Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 81

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 81
USA > Ohio > Ottawa County > Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 81

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).

J OHN NEWMAN, retired farmer, of Fremont, Sandusky county, is a native of York county, Penn., born in November, 1809, son of John and Eve (Brenneman) Newman.

John Newman, Sr., who was a weaver, died in York county at the age of sixty, and his wife passed away in Sandusky county, Ohio, when aged eighty. His (John's) father, Henry Newman, was born in Saxony, emigrated to America and settled in New York State. John Newman, Sr., was drafted in the war of 1812, at Little York, Penn., and saw

some military service. His children were: Michael, a grocer and baker, who died in Fremont at the age of thirty-two; John, our subject; Lydia, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-six; Polly, who died in Pennsylvania, wife of John Carr; and Catharine, who first married David Bur- ger (who was sheriff of Sandusky county two terms), and after his death wedded Patrick Graham, who died at Toledo, Ohio, in 1873.

John Newman, our subject, was reared in Pennsylvania up to the age of twenty years, and had charge of a distil- lery. In 1836 he came to Ohio, locat- ing at Tiffin, the following spring coming to Lower Sandusky, in which village he established a grocery and provision store. About the year 1840, when his brother died, he sold out and he and his sisters found work in other places. On April 8, 1841, he married at Fremont, Ohio, Margaretta Livingstine, of Canton, Ohio, who was born January 31, 1822. She was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Wymen) Livingstine, natives of Alsace, France, and members of the Lutheran Church, who came to America, and set- tled in Riley township, Sandusky Co., Ohio, where the father died at the age of seventy-seven, and the mother when sixty- eight years of age. They had a family of seven children: Sarah, wife of George Hilt, of Sandusky county (both now de- ceased); Lizzie, who died in childhood on the ocean; Barbara, deceased wife of Henry Huffman, of Jackson township; Margaretta, wife of our subject; Anna, who died in childhood; Elizabeth, de- ceased wife of George Hendricks; and Charles, living in Riley township. Mrs. John Newman's grandfather, Charles Livingstine, was mayor of a small village in Germany for about thirty years. He was an Englishman by birth, and settled in Alsace to avoid service in the English army; he and his wife, Barbara, died in Germany.

John Newman and his wife have lived

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on the same lot, No. 621 Croghan street, Fremont, ever since their marriage, a period of fifty-five years. He followed farming and dealing in real estate; bought new farms, cleared them up, made im- provements, sold the timber, and then disposed of the farms at a profit, and he is now classed as one of the wealthy citi- zens of Fremont. The children of John and Margaretta Newman were: John, born March 31, 1842, and died in 1880; Catharine E., born August 14, 1845, wife of Charles Boyer, whose children are -- Hattie (widow of Eugene Wagner). Jennie (wife of James Weaver, and has one child -Roy), Minnie (wife of Michael Wolf, and has one child-Hazel Corinne), Katie (wife of James Wolf, and has one child- James, Jr.), Charles, Harry and Burt; Mary L., born July 10, 1847, widow of William Forsythe, whose children are John (ex-deputy county clerk, book- keeper now in June's gristmill; he married Minnie Moore), Robert H. (in the livery business, at Fremont, Ohio; he married Mabel Dieffenbaugh, December 25, 1895); Margaret Evaline (who married Fred Birdsell, May 25, 1895); Lydia Ann, born November 14, 1851, died in September, 1885; and Charles J., born November 16, 1854, who was educated in the city schools, and attends to the general busi- ness interests of the family (he is unmar- ried). Mr. and Mrs. John Newman are, perhaps, the oldest couple now residing in Fremont. They celebrated their golden wedding April 8, 1891.

W ILLIAM SCHWANE. The sub- ject of this sketch, who resides in Gibsonburg, Sandusky coun- ty, is the proprietor of a meat market and a sample room, as well as the owner of a farm, and he has been success- ful in all these lines, owing to his energy and perseverance and the reputation which he has acquired as an honest, up- right man.

He was born October 30, 1850, in Wood county, this State, a son of Henry and Marie (Westerfeldt) Schwane, natives of Germany. On coming to America they settled in Wood county, and when our subject was a little over one year old his father was killed by a tree falling on him when he was chopping in the woods. The mother was fortunately spared to see her little family grow up to be re- spected citizens, and she died in Decem- ber, 1877, at the age of sixty-two years, happy in the consciousness of having reared her children in paths of rectitude, and of having borne the responsibilities of her busy life with unfailing fidelity. Her remains rest in Frieding township, Wood county. The record of the children is as follows: Henry resides in Wood coun- ty; Ernst died in Germany; Kasper died in Wood county; Frank and Fred live in Wood county; William is the subject of this sketch.

Mr. Schwane grew to manhood in the place of his birth, where he acquired his education at the German Lutheran schools. He has always been an exceed- ingly busy man. For twenty-two years he ran a harvesting machine, and for four years operated a sawmill. He purchased a farm in Madison township, two and a half miles west of Gibsonburg, which he carried on for six years, and still owns eighty acres of land in the center of the great oil region of Ohio. He has sunk two wells on this property which produce twenty barrels of oil per day.

On May 1, 1873, Mr. Schwane was married to Miss Caroline Borckhelding, of Woodville township, Sandusky. county and they have had five children: Carrie, born January 31, 1874, who married Charles Westerhouse (she died August 6, 1895, leaving one child four months old); Henry, who died when a child; Frederick, Will- iam and Frank. Mr. Schwane is a man of more than average intelligence and in- formation, and is active and zealous in all things pertaining to the public good. He

William Schwane

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

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served for several years as trustee of Madison township, and is the present treasurer of the corporation of Gibson- burg. In politics he is a Democrat, and he is a prominent member of the Luther- an Church. He is also president of the German Aid Society.

N ILLIAM B. SHELDON, retired merchant, of Fremont, Sandusky county, was born in East Rupert, Bennington Co., Vt., Novem- ber 28, 1818, son of David and Sarah (Dunton) Sheldon.

David Sheldon was born in East Ru- pert, Vt., December 1, 1785, was a farm- er by occupation, and died October I, 1842, on the farm where he was born. Sarah Dunton was born at Dorset, Ben- nington Co., Vt., November 26, 1790, and died October 11, 1828. Their chil- dren were: Joel, born September 27, 1811, who was a farmer, and is now living re- tired in the town of Pawlet, Vt. ; William B., our subject; Thaddeus D., born De- cember 5, 1824, died in May, 1855 (he was born in East Rupert, and later lived in Pawlet, Rutland Co., Vermont).

William B. Sheldon was reared on a farm at East Rupert until seventeen years old, when he went to Pawlet, Vt., to clerk in a store. He remained there as clerk un- til 1839, when he became a member of the firm of William B. Sheldon & Co., dealers in general merchandise, continu- ing as such for about one year, when he became successor to the firm, and con- ducted the business until 1852, when he sold out. In May, 1853, he located in Fremont, Ohio, becoming a member of the firm of Roberts & Sheldon, dealers in hardware, which partnership lasted until 1869, when both sold out. In 1872 Mr. Sheldon became actively inter- ested as a stockholder and worker in the Fremont Car Company. This was subse- quently changed to The Fremont Harv- ester Company, of which Mr. Sheldon 35

was president during its entire existence. He is one of the oldest living merchants of Fremont. In politics he is a Republi- can, and cast his first Presidential vote for William H. Harrison, in 1840.

In 1841 our subject married Miss Maria Betsey Andrus, a native of New York, who died in February, 1844. On September 17, 1845, he married Miss Esther Ann, daughter of Samuel Hafford, who in the fall of 1835 came to Ballville township, Sandusky county, and settled on a farm where he continued to reside until his death, in 1871. Mrs. Sheldon was born in Hoosick Falls, N. Y., Sep- tember 11, 1823, and died at Fremont, Ohio, October 21, 1887. Mr. Sheldon had no children by his first marriage. The children of the second marriage were -(1) Altie Maria, born June 8, 1852, who was married September 17, 1879, to John P. Bell, and is residing in Fremont; they have two children, Esther L. and Francis S. (2) Harry G., born June 5. 1855, who is engaged in the lumber business in Fremont; he married October 22, 1879, Miss Alice Huff, and their children are Catharine and William H.

F RED N. FALLER, proprietor of a leading drug business in Port Clinton, Ottawa county, is a na- tive of Ohio, born at Fremont, Sandusky county, August 30, 1867, son of George F. and Mary (Grund) Faller.

The father of subject emigrated from Germany about the year 1854, and after spending some time in New York City came, about the year 1857, to Fremont, Ohio, where he worked at cabinet-making several years with T. S. Tschumy. He afterward built a shop of his own, and was twice burnt out. The rapid manu- facture of furniture by machinery, and its consequent cheapness, at length induced Mr. Faller to give up cabinet-making by hand, and he now lives are tired life with his family at Fremont. His children

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were: Edward, born October 2, 1864, died at Fremont at the age of twenty- two; Fred N., our subject; and Bertha C., born January 8, 1873, living with her parents. Fred N. attended the schools of Fremont until he was sixteen years old when he commenced an apprenticeship to the drug business in the store of S. Buck- land & Son (now L. W. Buckland), where he remained four years, after which he attended the School of Pharmacy, Michi- gan State University, one year. Return- ing to Ohio, he passed the State Phar- maceutical examination successfully, and then for some eighteen months took charge of a drug store at Toledo, Ohio, for Mrs. Fenneberg. He then came to Port Clin- ton, where he had the management of the drug store of Eisenhour & Bleckner, whom he bought out in July, 1890, since when he has been sole proprietor.

On May 1, 1890, Fred N. Faller mar- ried Miss Cora E. Mackey, daughter of Louis Mackey. She died in October, 1892, and October 4, 1893, Mr. Faller married Miss Hattie I. Affleck, daughter of William J. and Belle (Duff) Affleck, the former of whom is secretary of the water works at Sandusky City. Mr. Faller was reared in the faith of the Lu- theran Church; in politics he is a stanch Democrat, has served in the city council of Port Clinton one term, and as a public- spirited, honorable citizen, he enjoys the highest respect.

L EANDER S. PORTER, M. D., who has for some years been prom- inently connected with the busi- ness interests of Port Clinton, Ot- tawa county, in his professional capacity, as well as along other lines of enterprise, is a native of Connecticut, born in New Fairfield, New Fairfield county, October 22, 1829.

His parents, Wheeler and Lydia Ann (Bearss) Porter, were both also natives of Connecticut, whence they migrated west-

ward, locating in October, 1832, in Dan- bury township, then in Huron county, now Catawba Island township, Ottawa county, when there was but one other white family residing on the Island. There the father engaged in agricultural pursuits and also worked at his trade of shoe making. He carried on farming and engaged in dealing in shoes in Port Clin- ton for several years He was well and favorably known as an expert at his trade, and, as an upright, honorable citizen. He passed away at his home on Catawba Island, April 10, 1888, and his faithful and devoted wife was called to her final rest September 2, 1852. They had a family of three children, of whom Lean- der S. is the only known survivor. One died in infancy, and Augustus W. is sup- posed to have been killed at the battle of the Wilderness while serving in de- fense of his home and country. The great-grandfather Hubble, the father of the Doctor's paternal grandmother, fought in the Revolutionary war, and Grand- father Bearss was a soldier of the War of 1812. The grandparents on both sides of the Doctor's family were natives of Connecticut, and were of English de- scent. The paternal grandparents with their three sons-Wheeler, Lyman and Charles-all settled on Catawba Island in 1832. After a short time Lyman re- turned to Connecticut, where he spent his remaining days, while the other mem- bers of the family continued to reside in this locality until called to the home be- yond, and were well-known and highly respected residents of the community.

Dr. L. S. Porter lived on Catawba Island until the breaking out of the Civil war. He received his primary education in the district schools of his township, and in early life became familiar with agricul- tural pursuits, following that honorable occupation for many years. When he had attained the age of manhood, he en- tered the Delaware University, Delaware, Ohio, where he remained a year, and also

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spent two terms at the Baldwin Univer- sity, Berea, Ohio, attending to the duties of the farm during vacations. He then engaged in teaching, and from 1856 until 1861 carried on farming on his own ac- count. In September of the latter year Dr. Porter responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting in Company F, Forty- ninth O. V. I. On December 31, 1862, during the battle of Murfreesboro, he was severely wounded in the ankle by a rifle ball, and he lay on the field of battle four days and three nights before receiving any assistance. On the morning of Jan- uary 7, 1863, he was conveyed to the hos- pital at Nashville, Tenn., where he re- mained for about three weeks. He was then transferred to the hospital at Cov- ington, Ky., where it was found necessary to amputate his foot, and the operation was performed. On becoming convales- cent, he was honorably discharged and proceeded to Port. Clinton, where for a short time he was engaged in the photo- graph business.

In 1864 the Doctor was appointed lighthouse keeper at Port Clinton, and efficiently filled that position some five years. In 1869 he resumed agricultural pursuits, which he followed three years, and then removed to Sandusky City, where he began reading medicine with Dr. Ed. Gillard. In 1877 he entered the Homeopathic Hospital College at Cleve- land, Ohio, and was graduated at that institution with the class of 1880, where- upon he immediately commenced practice in Bellevue, Ohio, remaining there for a year. In 1881 he removed to Vernon, Mich., where he continued for about eleven years, in 1891 returning to Port Clinton, and here lived a comparatively retired life, attending only to office prac- tice until 1894.

The Doctor was married, May 6, 1856, to Elizabeth Lowry, a native of Ottawa county. He and his wife are members of the Daughters of Rebekah, Port Clinton, and also consistent mem-

bers of the Congregational Church, and are most highly-esteemed people. He also belongs to the Michigan State Med- ical Society; O. H. Perry Lodge, F. & A. M .; Vernon Lodge No. 99, I. O. O. F .; Perseverance Encampment No. 88, of Vernon, Mich. ; and George R. McRitchie Post No. 524, G. A. R. In politics he is an earnest Republican, and at various times has served as trustee, clerk, asses- sor and constable of Catawba Island town- ship. He served as health officer of Ver- non, Mich., and for one year as member of the board of health of Port Clinton. He has always performed the duties per- taining to these various positions with rare judgment and to the entire satis- faction of his constituents, and he is an enterprising and public-spirited citizen, ever to be found on the side of pro- gressive good government and of every- thing pertaining to the welfare and up- building of the community. He enjoys the sincere regard of all who know him.

H ENRY W. NIEMAN, a prominent member of the legal profession and highly-esteemed resident of Elmore, Ottawa county, is a son of Frederick A. and Christine (Schreiber) Nieman. His birth occurred July II, 1857, in Westphalia, Prussia, of which kingdom his parents were also natives, and there his mother departed this life. Later, in April, 1871, the father, with the other members of the family, emi- grated to the United States, locating near Port Clinton, Ohio, where the father still resides, and is one of the prominent agri- culturists of Ottawa county. In the fam- ily were eight children, all of whom are still living: Fred H. is a leading farmer of Bay township, Ottawa county; Caro- line is the wife of George Westfall, of the same township; Louisa is the wife of Thomas Seaman, of Port Clinton; Henry W. is the subject of this sketch; Chris- tian G. is a resident of Port Clinton;

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William also lives in that city; Ferdinand is in Bay township; and August C. is a hardware merchant and machine agent of Port Clinton.

In the schools of his native land our subject received a good German educa- tion, and his early life was spent in agri- cultural pursuits, which occupation he continued to follow for several years after his arrival in America. In 1878 he com- menced attending a select school in Port Clinton, and after perfecting himself in the English branches he engaged in teach- ing, being thus employed for two terms in Bay township, Ottawa county. He con- tinued to follow that profession during the winter months until 1883, and also took a normal course during the same period. In 1883 he entered the engi- neering department of Ann Arbor (Mich.) University, but in the fall of 1884 became a student in the law department of the same institution, from which he was grad- uated with the class of 1886. In the same year he began the practice of his profession in Grand Rapids, Mich., but the following year found him a resident of Elmore, where he has since continued in active practice, and has been very suc- cessful, both from a professional and finan- cial standpoint. He is one of the pro- gressive citizens of the county, always deeply interested in everything which will advance the prosperity of the community, and has the utmost respect of his fellow citizens.

On Christmas Day, 1886, in Oak Harbor, Ottawa county, Mr. Nieman was united in marriage with Miss Delia Boggs, a daughter of James and Susan (White) Boggs, who rank among the earliest set- tlers of Harris township, where they are honored and respected residents. Our subject and his wife have become the parents of one daughter, Amy, born May 8, 1888. Mr. Nieman has been called upon to fill several official positions of honor and trust, having served as county examiner of teachers some six years; has

been president of the township board of education, and held the offices of justice of the peace and notary public. He is a Democrat in political faith, taking quite an active interest in the success of his party; and socially is a member of Elmore Lodge, No. 26, K. P. With the Disci- ples Church he and his wife hold mem- bership.

W ILLIAM KESSLER, a promi- nent and progressive citizen of Oak Harbor, Ottawa county, undertaker and an extensive dealer in furniture, pianos, organs, sewing machines, bicycles, general merchandise, etc., is a native of Salem township, Otta- wa Co., Ohio, having been born there December 18, 1857, to Charles and Bar- bara Kessler, natives of Germany, and early settlers of Salem township.

The father, now at the advanced age of seventy-three years, is a resident of Oak Harbor; the mother passed away May 13, 1892. Their family consisted of eight children, seven of whom are yet living, viz .: William; Mary, now the wife of Charles Zimmerman, a resident of Bowling Green, Wood Co., Ohio; John, a resident of Lakeside, Nebr .; George, Albert and Edward, all residents of Oak Harbor; and Annie (Kessler) Leberman, widow of Frederick Leberman, for many years a respected resident of Harris town- ship, who for three years, during the Re- bellion, served in the Thirty-seventh O. V. I. (Annie is a daughter of Charles Kessler by a former marriage). The father is a veteran of the war of the Re- bellion, having served for three years in Company G, One Hundredth O. V. I., and with his regiment participated in sev- eral important engagements.

William Kessler, the subject proper of this sketch, received his preliminary edu- cation in the district schools of Harris township, Ottawa county, and his early life was spent in assisting his father in the

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care of the farm. When eighteen years of age he left the farm, apprenticing him- self to the trade of cabinet maker, and in 1878, his term of apprenticeship having expired, he went to Oak Harbor and en- gaged in business for himself, having been a constant resident of that town ever since. By a life of energy, perseverance, and strict attention to business, Mr. Kessler now takes a leading position among the prominent and substantial business men of the county, and well merits the confidence and esteem extend- ed to him by his fellow citizens.

On September 5, 1882, our subject was united in marriage, at Lockport, N. Y., with Julia S. Hayes, a daughter of James and Mary (Hayes) Hayes, both na- tives of Ireland, who emigrated to Amer- ica in 1840, and are now honored and re- spected residents of Lockport. To this union have come five children, their names and dates of birth being as follows: Mary Gertrude, March 13, 1884; Julia Maud, March 9, 1885; Cornelius Flor- ence, July 4, 1886, died December 10, 1890; Clara, February 15, 1888; and William Bernard, December 13, 1893, died January 13, 1895. The family are strict adherents of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Kessler has served as a member of the Oak Harbor council board one term. Politically he is an active sup- porter of the Democratic party, and socially he fills the positions of first lieu- tenant of Kahler Camp No. 292, Sons of Veterans, and captain of the Knights of St. John.

J OHN H. PFEIFER. The history of Ottawa county, and especially of Benton township, would be incom- plete without honorable mention of the Pfeifer family, Jacob Pfeifer and his sons having been actively identified with the growth and development of its agri- cultural interests from early pioneer times. Their progress and thrift have been almost

proverbial, and the land now in the posses- sion of the family is among the most highly improved in the vicinity.

The family is of good old German stock. The great-grandfather was born in Germany in 1769, served under Napo- leon the First in the war with Russia, was with him at the burning of Moscow, and also at the defeat at Waterloo; while in the service he had one limb badly frozen. The great-grandmother was born in Ger- many about 1779, and died at the age of forty-two. They had two children, one of whom, George, came to America about 1847. He was accidentally shot in New Orleans. John Pfeifer, grandfather of our subject, was born in Germany, May 10, 1801, and was a farmer by occupa- tion; he was exempt from military duty on account of the loss of a finger. The grandmother was born in 1807, and they were married in 1831, becoming the par- ents of two children, of whom Jacob Pliefer is the only survivor. Jacob Pfeifer has been a prominent factor in the ad- vancement and progress of Benton town- ship and vicinity. Born in Rabelshausen Kurhessen, Germany, June 28, 1838, he came to America in early manhood,locating first in Cleveland and later in Bellaire, whence after a brief residence he came to Ottawa county, settling first in Elliston. On coming to Benton township he took up the farm where his son John now lives, when the surrounding country was all a wil- derness. The only road was an Indian trail along the creek, now known as the " Creek road." The country was all a forest, and Jacob Pfeifer has helped to make the township of Benton the fertile region it now is by clearing up and improving one of the best farms in Ottawa county. His wife has been of great service in making the home, for she has taken a noble inter- est and borne an active part in the work, and her assistance has been fully appre- ciated by her husband and family. Mr. Pfeifer's first wheat crop in Benton town- ship is an illustration of some of the

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hardships the pioneers of those days underwent; the seed he secured from Cleveland-ten bushels at $1 per bushel; the crop was harvested, and threshed with a flail; and the entire return from the ten bushels of sowing amounted to eight bushels, and that at a time when flour was $16 per barrel, and not first-class either. They had to drive nine miles through the woods to the mill, and then get chopped feed for the grist. The old farm is all underdrained, so that the surface water is quickly carried away, leaving the land in good shape for cultivation, and the farm is a credit indeed to those whose labor has brought it to its present state of per- fection. Jacob Pfeifer purchased the first steam threshing machine rig ever used in Benton township, and his sons John and George operated the machine for sixteen years, making a financial suc- cess of the business. For several years Mr. Pfeifer was foreman of the L. S. & M. S. railroad, and it was while engaged in this work that he practically ruined his health. Industrious and progressive, he and his family have contributed in no small de- gree toward the welfare of the community, and the kind and obliging spirit they have ever shown has made them highly es- teemed in the township which has so long been their home.

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Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 81

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