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 74
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Samuel Shuter was born December 8, 1834, in Mont- gomery County, near Dayton, Ohio. His parents, Peter and Barbara (Honsinger) Shuter, were born in Lancaster County, Penn. They have had twelve children-Eliza- beth, Mary, Andrew W., Sarah, Samuel, Daniel, Catha- rine, Christiana, Barbara, Peter (deceased), George and William. All living but Peter, who was killed in a steam saw mill by an explosion, in Montgomery
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
County, Ohio. His grandfather, Christian Slinter, came to Montgomery County when the father of our subject was twelve years old, being among the first set- tlers of Montgomery County. Here the subject of this sketch grev to manhood ; attended district school ; re- mained at home until twenty-one years of age, then starting out in life worked at the cooper business, also at carpenter work. In the spring of 1857, he came to Defiance County, and in the spring of 1858 he entered into copartnership with Thomas Yeager, in the mercan- tile business, in Evansport, in which he continued a short time. During this time he married Miss Abigail, daughter of old pioneers, John and Nancy Snider ; she was the fifth child born in Evansport, A. D. 1840. Four children have been born to them-Mary O., born October 18, 1859, died November 5, 1864 ; Thomas E., boter December 11, 1867 ; John W., born December 19, 1869, and Charles R., born December 1, 1877. Mr. - Shnter enlisted in service August 15, 1861, as private in Company D, Thirty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; served a little over two years, veteranized on the 10th day of December, 1863, served till close July 23, 1865 ; commenced the mercantile business in Sep- tember of 1865 ; continued in it till 1877, then retired. Solomon Snider, a brother of John Snider, was born in Perry County, Ohio, in March, 1811, and was mar- ried in Fairfield County, Ohio, to Mrs. Nancy Bailor. The fruits of this marriage were four children-Amos, Samuel, Elizabeth and Louisa, all' born in Fairfield County, Ohio. In the fall of 1841, Mr. Snider came to Evansport, put up a tannery and continued in the busi- ness about twenty years, when he sold out to his son Amos, and removed to Fulton County, Ohio.
Amos Snider, a son of Solomon and Nancy Snider, was born December 16, 1834, in Fairfield County, Ohio, and came with his parents to Evansport in 1841. Here he received a common 'school education, and worked several years at the harness-making business. At the age of twenty-three years, he engaged in the tanning business with his father, and finally bought him out and continued the business ahont fifteen years. In 1875, he engaged in agricultural and hardware busi- ness, which has been a success, and which business he still follows. He was married, November 5, 1857, to Miss Lucretia A. Cameron, of Tiffin Township, who was born January 27, 1838. She was the danghter of John and Lydia Cameron. The fruit of this marriage has been the following children : Harriet L., born August 12, 1858 ; Lydia J., born December 3, 1862 ; Mary L., born May 12, 1864 ; Martha C., born January 23, 1867, and died Marchi 5, same year ; Frank M., born October 3, 1868 ; Clyde C., born October 18, 1871; Lake R., born May 12, 1874; Celia A., born July 8, 1880. Harriet L., the oldest married Clarence Betts, and are living in Williams County.
alicitado Trend
Samuel Snider, son of Solomon and Mary Snider, was born November 1, 1836, in Fairfield County, Ohio.
His parents came to Evansport, Defiance County, when Samuel was about five years old. His father being a tan- ner by trade, he went into the business at Evansport, Samuel working at the business until about twenty-two years of age, when he struck out in life for himself, and is now carrying on the harness-making business, in Evans- port. He was married April 21, 1859, to Miss Lorinda E. Fuller, daughter of John and Sarah (Thayer) Fuller, the former born in Vermont, in 1790, the latter born in Massachusetts, in 1799. Mrs. Snider was born April 17, 1839. The fruit of this marriage is, William R., horn January 24, 1860 ; Arthur S., born October 18, 1863 ; George H., born September 29, 1865 ; Alma E., born February 9, 1868 ; James C., born January 9, 1874 ; Charles, born November 3, 1876.
George Purtee was born in Kentucky near the Blue Lieks. By his first marriage he had four children- Aquilla, Polly, Betsy and another son whose name is forgotten. He was again married to Rachel Hague, with whom he had seven children-Enos, George, Phebe, Hetty, Sarah and Nancy. He died, and Mrs. Purtee married George Nichols, by whom she had two children. He died and she married Dennis Downing. She died about the year 1866, aged over ninety years.
Enos Purtee was born in Virginia June 2, 1794. The date he came to Highland County, Ohio, with his father's family is unknown. He was married in High- land County, Ohio, to Phebe Dunkins, in the year 1816 ; they had nine children-Hester Ann, George, William, James, Milton, Lovina, Phebe, John Evans and Sarah. Enos Purtee came to Defiance County (then Williams) in the spring of 1826, and assisted in building the dam across Tiffin River, at Brunersburg. John Perkins had a grist mill at Brunersburg; at that time William Buck lived near Brunnersburg. In the fall of 1824, Mr. Purtee moved his family to Defiance County, arriving at Brunersburg Christmas Eve, 1824 His sixth child, Lovina Purtec, was the first white child born in Tiffin Township. He remained over winter at Brunersburg, and in the spring moved on John Law- rence's place, in Noble Township, stayed there one summer, and in the fall of 1825 moved on Doty's Run, remaining there two years, and in the fall of 1827 en- tered 110 acres of land in Section 20, built his house and lived on this farm when he died. When he moved to this county, there were plenty of Indians, white people being scarcely ever seen. He saw Occonoxce Shane (who was born under the old apple-tree at De- fiance), Coffee-Pot, and other noted chiefs, "medicine- men" and warriors. Mr. Purtee and Ephraim Doty lived near to each other, and their closest neighbor lived three miles away, John Purtee, Sr., in Noble Township. Mr. Purtce hunted wild game, such as wolves, bears, turkeys, deer, otter, foxes, etc., for money to pay for his farm. He raised his family almost wholly on wild game. If it had not been for the wild game, Tiffin Township would not have been settled.
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Ephraim Doty's was the only family living in the town- ship when Mr. Purtee came here. Mrs. Phebe Purtec died June 10, 1855, aged sixty-one years. He was again married to Mrs. Catharine Jones, May, 1856. Mr. Purtee died April 5, 1876, aged eighty-one years ten months and three days. Mrs. Purtee died February 22, 1878, aged sixty-nine years. Hester Ann Purtee was born June 2, 1817, and was married to Henry Brown, August 28, 1842. They had four children. Mrs. Brown died December 10, 1879, and Mr. Brown died December 11, 1879. George Purtee was born April 5, 1819, and was married to Nancy Gusler, February, 1839. They had one son, Enos, dead. Mrs. Purtee died, and he was again married to Anna K. Gurwell, November 30, 1841, Rev. Thomas Winters, officiating. They have ten children-Mary, dead. Phebe Ann, married to William Stailey, May 6, 1866. They had two children. Mrs. Stailey died March 12, 1879 ; an infant son, dead. Elizabeth Marie, married to George Johnstone, February 22, 1871. Again married to John Hanna, June 17, 1880. Addie Emeline, married to Lewis F. Carter, September 15, 1881. John William, married to Lilly Kimble. November 30, 1881. Loretta Victorine, married to George Keller, July 4, 1875. They had two children-Clyde and Donald G. (deceased). Henry G. (deceased), Jacob Monroe and Frank S. George Purtee lives in Section 25. William Purtee was born January 23, 1821, and was married to Sarah Wisler, December 11, 1852. They have one son-Elmore Forrest. Lives in Section 32. James Purtee was born in the year 1823, and was married to Rebecca Benner, November 11, 1849. They had seven children-Enos, Lizzie, Frank, Jacob, Martin, James, and an infant son, dead. Lives in Michigan. Milton Purtee, born in the year 1825, married to Margaret Justice. December 19, 1852. They have five children-Harriet M. Tryphena, Anna C., Ida and -. Lives in Michigan. Lovina Purtce, born in the year 1827, married to William Rath, June 8, 1851. They had seven children. Mrs. Rath is dead. Phche Purtee, born in the year 1829, married to Wellington Anson. They have no family. John Evans Purtec, born in the year 1831, married to Sarah Ingle, May 18, 1852. They have five children- Ellen, married to Alexander Mattock. They have two children. Orlando Benton, married to Hattie J. Ury, December 5, 1876. They have two children. Alex- ander B., married to Louisa J. Hatfield, 187 -. They have one child. Frank (dead) and Charles. John E. Partee lives in Bryan, Ohio. Sarah Purtee, born in the year 1833, married to Franklin Winans. They have four children-William E., Mary, Phebe C. and --. William Purtee owns the old homestead in Section 20.
Jolin W. Wissler was born March 27, 1830, in Pick- away County, Ohio. He was the youngest son of John Wissler and Catherine (Weldty) Wissler, who were the parents of nine children. viz .: Elizabeth, Anna, Mary, Solomon, David, Sarah, Henry, John W. and Lydia.
John Wissler, with his family, came to Defiance County, and settled on the banks of Tiffin River, in Tiffin Town- ship, in 1833. At that time, there were only two other families in that part of the county. There was no cleared land and the woods were filled with bears and wolves. But the family set to work with that earnest- ness which is always destined to bring success. And indeed it did, for before many years they had one of tlie finest farms in Northwestern Ohio. He became County Surveyor, and among many of the important grounds that he surveyed was the Defiance Cemetery. He was not thoroughly educated, but was a natural-born genius. He made chairs, clocks, compasses, and in fact almost everything that could be made by hand out of wood and brass. He retired from farm labor at about the age of sixty years, and died in 1882 at the remark- able age of ninety years. John W. married Caroline Brininger in the year 1855. She was the oldest daugh- ter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Nagle) Brininger. The for- mer was born in Baden, Germany, and the latter in Stuttgart, near Wurtemberg. They came to America before an acquaintance was formed between them; met, and were united in marriage in Easton, Penn., at which place they lived about ten years; then the family moved to Defiance County, Ohio, and became wealthy farmers. They were blessed with six children, viz .: Caroline, Freddie, Louise, Sophia, Sarah and Helen, all dead except the oldest. In 1870, they retired from farm life and moved to Brunersburg to enjoy their old age free from toil, where Mr. Brininger died in 1880 at the age of seventy years, and his wife is still living with her only remaining daughter, Caroline. For twenty years after the marriage of John W. Wissler and Caroline Brininger, they were well-to-do farmers. They became parents of four children-Fanny, born July 6, 1857; Dora, born on January 9, 1861, died May 2, 1873; Hittie, born September 23, 1865; Mollie, born August 21, 1879. In 1875, they purchased a home in the city of Defiance and moved there for the purpose of living an easier life, and mainly to obtain better educational advantages for their three remaining children. At the present writing, the family are all together, and at the spring election of 1882 Mr. Wissler was elected as first Republican Street Commissioner, and successfully performed his duty as such.
David Wissler was born August -, 1827, in Pick- away County, Ohio; was brought up a farmer, and still continues the business in Section 21, Tiffin Township, where he now lives, being a portion of the farm entered by his father in 1833, by deed dated October 7, 1835, from President A. Jackson. He married Miss Martha Elizabeth Carr, daughter of Robert and Hannah (Creely) Carr, November 20, 1853; her father, a Pennsyl- vanian by birth and Irish descent, was in the war of 1812; was born in 1775 ; her mother was of French descent, and was born in Vincennes, Ind., A. D. 1800. They had six children-Robert, John N., Julia A., Will-
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
iam H., Martha E., Hannah M. (dead). David Wissler's family consist of John F., born December 19, 1854; Florence M., born December 27, 1856 , Willis W., born January 8, 1860 ; Elmer E. (dead), born June 14, 1862; Frances M. (dead), born October 9, 1865 ; Edwin G., born February 29, 1868 ; Leonora, born May 6, 1870; Freeman W., born April 4, 1872 ; Vallorous (dead), born January 4, 1874; Dora (dead), born February 11, 1876.
David Miller, one of the most extensive farmers in Titlin Township, was born April 18, 1825, in Iloles County, Ohio, his ancestors being from Germany, who settled first near Baltimore, Md., then removed to Penn- sylvania and thence to Obio in 1802. His grandfa- ther's name was Jacobs, his grandmother's name Hart- man. On his mother's side, his grandparents were David Weaver, and his grandmother he thinks was a Coonrad. The parents of our subject, Abraham and Elizabeth (Weaver) Miller, were Pennsylvanians, the former born October 1, 1801, died in Richland Town- ship November 9, 1847 ; the latter died on Section 35, Tiffin 'Township, at the home of David, her son, Febru- ary 13, 1868, aged sixty-seven years. Their children were David, Jacob (dead), Barbara (dead), Daniel, John ((lead), Coonrad, John B. Philip, Catharine (dead) and Mary. Daniel and J. B. Philip live in Coshocton County. Our subject married, February 13, 1857, Mary A., eldest daughter of Lewis and Diana (Webb) Purtce, born Angust 22, 1828. Their children were Lewis, born May 1, 1852 ; Franklin L., borr. July 30, 1854; Orlan- do, born February 25, 1857, died January 31, 1860 ; John, born October 31, 1860 ; Allen, born May 11, 1865 ; Sophia, born February 29, 1868 ; Malinda, born December 10, 1870 ; Charlotte, born January 4, 1874. Lewis Muntee, who was a soldier in the late war, was married to Catharine Miller, sister of the subject of this sketch, but died in 1865 at the close of the war. His wife died April 13, 1865, leaving three children, viz .: Clara E., born May 10, 1863 ; Sarah and Amanda, twins, born April 13, 1865. Mr. Miller had no advantages of school, attending but eighteen days in all. Spent his boyhood days in Holmes County. Came to Defiance in fall of 1857, and entered 160 acres in Tillin, Section 25, at $1.00₺ per acre, and part at $1.33} per acre. Mr. Miller is serving in the capacity of Township Trustee, which position he has occupied for a number of years. Ile now owns 400 acres of land, probably the largest farm in the township.
Charles A. Skinner was born in Harwinton, Litchfield Co., Conn., September 21, 1812. Lived there till he was seventeen and had the advantages of common school and academy. At the age of seventeen, he started out as a peddler of silverware and jewelry, visiting the States of New York, Ohio and Kentucky. Ile was mar- ried to Elizabeth Hamilton, of Goshen, Conn., and set- iled down in Montville, Geauga Co., Ohio, at which place his wife died. Mr. Skinner then came to Williams County, Ohio, where he married the daughter of Col.
William B. Sprague, by whom he had two children- Charlotte and Corintha. Charlotte married James Tur- ner, of Williams County. Mrs. Skinner died May 11, 1854. After her death, Mr. Skinner spent several years in traveling through the Southern States. In 1861, was married again, to Rachel, daughter of John and Margaret Donaldson, who were early settlers at Evans- port and died here. Of this union, one child was born to them, Mary J., born in 1862. Mrs. Skinner came to Evansport when about eight years old, with her parents, from Pennsylvania, where she was born. Settled in Evansport, on Section 3, May 8, 1836, where they now live and where her parents died. Mr. Skinner's parents, Zimri and Sally (Bartholomew) Skinner, were born in Litchfield County, Conn.
William Rath was born in the town of Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Penn., May 8, 1826, and came to De- fiance County in September, 1846. Worked the first year near Brunersburg, part of the time with William Travis, now deceased, one of the oldest settlers in the county. In May, 1848, William Rath commenced work- ing at blacksmithing in Tiffin Township, on the banks of Bean Creek, and worked at his trade until 1852. Since that time has worked at farming, by first clearing up the forest, which was covered at that time with a very heavy growth of timber. He was married, in 1851, to Miss Lavina M., daughter of Enos Purtec, who, with Ephraim Doty, settled in the township in 1826, they being the first white settlers. Miss Lavina M. Pur- tee was born June 3, 1827, being the first child bom of white parents in Tiffin Township. By the marriage of William Rath and Miss Lavina M. Purtee, they had seven children, five sons and two daughters, who are all living. William Rath's wife died in 1870, when he afterward married Mrs. Caroline Hoekman, by whom he has had two children, a son and a daughter, the son being deceased.
Francis L. Key, born at Miamisburg, Montgomery Co., Ohio, Jannary 11, 1836, is a son of Thomas and Margaret (Gephart) Key, the former a native of Mary- land and the latter of Pennsylvania. They had ten children-Celestia, Francis L., Edward (deceased), Mary, Albert, William H., Flavius, Edna and Hobart. The parents came to Montgomery County, where they married and spent their days. At the age of twelve, Francis L. entered a cigar shop to learn the trade. In 1858, came to Evansport, where he engaged in his trade and farming, and is now engaged in the manufacture of brick, in company with Jacob Hall. He was married, June 5, 1863, to Weltha A., daughter of John Garber, an old pioneer. They have nine children, as follows : Mary, Maurice, John (deceased), Francis, Charles, Millie, Edward (deceased), Dewitt, Alvin. Mrs. Key was born November 25, 1845.
Frederick Speicer was born February 17, 1845, in Wurtemberg, Germany. His father was born in the same place, in 1804, and his mother in 1805. The father
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
died at the age of fifty-seven, and in April, 1866, Mrs. Speicer came to America, and died in Noble Township, aged sixty-three. Their children were Christopher, born May. 1835 ; Gottfried, October, 1836 ; Charles, October, 1842 ; Frederick, February, 1845 ; Frederica, November. 1846, and two who died infants. Frederick, our subject, landed in New York September 27, 1865 ; then came to Defiance, entering Adam Minsel's shoe shop, learning the trade. He was married, November 15, 1868, to Miss Lonisa Hayes, daughter of Jacob and Catharine (Ackerman) Hayes, who was also born in Wurtemberg, Germany, February 21, 1848. Children, cight, viz .: Amelia, born August 20, 1869 ; William, born September 16, 1870; Minnie, born October 8, 1871 ; Clara, born April 4, 1873 ; Ritta, born January 31, 1875; Lewis, born March 18, 1876 ; Eleanora, born August 19, 1878, and Lillian, born September 25, 1880.
William F. Andrews, was born August 18, 1846, at Hamilton, Ontario ; was son of Israel and Mary (Blanchflower) Andrews. The former was born in Lower Canada, the latter in England, and came to this country at the age of twelve years. Grandfather Andrews was formerly from Spain. The family of Israel Andrews were Joseph F., William F., Amelia and Eliza (twins), John aud Susan. Mr. Andrews re- mained at home till eleven years of age, and then worked out on farm till the fall of 1861, when he en- listed in Company E, Ninth Michigan Volunteer In- fantry, and went into camp at what was then Fort Wayne, Mich. He then got a furlough home and about three days thereafter, while at home, broke out with small-pox, and was then discharged on this account. He re-enlisted July 31, 1862, in Company C, Twenty- second Michigan Regiment, and was honorably dis- charged June 26, 1865, at the close of the war. He was at the siege of Chattanooga all through that cam- paign, till Sherman started for the sea. He came to Ohio and was married, on March 27, 1866, to Miss Kate E., daughter of Emanuel and Susan Hoover, who was born November 3, 1849, in Covington, Ohio. They have six children, as follows-Fanny B., born April 26, 1867, died February 3, 1869 ; Lillie G., born December 3, 1870 ; Harman G., born September 11, 1872 ; Tacy D., born December 26, 1874 Le ah P., born November 18, 1876 ; Emmet G., born January 6, 1881, and Emma A., born January 2, 1883. Mr. Andrews started out in 1867, and learned the stone mason's trade and followed this up by learning the brick-laying and stone-cutting, mastering each branch of the business, at which he continned till December, 1882, when he went to Evans- port and engaged temporarily in keeping hotel and restaurant.
Daniel Fribley was born April 22, 1824, in Stark County, Ohio. He had no advantages for education, and is a self-made man. Having received but three 1
months' schooling, which was during the first year of his apprenticeship at the milling business, at the age of
about sixteen years, in the fall of 1840. After spend- ing two years in Stark County at the business, he went to Holmes County, and spent about four years in mill- ing there, and from Holmes he went to Florida in Henry County, in 1845, and ran a mill for David Harley two years ; then he bought him out and united with Dr. Parry and one Gibbon in building a new mill, which he afterward purchased, and then sold out to John Brown, and bought a farm in Richland Township, occupying the same for about two years, during which time, 1872, he and Abraham Coy built the present grist mill at Evansport, at a cost of $13,000, on the old site, or nearly so, of the old Pioneer Mill, built by Coys & Snider, which ceased to grind in 1868. In the fall of 1872, Mr. Fribley purchased Coy's interest in the mill. In December, 1882, he sold a half-interest to Enos Kimble. Mr. Fribley was married, July 4, 1850, to Miss Jane Scott, of Henry County, Ohio, who was born in Piqua County, Ohio. Of this marriage, three children were born-John H., who died in infancy ; Caroline, born November 2, 1852; Frank C., born September 24, 1854. Mrs. Fribley died May 18, 1858. Mr. Fribley then married Adeline Braucher, September 4, 1859. Two children were born of this union-Isaac A. and Mary A. (twins), born August 14, 1860. Mrs. Fribley died November 23, 1861. Mr. Fribley, for his third wife, married Frederica, daughter of Frederick Rothenburger. She was born May 17, 1839, in Wurtemberg, Ger- many. Seven children bless this union-Jane (dead), born Jannary 22, 1864 ; Elsie, born July 24, 1866 ; Lulie, born June 12, 1868 ; Bessie G., March 5, 1872 ; Fannie O. (dead), born April 25, 1874 ; Daniel R. (dead), born December 20, 1876 ; Dollie L., born May 27, 1878. Mr. Fribley's parents were born in Pennsylvania, but came to Stark County, Ohio, where they died.
Frank C. Fribley, a son of Daniel and Jane (Scott) Fribley, was born September 24, 1854, in Florida, Henry Co., Ohio ; spent his boyhood days in the district school, and assisted his father about the mill. At the age of about eighteen years, he came with his father to Evansport, and continued with him in the milling busi- ness till the fall of 1882, when he went to Hicksville, and purchased a third interest in the Anchor Mills, of that place, where he now resides.
Dr. Houston Russell, son of Samuel and Margaret (Gusler) Russell, was born in Hampshire County, Va., November 9, 1823. His grandfather, Jonathan Russell, was of English, and his grandmother of Irish descent. His maternal grandfather, Nicholas Gusler, was from Germany, and his grandmother Gusler was a Vermont lady. They settled on the banks of the Potomac River, on the Maryland side, opposite Hampshire County, Va. In 1824, Samuel Russell, accompanied by his brother-in- law, John Acus, left Hampshire County for Ohio, and settled down in Madison County, where they suffered much with the disease commonly called " milk sick- ness." Here they remained until the fall of 1830, when
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
they sold their farms at a great sacrifice, and moved to Williams (now Defiance) County, Ohio, and spent the winter at what is now Brunersburg. In the spring of 1831, as soon as the ice was ont of the river, Bean Creek or Tiffin River, they moved up the river in pirogues, and settled on what is now Section 20 of Tiffin Town- ship, where they, with their wives, Sarah (Russell) Acus, and Margaret (Gusler) Russell, quietly repose in what is called the McCauley Cemetery. The children of Sam- nel Russell were Houston, John J., William, Amanda (deceased), James E., David (deceased), Nancy J. and Elmira (deceased). Dr. Houston Russell, the subject of this sketch, spent his early life in helping to clear up the farm on which his father settled in the wilds of Tif- fin Township, with the Indian boys as his chief play- mates in childhood, there being ten Indians at that time to one white. In the fall of 1850, after three years' study of medicine under Dr. William C. Porter, of Evansport, he began practice as a physician, and is still in practice at the same place, having located at Evans- port in 1850. From the fall of 1848 to the fall of 1850, Mr. Russell acted as Deputy Treasurer of Defiance County, John Tuttle being Treasurer. Mr. Russell was married to Miss Lucretia Ann Cameron, Rev. Ebenezer Lind- sey officiating. They have one adopted daughter, Fanny May Russell. In the fall of 1860, Mr. Russell was elected Justice of the Peace in Tiffin Township, and served until the fall of 1866. During the six years he served as Justice, not one case brought up be- fore him was appealed to a higher court.
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