USA > Ohio > Williams County > Commemorative biographical record of northwestern Ohio : including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams and Fulton, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 33
USA > Ohio > Fulton County > Commemorative biographical record of northwestern Ohio : including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams and Fulton, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 33
USA > Ohio > Henry County > Commemorative biographical record of northwestern Ohio : including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams and Fulton, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 33
USA > Ohio > Defiance County > Commemorative biographical record of northwestern Ohio : including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams and Fulton, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families > Part 33
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Entering the Cambria ( Pennsylvania) Iron Works, he remained there eight years lacking two weeks, at the end of which time he came to York township, Fulton county, Ohio, and located on his present farm of seventy- nine acres, which was partly cleared, but he put up all the buildings thereon- the barn in 1884 and the house in 1885. Politically he is a Republican, his first Presidential vote being cast for Abraham Lincoln, and he has ever been as true and loyal to his party as he was to his country in her dark hours of need.
ELI A. FARNHAM.
This leading business man of Edgerton, Williams county, has for forty years been closely identified with the history of the place, while his name is inseparably connected with its financial records. The banking interests are well represented by him, for he is to-day at the head of the well-known . banking house of Farnham & Co.
On the old homestead in St. Joseph township, Williams county, Mr. Farnham was born March 28, 1843, a son of Daniel Farnham, who was born in Windham county, Connecticut, January 17, 1811, and in 1835 came to Williams county, Ohio, locating in St. Joseph township. Here he was married October 6, 1840, to Miss Caroline Sawyer, a native of New York State, born September 13, 1818. They were among the earliest settlers of Williams county, and became widely and favorably known. The father died December 27, 1896, but the mother is still living. In their family were eleven children, who in order of birth are as follows: Leander, Eli A., Myron C., Marian R., Darwin A., twin daughters (deceased), Irmina, Ella, Elnora and Inez V.
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Eli A. Farnham grew to manhood upon the home farm, and in his father's store, which was conducted upon that place, he became thoroughly familiar with business methods. He continued to assist his father until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when he offered his services to the gov- ernment, enlisting October 26, 1861, in Company K, Sixty-eighth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, but after serving for seven months he was discharged on account of physical disability. Returning to Williams county, he soon after- ward embarked in merchandising in Edgerton, and successfully engaged in that business until 1892. In that year the banking house of Farnham & Co. was established, and he has since successfully conducted a general bank- ing business. He is also vice-president of the Farmers' National Bank of Bryan. A man of keen discrimination and sound judgment, his executive ability and excellent management have brought to both concerns a high de- gree of success. He is also conducting a mercantile business in Edgerton.
At Lodi, Columbia county, Wisconsin, Mr. Farnham married Miss Emma Rathbun, who was born February 5, 1855, in Connecticut, but was reared in Wisconsin. Her father, William S. Rathbun, spent his last days in Edgerton, Ohio, dying there. Mr. and Mrs. Farnham are the parents of six children, namely: Harry R., Waldo C., Irma (who died at the age of nine months), Eli A., Jr., and Emma and Dana (twins). Mrs. Farn- ham is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Edgerton, and director of the Edgerton school board, serving as treasurer for three years.
Socially, Mr. Farnham is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and Walter Slaughter Post, G. A. R. He has been called upon to serve as treasurer of Edgerton, and has also been a member of the school board. As a financier he ranks with the ablest in Williams county, and he is probably equally prominent in social life. Wher- ever found, whether in public or private life, his integrity is above question and his honor above reproach. Edgerton owes much to him, and numbers him among her valued citizens.
WILLIAM C. MILLER.
Those who have aided in the development of Williams county, and have borne an important part in transforming the wild forest districts into highly cultivated farms and good homes, are certainly deserving of honorable men- tion in this volume. Such a one is Mr. Miller, a leading agriculturist of Brady township. Born in Richland county, Ohio, November 10, 1834, he is a son of John and Rebecca (Carl) Miller, the former a native of Pennsylvania, the lat-
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ter of Ohio, their marriage being celebrated in Columbiana county, this State. In 1808, the grandfather, Peter Miller, removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and developed a farm in Stark county, where he died. He was of German descent. The children by his first marriage were Samuel, Henry, John, Re- becca and Sarah; those by his second marriage being Mary, William, Daniel, Joseph, Levi, Susan and Betsy.
John Miller, father of our subject, rented a farm in Richland county, Ohio, and in 1834 came to Williams county, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, making a settlement thereon the following year. The Thompsons, Olivers and Hoods were the only families living in the neighbor- hood. He made the journey with an ox-team, leaving his goods in his wagon until, with the aid of his neighbors, he could cut logs and build a cabin. He then rented a small piece of cleared land, on which to plant a crop of corn, and began clearing his own property. Success attended his efforts, and after the first year he always had corn to sell. Bears and wolves were frequently seen, deer and lesser wild game were to be had in abundance; milling was done at Defiance, and at Pulaski there was also a small trading post. After about two years Mr. Miller purchased a quarter section of land, and nine years after reaching the county he was the owner of an extensive farm, one hundred acres of which were highly cultivated and under fence, while a commodious residence and good barns and outbuildings added to the value and attractive appearance of the place. In 1864 he sold that property and purchased an eighty-acre farm adjoining the town of Bryan. Ten years later he also dis- posed of that and removed to Waterloo, Indiana, but after three years re- turned to Edgerton, Williams county, where he died September 7, 1888. Thus ended the career of one of the most useful and enterprising citizens that Will- iams county has ever known.
His wife, Rebecca (Carl), a daughter of Richard Carl, and of German descent, survived him four years, dying in 1892. She was the eldest of nine children, the others being Mary A .; Lydia; Harriet; George; Richard; John; Daniel, and Joseph. The children of John and Rebecca Miller were Sabina, wife of J. Rowley; William C .; Harriet, wife of O. D. Willett; Harmon, of Oklahoma, a wealthy banker and speculator; Daniel B., a speculator, of Mitchell, Dakota; Lydia A., wife of D. Galbreath; and Ellen J., wife of J. Preston.
William C. Miller was a six-months-old infant when brought by his father to Williams county, and has, therefore, practically spent his entire life here. Until he was twenty-four years of age he remained at home; then, in 1859, he made an overland trip to California, spending five months on the
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way. He was there employed by the month on a milk ranch, later driving an ox-team for a sawmill some two years, after which he went to the gold mines of Idaho by way of Oregon and Washington, staked a claim and engaged in mining for some time. In June, 1863, he made his way to San Francisco, and returned to his home by the water route.
On again reaching Williams county, Mr. Miller bought one hundred and seventy-five acres of land, one hundred of which were cleared, the improve- ments being a log house and barn. He has since added one hundred and sixty acres, and now has three hundred and thirty-five acres under a high state of cultivation. Upon the place is a commodious two-story frame residence, three large barns, good buildings, an orchard, and an abundance of running water. In addition to general farming he is extensively and successfully en- gaged in the raising and sale of stock. His political support is given the Republican party, but he has neither time nor inclination for office, preferring to devote his energies to his business interests, in which he has met with ex- cellent success.
Mr. Miller was married March 10, 1864, to Miss Margaret L. Rowles, a daughter of Alfred M. and Matilda (Green) Rowles, who came to Williams county about 1845, locating in Bryan. Her father was a tanner, and followed his trade until 1860, when he started for Pike's Peak. He afterward went to Montana, where he was joined by his wife and sons, and in that then Territory he died. In his family were eight children: Jesse, who died from wounds received in the army ; Mrs. Isadore Patterson; Mrs. Margaret Miller; Taylor, who died in Montana; Mrs. Augusta Chamberlain; and Presley, Charles, and Henry, all of Montana.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller have five children: Edwin U .; Mrs. Carrie B. Va- neer ; John and Otis R., at home; and Hernando, a student at Fayette College, taking the teacher's course. Of these, Edwin U. married Harriet Miguery, of Stryker, and they have one daughter, Grace, born December 6, 1892. Edwin is at present engaged in the new sawmill at Stryker. The parents are worthy members of the Universalist Church.
REUBEN SPONSELLER.
This prosperous and substantial farmer of Defiance county is residing on Section 24, Mark township, where he is industriously engaged in the prosecu- tion of his noble calling, and is meeting with more than ordinary success.
A native of Ohio, Mr. Sponseller was born in Crawford county, December 25, 1834, a son of Michael and Susanna (Mentzer) Sponseller, the former a
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native of Pennsylvania, the latter of Maryland. Both died in Crawford county, Ohio.
Our subject, who is ninth in the order of birth in their family of ten children, was reared upon the home farm, early becoming familiar with the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. In his native county he was married October 6, 1859, to Miss Catherine Barthold, who was also born in Ohio, and they have become the parents of nine children, namely: Caroline, now the wife of William Neel; Frank, married to Nara Kaser; Mary, wife of David Conley; Emma, wife of Wesley Shong; John, married to Jennie Shong; Esther, wife of Charles Kaser; Susanna; Amanda; and Ida.
In August, 1861, Mr. Sponseller removed from Crawford to Defiance county, and located upon the farm in Mark township, where he has since made his home. The place contains one hundred and forty acres of good land, and as an industrious and enterprising man he has taken great pride in making it one of the best farms of the community. He and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the German Baptist Church, and by all who know them they are held in high regard.
WILLIAM HORR.
This leading agriculturist of Adams township, Defiance county, is one of our representative citizens, and although he does not claim the United States as his native land, he has shown that he possesses the true American spirit by two years of honorable service in the cause of liberty during the war of the Rebellion.
Mr. Horr was born September 7, 1835, in Cornwall, England, a son of John and Mary Horr, both of whom died in the old country. When he was about seventeen years of age Mr. Horr crossed the Atlantic, locating first in Upper Canada, where he spent several years in farming. He then removed to Lorain county, Ohio, and after three or four years of similar work he enlisted, in August, 1861, in the Second Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, with which he passed two years in active service. His health being much broken, he returned to Lorain county at the end of his term, and on partially recovering he took a fortunate step in securing as a life partner Miss Sarah Fishburn, also a native of England, their marriage occurring August 10, 1864. He purchased a farm in Lorain county and began housekeeping, but in 1867 they decided to sell that place and remove to Defiance county, where he bought his present home- stead in Adams township. This is an attractive farm of one hundred and twenty acres, upon which he has erected good buildings, and his excellent
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management shows a thorough knowledge of agricultural science. He and his wife take an active interest in all that pertains to the advancement of the com- munity, and while he is not a politician he gives attention as a citizen to the various questions of the day, having given his allegiance to the Republican party ever since he came to this country.
Mrs. Horr is also a native of England, having been born in Lincolnshire, May 14, 1845, a daughter of Paul and Jane Fishburn. She was only two years old when her parents came to America, and her youth was mainly spent in Lorain county. Seven children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Horr, all of whom are living except Jennie, who died in infancy. Mildred is the wife of James Turney, of Wauseon, Fulton county, Ohio. Burt married Miss Clara Tittle, of Adam's Ridge, Defiance county,- Ohio; William married Miss Rosa Seaman, of Mexico, New York; George married Miss Daisy Wil- liams, of Jewell, Defiance county. Ohio; Everett and Lloyd are still unmarried.
HENRY J. ROTHENBURGER.
This gentleman, who successfully operates a good farm of fifty-three acres in Section 24, South Richland precinct, Defiance county, is a native of Germany, having been born in Wurtemberg, January 30, 1836. In 1845, when a lad of nine years, he was brought to America by his parents, Frederick J. and Hannah (Stuber) Rothenburger. They first located in Medina county, Ohio, afterward spent a short time in Henry county, and in 1851 came to Richland township, Defiance county, settling in the North precinct, where they continued to reside until 1859. In that year the parents returned to Henry county, where both died.
Our subject was the eldest of their six children-four sons and two daughters-and under the parental roof he remained until his marriage, on May 22, 1858, Miss Julia A. DeLong becoming his wife. She was born in Holmes county, Ohio, August 5, 1839. Eight children were born of this union-six sons and two daughters-namely: William H .; Frederick E .; Charles H .; Mary J., wife of John P. Yetter; Albert W., who was killed in 1893, at the age of twenty-four years, by a falling tree; Frank E .; Amy B., wife of William P. Yetter ; Henry M. ; and John J.
Mr. and Mrs. Rothenburger began housekeeping in Richland township, where they have continued to make their home throughout their married life with the exception of ten years spent in Henry county, Ohio. His farming operations were interrupted during the war of the Rebellion by his enlistment, on January 1, 1864, in Company G, Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry,
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with which he served until July 15, 1865, when he was mustered out at Cleve- land, Ohio. Soon after his return to Richland township, Defiance county, he purchased a farm in Henry county, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his energies for ten years, selling out at the end of that time and returning to Richland township, Defiance county. He took up his resi- dence upon his present farm in Section 24, South Richland precinct, and upon the place he has made many valuable and useful improvements. He has taken a leading and active part in local affairs, has acceptably served as a mem- ber of the school board of Richland township sixteen years, been township trustee four years, and filled other minor offices. Fraternally he belongs to Bishop Post, No. 22, G. A. R., and in religious faith he and his family are members of the Church of God, taking an active and prominent part in all Church work.
ELIAS RIDENOUR.
This well-known resident of Defiance county may claim pioneer honors, as he first came to that locality in 1839. He was but seven months old at the time, it is true, and presumably unconscious of any hardships connected with the removal; but it was not long before he took an active part in the labors of his father's farm, and his boyhood was spent amid the primitive sur- roundings of that early time. Indians were still plentiful in Washington township, and he remembers the time when they finally left the county. His parents, George and Catherine ( Hilbert) Ridenour, were both natives of Ohio, the former having been born in Harrison county, and the latter in Jefferson county. They removed to Defiance county in May, 1839, settling in Wash- ington township, at the present site of Georgetown, and their remaining years were spent there, both living to the good old age of eighty. Our subject was the third in a family of ten children, seven sons and three daughters.
Mr. Ridenour was born September 19, 1838, in Jefferson county, Ohio. As the son of a busy farmer he learned the details of agricultural work in his youth, and until he reached the age of twenty-four he remained at the old homestead in Washington township, Defiance county. In February, 1862, he went to Camp Denison, at Columbus, Ohio, and although he did not enlist, he became identified with Company F, Forty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and accompanied the regiment to the seat of war. At the time of the battle of Shiloh he went with members of that company to St. Louis, Missouri, where he spent about four weeks in a hospital. On partially recovering he went to McLean county, Illinois, to visit his brother Peter, and a few weeks later he returned to Defiance county, having been absent nearly six months. In March,
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1863, he went to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and spent about three years there, the first eight months being devoted to farming, and the remainder of the time chiefly to mining. While there he assisted in cutting down the trees which were used in the construction of the great tabernacle in Salt Lake City. In 1866 he came back to the old homestead, where he re- mained for two years. On March 21, 1868, he married Miss Delilah Hanna, and going to McLean county, Illinois, he settled upon a farm, which he oper- ated for four years. The two years following were spent at his father's home- stead, and in the spring of 1875 he located upon his present farm in Section 3, Mark township, Defiance county, where he has erected good buildings and made other improvements of a substantial nature. The place contains one hundred and twenty-seven acres, and under his able management is regarded as one of the best farms in the neighborhood. Mr. Ridenour is active and in- fluential in local affairs, and is especially interested in educational advance- ment, having served many years as a member of the school board. For six years he has been a director of the Infirmary, and he has also served as assessor for two terms and held other offices, including those of township trustee and land appraiser. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and he ranks among the leading advisers of the party in his locality.
Mrs. Ridenour is a native of Washington township, Defiance county, and her parents, Henry and Mary (Rader) Hanna, were early settlers in the county. Her mother died at the old home in Washington township, but her father's death occurred in Colorado, while on a visit. Of the five children who have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ridenour, the eldest, Charles E., married Miss Sylvia Gingery, and resides in Mark township, Defiance county. Sadie B. married Bert Stottler; Nellie M. is the wife of Philip Case; Elsie E. and Mary C. are at home.
ISRAEL S. SHANKSTER.
Mr. Shankster, who is an agriculturist of energy and ability, residing in Section 33, Jefferson township, Williams county, was born July 30, 1837, in that township, a son of John and Nancy (Streets) Shankster, who died there.
Of their seven children, Israel is third in the order of birth, and being reared in much the usual manner of farmer lads, he early became familiar with agricultural pursuits. He has always resided in Jefferson township, and throughout his business career has successfully engaged in farming. He re- mained under the parental roof until his marriage, when he located upon his present farm, comprising eighty acres of rich and arable land, which he has
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placed under a high state of cultivation and improved with good and sub- stantial buildings, so that it is now one of the best farms of the locality.
Mr. Shankster married Miss Mary Hoff, and to them have been born three children, namely: Mildred, Carrie and Clyde. Our subject is one of the prominent and influential citizens of his township, and is thoroughly in- terested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of the community. He has always been identified with the Repub- lican party, and has done all within his power to promote its interests or in- sure its success.
WILLIAM AUGUST KEHNAST.
Germany is the Fatherland of countless thousands of brave and sturdy men who left their native country to establish homes in foreign lands, and wherever located brought with them the national characteristics of honest dealing, industry and thrift, and that energy and bravery which has caused many of them to be valiant soldiers in defense of liberty in every adopted country wherein they lived; while in politics, finance, arts, sciences and lit- erature many reflect honor and glory upon the land that gave them birth. No country in the world has been benefited more by the emigration to it of this indomitable and brave race than the United States, in every portion of which the labor and genius of that people have been a prominent fac- tor in its growth, improvement and development. Of that race is descended the subject of this biographical notice, and from them he inherited char- acteristics that made him in time of war a volunteer soldier in the patriotic army of his adopted country, and in civil life an honored and trusted citi- zen, and for thirty years a substantial and prosperous merchant of his home city of Defiance.
Mr. Kehnast was born March 17, 1847, in the village of Mohrenbach, Thuriengen, near the city of Erfurt, Germany. Christian Kehnast, his father, was a prosperous business man, and a manufacturer of cloths, while his mother, Henrietta ( Haueisen) Kehnast, was a member of a wealthy and prom- inent family of that place. They were highly respected in the community, were members of the Lutheran Church, and carefully reared their children, that they might grow up honest and useful citizens. They both died in Ger- many, the parents of five children. Amid such surroundings our subject was reared until the age of thirteen, from the age of six attending school. The lad, however, was of an ambitious, aspiring nature, and when very young had conceived a strong desire to travel and visit far-away lands, so much so that when a brother, August Kehnast, who had been a resident of near
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Tonawanda, Erie county, New York, for some six years, wrote to his home in Germany, requesting that young William A. should come to him in America, the latter gladly availed himself of the chance. His mother was then a widow, her husband having died two years previously ; so our subject, with his mother's consent, and blessing, embarked at Bremen on a steam- ship bound for New York, where, then a lad of thirteen summers, he ar- rived in June, 1860, and at once proceeded to the home of his brother in Erie county, New York, at which time he could speak no English. De- termined to learn, however, the following winter he attended an English school. In the spring of 1861, he, with his brother and brother's family, migrated west to Henry county, Ohio, arriving at Florida in that county, March 17, 1861, his brother locating on a farm near that town. But in May of the same year, our subject, still being desirous of learning and lay- ing the foundation for possible success, went to Florida, Ohio, and accepted employment in a grocery store, for six months working for little or noth- ing, learning rapidly, however, not only the English language, but the busi- ness methods of the country, which at that time was worth more to him than high wages. He was subsequently employed a short time in a grocery store at Napoleon, Ohio, and in the summer of 1862, he came to Defiance, Ohio, becoming a clerk in the grocery store of J. B. Weisenberger, during the following winter attending school.
This was the second year of the war of the great Rebellion, and the German lad had become so strongly imbued with the patriotic spirit of the times that he was anxious to become a soldier in the Union cause. Conse- quently, on an occasion in 1862 when a party of volunteer soldiers were leav- ing Defiance for the front, without notifying his employer, he boarded the railroad train with them. On arriving at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, he wanted to be sworn in as a soldier, but, on account of his size and youth, the officers refused to accept him. He was then "in a fix"-with no money to take him back home. He had been there about a week, when one morn- ing he was pleased to receive a letter from Mr. Weisenberger, requesting him to return to Defiance, also promising him increased wages. He at once returned and resumed work in the grocery. With Mr. Weisenberger he continued until the summer of 1863; but the war fever being still strong in his heart, he one day notified Mr. Weisenberger that he was going to en- list, and with a fellow clerk and comrade, Maurice Welsh, proceeded to To- ledo, Ohio, and there enlisted August 5, 1863, in Company E, Ninth Regi- ment Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, which company was soon sent to Camp Den- nison. Here the regiment was organized and mustered in, and soon was
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