USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Vo. II > Part 21
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Vol. II-11
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Albert R. Young is in the enjoyment of much consideration from his town and community, which esteem him as a public spirited citizen, and as one ever ready to support all those measures likely to prove generally beneficial. He is extremely loyal to the policies and principles of the Democratic party, and has been elected to fill several offices in the village of Greenspring. which is largely Republican. He has served on the school board. as treasurer of schools four years. served on the village council and as mayor of the village for nearly five years. In 1878 he was given the contract to build the town hall. and after completing the build- ing Mr. Young occupied one room in the same building for his furni- ture business until 1896, at which time he purchased a lot from the Stem estate and in the spring of 1896 built the brick block which is being occupied at the present time for his furniture business. Mr. Young has experienced unqualified success. He is a professional embalmer. having attended the school of Professor Sulivin at Columbus, Ohio, also the school of Professor A. Johnson Dodge, lecturer and demonstrator at Columbus, Ohio, and has diplmas from each of the schools. Mr. Young was the first one to intro- duce the use of the stone grave vaults in this section of the country.
In 1880 Mr. Young entered into partnership with his brother, D. W. Young. and erected a four story factory building for the purpose of manufacturing furniture. and was enjoying a good business when. in April. 1883, the factory. together with all its contents, was destroyed by fire. entailing a loss of ten thousand dollars. after which time Albert R. Young bought out the interest of his brother and conducted the furniture business alone.
CHARLES A. KROUT .- The high rank which the public schools of Tiffin have attained among similar institutions of learning in county and state is largely due to the untiring efforts of Charles A. Krout, the efficient superintendent of these schools. He is a man of broad intellectuality. especially and intelligently interested in educating the young along practical lines, and through his own ability and force of character has attained a place of note in a profession that demands as the price of success much native talent, a distinctive mentality and a vast amount of hard labor. A native of Ohio, Mr. Krout was born, March 12. 1862. in Morrow county. His father, Jacob Krout. married. in Maryland. Sarah Rule, and in 1858 came to Ohio. locating in Morrow county. He died in 1903. but his widow. now eighty-four years of age. is living in the village of Williamsport, Ohio.
A conscientious student as a boy and youth. Charles A. Krout laid a solid foundation for his future education in the village schools of North Woodbury. after which he spent a year in Keokuk county, Iowa. where he taught in a rural school. Returning then to Ohio, he was graduated from the Chesterville High School, his diploma being signed by the president of the local board of edu- cation, Mr. Gunsaulus, father of the noted and far-famed Rev. Dr. F. W. Gunsaulus. of Chicago, president of the Armour Insti- tute of Technology. After his graduation Mr. Krout taught
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school in Morrow county until 1883. when he entered Wittenberg College. at Springfield, from this well known institution being graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1887. £ Three years later. in 1890. his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of A. B. During the three years following his graduation from college Mr. Krout was superintendent of the village schools of New Burling- ton, Ohio, a position which he resigned in 1890. when he was elected as a teacher in the Tiffin High School. In 1891 he was promoted to the principalship of the school. a responsible position which he filled so ably and acceptably for ten years that in 1900 he was the people's choice for superintendent of the Tiffin schools.
Mr. Krout is a close student. progressive in his methods, and has devoted his entire time and energy to teaching and study doing summer work at Harvard University and the Teachers Col. lege. Columbia University. He has served as president of the Northwestern Ohio Teachers' Association : has for twenty years been an active member of the Ohio State Teachers' Association : and since 1900 has been a member of the National Educational Association.
Since assuming the superintendeney of the Tiffin schools. Mr. Krout has been instrumental in having special instructors in draw- ing, manual training and public speaking added to the corps of teachers. and many improved methods of teaching have been in- troduced into the schools.
Mr. Krout married. June 25. 1895. Mrs. Eva E. (Bacher) Hartman, formerly a successful teacher in the Tiffin High School. Mrs. Krout is a daughter of J. T. Bacher, a retired clothier of Tiffin, who now. a venerable and highly esteemed citizen of eighty- four years, is tenderly cared for by his loving daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Krout are the parents of two sons. John Allen and Charles Vincent.
Fraternally Mr. Krout is a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics : of the Knights of Pythias: and is a member and past master of Tiffin Lodge. No. 77. Free and Accepted Masons, and a member of De Molay Commandery. No. 9. Knight Templars. Religiously Mr. Krout is a member of the English Lutheran church, and for several years has served as superintend- ent of its Sunday school. He has been a delegate to state and national synods and is a member of the board of directors of Wittenberg College.
REV. ALBERT C. SHUMAN. D. D .- A man of strong religious convictions. extremely earnest in purpose. Rev. Albert C. Shuman. pastor of the First Reformed church of Tiffin. has ever been an ardent believer and upholder of the truths of the Holy Scriptures. and now in the very prime of his Christian activity is carrying on a notable work. A self made man in every truth. his splendid example of obtaining a thorough and wide education without ade- quate means at the start is an object lesson to every ambitious and aspiring young man. He was born. September 5, 1868. in Seneca county. a son of Thomas G. and Mary J. (Zeis) Shuman. whose farm was located five miles north of Tiffin, in Liberty township.
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Brought up on the parental homestead. Albert C. Shuman worked on the farm, attending school during the winter terms until seventeen years of age, when he made use of the knowledge he had acquired by teaching school four terms. Becoming con- vinced of the necessity of further mental training and high attain- ments of learning he entered Heidelberg College in 1887. and was there graduated in 1892 with the degree of A. B. The following year Mr. Shuman was superintendent and principal of the Bascom public schools, but in 1893 he abandoned teaching and for three years continued his studies in the Heidelberg Theological Semi- nary, from which he was graduated with the degree of B. D. in 1896. Being then ordained to the ministry. he was installed. in April, 1896, as pastor of the Bascom church, of which he had charge until July. 1900. Taking up work at Sycamore. Wyandot county, that month. Mr. Shuman remained there nearly seven years, during which time he built up one of the strongest churches of his denomination in that vicinity, erected both a beautiful and modern stone church and a parsonage. and left the society in a prosperous condition. In May. 1907. he accepted a call to the First Reformed church of Tiffin. of which he was formerly a member, and is here meeting with characteristic success. having a large church membership, which is continually growing and in- creasing in strength, while the classes which he has organized are in a flourishing condition. In 1908 his well deserved degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Heidelberg University as a recognition of his character and ability. Mr. Shuman is very prominent in the ministry. and has the distinction of being at the head of the Ministers' Association of Tiffin.
Apart from his ministerial labors. Rev. Shuman has been a frequent contributor of articles of value to the Reformed Quarterly Review, the Christian World. and other publications. He is also the author of "Catechetical Bible Lessons." which was issued in 1905. He was president of the Ohio Synod of the Reformed church in the United States in 1907-8. and is a member of the exe- cutive committee of the board of regents of Heidelberg University. He has been elected several times commissioner of the highest judicatory of the church. the general synod. For a number of years he was a member of the board of education and examiners of Heidelberg Theological Seminary. He delivered the Semi- Centennial poem at the fiftieth anniversary of his alma mater in 1900, and also was one of the speakers at the sixtieth anniversary in June, 1910.
Rev. Shuman married. June 20. 1893. Minta M. Miller, of Hillsville, Pennsylvania. and they are the parents of four children, namely : Aleta E .. Herbert M .. Annie Marie and Clayton Henry. Fraternally Rev. Shuman is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
HARVEY B. HUNTER, clerk of Clinton township. Seneca county, Ohio, resides at No. 415 Walker street. Tiffin. Ohio.
Mr. Hunter is a native of the township in which he lives, hav
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ing been born here November 20, 1861, a son of Samuel S. and Emma (Tunison) Hunter. His father being a farmer, he passed his boyhood days on the farm and received his early education in the district schools, later attending graded school and still later Heidelberg College, in which institution he was a student two years. At the close of his college days he settled down to dairy farming, in which he was engaged for ten years, selling his products in Tiffin. At the end of that time he moved to Tiffin, where he has since been engaged in the real estate and general insurance business.
As showing Mr. Hunter's popularity, we state that as a Republican candidate he has been three times elected to the office of township clerk in a township that usually goes Democratie by a majority of one thousand votes. At this writing he is serving his third term in this office.
Mr. Hunter has been twice married. By his first wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Reed and whom he wedded in 1886, he had six children, five of whom are living: Walter C., Burton S., Robert R., Clarinda C. and Edgar E. The mother died March 24, 1904. In 1907 he married Miss Viola Wagoner, by whom he has one child, Beula, born in 1908. Mr. Hunter and three of his sons belong to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
HANNAH L. TURNER .- No influence is more potent and far reaching than that of true wifehood and motherhood, and few native daughters of Seneca county have attained to higher ideals of true womanhood or have exploited them more eloquently by actual living than Hannah L. Turner. She was born April 16, 1846, near Greensprings, in Adams township, Seneca county, the names of her parents being James Allen Watrous and Hannah F. Carpenter, people of English descent. The father was born in New London, Connecticut. September 2, 1803, and he died on December 28, 1884, at Greenspring. his age at the time of his demise being eighty-one years. In his youth he had the benefit of unusual advantages, being reared and educated in a New Eng- land community, noted for its schools, its churches and its general intelligence and culture. With imagination fired by the tales of adventure to be encountered and wealth to be acquired in the new- ly settled state of Ohio, he came west in 1831, his years at that date numbering twenty-eight. He first located at New Haven in Huron county, but subsequently came to Greenspring, with whose growth and development he became identified in the most praise- worthy manner, in his day witnessing many phenomenal changes. He took an active interest in churches and schools, being the stal- wart champion and advocate of both causes, and his own superior training making his services of particular value. He cast his vote with the Republican party and at the time of the Civil war he strongly favored the Union cause. James Watrous had a taste of genuine pioneer life, and when he came here from New England he drove through with ox teams, an overland journey fraught with danger and difficulty. When he subsequently found it advisable to return to New London with his wife for medical aid it was neces-
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sary to make the long trip on horseback, and to return in the same manner. Mrs. Turner's mother came to Greenspring with her first husband, they being Connectieut people. and they located on land now occupied by the site of Greenspring town hall. Her first husband was Mr. Phineas Adams, one of the earliest settlers, and whose name is borne and perpetuated as the appelation of the town- ship in which he had the distinction to be the first white man. After his death the widow married James A. Watrous who had been previously married and who was the father of a family of sons and daughters. The second union resulted in the birth of the follow- ing ehildren : Nancy E .. Hannah L., Alice, Albert S., and Peter.
In 1868 the subject was united in marriage to James P. Turner. This union was blessed by the birth of the following five children : Harry, born April 14, 1870, at Oil City; Lyle, born November 4, 1871, also at Oil City; Nellie A., born December 3, 1873; Mary R., born January 18, 1876, at Greenspring; and Allen W., born July 5, 1878, at Greenspring. The family resided at Oil city for five years.
Harry Turner is a traveling salesman for a wholesale hard- ware business located in Canton, Ohio. He joined the ranks of the Benedicts on December 25, 1895, when he married Miss Lillie Lautsbaugh, of Chicago Junction, and they have a family of five children, whose names are: Harold, Pine, Lyle, Ethel and Elmer. He received his education in the public schools of Greenspring. leaving the high school to assist his mother. Lyle Turner is bookkeeper for the Eastern Ohio Gas Company of Cleveland. He was educated at Greenspring and took a business course in the academy. Nellie A., is the wife of Dr. Charles H. Hickok and resides in Cedar Rapids. Mary R., is a graduate of the academy at Greenspring, as is likewise Allen W .. the latter having a travel- ing position with the Eastern Granite Company of Chicago.
The subject is a student. not having abandoned studies with the passing of school days. She is particularly interested in natural history and has read every available work written in that line. She is an extensive traveler and besides the attractive home in Greenspring, owns a place in Eden, Florida. In her possession are some very interesting mementoes of the early days in the shape of letters written in 1837 by Julia Adams, who was a sister of her first husband.
HARRISON DETTERMAN .- America has been likened to a great melting pot in which all the nations of the earth have been assimi- lated and brought to national citizenship. and no one ean deny that one of the most valuable elements in this composition is the Ger- man, that stock which has given to the world a multitude of great names and whose humble citizen is above the average in ability and character. Of this nationality is Harrison Detterman, one of the well known and much esteemed men of this section. He was born November 31, 1837, and is the son of Henry and Catherine (Stigmire) Detterman, natives of Westphalia. Prussia, who, tempted by the accounts of the wealth and opportunity which lav across the Atlantic, came to these shores in June, 1835. Coming
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on to Ohio, they settled on Honey creek, near Melmore in Bloom township, this county, and entered eighty acres of land, which they cleared from the wilderness and brought to tillable condition, be- ing engaged in this Herculanean task for nine long years. Noth- ing daunted, the senior Detterman subsequently bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of solid forest and cleared it with the assistance of his young son Harrison, who still possesses this old homestead, every inch of which is endeared by the memo- ries of many years and many events. Henry Detterman is re- membered as a good citizen who gave his hand to the upbuilding of this township, and was particularly the friend of good churches and good schools. He was a member of the Evangelical church and was class leader for forty or fifty years, also acting in the capacity of Sunday school superintendent for many years.
Ile was a Democrat in polities.
The father of Harrison Detterman came to America when a youth eighteen or twenty years of age. His imagination had been fired by roseate accounts of this country and although he had little money he secreted himself on a merchantman and in this manner was accomplished his emigration. He ultimately found his way to Sandusky, Ohio, and then walked twenty-seven miles to the home of a family which had come from his native place. His wife, who with her friends had located in Sandusky, made the journey on foot wth him, the affair being in the nature of an elopement, and at the home of the friend they were married. She was born in Germany and came over with Mr. Detterman. Henry Detterman died in 1903 and his wife passed on to her reward in 1873.
Harrison Detterman received what education was available in the district schools, with his parents faced bravely the difficul- ties of pioneer life, and grew to useful citizenship. He was one of a family of five children, the other members being: John, who resides in Bellevue; William, in Adams township; and Allie and Algy, who live at Bellevue. He lived under the home roof until his marriage to Sophia Heinzle, which was celebrated October S. 1859. She was born October 12, 1837, and was the daughter of Henry and Sarah (Keller) Heinzle, natives of Pennsylvania who came to the Buckeye state early in the eighteenth century. They located north of Tiffin on the Sandusky river, on a farm of one hundred and sixty aeres which they had secured from the govern- ment, and virtually lived among the Indians who had not yet been swept westward by the tide of civilization. The five children of this pioneer family were Louis, Sophia, Elizabeth, William and Barbara, all of whom are deceased except Sophia and William, and the latter makes his home on the old Heinzle homestead.
Shortly after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Detterman moved to land one mile east of the father's estate, and there resided for nine years, at the end of which time they returned to the old farm. Their residence here was of forty years duration, but two years ago, desiring to retire from the more strenuous duties of the agri- cultural life and to enjoy at leisure the fruits of their previous industry and thrift, they came to Greenspring where they expect to make their permanent home. Politically Mr. Detterman's
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loyalty is with the Democratic party, although he is not partisan to the degree that he allows long affiliation with the party to pre- vent his supporting any good measures, no matter by whom ad- vanced. He had given public service, having held the office of township trustee for several terins, and he has also been township supervisor. He is one of the most faithful and valuable of the members of the Evangelical church, in which he has a record of thirty-five years as steward, and in the Sunday school he has an even more remarkable record, that of forty-five years as superin- tendent. It goes without saying that he is much beloved by young and old, particularly by the former, many of whom have greatly benefitted by his spiritual guidance. He is a veteran in the field of Sunday school work, his career of usefulness in this line having begun when he was scarcely twenty years of age. He is a good public speaker, his advocacy being usually given to church and Sunday school work. His interest extends to the national body, in which he has received recognition. Mr. and Mrs. Detterman are the parents of four children. John II., born October 16, 1860, resides on a farm near Bellevne. ITis wife's maiden name was Catherine Mover, and they are the parents of one child. named Lida, born July 4, 1898. William A .. born in 1861, married Bell Hoppis and resides on a farm in Adams township, the names of their two sons being Earl and Alva. Martha E .. born October 7. 1870, makes her home with her parents. George E., born in Feb- ruary, 1875, lives in Bellevue. He married Susan Mover. All of the children are members of the Evangelical church, having joined in early youth.
FRANK W. BACON .- As one of the leading industries of Ohio milling has reached extensive proportions, and the connection of Frank W. Bacon, of Tiffin, with mills in various towns and coul- ties has made him widely known throughout the state. He was born October 10, 1860. in Crawford county, Ohio, which was also the place of birth of his parents, William and Savena (Hawk) Bacon. William Bacon was employed as a miller in Crawford county until 1875, when he moved with his family to Seneca coun- ty, locating in Bloomville, where he owned and operated a grist 'mill for four years. Coming to Tiffin in 1879. he purchased the Clifton mill on Washington street, the plant now occupied by the Seneca Company (stockfood), which he operated until his death. in 1894.
Receiving a practical education in the public schools of Craw- ford and Seneca counties, Frank W. Bacon subsequently learned the trade of a miller with his father, and worked in the mills until the father's death. in 1894. Having in the meantime acquired a good knowledge of milling, he then purchased the interests of the remaning heirs in the Tiffin mill. which he operated successfully until 1897, when he sold out to the late Martin Koller. Removing then to Sidney, Ohio. Mr. Bacon bought and operated a mill for a while, and was afterward engaged in buying and selling milling properties for two or three years, among the mills which he bought and sold having been the Peter's Mill, at Milford, Michigan; the
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Ridgeway Mills, at Ridgeway, Ohio; the mills at East Liberty, Ohio; and the Grafton Mills, at Grafton, Ohio.
Returning to Tiffin in 1902, Mr. Bacon purchased the Pioneer Mill, which is situated on the river in the eastern part of Tiffin, and has since operated it most satisfactorily. He has other prop- erty of value in this vicinity, and is the owner of eighteen acres of land lying within the corporation of Tiffin. He still retains the agency for selling grist mills, in this connection having at times extensive transactions.
Mr. Bacon has been twice married. £ He married first, in 1885, Minnie Johnson, the third daughter of the late Judge John- son. She died in 1900, leaving one daughter, Eugenia, who passed to the life beyond in 1904, at the early age of eighteen years. Mr. Bacon married for his second wife, in 1902, Lida Sexton, and they have two children, Roger II. and Cora F. Politically Mr. Bacon is a steadfast Republican, and socially he belongs to the Ohio Millers Association and to the National Federation.
REUBEN S. DYSINGER, of the firm of Dysinger & Torrey, con- tractors and builders. Tiffin, Ohio, has been engaged in this busi- ness since 1907. He has been identified with the erection of many of the new residences of the town, among which is his own modern home, No. 5 Circular street.
Mr. Dysinger was born in Jackson township, Seneca county, Ohio, October 16, 1854, a son of David and Sarah (May) Dysinger. His father being a farmer, he was reared to farm life, and he was educated in the district school and at Heidelberg College, where he pursued a three years' scientific course. On reaching his majority he left the farm and went to work at the carpenter's trade. to which he has since devoted his energies, and since 1907 has been engaged in contracting.
On June 20, 1896, Mr. Dysinger married Miss Seintoth, a native of Tiffin and for fourteen years a teacher in the Tiffin schools. They have three sons: Vinton. Miron and Herbert.
Mr. Dysinger belongs to Pickwick Lodge, No. 175. K. of P., of which he is a trustee, and he is also a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. While he casts his franchise with the Democratic party, he has never been active in politics.
HARRY H. FRAZIER .- A man of broad culture, possessing much intellectual quickness and strength. Harry H. Frazier, principal of the Columbian High School at Tiffin, holds a position of promi- nence among the leading educators of this part of Seneca county. A native of Ohio, he was born in 1870 in Zanesville, Muskingum county, being of Scotch-Irish descent on the paternal side and of German lineage on his mother's side.
Left an orphan when but ten years old. he was heavily handi- capped in his early struggles for an education. Living on a farm near Zanesville, he attended the district schools until sixteen years of age, when he was enabled to enter Muskingum College. He sub- sequently attended college and taught school. alternately, for five years, his full time at the college covering a period of three years.
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