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 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
Rev. William B. Stow was born in Marlboro, Middlesex County, Mass., January 1, 1782. His father being a farmer, he remained at home, helping to carry on the farm in the summer seasons and going to school in the winter, until he was twenty-one years of age, at which time he entered Williams College, and after graduating there studied theology at Andover. Mr. Stow was married, November 11, 1811, to Miss Lucy Moore, who was born in Warwick, Mass., July 22, 1782. To thom were born six chil- dren -- Lucy Moore, William R., Adeline, Harriet N., Alfred M. and Mary T. William R. and Lucy M. are dead, Rev. Alfred M. lives in Canandaigua, N. Y .; Mary T. married W. W. Smith and lives in Brooklyn, N. Y. ; Adeline married Lorenzo Higby, and resides in Ridgeville, Henry County, Ohio; Harriet N. (widow of William Brown, deceased), is now living here at Defiance with her chil- dren. Mrs. Stow died August 3, 1825. Mr. Stow was married twice thereafter. For his second wife he married Catharine Sprague, and to them was born one child, Kate, who married J. D. Gillett, of New York; and for his third wife, Hannah Brainard.
232
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Rev. Mr. Stow came to Defiance, A. D. 1837, from Mex- ico, N. Y., under the auspices of the Home Mission- ary Society. At that time there was no church or- ganization at Defiance, except the Methodist Episco- pal. Mr. Stow took an active part in organizing the Presbyterian Church at that time, which was accom- plished December 11, 1837, and at said organization he was chosen their pastor and remained as such until the spring of 1839, when, owing to ill health of him- self and family, he resigned his charge and with his family returned again to his former home in New York. Subsequently, A D. 1852, he returned again to Defiance, but not to take the place of pastor in the church at Defiance, but preached every other Sab- bath or as health would permit in the little church at Ridgeville, until his death, April 24, 1856, aged seventy -four years. A few days before his death he penciled the following lines:
" With joy I proclaim to this body farewell, I've no more occasion within thee to dwell; Long hast thou been faithful and firm to endure, Long wilt thou be resting. all safely secure. I leave thee at present in charge of kind friends, All needed attentions will compass thy ends; May you rest in all quiet down under the clod. Beneath His protection, thy Lord and my God. Roused up after ages by the Omnipotent word, Oh, how much delight will re-union afford; With pleasure surpassing all present portray, No more to be sundered, all hail the bright day. Such rays from our Savior will fall on us then, To render us happy, oh, stop, my poor pen; Oh, wonder of wonders, no mortal can tell, With joy in conclusion, I say, fare thee well."
Henry Sauer was born on September 10, 1812, in Cassel, the Capital of the former electorate of Hesse- Cassel, now a portion of Prussia, Germany; immigrated to America at the age of nineteen, arriving at New York in the summer of 1832, after a long and tedious voyage on a sail vessel; being without means or friends to assist him, he immediately worked his way westward until he arrived at Cleveland in the fall of 1834, here he found two families that had immigrated a few years before from his neighborhood in Germany; they were the families of George A. Hoffrichter and Frederick Lesh. On May 10, 1835. he married Wil- helmina, daughter of George A. and Julia Hoffrichter. In the summer of 1836 he with the families of Hoff- richter and Lesh removed to where he now resides in Pleasant Township, Henry County, Ohio, being now the oldest living settler in the township. Arriving at Independence, Defiance County, their only path to their newly purchased home (which was represented as being not far distant from Cleveland) was the lonely Indian trail. Upon arriving at the spot they found nothing but a dense forest, wild beasts and the Indians, who were peaceable and did the new-comers
no damage. By un ring energy and perseverance, he set to work and soon had several acres ready for the plow, which was pilled by one ox, or sometimes a man was hitched up with him. A few years later, when the canal was being built through Defiance, he left his little farm, ti en consisting of 40 acres, and helped to construct ii from Defiance to Delphos, in this way procuring means to buy more land. By continuing at hard work until the present day, he was able to secure 240 acres of land, which is to-day in the garden spot of Northwestern Ohio. The result of his marriage was f.fteen children, ten girls and five boys, nine of whom are living to-day. He is now enjoying the fruits of his hard labor and is living on the same piece of land he moved onto in 1836, being seventy-one years of age, his wife sixty-five, both in good health and neither one would be taken for the earliest settlers in the township.
John Hively came to Defiance County in 1817, entered a farm, settled on the north bank of the Maumee, about three miles below Defiance, where he built and operated in connection with his farm a small tannery. He had four sons and two daughters, one of whom, Polly, married John Bridenbaugh, and after his death, John Ruth, with whom she now lives in Milford Township. Thomas, one of the sons, lives in Indiana; John, another son, lives with his sister, Mrs. Ruth. John Hively, Sr., and his wife died on the farm they had entered from the Govern- ment.
Rev. Truman Felton is the son of Chauncey and Lucinda (Delsworth) Felton. His father was born in Holmes County, Ohio, and his mother in Hillsdale County, Mich. Their children were John, Truman, Harriet, Charlotte and George. John went to Iowa in 1869, and to the Black Hills in 1874, wherehe was when last heard from. Mr. Ch; uncey Felton was a soldier in the late war, and an early pioneer and hunter of Defiance County. Truman spent his boyhood upon the farm, professed religion at the age of twelve years, studied for the ministry and was licensed to preach in the United Brethren Church in 1882. Jan- uary 16, 1875, he was married to Miss Mary, daugh- ter of Henry and Hannah (Lay) Shafer. Their chil- dren are Chauncey, born March 6, 1876; Anna, born December 25, 1877; Lucinda, born January 1, 1880. and Myrtle, born Jauuary 20, 1882.
Townsend Newton, the second son and third child of William and Laura (Moore) Newton, was born August 9, 1826, at Willsboro F. Ils, Essex Coun - ty, N. Y. His parents were born, the former Janu- ary 1, 1880, in Scotland, the latter May 15, 1800, in Essex County, N. Y. They were married and set- tled down for a time at Willsboro, where they re. mained until 1847, when they remo 1 to Cliuton
MRS. D. ALLEN
D. ALLEN
-
MRS. A. HUBER
A. HUBER
233
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
County, N. Y., where Mr. Newton died August 20, 1849. Mrs. Newton came to Defiance County in 1861 and died at the residence of her son William, in Defiance Township, in January, 1872. Their chil- dren were William (dead), Mary, Townsend, Alma, George, Margaret (dead), Isabella (dead). Townsend Newton, the subject of this sketch, was married to Car .. line E., daughter of Elisha and Eliza (Roe) Brown, September 20, 1849, at Fort Ann, Washington County, N. Y., and moved to Clinton County, and from there to Hopkinton, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and from there to Defiance County, Ohio, in the fall of 1862. In the spring of 1863, he purchased the old pioneer farm, known as the Nathan Shirley farm, situated on the Auglaize River on Section 17, Defiance Town- ship, to which he has added 80 acres, making a home- stead of 240 acres. Six children have blessed this union -Ella, born October 9, 1850, died May 13, 1873; Mary, born January 2, 1852; William, born May 28, 1854; Charles, born August 20, 1856; Helen, born April 12, 1860; Hattie, born June 25, 1868. Mrs. Newton died March 26, 1872. Mr. Newton then married Mrs. Dickey, April 2, 1873, with whom he is now living. Mr. Newton, owing to ill health of his father, started out at the age of eleven years to work on a farm at $2.50 per month. At the age of seventeen, went to learn the bloom trade (making iron rods from the ore). After completing his trade, penniless, he started out in the world, borrowing 50 cents and trav. eling all day, put up at night. The landlord asked if he wanted supper, to which young Newton replied he would like supper, lodging and breakfast, and tendered him the 50 cents. The landlord told him to keep it and pay him when he got a job, which he afterward did, and by economy and good management he is " well fixed," having a good farm of 240 acres in a body, besides several small farms in this and the adjoining counties
Jacob J. Greene, one of the most widely known citizens of Defiance County, was born at Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio, in July, 1821; moved to the town of Defiance in the summer of 1843, and has re- sided there continuously ever since. He edited and published for twenty-five years, from February, 1849, the Defiance Democrat, which was not only the county paper for Defiance, but for a time also for several of the adjoining counties. He is now (and has been since January, 1854), Probate Judge of Defiance County. He has held various local offices, besides having been a member (elected from the counties of Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert and Put- nam) of the Constitutional Convention in 1850-51, as also (from Defiance and Paulding) of that of 1873-74. In politics, he has always been a Democrat, prominent as a Freemason, and has from his youth been a com-
municant of the Episcopal Church. The Judge is somewhat scholarly, being an A. M. of Kenyon Col- lege. His wife, Mary, is a daughter of John Don- aldson, an early settler of Tiffin Township. At sixty- two, with unusually good health, and in the ready use of his faculties, Judge Greene bids fair to live years yet to enjoy his comfortable home and the esteem of friends, comprehending all classes and all parties.
Capt. J. E. Casebeer, formerly proprietor of the Crosby House, Defiance, Ohio, was born, near Canal Dover, Tuscarawas County, Ohio. June 25, 1841, being now in his forty-second year. His parents are both living at Hicksville, Ohio, re- spected and well to do. His boyhood days were spent on a farm at hard work. He obtained a good business education by attending the district school of from two to three months each winter, but to natural ability he is more indebted for his education than to any advantages the schools afforded. At the age of twenty he enlisted as a soldier in Com- pany D, Forty-fourth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, September 20, 1861, and re-enlisted as a veteran at Chattanooga, Tenn., January, 1863, and was with his company and regiment from the time of its mustering in uutil its mustering out. As a soldier, he participated in the battles of Fort Donel- son, Pittsburg Landing, siege of Corinth, Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Nashville, besides the innumerable skirmishes, marches and hardships attending an active campaign of four years' duration of a desperate and bloody war. He was honorably discharged, September 25, 1865. He was married to Dorothy Miller, May 15, 1867, a lady beloved by her friends and esteemed and hon- ored by her acquaintances, who was born near Hicks- ville, Ohio, June 27, 1848. They have two children - Laura A., fifteen years old, and Odie K., thirteen years old. From 1867 to 1872, Mr. Casebeer eu- gaged in the manufacturing business with success. From 1872 to 1876, he was engaged in the mercan- tile business, when he failed through the cause of the panic of 1873 and the close times and general un- settled state of business attending it. He immedi- ately embarked in the hotel business without a dollar, every cent of his former capital going to his credit- ors. In 1878, he was burned out and lost every- thing again. Still undaunted, with nothing but en. ergy and grit left, he commenced business anew, and through his able management, the Crosby House was second to no other of its size in the State, besides he is making other investments and improvements, the most important of which is the Casebeer Block at Hicksville, Ohio, which at present is the best building in town. Having sold the fur- niture and fixtures of the Crosby, he moved to Tole-
15
234
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
do in June, 1883. and re-opened the American House under the name of the Merchants' Hotel. Socially, Mr. Casebeer is a liberal, whole-souled, plain speaking gen- tleman, with many friends and few enemies. Political- ly, he is Independent, untrammeled by any party ties, reserving the right to vote as he thinks best, believing that all good and honest measures should be sus- tained and that corruption and dishonesty should be rebuked. regardless of party prejudices. Religiously, he is liberal, believing that every one has a right to his own religion: but in doing good to suffering hu- manity whenever we can, we come nearer to meriting our true reward from the great Giver of all good.
J. S. Haller was born March 6, 1837, in Cham- bersburg, Penn. His father immigrated to this country in 1827, from Baden, Germany. His mother was of German extraction, but born in America. They were married in 1830, by Rev. D. A. Gallatzer, at Loretto, Cambria County, Penn. The father's oc- cupation was selling wall clocks, at which he was quite successful. Shortly after his marriage, he lo- cated at Chambersburg, Penn. His family consisted of two sons and two daughters, all born in Chambers- burg, and all living except the younger daughter, who died at the age of five years. The father after a residence of thirteen years at Chambersburg, pur- chased a small farm three miles south of Harrisburg, Penn., on which they moved in the spring of 1850, and followed gardening for a living. In 1855, the father died, aged sixty-seven, and in 1861 the mother followed, aged forty-nine. Both parents and sister rest in the family lot at Chambersburg. J. S., our subject, started West in 1859, bound for Nebraska, purchasing a ticket for St. Louis, but stopped over at Defiance to see his uncle, who with others per- suaded him to try this place. In the fall, he secured employment with King Bros., commission merchants of Toledo, and afterward with Powers & Fish, also commission merchants of the same city. Then through C. Knox, general freight agent of Wabash Railway, he secured a clerkship in the Logansport freight house, remaining there until the fall of 1861, when he returned to Defiance and married Josephine, eldest daughter of Mr. Weisenberger, on Octo- ber 1, 1861, making his wedding tour to Harrisburg, Penn., and while there his mother died. The follow- ing spring he returned to Defiance, settling down for life. His first attempt was in the grocery line, pur- chasing a small stock, at the one-story frame called the Recess, where now stands Mallet Bros.' marble works. After a time he purchased the lot where the Democrat now is. built a one- story brick building thereon, moved his original stock to a frame build ing owned by his uncle, Mr. Weismantel. After the completion of his own brick building, he moved into
it his family and stock, and was very successful. He then entered into partnership with F. Wolfsiffer, but after a year sold out to Richolt Bros; then pur- chased the S. R. Hudson property, moving his stock into the place; in a few years, formed a partnership with J. W Phillips, express agent, but in a year they dissolved and Mr. Haller was appointed agent, which he followed exclusively until 1871, except that for some time he was in partnership with J. & F. Wolf- siffer in groceries. He was then appointed joint agent at Logansport for two express companies, remaining until the winter of 1872. Next spring he traded the Gorman property for a half-interest in Ryder & Gib son's saw mill, which business he followed until 1876, when he leased the grounds and erected the buildings, now standing. to E. Gove & Co. In 1872, with Mr. Gorman, he purchased twenty-five acres of H. C. Bou- ten, which they divided and improved, where they now reside. From 1876 to 1882, Mr. Haller was garden- ing, etc. In 1882, William Gibson and he commenced manufacturing a very useful wooden fork and im- proved threshing machine, both recently patented. Mr. Haller's family consists of four sons and five daughters.
Mrs. Eliza Brubaker was born in 1803, and lived a large portion of her life in Defiance. She took a great interest in the Presbyterian Church, of which she was a life-long member, and was one of the little band of nineteen who organized the church at De- fiance in December, 1837, and continued an active member in every good work for the promotion and best interests of the same. She was the first to or- ganize a sewing society, as one of the helps to build a church, in which she was permitted to worship to a good old age, when her spirit took its flight to the church triumphant on high, April 15, 1879. Mrs. Brubaker was the mother of Mrs. C. L. Noble, of Paulding Center, Ohio, and grandmother of Mrs. L. G. Thacker, of Defiance, Ohio.
John Lawrence Scott was born in Springboro, Ohio, June 9, 1839. His father, William E., of En- glish descent, his mother, Ann Trotter, of Scottish descent, were both raised and married in Virginia, and in the early days moved to Springboro, Warren County, Ohio. They had three sons and two dangh- ters-Edward (deceased), Ann E. (Mrs. Edwards, of Madison County), William J. (of Pana, Ill.), John Lawrence, and Louisa (Mrs. Henry Lawrence, of Plainfield, Ind.). When three years old, our sub- ject, on the death of his father, went with his mother to Richmond, Ind., and in 1859 began the study of medicine with Dr. Butler, attending one course of lectures at Philadelphia. On the death of Dr. Butler, he went to Wabash, Ind., and studied dentistry for two years with Dr. J. Bechtol. In
235
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
1863, he enlisted and served two years in the army as Captain of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty- third Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He returned to Wabash, and resumed the practice of dentistry, but selling out February 1, 1866, he moved to Defiance, where he still practices his chosen profession. He married in 1869, Miss Helen Brown, of Defiance. In 1877, he engaged in the drug business in connec tion with Dr. W. D. Colby, which interest he still retains in connection with the active duties of his profession.
Abijah John Miller, attorney, was born in Penn- sylvania and received his literary training at Will- iamsport Academy, where he graduated in 1836. He graduated in law at the Cincinnati Law School in 1839, and has been a resident of Defiance since 1849.
Conrad Marquardt was born November 18, 1848, in Germany, his parents, John and Anna (Shafer) Marquardt, who were born in Germany and came to America and settled at Toledo, Ohio, May 8, 1851. They bavo one daughter, Anna, born in 1846, who married Lewis Riebel, of Toledo Mr. Marquardt died at Toledo in 1861, aged forty six years. Mrs. M. is still living at Toledo. At the age of sixteen years, Conrad started out to learn the door, sash and blind business. In 1872, he came to Defiance, where he has remained ever since, working at his trade. In May, 1864, he enlisted in the three months' service, served his time and was honorably discharged at Toledo, where he had eulisted.
Samuel S. Ashbingh, attorney, was born in La Grange County, Ind., March 25. 1852. being the youngest child of Andrew and Elizabeth (Davis) Ash- baugh. He lived on a farm in this county with his parents until he was about fifteen years of age, when they removed to Hillsdale, Mich., to obtain better ed- ucational advantages for their children. Mr. Ash- baugh completed the classical course of Hillsdale Col- lege in 1874, and now holds the degree of A. M. After graduating, he taught school at Allen and Jones- ville, Mich., declining a second re-election at the latter place, in order to read law, and was admitted to the bar at Hillsdale. in March, 1879. In Sep- tember, following, he resumed teaching, taking charge of the public schools of Detiance, Ohio, which situation he held "three years. resigning in June. 1882, that he might enter the practice of law. He immediately formed a partnership with Henry B. Har- ris, was admitted to the bar of Ohio, January 2. 1883. and is now engaged in the active practice at Defi- ance, Ohio.
Henry B. Harris, attorney, second son and third child of Thomas Drake and Elizabeth (Ashton) Har- ris, was born in Defiance, Ohio, on the 4th day of November. 1853. He attended the union schools of
Defiance, and afterward the Ohio Wesleyan Univer - sity, at Delaware, Ohio, where he graduated in 1874. The year succeeding his graduation he was employed as superintendent of the union schools of Hicksville, Ohio. In the summer of 1875, Mr. Harris com- menced the study of law at Detiance under the tute- lage of Henry Newbegin. Esq. In December, 1877, he was in the Supreme Court of the State admitted to the practice of law in Ohio, and the first of the new year following entered the active practice in his native village. On the 18th of October, 1882, at Rushville, Ohio, Mr. Harris married Alice A., eldest daughter of John W. and Elizabeth Shaw, of Fairfield County, Ohio. Mr. Harris is now senior member of the enterprising and prosperous firm of Harris & Ashbaugh.
William Carter, attorney, son of William and Elizabeth E. (DaggeII) Carter, was born at Defiance, Ohio, December 31, 1856; was educated in the pub- lic schools of that place. and after spending most of four years in the employ of the civil engineering department of the B. & O R. R. Company in con- structing one of its lines. entered the law department of the University of Michigan in September. 1876. and graduated therefrom in 1878. He was admitted to practice in the State of Ohio in 1879. and located in his native city, where he has since followed his profession with success. During his yet short career as a lawyer, he has in several instances been called to fill places of responsibility by the court and citizens outside as well as inside his own county. He is now Master Commissioner for Defiance County. and & Trustee of several organizations within the county, among which is the Defiance Female Seminary. We predict for the future of Mr. Carter that degree of success and eminence in his profession which in- tegrity, fidelity and perseverance in all matters mer- it. Mr. Carter was married to Emma A., daughter of Rufus A. and Christina (Walls) Houghton, of Defi- ance. Ohio. April 30. 187S. They have two children -Abbie Carter, born April 9, 1879. and William Car- ter. born December 19, 1881.
Charles E. Bronson. The subject of this sketch is the eldest son and fourth child of Sedgwick and Johanna E. Bronson, who were married in the fall of 1838. at Fredonia. N. Y. His father was born in Chautauqua County, N. Y .. February 2. 1816. and his mother in same county in the fall of 1818. They are the lineal descendants from the same ancestors with Greene C. Bronson, the late Chief Justice of the State of New York. Their parents moved form New Haven, Conn., in 1790, to Western New York, where they settled and engaged in farming, raising stock and engaged in dairy business, and some of their children are still residing on the old homestead
236
HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
which he erected in 1790 at Mayville, N. Y. In the fall of 1849, his parents moved to Defiance, Ohio, where he was born March 10, 1850. His father was engaged in the saw mill business and had charge of the saw mill on Indiana Lock, owned by S. S. Sprague, Esq., which he managed for fifteen months. In 1852, the family returned to Chautauqua County, N. Y. The family consisted of his parents and four children, viz .: Sarah E., Caroline W., Charles E. and Frank C., one girl died in infancy. He at- tended the common schools of their home until he was fifteen years of age, when he went to Forest- ville Academy, then under the control of the Board of Regents of Albany, N. Y. His parents were not able to pay his board and tuition, so he accepted the" position of janitor of the school buildings to pay for the same, and attended the regular course in the academy for two years. He then succeeded in pass- ing the examination prescribed by the Board of Re- gents of the State, standing at the head of his class. In the fall of 1867, he came to Defiance, Ohio, his native place, and made his home with his uncle, J. W. Phillips, and attended a select school taught by S. H. Wallace; during the winter, he taught the dis trict school four miles southwest of town, known as the "Duck District," where he gave good satisfac- tion. The winter of 1868-69, he taught the school in "Conkle" District, Adams Township, also a two months' term at Independence, Ohio. The winter of 1869-70, he taught the Farmer Center School. Dur- ing the year preceding this-his last school-he commenced the study of law with the firm of Hill & Cowen, and on the 19th of March, 1871, just nine days after he became of age, he passed the examina- tion without missing a single question at the session of the district at Defiance, Ohio, and the next day, March 20, was duly sworn in attorney and coun- selor at law; on the 10th day of April, the same year, he formed a law partnership with the Hon. Henry Hardy, an old attorney of the city, and en- tered upon the active dnties of his profession. He was successful from the beginning, and in a short time had a lucrative practice. In March, 1873, the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent, and on the 5th day of June, 1873, he was nominated for Prosecuting Attorney of the county of Defiance, by the Democratic party, and was elected. He was so successful and faithful in the discharge of the duties of his office that he was twice re-elected, holding the office for three successive terms of two years each. ' At the close of his third term, January, 1880, he re- tired from the office and rented the suite of rooms on the second floor, directly opposite the court house, where he has since been engaged in the practice of law, and a general loan and real estate business.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.