USA > Ohio > Wood County > Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. V. 2 > Part 10
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Mr. Dewese was formerly a Republican, but he says he watched the evils of protection as they gradually gained a hold upon the country to the detriment of the agricultural masses, he asserted his right to think for himself, disavowed allegi- ance to the Republican party, and became a Democrat. Party organizations have tried to whip him back into the Republican ranks, but in vain, as he is firm in his belief that he is on the right side of the question.
B. L. PETERS, a prominent pioneer of North Baltimore, and an active business man and property owner, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, July 13, 1830, and was the son of Abraham and Edith (Runyan) Peters.
Abraham Peters, the great-grandfather, came with his wife from Germany in Colonial days. and located in Rockingham county, Va., where he took up 900 acres of land under what was
DE Peters
Tillie- Peters
Hanny Heters
B. L. Petero
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known in the English law as "Tomahawk Right." The land followed up the narrow strip along one stream a great distance, and down an- other. The old people died there, and the es- tate passed into the hands of our subject's great uncle. The grandfather, also named Abraham, was raised in Rockingham county, Va., where he married a Miss Catherine Zircle, and, after re- maining in Virginia for a while, they came to Guernsey county, Ohio. They had the following children: Abraham, Isaac, Solomon, Reuben and Daniel. They all settled in Guernsey county before Ohio became a State, and the old people died there.
Abraham Peters, father of our subject, grew to manhood in Guernsey county, and after his marriage remained there until 1834, when he moved to Richland county, bought a farm, and lived there until the fall of 1847, at which time he came to Henry township, Wood county. He bought land one mile and a half north of what is now North Baltimore, made his home and reared his family there. He died in February, 1879, His wife was born in Berks county, Penn., September 8, 1808, and died in Henry township February 1, 1895. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: B. L., our subject; William; Sarah, who married D. Hough, and died in Michigan; Mary E., deceased; John C., who lives in Henry township; Angeline, married to Jacob Ackerman; Franklin living in Henry township; Edith A. and Emily J., twins (Edith married Joseph Grove, and they live in Michi- gan; Emily is unmarried).
John Brown, the maternal grandfather, was born in New Jersey, of English parents, and was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. All of our subject's ancestors were longlived. His grand- mother was 112 years old at the time of her death, and his paternal grandfather was 103.
B. L. Peters was about eighteen years old when he came to Wood county. He attended school until sufficiently qualified to obtain a teacher's certificate, which he secured, and then began teaching. Most of his learning was ob- tained at home by diligent study, which he car- ried on at night with the aid of a blazing log and hickory bark, in an old-fashioned fireplace; but he was ambitious to learn, and succeeded, even under all the existing difficulties. He had a spe- cial talent for mathematics. For about seven years he alternated between teaching and work- ing on a farm, in the meantime being married March 24, 1853, to Miss Fanny Ackerman. Their children were as follows: William L., de- ceased when two and one half years old; David
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E., whose sketch appears elsewhere; Saral! C., who married Joel Rogers, by whom she had two children -- Arthur and Louis (after her husband's death she married T. B. Todd, of Bowling Green, and two children were born to them- Lee and Fanny); Bassett H., a merchant in North Baltimore, who married Florence Mc- Laren, daughter of Dr. McLaren; Fannie J., who died when eight years old; Lydia, now the wife of J. C. Solether, one of the county school examiners, and superintendent of Jerry City High School; Hallie; Loren; Pliny; Harry; and McClellan, who is employed in a store in North Baltimore (he married Miss Ollie Genter, and they have two children-Don and Lenora).
Mr. Peters settled on a farm in Henry town- ship until the fall of 1873, when he assisted in laying out the town of North Baltimore. He started the first store, and owned and edited the first newspaper in the place, the Vorth Balti- more Enterprise, which he subsequently moved to Bowling Green, where it is known as the Bowl- ing Green Democrat. After disposing of the paper, Mr. Peters devoted his time to the devel- opment of North Baltimore. His work in that direction was most important, and it is largely due to his efforts that the town is in its present flourishing and prosperous condition. He owned a great part of the land on which the town is now situated, helped to organize the First Na- tional Bank, was interested in the first sawmill, owned the first store, was the first agent on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and was a heavy dealer in grain; he is now engaged in the real- estate and insurance business. He upholds the principles of the Democratic party; is a member of the United Brethren Church, and is strictly temperate in his habits, although he never took the pledge. For thirty years he has been a no- tary public and justice of the peace. Mr. Peters' importance to North Baltimore cannot be esti- mated, and he is justly considered the pioneer father of the town. He has served as mayor of the city four years, and has held one or another of the township offices of trust ever since he was twenty-three years old.
Mrs. Fanny (Ackerman) Peters was born Oc- tober 7, 1832, in Lancaster county, Penn., near Harrisburg, the eldest daughter of David and Catherine Ackerman, who moved to Wood county, Ohio, in May, 1838, settling on wild land. Here Mr. Ackerman cleared up a new farm, and be- came one of the most prominent men in the com- munity. He served as township trustee for many years, and held other offices of trust. His wife was one of the most industrious and perse-
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vering of women, ever ready to give a helping hand in time of need or sickness, and her daugh- ter Fanny seems to have inherited her mother's good qualities. While quite young she was be- loved and respected by all who made her ac- quaintance. In 1859, she and her husband iden- tified themselves with the United Brethren Church, and she has been a prominent member of that society ever since. Having purchased a portion of the old homestead, on which oil was afterward discovered, she has become worth sev- eral thousand dollars in her own right. She is one of the pioneer women of Wood county, and has done much to make North Baltimore the prosperous town it is. Always cheerful and con- tented, not easily discouraged, ever ready to assist the poor and needy, Mrs. Fanny Peters is held in great respect by those who know her best.
D. E. PETERS, assistant cashier and director of the First National Bank of North Baltimore, was born in Henry township, Wood county, October 16, 1855.
Our subject's early years were spent on a farm, and in attending the public schools. He then worked in his father's store, and, when the newspaper then known as the North Baltimore Enterprise (now the Wood County Democrat at Bowling Green) was organized, without previous experience or preparation, demonstrated his nat- ural abilities in that line by taking charge of it. The paper, which was a thoroughly popular Democratic weekly, was moved to Bowling Green, our subject retaining the management of it, and remaining with it until it was sold, when he returned to North Baltimore. He soon after- ward formed a partnership with Jeff. Richcreek as retail carriage dealers, and after continuing in this business two years closed out and clerked for one year in a dry-goods store in North Balti- more. In 1885 Mr. Peters moved to Charlotte, Mich., and engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business. Two years later he returned to North Baltimore, and entered the insurance business with his father, continuing in that until the opening of the First National Bank, of which he became one of the stockholders and accepted the position of assistant cashier. He is still identi- fied with his father in the insurance business, and is also secretary of the Home Savings & Loan Association. He is a stanch believer in the principles of the Democratic party. Socially he is a member of the Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Peters was married, November 13, 1876. to Miss Tillie Crosser, who was born in Henry township, March 6, 1857, and received her edu-
cation in the public schools of Denver, Wood county. Two children have been born to this union, Pearl and Deloy. Mrs. Peters is a daugh- ter of Daniel and Nancy (Archer) Crosser, both of whom were born in Richland county, Ohio. the former in 1806, the latter in 1816; the father died in 1871 in Wood county, the mother in 1890. They are buried in the .. Ten-Mile ceme- tery." They became the parents of eleven chil- dren, nine of whom are living. They were pio- neers of Henry township, Wood county, and en- tered their land from the government. Mr. Crosser was a great hunter.
C. G. MCCAULEY, proprietor of the marble works at Bowling Green, and a prosperous busi- ness man of that city, was born in Stark county. Ohio, May 24, 1854. He is a son of Joseph and Ruth (Reed) McCauley. Joseph McCauley was born of Irish parents, in Chester county, Penn .. August S, 1820. He was married, in 1844. in Salem, Columbiana Co., Ohio, removing to Lima, Ohio, where he died. His wife, Ruth Reed, was born in Salem, in 1824, and is now re- siding in Lima.
The subject of this sketch obtained his edu- cation in the public schools, and when thirteen years old began learning the trade of a marble cutter, in which he served an apprenticeship of five years. He worked for a time at his trade at Lima, and at Fort Wayne, Ind., where for two years he was also employed as fireman of an en- gine on the C. H. & D. railway. He then be- came a commercial traveler for J. D. Halter, of Lima, Ohio, selling monuments, etc., which oc- cupation he followed for two years. In 1877 he located permanently in Bowling Green, and on April 15 of that year established his present busi- ness, in which he has been successfully engaged ever since.
Mr. McCauley possesses the advantage of a thorough acquaintance in all the details of his business, being not only a stonecutter and marble finisher of the highest order, but also a firstclass salesman, and it is due to his ability in this direction, as much as anything else, that his trade has grown so rapidly and has spread over such a large extent of country, his goods being placed on the market not only in Ohio but in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Indiana as well. He is a man of untiring energy and industry, and has an enviable reputation among the business men for square dealing and honest methods.
Mr. McCauley was married June 4. 1879. to Miss Florence E. Reid, who was born in Trum- bull county, Ohio, January 10, 1856, her parents
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being Thomas C. and Margaret M. Reid, who removed to Wood county, Ohio, in 1866. Five children have blessed this union, namely: Ina, Arthur (died October 10, 1885), Florence, Reid, and Floyd. Our subject is a Republican, and while not a politician in the ordinary sense of the word, takes an interest, as every good citizen should do, in affairs relating to his own county and State. Socially he belongs to Centennial Lodge, No. 626, I. O. O. F .; Canton Alpine, No. 26. I. O. O. F., at Bowling Green, Ohio., and Lodge No. 53, of the Elks, at Toledo. He holds a high place in the regard of his fellow men, and is one of the worthy citizens of Wood county.
S. S. HOPKINS. Among the substantial and prosperous citizens of Bowling Green, must be classed the man whose name opens this sketch, and who commands the respect of the community as a man of enterprise, and also as a brave sol- dier of the Civil war. He was born in Hu- ron county, Ohio, February 23, 1839, and is the son of George and Hannah (Smith) Hopkins. The Hopkins family is of Irish and Welsh ances- try. Moses Hopkins, father of George Hopkins, and grandfather of our subject, died in Erie coun- ty, Ohio.
The father of our subject was born in Genesee county, N. Y., in 1802, and came to Erie county, Ohio, in 1823, walking all the way. At that time there was only one house where the city of Cleveland now stands, and everything was in the most primitive condition. Mr. Hopkins was a wagon maker by trade, and he was offered every inducement to remain there, but he was bound for the then "Emporium of the West," Milan, Erie county, and would not be persuaded to stop short of his destination. He remained at Milan until 1844, when he went to DeKalb county, Ind., and seven years later returned to Ohio. In 1824 he crossed Lake Erie on the first and only steamer plying on that lake, and was in De- troit, Mich., when its population numbered only two hundred souls. He died in 1864. His wife died at Napoleon, Henry county, when ninety years of age.
Of the nine children born to George Hopkins and his wife, eight grew to maturity, as follows: Mary Ann, wife of L. Weaver, of Napoleon, Henry county; Smith, who died in Henry county, Olio; Charles B. lives in Illinois. He is an arch- itect and was superintendent of the construction of the State building in Tokeka, Kans. (during the war lie served in a mechanics' regiment, building bridges, pontoons, etc.); Harriet became the wife of L. Smith, and died in 1874 in Iowa;
Carolina married Milton Stout, of Henry county; Homer P. lives in South Bend, Ind. (he served in the army of the Potomac from its organization until Grant captured Richmond); George resides in Cincinnati, Ohio (he enlisted when but fifteen years old, and served through the entire war, go- ing with Sherman to the sea); S. S. is subject of this sketch.
S. S. Hopkins spent his younger days in Henry county, where he attended school and learned the trade of a blacksmith. He was mar- ried August 20, 1863, in Henry county, to Miss Mary E. Reynolds, who also was born in Balti- more, January 18, 1845, and four children have blessed their union: John G., born September 15, 1864, married Miss Flora Van Tassel; Laura is the wife of A. Peters, of Bowling Green; Ed- ward, born November 25, 1868, married Nettie Phenix, and they have one child, Fern; Mina May, born Angust 4, 1870, is the wife of Oliver Shearer, of Plain township.
Mr. Hopkins began his married life in Henry county, and followed his trade in the town of Florida, until 1865. when he removed to Napo- leon, where he remained for ten years, and in 1875 returned to Florida. From the latter date until 1884, he lived successively in Defiance, Napoleon, and Toledo, coming to Bowling Green in the latter year. Since making his home in Bowling Green Mr. Hopkins and his sons have carried on a large business, doing not only horse- shoeing but carriage work and painting. He is an energetic, active man, remarkable for his youthful appearance, and is to-day seemingly not over forty years of age. He is a consistent mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church, and is prominent in the I. O. O. F., in which he is a past grand, and at present is past chief patriarch in the order at Bowling Green. When the Civil war broke out, Mr. Hopkins was the first man to enlist from Erie county, Ohio, going out with Company D. 8th O. V. I., for three months. At the expira- tion of his term of enlistment, he returned home to care for his aged parents, who had been left alone by the enlistments of the other three boys.
PERRY G. EMMETT, one of the oldest and most respected of Wood county's agriculturists. now residing near Fenton, Webster township, is a native of Lincolnshire, England, born April 26. 1820. It is supposed that the family are de- scended from the famous Irish patriot, Robert Emmett.
His father, John V. Enimett, a sailor by oc- cupation, married Miss Martha Banks, of Cran- nel, England, and reared to adult age a family of
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seven -children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest. The others are-Thomas; Charles; Martha, the wife of Thos. Yarwood, of England; Elizabeth, wife of Charles Roper, of Fenton, Ohio; Ann, the wife of G. Graves, of Paulding county; and George, a resident of Buff- alo, N. Y. Four other children died in early in- fancy. The later years of Mr. Emmett's parents were passed upon a farm in England, his father leaving the sea for agricultural pursuits some years before his marriage.
Mr. Emmett received a limited education in his native country, and was sent out to work at an early age, tending sheep for his board and clothes. At twelve he began working on a farm at one shilling a week, and continued farm labor until the age of twenty-one, when he secured em- ployment on public works. As soon as he had saved enough money, he caine to America, land- ing at Quebec, in 1844. After remaining in America about six months, he returned to Eng- land, and remained there five years, returning to this country in July, 1849, landing at New York, thence going to Chicago, where he engaged in brick making. In 1850 he bought eighty acres of land in Huron county, which he cultivated for a short time, and then sold, moving to Erie county, reinaining until 1858 when he came to Wood county. His first purchase was a tract of forty acres; but his thrift and enterprise have enabled him to add to it until he now has one hundred acres under cultivation. His attention is given chiefly to stock and grain raising, and he was the first to introduce Lincolnshire sheep into this county.
On October 26, 1851, Mr. Emmett, married Miss Emily Hunt, a native of Franklin county, N. Y., born April 28, 1830, the daughter of John and Nancy (Lloyd) Hunt. Six children were born of this marriage: Martha, the wife of Isaac Dent; Perry, born June 19, 1854; Isaac, born April 26, 1856; Mary E., the wife of Henry Williamson; George W., who manages the old homestead, and Elizabeth, who died in infancy. Mr. Emmett has always taken an active interest in public movements, and in politics he is an in- dependent voter.
George W. Emmett, our subject's youngest son, was born in Webster township, Wood county, September 10, 1371. He was educated in the schools near his home, and has always been his father's assistant, in later years relieving him entirely of the work of the farm. Indus- trious, sober, and clever, he is a worthy descend- ant of this honored family, and liis genial man- ners make him popular wherever he is known.
On July 26, 1894, lie married Miss Ruby Coger, who was born in Elmore, Ohio, February 4, 1877, the daughter of Orlando and Katie (Bo- lander) Coger, prominent residents of Troy township.
SOLOMON KUDER, deceased. The subject of this sketch, one of the honored pioneers of Wood county, and for many years a farmer near Ton- togany, was born near Lancaster, Penn., Sep- tember 4, 1790. In early manhood he entered the service of his country as a soldier of the war of 1812, and served one year.
He was married December 22, 1816, at Cir- cleville, Ohio, to Miss Catherine Row, who was born near Philadelphia, Penn., April 7, 1800. Her parents came to Ohio across the mountains in a wagon. In 1821 Mr. Kuder moved to Tif- fin, where he engaged in milling, and in 1836 he came to Wood county and entered a tract of 1, 100 acres of land at the government price, with a view to stock-raising; but his cattle being af- flicted with murrain, he abandoned that enter- prise and engaged in agriculture. He was prom- inent among the early settlers, having resided near Tontogany about thirty-seven years, and previous to the Civil war was a member of the Whig party, later becoming a Republican. His wife died June 15, 1870, and on Friday, August 15, 1873, at 2 P. M., Mr. Kuder passed to his long rest, aged eighty-two years, eleven months and eleven days, after many months of suffering.
Fifteen children were born to this union. of whom only three are now living. The names, with dates of birth, and of death of those de- ceased, are as follows: John, October 3, 1817. died September 3, 1818; Elizabeth, March 25, 1819, died September 25, 1819; Malinda, Octo- ber 13, 1820, died August 2, ISSS (she was formerly the wife of Alexander Alcorn); Nelson, August 21, 1822, died April 30, 1888 (he was a farmer); Catherine, August 8, 1824, was the wife of Judge Tuller, of Tontogany, and died in I870; Margaret Ann, July 17, 1826, is the widow of John McColley, of Tontogany; Josiah Hedges, July 16, 1826, died July 6, 1882 (he was a farmer here); Mary Jane, April 30, 1830, died September 13, 1850; Eliza, December 25, IS31, married Barnard Phillip, of Washington town- slip; Wellington, November 18, 1833, died April 7, 1841, having met his death by accident; Sarah M., February 2, 1836, died March 9, 1890 (she had been a teacher in early life); Martha Hortensia, October 13, 1837, never mar- ried, but with lier sister Sarah remained at home and was the mainstay of her parents, caring for
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Solomon Ruder
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them tenderly in their declining years; Victoria Virginia, June 12, 1839, died Junuary 14, 1882 (she married E. B. Beverstock); Harrison, No- vember 14, 1840, died November 13, 1854; and Caroline, born September 16, 1842, married E. Ketcham, and died December 10, 1869.
Mr. Kuder divided his choice lands among his children as they reached maturity, and he and his wife had the satisfaction of seeing them settled near them, and of receiving in old age their affectionate care. He was a pensioner of the war of 1812, and received also a land war- rant for his services at that trying period. Miss Martha Kuder has in her possession, among other valuable relics, her father's pension papers, and a deed made to him which was signed by the hand of Andrew Jackson.
A. L. MUIR, president of the Wood County Tribune Company, and editor of both the daily and weekly editions of the Tribune, was born in Webster township, Wood Co., Ohio, January 5. 1857. Thoroughly identified with the best in- terests of his native county, he takes a conspic- ous part in public affairs, and it is to his com- petent editorial management, that the growing popularity of the Tribune, with the reading pub- lic, is due.
John Muir, grandfather of our subject, was born in Scotland, and came to America in 1832, locating at Perrysburg, Wood county, and moved to Webster township, where he built the first Presbyterian church out of logs. Notwith- standing the hard work and privations of pioneer life, he lived to the ripe old age of ninety-six. His wife, in her maidenhood was Mary Prentiss. John Muir, Jr., our subject's father, was born on a farm near Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1824, and was eight years old when his parents established their home in this county. He received no regu- lar schooling in his boyhood, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits from early years. During the Civil war he served for three years and three months in Company L, 3rd O. V. C., under Gen. Kilpatrick, army of the Tennessee, holding rank as corporal and sergeant. He is one of four living children out of a family of seven, all of whom lived to the age of forty and over. He is an ardent Republican, and has taken an active part in local affairs, serving for some time as director of the County Infirmary. He married Miss Catharine C. Pember, a member of the old pioneer family for whom Pemberville was named. Her father, Carlisle Pember, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came in 1832 to Wood county, where he located on the " Dutch Fields" at the
forks of the Portage river, now Pemberville, and erected sawmills and gristmills. He married Elizabeth Radabaugh, and reared a family of four children. Our subject's parents have been for many years leading members of the U. B. Church at Pemberville, where they still reside. Seven children were born to them: Elizabeth, the wife of James H. Muir, of Pemberville; John, a guard in the penitentiary at Columbus; Robert, a collect- or at Toledo; Mary, the wife of Frank Cook, of Chicago, Ill .; A. L., our subject; Charles, a farmer in Webster township, and James P., the assistant superintendent of schools of Peni- berville.
Our subject acquired a good education in early life in the Maumee Seminary, and the aca- demy at Fostoria, which he has supplemented by continuous reading and observation. He fol- lowed teaching as a profession for thirteen years, and in 1887 was elected clerk of the county courts, being at the time the youngest official ever elected in Wood county. He filled this po- sition for six years and six months, to the com- plete satisfaction of the public, and on his retire- ment in 1894 he bought an interest in the Tribune, where his abilities and knowledge find a con- stantly widening field of usefulness. He was married, in 1889, to Miss Addie Thurstin, who was born near Bowling Green, April 12, 1869. They have had two children: Ruth and Wallace. Politically Mr. Muir is a Republican, and he is prominent in the various fraternal societies, the K. of P., I. O. O. F., and is a Master Mason in Wood County Lodge.
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