History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 119

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 119

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JACOB SCROGGS, attorney at law, Bucyrus. Among the names of prominent men in Bucyrus and Crawford Co., that of Hon. Jacob Scroggs, deserves especial mention. Jacob Seroggs, son of John and Ann (Shawke) Scroggs, was born in Canton, Ohio, Aug. 11, 1827. His father was born in the city of Baltimore June 9, 1794, and was a hatter by trade, having served his apprenticeship seven years, in his native city. In 1819, he removed to Cumberland Co., Penn., where he lived one year, and then removing to Columbiana Co., Ohio, where he was married in 1821. Was engaged in business at New Lisbon for some time, and afterward at Can- ton. He removed from Stark Co. in 1839, coming to Crawford Co. by team, and settling on the site of his son's present residence. He died in 1861. Throughout his life he was a pure-minded, fervent Christian, a member of the M. E. Church. He participated in the war of 1812, being engaged in the bombardment of Fort McHenry and North Point. His wife's father, Jacob Shawke, was a soldier in the Revolution. His son Abel Shawke invented first steam fire-engine, which was tried in the winter of 1851-52, in Cincinnati. The subject

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of our sketch assisted his father in the hat trade until he attained his majority, acquiring a limited education. He also spent some time in the printing office of T. J. Orr, publisher of the Democrat-Republican, and, later, with J. R. Knapp, of the Bucyrus Forum, as a type-setter. After he was 21, he taught school five terms, and was also Deputy Sheriff. He was also em- ployed in the Clerk's and Probate offices as copyist, in the meantime acquiring a knowledge of medicine, and was a clerk in Toledo in 1851 and 1852. He then represented Winthrop D. Smith, in introducing the Eclectic school books, traveling one season. He then entered the law office of D. W. Swigart, having been a student of Judge Hall. Next, he attended the Cincinnati Law School, graduating in May, 1854, and was admitted to the bar in Hamilton Co. He continued with D. W. Swigart until February, 1855, when he opened an office here, beginning without capital, and has worked his way into affluence. He was Mayor of Bucy- rus from 1855 to 1859. He is now serving his eighth year as member of the School Board, and fifth as President of that body. Was Presidential Elector on the Republican ticket, in 1864, for the Ninth District. He was mar- ried, in September, 1859, to Julia A. Walwork, of Bucyrus, a native of Pennsylvania. They have one son, Charles J., a promising student at Ann Arbor, Mich.

C. H. SHONERT, County Treasurer, Buey- rus. This gentleman is a son of John H. and Frederika (John) Shonert, and was born in Saxony April 13, 1832, where he went to school until he was 14, and afterward worked with his father at blacksmithing for two years. In March, 1848, he sailed from the port of Bremen, and, after a voyage of six weeks, landed at New York on May 6. He removed to Crawford Co. with his father's family and settled in Lykens Town- ship, where Mr. Shonert worked on the farm for one year. In April, 1849, he came to Bucyrus and learned tanning with Aaron Cary. For eighteen years he carried on business for him- self, and now has a half-interest in the business with Jacob Haller. He early developed a re- markable taste for music, and is one of, if not the finest musician in the city. He has held several city offices, and, in 1875, he was elected County Treasurer, and was re-elected in 1877. During his terms of office he has shown himself capable and energetic, and made himself deserv-

edly popular. He was married, Oct. 30, 1856, to Maria W. Miller, of Bucyrus. Seven children are the fruit of this union-William, Emma M., Francis O., Edwin M., Anna Z., Clara W., Thomas C. Mr. Shonert commenced life poor, with no capital but his own labor and energy, but he has succeeded admirably in making his fortune by his own efforts.

HENRY STUCKEY, machinist, Bucyrus ; was born May 25, 1833, in Canton, Ohio, and is the son of John and Mary (Shock) Stuckey ; he was raised on a farm, and attended district school during winters till his 18th year ; in 1852, he purchased a farm in Texas Township of 80 acres, and lived there until the fall of 1861; during this time, in connection with his farming, he also sold machinery, and did a lucrative business ; in 1861, he came to Bucy- rus, and bought an interest in the Bucyrus Machine Company, and was Superintendent during its existence ; in 1868, the firm was changed to the Bucyrus Machine Works, and Mr. Stuckey was Superintendent until 1876, excepting some three years spent as general agent for McDonald & Co .; the Bucyrus Ma- chine Company failed in 1876, and Mr. Stuckey and others bought out the entire stock and business in April, 1877 ; he then became Su- perintendent for A. Monnett & Co. for two years, and, in April, 1879, he and A. W. Diller leased the shops, and are now doing a flourish- ing business. He was married, in April, 1854, to Miss Catharine Shock, of Seneca Co .; of this marriage, there were five children, all of whom are living-John, Louisa, Sarah, Annie E. and Henry ; his wife died July 10, 1875, and he was remarried, Nov. 18, 1876, to Mrs. Elizabeth Meyrs, widow of the late Jacob Meyrs ; they have two children-Frederick and Charles. Hle was, at one time, Trustee of Texas Township, and has been a member of the council for twelve years. He is a member of the Reformed Church, and is a Trustee of the church organization. He is a member of Bucyrus Lodge, No. 139, A., F. & A. M .; Ivanhoe Chapter, R. A. M .; and Mansfield Commandery, Knights Templar.

THEODORE F. SHOTWELL, attorney at law, Bucyrus. Theodore F. Shotwell was born at Walesville, Oneida Co., N. Y., on July 30, 1851. He traces his ancestry through seven generations back to the first settlement in New Jersey : First-Abraham Shotwell, whose name

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appears upon the Elizabethtown, N. J., records, under date of Feb. 19, 1665, when sixty-five persons took the oath of allegiance to King Charles the II ; his name stands fourth on the list. Second-John Shotwell, who married Elizabeth Burton in October, 1679, and died at Woodbridge in 1719. Third-John Shotwell, who married Mary Thorne and settled at Shot- well's Landing, now Rahway, N. J. Fourth- Samuel Shotwell, born Oct. 20, 1723, and mar- ried at Mamaroneck, N. Y. Fifth-Caleb Shot- well. Sixth-Joseph Shotwell, born Feb. 27, 1789 ; married Sarah, youngest daughter of Abel and Sarah Dean Randall, and was the father of eleven children. Seventh-John Max- well Shotwell, born Feb. 22, 1821, at Clifton Park, N. Y., and married Salome L., daughter of Oliver and Phœbe Turpening Stone, Sept. 14, 1842. He is the father of three children ; the oldest is Carlos B., who is engaged in book- keeping in a commercial house in Detroit, Mich., and the youngest, William E., is a student in Genesee Valley Seminary, in New York. The early ancestors of Theodore F. were Quakers. and their names appear frequently on the old records of the yearly meetings of that sect. His immediate ancestors were Baptists, his father for twenty-five years being a clergyman in that denomination, and now residing on a farm in Allegany Co., N. Y. In early life, the subject of this sketch manifested very studious habits, standing at the head of all his classes and devouring all kinds of literature that came into his hands. At the age of 12, he wrote an Indian story of nearly two hundred pages, which, it is needless to say, was never published. He manifested a special fondness for mathe- maties. His father had promised him a pres- ent of a silver watch if he would finish geometry before he was 15 years old. The morning of July 29 came, and the last two books had not been looked at. Only one day remained. He shut himself up in his room, and at night he could repeat every theorem, draw every figure and demonstrate every proposition in Davies' Legendre. He obtained the watch, but in less than a month all knowledge of the last two books had vanished from his memory. He pre- pared himself for college in Genesee Valley Seminary, and, at the age of 18, he entered the Sophomore class of Oberlin College, from which institution he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts on Aug. 7, 1872. In scholarship he

ranked among the best of his class ; held the position of "Class Poet," and represented the " Phi Kappa Pi" society at its anniversary. While in college, he supported himself by teach- ing winters and working during vacations. Upon leaving college, his health was so impaired he deemed it imprudent to engage in literary or sedentary employment ; so he commenced sell- ing Bibles, and he met with such extraordinary success that he followed the business for several years, selling thousands of copies in the coun- ties of Northern Ohio, and selling in Crawford Co. alone over one thousand Bibles, aggregating in value over $10,000. In 1874, he commenced the study of theology in Oberlin, but, his ideas not harmonizing with the doctrines taught in the seminary, he left Oberlin, and, in December, 1875, commenced the study of law in the office of Wickham & Wildman, of Norwalk, Ohio. In the spring of 1876, he came to Bucyrus, Ohio, and, forming the acquaintance of Anna Me- Kinstry, daughter of James Mckinstry, Esq., they were married on Nov. 3 of that year. He continued his law studies in the office of S. R. Harris, of Bucyrus, and, on March 28, 1878, he was admitted to the bar. He has since been engaged in the practice of his profession, his office being in Rowse Block, Bucyrus. In 1879, he ran on the Republican ticket for Prose- cuting Attorney, and, in the spring of 1880, was nominated by the Citizens' Convention as can- didate for Mayor, but declined the nomination. He is now Secretary of the County Republican Central Committee. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church and a teacher in the Sun- day school. He has two children-Charles William, born May 22, 1878, and Becco, May 1, 1880.

WILLIAM STREMMEL, Bucyrus. This gentleman, who has figured extensively in pub- lie life, was born Dec. 2, 1846, in Baltimore, Md., and is the son of Lewis G. and Frede- ricke (Feiring) Stremmel ; the first eight years of Mr. Stremmel's life were spent in the Monu- mental City, where he received the rudiments of his education ; his father removed to Bncy- rus in 1854, arriving about April 1 of that year ; he completed his education in the public schools at 16 years of age, and then entered the law office of Judge A. Somers, where he remained as a student until he had attained the age of 18 years ; he then took a course in the commercial school, under the instruction of

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Prof. Rosscutt, and graduated in the fall of 1867. In the following spring, he was elected City Clerk, which office he filled acceptably un- til 1869, and, in the election of that year, he was again placed in charge of that office, and was also Township Clerk until 1872; in June of this year, he was nominated for County Recorder, and in convention received over two-thirds of the whole vote cast, a fact which showed plainly Mr. Stremmel's popular- ity ; he was elected, and assumed the duties of the office on Jan. 6, 1873 ; after serving with eminent satisfaction, and having gained a sure hold on the esteem of the people, he was renominated by acclamation, and was again elected, and discharged the duties of the office in a manner peculiarly satisfactory, until 1878; since that time, he has been Deputy Recorder under the present incumbent of the office, Mr. D. O. Castle ; in the spring of 1880, he was elected City Clerk and also Clerk of Bucyrus Township, the duties of which offices he is at present discharging in that efficient manner which has characterized all his public services. Mr. Stremmel was married, March 11, 1875, to Catharine Derfler, of Holmes Township, who still lives to bless his pathway through life ; three children are the blessings of this union, the eldest being Augusta M., born Nov. 3, 1876 ; Lydia A., Nov. 11, 1878, and Cora, May 10, 1880. Mr. Stremmel is a member of the German Reformed Church, having been con- firmed at the age of 14, in this city, by Rev. Eli Keller. He has been identified with public life since the attainment of his majority, and his services have been such as have brought him into high esteem among the citizens of both city and county.

HON. GEORGE SWENEY, deceased, whose portrait appears in this work, was born Feb. 22, 1796, and died Oct. 10, 1877, in the 82d year of his age. The following notice is taken from an obituary published in the Bucy- rus Journal : Mr. Sweney graduated at Dick- inson College, in Pennsylvania, then a very prominent institution, and commenced the practice of law at Gettysburg, where he was a cotemporary and competitor for forensic honors with Hon. Thaddeus Stevens and others, who were afterward elevated, like himself, to honor and distinction by admiring fellow-citizens. Oct. 9, 1821, he married Miss Rebecca Hetich, sister of the late Paul I. Hetich, of this place,

but at that time of Franklin Co., Penn. This venerable lady survives her honored husband, in the 79th year (1877) of her age. The fruits of this union were a family of eight children, six of whom still survive-two sons and four daughters. In 1830, he removed to Bucyrus, where he has continued to reside, with the ex- ception of four years (from 1853 to 1856) spent at Geneseo, Ill. From 1838 to 1842, he rep- resented this district in Congress. At that time this was, as now, the Fourteenth District, composed of the counties of Seneca, Crawford, Sandusky, Hancock, Wood and Ottawa. How satisfactorily he executed his trust may be de- duced from the following resolution, passed at a county convention, July 7, 1840 : " Resolved, That the uniform and firm support given dur- ing the present session of Congress to Demo- cratic principles and measures by our worthy fellow-citizen, Hon. George Sweeney, merits our decided approbation." When in Congress, he was cotemporary with Martin Van Buren, Gen. Jackson, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun and Amos Kendall ; also with Wilson Shannon, Ben Tappan and William Allen, of Ohio. But the honorable gentleman was a ripe scholar and a student, and the turmoil of public life was distasteful to him. At the end, therefore, of his second term, he declined to be a candidate for renomination, and was suc- ceeded by Hon. Henry St. John, of Seneca Co. Since his withdrawal from Congress, he has lived a quiet and retired life, unostentatiously devoting himself to study, scientific research, and the education of his children. During the past five or six years of his life, as old age wore more and more deeply into his energies, he has seldom been so much on the streets, an occa- sional visit to the store being the extent of his outdoor walks, but, although not seriously ail- ing, he has remained quietly at home, living mostly with his books and in the past. In per- son he was tall, handsome and dignified ; of courteous and pleasing address ; he was an agreeable companion, overflowing with interest- ing conversation, which ever abounded with val- uable information ; and he will long be remem- bered by those who knew him as a highly cultivated gentleman of the old school. Mrs. Rebecca H. (Hetich) Sweney, widow of Hon. George Swency, was born in Chambersburg, Penn., June 3, 1799, and is a daughter of George and Martha (Immel) Hetich. In 1812,

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she entered boarding-school at Baltimore, Md., and was present at the confirmation of Jerome Bonaparte, on Easter Monday, the son of the brother of the first Emperor Napoleon ; at the same time, the bells tolled the aların that En- glish ships were in the bay, but they proved to be American ships. She graduated from the Hayward Seminary in 1817. After her mar- riage with Mr. Sweney, they lived for nine years in Gettysburg, Penn., where he practiced law successfully. In September, 1829, they started in a carriage, and came through to Bucyrus, being twenty-two days on the road. Upon their arrival, they tried in vain, for a time, to rent a house, or even a room. At last they found a vacant cabin near where the Infirmary now stands, where they spent the winter. He bought 80 acres of land near town, upon which he fitted up a house. He had previously en- tered 200 acres in Whetstone Township, but was persuaded to move into town. He built a brick house, probably the second in town. No chairs could be bought near by, and he ordered a lot from Fredericktown. Mrs. Sweney was the mother of eight children, five of whom, at the present writing, are living-Charles E., a merchant at Geneseo, Ill .; Rebecca A., wife of D. W. Swigart, of Bucyrus ; Carrie D., wife of Silas L. St. John, a cotton-merchant at Pick- ens' Station, Holmes Co., Miss. ; Paul A., livery- man at Geneseo, Ill. ; Augusta M., wife of Jo- seph R. Swigart, of Bowling Green, Ohio ; Lot- tie E. Hoffman, deceased (see sketch of John Hoffman) ; Martha C., deceased, wife of E. R. Kearsley ; one son, George A., is dead.

FREDERICK M. SWINGLY; P.O. Bucyrus; is the second son of Dr. Frederick and Mary (Denman) Swingly, and was born in Bucyrus, March 27, 1846. He attended the Bucyrus Union Schools until 16 years of age, when he enlisted in the 86th O. V. I., and served for three months under Col. Barnabas Burns, when he enlisted in the 60th O. V. I., and served during the war. The 60th Ohio formed a part of the old Ninth Army Corps, and Mr. Swingly participated in all those decisive battles which gave that shattered legion a renown which is scarcely excelled in the annals of warfare. He enlisted as a private soldier, and by his gallant and orderly conduct rose to the rank of Adjutant. In 1865, he returned to Bucyrus, and for some time was copyist in the Recorder's office, and subsequent to this became Deputy

Auditor under Samuel Hoyt, for three years, and served in the same capacity under Auditor William M. Seroggs during his term. In 1873, he was elected to the office of Auditor of Craw- ford Co. by a large majority, and after serving two years, received a unanimous nomination, and was re-elected to the same office in 1875. Since 1877, he has been Clerk of the Commit- tee on Public Expenditures and Library, in the National House of Representatives. Nov. 23, 1873, he was married at Tipton, Iowa, to Miss Lizzie Garberick. Three children have been born of this union, named as follows -- Guy D., Nellie G. and Mary.

NATHANIEL STEEN ; P. O. Bucyrus ; is a son of John and Mary (Davis) Steen, who resided in Liberty Township, this county, at his birth, which occurred Oct. 7, 1834. He spent his youth on the farm, and, in the mean- time, receiving such an education as boys were able to acquire from the schools held in the old log schoolhouses of that time, his books being the speller and English Reader. He left his father's house at 19 years of age, and began working by the month, and continued to do so until 24 years of age. His marriage occurred at that time, Sept. 22, 1858, to Miss Elizabeth Peterman, of Liberty Township. This union not being blessed with issue, they have adopted a daughter-Ella Finnegan. Subsequent to his marriage, he labored by the day for about one year ; then engaged in the butchering bus- iness with David Crum. In October, 1862, he went into the army, serving ten months in Co. C, 49th O. V. I., and was mustered out of serv- ice at Tullahoma, Tenn., in 1863, returning to Bucyrus and engaging again in the butcher- ing business, which he followed, with other parties, until September, 1867, when he became proprietor of a meat market, continuing the business until July, 1880, meeting with success, and accumulating some valuable property. He is a member of the Ivanhoe Chapter, R. A. M., of Bucyrus ; also, of La Salle Lodge I. O. O. F. He is a member of the City Council, and in his political belief a Democrat. His father was a native of "auld Ireland." emigrating to this country when but 12 years of age, and aft- erward learning the carpenter's trade. Having attained his majority, he was married to Mary Davis, of Cumberland Co., Penn., and migrated to Crawford Co. in the year 1827, which was also about the time of the arrival of the Peter-

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man family. Ile raised a family of ten chil- dren, four of whom are living-John, a black- smith, in Hancock Co., Ohio; Joseph, a farmer in Liberty Township, this county ; James, an agriculturist in Hancock Co., also, Nathaniel the subject of this sketch, the youngest of the family now living. The father died in April, 1875, aged 95 years ; the mother, May 8, 1876, aged 86 years. When they landed in this county, their earthly possessions amounted to $100, which they invested in a piece of heavily wooded land, the improvement of which made their early settlement in this county a life of hardship and much suffering.

WILLIAM B. TOBIAS, retired farmer ; P. O. Bucyrus ; was born Oct. 1, 1815, near Car- lisle, Cumberland Co., Penn., and is a son of Benjamin and Sarah (Clouse) Tobias. He lived on a farm until fifteen years old, receiving but three months' schooling, and that at a night school. He then went to Carlisle, where he was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker to learn the trade, and served four and a half years with a man named George Spangler. He worked about six months, after his time was up, as a journey- man, and went to Greencastle, Penn., about the year 1836, where he started a shop, working at his trade until about 1849. His health failed, and he closed his shop and rented a farm in Franklin Co., Penn., where he farmed until 1864, and then came to this county, locating in Liberty Township. Here he lived some four years, when he sold out and removed to Holmes Township, and farmed there until 1877, when he sold his farm there, of 70 acres, and removed to Bucyrus, where he purchased a handsome property on Sandusky avenue. He married, Feb. 11, 1841, Miss Catharine Mills, a native of Greencastle, Penn. He has six children living, and two dead-William F., a farmer in Ashland Co .; Jane C., wife of John Richardson, of Holmes Township ; Elizabeth, wife of A. J. Richards, of Bucyrus ; John L., at home ; James C. (see sketch) ; and Daniel M., of Bu- cyrus. Mr. Tobias began the world without any superfluous wealth, his father dying when he was 8 years old, leaving him to fight his battles as best he could. By energy and indus- try, he has accumulated a handsome property. When the late war broke out, he lived four miles from the Maryland line, and the army of Gen. Lee marched through his farin and de- stroyed much of his property. The State

militia destroyed his stock without scruple, taking all but six horses. He is a member of St. Paul's English Lutheran Church, and is a Democrat in politics.

JAMES C. TOBIAS, attorney at law, Bucy- rus ; is a son of William B. and Catharine (Mills) Tobias ; born on the 11th of November, 1856, in Greencastle, Penn. When but 8 years old, his father moved to a farm near Sulphur Springs, this county. Here he lived and la- bored until 16, when he attended the Cold Run Academy one term, and, in the spring of 1872, entered Oberlin College, where he studied until the following September, when he entered the Mt. Union College, remaining there about three years. During this period, he taught school in winter, thereby paying his own way in college. In the winter of 1876-77, he began the study of law, entering the law office of Finley & Swi- gart in the following April. He was admitted to the bar at Delaware, Ohio, July 2, 1878. He has since practiced in the courts of this county, and is located at present in Malic's Block, where he is doing a large commercial and in- surance business. Mr. Tobias is a Democrat, and did efficient service as Secretary of the Hancock and English Club of Bucyrus. On Sept. 24, 1879, he was married to Miss Amina J. Monnett, daughter of Abraham Monnett. He and his wife are both consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Bucyrus.

CHARLES W. TIMANUS, deceased ; was the second son of William and Harriet (Fisher) Timanus. His father was born in Baltimore, Md., and learned the trade of miller. He came to Mansfield, Ohio, in about 1829, where he lived until 1834, moving in that year to Mt. Gilead. and there resided for ten years, when he came to Bucyrus, probably in 1844. He resided in Bucyrus except five years spent in Missouri, until his death, in 1877. He had a family of eight, all deceased but two daughters -Mrs. Miller, of Mansfield, and Mrs. Lowry, of West Virginia. The subject of this memoir was born Feb. 13, 1845, in Bucyrus, Ohio. Hc spent his early life in the village, going with the family to Missouri in 1856. They lived in Missouri until 1861, when the family removed to Baltimore, Md., but remained only a few months, when they returned to Bueyrus. Dur- ing this period young Timanus received a good common-school education, and, when only 18 years old, enlisted in the army in Co. C, of the

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 119

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