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 27
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In Perrysburg township, Wood county, Mr. Priest was married, in 1867, to Miss Mary Fletcher. a native of Medina county. Ohio, and a daughter of John and Mary Fletcher, both born in England. On coming to this country they first located in Medina county, but their last days were spent in Webster township, this county. Seven children grace the union of our subject and his wife-Mrs. Celina M. Myers, of Fostoria. Ohio; Mrs. Emma Limbach, who makes her houle with our subject: Robert H., of Dunbridge: Ada. now Mrs. Noss, of Luckey; Ella J .; Clara G. : and Ruth R.
Mr. Priest is a strong adherent of the princi- ples of the Republican party, and in Webster township served as a member of the school board
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Both he and his wife are genial, hospitable peo- ple, whose pleasant ways have greatly endeared them to the entire neighborhood, and are faith- ful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He takes quite a prominent part in Grand Army circles, belonging to Peiberville Post No. 26, G. A. R., and has attended the National En- campments at Columbus, Milwaukee, Detroit, Boston, Washington, Indianapolis and Louisville.
CALEB ROOT. This gentleman is accredited with the ownership of one of the best farms in Troy township, in Section 13, where he located in 1857. It comprises 130 acres, and was then partially improved. It is now well supplied with good and substantial farm buildings, and the machinery is fully in keeping with the enterprise of the proprietor, who also owns another excel- lent tract of 112 acres on the north side of the ridge, in Section I, Troy township; also eighty acres in Section 12, and seventy-five on the south side of the pike, making in all nearly 400 acres of rich and fertile land. Besides general farm- ing he also engages in stock-raising, having some fine animals on his place, and this branch of in- dustry proves a profitable source of income. Upon his land are seven good oil wells, which have an abundant flow.
Mr. Root came to this county from Milan township, Erie Co., Ohio, the place of his nativ- ity, having there first seen the light on October 27, 1831. In 1821, soon after reaching his ma- jority, his father, Hiram Root, who was a native of Connecticut, located in Erie county, where he married Parthena Tillotson, who was born in the Empire State. In Milan township, that county, his father opened up a farm, which he operated until his death in 1868, and there his wife also died at the ripe old age of eighty-two years. In their family were five children who grew to ma- turity-Orrin, who died in Erie county in 1882; Eunice, wife of Elias Hughes, of Huron county, Ohio; Eliza, wife of Elisha Hughes, of Erie county; Caleb, of this sketch; and Mrs. Mary Huyck, who makes her home in the West.
The subject of this review was brought up a farmer, receiving his education in the schools of Erie county, where he remained until twenty-five years of age, when he came to Wood county, and located upon his present farm. In his native township he was married in 1857, to Miss Martha Jane Nichols, who was born in Oxford township, Erie county, and was a daughter of Enoch and Catherine (Horton) Nichols, both natives of New York. At an early day they had made a settle- ment in Erie county, where they departed this
life. Mrs. Root was called to her final rest in 1888, leaving four children, namely: Mrs. Etta Hanson, of Woodville, Ohio; Arthur, of the same place; and Horton and Erma, twins, who are both at home. In 1889, in Troy township. Mr. Root was again married, the lady of his choice being Miss Anna Marsh, who was born in Lake township, Wood county, where at an early day had located her parents, Luke and Sarah Marsh. Her father is now deceased, and her mother makes her home upon the farm in Lake township. Two children bless this union, Edward and Grace.
Mr. Root uses his right of franchise in sup- port of the men and measures of the Republican party, and by his fellow citizens has been called upon to fill the offices of town clerk and justice of the peace of Troy township. where he has made his home for almost forty years, during which time he has taken an active interest in the advancement of the locality. His pleasant. courteous manners have attracted to him many warm friends, and he has the respect of all with whom he comes in contact. --
C. D. STEARNES, a son of Justus and Mary (Hall) Stearnes, and who resides in Perry town- ship, is in no whit behind his brothers in " push," energy or capacity, for any amount of labor necessary to accomplish the desired result. He perpetuates the characteristics of the family for thrift and prosperity, and is a wide-awake, up-to- date man, public-spirited, and a citizen of whom any community might be justly proud. His in- tegrity has never been questioned, and his good management has brought him merited success.
Mr. Stearnes was born June 14. 1856, in the "old stone house," which stands in Section 14. and was his father's residence for many years. It now belongs to J. D. Stearnes, one of the sons. During his youth our subject attended the district schools of his locality, and then learned the rudiments of agriculture under his father, whose excellent ideas on the subject he has since practiced with beneficial results. At vari- ous times he assisted his father in carrying out contracts for ditching, but most of his time until his marriage was spent on the farm.
On February 7, 1878, Mr. Stearnes was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth (daughter of William and Anna (Van Nemon) Courtney . who was born in Hancock county. Ohio, April 13, 1858. This union has been blessed with the following children: Sylva, born January 22. 1879; Jay J., born October 5, ISSo; William .1 .. born February 9, 1832; Orrin C., born Noven-
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ber 23, 1883; and Joseph H., born September 10, 1886. After his marriage Mr. Stearnes bought from his father 107 acres of land in Section 14, Perry township, and moved a former school house onto it, as there were no buildings of any kind thereon, and there made his home until December 1, 1884, at which time he re- turned to the old homestead, working a portion of his father's farm for the succeeding five years. He then went back to his first farm, where he re- sided until August, 1891, at that time taking up his residence on the old Thomas Beach place, which he purchased in 1891, and where he now lives. He has remodeled the house, built a good barn, and otherwise improved the place. He has recently bought the E. O. Meaks place of forty acres in Perry township, and now has 224 acres of land, and is considered one of the best and most progressive farmers in the town- ship. In politics Mr. Stearnes is a stanch Re- publican, and he is ever ready to work for the in- terests of his party and for the good of the com- munity. He served one year as assessor, and was a constable for two or three years, filling these offices with much ability and to the satis- faction of the public.
S. E. WAGONER, a progressive and enterpris- ing farmer, and assistant postmaster at Stony Ridge, was born on October 17, 1856, on the farm where he still resides in Lake township. His parents, Joseph and Eliza (Conrad) Wag- oner, are both natives of Pennsylvania, and the father is a son of Samuel and Catherine (Shook) Wagoner, who were also born in Pennsylvania, and about 1849 came to Lake township, Wood county, where they passed their remaining days.
The subject of this biographical notice re- ceived his education in the schools of Perrysburg township, Wood county, and was reared upon the home farm. In early manhood he com- menced agricultural pursuits for himself, but has also been connected with other lines of business, being interested in the manufacture of tile at Stony Ridge. His fine farm of fifty acres in Lake township is one of the best in the locality, the fields are well tilled and the whole appear- ance of the place indicates the thrift and energy of the owner.
On March 31, 1896, Mr. Wagoner was united in marriage with Miss Carrie E., only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Metzger, of Troy town- ship, the ceremony having been performed by the Rev. John Born, of St. John's Lutheran Church, at Stony Ridge, the marriage taking place at the residence of the bride's parents.
Mr. Wagoner takes quite an interest in polit- ical affairs, voting with the Republican party, and at present is serving as assistant postmaster of Stony Ridge. The cause of education finds in him a warm friend, and as a member of the board of education he does much for its advancement. He has also acted as supervisor of Lake town- ship, and been a member of the board of election. Religiously he is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and socially belongs to Fort Meigs Lodge No. 774, I. O. O. F.
J. C. WITMORE, a successful farmer and a self-made man of Perry township, was born Sep- tember 1, 1839, in Franklin county, Penn., son of Jonathan and Catharine (Cover) Witmore.
When a boy Jonathan Witmore was bound out to a Mr. Cridler, and learned the shoemaker's trade. After serving his apprenticeship he fol- lowed his trade, and often worked nearly all night. sleeping but an hour or two. He received two shillings a day at day labor. In the fall of 1850 he and his family of six children came to Wood county in a large covered wagon. " Pennsylvania style, " spending seventeen days en route. They located in Perry township, on eighty acres of land in Section 1, for which the father paid $1,025. He had nearly $1,000, but as utensils were needed he spent part of the money for them, and went into debt for his farm, which was then in its primitive state.
Mr. Witmore was married twice in Pennsyl- vania. his first wife bearing him two children, one of whom died in infancy; the other, Malinda. married John Myers, and died in Wood county. Ohio. For his second wife he wedded Cather- ine Cover, by whom he had seven chil- dren, viz .: One died in childhood; A. B. is a farmer of Perry township; J. C. is our subject: Henry E. is a resident of Hancock county: Jacob is a German Baptist Brethren minister in Mc- Pherson, Kans .; David is a farmer in Webster township; Martha married Jackson Scaman, of Toledo, and died in Fostoria in 1891. For his third wife Mr. Witmore took Miss Susan Smith. who was born in Carroll county, Md., November 29, 1823, daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth (Friese) Smith; the former of whom died when Susan was five years old. In the fall of 1835 the widow came to Seneca county with six chil- dren, all girls. They drove all the way from Maryland, locating near Melmore, Seneca county. where Susan was reared and attended the public schools. Mr. Witmore had four children by this wife, namely: Elizabeth A., now Mrs Jacob Smith, of Cleveland, Tenn. ; Mary A., who mar- 1
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ried John Castret, of Tennessee; John P., living in the West, and Hattie O., wife of John Eng- land, of Perry township.
Jonathan Witinore died July 1, 1886, and is buried in Center, Perry township; since his death his widow has been living on the farm of eighty acres left by him. She is a member of the Ger- man Baptist Brethren Church, and is one of the highly respected ladies of Perry township. Mr. Witmore was never certain of his age, as his parents died when he was quite young, and he lived with strangers until he became a young man. He had a cruel master to work for, and was often obliged to get out of bed at night and go to work, his employer taking great delight in thus abusing him. His opportunities for educa- tion were few; he attended school but little, and secured what knowledge he possessed by reading and studying at home. In political sentiment he was a Democrat, but he seldom voted. He was a minister in the German Baptist Church, and just before his death was ordained an elder in that denomination. He was a self-made man, active and industrious, and through his own ef- forts he became comfortably situated in life.
Our subject was a boy when he came to Wood county, and he received a rather limited schooling. Work was plentiful, and he was kept busy tramping out grain and separating it by hand. At the age of fifteen he had a desire for more schooling, and prepared himself by study- ing at night, later attending a select school at West Millgrove taught by Alfred Kelley. When nineteen years old he began teaching on his own account, continuing in that occupation for five terms in Wood and Seneca counties. He was united in marriage, November 29, 1862, in Sen- eca connty, to Miss Mary A. Krabill, who was born in that county, February 10, 1843, daugh- ter of John and Hannah (Bear) Krabill, the former of whom was a native of Stark county, Ohio, and was a preacher and elder in the Ger- man Baptist Church; the mother was born in Pennsylvania. They had nine children-four sons and five daughters-of whom two sons died when young; the other two are also ministers in the German Baptist Church, and the eldest is an elder. Mr. Witmore settled on his father's old farm in Perry township, which he rented for two years and then purchased. For a while he and his brother A. B. worked it in partnership, but he finally bought his brother out, and has carried it on alone ever since. He has 140 acres of ex- cellent farin land, on which he is successfully and profitably engaged in general farming, and there are two oil wells on the place. In July, 1862,
Mr. Witmore joined the German Baptist Church, and is at present an elder and licensed minister, being ordained elder in 1880, and receiving his license to preach about 1865.
Mr. Witmore is a well-informed man, obtain- ing his education by constant study and appli- cation. He is a valuable citizen, and a kind- hearted, hospitable man, always ready to help the needy, in which work he is cheerfully sec- onded by his excellent wife. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Witmore, as follows: John H., a farmer of Perry township, who lost. his left arm in a corn husker. November 25, 1894; Samantha M., now Mrs. William Caskey, of Perry; Jonathan A., a farmer of Hancock coun- ty; and Hattie B., who died when eight months old.
EDWIN FARMER, the able and efficient super- intendent of the Wood County Infirmary, was born December 16, 1838, at Wantage, Berkshire, England, where his ancestors had lived for more than two hundred years, engaged in the business of cattle dealing and butchering.
His grandfather, John Farmer, married a Miss Stagg, and reared a family of four children: Charlotte, who never married, and was a nurse in one family for four generations; John (2), our subject's father: Richard, a butcher at Newbury, Berkshire, England, now deceased; and Mary Ann, who never married, and was in service all her life.
John Farmer, the father of our subject, was born in 1804. He married Esther Grimshaw, a native of West Hanney, born in 1805. Both were members of the Church of England. They had six children, a brief record of whom is as follows: (1) Esther married Benjamin Manns, and died in England. (2) Alfred came to Amer- ica in 1852, was an overseer in Mississippi for three years, and then returned to England; in 1858 he came again, this time accompanied by by our subject, with whom he engaged in bus- iness in Wood county: he died at Millbury in 1888 at the age of sixty years. (3) Joseph fol- lowed the ancestral occupation; he died in Eng- land in 1855 aged twenty-six years. (4) Mary Ann married Thomas Marsh, a retired soldier of the British army, and one of the gatekeepers at Regents Park, London. (5) Elizabeth died in infancy. (6) Edwin, our subject, is the youngest. The mother died in 1854. She weighed over five hundred pounds at the time of her death, and her daughter Mary Ann, weighed over three hundred pounds.
Edwin Farmer received a good education in
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the schools of his native village during his boy- hradi. In 1858 he came to America with his brother, intending to go to the valley of the Red nver, in Louisiana, but they decided to locate at Millbury. Here they engaged in the lumber bus- iness, making a specialty of railroad ties. for which they filled large orders for the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern railroad. They also fur- wished the heavy timbers for the first wagon- bridge ever built in Toledo. Mr. Farmer had never been outside of a town until he left home to come to America, and life in the woods was not congenial; but he continued it for ten years, when he returned to his native country on a visit. He was married there, in 1869, to Miss Charlotte Tyrrell, and started with his bride on the way back to America; but after reaching Lon- dlou his aged father, who had long been in ill health, sent him an urgent request to return to him, which he did, remaining until after his fa- ther's death, in 1871. In May, 1872, he returned with his wife to Wood county, Ohio, settling at Millbury, and joining his brother on the farm Ivased by them, in 1859, of A. D. Wait, of Tole- do. It may be here mentioned that he and his brother were in partnership from 1855 until ISSI, some twenty-six years, with never a written agreement of any kind between them, and always on the best of terms. In IS78 our subject was appointed superintendent of the County Infirm- ary, and he has now served longer in that capac- ity than any other man in the State, with one exception.
Mr. and Mrs. Farmer have had six children, as follows: A. B., the well-known deputy sheriff of Wood county; Warren Tyrrell, born Deceni- ber 26, 1872; Joseph, born March 19, 1875, who died at the age of fifteen months; Lottie, born in May, 1877; Annie Lottie, born April 15, 1878, and Rosa E., born June 27, 1880. In politics, Mr. Farmer is a Republican; in religious faith he is a member of the Evangelical Church.
Mrs. Farmer's parents, John and Anna (An- drews) Tyrrell, were both natives of England, and belonged to an old family in their locality. He was a butcher, a farmer, and a hotel-keeper, was parish clerk of the village of Steventon, Berks, for forty years, and is yet living, at the advanced the of ninety-three. The mother died in 1993. They had ten children -- five sons and five daugh- ters: two of the sons, Joseph, of Sterling. Kans., and George, of Bowling Green, Ohio, are the only ones who came to America. One sister. Mrs. Meats, is living at Cape Town. South Af- ICA. Two, John and Elizabeth Day, are de- ceased. Those still living in Old England are: : 10
Mrs. Gerring, at Steventon; Mrs. Butcher, at Wallingford; James, at Leamington, and Henry. in London.
ROBERT L. KEEL, one of the younger repre- sentatives of the agricultural interests of Wood county, was born in Seneca county, Ohio, De- cember 13, 1870, and is a son of Henry and Delilah Jane (Keel) Keel, also natives of the Buckeye State. Upon their marriage they lo- cated on a farm in Seneca county, and about 1872 came to Wood county, taking up their resi- dence on a forty-acre farm, for which the father had traded a tract of land in Michigan. He died of smallpox in Jackson township about 1875. In the family were two children, the daughter being Mary, now the wife of Bryan Sweet, of Bloomdale, Ohio. Robert L. Keel was only two years of age when he came with his parents to Wood county, He attended the common schools of Hoytville until sixteen years of age, and then gave his attention to farm work. Dur- ing his childhood he made his home with his mother, who had married, for her second husband. W. M. Clark. In March, 1892, they removed to Arkansas, where they are now living on a farm. Six children were born of that union, namely; Emma, Della, John, Horace, Hattie and Blanche.
By the terms of his father's will our subject inherited the farm, and assumed entire manage- ment of the same on attaining his majority. He was also left a house and lot in Hoytville, where he now makes his home. The lady who shares his name and fortunes bore the maiden name of Nettie Looman. She is a native of Wood county, and their marriage, which was celebrated in Lib- erty township in 1891, has been blessed with one daughter, Lena. In politics, Mr. Keel gives an unfaltering support to the Republican party at State and National elections, but votes regardless of party affiliations at local elections. He is a young man of sterling worth and strict integrity. well known in the community.
HIRAM CUNNING, deceased. Among the men who have been instrumental in the development of the rich resources of Wood county, the subject of this sketch held no unimportant position. He operated one of the model farms of Washing- ton township, and was numbered among the
popular citizens of that section. Born in Ridge- field township. Huron Co., Ohio, May ;. 1842. he was a son of Hiram and Keziah Raymond Cunning, with whom, at the age of twelve years. he came to Wood county. The schools of Wash- ington township afforded him his educational
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privileges, and he remained on the home farin until-twenty years of age.
After the breaking out of the Civil war, Mr. Cunning enlisted, August 9, 1862, at Tontogany, in the ILIth, O. V. I., under Col. Bond and Capt. McGowen, of Perrysburg, and was mus- tered in at Toledo. He was placed on provost- guard duty, and after participating in a number of skirmishes was discharged at Columbus, Ohio, April 8, 1863. On returning to Wood county, he lived on his father's homestead until 1865, when he purchased his late farm of eighty acres, which had been partly cleared, but which he greatly improved, setting out an orchard, and small fruit trees and shrubs; besides general farming, he also raised stock for his own use. In politics he voted the straight Republican ticket; served as school director two terms, and for a number of years was cemetery trustee. He affiliated with Walter A. Wood Post, No. 48, G. A. R., of Tontogany, of which he was senior vice-commander; and also held membership with the K. O. T. M .. Tent No. 147, of Tontogany. On August 23, 1896, Mr. Cunning died suddenly.
Mr. Cunning was married February 22, 1872, to Ella Tefft, a daughter of L. P. and Phoebe Ann (Adams) Tefft, and to them have come four children: Oreanna, born February 8, 1874, be- came the wife of S. I. Landers, an agriculturist of Plain township, Wood county, and died of consumption September 28, 1893; Hiram T. was born December 5, 1875; Flavilla was born March 13, 1879; and Irene Myrtle was born July 30. 1883. The three youngest children are still at home. On both the paternal and maternal sides Mrs. Cunning is descended from Gen. Greene, of Revolutionary fame. Her mother's maiden name was Sprague, but as her father died when she was quite young, she took the name of Adams, that of her step-father, who was a descendant of President John Quincy Adams. She belonged to the Sprague family of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Tefft were married in May, 1851, and four chil- dren blessed their union -- one who died in in- fancy; Florence G., who died while young; Lorin P., also deceased; and Mrs. Cunning, who was born in Perrysburg, Ohio, January 20, 1854. Her father was a member of the . Squirrel Hunt- ers," and during the Civil war manifested his patriotism by enlisting in the Union army as a member of the "hundred-day men."
JOHN BAKER, a contractor and farmer of Wood county, was born in Center township, Carroll Co., Ohio, June 11, 1829. His parents were John and Clarissa (Hill) Baker, the former 1
of whom was a native of Maryland, and the lat- ter from Vermont. They were married in what is now West Virginia, and, in 1818, came to Car- roil county when it was a portion of three other counties.
The father lived in Carroll county until 1836. and then moved to Big Spring township, to which place he went by wagon, the journey of one hundred and fifty miles consuming a week. Mr. Baker owned 160 acres of land in Carroll county which he sold for $1,800, and bought a section of land in Seneca county, which was then in a primitive state. Their first home was in an old school house, where they lived for a while. and then Mr. Baker built a log house at the west end of his farm, and the following children were born: William, who died in Gratiot county, Mich. He was a farmer, and when a boy killed III deer the first winter the family was in Sen- eca county; Mary married George Bottomfield and lives in California; Levi was a farmer, and died in Hardin county, Ohio, in 1861; Charlotte died young; Lizzie married William Harman, and died in Indiana; James was a miller and a mer- chant at Lincoln, and died in Indiana; John is our subject; Delilah is now Mrs. Daniel Ragen, of Risingsun. Mr. Baker was a soldier in the war of 1812, and fought at the battle of Fort Meigs. He was a Democrat, and held several minor township offices. He died on his farin in Sen- eca county, at the age of fifty-three years, and was buried at Big Springs. The widow lived on the farm with her children until 1854, and died in Prophetstown, on Rock river, Ill: , aged seventy- three years.
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