USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part Two > Part 43
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high frequency solenoids, in fact every mod- ern appliance of value known to scientific medicine. The diseases treated are: Diseases of women, fibroid and other tumors, Bright's disease, diabetes, cancer, piles, consumption, nervous prostration, varicose ulcers, tubercu- losis of the joints and spine, varicocele, neu- ralgia, rheumatism and lumbago, insomnia, constipation, 'eczema, moles, warts, scars, birthmarks, superfluous hair and all blemishes. This institution, with its various and modern facilities is recognized as the greatest concern of its kind in the State and it numbers patients all over the country. .
Dr. Longcoy was married to Marie C. Wolff, who is a daughter of John Wolff, of Pennsylvania. Their handsome home is lo- cated at No: 214-218 West Market street. Dr. Longcoy and family are Presbyterians.
.. As a most intelligent man and good citi- zen, Dr. Longcoy takes an interest in civic advancement and has done his part since lo- cating here to make Lima a business and scien- tific center. In political sentiment he is a Re- publican. His portrait is herewith presented.
OHN W. FETTER, deceased, was one . of Bath township's most reliable and - respected men, and one of the large farmers of Allen County, owning and operating a well-improved farm of 100 acres. Mr. Fetter was born on this farm October 21, 1855, and was a son of George and Sarah (Ward) Fetter. He died January 2, 1902.
The father of Mr. Fetter was born in Ger- many and the mother in Ohio. They had a family of five sons and four daughters and John W. was the eldest. George Fetter oper- ated a farm, a sawmill and a stone quarry and his eldest son was his right-hand man for many years.
Mr. Fetter remained with his father until his marriage and then he rented the farm for a time, and subsequently bought 20 acres and his father gave him 80 acres, and here he spent the remainder of his life. He took much pride in the cultivation and improvement of his
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property and he erected the excellent and sub- stantial buildings which are now in evidence. In addition to carrying on his agricultural projects successfully, raising some of the best crops produced in the neighborhood, he did considerable teaming and grading and con- structed turnpike roads under contract.
Politically Mr. Fetter was a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party and on numer- ous occasions satisfactorily filled responsible offices to which the votes of his fellow-citizens elevated him. He served two terms of two "years each as township treasurer, and several terms as road supervisor.
Mr. Fetter was a man of the highest in- tegrity and is recalled as a good neighbor, an affectionate husband and a kind father. He reared a family which was a credit to him and left them well provided for.
On March 3, 1878, Mr. Fetter was mar- ried to Ella E. Hadsell, who was born in this township, December 20, 1856, who is a daugh- ter of Anson M. and Adeline (Thayer) Had- sell. The father of Mrs. Fetter was born in Connecticut and removed to Trumbull County, Ohio, with his parents. Later he settled in Allen County, where he owned a fine farm and being a man of education, taught school a number of terms. He was a man of local prominence, and was justice of the peace for a number of years. In the latter capacity it is remembered that he often performed the mar,- riage ceremony without any charge, and that it was his habit to present to the newly wedded couple a Bible, intimating that within its pages all the counsel needed for their future lives could be found. He was an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church and was noted- ly kind and benevolent in his conduct toward others. He married, for his second wife, Ade- line Thayer, who was the mother of Mrs. Fetter.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Fetter are: Charles E., of Bath township, who has two children-Ella E. and Frank; Mary E. wife of Brice B. Hefner of Jackson township, who has two children-Elsie J. and Fred A .; and Fred A., who has three children-Brice B., Claud K. and Harry L.
Prior to her marriage Mrs. Fetter, taught several terms of school, as did her sisters. She is an intelligent, companionable lady who has a wide circle of friends.
D CRAMER, a well-known druggist of Lima, was born March 5, 1857, in Butler, Richland County, Ohio, where he was reared and educated. His father was Reuben Cramer, a prominent farmer of that county, whodied March 4, 1894. Mr. Cramer . was reared to agricultural life and followed that occupation during his earlier years; later teaching his home school and finally entering a grocery store as clerk. He supplemented his early edu- cation with a course in the Ohio Normal Uni- versity at Ada, after which he again taught school, this time in Auglaize County. Being offered a clerkship in the drug store of J. M. Beard, of Spencerville, Ohio, he accepted the po- sition and was with him four and a half years, in which period he thoroughly learned the busi- ness. From Spencerville he went to Ludlow, Kentucky, where he clerked for a time and then opened a drug store for himself, which he con- ducted until he came to Lima in June, 1888, and engaged in the same business here.
Mr. Cramer was married to Ella Ridenour, a member of the Ridenour family that has been prominent in the history of this section. Mr. Cramer is a Democrat and has held a number of local offices, having served on the board of trustees of the Lima Water Works, the Board of Education and has but recently been elected president of the City Council. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Odd Fellows.
ASPER LAUSE, whose well-im- proved farm of 48 acres is situated in section 6, Marion township, be- longs to one of the honorable old pioneer families of this locality. He was born in 1862 on his father's pioneer farm, situated on the Spencerville road, one mile
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north of the present liome. He is a son of Frederick and Mary ( Pohlman) Lause.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were Henry and Mary (Giesker) Lause, and they had seven children, of whom Frederick was the fifth in order of birth.
Frederick Lause was born in Hanover, Germany, March 2, 1825, where he attended the common schools and then learned the car- penter's trade with Mr. Pohlman. In. 1844 he came to America, locating in Allen County, where in 1850 he purchased a farm in Marion township. The country was all forest at that time and to settlers less robust and courageous than was Mr. Lause, the clearing and cultivat- ing of this land, within the limits of a lifetime, would have seemed an impossible task. But he had come to America to found a home and in the years that followed no discouragement or hardship was too great to interrupt his indus- try or dampen his enthusiasm. He lived to see the forest cleared and the land developed into a rich agricultural estate. The old home- stead in section 31 is still occupied by his wid- ow and a son, A. W. Lause.
Frederick Lause was married on April 3, 1856, to Mary Pohlman, who was born in Hanover, Germany, May 2, 1838. When six years of age she accompanied her parents to America. They were Casper and Clara (Hen- sele) Pohlman. Casper Pohlman was one of the original colony to settle in "Section 10," as Delphos was first called, and he crossed the At- lantic on the same sailing vessel which brought , here the late venerable Rev. John Otto Bre- deick, the founder of Delphos and the organ- izer of the Catholic Church at Delphos, known as the Church of St. John the Evangelist.
Casper Pohlman was a carpenter and his work, with that of his son-in-law, Frederick Lause, may still be seen in Marion township. This locality soon outgrew log houses, and for many years the two men worked almost con- stantly in season, at their trade. Mr. and Mrs. Pohlman had 10 children, the two survivors being: Mary, the mother of our subject and Clemens, who resides in section 19, Marion township.
In the summer of 1884, Frederick Lause
erected on his farm above mentioned, a fine farm residence, one of the commodious and comfortable homes of the locality. Here his last years were passed and here his wife and son enjoy comforts provided by his years of industry. The following chil- dren were born to Frederick Lause and wife, namely : Mary, wife of John Lower, of Ottawa, Ohio; Dinah, wife of John Laudick, a farmer living in Kansas; Casper, of Marion township; Henry, deceased; Frank, a farmer of Marion township; Clara, wife of A. J. Smith, of Topeka, Kansas; Anna, deceased; Clemens, a farmer of Marion township; Joseph, a blacksmith in the village of Landeck ; Frederick, on the farm north of that of our subject; and Aloysius W., who lives on the homestead with his mother. All this family are consistent members of the Church of St. John the Evangelist.
Casper Lause, our immediate subject, was reared on the pioneer farm, and as the oldest of his father's six sons, he had more responsi- bility placed upon him at an earlier age than on his brothers. His education was obtained in the district and the parochial schools: he also at- tended night school at Delphos. All his train- ing was along lines to make him a practical farmer. He remained at home until the year. of his marriage and then settled on the farm which he now occupies. At that time it was a tract of 48 acres, all forest land-just the same kind of wilderness as that into which his father had penetrated in 1850. This land Mr Lause set about clearing and in the course of time, through persevering industry, it was de- veloped into a fertile farming tract. Mr. Lause has continued its improvement until the pres- ent time, setting out shade and fruit trees, erecting substantial buildings and introducing modern methods of tillage wherever found ad- visable. The present year (1906) finds the family established in a beautiful, well-planned modern residence, one which is a credit to the locality and an abode of great comfort to our subject.
In 1886 Mr. Lause was married to Eliza- beth Trentman, who is a daughter of John H. and Magdalena (Neidiken) Trentman. The
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. former owns a farm in section 6, Marion town- ship, and is in business as a florist at Delphos. Five children have been born to our subject and wife, namely : Frederick, Lena, Hilda, Leo "and Otto. Four of the children are at home, but the eldest son is a student at Delphos. He is a very promising young man and is a mem- ber of the senior class of the. Delphos High School, having taken the honors of the class in the junior year. Mr. Lause has reared his family in the Catholic faith and they are com- municants at the Church of St. John the Evan- gelist at Delphos. In his political sentiments he is a Democrat.
Casper Lause is a thorough business man, a fine farmer and a most highly respected citi- zen. He is an earnest supporter of good schools and he has served the township for. nine years on the School Board. He was one of those nominated after the number of town- * ship members was cut down to five, but declin- ed to continue longer in office. During the building of the school-house in District No. 12, he was a member of the building committee and is now serving as one of the township trustees.
The Lause family is one of the best-known in the township. One highly respected mem- ber is Aloysius W. Lause, the youngest brother of Casper Lause. He was born in Marion township, January 24, 1880, and was educated in the district and parochial schools. He has always lived on the old homestead. He mar- ried Annie Gerdeman, of Van Wert County, and they have one child, Edwin. His aged mother resides with him, She is the center, of a large family of descendants, having 27 grand- children and four great-grandchildren. She is a devout member of the Catholic Church, a noble, Christian woman.
Among other kindred of Casper Lause, who have been more or less concerned in the development of Delphos and vicinity, was Casper Mesker. He was born in Germany and came as one of the early pioneers to Allen County. He worked on the canal in the early days, and assisted in the construction of the first church at Delphos, clearing the ground on which it was built. He was one of the
party who crossed the ocean with Father Bred- eick and was one of that pioneer priest's ready supporters. He settled a half mile east of the Delphos brewery, cleared a 40-acre home- stead, added 36 acres more and lived there until his death, which occurred September 10, 1878. He married Clara Lause, an aunt of our sub- ject, who is a daughter of Henry and Mary (Mesker) Lause. At the age of 85 years this lady still survives, residing in "Marbletown" Delphos. She tell many interesting tales of the early days here. One of the chief articles of diet was corn. In order to get it ground, one of the family was obliged to carry a bag of the grain on his back to Fort Jennings, in Putnam County. On many occasions Mrs. Mesker ground enough corn in her coffee mill to make cakes and then cooked her potatoes in the ket- tle which later had to serve as the coffee boiler.
ILLIAM R. COON, whose valuable farm of 180 acres is situated in section 34, in a most desirable part of Amanda township, belongs to one of the old families of pioneer settlers in this part of Ohio. Mr. Coon was born January 27, 1843, and is a son of George J. and Juliet (Decoursey) Coon.
George S. Coon, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania in 1783, and died in Allen County in 1873. He married Christiana Moore, of Kentucky. They moved into Ohio at a very early day and settled first at Bellefontaine. In 1832 they moved to Shaw- nee township, Allen County, and located in sec- tion 4, on Hog Creek, securing the land from the government. The country was still wild and practically unsettled, Indians still roaming over the country in search of game. George S. Coon and wife had II children, George J., the father of our subject, being the third in or- der of birth. These worthy pioneers lived in- to old age, the grandfather attaining 90 years. They were buried in Shawnee township.
George J. Coon was born in 1820 and his wife in 1825. In their deaths they were not long separated, both passing away in 1885. They
FRANK COLUCCI
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reared a large family, those who reached ma- turity being: William R .;. Mrs. Margaret Jane Jones, of Kansas; D. F., of California ; Caroline O., a widow; and Rachel A., Charles A., Joshua S. and Mrs. Calista Cowdry, who reside in Kansas, all being married except Joshua S.
William R. Coon was eight years old when his parents moved from Shawnee to Amanda township. At that time trading was done at Piqua, As far as school opportunities were afforded, Mr. Coon had very little chance, and since the age of 12 years he has depended upon his own resources. He worked with the tools and agricultural machinery of his day and lo- cality, the old-time axe, cradle, and hoe, and in young manhood was able to split rails and chop cord-wood as effectively as any of his compan- ions. In February, 1864, at the age of 21 years, he enlisted in the 74th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., in the Army of the Tennessee, and served until the close of the war, being honor- ably discharged. at Louisville, Kentucky. He served with Sherman, through the Carolinas to the sea, and was at the Grand Review at Washington. He then returned home and farmed his father's land for two years.
In 1867 Mr. Coon settled on a tract of land, right in the woods, in Amanda township, on which his son William resides, just south of his own comfortable farm residence. This land has all been cleared through his own industry, and he has assisted in every possible way in de- veloping the resources of Amanda township. Great changes have been brought about since he first settled here. He has served two terms as township trustee, has been a justice of the peace for three terms, has been school director and is one of the reliable and substantial men of his locality, whose word and opinion bear weight.
Mr. Coon was married first to Jane Place, a daughter of James Place, who at the age of 90 years resides in Oklahoma Territory. She died in 1884. Her children were: William, who married Effa Hutchinson; Lenora, wife of Solomon Moorman, whose daughter Grace married Ira Hillyard and has two children; Susan, who married Julius Fetter and has one
child; Jane, who married Charles Hover and has one child; Elmer, who married Dora Saw- miller and has two children; Belva, wife of Richard Ward; and Alma, who married John Lowry, of Spencerville, and has one child. Mr. Coon was married, second, to Lucinda Brandy- berry. In religious belief Mr. Coon is a Christ- ian Scientist, a zealous follower of Mrs. Eddy.
RANK COLUCCI, one of Lima's well- known business men, who has been prominently identified with railroad construction for a number of years, was born July 3, 1863, in Italy, a country which has contributed many useful and successful citizens to the United States.
Mr. Colucci was educated in his own land and was a youth of 19 years when, in 1882, he set foot on American soil. The 24 years which have intervened have been busy ones for Mr. Colucci, and he has demonstrated that a man's nationality has little to do with his ultimate success. From New York he entered the em- ploy of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com- pany and continued with that corporation for three years, going then to Green County, Wis- consin, with Drake & Stratton, railroad con- tractors. After two years with them he was connected with the Illinois Central for a year, and in the fall of 1888 located in Chicago, where he was engaged in construction work until the summer of 1889-the time of his coming to Lima. Here he became foreman for the construction of the Columbus, Lima & Mil- waukee Railway (now the Columbus, & Lake Michigan), in the employ of the late Benjamin C. Faurot, and then secured a large construc- tion contract on the road between Findlay and Kenton. Here he employed about 60 men and concluded the contract in January, 1890.
. Mr. Colucci then returned to Lima and for the first time since coming to America made what seemed a bad bargain. One of his coun- trymen was in the fruit business here, having stores opposite the Court House and on East Market street, and to him Mr. Colucci loaned the sum of $200. His compatriot did not suc-
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ceed in his ventures and in order to secure his hard-earned money Mr. Colucci was obliged to take over the fruit business on East Market street. He placed his brother in charge of the enterprise, as his abilities lay in an entirely dif- ferent direction. On March 22, 1890, he was engaged by the Chicago & Atlantic Railroad to furnish laborers for construction; in the fall of the same year the Chicago & Erie assumed control of the C: & A. road, and he has been with the Erie ever since as a contractor of labor, He has also taken grading contracts and has had business relations with the Stand- ard Oil Company and the Pennsylvania lines. He is so reliable that large corporations know that a contract will be carried out to the letter, if he takes charge of it.
On June 22, 1904, Mr. Colucci was married to Rosina Fusco, also of Italian birth. Mr. Colucci has invested largely in Lima real es- tate, belongs to the Lima Progressive Associa- tion and is one of the representative business men of the city, whose industry, honesty and ability have earned him an enviable standing. His portrait accompanies this sketch.
COTT NEELY, of Allentown, is one of the best known residents of Ger- man township. He was born August 3, 1861, in German township, Allen County, Ohio, and is still a resident of the township, his home farm containing IO acres in section 24, while he is also the owner of a farm of 120 acres in section 23, besides property in the village of Allentown. Mr. Neely's parents were James and Mary Cath- erine (Barrick) Neely, both of whom were pioneers of Allen County. His grandfather, Thomas Neely, was born in Hanover, Ger- many, and was a boy in years when his parents became residents of Allen County. Scott Neely's maternal grandparents were William and Mary. Barrick, of German township.
James Neely, our subject's father, was a volunteer in the Civil War, being in the service four years and eight months. He reared a family of seven children, all of whom are liv-
ing, namely: Frank, William, Charles, Scott, Alice, wife of W. F. Rathell; Margaret, wife of Frank Kruse; and Ida May, who was first married to Col. E. Hains and after his death to J. L. Fantz.
Scott Neely is a man of resources, having been engaged in a number of enterprises in Al- len County, and it would be difficult to say in which he has met with most success. He has bought and sold horses; he has been engaged in crying sales and is one of the best auction- eers in this vicinity; for more than 20 years he was engaged in hauling straw for the Ameri- can Straw Board Company, of Lima, and when the plant of that company was destroyed by fire, it was Mr. Neely who was selected out of a crowd of 70 men to act as foreman at a good salary to oversee the laborers in their work of tearing down the ruins. Since then he has bought a hay-baler and buys up hay and straw which he bales and ships to all parts of the country. He also sells wood, which is cut and hauled from his own land. His farm is known as the old T. T. Mitchell farm. While Mr. Neely operates the farm, he has leased the oil privileges to Thomas Mitchell, of Lima ..
Mr. Neely was first married December 31, 1883, to Sarah Bruner, daughter of Martin and Sarah Bruner, of Auglaize County. She 'died October 30, 1886, leaving two children, Clem, who was born August 17, 1884, and lives at home; and Neva Etta, born September 16, 1887, who married A. T. Whyman in June, 1903, lives in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and has two children-Opal Beatrice and Ola May. On January 5, 1897, Mr. Neely was married to Lydia Cary, daughter of Henry and Rebecca Cary. Her father was born in Hanover, Ger- many, and came to America when six years old, locating in Allen County, Ohio. The children of the second marriage were as follows: Cary May, born September 4, 1897; Cecil Marie, born February 27, 1899; Lester Lloyd, born February 27, 1901; Russell Earl, born April 20, 1903; and Oliver, born April 17, 1905. Mr. Neely is a Democrat. At present he is serving on the School Board. He is a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Allen- town and is treasurer of the Epworth League
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and of the Sunday-school. He was formerly president of the Epworth League and has been an efficient teacher in the Sunday-school for the past 10 years. Fraternally he is a member of Solar Lodge, No. 783, I. O. O. F., of Lima.
RANK A. EATON, one of the promi- nent and honorable citizens of Bluff- ton, who served as mayor from 1903 to 1905, and who for years has been engaged in a successful real estate, loan and insurance business, was born near Bu- cyrus, Crawford County, Ohio, April 30, 1857, and is a son of James H. and Mary Ann (Mc- Williams) Eaton.
The late James H. Eaton was a farmer and large land-owner in Allen County. for a number of years, coming here from Crawford County in. 1866. He bought a farm of 350 acres, a great part of which is now included within the corporate limits of Bluffton. He died hère in 1894, at the advanced age of 84 years. He was prominent both in Crawford and Allen counties, being the first judge of probate elect- ed in the former county, and the first one in the State after the office was created. He served one term as mayor of Bluffton, and throughout life was an honorable, public-spirit- ed citizen. In politics he was a Democrat. He married Mary Ann McWilliams and their family consisted of four sons and two daugh- ters, Frank A. being the third member in order of birth.
Frank A. Eaton was nine years old when his parents came to Bluffton. He was edu- cated in the public schools and at the Ohio Normal University at Ada, spending two years at the latter school. After a few years of farming he went into the mercantile business, in which his ability and honorable methods brought him success, and through which he became widely acquainted. In 1897 he em- barked in his present line, that of insurance, real estate and investments. The other lines of his business are carried on with the same energy which has characterized his whole bus- iness career.
Mr. Eaton has always been a good Demo- crat and has been more or less a party leader in
this locality for some years. He has served several terms as township clerk of Richland township, and in 1903 was elected mayor of Bluffton for a term of two years, by a sub- stantial majority.
In 1879 Mr. Eaton was united in marriage with Nellie Bartlett, who was born in Pennsyl- vania, and is a daughter of Ransom and So- phia Bartlett. They have one son, Ross, who is in business at Independence, Kansas.
Mr. Eaton is a popular member of a num- ber of the fraternal organizations of the coun- try, including among these the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America.
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