History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, school, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of the Northwest territory; history of Ohio; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc, Part 91

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1088

USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns, villages, school, churches, industries, etc., portraits of early settlers and prominent men; biographies; history of the Northwest territory; history of Ohio; statistical and miscellaneous matter, etc., etc > Part 91

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SCUDDER CHAMBERLAIN, contractor and builder of wooden and brick structures. Tiffin. was born in Hunterdon County, N. J .. July 23. 1819. and comes of Irish and French-English pioneers in that State. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Johnson) Chamberlain, who settled in Melmore in 1836, where their family of five sons and two daughters grew up: Ege John- son died in San Francisco in 1879: James died in Green Spring; Scudder; George Washington, Jr .. in Peru, Ind .; Rebecca (deceased wife of Dr. Henry Ladd: she died in Melmore); Jacob Gardner, in railway business at Stevens' Point, Wis. : Sarah (deceased); all had children but the last named. The subject of our sketch was reared to his present industry. with which he has been prominently identified in this locality since. having erected some of the finest buildings in Tiffin and surrounding cities, among which are the handsome residences of John M. Naylor, John D. Loomis, William Hunters, Benjamin Tombs, Fred Grummet, and many other residences, churches. etc .. etc., and he is at present erecting the new Heidelberg College Mr. Chamber- lain married. in Melmore, this county, in 1844, Martha Ardelia, daughter of Samuel Wing. a descendant of English pioneers in Massachusetts. They have three sons: Samuel Oscar, a contractor and builder in Tiffin; Henry Dow, in same business at San Mateo. Cal., and Duff Johnson. clerk in postoffice, Tiffin. Mr. Chamberlain has been a worthy Odd Fellow for thirty-six years, and is present Grand High Priest of the State Encampment; is a member of

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the R. A., and has been its representative to the Grand Council of Ohio for the last five years; is also a member of the L. of H. In public life he served with credit in many local offices.

F. P. COPPER, agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, Tiffin. was born in Chatham, Licking Co., Ohio, May 6, 1853; son of J. B. and Nancy (Albaugh) Copper, the former of pioneer Pennsylvania stock. and latter of same, but a native of Licking County, Ohio. The subject of our sketch com- pleted a thorough education in telegraphy at Mount Vernon, Ohio. in connec- tion with the present railroad. and has continued in creditable professional work with the corporation ever since. In September. 1884, he received his present appointment. Our subject was united in marriage at Fostoria, Ohio, in 1879, with Italia Edwina Ferris. a lady of, estimable attainments, and by her he has one son-Joseph Smith. Mrs. Copper is a daughter of the late Smith Ferris, Esq .. of Marion, Ohio. She is a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church, of which Mr. Copper is a liberal supporter.

DENNIS FREDERICK CRAMER. retired farmer, Tiffin, was born in Frederick County. Md., January 17, 1811; son of Frederick and Catharine (Barrick) Cramer, natives of Frederick Co .. Md .. where they were raised and resided until they came to Ohio in the fall of 1830. They settled in Clinton Township, this county (Section 16). where they raised a family of two sons and three daughters. all of whom reared families (except one son), in this locality. The original stock of the Cramer family resided in the State of New Jersey. and our subject's father's family, or rather his ancestors, immigrated to Maryland, presumably, in a very early day. The subject of our sketch is the third child and eldest son in the family, and was reared to farming, an occupa- tion he carried on successfully for many years. He was married March 29. 1838, in Clinton Township. this county, to Mary E .. daughter of Jacob and Susanna (Fiege) Holz, pioneers from Frederick County, Md., to Seneca Coun- ty, Ohio. This union was blessed with five sons, who have taken creditable positions in their different pursuits; John William. the eldest, an attorney, is now farming in Wyandot County, Ohio; Judge Upton F. is an attorney of Tiffin; Lewis J. is principal of the schools of Columbus, Neb; Charles H. is an attorney of Sandusky City, Ohio, and Walter Scott. the youngest, is a mem- ber of the bar of Tiffin, and carries on an active insurance and real estate business. Mr. and Mrs. Cramer are worthy members of the First Reformed Church of Tiffin.

THOMAS H. CROMER, retired farmer, Tiffin, born in Frederick County. Md., November 13, 1821, is son of John and Mary Ann Cromer, who came to Tif- fin in the fall of 1826, the former of whom died in 1S29; the latter subsequently married Jacob Wagner. and died in 1839. John Cromer left three sons and three daughters: Rebecca. Ezra. John, Mary Ann, Elizabeth and Thomas H .. the last named being the only survivor. The subject of our sketch was happily married to Louisa Smith. who blessed him with a family of three sons and three daughters. After a short illness her young life passed away; she was in full communion with the M. B. Church. Mr. Cromer's family consists of Susan, wife of George Seckman; John T., a farmer; William H., residing in Tiffin; Milda Jane, wife of Benjamin Weaver, who is in the railroad business; Charles Edward, a merchant; and Ella. wife of John W. Loose, a farmer in Adams Township, this county. Mr. Cromer has been a worthy citizen of Tiffin for many years, and has always been identified as a liberal contributor to the interests of the city. He has retired from the more active cares of life. and has the pleasure of seeing his children holding leading positions in their respective vocations. He is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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GEORGE W. CUNNINGHAM was born in Berkeley County, W. Va .. June 25, 1823, son of Levi and Alice Cunningham. From 1839 to 1843, our subject served an apprenticeship at milling, and then worked as journeyman for one year, at Martinsburg, Va. . July 27, 1844, he came to this county. and followed his trade for two and a half years with the late Ezra Baker. and then for seven months was employed by Rummel & McBride in the old Rock Creek Mill. He then rented the Lugenbeel Mill from the late Judge Lugenbeel, October 19, 1847, and operated it till 1853. In 1850 he had pur- chased the lease of the Rock Creek Mill and ran the two mills until 1854. From 1854 to 1855 he engaged in buying clover seed and pork. In July he leased the Shoemaker Mill and conducted it, in connection with the produce business and a feed store, for three years, and then rented the old Keller Mill. and operated that for about six months, when it burned down. March 6. 1860, Mr. Cunningham purchased the site of the Clifton Mill, and erected the build- ing that now stands at the north end of the Washington Street bridge. and operated this mill till 1878, also conducting at the same time a railroad ware- house which he had purchased in 1866. In June, 1870, he bought the old Rock Creek Mill, and in 1872 also purchased the Carey Mill, at Carey, Wyandot County, Ohio, and in 1877 added the Reuben Keller Mill to his list, conduct- ing his business successfully until 1878. During his business career, the amount of trade done was very large, and he probably purchased more prod- uce than any single buyer has before or since. He also bought and sold con- siderable real estate. He served as a member of the city council for eight years, and as a member of the school board for five years, and in other offices of trust. Mr. Cunningham was married, in 1851. to Mary E., daughter of Rev. John Souder. and who died in July, 1853. Our subject was married on second occasion, April 10, 1856. to Miss Mary A .. daughter of Levi Keller, and to this union were born four children, all now living: Arthur A., Ella M., Frank and Courtney. Mr. Cunningham has been a liberal contributor to Tiffin's best enterprises.

ARTHUR ALLEN CUNNINGHAM, proprietor and operator of the Cun- ningham Elevator, and dealer in grain and seeds, Tiffin, was born in Tiffin, this county, in 1857; his parents, George W. and Mary A. (Keller) Cunning- ham, having settled here in early times; the former a Virginian by birth. and son of Levi Cunningham (a miller), of Martinsburg, Va., and a native of Scot- land; the latter a daughter of Levi Keller, a native of Pennsylvania. Arthur A. (eldest son of a family of three sons and one daughter), completed a good training in the schools of Tiffin. graduating from the high schools here at eighteen. He had meanwhile completed an apprenticeship at milling, and after graduating he embarked in the grain and seed trade, purchasing the elevator business some few years later (1878), and has taken a prominent position in the mercantile fraternity of this community as a successful and prosperous tradesman. He has always felt his importance as a citizen. and has contributed liberally to the support of many of Tiffin's social and industrial institutions. He is a F. & A. M. and a member of the Royal Arca- num. Mr. Cunningham was married at Tiffin, in 1881, to Miss Minnie B. Holt, a lady of fine accomplishments, daughter of William Holt, Esq., grain dealer of Tiffin. Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham are supporters of the Methodist Episcopal faith.

SAMUEL H. DE WITT, farmer, P. O. Tiffin, was born in Lycoming County, Penn .. April 8, 1822, son of Peter and Margaret DeWitt, who were married in Pennsylvania in 1811; the former was a native of New Jersey, and the lat- ter was a native of Pennsylvania. They remained in latter State until 1829,

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when they came to Marion County, Ohio, and in 1831 moved to this county where they remained until their death. Peter DeWitt departed this life in 1853, and his widow in 1883. Our subject was married, March 20, 1856, to Catharine Miller, who was born in this county, April 17, 1839. daughter of Daniel and Anna Miller, who were married in the State of New York. and who moved to this county in 1837. here remaining until the death of Mrs. Miller, which occurred March 24, 1849. Mr. Miller afterward married Sarah Raber, and they are now living in Clinton Township, this county. Our subject and wife are the parents of five children; of these four are living: Clarence D., Delia O., John J., and Allie M .; Seneca E. is deceased. Mr. DeWitt is a blacksmith by trade. but has been engaged in farming and sheep raising. He owns 310 acres of fine land. In January, 1850, he went to California and en- gaged in mining until 1853, when he returned home. He and his parents were among the first settlers of the county.

PETER DIEMER, meat business, Tiffin, was born in Alsace, Germany, February 8, 1832; a son of the late Gotfried Jacob and Maria (Schweir) Die- mer, of Niedel Mogen, Alsace. In 1852 he came to this country and eventu- ally settled in Massilon, Stark Co., Ohio, where he carried on meat market- ing and butchering for many years. In 1868 he came to Tiffin, engaging in business, and has taken an important part in the meat marketing, butchering and sausage-making trade since. He was married, in 1853, in Massilon, Ohio, to Magdalena Schweir, of same nativity, and by this union has six sons and two daughters: George Philip, in business at Kenton; Samuel, in the factory at Tiffin: Peter, in the market; Jacob G .. who has the general management of the buying department; John E. and William A., young lads, but excellent work- men, in the factory: Sarah Maria, married to William Lick, also engaged in the factory (have a son. Charles), and Anna, unmarried. Mr. Diemer. with his sons and son-in-law, does an immense business in his line (upward of $30,000 a year). His slaughter-house and sausage factory are well furnished and equipped, and he does not only an extensive retail trade here. but a very creditable wholesale trade in sausages. particularly through the county.

WILLIAM OSCAR DILDINE, coal merchant, Tiffin, was born in Republic. this county, in 1849; his father, William McEwen Dildine. was a native of Fair- field County, Ohio, and with his parents came to this county in 1823, settling upon the land now occupied as Green Lawn Cemetery, and was of English pioneer ancestry of Pennsylvania. His mother, Christina Ann (Berger) Dildine. was a native of Frederick County. Md., and came with her uncle, Levi Davis, to this county in about 1830. her parents John and Elenor (Davis) Ber- ger, natives of Maryland, having died when she was but eight years old. Will- iam Oscar and Wallace Berger Dildine are the only living issue of their par- ents. The subject of this sketch, when but sixteen, entered the county clerk's office as deputy (his father's office then). and remained in creditable connection with it for seventeen years. Retiring from this incumbency lie engaged in the coal business here. He married at Tiffin, in 1872, Anna M., daughter of John H. and Ellen (Stein) Glick, pioneers here from Lehigh County, Penn. By this happy union there are three sons and one daughter living: Minnie May. Charles Glick, William Oscar, Jr., and Phares W. Flora J., the eldest child, is buried in Green Lawn Cemetery. Mr. Dildine is an active, enterprising and public spirited citizen. fully awake to the progressiveness of the times, and is a cordial supporter of all measures tending to the growth and development of the social and industrial interests of the county.

AUGUST DISTELHORST (see sketch of Philip Emich).

JOHN DORE, dealer in groceries etc., Tiffin, the worthy member of the council from the Second Ward, is a son of the Emerald Isle. He was born in

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the parish of Duagh, County Kerry, Ireland, June 22. 1828, and is third child and third son of the family of three sons and two daughters of James and Ellen (Conners) Dore, of Duagh. Young Dore at twenty-two, left the old home and came to America, and after making a short stay in Connecticut, came to Tiffin, Ohio, in 1851, where he has remained an enterprising and public spir- ited citizen since. His first undertaking was farming, but this he abandoned for railroading, which he subsequently retired from in 1878, for his present merchandising business. He was married, in 1859, to Catharine Bresnin, of Castle Island, County Kerry, Ireland, daughter of John and Ellen (King) Bres- nin, worthy people of that place. Four sons and three daughters blessed this union: William H., now a rising attorney of Tiffin; Mary; Richard; Kate; Francis J .; Charles and Maggie. The family are all members of St. Mary's congregation, Roman Catholic Church. He is a member of the Prudential Order of America.

DR. EDWIN W. DuBOIS (deceased) was born in Orange County, N. Y., in 1831. His parents, John E. and Orpha DuBois, were natives of New York State, where they were married, remaining there until the death of the mother; the father is now eighty-one years of age. Our subject came to Tiffin, Ohio, about 1860, and was married, June 12, 1862, to Miss Mary M. Ditto, born near Tiffin, Ohio, February 3, 1837, daughter of John W. and Elizabeth Ditto, natives of Pennsylvania, and who immigrated to Ohio, and settled in this county in a very early day, remaining here until the death of Mr. Ditto, which occurred in 1853; his widow died August 9, 1885, aged ninety years, one month and twenty-seven days. Our subject and wife were the parents of two children, John E., born February 2, 1863, and George D., born July 28, 1871. Dr. DuBois, prior to his coming to Ohio, had been engaged in the practice of medicine in New York State, and after coming to Ohio, entered into the drug business; he owned nice property, including land, at the time of his death, which occurred July 2, 1873. Some years after the death of Dr. DuBois, his widow married James Patterson, and they reside near Tiffin.

DAVID A. AND WILLIAM M. DUTROW, of the firm of Dutrow Bros., livery, sale and feed stables, Tiffin, are among the enterprising business men of the place, sons of Philip and Elizabeth (Develbis) Dutrow. Philip Dutrow was born in Maryland. July 15, 1819, and is a son of David and Elizabeth (Hines) Dutrow, of pioneer stock of Maryland. May 11, 1843, he (Philip) settled in Seneca Township, this county, where he carried on farming success- fully for many years, retiring, in 1880, to settle in Tiffin. He had married in 1841, and was the parent of thirteen children, nine of whom are living: Cath- arine, Mary, Lucretia, Robert, David A., William M., Ella, Solomon and Flora Lewis. The eldest son was in the Fifty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the late civil war, and died in the service, in Cumberland hospital, Md. The family worship in Grace Reformed Church.

NORMAN D. EGBERT. farmer, P. O. Tiffin, was born in Clinton Town- ship, Seneca Co., Ohio, March 18, 1843, son of Jeremiah W. and Lucy A. Egbert, natives of Ohio, and who after marriage settled in Pleasant Township, this county, having remained in the county ever since. The subject of this sketch was united in marriage, February 28, 1865. with Susan C. Holtz, born in Pleasant Township, this county, November 30, 1845, daughter of William and Catharine Holtz, the former of whom died January 21, 1862; the latter now resides in Pleasant Township. Our subject and wife are the parents of four children: William H .. Knott C., Norman D. and Frances. Mr. Egbert is one of the successful farmers of this county, and owns 231 acres of splendid land. He served his country in the late war. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.

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ISAAC R. EGBERT, P. O. Tiffin. the subject of this sketch, an indus- trious young farmer, was born February 10, 1858, on the farm where he and his family now reside, in Clinton Township, this county. His parents, Jere- miah W. and Lucy A. Egbert, were born in Ohio and settled in this county. where they still reside. Our subject was united in marriage, April 15, 1880, with Emma Courtney, who was born near Green Spring, Ohio, December 2, 1861. Her parents, William and Margaret Courtney, natives of Ireland. were married in the State of New York, and settled in Seneca County, Ohio. where they now reside. To Mr. and Mrs. Egbert have been born three children: Lulu M .. Edith and Berton.

JOHN B. EHRENFRIED. general manager and secretary of the Tiffin Manufacturing Company, Tiffin, was born in Bleifeld, kingdom of Bavaria, June 24, 1845. He is the only son and only surviving child of Zacharias and Ann Mary (Koeppel) Ehrenfried. natives of Bavaria, who came to America in 1847, locating in Thompson Township. this county, where they passed the re- mainder of their lives. the former dying February 25, 1848, and the latter May 29, 1869; they are buried in the family cemetery in that township along with their daughter Barbara. (The other child of the family, Mary, who mar- ried Joseph Slanser, is buried in Kenton Cemetery, Hardin Co., Ohio.) The subject of our sketch. at eighteen, engaged in lumbering and milling at Havana. Ohio, with which he was actively connected for several years. He had in the meantime attended business college and completed a commercial course of study, graduating in 1870. Shortly after graduating he retired from business at Havana and located in a similar industry at Larue, Marion Co., Ohio, where he remained about three years when he sold ont his interest there and came to Tiffin and took charge of his present business. He married, in Thompson Town- ship, this county, October 4. 1870, Miss Margaret Glassner. eldest daughter of John and Catharine (Gies) Glassner, of that township, and by her has three sons and two daughters living: Otto Joseph. George Jacob, Charles William, Anne Matilda and Gertrude Clara, and one daughter, their eldest child, Mary Louisa (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Ehrenfried are regular communicants of the Roman Catholic Church. He is an active member of St. John's Benevolent Society: an energetic business man and a popular gentleman. Although averse to holding public office he has most creditably filled the chair of alderman of the Fourth Ward of Tiffin for two terms.

HENRY EINSEL. retired farmer, P. O .. Tiffin, was born in York County, Penn., February 16, 1805, son of Henry and Barbara Einsel, who both de- parted this life near Lancaster, Ohio. Our subject came to this county in 1828, and was united in marriage February 26, 1835. with Sarah Keller, born in Fairfield County. Ohio, April 29. 1813. Her parents. John and Elizabeth Keller, natives of York County, Penn., moved to Ohio and were among the first settlers of Clinton Township, where they remained until their death. Our subject and wife are the parents of six children, of these four are living: Lewis, William, Sophia (wife of Harrison Detterman) and Shubert. The deceased are Mary and Margaret. Mr. Einsel, who has been one of the prosperous farmers of the county. now owns 296 acres of land, all improved. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Church.

PHILIP EMICH. Among the many important pioneers of Tiffin and Seneca County stands Philip Emich (now deceased), who for many years figured as the tried friend and true of the early settlers, particularly so of the German popu- lation. He was born in Waldmohr. Rhenish Bavaria, July 19, 1822. son of Lonis Emich. a hotel keeper, who died in Tiffin, Ohio, in 1873, and was the

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parent of the following children: Hannah (wife of John Doll, in Milwaukee, Wis.), Louis Philip, Caroline (wife of Jacob Leibrock of Tiffin), Elizabeth (wife of J. Karschner, of Tiffin), Catherine (wife of Rev. B. Zumbe, of Youngstown, Ohio), Charlotte (deceased wife of William DeBusman, of Tiffin), and Ma- tilda (wife of Theodore Munz, of Toledo, Ohio). The subject of our sketch received a liberal education in his native land, and at the age of twenty-four came to America and located in Tiffin, Ohio. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Reif, a pioneer here, native of Neustadt, on the Hart, in Rhenish Bavaria, and to this union one son and five daughters were born: Mary (wife of F. Puehringer, of Cleveland, Ohio), Frank L., who carries on an extensive book and stationery business here (married in Tiffin, Mary, daughter of Blasius and Rosa Kuebler, now of Chicago, and by her he has a son, Albion), Matilda, (wife of Harry Weidling, a druggist of Tiffin), Anna (wife of Aug. Distelhorst, with F. L. Emich, bookseller and stationer), Flora and Lela are unmarried. (August Distelhorst was born in Karlsruhe, Baden, May 28, 1861, son of Frederick and Sophia (Deimling) Distelhorst, natives of that place: received a good literary education and subsequently came to America, spent some three years traveling through the west. and in 1883 came to Tiffin where he subseqently settled. ) The subject of this sketch was reared to linen weaving in Germany, but on coming to this country turned his attention to merchandis- ing, with which he was connected here for many years. He had been appointed notary public, and in this connection it may be said to his credit (so upright a business life he led here) that he continued till his demise the counsel and busi- ness man of his countrymen who settled in Tiffin and vicinity. He died in 1870, mourned by all who knew him, and was buried with the honors of the Druids, I. O. O. F. and K. of P. societies, of which he had been a worthy member. He was always energetic in business matters, public spirited, and an active cit- izen. Though deeply interested in political matters he, however, refused pub- lic office, although tendered nomination for many worthy positions.

CHARLES ERNST, superintendent and general manager of the Enter- prise Manufacturing Company, Tiffin, was born in Northampton County, Penn., August 31. 1848, son of Samuel and Mary (Bridinger) Ernst, natives of that locality, and descendants of pioneer German families of the State. They reared a family of seven sons and two daughters, of whom Charles and John came West in 1871 and settled in Tiffin, this county. Charles Ernst learned the hardwood working art in his native county, and after coming here followed it as journeyman, doing also considerable business in the way of contracting and building, till, upon the formation of the corporation controlling the present company, he joined his issues with it, and has remained as its above named official since. Mr. Ernst was united in marriage in Tiffin, in 1872, with Miss Mary M. Crist, daughter of Joseph and Mary Crist, natives of Ohio, and of German parentage. Our subject and wife have two sons: Franklin and Samuel. Mr. and Mrs. Ernst are members of the Reformed Church. He is an active member of the K. of P. and I. O. O. F.

JOHN ERNST, secretary and treasurer of the Enterprise Manufacturing Company, Tiffin, is a younger brother of Charles Ernst, superintendent and gen- eral manager for this company. He was born in July, 1850, in Northampton County, Penn., and educated to the hardwood working art. He joined his brother Charles in his ventures in the West, and was connected here as journey- man, and also as contractor and builder, joining the Enterprise Manufacturing Company as member, upon its organization, and which he has creditably served in his official capacity. Mr. Ernst was married in Tiffin, in 1878, to Miss Libbie M. Laux, a native of Germany, and by her he has a daughter and son: Mary

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Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.) Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1088

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.)
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Chicago : Warner, Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1088