History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 119

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1744

USA > Ohio > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions > Part 119

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Having left Stark county, Ohio, at the age of eighteen months, with his parents, who eventually settled in Putnam county on forty acres of land which they cleared and improved, George Ball here grew to manhood, and was educated in the old district No. 3 school. He farmed until 1887, when he entered the mercantile business with W. H. Engleman, at North Creek. Mr. Ball is a partner in the business and owns a half interest in the store. He is still active in its management.

George Ball was married on May 10, 1893, to Carrie Yearling, a native of Franklin county, Ohio, and a daughter of Adam and Catherine (Miller) Yearling. George and Carrie (Yearling) Ball have had eight children, as follow: Grace Anna, born on March 13, 1894; Clinton William, September

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21, 1896; Raymond Martin, February 16, 1898; Emaline Catherine, Novem- ber 14, 1900; Clara Bertha, September 13, 1902; Matilda Mary, February I, 1905; Nelson Lewis, August 31, 1907, and Helen Theresa, September 14, 1909. All of these children are living at home.

After his marriage, Mr. Ball removed to the property in North Creek, Ohio, where he now resides. Having acquired one hundred and sixty-seven acres of fine land in Palmer township, he divides his attention somewhat between the farm and his mercantile business. Mr. Ball's sons, however, farm all the land except eighty acres which he rents out.

A Democrat, Mr. Ball has never been ambitious to hold office, but has devoted his life and his energies to his interests. He is known to be a keen business man and a man with a remarkable perception. He is especially devoted to his home and to his family. He is a well-known and favorably liked in this community.

JOSEPH BOECKER.

It is the farmer who makes possible for men in other occupations the sustaining power of life. Farming was the original occupation of man and it is the only occupation which can exist independently of the others. In- deed, every occupation is dependent upon the farmer. The products of the farm have made our railroads what they are today. The great bulk of manufacturing is made necessary by the farmer's needs. The people of the city could not live a week without the farmer's products. He holds not only the purse-strings of the nation, but even the very life of the people. For this reason the farmer has in reality the most important profession of all. Putnam county has fine farms and good farmers, among whom is Joseph Boecker, of Perry township.

Joseph Boecker was born on June 29, 1889, close to Glandorf, in Ottawa township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of William and Bernadina (Lefken) Boecker. William Boecker was born in Glandorf, Germany, and came to America when a young man, with his brother Charles, and settled in Ottawa township, Putnam county. He farmed for a time and later purchased forty acres in Ottawa township, and forty acres in Greensburg township. He married Bernadina Lefken, who was born in Ottawa township, Put- nam county, Ohio. She died in 1898, and William Boecker has never mar- ried again. He farmed in Ottawa and Greensburg township for some time after his marriage, and came to Jackson township, March 20, 1895, where he

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purchased one hundred and sixteen acres of excellent land. He moved to this farm on March 7, 1908, and bought one hundred and twenty acres in Perry township, a little later. He never operated the farm in Perry township, however, but rented sixty acres of it to his son, Joseph, the subject of this sketch, and also rented about sixty acres to his other son, August. William Boecker lives on the home place in Jackson township and is engaged in gen- eral farming. He and his wife had twelve children, as follow: Mrs. Tracy Brinkman, who lives in Jackson township; Henry, who is deceased; August lives in Perry township; Edward, who is deceased; Anna, who lives on the home place in Jackson township; Joseph, the subject of this sketch; Bernard and Francis, who live at home; William, deceased; Harry and Mary live at home, and one child, who died in infancy. William Boecker is a member of St. Barbara's Catholic church at Cloverdale, Ohio. He is not a member of any lodge, nor has he held office. He has been a life-long farmer, and, during his entire life, has been identified with the fortunes of the Democratic party.

Joseph Boecker grew up on the farm in Ottawa township, and was edu- cated in the township schools. He remained at home until his marriage, after which time he removed to his present farm in Perry township. He built the house and barn and, in fact, all of the other buildings now situated on the place. Mr. Boecker has ditched, fenced and cleared and improved the farm. Lately he has erected an addition to the barn. He follows general farming.

Joseph Boecker was married on November 15, 1911, to Flora Unterbrink,. daughter of Barney and Agnes (Kracht) Unterbrink. Mrs. Boeker was born in Greensburg township on December 5, 1886. Her parents were both natives of Ohio and follow general farming. They removed to a farm of one hun- dred acres in Perry township, about 1902. Mrs. Boecker's paternal grand- parents came from Germany.

To Joseph and Flora (Unterbrink) Boecker one child, Clarence, has. been born, on October 27, 1912.

Joseph Boecker is not a member of any lodge nor has he ever been active in politics. He is identified with the Democratic party, however. Mr. Boecker has given almost his undivided attention to the cultivation of his farm, and has in a comparatively brief period, made a rather unusual suc- cess in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Boecker are members of St. Bar- bara's Catholic church at Cloverdale, Ohio. They are prominent in the affairs of this church and contribute liberally toward its support.

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ISAAC E. BOGART.

In the anxious and laborious struggle for an honorable competency and substantial career on the part of the average business man, fighting the every- day battles of life, there is but little to attract the idle reader in search of a sensational chapter. For a mind fully awake to the reality and meaning of human existence, there are noble and immortal lessons in the lives of men who, without other means than a clear mind, a strong arm and a true heart, conquer fortune and gain not only temporary reward for their toil, but also that which is greater and higher, the respect and confidence of those with whom their years of active life have placed them in contact. A man of this character is Isaac E. Bogart, a well-known farmer of Pleasant township, Putnam county, Ohio.

Isaac E. Bogart was born on March 18, 1863, in Pleasant township, near Columbus Grove. He is the son of John and Frances (Fruschey) Bogart.

Spending his boyhood days on the home farm from the time he was eight years old until he was married, Isaac E. Bogart now lives on the home place to which his father moved when his son was eight years old. Mr. Bogart traveled as a road salesman for J. O. Keller, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, a patent medicine concern, during a part of three years, in Hardin and Union counties, Ohio, before he was married. He traveled from his father's home in Putnam county, driving to these other counties, and here learned the val- uable points about salesmanship. Subsequently he returned to the farm and helped on the home place, cutting and hauling timber with his brother.

Mr. Bogart was married, March 1, 1888, to Rosa Beam, a native of Union township, Putnam county, and the daughter of Amos and Mary (Burkhart) Beam. To this union seven children have been born, two of whom died in infancy. The five children living are Orville Ray, Mary Frances, Blanche, Iva and John Amos. Orville Ray married Floy Eversole, a native of Allen county, and has two children, Harold Milton and Bona Marie. He lives on a farm adjoining his father's home place. Mary Frances married Roy Vandemarke, a native of Union township, Putnam county, and a farmer in Pleasant township. The three latter children are still at home.

After his marriage, Mr. Bogart rented sixty acres of land in Union township of Henry Beam, his wife's brother. He lived here one year and then moved to Perry township and rented a farm for a period of three years, when he purchased forty acres of Silas Clark, in Union township, and farmed here for about one year. Subsequently he sold out and moved to the farm

ISAAC E. BOGART AND FAMILY.

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owned by his father-in-law, where they established the first herd of Shorthorn cattle. They had from thirty-five to forty head, obtaining their start from John Miller, of Peru, Indiana. Mr. Bogart has exhibited this herd four seasons in the Ohio fair circuit, two seasons at the Columbus state fair, in 1898, at the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha, where he took first, second and third premiums in the class shows, and every premium in get- ting the grand sweepstakes on the age herd, general purpose breed, etc. Mr. Bogart followed this for a period of five years, when Mr. Beam died and a settlement was made and the herd sold. At this time Mr. Bogart had nothing left but his household goods and family. He went south to find a new lo- cation for cattle breeding purposes, but later returned to Putnam county. He rented the home farm, where he is now living, for a period of three years, and during the first year purchased two eighty-acre tracts of land from Mr. Beardsley, of Ottawa, which tracts adjoin the home place. Mr. Bogart rented the east eighty acres, of the one hundred and sixty acre tract, to Will- iam Schumaker for cash rent and farmed the home place and the other eighty acres himself. The one hundred and sixty acres cost him ten thousand dol- lars. Later, Mr. Bogart moved to his one-hundred-and-sixty-acre tract and farmed for six years, during which time he sold eighty acres because of ill health. Later he purchased a portion of the home farm and his brother bought the balance. Subsequently, he bought his brother's share. Mr. Bogart rebuilt his house on his present place and moved there in 1909. He has made extensive improvements upon the residence, until he now has an ideal, modern country home. The other buildings on the farm were erected before Mr. Bogart moved to it, except a new garage, which Mr. Bogart built in June, 1914. He has a splendid barn, thirty by fifty feet, of hewed lumber and six- teen-foot posts, eight inches square. Mr. Bogart follows general farming and is an extensive raiser of live stock and grain.

Reverting to Mr. Bogart's ancestry, he is the son of John Bogart, who was born in Northumberland county, Pennsylvania, on September 28, 1885. John Bogart was the son of Jacob and Mary (Yaeger) Bogart, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, in 1803, and who died in 1857, at the age of fifty-five years. Mary Yaeger was born in Pennsylvania in 1803, and died June 20, 1881, at the age of seventy-eight years.

John Bogart came with his parents to Putnam county when a young man and settled in Pleasant township. He remained on the farm with his father until his marriage, August 18, 1849, to Frances Fruschey, a native of Fairfield county, Ohio, born on September 20, 1830, and the daughter of

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Frederick and Elizabeth (Welton) Fruschey. Frederick Fruschey was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1792, and died in 1854 at the age of sixty- two years. His wife was a native of Virginia, born in 1802, and died in 1854, at the age of fifty-two years. She had come with her parents to Fairfield county, Ohio, and here she was married. After the marriage, she came with her husband to Putnam county. Subsequent to his marriage, John Bogart rented a farm and later purchased one northwest of Columbus Grove. With the exception of three years which he spent in Missouri, he has spent. all of his life in Putnam county. He was a life-long farmer and died on the homestead farm where his son, Isaac E., now lives. He was a stanch and active Republican and a member of the United Brethren church. His wife was also a member of this church at Columbus Grove. They were the parents. of eleven children : Jesse, deceased; Frederick, deceased; Jacob, of Pleasant township; William, of Columbus Grove; Mary Annie, deceased; Reeder, de- ceased; Mrs. Alice Moeller, of Sugar Creek township; Mrs. Alma Wagner, a twin sister of Mrs. Alice Moeller, who lives with her mother in Columbus Grove; Isaac E., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Caroline Sterling, of Parkin, Arkansas, and Mrs. Sarah Ellen Cartwright, of Waterville, Ohio. Mrs. John Bogart is still living with her daughter, Mrs. Alma Wagner, at Columbus Grove. She came to Putnam county with her parents at the age of ten years, who settled upon a farm a short distance from Columbus Grove. Her father owned a fourth section of land and was a successful farmer. She spent. her womanhood in Putnam county and was married there. Her father con- ducted a hotel in the village as early as 1844.

As heretofore mentioned, Mrs. Isaac E. Bogart is the daughter of Amos and Mary (Burkhart) Beam. Amos Beam during his life was a well- known citizen and farmer of Union township, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was the son of Jacob and Rosa (Kerns) Beam, also. natives of Pennsylvania. Amos Beam, who was born on June 27, 1823, was the grandson of Peter Beam, who was born on December 5, 1872, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and who died December 8, 1808. Peter and his brother, John, were members of the German Lutheran church. Jacob Beam, the son of Peter Beam, and the father of Amos, was born in Lan- caster county, April 13, 1796, and about 1819 was married to Rosa Kerns, the daughter of Abraham and Barbara Kerns. To this union were born eight children, Maria, the wife of Matthias Stauffer, deceased; Amos, deceased; Mrs. Susanna Miller, deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of Daniel Shipper, de- ceased ; Mrs. Katie Burkhart, deceased; Isaac, deceased; Sarah, the wife of I. E. Musselman, a merchant of Bowmansville, Pennsylvania; and John, a

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farmer of the same state. Jacob Beam, who was a member of the Lutheran church, died on November 25, 1878. His son, Amos Beam, who, as hereto- fore stated, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on June 27, 1823, having arrived at manhood, was married in Breckenock township, Lan- caster county, at the bride's home, August 12, 1847, to Mary Burkhart. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. Drom Comer. They began the toils of married life with the thought of obtaining a home. About this time emigration was drifting to what was known then as the "Far West," and what now comprises the great state of Ohio. In the spring of 1854, having concluded that the West was the place to seek for a home, Amos Beam and wife set out for Ohio, leaving their fathers, mothers and friends for what was then the great dismal Black swamp. Coming partly by rail and partly by land, they arrived in Putnam county, a few miles east of Pandora. After living there for only a short time, they again started westward and stopped this time about four and one-half miles west of Columbus Grove, on what is now the Columbus Grove and Kalida road, where they purchased forty acres of land. Being a shoemaker by trade, he cleared and tilled his land by day and made boots and shoes at night. Having accumulated some wealth by this time, he purchased another eighty acres adjoining the original forty and in the spring of 1863, sold this farm and moved a mile farther north and one mile east, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. Here he began to lay the foundation for a permanent home.

To Mr. and Mrs. Amos Beam were born ten children, four sons and six daughters, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood and became heads of families. They are all living at this time, except three, one daughter and two sons. Louisa Beam, who married Alfred Mayberry, was the first to be called to the Great Beyond. After her death, the eldest son, John, passed away and he was followed by the youngest son, Amos, Jr. The liv- ing children are David, Henry, Mrs. Sarah Glancy, Mrs. Mary Scott, Mrs. Kate Buckingham, Mrs. Lydia Norman and Mrs. Rosa Bogart. There are, at the present time, forty-one grandchildren living and sixteen deceased, forty-four great-grandchildren living and two deceased.

On August 12, 1897, Mr. and Mrs. Amos Beam celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary and on this date they were given a pleasant and agree- able surprise by their children and grandchildren, all of whom came with baskets well filled for the event. Amos Beam was presented with a gold- headed walking cane and Mrs. Beam was presented with a fine dress pattern. Each was given a pair of fine gold spectacles. They were also the recipients of many other presents.

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Amos Beam's mother, Rosa (Kerns) Beam, who was born in 1798, passed away in July, 1874. She and her husband had been devout members of the Lutheran church and later belonged to the United Brethren church. Three years before her death, Amos Beam had erected a splendid brick dwell- ing on his Union township farm, and here he lived until his death, January 29, 1900, when he was seventy-six years, seven months and two days old. His devoted wife passed away about three years later, April 10, 1903, at the age of seventy-nine years, eight months and seventeen days. They were both faithful and loyal members of the United Brethren church throughout their lives and especially after their arrival in Ohio. Late in life Amos Beam, who had inherited Democratic doctrines from his father, became an ardent Prohibitionist. He was a township .trustee and also a school director, both of which offices came to him without solicitation. He was a class leader in his church and superintendent of the Sunday school. He was a public- spirited citizen and always one of the leaders in the community where he lived.

WILLIAM T. ETTER.

Agriculture has been the true source of man's dominion over earth ever since the primal existence of labor and has been the pivotal industry that has controlled for the most part all of the fields of action to which intel- ligence and energy have been devoted. Among the sturdy elements of Put- nam county whose labors have profited alike themselves and the community in which they live, is William T. Etter, who is not only a farmer, but a tile manufacturer, and who has been honored by the people of Perry town- ship by the election to the office of township trustee. In view of the con- sistent life lived by Mr. Etter, all of which has been passed within the borders of the state of Ohio, it is particularly fitting that the following short record of his career be incorporated in this volume.

William T. Etter was born on October 3, 1866, in Hancock county, Ohio. He is the son of George T. and Christina (Kohl) Etter, both of whom were natives of Germany, and who came to America at the age of eighteen and settled at Tiffin, Ohio, where they were married. Later they moved to Hancock county, Ohio, and settled near Arcadia, half way between Arcadia and Fostoria. Here George T. Etter farmed for a number of years, but later moved to North Baltimore, where he lived until his death in the fall of 1913, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife, who, before her mar-

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riage, was Christina Kohl, died in 1895, at the age of sixty-four years. After her death, George T. Etter remarried and his widow still lives at North Baltimore, Ohio. George T. and Christina (Kohl) Etter had eleven children, seven of whom are now living, John, lives in Michigan; Mrs. Mary Baer, lives three miles from Angola, Indiana; William T., the subject of this sketch; George, Samuel and Charles, all of whom live at Dupont, Ohio, and Albert, who lives in Perry township.

William T. Etter was educated in the public schools of Ohio, and re- ceived a good common-school education. He was married on December 8, 1888, to Mary E. Dicus, who was born in Paulding county, Ohio, and who is the daughter of Joshua and Sidney (Potter) Discus. To this marriage nine children have been born, Carl, deceased; Coy, who is at home; Emma, who married James Foley, of Delphos, Ohio, and has two children, Opal and Howard; Anna, who married Arthur McCuen, of Critherville, Ohio, and has two children, Mary and Helen; Clayton, Clifford, Carney, Clarence and Mabel, all of whom are at home.

After his marriage, Mr. Etter moved to Putnam county, Ohio. During the first year, he lived on the D. J. Taylor farm in Monroe township and then lived one year across from the old home place. He then moved to the old homestead and, after being here for one year, moved to the Hickson farm, in Perry township, where he remained for two years. After this he moved to Dupont, Ohio, and went into the tile-manufacturing business with his father-in-law, Mr. Dicus. They conducted this enterprise together for about five years, when Mr. Dicus sold out to Mr. Etter's brother-in-law, Frank Walters. This arrangement continued for five years more. Subsequently, Mr. Etter purchased his brother-in-law's interest and conducted the business alone for five years. He then sold a one-third interest to two brothers, Charles and George, but is still actively identified with the business, though not active in the management. He devotes practically all of his time to farming one hundred and twenty-acres of the E. L. Marriott farm in 'Perry township. He has been farming this land for the past seven years. Mr. Etter owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Arkansas, which he leases.

William T. Etter is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows Lodge No. 719, at Dupont, Ohio. He served on the local board of health for six years and also as a member of the Dupont school board for a number of years. He has been corporation treasurer for the past ten years and is still active in this capacity. For two years he was infirmary director of Putnam county, 1911 and 1912. At the present time he is trustee of

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Perry township and is entering upon his second year. He has been treas- urer of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge for the past fifteen years. Mr. Etter is a stanch Democrat. He is not a member of any church, but was reared as an adherent of the Methodist faith. His wife is a mem- ber of the Methodist church at Dupont. William T. Etter is a man highly respected in Putnam county, where he is well known.

GILBERT McCLISH.

Gilbert McClish is one of the progressive and influential citizens of Putnam county, where, for more than half a century, he maintained his home, figuring as one of the builders of the community and is especially worthy of consideration in this work. He has, by his industry and sound judgment, not only improved a fine farm and won a fairly large competency for his old age, but he has materially assisted in promoting the general wel- fare of the community, and in many ways lending his valuable time and influence to the promulgation of various uplifting movements. Gilbert Mc- Clish is well known as one of the substantial farmers of Perry township, and has been honored by the citizens of this township by election to the important office of township trustee.

Gilbert McClish was born on November 28, 1857, in Perry township, Putnam county, Ohio. He is the son of John and Hannah (Jeffrey) Mc- Clish, the former of whom was born in January, 1829, in Perry township, and a son of Silas and Nancy McClish, early settlers in Putnam county. Silas McClish died on June 20, 1860, and his wife on February 21, 1855. Gilbert McClish still has the deed for two tracts of government land entered by Silas McClish, his grandfather. The original papers are dated May 10, 1854, 'and December 15, 1854.

John McClish was reared as a farmer, and died on the homestead in Perry township, May 8, 1879, at the age of fifty-two years. Originally, there were one hundred and sixty acres in the homestead farm, but John McClish had over two hundred acres at the time of his death. He was trustee of Perry township for several terms.

John McClish was married three times, the first time to Hannah Jeffrey, who was born on October 10, 1836, in Putnam county, and who died, May 8, 1859. Four children were born to this marriage, only one of whom, besides the subject, is now living. She is Mrs. Nancy Pitcher, of Perry township.

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Winnie and George, the other children, are deceased. John McClish was married the second time on April 24, 1860, to Harriet Dash. She died on February 27, 1873. Four children were born to this marriage, only two of whom are living, Ambrose, of Lima, Ohio, and Mrs. Mary Griffith, of Missouri. Frank died on May 1, 1875, and Alice died on May 20, 1872. After the death of his second wife, Mr. McClish married Elizabeth Hitch- cock, January 24, 1875. She died in Henry county, Ohio, in 1907. No children were born to this third marriage.

Gilbert McClish grew up on the farm in Perry township, and was educated in the schools of this township. He remained with his father until his death and then assisted his step-mother, and later, he was married. He then purchased his present farm of eighty acres, which was partly cleared. He moved upon this land and since has, for the most part, placed it under cultivation. It is now a splendid farm, upon which he has recently erected a new barn, of the latest type.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 119

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836- Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1744

Author: Kinder, George D., 1836-
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Indianapolis, Ind. : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1744