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 21
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TIMOTHY HAYES. "The Wizard of Fort Meigs," was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, July 16, 1822. The historic ground named above " has been in the Hayes family as lessees, or own- ers, since 1841. It was here that Harrison and his patriotic pioneer followers hurled back the British and Indians, and gave the death blow to tyranny and barbarity in the Umted States. It was here. too, that in 1840, during the campaign of " Tippe-
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canoe and Tyler, too," was gathered the mightiest host of people ever assembled at any political mass meeting held in this, or any other country, to do honor to their chief. the hero of Fort Meigs -- Gen. William Henry Harrison, the Whig Presi- dential candidate of that year.
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This historic spot, famed in the annals of history, would long since have been wrecked had it not been for the gentleman whose name opens this sketch, and his brothers, whose names ap- pear hereafter. But under their careful watch- ing, not a plowshare has disturbed a grave of the sacred dead whose dust sanctifies this hallowed spot, and makes it dear to every American heart; not a spade has desecrated the embankment that protected the patriots from the English shells. Mr. Hayes takes just pride in the ground he has helped to preserve. As the tourists and travel- ers, who seek to view the historic spot, find an Irishman-a bachelor-the proprietor and owner, and encounter his tall, angular figure walking over the fields, but see no public monument, they realize that this is indeed the "Wizard of Fort Meigs," whose word has stayed the vandalism of agriculture and the ravages of time, and pre- served intact one of the Nation's most noted bat- tle fields.
Timothy Hayes is the son of James and Mar- garet ( Fitz Gerold ) Hayes, both of whom were born in Tipperary. The father died in Novem- ber at about seventy years of age. The mother departed this life at Fort Meigs in 1848, when about sixty years old. Their children were: Michael, who was born in 1814, came to Amer- ica in 1837, and first went to Illinois, and then to Perrysburg. He was a contractor by occupation, doing considerable work on canals, and assisted in building the Maumee and Western Reserve Pike. In 1841 he settled on a farin at Fort Meigs, where he lived until his death, January 1, 1894; Johanna, the second child, died in Ireland; Bridget is the wife of James Carey, Turner Junic- tion, Ills. ; Timothy is our subject; Anastasia died in this country; Thomas, who was born in 1827, came to America in 1848 (he spent four years, from 1859 to 1863, in California and then re- turned to Wood county. He married Miss Mary Ann Daily, who was born in Wood county, and died after bearing one child, James C., who is agent for the Ohio Central railroad, at Dowling). The second wife of Thomas was Miss Ellen Riley, a native of Long Island, N. Y., and they have seven children: Thomas, Timothy, Michael, John, Margaret. Ellen, and Mary; the seventh child of our subject's parents was Ellen, now the wife of Matthew Riley, of Chicago; Margaret is
the wife of Felix Conley; the ninth child died in Ireland.
Timothy and his brother, Thomas, with the latter's family, all live in the same house on Fort Meigs. They are both Democrats and members of the Roman Catholic Church. The brothers bought Fort Meigs on July 5, 1864, since which time they have been its owners.
WILLIAM S. RICHARD, editor and proprietor of the Bloomdale Derrick, of Bloomdale, is one of the most thoroughly representative and best known citizens of Wood county, where probably no other has a wider acquaintance.
. Mr. Richard is a native of Ohio, born Decem- ber 16, 1835, in Ashland then Richland) county. a son of Jacob and Rebecca Richard, and there received his education up to the age of fourteen years. He and his brothers were all hardy, in- dustrious and intelligent lads, well adapted to the arduous task of clearing up the new Richard home in the woods, and assisting the neighbors in similar work. In addition to this, our subject, who was a keen sportsman, earned not a little money ( a scarce commodity in those days) by the sale of pelts taken from wild animals, some of which lie would trap, bringing others to the ground with his unerring rifle. Even now, though past the sixtieth milestone on the highway of life, he fol- lows his sport with all the enthusiasm of his younger days - but it is simply sport now, with- out any thought of revenue, that leads him " into the haunts of Diana." Since 1876, with but few exceptions, Mr. Richard has been one of some hunting party or another, starting from Bloom- dale for the gaine haunts of northern Michigan or Colorado, where several enjoyable weeks are spent. But this is a digression.
To return to his boyhood, we have said that our subject was fourteen years old when he first set foot in Bloom township, and, after working about the new home a year or two, and attend- ing school, he commenced teaching at Eagleville. Ohio, a profession he followed for several years. earning the well-merited reputation of being a highly successful instructor. Of a naturally stu- dious nature, possessed of brilliant intellect. and somewhat in advance of other boys of his age, he was ambitious enough to increase his store of learning by a course of study at the acad- emy then being conducted at Republic, Ohio. under the scholastic management of Prof. Schuy- ler. His attendance here, however, was brought to a somewhat sudden termination owing to his eyesight becoming impaired, which necessitated a long rest from study. After the winter of 1860
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W.J. Richard 11
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o; he abandoned school teaching, and confined Wself exclusively to the occupation of fariner and auctioneer, which latter business he carried on some thirty years with the same degree of success he met with in other undertakings. In 1889 he became editor and proprietor of the Derrick, a lively newsy paper published weekly at Bloomdale. He is also manager of and a large stockholder in the Gas Center Milling Co., of Bloomdale, and is identified with many other enterprises of the village, at the same time carry- ing on his farm with characteristic energy. Dur- ing the war of the Rebellion he served his country three months in Company E, 144th O. V. I., during which time the regiment was stationed at Wilmington, Del., doing guard duty. He enlisted May 2, 1864, and was honorably discharged in the following August.
On October 11, 1860, Mr. Richard was mar- ried, at Perrysburg, Ohio, by 'Squire Ross, to Miss Delilah Bailey, who was born in November, 1841, in Mahoning county, Ohio, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Simon) Bailey, who moved to Bloom township when Mrs. Richard was a girl. She, too, was a school teacher in her youth, having taught two terms, her salary rang- ing from $8.00 to $13.00 per month, which in those days was considered very fair emolument. After marriage the young couple commenced housekeeping in Eagleville. where Mr. Richard owned a small home, and there resided until July 29, 1866, when, Mr. Richard's father's health failing, they removed to the old homestead in Section 25, Bloom township, at that time com- prising eighty acres of land, the residence thereon being a log house that years before had been built by Joseph Urie. On the death of his father, in 1871, our subject contemplated trying his for- tune in the West, probably in Iowa; but, rather than leave his aged mother, and the old home- stead to be sold, one brother having already sold his share, he concluded to remain at home. He bought in the farm, and with true filial affection cared for his widowed mother the rest of her days, in which he was no less dutifully assisted by his amiable wife, a task that demanded much pa- tience, consideration and care, as the invalid for several years was very infirm. She passed from earth May 6, 1881. In 1880 Mr. Richard built an elegant residence on the farm, which by that time had been increased to 110 acres, and is now one of the best improved properties in Bloom township. In October, 1891, he removed with his family into the village of Bloomdale, and they have since made their home there. In February, 1895, hecompleted his present elegant brick resi-
dence on Vine street, where, metaphorically speaking, he reclines at ease "under his own fig. tree," having succeeded, with the assistance of his life partner, and by assiduous perseverance,. industry and economy, in accumulating a com- fortable competence.
Children, four in number, have been born to this honored couple, a brief record of them being as follows: (1) Carrie E., born November I, 1863, in Eagleville, was married September 17. ISS4, to Dr. R. B. Hubbard, and they live in Sandusky, Ohio; they have one child, Vira D .. born December 21, ISSS. (2) Harry E., born November 1, 1865, in Eagleville, was married October 25, 1885, to Carrie E. Rosendale; he died September 8, 1890, and was buried in the cemetery at Bloom Chapel; he left one son, Stanley, born April 5, 1889. (3) Hollis W .. born July 31, 1872, died October 5, 1890, and is buried in the cemetery at Bloom Chapel: he was a promising boy, exceedingly bright, and was be- loved by every one. (4) Cora, born October 1. 1881, is an accomplished young lady, still at home. Mrs. Richard is proverbial for her hos- pitality and philanthropy, a typical Christian woman, tender-hearted and sympathetic, a de- voted wife and loving mother. She is a member of the Church of Christ, as is also her husband.
A stanch Republican, Mr. Richard manifests a keen interest in the success of his party, in which he is an oft-consulted advisor and coun- selor in his part of the county. He has filled with zeal and ability various offices of honor and trust. and for many years served as justice of the peace. "Squire Richard, "as he is familiarly known, has done a considerable amount of legal business, and many hundreds of couples has he joined in the bands of matrimony. "for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer." Socially, he is a member of Urie Post, G. A. R., at Bloomdale. He is a well- read man, an omnivorous student in political economy, physics, metaphysics, etc., all receiving deep research and thought, and, withal, he is pos- sessed of shrewd, sound common sense and ex- cellent judgment. A well-spent, abstemious life makes him bear his three-score years with all the cheerfulness and elasticity of a man half his age. May his shadow never grow less!
HENRY LAMBRIGHT, one of the substantial farmers of Perry township, was born in Richland county, Ohio, February 11, 1832, son of John and Elizabeth (Good) Lambright.
The father of our subject was born near New Lancaster, Md., March 24. 1805. His father. whose name was also John, came to Richland
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county before the war of 1812, in which he served as a soldier. During his absence in the army, the Indians made a raid through the county, destroying lives and property, and his family, with others, took refuge in a blockhouse on the present site of Mansfield. The family of this ancestor comprised ten children, of whom John, Jr., was the first to die. He was reared in Rich- land county, and when twenty-four years of age married Miss Elizabeth Good, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, February 5, 1808, daughter of John Good, a farmer. Her parents removed from Perry to Richland county, and later to Seneca county, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
In the fall of IS35 our subject's parents moved to Jackson township, Seneca county, where the father entered 120 acres of land, all of it in a primitive state, covered with timber through which wild animals roamed in great numbers. In this pioneer home they reared their family of four children, who were asfollows: Mary A., mar- ried Jacob Rinebolt, and died in Seneca county; Henry, our subject; Susan married George Sours, and died in Seneca county; John was a private in Company B, 57th Regiment, O. V. I., and was drowned at Paducah, Ky., in 1862. He had been confined for some time in a hospital, and was en route to join his regiment, but being still very weak fell overboard from the steamboat and was drowned. The father and mother made this farm their home until their deaths, which took place when the former was eighty-one years and six months, and the latter sixty-five years old. Both were members of the Lutheran Church, and were very faithful in their attendance on its services. The father was a Democrat.originally, but later becaine a supporter of the Republican party. He was a large, powerful man, an excellent manager, and became quite well-to-do, although his wife was sickly for more than twenty-five years, and he had many obstacles to contend with.
Our subject had no opportunity to attend school until he was fourteen years old, and then his advantages were very limited. The school was such as was maintained at that early day by subscription, the school-room a very poor build- ing, and the course of study was of no higher order than the surroundings. As he was the eldest son, his help was greatly needed by his father in a new country, and work was too plen- tiful to allow him much time for either recrea- tion or study. Game was plentiful, but he was an industrious boy, and spent but little time in hunting or trapping, as many of his fellows did.
Mr. Lambright lived with his parents until his
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marriage, February 17, 1856, with Miss Margaret Johnson, which event took place in Seneca county, the ceremony being performed by Henry Stahl, a justice of the peace. Mrs. Lambright's parents, Henry F. and Margaret (Sprout) John- son, came from Guernsey county, Ohio, to Sen- eca county, where Mrs. Lambright was born September 14, 1836. Her father was a mechanic,
and worked at various trades, among other things making shoes for his family. He was a great hunter of all kinds of game, and kept his table well supplied with the results of his rifle. He was in limited circumstances, and had a large family of fourteen children in all, of whom ten grew to muturity. Margaret was obliged to as- sist in the support of the others, and earned con- siderable money by weaving and spinning for the neighbors.
After his marriage Mr. Lambright located on a farm of eighty acres belonging to his father, which he rented for two years, then purchasing it for $1, 200, for which he gave his notes. Here he resided until he came to Perry township in 1865, when he bought 120 acres in Sections 27 and 34 for $5, 500, going in debt over $2,000. The only building on this land was a small frame house, but since that time many improvements liave been made, and it is now a valuable piece of property. In ISSo Mr. Lambright erected a large and handsome brick house and here he and his estimable wife dispense the most generous hospitality to their large circle of friends and ac- quaintances. He now owns 154 acres in Perry township, and eighty acres in Jackson township. this county, and is one of the wealthy and sub- stantial farmers of this section, an honest, upright man, very industrious and in all respects a most worthy citizen. The family is held in high es- teem throughout the community.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lambright are four in number: Samuel F., born October 10. 1857, married and has two children: John W .. born May 12, 1859, is a farmer in Montgomery township, married Hattie Raney, and they have three children: Daniel H .. born September 3. 1864, died June 25, 1879, and was buried at Fostoria; E. G., born November 4, 18-o, is a farmer in Jackson township, this county, married Miss Ella Keefer, and they have one child. Mr. Lambright has always been a stanch Republican. and has served as township trustee tor several years. He has served also as school director, and takes an active interest in the cause of education Both he and his wife are members of the Union Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has held office ever since his first connection with
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that body. He is one of the most liberal con- tributors to the Church, and is always ready to assist in any benevolent. or other worthy enter- prise.
Mr. Lambright was in his younger days a member of Company I, of the 49th Regiment Home Guards. During the Civil war they were called to Johnson's Island, where they did guard duty for a time, thence went to Washington, D. C. Here Mr. Lambright hired a substitute for 140 days, and returned home.
HENRY CLAGUE, a prominent agriculturist of Webster township, was born near Cleveland, Ohio, June 17, 1836. His parents, James and Mary (Collister) Clague, were natives of the Isle of Man, and, in 1826, settled in Cuyahoga coun- ty, Ohio, where they reared a large family.
Our subject received a good education in his `youth, supplementing the instruction of the dis- trict school by a little over three years at Bald- win University. He assisted his father upon the farm until 1861, when he enlisted in Battery G, Ist Light Artillery, O. V. He took part in all of the battles fought by the army of the Cumber- land, including those of Shiloh, and Stone River (where he was wounded), and the siege of At- lanta. He received an honorable discharge in December, 1864, at Chattanooga, Tenn., whence he returned to Cleveland and remained until 1866, when he returned to Wood county and engaged in the lumber business with his brother Thomas. On his arrival here he bought 140 acres of choice land near Fenton, which he has improved, and inade one of the finest farms of its size in that vicinity.
In May, 1883, he was married, in Cleveland, to Miss Georgiana Harrison, who was born in Buffalo, N. Y., March 29, 1848. She is a dangh- ter of Thomas Harrison, a well-known foundry- man of Cleveland. Two children were born of this marriage : Arthur. August 13. 1886, and Howard, August 16, 1888. In politics, Mir. Clague is a Republican, and he is a member of the G. A. R. - Benedict Post, of Pemberville- and while in Cleveland was a member of the I. O. O. F. His wife is a member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church at Luckey, and she and Mr. Clague take a generous interest in every movement for the public welfare.
ADELBERT L. PETTEYS belongs to one of the families that have long been connected with Ohio. He was born in Huron county. February 18, 1850, and is a son of Eli W. Petteys, who was born in New York, in 1824, and was brought to
Ohio by his parents during his boyhood. The grandfather, John Y. Petteys, purchased a farmi in Huron county, and there carried on agricult- ural pursuits for many years. In the Empire State he had married Miss Allen, and had five children-Hannah, widow of M. D. Tyler, of Tontogany, Ohio; Harriet, who became the wife of George Spicer, and at an early day removed to Wisconsin; her death occurred near Red Wing a few years later; Daniel H., who died in Gage county, Neb .; David, who died in Tontogany, Wood Co., Ohio, and Eli W.
The father of our subject was married in Nor- wich township, Huron county, Ohio, to Caroline A. Barber, a native of New York, and located on a farm where he lived until removing to Lucas county, Ohio, in the " fifties." He afterward came with his family to Wood county, but in a short time went to Erie county, locating near Belle- view. He afterward moved to Huron, Erie county, and subsequently to Milan township. Erie county, and in the spring of 1864 came to Wood county, Mr. Petteys purchasing 120 acres of land in Washington township. After two years, he removed to Tontogany, where he con- tinued three years, then traded his property there for a farm in Washington township-a farm which had previously been owned by Gen. Custer's father. The father of our subject lived on this place for a few years, and then conducted the "Ackerman House," of Tontogany, for a year. when he removed with his family to Toledo. About four years later he took up his abode upon a 160- acre farm in Jackson township, which he had pre- viously purchased, and at once began to clear the land and place it under cultivation. In 1889 he removed with his wife to Weston, where they spent their remaining days. The father died while visiting at the home of Mrs. Ada Maybee, of Toledo, January 19, 1893, and the mother survived him only ten days. They now sleep side by side in Lawnwood cemetery, Toledo.
The children of the family are Adelbert L. : David, who died in infancy; one, who died un- named; Ada F., wife of Frank Maybee, of To- ledo; Hattie D., wife of George Ackerman, of Toledo; and Clara, wife ot Dr. I. S. Townsend. of Toledo, Ohio.
Mr. Petteys, of this sketch, attended school in Huron and Wood counties, completing his education in Tontogany, Ohio. He remained at home until twenty-two years of age, and then served a one-year's apprenticeship to the tin- smith's trade in Clyde, Ohio. Returning to Toutogany, he took charge of the hardware store of S. W. Whitmore, which he conducted two
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years, when he began to work at his trade in Waterville, Ohio. While there he was taken ill, and returned home. On his recovery he opened a tin shop in Tontogany, which, how- ever, he sold after a few months, and went on a trip for his health through Wisconsin, Iowa, and parts of Kansas and Missouri, finally reaching De Witt, Neb. Liking that place he worked at his trade there through one season. The follow- ing winter he spent at home, but in the spring again went to De Witt, where he worked for a few months. Again he returned to Ohio, and after four years spent in farming once more con- cluded to remove with his family to Nebraska, where they remained two years, our subject working in a hardware store.
On the expiration of that period, Mr. Petteys returned to his native State, and lived on one farm for three years. In 1888 he located on forty acres of land which he had purchased of his father, and which he cultivated until 1892, when he sold out and purchased sixty acres a half-mile west of his present home. After his father's re- tirement to private life, he removed to the old homestead, where he yet resides.
Mr. Petteys was married in Tontogany, Ohio, November 22, 1874, to Miss Sarah C. Tuller, who was born August 12, 1850, and is a daugh- ter of Edwin and Catherine (Kuder) Tuller. Her father died August 29, 1896, at the age of seventy-five years. He was formerly a lawyer with an extensive practice. He had been a second time married, his last wife who survives him, having borne the maiden name of Nellie Paul. Mrs. Petteys is the second in order of birth in a family of six children, and was reared in Washington township, Wood county. She has one child, Charles Claude, who was born in Washington township, October 30, 1880, and is now a student in the Custar High School.
Our subject is a stalwart Republican in poli- tics; his wife belongs to the Disciples Church, while, socially, he is connected with the Knights of Pythias lodge, of Custar. He is now num- bered among the substantial citizens of the com- munity, and has been the architect of his own fortunes. His perseverance and capable manage- ment have brought to him financial success, while. his upright life has gained him the con- fidence and good will of many friends.
EDGAR L. KINGSBURY, a grocer of Perrysburg, was born in Hartford, Conn., February 28, 1845.
period. John Kingsbury, the grandfather of our subject, was a lifelong resident of Connecticut. and was engaged in agriculture and at the cooper's trade. His son, Lyman Kingsbury, our subject's father, was born in Hartford, Conn., April 14. 1800, and was married to Miss Almira Brown, a native of the same place, born June 12, 1806. Her grandfather Brown (given name forgotten) was a Scotchman by birth, and at the time of the Revolutionary war was the owner of a craft in which he gave what aid he could to the Colonial government. His ship was seized and confiscated by the British; but nothing daunted. the lover of freedom joined the land forces. and fought until independence was secured. For many years after his marriage our subject's fa- ther remained in his native place, following farm- ing as an occupation, and in 1854 he moved with his family to the . Western Reserve," settling in Lorain county, near Elyria. He was a Demo- crat in politics, and he and his wife were meinbers of the Episcopal Church. She passed away April 18, 1867, and he died October 23, !873. They had four children: Horace, born January 21, 1836, died May 18, 1873; Edgar L. (1), born January 17, 1838, died January 4, 1844; Willard. born March 30, 1842, died September 16, 1852. in Connecticut: and Edgar L. (2), the subject of this sketch.
Mr. Kingsbury was only nine years old when his parents came to Lorain county, and his edu- cation was secured principally in the district schools there. At the age of twenty-two he came to the Maumee Valley, and cleared a farm in .Defiance county, where for some years he fol- lowed agricultural pursuits. Becoming interested in the lumber business, he went to Bridgeport. Mich., remaining there four years, afterward re- turning to Defiance county. In 1877 he dis- posed of the farm, and came to Perrysburg, where he opened the grocery which he has since con- ducted with well-merited success. In politics he is a Republican. At the breaking out of the Civil war he first enlisted, as a recruit, in Com- pany I, 9th O. V. I. ; but owing to his youth he was not inustered into the service, although taken to Virginia, remaining there from November, 186 !. to May. 1862. He then returned to Oliio, and re-enlisted, this time in Company I, 84th O. V. I .. Capt. J. H. Winder's company, and Col. W. Lawrence, which regiment was for ninety-days service, but served for about four months in Maryland and Virginia. While with his reginient Mr. Kingsbury was taken ill with typhoid fever. and was sent to hospital at Cumberland, Md ..
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