History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 3

Author: Charles C. Miller, Samuel A. Baxter
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 470

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Fred E. Herold left school at an early age to begin the actual battle of life, securing work as a delivery boy in the store of James Lan- gan. After being in this place a few months, he had the misfortune to be thrown from his wagon and have his leg broken, which neces- sitated an enforced retirement for a short time. When he was able to get around once more, he entered the Lima Business College for the win-

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ter, when spring came, he obtained a situation - in the dry goods store of Holmes & Brown, with whom he remained eight years. While here he had the satisfaction of washing the first plate-glass window used in Lima. In 1882 he opened a grocery store which he conducted un- til 1894, at the same time running a restaurant in connection with it. Mr. Herold has engaged largely in outside enterprises, and these have en- croached so closely upon his time that he found it necessary to retire from the grocery and res- taurant business in order to give the attention demanded by his other interests. In addition to extensive real estate holdings in Lima, Mr. Herold is vice-president of the Mckibben Gas Engine Company ; and is a stockholder of The Crystal Ice & Coal Company and The Lima Telephone & Telegraph Company.

In 1881 Mr. Herold was married to Lizzie Meyer, daughter of John Meyer, a druggist of Lima, now deceased. To this union one child, Minnie, was born. Mr. Herold is a member of the German Reformed Church and is also a prominent member of Lima Lodge of Elks, of which he is trustee.

L. WATT, one of the highly esteemed residents of Lima, now living re- tired in his pleasant home at No. 133 North Pierce street, can re- member when this busy, populous city consisted of but a few scattering houses, not more than one or two being constructed of brick. He was born in this city, April 27, 1836, and is a son of Hudson Watt, once a very prom- inent citizen here.

Hudson Watt was the pioneer shoe manu- facturer in Allen County and was identified with nearly all the early important business en- terprises. He was born at Flemmingsburg, Kentucky, and came in 1808 to Ohio, settling in Champaign County. After his marriage in 1829 he continued to live there until 1833, when he came to Lima and immediately became one of the leading factors in the development of the city's resources. He was, as noted, one of the earliest as well as one of the largest shoe manufacturers in this section, and later he em-

barked in a general mercantile business which he continued during his business career. He was very active in the Whig party and later be- came just as closely allied with the Republican party. For years he was a leading business man of Lima. He retired in 1868, his sons suc- ceeding him.

W. L. Watt was reared and educated at Lima and was about 20 years old when he en- tered his father's general mercantile store, al- though he had been more or less connected with the shoe manufacturing business from early youth. At that time his father did business un- der the firm name of H. Watt, which at a later period became H. Watt & Sons and still later, upon the father's retirement, Watt Brothers.

The opening of the Civil War turned the young merchant's attention from his former peaceful pursuits and, in July, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company I, 27th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. which was mustered into the service at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. The regi- ment was assigned to the Army of the West and spent the first nine months in Missouri, mainly pursuing the Confederate forces under General Price, finally, after a pursuit of 3,200 miles, engaging the enemy in battle at New Madrid, Missouri. Later the 27th Ohio went down the Mississippi River to Fort Pillow and then back again and up the Tennessee River to Pittsburg Landing. The regiment then took part in the siege of Corinth Mississippi, occupying Corinth until the battle of Iuka, after which they were assigned to provost duty at Memphis for six months. Returning then to Corinth, the 27th Ohio was a part of the Ohio brigade, which fought the battle of Corinth on October 3-4, 1863. They then started for Chattanooga, Tennessee. Reaching Pulaski, they assisted in opening up to traffic the Nashville & Decatur Railroad. In the following spirng they moved on to Chattanooga. The regiment, a part of General McPherson's force, went through Smoke Valley and flanked the Confederate troops at Resaca, earning well-merited applause from their comrades and the country in gen- eral .. The 27th Ohio made a fine record in all the battles of the campaign which resulted in the capture of Atlanta, taking part in the siege of that city, and it was Mr. Watt's briade, as-

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sisted by another, that made the final charge which drove the enemy across the Chattahoo- chee River on that memorable occasion. It was during that gallant charge that Mr. Watt suffered the injury which retired him from ac- tive service for a time. A bullet wound in the kneepan is not a pleasant thing to endure and Mr. Watt was obliged to lay aside his musket for a time.

At Marietta, Georgia, to which point he was conveyed, he met an old friend and rested with him from July 5th until July 18th, when he re- turned to his regiment, being under the neces- sity of wading the Chattahoochee River in or- der to rejoin it in front of Atlanta, where he arrived in time to participate in the battle before that city of July 22nd. It was on this day that the brave and beloved General McPherson fell. On he third day the movement was made by General Sherman's forces, which resulted in the Confederates evacuating Atlanta. The 27th Ohio helped to fight the battle of Jonesboro and was then sent to Marietta, where our subject was put in charge of a battery and sent on to Chattanooga to turn over some ordnance. In November, 1864, he came home, with the rank of captain, his commission dating from July, 1864.

Mr. Watt then entered his father's store as a salesman and in 1866 he became a member of the firm. After his father's retirement from business in 1868, the firm became Watt Broth- ers, and this continued for six years, when the firm style became J. D. & W. L. Watt, and this was retained until 1882, when our subject with- drew. He then embarked in a shoe business in which he continued until the winter of 1886-87. Since then he has occupied himself in extensive dealings in real estate, having large interests in this direction, and he has also done considera- ble building.

On January 2, 1860, Mr. Watt was married to Marion Augusta Fowler, formerly of Ro- chester, New York, and they have one child, Jessie, who is the wife of M. L. Johnson of Pe- toskey, Michigan where Mr. Watt and wife have spent the past 26 summers.

Mr. Watt was a member of the first City Council of Lima, serving two terms, and has

been a member of the Board of Education for one term. He belongs to Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R. For many years Mr. Watt has been a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, and has served as a member of the board of trustees since 1866.

AMUEL M. FLETCHER, president of the Board of Public Safety, Lima, and one of the prominent oil men of this section, is also an honored survivor of of the Civil War. He was born De- cember 13, 1844, in Potter County, Pennsyl- vania, being a son of one of the old substantial agricultural families of that locality.

Mr. Fletcher remained on the home farm until the outbreak of the Civil War, when he was 18 years of age. With his two brothers, Lorenzo D. and John, he enlisted for service in the defense of the Union. Both his brothers were members of Company H, 86th Reg., New York Vol. Inf. Lorenzo D. Fletcher was killed in the second battle of Bull Run. John Fletch- er, although wounded three times, still survives and resides at Ithaca, New York. Our sub- ject became a member of Company D, 136th Reg., Pennsylvania Vol. Inf., under Captain Phillips. After completing his first term of en- listment, of nine months duration, Mr. Fletcher reenlisted, entering the 50th New York En- gineer Corps, and served continuously with this organization until the close of the war. He participated in the battles of Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Stony Creek, and was with Gen- eral Grant's army in front of Petersburg and at Appomattox. He also took part in the Grand review at Washington, D. C.

After the close of his army service, which re- flected the greatest credit upon him, he returned to the home farm which he operated until 1878, when he was attracted to the oil fields in McKean County, Pennsylvania. There he re- mained until 1886, when he came to the Lima oil field. He has since been continuously in the employ of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company and his duty is that of receiver of crude oil as it

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comes from the fields to the refinery. He is one of the stockholders in the Independent Gyp- sum Company.

In 1893 Mr. Fletcher was married to Sarah Etta Church, who is a daughter of James P. Church, a veteran of the Civil War. They have three children : Helen, James and Marion. By a previous marriage Mr. Fletcher had two chil- dren : Leland D. and Nancy Ada, the latter of whom is the wife of E. B. Hawkins, of Tiffin, Ohio.

For many years Mr. Fletcher has been one of the hard workers in the Republican party of this section. He served one year on the Repub- lican State Committee. For 24 years he has been a Knight Templar. He belongs also to Mart Armstrong Post No. 202, G. A. R. He is a well-known and popular citizen.

OHN JACOB GAYER, one of Spencer- ville's leading citizens and representa- tive business men, manager of the Spencerville Artificial Stone Company and interested in other successful con- cerns, was born in 1860, in Auglaize County, Ohio, and is a son of Gottlieb and Magdalena (Beck) Gayer.

The ancestors of Mr. Gayer may be traced as far back as the days when religious persecu- tions banished many of the natives of France to other countries, his great-grandfather set- tling in Germany. Gottlieb Gayer, his father, was born at Wittenberg, Germany, in October, 1816, and died in Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1899, aged 83 years. He was married at Wit- tenberg to Magdalena Beck, who died in 1902, aged 77 years. The five survivors of their fam- ily of eight children are: Frederika, who re- sides on the old homestead farm in Auglaize County; Katherine, wife of Gottlieb Eibling, of Marion, Ohio; Gottlieb, who owns the home- stead farm; John Jacob; and Mary, who died December 9, 1905. The parents, with five chil- dren, emigrated to America in 1861, settling first in Marion County, Ohio, but locating per- manently in Auglaize County in 1863, living on two separate farms which the father improved.

John Jacob Gayer was reared and educated

in Auglaize County and remained at home until he was 30 years of age. After completing the common school course, he took a business train- ing at Berea College, but continued to live on the homestead farm until 1891, when he located in Spencerville. He first engaged in a livery enterprise, but disposed of it later and entered into the meat business. Since 1896 he has been contracting for Eastern capitalists who are in- terested in oil drilling, he having been identi- fied with every branch of the oil development business for years. Since coming to Spencer- ville he has invested in both city and country real estate, owning a fine farm on the edge of the town and one of the handsomest homes in the locality. It is constructed of stone, is beau- tifully situated and is equipped with every mod- ern convenience. When the Spencerville Arti- ficial Stone Company was organized, he was one of its founders, and in 1904 was president and manager. It is now incorporated, Dr. Ja- cob R. Welch being president and Mr. Gayer manager, and its business prospects are most flattering.

Mr. Gayer married Phoebe Metzger, who was born in Auglaize County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Frederick Metzger, and they have had three children, the two survivors being : Ir- win Benson, residing in Spencerville, who is a cement walk contractor; and Edith Marie, a student in the Spencerville High School.

Politically Mr. Gayer is a Republican and he has taken an active interest in public matters for years, frequently serving as a delegate to important party conventions. He is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter at Spencerville, and the Council at Del- phos. He is also an Odd Fellow, having mem- bership in both lodge and encampment.

OUIS J. STUEBER, M. D. The late Dr. Louis J. Stueber, whose death, in the very prime of a happy and useful life, brought grief to a singularly de- voted family at Lima, and to friends in many sections, including barely civilized savages of far-away lands to whom he had giv- en kindly help in times of sickness, was the

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younger son of Andrew J. and Catherine (Marx) Stueber.

The father of Dr. Stueber came to Lima as early as 1867 and long was one of the faithful mechanics of the Pennsylvania Railroad. His death took place some years since but his aged widow still survives, with one son, Dr. Freder- ick G. Stueber.

Louis J. Stueber was liberally educated and was a young man of the greatest promise. He was a graduate of Rush Medical College, Chi- cago; after completing his professional course there, he became an interne of the Alexian Brothers Hospital in Chicago. When the Spanish-American War broke out, he went to the front as first assistant surgeon of the Sec- ond Regiment, Ohio Infantry, U.S. Volunteers, and after the close of that war, upon being urged by the Surgeon General of the United States, he accepted a position on the surgical corps, which was sent to the Island of Mindanao, one of the Philippines. During his two years of service in the far East, he won admiration for his surgical and medical proficiency and the kindest memory that many of the savage Mo- ros have of the hated and feared white man, is this kind and skillful doctor who brought to them healing. Dr. Stueber returned to Lima in 1901. His death occurred while on a visit to Texas, in the Alamo Plaza, at San Antonio, on December 8, 1904.

Dr. Stueber was married on May 21, 1890, to Nina E. Purtscher, who is a daughter of the late Christian Purtscher, a native of Switzer- land. They had one daughter-Martha A.

Dr. Stueber was a member of the German Reformed Church, where the funeral services were held. The various organizations of which he had been an honored and beloved member- the United Spanish War Veterans, the Elks, the Eagles and Odd Fellows-attended in a body.

The Second Regiment, Ohio National Guard, adopted resolutions of respect setting forth their appreciation of his services during the Spanish-American War, when he distin- guished himself in the faithful discharge of his duties in relieving the sufferings of his fellow- soldiers in the fever-stricken camps and on the field of battle in the Philippines.

B AXTER TREVOR, a retired citizen of Lima, was born in England in Janu- ary, 1843, and was reared and edu- cated in his native land though all his subsequent development has been in the United States. He served bravely in the army of his adopted country, suffered in her de- fense, and later through his own efforts reached a position of importance in the business world and in the confidence and friendship of a large number of his fellow-citizens.

After coming to America, Mr. Trevor fol- lowed farming and also went to school in Hu- ron County, Ohio. Our subject gained his first military experience in 1862 with the "Squirrel Hunters," called out to repell a Confederate in- vasion of Ohio. He was at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, when the "Island Queen" was scuttled and set adrift on Lake Erie. At this time he joined a company which had for its captain young John Brown, a son of John Brown, of Harper's Fer- ry fame. In October, 1864, he enlisted in Com- pany D, 55th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. The Regi- ment was sent at once to Atlanta and attached to the 20th Army Corps, and Mr. Trevor par- ticipated in all the battles until Bentonville, on March 17, 1865, when he was wounded in the right arm, which was so shattered that he was obliged to submit to its amputation on the field. His sufferings during his conveyance in the rude ambulance over the rough, corduroy roads, to the hospital at Goldsboro, North Car- olina, only served to demonstrate what youth and vigor can stand without giving way. His wound was so serious that after a season at Goldsboro he was sent on to New Bern, where he was placed on the hospital boat and taken to David's Island, New York, where he could re- ceive more skilled care. He arrived in that city on the day following President Lincoln's assassination, when the city was almost para- lyzed with grief. He was conveyed to the gen- eral hospital on David's Island, where he re- mained until June 14, 1865, when he was dis- charged, though not cured. One ligature which was affected was not removed until later and until that was done, he suffered severely.

Wounded, weak, without funds and with- out a home, the future looked bleak to the young man, as may well be imagined, but he

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MRS. SARAH T. CUSTARD

JONATHAN CUSTARD

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was given a welcome at the Soldiers' Home at Cleveland, and had been there but a month when he had so gained the good will of those with whom he came in contact, that . he was chosen for one of the positions at the home, the light duties of which he could perform. This was to meet every train and conduct to the home the weary boys in blue who sought its shelter. The next fall Mr. Trevor secured a position in the Cleveland Postoffice which he held for four and a half years, and then followed book can- vassing through Ohio and Pennsylvania for the same length of time. From this latter occupa- tion he drifted into the business of selling books and stationery and established a store at Nor- walk, Ohio, which he conducted for nine years. He was then recalled to Cleveland for the pur- pose of assisting in the settling up of an estate in England. While there, he carried on a news and stationery business until 1885, when he came to Lima and bought the "City Book Store," forming a partnership and doing busi- ness for a time under the firm name of Trevor & Robinson. Then Mr. Trevor sold to his part- ner and embarked in a book and stationery bus- iness for himself, near High street, which he continued until he retired from active business. He accompanied Mr. Knight, the lecturer, dur- ing one year, the subject of the entertainment being certain thrilling events of the Civil War. Mr. Trevor was appointed, in 1890, decennial appraiser of the Fifth and Sixth wards of Lima.

In 1886 Mr. Trevor was married to Anna Bilton, of England, and they have three chil- dren, viz .: Ada Adelaide; Maud Gertrude, wife of Clarence F. Spaulding, of Buchanan, Michigan; and Kyle C., who is with R. G. Dun & Company at Springfield, Ohio. He is a mem- ber of Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R. He belongs to the First Congregational Church of Lima.

J ONATHAN CUSTARD, one of Lima's esteemed retired citizens, whose period of residence covers almost a half cen- tury, was born in November 17, 1834, in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel Custard.

Daniel Custard was born in Maryland.

When he was 10 years old, his people moved to Pennsylvania and later to Tuscarawas County, Ohio. In 1835 he moved to Allen County and lived on a farm in German township, where he also conducted a small store, until 1856, when he came to Lima and for some years operated a general supply store on the present site of the Court House. He was the father of 12 chil- dren, of whom our subject is the only sur- vivor. Daniel Custard died in 1868, aged 83 years. In politics he was a strong Whig and later a Republican.

Jonathan Custard was reared on a farm and was educated in a select school in Lima. His entrance into business was in the grocery line and later he was connected with the sewing machine trade. For the past 14 years he has mainly occupied himself in looking after his investments and large property interests. He has enjoyed traveling with his wife and daugh- ter and has frequently visited the various points of interest in California and sojourned at that pleasant Pacific city, Los Angeles.

On January 1, 1857, Mr. Custard was married to Sarah E. Terry, a daughter of Enos and Delphia (Watson) Terry. Enos Terry was born in Warren County, Ohio, and came to Allen County in 1830, when the country was still a wilderness, inhabited by wild beasts and Indians. He helped to lay out what is now the beautiful city of Lima and during this period, on many occasions, his efficient wife cooked the dinners for the men engaged in this work. Mrs. Terry was born in Virginia. Enos Terry was the pioneer nurseryman of Allen County and was engaged in that business almost the whole of his .active life. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Custard, and of these two are now living, namely : Edwin K., of To- ledo, Ohio, and Delphia Terry. The other two, who died in infancy, were: Lillie Ann, born November 1, 1858, and deceased January 2, 1863; and Daniel Enos, born May 5, 1862, and deceased June 4, 1863. Edwin K. Custard was married in April, 1887, to Nellie Dunsby, who was born in England and has lived in America since she was four years of age. They have had five children, as follows : Jonathan, Leonise, Madeline, Ocia and Edwin Coldor, deceased. Delphia Terry Custard was married on No-

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vember 30, 1905, to Frank J. Wurmser, of Lima. Mr. Wurmser is a native of Findlay, Ohio. The family are members of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of Lima, which Mr. Custard served as an official for 17 years.

Both the Custard and the Terry families have been identified with the development of Allen County for a great many years. Mr. and Mrs. Custard have a fund of interesting reminiscences of the early days in Allen County. Mrs. Custard remembers hearing her parents tell of their removal from Lebanon, Ohio, into the wilderness of Allen County. They came in a covered wagon, which they had stocked with supplies designed to comfortably support them for a year, but a large part of these went to feed the hungry Indians who came begging, Mrs. Terry fearing to refuse them.

Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Custard accom- pany this sketch, being shown on a preceding page.

E G. WEADOCK, M. D., one of the prominent young medical practitioners of Lima, is a native of this city, where he was born in 1876, and where he has been established as a physician and surgeon since 1900.

He was primarily educated in the common and parochial schools at Lima, and was grad- uated in 1894 from the Lima High School. He then turned his attention to the study of medicine and in 1896 was graduated from As- sumption College, Ontario, Canada, and com- pleted his medical education in the University of Michigan, in 1900. Dr. Weadock immed- iately entered into practice in his native city. where he secured recognition very soon, and for the past three years he has been surgeon for the police and the fire departments of Lima and the County Jail. He is local surgeon of the U. T. C. and Brotherhood of Locomotive and is also examining physician and surgeon for the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Catholic Knights of Ohio and the Catholic Mutual Benevolent Association, to which he belongs, He is a member of the medical staff of the Lima Hospital and takes a deep interest in all that concerns the sanitary condition of the city.

Dr. Weadock is county president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He is a worthy member of St. Rose Catholic Church.

cDOUGALL EMMITT, secretary of the Lima Progressive Associa- tion, is a well-known newspaper man, having for 15 years been con- nected with the leading publica- tions of Pike, Ross and more recently, of Allen County. Mr. Emmitt was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1868. In his youth his parents moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he received the greater part of his education. He is a grad- uate of the Waverly High School.

After leaving school, he entered a newspa- per office of Waverly, where he remained for five years. He next accepted a position on the Chillicothe Gasette and four years later came to Lima where he was connected with the Times-Democrat. He was employed on this paper six years, resigning his position in Aug- ust, 1905, to accept the secretaryship of the Lima Progressive Association. He was mar- ried July 7, 1892, to Edith McKinzie, of Wa- verly, Ohio.

1 RA R. WETHERILL, M. D., one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Bluffton, was born July 21, 1853. in Hardin County, near the village of West Newton. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Gloyd) Wetherill. His father was born in Lincolnshire, England, March 19, 1809, and was 10 years of age when his father, whose name was also John, came from England and settled in Virginia. Later they came to Richland County, Ohio, where the grandfather of our subject died at the age of 45 years, leav- ing five sons and two daughters. John Weth- erill, Jr., was married in 1836 to Elizabeth Gloyd, who was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1816, and came with her parents to Richland County, where she was married. In 1839 Mr. Wetherill took his family to Har- din County, where he cleared and put under cul- tivation a large tract of land. He was an in-

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History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 3

Author: Charles C. Miller, Samuel A. Baxter Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 470

Author: Charles C. Miller, Samuel A. Baxter
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 470