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 17
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Mr. Johnson was married in Ford county, th.it State, in 1859. to Liddy Metzger, who was born in Ohio, in 1837, and for twelve years they lived in Paxton. In i871 they came to Wood county, taking up their residence on six acres of Fund in Liberty township, which he still owns. For many years he followed his trade, and since iSos lis derived a good income from two oil wells that he I has sunk upon his place, and which are excellent
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producers. This has enabled him to lay aside active business cares. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have three children --- Corbin, of Lucas county, Ohio; Edgar and Clarence, at home. In politics, Mr. Johnson is a Republican.
NARCISSE SANGLIER, deceased, was one of the most prominent residents of Liberty town- ship, Wood county. He was born October 24, 1827, in Loir-et-cher, France, and was a son of Jacob Sanglier, a merchant, who died in that country. Our subject was one of a family of seven children, namely: Virginie, who died in France; Pascal, a scholar and linguist, who mar- ried an heiress, and died in Egypt many years ago; Narcisse, subject of this sketch; Adrian, now living in France; Victor, a resident of Tiffin, Ohio; Ovid, still living in his native land; and Adeline, who died in France.
For ten years after attaining his majority our subject was employed as a baker in Paris, and then crossed the Atlantic to America. He landed in New York, made his way to Cleveland, and for one year was employed in the Berea Stone Quarry. He then removed to Milton Center, Wood county, and after a year took up his residence in Liberty township. He was mar- ried in Milton Center to Lucine Kubler, who was born in Switzerland February 8, 1838, daughter of Howard and Celestine (Kuinn) Kubler. Her parents were both born in 1810 in Canton Berne, Switzerland, and came to America in 1853. lo- cating in Cleveland, Ohio. The father followed farming in his native land, but worked as a laborer after coming to this country. He died in 1858. Both were members of the Roman Cath- olic Church. In their family were four children -Mrs. Sanglier; Louise, who died in Cleveland; Joseph, who died in January, 1895, in Denison, Texas; and Christopher, who went west several years ago, since which time no news has been received of him.
Upon their marriage, our subject and his wife located in Liberty township, where he carried on agricultural pursuits. He first purchased twenty acres, wild and unimproved, but he added to his farm from time to time until he became the owner of a valuable property, which he continued to cultivate until his death, May 3, 1894. In 1887 the first oil well was drilled on the farm, which now contains fifteen wells, and these are a good source of income to the family. Mr. Sanglier was a capable business man, and by his well directed efforts acquired a handsome prop- erty.
In the family were ten children: Mary, at
home; Nelson, who died at the age of twelve; Justin O., whose sketch follows; Ashel; Louise. Martha, who was married September 3, 1895, to C. C. La Point, of Erie, Mich. ; Lucy, deceased; Rose; Maggie and Alice. ASHEL SANGLIER, who operates the farm, was born October 6, 1867, and throughout his life has aided in the work on the old home place. He acquired his education in the district schools, is a young man of excel- lent business ability, and now owns 140 acres of land on which are two oil wells. The landed possessions of the family aggregate 1,020 acres. Ashel Sanglier was a member of the Democratic Central Committee for four years, and also served on the executive committee for one term. Jn April, 1896, he was, by the choice of his friends, nominated for trustee, and was elected by a majority of thirty-three votes, thus overcoming a Republican majority of 120, and is also a mem- ber of the county board of election. No better recommendation could be given a young man than this flattering compliment. The entire Sanglier family are members of the Roman Catho- lic Church.
LUCY SANGLIER, now deceased, was born on the old Sanglier homestead in Liberty township. September 17, 1874. She grew up under the care of her parents, and at an early age manifes- ted unusual mental activity. As she budded into womanhood her rare qualities of mind and heart crystalized into an ambition for education. She attended the district school until 1894, when she entered the Ursuline convent, in Toledo, Ohio, where she completed the full course of study re- quired by that institution, giving special attention to vocal and instrumental music. Having mas- tered the elements of education essential to a full round complete womanhood, she returned to her home, where she continued to discipline herself; and by that subtile knowledge, known only to a woman of culture and refinement. wound herself around the hearts of her old asso- ciates, and made herself doubly dear to the mem- bers of her immediate family.
She became revered as a companion, and re- spected as a model for others. Her high degree of mental and personal culture was only equaled by her zeal in practice of religion. She had as- pired to make herself something more than ordinary as an individual, and had attained much of lier ambition; but that Mighty One .. That doeth all things well, " called her to immortality at a period when it was least expected- just when she had attained full maturity of womanhood. and when she was most dear and most useful t'
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MRS. LUCINE SANGLIER.
NARCISSE SANGLIER.
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all who knew her. September 26, 1896, was the fatal day when the silent hand of the Divine Master stole through the lattice of her room, and with His magic power beckoned the spirit forth, leaving all that was mortal of Lucy Sanglier like a waxen figure-white and motionless.
Those who mourn and miss her have the sa- cred consolation of knowing that if it is possible for the human soul to attain the ideality the Christian sees through the eye of faith, then, e'er her last pulsation ceased, the halo of a glorious eternity crowned her.
JUSTIN O. SANGLIER, one of the wealthiest and most enterprising farmers in Plain township, was born in Liberty township, Wood county, March 2, 1865, the son of Narcisse and Lucine (Kubler) Sanglier.
Mr. Sanglier was brought up on his father's farm, attending the district school, and assisting in work at home until his marriage, on February 7, 1893, to Miss Adaline Cousino. whose birth took place in Michigan, July 31, 1867. Three children have been born to them: Martha B., Clara L. and Louis C.
Mr. Sanglier is now the owner of one of the finest farms in Plain township, comprising 120 acres of highly cultivated land, upon which are many improvements, and a very large brick resi- dence, in which the family make their home. The Sanglier family is well known throughout the county as wealthy and influential people, and our subject, by his industry and progressive meth- ods, is rapidly adding to his already large posses- sions. He is popular throughout the community. In religious belief he is a devout member of the Catholic Church. Politically he is a stanch Democrat.
JESSE HAGER, one of the most prominent rep- resentatives of the commercial interests in this county, was born March 22, 1865, in the town of Bloomville, Seneca Co., Ohio, and is a son of Christian and Mary (Snyder) Hager, the latter of whom is now deceased.
Our subject was only a boy when his parents came to Wood county, and he was reared on the old family homestead in Jackson township. There he assisted his father in clearing and de- veloping the eighty acres of land, and otherwise improving the property. His education was ac- quired in the district schools of the neighbor- hood. At the age of twenty-one he left home and entered the employ of the W. F. Dewey Company, of Hoytville, with whom he remained for about a year. He next secured a clerkship :
in the company's store, where he remained abont three years, when he was promoted to the posi- tion of bookkeeper, and also made manager of the store. Since that time he has done all the buying for the store, paid all the employes, and has not only gained the confidence of the com- pany but also won a high position in commercial circles, and is now one of the stockholders and directors in the business. He has the faculty of ably managing and directing others, and his just treatment has gained him the respect of his em- ployes, and the confidence of his patrons.
On June 20, 1880, in Hoytville, Mr. Hager was united in marriage with Miss Emma J. Dennis, who was born in 1870 near Findlay, Ohio. They made their home in Hoytville, and occu- pied a high position in social circles, making many friends, and Mrs. Hager's decease, which occurred April 20, 1896, after an illness of four years, was widely mourned. She was buried in the McComb (Hancock county) cemetery.
In addition to his other property Mr. Hager owns a third interest in the Hoytville opera house. and a half interest in a large grain elevator. He is truly a self-made man, and has not a dollar that he has not himself honestly earned. His political support is given to the Demo- cratic party, and he is a wise counselor and able leader in its ranks. He has been hon- ored with a number of local offices, for four years capably served as mayor of Hoytville, has also been township clerk and township trustee, and is now the efficient postmaster, and treasurer of the corporation, also of the school district and township. Socially he is connected with the Knights of Pythias fraternity of Hoytville.
I. S. BOWERS, M. D., one of the leading phy- sicians of Perrysburg, was born in Canada West, now the province of Ontario, December 14, 1856. Jacob Bowers, his grandfather, was a native of Pennsylvania, and by occupation a lumber deal- er, owning large tracts of land in this country and in Canada, and operating a number of saw- mills. He made frequent trips to Canada, and at one time took up his residence there, and passed his last years in Ontario, where he died. His son, Isaac W., our subject's father, was born in Pennsylvania in 1824, and on arriving at matur- ity engaged in his father's business, to which he succeeded at the death of the latter. He mar- ried Miss Jane Camp, a Canadian lady, who was two years his junior, and for some years they re- sided in that country, removing to Michigan when onr subject was four years old. In 18;6 he came to Perrysburg, where the family resided until
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1887. in which year he moved to Ypsilanti, Mich., where he died suddenly September 22, 1893. He was a highly esteemed citizen, a consistent member of the M. E. Church, and in politics a stanch Democrat. He left a widow and six children, viz .: Parmelia, the widow of A. F. Shepard, formerly of Toledo, Ohio, who was killed in a railway accident at that city; Cor- delia, the wife of W. M. Thompson, of Owosso, Mich. ; Frances Mary, who married Edward Har- ris, of Monroe county, Mich. ; I. S., our subject; Freeman E., a prominent young attorney of Per- rysburg; and Estella J., one of the most popular young ladies of the best circles of Perrysburg social life.
Dr. Bowers received his elementary education in the Michigan district schools, later attending the high schools at Perrysburg and Monroe. At an early age he commenced the study of medi- cine with an uncle at Fond du Lac, Wis., but on his father's removal to Perrysburg he became as- sociated with him in the " wood-pulp" business, which he continued for two years, when he re- sumed his studies under the direction of Dr. Rheinfrank, of Perrysburg. He was graduated from the Detroit Medical College in ISSI, and at once located at his home, where his wide ac- quaintance and high standing gave him an ad- vantage not to be found among strangers. He had previously practiced as an under-graduate with his preceptor, and from the first he has met with encouraging success, his practice increasing in value and extent each year.
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Our subject was married to one of Perrys- bnrg's amiable daughters, in the person of Miss Sophia Witzler, who was born in March, 1856, and they have two children. Merlin and Helen. In politics the Doctor follows the faith of his father, voting the Democratic ticket, and at the present time he is president of the board of pen- sion examiners of Wood county. Socially he is a member of the I. O. O. F .. Fort Meigs Lodge, and has passed the chairs, and the K. of P., in , which latter organization also he has passed all the chairs, been chancellor of Perrysburg Lodge, alid is now serving as deputy grand chancellor. He holds high rank among his professional breth- ren, and belongs to the American Medical Asso- ciation, the Northwestern Ohio Medical Associa- tion. the Ohio State Medical Association, and the Wood County Medical Society.
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JOHN A. STEARNS, a wealthy, retired agricult- urist, residing in Bowling Green, is a native of Ohio, born July 6, 1839. in Montgomery town- ship, Wood county, a son of Justus Stearns.
John A. Stearns was about twelve years old when his father moved to Perry township, and his boyhood was mainly spent in the hard toil of clearing his father's two farms, and helping in the sawmills, so that his educational opportunities were quite limited. In 1864 he enlisted in Com- pany E, 144th O. V. I., for one hundred days, and at the end of the termi came home.
On January 1, 1862, Mr. Stearns was married to Miss Elizabeth Myers, a native of Crawford county, Ohio, born February 5. 1842. They have had five children, of whom four are living: Elmer, born November 20, 1862, a farmer and oil pumper at Bays, married Miss Naomi Buvinger. and has one child -- Flora: William S., born October 31. 1865, married Miss Minnie White, and they live in Liberty township: Charles, born May 24, 1868, married Miss Lillie Lashway, and they have one child-Lawrence; Frank, boru July 4, 1870, married Miss Estelle Parker, and they have one child ---- Helen; and Alma, born September 8. 1872, died October 2, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Stearns also reared an adopted daugh- ter, Ada Daily, who was born February 11, 1868. She married Fred Hendricks, of Plain township, and they have one child-Ina.
After his marriage Mr. Stearns lived for two years on a farm in Perry township, and later moved to Plain township, where he now owns 300 acres of land which is given to general farm- ing. At the present time he is also interested largely in oil producing. After living at the farm for over thirty-three years, Mr. Stearns and his wife moved to Bowling Green to enjoy the wealth which has come to them during their years of effort. They are prominent members of the Presbyterian Church at Bowling Green. In politics he is a Republican, and has held an in- fluential place in the party councils for mais years, and was for six years a trustee of Pkin township. Socially he is affiliated with Lodge No. 641, I. O. O. F .. the G. A. R., Neibling Post -- both of Weston.
Mrs. Elizabeth Stearns is a daughter of Josialı and Elizabeth (Parks) Myers, both natives of Hampshire county, W. Va., where they were married, and afterward, in 1839, moved to Ohio, the journey being made in a covered wagon. There were born to them eight children, viz. : William, Sanmel, Lambert and John, all of whom served in the Civil war, Samuel and John veter- anizing / they camped one winter on or near ther grandfather's farm in West Virginia; many of their relatives served in the Conteder ite army . Evaline, wife of B. Jones; Elizabeth, wife of our subject; Anna, Mrs. C. Wooley ; and Camilla,
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wife of Joseph Davis. There was also an adopted son, named Sidney Brows, who served in the Civil war, the family thus (the sons-in-law hav- ing also joined the army) giving no less than nine able-bodied men to the Union cause.
On arriving in Ohio, Mr. Myers took up gov- ernment land in Crawford county, where he lived from 1839 till 1866, in which latter year he re- moved to Missouri where he died in 1879, his wife in 1870. His father, William Myers, was a native of Pennsylvania; the father of Mrs. Myers, Samuel Parks, was a minister of the M. E. Church, in Virginia. In his political preferences, Mr. Myers was an ardent Whig, later a no less zealous Republican, and a true friend to the bondman, his Ohio home being for a long time known as an "Underground railroad station," where fugitive slaves were cared for and given a lift on their desperate "run to Canada." In
addition to his prominence as a successful agri- cuitnrist in Crawford county, he acted as guardian for many estates, so great was the confidence re- posed in him by the people, and he served with much ability and characteristic fidelity in various public offices of honor and trust, among which may be mentioned that of county commissioner, an incumbency he filled for several years. No one was better known in Crawford county, and when he left no one was more missed than Josiah Myers.
JUSTUS STEARNS (deceased). As one of the pioneer agriculturists of Wood county, a good citizen, and an enterprising and prosperous busi- ness man, the subject of this sketch held for many years a prominent place in the community with which his activities identified him. The family of which he was a worthy representative is an old one, and it is probable that the numer- ous branches in this country could all be traced to three brothers, Isaac, Charles and Nathaniel Stearne, who came from England in the ship "Arabella" with Gov. Winthrop, and landed at Salem, Mass., June 12, 1630. The spelling of the name has been changed by many from the original Sterne to Stearns, Sternes, Sterns, Starns or Stearnes. Richard Sterne, Archbishop of York during the reign of James HI, was of this same family in England.
The late Justus Stearns was born in Clifford township, Allegheny Co., Penn., July 8, 1810, where his grandfather, John and William Stearns, Silas Otis and James Stearns, who were natives of Connecticut, had settled in the latter part of the eighteenth century. John Stearns reared a large family, among whom was a son James, our sub-
ject's father, who was born August 5. 1777. The family moved to Pennsylvania a few years later, where John Stearns died, his wife surviving him several years, and dying at the age of eighty years. James Stearns was married in Allegheny county, Penn., to Miss Abilene Hardin, a daugh- ter of Amos Hardin, and settled upon the farm where our subject was born, remaining there un - til the fall of 1822, when he moved to a farm near Bloomingdale, Richland Co., Ohio. his household goods being transported by an ox-teamn in primitive fashion. He died there of Inng dis- ease, May 5, 1837, and liis wife survived him until in September 1861, when she died in Berrien county, Mich., at the home of their youngest son. Both were members of the Bap- tist Church. While he made a comfortable liv- ing, he was not a man to accumulate great wealth. nor did he possess the robust physique with which his sons were endowed. T'en children were born to this estimable pioneer couple, the names with dates of birth being as follows: Lydia, January 6, 1804 (married James Wells, and died in Berrien county, Mich. ; Amos, Jan- uary 8, 1806 (he was a farmer in Troy township. DeKalb Co., Ind., where he died), Phoebe, Jan- uary 21, 1808 (married Hiram Stevens, and died in what is now Morrow county, Ohio); Pietus. July 8, 1810; William, February 17, 1814 che was a farmer in Chautauqua county. Kans .. and died there); Rhoda. February 16, 1817 (married Asa Fields, and moved to Utah, where she died): Masena, March 24, 1819 (married, first William Hebbert, and, second, Dayton Mills, and died in Berrien county, Mich., November 29. 1895': Wealthy, October 22, 1821 married Willam Herbert (deceased,, and resides at BloomJale : Silas, March 15, 1823 (died in Berrien county. Mich.); and Otis, in February, 1829 (he is now a farmer in Berrien county. With the ex- ception of Amos, all of the sons followed the po- litieal faith of their father, and were Old-fine Whigs.
Justus Stearns attended school at his mutive place for some years, but at the age of twohe he came to the new farm in Ohio, where the hard toil of pioneer life occupied his time. He was a strong, robust boy, and, his parents being poor, he often worked hard and late to obtain needed articles of clothing. Ilis only capital was a strong constitution and a mind fortile in resources. but he managed to make his way in lite an fattain more than an ordinary degree of success ile was married, March 1, Foi2. m Runland county. to his first wife, Miss Sarah A Davis, and in the following year he moved to Wood county with
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his wife and one child. Mary J., and entered land in Section 31, Montgomery township. He inade his home there in the midst of the wilder- ness, building his first cabin on the east branch of the Portage river, and many years of toil and privation were undergone before the forest be- came a well-ordered farm. Five children were born to his first marriage: Mary J., July 28, 1833 (now the widow of J. H. Bucher, of Perry township); Silas D., August 9, 1835 (resides in the State of Washington); James H., September 9, 1837 (died in Perry township in May, 1860); John A., July 6, 1839 (now resides in Bowling Green); Orrin, May 9, 1841 (died in Perry township). The mother of these died April 12, 1843, and was buried in West Mill- grove cemetery. On July 3, 1843, Mr. Stearns was married, near Greensburg, Sandusky county, to Miss Eliza Cross, by whom he had five chil- dren: Sarah A., the widow of Wilson Patterson. of Weston, who died July 18, 1894: Newton and Nelson, twins, the former of whom is a farmer in Plain township, the latter deceased in infancy; and two other children who died at an early age. The mother died July 28, 1850, and on October 10, 1850, Mr. Stearns married Miss Mary Hall, a native of Fairfield county, born January 12, 1822, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Mills) Hall. Her great-grandfather came from Ireland at an early date. Five sons and two daughters were born of this union: Josiah H., a prosperous farmer, of Perry township; Benton, a farmer of Weston township; J. D. and C. D., prominent fariners of Perry township, and Wilson E., a well-known farmer of Plain township; Belle and Laura died in childhood. The mother of this family died April 16, 1887, and was buried in Weston. On July 17, 1888, Mr. Stearns was united in the bonds of matrimony for the fourth time, his bride being Mrs. Mary A. Keyes, whose maiden name was Schooley; she had been twice married, first to a Mr. Silverwood, and, second, to Samuel Keyes. She survives, and now resides in Bowling Green, in an elegant residence coin- pleted shortly before the death of Mr. Stearns.
In the fall of 1850 Mr. Stearns moved to West Millgrove and built the first hotel in that place; but not liking that business he soon gave it up. In the spring of 1851 he traded his first farm to R. W. Kelly for a farm in Perry town- ship, and some money to boot. Here he lived for more than thirty years, adding to his posses- sions from time to time until he owned over 700 acres. Soon after the completion of the B. & O. railroad through Deshler, Ohio, Mr. Stearns and his sons, J. H. and S. D., became interested in
a town site there. and in various industries, mer- cantile and manufacturing, and also in a hotel enterprise, all of them requiring an outlay of many thousands of dollars. The ventures were attended with success for a time, but later proved a failure, leaving heavy obligations to be met. A forced sale of his extensive property would have caused serious loss, but with rare business sagac- ity he devised a way out of his difficulty. He sold to his sons, J. H. and S. D., some of his real estate located in Perry township for a good price, taking their notes, and, as they were of the ener- getic, clear-headed sort who can make the most of a chance when they get it, they promptly paid their notes as they matured, enabling him to pay his debts without serious inconvenience, the whole business reflecting credit on all concerned. Mr. Stearns possessed great foresight, and the debts of his own contracting were never the source of any trouble to him, his temporary reverses being caused through entanglement with the affairs of others. In 1885 he moved to Plain township. where he had bought a large tract of land, which was supposed to be worthless, but he improved it and sold it at a handsome profit. His last years were spent in Bowling Green, where he died September 8, 1888, and his remains now rest beside those of his third wife, at Weston. He was a man of great vitality and strength, and his feats of lifting at "raisings," in his prime, were remarkable. For over fifty years he was a member of the Disciples Church, to which he con- tributed liberally, and he was throughout his life a leader in any enterprise or movement which appealed to his judgment as likely to benefit the community.
HERMAN MANNHARDT, native of Wurttemberg. Germany, was born May 17, 1846; entered the common schools of his country at the age of five years, the Latin or high school at seven, and completed the course when fourteen years old. He then immediately began the study of medi- cine with his father, Dr. F. Mannhardt; at six- teen entered the standing army, was promoted from step to step to assistant surgeon, in which capacity he served during the Austrio-Prussian campaign of 1866. He took his discharge in 1867, and immediately came to Galion, Ohio, where he practiced medicine with his father until 1868, when he came to Custar, and has resided and practiced his profession there ever since. In 1876 he went to Cincinnati, took a course of lec- tures and graduated.
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