USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 57
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The children of Hugh and Angeline (Dobson) Hamilton were: Will- iam Addison, of this sketch; Mary Etta, who married Thomas E. Upton, and died in 1892, leaving four children; and Joseph, who, prior to his mar- riage was a boot and shoe dealer at Mendon. Joseph Hamilton now resides with his venerable mother. He married Elizabeth Bevan, a daughter of John Bevan, of Union township. They have three children, one of whom, Hugh, makes his home with his uncle, William Addison, the subject of this. sketch.
William Addison Hamilton attended the township schools and also the Ohio Normal University at Ada, and then taught school for several years in Union township. He was reared a practical farmer and has always been interested in agricultural pursuits. He has resided on his present farm since 1888.
In 1888 he was married to Julia A. Nottingham, a daughter of William and Ann (Nickel) Nottingham, both residents of Center township. Will- iam Nottingham was born in the eastern part of West Virginia and is a son of George Nottingham, who came to Ohio when William was eight years of age and settled near St. Marys, in Auglaize County. The latter recently visited his old home in West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Nottingham had seven children, namely: William M., who is engaged in the marble business at Cleveland, Ohio; Julia A., wife of our subject; Nettie, wife of James Staeger, living near Celina; Louella, living at home; Frank, a driller and horseman, residing at Mendon; Leroy, who lives on the farm in Center township; and George, unmarried, who farms for his father in Center town- ship.
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Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have had five children, namely: Irene, Gail, Louise, Julia Etta and Mary Letha, all at home. In his political preference he is a Republican, but occasions arise when he casts his vote for the man rather than for the party. He is a good citizen himself and desires to see men in office who will be sure to carry out the laws of the land without fear or favor.
MOSES SILAS HAMILTON
MOSES SILAS HAMILTON, a successful farmer and highly esteemed citi- zen of Center township, residing on his farm of 40 acres in section 4, was born October 21, 1859, and is a son of Justus and Mary Jane (Panabaker) Hamilton and a grandson of Justin and Eliza ( Rhodes) Hamilton.
Justin Hamilton, who was one of the pioneers of this section of Ohio, located in Union township, Mercer County, as early as 1822.
Justus Hamilton, the father of our subject, was born February 19, 1820, and was reared in Mercer County, where his father was one of the very earliest settlers. He married Mary Jane Panabaker, and they became the parents of eight children: Almira; Isabelle; Hugh L .; William A .; Jennie; Hattie; Charles J .; and Moses Silas, the subject of this sketch.
Moses S. Hamilton was born on the farm in Center township where he now resides and received most of his education in the schools of Celina, attending until 19 years of age. After leaving school, he moved back to the old home farm in Center township and engaged in farming. Mr. Hamil- ton has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits except for a period of IO years when he lived in Mendon, where he purchased a home and was en- gaged in contracting and building, working throughout Mercer County. He erected buildings in St. Marys, Auglaize County, and in Celina, Men- don and other places in Mercer County. Mr. Hamilton began life almost wholly upon his own resources, having originally a small farm of 20 acres, which he spent in caring for himself and son after the death of his first wife. He was first married in 1879 to Frona Belle Dutton, a daughter of James and Sarah Dutton. Mrs. Hamilton died in 1892. One son was born to this union, Lee Ivan, in 1880. Lee Ivan resides in Celina and is employed as a mail carrier on Rural Route No. 3; he married Ada Hall, a daughter of Curtis Hall of Neptune, and has two children: Juanita and Mildred.
Mr. Hamilton was married in 1894 to Mary Elizabeth Davis, a daugh- ter of Elihu and Ellen Jane (Harner) Davis. Three children were born to the second union: Garret Trevor, Vera Ada and Anna Jane, all of whom are living. The parents of Mrs. Hamilton reside on a farm in section 16, Center township, the father being in his 76th year and the mother in her
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78th year. Mrs. Davis and the father of our subject were children together and grew up in the same neighborhood. Michael Harner, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Hamilton, located in Union township, Mercer County, soon after Justin Hamilton, the grandfather of Mr. Hamilton, came here- both were among the pioneers of the county.
Mr. Hamilton now owns a fine farm and in 1903 built a very attractive home on the place. Politically he is a Republican. He is a man of enter- prise and public spirit and is recognized as one of the county's best citizens.
WILLIAM HENRY LOWRY
WILLIAM HENRY LOWRY, a well-known business man of Fort Re- covery, was born in Clark County, Ohio, near Springfield, April 1, 1856, and is a son of Aaron Morton and Elizabeth (Byrely) Lowry.
Aaron Morton Lowry, who was a native of New York State, came to Clark County, Ohio, with his father, Benjamin Lowry, when a boy. Ben- jamin Lowry moved to Mercer County with his family in 1860 and settled on a farm in Gibson township, where he still resides. Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Morton Lowry became the parents of three children, namely: William Henry, the subject of this sketch; Leslie, who lives in Gibson township, and Elmaretta, who married Charles Hastings and lives in Merritt, Washington.
William Henry Lowry came to Gibson township, Mercer County, Ohio, with his parents when five years old. Here he was reared, obtaining his edu- cation in the district schools. In 1884 Mr. Lowry moved to Fort Recovery, where he has been engaged in the live-stock business, buying, selling and shipping stock. He is also a contractor, building gravel roads and is now engaged in building 24 miles of road in Wells County, Indiana. Mr. Lowry owns a great deal of land, having 330 acres of farm land in three different counties-Mercer and Darke counties, Ohio, and Jay County, Indiana. Mr. Lowry resides in a large brick house in Fort Recovery, which he erected in 1896, and where he has since made his home. He has been married twice; first, in 1880, to Anna Hunter, a daughter of Robert Hunter; they had one child, Harry. Mrs. Lowry died in 1883. His second marriage took place in November, 1890, to Katherine Flaherty, a daughter of Thomas Flaherty. They have had two children : Donna and Victor.
In 1893 Mr. Lowry was elected county commissioner on the Independ- ent ticket. He was nominated against his wishes and made no fight to win the office, but was elected and served three years. He is a Mason and is a member of Portland (Indiana) Lodge, B. P. O. E.
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JACOB J. BAKER
JACOB J. BAKER, deceased, was one of the leading citizens and honor- able and respected men of Liberty township, where his death occurred on June 6, 1889. He was born in Shelby County, Ohio, April 17, 1840, and was a son of John and Barbara (Whiteman) Baker.
The parents of Mr. Baker, who were natives of Germany, came to . America and lived in Shelby County, Ohio, until 1850, when they removed to Mercer County, where they became settlers in Black Creek township.
In the latter, Jacob J. Baker completed his education in the district schools. He remained in the same vicinity until 1865, when he removed to Liberty township, where he engaged in farming, having an estate of 153 acres. In addition to farming he went into the sawmill business, in partner- ship with the late Adam Bollenbacher and the late William Gehm. For many years he was deeply interested in the lumber business and was a practi- cal worker in his mill. It was while engaged in duties pertaining to this work that he met a tragic death, accidentally falling in the way of the cir- cular saw, injuries being inflicted before he could be rescued that caused his death. It was a time of mourning all over the township, for Mr. Baker was a man who was honored and respected by everybody. The deepest sympathy was felt for his bereaved family to whom he had been a loving and beloved husband and father.
On June 13, 1863, Mr. Baker was united in marriage with Caroline Bollenbacher, who was born June 1, 1842, and is a daughter of George and Henrietta (Alt) Bollenbacher. The father of Mrs. Baker was a man of family in Germany when he decided to emigrate to America, Mrs. Baker being then 10 years old. They were early settlers in Liberty township and Mrs. Baker recalls many interesting events of pioneer life. Both parents died in Liberty township, but three brothers and one sister of Mrs. Baker still survive, as follows: George, Jacob and Charles, all of Liberty township; and Catherine, wife of Ferdinand Kable, of Liberty township.
The children born to our subject and wife were as follows: Charles W., of Black Creek township; Annie H., wife of William Rothhaar, of Dayton, Ohio; Lewis, of Black Creek township; Caroline C., wife of Chris- tian Stuckey, of Adams County, Indiana; Mary C., wife of Frederick Stuckey, of Black Creek township; Lydia P., wife of George Rothhaar, of Liberty township; Jacob A., Henry C. and Theobald A., all of Liberty town- ship; Hulda L., wife of Albert German, of Van Wert County; Thedona D., wife of William German, of Van Wert County; and Amelia M., wife of Michael Linn, of Liberty township. Mrs. Baker has 26 grandchildren.
Mr. Baker was a consistent member of St. Paul's German Evangelical
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Church, in which he took a prominent part. Mrs. Baker is also a member of this church and belongs to the Ladies' Aid Society.
SEBASTIAN LAUBER
SEBASTIAN LAUBER, a representative farmer and most worthy citizen of Granville township, owns a fine farm of 98 acres situated in section 19. Mr. Lauber was born April 20, 1839, in Germany, and is a son of John and Catherine Lauber.
The parents of Mr. Lauber emigrated from Germany in 1847, landing at New York City. Their objective point was Mercer County, Ohio, and they came here by way of Buffalo and Toledo, taking passage on the new canal to Minster. There they secured the assistance of Liebolt Stelzer, whose brother was one of the three first settlers at St. Johns. The Laubers reached their destination safely, in the farm wagon of Mr. Stelzer, and the father soon built a little log hut in the midst of the woods, three-fourths of a mile east of Cassella, which served as a shelter at night. While not clear- ing his land, John Lauber and sons secured game for the family larder, deer and squirrel being very plentiful. Our subject recalls catching a young deer and taming it so that it became a household pet.
At a later date the father built a larger and more comfortable log house. This is still standing and is the oldest log structure left in the county. For a long time pioneer conditions prevailed. There were no roads, no bridges and no mills within a reasonable distance. The corn which, with game, made up the principal food of the family, was ground in a mortar formed of a hollow stump. For a long time there was no variety in their fare and often the amount was scanty, but Mr. Lauber can look back to a happy childhood, which certainly was a healthy one. The father died on this farm in 1874, aged 66 years, and the mother in 1884, aged 73 years. They had eight children, four of whom were born in Germany and four in America, all surviving and being as follows: Liebolt, living in Missouri, who married Julia Keble; Sebastian; Sophronia, who married Killian Cush- man and lives at Piqua, Ohio; Catherine, who married August Lechner and lives in Missouri; Sophia, widow of Nicholas Jacobs, living in Cincinnati; Jacob, unmarried; Christina, unmarried; and Valentine, who married Lettie Garver and lives at Celina.
Sebastian Lauber was eight years old when his parents came to America and he has lived in Mercer County ever since 1847. While agriculture has been his main business in life, Mr. Lauber has been engaged in various en- terprises which have proven generally successful. In 1869 he decided to
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JOHN JUDSON CARMICHAEL MRS. ARAMINTA B. CHENEY JOHN D. CHENEY MRS. SARAH J. (DRUMM ) CARMICHAEL
MRS. BESSIE A. PICHON VIRGIL A. CARMICHAEL
FRANK F. HONE MRS. ROSA M. MARTIN
CHARLES MARTIN
THOMAS J. CARMICHAEL MRS. ANNIE A. HONE
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open a general store at Wendelin and, on credit, bought $3,000 worth of goods at Dayton, hauling them himself all the distance as there was no railroad. He settled up with his creditors according to contract, but on January 2, 1870, his store was set on fire by a rough gang of the locality and he lost his whole stock. His credit was so good that offers were made to back him with another stock. He once ran a blacksmith shop at Piqua and does all his own work in that line.
From 1873 until 1877, Mr. Lauber operated a sawmill at Wendelin and. made his shingles and flooring. In 1877 he traded a third interest in his- saw-mill for a lot and building in Fort Recovery and another third for his. present farm, then owned by Joseph Robbins. He was also in the oil busi- ness and now owns a string of tools and has two wells on his place. Mr. Lauber settled on this farm, which was the old Robbins place, in 1883. The- large brick residence of eight rooms had been built in 1871 ; the house stands on. the Lauber turnpike and is beautifully sheltered from the highway by an im- mense willow tree. In addition to farming, Mr. Lauber owns and runs a threshing machine.
In September, 1871, Mr. Lauber married Mary Poepner, and they have Io children, namely: Catherine; Peter; August, who married and settled in Indiana; Frank; Rose, who married Henry Gardner, the ceremony tak- ing place at St. Wendelin's Catholic Church, on August 30, 1906; and Lena, John, Anna, Joseph and Pherona. The family belong to the Catholic Church. Mr. Lauber has always taken a good citizen's interest in township matters and has cast his vote for men who in his opinion have been qualified to carry out the laws. He has served as treasurer of the School Board and was turnpike commissioner when the Lauber turnpike was built in 1887.
THOMAS J. CARMICHAEL
THOMAS J. CARMICHAEL, whose well-improved, valuable farm of 120 acres is situated in section 12, Washington township, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 22, 1843, and is a son of Thomas and Barbara (Smith) Carmichael.
Thomas Carmichael, who was a native of Pennsylvania, came to Ohio as a young man, settling first in Licking County, where he engaged in farm- ing. Later he moved to Muskingum County, but subsequently returned to Licking County. He married Barbara Smith, who died in 1868.
Thomas J. Carmichael was reared on his father's farm in Licking County. In 1862, when 20 years of age, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, en- tering Company F, 95th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he served until Janu- 34
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ary, 1864. His regiment was with the army in Middle Tennessee, under Gen. U. S. Grant, and he participated in a number of serious battles and severe skirmishes. At the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, he was not only severely injured in the back, but was captured by Gen. Kirby Smith's soldiers and was imprisoned at Richmond, Kentucky. His wounds were such that he was soon paroled and he entered the hospital at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, where he was confined from September, 1862, until January 12, 1864, when he was discharged on account of disability received in the line of duty a most honorable distinction. He was the musician of the company, playing the drum.
Upon his return to Licking County, Mr. Carmichael engaged in farming, and after his marriage, in 1867, moved to Delaware County, Ohio, leasing a farm. In the spring of 1868 he bought his present farm but did not move on it until 1874. This land was covered with timber, which Mr. Carmichael has cleared off. His first residence was burned in 1895, the present comfort- able one taking its place. In 1895 he bought 60 acres adjoining his place, but this property he sold to advantage in 1902.
In 1867 Mr. Carmichael was married to Sarah J. Drumm, a daughter of Peter Drumm, a prominent farmer who owned an adjoining farm to that of Thomas Carmichael, in Licking County. Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael have six children, namely: Araminta B., who married John D. Cheney, a grocer of Hartford City, Indiana, and has four children; Annie A., who married Frank F. Hone, conducting a transfer business at Hartford City, Indiana, and has three children; Rosa M., who married Charles Martin, a blacksmith of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has four children; John Judson, living at home, who married Nancy Smith; Bessie A., who married Claude Pichon, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and has two children; and Virgil A., working in a glass factory at Hartford City, Indiana.
Mr. Carmichael is a member of the Christian Church. For 40 years he has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He belongs also to the Grand Army of the Republic. A group picture of the Carmichael family accompanies this sketch.
DAVID SCHROYER
DAVID SCHROYER, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Wash- ington township, owns 135 acres of fine land situated as follows: 80 acres in section 4, Washington township, upon which he lives and 35 acres in section 3, while the 20-acre farm in section 9 is owned by his wife. He was
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born July 26, 1855, in Washington township, Mercer County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Mahala (Harrod) Schroyer.
George Schroyer was born in Butler County, Ohio, and was between 19 and 20 years of age when he moved to Mercer County with his father, Nicholas Schroyer. He has since lived on the land which his father bought upon locating in the county. He married Mahala Harrod, a daughter of David Harrod, of Washington township, and they had eight children, of whom David was the third child.
David Schroyer was reared on his father's farm in Washington town- ship and received his education in the district schools. He has always been engaged in farming, and with the exception of the first two years following his marriage has always resided in Washington township, having lived on this farm since 1879. His father gave him his first 40 acres, all timberland, and he later bought the land in section 3, and in the spring of 1905 bought 40 acres adjoining his land in section 4. In the spring of 1879 he erected a large frame house, and in 1888 built a substantial barn.
Mr. Schroyer was married in 1877 to Mary Powell, a daughter of Samuel Powell, and they have had five children: Myrtle Louella, who married Frank Stillbarger, resides three miles west of Celina in Jefferson township and has two children-William, and Carrie Evaline; Albert Clay- ton, who married Rhoda Halterman and lives on a part of his father's farm; Lucy Mahala, who married Mark C. Gray, of Washington township; Alice May and Cora Dell. Mr. Schroyer is connected with the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
DANIEL EVI BOLEY
DANIEL EVI BOLEY, who is engaged in general farming and stock-raising on a farm of 120 acres located in section 14, Washington township, was born October 13, 1873, and is a son of John and Catherine ( Ammon) Boley.
John Boley was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of John Boley, who moved to Mahoning County, Ohio, with his father, when about 17 years old. The latter bought a farm in Mahoning County on which he lived until his death. In 1837, John Boley, Jr., moved from Mahoning to Mercer County and located on a farm of 320 acres, which he had entered three years before. The land was entirely covered with timber and in 1835, before moving to the county, he hired men to clear 10 acres of the land and to erect a log cabin. In 1836 he was married (first) in Mahoning County. His wife died in Mercer County about 1857, leaving one son, Michael, who died three months after the death of his mother, aged 19 years. In 1866 Mr. Boley was married (second) to Catherine Ammon, who was a daughter of William
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Ammon, one of the early settlers of Mercer County, who moved from Mahon- ing County in 1840. Mr. Boley had three children by his second marriage : William John, of Washington township; Catherine, wife of Thomas Scott, of Washington township; and Daniel Evi. At the time of his death in August, 1896, Mr. Boley was one of the wealthiest farmers of Washington township. Mrs. Boley died March 16, 1906, at the age of 68 years.
Daniel Evi Boley was reared and educated in Washington township and has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits. The farm on which he re- sides is part of the home farm, which was originally entered by his father. Since 1901 Mr. Boley has been interested in raising Poland-China hogs; he also raises a great many sheep.
Mr. Boley was married August 29, 1897, to Mazzie Portz, who is a daughter of Peter and Katie (Gibson) Portz. Peter Portz was born in Prussia, September II, 1847, and located in Washington township, Mercer County, in the spring of 1875. During the War of the Rebellion he was al soldier in the Union Army, having run away from home at the age of 15 years, in order to enlist. His father brought him home again, but he ran away the second time and served until 1864, when he was honorably discharged. In May, 1876, he married (first) Catherine Gibson, of Fort Recovery, and they had three children: Ottie, a resident of Charleston, West Virgina; Mazzie; and James, of Charleston, West Virginia. Mrs. Portz died January 29, 1884, when Mrs. Boley was a small child. Mr. Portz was married (second) to Amanda Arbaugh, and they had five children. He formerly operated a gen- eral store at Macedon, Washington township, but lately sold out and is now a resident of Portland, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Boley have three children : Clyde, Carl and Alice.
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JOHN A. HUNTER
JOHN A. HUNTER, attorney-at-law at Fort Recovery, is serving his sec- ond term as mayor of the village, of which he is one of the best known citizens. He was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, May 19, 1844, and is a son of Robert and Nancy ( Alexander ) Hunter.
Robert Hunter, father of Mayor Hunter, removed from Fairfield to Mercer County, Ohio, in 1846, settling on a farm in Gibson township, this; portion of the county then being included in Darke County.
John A. Hunter's boyhood and youth were spent in Gibson township, where he attended the public schools. Later he attended Liber College, in Jay County, Indiana, and subsequently taught school for three years in Gibson township, and two years in Jay County, Indiana. In 1870 Mr. Hunter moved to Bradford, Miami County, Ohio, where he embarked in a grocery business
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and later carried on a grain business. For four years he also conducted a boot and shoe store and became one of the leading men of the town serving for two years as its mayor. He studied law while living at Bradford, under Ahijah Jones, a well-known practitioner there, and was admitted to the bar in January, 1887. He served for II years as justice of the peace of Adams township, Darke County, Ohio. In 1889 he located at Fort Recovery and im- mediately became a man of prominence and usefulness here. In 1902 he was elected mayor and in 1905 he was again so honored by his fellow citizens.
Mr. Hunter has always been a loyal, public-spirited citizen. During the Civil War, in 1864, he enlisted in Company H, 152nd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., as a private and served until the close of the war. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic post at Fort Recovery.
On May 19, 1869, Mr. Hunter was married to Martha, A. Bailey, a daughter of Hiram Bailey, and they have three children, namely: Ella, who is the wife of K. I. Perkey, of Boise City, Idaho; and they have one child, Esther L .; Austin, who married Lula Coover, of Napoleon, Ohio, resides at Indianapolis, Indiana, and has one child, Frances; and Esther, who married Joseph E. Newcomer and has one child, Mary Lucile.
Mr. Hunter is a member of the Fort Recovery Presbyterian Church and is the church treasurer. He is a citizen who performs with credit to himself and with satisfaction to others, the duties and obligations imposed upon him and his administration of office has been entirely along the lines of temperance and morality.
CHARLES JUSTUS HAMILTON
CHARLES JUSTUS HAMILTON, a prominent farmer of Center township, who owns a well-improved farm of 80 acres located in section 4, was born De- cember 21, 1857, in this township on the farm where he now resides, and is a son of Justus and Mary Jane (Panabaker) Hamilton.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, Hon. Justin Hamilton, was born in New York State and located in Union township, Mercer County, in 1822. Previous to this he had lived for a time in Kentucky. When he came to Mercer County, the Indians camped on his land and many times aided him in various ways. He was one of the first surveyors in Mercer County. He owned a large body of land here, located on Twelve-Mile Creek, one mile and a half southwest of Mendon. He owned the greater part of the land around Mendon, and surveyed the site of that town and platted it. He was a member for two terms of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the counties of Mercer, Darke, Allen, Putnam, Henry, Paulding and Williams. Owing to his special ability as a reader, he was selected to read many bills before the
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