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 52
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
which formed a very thin dish of soup, with a cup of coffee occasionally added for breakfast. This, says Mr. Geiger, was the fate of many a poor apprentice of the old country. Young Geiger was serving his time, distant about twelve miles from the parental roof, which he was permitted to visit occasionally, on the Sabbath, but had to be at his post promptly on Mon- day morning, performing his journey on foot. His parents used to slip an odd shilling into his pocket, with which to get an extra lunch. Thus young Geiger struggled on, in a half-starving condition, for about two years and a half, when his father bought Iris time and set him free. At the age of eighteen, he sailed for America, arriving in New York Febru- ary 15, 1854; from there came to Defiance, where he landed February 25, and worked on the Wabash Railroad, which was being built at that time. In November he went to Adrian, Mich., and worked at his trade for William Campbell for $6 per month and board for two months, after which he worked by the piece, remaining there about three years, until the panic of 1857, when he was thrown out of business and came back to Defiance, and went into the woods in Henry County, where his brother Coonrad had set- tled. Here he put up a foot lathe, turning out bed- stead and chair stuff, until the fall of 1858, when he returned to Michigan and secured a job in the town of Hudson, where he remained until the spring of 1859, when. in company with William Hoffman (whose acquaintance he made at Hudson), he returned once more to Defiance, secured water-power from the canal of William Groeher, erected a small shop, and commenced the furniture business on a small scale, Geiger turning out and manufacturing the material, Hoffman, being a cabinet-maker, put the material to. gether and finished it up ready for market. About two years thereafter, they purchased from Dr. I. N. Thacker, at a cost of $275, the lot upon which their large furniture factory now stands, Mr. Geiger trading his gold watch for 9,000 feet of oak lumber with which to build, putting in an eight-horse-power at $400, purchased from Capt. William H. Thornton on credit for four years. War times coming on, busi- ness became brisk and money plenty, and they soon got out of debt. In 1865, they added largely to their factory, and put in an engine of twelve horse-power. In 1871, purchased fifty feet front on the corner of Clinton and Front streets, and in 1873 built thereon their fine three-story brick block for warerooms Mr. Geiger was married, at Defiance, May 2, 1859, to Miss Caroline Kerner, an orphan girl, who was born in Germany May 21, 1842. Nine children have been born to them-Catharine, born September 10, 1860; William, born January 20, 1863; Emma, born Septem. ber 10, 1865: Reinhold, born November 9, 1867, died
July 9, 18 -; Caroline, born September 29, 1870, died June 29, 1872; Mamie and Bertha, twins, born December 24, 1872; Amanda, born February 2, 1876; Clara, born January 8, 1880.
William G. Hoffman was born February 15, 1830, at Ditzingen, Wurtemberg, Germany, he be- ing the youngest of a family of four children of Carl and Anna Mary (Epple) Hoffmann-Carl, Fred- ericka, Andrew, William. His father died in his native land. His mother, accompanied by the daughter and the subject of this sketch, arrived at New York July 20, 1854, after being on the waters of the Atlantic sixty days. From New York, he went to Lancaster, Penn., his mother and sister remaining at Lancaster, where the daughter was married. Mr. Hoffman's mother came West in the spring of 1857, and settled at Ann Arbor, Mich., where she died April 8, 1879, at the advanced age of ninety years seven months twenty-five days. Mr. Hoffmann soon after took his departure for Columbia, Penn., where he remained eleven months, working at his trade, and then took up his journey across the country on foot for Adrian, Mich., being four weeks on the road, ac- complishing 900 miles in this time. He soon found work after reaching Adrian, with a Mr. Fisher, re- maining three months. He then worked in the Michi- gan Railroad shops, where he continued two years. During this time he formed the acquaintance of Miss Catherine Koerner, to whom he was married Decem- ber 1, 1856, at Edgerton, Ohio. Mrs. Hoffmann was born October 4, 1836, at Affalterbach, Wurtemberg, Germany, she being the fourth child of a family of eight children of Michael and .Catherine (Henzler) Koerner. Mr. Hoffmann has had a family of six chil- dren -Caroline M., Catherine J. (dead), Bertha J., Charles C., Edward W., Gertrude M. F. Mr. Hoff- mann came to Defiance May 1, 1859, and, with Mr. Geiger, went into the furniture business, under the firm name of Hoffmann & Geiger, commencing on a small scale, Mr. Hoffmann doing cabinet-work and Mr. Geiger turning. Before going into business, Mr. Hoffmann had been working at his trade fifteen years, ten years of this time being spent at Stuttgart, Gor- many, where his trade was learned. About two years after they went into business, they purchased the prop. erty on which their factory now stands, on Perry street, and in 1871 purchased the lot on corner Clin- ton and Front streets, and in 1873 built thereon their fine three-story brick block for salesrooms, at that time being the finest in the city. They still continue business, doing an extensive wholesale and retail trade.
Henry B. Hall was born in Newton, Sussex Co., N. J., 1814; was married, June 4, 1836, to Miss Maria Dean, of Stanhope, Sussex Co., N. J., im-
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
migrating to Ohio the same year, locating in Hu- ron County, and, being a millwright by trade, put up a flouring mill on the Mohickin River, in that county, for one Mr. Smith. In 1840, moved into Erie County, Ohio, to the town of Venice, three miles west of Sandusky City, and assisted George Lawton in putting up a large mill, 108 feet in length by 80 feet in width, with eight run of stone. This mill was built by Mr. R. H. Haywood, of Buffalo, N. Y., and was located one and a quarter miles northeast of Venice, on a stream called Cold Creek, proceeding from several large springs, and of great depth and clear as crystal. In 1842, he left Venice and lo- cated at the small town of Delaware, in Upper Canada, and there built a small mill for one Acres. In 1844, he moved to Defiance County, and took up eighty acres of wild land in Tiffin Township, on Tiffin River, and cleared up forty-five acres and set out a fine orchard, numbering seventy-five trees. Mr. Hall was not calculated for a farmer, and in 1849 built and put in running order a grain elevator in John Tuttle's warehouse at Defiance, and the next year put the machinery in a mill for William A. Brown (late of Defiance) for the same purpose. In 1851, he sold his farm to John Grass, and moved to North Defiance and built on Lot No. 16 (then Williamstown), where he has continued to reside ever since. In October, 1857, he entered into a contract with R. H. Gilson (who had been appointed Receiver) to finish up the hotel-" Russell House"-which had been com- menced by S. S. Sprague. In 1849 or 1850, Mr. H. built the two-story hotel building which is still stand- ing opposite John Tuttle's warehouse, north side of the Manmee, for Reuben Straight, who ran it for a number of years, and it was called the Exchange. Afterward, it was kopt by Frederick Cox, Samuel Kintigh, Lorenzo Thomas, George Thompson and Gideon Yarlot (who now owns and occupies the same, but not as a hotel). Mrs. Hall died February 8, 1876. They had a family of seven children, viz .. Isabella A., Jonathan (who died in infancy), Nancy Jane, Elizabeth, Sarah C., Theodosia M. and Stephen E. Of this number three are living-Isabel, Theo- dosia and Stephen E. Mr. H. married, for his second wife, Evelyn A., daughter of Jacob J. Myers, of De- fiance, March 13, 1877. From 1848 to 1874, Mr. H. did a great amount of contracting and building. The first dwelling-house built by him in this town was for John M. Stilwill, southwest corner of Washington and Second streets, near Second street bridge, now the residence of Alfred A. Ayers. He built the former woolen mills for Gibson & Brown and machine shops for Kettenring & Strong, all destroyed by fire in 1864. In 1869, he built the Baptist Church, northeast cor- ner of Wayne and Third streets, besides many fine
brick residences of the town, such as Peter Ketten- ring's, E. P. Hooker's and others. Mr. H. has followed the undertaking business in this town for the past twenty-eight years, and is now devoting his whole time to that business.
Mrs. Elizabeth Oliver, daughter of Capt. Lawrence Teats, was born at Adelphia, Ross County, March 23, 1825. Her grandfather, Christopher Teats, was in the war of the Revolution. Her maternal grand- father (Maj. Engle) also in the Revolutionary war, was a native of Virginia, and came to this State in 1806. Capt. Teats was in the war of 1812. Ho was born in New Jersey in 1791, and was married to Miss Elizabeth Engle, of Ross County, Ohio, in 1816, by whom he had six children, five sons and one daughter, Elizabeth, the subject of this sketch. He died at Adelphia, Ross County, in 1834. Mrs. Teats removed from there with her little family to Defiance, in 1840, and died in Williams County, Sep- tember 29, 1876. Our subject married David L. Oliver, of Defiance, December 27, 1840, whose father, John Oliver, was one of the early settlers of this county, coming from Piqua, Miami County, in 1822, and entering the farm on which Job English now lives, in Defiance Township, which he cleared up, and set out a fine orchard. He moved from there on the farm now occupied by C. Biede, which he mostly cleared up, and set ont another fine orchard. From there he moved into the town (Defiance), on the lot now occupied by S. T. Sutphen. Surrounding the fine brick residence of Mr. Sntphen we find quite a number of fine apple trees which were set out and grafted by Mr. Oliver with grafts brought by him from Piqua on horseback, that being the only method of travel in those early times. Wolves were plenty in those days and for their scalps there was quite a bounty offered both by the State and county, and the early settlers received quite a revenue from them. At one time, Mr. Oliver being from home for several days, Mrs. Oliver visited a large pole wolf-trap erected by her husband and upon her near approach was soon made aware of a captive by the snarl- ing, growling and snapping of teeth of a hungry wolf. Mrs. Oliver, like many others of our pio- neer women, was too much accustomed to the nightly visits of the wolves, which came in droves howling around their log-cabin homes , to be easily frightened at the sight of one of their number, and especially when in so socure a prison. Mrs. Oliver returned to her house and provided herself with a good, sharp and substantial pitchfork and returned to the trap, and by inserting the fork between the logs soon suc- ceeded in spearing the prisoner to death. Mr. Oliver moved from Defiance in 1837 to Lucasville, Scioto County, at which place he died in 1842. To David
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
L. and Elizabeth were born seven children, two sons who died in infancy, and five daughters, viz. : Katie E., who married Frank G. Brown, a resident of Defiance: Carrie, married James Thiebaud, of Vevay, Ind., where they now reside; Eliza J., mar- ried Andrew Pontious, of Defiance, now a resident of Cincinnati; Etla A., married Isaac T. Waterhouse, of St. Paul, Minn .; Jessie J., the youngest, who remains at home with her mother. Mr. Oliver was a carpen- ter by trade and put up many of the early frame buildings of Defiance, among them the Methodist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian Churches. He was among the first to do cabinet work for his neighbors, and also made coffins which were sent to different parts of the country as per order (there being no un- dertakers here in those days), and the friends would call and settle at a convenient season as they came to town. Mrs. Oliver relates an instance which oc- curred in her girlhood days, as related to her by Mr. Oliver at her father's house, on one of his visits while a young man. He said he had met on his way an old acquaintance whose coffin he had made for his burial several weeks before, which quite surprised the Teats family until Mr. Oliver explained by saying the man had informed him that he was alive and well and had no immediate need of the coffin; a fact not known to Mr. Oliver until informed by the gen- tleman himself, whom he supposed was dead and buried. Mrs. Oliver recollects when the pickets of Fort Winchester were standing on the grounds where she now resides. Also relates a circumstance in con- nection with the big apple tree now standing on the north bank of the Maumee as related to her by Pierce Taylor (deceased), one of the early settlers of Defi- ance, who stated that he was acquainted with an old Indian chief " who said he was born under said apple tree," and as near as Mrs. Oliver can recollect dates, thinks the tree is at least 155 years old, but by whom planted, or how it came there is mere con- jecture. Mrs. Oliver and brother Jacob kept house five weeks for one Mr. Fox, who lived in the woods near where Charloe now is in Paulding County, while he and his wife were gone away on a visit, and saw none of her sex during that time, their nearest neigh- bors being two miles distant, and the next five miles distant. Indians were frequent callers, it being in the fall of the year and their hunting season, although they were friendly. Her husband, David L. Oliver, was born in Marietta, Ohio, June 7, 1813, and died at Defiance, Ohio, May 13, 1856, aged about forty-three years. Mrs. Oliver married for her second husband, Simon P. Moon, who was born October 28, 1815 near Winchester, Va., who for about twenty-five years preceding his com- ing to Defiance was a resident of New Orleans, and was quite an extensive dealer in hay and grain. Their
present place of residence is very pleasantly situated on the banks of the Auglaize near the place where stood Fort Winchester, and within a stone's throw of where once stood the old fort, Defiance.
John W. Garman, son of George P. Garman, was born in Union County, Penn., February 16, 1818; came to Defiance County with his father in the fall of 1846 and settled on Section 3, Defiance Town- ship, at which place his father died the next year af- ter his arrival. He is still living on the homestead and remembers the following families who were living in the township outside of the town when he came, viz. : Elias Shirley. Nathan Shirley, Adam Hall, Jeremiah Andrews, Harris, John Shirley, William Schooley, James Hudson, Abram Hudson, - Wells, - - Elkins, --- Donnelly and Joseph Greer. Mr. Garman thinks James and Abram Hud- son were about the first settlers in the township out- side of the town of Defiance.
Jesse Hilton, a cousin of Mrs. Joshua Hilton, was born and raised in Somerset County, Me., and moved with his family to Highland County, Ohio, in 1815. He sold his property here in 1822, and with Joshua Hilton removed to Defiance Township, purchasing the farm immediately west of the Balti- more & Ohio depot. He cleared this land and re- mained in possession until 1834, when he sold it, removing to Brunersburg and kept tavern for two years. He then immigrated to Michigan, but re- turned to Fulton County, Ohio, where he died a few years ago. Mr. Hilton was a Whig in politics and in religious belief a member of the United Brethren.
Maurice S. Holsto , son of D. F. and Sarah (Rus- sell) Holston, was born May 17, 1852, in Philadel- phia, Penn. His parents were born, the former in the State of New Jersey, the latter in the State of Delaware. They had six children, five now living -- Maurice S., Ella J., Lewetta, Lottie M. and Mary R. Maurice S., the subject of this sketch, received his education in Wilmington, Del., and attended col - lege there. At the age of sixteen, he returned to Philadelphia, and entered the Boston Book Publish- ing Company's house as clerk, remaining there three years. In 1874, he came with his parents to Van Wert County, Ohio, and was engaged in the hoop manufacturing business at that place. In 1876, the company started a branch business at Holgate, in Henry County, Ohio, to which place he came the same year. On January 6, 1877, he was married to Miss Clara H. Sapp, of the same county, daughter of Lem- uel and Catharine (Rettig) Sapp. The fruit of this marriage is one daughter, Rachel J. Holston, born November 28, 1877. Mr. Holston came to Defiance County in the spring of 1879, and commenced the hoop manufacturing on a very extensive scale at De-
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
fiance in company with his father, D. F. Holston, turning out by steam power 32,000 per day. A brief sketch of the works appears in another part of this work.
Livingston E. Beardsley, photographer, Defiance, was born January 30, 1840, at Macedonia, Summit County, Ohio. His father, Rev. Leonard E. Beards. ley. came from Batavia, N. Y., to Ohio in 1835. He was educated at Western Reserve College, at Hud- son, Ohio, and is a member of the Erie Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His mother's maiden name was Nancy Crawmer, whose parents moved from Livingston County, N. Y., to Summit County, Ohio, in 1814. Our subject accompanied his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1816, in which place his youthful days were passed, and his carly educa- tion acquired in the public schools of that city. In July, 1860, he went to Maumee City, Ohio, and re- ceived a course of instructions in Maumee Commer- cial Collego. In the spring of 1861, upon the break- ing-ont of the war of the rebellion, he shouldered his musket and enlisted in Company C, Twenty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in their three months' organization, and, upon the expiration of that term of service, re-enlisted for three years in Com- pany A, Fourteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, at Toledo, Ohio, September, 1861, and again re-enlisted as a veteran at Chattanooga, Tenn., in 1863, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war in 1865. He entered the service as a private, but was soon promoted to the office of Corporal, then to Sergeant, and subsequently to that of Sergeant Major of the regiment, which position be held until the close of the war. He was in the battles of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and about thirty other smaller battles and skirmishes, and was with Gen. Sherman in his memorable march to the sea. At the close of the war, he came to Defiance and engaged in the business of photogra- phy with his old acquaintance and friend, W. D. Blackman, who retired from the business in the fall of 1868. September 28, 1865, he was married to Miss Martha A., daughter of Joseph G. Cass, Esq., of Lucas County, Ohio, and one of the pioneers of the Maumee Valley. His success in the practice of his chosen profession has been flattering in the extreme, and in artistic photography he has not a rival in Northwestern Ohio. His work in all its details shows a perception of true artistic effects. His management of light and shadow is excellent and the whole furnishes a composition most pleasing. While many photographers seem to possess a good mastery of the methods of manipulating, yet often there is lack- ing what may be termed " finish;" again while the workmanship may be pronounced perfect, grace in posi- tion is often lacking, and an ungainly pose will often
spoil the effect of an otherwise good work. Such faults are never to be found in the work of this es- tablishment. The most trifling detail is not omitted, and the result is a picture of artistic excellence; or in other words, a work showing harmony in its com- position, beauty in its finish and truth in its outlines. His apartments are well fitted up and possess every facility for the convenience of patrons, and in calling the attention of our readers to the high excellence of his work wo are only paying a just tribute to his efforts, and which have brought him a patronage he richly deserves. In short this establishment deserves the con- sideration of the public whom it endeavors to please.
Christian Harley, retired merchant, Defiance, was born in Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, in 1822, and is a son of John and (Bertch) Harley, who emi- grated to this country in 1835, and located in Colum- biana County, Ohio, on a farm for some years, then removed to Crawford County, Ohio, where they died. They were parents of four children, viz .: John, Alexander, Jacob, and our subject. By his first wife he had one child, viz., Christopher. After arriving in this county, our subject was apprenticed to a shoe- maker in Pennsylvania, with whom he served the reg. ular time. In 1842, he settled in Florence, Erie County, Ohio, and began business for himself. In December of the same year, he was married to Regina Stilzer, a German lady. Here he followed his busi- ness until 1846, when he engaged in the mercantile business in the same place, which he followed until 1861, at which time he sold out and came to Defiance, and entered the employ of Cobb, Pearson & Squires, as salesman, and soon after he and Mr. Cobb bought out the interest of the other two and the firm became known as Cobb & Harley until the following April, when he bought Mr. Cobb's interest and conducted the business alone several years, when he took in his son, Charles A , as a partner, and afterward his son Alonzo. In April, 1877, he sold his interest to his two sons, since when he has lived a retired life. To Mr. and Mrs. Harley were born nine sons and four daughters, all living, viz. : Helena A., Caroline Q., Charles A., Alonzo F., Henry A., Clinton C., Perry C., Matilda N., Edward, Willie M., John A. Q., Nel- lie and Jay D. E. Forrest. His grown-up children are all in business and in good circumstances. Mrs Harley died in 1880, at the age of fifty five years. His second marriage was celebrated with Miss Mary R. Stoody, of Toledo, Ohio, in 1882.
Mr. Harley is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, with which he has been connected since 1841. In religious matters, he has always been deeply interested, and accredits his great success to the influences of Christianity. In the church he has held the responsible positions of Trustee, Class Leader and Steward.
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXI.
ADAMS TOWNSHIP-VOTERS IN 1845-PERSONAL REMINISCENCES.
T THIS township occupies the northeast corner of Defiance County. Tiffiu Township is on the west and Richland on the south. Henry County bounds it on the north and east. It was organized while be- longing to Henry County, April 6, 1836, and was named after Judge Bishop Adams, who was the first settler in the township, Section 18. Among the earliest settlers were Eli Markel, Jacob Schock, John Hornish, Jacob Tittle, Tollman Voorhees, A. Bot- tenberg, Joseph Frantz, Jacob Swartzel, Darius Jones, John Scott and John Hively.
Adams is a full township and contains thirty- six sections. The great prairie is in Section 16. The county ditch has nearly drained it. It was for- merly a great marsh or pond, created by beavers cut- ting timber and damming it by embankments. In draining it, a number of relics were found, such as elk horns, many skeletons, etc. It is now owned by William Allen, and contains about two sections of land. The Ridge or Adams road seemed to have been an ancient lake shore and ran from the Maumee at Independence, to Detroit, Mich. It makes a high and sandy road and was much traveled by the ancient red men from near Detroit.
The township, since it has been drained, produces good crops and is productive in wheat, corn and grasses.
There are two Lutheran Churches, one on Section 13, and one on Section 10, and one German Baptist or Dunkard, on Section 31. It is a frame, has no bell; one Catholic Church on Section 28. The Lutheran Church cost $2,000; the Dunkard Church cost $1,500; the Catholic Church cost about $2,500. The United Brethren Church has no bell; it is a frame, and cost about $1,200. There are nine school districts in the township but only eight school buildings. The people of Adams have always taken a lively interest in education. One saw mill in the township is owned by Mr. Diehl, on Section 20, steam power, and cost $2,500. It was built in 1877. There is one portable saw mill owned by Peter Celing & Co., worth $2,000. It sometimes propels a threshing machine. The present Justice is John Knape, who is now filling his third term, and Munson Whitney, who is now fill- ing his second term.
VOTERS IN 1845.
In the October election of 1845, the following
were the voters: Jacob Layman, George Briggs, Walter Williams, Daniel Bruner, John Hornish, Charles Tubbs, Darius Jones, John Hively, James K. Potter, John Hornish, Jr., Michael Shock, John Swanck, John W. Goodenough, John Esterbrook, John Shock, Joseph Stone, Ephraim Markell, Jacob Noffsinger, Philemon Dodd, Jacob Hively, Jacob Swartzel, Samuel Stone, John Scott, Jonathan Davi- son, John Whitney, A. T. Parker, Aaron Deal; George Briggs, A. T. Parker and Aaron Deal, Judges; Darius Jones and Charles Tubbs, Clerks.
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