USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 17
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R OBERT HILL, one of Lima's retired citizens, who for 22 years was one of her most active business men, was born in 1840 in Columbiana County, Ohio, and is a son of John Hill.
The father of Mr. Hill was born in Pennsyl- vania. In addition to farming he worked at the shoemaker's trade, and, being a natural me- chanic, was able to turn his hand to almost any- thing. He lived for a time in Ohio, but later returned to Pennsylvania and died there. Our subject has one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Standi- ford, widow of John F. Standiford, who is a resident of Perry township, Allen County.
Robert Hill was reared and educated in Co- lumbiana County, Ohio, and Beaver County, Pennsylvania. In 1859 he visited Owen Coun- ty, Indiana, for a short time, coming to Lima in the spring of 1860. At the opening of the Civil War, in 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Colonel Martin's Independent Rifles, which went to Missouri, being in the Army of Gen. John C. Fremont. Later, the organization be- came Company E, First Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., which participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing and Corinth. It participated in the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and Mr. Hill's time of enlistment expired just after the fall of the latter city, his honorable dis- charge being given at East Point, Georgia.
After the close of his army service, Mr. Hill returned to Lima and soon engaged in farming and stockraising, in which lines he con- tinued until 1872, when he located in Lima. For several succeeding years he hauled straw for the Lima Paper Company, and for 22 years was in the house-moving business. He also served one term as street commissioner. For the past few years he has devoted his time to the superintendence of his investments and to the general enjoyment of life made possible by his long previous years of industry.
In 1867 Mr. Hill was married to Lavina Crossley, who is a daughter of Ross Crossley, one of the early pioneers of Allen County. Mr. and Mrs. Hill have four children, viz: Anna- bel, who is a clerk in R. T. Gregg & Company's store in Lima: Pheba Gertrude; Charles C .: and Araminta May, who is the wife of Floyd
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Patton, of Lima. Mr. Hill belongs to Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R., of Lima. His portrait accompanies this sketch.
A. MOORE, retired merchant of Lima, and for many years one of its leading men of business, was born in Butler County, Ohio, a son of one of the early pioneers of this section.
Mr. Moore was a babe in arms when his parents came to Lima and he lived near this city until about seven years of age, when the family removal was made to Warren County. From the public schools he entered Ohio Wes- leyan University at Delaware and thus secured an excellent training for business. His earliest inclinations turned to merchandising and his first independent work was as a clerk in a grocery house in Cincinnati, where his salary was on the basis of $75 per annum. His in- dustry and intelligent interest in the affairs of his employer soon advanced him, and by the time he was 18 years of age he was invited into partnership with M. C. Adams, of Eaton, Ohio, in a wholesale and retail grocery busi- ness. The firm of Moore & Adams established a store on Court street, Cincinnati, and during the first year did a business of $68,000. At the end, Mr. Adams offered Mr. Moore a good bonus to sell to him, which was accepted and Mr. Moore went to Cambridge City, Indiana, where he engaged as clerk in a dry goods busi- ness for two years.
After a short time Mr. Moore returned to Lima where his early childhood had been spent, secured a partner and went into the retail gro- cery business under the firm name of Moore & Lisle, which continued three years. Then our subject turned his attention to dry goods and established himself in business on the Public Square. Lima, where for 19 years he was one of the leading dry goods merchants.
Since retiring from active business life, Mr. Moore has enjoyed the recreation of travel, and with his family, has visited most of the interesting points in the United States. He has large real estate investments which require
attention, though they do not absorb his time to such an extent as to preclude such enjoyment as ample means makes possible.
In 1856 Mr. Moore was married to Ema- line Underwood, of Allen County, and by this union there were four children, the only one surviving being Eva, wife of Walter S. Mc- Nairy, of Lima. Mrs. Moore died in 1866. In 1868 Mr. Moore was united to E. Matilda Jacobs, a daughter of Thomas K. Jacobs, an old pioneer of this county. The following chil- dren were the fruit of this marriage, viz .: T. K., a physician, of Akron, Ohio; E. K., of Lima ; Annie, who has been a successful teacher in Chicago; W: Cloyd, in the office of the Chi- cago & Erie Railroad Company at Chicago; and H. Stewart, of Lima. Mr. Moore has long been a member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, of Lima. His business methods have given him a high standing in the business world, and he has constantly shown his public spirit in the promotion of various civic move- ments looking to the public welfare.
OHN E. PATTERSON, general merch- ant, at Beaver Dam, was born in Bath township, Allen County, Ohio, March 13, 1873, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Driver) Patterson.
John Patterson, father of J. E. Patterson, was a native of Allen County. He was a farmer and for some years operated a threshing machine. In 1873 he moved with his family to Nevada, and then returned to Ohio, settled on a farm and died in 1885, aged 45 years. He married Elizabeth Driver, who died at Lima, aged 65 years. She was born in Virginia. Their children were: Mary Jane, born in 1861, deceased in 1871; Emma C., born July 26, 1867, deceased December 28, 1871; Samuel, born June 5, 1870, deceased January 14, 1872 -all three children victims of an epidemic of diphtheria; John E., our subject; Hallie (Mound), of Lima, born October 22. 1876; and Franklin D., born September 11, 1879, de- ceased January 10. 1881.
John E. Patterson was a babe when his
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parents moved to Nevada and was two years old when they settled on a farm near Lima. He attended the country schools until he was eight years old, when his father moved to Lima, where he died when John E. was a lad of 12 years. The death of the father made changes in the family, and our subject came to Beaver Dam and worked for a cousin until he was 19 years old, and as opportunity offered attended school, passing one term at the Ohio Normal University at Ada. Then he taught one term and for some years following he was variously employed, working in a sawmill, clerking for one year and then went on the Lake Erie & Western Railroad for three years, after which he bought a grocery, which he conducted for two years, and then farmed for three years. In 1902 Mr. Patterson embarked in his present general mercantile business, one in which he has met with success.
In 1893 Mr. Patterson was married to Mina Criblez, who was born in Allen County and is a daughter of Samuel and Lucy (Curtis) Criblez, natives of Ohio. The Criblez family originated in France, in which country Mrs. Patterson's grandparents were born. Mr. and Mrs. Patterson have twin daughters, Della and Nellie, who were born March 24, 1894.
Politically Mr. Patterson is identified with the Republican party. He is one of Beaver Dam's intelligent and enterprising men and is a member of the Board of Education of the village. He belongs to the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America.
ONSTANTINE SCHERGER, a
well-known business citizen of Del- phos, the head of the firm of C. Scherger & Sons, marble dealers and monument workers, was born Octo- ber 1, 1842, in Germany, and is a son of Anton and Josephine Scherger.
The parents of Mr. Scherger were both born in Germany. In 1845 they . came to America and settled first in Seneca County, Ohio, where the father followed agricultural pursuits for a number of years. The death of the mother at the age of 37 years, in 1851, was
occasioned by her accidentally falling into a well. Anton Scherger died in 1875 aged 73 years. Both were consistent members of the Catholic Church. Their four children were: A child that died in infancy; Anton, who lives on the old homestead; Constantine, the subject of this sketch; and John, who died at Delphos January 10, 1902. The last named was born in 1847 in Seneca County, Ohio, learned the blacksmithing business at which he worked for two years at Delphos, and then formed a part- nership with William Hankins, with whom he continued in business for four years. John Scherger then bought his partner's interest and continued until 1875, when he entered into partnership with his brother Constantine in the marble business. In 1880 he began building wagons, carriages and buggies and continued in the manufacture of all kinds of vehicles for Over 10 years. After 1890 he did a large amount of repair work. In 1887 he built a two-story brick business house on Main street, Delphos, which was burned on July 4, 1891 ; but he rebuilt and in the same summer his property was a second time destroyed by fire. John Scherger was married in 1872 to Eva Sorg, daughter of Peter Sorg, of Seneca, Ohio, and they had a family of 10 children. He was a member of the Church of St. John the Evan- gelist at Delphos. A self-made man, he was one who commanded the respect of all who knew him.
Constantine Scherger remained at home until 1858, and then spent a year in Hancock County, Ohio, after which he entered into a two-years' apprenticeship to the wagon-making trade at Tremont, Sandusky County, Ohio. After completing this, he worked for a short time at Lima and then located at Delphos, where he worked for a year prior to his enlist- ment in the Union Army. On June 28, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, 99th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and remained in the service until the close of the war, being mustered out at Nash- ville, Tennessee, in June, 1865. After four months' service with the 99th Ohio, he became a member of the engineer corps of General Rosecrans' command and did duty in that branch of the service during the remainder of the war.
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After his return to peaceful pursuits, Mr. Scherger spent a month in his old home in Seneca County and then went to work with Samuel Stuter & Son, his previous employers. He remained with that firm for about one year, for three months of that time being in partnership with them, and then be- gan the wagon-making business for him- self at Delphos. He continued in this busi- ness for four years and then spent two years farming for his brother in Van Wert County; but failing health brought him back to Delphos. Here he was given the position of foreman in Kollsmith's wood-working shop, but ere long he found his health would not stand this strain. About 1874, he associated with his late brother, John Scherger, in purchasing the marble shop of James Tolan ; they remained together about two years, and then our subject bought his brother's interest and continued in the business by himself. It was commenced in a small way, but through Mr. Scherger's industry and abil- ity it continued to grow from year to year until at the present writing ( 1905) he has the largest marble works in Delphos and one of the largest in Allen or Van Wert County. Formerly he also owned a shop in Ottawa ; but that he sold ; he still maintains a branch of his business at Defiance. Mr. Scherger gives constant employ- ment to six skilled workmen, keeps three sales- men on the road and sells his work over a very large territory, covering the greater part of several counties in every direction. The pres- ent firm name was adopted on January I, 1892, when our subject's son, John A. Scher- ger, became a member of the firm. On Jan- uary 1, 1905, two other sons, Barney T. and Joseph, became active partners. The firm of C. Scherger & Sons, therefore, is made up of Constantine Scherger, John A. Scherger, Bar- ney T. Scherger and Joseph Scherger. The business is conducted as the Delphos Marble & Granite Works, dealers in all kinds of marble and granite monuments. Their shops are well equipped with all necessary machinery of a modern kind and all their lettering, tracing and carving is done with pneumatic tools. The head of the firm may be said to have practically retired from the business after his long years of continuous activity.
In 1868 Mr. Scherger was married to Fan- nie Fischer, who was born in Huron County, Ohio, and was a daughter of Saffron Fischer. Her death occurred February 10, 1883. She was the mother of nine children, the survivors being: John A., Barney T, Theresa, Anna and William. On April 22, 1884, Mr. Scher- ger was married to Mrs. Mary (Dolt) Suever, who was the widow of Frank Suever and a daughter of Joseph Dolt, who was one of the old pioneer settlers and respected citizens of Delphos. To Mr. and Mrs. Scherger were born these children : Joseph, Leo, Ida and An- thony. The parents and all the children are members of the Church of St. John the Evan- gelist at Delphos.
Mr. Scherger has taken an active part in public and political matters at Delphos and has been more or less a leader in the Democratic party. He has been a member of the City Council for a number of terms, where he is valued for his excellent judgment. In all his decisions he has the welfare of the city at heart. He has served also in other offices of responsi- bility, one of these being that of city treasurer, to which he was appointed. He can look back over a long and successful business life; one which has brought him material prosperity and has added to the prestige of Delphos as a com- mercial center.
JOHN A. SCHERGER, the eldest of our sub- ject's sons, was born August 6, 1869, at Del- phos. He was reared here and was educated in the parochial schools and in both the German and English departments of the public schools. He was 17 years old when he entered his father's marble shop and he has continued in the business ever since, being at present general supervisor of the work. He understands the selling and the mounting of monuments and looks after that department, besides having general charge of the clerical work.
On August 9, 1892, John A. Scherger was married to Agnes Weible, daughter of Henry and Mary Weible, the former of whom was county commissioner and a member of the Board of Public Works in Van Wert County for 40 years. Mrs. Scherger died May 19. 1893, after the birth of twin sons. Constantine and Henry. named for their grandfathers. The
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former lives with his grandfather Scherger. The latter died August 27, 1893. In 1897 Mr. Scherger married, for his second wife, Mary G. Goebel, a daughter of John Goebel, and they have two daughters-Leona and Ruth. Mr. Scherger and family reside in a very handsome home on West Fifth street, Delphos. Frater- nally, he belongs to the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Knights of America and Catholic Knights of Ohio. He is a member of the Del- phos volunteer fire department, and is now serving his third term of city councilman.
BARNEY T. SCHERGER was born March 8, 1871, in Delphos, and was educated in the parochial and public schools. At the age of 19 he learned the trade of marble worker. On October 22, 1892, he was married to Lizzie Behm and they have had two children-Elmer (deceased ) and Erwin.
In 1894 he took charge of the firm's marble business at Ottawa, Ohio, where he remained ten years and six months. He then returned to Delphos as a resident partner of the firm. He belongs to the Knights of St. John and Catholic Knights of Ohio, and, like his brother, is a member of the Delphos volunteer fire de- partment.
€ N. ZETLITZ, an esteemed resident of Lima, has won a high reputation as a florist, not only in Allen County but throughout this section of the State. Mr. Zetlitz was born in 1856 in Norway, and has been accustomed to the care of plants since his childhood. Coming to America when a young man, he first secured a position in Toledo, Ohio, as florist at the State Asylum for the Insane, remaining there two years. After some time spent in Toledo, Tiffin and Bryan, Ohio, he came to Lima where, in 1898, hie purchased the greenhouses and busi- ness of Swan Brothers, which he has since con- ducted. Having devoted 33 years to this work, it was to be expected that he would succeed ; but few people realized, at that time, the im- portance of the transfer, as Swan Brothers were then the leading florists of Lima. Mr. Zetlitz
soon produced flowers of such exquisite beauty and in such profusion that the attention of plant lovers was attracted to his greenhouses, and the number of his patrons was increased until to- day he has one of the leading greenhouses in this section of the State, his flowers finding a ready market in many distant cities. Some idea of the magnitude of the business may be formed when it is known that over 10,000 square feet of ground are under glass.
Mr. Zetlitz was married in Norway in 1880 to Emilie Berner, of that country. They have four children, Barghild, Randi, Rolf and Thor. The family stand high in the estima- tion of their neighbors, and are members of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in which they are active workers. Mr. Zetlitz is a mem- ber of the Elks, the Maccabees and the Knights. of Pythias, and commands the highest confi- dence of the general public. 1
AMUEL A. POST, deceased, was a leading citizen of German township. for many years, a substantial farmer and a representative man. Mr. Post was born November 22, 1856, and died March 24, 1899. His parents were L. H. and Elizabeth J. (Stewart) Post.
Mr. Post was reared on his father's farm and attended the local schools where he pre- pared for college, subsequently entering the- Ohio Normal University at Ada. He spent but one term here on account of delicate health, re- turning to farm work, the out-door life suiting him better than the confinement of the school- room.
In 1880 Mr. Post was married to Sarah A. Crites, who is a daughter of Jacob and Emily Crites. Mrs. Post was born in German town- ship and has passed her life in Allen County. Five children were born to this marriage, as follows: William Stewart, born October 19, 1881, who was married January 23, 1901, to Clara Carey, of Shawnee township, and has. one child, Helen, born in January, 1902; Cora Etliel, born November 22, 1882, who was married to Alva Benedum, of German
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township, August 8, 1902, and has one child, Ruth Evelyn, born December 2, 1903; Louis Crites, born November 10, 1884; Charles B., born December 8, 1888, and Clar- ence B., born December 7, 1892. The last three are at home and take all the responsibility of the farm work. They are capable young men, worthy representatives of their excellent father.
The death of Mr. Post occurred very sud- denly. He was stricken with spinal meningitis and survived the attack but four days. He was laid to rest in the Allentown cemetery. He was the kind of man to be much missed, both in his household and in his neighborhood. Honest and upright in all his dealings with others, he secured friendship and esteem .. He was intel- ligently interested in all public matters in his township and served for a long time as school director. In politics he was a Republican and at the time of his death was his party's candi- date for township treasurer.
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HE J. M. £ SEALTS COMPANY, wholesale grocers, is one of the large and important business- combina- tions of Lima. It was established in 1883 by the late J. M. Sealts, under his own name. In 1888 the firm name of J. M. Sealts & Company was adopted and in 1891 the company was incorporated with a capital stock of $100,000, the corporation name being the present one. The first officers were as fol- lows: J. M. Sealts, president; M. E. Sealts, vice-president, and C. T. Sealts, secretary and treasurer. J. M. Sealts died in the spring of 1904 and was succeeded as president by his brother, M. E. Sealts. The latter's death in December, 1904, made another change neces- sary, and since then Sturgis S. Sealts,. son of the founder, has been president; M. M. Sealts is vice-president and C. T. Sealts is secretary and treasurer. It requires the assistance of three traveling men to handle the extensive business done by this company outside of Lima, while their local connections are large and valuable.
The late J. M. Sealts was born in Knox County, Ohio. He removed to Mansfield, Ohio, in 1878, and became a member of the grocery firm of Bissman & Sealts. In 1883 he sold out to his partner and came to Lima, where he established, as above mentioned, the grocery business of J. M. Sealts. Until his death, 21 years later, he was one of Lima's upright, hon- orable business men and prominent citizens, taking a part in her business life and promoting her best interests in every way.
In Sturgis S. Sealts, who is now president, the company has also an able man at the helm. He was born in Knox County, Ohio, in 1868. and was reared and educated at Mansfield. Al- most his whole life has been associated with the wholesale grocery business, as he was only 15 years old when he first became so connected. He has an intimate knowledge of the business along all lines. He was for 12 years one of the firm's representatives on the road. In 1904 he was married to Louise Black, a daughter of Thomas Black. Mr. Sealts belongs to the United Commercial Travelers' Association.
OHN R. MARSHALL, the proprietor of "White Haven Farm," is a represen- tative agriculturist of Monroe town- ship. He was born near Poland, in Mahoning County, Ohio, February 22, 1851, and has been a resident of Allen County since the autumn of that year, his parents, Cy- rus and Mary ( Reed) Marshall, having located here at that time. His great-grandfather was born in County Down, Ireland, and was of Scotch descent. He emigrated to Pennsylva- nia, where James Marshall, the grandfather of our subject, was born. The remainder of his life was spent in Lawrence and Beaver counties as a large farmer and stock-raiser.
Cyrus Marshall, father of John R. Mar- shall, was born near Mount Jackson, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1826, and re- mained there until after his marriage. His wife, Mary Reed, was a daughter of Samuel and Margaret Reed and was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, December 24, 1826. After
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marriage, they resided in Mahoning County about one year, and then, in the fall of 1851, came by wagon to Allen County and took up their residence in a small log house in the tim- ber. Here Mr. Marshall entered land which he cleared and turned his attention to the tilling of his soil and to stock-raising. He was suc- cessful and had accumulated, at the time of his death in 1891, about 500 acres of land by his own industry and good management. He left a widow, who still resides on the homestead first entered here, and two sons-John R. and Albert H., who lives in Richland township. Cyrus Marshall was a man of upright charac- ter who strove always to attain the high stand- ard of living which was his ideal. He was quiet and domestic in his taste, finding his greatest enjoyment at his own fireside and in his labors for his church, which lost one of its strongest members when he was called to the life beyond.
John R. Marshall has passed his entire life in Richland and Monroe townships, where he has devoted his time and attention to farming and more particularly to stock-raising and feed- ing. He remained with his parents until his marriage when he moved to his present farm, which consists of 270 acres, located in section 13, Monroe township and in section 18, Rich- land township. Like his father and grand- father before him, Mr. Marshall is engaged in breeding stock and also buys large numbers which he feeds, in addition to those raised on the place. He makes a specialty of Delaine sheep. Mr. Marshall has been prominently identified with many of the leading interests of his township and is always ready to aid when the best interests of the community demand his services. He has been a director in the Com- mercial Bank & Savings Company of Bluffton since its organization; was school director for many years and for the past four years has served as township trustee.
On December 24, 1874, Mr. Marshall was married to Ida Irene Boyer, who was born on the adjoining farm August 4, 1854, and is a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Lippincott) Boyer, formerly prominent residents of Lima. The mother was born in Champaign County,
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Ohio, in 1816, and the father was born near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in 1811. Mr. Boyer was one of the earliest settlers of Lima, coming on foot to that place when it was yet a village and there opening a tailor-shop-the first to be established in the village. Later he moved to a farm in Monroe township where he and his wife resided when the final summons called them to the higher life. To Mr. and Mrs. Marshall six children have been born, namely : Earl, who died at the age of 18 years ; Lois, wife of J. O. Cupp, of Monroe township; Mary, wife of J. C. Begg, of Monroe township; and Elnora, John Harold and Herbert B., who reside at home. Mr. Marshall is a Republican. He is a devout member of the Presbyterian Church of Rockport and has served as elder for 30 years.
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