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 2
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Hon. John Norris, father of our subject, was born April 22, 1813, in Fort " Findlay," Wayne county, Ohio, and became one of the most proni- inent and influential citizens of Perry township, Wood county. Amos Norris, his father (grand- father of our subject), was born October 16, 1779, in Huntingdon county, Penn., and was married to Mary Shaver, of the same nativity, born February 16, 1788, of English descent, a daughter of Maj. John Shaver, who served in that rank during the war of the Revolution. Amos Norris and his wife moved from their na- tive county to Ohio in 1802, making their home iu Wayne county until 1814, when they removed to Ashland county, being the first white settlers in the neighborhood, at which time the Indians were troublesome, some of them, after Hull's sur- render, murdering three families in Wayne county, so that the pioneers had to build a fort in which they and their families could take refuge. This fort was named "Findlay," and in it was born Hon. John Norris. Amos Norris and his wife both died in Orange township, Ashland county, he at the age of sixty-five, and she, when seventy-six years old. He assisted in the organization of that township. and was one of the rugged old pioneers well adapted by nature for the work of pioneer days. . 1 brief record of their family of five sons and three
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leapt Q. P Nonis
John Norris
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langhters is as follows: John (deceased) was the eldest; Vachel was drowned at the age of twenty-one, near Orange, Ohio; Nancy married Marsham Bowman, and died in Ashland county, Ohio; Temperance wedded W. J. Rigby, of Fos- : ria, Ohio; William, a farmer, died in Orange, Ohio; Amos was a lawyer and State Senator of Minnesota sometime in the " fifties, " and after- ward in the " seventies " judge of courts in Flor- zła, whither he had gone for the benefit of his health, and died there; Andrew, who was a Doc- tor, died in Farmer City, Ill. ; Saralı, the young- est of the family, was twice married, and died in Ashland county, Ohio.
Hon. John Norris was reared in Wayne county, Ohio, attending school " off and on " in what is now Orange township, Ashland county, until he was fourteen years of age. Having accidentally cut his foot, so badly that he was unable to move about, he took that opportunity to learn the trade of a shoemaker, which he picked up so readily, and was so industrious at, that he made a pair of shoes the first day he worked. After he learned Ins trade he taught several terms of school, dur- ing the winter months only, receiving for his serv- ices eight dollars per month, meanwhile "board-
ing round " at the homes of his scholars.
With
pany B, IL Ith Regiment, O. V. I .. was promoted to major and commissioned lieutenant-colonel, mustered out with the regiment as major, and died in Fostoria, Ohio, in 1867, from injuries received in 1865, near Salisbury, N. C., in jumping from a flat-car that was off the rails, in a train carrying the regiment of which he was then in command; Amos was killed by the premature discharge of a cannon while celebrating July 4, 1863, at West Millgrove, Ohio; Omar P., the subject proper of this sketch; Mary, married to W. H. Kiger, of Prairie Depot (P. O.), or Freeport, Wood county; William B., who was a fine scholar in his younger days, and- died at the age of forty-two; James H., who served in Company H, 49th O. V. I., was promoted three times for bravery-twice in the company, and promoted to sergeant while in the signal corps, which he voluntarily left to please his captain-and was killed in the battle of Pickett's Mills, or Dallas, Ga., May 27, 1864, while leading his company as sergeant; Jane, who married Capt. Thomas H. Chance, of Fostoria; Fanny, married to Andrew G. Yates, of Perry township; Annie, wife of C. H. Stewart, of Fostoria; Emma, who was the wife of Dr. J. C. Lincoln, and died at Bowling Green; John H., a prominent physician of Fostoria; and Frank M., a farmer of Perry township.
this exception, he remained under the parental roof until his marriage, March 19, 1834, in Wayne The mother of this family was a daughter of Scotch parents who were born and reared in the land of Wallace, Bruce and Burns, coming to this country at an early day. After a wedded life of half a century she passed from earth March 17, 1884. at Fostoria, Ohio, aged sixty-nine years, and was buried on the anniversary of her wedding. She and her husband joined the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, at their marriage, and remained consistent members of the same. She died in the triumph of a living faith in Christ, her Redeemer. She wanted and took Him for her all-in-all, in Time and Eternity. She was a very conscientious woman, and when her sons enlisted to go to the war, she stood up in a large audience and exclaimed: . Boys! It almost breaks my heart to see you go; but do your duty. Your country demands your help; be brave, and die with your face to the foe, and be men." She and her husband commenced in the woods twice during their married life-once in Wayne county. where they cleared up heavily-timbered land, some fifty-seven acres, then after ten years moved to Wood county, and here also cleared up heavily-timbered land, about 200 acres. county, Ohio, to Miss Rebecca Cuthbertson, who was born May 28, 1815, in Washington county, Penn., a daughter of Thomas and Margaret Brownlee) Cuthbertson, both natives of Scot- land, the mother born in Glasgow, the father a stocking weaver by trade. After marriage the young couple commenced house-keeping in Orange, Ashland county, Ohio, but soon after- ward they took charge of his mother-in-law's farm in Wayne county, and continued thereon until 1843, in the fall of which year they came to Wood county, settling on 160 acres of unim- proved land in Perry township, no clearing having been done until after they moved on the place. Mr. Norris had previously visited the locality, and built a common log cabin on the premises, which originally comprised 240 acres. In 1845 he sold eighty acres, with the proceeds of which he paid off some of the indebtedness he had incurred in the purchase. In April, 1880, retiring from the labors of the farm, and also on account of the burning of his home in Perry township, he moved to Fostoria, and here passed Ins declining years. The family born to John and Rebecca Norris were as follows: Omar, who In 1885 Hon. John Norris married his second wife, Lydia A. Crum, of Colombiana county, died in infancy, in Wayne county, Ohio; Thomas C., who entered the service as captain of Corn- ! Ohio, who survives him, living in a fine home he
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WOOD COUNTY, OIIIO.
deeded her. Here he passed the declining years of his life, dying May 23, 1896, of blood poison- ing, aged eighty-three years and one month, a useful member of society all his life. In his po- litical preferences he was originally a Whig, later a Republican, and was one of the stanchest sup- porters of the party in Wood county. In 1843 he was appointed township clerk, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of U. M. Corey; was then elected to the same office two terms; then as treasurer two consecutive terms; then as trustee two terms; then as justice of the peace two terms of three years each; then as assessor three terms. In 1872, when the county was for the first time entitled to a representative the people selected Mr. Norris to represent the county in the Sixtieth General Assembly, as a Republican. This was the first of the three-years' fight between Bowling Green and Perrysburg, as to which should be the county seat, Bowling Green in the end winning the prize. He was renominated for a second term as representative, but was defeated at the polls, on account of the county-seat fight; but he did uot sour, or leave the party, or its principles. In religious faith he was for over sixty years a member of the M. E. Church, toward which he contributed liberally, and held office in the same. As a farmer he was systematic and progressive; as a public official he was straightforward and honorable; as a man no one was better known or more highly honored. He was hale and hearty up to the illness that caused his death, and not long before the final summons came, he said: "I wonder why it is that I am living, and so many former friends and acquaintances gone forever from this world! But I bide my time."
Capt. Omar P. Norris during boyhood at- tended the district schools near his home, and after studying for a term in an academy at Re- public, taught for three winter terms. He then entered Prof. Turner's school at Fostoria; but the war breaking out before his term was finished, he joined the army, as did every other male stu- dent in that school. Our subject enlisted, in April, 1861, in Company H, 21st O. V. I., three- months' regiment, and was rejected at Camp Taylor, Cleveland, Ohio. In June, same year, he re-enlisted, this time in Company G, 25th O. V. I., soon rose to the rank of sergeant, and was in all the marches and engagements of that regiment up to and including the battle of Green- brier, W. Va., was honorably discharged for dis- ability November 21, 1861, and returned home. In August, 1862, he entered Company B, 111th O. V. I., and served until the end of the war, coming out with the rank of captain, having
served in every intermediate rank except that of corporal. He and fifty-two men of Company B, of whom he was in command as first lieutenant, were sacrificed, while on picket duty, to let a division get " out of a hole," on midnight of No- vember 15, 1863, near Lenoir Station, East Tenn., when the Rebel general, Longstreet, crossed the Tennessee river with his army, cu route for Knoxville. Lieut. Norris and his men were surrounded and taken prisoners early on the morning of November 16, 1863. They were all stripped of their hats, overcoats and shoes, by the Rebels, and sent to Atlanta, Ga., thence to Richmond, Va., where he and his men were separated, Lieut. Norris being sent to Libby Prison, and his men to Belle Isle. Of those fifty-two men, thirty-six died in Rebel prisons. [See "Ohio in the War."] Lieut .- Norris was in Libby Prison until May, 1864, when he was sent with all other officers, confined in Libby at that time, to Salisbury, N. C., from there to Augusta, from there to Macon, and from there to Savannah, Ga., where he lay at the point of death for several days, and was reported as dead in the New York papers, by chaplains who were exchanged at Savannah, and mourned as dead by his parents and friends at home. From Savan- nah he was sent to Charleston, S. C., where, for twenty-nine days, the Federal prisoners were under fire of the Union guns at Morris Island, and where, too, the yellow fever was raging among the prisoners confined in the city jail yard, among whom was Lieut. Norris. From Charleston he was sent to Columbia, S. C .. where many of the officers died of yellow fever. among them being Capt. William Bender, 123d O. V. I., of Fostoria, Ohio, and Lieut. Asa Spafford, 21st O. V. I., of Perrysburg, Ohio.
Leut. Norris escaped from Columbia, traveled over a hundred miles, and was then tracked up by blood-hounds and recaptured, taken back to Columbia and out to Prison Camp, where he soon afterward escaped again, at a great risk of his life. After traveling thirty-four nights, he reached the Union lines at Sweet Water, E. Tenn., Decem- ber 27, 1864, having passed through many hard- ships and privations, and experiencing narrow escapes. He rejoined his regiment at Washington. D. C., February 8, 1865, and returned to the sea: of war by the old ship " Prometheus, " that nar- rowly escaped foundering off Cape Hatteras. North Carolina. His regiment landed near Fort Fisher, N. C., and engaged in the North Caro- lina campaign. Here Lieut. Norris was promoted to captain of Company I, to date November 1 ;. 1864. Capt. Norris was in all the marches and
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
engagements of the North Carolina campaign, and received his final discharge July 12, 1865, at Salisbury, N. C. [See History of the Regiment, by Capt. W. S. Tharstin, ILIth O. V. I., Toledo, Ohio. ]
After his return home he sold goods for ex-Gov. Foster, of Fostoria, for two years, then traveled a year selling a patent-right of his own invention, and then settled upon his farm in Perry township, where he has since carried on the business of stock raising, giving special at- tention to sheep. He has been twice married, first time, in 1869, to Miss Frona Patton, a school teacher, a daughter of Lieut. - Col. John J. Patton, O. V. I. She was born January 1, 1850, in Quincy, Logan Co., Ohio, and died December 9, 1876, leaving three children: Ida, a school teacher, who married George E. Reed, enrolling clerk of the 72d General Assembly, and now editor and proprietor of the Prairie Depot Ob- server (they have two children-Frona and Mary); Emina, a school teacher, who now lives at home; and Belle, a successful teacher of the coun- ty. For his second wife Capt. Norris married Miss Libbie Yates, daughter of John W. Yates, first sergeant Company H, 49th Regiment, O. V. I., of Crawford county, Ohio, who was killed December 16, 1864, in the engagement at Nash- ville. Mrs. Libbie Norris was born September 9, 1857, and was a teacher in Wood county for some time. Three children were born of this union: Omar, Fannie and Thomas.
A man of broad views and liberal judgment, Capt. Norris wields great influence in the com- munity, and so fully does he enjoy the confidence of the public that he has been elected to the office of chairman of the board of education of Perry township. He has served two terms as treasurer of Perry township, also two terms as justice of the peace (refusing to serve longer), and was also a candidate before the county convention for commissioner. In 1895 he was elected to represent Wood county in the State Legislature (Seventy-second General Assembly). He was the author of two general Bills, which passed the House; one Bill was defeated in the Senate; the other, the "Anti-treat Bill," was smothered in the Senate committee. He also introduced three local Bills, all of which became laws. Capt. Norris took an active part in the Presidential campaign just closed. He delivered eight speeches in favor of the election of McKin- ley, protection to American industires, reciprocity and a 100-cent dollar, and is now happy over the election of Major Mckinley as " President of our greatest nation on earth."
D. A. HAYLOR, the efficient and popular superintendent of the public schools of Bowling Green, and one of the prominent educators of this State, was born February 14, 1851, in Yorkshire, England.
His father, John Haylor, and his mother. Ann (Marshall) Haylor, were both natives of the same locality. As a mechanic and merchant, the father was successful and well-to-do, but came to America with his family in 1866 for the better opportunities it afforded. The family lived for two years in Oberlin, Ohio, and then removed to a farm in Henrietta township, Lorain county, afterward moved to one in Russia township, where they remained until the father's death in 1891. They were leading members of the M. E. Church, with which they united in early life. Of their nine children all are living, and five have settled in or near Oberlin, where their mother now resides. Sarah married Jacob Hales, of Ridgeville, Ohio; Henry is a dry-goods em- ploye at Canton, Ohio; D. A., is the subject of this sketch; John is a farmer near Oberlin; William is in business in that city; Herbert, merchant and farmer, living at Irving, Kansas; and Anna, Mrs. Fred Papworth: Clara, Mrs. John Papworth; and Walter, all reside in or near 'Oberlin.
Our subject attended an excellent private school in England until the age of thirteen. After coming to America he continued his studies in the district schools of Lorain county, working at the same time with his father on the farm, and at the shoemaker's trade. So well did he im- prove his opportunities that he received the posi- tion of teacher in the same place where he had been a pupil, and there and elsewhere he taught during the winter terms until the age of twenty- three, when he entered Oberlin College to fit himself for a professional teacher. He supported himself during five years of study, earning over one thousand dollars and completed a seven- years' classical course. He took the degree of B. A., and has also finished a professional course for teachers. He ranked among the first in a class of fifty-five, and received the president's recommendation for the first place among their applications for teachers. During his senior year he was engaged as a tutor in mathematics. Since graduation he has been continuously and suc- cessfully engaged in educational work: one year in Seville, Medina county; two years in Perrys- burg, Wood county; six years in Bryan, Williams county, and from 1889 to the present time he has been superintendent of schools in Bowling Green, and is a member of the city board of ex-
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aminers. He has been an active institute in- structor and lecturer. In each of the above places the schools secured under his management a reputation for thorough work and judicious con- trol that has never been questioned, but has brought to him and the communities both honor and permanent good.
He was married in 1882 to Miss Netta G. Lawrence, of Perrysburg, and has three children, Ruth, Vida and Janet. His high scholastic at- tainments and fine natural abilities give him an influential place in intellectual circles. He and his wife are leading members of the Presbyterian Church, and generous supporters of all educa- tional and philanthropical movements in the community. In politics he is a Republican.
EDWIN R. SAGE, M. D. No man in Wood county is better known or has a larger circle of warm friends than. this popular physician, who for over thirty years has ministered to the sick and suffering of Montgomery township. He was born at Windham, Conn., January 18, 1825, and is a son of George and Lucy (Davis) Sage.
The early education of our subject was ob- tained in the district schools of Erie county, Ohio, whither his parents moved when he was eleven years of age. The father dying when Edwin was fifteen years old, he was thrown upon his own resources, and at eighteen began learn- ing the trade of a shoemaker at Berlin Heights, Ohio. At this he worked for three years, being paid at the rate of $30, $35, and $40 per year, out of this paying for his board and clothing. When twenty-one years of age he was sent on horseback to Prairie Depot for a yoke of oxen, and while there was urged to start a shoe-shop, as there was none in the village at that time. He returned to Berlin Heights, and soon after- ward took the stage to Lower Sandusky (now Fremont), from which place he walked, carrying his kit of tools, to Prairie Depot. This was in 1846. In the office of Dr. Hutchins he found the only available space for his bench, the use of this place being tendered him by the Doctor, who took a great liking to him. This was a fortunate crisis in his life, for he had a craving for scientific study, and, being surrounded by medical books and appliances, he took up the study of medicine.
Six months later Dr. Sage returned to Berlin Heights, where he spent the winter of 1846 and 1847. In the latter year his widowed mother, with his brothers and sisters, removed to Wood county, where he had procured a lot of land, he himself remaining in Berlin Heights until 1848, in which year he cast his first Presidential vote | When the call on the Ohio National Guards was
for Martin Van Buren, the Free-soil candidate. In 1850 he went to Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where he worked at his trade until the summer of 1857. at which time he took up his permanent residence in Wood county, at Prairie Depot, and the fol- lowing year " hung out his shingle " as an M. I. During his stay at Chagrin Falls Dr. Sage had read medicine with Dr. H. W. Curtis, and had seen some practice, answering calls for his tutor, which the latter was unable to personally attend. On October 8, 185S, Dr. Sage was married at Perrysburg, Ohio, to Miss Sarah M. Yant, who was born in Bethlehem, Ohio, December 12. 1835, a daughter of John and Dorothea (Usher Yant, the former a hotel-keeper, whose death took place in Crawford county. Three children have been born to the Doctor and his wife, namely: Rose D., the wife of F. B. Hill, of Chicago Junction, Ohio; Eddie, who died when two years old; and Edward R., who is in the United States railway mail service (on January 20, 1896, he married Evelyn Wingar). At the time of his marriage Dr. Sage was a poor man, and for many years had a "hard row to hoe.' His patients were also poor, as they were mostly people coming in and settling on new farms, who had little or no money for doctors' bills. He, however, was energetic and hopeful. and strug- gled on until times were better, and his practice became lucrative. Dr. Sage has thousands of dollars in fees that many physicians would have collected, but his kindness of heart would not al- low him to insist upon payment from people he knew were unable to spare the money. In all his thirty-one years of practice, he has never re- fused to answer a call because his patient was poor. Dr. Sage is to-day one of the most suc- cessful practitioners in Wood county, is well known for miles around, and his many acts of benevolence and liberality have endeared him to the hearts of the people. No man ever doubts his word, and his patients have the most im- plicit confidence in his ability as a physician.
Politically Dr. Sage was formerly a Democrat and a Free-soiler, and voted for Gov. Wood, the Democratic candidate for that office. After the formation of the Republican party, however. he adopted its principles, and has ever since been one of its stanchest adherents. He served as clerk of Montgomery township for one term, and in 1875 was elected to the State Legislature, at the close of his term being re-elected. Socially he is a member of the Masonic order. Dr. Sage has 108 acres of excellent land near Prairie De- pot, from which he derives a comfortable inconte.
Edwin R Sage
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WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
made, Dr. Sage was a member of Company K, 144th regiment, Col. Miller commanding. At Berryville, Va., thirty-one of the company were taken prisoners, two killed, and two wounded, Dr. Sage being one of those taken prisoner. He was in the Lynchburg. Va., prison, and also in Libby, at Richmond, Va. He served as second lieutenant, and experienced some severe hard- ships, as he was on the march most of the time. No man stands higher in the community, or is entitled to higher respect from his fellow citizens than Dr. E. R. Sage.
JOHN MEILY HOFFA, editor of the Wood County Tribune, was born December 9, 1854, at Myers- town, Lebanon Co., Penn., a son of Levi and Susan (Meily) Hoffa. Mrs. Susan (Meily) Hoffa, mother of our subject, was born July 21, 1831, a daughter of Henry and Margaretha (Vogt) Meily, the latter of whom was born October 24, 1792, and died November 29, 1847. She was daughter of Mathias Vogt, who was born Febru- ary 24, 1756, and died March 2, 1839; his wife Sophia, was born December 12, 1767. and died October 9, 1855. This long-lived couple had three sons and two daughters, our subject's grandmother, Margaretha, being one of them. To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Meily were born children as follows: Two sons died in infancy; John mar- ried Kate Zinn, and died in Lebanon county, Penn. ; Catherine, now deceased, was the second wife of Thomas Bassler, and had one child; Re- becca is the wife of Isaac Stoner, and they reside in Franklin county, Penn; Mollie is the wife of Christian Strack, who resides near Myerstown, Penn. ; Eliza is the widow of Jacob Bixler; Fanny is the deceased wife of Henry Glick; Mary is the wife of Henry Seltzer, and makes her home in Dauphin county, Penn .; Sallie is the wife of Samuel Noll, she resides in St. Joseph, Mo .; Susan, the mother of our subject, comes next; she has her home in Lebanon county, Pennsyl- vania.
Levi Hoffa was born at Myerstown, March 9, 1827, and was a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Blecher) Hoffa, also natives of Lebanon county, the former of whom was a tailor by trade, which occupation he followed up to the time of his death. To them were born children as follows: (1) Levi, father of our subject. (2) Cyrus Samuel, a grad- uate of Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Penn., and who was a German Evangelical Lutheran minister; shortly after the breaking out of the Civil war, in 186t, he enlisted in the 90-days service, and after his term of enlistment had ex- pired, re-enlisted, this time in Company F, 4th
Penn. Cav., was taken prisoner, and died in Andersonville. (3) Sarah, wife of Henry Wagner, resides at Lebanon, Lebanon Co., Penn. (4) Mary M. is deceased; (5) Catherine; (6) Melinda, born June 25, 1836, died May 27, 1857; by oc- cupation she was a school teacher. (7) Leah Amelia, born February 6, 1839, married Henry Wise, and died March 27, 1860; she was also a school teacher. (8) Maurice J. (now deceased) was the youngest of this family. Levi died May 8, 1856, the father of two children: Mary Alice, born October 14, 1853, is now the wife of George WV. Umberger, by whom she has one son, Her- bert (they reside in Lebanon county, Penn. ); and John M., our subject. There is also another son in the family, William Gurten Hoffa (a child of Mrs. Levi Hoffa by her second husband, Cyrus Samuel Hoffa), born August 24, 1864, and now a wholesale dealer in barbers' supplies at Phil- adelphia.
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