USA > Ohio > Williams County > County of Williams, Ohio, Historical and Biographical > Part 61
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AMBROSE ALEXANDER, of the firm of Hood & Alexander, is one of the large number claiming Ohio for a birthplace. Coshocton County March 10, 1831, completes the record. His parents, William R. and Rachel (Dusthammer) Alexander, were of Irish and German de- scent. Mr. Alexander died in Seneca County, Ohio, where Mrs. Alexan- der still lives. Mr. Alexander's early educational advantages were very good. After the public schools of Huron County, he was in attendance at Bellevue High School, and followed teaching for twenty-one terms, dur- ing the winter seasons, and worked on the farm summers. He disposed of his farm in Defiance County and removed to Bryan, where he dealt in Texas real estate. From Bryan he came to Montpelier, where the present partnership of Hood & Alexander was formed. They are among the leading merchants of this place ; have a large trade; carry a fine stock of dry goods, boots and shoes, groceries and glassware, valued at from $8,000 to $10,000. Mr. Alexander and Miss Clarissa M. Mann were united in marriage November 23, 1854, in Huron County, Ohio. Mrs. Olive C. Mann died at her daughter's home in Defiance County. Mr. Mann's home is with Mr. and Mrs. Alexander. Of the two children of the latter, but one survives-Rosa M., who is married and lives in Mont- pelier. Mr. Alexander is a member of Bryan Lodge, No. 215, A., F. & A. M.
JOHN ALLEN was born in Superior Township, Williams Co., Ohio, May 14, 1847. His parents, James and Sarah J. (Kirkwood) Allen, are also natives of Ohio, and reside in Montpelier. John Allen attended public schools until sixteen years of age, after which he was a student at Bryan Academy for one year, when he located at Edon, Ohio, in the drug business, remaining but six months, when he removed to Fremont, Ind., where he remained two years in the same business. Mr. Allen was married in Michigan, June 10, 1870, to Miss Mary J. Potter, a native of Paulding County, Ohio, and daughter of Philetus and Mary Potter, who were natives of Connecticut. Mr. Potter is a carpenter and joiner, and resides in Michigan. Mrs. Potter died in Paulding County, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are parents of four children, viz., Lou E., Hollis, Edna and Pearl. After his marriage, Mr. Allen located in Montpelier, in the drug and grocery business, where he has since remained, and by his thorough knowledge of business and courteous deportment, commands an extensive trade. Mr. Allen was Township Clerk in 1873, and has been
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Treasurer since 1877. IIe is also an honored and active member of Bryan Lodge, No. 215, A., F. & A. M.
JACOB A. ALLMAN, son of James and Margaret Allman, was born in Superior Township, Williams County, Ohio, February 21, 1846. He attended a country school during boyhood, and later learned the car- pentering business, in which he commenced for himself, when twenty years of age, steadily following the same for ten years. He was married, in Williams County, Ohio, December 21, 1872, to Miss Harriet Friend. Mr. Allman purchased forty acres of his present farm in 1868, to which he added forty acres more, and built several improvements. Four years after his marriage, he occupied this farm, on which he has since resided. Mr. and Mrs. Allman have four children-Florence, Alma, Fannie H. and Lloyd F. Mr. James Allman came to Williams County in 1839, and here died in 1846. Mrs. Margaret Allman is making her home with her son, Jacob A. Mrs. Jacob A. Allman's father, Henry Friend, was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in this township ; her mother, Mrs. Frances Friend, resides in Northwest Township, this county.
JAMES ANSPAUGH, son of Jacob and Barbara Anspaugh, was born in Berks County, Penn., September 22, 1809. Our subject at- tended school but a short time, remaining with and assisting his parents until his marriage. This took place in Stark County, Ohio, May 22, 1830, the bride being Miss Elizabeth Hiple. Mr. Anspaugh now began farming on rented land, continuing about ten years. He moved to Will- iams County, Ohio, in 1839, bringing a yoke of oxen and a pair of steers. He located on 100 acres of his present farm, then Government land, clear- ing the same and opening a road to his house. He now has 249 acres of excellent land, with many and substantial improvements. He was Town- ship Trustee for nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Anspaugh have ten living children-Benjamin, Jonas, Sarah, Samuel, Henry, James, John, Cath- erine, William and Alfred.
JOSEPH BALDWIN was born in Huntsville, Luzerne Co., Penn. His parents, Burr and Lucy A. (Trux) Baldwin, are also natives of Penn- sylvania, and came to Ohio in 1849, locating on a farm in Jefferson Town- ship, Williams County. Joseph Baldwin worked on his father's farm and attended school until his marriage to Miss Mary J. Andre, which oc- curred July 27, 1862. He was drafted into the army in October of the same year, and served for ten months, taking part in the engagements at Stone River, Hoover's Gap and Tullahoma, and receiving his discharge at Winchester, Tenn. After his return, he worked his father's farma for one year. Purchased eighty acres of land, in 1865, in Ransom Town- ship, Hillsdale Co., Mich., where he removed with his family, and began the work of clearing the primeval forest; after this was accomplished, he
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began trading in poultry, handling thirty-five tons per season, which he shipped to Boston, Mass. Mr. Baldwin followed this business until 1881, when he came to Montpelier, and, in connection with A. H. Baldwin. erected a brick block, and turned his attention to insurance. Mr. B. represents the most reliable companies in this line, and does a fine busi- ness, filling the office of Notary Public in connection with the same. Mr. B. also owns an interest in the new steam elevator. which has a capacity of 10,000 bushels; was built in Montpelier, in 1882, and is a great addi- tion to the place. Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin are parents of four children- Laura E., Almond B., Eva L. and Orpha O. Mrs. B. is a member of the United Brethren Church.
XJOHN BAUER is one of America's thrifty German citizens, and was born September 26, 1850, and emigrated to the United States in 1867. He served a two years' apprenticeship at the baker's trade in Germany, and after his arrival here followed the same for eight years at Ann Arbor, Mich. He then removed to Detroit, Mich., remaining one and one-half years in the same business, after which he came to Montpelier, Ohio, pur- chased a lot, erected a building, and opened a bakery and restaurant, of which he is sole proprietor. This is the only establishment of the kind in the place, and by his thorough knowledge of and strict attention to business, combined with courtesy and kindness to patrons, he has won an extensive and successful trade. Mr. Bauer's parents, Ulrick and Mary Bauer, still remain in Germany. Mr. Bauer and Miss Fredrika Mosth- ler were married at Ann Arbor, Mich., August 28, 1873. She is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and the mother of one daughter- Laura. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer are both members of the German Lutheran Church.
JOHN L. BEARD. son of John and Hannah (Doan) Beard, was born in Seneca County, Ohio, July 20, 1830. His parents were among the pioneers of Seneca County. Our subject's early years were spent in this county, attending school until sixteen years of age, when he at- tended Heidelberg College two terms and also the high school at Republic. He also taught two terms in Seneca County and two and one-half years in the State of Wisconsin. In 1856, he was engaged in the survey from Dubuque to Sioux City, Iowa. He was married in this county, January 31, 1860, to Miss Emily Kollar, who died March 22, 1863, leaving two children-Lorin H. and Edgar, the latter deceased. His second marriage took place October 22, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Platt. In September. 1864. he enlisted in Company E, Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. being discharged July 20, 1865, under "Order 198." He then engaged in farming and teaching until 1878. Sixty acres of his farm were pur- chased in 1861, to which he has since added another lot of sixty acres,
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with good improvements. He has been Township Trustee several terms, Assessor one term and School Examiner two terms by appointment. Both Mr. and Mrs. Beard are members of the M. E. Church ; they have five children-O. Clide, B. Britton, Carl P., Ernest W. and Doan.
ADAM BECHTOL, son of George and Eleanor (Evans) Bechtol, was born in Chester County, Penn., November 3, 1809. Our subject lived in Chester County until he was twelve years old, when he, with his parents, moved to Lebanon County, Penn., his education consisting of what could be learned in the schools of the place and the period. He remained at home until he was twenty-one years of age, when he learned the trade of a molder, which he followed about eight years, four of them in Massillon, Ohio. He was married, in Pennsylvania, to Miss Mary Starr, December 23, 1834. He purchased his present farm of 280 acres, then woodland, in 1836. His wife died January 6, 1851. His second marriage was to Miss Elizabeth Hight. Mr. Bechtol is a thorough farmer. In 1881, he built a fine frame residence. He was Township Trustee for nine years and assessed the township eight times. Both he and Mrs. Bechtol are members of the M. E. Church, Mr. B. having joined in 1830. He has had born to him eleven children-George, John, Rebecca, Ezra, Nathan (deceased), Mary and Hannah by his first mar- riage; Adam, Isaac H., Sarah J. and Abraham L. by his second wife.
WILLIAM S. BOON is one of the most extensive lumber dealers in Williams County, and has been engaged in handling lumber for several years, running a mill in connection with other business. During 1881, he sawed 900,000 feet of lumber. Mr. Boon came to Montpelier in April, 1882, and erected one of the finest and most commodious resi- dences in the place, where he resides with his family. He is the owner of 280 acres of timber land in Bridgewater and Madison Township, in this county. Mr. Boon is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in Wash- ington County March 18, 1844. His parents, Thomas and Annie (Criss) Boon, were natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively. Mrs. Boon died in Wayne County, Ohio, where Mr. Boon still lives. William S. Boon worked on his father's farm when not in school until he was eighteen years old, when he enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, remaining in the service nearly three years. He was in the battles of Clarksville, Decatur and Athens, Ala. ; was taken prisoner at the latter place by the enemy and held for five months and nineteen days, subsisting on half a pint of corn-meal daily, and a small portion of beef semi-weekly, but Mr. Boon survived this starvation treatment, and after his return home went on a trip to the Rocky Mountains, where he remained a year, afterward spending a winter at Shreveport, La. Mr. Boon and Miss Mary Hoverstock were wedded
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in Wayne County, Ohio, December 1, 1870, where Mr. Hoverstock still lives. Mr. and Mrs. Boon are members of the M. E. Church.
SAMUEL C. BOTHWELL was born in Albany, Ill., and is a son of James and Ruth (Congreve) Bothwell. His father died when he was six years old, and at ten years of age he was sent to an uncle in Massa- chusetts, where he attended school at Northampton. Coming to Michi- gan, he enlisted, in August, 1862, in the Eighteenth Michigan Infantry. He served three years, having been in several important battles, and an Orderly under Gen. Granger. He was discharged in July, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn. After the war, he began selling goods for Barnum & Converse, with whom he remained one year. He was married, Septem- ber 3, 1867, in Superior Township, to Miss Adeline E. Opdyke, native of this township and daughter of Hiram Opdyke. They have two children, Leroy and Ada. In 1868-69, Mr. Bothwell clerked for O. C. Ashton at at Bryan ; from 1870 to 1874, clerked for his father-in-law at Montpelier ; dealt for himself in wool and other merchandise for three years ; for three years clerked for E. T. Binns at Bryan ; in 1881, he engaged with Hood & Alexander in Montpelier, and is now in their employ. He was Town- ship Clerk in 1871, has served as Councilman for four years, and is Past Master of Masonic Lodge, No. 215. Mrs. Bothwell is a member of the Universalist Church.
FRANK BRANNAN, son of John J. and Catherine (Swaney) Brannan, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, November 8, 1842. His father was a farmer, and came hither in 1851, locating on 160 acres of woodland, which he cleared and dwelt upon until his accidental death, in May, 1882. Frank Brannan came with his parents to Williams County, where he attended school, and lived at home until his marriage in Williams County, February 12, 1863, to Miss Samantha Smathers. Three children were the fruit of this union-Chester W., Cora B. and Harmon E. He now commenced farming with his father, and exchanged a threshing-machine for forty acres of improved land. He then continued trading lands in Ohio, Michigan and Kansas, and removed to Montpelier April 28, 1881, where he pursued farming and furnished milk to the vil- lage. He is now agent for wind and other mills, and owns seventy-five acres of his father's homestead. He has been Assessor of Jefferson Township one year.
F. L. BRANNAN was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, February 5, 1845, and is the son of J. W. and Margaret Brannan, who came to Williams County in 1847, pursuing their vocation as farmers. F. L. Brannan was well educated, in his youth attending the schools of this township and also the high school at Bryan, and began teaching in the neighborhood at the age of twenty-one. March 7, 1867, he married
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Miss Elizabeth E. Young, a native of Columbiana County, Ohio, and daughter of John and Hannah Young. Mr. Brannan began farming here on twenty acres of land, to which he added another lot of twenty acres, which he subsequently disposed of, and then purchased an equal quantity near the home farm of eighty acres, which he also now owns, making a total of 120 acres of good land improved with fine frame build- ings. Mr. and Mrs. Brannan have four children-H. Urilla, John W., Annie M. and Bartley A. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brannan are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which our subject is an Elder. He has also been Superintendent of the Sabbath school since 1869, and has also served the Township as Justice of the Peace for six years. For the past eight years he has dealt largely in live stock, and is now & regular shipper.
JOHN BRANNON is the son of Hugh and Rebecca Brannon, and is the eldest of a family of six children. He was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, July 4, 1825, and was there married, December 18, 1846, to Jane Custard, a native of the same county, and born October 19, 1825. In October, 1850, Mr. Brannon came to Williams County and settled in Superior Township, on the farm of 160 acres where he now resides. He has had born to him a family of nine children-Mary C., James J., Olive E., Rebecca A., Eliza M., A. L., Walter C., Sarah B. and Amanda J. Mr. Brannon is a progressive and enterprising citizen, and posseses the confidence of the entire community. He has served his township in the office of Assessor, and also in that of Land Appraiser, and, though no seeker after public place, yields to a sense of duty when called upon to serve his fellow-citizens.
FRANCIS J. BRANON, son of Hugh and Rebecca Branon, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, August 14, 1830. The school ad- vantages of our subject were meager, his parents being pioneers of Williams County, coming here in 1848, after which he had no opportu- nity to go to school. On December 25, 1851, he was married to Miss Susanna R. Ewan. For six years thereafter, he farmed on rented land, when he came into possession of 160 acres, on which he has lived till the present time-now a very fine property. He has also an interest in a saw-mill adjoining his land. Mr. Branon has been Township Trustee, and both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church. They have a family of nine-Edith, George L., Rosella, Harriet, Warren N., Nathan T., Lydia, Jessie and Ora J.
CHARLES BRUNDYDGE, son of Jonathan and Susan Brundydge, was born September 27, 1800, in Westchester County, N. Y., where his parents lived and died. Our subject lived at the scene of his birth until twenty years of age, attending school and laboring on the farm. He
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then removed to Connecticut, engaging at farm labor. In 1821, he was married to Miss Maria Brown, daughter of David Brown, native of Con- necticut. Two years later he came to Huron County, Ohio, where he purchased fifty-three acres of woodland, which he cleared and improved. This he exchanged, in 1842, for 160 acres of unimproved land in this township, where he resides. Mr. and Mrs. Brundydge are members of the Presbyterian Church. They have three children-Jane, Phebe and C. Henry ; the first is a widow, and the last two are also married. Mr. Brundydge is an uncommonly active man for his years, still taking his part in the fields. C. H. Brundydge resides with his father and is a suc- cessful manager of the home farm.
NATHANIEL D. CHEW was born in New Jersey, April 17, 1845. His parents, Dr. E. C. and Caroline (Woolston) Chew, are also natives of New Jersey: Dr. Chew is a graduate of Jefferson Medical College, and is practicing his profession in Leistville, Ohio. Dr. Chew's father, grand- father and great-grandfather were all Methodist preachers in the New Jersey Conference at the same time. The latter being too aged to travel, was local preacher. Dr. Chew also has two sisters who have been in China as missionaries since 1856, and contemplate returning in two years. Nathaniel Chew's educational advantages were good. After the public schools of Darke County, Ohio, he attended college at Liber, Ind., and began teaching when but seventeen years of age, and continued to wield the rod for seventeen years-nine years of this time in the same school building. Mr. Chew then decided on a change, and estab- lished himself in the grocery business in 1879, at Logansport, Ind., where he remained nearly three years, and in 1881 came to Mont- pelier, where, with a fine location and nicely selected stock, he does a prosperous and flourishing business. Mr. Chew was elected Clerk of Allen Township, in Darke County, for five successive terms. On April 18, 1867, he was married to Miss Maggie Heistand, a daughter of Rev. T. Heistand, who is now preaching near Leistville, Ohio. Mrs. Chew's grandfather was a Bishop in the United Brethren Church until his death. Three uncles and three cousins are also ministers in the same church. Mr. and Mrs. Chew are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and parents of five children, viz .: Cooper, Elizabeth, Caroline, Jennie and Nathaniel.
WILLIAM CLUM, son of Samuel and Catharine Clum, was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, August 18, 1846, where his early days were spent, and where he lived until the war, when he enlisted, in 1864, in the One Hundred and Sixty-first Ohio Regiment, for three months previously having been in the Government service as teamster. On January 15, 1870, he was married in Williams County, Ohio, to Miss Ellen Platt ;
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one child-Bernice, was the fruit of this union. Mr. Clum began farm- ing on thirty acres of land owned by him in Tuscarawas County, which he sold, and purchased eighty acres in Superior Township, this partly im- proved, and he has added many other improvements from time to time.
ISAAC COURTNEY, son of Edward and Phebe (Votaw) Courtney, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, December 2, 1827. Our subject attended school in Columbiana County, and afterward learned carpenter- ing, beginning at the age of nineteen. On July 4, 1851, he was married to Miss Sarah Hoadley. He then followed his trade in the county and purchased twenty acres of woodland. This he sold and came to Will- iams County in 1853, locating in Superior Township, on 160 acres where he now lives. He has since added to the original acres until they reach at this time 360, 240 acres of which are under cultivation; he also deals in stock. Mr. and Mrs. Courtney have four children-Elizabeth J., Eli Wisman, Alphretta and Louis Faber. Mr. Courtney's parents were natives of Maryland and Virginia, and were pioneers of Ohio, settling in Columbiana County when it was a wilderness-their nearest neighbor being eight miles away. Mrs. Courtney's parents, Hiram and Elizabeth Hoadley, were natives of Connecticut and of Wales.
EDWIN DANIELS, a son of William and Diantha (Leech) Daniels, was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., March 12, 1839. The youth of our subject was passed in Syracuse, N. Y., where he lived until he was twenty-seven years old, there receiving what education he could obtain at the local schools. When seventeen years of age, he went to the black- smith trade at an apprenticeship of three years. For a time he managed a shop of his own. In 1863, he came to Williams County, Ohio, continu- ing his trade at Brannan's Corners. On January 8, 1865, he was married to Miss Catharine A. Scott, in Superior Township. After two and a half years Mr. Daniels removed to Kendallville, Ind., remaining two years, thence to Bryan, where he became foreman in a spoke and hub factory, holding the position for five years. At present, in company with Leech and Lindersmith, he is erecting a wheelbarrow factory at Montpelier, in connection with a steam saw-mill. Mr. Daniels is a member of Parish Lodge, A., F. & A. M., and also a member of the Church of the Dis- ciples. Mrs. Daniels is a native of Columbiana County, Ohio, and daughter of Robert and Betsey J. (Brannan) Scott, natives of this State and now residing in Superior Township, this county.
HENRY DELLINGER, son of Harrison and Sophia (Keller) Dell- inger, was born in York County, Penn., November 27, 1813. The early life of our subject was passed at the scene of his birth. His opportuni- ties for acquiring education were exceedingly meager. He learned the trade of a weaver and began the strife of life for himself when sixteen
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years of age, following the trade for a livelihood, and also for a number of years working in the coal mines of Pennsylvania and Ohio. He was married in Lebanon County, to Miss Rebecca Bechtol, March 9, 1837 ; seven children were the fruit of this union-George, Margaret, Henry P., Mary A., John A., Drusilla and Rebecca J .; there was also one by adoption. Five of these are deceased, and two married. In 1841, Mr. Dellinger removed to Williams County and located on eighty acres of Government woodland; this he cleared and afterward added eighty acres more, again forty, and so on until, in 1867, he possessed 240 acres. He has lived in Montpelier since 1877, where he has some lots and build- ings, and is passing his days in retirement. Mr. and Mrs. Dellinger are members of the M. E. Church. Mrs. Dellinger was born in Chester County, Penn., daughter of George and Ellen (Evans) Bechtol, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Wales.
URIAH L. DENMAN is a native of Knox County, Ohio; was born May 1, 1849, one of six sons of Elisha G. and Almira Denman, who were natives respectively of Vermont and Ohio. Mr. Denman, Sr., died near West Unity, March 3, 1877. Uriah Denman's educational advan- tages were very good, beginning with public schools of Hamer, and later, attending seminary at Raisin Valley, Mich., and afterward Bryan Col- lege. Mr. Denman learned the carpenter's trade when quite young, at which he worked for several years ; he commenced his mercantile career as clerk when but sixteen years of age, afterward taking charge of a gro- cery and provision store, and still later officiating as salesman in a cloth- ing house at Bryan, Ohio. His health not being firm, he devoted himself to agricultural pursuits for five years, living on his own farm of ninety- four acres. At the end of this time he rented his farm, and accepted a clerkship with Hall Brothers, of Pioneer, Ohio, remaining one and one- half years, when he came to Montpelier, formed a partnership with Will- iam Denman, and purchased the stock of general merchandise of O. Lowery. They still continue the business, carrying a stock of from $10,- 000 to $12,000 value, and doing a flourishing trade. Mr. Denman held the office of Assessor at Pioneer, for two years. He was married Febru- ary 18, 1873, at Hudson, Mich., to Miss Ella E. Walkup, daughter of Andrew and Eliza (Horner) Walkup, who are natives respectively of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and at present residents of Williams County, Ohio.
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