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 40
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JOHN R. MARWICK, a retired farmer, living at Bowling Green, was born in Cambridgeshire, England, August 13, 1835. His parents were William and Aun (AAmos) Marwick, the former of whom, born in England in 1796, died there in November, 1859. The mother was born in 1792, and died in 1853. Religiously she was a Baptist. and her husband was an Episcopalian. They had twelve children, of whom four grew to ma- turiy: Mary Ann married James Earl, and is living in Australia; she came from England to Wood county, and then removed to her present
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home. Sarah is the wife of William Walker, who lives in England. William went to Austra- lia in 1853, and is in the gold fields there. John R. is our subject.
Mr. Marwick grew up in England, coming to America in 1855. His means were limited, and he walked from Toledo, Ohio, to Bowling Green, and went to work by the month on a farm in the vicinity. He had been reared as a drover in " Merrie England," and found life here in the wilderness hard and uncongenial. In 1856 he was married to Miss Susanna Wakefield, who was born in Cambridgeshire, England, July 28, 1832. She is the daughter of John and Mary (Barley) Wakefield, who came to America in 1851, and located at Monroeville, Huron Co., Ohio, moving from there in 1857 to Wood county, where they lived in Plain township. Mr. Wake- field built a house in Bowling Green, where he spent the latter part of his life. He was born in 1795 and died in 1869; his wife was born in 1798 and departed this life in ISS5. Six of their chil - dren grew to maturity, namely: John, who died in Plain township; Mary, who died soon after her marriage; Sarah, married to John Wills, and now residing in Chillicothe, Mo .; Susanna, wife of our subject; William, living in Bowling Green; and Lizzie Jane, wife of James Wright, living in Wes- ton, Ohio.
Mr. and Mr. Marwick first settled in Erie county, Ohio, then coming to Bowling Green located in Plain township, and finally in Wash- ington township. where they now own eighty acres of land. They have one child, William R., born May 29, 1857, who married Miss Ella Crum and resides in Bureau, Ohio; they have four chil- dren-Earnest, Nellie May, Arthur and Marie.
Mr. Marwick is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church. He also belongs to the I. O. O. F., and his wife is a member of the Daughters of Rebekah. They are model citizens of Bowling Green, where they are well-known for their hospitality and philan- thropic works.
Hill, in Portage township, and also the common schools of Liberty township. His vacation peri- ods were spent at work upon the home farm, and at the age of eighteen he began running an en- gine in a sawmill, where he was employed for two seasons. He afterward worked as a farm hand in Seneca county for one year, but, return- ing to Wood county, secured a situation as a farm hand with John Metzger, of Liberty town- ship. Later he operated the old homestead.
On March 8, 1885, in Portage township, Mr. Sommers married Ellen Knight, who was born in Ottawa county, Ohio, December 27, 1864, and is a daughter of Thomas W. and Elizabeth ( Warren ) Knight. The young couple began their domestic life on the Bradshaw farm in Lib- erty township, which Mr. Sommers rented for a year, and then returned to the old family home- stead, where he resided until removing to his present place in November, 1893. In connec- tion with his brother Fred, he purchased 120 acres of land. His home is a comfortable dwell- ing, and he has made many excellent improve- ments upon the farm.
To Mr. and Mrs. Sommers have been born a daughter, Mabel Matilda, born December 4. 1885. The parents are active and leading mem- bers in the Disciples Church, and Mr. Sommers belongs to the Odd Fellows Society of Portage. He has served as school director for some time. and gives a hearty and willing support to all measures calculated to advance the general wel- fare, educational or otherwise.
JACOB BALEY. There is probably no man in Bloom township wider or more favorably known than this gentleman, who came to that section of the county in the pioneer days, and is recognized as one of the important factors in its progress and development. He is a native of Ohio, born in Canfield township, Mahoning county, AApril 19, 1820. His father was a Pennsylvanian by birth, and married Miss Catherine Sanon, by whom he had nine children, namely: Lavina, Elizabeth, Jacob, Eliza, Catherine, Peter. Jere- miah, Amanda and John. The parents departed this life in Canfield township, Mahoning county.
JACOB SOMMERS. Among the worthy citizens who claim Ohio as the State of their nativity, none are more deserving of a conspicuous place Until reaching the age of seventeen or eight- een years, Jacob Baley assisted in the work on the home farm, and at intervals attended the William Lyman to remain until twenty-one years old, but left him and for three months worked in the history of Wood county than this gentle- 1 gained him the high regard of all with whom he | schools of his day. He was then bound out to man, whose honorable and well-spent life has | has been brought in contact. He was born in Medina county, Ohio, June 2. 1858, and is a son of Frederick and Rosana (Groah) Sommers, who : for William Giger: then he worked for Christian came with their family to Wood county in 1860. | Dustman for seven months, receiving ten dolf us Our subject attended the district school at Flint | per month for his services, and during that tune
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lost only two days. The following winter he lived with Jacob Hammon, and went to school, helping with the work and doing chores. The next spring he worked several months for Mr. Hammon, and at odd times or on wet days young Baley worked in the blacksmith shop for a Mr. Wonsetler, and later on he arranged with him to learn the trade, and remained with him one and a half years, then worked for him on the shares for about a year. Later he went to Poland, Ohio, and worked in the same manner for Jacob Lee. In this way he earned money enough to buy a partial outfit for himself (making the rest), and began business at the four corners of the roads leading to Youngstown, Boardman, Can- field and Austintown, Ohio.
On November 10, 1840, our subject was mar- ried, in Mahoning county, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Abraham and Catharine (Crous) Simon, born May 6, 1822, in Mahoning county, Ohio. In the spring of 1847, Mr. Baley sold out and with a small one-horse wagon brought his wife and three children to Bloom township. locating in Section 21, where he had bought land the year previous. On his eighty-acre farm he built a log shop, and his father-in-law brought his tools here sometime later. He had only re- ceived $14 from his father's estate, and by his trade earned the money with which he paid for his land. The settlers in this section were widely scattered, so that at first work at his trade was not rushing, even though his patrons came for miles around, and much of his blacksmithing was paid for by his customers in clearing his land for him. For six weeks the family lived at Bloom Center, while a log house, 16 x 20 feet, was made ready for occupancy. He continued to work at his trade, in addition to his agri- cultural pursuits, and as his income increased secured more land until he was the owner of 260 acres, but has now given 160 acres to his sons, still retaining the remainder.
For over fifty-five years, Mr. and Mrs. Baley have now traveled life's journey together, shar- ing with each other its joys and sorrows, its ad- versity and prosperity, and they have reared a family of which they may justly be proud. They are as follows: Delilah, born November 23. 1841, is the wife of W. S. Richard, of Bloom- dale, Ohio; Harriet, born May 6, 1844, is now Mrs. Alfred Simon; Mary, born September 13, 1846, is the wife of Thomas Loman, a grain mer- chant of Newmarket, Iowa, John is a prominent resident of Wood county; Martha A., born August 28, 1851, is the widow of Alfred Stephens, of Knobnoster, Mo. ; Amanda, born November 5,
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IS53, is the wife of Byron Frederick, of Bloom township; Simon C. is a leading citizen of Wood county; Lucy A., born June 11, 1858, married D. L. Kunkler, and died October 26, 1894 (the first death in the family); and Olive E., born August 1, 1860, is now Mrs. Morrison Brunstet- ter, of Butler, Indiana.
Mr. Baley is a fine specimen of physical man- hood, being six feet and one inch in height, and weighing 185 pounds, and though he is still quite active, in his younger days he was very strong, being able to perform a big day's work very easily. He still engages in blacksmithing to a limited extent. He has always voted the Dem- ocratic ticket, and has been called upon to serve as school director of District No. 5, supervisor and treasurer for three years. He is truly a self- made man, and there are no more highly respected citizens in Wood county than Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Baley.
W. T. THOMAS, M. D. This prominent phy- sycian and surgeon, who, at this writing (1896), is filling the responsible office of mayor of North Baltimore, is one of the best-known citizens of Wood county, where for many years he has taken an active part in political matters. A politician, like a poet, seems to be "born, not made," and the peculiar qualifications which fit a man to fill the many arduous and trying positions belonging to an active public life must be inherent in his nature to make him successful in such a career.
Dr. Thomas was born in Wayne county. Olio, November 28, 1851. His father, Levi Thomas, was a native of the North of Ireland, and was obliged to leave his native land ou ac- count of his religious faith, being a Roman Cath- olic. He came to America in 1846, finally set- tling in Ohio. He married Susan Lawrence. who was born at Lancaster, Penn., and, in 1853, the family came to Wood county, where they located in Henry township. The father died December 21, 1850, the mother in 1895. The paternal grandmother of our subject is still living near Wau- seon, Ohio, at the remarkable age of 105 years.
Our subject did not learn to speak the Eng- lish language until he was ten years old. He then entered a select school at Weston, also at- tending one at South Toledo, and learned so rapidly that when seventeen years old he began teaching. This occupation he followed some eleven years, in the meantime studying medicine. He was graduated from Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, in May, ESSI, after a three- years' course, and soon after located in North Baltimore, where he built up a successful prac-
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tice. Under the term of President Harrison, Dr. Thomas was appointed postmaster of the city, serving as such four years, until the oppos- ing political party came into power.
Dr. Thomas has always had a penchant for politics, and is by nature intended for a leader among men. He served as clerk of Henry town- ship for eight years, and resigned the office of mayor to accept the Federal appointment as post- master. He had been chairman of the Repub- lican Executive Committee of Wood county for three terms, and a member of the County Cen- tral Committee a number of times. He has re- peatedly been a delegate to Congressional and Gubernatorial Conventions, and in other ways has for years been prominently identified with the politics of the city, county and State. He is a man of ability, keen foresight and shrewd judgment, and has the confidence of the people to a large degree. After resigning his position as postmaster, in 1893, he attended the Chicago Polyclinic, in which he took a post-graduate course. He is very popular in the community, and has an extensive practice. The Doctor is a contributor to the St. Louis Medical Brief.
By his first marriage, to Miss Nancy De Rode, Dr. Thomas had two children: Jessie and Susan. His present wife, to whom he was married July 2, 1888, was Miss Flora Clough, who was born in Perrysburg, Ohio, March 12, 1859. They have one child, Bertha, born July 29, 1891. Dr. Thomas is an active member of the I. O. F., the K. of P. and the Woodmen of the World.
JAMES JOHNSTON is one of the honored pioneers of Portage township who, by developing a good farm from the forest, has materially aided in its growth. He has met with a well-deserved suc- cess in his calling, and his fine, well-ordered farm (pleasantly situated in Section 9), with its care- fully cultured fields, its neat buildings, and all their surroundings, denote the skillful manage- ment, industry and well-directed labors of the owner.
The birth of Mr. Johnston, our subject, oc- curred Richland county, Ohio, March 1, 1819, and he is a son of John and Elizabeth (Humphrey) Johnston, the former a native of the North of Ireland, and the latter of Irish descent. but born in Pennsylvania three weeks after the landing of her parents in this country. When a young man the father came to the United States and was married in Pennsylvania. Before the war of 1812 he came to Ohio, and participated in that struggle under Gen. Harrison. By occupation he was a farmer, and about 1816 removed to 44
Richland county, becoming one of its earliest settlers. His family consisted of the following children: Thomas died in Fostoria, Ohio; Jen- nie, who was never married, died at the age of sixty years; Fannie married William Underwood, and died in Portage township; Cynthia first wedded James Scott, and later married Edward Coyne, who died in Libby prison; James comes next; William died in Portage township, in Sep- tember, 1895: John lives in Toledo, Ohio; Robert died in Portage township; and Cyrus resides in Illinois.
In the district schools of his native county James Johnston began his education, and in April, 1837, came with his parents to Wood county, locating in Section 10, Portage town- ship, where his father had entered 480 acres of land some years before. They made the trip by wagon, driving the stock, and their first home here was made of round logs. Here the father died at the age of sixty-six, and the mother at the age of sixty-seven years. Their remains were interred in Sargent cemetery. In politics hie was a Whig, and always attended religious services, his sympathies being with the Presbyterian Church, where he was baptized when a child. though he never joined any denomination.
James continued his studies in the village of Portage after coming to this county, and at the age of twenty years left home, beginning work as a farm hand. He also drove stock east of the mountains in Pennsylvania. On March 16, 1843, in Portage township, he was united in marriage with Miss Susanna Durler, who was born in Canton Berne, Switzerland, April 29, 1824, and when five years old was brought to America by her parents, John and Mary (Unkey) Durler. They embarked on a sailing vessel at Havre, France, which, after a voyage of seventy-five days, dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. Their first location was in Starke county, Ohio: later they removed to Tuscarawas county. and in 1837 settled in Portage township, Wood county, in Section 2. The parents both died in Fulton county, Ohio. Mrs. Johnston was one of their family of six children, two sons and four daughters, and is entirely self-educated, having never attended a school a day, but taught herselt to read.
On the farm which his father had entered in Section 9, Portage township, Mr. Johnston began his domestic life, and there has continuously resided, with the exception of two years spent in the village of Portage The home was brightened by the presence of seven children: John, born January 12, 1844, is a farmer of Portage town-
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ship; James, born June 1, 1846, was killed by a falling tree in June, 1867, in a storin, while on his way home from Indiana; Lewis, born Decem- ber II, 1849, died at the age of five years; Cyrus, born July 28, 1853, is an agriculturist of Portage township; Parsida, born March 4, 1856, is now Mrs. Aaron Crom, of Portage township; William, born November 16, 1858, carries on farming in Center township, Wood county; and Mary E., born September 29, 1862, is the wife of George Sterling, of Henry township, this county.
The parents are faithful members of the United Brethren Church, in which he has served for over forty years as steward. They have traveled life's journey together for more than half a century, sharing its joys and sorrows, successes and reverses, and throughout the county they are widely known and highly respected. As a repre- sentative man of the community, and an old pio- neer, Mr. Johnston stands pre-eminent, and his public-spiritedness and charity are proverbial. His first Presidential vote was cast for William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate, and on the formation of the Republican party he joined its ranks. He has served as supervisor and school director in District No. 2.
CHARLES BATEMAN SAXBY, editor of the Wood County Herald, of Weston, is conducting the paper with signal ability and success, and holds a prominent position among the young journalists of Ohio, none of whom have better prospects for a brilliant future in their chosen career. He is a native of Wood county, born at West Millgrove February 8, 1865, the fourth in the family of five children born to Bateman H. and Martha H. ( Musser ) Saxby.
His father was born at Normanton, on the river Trent, England, Thursday, July 6, 1826. He left his native place on Sunday, May 13, 1855, at IO A. M., and on the 22nd of the same month boarded the sailing vessel . Calhoun," bound for America. He arrived at Austinburg, Ohio, Wednesday, July IS, and the following fall removed to Fostoria, where he worked at the tailor's trade until October, 1864, at which time he went to West Millgrove. While living in Fostoria he was made a Mason, becoming a char- ter member of Fostoria Lodge. In 1857 he started on a tour through the Western States, and after his return he was united in marriage, on Wednesday, October 13, 1858, with Miss Martha Henrietta Musser. He conducted a tailor shop and grocery at West Millgrove, but in 1885 gave up the former. During the Civil war he en- listed in the Uuion army, but was not permitted
to serve on account of disability, though he drilled with the home guards. He made the old silk battle flag of the noted 49th Regiment. His death occurred at West Millgrove, Monday. Sep- tember 12, 1892. His wife, who was born at Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, Sunday, December 16, 1838, removed with her parents to West Millgrove in 1853, and still makes her home there. Before her marriage she taught school in this county. She became the mother of five children, three sons and two daughters, but only two survive: Charles B., the subject proper of this review, and Edgar Allen Saxby, a drug- gist of Pemberville, Ohio, who was born at Fos- toria Wednesday, July 8, 1863, and is a regis- tered pharmacist; he is now serving his second term as grand trustee of the Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Ohio.
Jacob Musser, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was born at Petersburg, Ohio, in 1803, and in 1824 was married to Miss Syndonia Gar- rison, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1808. They became the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Saxby is the fifth in order of birth. Mr. Musser located in the wilderness of Portage county, Ohio, at Deerfield, when the wolves were so numerous that they would howl about the cabin, and even look in at the windows. In 1845 he removed to Ravenna, Ohio, and eight years later became a resident of West Millgrove. this county. By trade he was a blacksmith, and he followed that occupation all through life. In 1827 he was elected first lieutenant of the Second Rifle Company of the First Regiment, Second Brigade, Fourth Division in the Ohio Militia, and was aft- erward made captain, being sworn into service Monday, August 30, 1830, by Samuel D. Harris, brigadier-general of that brigade. All his old military papers are now in the possession of the brother of our subject. He died at West Mill- grove, Friday, February 11, 1870, and his wife departed this life Thursday, March 10, 1884, at the age of seventy-six years.
The early life of Charles B. Saxby was spent at West Millgrove, where he attended the public schools, and during vacations worked in his father's store or upon farms, very seldom being found out of employment. During the summer months of 1882 and 1883 he served an apprent- iceship with a house painter. On Tuesday, Sep- tember 30, 1884, lie went to Weston, where he secured a position on the paper which he now edits, and commenced to learn the printer's trade; work- ing four months for nothing, and paying his own personal expenses with the exception of his board. S. E. Burson was at that time proprietor of the
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paper. When Mr. Saxby arrived in Weston he was possessed of $1.05, having refused to accept financial assistance from his father, as he desired to make his own way in the world as his father had done before him. After serving four months he received a salary of $3 per week for two years, and industriously stuck to his position until his apprenticeship expired. On Saturday, January 1, 1887, Mr. Saxby, through the assistance of Judge Frank M. Young, secured a position on the Wood County Gasette, published then at Bowling Green, Ohio, and on that paper remained until Saturday, March 2, 1889, working for A. W. Ru- dulph, its able editor and manager. He held every position from " cub," to solicitor, reporter and collector.
On Wednesday, March 6, 1889, Mr. Saxby was united in marriage with Miss Nettie L. Dull, only daughter of John L. Dull, then a prominent dry-goods merchant of Weston, who is now engaged in selling agricultural implements. Our subject secured a position in his father-in- law's store, and there remained until Wednes- day, May 1, 1889, when he again resumed newspaper work as collector and solicitor on the Sentinel, which had just been consolidated with the Gasette. He remained five months, settling up the large subscription accounts of both papers, and after its completion collected delinquent tax in Perry, Montgomery and Bloom townships, for the county treasurer, which was a very responsi- ble position for a young man to hold. He com- menced work in his father-in-law's store again on Monday, December 2, 1889, and remained in his employ until the twenty-sixth anniversary of his birth, February 8, 1891, but during the previous summer he had driven a huckster wagon "for his health " as well as for the revenue connected with it. However, the newspaper desire could not be overcome,, and he returned to Bowling Green, where he took his old position on the Sentinel-Gasette, as reporter and general utility man. On Friday, July 31, 1891, in connection with J. D. Conklin, then postmaster of Weston, he purchased the Wood County Herald, the paper on which he had set his first type, and has held the position of editor and manager up to the present time. On December 4, 1891, Mr. Conklin sold his interest to A. S. Coward, and the firm is now Saxby & Coward. It is a bright spicy paper, and, the editor being a versatile writer, it is eagerly sought by the in- telligent reading public.
Politically, Mr. Saxby is a Republican, having. cast his first Presidential vote at Bowling Green, for Harrison and Morton. He was elected clerk
of Weston township, Monday, April 7, 1890, was re-elected Monday, April 4, 1892, serving two full terms, and was nominated for the office of mayor of Weston at the spring caucus of 1895, but failed of election by a small vote. - On Mon- day, April 6, 1896, he was elected cemetery trus- tee for a term of two years. He was elected a member of the central committee in 1891 and '96, and a member of the county executive committee in 1895. During the year 1892 he was Wood county's representative of the Ohio Republican League on the executive committee, and at the State Convention held at Columbus, in 1893. he was chairman of the Wood county delegation. He was a delegate to the State Republican Con- ventions in 1892-3-4-6. Mr. Saxby has been a member of the township election board, either as clerk or presiding judge of every election held since the fall of 1891, and has received the appointment as presiding judge for the spring of 1897.
Mr. Saxby takes considerable interest in civic societies. On Tuesday, January 31, 1893, he joined Anthony Wayne Tent No. 140, K. O. T. M., as a charter member, and was elected past commander. He was also elected a rep- resentative to the Great Camp, and during its session at Piqua, Ohio, August 15 and 16, 1893. was elected great sentinel of that body, and re-elected at Toledo, Wednesday, August 15, 1894, At Cleveland, Ohio, Wednesday, August 14, 1895, he was elected great second master of the guard for a term of two years, and is now serving as record-keeper of the lodge at Weston. He joined Weston Lodge No. 681. I. O. O. F., Friday, February 2, 1894, and in July was appointed warden, installed vice- grand in January, 1895, and noble grand, Fri- day, July 19, 1895. On Tuesday, May 19. 1896, he took the Grand Lodge degree at Lima. Ohio. On Friday, May 29, 1896, he was elected recording secretary. In the month of Septem- ber, 1894, both he and his wife joined Kokosing Lodge No. 303, D. of R., and on Wednesday, May 6, 1896, he joined Kenilworth Lodge No. 340, K. of P., and was elected K. of R. & S .. August 26, 1896. Mr. Saxby holds member- ship with the Buckeye Press Association, and is a member of its executive committee, and also belongs to the Wood County Country Press As- sociation, in which he is serving as treasurer. He is a popular and influential man, possessing an energetic spirit, good executive ability and an excellent judgment, which will not fail to bring him success.
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