USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of Huron County, Ohio, Its Progress and Development, Volume II > Part 31
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John Lawler obtained a good practical education in the district schools of his native township and has always continued to reside here, following the occupa- tion of farming as a life work. In 1905 he bought his present place of one hun- dred acres from his father-in-law and has met with a gratifying and well merited measure of prosperity in his agricultural interests, the fields annually yielding golden harvests in return for the care and labor which he bestows upon them.
On the 7th of April, 1891, Mr. Lawler was united in marriage to Miss Cath- arine Winzer1, who was born in Lyme township in April, 1864. Her parents, John and Eliza (Kehoe) Winzer1, were natives of Germany and Ireland respectively, the former having come to America in 1848, while the latter crossed the Atlantic
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in 1851. Both were employed on farms for some time, but after their marriage, in 1861, Mr. Winzerl purchased a farm of one hundred acres in Lyme township, where they continued to make their home until called from this life. They were Catholics in religious faith and were the parents of three children, namely: John ; Catharine, wife of our subject : and Julia, deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Lawler have been born five children: Joseph, John, Sadie, Wilfred and Loretta, all at home. The parents are devoted and faithful members of the Catholic church and are well known and highly esteemed throughout the county in which they spent their entire lives.
FRANK B. GANNETT.
Frank B. Gannett, a well known, successful and enterprising agriculturist of Fairfield township, was born in the state of New York on the 15th of February, 1869. When a little lad of six years he was adopted by Thomas Gannett, who had no children of his own and whose farm he inherited at the time of Mr. Gan- nett's death in 1901. Thomas Gannett, whose birth occurred in England in Sep- tember, 1845, devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits throughout his active business career. It was in 1866 that he took up his abode on a farm in Fairfield township, Huron county, Ohio, having purchased the property from James Buck, of Norwalk. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Emma Sweet, was born in England in 1834. They were well known and highly esteemed throughout the community as people of genuine personal worth and upright, honorable lives.
Frank B. Gannett attended the schools of North Fairfield in the acquirement of an education that would equip him for the practical and responsible duties of life. Since putting aside his text-books he has given his attention to the work of general farming, in which line of activity he has won a gratifying and well merited degree of prosperity, being the owner of one hundred and forty acres of rich and productive land in Fairfield township. This is the oldest farm in the township and on it was erected the first frame house in Fairfield. The place is now equipped with a number of substantial buildings, which are kept in a state of excellent repair, and in addition to raising the cereals best adapted to soil and climate Mr. Gannett also feeds sheep, hogs and cattle on quite an extensive scale. He likewise engages in the sale of machine oils and all lubricating oils, which he supplies through three townships, disposing of about one hundred and fifty bar- rels annually. In all of his business affairs he is alert and enterprising, meeting with the measure of success which always rewards earnest, persistent and well directed labor.
In September, 1898, Mr. Gannett was united in marriage to Miss Georgina Duncan, whose birth occurred in Ontario, Canada, on the 4th of April, 1862. Her father, Robert Duncan, who was born on the 10th of May, 1828, passed away June 10, 1903. He was of Scotch descent and made his home at Bluevale, Ontario, of which town his father was one of the first settlers. The mother of Mrs. Gannett was born in 1829 and was a second cousin of Sir John A. Mc-
MR. AND MRS. FRANK B. GANNETT
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Donald, the premier of Canada. Her demise occurred on the 7th of April, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Gannett now have two children, namely: Norman Thomas, born February 28, 1902 ; and Robert Duncan, who first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 18th of March, 1904. A resident of this county for more than a third of a century, Mr. Gannett is widely known within its borders and the sub- stantial qualities which he has displayed in his citizenship and in his business re- lations have gained him a high place in the regard and good will of his fellow townsmen.
C. E. WARD.
Success-is not a matter of genius, as held by some, but is the outcome of clear judgment, experience and indefatigable energy. This truth is manifest in an analyzation of the life record of all those men who are pushing their way to the front and seeking their advancement in the legitimate lines of trade. It is proven again in the history of C. E. Ward, a prominent regalia manufacturer of New Lon- don, where he has developed a business of large and profitable proportions, utiliz- ing every advantage that has come to hand and carefully watchful of all details pointing to success.
Ohio numbers Mr. Ward among her native sons, his birth having occurred in Sullivan, Ashland county, on the 9th of January, 1873. His parents were Jacob and Ellen (Hubler) Ward, who were also natives of this state, the Hubler family coming from Pennsylvania at an early day. C. E. Ward was one of three children and an only son. He lost his mother when five years of age and in early life was thrown upon his own resources. His educational opportunities were those afforded by the public schools of New London but the necessity of providing for his own support prevented him from obtaining a higher education. He is essentially a self-made man, one who has risen from the humble position of a clerkship in a grocery store to the head of an extensive, prosperous and growing manufacturing concern at the age of thirty-six years, an accomplishment which speaks for itself. He made his initial step in the business world as a grocery clerk, being thus em- ployed for a few years when as a result of his industry, integrity and foresight, he was enabled to engage in business on his own account as a dealer in furniture.
The Regalia Manufacturing business which "has made New London famous" was established in a very modest way by W. S. Bellville and R. B. Powers in 1889 and after a short time, they sold out to W. E. Clemmons and S. O. Curtis. On the 13th of July, 1895, Mr. Ward purchased the interest of Mr. Curtis and car- ried on a business in partnership with Mr. Clemmons. The manufacturing depart- ment was conducted upstairs in connection with the furniture business below. In January, 1904, Mr. Clemmons was about to sell his interest to Mr. Powers, but before the deal was consummated, Mr. Ward induced him to sell to E. R. Stillson and in connection with the latter carried on the business as Ward & Stillson, until September 19, 1905, when Mr. Stillson bought out Mr. Ward's interest and organ- ized an incorporated company under the title of the Ward Stillson Company. Mr. Ward then erected his present manufactory and organized the C. E. Ward
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Company, of which he is president while his father is vice-president. He com- menced business under this style October 1, 1905, in the manufacture of regalia and the enterprise has grown enormously, the rapid development of the trade being indicated in the fact that this year's business will reach over a quarter of a million dollars. They employ a superior class of help, both male and female, and the firm is represented on the road by seven traveling salesmen while the business extends throughout the United States and Canada. Mr. Ward is a bright, genial man, energetic, far-sighted and progressive and while his success is notable it is equally well deserved.
In 1895, occurred the marriage of Mr. Ward and Miss Daisy E. White, a daughter of Daniel White, an old resident of New London and a Civil war vet- eran. Mr. Ward's father was also a Union soldier, serving with the Twenty- fifth Independent Battery of the Light Artillery. Two children, Sterling and Virginia, have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Ward and with the parents constitute the members of the household. Mr. Ward is a valued representative of the Masonic fraternity in which he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scot- tish Rite. He is also connected with other orders and while he is no office seeker, his business interests preclude the possibility of active participation in public affairs as an office holder. He is an ardent republican, stands for clean govern- ment and is opposed to anything like misrule in municipal affairs. He concen- trates his energies upon his business, which demands his entire time and in its control, he displays marked executive ability, keen discernment and a power of wisely co-ordinating forces so as to produce an unified and harmonious whole. His business has been notably successful for within a brief period he has built up an enterprise second to no productive industry in New London or this part of the county.
S. J. RUMMELL.
S. J. Rummell, carrying on general agricultural pursuits, his time and energies being devoted to the further development, cultivation and improvement of a farm of sixty-three acres of land, is numbered among the native sons of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Ottawa county on the Ist of March, 1856, a son of Sebastian and Applelona (Diehl) Rummell. As a boy he was reared amid the wholesome influence and environment of rural life and later his time was largely divided be- tween the work of the schoolroom and the duties of the fields. Arriving at years of maturity, he wisely chose as his life work the occupation to which he had been reared and has largely devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He has, how- ever, in the past given some attention to painting and butchering but is now en- gaged in general farming. His place of sixty-three acres has a well kept appear- ance and the fields, which he has brought under a high state of cultivation, annually bring forth rich harvests. He practices rotation of crops, while the work of plowing, planting and harvesting is systematically done, due attention being given to the condition and quality of the soil.
In 1880 Mr. Rummell was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Vogus, a daughter of Fred Vogus, and unto this union have been born the following children : Mandy,
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Fred, Anna, Nettie. Ida, Laura, Albert and Albertina. In politics Mr. Rummell is a stanch democrat, giving loyal support to the principles of that party and doing all in his power to extend its influence in the community. Both he and his wife are members of the Catholic church and are highly respected for their many good traits of character. Mr. Rummell has never sought to figure prominently in a pub- lic way, preferring always to concentrate his energies upon his business affairs which, carefully conducted, are bringing to him gratifying returns. Although he has lived in this locality only nine years, he nevertheless has gained a wide circle of ยท friends who entertain for him warm regard.
CHARLES W. ABBEY.
Charles W. Abbey is cultivating a farm of ninety-three acres in Norwalk town- ship and is a farmer whose well directed energy and keen foresight are bringing to him a creditable measure of prosperity. He was born in the northern peninsula of Michigan on the 24th of August, 1849, a son of Aaron and Elizabeth (Todd) Abbey. On the paternal side he comes of Welsh lineage, the line of descent ex- tending down from John Abbey, through his son Shuble, who married Sarah San- ford and in turn became the father of Aaron Abbey, who was born September 10, 1825, in Ashtabula county, Ohio. The mother of our subject was born in Bui- falo, New York, November 14, 1829, and is a daughter of Augustus and Arna (Cole) Todd. On both the paternal and maternal sides the men have been long- lived, Shuble Abbey, the grandfather of our subject, having lived to the venerable age of ninety-six years. He was extremely active during his entire life and when eighty-five years old climbed a chestnut tree and shook down the nuts. Henry Francisco, the great-great-grandfather, lived to the remarkable age of one hun- dred and thirty-four years. He was of French descent and resided in New York. When one hundred years old he plowed with a yoke of oxen, and at the age of four- teen years he played the bugle at the coronation of Queen Anne. In the family of Aaron Abbey and his wife were five children : Henry A., Albert A., Charles W .. Edward A. and Walter S.
As a farm boy Charles W. Abbey spent the days of boyhood and youth and in the public schools he acquired a fair education that qualified him to take up the more responsible duties of life when he put aside the tasks of the schoolroom. He remained at home until about eighteen years of age, when he purchased the farm upon which he now resides and started out in business on his own account. He has made this farm his home for forty-two years and in the meantime has brought it under a fine state of cultivation. He is up-to-date and progressive in his methods and his well directed energy and close application to business have been the means of bringing to him a most gratifying degree of success.
Mr. Abbey was united in marriage on the Ist of May, 1872, to Miss Matilda Florence Lockwood, a daughter of Eli and Anna (Howarth) Lockwood, of Hu- ron county. Their home has been blessed with one son, Bernard, who was born February 3, 1875, and married Miss Orpha Allman. Fraternally Mr. Abbey is a Mason and holds membership in a Michigan lodge, while his son, Bernard, belongs
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to the Elks and the Maccabees of Norwalk. He is independent in politics and is governed by the character of the candidates rather than by any feeling of par- tisanship. He is not neglectful of the responsibilities as well as the privileges of citizenship, but at all times lends his aid to further any measure which has for its object the substantial and permanent upbuilding and welfare of the community. As he has made his home for many years in Huron county, he has a wide acquain- tance here and his friends know him as an enterprising agriculturist and a man of genuine personal worth.
E. W. SMITH.
E. W. Smith. a well known and prominent farmer and horse dealer of Ripley township, may well claim the proud American title of a self-made man, inasmuch as the prosperity which he now enjoys has been won entirely through his own ef- forts and has come as the result of indefatigable industry and well directed energy. Born on the 16th of February, 1865, in this township, he is a son of Otis and Mary Jane (Welsh) Smith, the former born in Onondaga county, New York, in 1832, while the latter's birth occurred in Ripley township, Huron county, in 1838. The paternal grandfather, Henry Smith, was born in New York in 1800 and came to Ohio at an early date, purchasing the farm upon which our subject now resides in 1840. He married Caroline Redfield, and in their family were the following chil- dren : Otis, Henry, Jane and two who passed away in infancy. The mother of our subject was the daughter of Nicholas V. and Susan (Styles) Welsh, and was the eldest in a family of four children, the others being Peter, John and Rachel. Nich- olas Welsh was born in 1819 in Maryland and is a son of John Welsh. His grandfather, John Welsh, Sr., was the founder of the family in America, com- ing from Wales when nineteen years of age and locating in Maryland. The family was numbered among the slave traders of that state at one time, but upon their removal to Ohio they freed all of their slaves. Mr. Welsh, like many other south- erners, was raised by an old black mammy. The family of Otis Smith and his wife consisted of five children, namely, Warren, Charles, Ralph, E. W. and Verna.
Amid the scenes and environments of agricultural life E. W. Smith was reared to manhood, acquiring his education in the district schools, and when not engaged with his text-books he assisted his father in the work of the fields, his training in general farming being most thorough and comprehensive. He remained at home until he attained his majority and then started out in business for himself. Most of his life has been devoted to agricultural pursuits and he now owns a fine farm of one hundred and ninety-eight acres of land which, in its well improved and at- tractive appearance, indicates the thrift and progressiveness of its owner. For ten years, however, he operated a livery and sale stable in Plymouth, and he now deals in horses, making a specialty of breeding trotters. He has been very successful in his various undertakings and is now ranked among the substantial and representa- tive agriculturists of Huron county.
It was on the 19th of August, 1885, that Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Ella Watts, who was born in East Cleveland, Ohio, in January, 1866, a daugh-
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ter of Frank and Elizabeth (Lester) Watts. She was the sister of Hattie, Sarah, Grace and Alberta Watts, and by her marriage to Mr. Smith became the mother of two sons : Forest, born in December, 1888; and Charles, born in May, 1897. The eldest son, who is a graduate of the Plymouth high school, taught school for several years and in the fall of 1909 entered the Ohio State University. The family are members of the Methodist church of Plymouth, and are people of high repute in the community in which they reside.
Mr. Smith holds membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in politics is a stalwart republican, giving his unwavering support to that party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. Although he has confined his attention closely to business, yet he has found time to interest himself in those affairs which should always claim the attention of every good citizen, and his in- fluence is ever on the side of progress, improvement, reform and advancement. His has been a life of continuous activity in which has been accorded due recogni- tion of honest labor, and in this community, where he has resided throughout his entire lifetime, he has gained an extensive circle of warm friends, who entertain for him high regard, while the fact that he is most liked where best known indicates that his salient characteristics are in accord with the principles of honorable and upright manhood.
HORACE B. SILLIMAN.
One of the prosperous farmers of Ripley township and one of the extensive landholders, is Horace B. Silliman. Although not one of Ohio's native sons he early saw the great agricultural possibilities of the state and for more than half a century, has made it his home. He was born in Fairfield county, Connecti- cut, September 13, 1832, and is the son of Joseph and Lucinda ( Banks) Silliman. The Silliman family is of Dutch and English descent, but has for several genera- tions been connected with the life of this country. The father, Joseph Silliman, was born in 1790 in the county that was later the birthplace of his son and was the eldest of the family of nine that were born of the union of Justice Silliman and Miss Ruth Jennings. The other children were: Abijah, Daniel, Stephen, Sarah, Ruth, Abigail, Marinda and Isaac. Mrs. Lucinda Silliman was also born in Fairfield county, Connecticut, but was two years younger than her husband, her birth having occurred in the year 1792. She was the daughter of Thomas Banks and his wife and the sister of Jane, Amelia, Sarah, Esther and Rachel. Through her marriage with Joseph Silliman she became the mother of three children: Horace B., George and Sarah Eliza.
Horace B. Silliman first came to Ohio in 1849, when he was but seventeen years of age and remained but ten months staying with' his brother George who was a resident of Fairfield. The impressions formed on this visit, however, were so favorable, that he returned to his home with the intention of disposing of his property as quickly as possible and coming again to this state, which though not as well developed as at present, seemed to offer great opportunities, especially to the man who was willing to work. In 1855, he sold his property in Connecti-
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eut and came to Ripley township, where he purchased the one hundred and eighty-four aeres on which he now lives. The years have proved the wisdom of his decision. He has been more successful than he had even dared to hope ; the land brought him rich harvests, and when he engaged in the stoek business, it too prospered, so that he has been able from time to time to add to his origi- nal land holdings until he now has three hundred and forty aeres in Ripley town- ship.
In the April of the year preceding his advent to Ohio, that of 1854, Mr. Silli- man married Miss Abigail Hawkins, who was born August 20, 1833. in Fairfield county, Connectieut, and is a daughter of Eben and Clara (Wakeman) Hawkins. The parents had a family of eight children, of whom Mrs. Silliman is the youngest. The others were Burr, William, Elihu, Arella, Sarah, Mary and Adaline. To Mr. and Mrs. Silliman have been born eleven children : Georgiana, William, Frank, Dwight, Edward, Clara, Mary, Ella and three who died in infaney.
In politics, Mr. Silliman affiliates with the demoeratie party and has taken a vital interest in the affairs of the township, having served for a number of years as trustee and at several different times as assessor. He is also respon- sible to some degree for the financial stability of the county, for he was one of the founders of the People's Bank at Plymouth and the Farmers Bank at Green- wieh, and sinee their establishment has been upon their boards of directors. Yet the position of esteem which he holds in the community is due entirely to his own efforts, because he seizcd opportunities when they presented themselves and made others whenever he saw the slightest possibility of gaining and advancing by them. Fraternally, he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and with the Royal Areanum.
ISABELLA CONGER.
Isabella Conger, of Greenfield township, who is eondueting the farm on the one hundred and fifty-one aeres of land left by her husband, was born in this township, June 25, 1831, and is a daughter of Edward and Martha (Lovell) Lowther. Her paternal grandfather, Henry Lowther, was born in Ireland and came to the United States at the time of the rebellion in his home land. He settled in New York state, beeame a farmer and acquired considerable property, which he lost by going bond for a friend. His son Edward Lowther, the father of Mrs. Conger, was born in New York eity in 1800. At the age of seventeen he eame west to Ohio, loeating in Greenfield township, Huron eounty, where he purchased land and lived the re- mainder of his days. Captain Lowther he was generally ealled, for he was at one time captain of the militia and was otherwise prominent in his seetion of the coun- ty, for he held many township offices during the period of his residenee here and was a conspicuous figure in the Universalist church. His life was brought to a close in 1886. His wife was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and eame with her parents to Ohio when it was a dense forest and when Indians were fre- quent visitors to the homes of the white settlers. Quite a different county did she leave in 1887, when her eighty-one years of activity were ended by death. She
MR. AND MRS. LEWIS L. CONGER
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became the mother of the following children: Thomas, deceased; Mariette, the widow of Ira Watterman; Isabella, of this sketch; Jackson, of Sherwood, Ohio ; Sarah, the widow of William Graham; Helen, the deceased wife of Dexter Mason ; Martha, the wife of Barnett Rowe; and James.
Greenfield township has always been Mrs. Conger's home. She was born here in a little log house and in the district schools received such an education as they were able to give. She took part in the work that was carried on at the home farm, such work as a girl could do, and was about twenty years of age when she was sought in marriage by Lewis Conger, the son of Elijah and Hannah (Lud- low) Conger. Mr. Conger was born September 8, 1824, at Ludlowville, New York, and in 1833, came with his parents to Milan, Ohio, where he worked with his father in a mill until 1850, when the family moved to Greenfield township. In 1870 Mr. Conger bought the farm on which his widow now lives from Jacob Nog- gle, and as it was in an almost rude state, the many improvements that it now possesses are to be laid to Mr. Conger's credit.
On the 10th of February, 1853, Mr. Conger and Miss Lowther were united in the holy bonds of matrimony, and the forty-four years during which they were permitted to travese life's pathway together were blessed with four children. Ed- ward L., who lives in Greenfield township, married Miss Nellie Hall and has two children, May and Ray. Halsey died at the age of five months. Julia, now deceased, was the wife of Charles Palmer and the mother of two children, Florence and Charles. Lewis, who lives on the farm with his mother, was married to Miss Ada Daly, of Greenfield township and is the father of a daughter Isabelle. Mr. Conger was called to his final rest November 11, 1899, and during the subsequent years the son Lewis has taken full charge of the farm, has conducted its work and managed its finances.
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