History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 121

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 121

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Aaron Huysman purchased eighty acres of land in 1860 from his father and continued to farm this land until the breaking out of the Civil War.

In July, 1862, Mr. Huysman enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly three

MR. AND MRS. AARON HUYSMAN.

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years, or until the close of the war. He returned to Putnam county after the war and began work on his farm.

Mr. Huysman was married to Gretchen Osenga on October 31, 1867. To this happy but brief union two children were born, one of whom is living, Nellie, born on December 1, 1868. William, the other child, died in infancy. Nellie married Jacob Schramm, who died September 22, 1908. Mrs. Jacob Schramm and family live on a farm in Monterey township, north of Otto- ville.

Mrs. Gretchen Huysman died on April 7, 1872, and Mr. Huysman was married, a second time, on December 8, 1872, to Mrs. Mary Miller, who was born on January 14, 1839, in Switzerland. She is the daughter of Jacob and Margaret Vogt. Her mother died in Switzerland in 1843 and her father came to the United States and settled in Sandusky county, Ohio, living there for a time, later moving to Van Wert county in 1855. Here he rented a farm for a time and later purchased a tract of land, where he died about 1905. To this second union of subject five children were born, four of whom are living: Margaret, born on October 10, 1874, died at the age of nine years ; Aaron, Mary, Rickie and Bertha. Aaron, who was born on December 26, 1875, married Katie Baugh and has five children: Verna, born on Novem- ber 13, 1901 ; Mabel, September 7, 1906; Elmer, January 30, 1909; Herbert, May 2, 19II, and Arthur, September 5, 1914; Mary, May 26, 1878, is at home; Rickie, September 20, 1880, married Alois Wurstner and lives near Dayton, Ohio. They have two children: Helen, born on April 9, 1903, and Byron, January 2, 1906, and Bertha married Joseph Remke and lives in Day- ton, Ohio.

Mr. Huysman has added to his original farm of eighty acres until for a time he owned three hundred and five acres of well improved land. Mr. Huysman has given to all of his children considerable tracts of land and still owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He first settled on it in a log cabin, when it was heavily timbered, but the timber has been cleared away and his farm is well tiled. In fact, Mr. Huysman was one of the first men in Monterey township to tile his land. He was laughed at by the other farm- ers, who, a few years later, began to see the value of tiling and who began to do it themselves. Mr. Huysman has modern buildings on his farm. He is located south and west of Ottoville, about two and one-half miles.

Aaron Huysman and family are members of the Presbyterian church at Delphos, is a Republican and throughout his life has been more or less active in the councils of the Republican party and influential to a considerable de-

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gree. For many years he has served his community as supervisor and in this office has behind him an excellent record. Few men are better known in Monterey township than Aaron Huysman and no man is more deserving of the respect and confidence in which he is held than the subject of this sketch.

JOHN F. MILLER.

Improvement and progress may well be said to form the keynote of the character of John F. Miller, a well-known and influential farmer of Sugar Creek township, and he has not only been interested in the work of advanc- ing his individual affairs, but his influence is felt in upbuilding the com- munity. He has beeen an industrious man all his life, trying to keep abreast of the times in every respect, and as a result, every mile-post of the years he has passed has found him further advanced, more prosperous, and with an increased number of friends.

John F. Miller was born on April 14, 1866, in Monroe township, Allen county, Ohio, the son of Henry and Mary (Sauer) Miller. Henry Miller was a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, born on April 29, 1841. His parents, Michael and Ann (Kunkleman) Miller, were farmer folks in their native country, and came to America in 1849, settling at Mckeesport, Penn- sylvania. Here Michael Miller remained for three years, when, after losing a son by an accident in the coal mines, he moved, in 1852, to Monroe town- ship, Allen county, where he bought eighty acres of land, located about four miles southwest of Columbus Grove. There he remained during the rest of his life, his death occurring in October, 1879, at the age of seventy-three years, nine months and twenty days. To him and his wife were born six sons, one of whom died in infancy in Germany, the others being John, Leon- ard, Christopher, Henry and Adam. Michael Miller's wife, Annie, died in August, 1886, at the age of eighty years, her death occurring at the home of her son, Henry.

Henry Miller, the subject's father, was nine years of age when brought to America, and spent his youth in Allen county, where he received his edu- cation in the common schools. He remained with his parents until the time of his marriage to Mary Sauer, who was the daughter of Frank and Cather- ine (Harmon) Sauer. She was born in Prussia, Germany, and came to America with her parents at the age of nine years, her birth having occurred

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on January 20, 1846, at which time the family came direct to Pickaway county, Ohio, where they lived a few years, and then located in Monroe township, Allen county, on a farm two and one-half miles south of Columbus Grove. After Henry Miller's marriage, he rented a farm in Monroe town- ship, three and one-half miles southwest of Columbus Grove, where he remained for about six years. He then bought eighty acres of land, four and one-half miles southwest of Columbus Grove, to which he later added, by purchase, one hundred acres, and which is his present home farm. He has been a very successful farmer, and stands high in the community. To him and his wife were born fourteen children, Margaret, John F., Emma, Anna, Alice, Sarah, Caroline, Bertha, William, Harmon, Louis, Clara, Grace and Arthur. All are living and all are married, except Bertha, Grace and Arthur.

John F. Miller spent his early years under the parental roof, attending the district schools. He assisted his father on the home farm until his mar- riage, at the age of twenty-four years, following which, for two years, he operated his father's farm. He then bought fifty acres of land in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, southeast of Vaughnsville, where he lived for twelve years, at the end of which time he sold out, and, on March 9, 1905, bought sixty-six acres of land located one mile northeast of Vaughns- ville. To this tract he has added forty acres, thus making his present hold- ings one hundred and six acres. This farm is splendidly improved in every respect, including a substantial seven-room residence, a large barn, and other necessary farm buildings, and in every respect he maintained the place ac- cording to up-to-date ideas, employing the best of machinery and improve- ments, and following advanced methods of agriculture.

On January 29, 1891, Mr. Miller was married to Lydia Jane Miller, who was born on March 25, 1868, in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, and a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Best) Miller. Both of these par- ents are natives of eastern Ohio, the former born in Pickaway county and the latter in Clark county. To John F. and Lydia Jane (Miller) Miller have been born two children, Alta, on August 17, 1897, and Lloyd, February 25, 1900.

Mr. Miller is a Democrat, and is rendering efficient service as trustee of Sugar Creek township. It is noteworthy that Mr. Miller received within three votes of the highest vote ever polled by any Republican in Sugar Creek township. He is in sympathy with, and an attendant of, the Christian church, of which Mrs. Miller is an active member. As a citizen, Mr. Miller's char- acter is above reproach, and he enjoys to a marked degree the esteem and confidence of those who know him.

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WILLIAM SAKEMILLER.

It is by no means an easy task to describe within the limits of this review a man who has lived an active and eminently useful life and, by his own exertion, reached a position of honor and trust in a line of industry with which his interests are allied. But biography finds justification, never- theless, in the tracing and recording of such a life history, as the public claims a certain property interest in the career of every individual and the time invariably arrives when it becomes advisable to give the right publicity. It is then with a certain degree of satisfaction that the chronicler essays the task of touching upon such a record as has been that of William Sakemiller, a man who has been a successful farmer and honest citizen of Sugar Creek township.

William Sakemiller was born on April 14, 1868, in Sugar Creek town- ship, Putnam county, and is the son of Benjamin and Mary (Sherrick) Sake- miller. Benjamin Sakemiller is a native of the old Keystone state, born on March 4, 1825, and came to Allen county, Ohio, in 1838, at the age of thir- teen years, with his parents, who settled about two miles north of Elida. Here Benjamin Sakemiller spent the remainder of his youth, on the farm which his parents had bought, and where they spent the remainder of their lives. Benjamin Sakemiller was married, in 1849, to Mary Sherrick, and some time afterward he moved to Jennings township, Putnam county, about three-quarters of a mile southeast of Rushmore, where he bought a farm and where he lived until 1866. Then, selling that place, he bought one hun- dred and ten acres, one mile north of Rimer, in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, to which, a few years later, he added forty acres, thus giving him a total acreage of one hundred and sixty acres. He was a hard-working farmer and, by persistent effort and good management, attained a definite success in his vocation. He was a Democrat in his political views and was a member of the Christian church. His death occurred, February 20, 1888. His wife, Mary Sherrick, was born on September 30, 1830, in Fairfield county, Ohio, the daughter of Christian and Anna ( Myers) Sherrick. She came to Allen county, Ohio, with her parents, when she was a child and lived on the home farm, which adjoins that of William Sakemiller's grand- father. She was also a member of the Christian church and was a devoted wife and loving mother, and enjoyed the love and respect of all who knew her. She died on December 15, 1892, having survived her husband several years. To this worthy couple were born eleven children, two of whom died in infancy, the others being as follow: Rachel, the wife of J. H. Deffen-

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baugh; Christian, who married Alice Guffy; Jane, the deceased wife of Will- iam Blakely; Sampson, who married Frances Benson; Charles, who died un- married, at the age of forty-one years; Rebecca, the wife of George Glen- dening ; William, the subject of this sketch; Benjamin G., who is unmarried; and James W., who married Cora Thomas.

William Sakemiller, the immediate subject of this review, spent his childhood and youth under the parental roof, assisting, when old enough, in the cultivation of the home farm. He received his elementary education in the old Rimer district schools, but his education has been supplemented dur- ing subsequent years by much reading and close observation, so that today he is considered a well-informed man on general topics. He remained with his father until twenty-one years of age, when he assumed the management of the home place, continuing to operate the same for thirteen years. Mr. Sakemiller moved to the John G. Evans farm in 1903, where he lived for two years and, in 1905, bought the George Gander farm, which has been his home ever since. The place is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Ottawa river (Hog creek) and is well improved, containing a large brick residence, well arranged and comfortably furnished and surrounded with a splendid grove of evergreens, with numerous other outbuildings in keeping with the surroundings. Mr. Sakemiller has always carried on general farm- ing operations, giving proper attention to rotation of crops and other up-to- date methods of successful agriculture and is one of the most successful and progressive farmers of his locality.

On February 23, 1892, Mr. Sakemiller was married to Maggie E. Funk, who was born in Nemaha county, Kansas, on December 30, 1870, the daugh- ter of Samuel and Anna ( Evans) Funk, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania, coming to Ohio with his parents in his youth and settling on Hog creek in the northwestern part of Sugar Creek township. Anna Evans was a native of Wales, coming to America with her parents when a child. After their marriage, Samuel and Anna Funk moved to Kansas, where they remained for a few years, but eventually returned to Putnam county, where they have resided since. Mrs. Funk died in the spring of 1877 and Mr. Funk is still living and resides at Sioux City, Iowa. Several years after the death of his first wife, he married Martha Dicus, of Putnam county, and to this union two children have been born, James and Zoe. To his first marriage, eight children were born, two of whom died in infancy, the others being John, who died in early childhood; Elizabeth, the wife of William Pfister; Maggie, the wife of Mr. Sakemiller; May, who died in 1902, at the age of twenty-eight years; Nora, the wife of William Jinks; and Frank, who died in 1912, at the age of thirty years.

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To William and Maggie E. (Funk) Sakemiller have been born three children, John G., Breata L. and Norah Marie, all of whom live at home.

In his political affiliations, Mr. Sakemiller is allied with the Democratic party and, in the fall of 1913, was elected trustee of Sugar Creek township by a majority of seventy votes, in a strong Republican township. He is dis- charging the duties of this office to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. Mr. Sakemiller is a member of the Ottawa River Christian church and takes a deep interest in the various lines of activity in this society. Mrs. Sakemiller is also a member of the same church. Mr. Sakemiller has, for many years, occupied a prominent place in his locality and has exerted a beneficial influence in the community. His chief characteristics are keenness of perception, a tireless energy, honesty of purpose and motive and every- day common sense, which have enabled him not only to advance his own in- terests, but also largely contribute to the moral and material advancement of the community.

CHRISTIAN SAKEMILLER.

Specific mention is made of many of the worthy citizens of Putnam county within the pages of this work, citizens who have figured in the growth and development of this favored locality and whose interests have been identified with its every phase of progress, each contributing in his sphere of activity to the well-being of the community in which he resides and to the advancement of its normal and legitimate growth. Among this number is he whose name appears above, peculiar interest attaching to his career from the fact that practically his whole life has been spent in this section of the state.

Christian Sakemiller was born near Lima, Ohio, on January 14, 1852, the son of Benjamin and Mary (Sherrick) Sakemiller. Benjamin Sakemiller was a native of the old Keystone state, having come with his parents in boy- hood, to Allen county, Ohio, settling near Elida. Here he remained until his marriage, when he located three miles northwest of Lima. He located just south of Rushmore, Jennings township, Putnam county in 1854, where they remained until 1865, when they located one mile north of Rimer, where they spent the remainder of their years. Mary Sherrick moved with her parents from Fairfield to Allen county, Ohio, in girlhood, and was there married.

Christian Sakemiller spent his early childhood in Jennings township and his later youth in Sugar Creek township. receiving his education in the old

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Rimer district school. He continued to help his father in the operation of the home farm until the fall of 1874, when he engaged in agricultural operations on his own account. He is now the owner of one hundred and eighty acres of splendid land, which is improved in every respect, the improvements compris- ing a comfortable and well-arranged home and large and commodious barns and other necessary farm buildings. He has followed general farming and has given proper attention to rotation of crops and the fertilization of the soil, so that today he possesses one of the most fertile and productive farms in this locality.

On September 3, 1874, Mr. Sakemiller was married to Alice Guffey, who was born in Sugar Creek township, on November 30, 1853, the daughter of William and Mary Ann (Jacobs) Guffey. William Guffey was born in Frank- lin county, Ohio, on November 22, 1806, one of twins, the first-born children of John and Nancy ( Pendleton ) Guffey, natives of Kentucky. William Guffey was reared to the hardships of pioneer life and eventually settled down to farming, in which he was successful. He married Mary Ann Jacobs in 1834 and to this union were born ten children, of whom two died in infancy, those who grew to maturity being Samuel, of Kansas; Elizabeth, the wife of James Rhodes; Alexander, who died a prisoner of war; Annetta, who became the wife of Noah Myers; George and James, farmers; Sarah, who married John Cratty, and Alice, the wife of Mr. Sakemiller. To Christian and Alice (Guffey) Sakemiller have been born the following children : Elnora, on April 17, 1876, died at the age of nine months; William D., May 18, 1879, married Clara McBride and has two children, Roy and Lenor ; Elsie M., November 26, 1882, is the wife of Grant O. Ashton, and has had two children, Nellie, who died at the age of two years, and Juanita Alice; Mary A., May II, 1884, mar- ried John I. Thomas, and has five chidren, Blanche, Ruth, Ivan, Flossie and Marguerite; and Ray, September 4, 1890, who married Sarah Norman and lives at home.

Mr. Sakemiller is an earnest Democrat and takes an intelligent interest in the public affairs of his community. He is a member of the Ottawa River Christian church, of which he is a trustee and to which his wife also belongs. He is prominent in the affairs of the Kalida (Ohio) Mutual Life Stock Asso- ciation, being a member of the board of directors and also holding the official position of treasurer. Strong and forceful in his relations with his fellow men, he has not only made his presence felt, but has also gained the good will and commendation of all who know him, ever retaining his reputation among them for integrity and high character.

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JOHN JACOB BRANT.

Upon the roll of representative citizens and prominent and influential pioneers of Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, Ohio, should be found the name of John Jacob Brant, who has lived in this county since his youth and who has worked his own way to a position of prominence in the business and agricultural life of that township. Mr. Brant is a man who enjoys the confi- dence and esteem of his neighbors and is honored and respected for his indus- try, his genial manners, his well-rounded and wholesome spirit of optimism. in all things, private and public.

John Jacob Brant was born on February 2, 1859, in Franklin county, Ohio. He is the son of John and Elizabeth ( Stauffer) Brant. John Brant was born in 1825, in Maryland, and died in 1897, at Kalida, Putnam county, Ohio. John Brant's mother died when he was but one and one-half years of age and his father died a year later. He was placed in a convent, where he re- mained for several years. Subsequently, he learned the blacksmith trade and when a young man went to Pennsylvania, settling in Lancaster county, where he met Elizabeth Stauffer. After their marriage, they remained in Pennsyl- vania for about nine years and it was here that three of their ten children were born. After this, John Brant moved to Franklin county, Ohio, where he worked at various occupations, raising truck, principally, for the Columbus market. At this time the foundation for the present state capitol of Ohio was being laid.

When John Jacob Brant was six years old his parents moved to Putnam county, coming overland in a covered wagon. They settled, in the fall of 1866, in the northwestern part of Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, on the old John Clevenger farm. About a year later, they moved to the Jacob Gander farm and here they remained for five years. They lived for two years near Columbus Grove, on the John Bogart farm and then moved back to the Clevenger farm for two years. John Brant then purchased a home at Kalida, where he lived for five years. This was his final residence, with the exception of about a year spent in Paulding county. He spent practically the remaining nine years of his life in Kalida and died there in April, 1897. He was a power- fully built man physically and was always a hard worker. During his life, he cleared about two hundred acres of land in Putnam county. He was a lifelong Democrat in politics and a member, for many years, of the Ottawa River Christian church. Later he became a member of the Methodist church at Kalida.

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Elizabeth Stauffer, the mother of John Jacob Brant, was born on April 13, 1835, in Pennsylvania. She spent her girlhood days in Lancaster county, where she was born. In fact, she remained there until her marriage. Eleven children were born to John and Elizabeth (Stauffer) Brant, Elizabeth, who died in infancy ; Maria; Catherine; Fiana; Samuel H. ; George W., deceased; John J., the subject of this sketch ; Abraham L .; Margaret C., deceased; Alice Elizabeth and Charles E. Mrs. Elizabeth Brant is still living at Continental, Putnam county.

John Jacob Brant was six years old when his parents came to Putnam county and here he spent his childhood days and youth. He attended the common schools and helped his father, with whom he remained until he was twenty-four years of age. He was married, November 29, 1883, to Lydia M. Sneary, who was born in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, three miles north of Vaughnsville, on the homestead of her parents, on May 13, 1862. She was the daughter of John and Margaret ( Myrlatt ) Sneary. John Sneary was born in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, on February 1, 1876, and died on the old homestead, June 9, 1902. He was the son of John and Susannah (Turner) Sneary, who were likewise natives of Tuscarawas county, Ohio. They came to Putnam county when John was sixteen years of age and settled in the timber land. Here they established a home in the wilderness and it is on this home- stead that John Jacob Brant now lives. John and Margaret Sneary had seven . children, Mary Ann, who died when about seven years of age; George, who- died when two years of age; James M .; Rebecca, who was killed by a traction car, August II, 1913, when fifty-three years of age; Lydia M., the wife of Mr. Brant; William T. and Sarah Elizabeth.

After the marriage of Mr. Brant, he was employed on neighboring farms for two years and then rented the James Vale farm near Kalida, where he re- mained for five years. At the end of that period, he purchased the home farm of his wife from the heirs and has resided here since that time. This farm consists of eighty acres and is improved in every respect. It has a seven-room residence, nicely situated and a large barn, thirty-six by fifty-four feet, as well as a cattle shed, sixteen by sixty feet. Other buildings are in keeping with the surroundings. Mr. Brant has always done general farming and has been very successful.

To John Jacob and Lydia M. (Seary) Brant, six children have been born, Augusta Elizabeth, on November 22, 1884, who is the wife of Clarence E. Vandemark, and has had five children, Harold, Otho Maud, James Brant, who died at the age of three years, Virgil Leon and Lawrence Edwin; Fred- erick Forest, June 10, 1888, died on January 20, 1892 ; John Clifton, May 24,.

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1891, died on January 22, 1892; an infant son, who died at birth; Clarence Dewey, March 20, 1898, and Bessie Agatha, February 4, 1903.

John Jacob Brant in politics is a Democrat. He and his wife and family are all members of the Christian church at Vaughnsville. Mr. Brant is a clean- cut, progressive farmer and has managed to accumulate an exceptionally good farm of eighty acres. He is well and favorably known, not only in Sugar Creek, but in adjoining townships. His character and reputation have always been above reproach.

CHARLES P. IRWIN.

Some farmers would find, if their books were balanced at the end of the year, that they could have made more money by working for a dollar a day for some one else, yet it would take careful balance to convince them of their loss. Some farmers, however, can tell almost definitely what the various de- partments of the farm are producing in the way of profit. The most pro- gressive farmers of the present generation have devised simple methods of keeping track of their investments and their returns. Charles P. Irwin, a well-known farmer of Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, Ohio, has been successful because he has applied himself to the task of keeping separate ac- counting for his investment. Mr. Irwin is one of the progressive farmers of this section of Putnam county, who has discarded the rule-of-thumb method and who has undertaken to put his farm operations on a business basis.

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History of Putnam County, Ohio : its peoples, industries, and institutions, Part 121

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