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 3
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Judge Welker was married March 4, 1841, the day of President Harrison's in- auguration, to Miss Maria Armor, of Mili- orsburgh, Ohio, a sister of Prof. S. G. Armor, of Long Island Medical College. She is a lady of refinement and culture, and was highly esteemed by her acquaint- anees and friends in Washington City. They havo no children. At the close of his term of judgeship of the court of com- mon pleas, and in the spring of 1857, he removed to Wooster, where he has perma- nently resided ever since, though his ju- dicial duties demanded his presence in Cleveland and Toledo. He is now also professor of political science and of con-
stitutional and international law in the University of Wooster, where he delivers a course of lectures. A few years ago the same university conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws. He has been, in the loftiest sense, a public man almost throughout life. Among the galaxy of distinguished men of Ohio he has exerted a great influence in the development of his native State, and, in his quiet, unob- trusive, but effective way, has contributed largely in shaping her political destiny.
H UGH A. HART, M. D. Well known, and standing high as a specialist in his profession, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in Juniata County, Penn., June 16, 1843. His father, Will- iam Hart, was a native of the same county, born in 1809, and therein spent his life in the occupation of farming. Ho passed from carth in 1550. The paternal an- cestry were of Scotch-Irish descent, and came to America many years ago; the maternal ancestry were Scotch, and came to America at a date even earlier than the paternal ancestry. The material great-grandfather served through the Revolution, and the maternal grand- father, Robert Robinson, was a lieu-
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tenant in the Pennsylvania infantry in the War of 1812. William Hart, the father of Hugh A., was united in marriage, in 1838, with Miss Prudence A. Robinson, also a native of Juniata County, Penn., and by her became the father of six children, of whom four are now living, Hugh A. (our subject ) and Mary A. being the only ones in Wayne County. In 1867 Mrs. Hart came to Wooster, Ohio, and here remained until her death, which oc- curred July 9, 1888, she being seventy- two years of age. She was a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Wooster. Her remains rest beside those of her husband, in Pennsylvania.
The subject proper of these lines when a boy labored on his father's farm, and at six- teen years of age was sent to school at the Academie School of Academia, Pem. In 1863 he enlisted in the service of his Stato at the time of the Southern invasion. After three months he returned to his home, and at Thompsontown, Penn., be- gan to fit himself for life's work by study- ing medicine. He later attended the University of New York, graduating in medicine thereat in 1867. The same year he also graduated at the Aylette Medical Institute, New York City, and then came to Wayne County, where he began practice and continued until 1875, when he again went to New York in order to make aspecial study of the eye aud ear,
under the direction of Prof. H. Knapp. March 1, 1879, he received an appoint- ment as clinical assistant, and later as as- sistant surgeon in the New York Ophthal- mic and Aural (eye and ear) Institute, and as such served two years. In 1881 he returned to Wooster, where he has since made his home, having established a large practice and wide reputation as a very successful specialist. His business has gradually increased and extended un- til his patients now come many miles for treatment. In 1873 Dr. Hart was mar- ried to Miss Kate E. Imgard, daughter of August and Jeanette ( Nold) Imgard, and a native of Wooster City, Ohio. This union has been blessed with one child, named H. Wayne Hart. The Doctor, as were his ancestors, is a Democrat. He is a member of the Board of Education, now serving his second term. Both himself and his esteemed wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church of Wooster.
D OHIN H. MARTIN, sou of John and Ruth (Moore) Martin, was born in Clinton Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, in 1529, was reared and received his school training in Holmes County, and. having received a liberal education, he taught school successfully for some time.
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In 1852 he traveled across the plains to California, where he remained five years, engaged in mining. Returning in 1857, he married, in 1859, Mary L., daughter of Samuel and Eliza Hayes, and located in Prairie Township, Holmes Co., Ohio, near Holmesville, where he carried on farming, and where two children were born: Janetta Irwin and Charles Fremont.
In 1865 he purchased the farm he now owns in Salt Creek Township, Wayne County, to which he removed in 1866, and where he has since resided. Here one child was born, George Jared, now at home with his parents. Mr. Martin en- listed in Company A, One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 100-days' service, and was on guard duty at Washington, D. C. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are members of the Congre- gational Church; politically he is a Re- publican. [For early history of the Mar- tin family see sketch of James Martin. ]
W ALTON C. SCOTT, editor of the Dalton Gazelle, is a native of Dalton, Ohio, born November 17, 1849, a son of Levi M. and Mary A. Scott, natives of Pennsylvania, and of Irish descent. He was reared and edu- cated in his native village, and in his youth learned the "art preservative."
He subsequently turned his attention to journalistic work, and in 1875 established the Gazette, which was the first newspaper in Dalton. This he has now conducted fourteen years. Mr. Scott is a stanch re- publican, and has been honored by being the choice of the people for position of postmaster of Dalton, and is the present incumbent. Mr. Scott was married, Octo- ber 25, 1871, to Amanda S. Fenton, daughter of Smith and Susan Fenton. They have a family of five children: Ernest F., Luanna W., Gertrude L., Harry W. and Clyde C. Mr. Scott has been prominently identified with the pol- ities of his native town, and for fourteen years has served as city clerk, a position he still holds. His father was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, a member of the Forty-first Ohio Infantry, and after his return home voted as he fought, for Republican principles. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and are among the promi- nent and influential citizens of the town.
LBERT STAMM. The first of this family to come to Wayne County, Ohio, was Jacob Stamm, now deceased. He was born in Somerset County, Penn., March 14, 1805, his parents being George and Elizabeth
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(Baker) Stamm, natives of that county. His father dying when he was quite young, Jacob was reared by his grand- father Baker, and in 1830 they came to Wayne County, locating in Franklin Township, on 160 acres of land, where Mr. Baker ended his days. His mother also came to Wayne County, married one Stuckey, and died in Centerville. Jacob was first married, in Pennsylvania, to Catherine Schaaf, who died in 1832, and September 1, 1853, he married Margaret, daughter of John Hagy, of Holmes County, Ohio, by which union there were nine children, all yet living: Albert; Eliza; Adolph; George, married to Cora Estella Blue, of Knox County, Ohio; Jacob, married to Hannah Goodear, of Cass County, Neb. ; Wilson, in Nebraska, and Joseph, Margaret and LeGrand, at home.
Mr. Stamm was a stanch Republican, and held various township offices. He was a leading member of the German Lutheran Church of Wooster; also helped to build the church in Franklin Township. He died August 27, 1878. His widow now lives, with seven of her children, on the old homestead, Albert, the subject of this sketch, being the eklest, and taking charge of the affairs of the estate. The family are engaged in general farming and stock raising, and are very highly respected by the community in which they live.
LOHN EDWIN ZIMMERMAN, of Smithville, Wayne Co., Ohio, is the youngest son of John and Mary (Strock ) Zimmerman, who have been res- idents of the county for forty years, and are probably the oldest married couple in the county, having lived together for nearly sixty-four years. The paternal grand- parents of our subject, George and Eliz- abeth (Lyttle) Zimmerman, were both natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in Germantown, and the latter in Chester. The father was of German extraction, his parents having come to this country prior to the Revolution. The mother was of Scotch-Irish descent. George Zimmer- man was a currier by trade, and lived in Philadelphia until after his marriage. On the breaking out of the yellow fever there, in 1801, he removed to Germantown, and shortly after to Lancaster County, Pen., where he and his wife died. he aged sixty-one, and she seventy-three.
Jolm Zimmerman, father of our subject, lived in Lancaster until he was nineteen, when he went to Mechanicsburg. Cumber- land Co., Penn., where he worked at cabinet- making and house carpentering, and later helped to build the State capitol, at Har- risburg, Penn. On the completion of the State house he returned to Cumberland County, and again engaged in cabinet- making until 1548, when he removed to Ohio, living the first six months in New
1
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Carlisle, Clarke County, then coming to Smithville, Wayne County, where he has ever since lived. There he engaged in merchandising for three years, and then again started the cabinet-making, carry- ing it on until 1884, when he retired, giv- ing up the business to his sons. March 3, 1825, John Zimmerman was married to Mary Strock, who was born in Pennsyl- vania August 31, 1802. They are the parents of three sons and two daughters. Two are deceased. Joseph died October . 6, 1846, aged twenty years and nine months, and Mary Emily died May 19, 1855. The survivors are Manuel S., married to Sarah Ginley, carrying on cabinet-making and undertaking with his brother, and John E., our subject. The daughter is Adeline. wife of Henry Will- aman, of Canton, Ohio. John Zimmer- man was for two years a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, and since com- ing to Ohio has held several important offices. For fourteen years he was justice of the peace, and for almost as long a time was notary public. He was an ex- eentor and administrator, and settled many estates, his first experience in that line being in Pennsylvania sixty-three years 1 ago. He has enjoyed in a marked degree the confidence of his neighbors, who felt safe in entrusting their business in his hands. He and his wife are members of the Church of God of Smithville. For | with his parents. Mr. Zimmerman has
nearly fifty years he was an elder, but the growing infirmities of age caused his res- ignation. During all the many years they have been residents of Smithville he and his wife have ever enjoyed the respect and esteem of their neighbors, as most upright and honorable persons and con- sistent Christians, and now, well advanced iu years, can look back with satisfaction to a life well spent.
John Edwin Zimmerman was born in Cumberland County, Penn., September 25, 1834. He came to Ohio with his par- ents, and since their removal to Smith- ville has ever since made that place his home. He learned his father's trade of cabinet-making, working with the latter until his retirement, when, as stated, he and his brother Manuel took the business. They also do undertaking, which has be- come the principal part of their trade. On May 2, 1864, John E. and his brother Manuel enlisted for 100 days in Company A, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Volun- teer Infantry, serving four months. No- vember 9, 1865, he was married to Isa- bella, daughter of William and Maria Greenamyer, of whose family a full his- tory is given under the name of P. S. Greenamyer. She was born in Colum- biana, Ohio, Jannary 30, 1840. They have one child, a son, named William G., now twenty-one years of age, who lives
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been treasurer of the township, and has also held other positions of trust. He is a friend to education, and is one of the incorporators of the Northern Ohio Nor- inal School. He is a member of David- son Post, No. 490, G. A. R., and as a neighbor and citizen is highly esteemed.
OSEPH A. SCHUCH, county record- er of Wayne County, was born in Ashland County, Ohio, November 6, 1849. His paternal grandparents came to America from Germany about 1847, and located in Wooster, Ohio, preparing to make a home there, but in eight days after their arrival death took away the grandmother, and eighteen months later the grandfather. Frederick Schuch, the father of our subject, came to America in 1846, and direct to Wooster, Ohio. At Loudonville, Ashland Co., Ohio. he was married to Margaret Young, a native of Holmes County, Ohio, and the daughter of Christian Young. Her mother died when she ( Margaret ) was but eight years of age. This union was blessed by the birth of eight children, seven of whom are now living.
Joseph A. Schuch, the subject proper of this biographical memoir. received school advantages at Loudonville, Ohio,
and later for one and a half years at Wooster. In 1874 he was married to Miss Anna Kemmerline, daughter of George and Hannah Kemmerline, and a native of Wooster, Ohio. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Schuch : Frederick and Eveline. Mr. Schuch first learned the trade of a barber, and fol- lowed it successfully for some years. He was very popular and made many friends. April 6, 1881, he was elected township treasurer, in which capacity he served three terms, and in 1887 he was elected to his present position of county recorder. His majority has always been large, and far greater than his party vote would alone give, thus showing his popularity with both parties. Mr. Schuch is a nat- ural musician, and still is, as he has been for years, connected with the Wooster band. He is a member of Morgen Stern Lodge No. 41, K. of P., and the Improved Order of Red Men.
D AVID L SLEMMONS was born in Milton Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, June 21, 1839, son of Sam- uel and An ( MeKee) Slemmons, who were natives of Washington County, Pa .. and came to Wayne County in 1519, where they entered a traet of land in
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Milton Township. They were prominent members of the Jackson Presbyterian Church, in which the father was an elder. He was an active Democrat, and held the office of township treasurer for several years. He died in 1877, his wife in 1874. Five of their children are still living, viz. : Samuel, John, David I., Eliz- abeth ( widow of James Whiteside ) and Martha (Mrs. M. S. Gish), all in Milton Township, Wayne County. The subject of this memoir received his education at the township schools and Seville Academy.
In 1877 he married Mary, daughter of William Armstrong, of Canaan Town- ship, Wayne County, and they have two children, Howard and Laura. He is en- gaged in farming, and owns two quarter sections of land in Milton Township. Mr. Slemmons is an elder in the Jackson Presbyterian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. He held the office of township clerk for a period of twelve years, from 1869 until 1881.
W ILLIAM MUSSER was born June 9, 1835, in Salt Creek Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, on the farm now owned by J. B. Crosby, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah ( McDonald) Musser. John McDonald, maternal grand-
father of our subject, was of Scotch de- scent, born in Fauquier County, Va., where he married and died, having reared a family of eight children, as follows: John, James, Carter, William, Elizabeth, Mary, Nancy and Sarah, all deceased except Sarah. He served in the colonial army during the entire war for independence, that gave birth to our great republic. Jacob Musser, father of William, came from Switzerland to America in 1816, and in 1822 revisited Europe. Returning to the United States, he continued his jour- ney to Shenandoah County, Va., and there, in 1834, married, about which time he removed to Wayne County, Ohio, making the journey from the Shenandoah Valley on horseback. He located in Salt Creek Township, and here followed his trade, that of carpenter, and built many of the better class of houses at that time. He was the father of four children, as fol- lows: William, Catherine ( now wife of L. C. Reichenbach, residing in East Union Township, Wayne County), Lucy (now Mrs. Smith, residing in Paint Town- ship. Wayne County) and Emily (now Mrs. Allen Brown, residing in Salt Creek Township, Wayne County). The father of these children died December 23, 18$1; : his widow has her home with her son, William.
William Musser was married Decem- ber 24, 1863, to Caroline Emick, daughter
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of George Emick, of Sugar Creek Town- ship, Wayne County, and located on the farm he now owns, in Salt Creek Town- ship, where he carries on farming. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Musser are Emma C., Sidney A., Harvey E. and Charles J., all at home with their parents. He is identified with the Republican party, and has been a member of the Board of Education for twelve or fifteen years, dur- ing which time many changes and im- provements have been made in the town- ship in regard to schools and school buildings.
E DWARD SCHAAF, a son of Mi- chael and Elizabeth (Stamm) Schaaf, was born on the homestead : one of the trustees of the Moorland Meth- he now owns, in Franklin Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, April 9, 1841. Mi- ; chael Schaaf was a native of Bavaria,
Germany, immigrated to America about , of Franklin Township. Wayne County, 1820 or 1525, and first located in Somer- set Connty. Penn. In 1830 he came to Wayne County, and located on eighty acres of land in Franklin Township, where he died in 1871. He held several polit- ical offices, and was a prominent member of the Reformed Lutheran Church. His wife died in 1582. Two of their children are deceased, viz .: Michael and Albert, two children, Odessa E. and Eliza.E. : Mr.
both of whom were members of Company A, One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and both died in 1863.
The seven children yet living are as follows: Eliza Ann, wife of Isaac Bur- nett, in Franklin Township, Wayne Coun- ty; Adam, in Williams County, Ohio; George, also in Franklin Township; Jo- siah. in Arkansas; Edward, on the home- stead; John and William, both in Frank- lin Township. Of these, George was born in Franklin Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, June 17, 1835; in 1860 he married Esther, daughter of John Burnett, of Franklin Township, and they have five children: Elsie Jane, Francis Asbury, John Ellsworth, Osmond C. and Harley Walter; the father of these children is a Republican in politics, and has been school director in his township: he is
- "odist Episcopal Church. John Schaaf was born April 27, 1847; in 1873 he married Mary J., daughter of S. M. Henry, Esq., and they have one child, Florence E. ; Mr. Schaaf is one of the trustees of the Moor- land Methodist Episcopal Church. Will- iam Schaaf was born September 13, 1553, on the homestead where he now lives, and was married, in 1876, to Miss Alice, daughter of Seth Smith, of Franklin "Township, Wayne Co., Ohio; they have
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Schaaf and family are members of the Moorland Methodist Episcopal Church. Edward Schaaf, whose name heads this sketch, enlisted, in 1862, in Company G, Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served nine months. He never married.
A NDREW J. BLACKSTONE, cloth- ing merchant, Orrville, Ohio, is a native of Wayne County, born in Paint Township, April 29, 1840. On his paternal side his grandfather came from England and his grandmother from Ger- many. On the maternal side both grand- parents came from Wales. They all set- tled in Westmoreland County, Penn., where Daniel Blackstone, father of Andrew J., was born in 1810. He and his wife are now living near West Lebanon, in Paint Township, his farm lying partly in that township and partly in Sugar Creek.
He camue to Wayne County with his par- onts when young, and being left father- less at an early age, had to rely entirely on his own exertions. Not only did he maintain himself, but he was the main support of his mother until her death, which occurred in 1854. Notwithstand- ing his disadvantageous circumstances, by unremitting industry and habits of thrift he made his way in the world, and is now
in possession of a comfortable compe- tence, besides giving each of his children a good start in life. He was quite young when his parents removed to Ohio, and, until his marriage, worked out. After that, in company with his mother, he bought a small piece of land, and on that place he has lived ever since. As the years went by and prosperity rewarded his industry, piece by piece he added to his farm, until to-day he has one of the finest in Wayne County, comprising 225 acres. His early habits of industry have never left him, and he has always been noted as an extraordinarily industrious and hard-working man. Having all he could attend to at home, he has avoided public office, his polities being simply to do his duty at the polls. His first vote was cast for Harrison and Tyler, in 1840. He is known as a kind and charitable man, always willing to help the poor and distressed, and is highly esteemed in the community where he has so long made his home. He is a firm believer in the doctrines of Christianity, but has never united with any denomination. He, how- ever, has always been a liberal contribu- tor to all church work, and gives freely to all churches in the neighborhood. As illustrative of his character, it may bo mentioned that he has never in his life been engaged in a lawsuit, either as plaintiff or defendant. He was married
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when twenty-one or twenty-two years of age to Miss Harriet Griffith, daughter of Benjamin and Mary Griffith, of Sugar Creek Township, of which her father was one of the early settlers, and where he held the office of justice of the peace many years, until his death. Harriet Griffith was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., in 1812. She is a woman of deep religious convictions, and was reared in the Methodist faith by pious parents. She is now a member of the Lutheran Church near her home. She has been a faithful wife and devoted mother, and has the sincere love and af- fection of all her children. Mr. and Mrs. Blackstone have had ten children, of whom one, Stephen, is deceased. The rest are Benjamin, living in Stark County, Ohio; Susan, wife of John A. Rose, in Marion, Kas .; Andrew J .: Eli, living near Tipton, Mo .; Melissa, wife of Wesley Seiler, in Waterloo, Ind. ; Mary, wife of W. M. Snyder, of this county; Howard M., also in- this county: Har- vey Ervin, a practicing physician in Ex -; celsior, Mo., and Isaac A., on a farm near the old home.
Andrew J. Blackstone, the subject of this memoir, lived on the farm until he was twenty-one years old, receiving a good common-school education. He was married in 1861, and removed to Illinois, renting a farm there in the spring of
1862, but in a few months he gave it up to enter the Union army, on July 21 of that year, in Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Volunteer In- fantry. While in the service he under- went much hardship. In the fall of 1862, at Louisville, Ky., he was detailed to help manage teams, and was kicked and trampled upon by a mule, and severely injured, laying him up in the hospital for two months. In November following he rejoined his regiment at Glasgow, Ky., and was in the battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn. January 21, 1863, he was one of a detail sent out with a forage train. Scarcely had they passed the Union pick- ets when they were charged upon by rebel cavalry, and thirty-three teams, teamsters, detail and guards were eapt- ured. They were hurried off to the rebel Gen. Morgan's headquarters at MeMinnville, Ten., where they were pa- roled. Mr. Blackstone was sent out with rebel teams on a foraging expedition, and did not get back to camp until 11 o'clock at night, before which time all the other prisoners had been sent off. He was given his parole, but was not al- lowed to leave the rebel lines. The hard- ships and exposure he here endured brought on a severe fit of sickness, leav- ing him hardly able to walk. Other pris- oners had been captured in the meantime, and with them he was sent to the Union
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lines, but, being unable to keep up, he fell behind, and was picked up by Union cav- alry, who . took him to Glasgow, Ky. His parole directed him to report at Louis- ville, Ky., and on his way from Glasgow to the railroad he was overhauled by two rebel cavalrymen, who took away his pa- role, pronouncing it bogus, and charged him with being a spy. During the night he escaped, after being shot at several times, and made his way to the railroad, and thence to Louisville. By order of Gov. Brough he was sent to . Camp Chase, Ohio, and afterward to his home. From there he reported by letter to his old captain, but learned soon after that he had been killed. Getting no orders, and anxions to re-enter his country's serv- ice, and not wishing to return to Com- pany H, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois, in violation of his oath of parole, he enlisted, January 4, 1864, in the Ninth Ohio Cavalry, in which he did gallant service until the close of the war, being promoted to first sergeant in six months after joining the regiment, for meri- torious conduct. He participated in over thirty cavalry engagements; was with Gen. Rousseau on his famous raid through Alabama, from July 10 to 22, 1864; then at the downfall of Atlanta, Ga. ; thence with Gen. Sherman on the march to the sea, and back up through the Carolinas to the surrender of Gen. Johnston, at Lex-
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