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 54
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Mr. Wenz married one of Perrysburg's charin- ing daughters, Miss Celia Lucas, who was born February 28, 1859, a daughter of the late D. Lucas. They have two sons, Roscoe and Ed- ward. Mr. Wenz has just completed a beautiful residence, one of the finest in the county, located at a picturesque spot on the Maumee river, out- side of the corporation limits of Perrysburg, and here the family now reside. A young man of rare mental gifts and training, he holds a high place in the community. He is a recognized authority on civil engineering, and has served two terms as county surveyor. In politics he is a Republican.
JOHN H. WATSON, a well-known resident of Bowling Green, was born in Danube, Herkimer Co., N. Y., April 17, 1834.
His grandfather, Jude Watson, a native of New York. had a family of seven children, among whom were James, who lived in Canada: William, a Lutheran minister of Cobleskill, N. Y. ; and Nathan, our subject's father, who was a tanner and shoemaker in Kerkimer county, where he died in 1889, at the age of eighty-seven. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and in politics was first a Whig and later a Republican. He was married three times, the first time to Miss Anna Owens, a lady of Welsh descent, whose an- cestors had been early settlers in New York State. Her mother was a Van Wagonen, a member of another old family in that State. Five children were born of this first marriage, of whom our subject was the youngest. The others were Catherine, who married Dr. Asa Christy, and second, George Ward; Mary, who died at the age of eighteen; William, who died at the age of forty-five; and Sarah, who married Henry An- drews, and died at the age of thirty-five. For his second wife he married Miss Sally Deyo, and four children were born to this union: Joseph. who served in an artillery corps during the war: Hannah: Elbert, who enlisted in the 77thi ( Bemis Heights) N. Y. V. I., and died at Fortress Mon- roe, after the battle of the Chickahominy; and Stephen, who died at hiome aged about twenty. His third wife was a widow, Mes. Elizabeth Smith, and of this union was born one son, Davis S., a prominent inventor living at Canas- tota, New York,
John Herkimer Watson, our subject (whose
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mother died when he was an infant), was adopted by his maternal uncle, Abram Owens, and lived with him until the age of seventeen, attending school at "Indian Castle." He learned the car- penter's trade at Cherry Valley, N. Y., and later went to Bath, S. C., and engaged in business as a millwright. Two years later the war broke out, but not being in sympathy with the South he returned north to Norwich, Connecticut.
In 1859 he was married to Miss Kate Van- Dyke, who was born in Cherry Valley, N. Y., May 22, 1840. They lived for a short time in Norwich, then moved to Fort Plain, N. Y., and later to Onondaga county, N. Y., where they re- mained until 1876, when they came to Bowling Green, where the uncle of Mr. Watson, Abram Owens (before mentioned), then resided. Since that time they have identified themselves with all the interests of this progressive community. Mr. Watson has been employed in building some of the best structures of the town, and has also fol- lowed the occupation of millwright. Previous to the war he was a Whig. but since that time he has been a Republican, although he is a non- partisan in local affairs, and believes in voting for the best man. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for twenty-nine years, and now belongs to Wood county Lodge No. 112, F. & A. M., Crystal Chapter No. 157, R. A. M., Toledo Council No. 33, R. & S. M., and Toledo Commandery No. 7, Knights Templar.
JOHN WEIHE, one of the industrious and pro- gressive agriculturists of Middleton township, was born in Berne, Germany, July 6, 1836.
His father, Clarius Weihl, was a native of the same place, and was extensively engaged in fruit raising and wine-making there. He married Fraulein Mary Linder, and had thirteen children, of whom seven lived to adult age, namely: John, Jacob, Henry, Clavius, Mary, Elizabeth and Maggie. The others died in early infancy.
Mr. Weihl was the only member of the family who came to America. He was educated in the schools of his native place, and worked for his father until he was eighteen years old, when he came to this country, spending forty-six days in crossing the Atlantic. Landing in New York City in 1854, he came to Cleveland, and, after a short stay there, went to St. Louis, Mo., where he worked five months at the blacksmith's trade. He then went to Huron county, Ohio, and worked on a farin near Norwalk until 1866, when lie came to Wood county and located in Middle- ton township, purchasing a tract of land, which he afterward sold to Adam Beil, buying, instead,
his present farm of eighty acres near Haskins. With true German industry, he lias worked to improve his property, where he now has a hand- some dwelling house and other buildings, and a fine orchard, among other improvements.
He was married in Erie county, in 1860, to Miss Eliza Beil, a native of Germany, born in Hassen in 1842, and a sister of Adam Beil, whose biography is given on another page. Fourteen children were born of this union, seven of whom . are still living, viz .: Henry, a farmer; Rena, the wife of George Mohr; William and Charles, both now engaged in agriculture; and Louisa, Fred- erick and Lydia, who are still at honie. The others were Adam, Minnie, Mary, Albert, Arthur, Anna, and one that died in infancy.
Mr. Weihl is an influential worker in local affairs, and has been supervisor of his township for three years, and school director for seven years. In politics he is a Democrat, and he is a prominent member of the German Reformed Church at Haskins.
JOHN LANDWEHR, one of the pioneer agricult- urists of Webster township, was born April 11, 1828, in Hanover, Germany. His parents, Cas- par and Catherine Landwehr, were natives of the same province. They had four children-Fred. Annie, Katie, and John, our subject, who is now the only survivor. His mother died when he was a year old, and at the age of fourteen he was bound out for wages by his father. He received a fair education, however, by making good use of his opportunities. In 1854 he came to America in a sailing vessel, and landed in Baltimore with but two shillings in his pocket. He made his way to Portsmouth, Ohio, and secured employ- ment in a foundry, where he worked six years. In 1861 he came to Wood county, and bought eighty acres of wild land, which was one in- broken stretch of woods and water. There were no roads, and it took two days to make a trip from his home to Woodville and return, a dis- tance of eight miles. His first dwelling was, of course, a log cabin, but the well-earned prosper- ity of his later years has enabled him to build a comfortable residence and farm buildings of mod- ern pattern. He has also added sixty acres more to his estate, making one of the finest farms in his vicinity. He was married November 10. 1858. to Miss Julia Alert, of Portsmouth, Scioto county, a native of Hanover, Germany, born November 9, 1839. She was one in a family of nine children, born to Christopher and Mary Alert.
Mr. and Mrs. Landwehr have had five chil-
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dren: John; George; Louisa, the wife of Edward Howard; George, who died in infancy; and Annie, born January 28, 1871, the wife of Henry Myers, now the manager of his father-in-law's farm. They were married October 25, 1888, and have four children - George, born August 13, 1889; Delia, April 17, 1891; Lawrence, August 17, 1893; and Verna, August 26, 1895.
Mr. Landwehr is one of the public-spirited men of his township, and has served as school director for twelve years, and trustee for three years, discharging every duty with faithfulness and discretion. In politics he is a Republican, and he is a leading member of the German Lu- theran Church at Luckey.
CHARLES A. MERCER is a native of Liberty township, and a son of Abraham and Harriet (Rice) Mercer. His father learned the shoe- maker's trade in early life, and followed it to some extent, but his attention was mainly given to agricultural pursuits. He was born in Colum- bia county, Penn., and since his marriage has resided in Liberty township, now living a retired life in Rudolph. His first wife died about 1883, and he has since wedded Mary A. McCrory. Of the first union were born the following named: Charity, James, Charles A., Porterfield, William Marion, Clinton and Isadore.
Mr. Mercer acquired his education in the com- mon schools, and remained in his father's home until his marriage, with the exception of one year spent in the ariny. He enlisted in 1864, in Company C, IIth O. V. I., and immediately went to the front, where he participated in the Atlanta campaign, and the battles of Goldsboro and Fay- etteville. When the war was over he was hon- orably discharged in Washington in June, 1865, and returned to his home.
In the fall of 1868, in Liberty township, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Mercer and Miss Ann Stevens. They located on the farm which is now their home, Mr. Mercer having previously purchased forty acres of land and erected thereon a good residence. He has upon this place five oil-producing wells, and, in addition to this prop- erty, he owns as fine a farm of roo acres as there is in Jackson township. To Mr. and Mrs. Mercer have been born five children, namely: Abraham A., Carl, Bessie, Leon and Lloyd. Mr. Mercer started in life a poor boy, but has resolutely worked his way upward until he is now numbered among the substantial farmers of the community. He is serving as school director, and has filled that position for several terms, the cause of edu- cation finding in him a warm friend.
ANDREW PEEBLES. No nation has contri- buted more valuable citizens to our great com- monwealth than the "land of the mountain and the flood," and the prominent traits of character for which the Scotch are famous -- thrift, persistence and loyalty-thrive in our republican soil, and take kindly to our foster- ing institutions.
Among the best known and most highly re- spected citizens of Perry township will be found the subject of this sketch, who was born on the Eden, in Fifeshire, Scotland, March 25, 1815, the youngest child in the family of seven sons and. three daughters born to Alexander and Jane (Mackay) Peebles. The father was a farmer who worked for other men, owning no property him- self. Andrew received a good education in the Presbyterian schools of his native land, and when fourteen years old commenced a four- years' apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, leaving for America two years after its comple- tion, as will presently be related, so he worked at carpentering in Scotland six years in all. Wages were very small; it seemed impossible ever to be able to make enough to have a home of his own, and the young man, who had considerable ambi- tion and enterprise, became dissatisfied with his lot. About this time, while doing some work for a rich gentleinan, Mr. Peebles had access to his library, and there found a history of the United States. This he read with great interest, and it awakened a desire to try his fortune in the new country. His employer encouraged his idea of emigration, and recommended him to a brother-in-law of his, by the name of Smith. who lived in New York City. Mr. Smith offered to find employment for him, and a number of others if they would come to New York. Mr. Peebles undertook to get up a company of enii- grants, and secured seven who had decided to leave their country in search of more work and better pay. Mr. Peebles accordingly went to Edinburgh and engaged passage on a sailing vessel for seven men, and on March 1, 1835. bade farewell to his widowed mother and other mem- bers of the family, and started on his long journey. On reaching Edinburgh he was disap- pointed to find that none of the other mnen were on hand, and he was obliged to set sail without them. The vessel, the " Margaret Bogle," Capt. Smith, was a poor one, and had only thirty-six passengers. They encountered severe storins, and, altogether had a rough voyage, making very slow time, and being eight weeks and tour days on her passage to New York City, arriving at the latter place May 28, following.
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Mr. Peebles landed in New York with $15. and at once hunted up Mr. Smith, for whom he worked during that summer. For the succeeding five years he followed his trade in the city and vicinity, and in 1840 started for the West. He came by way of canal from Albany to Buffalo, thence by the lake to Cleveland, and from there by canal to Chillicothe, where he had a brother- in-law living. He worked at his trade in that city and vicinity, and when he could find nothing else to do went into the fields as a harvest hand. Times were hard and money scarce, and the country was flooded with "shinplasters"; a man might have a pocket-full of bills when he went to bed, and wake up to find the banks broken and himself with nothing. Our subject lived in Chil- licothe four years, during that time purchasing a small property there. His next home was in Circleville, Ohio, where he also owned his home, and where he remained three years. He then
rented land near Bainbridge, in Paxton township, Ross Co., Ohio, and engaged in farming, also in the manufacture of fanning mills. Later he lived in Fayette and Clinton counties, farming in both. In March, 1864, Mr. Peebles removed to Montgomery township, Wood county, on one hundred acres of partly improved land, one farm, which he conducted until 1882, and in 1865 he bought 160 acres, also in Montgomery township. In 1883, owing to the poor health of his wife, he broke up housekeeping, and the latter spent some time with her children. In the meantime Mr. Peebles rented a small farm, and, later, re- moved to Perry township and lived with his son.
Mr. Peebles was married in New York City. in April, 1839, to Miss Ellen McDowell, a native of Scotland, who came to this country in 1835: her death took place March 2, 1888, and she lies in the cemetery at Freeport. The children born to this worthy couple were as follows: Jane, the wife of John L. Pursinger, of Washing- ton Court House, Ohio; Andrew J., who died in infancy; James, a farmer in Perry township; Ellen, who married Daniel Wise, and died at Freeport, in 1895; Ann, who became the wife of Alonzo Hemminger, and died in Montgomery township in 1892. Mr. Peebles now lives by himself on a small piece of land in Perry town- ship, and is passing the evening of his life in quiet and restful enjoyment. Besides his home place, he owns a tract of eighty acres in Bloom town- ship. At one time he was a Democrat in polit- ical belief; but, seeing and deprecating the terri- ble evils which intemperance brings upon us as a nation, he has become a Prohibitionist from prin- ciple, and casts all his influence in behalf of that
party which he thinks would remedy the evil if allowed the power. He has never held office, al- though repeatedly urged to do so, and although he was well-fitted to occupy any place in the gift of his locality. He is an honest, upright citizen. a typical Scotchman, and although his love for his native land is still strong within him, he is loyal to the country of his adoption. He has been a stanch Presbyterian ever since his youth, but is broadminded, and gives liberally to Churches of all denominations. Although he has arrived at a good old age, he retains his faculties, and is active and energetic, a congenial companion, and a man highly esteemed in the community.
EPHRAIM SHANABARGER, one of the success- ful representative farmers of Wood county, was born April 16, 1828, in Richland county, Ohio. His parents, Henry and Sarah (Royer) Shana- barger, were natives of Virginia and Pennsylva- nia, respectively. They were married in Rich- land county, Ohio, and there they both died in 1844. They had a family of eleven children: Robert, of Lucas, Ohio; Ephraim; Isaac, a shoe- maker, who died in Missouri; Albert, a farmer of Whitley county, Ind .; Thomas Jefferson, a sol- dier of the 49th O. V. I. ; Wilson Shannon, who died on the banks of the Mississippi river with camp diarrhea, and was buried there; Lavina, wife of Solomon Peterson, of Richland county, Ohio; Eleanor, who died at the home of her brother Ephraim. and was the widow of Thomas Reed, who was killed in a gristmill at Dayton, Ohio; Lucinda, wife of Ephraim Klink, of Mt. Zion, Ohio; Brageta, who died in 1844; and Leah, wife of James Marks, of Lucas, Ohio.
Common-school privileges were those afforded our subject, and his childhood and youth were passed on the old homestead in Richland county. He was seventeen years of age at the time of his parents' deaths. Not long after the farm was sold, and the administrator of the estate bound the children out to fariners. Our subject re- mained in the service of Patrick Yates until he had attained his majority, when he worked as a farm hand in the neighborhood, receiving $1 per day. In 1853 he went with his brother Robert to Miami county, Ind., and purchased eighty acres of wild land, which he at once began to improve. After a year, however, he returned to Wood county. In Bloom township, on Christ- mas Day, 1855, Mr. Shanabarger married Sarah J. Yeaman, who was born in Richland county, April 22. 1835, a daughter of Joshua M. and Catherine (Keefer) Yeaman, also natives of Rich- land county. Mrs. Shanabarger was seventeen
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years of age when she came to Wood county with her parents, who located on a 400-acre farm in Bloom township. there spending their remain- ing days. The father died October 2, 1871, at the age of sixty-three years, and his wife died December 12, 1876, aged seventy-eight years. Their children were Martha (widow of Henry Zoda) and Sarah j. (Mrs. Shanabarger).
Mr. and Mrs. Shanabarger lived four years on her father's farm, the former working in a grist- mill owned by Mr. Yeaman. The latter gave to his daughter and our subject 100 acres of land in Henry township, and they removed to the place, erected thereon a frame residence, and began to clear and improve the property. After the death of Mr. Yeaman, Mr. Shanabarger and his brother- in-law, Mr. Zoda, operated the gristmill for two years, and then concluded to divide the property of the Yeaman estate, the latter retaining the ownership of the mill, while the former took the land. He has since disposed of a portion of this, but still retains the ownership of 216 acres. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Shanabarger are as fol- lows: Francis C., born in Bloom township, September 30, 1856, is now a minister of the House of Israel; Martha Ellen, born February 20, 1858, is the widow of John Bowman, of Findlay, Ohio; Celestia Ann, born March 21, 1865, died November 17, 1884; Henry Albertus, born October 6, 1868, married Margaret Zink, and lives in Henry township; Minnie C., born February 10, 1872, is the wife of Alpheus Wit- more, of Jerry City, Ohio. Mr. Shanabarger was formerly a Democrat in politics, but he is now independent, voting for the best men. He and his wife are members of the religious order known as the New House of Israel, the Living Temple. This religions organization was estab- lished on the 6th of April, 1891, in the city of Port Huron, Mich .. and, when the ark of God's new covenant was brought forth according to divine order the Shanabarger family were among the witnesses. The ark here spoken of (Rev. II, 19) was brought forth July 1, A. D)., 1894, and dedicated in the New House of Israel, the Living Temple, at Pt. Huron, Mich., U. S. A. The New House of Israel is now located in Polk county, Texas, four miles northeast of Living- ston. The presence of the divine ark will con- stitute the life of the Philadelphian Church (Rev. 3, 7), and wherever that is there must che ark of necessity be. The living testimony is now being handed to the people from the ark of the Lord this year A D , 1896, through the col- umns of the Piery by the true Philadelphian Church, the New House of Israel-Isaac was born
B. C., 1896; this proclamation is made A. D., 1896. The fulness of the Gentiles has come in, and Israel must be grafted into their own natural olive again (Rom. xi), and the covenant made with Israel (26th and 27th verses). The procla- mation of this testimony of the Kingdom will be as by the sounds of a trumpet to alarm all na- tions of the earth, and especially all the profes- sions of Christianity because attended with the power of acting all wonders. The birth of this virgin Church was visionally typified to St. John by the great wonder in heaven, bringing forth her first born that was caught up to the throne of God (see Rev. 12) .-- Geo. R. Sutton, H. P., Judge in Israel; residence, four miles northeast of Livingston, Texas.
JOSIIUA O. AVERY, a well-known citizen of Weston township, is a native of Connecticut, born November 23, 1828, in New London county. The first of the Averys in this country came over in the " Mayflower," and in after years many of the name were massacred at Fort Ledyard.
Dudley Avery, father of our subject, was also of Connecticut nativity, born December 16, 1791, of English ancestry, and died near Monroeville, Huron Co., Ohio, September 30, 1854. He fol- lowed the occupation of a farmer, was a Univer- salist in religion, a Republican in politics. In Connecticut, October 16, 1814, he married Miss Prudence Avery, a native of that State, born August 26, 1788, of English parentage. Their children were: Dudley Austin, born September 21, 1815, died November 29, 1890; Hiram, b. February 7, 1817, d. Marchi 30, 1855; Luther, b. April 30, 1819, d. February 28, 1895; Sydney S., b. April 16, 1822, d. February 24, 1830; Sa- rah Elizabeth, b. August !4, 1823, d. April 30, 1890 (she married Thomas B. Smith, in Huron county, and was residing at Dundee, Mich,, at the time of her death; they had one child, Joseph B. Smith): John Q. A., b. June 12, 1825, d. June 2, 1826; Lucy Ann, b. December 30, 1826, d. February 9, 1830; Joshua O., our subject, comes next; Sylvia Ann, b. August 31, 1830, married William H. Chapman (he is deceased, and she now resides one mile east of Weston); and Prudence Olive, b. July 9, 1832, married to Edwin Mauley, of Sherman township, Huron county.
For a time our subject attended school in his native county, and then moved with his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, whence after a year's sojourn the family removed to Huron county, settling near Monroeville, in 1838. There Mr. Avery again attended school until he was twenty years
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Harriet, M. Avery J. O. Curry
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of age, at which time he came to Wood county and located two and one-half miles east of Wes- ton. In 1864 he enlisted at Tontogany, in Com- pany K. 185th O. V. I., under Gen. Cummings, and was honorably discharged in May, 1865. He suffered many hardships connected with a sol- dier's life, and so shattered in health was he when he returned home that he has been an in- valid ever since from paralysis and spinal trouble, so as to be unfit for performing manual labor. He was a corporal in Capt. Black's company. Returning home he had his residence in Tontog- any two years, then remained at his former home near Weston till 1889, in which year he came to his present beautiful home, situated one mile north of that village. It contains twenty-four and one-half acres of highly improved land, in addition to which Mr. Avery owns a farm of 120 acres in Plain township. In early life he followed agricultural pursuits, but for ten years he trav- eled for a plating firm, and for the past decade he has assisted in collecting the taxes of the county. In his political preferences he is a stanch Republican, and for several years he served as trustee of Plain township. As a member of the G. A. R., he has always taken great interest in the National Encampments, having attended nearly all that have been so far held. The county fairs have no better champion than Mr. Avery, and for the past twenty years he has been the able and active secretary of the Wood County Agricultural Society.
Mr. Avery has been thrice married; first time in Lyme township, Huron Co., Ohio, on June S, 1851, to Miss Harriet Mauley, of Sherman, Ohio, born March 6, 1834, in Deerfield, Oneida Co., N. Y., a daughter of John and Thankful (Nich- olson) Mauley, who were of English descent. To this union children as follows were born: Thankful J., born August 21, 1853, died in in- fancy; Dudley Hiram, b. April 11, 1857, married Ellie M. Wiley, of Bowling Green, Ohio; Har- riet Jane A., b. March 6, 1859, married B. P. Stratton, of Bowling Green, and they have two children-Pearl and Harold; John Orlando, b. July 9, 1861, lives in Bowling Green, married Miss Cora Hemminger, of North Baltimore, Ohio, and they had two children-Lea M. (de- ceased), and Bernard; Florence Susanna, b. March 17, 1864, and married G. W. Cheency, also lives in Bowling Green: Flora Adelia, b. Sep- teniber 23, 1865, died in infancy; and Cora Coen, b. July 30, 1868, single. The mother of these died August 4, 1868, and July 20, 1870, at Ton- togany, Mr. Avery married his second wife. For his third he wedded January 6, 1883, Miss Leti-
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