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 38
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beth Ann and John W., at home. I polities Mr. Sands casts his suffrage with the Democratic party. notice, remained with his mother on the farm until after the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when, in 1562, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twen- tieth Ohio Infantry, and served six months. He was captured at Arkansas Post, and was a prisoner two months; was then exchanged, and was finally dis- charged. After his return from the army he remained on the home farm until 1872, when he married Miss Emeline Emrich, daughter of John and Elizabeth Emrich, who came to Wayne County from Penn- sylvania in 1854. The mother died Sep- tember 24, 1583, aged sixty-nine years, and the father now makes his home with Mrs. Firestone, who is his only child. Mr. and Mrs. Firestone have had two children, Democrat: he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church of Wooster, and father died September 25, 1851, aged ' he has been one of the deacons for eight years.
D AVID R. FIRESTONE. one of Wayne County's prominent sons. was born in Chester Township. June 24, 1540. His father, David R. Firestone, Sr., was also a native of Wayne County, his parents, John F. and Rachel (Roller) Firestone, coming from Penn- sylvania in an early day, and settling near New Pittsburgh. David R. Fire- stone, Sr., married Miss Elizabeth Rice, daughter of Christian and Catherine (Laufer) Rice, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Wayne County when she Franklin T. and one that died in infancy, was three years old. Alter their mar- ; unnamed. Politically Mr. Firestone is a riage Mr. and Mrs. Firestone settled on a farm near New Pittsburgh, where the only forty-two years. The mother sur- vived him many years, her death occur- They located on the farm where they now live, in 1576, and have made many valuable improvements, until it is now one of the best in Wooster Township. He is progressive and enterprising, and. although but a young man, is one of the most prosperons in the county. In addi- tion to general farming he deals exten- sively in stock, making a specialty of cattle and sheep. Mr. Firestone has a ring March 24, 1854. They had a family of eight children: Lydia, John, Rice, David R., Simon, Solomon, Jacob and Peter C. Of these, Rice and Simon are deceased: Lydia is the wife of G. R. Bu- chanan, in Chester Township; John, Solo- mon and Peter C. also live in Chester Township, and Jacob is in Medina County. David R. Firestone, the subject of our
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large circle of friends, who esteem him for his uprightness of character and striet business integrity. He is one of the trustces of the Children's Home of Wayne County, Ohio.
C CHRISTOPHER AUKERMAN was born in Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio, August 18, 1820, and is a son of George and Rebecca ! (Kishtler) Aukerman, early settlers of Wayne County, Ohio. George Anker- man was a native of Westmoreland County, Penn., born to Philip and Chris- tina Aukerman, natives of Germany, who settled in Westmoreland County, Pen., where they died. George and Rebecca Aukerman were married in that county and State, and two children were born to them, About 1818 they came to Wayne County, Ohio, and entered a tract of 164 acres of land in Congress Township, where they passed the remainder of their days. They were members of the Eu- theran Church, and Mr. Ankerman was a prominent Democrat. He began life hum- bly, and died comparatively rich, having been successful in all his undertakings, especially as a breeder of blooded horses. His family consisted of thirteen children, as follows: John, born January 20, 1816;
born May 22, 1819; Christopher; Philip, born November 13, 1821; George, born May 16, 1823; Henry, born December 25, 1824; William, born April 9, 1826 (now in Iowa) ; David, born January 20, 1829; Jacob, born January 26, 1831; Na- thaniel, born June 2, 1833; Adam, born October 2, 1835; Lndwie, born February 17, 1839 (in Congress Township, Wayne County), all born in Congress Township, Wayne County, Ohio, except John and Christina, who were natives of Pennsyl- vania, and all are deceased except Chris- topher, William and Ludwic.
The subject of this memoir was reared on the homestead, and received a limited education at the schools of his locality. At the age of seventeen years he com- menced to learn carpentering, a trade he followed for three years. June 9, 1510, Mr. Aukerman married Miss Rebecca, daughter of John Clinker, a native of Columbiana County, Ohio, who became a settler of Congress Township, Wayne County; and after marriage the young couple located on their present home- stead. To them were born nine children, five of whom are living, as follows: Mary is the wife of Henry Dull, of Congress Township. Wayne County, and has three children, Franklin Enos G., Sarah Chris- tina and Christopher A .; Lewis E., in Congress Township, married Catherine, Christina, born November 10, 1817; Mary, , daughter of Joseph Bellinger, of Mor-
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row County, Ohio, and has six children, Lydia J., Amanda A., Ada M., Susan E., Mime B. and Joseph C .; Martin L., in Congress Township, married Emma E., daughter of Ephraim Whitmore, of Con- gress Township, Wayne County, and has one child, Edith V .; Josiah C., also of Congress Township, married Apama C., ; daughter of John Barnard, of Canaan Township, Wayne County, and has two children, Christopher M. and Grace May; and Rebecca J .. living at home.
Those deceased are an infant son, born May 7, 1841; George A., born February 7, 1849, died at the age of six years, seven months and fifteen days; John and Christian (twins), the former of whom died on the 12th and the latter on the 1.Ith of February, 18-19.
S AMUEL MOQUIGG is a native of Ireland, born February 12, 1837, and was six years old when his parents came to this country and located in Wayne County, Ohio. His life has been spent in this county, and since
reaching manhood he has devoted his attention to the vocation of his father, and now has a good farm of 200 acres. situated two miles southeast of Wooster. on the Mount Eaton road. He has largely been the carver of his own fortunes, and is now enjoying the fruits of his many years of hardship and toil. He is a rep- resentative of one of the well-known fam- ilies of the county, and is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. He has always been pub- lie spirited and enterprising, and it has been his ambition to see his children oc- copying responsible positions in life. In this he is not likely to be disappointed. as his son has already gained distinction in the law department of Cornell Univer- sity, and is completing his course in the National Law School at Washington, D. C. Mr. MeQuigg is a Republican in his political views, and while he is a stanch supporter of his party, is in no
Mr. Aukerman is an ardent Democrat, has always taken an active part in poli- tics, and has filled various township offices. He and his family are members of the United Brethren Church, and are i sense a politician. He is a member of highly respected citizens of the county.
the United Presbyterian Church, as was also his wife.
Ile was married, in 1563, to Miss Jane MeKinney, a native of Washington Conn- ty, Penn., whose parents, William and Jane ( Ray) MeKinney, came to Wayne County in her childhood. They lived in Plain Township after marriage until ISSI, when they sold their farm there and located on the farm where Mr. MeQuigg
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now lives. Mrs. McQuigg died Septem- ber 15, 1887, aged forty-nine years. To them were born six children, viz .: Lizzie, died aged eighteen months; John R., at- torney at law; Jennie, died aged nineteen years; Stella, Hinda and Willie are at home. Since the death of the mother the home has been presided over by the daughters, who are young ladies of cult- ure, occupying high social standing in the community.
R. JOHNSON, farmer, is a member of one of the representative families of Wayne County. His father, ; Henry Johnson, was a native of Wash- ington County, Penn., and in his boyhood went with his father to Stark County, Ohio, where he lived until eighteen years D ANIEL HELLER, a well-known farmer of Wayne County, was born in Franklin County, Penn., De- of age. He was married in that county to Catherine Gingry, a daughter of John Gingry, of Pennsylvania. In 1836 they , cember 10, 1846. His father, Emanuel came to Wayne County, and settled in . Heller, was a native of Lancaster County, the northeastern part of the county.
industry that have been of lasting benefit to him. He has a pleasant home, his farm containing 106 acres of valuable land, and his improvements being among the best in the county. Mr. Johnson was married. in 1858, to Margaret Wink- ler. and to them were born two children: William C. and Effie (now Mrs. Sum- mers ). The mother died, and the father afterward married Martha O'Hail. of York County, Penn. They have had a family of seven children: Mary E., John W., Benjamin F., Charles Wesley (de- ceased ), James L., Morris and Hugh Jacob. In polities Mr. Johnson affiliates with the Republican party. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
in the same State, where he grew to mau- J. R. Johnson was the eldest of a fam- ily of ten sons and three daughters. He . Susan Dull, daughter of Daniel and Eliz- was born in Stark County, Ohio, Angust ; abeth ( Smetzer) Dull, and a native of 7, 1833, and was but three years old when his parents moved to Wayne County. hood, and where he was married to Miss Pennsylvania. Mr. Heller was a farmer, and in 1817 came to Wayne County, and Being the eldest of a large family, his | after two years' residence in Wooster re- services were early required on the farm, moved to the farm, some three miles and in his youth he acquired habits of sontheast of Wooster, where he and his
WAYNE COUNTY.
wife spent the remainder of their days. a Democrat. He is an Odd Fellow and a Mrs. Heller died on the 16th of June, , member of the Knights of Pythias. He 1887, at the age of sixty-nine years, and has been successful in his worldly affairs, a result due to his own industry, energy and perseverance. In the prime of a vig- orous manhood, he has won and retains the esteem and affection of a wide circle of acquaintances. His family has done much for the advancement of Wayne County, materially, morally and socially, and they stand high in the estimation of all who know them. Mr. Heller followed her to the grave March 15, 1888, aged seventy-two. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are now living, four of them in Wayne County. They are as follows: Lydia, Mrs. Conrad Long, of Wooster; Daniel, the subject of this sketch; Sarah, living in Wooster Township; Amanda, Mrs. Edward Fitener, of Wooster Town- ship: James, living in Deliance, and Eliz- abeth, Mrs. Lewis Halterman, residing in Whitley County, Ind. Emanuel Heller's : life was a busy one. He began life a poor boy, and achieved success by his own exertions. In politics he was a Democrat, and both he and his wife were members of the Baptist Church of Wooster.
C CHARLES MCCORMISH, druggist, Doylestown, Ohio, was born in Armstrong County, Penn., AAugust 29, 1829, and is a son of William and Mar- gery (Carroll) MeCormish, who in 1535 settled in Lawrence Township, Stark Co., Ohio, and engaged in farming; later re- moved to Summit County, same State, and finally to Chippewa Township, Wayne Co.,
Daniel Heller remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-seven years okl, receiving no wages. On the 224 of April, 1875, he was married to Miss Nancy, daughter of Samuel and : Ohio, where they resided until their deaths. Annie (Messner) Waylan, and a native | They were the parents of nine children, of Wayne County. Her parents are now viz .: Robert, Josiah, Mary E., Charles, Thomas, Jane, Harriet, Sarah and William. living in Kansas, Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Heller, as fol- Onr subject was reared principally in Ohio, and received a common-school edu- cation. At the age of thirteen years he left home, and subsequently engaged in various occupations. In 1554 he married lows: John and Laura, deceased; Will- iam and Elvin, living at home. The farm on which Mr. Heller lives is the old home- stead, which he had purchased since his father's death. In politics Mr. Heller is | Margaret J., daughter of George and
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Margaret ( Carens ) Bowersock, of Wayne County. After his marriage he engaged in farming in Chippewa Township, at which he continued until 1861, when through a fall he became a cripple, and removed to Doylestown, where he was employed as a stationary engineer in the machine shops of Cline, Seiberling & Co. up to 1572. He then embarked in the drug business in Doylestown, in which he has since successfully continued, and is the proprietor of the leading drug store in the village. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, Odd Fellows order, Lodge and Encampment, Royal Arcanum and Knights of Pythias. He is an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically he is a stanch Re- publican, and has held the office of town- ship trustee two terms, being elected both times over his opponents by handsome majorities in a Democratic township.
W ILLIAM SHOEMAKER is a son of Simon and Elizabeth ( Coe ) Shoemaker, natives of Westmore- land County, Penn .. and of German descent. In 1823 they came to Wayne County, Ohio, and first located on the Killbuck Bottoms, in Congress Township, Wayne County. After living there one year they purchased the eighty aeres of
land which are now included in the farm of our subject, and were entered by Will- iam Shoemaker, the brother of Simon. They started in life poor, and engaged in clearing their settlement, etc. Mr. Shoe- maker's father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and a prominent member of the German Reformed Church. He was acci- dentally killed at a "raising " in 1841. lle was twice married, his first wife dying many years previous to his demise; his second wife was a Mrs. Farrah, who is also deceased. By his first wife Mr. Shoemaker reared eight children, all of whom are dead except three, viz. : Will- iam, the subject proper of this biography; George, in Seneca County, Ohio; and Mary, wife of John Reynolds, of Craw- ford County, Ohio.
William Shoemaker, whose name heads this sketch. was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., January 12, 1820, and was three years of age when he came to Wayne County. His first schooling was received in a log school-house which was erceted by his father and some neighbors, having for a teacher a German by the name of Hoss, who taught three months during the winter. As soon as he was strong enough young Shoemaker was put to work on the farm, and remained at home until twenty years of age, when he served an apprenticeship of two years at the shoemaking business. December
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14, 1843, he became united in marriage with Miss Margaret, daughter of Daniel Blocher, of Canaan Township, Wayne County, purchased three acres of land, and erected a shoemaker's shop, where he worked at the business twelve years, dur- ing which time he purchased 160 acres of land. As his health would not permit him to follow his trade longer, he moved to the farm, and has since purchased 144 more acres, now owning over 300 acres in Canaan Township. He took an active part in clearing the township during the war of the Rebellion. His wife died in 1855, having borne him five children: Carrie, wife of David Frank, of Massil- lon, Ohio; Lee C., in Joliet, Ill., married to Mattie, daughter of Joseph Kirk, of Fulton, and has one child, Carrie M .; Jolm F., in Le Roy, Ohio, married to Mary J., daughter of John Chambers, of Seville, and has four children, Bertram, Clyde, Grace and Clarence; Marion Brady, shoe dealer in Massillon, Ohio, married to Miss Ella Hawkins, of Akron, Ohio, and has one child. Lloyd; W. W., a farmer of Canaan Township, Wayne County, married to Clara, daughter of Jacob Yohey, of Greene Township, and has one child, Alice Mildred.
Mr. Shoemaker was again married, on this occasion, in 1867, to Miss Carrie L., daughter of Joseph Clark Reynolds, of Summit County, Ohio, and by their union
there are two children: Charles Reynolds and George Edwin. Mr. Shoemaker has served one term as justice of the peace of Canaan Township, and about 1866 he was elected one of the directors of the Ohio Insurance Company, in which capacity he served ten years, and then resigned. In his early life he voted with the Demo- cratie party. He voted for Franklin Pierce, and has since voted the Repub- liean ticket. He and his wife are promi- nent members of the Jackson Presbyte- rian Church, of which he is a trustee, and he has filled various township offices. Mr. Shoemaker is publie spirited, and always forward in any enterprise he may deem of benefit to the public, and he is a living example of what may be accom- plished by energy, enterprise and perse- verance.
LEXANDER CAMPBELL, JR .. was born in Washington County, Penn., near Monongahela City, on the 9th day of June, 1815, the fifth of ten children of Alexander and Elizabeth (Brenneman) Campbell, both natives of Pennsylvania, his father of Franklin County, and his mother of Lan- caster County. Prior to his birth his parents moved to Washington County, Penn., where his father engaged in farm-
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ing for a time, and for thirty-five years was in the hotel business. He died in that county, in the seventy-second year of his age.
Alexander Campbell, Jr., remained with his parents in Washington County till twenty-six years of age, and in 1841 came to Ohio, and became identified with Wayne County. He first obtained om- ployment with an uncle on a farm, and then for a time worked in a mill. He made his first purchase of land in 1568, buying eighty acres of land in Wayne Township, in the county of Wayne. This he has improved, and, by persever- ance, economy and good management, he now has a comfortable property, and is surrounded by all that is necessary to make life a blessing. He was married September 1, 1843, to Sarah Fritzinger, danghter of George and Catherine ( Neth- roe) Fritzinger, her father a native of Germany, and her mother a native of Pennsylvania, and early settlers of Wayne Connty. Mrs. Campbell was born in ('hip- pewa Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, on the 21st day of June, 1843. To Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have been born ten chil- dron: Harvey B., Julian, Alexander, John W., Amanda, James B., George W., Hugh M., Effie F. and Franklin. John W., Amanda and James B. are deceased. Mr. Campbell is one of the representa- tive citizens of his township, and has
always taken an active interest in all pub- lic improvements. He is a stanch Dem- ocrat, of the Jacksonian type, and was an earnest supporter of Grover Cleveland.
G EORGE CASKEY, farmer, is a rep- resentative of one of the oldest families in the county. His grand- father, Samnel Caskey, was a native of Ireland, was there married, and had a son, John, born to him there. On his ar- rival in this country he settled near the present town of Wooster, Ohio, where he remained a short time. He was a farmer by occupation, and was one of the pioneers of Wayne County, who helped to fell its forests and prepare the wild land for cul- tivation. He had a family of nine chil- dren, eight sons and one daughter, who grew to maturity, viz .: John, Andrew, Benjamin, James, Robert, George, Lesly, Thomas and Martha, the last three being triplets, and, when full grown, weighing the sum of 700 pounds. His son John, being the eldest of the family, a boy of twelve summers upon his arrival from his native land, was early inured to the hard- ships of pioneer life, his principal amuse- ment being to help clear away the under- brush, and in other ways assist his father. He continued to devote his attention to farming after reaching mau's estate, and
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entered eighty acres of land May 1, 1823, . five and one-half miles north of Wooster, where his son George now lives, living on the same until he reached the age of eighty-six years, three months, three days, when he died. There was but one house between his place and Wooster, which then consisted of only three houses. Ile located in the midst of a dense forest, where he could hear and see only wolves, bears and Indians. He cleared a spot for corn, and traded corn for venison with the Indians, a number of whom camped at a spring on the farm. He lived in those times when a bushel of wheat would not be an even exchange for a pound of coffee, and had to go fifty miles on horseback for a little salt, by a trail through the woods. He helped ent the road all the way From his farm to Wooster, and many were the nights that he and his wife burned logs and brush till 2 o'clock in the morning.
Ile married Ann, daughter of Alexan- der MeBride, of Westmoreland County, Pen., and formerly -of Ireland. Nine children were born to them, but two of whom are now living, viz .: Hannah, now Mrs. Richardson, and George. George Caskey was born on the old homestead where he now resides, July 12, 1827. Having passed his life on the farm, he can now view with pride the many improve- ments that have been made, having been one of the most active in materially assist-
ing in its development. His farm con- tains 172 acres of good land, all under cultivation. He was married, in 1852, to Catharine, daughter of Henry and Anna (Seaborn) Burkholder, of Franklin Conn- ty, Penn., who came to Ohio in an early day. They have had five children, four of whom are living: Mary Ellen, the eldest, died at the age of fifteen months; Martin V. married Flora E. Snyder, and resides at home; July Ann, now Mrs. Zook; Ida E., now Mrs. George A. F'ike, and Mary J., now Mrs. Gaul. In politics Mr. Caskey is a Democrat.
P ETER SHERRICK, retired farmer, was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., in 1817, and has since 1882 been prominently identified in a busi- hess way with Wayne County. No citi- zen of Wayne Township has been more successful in business than has Mr. Sher- rick, and it is an honor to the county that such men as he leave their homes in other parts of the country and take up their abode here. His father, Joseph Sherrick, was a native of Lancaster County, Penn .. and there married Barbara Beidler. Peter was the fourth of their eight chil- dren. The family is of German ancestry, it being one of the first to settle in Amer- ica. About 1810 or 1512 Joseph Sher-
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rick left his native county and settled in Westmoreland County, where he bought 150 acres of land, which he improved, sub- sequently adding to his first purchase until he had 275 acres. He was a hard-work- ing, upright man, and was honored by all who knew him.
Peter Sherrick, the subject of our sketch, has spent the greater part of his life in his native county. His education was obtained in the old log school-house of primitive days, and like his father he has devoted the greater part of his time to farming. He lived in the old home- stead of his father nutil coming to Wayne County, and from 1872 to 1880 was very extensively engaged in the coke business, which in that section of Pennsylvania is very profitable. In this Mr. Sherrick was assisted by his sons-in-law, and to- gether they made of it a financial success.
Mr. Sherrick was married, in 1842, to Leah Heinard, whose parents were highly respected and well-to-do people of Penn- sylvania. To them were born three chil- dren, but two of whom are living: Bar- bara, wife of Daniel S. Tinstman, and Maria, wife of William P. White. Their only son, David, died at the age of thirty years. Mr. Sherrick now owns a fine farm of 260 acres, all of which is very Fertile, and his improvements are among the best in the county. His sons-in-law. both highly respected men, have charge of the
work of the farm. Both are practical farmers, and industrious, and success crowns their efforts. Mr. and Mrs. Sher- rick are members of the English Reformed Church; in polities he is a Republican.
B ENJAMIN WILSON was born in Franklin County, Penn., Jannary 28, 1825. His grandfather, John Wilson, was a native of Ireland, as was also his father, James Wilson, who was born in 1792, and who at the age of eight years came to America with his parents. The family made their home in Cumber- land County, Penn., where both grand- parents died. James Wilson learned the trade of a wheelwright, and carried on the Furniture business also, in Concord, Frank- lin County, making wheels, bedsteads and chairs, and was also an undertaker. He was married to Mary Ann, daughter of James Wallace, and a native of Ire- land. Her parents came to America in 1812, and died in Juniata County, Penn. Alter their marriage James and Mary Ann Wilson remained in Pennsylvania until 1833, when the mother died, at the age of thirty-eight. She was the mother of eight children, seven boys and one girl, of whom five are still living, Benjamin being the only one in Wayne County. Mr. Wilson, previous to his marriage
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