USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 12
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ILLIAM R. JONES, a prominent resident of Lima, is a stockholder in a number of oil companies. He was born May 1I, 1867, in Steel- ville, Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, and is a son of Emmor S. Jones, who was formerly a leading contractor of the county named, but is now retired from active life.
The early years of our subject were spent on a farm in his native county, where he later engaged in farming for himself, at the same. time buying and selling live-stock, greatly to his pecuniary advantage. In 1889 he came to Lima and immediately secured work with the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, remaining in
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the freight department of that road for about nine years. For two years he conducted a grocery store and then resumed work in the railroad office for a short time. Then he and his brother bought the grocery store on the corner of North and Jackson streets, which they conducted under the style of Jones Brothers. Later they disposed of that stock and opened another store in the Masonic Temple, which they sold in 1902. They then invested their money in the oil business, their first venture being in the Beaver Dam field. Mr. Jones is a producer and contractor, with interests in the .Cylinder Oil Company, of Joliet, Illinois, whose official board is as follows: Julian Barnes, president ; John H. Savage, secretary; and George H. Munroe, treasurer. He is also con- nected with the Eagle Petroleum Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, the officers of which are: T. M. Marks, president; A. P. Hammond, secre- tary ; and H. J. Brooks, treasurer, all of Cleve- land. In addition to having an interest in these organizations, he has charge of the Euclid Oil Company, and the Dr. Charles E. Lawton Company.
Mr. Jones was married November 17, 1893, to Addie M. Johns, daughter of Samuel Johns, of Pulaski County, Indiana. They have two children-Frederick and Mary Helen. Mr. Jones is a member of the Church of Christ and is also affiliated with the Knights of the Macca- bees.
ILLIAM A. CORE owns 52 acres of fine farm land in section 29, Perry township, where he has been a res- ident for several years and has come to be known as one of the progressive agriculturists and reliable, upright citizens of the community. He was born March 25, 1856, in Noble County, Indiana, his parents being William and Mary Ann ( Rog- ers) Core.
William Core. the elder, was born in Penn- sylvania and remained there until he had grown to manhood. when he moved to Logan County, Ohio. and later to Indiana. He engaged in farming in Noble County. Indiana, until 1877. when he came to Allen County and settled on
the farm just south of the one now owned by our subject. Here he carried on farming until his death, which occurred about 1883 at the age of 73 years. His death and that of his wife occurred within the same year. She was form- erly Mary Ann Rogers, daughter of Horace Rogers, of Morrow County, Ohio, and came originally from New York. She was the mother of the following children: Celestia (Shindollar) ; Andrew, who, although under age, joined an Ohio regiment and served three years in the Civil War, taking part in many of the fiercest engagements; Euretta (Schamp) ; Horace; Seymour; Olive (Fielder) ; William A .; Rufus; Gashum; and Marion.
William A. Core has been a farmer the greater part of his life. When he came to Allen County, a young man of 21 years, he began doing for himself by hiring out by the month as a farm-hand. He was identified with the oil industry for about six years, together with a number of citizens of Lima, but he abandoned that enterprise to give his attention again to agriculture. He rented the O. B. Self- ridge farm which he cultivated about five years, after which he rented the farm of his brother- in-law for five years, and then purchased his present property of Frank Parrott.
Mr. Core was married in 1880 to Mary Lucettie Shockey, a native of Perry township and a daughter of Christopher Shockey. They have two children, Arlie C., who was born Au- gust 2, 1882, and Clarence E., born September 2, 1891. The elder son resides in Lima. He married Myra Brewer who died in Colorado, where she had gone in the hope of regaining her health. Mr. Core is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He is a Prohibitionist in politics; but is independent enough to give his support to the best man, regardless of party.
P HILIP JACOB ALTSTAETTER, who resides on the old Altstaetter homestead farm of 160 acres, situated in section 18. Monroe township, was born on this farm August 10, 1861, and is a son of Jacob and Catherine ( Bucher) Altstaetter.
Elsewhere in this work-in the sketches of
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Frederic and George L. Altstaetter, brothers of our subject-will be found an extended notice of the parents of our subject who were the early founders of the German settlement here, and for many years very prominent residents. Philip Jacob is the 12th in their family of 13 children.
Our subject was reared to plenty of hard work on the home farm, as his father was a man who believed in industry and set the ex- ample. His schooling was obtained in the dis- trict schools and he remained at home until 23 years of age. He then worked at the carpen- ter's trade for two years at Dayton and con- tinued to be thus engaged for some four years after he returned to Allen County. After his marriage, in 1889, he went to Columbus Grove and there first clerked in a dry goods and hard- ware store, and then bought a half interest in a furniture and undertaking business there, which he subsequently sold, returning to the old homestead in 1898. Here he has carried on general farming and stock-raising.
On January 1, 1889, Mr. Altstaetter was married to Emma L. Miller, who was born January 1, 1868, in Monroe township, Allen County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Henry and Mary (Sauer) Miller, natives of Hesse, Ger- many, who accompanied their respective par- ents to America in childhood, the Millers, set- tling in Pennsylvania, and the Sauers in Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Miller had 14 children and the wife of our subject is the third in order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Altstaetter have eight children, namely: Emil Henry, Gilbert Wil- liam, Clifford Jacob, Mary Catharine, Waldo Emerson, Albert Arthur, Clara Helena and Lena Albertina.
Mr. Altstaetter is a Democrat. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Columbus Grove. He has the German's gift of music and is an expert violinist. Among many interest- ing relics in the old homestead, he takes especial pride in a fine violin which was purchased at Antwerp, where he visited in 1885. This violin was made in Italy after the pattern of one fashioned in 1715. The old homestead has numerous examples of the cabinet-making skill of his father and some of the pieces of furni- .
ture that were made from rough timber in the pioneer days. He also prizes highly an old family Bible, which is still well-preserved, al- though it was printed in 1745.
S AMUEL B. EARLY, a prosperous agriculturist of German township, has been a lifelong resident of Allen County, having been born in Sugar Creek township April 15, 1849. His paternal grandfather came from Germany to America and settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, and it was there Jacob Early, the father of our subject, was born, April 20, 1816. He grew to manhood and was married to Mary Simmons, daughter of John Simmons, also of Rockingham County. About 1839 the family moved to Ohio, and in 1862 became citizens of German township, Allen County. A family of seven sons and two daughters were born to them, viz : Noah, Isaac, Abraham, Jonas, John, Jacob, Samuel B., Sarah and Elizabeth. Only four are living, namely : Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Samuel. Abraham, Noah and Jonas served in the Civil War, the last named meeting his death at Stone River in 1863. Noah, who was a private, was severely wounded but lived until October, 1903. Abraham was captured by the Rebels and was still confined in Andersonville at the time of Lee's surrender.
Samuel B. Early was reared and educated in this vicinity and has always been a farmer. He was married in 1870 to Emeline King, daughter of Aaron King, of Logan County, Ohio. This union resulted in the birth of 13 children, viz .: Charles, who married Carrie Irvin, has two children, Eva and Ray, and lives in Van Wert County ; Mittie, who married Jesse Byerly in 1895 and has four children- Lois, Victor, Faith and Dwight ; Mary, who mar- ried Michael Roeder, of Bath township, and is the mother of five children-Edith, Dale, Irene, Don and an infant; Dean; Schuyler; Sarah, John; Zelma; Russell; Jacob; Schula and two that died in infancy. Mrs. Early died May 14, 1896, and our subject was again married, in November, 1899, to Elizabeth Wenger, of Au-
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gusta County, Virginia, and they have two chil- dren: Carrie Beatrice and Fleeta Christine. Mr. Early is a trustee of the German Baptist Church, of Bath township, of which he is a member.
ESSE GUY HONNELL, M. D. The death of Dr. Jesse G. Honnell, on July 13, 1898, removed from Allen County one of its pioneer physicians and uni- versally valued citizens. Dr. Honnell was born in Greene County, Pennsylvania, January 9, 1831, and was a son of William and Ellen Honnell.
Jesse G. Honnell was one of a large family, his parents rearing 12 children. No family in his section displayed more notable patriotism during the Civil War, than did the sons of Wil- liam Honnell. One brother of Dr. Honnell, Capt. T. C. Honnell, served through the war; another, Rev. William Honnell, was chaplain of a regiment during the war, and a third, Rainey Honnell, was taken prisoner on the field of battle and his young life went out in Andersonville Prison.
Jesse G. Honnell was about six years old when his parents came to Ohio and settled at Sidney, in Shelby County, where he remained until 21 years of age. He obtained his literary education in the local schools and prepared for medical college by reading with a physician at Sidney, after which he entered the Cleveland Medical College, where he was graduated when 24 years of age. He practiced for about a year near Port Jefferson. In 1855 he married and with his bride came to Allen County, locat- ing at Beaver Dam, where he was the only physician for a long time. This being the case, his practice was of the most exhausting kind, entailing much riding over the country and loss of rest and sleep in his efforts to respond to calls for his medical care. He was beloved and honored and, when five years prior to his death, his failing health made retirement from the profession necessary, he was followed into pri- vate life by the love and gratitude of those whom he had faithfully served for almost 40 years. During this time he had accumulated a competency and had invested in farming
lands, owning at the time of his death a farm of 43 acres, on which Mrs. Honnell still resides, and one of 160 acres north of the village, on which he had a tenant installed.
Dr. Honnell was married October 30, 1855, at Piqua, Miami County, Ohio, to Amelia C. Clark, who was born April 25, 1834, in Liv- ingston County, New York, her parents being Rev. E. W. and Mary P. (Stiles) Clark, both of whom were born in New York. The father of Mrs. Honnell was a Baptist clergyman. He was one of a large family, having nine brothers and five sisters. Dr. and Mrs. Honnell had six children, as follows: Estella, who is the wife of Henry Shull, of Beaver Dam; Carrie, who is the wife of Clayton Hobart, of Detroit; Annie, who is the wife of James E. Marshall, of Chi- cago; Mary F., who died in infancy; Jessie C., who died aged 17 years; and Eugene Guy, who resides on the farm with his mother.
Dr. Honnell was a man who took a deep interest in his community and who kept well informed concerning current events. In early life he was a Democrat, later became a Prohi- bitionist; but was never what might be called a politician; in fact he was inclined to vote in- dependently, turning his influence toward the candidate who in his judgment would most efficiently perform the duties required. For about 40 years he was an active member of the Presbyterian Church at Rockport. He is still recalled by his fellow-citizens with the greatest respect and esteem.
AMES A. JACOBS, a prominent agri- culturist of Perry township, residing in section 21, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, March 4, 1833, and is a representative of one of the oldest families in the State, the family having located in Warren County in 1802. His parents were John P. and Elizabeth (Hazard) Jacobs, and his grandparents were Jehu and Eliz- abeth (Kreitser) Jacobs. The Jacobs fam- ily were founded in America during early colonial days when the first ancestor came from England during the time of William Penn and settled in Pennsylvania. The Jacobs
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were Quakers in religion and lived in what was afterwards Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Here the great-grandfather, John Jacobs, was born during the latter part of the 18th century. He was a soldier of the Revolution and in 1812 located in Miami County, Ohio, where he lived until his death at the ripe old age of 95 years.
Jehu Jacobs was also a native of Pennsyl- vania while his wife, Elizabeth Kreitser, was from Holland. They came to Warren County, Ohio, in 1802, before the State had been ad- mitted into the Union, and located on part of the land owned by Governor Morrow, of Ohio. This land was little more than a wilderness which had to be cleared before any farming could be done. They were industrious and per- severing and, although they began life poor, they accumulated considerable means during their lives. Their children were Eliza, Samuel, John P., Ann, Samuel and James J. The last named, who is an esteemed resident of Lima, is the only member of the family living.
John P. Jacobs was born in Warren County, Ohio, June 3, 1806, and was there married in 1829 to Elizabeth Hazard, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Miller) Hazard, of Dutchess County, New York. They were the parents of four children, viz: Elizabeth, who died in in- fancy; James A .; Phoebe D., widow of Wil- liam Harrod and a resident of Auglaize Coun- ty ; and Ann, wife of John Harrod,-both now deceased. In 1833 John P. Jacobs came to Allen County on a prospecting tour, and the following year brought his family, locating in Union township, which is now in Auglaize County. They were the seventh family pos- sessing sufficient temerity to venture into the new country and the hardships and privations endured uncomplainingly by them cannot now be appreciated. In 1858 Mr. Jacobs moved to Perry township and lived in section 21 until April 2, 1880, when his wife died. Thereafter he made his home with our subject until his own death in February, 1888. He was a Dem- ocrat in politics and a man of strong conviction and resolute character.
James A. Jacobs remained at home until his 23rd year, when he spent two years in Aug- laize County, returning in 1859 and settling on the homestead where he still lives. In 1862 he
went to California and for about four years en- gaged in mining in that State, and in Washing- ton and Idaho. The trip out was made by boat, but the return was on horseback with a party of about 20 other travelers. Mr. Jacobs has de- voted the greater part of his life to farming. He has taken advantage, however, of the fact that his land lies in the oil belt and had 10 oil- wells sunk on his farm, which are no inconsid- erable source of income. - Mr. Jacobs was mar- ried on April 17, 1856, to Martha J. Bitler, daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Rumer ) Bitler, of Union township, Auglaize County. Six children have been born to this marriage, viz .: Elwin, John C., Samuel D., Charles D., Wil- liam H. and Olive O. Elwin, born February 24, 1857, became the wife of F. M. Bacome (now deceased), by whom she had one child, Frankie G. She was married, a second time, to Thomas P. Leatherman, of Auglaize town- ship. John C., born November 23, 1858, re- sides near his father. He married Luella French, daughter of George French, and is the father of two children,-Jessie and Charles D. Samuel D., born October 28, 1860, lives at home. Charles D., born March 27, 1870, died in 1890. William H. was born March 3, 1872. Olive O., born October 2, 1874, is the wife of H. C. Franklin, whose biography appears on another page of this work. Mr. Jacobs is a Democrat and has held a number of township offices, serving as justice of the peace and as- sessor. He is a member of Siskiou Lodge, No. 105, F. & A. M., having joined that order while in Siskiou County, California. In relig- ious belief Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs are Uni- versalists.
B. PALMER, of the firm of Palmer & Owen, carriage manufacturers of Lima, is a native of Columbus, In- diana, and was born in 1859. His father, George W. Palmer, is still a resident of Columbus and is now in his 87th year. He has been one of the leading citizens of Bartholomew County, was treasurer of the county for two terms and was employed to re- write the records of the county, a task which required two years of hard work to complete.
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He was employed in the pension office for 16 years.
When J. B. Palmer was a lad of 14 years, he went to Rochester, New York, where he en- tered a carriage-shop and learned how to manu- facture a buggy and carriage from the raw ma- terial. He was with the James Cunningham, Son & Company for two years and then worked at different places throughout the United States until 1899, when he came to Lima and formed a partnership with M. D. Owen. They opened a factory at the rear of No. 121-123 West Mar- ket street, where they make a specialty of manu- facturing first-class buggies and carriages. During the six years since their establishment they have done a good business, having a splen- did local trade and extending their sales into the surrounding territory. They have the name of putting out the best vehicles manufactured in the State and merit the large patronage ac- corded them.
In 1887, Mr. Palmer was married to Caro- line Kaiser, whose father is Henry Kaiser, of the Henry Kaiser Buggy Company, of Kenton, Ohio. Their only child is Pauline Marie. Mr. Palmer is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Lima.
ILLIAM FRANKLIN BOOGHER, who for many years has been the most prominent business man and citizen of Hume, is a man of great business capacity, and has success- fully engaged in various ventures.
He is a man of public spirit and enterprise and for years has performed his share in mak- ing Hume an active business point. He is at the present extensively engaged in the grain business, serves as agent and operator for the Lake Erie & Western Railroad, and is post- master of the town.
Mr. Boogher was born in Greene County, Ohio, May 15, 1861, and is a son of Seely and Margaret (Helwig) Boogher. His grand- father, Daniel G. Boogher, who was a native of Pennsylvania, located in Montgomery Coun- ty, Ohio, when the city of Dayton had but four houses. His farm was situated on the Green County line, and a part of the family lived in
that county. He resided there until his death in 1882. He married Rachel Danford and they had a large family of children.
Seely Boogher, father of our subject, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, and upon marrying located across the line in Greene County. His wife, Margaret Helwig, a native of Allegheny, Pennsylvania, was seven years old when she moved from Pennsylvania to Cincinnati with her father, William Helwig. Two children were born of this union, William Franklin, the subject of this sketch, and Alvin G., who lives in Santa Fe, Auglaize County, Ohio.
William F. Boogher was a boy when his . parents moved to Montgomery County and there received his educational training in dis- trict schools and in the public schools of Day- ton until he was 13 years old, when his wid- owed mother moved to New Bremen, Ohio, in 1874. He then entered the postoffice at that place, and continued there until 1880, when he came to Hume, accepting the position of agent and operator for the Lake Erie & Western Rail- road. He served as such until 1890, and after that date served solely as agent 'until 1900, since which time he has again discharged the duties of operator as well.
In 1881 he bought the general store and grain business of William L. Metheany and has been in the grain business ever since. He dis- posed of his store in 1895. In December, 1881, he was also appointed postmaster and has served as such ever since, except from 1893 to 1897, during Cleveland's second adminis- tration.
He also operated a sawmill and engaged in the lumber business from 1885 to 1900. In addition to the many duties devolving on him in the capacities enumerated, he was engaged as oil producer and contractor during the oil activ- ity in his section of the county, continuing dur- ing the 12 years ending in 1902. He has an unlimited capacity for work and at the time mentioned was putting in about 20 hours a day in hard work.
It is to his untiring efforts and a natural capacity for business he owes his continued success.
On August 13, 1882, Mr. Boogher married
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Louisa Fritz, a native of St. Marys, Ohio, and a daughter of Adam Fritz, of New Bremen. Six children blessed their union, of whom the following are living: Alice M., William F., Jr., Charles Oscar and Hazel Augusta. Those deceased are: Nellie E. and Edward L.
Politically, Mr. Boogher has always been an ardent Republican and has held numerous township offices; among them, township clerk for two years, and member of the School Board for six years, serving one year as president of the board. He was candidate for county re- corder one year in opposition to Peter T. Mell, and although defeated made a remarkable race. In the Democratic stronghold of Shawnee township he received the handsome majority of 52 votes. It was the first and the only time the township has ever gone Republican on a State election. For three years he served on the board of directors of the Allen County Fair. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Although a comparatively young man, just entering middle life, Mr. Boogher is a man of wide experience and has been the longest resi- dent of the town, being sometimes referred to as the "Father of Hume."
OHN N. HUTCHISON, probate judge of Allen County, and one of the most able members of the bar, is an old and highly respected resident of Lima, hav- ing been a citizen for upwards of 30 years. He was born in Monroe County, Ohio, July 10, 1845, and is one of six children whose parents were Alexander C. and Rachel (Nelson) Hutchison. The elder Hutchison was a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and his wife was a native of Ireland. In his early days he had learned the trade of a tanner and he car- ried on this work in connection with his farm- ing operations. He died in 1894.
John N. Hutchison was a student of Wash- ington and Jefferson College, of Washington, Pennsylvania, graduating with the class of 1872. James G. Blaine was present at the graduating exercises of the class, and was cele-
brating the 25th anniversary of his graduation from the same college. He then read law at Wheeling, West Virginia, under the preceptor- ship of Bridge Cracraft and was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of West Vir- ginia in 1874, at which time he was also ad- mitted to the practice of the law in Ohio. In the fall of the same year he came to Lima and at once formed a partnership with M. L. Becker, the firm of Hutchison & Becker being continued two years. Then this partnership was dissolved and our subject became associ- ated with Hon. John E. Richie. Later the old firm of Hutchison & Becker was reestablished and continued until Mr. Hutchison began prac- ticing alone. He has a large clientage among the best class of people and gives to his cases his best efforts.
Mr. Hutchison was married to Emily C. Cunningham, daughter of James Cunningham, of Lima, who was an old settler and a veteran of the Civil War. Two children were born to this union, namely : Clarence C., deceased, and Halce, who lives at home. Clarence C. en- listed in the late Spanish-American War and underwent exposures that resulted in his con- tracting quick consumption, from which he died in 1899. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Hutchison once served as justice of the peace and also served as city solicitor of Lima, and it is the general con- sensus of opinion that there could not have been a wiser selection for the office of probate judge. He is a member of the local bar association and is also a prominent Odd Fellow and Knight of Pythias.
P ETER M. NEUENSCHWANDER, deceased, who for over 30 years was a resident of Richland township, mainly engaged in agricultural pur- suits, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, June 14, 1842, and was one of a family of 13 children born to John and Magdalena (Loyman) Neuenschwander, the former a na- tive of Switzerland and the latter of Wayne County, Ohio.
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