History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 178

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 178

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Mr. Trago was married, first, Oct. 21, 1866, to Miss Nancy Mount, who was born in Rich- land county, a daughter of James Mount, of Irish ancestry. She died Feb. 9, 1892, and her burial was in Oakland Cemetery, near Tiro, O. She was the mother of four children; Fannie, who was born Sept. 1, 1867, was a success- ful teacher at New Washington, for seventeen years; James Justus, who was born May 23, 1873, is a civil engineer residing at Mt. Ver- non, Ill .; Andrew Edmund, who was born Aug. 18, 1876, died May 10, 1892; and John Henry. The last named was born July 9, 1879 and was accidentally killed while at work in a saw-mill, on June 1, 1900. The mother of the above named children was a faithful mem- ber of the Lutheran church.

On Oct. 11, 1902, Mr. Trago was married secondly to Mrs. Mary (Baker) Reed, at Bloomdale, Wood county, O. Mrs. Mary (Baker) Trago was born at Fredericksburg, near Wooster, in Wayne county, O.

COL. WILSON. C. LEMERT was born in what is now Texas township, on March 4, 1837. His grandfather, Joshua Lemert, was an officer in the War of 1812, and with his family had settled in Coshocton county just before that war. Lewis Lemert, son of Joshua, was born in Loudon county, Va., Aug. 4, 1802. He came with his parents to Coshocton, where, on Jan. 2, 1823 he married Jane Perdew. In 1826, he came with his bride to what is now Texas township, then a dense forest. Here he raised a large family of children; was one of the prominent men in that section; assisted in building the first church in 1834, and was one of its first trus- tees, and remained a member until his death, which occurred on the 80th anniversary of his birth, Aug. 4, 1882. His son, Wilson C. Lemert, assisted his father on the farm, at- tending school in the little log school house; later he taught school, attended the Ohio Wes- leyan University at Delaware, graduating in the class of '58. While here he was one of the ten charter members of the Sigma Chi

fraternity; more than half a century passed, and ripe in years, on June II, 1912, he was one of the three charter members still living when the handsome new structure of the so- ciety was dedicated. Leaving college he read law, graduated from the Cincinnati Law School, was admitted to the Bar, practiced for a year in Bucyrus, and then removed to Greensburg, Ind. He had only commenced to practice there when the war broke out, and he promptly relinquished what was already a lucrative practice and responded to the Presi- dent's first call for troops. His patriotic en- thusiasm secured the enlistment of two com- panies, and of one, Co. G, Seventh Indiana, he was elected lieutenant, declining the cap- taincy. But promotion speedily followed, and he was given his captain's commission for bravery on the field at Winchester. He visited home, and being a brilliant speaker and a soldier from the front, addressed meetings, stirring up enthusiasm for the Union cause. At one of these meetings at Mansfield he spoke from the same platform with Ohio's great war Governor, David Tod, who finding he was an Ohioan, promptly commissioned him as Major, and later as Colonel of the Eighty-sixth Ohio. In 1863 his regiment was sent to Zanesville to stop the course of the Morgan Raiders, Here they became mounted infantry, horses being secured from every available source, and the wild chase began without rest, day or night, after the daring Confederate leader, the exciting race never ending until the final surrender of Morgan at Salineville, in Columbiana county. The raid ended, he returned to the front, and was en- gaged in the campaigns in eastern Tennessee, and was placed in charge of the strategic point of Cumberland Gap, as commander of the Third Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Army Corps, an organization of 7,000 men, with 30 pieces of artillery and when Gen. Grant visited the post, the taciturn warrior commended the commander for his skillful handling of the important post.

After the war he turned his attention to industrial channels, organizing and managing railroads and manufactories, and in the 22 years that followed he raised over four mil- lion dollars to place in successful operation the many companies with which he was con-

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nected. His first venture was the Bellefon- taine Cotton Company, to re-establish the cot- ton industry in the south, and in spite of the floods and the devastated condition of the country made the venture a success. When the T. & O. C. was built, he was the general manager in its construction, and when troublous times came, in the spring of 1880, he went along the line, and almost unaided, enthused the despondent, made 40 speeches at as many different points, and raised $100,000 which tided the road over its difficulties, and it was built, and later he secured the shops of the road for his home town of Bucyrus. In 188I he built a road 51 miles long from Corn- ing to the Ohio river; in 1882 he built the St. Louis & Emporia railroad; in 1883 he began the construction of a railroad from Findlay to Columbus, and was also connected finan- cially with the building of the Nickle Plate, which afterward was sold to the Vanderbilts. During the building of the T. & O. C. he pur- chased the land and laid out and started the towns of Corning and Rendville in Perry county. In 1878 he organized the Moxahala Iron and Coal Companies, opened mines and built furnaces, and was president and general manager of both. He became interested in natural gas, and under his management the Northwestern Natural Gas Company was or- ganized, which supplied all northwestern Ohio with this fuel, and later he had general super- vision of the Brice-Thomas interests in the gas fields of Ohio and Indiana. In 1887 he became the owner of the gas and electric light plants at Bucyrus, consolidating the two com- panies into one. When the T. & O. C. was building a company was organized to build cars in the old Buckeye Reaper and Mower Works. The company failed, and Mr. Lemert purchased and reorganized it, and it later be- came the Bucyrus Steam Shovel and Dredge Works. He organized and managed the Buck- eye Wood Works. In 1889 he bought the brick machinery plant, which resulted in the organization of the Frey-Sheckler Company, he arranged for its consolidation with the Penfield & Son brick machinery plant at Wil- loughby, and the American Clay Company was the result. In his half century of industrial development he has been interested in many other companies.

On Aug. 2, 1860, he married Miss Mary L.

Jones, only daughter of Dr. A. M. and Eliza- beth Jones, Mrs. Jones being a daughter of Samuel Norton, the founder of Bucyrus. By this union there were two children, Katie E. Lemert, and Mrs. Blanche L. Wise.

For the past ten years Col. Lemert has re- tired from the active management of any of the many industries he founded. He is at present vice president of the First National Bank. He has a cottage in Florida where he spends his winters, and the summers he passes in Bucyrus which is indebted to him for more of its progress than any other of its citi- zens. He has made several trips to Europe and the continent, into Africa and Asia, leis- urely visiting the out-of-the-way-places, and last year made a tour around the world.

Notwithstanding a life of strenuous com- mercial activity, Col. Lemert for more than half a century has taken time to devote con- siderable attention to politics in every cam- paign. For years he was the head of the Re- publican party in this county, later took charge of the first campaign which sent Charles Fos- ter to Congress from this district, and in 1879 managed the campaign which gave that gentleman the nomination for Governor, after the most brilliant fight that ever occurred in Ohio politics, Mr. Foster winning the nomina- tion by only 61/2 votes. In his later years, while his more active party work has ceased, his loyalty to the principles of his party have become more intense. He has never been an aspirant for political office. On March 19, 1867, he was appointed postmaster at Bucyrus, only serving until a postmaster could be selected, and on July 19, 1867, he retired in favor of the man recommended by him. In 1884 he was delegate from this dis- trict to the National Convention at Chicago, casting his vote for James G. Blaine for the Presidential nomination. He has been dele- gate times innumerable to state and district conventions, State Central Committeeman, declined the office of Adjutant-General of the state under Gov. Foster, and now that 1912 has arrived, after 50 years of political con- tests, in which he has fought a straight fight, respecting his legitimate adversaries and being respected by them, neither asking nor receiv- ing quarter, he is still championing the cause of true and regular Republicanism.

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GEORGE M. HOOVER,* who is identi- fied with one of the great industries of Bu- cyrus, O., being connected with the ordering department of the American Clay Machinery Company, was born in Delaware county, O., in the city of Galena, in 1858, and is a son of Isaac M. and Sylvia (Pond) Hoover.

Isaac M. Hoover was born in Pennsylvania and his wife in Maryland, and their families moved to Granville, O., where they met and were married in 1836. When a young man he learned the marble and stone cutting trade but later he became a cooper and found the cooperage business a profitable one while liv- ing at Chillicothe and Galena. This was be- fore the day of machine-made barrels and Mr. Hoover was able to secure his raw material from the forest and perform every operation that turned it out a completed barrel or hogs- head. He was a very deft worker in wood and made a specialty of manufacturing meas- tires of various capacity, all of his work bear- ing the stamp of the honest craftsman. His death occurred from an attack of heart fail- ure, at Columbus, in 1885, when he was aged 74 years. His widow survived him for three years, her death occurring at the home of a daughter, Mrs. J. J. Mazurie, at Urichsville, O. Formerly they were identified with the Baptist church but later became Presbyterians. Three of their sons served as soldiers in the Civil War.

George M. Hoover enjoyed excellent edu- cational advantages, attending school at Ga- lena; later at Scio College he pursued higher branches and subsequently was graduated from the Eastman Business College at Pough- keepsie, N. Y. For some years he was inter- ested in the hotel and restaurant business and afterward engaged in raising high grade stock at Bradford Junction, in Miami county, and in partnership with Abner Jennings, at Ur- bana, O. Mr. Hoover then conducted the Sea Side Hotel at Delmar, Calif., for twelve years and then returned eastward, purchasing a stock farm near Terre Haute, Ind., which he man- aged for five years. In 1893 he became agent for the Pennsylvania Short Line Railroad, a position he filled for eight years. This road was built by the firm of Frost, Stearns & Hoover (the junior partner being Mr. Hoov- er's brother), as contractors, and when the

road was entirely completed, Gilbert C. Hoover served as treasurer of the operating company until his retirement from business in 1900, his death following later. He was one of the substantial and representative men of the city. In July 1901, George M. Hoover came to the American Clay Machinery Company and since then has been the efficient head of the order- ing department.

Mr. Hoover was married to Miss Rachel A. Grass, who was born and educated at Coving- ton, O., and they have two sons: Harry G., who is office manager of the Gulbranson Piano Player Company, of Chicago, Ill., and mar- ried Celia Auck, of Bucyrus; and Herbert R. B. Mr. Hoover and family belong to the Pres- byterian church. In politics, with his sons, he is a Republican.

FRANK R. GREEN,* who is manager and part owner of an exceedingly valuable property, consisting of 500 acres of finely im- proved land, situated in Washington town- ship, Morrow county, O., not far from Ga- lion, is a member of one of the prominent families of this section. He was born at Ga- lion, O., the second in a family of four sons, his parents being James Henry and Leonora Hathaway (McClain) Green, and his grand- parents, Aaron and Nancy (Berry) Green and Dr. Marcus H. and Lucy (Reed) McClain.

Frank R. Green, with his brothers, Howard A., Dahl and James H. Green, were educated in the schools of Galion. The eldest brother, Howard A., is a contracting decorator at Galion. He married Grace Blosier and they have two children, Grace Leonora and Frank. His next younger brother, Dahl Green, is secretary and directing manager of the Galion Shoe Company, of Galion, O., doing business on Main street, has been in the shoe business for the past sixteen years. He married Bessie Gates, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and they have two children, C. Gates and Helen Louise. James H. Green, the youngest brother, is a director of The Galion Shoe Company, of which he was one of the organizers. He mar- ried Addie Crowley and they reside at Galion. The father of the above family for many years was president of the Citizens National Bank of Galion, which he organized. His death oc- curred Aug. 7, 1894.

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After his school days were over, Frank R. became a fireman for the Pennsylvania Rail- Green assisted his father in the bank for some way and continued for three years, when he en- tered the meat market of Fred Fidler, where he learned his trade and then went into busi- ness for himself after working as a butcher for 14 years. He is thus a fine judge of meat and a practical man in every detail of the busi- ness. He does a large business at his present location, No. 207 East street, which property he owns. years and then went to Cleveland, where he accepted a position as chief clerk in one of the leading hotels and continued there for twelve years. Failing health caused his physi- cian to order an outdoor life and this led to his assuming the management of the highly improved farm of 500 acres, which is jointly owned by himself and brothers, it having been a family possession for a great many years. Under Mr. Green's intelligent and judicious management this property has been a source of large revenue, and in devoting himself to its development and improvement, Mr. Green has regained his normal health. He considers Galion his home and is identified here with many pleasant social organizations and is in- terested in the public movements which are bringing Galion prominently forward as a most desirable city in which to carry on busi- ness or in which to make a permanent home. He is active in Masonry and, with his brother, Dahl Green, belongs also to the Knights of Pythias. All four brothers are stanch Repub- licans.

CHARLES F. ETSINGER,* who con- ducts a large and well arranged meat market at Crestline, O., where he has been in the busi- ness for the past 12 years, was born in this city, Feb. 16, 1860, and is a son of John and Eba (Smith) Etsinger.

The parents of Mr. Etsinger were born, reared and married in Germany and three of their children-Jacob, Adam and John-were born prior to 1858, when the family came to the United States and located at Crestline. Both died here, the father when aged 73 years and the mother at the age of 69 years. The father became a strong supporter of the Dem- ocratic party and he and his wife were mem- bers of the German Reformed church. One son, Charles F., was born after the family came to America and he and John are the only survivors, the latter being connected with the Big Four Railroad at Indianapolis, Ind. Both Adam and Jacob married in Ohio and at death left families.

Charles F. Etsinger has spent his life as a resident of Crestline and received a good, pub- lic school education. When 19 years of age he

Mr. Etsinger was married at Galion, O., to Miss Katie Cook, who was born in Crawford county in 1869, a daughter of William Cook. The father of Mrs. Etsinger was born in Ger- many and in young manhood came to Craw- ford county and purchased land in Jackson township on which he resided for many years and then moved to Richland county, where both he and wife died. They were members of the German Lutheran church. To Mr. and Mrs. Cook three children were born: Adam, who is a resident of Canton, O .; Mrs. Etsing- er; and Maude, who is the wife of William Krichbaum, of Crestline. Mr. and Mrs. Et- singer have one daughter, Bertha, who was born April 19, 1893, and resides with her par- ents. The family belongs to the German Luth- eran church. Like his father, Mr. Etsinger has been identified with the Democratic party and formerly served as a member of the city council. He is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.

WILLIS H. BRAUSE, a prominent citi- zen of Crawford county, O., and one of the substantial men of Lykens township, of which he is a trustee and is serving in his second term, was born in this township, March 13, 1861, and is a son of Rudolph and Catherine (Klink) Brause.

Rudolph Brause was born in Saxony, Ger- many, and was brought to the United States when six years of age. In 1830 he came to Crawford county, O., and spent the remain- der of his life in Lykens township, becoming a prosperous farmer. He frequently related how, in his youth, he would accompany his mother when she walked from two miles south of Lykens village to Bucyrus, carrying her butter and eggs, and receiving three cents a pound for her butter and four cents a dozen for eggs. Game was still plentiful and there

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

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were many wild turkeys. He learned many wood-craft expedients and possessed a certain bone secured from a raccoon and fashioned into a whistle, with which he attracted the early flying turkeys and frequently he would shoot several turkeys before breakfast. He was known far and wide as a successful hunter.

Rudolph Brause married Catherine Klink, whose parents came from Wertemberg, Ger- many, to the United States when she was six years old, and in 1828 they came to Liberty township, Crawford county. A few words suffice to tell that one of the early settlers entered land, but in almost every case, at that time, the entering was accomplished through considerable hardship. Mr. Brause has heard his Grandfather Klink tell of some of his ex- periences. When ready to enter land he found there was no Government station at Bucyrus and that entailed a long trip to Tiffin and as he had no means of conveyance, he walked the whole distance from Ridgton to that city. He had carefully carried his purchase money, $96, with him but when he reached the land office he was confronted with the statement that he had four dollars too little, the sum of $100 being needed for the purchase of eighty acres, the smallest tract on sale. For- tunately he was carrying two watches and by pawning these he secured the required capital and received his deed for eighty acres of land. This left him, however, with no means with which to purchase food for the long journey back home, but, feeling that the sooner he reached there the better, he set out over the uncleared country, following Indian trails, as there were no roads, until, finally, worn out, he rested on a log and gave way to tears. In some mysterious way, after again resuming his homeward journey, he was led into a path where some former traveler had lost a twenty- five cent piece. This was a fortune to Mr. Klink and at the first log cabin he came to he spent it, one-half for potatoes and the other half for pancakes.

To Rudolph Brause and wife the following children were born: Caroline, who died when aged twenty-one years; George A .; John; Fidelia, who is deceased, was the wife of Jacob Zeigler; Willis H .; and Emma, who died when aged four years. The parents were members of the Lutheran church.

Willis H. Brause attended the district schools during a part of each year until he was twenty years old and was his father's main helper three years longer. He then rented land for eight years, after which he bought 160 acres, which he subsequently sold. In 1895 he bought his present farm of 470 acres. He carries on general farming and deals extensively in Shorthorn cattle, Per- cheron horses and Delaine sheep, having some 500 head of sheep annually. He owns three registered Percherons-Hindu, Lyman and Idoic-their total value being estimated at $4,000. Additionally he has a farm of forty acres situated in Seneca county.

In December, 1884, Mr. Brause was married to Miss Mary Susannah Zeigler, who was born in Seneca county, a daughter of Henry and Louisa (Keller) Zeigler, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Zeigler had a family of eight children, namely: Jacob, Henry, John, Mary S., George, Christian, Adam and Emma. To Mr. and Mrs. Brause seven children have been born, as follows: Earl George, Lloyd, Wil- liam, Virgil, Emma, Ida and Raymond. Mr. Brause and family attend the Reformed church. In politics Mr. Brause is a Democrat. He has many business interests but is a con- scientious citizen and tries to do his part in public position when called upon. In him Lykens township has a reliable and honest official and he has brought business methods to the board of trustees which have been of value in the considerations of that public body.

WILLIAM A. LEONHART,* one of the leading citizens of Chatfield township, Craw- ford county, O., president of the board of Education and owner of 100 acres of valuable land situated in section 10, situated two and one-half miles west and one-half mile north of New Washington, was born in this town- ship, Oct. 11, 1866, on a farm adjoining his present one. He is a son of John and a grand- son of George and Margaret (Zabst) Leon- hart.

George Leonhart and wife were both born in Germany and soon after marriage came to the United States and for the first four years lived in Stark county, O., and then moved into Chatfield township, Crawford county, where he purchased a tract of wild land which

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lie cleared and improved. Six children were born to George and Margaret Leonhart : John; Elizabeth, wife of Adam Reichart, of Chat- field township; George, residing in Kansas; Catherine, wife of Conrad Hamer, both de- ceased; Adam, of Bucyrus, O .; and Gustave A., of Chatfield township. George Leonhart resided on his Chatfield township farm until his death, at the age of 76 years and was sur- vived by his wife who lived to be 86 years old. Their burial was in the Lutheran cem- etery at New Washington.

John Leonhart grew up on the home farm and taught school for some time before mar- riage and afterward settled on 40 acres of land in Chatfield township, which he rented from his father, subsequently acquiring the home farm and adding to his possessions un- til at the time of death, when aged 72 years, he owned 380 acres, all in one body, situated in Chatfield township. He was a leading man in the Lutheran church and prominent also in public matters in the township, serving sev- eral terms as township trustee and in other capacities. All his land remains in the family and all of it has been cleared by the Leonharts. He married Elizabeth Ackerman, a daughter of David and Catherine Ackerman, and the following children were born to them: Cath- erine, who married Lewis Carrick and moved to Kansas and has five children-Lloyd, Wal- ter, Ross, Mabel and Goldie; Jefferson; G. W., who married Anna E. Gaugluff and has two children-E. L. and Maud A .; F. E., who married Emma Marquart, and has two chil- dren-Minnie and Clarence; W. A .; Matilda, who is the wife of C. W. Foster, of Mansfield, and has four children-Ethel, Ray, Helen and Harry; Caroline, who married George Mar- quart of Cranberry township; G. A., who mar- ried Minnie Shade and has two children- Charles and Anna; and Emma, who is the wife of W. A. Gaughuff, of Chatfield town- ship. The mother of this family died at the age of 73 years and her burial was in the Lutheran cemetery at New Washington.

William A. Leonhart attended the public schools in Chatfield township and three years in the New Washington schools, and after- ward taught school for seven terms in Chat- field township. He decided then to turn his entire attention to agricultural pursuits and

began for himself on his present farm, where, as time has passed he has made numerous im- provements which include the erection of sub- stantial buildings of modern construction. He carries on general farming and has all his land under cultivation with the exception of eighteen acres of woodland.

Mr. Leonhart married Miss Catherine Schaffer, who is a daughter of Valentine Schaffer, a farmer in Chatfield township. Mr. and Mrs. Leonhart have two children: Mar- yin W. and Alma E. In politics Mr. Leon- hart has always been a stanch Democrat but the only public office he has ever accepted has been membership on the school board of which body he is the very efficient president. With his family he belongs to the Lutheran church at New Washington, O.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 178

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