Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 64

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 64
USA > Ohio > Ottawa County > Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 64

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

three sons, John (3), Adam and Jacob. John Heter (3) was, like his father, a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He moved to Center county, Penn., when his son John (4) was only two years old. He removed, later, to Berks coun- ty, same State, where he died. He had seven children: Adam, Jacob. Cath- arine (Ritter), Barbara (Ish), Rebecca (Ulsh), Maria (Romig), and John (5). All of these except the last named lived and died in Pennsylvania.

John Heter (5) was born in Berks county, Penn., in 1794, being the sev- enth child in his father's family. By trade he was a hatter, working in the towns of Snyder and adjoining counties. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 un- der Capt. Narr Middlesworth and Gen. Smythe, of Virginia, and served at Black Rock, on the Niagara river, receiving a pension, and a patent for forty acres of government land, for his services. He married in Union (now Snyder) coun- ty, Penn., Miss Salome Freese, who was of German descent. In August. 1825, he removed to Wayne county, Ohio, where he engaged in clearing land and farming, and in March, 1829, he re- moved to Oak Openings, of Thompson township, Seneca Co., Ohio, in which region, at that time, there were more wolves than sheep. and more Indians than white people. An Indian trail crossed his farm near his residence. He entered land at $1.25 per acre, and bought at second hand, at different times, eighteen eighty-acre lots of wild land, some of which he cleared and improved, some of which he gave to his children, and some of which he sold. He was a peaceable, quiet unassuming man, a kind neighbor and a good citizen. He brought up his sons to habits of industry, econ- omy and thrift. He was quite fond of music, and took delight in listening to the martial tunes of two ingeniously con- structed musical clocks which he had bought of a Frenchman. . Military pa-

434

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

rades of State militia where held on his farm about the years 1835-1840, when Jacob Bunn was captain and Jacob Wales first lieutenant. He and his wife and some of the children were members of the Lutheran Church, and he donated an acre of land to the joint societies of the Lu- theran and German Reformed Churches for the erection of a church building and for cemetery purposes. About the year 1862 he removed to Bellevue, where his wife died in 1864, and he followed her to the grave in 1881. Both were buried in the Reformed cemetery at Bellevue, Ohio.

A brief record of the children born to John and Salome (Freese) Heter is as follows: (1) George Heter, a farmer, married Miss Hannah Kern, and lived near Flat Rock, Ohio, until 1878, when he retired to Bellevue, Ohio, where he died in 1892. (2) William Heter, a farmer, married Elizabeth Decker, lived in Thomp- son township until the spring of 1865, and then removed to Blue Springs, Neb., where he died in 1891. (3) Maria Heter married Elias Weiker, a farmer of Thomp- son township, where she died in 1859. (4) Jacob Heter, a farmer, married Miss Lucetta Gamby, and until the spring of 1878 lived in Seneca county, thence re- moving to near Sterling, Rice Co., Kans. (5) Elizabeth Heter died when two years old. (6) Sarah Heter married William Shock, a farmer of York township, San- dusky county, where they lived until 1875, in that year removing to Fall City, Neb., where she died in 1893. (7) John Heter (6) is the subject of this biography. (8) Magdalena Heter married Henry Shock, a farmer of Thompson township, where she died in 1856. (9) Levi Heter, now a retired farmer, living at Bellevue, Ohio, married Mary Shock. (10) Eli Heter, a farmer of Thompson township, married Miss Susan Sherck, and, after her death, Miss Margaret Cerman. (11) Adam Heter, a farmer, married Miss Selina Korner, and in 1870 removed to Highland, Kans. ( 12)

Eliza Heter married Philip Cupp, who for a number of years was a farmer in Thompson township, and is now engaged in the coal business, at Bellevue, Ohio.

John Heter (6) spent his early life in the wilds of Thompson township, Seneca Co., Ohio. Some of his playmates were Indians. His school privileges were very limited for there were then no summer schools, and as soon as he was old enough to work he had to help his father and brothers in clearing land, chopping wood, making rails, building fences, husking corn, threshing grain with the flail, or, in the winter seasons, by the tramping of horses, and in other work connected with pio- neer farming. He attended winter school only when hindered from work by inclem- ent weather, but he has given his chil- dren opportunities for a liberal education. He has followed farming all his life, but he has learned to combine with it what is called "head work, " and he has lived upon and improved twenty-two different farms, most all of which he sold at a profit. He has also dealt in real estate. He has lived in Seneca, Sandusky, Erie and Wyandot counties, Ohio, and in Michigan, and he now has his home two and one-half miles west of Bellevue. In politics he was first a Whig, then a Re- publican, but he is not a partisan; he has held various township offices. Mr. Heter belongs to the Farmers' Alliance. He is a man of few words, sound judgment and strict integrity, qualities which have as- sisted him greatly on the road to success.

On April 15, 1847, John Heter mar- ried Miss Lovina Harpster, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, April 24, 1829, daughter of John and Eva (Hartman) Harpster. They became the parents of ten children: (1) Sarah Heter, who mar- ried George W. Hoch, of Bellevue, Ohio, and whose children are-Addie Hoch (who married Ammon Kern), Olga Hoch, Delton Hoch (bookkeeper in the Ohio Cultivator Works, at Bellevue), Willis Hoch and Gladys Hoch; (2) Eva Heter,

435

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

who lives at home; (3) Eliza Heter, who married George Setzler, and removed to Blackstone, Sumner Co., Kans. ; (4) Charles F. Heter, a fariner, who married Malinda Mook, and whose children are-Edith, Duwane, Merlon and Lawrence; (5) George W. Heter, a farmer, living in Pea- body, Kans., who married Clara Acker, and has one son-Harry John; (6) Edith Heter, who is a teacher, and lives at home; (7) Amanda S. Heter, who lives at home; (8) Adelaide E. Heter, married to Worrallo W. Whitney, of Montville, Geauga Co., Ohio, who is a teacher in the Chicago city schools (their children are-Adell and Lois); (9) Irvin John (7), a farmer of York township, who married Mayme Scanlan; and (10) Janette B. Heter, a teacher in the Chicago city schools.

C HARLES HASELBACH, of Kingsway, Rice township, San- dusky county, is one of the most prosperous and enterprising farm- ers in the township. He was born De- cember 18, 1847, and is a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Bingle) Haselbach, who were born in Germany, in 1820 and in 1819 respectively.

Philip Haselbach, who is a farmer and weaver by trade, came with his family to America when his son Charles was a child, landing in New York. Going thence to Sandusky city, Erie county, he remained six months, then located in Washington township, Sandusky county, and remained seven years in the woods. It was a wild country, not ditched and full of swamps and marshes; but they cleared the land, brought it into a good state of cultivation, sold it at a profit, then removed to Rice township, and bought a farm of 120 acres, where he still resides. In politics he is a Democrat. In religious affiliation he is a Lutheran, as was his wife, who died in 1890, in Rice township. They were the parents of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The following

named grew to maturity: Charles is the subject of this sketch; Katie, now Mrs. Truckemiller, resides in Ottawa county, Ohio; Caroline married Peter Garner, and they reside in Sandusky township; Philip lives on the old homestead in Rice township; Sophia inarried Adam Garn, and they reside in Ottawa county, Ohio; and Peter is a farmer in Ottawa county. The family are all members of the Lu- theran Church.

Charles Haselbach came to Ohio with his parents in his boyhood. He received only a limited education, his knowledge of the English language being imperfect and school facilities poor. He cleared land and chopped and hauled cordwood for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railway in the days when wood was used for fuel by the railroads, and thus learned the lessons of industry and the value of it early in life. He remained with his par- ents until after the age of twenty-one, and after a time was united in marriage with Miss Rosa Locher, who was born in Germany in 1852, and came to America with her parents when a child.

After his marriage Mr. Haselbach and his wife settled in Ottawa county, Ohio, where he bought forty acres of land heavily timbered. Instead of locating upon this land, he rented a farm in San- dusky county, had his forty acres cleared, bought another forty, then sold and traded that property, and came to Rice town- ship, where he purchased sixty acres. Selling this land, he bought his present fine farm of 121 4-5 acres, at the rate of one hundred dollars an acre. He and his wife are the parents of five children, as follows: Ida, born in January, 1872, mar- ried John Overmeyer, a school teacher, in Lindsey, Sandusky county; Edward, born November 5, 1874, and Katie, No- vember 7, 1876, are now at home; Will- iam, who was born in 1878, was killed, when quite a lad, by a fall from a tree; and Lizzie was born September 16, 1881. Mr. Haselbach is a Democrat in politics.

436

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

He is engaged in general farming, has done a great amount of fencing and clearing land since he bought his present home, is out of debt and very successful. Realizing fully how limited were his own early edu- cational advantages, he has given his chil- dren the benefit of the best schools in the vicinity.

N ELSON T. BALDWIN, a pop- ular pioneer of Woodville town- ship, Sandusky county, and one who by his honest hard work in the past years won his way to the hearts of his countrymen, was born in Cortland county, N. Y., July 15, 1820, son of Eb- enezer and Rachel (Chaffa) Baldwin, and the grandson of Ebenezer Baldwin, Sr. The grandfather was born in Vermont August 7, 1772, and there married Susan- nah Rollins, a native of the same State, who was born July 19, 1771. In 1809 he migrated with his wife, daughter and two sons, to Cortland county, New York.

One of these sons. Ebenezer Baldwin, Jr., was born in Vermont April 13, 1792. He was married in New York State, April 12, 1811, to Rachel Chaffa, who was also a native of Vermont. In 1822 Ebenezer Baldwin came with his family to Ohio. For three years he lived in Salem, Columbiana county, then in 1825 he moved to Geanga county. Here the wife of Ebenezer Baldwin, Sr., died July 5, 1825. Six years later, in October, 1831, the Baldwin and Chaffa families came together to Sandusky county, and settled in the "Black Swamp," as it was then known, in Woodville township. There were then only five families in the township. IFere Ebenezer died of cholera in 1834, aged forty-three years; here too his father died, in December, 1839, aged sixty-seven years. To Ebenezer and Rachel Baldwin were born ten children - seven sons and three daughters; one daughter still lives in Woodville township.

Nelson T. Baldwin in his infancy

seemed to have only a small chance for life and success, for at the age of five weeks he weighed only five pounds, two ounces, but in time he developed brawn and strength, and now tips the scales at 238 pounds. His youth was spent in the pioneer home of Woodville, and at the age of nineteen, December 25, 1839, he married Catherine E. Boose. She was born in Ohio, June 27, 1821, and moved with her parents to the "Black Swamp" in 1830. Her mother died August 25, 1846, and her father February 14, 1847. At the age of twenty Mr. Baldwin learned the carpenter and blacksmith trades, and he put up the first frame shop in Woodville township. For about eight years he fol- lowed his trade, then bought land, and with his own hands cleared sixty acres. His property now consists of 130 acres of valuable land, situated in the heart of the oil fields of Ohio.

To the marriage of Nelson T. and Catherine E. Baldwin six children have come, as follows: (1) Lemuel, born No- vember 9, 1840, died July 30, 1841. (2) Philinda, born May 14, 1842, married Oscar Billings, of Ottawa county, and has nine children. (3) Warren, of Ashland, Saunders Co., Neb .. born March 6, 1844, married Matilda Widner, and has one child, Seymore B. (4) Sarah, born June I, 1846, married Fred Voekle, of Ottawa county, and has one child. (5) William B., a farmer of Woodville township, born July 1, 1852, married Etta Feddersen, who was born May 16, 1852, and eight children have blessed their union, their names and dates of birth being as follows: Henry, September 13, 1877; Bertha, March 26, 1882; Ferdinand, November 20, 1883; William, September 30, 1885; Orville, January 8, 1888; Grover, June 6, 1890; Philinda, December 25, 18-, died January 19, 1892; Leo, April 1, 1894. (6) Cecil, born July 26. 1855, died Septem- ber 5, 1866. After the death of his wife Nelson T. Baldwin was united in marriage to Miss Christina Schnakenberg, who is

437

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

one of five children, and whose brothers and sisters are as follows: Alice, who died in 1888, wife of William York, and mother of one child; Maggie, wife of George Meyers, of Ottawa county, and mother of one child; Tillie, born Decem- ber 13, 1874; and John, born October 23, 1878. In 1891 Mr. Baldwin retired from active life. He leased some of his land in 1892 for oil privileges, and several wells have been put down, most of them prov- ing valuable producers. His son, Will- iam B., now operates the farm.

W ILLIAM E. LAMBERT, who is engaged in carrying on a suc- cessful merchant-tailoring busi- ness in Clyde, Sandusky county, was born in Oberlin, Ohio, November I I, 1862, and is a son of James and Eliza- beth (Brice) Lambert. The paternal grandfather, John Lambert, was born in Somersetshire, England, and by occu- pation was a farmer. He came to Amer- ica about 1852, and after residing for a time in Henrietta, Lorain county, Ohio, removed to Oberlin, where his last days were passed. In religious faith he was a Baptist. Born in 1800, he died in 1882, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. His wife, who was also a native of Eng- land, departed this life in Oberlin at the age of ninety-three.

James Lambert was born in Somerset- shire, England, May 1, 1830, and in his native land learned the trade of a mer- chant tailor. At the age of nineteen he crossed the Atlantic to America and fol- lowed his trade at various places, after which he went west to Pike's Peak, during the gold excitement at that place. A year's residence in the West sufficed him, and he returned to Oberlin, Ohio, where he had previously carried on the tailoring business, and where he soon built up a good trade. During his residence there he was united in marriage with Miss Brice, daughter of John Brice, also a na-

tive of England, who came to America when his daughter was a maiden of thir- teen summers. He died in Oberlin, Ohio, in 1890, at the very advanced age of eighty-one years. Mrs. Lambert was one of a family of thirteen children, and was seventeen years of age at the time of her marriage. The young couple began their domestic life in Oberlin, where they re- sided until 1865, when they came to Clyde, but removing to other places sub- sequently, did not make a permanent lo- cation here until 1869. Mr. Lambert es- tablished business as a merchant tailor and dealer in ready-made clothing. In his political views he was always a Re- publican; socially, he was connected with the F. & A. M., Blue Lodge; in his re- ligious belief he was a Methodist. He was a man of the strictest integrity and sterling worth, an honorable, upright citi- zen, one that any community might be glad to number among its members. Mrs. Lambert was born in Lincolnshire, Eng- land, in September, 1840, and still sur- vives her husband, her home being in Clyde. In their family were three chil- dren, Byron Lambert, who was born in 1860, and died in 1864; Carrie, who was born in 1863, and died in 1866; and Will- iam E.

The subject proper of this sketch was reared in Clyde, and completing the pre- scribed course was graduated from the high school in the class of 1881. He then learned the trade of merchant tailor- ing with his father and entered into part- nership with him, this business connection continuing until the latter's death. He now enjoys a good trade, for he turns out an excellent class of work, and his earn- est desire to please his patrons has gained him their confidence, good will and patron- age. He was united in marriage with Miss Ona Fish, who was born December 8. 1867, and throughout the community the young couple have many friends who hold them in high esteem. Mr. Lambert is a stanch supporter of the Republican party;

438

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

socially he is a member the F. & A. M., Blue Lodge, and Chapter, R. A. M. Re- ligiously he is connected with the Method- ist Episcopal Church. He is looked upon as one of the rising young business men of Clyde, is progressive, enterprising and industrious, and will no doubt make a success of life.

C APTAIN WILSON S. MILLER is one of the native sons of Ot- tawa county, and a citizen of whom the community may well be proud. He was born in Portage township May 9, 1839, son of Henry J. and Susan (Wonnell) Miller, the former of whom was born in Zanesville, Ohio, May 18, 1812, and died November 12, 1874; the latter was born July 25, 1817, and is still living.

Capt. Miller's paternal grandfather, William Miller, was born in Columbia county, N. Y., of Irish parentage. He removed to Ohio, about the time it came into the Union as a State, settling in Zanesville; he married a Miss Barnes, a lady of Scotch ancestry. The maternal grandparents were natives of Maryland, and coming to Ohio about 1828 settled in Portage township, Ottawa county, where they passed their remaining days.

The old home farm was our subject's place of abode during his childhood and youth. He obtained his early education in the district schools, and then entered Berea (Ohio) College, where he studied during the fall and spring terms, and taught in the winter for three years. His labors in that direction, however, were interrupted in 1861 by his response to President Lincoln's first call for 75,000 volunteers. At the expiration of two years' service he re-enlisted as a veteran for three years more, and served with Company I, Forty-first O. V. I., faithfully performing the duties which fell to him, and valiantly defending the old flag and the cause it represented. His meritorious service won

him promotion from the ranks to the place of second sergeant, then orderly sergeant, after which he was made first lieutenant and subsequently commissioned captain of his company, in which capac- ity he served until the close of the war. He was also placed on the roll of honor established by Gen. Rosecrans. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Missionary Ridge, Franklin and Nashville, the Atlanta campaign and others, and during his four years of serv- ice made a military record of which he may justly be proud. After his muster- out from the army on November 27, 1865, Capt. Miller returned to his home farm, and on December 18, 1866, was married to Miss Mary E. Boggs, of El- more. Her father, Moses Boggs, was born in Nova Scotia, January 18, 1807, and became one of the pioneers of Harris township, Ottawa county. His wife, Mary, was born in Clark county, Ohio, April 28, 1814, and was a daughter of Joseph and Letha Hall. They were mar- ried April 6, 1834, and to them were born two children-Mary E. (Mrs. Miller) and George W. Moses Boggs was a son of James Boggs and Mary O'Brien, who moved with their family from Nova Scotia to Hamilton county, Ohio, thence in 1824 to Ottawa county.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Miller purchased a farm one mile west of Elmore, living there until 1870, when he sold that place and purchased the farm on which he now resides, one mile east of Elmore. It is one of the finest farming properties in the county, comprising 175 acres of highly-cultivated land, supplied with good buildings, and all modern im- provements which indicate the progres- sive farmer of the nineteenth century. Four children came to bless the home: Bert F., born February 8, 1868; Walter B. and Jessie L. (twins), born December 21, 1870; and Mary B., born October 26, 1874. The eldest was educated at Hiram College and Butler University, and is now

M. S. Miller.

439

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHIICAL RECORD.

a lawyer of San Francisco, Cal .; he was married March 17, 1894, to Estella Thomas, of that city. Walter was edu- cated in the Elmore schools, and at Hiram College, and is now aiding his father in the labors of the farm. Jessie was edu- cated in the Elmore schools and in Hiram and Berea Colleges. The youngest daugh- ter, Mary B., was graduated from the schools of Elmore in 1893, and finished her education in Hiram and Bethany Colleges. The mother of this family died April 27, 1878.

On November 17, 1881, Mr. Miller married Miss Victoria N. Paddock, of Ashton, Ill., who was born in Ogle coun- ty, Ill., December 19, 1840. Her father, Riley Paddock, was born in Clark county, Ohio, in 1810, and died in 1887. He married Eliza Snoddy, who was born in Kentucky August 31, 1810, and they had four children, all yet living. Their daugh- ter, Mrs. Miller, was educated in Rock River Seminary, in Illinois, taking a three- years' course there in literature and music. When twenty-five years of age she re- moved to Ashton, Ill., where her mar- riage was celebrated. She is a lady of culture and refinement, and shares the high regard in which her husband is held.

In addition to his large farming inter- ests Mr. Miller is extensively engaged in fruit raising, and has on his farm twenty- five hundred fine peach trees, twelve hundred plum trees, twelve hundred pear trees, and considerable smaller fruit. This branch of his business yields him a good income. He keeps on hand fine grades of stock, making a specialty of the breeding of polled Shorthorn cattle, has shipped cattle to nearly every State in the Union, and has done much to raise the grade of stock in Ohio. His stock is registered in both the American Shorthorn and Polled Durham Herd Books, and he is vice president of the Polled Durham Breeders Association of America. He is one of the enterprising, wide-awake farmers and stock raisers, and is recog- 28

nized as a leader in his line of business. He is a contributor to various agricultural journals, especially on subjects pertain- ing to stock. In politics he is a Repub- lican, and an enthusiastic worker in the interest of his party. His entire life has been passed in Ottawa county, and he is known as a straightforward, honorable business man, systematic in his methods, and possessed of excellent executive ability. He has won success through his own efforts, and to-day is numbered among the substantial as well as leading agriculturists of the community. As a citizen he is true to every duty, and all who know him respect him.

OHN H. WIGLAND, a prominent citizen of Riley township, Sandusky county, was born December 2, 1839, and is a son of John B. and Cath- erine Wigland.

John B. Wigland was born in Ger- many June 3, 1810, came to America in 1837, and settled in New York, where he carried on a livery stable. In the same year, 1837, in New York, he was united in marriage with Catherine Harkin, and they had four children, namely: Lizzie, born July 31, 1840, married Lewis Web- ber, and died in 1862, the mother of two children; John H., of whom we write; and Catherine and Joseph, who died young and were buried in Riley township. Af- ter a time Mr. Wigland sold out his livery stable and went to Michigan. Later he settled in Fremont, Sandusky Co., Ohio, worked on the railroad for one year, saved his money and bought forty acres of land, all heavily timbered, which cost him $250. All this he cleared himself. Deer were plentiful in those times, and could daily be seen feeding around the cabin. Here he lived until his death, which occurred July 8, 1890, and he was buried in Riley township.

John H. Wigland is a carpenter, and worked at his trade for several years, until

440

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the time of his marriage, after which he bought a farm of forty acres in Riley township, and built himself a house, which cost him $1,800. He was united in marriage with Catherine Mannor, and they have had nine children, named as follows: William, Lizzie, Mary, John, Rose, Annie, Nora, Frank and Catherine. Mr. Wigland was drafted for the army in 1864, but sent a substitute. He is a natural mechanic, and still works at his trade, and carries on general farming, giv- ing special attention to wheat, oats and corn. In religion he is a Catholic, in politics a Democrat, and has held the office of supervisor for ten years.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 64

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