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 73
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Our subject received a common-school edi- cation in Liberty township, and was reared on his father's farm. His privileges in this direction, however, were limited, for his services were much
needed on the farm. He was married in Plain township, December 24, 1857, to Mary E. Frank, who was born in 1839. They have one child, La Vendee, wife of A. V. Powell, of Bowling Green, Ohio. Their grandchildren are Frank S., Alice Lillian, John Avery, Gerald Alonzo, Dr. William McMahon Powell, and Vivian. For five years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Sargent resided on the old homestead, and then removed to their present farm, which comprises 140 acres of land. At the time of the purchase it was mostly wild and unimproved. Mr. Sargent erected his home in 1865 and has made his farm a very productive one. He now has ten good oil wells upon his place. He is a practical, intelli- gent farmer, one who carries on business on scientific principles, and, though he had not a dollar when he came to his present home, he has to-day one of the most valuable farms in the neighborhood. In politics he is a stanch Repub- lican, and he is an advocate for temperance. He has served as town trustee for three years, and has been treasurer of the Portage township school board some eighteen years.
WV. H. H. KIGER is a leading agriculturist of Montgomery township, and an excellent citizen who has to his credit an unblemished war record. He is a native of Ohio, born, in Fairfield county, November 13, 1839, and is the son of Henry and Mercy L. (Williamson) Kiger, who never left that county, and there the former died when our sub- ject was quite young, and the latter is still living at the ripe old age of eighty-four years.
Mr. Kiger, of this review, was the only son in a family of four children, and in his boyhood secured his education at the district schools of his native county. Like most fariner boys he was reared to habits of industry, early becoming fa- iniliar with the work of an agriculturist; he re- mained under the parental roof until answering the call of President Lincoln for troops to put down the Rebellion, he enlisted in August. 1861. in Company I, 17th O. V. I. He served as fifth sergeant until discharged in May, 1862, on account of disability, and returned to his native county; but the follow- ing year came to Wood county, renting a farm in Perry township, which he operated. but made his home with his uncle, Josiah Kiger, as he was at that time unmarried. In May, 1864, however, he re-enlisted, this time becoming a member of Company E, 144th O. V. I., and was engaged in guard duty at Wilmington, Del, until dis- charged in the following August, after which he resumed farming in Perry township.
In the winter after his return to Wood county.
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Mr. Kiger was married in Perry township to Miss Mary Norris, a native of Wayne county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Rebecca (Cuthbert- son) Norris, and to them have been born the fol- lowing children-Kate, now Mrs. F. M. Adams, of Montgomery township; Rebecca, who for four years successfully engaged in teaching in the schools of Fostoria, Ohio, but is now the wife of H. O. Yant, of Toledo, Ohio; Frank M., also of Toledo; William H., who is attending college at Delaware, Ohio; and Emma, at home.
In Perry township, Mr. Kiger make his first purchase of land, consisting of eighty acres, par- tially improved, and for which he went in debt; but in 1867 he removed to Franklin county, Iowa, where he remained for one winter. Becoming dissatisfied there, he returned to Wood county, and later bought forty acres of land in Montgom- ery township, a small portion of which had been cleared, and on which stood an old log cabin. That has been replaced by a comfortable dwelling, the land has all been cleared and placed under a high state of cultivation, and all the improve- ments, there found, stand as monuments to this thrift and enterprise. The place comprises fifty acres of excellent land. In his political affilia- tions Mr. Kiger entirely coincides with the doc- trines and platforins of the Republican party, and in the exercise of his elective franchise supports the candidates of that organization. He ranks among the better class of citizens, and has served as trustee of the township and a member of the school board. Socially, he is connected with the I. O. O. F., at Prairie Depot, and both he and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he serves as one of the trustees.
HOMER C. BROWN, the well-known architect of Bowling Green, to whose fine artistic taste that vicinity is indebted for many of its hand- somest buildings, is among the group of " Wood county boys " who are rapidly rising to prom- inence and usefulness in the business life of their native county.
His family originated in Scotland, but his great-great-grandfather, a weaver by occupation, came to Virginia, at an early date, from Ireland. His son Matthew, our subject's great-grandfather, was born in Loudoun county, Virginia. He fol- lowed the trade of carpenter and joiner in early manhood, but later became a Baptist minister. In 1828 he came to Ohio with his family, and located first in Perry county, and finally in Wood county, where he died at the age of ninety-eight years and eight months. His son Isaac. the
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grandfather of our subject, was born in Hamp- shire county, Virginia, in 1812. He was a car- penter and joiner in Perry county for many years, and died in Wood county, in I887.
His son Simon, our subject's father, was born in Perry county, August 2, 1842, and in the fall of 1862 came to Washington township, and en- gaged in contracting and building. With the ex- ception of two years, spent in bridge building on the B. & O. R. R., he has resided in this county ever since, and is now a leading contractor at Bowling Green. He takes a prominent part in all local movements, and is a Democrat in politics and a leading supporter of the United Brethren Church. He has been twice married, first in 1863, to Miss Martha Alexander, who was born in 1844, and is deceased. They had three chil- dren: Homer C., our subject; Richard, a clerk in Bowling Green; and Arthur, who died in boy- hood. His second wife was Miss Caroline Hutch- ison, a native of Wood county, born in 1859. by whom he has had two children: one who died in infancy, and Nellie. He saw four months active service during the Civil war, in the 144th, O. V. I., and is a member of the G. A. R. at Weston.
Homer C. Brown was born in Plain town- ship, August 25, 1869, and received his early ed- ucation in the schools of Weston and Bowling Green. He learned the carpenter's trade with his father, and followed it for six years, in the meantime studying architecture, in which he has since engaged as a profession with marked suc- cess. He designed the new Central School building at Bowling Green, and many of the most tasteful and commodious residences of that city are his work. In politics he is a Republican. and he belongs to the !. O. O. F. Lodge.
A. B. WITMORE. One of Perry's best citi- zens and farmers, and the oldest male representa- tive of his family, is the subject of this sketch. who is the son of Jonathan and Catherine (Cover Witmore.
Mr. Witmore was born in Franklin county . Penn., August 23, 1837, and was reared in that county until over thirteen years old, up to which time he attended such schools as those days af- torded When his parents came to Wood county in the fall of 1850, he attended school there until he was eighteen years old. The schools of his days and the opportunity for learning were much inferior to those of the present time, and the progress in this line is earnestly advocated by Mr. Witmore, who fully realizes that the ad- vancement of the coming generation requires el-
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ucation, accomplishments, and a practical knowl- edge of work. At the age of eighteen our sub- ject began to learn the carpenter trade under instructions from Jonathan Myers, with whom he worked, making furniture, cabinet work, etc. His first investment was the buying of a sawmill, which he ran for two years at a handsome profit, and then went into partnership with Mr. Myers, with whom he remained for several years.
On January 26, 1865, Mr. Witmore was married in Montgomery township, to Miss Katy Legron, who was born in Mahoning county, Ohio, April 3, 1845, and is the daughter of John and Fannie (Gahmen) Legron. Her parents came to Wood county in 1854, and settled in Montgomery township, where she went to school. Mr. Witmore located in West Millgrove, where he engaged in the sawmill business with George Ketcham for about six years, and then traded his interest to Lewis Whitman for eighty acres of land in Section 12, Perry township, and went to farming in partnership with his brother. They remained together for six or seven years, until the spring of 1875, when the partnership was satisfactorily dissolved, and our subject inoved to his present farm, where he has 120 acres of excellent land, which he has improved in many ways at no little expense and trouble. To Mr. and Mrs. Witmore were born the following chil- dren: Severina E., August 31, 1866, who is now Mrs. A. M. Sellers, of Perry township, and has four children; John I., December 21, 1868, met with an accident while at school in Fostoria, and suffered from an ailment that baffled all the med- ical skill that inoney could procure, and from which he finally died February 12, 1894; Fan- nie A., September 2, 1869, married Ira W. Ingle, of Wood county, Ohio; Ada, December 28, IS75, died when seven months old; Ora Willis, November 30, 1878, resides at home.
Mr. Witmore is a deacon in the German Bap- tist Brethren Church, to which he is a most lib- eral contributor. He is well off in this world's goods, is one of Perry township's substantial citi- zens, and is highly respected by a large circle of friends.
JAMES STAFFORD, a leading citizen of Liberty township, was born in McComb, Hancock Co., Ohio, April 17, 1862, and is a son of Nathan and Marinda (McCracken) ' Stafford. He acquired a common-school education in Liberty township, being but three years of age when his parents re- moved to Wood county, locating in that town- ship. No event of special importance occurred in his childhood, which was passed in the usual
manner of farmer lads-working on the farm through the summer months, and attending school in the winter. He remained ander the paternal roof until his marriage.
That important event in the life of Mr. Staf- ford occurred in Liberty township, in March, 1884, when Miss Laura Powell became his wife. They began their domestic life on an eighty-acre farm in Section 2, Liberty township, partially in- herited by Mrs. Stafford from her father. On this place our subject erected a large and com- modious residence in ISSS, and in 1895, he erected a fine, large, up-to-date barn, and now has one of the finest homes in the community, while the farin, in its neat and thrifty appear- ance, well indicates his careful supervision. The home has been brightened by the presence of two interesting children: Glenna and James DeWitt. In his political preferences, Mr. Stafford is an un- swerving Republican, and does all in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of his party. For one term he served as township trustee. He is a member of the Mt. Zion class of the United Brethren Church, and is a wide- awake, industrious and energetic business man.
BERLIE W. MERCER. The same enterprising spirit which has led to the rapid development of the West causes this gentleman to be numbered among the progressive citizens of Wood county. He was born in Liberty township, April 7, 1865. and is a son of Pierce and Mary E. (Robinson) Mercer. The father was brought to Wood coun- ty during his early childhood, and was twice mar- ried, the mother of our subject being his second wife. They began their domestic life on the place which is now owned by James Grange, and the mother is still living on a part of the old farm, where the father died in 1883, respected by all who knew him. The children of their family are Berlie W. ; James. F., of Henry county, who died at midnight September 18, 1896, and was buried in Bethel cemetery (he left a widow to mourn his loss); Nancy Elizabeth, a music teacher. liv- ing at home; Charlotte L., wife of E. A. Strat- ton, of Bradner, Ohio; and Stella M., at home. After the father's death the mother married Bernard O'Brien, who is now also deceased. and by this marriage was born a daughter. Anna B.
The early educational privileges enjoyed by our subject were afforded by the common schools, and were supplemented by a two-years' course in the Normal School of Ada, Ohio. Subsequently he engaged in teaching for two years in this conn- ty, and he has always been a warm friend of edu- cation and improvement. He entered upon his
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business career as a farm hand. With the money he acquired through his own exertions, and a small inheritance from his father, he at length purchased a farm of forty acres in Section 21, Liberty township. He was engaged at work four years with the Ohio Oil Co., and now has upon his place five producing oil wells. He also owns a ninety-acre farm in Henry township, which he purchased in 1891, and the two proper- ties yield him a good income.
On November 12, 1884, in Bowling Green, Mr. Mercer was united in marriage with Libby M. Seymour, who was born in Franklin county, Ohio, September 13, 1867, daughter of Martin S. and Caroline Seymour. They have one son, · Leonard V., who was born April 11, 1887. In 1890 Mr. Mercer was visiting through the West with George B. Harris. In 1894 he went to Cincinnati and entered upon a four-years' course of study in the Eclectic Medical Institute, as a preparation for the practice of medicine, and, the same enterprise which has won him success in his business career thus far, will undoubtedly make hiin an able physician. In politics he is a Demo- crat, and has served as township clerk four years. His religious connection is with the Disciples Church at Rudolph, of which he has been a member since he was thirteen years old.
WILLIAM NORTON was born in Springfield, Ohio, January 29, 1853. His father, Michael Norton, was born in Kildare, Ireland, and on coming to this country located near Springfield, where he engaged in farming. He was united in marriage in Clark county, Ohio, to Catherine Smith, a native of Kings County, Ireland, born August 8, 1833. They became the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters, namely: William; Elizabeth, wife of William Snyder; Mary, wife of Charles Young: Annie, wife of William Brunthaver, a farmer of Middle- ton township; John, a cooper of Sugar Ridge; Michael G., a farmer of Dunbridge; Elsie, at home; and James. The father of this family removed to Wood county in 1853, and located in Middleton township, where he purchased sixty- five acres of land. This he improved, success- fully continuing its cultivation until his death, which occurred April 1, 1873. He was a Demo- crat in politics, and a member of the Catholic Church of Bowling Green.
Our subject acquired his education in the dis- trict schools of the neighborhood, and early began work on the home farmn. After his father's death he conducted the sixty-five acres that constituted the home place, for four years, and then went to
a home of his own. He rented a farm for two years, when, with the capital he had acquired, he purchased his present farm of eighty acres, one-half of which was unimproved. This he placed nnder a high state of cultivation, and now, in the midst of well-tilled fields, stands a fine residence and good barns, while his farm is one of the best in the township.
On December 23. 1876, Mr. Norton wedded Miss Mary Entsminger, who was born in San- dusky county, September 30, 1856. They had two children-Maud, born November 22, 1877; and Frank M. (who died in infancy), March 24, 1884. For six years our subject has served as school director, was supervisor two terins, and in both offices has discharged his duties with a promptness and fidelity that has won him high commendation. Socially, he is connected with the Knights of Pythias fraternity, and, politically, with the Republican party.
FRED S. AMos, who is pleasantly located in Section S, Montgomery township, is operating successfully as a farmer, and is numbered among the industrious and enterprising young men of Wood county. He was born April 28, 1868, on the farm where he still resides.
Adamn Amos, his father, was born in Bavaria, Germany, on the 27th of September, 1825, and when quite small was bronght by his parents to the United States, and they became one of the pioneer families of Wood county, locating first in Section 1, Portage township, in 1838. Dur- ing his youth he was employed by different farm- ers in the neighborhood, and his limited educa- tion was mostly in German. His knowledge of figures was first taught him by his oldest daugh- ter Caroline, who was a bright little child and in- structed her father before she was nine years of age. In 1850, in Portage township, was cele- brated the marriage of Adam Amos and Miss Martha E. Lein, who was born in Germany, Jan- uary 1, 1825, and came with her father, Andrew Lein, to the New World, in 1844. The Lein family first located in Scott township, Sandusky Co., Ohio, whence they removed to Portage township, Wood county, where the daughter re- mained until her marriage. Mr. Amos took his bride to the present home of our subject, he having purchased eighty acres there some time previous, paying for the amount by his own labors. Seven children came to brighten the household by their presence, namely : Caroline. who died at the age of nine years; John, a farmer of Portage township; William, an agri- culturist of Center township: Adam and Jacob.
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also farmers of Portage township; Mary, now Mrs. Warren Orr, of the same township; and Fred S., of this sketch.
At the time of his purchase few improvements had been made upon the farm, but the father gave his entire time and attention to its cultiva- tion and development, until he had converted it into one of the most highly improved places of the locality. He had increased the boundaries of his land until at the time of his death the home farm comprised 200 acres of rich and ara- ble land, and he had assisted each of his chil- dren in securing places of their own. He was a successful agriculturist, and a self-made man in the fullest sense of that oft misused term, having ac- quired all that he possessed through his own in- dustry, energy and perseverance. The first home was replaced by a good brick residence, built in 1888. His earthly career was ended on the 28th of September, 1891, and he was laid to rest in Bradner cemetery. He was a worthy repre- sentative of the German-American citizens, re- spected by all who knew him. His political sup- port was always given the Democratic party, and religiously he was a member of the Lutheran Church.
Since the death of his father, Fred S. Amos has had complete charge of the farm, and with him his widowed mother resided until her death, which occurred April 27, 1896, when she was laid to rest by the side of her husband in Brad- ner cemetery. During his boyhood and youth he attended the district schools in the neighbor- hood. He is possessed of more than ordinary in- tellectual ability, and learned very rapidly. He early began to assist in the labors of the field, and has become a thorough and skillful farmer, energetic and industrious.
SIMON BROUGH, a representative farmer of Troy township, is finely located in Section I, where he is maintaining his place among the pro- gressive and intelligent men around him, engaged in farming. His birth occurred in Sandusky county, Ohio, in 1858, and he is a son of George and Catherine (Shoemaker) Brough, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ger- many. The father was reared in Pennsylvania, and when a young man came with his father, Simon Brough, to Sandusky county, where the latter died. In that county was celebrated the marriage of the parents of our subject, the moth- er Having located there at abont the age of ten years. In 1866 they became residents of Wood county, and the father passed away March 14, 1884, at Pemberville. His widow is still living,
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and now makes her home at Bowling Green. The parental household included five children --- Simon, of this sketch; Frank, a resident of Locust Point, Ottawa Co., Ohio; Jane, now Mrs. Sweet, of Bowling Green; Charley, who lives in Coldwater, Mich .; and Mrs. Cora Davis, of To- ledo, Ohio.
Mr. Brough, of this review, was eight years of age when the family located upon a farm in Troy township, and there became familiar with agricultural pursuits, which occupation he has made his life work. He was married in that township in December, 1892, the lady of his choice being Miss Anna Hintz, daughter of Fred Hintz, of Lake township, Wood county, and they have become the parents of two children-Otto and Ernest.
In politics, Mr. Brough is an uncompromising Democrat, and is an energetic, wide-awake citi- zen, keenly alive to the interests of his township and county, and ready to meet and aid any scheme for their benefit. His public spiritedness and unquestioned integrity make him a desirable citizen.
W. W. LONG, of Montgomery township, is prominent in the county not only as an advanced and scientific agriculturist, but also in local affairs, his able discharge of the duties of various public offices reflecting credit upon him.
Samuel Long, his grandfather, an old-time minister of the U. B. Church, was a pioneer farmer of Sandusky county, Ohio, where he set- tled with his famly when his son, John W. Long. our subject's father, was a boy. The latter was born in Guernsey county. Ohio, but grew to man- hood at the new home, and was married January 29, 1850, to Miss Elizabeth Sampsell, by his brother, James, who was a minister of the U. B. Church, and a justice of the peace. Entirely de- pendent upon his own resources, he followed farming for some time near the old home, and early in April, 1856, moved to Wood county, where he bought eighty acres in Section 34, Montgomery township, from Seth Richardson, for $Soo. About six acres had been chopped over, and a house of ronud logs stood upon the clearing in which they found shelter until another round-log house was built. Not long after they had moved into this Mr. Long entered the army, enlisting May 2, 1864, in Company K, 144th O. V. I. He took part in the battles of Mono- cacy, Md., Snicker's Gap, Va., and Berryville. Va., and lost his life in the latter engagement. August 13, 1864. Like many other heroes of that cruel war, his remains were laid to rest
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where he had breathed his last, far from his home and kindred. He had won a high place in the esteem of his neighbors in Montgomery town- ship during his residence there, had been chosen to several local offices, and was one of the ear- liest and most influential members of the Repub- lican party there. Although not large in build, he was robust and active. Fond of reading, and especially of Bible study, he was a valued worker in the U. B. Church-the old Montgomery Church-at Risingsun, and had been a class- leader for ten years previous to his death, in ad- dition to his service in other Church offices. Of his five children, W. W., our subject, was the eldest; the second, John W., died in infancy; Sarah A. married Wilson Dunlap, of Montgomery township; Samuel S. is a prominent resident of this county; and James F. resides in Trombly, Ohio. At the father's death a debt of $500.00 still remained upon the home; but through the united efforts of Mrs. Long and her children, they were able to meet the payments, and keep the little family together. All had their home there until they married and settled elsewhere, and Mrs. Long still resides there, the property being now owned by our subject and his brother, Samuel.
W. W. Long was born in Scott township, Sandusky county, February 21, 1851, and the schools near the Wood county home were the only ones that he ever attended. He learned rapidly, but his father's untimely death made it necessary for him to take up the battle of life in earnest at the age of thirteen, as the eldest son of his bereaved mother. He remained at home until his marriage, May 21, 1876. at Prairie Depot, to Miss Amanda J. Graber, a native of Ashland county, Ohio, who was born July 29, 1856. Her father, Adam Graber, was a well-known farmer, who, with his wife, Catherine Blessing, came from Germany in the early part of the "fifties," and after some years spent at other localities, finally located, in the fall of 1862, in Section 26, Mont- gomery township, Wood county, where they spent their remaining days. Mrs. Graber died February 20, 1865, and her husband survived her twenty years, dying June 12, 1885; the remains of both rest in Trinity cemetery, Scott township, Sandusky county. They had four sons and eight daughters, and all of the twelve lived to adult age except one who was fataly burned in childhood.
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