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 29
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The education of Mrs. Girton was such as the subscription schools of her neighborhood afforded; but at that time it was considered un- necessary for girls to have much of an education. She has reared a family, of which she may justly be proud; her sons have become prominent and enterprising citizens of the various communities in which they reside, while her daughters have become good housekeepers and faithful wives. and they always acted under her instruction. seeking her advice until they started out in life for themselves. Religiously she is connected with the Evangelical Church, and she is one of the most highly respected ladies of Perry township
Her children are as follows: Perry Girton. born March 14, 1845, lives in Gratiot county. Mich. ; Sarah J., born November 12. 18.11. is now Mrs. Jonathan Suyder, of Gration county. Mich. ; John G., born July 19, 1848. is a farmer of Perry township; Mary M., born January 18.
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1850, is the wife of George Castrit, of West Millgrove, Ohio; David K., born May 13, 1852, resides in Scott township, Sandusky Co., Ohio; Jacob I., born April 28, 1854, died in Perry township January 23, 1869; Hudson P., born April 1. 1856, lives in Johnson county, Mo .; Wilson W., born February 27, 1858. died March 23, 1883, in Perry township; Martin G., born June 27, 1860, is a farmer of Perry township; and Flora E., born March 16, 1866, is now Mrs. Amos Bowers, of Montgomery township, Wood county.
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EDWARD W. DE VERNA, one of the honored pioneer settlers of Wood county, was born on Westminster, in London, England, December 14, 1829. Edward De Verna, his father, also born in England, was of French descent. By profession he was a surgeon, and for a number of years governor of a penitentiary. He married Cecelia Sarvis, a native of England, and they became the parents of two sons: Edward W., and Henry A., a farmer of Ottawa county, Ohio. Crossing the Atlantic, the family located in Chatham, county of Kent, Ontario, Canada, where the father was given one thousand acres of land in recognition of services rendered his country. He died there in 1859, surviving his wife six years. George De Verna, grandfather of our subject, was a captain in the British army the greater part of his life; while an uncle, Major Crane, was in the same service, losing a limb at some engagement-in fact many of Mr. De- Verna's relatives were military men, and he has inherited not a little of their martial air, being still quite erect, though sixty-seven years old. taking also much delight in drilling a company of cadets at Dunbridge.
Our subject was baptized in the grand and historic structure which has played an important part in England's history-Westminster Abbey. He is entirely self-educated, but is to-day a very well-read man. At the age of twelve he came with his parents to Canada, where he was em- ployed on a farm uutil 1857, after which he worked his uncle's farm three years on Hull Prairie, in Wood county; he then purchased eighty. acres of timber land, and built a log cabin. Dur- ing those early days the hardships and trials of pioneer life were many and arduous; so much so that he saw his children crying for bread, his wife crying to see them cry, and he himself had nothing; but as time passed he has added to his possessions, and now owns 340 acres of valuable land, much of which lies in Perrysburg township. and is operated by his sons. He erected a fine
residence at a cost of $3,500, which was de- stroyed by fire. In 1888 he purchased twenty acres of land in Dunbridge, erected thereon a comfortable dwelling, and now has one of the best improved farms in the locality, in addition to general agriculture, operating a threshing machine, feed-mill, corn-sheller and clover- huller.
In October, 1852, at Chatham, Canada, Mr. De Verna married Eliza Barfoot, who was born in London, England, June 20, 1827. The fol- lowing is the record of their family: Emma, born September 1, 1854, is the wife of Henry Shubb, of Perrysburg; Frank was born in May, 1856, and Edward in June, 1858; Mary A., born in November, 1860, is the wife of George Cham- berlain; Eliza, born in 1863, is the wife of Will- iam Cloar, an engineer in Michigan; Abraham, born in 1864, is a farmer of Perrysburg township; Florence, born in 1868, is at home: and George B., born in 1871, is an agriculturist of Perrys- burg township.
During the war of the Rebellion, Mr. De- Verna enlisted in Perrysburg township, Septem- ber 24, 1862, in Company L, 3rd O. V. V. C., which was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 14th Army Corps. For two years and ten months he faithfully defended the old flag and the cause it represented, being honorably discharged .August 4, 1865, at Edgefield, Tenn., having served two years and eleven months. He never lost a day from his regiment owing to sickness, was never wounded or taken prisoner, and, though a private during his entire service. he was often detailed to take charge of small expeditions, thereby seeing much active service. On one of his expeditions he captured two beautiful blooded horses from bushwhackers; on another, he had the pleasure of knocking, with his saber, a horn out of the mouth of a Rebel, who was going to call for help, while Mr. De Verna's comrades were helping thein- selves in the smoke house. At the battle of At- lanta, he partially lost his hearing. He is a loyal. devoted citizen, a member of the American Pro- tective Association, of Toledo, Ohio, and of the Loyal Orange Association, of Canada; he is also connected with Phoenix Lodge, No. 123. F. & A. M., of Perrysburg. For five years he served on the board of education, and he is a liberal member of the Presbyterian Church of Dunbridge. The day he was married Mr. De Verna commenced to keep a diary of the daily events of his life, which is still unbroken save some leaves he sent home while he was in the army, aud which were lost, and a portion destroyed by fire when his home was burned. In his own language we will here
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add what Mr. De Verna says concerning his daily habits, etc. : "When a boy I was selected for a Sabbath-school teacher, and have been superintendent of Sabbath-school nearly forty years, besides being class leader and an elder of the Church during same years. This I had to resign on account of my hearing becoming effected, and am now first Bible class teacher. I have never been intoxicated in iny life, nor have I ever been guilty of using or tolerating bad lan- gnage, or ever swore an oath. I have never smoked a pipe of tobacco, or a cigar, nor have I ever taken a chew of tobacco. I am a lover of home and am beloved by my family, whom I en- courage in all that is good, especially music. In my honse I have at the present time, and have had for years, music, piano, organ, harp, flute, cornet, solo alto horn, and a violin, on which latter I am accompanied by my daughter on the piano or organ. At one time I was a member of three different bands, but, that life not suiting me, I gave it up. Of my four sons not one drinks, smokes or chews tobacco-God bless them! My youngest daughter has been organist in the Church some two or three years, and is now president of the Christian Endeavor. So much for teaching, and the example set. Their mother is equally good, but more strict. God has blessed and prospered me all through life, and I will close my days with a light and happy heart. These few lines I desire to have perpetuated in print for the benefit of the generations that will follow me."
PERRY C. CHILCOTE, proprietor of the " Chil- cote House " at West Millgrove, is one of the best known landlords in Wood county, and his hotel stands in the front rank of the hostelries in the county. " Perry," as he is familiarly called, is one of the most accommodating hosts to be found anywhere, and seems to consider it a pleas- ure to do a service for a guest. His establish- ment is complete in every respect, and his good wife, in her turn, leaves nothing undone to make it a pleasant, comfortable home for the weary traveler.
Mr. Chilcote was born February 18, 1841, in Perry township, Wood county, son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Jones: Chilcote. When he was five years old his father was permanently injured. A horse ran away with him, dragging him around a twenty-acre field largely covered with logs and stumps, and fracturing his skull in such a manner that the bone rested upon the brain. He never recovered from the effect of the accident, and his restoration to life was due to the prompt action of his son, James, who, as soon as the
horse was caught, removed the dirt quickly from his father's mouth and nostrils, and breathed into his lungs the breath of life! The accident so completely exhausted Mr. Chilcote that he was unconscious for several days. He was ever after- ward tenderly cared for by his wife, to whom this was no small burden, as she had at that time six children needing her constant attention. Soon after this event the family moved to Seneca county, Ohio, where Perry, when eight years old, went to work for his uncle, Gideon Jones, for one shilling per day. When eleven years old he be- gan work on a farm belonging to Israel Nestle- rode, here receiving four dollars per month, and he lived with various other farmers, being at home only a small portion of his time, but giving most of his earnings to his parents. He was a strong, robust boy, and physically much superior to the average man. When the Civil war broke out he was working for R. W. Kelly. who made him a most liberal offer : he would give him the use of his best team and all the land that he could farm, bear all the expenses, and allow Mr. Chil- cote one-third of all the crops he could raise, tell- ing him he would "see him through." But this was no inducement to Perry. He dropped the plow and seized his gun, and on August 15, 1861. was enrolled in Company H, 49th Regiment, O. V. I., and marched away to defend the stars and stripes. He took part in some of the most fa- mous battles of the war, among them those of Stone River, Corinth, Shiloh and Chickamauga. At the latter place he was taken prisoner, and was held as such just fourteen months, during that tiine seeing terrible hardships in the Rebel pris- ons of Belle Isle, Richmond, Danville and An- dersonville. On November 20, 1864, he was ex- changed, and was taken by a vessel from Savan- nah, Ga., to the parole camp at Annapolis, where he was paroled, after which he returned to Ohio, here receiving his final discharge at Colum- bus, on January 21, 1865.
The marriage of Mr. Chilcote and Miss Martha J. Harts took place in Montgomery township. January 5, 1867. Mrs. Chilcote was born in Cumberland county, Penn., April 17, 1851, and is the daughter of Conrad and Eliza (McMillen Harts, who came to Wood county when their daughter was two years old. No children have ever been born to this union. For a short time after his marriage Mr. Chilcote rented a small farm in Montgomery township, and later re- moved to West Millgrove, where hie acted as fireman and engineer in the gristinill of Col. Miles, having learned this business with his brother James. From West Miligrove he went
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onto the home farm in Section 26, Perry town- ship, remaining there a year, when he returned to his former home and worked at teaming and farming. He also for several years carried on a shingle factory in company with his brother Marcus D.
On April 21, 1877, Mr. Chilcote assumed the management of the hotel known as the " Mill- grove House," which had been conducted by William McCormick. For this property he traded his house and lot in Millgrove, and a bal- ance, which left him over a thousand dollars in debt. The name of the hotel was afterward changed to that of the "Chilcote House," which is now one of the most widely known and popular public houses in northern Ohio. Besides this property Mr. Chilcote owns a house and lot in West Millgrove, and is comfortably fixed finan- cially. He is one of the stanchest Republicans in the county, and an active worker in the inter- ests of his party. He has served as constable of the township. For over twenty-five years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has been a class-leader and super- intendent of the Sunday-school. At present he is acting as steward. His wife, who is a most kind-hearted and excellent woman, is also a con- sistent Methodist. Mr. Chilcote is a member of Conley Post, G. A. R., at West Millgrove.
JOHN MCHENRY was born in the county of Lennox, Canada, in 1846, and is of Irish descent, his father, Daniel McHenry, being a native of County Antrim, Ireland. The name was origin- ally spelled McKendry, and is well-known in the North of Ireland, from which locality the grand- father of our subject, also named John, came at an early day, settling in Canada, and dying at Quebec. Three of his brothers located in Phila- delphia, Penn. Daniel McHenry came to Amer- ica with his father, and made his home in the county of Lennox, Canada, where he purchased a large tract of land and carried on farming the remainder of his life. His wife was Margaret Sixmith, of Queen's County, Ireland. Twelve children were born of this union, of whom the following grew to maturity: Rachel married 1 Patrick McKeller, and lives in Bradford, Penn. : Eliza P. lives on a farm in Canada; John comes next; Charles is engaged in mining in Colorado; , James is a farmer in Canada; Mary lives in Chi- cago, Ill .; and Thomas is a millwright, living in Canada.
The subject of this sketch remained upon his father's farm in Canada until reaching his major- ity, when he came to the United States and lo-
cated in the oil fields of Pennsylvania. There he found employment as a tool dresser and driller. which occupation he followed for a time, and then came to Ohio and to Wood county, where he has since been employed in tracing and drilling wells, for producers. Since locating in this county, Mr. McHenry's fortune has been varied. At this writing he has a half-interest in a favor- able lease in the Portage field, on which are located nine good producing wells. Mr. McHenry is a man of great industry and persistence, and de- serves success in life. He is a Populist in politics, and believes in the doctrines of the Free-Soil party. In religious faith he is a Catholic; so- cially he belongs to the Masonic order. He is popular with all classes, a man of the highest in- tegrity, and possesses the best traits of the warm- hearted, impulsive race from which he sprung. He was married in Canada, November 28, 1871, to Miss Agnes Frizzell, and they have two chil- dren: Maggie and Charles.
P. F. CLINE, a prominent farmer and valued citizen of Perry township, was born near Utica. Licking Co., Ohio, November 24, 1832. His parents were John and Phoebe (Fahs) Cline, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, and the latter in Hampshire county, W. Va., in which latter State they were married.
Some seven or eight years after his marriage, John Cline removed to Licking county, Ohio, in company with two other families, and each man took up a quarter section of land. A little later Mr. Cline and his two friends went bail for a local merchant, who afterward fled the country and left them in the lurch. Mr. Cline's land was seized, and he was left with but one cow and a poor team of horses. The object of these men in taking up land in this section was to improve the country and provide a market which would attract other settlers, the merchant, who treated them so shamefully, having agreed to buy all their products. The advent of the canal, which was soon to be put through, was expected to prove a great feature in the development of the country. and these prosperous settlers, who were all public- spirited inen, had thought by their efforts to greatly benefit the community. Frustrated in his efforts, and greatly reduced financially, Mr. Cline removed to Fairfield county, and settled near Lancester, where he undertook to repair his lost fortune, but only partially succeeded as the troubles he had seen preyed upon his health, and his death occurred when he was comparatively a young man.
The parental family consisted of twelve chil-
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dren, eight boys and four girls, most of whom were old enough to work for themselves, and in this way the family remained together and pros- pered. They lived in Fairfield county until about 1846, at which time the National pike was being improved through Licking county, and this af- fording an opportunity for employment for the boys, the family moved to Licking county, settling sixteen iniles east of Columbus, where the boys went to work on the great thoroughfare. It was from here that the family scattered and several members passed away, including the mother, three brothers and two sisters. One brother who went to California, in 1849, died there; one sister died in Chicago, and one, at the age of twenty, in Fairfield county, while another brother died in .northwestern Illinois. The three children now living are as follows: Our subject ; Mollie, now Mrs. John Pevers, of Hardin county, Ohio; Isaac, who lives near Columbus Grove, in Hancock county, Ohio. The father of this family was six feet tall, and a strongly built man. He had poor advantages for book learning in early life, but had a wonderful memory and a good practical education.
When a boy our subject worked on the farm of his father, turning his hand to whatever he could find to do. At one time he hauled stone chips, which were made in dressing stone while the State house in Columbus was being built, which chips were used in making repairs on the National pike. Later he attended school at Ætna, Licking county, where he had excellent opportunities for learning, which he improved to good advantage. When seventeen years old he began to learn the carpenter's trade under Jacob Schaff, of Etna, with whom he worked for over two years. . After working for several years at his trade in different counties in Ohio, Mr. Cline left the State, going, in about 1854, to Chicago. He had been there but a short time when the cholera broke out, the deaths averaging some four hundred a day. The principal remedy at this time for this dread disease was the essence of peppermint and brandy, which was found to be very efficacious. Owing to this epidemic Mr. Cline did not remain in Chicago, but returned to Ohio, making his home for a time in Adrian, Seneca county, where he remained until 1836. He then went to Kansas, and was there during the stirring times cause by the Abolition troubles. He took an active part himself in some of the events, and once rode ninety miles without a dismount, be- ing closely pursued by a number of outlaws.
Subsequently Mr. Cline went to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade, afterward going to |
Kansas City, where he did considerable work on the first bridge which was built across the Kansas river from that city to Wyandotte city. Kansas City was then a small place, having but one hotel. The following winter he spent in the South, going as far as New Orleans, where he worked at his trade. He also traveled over the State of Missouri, and on his return worked throughout the State of Ohio. He made good wages by this roving way of living, and spent his money as easily as it was earned. Thewinter of 1858-59 he also spent in the South, and near Vicksburg built a house for a wealthy Southern planter. He spent his time in this way, working in the South during the winters and during the summers in the northern States, until the spring of 1861. when the Civil war broke out. At that time Mr. Cline came up the Mississippi on one of the last of the boats to make the journey, which was not fired upon by the Southerners. This vessel contained many refugees who were flee- ing to the North to escape being forced into the Rebel army. Mr. Cline went at once to Tiffin, Ohio, where he worked at his trade, and on March 22, 1862, he was married to Miss Anna Steward, a daughter of Archie Steward, who was of Scotch extraction. Mrs. Cline was born September 25. 1835, near Republic, Seneca Co., Ohio.
The young couple went to housekeeping in Adrian, Ohio, and on August I of the same year Mr. Cline enlisted in Company K, forst O. V. I .. under Capt. Noble. He was made second lieu- tenant, as he had recruited the greater part of the company. The regiment was mustered in at Monroeville, Ohio, and two days later left for Covington, Ky., where it had a lively skirmish. and a few of thein had an exciting race for their lives, as Lieut. Cline, with twenty men, was reconnoitering five miles out from the city, when they were surprised by a large force of Rebels. They, however, escaped without injury. He participated in all the skirmishes and battles in which his regiment took part until December t 1863, when, being disabled by illness, he was hou- orably discharged, and returned to Republic, Ohio. where his wife was then living.
In the fall of 1864. Mr. Cline located in Montgomery township, Wood county, where he bought eighty acres of partially improved land !. For this he paid one-half down, the remainder to be paid in two installments; but, before the sec- ond payment became due, he sold that property and bought his present farmi of 100 acres 11 See. tion 9. Perry township, for which he went heavily in debt. He at once went to work to improve this land, which has been his home ever since.
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and which is now one of the finest farms in the township. He has disposed of a part of it, and now has 1592 acres under fine cultivation. When he took possession of it only forty acres were cleared, and every building on it has been erected by himself. In 1878 he built a beautiful resi- dence, where he is spending his days in peace and happiness.
On April 2, 1865, Mrs. Cline died in Mont- gomery township, and was buried near Republic. She left one child, Anna, now the widow of Wal- ter Coe, who lives with her two children, Lena and Lester, at the home of her father. In the spring of 1866, Mr. Cline was married to Mrs. Laura Simons, whose husband, Lieut. Silas Si- mons, of Company E, 49th Regiment, O. V. I., was killed at Pickett's Mills, Ga. Mrs. Cline was born in Fostoria, Ohio, September 19, 1840, and is the daughter of Osman Divers, who in his time was one of the largest land owners in Wood county. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cline, namely: Vic. I., now Mrs. Scott Emerson, of Bloom; and Charles W., residing with his parents. Mrs. Cline is a member of the Disciples Church.
Mr. Cline has carried on farming for a num- ber of years, at one time also being engaged in stock raising. He was born and reared a Demo- crat; bnt in the fall of 1860 cast his vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has been a stanch Repub- lican ever since. He has never been an office- seeker, but an active worker for the success of his party, and through his efforts some of the best officials in the county have been elected. He is a politician from principle, and instead of using his influence in his own behalf he has never asked for office, but has endeavored to find out and secure the election of men the best qualified to fill responsible positions. He is an enterpris- ing and progressive man, and a loyal citizen.
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SAMUEL MCKEE, a well-to-do farmer of Lib- erty township, is the owner of a good farm of sixty acres, on which he erected, in 1892, a beau- tiful residence. This stands in the midst of well- tilled fields, while good barns and outbuildings provide ample shelter for grain and stock. All the equipments and accessories of a model farm are here found, and the owner is regarded as one of the leading agriculturists of the community.
Mr. McKee was born in Washington county, Penn., April 16, 1827, and is a son of Thomas ! and Nancy (Shellar) McKee. The father was | born in Ireland in 1793, and when about nine years of age was brought to America by his par- ents, John and Mary (Gartley) McKee. The
family landed at New York, and went direct to Pennsylvania, the grandfather entering a part of the land on which Philadelphia now stands. He afterward sold that tract and removed to North- umberland county, Penn., where he remained for several years. His next home was in Washing- ton county, Penn., and later he went to Guern- sey county, Ohio, where both the grandfather and the grandmother died at the home of their son John, in 1837. Their children were Will- iain, Thomas, Robert, Catherine, Nancy, and Ellen and Elizabeth (twins).
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Thomas McKee, father of our subject, served for about nine months in the war of 1812, enlist- ing at the age of nineteen. In Pennsylvania he learned the trade of shoemaking, which he fol- lowed in connection with farming. For nineteen years he lived in Guernsey county, Ohio, and then removed with his family to Seneca county, where he purchased eighty acres of land, which he operated some four years. On selling that property he removed to Fostoria, Ohio, where he then lived retired until his death, in 1861. His wife died on the farm in Seneca county, in Au- gust, 1849. Their children were Mary, who be- came the wife of William Hutton, and died in North Baltimore, Ohio; Elizabeth, who married Levi Adams, and died in Liberty township; Ma- tilda, who died in Guernsey county at the age of fourteen; Rebecca, wife of Samuel Hytar, of Bloomdale, Wood county; Samuel; Robert, who was killed by a falling tree in Henry county, at the age of twenty-one; Nancy, widow of William Ramsbottom, of Fostoria, who served five years at the time of the Civil war, and died from his wounds; Jane, wife of L. H. Laney, of Liberty township; Harriet, wife of James Hunt, of Fos- toria; and Dorcas, who died at the age of fifteen.
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