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 8
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Ulrich Ruegsegger, his brother, was boru in Switzerland, June 19, 1825. In 1857 he married Catherine, daughter of Jacob Intermill. of Tusearawas County, Ohio, and they have seven childron living :
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Frank, a telegraph operator at Dalton ; Al- bert, in Colorado; Charles; Daniel; Mary, wife of Frederick Frederick, of Stark County, Ohio; Callie and Ella. Mr. Ruegsegger is an elder in the German Reformed Church.
D R. G. W. LITTELL is a son of William and Cynthia (Smith ) Lit- tell. of Beaver County, Penn., where he was born August 19, 1840. He came to Wayne County in 1857, and located at Jackson. Our subject was educated at the township schools of his native place and the Canaan Academy in Wayne County. He read medicine with Dr. J. H. Ruggles, of Creston, and graduated from the medical department of Wooster University in 1874. The Doctor practiced his profession at Creston about two years, and then established a drug store, which he conducted until -1886, and then for a time he was engaged in farming: he is now in the furniture and undertaking business.
In 1868 he married Mattie E., daughter of Robert and Mary Lusk, of Canaan Township, and they have two children, as follows: Miss Eva E., attending Wooster University, and Robert Willis, at home. In 1861 Dr. Littell enlisted in Company
K, Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served as fife-major until 1861. HIo was postmaster at Creston from 1880 until 1885. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church and leader of the choir. He is a member of Arthur Strong Post, No. 170, G. A. R.
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AMES H. SEIBERLING was born in Norton Township. Summit Co., Ohio, November 25, 1835, and is a son of Nathan and Catherine (Peter) Seiberling, natives of Lehigh County, Penn., and pioneers of Norton Township, Smmit Co., Ohio, where the father, with the assistance of his sons, cleared and improved a farm, on which he still resides. Their family consisted of thirteen chil- dren (eleven of whom grew to maturity ) : Kittie A. (Mrs. Paul Wall), John F., James H. (our subject). Sarah (Mrs. Jacob Harter), Monroe, Mary ( Mrs. Jonas Beavy ), Eliza ( Mrs. Sherman Baughman), Franklin, Charles, Septimus, Columbus, Milton and Gustavus. Subjeet's paternal grandfather was John F. Seiberling, a nativeof Pennsylvania, of German descent, whose grandfather was one of the early pioneers of Pennsylvania.
James H. Seiberling, the subject of this memoir, was reared in his native town-
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ship and county in Ohio, and assisted his father in clearing up the homestead, car- rying on the farm and operating a saw- mill, and became himself operator of the mill, which he successfully conducted for five years. In the fall of 1863 he located in Doylestown, Wayne Co., Ohio, and was one of the hands in the shops of Cline, Seiberling & Co., two years. In 1865 he purchased an interest in the business, which was established by the above firm in 1860, and which, since 1865, has been carried on under the name of Seiberling, Miller & Co., Mr. Seiberling assuming the superintending of the works. The firm makes a specialty of reapers. mowers and binders, and their establishment is the leading manufacturing industry in Wayne County, and a valuable acquisition to the business interests of Doylestown, to which the town is largely indebted for its present prosperity.
In 1860 Mr. Seiberling married Eliza- beth, daughter of David and Elizabeth ( Blocher ) BangRman, of Norton, Ohio, and by her had six children, as follows: Allen B. (deceased), Mattio J., Albert F., Olive M. (deceased), Robert W., and George W. (deceased ). Mr. Seiberling is one of the most prominent and enterprising citizens of Doylestown, and has always taken an active part in public affairs which tend to promote the welfare of the town. He is a member of the Odd Fellowsorder. Politi-
cally he has always been an ardent Re- publican. He is an active member of the Lutheran Church.
A BRAM HUFFMAN HUNT, M. D., one of the well-known and pros- perons physicians of Wooster, Ohio, was born in Flemington, N. J., December 8, 1838, of English and Dutch extraction. He is a son of Amos V. and Susan Hunt, former of whom died July 31, 1884, latter October 12. 1881. Obediah Hunt, the maternal great-grand- father of our subject, was a commissary in the War of the Revolution; the ma- ternal grandmother died in New Jersey, at the age of one hundred and one years.
The subject of this biographical memoir was educated at the high school of his native town, and studied medicine in the office of Dr. T. H. Baker, of Wooster, Ohio, at the University of Buf- falo and at Long Island College Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y., graduating in 1562. Ho first located at Wooster, Ohio, where, in 1863, he entered the service of the United States Army, having been commissioned assistant surgeon of the Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. At Mount Sterling, Ky., June 8, 1864, the Doctor was taken prisoner by John Morgan, but released
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the following day. He was with Stone- man and Burbridge in the East Tennessee and West Virginia raids; was present at the attack on Saltville, W. Va., and volun- teered to remain with the wounded; was taken prisoner and taken to Libby prison. The doctor was honorably discharged from the army March 28, 1865, and trans- ferred by special order of the War De- partment of date March 20, 1865, to the United States Navy, as acting assistant surgeon; then was ordered to the United States steamer "Mound City " under Rear Admiral S. P. Lee, of the Missis- sippi squadron. Resigning August 18, 1865, he received his discharge from the navy in August, 1865. He then located at Fort Wayne, Ind., and entered into partnership with Dr. Woodworth in the practice of medicine. In 1866 he removed to Blachleyville, Wayne Co., Ohio. In 1874 he renewed his partnership with Dr. Woodworth, of Fort Wayne, where he resided two years. In the organiza- , at the common schools of those early days. tion of the Fort Wayne Medical College the Doctor was appointed adjunct profess- or of the theory and practice of medi- cine. After spending one winter in Tampa, Fla., he returned to Wayne Coun- ty, Ohio, locating in Shreve in 1877, and finally in Wooster in 1879.
In 1866 Dr. Hunt married Abigail, daughter of Dr. Blachley, of Wayne County, and two children have come to
bless their union, named, respectively, Anna E. and Ethel, both at present at home. The pleasant home of this highly respected family was purchased by the Doctor on his finally settling in Wooster in 1879. He is a member of the K. of H., R. A., G. A. R. and K. O. T. M. Politically the doctor is a Republican. He is a member of the Disciples Church.
H ARRY McCLARREN. Prominent among the highly esteemed citizens of Wayne County is Mr. Harry McClarren, who in his social and public life has proven himself in all re- speets worthy of the good name he bears. He was born in Westmoreland County, Pen., in the year 1840, and his early life was one common to boys brought up on the farm, his education being obtained He is a son of James and Jane ( Carry) McClarren, former of whom died in Wooster, Ohio, in 1853, at the advanced age of seventy-eight years. He had made Wooster his home since 1855: his widow, now in her eightieth year, is cahnly awaiting the final summons to the great reunion.
At seventeen years of age the subject of this memoir left home and became
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a clerk in a grocery store in Wooster, a county whose plurality has always been Democratic. In 1883 he was elected county treasurer, and, having filled the office with satisfaction to all, he was re- elected to the position in 1885, serving until September 1, 1888. Ohio, thus continuing for three years, and then went to Pittsburgh, Penn., where he completed a business course at the Iron City Business College, receiving his diploma in 1860. He then returned to Wooster and engaged for a time in the hardware trade with R. R. Donnelly. April 17, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, a company known as " Col. Bayley's Com- pany," and went at once to the front, in time to participate in one of the first bat- tles of the war, at Phillippi, W. Va. On the 8th of Angust, 1861, his term of en- listment having expired, he was discharged and returned to Wooster. October 5, the same year, he re-enlisted in Company H, Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was appointed second sergeant. He served his country until his discharge, October 31, 1861. At Chickasaw Bayon he was wounded by a piece of shell D R. DAVID HAWK was born in East Union Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. July 28, 1545, and is a son of Michael and Sarah ( Bechtel, nec the widow of Jacob Bechtel. His father, who was a native of Cumberland County, Penn., became one of the earliest settlers of Wooster, Ohio. Afterward he pur- chased a farm in East Union Township, Wayne County, where he lived for many years, and finally he moved to Smithville, above the knee, and he passed through the Vicksburg campaign, participating in the retreat from Cumberland Gap. Re- turning to Wooster, he engaged in the i Rhodes) Hawk, the latter of whom was grocery trade, in which he has since con- timed, having built up a large and pros- perous wholesale and retail trade. Polit- ically Mr. McClarren has always been a stanch Republican, and a man of such extensive popularity that he has been 1 repeatedly chosen to various positions in
On August 12, 1868, he was married to Miss Sarah J. Funk. daughter of Samuel Funk, and born in Chester Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. She is a' lady highly esteemed, a prominent mem- ber of the Ladies' Relief Corps and the Baptist Church. To our subject and wife have been born seven children, all of whom still surround the hearth-stone at home. Mr. MeClarren is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the G. A. R., Knights of Honor and Improved Order of Red Men.
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Wayne County, where he died in 1876; his wife, the mother of David, and who was also a native of Cumberland County, Penn., died in 1847. For his second wife Mr. Hawk married Martha, widow of Henry Baughman, of Smithville, Ohio, who died about 1856. By his first wife Michael Hawk had children as follows: David and Lovina, wife of William Chaffin, of East Union Township, Wayne County; and by his second marriage one child. Harriet, wife of Joseph C. Walter, of Al- pine, Morrow Co., Oreg. Michael Hawk was a member of what was known as the River Brethren Church.
David Hawk, whose name heads this sketch, was reared on the farm, and at- ! tended the district schools. He lived in Fredericksburgh, Wayne County, for sev- eral years, where he learned the milling business. In 1867 he moved into Sngar Creek Township, Wayne County, where he has since resided. He was always known as one of the leading horsemen, and, deciding to qualify himself for a veterinary surgeon, he studied, in 1582 -83, in the Ontario Veterinary College, at Toronto, Canada, and has since prac- ticed that profession successfully in Sugar Creek Township. In 1865 our subject was united in marriage with Miss Harriet, daughter of Nathaniel Harbaugh, of Wonder Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, and by her has Three children: Charles
F., in Cleveland, Ohio, married to Annie, daughter of C. R. Beckley, of Orrville, Ohio, and Willian W. and Lanra O., at home. Dr. Hawk served through the late war in Company C, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He is an adherent of the Democratic party, and is now serving as school di- rector of West Moscow, Sugar Creek Township. He is a member of Wayne Post, No. 296, G. A. R., of Orrville, Ohio, and is now serving his post as surgeon.
S YLVESTER F. SCOVEL, president of the University of Wooster, Ohio, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, December 29, 1835. Sylvester Scovel, his father, was born of pious parents, in the State of Connecticut, March 3, 1796, and at the age of thirteen was converted. In 1812 he went to Albany, N. Y., where for twelve months he was employed by a merchant. In 1818 he entered Williams College, Mass., where he graduated in 1822. After a theologieal course in Princeton he was pastor at Woodbury, N. J. In 1829 he married Miss Hannah " Matlock, daughter of Jamon Mathick, and removed to Ohio. From 1836 he was general agent of domestic missions. In
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1857, Mr. Scovel married Miss Caroline Woodruff.
1846 he became president of Hanover College, Indiana. He died July 4, 1819. Sylvester F. Scovel, the subject of this Mrs. Caroline (Woodruff) Scovel, wife of Sylvester F. Scovel, was born February 10, 1837, in New Albany, Ind., of parents descended from Revolutionary anteced- ents. Having finished the course of a well-appointed female seminary, under the care of Mr. John B. Anderson, now of Manhattan, Kas .. she was married to Mr. Scovel on the 6th of October, 1857. The eldest of their five children, Minor Scovel, married to Miss Ida Sevier Payne, is a civil engineer at Nashville; the second, Charles W., married to Miss Sarah Butler, is a lawyer at Pittsburgh, Ponu .: the third, Amelia, is the wife of Mr. Walter J. Mullins, of Wooster, Ohio; the two remaining, Henry S. and Eliza- beth Denny, are in the course of education. Mrs. Scovel has been active in temperance and mission work, as well as faithful to the duties incident to the work to which her husband has been called. memoir, graduated from Hanover ( Ind. ) College in the class of 1853, and from the New Albany Theological Seminary in 1857. He was licensed by the Presbytery of New Albany, and ordained by the same Presbytery October 28, 1857. From the latter year until December, 1860, he served as pastor of the Jeffersonville (Ind.) Church, and from 1860 until Jannary, 1866, at Springfield, Ohio. In 1866 he was called to the First Presby- terian Church of Pittsburgh, Penn., where he remained until October 1, 1883, when. having accepted in August of that year the presidency of the University of Wooster, he resigned and came to Woos- ter, where he is now residing. Not only does Mr. Scovel stand high as a teacher and a lecturer, but as a preacher he is eloquent, earnest and convincing, and has been the means of bringing many to a : change of heart. He is a public-spirited and useful citizen, interested in every worthy movement for the good or advance- ment of his county. He taught the junior Hebrew class in the Western Theological JACOB HIESS was born in Smithville, Wayne Co., Ohio, September 23, 1832, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Hutcheson) Hess, Former of whom was Seminary, two years; was a member of the Presbyterian General Council which met in Philadelphia in 1880, and read a paper on " Presbyterianism in Relation to born August 2, 1802, in Fayette County, Civil and Religious Liberty." In October, Penn. They were married March 9, 1826,
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and were blessed with one son, Jacob, our subject, and three daughters, viz .: Rebecca, born September 23, 1827; Mar- garet, born October 9, 1829, and Mary, born September 23, 1832, she being a twin of Jacob, all now living. The father of this family moved to Wayne County, Ohio, about 1825, locating one mile east of Smithville, in Greene Township, where he carried on blacksmithing and farming for the remainder of his life. He died May 13, 1866, and is buried at Smithville. Of his family, Rebecca married, in 1845, Levi Brenizer, of Smithville, Ohio, where they settled, and he carries on a cabinet making business.
Jacob (the subject proper of this sketch ) was married February 11, 1855, to Eliza A. Smyser, of Reedsburgh, Ohio, and they have had two sons and two daughters, viz .: Vinton, born January 31, 1857, and died in the second year of his age; John, born July 30, 1859, married to Mary E. Kahl February 1, 1583 (she died December 16, 1883; he, May 13, 1885); Isabella married John Martin, and died May 6, 1889, leaving two children, Clark and Jay, aged six and three years; Mary Jane, who was born January 28, 1861, was married February 24, 1881. to Treadwell Rouch, of Plain Township, where they reside ( they have no children ). Mr. Hess has for the greater part of his life followed agricultural pursuits, and
has always lived in Wayne County. He was elected in the fall of 1857, on the Democratie ticket, by a majority of 511, to the office of county commissioner, which position he is now filling for a term of three years. He and his family are consistent members of the Lutheran Church at Reedsburgh, Ohio.
ACOB LEATHERMAN, the eldest son of Peter and Elizabeth Leath- erman, was born in Washington County, Penn., July 17, 1820. His father immigrated to Ohio April 20, 1828, and located eight miles east of New Philadel- phia, in Tuscarawas County, where he entered Goverment land at Congress price; he also entered a quarter section of land in Congress Township, Wayne County, in 1814 or 1815. Peter Leather- man became the owner of and improved several fine farms in Tuscarawas County. Here he reared and educated a large fam- ily, having had fourteen children, of whom ten grew to manhood and womanhood. He died at an advanced age, respected and loved by all who knew him. Eliza- beth, mother of Jacob Leatherman, died in Tusearawas County, Ohio, in about her fifty-third year. Jacob Leatherman be- emme a citizen of Congress Township,
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Wayne County, March 26, 1842, and located on the southwest quarter of Sec- tion 35, which land was entered by his father many years before. Here he lived and struggled along for sixteen years, undergoing many hardships and priva- tions; but by dint of hard labor and un- ceasing efforts he succeeded in making and improving an excellent farm and home.
management of his farm. Having no children to succeed him, he feels the necessity of personal supervision of his varied business interests.
That Mr. Leatherman is an honorable, successful and progressive citizen all are free to admit, as his works and efforts prove. He has filled various and numer- ous positions of trust in both township and village with credit to himself and sat- On January 14, 1841, Mr. Leatherman was united in marriage with Miss Urith' isfaction of his constituents. Politically he is a Democrat, and is in favor of local Sherrod, the daughter of Richard Sher- , option laws. Mr. Leatherman has been rod, who was one of the earliest pioneers : a member of the Methodist Episcopal of Carroll County, Ohio, and died many Church thirty-five years. He was instru- mental in founding a free library, which is under the control of the members of the Methodist Church, and is called the Urith Leatherman Library, in honor of Mrs. Leatherman. He was one of the most liberal contributors toward the building of the beautiful Methodist church in West Salem, and in all matters of interest for his church or the good of the community he is one of the foremost workers. years ago. Mr. Leatherman left his home farm and went to Congress Village, where he embarked in mercantile business, which he carried on for about six years, when ho located in West Salem, Wayne County, and continued in trade until 1870, in which year he sold out and engaged in the banking business. Since coming to West Salem Mr. Leatherman has at all times been strictly identified with the business, educational and social interests of the town, being chiefly instrumental in securing the erection of the elegant and commodious graded school building, which offers a splendid opportunity to all, rich or poor, high or low, in obtaining a prac- tical education with which to commence the battle of life. He is still actively engaged in the banking business and
F LORIAN SCHAFFTER is a son of Abraham L. and Sophia (Sauvain) Schaffter; natives of Switzerland, who immigrated to America in 155. They first rented a farm in Stark County, Ohio, remaining there seven years, and
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theu purchased a farm in Paint Township, Wayne County, where the father still lives. The mother died July 23, 1880. The family consisted of six children, as follows: Zelina (deceased) ; Gustavus, in Mount Eaton, Ohio; Florian; Adeline, wife of August Jabas, in Dalton; Paul, in Holmes County, and Albert, at home.
Our subject was born in Canton Bern, Switzerland, October 16, 1839, and re- ceived his education in that country. After coming to America he learned the wagon-maker's trade, which he has since Followed, having conducted the business at Mount Eaton, Ohio, From 1865 to 1880, when he purchased his present farm of eighty-five acres in Paint Township, Wayne County. April 23, 1866, Mr. Schaffter married Miss Lena, daughter of Abraham Guerne, of Paint Township, and they have five children: Edward (a veterinary surgeon in Cleve- land, Ohio), Eugene, Ally, Willie and Lenora. Mr. Schaffter is a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party, and has filled the offices of assessor, supervisor and constable of Paint Township. He is a prominent member of the German Re- formed Church of Mount Eaton, and has been a deacon, trustee and secretary of the same. At the present time he is one of a committee appointed to take charge of matters connected with the erection of the new church.
JOHN W. FRICK. In recording the names of the prominent citizens of Wayne County our list would be in- complete were the name of John W. Frick omitted. Although not an early settler of the county, in the few years of his res- idence his interest in all that pertained to the welfare of the community, and his public-spirited and self-denying support of all enterprises of material or social benefit, made him well known, and gained for him many friends, who honored him for his many noble characteristics, and his benevolence endeared him to the hearts of those needing and deserving his succor.
Mr. Frick was born in Adamsburg, Westmoreland Co., Penn., February 23, 1822, a son of Daniel Frick, well known in the early days of Westmoreland Connty. He was married October 8, 18-17, to Eliz- abeth Overholt, daughter of Abraham and Maria ( Stauffer) Overholt. To them were born six children, three sons and three daughters: Maria, now Mrs. J. S. Overholt; Henry Clay, of Pittsburgh, Penn. : Ana, now Mrs. Braddock : Aaron; J. Edgar, a farmer, and Sallie O. John W. Frick was a miller in his early life. and in later years was a farmer, following that business in Pennsylvania. In 1880 he came to Wayne County, and bought 165 acres of land, which he afterward sokl, and bought 211 acres of land, which he
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John M. Gwick
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rented, and moved on six acres of land in Bloomington, a suburb of Wooster, which is now the family homestead. He began life poor, but by energy and industry ac- cumulated a good property, and retired from active labor, giving up the work of his farm to his sons. Mr. Frick died Au- gust 31, 1888, having many friends to monrn his loss, and to sympathize with the bereaved widow and children. In polities Mr. Frick was a stanch supporter of the Republican party. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church, his widow and children being adherents of the same denomination.
C HAS. B. DICKEY is a son of Josoph and Elizabeth ( Akin) Diekey, set- tlers in Hohnes County, Ohio, where our subject was born February 18, 1847. The parents died when Charles B. was but two years of age, and he was reared by a Mr. Armstrong, a farmer of that county, with whom he lived until he was twenty- two years of age. In 1872 he engaged in business at Fredericksburgh and continued for three years. He owned and operated a portable saw-mill for some years, and in 1878 came to Apple Creek, Wayne County. In 1880 he purchased his present saw and planing mill, and has since added a luimn- 6
ber yard. In 1887 he leased the grist- mill, which he operated until 1888, when he and two partners purchased the same, and it is now operated under the firm name of C. B. Diekey & Co. It has the full roller process, and a capacity of from seventy-five to one hundred barrels per duy.
On October 19, 1871, Mr. Diekey mar- ried Miss Lettie McCartney, of Hohes County, Ohio, and they have three chil- dren: Clyde, Irene and Linas Clare. Mr. Diekey is a prominent Democrat, and has always taken an active part in the affairs of his township. He held the offices of trustee and treasurer for two years each, and various village offices.
D AVID WEBNER (deceased ) long a respected citizen of Wayne County, Ohio, was a native of Dauphin County, Penn., but was reared in the adjoining county of Cumberland. His father, Peter Webner, enme with his brother John from Germany when they were both young men. Peter remained in Dauphin County, Penn., but John went farther west, and was never again heard of. So far as known, Peter was the an- cestor of all the Webner's now in the United States, but few of the name being
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known here. He was married in Dauphin Connty to Margaret Waltz, and was the father of fourteen children, of whom David was the youngest but one. The only survivor is Catherine, wife of John Kesses, of Rockville, Conn. The mother died when David was but eight years old, and the father seven years later.
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