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 69
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novel " Marquis De Viliner." The youngest member of the Keeler family is Mrs. Grace Machin, whose husband is a noted lawyer of New York.
The father, at his death, left considerable property, which was placed in the hands of an administrator, and through some mismanagement was lost. Our subject was at that time fifteen years of age. He was educated in the common schools of Weston and Grand Rapids, Ohio, and received a good business training while clerking for his uncle, Charles Keeler, of Toledo. About 1850 he crossed the plains to California, where he prospected and located what has since proven a very rich claim; but after a short time he dis- posed of it. At the beginning of the war, he en- listed in the Union service at Denver, as a mem- ber of the Ist Colorado Cavalry, and afterward veteranized, continuing at the front until the pre- servation of the Union was an assured fact: He partially lost his eyesight during that time.
Returning to Weston at the close of the war, Mr. Keeler embarked in general merchandising. but afterward sold out and established a grocery store at Custar. He was married, in Tontogany, to Miss Sarah Crom, who was born at Beaver Creek, January 22, 1840, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Dull) Crom. The wedding of her parents was the first celebrated in Weston town- ship, and the neighbors attended for twenty miles around. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Keeler was celebrated May 26, 1868. She was a maiden of seven summers when the family went to Tontogany, and was educated in the district schools, in Bowling Green and Water- ville, obtaining a teacher's certificate when only fifteen years of age. She followed teaching for twenty-one terms, and was very successful in that work. Upon their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Keeler located in Custar, and in 1875 the former erected a large store building with a hall above. which at that time was the finest business block in the comity. A year later it was destroyed by fire, cansing a loss of $10,000. Mr. Keeler was at the time postmaster of Custar, and did not resume mercantile business for three years, but engaged to some extent in buying stock. He then came to Milton Center, where he opened a general store, to which he subsequently made a large addition. For nine years the family restled over the store, and then removed into a beanti- ful brick residence which Mr. Keeler had erected. and which was his place of adode until his death. In 18gt he erected a large new gran dievitor at Milton Center, to take the place of one destroyed by fire, and while examining a car-load of corn, he fell from the car and broke his leg. He had
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met with reverses in his business career, but his determination, energy and upright dealing never- theless secured him success, and he became the possessor of a comfortable property.
Mr. Keeler was a man of generous and benevo- lent nature, and the poor and needy found in him a friend. He was a member of Neibling Post, G. A. R., of Weston, the Knights of Pythias fraternity, and the Uniformed Rank, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Bowl- ing Green. Mr. Keeler passed away October 31, 1892, leaving the widow and one son to mourn the loss of a loving husband and father. In his death the community at large lost a valued citi- zen and faithful friend. The son, Ralph Olm- stead, was born May 21, 1869, and is a graduate of Fostoria College. Mrs. Keeler has since her husband's death successfully carried on the busi- ness; she is a lady of superior ability, and has a host of warm friends in the community who hold her in the highest regard.
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TOBIAS HANLINE is numbered among the hon- ored pioneers of Wood county, belonging to one of the first families that settled in Montgomery township. Those who come to the county to- day can in no way realize the hardships and dif- ficulties which were met by the pioneer settlers who blazed the way through the forests, and transformed the wild land into comfortable homes and farms.
Our subject was born in Section I, Mont- gomery township, August 7, 1836, the eldest child of David and Eve (Rumler) Hanline. His father was born in Somerset county, Penn .. De- cember 8, 1810, and his parents were David and Catherine (Wahrier) Hanline. David Hanline, Sr., was born in 1777, and became a pioneer of Richland county, Ohio, where he entered govern- ment land. In the spring of 1833 he came to western Ohio, in search of a location, and en- tered 160 acres in Section II, Montgomery town- ship, Wood county, laying claim to the same in the office at Bucyrus, Ohio, after which he re- turned to Richland county. In the fall of 1833 he moved his family to Wood county by team, and spent the first night in Montgomery township, at the cabin of John A. Kelly, the first settler in the township. On reaching their land, the father and sons at once began building a home of their own, a log cabin with a clapboard roof. In the spring of 1834 they were joined by the mother and other members of the family. The children were Betsey and Rebecca, both of whom mar- ried and remained in eastern Ohio; Catherine. who married John Stevens, and died in
Bradner, Ohio; David J .; Samuel, who died in Montgomery township; Tobias, who died in Wells county, Ind. ; Michael, of Indiana; Sophia, who is married and lives near Fort Wayne, Ind .; Ann, who married Amos Arnold, and died in Sandusky county, Ohio; and Eve, who became the second wife of Amos Arnold, and died in Indiana. In the early " forties " the grandfather of our subject removed to Wells county, Ind., again settling in a frontier region, his farm being now a portion of the city of Bluffton. There his death occurred in 1854. and his wife died in 1855.
David Hanline, Jr., spent the first twelve years of his life in Pennsylvania, then went with his parents to Ohio, but afterward returned to his native State. Later he resided in Stark county and Richland county, Ohio, and in 1833 came to Wood county. He was married in Mont- gomery township, June 11, 1835, to Eve, daugh- ter of John and Catherine (Augustine) Rumler. She was born in November, 1814. in Columbi- ana county, Ohio, and came to Wood county with her parents in 1833. The father of our subject entered eighty acres of land in Section I, Montgomery township, erected a log cabin with a stick chimney, and there lived in true pioncer style. In 1849 he removed to Madison township, Sandusky county, where he secured 160 acres of partially improved land, there mak- ing his home until his death, July 30, 1890. He was buried in Eisenhaur cemetery, in Freedom township. In politics he was a Democrat, and for many years served as township trustee of Madison township. In religious belief he was a Lutheran, and was a most highly respected man: his widow is still living on the old home farm in Sandusky county. Their children were: Tobias: David and John, both of Freedom township; Eve, wife of John Kimball, of Freedom town- ship; Mollie, wife of Christ Foster, of Freedom township; Catherine, wife of Reuben Kiser. of Madison township, Sandusky county; Cornelius of Livingston county, Ill. ; Elias, Loy and Isaac, all of Freedom township.
Tobias Hanline attended the "Old Prospect School " that stood on the site of Bradner. The German language was spoken in his parents' home, and when he entered school he could not speak a word of English. Ilis educational facili- ties were limited, for, being the eldest son in the family his services were needed on the farm Ho remained under the parental roof until his mar- riage, which occurred September 18, 1860, in Monroe county, Mich., the lady of his choice being Miss Helen Gibbs, who was born in Tioga
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Tobias Hanline
Helen A. Hanline
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county, Penn., October 25, 1844, a daughter of Cyrus and Emily (Hunter) Gibbs. Eleven children have blessed this union : David H., of Cowlitz county, Wash. ; Eva A., wife of Edward Donald, of Bradner, Ohio; John, of Pemberville; Estella, wife of Winter Kille, of Freedom town- ship; William, a farmer of Freedom township; Grace, of Toledo, Ohio; Clarence, of Bradner; Winifred, who died in infancy; and Donna, Aenid, and Hugh, at home.
Before his marriage, Mr. Hanline purchased forty acres of land in Madison township, San- dusky county, for which he paid $250.00, the greater part of which he had earned by hunting. He lived in a hewed log house on that farm until 1867, when he traded it for eighty acres in Sec- tion 25, Freedom township, and received $100.00 additional. A log house stood on this place, but only five acres were cleared. He energetically began the work of developing the farm, and within eleven years had cleared almost the entire amount, placing it under a high state of cultiva- tion. He erected all of the buildings thereon. and made it a valuable property, continuing to reside there until March 24, 1896, when he came to Pemberville, where he now owns a pleasant residence. In politics he is a stalwart Republic- an. He was formerly a member of the Grange, and of the I. O. O. F., and is a thirty-second degree Mason. His life has been one of industry and steady application, and as a result he is now living retired in the enjoyment of a comfortable competence.
JOHN BAMER, a progressive and enterprising agriculturist of Grand Rapids township, was born February 29, 1852, on the present site of Pottertown, Weston township. Jacob Bamer (or Boehmer), the father of our subject, was born in Schoenborn, Germany, August 25, 1815. In 1838 lie came to America-crossing the ocean before the advent of steamships, and for six weeks he did not see land. He first located in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, remaining there but a short time, thence coming to Gilead, now Grand Rapids, Wood county, where he remained from 1839 to 1846, in thie employ of Elijah Dodd and James Steedman, who had the con- tract from the State to build the dain across the Maumee river at that place. In 1846 he bought eighty acres of land in Weston township, from Elijah Dodd, where he continued to reside until 1888, when he removed to the town of Weston, and there resided until his death, which occurred Angust 10, 1889. He was twice mar- ried; his first marriage was on September 5,
1847, when Mrs. Sarah (Purkey) Cling. widow of Joseph Cling, became his wife. To this union were born three children: Jacob, Jr., born Au- gust 22. 1848, married Nancy E. Strope, Decem- ber 31, 1875 (she was born March 28, 1856); Elizabeth, born March 23, 1850, married Jacob Reaker, September 26, 1877 (he was born May 20, 1843); and John, the subject of our sketch.
The mother had two daughters by her former marriage: Flora, who was born March 29, 1846, and married George Heller May 9. 1868: and Samantha, who died while young. Mrs. Bamer died in 1855, and in 1861 the father again mar- ried, his. choice being Ellen Huffman, of Pennsyl- vania. To them were born two children: (1) Lewis H., born May 15, 1862, married Miss Idora B. Wood, March 27, 1887 (she was born April 16, 1861, and died May 13, 1890), and one son, Ray Harrison, born August 9, 1889. blessed this union. (2) Bentley H., born October 24. 1865. The mother died December 1. 1888, and the father survived her but eight months. He was engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years at Pottertown. He was honest and honorable in his dealings with his fellow- men, moderate in all things, and quiet and peace- able. He was a faithful member of the German Reformed Church.
John Bamer, the subject of our sketch, was married on January 2. 1873, to Sarah M. Row- land, who was born December 21, 1853. the daughter of John and Catherine Rowland, highly respected residents of Grand Rapids township; the former died June 11, 1887, while the latter had passed away ten years before. dying June 22, 1877. To the union of our subject and his wife were born four children, as follow: Merton L., September 15, 1873, was made a Master Mason June 9, 1896, and is superintendent of the Latcha schools for the year 1896-97; Cora E., June 8, 1876; Fred H., November 6, 1879; and Edna A., born April 28. 1889. died October 22, 1893.
The subject of our sketch bought the N. ! of the S. E. } Section 19. Grand Rapids town- ship (eighty acres of land), on June 27, 1887, which he at once began to improve and trans- form into a comfortable home. In one year on this farin he put in six and one half miles of tile drain, planted a great variety of fruit, and erected a barn that is equal to any in the country for convenience. Socially Mr. Bamier is a inet- ber of the Masonic fraternity, having joined the order April 17, 1879, in Grand Rapids Lolze No. 289; he is a charter member of Kenilworth Lodge No. 340, K. of P.
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SAMUEL HERRINGSHAW, who is the owner of one of the valuable farms of Jackson township, which he conducts in the most improved and pro- gressive manner, is a native of Sandusky county, Ohio. He was born January 15, 1853, and is a son of John and Mary Ann (Lyon) Herringshaw. He began his education in the district school near the family home, and when seven years of age ac- companied his parents to Liberty township, Wood county, and completed his school course in Liberty and Jackson townships. When the day's session was over, he would return to the work of the home farm, and was busily engaged in the fields during the vacation months. All his earlier years were devoted to agricultural pursuits.
As a companion and helpmeet on life's jour- ney, Mr. Herringshaw chose Miss Anna Eliza Watson, and the wedding was celebrated in Findlay, Ohio, November 15, 1882. The lady was born in England, August 29, 1857, and at the age of twenty-five years came to America with her three sisters. Mr. Herringshaw and his bride took up their abode on the old homstead, and he operated forty acres of land, which he had pur- purchased in Jackson township just prior to his marriage. He continued to reside at the old home place until December, 1888, when he erected his present store building in Hoytville, and there embarked with his brother, John Y., in the hardware business. By his well-directed efforts and honorable dealing he has secured a liberal patronage, and his trade has increased so that he has added to his original store in order to have more commodious quarters.
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Mr. Herringshaw also erected a fine residence in Hoytville, and the members of the household are now himself, wife and three daughters, Edith, Florence and Gracie. In politics he is a stalwart Democrat, unswerving in his support of the party principles, but has never sought or de- sired the honors or emoluments of public office. He belongs to the United Brethren Church, and socially is connected with the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Hoytville. His life is worthy of emula- tiou, in its progressive, enterprising characteris- tics, and the success which he now enjoys is justly merited.
Mr. Herringshaw is a son of John and Mary Ann (Lyon) Herringshaw, both of whom were natives of England, and Samuel was the first of the family born in America. The others were: Ann Rebecca, who is the widow of Thomas Har- rison; Joseph, of Hoytville; Rebecca, at present on the old homestead in Liberty township; John, deceased; John Y., of Jackson Prairie (all of the
above were born in England); Fred, of Liberty township, and William, of Hoytville (both born in this State). The father of this family died September 14, 1861; the mother is still living at the advanced age of eighty years.
H. E. SMITH. The joys of youth have been so often dwelt upon in prose and verse, that the later years of life are looked upon by the aver- age person as necessarily less happy than those of childhood; yet those who realize the ripe spiritual development and peaceful outlook of one who has learned life's lessons, and is waiting for the promotion which is sure to follow. would not exchange the latter state for the first. And when wealth has added its possibilities for wide usefulness in various fields, there are but few in- deed who would hesitate to pronounce the ma- turer life as likely to furnish fuller, more constant, and more rational enjoyment, than the happiest childhood knows.
The subject of our sketch, a well-known re- tired agriculturist of Risingsun, was born in Orange county. N. Y., March 7, 1824. His fa- ther, Timothy Smith, was also a native of that county, and for some years was a farmer there. He married Miss Catherine Tier, who was born in New York City, and moved to Orange county, with her parents when she was eleven years old. In 1831 Timothy Smith came to Ohio with his family by canal and lake, and entered 200 acres of land in Big Spring township, Seneca county, at the site of the present village of Alvada. The land office was at that time located at Bucyrus. He made many improvements, and at the time of his death, when he was aged seventy years, he had a fine farm. His wife lived to be over eighty-six years old. They had thirteen children, of whom eleven lived to adult age: Eliza, who married William Boucher, and died at Powell's Creek, Ohio; William, a resident of Alvada. Ohio; John, who lives in Defiance county, and has been twice married; Almira Russell; H. E .. our subject; Elizabeth, Mrs. Samuel Fry. of Fostoria; Catherine, who married William Bates, and lives near Tiffin: George, of Arcadia, Ohio; Clarissa, who married Michael Fry, and died in Fostoria; Franklin, a resident of South Bend. Ind .; Francis, who lives in Fostoria; and a daughter who lives in Defiance county.
Mr. Smith was only seven years old when his parents came to this Stato, and his youth was spent in the hard toil of a pioneer farmer's life. As the older boys left home his father needed his help, and he sacrified his education rather than see his parents suffer. He never at -
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tended school, not even to learn his " A B Cs," but as he fully realized the value of the oppor- unities of which he was deprived, he studied alone, often sitting up at night in front of the big fireplace with his books. As the years passed on, and he might perhaps have gone to school occasionally, the humiliation of beginning in a class with small children prevented him from making the trial, so that his knowledge is entirely self-acquired. At twenty-two he left home to make his own way, his worldly posses- sions being limited to a suit of clothes worth about $10; but he had, however, a capital of ambition, energy and common-sense which served him well.
When twenty-three years of age he married his first wife, Miss Lydia Fry, and their only son, Hiram, grew to manhood, entered the army dur- ing the Civil war, and was captured by the enemy, and so nearly starved, that when he was released, and food given him, his enfeebled system failed to rally, and he expired. His mother died in Seneca county, and two years later, Mr. Smith married Miss Anor Bates, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, July 24, 1830, the daughter of Andrew and Anor ( Homan) Bates. Five children were born to this union: Oliver, a farmer in Montgomery township; Cinderella, the wife of Rev. Tobias Koogle, of Findlay, Ohio; twins, Einma E. (now Mrs. Lee Garns, of Sandusky county), and Sarah A. (Mrs. Peter Ushel, of Ris- ingsun); and William, who lives in Scott town- ship, Sandusky county. Mrs. Smith has been a great help to her husband in the battle of life, as he is the first to acknowledge.
The first land that Mr. Smith ever owned was forty acres in Big Spring township, Seneca. county, and later he bought eighty acres in Scott township, Sandusky county, which he sold, to buy 112 acres in the same township, where he lived until his removal to Risingsun, in the fall of 1881. He has retired from active business, but takes an active and generous interest in every worthy public movement, and he and his wife be- long to the Radical U. B. Church, in which he has held many offices. As a contributor he has been very liberal, giving over $1, 100 to one Church. It would be difficult to find a more de- vout Christian and concientious man, and he is held in high esteem by all who know him. He has never been a politician or office seeker, and, although formerly a Democrat, now votes for the "Christian Party."
M. D. MCEWEN, an honorable and well-to-do farmer of Wood county, is a native of Perry town- ship, where he still resides. He made his appear-
ance on the stage of life January 11, 1846. His father, William McEwen, was born in Northamp- ton county. Penn., nine miles from Easton, April 29, 1810, and was a son of William and Sarah (Johnson) McEwen, who were the parents of twenty-one children. The grandfather, who was a blacksmith by trade, came to Ohio, in 1823, bringing sixteen of his children, the journey being made by means of wagons, and requiring four weeks. He located four miles east of Tiffin, where he purchased a farm of 160 acres, on which stood a small log cabin, where the family of eight- een persons lived for some time. There his death occurred - at the age of sixty-five, and his wife passed away at the age of sixty-three. Of the children who came with him to Ohio, five are still living-Henry, of Allen county, Ind .; William, father of our subject; Sarah, widow of Moses Friese, of North Baltimore, Ohio; Rachel, now Mrs. George Deuzler, of Republic, Ohio; and Martha, widow of James.Craum, of North Balti- more.
The education of William McEwen, Jr., . was very limited, and his first teacher was an old Rovolutionary soldier, who had lost one arm. He remained at home until his marriage, January 20, 1835, to Miss Margaret Clark, who was born in Lancaster county, Penn., March 11, 1813, and is a daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Bennett) Clark, who were early settlers of Seneca county, Ohio. The family born to this worthy couple consists of the following children-Hannah, born November 6, 1836, married Jacob Sidel, and died in Seneca county; George, born May 24, 1838, was a member of Company H, 49th O. V. I., during the Civil war, was killed at Pickett's Mills, Ga., in 1864, and was buried by the enemy; Sarah, born December 22, 1839, married Nathan Henry, and lives at Fostoria; Thomas, born No- vember 7, 1841, died near Jerry City, Portage township, Wood county; William, born Novem- ber 21, 1843, died in Minnesota; M. D. is next in order of birth; Matthew, born April 30, 1848, is a farmer in Seneca county; Henry, born Novem- ber 20, 1850, died in Perry township; and Mar- garet J., born July 19, 1854, married Robert Wilson, and died at Arcadia, Ohio. In 1833 the father entered eighty acres of government land in Section 13, Perry township, where he re- moved three years later, and previous to that time lived near Tiffin, on land which is now com- prised within the city limits, where Main street crosses the Sandusky river. Until 18;4, he made his home in Perry township, but in that year re- moved to Fostoria, Ohio, where he has a com- fortable brick residence. After a happy married
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life of over fifty-seven years, his wife died on July II, 1892, and was buried at Fostoria. Since a young man he has been a faithful member of the Methodist Church, and in politics was first a Democrat, but now supports the Prohibition party. He is numbered among the honored pioneers of this section, and well deserves mention in this volume.
M. D. McEwen was educated in the district schools, and remained upon the home farm until his twenty-fourth year. On March 10, 1870, in Hancock county, Ohio, was solemnized the mar- riage ceremony which united our subject and Miss Sarah Miller, a native of Seneca county, and a daughter of Isaac Miller, an early pioneer of that locality. One child blessed this union-Alfred D., born April 22, 1873, and on May 7, 1896, was married to Myrtle Gossard, of Sandusky county. The mother died May 11, 1879, a few months after her husband's return from Texas. Later Mr. McEwen wedded Miss Mary Gossard. who was born in Scott township, Sandusky coun- ty, Ohio, April 25, 1849, and is a daughter of Alvin P. and Mary (Cooley) Gossard, the former born in Ross county, Ohio, in 1808, and the latter in Canada in 1809. In the family of eight chil- dren, Mrs. McEwen is the next to the youngest, and at the age of eighteen she began teaching school, which profession she followed for many terms.
Before his first marriage, Mr. McEwen had bought eighty acres of land in Jackson township. Seneca county, all wild and uncultivated. and eight years of his married life were there passed. In 1878 he removed to Austin, Texas, and later to Williamson county, that State, but the fol- lowing year returned north, locating upon his present farm in Perry township, Wood county, where he owns 100 acres of good land, supplied with excellent farm buildings. He and his wife are sincere Christians, members of the Methodist Church, in which he is serving as steward. In political opinion he is now a Prohibitionist, though he was at one time a Democrat. He is widely and favorably known throughout the community, and his circle of friends is only limited by his circle of his acquaintances.
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