USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 14
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
In 1861, when the country was convulsed in the throes of the great Civil War, he felt the loyal enthusiasm of the time and was not slow to enlist in his country's defense. He entered Company D, 54th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., as a private, on September 10, 1861, and wore the Union blue until the close of strife in 1865. His rise from the ranks was rapid, passing quickly through the lower grades to Ist lieutenant, then to cap- tain, later to major and during the last two years before his honorable discharge he was lieutenant-colonel, most of the time hav- ing command above his rank. At one time he had command of the goth Illinois in addition to his own regiment, and at another time his
Digitized by Google
528
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
command included, besides his own regiment, a troop of cavalry and two pieces of artillery. During his whole period he served under but two of the great commanders-Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman. It is unneces- sary to state that Colonel Moore took part in the hardest fought and most decisive battles of that great war. Without enumerating any of the skirmishes, he has 27 battles to his credit, his personal valor in these resulting in his pro- motion to the important rank of which he at- tained. He is a valued member of the Grand
Army of the Republic, a body of men which will be respected as long as one hoary head is left. He helped to organize the society of the Army of the Tennessee at Raleigh, North Car- olina. Patriotic Americans, while proud of the achievements of the younger generation, can never forget that to the "Boys of '61" we are indebted for the peace and prosperity of the present.
After the close of the war, Colonel Moore came to Lima, and for the two following years he was engaged by a business firm of the city as bookkeeper. In 1870 the three brothers- Israel T., William and Henry Moore-com- bined their capital and embarked in a dry goods business which they carried on through one year. They then disposed of their dry goods line and Israel T. and William engaged in the grocery business. The grocery busi- ness succeeded from the first, our subject being a practical man in that line and they enlarged until they had an extensive wholesale as well as retail business. This they successfully car- ried on for a period of 10 years, when they closed the retail department and for the next 10 years did only a wholesale business. In 1891 the death of William Moore brought changes, our subject buying his interest and the business was continued as a stock company for the next eleven years. No longer having need to accumulate, Colonel Moore then retired from the business and spent some time looking after his many investments and in recreations which his former busy life left him no time to enjoy.
In 1904, however, Colonel Moore once more entered the business field, this time as a banker, becoming the president of The Com-
mercial Bank, of Lima. Of this institution his son Harry M. Moore is the cashier and Clem S. Baxter is assistant cashier. Mr. Moore's reputation and known conservative methods have resulted favorably for this finan- cial institution, which enjoys a well-deserved prosperity.
Colonel Moore was united in marriage with Mary S. Metheany, who is a daughter of the late Robert Metheany, and they have had eight children, five of whom are now living and well established in life, one son, as noted above, being with his father in the bank. The family residence is located at No. 545 West Market street, Lima, one of the old, comfortable homes of this choice locality. Colonel Moore with his family attends the Presbyterian Church, of which he is a liberal supporter. He is promi- nently identified with the Republican party as far as influence goes, but he is not a politician in the common acceptance of the term. In fraternal life he has long been a member of the Odd Fellows.
Few citizens of Lima enjoy in greater de- gree the esteem of his fellow-citizens than does Colonel Moore. In him they recognize the able business man, the brave and loyal soldier and the good citizen, one whose life holds special interest for those who, left as he was, to fight almost alone in early youth, conquered through manliness and courage. He has always shown an interest in young men, and on more than one occasion his practical advice has been accom- panied by financial assistance.
OHN CRIDER, deceased, was one of the representative men of Spencer township, for many years, during which time he was closely identified with its material development. He was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1843, and was a son of David Crider, a native of Vir- ginia, who early settled in Knox County and was a pioneer in Spencer township. in 1851.
The late John Crider was reared in Spencer township from the age of eight years and at- tended school during his boyhood as oppor- tunity presented. His father had entered a
Digitized by Google
-
-
Digitized by
SALATHIEL A. HITCHCOCK, M. D.
1
1
Digitized by
531
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
farm in section 23. Spencer township, and young Crider assisted him in converting it from a swan:p and wilderness into the valuable prop- erty it subsequently became. After his mar- riage he settled in a log house on this property, and even at that time the only roads in the vi- cinity were very poor corduroy roads. It re- quired years of hard work to clear away the forest growth to drain the land and to put it under cultivation. Later, when oil was dis- covered on the property, it was greatly en- hanced in value. Now six oil-wells are oper- ated where, in the young manhood of Mr. Crider, stood giant forest trees underneath which roamed deer in numbers and where wild turkeys nested.
In 1865 Mr. Crider was married in Allen County to Mahala Osborn, who was born in Greene County, Ohio, in 1847, and is a daugh- ter of Lewis and Sarah (Farris) Osborn. One of her grandfathers was William Lee, who was drowned while attending to his duties as lock- tender on the Miami and Erie Canal. For his second wife he married Mrs. Elizabeth E. (Sampson) Farris and the survivor of their family is one son-David Lee. Mrs. Crider was four years old when her parents moved to Allen County and settled in Amanda town- ship. She was the only child of her parents and from the age of two years was reared by her grandfather. He was a native of Kentucky and settled on land where the city of Cincin- nati now stands, at a time when only five houses had been built in the embryo city. He raised broom-corn on the very site of some of Cin- cinnati's tallest buildings. He was also one of the earliest settlers in Amanda township, Allen County, coming to Spencerville when it was yet called "Arcadia" and was a village of 75 peo- ple.
Mrs. Crider has passed through many pio- neer hardships and can recall a great many in- teresting events connected with her early life both before and after her marriage. She be- came accomplished in all the housewifely arts and frugal ways necessary at the time and, with a just amount of pride, says that she could yet spin and weave if necessity required. Since the death of her husband, on February 11, 1887,
she has resided on the farm, which is under lease. It has been greatly improved and is one of the township's fine properties.
Mr. and Mrs. Crider had three children : Ida Elizabeth, who died aged eight years; Clarence Clyde and John Edward. Both of the sons are interested in the oil business. Mrs. Crider was one of the first members of the Union Christian Church, and her membership has never changed. She has in her possession the original deed to her home farm which was given David Crider in 1851.
ALATHIEL A. HITCHCOCK, M. D., whose portrait is shown on the op- posite page, is a representative mem- ber of his noble profession. He is located at Elida, in German town- ship, where he has been in active practice for over a quarter of a century. Dr. Hitchcock was born July 9, 1843, at Junction City, Perry County, Ohio.
Dr. Hitchcock was reared in Perry County and was prepared in the local school for his collegiate course at Lexington, Ohio. Upon completing that he entered upon the reading of medicine at Junction City and then entered the Cincinnati College of Medicine, where he was graduated in the spring of 1870. On August Ist of that year he entered into practice at Junction City, where he gained his early exper- ience, coming to Elida on February 5, 1879. He may be classed with the pioneers of the pro- fession in this locality and still continues active in it. In August, 1898, he was appointed United States pension examiner.
Dr. Hitchcock was married first on Decem- ber 31, 1863, to Ellen Beck, who was a daugh- ter of George Beck, of Junction City, Ohio. Mrs. Hitchcock died there in December, 1877, the mother of five children, viz : Charles W., Frank A., George, Luella and Maine, all sur- viving with the exception of George, who died in March, 1877. All the others are married. The eldest son, Charles W. Hitchcock, is a prominent lawyer in practice at Bay City, Mich- igan. He is a graduate of the Valparaiso Col-
Digitized by Google
532
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
lege, Indiana. After serving six years as county commissioner of schools of Bay Coun- ty, Michigan, he was the candidate selected by the Democratic party for probate judge.
Dr. Hitchcock was married, second, on May 29, 1879, to Eliza J. Hummell, who is a daugh- ter of Isaac Hummell, of Carroll, Fairfield County, Ohio. They have three sons-Clay, Roy and Don. The Doctor and wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church at Elida. He is a member of the local subordinate lodge of Odd Fellows and the encampment at Lima.
C HOMAS C. LONG, of German town- ship represents a type of manhood that is the pride of our American civiliza- tion-the self-made man who has worked his way, unaided, to an honor- able and prominent place among his fellows. Born in Sugar Creek township, Allen County, Ohio, in 1855, he was one year old when his parents moved to Amanda township, and was not yet nine years of age when death deprived him of their love and care. He was bound out to Samuel Miller, on whose farm he worked for about nine years, when he hired out to William Anderson for one month for the sum of $18. Drawing his pay for this work, he went to Lima and purchased two suits of clothes, one for Sunday and one for everyday, and then returned to German township and at- tended school in District No. 11 for the four winter months. When farm work opened up in the spring, he hired out at $18 per month to William Holmes and, during the seven months thus engaged, hoarded his earnings so carefully that he spent but $2, receiving Mr. Holmes' note for the balance. Again he took up his educational work, entering school in Shawnee township and attending through the winter and spring months. The following summer he took up painting and was able by close economy to clear $200 by his season's work. Again he started in school for the winter, spending all his spare time out of school in working for his board. When summer came again, he took contracts for painting and followed that work for two years.
In March, 1876, Mr. Long was married to Mary Benedum and a family of five children have been born to them, namely: Wardilla May; William Thomas, who is employed in the Indiana oil field; John Benedum; Harvey and Amos. Mrs. Long died December 10, 1905, aged 49 years. After his marriage, Mr. Long again turned to farming, having, in 1875, pur- chased 36 acres of land and in 1877 opened a stone quarry, to furnish stone for the building of pikes and bridges. He did well at this work and has been engaged in it ever since. Later he contracted for building pike roads, and most of the roads in German township have been con- structed by him, as well as many others in the county outside this township. In 1892 he went to Van Wert County where he put down 48 miles of pike in Ridge township, the work tak- ing him four years. During the past seven years he has done considerable repaving and about five years ago he began making cement walks, barn foundations, etc., and has been very successful. He has purchased outright 125 acres of land and has a life lease on 90 more, where he keeps many head of cattle and horses. For some time he has been engaged in buying and selling stock, his ventures in this line prov- ing very profitable. Mr. Long is a member of the Odd Fellows and of the Eagles and is a zealous worker in the Methodist Church.
EORGE L. ALTSTAETTER, proprie- tor of the "Pleasant Fruit Farm," a fertile tract of 80 acres, situated in section 17, Monroe township, was born in this township, February 5, 1846, and is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Bucher) Altstaetter.
Jacob Altstaetter was born in Hessen-Darm- stadt, Germany, February 21, 1811. Prior to coming to America he worked as a carpenter, and during one year spent in Maryland he con- tinued to follow his trade. He desired a dif- ferent field of work, however, and thinking that Ohio would probably afford it he walked to Cincinnati; soon after he removed to Dayton, and while working at his trade there met the. estimable lady whom he soon after married.
Digitized by
533
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
At that time he was 25 years of age and almost immediately after, in the fall of 1836, he came to Allen County, and in the following spring settled on 40 acres of land, paying out all his capital, $50, for it. He built a log house and shop on the farm and, as the seasons permitted, alternated between work at his trade and clear- ing up his land. He was deft at furniture mak- ing and frequently the midnight hour would find him still at work fashioning chairs, beds and tables for his neighbors, for which they paid him in labor. A man of his industry could hardly escape accumulating capital, and he continued to invest in land until he finally owned 600 acres, which through his own ef- forts he almost entirely cleared. He was a hard worker all his life and expected others to be industrious also. In appearance Jacob Altstaetter was a well-set-up man, five feet in height, with a pleasant, intelligent countenance and shrewd, kindly eyes. He lived to be almost 88 years of age, dying on the farm on which he had settled, November 10, 1898. He was a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, casting his first presidential vote in 1836. He was a worthy member of the German Evangeli- cal Church, very active in its work, and during the greater part of his life was one of the trus- tees. He was one of the first and prime movers in the project of building the first church of his denomination in the locality, giving first the ground and then the timber, and subsequently presenting the church organ. He was always liberal in church contributions and his advice and counsel always supported the efforts of the ministers. He was a good man and a perfect type of the thrifty, industrious, provident, home-building German.
On October 26, 1816, the mother of our subject was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, not far from Salem; she died in Monroe town- ship, December 28, 1903. She was married on her 19th birthday and accompanied her hus- band to Allen County in the following spring, living a happy, contented, peaceful and useful life for 63 years thereafter. Her parents were John and Elizabeth (Miller) Bucher, residents of Ohio, the former a native of Switzerland and the latter, of Virginia. They became residents of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Altstaetter had 13
children, 12 of whom reached maturity and seven of these still survive.
Our subject, George L. Altstaetter, has re- sided in his present school district all his life, and has carried on agricultural work ever since he became old enough to hold a plow, the only kind of farm labor his late father never did. He remained at home assisting until his mar- riage, when he was 26 years old. His father was always just and generous with his children and at this time he gave him an equity of $1,500 in a farm of 80 acres which he chose from other tracts. Our subject subsequently paid the remainder due to the estate, and set- tled on the farm in section 17, which he has occupied ever since. Along with other agri- cultural operations, including extensive farm- ing and the raising of considerable stock. Mr. Altstaetter has paid a great deal of attention to the growing of fruit. In addition to small fruits, he has an apple orchard of four acres. The fruit-growing is such a feature that the name, "Pleasant Fruit Farm," is very appro- priate.
In addition to improving his land and add- ing yearly to its value. Mr. Altstatter has erected good buildings and a handsome resi- dence, so that the appearance of the place is very attractive. He has one of the finest homes in the township.
On November 9, 1871, he was married to Margaret Olt, who was born in Hessen-Darm- stadt, Germany, on February 24, 1849. Her parents, Adam and Eva (Orth) Olt, are both deceased, the father dying at the age of 36 years and the mother when 30 years of age. This is remarkable as all four of Mrs. Altstaet- ter's grandparents lived to old age, three dying at the age of 80 years and one at the age of 92. An orphan at the age of 18 years, she came alone from Germany, found plenty of friends in Dayton, Ohio, and, as noted above, four years later was married to our subject. To this union six sons and six daughters have been born, namely: John, who died in his sixth year; Barbara, who is the wife of Fred Haas, of Dayton; Louise, who is the wife of Samuel Bower, of Napoleon, Ohio; Otto, who died aged four years; Adam, who died aged one year; Anna, who resides at home; and Michael,
28
Digitized by Google
534
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
who is a student in the senior class in Lima College, and is a very bright young man, who can show a 90 per cent average in all his stud- ies; Emma, who died aged four and a half years; Albert, who died aged five years; and Elsie, Oscar and Freda, living at home.
Mr. Altstaetter has been identified with the Democratic party all his life, and has been his party's choice for many of the important local offices. He has served several terms as road superintendent, has been a school director many terms and is now serving his third term as township trustee, having served two terms some 30 years ago. Like his father he has been a consistent member and liberal supporter of the ·German Evangelical Church of Monroe town- ship for years and is one of the present trus- tees, a position he has held many times.
J J. EWING, who is prominent in the business circles of Lima, where he con- ducts a large hardware business, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, May II, 1850, and is a son of the late Ralph Ewing, of Lima.
In early life Ralph Ewing was a farmer, but later he moved to Columbus Grove and there became a well-known business man and repre- sentative citizen. He was engaged in the hard- ware business here for a number of years with his son, our subject, under the firm name of R. Ewing & Son. He died in 1897.
Our subject was an infant when his par- ents moved to Hancock County, Ohio, where they resided until he was II years old, and then they removed to Huron County, Michigan, where they remained for three years. The next removal was to Bluffton, Allen County, and later to Columbus Grove, where the father was in the hardware business with our subject for 14 years. Then the son bought the father's interest, continuing the busines for three years alone.
Mr. Ewing then sold his stock at Columbus Grove and came to Lima, where he entered into partnership with W. K. Boone, and for three years a very successful hardware business was conducted under the firm name of The W.
K. Boone Company. Mr. Ewing then sold his interest, and in partnership with a Mr. Emer- ick bought the stock of J. M. Dungan, who was located at Nos. 225-227 North Main street. The firm of Ewing & Emerick continued four years, when the senior partner bought the jun- ior's interest and since then he has conducted his business under his own name. With his years of practical experience in this line, Mr. Ewing is well fitted to be the leading hardware merchant of the city, and in his extensive es- tablishment can be found everything pertaining to his line.
Mr. Ewing was married in 1872 to Jennie Bayley, who is a daughter of the late Nathaniel H. Bayley, of Putnam County, Ohio. They have two children, viz : Madge and Porter J. The former is a graduate of Mrs. Richard's private seminary in Philadelphia, and the lat- ter is a student at the University of Michigan, and a former student at Colonel Brown's mili- tary institute at Germantown, Ohio.
Mr. Ewing, during his long residence in Lima, has championed all movements designed to promote the general welfare and has always lent his influence in the direction of the ad- vancement of social, moral and educational in- terests. He has not aspired to political honors, his preference being for a quiet life devoted to his private affairs.
R OBERT WATT, one of Jackson town- ship's prominent farmers, has resided for the past 53 years on his present farm in section 20, which now consists of 225 acres. He belongs to one of the old pioneer families of Allen County. He was born in Champaign County, Ohio, No- vember 16, 1827, and is a son of Samuel L. and Olive ( Walton) Watt.
Samuel L. Watt was born near Marysville, Kentucky, and accompanied his parents to Champaign County. the family consisting of four sons and three daughters. His father, Thomas Watt, who was born in Ireland, emi- grated to America, settled first in Pennsylvania, went from there to Kentucky and later to Champaign County, Ohio, where he died aged
Digitized by Google
535
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
80 years. He was a farmer and wood-worker, an expert manufacturer of wagons and ploughs. His children were: Robert, John, James, Wil- liam, Samuel, Joseph, Margaret, Polly and Betsey. William was the first judge in Allen County. Joseph died in the War of 1812. All the Watt Brothers entered land in Allen Coun- ty and all settled along Hog Creek. Samuel L. Watt owned several different tracts of land, and at one time a farm of 120 acres.
Samuel L. Watt married Olive Walton who was born in Quebec, Canada. She came to Union County, Ohio, with her parents who were Joseph and Deborah (Gilbert) Walton, natives of Canada. For his second wife Mr. Watt married Mary Greer. The children of the first marriage who reached maturity were: Deborah (Jamison), who died in Iowa; Rob- ert, of this sketch; Joseph, deceased in young manhood; James, deceased; Thomas, of Mich- igan; Harriet, widow of John Guthrie, of Ne- vada; Christina (Leech), who died at Walla Walla, Washington; and Nancy (Enos), of Oakland, California. The children of the sec- ond marriage were: John J., of Louisiana; Samuel L., of Sac County, Iowa; Olive (Con- ley), of Iowa; Lydia (Stouker), of Iowa; Sid- ney, of Iowa; and Sarah Frances, of Missouri.
In 1852 Mr. Watt moved to Sac County, Iowa, driving through with an ox team. Two months were spent on the journey and when he reached there he located near Sac City, the county seat. He laid out Jackson township there and named it after his old home township in Allen County. He became the first county judge of Sac County, where he died.
Robert Watt, our immediate subject, re- mained at home until he was 20 years old and then went on a rented farm for a year before buying 40 acres of timber land in section 20, Jackson township. Little bv little he kept on buying land and clearing it until he owned some 500 acres. Of this he retains 225, having di- vided the rest among his children. For 40 years he lived in the first little frame dwelling which he built with timber taken from his place, but it finally gave way to the handsome, modern brick residence in which he has lived ever since. Mr. Watt can look back over years
of honest industry. He cleared 100 acres of land by himself and he has assisted his chil- dren to build comfortable homes on land which he has helped them to acquire. He has done a great deal of teaming and has had contracts for public work. He and his sons have done the greater part of the pipe laying in their sec- tion of the county. As a farmer, he has de- voted the most of his attention to the raising of grain and the breeding of draft horses.
In his 20th year Mr. Watt was married to Eva Staley, who was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, May 13, 1825, and came here with her parents when seven years of age. She is a daughter of Jacob and Eunice ( Fisher) Staley, natives of Virginia. They have five children living, as follows : Samuel J., of Jackson town- ship; James R., of Jackson township; Marion; and William Henry and Jacob Allen, of Jack- son township. Two sons and one daughter died young.
Mr. Watt has been a life-long Democrat. He has been offered many of the local offices, but has accepted only that of township trustee. He is one of the reliable, substantial and repre- sentative men of his township.
J H. M. MORRISON, who has been en- gaged in the drug business at Lima for the past 14 years, was born August II, 1859, in Darke County, Ohio, and is a son of James M. Morrison, a retired citizen of Dayton. He was educated and grew to manhood in Darke County and then went to Dayton, where he secured work in a boiler- shop. One year later he went to Omaha, Ne- braska, and there engaged in the transfer and storage business for a period of four years. Since his return to Ohio in 1891, he has been a partner of D. Cramer in conducting a pharmacy at Lima, being pleasantly located at the corner of Kibby and Main streets, where they enjoy a large patronage.
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.