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 47
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James B. Heatley was born in Union Town, Mon- roe County, Va., August 18. 1819. His father, Moses Heatley, and mother, Mary (Foster) Heatley, were by birth, the former a Ponnsylvanian, the latter a Virginian lady. They were married at Union 'Town, Va., and had eight children -- Elizabeth, James B., Martha, Parmelia, Clarissa, Mary, Maria and John O. Of these, three are living-James B., Clarissa and Mary. Clarissa married Jason Car- inan; Mary was married to John R. Deardorff. Both sisters are now living in San Francisco, Cal. James B., was married to Rebecca Garman, of Defiance Town- ship, October 17, 1850, by whom six children were born -- Lorenzo D., born Decomber, 1851, died July 3, 1881; George A., born July 5, 1853; Millie E., born August 7, 1855; Rebecca E., born November 9, 1857; Parmelia and John D., who died quite young. Mrs. Heatley's parents, George P. Garman and Re- becca (Frankenberger) Garman, came from Pennsyl- vania in 1831, to Stark County, Ohio, and from there to Defiance County in 1847, and settled on south side of the Auglaize, about two miles up the river from town, where they both died on their farm. Moses Heatley, father of James B., emigrated from Monroe County, Va., Ohio, in 1821, with his family, consisting of his wife and two oldest children, Eliza-
beth and James B., the latter of whom was about two years old, stopping for about three years at or near Dayton, Ohio, working at his trade in the tannery until 1824, when, hearing of the country in the neigh- borhood of Detiance, he packed up and with his ox team followed the army trail until he reached Blodg- et's Island, two miles up the Auglaize River. Ar- riving at Defiance in the fall of 1824, he stopped the first night with Robert Shirley, who lived in a double log cabin made from a block-house of Fort Defiance, and located on or near the lot now owned by A. M. Shead. We give his recollections in his own words. He says: " In 1824, this town was very thick woods -except a strip running up the Auglaize River, from the mouth to a short distance above where the Lu- theran Church now stands, and extending west to the present route of Clinton street. A tannery was lo- cated on the deep ravine near the present outlet of the canal, built by James Jolly. At the time James B. Heatley came to this town, there were but three houses here, all of which were built from the old block-house of Fort Defiance. The early settlers had great difficulty in raising their log cabins, owing to the scarcity of men. Frequently it would take two or three days to obtain sufficient help. They had to go as far as Blanchard's Fork for help-a distance of thirty miles. For two years after moving to Defi- ance our staff of life consisted of corn bread alone. The first year we pounded our corn in a kind of mortar, after the fashion of the Indians. A basswood tree of about twelve inches diameter was cut down and a block cut and made to stand on end, a fire built thereon and kept burning until a hole was burned to the depth of about eight or ten inches-this was onr mortar. We fastened a stick on an iron wedge and put- ting the corn in this mortar, pounded it until it was as fine as could be gotten- which, of course, was not very fine. Mother would mix it with milk, the best she could, and spread it on what we called a Johnny-cake board. This board was made of a clapboard, tapering at each end and about three feet long and seven inches wide. It was set up edgewise to the fire,in an old fashioned cabin fire-place. We knew nothing about stoves un- til about 1830, cooking altogether by fire-places. While our corn was yet soft, we grated it, mixed and baked in the above stated mannor. In this way we wore compelled to live for about two years. After that, a stone-cutter came to this part of the country. He took two flint stones, working out two buhrs about eighteen inches in diameter, and four or five inches thick. The lower buhr was stationary, while the up- per one stood on a pivot, just like a mill stone; on top, a hole was drilled about one inch and a half deep, on one side of the center. Then a pole the size of a broom handle, was placed in this and extending up-
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right to the joist. Sometimes we drove a staple for it to work in. We could then work it with one hand. This made tolerable good meal. We owned one cow, which we called Rigga. This cow we brought with us from the Miami country. I think we raised ten head of cattle from her, which gave us a good start for stock. Old Rigga was a good cow. Mother often used to say the old cow almost raised us children. The way we used to farm, after our horse died, was the same as the Indians did. In planting our corn we used what was called a square hoe, which was about three inches wide and six inches long. We would strike it in among the stumps and roots to open a hole to drop in the corn. Then when it was ready to work, we could do better with the same kind of a hoe among the roots, as many of the early settlers know. I think it was two years after we came that we got our first mill flour. It was from Waterville just be- low the head of the Rapids." Mr. James B. Heatley has held several township and county offices; was Township Treasurer two years, Assessor in 1849-50 and 1851; was elected Recorder in 1851 and re- elected in 1854, serving six years as Recorder. Also has served over thirty years as Township Constable. Mr. Heatley had but very little advantage for an early education. He being the oldest boy, was obliged to assist his father in clearing the land and do what he could toward the support of the family. He went to school to William A. Brown and learned to read and write, which was the extent of his school- ing until after he was of age; then, by applying him- self to such books as were within his reach and by attending night school, he managed to get his educa- tion. Mr. Heatley is now in his sixty-second year, and says there is not a person now living within the corporate limits of Defiance who was here when he came-and he knows of none living.
Joseph Ralston was born in Hanover, Daup hin County, Penn., June 20, 1818. His father, William Ralston, was born in Mount Joy, York County, Penn., March 26, 1791; his mother, Jane (Rouch) Ralston, was born in Hanover, Dauphin County, Penn., De- cember 11, 1797; they were married July 17, 1817; had a family of ten children, viz .: Joseph, Har- riet, Maria, George A., Henry P., William R., Jane, Susan, Rebecca A. and James. Of these, two died, Jane at sixteen years of age, and Maria at forty-two. In 1824, his parents moved to Lebanon, Lebanon Connty, in the same State, where he attended the Lebanon Academy, graduating from that institution in 1831. In March, 1832, he with his parents started for Ohio, and after seventeen days travel over- land arrived at Massillon, Ohio, on the 10th day of April, and soon after settled on a farm near by, where his parents died-Mr. Ralston, August 10, 1858, and
Mrs. Ralston May 30, 1868. Joseph assisted on the farm until the age of eighteen, when he commenced teaching school, and continued at that vocation six years. June 23, 1839, he was married to Ann E. Shorb, of Stark County, Ohio, whose parents were born in Frederick County, Md., and immigrated to Stack County, Ohio, in 1820, where her mother died in August, 1833. Her father removed to Fairfield, in Wayne County, Ill., in 1847, near which place he died in 1868. They had a family of ten children, viz. . Mary C., Ann C., John F., Frances C., Harriet, Ann E., Sarah, James, Thomas and Margaret. Mr. Ralston remained in Stark County about three years after his marriage, when he concluded to seek his fort- une in the West. Accordingly, in October, 1843, he and his family, consisting of his wife and son, Will- iam Henry (then one year old), took passage on a canal boat on the Ohio Canal at Massillon, for Cleve- land; there embarked on the old steamer Superior for Toledo; leaving the wharf in the evening in a gale, the storm increased so much that in about three hours the boat returned to her dock at about 11 P. M. and started out at 4 P. M. of the next day, arriving at Toledo next morning. Here he took passage on the canal boat Red Lion, for Defiance, arriving there October 10, 1843. Here he met an old acquaint- ance, Samuel P. Cameron, and was induced to settle in Washington Township, where Georgetown is now located, and occupied a small log cabin on the land of Mr. Cameron until he could secure a place for his future home, which he did by selecting 80 acres of land in the southwest part of Section 31 in Tiffin Township, on the bank of Mud Creek, being the first settler on that stream. He commenced the clearing of the forest preparatory to putting up a house, which in those days was quite an undertaking, owing to the scarcity of help, which had to come from two to six miles. The season was an exceedingly wet one, which proved quite a hindrance, as he had to gather his help five times, but after a time he succeeded, and moved into it, and was "monarch of all he sur- veyed," for his neighbors were not plenty, the near- est, Parmenus Kibble, Reuben Brown and John Par- tee, were two miles away, on the north; on the east, on the " Bellefontaine " road, was Brunersburg, four miles, then a small village; on the west was "Crago Hotel," six miles off, on the bank of Lick Creek; on the south it was four miles to the Maumee, and west the forest was unbroken for twenty miles. After Mr. Ralston made a break, he was soon followed by Solo- mon Stoner, who settled on an adjoining lot, and David Strawser, the following fall, settled on the Bellefontaine road near by. Among his neighbors were Lyman Langdon, Reuben Brown, John Partee, John Post, Levi Tarr and Mathew and William
,
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Pierce. The first schoolhouse in his vicinity was near Mr. Kibble's farm, and known as the Kibble Schoolhouse. After clearing a part of this farm, putting up a hewed log house (which is in good condi- tion now), setting out an orchard, carrying the trees on his back from Enos Partee's farm (six milos), and making several improvements, he sold out to Samuel Clinker, in 1850, and in the spring of 1851 moved to Defiance and purchased the place he now resides on, and also purchased an interest in the firm of Tnt- tle & Bruner, who were engaged in a general mer- chandising and produce business; continuing in this business, he bought ont the other parties and contin- ned the dry goods business about three years, on tho north side of the Maumee, in the building now ocen- pied by Hall & Killey as undertakers. He then sold, and formed a partnership with Gen. Gilson (the first banker of Defiance) for one year, and started a hardware store, opposite the Russell House, on Lot No. 99, opening ont in May, 1857. In August, he pur- chased Mr. (tilson's interest, and continued alone until 1860, when L. E. Myers became a partner, by consol- idating his tin and stove store. The firm which be- came Ralston & Myers then built the two frame buildings recently removed from the Lot No. 100, now occupied by Messrs. Switzer & Kelinast's brick block. In 1862, Mr. Ralston sold his interest in the hardware, and retired from the mercantile business. In 1860, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and at the end of his term was, in 1863, appointed by the Government Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Tenth Collection District, and Deputy Collec- tor of Revenne thereafter. In 1868, he received the appointment of Special Agent for the Post Office in Defiance, and in 1869, was appointed Postmaster, in which capacity he served four and a half yoars, when he resigned and gave his attention to raising fine sheep, and is now engaged in raising fine Durham and Jersey cattle. Mr. R. has several fine farms, in all about 530 acres, including 187 acres in the corpo- rate limits of the city of Defiance. The products of one of his farms on the Maumee, containing 144 acres, 115 of which is cleared, were in 1880, 780 bushels of wheat, 1,240 bushels of oats, 2,000 bushels of corn, 92 bushels of Mammoth clover seed, and about 60 tons of hay. Mr. Ralston has a family of seven children, viz .: Ann M., William H., Sarah J., Or- lando L., L. Clayton, Clara A. and Lake E. ; of these three died, Ann M., in infancy, L. Clayton at twenty. three years and one month of age, and Clara A. at twen- ty-three years and five months. The remainder of his family are distributed as follows: Sarah J., now Mrs. Bowen, is located at Denver, Colo., and has a family of five children -Harry R., Annie, Samuel A., Albert H. and Jennie; Annie died in infancy: William H.,
is living near his father's residence, married C. E. Hudson, has two children-William H., Edwin F .; Orlando L., is on his farm, five miles up, and on the bank of the Maumee River, married Helena B. Rohn, have five children -- Joseph, Ernest, Clara, Karl and Engenia; and Lake E., residing at his father's house.
Adam Wilhelm was born June 23, 1823, in North Prussia. His parents, Jacob and Odelia (Smith) Wilhelm, with their family, then consisting of four children, viz., John, Jacob Jr., Marian and Adam, immigrated to America in 1836, and settled in Stark County, Ohio, where he lived one year and then moved to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and remained there about three years. Hero Marian, the only daughter, died at the age of seventeen years. In the spring of 1840. they moved to Brunersburg, and remained until January, 1841, and removed to Henry County and settled on 80 acres of wild land, and he was obliged to cut the road a distance of three miles through the woods to get to it, and distant three miles from any white neighbors. Indians were munerous but friendly. Here the subject of this sketch. Adam Wilhelm, remained just long enough to assist his father and brothers in getting up their log cabin home and in clearing up about two acres, and in May, 1841, lett the parental home to shift for himself, and walked to Independence, Ohio, where the Miami and Erie Canal, as well as the State dam across the Mau- meo, were being coustructed. Here he got employ- ment and helped to lay the first timbers for the pres- ent dam, and was employed as teamster on the job, at driving oxen, in connection with Philip McCauley, now a prosperous farmer of this county. In Sep- tember, he began work in the blacksmith shops of the State, and assisted Thomas Garrett. In December, came to Dofiance and worked for Benjamin Brubaker for his board, and attended school for the winter. The following year, C. L. Noble married Miss Bruba- ker and bought out Mr. Brubaker's stock of general merchandise. He then worked for Mr. Noble at $8 per month and schooling; remained with him three years; was now getting $25 per month. In 1844, he clerked in S. Lyman's store and warehouse, remain- ing nine months, when he sold out his stock. Mr. Lyman retaining the building. rented one-half of the room to Wilhelm, using the other half for a tin shop. Here he (Wilhelm) commenced business on a very limited scale by selling bread and cakes, and small beer of his own manufacture, continuing at this until the following year, 1845, when he took in Mr. S. Lyman as partner. he (Lyman) furnishing $75, which was invested in tobacco. candy, crackers, etc. In July, same year, sold out his interest to Mr. Lyman, and after paying off his indebtedness had $14 left. On the following Sunday, Joseph Grosell, John Orf
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Wilhelm took a trip across the waters once more to visit the home of his childhood, in company with Mr. Vandenbrock, of this place, since deceased, and vis- ited all the principal cities of Europe. In 1875, he lost his first wife, and for his second wife he married Miss Rosa Virgho, February 20,1877, of Monroe, Mich., with whom he is still living. He served the county as one of its Commissioners six years, a member of the City Council six years, and a member of the School Board for six years. Has always been an ar- dent Roman Catholic, and aided very much in the cause of the church by liberal donations here in De- fiance as well as in neighboring towns. When Mr. W. first came to this place, there were but two Catho- lic families residing here-F. Weisenberger's and T. Fitzpatrick's-and a few young men and women. In politics, Mr. Wilhelm has always been a Democrat. Mr. Wilhelm's father was a soldier under Napoleon through the Spanish war. Out of a division of 5, 000, only 276 were left, he being one of them, and these all wounded but nineteen, he among the rest. He had verylittle sympathy for Spaniards ; having seen them nail the French soldiers to barn doors He was born A. D. 1789, in Bavaria, Prussia, and died on his farm in Pleasant Township, Henry County, Ohio, 1874, aged eighty-five years. His wife, Odelia, was born in Prussia, A. D. 1795, and died in Henry County aged fifty-two years. John R., eldest son of Adam Wilhelm, is a partner with his father in the milling business, and has principal charge of the mill. He was married, November 7, 1877, to Miss Agnes M. Marantette, of Mendon, St. Joe County, Mich. They have two children, Fanny M., aged four years, and Carl E., aged about two years.
(now in the milling business at Fort Wayne, Ind.) and himself were at the old fort grounds and they showed up their assets. He had $14, Orf, $14. 10 and Grosell, $14.35. On Monday, Mr. Wilhelm's father had a note of $28 to pay, and he let him have the $14 to help meet it. This left him penniless, but he had lots of friends. A young man named George Wood- ruff and himself hired out to S. S. Sprague, buying and shipping grain. In September, 1845, he took charge of the toll bridge across the Maumee here, only getting his board from the company, but in addition he had the use of the toll house, 10x14 feet in size. Mr. Lyman assisted him to a little stock of notions, he not having a dollar. Here he got a start doing well for himself and the bridge company. While in charge at the bridge, three men wanted to cross and were informed that the toll was 3 cents each, but no extra charge for baggage, when one of them paid 3 cents and took the other two on his back and carried them over. Then he quit the bridge and went into the grocery business with G. M. Weisenberger, at the upper lock. At the end of eleven months, in the spring of 1846, he bought a farm of H. G. Phillips, of Dayton, Ohio, located at Independence Lock. One year after this, he was married to Miss Mary Ann Rikart, of Fort Jennings, Putnam County, Ohio. The fruits of this union were nine children, viz. : John, born July 28, 1848; Barbara Elizabeth, born July 15, 1850, and died May 24, 1856; George Adam, born September 16, 1852, and died May 16, 1854; Jacob Adam, born February 22, 1856, died July 29, 1858; Franklin, born September 10, 1858; Mary Catharine, born September 27, 1862; Ann Amelia, born October 31, 1864; Clara Elizabeth, born July 13, 1866; Adam, Jr., born August 31, 1872. In the spring of William A. Brown was born September 6, 1815, and died at Defiance, July 10, 1875. His father, William, was a scout for Gen. Hull, at Detroit, in the war of 1812, and performed many a trip as bearer of dispatches between Detroit and Fort Miami, on the Maumee River, little dreaming that forty years there- after he would revisit the same place to find it a beautiful, thriving country. After the surrender of Gen. Hull, at Detroit, he returned to Richville. St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., and married Miss Mandana Rich, a daughter of Salmon Rich, and settled upon a farm near De Kalb Village, in said county, then as much a wilderness as it was here forty years ago. Here the subject of this sketch was born, and a short time thereafter his father and mother removed about a mile south of Richville, near the line of Governeur. From this place he attended school about three months in summer and three or four in winter, until about twelve years old when all the schooling he got was abont three or four months in winter, the balance of 1850, he sold out his farm to G. B. Abel, with the intention of moving to Logansport, Ind., but on his way stopped over at Defiance to pay a farewell visit to his former partner and brother-in-law, and was induced by them to remain at Defiance; bought out Andrew Weisenberger and for the second time went into business with G. M. Weisenberger. After eleven months he bought out his partner's stock and real es- tate for $3,800, and continued doing a very successful grocery business until 1860. Then took in his clerk (John Rowe) as partner. For three years he had a very large lumber trade and made money fast. In 1866, he bought out his partner and built a brick building adjoining his grocery and started in the dry goods business. Not liking the business, at the end of three months sold his stock to A. A. Ayers, and moved his grocery into this building and continued the business until 1871. Then bought the Defiance Mills, and since that time has made the milling and real estate his principal business. In 1868, Mr. ; the time working upon the farm, until the winter of
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1833-34 he attended the Academy at Governeur, and also in the winter of 1834-35. In May, 1835, he left St. Lawrence County and came to Defiance, arriving Juno 5, 1835, and continued to reside until his death. His first work in Detiance was for Sidney S. Sprague, scoring timber for the orection of the house in which Enos Blair now resides. In the fall of 1835, in com- pany with two others, he took a job of grubbing for John E. Hunt, of Manmee, of 100 acres of land in De- fianco, afterward known as the Warren farm, and lately as Warren and others Addition to Defiance. After having grubbed about thirty acres, Gen. Hunt sold his farm to Dr. John Evans, and W. A. Brown and Edwin Phelps went to Maumee City and worked for John E. Hunt until the 1st day of December, during which time they assisted in raising the first Presbyterian Church in that village. Upon his re- turn to Defiance, he engaged in teaching school the greater part of the time, some of the time tending post office for Dr. Jonas Colby, then Postmaster, In October of 1837, he was elected Auditor of Williams County, which then included Paulding County and a larger part of what is now Defiance County, which office he took March, 1838, and held until March, 1842. He was married, May 20, 1840, at Sandy Creek, N. Y., to Harriet N. Stow, daughter of Rev. William B. Stow. From thence they returned to Detiance and continuod to reside here ever since. The fruit of this marriage was six children, three sons and three daughters, four of whom, two sons and two daugh- ters, survive him, and are residing in Defiance. One son and one daughter died in infancy. His wife survives him, having traveled the same road with him for more than thirty-five years. Defiance County was organized in the spring of 1845, and in the fall of the same year he was elected Auditor of Defiance County, which office he held for two years. For a great many years, he, by himself and in company with others, was engaged in mercantile pursuits and in the purchase and shipment of grain, and afterward leased the Defiance Mills, and finally purchased them. He was an industrious, sober man, never using liquor in any shape, nor even tobacco, and was kind and affa- ble in all the relations of life, a vory warm friend and an affectionate husband and father. Mrs. Will- iam A. Brown is still living in Defiance, as also are the four surviving children. Frank G., the oldest son (the Secretary of the Defiance Machine Works), was born in Defiance, Ohio. Setpember 11, 1841, where he lived until he enlisted under the first call for three months' volunteers and served until mustered out, as Sergeant of Company K, Twenty-first Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry. He then engaged with Maj. D. Taylor, Paymaster of the United States Volun- teers, as his clerk, going on duty at Washington, D. C.,
with the Major in October, 1861, and served in this capacity until March, 1862, when he received an ap- pointment in the Second Anditor's office of the Unit- od States Treasury Department, Washington, D. C., where he was in charge of a large division, number- ing over sixty clerks, remaining until January 1, 1868, when he resigned and moved back to Defiance. August 25, 1864, he was married to Miss Kate E. Oliver, eldest daughter of David L and Elizabeth Oliver, who were early settlers of Defiance County. Four children have been born to them-Maude, now deceased, born in Washington, D. C., June 28, 1865; Oliver Sessions, born in Washington, D. C., Septem- ber 14, 1867; Hattie E., born in Logansport, Ind., June 18, 1872, and James Scott, born in Defiance, Ohio, February 15, 1875. Helen B., the eldest daugh- ler of William A. Brown, was born May 25, 1847, and was married to Dr. J. L. Scott June 8, 1869, a former resident of Richmond, Ind., but who had removed to Defiance some time previously and located as resi- dent dentist, and is still the leading dentist of the place. Mary A., the other daughter, was born Au gust 30, 1849, and was married October 17, 1871, to James J. Jarvis, proprietor of the Defiance Woolen Mills, who removed from Piqua, Ohio, to Defiance in 1865, and this daughter with her husband and children live in the old homestead built by her father in 1844. Alfred S., the remaining child, was born May 13, 1853, and is now a resident of Cleve- land, Ohio, where he is assistant to John L. Free - man, General Baggage Agent of the L. S. & M. S. Railroad.
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