USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume II > Part 27
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Harvey Lindsey, the immediate subject of this sketch, attended the com- mon schools of Pennsylvania and also secured some school training after coming to Ohio. In 1866 he became a citizen of the Buckeye state and has followed the pursuit of agriculture almost continuously since coming here. For a score of years after coming to this state he farmed on rented land, oc- cupying a number of different farms from time to time, and in 1886 he moved to the state of Kansas, in the hopes of finding a place to suit him. After two years residence there, however, he came to the conclusion that Ohio possessed advantages equal to anywhere else and he returned here and soon afterwards bought a farm of sixty-two acres, to the operation of which he immediately applied himself. He was enterprising in his methods and indefatigable in his industry, as well as wise in his economy, so that in due time he was en- abled to add to his original possession until today he is the owner of a fine and fertile farm of one hundred and two acres, comprising one of the choice farms of this section of Wayne county. Mr. Lindsey has made a number of permanent and substantial improvements on the place, including several well built and conveniently arranged buildings. The farm is well fenced and due attention is given to the proper rotation of crops and other elements which contribute to the successful prosecution of agriculture, so that he has been enabled to realize a gratifying return for the labor he has bestowed. In addi- tion to the prosecution of general farming, he has also given considerable attention to the breeding and raising of livestock, the Ohio Improved Chester breed of hogs being his specialty. In this line he has achieved a distinctive success, some very fine animals having been raised by him.
In politics Mr. Lindsey has ever rendered a stanch allegiance to the Re-
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publican party and has given proper attention to public affairs, as far as the exercise of his right of franchise, but he has been too busy with his own busi- ness affairs to seek office or public preferment. In religion, Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which they take an active part, at the same time giving their unreserved support to every movement having for its object the betterment of the community in any way. During the Civil war, Mr. Lindsey offered his services to the govern- ment, but because of his youth he was not permitted to enlist.
Mr. Lindsey has been married three times. On the 10th of March, 1870, he married Susan Chasey, a native of Wayne county, and a daughter of Jacob Sechrist, and to this union were born three children, Mary, Effie and Charles. Mrs. Susan Lindsey died on December 6, 1894, and on the 10th of September, 1896, Mr. Lindsey wedded Cynthia Clouse, who was born in Wayne county August 15, 1856. Her parents dying when she was but a child, she was reared to womanhood by an aunt, Mary Clouse. By his sec- ond union Mr. Lindsey became the father of two children, Ruth and Fay. The mother of these children died on August 11, 1903, and on the 29th of March, 1906, Mr. Lindsey married Mary C. Stahl, of Cleveland, Ohio, to whom no children have been born. Mrs. Lindsey was born February 24, 1861, in Medina county, this state, and is the daughter of William and Mary Matilda (Hagans) Stahl. Her father was a native of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and her mother of Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio, the former being a carpenter by trade, but a farmer by occupation after his marriage. Mrs. Mary M. Stahl died December 31, 1872. She was the mother of seven children, four of whom are now living. By a subsequent marriage Mr. Stahl became the father of five children, three sons and two daughters, one daughter being deceased. The father's death occurred on December 7, 1890.
During all the years of his residence in Wayne county Mr. Lindsey has given his support to measures for the general welfare and has been accounted one of the most progressive and practical farmers in his section of the county. Careful management, good business ability and honesty in trade transactions have brought to him the high degree of success which he now enjoys.
BENJAMIN H. SMITH.
One of the most straightforward, energetic and successful agriculturists of Wayne county is Benjamin H. Smith. He is public-spirited and thorough- ly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material
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welfare of his locality, and for many years he has been numbered among its most valued and honored citizens.
Benjamin H. Smith was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, on the 29th of September, 1857, and is a son of Henry L. and Sarah A. Beisel. On the paternal side the subject is descended from English ancestry and on the maternal side the line is traced to German antecedents. Both families were early and prominent pioneers of Lehigh county, the subject's paternal grand- parents having emigrated to that locality from England, while his maternal grandparents were former residents of New York state. Henry and Sarah Smith were married in Pennsylvania and about two years after the birth of the subject of this sketch they came to Ohio, locating in Wayne county. The father was a millwright and machinist by profession and he has worked at these lines practically all his life. Both of these parents are still living, though the father is now retired from active labor. In politics he is a Demo- crat, though he has never been an office-holder, nor has he had any desire for public preferment of any nature. During the Civil war Henry L. Smith enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, with which command he served about five months. This regi- ment was sent to Washington to assist in the defense of the nation's capital, but was not sent to the front. Mr. Smith has long occupied an enviable position in the estimation of his fellow citizens, his sterling qualities of char- acter winning for him the sincere respect of all who know him.
Benjamin H. Smith received his elementary education in the district schools, supplementing this by attendance at the Northwestern Normal Uni- versity, at Ada, where he took a full business course. He learned the trade of a carpenter and machinist and was steadily employed along these lines until 1897, when he purchased the splendid farm which he now occupies and which he has since engaged in operating. The farm comprises one hun- dred and twenty acres and is eligibly located in Congress and Chester town- ships. On this place Mr. Smith has made many valuable and permanent improvements, including the erection of commodious and well-arranged build- ings and the laying of about five miles of tiling, besides many minor improve- ments, all of which have tended to appreciate the value of the place, which is today considered one of the best farms in the locality. Here Mr. Smith con- ducts general farming, raising all the crops common to the section of country in which he lives, and in connection therewith he gives considerable attention to the breeding and raising of live-stock, in which he has been very success- ful. He is progressive and enterprising in his methods and has achieved a distinctive success in his undertaking. He is now taking life a little easier
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than during his younger years, leaving most of the active labor of the farm to . younger men, but still maintains a personal supervision over the general opera- tions conducted on the place.
In matters political, Mr. Smith has always given his support to the Demo- cratic party and has taken a deep interest in local public affairs, having held several township offices in Congress and Chester townships, including those of constable, school superintendent and assessor. In all these positions he discharged his official duties to the full satisfaction of his fellow citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are earnest and faithful members of the Presbyterian church, in the workings of which they take a deep interest and to which they give a generous support, being numbered among the leading members of the society.
On the 8th of January, 1880, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Sarah L. Howey, a native of Wayne county and a daughter of John and Nancy Howey, early settlers of Wayne county. Mrs. Smith's paternal grandfather, George Howey, was one of the pioneers of this township and was a man prominent in the public affairs of the township in its formation period. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been born one son, George, who is now married, his wife's maiden name having been Ida Billheimer.
That Mr. Smith has lived and labored to goodly ends is clearly indicated in the position which he holds in the confidence and regard of his fellow men and in the success which has crowned his efforts in the great basic art of agri- culture. He is a business man of much more than ordinary ability, and his unremitting toil and close attention to business throughout his active career have been the means of winning for him the comfortable competence which today is his. He is a man of genial disposition and kindly manners, and these qualities, together with his well-recognized sterling worth, have won for him the friendship of all who know him.
HENRY COFFMAN.
Among the prominent and successful citizens of Wayne county, Ohio, must be mentioned Henry Coffman, who is a prosperous farmer and respected and useful member of society. His valuable estate, which is located in Frank- lin township, attracts attention and favorable comment, not only on account of the evidences of agricultural superiority, but also by reason of its attract- iveness and its air of generous comfort.
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Pennsylvania is the native state of the subject of this sketch, he having been born in Bedford county, that state, on the 23d of May, 1836. He is a son of Peter and Catherine Coffman, who also were natives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, the paternal grandfather, Henry Coffman, having been a native of Germany. In the fall of 1846, when the subject was about eleven years of age, the family came to Wayne county, Ohio, locating first at Woos- ter. In the spring of the following year they moved onto the Goodman farm, where they remained as renters four years, later becoming renters of the Jefferson farm, where they continued until 1854. They were members of the Lutheran church and their remains are buried in the Oak Grove cemetery. They were the parents of the following children: John, deceased; William, deceased; Michael, of Franklin township; Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Bartram; Kate, who married a Mr. Miller and resides near Shreve, this county ; Henry, the immediate subject of this sketch. The parents of these children were worthy persons and enjoyed an enviable standing in the com- munity in which they lived. The father was a Democrat in his political views, but did not take an active part in local public affairs, his own business interests absorbing all his time and attention. He was a public-spirited man, however, and gave a cordial support to every movement which promised to benefit the community.
Henry Coffman was reared under the parental roof and secured a fair education in the district schools of the neighborhood. Owing to financial circumstances in which the family was placed, he had to start out for him- self early in life and consequently his educational advantages were somewhat limited. At the age of nineteen years he apprenticed himself to learn the carpenter's trade, and he was employed at this vocation during the following fourteen years, or until the time of his marriage. He had been a hard worker and a wise economizer and at this time found himself in a position to invest in business. He wisely decided on agriculture and bought one hun- dred and thirty-two acres of land. The land was at that time practically cov- ered with timber and but little improvement of any kind had been made on the place. Mr. Coffman, however, went energetically to work and in a few years he had developed the place into one of the choice farms of the town- ship. The buildings which he erected are all neat, commodious and well arranged and he is well equipped in the way of up-to-date machinery for the successful prosecution of his work. He is considered one of the progressive and practical farmers of the community.
In 1869 Mr. Coffman was united in marriage to Lovenia Pitts, a native of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, where her parents died. To the subject
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and his wife the following children have been born: Charles W., who re- mains with his parents; Nettie was the wife of James A. Moore, deceased ; Jennetta, who is the wife of a Mr. Frane, of Wooster township; George, of Franklin township; Emma, who is the wife of Sherman Ware, of Crestline, Ohio; John H., who remains on the home farm.
Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Coffman are faithful and consistent members of the Lutheran church, to which they give liberally of their means. In mat- ters political Mr. Coffman has always given his support to the Democratic ticket and has rendered his party effective service in campaign times, but he has never sought office or public preferment for himself. Throughout his entire business career Mr. Coffman has been industrious, energetic and suc- cessful, and he has won for himself an honorable name in agricultural cir- cles, while at all times he has received the unbounded confidence of his fel- low men.
HOWARD CROSBY.
One great exemplification of the fact that wealth attends upon industry and that comfort is a close follower in the wake of thrift is shown in the life career of the subject of this sketch. Howard Crosby, who is the owner of a fine and fertile farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres in section 10, Saltcreek township, Wayne county, Ohio, was born on the place where he now lives and on which he has passed practically his entire life. His paternal grandfather, James Crosby, was a native of Pennsylvania and in that state was employed as a teamster between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. He came to Ohio in a very early day and entered the farm where the subject now lives and here he followed the pursuit of agriculture all his remaining days, clear- ing the land and making many improvements on the same. His son, John Crosby, the subject's father, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, August 6, 1820, and came to Wayne county, Ohio, with his parents in 1840. He was reared to the life of a farmer and followed that calling all his active years, his death occurring in 1907. He was a great worker and was consid- ered a very successful man in his day. He was not much of a mixer in public affairs, but gave to his township efficient service as trustee. During the Civil war he entered the military service and was sent to Washington, but saw but little service. In politics he was first a Republican, but later gave his sup- port to the Prohibition party. He was for many years a member of the Pres- byterian church at Fredericksburg and served as elder for the long period of
Howard Crosby
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forty-six years, being one of the most active members of that society. He married Caroline Hamaker, who was born at Fredericksburg, her mother be- ing a native of Canada, while her father was born in Germany. The latter was a successful and well-known miller at Fredericksburg and was injured in the mill so seriously that his death ensued before he could be moved to his home. John and Caroline Crosby became the parents of two children, the sub- ject of this sketch and a brother, Lincoln Chase, who died at the age of two years. Mrs. Crosby died December 10, 1899. These parents were well known throughout the community and enjoyed the unbounded confidence and esteem of all who knew them.
Howard Crosby first saw the light of day on the 24th of September, 1857, and was reared under the parental roof. He secured a good education, at- tending the township schools during his early years, afterwards spending two years in the schools of Fredericksburg, finishing with two years in Wooster University. He has all his life been a close reader of the best literature and is considered a well informed man. He assisted his father in the operation of the farm and on the retirement of the latter he assumed its management and is now the owner and giving to it his entire attention. He is enterprising and methodical in his work and maintains the place at a high standard of ex- cellence. The place comprises one hundred and seventy-five acres, about thirty of which is timber land, the balance being devoted to cultivation. Mr. Crosby carries on general farming, raising all the crops common to this section, and formerly operated a dairy business, keeping a herd of pure-bred Jersey cattle, but, because of ill health, he relinquished this line of business some time ago. Mr. Crosby is a mechanic of much natural ability and has a workshop on his farm fitted up with machinery of different kinds, which he puts to good use in the making of furniture and other household conveniences. The machin- ery is run by a gasoline engine and in this shop Mr. Crosby derives much pleasure. He has within the past few years built a splendid modern residence on his farm, furnished with many up-to-date conveniences, including a com- plete acetylene lighting plant. It is one of the fine homes of the community and is the center of a large social circle who here enjoy the refined hospitality which is ever there in evidence.
On the 17th of June, 1879, Mr. Crosby was united in marriage to Mary Isabell McBride, a daughter of John and Susana (Nelson) McBride, both of whom were natives of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Crosby was born in Lowellville, Ohio, April 12, 1857, and at the age of two years ac- companied the family on their removal back to Pennsylvania. When she was
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eighteen years old she located in Crestline, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Crosby are members of the Presbyterian church, at Apple Creek, to which they give an earnest and liberal support. Because of their sterling qualities of character they are held in high esteem throughout the community.
AMOS BRINKERHOFF.
As a native son of Wayne county and a representative of one of her prominent families, Mr. Brinkerhoff is eminently entitled to representation in a compilation which has to do with those who have been instrumental in the upbuilding of this section of the commonwealth, while such is his personal honor and integrity of character and such his standing as one of the success- ful and progressive farmers of the county that this consideration is all the more compatible.
Amos Brinkerhoff was born in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio, on the IIth of February, 1846, and is the son of James and Elizabeth (Ew- ing) Brinkerhoff, the former a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, born October II, 1817, and the latter born March 30, 1825, in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio. The subject's paternal grandfather, Dan- iel Brinkerhoff, was born March 14, 1780, in Cumberland county, Pennsyl- vania, and he married Rebecca Frazier, who was born June 15, 1783. They were married in 1809, and his death occurred in 1848; she died in 1881. Daniel Brinkerhoff came to Wayne county, Ohio, settling first in Wayne township, but a short time afterwards he bought the place of one hundred and sixty acres in Congress township on which the subject of this sketch now lives. The place was densely covered with the primeval forest growth and Mr. Brinkerhoff entered at once onto the task of clearing this and putting it under cultivation. A log cabin was erected where the present residence stands and a happy and comfortable home was established. Here the subject's father, James Brinkerhoff, labored in the laborious work of the first few years and he spent the remainder of his life here. James and Elizabeth Brinker- hoff became the parents of the following children: Amos, born February II, 1846; Rebecca, born January 14, 1848, the wife of Jonathan Fetzer, of Chester township; Elizabeth Jane, born March 30, 1850, died December 15, 1854; William, born September 7, 1854, living in Canaan township; Martha, born January 3, 1856, married John Winters, of Wooster; Ira, born June 29, 1858, lives on the home place; Anna, born May 22, 1860, died
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March 9, 1892, was the wife of William Barnard, of Congress township; James, born July 30, 1864, lives in Canaan township; Minnie Ellen, born August 7, 1867, died in infancy. James Brinkerhoff, Sr., was a stanch Democrat in politics and in religion he gave his support to the Presbyterian church. The subject's maternal grandfather, William Ewing, was one of the very earliest residents of Canaan township and his brother Simon was the first white male child born in the township, 1817.
Amos Brinkerhoff was born in Congress township, Wayne county, Ohio, on the IIth of February, 1846, and was reared under the parental roof. Be- ing the eldest son, he was compelled to early take a hand in the cultivation of the farm and consequently had but little opportunity for securing an edu- cation. He remained with his father until he was twenty-one years old, when he married and moved onto one of his father's farms in Chester town- ship, where he remained for two years. At the end of that time he moved onto another of his father's farms in Canaan township, where he remained for a time. His father then gave him a small piece of land in Canaan town- ship, on which he located and in the operation of this place he was emi- nently successful, so that eventually he was enabled from time to time to buy adjoining land until today he is the owner of sixty-three acres. He has bcen careful and painstaking in the handling of this land, paying proper at- tention to the rotation of crops and other features of successful agriculture, and he has made a number of permanent and substantial improvements on the same, maintaining the property at a high state of excellence. He is progres- sive in his methods and is known as one of the enterprising farmers of the township.
Mr. Brinkerhoff was married to Mary Crater, a native of Stark county, Ohio, and a daughter of Peter and Sarah ( Weaver) Crater, the former born in Germany in 1819 and the latter born in Stark county, Ohio, in 1826. To the subject and his wife the following children have been born: Daniel, born January 1, 1861 ; Clara, born August 13, 1870, is the wife of Frank Sells; Anna, born February 17, 1872, is the wife of George Garver; Mary, born April 14, 1874, is the wife of Frank P. Barnes; Thomas, born October 27, 1876, is a successful farmer in Canaan tonwship; Rose, born December 31, 1878, is the wife of Jacob Clark, of Ashland; Jesse, born October 27, 1880; Wettie, born March II, 1884; Clarence, born February 4, 1887; Glenn, born March 10, 1891.
In politics Mr. Brinkerhoff is inclined to be independent, believing that the personal fitness of the candidates should be the question of paramount im- portance, especially in local elections. During a long and industrious career
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Mr. Brinkerhoff has not only gained a strong position by the ability with which he has managed his business, but as a man of force of character, up- right and honest in his dealings with his fellow citizens, and as a kind hus- band and devoted and careful father, he has gained the esteem of all who know him.
LEVI BUCHER.
Most consistently may we enter memoir in this work to one who stood as one of the honored citizens and successful agriculturists of Wayne county during the years of an active and useful life, winning the regard of men by his sterling attributes of character and attaining success through the me- dium of his own ability and efforts. Mr. Bucher passed to his reward on the 2d of May, 1906, and in his death Saltcreek township was deprived of one of its most worthy and honored citizens and one whose life was such as to offer both lesson and incentive to all who came in touch therewith. He was entitled to additional regard from the fact that in the dark and troublous days of national peril in the early sixties, he gave distinctive evidence of his patriotism by enlisting in the defense of Old Glory, and such was the service he rendered that he ever afterwards was a sufferer from wounds received in battle. He was one of that host of brave sons of the North who offered their lives if need be to preserve the integrity of the Union and to them the coun- try is under a debt of gratitude which it can never repay. In centuries yet to be posterity will commemorate their bravery in fitting eulogy and tell of their courage in story and song.
Levi Bucher was born in Portage county, Ohio, on the IIth of May. 1846. Because of the extreme reticence which he always observed as to him- self, nothing is known of his early life, to the age of seventeen years, at which age he enlisted for service in the Civil war. He was reared by a man named Enoch Wolford, who lived near Dalton, Wayne county, Ohio, and must have attended school during his youth, as he was a man of considerable culture and mental attainments, being always a close reader and a very intel- ligent and interesting conversationalist when he chose to talk. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry for three years or as long as the war should last, but he received an honorable discharge in 1864, it is supposed because of disability from wounds. He was several times wounded and from the effects of one of his injuries, a gunshot wound, he suffered all the rest of his days until his sudden death in 1906.
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