History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 139

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 139

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O. J. Keller remained at home through his school period and afterward until the age of 18 years, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, becoming a member of Co. C, 49th O. Vol. Inf., under his cousin, Captain Keller, and Colonel Gibson, and served from Aug. 15, 1861, until his honorable discharge in Texas, in November, 1865. He has a bright war record which proves that he was ever at his post of duty and participated in the hardships and dan-

gers of his comrades on every occasion. He took part in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Chickamauga, Nashville, Missionary Ridge and the entire Atlanta campaign. At the bat- tle of Stone River he was captured by the Con- federates but was paroled six months after- ward and later rejoined his regiment.

After his military service was over, Mr. Keller returned to Crawford county and em- barked in the mercantile business at Sulphur Springs in which he has been engaged ever since. He has invested in village property and farm land in the vicinity and has additional business interests. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and is held in high re- gard by his brother veterans. Mr. Keller is a life member of the Reformed church.

WESLEY BEAL, a substantial citizen of Crawford county, O., proprietor of a produc- tive farm near Bucyrus, is president of the Crawford County Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany and is active in all public spirited move- ments in his section. He belongs to a very highly regarded old family of this part of Ohio, one that has many representatives. He was born in Bucyrus township, Crawford county, March 10, 1865, and is a son of Ben- jamin and a grandson of John George, and a great-grandson of John George Beal.

Benjamin Beal was born in Lycoming county, Pa., in 1840, and in 1843 accompanied the family to Crawford county, where he was reared and attended school to such good pur- pose that he was a satisfactory teacher in early manhood, afterward becoming a farmer and when he moved to Bucyrus, in 1889, in order to give his children better educational oppor- tunities, he was the owner of two valuable farms. Here he shortly afterward became sec- retary of the Crawford County Mutual Fire Insurance company, an office he retained until the close of his life, in 1898. He was a Re- publican in politics and was interested in the election of suitable men to office but he never countenanced irregular methods in that con- nection nor in any other. He was known as an honest and upright man. He was one of the organizers of Bucyrus Grange, No. 705, and was master and secretary for some years, and was identified also with the Masons and the order of the Eastern Star. In early life he was

PHILIP CRAMER

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a member of the German Methodist church but at the time of death and some years before, he was united with the English Methodist Episco- pal church and was an official. He was also secretary of the Crawford County Agricultural Society for many years.

Benjamin Beal was married first in Bucyrus township, Crawford county, to Mary Stoltz, who was born in Whetstone township, her peo- ple having come to this county from Pennsyl- vania three generations ago. She died in 1868, and in 1870 Mr. Beal was married to Lydia A. Rexroth, who died in 1889, the mother of eight children, the following of whom survive: Ben- jamin, Jr., who lives in Bucyrus township and has three children; Mary A., a graduate of the Delaware University, who is the wife of Rev. Thomas Housel, a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church at Delaware and has two children; Edward G., a graduate of the law department in the Delaware University, who is cashier of the First National Bank at Bucyrus, and who married Rachel Monnett; William D., who has but recently returned from a mission- ary labor of seven years in India, being a Methodist minister and who married a daugh- ter of Bishop Robinson, a missionary of the Methodist church in India; and Bertha E., who is a graduate of the Delaware University and later a teacher in the Bucyrus High School. To the first marriage of Mr. Beal three chil- dren were born: Albert, Wesley and Emma. The eldest son died in 1908. He was a grad- uate of the Ohio Wesleyan University at Del- aware and then spent four years in the Boston Theological Seminary and subsequently served the Methodist Episcopal church as a minister for eight years in Massachusetts and then was transferred to Ohio and continued in his relig- ious, work until his death. He married Mary McCully, who survives and resides with her father at Crestline, and has one daughter, Bea- trice. Emma, the only daughter, is the wife of Charles E. Ensminger and they live on the old Beal homestead. Their children are Gertrude, Arthur and Edgar.

Wesley Beal, after completing his education, turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1903 he purchased one of the Beal farms and since then has carried on farming and stock raising. For a number of years he has been a director of the Crawford County Mut-

ual Fire Insurance company and since 1910 has been its president. He is one of the influential Republicans of the county and is a man of high standing in business and politics. as well as personally.

In 1888 Mr. Beal was married in Bucyrus township to Miss Eva Beall, born in 1868, a daughter of James P. and Mary A. (Keckler) Beall, natives of Harrison County, O. They came to Crawford county some 50 years ago and settled in Bucyrus township, where he be- came a man of consequence. He died in 1904 and was survived by his widow until 1911. They were members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Of their nine children, two died in infancy, seven grew to maturity and five are yet living. To Mr. and Mrs. Beal the follow- ing children have been born: Ruth M., Dorsey A., E. Naomi and James B. The family as a unit, belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. .

PHILIP CRAMER, who is one of Craw- ford county's substantial citizens (and well known and highly respected men, resides on one of his seven farms, his home being located in section 6, Auburn township. He was born on this farm, May 17, 1846, a son of Mathias and Margaret (Smith) Cramer.

The parents of Mr. Cramer were born, reared and married in Germany. When they came to the United States they chose Auburn township, Crawford county, O., as their home and here Mathias Cramer secured 60 acres of swamp and timber land. To the clearing and subsequent cultivating of this land he devoted the rest of his life and through his industry made it into a farm which provided well for himself and family. He died here at the age of 56 years and his burial, as also that of his wife, was in the Catholic cemetery at New Washington. Both were devoted members of the Catholic church. In Germany three chil- dren had been born to them: Christina, and two babes that died in infancy, and two more were born after coming to America: Mrs. Catherine Felter, who lives in Huron county, O .; and Philip, our subject.

Philip Cramer was only nine years old when his father died and afterward, for four years, he lived with his uncle, Peter Yocum, at New Washington, and then worked on farms for

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eleven years, following which he bought an it, spending the rest of his life on the place, an old saw mill in Cranberry township. He then honest, respected, hard-working man. He died here in 1882, when aged 56 years. His widow still survives and although in her 80th year, is active in both mind and body. They had the following children : Rickey, who is the wife of John A. Knipp and lives in Henry county; Christian, who lives in Colorado; Mary, who is the wife of Henry Geiger; G. W .; and an infant, deceased. invested in a horse-power threshing machine, which he operated for three years and then bought a steam thresher and operated that through the county for five years. Mr. Cramer continued to be enterprising, watching for business opportunities and then taking them. For 14 years he engaged in grain buy- ing at North Auburn and for ten years has been a buyer of stock and a raiser of high After his period of school attendance was over, G. W. Grauer took upon himself the responsibilities which he has carried ever since, the management, care and development of his property. The improvements he has made here are sensible and substantial and evidences of thrift are seen in every direction. grade stock and cattle. For several years after the death of his parents, the home farm was rented out but Mr. Cramer always wanted to make it his permanent home and when the chance came, be bought the interests of the other heirs and has resided here ever since. He is one of the heavy tax payers of the county, his seven farms aggregating 1,017 acres, situated in both Cranberry and Auburn townships.

Mr. Cramer married Miss Anna Hetzer, a daughter of Anthony Hetzer, and they have the following children: Andrew, Henry, Ed- ward, Emma, John, Nora, Jacob, Frank, and Fred, and Philip, who is deceased. Mr. Cra- mer and family belong to St. Mary's Catholic church. He has been almost a lifelong Dem- ocrat but has not been a seeker for office, his many business interests sufficiently occupying his attention. He has built seven large barns, one on each farm, two fine residences, and has also built the elevator and two good store rooms at North Auburn, besides other neces- sary farm buildings. All the farms were without buildings and fences when he bought them.

G. W. GRAUER, farmer and stock raiser, is one of the leading agriculturists and sub- stantial men of Holmes township, Crawford county, O. He resides just north of Bucyrus, on the old family homestead of 72 acres and owns an adjacent farm, all told 103 acres of valuable farming land. He was born on this place in 1866 and is a son of J. George and Mary (Armburster) Grauer.

J. George Grauer and his wife were both born in Germany and she came to America in 1847 and he in the fifties. Mr. Grauer ac- quired the farm that has ever since been in the family and erected the buildings and cleared

Mr. Grauer married Miss Emma Nagel, who is a daughter of John A. Nagel, who is a resident of Bellevue, O., and they have five children, namely: Filmore, Carl, Lawrence, George and Thelma. Mr. Grauer and family attend the German Lutheran church at Bucy- rus. In politics he is a Democrat.

GEORGE F. LAYER, a leading citizen of Liberty township, Crawford county, O., and a representative of one of the oldest families, re- sides on his farm of 220 acres, which is sit- uated eight and one-half miles northeast of Bucyrus and two miles northwest of Sulphur Springs, O. He was born in Michigan and is a son of John A. Layer.

John A. Layer was born in Wittenberg, Ger- many, and was four years old when his par- ents brought him to America. They located in Liberty township, Crawford county, O., and there he was reared and remained on the home place until he married, when he moved to Michigan and lived there until after the birth of his son, George F., when he returned to Liberty township. He had the following chil- dren : Elizabeth, Louisa, George F., Frank E., and one who died in infancy.

George F. Layer was yet a child when his parents returned to Liberty township and he remained on the home farm until he was 26 years of age, when he married and bought 70 acres of the homestead. After the death of his mother he returned to the old home, bought the remainder of the land and his father died here. Mr. Layer has one of the best improved

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farms in this part of Crawford county and manages his land according to modern ideas. His handsome residence is equipped with city conveniences, having a complete water system and an acetylene plant for lighting, and other buildings of substantial construction.

In 1891 Mr. Layer was united in mar- riage with Miss Emma Ulmer, a daughter of Gottlieb Ulmer, a native of Germany, and they have three children: Florence, Harvey and Frederick. Mr. Layer and family are mem- bers of St. Paul's Lutheran church. In politics Mr. Layer is a Democrat but he has never ac- cepted any public office other than membership on the school board.

CHARLES HENKEL,* who, for a quarter of a century, has been an engineer with the Erie Railway company, with home at Galion, O., was born March 4, 1853, at Brooklyn, N. Y., and is a son of Conrad and Elizabeth Henkel.

The parents of Mr. Henkel were born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and came from there in 1850 to the United States and located at Brooklyn, N. Y., where the father died in July, 1853, aged about 40 years. In ,1866 the mother and children came to Galion, O., and here she survived until in her 78th year. Both parents were members of the German Luth- eran church. Of their children there are four survivors, namely: Conrad; John, who is in the butchering business at Troy, O., who is a widower with four children; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Tobias Mockel; and Charles, who was but four months old when his father died.

Charles Henkel is a self made man, having to contend with many difficulties in boyhood and youth, incident to the early death of his father and the establishing of the family in a strange city and country. After his school days were over he applied for and secured work with the Erie Railway company and his faithfulness and industry were rewarded by promotion from time to time, and in 1887 he became freight engineer on the Fourth Divis- ion running between Galion and Dayton, O. Mr. Henkel has met with few accidents, being judicious and careful and never taking chances, and enjoys the full confidence of his employers and the respect and esteem of his comrades. He is popular with the latter and is a member

of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Mr. Henkel was married at Galion, to Miss Amanda Huffman, who was born in Morrow county, O., in 1861, a daughter of Michael and Susanna ( Bortner ) Huffman. The parents of Mrs. Henkel were born in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio in early married life, where the father preempted 160 acres of land, in Morrow county. That was the family homestead and there the father died when aged 81 years and the mother in her 79th year. They were kind, good people and were faithful members of the English Lutheran church.

Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Henkel: Carrie, born in 1882, who mar- ried Jesse Reinhart, a farmer near Galion; El- mer, who follows the trade of carriage trim- mer at Galion, and who married Gertrude Eichman; and Allen, who is a sailor in the U. S. Navy and is now located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn, N. Y. Mr. and Mrs. Henkel are members of the English Lutheran church. In politics he is a Democrat. Some years since Mr. Henkel built his handsome res- idence at No. 563 Boston street, Galion.

EMANUEL JOHNSON, a leading citizen of Holmes township, Crawford county, O., serving in the office of township treasurer, is owner and proprietor of Fairview farm, a valuable tract of 60 acres which lies four miles northwest of Bucyrus, O. He was born in Fulton county, Pa., in 1851, and is a son of David and Susanna (Masters) Johnson.

The parents of Mr. Johnson were both born in Pennsylvania, the father in Fulton county and the mother in Franklin county and both died in Fulton county when aged about 80 years. They had a family of 12 children, as follows: Martin, who is deceased; John F., who still lives in Pennsylvania; Mary and Luther, both of whom are deceased; Emanuel; Daniel M., who lives south of Bucyrus ; Jennie, who is deceased; Ruhammah; Gilbert, who lives at Joliet, Ill .; Joseph, who is a resident of North Ohio; Albert L., who lives at Williams- port, Md .; and Edward, who is a resident of Shelby, O.

Emanuel Johnson attended the public schools in youth, afterward taught school for two years and assisted on the home farm. In 1882 he came to Holmes township, Crawford

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county and has resided here ever since, in 1900 purchasing his present farm on which he car- ries on progressive farming and raises fine stock. The improvements have been placed here since he took charge and these include the comfortable residence.

Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Hetty D. Hiteshew, who was born in Maryland, and three children were born to them: Millard, who died at the age of five years; Beulah, who is the wife of D. E. Downing of Holmes township, and has one son, Paul; and Russell Sage, who assists on the home farm. Politi- cally Mr. Johnson has always been identified with the Democratic party. He has been a useful and representative citizen, always inter- ested in public matters and particularly con- cerned in the advancement of the public schools. He has served as a school director and at present is township treasurer. Mr. Johnson and family belong to the Evangelical church in Holmes township.

CHARLES M. SHEEHE, conductor on the Cincinnati East, the Third Division, Erie railway, has been identified with this import- ant transportation line since 1890 and is num- bered with its most valued employes. He was born at Mingo, Champaign county, O., Feb. 19, 1870, and is a son of Michael and Cathe- rine (McGraw ) Sheehe.

The parents of Mr. Sheehe were born in Ire- land but were married in New York city, he having come to America when aged about 20 years and she when 16 years of age. A few years after marriage they moved to Mingo, O., where Mr. Sheehe was employed in railroad construction, being foreman of a gang of workmen, and there he died in 1879, when in his 57th year. His widow survived until April 29, 1911, being then 74 years of age. They were members of the Roman Catholic church. Their family consisted of seven sons and two daughters, three of the sons and one of the daughters being now deceased. Two of the sons are residents of Galion and railroad men : Charles M. and Henry, the latter being a brakeman with the Erie road.

As a brakeman with the road he still serves, Charles M. Sheehe entered the service in 1890 and continued in that position until 1898, when he was made conductor on a freight train with

a competent crew under his orders, for seven years being with the Cincinnati West Division and since then with the Cincinnati East. He has a fine record as to carefulness and effi- ciency, never having had any serious accidents, and is also a respected citizen of Galion, now his home.

At Galion Mr. Sheehe was married to Miss Elizabeth Wildenthaler, who was born at Ga- lion, Jan. 11, 1874, where she was educated in St. Joseph's parochial school. Her parents were Andrew and Amanda (Murray) Wilden- thaler. After Mr. Wildenthaler s death, the mother subsequently married a Mr. Slabauch- and both are now deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Sheehe the following children have been born: Roy L., who is a brakeman on the Erie rail- road; Marie C .; Charles J., who is call boy at Galion for the Erie; George H. and Floyd F., both of whom are in school; Dorothy M., who died at the age of eight months; and Frank A., John E. and Jean E. Mr. Sheehe and family are members of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church. He is identified with the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and belongs also to the Eagles, Maccabees and Elks and has served of- ficially in some of these organizations. In politics he is a Democrat.

WILLIAM J. WINANS,* a popular, trusted and esteemed conductor on the Erie railway, with home at Galion, O., was born in Douglas township, Effingham county, Ill., Oct. 25, 1865. Almost from boyhood he has been connected with railway life and for a number of years has been very prominent in organized labor circles.

By the time Mr. Winans was 12 years old his schooldays were over and he was practi- cally thrown on his own resources. He worked through the farming sections of Illinois until he was 17 years of age when he came to Ohio and until he was 23 was mainly engaged in farming and brick making, in Richland and Crawford counties. He then entered the ser- vice of the Erie railroad as a brakeman and by 1896 had reached such proficiency that he was entrusted with a freight train as conductor and as such has watched over the safe transporta- tion of millions of dollars worth of commod- ities and has met with few accidents. He has always been connected with the Third Divi-

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sion, which is also known as the Cincinnati East. He early became a member of the or- ganization known as the railroad trainmen and since 1890 has been continuously its state rep- resentative sent again and again, for six successive terms as a delegate to the state leg- islature to look after the interests of all rail- road employes in Ohio and he has been faith- ful to the trust reposed in him. He has served on the city council at Galion of which city he has been a resident since 1889. In his political affiliation he is a Democrat. In 1910 Mr. Winans was appointed by Governor Harmon a member of a committee to draft a report per- taining to labor compensation and in the sum- ming up, Mr. Winans disagreed with the other four members and sent in a minority report and when the bill which it affected was passed and became a law it was seen that Mr. Win- an's report presented a perfect working plan.

At a recent meeting of the State Constitu- tional Convention the following testimonial was presented to Mr. Winans by the labor group of 15 members of the convention, under date of May 23, 1912:

"We, the undersigned members of organ- ized labor, delegates in Ohio's Fourth Con- stitutional Convention herewith heartily com- mend Mr. W. J. Winans for his efficient and untiring efforts in behalf of the cause of labor as presented to the convention. We recog- nize that labor has been successful in having adopted measures which will give the people the greatest opportunity for progress and ad- vancement, and we submit this testimonial to you for having contributed so much to the passage of labor measure. The labor group in the convention congratulated the. Brother- hood of Railroad Trainmen in having a rep- resentative who has faithfully and intelligently represented them at the convention. This makes a new era in the advancement for the benefit of mankind." This document bore the signatures of the fifteen labor delegates. On the day following the receipt of the above, Mr. Winans was still further honored by the receipt of a beautiful fob and gold watch charm, suitably engraved, which gift was espe- cially gratifying at this time as indicative of the sincerity of its donors.

On June 27, 1893, Mr. Winans was married at Hamilton, Canada, to Miss Mary E. Mar-

latt, who was born and reared in one of the towns of the province of Ontario. She was born Sept. 17, 1869, and died at Galion, O., May 9, 1909, the beloved and tender mother of three children, namely: Hazel E., who was born Feb. 28, 1895, who is a student in the Galion High School; Lawrence J., who was born Dec. 8, 1897, who is also a high school student; and Bernice J., who died when aged ten months and nine days. Mr. Winans is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which his wife also belonged, and the chil- dren are interested in Sunday-school work.

CARL E. COBB, a general farmer and well known resident of Liberty township, Crawford county, O., was born in 1881 in Liberty town- ship and is a member of one of the old Pio- neer families of Crawford county, residing on the farm of 200 acres which his grandfather entered from the Government. He is one of three heirs to this property. His parents were Charles C. and Hannah ( Heckart) Cobb.

Charles C. Cobb was born in Ohio and was a farmer during his entire mature life. He inherited the present farm from his father and kept it intact and passed it on to his chil- dren. It is a fine property yet undivided. He married Hannah Heckart, who was born in Pennsylvania and they had three children: Ora E., who married Philip Russman and has four children-Russell, Pearl, Cyril and Don- ald-and resides in Whetstone township; Otis, who resides on the homestead with his mother ; and Carl E., our subject.

Carl E. Cobb attended the public schools and since then has devoted his time and attention to farm pursuits. He owns one-third of the undivided estate. The heirs have made num- erous improvements on this property and have recently completed the erection of a substan- tial barn and are carrying out their agricul- tural operations along modern and progressive lines.

On Jan. 1, 1905, Mr. Cobb was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth C. Sandham- mer, a member of an old family of this sec- tion, one of three children, the others being : Maggie, who married James Maudsley and has had five children-Maud, William, Georgia, Joseph and an infant, deceased; and Ada, who married Harvey Eaton, residing at Bucy-

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rus, and has two children-Joseph and Melvin. Mr. and Mrs. Cobb have two interesting little sons : Wallace G. and Merril W. Mr. Cobb votes with the Republican party and takes a good citizen's interest in affairs pertaining to his own neighborhood.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 139

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