History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 64

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 64

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MARY FLUKE.

Lewis Fluke was born in 1813, and died at the old home, unmarried, in 1844.

Samuel Fluke was born in 1814, and lived in the vicinity of his fach- er's family until 1874 of '75, when he removed to Iowa, where he now resides.

Philip Fluke, jr., was born in 1816, and removed to Indiana about 1845, when that State was new and almost unsettled. He was by trade a tanner, and in that business accumulated a good property, but is now retired, and still lives in Indiana.

Catharine Fluke was born in 1819, April Ist, at the old homestead, where she lived until the time of her marriage to Abraham Fast, Jan- mary 23, 1840, when she removed io his home on the Troy and Ach- land road, where she now resides with her son Byron, who manages the farm and cares for his mother. She raised a family of three sons and two daughters, who are now living: Wilson A .. Jennie E., Jud- son L., Byron F., and Mary B. The daughters are married and live in the west. Judson lives in Nevada, unmarried, and Byron remains at home, also single. Three other children of Mrs. Fast-Melissa A., James I., and Rollin,-died in infancy. Mr. Fast, her husband, dicd November 28, 1862, ageri forty-six years.

Jucob Fluke was born in 1820, married, and lives on the farm ad. joining bis brother Jofin's. in Orange township.

David Fluke was born in Orange township in the year 1822, and lived on the home faim until his marriage, in 1845, to Miss Hannah Stinc. They had five children: Lucinda, Cetin Ann, Laora Jane, Perry M., and it son who diel in infancy, unnamed. Mr. Fiuke died in the fall of 1866, and his widow remains on the firm with her children, Laura and Perry, who care for their mother in her declining years.

Eliza Fluke was born in Orange township in 1825. She marriedl David Camphli, and now lives in Town.

Lucinda Fluke was born in 1826, at the old Fluke homestead. She married Lewis Mason, and after a few years deceased.

Margaret Fluke was born in 1849. She married John Sherick, and lives in Orange township.

john Fluke, the youngest member of the family, was born in (33 !. He remained with his parents, caring for them until their thatth. No. vember 24. 1864. he was married to Elizalath MeDowell, by whom he had three children: James S., Mary Sh and Father (. Mary dial when five years of age. The wife and nunher that February is, sojo. and Mr. Fluke was a second time married to Freelia A. Thomas, T'es- ray 5. 1880. They live on a part of the lion . farm, where they have a good bonne.

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DAVID FLUKE.

HANNAH FLUKE.

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

HENRY FLUKE

was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 20, 1811. His father, the late Philip Fluke, emi- grated with his family to Orange township, Richland, now Ashland, county, in October, 1816. Mr. Fluke grew up on the old homestead, north of the village of Orange, married Miss Switzer, daughter of Jacob Switzer, and located a short distance south of the residence of his father, where he had been an active and prosperous farmer for many years. At the pioneer organization in September, 1875, at Ashland, he became a member of the society. When his father's family located on a branch of the Mohican, in Orange township, and for several years afterwards, it was the custom of the Dela- ware Indians, from Black river, and the Fire Lands, on the Western Reserve, to pass up and down the old trail, which ran near his father's cabin, with peltry and furs, on their way to Pittsburgh and other trading points, to ex- change the same for blankets, amunition, and other necessaries. They often camped on the bottom, in the fall to hunt, and in the spring to make sugar. At that period they were harmless of any intent to injure their white neighbors. They occasionally poached upon the swine and fowls of the pioneers, but this was of rare oc- currence. Mr. Fluke stated that on such visits it was the habit of his mother, on seeing the approach of the savages, to draw in the latch string of the cabin door, that no temptation to enter might be given the Indians. They were never disturbed in any way, except by the loss of a few fine shoats.

He died December 17, 1875. Mr. Fluke was a citi- zen of excellent habits, moral, intelligent, industrious, and upright. Though not a member of any church, no citizen sustained a better record for integrity and manly bearing than he. It will be difficult to fill the station in society vacated by his decease.

MICHAEL MORR

was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, October 10, 1796. He was of German descent. He resided in his native county until manhood. when he married, and in the year 1827, with his wife and one chill removed to section seven, in Perry township, Wayne (now Ashland) county, Ohio, where he continued to reside until his de- cease, which occurred Sunday, June 10, 1877, at the advanced age of eighty years and eight months. The immediate cause of his death was dropsy, of which he suffered for many months.

When he landed in the woods, his neighbors were : Charles Wilson, William Lash, Jonas II. Gierhart, Will- iain Latta, Samuel Sheets, James Boots, Frederick Wise, Jacob and Benjamin Myers, Hagb Carr, Willina Shisler, and Jacob Onstott ; most of whom have long since been. called home to rest.

He entered the forest as a pioneer, cleared a farm of ninety arres, and erected substantial and valuable build- ings therean. He passed through all the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of all bez coun-

tries. He performed a full share of the toil expended in opening highways through the dense forests, in log- rolling, erecting cabins, school-houses and churches, and lived to see his township and county thickly populated, and dotted with villages, towns and happy homes.

He assisted in the erection of the first Lutheran church, on the old Meng farm, cast of Jeromeville, as far back as 1833, and attended the same until about 1840, when a small class of the Evangelical church was formed in his neighborhood, and occasional preaching took place at the houses of the members for six or seven years.

In 1845 he lost, by death, his excellent and much be- loved wife, who was a member of the new class.

About the year 1847, steps were taken for the erection of the Evangelical church located in the neighborhood of Mi. Mon, and he became an active member of the same, and has ever since sustained his professions by a devout life:

He was an industrious, frugal, honest, exemplary Christian, and died in great peace. The members of his family consist of four sons: George, Michael, Jacob, and Henry; and four daughters: Julia Ann, wife of William Clapper; Sarah, wife of Reuben Kramer; Har- riet, wife of William Holmes; and Christena, wife of John Clouse.

The remains of Mr. Morr were deposited in the cem- etery attached to the Evangelical church, of which he was a member, and the funeral services were conducted by the pastor, Rev. Crouse.

JOHN McCLAIN,

son of Samuel McClain, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 20, 1796. He attended the com- inon schools, and grew to manhood in his native county .. The McClains were of Irish extraction, and all large, tall men. They were Protestants, and, like most of the Scotch-Irish, were Presbyterians in faith and practice.

Mr. McClain married Miss Mary Lash, of Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, and removed to, and located in, Perry township, then in Wayne, but now in Ashland county, in 1817, and settled near the present site of the village of Rowsburgh. He has, therefore, resided in Ashland county about sixty-two years. When he entered Perry township, it was almost an unbroken forest, . abounding in large numbers of deer, wolves, and other wild animals, The Delaware Indians, former inhabit- ants of Greentown and Jerometown, still continued to return to the township in the spring and fall, to make sugar and hunt The township at that time was but sparsely settled, and Mr. McClain was often solicited by pioneer neighbors to assist in the erection of cabin.,, at log-rollings, and to prepare fields for culture, and most cheerfully responded to all such invitations. He resided in Perry township for many years, and saw it gradually change from a dense foust to cultivated fields, and blessed with an industrious and intelligent population. Being remarkably ingenious in working wood, though

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

never having learned a trade, he could frame a building, construct a saw- or grist-mill, make the woodwork of a plow, or do almost any other species of work needed by the early farmers of his neighborhood. Naturally indus- trious, his services were often brought into requisition by the pioneer farmers of Perry and Mohican townships.

In 1844, he had the misfortune to lose the companion of his youth by death. He subsequently married Mar- garet Noble, who stil! survives to mourn his loss.

He resided some time at Jeromeville, and then re- moved to a farm in the south part of Montgomery township, where he continued to reside for some years, and then sold out and removed to his late residence in Ashland.

Of late years his habits have been retiring ; but his tall form, erect, and apparently, until of late, quite vigorous, with long flowing beard, white as snow, made him no- ticeable on the streets or at his place of public worship. He was always diffident, and never sought the emolu- ments or distinctions of office. He was careful and con- scientious as a voter, and desired to cast his suffrages for honest and competent officers.

In religious opinion and faith Mr. McClain was an ex- emplary and devoted member of the Presbyterian church. He became a member of that denomination in his younger years, and was often chosen to fill leading positions, such as deacon and elder. Up to the close of his life, it was fare that his venerable form was not seen in his pew, at -the proper hour, on the Sabbath.

He was in possession of all his faculties to the close of life. On Tuesday morning, the day of his decease, he was quite cheerful and walked to and from the post-office, as was his daily custom. After the middle of the day he engaged for a short time in preparing wood, and as is supposed, became faint and attempted to return to his room, but fell, and after a renewed struggle, entered the kitchen gasping for breath, attracting the attention of Mrs. McClain, who hastened to his aid; but died in a few moments without uttering a word. His decease oc- curred February 12, 1876.

Mr. McClain was an honest man, a good neighbor, and a sincere Christian. He has passed over the dark river, we hope, to a happier land, the home of the good and the pure. He died childless; and leaves but the companion of his riper years to mourn his loss; but not without hope of joining him in that eternal home pie- pared for the righteous.

The funeral services were preached at the residence of Mr. McClain by Rev. John Robinson, D. D., and some reminiscences of the deceased were related by Rev. Thomas Beer, .A. M., and his body borne to the grave by the deacons and elders of the Presbyterian church, Feb- ruary 14, 1876, followed by his neighbors and friends.

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JOSEPH BECHTEL.

was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, Augest 28, 1St1, and came with his father's family, Peter Bechtel, sr .. to Milton township, Richland, now Ashland, county,

in 182. His father located on the southeast quarter of section eighteen. There were but fifty or sixty families in the township at that time. The mother of Joseph Bechtel died in 1822 in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and his father remained single. He died in 1861, aged about eighty-five years. His family consisted of Joseph, Barbara, wife of Jacob Storer, and Jacob, who resides in Indiana. Joseph married Magdalena Bauer in 1831, by whom he had the following children : Susannah, Peter, Mary, Catharine, and two sons and one daughter deceased. One son died in company K, One Hundred and Second regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, in the late war. When the Bechtels located in Milton wild game, such as deer and turkeys, was abundant. There was an occasional black bear to be found, and the shrill shriek of the panther was frequently heard in the forest. Wolves were plenty, and very destructive upon sheep. Wild hogs, springing from the domestic race, and escap- ing from their owners in search of mast were quite numerous, and when disturbed, very ferocious. Mr. Bechtel states that about 1830 he was pursued in the night season through the forest by a panther, and it did not desist, although he carried a torch a good part of the way, until he was safely in his father's cabin. He had, also, a fight in which he was severely wounded in the knee by a frantic boar, and will carry the scar to his grave He is now sixty-five years old and quite vigor- ous. He states, in 1829, while wild game was yet plenty, he offered Frank Graham, then the principal merchant in Ashland, sixty pounds of good wheat for one-fourth of a pound of powder, and was refused. Wheat had no market, but ammunition was cash. About the same time, he hauled twenty-four bushels of good wheat, with a wagon and three horses, to Portland, now Sandusky, and was gone seven days, and stuck in the mud eight times, and obtained but three shilling - thirty- seven and one-half cents per bashel for his wheat. About 1870 he sold his homestead and removed to Ash. land, where he now resides. He has been an active member of the United Brethren church about twenty- two years. As a citizen, he is industrious, frugal and upright. He has passed through all the stages of pio- neer life, and is now ready to be garnered with his fath- ers. In 1879 Mr. Bechtel and lady removed to the State of Kansas to reside with a married daughter, and are enjoying fine health at the present writing, 1880.

HENRY SHELLER

was born in the city of Philadelphia in 1760. His pa- rente were of German and English descent. When six- teen years of age, he was apprenticed to an uncle in Lancaster county to learn the trade of a shoemaker. After the close of the Revolutionary war he located in Westmoreland county, where he remained until 1805, in the meantime marrying. In that year he removed with his family to Cohenhiana county, Ohio, where be re- mained witil ist4, when he iem wed to Canton Stark county, and in iSzo located in Mittlin, Richland county,

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

Ohio. Here he deceased in 1845, aged about eighty- five years. His family consisted of Samuel, who en- listed in the war of IS12, and was captured at the surrender of General Hall, and taken to Montreal, and never returned; Jacob, who died in 1838; John, who resides in Vermillion township, Ashland county ; and three daughters.

Jolin Sheller was born in Westmoreland county, Penn- sylvania, March 4, 1805, and was an infant when his father removed to Columbiana county. . He has passed through all the pioneer scenes of the early settlers of this county, and is remarkably vigorous for a man of his age .- He is a prosperous and thorough-going farmer. His homestead is valuable, and he is surrounded by a thrifty community. He is a man of few words, un- flinching in his integrity, and inflexibly opposed to pre- varication and shams. His family consists of three sons-William, Henry and Manuel ; and three daugh- ters, Ellenora, Sarah and Mariah-all married but the youngest daughter. His wife had been married to John Brubaker, who deceased. She became the wife of Mr. Sheller in 1840.

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MRS. SARAH H. ANDREWS

was born in Massachusetts in August, 1796. She was the daughter of Levi Gates, one of the early families of that State. She married Mr. Andrews, having lost a former husband, when quite young. She accompanied her husband to Ohio in IS17, and located in Union- town, now Ashland, in the spring of that year. When they arrived the present site of Ashland was nearly covered with the primitive forest, there being but about five houses in the town. It is remembered that the owners or occupants of these residences were Joseph Sheets, nearly opposite the present hardware store of Isaac Stull, on Main street; William Montgomery, near where Mrs. Wages resides; David Markley, where the town hall now stands, and John Croft, a tanner, who resided just south of that point. These constituted the population of Uniontown. Mrs. Joseph Sheets, we believe, is the only person of this number known to be alive, and present at the funeral of her old and esteemned friend, on the four- teenth of February, who was brought to Ashiand to be interred beside her husband, Aianson Andrews, who died May 20, 1850.

During the lifetime of Mr. Andrews, he and his family resided on what was formerly known as the David Mark- ley farin, bounding Ashland on the southwest, having purchased the same from Mr. Markley. Some time in 1830, Mr. Levi Cates, father of Mrs. Andrews, became a citizen of Ashland, residing with his daughter, and died September 6, 1937, aged about seventy-two years. Her mother died in Massachusetts, some years prior to his decease. Mrs. Andrews was the mother of the gifted and scholarly Lorin Anchews, who died president of Kenyen college, and is believed to have been the second child born in AAshland, in iS19. Some years since Mrs. Andrews removed to Geneseo, Illinois, to reside with a

relative, all hier children having sought homes in the west.

It has been about sixty-two years since Mr. and Mrs. Andrews landed in the wilds of this region, very few suspecting, at that time, that the little village in the woods might in the future become a large town and county- seat. How great the change. In lieu of the rugged settlers who cleared the forests, erected cabins, and con- structed our highways, and caused the country to blos- som as the rose, a new people now cultivate our fields and possess the homes of the hardy pioneers who have been gathered to the tomb. Here and there may be found a surviving pioneer, with tottering gait and tremb- ling hand, frosted with years, to remind us that all must bid adieu to the scenes of time sooner or later.

Mrs. Andrews died at Genesce, Illinois, February 9. IS79. She had many friends in Ashland, and their sym- pathies are extended to those who have been bereaved in her death. She was an exemplary member of the Pres- byterian church for many years, and evinced due prepara- tion and fitness for another and better world. Her death brings to remembrance many reminiscences of the past. The remaining pioneers in this region, in her departure, call to recollection the scenes of other days, and their early experiences in the forests of this county. In her decease they are reminded of the certainty of death, and preparation that fits all mankind for another and better world, where all pain and trouble shall cease.

JUDGE WILLIAM OSBORN

was the third son of Ralph and Catharine Osborn, late of the city of Columbus, at which place he was born May 1, 1821, and was fifty-eight years old at his derease.

His father, Ralph Osborn, was a native of Waterbury, Connecticut, who, after studying law at Lichfield, Con- necticut, and Albany, New York, moved to the west in the year 1So6, and at first seitled in Franklinton. but afterward removed to Jefferson, then county-seat of Pickaway county. He was elected clerk of the house of representatives of the Ohio legislature, in the session of 1310, and consecutively until 1814; and during the winter succeeding, he was elected auditor of State. This office he held until the winter of 1833-4, when he was succeeded by the late John A. Bryan.

The mother of Judge Osborn was of the family of John Renick, of the south branch of the Potomac, in Hardy county, Virginia, who moved to Ohio and settled upon the rich lands of Pickaway county, lying west of the Scioto river, about the year 1863 or 4. The family of which Judge Osborn was a member, consisted of four sons and four daughters. After the death of his mother, his father was married to Mrs. Jane Turney, of Column- bus, the widow of Dr Daniel Turney, a very eminent and skilful physician of that city. By his second wife, he had three daughters.

Judge Osborn received his earlier academicat instrue tion at Blendon. Franklin county, under the teaching of the late Rev. Ebenezer Washburn. Atter that, he was

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

sent to the Ohio university, at Athens, Ohio, and spent three years in study, under the direction of the late Alexander McGuffey, then president of the university, and with whom the student was tipon more friendly and intimate relations than are usual between students and their teacher. After quitting the university, Mr. Osborn had partially made up his mind to enter upon a purely business career, as distinguished from a professional one. For this purpose he entered the dry goods store of his brother, the late James D. Osborn, of Columbus, and was in this employment about one year. The details of this kind of business were not congenial. Though of very soft and winning manners, and likely to be popular with customers, he could not brook the confinement and tedium of measuring cloth by the yard stick, or of tying up parcels neatly, or of putting up goods from counter to shelf. Besides this, his constitution, never very 10- bust, was not likely to be improved in the confined. em- ployment of a store. Of a reflecting and studious habit, he preferred the companionship of books, and when deeply immersed in the logic or narrative he had in hand, he was apt to become quite oblivious to events about him. He became convinced that his future success in life, and his own tastes and comfort, would be much more promoted in a professional life, than in the drudg- ery of business. Accordingly, he determined to com- mence the study of the law.

His elder brother, John R. Osborn, then of Norwalk, was in the practice of the law in Huron and other counties, and occasionally extending to Richland. He offered the young man a place in his office, as well as a home in his family.

In the course of the first winter after commencing, and while young Osborn was pursuing his studies, he felt that he could do something in the way of support by teach- ing school. It was not long after this determination was known that he obtained a good school in Bronson, five miles south of Norwalk. This school was in the imme- diate neighborhood of Alexander McPherson, a promi- nent, leading citizen of Huron county, and afterwards a member of the legislature from that county. Mr. McPher- son took the teacher into his own family. He was a Scotch- man, intelligent, industrious, quick-witted, and devout. There grew up between the two a warm friendship, which continued through life. Mr. McPherson was some years the senior of Judge Osborn, and died about two months after the latter was buried. The school lasted about four or five months. Mr. Osborn continued the study of the law in his brother's office for a period of something over two years, perhaps two and a half years, and was admitted to the bar at the session of the supreme court in Huron county in the year 1846.

The county of Ashland was organized in the year 1846, and was composed of parts of Richland, Huron, Lorain, and Wayne counties.

It was in the year 1847 that, pondering and consider- ing the field of his future employment, he determined to locate at the village of Ashland, then recently made the county seat of the new county. The Hon. R. C. Par- sons, now of Cleveland, had been spending about a year

or so at Norwalk. The young men were nearly of the same age, and together they started out from Norwalk to Ashland. They took up quarters at Mr. Slocum's, and young Osborn soon found a room for an office, and hung out his shingle.

He was ex-judge of the court of common pleas for this district, and one of the most highly esteemed men of north- ern Ohio. He died at his home on Center street, Wednes- day, February 11, ISSo, at two o'clock. Ilis illness was of brief duration, dating from Monday, the second instant, when he was confined to his room by an attack of acute pneumonia. On the day previous he had attended church, both morning and evening, evincing more than usual enjoyment of the communion services which dis- tinguished that day.

At an early period of his illness he gave evidence that he had little hope of his recovery. While his suffering was not extreme, there was a feeling of utter weariness and desire for rest that shadowed the coming of the hour when he should "enter into that rest." The death of Judge Osborn was such as every good man might wish to die, and such as only a noble man could dic. The last hour of his mortal life was a fitting close to a long, useful and honorable career. On Wednesday morning he refused to take any medicine whatever, seemingl; con- scious that the time of his departure was at hand. At an early hour his life-long friend, A. L. Curtis, was sent for to draw up a will. After this was done he appeared very much exhausted, and rested quite a while before making any effort to speak. At last rousing himself he reached out his hand to his daughter, who was sitting at the bedside, and said : "I must leave you, good-bye." As the grief-stricken family gathered around the bedside he gave each an affectionate farewell, and ther, in a tone of peaceful assurance, said: "It is right, I should go be- fore." Thus fell asleep William Osborn in the fifty-ninth year of his age; honored in public and private for the graces and virtues of character that ennoble human na- ture. "Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace."

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 64

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros Publication date: 1880 Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams Number of Pages: 896

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams
Number of Pages: 896