History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 129

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 129

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GEORGE SAND, who cultivates his fine farm of 210 acres, situated in Bucyrus town- ship, Crawford county, O., with a great deal of care, was born in France, in 1864, and is a son of George and Margaret (Witter) Sand.

The parents of Mr. Sand were also born in France, where they were reared and married and came to Ohio when their son George was young. The other children born to this mar- riage were Michael K. and John. The father married again after the death of his first wife and they now live at Nevada, O., and have the

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following children: Anna, wife of George Guger, and Clara, wife of William Price.

George Sand had the usual school oppor- tunities in his youth and has been engaged in farming ever since and with an experience of some 30 years may lay just claim to under- stand his business, especially when he has proved that success has followed his efforts. He devotes his land to the crops that do best in this section and raises some good stock.

Mr. Sand was married Feb. 11, 1892, to Miss Grace Rosa Mayer, a daughter of Jacob Mayer. Her parents never came to the United States but she has one brother, George, and a sister, Mary, wife of William Kline, living in this country. To Mr. and Mrs. Sand the fol- lowing children have been born: Alfred M., Antonia B., William G., John H., C. Fred- erick; Clarence M., Bertha A. M., Milford C., and Irvin R. Mr. Sand and family attend the German Lutheran church. He votes the Democratic ticket. Mr. Sand is a well known and highly respected citizen of Bucyrus town- ship.

JOHN A. MECK,* justice of the peace and a member of the Bucyrus bar, has long been well known to the people of Crawford county, in which section of Ohio may be found a host of his friends. He is a native of Crawford county, born in Lykens township, Feb. 19, 1858.

Mr. Meck was educated in the public schools and at the Ohio Normal School at Ada, O., and after completing the educator's course in the institution, commenced to teach school. For the following six years or more he alter- nated school teaching and working on the home farm. After coming to Bucyrus he studied law with the late Hon. S. R. Harris, formerly member of Congress from this dis- trict. In 1902 he was appointed a justice of the peace and so satisfactory has been his ser- vice in this capacity that he has made many friends who would like to see him elected to the office of probate judge, believing that he possesses in unusual degree the qualities which are needed on the bench. He has been quite active in political circles for a number of years and has been an efficient worker for the Demo- cratic party. Formerly he was identified with the Masonic lodge at Bucyrus.

Mr. Meck is unmarried.

T. JOHN LUTZ, who resides on his val- uable farm of seventy-six acres, situated in Bucyrus township, Crawford county, O., owns a second farm, which contains 146 acres and is located in Ashtabula county, O. He was born in Chatfield township, Crawford county, in December, 1860, and is a son of Michael and Sabina (Kalb) Lutz.

The parents of Mr. Lutz were born in Ger- many but for many years they were well known and highly respected residents of Chat- field township, Crawford county, where the father was a farmer and also followed the car- penter trade. Both he and wife died in Chatfield township and a number of their chil- dren live in this section. Of these T. John was the sixth in order of birth, the others be- ing: William; Sabina, who is the widow of Mathias Loyer; Michael; Catherine, who is the wife of J. D. Loyer; Caroline; Lucy, who is the wife of Frank Rush; David; Matilda, who is the wife of J. H. Fox; and Daniel and Jacob.

T. John Lutz attended the public schools near his father's farm and afterward spent three terms at college, at Valparaiso, Ind. A well educated man makes no mistake when he chooses farming as his life work and Mr. Lutz has proved this true. When he started he bought 100 acres of land in Cranberry town- ship, which he bought from a Mr. Rader, but since 1903 he has been on his present farm in Bucyrus township, which he purchased from C. F. Rexroth.

In June, 1882 Mr. Lutz was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Zeller, who died in 1904. She was a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Bardon) Zeller, who came to Crawford county from Germany and after many years died on their farm here. They had the fol- lowing children: Margaret, wife of N. F. Shunk; Elizabeth, wife of John Q. Shunk; Catherine; Christina, wife of M. J. Lutz; Henry; Martha; August; Matilda, wife of S. E. Miller, Mary Elizabeth, formerly wife of T. John Lutz; and John, Albert and Etta. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lutz : Cyrus Pierce, Clifton D. and Ruth, the last named being deceased. Mr. Lutz was married (second) to Mrs. Ida (Lewis) Jack- son, widow of Thomas J. Jackson, and she had one child of her first marriage, Bertie Elmyra. Mr. Jackson died in Huron county,

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O. In politics Mr. Lutz has always been a in which Mr. Leitzy is a deacon. In politics Democrat and on many occasions has been Mr. Leitzy is a stanch Democrat. He served three years as township supervisor, with the greatest efficiency, and at present is a school director. elected to responsible township offices on the Democratic ticket. He has served as a mem- ber of the school board and in Chatfield town- ship served as road supervisor and three terms as assessor. He is one of the valued members of the Bucyrus Grange, and with his wife be- longs to the English Lutheran church in that city.

JOSEPH LEITZY, farmer, stock raiser and leading citizen of Holmes township, Crawford county, O., resides on his farm of 100 acres and has an additional 40 acres in Bucyrus township. He was born in Holnies township, Aug. 7, 1876, and is a son of Francis and Susanna (Smith) Leitzy.

Francis Leitzy was born in Germany and was young when he came to the United States and spent the larger portion of his long life in Crawford county, O., settling first near Bucyrus and later moving to the place now owned by his son Joseph, four miles west of that city. He carried on farming and raised stock, was an honest, industrious man and one who was highly respected. He lived to be 84 years old. He married Susanna Smith, who died in her 55th year, and they had eight chil- dren born to them, as follows: Rosanna, who is the wife of Philip Strohm; Catherine, who is the wife of George Strohm; Mary, who is the wife of Jacob Steiger; John, who lives in Dallas township, Crawford county; Louisa, who is the wife of Fred Schufer of Bucyrus; William, who lives at Bucyrus; Joseph; and George, who is deceased.

Joseph Leitzy remained at home and as- sisted his father and after the latter's death bought the interests of the other heirs. He is a practical, well informed ,farmer with a thorough understanding of the principles of agriculture and their appliance to his own land and has been very successful in his undertak- ings. He has a very attractive place, having erected substantial buildings and keeping everything in excellent order.

Mr. Leitzy was married (first) to Miss Elizabeth Wisman, who died in 1908, leaving one daughter, Mary. He was married (sec- ond) to Miss Verda Wisman. They are mem- bers of the Martin Luther Church at Bucyrus

ALFRED C. GEORGE, whose fine farm of 148 acres is situated in Dallas township, Crawford county, O., has been a resident of Crawford county for a number of years but his birth took place in Morrow county, Jan. 14, 1874, his parents, John and Elizabeth (McCracken) George, being also natives of Morrow county. They were well known peo- ple, were members of the Baptist church, and lived comfortably on their well improved farm, which continued to be their home until the close of life. They had the following family of children born to them: Margaret, deceased, who was the wife of Perry Purvis; Julia, deceased, who was the wife of William Reed; Mary, who married Theodore Stafford; William; Jennie, who is the wife of Thomas Cluff; Benjamin; Thomas, who is deceased; Abbie, who is the wife of Harry Clark; John A .; Hannah, who married (first) James Clark, and (second) a Mr. Fleming; Alfred C., and Callie, who is deceased.

Alfred C. George obtained his educational training in the public schools and remained on the home farm with his father until he was 24 years of age. For about two years afterward he rented land in Bucyrus township and then bought his present farm, 68 acres from Daniel Aumiller and 80 acres from Charles Dowdy. He has improved his property and recently has erected a substantial modern barn. A general line of farming is carried on and he has every reason to feel satisfied with his present agri- cultural success and its future promise.

On April 4, 1906, Mr. George was married to Miss Mabel Beall, who was born in Craw- ford county, and is a daughter of John and Annetta (Wentz) Beall. The father of Mrs. George is deceased but the mother lives and resides in Dallas township. The Bealls were early settlers and substantial people of this part of Crawford county. Mrs. George has three brothers, one older, Arthur, and two younger, Walter and Edgar. Mr. and Mrs. George have one daughter, Elizabeth Annetta. They are members of the Christian Church.

JAMES S. McCARRELL, D. D. S.

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Mr. George is a Democrat in politics and be- longs also to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Bucyrus.

JAMES S. McCARRELL, D. D. S., de- ceased, for 44 years was one of the leading professional men of Bucyrus, where, also as a citizen, he was held in respect and esteem. He was born Feb. 14, 1835, in Armstrong county, Pa., and died at Bucyrus, O., May 3, 1909. He was one of a family of three sons and one daughter born to Rev. James Mc- Carrell, who, at one time was a prominent minister in the United Presbyterian church in Pennsylvania.

James S. McCarrell had school advantages, his father being a scholarly man, and early became a teacher. When the Civil War broke out he and his two brothers enlisted for serv- ice but serious illness caused his discharge on account of disability, while his brothers sur- vived the early hardships of army life only to die later of starvation in the stockade at Andersonville, Ga. He resumed teaching and later became superintendent of the public schools of Beaver Falls, Pa. He completed his studies in dentistry at New Brighton, Pa., and in 1865 came to Bucyrus and established himself here where his subsequent life was spent. He was one of the most successful practitioners of dental surgery in this city, his long experinece and scientific skill qualify- ing him for all ordinary dental work and for those delicate operations which, in his later years, served to elevate the. profession to its present high plane, with which he made him- self thoroughly familiar. He was a member of the Ohio State Dental Association and in many lines of dental practice was considered an authority. For many years he was identi- fied with the Masonic fraternity. He called himself a Democrat but was always independ- ent in his views.

Dr. McCarrell was married at Bucyrus to Miss Mary A. Matthews, who was born in 1837, at Utica, N. Y., and was three years old when her parents moved to Sandusky, O. Her grandfather, Rev. Robert Matthews, was a native of Bath, England. He was possessed of means and for forty years devoted his life to the free ministery of the Baptist church. Robert Matthews, Jr., father of Mrs. McCar-

rell was educated in England. He married Mary Kelly, of Troy, N. Y. and afterward settled permanently at Sandusky, O., where Mr. Matthews continued in business until his death. His widow subsequently married James Paul and they had one son, Charles. She lived into old age and died at Sandusky. Mrs. McCarrell has one surviving brother, William Matthews, of Sandusky. To Dr. and Mrs. McCarrell three children were born : James, who died when aged three years and eight months; Maud, who is the wife of Ed- ward George Reid, a prominent citizen of Bucyrus; and Susan, who resides with her mother. Mrs. McCarrell is a member of the Presbyterian church and Miss Susan of the Episcopal church. They are well known in social circles here.

Mrs. McCarrell had an exceedingly trying experience at one time in her life. She was attending the performance at Ford's Theater, Washington, D. C., on that memorable occa- sion when President Lincoln was fatally shot by the assassin, J. Wilkes Booth.

CHARLES H. LANIUS, passenger agent at Galion, O., has been identified with the C. C. C. and B. I. and now Big Four R. R., at this point since 1870 and is one of the best known railroad men on the line. He was born at Kelshausen, Kreises Wetzlar, Prussia, Dec. 20, 1848, a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Sames) Lanius.

The parents of Mr. Lanius were also of German birth and parentage. During the Revolution of 1848 Peter Lanius became in- volved and in the spring of 1849 embarked with his wife and infant son on a vessel sail- ing for America. After a voyage of three months the travelers were safely landed in the harbor of New York and from there made their way to Buffalo and then to Sandusky, O. From that place, in a grain wagon, then denominated a land schooner, the German family reached Galion. At first Peter Lanius accepted farm work at 35 cents a day, a small wage but in that day it purchased more than double the amount that it would at the present time. Later, for many years he was in the draying business at Galion and his death oc- curred in this city in 1886, when he was aged 63 years, having survived his wife for five

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years. They were members of the First Re- formed church and were highly respected by all who gained their acquaintance. The fam- ily contained four sons and two daughters, there being three sons yet living, namely: Charles H .; William P., who is general yard- master with the B. & O. Railroad at Lorain, O .; and John, who is a car inspector for the Big Four, at Galion.

Charles H. Lanius was reared and attended school at Galion and in 1870 entered the em- ploy of the C. C. C. and B. I. now Big Four R. R. In 1878 he was made ticket and ex- press clerk and continued until 1907, when he was made passenger agent.

Mr. Lanius was married at Galion to Miss Catherine Sittler, who was born here, a daugh- ter of John Sittler, who was born in Dodenau, Hesse Darmstadt and married at Galion, where he died aged 44 years. By trade he was a cooper. The mother of Mrs. Lanius, was born at New Philadelphia, O., and died at the age of 68 years. Mr. and Mrs. Lanius have six children, namely : Frederick, agent of Big Four R. R., at Galion, who married Zula Belle Cutchfield and has three children- Ralph, Vivian and Dean; Mary, who passed the grammar grade, and follows the dress- making trade; Ora, who is a clerk in a dry goods store and a graduate of Galion High School; Carl, train director for the Pennsyl- vania lines at Pittsburg, Pa., who married Cora Clark; Otto, who is with the C. and E. I. Railway, at Danville, Ill., and Cleo, also a graduate of Galion High School, who is a stenographer, in the Big Four Railway offices at Galion. All the children have been given educational advantages and all stand well in their communities. Mr. and Mrs. Lanius have reared their family in the faith of the First Reformed church. Fraternally Mr. Lanius is a Blue Lodge Mason, and in his political senti- ments he prefers to be free from party ties.

SAMUEL BAKER, whose death on Sept. 15, 1910, deprived Dallas township of a good and worthy citizen, was born in Whet- stone township, this county, Sept. 22, 1845, son of Benaiah and Mary (Houck) Baker. His parents were natives of Pickaway county and were farmers. They had nine children, namely: Rebecca, who married Thomas Ken-

nedy; William; Phillip; John; Matilda, wife of Marcus Hemphill; Samuel, subject of this sketch; Lucinda, wife of George Miller; Polly, who was the wife of William Crissinger; and David, who perished in the Civil war.

Samuel Baker was educated in the common schools and was brought up to farming, which occupation he followed for the rest of his life. Politically he was a Democrat and though not particularly active in township affairs was rec- ognized as a capable farmer and reliable citi- zen, exercising usually a sound judgment on matters of public interest. He was married Oct. 14, 1869 to Lydia Jane Kennedy, a daughter of William and Margaret (Shank) Kennedy.

Mrs. Baker's parents were born in Pennsyl- vania and both came to. Ohio when young. After their marriage they took up farming in Marion county. Their children were Lydia Jane, above mentioned; Thomas S., a farmer of Dallas township, where and elsewhere he owns large tracts of agricultural property, be- ing also a stockholder in the Farmers and Citizens Bank of Bucyrus, and whose wife was in maidenhood Esther F. Monnett; Martha, now deceased, who was the wife of George Watts; James William, of whom we have no special record; Emma, who is the wife of Madison Roberts; Zilla, who is the present wife of George Watts; and Margaret Ellen, who is the wife of John Hill. After the death of Mrs. Margaret Kennedy, Mrs. Baker's mother, William Kennedy married for his second wife Mary A. Lance and they had born to them a daughter, Samira, who is the wife of Ellsworth J. Jones. Mrs. Baker's grand- parents on the paternal side were Thomas and Nancy Kennedy, and on the maternal side, Jacob and Lydia Shank.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Baker have been as follows: Della, who mar- ried Charles Garver and whose children are C. Marion, Marvin J. and Jane Ermyntrude; William P., who married Icy Birdilla Blowers and has two children-William Carl and Daniel Earl; Thomas, who married Rose Shell and whose children are Ernest, Cleo and Mil- dred; David, who resides in the state of Cali- fornia ; Roda ; Sylvia; Idro, wife of Jay Stoltz has one child, Treva Fern; Vernon J. and Hertha. The Baker family in general attend

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the Methodist church. They are numbered among the good citizenship of Crawford county, in the development and upbuilding of which they are taking an active and useful part. Mrs. Baker herself owns 80 acres in Dallas township, which came to her from her father, William Kennedy.

JACOB LUST, whose well improved farm of 150 acres lies in Holmes township, Craw- ford county, O., on the Oceola road, four miles west of Bucyrus, was born in Lykens township, Crawford county, March 17, 1855, and is a son of David and Catherine (Yeiter) Lust.

David Lust came of German ancestry but was born in Marion county, O., and in 1828 accompanied an uncle to Crawford county and resided in Chatfield township until after his marriage. He then moved to Lykens town- ship and for many years carried on farming but is now retired, being in his 84th year. He married Catherine Yeiter, who was born in New Jersey and was brought to Crawford county in youth. Ten children, six sons and four daughters were born to them and all sur- vive except one daughter, Mrs. Lydia Stump, the next to the youngest born. The others are: Jacob; Mrs. Elizabeth Heiber; Simon, of Liberty township; Noah, of Whetstone town- ship; Mrs. Mary Cook, of Bucyrus; Wesley, of Holmes township; Mrs. Sarah Hayden, who resides with her father; Abraham, of Holmes township; and Amos, who is the home farmer.

Jacob Lust obtained his education in the dis- trict schools and afterward engaged in farm- ing in Liberty and Bucyrus townships prior to coming to his present place, Aug. 17, 1893. He has greatly improved this property since it came into his possession and has a valuable and well stocked farm. Mr. Lust married Miss Amanda Brown, a daughter of John Brown, who was born in Germany. They have had six children, namely: Verne, who married Ora Benson and has two children- Florence and Fairy; an infant, deceased; Ef- fie, who died at the age of fifteen years; Roy, who married Elsie Schifer and has two chil- dren-Norma and Fred; and Leora and Raymond, who remain at home. Politically Mr. Lust is a stanch Democrat and he has served in the office of township trustee and is

a member of the school board, the District No. 9 school-house being on his farm. Mr. Lust and family attend the Lutheran church. They are all well known and highly respected people of this section.

SAMUEL F. WEIDEMAIER, who, for 25 years has resided on his present exceed- ingly valuable farm of 280 acres, which is situated in Bucyrus township, Crawford county, O., is a representative man of this sec- tion, one who is held in high esteem by all who know him. He was born in Marion county, O., March 28, 1860, and is a son of Peter and Christina (Diegle) Weidemaier.

Peter Weidemaier was born in Germany and came to America in youth and became a farmer in Marion county, O. There he mar- ried Christina Diegle, who was born in Mar- ion county, of German parents, and there they lived until the end of their lives, being quiet, good, thrifty and religious people. They had the following children born to them: Samuel F., Jacob, Daniel Joseph, Thomas and Minnie, all of whom survive except Daniel and Minnie.

Samuel F. Weidemaier was trained to farm pursuits by his father, with whom he remained until he was 28 years of age. Since he has been in business for himself many of the farm methods have changed and improved machin- ery has taken the place of former wearying hand work, but the principles remain the same. For 16 years Mr. Weidemaier rented the farm he then bought, purchasing it from the heirs of Daniel Stump, who was his father-in-law. He has made improvements as he has deemed them necessary and since taking charge of the property has probably doubled its value. He engages in a general farming line. In 1887 he was married to Miss Louisa Stump, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Zimmer- man) Stump, and they have two sons, Arthur and Wesley. In politics Mr. Weidemaier is a Democrat. With his family he belongs to the German Methodist church, of which he is a trustee and in which he has served as Sun- day-school superintendent.

CHAS. F. MATTHEW, who served Craw- ford county in the office of recorder for six consecutive years and is now engaged in the abstract, insurance and real estate business at

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Bucyrus, O., has been a resident of this city for over a half century. He was born in Sen- eca county, O., July 3, 1854, and is a son of Charles M. Matthew.

Charles M. Matthew was born in one of the Rhine provinces of Germany and in 1847, during the insurrection, left Germany and came to America, locating in the Lake Super- ior region and some time later removed to Scipio, in Seneca county, O., where he fol- lowed the trade of cabinetmaker. There he married Margaret Shock, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, and had been brought to America by her parents when she was a child. After the birth of three of their seven chil- dren, they moved to Bucyrus, where the re- mainder of their quiet, virtuous, useful lives were spent, the mother dying in 1885 and the father surviving until 1905, he being then in his 76th year. They were members of the German Reformed church. Politically he was a Democrat. Six of the family of children still live and four reside at Bucyrus.

Chas. F. Matthew was the eldest born of his parents' children and was six years old when the family came to Bucyrus. Here his education was attended to and he was usefully employed in various ways until. 1880, when he went to work in his father's furniture store and became a partner in 1885 and continued in the business for the next ten years. In 1897 he was appointed deputy county recorder and in 1903 was elected recorder and filled out two terms in this office with marked efficiency. In the meanwhile he had become interested in abstract work and later opened an abstract of- fice and, in connection with his other interests, continues the same. In 1909 he became asso- ciated with Milton R. Lewis in the insurance and real estate business at Bucyrus and theirs is a busy office in the News Forum Building at Bucyrus.

Mr. Matthew was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Kate B. Schack, who was born in the state of New York but was reared at Wilcox, Pa. They have two children: Eva A., who was born in 1878 and is the wife of Dr. F. C. McGaughy, a well known dentist of Galion, O., and Fred A., who is interested in mining in Mexico. Mr. and Mrs. Matthew are mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. Politically he is a Democrat and formerly was active as a Knight of Pythias.

ALBERT J. SEELE, whose excellent farm of 93 acres lies in Bucyrus township, Craw- ford county, O., was born in Holmes town- ship, Crawford county, Feb. 19, 1857, and is a son of Emil and Catherine (Spade) Seele.

Emil Seele was born in Germany and was 16 years old when he came to America and lo- cated in Crawford county. He learned and followed the shoemaking trade for some years but later became a farmer in Holmes town- ship,- where he died. He was a highly re- spected man, a faithful member of the Ger- man Lutheran church, and a Democrat in politics. He married Catherine Spade, who was born in Stark county, O., and she also is deceased, through life having been a member of the German Reformed church. They had the following children : Malinda, who married Charles Gerstenberger ; Edward; Matilda, who married Abraham Ditty; George Delmar; Al- bert J .; Celestia, who married Daniel Smith; and William, Clarence, and Charles Westley.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 129

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