USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 73
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
after the death of his father, bought the homestead and has continued here. He carries on general farming and is one of the extensive hog raisers and dealers of this section. His preference is for the Poland China breed and raises from 100 to 140 head a year and feeds many more. Mr. Johnston has a handsome residence and substantial barns and sheds and an air of pleasant thrift prevails. No large farm or extensive stock business can be carried on advantageously without hard work and sensible direction and Mr. Johnson appears to have completely understood the situation.
In 1896 Mr. Johnston was married to Miss Alta Keesecker, who died in the following year survived by an infant son, Ray O. On June 1, 1904, Mr. Johnston was married (second) to Miss Edith Licklider, who was born in Champaign county, O., a daughter of William and Jane Licklider, farming people. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston attend the United Brethren church. He is identified with the democratic party and is a very active citizen in local mat- ters and interested in all that concerns the welfare of Perry township. For seven and one-half years he served with the greatest efficiency as township trustee and has been a member of the school board for four years.
JOHN THOMAS STALEY, who resides on his home farm of 140 acres, situated in Salem township, Shelby county, O., owns two other farms in this township, all three aggregating 300 acres. Mr. Staley now lives retired, having all his land satisfactorily rented. He is one of the township's best known and most highly respected men, born here March 26, 1844, a son of Nicholas and Mary ( Baker) Staley.
The Staleys were early settlers in Ohio and Nicholas Staley was born near Dayton, in Montgomery county. After marriage with Mary Baker, who was born in Salem township, Shelby county, he engaged for the remain- der of his life in agricultural pursuits in this section. They were estimable people and devont members of the Christian church. They died on their farm near Port Jefferson and their burial was in the cemetery at that place. Their children were as follows : Margaret, who is the wife of John Bruner ; Henry; Sarah Jane, who is the wife of Port Blue; Susan, who is the wife of John Ward; Nicholas and John Thomas.
John Thomas Staley attended school irregularly in youth, a building for school purposes having been built on his father's farm, but in his boyhood no opportunities were afforded as at the present day. He remained at home assisting and working for his father until he was thirty years of age, at which time he purchased, in partnership with his brother. Henry D. Staley, 160 acres in Green township, which they cultivated together for five years. Henry Staley then bought his brother's interest and the latter returned to Salem township, where he first purchased 130 acres, to which he has added until he now owns the large acreage above mentioned. General farming and stock raising were carried on by Mr. Staley while actively engaged and the same industries are continued on the land by his tenants.
In 1875 Mr. Staley was married to Miss Jennie Cargill, a daughter of John and Margaret (Strahlem) Cargill. The father of Mrs. Staley was a
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farmer in early manhood but during the larger part of his life carried on a tan- ning business. Both he and wife are deceased, the following children sur- viving them : Jennie, who is the wife of Mr. Staley; Mary, who is the wife of John Hughes; Emma, who is the wife of Martin Wones; Bell. who is the wife of Guy Steenrod; and Ellen, who is the wife of D. R. Gibbs.
Mr. and Mrs. Staley have had four children: Ida May, who is deceased ; Cora Olive, who is the widow of Dr. Dickerson; Dottie, who is the wife of Dr. Claude Harmon : and Goldie, who is the wife of Dr. Lucas. The family are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics a demo- crat, Mr. Staley has been interested at all times in the success of his party but has seldom accepted any public office for himself, although one time serving as a township trustee.
JOHN C. STANGEL, who is very efficiently serving Shelby county in a public capacity, being a member of the board of county commissioners, first elected to this representative body in the fall of 1910, was born on a farm in Pickaway county, O., February 9. 1864, a son of Christian and Rachel (Kah) Stangel.
The parents of Mr. Stangel moved to a farm in Jackson township, Shelby county, in 1866, and he comes that near to being a native of the county in which he has lived ever since. The father died in Jackson township and the son was eight years old when his mother removed with him to Sidney, where he attended school for six years. He then started out to be self supporting and worked at first on a farm in Franklin township, but after his marriage entered the Sidney Wheel Works at Sidney, where he continued until 1892, when he moved on a farm of 120 acres, situated in Franklin township, where he successfully carries on the usual farm industries.
In 1888 Mr. Stangel was married at Anna Station. O., to Miss Anna Brideweser, a daughter of Philip Brideweser, at that time a substantial fariner of that section, and the following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stangel : Lawrence, Wallace, Perry, Maud, Luella, Carrie, Glenna, and Roy Wilson, the last named born October 25, 1912.
Mr. Stangel has always been an interested citizen of his neighborhood but has never been unduly anxious to hold office, in fact never accepted but one political position prior to his first election as a county commissioner, that being assessor of Franklin township, in which office he had served for two years when he resigned in order to accept his present one. Mr. Stangel was honored by re-election to the office of county commissioner, in 1912, and hence will continue his public service through a second term.
F. M. WILDERMUTH, cashier of the First National Bank of Jack- son Center, O., is one of the representative men of Shelby county and a useful and influential citizen of Jackson Center. He was born on a farm in Jack- son township, Shelby county. three and one-half miles northwest of Jackson Center, June II, 1875. and is a son of George and Magdalena (Harmon) Wildermuth.
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George Wildermuth was born in Germany but was married after coming to Shelby county, O. During his long life he has followed agricultural pur- suits and he and wife still reside on their farm, which is situated three and one-half miles northwest of Jackson Center. They have been the parents of twelve children, nine of whom survive.
F. M. Wildermuth attended the public schools in Jackson township, later the Jackson Center schools and afterward the normal school at Angola. Ind .. following which he taught school in his native township for nine years. Mr. Wildermuth first became associated with the First National Bank in the capac- ity of assistant cashier, then becoming cashier, in which office he has served continuously since 1909. He has additional business interests, being a mem- ber of the J. M. Pence Grain Company, of Ansonia, O., and the junior inem- ber of the Runyan & Wildermuth Hardware Company of Jackson Center. In politics Mr. Wildermuth has been a lifelong democrat and for a protracted period served efficiently in responsible offices in Jackson township, for two years being assessor and for three successive terms, township treasurer. He has served Jackson Center also as city clerk and during two terms was a mem- ber of the city council.
Mr. Wildermuth married Miss Christiana Sherer, who is a daughter of John and Louisa (Allenbarch) Sherer, and they have three children : Ruby Marie, Willis Arlington and Forest Elmer, all of whom were born in the family residence on North Main street, Jackson Center. Mr. and Mrs. Wilder- muth are members of the Lutheran church.
GEORGE W. STALEY, who is one of the well known citizens of Shelby county, a retired farmer, owns eighty-five and one-half acres of fine land in Jackson township, situated one mile north of the southern township line. He was born in Franklin township, Shelby county, August 29. 1841, and is a son of John and Catherine ( Young) Staley and a grandson of Joseph Staley. who was a native of Virginia and from there came to Montgomery county. O., at that time having but one child. He was twice married and became the father of twenty-two children.
John Staley was born in Montgomery county, O., and remained there into young manhood, when he came to Shelby county and entered eighty acres of land in Franklin township. He married Catherine Young, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of Philip Young, who married twice and had twenty-two children. To John Staley and wife the following children were born : Henry C., Susanna, George W., Nancy Jane, Milton and Sarah Elizabeth. From Franklin township John Staley moved into Jackson township and there his death occurred at the age of sixty years and his burial was first in the Wesley Chapel cemetery but later removal was made to the new cemetery at Port Jefferson and he was reinterred by the side of his wife.
George W. Staley attended school in Jackson township and was not much more than a boy when he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering Com- pany B, Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served under Captain Frey for thirteen months when he was discharged on account of disability. He
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then returned to the homestead in Jackson township and has lived here ever since and during his active agricultural life did a large amount of general improving and all the land is under cultivation by his tenant, Stewart Swiger. with the exception of ten acres still in valuable timber. All the substantial buildings now standing on the farm were placed here by Mr. Staley and his farm stock has always compared favorably with that of other farmers of this section. He has some other interests, including stock in the Farmers Tele- phone Company.
On November 3. 1864, Mr. Staley married Miss Sara C. Erven, who was born in Union township, Union county, Ind., December 21, 1841, a daugh- ter of James and Lucretia (Campbell) Erven, and when Mrs. Staley was eight years old her parents moved to Shelby county. Her father died in Jackson township when aged seventy-one years, and her mother when aged eighty-six years, six months and twenty-two days, and their burial was in Salem township. Since his marriage Mr. Staley has lived on his present farm and here his children have been born and reared as follows: Edwin L .. who lives at Maplewood, O., married Etta Arbigast and they have one son. Hugh A. ; Milton E., who is a resident of Auglaize county, married first Edith Elliott, who became the mother of two children-Huber and Ralph E., the former deceased, and married ( second) Lulu Hobby and they have one child. Twila : Minnie M., who is the wife of William G. Murphy and they live in Franklin township and have two children-H. Clay and Bessie; George P., who married Anna Maria Ambos and they have two children-Welland A. and Bertram Lowell: James M., who lives in Salem township, married Hat- tie Stephenson, and they have three children-Edith, Edna and George L .: Alice J., who married William Buroker of Pemberton, O., and they have six children-Thelma, Ethel, Mabel, Dorothy, William W. and Elizabeth; Iso- phine C., who is the wife of L. G. Shanley, of Pemberton, O., and they have four children-Grant Theodore, Jennie C., Charles Elwin and Staley ; Bessie, who is the wife of Albert Linker of Dinsmore township and they have one son, Eugene; and Mary, who is the wife of Clarence Rhinehart, of Kirks- ville, Missouri. From the age of three years Mr. and Mrs. Staley have reared their grandson, Ralph, who was then left motherless. He has been carefully educated and has developed into a fine specimen of young manhood and is a pride and comfort to his grandparents. In the fall of 1912 he started into business for himself at Dayton, O. Mr. Staley and family are members of the United Brethren church. In his views on public questions Mr. Staley is liberal to some degree except in the matter of temperance and his opinions on this vital subject have made him a voter with the prohibition party. For nine successive years he served as a member of the school board and during seven of these was president of this body of representative men, and for five years he served as township constable and for four years was a trustee of the township.
W. E. COLEMAN, general farmer and a highly respected citizen of Jackson township, who works 120 acres of fine land in section 35, which
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belongs to Mrs. Margaret Gilfillen, his mother-in-law, was born November II, 1861, one mile southeast of St. John's, in Auglaize county, O., and is a son of Arnold and Sarah Ann (Miller ) Coleman.
Arnold Coleman and wife are now deceased and their burial was at St. John's. In his young manhood he was a farmer and later he became a soldier in Company B, Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and although he lived to return from the Civil war, it was with shattered health which caused his death a few years later. It is customary to call those who fall on the field of battle the nation's heroes but those who gave their strength and health may just as truly be named as heroes and there are those who will ever recall them as such.
W. E. Coleman attended the public schools of Jackson township and farm- ing has been his business all through life and he has been very successful. His present home is the old Gilfillen homestead and he owns fifty-five acres adjoining this farm. His industries include a moderate amount of stock rais- ing and the growing of crops which experience has taught him do best in this locality.
Mr. Coleman was married to Miss Emma Gilfillen, who was born in Salem township and is a daughter of William and Margaret Gilfillen, the former of whom is deceased but the latter resides with Mr. and Mrs. Coleman. Two sons were born to Mr. and Mrs. Coleman : Arnold, who lives on a farm lying southwest of the home place, married Etta Hawkins; and Roy, who is a student in the Ohio State Business College at Columbus. The family belong to the United Brethren church. A republican in his political views, Mr. Cole- man has loyally supported his party's candidates but has desired no public recognition for himself, in fact has never accepted any office except member- ship on the board of education, to which he has belonged for four years and has been faithful to the duties involved.
HENRY SHROYER, who is now living in comfortable retirement at Maplewood, O., is an example of what may be accomplished in securing suc- cess and independence in life by the exercise of prudence and self-denial in youth and persistent industry through the years when the vital powers are at their best. Mr. Shroyer is a self-made man and through his own efforts built up from nothing a fortune that included the possession of more than 500 acres of land in the best sections of Shelby county. He was born in August, 1835, in Miami county, O.
The parents of Henry Shroyer were of the same name although not related, Joseph and Mary (Shroyer) Shroyer. Joseph Shroyer was born in Ohio while his wife was a native of Maryland. After marriage they lived in Miami county but later came to Salem township, Shelby county, where both passed away on their farm and their burial was in the cemetery belonging to the Reformed church, the church site having been given by Mr. Shroyer. They had a large family of children, the record being as follows: William. Thomas, Jacob, John, Henry, Elizabeth, Catherine, Eliza and Matilda, the last named being the only surviving daughter and she is the wife of Samuel
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Giffin. Elizabeth was the wife of Samuel Roberts, Catherine was the wife of Frank Maxwell, and Eliza was the wife of Joseph Dodds.
Henry Shroyer had but meager schooling when he was a boy, partly because of the lack of school facilities in the neighborhood of his father's farm and partly because his services were needed, with those of his brothers, to help carry on the agricultural industries that then had to be conducted, more or less, without the help of much labor-saving machinery. He started out for himself as soon as he became independent and for five years after- ward worked in Miami county for $12 and $13 a month. He then came to Shelby county and continued to work by the month on farms until he was twenty-eight years of age. For about five years after marriage he rented farming land and by that time had accumulated enough capital to buy his first eighty acres, situated in Salem township, and this tract he still owns. With continued prudence he became able to add farm to farm until over 500 acres belonged to him, all earned through his own unassisted efforts. Mr. Shroyer proved then to be a generous father for he divided this large estate among his children, happy in thus providing for them and giving each a good start in life.
On May 18, 1865, Mr. Shroyer was married to Miss Mary Strahlem, at the parsonage of the German Reformed church, by Rev. Jeremiah Heller. She was born in Ohio, a daughter of Gotleib and Elizabeth (Clapper) Strah- lem, the father a native of Germany and the mother of Ohio, her parents having come here from Maryland. Mrs. Shroyer was the youngest of her parents' children, the others being: Jacob, Henry, David, Susan, Abraham, Isaac and Samuel. Susan married James Moreland. To Mr. and Mrs. Shroyer six children were born, namely: Clara, who is the wife of William Rubert; Eliza Ellen, who is the wife of John C. Wones; Harriet, who is the wife of George W. Rose; and Elmer, Nelson C. and Harry. Mr. Shroyer and family belong to the Reformed church, in which he was a deacon for many years. In politics he is a democrat and has always given an active support to the candidates of his party.
E. McCORMICK, M. D., physician and surgeon, with residence and office on the corner of College and Lincoln streets, Jackson Center, O., has a practice which extends north, east, south and west of the city. The father of Dr. McCormick died at Rosewood, O., at the age of eighty-eight years. His mother, however, died in his infancy and he was reared by the late T. B. and Elizabeth B. (Hawver) McCormick, the latter of whom survives and resides near Dr. McCormick.
In the public schools of Jackson township the youth first had educational privileges and afterward became a student of medicine under Dr. Edward McBurney, at Jackson Center, subsequently entering the Ohio Medical Col- lege at Cincinnati. After graduating in medicine he located first at Santa Fe, in Auglaize county, later removing to another location, and remained in practice in Auglaize county for fifteen years, during which time he was a member of the Auglaize County Medical Society. In 1905 he came to Jackson
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Center. He is now a member of the Northwestern Ohio Medical Society. Dr. McCormick is a democrat in politics and is a member of the town council. He is surgeon for the Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railroad.
Dr. McCormick married Miss Minnie Sherer, a daughter of Christian Sherer, and they have two children : Lowell, who will graduate from the Ohio Western University at Delaware, O., in the class of 1914; and Eugene, who is a graduate of the Jackson Center high school. Dr. McCormick is an Odd Fellow and has passed the chairs in Lodge No. 736 at Jackson Center.
LEWIS PHILLIP GROSS, one of the substantial citizens of Salem township, who owns 103 acres of very fine land and is one of the stockholders in the Farmers Telephone Company, was born in Auglaize county, O., June II, 1864, and is a son of Phillip C. and Catherine ( Schuler) Gross.
Phillip C. Gross was born in Ohio but it is probable that his father, Phillip Gross, was born in Germany. The former married Catherine Schuler, who came from Germany, and they now live in comfortable retirement at Jack- son Center, O., where they are members of the Lutheran church. They had children as follows: William, John, Lewis Phillip, Godfrey, Catherine, wife of Jacob Wilt, and David.
Lewis Phillip Gross attended the district school in boyhood and then helped his father on the home farm until he was twenty-one years old, when he started out for himself. He first rented a farm in Salem township and lived on it for one year and then spent a year in Jackson township and the following year in Auglaize county. During the next six years he lived at Botkins, Shelby county, and then moved to Maplewood but in the following year returned to Botkins and two years afterward rented land in Salem township and then moved again to Jackson township and lived there for six years, when, in 1905, he once more came to Salem township, purchasing his present farm from Jennie North. He found the residence needed remodeling and did that and other improving and now has a very desirable property and devotes his land to general farming and moderate stock raising.
Mr. Gross was married in March, 1887, to Miss Nellie Mallahan, who was born in Shelby county and is a daughter of Charles and Anna ( Elliott ) Mallahan, to whom but two children were born: Nellie and Frank. The second wife of Mr. Mallahan was Mary Counts and they have had three children : William, May, wife of William Garrett, and Louis, deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Gross three children were born, two sons and one daughter : Charles Phillip, who died at the age of eighteen years: Minnie Gertrude and Howard Henry. The family attends the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Gross is a democrat in politics but is not active beyond the bounds of good citizenship.
JACOB NEWTON VAN DEMARK, owner and proprietor of Avondale Farm, containing 220 acres and situated in Clinton township. has other prop- erty in the county, 560 acres of valuable land lying in Washington township also belonging to him. Mr. Van Demark is one of the capitalists of this section
JACOB NEWTON VAN DEMARK
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of Ohio and one of its best known men. He was born March 22, 1853, in Orange township, Shelby county, and is a son of Henry B. and Susan ( Boyer ) Van Demark.
Henry B. Van Demark was born in Shelby county in 1815 and died in Clinton township in 1899. He was a farmer and stock raiser all his active life and was numbered with the successful business men of the county. He married Susan Boyer, who was born in Shelby county in 1821 and died in 1894. They were members of the Presbyterian church. To them were born the following children : Arvesta, who is the widow of Capt. E. E. Nutt; Daniel W .; Clymelia, who is deceased, was the wife of S. S. Mcready ; Henry Lewis, who died at the age of eleven years; and Jacob Newton.
Jacob Newton Van Demark enjoyed educational advantages in the public schools, spending three winters as a student in the Sidney high school, after which he assumed duties on the home farm and has continued his agricultural industries ever since. General farming is carried on and extensive cattle and stock raising, a good grade of hogs, sheep, cattle and horses being developed. Mr. Van Demark owning enough land to profitably care for many flocks and herds. In addition to his possessions above listed, he owns a cottage and ten lots on Orchard Island, and is a stockholder and a director in the Citizens National Bank at Sidney.
In 1882 Mr. Van Demark was married to Miss Catherine Hicks, who was born in Michigan, a daughter of Richard and Catherine Hicks, who were farming people in that state. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Demark, namely: Florence V .; Henry V., who married Caroline Coon ; and Jennie M., who married George Brandywie. The family attend the Pres- byterian church. Like his late father, Mr. Van Demark is a republican although he frequently uses his own judgment in casting his vote, many intelligent men declining to be always guided by party leaders.
J. E. MERANDA, who is one of the representative men of Jackson town- ship as evidenced by his election to the presidency of the township school board, is a general farmer here, who owns forty acres of land and 120 acres more in association with J. K. Clayton. He was born in Jackson township, Shelby county, three miles south of Jackson Center, July 4, 1869, and is a son of J. S. and Sarah ( Maddux) Meranda, who still reside in Jackson township.
J. E. Meranda was reared in his native township and attended the public schools and afterward taught school until April, 1900, a period of twelve years, at the close of which he came to his present farm, which is situated one mile west of Jackson Center on the south side of the Arnett turnpike road. This beautiful farm bears the name of Sunset Farm, eighty acres of which belongs to J. K. Clayton, and he makes his home with Mr. and Mrs. Meranda. Its situation is admirable and Mr. Meranda carries on his farm industries with the intelligent interest and judicious methods which bring abundant success.
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