History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 105

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Ohio > Crawford County > History of Crawford County and Ohio > Part 105

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HENRY ENSMINGER, merchant, Bucyrus ; was born in Perry Co., Penn., Feb. 2, 1826, and is the son of David and Barbara (Messinger) Ensminger. Up to the time that he was 18, he attended school and worked on a farm. At the age of 25, he commenced farming in part- nership, and so continued for three years ; he was a farmer in his native State until 1866, when he came to Ohio and settled in what is now Jefferson Township. He farmed one year, and, in the fall of that year, he opened a store in partnership with his brother, at North Rob- inson ; this lasted two years, and was dissolved by the death of his brother. Mr. Ensminger continued the business for some four years, when he sold out his goods and bought a farm of 80 acres near the village, where he lived six

years. He came to Bueyrus in the spring of 1879, and opened a dry-goods store in No. 6 Quinby Block, where he still continues, and has a large and attractive stock of goods and no- tions. He was married in Cumberland Co., Penn., April 12, 1851, to Susan Jacobs ; they have four children-Franklin P., Albert M., Charles E., Alberta E. and one child dead.

W. H. DROUGHT, grocer and produce ship- per, Bucyrus ; son of William and Margaret (Gillispie) Drought ; was born in Franklin Co., Vt., March 19, 1827, and received a thorough knowledge of the common branches in the pub- lie schools of the old " Green Mountain State." When about 20 years of age, he removed to Illinois, and was for about ten years employed on several of the railroads in the Western States. He worked on the I. C. R. R. for nearly eighteen months ; also three months in Mis- souri. After this, he obtained a situation as roadmaster on the N. M. R. R., and also occu- pied the same position for some eighteen months on the O. & M. R. R .; then for three years he was a passenger conductor on the road between Chicago and La Fayette, Ind. He resigned this position to accept the office of master of transportation on the P., Ft. W. & C. R. R., having charge between Crestline and Chicago, and continued with this corporation for some two years. In 1860, he located in Bucyrus with his family, and, in December of that year, purchased the provision store of Messrs. Mc- Graw & Fowler, who were located at No. 7 Quinby Block. Mr. Drought has continued the business at this same stand for twenty years ; in after years, he purchased that section of the block. Several years since. he em- barked in the business of shipping produce for the Eastern market, and has carried on an ex- tensive business, chiefly in butter, eggs and poultry. The subject of this sketch was mar- ried May 26, 1857, to Miss Nannie E. Flack. of Washington Co., Penn .; they were the parents of five children, three boys and two girls- James II., Anna B., Ella, Charles Edmund and Wilber F. Their daughters are living, but the three sons are dead ; James H., the eldest. died of consumption, Ang. 20. 1876. in the 18th year of his age, while in the West. seeking his health ; Charles Edmund died Nov. 13, 1874. aged 5 years and 3 months; and Wilber F. died May 28. 1876, in the 7th month of his age. Mr. Drought is a member of the First Presby-

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terian Church of Bucyrus, and, since February, 1868, he has been a Ruling Elder in that re- ligious society ; he was also a charter member of Howard Lodge of the Knights of Honor, and Crawford Council of the Royal Arcanum.

GEORGE A. DEAGLE, Bucyrus ; is a son of John and Barbara (Hoffman) Deagle, who were residents of Lancaster Co., Penn. ; his birth occurred Jan. 27, 1828 ; his father was a shoemaker by trade ; about the year 1841, he moved his family to a place near Ashland, Ohio -- what was then Richland Co., but is now Ash- land ; the subject of this sketch received but a meager education, attending school until his 13th year only, when, coming to this State with his father, he began working by the month as a farm-hand, at which he continued for about nine years; the family then moved to this county, settling permanently in Liberty Town- ship ; he then engaged in work for six years as farmer for Mr. George Lauck, beginning at $120 a year, his employer raising his wages to $180 a year, on account of his industrious habits. March 26, 1857, he was married to Rebecca J. McMichael, of Liberty Township; she was a daughter of David and Margaret (Anderson) McMichael, one of the earliest pioneer families of this county ; she was born in Liberty Town- ship Sept. 30, 1834; of this marriage, four children are living - Mary Margaret, John G., Eddie (who died at 2 years of age), Ella J. and George W .; the mother of this inter- esting family of children died April 23, 1877, of congestion of the lungs. After marriage, Mr. Deagle rented for eight years, of Mr. Lauck, the same farm on which he had already spent six years, meeting with success as a farmer un- til the year 1865, when he purchased his pres- ent home on Poplar street, in Bucyrus, where he was engaged in teaming and farming until the year 1870, when he was elected to serve a term as Street Commissioner of the city of Bu- cyrus. He is a member of Howard Lodge, K. of H., a Democrat politically, and a member of St. Paul's English Lutheran Church.

HON. EBENEZER B. FINLEY, lawyer, Bucyrus ; is a native of the State of Ohio, hav- ing been born at Orrville, in Wayne Co., July 31, 1833; his earlier years, until he had attained the age of 20, were passed on a farm, and his education was such as the common school of the neighborhood afforded ; at that age he left his home and went to Kansas ; Mr. Finley sub-

sequently left Kansas, and for awhile lived in Illinois ; for two years he taught school in Ful- ton Co., but, in 1858, with the desire of seeing more of the great regions of the West, he went to the Rocky Mountains, then far wilder and less frequented than now ; passing the years 1858 and 1859 there, he returned to his native State, establishing himself permanently at Bucyrus, where he entered upon the study of law ; he was still engaged upon his studies when the war of the rebellion broke out ; he at once re- cruited a company, which formed a part of the 64th O. V. I., and was elected as First Lieuten- ant ; in 1862, he resigned his commission, and, being admitted to the bar, commenced the prac- tice of his profession at Bucyrus, which he has continued to the present time. In 1875, Mr. Finley was nominated for the Forty-fifth Con- gress by the Democrats, and elected by over 5,000 majority ; he was re-elected to the Forty- Sixth Congress, over his competitor, Charles Foster, by upward of 2,000 majority. Mr. Fin- ley is recognized as an indefatigable worker in Congress, and gained considerable distinction through his able speeches delivered in the House of Representatives. He had an atten- tive auditory whenever he spoke, and was marked for his readiness and earnestness in debate, and for the clear and forcible manner in which he presented his facts and deduc- tions. Mr. Finley is now Chairman of the Committee on Public Expenditure, and a member of the Census Committee. He re- tires from Congress with the expiration of the present House. He was married on Feb. 18, 1858, to Miss Emeline C. Codding, of Copley, Summit Co., Ohio, a daughter of Robert Codding, now of Marion, Ohio ; he has but one child, a son, Harry M., a midshipman in the navy, having graduated at Annapolis, Md., on June 10, 1880.

HIRAM FENNER, P. O. Bucyrus ; is the son of Abraham and Eliza (Pickering) Fenner; was born in Pike Co., Penn., July 13, 1821 ; he lived on a farm until his 19th year, acquiring in the meantime but little education, one winter attending school but nine days. He left the farm at the age of 19, and went to learn the merchant-tailoring trade, serving his appren- ticeship in Easton, Penn., and remaining until he was 24. In April, 1845, he came to Bucy- rus, and at once engaged in tailoring, following that business for some ten years, and then com-

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menced merchant-tailoring, beginning with a small stock ; he soon took in Moses Simon as partner for ten years, when Mr. Fenner retired, and at once started anew and continued for seven years, retiring in 1865, having been blessed with good success, and all attained by his own efforts. He was married, April 21, 1846, to Elizabeth Myers, daughter of Gen. Samuel Myers ; they have four children- Mary A. Lewis, Samuel L., who is a merchant at Terre Haute, Ind .; Millie, the wife of Jacob Geiger, of Bucyrus, and Hiram W., a physician at Terre Haute. Mr. Fenner has been, and is at present, Secretary of the Cemetery Associa- tion, and has held the office for fifteen years. He was one of the twenty-six persons who or- ganized the association, and he has been a Trustee since 1858. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and is a man of uprightness and integrity.

H. M. FISHER, carpenter and builder, Bucyrus ; is a son of David and Elizabeth (Stayman) Fisher, and was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Dec. 12, 1818. While a boy, he lived on a farm and received a good common-school education. His father was born near Green- castle, Penn., in 1787 ; was a farmer and also a miller, becoming a merchant later in life ; he was possessed of a liberal education, and was married in Pennsylvania in 1809, and came to Ohio in 1828, and lived here until his death. The subject of our sketch came with his parents here, and assisted his father on the farm, near Mansfield, and remained until the death of the latter. He learned the carpenter trade with his brother in Mansfield, about 1842. In 1854, he came to Crawford Co., and worked in and around Bucyrus, following his trade, in com- pany with his brother, David Fisher, until 1865. In 1867 and 1868, he also worked in Marion Co. He has been engaged in carpentering and bridge-building ever since 1854, in this and ad- joining counties. He was married, Oct. 29, 1850, to Miss Solena Culver, of Richland Co., Ohio ; she died Jan. 13, 1852. Sept. 20, 1855, he was again married, to Miss Sarah A. Dick- son. of Vernon Township, this county ; there is one child of this family-N. C. Fisher, Civil En- gineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad, stationed at Chicago. Of his father's family, there are the following children living, besides himself-Eliza, wife of Henry Cook, of Constantine, Mich. ; C. W. Fisher, Louisa, widow of Joseph Davis, of

Evansville, Ind., and Susannah. Mr. Fisher has been a Republican since the organization of the party, and is one of the respected and in- fluential citizens of Bucyrus.

CHRISTIAN W. FISHER, Postmaster, Bu- cyrus, is a son of David and Elizabeth (Stayman) Fisher, and was born in Franklin Co., Penn .. Aug. 23, 1825. His father was a farmer, and young Christian lived the first three years of his life on the farm where he was born. His parents removed to Richland Co., Ohio, in 1828, and settled on a farm, where their son was reared, to work against the privations of a new and wild country, and to struggle against the disadvantages of pioneer life. But little time could be spared for schooling in those days. and the school houses were of the primitive character described in other portions of this work. The only text books in Mr. Fisher's early school days were the spelling book, and that revered volume, the Bible, but Mr. Fisher. despite the barriers which arose before him in the acquirement of an education, was a hard student, and, at the age of 20, was enabled to teach school. Soon after his debut as a peda- gogue, he entered the Ashland Academy, then in charge of Loring Andrews. For a period of

several years he attended and taught school. and proved himself a successful instructor. In June, 1848, he removed to Bucyrus, and upon his arrival was tendered and accepted a clerk- ship in the dry goods store of A. Failor, where he continued five years. On the first day of the year 1856, he commenced business as a partner in the firm of Root. Fisher & Hall, which enterprise was successful. The business was sold out at the end of two years, and our subject accepted a clerical position under the firm of Hall & Juillard, remaining one year, when he purchased a half-interest. and the bus- iness continued under the firm name of Juil- lard & Fisher, and this partnership lasted until 1865. In January, 1866, Mr. Fisher com- meneed a new enterprise, opening a general store three doors north of the National Bank, under the firm name of Fisher & Lauck. This was continued until February, 1877, when he retired. Feb. 1. 1879, he received the appoint- ment as Postmaster from President Haves, an office the duties of which he has ably dis- charged, and making himself popular among the citizens of Bueyrus. He has been a prom- inent and useful member of society, having

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served on the School Board for several years. Ile is a charter member of Howard Lodge, Knights of Honor, No. 109, and was its first presiding officer ; also its delegate to the second session of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and was elected Chaplain of that body. At the third session he was elected Grand Dictator, and in 1878 he retired. becoming Past Grand of Ohio. He was elected delegate to the Supreme Lodge for two years, Nashville in 1878. and Boston in 1879. Mr. Fisher is a member of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He was mar- ried in May, 1852, to Miss Henrietta Lauck, of Bucyrus, and of this marriage there are seven children-Edgar L., Charles J., George P., Mary L., Frank M., Blanche and Grace.

DAVID E. FISHER, merchant, Bucyrus ; was born in Mansfield. Ohio, March 24, 1846, where the first fourteen years of his life were spent in attending the schools of that place. In the fall of 1860, he came to Bucyrus to live with an uncle, Mr. C. W. Fisher, assisting him on his farm and attending school one year. In July, 1862, he enlisted in the 131st O. V. I., from which, after five months' service, he was honor- ably discharged. He then began clerking in his uncle's store, filling a position there until the 136th O. N. G. marched to the defense of the National Capital. At the expiration of the term of his enlistment, he was again discharged from the service, and resumed his duties in the store with his unele, C. W. Fisher, until 1869, at which time the firm was changed to Fisher & Lauck ; he, however, remaining with that firm until 1873, when he entered into a partnership with his brother, J. J. Fisher. He was married Nov. 3, 1869, to Miss Maggie Hoover, by whom he has three children-Bessie M., Jay C. and infant son. He is a member of St. Paul's Lu- theran Church and Sunday school, holding, in the last-named organization, a responsible po- sition.

JAMES G. FRAYER, contractor, Bneyrus. The above-named gentleman is a son of James and Grace (Sigerson) Frayer ; born April 14, 1826, in Butler Co., Penn. His youth was spent amid the scenes of rural life until 14. when he went to the town of Butler, and was there apprenticed to a man named William Fonzer, a builder, under whose direction, dur- ing a term of three years, he learned the triple trade of brick-laying, stone-cutting and plaster- ing. Just after the fire at Pittsburgh, Penn.,

in 1845, our subject went there to follow his trade ; but workmen were so plenty that a brick-layer only received 87 cents per day. In 1848, Mr. Frayer began building under contract, and continued in the vicinity of Pittsburgh un- til 1856. In that year, he started West ; but stopped at Bucyrus to visit a friend, when he was persuaded to remain. From 1856 to 1862, his energies were confined to the principal build- ings of Bucyrus. He erected during that period the Quinby Block, Presbyterian and Lutheran Churches and several other large buildings. In 1863, he was employed by the Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad Company to build their depots and hotel stands, at present from Crestline to Allegheny City. In 1865, he erected the State Lunatic Asylum at Dixmont, Penn., which contains over two million brick. In about 1869, he received the contract for the brick-work of the Lunatic Asylum at Athens, Ohio, which alone contained twelve million of brick. In company with other gentlemen in 1868-69, he built the schoolhouses of Crestline, Galion and Cardington. In 1870, the firm of Miller, Frayer & Sheets was formed, and have since built the magnificent conrt houses of Erie, Richland and Licking Counties. This firm has in its employ from one to three hundred men. Mr. Frayer was a member of the firm of B. B. McDanald & Co., which was organized in about 1871, and graded six miles of the Ohio Central Rail- road. The same firm also graded and laid seven miles of track from the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad to the coal mines. The firm of Frayer & Sheets have the contract for building the extensive railroad shops of the Ohio Central at Bucyrus. Feb. 8, 1850, Mr. Frayer united in marriage with Miss Mary J. Garner, of Sharps- burg. Penn. Of this union there are five chil- dren living, and two dead.

COCHRAN FULTON, physician and drug- gist, Bncyrus ; is the son of Abraham and Ann (Smith) Fulton, and was born in West- moreland Co., Penn., Feb. 22, 1819; his youth was spent on a farm and in hard work until the age of 17, when he attended select school at Dalton. Ohio ; at the age of 20, he entered a dry-goods store as clerk, and remained about a year : having always had a taste for the study of medicine, he entered the office of Harvey J. Tuttle, at Brookfield, Ohio, reading and prac- tieing for some five years ; his next residence was in Wooster, Ohio, where he remained one

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year, when, on Nov. 14, 1845, he came to Bucyrus ; he immediately entered upon the practice of his profession, and is the third old- est practitioner in the county and the old- est active physician in the city ; he came here without capital, and soon was in the enjoyment of an extensive practice ; during the dysentery epidemie of 1852, he was obliged to ride day and night, and for three consecutive days he never slept, sacrificing his own comfort and welfare for the good of his patients ; about 1855, he opened a drug and book store in the Quinby Block, in partnership with Dr. W. R. Clark ; this partnership lasted some six years, when the subject of our sketch sold out his in- terest to his partner ; he commenced business in his present room in the spring of 1861, and continued alone for some nine years ; in No- vember, 1870, his son Melancthon was admit- ted as partner, and the business continued under the firm name of C. Fulton & Son ; they are carrying an extensive stock, and are doing a flourishing business, both being men of business capacity and enterprise. Mr. Fulton was married, in October, 1844, to Elizabeth A. Davis, of Brookfield ; they have two children -Anna J., now the wife of Rev. A. S. Milhol- land, of Uniontown, Penn., and Melancthon, his partner in business. Dr. Fulton has been a prominent citizen, having been a member of the City Council for several years, and also of the School Board, of which body he was Presi- dent when the new building was erected, and gave especial attention to its construction. He has always been a Democrat, his first vote hav- ing been cast for Van Buren.

GEORGE W. FISHER, merchant, Bucy- rus ; is the son of E. B. and Lydia (Webster) Fisher, and was born July 23, 1856, in Middle- town, Butler Co., Ohio ; his early youth was spent in this village, and, when he was about 7 years of age, his parents removed to Franklin, Ohio, where he received his education ; at the age of 16, he commeneed to learn tailoring with his father, who is a skillful cutter and tailor ; in 1873, the family removed to Tiffin, Ohio, and the subject of our sketch became, at the age of 18 years, cutter for G. H. Corthell & Co., at that time doing the best business in Tiffin in their line ; he continued here until 1876, when he worked in Marion for six months ; he formed a partnership with Morri- son on Jan. 8, 1879. He was married to Hat-

tie E. Cook, of Tiffin, Ohio, by whom he has one son-Harry W., born Feb. 19. 1880. Mr. Fisher is a young and energetic business man, and the business of his firm is prospering finely ; as a cutter, he has few equals and no superiors in Bucyrus.

FREDERICK E. FREY, machinist, Bucy- rns ; is a son of John M. and Magdalena (Lein- inger) Frey, and was born in Neiderweiler, Baden, Gerinany, Feb. 23, 1837. He received the rudiments of his education in his native town. and at the age of 10 years commenced a four years' course in the high school at Muhl- heim, where he graduated. The year follow- ing he worked in a machine-shop, but at the age of 15, he came to America and settled in Plymouth, Richland Co., arriving there July 5, 1852. He became well versed in our lan- gnage in the course of three months, and soon became a clerk in a store, which position he filled for two years. His parents had removed from Germany in the meantime and settled in Huron Co. He then removed to their home, and was with them two years. In December, 1856, he came to Bucyrus and commeneed work as a machinist, being employed by three different firms until 1859. In the following spring he became a resident of Huron Co., and engaged in agricultural pursuits for a period of ten months. In March, 1861. he came to Bu- eyrus and was employed in the shops, of which he is now a partner. The following fall saw him a partner of D. I. Scheckler, where he still remains, and is universally respected as a man of business talent and of upright integrity. He was married Nov. 3, 1859, to Lucy H. Houffstatter, of Huron Co., Ohio, and the fol- lowing-named children are the fruits of this union-Celia M., Myrta V .. James A., Ernest H., Bessie L., John J .. Rena R., Frederick F. (deceased), and Imogene. Mr. Frey is a de- voted and earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a Trustee, and is also Superintendent of the Sunday school at Pleasant View. He is a man who shares largely in publie esteem and is an exem- plary eitizen.

J. J. FISHER, merchant. Bucyrus ; is a son of David and Martha (Cook) Fisher. and was born in Mansfield, Ohio, Nov. 22, 1837. He attended school in that place until 18 years of age, at which time he left school and came to Bucyrus, where he was clerk in a dry goods

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store for nine years. In 1865, he entered into a partnership with J. A. Schaber, at Sulphur Springs, Ohio, and they there started a general store. This enterprise they sold out, however, and he commenced business again, in company with Juillard and Lewis in the grocery busi- ness at Bucyrus. This partnership lasted until 1869, doing a very successful business. Mr. Fisher's health failing, he retired and spent some time on a farm. In March, 1873, he and D. E. Fisher entered into business together under the firm name of J. J. Fisher & Bro. Since then they have conducted the business together. In 1871, they erected the Fisher Block, a three-story brick structure, 158 feet deep and 23 wide. The first story is occupied with dry goods and groceries, the basement with carpets and queensware. They are doing an immense business, and are enterprising and successful in business. The subject of our sketch was married Sept. 17, 1865, to Miss Arena White, daughter of C. W. White. of Dallas Township. He is an Elder in St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and is a consist- ent and steadfast Christian. His father, David Fisher, was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Nov. 11, 1810. He was a carpenter by trade, and came to Mansfield in 1832. He was married there in 1836, and continued at his trade throughout his life. There are four children, James J., Joseph E., John W. and David E., of this first marriage, are still living. His wife died in 1846. He was remarried in 1849, to Sarah Furgeson. They had one child, a daughter, named Amelia, now Mrs. D. F. Welsh. He died July 22, 1880, holding a firm belief in the tenets of Christianity, and was a member of the Congregational Church.

M. H. FULTON, telegraph operator, Bucy- rus ; son of George W. and Harriet (Blanchard) Fulton, was born May 22, 1840, at Brighton, Penn. Ile attended school until 17, and then learned telegraphy in the Brighton office. In April, 1861, he enlisted in the 9th Penn. Reserve Corps, and served until his discharge in 1862. He was wounded by a musket ball June 27, at Gaines' Mills, during the seven day's fight. He was here taken prisoner and confined in Hope Prison, near Libby. After a confinement of several weeks, he was exchanged, and in 1862 he was discharged. He was engaged in the battles of Dranesville, Gaines' Mills and Mechanicsburg. For one year after his dis-

charge he lay sick on account of his wound, and then resumed his business, becoming day operator at Allegheny City, Penn. Here he remained some two years and then went to Rochester, remaining three years. Next he came to Bucyrus, Aug. 11, 1866, and has re- mained ever since. Nov. 30, 1871, he was married to Miss Kate M. Swingly, daughter of Dr. Swingly, of Bucyrus. Of this marriage there are three children-Carrie, George F. and Percy.

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 105

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Perrin, William Henry, [from old catalog] comp; Battle, J. H., [from old catalog] comp; Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, 1852- [from old catalog] comp; Baskin & Battey, Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Baskin & Battey
Number of Pages: 1034