USA > Ohio > Huron County > History of Huron County, Ohio, Its Progress and Development, Volume II > Part 34
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Sherman O. Noble spent the period of his boyhood and youth upon his father's farm and is indebted to the district school system for the educational privileges which he enjoyed. When not engaged with his text-books, he assisted his father in the work of the fields and early became familiar with the tasks that fall to the lot of the country lad. He remained under the parental roof until he attained his majority, when, entering business life on his own account, he wisely chose as his life work the occupation to which he had been reared. He has since that time directed his energies toward agricultural pursuits, being the owner of an excellent farm of three hundred and ten acres, situated in Ripley township, which, under the care and labor bestowed upon it, has become one of the valuable and desirable properties of the township. In addition to his general farming, he de- votes much time to stock interests, being an extensive buyer and shipper of general stock, while he makes a specialty of breeding heavy draft horses and also thoroughbred short-horned cattle. He is a stockholder in the Clinton Air Line Telephone Company, and his various business interests, which are capably con-
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ducted along modern and progressive lines, are proving a source of gratifying and substantial income.
It was in July, 1893, that Mr. Noble was united in marriage to Miss Alice Cherry, the youngest daughter of William and Emma (Hester) Cherry, her sisters being Lina and Rose. As the years have come and gone the home of Mr. and Mrs. Noble has been blessed with three children, namely: Paul, who was born in 1895; Nona, whose birth occurred in 1897; and Thelma, born in 1898. At the polls Mr. Noble gives his allegiance to the republican party, which organization he has supported since age conferred upon him the right of fran- chise. He is now serving his fourth term as township trustee, which office he is filling with entire credit to himself. He is public-spirited in his citizenship, lend- ing his aid to all measures which have for their object the growth and welfare of the community. He is a man of excellent business ability and sound judgment, and the success which he today enjoys has come to him as the result of his own labor, economy and indomitable energy.
MATHIAS CLAUS.
Mathias Claus, a retired farmer of Sherman township, Huron county, and the owner of one hundred and thirty-three acres of fine land, was born in Ger- many, October 20, 1834, and is the son of Mathias and Mary Claus. The par- ents came to this country with their family in 1852, and settled in Sherman town- ship, where they bought forty acres of land, on which was a log cabin. In this, they made their home for about five years, and then sold that land, buying a lar- ger tract in the same township, which was their home until they were called to their final rest. The father attained the advanced age of eighty-two, but the mother was granted only forty years. By their union, were born five children : Helen, the widow of a Mr. Fisher, and a resident of Bellevue, Ohio; Martin, a resident of Sherman township; Mathias ; and George, of Sherman township.
Mathias Claus was but fifteen years of age when his parents came to this county and here he has made his home ever since. He received the greater part of his education in the land of his birth, but after locating here attended night school for a time to become proficient in the English language. He began to learn agricultural pursuits in his early youth and has devoted his life to that calling. On his present farm, he has lived for a period of thirty-seven years and during this time has greatly improved its condition and increased its value beyond what it was when he purchased it from John Strupe. For a short period, however, he left the quiet life on the farm for the noise and danger of the bat- tlefield, for in 1864, he enlisted in Company C, Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry. He joined his regiment at Sandusky, Ohio, and went to Camp Chase, from there going to Nashville, Tennessee. He was in a number of battles and skirmishes in and about Nashville, and at the battle of Franklin, was severely injured by jumping over a breastwork. In 1865, he was mustered out at Nash- ville, after which he returned to his home and has engaged in farming ever since
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though at present he has resigned the active duties of life and has consigned the management of the place to his able sons.
On the 2d of January, 1867, Mr. Claus married Miss Josephine Shank, a daughter of Frank and Helen Shank, of Sherman township. Mrs. Claus was born in Germany, February 14, 1846, and came to this country with her father at the age of eighteen. They settled in Norwich township, where the father died at the age of seventy-five. The mother had passed away many years before in Germany, being only forty-two years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Shank were the par- ents of six children, four of whom are living, the two oldest sons, Frank and Ben- jamin, having passed away. Of the others, Elias lives in Norwich township ; Jose- phine is the wife of our subject ; Carrie is living in Fremont and Agnes in Tiffin, Ohio.
Mr and Mrs. Claus have been blessed with nine children: Frank, living at home ; Carrie, the wife of Frank A. Heddle, of Monroeville and the mother of four children : Clarence, Loretta, Irene and Walter; Mary, the wife of John Rossman, of Monroeville and the mother of two children: Oliva and Lucien ; Josephine, who is the wife of Ed. G. Bick, of Peru township and has one daughter, Beatrice ; William, who married Miss Florence Holliday, lives in Peru township, and has three children : Colletta, Donald and Josephine; Louisa, living at home ; Joseph, who lives in Peru township; and two youngest, Emma and Fred, both at home. The family are all members of the Catholic church at Bismarck.
Mr. Claus has taken an active part in local affairs as a strong republican and has served as road superintendent as the choice of his party. He has also for several terms been a member of the school board, giving his aid to any progres- sive movements in the cause of local education. After having put aside the more onerous of his life's duties and responsibilities, he lives in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil and in the good will of those who know him, for he is a man who has made and retains many stanch friends.
WILLIAM T. SILSBY.
One of the notable places of Greenwich township is the Fairmount Stock Farm, not only because of its old rural beauty and completeness but for the public-spirited character of its proprietor, William T. Silsby. He was born on the 15th of April, 1868, in East Cleveland, Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and is the son of Sylvester and Beulah (Brockway) Silsby. The mother was a native of Utica, New York, but the father was born in Ackworth, Connecticut, and was a direct descendant of one of the pilgrims who came to this country in the historic Mayflower. During their childhood Mr. and Mrs. Silsby were brought to Ohio by their respective parents, the families locating in East Cleveland, the father becoming the owner and operator of stone quarries but later in life turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits. He died in August, 1894, honored and respected by all who knew him, and his wife passed away in December, 1898.
William T. Silsby was liberally educated in the public schools of Cleveland and was reared among the busy activities of a farm near that growing city. Here he
WILLIAM T. SILSBY AND FAMILY
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laid the foundation stone of all successful life-the power and spirit of work. Af- ter his marriage he located in Dawson, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where for one year he was employed as foreman of the works of the W. J. Raney Coal & Coke Company but at the end of that time he returned to Cleveland and the following six years were devoted to farming and to the dairy business. Selling his interests in that city in 1899, he came to Huron county and purchased the old Cyrus Mead farm of three hundred and twenty acres of excellent land in Green- wich township. This is a well improved place and to its further development and cultivation he has since devoted his energies, being successfully engaged in both general farming and stock-raising. He makes a specialty of breeding fine draft horses and short horned cattle and the products of the Fairmount Stock Farm have become widely known for their excellence. One of his sons. Charles W., is devoting considerable attention to the raising of rose comb white Leghorn chickens. In the midst of the farm stands a fine country home equipped with all of the modern appliances, the house and barns being lighted by a private electric plant and supplied with water by their own system of waterworks. Here hos- pitality is dispensed and friends served unstintedly, the Silsbys being noted for much graciousness the countryside over.
It was on the 3Ist of March, 1891, that Mr. Silsby was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Stoltzenberg, a daughter of Christian and Fredrika (Yurand) Stoltzenberg, of Cleveland. Her father, who was a well known farmer and hotel- keeper, and was highly respected, died some years ago, but her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Silsby have become the parents of seven children, all sons, namely : Ralph H., deceased ; Christopher C .; Charles W .; Oliver P .; Harry Z. : Valentine T .; and Lincoln W. All have been provided with excellent educational privileges, Mr. and Mrs. Silsby taking an active interest in educational affairs and realizing the value of good school privileges. Christopher C. is attending the Greenwich high school and is an enthusiastic ball player and all around athlete.
In addition to his other business Mr. Silsby was one of the promoters of the Clinton Airline Telephone Company, of which he is now president and which makes a specialty of rural service. This company has only been in existence for the past four years but already has about five hundred patrons and is connected with other rural lines, giving free service to more than one thousand patrons. At this rate of rapid growth the Clinton Airline bids fair to become one of the leading telephone companies of the state.
A man who attends successfully to his own private interests is generally will- ing to lend his talents to the prosecution of public interests. With fine public spirit Mr. Silsby has always entered actively into the public life of the community in which he has happened to reside. The late movement for good roads has found in him an especially active friend, and he was sincere and successful in his ad- vocacy of the forty thousand dollar bond issue to improve Greenwich township roads. Having reared a family of bright children, he naturally has always been a great friend of education and the idea of the centralized school has appealed strongly to him. But it is useless to further enumerate the public improvements which have at different times secured his support, for Mr. Silsby has always been in the forefront in the battle for the uplift of society. A democrat in politics, Mr.
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Silsby is active in the interests of his party. He is a member of the county board of elections and while a party man, he has the name of being fair to the opposition.
Socially he is a member of O. K. Lodge, No. 616, K. P., and is also identified with the Greenwich Lodge, No. 640, I. O. O. F. In the former he is a past chan- cellor and is at present a member of the board of trustees of the lodge. He is a great worker while he works, but he believes in the maxim "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." In season therefore he indulges in hunting and fishing and is known as one of the best sportsmen in the township.
LEWIS WOODRUFF.
Lewis Woodruff is an active factor in business circles in Fairfield township, where he owns and occupies a farm of one hundred and thirty acres. His at- tention, however, is not all given to the tilling of the soil for he also devotes some time to carpentering and is leading a very busy and useful life. He is numbered among the native sons of the county, his birth having occurred in Peru township on the 7th of Arpil, 1852. His parents were Chancey and Juliet (Sanders) Wood- ruff, the former born in Huron county in 1820 and the latter in Peru township in 1827. The paternal grandfather of our subject was George Woodruff, while the maternal grandparents were John and Maria (Cleary) Sanders. Unto the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Chancey Woodruff were born two sons and a daughter : Lewis, Stanley and Nellie.
The youthful days of Lewis Woodruff were quietly passed in the pursuits of the home farm. He obtained his education in the public schools and through the periods of vacation worked in the fields, assisting his father in their develop- ment. He was early trained to habits of industry and economy and learned val- uable lessons concerning persistency of purpose and unfaltering diligence.
On the 19th of January. 1876, Mr. Woodruff was married to Miss Addie Felton, who was born in Norwich township, Huron county, February 13, 1855. Her father, Ephraim Felton, was a son of James and Eunice (Wheeler) Felton, and, having arrived at years of maturity, he wedded Mary Gilson, by whom he had three children: Asa, Celia and Melissa. For his second wife he married Mary Ann Fitch, who was born in Huron county, Ohio, in 1810 and was a daugh- ter of Berlin and Susanna (Hawks) Fitch. The children of the second union were : Addie, Mary, Lillian and Emma. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wood- ruff has been blessed with five children : Marion, who was born in 1877 ; Stanley, in 1878: Anna, in 1880: Myrtle, in 1886; and Harry, in 1889.
Since attaining his majority Lewis has resided upon a farm and is the owner of one hundred and thirty acres of productive land which is well improved and returns to him a gratifying income because of the care and labor which he be- stows upon the fields. He is now working at the carpenter's trade and in that department of business displays skill and ability, possessing much natural me- chanical ability and ingenuity. In community affairs, he is interested, co-operating in many measures for the general good. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and for six years, he served as a trustee of Fairfield township.
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Fraternally he is connected with the Maccabees and the Grange. Having spent his entire life in this locality, he has a wide acquaintance and his record as a business man and citizen entitles him to the friendly regard in which he is uni- formly held.
ALBION D. MAYNARD.
Albion D. Maynard, who for a number of years combined the occupation of farming with his trade as a blacksmith, is now conducting a blacksmith and re- pair shop in Boughtonville. He was born in Ripley township, January 12, 1848, and is a son of Deranzil and Annis (Ingersoll) Maynard. The father was born in the state of New York in 1812 and was a son of David and Nancy Maynard, who were the parents of nine children : David, John, Deranzil, George, Ira, Mary, Laura, Lucy and Thomas. The mother was born January 19, 1816, and was a daughter of Ralph Ingersoll and his wife. To them were born seven children: Luther, Lewis, Darius, Harriet, Amanda, Annis and Polly. To Mr. and Mrs. Deranzil Maynard have been born six children: Nancy F., David A., Albion D., Robert A., Lucy L. and Mortimer I. The father followed the life of a farmer and was active in the public affairs of his township, not shunning the duties of office when the people wished so to honor him. He has been a stanch republican since that party was organized to supplant the old line whigs, and to support the nation in its hour of need.
The son of a farmer, it was but natural that Albion D. Maynard should fol- low the same kind of work. In his youth, however, he learned the trade of a blacksmith and finding it profitable has from time to time engaged exclusively in practicing it. For twenty years, he lived in Michigan, farming and working at his trade. Ohio proved to be the state with the stronger attractions and Mr. Maynard returned to his home where he has remained since. His reputation as a skilled workman having been made, the Rinehart & Dennis Construction Com- pany engaged him several years ago to act as foreman over those engaged in their carpenter and trestle work. He was employed by that firm for four years but since the expiration of that time he has not sought other positions as he finds he has all he can do with the work that is brought into his shop.
Mr. Maynard was still in the first years of his young manhood when, on the 28th of August, 1870, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Downey. She was born in Lorain county. Ohio February 4, 1852, and is a daughter of David L. and Ann ( Wilkinson) Downey, the former a native of New York, the latter a Canadian. They were the parents of Orilla, Elizabeth, Priscilla, Elizabeth, Doris, Catherine, Sarah, Flora and Lorenzo. Mr. and Mrs. Maynard's union has been blessed with three children, all of whom have married and established homes of their own. Clifford, born September 23, 1873, married Miss Bertie Cleverly and they have. one child, Donald. Iva, born in 1875, married Frank Gleason. Annis, born September 20, 1878, married Cortland Miller, who is a minister and is located at Walton, Indiana.
The family were reared in the Christian church and still live up to its teach- ings in so far as they are able. Though not a politician nor active in public affairs,
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Mr. Maynard never misses an opportunity to cast his vote for the republican candidates, feeling that it is the duty of every citizen to exercise his right to ballot and believing that that party makes for the stability and progress of the nation's government. A hard working man and conscientious, he has made firm friends among his fellow members of the Tribe of Ben Hur.
DOWNING H. YOUNG, M. D.
Dr. Downing H. Young, whose ability is manifest in the large practice which is accorded him in Wakeman and throughout the surrounding country, was born October 7, 1842, in Mansfield, Ohio, his parents being Downing H. and Ange- line (Marvin) Young. The grandfather Lemuel Young was a Virginian and came to Ohio at a very early date, settling in Holmes county, near Millersburg. He devoted his entire life to the occupation of farming. His son Downing H. Young was born in Virginia, August 6, 1816, and left home when sixteen years of age. He then went to Shelby, Ohio, where he remained for two years, after which he went to Peru, Ohio, and learned the trade of blacksmithing. He fol- lowed that for only a brief period, however. Subsequent to his marriage, which occurred on the 6th of September, 1836, he engaged in merchandising and while devoting his attention to the conduct of his store he also took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar. He practiced both in Shelby and Mansfield, becom- ing a resident of the latter city and as the years passed he attained eminence in his profession. He was very active in the days of the Civil war, doing much to- ward raising troops and giving four sons to the service. Throughout his entire life his citizenship was of a most loyal and progressive character, his cooperation being always counted upon to further any movement for the public good. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Angeline Marvin, was the eldest of fourteen children and the first white child born in Sharon township, Richland county, Ohio, on the site of what is now the city of Shelby. Her parents were Stephen and Sarah (Moyer) Marvin, Connecticut people, who came to Ohio about 1814. Her maternal grandmother in her maidenhood bore the family name of Burr and was a close relative of Aaron Burr. Her family had from the government some of the "Fireland Land Script" for property destroyed by the British. This brought the Moyer family to Ohio and they located land on Blackfork at Shelby, developing there a homestead property which is still in possession of their descendants.
Downing H. and Angeline ( Marvin) Young had a family of eleven children : Hercelia J .; Mary A. : Elmira A .; Samuel Hinkley; Henry St. John; Andrew Jackson ; Downing Howard; Stephen Marvin ; Daniel Sherwood; Sarah Ange- line : and Grace. Of these Hercelia J., Elmira, Downing, Stephen and Sarah are still living. One son, Samuel H. Young, was a member of Company C, First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Captain John Mclaughlin, en- listing in response to the first call for three months' troops. He participated in the first battle of Bull Run and on the expiration of his term of enlistment he rejoined the army as a member of Company C. Sixty-fifth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, which was attached to Sherman's brigade. He participated in a number
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of contests with the enemy and was injured at the battle of Pittsburg Landing. He bore a lieutenant's commission, but his injury necessitated his resignation from the service. Later when he had sufficiently recovered he joined Company H. of the One Hundred and Twenty-eight Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was as- signed to garrison duty on Johnsons Island. He was also a lieutenant in this organization and at the close of the war received a lieutenant's commission in the regular army. He was relieved from duty in 1866 and, returning home, took up newspaper work as editor and publisher of the Shelby Chronicle, continuing in active connection with that paper until his death in 1869. Another son, Henry St. John, was a member of Company C, Sixty-fifth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was a sergeant and was killed at the battle of Stone River. A third son, Andrew Jackson, was a member of Company C, Sixty-fifth Regiment of Ohio Infantry and died in Danville, Kentucky, from pneumonia contracted while on the line of duty. Downing H. Young, of this review, was also a soldier, en- listing in Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-eight Ohio Volunteer Infan- try, with which he served until the close of the war, doing post duty at Johnsons Island. A son-in-law, Jerome B. Howard, who was the husband of Elmira Young, was a member of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio Regiment and while on his way from Columbus, where he had been on detailed duty, to join his com- mand, he was captured and sent to Andersonville prison, where he died. He was a man of fine education and high attainments. After her husband's death his widow studied medicine, winning her degree in the Womans' College in New York in 1868. She then located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she practiced for many years and was eminently successful. She chaperoned a company of young ladies from Cincinnati to the Vienna exposition and during that time took a post-graduate course at the Vienna Hospital. She has now retired from active practice, however, and resides with her son Hiram M., who is an electrical ex- pert, at Palmyra, Illinois. Another son, Jerome B., an editor of the Phonographic Magazine of Cincinnati, is also proprietor of the Pitman shorthand system and likewise a musician of much renown. The military record of this family is cer- tainly a remarkably one and their history in other directions is that of successful achievement.
With his family Downing H. Young, Sr., removed to Toledo, Ohio, in 1857, and there engaged in the practice of law until June, 1860, when he established his home at New Haven, Huron county, where he resided until his death and where the family home it yet maintained. For many years, they have been valued and respected citizens of that district.
Downing H. Young, whose name introduces this review, was educated in the schools of Mansfield, Toledo and New Haven, Ohio. His time was largely spent in school up to the outbreak of the Civil war and following the close of hostili- ties he entered the medical department of the University of Wooster at Cleve- land in 1865. He was graduated in May, 1871, and in the intervening years has since given his time, energies and attention to his profession and duties.
On the 31st of December, 1868, Dr. Young was married to Miss Elizabeth Merrihew, a daughter of Jesse and Charlotte (Lyon) Merrihew, of Knox county, Ohio. They became the parents of two children : Andy Jason and Charlotte M., both of whom still survive, but the mother died in April, 1898. The son is mar-
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ried and resides in Winfield, Kansas, while the daughter is now the wife of Wal- lace Wyandt, of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Dr. Young was married a second time December 5, 1900, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Anna Bunelle, of Wake- man.
Dr. Young began the practice of his profession in Steuben, Huron county, where he remained for three years and then went to Delaware county, Ohio, where he spent three and one-half years. He was afterward located at Chicago Junc- tion until 1901, when he came to Wakeman, where he has since practiced. He has always been a close student of everything bearing upon his chosen line of work and reading and investigation have kept him in close touch with the ad- vance of the profession. For four years, he was the coroner of Huron county and was emergency surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad from 1887 until 1901. At the present writing, he is the president of the Huron county board of pension examiners, of which he has been a member for twelve years. He has also been a member of the Chicago Junction school board for a number of years and health officer for four years. Always active in public affairs, he believes money invested in public improvements is for the general good and does much for the betterment and uplift of the people. Citizenship is to him no mere idle term. He feels that every true American citizen should keep well informed on the political questions and issues of the day and support the principles which he deems most beneficial to the nation at large. He believes also that an intelli- gent discussion of public issues cannot result but in public benefits and he is ever ready to give a clear and comprehensive exposition of his views and the reasons therefor. The republican party finds in him a stalwart champion because of his firm belief in its platform.
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