History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 56

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 870

USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 56

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John C. Rank has always given his atten- tion to farming and is one of the leading agri- culturists of Van Wert County. In addition to operating his own tract of 56 acres, he also cultivates the adjoining farm of his brother and raises considerable stock in connection with his general farming. He has a well-improved place with new house, barns and other out- buildings, and is a progressive man who be- lieves in using modern methods.

John C. Rank was married in 1879 to Cyn- thia Alberta Hoaglin, of Hoaglin township, and a daughter of Enoch M. and Elizabeth Hoaglin. They are the parents of four chil- dren, namely : A. Theodore, a physician ; Bertha, who died at the age of six years;

Omah; and John E. The younger children are in school, John E. being a student in the Van Wert High School.

After graduating from the common schools, A. Theodore Rank, oldest child of our subject, taught a number of years before en- tering the Ohio Northern University, at Ada, where he remained two terms. He graduated from the Tri-State Normal College, at Angola, Indiana; spent three years in the Cincinnati Medical College, and then went to West Vir- ginia, where he successfully passed the State medical examination and practiced for one year. Returning to Cincinnati, he reentered the college, and then took the complete four years' course, which he completed in May, 1906. Dr. Rank married Florence Kim- mel, a former teacher in the Van Wert High School, and has one child-Fred Theodore, born March 20, 1905.

John C. Rank is a Democrat in politics (although voted for Roosevelt for President) and was school director many years. He is a member of North Union Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been class leader for 25 years and chorister for 30 years. Frater- nally he is a member of the Royal Arcanum lodge at Van Wert.

OHN P. SHARKEY, superintendent of the schools of Van Wert County, and one of the well-known educators of the State, was born in Virginia. March 25, 1857, being a son of Gideon and Mary (Malory) Sharkey. The father of Mr. Sharkey was a contractor and a millwright during his active years and is still living at the advanced age of 90 years, the father of three children.

John P. Sharkey was reared in Virginia.

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received a liberal education, and for more than 22 years has followed the profession of teacher. For 12 years he was superintendent of the schools of Eaton, Ohio, following a period as principal of the Shandon High School, in But- ler County. In 1898 he was invited to be- come superintendent of the schools of Van Wert County, and has filled that honorable office for the past seven years. He has under his charge some 36 teachers and 1,600 pupils, and the improvement shown in the educa- tional work of the county since he became head of the system speaks well for the perma- nent benefits of his administration. In educa- tional circles he is well known in every part of the State and is a member of the State Board of School Examiners.

Mr. Sharkey was united in marriage with Laura Ressler, who is a daughter of Henry Ressler, and they have three children : Clare G., a constructing engineer, located at Dayton, Ohio; Lucile, a student in the Ohio State Uni- versity ; and Katherine Elizabeth, who is still at home. The family belong to the Presby- terian Church, and their pleasant, hospitable home is situated at No. 295 South Cherry street, Van Wert. In political sentiment Mr. Sharkey is a Republican. Fraternally he is a Mason and a Knight of Pythias.

A J. BAUGHER, who for several years has successfully conducted a black- smith shop at Ohio City, was born in Hancock County, Ohio, in 1867, and is a son of Joseph Baugher, who was a well- known farmer of Mercer County.

When only II years of age, Mr. Baugher's parents moved to Mercer County, where he was reared. He was educated in its common schools, and early in life learned the black-

smith's trade at Rockford, remaining there two and a half years, and afterward working at Chattanooga, Ohio, Celina and St. Marys. On May 20, 1902, he removed to Ohio City and engaged in business for himself, at that time opening his present shop, where he does gen- eral blacksmithing and repairing. He is an expert at horseshoeing and has a large pat- ronage.

A. J. Baugher was married, in 1892, to Sarah Gorham of St. Marys. They are the owners of a pleasant home in Ohio City. Mr. Baugher is a member of the Woodmen of the World, Knights of the Maccabees and the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, lodge and encampment.

OHN JARVIS JONES, a retired resi- dent of Venedocia, has been identified with Van Wert County since the days when dense woods covered a large portion of it, and game and wild birds were plentiful where now stand substantial build- ings, cultivated farms and villages, all con- nected by rapid lines of transportation. Mr. Jones was born in the parish of Pennant, North Wales, May 26, 1826, and is a son of John and Catherine (Jarvis) Jones. His parents were natives of Montgomeryshire, North Wales, and of their six children, the following survive : John Jarvis, the eldest born; Mar- garet (Richards), who lives in Montgomery- shire; and Evan, a noted divine, who resides in Caernarvonshire, Wales.

It has been often remarked that an illiterate Welshman is rare, the school laws of Wales making it almost impossible for her sturdy sons to leave her shores in the shadows of ignorance. Being a young man of native in- telligence. John J. Jones was especially well educated prior to coming to America. Arriv-

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ing at the port of New York in June, 1851, after a trip of seven weeks, the sailing vessel "Guy Mannering" safely deposited in the first city of America its mixed human freight of 1,000 individuals, composed of English, Ger- man, Irish, Scotch and Welsh immigrants. Mr. Jones was one of these. He made his way from New York to Cincinnati, adding to his capital by working in a boiler shop in the latter city, until he had learned that better opportu- nities awaited those willing to labor, in Van Wert County. When he arrived, there was but a single house standing between Spencer- ville and Jennings Prairie. The forests still harbored bears, wolves and deer; there were plenty of squirrels and turkeys, and, as Mr. Jones humorously expressed it, "concerts were given by the blackbirds in one swamp, which were equaled by the frogs in another." Mr. Jones found plenty of hard, physical labor here, assisting settlers in clearing the land, in grubbing out the roots of forest giants and in building the early log cabins. He became al- most an expert in the making of corduroy roads-those necessities in a wet and swampy section, which have long since been displaced by gravel and rubble, while drainage has re- deemed the land. For work of this kind Mr. Jones received $13 a month and he continued to perform it for four years.

In 1857 Mr. Jones visited Iowa, but in 1860 returned to Van Wert, where he engaged to work by the year; but on August 19, 1862, at Delphos, he entered the Union service, enlist- ing at Delphos, in Company F, 118th Reg .. Ohio. Vol. Inf., and serving under Generals Doyle, Burnside, Judah and Scofield. The 118th Ohio was attached to the Army of the Cumberland. He participated in a number of battles, notably those of Moose Creek, Kings- ton, Franklin and Nashville, the various en- gagements aggregating 24. At Knoxville,

Tennessee, he was confined for six weeks in a hospital, and on account of disabilities, result- ing from his three years of hard service, re- ceives a pension of $24 per month.

Mr. Jones is an independent thinker, both in politics and religion. He is a good Ameri- can citizen, although not born on American soil, and believes in giving practical support to statesmen whose actions prove that they have the best interests of the country at heart. He expresses admiration for the character of such men as Abraham Lincoln, Grover Cleve- land and Theodore Roosevelt. During his residence in Venedocia Mr. Jones has accumu- lated considerable valuable property and has done considerable building here. Through his just philanthropy, he has made it possible for many people to obtain comfortable homes with- out being burdened by embarrassing debts or heavy interest. He stands very high in public esteem and possibly is as well known as any other resident of the village, being a man of wide reading and enlightened views. Mr. Jones is unmarried.

OHN WILLARD SWITZER, a trus- tee of Liberty township and one of the most prominent young farmers of the section, owner of a valuable farm of 40 acres in section 16, was born in this town- ship, February 20, 1877. He is a son of John A. and Mary Jane (Morehead) Switzer, both of whom are still living and residing in Lib- erty township.

John A. Switzer, the father, is a son of Frederick Switzer, of German birth, who came to America and spent the greater portion of his life here. John A. Switzer was born in Fos- toria, Ohio, where he was reared and educated. At the age of 18 years he enlisted in the vol-

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unteer service of his State. He served throughout the entire Civil war, at the close of which he came to Van Wert County, where he was married and raised a family of 11 chil- dren, of whom John Willard was the fifth in order of birth.

John Willard Switzer has spent his entire life in his native county, and here received a common-school education. On March 3, 1893, he was united in marriage with Lillian Everett who is a daughter of Thomas and Mahala Everett. Her grandfather was a native of New York State, but later moved to Allen County, Ohio, where he died at the age of 45 when his son Thomas was but nine years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Switzer have one son and one daughter-Dean and Wanda.

Mr. Switzer has always been engaged in agriculture, and his farm, besides being well improved, is otherwise a very valuable piece of land, four producing oil-wells upon it being kept in operation. Mr. Switzer is a man of enterprise and public spirit, and in the fall of 1904 was elected township trustee by the Re- publican party, his term of service being for three years. He is a member and one of the first officers of the lodge of the Fraternal Order of Eagles at Ohio City, which was recently organized.

A BRAHAM LINCOLN POLLOCK, for many years one of the most suc- cessful farmers of Washington town- ship, who owns and operates a fine productive farm of 42 acres in section 31, was born on a farm adjoining his present home, in Jennings township, Van Wert County, Ohio, and is the oldest son of Asa and Mary (Leathers) Pollock.

Asa Pollock was born in Columbiana Coun- ty, Ohio, in 1823. When he was 13 years of

age his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Pollock, settled in Ridge township, Van Wert County, just across the road from the present home of our subject. Thomas Pollock, the grand- father, was one of the pioneer settlers of Van Wert County, and at one time owned 1,000 acres of land. Mr. and Mrs. Asa Pollock had II children, all but two of whom are liv- ing, the family record being as follows : John, who died aged 18 months; Alfretta, wife of Jacob Turner, of Van Wert; Vesta Ellen, who married Jacob M. Dibert and lives in York township; Abraham L., subject of this sketch; Allen B., of York township; Catherine E., who married J. B. Wilcox, of Delphos; Hugh .Grant, who lives in Middlepoint and is the manager of the Pollock Grain & Elevator Company; Louis Otto, of Cumberland, Iowa; William H., who resides on the old homestead in Jennings township; Jesse L., also living on the home place, and Charles, who died in in- fancy. Mrs. Asa Pollock, who lives in the old home in Jennings township, is a daughter of Christian Leathers, who came to this county from Fairfield County, Ohio, at a very early day.

Abraham L. Pollock was reared and re- ceived his education in Van Wert County, be- ing married (first) to Clara Ziegler, daugh- ter of Noah and Elizabeth Ziegler, of York township. They had two children-Myrtle, who died June 19, 1901, aged 16 years; and Russell. Mrs. Clara Pollock died November 26, 1900. Mr. Pollock's second marriage was on March 8, 1902, to Ethel Van Tilburg, of Hartford City, Indiana. They had two chil- dren-John, born February 12, 1903, and Eugene, born July 29, 1904. Mrs. Ethel Pol- lock died March 28, 1905.

In 1899 Mr. Pollock erected a large frame house, a decided addition to the value of the farm, which, in improvements and develop-

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ment, compares favorably with any in the township. He is also a member of the firm which operates the Pollock Grain & Elevator Company, previously mentioned. Religiously, Mr. Pollock is a member of the Ridge Meth- odist Episcopal Church and for three years was one of the deacons of that organization.

HARLES DAVIS, a farmer of Ridge township, the owner of 80 acres of land in section 25, was born in St. Marys, Ohio, November 16, 1845, and is a son of John and Sophia (Benner) Davis. The father came from Hocking Coun- ty to Van Wert County at an early day. He enlisted from this county for service in the Civil war and while in the army contracted the measles, from which he died at Bowling Green, Kentucky, in 1861.

Charles Davis attended school until his 15th year, when he began working on the farm. On October 3, 1864, he enlisted in Company C, 47th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and was in the 15th Army Corps under Gen. John A. Logan, with General Sherman, commander-in-chief. He took part in the fight at Fort McAllister, Georgia, and started with Sherman in the march to the sea, but was taken ill at Raleigh, North Carolina, and was sent to Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia, where he was hon- orably discharged June 15, 1865. Taking up the life of a private citizen once more, he en- gaged in farming in Washington township until 1877, when he purchased his present farm upon which he has since resided.

Mr. Davis was married February II, 1868, to Mary J. Hire, daughter of Jeremiah Hire, deceased, and a well-known resident of Wash- ington township for many years. Two chil- dren have been born to this worthy couple :

Sylvester S .; and Minnie C. S., the wife of L. A. Price, formerly of Mercer County, Ohio, now of Ridge township, Van Wert County. Sylvester S. Davis was a young man of excel- lent character and integrity. He was married to Hannah L. Faucett of Washington town- ship, by whom he had one son, Eugene, who lives in Middlepoint with his mother. Sylves- ter S. Davis died August 15, 1904, cut down in the prime of manhood, but he left behind him the heritage of a good and noble name and the love and esteem of all who knew him. Mrs. Davis died September 29, 1904. Mr. Davis is a member of the G. A. R. post at Middlepoint, of which he is past commander. He is also a member of the tent of the Im- proved Order of Red Men at that place and also belongs to the Society of Friends.

AMES W. RUMBLE, an influential farmer of Van Wert County and a trustee of Hoaglin township, resides on a farm of 80 acres in section 8, which he purchased about five years ago. He was born January 8, 1868, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, his parents, Henry and Paulina (Leech) Rumble, being also natives of that State.

Henry Rumble was of German stock. In 1876 he left Pennsylvania with his family, and for a time was located in Allen County, Ohio, coming thence to Van Wert County and set- tling in Hoaglin township. Here he took an active part in all that pertained to the advance- ment of the general public, serving as com- missioner of Van Wert County at one time, and for a number of years filling the office of justice of the peace in a fearless and praise- worthy manner. Squire Rumble, as he is af- fectionately known by his friends, is now in his 80th year, and has resided in Van Wert for

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CHARLES L. LEHMANN

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several years. His children are Bruce W., of Ironton, Ohio; Annie B. (Mrs. P. F. Rema- gen) ; Alexander C., of California; Susan (Mrs. C. H. Hymen) ; and James W. Mr. Rumble has long been a supporter of Repub- lican principles.

James W. Rumble farms because he likes the work, and his land shows the result of the care and thought expended in its cultivation. He is a lover of fine horses and a breeder of standard bred roadsters-horses that will com- pare favorably with any in the county. Mr. Rumble was married in January 10, 1889, to Lydia E. Mohr, daughter of Gottlieb and Sarah A. (Snearly) Mohr, highly-respected residents of Hoaglin township. Gottlieb Mohr is a native of Germany, while his wife was born in Ohio. He is a stalwart Republican, and for a number of terms was treasurer of the township. His surviving children are as follows: Edward G., of Union township; Susie M., wife of William M. Hoaglin, of Cavett; Cassie S., wife of George A. Foust, of Hoaglin township; Lydia E., wife of Mr. Rumble; Alta J., wife of Wilbur Moon, of Paulding County, Ohio; Hattie, wife of Jambes Cavanaugh, of Cavett; and Walter J., of Hoaglin township. Six children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rumble, namely : Dale E., Nellie G., G. Bruce, Frank H., Sarah L. and Harriet A. They are mem- bers of the Evangelical Association and of the Home Guards of America, and count their friends by the score.

HARLES L. LEHMANN, a well- known farmer, fruit grower and bee raiser, of Washington township, who lives on his valuable farm of 160 acres, 80 acres of which are situated in section 16 and the remainder in section 9, was

born in Charloe, Paulding County, Ohio, June 18, 1844, and is a son of Gabriel and Anna Elizabeth (Bockman) Lehmann.

Gabriel Lehmann was born in Baden, Ger -. many, March 19, 1819, and was the son of Leopold Lehmann, who was also a native of Germany and was a soldier under Napoleon in Spain, when only 15 years of age. Gabriel Lehmann came to America in 1830 with his parents, who located first in Columbus, Ohio, where he completed his education. Later he and his father moved to Sandusky, Ohio; his mother having died during their first year in Columbus. He was married in Paulding County, to Anna Elizabeth Bochman, a daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth Bochman, who were natives of Germany, where her father died when she was but five years old. Mrs. Leh- mann was also born in Germany. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, one year later return- ing to Paulding County. In 1845 they located at Delphos, making the trip in one of the first boats that run on the canal, and here they lived until 1860, when they purchased their present farm, being among the first of the pioneer set- tlers. During the Civil War Mr. Lehmann was a member of the 55th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and was with Sherman on his famous march from "Atlanta to the Sea." Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann had four children, but two ot whom still live, namely: Henry G., who re- sides in Van Wert and is married, who was a soldier in the Civil War, serving for four years in the 32nd Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., under Grant; and Charles L., of this sketch. Fred- erick died in 1876 aged 30 years, and Matilda passed away at the age of 27 years. Gabriel Lehmann, the father of the family, died Feb- ruary 28, 1879.

Charles L. Lehmann has lived in Van Wert County since he was a child one year of

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age, receiving his early educational training in the schools of Delphos. He has never mar- ried and lives with his widowed mother, who is a respected member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lehmann is an extensive fruit grower, and has a fine orchard of about 10 acres of apples, peaches, pears, cherries and plums. He also makes a specialty of bee rais- ing and has over 100 hives of bees, selling con- siderable honey in Delphos, Van Wert and Middlepoint. His portrait accompanies this sketch.

6 EORGE D. JOHNSON, one of the enterprising farmers of Liberty town- ship, living on a farm of 80 acres in section 19, was born in Willshire township, Van Wert County, Ohio, August 11, 1855, and is a son of Elias and Gemima (Dim- mett ) Johnson.

The father was born in Pennsylvania, and was reared, educated and married in that State, moving to Van Wert County in the early '40's. There he entered a farm of 640 acres, mostly wilderness and much prairie. He first built a round-log house for the family to occupy and then entered upon the task of clearing the tim- berland. He placed a large part of it under cultivation, under his good management the property being converted into one of the best farms in the township. Elias Johnson's wife died when our subject was about two years of age, and in 1861 he married Elizabeth Leslie, who passed away just four weeks after their union at the age of 51 years.

After the death of his father, George D. Johnson, made his home with his brother Ben- jamin until he was about nine years of age, when he went to live with his aunt, Mrs. Mary Johnson. In 1876 he was married to Charity Ann Agler, a daughter of Joseph Agler, a

sketch of whom will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. George D. Johnson have four children, namely-Birdie, who married Benja- min Dull, lives in Glenmore, Van Wert County, and is the mother of five children; Cary, who married Mollie Miller, also resides in Glenmore, and has one child; and Willis, and Laura, who both live at home.

Mr. Johnson inherited a farm of 119 acres from his father, operating it until 1882, when he sold it and purchased the farm of 80 acres where he now lives. Mr. Johnson is a member of the United Brethren Church, and fraternally is connected with the I. O. O. F.

6 EORGE LEMUEL SINIFF, a well- known citizen of Liberty township, who is engaged in agricultural pur- suits on his farm of 47 acres situated in section 21, and who for a number of years has been an instructor in various schools of this county, is a native of Ohio, having been born November 10, 1862, in Dublin township, Mercer County. He is a son of George L. and Hannah (Anderson) Siniff, and grand- son of John Siniff, who was one of the pio- neers of Mercer County.

George L. Siniff was reared in that county and received his early education in the com- mon schools of Dublin township, later taking a course at the normal schools of Middlepoint and Ada, Ohio. In 1885 he was united in marriage with Martha Holzer, who is a daughter of Christian Holzer, and their four children are: Ocie, Anna, Raleigh and Dale. Mr. Siniff and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

After his marriage Mr. Siniff remained but one year in Mercer County, in 1886 mov- ing just across the line from that county into

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Liberty township, Van Wert County, where he spent the following eight years, subse- quently moving to Ohio City, where he was an instructor in the schools for nine years. In 1903 he purchased his present farm of 47 acres, upon which he moved, being both en- gaged in teaching (at the Dull school) and interested in general farming. The large frame house which the family now occupy was erected in 1903, and many other needed improvements have been made upon the place.

L EWIS W. ROGERS, who owns and cultivates a farm of 95 acres in sec- tion 6, Hoaglin township, is a native of Morrow County, Ohio, where he was born December 12, 1853. His parents were Rev. William H. and Mary (Curtis) Rogers.

Rev. William H. Rogers was born in Penn- sylvania, but was little more than a boy when he located in Morrow County, in after life being known as a teacher and a local minister of the United Brethren Church. In politics he was a Republican, and loyal to his convic- tions in that field, as in all others. By his mar- riage to Mary Curtis, a native of Ohio, he had the following 13 children (II of whom are living and mostly residents of Morrow County : Eliza J., widow of Abraham Hardman; Moses C .; John H., who resides in Michigan; Abigail, wife of G. W. Squibb, of Scott: Levi; Mary A., wife of G. W. Kightlinger; James F., of Scott; Lewis W .; Daniel S., of Missouri; Deborah, wife of John Christy ; Enoch; and Obed and William H., both deceased. Three of these sons were in the Civil War; Moses and John serving dur- ing the entire struggle and Obed giving his life to the Union cause. The father died Decem- 27

ber 28, 1883, leaving the record of a noble, useful life and good name, as a rich heritage.

During his boyhood Lewis W. Rogers at- tended the public schools and then engaged in farming in Morrow County until 1879, when he came to Van Wert County and three years later bought his present farm. He was mar- ried May 6, 1880, to Elizabeth Jenkins, who was born February 6, 1858, in Fayette County, Ohio, which was also the birthplace of her par- ents, Andrew J. and Melinda (Flax) Jenkins. Her maternal grandfather, John Flax, still re- sides there and has passed the 94th mile-stone in life's journey. In 1865 Mr. Jenkins came with his family to Van Wert County, for a number of years residing in Pleasant township and later in Union township, where Elizabeth Jenkins and Lewis Rogers were married. Sub- sequently, they moved to Paulding County, where they still reside, the parents of five children-Roy A., Ray B., May, Mabel and Cleo. Mr. Rogers is a Republican voter, but not a politician. He takes a deep interest. in all that pertains to agriculture, and was formerly a member of Prairie Creek Grange, Patrons of Husbandry.

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History of Van Wert County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 56

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 870

Author: Thaddeus S. Gilliland
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 870