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 20
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Mr. Wilber was a refined and intellectual gen- tleman, who occupied a remarkably high position in the estimation of the people of the community. and was known far and wide as one of the lead- ing representative men of Center township. He was greatly interested in educational work, and served for many years as school director, while he also held the office of supervisor of his town-
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ship for several years. His political support was unswervingly given the Republican party. The family adheres to the faith of the United Breth- ren Church. His death was caused by consump- tion, contracted during the army service, and he passed away on January 15, 1884, leaving a large number of friends, as well as his immediate fam- ily, to mourn his death. Mrs. Wilber, a most es- timable lady, still resides upon the farm left her by her husband, and has the love and respect of all who know her.
M. A. IRELAND, the genial and popular pro- prietor of the "Crystal City Restaurant" at Bowl- ing Green, was born in Maumee City, Ohio, Octo- ber 7, 1849.
His grandfather, John Ireland, came to Ohio, early in the present century from the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, where his son Michael, our sub- ject's father, was born September 20, 1801. The family first located at Salt Lick, on the Ohio river, and later at Bellefontaine. At the age of twenty Mr. Michael Ireland started in business for himself, and went to Detroit, Mich., with a drove of stock, traveling along the old " Hull's Trail." Returning to Ohio, he settled at Maumee City, where for some years he worked in a hotel. He subsequently became a contractor in lime, stone and timber, and later engaged in the grocery business. He farmed the island in the river, near Maumee City, and shortly afterward removed to Topeka, Kans., purchasing a large tract of land near that city. He married Miss Mary Elinshousen, who was born in Germany in 1816, and reared a family of six children, of which our subject is the eldest. The others were Madison, now residing in Idaho Springs, Colo .; Edwin, living in Kansas City, Mo. ; William A., killed by an explosion in one of his own mines in Colorado, at the age of thirty-two: Capitola, the wife of W. L. Townsend, of Idaho Springs, and Charles, also a resident of that town.
Our subject spent his youth in Maumee City, working with his father and attending school. He finished his education at the Central Ohio College, located there, and then learned the trade of shaping scythes, which he followed for about a year. The family removed to Kansas at this time, and he was engaged for the next six years in traveling with a government surveying expedition. He has often seen ten thousand head of buffalo at one time, and the party would shoot them down simply to see how many they could slaughter. Returning to Mau- mee City, he worked for a time in a wagon shop, and then took a load of horses and mules to
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Buffalo, Troy, and other places in New York. After this trip he bought a half interest in the wagon shop, which he held for ten years.
In the meantime he was married to Miss Adelia Yonker, who was born in Bowling Green, January 6, 1856. Five children were born to this union: Munson C., June 16. 1875; May L., Ethel, William, and Donald D. On August 12, 1885, Mr. Ireland removed with his family to Idaho Springs, Colo., where for two years he was engaged in contracting and build- ing, erecting some of the finest structures there. The oil fields of northwestern Ohio. suggested another form of business enterprise, in which he engaged for some time, but in 1892 he opened the "Crystal City Restaurant" at Bowling Green, which he has conducted ever since with constantly increasing patronage. His mother died in Kansas in 1873, and his father has of late years made his home with him.
In spite of his ninety-four years, Mr. Michael Ireland is mentally and physically active, walking with a light, brisk step which miany younger men might envy. His memory is remarkable. He recalls the murder of the last white man killed by the Indians on the Maumee river, and many other events of note in the history of the State. In his early days he was an Old-line Whig, and attended the famous mass meeting at Fort Meigs in 1840, where Gen. Harrison spoke. Our subject is a Republican in politics, and a member of the K. of P., the P. O. S. of A., the American Mechanics, and the Woodmen of the World.
MINER. WADSWORTH, M. D., who is success- fully engaged in the practice of medicine at Hoyt- ville, is a native of the Buckeye State, born April 14, 1854, at Wood Grove, Manchester township. Morgan county.
His father, Daniel S. Wadsworth, was a na- tive of Maryland, and when eighteen years of age moved to Morgan county. Having attained his majority, he was married in Noble (then a part of Guernsey) county, Ohio, to Elizabeth Dye, a native of Guernsey county, and they located on the old homestead in Morgan county. There he resided until 1887, when, with his family. he moved to Smith county. Kans. He became ex- tensively and successfully engaged in stock rais- ing, and was a prominent citizen of the locality. until his death, which occurred January 21, 1890. when he was aged seventy-four. He was baried near Portis, Kans, Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth were the parents of the following named children: Miner and Vincent, who died in childhood; Mary
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Ann, who died in Morgan county, Ohio, at the age of forty; Wyley W., a school teacher in Ore- gon; Malinda, wife of Pearley P. Paxton, of Portis, Osborne Co .. Kans .; Miner, subject of this sketch: and Dye, at home.
The Doctor began his education in the dis- trict schools, and on the old home farm spent his childhood days. At the age of eighteen he en- tered the public schools of Scio. Harrison county, where he pursued his studies one year, then fol- lowed school-teaching in both Morgan and Wood counties, following that pursuit two years. In 1876 he arrived in Wood county, and, after teach- ing two terms in Jackson township, took up the study of medicine, and carried on a small drug store at Hoytville. He studied medicine for a time, after which he attended inedical lectures as a student in the College of Physicians and Sur- geons, at Keokuk, Iowa, from which he was graduated February 28, 1882. He is now estab- lished in a good practice at Hoytville, where they have a comfortable home.
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The Doctor was married at Hoytville, Janu- ary 14, 1888, to Miss Katie Hager, who was born . in Seneca county, Ohio.
WESLEY MCINTIRE. The citizens of this section of the country combine in their lives the enterprising, progressive characteristics of the West, and the stability and thoroughness of the people of the East, owing perhaps to their near- ness to both sections. Our subject is a worthy type of Ohio's representative citizens. He was born near Tiffin, Seneca county, July 24. 1857, and is a son of Hiram and Lucetta (Zimmerman) McIntire, the former . born in Wayne county, Ohio, April 10, 1832, the latter in Seneca coun- ty, March 10, 1837. The grandfather, John Mc- Intire, emigrated from Scotland to America, and in Wayne county married a lady of Irish birth. One of their sous, prominent in Abolition work, used his home as a station on the " Under- ground railroad."
When a young man, Hiram McIntire learned the trade of a millwright. He was left an orphan at the age of thirteen, and for one year lived with an older brother; but not liking the treatment he there received, he tied his little wardrobe in his handkerchief, and with sixty-five cents in his pocket. ran away. He went to Green Springs, Sandusky county, and there learned his trade, which he followed for some years. While at that place he was married October 2, 1856, and immediatey after went with his bride to Fort Seneca, where he worked in a sawmill. He afterward purchased a mill, which he operated
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for a year, when he removed to Winter Station, and carried on a mill there until April 1. 1861, when with his family he came to Liberty town- ship, Wood county. Here he purchased five acres of land on which stood a frame residence. and after selling that property he bought eighty acres of wild land, clearing the tract and erect- ing thereon a log cabin, into which his family moved before there were either doors or windows. In ISSe this was replaced by a more modern structure that is now occupied by a brother of our subject. The father died there February 19. 1893: the mother passed away eight months previous. Their children were Wesley; Francis Marion, born November 2, 1858: Arthur, who was born December 22, 1860, and was drowned at the age of two years: and1 Anna, who was born May 3, 1869, and died at the age of eight years.
Mr. McIntire, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Liberty township, received a common- school education, and worked on the home farm until his marriage. On May 14, 1882, he wedded Miss Ida Carnacom, who was born in Liberty township, July 13, 1861. They began their domestic life on a forty-acre farm given him by his father, and in 1892 he erected his present commodious home which is brightened by the presence of three children: Valeria Odessa, Francis Elmer and Lloyd. In politics, Mr. Mc- Intire is a Republican, and is now serving as town constable. His time, however. is largely given to his business interests. He owns the farm on which he lives, has a half interest in eighty acres of land left by his father, and a half interest in the royalty received from thirteen oil wells. In connection with his brother, he is at this present writing also engaged in the breed- ing of blooded horses, and they have a fine five- eighths of a mile track on which they train and break colts. Socially, Mr. McIntire is connected with Whitney Lodge No. 589, I. O. O. F., of Portage, and is a charter member of the For- resters Lodge at Rudolph. In religious connec- tion he holds membership with the Disciples Church of Rudolph.
FRANCIS M. MCINTIRE, a prominent farmer and stock dealer of Wood county, was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, November 2, 1858, and is a son of Hiram and Incetta (Zimmerman) Me- Intire. He was a child of two and a half years when his parents came to Wood county, and his childhood days were passed on his father's first. while his education was obtained in the district schools. He secured a teacher's certificate, but
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MRS. LUCETTA MCINTIRE.
HIRAM McINTIRE.
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ill health prevented him from entering the profes- sion. At the age of sixteen he left school, and worked on the home farm until his marriage. When in his twenty-first year he engaged in farming for himself, as well as in assisting in the cultivation of the old homestead.
On August 7, 1881, Mr. McIntire was united in marriage with Miss Isadore Mercer, a daugh- ter of Abraham and Harriet (Rice) Mercer. He erected a residence on his father-in-law's farm, and afterward moved this dwelling to a tract of thirty acres owned by his wife. In the spring of 1883 he began the breeding of blooded horses, and has continued this business with excellent success. In August, 1893, he admitted his brother Wesley to a partnership in the business, and he built a five-eighths mile track for training purposes. On April 1, 1896, he purchased his brother's interest in the horses, leased his one- half interest in the farm for five years, and is now owner of the stock farm. In 1892 he sold the land belonging to his wife, and removed to the old McIntire homestead, which had been in- herited by himself and brother on his father's death. On February 16, 1893, he purchased 120 acres of improved land in Eaton county, ; Mich., and in the following February added forty acres. He has taken many premiums at the county fairs with his fine horses, and has one of the finest stock farms in the county.
To Mr. and Mrs. McIntire have been born five children, their names and dates of birth being as follows: H. Leroy, August 30, 1882; Harley, February 7, 1887; Algernon, November 8, 1890; Leo, July 16, 1893, and Mabel, November 15, 1895. Mr. McIntire takes quite an active in- terest in politics, has served as supervisor for two years, and in 1895 was elected justice of the peace. Socially he is a member of Whitney Lodge No. 589, I. O. O. F., of Portage, and a charter member of Lodge No. 57, Court Sheridan, Ancient Order of Forresters, in which he is one of the trustees. He is a popular young man, of genial disposition, and in the community where he has so long resided has many friends.
GEORGE W. BORTLE, deceased. The subject of this sketch, formerly a prominent agriculturist of Grand Rapids township, was born January 4, 1851, in Weston (now Grand Rapids) township, where his parents, John and Louisa Bortle, were among the early settlers. The father was born August 8, 1816, and died December 13, 1856. The mother, Louisa (Arnold) Bortle, was born November 12, 1827, and now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Addie Hodge, at Kenton, Ohio.
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George W. Bortle was educated in the dis- trict schools in the neighborhood, and assisted his father on the farin during boyhood. His first independent work was done on the Wabash and Erie canal, on which he was employed for sex- eral years. Later he engaged in farming, and i: 1876 he moved upon the farm of eighty-eight acres which belonged to his widowed mother, one-half of which his mother gave to him, and the other half she gave to her daughter, Addie On this our subject planted a good orchard, erected a fine barn and inade many other im- provements. On December 31, 1874, Mr. Bor- tle was married to Miss Annie E. Gillmore, who was born November 25, 1848, a daughter of George and Mary A. Gillmore, who were well- known pioneer residents of Weston township. One child, John H., born April 16, 1876, blessed this happy union, and who is now the manager of the homestead, and his widowed mother's pride and solace. He attended the district schools of Grand Rapids township in youth, and although only eight years old at the time of his father's death, he early learned to lighten his mother's cares and responsibilities, and was a great com- fort to her the few years she remained with him.
George W. Bortle was a man who held the respect and esteem of all who knew him; honest, industrious and progressive, his death, which occurred December 29, 1885, cut short a life of quiet usefulness, which could be illy spared Mrs. Bortle, a lady of rare executive ability and business judgment, continued the work of the es- tate left to her, and through her good manage- ment she purchased the half of the former eighty- eight acres from her sister-in-law, Mrs. Addie Hodge, and on which she built a comfortable residence and added many other improvements. Having poor health for the past two years, Mrs Bortle died February 19, 1896, leaving John II. Bortle, the only heir, in full possession of the beautiful home. On October 1, 1896, John H. Bortle was married to Maude McClure, whose birth occurred August 17, 1879.
DAVID W .. KEYS, one of the progressive young agriculturists of Grand Rapids township, is a native of Wood county, born January 19, ISES
His father, the late George Keys, a highly respected citizen of the same township, was born in the State of Delaware, February 27. IST2. He came from that State to Fairfield county . Ohio, where, in 1850, he was married to Miss Sarah Deal, who was born in Rockingham county. Va., August 24, 1817. They were engaged in farming while they remained in Fairfield, and in
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1853, they moved to Wood county, where they bought seventy-four acres of wild land, which they cleared and improved, spending many days at the hard toil which prepared his fertile lands for production. To this union were born five children, three of whom died in infancy. Mary J., our subject's surviving sister, was born Sep- tember 11, 1856; she married John Phillips Feb- ruary 25, 1877, who is a well-known farmer of Grand Rapids township.
David W. Keys attended the district schools during boyhood, and assisted his father upon the farm for a number of years. After the death of the latter, which occurred July 12, 1879, he took charge of the homestead for his widowed mother, for whom he cared tenderly until she, too, passed away on August 26, 1894. Since that time Mr. Keys has operated his half of the farm, and on it made many improvements of a substantial nature. On February 23, 1889, he was mrrried to Miss Catherine Courtney, of Grand Rapids, who was born October S, 1861. They have no children living. Both are greatly esteemed by their neighbors and acquaintances for their sterling qualities of character. Mr. Keys takes no part in politics. He attends strictly to his own busi- ness affairs, and his high reputation for good com- mon sense gives proof of his wisdom in so doing.
HOWARD CORY is one of Perry township's most prominent farmers and citizens, as well as a descendant of one of its earliest pioneer families. In Section 22, that township, his birth occurred April 18, 1859, and he is a son of Ambrose and Amanda (Kelley) Cory. In the spring of 1832, the paternal grandfather, Samuel P. Cory, re- moved with his family to Melmore, Seneca Co., Ohio, by the way of the Erie canal to Buffalo, N. Y., by the lake to Sandusky, Ohio, and thence by team. The father started on foot to look up a location, and in Perry township, Wood county, entered eighty acres of land, which was still in its natural state. He erected a cabin, and in the fall of 1832 the family located here. He was born in 1793, and at the time of his death, June 26, 1846, he was comfortably situ- ated. He took considerable interest in politics, voting with the Democratic party, and among other offices, served as the first justice of the peace of Perry township. By his marriage with Surviah Foster, he became the father of the fol- lowing children-Louisa C., who became the wife of Dr. M. Dana, and died in Fostoria, Ohio; George D., who died on the home farm in Perry township; Ambrose, the father of our subject; Orrin J., who was both a farmer and a
painter, and departed this life in Fostoria; Mary E., who was the wife of A. J. Morgan, and died in Freeport, Ohio. The mother of this family lived to the ripe old age of eighty-one, and was buried by the side of her husband in Fostoria.
Ambrose Cory was born in Susquehanna county, Penn., May 29, 1825, and was only seven years old when he arrived in Wood county, where he attended the district schools near his home. He completed his education by two terms' attendance at the Norwalk Academy. At the age of twenty he began teaching in Han- cock county at fifty cents per day, and taught in all six terms of school. His father died a few weeks before he reached his majority, and he then started out in life for himself, renting a farm near Melmore, Seneca county, for two years.
In Hancock county, on February 14, 1854. was celebrated the marriage of Ambrose Cory and Miss Amanda Kelley, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, September 22, 1829, and is a daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Lorah) Kel- ley, who located in Washington township, Han- cock county, in the fall of 1831. In the spring of 1854, Mr. Cory purchased 200 acres of land in Perry township, of Abraham Weaver, for which he went in debt, and on which he lived for seven years, but in 1871 he removed to Section 31. Jackson township, Seneca Co., Ohio, buying twenty acres, which is now within the corpora- tion limits of Fostoria. The following year he there built his substantial brick residence, where he still lives, though he later bought 160 acres of land in Perry township, this county, which he improved, but still made his home in Fostoria. He now has eighteen acres in that city. while five acres are just outside the corporation. He held
many offices of honor and trust in Perry town- ship, is a highly respected citizen of Fostoria, and takes quite an interest in the success of the Dem- ocratic party, for which he casts his ballot. In the family of three children our subject is the eldest, and is followed by Kate S., who was the wife of Charles Schaufelberger, and died in Hast- ings, Neb., October 24, 1893; and T. Harry, a painter and paper-hanger of Fostoria.
When only three years old, Howard Cory was taken by his parents to Fostoria, in the public schools of which city he acquired his literary education, while on his father's farin in Perry township he received his instruction in agricult- ural pursuits. Two years previous to his mar- riage he built a house upon his present farm of eighty acres in Section 26, Perry township. Only twenty acres at that time had been cleared, but
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now seventy acres have been placed under the plow, and yield to him golden harvests for the labor expended upon them. The place is well drained and supplied with an excellent set of farming buildings, all of which he has erected. The summer of 1883 he spent in Sully county, S. D., where he took up 160 acres of land, which he yet owns.
In Jackson township, Seneca county, Mr. Cory was joined in wedlock on March 6, 1884, with Miss Sylvia Cox, a native of that county, and a daughter of Aaron Cox, a farmer. They have one child, Fred, born October 15, 1888. Until 1891. Mr. Cory was a Democrat, but since that time he has been an enthusiastic supporter of the doctrines of the People's party. Religiously, he and his wife are connected with the Methodist Church of Fostoria.
W. O. JOHNSTON, a representative and lead- ing farmer of Perry township, is a fair specimen of the sturdy agriculturists, who have so largely assisted in the development of Wood county, and who are drawing from the soil the important elements of their future fortune. His home- stead, which embraces eighty-eight acres of rich and fertile land, lies in Section 27, where he first saw the light of day January 18, 1849, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Cove) Johnston.
The father, who was of Irish parentage, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1810, and was a member of the large family of John Johnston. When twenty-two years of age he went to Fos- toria, Ohio, and entered land in Hancock county, having at that time $300 which had been given him by his father. About 1833, he bought eighty acres of land in Section 27, Perry town- ship, all in its primitive condition. He was a very rugged inan and a hard worker, and during pioneer days owned several tracts of land in Hancock county, which he would clear and then sell. At the time of his first marriage he was employed on the farm owned by Charles W. Foster, for whom he worked four years, and later came to Perry township. He lived to be nearly seventy-three years of age, dying at Fos- toria, in July, 1883. For many years he was a member of the I. O. O. F., in politics was a Re- publican, and served as a trustee of Perry town- ship. He was a man of sound judgment and good common sense, and by his well-directed labors secured a comfortable competence.
At Fostoria, Thomas Johnston was united in marriage with Mary Myers, by whom he had seven children, but five died before reaching adult age. Elizabeth is the wife of Peter Fay-
lor, of Montcalmn county, Mich. John, who was a member of Company H. 49th O. V. I., was shot in the left temple, and carried the ball for two years, when it dropped through into his throat. His death, in October, 18So, was oc- casioned by his wound. For his second wife Mr. Johnston wedded Miss Mary Cove, a native of Stark county, Ohio, and a daughter of Benja- min and Elizabeth Cove. After her father's death in Stark county, her mother came to western Ohio, and departed this life at Fostoria. Our subject is the eldest of seven children born of the second marriage, the others being Aiden L., who died in 1860; Charles E., of Toledo, Ohio; Hetty A., now Mrs. Frank Culbertson, of Fostoria; Mary E., who is engaged in the insurance bus- iness in that city; Thomas L., a glass worker of Fostoria; and George E., a telegraph operator of that place, who died March 4, 1893. The mother of this family is still living, and makes her home in Fostoria.
In the usual manner of farmer boys, our sub- ject was reared to manhood, remaining at home until his marriage, with the exception of a few months in 1872, spent at Denver, Col., where he witnessed many thrilling scenes. On January IO, 1875, in Perry township, J. R. Phillips per- formed a wedding ceremony that united the des- tinies of Mr. Johnston and Miss Emily Brande- berry, who was there born July 29, 1855, and is a daughter of James and Jane (Bates) Brande- berry. To them have been born two children --- Blanche, now Mrs. A. J. Baird, of Perry town- ship; and Blake, at home.
Mr. Johnston began his domestic life upon a rented farm in Section 23, Perry township, and then for nine years rented another place in the same township. About 1883 he purchased forty acres of land, which form a part of his present valuable farm of eighty-eight acres. He uses his right of franchise in support of the Republic- an party, has been trustee of his township, and has held several school offices. As a friend, Mr. Johnston is an ardent and consistent one, and, as a neighbor, does all in his power for those around him.
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