History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 110

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

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ALEXANDER M. KERR, a retired farmer and highly respected resident of Bucyrus, O., belongs to one of the old and representative families of Crawford county, of Scotch ancestry. He was born March 4, 1846, in Whetstone township, Crawford county, O., and is a son of William and Jane (Clark) Kerr.

In early days the great-grandparents of Alexander M. Kerr migrated from Scotland to near Dublin, Ireland, and reared their children and died there. One son, William Kerr, grandfather of Alexander M., came to the United States in 1800 and shortly after-

ward settled in Juniata county, Pa. He was married there to a lady by the name of Stewart, who died in Pennsylvania and was survived by a daughter, Nancy, who later married and became the mother of several children. William Kerr, Sr., was then mar- ried to a widow, Mrs. Sarah (Abrams) Elder, and they continued to reside in Juniata county until after the birth of their children, four in number-Alexander, Sarah, William and James-and then de- cided to come to Ohio. This was in 1832 and they made the long journey in wagons and finally reached Whetstone township, Crawford county, the whole country being then but a wilderness of forest and tangled prairie. The land on which they settled had been slightly improved by a former owner, so that they found a shelter provided which was better than was the fate of some other settlers who came into this section about the same time. Here William Kerr, Sr., died, prior to 1845, and his widow survived him for seven years. They were among the founders of the Presbyterian church in Whetstone township and were people of ex- emplary life and were widely known for their pioneer hospitality.

William Kerr, Jr., father of Alexander M. Kerr, of Bucyrus, was born August 24, 1808, and died September 23, 1888. He was twenty-four years old when his parents came to Crawford county, where his subse- quent life was spent, farming being his main interest. He was married in Whetstone township, Feb. 14, 1837, to Miss Jane Clark, who was born in Wayne county, O., Dec. 4, 1810, and died July 3, 1884. She was brought to Crawford county by her father, Archibald Clark, in 1821, after the death of her mother, in Wayne county, O. Archi- bald Clark was one of the first settlers in Whetstone township, where he became a man of importance and of large fortune. He died there Dec. 30, 1875, aged 85 years. The Clarks were of Scotch-Irish extraction and were Presbyterians in religious faith. To William Kerr, Jr., and his wife the follow- ing children were born: Archibald C., Sarah and Alexander M. Archibald C. Kerr was born Feb. 6, 1838, and was reared

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in Whetstone township and remained at home until he enlisted for service in the Civil War, Aug. 1, 1862, in the 8Ist O. Vol. Inf .; he died from fever at Corinth, Miss., Dec. 1, 1862. He was unmarried. Sarah, the only daughter, was born March 26, 1839. She married James Wise, and they reside on their farm in Wyandot county. They had one daughter, Daisey V., who died after her marriage.

Alexander M. Kerr grew to manhood on the home farm and continued to reside there until after his marriage, when he settled on a farm of 140 acres situated in Holmes township. There he engaged successfully in agricultural pursuits until he retired from active business life, in March, 1906. Mr. Kerr is a man of intelligence and observa- tion and keeps well informed concerning all that goes on in public affairs. He is inde- pendent in politics, believing in personal freedom of thought and is pronounced in his attitude in favor of temperance. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

Mr. Kerr was married at Bucyrus, Dec. 23, 1874, to Miss Sarah J. Franz, who was born April 17, 1852, the youngest of five children born to her parents and the only one surviving. She was very carefully and thoroughly educated, graduating with the first class after the new Union School build- ing was completed at Bucyrus, at which time the first certificates of graduation were issued. She was chosen to deliver the first class address.

The parents of Mrs. Kerr were Col. John and Jane (Burwell) Franz. Col. Franz was born in Germany, Aug. 12, 1812, and died of an attack of apoplexy, Nov. 14, 1870. In his youth death removed his parents and he was reared by an uncle until the age of 18 years. He then emigrated alone to America and found his way to Galion, Crawford county, O., where he learned the cabinetmaking trade, which he pursued until 1857, in the meanwhile so impressing his fellow citizens with his sterling char- acter that in that year they elected him sheriff of Crawford county. He served two terms, four years, in this office. When the Civil War broke out he became interested,

having previously been active in the state militia, and was commissioned lieutenant- colonel of the IoIst O. Vol. Inf. He served for a time but was forced to resign on ac- count of the recurrence of an old ailment which rendered military exposure impossi- ble. After his return to private life he was again called into public affairs, being elected to the office of county treasurer, and was serving in his second term when his useful life was terminated as mentioned above. He was an ardent Democrat all his mature life and served in many local offices including membership on the board of education. He was widely known in the Masonic fraternity and was a Mason of the thirty-second degree.

Col. John Franz was married in Ohio to Jane Burwell, who was born in Harrison county, O., May 21, 1815, and died at Bu- cyrus, in 1902. Her people were old set- tlers in Harrison county and came to Craw- ford county when she was young. The Burwells, like the Franz's and Kerrs were Presbyterian in religious faith. Mrs. Kerr had three brothers and one sister. Jay B. Franz died in 1910. He was thrice married but left no issue. William Franz was wide- ly known as the inventor of the Franz Knitting Machine, which has had a re- markable sale notwithstanding the competi- tion afforded by factory knitting. He real- ized an ample fortune from this invention. He was married in Ohio and had four chil- dren, three of whom survive. John S. Franz died at Jacksonville, Fla. He had early in- terests of a substantial character at Tampa. He married there and is survived by three children. Kate E., the only sister of Mrs. Kerr, died at Bucyrus. She was the wife of J. R. Clymer, a prominent journalist of Crawford county, who is also deceased. They are survived by two sons and one daughter.

To Mr. and Mrs. Kerr three sons have been born, two of whom survive. William Franz, the eldest, was born Nov. 6, 1875, and died Aug. 24, 1876. Jay Alexander, the second son, was born Oct. 25, 1882, was given excellent educational advantages and is now a prosperous farmer in Huron

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county, O. He married Miss Maude G. Carmean and they have two sons: Ernest C. and Ralph W. The youngest son, Franklin M., is unmarried and resides with his parents. He is well educated and is identified with the T. & O. Railroad, in the freight department.

EARL W. CRALL, a resident of Bucy- rus, Ohio, who is engaged in the railway mail service, was born in Liberty township, this county, just east of Bucyrus, in Oc- tober, 1875. He is a son of John Raysor Crall, and a descendant in the fifth genera- tion of Mathias Crall, who was of Swiss parentage and who resided in Dauphin county, Pa. Mathias, who had served as a soldier in the Colonial army in the Revo- lutionary war, had a son, Henry, who was born in Dauphin county, and who married Elizabeth Henshaw, a native of Pennsyl- vania, like himself. Among the children of Henry and Elizabeth was John, known as John Crall, Sr., who was born in Dauphin county, Pa., December 18, 1809. When a young man John Crall worked at the mill- wright's trade. On April 16, 1835, he mar- ried Elizabeth Raysor, a daughter of John and Susanna (Fackler) Raysor. She was born February 10, 1817, in the same county as her husband. After their marriage they lived with his father's family one year, when they moved to the farm of her father, where they remained nine years. He gave them money to purchase the farm .of Mr. Crall's parents, who were about to sell and move to the West.

Crall United Brethren church, which they had taken a leading part in founding, and of which Henry Crall was one of the first trustees. This church has been several times repaired and remodeled and is one of the best known churches in the county-being in fact an old landmark.

John and Elizabeth Crall were the par- ents of twelve children, three of whom died in Pennsylvania in childhood, and two died in childhood after they came here. The others were: John R., who settled in Mi- lan, Erie county, O .; Elizabeth, who be- came Mrs. E. M. Moore; William Elias, who for some time taught school and who settled on the old homestead, marrying Lo- vina Spahr, but who later moved to Hicks- ville, O., where he now resides; Oliver and Susan, of whom, like William, we have no special record; and David, who served in the Civil war as a member of the IOIst Regt., O. V. I., was captured at Chicka- mauga, and died in Danville prison, May 24, 1864. John Crall, Sr., died Nov. 25, 1879. He and his wife were both members of the United Brethren church, her father, John Raysor, being a minister of that per- suasion. She died at an advanced age and was buried in the old Crall cemetery. All were worthy people, prominent in the af- fairs of the township and universally liked and respected.

John Raysor Crall, father of the subject of this sketch and son of John and Eliza- beth Crall above mentioned, was born in Dauphin county, Pa., in 1837, and was four- teen years of age when he accompanied the family to this county. He was brought up to farm life and was thus engaged, for the most part in this county, until about ten years ago, when he removed to Wauseon, Ohio, and later to Adrian, Mich., where he

The Crall family moved to Ohio, settling in Crawford county, and the flattering ac- counts sent back by them of this country induced John Crall to move here also. Ac- cordingly with his wife and five children, he left Harrisburg in a two-horse wagon . resides at the present time with a daughter. in April, 1852, arriving in Crawford county Like the majority of the Crall family, he is a Republican in his political affiliations. He was first married in this county to Cath- erine Ferral, who died in the prime of life, leaving one son, Clark Crall, who is now farm manager for the Sciota Land Co., at McGuffy, Ohio, and who is married but has no children. John R. Crall married sec- in June. Here they purchased the Samuel Foster place, in Liberty township, after- wards occupied by their son, Elias, and in this townshin both Henry and John Crall died and were buried-the former at a very advanced age. Their bodies rest in the old Crall cemetery, connected with the 41

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ondly in this county Catherine Stephenson, who was born in Crawford county of Eng- lish parentage paternally, and was here reared and educated. On her mother's side she is of Pennsylvania-German ancestry. She died in the fall of 1883, in the prime of life. She was a member of the Christian church, as is also her husband. They were the parents of six children, of whom one, Maude, died in infancy, and another, May, at the age of 25 years, unmarried. The others are: Lawrence, a farmer in Wil- liams county, who is married and has three children-Fred. L., Lee and Mabel; Dilla M. lives with her father in Adrian, Mich., being in the employ of the Van Camp Com- pany; she is unmarried; Earl W. is the direct subject of this sketch; Lee S., who resides at Sumner, Ill., is in the employ of the Standard Oil Company, is married and has children-Donald H., Dorothy and Glenn Robert.

Earl W. Crall was educated at Ada, O., and at Alliance, O., and was for some years a school teacher. In the fall of 1903 he took a place as railway mail clerk and is in class 4A of the department. He also studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1908. He is a broad-minded man of scholarly tastes and has many friends throughout the county. He was married in Whetstone township to Mabel B. Camp- bell, who was born in that township, April 4, 1875, a daughter of John Benton and Jennie F. (Shanks) Campbell, and who, after receiving a good education, taught school in the county for some three years. Mrs. Crall is a granddaughter of Edward Campbell and a great granddaughter of John Campbell, who was an early settler in Wayne county, Ohio. In 1823 John Campbell came with his family to Crawford county, settling in Whetstone township, where he took up government land and ap- plied himself to the task of developing a farm. For years he resided in a log cabin, which he built himself. He was a man of ability and became one of influence, dying much respected at the age of 76 years.

Edward Campbell was reared on the farm on which he continued to reside after his

father's death. He married Amanda Tupps, who bore him four children. Their daugh- ter, Catharine, married Frank Keiffer and is now deceased. Their son, Samuel K., became in his turn the manager of the homestead farm. A daughter, Lettie J., married Andrew J. Gibson and resides on the old Campbell homestead in Whetstone township, which, as has been stated by an- other historian, " in the days of its founder was the center, not only of a generous hos- pitality, but of an influence which extended in many directions, for that honored pioneer served for many years in the office of jus- tice of the peace, at one time represented his district in the legislature, and was an active and prominent member of the Disci- ple church."

John B. Campbell was the third child of his parents. He was born and reared on the Campbell homestead and was educated in the public schools near his home and at Lebanon, O. For some time subsequently he taught winter school, working on the farm during the remainder of the year. In 1872 he married Miss Jennie Shanks, a daughter of David Shanks, and they had two children-Mabel Campbell and Urias Edward. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Campbell settled on Grandfather Campbell's old home farm, where they lived ten years, then locating on a farm of 160 acres, on which Mr. Campbell has made some fine improvements. He has given his attention to general farming and is a suc- cessful breeder of shorthorn cattle and a prominent sheep raiser. In 1892 he was granted a premium for the largest yield of scoured wool per fleece grown in the United States during the year 1892, which was con- ferred upon him at Boston, Mass. He is a Republican in politics and an influential and useful citizen.

Mr. and Mrs. Crall are the parents of two children-Muriel Bernice, born April 5, 1905, who is now attending the city schools, and Clark Campbell, born April 7, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Crall are members of the Christian church; the former is a Re- publican with independent proclivities. He

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belongs to the Blue lodge of the Masonic order.

DELMAN McCALLISTER, a leading citizen of Crawford county, O., who now devotes his entire time to the management of his farm and its varied industries, for a number of years was one of the most ef- fective and popular teachers in both Seneca and Crawford counties. He was born Jan. 16, 1867, in Fairfield county, O., and is a son af Albert and Maria (Spitler) McCal- lister.

Albert McCallister was born in Fairfield county, O., in 1837, where he followed farm- ing until about 1873, when he moved to Seneca township, Seneca county, and con- tinued as a farmer until his death, Novem- ber 26, 1900, when aged 62 years. He was of Scotch-Irish descent. In 1862 he mar- ried Maria Spitler, who was of German descent and was born and reared in Fair- field county, her death occurring in Wyan- dot county, December 2, 1911, when she was aged 74 years, 9 months and 24 days. They had seven children, as follows: Theo- dore, who is a farmer and resides in Wyan- dot county ; Mrs. Clara Wood, of Toledo; Delman; Mrs. Sadie Ream, who died Feb. 2, 1904; Mrs. Minerva Chester, who lives at Melmore, Seneca county ; Mrs. Amanda Meyers, who lives in Wyandot county ; and Mrs. Irena Hackman, who also lives in Wy- andot county.

Delman McCallister was brought up on a farm in Seneca county, his parents hav- ing moved to that place when he was a small boy. Here amid stern surroundings, he helped his parents at the general farm work and attended the district school in winter, until he reached the age of 19 years, when he hired out to a neighbor farmer for the summer season. The following winter he again attended the district school, was seized with a desire to teach and during the following summer attended the Fostoria Normal School, then taught school for a time, before taking a higher educational course at Ada, O. For some sixteen years Mr. McCallister satisfactorily taught school in Seneca county. As a teacher he was al-

ways mindful of the moral and spiritual side of life, and tried to impress and enthuse his pupils with the higher and loftier ideals which trend to build up and make better and more noble men and women. In 1903 he came to his present farm in Crawford county and for one year afterward taught school at Oceola, his last work in this line being during the following winter when he taught the school in his own school dis- trict. He is now thoroughly interested in his agricultural activities and carries on his operations along modern lines and with a large amount of success. In farming, as in teaching, Mr. McCallister is thoroughly progressive. He believes in making home life pleasant by having pleasant surround- ings and spends no little time in making them so.

Mr. McCallister was married June 29, 1891, to Miss Ida May Peters, who is a daughter of the late J. D. Peters, who was born in Jefferson county, O., Sept. 16, 1828, and came with his parents to Hancock county in 1834, and settled on a farm where Arcadia now stands. Later he bought and moved to a large farm in Seneca county. He was a member of the 197 regular O. V. I., and a life-long resident of Hancock and Seneca counties. He died in Fostoria, O., June 4, 1911, when aged 82 years, 8 months and 18 days. He was married first to Sarah J. Benham, and three children were born to them: William, who is de- ceased; Mrs. Josephine Whetson, of Find- lay, O .; and Mrs. Melvina Ferguson, who is deceased. He was married (second) to Nancy Roller, who left nine children, name- ly : Emma, who is deceased; Ida May, who is Mrs. McCallister; Ross, who is deceased; C. J., who is a resident of Tiffin ; Mrs. Alma Shuman, who is a resident of Cary, O .; Harry O., who lives in Indianapolis, Ind .; Mrs. Anna Baker Cole, who is a resident of Findlay, O .; Mrs. Ada Meyers, whose husband is a minister living at Caldwell, Kans .; and Mrs. Myrtle Moore, whose home is in South Dakota. The third mar- riage of Mr. Peters was to Ellen Clemens, a resident of Findlay.

Mrs. McCallister was also one of the suc-

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cessful school teachers of Seneca county. She received her higher education at the Northwestern Normal School and the Fos- toria Academy, and followed teaching for several years previous to her marriage. She was a lover of good literature and always took great interest in literary work.

Mr. and Mrs. McCallister have one foster son, Frank, who lives at home and teaches school. In politics Mr. McCallister has al- ways been a Democrat. While residing in Seneca county he served two terms as town- ship clerk and has also served as census enumerator. He is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Jr. O. U. A. M. For many years he has been a member and active in the United Brethren church, tak- ing a special interest in Sunday-school work.

D. C. CAHILL, a well known member of the Bucyrus bar, formerly clerk of the courts of Crawford county, has been en- gaged in the practice of law in this city, al- though not continuously, since 1860, when he was admitted to the bar. He was born in Vernon township, Crawford county, O., Nov. 2, 1832, and is a son of R. W. and Eliza (Cummins) Cahill.

Mr. Cahill spent his early years on the home farm, and later, to assist his father, passed more time there. He was educated in the Wittenberg College, and completed the entire term in that institution. In the fall of 1857 he came to Bucyrus and com- pleted his course in law, was admitted to the bar three years later and afterward en- gaged in the practice of his profession in this city until April, 1865, when he closed his office in order to make a visit to the Pa- cific coast. Traveling in a leisurely way and stopping at interesting places, he reached California and went from there to. Oregon, and from April, 1866, until he started back east, he served as deputy clerk of the county courts of Linn county. In his return to New York Mr. Cahill trav- eled over what was then an interesting part of the Western hemisphere and which is doubly so at present, crossing the Isthmus of Panama in the irregular and unsafe man-

ner of transportation of that time, without ever a thought of the great Gatun Dam that has eaten its way through miles of that wilderness, or of the mighty water- way that will invite the commerce of every nation.

For a few months Mr. Cahill again prac- ticed law at Bucyrus, but once more closed his office in order to be free to accompany an ailing brother to the warmer clime of Texas, where the latter died three months later. In June, 1869, Mr. Cahill resumed his law practice at Bucyrus but shortly afterward was incapacitated by a painful ac- cident, which prevented further professional effort until 1872. In 1874 he was elected county clerk of Crawford county and con- tinued as such until 1880. After leaving public life, Mr. Cahill once more resumed his practice of law and has ever since main- tained his office in the Quinby Block, being in partnership with a brother, the firm name being Cahill Brothers. General law has been his line and he has the reputation of being one of the safest and most conserv- ative advisers among the older members of the Bucyrus bar.

FRANK MARION EAKIN, agent for the Pennsylvania Company, at Bucyrus, O., is not only popular with this corporation but is known, valued and esteemed in rail- road circles generally. He was born at Co- lumbus Grove, O., July 28, 1870, and is a son of Dr. Thomas and Ella (Frank) Eakin.

Thomas Eakin, the grandfather, was born in Pennsylvania and was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. He married in his native state and a large family was born to him, his eld- est son being given his name, Thomas, as was the family custom. Thomas Eakin, Jr., was born in Pennsylvania in 1816 and be- came a physician. For some years he was associated in practice with Dr. J. F. Fitz- simmons, at Moundsville, Ind. Later Dr. Eakin located at Columbus Grove, O., after three years of medical service in the Civil War, and continued to practice there until within a short time of his death, in 1894. He was a man of education and culture and of splendid physical robustness and it was

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said of him that his mere appearance in a sick room was as potent as his prescrip- tions. He was widely known and was held in very high esteem both personally and professionally. He was thrice married, his last union being with Miss Ella Frank, who was born in Wayne county, O., not far from Wooster. She is a lady of scholarship, a former teacher, and has served as a mem- ber of the Columbus Grove School Board. She is interested not only in social matters but in those of wider scope, especially in relation to those concerning her own sex. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, as was the late Dr. Eakin. Four children were born to the above marriage, three daughters and one son, namely: Net- tie, who is the wife of L. E. Maxwell, a prominent citizen of Wooster, O., a mem- ber of its board of aldermen; Frank Mar- ion, our subject; Margaret, who resides with her mother at Columbus Grove; and Mary, who is the wife of L. D. Bower, a merchant at Geneva, O.

Frank Marion Eakin was educated in the schools of Columbus Grove, after which, in 1888, he entered the employ of the Pennsyl- vania Company as a telegraph operator and served as such at different points until 1896, when he was detailed as clerk for the same system, at Englewood, Ill., where he con- tinued until 1899, at which time he was ap- pointed ticket agent at Lima, O. After coming to Bucyrus he was made agent, this being a very important point on the Penn- sylvania Lines, and here has displayed marked efficiency, his executive ability be- ing so tempered with tact and diplomacy that he presides over an office of satisfied employes and at the same time meets every demand of often an unreasonable public.

Mr. Eakin was married in 1900 at To- peka, Kans., to Miss Eleanor H. Newman, who was born in Chicago, Ill., and was edu- cated at Toledo, O., and in Kansas. They attend the Presbyterian church. He is iden- tified with the Masons and the Elks.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 110

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