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. 3 > Part 15
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topol "; he was entitled to the Turkish medal, but never received it. On his return home he lived two years in England.
On April 3, 1859, he there married Miss Mary Lawrence, who was born in Somersetshire, June IO, 1829, a daughter of John and Asceneth (Trask) Lawrence, who both died in Somerset- shire, leaving five children; Susan, who married W. Mitchell, of that county; Robert Lawrence, who was a baker, miller and farmer in Somerset- shire; Mary; Ann (Mary's twin sister), who mar- ried a Mr. Stembridge; and Emma who became the wife of E. Wood. Immediately after his mar- riage Mr. Constable and his wife came to Amer- ica, and settled on a piece of land in Liberty township until August, 1862, when Mr. Constable joined the Union army, enlisting in the frIth O. V. I., Company K. After thirteen-months' serv- ice he was discharged for disability, and returned to his wife and family who were living in the house they now occupy, which Mrs. Constable had built while he was in the army. They have ever since resided in Plain township, where they own seventy acres of land in the oil belt. Several wells have been running there, but at the present time only one is in operation on his farm.
Mr. and Mrs. Constable are frugal, indus- trious and honest, and are members of the Epis- copal Church, as were all of their ancestors; he also belongs to the G. A. R. He is a man of unusual mental activity, and has a clear memory of dates and circumstances, which he recalls with great precision. To him and his wife have come the following children: Alice Maude, born Decem- ber 9, 1859, married James M. Boardman, and they have two children-Bertha Stella and Claude; Victor E., born June 20, 1861, married Miss Malinda A. Bowerman, and one child has been born to them-Mabel; Rose Ellen, born April 19, 1863, married J. D. Logan, and they have one child-Velters Veers; Selina F., born June 10, 1865, died May 21, 1884; Frederick W. L., born September 4, 1866, married Miss Ma- tilda Gouger, and they have one child-George V.
C. F. RIDER, a prosperous young farmer and grain buyer of Lime City, was born at Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio, October 26, 1861. His par- ents are A. C. and Adelia (McGarrah) Rider, the former born at Highland Mills, Orange Co., N. Y., of Scottish descent, and the latter at Monroe, in the same county, her ancestors being of French and English lineage. After their mar- riage our subject's parents came to Hamilton, Ohio, where they made their home for a number of years, but they are now residing in Tontogany.
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The father became a locomotive engineer when only nineteen years old, and followed that occu- pation for forty-five years. He was a Democrat until the time when Tilden became a member of the State Legislature, and voted to exclude the Bible from the public schools. This was a step which did not meet with his approval, and he transferred his allegiance to the Republican party. His family consisted of four children, of whom our subject is the eldest; Archie DeWitt was killed on the railroad, near Tontogany, when twenty-seven years old; James T. and Grace A. live with their parents.
Our subject attended school at Fort Wayne and Hamilton, Ohio, and was early made ac- quainted with the engineer's business, first acting as fireman, and when nineteen years of age tak- ing charge of an engine, as his father before him. He was employed in this manner on the T. & O. C. railroad until 1889, when, his health re- quiring a change, he came to Wood county and began farming. Some eighteen months ago he commenced buying grain for H. V. Burns, of Buffalo, and recently has engaged in the grain business in connection with farming. his property being situated near Lime City. He is a bright, intelligent, active man, of mnuch business ability. and will undoubtedly made a success in his en- terprise.
Mr. Rider was married, November 19, 1884, to Miss Emma Lawrence, who was born in Perrys- burg, October 2, 1862. In politics Mr. Rider is a Republican, but has never taken a very active part in public matters. He is a Thirty-second Degree Mason, and belongs to the Blue Lodge at Perrysburg. He is also a K. of P., and a mem- ber of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
FRANKLIN GRIFFIN, of Bowling Green, is a na- tive of Ohio, having been born October 2, 1845. in Baughman township, Wayne county. His fa- ther, also named Franklin, was born August 25. 1808, in Germany, where he received an excel- lent education, and for some years taught school. Coming to America in early manhood, he made his first New World home in Berks county, Penn .. where in the city of Bedford he taught in both English and German schools. Here he met Miss Sarah Price, one of his scholars, who was born June 18, 1819, in Berks county, Penn .. daughter of Jacob and Mary Price, both natives of Penti- sylvania. On September 3. 1837, Mr. Griffin and Miss Price were married in Wayne county. and children as follows were the result of their union: Jacob, born August 9, 1838, accidentally drowned in Clinton county, Iowa, July 4, 1856:
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Sarah Christina, born May S, 1840, now the widow of Michael Yost, late of the ioand O. V. I. ; and Franklin, the subject proper of this review.
Franklin Griffin, Sr., learned the trade of wagon maker, which he followed all his life; he was also a well-known, popular auctioneer, and, being able to harangue an audience in both Eng- lish and German, he was in great request in that line of business. He opened the first coal mine in Wayne county, and in all respects proved him- self to be well worthy of being enrolled among the progressive men of his time. He was a man of fine physique, standing six feet in his stocking- feet, and was possessed of great energy and per- severance. He died in Baughman township, Wayne county, in the year 1850, and the two eldest children, Jacob and Sarah C., then went to live among strangers, our subject remaining with his widowed mother. After some two years mourning she married Jacob J. Sidle, a farmer, who was born in 1808, and died in Fostoria, Ohio, August 23, 1890. By a previous marriage he had two sons, one of whom-Henry-was a soldier in the Union army, taken prisoner by the Confederates, and for eighteen months was con- fined in Andersonville and Libby prisons, and after his release was lost in the destruction of the steamship " Sultana"; John, the other son, died in Clinton county, Iowa, where he had been liv- ing some time. To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob J. Sidle were born children as follows: Susan, who died at the age of nine years; Mary Ann, now the wife of William Snyder, of Fostoria; Jacob J., living in Tyndall, S. D .; Abraham, deceased at the age of three years; and Amy, who passed away in childhood. Mr. Sidle died in IS90, and his widow, , who survived him until December 19, 1895, made her home with her daughter, Mrs. Snyder.
The subject proper of these lines received a good common-school education, and at the age of seven years commenced to work on a farm, re- ceiving at first from five to ten dollars per month, and his board. He worked out among farmers until his enlistment, September 10, 1862, in Wayne county, Ohio, in Company E, 102nd O. V. I., and later on was assigned to Company E, 169th, and served during the war, for which he received an honorable discharge, and returned to Ohio, making his home for a time in Fostoria, his stepfather having removed thither in 1864.
On October 26, 1865, Mr. Griffin was united in marriage with Miss Mary Magdalena Foster, who was born in Jackson township. Seneca county, February 2, 1841, daughter of Christian and Mary Foster, the former of whom was born in Georgia in 1798, and died in 1873, the latter in
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Shenandoah, Va., in ISO1. Mrs. Foster's par- ents, after their marriage, made their home int Perry county, Ohio, and after her own marriage, she and her husband, in 1829, settled in Seneca county, Ohio, where they passed the rest of their days, Mrs. Foster dying March 4, 1875, at the age of seventy-three years, seven months, and twenty days. They were the parents of thirteen children, eleven of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Rebecca, who married William Stahl; Jonas, of Fostoria, who served in the 49th O. V. I., in the Civil war; Abraham, who died in early manhood; Mary Ann, who was instantly killed by lightning when twenty years old; Rachel (Mrs. Isaac Good), deceased in 1893; Nancy, Mrs. G. Hampshire, of Jerry City, Wood county; Lucinda, deceased wife of L. Wirt; Sampson, in Seneca county; Andrew Jackson, who was a soldier four years in the Civil war, was captured by the ene- my, and was incarcerated in Castle Thunder, Libby and Andersonville prisons; Mary M., wife of our subject; Mahala, who married Noah Good, and died in August, 1874; and Susan and Solo- mon (probably among the elder born), both de- ceased in childhood. Christian Foster was the third settler in Jackson township, Seneca county, at a time when Indians visited his farm, as they did in fact for many years thereafter.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Griffin took up their residence near Fostoria, where he worked at carpentry in connection with his farm operations, until the fall of 1871, when, with his wife and children, he came to Wood county, the journey being made by wagon. Here he bought eighty acres of land in Liberty town- slip, and the family took up their quarters in an humble shanty, all of which property Mr. Griffin from to time improved. in 1888 building his pres- ent commodious and pleasant country residence. In 1887 he drilled his first oil well on the place, and he has since added thereto till he has now ten wells, all proving remunerative. He bought two building lots in Bowling Green, and a resi- dence on the corner of Pearl and Grove streets. in the fall of 1890 building dwelling houses, and two years later buying lots adjoining his home. in addition to all of which. he is the owner of seventy-eight acres of land in Center township.
The names and dates of birth; etc .. of the chil- dren born to Mr. and Mrs. Griffin are as follows: Martha Arvilla, December 29, 1866, married to Albert Blackman, by whom she has one son, Frank, born April 12, 1895; Mahala S., January 2. 1860, living at home: Mary Elizabeth, June 20. 1871, now the wite of Jacob Wallace, of Fostoria; and Sarah Ellen, August 28, 1873,
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Louisa Arletta, September 9, 1875, and Arthur Le Roy, May 12, 1882, all three at home. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin are members of the M. E. Church; in politics he is a Republican, but has never sought office. For some five years he owned and operated a street sprinkler in Bowling Green, but sold it May 1, 1895, He is a repre- sentative self-made man, and typical American " hustler," one, who by his own unaided efforts, indomitable perseverance and sound judgment, has ascended the ladder of success, until he now ranks among the wealthy citizens of Wood county.
ELDEN WELLS. Among the self-made men in Perry township, who are deserving of the suc- cess to which they have attained, may be classed the man whose name introduces this sketch, and who holds a high place in the regard of his ac- quaintances as an honest, upright citizen, and an industrious, progressive agriculturist.
Mr. Wells is a native of Pennsylvania, his birth taking place in Washington township, Franklin county, December 2, 1836. Of his an- cestry it might be said that he "came of poor but honest parents." His father, James Wells, was in rather poor circumstances, and was em- ployed the greater part of his life in teaming and similar occupations. He was of Yankee extrac- tion, and was born in the State of New York; but when a young man went to Maryland, where he met and was married to Miss Mary M. Lowry. Soon afterward they removed to Franklin county, Penn., where they spent the remainder of their lives, the father passing away when eighty years of age, and the mother when seventy-nine; her death was the result of a wound in her hand made by the spur of a rooster. Their children were as follows: Elizabeth, wife of George Walich, lives in Washington county, Md. ; Lu- cinda, married to Reuben Sheets, lives in Greene county, Ohio; George is also a resident of Greene county; Elden is the subject of these lines; Catharine, now deceased, first married Jacob Hoover, and later became the wife of William Jackson, of Middleburg, Penn .; Ann is now the widow of George Gearhart, and lives in Franklin county, Penn. ; Mary married David Frederich, and after his death became the wife of -Joseph Rowers, who is now deceased (she resides in Franklin county, Penn. ); John, who lives in Mary- land, near the famous battlefield of Antietam, worked for one family twenty-one years, first for the father and afterward for the two sons: James and Sarah A. live in Franklin county, Pennsyl- vania.
Our subject had but few advantages for an
education, his schooling, which did not begin until he was twelve years of age, being limited to a few days in the week during a few of the winter months. His father had a large family, and, al- though he was a hard-working man, he found it impossible to earn enough to support all of them, so that when this lad was only ten years old he was bound out to a farmer by the name of Gilbert, for three years, receiving from him his board and clothes. He had plenty of hard work and but little time for boyish pastimes or amusements, such as are natural to children of that age. When the three years were done he was hired out to other farmers, and in this way was employed until he became of age, when he decided to try his fortune in the West. Accordingly, on March 16, 1857, he left his native State and went to Whiteside county. Ill., where he remained eighteen months. He then returned to Pennsylvania, and went to work for a previous employer, and later did team- ing for another farmer.
On December 25, 1860, Mr. Wells was mar- ried in Antrim township, Franklin Co., Penn., to Miss Susan B. Gossert, who was born in that township September 9, 1840, and whose father, Samuel Gossert, was a carpenter by trade. Until he was twenty-three years of age Mr. Wells had given all the money he earned to his parents, but for a year previous to his marriage he had saved all he made, and these few dollars were the sum total he had to begin housekeeping with.
On August 16, 1862, Mr. Wells enlisted in Company E. 158th P. V. I., under Capt. Barnetts, to aid in defense of the Union. They went into camp at Chambersburg, Penn., and from there were sent to Norfolk, Va., whence they marched 125 miles to Holly's Landing, going from that place to Newberne, N. C., by boat. They started to Little Washington, N. C., but were intercepted by the enemy and obliged to return to Newberne. After this they chased the Rebels from Swift Creek village, and then took up their quarters at Little Washington. When Lee started North through Pennsylvania, our subject's regiment was brought up into Virginia, and was at South Mount- ain on the last day of the fight at Gettysburg. Then they were in camp for seventeen days two and a half miles from Frederick City, Md., after- ward being sent to Baltimore and later to Harris- burg.
In August, 1863, after his discharge from the army, Mr. Wells returned home, where he re- mained until in December, 1864, when he went. in company with a friend, to Iowa to look for a suitable location. Not being satisfied with that section of the country, however, he returned to
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Ohio, and in March, 1865, with his wife and three children, removed to a place near Tiffin, Ohio, working at first for other farmers, and - later, in 1867, renting a farm which is now a part of the city of Fostoria. In the following few years, Mr. Wells rented land at various points, in 1872 renting 160 acres in Washington town- ship, Hancock county, for which he paid $500 cash, yearly. In the fall of 1873, he made his first purchase of land, it being 120 acres in Sec- tion 20, Perry township, the price being $7,000, of which he paid $500 down. At that time only
about seventy-five acres of the place were under cultivation. an old frame house and a very poor barn were all the improvements on it, and not a foot of tiling had been laid. As late as 1876, portions of the land were covered with water to the depth of several inches. This has all been removed, and since making his home on the farm, to which he removed March 20, 1874, Mr. Wells has built an excellent bank barn, drained the land, and made many other improvements.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Wells are as follows: Winfield S., a graduate of Rush Med- ical College, Chicago, is now a practicing physi- cian at Marion, Ohio; Ida and George B., twins, are both married, Ida being now Mrs. L. H. Coe, of Perry township; George was married November 1, 1894, to Miss Carrie M. Alexander, of Bloomdale, and resides in Hancock county, Ohio; Victoria N. is the wife of Orrin Wiseman, and resides with our subject. Mr. Wells has brought up his family with the utmost care, and they have well repaid their parents for their ex- cellent training. Three of them have been teach- ers, and all have been given every advantage of good schooling. Mr. Wells is a warm advocate of higher education, and has exerted his influence in behalf of better schools and progress in all ed- ucational matters. He is a self-made man, one who has had many obstacles to contend with, but who has surmounted them all, and is to-day a successful and highly esteemed citizen. He is a great reader, and has a wonderfully retentive memory, while his practical education has fitted him to succeed in business. He has traveled ex- tensively throughout the States, and has gained considerable knowledge by observance and in- quiry. A kind-hearted, generous inan, Mr. Wells has many warm friends in all classes of society. He and his wife were originally members of the United Brethren Church, but for the past sixteen years have been connected with the Methodist denomination.
Mr. Wells is an ardent Democrat in political sentiment. He has always been a leader in his
party, and a most enthusiastic worker for its in- terests. On three different occasions he was the only one present at a " caucus, " and inade out the ticket for the township, having it printed at his own expense, and attending to all the details personally. He has been a member of the elec- tion board of the township for several years, and is considered one of the best citizens in Perry township.
LEVI WIRT, a retired farmer of Perry town- ship, was born in Chippewa township, Wayne county, March 26, 1835. His father. David Wirt, was born in Pennsylvania, where he mar- ried Miss Eliza Wire, a native of the same State. Mr. Wirt died in Wayne county, Ohio, when our subject was but three years old. By occu- pation he was a millwright. After his death, Mrs. Wirt married Nathan Bisey, then moved to Sene- ca county, and died at Fostoria.
Our subject was one of two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Wirt. The other, a girl, died when seven years old. Levi was bound out to Jacob Wimer, a farmer, who, when Levi was ten years old, moved to Allen county, Ind., ten miles north of Fort Wayne, where our subject was sent to the district school. Mr. Wimer was a kind man, and treated him well. When six- teen years old, he left Mr. Wimer, the latter's wife having died, and was employed by a man by the name of Rhodes, in Allen county, at nine dollars a month. He saved a little of this, and attended school that winter, which was the last opportunity he had for doing so. Mr. Wirt re- mained in Indiana until nineteen years old, and then returned to Seneca county and worked in a sawmill, and later ran a threshing machine, in which he had an interest.
In February, 1856, Mr. Wirt was united in marriage to Lucinda Foster, a native of Jackson township, and a daughter of Christian Foster, front Perry county. At that time our subject had a team and a couple of hundred dollars. which he had saved from his wages. He was half owner of a steam sawmill, bought on time (and later paid for), and, renting his step-father's farm, in London township, Seneca county, he there began his successful career as a farmer. In the spring of 1861, he moved to Montgomery township, where he bought forty acres of unim- proved land, for which he paid $600 in cash, and which was the first place he could call his own home, since leaving that of his childhood. For seven years he lived in Montgomery township. and in 1868 he went to Section 3. Perry town- i ship. He sold his forty acres in Montgomery
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township for $1,200. He secured a farm in in Perry township, on which he lived until the fall of 1890, when he went to West Millgrove, where he has continued to reside ever since, re- tired from active farm work. To Mr. and Mrs. Wirt were born these children: Andrew J., September 27, 1857, is a farmer in Bloom town- ship; Oscar, October 27, 1860, is a farmer in Perry township; Eliza A., January 15, 1864, married Edward Dindore, of Henry county; William F., April 15, 1870, is now living in Van- Buren, Ohio: Clara E:, August 18, 1875, is the wife of Byron Whitman. Mrs. Wirt died Au- gust 11, 1887, aged fifty years, and was buried in West Millgrove. Mr. Wirt was married again, his second wife being Mrs. Abraham Fos- ter, whose maiden name was Lydia A. Swope. She was born in Morgan county, Ohio, June 15, 1831, and by her first marriage was the mother of ten children, seven of whom are still alive.
Mr. Wirt has always been a stanch Republic- an, his first vote being cast for Salmon P. Chase for governor of Ohio. He has served his party in every township in which he has lived, and for two terms was township trustee of Perry. He is now serving as mayor of West Millgrove, to which office he was elected to fill an unexpired term of Joseph Ashe, in the spring of 1894, and in 1895 was elected to serve the regular term. He is a member of Prairie Depot Lodge No. 646, I. O. O. F., and, with his wife, is a mem- ber of the Congregational Church. Mr. Wirt is a successful farmer, a pleasant gentleman, pop- ular with his many friends, and an excellent citizen.
SAMUEL HEMMINGER, a prosperous, well-to- do farmer of Wood county, is a native of Loudon township, Seneca county, where he was born January 12. 1839, the son of Henry and Cather- ine (Kiser) Heniminger.
The father of our subject was born in Penn- sylvania of German parents. When a boy they moved to Stark county, and Henry subsequently went to Seneca county, where he married Miss Kiser, who came of Pennsylvania-German stock. Mr. Hemminger was a farmer, and lived in Lou- don township until about 1850, when he came . east to Freedom township, Wood county, and secured eighty acres of land, then in a primitive condition, on which he built a log cabin. Later he moved to Montgomery township, and lived in Section 21 until his death, which occurred Sep- tember 20, 1878, when he was aged seventy. His wife died later, and both are buried in the Prairie Depot cemetery. Their children were as
follows: Elizabeth, now Mrs. Z. Edmunds, of northeast Missouri; Mary married Samuel Rickard, and died in Iowa; Samuel is our subject; Alonzo L., who was a member of the 55th O. V. I., and is now a farmer of Montgomery township; Daniel died at the age of five years; David was in the war, and died in Montgomery township; Francis M. died young. Mr. Hemminger was a Repub- lican, and held some minor township offices.
Samuel attended school, and was reared as a farmer's boy. He lived at home until April, 1861, when he was married to Miss Amey Spink, who was born November 8, 1836, in Erie county, N. Y., a daughter of Buckley and Amney (Moshier) Spink. - Our subject located on a farm which he rented until after his return from the war. In February, 1864, he enlisted in Company E, 25th Regiment, at Prairie Depot, it being home on veteran furlough. His first engagement was at Honey Hills, S. C., and a few days later he was wounded in the arm and side, and was in the hos- pital for a short time. He was subsequently in the hospital at Hilton Head and at Charleston, and was discharged from the foriner August, 1865, when he returned home. In the fall of 1865 Mr. Hemminger bought forty acres in Section 10, Montgomery township, where he built a cabin of round logs, 16x 24 feet, which was rudely fur- nished.
The children of Mr. 'and Mrs. Hemminger were as follows: Albert A., born July 25, 1863, isa farmer of Bartlow township, Henry county (he has three children); Tentla Celestia died in infancy; Charles H., born March 17, 1867, is also a farmer in Bartlow township (he has three children): Julia died in infancy; Mary E. was drowned when two years old; Wilbur died in infancy: Samuel died June 25, 1877, from the effects of burns received when our subject's house was destroyed by fire. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Hemminger built his pres- ent confortable home, to replace the one burned. He has made all the improvements on the place. In politics he is a Republican, has been super- visor, and was school director for six years. He and his wife have eighty acres of land, and have helped their two sons to a farm of eighty acres each, and they are prosperous young farmers. Our subject is a member of the G. A. R., and is a well-to-do, straightforward citizen.
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