughter of George and Barbara (Harsh) Sommers, natives of Washing- ton County. They moved to Wayne County in 1819, and settled in Canaan Township, near what is now Golden Cor- ners. Mr. and Mrs. Brinkerhoff had three children: George S., Daniel V. and Jo- seph W. The mother died September 2, 1851; a member of the United Presbyte- rian Church. The two eldest sons served in the Union army, George in the Forty- seventh Indiana Regiment, and Daniel in the Fourth Ohio. After a service of nine months Daniel V., being prostrated with fever, was brought home, where he died. Joseph W. is a graduate from the Woos- ter High School in the class of 1569, and of the medical department of the Wooster University at Cleveland, Ohio, and is at present practicing medicine at Burbank, Wayne Co., Ohio. November 17, 1852, the father married Miss Mary Robinson, who was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., November 25, 1819, a daughter of William and Isabel ( Eaton ) Robinson. er, trustee or committeeman. Mr. Brink- erhoff is one of the substantial and intelligent residents of Wooster and Bloomington; strictly upright and honor- able, he is one of the honored men of Wayne County and of Ohio. He was county surveyor of Wayne County in 1844, and has served officially at different tines in that capacity for eighteen years. His labors in this respect continue whether in or out of office, and his lines, angles and corners are trusty landmarks. His valuable services rendered as engineer in the construction of the Wooster Water Works, and his remarkable fertility in de- lineation of plans, contributed largely to the consummation of that splendid enterprise of the citizens of Wooster. He planned the arrangements of the Wooster High School building on the principle of the division of labor, while the details were drawn up by a Cleveland architect. Hle was selected by the county commissioners to organize and place in working condi- tion the Wayne County Infirmary, and In September, 1545, Mr. Brinkerhoff removed to Wooster, and became one of the managers of the Wooster Academy, and one of the principals of the Wooster graded schools, under the Akron, Ohio, system. He has almost exclusively do- voted his time and attention to some educational enterprise of the people, either was afterward elected a director by the citizens of the county. He was elected to the House of Representatives of the State of Ohio, serving from January 1, 1561, to January 1, 1866. He proved himself to be a working, vigilant member, prompt- ly at his post of duty and keenly alive to the interests of his constituents and the as school examiner, superintendent, teach- ; welfare of the public. While Mr. Brink-
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erhotf has passed his seventy-sixth year, by a life of the strictest sobriety and temperance, of great evenness, moderation and method, not yielding to mental or physical excitement, unsapped by excesses, unvisited by the assaults of destructive passions, he is to-day, in almost the prime of manhood, the possessor of a sound mind in a healthy body, with every faculty susceptible of its strongest tension and activity.
He and his wife belong to the United Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a life-long and prominent member. He was elected an elder in the Killbnek congregation of that church at the early age of twenty-four, and has served in that capacity ever since. He was a member of the first general assembly immediately after the union of the Associate and Asso- ciate Reformed branches, in 1857, and again at the general assembly in Philadel- phia, Penn., in 1873; he also represented his church at the Synod of the Reformed Church held at Utica, Ohio. He was also selected to represent the good-will of his church at the general assembly held at Springfield, Ill. He was frequently employed as peacemaker between contend- ing brethren, and rarely failed in attain- ing the object of his mission. Ile is fre- quently selected to settle the estates of deceased persons, and is the guardian of minor children, some of whom he took
into his own family and educated. The action of the trustees of the Wooster Uni- versity in relation to Mr. Brinkerhoff was communicated by their secretary, as fol- lows:
WOOSTER, OHIO, June 25, 15-6.
Mr. John Brinkerhoff-Dear Sir :- It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Board of Trustees of the University of Wooster, at their last annual meeting, held June 22 and 23, 1886, umani- mously and cordially conferred upon you the hon- orary degree of A. M. Congratulating you upon the studions habits and scholarly attainments which have entitled you to this honor, and with best wishes for your continued health and usefulness, I am, Very respectfully yours, (Signed) THOMAS K. DAVIS, Secretary of the Board of Trustees, University of Wooster.
G BORGE LAWRENCE (deceased) was born in Middletown, Penn., in 1818. His father, Christian Law- rence, was also a native of Pennsyl- vania, born in Lancaster County Jannary 25, 1779, and married Magdalena Ettele, daughter of Philip Ettele. In May. 1 23. Christian Lawrence eame with his family to Wayne County, Ohio, and settled on forty acres of land, building a log house for his family. Of a family of six sons and four daughters, but three son- are now living. He and his wife were mem- bers of the first church ( Lutheran ) organ- ized in the city of Wooster.
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George Lawrence was five years old when his parents moved to Wayne County, and here he was reared and educated. He became one of the successful farmers of Chester Township, owning at the time of his death 400 acres of land, which was divided equally among his children. He began life poor, and his success was due to his own energy, assisted by his noble and faithful wife. He married Julia Yetter, daughter of Philip Yetter, of Pennsylvania, and to them were born ten children, eight of whom are living: Eliz- abeth, born in 1844, married H. Hemperly in 1868; Catharine, born in 1846, was married in 1872 to J. Killinger; Mary A., born in 1847, was married in 1882 to S. Zimmerman; Maggie, born in 1849, was married in 1868 to T. O. Bechtel; Emeline, born in 1851, was married in 1879 to I. Smyser; Nancy, born in 1854, married G. Winter in 1882; G. W., born in 1856. and Martin, born in 1859; Dan- iol and Samuel are deceased. The sons, George and Martin, reside on the old homestead, and both are intelligent and enterprising young men. Martin was married in 1886 to Miss Sarah E. Ryman, and they have one child, Emmett. George is unmarried. This is one of the highly respected families of Chester Township, Wayne County, which the father and grandfather in times past have done so much toward building up, assisting mate-
rially in its advancement to its present place among the best counties of the State. They are members of the Re- formed Church; in politics they support the Democratic party.
E PHRAIM LEHMAN. The Loh- man family originally came from Germany, where Martin Lehman was born in 1744, and whence, when two years old, he accompanied his parents to America. He was reared in Berks Coun- ty, Penn., where he was married to F. Christina Speek, who was born in Alsace. Germany, in 1751; her parents were sold to pay their passage to this country. Martin Lehman remained in Berks Coun- ty until 1796, when, with his wife, he re- moved to Lancaster County, in the same State, settling on a small traet of land, where he died in 1801; his widow survived him many years, her death occurring in 1822. They had a family of seven chil- dron: Catherine, Henry, Christian, George, Mary, Martin and John, all of whom renched years of maturity.
John Lehman, the youngest of the fam- ily. was born in Berks County, Pen., in 1790. He lived in his native State until [S23, when he moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and purchased of Dennis Driscoll
Very Truly Efteration Lehman June 220 1889
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160 acres of land in Wayne Township, for which he paid $800. He was a miller by trade, which he carried on until he moved to Wayne County, Ohio, from which time he followed farming, and by hard labor and good management he ac- quired a competency. Publie-spirited and enterprising, he was not only ambitions to obtain property for his own use, but was also interested in the material welfare of his township and county, and always gave liberally of his means to all enterprises promising to advance, either financially or morally, the prosperity of the community. He occupied varions official positions of trust and responsibility: was justice of the peace a number of years; was town- ship clerk, trustee, treasurer and over- seer of the poor. He was twice married, his first wife being Christina Smith, who bore him five children: Benjamin, Mary Ann, Catherine, Eliza and Nancy. His second wife was Nancy Bair, and by her he had a family of twelve children: Sarah, Ephraim, Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Susan, John H., Caroline, Martin, Maria, Christi Ann, George D. and Cyrus E. Mr. Leh- man lived to see his land cleared of prime- val forest, and the wilderness become the home of a civilized and prosperous com- munity, being at the time of his death one of the oldest citizens in Wayne County.
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Ephraim Lohman, the second child and eldest son of John and Nancy ( Bair)
Lehman, was born August 11, 1826, in Wayne Township. He has all his life followed farming, and now owns the land purchased by his father. In 1832 he married Miss Susan, daughter of Jacob and Saloma ( Billman ) Freese, of Wayne Township, and by her has had seven chil- dren, viz .: Luther V., born November 29, 1854; Cecelia Odessa, born in 1856; John E., in 1859; Franklin F., in 1861; Cora Bell, in 1864; Herman L., in 1871, and Floyd V., in 1874. Mr. Lehman has served his township in the varied capaci- ties of trustee, clerk and treasurer, hav- ing held some official position for the past twenty-two years. He is recognized as one of the most prominent and public- spirited citizens of Wayne County, and is highly esteemed and cordially liked by all who know him. Like his father, he is a Democrat.
H ON. JOHN W. BAUGHMAN is a native of Wayne County, Ohio, a son of Solomon and buthena Banghman. His paternal grand- parents, John and Elizabeth Baughman, were natives of Washington County. Penn., where they were married, and in 1s10 they moved with their family to Wayne County, Ohio, locating in what is
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NOW Banghman Township, which was named in honor of John Baughman. He was elected justice of the peace a number of terms, and his commissions are still in the possession of his grandson, Jolm W. He was a well-educated man for his time, and was a leader in his township. He died in 1837. He was an old-time Dem- ocrat, voting for Thomas Jefferson, the party's candidate for President. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran Church. They had a large family, of whom only the youngest, David, survives, at present a resident of Chippewa Town- ship.
Solomon, the eldest of the family, was born March 20, 1800, and when ten years old his parents moved to Wayne County. He served an apprenticeship at the ear- riage and wagon - maker's trade, and opened the first factory in Dalton. He was a snecessful business man, and was elected to fill various official positions in the township, among others that of treas- urer and trustce. His wife, nee Inthena Black, was a native of Maryland, and when a child accompanied her parents, James and Rosanna Black, to Stark Conn- ty, Ohio. Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving under Gen. Harri- son. Solomon and Luthena Baughman had a family of four children: John W., Elizabeth, James and Jacob. The father died March 15, 1587.
John W. Baughman is the only member of his father's family now living. He was educated at the public school and the academy at Dalton, which was then under the supervision of the United Presby- terian Church, attending school until about seventeen years old, when he began teaching in the winter, alternating with work in his father's shop. In 1555 he was elected to the Legislature by the Democratic party, serving one term. In 1868 he was elected clerk of the courts, and removed to Wooster, being re-elected in 1871. In 1886 he was again elected by the Democratic party to represent Wayne County in the Legislature, and was re-elected in 1888.
Mr. Banghman was married Jannary 1. 1857, to Miss Charlotte Barkdnll. a native of Wayne County, daughter of Peter and Sarah Barkdull, and they have two chil- dren, buthena and Emily.
OHN MCCLELLAN, of Wooster, is one of the oklest living settlers of Wayne County, Ohio, and was born in Beaver County, Pen., in 1810. His father, also named John, came with his wife and two children, John and Rebecca, to the then wild county of Wayne in
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1813. The land was a dense forest, the haunt of wild animals and equally wild Indians. The father was born in West- moreland County, Penn., March 3, 1785, and the mother, nee Nancy Elder, in Frank- lin County, Peun., December 1, 1787. They were married in Beaver County, Penn., September 22, 1806. The father was a blacksmith, and followed his trade at Wooster until 1824, when he moved to a farm five miles south of that place. There he lived about soven years, when he moved to near Xenia, Greene Co., Ohio, where he died March 1, 1867. He was quite a politician, and in his earlier years was a Jackson Democrat, but later became a Republican. He was also an active member of the Seceder Church, afterward - by the union was a United Presbyterian, and a man of positive convictions on every subject. Nancy ( Eller) Mcclellan, mother of the subject of our sketch, was of an English family, the date of whose coming to this country is lost. Her father, John Elder, became totally blind twelve or fifteen years before his death. Nancy lived with her son, William E. Mcclellan, after her husband's death, she dying in 1874, at the age of eighty-seven years. Like her father, she became blind some fourteen years before her death, and re- mained so for twelve years, when her sight was partially restored, so that she could distinguish objects, colors, etc. She and
her husband had six more children born to them after coming to Wayne County, viz .: James, Jane, Clark Beveridge, Will- iam E., Mary Ann and Harvey Robert. All are now living except James.
John MeClellan, our subject, received his first education in the typical log school-house of the day. At eighteen years of age he became a elerk, and hay- ing established a reputation for integrity and tact, he was two years later furnished with capital with which to start in busi- ness for himself, which he did at Fred- ricksburgh in 1832. In 1836 he sold out and returned his borrowed capital, with interest, having been quite successful. He then entered into partnership with his former employer in Wooster, but he, be- coming embarrassed, became a burden to Mr. MeClellan, so the latter retired from the firm, and in 1842 went back to Freder- icksburgh, again engaging in business there, and there remained until 1853, when he again sold out, and purchased a farm in Wooster Township, four miles south of Wooster, on which he lived four years. when he went to the latter city to live. His success had been ample enough to warrant his retiring from active life, but desiring to keep his boys employed when not in school, he started a shoe store, which he carried on some three years, till the breaking ont of the war, when his elder son, Jesse, enlisted, and the younger,
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Lewis, went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained twelve years. In 1868 Mr. Me- Clellan took an active part in the found- ing of the University of Wooster, being one of its originators. In 1870 it was opened, and Mr. MeClellan became its first treasurer, retaining that position for fifteen years, loaning all its moneys and having charge of its funds. He devoted most of his time to the cause of the university, for whose advancement he ! did as much as any person connected therewith. He is still a member of its : Board of Directors.
We speak now of the domestic life of Mr. MeClellan. November 13, 1837, he was married to Miss Maria M. Mitchell, daughter of Samuel and Mary ( McGugen) Mitchell, of Franklin Township, of which they were pioneers, having settled there in 1812. The father was a native of Franklin County, Penn,, born June 5, "Not only is Mr. MeClellan in comfortable 1776, and went with his parents to Wash- 'circumstances, but be is marked as one ington County, Penu., where, on January who uses his means to help every worthy cause and to benefit others. He is es- sentially a self-made man, who, by his steady application to business, good judg- ment and integrity, has made a marked success, and has won the esteem of all with whom he has been brought into con- tact, and made many friends. Himself and his beloved wife are now advanced in years, and, like pious Christians, are calmly awaiting the summons home. 6, 1808, he was married to Mary Mc- Gugen, and they became the parents of four children. To Mr. and Mrs. McClol- lan were born five children: Maria Antoi- netto became wife of J. B. Motherwell, of Geneseo, Ill., and is now deceased; Jesse is in business in Wooster; Mary is wife of L. J. Barker, of Great Bend, Kas,, who had been revenue collector in Wooster for twenty years: Lewis is a
resident of Wooster, and a partner of his brother Jesse, and Martha E. lives with her parents. In November, 1887, the parents celebrated the golden anniversary of their wedding, at which a host of friends were present and tendered their congratulations.
Mr. and Mrs. McClellan are members of the Presbyterian Church, and he is one of its elders, and for many years has labored earnestly for its advancement. Politically he was formerly a Whig, then joined the Republican party on its forma- tion, and has ever since been one of its supporters. During the war he was an active friend of the Union, and aided much in lessening suffering and sorrow among the distressed in Wayne County. He has filled various positions, and is still a trustee of the University of Wooster, and a member of its finance committee.
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EORGE B. SIEGENTHALER. This gentleman is a native of Wayne County, born in Wayne Township February 9, 1833. His parents, George and Mary ( Bresler) Siegenthaler, were both natives of Pen- sylvania, who, in search of cheaper lands and virgin soil, immigrated to this county about 1831, and secured a farm in Wayne Township. In his native State the father had been a weaver by occupation, but after coming to Ohio gave his entire atten- tion to agricultural matters. His wife was a daughter of John and Rebecca Bresler, and of their nnion eight children were born, of whom five are now surviv- ing, our subject and his brother Alfred residents of Wayne County. In 1872 the husband and father went to his last home, at the age of seventy-two. His widow died May 25, 1889, in Wooster, in her eighty-fourth year.
The subject of our sketeh attended the schools of his native township, and in 1851 began learning the trade of tanning in Wooster, and three years later, in 1854, began business for himself, continuing in it for twenty-five years. In 1575 he opened a shoe store on West Liberty Street, Wooster, at the same time carry- ing on his tanning business. This latter he afterward sold, and has since given his entire attention to his shoe trade, and now carries the largest stock of that line in
Wooster. December 25, 1856, Mr. Sieg- enthaler was nited in marringe with Lydia, daughter of Jacob and Catherine Summers, who were natives of Pennsyl- vania. The father died in Wooster in 1888, in his eighty-second year, and the mother died April 12, 1859, in her sey- enty-fifth year. On November 9, 1886, Mrs. Lydia Siegenthaler passed to her last home, at the age of fifty-two. She had borne our subject four children, all of whom are now living, viz. : Harvey, a res- ident of Springfield, Ohio: Caroline, wife of H. H. Miller, of Canton, Ohio; Martha and Edward, living with their father. Mrs. Siegenthaler was a member of the Baptist Church.
The parents of Mr. Siegenthaler were counted among the pioneers of Wayne County. When they came here they had to clear in the forest a place on which to build a home, and the timber felled was used to make the log cabin in which they first lived. They endured the hardships inci- deutal to a pioneer life, and had the satis- faction of seeing their children all well settled. Our subjeet has made his own way in the world, and has been successful. He started a poor boy, but by untiring energy, industry, and habits of thrift and economy, has amassed a fair competence. Better than all, he has justly carned, and now enjoys, the esteem and good wishes of all who know him. In his political
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views he is a Democrat; he is not a mem- ber of any of the fraternities.
M ICHAEL MILLER is a well- known citizen of Wayne County, and is a native of Pennsylvania, born in York County, November 12, 1813. His parents, both natives of the same State, were Michael and Ann M. (Horn) Miller, who had eleven chil- dren, of whom four are yet living, our subject and two others in Wayne County, and one in Williams County, Ohio. In the spring of 1835 the parents came west with their family, settling in Wooster Township, where both died, the father at the age of eighty-three years.
The subject of these lines had but lim- ited opportunities for learning. As a lad he was apprenticed to learn the carpen- ter's trade, and he attended night school to obtain an education. When he was twenty-two years old he settled in Woos- ter, working at his trade. December 21, 1887, Mr. Miller was married to Hannah, daughter of John and Polly Kauke, a native of Wayne County, born in 1820. They became the parents of thirteen chil- dren, of whom twelve grew to maturity. They were named: Perry; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Il. Myer; Jane, now deceased, who
was the wife of John Stevens; Araminta, also became the wife of Mr. Stevens; Kate, wife of Lambert Sellers; Henry Harrison, Otto and Benjamin, all of Wooster; Ellen was Mrs. C. Webster, of Indianapolis, Ind., and is now deceased; Nellie is the wife of Frank Maxhimer. of Stark County, Ohio; John is deceased; one child died in infancy, and Anna is the wife of Aug. W. Eberly, of Wooster.
On first coming to Wooster our subject, not finding work, went to Cleveland in search of it, going on foot, not being able to pay stage hire. Returning to Wooster, he found employment, and from a poor journeyman he grew to be the most ox- tensive contractor and builder in Woos- ter, where he has erected most of the principal buildings and many fine resi- dences. He built all the school buildings in the city, the university, county jail and infirmary. Politically he is a Demo- erat, and has filled a number of public offices. He has been township trustee, township treasurer, and for a number of years a member of the city council. He and his devoted wife are members of the Disciples Church, and in 1587 had the pleasure of entertaining a large number of friends at their golden wedding. Mr. Miller is one of Wayne County's best known and most highly respected citizens, whose success in life is solely the result of his own energy, integrity and business
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thet. Beginming life a poor boy, he has won for himself not only wealth, but an honorable name and place in the commu- nity. About ten years ago he partially retired from active labor, and although still engaged in business, takes life much easier.
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