USA > Ohio > Defiance County > History of Defiance County, Ohio. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, etc.; military record; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; farm views, personal reminiscences, etc > Part 45
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
ory to Toledo to the Milburn Wagon Works. The shops, mill and grounds, where once stood the lone blacksmith shop, are now worth probably from $8,000 to $10,000, and Mr. Dickman has erected a very neat little brick residence on the hill, nearly opposite his works, at a cost of abont $3,500, includ- ing grounds and fixtures, commanding a fine view of the town and the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers, and of the old fort grounds, where once stood Forts Defi- ance and Winchester.
Zephaniah H. Davis was born in Fredericsktown, Md., October 15, 1812. Came to Defiance County A. D. 1832; was married to Susan J. Lewis, Febru- ary 17, 1842, who was also born at Frederickstown, Md., June 22, 1822. To them were born eight chil- dren-Civillia, Emma C., William F., Lemuel H., Charles E., Ellen, Hattie, and John, who died in in- fancy. Mrs. Davis died June 20, 1864. He mar- ried for his second wife the widow, Mrs. Biggs, July 4, 1865. Mr. Davis died of palsy at his residence in Defiance, June 19, 1871, having been a resident of the town for about forty years. When he came to Defiance, it was comparatively an unbroken forest. Indians were plenty and there were but few white families here, doing mostly a trading business with the Indians, but he lived to see the Indians removed beyond the Missouri River, the land cleared and cultivated by the white people who settled in rapidly after their de- parture, and the town grown to a thriving village of about three thousand inhabitants, with a country surrounding it correspondingly prosperous. His death resulted from paralysis. He was first paralyzed in his right arm and shoulder, which gradually extend. ed over his whole body, and, losing the use of his tongue, he was then unable to describe his sufferings or speak of his wants to relatives and friends. About a week before his death, his brain also underwent a shock, after which he lay completely unconscious of everything, unable to swallow and with no control of any part of himself. He remained in this con- dition without food or medicine, and only breathing, at intervals about a week, when life at last left a body that had apparently been dead several days.
Nathaniel B. Adams was born June 17, 1802, in Lisbon, Conn. He lived in a farm with his par- ents until he was of age, and then engaged him- self as a clerk to a firm from Boston, who were doing a manufacturing business at Norwich, Conn; in con- nection with which they had a store, doing a gener mercantile business. He continued as clerk in this firm for nearly two years, then bought the stock, and remained in business four years. He then sold his stock of goods and removed to Seneca County, Ohio, in October, 1832, where he remained about three years. In January, 1836, he came to Defiance, and
again commenced mercantile business, in company with his brother-in-law, N. F. Emmons, and con -. tinued in the same two years, when his health became so poor, he was induced, by the advice of his friends and family physician, to move on his farm, then in Henry County (now Defiance), which he had pur- chased about a year before locating at Defiance, and which at this time was but partially cleared, thinking by assisting in clearing the land, burning logs, brush, etc., his health would be better; but in this under- taking he was sadly disappointed, as his health grew gradually worse, until he was obliged to give up this experiment and return again to Defiance, where he commenced to build a residence in North Defiance (it being the first brick built on that side of the river), which was partly completed when he died of consumption August 9, 1843. Mr. Adams was mar- ried to Miss Mary Carpenter, of Norwich, Conn., September 13, 1831, who was born in that village June 3, 1806. There were born to them four chil- dren, who died in youth and infancy, except Ellen E., their first born, who grew up to womanhood, and was married to George C. Backus, of St. Lawrence County, N. Y., in May, 1856, who had born to them seven children --- Minnie, Kate, John A., George Dwight, Nellie (who died in infancy), Nathaniel B. and Nellie (who died aged five years). Mrs. Backus passed away February 15, 1871, and five weeks after her husband followed her to her "long resting place," leaving five children (the eldest nearly fourteen years) to the care of their grandmother, whom God, in His good providence, has seen fit to spare them until all have positions suitable to support themselves. The two eldest, Minnie and Kate, are teachers; the two boys have good positions in the machine shops, while the youngest boy, of fourteen years, is going to school. Mrs. Adams married, for her second hus- band, Sereno Lyman, March 18, 1846, having two children by this husband, who both died in early childhood. Mr. Lýman died in 1858. Mrs. Lyman is now living, and is remarkably active and well-pre- served, and, at the age of seventy-six, her memory, sight and hearing are good. When Mr. and Mrs. Adams came to Defance, they were members of the Congregational Church, but there was no church of that denomination, neither was there any Presbyterian organization at that time. Soon after (in 1837), the few members of the two churches united in forming an organization, and adopted the Presbyterian form of government, at which time, Nathaniel B. Adams and Curtis Holgate were chosen Elders and Sereno Lyman, Clerk. Mrs. Adams, also, was one of the number at the time of the organization.
John Lehman was born in Germany March 22, 1815; came to this country with his parents, Jacob
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Lehman and Mary (Wise) Lehman, in 1837, ar- rived in this county in July or August, the same year; was married October 16, 1842, to Miss Eliza- beth Hepker, of Williams County, Ohio. They had eleven children, four boys and seven girls; five of them are living-Henry, Daniel, Anna, Callie and . Laura Ella. His wife, Elizabeth, died April 6, 1865. For his second wife he married Sophia Mul- lett, of this county, in the fall of 1866, by whom he had one child, Emma, who died August 6, 1869. He then married Maria Wilson, of this county, Septem- ber 19, 1871. Mr. Lehman commenced the cooper- age business in North Defiance, in 1841, on the banks of the Maumee, where Joseph Bauer & Co.'s brewery now stands. In 1842, he built a residence on High street, it being the second frame building on the hill. A Mr. Moore put up the first one for a hotel, after- ward called the Cary House, situated on what is now Contor street. Mr. Lehman continued the cooperage business alone until 1878, employing usually four or five hands. He then took his son Daniel in as a part- ner and enlarged the shop, giving employment to about ton men. In 1879, they built a new shop, in- creasing the business and giving employment to twonty five or thirty men, turning out from 100 to 150 barrels daily, principally pork and lard barrels.
John Jacob Schneider was born at White House, Lucas Co., Ohio, A. D. 1845, and settled in Defiance in 1870. He was married in Williams Center, Will- ians Co., Ohio, April 29, 1869, to Ann Elizabeth, daughter of Dr Daniel and Lydia Ann (Burrell) Calkins, who was born in Centerville, Wayne Co., Ohio, A. D. 1851. They have four children, viz. : Alice Adell, born July 21, 1870; John Daniel, born September 4, 1872; Charles Caleb, born November 10, 1874; and Bessie, born December 3, 1876. Mr. Schneider's parents were John G. and Charlotte (Gol- mer) Schneider, the former born in Wurtemberg, Ger- many, March 10, 1810, the latter born in Germany February, 1819, and they were married December 10, 1834, at Medina, Ohio They had a family of fifteen children, eight boys and seven girls, viz .: John Jacob Ist (deceased). Andrew Benjamin (deceased), Jobu Jacob 2d, Lewis Christian, William Frederick, Caleb Jacob, Charles Royal (deceased), Lyman Charles, Charlotte Rosina (deceased), Frances Eliza- beth, Dorothy Julia, Charlotte Harriet, Mary Caro- line, Calista Harriet (deceased) and Cora Alfaretta. Mr. Schneider (John G.) came to this county in 1830, May 5, and engaged in the building of the Wabash & Erie & Miami Extension Canal, and was also engaged in the building of the Wabash Railroad. John J., the subject of this sketch, enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment Ohio Vohin- teer Infantry, in September, 1862, and was honorably
discharged March 2, 1864. Mr. Schneider says he frequently had to face a whole regiment of rebel sol- diers, but never felt so much like backing down as when he met the big " African lion " of W. W. Cole's mouagerie on the railroad track about mid- night of the 25th of September, 1879, which had escaped from its cage; the following account of which we copy from the Defiance Democrat of October 2. 1879:
" W. W. Cole's circus and menagerie exhibited in Defiance last Thursday, September 25, 1879. In the evening, after the show was out, the animals and other goods were loaded on cars at the Wabash depot, preparatory to shipment West. As one train, con- taining cages, was passing the large coal chutes in this place, one of the chutes somehow caught the cage containing the two lions. In an instant, before the situation could be comprehended, the cage was so badly broken that out walked the large African lion, and leisurely trotted down the railroad track toward the station. By this time , the attaches of the men- agerie were on hand, and quickly secured the other lion and cas about for a way to capture the fugitive. The lion went several squares, until he reached a barn on the premises of Adolph Miller. The upper half of the door was open, and inside was a cow. Scenting this nice morsel of food, with a slight roar the lion sprang over the door, and leaped upon his victim. He seized the cow by the nose, and, crunching it, he held on, sucking at its life-blood. The cow bellowed fearfully, but was helpless in the toils of the monster of the forest .. The lion con- timed at his work until he had obtained all the blood, and the cow was dead, when he went to a cor- ner of the stable and lay down, on a pile of straw.
" How to capture the lion was a puzzle for the showmen. Prof. Conkling, the great tamer (who, by the way, had only a few hours previously entered the den containing the same lions), was sent for. He took in the situation at a glance, and instructing the men to get the cage off the cars and quietly to run it alongside of the barn, he armed himself with a couple of revolvers, a stout club and a whip. and started on what was regarded as a perilous undertak- ing. He entered the stable, by means of the hay-loft, and commenced calling the lion. A growl was his only answer for some time. He continued calling until the beast recognized the voice, when Mr. Conk- ling proceeded boldly down in the lower part of the barn and hunted his pet. He caressed the animal- got it under complete control, when he had the doors opened, and quietly called and drove the beast into his cage. He was quickly secured, but when he found his liberty was again restrained he became furious, and it was with great difficulty that the cage
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
could be made sufficiently strong to hold him. Prof. Conkling informed the bystanders that he would not dare enter the cage for several days, or until the lion became perfectly quiet. While the lion was going down the railroad track toward the barn, he was act- ually met by two of our citizens. John Schneider, engineer of the pump house. Mr. Schneider says he did not realize what it was coming down the track until they met face to face, and then, naturally, he was much frightened. John Sauber, baggage master at the Wabash depot, was the other person who met him, and says he supposed it was a big yellow dog until he got opposite the beast." C Frederick Trampe was born in Mecklenberg- Strelitz, Germany, November 2, 1815; was married to Mary Lannes, of Mechlenberg, Germany, May 1, 1851, who was born January 11, 1830. They had a family of nine children-Louisa F., Frederick J., Charles L., John F., Mary A., Herman J., Frederick W., Martin and Julius M. Of this large family all are gone, except the mother and two of the children, Harman J. and Julius M. Mr. Trampe came over to this country July 4. 1852; stopped at Toledo five years; being a brick-maker by trade, he got employ ment there as foreman for two years, then rented the yard for three years and carried on the business himself. He then came to Defiance, in 1857, and purchased a lot in what is now East Defiance, and started a brick yard, which he carried on till his death, August 20, 1876. His wife and the two boys, Herman and Julius, still live on the place, carrying on the business. They manufacture about 1,500,000 brick annually, for which they find a ready market at home, giving employment to about twenty-five hands during the brick-making season.
Peter William Lauster, only son of John Jacob Lauster, and Sibilla Gertrude Wiertz, was born in Rheydt, Rhenish Prussia, Germany, December 18, 1820. At the age of about fifteen years he com- menced his apprenticeship to learn the reed and har- ness-making business, in bis native town, which con- sisted largely of silk and cotton factories. From here he went to Elberfeld, where he also wronght five years at his trade, to perfect himself in his business. He immigrated to this country in 1848, where, after a six weeks' voyage in a sailing vessel, he landed at New York on the 13th of June of the same year, where, through the influence of J. Y. Smith, after- ward Governor of Rhode Island. he found a sitnation in Providence, to work at his trade. In December, 1850, he moved to. Fall River, Mass., commenced business for himself, and was very successful. In 1869, he sold his business at Fall River, and moved to this county (Defiance), and bought an interest in the hub and spoke factory of this city, which was car-
ried on by Kahlo Brothers, Crowe & Co. Soon after this, he purchased another interest, in the Defiance Machine Works, which was carried on by Kettenring & Strong. The firm was then changed to Kettenring, Strong & Lauster; the business was enlarged, new shops built and Mr. Lauster made Treasurer of the company. The company was finally changed to a . stock company, Mr. Kettenring being elected as President and Mr. Lanster continued as Treasurer, which position he still holds. In October, 1881, he was elected by the people of the county to the office of County Treasurer by a large majority, being the first Republican Treasurer the county ever had. He was married, August 13, 1849, in New York City. to Miss Thusnelde Dorothea Gruiter, a lady of German descent, who was born at Langenberg, near Elber- feld, Rhenish Prussia, October 22, 1819. To them the following seven children were born, viz .: Mar- tha Washington, July 4, 1850 ; Eliza was born May 9, 1852, and died on the 29th; Emilie Thusnelde, born April 25, 1853, deceased April 12, 1873, and was buried in Heidelberg, Germany, where she had gone to attend school; Maria Louisa, born December 6, 1855; William Charles, born February 9, 1858, died March 28, 1859; Charles William, born May 31, 1860; Lydia Amanda, born October 2, 1861, died December 7, 1861. The parents of Mr. Lauster came to this county in 1849, and lived with their son, the subject of this sketch. His mother died at Fall River, Mass., September 28, 1858, aged sixty-two; his father died at Defiance, May 3, 1877, aged eighty-three years and ten months. Mr. Lauster made two trips across the water, to his native country, in 1871, also in 1872, remaining one year on his last trip, returning in 1873.
Virgil Squire was born in Southport, Conn., No- vember 4, 1808, and died at Defiance, Ohio, May 28, 1874. He was the third son of Jacob Squire, a vet- eran sea captain. In 1815, his father immigrated.to Ohio, and settled in Florence, on a farm, in Erie Connty. In 1826, Mr. Squire commenced clerking for Dr. Fay, a druggist in Milan, Erie County, this town then being one of the most thriving in Northern Ohio. He afterward clerked for Asa Sanford, and other prominent business men in Milan and Norwalk. From Norwalk he went to Clarksfield, Huron County, and was engaged for himself in the milling business. While in this place, in 1840, he became interested in the Vermillion & Ashland Railroad, a speculation that proved disastrous to all connected with it. In 1844. Mr. Squire formed a partnership with Ahira Cobb, now a resident of Cleveland, this partnership continuing for twenty five years. They were engaged at Vermillion and Birmingham in milling, mercan- tile and general shipping business. They owned
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
several vessels, and did a flourishing business for many years. About 1855, he removed to Ottawa, Putnam Co., Ohio, where they continued under the firm name of Cobb, Pierce & Squire. In 1857, this firm romoved to Defiance, which place Mr. Squire made his residence until his death. The firm of Cobb, Pierce & Squire continued until the death, by drowning, of Mr. Pierce in 1861. At this time, Cobb & Squire sold their entire stock of goods to C. Har- ley, and established a private bank in the Russell House, on First street. In 1869, Mr. Cobb retired, and the business was changed to the Defiance County Bank, with Mr. Squire as President. In 1872, the bank was converted into a National Bank, and from that time on Mr. Squire was its President. Mr. Squire was married in November, 1835, to Miss Rebecca A. Peck, in Florence Township, Erie Co., Ohio. Mrs. Squire still survivos him, as also do three sons, viz .: Charles B. Squire, City Clerk; George T. Squire, telegrapher, and Edward Squire, who is Cash- ier of the Defiance National Bank, which position he has held since its organization. In 1835, Mr. Squire embraced religion, and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He continued a faithful member and a true Christian the balance of his life. All of his business transactions were honest and upright, and he was known by all as a citizen honorable to the community in which he lived. He was a friend alike to rich and poor-a man who had no personal enemies, but hosts of friends, many of whom live to bear testimony to his sterling worth as a citizen and as a Christian, and who departed this life leaving to his family the record of a well-spent life.
John Brubaker was born near Chambersburg, Penn., October 18, 1827, and came with his parents, Daniel and Catharine (Kiner) Brubaker, to Stark County, Ohio, in 1833, and from there to Defiance County in 1848; settled on Mud Creek, in Delaware Township. They were Pennsylvanians by birth, and had a family of fifteen children, ten of whom grew up. Seven of this family are now living, viz., John, Margaret, Catharine. William, Jacob, Ephraim and Rebecca. John, the subject of this sketch, was mar- ried. June 7, 1852, to Miss Emeline Stoner, daughter of Solomon and Margaret (Voorhes) Stoner, who had born to them ten children, five now living, as fol- lows: Emeline, John W., James A., Whelan and Adeline. Mr. Brubaker started out in life by pur- chasing a wild lot, of eighty acres, in Delaware Town- ship, and put up his cabin and partly cleared up his farm, and then traded it for a farm in Adams Town- ship and farmed for a number of years, and then sold his farm and moved to Defiance, and worked for six years for the Defiance Manufacturing Company, and from there went into the Defiance Machine
Works, and still remains Mr. and Mrs. Brubaker, like their parents, have been blessed with a large family of children, numbering eleven, eight now liv- ing, viz .: Francis M., William W., Weston F., Lila U. M., Adeline N., Ida A., John L. and Sylvester E., all living in or around Defiance. Weston Forest is engaged in the grocery business with M. B. Gorman & Co.
John Miller was born in Canton, Stark Co., Ohio, March 18, 1828. His parents, William and Betsey (Nools) Miller, were born, the former in 1797 and the latter in 1807. They had a family of ten children, viz., William, Polly, Henry, George, John, Mary Elizabeth, Sarah, Margaret, Catharine Ann and Sam- uel-all living except Henry, who died May 1, 1865, at Chattanooga, Tenn., having enlisted in the Six- teenth Regiment of New York' Regulars in March, 1863. Mr. John Miller was married, in the year 1846, to Miss Agatha Null, who was born in Germany, November 2, 1827. Her parents, Martin and Agatha, were born in Germany, the former April 30, 1779, the latter January 15, 1776, and were married A. D. 1817, and emigrated from Homerstine, Germany, to America, in 1832. Martin Null's family consisted of six children five daughters and one son. Mr. Miller's family were as follows: John J., the eldest son, was born November 3, 1848, enlisted in Company G, Thirty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteers, January 29, 1864, to serve three years or during the war, but on account of disability was discharged April 20, 1864, but after regaining his usual health, enlisted again in the same regiment on the 26th of January, 1865, for one year or during the war; was discharged at the close of the war, July 12, 1865. He was mar- ried, in 1870, to Miss Rosetta J. Britton, who was born near Pleasant Lake, Steuben Co., Ind., in 1852. The fruits of this marriage were four children-Will- iam Irvin, born May 30, 1871; Nellie Irene, born January 30, 1873, deceased March 1, 1881; Maggie Isabel, born August 4, 1875; Edie Mabel, born Sep- tember 29, 1878; all born in this county (Defiance).
William H. was born August 17, 1850.
Margaret H., was born August 11, 1853; was mar- ried, in 1875, to James W. Dellett. To them was born ono child-Gwendoline, born March 28, 1876. Mrs. Dellett deceased October 4, 1877. Mr. Dellett was in the late war, 1861-65; enlisted in Company G, in the Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, in 1863, and was honorably discharged at the close of tho war in 1865. He died July 2, 1877,
Barbara A. was born February 8, 1859; was mar- ried, in 1877, to John C. Barber. Of this union two children have been born to them-Emma L .. born December 1, 1878, and Florie A., born March 24. 1880.
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Charles L. Miller, born March 17, 1860, was mar- ried to Miss Ella M. Heller, of Crawford County, Ohio. Mr. Miller came to Defiance County in 1850, and settled on the north side of the Maumee River, North Defiance, where he now lives. He is a carpen- ter and joiner by trade, and has put up many of the residences of Defiance, and still continues the busi -. ness.
Thomas R. Carroll was born in Evansport, Defi- ance Co., Ohio, January 4, 1842. In 1850, with his parents, he removed to Pulaski, Williams Co., Ohio. At the age of eleven, he commenced clerking in the dry goods store of A. W. Boynton, at Pulaski. After two years, he hired out to W. E. Kintigh, of Defiance, Ohio, and with him moved to Napoleon, Ohio, and continued clerking for him as long as he remained in the business. He afterward clerked for Imber & Richards, dry goods merchants, for five years. In 1863, he enlisted in the United States Army, and after the war hired to H. E. Cary, grocer, with whom he remained working on a salary until 1872, when he became a partner in the business. On Octo- ber 12, 1865, was married to Miss G. A. Cary, young- est daughter of Rev. Joel and Harriet W. Cary. Mrs. Carroll died March 1, 1876. To them were born two daughters and one son. The daughters died in infancy; the son, Charles H., was born in Na- poleon, Ohio, July 16, 1872, and is now living with his parents in Defiance, Ohio. During the year 1876, H. E. Cary & Co. (H. E. Cary and T. R. Carroll) commenced a branch business at Defiance, Ohio, Mr. Carroll taking charge. March, 1881, he purchased the entire business' at Defiance, and continued it alone for two years. May 16, 1883, the firm became Carroll & Co., with C. W. and T. J. Prettyman as partners. December 4, 1878, Mr. Carroll mar- ried Miss Annie B., only daughter of John and Harriet Opdycke, of Pulaski, Williams Co., Ohio. By energy and probity, he has won his way to posi- tion among the leading business men of Defiance. His business houses are sustained by a large and in- creasing patronage from a class of substantial custom- ers, and his wholesale business relations are moving steadily on to success. Together with his estimable lady, he occupies a high social position, forming an important link in the social circle, performing their part cheerfully and well in carrying out the noble purposes of their being.
William Carroll, father of Thomas R. Carroll, was born near Baltimore, Md., May 10, 1813. At the age of ten years he, with two brothers and one sister, were left orphans. They came to Ohio in 1829, and were bound out until of age, having no ad- vantages of schooling. In 1834, he came to Evans- port, Defiance County, and, September 7, 1834, was
married to Sarah Evans. In 1850, he, with his fam- ily, moved to Pulaski, Williams Co., Ohio, where both now are living in good health at this writing. Of the family, one daughter lives in Pulaski, Ohio, one son in Bryan, Ohio, and two sons in Defiance.
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