History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2, Part 38

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 836

USA > Ohio > Delaware County > History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2 > Part 38

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).

in the 2d Ohio Heavy Artillery for three years. and served full time, participating in a number of engagements and marches ; he was honorably mustered out, and returned to Delaware; in 1874, he entered partnership with Riddle & Graff; in 1875, Mr. Battenfield commenced to travel for the firm, and has contributed his share in building up the firm to its present standing.

CAPT. R. W. REYNOLDS, merchant, Dela- ware ; was born in Montgomeryshire, North Wales, June 1, 1820, and is the son of Richard and Margaret (Rowland) Reynolds, both natives of Montgomeryshire, N. W .; the family, in 1823, sailed for America, and after being at sea for six weeks and four days, safely landed in this country and located in Madison Co., N. Y .; in 1834, the son, R. W., came to Delaware, and at 13 years of age was bound out for seven years to learn the tailor's trade ; he commenced in a shop located on the site where his present store is situated ; after serving three years, he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he finished his trade and then returned to Delaware, and embarked in business for himself; in 1848, Mr. Reynolds transferred his business to a room in the American House, where he carried on mer- chant tailoring ; in 1850, he went to California, where he mined and worked at his trade some ; during two months of the time, he made $10 per day working at tailoring ; after remaining in the gold country some fifteen months. he returned to Delaware; here he followed clerking for awhile in a clothing establishment, and then formed a part- nership in the clothing and merchant tailoring business ; in 1857, the present firm of Reynolds & Frank was formed. which to-day stands as one of the most prominent establishments of the kind in Delaware, located at 23 Main street, occupying two rooms ; the first floor, 20x80, is used as a gen- eral salesroom ; the merchant tailoring department is located up-stairs, in which are employed workmen of superior ability in their line. Mr. Reynolds was a soldier in the late civil war, having enlisted in the 145th O. V. I., Co. E, of which company he was Captain ; the history of this regiment will be found in another part of this work; after the war closed, Capt. Reynolds returned to his home. since which he has filled the position of Auditor of Delaware Co. one term, and has been a member of the Common Council of Delaware ; these offices he has filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituency He is a Republican in poli- tics. Capt. Reynolds married Miss Harriet Byxbe, daughter of Appleton Byxbe, and a grand-daughter

642

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

to the founder of Delaware, Col. Moses Byxbe ; she was born in Delaware Township, Delaware Co., in 1823; by this union they have had seven chil- ered, three only are living.

REV. D. RUTLEDGE, P. O. Delaware; was born in Belmont Co., Ohio, May 15, 1826; the son of William Rutledge; he lived, with his parents, on the farm until he was about 17 years of age, when he began teaching school, at which he continued some five years, when he commenced the study of law and was admitted to practice in about 1848, in Posey Co., Ind .; after a short time, he retired, and, in 1850, was licensed to preach, and entered upon his first duties in this profession in the West Liberty Circuit of Ohio, afterward in the North and Central Ohio Circuits ; during this time, he preached in Greenville, Bellefontaine, Toledo and Mt. Vernon ; his next efforts were as a missionary to Oregon, where he remained ten years, preaching in Portland, Oregon City and Salem; he was then transferred to the Central Ohio Circuit, and afterward went as a missionary to Nashville, Tenn., where he remained ten years ; while there, he was connected with the freedmen's educational work. traveling in different parts of the country, raising funds for that cause ; in 1875, Mr. Rutledge came to Delaware ; during this time, he had charge of the Delaware district for four years.

ALONZO P. SCATTERDAY, farmer ; P. O. Delaware ; was the youngest child of Euclid Scat- terday, who was born in Loudoun Co., Va., about the year 1796, and emigrated to this State when young ; subsequently married Deborah Pond, born near Philadelphia, Penn., and came out with her parents and located in Belmont Co., where Alonzo P. was born, Oct. 21, 1849; received his educa- tion in the common schools in that county, com- pleting the same at the business college in Dela- ware. Sept. 17, 1875, he was united by marriage to Sarah L. Main, second daughter of Hosea

Main ; she was born in Brown Township Oct. 9, 1851. He has sixty acres of land, with good buildings, which he erected, and the appearance of the place betokens him a man of industry and enterprise. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Delaware. His father died in Belmont Co .; his mother is still living.

HENRY J. SHARADIN, farmer ; P. O. Del- aware; is the son of Nathan and Margaret ( Esser : Sharadin ; his father was born in Berks Co., Penn .; came to Ohio about 1836, and settled in the green woods on the farm now owned by the

heirs ; he was a mechanic, and made threshing machines; was also a tanner by trade; he also drove stage coach from Delaware to Columbus at an early day, and died in 1873. Henry's mother was'a daughter of a noted farmer of Pennsylvania : she is living in Delaware, and is a member of the German Reform Church, with which her husband had long been identified ; they have six children. all living. Mr. Sharadin is now in partnership with his brother Charles, farming on the old home- stead. and they are making a specialty of stock and grain. They have 122 acres of land worth about $75 per acre-one of the finest farms in the country. Charles Sharadin was born Oct. 9, 1845. in Belmont Co., Ohio, and married Anna Heed. daughter of Thomas Heed, of Belmont Co .. Ohio; her mother's maiden name was Irwin, daughter of Samuel Irwin ; she is still living in Delaware. Mrs. Sharadin was born July 28, 1854, in Bel- mont Co .; came to this county Dec. 17, 1874; they have one child-Henry Arthur-born Nov. 11, 1876.

JOSEPH W. SHARP, Principal of the Ohio Business College, of Delaware ; was born in York Co., Penn., Aug. 14, 1838, and is the son of John and Hannah ( Benson) Sharp; his mother was born in Maryland, and his father in Pennsylvania. and was engaged in farming. Our subject, in 1841, with his parents, moved to Ohio, and located in Morrow Co., near Cardington, where his father and mother died. They were both Quakers. Prof. Sharp remained on the farm until 25 years of age. where he was engaged in farming in the summer months, and in the winter attended the district schools ; after he received a common-school edu- cation, began teaching school in the district schools ; he then entered Oberlin College, from which institution he graduated in 1864; in 1865. he came to Delaware, where he has been one of its honored citizens ever since, during which time he has been engaged in the Ohio Business College, of which an account will be found in another part of this work. Prof. Sharp was a Republicau until the Prohibitionist party was formed ; since then he has been a hard worker in its ranks; in 1877, he was put on the Prohibitionist ticket for Representative of Delaware Co., and, in 1879, was put on the same ticket for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio; he has just been elected as one of the four alternate delegates to Cleveland to the Prohibi- tionist State Convention. Prof. Sharp is one of the founders of the Delaware Signal, of which he was a leading editor for three years. He was mar-

DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

643

ried, in 1862, to Miss Elizabeth A. Kelly, of Mor- row Co., Ohio; they have had three children ; two deceased.

F. B. SPRAGUE, County Judge, Delaware ; was born in Delaware, on the site where the American House now stands, on the 16th of July, 1825; his parents were Pardon and Mary (Meeker) Sprague ; his mother was born in Penn- sylvania in 1799, the daughter of Col. Forest Meeker, who came to Delaware Co. and located in Stratford in 1811; his father, Pardon Sprague, was born in Massachusetts or Rhode Island, and was engaged in a cotton-mill, where he remained until the mill burnt, when he came West about 1816 to Zanesville and Granville, Ohio, where he remained a short time, then came to Delaware ; here he was engaged in the stock business; he also kept a hotel on the site of the American House; he was elected to the office of County Sheriff two terms, and, about 1825, was elected to the Legislature, which office he filled with honor and credit to his death, which occurred in 1828, at about 40 years of age; he was a man respected and honored by all. Judge Sprague received his chief education in a private school taught by Mrs. Murray in a room near where the court house now stands ; he was also a student of the Ohio Wes- leyan University during the first two years of its existence ; he remained a resident of Delaware Co. until 1850, when he moved West to Oregon, and remained there some eighteen years, where he was engaged the first few years in the manufacture of fanning-mills, and was the first to manufacture : these mills on the Pacific Coast. In 1864 to 1868. Judge Sprague had charge of the Modoc and Clamouth Indians; during this time, he was located at Ft. Clamouth, Ore., and in different parts of the State in the vicinity of Ft. Clamouth. . Sprague River was named after him. In 1864, he was made Captain of the 1st. Ore. V. I., doing duty in Oregon and participating in several battles and a number of skirmishes with the Snake In- dians. He learned to speak their language fluently and was a great friend of Captain Jack, the re- nowned Modoc chieftain, with which tribe the ' Judge states he was always on the friendliest terms. In 1868, he returned to Delaware Co., and located in Sunbury, where he engaged in the milling business, in which he has continued ever since; for several years, he was engaged in mer- cantile business in Sunbury. In 1875, Judge Sprague was nominated by the Democrats as Pro- bate Judge of Delaware Co., and was elected to

this office by a majority of 176 votes, and re- elected to the same office in 1878 by an over- whelming majority of 641 votes.

MRS. ANN P. SWEETSER, nec Miss Ann P. Ball, Delaware, was born in New York City, where her father died, when she with her mother and family came West about 1817 and located in Charlestown, Ind., where her mother died in 1821 ; in 1820, she came to Delaware, and in 1824 married Milo D. Pettibone, who was born in Connecticut in 1793, son of Gen. Chancy Pettibone. who was in the Legislature of that State some eigliteen or twenty years; Mr. Pettibone was a graduate from William and Mary's College, and also from Yale; began the study of law in New York, in the office of a Quaker, and after being admitted to practice law, started West, visiting friends and relatives in Granville; in 1818, he came to Dela- ware, and soon became a sound and trustworthy lawyer, and occupied a responsible position at the bar to the time of his death; he speculated in land, which turned to his advantage; Mr. Petti- bone was every way a most estimable man ; he was social, honest and most exemplary ; he engaged in all the proposed improvements of his day, social, moral and religious; he filled several offices of public trust in Delaware Co. ; was County Treasurer, Prosecuting Attorney, and a member of the State Legislature; these offices he filled with honor and credit ; at his death he left a wife and eight children, of whom five are living-one : son and four daughters ; two sons were in the late civil war-Waldermer Pettibone, who was killed ; on picket duty, and Channing Pettibone, a Lieu- tenant, acting as Captain at the battle of the Wilderness, where he was killed. The subject of this sketch was married, in 1846. to Charles Sweetser, who was born, in 1808, in Dummerston, Vt .; he came to Delaware Co. with his parents about 1812 ; there he began the practice of law, and was recognized as one of the leading attorneys of the bar ; he was elected to the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Congresses, which offices he tilled with marked ability. He was a Democrat, and was recognized as one of the leading members of the party. He died April 4, 1864, of heart disease.

W. O. SEAMANS, Professor in Ohio Wes- leyan University, Delaware; was born in Defiance, Ohio, Aug. 23, 1835, and is the son of Walter and Mary ( Oliver) Seamans; his mother was a native of Ohio ; her people having come to this State with the Massachusetts colony, which settled

644

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

in Marietta ; his father was born in Virginia, and moved to Ohio in 1812, and was among the early . settlers of Highland Co .; at 15 years of age, Prof. Seamans, with his parents, moved to La Fay- ette, Ind .; in 1852, he entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, from which institution he graduated in 1857 ; he was then elected tutor of languages in this university. and served two years, when he resigned and went to Leavenworth, Kan., where he was engaged in the mercantile business three years ; in 1862, he was elected to the chair of natural science in the Ohio Wesleyan Female College ; he remained there until 1865, when he was connected with the chair of chemistry, where he remained until 1867, when he became Profes- sor of Chemistry ; in 1873, physics were added to chemistry, since which Prof. Seamans has filled the chair of Professor of Chemistry and Physics ; he took courses in chemistry in Ann Arbor and Harvard Universities ; in 1874, he was placed on the Temperance ticket for the office of Mayor of the city of Delaware; was elected, and filled the office for two years with entire satisfaction, being the first and only Mayor ever elected in Delaware on the Temperance ticket.

JAMES M. SNODGRASS, M. D., Delaware ; was born in Jefferson Co., Ohio, Oct. 9, 1808 ; son of Rev. James and Annie ( White) Snodgrass, both natives of Pennsylvania. His father moved to Ohio, and located in Steubenville, Jefferson Co., in 1798; he was a Presbyterian minister, and be- longed to that church for over sixty years ; he died in Ohio, about 82 years old. James lived in Jefferson Co. until he was about 16 years of age, when he went to Stark Co., and engaged in farm- ing and teaching ; after remaining in Stark Co. about ten years, he moved to Richland Co., where he was in mercantile business, for four years; in 1840, he began to read medicine under Dr. Joseph Hall, a leading physician of Richland Co .; after studying some three years with Dr. Hall, he went to Lucas, and began the practice of his profession ; after remaining there some two years, he moved to Delaware Co. in 1345, and located in Ostrander, being the first resident physician of that place, where he continued practice a number of years ; he also practiced medicine at Gallia and Wooster ; then came to Delaware, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine since; he also, for a num- ber of years, was engaged in the drug business. Dr. Snodgrass married, in 1838, Miss Maria H. Robinson, of Ohio; they have six children. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church

for the last forty-five years, being now an Elder of that church. He had two sons in the late war -- James F., who enlisted in the 20th O. V. I., and, after serving faithfully for two years, was taken sick and died at La Grange, Tenn., and S. K., who served in the 100-day service, and was hou- orably discharged.

MRS. MARY SMITH, Delaware; widow of G. Smith, who was born in Pennsylvania in Feb- ruary, 1827, where his parents died; he learned his trade of carriage-making in Pennsylvania, and. at an early day, he came to Delaware; here he worked at his trade for several years, and, when he had saved a little money, commenced business for himself at Prospect, in which he continued for some three years; on account of ill health, he gave up business and returned to Delaware; he worked in Mccullough's lumber-yard for about four years, and then moved upon a farm in 1870, on the place where Mrs. Smith now resides ; it was then a very weedy piece of land; he went to work and converted it into a very beautiful farm, with a fine residence ; he worked hard to accumu- late his property, and died when success was nearly achieved; he died a Christian March 19, 1879, nearly 53 years of age, a respected and honored citizen, leaving a wife and seven children to mourn his loss ; he was a member of the Lu- theran Church. Mrs. Smith's maiden name was Mary Miller, of Pennsylvania; she came to Dela- ware Co. when about 5 years of age.

S. STERNS & SON, dealers in clothing and gents' furnishing goods, Delaware. As in most other branches of business, Delaware takes a lead- ing position in the county in clothing and fur- nishing goods, having several of the leading houses of this kind in Central Ohio. The largest clothing house is that of S. Sterns & Son, whose business has been established since 1865. Their large and commodious store is located on the southwest corner of Sandusky and Winter streets, Here they occupy two large rooms, 100x22 feet. The first floor is used for ready-made clothing, hats, caps and gents' furnishing goods, from the cheapest to the finest. The second floor is used for trunks and valises, of which they carry a fu !! and complete stock. Besides their extensive store in Delaware, they have a similar. store in Marys- ville, Ohio. They also conduct the leading busi- ness of that place. The senior member of the firm is S. Sterns, of Philadelphia. He is a lead- ing manufacturer of clothing, having been en- gaged in the business for a number of years. Mr.

DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.

645

Raphael Sterns, a member of S. Sterns & Son, has had a number of years' experience in the clothing business, and is the gentlemanly manager of the Delaware store.

NICHOLAS S. SAMPSELL, physician and surgeon, Delaware; was born in New Lisbon, Columbiana Co., Ohio, April 1, 1818, son of Paul Sampsell ; he was educated at a select school at New Lisbon, and learned the trade of a carpenter, at which he worked for several years ; he also taught school in the winter months, spending the summer in hard study, preparing himself for his chosen profession ; at 1S, he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. D. S. Silver, one of the leading physicians of Columbiana Co., and. after remaining in his office for three years, he was taken in as a partner, and continued the practice of medicine in Columbiana until 1843, when he went to Ft. Wayne, Ind., then West, and, on account of his health, returned to Ohio, and practiced medicine in Ashland and Richland Cos. until 1858; in 1844, the firm of Sampsell Bros. was formed; J. B. F. Sampsell was born in Ohio, and began the practice of med- icine about 1842 ; in 1858, Dr. Sampsell moved to Delaware, and since living here has built up a leading practice. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was married in Columbiana to Miss Mary A. Rotzel ; they have had three children, two of whom are living, a son and daughter.

JOHN LEWIS SMITH, SR., Delaware ; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Oct. 3, 1822; his father died when John was an infant, leaving the family in poor circumstances; in 1829 or 1830, Mr. Smith's mother, with her family, emigrated to America and landed in Baltimore ; from there they came to Ohio, and located in Zanesville ; here Mr. Smith remained a few years, when he went to Columbus, where he worked at odd jobs at $4 a month; in about two years, he went to Dayton, and remained there until 1840, when he came to Delaware, where he remained a short time, and returned to Columbus to learn his trade as a blacksmith, which business he followed until he enlisted in a company of mounted riflemen, to do duty in Oregon. They were sent to Jefferson Barracks, where they received orders to go to Mexico, and embarked at St. Louis, Mo., on a steamer for New Orleans; from there the soldiers were put on steamers, and their horses on schoon- ers; the soldiers arrived safely, and landed at the ALWOOD SMITH, retired, Delaware, is one of the carly settlers of Delaware Co., and was born mouth of the Rio Grande River; the schooners containing the horses were lost in a storm on the | in Washington, Berkshire Co., Mass., March 19,

Gulf of Mexico ; the command was under Gen. Scott, who in March, 1846, laid siege to the strong castle of San Juan d'Ullo, which defended the city of Vera Cruz ; after four days' bombardment, both castle and city were surrendered; Gen. Scott now began his march to the Mexican capital ; his progress was marked by a series of victories, de- feating the Mexicans at Cerro Gordo, at Puebla, and advanced against their strong defenses in the valley of Mexico, immediately surrounding that city ; here he gained the battles of Churubusco, Contreras and Chapultepec ; on the 13th of Sep- tember, the American army entered the capital of Mexico, and remained there until peace was de- clared. Our subject, Mr. Smith, participated in these marches and battles, doing his duty as a brave soldier, filling the position at one time as Orderly under Gen. P. F. Smith ; at the close of the war, Mr. Smith, with the mounted riflemen, returned, and was mustered out at Jefferson Bar- racks, he as Corporal; he remained at Columbus, working at his trade until 1849, when he re- turned to Delaware and followed his trade a few years ; he then commenced driving team, most of the time for himself. Mr. Smith was married, in Delaware, to Miss S. Yeager, of Germany ; they have four children.

GEORGE SCHREYER, furniture dealer, De !- aware, is a prominent furniture dealer and manu- facturer of this city, who was born in Delaware in 1857; the son of George M. Schreyer, who was born in Germany, and came to Delaware, some twenty-five years ago, a poor man, but by industry and energy has accumulated a good property, now owning the present building in which his son is doing business, and a fine farm in Delaware Co .; George Schreyer's place of business is located at No. 30 Sandusky street ; the salesroom, which is well stocked with a complete line of furniture, is 20x60 feet, and is a model of elegance and neat- ness; the room in which the work is done is 15x20 feet, and is supplied with all modern con- veniences that are necescary in the manufacture of furniture ; Mr. Schreyer commenced to learn his trade as a cabinet-maker when about 16! years of age; in 1877, he established his present business, where he has succeeded in building up a large and flourishing trade, brought about by his gentle- manly bearing toward his customers, and the quality and finish of his work.

646

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

1796, the son of William and Lucinda (Witter) Smith ; his mother was a sister to Col. Moses Byxbe, the founder of Delaware City ; his father was a native of Hartford, Conn., where he was born in 1766; and, in 1816, came West with his family, locating in Delaware Co., Berlin Town- ship. Alwood remained a resident of Massachu- setts until the winter of 1817-18, when he came to Delaware Co., and located in Berlin Township ; Mr. Smith, before he came West, was engaged in Massachusetts as a shepherd ; after coming here he commenced farming, which he continued up to 1861, when he moved to this city, where he has since made his home. Mr. Smith, during his residence in Berlin Township, was one of its Trustees for eighteen years In 1820, he mar- ried Miss Martha Joy, daughter of Amos Joy, who was one of the highly respected old settlers of Delaware Co .; Mr. Smith has been married three times, his first and second wives being sisters. He married his present wife in 1868 ; her son, John L. Daniels, was a soldier in the late civil war, a member of a New York regi- ment; he became a veteran, and served until the close of the war, having participated in a number of hard-fought battles, and suffered as a prisoner in Libby Prison ; he was faithful to his duty and a brave soldier. Mr. Smith is the father of three children - Augusta, Harriet and Martha-one living, Augusta, the wife of Geo. H. Crookshank.

JOHN SHEA, proprietor Delaware Marble Works, was born in Carlow, Ireland, June 17, 1824, and in 1849 emigrated to America, Jand- ing in New York City a poor boy ; he set out to look for work, which he obtained on a farm near Syracuse, N. Y., where he remained some four months ; then came to Ohio in a stage, and located near Chillicothe, where he worked on a farm; Mr. Shea came to Columbus, where, on the 18th of February, 1851, he began to learn his trade as a marble-cutter; getting this well learned, he worked for wages until 1859, when he came to Delaware, and embarked in business in the firm of Will- iams & Shea, afterward changed to Covell & Shea, from that to Shea & Tibbals, and again to Shea & Doyle; Mr. Shea continued-in business for a num- ber of years for himself, when, in 1879, the firm of John & W. Shea was formed. Mr. William Shea, the junior member, was born in the same house as John Shea; he has had some eleven years' experience in the marble business, and is a master in the marble-cutting business; the Delaware Marble Works are located at No. 28

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.

History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2, Part 38

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co. cn Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 836

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 836