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 63
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Fifteen children have been born to our sub- ject and his wife: Emeline, wife of Johnson Campbell, of Bloomdale, Ohio; Samilda, wife of Benjamin Bair, of Hancock county, Ohio: Thomas, who was State Senator from Fort Wayne District, Indiana, and died at the age of thirty-five; Matilda, wife of Charles Wilson, of Fulton county, Ohio; William, a painter of Jack- son, Mich .: Elizabeth, wife of jesse Berger, of Albion, Ind. ; Rachel, wife of Nelson Anderson, of Findlay, Ohio; Corwin, of Wood county;
Minnie, wife of Olin Robbins, of Van Buren, Hancock Co., Ohio; A. Lincoln, at home, and a twin brother who died at birth; Nellie, the wife of Ben Thurston, of Bairdstown, Ohio: James Sherman, of Van Buren; Susie, wife of Jasper Elton, of Toledo, Ohio; and Jennie Olive, who died at the age of twelve years.
Mr. Foster is a supporter of the Prohibition party, and has served as assessor, school director. trustee and supervisor, discharging his duties with a promptness and fidelity that have won him high commendation. His life has been an up- right and honorable one, commanding the respect and confidence of all.
ISAAC NEIFER. From Germany to America came the founder of the Neifer family in this country, Isaac Neifer, who was the father of our subject. He was then a young man of eighteen. who, with the hope of bettering his financial con- dition, had come to the New World, and for a year after his arrival worked in order to get money to pay for his passage. Locating at New Holland, Penn., he there married Elizabeth Mil- ler. Subsequently he moved to Ohio, and later to Indiana, where his last days were spent. Our subject, Isaac Neifer (2), was born in New Hol- land, Penn., July 29, 1813, and was a cabinet maker by trade, following that pursuit until 1859. also, at odd times, for a few yearslater. On No- vember 13, 1838, he married Harriet Oberiy. who was born in Leacock township, Lancaster Co., Penn., May 16, 1821, a daughter of Adam and Catharine (Myers) Oberly, the former of whom made farming his life work, and both con- tinued their residence in Lancaster county, until called to their final home, the father passing away in 1873 aged ninety-three years, the mother in 1856, aged seventy-eight years. Their chil- dren were: Elizabeth, deceased wife of Ben- jamin Miller; John and Isaac, deceased: Cathar- ine, deceased wife of John Sullinberger: Daniel. who died in Lancaster county, in April. 1896. aged eighty-nine years; Samuel, deceased: Mar- garet, deceased wife of Christian Erb: Liddic. deceased wife of Samuel Flafer; Sarah, wife of Daniel Geist. of Lancaster county; Levi. also of Lancaster county; Harriet (Mrs. Neifer ; and Adam, the last born, who died when two years old. The Oberly family was also of German origin.
Mrs. Clauser, the great-grandmother of Har- riet Oberly Neifer, was killed by the Indians m Lancaster county, Penn., in 1743, being pierced under the left arm with a spear. A son was shot off his horse by an arrow from the bow of an In-
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dian, and fell dead beneath the animal, and a daughter, Catharine Clauser, then a child of nine years, was taken from the wagon, carried away some distance by the Indians, who were in the act of scalping her when overtaken by the men of the party who were in close pursuit. The Indians had cut a great gash across her forehead from ear to ear, the scar of which she carried to her grave, living to be seventy-eight years of age. On grow- ing up she married a Mr. Jacobs, who died three years subsequently, leaving one son who moved to Ohio and died. After the death of Mr. Jacobs, she was married to Valentine Myers, and to them were born two sons and three daughters. namely: Mary, Catharine, Jacob, Isaac and Margaret. Catharine became tlie wife of Adam Oberly, and mother of Harriet Oberly Neifer.
In 1848 Isaac Neifer (2) brought his family to Wood county, Ohio, and rented the farm, one mile south of the present village of Weston, known as the " Keeler Farm," in Milton township. The same year he purchased what is now the old family homestead, comprising 120 acres, to which he afterward added forty acres. He built a log house, and then a cabinet shop, also of logs, that are still standing, and in connection with farming he worked at his trade. Here he made his home until his death, which occurred May 17, 1892. His children were as follows: Catharine, who died in infancy; Adam O., born February 13, 1841; John M., born January 15, 1843, and died July 22, 1892; Amos M., born November 17, 1844; Sarah E., born May 25, 1848, died in in- fancy; and Isaac Newton, born October 5, 1854. Of the children who married and reared families, the following is a brief record: (1) Adam O., the eldest, at the age of eight years came with his parents to Ohio, where he worked in the cabinet shop with his father, but gave the most of his at- tention to farm labor. His education was ac- quired in Pennsylvania and Ohio. On November 12, 1863, he married Helen J. Moore, who was born in Milton township March 30, 1844, and they became the parents of four children: Sarah J., wife of Albert Smith. of Milton township; Mary Nettie, wife of Henry Steinman: John N .. who married Gertie Stretchberg; and Jessie, a young girl at home. (2) John M. was married in 1872, to Eliza Sawyer, and to them were born eleven children, eight of whont are living; John's death occurred in IS92 from disease contracted while in the army. (3) Amos M. was married to Flora S. Bassett, and to them were born four daughters. of whom the eldest two are now mar- ried, while one died in infancy; Amos M. is now living in Bowling Green, Ohio. (4) Isaac New-
ton, the youngest, is spoken of more fully farther on. The father of this family in political af- filiation was for the most part a stalwart Whig and Republican, but was never given to office- seeking, preferring to give his time and attention to his business interests, in which he met with good success. The widowed mother still remains on the farm where she has passed many years of her life, beloved and respected by all who know her. She is among the oldest settlers, and holds the U. S. patent for the farm she lives on, with only one transfer from the original enterer, Sam- uel Cobb, who made the entry and got the patent direct.
ISAAC N. NEIFER, a leading citizen of Wes- ton, is a native of Milton township, Wood Co., Ohio, where he was born October 5, 1854. He is a son and youngest child of Isaac and Harriet (Oberly) Neifer, whose sketch appears above.
Our subject attended school at Weston, his spare moments being occupied on the home farm. He worked at various employments until his mar- riage, October 13, 1875, with Miss Addie Alice Henry, who was born November 26, 1857, in Ashland county, whence she moved with her par- ents to Weston in May, 1873. They have had two children: Willie, who died in infancy, and Annie Alice, who was born August 10, 1887.
In 1876, Mr. Neifer commenced in the pro- duce-shipping business, for his father-in-law, and with the exception of one year, continued with him up to January, 1892, when he rented. and one year later bought out the business of the firm, since which time he has continued in the produce-shipping business with success. He is the only extensive dealer in the egg and poultry business in this section of Wood county, most of his produce being shipped to New York City. His trade is such as to necessitate the keeping of a wagon on the road continually, gathering in produce. Socially Mr. Neifer is a member of the I. O. O. F., and also of the. F. & A. M.
John Henry, father of Mrs. Neifer, was born in Savannah, Ashland Co., Ohio, in 1824, and came to Weston in 1873. He entered the pro- duce trade in which he continued until our subject purchased his business, as related above, when he retired. He amassed a comfortable fortune, and is to-day recognized as one of the monied inen of Weston. Although over seventy, he is hale and hearty, and is recognized as one of tlie patriarchs of the town. In his political predilections he is a Democrat; and socially le is a member of the I. O. O. F., and also of the F. & A. M.
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L. P. TRIBBLE, the genial host of the " Trib- ble House " at Haskins, was born April 14, 1846, in Clermont county, Ohio, where his paternal grandfather, Cornelius Tribble, a native of South Carolina, was among the earliest settlers.
Amos Tribble, our subject's father, was born in the same county April 10, 1820. He was married in Bethel, Clermont county, to Miss Margaret Higby, a native of New Jersey, born in 1819. Her family is of old New England stock, but her parents were born in New Jersey, and moved to Ohio during her girlhood. Amos Trib- ble and his wife lived in Clermont county . until !853, when they came to Wood county and settled on a farm in Middleton township, after- ward removing to Portage for a few years. They were members of the Congregational Church, and honored for their consistent example. Our sub- ject's mother died November 1, 1892, but his father is still living, and resides on his farm, near Haskins. He is a Republican in politics, and when inclined to active work was influential in local affairs. Mr. Tribble is second in a family of six children, the others being: Julia A., the widow of H. N. Rush. of Portage; Lizzie married Eli Chapman, of Bowling Green; Charles, a farmer in Middleton township; and Helen and Annie, who both died in childhood.
After acquiring a good education in the schools of District No. 6, and the town of Haskins, Mr. Tribble taught for ten years in different parts of the county, and then took charge of the C. H. & D. R. R. office at Haskins. This position he held for fifteen years, in the meantime establish- ing and conducting successfully his hotel business. He was married October 13, 1872, to Miss Jessie Pope, a native of Sandusky county, born Septem- ber 12, 1855. Two children were born to this union: Julia, the wife of J. I. McCaslin, and Dwight, who lives with his parents. Mrs. Trib- ble is a lady of unusual mental endowments and force of character, and is a leader in various organizations. In all progressive movements both our subject and his wife are active sup- porters, and Mr. Tribble takes a prominent part in political affairs also, having been elected lately for the fifth time on the Republican ticket to the office of township treasurer. He is a member of the F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F.
J. L. RUMLER is one of the highly-respected farmers of Montgomery -- his native township -- where he first opened his eyes to the light, Feb- ruary 19, 1860, in Section 21. He belongs to one of the prominent pioneer families of the county, his grandfather, John Rumler, having
arrived here in 1833. He entered at that time 160 acres of wild land in Section 21, receiving a deed for the same signed by Andrew Jackson. John Rumler was born in Lancaster, Penn., of German parentage, and on reaching manhood married Catherine Augustine, a native of Mahon- ing county, Ohio, where their wedding was cele- brated. In Wood county he located upon the farm where our subject now resides, but at that time not a tree had been felled or an improvement of any kind made upon the place. There both he and his wife died at the age of eighty-eight years, his death occurring in 1862, and her's in May, 1864, and both were buried near Bradner. Ohio. In their family were five children: Eva, now Mrs. David Henline, of Sandusky, Ohio; Busias L., the father of our subject; Amelina, who became the wife of Benjamin Plants, and died in Sandusky county; John, a farmer of Montgomery township; and Elias, of the same township. In early life the grandfather learned the trade of a weaver, and he also followed teaming over the Alleghany Mountains from Lan- caster, Penn., to Pittsburg; but his later life was devoted exclusively to agricultural pursuits. Religiously, he was a Lutheran.
Busias L. Rumler was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, July 12, 1816, and during his boy- hood received a fair education in German, which language was used principally by his father and their immediate neighbors. At the age of seven- teen years he accompanied his parents to Wood county, where he became a successful hunter, being very fond of the sport. He was very hardy and robust, and used to walk miles and miles in search of game, often staying out all night; but the exposure told upon his constitution in later years. He was a hard worker. and as- sisted many of the pioneers in clearing their land. On August 24, 1856, in Montgomery township, he was united in marriage with Miss Eliza J. Mogle, who was born in that township, May 6, 1840, daughter of David and Sarah (Stalil. Mogle, the former a native of Richland county. and the latter of Wayne county, Ohio. Mrs. Rumler was the second in order of birth in a family of eight children, the others being Mary. now Mrs. C. T. Hardaker, of Fulton county, Ohio; Susan, who died in infancy: John W .. of Lime City, Ohio; Daniel J., who died at that place; Levina, wife of Isaac Whitson, of Lime City; Oliver. of Fulton county, Ind .; Annie. who became the wife of John Galbreath, and died at Prairie Depot, Wood county. The par- ents of these children were married in Wood county, where they arrived in 1833. The father
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came in the spring with his father, Michael Mogle, who made a location in Montgomery township, and the mother accompanied her mar- ried sister, Mary, the wife of Daniel Edmunds, to the county in the fall of the same year.
After his marriage Mr. Rumler built a hewed- log house, upon the farm where our subject now resides, and upon the site now occupied by the latter's residence. Later he located on the old homestead, where he lived for two years, and then returned to the log house, which was destroyed by fire in October, 1877; the following year the present substantial brick residence was erected. Upon that farm his death occurred February I, IS95. For about nine years previous he had been in failing health, but was never confined to his bed until the day before he died. His remains were interred in the Prairie Depot cemetery. He had been very active in his younger years, and his feats of strength were alinost marvelous. He used his right of franchise in sapport of the Demi- ocratic party, and religiously was an earnert inember of the Lutheran Church.
Since the death of his father, J. L. Ruinler, whose naine introduces this review, and his mother have lived on the home farmn, which he operates. He obtained a common-school educa- tion, and early became familiar with the duties that fall to the lot of an agriculturist. He has picked up carpentering, and is also quite familiar with other mechanical trades; but he devotes most of his time to the care and cultivation of the farm, which under his able management ranks among the best of the township. In manner he is quiet and unassuming; but is one of the inost industrious and enterprising agriculturists of the locality, where he has always made his home and has many warm friends. Though not strictly partisan, he usually supports the men and ineas- ures of the Democratic party. Living with Mir. Rumler and his mother are the two sons of her youngest sister, Sarah Annie, who married John M. Galbreath, and these little boys, aged respect- ively six and four years, there find a pleasant home.
A. E. SMITH, carriage manufacturer and dealer, is a native of New York State, born March 25, 1850, at Newburg. He resided in that town until twenty-six years old, learning and working at the trade of wagon-maker, which he followed in Newburg some four or five years. He then went to Hornellsville, N. Y., and vari- ous other places throughout the State. and, com- ing west, worked at Cleveland, whence he came to Tontogany in July, 1875. Mr. Smith remained
at Tontogany until the following March, and then he went to Van Wert, Ohio, staying there about two years. On March 1, 1878, he came to Wes- ton, and engaged in business for himself, suc- ceeding in building up a very substantial trade, and he has an extensive stock of carriages. wagons and harness.
Our subject was married in Grand Rapids, Ohio, April 19, 1877, to Miss Emma Yost, a daughter of Peter Yost. They have no children. Mr. Smith has two brothers: William P., an en- gineer in Weston, and Charles A .. a salesman in our subject's factory. All the three brothers are Democrats in politics.
Eli Smith, the father, was a farmer, who came from New York State in 18So, and settled in Ohio. Politically he was a Democrat. He was married on January IS, IS48, to Miss Hannah E. Fergueson, of Newburg, Orange Co., New York.
H. N. VAN VOORHIS, a successful farmer of Montgomery township, was born September 25, 1825, in the township of Whetstone, Crawford Co., Ohio, and is the son of William and Hannah (Jones) Van Voorhis. The great-grandfather of our subject was born in Holland, and H. N. is of the fourth generation in the United States. Will- iam Van Voorhis, the father of our subject, was a farmer in Crawford county, where he and his family were early pioneers.
Mr. Van Voorhis is the oldest male represent- ative of his family in Ohio. He did not receive over six months' schooling altogether. In 1836. when he was ten years old, his parents moved to Michigan, passing en route through Wood coun- ty, and along the "Old Stone Road." They were three days going from Fremont, Ohio, to Perrysburg, as the road was very bad and swampy. and they spent four years in St. Joseph and Cass counties, Mich. Mr. Van Voorhis lived with his parents until he was between twenty-three and twenty-four years old, with the exception of one year, during which he was learning the har- ness-making trade at Bucyrus. He taught school for four or five terins in Knox and Crawford coun- ties, receiving for the first term $8 per monthi. and " boarding round "; his highest salary was $14 per month, without board. Mr. Van Voor- bis was married in Crawford county, March 15. 1849, to Miss Sarah Beck, who was born near New Lisbon. Columbiana county, February 26. 1831, a daughter of Henry and Rachel Roselle Beck, both of whom were from New Jersey. When our subject was married he did not have a dollar; but he rented a small log house in Olen-
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tangy, Crawford county, for which he paid $12 per year, and his wife's parents gave them furni- ture with which to go to housekeeping. Later Mr. Van Voorhis bought two lots in the village, whereon he built a hewed-log house, and for seven years lived there, occupied in making shingles from rough timber, and teaching school. In the spring of 1858 he rented a farm in Morrow county, living there until the fall of the same year, when he returned to Whetstone township, bought ten acres of timbered land, and, moving an old house onto it, lived there until he came to Wood county, April 10, 1866. He located in Section 20, Montgomery township, buying forty acres, for which he went into debt $1, 100. After remaining there one year, he sold the farm at cost, and moved to Scott township, Sandusky county, bought thirty-seven acres, and after one year's residence there, removed to Section 7, Montgomery township, where he bought ninety- eight acres, for which he contracted a debt of $1,200. An old log house and a barn were the only buildings on the place, and this was his home until 1880, when he built the excellent brick house which now stands on the farm. On November 14, 1895, Mr. Van Voorhis moved to Prairie Depot, where he now resides in his house on North Center street.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Van Voorhis were as follows: Augustus, born February 12, 1850, is a farmer of Portage township; George H., born August 27, 1851, died in Portage town- ship; Augusta J., born August 22, 1853, is now Mrs. Joseph J. Harris, of Perry county, Ill .; David C., born August 14, 1856, is a resident of Bowling Green; Owen, born March 21, 1859, died in infancy; Isaac, born November 8, 1861, is a farmer in Portage township; Frank, born September 13, 1868, follows farming in Mont- gomery township; Seretta, born February 23, 1871, is now Mrs. George Histe, of Portage village; Orrin, born September 9, 1877, died in infancy. Mr. Van Voorhis is a Democrat, served as township clerk in Crawford county, and was trustee for several terms in Montgomery town- slip. He and his wife are members of the Deciples Church. He is a self-made man, and by industry and economy has acquired a comfort- able amount of this world's goods.
SPENCER W. DEWITT. The subject of this sketch is a well-known farmer residing in Wes- ton township, one and one-half miles northeast of Weston village. His birth occurred February 3, 1859, in Weston township, on the farm where he now lives. Isaac Dewitt, father of our sub-
ject, was born in Pennsylvania, August 20, 1801. He was married three times, his third wife being Miss Theodosia Haughawout, the mother of Spencer W. They were married at her home in Erie county, Ohio, but in 1855, they removed to Weston township, Wood county, where they re- mained about six years, or until the death of Mr. Dewitt, July 7, 1861. Three children were born of this marriage, one of whom died in infancy; the others being Harriet, who married John Gin- gery, Jr., and died January 17, 1875; and Spen- cer W., our subject.
Spencer W. Dewitt, the subject proper of this sketch, was but two years of age when his father died, and was then taken by his mother to her former home in Erie county, where he found a home with an uncle. Here he attended the dis- trict schools; but when he was eleven years old, accompanied his mother on her return to the old homestead in Wood county. In 1873, Mrs. De- witt was married to Abram Leonard, and our subject inade his home with them, and worked upon the farm. Mr. Leonard died March 25, 1884.
On September 29, 1884, Spencer W. Dewitt was married to Miss Amanda J. MeCrory, who was born in Wood county, September 7, 1865. They made their home with Mrs. Leonard on the old farm until the following spring (1885), when Mr. Dewitt built the house, in which he now resides, on the east half of the old homestead, making all improvements necessary to establish a comfort- able home for his family. The marriage of our subject and his wife has been blessed with the following children. Charles Jesse, born Sep- tember 18, 1885; George Spencer, born October 6, 1887; Harriet Elizabeth, born July 24, 1890; Alta Rosetta, born February 23, 1893: Vernie Wilson, born February 18, 1895, and died April 19, 1396.
Mr. Dewitt has never taken much interest in politics, but has always sought to vote, regardless of party, for the best man for the office to be filled. He is a member of the Disciples Church. Since his mother's death, October 8, 1890, the homestead farm has been divided between Mr. Dewitt and his neice, Mrs. Addie Heckerman, who was the only daughter of his sister, Harriet Gingery - Mr. Dewitt retaining the east half, on which he had built his house. Mr. Dewitt is much respected by all his friends and neighbors for his integrity, and good, honest citizenship.
JOHN R. ARCHER, M. D., one of the younger members of the medical profession, and an enter- prising and progressive citizen of North Balti-
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more, was born in Wood county, October 14, 1861. He spent his early childhood there, later attending school at Fostoria, and having become sufficiently qualified he began teaching school, which occupation he followed some five years. At the end of that time he took up the study of medicine, paying his way from the money earned while teaching, and was graduated from Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, in 1887. Lo- cating first at Holgate, Henry county, with his brother, who is also a physician, he remained there for one year, and then came to Wood county, settling in North Baltimore, where, by industry, ability, and strict attention to business, he has acquired a large and extensive practice. He is a member of the Northwestern Ohio Med- ical Association. the State Medical Association, and the Wood County Medical Association. Dr. Archer is looked upon as a rising man in his community, and possesses the confidence of all who come in contact with him.
Joseph Archer, father of our subject, was born in Richland county, Ohio, September 3, 1827, and was married December 20, 1853, in Huron county, to Miss Nancy Jane Howard, a native of Hancock county, born April 22, 1836. They became the parents of the following children: James Dallas, born October 30, 1858; Sarah M., born March 15, 1860; John R., born September 14, 1861; Tebertha A., born January 2, 1865, died August 24. 1872; Millie B., born November 4, 1871, died March 16, 1874; Amanda E., born April 12, 1875, died March 30, 1880; Susie, born March 12, 1878. Mr. Archer settled in Bloom township from the time of his marriage until 1887, when he returned to North Baltimore, where he now lives, one of the respected pioneers of the place. He still owns eighty acres of land in Bloom township. He is a Democrat, and a member of the United Brethren Church.
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