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 36
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Jacob T. died December 14, 1873, was a | resident of Wayne Township, and was the owner of fifty-two acres of land (he was married to Lydia Baker, and they had two sons and tive danghters, all but
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WAYNE COUNTY.
Thus it will be seen that Wayne Coun- ty has several representatives of the Hoff- man family, all of whom are prosperous, substantial citizens, and the most of them are members of the church, and all are honored members of society.
H ARRIET REICHARD, widow of Daniel Reichard, was born within fifteen miles of Gettysburg, Adams County, Peun., May 22, 1805, and is a danghter of Isaac Sadler, a native of Pennsylvania. She was married February 20. 1827, to Daniel Reichard, a native of Franklin County, Penn., born of German descent. He came to Wayne County, Ohio, in May, 1832, and resided one year in the city of Wooster, coming in the following year to Congress Township, and settling near Congress Village when land here was selling at $5 an acre. To Mr. and Mrs. Reichard were born seven children, five of whom grew to manhood, Four now living, as follows: Elizabeth, wife of Samnel Bowman, now residing in Michigan; Louisa, wife of Thomas Bar- uard, residing in the central part of Con- gress Township, Wayne County; William, married, and living in Congress Township, mud Daniel S., a barber in West Salem, Ohio.
The father died March 25, 1855, aged
fifty years, one month and twenty-two days. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the mother is now making her home with her son, Daniel S., hale and hearty, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, in the enjoyment of good health, and bidding fair to live many years. She has been a zealous member for over sixty years of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Samuel Yost is now owner of the old Reichard homestead, near Killbuek. Daniel S. Reichard was married October 14, 1569, to Miss Mary Hershey, daughter of Abram Hershey, and born March 23, 1850, in Congress Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. Her father came from near Pitts- bargh, Penn., and was among the early pioneers of Wayne County, entering land one mile northeast of the village of Con- gress. To Mr. and Mrs. D. S. Reichard was born. January 20, 1574, one child, Nevada. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are closely identified with the social and edu- eational interests of their township.
A BRAM HERSHEY was born near Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co .. Penn., April 10, 1817, and died in Con- gress Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, April 26. 1559. Hle remained in his nu-
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WAYNE COUNTY.
tive State until manhood, and in March, 1843, came to Ohio, and located in Con- gress Township, Wayne County, where he entered land about a mile northeast of the village. He was married in May, 1844, to Rebecca Newcomer, of Congress Town- ship, and settled on his farm, which he made his home the rest of his life.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hershey were born ten children, nine of whom lived till maturity, and eight are still living. Their eldest son Jacob, died about seventeen years ago, and had been married about two years at the time of his death. Four sons and four daughters are now living, viz .: Harrison, William, Franklin, Charley, Elizabeth, Mary, Armanda and Maria. All are married except Charley, who lives with his mother on a part of the old homestead. Their present farm consists of sixty-five acres, the rest having been sold to Newton Stanley. All the children are residents of Congress Township except Armanda, who lives in Mansfield, Ohio.
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W ILANIAM MILLER, farmer, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, April 5, 1827, a sou of Abraham Miller. When he was two years of age, his parents moved to Wayne County, and settled in Chester Township, where he was reared and educated. In
his youth he learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked seven years, and then learned the cooper's trade. He has also given his attention to agriculture, and now owns one of the best farms in Plain Township, on which he has lived since 1870. He has never sought official hon- ors, preferring the quiet of home life, but gives his suffrage to the Democratic party.
He was married in 1852 to Elizabeth, daughter of George Snyder. She died, leaving one son, Stephen Albert. Mr. Miller subsequently married Margaret Rice, and to them were born six children, five of whom are living; Sarah Elizabeth, A. O., Susan M., Mary J. and William R., all of whom are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Lutheran Church.
J HOMAS ROTH, one of the most en- terprising and progressive farmers of Wooster Township, was born in Northampton County, Pen., March 1S. 1819, and is the son of George A. and Mary ( Ritter ) Roth. His father was also a native of Northampton County, and was a farmer, and also operated a grist, saw and clover-seed mill. His wife was a nafive of Pennsylvania, and of German descent. Eight children were born to this couple, six of whom are now living.
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five of them in Wayne County. George A. Roth died in 1862, aged nearly sev- enty years. He was a Whig when that party was in existence, and later a Re- publican. He received a good education, and could use both English and German with equal facility. He was a member of the Lutheran Church, as is his widow, who is now (1889) living in Wooster, at the age of eighty-eight years, and is won- derfully well preserved, both mentally and physically, for a woman of her years.
YOHN MOWRER is a son of Heury Thomas Roth worked on the Farm dur- ing his early life, and upon reaching manhood was married to Susan Laubach, a lady of German descent, and a daughter of Rudolph Laubach. In 1864 Mr. Roth came to Wayne County, and settled upon the place where he now lives. When he purchased it the farm was partially improved, but under Mr. Roth's manage- ment it has been made one of the best in the township. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Roth, as follows: George W., residing at home: James L., who died in infancy, and Melinda M. A. and Catharine ( Dampman) Mowrer, natives of Chester County, Penn., where he was also born, September 26, 1812. In 1832 the family came to Wayne County, and first located on a rented farm in Baughman Township; then, after liv- ing there one year, they purchased a larm in East Union Township, where they lived until shortly before their deaths, then bought a house and lot near their son, John. Henry Mowrer sent a substitute to the War of 1812. He died in 1865. and had been an older in the Lutheran Church for many years. His widow fol- ( widow of James Schmuck), who is also ' lowed him to the grave in the following residing at home with her two daughters, Cora and Edna. Mr. Roth is a Repub- lican in polities, and he and his family are members of the Zion Evangelical English
Lutheran Church of Wooster. He is well known in Wayne County, for the ad- vancement of whose interests he has done
much, laboring earnestly for the moral and material welfare of the community, for which he will long be held in grateful remembrance. His son, George W. Roth, remains upon the home farm, is a Re- publican in politics, and is highly es- teemed as a young man of excellent char- acter and abilities.
year, 1866. Their family were John, our subject : Mary Ann, Mrs. Armstrong Irving, of Williams County, Ohio: Cath- arine, wife of Simon Chaffin; Mrs. Daniel Bair, of East Union Township, Wayne County: Matilda, wife of Andrew Mil- bourn, of East Union Township; Han-
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nah and Daniel, both deceased; Henry, in Indiana; Peter, in East Union Town- ship, Wayne County.
The subject of this memoir came to Wayne Connty with his parents, as above stated, and remained with them until 1836, when he located on his present farm in East Union Township. Decem- ber 24, 1835, he married Savilla, daugh- ter of Jacob Steele, of East Union Town- ship. Eleven children were born to them. Those deceased are one in infancy, and Levi, who was a member of Company A, One Hundred and Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died of fever in 1862; the living are Harriet, who mar- ried John Bechtel, of Greene Township, Wayne County, and has five children, Malvin, Savilla, Elizabeth, Oron J. and Willard; Mary, wife of Isaac Richwine, of East Union Township, has three chil- dren, Irvin, Sarah and Mary: Elizabeth, wile of Eli Gardner, of Orrville, Ohio, has four children, Lee, Charles, Ada and Willard: Sarah, wife of William Stein, of East Union Township, Wayne County; Emily, wife of William Hantsbarger, also of East Union Township: Savilla, wife of Frank Harbaugh, of Orrville, Ohio, has four children, Earnest, Emily, Otto and Ethel; Isaac, in Fort Wayne, Ind., married Elizabeth Lightfoot, of East Union Township. Wayne County, and has two children, John and Mary; , Mr. Findlay, For the ransom money. He
Henry, in Nebraska, married to Miss Evert, and has four children, Willard, Savilla, Lizzie and John; Presley, in Ap- ple Creek, Ohio, married Catharine, daughter of Craig McCarthy, and has five children, Homer, Howard, John, Rowland and Jemimah. Mr. Mowrer is a Democrat, and has heen school director, supervisor, etc., of his township. He has been an older in the Evangelical Lu- theran Church for many years.
W ILIMAM D. RATH, farmer. This prominent and intelligent citizen of Wayne Township was born in York County. Pen., in 1805, of German parentage. His father, William Rath, was a soldier in the French and Holland War, and was captured by the French, and had not a treaty been effected, would have been forced to engage in the war against England. He escaped from his captors, and, having only one day in which to reach a place of safety. was obliged to leave everything behind him. He was married in 1796 to Mary Agnes Smith, and together they left their native land for America, the home of the Tree. They were sold to the captain of the ves- sel to pay their passage, and on landing he was engaged to work two years for a
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WAYNE COUNTY. 107
served faithfully, and at the expiration of the time he and his wife went to Lancas- ter County, Pen., and there obtained em- ployment by the day. From Lancaster City they moved to Little York, and from there to Baltimore, Md., where they lived twelve years. They then returned to Pennsylvania, and located near Han- over, York County, where the father died, aged ninety years.
William D. Rath is the fourth of a , United Brethren Church.
family of eight children. When a young boy he was sent among strangers to work on a farm. As soon as he was old enough he began to learn the trade of a black- : smith, which he followed in Pennsylvania for twelve years. He then came to Ohio, and settled in Seneca County, coming thence to Wooster, where he worked at his trade ten years. He then moved to Mansfield, Ohio, but four years later re- turned to Wooster. In 1848 he bought the Farm where he now lives of Samuel Summers, which contains nearly a quarter Section of land. He has made many valuable improvements, and now has one of the best farms in the township. He has always been a hard-working man, and is remarkably well preserved for one of his years. He has never been an aspir- ant for officials honors, but has held sev- eral offices of trust in his township. In politics he is a supporter of the principles of the Republican party He was mar-
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ried in 1830, to Sibby Allison, daughter of Francis Allison. She died, and he afterward married busetta Emrick, daugh- ter of Joseph Emrick. To them were born seven children, six of whom are liv- ing, viz .: Sibby Maria, now Mrs. Kauf- man ; Joseph; Emma C., now Mrs. Swartz; Mary Agnes, now Mrs. Schramm: Cor- delia, now Mrs. Casky; Lincoln, now in California. Mr. Rath is a member of the
JACOB HUNTSBERGER, farmer, postoffice address Benton City, Ohio, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, November 7, 1815. His parents, Samuel and Maud ( Westheffer ) Huntsberger, were both natives of Cumberland County, Penn., where they were married, and came to Wayne County, Ohio, probably about fifty-eight years ago. They bought a farm on Section 32, in Banghman Town- ship, now occupied by their son. Abram Unulsberger. Here Samuel Huntsberger spent the rest of his life, dying Angust 30, 1873, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a farmer all his lifetime, never engaging in any other occupation. Mr. Huntsberger was a man of upright and honorable character, strictly honest in all his dealings. Shortly before his death he united with the Mennonile Church, dying
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in that faith. He is buried in the grave- yard attached to that church in Baughman Township. His widow still lives on the homestead farm, where they first settled in this county. They were the parents of eleven children, six of whom died young, and the following five are now living: Elizabeth, wife of Jacob E. Winger, in Baughman Township: Mattie, unmarried, in Orrville; Fame, wife of Amos Eshel- man, also in Orrville; Jacob, and Abra- ham, on the old homestead.
Jacob was reared on the farm, living with his parents until he was twenty-five years of age, when he afterward spent a year in Orrville, and a year with his brother-in-law, Winger. December 22, 1870, Mr. Huntsberger was married to ACOB B. SHERRICK, one of the enterprising farmers of Wooster Township, was born in Westmore- land County, Penn., in 1813. His father, Joseph Sherrick, was also a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster County, of Swiss descent, his ancestors coming to America in 1740, and settling in the Key- stone State. Joseph Sherrick married Barbara Beidler, and to them were born eight children. but two of whom, Jacob B. and Peter. reside in Wayne County, Ohio. The mother died March 1, 1556, aged sixty-six years, and the father in Sep- tember, 1861, aged nearly seventy-seven Sarah Jane, daughter of Nathaniel and Sarah (Galloway ) Ervin, of Baughman Township. She was born on the place where she now lives, which her husband bought after the death of her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Ervin were old residents of Wayne County, coming here at an early day, and both died on the farm now owned by Mr. Huntsberger. They came from Washington County, Penn., and settled on the place where they passed the bal- ance of their days. Nathaniel Ervin died in 1868, and his wife a few years before that date. Mrs. Huntsberger was born September 22, 1550. Mr. and Mrs. years. Both were of the Mennonite faith. Huntsberger are the parents of four ! Jacob B. Sherrick was reared on his
children, viz .: Amy, born January 17, 1872; Samuel J., born March 7. 1875; Mary E., born May 5, 1577, and Charles Jerkins, born February 3, 1880, all still under the parental roof. Mr. Huntsberger does not aspire to hold office, but has served his township as trustee for three terms. In politics he is a Republican. He and his wife are both members of the Presbyterian Church at Orrville, of which he is an elder. Those who know Mr. Huntsberger will speak of him in high terms of praise as a man of upright char- acter and principles.
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father's farm, receiving but limited edu- cational advantages. He was married in 1839 to Miss Sally Shupe, daughter of John and Catherine Shape. After their marriage and until the spring of 1582 they remained in Pennsylvania, their home being in the coke regions. Not liking the society there, they moved to Wooster, Ohio, where, a few months later, in Angust, 1882, the devoted mother died, aged sixty-seven years, leaving a husband and four children to mourn her loss. Of the children, Kate, the only danghter, is at home, and now the housekeeper for her father; Isaac is in Pennsylvania; Joseph lives on the home farm, and John is a farmer of Wooster Township. The homestead of Mr. Sherrick was formerly the property of Alexander McBride. Politically Mr. Sherriek was in early life a Whig, but since its organization has af- filiated with the Republican party. He and his family are members of the United Brethren Church. His son, Isaac, was a soldier in the War of the Rebellion, enlist- ing in a Pennsylvania regiment in Au- gust, 1863, and returned home at the close of the war, serving faithfully for three years.
Joseph S., the second son, was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., No- vember 11. 1845, and was married in ISST to Samantha Myers. They have five children: Jacob, Annie, Cora, Emma
and Joseph. He now has charge of the home farm, thus relieving his father in.a great measure of its responsibilities.
M RS. HARRIET WINEBREN- NER, for over half a century a a resident of Wayne County, was born in Pennsylvania, February 15, 1823. Her Father, Melchoir Rahn, was a native of the same State, and of German extraction. He was married to Sarah Kapp, a native of Harrisburgh, Penn., and some fifty-nine years ago they came to Wayne County, both dying in this county-the father at the age of sixty- seven, and the mother one week later, at the age of sixty-one. Twelve children were born to this worthy couple, of whom six now survive, one in California, two in Jowa and three in Wayne County. Mr. Rahn was a soldier in the War of 1812. Both he and his wife were members of the Reformed Church.
Harriet Rahn came to Wayne County with her parents when she was about seven years old. In ISI5 she was married to Calvin G. Winebrenner, a native of Maryland, and of German descont. Ilo was a farmer, and after his marriage spent the remainder of his life in Wooster Township. Mr. Winebrenner died in June, 1587, aged sixty-three years. Ho
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was a staneh Republican, and both he and his wife were highly esteemed members of the Baptist Church, and she still re- tains her connection with that body. Three sons came to bless this family: Lewis, living in Wooster Township; Mel- choir, in Butte City, Mont., and Edward, in Carroll, Mont. Annie Rahn, a niece of Mrs. Winebrenner, has made her home with her aunt since she was fourteen months of age. The Winebrenner family is one of the most respected in Wayne County. Its members have grown up with the county, are closely identified with its progress and prosperity, and they are widely known all through this section. John Winebrenner, an nnele of the late Calvin G. Winebrenner, was the founder of the Winbrenner faith.
Wilson, of Burlington, Iowa, is living. His first wife died about 1515. Several years later he married Ann Anderson, and to them were born five children, all still living: Jane E., Eliza ( Mrs. J. T. Wisner), James M., Thomas A. and Anderson.
In 1825 Mr. Adair removed to Wayne County, and settled on the farm where his son still resides. His second wife died shortly after this removal, aged thirty- nine years. Several years later he mar- ried Ann MeCracken, who died in 1843, leaving no children. In early life Mr. Adair enjoyed no educational advantages; but, being a diligent reader, he acquired a great fund of useful knowledge. In business he was not successful, having been possessed of those qualities of mind and heart which make men interesting and honored, rather than those which con- duce to prosperity in worldly affairs. Coming to this country about the time of the alien and sedition agitation, he nat- urally accepted the political principles advocated by Thomas Jefferson, and con- tinned during the remainder of a long life a steadfast adherent of the Democratic party. He served in the War of 1512 in the capacity of surgeon's mate. He was a life-long Presbyterian. He died in 1866, at the advanced age of eighty-nine.
A NDERSON ADAIR is of Irish de- seent. His father, Patrick Adair, was a native of County Down, Ireland, but becoming involved in the home rnle insurrection headed by the lamented Emmett, he found it nec- essary to leave his native land about the beginning of the present century. On coming to America he settled in Western Pennsylvania, where he soon affer mar- The subject of this sketch was born in fore the family removed to Ohio. As a ried Mary Stuart, by whom he had five ' Westmoreland County, Penn .. shortly be- children, only one of whom, Mrs. Mary
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boy he attended the district school. As a young man he performed the ordinary duties of a farmer's life till the age of twenty-five, when for one year he attended the academy at Wooster, and for several years following he was engaged in the work of teaching. At the age of twenty- seven he married Henrietta MeChire. To them were born five children, only two of whom are living: Edward E., a teacher, and John S., an attorney. Mrs. Adair died in 1861. Shortly after the death of his first wife he married Miss Emeline Yoeum, a young lady of culture and ro- finement, a daughter of Rev. Elmer Yo- enm, a minister of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. She was educated at Bald- win University, and afterward taught at West Salem, Newburgh and Wooster. The result of this marriage was two chil- dren: Robert and Jennie L. Anderson Adair has held various offices of honor and trust. He was for some years county commissioner of Wayne County. He has always been active and prominent in all movements that have for their end the advancement of popular education. Ile | was one of the organizers of the Board of Education of Wooster Township under the present school law, and has been for the greater part of thirty-five years a member of it. He is now one of the oldest set- ders, having lived for more than sixty- four years on the l'arro whore his father
settled. He is a pleasant gentleman, and a good neighbor, having a warm place in the esteem and friendship of all his ae- quaintances. He is not a finished schol- ar, but a man of considerable mental power, and possessed of a good fund of general information.
G FORGE OTT, a representative and successful farmer and stockbreeder of Chippewa Township, Wayne County, was boru in Marshallville, Wayne Co., Ohio, March 10, 18-15, and is a son of John and Margaret ( Rech ) Ott, na- tives of Germany (the former of Hesse- Darmstadt ), and who were among the early settlers of Marshallville, Wayne County. There Mr. Ott, in company with his brother George, kept a general store for several years, and did a large business for those times. In 1853 Mr. Ott and family removed to Detroit, Mich., where his wife died of cholera in 185t, at the age of thirty three years. After his wife's death Mr. Oft engaged in business in the prin- cipal cities of the West until 1865, in which year he located in Lima, Ohio, where he died in 1866. He had four children: George, John ( deceased ), Mary ( Mrs. Joseph Norecher, of Cleveland, Ohio) and Anna ( deceased ).
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George Ott, the subject of this memoir, was reared in Wayne County, Ohio, where he received a common-school education. After the death of his mother, from July, 1855, till November, 1863, he lived with his uncle, Joseph Marshall, at Burbank, Wayne County, working on the farm. From 1863 to 1865 his time was spent in the States of Wisconsin, Ilinois and Minnesota, and he returned to Wayne County in the fall of 1865. May 7, 1867, he married Rosa L., daughter of Andrew and Margaret (Marshall) Whitman, of Chippewa Township, Wayne County, and by her he has seven children, viz. : Charles A .. Edward T., Clara M., George A .. Willis J., Joseph F. and Albert HI. Since 1867 Mr. Ott has resided on the farm he now occupies in Chippewa Township, con- taining aboul 100 aeres, one mile south- west of Doylestown, on which he has made all the improvements in buildings, ete., erecting his residence in 1869, and a large bank barn in 1875. Since 1884 Mr. Ott has been a breeder of thorough- bred Holstein-Friesian cattle, and has dealt in registered stock since 1886. At the head of his herd is " Tejor," No. 2,330, 11. F. H. B., and No. 578, N. HI. B. (imported June 2, 1555, by T. F. Koch, of Chicago), now five years old, and weighing 2,500 pounds. Mr. Ott is a progressive farmer, and has his farm equipped with all the modern farming im-
plements. He and his family are mem- bers of the Catholic Church. He is president of St. Bernard's branch of the C. M. B. at Doylestown; is serving his third term as township trustee. Polit- ically, Mr. Ott is a Democrat.
1 OHN W. BUCHANAN, M. D., is a native of Wayne County, Ohio, born in Chester Township, September 27, 1860. His ancestors on his father's side, were of Scotch-Irish descent, and the grandparents came to Wayne County from Pennsylvania, locating first in Wayne Township, moving thence to Chester Township, where both died.
George Ramsey Buchanan, the father of John W., was born in Wayne Town- ship, in 1823, and is now living in Ches- ter, on a farm adjoining the one where his parents died. He was brought up to. farming, teaching school winters until the breaking out of the California gold fever, when he sailed for the New Eklorado, leaving February 1, 1550, going by way of New York and the Isthmus of Pana- ma. He stayed in the Golden State about three years, and then returned, bringing with him several thousand dollars as the reward of his labors. On his arrival in Ohio he engaged in mer- cantile business nt Jeromeville, Ashland
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