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 6
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December 17, 1885, Mr. Ohl married Miss Mary J. Fike, daughter of George and Catharine Fike, of Greene Township, Wayne County. Mrs. Ohl was born in Wayne County, October 14, 1865. Mr. Ohl is an enterprising young man, of much push and energy and much versa- tility, who can turn his hand to almost anything and has always been successful. He bears an excellent reputation for honesty and trustworthiness as a business man and citizen.
D ANIEL LANGELL is a son of Leonard and Catherine ( Rhine- hart) Langell, and was born July 9, 1832, on the homestead in East Union Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. Casper Langell, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Borks County, Pen., and a settler in Columbiana County, Ohio. He came to Wayne County abont 1815, and purchased a one-half
section of land, which is now occupied by the town of Apple Creek. He was an active business man, and prominent in the interest of the Lutheran Church. He gave the land and helped to erect the Presbyterian Church of which he after- ward became a member. Returning to Columbiana-County, he there died. Leon- ard, his son, was born in Berks County, Penn., in 1800. He was brought to Co- lumbiana County when three years of age, and came to Wayne County with his parents. He remained on the homestead for some years, but finally moved to an- other farm one mile southwest, where he died in 1859. In many ways he was a prominent man. He erected the first grist-mill in this portion of the county, which was afterward converted into a woolen factory. A Democrat in politics, he took an active interest in the affairs of the party. He was an elder in the Lutheran Church of Franklin Township for many years. His family consisted of five children: J. Casper was killed by a runaway team of horses in 1882; Su- sanna is also deceased; Elias lives in East Union Township; Henry lives in Franklin Township: and Daniel.
The subject of these lines was roared on the farm, and followed that ocenpation until failure of his health, in 1864, when he moved into Apple Creek. He was troubled with asthma, and in 1867 dis-
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covered the medicine which he has since manufactured, and is now widely known
as " Langell's Asthma and Catarrh Remedy." December 3. 1857, he became united in marriage with Miss Margaret, daughter of Andrew Sloan, of Salt Creek Township, Wayne County. Six children have been born to them, as follows: Leonard, who died in 1884 at the age of twenty-four; Esther, Mrs. Frank S. Lo- gan, of Ashland County, who has two children-Leonard and Grace: Charlotte Elizabeth, William Carl, Carrie Lavenia and John Truesdale, at home. Mr. Lan- gell is a Democrat, and has held several township offices; at the present time he is notary public and mayor of the vil- lage of Apple Creek. He and his family are members of the Presbyterian Church.
A F. MOWERY, M. D., was born in Chester Township, Wayne County, Ohio, in the year 1860, and is a son of David R. and Mary Ann ( Church- man) Mowery, the former of whom was born January 8, 1828, also in Chester Township, Wayne County, and the latter near Wooster, November 2, 1828. They were married in 1840, and were blessed with four sons: William H., A. F., Irvin Q). and H. N. The parents of this family
are still living in Chester Township, engaged in agricultural pursuits. The subject of this biography attended the Northern Ohio Normal School at Smith- ville, and, graduating from there entered Ada Normal School, where he studied one year, taking courses in music and literary branches. From Ada he removed to Wooster University, in 1882, where he took a general scientific course for one year, after which he entered the office of Dr. Leander Firestone, with whom he studied medicine two years. The Doctor graduated from the medical department of Wooster University, at Cleveland, Ohio, March 16, 1886, and located at Reeds- burgh, Plain Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, May 18, 1886, and has since here success- fully practiced medicine and surgery. The Doctor was married, November 29, 1888, to Miss Edna L. Mowery, of Reeds- burgh, Ohio. In polities he is a Demo- crat. He attends the services of Grace Reformed Church.
LOHN A. DYER was born in Massa- chusetts, October 5, 1832. In 1853 he moved to Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and engaged in milling, afterward acting as agent for the Cleveland & Pitts- burgh Railroad for thirteen years, when
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he located at Creston, Wayne County, and embarked in the warehouse business, in which he continued until 1883. In 1882 the Creston Milling Company was organ- ized and incorporated, with J. H. Free- man, president; W. B. Stebbins, treas- urer, and John A. Dyer, secretary and general manager. The wife of Mr. Dyer was Emeline, daughter of S. S. Hastings, one of the early settlers of Medina County, Ohio. Mr. Dyer is a member of the Re- publican party, and was elected justice of the peace of Canaan Township, but after serving two years he resigned. Ile is a member of Cataract Lodge 295, I. O. O. F., of Newburgh, Ohio, and is an elder in the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Dyer stands high in the estimation of the community in which he lives, and enjoys the confi- dence of the people.
S AMUEL HARRISON MILLER, manufacturer of agricultural imple- ments, Doylestown, Ohio, was born in Northampton County, Penn., May 28, 1839, a son of John and Susan ( Bauer) Miller, natives also of Northampton County, his father born November 15, 1802, and his mother born October 29, 1798. In May, 1843, his parents moved to Summit County, Ohio, and settled in
Norton Township, where his father still lives. His mother died March 7, 1856. They had a family of twelve children, eight of whom-three sons and five daugh- ters-are still living. Samuel H. Miller was reared in Summit County, Ohio, and was given good educational advantages, attending. the district schools, and later the Akron High School. He remained on the farm until twelve years of age, and then obtained employment as clerk in a dry goods store at Akron, which he fol- lowed six years, and in 1857 returned to the farm in Norton Township, where he remained about six years. December 15, 1863, he came to Doylestown, and for two years was employed as clerk by Cline, Seiberling & Hower, manufacturers of reapers and mowers. September 1, 1865, he became a member of the firm of Cline, Seiberling & Co., which was subsequently changed to Seiberling, Miller & Co. This is one of the largest manufacturing estab- lishments of the kind in the county, and they employ a number of hands, and in connection with J. F. Seiberling & Co., of Akron, Ohio, have entire control of the manufacture of the Empire mowers, reapers and self-binders, which are sold in every State in the Union. Mr. Miller was married August 29, 1867, to Ella L. Schneider, who was born in Montgomery County, Penn., January 27, 1517, a daugh- ter of Alfred and Clarissa (Clewell)
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Schneider, both natives of Pennsylvania, her father of Montgomery County, born March 1, 1813, and her mother of North- ampton County, born September 14, 1820. They moved to Norton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1852, and still reside there. Of a family of seven children, six daugh- ters are living.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had a family of eight children, of whom four-Alfred J., William R., Sydney L. and Lucile M .- are living. In polities Mr. Miller is a supporter of the principles of the Repub- lican party, but is in no sense a politician or office seeker, the only public office he ever held being that of member of the Board of Education, and village treasurer. He wasreared in the faith of the Intheran Church, but is not a member of any religious denomination.
S OLOMON S. FIRESTONE is a representative of one of the most prominent families of Wayne Coun- ty, Ohio. His parents were David and Elizabeth ( Rice) Firestone, the latter being a daughter of Christian and Char- lotte (Hine) Rice. The family of David Firestone consisted of eight children, viz. : Lydia, John, Rice, David R., Simon B .. Sol- omon S., Jacob H. and Peter C. The fath-
er was a farmer, and at his death owned a valuable farm of 130 acres, which is now the property of his youngest son, Peter C. He was a representative citizen of Wayne County, but died before his fond hopes for its future were realized, his death occur- ring September 25, 1851, when in the prime of his vigorous manhood, being only forty-two years of age. He left a large family of children (the eldest, the only daughter, being but fifteen years old) in care of the devoted wife, who with the love of a faithful mother cared for the children and lived to see them all arrive to the years of majority, married and com- fortably located on valuable farms of their own. The wife remained a widow, and died March 24, 1584, aged seventy-three years.
Solomon S. Firestone, the subject of our sketch, is a native of Wayne Con- ty, and in the common schools of the connty of his birth received his early od- ueation, supplementing it by attending the academies at Hayesville, Smithville and Fredericksburgh. For twelve years he devoted the greater part of his time to school-teaching, and, by an economical use of his carnings and with what he inherited from his parents'estate, became the owner of 130 acres of valuable land, to which he now gives his attention, and, under his skillful management, it is becoming one of the best farms in his township. Mr.
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Firestone is one of the respected citizens of Chester Township, and has served a number of years as justice of the peace, although he has no aspirations for polit- ical honors. He has been a faithful serv- ant for his fellow-townsmen, who regard him with the esteem he justly merits. IIe was married in 1878 to Miss Alice Mc- Fadden, daughter of William McFadden. of Chester Township. To them have been born two children, John A. and Luther Z. Mr. and Mrs. Firestone are members of the Lutheran Church. In politics he affiliates with the Democratic party.
H ENRY BAUM, one of the successful practical farmers of Wayne Town- ship, is a native of Berks County, Penn., where he was born in 1823. Heisthe son of Daniel and Elizabeth ( Van Reed ) Baum, who were the parents of nine children, eight of whom are living. Daniel Baum was a farmer in Berks County, and later in life engaged in merchandising. S AMUEL SAURER was born in Switzerland, September 27, 1825, son of John and Elizabeth ( Plucks) Saurer, who immigrated to America in He was pronounced an honest and upright man by all who knew him. Henry Banm was edneated in the public schools of his native county, and has followed the voca- | 1828. being sixty days on the ocean. tion of a farmer ever since he left his 1
father's home. In 1846 he was married to Elizabeth Zacharias. danghter of
Daniel Zacharias, of Pennsylvania. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Baum, as follows: Mandilla, William, Daniel, Charles (deceased), Henry, Maberry (deceased), Emma, Kate and Mary Sarah.
Mr. Henry Baum came to Wayne County in 1863, with his wife and family, and bought 160 acres of land in Wayne Township. He has since made several additional purchases, and now owns 179 acres of land. He once owned the farm now occupied by the Children's Home of Wayne County, which he sold to the county commissioners. Mr. Baum has been successful in business affairs, and is now the owner of as fine and comfortable a home as any farmer in Wayne Town- ship. He is a member of the Reformed Church. and in politics is a Democrat. He possesses the esteem and cordial good- will of all who know him.
From New York they went to Cleveland, Ohio, and from there by wagon to Wayne County, where they located on a farm in
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Sugar Creek Township, and there lived the remainder of their days. Samuel Saurer, the subject of this biographical memoir, was reared on this homestead, and was early put to hard work. His education was conducted in German, and he was unable to read or write English. In 1868 he purchased his present fine farm at Moscow, on the State road, where he has since resided. In 1849 he mar- ried Miss Gertrude Cooper, of Sugar Creek Township, Wayne County, and by this union there are four children, viz .: John, in Orrville, Ohio, married to Mary Graber; Josephine, now Mrs. John Lu- genbuhl, of Dalton, Ohio; Ella, now Mrs. George Shultz, also of Dalton, and Min- nie, now Mrs. Melvin Bechtel, of Orr- ville, Ohio. Mrs. Saurer died April 10, 1889. Mr. Saurer and family are mem- bers of the Orrville German Reformed Church; politically he is a Democrat.
A LBERT MCFADDEN was born about three miles east of Wooster, Wayne Co., Ohio, December 3, 1817. In the old log school-house, and by the old-fashioned tallow dips, his rudiment- ary edneation was received, and of such a primitivo naturo was it that he never saw the inside of a grammar or geography until he was seventeen years of age. As
Mr. Albert McFadden quaintly expresses himself, he was "born in a log cabin, rocked in a sugar trough, clad in linsey- woolsey, and schooled in the old log school- house." He was brought np entirely to farm life, and at the age of twenty-one began for himself on the old homestead.
When twenty-six he took to himself a life partner in the person of Sarah Notestine, only daughter of Jonas and Elizabeth (Summer) Notestine, of Canaan Town- ship, Wayne Co., Ohio, and to this union have been born three children, Nancy, Mary and Laura, the latter now Mrs. Newton P. Garrettson, of Topeka, Kas. About 1865 Mr. McFadden moved into the city of Wooster with his family, in order to have his daughters educated there, and after four years they returned to the farm. In the spring of 1881 he purchased his present pleasant home near Wooster, having retired from active life, and here in the bosom of his amiable family he has since dwelt. Mr. McFad- den's success in life is dne entirely to his assiduous application to work and antiring energy. When a young man he studied so closely that, in spite of the many ob- stacles he encountered in his efforts to obtain a good education, he made himself competent to fill the position of school- teacher. He was Wayne County's cor- responding secretary of the Ohio Cen- tennial Celebration, a position be filled
11 JUMP Albert M'chudden.
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with eminent success, and he was also one of the commissioners.
Albert MeFadden is the oldest pioneer member of the Lutheran Church at Wooster, except his wife, who became identified with it one year before he did, having joined in 1840. Politically he was originally an Abolitionist, and has since been a strong Republican, having voted for both of the Harrisons-in 1840 and 1888, respectively. He is a strong advocate of the temperance canse, though not a member of the Prohibition party. His mind has ever been as active as his body, and since passing the age of three score and ten he has learned to play the fnte, not by any means the simplest of musical instruments. He was one of the organizers of the Pioneer Association, having written the first notice; was fonr years president of the same, and at pres- ent is corresponding secretary and treas- nrer. In his leisure hours Mr. McFadden has designed a genealogical tree, giving the family data for one hundred years back, by which we find that grandfather MeFadden came to America in 1774, and that our subject's parents both died on the old homestead, the father in 1849, at the age of seventy-five years, the mother April 7, 1874, when ninety-six years old; she had lived on the homestead sixty years, and for over eighty years was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
S AMUEL SNYDER was born in Washington County. MId., October 9, 1820, a son of Anthony and Rebecca (Newman) Snyder, who were natives of Franklin County, Penn. They moved from Washington County, Md., in 1836 to Stark County, Ohio, thence in 1844 to Knox County, Ohio, where the father died April 10, 1867, and the mother in March, 1875. They reared nine chil- dren, eight of whom are still living: Samuel; Daniel, in Allen County, Ind .; Elizabeth, ummarried, residing in Cham- paign County, Ohio; Rebecca, wife of Dr. Ayres, of Horner, Kuox Co., Ohio; Jon- athan, in Mount Liberty, Knox Co., Ohio; David C., in Kansas City, Mo. ; and Will- iam B. and Franklin, in Knox County, Ohio.
Of these, Samuel was reared on the farm and attended the district schools of Stark County, Ohio. At an early ago he learned the trade of a carriage maker, which occupation he has since followed. He has lived in West Lebanon since 1538, and in 1842 he established his present carriage manufacturing business. In 1841 Mr. Snyder married Miss Catherine, danghter of Robert Thompson, of Stark County, Ohio, and six children have been born to them, viz .: William H., of Sugar Creek Township, Wayne County; Mary R., deceased wife of Eli Braden; Martha Jane and Francis, at home ; Sarah E., wife
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of Lewis Brenner, of Brookfield, Ohio; and Letitia C., wife of Jacob Eby, in Michigan. Mr. Snyder has always voted the Democratic ticket, and has served his township as school director for several years, and as justice of the peace since 1864.
JOHN W. McVICKER was born February 2, 1816, in Bedford County, Pen., a son of David and Eve ( Wortze) MeViekor, former of whom was a native of Bedford County, Penn., and died in his sixty-first year; latter died at the age of seventy-four years, eleven months and twenty-two days, and is buried in the old cemetery grounds near Congress Village, in Wayne County, Ohio. John W., their son, can truthfully be classed among the old settlers of Wayne County, coming here as he did with his widowed mother October 1.1, 1832. They first resided in Chester Township, but in the following spring moved onto a farm near Congress Village, ! in Congress Township, where was quite a settlement of pioneers living in the prim- itive log cabins of the times, and endur- ing all the hardships and privations inei- dental to early life in the then compara- tive wilderness. At that time nearly all the land subject to entry had been taken
up, but large quantities of school land were still in the market. Here in the vicinity of Congress our subject grew to manhood, working on the farm throughout the year, with the exception of two or three months' schooling in winter time.
September 18, 1838, he was married to Miss Catherine Garver, daughter of David Garver, who beyond doubt was one of the first settlers of Wayne County, and in 1815 one of the pioneers of Congress Township. To Mr. and Mrs. Mc Vicker were born the following-named children: Martha Jane, born May 9, 1839, died November 4, 1875; Sarah, born Jme 6, 1840, married Henry Honman, of Con- gress Township; Eve, born November 16, 1811, now the wife of Thomas Hender- son, an old soldier and industrious black- smith, living in West Salem, Ohio: Jas- per, born January 16, 1842, married, and living four miles south of West Salem on a l'amm; Marion, born September 12, 1844, died Angust 4, 1845; Elizabeth An, born January 15, 1846, now the wife of Barton Ginter, and living on the old homestead, five miles south of West Sa- lem, in Congress Township: William C., born March 27, 1847, died March 28, 1876; Catherine, born November 14, 1848, now the wife of William Rumbaugh, also living near West Salem; John, twin brother of Catherine, died September 19, : 1858; Mary Ann, born March 17, 1851.
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died May 16, 1873; Lydia, born March 16, 1853, died July 4, 1873; Jesse, born April 1, 1855, is married, and living on a farm in Medina County, Ohio; Harmon, born November 7, 1856, is married, and is at present the courteous and popular landlord of the MeVicker Hotel, in West Salem (they had four children that died in infancy ). Thus is to be found a large family reared and cared for, clothed and educated, and now industrious and useful citizens, all living in the immediate neigh- borhood of where they were born and brought up. The mother of this family died September 18, 1858, and in the fall of 1877 Mr. McVicker married Lavina Bitzer Lemon, a native of Lancaster County, Penn., born April 9, 1811, and who came to Ohio with her parents in 1836. She died January 20, 1887, in her seventy-sixth year.
Mr. John W. McVicker has by his frngality. industry and good manage- ment accumulated a handsome compe- tency, and he is now owner of 500 acres of land, highly cultivated and well im- proved. For twenty years he was identi- fied with the business interests of West Salem, and successfully conducted the hotel business of the place, erecting for that purpose a commodious and excel- Ilently appointed building, costing upward of $5,000. Although retired from active ! life, Mr. Me Vicker is not an idler, and he | year studiously applied himself to his
seems to retain all the keen vigor of his youth in business affairs, taking a deep interest in politics and the general topics of the day. He is a veterinary surgeon of excellent ability, and has successfully practiced since 1853, having performed many surgical operations of a very difli- enlt nature; has never failed in remov- ing tumor, curing ringbone or removing spavin. He is proprietor and manufacturer of the Green Mountain Liniment.
OHN VAN NOSTRAN. Among the most widely known and highly es- teemed citizens of Wayne County ranks the subject of this sketch. He was born upon a farm in Wayne County, Ohio, September 14, 1847, and continued as a farmer boy until about twenty years of age, receiving the advantages of the com- mon country schools until about nineteen, when for two summers he attended the academy at Smithville, Wayne County. The winters he spent in teaching, while fall and spring found him laboring by the month on the farm. In 1871 he deter- mined to turn his attention to the study of law, in which direction, he felt, lay the field of his usefulness. Accordingly he entered the office of L. R. Critchfield, and for one
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chosen work. But the path of a poor young lawyer is notstrewn with roses, and, feeling himself financially in need of a change, he, in 1873, formed a partnership, under the name of Bowman & Van Nostran, in the insurance business in Wooster. This he continued until January 1. 1876, when he entered the county clerk's office as dep- uty clerk, and there remained until Octo- ber, 1880, when he was elected clerk of the courts, to which, for efficient services, he was re-elected in 1883, retiring from said office in 1887. On October 20, 1550, he left the state of single blessedness and became one of the vast army of benedicts by marrying Miss Linda M. Atkins, daugh- ter of David Atkins and a native of Woos- ter, Ohio, where her life has all been spent and where her parents still reside. Two children have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Van Nostran, viz .: Lillian Ruth, born December 20, 1881, and Ethel, born July 20, 1885. Politically Mr. Van Nostran is an active worker in the Demo- cratie ranks, and has displayed such marked ability that he has been chosen repeat- edly to represent his party : for three years he has been chairman of the County Dem- ocratie Committee: is also a member of the State Central Democratie Committee for the Twentieth Senatorial District. In the city council of the spring and summer of 1884 he was an active worker, ever firmly standing for his convictions, and often
fighting against overpowering opposition. His popularity was shown by his re-elec- tion, in the spring of 1888, as a member for the third term by the largest majority he had as yet received. He still continues a member of that honorable body, and doubt- less will be therein retained as long as his ward needs an earnest and reliable repre- sentative. Mr. Van Nostran is a member of the Royal Arcanum, Knights of Honor and the Improved Order of Red Men. In the latter order he ranks as past great sa- chem of Ohio.
I P. VAN NEST. Success in any of the pursuits of life usually chal- lenges the world's admiration. It was the motto of the first Bonaparte that "nothing succeeds like success." It mat- ters not whether in the profession of law or medicine, or in the theological domain, in the military or civil life, or mercantile pursuits, it is the one distinguishing and distinctive characteristic of all business transactions, and which, above all things, the world emphatically recognizes. The subject of this biography, while not a member of any of the acknowledged pro- fessions, has, nevertheless, in his sphere of labor and activity distinguished him- self as an active, energetie business man,
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and demonstrated the fact that to the man of merit belongs the full measure of sie- cess and worldly prosperity.
J. P. Van Nest, the subject of these lines, was born in Rowsburg, Ashland Co., Ohio, August 6, 1841. His father, John Van Nest, who is living to-day, was one of the early settlers in that section of Northern Ohio; has held many offices of publie responsibility and trust, and is highly esteemed by all who know him for his business capacity, integrity, honesty and sound judgment. His son received the benefits of the ordinary country and village school education, of which facili- ties he availed himself, and these, com- bined with the practical supervisory tutor- age of his father, developed him into a After his return from the army, in the sunner of 1865, he engaged in the gen- methodical, intelligent, successful man of business. His grandfather, John Van 'eral insurance business, which vocation Nest, died in Millbrook, Ohio, in the fall he persistently and lucratively pursues. During this period he has traveled about of 1862, at the age of eighty-seven years, and is buried at Moorland, Wayne Conn- , eleven years as special agent for two ty; his wife, the grandmother of our sub- prominent fire insurance companies, and was recognized as one of the most con- teous, industrious and efficient agents on the road. Having bestowed upon the subject the proper reflection and consid- eration, and having the fullest faith in the purity of the objects and beneficent. results of all well-ordered secret societies, in the autumn of 1870 he resolved to identify himself in membership with some standard organization, which he did in jeet, died at Tiffin, Soneca Co., Ohio, when seventy-five years old. The subject of this sketch was married October 3, 1861, to Miss Mary E. Gardner, of his native village, a lady of fine accomplishments, who boro him eight children, seven of whom are yet living, all at home except three. August 22, 1862, Mr. Van Nost. disregarding the Mosaic prerogative of one year's exclusion from military service,
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