USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 24
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
Madison Edgecomb resided continuously on the same farm from 1857 to 1891. In ad- dition to general farming, he has engaged in the production of oil, having nine wells on his land, which yield a handsome income. In 1900 he bought his present residence in Beaver Dam-a cozy, pleasant home and the most at- tractive in the village. Mr. Edgecomb was at one time interested in a flouring mill which he. with others, operated for three or four years in Beaver Dam. He has been twice married ; first, on December 19, 1872, to Philena M. Barnhard, who was born in Knox County, Ohio, February 24, 1855, and died February
8, 1882. There were two children by this union, both of whom, Orrin and Virgil, are de- ceased. On June 5, 1884, Mr. Edgecomb mar- ried his present wife, Mrs. Mollie ( Frisbie) Fee, widow of the late James M. Fee. Mrs. Edgecomb is a daughter of Lewis and Nancy (Trout) Frisbie, and was born in Licking County, this State, September 6, 1855. They have no children. Mr. Edgecomb does not take an active part in politics, but supports with his vote the Republican party.
DOLPH WEIXELBAUM, one of the GNOY leading newspaper men of North- western Ohio, publisher of Der Lima Courier, was born in Germany in 1855, and is a son of the late Moses Weixelbaum, formerly a teacher in Germany, who resided in America for 10 years previous to his death.
Our subject was 16 years old when he came to America, having already completed the com- mon-school course. At Ironton, Ohio, he enter- ed the printing office connected with a German newspaper, and there remained four years, in which period he thoroughly mastered the trade. Going then to Akron, he was foreman of a German paper there for another four years, when he removed to Wooster, where he estab- lished a German paper which he continued to publish until he came to Lima and purchased Der Lima Courier. Under his management it has become the leading German newspaper in this section of the State, being ably edited and liberally supported. In connection with his newspaper, Mr. Weixelbaum operates a first- class job-printing office. His place of business is located at No. 312 North Main street, Lima. He takes a prominent part in the political dis- cussions of this section of the State and his pa- per has great influence.
Mr. Weixelbaum was married (first) in 1880, to Jennie Stern, who died in 1891, leav- ing four children. viz: Harry, who is a com- mercial traveler in the South for a New York business house : Milton, who is in the cigar bus- iness at Lima; Gertrude, who is a popular
622
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
teacher in the Lima schools; and Martha, who resides at home. Mr. Weixelbaum was mar- ried (second) in 1894 to Esther Goldwater, of New York, and they have two children-Selma and Elsie.
Mr. Weixelbaum is a member of the Elks and the Maccabees, as well as a number of the local German organizations of a social and charitable nature. He is also identified with the Lima Progressive Association, having al- ways taken an active interest in all public en- terprises. In all his relations, whether public, professional or private, he is highly esteemed.
DAM V. PFEIFER, deceased, was a successful farmer of German town- ship, and later a highly respected resi- dent of Elida, where his death took place, after a short illness, on Novem- ber 23, 1903. He was born at Ash Grove, German township, Allen County, Ohio, Janu- ary 19, 1853, and was a son of Nicholas and Eva Pfeifer.
Mr. Pfeifer was reared on his father's farm and during all his active years carried on agri- cultural operations. He was married October 31, 1875, to Bertha Crites, a daughter of Dan- iel L. and Martha (John) Crites, and a grand- daughter of Charles and Sophia Crites. The last named were early settlers in Allen County, coming from Pickaway County, and founded a numerous and prominent family. Daniel L. Crites was one of the leading Democratic poli- ticians of his day and filled county and town- ship offices. He served as deputy under Audi- tor William Dowling, in the old Court House at Lima, and later was deputy and still later county clerk of Allen County. He died March 30, 1885, leaving a property aggregating 106 acres, 42 acres of which are located in Elida, south of the railroad, the remainder being just beyond the corporation limits. This property was left to his widow and his two daughters- Mrs. Tirzalı Sanford, wife of M. J. Sanford, of Lima, and Mrs. A. V. Pfeifer.
Immediately after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Pfeifer lived on a farm owned by Mr. Crites,
which was situated about a quarter of a mile east of Elida. Four years later they moved to another tract, just across the street, and then established themselves in the residence still oc- cupied by Mrs. Pfeifer and family. This is now a home with modern comforts, having un- dergone much improvement in the past 10 years. Mr. Pfeifer is survived by his wife and these of his children, namely: Emery Crites, born October 9, 1878, who conducts the home farm; India L., born April 21, 1884; Mildred, born October 20, 1890; and Beulah, born September 15, 1886, who died August 12, 1887.
The family are members of the Lutheran Church at Elida, in which Mr. Pfeifer was a deacon and trustee for many years. He was a man of upright character, quiet and unostenta- tious in manner and commanding the respect of all that knew him.
EORGE L. DAVIS, who has been a resident of Lima since the spring of 1899, is interested in oil production and also owns some valuable property in the city, as well as in Auglaize County. He was born in May, 1851, near Au- burn, the county seat of Cayuga County, New York, and remained there until his 17th year, when he entered the oil field of Pennsylvania. In a short time he was taking contracts for drilling oil-wells, and met with great success in the several States in which he operated. In 1873 he extended his operations to Ecuador, South America, where, for about two years, he was engaged in drilling deep wells to furnish the inhabitants with a much needed supply of water. About 1893 he began operations as an independent oil producer, and has since been thus engaged.
In 1899 Mr. Davis moved to Lima and in- vested largely in real estate. Besides his hand- some home on Spring street, he owns the Hotel Manhattan property in the heart of the city. It is the intention of Mr. Davis to remodel this building during the next few months, add a number of rooms to meet the growing demands
623
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
of the business, and make it in every way worthy of the large patronage it now enjoys. Mr. Davis owns a fine farm of 2271/2 acres in Auglaize County, Ohio, which is devoted to stock-raising and has gained him a good repu- tation as a breeder of fine roadsters and draft horses. He also raises large numbers of cat- tle, hogs and sheep, and conducts his farming along profitable lines.
Mr. Davis was married, in 1877, to Mary Tuller, of Irving, New York. They have two sons -- George L., Jr., who resides in Indiana, and Carl L., of Lima. Mr. Davis is a promi- nent Mason, being a member of Lima Council No. 20, R. & S. M., and Shawnee Command- ery, No. 14, K. T., of Lima; Ohio Sovereign Consistory, S. P. R. S., of Cincinnati; and An- tioch Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Dayton.
P HILIP J. HOFFERBERT was born in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1858, and three years later came with his parents to Allen County, Ohio, settling in Monroe township where they have since lived.
His parents were Peter and Phoebe ( Weav- er) Hofferbert.
Peter Hofferbert was born in Hessen, Darmstadt, Germany, in 1834, and when a young man of about 18 years came to the United States, locating in Westmoreland Coun- ty, Pennsylvania. Here he was married to Phoebe Weaver, who was born in Pennsyl- vania about 1811 and died in March, 1893. He had learned the trade of butcher in his na- tive land, but after coming to Allen County he devoted his time to agriculture and acquired three farms comprising 280 acres, of which he died possessed in March, 1895, just two years after the decease of his devoted wife. He was a loyal Republican and served nine months in the Civil War. A member of the German Evan- gelical Church, hc endeavored to live consist- ently in accordance with his belief. He held a high place in the regard of his fellow-men and was trustee of his township for two terms, dis- charging his duties conscientiously and with
ability. His children were as follows: Annie E., who owns 40 acres of land in Monroe town- ship and is a resident of Lima; John L., who resides in Sugar Creek township where he owns So acres; Philip J .; William L., who owns 80 acres in Monroe township and a son that died in infancy.
Philip J. Hofferbert has resided continu- ously on his present farm since 1861, remaining with his parents until his 25th year, and then taking up the cultivation of 80 acres of the homestead in section 18, which he afterward purchased of his father. He was married at this tinic, in -1884, and at once took his bride to the home he had prepared for her, and which he has since improved and beautified, as only the thrifty farmer ever does, by planting small iruit, shade and fruit trees, and erecting at- tractive and comfortable buildings. He is en- gaged in general farming, though he also raises considerable stock. Mrs. Hofferbert, who was formerly Catherine Bernius, was born Novem- ber 28, 1862, near the city of Dayton, Ohio. Her parents were George and Elizabeth ( Reit- zel) Bernius, both of whom were natives of Germany where they grew to adult years before coming to the United States. They were mar- ried soon after their arrival. Six children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hoffer- bert, namely : Elmer George; Lily Grace; Alta Malinda; Naomi A .; Clarence P .; and Cath- erine Elizabeth. Mr. Hofferbert is a member of the German Evangelical Church. In poli- tics he is a Republican and has held a number of local offices. He is a practical, progressive farmer and has recently added to his home farm an adjoining tract of 50 acres, which lies in section 13, Sugar Creek township, Putnam County.
R C. EASTMAN. member of the law firm of Prophet & Eastman, of Lima, was born June 1. 1851, in Auglaize township, Allen County. Ohio, and is a son of Jonathan Owen and Rachel A. (Huston) Eastman.
The father of Mr. Eastman was a native of New Jersey, coming to Licking County, Ohio,
624
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
in 1815, and to Allen County in 1839. He was a blacksmith by trade and also engaged in farming. He married Rachel A. Huston, a daughter of James Huston, who became a resi- dent of this county in 1830, coming from Pennsylvania. Mr. Huston at one time owned the southwestern portion of the farm on which the County Infirmary now stands. He subse- quently moved to Lima, and lived and died in the residence an Wayne street, now occupied by D. C. Richmond. James Huston's father was also named James, and was a cousin of Sam Houston, of Texas.
R. C. Eastman received his primary educa- tion in the district schools of Auglaize town- ship, and in 1874 was graduated from the Ohio Normal University at Ada, with the degree of A. B. He then entered upon the study of the law with Cunningham & Brotherton, of Lima, and taught school at intervals prior to his ad- mission to the bar in 1877. He then went to Michigan, practiced for a few months at Ban- gor, after which he returned to Lima, where, on February 2, 1878, he entered into partner- ship with Col. H. S. Prophet. This connection has continued, constituting the oldest law firm in Northwestern Ohio.
Ever since locating at Lima and entering upon what has proven a successful professional career, Mr. Eastman has been prominent in civic affairs. From 1882 to 1883 he was a member of the City Council, and for nearly a quarter of a century he has been a member of the City Board of School Examiners. In 1905 he was elected city solicitor of Lima, an office for which he is eminently qualified. For a long period the firm of Prophet & Eastman have been attorneys for the Citizens' Loan & Building Company, and, for the past 22 years, the legal representatives of The Lima Locomo- tive and Machine Company.
In 1878 Mr. Eastman was married to Leah Beery, of Miami County, Ohio, and they have four children, viz: Bessie, who is a teacher in the Lima public schools; Earl B., who is in the oil fields of Indian Territory; Fred E., who is at college at Wooster, Ohio; and Helen, who is a student in the Lima schools.
Prior to the adoption of the gold platform
by the Republicans at their national convention of 1896, Mr. Eastman was a stanch advocate of their principals, having in the previous year been the choice of his party for Representative; but since the adoption of the gold plank by the St. Louis convention he has earnestly advocated the policies of what is known as the Bryan Democracy.
Mr. Eastman is a member of the Allen County Bar Association and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. For a number of years he has been connected with the Market Street Presbyterian Church and has served as a member of its board of trustees and has been an active worker in the Sunday-school.
B. VAN NOTE, M. D., president of the Allen County Medical So- ciety, a member of the Ohio State Medical Society. the American Medical Association and the Amer- ican Academy of Ophthalmology and Oto- Laryngology, is one of the eminent men of his profession in Northwestern Ohio, and the lead- ing specialist at Lima, in diseases of the eye, car and throat. He was born at Lebanon. Warren County, Ohio, in 1867, and is a son of the late W. H. Van Note. He comes of Revo- lutionary ancestry. His great-grandfather. Jacob Van Note, served in the American Army and died in Monmouth County, New Jersey, from wounds received in the service.
IV. B. Van Note secured his early education in the Lebanon schools and spent one year in the Lima High School. He then passed a few months as clerk in a jewelry store, prior to en- tering the Chicago Ophthalmic College, from which he graduated in 1888. For a short time he engaged in practice, in connection with the jewelry business, but in 1891 began the reading of medicine under Dr. Brooks, in 1892 entering the medical department of the University of Southern California, at Los Angeles. He opened an optician's office at San Diego, but in 1893 returned to Lima, and shortly afterward entered the Medical College of Ohio, Cincin- nati, where he was graduated with his full medical degree in April, 1895.
-
JACOB HEFNER
MRS. CHRISTINA H. HEFNER
627
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Dr. Van Note then went to Europe to pur- sue advanced studies along the special lines in which he was most interested, and in May, 1895, became a student in the medical depart- ment of the Frederick Wilhelm University, at Berlin. During his stay there he became a member of the Berlin Anglo-American Medi- cal Society. Going thence to London, during 1896 he was junior assistant in the Royal Lon- don Ophthalmic Hospital, subsequently becom- ing one of the fortunate students accepted by Professor Hayek, at Vienna, who is probably the most skilled instructor in diseases of the nose and throat in the world. During his years of residence on the Continent he visited the various clinics in the great cities and also studied various phases of disease in Italy, France and Switzerland. His devotion to his profession has resulted in making him one of its leaders and his reputation is not confined to his native State. Although skilled in every branch of medicine and surgery, following the professional methods of the day, he devotes himself exclusively to diseases of the eye, ear and nose. Dr. Van Note is consulting oculist to the Lima Hospital and the U. S. Pension Bureau, and lecturer on the eye in the Lima Training School for Nurses.
Dr. Van Note was married April 11, 1899, to Margaret B. Ellis, who was born at Ran- dolph, New York, and is a daughter of Col. L. F. Ellis, an officer in the Civil War and a man prominent in military life. They have a beau- tiful home on Lakewood avenue.
Dr. Van Note is one of the city's public- spirited citizens, a member of the Lima Pro- gressive Association and one of the capitalists who donated Faurot Park to the city. He is a member of the Shawnee Country Club, and is identified with the Masons and Knights of Py- thias.
ACOB HEFNER, who is one of the most extensive agriculturists of this county, owning 365 acres of land in sections 19. 20, 21 and 22, Jackson township, was born in Ross County, this State. April 22, 1832. His parents were Isaac and Mary (May) Hefner, both natives of Penn-
sylvania, where the former was born in 1809, and the latter in 1807. They were of Pennsyl- vania-Dutch ancestry.
When a young man, Isaac Hefner accom- panied his parents to Ross County, Ohio, mak- ing the journey overland by wagon. There he married and lived until 1840, when, with his wife and family, he came to Allen County. Here he entered 80 acres of land from the gov- ernment, and began to buy and feed cattle, which were disposed of at a good price, the pro- ceeds going to buy more cheap land. Thus, in time, he became one of the largest land-owners of this county, owning eventually about 1,800 acres. Large tracts of this land were cleared by him and his sons. He was a Democrat in politics, and in religion a member of the Re- formed Church, donating timber and land for the first log church built here and lending sub- stantial aid toward the erection of the present brick edifice. The land used by the church as a cemetery was also given by him. He passed away in 1884, at the age of 75 years. His wife died in 1901, at the advanced age of 94. The children were: Jacob; Harrison, whose sketch may be found in this book; Amos, of Auglaize township; Clarissa, who married Jacob Mow- ery ; David ; John; and Albert.
Jacob Hefner was reared to farm life and lived at home until his marriage, when he moved into the log cabin which stood on his present farm, at that time the property of his father. Here he applied himself to farming and stockraising, and soon had his property cleared and in a high state of cultivation. His resi- derce is of brick and one of the most attractive in the vicinity, while the large barns and other outbuildings bespeak the prosperous farmer.
Mr. Hefner was married December 2. 1855, to Christina Holman, who was born near Dela- ware, Ohio, September 18, 1838, and died September 10. 1898. She was a daughter of William and Sarah ( Frederick) Holman. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hefner are as fol- lows : Isaac, born March 25, 1858, a resident of Lima ; Mary, born April 7, 1860, the wife of Marion Watt; William, born February 23. 1862, living in Lima: Jennie, born September 12. 1864, wife of John E. Eversole: Amos, born February 16, 1867; Walter, born July 6,
628
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
1869: Olive, born August 14, 1872, and de- ceased December 8, 1874 ; Clara, born October 19, 1875, wife of C. C. Arnold; Daisy, born June 17, 1878, who married E. N. Hall, and lives in the Indian Territory ; and Marion, born July 5, 1881, who married Bessie Kidd and re- sides on the farm with his father. Mr. Hefner has always affiliated with the Democratic party, and at one time served as township trus- tee. He is a member of the Reformed Church. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Hefner accompany this sketch.
J. LONES, the leading wall-paper man of Lima, and one of its represen- tative citizens, was born in Perry township, Allen County, Ohio, in 1861, a son of the late A. J. Lones.
The father of our subject was one of the early settlers of this county, where he died after a long life entirely devoted to agricultural pursuits. During the Civil War he was a zeal- ous supporter of the Union cause and two of his sons, who still survive, served in the Fed- eral Army -- Theodore being a resident of Kan- sas, and Commodore, of Oklahoma. The mother of these children, whose name before marriage was Mary A. Smith, is a native of Pennsylvania, and is a venerable resident of Lima, having attained the ripe old age of 85 years.
F. J. Lones remained at home assisting on the farm, until the age of 21, in the meantime securing his education in the common schools. He then took up his residence in Lima; for the following five years worked at the carpenter's trade; and for the next seven years was in the employ of J. M. Heininger, working at Lima, Fostoria, Columbus and Newark. After this he worked for one year with F. E. Harman, but in the spring of 1902 engaged in business for himself, embarking in the wall-paper and paper-hanging line. He has built up a large business and controls much of the best trade, carrying a complete and artistic line of goods and employing only skilled workmen. The business is now located at No. 124 East Market street. Fraternally Mr. Lones is a member of the order of Foresters.
In 1893 Mr. Lones was married to Stella Connutte, of Portsmouth, Ohio, and they have three children living, namely : Henen, Ida and Gertrude; one child, Frank, Jr., was accidental- ly drowned October 6, 1905, at two years of age. Mr. Lones and family enjoy the com- forts of a pleasant home located at No. 430 North Shawnee street.
EORGE W. GRIFFITHS, postmaster at Gomer, has lived in this, his native place, during his whole life, having been absent only during his college course at the Ohio Normal University at Ada. He was born November 3, 1868, and is a son of Robert .W. and Martha ( Evans) Griffiths, and a grandson of Robert Griffiths.
The Griffiths family belonged to North Wales, where the father of our subject was born in 1829. He was 12 years old when he accompanied his parents to America. They settled in Butler County and Robert W. Grif- fiths remained at home until about 1853, when, with wife and two children, he came to Al- len County. In 1859 he bought a farm north. of Gomer and in 1864 he moved to Gomer and founded the mercantile business which his son now conducts. He was a fine business man and an exemplary, respected, useful citi- zen, who for 28 years was postmaster of the. town. He was a consistent, Christian man, one of the pillars of the Welsh Congregational Church. His influence in the community was. a very beneficial one. It was known through the village that the neighbors would find a wel- come in his place of business, as gatherings of a social and public character were usual in the local stores in his day, but that Mr. Griffiths would tolerate only orderly gatherings and great temperance in speech. He was a man who was consistent and his fellow-citizens held him in the highest esteem. He sold his busi- ness to his son and retired to private life some time before his decease, which occurred Janu- ary 7. 1904, at the age of 74 years.
The mother of our subject. Martha (Evans) Griffiths, was born at Paddy's Run. Butler County, Ohio, and died in 1884. aged 51 years. She was a daughter of John Evans.
629
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
who was a farmer and weaver and a native of Wales. John Evans had 13 children, 12 of whom lived to maturity. The parents of our subject had a family of 10 children, as follows : Ella J., wife of W. H. Clevenger, of Gomer ; Anna Bell, who died aged seven years; Ida May, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Sarah, de- ceased; Russell J., secretary of the Dayton Spice Mill Company, of Dayton, Ohio; Euph- emia C., wife of Thomas Peats, of Lima; Nora E., who died in Philadelphia in 1886; Mar- garet A., connected with the State Hospital for the Insane at Toledo; George W., and Kath- arine B., wife of A. E. Seefert, of Los Angeles, California.
Since 1892 George W. Griffiths has been postmaster at Gomer during each Republican administration. In the same year, in partner- ship with his brother-in-law, Thomas Peats, he purchased his father's mercantile business and for two years it was conducted under the firm name of Griffiths & Peats, and then Mr. Grif- fiths became sole owner. He has always been a stanch supporter of the Republican party, and has served four years as township clerk and is serving his second term as township treasurer. He is a member of the Gomer Presbyterian Church, of which he is treasurer.
In 1889 Mr. Griffith was married to Susan Davis, a native of Wales, who came here when six years old with her parents, John R. and Ann Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths have these children : Ray, Martha, Ruth, Nora, Gladys, Clayton, Gertrude and Mildred.
Mr. Griffiths is one of the enterprising and successful men of the community, one whose public spirit is shown in his hearty interest in movements designed for the general public welfare. His public as well as private life marks him as a man of honor, ability and fidel- ity to the interests placed in his charge.
HARLES H. MILLER, wholesale and retail dealer in meats, has been in business in Lima for a period of more than twenty years, He is a son of J. J. Miller, a prominent merchant of Lima until his retirement in 1875, who died in 1903.
· Charles H. Miller was born in Lima in 1870, and was educated in the common schools until he was 15 years of age. when he entered upon his career in the meat business. Opening a retail store, he conducted it continuously and in a very profitable manner until February, 1905, when he increased the business by adding a wholesale department. His establishment is most complete in every particular, being fitted with machinery for the manufacture of all kinds of. sausages, bologna, etc., and also equipped with an ice plant, which has a daily capacity of 10 tons. Great care is exercised to have everything. of the best, and his goods have a well-earned reputation for reliability and su- periority.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.