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 46
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98
1
1119
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
his father. There our subject remained until rSet, in the meantime working his father's farm. In that year he bought thirty acres more of the Luneplace, and began farming for himself. In the spring of 1865 he bought the remaining acre- ue of the home place, and moved into the old home, where he has since lived. He has added : the land from time to time until he now has 140 acres. In 1872 he built a most substantial : sidence of brick, which is to-day one of the best wd most comfortable homes in the township. To Mr. and Mrs. Keefer have been born the fol- Dwing children: W. R. at home; Maggie, mar- ried.to Cassius Lenhart, of Cass township, Han- cock Co., Ohio; Nettie, now the wife of C. C. Kelley, of Fostoria; Mollie, at home; Rena, mar- tied to Charles Shirk, of Bloomdale, Ohio; Ella, How Mrs. Lambright, of Jackson township; and Ruie and Corwin C., at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Keefer are members of the Methodist Church. with which he united in 1855. He is at present one of the trustees, and has al- ways been a liberal contributor. He is a stanch Republican, and has served as trustee of Perry township for several years at different times. On May 2, 1864, Mr. Keefer enlisted in Company E. 144 Regiment, O. V. I., and served until August $4. 1864, doing guard duty, a great part of the time in Wilmington, Del. Mr. Keefer is a strictly self-made man, of a peaceable nature, and is highly respected in his community.
J. O. CALDWELL; a prominent citizen of Per- rysburg, was born in Montour county, Penn., Sep- tember 24, 1848, the son of John W. and Susan Foliner) Caldwell.
The father of our subject was born in Mon- tour county, Penn., where he carried on farming luring his entire life, dying at the age of sixty- sve years and seven months. He was a Demo- ( rat in politics, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. The mother was also born in Montour county, and lived to be sixty-five years old, her leatlı occurring one year after that of her hus- band. They were the parents of seven sons and one daughter, as follows: Mary E. is wife of Jo- weph R. Schmeker; James H. is a wealthy oil Perator, owning a refinery in Titusville, Penn. ; Robert is deceased; J. O. is our subject; Lazarus E' has a large lumber business in Alabama, but resides in Winchester, Va. ; John F. is in the oil business in Titusville, Penn. ; William D. lives in Northumberland county, Penn. The paternal .Itudfather of our subject was born in Scotland. His parents came to America when he was two orars old, and settled in Montour county, where
he spent his life, engaged in farming. His ma- ternal grandfather was of German descent. and lived and died in Pennsylvania. He was a coloneì in the war of 1812.
J. O. Caldwell was reared in Montour county, Penn., and acquired his education in the high school and academy of Northumberland county. In 1861, he enlisted in Company H, 5th P. V. I., and served under Mcclellan in his various cam- paigns. For three years and two months he was under Gen. Grant, and among other noted bat- tles took part in those of the West Virginia cain- paign; the seven-days' fight at Antietam; South Mountain; Fair Oaks; and Fredericksburg. He was in active service all the time he was in the army, until he was taken ill with typhoid fever and sent to the hospital at Alexandria, Va. He received his discharge at Alexandria. in 1864.
On his return home Mr. Caldwell began oper- ating in the oil fields in Crawford county, Penn., where he remained for four years, meeting with excellent success. He then began farming in Montour county, which he carried on for several years, after which he kept a hotel at Danville, in the same county, and later again engaged in the . oil business. in Allegheny county. In 1888 Mr. Caldwell came to Ohio, locating in Liberty town- ship, Wood county, where he resided for four years. In March, 1892, he removed to Perrys- burg, and built a handsome brick residence on the Maumee river, near the Belt Line. railroad. This is one of the mnost delightful sites in the county, and in his pleasant home Mr. Caldwell enjoys all the comforts of life, his only drawback being the loss of his estimable wife, whose death took place in Montour county, Penn., in 1878. Mrs. Caldwell's maiden name was Almira Moat- hart, and she was united in marriage with our subject, in Montour county, Penn., in 1866. Two children were born to them: John W., who was educated in McConnellsburg, Penn., and is a merchant and justice of the peace at Webster Mills, in that State: and Lois, who is attending school at McConnellsburg. Mr. Caldwell is a strong Democrat, a public-spirited citizen, and a inan of influence in his community.
F. M. SNYDER. Wood county, has many well- to-do and successful farmers, men who have ac- cumulated what they have of this world's goods through individual effort. Among this class the name of the subject of this notice is entitled to a place. He is residing in Section 4. Montgomery township, where he is industriously engaged in the prosecution of his noble calling, and is meet- ing with far more than ordinary success.
1
1
1120
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
Mr. Snyder is a native of Ohio, born in Erie township, Ottawa county, on the peninsula, Janu- ary 16, 1850, and is the eldest of the six children of S. K. and Malinda (St. Clair) Snyder, who now make their home in Sandusky county, Ohio. The father is a native of Somerset county. Penn., and by trade is a tanner. The educational ad- vantages of our subject were very limited, but he made the best of his opportunities in that direc- tion, and was naturally intelligent and learned rapidly. His parents lived much of the time in town, and remain there; but at the early age of ten years our subject started out in life for him- self, working as a farm hand. He was quite large for his age, weighing 140 pounds when only fourteen. At the age of nineteen years he secured work at grading on the Lake Shore railroad, and was sooń made foreman of a gang of sixteen men employed in laying track on the Northern Divis- ion of that road, between East Toledo and San- dusky, Ohio. Later, he was brakeman on a through freight train running between Toledo and Cleveland. At the age of twenty-three years, he was married at Sandusky, to Miss Mary E. . Downs, a native of Madison township, Sandusky Co., Ohio, and a daughter of Daniel and Annie (Burkitt) Downs. Six children grace this union: Rose E., now the wife of Frank Powell. of Cleve- land, by whom she has one child; Hatti E., now Mrs. Joseph Burns, of Jamestown, N. Y. : Emma B., now Mrs. Forsyth, of East Toledo; and Annie, George G. and Alfred O., all at home.
After his marriage Mr. Snyder located at Gibsonburg, where he worked at the cooper's trade, which he had learned at Genoa, Ohio, under S. Kiser. Later he traded his property in the former place for ten acres of land in Mad- ison township, Sandusky county, where he worked at coopering and farming. In April, 1885, he . purchased forty acres of land in Section 4, Mont- gomery township, Wood county, going in debt for the same, and many predicted his failure, as the land was in such a poor condition Only five acres had ever been chopped over, and a small house, 22 x 28 feet, stood upon the place; but he at once began the improvement and cultivation of his land, succeeding so well in this enterprise that he now has a fine farm of 160 acres under a high state of cultivation. After locating upon this place, he took contracts, and constructed ditches in the neighborhood, thus adding to his income. Politically, he cast his first vote in sup- port of the Democratic party, but at present is not bound by party ties, and he has never been a seeker after political preferment. He is a strong believer in the system of public schools in the
State, and, if his own education had been of a higher order, he would have probably entered professional life, and would have undoubtedly made a successful lawyer. He is an interesting conversationalist, well-informed on the current events of the day.
ROBERT PLACE, one of the progressive farmers of Wood county, now owns and operates 560 acres of valuable land -- 240 in Wood county, and 320 in Putnam county, Ohio. By his career he has demonstrated the fact that success can be achieved by diligence, enterprise and capable management. These qualities, which are num- bered among his leading characteristics. have brought to him prosperity, and he may well be called a self-made man.
Mr. Place was born in Webster township. August 22, 1852. His father, Robert Place, Sr .. was born in Cambridgeshire, England, in 1815. and at the age of twenty-six married Sarah Easily, who was born in the same county in 1814. About 1850 he emigrated with his family to America. engaging passage at London on the sailing vessei. " Henry," which, after a voyage of five weeks. landed at New York. Their destination was Me- dina county, Ohio; but, Mr. Place having no money, he took a chance that offered to work his passage on a canal boat to Buffalo, while his wife served as cook. He then followed railroading for a year, when, with the money he had saved hetook his family to Medina county, and for four years worked for William Pitchard. In 1855 he pur- chased forty acres of wild land in Webster town- ship, Wood county, erected a log cabin, and be- gan at once to clear his farm, transforming it into richly developed fields. He afterward erected thereon a substantial residence, and made it his home until 1873, when he removed to Plain town- ship, and purchased fifty acres of partially im- proved land, on which stood an old log house. In 1884 he sold forty acres, retaining possession of the ten-acre tract on which stood his house. In March, 1893, he disposed of that property, and purchased a residence and five acres of land : Rudolph, where he is now living a retired life. . \ brief record of the members of the family is as follows: James was born in England, served as a soldier in the toth Ohio Cavalry, and is now living retired in Perrysburg; John, also born in: England, makes his home in the State of Wash- ington; Robert is the subject of this sketch. Charles lives in Pemberville, Ohio; Thomas we accidentally drowned at Bowling Green: Sarah Ann died at the ageof nine years; and Lydia lied in infancy.
-
-- - hr
Elvira Place
Robert Place
1121
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
Robert Place, of whom we write, spent his boyhood days in his native township, and, at the age of twenty years, completed his education in the Methodist Seminary, at Maumee. He then began school-teaching, which he followed for nine terms, afterward establishing a general store in the village of Mercer, which he successfully con- ducted for five years. On October S, 1875, he was married in Liberty township, to Elmira Mercer, who was born in Portage township, in 1854, daughter of Daniel and Susanna (Roberts) Mer- cer. They began their domestic life upon their present farm, which Mr. Place rented until 1891, and then purchased. He traded his store for the Haley farm of eighty acres, in Liberty township. on which he lived for a year, and then removed to Lucas county, where he purchased forty acres of land, continning its cultivation some eight years. Subsequently he bought his father's old home. but since 1891 has resided continuously upon his present farm, which now comprises 240 acres of valuable land, that yields to him a golden tribute in return for the care and labor he be- stows upon it. Here he has one of the finest residences in the township, and, in addition, he owns a 320-acre farm in Putnam county, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Place have two children: Al- fred W., born May 8, 1877; and Alta Matilda, born October S, 1885. Our subject and his wife are members of the Disciples Church: in politics he is a stalwart Prohibitionist. His life has been well spent, his career is an honorable and up- right one, and his many excellencies of character have gained for him the confidence and good will of all with whom he has been brought in contact.
JOHN H. BUCHER, whose death on May 26. 1885, caused deep regret throughout the com- munity, was one of the prominent and honored agriculturists of Perry township. He was a na- tive of Virginia, born April 15, 1814, a son of Jacob Bucher, and when thirteen years of age was taken by his parents to Fairfield county, Ohio, where his father's death occurred. His mother passed away at the home of her daugh- ter in Illinois.
In early life Mr. Bucher learned the carpen- ter's trade, which he followed for some time in Fairfield county. There he wedded Margaret Kiger, a daughter of William Kiger. She was born June 21, 1818, and in the fall of 1845, came with her husband to Wood county, locating on land which her father had entered in Section 6. Wood county. Four children graced that union -Josiah, who was born in Fairfield county, Feb-
ruary 4, 1844, and died in Perry township when a young man; William, who was born in Wood county, December 4, 1845, and died in Perry township, in January, 1863; Christy W., who was born February 5, 1848, and died in Septem- ber, 1854; and George S., who was born Decem- ber 29, 1849, and now makes his home in Defiance county, Ohio. The mother of the family died in September, 1854, and was laid to rest in Mill- grove cemetery.
In January, 1857, Mr. Bucher was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Mary J. Kelley, widow of Lorenzo D. Kelley, by whom she had two children -- John A. and Eleanor W., both of whom died while young. Mrs. Bucher was born in Richland county, Ohio, July 28, 1833, and is the eldest child of Justus and Sarah (Davis) Stearns, who were married March I. 1832, and in the spring of 1834, became carly settlers of Montgomery township, Wood county. Her father, who was born July 8, 1810, was twice married, Mrs. Bucher being a child of the first union. He was a successful farmer, exten- sively known throughout Wood county. In the fall of 1850, he removed to Perry township, and he died in Bowling Green, September 8, 1888.
By his second marriage, Mr. Bucher became the father of four children, as follows: Camillus, who was born December 8, 1860, and died in in- fancy; Anna M., who was born February 22, 1866, and is now Mrs. W. P. Hall, of Perry township; and Orrin L., born March 18, 1868, and Ella J .. born October 16, 1877. both at home. In politics the father was an unswerving Republican, and was honored with several local offices in the school district, and also served as township clerk. He left a good farm of eighty- six acres, which he had cleared, and by the man- agement of that place Mrs. Bucher hasproven her- self a good business woman. She has many friends and acquaintances throughout Perry township, where she has made her home for so many years, and by all who know her she is held in the highest esteem.
CHARLES ZINGG, one of the enterprising young farmers of Perrysburg township, and a successful educator of Wood county, was born February 14. 1869. His parents were Nicholas and Catlı- erine (Wolfsberger) Zingg. The family is of Swiss origin, and the grandfather, John Zingg. a native of Switzerland, came to Perrysburg town . ship in 1850. He was married previously to Miss Annie Stampila, and they had eight chil- dren, namely: Barbara, who is living in Switz- erland: John, who died in this country in 1886;
71
1122
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
Nicholas; Rudolph, of Perrysburg, Ohio; Benja- min, of Perrysburg: Elizabeth and Mary, both in Switzerland; and Samuel, who died in this coun- try at the age of nine years.
Nicholas Zingg was born in Switzerland, March 6, 1834, and in that land secured his edu- cation. When sixteen years of age, be accom- panied his parents to the United States, and for, a few years thereafter, was employed as a cob- bler, in Perrysburg and Maumee, Ohio. He then entered the mercantile business, which he fol- lowed until 1857. On August ;, of that year, he married Miss Catherine Wolfsberger, a native of Germany, and they became parents of five children, namely: John, who was born June 30, 1858, and resides in Perrysburg township, mar- ried Caroline Reitzel, and has four children; William, of Perrysburg township, born in 1859, married Maggie Douer, and has two children; Julia, born August 4, 1862, is the wife of Lewis Emch, by whom she has four children; Amelia, born October 24, 1864, is the wife of Thomas Tinney, of Perrysburg township, by whom she has four children: Charles completes the family. Upon his marriage, Nicholas Zingg rented land for seven years, and then purchased forty acies, five iniles southeast of Perrysburg, to which he removed in 1864, since which time he has made that farm his home. He now owns eighty acres of valuable land, and has erected thereon a fine brick residence, and made many excellent improvements. He belongs to the Lutheran Church, of Perrysburg, and is one of the esteemed citizens of the community.
The gentleman whose name introduces this review, acquired his education in the Ault school, in Perrysburg township, and at the age of seven- teen laid aside his text books to aid his father in the cultivation of the home farm. When a young man of twenty-four, he was united in marriage with Miss Ida Whitson, the wedding being celebrated March 29, 1893. They reside in a pleasant little home in Perrysburg township, where Mr. Zingg owns twenty acres of land, which he cultivates through the summer months, while in the winter season he engages in teach- ing school. He is an able instructor, and his reputation as a teacher is well merited. His po- litical support is given the Democracy, but he has never sought or desired political preferment.
SIMON CROUS BAILEY, a prosperous farmer, to whom success has come as the result of watchifulness and care in his business dealings, combined with energy and honorable effort, was born in Bloom township, April 17, 1856, the
second son and seventh child of Jacob and Eliz- abeth (Simon; Bailey. He was educated in the district schools, and reared to manhood under the parental roof, remaining at home until his marriage.
In May, 1877, in Bloom township, MI. Bailey wedded Caroline Dennis, who was born July 8. 1857, in Hancock county, Ohio, a daughter of Marvel and Eliza (Smeltzer) Dennis, who came to Bloom township when Mrs. Bailey was nine years of age. It was for the father that Marvel post office was named. Our subject and his wife located on a portion of the home farin, and he be- came owner of eighty acres of the land when only twenty-five acres were cleared. He now has sixty acres cleared and under a high state of cul- tivation. He has been an earnest, energetic worker, and in this way has accumulated a com- fortable competence. He is also an ardent ad - mirer of fine horses, and for several years has been extensively engaged in teaming.
Mr. and Mrs. Bailey have two children- Grace M., wife of Elmer Ziegler, of Bloom town- ship, by whom she has one child; and Jacob W .. at home. The parents are members of the Church of God, in which Mr. Bailey is serving as trustee. He was also one of the building com- mittee that had in charge the erection of the house of worship. He advocates the principles of the Republican party, but is not strictly parti- san, nor has he ever been an office seeker, pre- ferring to give his attention exclusively to his business interests.
WILLIAM E. DIEBLEY, one of the live busi- ness men of North Baltimore, was born in Iowa county, Iowa, July 3, 1864. a son of William and Amelia (Sweet) Diebley, the former of whom was born in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio, June 14. 1831. . The mother is a native of New York State, where she was born February 21, ISES.
William Diebley went west when he was a young inan of twenty-one years, and located in Iowa county, Iowa, where for a time he worked at the milling business. He was there married. in 1857, and when our subject was a year old re- turned with his family to Ohio and located in Biglick township, Hancock county, where he and his wife still reside. He has been a farmer for many years. In politics he is a Republican. and he and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church; they are most estimable peop ... Our subject's paternal grandfather, who was of German birth, died in Stark county, Ohio, when his children were all small, his death being caused by blood poisoning, the result of an acci-
1123
FOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
dent. Six children were born to onr subject's parents. as follows: Lewis is a physician in Miller City, Putnam Co., Ohio: Carrie married Rev. Mr. White, and lives at West Independ- ence, Ohio; William E. is the subject of this sketch; Ida is the wife of Charles Moore, and lives in Washington township, Hancock Co., Ohio; John and Minnie reside with their parents.
1
William E. Diebley spent his boyhood days in Hancock county, and attended school at West Independence. When he was twenty-one years old he came to Wood county, and located in Liberty township, where he bought a farm which he operated some three years, at the end of that time removing to North Baltimore and opening up a livery stable, which he has since conducted in connection with an undertaking establishment. On February 21, 1896. he had the misfortune to be burned out, losing his entire livery, stock. However, he immediately put in a full line of horses and carriages, together with hacks and other funeral equipments, and he is now erecting a barn complete in all its appointments for his rapidly growing business. His establishment is probably the most thoroughly equipped in south- ern Wood county. Mr. Diebley is a man of enterprise and progressive ideas, genial in man- ners and courteous in his dealings, is popular with all classes of society, and is well patronized. His business is constantly increasing under his energetic management, and he is classed among the prosperous and substantial citizens of North Baltimore. On October 11, 1885, he was mar- ried, in Hancock county, Ohio, to Miss Jessie I. Henderson, who was born in that county Decem- ber 27, 1864. Two children have come to bless their pleasant home: Ethel and Hazel. In poli- tics, Mr. Diebley is a stanch Republican; in 1896 he was elected a trustee of Henry township. and he is now serving as such; is a member of the North Baltimore city gas board, etc. Socially lie is a prominent member of the I. O. O. F., Lodge No. 333, North Baltimore, and of North Baltimore Lodge, F. & A. M.
SAMUEL WARNER was born in Sandusky coun- ty, Ohio, August 15, 1839, and is the son of Jacob and Hannah (Disler) Warner, the former of whoin was born in Berks county, Penn .. and the latter in York, Penn., coming to Ohio with her parents.
1
Jacob Warner, the father, came to Ohio at an carly day, and with his brothers located in Wayne county, where he lived for a time, and where he was married. In the early part of the '3os he moved to Jackson township, Sandusky comity.
Those were the pioneer days, when it was neces- sary to cut a road to their new home, which was located in the woods. But the prevailing epi- demic, fever and ague, induced them to return to Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and later, in 1857, to Sandusky county, where Mr. Warner died at the age of sixty-four, and his wife when sixty-six. He was a Whig, and later a Republican. and voted regularly at every election. The children of this estimable couple were: John died when eighteen years old: Peter died in Calfornia; Solomon is a farmer of Sandusky county; Sam- uel is our subject; Daniel is an expert machinist living at Cleveland, Ohio; Sarah is the widow of William Fought, of Cleveland, Ohio; David re- sides in Seneca county.
Our subject obtained what education he could in Sandusky county, where he attended school in a log school house, the floor of which was of puncheon, and the writing desks were set against the wall. When still a boy he went to work ou the home farm, where he remained until his mar- riage, in Jackson township, May 6. 1860. to Miss Sarah Henry, of Sandusky county, who was born January 25, 1841, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Mowry) Henry. She received a limited educa- tion in the common schools. She owned forty acres of timber land, which was wet and swampy, being under water several months in the year. Four years after their marriage our subject built a log house, sixteen by twenty-six feet, and began to clear the land, cutting down huge trees and burning them, as there was no market for timber in those days. He bought forty acres of land adjoining that of his wife, paying for it $600, which he borrowed. It took him fourteen years to get out of debt, as he had many improvements to make. He moved, in the spring of IS;I, to Montgomery township, where he bought eighty acres of land, and, later on, added forty acres more. He sold this in August, 1881. and came to his present farm of 177 acres in Section 6, Perry township, where he now resides.
The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Warner: Franklin L., now living in Har- rison township, Henry county; Wilson E., a farmer of Perry township: Minnie L., at home: and Bertha M., at home. Our subject has always been a stauch Republican, but has never bod an office seeker. With his wife, he is a men bor ot the United Brethren Church. He is one of the upright, honest farmers of Perry township, an I pos- sesses those grand traits of a good old Pen savona German. He is kind, pleasant. and Ruptible, an excellent citizen, and always ready and wolong to help the needy. He has an excellent home,
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.