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 58
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in the Whitaker settlement, near where Jerry City is now located, he learned that the commu- nity there were Disciples, so remaining over Sun- day, he preached for them. So well did they like him that they secured for him a house in Portage, pursuaded him to locate there perma- nently, and become their preacher in Wood county. He did so, and preached at a school- house where Mermill is now located, in the fore- noon, and at a school house where Rudolph is now located, in the afternoon. He reared his family in Portage, where he started a wagon shop, in which he worked during the week. Politically, he was a firm supporter of the Repub- lican party. He died in the fall of 1867, and his widow is now living at Gordon, Neb. Nine chil- dren were born to them, namely: Almon G., born July 25, 1840, was a member of Company C, 21st O. V. I., during the Civil war; was cap- tured at Stone River, and was confined in Libby prison; he died at Portage in 1872. John H .. born January 14, 1843, was in the 86th O. V. I. 100-days' service, and also in the 144th O. V. I., 6-months' service; he died and is buried at the Dayton Soldiers' Home. Sarah J., born Jan- uary 12, 1845, died October 10, 1847. Alcinda A., born January 10, 1847, is the wife of Man- ning Abbott, and now resides near Gordon, Neb. S. P. is our subject. Mary A., born August IS, 1851, became the wife of R. M. Donnelly, for- merly clerk of Wood county court, and died at Findlay, Ohio, in 1892. Austin R., born Octo- ber 23, 1853, resides at Bowling Green, where he has been deputy clerk of the court for ten years; Lucy E .. born June 24, 1858, married A. J. Holcomb, of Gordon, Neb., where she now resides. Freeman, born May 22, 1861, lives in Gordon, Nebraska.
Our subject spent the days of his youth in Portage, where he received his education, and at the remarkably early age of fifteen years began teaching school, in which line he continued some twelve ternis in the district schools of Wood county, and then went to Portage and taught one term in the high school there. When only twenty years old he was principal of the Girard (Ohio) High School, where he stayed one year, and then studied law with the firm of Wat- son & Strong, of Norwalk, Ohio. In 1870 and 1871 he was mayor of Portage, and in 1874-75- 76 was a justice of the peace in Bowling Green. In 1871 he entered the law department of Michi- gan University at Ann Arbor, and, after gradua- ting in 1872, formed a partnership with J. R. Tyler and J. W. Canary, of Bowling Green, which was known by the firin name of Tyler,
S.P. Harrison
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Canary & Harrison. The latter dropped out of the firm after one year, for twelve years there- after practicing alone in Bowling Green, and then for one year in Toledo. In 1885 he went to New York, and practiced there for a while, then moved to Ellsworth, Kans., remaining in that place for three years, thence proceeding to Phoenix, Ariz., sojourning there for a few months. He finally returned to Wood county, locating in North Baltimore, where he has continued the practice of his profession. He was the first city solicitor of North Baltimore, being elected to that office in 1890. In 1891 he lost all he possessed in the great fire, and was obliged to start afresh.
Mr. Harrison was married October 15, 1873, to Miss Sarah E. Flint, who was born in Fort Plain, Montgomery Co., N. Y., where she spent her childhood, receiving her education in the Fort Plain Seminary. Mr. Harrison was a charter member of Whitney Lodge. Portage, and of Centennial Lodge, Bowling Green, I. O. O. F., which he named.
T. J. CAMPBELL, the well-known merchant and banker, of Bloomdale, is justly regarded as one of the leading men in the commercial circles of southern Wood county. A shrewd business man, he is at the same time generous and public- spirited, and is ever ready to encourage any movement to benefit the community. He is the only child of one of the most prominent of Bloom township's pioneers, Andrew Campbell, who was born May 10, 1803, in Canonsburg, Pennsyl- vania.
William Campbell, our subject's grandfather, came from the North of Ireland, in 1787, and died in Pennsylvania in 1810. Andrew Camp- bell was reared in Washington county, Penn., experiencing the common lot of a country boy in pioneer times. In 1832 he came to Wood coun- ty, on foot, and entered 160 acres of land in Henry township, which was among the earliest claims taken. He visited this land each year for some time, making some improvements each time, and in 1839 he purchased eighty acres in Bloom township adjoining the tract of 160 acres; on this he erected a rude log cabin. In August of the following year he was married to Miss Mary Harsha, a native of Washington county, Penn., and a daughter of Thomas Harsha, a leading citizen there. A month later the young couple set out for their new home in the swamps of Wood county, driving a team the entire distance. When they reached their destination they took shelter for a time in a small log pen 15 x 15, until
the floor of their cabin could be laid. Much re- mained to be done to prepare for the chilly blasts of the winter, and it required years of hard labor to transform their section of wilderness into a farm; but this was done. Andrew Campbell was a man of fine abilities and liberal ideas, and, although his schooling had been limited, his in- formation was varied and extensive. Previous to the war he was a Whig in politics, but later he voted the Republican ticket, and took a hearty interest in the success of the party, attending con- ventions and primaries, but never entering the race for office himself. He was active up to the time of his death, which occurred November 19. 1878, from pneumonia. His wife, who had been for many years a consistent and devoted member of the Presbyterian Church, had passed away on August 20, of that year, and the mortal remains of both were laid to rest in Weaver cemetery.
T. J. Campbell spent his boyhood upon the farm, with plenty of work and such educational advantages as the district schools afforded. He has seen great improvements in these schools since his day, and endorses thein most heartily. On August 18, 1862, he enlisted in Company I, ILIth Regiment, O. V. I. (Capt. John Yeager, commanding), which was sent first to Covington, Ky., to help intercept Bragg, who was threaten- ing the Ohio border. Mr. Campbell was under fire for the first time at Huff's Ferry, and then followed the battles of Lenoir, Campbell's Sta- tion, Knoxville, Rocky Face, Burnt Hickory. New Hope Church, Alatoona, Kenesaw Mountain. Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Fort Anderson and Wilmington. He was never wounded, and was always on duty, ex- cept when physical ailments prevented him from taking his place. June 27, 1865, he was dis- charged at Salisbury, and came home to assume the active management of the farm.
On January 18. 1866, he was married to Miss Emeline Foster, who was born within the pres- ent city limits of Findlay, a daughter of Silas Foster, a prominent resident of Henry township. Seven children were born of this union: Orrin F., the cashier of the Exchange Bank at Bloom- dale; Boyd E., a clerk in his father's store; Min- nie, who died at the age of three months: Ford H., employed in his father's store; Curtie, now Mrs. M. A. Probert; Charles R., the bookkeeper in the Exchange Bank; and Edna, who is at home.
After carrying on the farm successfully until September, 1888, Mr. Campbell sold a part of it retaining 120 acres. He moved to Bloomdale, and gave his native business talent scope for ac-
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tivity in several lines of work. He bought of L. C. Smith a one-third interest in the Gas Cen- ter Mill, opened a grocery store, and became in- terested in the grain business of Stacy & Co., owning the elevator. Later he disposed of these interests, and in 1891 established the Exchange Bank with a capital of $20,000, and in 1893, erected the Exchange Block, a fine office build- ing, where he provided suitable accommodations
for the bank. In 1895 he opened there the hard- ware and stove store, which has the largest quar- ters and most extensive trade of its kind in the town. He is a stockholder in the Bloomdale Creamery, a director in the Bloomdale Building and Loan Association, of which he was an or- ganizer, and he is also interested in the Star Ad- dition to Bloomdale. He is not an office seeker, but is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has given some time to local affairs, serving four years as township clerk, and several terms as trustee, and he was the second mayor of Bloomdale. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. In G. A. R. affairs he has been very active, and was a charter member of Sill Post, at N. Baltimore. At present he be- longs to Urie Post No. 110, at Bloomdale.
THOMAS STONE, one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, was born in Yorkshire, England, November 23, 1829, and is a son of William and Mary (Booth) Stone, both of whom died in England, the father in 1838, the mother in 1866. They were the parents of twelve children: John, a farmer and preacher of Yorkshire, England; An- nie, wife of John Carr, a farmer of Yorkshire; Harriet, wife of William Chaplain, a resident of the City of York, England; William, who was drowned at the age of twelve years; Robert, who was drowned at the age of ten; Mary, who was burned to death at the age of seven; Thomas, subject of this sketch; Maria, widow of William Whitehead, of Southport, Lancashire, England; Francis, who died in infancy; Frank, who died in Yorkshire, in ISSI, at the age of forty years; and two who died in infancy.
In his native land the education of our sub- ject was mostly acquired, and in 1850 he em- barked on the ship, "Seringapatami," at Hall, England, which, after a long and stormy voyage of eight weeks, dropped anchor in the harbor of New York. On landing on the shores of the New World, Mr. Stone canie to Erie county, Ohio, locating near Sandusky. City, where he worked on a farm until 1861, in which year he came to Wood county, where in April, 1858, he had purchased his present farm of sixty acres, at
that time all wild land, mostly covered withi water, in part so bad was it that in order to drive a team to the mill he had to go round by the river.
In June, 1852, in Erie county, Ohio, Mr. Stone married Miss Emma Smith, daughter of Jeremiah and Mary (Clarke) Smith, both natives of Lincolnshire, England. The family came to this country in 1849, and the father died in Marshalltown, Iowa, in ISSI; the mother had passed away in 1852. They had six sons and four daughters, namely: Charles, who belonged to the Fifth Iowa Infantry, was taken prisoner by the Rebels at the battle of Missionary Ridge in 1863, and died in Andersonville prison in Sep- tember, 1864: Cooke, who was a member of the Tenth Ohio Cavalry, and died from the effects of army service, in Michigan, in November, 1872; John and Robert, who both died in Iowa; Clark, who served in an Iowa regiment, and now lives in that State; Thomas, a fariner in Washington township; Emma (Mrs. Stone); Mary Ann, now the wife of Edwin Meeks, a farmer of Cadillac, Mich., who formerly operated a flouring-mill at Fostoria, Ohio, which he had to abandon on ac- count of ill health; and two girls who died in in- fancy. Mrs. Stone, who is the eldest in the fam- ily, was born March 27, 1833.
Ten children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Stone, seven of whom are yet living: George W., born May 29, 1856, is a fariner of Washington township, married Hattie Brillhart, and has four children-Fred, Allie, Francis J. and Birdie. Samantha, born September II, 1860, is the wife of John McCombs, who resides near Blissfield, Lenawee Co., Mich. Francis C .. born Angust 14, 1862, rents the Joel Foote farm in Washington township, which he operates; his wife bore the maiden name of Mary Crool. Clara, born April 2, 1864, is the wife of Louis Jefferies; they make their home near Monclova, Lucas Co., Ohio. Clarke J., born May 21, 1866, married Louisa Mozenia, and now carries 011 farming in Plain township, Wood county. Josephine, born August 15, 1868, is the wife of C. E. Gundy, a farmer of Washington township. Hattie N., born November 4, 1870, is the wife of John Welch, a farmer of Monclova, L .. cas county. Three died in infancy, namely: Will- iam, born August 8, 1854. died September 7. following; Mary, born December 1, 1858, died April 9, 1861; and Nettie, born October 20. 1872, died on November 3, following The parents "also reared two brothers and a sister of Mrs. Stone.
In May, 1864, Mr. Stone enlisted at Tontog-
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any in Company B, 144th Regiment, O. V. I., under Capt. Black and Col. Miller. On May 1, 1864, the troops left Perrysburg, Ohio, for Co- lumbus, being mustered in at Camp Chase. They then proceeded to Pittsburg, thence to Harris- burg and Baltimore. where they remained two nights, and thence to Camp Parole, Md., near Annapolis, where they did guard duty until the Ist of July. Then they went to Monocacy Junc- tion, near Fredericksburg, participating in sev- eral skirmishes, and while thus engaged Mr. Stone was taken prisoner on the 13th of August. When within five miles of Culpeper, he with four others succeeded in making their escape; but were five days and six nights on the road be- fore reaching the Union lines near Fairfax Court House. On the close of his term of enlistment our subject was mustered out at Columbus, where he had suffered from an attack of fever. He is now a member of Walter A. Wood Post, G. A. R., of Tontogany.
In June, 1889, Mr. Stone returned to Eng- land, visiting the scenes of his youth and renew- ing old friendships, being absent on his trip about four months. He has aided in every enterprise calculated to enhance the best interests of his township and county, and labored earnestly for the welfare of their citizens. In politics he is a stanch Republican, and filled the position of trustee for one year, was supervisor several years and also school director. In religious faith he attends the services of the United Brethren Church. He has ever found his greatest pleasure in his home, and on June 15, the anniversary of his marriage, always holds a re-union of the family, which now comprises thirty-one mem- bers, including his children and fifteen grand- children.
JAMES BRANDEBERRY, one of Perry township's most honored citizens, was born in Richland county, Ohio, May 4, 1828, and is a son of Philip and Catherine (Zimmerman) Brandeberry. In the fall of 1838, the father brought the family to Wood county, locating on 240 acres in Section . 15, Perry township, but he later sold that tract and purchased a like amount in Bloom township. For his service in the war of 1812, he received eighty acres of land in Eaton county, Mich., and in that struggle took part in the engagements around Fort Meigs. He made the first improve- ments upon his land in Perry township, and, while their first cabin was being constructed, the fam- ily found a temporary home with John Chilcote. Philip Brandeberry was quite successful in his business transactions, and gave to each of his
children eighty acres of land, or its equivalent. He was very fond of hunting, and used to engage in that sport to a great extent. In politics he was first a Whig, and later a Republican, His death occurred in Perry township at the age of eighty years, eight months and eleven days, while his wife lived to be nearly seventy-eight, and they were buried side by side at Center of Perry. In the family of this worthy couple were.the fol- lowing children: Betsy, who became the wife of John Chilcote, and died in Perry township; Jona- than, who died in Portage township; Philip, who departed this life in Bloom township; Christina, who was the wife of William Burke, and died in Freedom township; William, who died in Bloom township; Mary, who became the wife of Henry Hays, and passed away in Perry township; Isaac. who died in the same township; Thomas, a prom- inent citizen of Bloom township; and James, of this sketch.
The last named was less than eleven years of age when brought by his parents to Wood county. and acquired his education in the district schools. Farm machinery in those early days was quite primitive, so that the life of an agriculturist was not an easy one, but he continued to devote his energies to the cultivation of the old homestead until his marriage. He then began its operation on his own account, making his home there until April, 1885, since which time he has lived with his step-grandchildren, in Perry township.
On May 10, 1849, in Sandusky county, Ohio, Mr. Brandeberry led to the marriage altar Miss Jane Bates, a native of Columbiana county. Ohio, and a daughter of Andrew Bates, a pioneer of Sandusky county. Five children blessed this union-Minerva, who married Abraham Long- acre, and died in Perry township; Mary J., who first wedded Marcus Keefer, but is now the wife of Randall Baird, of Perry township; George, who makes his home in Wood county; Emily, now Mrs. William Johnson, of Perry township: Laura, wife of Simon Hartley, of the same township. The mother of these children was buried in Perry township. In 1872 Mr. Brandeberry was united in marriage with Mrs. Rosanna Zepernick, widow of Frederick Zepernick, and daughter of Samuel Burns, one of the honored early settlers of Perry township. On the 29th of August, 1890, Mrs. Brandeberry was called to her final rest, and was buried at Center of Perry.
For twenty years Mr. Brandeberry followed threshing, besides his regular agricultural pursuits. and became widely known throughout the county Although his school training was slight, he is a man of great natural ability, and is well infornied
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on the current events of the day. His support has always been given the Republican party, and he has been called upon to fill several local posi- tions, being supervisor and school director, and for two years was treasurer of Perry township, but always preferred to devote his time and atten- tion to his business affairs, rather than to polit- ical matters.
HON. H. L. HUDDLE, ex-mayor of North Baltimore, well deserves a place in this history of the representative men of Wood county, and a brief sketch of his life will prove of interest to the readers of this volume.
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Mr. Huddle was born July 5, 1854, in Bloom township, Seneca Co., Ohio, a son of Noah and Lavinia (Bretz) Huddle, who were both natives of Seneca county, the former born in 1825, the latter in 1828. They were there married, fol- lowed agricultural pursuits, and passed the rest of their busy lives, the father dying in 1863, and the mother in 1872. To them eight children were born, namely: John, a farmer in Seneca county; A. C., engaged in the undertaking busi- ness in Fredericktown, Ohio; Homer L., the sub- ject of this sketch; Barbara, who married Wes- ley George, and died in Michigan; George M., a farmer in Ionia county, Mich; Gratten G., who died in 1892; and two who were killed in a run- away when young.
The paternal great-grandfather of our subject came from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania, where he followed farming and died in that State. The grandfather, Benjamin Huddle, left Pennsyl- vania at an early day, and became a pioneer set- tler of Seneca county, Ohio. His wife was a sister of Elder Seitz, a noted pioneer preacher of that section. Benjamin Huddle began life a poor man, but, by industry and perseverance, accumulated a fortune, owning at one time 400 acres of land, and passing his last years in a com- fortable home, surrounded by an abundance of the good things of life. The family were all "hard-shell " Baptists, and were proud of the title, answering all captious or sneering remarks on their peculiar sect by saying that "a hard shell is better than no shell at all."
The subject of this sketch is essentially a self- made man. His father died when he was nine years old, and he was left to the tender mercy of relatives, living here and there, working for a living at odd jobs, and drifting with the tide, and knocked about by the waves of adversity during his boyhood days. As maturer years approached, he realized that destiny is generally the result of individual effort, and bringing to mind a favorite
adage, "A rolling stone gathers no moss," he determined to have a purpose in life, and made a start to fulfill it. He had been living in Marion county, Ohio, with relatives, and, although nine- teen years old, had little or no education. This he set about rectifying, and entered the North- western Ohio Normal School, at Republic. Ohio, working at anything through his leisure hours, and on farms during the vacations, in order to pay his way. When the school was removed to Fos- toria, he followed, and by untiring application, and in spite of numerous obstacles, obtained a good English education.
On October 14, 1875, Mr. Huddle was mar- ried, in Fostoria, to Miss Amanda M. Tumpaugh, of which union four children have been born, of whom the eldest, Frank, died when two years old; the others are-Charles, Hazel and Fred. After his marriage Mr. Huddle remained in Fos- toria, working at anything he could find to do until 1876, when he removed to North Balti- more. His means were very limited, but he was able to buy a blind horse, with which he began draying. This he carried on with increasing suc- cess for a few years, when he bought a half in- terest in a dry-goods store in North Baltimore. Sixteen months later, in 1884, he disposed of this business and leased the elevators, becoming the principal grain buyer and shipper in the vi- cinity. His motto is "live and let live," and he has built up an extensive business by his fair deal- ing, honesty and untiring activity. His road to for- tune seems now assured, and he can look back upon the obstacles surmounted as so many incen- tives to action which really served as good pur- pose in bringing out the reserve forces within him.
Mr. Hubble is a man of genial nature, and ex- ceedingly popular in the community, which was proven by his election as mayor of North Balti- more in 1892. He held that office for two years, to the satisfaction of all concerned. He is a lib- eral-minded, patriotic citizen, and merits the high esteem in which he is held. In poli- tics is a stanch Republican; socially is a Knight of Pythias, and in religious affiliation is a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, . as is also his wife.
ALEXANDER McCOMES. The representatives of the farming interests of Wood county acknowl- edge this gentleman as one of the important factors in bringing this section of the State to its present enviable condition. He is a man of more than ordinary business capacity, intelligent and well informed, and has identified himself with the progress and best interests of the people.
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H. L. Hudelle
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Mr. McCombs was born October 15, 1834, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, a son of Archibald and Catherine (Jeffers) McCombs, both natives of Pennsylvania, the father born May 13, 1799, in Washington county; the mother born February 14, 1802, in Susquehanna county. They were married in Harrison county, Ohio, after which Mr. McCombs bought a fifty-acre lot in Tuscara- was county, near New Philadelphia, all in tim - ber, whither he removed, and which he cleared and put into good shape. To him and his wife were born eleven children, as follows: (1) John, who was a member of the 144th O. V. I. during the Civil war, and died in a Rebel prison at Salisbury, N. C .; was married, and had a family of eight children; at the time of his enlistment he was a prominent farmer of Washington township, Wood county. (2) Sarah Jane, widow of Charles Patterson, has three children-Henry, Jacob and Percy-and resides near Scotch Ridge with a son. (3) William, a farmer of Mecosta county, Mich., also served in the war of the Rebellion as a mem- ber of the 51st O. V. I. (4) Jacob was a mem- ber of the 21st O. V. I., and died at Nashville from the effects of hard service. (6) Martha is the wife of Wesley Cochran, a farmer of Ann Arbor, Mich., by whom she has two children- William and Agnes. (7) Catherine, who makes her home in Whiteside county, Kans., is the widow of Henry Grooves, and has five children- John, Lewis, Alex., Thomas and Sadie. (S) Margaret died at the age of twenty-two years. (9) Mary died at the age of ten. (10) Charles died in infancy. (11) Alexander, the subject of this sketch, completes the number. The entire family grew to manhood and womanhood on the Tuscarawas county farm, except our subject, who was thirteen years old when his parents moved, in the fall of 1847, to Wood county, Ohio, in the spring of 1848 buying a home in Washington township, where they lived some years-the children in the meantime, one by one, leaving the parental roof, some for homes of their own, others, as already related, crossing the dark river to the Unknown. When they became old and feeble, the parents were persuaded by their son, Alexander, to move, in the spring of 1874. to his home in Washington township, and there they died, the father on April 18, 1874, the mother on June 22, 1885. They were members of the United Brethren Church, and in politics Mr. McCombs was a stalwart Democrat.
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