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 44
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James Miller grew up on his father's farm in Liberty township, and obtained a good education in the district school of Liberty township. He was first married August 14, 1861. to Miss Mary Parmenter, who was born at Portage, Ohio, De-
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cember 7, 1841, and died March 23, 1876, leav- ing three children: Henry, born April 14, 1864, died October 26, of the following year; John Sherman, born September 3, 1865, married Mrs. Johnson, and lives in Bowling Green; Clara E., born October 21, 1872, died April 1, 1892. Mr. Miller was again married April 15, 1877, his bride being Miss Zerelza C. Aller, who was born June 20, 1854, in Geauga county, Ohio. Of
this union four children have been born, namely: Ernest Wm., born March 28, 1878, is attending school in Bowling Green; Grace E., born Octo- ber 22, 1879, and Royal J., born June 20, 1885, also in school; and True E., born January 30, 1888.
Mr. Miller owns a good farm of eighty acres which is in the oil belt, and has some wells upon it; he is now living retired from active business, but takes an interest in the growth and welfare of his town and county, and is always ready to do his share to assist in public enterprises. With his estimable wife he is a member of the Disci- ples Church, to which Mrs. Miller has belonged since thirteen years of age. He was at one time a Republican, but of late years has affili- ated with the Prohibition party, and uses his influence in the promotion of temperance princi- ples. He has many warm friends in Bowling Green and vicinity. Mrs. Miller is a daughter of Zacheus and Lucy Ann (Martin) Aller, both of whom were born near Syracuse, N. Y., of which place their parents were early settlers, and where they were married. In 1861 they removed to Wood county, settling in Liberty township, where the father died in 1863, when fifty-one years of age. The mother subsequently mar- ried Daniel Mercer (whose sketch will be found on another page of this work), and is residing in Bowling Green; Daniel Mercer died September 23, 1896, leaving a widow and seventeen children.
JOHN MCLAIN, a prominent citizen of Grand Rapids township, the owner of a fine farm, and a leader in local affairs, was born in Holmes county, Ohio, March 30, 1833. He is of Scotch descent, his grandparents, Sarah and John Mc- Lain, having emigrated to America about the end of the last century, and located upon a farm in Mifflin county, Penn., where their son Robert, our subject's father, was born October 12, 1802. During the boyhood of Robert Mclain, the fam- ily moved to Jefferson county, Ohio, where his father engaged in salt manufacturing and the dis- tilling of spirits.
Robert M. McLain was married, in Jefferson county, to Miss Rachel B. Barton, a lady of Ger-
man and Irish parentage, and a native of Mifflin county, Penn. After their marriage they moved to Holmes county, and lived there about thirty years; then, in 1852, they moved to Wood coun- ty, and bought, first, 160 acres of land in what is now Grand Rapids township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father dying in ISSO, the mother preceding him to the grave by two years. They held a prominent place among the early settlers of their vicinity, their sterling qualities of mind and heart winning the regard for them of all who knew them. Twelve children were born of their union, of whom the last two died in infancy. The others were: Elizabeth, now the widow of David Hannah, of Henry county, Ohio; Sarah, who married James Vorhes, both now deceased; Samuel, who was a soldier in the Civil war, and died while in prison at Salisbury; John, our subject; William, a miem- ber of the police force at Toledo; Nancy, who died in girlhood; Martha, wife of Emanuel Guyer, a farmer of Weston township; Thomas, deceased at the age of four years; Nancy Jane. the wife of S. Burwell; and Mary J., who died at the age of four years.
John McLain, whose name opens this sketch, received his early education at his native place, the school house of his district being a log cabin, with greased paper in the windows as a substi- tute for glass. He worked upon his father's farni until he was twenty-five years old, when he bought sixty acres of land near Grand Rapids, which he cleared and improved, and to which he has since added until he now owns 125 acres, all under cultivation, and some valuable town property. He no longer shares in the active work. dele- gating that to other hands; but he still superin- tends the estate, residing, however, in the town of Grand Rapids. He is a veteran of the Civil war, having enlisted at Perrysburg, August S. 1862, in Company D, ILIth O. V. I .. under Col. Bond and Capt. J. E. McGowan, and served throughout the struggle. His regiment was as- signed to the 23d Corps, army of the Ohio, and participated in over thirty important engage- ments, including those of Knoxville, Atlanta en- tire campaign), Nashville and Franklin. Mr. McLain was fortunate in escaping the bullets of the enemy, but received a serious injury from falling into a washout. He was discharged at Cleveland, June 29, 1865, and soon afterward engaged in the hardware business in Toledo. which he carried on for five years, when he re- turned to his Wood county farm. He was mar- ried October 1, 1858, to Miss Eliza J. Brown, a daughter of Alexander Brown, a leading citizen
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of Weston township. Two children came of this marriage: Lillie A., born August 14, 1859, died September 21, 1875; and Edward, born August 25, 1868, now a promising young agri- culturist of Henry county, Ohio. The mother of these died of heart disease, January 25, 1884, and our subject afterward wedded Miss Angeline Hiner, daughter of Henry Hiner, a prominent farmer of Wayne county, Ohio. They have no children.
Mrs. McLain is an able and generous worker in various lines of philanthropic effort, and a leading member of the Home Missionary Society and the Aid Society of the M. E. Church, in which denomination our subject is also an active worker, having been a trustee for fifteen years, also holding the offices of steward, class leader and Sunday-school superintendent. His good judgment, enterprising spirit and fine executive ability have often been turned to the service of the community at large, and he is a favorite can- didate of the Republican party in his locality, having served as supervisor fifteen years, school director fifteen years, and assessor two years; in 1890 he was census enumerator, and he is now serving his second term as township trustee. During the winter of 1875-76 he was in the United States mail service between Sandusky and Chicago. Socially, he is a member of the G. A. R., Post No. 24, at Grand Rapids, Ohio, which he organized, and he has been commander (with the exception of a few years) since its or- ganization, active and earnest in the work of car- ing for and assisting his needy soldier comrades.
HENRY A. ROBERTSON is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of Wood county. His father, Amelius Robertson, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1822, and with his parents came to this country during his child - hood. The family was one of the first to settle on Hull Prairie, and there the father of our sub- ject secured eighty acres of land, which he trans- formed into a highly cultivated farm. He soon became recognized as one of the leading and in- fluential citizens of the community, and for six- teen years served as a justice of the peace. He was united in marriage with Margaret W. Frazer, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1827. Their union was blessed with eight children: Henry A. ; Dr. James F., who was born May 22, 1855, and is a practicing physician in Kansas; John A., who was born November 27, 1858, is operating the old homestead; George, born August 23, 1861; Mary A., born September 2, 1863, wife of O. M. Ulrich, of Dayton, Ohio;
Fray A. D., born September 21, 1865; Margaret E. R., who was born April 3, 1869. and died April 24, 1870; Marjory F., born September 16, 1872, now keeping house for her brother. The father of this family died July 7, 1888, and the mother passed away September 24, 1894.
Our subject began his education in the log school house near his home, and there became familiar with the rudiments of knowledge; but subsequently he pursued a course of study in the State University at Columbus, Ohio, becoming a civil engineer. Since that time he has followed his chosen profession to a greater or less extent. He is now residing on the old homestead, and is extensively engaged in the raising of fine poultry.
Mr. Robertson gives his political support to the Republican party, but has never been an office seeker. He has, however, served for one term as road supervisor. In manner he is quiet and unassuming, and his genuine worth, his genial and affable manner and his sterling quali- ties have won him the friendship and regard of many.
ALBERT G. HENRY, M. D., a prominent and enterprising physician of North Baltimore, is a native of Hancock county, Ohio, born November 5, 1849. His paternal grandfather, John Henry, was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in Han- cock county. The grandmother died in Findlay at the advanced age of ninety-three years.
James L. Henry, father of our subject, was born June 9, 1821, in Perry county, Penn. Com- ing to Hancock county, Ohio, he bought a farmi there, and later served as superintendent of the Hancock County Infirmary; was also elected sheriff of the county. He married Miss Frances Dodge, who died in Hancock county, in 1861; her husband followed her to the home beyond April 1, 1884. Their children were as follows : Albert G., subject of this sketch; Edward: J. C .; Araminta, who married G. Chase, of Findlay; Sophrona, the wife of Alonzo Baker; Lizzie D .. who married Charles Pendleton, of Findlay. Mr. Henry married a second time, and by that union had one son, Claude.
Dr. Henry was reared in Hancock county, and was graduated from the Ada Normal School in :870. He began teaching when only sixteen years old, going to school in his leisure moments, and reading medicine. His preceptors were F. J Baldwin and S. S. Yoder, M. D., the latter of whom was also a member of Congress. Dr. Henry was graduated from the Medical Depart- ment of the University of Michigan in 1873, and commenced to practice medicine in North Balti-
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more on June 23, of the same year. In 1881 he completed a post-graduate course in Columbus Medical College, Columbus, Ohio. When the town began to develop Dr. Henry became known as one of its leading spirits and active and enterpris- ing citizens, and gave almost every enterprise the benefit of his assistance, among which were the glass companies, town water works, electric liglit plants, etc. He built the first drug store, and built and owns the Henry Opera House Block. one of the finest structures in the county. He also instituted and backed a steam laundry com- pany. In 1894 his opera house was destroyed by fire, causing a loss of $25,000; however, he promptly rebuilt it. It is 45 by 153 feet, with a seating capacity of 1,000. Dr. Henry is also owner and manager of the North Baltimore Elec- tric Light & Power Company, which is valued at $50,000. He is the owner of eighty acres of land near North Baltimore, on which are ten oil wells, and thus it will be seen that Dr. Henry is a large property owner. He is a prominent member of society, has a large practice, and his genial nature has won for him many friends. He is surgeon for the C. H. & D. R. R., and the B. & O. R. R. ; is a member of the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Surgeons Association, of the North- western Ohio Medical Society, of the State Med- ical Society, and also of the American Medical Association. Politically he supports the Demo- cratic party.
In 1874 our subject was married to Miss Emma F. Eaton, who was born in Hancock county, October 31, 1851. They have had two children, Carl and Cleah, the latter of whom was taken away March 7, 1896, at the early age of eighteen years; she was an accomplished musician, a devoted daughter and a lover of home, and the void in the family circle can only be realized and understood by those who have passed through similar trials.
JOHN RUSSELL, a wealthy, retired agricultur- ist residing in Bowling Green, is a native of this county, born in Center township, March. 19, 1838.
His father, Joseph Russell, was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, where his parents, who came from Pennsylvania, were among the earliest settlers. He married Miss Eliza Dupes, and afterward moved to Wood county, and took up 600 acres of land, a part of which is now in the possession of our subject, by purchase. He re- turned with the family to his old home several times, and engaged in farming there, but finally settled down in Wood county to stay, and died
there in 1865, at the age of seventy-two. His wife departed this life January 9, 1889, aged seventy-seven years. They were true pioneers, patriotic, energetic and courageous. Three daughters and five sons were born to them, and of the latter, five did gallant service in the Union army during the Civil war, and passed through many engagements without receiving any serious wounds. Our subject was the fourth child in this family. . The others are: Jane, who mar- ried W. Underwood; James; Sarah (deceased), who married Joseph Anderson; Joseph; Susan, the widow of George Garner; Britton, and Charles, all residents of the county.
Mr. Russell made the most of the educational opportunities afforded by the district schools near the old homestead when he was a boy, and later engaged in farming as an occupation. In 1862 he volunteered in Company K, 21st O. V. I., and served under Sherman, taking part in all the principal battles of the army of the West. He was married, February 16, 1864, while at home on a furlough, to Miss Amanda Rogers, who was born in Seneca county, Ohio, August 11, 1839. After being mustered out, July 30, 1865, he re- turned to the old farm in Center township, where he lived twenty-seven years. He still owns 100 acres there, and holds the original papers which passed the title from the government to his fa- ther. A few years ago he bought a fine property at the county-seat, where he and his wife now reside. He has one daughter. Clara E., born June 16, 1867, who was married September 13, ISS7, to E. L. Crum, of Wood county; they have two children. Ruth and John. Mr. Russell is a Republican in politics, and a charter member of Wiley Post, G. A. R. He and his wife are among the leading members of the M. E. Church, and active helpers in every worthy cause.
JAMES M. BROWN, one of the most prominent citizens of Perrysburg township, residing near Dowling, was born in Bellefontaine. Logan Co., Ohio, April 27, 1830. His parents, Harlin S. and Mary A. (Colvin) Brown, were natives of Kentucky, but were married in Logan county, in October, 1829, and lived there for some years. the father following the trade of shoemaker. Eleven children were born to them: Elizabeth, deceased: John C., now a resident of Monticello, Ind .: Joseph H., deceased; Rosana and Mahlon S., deceased; Annie E., now the wife of James H. Linton, of Botkins, Ohio: James M., our sub- ject; Thomas A. and Margaret J., deceased; Wil- son W., of Dowling, Ohio; and Charles L., re- siding in Roscommon, Michigan.
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Squire Brown, as his friends call him (and his friends are found wherever he is known), received his early education in the schools of Newtown, Ind., where his parents moved when he was but four years old. He was bound out to work for his board and clothes when a boy, and at nine- teen found employment on the Erie canal. He continued in this occupation until he was married to Miss Euritta J. Egbert, who was born in Find- lay, Ohio, October 20, 1834. He then sought a better means of making a livelihood, and in 1870 moved to this county and bought forty acres of land in Perrysburg township, which he has since carefully improved. He is now one of the opu- lent farmers of the vicinity, and holds an import- tant place in the community, his natural ability and integrity of character having gained him the entire confidence of all who know him. He was first elected justice of the peace in 1877, and has now held the office for more than eighteen con- secutive years. He has been a member of the school board for the same length of time, and for six years has been a notary public. Where he is well known he receives votes irrespective of party lines, but, being a Democrat, the large Republican plurality in this county has prevented him from entering county office, although the members of his party have often prevailed upon him to lead the " forlorn hope " for the sake of their cause. He has displayed the spirit of the true soldier on many occasion, and in 1861 was among the first to respond to the call of his country, enlisting in Company H, 57th O. V. I., and serving until December, 1863. There were six of the Brown boys, who enlisted in the war of the Rebel- lion in 1861, thus furnishing Uncle Sam with at least eighteen years of service. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Fort Meigs Lodge No. 774, of the F. & A. M., Phoenix Lodge No. 123, and of Robert Stewart Post No. 690, G. A. R. He is the present postmaster at Dowling.
JOSEPH REDFEARN. Like a giant oak in a forest of weather-beaten comrades, the subject of this sketch stands prominent among those noble pioneers whose best energies have been spent in bringing Wood county forward to her present high position in the magnificent galaxy of Ohio's counties.
He was born February 14, 1812, in Muker, Yorkshire, England. His father, Francis Red- fearn, a farmer and miner there, married Ruth Milner, and reared a family of six children. 1830 they came to the United States on the "Caledonia," landing at Philadelphia after a voyage of seven weeks and four days. He first
located at Pottsville, Penn., where he mined coal for some time, and on coming to Ohio spent two years in Wayne county, and then settled in Washington township, Hancock county, in the woods. To reach their new home they had to cut a road for their wagon for most of the way from Fostoria (then Rome and Risdon), and they crossed the Sandusky river by floating their wagon and making their cattle swim the stream. In later years our subject's father bought a large tract of land in Jo Davies county, Ill., near Apple River, where he died January 13, 1858, his wife having passed to her final rest November 9 of the previous year. Of their children the eldest, Peter, died at Apple River at the age of fifty years from injuries received in a runaway. Francis died at Warren, Ill., at seventy-eight years of age. Joseph is our subject. Ruth was married in the fall of 1830 to Charles Gould- borough, of Minneapolis, Minn., with whom she has now passed over sixty-five years of married life. Elizabeth is the widow of Robert Levitt, of Arlington, S. D. Margaret married John Ea- ton, and died at Apple River at the age of sixty.
Joseph Redfearn had little opportunity for education, but he was ambitious, and, while working on the farm during the day, he attended night school in England -- paying two cents a night. He was eighteen years old when the fam- ily came to America, and he quickly found em- ployment as a farm hand, being unusually strong and active. He could mow two acres of grass in a day with a scythe, and has done many a large day's work at threshing with a flail, being paid fifty cents per day, and even that was not always in cash. He was married January 8, 1835. to Miss Ann Phillips, a native of Pennsylvania, born July 19, 1816, the daughter of Benjamin Phillips. an early settler of Washington township, Han- cock county. He and his wife began housekeep- ing on fifty acres of land, a gift from his father, and he entered forty acres more, all "in the woods." He traded this soon after to his brother, Francis, for a tract of eighty acres in Bloom township, Wood county, to which he re- moved December 7, 1837, their first home being a comfortable log house. Tiffin was the nearest point where a good gristmill could be found, though there were several horse mills in the neighbor- hood.
Twelve children were born to our subject and his wife, all of whom lived to mature age: Henry and Francis are farmers in Nemaha county, Neb. : Peter died at McComb in 1892; Harrison, a farmer of Perry township, died in 1872; Matilda A. married Dr. E. J. Reed, of Leipsic; Joseph
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P. is a farmer in Cass township, Hancock county; James R. is a prominent merchant of Bloomdale; John O. is a prosperous farmer in Nemaha county, Neb., and a leading citizen of his neighborhood; Rhoda S. married Jerry Loman, and died Decem- ber 1, 1894; Margaret R. is the wife of R. B. Drake, an insurance agent of Tiffin; Charles is a farmer in Perry township, and Edward T. is a farmer in Bloom township. On February 19, 1864, Mr. Redfearn's wife died, and she was buried in Fostoria cemetery. She was a woman of rare qualities of mind and heart, a devout Christian and a member of the M. E. Churchi, and was deeply and sincerely mourned. Mr. Redfearn never married again. Their children have taken honorable positions in life, and the fainily hold a prominent place in the history of this county. All are abstainers from liquors and tobacco, and their upright lives reflect honor upon the father who, by precept and example, has trained them for useful citizenship. Four sons served in the Civil war, a remarkable record. Henry was a member of a Nebraska cavalry regiment; Peter enlisted in Wood county in the one-hundred-days' service; William H. served in the famous 49th O. V. I., the "Black Swamp Jayhawkers," and Joseph P. was a mem- ber of the Irth O. V. I.
Mr. Redfearn has owned large tracts of land at different times, and had held the title to all the land on the west side of Main street in Bloom- dale, but has sold it for building purposes. He has given his children a good start in life, and still owns 325 acres of land in Bloom and Cass townships. Despite his advanced age he is in good health, aside from being a sufferer from rheu- inatism, and his mental faculties are clear, his native shrewdness and caution being in no way lessened. In politics he has been identified with the Republican party from its beginning, but previously he was a Whig. He served as con- stable in his younger days, but has never joined in the struggle for political honors. He lias, however, been a leading promoter of different measures for the public welfare, and gave liber- ally toward the building of the first court house at Bowling Green, Ohio. For over fifty years he has been a member of the M. E. Church, in which he has held every office except that of preacher, and lie was a teacher and superintend- ent of the Sunday-school for many years.
JOHN W. MILLER. In the latter part of the eighteenth century Christopher Miller, a native of Germany, sailed with his wife and two chil- dren for America. After a long and tedious voy-
age of nine months they arrived at New York. Delay after delay had occurred, and crew and passengers were on the verge of starvation. At length the vessel reached New York harbor, and Mr. Miller, with his family, proceeded to Alle- gany county, Md., where he spent his remaining days. Two of his sons were soldiers of the war of 1812. The father of our subject, Andrew Mil- ler, was born in Allegany county, on December I, 1805. He was a man of limited education, and was reared on a farm, while throughout his busi- ness career he carried on agricultural pursuits. He married Miss Charlotte Duckworth, also a native of Allegany county, born April 8. 1812. In 1865 the father removed with his family to Delaware county, Ohio, locating on a farm of 105 acres in Trenton township, where he spent his remaining days. His death occurred April 30, 1894, and his wife passed away, May I, ISS ;.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the parents of twelve children, namely: Louise, who became the wife of Joseph Deremer, and after his death married Monroe Cockrell, her death occurring in Delaware county; Uriah, who died in Delaware county, at the age of forty-five; Harriet Ann, wife of Henry Dash, of Maryland; Almira, wife of James Loor, of Delaware county; Henry H., who is carrying on agricultural pursuits in Delaware county; Lloyd W., a farmer of Union county, Ohio; Sarah, who became the wife of Emery Leak, and died in Delaware county; Altha, wife of Jefferson Miles, of Delaware county; Mary, who is living in the same county; John W., of this review: Zeltha wife of Franklin DeWolf, of Delaware county; and Rebecca, who died at the age of three years.
Our subject was a child of twelve years when he accompanied his parents to Delaware county. He began his education in an old log school house in his native county, and completed it in the district schools of this State. During vaca- tions and after school hours he aided in the culti- vation and improvement of the farm, and con- tinued to give his father the benefit of his sery- ices until his marriage.
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