USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 95
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
In 1864, when the fires of southern rebellion were burning fiercely. the subject enlisted in the defense of Old Glory, joining Company A, One Hun- dred and Sixty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for the one-hundred-day service, but he remained in the service until the close of the struggle and the dove of peace once more hovered over the land.
On the 20th of October, 1868, the subject was married to Sarah Keeney, who was born in 1848, and is the daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Elliott ) Keeney. The father was born in Canaan township, this county, on July 15, 1825, and the mother was born at Duncan's Island, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1827 ; they were married March 18, 1847. To Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong the following children have been born: Zeno, born October 1, 1869. died Sep- tember 5, 1872; Frank, born January 13, 1872, a farmer of Wayne township. married a Miss Garver, and they have two children, Evelyn and Grace ; Clyde C., born April 8, 1880; Grace U., born March 11, 1883, married Emmet Carmony, of Wayne township. Mrs. Armstrong's paternal grandparents were Simon and Sarah (Shankland) Keeney, the former born at East Hart- ford, Connecticut, September 29. 1790, and the latter born December 27, 1794, their marriage being consummated on July 26, 1821. This was his second marital union, his first wife having borne the maiden name of Polly Daniels, who died seven years after their marriage, leaving three sons and a daughter. After his second marriage Mr. Keeney came to Ohio, locating first on the Killbuck river, but, because of the prevalence of ague there, he came to Canaan township, Wayne county, where he made his home for fifty- five years. He took up government land here and at one time was the owner of an entire section.
Mr. Armstrong devotes his time and attention closely to his own business affairs. He is a man of strong purpose and unfaltering industry, and by the capable management of his place he has gained a comfortable compe- tence. His friends-and they are many-know him to be a reliable and enterprising gentleman, faithful to his duties of citizenship and working in harmony with all progressive measures for the general good.
W. FRANK SELL.
In reverting to the lives and deeds of those who helped to initiate and carry on the onerous work of developing the virgin wilds of Wayne county and thus laying the foundation for that prosperity and precedence which now characterize this favored section of the Buckeye state, it is imperative that recognition be had of the Sell family, who have been identified with the
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history of the county from an early date and whose members have invariably maintained the highest standard of integrity and honor, commanding une- quivocal respect and esteem.
The subject's paternal grandparents, David and Elizabeth Sell, were natives of Pennsylvania, and were early settlers in Ohio, having settled in Stark county, where they acquired a tract of land which had been but par- tially cleared. This task was completed by Mr. Sell, who here developed a good farm and established a comfortable home. They became the parents of the following children: Christina, Samuel, John, Catherine, David, Louis, Elizabeth, Daniel and Jacob. Of these, John, Catherine and Jacob are the only ones now living. On the maternal side, the subject's grandparents were Jacob and Elizabeth Read, who also were natives of Pennsylvania and pioneer settlers in Stark county, Ohio.
Jacob Sell, father of the subject of this sketch, was reared on the paternal homestead in Stark county and in the common schools of that neighborhood he received his education. When he attained to manhood's years he learned the trade of a carpenter, and this vocation he followed for some years. He then returned to the work to which he had been reared. that of farming; and was so engaged during the following five years in his home county. In 1860 he came to Canaan township, Wayne county, and bought a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, on which he has resided continuously since. The farm was but slightly improved when he acquired possession of it, but he has made many permanent and substantial improvements on it and today it is regarded as one of the best farms in Wayne county. Mr. Sell was prospered in his farming operations and was enabled to add to his original possessions from time to time, having bought tracts of sixty-one acres, sixty-three acres and eighty acres, all excepting the last one adjoining the homestead. Mr. Sell has been a hard-working man during the years since he first settled on this farm, but now he has practically retired from the more arduous labor of the farm and is enjoying that rest which he has so richly earned. He is a Re- publican in politics and has ever taken an active interest in the success of his party and in local public affairs. In religion, he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, to which they give a generous support. Jacob and Ella Read were married in 1867 and their union has been blessed in the birth of the following children : Matilda, Charles E .. W. Frank and Ella.
W. Frank Sell was born on the old family homestead in Canaan town- ship, Wayne county, in 1869. He was reared by his parents and received his education in the common schools of Canaan township. His education was not limited to his school training, however, for he has throughout his life been a close reader of the best current literature and has been a close observer
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of men and things, and is today considered a well-informed man. He was early initiated into the mysteries of successful agriculture and continued as his father's assistant on the home place until his marriage. He then located on a farm immediately adjoining the home farm on the south, the tract com- prising eighty-seven acres, and here he has since been engaged in general farming. He is diversified in his operations, raising all the crops common to this latitude, and in connection with the tilling of the soil he also devotes some attention to the breeding and raising of livestock, and in both of these lines he has been fairly successful, being considered one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of the township. The property is adorned with a neat and well-arranged set of farm buildings, which are kept in the best of repair, and the general appearance of the place indicates the owner to be a man of good judgment and sound ideas. In addition to farming his own land, Mr. Sell is also engaged in operating his father's land comprising the old homestead.
Mr. Sell is essentially public spirited in his attitude toward all move- ments having for their object the betterment of the community in which he lives and is considered one of the influential citizens of the township. In matters political he has rendered a stanch support to the Republican party and lias held the offices of township supervisor and school director, discharging his official duties to the entire satisfaction of his fellow citizens. His religious belief is that of the Presbyterian church, to which he and his wife belong, and he has served efficiently as superintendent of the Sunday school for three years.
On the 25th of December, 1889, Frank Sell was united in marriage to Clara Brinkerhoff, who was born in Canaan township, this county, on Au- gust 13, 1870, the daughter of Amos Brinkerhoff, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. To this union have been born three children, Goldy Macy, Jacob Glenn and Eva Lucile. Mr. Sell stands high in the estimation of his fellow citizens. Throughout his career he has been emphatically a man of enterprise, positive character, indomitable energy and liberal views, and is thoroughly identified in feeling with the growth and prosperity of the county which has so long been his home.
ORANGE W. FRARY.
This sterling representative of one of the pioneer families of Wayne county, Ohio, is a native son of the county in which he now lives, where he was reared to maturity on a farm, early beginning to assume the practical
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responsibilities of life and lending his aid in connection with the operation of the home farm. That he has lived and labored to goodly ends is clearly in- dicated in the position which he holds in the confidence and high regard of his fellow men and in the success which has crowned his efforts as an ex- ponent of the basic art of agriculture, which has been his vocation throughout his entire business career. His fine farm is located in Canaan township and no resident of the community commands a fuller measure of respect and es- teem. This brief epitome of his life history will be read with interest by his many friends and will serve as a permanent memorial to his sterling character and worthy life.
Orange W. Frary was born on the paternal homestead in Canaan town- ship, Wayne county, Ohio, on the 10th day of July, 1868, and is a son of Asa Frary. His paternal ancestors as far back as can be traced were New England Yankees and in that section of the country were born and reared his paternal grandparents, Orange and Jerusha Frary. They were married in their native state, and in a very early day they emigrated to Ohio, which at that time was considered a frontier state. Locating in Wayne county, they created a comfortable home and acquired a modest estate, where they spent their remaining years and died. The subject's maternal grandfather, Cor- nelius Seeley, was a native of Ohio, his family having been among the first comers here. Mr. Frary's parents were O. Asa and Florentine (Seeley) Frary, the former of whom was born in Vermont in 1830 and the latter near Evans, Ohio. The father was reared to the life of a farmer, which pur- suit he followed throughout his life, his death occurring in February, 1906. His wife had died in 1878. Asa Frary was a great home man. He was an enthusiastic farmer and nothing diverted him from his family and his farm. In politics he was a Republican and gave a proper attention to public affairs, giving his support to every movement calculated to benefit the community. He was not an office-seeker, however, and public preferment would have been extremely distasteful to him. He was at one time, however, induced to serve as trustee of Canaan township and gave to the discharge of his official duties the same careful and painstaking attention that he gave to his private affairs, retiring from the office with the highest esteem of his fellow citizens. He and his wife were the parents of four children, all of whom are living.
Orange W. Frary was reared to the life of a farmer and secured his early education in the district schools near his home. His youth was spent as the assistant of his father in the cultivation of the farmstead and upon attaining his majority he started out on his own account. He is now the owner of one of the finest farms in Canaan township, which he is operating with a very
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gratifying degree of success. The farm, which comprises one hundred and sixty-six acres, is what was formerly known as the Bowman farm, and is very eligibly located, including some of the most fertile soil in this section of the county. Mr. Frary is wide-awake and progressive in his methods and in con- nection with the cultivation of the soil he is engaged quite extensively in the poultry business, in which he has achieved a distinctive success. He is a close student of the latest ideas relating to the breeding and raising of the feath- ered fowl and is considered an expert in this line.
Mr. Frary was united in marriage to Ora Whonsetler, the daughter of Samuel L. and Adeline (Snell) Whonsetler, the former of whom was born on the Showalter farm in this county and the latter in Pennsylvania. Samuel Whonsetler was reared to the life of a farmer and followed that pursuit until his retirement from active life, when he removed to Canaan Center, where he now makes his home. He is one of a family of thirteen children, seven of whom lived to mature years. To Mr. and Mrs. Frary have been born six children, namely : May, Effie, Bertha, Zenas, Oliver and Alice. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Frary were Daniel and Susana ( Hewitt) Whonsetler, who were natives of Pennsylvania. The former came to Ohio on horseback, took up land located just north of Canaan Center, and after clearing a small tract of land, built a small house. He then returned to his native state and brought his family to their new home, the family and household goods being brought by wagon. He then proceeded with the clearing of the land and in due time found himself the possessor of a fine farm. He lived there until his death and acquired not only material property but also the confidence and esteem of all who knew him. Mrs. Frary's maternal grandparents were Jacob and Margaret (Smith) Snell, who also were natives of the old Key- stone state. They came here at an early day and settled on land just south of Canaan Center, where they rented for a short time. Eventually they bought a fine farm located four miles south of where the subject now lives and there they spent the remainder of their days.
In politics Mr. Frary gives his support to the Republican ticket on na- tional elections, but in local affairs, where no great issues are involved, he supports the men he considers the best qualified for the offices to which they aspire. He is classed among the representative agriculturalists of Wayne county and his career is in many respects worthy of emulation. A man of independent and earnest thought, his line of action has come from a line of reasoning based upon his own observation and familiarity with passing events, not being governed by the ideas of others unless they seem to him based on sound principle and reason.
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO.
ELMER F. MYERS.
The family of this name in Wayne county was founded by Samuel and Hannah Myers, who came to this section in 1832 and settled on a half sec- tion of land in the eastern part of Congress township. They farmed this land successfully after the methods prevailing at that early time, lived the quiet lives usual to people in sparsely settled neighborhoods and were finally gathered to their fathers without blame or reproach. They were interred in the cemetery located on their homestead, where also three others of the name have been laid by their side. Among their children was Solomon Myers, who was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, in 1829, and came to Ohio with his parents. He married Elizabeth Naftzger, a descendant of early pioneers and a native of Harrison county, Ohio. Her grandparents, Jacob and Elizabeth Naftzger, were very prominent members of the United Brethren church and the first meeting of this denomination in Ohio was held at their home. The parents of Mrs. Myers were David and Susan Naftzger. natives of Harrison county, Ohio, and who were among the first settlers of Congress township, in Wayne county. They took up a quarter section of land and spent all their active lives in clearing, improving and cultivating it, eventually making it quite valuable. They were, like their ancestors, quite enthusiastic members of the United Brethren church, and always took much interest in the local gatherings of the denomination. The Naftzgers, for generations, were always considered good citizens, good neighbors and re- liable in all the relations of life. Solomon Myers lived on a part of his father's farm in Congress township during the entire period of his activity. He was successful as a farmer and a man of sterling integrity and supported the Democratic party, but later became an ardent Prohibitionist. voting the ticket of that party for many years. After the death of his first wife, he married Maggie Guthrie, the full list of his children being as follows: David .\., deceased; John F., a resident of Burbank; Emma, deceased: Elmer F. ; Susan, deceased; Zeno, of Congress township, and Annabelle, the latter being the only child by the second wife. He was also a very active Chris- tian man, being a member of the United Brethren church all his life. He was class leader for fifty-five years.
Elmer F. Myers, son of Solomon and Elizabeth Myers, was born in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio. March 15. 1862. He was edu- cated in the district schools near his home, and later attended the North- v: estern Ohio Normal University at Ada. He remained on the farm. help-
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ing his father, until the completion of his twenty-third year, when he de- cided to begin life on his own account. Matrimony is usually the prime cause of this step in the case of young men and Mr. Myers was no exception ?? the rule. On December 18, 1884, he was married to Sarah, daughter of Samuel and Susanna Whonsetler, a well-to-do and highly respected family of Wayne county. In 1840 Mr. Whonsetler came from Washington county, Pennsylvania, and settled on a farm in Canaan township, where he pros- pered by hard work and good management and at his death owned two hun- dred and sixteen acres of land. Mrs. Myers was born on this farm, Octo- ber 10, 1862, and besides herself there were ten other children. To E. F. Myers and wife were born two children: Zora, wife of Merton Talley, of the commercial department of the Denison high school, and Clyde, who is his father's assistant on the farm. In 1885 Mr. Myers began renting 'the home farm of his father-in-law and after the mother-in-law's death he purchased one hundred forty-one acres in 1900, since which time he has occu- pied and cultivated it with entire success, giving much attention with gratify- ing success to livestock. Mr. and Mrs. Myers are very active members of the Lutheran church, and he is a Democrat in politics. He is public-spirited and was a member of the school board a number of years.
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON WERTZ.
The name of this prominent citizen of Dalton, Sugar Creek township, Wayne county, Ohio, would indicate that he was named for one of the great- est generals and presidents of America, and while he may not have the capacity and necessary qualifications for either a leader of men in battle or statesmanship, he has shown by his successful life work that he is the pos- sessor of sterling qualities which in every cummunity must command the highest respect. As a matter of fact in 1838, General Harrison gave Mr. Wertz's father a dollar to name his son after him. Mr. Wertz was born in the house in which he now lives in Dalton, January 14, 1838, which was the first two-story house to be erected in that place. It is of hewn logs, but has been weatherboarded; however, the many fine walnut logs used in its original construction would be very valuable for lumber now. He is the son of John and Priscilla ( Hemperty) Wertz, who were married in Wooster, Ohio, in 1828. Locating in Dalton, they remained here the rest of their lives, establishing a hotel, which they conducted successfully. Later Mr. Wertz
MR. AND MRS. W. H. H. WERTZ
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purchased land and became a well-to-do farmer, although he continued to give most of his attention to his hotel. John Wertz was the son of Henry Wertz, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, the former having mi- grated to Wayne county, Ohio, in about 1826. He took considerable inter- est in the affairs of the Whig party. He was the father of fifteen children. twelve of whom grew to maturity ; those living at present are: C. S., R. V .. W. H. H. (subject), Mrs. J. M. Palmer and Mrs. Florence McGill. The father of these children died in 1856, a highly honored and influential man.
WV. H. H. Wertz was reared in his native community, having assisted his father with the work on the farm and about the hotel. He was a very industrious and ambitious lad, and at an early age was sent to a subscription school and received a good education for those days. He was enabled to begin teaching, which he did very successfully, later using the money he saved from his labors as teacher to take him to the West, where he soon spent all he had saved; but, nothing daunted, he cast about for something to do in order to start over again. He was prospered and has ever since worked for himself and given employment to many others. He is still actively engaged in busi- ness, having acquired large possessions through his able management and thrift, holding both valuable landed possessions and other property, owing at this time over four hundred acres of as fine land as could be found in Wayne county, which means that it is as good as any in the United States, for this county ranks second in the Union in point of wealth and productive- ness. Besides his personal property of this nature. he is a large stockholder in the First National Bank of Dalton, of which he is president, ably discharg- ing the duties of the same and giving this institution a prestige second to none in the county. He has long ago established a reputation for industrious- ness and rare business acumen, managing his many affairs with ease and dis- patch, having innate ability as an organizer and promoter. He is deserving of the high esteem in which he is held in this community owing to the fact that he has made what he has unaided and in an honest manner. But while he has labored to advance his own interests he has not neglected the general interest of the community which he has long honored with his citizenship. being liberal in his support of all movements having for their object the public good, whether political, civic or material.
Mr. Wertz was married in 1860 to Caroline Shusser, a native of York county, Pennsylvania, having been born there in 1843. a woman of culture and many praiseworthy characteristics and a member of a fine old family. She has proven a great helpmeet to Mr. Wertz and much of his large success has been due in no small measure to her encouragement and counsel. Mr.
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and Mrs. Wertz are the parents of four children, two of whom are living, namely : Mrs. C. J. Harrold, wife of the present county clerk of Wayne county and a prominent attorney of Wooster. E. S. Wertz is the other child.
When Mr. Wertz was married he was not blessed with an abundance of this world's goods, but he went to work with a will, having those qualities of determination and perseverance, and in a short time had a good start. He opened a grocery and drug business in Dalton, which he followed with marked success for a period of twenty-five years, and in connection with his store he at one time added a nursery line, making it a very thriving business. Dis- posing of his grocery and drug store, he entered the lumber business and soon had a liberal patronage,-in fact, in whatever he has turned his atten- tion to he has been rewarded with abundant success, owing to his exercise of good common sense and his fairness in his dealings with his fellow men, his integrity having never been questioned.
Fraternally Mr. Wertz is a Mason, a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the encampment, the Knights of Pythias, being a char- ter member of the last two named. No people in the eastern part of Wayne county are more highly honored or better known than Mr. and Mrs. Wertz, and their pleasant and substantial home is often the gathering place for numerous friends and admirers, for here they always find a free hospitality that smacks of "ye olden tyme."
CLINTON M. ORR.
When Hugh Orr, founder of the family of that name in the West, left his native Ireland in 1801 to seek his fortunes in the New World, the trip across the Atlantic was something of a venture. Fulton had not as yet invented steamboats and those wonders of the deep did not come into vogue until many years later. The only mode of ocean travel was by sailing boat, which was slow and uncertain, often taking from six weeks to two months to cross over. The young Irish boy, like many others of his unhappy land, secured steerage passage, as his funds were low, and turned his face reso- lutely toward the free land beyond the deep waters. He had courage, youth, strength and ambition, but these were his only equipment and when he stepped ashore at New York he felt that he was a stranger in a strange land. The tide of emigration was at that time setting strongly towards the new territories beyond the Alleghanies and he determined to join the rush. The journey was long and tedious. over rough roads, high mountains and down
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the various water courses which intersected the vast region south of Lake Erie. Hugh Orr finally reached his destination and began looking for an available situation in the county of Wayne, a part of Ohio Territory, which at that time had not been admitted into the Union and was cheap, it being possible to obtain land from the government for a mere pittance. Hugh Orr secured a quarter section in East Union township, adjoining what was afterwards known as the county infirmary farm. It was all wild land and in fact that whole section was still little changed from the primeval wilder- ness. The labor of clearing and improving such a tract could only be known to the sturdy pioneers who went through them and cannot even be guessed at by those who now own the smiling farms and highly cultivated acres of modern Wayne county. In 1830 Hugh Orr bought the farm in Canaan township on which he lived until his death. The place descended to his son, James Orr, who managed and worked it successfully for many years and also ended his days on the same old homestead. He was born in East Union township, before the removal to Canaan, and in early manhood was married to Melissa Barnes, a native of West Virginia who had come to Ohio with her parents at an early day. This union resulted in a large family, most of whom are still living and have done fairly well in the various walks of life. The list as compiled from the family register reads thus in consecutive order : Meroa ( who died at the age of fifty-four), Sarah, Emma, Sophronia. Hugh, Robert (who died in infancy), Levi, George ( who died in infancy). Naomi, Charles, William and Clinton.
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