USA > Ohio > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions > Part 110
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the west. He has followed a diversified system of farming, giving proper attention to the rotation of crops and other improved ideas relating to suc- cessful agriculture and also giving some attention to the raising of live stock, breeding Polled-Durham cattle, of which he has some splendid speci- mens of thoroughbred stock. The general appearance of the place indicates Mr. Miller to be a man of good taste and splendid ideas and creates a good impresson upon the passers-by.
On January II, 1903, John J. Miller was married to Ida M. Eastman, who was born on September 15, 1882, near Hamer, Jackson township, the daughter of Adolerous and Minerva (Cattels) Eastman. Adolerous East- man was born in Madison county in 1846, and his wife was born in Pauld- ing county, Ohio, in 1859, and died on July 30, 1887. Mr. Eastman was married three times, his first wife being Lucinda Jane Olliver. To this union were born five children, Arabelle, Elma, Clinton, Maleon, Lucinda. Mr. Eastman's second wife was Minerva Cattels, and to them were born four children, May, Ida, Ethel and Goldie, the latter dying when three years of age. Mr. Eastman's third wife was Mary McDonald, and to this union was born one child, Fred. Mrs. Miller spent her early life in Putnam county, and was about twenty years of age when she was married to Mr. Miller. To them have been born two children, Virgil Emerson, born on June 25, 1906; and Clarence Ivan, born on November 15, 1909.
The Eastmans come from an old family, records of which can be traced back to 1602, in Southampton, England. The first Eastman, landing in 1638, at Salisbury, Massachusetts, was born in Southampton, England, in 16II, and married Sarah Smith, who was born in 1621, and died on April II, 1697, both of whom were members of the Salisbury church, where is recorded, in 1694, the name of the first of the Eastmans to come to this country. Roger Eastman had two brothers who emigrated with him. Both died without having married. Ida Eastman, wife of the subject of this sketch, was the daughter of Adolerous, who was the son of Aplor, who was the son of John, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Peter, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Roger, the first Eastman to reach this country. The Eastman genealogical tree today spreads over every part of the United States.
Mr. Miller has always taken a deep interest in public affairs and has been allied with the Democratic party, though too busy to give much per- sonal attention to local politics. He attends the Christian church, of which Mrs. Miller is a member. In touching upon the life history of the subject of this sketch, the writer has aimed to avoid extravagant praise, yet it has
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been a pleasure to hold up for consideration those facts which have shown the distinction of a true, useful and honorable life. A man of broad ideas, kindly purpose and human sympathy, Mr. Miller has won and retains a host of warm personal friends throughout this section of the state, where his life has been spent.
ABRAHAM P. ASKINS.
One of the progressive farmers and highly respected citizens of Putnam county, Ohio, is Abraham P. Askins of Sugar Creek township. Possessing energy and determination, he has been very successful in making everything he undertakes result to his advantage. His success in his chosen calling is attested to by the fact that, having started in an humble way, he is now the owner of valuable real estate, and has accumulated this by his own personal efforts. In fact, Mr. Askins is one of the well-known and substantial citizens of this section of Putnam county, and is popular with a large number of people.
Abraham P. Askins was born on September 29, 1858, in the northwest part of Sugar Creek township, Putnam county. He is the son of Thomas and Rebecca (Funk) Askins.
Thomas Askins was born on January 2, 1810, in Frederick county, Vir- ginia, and he was the son of Posey and Nancy (Barnes) Askins, both of whom were natives of Virginia. Posey Askins spent his early life in Vir- ginia. He was a farmer by occupation, and enlisted in the War of 1812, but never saw service on account of the termination of the war. He came to Fairfield county, Ohio, in 1832, making the trip overland by wagon. Here he bought a farm east of Lancaster, and here he remained the rest of his life. He died in Lancaster at an advanced age.
Thomas Askins, who was one of a large family of children, was twenty- two years of age when he came to Ohio with his parents. He had received his early education in Virginia, where his childhood and youth were spent. After coming to Ohio, he remained with his parents in Fairfield county, help- ing his father on the old home place. Here he remained until after the death of his mother in 1852, when, at the age of forty-two, he came to Put- nam county, where he was employed for about five years in Union and Jen- nings township, a part of the time for Hiram Sarber of former township. During his first five years, he purchased three tracts of land, one hundred and sixty acres in all, in Jennings township. At the age of forty-seven, in 1857, he was married to Rebecca Funk, who was born in Fairfield county, Ohio,
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February 13, 1825. She was the daughter of Abraham and Mary (Guile) Funk, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania and of German descent. They came to Fairfield county from Pennsylvania in the early days, and in 1840, the year in which Henry Harrison was elected president, came to Put- nam county, settling in Union township. Here they remained for the bal- ance of their lives. Rebecca Funk was one of five children, two sons and three daughters, and was a young woman when she came to Putnam county. Here she remained until her marriage to Thomas Askins.
After his marriage, Thomas Askins located on eighty acres two miles northwest of Rimer, to which farm he afterward added twenty acres. This farm had but a few acres cleared. It had a two-room hewed log cabin and a log barn. Thomas Askins proceeded to clear his land and succeeded in getting this work about half finished before his death, which occurred on November 2, 1875. He was a hard-working and industrious man, of a strongly religious nature, and with Baptist sympathies. He was a man who enjoyed the respect of his fellow citizens. Politically, he was a Republican. His wife, Rebecca, survived him a good many years, dying at the old home place September 3, 1902. They were the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters. Abraham P., the eldest, is the subject of this sketch; William lives at Toledo, Ohio; Mary E. married Robert Blakely of Tiffin, Ohio, and Nancy married Alexander Cromley, of Tiffin.
Abraham P Askins was born on the old homestead, which is his pres- ent residence. Here he spent his childhood and youth. He attended the old McLain district school, and after finishing the common schools, he continued to help his father on the old home place. It fell to the lot of Abraham P. Askins and his brother, William, to clear the remaining half of the farm. When Abraham P. was seventeen years of age his father died. With his brother, he assumed charge of the home place.
Abraham P. Askins was married on March 25, 1880, at the age of twenty-one years, to Martha Westenbarger, who was born on November 3, 1860, in Fairfield county, Ohio, and died on June 25, 1894. She was a daughter of John and Mary Ann (Derrickson) Westenbarger, both of whom were natives of Fairfield county, Ohio. The former was of Pennsylvania German parentage, and the latter was a native of Delaware.
After his marriage Mr. Askins rented a farm, one-half mile northeast of the home place, for two years, after which time he moved back to the home farm, which has been his place of residence ever since. After set- tling on the home place, Mr. Askins finished clearing and draining the farm, and built a beautiful eleven-room residence, and a large barn and
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other outbuildings. He has one of the best-improved farms in Sugar Creek township. Mr. Askins has always done general farming, and has been very successful.
To Abraham P. and Martha (Westenbarger) Askins nine children have been born: Pearl is the wife of George Ream and resides at Sugar Grove, in Fairfield county, Ohio; James resides in Jennings township; Harry resides on the old home place. He married Stella Lothes, of Licking county, Ohio. She is the daughter of Jacob and Minerva (Pyles) Lothes, and was. born in Noble county, Ohio, January 26, 1888. Jacob Lothes was a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and his wife of Maxburg, Noble county, Ohio. Harry Askins and wife have three children, Harold Vernon, May 29, 1910; Bernard, June 30, 1912; and an infant, December 20, 1914. Maude married Effenger Neeley, and resides at Missoula, Montana; Russell lives in Jennings township; Leona is the wife of Thomas Fairbanks, of Clarindon, Virginia; Myrtle is the wife of Anthony Klausing, of Delphos, Ohio; John lives in Jennings township; Sarah married Walter Blockberger and resides at Del- phos, Van Wert county.
Abraham P. Askins is a Republican. He is one of Sugar Creek town- ship's well-known and substantial citizens and farmers, and is well and fa- vorably known in this and adjoining townships. He is a man of enviable reputation and deserves the esteem in which he is held by his neighbors.
JOHN T. MAAG.
The biographies of successful men are instructive as guides and incentive to those whose careers are yet to be achieved. The examples they furnish of patient purpose and consecutive endeavor, strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accomplish. John T. Maag is a conspicuous example of one who has lived to good purpose and who has achieved a definite degree of success in the special sphere to which his talents and his energies have been devoted. Mr. Maag is a representative citizen of Liberty township, Putnam county, Ohio, and one of its most successful farmers.
John T. Maag was born in 1864, in Pleasant township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of William and Bernadina (Kahle) Maag, the former a native of Cincinnati, born in 1838, and the son of Theodore Maag, who came from Germany.
William Maag was the only child born to his parents and he was prob-
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ably only a year old when the family moved to Pleasant township and where his father, Theodore Maag, purchased land and lived the remainder of his life. William Maag married Bernadina Kahle, a native of Greensburg town- ship and a sister of I. N. Kahle, whose sketch is found elsewhere in this volume gives the family history. After the marriage of William Maag, he farmed in Pleasant township. He began with eighty acres and purchased land until he owned three hundred and sixty-four acres. He was a suc- cessful man and was ably assisted by his son. His wife, Bernadina, was first married to Joseph Stechschulte, who died, leaving three children, Bernadina, Anna and Amelia. By her second marriage there were ten children who grew to maturity, Ignatius and Theresa dying after they were grown. The living children are, Mrs. Mary Schroeder, John C., Frank, William, Mrs. Bertha Scheckehoff, Mrs. Lena Fuerst, Joseph and Henry.
John T. Maag lived at home until his marriage, which took place on August 21, 1889, when he was married to Elizabeth Lammers, who was born in Ottawa township, near New Cleveland. She is the daughter of Henry and Gertrude (Siebeneck) Lammers. Henry Lammers was born in Germany and came to America when a young man. He came to Glandorf and there. married Gertrude Siebeneck, who was born in Glandorf, and was the daugh- ter of Bernard Henry and Gertrude (Inkrot) Siebeneck. Bernard Henry Siebeneck was born in Prussia and came to this country, about 1835, entering government land in Greensburg township. He remained in this country a year and then returned to Germany where he married Gertrude Gross Inkrot. They came here to live and spent the remainder of their lives in Greensburg township.
After Mr. Lammers was marricd, he began farming for himself at New Cleveland, where he purchased a farm and lived the remainder of his life. He owned two eighty-acre tracts of land and was the father of seven chil- dren, one of whom died in infancy. Henry died at the age of twenty-one years. The following are living : John, Mary, Anna, Gertrude and Elizabeth.
To John T. and Elizabeth (Lammers) Maag, eight children have been born, Amelia, who died at the age of ten years; Cornelius, who died at the age of four years; Urban, who dicd at the age of seven months; Mary, who died at the age of five months; Charles, August 24, 1890, who is twenty-four years of age and helps his father on the farm; Laura, January 23, 1893; Clara, March 6, 1897, and Cornelia, April 26, 1900, all of whom are at home.
After Mr. Maag was married, he began farming, three miles northwest of Leipsic, where he has lived since that time. He began with fifty-two acres, nearly all of which was covered with heavy woods and water. At this
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time, there was a small shack in which the family lived and a straw-shed was the only stable. Mr. Maag cleared, drained and improved the land, built a large and comfortable house, a large barn and other outbuildings. He has purchased more land, from time to time, until he now owns over one hun- dred acres, worth about two hundred dollars an acre. The Maag family have been hard-working, prudent farmers and have prospered as a consequence of these habits.
John T. Maag and family are all members of the Catholic church and devoted to the welfare of this denomination.
JAMES A. IRWIN.
The flail of our fathers has given way to the threshing machine and the old-fashioned corn-cutter is laid on the shelf. Corn is now cut by machinery. The old-fashioned shucking-peg has given way to the modern corn-husker, and the farmer of today has all of the advantages which the inventive spirit of American industry has devised. The pioneer farmer is fast passing away and within the next few years they will be gone. James A. Irwin is one of the younger generation of farmers whose father, however, struggled against the privations and hardships of pioneer farm life during the early days of Putnam county's history. By adopting modern methods, James A. Irwin has come to be one of the foremost farmers and citizens of Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, Ohio.
James A. Irwin was born on March 13, 1874, in Pleasant township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is a son of Benjamin F. and Lydia Jane (Hay- den) Irwin. Benjamin F. Irwin was born on November 30, 1821, in Fair- field county, Ohio. He came to Putnam county in 1832 and was the son of Josiah Kennedy and Catherine (Barkman) Irwin. Benjamin F. Irwin's first wife, Sarah J. Leese, was born on April 26, 1836, and died on June 28, 1861. By this first marriage, there were four children: Herman L., born on June 16, 1855; Margaret A., September 5, 1857; Eva, August 1, 1859; and Sarah J., June 28, 1861. Benjamin F. Irwin was married the second time on March 28, 1864, to Lydia J. Hayden, who was born in Stark county, Ohio, May 7, 1839, and who was the daughter of Nathaniel and Eliza (Brothers) Hayden. To this second marriage, the following children were born: Martha Emma, on March 9, 1865; Clement L., July 26, 1866, died on September 19, 1866; George T., September 20, 1867; Benjamin F., Jr., Aug- ust 25, 1869; Nathaniel K., January 20, 1871 ; James A., March 13, 1874,
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and is the subject of this sketch; Charles P., December 9, 1876; Kemmer L., May 16, 1879; Guy, of Pleasant township. Benjamin F. Irwin had an uncle who served in the War of 1812.
After coming to Putnam county, Ohio, with his parents, who settled about three miles west of Columbus Grove, in Pleasant township, Benjamin F. Irwin grew to manhood on the old homestead of his parents. His father, Josiah Irwin, was one of the pioneer settlers and passed through all the ex- periences of the men of his day and generation. He lived to a ripe old age and died on the old homestead.
Of the children born to Benjamin F. Irwin's second marriage, Emma married George Barnt; George died at the age of twenty-nine; Benjamin F., Jr., and Nathaniel reside in Pleasant township; James A. is the subject of this sketch; Charles P. and Kemmere L. reside in Sugar Creek township; Guy resides in Pleasant township.
Benjamin F. Irwin was very successful in farming, as well as in raising horses and attributes a considerable of his success to this phase of his work. At one time he owned about six hundred acres of land in Pleasant and Sugar Creek townships. James A. Irwin spent his childhood and youth on the old home place in Pleasant township. He attended the old Turner district school and after finishing school, continued to help his father on the home place. After this he located on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, in the northeast part of Sugar Creek township. This farm belonged to his father. After the first year he farmed this place in partnership with his brother, Charles.
James A. Irwin was married, at the age of thirty, on September 7, 1904, to Rosa Caroline Miller, who was born in Allen county, January 28, 1875, and who was the daughter of Henry and Margaret (Sauer) Miller. Henry Miller was born on April 29, 1841, in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and died on March 7, 1912, on the old Miller homestead in Allen county. Henry Miller came to America with his parents at the age of nine years and settled in Monroe township, Allen county. Here he lived the remainder of his life. He was the son of Michael and Catherine (Kunkleman) Miller, and one of four sons. The others were John, Christian and Adam. Mrs. Mary (Sauer) Miller was born in Prussia, on January 21, 1847, and was the daughter of Frantz and Catherine ( Harmon) Sauer. She came to America when seven years of age with her parents who settled first in Pickaway county, Ohio, and a few years later moved to Monroe township, Allen county. Here Frantz Sauer remained the rest of his life, dying in June, 1904, at the age of seventy-four years. His wife, Catherine, still survives
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and lives with her daughter, Mrs. Minerva Holmes, at Loomis, Michigan. Frantz and Catherine Sauer had three children, Mary, Louisa and Min- erva, all of whom are living. Henry and Mary Miller had fourteen children, all of whom are living and all of whom are married except three. They are as follow: Margaret, John, Emma, Anna, Alice, Sarah, Caroline (the wife of Mr. Irwin), Bertha, William Harmon, Louis, Clara, Grace and Arthur.
After Mr. Irwin's marriage, he took up his residence on the west half of the one hundred and twenty acres he had previously farmed, and here he has erected a commodious residence of six rooms. Prior to his marriage he also had built a barn, thirty-six by fifty feet. Since that time he has added other buildings. He has always done general farming and paid especial attention to corn and hogs. In addition to his home place of sixty acres, he farms forty acres with his brother, Charles.
James A. and Rose Caroline (Miller) Irwin have five children, Mildred, born on May 30, 1905 ; Lenore, April 21, 1907; Marie, July 20, 1909; Bryce, December 30, 1911, and Miller Vern, May 14, 1915.
James A. Irwin and family attend the Christian church at Columbus Grove. Mr. Irwin is a Democrat. He is one of Sugar Creek township's substantial farmers, highly respected in his community, and honored for his industry, good management and genial disposition.
JOHN MAIDLOW.
"In Memoriam!" No two words in the English language combine in more meaningful phrase than these. How much of respectful consideration, how much of tender devotion and how much of sincere regard for the memory of one who has gone on before, is implied in the use of the term with which this paragraph is introduced. In a monumental work of the character contemplated by the compilers of this extraordinary volume it seems eminently fitting that there should here and there throughout these pages be presented for the consideration not only of the present generation of readers, but for those who perchance shall have occasion to review these pages in generations yet to come, a brief and modest summary of the lives of those departed fathers of the commonwealth who long since have passed from the scenes of present activity. In following this design, the biographer
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surely would be remiss in his duty to the people of Putnam county if this book were permitted to go forth without an epitome of the life and of the works of the gentleman whose name heads this particular chapter of the biographical section of this history of the county, a name which has the power to recall many pleasant memories on the part of those now surviving, who, in his day here, knew so well and respected so highly the subject of this respectful memoir.
John Maidlow, late deceased, in his time one of the best known and most influential farmers of Putnam county, Ohio, for many years a resident of Blanchard township, this county, where his death occurred on December 6, 1889, was born in England on February II, 1812, and he came to America with his parents in the year 1820, when he was eight years of age. By reason of John Maidlow's tender age, at the time he arrived in this country, he truly might be said to have been an American in all save birth and it cer- tainly is the truth that no native-born American ever loved the country more or took a greater interest in its development.
At the age of thirteen, John Maidlow moved to Knox county, Ohio, where he grew to vigorous manhood, acquiring, with a sturdy body, such education as the local schools of that period afforded and laying the founda- tion for an after life of much usefulness to his fellow men. On February 18, 1834, Mr. Maidlow was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda A. Douds, who was born in Knox county, Ohio, on February 17, 1816, the marriage taking place at the home of the bride's parents, three miles north of Mt. Vernon. Three years later, on March 4, 1937, to be exact, Mr. Maidlow and his wife came to Putnam county, Ohio, and settled in Blanchard township, Where they spent the remainder of their lives, his death occurring on Decem- ber 6, 1889, and hers on August 18, 1897. On this old home place, this honored couple lived to celebrate their "golden" wedding anniversary, Febru- ary 18, 1884, on which happy occasion a very large party of friends and relatives was present, among these being twelve children, forty grandchil- dren and one great-grandchild.
To John and Lucinda A. (Douds) Maidlow were born the following children : James A., who married Mary Ann Buckland; Elizabeth Sophia, who married N. C. Conine; Ann, who married D. E. Sandles; C. Edmund, who married Belle Kline, now deceased; Chloe Rogers, deceased; William Franklin, who married Miranda Conine, now deceased; Rebecca Jane, who married E. H. Buckland; Agnes Padwick, who married Thomas Walford, :now deceased ; Alice, who married R. L. Brooks; Laura, who married George
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Huntsman; Martha Maria, who married Herman McDougle; Alfred Spencer, who married Emma Carpenter, and Putnam, who married Mary Cartwright.
John Maidlow was an extensive and successful farmer and his lands were among the most highly cultivated of any in the county of Putnam. He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and was widely informed on all matters pertaining to the general interests of his adopted country. He was a wide reader, not only of the newspapers, which kept him informed on current events, but of books, in the reading of which he had a very fine and discriminating taste. He was a pioneer in the matter of better highways, having been one of the most efficient leaders in the movement for gravel roads in the county, as well as being one of the earliest and most persistent advocates of the necessity for a thorough and comprehensive system of drainage of lands, preaching in season and out of season the very high utility of such public improvements. If for no other reason than for the stimulating effect of his advocacy of these vital improvements, Putnam county owes. very much to the memory of John Maidlow. In his personal relations with his fellow men, Mr. Maidlow was a man of generous impulses and of scrupulous honesty, and in the neighbohdood in which he lived so many years and in which he was so strong a factor for good, these lovely human traits in him are not forgotten to this day. In his good works, he ever was ably abetted by his good wife, whose memory also is held in the highest regard even to this day, in that neighborhood.
John Maidlow was active in the public affairs of Putnam county, his voice always being raised in behalf of such measures as seemed to him best fitted to advance the common weal. Despite the fact, however, of his con- tinued and active participation in the political campaigns of his party-he was ever an earnest and consistent Democrat,-Mr. Maidlow persistently declined to accept nominations to public office, though his party frequently honored him by pressing upon him the desirability of his acceptance of such nominations. He did serve his party in 1868, however, by going as one of the delegates from the tenth congressional district of Ohio to the national convention of the Democratic party, in session that year in New York city.
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