History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 140

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 140

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J. H. WERT, farmer ; P. O. Sulphur Springs ; is the oldest of the family of John and Saloma (Shafer) Wert, who were both natives of Penn- sylvania ; there they reached man and woman's estate, and there they were married. J. H. was born in Dauphin Co., Penn., May 25, 1833 ; their second child (Eliza), was also born in Pennsyl- vania. Mr. John Wert learned the tailor's trade and worked at it during the winters besides at- tending to some farm business. He, with his wife and two children, moved from their native State to Ohio and settled in Sandusky Town-

ship, of this county, in 1835. They purchased 40 acres of land and proceeded to make the most of their situation. He would work on the farm through the summer and raise something for their support, and in the winter he would do the tailoring for the surrounding country, and, as cash was a very rare commodity in most of the new settlements, he was often ob- liged to receive as pay for his work some pro- duct of the farm, and very nicely situated were those who had some provision to spare. The residence of course was the ordinary log cabin, and not warm dwellings, either, in the inclem- ency of the winter. But between Mr. Wert's farming in the summer and his attention to his trade in the winter, they had always a supply of the necessaries of life. Although all in his im- mediate neighborhood were not so favored. Calling on one of his neighbors he found him in low spirits, and, insisting on an explanation of his moody appearance, the poor man admitted, with reluctance, that his entire store was ex- hausted and was without means of any kind to procure something for himself and famishing family. This announcement made, Mr. Wert produced the price of a barrel of flour say- ing, "Take that, get something and pay me when you can." It is needless to say that the poor man accepted it with more inward thank- fulness than he could easily express, and laid in its value of the " staff of life," and soon got jobs of work whereby he was able to sup- port the family and repay Mr. Wert what he had lent him. Notwithstanding his poverty then, he lived to be a well-to-do farmer, with plenty ; only his wife-in her 80th year-survives, as her husband and all the children have passed before, and with grateful feelings to this day she remembers John Wert's generosity when they were in need. In the early settlement the people often resorted to the manufacture of maple sugar as a source of revenue with which to procure some little necessaries, and the first stove that Mr. Wert ever owned after coming to this county. he bought with sugar made by him- self and wife from the maple-tree. They reared to maturity six children (one boy died in infancy), four boys and two girls, viz., J. H., Eliza. now Mrs. Joseph Roop, of Bucyrus ; J. G., of Bucy- rus ; Sarah A., now Mrs. Abraham Pfleiderer, of Indiana ; and Lewis ; he was married, but both himself and wife have gone the way of all flesh. Their parents are both dead. Mr. Wert

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died on May 31, 1865, and Mrs. Wert May 12. 1868. When J. H. was about 17 years old, he accepted a clerkship in a general merchandising house where he worked several years, and clerked in the mercantile house of F. G. Ilesche over five years in Bucyrus. He then came to the village of Annapolis and clerked for Thomas Gillespie for about six months, and when Mr. Gillespie sold out to E. Warner, Mr. Wert re- mained with him (Warner) about three years. At that time Mr. Warner moved to Crestline, and Mr. Wert turned his attention to farming ; he rented farms for about seven years, and, in 1869, he purchased the farm where he resides. He owns in all 119 acres of well-improved land, and lives comfortably on the fruits of his own industry. He was elected Township Clerk in 1861, and held that office fifteen consecutive years, except one, and, in the spring of 1879, he was elected Township Trustee, and the fall of the same year he was elected Land Appraiser. He is a charter member of the Knights of Honor and is Reporter of the "Liberty " Lodge, No. 845. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth A., daughter of Michael Carlton, May 31, 1860 ; they have two children, viz., Charles M. and Huber B. Mrs. Wert was born in this town- ship, where her parents now reside, Ang. 29, 1833. They are members of the Lutheran Church.

J. B. WERT, clerk, Sulphur Springs ; was born Nov. 28, 1837, in Sandusky Township, this county. His parents, John and Salome (Shafer) Wert, were both natives of Dauphin Co., Penn. They moved to and settled in this county in 1835. J. B. is the third of their seven children. He spent the early part of his life on the farm, and acquired a good common- school education. He made his home at his father's until he was married, which event oc- curred May 28, 1863, with Leonora Ziegler, daughter of Dr. George L. and Susanna (Beard) Ziegler. The latter was born in Mahoning Co., Ohio, the former in Pennsylvania, and came to Mahoning Co. when quite young. From there they came to Crawford Co. and settled in An- napolis Township Feb. S. 1841. Mrs. Wert was born here April 1, 1844. Shortly after their marriage, Mr. Wert rented a farm in this township, and spent eight years on two farms. They then moved to this village, and he worked at the carpenter's trade four years. Some time afterward, he accepted a clerkship in the dry-

goods establishment of Klopfenstein & Co., which position he holds at present. He owns a very nice home in the village, which he has principally earned by his own industry. He is a member of Liberty Lodge, No. 845, Knights of Honor. They have one child living-Hat- tie M .. and one deceased-Flora.

ISAAC WATERS, farmer ; P. O. Sulphur Springs ; was born where he now resides on June 22, 1832. His father, Jacob, and his mother, Mary (Trout) Waters, were natives of Westmoreland Co., Penn. They were farmers, and, with a view to giving their growing fam- ily an opportunity of procuring homes of their own in due time, they started with their family of six children-Violet, Benjamin, Andrew, Phillip, Jacob and Michael-and settled in Liberty Township, in 1830, on a piece of land which had been entered by his father-in-law, Phillip Trout, several years before. It was situated on the Sandusky River, and there the family grew up to maturity, and then scattered off to do for themselves. But Isaac, being the youngest of the family, remained at home with his parents. He was the only child born to them in this State. In 1860, the father died, being then in his 73d year ; but Isaac cared for his aged mother, with whom she made her home until her final dissolution, which occurred in 1877, in the 83d year of her age. Isaac's advantages for procuring an education were quite limited, considering both time to be ap- plied and facilities. The old common log-cabin schoolhouse, with its miserably arranged fix- tures, was not conducive to comfort, much less to the happiness so often referred to in more modern school days. In the early winter, when the weather was too chilly to be without a fire in the cabin schoolroom, and one would be made, the result has frequently been that, in consequence of the smoke, the place would be untenantable the remainder of the day ; hence they would arrange benches of a temporary character outside, and there finish their exer- cises. He owns a well-improved farm of 173 acres, and takes considerable pride in having good stock. Ilis horse, of the "English Hen- ess" stock, took the first prize in the . general purpose " class. and "sweepstakes" of all classes at the late Crawford Co. Fair. He united his fortunes with Mary Souders, widow of the late John Souders, June 5, 1875. Her maiden name was Mary Chisholm. She was a

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native of Perry Co., Penn., and came here in 1854 with her first husband, by whom she has seven children-David, Anna, Martha, Mary J., Virginia, Robert and John. In 1878, Mr. Waters built an elegant two-story frame resi- dence, which supersedes the old house that was built on the premises over forty years ago; also fine outbuildings, which contribute to the appearance of his beautiful location.

MICHAEL WOLF, farmer ; P. O. Bucyrus ; was born in Dauphin Co., Penn., March 6, 1799. His father, Henry Wolf, came from Germany a young man, before the Revolution, and settled in New Jersey, where he married, and subse- quently moved to Pennsylvania. While he was residing there, he enlisted in the war of the Revolution, and participated in many of the most important battles of that time. When the war closed, he returned to his home in Pennsylvania, and shortly afterward his wife died, leaving nine children. He married a sec- ond wife, Elizabeth Kaylor, a native of Penn- sylvania. By this union there were likewise nine children, our subject, Michael, being the youngest one of the family. Mr. Wolf, Sr., died when Michael was about six years old, and his mother being left in poor circumstances he (Michael) was obliged to do for himself when quite young, and also required to render early assistance to his mother, who was also called away when he was about 22 years of age. Michael was a natural genius, and, although he never spent a term of apprenticeship at any trade, he could do almost anything in mechan- ics, and if not of the finest character it invariably suited the purpose. Among the trades in which he was most proficient was plastering, masoning, shoemaking and carpentering, as well as doing some blacksmithing of a general character. He married Nanna M. Beck, in 1824, in Pennsyl- vania, and in 1834 they came to Crawford Co., with five of their children, and settled on the farm of sixty-three acres, where he now lives. When he settled here his entire farm was wood and swamp. He came here quite poor with a large family of helpless children ; he had very hard work to get along. He was in debt $25 on his land, for which he gave his note payable in four months ; and in the new country, where money was very scarce, it was almost impossi- ble to earn or even get cash for work done; however, by working at odd jobs through the day, and making shoes at night, he raised the

means to pay off his $25 note. While he was clearing his land and preparing for a crop, he has been obliged to pay as high as $1.25 per bushel for corn for the subsistence of himself and family ; and pay for the same with work at a very low rate per day. While working at the clearing of his farm through the day, he has often worked at shoemaking until midnight. In one week, while splitting rails every work- ing day, he made five pairs of shoes during the nights of the same week. There are few men, if any, in Crawford Co., who have done more hard work, and now, in his advanced years, with enough to make him comfortable, and good health to enjoy it, he looks back at the past with considerable pleasure when he re- members the hard experience of pioneer days, seeing he has succeeded in procuring the nec- essary things for comfort in his old age. They reared eleven children-Sarah A., now Mrs. John Burk; Fannie, was wife of John Todd, and died in Michigan in June, 1880 ; Caro- lina, wife of Henry Gipple, of Williams Co ; Elizabeth, wife of John Griner, of Wood Co .; Henry, at home ; Jonas, of Reno Co., Kansas ; Susan, wife of Isaac Smith, of Wood Co .; John, who is in Michigan ; Jacob, of Wyandot Co .; Samuel makes his home here, and Anna M .; the latter keeps house and cares for her aged father in the declining days of his life. Mrs. Wolf was called away Nov. 10, 1867.

GODFREY WINGERT (deceased); was born in Germany Nov. 7, 1807. When about 21 years of age, he concluded to try his fortune in the United States. On his arrival here, he took up his residence near Buffalo, N. Y., where he bought a small piece of land ; and, on March 23, 1832, he married Annie Kaler, who had lately come from Germany, and was born there Sept. 22, 1807. They lived near Buffalo six years, when they sold their small farm and moved to Ohio, and settled on the farm where Mrs. Wingert and her daughter live. They bought 42 acres on arriving here ; but added by purchases until they owned 127 acres. They had eight chil- dren, seven of whom are living-Andrew, Annie, George, Amos, Marie, Lonisa and G. L. Mr. Wingert was a member of the Reformed Church in his native country, and with which he and his wife were identified here. He was called away March 27, 1879. Their youngest son, G. L., was born Nov. 4, 1851, on the farm where his mother now lives. He remained at home

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on the farm with his parents until July 25, 1876, at which date he was united in marriage with Verlonia A. Hilliker, daughter of Samuel F. and Henrietta B. (Duzenberry) Hilliker. She was born in the city of New York, and came to Crawford Co. with her parents when about 9 years old. Her parents remained here until the spring of 1879, when they moved to and took up their residence in Beatrice, Neb. Oda May is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Wingert. They own 40 acres of good land, which he got from his father's estate. They are members of the United Brethren Church of this township.

EMANUEL YEITER, farmer ; P. O. Sulphur Springs ; was born at his present residence, March 3, 1843. He is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Auperle) Yeiter, who were natives of Wurtemberg, Germany, and emigrated to the United States with their four oldest children in 1832. They came direct to Crawford Co. and entered the 80 acres which Emanuel owns. In course of time there were five children born to them in this country, making nine in all, viz., John, Jacob, Mary, David, Catharine, Christina, Fredrick, Sophia and Emanuel. The family grew up here, and scattered out in the world for themselves. The parents knew what the rough pioncer life of the new country was. as they came here, with four small children, into a coun- try strange to them in every respect. And one of the inconveniences, and not the least, either, to be overcome, was the language, with which they were unfamiliar ; that obstacle Mr. Yeiter finally overcame, as far as was necessary in business ; but his wife being less among En- glish-speaking people, and more confined to her domestic duties, where in their own family the German language only was used, she never learned, nor can she to this day converse intel- ligibly in anything but her " mother tongue."

They soon arose above pecuniary embarrass- ment, and have all been, and are, living in good circumstances. They are all married and doing for themselves ; John, Jacob, David and Fred- erick are in Kent Co .. Mich. ; Mary is now Mrs. Stahl, of Union Co., Ohio ; Catharine is now Mrs. D. Lust ; Christina is now Mrs. Adam Meck, and Sophia is now Mrs. Joseph Neff. Our subject (Emanuel), being the youngest, re- mained at home, and purchased the interest of the others in the homestead. He married Sophia Lust Feb. 29, 1872 ; she is the daughter of Conrad and Magdalene (Myers) Lust, and

was born June 19, 1853, in Chatfield Township. They have five children-Mary M., Elizabeth C., Joseph B., Catharine A. and Albert F. Mr. Yeiter is serving his third year as School Di- rector of his district. He and wife are mem- bers of the German Methodist Church. His father died at the old homestead in June, 1878, in his 77th year ; his wife survives, and is hale and strong, being in her 78th year. Last May she fell down and broke her thigh bone, near the hip-joint. which became perfectly sound again in the miraculously short time of six weeks, considering her very advanced age.

JOHN K. ZARBE, proprietor hotel, Sul- phur Springs, was born in Schuylkill Co., Penn., Nov. 1, 1838. Is the son of George and Han- nah (Clauser) Zarbe. In 1856, he came to this county, and began with Jacob Shull to learn the carpenter's trade. When he had worked three months, he returned to Pennsylvania, and continued his apprenticeship, working at the carpenter business about five and a half years, in the meantime occasionally doing some- thing at home on the farm. In the spring of 1862, he began in the coal mines, where he was at work, when, in the fall of the same year, he was drafted into the army, on a nine months' call. He served as Corporal in Co. F, 173d Penn. V. I., and, at the expiration of ten months, he returned home, having received his discharge Aug. 16, 1863. On Feb. 29, 1864, he re-enlisted in Co. A, 50th Penn. V. I., which belonged to the 1st Division of the 9th Army Corps, in which he did some hard duty, partic- ipating in the battles of the Wilderness, Nye River, Spottsylvania Court House. In the lat- ter engagement he was taken prisoner, but ere his captors had proceeded far with a number of prisoners which they had taken at the same time, they ran unsuspectingly against a pha- lanx of the Union army; enthused by the presence of the Union soldiers, he (Mr. Zarbe) dashed from the ranks of the prisoners and made good his escape into the Union line, and was soon in his own regiment again, when he participated in the conflicts of Shady Grove, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Weldon Railroad. On the last of September, he was taken ill and sent to hospital, where he remained from Oct. 1 until about the 1st of November, when he got a fifteen-day furlough, but, being sick and unable for duty, his furlough was extended fif- teen days more. He then returned to Alex-

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andria, and, being unfit still, for field service, he was assigned a place in the dining-room of the hospital at that place. In April, 1865, he returned to the regiment, which was encamped near Alexandria. where it was stationed on post duty. His regiment was marched to Get- tysburg, where the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the National Cemetery was observed July 4, 1865. On the 30th of that month, he received his discharge and returned to his home in Pennsylvania, and resumed his farm work, which he followed until 1868, when

he sold out and moved to this county. Here he bought a farm of 76 acres ; there he left his parents, and bought 120 acres more. He lived on the latter four years, when he sold, and came into the village and worked at the car- penter's trade one year, and subsequently pur- chased the hotel property of Michael Heiby. Nov. 20, 1859, he married Elizabeth Mundinger. She was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 11, 1838. They have had eight children-Alvin P., Hen- ry A. (deceased), John W., Lewis W., William P., Grant A., Ida E. (deceased) and Laura S.

HOLMES TOWNSHIP.

JOHN T. ALBRIGHT, farmer ; P. O. Bu- cyrus ; was born Dec. 16, 1846, and is a son of Joseph and Hannah (Jury) Albright, of Whet- stone Township; related to the notable " Al- bright " who founded the Evangelical Church. The subject of this sketch attended school in the winter, and worked on the farm with his father until about 22 years of age, and then en- gaged in farming with his father for two years. He was married Feb. 10, 1870, to Amelia Mc- Cracken, of Holmes Township, who was born Oct. 22, 1847, daughter of Hugh and Martha McCracken. He lived in Liberty Township for three years after marriage, afterward moving to the farm on which he now resides. Two children have been born to them-Franklin, born Nov. 26, 1870, and Martha Ann, Aug. 27, 1875, both living at home. Our subject has a beautiful farm of 150 acres, which is, by his good management, in a thorough state of cul- tivation.

DANIEL BRINKMAN, farmer ; P. O. Bucy- rus ; was born Feb. 7, 1840, and is the son of Christopher and Mary (Heinlen) Brinkman. The father was a native of Baden, Germany. He was born in 1802, and died in December, 1876. The mother is also a native of Germany. Their union was celebrated in the fatherland, and they afterward came to this country. There were nine children, six of whom are now living. Daniel is a properons farmer, and is meeting with good success in his business. Of his father's family there were nine children-Henry, John, Lewis, Christopher, Frederick, Mary, Elizabeth, Daniel, Jacob. Of these, Lewis, Mary and

Elizabeth are dead. Daniel is a man of con- ciderable influence in his community, and is well respected.

JACOB BRINKMAN, farmer ; P. O. Bucy- rus ; a brother of the preceding; was born Nov. 5, 1842, and is the youngest son of the family. He was brought up on a farm, and has always followed this branch of industry, and has been successful. He has always been in- dustrious and frugal, and by so doing has placed himself in comfortable circumstances. His father came to Bucyrus when it was a small hamlet, and after a residence of several years there, they removed to Holmes Township. Here they erected a rude dwelling, which is still standing, a rude structure, yet suggestive of many recollections and hallowed memories. Mr. Brinkman is a prominent man of his town- ship, and is an enterprising farmer.

JOHN P. BLACK, farmer ; P. O. Bucyrus ; was born Oct. 29, 1814, in York Co., Penn., and is the son of James and Martha (Porter) Black. He removed to Clark Co., Ohio, in 1844, and engaged in the manufacture of carriages and farming implements for five years. He then removed to Brown Township, Delaware Co., engaging in the same business, and, at the end of three years, removed to Crawford Co., and settled on the farm which he now owns and on which he resides. He has so improved it that it is now one of the finest farms in Holmes Township. He is one of the prominent men of his township, having filled the most prominent offices of the corporation, and has been a mem- ber of the school board for twenty years. He

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has also been President of the Crawford County Sunday School Union since 1859. For years, he has been an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, and a devoted Christian worker. He was married, April 19, 1838, to Margaret Har- uff, daughter of Peter Haruff, of Hummelstown, Dauphin Co., Penn. Of this union, there were nine children-Martha B., J. Murray, Mary Agnes, Josephine, Carrie P., Thomas B., Louie J., Annie B. and J. Edmund. Mary A. was the wife of Robert M. Hutchison, and died in her 24th year, leaving a husband and two bright little daughters to mourn her loss. Mrs. Black died Sept. 9, 1847, aged 47, leaving a devoted husband and loving family, who miss her, yet not without hope, having faith that they shall meet again on the shores where partings never come.

PETER BASH, farmer ; P. O. Bucyrus ; was born July 22, 1819, in Schuylkill Co., Penn., and is the son of Jacob and Mary (Whetstone) Bash. His parents removed to Stark Co., Ohio, when he was but 5 months old. They remained there until his 10th year, when they removed to Bucyrus. His mother dying in 1834, and his father in 1838, he was left somewhat under the care of his grandfather, who entered land in the vicinity of Annapolis, this county. The grandmother of our subject was the first person ever interred in the ceme- tery of Annapolis. He was married, Sept. 17, 1839, to Susannah Cover, daughter of Samuel Cover, living one mile east of Annapolis. He lived in the vicinity of Annapolis until some 25 years ago, when he removed to his present farm in Holmes Township. Of his marriage, there were born-Samuel, Jacob, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Peter L. and Susannah, all of whom are living ; Mary E. married Jacob Seibert Feb. 8, 1873, and died on May 7, 1874 ; Albert and Henry died in infancy. Four children are married and live near their father. Samuel was married some three years ago, and removed to Huntington Co., Ind. Mr. Bash is a prominent man in his township, and has filled several im- portant offices of trust and responsibility in both townships where he has resided. He is a member of the Dunkard Church, his grand- father having been a Dunkard preacher, and a man highly esteemed.

ABRAHAM P. DITTY, farmer; P. O. Bro- ken Sword ; was born Ang. 31, 1846 ; is a son of Martin and Sarah (Pierson) Ditty, who were

natives, the former of Lancaster Co., Penn., and the latter of Henry Co., Ind. They moved to Crawford Co., Ohio, about the year 1840, and settled in Holmes Township, a little south- east of Broken Sword. By his father's first marriage there were two children, of which our subject was the oldest ; by his second marriage, two children ; third marriage, six ; fourth mar- riage, none. The fourth mother of the subject of this sketch is now living at New Winchester, Whetstone Township, this county ; his father having died Oct. 22, 1875. Abraham attended school about one month in the year until 18 years of age, the remainder of the time being devoted to farm work with his father. After his 18th year he engaged in farming ; was married Jan. 21, 1868, to Miss Matilda Selee, daughter of Emeal and Catharine (Spade) Selee, a farmer of note in Holmes Township. By this marriage there were three children-Clara Ellen, born Oct. 27, 1868 ; Tire Esrom, Feb. 7, 1872 ; Rena, Oct. 7, 1874, all of whom are living at home. Mr. Ditty has cleared up and improved his farm, and is now enjoying the advantages of many broad, well-cultivated and fertile acres. He has also had charge, for the past ten years, of the large tract of land belong- ing to the Dalzells, extensive glass manufact- urers of Pittsburgh, Penn ; is also a prominent man in the affairs of the township. He had a half-brother in the late war, who was wounded at the battle of Bull Run, was sent home and died. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Association of North America.

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History of Crawford County and Ohio, Part 140

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