History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 103

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 103

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George W. Hoover was the fourth born child in his parents' family and the third son. His birth took place on the old homestead on January 27, 1847. He attended school in Dal- las township and later at Bucyrus, after which he engaged actively in agricultural pursuits until 1903, when he retired and established his home at Bucyrus. He still owns his excellent farm in Bucyrus township but no longer oper- ates it. Mr. Hoover, like his late father, is a stanch republican but he has never been will- ing to accept public office. He has never mar- ried.

GODFREY LEUTHOLD, a well known attorney at law at Bucyrus, O., was born in Daerstetten township, Simmenthal valley, Canton Bern, Switzerland, which was the scene of the early history of the Leuthold family, a country held in affectionate remem- brance by those who have, nevertheless, found happy homes in other lands. The father of Mr. Leuthold was Christian Leuthold, who was the only son of Christian Leuthold, the latter of whom spent his life in Canton Bern, his ancestors coming from Southern France.

The Leuthold family was an old and vigor- ous one, but Grandfather Leuthold died when comparatively young and left but one son, but his early death reflected credit upon him in that he contracted scarlet fever, from which he died, while ministering to a stricken neighbor. His widow subsequently married again but had no issue to the second marriage. She be-

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longed to the royal family of Von Bergen and all her life was noted for her high bred quali- ties, her charities and many virtues.

Christian Leuthold, Jr., the only son, was born in 1842 and grew to manhood in his na- tive place and there married Katherine Knoti, who came from one of the most industrious and wealthiest families of her township. Her father, Gottlieb Knoti was accidentally killed by a fall over a precipice in the mountains. The mother, of a healthy constitution, married again and with her second husband, emigrated to the United States and died at the age of 84 years in the state of New York. After the birth of their nine children, Christian Leuthold and wife decided to leave Switzerland and seek better fortune across the ocean than they were sure of, with so large a family, in the more constricted regions of their native land. At Havre, France, they took passage on the emi- grant ship, America, and with great hopes set sail for New York, where, after a long voy- age, they were safely landed arriving at said city in the month of April in the year 1884. From there they made their way to Upper Sandusky, Ohio, the place of their destination. Here the family was warmly received by David Geiger, a brother-in-law of Christian Leu- thold.

The first year the family lived in a cottage one mile east of Upper Sandusky, all the mem- bers working industriously in order to add to the capital of $300.00 which they brought from Switzerland. Godfrey Leuthold then being but eleven years old, like four of his brothers was compelled to work for other peo- ple. The second year they rented a small farm four miles east of Upper Sandusky; here they resided for three years. The boys continued to work during the summer months for other people, mostly for farmers in Craw- ford county.

In the year 1888 the family came to Craw- ford county. For five years they lived on a large farm which they rented south of Bucy- rus. During the first years they met with dif- ficulties and failures and the boys were often compelled to bear great hardships. But at the end of the five years the family was able to buy a good farm of 80 acres .two miles north of Bucyrus. Here the father died February 15, 1906. The mother then moved to Bucyrus

into a handsome new house provided for by her sons. Here she still resides, living with her daughter Louisa a retired life.

Godfrey Leuthold is one of the younger sons in the above family. He was permitted to attend the township public schools during the winter months till he was 16 years old. Then, though having a passion to devote him- self to study, he was compelled to help work and manage a farm till he was 21 years of age. This was a strenuous life, which de- prived him of the pleasures of youth and com- pelled him to cope with great difficulties, due to the fact that the family was then heavily in- volved in debt. On one Friday, September 15th, he was of age and left home under most discouraging circumstances. Having worked bitterly hard for his father, he was obliged to leave home with nothing else but the clothes he wore while working at home. But he left with a determination to work and save his money. The first three months he worked for farmers, cutting and husking corn; thus he earned his first money, every dollar of which he saved. When winter set in he determined to work for his board and then attended the public schools in Liberty township, in order to get a better education, which he was de- prived of while working for his father. The next spring he was licensed to teach school without ever having attended a high school. The following winter he taught school and worked on the farm in the summer, aiming to save all the money possible in order to prepare himself financially to attend a college.

In the fall of the year 1898 we find him at- tending the college at Berea, Ohio, a Methodist school. He was graduated in the classical course and received the degree of B. A. in June of the year 1903. The year preceding he was chosen by the Goethe society of which he was a member to deliver the valedictorian address.

It was during the difficult struggles while working for his father that he first realized the usefulness and power of the knowledge of the law. So after being graduated at the college at Berea, he at once took up the study of law and completed a course in this science at the Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, and was graduated at this school in the fall of the year 1904, receiving the degree of B. L. In

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December of the same year he was admitted to the Ohio bar and has ever since been in the active practice of law at Bucyrus, Ohio.

In June of the year 1907 the college at Berea conferred upon him the degree of M. A., he having first fully complied with all require- ments for this honor.

Mr. Leuthold always took an active part in the politics of the republican party which in his county, at present is in the minority. With an aim to do justice to all and with malice to- ward none his judgment and principles are respected by men of both parties, his charac- ter being clean, his influence uplifting. He was reared in the Methodist church of which he has been a faithful member.

To consider the career of Mr. Leuthold in all its bearings, it is indeed inspiring, his suc- cess demonstrating what can be accomplished through persistent effort and in the face of difficulties and discouraging circumstances.

MICHAEL A. RICKSECKER, who now lives retired at Galion, O., after many years of honorable connection with the great Erie Railroad system as locomotive engineer, was born October 19, 1839, in Springfield town- ship, Richland county, O., and is a son of Greenberry and Elenora (Firestine) Rick- secker.

Greenberry Ricksecker and wife were born at Hagerstown, Md., where they married and after two children had been born to them- Mary A. and Charles A .- they started for a new home in Ohio. This was in 1835 and they came overland to Springfield township, Richland county, and. located on land which was wild at the time, but which they developed into an excellent farm. The old log house which served as their first home is still one of the landmarks of that section. Greenberry Ricksecker was a whig in early political life but later became a republican and, notwith- standing his southern birth, was an anti-slavery man. An underground railroad station, the name given to sheltering places for escaping slaves prior to the Civil war, was situated in the home of a neighbor, John C. Finney, and as Mr. Ricksecker was in sympathy with the movement, he often helped negroes on their way to the Canadian border, where they were safe from pursuit. Another neighbor who of-

fered a place of concealment to escaping slaves was Joseph Roe and through the efforts of these philanthropic men, many men, women and children escaped from slavery. In many ways Greenberry Ricksecker was an admirable man and he was esteemed and respected in his community, where he lived to be seventy-three years of age, his wife passing away when aged sixty-one years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. After reaching Richland county, two more children were born to them-Michael A. and Helen. All the chil- dren married and reared children of their own and became respected and useful members of society.

Michael A. Ricksecker is the only survivor of his parents' family. He attended school in Springfield township and helped his father, after school, on the farm and also in his car- penter shop and frequently assisted in the erec- tion of log houses for other settlers. He thus gained a practical knowledge of carpentering while quite young. By the time he was four- teen years of age he was anxious to provide for himself and soon found a place where he could work for his board and receive $4 a month. When sixteen years of age he worked at cutting cord wood for forty cents a cord and also split rails, as did Abraham Lincoln in early manhood, and while keeping busy and contented in this way he also kept on assisting his father as a carpenter.

On April 21, 1861, Mr. Ricksecker re- sponded to the call of President Lincoln for' 75,000 men and entered Co. H, 15th O. Vol. Inf., under Capt. Hiram Miller and Col. Moses R. Dickey, and served through a first enlistment of three months. On December 11, 1861, he re-enlisted for three years in the First Ohio Independent Battery, Light Artillery, under command of Capt. McMullen, and was honorably discharged December 13, 1864. During the larger part of the time he served in West Virginia with the Army of the Poto- mac, taking part in such hard fought battles as South Mountain, Frederick city and Antie- tam. Ever at the post of duty, Mr. Rick- secker made a record as a brave and efficient soldier, and having faced the many hazards of war without being wounded, returned safely to his home.

He then turned his attention to railroading

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and entered the service of the Atlantic & Great Western Railway Company (now known as the Erie Railroad) in the capacity of brakeman, at a time when the company sent out only one train a day, this being in March, 1865. In April following he made the trip on the first through freight train that left Galion, and in July of the same year was promoted and became fireman. Until January, 1868, he was engaged in freight and passenger trans- portation and then was promoted and made engineer and operated both through and local freight trains until June, 1880, and from that time until October 23, 1910, when he was re- tired on the age limit, his place was in the cab of the passenger train on the Cincinnati divi- sion, east. Mr. Ricksecker is still retained by the company, which knows how to recognize efficient service, and fills the position of assist- tant train dispatcher, his duties making no heavy demand on his health.

On June 17, 1869, at Ontario, O., Mr. Rick- secker was married to Miss Mary A. Rater, who was born in Germany and was three years old when her parents brought her to Richland county, O. She was born April 3, 1844, and died June 10, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Ricksecker had no children of their own, but they adopted a little seven-year old maiden, Elizabeth Keiser, who was born at Mansfield, O. She has been a real daughter to them and her foster parents have had reason to take much pride in her as a sweet and amiable member of the household, as a good student, being a graduate of the Galion high school, and as a singer in the choir and teacher in the sabbath school of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which religious denomination Mr. and Mrs. Ricksecker were long very active members.

In politics Mr. Ricksecker is a decided re- publican but has never had the politician's de- sire for public office. He is yet, as always, in- terested in the progress and development of the city's various interests, where he has in- vestments and almost lifelong friends. He has been very active in Dick Morris Post, G. A. R., No. 130, of which he is the present commander-a dignity well deserved-and on several occasions he has attended encamp- ments held in other and distant cities. For many years he has been identified with the

Masonic fraternity, uniting with the order in young manhood and belongs to Galion Lodge, No. 414, F. & A. M .; to, the Chapter No. 142, at Galion, and to the Council, at Bucyrus. Mr. Ricksecker belongs also to another organi- zation, one that is known all over the United States and numbers thousands of trained and experienced men in its ranks-the Brother- hood of Locomotive Engineers-he being con- nected with Division No. 16. For forty years he has preserved his membership in this rep- resentative industrial body and in recognition of this, at the termination of the above period, he received a handsome gold badge, suitably inscribed, which, it is needless to say he values highly. Mr. Ricksecker is a valued member of the Richland County Historical Society and his reminiscences of former events have con- tributed to the interest of its published reports on many occasions.

MRS. SARAH A. DICE, a highly re- spected and well known business woman of Galion, O., who, for twenty years has suc- cessfully conducted a millinery business here, was born in Crawford county, O., near Galion and is a daughter of Isaac and Susan (Smith) Garberich.

The parents of Mrs. Dice were of German ancestry, but were born in Pennsylvania and both accompanied their parents when young, to Crawford county. The father of Mrs. Dice engaged in farming in Polk town- ship for many years and died there in 1897, when aged 61 years. The mother of Mrs. Dice still survives and lives on the old homestead, hale and hearty, despite her 83 years. Isaac Garberich was a strong Re- publican. He was a man of sterling charac- ter, honest and upright, and was a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his widow also belongs. Mrs. Dice is one of a family of nine children born to her parents, three sons and six daughters, all of whom survive.

After creditably completing the public school course, Mrs. Dice learned the millin- ery business, for which she had a natural aptitude and has been in business for the past 26 years and for twenty years has been at her present location, where she erected her building. She carries the finest line of

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millinery and millinery goods to be found at Galion and caters to a very exclusive trade. Her display of tasteful and attract- ive milinery would do credit to any large city, while her long experience and natural artistic talent in the blending of colors and materials and in adapting them to the lines of head, face and figure are so well known and appreciated that her taste and judg- ment are depended upon by a very particu- lar class of purchasers. Too much credit cannot be given to Mrs. Dice for her energy and enterprise in building up and enlarging this business enterprise and her unusual success reflects the high opinion in which she is held by those who have known her from childhood. Mrs. Dice has two chil- dren: Clare D., a resident of Galion, a ma- chinist by trade; and Gladys C., who is the wife of John Scott Boyd, who is superin- tendent of the Galion Iron Works Com- pany. Mrs. Dice and daughter are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.

REV. THOMAS J. SHEPPARD, well known among Civil War veterans as the "Andersonville Chaplain," was born at Zanesville, O., June 22, 1834, being a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (LeHue) Sheppard. He was of Puritan and Huguenot stock, his grandfather, Joseph Sheppard, having been born at Attleboro, England. The family came to the United States in 1811, landing at Boston. On his mother's side the LeHue family came from France, and were Hugue- nots, one of the founders of the American branch coming to America with Marquis de Lafayette as a volunteer in the American Revolution. Others of the LeHue family were already settled in Winchester, Freder- ick county, Va. Thomas J. Sheppard, the subject of this sketch, was practically born into the Baptist church. His grandfather, Rev. Thomas Sheppard, was a leader in the denomination at Zanesville and on the for- mation of the Market Street Baptist Church, of Zanesville, in 1825, his parents united there. Thomas J. Sheppard spent his early life in Zanesville. His parents both died there in 1853, his mother's death oc- curring in July and his father's in Novem-

ber. He after that lived with his sister Elizabeth, the wife of Capt. John Thomp- son, north of Dresden. He spent six years in the drug store of Capt. Thompson and attended West Bedford Academy, where he met Miss Margaret Collins of Mounds- ville, W. Va., who became his wife June I, 1859, the wedding being at the Collins fam- ily home, the residence of William Collins at High Oaks . on the hills overlooking Moundsville. After marriage he took up the reading of law at Zanesville and his in- terest in church work started at that time. At the close of a revival service in 1854 he was licensed to preach and thereafter con- tinued to conduct religious services regu- larly for 54 years. On Aug. 11, 1862, he en- listed as a member of Co. E, 97th O. Vol. Inf. under Capt. Eagan, being appointed fifth sergeant. He was in eleven important engagements including Murfreesboro, Mis- sionary Ridge and Stone River. He was captured June 27, 1864, during a night skir- mish before the battle of Kenesaw Moun- tain, while on picket duty. He was sent to Andersonville where he was confined almost eleven months. While in prison here he conducted religious services and became. known as the "Andersonville Chaplain," a term of endearment applied to him by men he helped there. His naturally sunny dis- position and firm religious conviction gave him power to do good among the discour- aged prisoners. At the close of their term in prison a testimonial was prepared and signed by 155 prisoners commending his work and recommending him for appoint- ment as a regular army chaplain. This tes- timonial he has prized highly, but did not desire to take up the work of an army chap- lain, feeling he could do more good as a minister, pastor of a church. Mr. Sheppard was mustered out of the service at Camp Chase, June 15, 1865. He was associated with the United States Christian Commis- sion after the war and took up his higher education at Denison University, Granville, Ohio, where he was graduated with the class of 1870. His first pastorate was at Kirkersville, Ohio, from 1865 to 1869. He held pastorates in Ohio at West Jefferson

WILLIAM BENDER

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and Lisbon, Clyde and Sidney, and was spe- cial agent for Denison University from 1876 to 1884. He became pastor of the Baptist church at Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1884, where he remained until 1889, when he went to Ken- ton as pastor and where he built a new church. In 1892 he was appointed chaplain of the Ohio State Soldiers' Home at San- dusky, and from there went to Grass Lake, Michigan, but in 1899 he retired from active work and located at Granville, where the family lived until the death of Mrs. Shep- pard, July 3, 1911, since which time he has lived with his daughter, Mrs. James R. Hop- ley at Bucyrus. His son, Thomas Hamilton Sheppard, died at Los Angeles, Calif., April 3, 19II. His son, William Collins Sheppard, is a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and his daughter, Mrs. James R. Hopley, lives at Bucyrus. Many years ago the Ohio association of Ex-Prisoners of War elected him chaplain-for-life and it was while a resi- dent of Bucyrus in 1887 that Keller Post advocated his selection as chaplain of the Ohio association of the G. A. R., a place he filled with honor.

Rev. Mr. Sheppard has done much liter- ary work, mostly of a religious and patriotic nature. He has written a number of poems, some of which have been set to music. His lecture on "Battle Fields and Prison Pens" has been heard in many towns and cities of the country. It was in introducing Mr. Sheppard to an audience at Lansing, Mich- igan, that the late Governor Pingree, a prison-mate at Andersonville, alluded to him as "the man who preached to me in Hell."

WILLIAM BENDER, who is a retired farmer and one of the highly respected citi- zens of Tiro, O., occupies his comfortable home on North Main Street but still retains his farm of 180 acres, situated in Auburn township, Crawford county. He was born in Richland county, O., March 26, 1850, and is a son of Jacob and Catherine ( Hoffman) Bender.

Jacob Bender was born near Heidelberg, Germany, Oct. 5, 1816, where he was reared to manhood and in 1840 married Catherine

Hoffman, who was born also in Germany, Aug. 13, 1816. In the year of their marriage they emigrated to America, and on reaching the United States settled in Richland county, O. He purchased 40 acres of land near Shelby, to which he later added 20 more acres, and after clearing and developing both tracts, purchased a farm of 160 acres, four miles south of Shelby. In 1862 they came to Craw- ford county and purchased 200 acres of land from George Cummings. He was a large landowner also in other states, having 300 acres in Iowa and 300 acres in Michigan. His death occurred Sept. 26, 1897, when he was aged 80 years. His wife died Jan. 15, 1885. They were members of the Lutheran church, in America, but he had been reared a Catholic and she in the Reformed church. They were good, Christian people in each organization. To them the following children were born: Jacob, Henry, Charles, Christina, Anthony, William, Catherine, who died Aug. 31, 1886; Lizzie, John Phillip, and one that died in in- fancy.

William Bender was his father's helper on the home farm until he reached the age of 21 years. After marriage he located on 80 acres of his present farm, then the property of his father-in-law, and while renting the same for II years, was an extensive stock dealer. In 1882 he purchased a tract of 104 acres ad- joining on the east and in 1885 bought his present homestead and now has land in both Auburn and Vernon townships. He improved his farm properties, erecting a handsome resi- dence in 1889 and a substantial barn in 1890 and resided there until he retired to Tiro. He is interested in the Seamless Tube Mills at Shelby, O.

On Sept. 3, 1873, Mr. Bender was married to Miss Cornelia Sawyer, a daughter of Al- banus Sawyer. Albanus Sawyer was a na- tive of this county while his wife was born in Pennsylvania. They had the following children besides Mrs. Bender : Asa, Rule, Royal E., John F., Erastus, deceased, Clara, de- ceased, Anna and Lottie. Mr. and Mrs. Ben- der have three children: Rilla May, wife of John W. Hutt, of Richland county, O .; and Minnie Luella. wife of Walter Ervin; and Ruth Ione. While Mr. Bender has never been very active in politics, he has always exerted

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his influence in support of movements that have made this section law abiding and a de- sirable place in which to live. Mr. Bender is a member of the Knights of Pythias at Tiro. He served as supervisor for 25 years. The family attends the Lutheran church and Mr. Bender has been a liberal contributor to the building of the church and to its support.

JOHN S. MURPHY, a representative farmer of Dallas township, who is the owner of 80 acres of land, was born in Springfield, Fayette county, Pa., June 23, 1860, but came to Crawford county in 1866. His parents, William H. and Elizabeth (King) Murphy, were natives of Fayette county, Pa.

William H. Murphy was a blacksmith by trade but in later years devoted his atten- tion to farming. He was a Democrat in politics and he and his wife belonged to the U. B. church. They made their home with their son, John S. Murphy, for ten years pre- vious to their decease. William H. Murphy lies buried in Nevada, Ohio, and his wife in Scotsdale, Pa. They were the parents of the following children : John S., whose name heads this sketch; Mary, the wife of Zeph. Chance; Frederick, deceased; and Lula, the wife of Arizona Carmean.

John S. Murphy received a common school education in the schools of Craw- ford county and at the age of 19 years be- gan to learn the carpenter's trade and fol- lowed that occupation for 21 years. He still does some of this work, having quite recently built for White Brothers what is the largest barn in this county. Mr. Mur- phy's main interests, however, lie in his farming, and he has met with success in his endeavors in this line. Besides his general farming he raises some stock, but only enough for his own use. In 1900 when Mr. Murphy bought his farm it was covered with woods and swamp and he has cleared all the land and has also built his house and barn.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 103

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850- Publication date: 1912 Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1302

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302