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 76
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
Mr. Hoffmann was married in Perrysburg to Miss Louisa Armbruster, whose birth occurred in Troy township. August 12. 1865, and to the marriage were born Anna who died at the age of 1
-----
1
. K $4
1269
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
eight years, and Elmer H. Our subject is a member of the K. of P. society at Perrysburg, and is identified with the Order of Elks, of Toledo. As intimated in the beginning Mr. Hoffmann is one of the wide-awake and public-spirited men of Perrysburg.
G. W. SUTTON. This popular and energetic citizen of Bowling Green, where he is an exten- sive dealer in ice, coal and beer, was born in Oneida county, N. Y., October 2, 1853. He is the son of D. C. and Judith (Winston) Sutton. The father was a native of Albany. N. Y., where he was married, afterward removing to Oneida county, where he died about 1875, when forty- seven years old. He was a grocer by occupation. The mother removed west after the death of her husband, and died in Chicago in 1893, at the age of eighty-seven years. Her father, David Win- ston, lived to be 102 years old, and had his second eyesight and second growth of hair.
The subject of this sketch ran away from home when twelve years old, and followed the water for sixteen years, sailing on the Hudson and Long Island Sound. He was licensed as captain, engineer and pilot, and for some time ran his own vessel, the "City of Detroit." He had grown quite prosperous, but he lost everything through speculation, and when he came west was obliged to begin life anew commercially. During his life as sailor he learned the trade of a ship carpenter and caulker, which he followed some four or five years, after which he traveled throughout the Western States, finally purchasing land and other property in and near Red Cloud, Neb., which he still owns.
During one of his Western trips Mr. Sutton heard of the discovery of oil and the rapid devel- opment of the oil field in Wood county. this State, and after investigating the matter decided to locate in Bowling Green, which he did in 1888, opening up a business here in which he has made a success. For the first two years of his resi- dence here he was engaged in the manufacture of brick in company with Amos Freese. He put up the first icehouse ever built in Bowling Green, and has made various other iniprovements which have added materially to the growth and benefit of the city. He has dealt in real estate to some extent, and all the property lie now owns has been acquired by energetic and well-directed industry. His business is prosperous and steadily growing, and he now gives employment to four men and three teams
Mr. Sutton was married in January, 1888, in Lexington, Ky .. to Miss Ollie Berry, who was born
in that city in 1862. Two children have blessed their union, Ellen and Royce. Their beautiful residence was erected in 1889. In politics Mr. Sutton is a Democrat, and socially he is a K. of P. He is a wide-awake, enterprising business man, foremost in all matters relating to the pub- lic interests, and is esteemed by all classes of people.
WILLIAM COOKSON is a Western man by birth and interests, and in Wood county has a wide acquaintance, while his many friends hold him in high regard. . He was born in Orange, Ohio, No- vember 25, 1862, and is a son of Milo and Idress (Williams) Cookson, the former a native of Penn- sylvania, and the latter of Virginia. Their mar- riage was celebrated in Hancock county, and sub- sequently they located in Orange, Ohio, whence they afterward removed to Clare, Clare Co. , Mich., where they are living at the present time. The father is a farmer by occupation. The children are-Mary, wife of Eli Stockwell, of Liberty township; Elizabeth, wife of James Coulter, of Clare county, Mich .; William; Nancy, wife of Thurston Ross, of Portage township; Jacob, a farmer of Clare county, Mich. ; and Eliza, wife of J. Lowers, of the same county.
Our subject was reared to manhood in the place of his nativity, and in the public schools acquired a good education. On the removal of the family to Michigan, he purchased a farm of forty acres in Clare county, which he still owns. In IS87 he came to Wood county, and for eight years was in the employ of his brother-in-law. Eli Stockwell, in a sawmill. He afterward rented ten acres of land from Mr. Stockwell, on which he erected a good home. He now has an interest in the Independent Oil Co., and his own industry and resolute purpose have brought to him a com- fortable competence.
Mr. Cookson was married in Liberty township, January 11, 1888, to Alta Harris, by whom he has two children-Eli, born February 5, 1890; and Myrtie, born February 25, 1891. He is a member of the United Brethren Church; in poli- tics he is a Democrat.
T. J. CHILCOTE, one of the leading and pros- perous young business men of Wood county, who is engaged as a furniture dealer and undertaker in Prairie Depot, was born in Section 11, Mont- gomery township, this county, February 3. 1869, and is the son of James and Rose Stewart ) Chilcote.
His father, whose birth occurred at Risdon, now Fostoria, Ohio, August S. 1835, was the
1270
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
eldest son and child of Joseph and Elizabeth (Jones) Chilcote, and, after completing a course in the common schools near his home, he attended a school at Republic, Ohio, taught by Professor Schuyler. At the age of seventeen years he be- gan teaching, his first school being in the Flack district, in Seneca county, Ohio, and he followed that profession continuously until his marriage. It was in 1859 that Mr. Chilcote wedded Rose Stewart, a daughter of Thomas D. Stewart, who was born in 1804, in Lycoming county, Penn., and in that State married Frances Riddell, whose death occurred in February, 1843. They had four children, namely: Mary S., now Mrs. Abram Hyter, of Bradner: Rose E., mother of our sub- ject. now Mrs. G. H. Caldwell, of, Republic; Frank R .. of the Stewart Hardware Company of Fostoria, Ohio, who enlisted as a private of Com- pany H, 49th O. V. I., during the Civil war, and, when hostilities had ceased, returned home as captain of Company A, of the same regiment, re- ceiving his commission soon after the battle of Nashville, in December, 1864; A. D., ex-county clerk of Wood county, who is now located at To- ledo, Ohio; and J. M., a physician of Fremont, Ohio. For his second wife Mr. Stewart chose Miss Henrietta Bernard, and they had four chil- dren: John T., of St. Paul, Minn .; W. D., a physician of Toledo; C. H., a groceryman of Fos- toria; and C. E., a physician of Hicksville, Ohio. The family was one of the most illustrious in Wood county. In the spring of 1838 Mr. Stew- art had removed to Clinton township, Seneca Co., Ohio, and in 1854 located in. Perry town- ship, Wood county, where he died on March 12, 1875, and was buried at Fostoria.
After the marriage of the parents of our sub- - ject they located upon a rented farm in Perry township, where they were living when the Civil war broke out. On August 15, 1862, the father enlisted in Company I, ILIth O. V. I., was pro- moted to first sergeant September 4 of the same year; on November 26, following, was made sec- ond lieutenant, but December 7, 1863, resigned his commission. On his return from the army he located in what is now Bradner, Ohio, where he conducted a sawmill up to the time of his death, which occurred December 10, 1869, and his remains were interred at Center, Perry town- ship. Politically, he was always a stanch Re- publican, casting his first vote for John C. Fre- mont, and, at the age of twenty-eight years, served as justice of the peace. An earnest Chris- tian, he held membership with the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which he was also offi- cially connected, and, socially. joined the Masonic
order at Fostoria. He was a large man, being five feet ten inches in height, and weighing two hundred pounds.
The parental household included five children, namely: P. V., a telegraph operator, stationed at Air Line Junction, Ohio; Frank P., of Lewis- ton, Idaho, who is secretary of a mining com- pany; Minnie M., who was the wife of A. A. Brownsberger, and died at Lime City, Ohio; Lilly B., now a teacher of Fostoria, Ohio; and T. J., of this review.
The last named was but an infant when his father died, and his mother later married G. H Caldwell, formerly of Bradner, Ohio, who was a well-to-do and substantial citizen. His step- father lived in different portions of the county. but the youth of our subject was mostly passed in the vicinity of Perrysburg, and his primary edu- cation was obtained in the district schools. For three months he later pursued his studies at Mau- mee, Ohio. At the age of seventeen years he en- tered the mercantile trade as a clerk for A. Will- iams of Perrysburg, by whom he was employed for six years and three months, at first receiving only $3 per week, out of which he paid $2 for board, but even out ofsuch small wages managed to save some money. Mr. Chilcote was next in . the employ of Sanborn & Co., at Toledo, Ohio: but at the end of two months he was taken ill. and on his recovery returned home to recuperate. spending the summer at Republic, Seneca county, where his step-father had removed in the spring of 1893, and where his mother is still living. The following August, Mr. Chilcote purchased the business of R. S. Clegg & Son, furniture dealers and undertakers of Prairie Depot, and there he has since successfully engaged in busi- ness. Besides his store building he also owns a good home at that place.
At Perrysburg, on September 6, 1893. was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Chilcote and Miss Lottie L. Clegg, daughter of R. S. and Mary (Janney) Clegg. They are both earnest workers and faithful members of the Methodist Church. in which our subject is serving as secretary and a member of the board of trustees. He is a Re- publican in politics, and socially is a member of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 646, and Petroleum Lodge No. 499, K. of P., both of Prairie Depot
HIRAM OSTERHOUT, deceased, was a farmer of Weston, Ohio, born in Ontario county, N. Y .. December 6, 1816. He is the son of Gorge and Catherine Osterhout, the former of whoul was a farmer, and was born in New York State. He died in Huron county, Ohio, at the age of
1271
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
seventy-four, and his wife when fifty years old, also in Huron county. He was a Democrat. To this couple were born six children, as follows: Mary Ann, who married in New York State; Hiram, our subject; Electa, who married Wilson Dwight, of Huron county; Henry, who died in Wood county; Charles, who lives at Hull Prairie; and John, who died near Chicago, Illinois.
Our subject remained in New York until six- teen years old, when he came with his parents to Huron county. In 1852 he went to California, spending one hundred and eighty days on the road. He spent five years there, hunting gold, of which he found a goodly quantity, and then returned home via Nicarauga. He stopped a few days in Erie county, and in the same year, 1857, bought his present farm and was married to Miss Mary Jane Heath, who was born in Huron county, near Monroeville, in March, 1823. They at once settled in the home where the widow yet resides, and by honesty, industry and thrift, accumulated money, and became inde- pendent. The huge maple trees standing in front of their residence were planted by Mr. Osterhout when he first went to live there. He was a member of the Disciples Church. Before the war he was a Whig, but joined the Repub- . lican party after its formation. He passed to his final rest August 26, 1896, mourned by a wide circle of friends.
H. C. PITTENGER is a noble type of the citi- - zen soldier, equally true to his country on the battlefield, or in the peaceful surroundings of his home, and his family may well feel proud of his honorable and manly record. He is now one of the prominent and representative men of Prairie Depot, where he has made his home since De- ceinber, 1891 ..
Mr. Pittenger was born in Seneca county. Ohio, August 15, 1844, and is a son of John and Catherine Pittenger, both of whom were of Ger- man extraction, and were married in Seneca county. The father was a native of Maryland, and accompanied his father, John Pittenger, to Tiffin, Ohio, where the latter was one of the pioneer merchants. Our subject is the oldest in the family of six children, the others being Robert, who now makes his home in Texas; Charles, of Seneca county; Jesse, of Texas; Sarah, wife of Rev. Kelser, a Methodist minister; and William, who died when a young man. The parents still reside upon the home farm in Clin- ton township, Seneca county, which the father purchased many years ago, and has since con- tinued to operate. He is a large man, six feet in
heiglit, and during his younger days was quite strong .. His political support is given the Repub- lican party.
The education of our subject was obtained in the common country schools of his boyhood, he first attending at an old log school house, which was supplied with very primitive furniture. He early became inured to the arduous labors that fall to the lot of the pioneer farmers, and assisted his father in clearing the land and developing a farm, remaining under the parental roof until he joined the boys in blue during the Rebellion.
On August 18, 1862, Mr. Pittenger joined Company. I, ToIst O. V. I., under Capt. N. M. Barnes, and was mustered in at Monroeville, whence he was sent to Cincinnati, and went into camp at Covington, Ky. His first engagement was at Crab Orchard, Ky., after which he was detailed to drive a team in a supply train belong- ing to the army of the Cumberland. After the battle of Chattanooga, he rejoined his regiment at Bridgeport, Tenn., and was with Sherman un- til August 2, 1864. At about 6 p. M .. of that day, when on a skirmish line within sight of At- lanta, he received a bullet in the left shoulder, and was sent to the field hospital. He was later in the hospital on Lookout Mountain, where he was given a furlough in November. At the end of twenty days he returned to his regiment at Nashville, Tenn., and remained with the com- mand until the close of the war, being discharged at Cleveland, Ohio, in June, 1865, after about three years of faithful and arduous service. On the day of his return home he began plowing corn, and aided in the farm work until his mar- riage.
On March 3, 1868, Mr. Pittenger was joined in wedlock with Miss Rose Watson, who was born in Seneca county, March 4, 1846, and is a daughter of James Watson, one of the early set- tlers of Pleasant township, that county. Tothis worthy couple have been born four children --- Asenith, now Mrs. E. W. Hovis, of Prairie De- pot; Maud, wife of I. B. Newcomer, of the same place: Catherine, now Mrs. Frank Castle, also of Prairie Depot; and Frank K., at home.
After his marriage, Mr. Pittenger operated the " Watson homestead," which he rented until 1870, when he purchased forty acres of land in Section 10, Montgomery township, Wood coun- ty, where he continued to make his home until his removal to Prairie Depot. He votes the straight Republican ticket, and for six years has been a member of the school board. Social's he is connected with the Odd Fellows Society and the Knights of Pythias fraternity, at Prairie De-
1272
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
pot. Both himself and excellent wife are mem- bers of the Christian Church, in which they take great interest, and in their daily life show them- selves to be sincere Christians.
CALEB H. OPPERMANN, one of the progressive young farmers of Wood county, and superintend- ent of the Air Line Oil Co., was born in Wash- ington township, Wood county, January 21, 1865, and is a son of Henry Francis Oppermann, a na- tive of Germany. When a young man his father caine to this county, where he purchased forty acres of land, which he cleared and cultivated; but later sold the same and bought eighty acres, to which he subsequently added forty acres, erect- ing thereon a good dwelling. On February 19, 1857, he wedded Rebecca North, who was born on the old homestead where our subject now re- sides. Politically, he was formerly a Democrat, later becoming a Republican, and served his fel- low citizens in the office of supervisor. His death occurred December 13, 1876, that of his wife on January 4, 1892.
Our subject is their only child. In the district schools of the neighborhood of his place of birth, he acquired his education, and afterward, for one season, worked in a brick and tile yard at Ton- togany; but at the age of nineteen he took entire charge of the farm, which he has since success- fully conducted, making many good improvements on the place, including the erection of substantial barns and outbuildings. In March, 1896, he or- ganized the C. H. Oppermann Oil Co., of which he was president, and in August, of the same year, it was reorganized as the Air Line Oil Co., he be- ing one of the directors and superintendent, or manager, of same.
On July 17, 1884, Mr. Oppermann was united in marriage with Orra Ketchuin, who was born December 25, 1868, a daughter of Edward Ketchum, a carpenter, of Tontogany. Her father, who is a native of New York, was born Janu- ary 23, 1841, and on January 20, 1867, he wedded Caroline Kuder. To them were born two chil- dren: Mrs. Oppermann and her twin sister, Clara. The mother died December 10, 1869; the father is now an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Santa Monica, Cal. ; during the Civil war he enlisted at Tontogany in Company C, 67th O. V. I , and bravely aided in defense of the Union. To our subject and his wife have come seven children: Sherwood Gerald, born January 13, 1885, now deceased; Bernard H., born November to, 1885; Helen, born March 18, 1887; Neil Kader, born June 17, 1888, now deceased; Arthur, born Feb- ruary 5, 1890; and twins who died in infancy.
Since the age of ten years Mr. Oppermann has been dependent upon his own efforts, and he is a typical self-made man. He was ever a dutiful son, supporting his widowed mother, who for the last seven years of her life was an invalid. He uses his right of franchise in support of the men an I measures of the Republican party, has been school director for three years, and for two years was supervisor. He is a consistent and faithful mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church, belongs to Ton- togany Lodge No. 755, I. O. O. F., in which he has always taken an active part, filling all the chairs, and in which he is now past grand.
CALEB NORTH, maternal grandfather of Caleb H. Oppermann, was born March 18, 1789, in Somerset county, Penn., but nothing is known of his parentage. He had one brother named John, and records show that they were both " baptized at Unity church, Perry county, Ohio, June 17, 1820" ; records also mention that John "died in Hocking county, Ohio, July 16. 1874." In 1829, Caleb North came to Ohio and settled on the farm whereon Caleb H. Oppermann now lives, in Washington township, Wood county. Here he followed agricultural pursuits, in connec- tion with his trade, that of tanner, and being very handy at any thing he undertook, also did something at other trades, such as making boots and shoes, harness, etc., for the early settlers round about his farm. During the war of 1812. he was a commissioned officer, and Mr. Opper- mann has in his possession the sword worn by him. Mr. North also had charge of the ferry at Brandywine Creek, Penn., during the war. and was in the government service in transport- ing troops, besides having charge of the United States mail, in delivering it over to the ferry. When, in 1864, Gov. Tod called for volunteers to defend the State against the threatened in- vasion of Morgan, Mr. North, at the age of sev- enty-five years, was among the first to shoulder his rifle and offer his services, as a member of the " Squirrel Hunters," to defend the State against the invasion; he proceeded to Cincinnati where he remained in camp and on picket duty until the command was ordered home. Two of his sons also served in that struggle-Caleb, Jr .. as a member of Company C, N. Y. Art. (he was killed by a Confederate sharpshooter in front of Petersburg, Va., October 24, 1864), and Samuel L., who served but a short time, however.
On April 12. 1813, our subject was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Sarah Black, who was born January 18, 1794, in Perry county, Ohio, and eight children were born to them, their names
€
1
89. Oppermann.
£
1273
WOOD COUNTY, OHIO.
and dates of birth being as follows: Asbury, March 6, 1814; Amelia, November 24, 1816; Caleb, November 9, 1819; John, March 25, 1822; Joseph, February 17, 1825; Samuel L., June 3, 1827; Mary Catherine, January 20, 1830, and Rebecca, November 2, 1834. The mother of these died November 22, 1865. Mr. North passed from earth January 28, 1875, at the resi- dence of his son-in-law, Henry Oppermann, in Washington township, Wood county. In his political preferences he was a stanch Democrat, and a prominent adherent of the party. For over fifty years he was a worthy and exemplary member of the Presbyterian Church. On com- ing to Wood county he united with the Plain Church, in which he continued until the organ- ization of the Church at Tontogany, when he identified himself with that Society, and contri- buted liberally of his means toward the erecting of the church at that place. He was a man of strong constitution, great energy, and of remark- ably temperate habits. In his death the family lost a kind and affectionate father, and the com- munity an exemplary citizen and Christian friend.
ROBERT J. HULL, who is a prosperous mer- chant tailor in Bowling Green, was born in Brit- ish Columbia. March 20, 1868, and is the son of Harry and Elizabeth (Old) Hull. His father was born in London, England, and early in life emi- grated to America, locating in British Columbia, in Canada, where he followed his trade of a saddler, and later became a dealer in furs. He lived for a time in Victoria, and died in Ontario, Canada. His wife was of Irish descent, and was born in, or near, Montreal, Canada, at which place she still resides. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children, of whom the fol- lowing grew to maturity: William, Harry, Rob- ert, Ellen, and Nettie.
Our subject spent the first twelve years of his life in British Columbia, then he went to Wini- peg and later to Montreal. He learned the trade of a tailor, and for some years traveled through- out the country, working at different places, coming to the United States in 1887, and locat- ing in Buffalo, N. Y. From there he went to Rochester, N. Y., then to Batavia, N. Y., and for a time was in Pennsylvania, Illinois and at the city of Duluth, Minn., finally coming to Bowling Green in 1889. He was a journeyman until April. 1893, when he opened his present shop and began business as a merchant tailor. He carries a full line of clothes and trinitings, having about $4, 000 worth of stock. He employs eleven people, and may well be called a hustler, i
as he does all his own cutting, travels through the oil fields soliciting work, and is a most liberal advertiser. His work is of the highest grade, and he well deserves the liberal patronage which is bestowed upon him. Mr. Hull is a most ener- getic,, enterprising man, and is very popular in the community. He is unmarried. Politically he is a Republican, and socially belongs to the K. of P., and I. O. O. F.
JAMES H. WENSEL, an energetic and progress- ive farmer of Montgomery township, has spent his entire life in Ohio, his birth having occurred December 27, 1860, in Venice township, Seneca county. His father. John Wensel, was born near Hesse Cassel, Germany, May 3, 1821, and was the son of Conrad Wensel, who by days' labor supported his family, consisting of thirteen children, only four of whom grew to adult age, namely: John, George, Catharine and Gertrude.
On the completion of his education, the father of our subject engaged in tending stock in his native country, his father also having been a herdsman; but in 1846, with a few dollars in his pocket, a part of which he had earned, and the remainder what his parents could spare, he bade farewell to the friends and scenes of his youth, starting for America, where he understood better chances were afforded a poor boy, such as he was. He left Bremen on the sailing vessel, "Mary Ann," which reached the shores of the United States seven weeks later, and he started at once for Columbiana county, Ohio. On arriving at Pittsburg, Penn., his money became exhausted, but he was kindly helped by a friend. He earned his first money in America upon a farm in Colum- biana county, eight miles north of New Lisbon. After spending a few months there, he in Septem- ber, 1846, located in Bloom township, Seneca county, where he worked as a farm hand for two years for Jacob Hossler.
In that county, on June 23, 1853, Mr. Wen- sel was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Grimes, who was born in Columbiana county. April 16, 1832, and was the daughter of Joseph Grimes, a farmer, who removed from Stark county, Ohio, to Seneca county. The following children graced this union-Mary E., born Janu- ary 11, 1854. is now Mrs. Matthew Burton, of Liberty township, Wood county; Joseph W., born March 11, 1855. died September 6, 1856: Ira M., born October 11, 1857, is an agricultarist of Webster township. Wood county; Sophie .... born October 22, 1859, died February 27, 1800; Christina [., twin sister of Sophia, is the wife of John Roush, of Luckey, Ohio; James H. is the
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.