USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 54
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Mr. German was married on June 27, 1847,
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to Mary Fortman, who is a daughter of Jos-
eph and Elizabeth (Pont) Fortman. Mr. Fortman crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Ger- many about 1833 in one of the sailing vessels of that day, and was one of the early settlers at Dayton, Ohio. In 1837 he settled in section 21, Marion township, on the west side of the river. Joseph Fortman and wife had seven children, viz: Joseph; Benjamin; Eliza- beth, wife of John Clausing; Mary, wife of Mr. German; Dena (Dickerman) ; and An- thony, who lives on the old Fortman home- stead. He and Mrs. German are the only sur- vivors of the Fortman family. Joseph Fort- man died aged 60 years and his wife, at the age of 79 years. Mrs. German, like her husband, can recall many of the early experiences of the pioneers of Marion township. When her father first built his log cabin in the woods here, there were still numbers of Indians rov- ing through the country, subsisting upon the wild game which was so plentiful. As the first home of the family was entirely without a roof and consisted in fact of a square barricade, with no door, the only way in which either In- dians or wild creatures could get in to disturb the inmates when at rest, was to enter in the same manner as did Mr. Fortman and family, and that was to crawl under. He was a man of great industry, and as he knew that work on public improvements could be had if he could provide for his family and then leave them for a time, he did what seemed best under the cir- sumstances. No great fatality attended them, and as soon as he felt sure they could be safe, he went to work on the Great Reservoir then being built, and next found profitable employ- ment on the canal at Deep Cut, near Spencer. He also did a great deal of the grubbing work for the canal in sections 12, 15 and 14, and when the canal was completed, he, with his son Anthony, were passengers on the first boat that arrived at Delphos. After the canal was established Mr. Fortman returned to his farm and assisted in its clearing. As noted above, his son Anthony occupies the farm, having lived upon it for 68 years. It is in the extreme northern part of Marion township on the edge of Putnam County.
Mrs. German remembers how the family came on foot from Dayton, camped cut at night and thus, tired and lonely reached the log cabin shelter in Marion township. The great fire-place gave warmth and all the cook- ing was done by it, and the admirable mother spun and wove in the light of its fire. Among the wild animals which surrounded the home and frequently disturbed their peace of mind, Mrs. German mentions bears, deer, wolves and porcupines. On one occasion a herd of 14 deers came so near the home that her brother Anthony killed one big buck with a club. In her youth her father used the flail to thresh out his grain, which he disposed of at Fort Jenn- ings, which was their nearest trading point. The corn they raised had to be taken to this place to be ground until Mr. Fortman was able to buy a hand mill of his own. He assisted in the construction of the first frame church at Delphos, the Church of St. John the Evan- gelist. Her brother, Anthony Fortman, married Annie Hempker, a daughter of Con- rad Hempker, and they adopted Elizabeth, who later became the wife of John Clausing.
Mr. and Mrs German had nine children, the survivors being: Bernard, A. J., John, Louis and Frank. Bernard, named for his father and grandfather, resides in Oklahoma Territory. He married Mary Vergerson and has seven children, one of these, Mary, mar- ried George Droll, and has a daughter. A. J. married Kate Neimeyer, a daughter of David and a granddaughter of David Neimeyer, a pioneer of Allen County, and they have three children : Loretta, Leo and Sylvester ; they live on the home farm. John also resides at home. Louis resides at Fort Jennings and he and wife have four children. Frank married Frances Knipp and they have six children. Thus our venerable subject and wife have 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Politically, Mr. German is a Democrat. He has served as supervisor and as trustee of Marion township, and he has also served as president, secretary and as a director in the German Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. With his family he belongs to the Catholic Church. He belongs to the church of St.
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ROLLA GLEANER GRUBB
JOHN B. GRUBB
THOMAS GRUBB
MYRLAND DWIGHT HILLYARD (Four Generations)
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John the Evangelist at Delphos and was one of the trustees when the new church was erect- ed. He has been prominent in the township in many ways and commands the respect of all who know him.
C HOMAS GRUBB, a member of one of the pioneer families of the county, and a respected citizen and substan- tial farmer, resides on his excellently improved farm of 125 acres, situated in section 35, Amanda township. Mr. Grubb was born in LaFayette, this county, September 27, 1853, and is a son of John B. and Eliza- beth ( Robinson ) Grubb.
John B. Grubb, father of our subject, was born in 1820 and his wife in September, 1826. They are old and well known residents of Auglaize township and are still living at the ages respectively of 86 and 80 years. When John B. Grubb first came to Allen from Wash- ington County, Ohio, he rode through the for- est and blazed a path, his parents following with an ox team and being obliged to cut a road in order to reach the site of their future home. His mother was a native of Ireland. John B. Grubb and wife had six children, our subject being the fourth in order of birth.
Thomas Grubb was reared to be a practi- cal farmer. His parents sent him to both the district and a select school, and he remained at home until 1878, when he married. On Feb- ruary 26, 1881, Mr. Grubb purchased his pres- ent farm in Amanda township, which, as he describes it, was then a "regular frog pond;" but it bears no resemblance to that now-with its 2,500 rods of drain tile and its surface showing productive fields and rich pastures. Mr. Grubb has given much attention to the growing of fine stock, and makes a specialty of full blooded Merino sheep. The whole property is neatly fenced and its substantial and systematic appearance testifies to Mr. Grubb's home interest, as well as to his agri- cultural ability. In 1894 he erected his beau- tiful residence, and four years later, his sub-
stantial barn, the dimensions of the latter being 40 by 50 feet, with 18 foot posts. His other buildings are entirely adequate for the purposes intended, and the entire place adds to the general attractiveness of Amanda town- ship.
On August 29, 1878, Mr. Grubb was mar- ried to Catherine Bowers, who is a daughter of John B. and Amanda E. (Shannon) Bow- ers. Mrs. Grubb was born at Springfield, Ohio, April 20, 1859. Her parents moved to Aug- laize township, when she was two years old. Her father died April 1, 1863, but her mother survived until May 9, 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Grubb have three children, viz : Rolla Gleaner, Laura Bessie and Zida Maud. The son attend- ed college at Lima, where he now has his resi- dence, being a traveling salesman. He mar- ried Maude Ellen Myers. Laura Bessie mar- ried Marion Hillyard, of Shawnee township, and they have three children-Daisy Pearl, Myrland Dwight and Howard. Zida Maud married Edward Boyer, of Spencerville, and they have one son, Ivan Grubb. The four grandchildren find in their grandparents very indulgent elders, while the latter enjoy the re- spect and affection lavished upon them so heartily by the younger generation.
Mr. Grubb has been a lifelong Democrat and has frequently represented the party in county and State conventions. In 1882 Mr. Grubb was elected justice of the peace, and served the township as such for six years, ren- dering during this period many very import- ant decisions which met with general approval. He has been prominent in the Patrons of Husbandry, has held almost every position in its gift and was secretary of the county organ- ization. With his estimable wife, he is an ac- tive worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Allentown. She was converted at the age of 15 years, and Mr. Grubb, in 1878. He is. a steward and president of the township Sun- day-school association.
On a foregoing page in proximity to this is shown a group picture in which are shown representatives of four generations in the Grubb family.
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A A. LLEWELLYN, proprietor of the People's Book Store at Lima, has been a resident of the city for 25 years and with his estimable wife, has been a leader in social and busi- ness circles. He was born at Sweet Springs, West Virginia, and is a son of A. A. Llewellyn, Sr., and Elizabeth B. (Bowyer) Llewellyn. The father was a farmer and stock man of West Virginia who during the days of slavery had been educated for an over- seer, but, before the emancipation of the negro, he removed to McLean County, Illinois, and there engaged in agriculture, being regarded as the most scientific farmer of his time and section.
Our subject received his education in Bloomington, Illinois, and then for a period of 12 years embarked in the drug, stationery and wall-paper business in Champaign, Illinois. Afterward he traveled for the D. B. Scully Syrup Company, of Chicago, covering for 21 consecutive years the territory of Western Ohio, Southern Michigan, and Eastern and Central Indiana. Resigning that position he purchased his present business in September, 1905, and both he and his wife are giving it their attention, promising to make it the lead- ing book store of the county.
On April 3, 1883, Mr. Llewellyn was married to Martha Bowyer. In 1830 her father, Madison Bowyer, whose biography ap- pears elsewhere in this work, came to this county from Eastern Virginia, where his father, Isaac Bowyer, had entered a large tract of land from the government. Mrs. Llewellyn is a lady of high literary and artistic attainments, having graduated in 1878, from the college at Delaware, Ohio, where she re- ceived the degree of Bachelor of Literature. Coming to Lima, she was the first to introduce painting in oil here and had large classes in art work and painting until she gave up teaching some three years ago. She is an active mem- ber of the Women's Auxiliary of Lima Col- lege and a prominent society leader. Both Mr. and Mrs. Llewellyn are members of the First Congregational Church of Lima, con-
tributing liberally of both time and means to the cause of religion. Mr. Llewellyn is also a prominent member of the T. P. A.
OHN T. ADAMS, one of the best known and most popular citizens of Amanda township, who has resided on his fine farm of 127 acres in section Io for a half century, was born Feb- ruary 29, 1832, in Champaign County, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Long) Adams.
The parents of Mr. Adams were natives of Virginia and Kentucky, respectively. They moved to Amanda township, Allen County, in the spring of 1833, taking their children into the wilderness with the expectation of found- ing for them a comfortable home and rearing them well, although home might for a time be without the advantages of more civilized local- ities. But the father was killed by a falling tree, when our subject was only four years old, an accident not unusual at that time. The mother was left with five little children to rear, which she did nobly and well, lending two of them to their country in its days of peril.
Mr. Adams settled in section 10, Amanda township, and built his log cabin on the banks of the Auglaize River, to which the Shawnee Indians often came; but, as far as we have been informed, with no evil intentions. Mr. Adams did not live to see the results of his several years of industry and probably never even imagined the transformation which has taken place. A part of his land he secured from the State and the remainder from a Mr. Russell, who resided near Piqua, to which point the family was obliged to go to mill. The mother survived to the age of 72 years and to her courage, industry, economy and good management, much of the family prosperity was due. She was deft in all housewifely arts of her day, could spin and weave, sew, bake and brew and, on occasion no doubt, assisted her sons in their tasks. Her children hold her in loving remembrance. They were as follows: William, now deceased, who enlisted for three
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years in the Civil War, entering Company A, 8Ist Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf .; John T., of this sketch, who served 100 days in Company B, 15Ist Reg., Vol. Inf .; James, of Champaign County, Ohio; and two deceased.
John T. Adams very early became accus- tomed to assist on the farm, and later, with his brothers, William and James, cleared and im- proved it. He was reared and educated main- ly in Champaign County, to which the family removed about 1839, and was 22 years old when he came back to this county and entered into the serious business of developing a farm out of the forest. To-day it is one of the most valuable and beautiful farms on the river. Mr. Adams has added to its natural advantages by erecting a very handsome modern residence which overlooks the Spencerville and Lima turnpike road. He can relate many interesting incidents of the early days here, when the In- dians traversed the forest surrounding the home, in pursuit of the wild game which abounded.
In 1867 Mr. Adams was united in mar- riage with Violet Russell, who is a daughter of Joseph and Celia Russell. She was born on a farm in Champaign County adjoining the one which was his birthplace. They have one son, Charles F. The latter was born in Amanda township and was well educated in the public schools. He manages his father's farm, the lat- ter having practically retired. He married Eva Travis and they have four children, viz : Ruth, John, named for his grandfather; James, named for his grand uncle; and Celia, who bears the name of her great-grandmother.
In 1900 Mr. Adams was elected a trustee of Amanda township and at the expiration of his term was reelected, but resigned in 1905. He is recognized as one of the useful, reliable and public-spirited men of the locality.
D W. MILLER, a member of the gen- eral contracting firm of Ruhlen & Miller, at Lima, has been a resident of this city since 1891. He was born in Allen County in 1869, and is a son of Marcus Miller, one of the oldest settlers in Allen County, who died in 1876.
D. W. Miller was reared and educated in this county and still owns a good farm in Bath township, although the greater part of his life has been given to the carpenter's trade and contracting. He learned his trade in youth and followed it throughout the county until within the past five years, since when he has been associated with Mr. Ruhlen in general contracting and in operating a large planing mill. This firm is one which enjoys the entire confidence of the public and has erected a large proportion of the fine buildings in Lima. Some of the buildings in their list, and which prove the substantial character of their work, are the new residence of Edward M. Gooding on West Market street; Herman Eckhardt's resi- dence on Cole street; John D. Finn's residence on Mckinley street; and the Renz and Duf- field blocks, both on Main street. They have also done a large amount of work in the coun- ty, have erected three schoolhouses in Bath township and are now engaged in making ad- ditions to the County Infirmary.
Mr. Miller votes as does a good citizen, but he takes no active interest in politics. Fra- ternally, he is prominent as an Odd Fellow, being past grand of Allen Lodge, No. 223, past chief patriarch of the Encampment and a member of Canton Orion, No. 24, Patri- archs Militant.
L EONIDAS HOLLOWAY, a pioneer of 1851, who for many years has been a well-known resident of Spen- cer township, has been retired from active life for some years; but in spite of his 84 years he retains physicial health and possesses a memory which goes back to the beginning of a very remarkable career. Mr. Holloway was born in Knox County, Ohio, July 18, 1822, and is a son of David and Phoebe (Clark) Holloway.
David Holloway, the father, was born in Scotland, May 21, 1786, and emigrated to America and settling in New Jersey. In New York, on July 11, 1807, he was married to Phoebe Clark, who was born July 19, 1785. To this union were born five daughters and
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four sons. All of the nine children reached ma- turity, married and had families of their own. Leonidas, of this sketch, was the eighth in or- der of birth, and although his life was probably endangered more than that of any of his broth- ers or sisters, he has survived them all. David Holloway was a very early settler in Knox County, Ohio, traveling by team from the East to Massillon and then settling in the woods that extended for miles over the present cultivated fields of Knox County. His life was that of the early pioneer, and he met and overcame the hardships of that early day with the courage and capacity which the very name of pioneer implies. He died in Knox County on September 10, 1862, aged 76 years. His wife had passed away many years before, dying September 19, 1838.
Leonidas Holloway was reared in Knox County, not far from Mount Vernon, Ohio. His schooling was limited, the time, locality and circumstances preventing the seizing of many educational opportunities. Like many other young men of his day, he drifted far from home, led by an adventurous spirit and a hardiness of physical health which sought an outlet different from the confinements of rural life. Thus he went to Texas and for 18 months served with the Texas Rangers prior to enlisting at New Orleans for service in the Mexican War. During his first year of serv- ice he was a member of the First Battalion, Texas Cavalry, and it was during his third year that he participated in the storming of the city of Monterey and the taking of Buena Vista. In the earlier part of his service he was under the command of Gen. Sam Houston, but later he served under Gen. Zachary Taylor. He continued in the service until the close of the war, escaping with but a flesh wound.
In 1851 Mr. Holloway came to Allen County, and settled in the woods, in true pio- neer style. In order to reach the Spencerville road he was obliged to cut the forest trees, making a path 40 feet wide which reached from the canal, and which is now known as the Spencerville and Dayton turnpike road. In those early years in Spencer township, he was kept busy clearing off the timber. In those
days he split rails to the number of unknown thousands. His first home was a cabin of round logs which sufficed until a better one, of hewed logs, could be erected to take its place; in this second cabin his son, John W., was born, in 1861.
When this son was five weeks old, Mr. Holloway once more offered his loyal services to his country in her hour of need. He enlisted at Spencerville, in Company I, Fourth Reg., Ohio Vol. Cav., under Colonel Kenneth and Capt. Henry Rogers, which regiment was at- tached to the Second Army Corps and ordered to Cincinnati. From that distributing point his regiment was sent with others to the various points of danger, and he served faithfully until he was discharged at Baltimore, Maryland, in 1865, without having received any serious in- juries. His military service covered many years and he was personally concerned in some of the most important events in the history of our country. He now draws a pension of $18 per month. After the close of the war, he again returned to peaceful pursuits and has lived quietly as an agriculturist ever since. His well-improved farm of 40 acres is situated in Spencer township, and in addition to this prop- erty he owns considerable realty in Spen- cerville.
On July 2, 1848, Mr. Holloway was mar- ried at Mount Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, to Tillethia Ann Doty, who was born in Knox County, May 1, 1830, and is a daughter of Samuel B. and Margaret (Crider) Doty, who reared a family of five sons and five daughters. Mrs. Holloway and two sisters still survive, these being: Mrs. Sarah Burk, of Delphos, Ohio, and Mrs. Catherine Elizabeth Bott, of Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. Holloway have had six chil- dren, as follows: Phoebe Ellen, born Septem- ber 9, 1849, who died in August, 1862; Mar- garet Ann, born August 11, 1851, who was married March 21, 1873, to Amos Lee, and died May 25, 1874, leaving one son, William Lawrence, of Spencer township; Rachel Maria, born February 25, 1854, who died in August, 1863; Sarah C., born February 20, 1856, who was married May 3, 1878, to Wil-
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MR. AND MRS. F. W. OEN
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liam Geething, and died January 26, 1879; Samuel B., born February 26, 1859, who was married on July 3, 1881, to Hannah Chambers, and died October 31, 1891, leaving two daugh- ters-Florence and Ada, both of whom are married and live in Kansas; and John W., born in 1861, who is now a prominent farmer located in section 24, Spencer township.
For many years after Mr. and Mrs. Hollo- way settled in Spencer township, pioneer con- ditions prevailed. The clearing of the land and its subsequent cultivation was not the only hardship. It was a long distance to mill, the old Post mill on the Auglaize River being the nearest one available, and the country was still so densely wooded and little settled that dan- ger from the wild animals of the woods was by no means past. On one occasion Mrs. Hol- loway, while out from home on some neces- sary business, accompanied by her dog, treed a bear. Although she had had many experi- ences, it is doubtful if she had previously had a similar one. Fortunately she was able to call to her assistance a neighbor, Jacob Bennett, who was an old hunter, and he killed the ani- mal before it could do any damage. Mrs. Hol- loway is one of the old pioneer members of the Christian Church in Spencer township. She was reared a Baptist, but united with the Christian Church at Mount Vernon and she is respectfully and affectionately known as the "Mother of the West Union Christian Church."
Mr. Holloway has also been a member of the West Union Christian Church from its very organization, and he has been liberal in its support. With Daniel Richardson he pur- chased an acre of ground and laid out the cem- etery and assisted in the erection of the church edifice. In like manner Mr. Holloway has continually given support to the advancement of the schools in the township, has helped in the building of the good roads and has lent his influence in the direction of everything which has promised to be of substantial benefit to his part of his county. In the public affairs of Spencer township, Mr. Holloway has always been a prominent factor and he has served at
various times in all but two of the township offices. He is a valued member of the Spencer- ville post of the Grand Army of the Republic. Few if any residents of Spencer township are better or more favorably known than Mr. and Mrs. Holloway.
W. OEN, a representative business man of Lima, a dealer in staple and fancy groceries and meats, at No. 1114 West North street, was born in Shawnee township, Allen County, Ohio, August 7, 1866, and is a son of Henry Oen, an early settler and leading farmer of Shawnee township, who died December 3, 1903.
F. W. Oen was reared and educated in Shawnee township, where he followed farming and dairying for four years and then bought a farm in Auglaize County, which he later leased for oil purposes. For a short period he was engaged in the oil business, having leased his brother-in-law's farm. He put down one well, which was an excellent producer, and he soon sold the property for $11,000. He was also fortunate in his business arrangements concerning his farm of 80 acres, selling his royalty for $18,000, and later disposing of the land. He then bought some choice property in Lima, erecting several fine residences, on the corner of Jameson and North streets, and the business block which he occupies. His present realty holdings include four fine resi- dence properties and three vacant lots. He also owns farming lands, having purchased an unimproved tract of 118 acres in German township. On this he has erected excellent buildings, put up fencing and set out orchards, until the land, within a few years, has ad- vanced to $100 an acre.
In 1892 Mr. Oen was married to Ellen Jordan, who is a daughter of the late Daniel Jordan, formerly a prosperous farmer of Shawnee township. Mr. and Mrs. Oen have five children, viz: H. Edward, Frances Pau- line, Catharine Ellen, Francis Frederick and
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James Alfred. Mr. and Mrs. Oen are mem- bers of St. Rose Catholic Church. Their por- traits, executed from a recent photograph, ac- company this sketch.
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