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 35
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Wood county, and bought thirty acres of fine land near Grand Rapids, upon which he has made first-class improvements. Energetic and pro- gressive, he conduets his farm on modern plans, and well deserves the success to which he has attained.
He was married March 29, 1868, to Miss Clara Salts, a native of Fairfield county, born March 23, 1848. They have three children -- Kittie, the wife of William Bates, of Bowling Green; and two younger daughters, Maude and Ethel, both of whom reside with their parents. Mr. Mosier is a Republican in politics, and one of the leaders in local affairs. He was once elected school director, and is now serving a term as township trustee. He belongs to the G. A. R., the I. O. O. F., Turkey Foot Lodge No. 529, of Grand Rapids, and the Rebekah Lodge. He and his wife are leading members of the U. B. Church.
CHARLES SIMMONS, a prominent farmer of Weston, was born in London, England, Novein- ber II. 1848. He is a son of Reuben and Mary (Philpot) Simmons, who were married January 20, 1845, and to whom two children were born: Henry, who died when five years old, and our subject.
Reuben Simmons followed the occupation of a tanner in England, and in 1850 emigrated to America, locating in Huron county, where. how- ever, he remained but a short time, after which he moved to Wood county and settled in Wes- ton, bought forty acres of land, improved it and remained there until his death, which occurred October 19, 1865. His wife died June 1. 1891.
Our subject was educated in Weston town- ship, and grew to manhood on his father's farin. His father dying when he was seventeen years old, he operated the homestead and supported his mother until her deccase. He has added twenty acres to the land bought by his father. which he has greatly improved, bringing it to a fine state of cultivation. He annually raises a large crop of grain, fruit and vegetables. Mr. Simmons was married in Washington township. April 18, 1877, to Miss Mary I. Creps, who was born in that township June 26, 1851. She is the daughter of Joseph A. and Eliza Coffinberry Creps, the former of whom was a native ot Penn- sylvania, and a veteran of the Civil war. He is now deceased. His wife, a native of Mansfield. Ohio. survives him, and lives with our subject To Mr. and Mrs. Summons have been born three children, namely: Katie E., January 10, 1878: George A., August 4, 1882; Rosseta J. Au-
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gust 26, 1886. Mr. Simmons is a Republican in politics, and served as supervisor for two terms. He is an industrious, progressive citizen, and enjoys the respect and esteem of all who come in contact with him.
GEORGE W. NEEDLES, one of the honored pioneers of Wood county, has witnessed much of its growth and development, having also borne his part in the work of progress and improve- ment. He is now numbered among the extensive land owners of the community, and has been the architect of his own fortune, having gained all that he possesses through his own energy, per- severance and business ability.
Mr. Needles is a native of Fairfield county, Ohio, born September 23, 1849. His father, William C. Needles, was born in Maryland, Octo- ber 10, 1822, and throughout his entire life car- ried on farming. In Fairfield county he wedded Mary Harris, a daughter of Abraham and Rebecca (Needles) Harris, the former of whom was a prominent farmer and at one time the richest man in the county. Mr. and Mrs. Needles resided in Fairfield county until 1851, when they removed to Hancock county, Ohio, locating on an eighty- acre farm in Union township, to which further purchases were added until the farm was 200 acres in extent. There the mother died in No- vember, 1886, and the father passed away Octo- ber 12, 1894. Their children were: Rhoda Jane, wife of William I. Borough; Abram J., of Kentucky; Sarah Rebecca, who became the wife of Luther Kelly, and died in Hancock county; George W. ; Mary Melissa, wife of James Monroe Radebaugh, of Indiana; Clinton W., of Wyandot county. Ohio; John, a farmer of Jackson town- ship; Louisa E., wife of John Kelly, of Hancock county; Ella, wife of Joseph Hartman, also of Hancock county; Annie V., wife of Dr. Rade- baugh, of New Bremen, Ohio. The first of the Needles family to locate in Ohio was James Needles, a native of New York, who served as a musician in the war of 1812. When a young man he located in Fairfield county. Ohio, where he reared a family of eight children, the father of our subject being the third. The Needles family originated in Ireland.
Our subject was a year and a half old when his parents moved to Hancock county, where the father carried on a hotel west of Benton Ridge for a few years. George attended the district schools of the neighborhood, and worked on the ; 'home farm until twenty-two years of age, when he went to Michigan and took a contract to grade three miles of the Canada Southern railroad. :
After three years thus passed he went to Toledo for the same company, where he built a yard. working some four months for $5 per day: he also graded a mile and a quarter of the Toledo & Ann Arbor railroad. He had previously pur- chased eighty acres of land in Monroe county, Michigan.
On October 20, 1875, Mr. Needles was joined in wedlock with Sarah V. Reed, who was born near Van Buren, Hancock Co., Ohio, March 13, 1854, a daughter of John and Rebecca (Wilson) Reed. They began their domestic life in Raw- son, Hancock county, where our subject pur- chased and for two years operated a sawmill, which proved a profitable investment. He then came to Wood county in the fall of 1879, and purchased forty acres of improved land. on which he erected a good frame residence. which a few years later was burned. In 1889 he erected a large and beautiful home, which stands in the midst of well-kept grounds, and there with his family he is enjoying the fruits of his former toil. As his financial resources have increased, he has invested in realty, and now owns 672 acres in Jackson and Henry townships. By the failure of the People's Bank, of North Baltimore, he lost $1,000; but his energy and perseverance have overcome many obstacles, and he is to-day the possessor of a handsome property.
To Mr. and Mrs. Needles have been born four children, as follows: Pearl R., December 27, 1878; Chloe Dell, December 7, 1883; John W .. September 27. 1885; and Frank W., December 3, 1887, all of whom are at home. The parents are active workers in and consistent niembers of the United Brethren Church, and Mr. Needles is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge of Hoytville, the Odd Fellow's Lodge at Rawson. and the Encampment at Findlay. A Republican in politics, he has served three years as trustee. and in all the relations of life he has been found true to the duties devolving upon him-an upright man whom all respect.
Mrs. Needles' father was born in 1812, in Stark county, Ohio, and was a farmer by occupa- tion. He was of Irish descent, his father having come from Ireland with eight brothers, none of whom he ever saw or heard of after separating in New York. In early manhood Mr. Reed re- moved to Hancock county, where he built the first brick house, and he also made the first brick manufactured in that county. He built the arst hotel in Findlay, which has been consolidated into what is now known as the " Marvin. ' Hr died in 1884. On March 19, 1833. he married Rebecca Wilson, who was born in 18to, and
G. W Nedles
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thirty couples attended the wedding on horse- back. To this union came nine children: Jane (Mrs. Milton Morehead), Caroline (Mrs. Henry Metzler), Etna (Mrs. Henry Whitmore), Thomas Reed (deceased), Emeline (Mrs. Jacob Kempher), Violet, Eli Reed. Mrs. Needles, and J. M. Two sons and four daughters are living.
GEORGE AMOs, a substantial farmer of Mont- gomery township, was born January 8, 1828, in Bavaria, Germany, and was a boy of eight years when his parents, Michael and Caroline (Sunt- miers) Amos, came to this country.
Mr. Amos had attended school in his native country for a short time; but did not have much opportunity of extending his education, as his father died a few weeks after locating in Portage township. He was only eleven years old when he started out for himself, working on various farms at from twenty-five to thirty-one cents a day. He was a strong, industrious boy, and was known as a "good hand. " He gave almost all his wages to his widowed mother until he was eighteen years old, and was her main support. For eight years he was employed as a fisherinan on Lake Erie, for one year being a partner in the business with Daniel Shinew, and he received fair wages in this work, in this way securing his start in life. His first purchase of land was forty acres in Portage township, and his first payment on this was made from his wages for cradling wheat for twenty days near Tiffin, Ohio.
Mr. Amos was married December 25, 1856, in Freedom township, to Miss Sarah A. Jackson, who bore him the following children: Caroline, now Mrs. Jacob Heckert, of Montgomery town- ship; Emma M., who died when three and a half years old; George, living in Toledo; Ella and Lecta (twins), the former of whom married Har- vey Ketzel, of Portage township, and the latter died when eighteen years old; Amanda, the wife of Andrew Harmon, of this township; Ida J., Mrs. J. W. Buckingham, of Perry; and Hattic M., who died in infancy. The mother of these children died in 1874, and was buried in Rochester cemetery. On January 17, 1875, Mr. Amos was married in Perry township to Mrs. Margaret Gobble, the widow of Jacob Gobble. She was born in Wood county November 20, 1849, and is the daughter of John and Barbara (Tyson) Echel- berger. By her first marriage she was the mother of three children, namely: Elsie M., the wife of Bert Hedge, of Montgomery township; Willic, who died in infancy; Jacob M., living in Mont- gomery township. Of her union with Mr. Amos the following children have been born: Charles
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1
R., Barbara A., Emily M., Bertha A., Edna M., Severno P., Mary A., Ada D, and Michael G.
After our subject was first married he lived in Portage township until March, 1869, when he moved to Section 34, Montgomery township, and bought the 120 acres of land whereon he now resides, 100 acres of which are under fine cultiva- tion. He has built a good house, and in many other ways has improved his property. He has always been a hard worker, honest and upright in his character, devoted to his family, and an excellent citizen. He has made his own way in the world, and is deserving of the greatest credit for his success. In politics he has always been a Democrat, although he voted for Abraham Lincoln in 1860. He has never sought office, and takes no active interest in political affairs. Mr. Amos and his wife are members of the Ger- man Baptist Church, of which he has been a trustee ever since its organization, and in which he is a deacon.
JOHN HUBER, who is one of the most straight- forward and reliable farmers of Montgomery township, is a native of Wood county, born in Section 12, Portage township, April 14, 1858. and is the son of John U. Huber, whose birth occurred at Diessenhofen, on the River Rhine, in Switzerland, July 4, IS30.
When a young man the father came to the United States, leaving Europe after the death of his parents, who were people in ordinary circum- stances. He first obtained employment as a farm hand in New York, and later in Ohio. In Hancock county, this State, he was married. Sep- tember 27, 1854, to Miss Clarissa Foster, who was born in Milan township, Huron now San- dusky) Co., Ohio, December 19, 1832, the daugh- ter of William and Sybil (Butler) Foster. Her father was a farmer of Hancock county, where his death occurred August 2, 1854, and his wife passed away eight days later. In their family were five children, two sons and three daughters. Upon his marriage Mr. Huber located upon his father-in-law's farm, in Hancock county; later rented land near Findlay, and made his home in that county nntil October, 1856, when he located upon a forty-acre tract of partially-improved land. which he had purchased in Section 12, Portage township, Wood county. There he continued to live until called from this life. September 28, 1878; in the meantime, he had extended the boundaries of his farm until they included 240 acres. Although small of stature, he was a very ambitions man and a hard worker. In early life he was a Democrat, but later he supported
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the Republican party. To Mr. and Mrs. Huber were born nine children-Angeline, who died in infancy; John, subject of this sketch; William, who died in childhood; Peter, of Portage town- ship; Amanda, who died in infancy; Barbara, who became the wife of William Parmenton, and died in Portage township; Jane, who died at the age of eighteen years; Elijah, of Portage town- ship; and Mary, who died when young. The mother, who is an earnest member of the Ger- man Baptist Church, still lives upon the home farm, a respected old lady. She was of great assistance to her husband, and is still very active and industrious for one who has done the hard work that she has.
Being the eldest son of the family, our sub- ject was early called upon to aid in the work of the farm, and, therefore, his school privileges were limited. When he was twenty years of age his father died, and much of the responsi- bility of caring for the family and managing the farm fell upon his young shoulders. He was united in marriage, March 10, 1881, in Portage township, with Miss Amelia Bollinger, who was born April 28, 1863, daughter of William and Lydia (Stump) Bollinger. They now have three children, all living, namely: Rosa, Sainuel, and Estella M. At the time of his marriage Mr. Hu- ber owned forty acres of land, of which ten had been cleared, and a small house erected thereon ; but, in May, 1884. he removed to his present farm, in Section 7, Montgomery township, then consisting of but thirty-five acres. When he pur- chased the land there were no buildings upon the place that were habitable; but he at once erected a frame house, 16x20 feet, and, in 1894, built his present elegant residence. His substantial barn, 40x60 feet, was built in 1890. He now has sixty-eight acres of land under a high state of cultivation, which yield a ready return for the care and labor expended upon it. Politically he is a solid Republican. but has never cared to hold public office.
OLIVER MEARS has long been identified with the interests of Wood county, and is an indus- trious farmer, having many friends throughout this locality. He was born in Plain township, August 19, 1856, and is a son of John and Ann Maria (Manville) Mears. The father was born in Erie county, Jannary 23, 1825, where he worked upon a farm for a number of years. He then canie to Wood county, where for a time he en- gaged in teaching school, and then purchased 160 acres of land in Plain township, upon which he erected buildings and made many sub-
stantial improvements. He was married in this county, February 23, 1855 to Miss Man- ville, who was born August 17, 1836. They be- came the parents of seven children-Oliver: Elizabeth, who was born November 7, 1858, and died October 31, 1862; Andrew, born July 1. 1861, an attorney at law of Bowling Green: Annie B., born April 2, 1866; John B., who was born March 8. 1864, and died July 13, 1865; William H., who was born November 25, 186S. and died October 16, 1886; and John M., born March 9, 1872. The father of this family died July 1, 1887, and the mother February 1. 1875. He was a Republican in politics, and a valued citizen of the community.
The gentleman whose name introduces this review was educated in the district schools of his native township, and aided in the work of the home farm until he had attained his majority, when he sought and secured employment as a farm hand, serving in that capacity until twenty- six years of age. He then rented the old home- stead for a number of years, and in 1885 pur- chased it, but sold before buying the Wilson farm on which he now resides. The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. Mears was in her maidenhood Henrietta Halbert, and was born in Rome, N. Y., June 17, 1863. They were mar- ried March 22, 1883, and to them were born three children, but all died in infancy. Mr. Mears holds membership with the Presbyterian Church, and in his political views is a Kepub- lican. He is known all over the country for his generosity and benevolence, and no man is held in higher regard or is more worthy the esteem of his fellow townsmen than Oliver Mears.
FREEMAN VOSBURG, who is engaged in agri- cultural pursuits in Section 15. Portage town- ship, is a native of Connecticut, born August 15. 1824. and is a son of John and Elizabeth Miner Vosburg. He attended his first school in Tran- bull county, Ohio, and his education was con- tinued after the removal of the family to Wood county, this State. in June, 1836. The jourses from Trumbull county required fourteen days, during which time it rained almost incessant!y. and our subject walked the entire distance bare. footed. He remained under the parental 0 4 until he had attained the age of twenty-two years.
In Norwalk, Ohio, May 3, 1855, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Vosburg and Miss Orra O. Sparks, who was born in New linven. township, Haron county, March 25. 1836, ar 16 a daughter of Asapl and Betsy ( Fuller) Sparks
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natives of the Nutmeg State, and early settlers of New Haven township. Mr. and Mrs. Vos- burg are the parents of three children: Leander C., and John N., both farmers of Portage town- ship; and Lucy A., wife of Gustavus Cox, of the same township.
For nearly a year after his marriage our sub- ject lived in Richmond township, Huron county, employed in the woods, cutting stave timber, and in the spring of 1856, came to Wood county, locating on the home farm in Montgomery town- ship, where `his father had died. He operated that place for his widowed mother for three years, and then rented land elsewhere until De- cember, 1864, when he came to Section 15, Portage township, where he had owned forty acres some years previously. He built a log house upon his farm, in the midst of the woods, the water was very high, game was plentiful. deer often coming clear up to his door; the roads were corduroy, which would float around much of the time. Only a small clearing had been made, and the remainder of the tract was covered with a dense forest; but our subject was robust and strong, and at once began its improvement. He felled the trees, and, as his resources increased, added to his land until he now has 120 acres, under a highi state of cultivation, which has been brought about by industry and good management, with its attendant hard labor. In 1885 he removed to the portion of the farm where he still resides. He is a self-made man in the truest sense of that term, and his upright, honorable life has gained liim inany warm friends. He and his estimable wife are sincere members of the Congregational Church, of which he has been trustee, and in politics he was formerly a Whig, and since the organization of the Repub- lican party, has been one of its stanch supporters.
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EDWARD L. BLUE, the popular editor and pro- prietor of the Perrysburg Journal, of Perrysburg, Ohio, was born in that city, December 28, 1858. His education was acquired in the public schools, but, at the age of thirteen. circumstances arose which caused him to seek an occupation, where he could earn a livelihood for himself. He in- stinctively turned to the printing office of the Per- rysburg Journal, where, after performing various menial duties for a short period, he was admitted to become an apprentice to the printer's trade. with sufficient salary to guarantee board and clothes. For eight long years he devoted Himself closely to work in the Journal office.
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At the end of that time Mr. Blue went to To- ledo, where he found employment with the Blade
Printing & Paper Co., and subsequently with the Ber. He next worked in the job office of The B. F. Wade Co. It was there that his close appli- cation to the art of printing soon brought him into the notice of his employers, and the most artistic work required from the concern was given to him. This class of work required time and study, and he took care to improve his opportunity, and make himself as proficient in his trade as possible.
Mr. Blue had judiciously husbanded his earn- ings, and in 1889 he returned to Perrysburg, where he found the Journal badly managed, and in a very poor condition, financially. It was con- stantly running behind. He took advantage of the situation, purchased it, and found himself proprietor, where, as a boy, only a few years be- fore, he had been an apprentice. . The dilapidated condition of the paper's finance did not daunt his energies. He saw a field for effort where ability could win success. He proceeded to increase the capacity of the office, and the circulation of the paper, and soon had it on a paying basis. The Journal is now an eight-page weekly paper. well filled with local and general news. The local columns are always up to date, and the typo- graphical work is neat, and shows the influence of a master hand. In politics the paper, like its editor, is thoroughly Republican.
On the roth of July, 1883, Mr. Blue was united in marriage with Miss Mary Louise Wet- more, who was born at Perrysburg, September 19, 1860, and is the daughter of Capt. F. A. and Mary A. (Fraser) Wetmore. Her father is now living retired at Perrysburg, after forty-five years spent upon the lakes. Socially. Mr. Blue holds membership with Phoenix Lodge No. 123. F. & A. M , of Perrysburg, and Perrysburg Lodge No. 524, K. of P. In politics he is identified with the leaders of his party in the locality. He is genial and social by nature, making many acquaintances whom he readily retains as friends.
J. W. BUCKINGHAM, a prominent and in- fluential farmer, is still a resident of Perry town- ship, his birth occurring in Section 7. April 3. 1864, and is a son of James D. and Elizabeth (Wooley) Buckingham. The father was born in Washington county, Penn., January 17, 1814. and in the fall of 1822 was taken to Ashland county, Ohio, by his parents, James and. Mary ( Bonnell) Buckingham. In Ruggles township. of that county, he married the mother of our sub- ject on the 13th of November, 1845. She was a native of Tompkins county. N. Y., born Jannary 23, 1823, and a daughter of Joel Wooley, who was born on Long Island, and served his country
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in the war of 1812. At the age of eleven years she was taken by her parents to Bronson, Huron Co., Ohio, where they became early settlers. By her first marriage she became the wife of Thomas Brown, and they had one son, Daniel, who was born November 9, 1842, and is now a carpenter of Almena, Norton Co., Kans. By her union with Mr. Buckingham she became the mother of three children: George W., born Oc- tober 27, 1847, makes his home in Montgomery township; Sarah E., born September 25, 1853, married Lewis Whitman, and died May 11, 1891; and J. W., of this sketch, is the youngest.
In the spring of 1850 the parents located on eighty acres of land in Section 7. Perry town- ship, which the father had bought of his uncle, John Bonnell. As it was still in its primitive con- dition, they were obliged to cut their way through the forest and clear the land before it could be cultivated. They have both passed to their re- ward in the other world, the mother dying No- vember 17, 1887, and the father September 20. 1889, in the faith of the Congregational Church, of which they were consistent members. In July, 1889. Mr. Buckingham was kicked by a horse, which hastened his death. He was well posted on diseases of horses, and was often called upon to treat those animals. Although very social and genial in disposition, he was a man of few words, and was identified with the Republican party.
The first school which our subject attended was taught by De Soto Moffet, and his entire ed- ucation was such as the district schools afforded. Previous to his marriage he was engaged for the most part in work upon the home farm. That important event in his life occurred on April 7, 1887, in Findlay, Ohio, when Miss Elizabeth Rainsberger became his wife. She was a native of Bloom township, born August 27, 1863, and was a daughter of William Rainsberger. She died March 1, 1888, her remains being interred at West Millgrove, Ohio, and she left one son, Curt, born February 16, 1888. On August 25, 1889, Mr. Buckingham was again married, his second union being with Miss Ida J. Amos, who was born in Montgomery township, September 17, 1870, and is a daughter of George and Sarah A. (Jackson) Amos, early pioneers of Portage ' township, this county, Mr. Amos is a German by birthi. Two children bless this union-Ralph A., born December 12, 1891; and Bertha E .. who was born February 10, 1895, and died on the 25th of July, following.
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