USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 15
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months and 19 days. Their remains rest in Walnut Grove Cemetery, a marble slab mark- ing the spot. In close proximity rest the ashes of their son, the father of our subject, and here in his memory has been placed one of the most beautiful granite monuments of the "City of the Dead."
For a number of years these venerated pioneers lived in a primitive log cabin, sur- rounded by the forest, and they passed through many of the hardships which early settlers so courageously faced and endured. They wore homespun clothes, they made by hand almost all of the necessary household implements, and they labored from rise to set of sun; but they also found time to build up those civilizing in- fluences which have always attended upon worthy living, throwing open their cabin to the traveling preacher and securing instructors for their children. Mr. Long was a better edu- cated man than many of his neighbors and na- turally was consulted by them on public ques- tions. All over the county this venerable couple were known and their virtues were ap- preciated.
Jacob Long, father of our subject, was born in Ohio and died in Allen County on July 31, 1895, aged 71 years, 8 months and 30 days. He married Rebecca A. Westerfield, whose death occurred at the age of 64 years, I month and 8 days. They both were worthy and in- terested members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being connected with the Morris Chapel congregation at Delphos. They were the parents of four children, namely: Minor T., of Marion township; Marianna, who mar- ried Theodore Culp, of Van Wert, Ohio, and has a family of children ; F. E., who is a farmer living in section 22, Marion township, married and has reared a family ; and Minerva, who is the wife of Samuel W. Wright, a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Allen County-he resides in section 29, Marion township, his farm being on the Lima turn- pike road.
The father of Mr. Long followed agricul- tural pursuits through life, farming in section 28, Marion township. During the Civil War he followed the example set him by his father, and became a soldier when his country needed
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his services. He enlisted in a company of the 33rd Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., which came to constitute a part of the army of General Sher- man and with him made that glorious "March to the Sea." He was one of that victorious company which participated in the Grand Re- view at Washington.
After the close of the war, Jacob Long put aside his sword, figuratively turning it into a pruning-hook, and returned to the peaceful pur- suits from which he had been called by the dan- ger of the dismemberment of his country. He was elected by his fellow-citizens to a number of the local offices, including that of trustee of Marion township, and during his whole life there were numerous evidences shown of the high esteem in which he was held by his neigh- bors. He was a man ever ready to forward every movement of public value and his hand was open to the call of charity.
Minor T. Long, our immediate subject, is a most worthy representative of ancestors whose honorable lives have been pictured above. He was reared among conditions which were still more or less of a pioneer character, and he re- members well the old log schoolhouse, with its slab seats for benches and its great open fire- place, where he first received instruction. Be- fore his school days were ended, however, a neat frame building took the place of the log structure, and many improvements were intro- duced.
From early boyhood Mr. Long had duties to perform about the farm. He now reaps the benefit of his boyhood labors. Few farmers have met with more pronounced success than has Mr. Long, in cultivating his land; but he has given more attention in later years to the raising of Shorthorn cattle and fine Percheron horses. He is a fine judge of stock of all kinds and is a familiar figure at agricultural fairs. He has had the satisfaction of bearing off the blue ribbons for his fine Percheron stock at sev- eral expositions, notably the Allen County and the Putnam County fairs, for several years.
In the fall of 1867 Mr. Long was married to Nancy J. Tucker, who was born in Perry County, Ohio, and is a daughter of G. W. Tucker. Her father was a pioneer of Allen
County. Mr. and Mrs. Long have four chil- dren : Cora E., wife of E. E. Truesdale, as- sistant postmaster at Delphos; Dane D., who was married in June, 1905, to Hazel Bradley; Dawn C., unmarried, who assists on the home farm; and Charles Clifford, also at home. Mr. Long and family belong to Morris Chapel and he is one of the board of trustees.
During the Civil War, our subject, like his ancestors, gave loyal service to his country. He was a member of Company B, McLaugh- lin's Squadron, and was all through the Atlanta campaign, marching with Sherman's forces to the sea. He is a member of the Reul Post, G. A. R., at Delphos, and has been commander. Mr. Long has served as trustee of Marion township for two terms; after having been connected with the School Board for a long period, he is now serving as its president. He is also president of the Mutual Insurance Com- pany of Allen County, which carries nearly $3,000,000 of risks. He is also treasurer of Walnut Grove Cemetery, which, without doubt, is one of the most beautiful and well-arranged burial places in the county. As one of the officials Mr. Long gives close and careful at- tention to the constant improvement and beau- tifying of this spot.
R L. BATES, who is prominently identi- fied with the oil interests of the State, has been a resident of Lima since 1886. He was born in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, February 3. 1852, and is a son of the late Norman R. Bates, who was a well-known oil producer.
R. L. Bates was educated at the well-known Walkill Academy, at Middletown, New York, and at Flushing, Long Island. He was first introduced to the oil business at Titusville, Crawford County. Pennsylvania, Almost from the beginning of his business life he has been associated in some way with different oil fields, including Bradford. Pennsylvania, and other points. He came to Lima as agent of the Buckeye Pipe Line Company, which was or- ganized and incorporated in April, 1886. The present local officers of this company are:
LOUIS F. LAUDICK, M. D.
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John O'Brien, general superintendent; M. Moran, assistant general superintendent, and R. L. Bates, agent. This office is the Lima branch of the great transportation and storage oil company, and their pipe lines run through the Ohio and Indiana oil fields. Mr. Bates is also agent for the Indiana Pipe Line Company, of Indiana, which operates in the oil field of that State. In addition to carefully looking after the interests of these great companies, Mr. Bates is interested in other enterprises and still finds time and takes pleasure in furthering com- mendable public movements, and is a factor in social, political and fraternal life. In political sentiment he is a Democrat. Prior to leaving Pennsylvania, he was a member of the Demo. cratic Central Committee of Mckean County and was chairman of the Democratic City Com- mittee, of Bradford. .
Mr. Bates was married December 15, 1874 to Evelyn Hazzard, who is a daughter of the late Hiram Hazzard, at one time the leading merchant at Titusville. Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Bates have one daughter, Mrs. George A. Straw, who is in the telephone business at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The family belong to the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Mr. Bates is prominent in Masonry and be- longs to the Blue Lodge, Council, Chapter and Commandery at Lima. He has been a mem- ber of the board of directors of The Masonic Hall Company since its organization, and was a member of the organizing board of directors which conceived and carried to completion the building of the stately Masonic Temple here. He continues to be secretary, treasurer and superintendent of The Masonic Hall Company. His intelligence, business acumen and public- spirit have been brought to bear in cooperating with other financiers and men of affairs, and the result has been of large benefit to Lima.
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OUIS F. LAUDICK, .M. D .. one of the leading medical practitioners of Lima, with well-appointed and convenient offices at No. 491 Public Square. stands very high in this city, both per- sonally and professionally. He was born in Wayne township. Allen County, Ohio, and is a
son of Louis and Clarissa J. ( Miller) Laudick.
The paternal grandfather of Dr. Laudick was Jolin Laudick and the maternal grandfath- er was John Miller, both men of character and of substance. Louis Laudick, father of Dr. Laudick, was born in Pennsylvania, where he learned the trade of a carpenter and followed the same for a time, but subsequently became a farmer in Allen County, Ohio, where he died March 6, 1869. He reared a family of 10 children.
Dr. Laudick was educated in the public schools of Allen County and was graduated at the Lima High School. In this city he studied medicine under the tutelage of well- established physicians, and then entered the Ohio Medical College. Cincinnati, where he was graduated March 6, 1890. He located at .Lima, which has since been his home almost continuously, the period interrupted only by three years of travel in Colorado and Utah. The year, of 1893 was spent at the great Mor- mon city of Salt Lake, and 1895 at Cripple Creek. He has established a large and lucra- tive practice at Lima and ranks with the coun- ty's best physicians and surgeons.
Dr. Laudick was married to Nettie Mc- Clure, who is a daughter of James A. Mc- Clure. They have a very pleasant home at No. 525 West Market street.
Dr. Laudick is very prominent in fraternal life, being a Mason of high degree. belonging to the Blue Lodge. Chapter and Council at Lima, and to Syrian Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Cincinnati. He is also an Odd Fellow. He keeps closely in touch with modern medical thought. having membership in the Allen County Medical Society, Ohio State Medical Society. Northwestern Ohio Medical Associa- tion and American Medical Association. His portrait accompanies this sketch.
OLOMON D. SNIDER was born in Thorn township, Perry County, Ohio,' April 30, 1842. and came to Allen County in the spring of 1865 when he bought 80 acres of land in section 25. Jackson township, took possession in April of that year, and has lived upon it ever since. His
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parents were Daniel and Mary (Greenawalt ) Snider, and his grandfather was also named Daniel Snider.
The grandfather of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, whence he came to Ohio, en- tering land in Perry County, where he died March 3, 1866, at the age of 93 years, 7 months and a few days. He was a Whig, while his son and grandson (our subject ) became Democrats. He took an active part in reform work and was a leader in the German Baptist or Dunkard Church, being one of the preachers of that body and holding services in his house and barn until they were able to build a house of worship.
Daniel Snider, the father of our subject, was born in Thorn township, Perry County, Ohio, June 28, 1808. During his younger days he engaged in teaching school, and afterwards bought a farm of 180 acres in Perry County, where he devoted his time to agriculture until his death November 3, 1861. He was a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church. He was married to Mary Greenawalt, who was born in Hock- ing County, Ohio, in 1811 and died in Perry County, March 6, 1895, at the age of 83 years, 3 months and 20 days. Her parents, Mathias and Mary (Coon) Greenawalt, came to this State from Maryland, and were of German descent. She was the mother of the following children, viz : Lucinda (Boyer), deceased; John Henry, who resides on the homestead in Perry County; Mary Katharine (Clum), de- ceased; Solomon D .; Sarah Elizabeth (An- spach), of Jackson township; and Eliza Ann (Humberger), deceased.
Solomon D. Snider was reared in his na- tive county where he was married August 31, 1863, to Katharine Zartman. She was a daughter of Henry and Mary (Swinehart) Zartman, of Perry County, and was born Feb- ruary 18, 1844. She died May 4, 1902, leaving two children, Mary Aretta, wife of R. C. Kling- ler ; and Clarence Franklin, both of Hardin County. Mr. Snider came here with his wife and one child and at once set about im- proving ; new home. He erected buildings, planted an orchard and made many other improvements from which he is to-day reaping the benefits. He has been
an industrious, frugal man and in addition to caring for his farm ran a threshing machine for some time. He has been assessor three times and made a most efficient officer. He is a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church and served as dea- con and elder for many years.
RANCIS M. ROBERTS, an influential farmer of Allen County, owns a well- kept farm of 61 acres in sections 16 and 22, Bath township, where he has resided for the past 18 years. He is a son of Warren and Mary ( Rumbaugh) Rob- erts, and was born October 8, 1851, in Jackson township, Allen County, Ohio. Both parents were natives of this county, the father dying here in 1853. The mother reached her 70th year and was living in Kansas at the time of her death. Their, family consisted of six children, namely : William S., who died in In- diana after serving almost five years in the Civil War; George W., who died in the army at Nashville, Tennessee; Milo, a successful farmer of Bath township; Anna Jane, deceased; Francis M .; and Warren, deceased.
Francis M. Roberts has been engaged in farming all his life and has also worked at the carpenter's trade considerably. He moved to Kansas about 1877 and farmed there about two and a half years before entirely making up his mind that Ohio was hard to beat as a farming State. He then returned to Allen County and again took up agricultural work in Bath town- ship, where he has since resided. In 1887 he purchased his present farm, where he raises considerable grain each year, the greater part of which is consumed by the stock which he fattens for market.
Mr. Roberts was married in 1872 to Emma Roush, who was born May 7. 1850, in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Henry and Susannah Roush, who came to this county when Mrs. Roberts was a child of about two years. Eleven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, namely : Charles, born December 6, 1872, and residing in Lima, who. served in the Spanish-American War ; Almenta, born August 8. 1874. who married Emmett
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Fisher, of Lima; Maggie Jane, born January 26, 1876, deceased February 1, 1903; Francis Ephraim, born January 16, 1878, who is now a resident of Oregon; Anna Jane, born Decem- ber 8, 1880; Bertha May, born November 21, 1882; Cora, born August 1, 1885; William Theodore, born March 19, 1888; Ruth L., born July 14, 1893; Oliver Ray, born October 22, 1890; and Gertrude, born July 19, 1895. The family home is one of the neatest and most commodious in the township, and bears evi- dence of the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner. Mr. Roberts has been a lifelong Republican. For more than 30 years he was a zealous worker in the Methodist Episcopal and United Brethren churches, but during the past three years he has not been active in church work, although retaining all his old- time interest.
A LEXANDER SHENK, president of the National Bank of Delphos, was born in Prussia, July 19, 1842, and is a son of Martin and Christine (Kern) Shenk.
The parents of Mr. Shenk were also natives of Prussia. The father carried on a mercan- tile business in Prussia, and was a tailor by trade. He was the father of five sons, all of whom, when reaching the proper age, were subject to military duty if they remained under the home government. Mr. Shenk decided to avoid, if possible, the expense and what he felt was a great loss of time to his boys, in giving three years of their young lives to the army, and in October, 1853, he emigrated with his family to America.
The first stage of the long journey brought them to Paris, thence they traveled to Havre, where the party was obliged to wait a month before securing a passage. Finally accomoda- tions were secured on a vessel, and after a voy- age of 42 days they were safely landed in New York City in January, 1854. The destination of the family was the settlement at Ottville, Putnam County, Ohio, six miles from Delphos, where a number of their old friends, formerly from Prussia, had already established them- selves. . The winter of 1853-54 was one of un-
usual severity, and Martin Shenk was com- pelled to locate temporarily at Williamsburg, New York, where the family remained for six months. In September, 1854, Mr. Shenk ar- rived with his family at Delphos and was so pleased with the prospects of the place that he decided to locate here permanently instead of at Ottville, as originally intended. He se- cured work as a tailor at Delphos with Frank Byres, with whom he continued for five years, and was later connected with the firm of Lye & Marble, also a tailoring firm, for the same length of time.
A few years after locating at Delphos, Mr. Shenk purchased- a small farm of 10 acres which adjoined the corporation, and he lived on it until 1863. The death of his wife oc- curred in February, 1867, and his own in April, 1872.
Alexander Shenk began his education in Prussia and completed it at Delphos. He was only a boy of 12 years when he began to make his own way in the world, becoming a clerk in the drug-store of J. W. Hunt in Delphos, with whom he remained for seven years. During this time he learned the drug business very thoroughly, and in 1861, with his brother, the late Saffron Shenk, he opened a drug-store in the lower end of Delphos. After a partnership of two years, our subject bought his brother's interest and continued the business alone for the next three years, adding to his business by the purchase from Mr. Hunt, of the drug-store in which he had been an apprentice. After the completion of this business deal, he took John Walsh in as partner, and they conducted the two stores, in different parts of the city, for about a year, after which Mr. Shenk dis- posed of his interest to his former employer, Mr. Hunt. Within four months, however, he was again actively engaged in the drug busi- ness in partnership with Michael Britain, and two years later he bought Mr. Britain's inter- est and then admitted to partnership his old clerk, George F. Lang. The firm of Shenk & Lang continued until 1880, when the partners. sold the business.
The Union Flouring Mills began business at Delphos, in 1873, and for five years the con- cern was conducted as a stock company; but
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business misfortunes came upon it, and in the fall of 1879 it was sold at sheriff's sale. Mr. Shenk bid in the property, acting as the agent of what was then the First National Bank, the main creditor of the old company. In the same year Mr. Shenk and another director of the bank were instructed to remodel the prop- erty and put it into operation, and as a result, on April 1, 1880, the mill was started. While acting as one of the committee to look after the mill, Mr. Shenk saw that under good manage- ment it might be converted into an excellent paying property, and after selling their drug business, the firm of Shenk & Lang purchased the mill property.
In 1882 the mills were entirely remodeled, and a full roller system was put in at a cost of $9,000. A second remodeling took place in 1892, when new and improved machinery was installed, and the mill made modern in every particular. The mills did business under the name of the "Eagle Flouring Mills" and be- came the most important in the county, having an output of 150 barrels of flour per day. The firm did an extensive business, becoming the largest wheat buyers in Allen and Van Wert counties. Their average annual shipment was over 200,000 bushels of wheat. The partner- ship continued until 1895, when Mr. Shenk sold his interest to Mr. Lang and the business is now conducted by the heirs of the latter, who died some years since.
In 1872 Mr. Shenk became a director in the First National Bank and he continued as such until the expiration of the bank's charter. In 1883 the National Bank of Delphos was organized as a successor to the First National, by the same capitalists and Mr. Shenk con- tinued on the directing board. Upon the death of President Theodore Wrocklage, in 1891, Mr. Shenk was elected as his successor, a posi- tion he still holds. Ever since coming to Del- phos, he has taken an interest in the city's various enterprises and he has given encourage- ment and assistance to every worthy cause. He has been vice-president of the Delphos Elec- tric Light & Power Company, and from its organization he has been president of the Del- phos Building & Loan Association.
Not only in business circles has Mr. Shenk
been prominent; in spite of the responsibilities of a personal nature resting upon him, he has found time to respond to the calls of his fellow- citizens and to serve most efficiently in a num- ber of township and county offices. For 12 years he was clerk of Marion township. For two years he served in the office of township trustee, and at the close of his term was elected township treasurer, an office he held continu- ously for 10 years, retiring from that office in 1892. In the latter year he was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners a member of the board of trustees of the Allen County Children's Home. He has- been equally promi- nent as a member of a number of civic boards and charitable and benevolent institutions.
In 1863 Mr. Shenk was united in marriage with Elizabeth Wrocklage, who was a daugh- ter of the late Theodore Wrocklage, formerly president of the National Bank of Delphos, and one of the city's leading financiers and promi- nent men.
Mr. Shenk was reared in the Roman Cath- olic Church, and from boyhood has taken an active part in its various channels of religious work and social life. In 1878 when the build- ing of the present stately structure of the Church of St. John the Evangelist was com- menced, he was a member of the board of trus- tees and its treasurer, and he had charge of the finances and handled the contracts until com- pleted. Its cost under his careful management was $100,000, a sum he was mainly instrumen- tal in raising.
ALVIN OSBORN, one of the old- established business men of Lima, a dealer in granite and marble mon- uments, is also an honored survivor of the Civil War, having given three years of his young manhood to the service of his country. Mr. Osborn was born in Lords- town township, Trumbull County, Ohio, April 5, 1841, and is a son of William and Sarah (Jordan) Osborn.
The father of Mr. Osborn was born at Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and accompanied his parents in childhood to Stark County, Ohio, where he was reared and where
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he married. The mother of our subject was a native of Scotland. Both parents died in Trumbull County. For many years William Osborn was a prominent farmer and dairy- man of Trumbull County and was a leading citizen, interested in both political and educa- tional affairs. He was a stanch Abolitionist long before the Civil War settled the question of human slavery. He reared a family of five sons and six daughters, as follows: Henry M., who died in Coffey County, Kansas, where he was a prominent agriculturist; John, who is a retired farmer of North Jackson, Mahoning County, Ohio; Josiah S., who has been a book- keeper in rolling and wire mills at Cleveland, Ohio, for over 40 years; James L., a retired farmer of North Jackson, Ohio; Julia, deceased in 1873, who was the wife of Josiah Duncan, of Trumbull County; Mary, deceased in 1851, who was the wife of Milo Beard, of Mahoning County ; Susan, who died in 1856; Sarah, who died in 1851; Jennie (Dalzell), who resides in Oklahoma; and Alice, deceased in 1890, who was the wife of W. J. Hull, of Allen County.
Calvin Osborn came first to Lima in 1860, a young teacher of 19 years. He continued to teach in this city until 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company C, 84th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. He was mustered into the army at Camp Chase, Columbus, and immediately afterward accompanied the command to Cum- berland City, Maryland, his mettle being tried first at New Creek, where the enemy was routed. Minor engagements followed as the Union forces pursued the Confederates through the mountains of West Virginia and Mary- land, and his regiment was also utilized to con- vey prisoners from one point to another. Dur- ing his three years of service, Mr. Osborn's record shows that he was never missing from the post of duty and at all times was a cheer- ful, brave and efficient soldier. He was must- ered out of the service at Camp Delaware.
Mr. Osborn returned then to Lima and taught school for some years, and then went into a milling business for some six years, after which he went on the road as traveling sales- man for J. D. Halter, of Lima, in the granite and monument line. Since closing out that
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