Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 56

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1040

USA > Ohio > Sandusky County > Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 56
USA > Ohio > Ottawa County > Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 56

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opened an office for the practice of medi- cine at Port Clinton, Ohio, in which he still continues, and where, on account of his rare experience as a pharmacist, his ability to converse fluently in English, French and German, his faithfulness to his patients and his genial, kindly dis- position toward all, he has secured a lib- eral patronage. The Doctor has a con- venient office and a fine residence adjacent to the Court House Park. A year or two since he purchased an orange grove in Florida, where he spends a portion of each year.

On May 15, 1876, at Mecklenburg- Schwerin, Germany, Dr. de la Barre was married to Helene Bohndorff, daugh- ter of an artist, and their children are: Marguerite, born February 26, 1877; An- na, born June 26, 1878, and Elizabeth, born January 2, 1881. In his political preferences the Doctor is a Democrat, and for the past few years he has been a member of the board of education of Port Clinton; socially, he is affiliated with the I. O. O. F., and F. & A. M. He and his estimable wife enjoy the esteem and re- gard of a wide circle of friends and ac- quaintances.

R EV. SAMUEL T. LANE, retired minister of the U. B. Church, and formerly a pioneer itinerant preacher in Sandusky and Ottawa counties, was born in the town of Candor, Tioga Co., N. Y., April 15, 1815, a son of James and Jane (Colter) Lane, who lived on a farm where he for several years operated a sawmill. Mrs. Lane by a former marriage with Samuel Taylor (de- ceased) had two children, one of whom passed away in childhood, and the other grew to maturity, reared a family and died near the homestead. James Lane died in Tioga county, N. Y., about the year 1875. The children of James and Jane Lane were: Samuel T., Nancy Ann, Eliza, Rachel, Charles, Lindley

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Aaron, and Catharine. Of these Nancy Ann married John Vandemark, lived in Candor, then moved to Michigan, near Ann Arbor, where she died leaving two children; Eliza married Albert Barton, of Tioga county, where they still reside, and have one son living; Rachel married a Mr. Goodrich, lives in Oswego, N. Y., and has four children; Charles married and had a family near the old homestead; Lindley Aaron married, lives near the same place, and has two children; Cath- arine married a Mr. Burton, and they live near Chenang Point, New York.

The subject proper of these lines was raised to hard work in a sawmill and on a farm, and in his boyhood began to serve a three-years' apprenticeship to the blacksmith trade, then after completing his term worked about three years longer at the same place. He received only three months' schooling, with which as a starting point he went on acquiring knowledge by himself in his spare mo- ments, often reading books and papers by the dim light of a tallow-dip candle or a slut-lamp hanging in the chimney corner of a log cabin, or by the flickering light of a shell-bark hickory torch in the woods, until he found himself capable to teach a country school. About this time he mar- ried Miss Julia McDonald, by whom he had one child; but about two years later this wife died, and a year afterward he married Miss Lydia Ann Schoonover, of Tioga county, N. Y. He then moved to Mexico, Wyandot county, where he oper- ated a sawmill and remained until his second wife died. While living here he received exhorting license from the M. E. Church, and not long afterward was given a call to supply preaching on a large circuit which included Port Clinton, Danbury, Lakeside, and the country seven miles up the Portage river, embrac- ing twenty-two different appointments, mostly at school-houses or log cabin dwellings, and requiring one hundred miles travel to make one round every

three weeks. He attended the first quarterly meeting in 1850 at Lower Sandusky, where Rev. Beatty, his col- league, was stationed. Mr. Lane travel- ed mostly on horseback, carrying his Bible and hymn books in a leather saddle- bag. In 1851 he located at Lacarne, Ottawa county, and at Port Clinton was married to Miss Mary G. King, February 27, 1851. While living here he superin- tended the grading of the Northern Divi- sion of the L. S. & M. S. R. R., for three miles west of the Portage river, and a year later put in the culverts and cattle- guards between Lacarne and Oak Har- bor, being in the employ of the railroad company about two years. Four years after preaching for the M. E. Church he, in 1856, joined the U. B. Church, at Flat Rock, Ohio, and served as itinerant preacher nearly thirty years, or until 1885, when, at the age of seventy he was super- annuated. His last circuit was at Rising- sun, Wood county, his present home.

Rev. S. T. Lane's children by his last wife were: Sarah, Lydia Ann, Sylvester L., Samuel T., Nancy, Mary and Eva E. ; of these Sarah married James Kleinhans, lives at Waterville, Lucas Co., Ohio, and has five children; Lydia Ann married John Otten, lives at Deerfield, Mich., and has five children; Sylvester L., unmarried, is a publisher, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Samuel T. married Ada Nowlan, is clerk at the " Arlington House," Findlay, Ohio; Nancy married Charles K. Beech, lives at Find- lay, Ohio, and has two children; Eva E., married to Harry C. Hollinshead, a sketch of whom follows:

HARRY C. HOLLINSHEAD, of the firm of Bense & Hollinshead, wholesale and retail fish dealers, Port Clinton, and one of the leading business men of the city, is a native of same, born November 7, 1862, a son of Robert M. and Lucy (Dickens) Hollinshead.

The father of Harry C. was born in Ot- tawa county, Ohio, where he was reared, educated and married. He served as

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auditor and recorder of the county for some seventeen years, at the end of which time he embarked in the wholesale fish business with R. Bell & Co., at Port Clinton. In 1888 he sold out his interest in this industry, and moved to Toledo. His wife died in 1881 at the age of thirty- eight years, the mother of six children who grew to maturity, namely: Cora, wife of Albert B. Orth, of Port Clinton;

Harry C., of whom we write; Lester, assisting his brother in the fish business, unmarried; Clara, wife of John Rohr- bacher, of Port Clinton; May; and Eva, married to Matthew Hilsenbeck, and living in Toledo, Ohio.

Harry C. Hollinshead received his lit- erary education at the common schools of Port Clinton, after which he attended the Spencerian Business College, Cleveland, graduating from there in 1886. He then accepted the position of bookkeeper for George E. St. John, at Port Clinton, sub- sequently, in 1891, becoming a member of the firm of Bense, Hanlon & Co., fish dealers, the name of the firm being changed to Bense, Hollinshead & Co., in 1893.

On June 20, 1890, Mr. Hollinshead was married at Findlay, Ohio, to Miss Eva E. Lane, and one child, Robert Lind- ley, was born to them October 2, 1893. In his political preferences Mr. Hollins- head is a Democrat; socially, he is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F.

H ERMAN H. MYLANDER, county treasurer of Ottawa county, by virtue of his long residence at Oak Harbor, and high position in society, is well worthy of a prominent place in the pages of this volume.

A Prussian by birth, he was born in the town of Menden, Westphalia, Novem- ber 8, 1839, a son of Henry C. and Eliza- beth (Kelling) Mylander, both also natives of Prussia. In 1854 they emigrated to the United States, with a small party of

German colonists, locating in Ottawa, Ohio, where the father died in 1880, the mother in 1883. They had eleven chil- dren, all born in Germany, four of whom survive, viz .: Frederick, residing in Oak Harbor; Herman H., subject of this sketch; John H., residing in West Dover, Ohio, and William H., of Oak Harbor.

Our subject, as will be seen, was a fourteen-year-old boy when he came to this country, and as a consequence his education was for the most part received in his native land. About a couple of years he spent at Toledo and Woodville, Ohio, as an apprentice to the mercantile business, at a salary of four dollars per month; but in 1857 he returned to Oak Harbor and commenced business on his own account, since which time, now a period of some forty years, he has been continuously identified with Salem town- ship and Oak Harbor, and their develop- ment. In the year last named he estab- lished the first general store in Oak Har- bor, at that time a mere village, known as "Hartford," and in connection with this business he has also been largely in- terested and extensively engaged in the manufacture of staves and headings, hav- ing a factory at Oak Harbor. During these forty years Mr. Mylander's line has been devoted to an industrious and ener- getic business career, and every dollar he has accumulated has been invested and expended in the building up and develop- ment of his town and township. There is not a Church in Salem township that has not been benefited by contributions from Mr. Mylander, and to every public enterprise of moment he has always been a liberal subscriber.

On July 22 1859, our subject was married, at Oak Harbor, to Miss Sarah Troutman, daughter of John and Eliza- beth (Heilbach) Troutman, and born in Tuscarora, Schuykill Co., Penn., Decem- ber 23, 1841 ; she came to Ottawa county, in 1855, with her parents. This union has been blessed with four sons and two

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daughters, as follows: Henry C., born May 22, 1860, a prominent hardware merchant of Oak Harbor; William H., born May 28, 1861, a manufacturer of cooperage stock, and having charge of his father's business in Sandusky, Lindsay and North Creek; Franklin E., born May 19, 1863, died June 13, 1864; Mary A., born November 21, 1864, wife of W. Harmon, deputy county treasurer; George C., bookkeeper in his father's store at Oak Harbor, born March 27, 1869, and Em- ma B., born February 16, 1872, for some time a teacher in Ottawa county.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Myland- er has never been an office-seeker; but in 1894, without any solicitation on his part, he was nominated, by his party, as a candidate for county treasurer, and on November 6 of that year was elected to that honorable position, one that he fills with characteristic ability and fidelity. For twelve years he served as councillor of Oak Harbor, and for eight years was school director, also filling the position of school treasurer for the same length of time. He is a man of more than ordi- nary business qualifications, to-day ranking among the solid men of Ottawa county, and enjoying an enviable and well-mer- ited popularity. He is also highly re- spected in the community for his moral worth, and many unassuming charitable deeds.

C HARLES I. YORK. This well- known attorney at law, who en- joys an honorable and lucrative practice in his chosen profession, is holding an enviable place in the front rank of that distinguished array of talent which constitutes the bar of Ottawa county.

He is a native of Ohio, born in Green- wich township, Huron county, February 18, 1856. When he was an infant of two months his parents, Stephen and Hannah York, moved to the adjoining

township of Ruggles, in Ashland county, where for some thirty years they resided, at the end of that time returning to Greenwich township, and finally settling in the village of that name. Here the father died September 3, 1888, the mother on October 7, 1892, leaving one son and four daughters, as follows: Charles I., Mrs. Harriet Washburn, Mrs. Cornelia Wright and Mrs. Lena Ston- er, of Greenwich, Ohio; and Mrs. Avetta MaCumber, of Lorain, Ohio. The par- ents and all the grandparents were born in the State of New York, while the great- grandparents were of Irish, German and French nativity.

When four years old our subject com- menced attending district school near his Ashland county home, his first teacher being Alvin Griffin, who is now, and has been for the past thirty years or so, a practicing attorney at law at Norwalk, Ohio. At the age of fifteen young Charles entered a private school in the · same vicinity, which he attended two years, and in November, 1873, at the ear- ly age of seventeen, he commenced teach- ing country school, the first step toward beginning life for himself. During the springs and summers of 1874 and three consecutive years Mr. York was engaged by the month on a farm, shearing sheep, and in other occupations, at intervals, when out of work, canvassing for the sale of books, at the same time attending pri- vate schools in the fall, his winters being occupied in teaching. In 1878 he taught select schools, his chief duties being to prepare the student for the profession of school teaching. In 1879, 1880, and up to the fall of 1881 he was engaged as traveling salesman for a church, school and hall furniture industry, teaching school in the winter of 1879-80. In the fall of 1881 he entered the Law Depart- ment of Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Mich., where, on March 28, 1883, he re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Laws. During vacation in his course, and after

Look

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graduation, he continued, until the fall of 1883, his former occupation of traveling salesman. On February 8, 1883, he was admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, and on June 5, 1883, while at Columbus, Ohio, on business for the firm he was traveling for he was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Ohio, and has since been admitted to practice in the United States courts. In the fall of 1883 he entered the law office of H. C. Carhart, at Galion, Ohio, there making his debut into the arena of law; but he remained there only two weeks, for dur- ing the afternoon of December 2, he be- gan to take into favorable consideration the condition of affairs in Oak Harbor, Ottawa county, which he had frequently visited in his traveling days, and the re- sult of his cogitations was that on the following day he found himself located in that thriving town and engaged in the trial of a case before the mayor thereof. Here he remained in the practice of his chosen profession until July 4, 1892, at which date he removed to Port Clinton, the county seat of Ottawa county, where he has continued to reside.

On October 18, 1887, at his own home in Oak Harbor, which had been suitably prepared for a life of domes- ticity, Mr. York was married to Miss Anna Wilt, of that village, and they par- took of their marriage supper at their own table. Socially our subject is a member in good standing of the F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F. and the K. of P. Lodges. He believes that men become characterized to, and a reflex of, the objects which they worship, and holds that man's su- preme duty is to worship God, by reason of his relation with his Creator, as it be- comes revealed to him, through the Sacred Scriptures, human reason and natural laws, that he might become a susceptible character to reflect sunshine and happi- ness in his home, in the fraternities of men and the society of the world, and be- come so spiritually related to his Creator

as to be enabled to await in perfect peace, consolation and faith the eternal destiny of the immortal soul.

At the November election, in 1888, Mr. York was elected prosecuting attorney of Ottawa county, on the Democratic ticket, and at the November election in 1891 he was re-elected on the same ticket, holding that office for two terms, beginning on the first Monday of January, 1889, and ending on the first Monday of January, 1895. He is possessed of ex- cellent judgment, gifted with enviable skill in handling a case, and forcible in his ar- guments before a jury, while he is re- garded as a useful local counselor and of- fice lawyer, critical and accurate in the adjustment and preparation of cases. Genial and popular, no man stands higher in the estimation of the people of the county, and his present leading position, both as a man and as a lawyer, is a con- clusive proof of what pluck, ambition and honest endeavor will accomplish.

G EORGE M. RUDES, the pro- prietor of Maple Grove farm, Clay township, Ottawa county, is one of the oldest of the pioneers, and a prominent agriculturist and manu- facturer of that township. He has watched the progress of the country from a state of nature, a wilderness of forest trees and underbrush, inhabited by wild animals, to its present proud position in the State, with fertile fields and comfortable homes, and feels that to his strong right arm is due in a measure the prosperity and beauty of this favored section.

Mr. Rudes was born in Genesee coun- ty, N. Y., February 4, 1827, a son of Ephraim and Hannah (Hudson) Rudes, also natives of that State, born of English and Welsh descent. They removed to Ohio when their son George was but eight years old, making the long journey in a wagon, drawn by horses, and located in Medina county. Here our subject attend-

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ed the common and high schools, and then served an apprenticeship at the carpenter and joiner's trade, at which he worked for several years. He then went to Huron county, going into the hotel business, which he carried on some three years; but, tiring of this, he purchased a farm in that county, which he worked for five years. He then sold out and came to Ottawa county, settling in Clay township, where he began manufacturing lumber. With keen foresight and good business tact, he purchased eighty acres of timber land and a sawmill and went to work, cut- ting down the trees, often standing knee deep in water. He sawed the logs, mak- ing them into lumber, for which he found a ready sale, and in the course of the twelve years in which he carried on oper- ations used all the timber on his own and the neighboring farms. A part of this timber covered what is known as . Middle Ground," in the city of Toledo. In ad- dition to the manufacture of lumber, Mr. Rudes devoted every spare moment to the improvement of his farm, and succeeded in bringing it to a high state of cultiva- tion. He sawed and dried the lumber used in the construction of his dwelling and barns, which he built himself, in a picturesque spot, and which for beauty and design can not be surpassed in Clay township. He made many other improve- ments upon his land, and has to-day a valuable piece of property. In 1866 Mr. Rudes sold out his sawmill, and attended strictly to his farming operations. In 1873 he bought a sawinill in Genoa, adding thereto a planing-mill, and for ten years lived in Genoa, buying also eighty acres of timber land in the vicinity of his farm. The mill is still in operation, employing a number of men, and is successfully con- ducted by his son, Heselton F., who thor- oughly understands the business.

Our subject was married November 9, 1851, to Miss Louisa J. Baxter, and to them cight children have been born (two of whom are deceased), a brief record of

them being as follows: (1) Heselton F., born September 10, 1853, attended the schools of Genoa, and was married April 25, 1878, to Miss Fanny Butheway; they have had three children-Guy, born July 14, 1878, died in 1892; Lester, born in 1887; and Verne, born in September, 1891; they reside in Genoa, where he has charge of his father's mill. (2) Bribner H., born September 15, 1854, in Huron county, received his education at Genoa; he is unmarried, resides with his parents, and is interested in the business of grain threshing and well drilling. (3) Carlos A., born July 21, 1857, in Clay township, attended the schools in Genoa, and was married December 9. 1879, to Miss Lillie Hatch, daughter of Charles Hatch, of Hancock county; they have had five chil- dren-Ercell, Harry, Earl (deceased), Merrill and Gail. (4) Amy, born De- cember 25, 1867, died July 27, 1875. (5) George A., born September 30, 1862, in Clay township, was educated in Genoa; he carries on well drilling and threshing; he was married in Genoa, December 12, 1880, to Miss Avis, daughter of Austin Tuttle, and seven children have been born to them-Albert M., Alice L., Florence, Metta, Howard, Emery, and Inez. (6) Minnie M., born September 1, 1864, is single and resides with her parents. (7) Roy C., born May 10, 1874, is what might be termed a born machinist; he is entirely self-taught, but seems to have a thorough knowledge of all kinds of machines; he tried farming for a while, but is now agent for a thresh- ing-machine manufacturing company; he is single and lives with his parents. (8)

Metta, born August 1, 1876, died July 24, 1877.

Ephraim Rudes, the father of our sub- ject, was born in the State of New York, in 1800, and followed the occupation of a farmer. He was married in 1821 to Miss Hannah Hudson, who was born in the same State, July 16, 1803, and their family consisted of seven children as fol-

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lows: Sarah A., Amy and Abel (twins), George M., Clarinda, Allen H. and Lucy. The father died in 1846, and the mother in 1890. The wife of our subject was born July 20, 1832, in the State of New York, and was one of thirteen children born to her parents. She is suffering from the effects of a stroke of paralysis, which prevents her from performing household duties, although her mind is clear and active, and she converses with ease and intelligence. She and her hus- band, who is a very quiet and unassum- ing man, have many interesting incidents to tell of the early day in the settlement of this State, when they were surrounded by dense forests, when neighbors were few and far between, and when none of the comforts and conveniences of civiliza- tion were at hand. Now they are enjoy- ing the results of their early toil and hard- ships, and the evening of their useful and busy lives finds them contented and happy.

Mr. Rudes has always deeply regretted his inability to take part in the war for the defense of the stars and stripes, in 1861-65, owing to chronic rheumatism, contracted when a boy and added to when clearing his land and preparing his lumber for his mill, the ground being very wet and marshy. He has been a great sufferer from this disease, although always a busy man. Mr. Rudes has held the office of supervisor for ten years, and has been school director for the same length of time. He is a stanch Republican, go- ing into the ranks of that party on its formation. He believes in principles not men, and has never been an office-seeker. His first Presidential vote was cast for Zachary Taylor, who was the Whig candidate.

G EORGE GOSLINE, editor and publisher of the bright and influ- ential journal of Oak Harbor called The Press, was born in Canton, Bradford Co., Penn., April 22,

1852, and is a son of William and Lo- rina S. (Fowler) Gosline. The father was born in Sussex Vale, Kings Co., New Brunswick, Canada, April 10, 1813, and died January 8, 1879. The mother was born at Lubeck. Me., July 6, 1818, and died at Canton, Bradford Co., Penn., May 23, 1854. In their family were eight children, five of whom survive at the time of this writing in the summer of 1895: Thomas, who is living in Will- amsport, Penn .; James, a resident of Philadelphia, Penn .; Mary, wife of George P. Russell, of Lancaster, Penn .; Edward, whose home is in Carnegie; and George, the subject of this review.

The last named spent the days of his boyhood in Williamsport, Penn., and ac- quired his education in the public schools of that city. On leaving the school room he began serving an appenticeship to the printer's trade, and in 1867 re- moved to Marshall, Mo., whither his parents had gone the previous year. In 1870, after working in a printing office in Marshall for three years, he went to Glas- gow, Howard Co., Mo., where he worked at his trade for a year. In 1871 he moved to Topeka, Kans., where he also spent a year, and in 1872 became a resi- dent of Huntsville, Randolph Co., Mo., but after six months he went to St. Louis, Mo. His residence there was of only three months duration, and in January, 1874, he went to Indianapolis, Ind., and a month later to Sandusky, Ohio. After a brief sojourn in the last named city, he went to Port Clinton, Ohio, whence, in 1875, he came to Oak Harbor, of which place he has since been one of the honored and respected citizens.

Immediately after his arrival here, Mr. Gosline began the publication of The Press, to which he has since gv

close personal attention. The journal has always been devoted to the interests and advancement of the welfare of Otta- wa county and vicinity, without regard to politics. It is well edited and printed,

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and enjoys a large advertising patronage as well as an extensive circulation. The office is equipped with job and cylinder presses, steam power is used, and alto- gether the paper reflects great credit on its enterprising editor and publisher. Mr. Gosline ranks among the leading men of the county, and in his relations to the people as a newspaper man and citizen is recognized as one who has contributed largely to the material and social advance- ment of Ottawa county and tributary dis- trict.

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Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 56

Author: J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1040

Author: J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago, J.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1040