USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 47
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Catherine Ernst, who was born in Hanover, Germany, and came to Shelby county in girlhood, spent her subsequent life here and died in 1909, in her eighty-second year.
John J. Sherman assisted his father on the home farm and attended the local schools. Farming has been his main occupation and since 1871 he has resided on his present farm in McLean township. He owns two other farms in the county, one in Turtle Creek township and the other in Cynthian town- ship, all three aggregating 300 acres in Shelby county, while he also has forty acres of valuable land in Mexico, which he occasionally visits. Mr. Sherman is a man of excellent business judgment and this quality makes him a very useful public official. Politically a democrat, many public offices were ten- dered him before he consented to serve as a county commissioner. He first assumed the important duties of the same in September, 1909, and is serving in his second term and has been further honored by being elected president of this body.
In 1871, Mr. Sherman was married to Miss Lena Pelster, who was born in Germany, a daughter of the late Henry J. Pelster, who was formerly a well-known farmer here. To Mr. and Mrs. Sherman the followinng children have been born: Katherine, who is the wife of Frank Tahman; Henry, who is a bookkeeper in a business house at Dayton, is a well-educated young man who formerly taught school in this township; Anthony, who assists his father in carrying on the activities of the home farm; Louis, who is a farmer in Cynthian township; and Mary, Frances, William and Leo. Mr. Sherman and family belong to the Catholic church.
THOMAS WHEATON, who is a highly respected citizen and retired farmer of Shelby county, O., has been a resident of Sidney since December, 1911, when he removed from his fine farm of 160 acres, which is situated in Orange township. He was born on a farm in Montgomery county, O., September 14, 1854, and is a son of William and Jane ( Williams) Wheaton.
William Wheaton, with his wife and son. moved from Montgomery county to Miami county, when the latter was two years old. Mr. Wheaton at that time had little capital and the family home was a log cabin near Lena, but he was an industrious and thrifty man and gradually accumulated substance until he owned two farms and also became interested in a grain business at Lena. He got to dickering in the board of trade and lost heavily. His death occurred in advanced age, a well-known and respected man.
Thomas Wheaton was mainly reared near Lena, O., attended school in that vicinity and remained on the home farm working for his father until he was twenty-seven years of age. After marriage he rented a farm for eight years, in Miami county, and then bought 120 acres in Orange township, Shelby county, to which he later added forty acres in the spring of 1911. Several years after taking up his residence on his farm his house was destroyed by fire and after rebuilding he also replaced the barn and gradually all the other structures and now its improvements equal those on any other place in the township. He carried on the usual farm activities until he retired. since when his son has been in charge. Mr. Wheaton purchased his hand-
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some residence at No. 710 South Ohio street, Sidney, in 1911, where he and wife live in great comfort.
Mr. Wheaton married Miss Ida Garbry, a daughter of James and Mary Catherine Garbry, of Shelby county, and they have three children and one grandchild : Ora, who is engaged in business at Dayton, O .; Lucy, who is the wife of James Wiley, of Orange township, and they have one son, Darwin; and Albert, who ably carries on the farm industries for his father. He mar- ried Iona Redinbo. Mr. Wheaton and sons are identified with the democratic party. Although never anxious for public office, Mr. Wheaton is a conscien- tious citizen and proved his value to his fellow citizens during three years of service as trustee of Orange township. He has been an Odd Fellow for many years, still preserving his interest in the principles and object of this fraternal organization.
MRS. ELIZABETH PAUWELLS, one of the best-known and most highly esteemed owners of property in McLean township, resides in section 2, where she has 109 acres of both cultivated and pasture land. She was born in the State of New York, May 12, 1842, and is a daughter of John and Mary Louisa (Wesling) Stern.
The parents of Mrs. Pauwells were natives of Germany and after coming to the United States they lived for about six years in New York and then moved to Auglaize county, O. There the father followed his trade of stone cutter and also engaged in farming, his death occurring at Minster when aged about fifty years. His wife survived to be sixty-three years of age. They were members of the Catholic church and in that faith they reared their eight children, four of whom survive, but Mrs. Pauwells is the only one living in Shelby county. She was five years old when her parents set- tled at Minster and there she was reared and attended school. She then married Ezabaus Pauwells, generally known as Isaac Pauwells. He was born and reared in Holland and in his own land learned the baking trade. When twenty-one years of age he came to America and in the course of time made his home at Minster, O. Following his marriage he settled on the farm in McLean township which now belongs to his widow, working for twenty- five years for the firm of Coons & White, who owned a sawmill at Dayton. He then bought this farm and spent the rest of his life here, making many improvements, draining and tiling all the land that could be cultivated and putting up the buildings that are now in use. The eastern boundary of the farm is the Loramie reservoir and Loramie creek extends through the land, and thus thirty acres, on account of overflow, is given up to pasturage. Dur- ing the fishing season the farm has many visitors and preparations are always made for the annual influx, and comfortable accommodations are provided for fishing parties and stabling is given the teams. Boats and fishing tackle are kept for hire. For fifty years this has been a favorite rendezvous for the disciples of Isaac Walton. Mr. Pauwells was a genial host and was very highly considered by all who knew him. His death occurred July 6, 1903, at the age of seventy-four years and his burial was at Minster, O. He was a faithful member of St. Augusta Catholic church.
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To Mr. and Mrs. Pauwells the following children were. born: Mary Louisa, who died when aged nineteen months; John Ezabaus, who died unmarried when aged forty-nine years; Bernard, who lives in Jackson town- ship, Auglaize county; Annie, who is the wife of Benjamin Lampert, lives at Minster; Margaret, who is the wife of Henry Hollit, of Minster; August, who died at the age of nine months; Catherine, who died when aged eleven months; Julius, who operates the home farm for his mother; and Caroline, who lived but six weeks. Mrs. Pauwells and children are members of the Catholic church.
HON. R. D. CURTNER, mayor of Anna, O., and also serving as deputy county treasurer of Shelby county, is one of the leading men of this section, prominent both in business and in politics. He was born at Port Jefferson, in Salem township, Shelby county, O., September 15, 1866, and is a son of Daniel and Cynthia (Shaw) Curtner.
Daniel Curtner was a well-known citizen of Shelby county, one of her most enterprising and successful business men. He was engaged for a number of years in the dry goods trade at Port Jefferson and was also associated with Henry Cargill as a turnpike contractor, the firm building turnpike roads through Salem township for years. In the early seventies he moved to Anna, where he embarked in a general mercantile business which he continued until within a short time of his death, which occurred in August, 1893. His widow survives and is a highly esteemed resident of Anna.
R. D. Curtner was reared and educated at Anna and for some years con- tinued his father's store. After disposing of the same he learned telegraph- ing and worked for eight years as an operator and then served for three years as cashier of the Farmers and Merchants Bank Company, with which he is yet identified as its second largest stockholder. From early manhood Mr. Curtner has taken an interest in politics and public issues and in the last elec- tion for county treasurer was the democratic nominee and was defeated by the present incumbent, Mr. Kiser, by only 122 votes. Since then he has served as chief clerk of the county board of equalization, also as deputy treasurer and as deputy auditor. As mayor of Anna he is giving the town a fine business administration and while adding to its revenues is also maintaining the highest standard of law and order. Mayor Curtner owns a valuable farm of eighty acres in Salem township which is operated by a reliable tenant farmer.
Mayor Curtner was married in 1886 to Miss Myrtle Young, a daughter of S. D. and Mary J. Young, of Anna, and they have four children : Carl, who is foreman of the Majestic Automobile Company, of Lima, O., in which his father is financially interested; Fred A., who is a musician in the band attached to the 30th U. S. Inf., now stationed in Alaska; and Erma and Lucille, young ladies well known in the social circles of Anna. Mayor Curtner is a thirty- second degree Mason, a Knight of Pythias, a member of the Ormus Grotto, Knights of the Golden Eagle, and a Knight of Khorassan. In the Knights of Pythias he has passed through all the stations up to the grand lodge.
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EVAN W. BINGHAM, who is one of the enterprising citizens and rep- resentative business men of Sidney, O., is proprietor of the E. W. Bingham Furniture Store, which he has conducted here since August 15, 1895. He was born at Alexandria, Va., December 25, 1858, and is a son of Alfred H. and Rebecca (Evans) Bingham.
Alfred H. Bingham came from Virginia to Sidney, May 4, 1871, and died here in November, 1879, the death of his wife occurring in the following year. He was a cotton-mill worker and also a pattern maker and was employed in the machine shop of his brother-in-law, George G. Haslup, a quiet, indus- trious man, with a talent for his special line of work.
Evan W. Bingham had been a student in the Alexandria Academy prior to the removal of the family to Sidney, where he entered the high school. He early developed mechanical skill and during his vacations and on holidays had applied himself to learning the machinist trade, and when he left school, at the age of eighteen years, was able to prove to his employer that he could earn a man's wages, industrial rules and conditions being somewhat different then from the present. For twelve years Mr. Bingham worked satisfactorily as a machinist and then decided to turn his attention in an entirely different direc- tion and for ten years afterward was a salesman in the clothing house of Abe Herzsam, at Sidney. At the termination of that engagement he embarked in his present business, in which he has prospered. He has always taken a good citizen's interest in civic matters and is a valued member of the Sidney Commercial Club, and one of its trustees.
Mr. Bingham married Miss Lizzie A. Fry, a daughter of the late R. L. Fry, who was formerly prominent here in the dry goods trade. Mr. and Mrs. Bingham have had two children: Robert Fry and Jennie Mildred, the latter of whom died at the age of four years. Robert Fry Bingham is a student at Oxford, O., a member of the graduating class of 1913, Miami University.
In politics Mr. Bingham is a republican. While he has never accepted other than local offices, he has frequently proved valuable and useful in these and was a member of the board of public service. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, to the Knights of Khorassan and to all branches of the Knights of Pythias, in which order he is past chancellor. Mr. Bingham and family belong to the Presbyterian church, of which he is treasurer and a member of its board of trustees.
THOMAS GREEN, whose farm of 100 acres lies in a beautiful section of Shelby county, in Washington township, nine miles southwest of Sidney, was born in Butler county, O., March 28, 1832, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Pearson) (Roseyboom) Green.
John Green was born in Licking county, O., where his people had settled at a very early day. He was married in Butler county and later moved into Mercer county, where his death occurred about 1869. His occupation was farming after his return from serving in the War of 1812. Of his children, four sons and two daughters lived to maturity and one daughter died at the age of eighteen months.
Thomas Green went to school in both Butler and Mercer counties and
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farming has been his main business in life. During the Civil war he enlisted in the 100-day service as a member of Company I, 156th O. Vol. Inf., but was sick during the larger part of the time, the hardships and unusual exposure bringing many a brave man to the army hospitals in those days Mr. Green is a member of the G. A. R. post at Piqua, O. On November 2, 1865, he came from Mercer county, his previous home, to Shelby county and has lived ever since on his farm in Washington township, which he still oversees but is now retired from active labor.
Mr. Green married Miss Sarah Jane Preston, who came of a very loyal and patriotic family, her father and three of her brothers serving in the Mexi- can war and all, even the father, who was then beyond the age limit, serving in the Civil war, and one brother died in Tennessee. Mr. Green and wife have had five children: Cynthia, who is the wife of Henry Bailey; William A., who lives near his father; Benjamin, who is a resident of Chicago; Ella, who died at the age of eighteen months; and Carrie B., who married John Jones. Mr. Green and family are members of the United Brethren church. He votes with the republican party and formerly served as a trustee of the township. He is one of Washington township's most respected citizens.
CAPT. EDMUND ELGIN NUTT, whose death on September 18, 1911, removed one of Sidney's foremost citizens-one whom all delighted to honor -was born in Shelby county, O., in 1837, the eldest son of Irwin and Barbara (Persinger) Nutt.
The father of our subject, Irwin Nutt, was born in Montgomery county, near Centerville, O., January 31, 1811, being a son of Aaron Nutt, Jr. In his youth he learned the tanner's trade, which, however, he followed for but a short time. After acquiring a fair, common school education in the dis- trict school, he spent six months in the seminary at Xenia, O., where he prepared himself for teaching, which occupation he followed for a time. In 1834 he married Miss Barbara Persinger, of Green county, O., who was born September 27, 1812. In 1836, with his wife and daughter, Louisa M., who was then one year old, he came to Shelby county and bought a piece of timber land one mile north of Sidney, where he built a cabin for himself and family and began to clear the land. His busy axe soon enlarged the clearing and in course of time smiling fields took the place of the dense and gloomy forest, and as the product of his toil he was able to command not only the necessities, but also some of the luxuries of life. In the work of develop- ing the homestead, he was greatly aided by his faithful wife, who did her part in spinning and weaving the flax and wool for the family garments, also aiding in the outdoor work, in addition to performing her usual household duties and rearing her family of seven children. This family consisted of four sons and three daughters, as follows: Louisa M., born 1835, married Joseph Wilkinson; Edmund E., the subject of this sketch; Margaret J., born 1840, who became the wife of James Middleton; William A., born 1843, who married Elenor C. Lillie; Mary M., born 1845, who became the wife of Dr. J. C. Lillie of Logan county, O .; J .. Newton, born 1848, who married Mae Price and John M., born 1851, who married Ella Smith.
In 1854 Irwin Nutt rented his farm and moved to Pemberton, O., where
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he engaged in the business of buying and shipping grain, but three years later he returned to his farm and there remained until 1873. By this time his chil- dren had all married and settled in homes of their own and a lonely air per- vaded the old homestead-as he expressed it, "the clock ticked too loudly on its shelf." At the earnest solicitation of his children, he again rented out the old farm and he and his wife spent the rest of their lives with their children, residing for a while with one, then with another. He died in Quincy, O., at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. C. Lillie, on March 7, 1880. In 1832, when twenty-one years of age, he had united with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which for the rest of his life he remained a faithful and useful member, giving freely of his time and money in its behalf, and when his end came the final summons found him prepared to enter into the eternal mansions. His remains were brought to Sidney and lay in state at the M. E. church from Monday until Tuesday afternoon, when interment took place in Graceland cemetery. His funeral procession was one of the largest seen in Sidney up to that time. He was among the first meinbers of Temperance Lodge No. 73, F. & A. M., and during his life held all the offices up to and including that of worshipful master. His wife survived him until April 5, 1905, and was also buried in Graceland cemetery, Sidney.
Edmund E. Nutt was reared on the home farm north of Sidney and was educated in the schools of that city. When eighteen years of age he began teaching school, which occupation he followed for four years. He then entered Delaware College, but his further studies were interrupted by the breaking out of the Civil war, and on April 17, 1861, he enlisted in the Fifteenth regiment, O. V. I., serving three months, the full time of his enlistment. On September 16, 1861, he re-enlisted as a private in Company F, Twentieth regiment, O. V. I., and served until the close of the war, first as private, then sergeant, then second and first lieutenant and later as captain, with which rank he was dis- charged. He took part in all great battles in which his regiment participated, and for meritorious conduct at the battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, he was awarded a medal of honor, by order of Maj. F. P. Blair. He was wounded on the skirmish line near Atlanta, August 14, 1864.
After his return from the war Captain Nutt engaged in the grain busi- ness with his brother, William A. Nutt, at Pemberton, but after remaining there for a while, he came to Sidney and entered into the same business here with his brothers, I. Newton and John M. Nutt, purchasing what was known as the old stone bridge warehouse. His brothers subsequently retiring from the business, he continued it alone for some time, after which he sold out his interests to Griffis Brothers.
Although now past middle life he began the study of law and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced law. Instead, he engaged again in the grain business, being thus associated with his brother, William A., at Urbana, O., still, however, continuing to reside at Sidney. Subsequently he repurchased from E. J. Griffis the old stone bridge warehouse, to which Mr. Griffis had added a milling department, and this he owned and managed until his death. He was by this time conspicuous as a useful and public-spirited citizen and in 1897 was nominated on the republican ticket for state senator for the twelfth district.
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Captain Nutt was a member of Neal Post, G. A. R., from its organiza- tion. He took great interest in the Ohio Department of the G. A. R. from the time also of its organization, and in recognition of his zeal, and of his honor- able army record, he was elected department commander of Ohio, at Canton, O., at its twenty-ninth annual meeting in 1894. This position he filled both with credit to himself and satisfaction to his comrades, his administratton beng a highly successful one. He also served as president of the regimental organization of the Twentieth regiment, being always present at the annual reunions of Companies F, H and K, on the 22d of August, to celebrate the battle of Atlanta. The following circular was issued by Neal Post, G. A. R., at the time Captain Nutt was candidate for the office of department commander.
HEADQUARTERS NEAL POST, No. 62,
DEPARTMENT OF OHIO, G. A. R.
SIDNEY, O., April 4, 1894.
"Comrade :- We the undersigned committee, appointed by Neal Post to present the name of Comrade Edmund Elgin Nutt for the position of Depart- ment Commander at the encampment to be held at Canton, respectfully and briefly submit their claims as follows:
"Comrade Nutt was a candidate and received a large vote at Hamilton, Ohio, and many pledges of support, and solicitations to remain in the field for the next encampment, to which we confidently respond with a brief review of some of the merits of our candidate. He was a soldier from the first call to 'Lights Out,' from April 17, 1861, to July 15, 1865; carried a gun more than two years and a sword two years in Company F, 15th O. V. I., three months' service; and Company F, 20th Ohio, three years' service; served at the front in all ranks from private to captain, and was skirmish officer on brigade staff; was wounded on skirmish line and awarded a medal for con- spicuous bravery in battle.
"As a citizen since the war, his 25 years of successful business has proven excellent executive ability. As a comrade he was a charter member of Neal Post, always present at meeting, takes an active interest, is well posted in Grand Army affairs, attends encampments, and has served Neal Post five years as commander. In addition we desire to remind comrades of their pledges of support which induced us to renew the effort for the place, and further urge our claims for the reason that this part of the state has never been favored with department honors of any office. If this favor is granted we promise to furnish a department commander fully up to the high standard of former commanders.
"Yours in F. C. & L. "Signed,-T. B. MARSHALL, "Co. K, 83d O. V. I. "J. H. CREEGAN, "Co. C, 2d Iowa, I. V. I. "H. C. ROBERTS, "Co. D, 51st O. V. I "Committee."
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In 1867 Captain Nutt married Miss Arvesta Van Demark, who was born in Shelby county, O., October 28, 1844, a daughter of Henry B. and Susan- nah (Boyer) Van Demark, who were married January 17, 1844. Mrs. Nutt's father, Henry B. Van Demark, was a native of this county, born near Sid- ney, September 19, 1815, the youngest member of the family of Daniel and Catherine (Bush) Van Demark. He was brought up on the farm and there remained during the lifetime of his parents, having charge of the farni for a number of years until the death of his father, which took place in 1840. In 1844 he married Susannah Boyer, who was born in Miami county in 1821, a daughter of Jacob Boyer. After their marriage the young couple made their home with his mother, Mrs. Catharine Van Demark, residing with her until her death, which occurred in 1848, at which time Henry B. Van Demark became owner of the homestead in Orange township. In 1855 he traded it for a farm in Washington township, which contained over 400 acres of land. Subsequently he added further to his landed possessions, until at the time of his death he owned over 900 acres, all within three and a half miles of Sid- ney. In addition to this, he owned considerable real estate in the town of Sid- ney. He and his wife reared a family of five children, namely: Arvesta ; Daniel, who married Margaret A. Brown, a native of Warren county ; Cly- melia, now deceased, who was the wife of Samuel S. McCready : Jacob N .. of Clinton township; and Harry, who died at the age of eleven years. Mr. Van Demark was reared in the Presbyterian faith and his wife in that of the United Brethren. Their burial took place in Graceland cemetery in Sidney, O.
Capt. Edmund E. Nutt and wife were the parents of six children, as fol- lows: Florence Atlanta is the wife of Frank Leslie Shull, secretary of the Portland Flour Mills, at Portland, Ore. They have two children-Martha Arvesta and Frank Leslie, Jr.
Earl Edmund, who is second in order of birth, is engaged in the practice of law in Sidney, married Lillian Esther Patterson, of Nebraska. They have two children-John Edmund and Caroline Arvesta.
Susan Ethylen, is the wife of Henry W. Roberts, a grocer of Tacoma, Wash. She has one child-Anna Catherine.
Barbara Emma is a teacher of domestic science in the Sidney high school.
Ora Marie is a kindergarten teacher in New York City. Jennie Mathers, the remaining member of the family, resides at home with her mother. The family belong to the Methodist church, taking a useful part in its work and various Christian activities.
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