Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 90

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 90
USA > Ohio > Ottawa County > Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 90

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of the village of Graytown, and is justice of the peace in the township where he now lives.

On April 28, 1880, Mr. Lachmiller was united in marriage with Miss Mary Eliza Shoemaker, of Woodville, Sandus- ky county, who was born in Sandusky county September 18, 1860, daughter of a thrifty farmer of that section. She re- ceived a liberal education in the public schools of Woodville, where she spent her girlhood days. At the age of fourteen she was confirmed in the German Lutheran Church, of which she is still a member. To Mr. and Mrs. Lachmiller have been born five children, all of whom are living, their names and dates of birth being as follows: Bertha, January 25, 1881; Achsa, January 26, 1883; Eddie, May 30, 1885; Leah, September 5, 1887; and Em- ory, January 23, 1892. The eldest, Ber- tha, has now nearly completed the course in the public school of Graytown; she has a decided talent for music, of which she will make a specialty, it being her parents' intention to give her the advantages of a course in some institution where this-one of the finest of the arts-is thoroughly taught.

William Lachmiller, father of our sub- ject, was born in Germany, February 26, 1827. He served in the standing army of his country two and one-half years, attaining the rank of lieutenant two years before his discharge. In 1854 he came to America, and in 1855 settled in what is now Toledo, Ohio, then but a hamlet, where he at one time owned the block of property between Oak and Adams streets, on Summit street. He purchased this block for $400, selling it one year later for $500, and it is now valued at half a million. In 1857 Mr. Lachmiller came to Elmore, where he yet resides, hale and hearty at the ripe old age of sixty-nine years. In 1857 he married Miss Mary Rohterd, who was born in Woodville November 5, 1839, and their entire mar- ried life has been passed in Sandusky and

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Ottawa counties. Nine children were born to them, eight of whom are still liv- ing, the eldest being William H. This record would be incomplete without men- tion of Mrs. Lachmiller's parents. They were among the earliest settlers of San- dusky county, coming here when the coun- ty was a wilderness, and the only path was the Indian trail. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker cleared for themselves a home in this region, and many a time has Mr. Shoemaker carried a grist on his back to Fremont, a distance of twelve miles. Thus our ancestors labored, and we enter into the fruits of their labors.

G EORGE MYERHOLTS, a sub- stantial farmer of Benton town- ship, Ottawa Co., Ohio, is one of the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Myerholts, and was born November 13, 1865, in Harris township, Ottawa county, where he lived until eighteen years of age. He then started out to seek his fortune, with fifty cents in his pocket. He ob- tained employment in Sandusky county on a farm, receiving $18 per month the first season and $19 the next.

He was employed by his father the next four summers, receiving $20 a month, and spent the winters "batching in the wilderness," clearing on his father's land in Benton township. As he was now twenty-one years old, and having saved $500, he and his brother John bought forty acres of timbered land, and they worked diligently, clearing and cutting timber. Two years later forty acres more were purchased, and another two years saw them the owners of 120 acres, one hundred being under cultivation and well underdrained, with a fine house and out- buildings, and an orchard planted. They lived together while clearing their farms, doing their own cooking. During the autumn of 1891 they dissolved partner- ship, John taking eighty acres and George forty, while George purchased forty acres

near by. He has now a fine farm of eighty acres, well under cultivation and underdrained, with a comfortable house and a fine barn, sufficiently large to hold his hay and grain. In the season of 1895 he raised 100 bushels of potatoes, 300 of wheat, over 2,000 of corn, and fifteen tons of hay. His farm is well stocked with horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. He has a fine orchard and vineyard, while the garden is well supplied with small fruits.

On May 14, 1891, George Myerholts. was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ferris, a daughter of James Ferris, of Benton township, and two children have been born to them: A son, born March 21, 1892, and died a week later; and Nellie Elizabeth, born March 1, 1893.

Mrs. Myerholts, when a girl, was obliged to remain at home much of the time to assist in caring for the younger children, and was thus deprived of school advantages that the others enjoyed. She had some opportunity to attend the dis- trict school until thirteen years of age, but from that time until she was nineteen. she was deprived entirely of every educa- tional privilege. She then resumed her studies at the district school, and so thor- oughly applied herself that at the end of eighteen months she obtained a teacher's; certificate. She began teaching at twen- ty-one years, and followed that profession for six years. The worthy example and merited success of such young people fur- nish great encouragement to the young, as well as to those of mature years, and. should prove strong incentives to industry and virtue.

R ICHARD BARNES, a thrifty and well-known farmer of Bentontown- ship, Ottawa county, is a son of Hamilton and Renew (Sweet). Barnes, and was born July 24, 1840, in Lorain county, Ohio.

Hamilton Barnes, the father, was born

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in 1803, in New York, lived there until thirty years of age, and then came to Ohio, where he died in 1893; the mother was born in New York in 1804. They were married about 1825, and ten chil- dren were born to them, four now living, viz .: A. H., H. S., E. L. and Richard. Grandfather Barnes was born about 1775, the grandmother about 1783.

Our subject lived in his native county until twenty-four years of age, obtaining his education in the district school, which he attended during the winter until six- teen years of age. From the time he was twelve years of age he was obliged to work on the farm summers, with only a meagre opportunity for schooling even in the winter. At the age of sixteen he struck out in life for himself, and for two years worked on a farm for thirteen dol- lars per month, at the end of which time he returned home and worked the home- stead for two years. Coming to Ottawa county, he worked here on a farm for one summer, and then going to Saginaw, Mich., he worked for one season in the salt works, after which he returned to Ohio. For one year he was laid up with typhoid fever, and on recovering he went to Elmore, Ohio, where, for some time, he was engaged in getting out stave tim- ber.

In 1864 Mr. Barnes was married to Miss Mary Yost, of Elmore, and he then settled on the old farm, buying out the heirs. In July, same year, he enlisted in Company H, First O. V. H. A., re- maining in the service until the close of the war; he was in no special battles, his regiment being mainly en- gaged in foraging. In July, 1865, he returned to his home on the old farm, but after a residence there of two years sold out and settled in Section 14, Ben- ton township; the township was at that time a forest, there being not even a road by which to reach his farm, and a road had to be cut before he could move on to his property. He at once erected a

comfortable house, and settled down to clearing his new land. He remained here for fourteen years, when he pur- chased a place at Limestone on which he lived three years, and on selling out he came to Section 11, Benton township, where he purchased sixty acres more land. He and his brother now divided up their property, Richard taking the Limestone property and fifteen acres of the first piece purchased in Section 14. In 1882. he sold the Limestone property, and gave his entire attention to the improving of the farm whereon he now lives. The place is systematically cultivated, and a fine orchard, good fences and comfort- able buildings add considerably to its ap- pearance and value.

To Mr. and Mrs. Barnes have come two children: Phoebe, born January 14, 1865, died May 23, 1883; and Bertha L.,. born August 16, 1868, married February 16, 1893, to Oliver Kincaid, of Nevada, and had one child, Leah, born March 25, 1894, died October 25, 1895. Mrs. Mary Barnes was born in Harris township, Ot- tawa county, December 17, 1846, at- tended the Portage River schools, obtain- ing what education could be gained therein- in her day, and lived in her native town- ship until her marriage to Mr. Barnes. Her father, John S. Yost, was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, her mother, Phœbe Ferris Yost, in Clark county, Ohio, De- cember 25, 1814. There were seven chil- dren in their family, six of whom are liv- ing-three in Kansas and three in Ohio.

E DWIN H. FALL, member of the enterprising firm of A. Couche & Co., exporters of logs, is one of the prominent and highly re- spected citizens of Port Clinton, Ottawa county. He is a native of Ohio, born September 5, 1860, in Fremont, San- dusky county, a son of Amos W. and Hannah (Kistler) Fall, who have been.

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residents of Port Clinton for the past thirty-five years.

Amos W. Fall followed sailing on the lakes for about twelve years or until 1873, when he commenced working for Al- phonse Couche in the lumber business, attending to the elevators in shipping grain and lumber, and getting out timber for shipment to Europe. For a number of years he was traveling purchaser for Mr. Couche, and had the management of large shipments of various kinds of tim- ber and lumber to domestic and foreign ports, his wide experience thus acquired having been of great service to him in the

conduct of the business of the firm since Mr. Couche's death in 1891. Mr. Fall was married March 8, 1859, at Fremont, Ohio, to Miss Hannah Kistler, and the children born to this union are Abbie E., Edwin H., Jennie E., Mary, Ida B., Josephine, Amos W., Jr., and Alice, all born in Port Clinton, Ohio, except the eldest two.

Our subject grew to manhood in Port Clinton, Ohio, where he attended school during the winter seasons and worked at various jobs in the employ of Alphonse Couche during the summer seasons. He worked for no other man. He began by hauling sawdust, and later, was employed at everything in the sawmill and outside, in regard to the shipment of timber, lum- ber and grain. He also traveled occa- sionally, as salesman and purchaser for Mr. Couche. In the month of March, 1882, he commenced working in the of- fice as bookkeeper, which position he has held ever since, and in June, 1887, he be- came equal owner; he also has charge of business outside the office. From his long acquaintance with the details of the business firm, and his care and fidelity in the performance of his duties, he was en- trusted with the general management in the absence of Mr. Couche, who between 1886 and 1891 spent from six to eight months of each year in France, going in the fall and returning in the spring. In

August, 1894, Mr. Fall was appointed guardian for the minor heirs of Alphonse Couche. In November, 1894, he com- inenced on his own account, and inde- pendent of his log-exporting business, dealing in lumber, building material, wood and coal, in which line he is enjoying a lucrative patronage. In fact he is one of the busiest men in Port Clinton, where he is popular in both business and social circles, being a gentleman of pleasing ad- dress and genial disposition.

On July 1, 1885, Mr. Fall was mar- ried to Miss Emma J. Richardson, who was born December 8, 1863, in Portage township, Ottawa Co., Ohio, daughter of David and Pauline (Adleman) Richard- son, and the names and dates of birth of their children are as follows: Clara P., April 1, 1886; Arthur E., December 15, 1887; David W., November 16, 1890; Mable M., November 21, 1892, and Ed- win H., June 11, 1895, all born at Port Clinton, Ohio.

J OHN STANG, contractor of public works-government, railroad, etc .- capitalist, merchant and banker, whose residence is in Lorain, Ohio, is one of the most progressive and busiest of busy citizens in the "Buckeye State."

A native of Germany, he was born February 19, 1836, in Allmershausen, Hessen, a son of Augustus and Marguer- itha (Herwig) Stang, of the same nativity. At the district school of the neighborhood of his birthplace our subject received a liberal education up to the age of four- teen, when, like all other boys, he was put to learn a trade, the one chosen for him being that of woolen-cloth making- chiefly broad-cloths. There being several branches in that business, it took Mr. Stang five years to complete his appren- ticeship, at the end of which time he re- solved to turn his face toward the New World, and emigrate to a land where there was more scope for a young man of

John Stung

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ambition. One of the main reasons for his leaving the Fatherland was his dislike to the system of the German Government in compelling young men at the age of from twenty to twenty-five years to serve for three or four years in the army, and giv- ing for their services only their board and clothing, whether in time of peace or time of war. At the age of nineteen Mr. Stang set sail from the port of Bremen, and after a voyage of fifty-three days-during which long passage the vessel was nearly ship- wrecked, the foremast having been com- pletely dismantled by a stroke of lightning -the ship reached New York, a sorry- looking craft, but the passengers were safely landed October 16, 1855. From that city Mr. Stang at once set out for Lorain (then called Black River), Ohio; but on his arrival there he found there were no woolen-mills, and consequently he had to turn his attention to some other trade than the one he had learned. There being a shipyard at Black River, he se- cured employment therein at seventy-five cents per day, and worked hard to acquire that trade, in the meantime learning the English language. Soon he received more wages, and when the shipyard stopped from the lack of orders for new vessels, he took up house-carpentry (chiefly among farmers); but in 1859, house-building being very quiet, he bought a half interest in a small lake vessel, and went sailing. Now his first serious misfortune happened to him-the breaking of his leg while try- ing to make port in a storm, which acci- dent laid him up for six months, during which time he lost all his savings, includ- ing his interest in the vessel.

On his recovery Mr. Stang commenced business "on his own hook," to use his own expression, as contractor in house and barn building, also sub-contracting for part of vessel work, as well as erecting mills, and whatever came in his way in that line. He found people very kind, all the work he could do being given him, and he was never out of a job. Thus he 39

continued until 1864, in which year, there being a lively demand for ship timber and plank, he bought oak timber, which he cut, hauled and manufactured into bills such as the United States Government used for gunboats. This he shipped to New York by order of Hiram Smith, who had a contract for supplying an entire shipyard in that city. In 1865, the Civil war having closed, no more gunboats were required, and as the New York parties could not sell the lumber they had not used, they failed, taking down with them the contractor, Mr. Hiram Smith, of whom mention has just been made. Mr. Stang tried to collect from him, but found that Mr. Smith's wife owned all the belongings-the timber on hand, saw- mills, house, horses, mules, wagons, etc.,- everything in fact; and as a consequence our subject lost nearly all he possessed, nothing being left him except nine yoke of oxen and two span of horses. As he had no work to occupy the animals on, he had nothing for it but sell them to satisfy his creditors; then getting together his carpenter tools he commenced the world afresh, poor in pocket but rich in experi- ence. Succeeding in getting bridge work, at first in the county, later on railroads, he procured fresh teams and commenced the buying and selling of timber at Lo- rain, Cleveland and Buffalo, selling also a large amount for export, shipping from Quebec to England, and so securely pro- tecting himself that he incurred no more losses. In this line he continued until about 1885. In 1873 he also constructed pile-drivers, building all the docks at Lo- rain for the C. L. & W. R. R. Co., as well as bridges on that road as far as the Ohio river. In addition to all this he built docks in Cleveland, and the first 1, 100 feet of the breakwater at that city, for the government, which class of work naturally caused him to drift into dredging.

In 1881 he built all the docks for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad Com- pany, at Huron, Ohio, after which he

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constructed the docks, and dredged from Erie, Penn., to Toledo, Ohio. He also built several government piers along the south shore of Lake Erie, and the range- light cribs in Sandusky Bay. For two years he dredged for the government at Bay City, Mich .; built railroad bridges from Cleveland to Akron for the Valley road, at the time of its construction, now some twenty-two years ago; in 1881 and 1882 he built all the wooden trestles, and put in the foundations for the iron and wooden bridges between Cleveland and Ft. Seneca and Wolf Creek, on the Nickel Plate road, putting in over two million feet of pine beside the oak timber, which contract amounted to $110,000; he put in the foundations for a double-track rail- road bridge across the Ohio river, near Wheeling, W. Va. (while this work was in progress the Johnstown flood took place, and Mr. Stang came near losing his pile drivers, caissons, timber, rafts, etc., the water was so high in the river, and the under current so full of large rafts of logs, loose lumber, old bridges etc., the worst sight, he says, he ever set his eyes on, and, he adds, he would rather take his chances on Lake Erie any day). At Cleveland he built a dry-dock for the Ship Owners Dry Dock Co., and in 1885 he built foundations for the Cleveland central viaduct at a cost of $65,000, for the city, which bridge is nearly a mile in length. In 1879 Mr. Stang bought a tract of timber land in Ottawa county, Ohio, erected a saw and stave mill, and cut off most of the timber, which land his son John J. is now farming. Our sub- ject has also done some wrecking- rais- ing sunken vessels, tugs and dredges, and pulling some off the shore when stranded, which was always hard and incessant work, there being no rest, day or night, till the job, once commenced, was suc- cessfully completed. During the past two years he has been busy dredging a harbor and river three miles south of Lo- rain, and got seventeen feet of water up

to the Johnson Company Steel Plant at Lorian, at which city he this season built the extension on the government pier.

In addition to all the above-mentioned vast amount of contract and other work, Mr. Stang, in 1867, along with another party, built a sailing vessel at a cost of $16,000, in which he had a quarter inter- est. She sank or was shipwrecked near Au Sable river, Lake Huron, while on her way to Chicago with a cargo, the captain being drowned. The vessel was raised, however, and Mr. Stang sold out his interest, though at a loss, as soon as she arrived at Buffalo. He built all the docks, for the past seven years, at Fair- port, Ohio, and also at Conneaut, as well as the extension docks for the Sandusky & Columbus Short Line Railway Co., at Sandusky, Ohio. Among his commercial interests, he operates a grocery store, and is interested in the Lorain Fish Co., Lo- rain Lumber & Míg. Co., of which he is president, real estate and banking, being president of the Citizens Savings Bank Co., of Lorain. He says his health is good, and that he hopes to see Lorain built up to the dignity of a city before he dies.

Mr. Stang has been twice married, first time, in 1861, at the age of twenty- six years, to Miss Mary Brown, of Lo- rain, Ohio, and by this union his home- was blessed with two sons and two daughters, namely: Christina M., wife of H. Little; W. F. and John J., attend- ing to their father's timber interests; and. Lizzie, wife of P. Jackson. The son John J. has for the past eleven years. operated the saw and stave mill already referred to, and been clearing the land. In March, 1872, the dear mother of these- children was called from earth, deeply lamented by all, and mourned to the ut- most by her bereaved husband and fam- ily. In October, 1872, Mr. Stang be- came united in marriage with Mrs. Cath- erine Brown, who had four children-all sons-by her first husband, who had died:

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five years before her second marriage. In his political sympathies Mr. Stang is a stanch Republican, and an enthusiastic admirer of Lincoln and Harrison, his first Presidential vote being cast for the for- mer. In religious faith he is a member of the German Evangelical Church, while, socially, he is affiliated with the Royal Arcanum, Knights of the Maccabees and Knights of Honor.

Such is the record of one of the busi- est men in northern Ohio, one, who from the commencement of absolutely nothing, a poor immigrant lad, has, by persever- ance, assidious toil, sound judgment and a life of integrity, built up solid enter- prises, established businesses on founda- tions of positive safety, and, withal, made for himself a name second to none in the commercial and social world.

J OHN J. STANG, an enterprising and thorough business man of Benton township, Ottawa county, is the son of John and Mary (Brown) Stang, a biographical sketch of whom appears above. He was born April 20, 1866, in Lorain county, Ohio, where he lived until eighteen years of age, receiving his educa- tion in the public schools, which he left just one year before completing the pre- scribed course of study.

Mr. Stang came to Benton township, May 22, 1884, at the age of eighteen, and took charge of his father's extensive busi- ness in that township. He and his father together have 525 acres of land, on which are twelve acres of fruit, consisting of 500 apple trees, 500 pear trees, and 200 quinces. The orchard is young, but bids fair to become one of the best in that sec- tion of the county.

On January 17, 1889, he was married to Miss Virginia L. Perry, of Lucas coun- ty, Ohio, and to them were born two chil- dren: Harvey Edward, October 14, 1890, and John Perry, October 1, 1893. On January 2, 1895, after an illness of two

weeks, Mrs. Stang died, leaving a kind husband and two little children, as well as many friends, to mourn their loss. She was educated in the schools of Lucas county, and made a special study of in- strumental music, in which she was pro- ficient, although she studied it only for her own pleasure and that of her friends. Her father, Moses Perry, was born February 9, 1830, and her mother on February 25, 1840, and both are yet living; their family consisted of twelve children: James, Vic- tory, Maryettie, Virginia, William, Henry, Napoleon, Georgia, Pearly, Frank, Nel- son and Albert, seven of whom are now living.

Mrs. Perry's mother, Maryann Shovar, was born October 3, 1820, and her father, Henry Shovar, was born April 8, 1816; Mrs. Shovar died February 24, 1894, but Mr. Shovar is still living.

D ANIEL MUGGY. This gentle- man takes prominent rank among the progressive well-to-do farmers of Ottawa county, especially in Benton township, where his industry and public spirit have been no small factors in the advancement of the community and the development of its interests.

John C. Muggy, father of our subject, was born in Germany in 1816, and the mother, Ellen (McMahan), was born in Ire- land in 1820. They came to America in early life, and not long after settling in this country they both happened to be en- gaged to work for the same family, the Johnsons, of New York City. Here they met, and they were married in Johnson's parlor about 1840. To their union came ten children, six of whom are living, Dan- iel being next to the eldest. John C. Muggy was one of the pioneers of Ottawa county. He came here about 1852, and after clearing up one large farm removed to Catwaba Island, where he cleared one hundred acres of land and put out sixty acres to fruit, spending the remainder of

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his life on that tract. When he landed in this country he had but fifty cents; at the time of his death his property was valued at $75,000, all accumulated by hard work and careful attention to busi- ness. The result speaks for itself, and our subject has no doubt inherited the energy and ambition of his pioneer father, for like him he is a self-made man, one who has earned his right to that title by hard work and judicious management of his affairs. The paternal grandfather of our subject was born in Germany in 1764, and was a teacher in the public schools of his native country during the later years of his life; he lived to the advanced age of ninety-eight, and his wife, who was born in Germany in 1772, died at the ad- vanced age of ninety-two. Mr. Muggy's maternal grandparents were born in Ire- land, and died comparatively young.

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Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 90

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