History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio, Part 116

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry
Publication date: 1921
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 678

USA > Ohio > Harrison County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 116
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 116

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JACOB WETZEL, who is now living retired in the City of Carrollton, is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of north- eastern Ohio and is now one of the venerable and revered native sons of Carroll County. He was born in Harrison Township, this county, July 4. 1843, and is a son of Gottlieb and Regina (Smith) Wetzel, both of whom were born and reared in Wurtemburg, Germany, where their marriage was solemnized and where was born their first child. John Gottlieb, who was born in 1838, and who was a resident of Carrollton, Ohio, at the time of his death. February 15, 1917. In 1839 Gottlieb Wetzel, in company with his wife and infant son, and also his parents and other members of the family. immigrated to the United States, the voyage having been made on a sailing vessel and several weeks having passed before they landed in the port of New York City. The entire family came forth- with to Carroll County, Ohio. and all made settlement in Harrison Township. Gottlieb Wetzel was a son of John George and Christina (Steinbron) Wetzel, whose other children were Jacob. Christian. Frederick. Catherine and Christina. John George Wetzel purchased land and improved one of the excellent farms of Harrison Township. and there his devoted wife died September 21, 1851, he having remained on the old homestead until he too passed to eternal rest. on the 14th of May. 1877. the remains of both being interred in the cemetery of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Rose Township, and both having been lifelong communicants of the Lutheran Church. John G. Wetzel was honored as one of the sterling citizens and substantial pioneer farmers of Harrison Township, and in politics he supported the republican party from the time of its organization until his death.

After coming to Carroll County Gottlieb Wet- zel and his wife remained with his parents on the old home farm for several years. and he then removed to another farm in Harrison Township. where he continued his successful agricultural enterprise until his death. in 1847. when his son Jacob, of this review, was about four years old. He was survived by four chil- dren-John Gottlieb. Christian. Jacob and Christina. and the widowed mother later he- come the wife of Adam Karns. to whom she bore one son. George A. She was more than seventy years of age at the time of her death, about the year 1885.

After the death of his father Jacob Wetzel remained with his mother and stepfather until he was nine years old. when he became vir- tually dependent upon his own resources, as his boyish self-reliance led him to secure em- ployment at farm work. When he was but ten years old the sturdy lad guided a team and plowed with goodly results on a hillside, and in the later years the same determined spirit characterized him and brought to him maximum returns for his well ordered industry. He at-

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tended school principally during the winter terms and continued his active association with farm work in Harrison Township until there came the call of higher duty, when the Civil war was precipitated on a divided nation. In October. 1861, when but eighteen years of age, Mr. Wetzel manifested his youthful patriotism by enlisting as a private in Company D, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which gallant command he proceeded to the front and with which he took part in many engagements, in- cluding the historic battle of the Wilderness, the battles of Petersburg, Chancellorsville and Cold Harbor. and numerous minor engagements. He received his honorable discharge in October, 1864, and his record is one that shall ever re- flect honor upon his name and memory. In later years he has vitalized his interest in his old comrades in arms by his active affiliation with the Grand Army of the Republic.

After the close of his war service Mr. Wetzel resumed his association with farm industry in Carroll County, and he and his uncle, Christian Wetzel, were for two years engaged in the man- ufacturing of brick. Christian Wetzel was long numbered among the substantial farmers and representative citizens of Harrison Town- ship, where he died in August. 1908, at the venerable age of eighty-eight years and eight months. Jacob Wetzel finally identified himself with the tanning business at Carrollton, and here he conducted a prosperous enterprise in this line for fully half a century. He finally disposed of his tannery and has since lived in well earned retirement in his home on East Main Street. The political convictions of Mr. Wetzel are clearly indicated by his many years of active affiliation with the democratic party. and he is a communicant of the Lutheran Church, as was also his wife.

In 1869 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wetzel to Miss Sarah J. Lambright, who was born and reared in Carroll County and who was a daughter of John and Angeline (Al- brecht) Lambright, who became residents of this county within a short time after their coming to America from their native Germany and who here passed the residue of their lives. The supreme bereavement in the life of Mr. Wetzel was that which came when his loved and devoted wife was summoned to eternal rest in 1905. she having been fifty-six years of age at the time of her death. Of their chil- dren the eldest is John William, who was born at Perrysville, Carroll County. August 7, 1875. and whose public-school education included a course in the Carrollton High School. As a youth he assisted in the work of his father's tannery, and later he learned the trade of har- nessmaker. to which he continued to give his attention six years: In 1998. still loyal to the leather industry, in which he gained his initial experience at the tannery and thus became an authoritative judge of values, he engaged in the shoe business at Carrollton. continuing the enterprise until 1901. He then removed to Minerva. Stark County, where he has since con- ducted the largest and most prosperous shoe business of that thriving village and has secure place as a representative merchant and valued

citizen. In politics he is independent, is affili- ated with the Knights of the Maccabees, and he and his wife are communicants of the Lutheran Church. In 1900 John W. Wetzel married Miss Daisy Buck, a daughter of Law- rence and Isabel Buck, of Minerva Junction, Carroll County, the father having been a mine boss at the Pitkin Mills for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzel have one child, Clarence, who is a member of the class of 1921 in the Minerva High School. Charles Wetzel, who is engaged in the blacksmith business at Carrollton, mar- ried Miss Edna Cummings, and they have four children-Dorothy, Ralph. Sarah and John. Samuel Wetzel died at the age of thirty-two years. Clara is the wife of Robert J. Beadle. of Marion, Ohio. and they have two children- Paul J. and Alonzo. Lewis O. Wetzel, of Elyria. Lorain County, married Miss Mary Sherman and they have two sons, Jacob. named in honor of his paternal grandfather. and Thomas.

NELSON A. LEWTON was born and reared in Carroll County and has here become a promi- nent figure in connection with industrial and commercial activities of important order. In the Village of Malvern, where he has long main- tained his home. he holds the position of super- intendent of the Federal Clay Products Com- pany. one of the important concerns in the clay- working industry in this section of the Buckeye State, and he is known and valued as a reliable and public spirited citizen.

Mr. Lewton was born at New Harrisburg, Carroll County. March 28, 1864. and is a son of Abraham and Susan (Tressel) Lewton. both likewise natives of this county and both repre- sentatives of honored pioneer families of the county. Abraham Lewton was born at New Harrisburg in 1826, and his wife was born in Brown Township in 1828. Isaac Lewton, paternal grandfather of the subject of this review, was born in Scotland and was a man of herculean physique. his weight during his ma- ture years having been more than 300 pounds. so disposed over a stalwart frame as not to impair his physical vigor and alertness. He and his wife were pioneer settlers in Harrison Township. and there he reclaimed from the forest wilds the old homestead long known as the Lewton farm and now in the possession of a man named Farber. Here he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, and their mortal bodies rest in the cemetery of the Baxter Ridge Methodist Episcopal Church. about one- fourth of a mile distant from their old home. both having been active members of this church. Their sons. Abraham, Isaac. Isaiah and Alex- ander, are all deceased: Nancy became the wife of John Taylor, of Carroll County. where they remained until their deaths: and Salina and her husband, Eli Orin, who was best known as 'Squire Orin, likewise died in this county.

John and Artimisia ( Harsh) Tressel. mater- nal grandparents of him whose name initiates this sketch, passed their entire lives in Carroll County, and their old home farm near New Harrisburg is now owned by David Crawford. One of their sons, Dr. John Tressel, was for

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twenty-eight years a member of the corps of surgeons of the Pennsylvania Railroad, a posi- tion of which he was the incumbent at the time of his death, and his son John is now a representative physician and surgeon in the City of Alliance, Stark County.

Abraham Lewton was reared on the old home farm in Harrison Township and received in his youth good educational advantages. He continued his active association with farm in- dustry until 1876, when he removed with his family to Malvern, where for about forty years he owned and conducted a popular hotel, known as the Lewton House. In this hotel. which still stands, he died in the year 1898, and his widow and other members of the family kept the hotel until she too passed away. her death having occurred in 1916. In politics Mr. Lew- ton was a staunch republican, and he and his wife were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of their children all but one attained to maturity : Dr. James H. became a prominent and successful dentist in the City of Chicago, and he died in 1917. at the age of sixty-eight years: Almira became the wife of Richard P. Beatty, who died in 1917. and she maintains her home in the City of Canton, Stark County : Emma is the widow of William Dickey. who died in 1889. at Malvern. and she now resides in the City of Cleveland : Catherine is the wife of William Kirkpatrick, of whom individual mention is made on other pages of this volume: Laura became the wife of Charles Deuble, of Canton, and there her death oc- curred : Nelson A .. of this review, was the next in order of birth; Elizabeth is the wife of Charles Setterlin. of Columbus, Ohio: Lulu is the wife of Edward Gaum, of Canton; and Artemas died at the age of eighteen months.

Nelson A. Lewton was a lad of twelve years at the time of the family removal from the farm to Malvern. where he continued his studies in the village schools until his graduation in the high school. At the age of seventeen years he became a successful teacher in this district school, and he continued to follow the peda- gogic profession several years. In 1889 he found employment in the Fishel & Buell plan- ing mill at Malvern. and with this firm he re- mained about six years. He then became asso- ciated with the Canton & Malvern Fire Brick Paving Company, and after serving about two years as bookkeeper for this concern was ad- vanced to the position of superintendent, of which he continued the incumbent nine years. He then resigned his place and entered the employ of the Pittsburgh-Malvern Paving Com- pany, which erected a new and modern plant at Malvern. After having charge of this plant four years Mr. Lewton resigned and took the position of erecting engineer for the C. W. Ray- mond Company of Dayton, Ohio. In this ca- pacity he traveled in the most diverse sections of the United States and Canada. and his effer- tive service with the company continued until 1915. when he associated himself with the Fed- eral Clay Products Company. of which he has since been superintendent. this company hav- ing well equipped manufacturing plants in various places in this section of the state. with

headquarters at Mineral City, , Tuscarawas County. Mr. Lewton is one of the influential citizens and men of affairs at Malvern, is a republican in politics, is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Maccabees, and he and his wife hold member- ship in the Presbyterian Church.

October 3, 1889, recorded the marriage of Mr. Lewton to Miss Caroline Fishel, who was born at Malvern March 27, 1855, a daughter of Joseph and Fredericka (Buell) Fishel, of whom further mention is made elsewhere in this pub- lication. Mr. and Mrs. Lewton have no chil- dren.

LOREN E. PRICE served two successive terms as recorder of his native county and retired from this office in the autumn of 1919, since which time he has continued to reside at Car- rollton, judicial center of the county in which he was born and reared. He was born on a farm in the vicinity of New Hagerstown, Car- roll County, March 23, 1865, and is a son of Benjamin F. and Keziah (McGowan) Price. the former of whom was born in Harrison County, this state, in 1832, and the latter was a native of Guernsey County, Ohlo, where she was born in 1838. Benjamin F. Price, Sr., grandfather of the subject of this review, was one of the early settlers of Harrison County, where he took up land and engaged in farm enterprise. Later he came to Carroll County and developed a farm in Orange Township, where both he and his wife passed the re- mainder of their lives, this farm having con- tinued in the possession of the family until February 10, 1919, when Loren E. Price, of this review, sold the property to William L. Robertson. Benjamin F. Price. Sr., and his wife, whose maiden name was Nancy Douglas, were numbered among the honored pioneer citi- zens of Orange Township at the time of their deaths. and both were zealous members of the Presbyterian Church.

Benjamin F. Price, Jr., was six years of age at the time of the family removal from Harri- son County to Carroll County, and he eventually became the owner of his father's old homestead farm. He was one of the honored and in- fluential citizens and representative farmers of Orange Township, was a republican in politics and served in various local offices of public trust. Both he and his wife were zealous mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church. His death occurred in 1901 and his widow passed to eter- nal rest in 1913. Of their two children Loren E. is the younger. the older son. Willard M .. having died in 1906, at the age of forty-eight years.

Loren E. Price was not denied a due quota of youthful association with farm work, and in addition to attending the public schools was afforded the advantages of the New Hagers- town Academy. On the old homestead he en- gaged in active farm operations after having been employed three years as a traveling com- mercial salesman and after having been engaged for twelve years in the dry-good business at Lima, Allen County. He remained on the farm until 1915. when he was elected county recorder.

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and his effective administration in this office Thomas, Jr., William, Jesse, Josiah. Jennie. Peggy. Mary and Elizabeth. continued for two terms of two years each, since which time he has continued his residence William McCully was reared on the old pio- at Carrollton, the county seat. He is a stal- . neer farm in Harrison Township, received the wart supporter of the cause of the republican party, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. including the local Commandery of Knights Templar, and both he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Presbyterian Church.

In 1896 Mr. Price wedded Miss Gertrude Davies, of Lima, Allen County, and they have one daughter. Marian D., who was born in 1897. and who is a graduate of the Carrollton High School, as well as of the Thomas Normal School in the City of Detroit, Michigan, she being now a successful and popular teacher of domestic science.

PERRY O. MCCULLY, owner of the Carrollton Milling Company, claims the Hoosier State as the place of his nativity but was about one year old when his parents returned to Carroll County, Ohio, where the father had been born and reared and where the family home had been established in the pioneer days.

Perry O. McCully was born in Noble County, Indiana. December 31. 1868. and is a son of William and Virginia (Smith) McCully, the former of whom was born in Carroll County. Ohio. August 5, 1839, and the latter of whom was born in Williams County. this state. in 1843. Thoms McCully, grandfather of him whose name introduces this sketch, was born in Allegheny County. Pennsylvania. December 14. 1797, and in 1822 he married Miss Anna Young. who likewise was a native of the old Keystone State. In 1830 they came to Carroll County. Ohio, and settled on a pioneer farm in Harrison Township, James McCully. a brother of Thomas, having come to the county at the same time. On his embryonic farm, much of which was still heavily timbered. Thomas McCully erected a log house, and in this modest domicile were reared his children. He re- claimed a productive farm and remained on the old homestead until his death. October 6, 1874, his wife having passed away in 1844, when her youngest child. William, was about five years old, the names of the other children having been rs here noted : Sarah, Eliza. Lavina. Mar- garet. Mary J., Anna M. and Josiah B. Thomas MeCully was a stalwart supporter of the prin- ciples of the democratic party, and his brother James was a republican. Both he and his wife were earnest members of the Reformed Church. William McCully's seecond marriage in 1877 was to Miss Elizabeth Sheppard, born in Center Township. Carroll County. She died October 6. 1889, and left four children, James C .. of Amsterdam: Anson, of Lee Township: Laura, who married Lanson Finnicum, a resident of Columbiana County, Ohio, and Addie. who mar- ried Roy Smith, of Columbiana County, Ohio. Thomas McCully's father, who likewise bore the name of Thomas, was born and reared in Ireland and came to America about the middle of the eighteenth century. his home having been established in Pennsylvania. where he remained until his death His children were John. James.

advantages of the common schools of the lo- cality and period and finally came into posses- sion of the home farm, which he later sold to his brother Josiah, who was one of the honored pioneer citizens of Carroll County at the time of his death, in February, 1919, when eighty- one years of age. After selling this farm Wil- liam MeCully purchased and removed to a farm in the same vicinity. his residence in Noble County, Indiana, having been of brief duration. He continued many years as one of the repre- sentative farmers and influential citizens of Harrison Township and passed the last five years of his life in the home of his son, Perry O., of this review, where he died on the 3d of May, 1918, only a few months after the death of his brother, Josiah. He was a staunch demo- crat and was called upon to serve in various local offices of public trust in Harrison Town- ship. He and his wife became zealous mem- bers of the Reformed Church, but after remor- ing to the home of his son at Carrollton he be- came a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city. He survived his wife by more than forty years, Mrs. McCully having passed away in 1875, at the age of thirty-two years. They became the parents of four chil- dren : Edwin is a resident of Lee Township. Carroll County ; William, Jr., died at the age of fourteen years: Perry O., of this sketch. was the next in order of birth; and Matilda is the wife of James Snively, a farmer in Loudon Township, Carroll County, Mrs. Virginia (Smith) MeCully was a daughter of William Smith and her mother was a daughter of James Ferrall, an honored Carroll County pio- neer of whom incidental mention is made on other pages of this volume. After the death of his first wife Mr. Smith contracted a second marriage, and both he and his second wife were residents of Indiana at the time of their deaths, he having died about the year 1901, when more than eighty years of age.

Perry O. McCully was reared to the sturdy discipline of the home farm, with the activi- ties of which he continued his connection until he was twenty-five years of age, his educational advantages in the meanwhile having been those of the public schools of Harrison Township. In 1900 he purchased the old Hardesty grist mill at Carrollton, where he developed a pros- perous business in the handling of feed and building material, the mill having been utilized principally for the grinding of feed. In 1910 he consolidated his business with that of the Courtright Company, and the combined busi- ness has since been conducted under the title of the Carrollton Milling Company. This is one of the important and prosperous industrial cor- porations of Carroll County and controls a sub- stantial business in the manufacturing of flour and feed and the handling of grain and build- ing materials, Mr. McCully being the owner of the company. In July, 1920, he sold the mill to the Farmers Co-operative Company was one of

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P. O. Meterly.

Mrs. Nova Mileully

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the organizers and is a director of the First National Bank.

Mr. McCully is found arrayed as a staunch advocate and supporter of the principles of the democratic party, and he served twelve years as a member of the School Board of Carrollton. In the Masonic fraternity he has completed the circle of the York Rite, in which his maximum affiliation is with the Carrollton Commandery of Knights Templar, and he also holds member- ship in the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

May 21, 1895, recorded the marriage of Mr. McCully to Miss Nora Long, daughter of Wil- liam Long, a prosperous farmer of Carroll County. The one child of this union is Flor- ence, who was born July 24, 1896, and who was graduated in the Carrollton High School as a member of the class of 1913, after which she was for two years a student in Mount Union College. Thereafter she was for two years a successful and popular teacher in the public schools of Carrollton, and she is now the wife of Farry Mclaughlin, of this city. They have two children, Harry, Jr., born September 1, 1918, and Retha Virginia, born August 7, 1920.

JOHN MATTERN. Looking back with justifi- able pride on a long life of useful endeavor as a man, and constructive work as a farmer, John Mattern, of Archer Township, is still a forceful factor in the agricultural progress of his neighborhood. He was born in Green Town- ship, Harrison County, Ohio, on July 12, 1837. a son of Abraham Mattern, and grandson of John Mattern, a native of Maryland who be- came a pioneer of Archer Township, Harrison County, Ohio, and here rounded out his life. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Nancy Tipton, was a native of Wales, and they had the following children : Abraham, John, Cather- ine, Anna, Julia Ann and Jane.

Abraham Mattern was born in Harrison County, Ohio, October 6, 1806, and was married to Mary Brown, also born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 1808, a daughter of Hugh and Jane (Speer) Brown, the former an early settler and farmer of Archer Township. The children born to Hugh Brown and his wife were as follows: John, William, Mary, Anna, Rebecca and Eliza- beth. Acquiring a farm in Green Township, Abraham Mattern lived upon it until his death, and was a man very highly respected in his part of the county. He and his wife became the parents of the following children: Jane, John, Nancy Ann, Hugh B., Wesley and Alfred S. Abraham Mattern and his wife belonged to Bethel Methodist Church of Green Township.

John Mattern went to the schools of his dis- trict and following the example of his father and grandfather became a farmer. In 1866 he bought his present farm of 120 acres in Archer Township and here he has since been very suc- cessfully engaged in general farming and stock- raising. Prior to buying this property he had some experience as a farmer in Green Town- ship.

On May 12, 1859, John Mattern was married to Margaret Leas, born in Green Township,

on August 2, 1839, a daughter of George and Mary (Brean) Leas. George Leas was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and came to Green Township, Harrison County, Ohio, in young manhood, and here he spent the re- mainder of his life. He and his wife had the following children: George, Jeremiah, Mary, Elizabeth, Jacob, Margaret and John. Like the Mattern family, the Leas were also connected with the old Bethel Church of Green Township. John Mattern and his wife became the parents of the following children: J. Finley; Oscar Orlando, who died at the age of fourteen months; E. W., who is mentioned below; Mary Etta, who married William Beatty; E. Ross, and John H., who is also written up on another page. Mr. and Mrs. Mattern belong to Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church of Green Town- ship, and have been connected with it for over fifty-eight years, and in their relations to it are as active as ever. They are very fine people in every respect and carry their religious faith into their everyday life. When sorrows enter a home in their neighborhood, the bereaved ones instinctively turn to Mr. and Mrs. Mattern for sympathy and assistance and never in vain. While they have been blessed with material prosperity, they have also accumulated a large store of something even better, the good will and gratitude of those whom they have gener- ously assisted, and the unlimited respect of all who know them.

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History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio, Part 116

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Number of Pages: 678

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry
Publication date: 1921
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 678