History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 166

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 166

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Mr. Morckel was first married to Miss Matilda Purkey, who was born in Ohio but was of Pennsylvania parentage. Her death occurred in 1873 and she was survived by two children : Augustus J. A., who resides with his family at Tacoma, Wash., and has two chil- dren-Ruth and John Allen; and Lilian, who is the wife of Rev. J. Fred Miller, a Lutheran minister of Baltimore, and has four children -Ernest, who has been well educated and is an electrician; Carl, who is a resident of Co- lumbus, O .; and Leona and Harold.

The second marriage of Mr. Morckel was to Miss Elizabeth Hinkle, who was born in Hesse, Germany, March II, 1849, and was three years old when her parents, Conrad and Mary E. (Eckel) Hinkle brought her to Am- erica. The voyage consumed 68 days and after landing at New York the father was taken sick and died three months later. Mrs. Hinkle and her five children remained in New York City for five years and then came to Galion, where she lived for many years afterward, her death occurring in 1899, when she was aged 81 years. Mrs. Morckel was the youngest but one of the children, the others being: Henry, who died in Ohio, leaving a family; Conrad, a stonemason by trade, who lives at Galion

now retired; John M., who is in the meat busi- ness at Troy; and Charles, who is an engineer with the Erie Railway, lives with his family at Galion. Mr. and Mrs. Morckel are mem- bers of the Lutheran church. In politics he is a Democrat and fraternally is identified with a German organization.

SAMUEL HEINLEN,* one of the highly respected retired citizens of Bucyrus, O., re- siding in his comfortable residence on Wallace Avenue, owns an excellent farm of 92 acres, which lies in Bucyrus township, Crawford county, O. Mr. Heinlen was born in this town- ship, April 4, 1855, and is a son of Mathew and Elizabeth (Beckel) Heinlen.

Mathew Heinlen was born in Germany and there learned the weaving trade but later set- tled in Crawford county, O., and followed farming in Bucyrus township. He was mar- ried to Elizabeth Beckel, in Crawford county, and they had the following children : John, S., M. and Frank; Elizabeth, wife of Absalom Bolinger; Matilda, wife of James Johnson; Lena, wife of Byron Kent; and Lucinda, wife of J. S. Murphy.

Samuel Heinlen attended the district schools in boyhood and then began to work on farms, first by the day and later by the month, and thus, by hard labor acquired enough capital to buy 40 acres of land. This tract he subse- quently sold and purchased the 92-acre farm which he still owns and on which he lived and carried on farming for a number of years and then shifted his responsibilities in large de- gree to younger shoulders and retired and took up his residence in Bucyrus.

Mr. Heinlen was married April 12, 1881, to Miss Elizabeth Catherine Speigle; who was born in Crawford county and died April 28, 1908, a daughter of William and Barbara (Myers) Speigle. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Speigle are well known people of Craw- ford county. To Mr. and Mrs. Heinlen the following children were born: Lewis, Law- rence, Leroy and Dora Alvena. Leroy mar- ried Ermina Eckert, a daughter of George Eckert, and they have one son, William Lee. Mr. Heinlen and sons are identified with the Democratic party. The whole family attends the United Brethren church.

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WILLIAM H. WEAVER, member of the firm of Weaver Bros., the well known grain firm at Crestline, O., has been secretary and treasurer of this corporation for about 12 years and is numbered with the careful and astute business men of this section. He was born in Wyandot county, O., in 1867, a son of John and Mary B. (Rininger ) Weaver.

John Weaver, the grandfather, came to the United States from France and purchased Government land in Jackson township, Craw- ford county, O., on which he and wife spent their subsequent lives. His wife was also a native of France and they were members of the French Catholic church. They had 12 children, ten of whom lived to marry and eight survive.

John Weaver, father of William H., was born on the old homestead in Jackson town- ship and spent the greater part of his life in the German settlement, his death occurring July 17, 1890. His widow survives and re- sides with her son, William H., being now in her 71st year. Four sons and two daughters were born to them, namely: William H., our subject; Frank and John E., both members of the above named firm; Rose, who is the wife of William Gosser, residing on a farm in Ver- non township; Anna, who is the wife of Peter Keller, a farmer in Darke county; and Charles D., who is a farmer in Sharon township, Rich- land county, on the old homestead.

William H. Weaver came to Crestline from Vernon, where he had been in the grain and stock business for six years previously. The present business is one of large volume, incor- porated for $100,000, its officers being : Charles Kindinger, president ; Peter Huth, vice president; and William H. Weaver, secretary and treasurer. The company has branches at three points, Galion, Vernon and Crestline, John B. Weaver being manager at Vernon and J. J. Patterson at Galion. They handle hay, grain and livestock, give employment to five men at Galion, eight at Crestline and two at Vernon.

Mr. Weaver was married in Richland county, O., to Miss Mary E. Frye, who was born there in 1864, of German parents, now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have the fol- lowing children : Leo E., who was educated at Crestline and Dayton, and resides at home;

Wilfred F., similarly educated, who is asso- ciated with his father; and Norbert R. and Angeline H., both at school. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver are members of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church. He is identified with the Knights of Columbus, the Elks and the Eagles.

A. H. KINSEY, who is the present propri- etor of what was the first established drug store at Crestline, O., has been in the drug business for 32 years, having had experience in several cities and a resident of Crestline since 1891. He was born at Galion, O., in 1862, a son of Samuel and Catherine (Claes) Kinsey.

Samuel Kinsey was born in Canton Berne, Switzerland. After coming to the United States he settled near Galion, O., where he first engaged in farming and later was a ma- chinist in the shops of the Big Four and Erie Railways, his death occurring in 1893, when he was aged 63 years. He was a Republican in his political views and was a member of the Reformed church. He married Catherine Claes, who was born in Germany and was young when her parents came to the United States and settled at Galion, where both died. Mrs. Kinsey survives and resides in her com- fortable home which is situated on Atwood Street, Galion. Her people secured and im- proved land near Galion, the deed for the same bearing the signature of President Andrew Jackson.

After graduating from the Galion High School, A. H. Kinsey became a drug clerk in that city and later entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy at Philadelphia, the old- est institution of its kind in this country, where he was graduated in 1884. For five years be- fore coming to Crestline, Mr. Kinsey was in the drug business at Xenia, O. The first drug store at Crestline, the one that Mr. Kinsey now owns, was started here by Dr. Alexander Jen- ner, a half century ago. He was succeeded by the firm of Spencer & Mccullough, which did business for a few years, when Dr. Spencer became sole proprietor and continued until 1891, when Mr. Kinsey succeeded, Dr. Spencer moving to Colorado. Mr. Kinsey has been im- proving his property ever since. In 1907 he erected the Kinsey block, a two-story brick structure, with basement, of modern construc- tion throughout, one of the most substantial

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business blocks in the city. Mr. Kinsey enjoys the confidence of his fellow citizens in his pro- fession and is numbered with the representative men along all stable lines, of this city.

In 1892, Mr. Kinsey was married at Crest- line, to Miss Irilla Rooks, who was born and educated in Illinois. Her parents, Levi L. and Anna (Frye) Rooks, are residents of Crest- line, where Mr. Rooks is a coal dealer. Mr. and Mrs. Kinsey have two sons: Herbert S. and Albert R., both students. Mr. Kinsey be- longs to the National Association of Retail . Druggists, the Ohio State Pharmaceutical As- sociation, the United Drug Company, of Bos- ton, and the American Druggists Syndicate, of New York.

MRS. FRANCES M. SOURWINE, who is one of the highly respected residents of Au- burn township, Crawford county, O., the mother of Frank A. Sourwine and the wife of Henry Sourwine, deceased, was born in Seneca county, O. Her maiden name was Link and her parents moved from Pennsylvania to Sen- eca county. She resides on the farm of 103 acres with her son, this farm being located in section 5, Auburn township, Crawford county.

In 1874 Frances M. Link was married in Seneca county, to Henry Sourwine, who was born one mile north and one-half mile east of Attica, O., a son of William Sourwine. Henry Sourwine died in December, 1909, at the age of 64 years, 3 months and 21 days, and his burial was in Green Lawn Cemetery, at Ply- mouth, O. In 1873, Henry Sourwine and his brother, William, Jr., bought this farm in partnership, and when they subsequently di- vided the land, Henry took 103 acres and Wil- liam, Jr., took 92 acres and both improved their properties. The substantial buildings now standing on the farm of Frank A. Sourwine were put there by his father, who also drained and tiled the land and continued to be inter- ested in its cultivation until his death. In pol- itics he was a Republican, and from 1898 until 1901, served his township as one of its trustees, an honest and upright man in all his official acts.

To Mr. and Mrs. Sourwine but one child was born, Frank A. He was carefully reared and is now one of the township's solid, reliable men, a Republican like his late father. He mar- ried Myrta M. Keller, a daughter of George

M. and Ella Keller, of Crawford county, now residents of Attica. They have three children : Carl G., Wanda L. and Gerald K. Henry Sourwine and wife were members of the Church of God.

JEREMIAH ERRETT, who, after many years of active agricultural life on his valu- able farm in Polk township, Crawford county, O., came to Galion, since 1906 has occupied his handsome residence at No. 638 West Main Street. He was born on the old Errett home- stead in Polk township, Jan. 14, 1851, the youngest but one of a family of nine children born to his parents, John and Nancy (Bud- lin) Errett.

The founder of the Errett family in Craw- ford county was Rev. Henry Errett, who was of German ancestry but was born in Penn- sylvania, where he grew to manhood and mar- ried Catherine Fox. In 1835 they came to Crawford county, O., accompanied by their three children, Polly, Susan and John, the last named being 13 years old at that time. The grandfather was a good judge of land and selected a heavily timbered tract in Polk town- ship, well situated as to water, and there built a log cabin, gradually cleared the land as his ministerial duties permitted and both he and wife spent their remaining years here. They were among the most venerable people of this section at time of death, although they had passed through many of the dangers and hard- ships of pioneer life, he reaching the age of 91 years, while she was 86 years old. He was the first minister of the United Brethren church in this part of Crawford county and was the means of organizing churches in many neighborhoods and in visiting them traveled hundreds of miles back and forth on horse- back. He was widely known and was held in great esteem by all. His son John succeeded to the homestead and spent his long life of 75 years here. He married Nancy Budlin, who was born at Marion, O., and was young when her parents settled in Polk township, where she lived at the age of 84 years. Both she and husband were members and active workers in the United Brethren church. They had five sons and two daughters born to them, all of whom became respected members of society and became well settled in life.

E. G. HARTLE

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Jeremiah Errett grew to manhood on the old homestead and attended the country schools, atter which he devoted himself until 1906 to farming and stock raising. He still retains his finely improved farm of 100 acres, in Polk township, the management and opera- tion of which now rests with his son Charles. During his many years as a farmer he was considered judicious and resourceful and brought his land to a high state of fertility and raised excellent stock but never went largely into the stock business.

Mr. Errett was married in Polk township, to Miss Lyda N. Traxler, who was born in 1854, in Morrow county, O., but was reared and attended school in Polk township, Craw- ford county. Her parents were John and Margaret (Kriner) Traxler, who moved from Morrow county to near Ada, O., and from there to Polk township, Crawford county. There the father of Mrs. Errett died at the age of 84 years and the mother when aged 76 years. They were members of the English Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Errett have three children: Charles, who resides on the homestead in Polk township, and who married Elizabeth Riskey; Nellie, who is the wife of Harry Quigley, an engineer on the Big Four Railroad, residing at Bellefontaine, O .; and Burton, who is a fireman with the Big Four Railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Errett are members of the United Brethren church and they have a very pleasant social circle and are respected and esteemed people of their neighborhood.

E. G. HARTLE, secretary and general man- ager and a member of the board of directors of the Perfection Road Machinery Company, of Galion, O., is an experienced man in this line, having been connected with road machine work throughout his entire business career. He was born in Ohio and is a son of Americus and Margaret (Hastings) Hartle.

The father of Mr. Hartle was born in Hardin county, O., in which he yet lives, being one of the progressive farmers and well known men of that section of the State, a graduate of two colleges and a campaign speaker of note. He married Margaret Hastings, also of Hardin county, who still survives, and they are the parents of four sons and one daughter.

E. G. Hartle was educated in the public

schools and was about 21 years old when he gave full rein to his inclinations in the direc- tion of mechanics. He has been with the pres- ent company since its organization in January, 1908, and is the draughtsman and chief de- signer of practically all the machines of this company. The Perfection Road Machinery Company was incorporated with a capitaliza- tion of $200,000, with the following officers : Ernest Klopp, president ;J. A. Petrie, vice president; W. T. Resch, treasurer; and E. G. Hartle, general manager and secretary, all be- ing Galion business men. Miss Grace McCool has been employed as private stenographer and bookkeeper for the company ever since its organization; and also Mr. George Beach as it foreman. The output includes three styles of road scrapers, seven styles of road drags, and several styles of road dump boxes and land pulverizers. A specialty is made of custom work, employment is given 30 people and they sell all over the world. The business has been successful from the start and Mr. Hartle has been its manger for four years, coming here in this capacity from Colum- bus, O.

Mr. Hartle was married, at Felicity, O., to Miss Isadora Riley, and they have four chil- dren: Chester C., who is an assistant to his father ; Hadessa, Imo and Margaret M., the ages ranging from seventeen to nine years. Mr. Hartle is a member of the Odd Fellows and the U. C. T., of Ohio.

CARL J. GUGLER, attorney at law and city solicitor of Galion, O., is a prominent men- ber of the Crawford county bar and a sub- stantial factor in Republican politics. He was born at Galion, O., April 29, 1883, and is a son of Jacob and Katherine ( Herzog) Gugler.

Jacob Gugler was born in 1844, in the Rhenish province of Baden Baden, Germany, and from there came to the United States in 1865 and attended school in the city of New York and at St. Louis, Mo., and afterward at German-Wallace College at Berea, O., where he studied for the ministry. In 1875 he came to Galion, where he was a merchant for some years and also was interested in retailing oil and gasoline. His death occurred April 17, 1903. In politics he was a Republican and fraternally he was an Odd Fellow. In 1875

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he married Katherine Herzog, who was born at Russville, Lucerne Canton, Switzerland, April 5, 1852 and came to America with her brother a short time before her marriage, re- siding at Elmore, O., before coming to Galion. She still survives and is a well known and much esteemed resident of this city. She is a member of the Methodist church as was her husband. Of their nine children there are seven survivors: Mary, who is the wife of George Kunkler, of Galion; Louise, who is the wife of James Lindley, of Galion; Bertha, who is a teacher in the public schools at Ak- ron, O .; Carl J .; Anna, who is engaged as a stenographer; Edna, who is employed in the clerical department of the Galion Iron Works; and Carrie, who resides with her mother.

Carl J. Gugler did not wait until his school days were over to become useful and self sup- porting for he was only eight years old when he became a newspaper carrier for the Galion Leader and also handled the Cleveland and Cincinnati journals. After graduating from the public schools in 1900 he worked for one year in the superintendent's office of the Erie Railroad and then for four years was clerk in the master mechanic's office at Crestline. Having cherished a laudable ambition for a legal career, by 1904 he was able, through his own efforts, to enter the University of Michi- gan, where he was graduated high in his class and was admitted to the bar in December, 1906, immediately opening his office in his native city. In 1907 he was elected a justice of the peace and in 1909 was his party's chosen candidate for prosecuting attorney. Although not successful in that contest he is plenty young enough to wait for still higher pro- fessional honors. In 1911 he was elected city solicitor and his thorough knowledge of both English and German, has assisted him greatly in public office as well as in his private prac- tice. He is legal advisor for the Ohio State Legislative Board of the B. of L. F. & E., an appointment received early in 1912. He is iden- tified fraternally with the Knights of Pythias. It is almost impossible in these days for in- telligent and broad minded men to ignore politics even if they so desired, and Mr. Gug- ler has not been backward in announcing his convictions and his thorough identification with the Republican party.

JOHN HARVEY BROWN,* deceased, was a well known, respected and industrious citizen of Galion, O., in which city he was born March 5, 1867, while his death occurred May 21, 1897, at Vicksburg, Miss., his burial being at Galion. He was a son of Harvey and Lucy (Harper) Brown, both of whom were natives of Ohio.

John Harvey Brown attended the public schools of Galion and as he had natural tal- ent in that direction, learned the machinist trade and was employed in different railroad shops as a competent machinist, until the time of his death. He was a member of the trade organization known as the Machinists' Union, and politically was identified with the Repub- lican party. He had many friends as he was pleasant and genial in manner and was ever ready to do others a kindness.

Mr. Brown was married at Galion, O., to Miss Mary Boehm, who was born at Galion, Feb. 27, 1870, a daughter of Henry and Mar- garet (Price) Boehm. The mother of Mrs. Brown was born in Ohio but her father was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, June I, 1841, and came to Galion in June, 1866, where he followed shoemaking, having learned his trade in his native land, for more than 40 years. He now lives retired at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Brown, at No. 514 South Market street. She also owns a valuable prop- erty on Boston street and her father has nine acres of productive land near the city. The mother of Mrs. Brown died in 1907, when aged 68 years. She was a member of the Ger- man Lutheran church, to which her husband and daughter also belong. Mr. Brown is sur- vived by two sons, Peter Henry and William I. The older son is learning his father's trade in one of the big city shops, while the younger is yet a student in the Galion High School.

FREDERICK G. BOWERS, a successful general farmer and stock raiser, a member and supporter of the Grange and a man of progressive agricultural ideas, owns 50 acres of excellent land in Lykens township, Craw- ford county, O., and also cultivates a tract of 80 acres belonging to his father. He was born in Lykens township, March 23, 1878,

AMOS F. KELLER

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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

and is a son of Frederick W. and Caroline (Brown) Bowers.

Frederick W. Bowers followed farming during his active life and now lives retired, making his home in Michigan. He was mar- ried (first) to Caroline Brown, who died May 25, 1891 and was buried in tthe Brokensword Cemetery, the mother of the following chil- dren: Lafayette, Frederick G., Esther and William, Esther being deceased. He was married (second) to Amelia Huff, who, at death, left one daughter, Velma. His third marriage was to a Miss Jane Smith, who was born in Michigan.

After completing the common school course, Frederick G. Bowers spent two terms in the Ohio Normal School, at Ada, O., after which he taught school for two terms, but finally decided to turn his attention entirely to ag- ricultural pursuits. His well cared for land and abundant harvests testify that his decision was a wise one and that there are few careers in life which give the same amount of per- sonal independence, a possession so dear to Americans, as does that of a successful farmer

On Nov. 5, 1901, Mr. Bowers was married to Miss Lena Aydt, who was born in Marion county, O. She has two sisters: Christina, who is the wife of George Rentschler; and Catherine, who is the wife of William Lau- cher. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have two bright little daughters, Eleanor and Evelyne. In politics Mr. Bowers is a Democrat and is serving in his first term as township trustee, taking his duties seriously and as an official reflecting credit on the board. He and wife are members of the United Brethren church at Olive Branch, Lykens township.

FERDINAND BLEILY, deceased, for 37 years was in business at Galion, O., where he was numbered with the honest and reliable men and generous and public spirited citizens. He was born at Grutzing, Baden, Germany, May 26, 1827, and died at Galion, Nov. 28, 1888.

Ferdinand Bleily was 28 years of age when he came to America, crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a sailing vessel, and in 1854 was landed at New York. From there he came on to Galion, O., where he remained only a short time and then went to Columbus, but several

years afterward returned to Galion and made this city his permanent home. He was a painter, glazier and decorator and had thor- oughly learned his trade in his native land, and for three years was foreman of the paint shops for the Big Four Railway, at Galion. Subsequently he went into the saloon business and continued until his last illness. He was a man of good fellowship and kind heart and was exceedingly charitable. He was a strong Democrat in politics and in religion was a member, with all his family, of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church.

Mr. Bleily was married at Galion, May 12, 1855, to Miss Veronica Frank, who was born in Baden, Germany, March 18, 1837, a daugh- ter of George and Margaret ( Heegel) Frank. They came to the United States from Baden, Germany, in 1841, locating first at Erie, Pa., from whence they came to Ohio and purchased a farm in Morrow county, cleared and im- proved it and lived there during the remain- der of their lives. The father was 77 years old at time of death and the mother was aged 70 year. To Mr. and Mrs. Bleily two children were born: Pauline C. and William A. The former married Joseph F. Lampert and they both died at Cleveland, O. One son, William A. Lampert, survives and lives at Cleveland. William A. Bleily who was born Feb. 13, 1856, succeeded his father in business but now lives at Galion.

AMOS F. KELLER, vice president of the Farmers and Citizens Bank and Savings Com- pany, of Bucyrus, O., is one of the foremost men of Crawford county in many lines, the professions of teaching and law having claimed a large part of his time in the past, while pol- itics and public affairs have also interested him. He was born in Crawford county, O., and has had the satisfaction of occupying the old family homestead throughout his life up to the present time. He is a son of Phillip and Hannah (Stucker) Keller, old residents of this section, who were well and widely known and were held in much respect by their neighbors.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 166

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