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 24
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Mr. Eichar has for over thirty years made his home where he now resides. Several attempts were made, in 1873 and 1882, to find gas on his farm. Mr. Eichar is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Wooster, and is one of Wayne County's self-made men, beginning poor, and win- ning success by his own industry, pru- dence and foresight, at the same time acquiring and retaining the confidence of all with whom he came in contact. One of his distinguishing characteristics is his zeal for the education of the youth, believ- ing that upon the training of the young depends the future of our country, and he has given material support to numerous institutions of learning. His enterprise in seeking the development of Wayne County's resources and the promotion of her industries is well known. It is to sneh men as he that the growth and progress of Wayne County may be traced. They bore the brunt of the battle in sub- duing the wilderness, and making it a fit habitation for a great, free people. . 1 nation's gratitude is due these brave pio- neers, and they havea rich reward in seeing ours a united nation, the freest on earth.
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WAYNE COUNTY. 275
H ENRY JENNINGS, son of Jacob and Nuney F. (Crozier) Jennings, was born on the farm he now owns in Salt Creek Township, Wayne Connty, November 9, 1830. His grand- father, Henry Jennings, came from Long Island with an only brother to Fayette County, Penn., where they settled, and he reared a family of eight children: David, Jacob, Henry, Jonathan, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth and Rhoda, of whom only two are now living, Henry, in Dallas County, Iowa, and Jonathan, in Waverly, Ohio.
Of these, Jacob, one of the pioneers of Wayne County, was born in Fayette County, Penn., in 1796, married in 1827, and removed to Salt Creek Township, Wayne County, to the farm now owned by Henry Jennings, which was taken up in 1822, and five acres cleared. Jacob married Nancy F. Crozier, by whom he had three children: John Crozier, who died when a boy; Jane, now Mrs. A. J. Knox, of Fredericksburgh, and Henry, the subject of this sketch, who received his education in the common schools of the county, and eventually married Margaret J., daughter of Thomas Patrick, of Salt Creek Township, Wayne County. She was born in Fredericksburgh, and her father later purchased the farm adjoining the Jennings homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Jen- nings have had twelve children, as fol- lows: Elizabeth, now Mrs. R. C. Cook,
residing in Apple Creek, Wayne County; Jacob Barclay, who married Laura Cook, and now lives at Salt Creek, Wayne County; Matilda, who died in infancy: Mary Jane, James Martin, Sarah Am and Martha (twins), William Henry, Margaret Emma, Laura, John Clark and Arvida Eunice. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are members of the Presbyterian Church; he is a Prohibitionist, and the family are among the able and respected people of the community in which they live.
SAAC K. JAMESON is a son of Joshua and Rebecca ( Mackey) Jameson. na- tives of Delaware and Pennsylvania, respectively. In 1518 they removed from Fayette County, Pen., to Wayne County, Ohio, and entered one-half see- tion of land in the southwest corner of Sugar Creek Township (Section 86). Here the father died in March, 1526, in the fifty-sixth year of his age; the mother survived until October, 1860, dying in the eighty -fourth year of her age. They had a family of eleven children, as follows: Sarah, Mary, Stephen ML., John, Alexander 1 .. Joshua M., Rebecca S., Elizabeth, Joseph, Isaac K., and an infant that died in infancy. Of these, Sarah, wife of Will- iam James, of Fayette County, Penn., died in the seventy -sixth year of her age, leay-
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ing four children: Ann, wife of A. Van Devert, of Hamilton County, Ohio; Sarah, now Mrs. Jeffries; George W., of Lima, Ohio, and Elizabeth C., now Mrs. Grib- ble, of New Philadelphia, Ohio. Mary, widow of James Hackett, died in March, 1882, in her eighty-fourth year, leaving one son, Isaiah H., who lives on the home- stead, in East Union Township, Wayne County. Stephen M., a physician of Dal- ton, married Nancy S. Derret, of Wayne County, and died in 1841, in his forty- first year, leaving three children: Rebecca Jane, wife of Thomas Orr, of East Union Township; Rodney C., of Banghman Township, and Stephen R., of Ashtabula County, Ohio. John died in 1552, at Apple Creek, Ohio, in the seventy-ninth year of his age; he was married to Eliza MeCurrdy, and located in Sugar Creek Township; they had eleven children: the. oldest died in infancy; Joshna M., in Lima, Ohio; Martha E., married to Ervin Anderson (both are deceased) ; James H., in Ionia County, Mich. : Alexander H., a merchant in Apple Creek, Ohio; Nancy J., married to A. Hoverstock (both are deceased); Stephen S., on a part of the old homestead, Section 36, Sugar Creek Township; Amanda R., deceased . wife of John R. Dobbins; Isane N., in Apple Creek, Ohio; Robert R., in Ken- ton. Ohio, and Caroline, wife of Silas Moore, in Colorado. Alexander HI. mar-
ried Elizabeth Miller (now deceased). of Stark County, Ohio, and died in Will County, Ill., in his seventy-sixth your; he was for many years engaged in mer- cantile business in Apple Creek with his brother, Isaac K .; he left two daughters, Mary Ann, widow of Rev. Thomas Me- Cartney, of Nebraska, and Martha Jane, both living at Aurora, Ill. Joshua M. spent his life on the old homestead, Sec- tion 36, Sugar Creek Township; he was twice married, and by his first wife, nee Rachel Shipley, he had twosons, George, a lawyer of Lima, Ohio, and Albon, in Harper County, Kas .; his second wife was Mary A. Morrow, by whom he had no children; he died in 1874, in the sixty-seventh year of his age. Rebecca S. died in Fayette County, Penn., in her eighth year, before the family moved to Ohio. Eliza- beth, widow of George Hackett, resides on the Hackett homestead, in East Union Township; she has four children living: Eleanor H., wife of Levi Orr; Mary J., at home; Eliza H., wife of Daniel Eshel- man, and George W., on the homestead. Joseph died in 1884, in the seventy-first year of his age: he was twice married, his first wife being Esther E. MeClure, of Hohes County, who bore him four children: Emily H., wife of Joseph Condy, of Fillmore County, Minn. ; Rebec- ca S. (deceased ) : Sarah, wife of William Orr, of Moorland, and Margaret, wife of
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B. F. Dile, of Salt Creek Township; his second wife was Maria MeDowell, and to them were born three children: Rachel A., wife of William Richardson, of Tusca- rawas County, Ohio; Jessie M .. wife of John Stauffer, of Paint Township, and Louis M., who died in Topeka, Kas.
Isaac K. Jameson was born in Fayette County, Penn., December 3, 1817. and when four months old his parents moved to Wayne County, Ohio. He remained on the homestead until eighteen years old, and then for nine years engaged in teaching school. In 1845 he purchased an interest in a mercantile business in Apple Creek, with his brother, Alexander H., which partnership continued twenty- two years. In 1867 Alexander H. sold his interest to his brother, John, who, i with John's son, Alexander H., Jr., and Isaac K., continued the business until 1879, when the last named sold his in- terest to them. In 1869 Isaac K. bought the farm which he now owns, in East Union Township, Wayne County, which contains 171 acres of good land, to which he moved in 1880. Here he made his home nine years, and in April, 1889, returned to Apple Creek. In 1860 he married Miss Susan, danghter of Sammel Smith, of Smith's Ferry, Beaver Co., Penn., and to them were born three chil- dren: John Smith, on the home farm: Howard B., a hardware merchant of Dal-
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ton, and Story L., at home. Mr. Jameson has served as justice of the peace, and has filled other township and county offices. He and his family attend the Presbyterian Church. Politically he is a Republican, with prohibition proclivities.
LOHN WEBB, farmer, and proprietor of the Elk Horn Sugar Works. Ches- ter Township, is a native of Groene Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, born Septem- ber 26, 1837, the second son of Benton and Sarah ( Poigh ) Webb. Benton Webb was born in Columbia County, Pen., January 15, 1815, and was the son of Moses Webb, who was a son of Samuel Webb, and a native of the same county. Moses Webb was a soldier in the War of 1512.
In 1824 Benton Webb came with his father to Wayne County, and later settled in Cedar Valley, where they operated a grist-mill a year or two, and then went to Medina County, but a year later Benton returned to Wayne County, and, with his father-in-law, John Peigh, bought a tract of land on Killbuck Creek, intending to build a water mill. Here he died June 1, 1542, aged twenty-seven years. four months and twenty-two days. His wife was a robust woman, and after his death she remained on the land, where she
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reared her family, but, being in meager circumstances, was obliged to work by the day for her neighbors to support herself and children. As they grew older they left home, until only John remained with the mother. She finally married George Ringler, and then John deter- mined to gratify his desire to see more of the world, and in 1864 took a trip to the Western States, stopping for a few months at Des Moines, Iowa. There he entered the employ of the Mabees Menagerie Company, and traveled with them through the Western States. At Chicago they disbanded for the winter, and before starting again in the spring the estab- lishment was bought by Adam Forepaugh and John O'Brien. Mr. Webb traveled with them through the Southern and Eastern States, and while riding in the ring was thrown from his horse and severely injured. While in winter quar- ters at Philadelphia, he had charge of two small lions, which he thought were very docile, but one day one of them turned upon him and crushed his arm considerably, although he finally con- quered him. He returned home soon after, and remained until the winter of 1866, when he went to Texas, remained a year, and then returned home, and has since lived on the homestead. He has visited seventeen States, and has in a measure satisfied his longing for travel.
He lived with his mother, caring for her nntil her death, which occurred October 27, 1887, when she was aged seventy-one years, five months and twenty-one days. He was then appointed administrator of the estate, and was obliged to buy the farm, as his factory was located on it, and his elder brother wished it sold.
For many years Mr. Webb has been engaged in the manufacture of sorghin molasses, and of late has turned his at- tention to the making of sugar. His factory is 25x50 feet in dimensions, and his machinery is propelled by a twenty- horse power engine. This being the only factory of the kind in the township, ho has a monopoly of the trade, and indeed has a large custom from adjoining coun- ties, as his is the best factory in this part of Ohio. In the fall of 1588 he mant- factured 1,000 pounds of sugar, and he expects to make this the leading prodnet of his factory. Mr. Webb has spent years in experimenting, and has abont perfected the art, and the sugar now turned out of his Factory will compare favorably with any other in the market.
D EWITT CLINTON MOCEARRAN. Among the leading farmers in Wayne County, Ohio, the subject of this sketch occupies a most prominent po-
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sition. He was born in the city of Woos- ter, Wayne Co., Ohio, June 19, 1819. His father, Robert McClarran, was a na- tive of Lancaster County, Penn., but when a young man moved to Westmoreland Coun- ty, that State. In 1811 he immigrated to Wayne County. He was by trade a carpenter, and for a few years followed that occupation in Wooster. In 1812 he married Grace Cook, of Columbiana Coun- ty, Ohio, who became the mother of five children: Eliza C., John, Cook, Dewitt Clinton, Roswell and David L. Robert McClarran was a soklier in the War of 1812, and at its close purchased a large tract of land uear Wooster, where for a number of years he was engaged in saw- milling and farming, and afterward carried on banking in Wooster. He was a justice of the peace for many years, being the first in Wayne County, and married the first couple in Wayne County. He was elected to the Legislature December 1, 1823, and served until December 6, 1824. He held mauy positions of trust in the county, was a man of marked ability, and stood high in the estimation of those who knew him. He died March 7, 1831.
Dewitt Clinton MeClarran has resided in Wayne County all his life. He has been an extensive farmer, and owns some 600 acres of valable land in the county. In 1851 he married Janet Jordan, dangh- ter of JJohn Jordan, of Holmes County,
Ohio. Five children have blessed this happy union: John Cook, now an attor- ney at law of Wooster, and a graduate of the University of Wooster, Ohio; David Quinby, Julius, Robert Clinton, all farmers, and Grace Janet, at home. Rob- ert Clinton is also a graduate of Wooster University. The mother of these children died in January. 1852, aged sixty years. For the past seven years Mr. McClarran has resided on his present farm. He has always taken an active part in the welfare of his township, conuty and State, and in politics stands independent of party lines.
D B. GOOD was born near Berlin. Somerset Co., Penn., November 10, 1841, son of John and Eliza Good. His father was a native of the same coun- ty and State, and died Angust 2, 1>11. aged thirty-three years. The mother of our subject, after the death of Mr. Good, married, in the winter of 1550. David Garver, and they came to Congress Town- ship, Wayne Co., Ohio, in the following spring, bringing young D. B. with them. She is now living, in good health, in Con- gress village, in her seventy-third year.
The subject of this biographical memoir received a fair common-school education, and was reared to farm life. February 27, 1868, he was nited in marriage with
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Margaret Worst, who was born April 1, 1813, in Asldand County, Ohio. Her father, Samnel Worst, was also a nativo of Ashland County, and his father, Henry, a Pennsylvanian by birth, came from his native State to Ashland County in a very early day. To Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Good have been born two children, as follows: Alda, born March 10, 1869, and Clayton, born June 23, 1876. The parents are members of the Brethren Church; in pol- ities Mr. Good is a Republican. He is one of the enterprising, energetic and substantial citizens of Congress Town- ship, Wayne County, and is the owner of over 200 acres of improved land. He and his estimable wife are identified with the social and educational interests of their locality, and are both highly respected.
Pennsylvania February 11, 1817, and in 1836 removed with her parents to Sten- benville. In April, 1S11, they removed to Wayne County, and settled in Chippewa Township, where the father died in April, 1868. The mother is living in Doylestown. R. E. Lucas was reared and educated in his native township. His father dying before he was ten years old, he was early obliged to rely on his own resources. He obtained a good business education, and for several years was employed as clerk in the stores of Doylestown. In Septem- ber, 1880, he entered the employ of Seiber- ling, Miller & Co. as book-keeper, and has since held that position. Mr. Lucas was married October 20, 1886, at Johnson's Corners, Ohio, to C. Gertrude Dickson, daughter of Dr. M. M. and M. 11. Dick- son, and they have one child, M. Delight. In politics Mr. Lucas is a supporter of the principles of the Republican party.
R OBERT EMMET LUCAS is a na- tive of Wayne County, Ohio, born in Chippewa Township November 11, 1558, a son of Thomas and; G EORGE R. LAUBACH, of the firm of Laubach & Boyd, of Wooster, was born in Northampton Conuty, Pomi., January 1, 1553. His father, Rudolph 11., also a native of that county, was a miller by trade. The grandfather, likewise named Rudolph, was also born Margaret ( Crawford ) Lucas. His father was born in Pennsylvania November 21. 1797, and about 1830 moved to Ohio, sei- tling at Steubenville, and for a number of years he was captain of a steamboat on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. He was married at Steubenville, May 12, 1840. to ! in Pennsylvania. The family are of Ger- Margaret Crawford, who was born in man extraction, and were settled in this
WAYNE COUNTY. 2×1
country as early as 1765. The father of George R. was married in Pennsylvania to Catherine, danghter of George and Mary Roth, and born in Northampton County. Of their union six children were born, as follows: Maria, who died in Wooster, aged seventeen years: Emma, who is Mrs. Frederick Tescher; Odelia, now Mrs. John B. Dorn, of Wooster; George R .; James W., now a resident of Wooster, and Ida May, who died in Woos- ter at the age of eighteen. In the spring of 1859 the parents came to Wooster, where for a time the father engaged in mercantile business, and later embarked in milling. For many years he suffered from chronic rheumatism, and in 1886 he received a stroke of paralysis, which has rendered him helpless. He is now aged sixty-seven years. The entire family, parents and children, are members of the German Reformed Church.
was with MeKinley & Smith, of New Cas- tle, Pen., after which he returned to Wooster, and was employed in what was known as the Arcadome drug store. In this latter place he stayed until the store was burned ont, when he became connected with E. A. Jones, snecessor to Harvey Howard, remaining there until January 1, 1850, when he began business for him- sell in his present location. The firm was at first Laubach & Bevard, which later became Laubach & Donnelly, and still later Laubach & Boyd, the present firm. In February, 1850, Mr. Lanbach was married, his bride being Miss Sarah Ann Horn, daughter of John J. and Car- oline H. Horn, and a native of Brooklyn, N. Y. She was but a chill when she came with her parents to Wayne County, where her father died in 1877; her mother is now a resident of Wooster, and is aged fifty-two years. Of this union five chil- dren have been born: Ida May, Mattie H., Mary Hilda, Amy C. and George H. Mr. Laubach is a member of the Masonie fraternity, the Odd Fellows order and the Royal Areanum, and in polities he is a Republican. He and his wife are members of the Reformed Church. He
The subject of these lines was six years old when his parents removed to Wooster. He had good educational advantages, first attending the common schools and after- ward the Wooster High School. At the age of fourteen he started to learn the drug business with A. M. Armstrong. of Wooster, with whom he had been but a ' is one of the most progressive business men of Wayne County, whose success is entirely the result of his own energy. good judgment and close application to
year when the proprietor sold out. But young Lanbach continued at the business until he had been at it for about three ; and a half years. For two years then he a business. He is a man of unblemished
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character, and is highly esteomed and woll spoken of by all who know him.
H ENRY BIXLER was born in Man- chester, Carroll (formerly Balti- more ) Co., Md., in July, 1814. He had common-school advantages, but, determined on having a better educa- tion, he pursued his study at night by the light of the old-fashioned tallow dip. He taught school in Baltimore for several years, and then migrated to Wayne County, Ohio, in 1888, where for a time he clerked in a warehouse, later becoming a teacher, which profession he followed here for a mumber of years, later establishing him- self in the grocery business. Selling that out, he engaged in the manufacture of rope, which he followed until 1860. On giving up that business he bought a farm in Wayne Township, on which the family lived for three years, returning to Wooster in 1874, when he practically retired from active life.
Mr. Bisler was the first to introduce the manufacture of rope into Wayne County, and it was for years a prominent industry here. He was the architect of his own fortune, having earned every dollar he ever
entire journey ou foot. He was industri- ons and willing to turn his hand to any- thing by which he could honestly earn a dollar. He obtained his first start by gathering and selling chestnuts, and from that humble beginning he advanced step by step until he became well-to-do. His business integrity was such that the people with whom he dealt soon learned to know and appreciate the sterling character of the man. He was always guided by his mature judgment, not being prone to hasty action. A diligent and wise reader, he was usually well informed, and he will long be remembered as one of Wayne County's most useful citizens. November 5, 1551, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Catherine ( Lesher) Baker. and a native of Lancaster County, Pom. Her parents came to Wayne County, and there spent the remainder of their lives, the mother dying in 1571, at the age of seventy-two years, and the father in ISSS. aged eighty-nine years. Their daughter, Elizabeth, who was quite young when they came to Wayne County, was here reared and grew to womanhood.
To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bisler five children were born, viz. : Frank, who died in 1853, aged two years; Henry, who died in 1879, aged twenty-four: Ida C .; Darl possessed by his own industry. When he J., who was born October 21, 1560, in left Maryland for Wayne County he was Wooster, Wayne Co., Ohio, and Charles so poor that he had to make nearly the
E., the last three named living with their
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mother. Henry Bixler died December 27, 1882, aged sixty-eight years, and after his death his widow, with her three youngest children, made their home in Wooster, but they now reside on a farm at Madisonburgh. This family is well known in the county, and they are univer- sally esteemed by all who know them.
A LVI ZUVER is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Patterson ) Zuver, na- tives of Pennsylvania and Mary- land, respectively. They settled in that part of Mercer County, Pem., which is now Lawrence County, and in 1530 came to Wayne County, where they pur- chased the farm in Canaan Township now ocenpied by George Mathes, and were recognized as among the prominent farmers of their day. Jacob Zuver voted first with the Whig party, and afterward with the Republican, and both he and his wife were members of Canaan Methodist Episcopal Church, He died in ISTI, and his widow in 1552. They reared five children, three of whom are living: Alvi, Jolm, who lives with Alvi, and Robert, in Sidney, Shelby Co., Ohio.
Alvi Zuver, the subject of this me- 1
moir, was born in Mercer County, Pom., October 15, 1524, and was live years of age when he came to Wayne County.
He attended the township schools and Canaan Academy, also the schools of Le Roy and Norwalk. He learned the car- penter's trade, which he followed for several years, and has since lived on the homestead in Canaan Township. In 1851 Mr. Zuver married Miss Jane E., dangh- ter of Uri Smith, of Litchfield, Medina Co., Ohio, and four children have been born to them, three of whom died in in- fancy. Mr. Zuver has always voted with the Republican party. In 1555 he was elected justice of the peace of Canaan Township, and served fifteen consecutive years. He is a member of Canaan Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and has been recording steward for many years.
A LBERT MILLER is a native of Wayne County, Ohio, born in 1839, a son of Michael and Mar- garet Miller. His parents had a Family of nine children, but five of whom are living-Lophena. Albert. Michael, Augustns and Elizabeth. The names of the deceased are Mary, Adaline, Isabella and Adolph. Michael was an early sel- tler of Wayne County, his first purchase of land being 160 acres in Groene Township, which he subsequently soll and bought eighty acres in Wayne Township, on which he lived the rest of his life. He
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died in 1850, aged forty-eight years, his widow in 1869, aged sixty-two years. They were natives of Germany, coming to Amer- ica with their parents in their youth. He was a successful farmer, and one of the respected citizens of Wayne Township. Albert Miller was reared in his native township, which has always been his home, and he received good educational advan- tages. He was early instructed in the duties of farm life, and since attaining manhood has devoted his energies to that calling. In 1867 he married Maria Leli- man, daughter of John Lehman, of Wayne County, and to them have been born a family of four children: F. L., F. C., E. A. and Amie B. In politics Mr. Miller casts his suffrage with the Demo- cratie party. He has always taken an active part in the public affairs of his township, and has served as school di- rector and township trustee.
H ENRY SHREVE, son of Thomas Shreve, was born in a stone house west of Shreve, in Clinton Towu- ship, Wayne Co., Ohio. His fa- ther's place of nativity was Washington Mills, near Perryopolis, Fayette Co .. Penn., where he married Mary Wigle. In 1813 he made a tour through this county in search of a desirable location,
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