History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 154

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 154

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MRS. THOMAS NEDOLAST, who is a well known and highly esteemed resident of Cranberry township, Crawford county, O., residing on her farm of 152 acres, located in section 13. owns 470 acres of land. She was born in Germany. in June, 1856, and is a daughter of Andrew and Lena (Schiefer) Wenzelick, and the widow of Thomas Nedo- last.

Andrew Wenzelick, father of Mrs. Nedo- last, was born in Germany, Feb. 28, 1808. and died on his farm two miles north of New Washington, O., Nov. 30, 1867, and his bur- ial was in the Catholic Cemetery at New Washington. He married Lena Schiefer, and after the birth of their children they came to the United States and spent the rest of their lives in Crawford county. O. They were well known people, kind and hospitable, and were liberal supporters and faithful members of the Catholic church. To them were born the following children : Margaret, who became the wife of George Hepp; Barbara, who married

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Peter Ruebuck; Mary, who is the wife of Martin Durnwald; Barto, who married Mar- tin Durwent; Anna, who married Thomas Nedolast; Lizzie; and Lena, who is the wife of Philip Studer.

In January, 1872, Anna Wenzelick was mar- ried to Thomas Nedolast, who was born in Germany, a son of John and Mary ( Yocka- land) Nedolast, the former of whom was born in 1812. He settled east of New Washing- ton, in Crawford county, O. He and family were members of the Catholic church. To Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Nedolast the following children were born: John, who resides on the home farm; George, who lives in Cranberry township, who married Kate Schister, and has four children-Helen, Martha, Gerhart and Anna; Nicholas, who married Elizabeth Yack- land, and has three children-Lucy, Dora and Albert; Martin, who lives on the home farm; Peter, who married Dora Studer, and has two children-Gilbert and Frederick; Lena, who is the wife of Joseph Raymond, and has two children-Isabel and William; and Leo and Joseph, who remain with their mother on her farm. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Nedo- last lived for a time four miles southeast of New Washington and then came to this place, on which his death occurred. He was a well known and highly respected man, a good far- mer, kind neighbor and loving husband and father and gave faithful service to the Cath- olic church to which he and all his family be- longed.

CHRISTIAN P. SHAFTSTALL,* a well known agriculturist of Bucyrus township, is the owner of 82 acres of land. He was born Nov. 23, 1845, being a son of Peter and Elizabeth (Frantz) Shaftstall, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, where they were married but came to Crawford county, being among the early settlers. Both are now deceased and are buried in Mt. Zion cemetery.

Peter Shaftstall was a farmer all his life and a Republican in his political views. To him and his wife were born a number of chil- dren, namely : Susan; Elizabeth, who was mar- ried first to James Banks and second to J. S. Cook; Christian P .; Frederick; Rebecca, the wife of John Marvel; Catherine; Mary El- len, the wife of T. J. Williams; and Sarah, the wife of Frank Sweitzer.

Christian P. Shaftstall grew up on the home farm and was given a common school educa- tion. He then learned the carpenter's trade and was engaged in this occupation for nine years when he turned his attention to farm- ing, in which he has since been interested. He bought 28 acres of land in 1874 and 271/2 acres in 1880 and in 1883 he added to this so that he now owns 82 acres and on this land he successfully carries on general farming. He has remodeled his house and built a new barn after the first burned down.

Christian P. Shaftstall was married first in 1873 to Miss Irene Morehead who died in 1874. To them was born one child who died in infancy. Irene Morehead was a daughter of George Morehead. Mr. Shaftstall was mar- ried secondly in 1885 to Miss Esther Shemer, whose parents, John and Mary Shemer, were farmers in this county, and had the follow- ing children, besides Mrs. Shaftstall; Levi, Garrison, George, Corvin, Priscilla, Delilah, Anna and Amanda. To our subject and his wife were born: Clarence Otto, who married Blanche Wilson and has a son, Russell; and Lester Earl, who is at home.

Mr. Shaftstall is a Republican in politics and he and his family attend the U. B. church.

JOHN A. QUIG, who is one of the prom- inent men of Auburn township, Crawford county, O., a member of its school board for ten years and during seven of these president of this body, resides on his excellent farm of 80 acres, which lies in section 30, Auburn township. He was born three miles northeast of New Washington, O., Nov. 12, 1849, and is a son of John and Hannah (Dickson) Quig.

John Quig was born in Ireland and was a young man when he accompanied his mother to the United States, locating in New Jersey. Later he came to Crawford county, O., and went to work for John Dickson, a substantial farmer in Vernon township, whose daughter, Hannah Dickson, he subsequently married. They became parents of seven children, two of whom died in infancy, John A. being the third in order of birth. After marriage John Quig and wife lived in Cranberry township for ten years, during which time John A. was born, and then moved to Sandusky township, where he died when his above named son was nine years old, his age being 52 years. His

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widow survived to the age of 66 years. They were members of the Presbyterian church and were people who were highly respected in their neighborhood and long were remembered for their many good qualities.

John A. Quig attended the district school in Sandusky township and ever since then has been engaged in farming. After he married he lived for six years in Vernon township and then moved to his present place which he bought from Thomas Bear. It was partly improved and he remodeled the buildings and added others as his farm industries demanded and now has all his land under cultivation except twelve acres which are in valuable timber.

Mr. Quig married Miss Maggie Smith, who was born in Ashland county, a daughter of Jacob Smith, and they have the following chil- dren: F. J., L. M., C. G., A. E., O. L., and C. L. Mr Quig and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been practically a lifelong Democrat and has been one of the most interested citizens of his town- ship in educational matters.

DAVID F. ABGER, M. D., deceased, who was once a well known physician in several sec- tions of Ohio, and whose descendants are rep- resentative people of Crawford county, was born in New Jersey, in 1829. The early rec- ords of his family have not been preserved but they were substantial people and he en- joyed educational advantages and was grad- uated from a medical college, following which he entered into practice at Wapakoneta, in Auglaize county, O. At the commencement of the Civil War, Dr. Abger entered the Federal Army as a surgeon, enlisting at McComb, in Hancock county O., and served out a first enlistment of three months. During this period he so fully realized the pressing neces- sity of skilled medical men in the army that at Galion, O., he reenlisted and after serving as a surgeon again for six months, was sent to a Western post and after that was lost to his family, the disturbed condition of the whole country at that time easily explaining this dis- appearance, which was harrowing in the ex- treme to wife and children.

In Crawford county, O., Dr. Abger was married to Miss Mary Shawber, who was born in this county, Sept. 1I, 1831, a daughter of

John and Rebecca (Rhinehart) Shawber. The father of Mrs. Abger was born in Pennsyl- vania, where he grew up on a farm and then came to Columbiana county, O. Here he mar- ried Rebecca Rhinehart, who, like himself, was of German ancestry. After they had two children born to them they left Columbiana county and in the early twenties moved into Crawford county, settling in a great belt of unbroken timber, which is now a part of Jack- son township. Their first house was built of logs with a mud and stick chimney, all hastily put together as it was necessary to get ground cleared on which to plant corn. The rich soil easily responded and, although the hills of corn were located here and there between stumps of trees, a fair crop was harvested and thus life began for them in the wilderness. Wild game abounded and for this reason many Indians came into their neighborhood. Mansfield, 14 miles distant, was the nearest purchasing point. The first log cabin was suc- ceeded by a comfortable brick house, built in 1835, which still stands and is at present oc- cupied by a grandson, Grant Shawber. After many years John Shawber and wife left the farm and retired to Wapakoneta, where his death occurred at the age of 68 years, while his widow survived to be 83 years of age. They were faithful members of the Lutheran church an he was one of the organizers of the First Lutheran Church at Galion. Of their 12 children, all reached maturity and married and one daughter became the mother of 12 children like her own mother. Of this fam- ily there are but two survivors: Mrs. Abger and Mrs. Margaret Shick, wife of John Shick, substantial people of Bellefontaine, O.

Four children were born to Dr. and Mrs. Abger, namely: John V., who died at the age of 20 years; Eugene, who died in California; survived by a widow and two children: Ed- win, who died in Indiana; and M. Olivia, who is the wife of Rev. George Butterfield, who is a missionary minister of the Presbyterian church, with home at Los Angeles, Calif. They have one daughter, Dorothy C., a grad- uate of the Occidental College, a music teacher and church organist. Mrs. Abger has traveled considerably and has lived in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Californio and Ohio. Additionally she is well informed in young womanhood

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having prepared herself for a teacher's career and for some years prior to her marriage with Dr. Abger taught school with marked success. When young she was baptized and confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran church and has ever since retained her membership.

ANDREW FRAZEE, one of the leading citizens of Auburn township, Crawford county, O., who is chairman of the township board of trustees, on which body he is serving in his third year, resides in section 16, where he owns a well cultivated farm of 521/4 acres. He was born in Cranberry township, Crawford county, Sept. 28, 1867, and is a son of George and Caroline (Goodyear) Frazee.

George Frazee was reared in the southwest corner of Auburn township and after marriage resided on several different farms and owned the one adjoining Andrew Frazee's farm on the west. After the death of his wife, who was a daughter of Andrew Goodyear, George Frazee moved to Galion, where he now lives retired. Of their seven children five survive.

Andrew Frazee attended school in Auburn township and his first wage-earning work was cutting stone, which he continued for two years, since when has mainly been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has his farm well drained and tiled and all is under cultivation with the exception of eight acres in valuable timber. He is progressive in his ideas and follows modern methods in cultivating his land and selecting his stock.

Mr. Frazee was married June 16, 1898, to Miss Temperance Wilt, who was born July 6, 1873, at Oceola, O., a daughter of James and Melvina (Canable) Wilt and a granddaughter of John Wilt, all of Fulton county, Pa. Dur- ing the Civil War, James Wilt served one year as a member of the 168th O. Vol. Inf., and until the close of his life was a member of Harker Post, G. A. R., at Defiance, O. While living at New Washington, O., Mr. and Mrs. Wilt had two children born to them and later, after moving to Oceola, four more children were born. The family lived at Oceola when Mrs. Wilt died, at the age of 42 years. For some eight years Mr. Wilt lived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frazee. He was a black- smith by trade and worked at different places, his death occurring in January, 1909, at Day-

ton, O., and his burial was in the Greenlawn Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Frazee have one son, George Rowland, who is attending the public schools, a bright and satisfactory pupil. The family belongs to the United Brethren church at Tiro, O. He is somewhat prominent in local political circles and is a valued office holder as above indicated. Both he and wife are interested in the order of Patrons of Hus- bandry and for two years Mrs. Frazee has been master of the Auburn Township Grange, of which Mr. Frazee is the present treasurer.

HENRY LEPP, a retired farmer and for many years a successful agriculturist in Ma- rion and Crawford counties, O., has been a resident of Galion for about 13 years but re- tains possession of a large body of valuable farm land in the latter county. He was born June 14, 1830, in Baden, Germany, where his father died in middle age. The mother, late in life, came to America and died at Galion, O., when aged 72 years.

Henry Lepp grew to manhood in his own German province and became a small farmer and then was married to Elizabeth Ikon, who was born on a neighboring farm, in April, 1830. In 1853 they set out for America, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in one of the old- time sailing ships, and after 42 days on the water, were safely landed on American soil, in October of the above year. Their objective point was Crawford county, O., and when they reached here Mr. Lepp and wife both found work, his wages being six dollars a month and hers one dollar a week. Both were industrious and frugal and little by little their combined capital grew sufficiently until they were able to rent a farm. On that farm they again combined their efforts and after nine years of saving and hard work had $1,200. and with that money Mr. Lepp bought 157 acres of land in Marion county. He kept that farm for 18 years and then traded it for 270 acres situated in Crawford county, five miles from Galion and later increased the acreage to 700 acres. This land was all placed under the finest possible cultivation before Mr. Lepp consented to retire, which he did in 1899. In addition to his acquisition of land Mr. Lepp has been so excellent a manager of finance that he has saved an additional $10,000. He gives

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credit to his faithful wife, who was a help- mate indeed, for a part of his success. She lived long enough to share in the ease that came to herself and husband as a result of their industry and saving, her death occurring Sept 22, 1910. Five sons and two daughters were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lepp, namely: John, of Morrow county, O., who mar- ried there and has one son and two daugh- ters; Henry H., who owns an excellent farm in Morrow county, who is married and has one son and three daughters; Wil- liam, also is an independent farmer in Mor- row county, who is married and has two sons; George, who also owns much land in Morrow county, who is married and has one son and six daughters; Charles, who is also a success- ful farmer; Margaret, the wife of Leopold Long, a farmer in Crawford county, who has two sons and one daughter; and Elizabeth, who is the wife of Wesley Messmore, a sub- stantial farmer in Morrow county, and has three sons. The five sons and one daughter own 1, 175 acres in Morrow county. in pol- itics Mr. Lepp and sons are Democrats. He is a member of the Reformed church.

JOHN J. HEINLEN,* a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Holmes township. Crawford county, O., residing on his farm of 80 acres, situated three miles north of Bucy- rus, O., was born in Wurtemberg. Germany, in 1845.

In his own land Mr. Heinlen attended school and lived until he was 24 years of age and then he came to the United States and on com- ing to Ohio, located in Bucyrus township, Crawford county. There he engaged in gen- eral farming until 1902. when he moved to his present place in Holmes township. He married Miss Catherine Rilling, who was also born in Germany and died in Ohio. in 1911. when aged 58 years. They had the follow- ing children born to them: Frederick. Jacob. Emanuel, Mrs. Mary Spade, Mrs. Catherine Burwell. Martha and John, the last named mar- rying Marie Rapp, of Cincinnati. Since his father's retirement. Jacob Heinlen has been operating the farm and also follows the car- penter trade. His birth took place in Bucyrus township in 1886. In politics the Heinlens are Democrats and as a family they belong to the German Lutheran church at Bucyrus.

AMOS BAER, who was a conductor in the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad for al- most 40 years, retiring on account of age limit on July 1, 1909, and is also an honored veteran of the Civil War, has been a resident of Crest- line, O., since 1870, in which city he is quar- termaster of Snyder Post No. 129, Crestline, Department of Ohio. He was born near Ma- pleton, Stark county, O., March 31, 1844, a son of David and Mary (Doll) Baer, both of whom died on their farm in Stark county.

Amos Baer was a little over 17 years of age when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, Sept. 6, 1861, entering Co. I, 19th O. Vol. Inf., as a private. and when he was honorably dis- charged and mustered out at San Antonio, Tex., on Oct. 24, 1865, he held the rank of second sergeant in his company. He took part in the great battles of Shiloh and Corinth, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, went through the Atlanta campaign, fought at Franklin, Nashville and Missionary Ridge and all other points where his company was engaged, ever being at the post of duty, but was fortunate enough to escape both wounds and imprison- ment. In 1866 he came to Crestline, where he entered the Pennsylvania Railway service and from December 31st of that year until Sept. 13, 1869, served as local freight brakeman, when he was made freight conductor. During his long term of service, which was 42 years and. 6 months. he had almost a clear record, several minor and unavoidable accidents only occurring, none of these in any way reflecting on his carefulness or lack of railroad knowl- edge. His retirement, with the usual pension accorded faithful employes, came according to the established railroad law. and it was with regret that he severed connections with em- ployers, with whom mutual esteem existed, and with the comrades of many years.

On Oct. 2. 1870, at Crestline, Mr. Baer was married to Miss Margaret C. Lienstarger, who was born in Richland county, O., but was reared and educated at Crestline. Mr. and Mrs. Baer have the following children: Olive A., who was educated here in the common and High schools and resides at home: E. Pearl, who conducts a millinery business at Urbana. O .; Edgar G., who is a freight conductor on the Pennsylvania line and lives at home: and Curtis C .. who married Laura Cummings and has a daughter, Margaret L., who was born

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July 26, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Baer have also reared Myrtle Brownsburger, who is now 14 years of age. The family belongs to the Luth- eran church. Mr. Baer and son are members of the Railway Association of Conductors and of the Volunteer Relief Society. All are peo- ple of high standing at Crestline and are widely known.

D. C. BOYD, secretary and general man- ager of the Galion Iron Works Company, of Galion, O., a prosperous manufacturing con- cern, was born and reared in Mercer county, Pa. He obtained his education in his native county and at the age of 18 years began to teach school. His first business experience was gained as salesman in a local store, and subsequently he was for seven years a dealer in hardware and machinery. He then went to Orville, Wayne county, O., where he established a large trade in road machinery and supplies and developed a very good busi- ness. While here he also invented an im- proved culvert or sluice-pipe device possessing unusual strength and efficiency, with a min- imum of parts-a simple and valuable con- trivance. He has also invented and patented other useful inventions. He organized the Galion Iron Works Company with which he is now connected, it being incorporated in February, 1907, with a capital of $100,000, which was increased in 1912 to $150,000. The company started with a small plant, hav- ing a building 200x60 feet, which was in- creased the second year by the addition of 50 feet more. The third year another addition, of 100 feet in length was added and again, in 1911, an extension of 108 feet was con- structed, these buildings all being two stories high, with fire-proof out-shops for oils, paints, etc. Another larger building is used for a pattern storage house. The works are sup- plied with a powerful electric plant to operate the massive machinery used in the manufact- ure of their heavy road machines, their large corrugated drainage sluice-pipes and Mr. Boyd's own patent culvert, or sluice-way pipe of all sizes. All these products find a ready market. Their road machines are sold all over America. Every practical device is used in the shops to promote the convenience and safety of the employees. The company now employs 200 people, with ten salaried men

on the road. They have branch offices at Pittsburg, Pa., Memphis, Tenn., and Atlanta, Ga. The officers of the company are H. Got- tinger, president; Frank W. Faber, vice presi- dent; D. C. Boyd, secretary and manager ; and G. L. Steeffel, treasurer.

Mr. Boyd married Miss Lizzie May Find- ley, a native of Mercer county, Pa., and they are the parents of six children, namely : Hazel, John Scott, Findley, Ruth, Ralph and Theo- dore. Hazel, who was well educated in Orr- ville, O., is the wife of George E. Stenson and resides in Cleveland, O. She has no children. John Scott, who was graduated from the We- nomona Technical Institute at Indianapolis, Ind., took a business course at Mansfield, O., and is now shop superintendent of the Galion Iron Works Company; he married Gladys Oice. Findley is attending the Galion high school. Ruth, Ralph and Theodore are attend- ing school in Galion. Mr. Boyd is a capable business man and an active, enterprising cit- izen. He has great mechanical ability, as his various patents prove. He and his family are well known and highly respected residents of Galion.

JOHN P SHECKLER, one of the well known retired residents of Crawford .county, O., resides on the farm on which his birth took place, in section 22, Auburn township, on March 3, 1829, this property lying three and one-half miles northeast of Tiro and consist- ing of 222 acres. His parents were John and Rachel (Pettit) Sheckler.

John Sheckler was born in Huntington county, Pa., and remained with his father until he was 21 years of age, when he, in company with his brother. David Sheckler. left home and started for Ohio on foot, passing through Mansfield, then a village, in 1812. They worked at carpentering or farming or any- thing that came their way, and finding the people friendly and plenty of fine land to be secured. decided to return to Pennsylvania and make arrangements to return and become home builders in Ohio. They returned on foot to Pennsylvania but in 1810 came back. again on foot. and David secured his land south of Mansfield, while John entered 160 acres, a part of the farm now owned by his son. It was then covered with forest and he secured it for $1.25 per acre. His first log

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cabin was built southeast of the present house site on account of a large spring being sit- uated there, to which the deer came to slake their thirst in those early days. He married Rachel Pettit, who was born in Virginia, a daughter of Thomas Pettit, later a resident of Richland county. She was the mother of eight children, four of whom survive : Thomas, John P., George and Christina. Here John Sheckler lived from 1821 until his death in 1859, being then aged 69 years and his burial was in the Hanna Cemetery in Auburn town- ship, where his wife rested, she having died at the age of 35 years. They were members of the Baptist church. In his earlier years Mr. Sheckler was a Democrat but later approved of the principles on which the Republican party was founded.

John P. Sheckler and his brothers and sis- ters had such educational opportunities as the Center school, in Auburn township, offered at that time. He remained with his father and has followed an agricultural life and spent it all in this section with the exception of a few months passed in Indiana. About 50 acres of his land is yet timbered, all being exceedingly valuable.

Mr. Sheckler married Miss Leonora Ashley, who was born in Auburn township, a daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Aumend) Ashley. The Ashley family came to America from Eng- land in 1630, the first of the name being Robert Ashley, who had the following sons : Elkanah, John, Jonas, Thomas, Solomon, and a daugh- ter. Sylvia.

Jonas Ashley married Elizabeth Eaton and they had the following children: Jonas, Jr., born May 20, 1797, who married Sarah Hawks: Salmon, born Dec. 13, 1799: Horace, born Dec. 23. 1801: Ebenezer, born May 6, 1804. in New York, who came unmarried to Ohio, and in 1830 married Mary Aumend, born in Pennsylvania in 1812, and died July 28, 1843; Almira, born Aug. 29, 1806, died May 6, 1886; Clarissa. born Dec. 23, 1809, died May 4. 1886: Eaton. born June 1. 18II : Elisha and Elijah, twins, born Dec. 31. 1811. the former of whom died in 1894 and the lat- ter in 1850: Elizabeth, born July 6, 1817, who died in 1820; Delilah, born Sept. 22. 1819. who died August 20. 1820: Phila Ann, who was born Nov. 4. 1821, and died Aug. 28,

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 154

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