USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 64
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In 1863 Mr. Meyers was married to Miss Mary A. Crites, a daughter of Levi and Annie (Reichelderfer) Crites, of Salt Creek Township, Pickaway County. To them the following children were born: Charles Eu- gene, a farmer in Pickaway County, who married Lola Belle Poole, and has two sons -George Ray and Edgar Homer: Jean- ette, who is the wife of Rev. J. M. Wenrich, pastor of a Lutheran church at Wapakon- eta, O., and has one daughter, Frances Jeanette ; Samuel Homer, a business man of Chicago, Ill., who married Mattie Bell : and Willison Oscar, a farmer in Pickaway County, who married Maggie Groce and has two daughters-Alberta and Lucile. Mr. Meyers and family attend the Re- formed church.
JAMES W. BUCHANAN, postmaster at Basil, O., and a justice of the peace, was born August 1, 1846, in Greenfield Town- ship, Fairfield County, O., and is a son of Stephen P. and Emily (Crane) Buchanan.
Stephen P. Buchanan was born in Pleas- ant Township but died in Logan County, O., when aged but thirty-nine years. He was a farmer. He married Emily Crane. who was a daughter of Samuel Crane, who was a farmer in Pleasant Township, and she lived to the age of fifty-three years. Six children were born to them, namely :
MIR. AND MRS. MAHLON MEYERS
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Amanda, who died in 1883, was the wife of Samuel Goss; Harvey, who lives at Atchi- son, Kan .: Mrs. I. Gundy, who died in 1910; one that died in infancy; J. W .; and Stephen, who lives at Wilshire, O.
James W. Buchanan attended school in Greenfield Township. He was seventeen years of age when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Co. K, 17th O. Vol. Inf. He marched under General Sherman to Atlanta and participated in the campaign which included the battles of Resaca, Kene- saw Mountain, Jonesboro and Bentonville. and was one of the triumphant soldiers to take part in the Grand Review at Washing- ton, on May 24, 1865. He was mustered out on July 16, 1865, at Louisville, Ky., and was honorably discharged at Camp Chase, at Columbus. He was in a train wreck on his way home, in which nine of his comrades were killed and twenty were injured, but he fortunately escaped. Mr. Buchanan then went to work at the carpenter's trade and was with J. R. Brandt for seven seasons, and also spent two years at the Fairfield Union Academy.
In 1870 Mr. Buchanan was married to Miss Almeda J. Jenkins, a daughter of Wil- liam Jenkins, of Pleasant Township, and they have had five children: Gertrude, who is clerk in the postoffice; Estella, who is assistant postmaster; Benjamin E., who died when aged two years; Edith, who is a critic teacher in the rural training department at the Ohio University at Athens; and J. Wil- liam, who is in the Ohio University at Athens, formerly having been principal of the high school at Corning, O. Until within the past few years. Mr. Buchanan has taught school during the winter season and worked at the carpenter's trade in the summer time. In 1897 he was appointed postmaster by Presi-
dent Mckinley and has served ever since. In November, 1907, he was elected a justice of the peace. He is secretary also of the board of education. Mr. Buchanan and family are members of the Reformed church. He is identified with Col. Val Cupp Post, G. A. R., at Baltimore, Ohio.
GEORGE BARR, one of Amanda Town- ship's best known men, has been a resident of the western part of .Amanda Township, since birth and is a son of William and Mar- garet (Greiner) Barr, and a grandson of Thomas Barr, who spent his active life in the same township, with the exception of one year passed in Clear Creek Township.
William Barr was born in Amanda Town- ship and lives on a farm near the Pickaway County line and is one of the most respected citizens of his community. He has always identified himself with the best interests of the township and county, and since early in life has been a devout church member. He married Margaret Greiner, whose death occurred May 1, 1902. in her sixtieth year. She was a daughter of Frederick Greiner, whose wife was a member of the Graham family. During the summer seasons, Mr. Greiner worked as a marble cutter and dur- ing the winters he taught school, for some time teaching in the high school at Lan- caster, O. His death occurred when Mrs. Barr was but ten years old. William and Margaret Barr became parents of the fol- lowing children : Carrie, who lives at home: Frank S., who lives adjoining his father (married Cora Williamson, daughter of Henry Williamson, of Lancaster) ; George ; Mary, who died in February, 1898, aged twenty-nine years: Nora, who is the wife of John Sweyer and lives near Amanda; Nellie, who died when about two
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years of age; Florence, who is the wife of John Solt, of Amanda Township; Fannie, who resides with her father; Harry, who is a Presbyterian minister,-a graduate of Wooster University and of the theological department of Princeton University; and Frederick, who completed a course in nurs- ing, and is now preparing for the medical profession at Battle Creek, Mich. William Barr is a member of the Presbyterian church in which he has been an officer for many years.
George Barr was reared in Amanda Township and received a common school education. He remained on the home place until he was twenty-six years of age and then rented his present farm. His first pur- chase was 128 acres, lying across the road, and his second was the Lyman Allen farm, of 100 acres, on the Cedar Hill turnpike road, on which is located a large brick house, which has been a landmark on this road for years. Owing to domestic afflic- tion which visited the family in the death of two children, he decided to move from the place after a residence of two and one-half years, selling the property and purchasing then 106 acres of the Felix Swope farm, on which he now lives. He erected an attrac- tive residence in 1906, one comparing favor- ably with the best in the township. An additional forty acres of the Swope farm was recently acquired by Mrs. Barr, through inheritance, from an aunt, by whom she had been practically reared and who spent her last years with Mr. and Mrs. Barr. Mr. Barr has been a man of great industry and the progress made has been steady and his success is well merited. In addition to gen- eral farming he has raised and dealt in stock, upon occasion going to Kansas to purchase mules and shipping them back to Ohio for sale.
On October 18, 1893, Mr. Barr was mar- ried to Miss Alice Peters and their wedding journey was a trip to Chicago, where they attended the World's Columbian Exosition during its closing days. Mrs. Barr was born in Walnut Township, Pickaway County, O., and is a daughter of Rev. Robert W. Peters, who was a Baptist minister and also owned a farm in Walnut Township. He died Octo- ber 3, 1907. His father was Rev. Gushem Peters, who was also a Baptist minister. Rev. Robert W. Peters married Emma Swope, a daughter of Thomas and Rebecca (Lefever) Swope. Mrs. Peters died March 17, 1872, leaving two daughters: Rebecca Ann, wife of O. J. Waddelle, of Fayette County, O .; and Alice, wife of George Barr. After the early death of her mother, the lat- ter was reared in the home of her maternal grandparents and was educated in the local schools and the Ohio Northern University at Ada, O. Subsequently she taught school in Franklin County. Six children were born to George and Alice Barr (four of whom are living), namely: Emil Peters, born July 26, 1895, died September 8, 1905; Lester Glen, born April 5, 1897, died Sep- tember 17, 1904: Robert William, born January 4, 1899; Albert George, born November 24. 1900; Anna Mary, born March 22, 1904; and Lucille, born June 10, 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Barr are members of the Presbyterian church at Amanda and Mr. Barr is a trustee of the same. Politi- cally he is a Democrat.
JACOB SHREYER, whose well tilled farm of 160 acres is situated in Liberty Township, two miles north of Basil, is a well known and highly respected citizen of this section and a leading member of the Reformed church at Basil. He was born July 24, 1840, in Pike County, O., and is a
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son of George and Catherine (Weaver) Shreyer.
George Shreyer was of German birth. He came to the United States in young manhood and became a farmer in Walnut Township, Fairfield County, O., and that was his business through life. Removing to Pike County before the birth of his son Jacob, he lived there until the son was two years old and then returned to Fairfield County with his family on a visit. While here his home was broken into and all the family possessions were stolen and this in- duced Mr. Shreyer to about settle perma- nently among his old friends in Fairfield County. Inducements were, however, of- fered him to settle in Union County and he subsequently moved there and for $1.25 an acre, bought 175 acres of land. He died there when aged seventy-eight years. He married Catherine Weaver, a daughter of Jacob Weaver, and ten children were born to them, namely: Jacob, Ada, Ann, Phebe, Keziah, Samuel, Frances, Emma, Mary and Della, all of whom survive except Ada and Frances.
Jacob Shreyer had but meager school ad- vantages, attending thirty days at times during the winters and walking a distance of five miles in order to receive instruction. When fifteen years old he had many farm duties to perform for his father, as the land in that section of Union County had been but partially cleared, and later he bought fifty acres for himself and remained there until 1866, when he came to his present farm in Liberty Township. He has made all the improvements here and has put up all the substantial buildings. General farming and stock raising are successfully carried on by Mr. Shreyer and his sons, all being practical, industrious men.
Mr. Shreyer was married to Miss Anna M. Wagner, a daughter of Daniel Wagner and they have had the following children : George, who married Ola Detwiler and they have four children ; Daniel, who is deceased ; Ella, who is deceased; Wilbert, who mar- ried Ida Crawford; Bertha, who married Charles Shipe; Lester, who married Nellie Snyder ; and Arthur Clive, who is deceased. Mr. Shreyer and sons are Democrats.
JOSEPH YENCER, who now lives re- tired at Basil, O., formerly was an active business man of this town, dealing in agri- cultural machinery and wagons. He is a native of Fairfield County, born November 16, 1843, at Dumontville, a son of Josepli Yencer.
Joseph Yencer was born in Germany and came to the United States when eighteen years of age. He followed the cooper's trade at Dumontville, where he died when aged forty years. He married Catherine Gazelle, who was born in Fairfield County, and six children were born to them: Mary, who is deceased; John, who lives in Shelby County, Ill .; Elizabeth, who married Jesse Brooks and lives at Pleasantville; Joseph ; Catherine M., who lives in Shelby County, Ill., married first, Jeremiah Imbody, who died Nov. 4, 1873, and second, John Tress- ler, both husbands being deceased; and Samuel, who lives at Dumontville.
Joseph Yencer attended the country schools when he was young and found his first work on the farm where he was en- gaged when the Civil War broke out in 1861. He was then only seventeen years of age but nevertheless became a soldier and with a man's courage shouldered his gun in Co. F, 17th O. Vol. Inf., and served three years, under Generals Sherman, Halleck
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and Thomas. He was wounded June 18, in Hanover, Germany. The grandfather, 1864, and was confined in a hospital until William Hartman, was the first to establish the home in Berne Township, and from there the father of William F. Hartman moved to Pleasant Township, more than a half century ago. Here his death occurred September 25, 1887. He was a member of the Lutheran church at Lancaster. He never desired public office but always took an interest in township affairs and cast his vote with the Democratic party. His death removed from Pleasant Township a very worthy man. the 26th of the following October, when he was deemed sufficiently recovered to return home. Among the many battles in which he participated were: Wild Cat, Ky., Mil- lers' Springs, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge and Stone River. Mr. Yencer rented farm land as soon as he was able to return to active pursuits and afterward bought a farm and still owns 118 acres in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County. On April 9, 1891, he moved to Basil and went into the business above mentioned, the same being now conducted by his son, Perry D. Yencer.
Mr. Yencer was married to Miss Minerva J. Kemerer and they have six children : Mil- ton, who lives on the home farm, married Clara Walker and they have eight children -Arthur, James, Charles, Emma, Ellen, Catherine, Sadie and William J .; Martin W., who is a physician in practice at Rich- mond, Ind., married Jeanetta Hill; Samuel L., now deceased, married Maggie Maze- land and they had four children-Harry, Ray, Martin and an infant, deceased ; Ada, who married Leo Burton, and they live at Clinton, Ia .; Sadie J., who is the wife of W. H. Barr, of Cleveland; and Perry D., who is in business at Basil. Mr. Yencer is a member of the Reformed church. Politically he is a Republican and he is identified with the G. A. R. and the Masonic fraternity.
WILLIAM F. HARTMAN, a well known farmer and stock raiser of Pleasant Township, residing on his farm of eighty- five acres, owns a second farm in the same township, which contains eighty acres. He was born March 7, 1859, in Pleasant Town- ship, and is a son of William and Margaret (Mertz) Hartman, both of whom were born
William F. Hartman grew to manhood on his father's farm and obtained his education in the country schools. Farming and stock raising have occupied his attention and he has long been numbered with the successful agriculturists of this section. In 1892 he came to his present farm but he manages both his properties and yearly has some very fine stock to market.
Mr. Hartman married Miss Matilda Ruff, a daughter of the late John Ruff, of Hock- ing County, O., and they have six children -Concordia M., William F., Carl J., Estella L., Ralph J. and Mabel. Mr. Hartman and family belong to the Evangelical Lutheran church at Lancaster, in which he has served as a trustee for several years. In his politi- cal opinions he is a Democrat. He gives hearty support to the public schools and has served as director in School District No. 2. Berne Township.
HON. JAMES M. WEAVER, mayor of the thriving town of Basil, O., and proprie- tor of the only hardware store in the place. . is a thoroughly representative citizen, an active man in public matters and progres- sive in business affairs. He was born in 1864, in Pleasant Township, Fairfield
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County, O., and is a son of Solomon and Eleanor M. (Kraner) Weaver.
Solomon Weaver was a son of one of the old pioneer settlers of Fairfield County, was a well known school teacher and later a sub- stantial farmer, following agricultural pur- suits for twenty-five years. He was prom- inent in public affairs in the county, for a quarter of a century being a justice of the peace, also deputy auditor, and for fifteen years served as deputy probate judge. His death occurred on his farm, in 1886, his life having been one of honorable usefulness. He married Eleanor M. Kraner, who was an aunt of ex-Sheriff Kraner, of Fairfield County, and six children were born to them, namely: W. H., who lives at Tacoma, Wash .; James M. ; Virgil, who is a resident of Columbus: Elmer, who lives at Basil ; Ethel, who is the wife of J. F. Powell, and lives at Columbus ; and Mrs. Viola Snyder, who resides at Basil.
James M. Weaver attended school in Pleasant Township and later completed the teacher's course at Pleasantville. He then turned his attention to educational work and spent five years as a teacher in Fairfield County. Subsequently he embarked in the hardware business at Thurston, where he continued until 1900, when he transferred his interests to Basil and located first in the Mauger Building but in 1908 moved into his own building, having a fine business location.
Mr. Weaver married Miss Ella Brunner. Politically he is a Democrat and during his period of residence at Thurston, was town- ship clerk of Walnut Township and since coming to Liberty Township has been township treasurer. In 1907 he was elected mayor, going into office January 1, 1908, and being reelected, is now in his second term.
He is giving his fellow citizens a clean, careful business administration and his course meets with general approval. Mayor Weaver is identified with the Knights of Pythias at Pleasantville, the Masons at Baltimore, and the Red Men at Thurston.
H. E. YOUNG, president of the First National Bank of Bremen, O., and also gen- eral manager of The Bremen Manufactur- ing Company of this place, is additionally president and manager of the Bremen Mill and Lumber Company. He was born July 25, 1870, at Vigo, Ross County, O., and is a son of E. J. and Sarah (Saylor) Young.
E. J. Young was born and reared in Maine. He was in early manhood when he went to Ross County, O., and he there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring. in .1880. By trade he was a tanner and he also engaged in farming. He married Sarah Saylor, who was born in Pike County, O., and now resides at Commercial Point, in Pickaway County. They had three sons born to them: J. M., H. E. and G. H. In politics the father was a Republican and fraternally an Odd Fellow, and both he and wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church.
H. E. Young completed the common school course in Ross County and then at- tended a commercial college at Dayton, af- terward going to Columbus, where he be- came an employe of the Teachout Sash, Door and Glass Company, and remained for fifteen years. In 1908 he came to Bremen and purchased a one-half interest in the lum- ber business of the J. B. Turner Lumber Company, which was incorporated as the Bremen Mill and Lumber Company, of Bremen. A branch yard is maintained at Rushville. He was one of the charter mem-
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bers and first directors of the First National Bank of Bremen, of which he is president, and, as mentioned above, is. general man- ager and also a director of the Bremen Manufacturing Company, all these business connections being of large importance. He is a Republican in politics and has served as a member of the Board of Education and as a member of the Town Council of Bre- men, being president of this body. In his business activities and as a public man and private citizen, Mr. Young commands the respect and confidence of his associates.
Mr. Young was married to Miss Candace Hixon, who was born in Pike County, O., in February, 1870, a daughter of Benjamin and Triphena Hixon, former highly esteemed residents of Pike County. They have a family of eight children, all of whom are enjoying many advantages: Erwin J., Lucile, Elden R., Zelma, Doris, Loris, Les- ter and Paul LeRoy. The family residence is on Highland Boulevard, Bremen. Mr. Young is a member of the U. C. T.
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JOHN ANDREGG, general farmer and a leading citizen of Liberty Township, Fair- field County, O., where he owns 106 acres on the Ridge road, one and one-half miles northwest of Basil, was born in Licking County, O., in 1842, and is a son of John U. Andregg, who was a native of Canton Bern, Switzerland.
The father of Mr. Andregg came to the United States in early manhood. He was a shoemaker by trade and probably settled in Licking County, O., because of others of his countrymen having found homes there. After a time he came to Fairfield County and bought sixty acres of land in Liberty Township to which he added by thrift and industry until he owned 102 acres. He was
accidentally killed in his fifty-fifth year. He married Barbara Sheidegger, who survived him and five of their seven children are yet living.
John Andregg obtained his education in boyhood in one of the old log cabin school- houses of the district, with slab benches and other primitive furnishings. As soon as the Civil War broke out he became anxious to enter the army and on August 4, 1862, en- listed in Co. D, 90th O. Vol. Inf., and served faithfully until, in the battle of Stone River he was so severely injured that it brought about his discharge. He recalls his old cffi- cers with admiration-General Thomas, Col. I. N. Ross and Captain Perry. He saw hard service and prior to the battle of Stone River had taken part in many others, in- cluding Perryville and Wild Cat Mountain. After he recovered from his injuries he worked at various things for a time and then, after marriage, settled on his present farm in 1872, which is one of the finest and best kept-up farms in the township and for some years has been under the management of his son. Mr. Andregg made all the im- provements on his place and has two barns -one for sheep and one for cattle and horses. One of them is one of the largest barns in Liberty Township.
Mr. Andregg's present wife was formerly Minnie Capell and no children have been born to this union. In politics he is a Demo- crat and he has served both as treasurer and trustee of Liberty Township and for nine years was on the agricultural board. He attends the Evangelical church at Balti- more, and is identified with the Odd Fel- lows and the G. A. R.
JAMES SCHIRM, a leading citizen of Violet Township, township treasurer and
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also treasurer of the township school fund, has been engaged in the drug business at Pickerington since 1883, and is one of the representative men of the town. He was born in Violet Township, May 5, 1858, and is a son of Christopher F. and Catherine (Smith) Schirm.
Christopher F. Schirm was born in Ger- many, a son of Christopher F., who brought his family to America and settled first in Pennsylvania. Christopher F. Schirm, Jr., was a young man when the family came 'to Violet Township. He followed the trades of brick mason and plasterer and also en- gaged in farming. The structure known as Job Church, standing south of Pickering- ton, was erected by Mr. Schirm and is a specimen of his ability and honesty as a inason, showing little of the ravages of time. His death occurred in 1897. He married Catherine Smith, who was born in Pennsyl- vania.
James Schirm was educated in the pub- iic schools of Violet Township and re- mained on the home farm during boyhood and youth and then came to Pickerington and has been in the drug business here ever since he was twenty-five years of age, for six years being in partnership with Mr. Wright, since which he has been sole pro- prietor. He followed in the footsteps of his father in his affiliation with the Demo- cratic party. Mr. Schirm served four years as treasurer of the village of Pickerington and in other offices of trust and in all his financial transactions has deserved the con- fidence with which his fellow citizens re- gard him. Mr. Schirm married Miss Mary J. Bauer, a daughter of John F. Bauer, a for- iner resident of Pickerington.
ship's representative citizens and success- ful agriculturists, carries on general farm- ing and stock raising and owns 160 acres of fine land on which he lives, and another farm of eighty acres, which lies north of the first tract. He was born in 1858, on the second farm mentioned, situated two and one-half miles north of Baltimore, Fairfield County, O., and is a son of Emanuel and Catherine (Tschopp) Alt, of Swiss ancestry.
D. W. Alt obtained his education in the schools of Liberty Township and has made farming and its contingent industries his business through life. He came to his pres- ent farm in 1892 and has developed his land to its fullest capacity. He engages also in stock raising and each year has a satisfac- tory showing along this line. Since taking up his home here he has done a large amount of improving, such as appeals to a good and careful farmer and all the build- ings here he put up with the exception of the farm house which was already on the place.
Mr. Alt married Miss Gela Macklin and they have two sons: Charles Pearl, who operates his father's eighty-acre farm and resides directly across the road from the old home, married Vera Vial; and Russell W., who is a student in the Ohio State Univer- sity. Mr. Alt and family belong to the Re- formed church at Basil. He is a Democrat in politics and has served the township offi- cially for many years, being first elected a trustee in 1907 and reelected in 1909, and for nineteen years has been a member of the county board of agriculture. He has served also as a school director and his judgment is consulted on all matters of local importance, his fellow citizens having full confidence in his business capacity and per-
D. W. ALT, who is one of Liberty Town- sonal integrity.
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GEORGE W. MOSS, a representative member of the Lancaster bar and an active, interested and useful citizen of Lancaster, O., was born in Fairfield County, O., August 10, 1870, and is a son of Samuel F. and Mary (Hearl) Moss.
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