History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 179

Author: Hopley, John E. (John Edward), 1850-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Chicago,Ill., Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1302

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JAMES A. CASEY,* assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Galion, O., was born in this city Feb. 3, 1882. His parents were James and Clara (Shumaker) Casey, the former of whom was born in Crawford coun- ty, O., and the latter in Fairfield county, O. They were married in Galion. James Casey was a railroad engineer on the Big Four Rail- road for 42 years. He served in the Civil War as a non-commissioned officer in Com- pany K, 8Ist O. Vol. Inf., and escaped the more deadly perils of war, but was once cap- tured, later, however, making his escape. He was with Sherman on his march to the sea and on the close of the war took part in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. He sub- sequently resumed his occupation as railroad engineer. He died in Galion at the age of 69 years, June 27, 1908. He was a Republican in politics and belonged to Dick Morris Post, No. 130, G. A. R. His wife died here July 27, 19II. She came to Galion as a child with her parents, Joseph and Susan (Felton) Shu- maker, who later died here when quite ad- vanced in years. They were farmers by oc- cupation. Mrs. James Casey was 52 years old at the time of her death. They were the parents of five children, all of whom are now living. They are as follows: Forest, who is a member of the firm of Rush & Casey, is married and has children. Susan A. was edu- cated in the Galion schools and is residing at home. James is the subject of this sketch and

EDELBERT A. BRYAN

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will be further mentioned herein. Mary is the wife of John C. Wigg and they reside at Morgan Park, Ill., where Mr. Wigg has been commandant of the Morgan Park Military Academy for some four years. They have two children-James and Robert. Lloyd At- well, who was educated in the Galion schools, is now in the employ of the Eastern Ohio Gas Company, in the clerical department. He is unmarried.

James E. Casey was graduated from the Galion high school in the class of 1900. He then obtained a position as clerk in the hard- ware store of Resch & Casey. In 1902 he en- tered the First National Bank as teller, becom- ing assistant cashier in January, 19II, in which capacity he has proved himself a capable man. He is also secretary and treasurer of the McCoy-Raviland Company, confectionary manufacturers, having been one of the or- ganizers of this company. He is a Blue Lodge Mason and belongs also to the Knights of Pythias and the Elks, having been secretary of the last mentioned lodge since its organiza- tion. He is unmarried.

EDELBERT A. BRYAN, one of the rep- resentative business men of Galion, O., who is proprietor, with his wife, of the Bryan Coal Company of this city, with quarters on the Big Four Railroads and South Market street, was born in Polk, Ashland county, O., June 21, 1850 and belongs to one of the old and solid families of this state. The record of the Bryan family is as follows :

"John Bryan was born Oct. 18, 1777, noth- ing being known of his parents, except that they were probably of English stock and that they came from West Virginia to Ohio. John Bryan was married on Sept. 22, 1801, to Ra- chel Younger Mackrill, who was born Aug 17, 1781, where, not known. She was a daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Younger) Mackrill, who were married Feb. 16, 1754. He was born Feb. 16, 1730, and she was born Jan. 12, 1737. Their children were: Ruth, born near Lancaster, O., Sept. 12, 1802; Shadrach, born Sept. 14, 1804; John S., born April 19, 1809; Silas A., born May 28, 1812; Caleb, born June 25, 1814; and Calvin, who was born July 28, 1817, in Mohican township, Ashland county, the parents having removed

from Fairfield county to Ashland county in 1815. They remained in Mohican township until 1824 and then moved to Jackson town- ship, settling on a tract of land on which the village of Polk is built. They cleared up enough of the land to do considerable farming, but much work had to be done before the ground was in condition to raise crops. The father and mother were members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church and were devoted to its interests, their home being always open to traveling preachers of that faith who came into the neighborhood. The only daughter, Ruth, married William Millington but they had no children. They lived until Mr. Mill- ington's death, at Ashland, O., where he was engaged in the drug business. She remained a widow and for some years previous to her death, lived with relatives at Polk, O.

"Shadrach Bryan, father of Edelbert A. Bryan, was reared on the home farm and his early life was not one of ease, but a life of many hardships and constant toil. His school privileges were very limited, one term of school being all he was permitted to attend, during which he managed to complete Green's Arithmetic and to secure enough learning, with what he had acquired at home and what he gained afterward, to teach several terms of school. Of course the demands made on a teacher in those days are not to be compared to the present, but, if he had had the educa- tional advantages of the present, he would have been an intellectual giant. His especial delight was mathematics, and at the age of 80 years he was more proficient in this branch than any of his children, although some of them had taught school. He had an analytical mind and loved to debate, and for several years was a member of the literary societies of the neighborhood. In appearance he was a well built man, measured six feet and one inch in height and weighed about 220 pounds. His muscles were well developed and he was strong and active, had a well formed head and a good-looking face.

On June 9, 1829, Shadrach Bryan married Persis Goff. They were both Christians and when they began housekeeping they established the family altar the first day and kept it up as long as they lived. They were member's of the Methodist Episcopal church and their home

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was headquarters for the circuit preachers who came to hold meetings. Shadrach was one of the leading men in the. local church and for a good many years held a local preacher's license and also served as recording steward of the Circuit for several years. In politics he was a Republican and during the fifties and sixties, during the fierce anti-slavery agitation, was the leading Republican in his township. His party being in the minority, was held in contempt by the Democrats. He was fearless and outspoken in the cause of abolition and was often bit- terly reproached for his attitude. His last vote was cast with the Prohibition party, in 1886."

Shadrach moved from Polk to Galion in 1871, where he died in 1877 at the age of eighty-two. Persis, wife of Shadrach, died in 1877.

The children born to Shadrach Bryan and wife, were the following: Rachel, March 29, 1830, who died without issue in 1900, was the widow of Dr. Campbell who for several years was a prominent physician of Galion; Myra, born December 10, 1831, was a school teacher for many years, married Samuel Elliott of Edinburg, Portage county, a railroad contrac- tor, and later a farmer. He died in 1889. Mrs. Elliott moved to Galion in the same year and died there in 1907, without children. For sev- eral years Mrs. Elliott was a member of the Bryan Coal Company. Abner G., born De- cember 15, 1835, who died without decend- ants, in 1902, was a member of Mckinley's Regimental band for three years during the Civil war, after which he entered the service of the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad as fireman, and in due time was promoted to the position of engineer, which he held for eigh- teen years. In 1879 he left the road and formed a partnership with his brother, E. A. Bryan and went into the coal and builders' supply business. Abner G. was a resident of Galion for thirty-seven years, most of which he was an active member of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Martha, who is the wife of Al- vin Beymer, of Warren county, Iowa, was born May 5, 1838, they have three living chil- dren, two being now deceased. Charles H., born March 20, 1840, who served in the Civil war, was connected a good many years with the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, and was for several years a member of the Bryan

Coal Company, but is now retired; has lived in Galion for about forty years. Irena and Benson, both died young. Sarah A., born June 26, 1854, is the wife of William Sloane of Galion; they have been residents for about forty years. They have three sons, Ralph C., Supervisor of Music in the public schools of Sullivan, Indiana; Hugh L., telegraph opera- tor for the Big Four Railroad at Galion; Clin- ton B., employed by the American Express Company at Galion.

On the maternal side of the family record * has been gathered as follows :

"Abner Goff, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Bryan of this record, was born November 4, 1782, in Rutland county, Vt., a son of Dan- iel and Elizabeth Goff, Scotch people. On June 4, 1800 he married Patty Hudson. In 1813, with his family and his brother, Christo- pher and his family, they left Vermont in cov- ered wagons, for Ohio and in their journey to Licking county they passed through Wheel- ing, Pittsburgh and Zanesville. The brothers purchased, each, 100 acres of forest land near what is now the village of St. Louisville, of William Stanberry, also a native of Vermont,. who owned a strip of land about fifteen miles long between Newark and Utica. Abner Goff was an itinerant preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church and in his early ministry traveled a six weeks circuit which covered sev- eral counties, his children in the meanwhile, clearing and cultivating the land. He lived to be seventy-five years old, and during his long life of useful self-sacrifice, accomplished a great amount of good. His wife, Patty Hud- son, was an admirable woman in every way. She was born at Boston, Mass., November 9, 1782, and had two brothers and one sister, one of the former serving as a captain and the other as a lieutenant in General Washington's army. After the close of the Revolutionary War they settled in North Carolina. Mrs. Goff often told her children of seeing both General Washing- ton and General LaFayette. After the death of her husband she lived with her daughters, her death occurring at St. Louisville, O., November 9, 1871, in her ninetieth year. For sixty years she was a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church."

Edelbert A. Bryan was educated in the pub- lic schools of Ashland county. In 1870 he

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came to Galion and for nine years was con- nected with the Atlantic & Great Western, now the Erie Railroad Company. He began as fireman, was promoted engineer after a few years, which position he held until he left the road.

In Edinburg, Portage county, O., August 8, 1872, Mr. Bryan was married to Miss Ada E. Hudson, a daughter of John and Emma (El- liott) Hudson. Mrs. Bryan lost her father when she was thirteen years old, and her mother died in 1905. She has two living sis- ters: Mrs. Portz of Loudonville, Ashland county, O., and Mrs. (Rev. Stowell) Bryant of Windham, Portage county. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan have one daughter, Grace E., who was born July 30, 1873, and was graduated from the public schools, and after her graduation taught in the same schools until her marriage. She is the wife of Reuben O. Morgan of Gal- ion, who is superintendent of the Crawford County Gas and Electric Company, which operates the electric light plant at Crestline. They have one daughter, Eleanor Persis, who was born March 6, 1902. Mr. Morgan's fam- ily are members of the Presbyterian church of Galion. Mrs. Bryan is a member of the Pres- byterian church, also, while Mr. Bryan is a member of the Free Methodists and for sev- eral years did considerable evangelistic and pastoral work. For the past twenty years he has been chairman of the Prohibition County Committee of Crawford county.

Mr. Bryan is a great enemy to the liquor traffic; he does not give any quarter nor ask for any. He has demonstrated to the public that a business man does not have to compro- mise principle to make a success in business. Not only this, but he is rigid in his manner of keeping the Sabbath; all business is laid aside, with all work not actually necessary until the Sabbath is past, and he believes he is better off in every way for his attitude in this.

JACOB KNAPP,* deceased, for many years was a successful farmer and highly re- spected citizen of Vernon township, Crawford county, O., and he was born in Vernon town- ship, Oct. 13, 1841, and died June 4, 1901, on the same farm. He was a son of George W. Knapp.

The parents of Jacob Knapp were natives

of Wurtemberg, Germany, where George W. Knapp was born in 1797. There he was reared and after a certain period of schooling, learned the tailor's trade, and when he reached manhood married in his neighborhood and settled down to domestic life. After the birth of four children, George, Christine, William and Emanuel, he and wife discussed the mat- ter of finding a more lucrative way of gain- ing a sufficient income to take care of the increasing family, and finally decided that emigration to the United States would be the wisest move, opportunity perhaps awaiting them there to secure land and thus bring their children up as farmers. This was the dream of many devoted fathers and mothers about that time, when thousands of acres of land in Ohio and other states could be secured for a small amount of capital and under the indus- trious and thrifty working of Germans, have been developed into richest agricultural sec- tions of any land. It was in the thirties that George W. Knapp and family reached Craw- ford county, O., and from the Government secured a tract of virgin land in Vernon town- ship. He was no trained farmer but he was very ambitious and industrious, and as he was an excellent tailor soon built up a large line of customers, reaching even as far as San- dusky and Mansfield. According to the cus- tom of the day he traveled to his customers instead of their coming to him but made it profitable and was able to take excellent care of his family while his boys were growing up, built a comfortable log house and little by little cleared, cultivated and improved his farm. There his death occurred in 1879, he having survived his wife for 20 years. They were members of the German Lutheran church. After reaching America three more children were born to them, Jacob, Fred and Mary, the whole family now being deceased except Emanuel, who resides in Henry county, O., where he married and has a family.

Jacob Knapp was reared on the home farm and had comparatively few educational op- portunities. After he married he purchased the homestead, to which he added 70 acres, erected new dwelling and barns and spent time and money in making improvements. His widow owns the old farm of II0 acres. He was one of the leading members of the Luth-

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eran church in Vernon township and was an upright, Christian man.

Jacob Knapp married Miss Elizabeth Weaver, who was born in Vernon township, Crawford county, Aug. 21, 1848. She contin- ued to live in her native township until she came to Crestline, where she built her hand- some residence which she occupies, at No. 215 William street. Her parents were John and Elizabeth (Derr) Weaver, who were natives of Hesse Darmstadt, Germany. In his native land, John Weaver married in early manhood a German lady who left four children at death. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Derr and in 1843 the family came to America, sub- sequently settling in Vernon township, Craw- ford county, O., securing wild land and living at first as pioneers. They died in Vernon township, in advanced age, well known and much respected people, German Lutherans in their religious faith. Two children were born to Mr. Knapp's second marriage before the. family left Germany, and two more after reaching Crawford county. The surviving children are one daughter of the first and two of the second marriage and all have families.

To Jacob Knapp and wife four children were born, namely: Anna M., who is the wife of Bradley Fletcher, who is proprietor of a hotel at Atlantic City, N. J., and at St. Augustine, Fla .; Samuel, a dry goods merchant at Crest- line, who married Emma Freed and has three children-Lucile, Stanley and Bedford; John G., a resident of Toledo, O., who married Maria Sacridge; Cora N. C., who is the wife of Alvin Farber, a clothing merchant at Crest- line, who make their home with her mother, Mrs. Knapp. They have one son, Alvin Mon- roe, who was born July 19, 1911. Mrs. Knapp and family are members of the German Luth- eran church.

WILLIAM BURGBACHER, who for 29 years has been a member of the board of education of Chatfield township, Crawford county, O., and one of the well known men of the county, was born in Chatfield township, one mile north of his present farm, Sept. 9, 1856, a son of John and Susan (Koenig) Burgbacher.

John Burgbacher was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, June 23, 1824, a son of Johannes

and Rosina (Bippus) Burgbacher. In June, 1835, Johannes Burgbacher with wife and children set sail for America and were safely landed in the United States after 62 days on the ocean, making harbor at New York. From there they proceeded by river, canal and lake to Sandusky and from there by team to Craw- ford county. By trade he was a wagonmaker but after reaching Ohio devoted his attention mainly to farming. He bought 80 acres of partly cleared land on which stood a log cabin. The country was yet so wild that deer came *from the heavy timber and fed with the cows at the hay rack. The grandfather of Mr. Burgbacher died in 1842, when aged 67 years and was survived by the grandmother until 1850. They were parents of five children.

When he assumed the management of the home farm, John Burgbacher was 18 years of age but, notwithstanding his youth, carried on the farm development with success. He be- came a very prominent man in this section, in 1862 being elected a county commissioner and served three terms of three years each. In 1853 he was a justice of the peace and a trus- tee of the township, also a school director for some forty years. He was a liberal member of the Lutheran church. On July 3, 1849, he married Susan M. Koenig, who was born in Germany, a daughter of William and Maria L. (Fay) Koenig and the following children were born to them: Otto P., Mary, John, Wil- liam, Rosa, Henry, Jacob, Elizabeth and Her- man. John Burgbacher died March 28, 1909, aged 84 years, nine months and four days; Susan M. (Koenig) Burgbacher died March 24, 1905, aged 75 years, three months and 24 days.

William Burgbacher was reared and secured his schooling in Chatfield township. After- ward he was engaged for eight years in the saw mill business in Defiance county and also spent six months in Illinois and then returned to Chatfield township, Aug. 5, 1880, marrying Miss Helen Goller in Defiance county. After- ward he settled on his farm of 120 acres in section 7, Chatfield township, one mile west and one-half mile north of Chatfield, and all his children were born on this farm. He has made many improvements here and has a mod- ern residence and substantial barn and other buildings and has all his land with the excep-

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tion of 15 acres, well tiled and under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Burgbacher grows some of the finest fruit in the county and has a herd of valuable Polled Angus cattle.

The first wife of Mr. Burgbacher died June 14, 1904 and her burial was in the Windfall Lutheran Cemetery. She was the mother of seven children, namely : Frank I. and William Earl, twins, the former of whom is bookkeeper for the T. O. C. Railway Company, at Ken- ton, O., the latter being deceased; Rosa B. Schwarzbek, who is deceased; Emma E., who is Mrs. Willson, residing at Bloomville, O .; Charles H., senior partner of the firm of Burg- bacher & Willson, proprietors of the City Meat Market, at Bloomville, O., and Fred G. and Lorena H. On May 20, 1908, Mr. Burg- bacher was married (second) to Mrs. Caroline (Straley) Kauffman, widow of William Kauffman. Mr. and Mrs. Burgbacher are members of the German Lutheran church. He has held many public offices-constable, town- ship trustee, and was elected justice of the peace but declined to serve. On three occa- sions he has been sent as a delegate to state conventions and has served on many important committees in the councils of the Democratic party.

WILLIAM McCARTHY,* one of the old, tried and trusted employes of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Crestline, O., entered the service in April, 1869 and has been con- tinuously connected with it with the exception of one year, which he spent attending the Crestline High School. He was born at Derry, Ireland, April 15, 1849, and is a son of John and Ellen (Burns) McCarthy.

John McCarthy, the father, was born in Ireland and was twice married in his own land. Three children were born to his first union : Ellen, Dennis and Jeremiah. Three of the children of his second marriage are liv- ing, namely: William; Deborah, who is the widow of John Marooney, resides on East Scott street, Crestline and has three children; and Elizabeth, who is a resident of Chicago, Ill. In 1847 John McCarthy and family took passage on a sailing vessel which safely landed them in the port of New York eleven weeks later, and from there they came to Freedom, O., where Mr. McCarthy settled for some

years and followed railroad construction, moving then to Lucas county and in 1851 to Crestline. Here he assisted in the building of the Pennsylvania Railroad as a small con- tractor. His subsequent life was spent here, where his death occurred at the age of 83 years, his wife surviving a few years longer. They were members of the Roman Catholic church and faithful in all religious observ- ances.

William McCarthy obtained his education in the parochial and later the Crestline High School and early decided on a railroad career. In April, 1869 he was made a fireman and continued as such until February, 1873, when he went into a shop preparatory to taking charge of an engine, and on May 15, 1873, took out his first engine as an engineer, mak- ing the run on the Alliance Division known as Division B, the beginning of a long and sat- isfactory term of service in this line of work. Since 1892 he has been detailed over the whole division, at times running from Pittsburg to Chicago. Until 1889 his services were con- fined to the freight department, but since then he has engineered passenger trains.

Mr. McCarthy was married at Crestline to Miss Rosanna Finnegan, who was born, reared and educated in this city, a daughter of James and Ann (O'Neil) Finnegan. They came from Ireland to the United States early in the fifties, with four children, locating at Crestline and here Mr. Finnegan became con- nected with the construction department of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Both he and wife died in this city well advanced in years, and faithful members of the Roman Catholic church. They had eight children, Mrs. Mc- Carthy being the first one born after coming to America. One sister, Maggie, is the widow of Jerry Wallace and lives at Columbia City, Ind .; another sister, Bridget, is the wife of W. K. Moore, of Carnegie, Pa .; and the third sister, Jennie W. married David A. Clark and they live at Cincinnati and have one daughter.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy: Anna, who died young; Maude, who is the wife of W. S. Zink, of Chicago, and has one daughter, Rose Mary; and Wil- liam Francis, who is a machinist with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and lives at home. Mr. McCarthy and family all belong

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to St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He and son are nominally Democrats but are quite in- dependent in their political views.

PETER F. HERR,* for many years a well known and highly respected citizen of Galion, O., and a veteran of the Civil War, was born at Fort Wayne, Ind., in 1846, and died at his home in Galion, in 1897. His parents were Henry and Elizabeth (Snyder) Herr, and the . family came to this city when Peter F. was a young man. They were members of the Reformed church.

Peter F. Herr learned the carpenter's trade after his school days were over, partly under the instruction of his father, who was a skilled mechanic, and during the greater part of his life he followed this trade, in his later years becoming a contractor. When the Civil War broke out he immediately left home and en- listed but as he was still under age his parents requested that he return home. He remained with his father until he reached his majority and then enlisted a second time, from Galion, and served faithfully until the close of the war, being continuously with his regiment with the exception of a period when he was confined in a hospital, suffering from small- pox. Mr. Herr was never very active in politics but was a good citizen and lived up to every public responsibility. He was a Dem- ocrat in his political view.

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History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 179

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