USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 83
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
767
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
township and is numbered among the enterprising and successful men of the county. He keeps in close touch with the most advanced ideas relating to the science of agriculture and gives his personal attention to every phase of the work, in consequence of which he has been enabled to realize a handsome income from his investment. His property is well improved and is main- tained at all times in the best of condition, the general appearance of the place indicating the owner to be a man of excellent taste and good judgment.
Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Wells are members of the Christian church, with which Mr. Wells united on October 19, 1862. In October, 1881, he became a member of the church at Shreve, and has been prominent and active in advancing the best interests of the society. He has long been active in Sabbath school work and served for the long period of forty years as super- intendent of the school, his service covering two thousand and eighty consec- utive Sabbaths. In politics Mr. Wells has been affiliated with the Democratic party and has been actively interested in local public affairs. He has been frequently elected by his fellow citizens to offices of responsibility, in all of which he has acquitted himself to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citi- zens. He served three terms as assessor and twelve years as a member of the school board in Ripley township, Holmes county, and since coming to Clinton township, Wayne county, he has served as a member of the school board many years, during nine of which he was president of the same. He has also served as a water works trustee and clerk of the board. In these positions he has given to the public interests the same careful attention and applied the same business methods that he employs in his own private affairs. His ability as a Sunday school worker has been recognized in his election to the presidency of the Township Sunday School Association, which office he held for five years. He is now president of the Wayne County Farmers' In- stitute, having held this office during eleven of the sixteen years during which this organization has been in existence. In every avenue of life's activities in which he has engaged, Mr. Wells has performed his full part to the best of his ability, and this fact has been generally recognized by those in touch with him and his work. Industry, integrity and progressiveness have been the keynotes to his character and are the elements which have contributed to his success.
Urias F. Wells married Louisa M. Mathewson, a native of Ripley town- ship, Holmes county, Ohio, and a daughter of Robert and Rebecca ( Ruble) Mathewson, and their union has been blessed in the birth of the following children : Robert D., who lives in Clinton township, married Maude Thomas ; 1
768
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
to them have been born the following children : Ruth L., Thomas F. and Mil- dred I.
Mary Shreve Wells, mother of the subject of this sketch, was a daugh- ter of Thomas and Mary (Wagel) Shreve. Thomas Shreve, who was a son of Richard Shreve and one of twelve children, came to Ohio in 1816, locat- ing at Shreve. There he built one of the first mills in the county, in connection with which he also operated a sawmill. He was an enterprising and progressive man and did much for the upbuilding of the community. He was the first postmaster and in other ways was a leading man among his fellows, having served for many years as a justice of the peace. In connec- tion with his milling business, he also successfully operated a farm. The Shreve family is of Holland origin. the first of the name to come to America being Israel Shreve, who married Maude, the daughter of a rich nobleman. They came to the new world at a date prior to the war of the Revolution and in this conflict the family took an active part on the side of the colonists, Israel Shreve having been a member of General Washington's staff and pass- ing through the terrible experiences at Valley Forge. The present members of this family possess the original family coat of arms. Thomas and Mary (Wagel) Shreve were the parents of the following children: Rosanna, who is now dead, became the wife of Eson Hughes and the mother of twelve chil- dren; Richard is the father of ten children; Margaret, the wife of John Graven, became the mother of seventeen children; Caleb, deceased, was the father of six children ; Charlotte became the wife of Peter Shreve, who was no relation ; Henry ; Mary, mother of the subject ; William; Eliza Jane, who became the wife of Nicholas Crum and the mother of twelve children; Sarah Jane married Thomas Morgan and became the mother of ten children. Mr. Wells is a member of the Knights of Honor, of which there were one hun- dred and fifty members at one time, but he is now the only one left. Mr. Wells was elected in 1899 and served three terms as a member of the Legis- lature from Wayne county, and it is worthy of note that his paternal grand- father served in that body in 1838-40. He has also been the leading stock buyer and shipper in the county for fifty years.
MATHEW GAUT.
The biographical history of Wayne county would be incomplete were there failure to make specific mention of Mr. Gaut, who has passed his en- tire life on the farm which is now his home. In his youth he was familiar with the scenes and incidents of pioneer life, his father having been one of
MRS. MATTHEW CAUT
MATTHEW CAUT
$
769
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
the early settlers in the county, coming here at a time when the section was practically an unbroken forest, when Indians and wild animals were still plen- tiful and when the homes of the settlers were log cabins of the most primitive type. Reared thus on the frontier, as it was then called, the subject has borne his part in the work of development, as did his honored father, both having been factors in bringing about the transformation which has made this one of the leading counties in the state, with its highly cultivated farms, thriv- ing towns and villages, its school houses, churches and all other evidences that show the mark of progress and culture.
Mathew Gaut was born on his present homestead in the township of Canaan, Wayne county, Ohio, on the 3d of July, 1833, and is a son of Sam- uel and Rebecca (Montgomery) Gaut, both of whom were natives of Penn- sylvania, the former born in 1799. The subject's paternal grandfather, Mat- thew Gaut, Sr., was born in Pennsylvania, in which state he lived and died, being a farmer by vocation. His son Samuel emigrated from the Keystone state to Canaan township. Wayne county, Ohio, in 1821, and bought one hun- dred and twenty acres of wild land. This he cleared and developed into a fine and productive farm, on which he lived during the remaining years of his life, his death occurring in 1879. He was of that sturdy pioneer stock which was instrumental in paving the way for the present wonderful civilization and his sterling qualities of character commended him to the confidence and regard of all who knew him. In politics he was a stanch and radical Democrat and took a prominent and influential part in public affairs during his active years. To him and his wife were born the following children : Oliver, Mary, Mathew, Harriet, John, Margaret and Vetencia, all of whom have passed over the silent river excepting the third named, the subject of this review.
Mathew Gaut was reared under the parental roof and secured his early education in the district school at Golden Corners. After the conclusion of his school days he continued to assist his father in the work of the farm until he had attained his legal majority, when he went to Iowa and was there employed a few years. At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Gaut gave unmistakable evidence of his patriotism by enlisting on June 13, 1861, in Company G, First Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, with which command he served three years and three months, being mustered out on the 9th of September, 1864. During most of the period of his enlistment he was engaged in bushwhacking and in fighting Quantrell's gang of guerrillas. His command was a part of the army west of the Mississippi and also took part in several severe engagements, in- cluding that at Prairie Grove and the capture of Little Rock, besides many
(49)
770
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
minor battles and skirmishes. At the close of his military service Mr. Gaut returned to Canaan township and resumed work on the home farm, continuing to assist his father until the latter's death in 1879, when the farm became his. He has continued his residence here ever since and gave to its operation his personal attention and undivided efforts until his retirement from active labor a few years ago, since which time his son John has looked after the manage- ment of the place for his father.
Mr. Gaut has been twice married, first to Julie Young, who was a native of Chester township, Wayne county, Ohio, and a daughter of Isaac and La- vina (McVicker) Young. Mr. Gaut's second union was with Elizabeth Fran- cis, a daughter of William Francis, of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Gaut has become the father of two children, John, born May 18, 1876, and Ira, who is deceased. John was married on June 2, 1902, to Anna Rumbaugh, of Congress township, this county, the daughter of William and Catherine (McVicker) Rumbaugh, who were early settlers in this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Gaut have been born two children, Edna and Wayne.
In matters political Mathew Gaut formerly gave a stanch and loyal sup- port to the Democratic party, but in recent years he has stood independent of party lines and votes for the men he considers best fitted for the offices. He has ever taken a deep interest in the advancement of the community in which he lives and has always lent his support to all movements for the ad- vancement of the best interests of the entire community. He stands as one of the strong and sturdy pioneers of the county and enjoys the respect of all. His memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the pro- gressive present and few men now living in Wayne county are better informed concerning its history when Ohio was a frontier state than is Mathew Gaut, whose reminiscences of the early days are most interesting.
PETER HOUSEL.
Peter Housel was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, on the 14th day of May, 1845, and was reared to the life of a farmer. In 1867 he came to Wayne county, Ohio, and here he engaged in the carpenter and contracting business, in which he was successful. He erected the Shreve high school building and many of the largest and best residences in this part of the county and was considered one of the leading men of his profession in this com- munity.
77I
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
Mr. Housel was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Ella Rob- inson, the daughter of Charles Robinson, of whose thirteen children she was the youngest. To this union was born one child, Elizabeth Elleanor, who, after completing a good education in the common schools, became assistant postmaster at Shreve, which position she retained until her marriage to Charles W. Keister. They now live at Toledo, Ohio, and have one child, Housel. Mr. Housel is an ardent Republican in politics and has rendered his party effective service as a member of the county and township central com- mittees, in which positions he served many years. He also served as clerk of the township. On May 16, 1889, under the administration of President Benjamin Harrison, Mr. Housel was appointed postmaster and served a full term, his tenure of office running over into the Cleveland administration four months and fifteen days. He was out of office three years and eleven months and then was reappointed to the office on September 1, 1897, and retained the office continuously until September 30, 1909, having served alto- gether as postmaster sixteen years, five months and a half and during all this long time Mr. Housel was never away from the office for one whole day at a time. He is an accommodating and obliging official and has given the patrons of the office a very satisfactory administration. Fraternally he is a member of the Royal Arcanum. He is public spirited and gives his support to every movement that promises to be of benefit to the community, having served two terms as a member of the school board and in other local offices. He is a man of marked ability and integrity of character and because of this and his genial manner towards his acquaintances he occupies an enviable posi- tion in the community.
ASBURY B. OLDROYD. -
The first half of the nineteenth century was characterized by the emigra- tion of that pioneer element which made the great state of Ohio what it is. These immigrants were sturdy, heroic, upright, sincere people, such as con- stitute the intrinsic strength of a commonwealth. It scarcely appears proba- ble that in the future history of the world another such period can occur, or indeed any period when such a solid phalanx of strong-minded men and he- roic, self-sacrificing women will take possession of a new country. Too care- ful or too frequent reference can not be made in the pages of history con- cerning those who have figured as the founders and builders of a great com- monwealth, and in connection with this brief review of the personal history
772
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
of Mr. Oldroyd it is a privilege to touch incidentally and specifically upon interesting data in regard to the sterling pioneer family of which he is a member and which has been identified with the annals of the Buckeye state since an early period in the last century. The subject is known as one of the influential and worthy citizens of Wayne county, where he has passed prac- tically his entire life and because of a life which has been characterized by unimpeachable integrity and upright living he is eminently deserving of the high position he holds in the community.
Asbury B. Oldroyd, who owns and operates a fine and fertile farm in section 14, Clinton township, was born May 10, 1842, on a farm located across the road from where he now lives. He is a son of Henry and Hannah (Ebright) Oldroyd. The latter was a daughter of George Ebright, who came in a very early day from Pennsylvania and settled in Plain township, Wayne county, Ohio, where he lived until his death, which occurred in 1863. While still living in Pennsylvania he was drafted for service in the war of 1812, but secured a substitute. However, the latter got only as far as Pitts- burgh, when the news of the close of the war was received.
The subject's paternal grandfather, Charles Oldroyd, was a native of Yorkshire, England, and was a fuller by trade in his native country. At that time it was the policy of the English government to prevent mechanics from emigrating, so he was compelled to leave the country surreptitiously. Ar- riving in America, he located first in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, where for a number of years he operated a fulling mill with a gratifying degree of success. Some time after locating there he was joined by his wife and son, who had remained in England, and not long afterwards he sold his business and in 1832, accompanied by his son, Henry, he came to Wayne county, Ohio, making the trip afoot. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Clinton township. During the balance of his life he was employed in the fulling mill at Millbrook, walking back and forth to his work, a distance of two miles. The remains of Charles Oldroyd and his wife, whose maiden name was Jane Ellis, are now resting in the cemetery at Mill- brook. They were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were highly esteemed in the community.
Henry Oldroyd was born in Yorkshire, England, May 10, 1810, and, as related above, he accompanied his mother to America to rejoin the husband and father, who had preceded them to this country. In 1832 Henry accom- panied his father on the trip to Wayne county, Ohio, and here he followed the pursuit of agriculture all the remaining days of his life. His early years 1
773
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
here were characterized by much labor of the hardest kind, the land which his father entered having been covered by the primeval forest growth, which must be removed before the crops could be planted. Eventually he witnessed the wonderful transformation which transpired in this section and realized for himself the fruit of his labors. His death occurred in Shreve, this county, and his wife died in Kansas, their remains being interred in the Oak Grove Cemetery at Shreve. They were prominent and active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. To them were born a number of children, namely : Mariah, who died young ; Elmer George, who now resides at Shreve, was a soldier in the Civil war, serving three years as a member of the Four- teenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry; Charles W., who now lives at Ottawa, Kansas, served three years during the Civil war as a member of Company C, Sixteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, entering as an or- derly sergeant and being honorably discharged with the rank of first lieuten- ant; Asbury B. is the immediate subject of this review; Wilbur Fisk, de- ceased; Thomas B., who resides at Arkansas City, Kansas. Henry Oldroyd was a stanch and uncompromising Republican in his political views and was a strong supporter of the government during the Civil war.
Asbury B. Oldroyd was reared on the old homestead in Clinton town- ship and early became accustomed to the strenuous labor of the farm. He secured his education in the schools of the neighborhood, and it is related that when he was learning his A B C's his mother cut the letters out of paper and pasted them on a paddle, which he carried to school with him. The sub- ject assisted his father on the home farm until 1861, when he enlisted in Company C, Sixteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He rendered faithful and valiant service to his country, but, owing to continued ill health, he was given an honorable discharge from the service about eighteen months after his enlistment. Since that time he has continuously applied himself to agricultural pursuits, in which he has met with splendid success. His fine farm in Clinton township is numbered among the best in the township and is so conducted by Mr. Oldroyd as to insure a handsome income each year. The property is well improved with substantial and attractive buildings, these, with the well-tilled fields and other features of a modern farm, standing in marked evidence of the progressive character of the owner. In addition to raising all the crops common to this section of the country, Mr. Oldroyd also gives considerable attention to the raising of livestock, which he has found to be a profitable and valuable adjunct to the regular farm work. In politics Mr. Oldroyd has at all times given a firm allegiance to the Republican
774
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
party and has taken a keen interest in its success, though not ambitious for office. Fraternally he is a member of the Shreve Post, Grand Army of the Republic. in which he has served as senior vice commander.
Mr. Oldroyd took unto himself a helpmeet in the person of Tamer Kean. The latter was a daughter of William Kean, who was born in Mif- flin county, Pennsylvania, six miles east of Lewistown, on January 12, 1805. He was a son of Joseph W. Kean, who left Mifflin county in 1815, and went to Beaver and Allegheny counties, that state, where he remained for six years. In 1821 he came to Plain township, Wayne county, Ohio, where he remained until his death in 1826. William Kean was but twenty-one years of age when his father died and he gave to his mother the most careful and loving attention until her death, which occurred in 1836. He then went farther west in search of a location, but became dissatisfied and returned to Wayne county. He was married January 13, 1831, to Elizabeth Case, a daughter of Augustus Case, of New Jersey, who settled in Plain township, this county, in the spring of 1831. Augustus Case was born on Long Island, New York, July 17, 1759, and in childhood moved to New Jersey with his father, Joshua Case. The latter was the son of Augustus Case. Mrs. Kean's father, Au- gustus Case, Jr., learned the carpenter's trade and was employed at that vo- cation in New York city and in the shipyards until 1777, when he enlisted for service on behalf of the colonists. He gave faithful service throughout the war, but took part in no battles, having been, because of his proficiency as a workman, assigned to special work along the line of his trade. It is a matter of record that he performed some very important service for the cause which he had espoused. In 1794 he was married to Elizabeth Bell, a daughter of Onisimus Bell, and born in New Jersey May 19, 1765. In 1798 they crossed the Alleghany mountains to Washington county, now Greene county, Pennsylvania. In the fall of 1813 he started afoot westward and, ar- riving in Plain township, Wayne county, Ohio, he entered the northwest quarter of section 31. He then started on the return journey and on the way he also entered land in Richland county, this state. He arrived at his Penn- sylvania home January 1, 1814, and immediately made arrangements to move to the new western home. The household goods were packed in a big cov- ered wagon, drawn by an ox team, with a horse hitched to the end of the tongue. They started on the long and wearisome journey, he and the older children walking most of the way. They arrived at Wooster on the 25th of April, 1814, and there the family remained a short time, while the father was engaged in the erection of a small log cabin on the Plain township land. On its completion, they occupied it and the parents there spent the
775
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
remainder of their lives. The wife and mother did not live long in the new home, her death occurring September 12, 1817. Her husband survived her many years, his death occurring March 24, 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Kean were the parents of the following children: Dewitt C .; Sophie, the wife of Ed- win G. Ebright, of Clinton township, this county; Anner, who makes her home with the subject and his wife; Augustus C., who resides at Shreve; John was a member of Company A, One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war, and died while on board a boat at Young's Point; Tamer, the wife of the subject. William Kean was a prominent man in his day and served two terms as trustee of Plain township, having also held every other office in the township excepting that of consta- ble. He died in March, 1884, and his wife Elizabeth in December, 1883, their remains being interred in the Maple Grove cemetery in Plain township. To Mr. and Mrs. Oldroyd have been born the following children : Lura, at home; Emma, at home; Bessie is the wife of George William McCluggage, of Clin- ton township, this county, and they have one child, Ruth; Mabel, at home; Sophia, deceased; Helen and Gerald are at home.
JOHN W. CRUMMEL.
An enumeration of those men of the present generation who have won honor and public recognition for themselves, and at the same time have honored the locality to which they belong, would be incomplete were there failure to make mention of the one whose name forms the caption to this sketch. During a number of years he sustained a very enviable reputation in educational circles and, now, in the responsible capacity of clerk of East Union township, he is rendering signally useful and efficient service to his fel- low citizens.
John W. Crummel is a native son of the township in which he now re- sides, his birth having occurred at Apple Creek, East Union township, Wayne county, Ohio, on the 7th day of October, 1852. He suffered the loss of his mother when he was a very young boy and he then was placed in the family of W. W. Wyer, who gave to him the same care and attention that an own father and mother could have done. The subject secured his elementary ed- ucation in the district schools of the neighborhood, which was supplemented by attendance at the Smithville Academy. He then engaged in teaching school and in this effort he achieved a pronounced success, being occupied
776
WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
in this profession for many years in this county. In 1881 and 1882 he at- tended the law department of the Michigan State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, but on his return he resumed his pedagogical work, which he con- tinued until 1895. He was then engaged in clerking in various mercantile houses until 1898, when he was elected clerk of East Union township. So efficient were his services in this position that he has been retained in it ever since, and is the present clerk. The duties of the position are manifold and are in some respects onerous, but Mr. Crummel has handled the details of the office in such a manner as to win the approval of his fellow citizens.
On the 6th of November, 1883, Mr. Crummel was united in marriage to Ella M. Hough, a sister of Isaac N. Hough, the present auditor of Wayne county. The union has been without issue. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Crummel lived for awhile at Honeytown, where Mr. Crummel was en- gaged in teaching, but they are now residing at Apple Creek, where, in their pleasant and attractive home, they give a hearty welcome to all their friends.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.