USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume II > Part 29
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WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. 1167
tive citizens. He was an ardent Republican. His death occurred in 1899. He married Maria Richie, who was born in Medina county, Ohio, in 1843, her death occurring in 1897. Jesse R., the subject of this sketch, was the only child.
Jesse R. Shilling secured a fair education in the district schools and was reared to the life of a farmer, which honorable calling he has followed all his life. He remained as his father's assistant until the latter's death, when, as the only child, he assumed possession and control of the property. Mr. Shilling is an energetic worker, being noted for the great amount of which he can accomplish in a given time, and he devotes his energies wholly to the operation of the farm. He is up-to-date in farming methods and is maintaining the farm at the very highest standard of excellence. He carries on general farming, raising all the crops common to the section, and he has been rewarded with bountiful crops in return from the labor he has bestowed.
On January 7, 1903, Mr. Shilling wedded Minnie Swartz, who was born at Red Haw, Ohio, the daughter of Esly Swartz, a successful farmer of Medina county. To Mr. and Mrs. Shilling have been born four children, namely : Clyde, born in 1904; Ralph, born in 1905; John, born in 1907, and Gertrude, born in 1909. Mr. Shilling is a Republican in politics and takes a keen interest in the success of that party, though he is not in any sense an aspirant for public office. Not only as a farmer and business man is he con- sidered representative, but in all that constitutes nobility of character and good citizenship he has long occupied a conspicuous place in the community.
ADAM B. BOWER.
One of the representative agriculturists of Plain township, Wayne county, is Adam B. Bower, a man who has shown by his life of consecutive endeavor, which has resulted in the attainment of desirable property and the winning of a reputation for integrity and fidelity to duty, that he has inherited many praiseworthy qualities from his ancestors, who, as records show, were people of the highest type of citizenship, the class that any community might well boast of. Mr. Bower was born on a farm east of Reedsburg, Plain township, Wayne county, Ohio, January 11, 1863. He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Funk) Bower, both born in Plain township, this county. His paternal grand- parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Bower, were natives of Pennsylvania, who in an early day came to Wayne county, Ohio, and settled on what is now the Houck
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farm, one mile east of Reedsburg. There were no roads there when he came and the country was undeveloped generally, but Jacob Bower was a hardy pioneer and he soon cleared the place he selected and followed farming. The maternal grandparents of the subject, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Funk, came to this county from Pennsylvania in an early day and settled on what is now the Palmer farm in Plain township.
John Bower, father of Adam B. Bower, was reared in Plain township and he has always followed farming, being very successful in this line of en- deavor, having accumulated two hundred and five acres of land. He was a Democrat and a member of the Reformed church. He and his wife were the parents of seven sons and one daughter.
Adam B. Bower was educated at Reedsburg, receiving a very good edu- cation. Early in life he began farming and he has always followed this oc- cupation, now being the owner of a very well managed and highly productive farm of one hundred and five acres in Plain township. He is a general farmer and stock raiser. He has a nice home and good outbuildings.
Mr. Bower was married on November 2, 1892, to Elsie M. Martin, a sis- ter of Samuel Curtis Martin, whose sketch appears on another page of this work. To Mr. and Mrs. Bower the following children have been born : Flor- ence, Floyd. Cloise and Jason.
Mr. Bower is a member of the Reformed church, and politically he is a Democrat ; while he does not find time to take any special interest in politics, he is always ready to do what he can in furthering the interests of his com- munity politically or otherwise.
WILLIAM TATE.
In the best development of Wayne county William Tate bore an im- portant part. He was identified with the agricultural interests of this section of the state from pioneer days, and while promoting the material welfare of the community also gave an active and liberal support to those measures which tended to advance its intellectual and moral status. His life was filled with good deeds and kindly thoughts, and all who knew him entertained for him the kindest regard, by reason of his upright, honorable life. Over the record of his career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, and his example is well worthy of emulation. In his death, which occurred on the 10th of May, 1889, the community suffered a distinct loss.
William Tate was born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of
MR. AND MRS. JOHN W. TATE
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February, 1817, and was a son of Isaac and Catherine (Gray) Tate, the former of whom was born on the 24th of January, 1794, and died January 16, 1863, and the latter born in August, 1788, and died January 2, 1855. To their marriage, which was celebrated on March 28, 1815, the following chil- dred were born: William, the subject of this sketch; Mary, born April 30, 1819. and who became the wife of Michael Miller March 15, 1838, her death occurring on August 18, 1879: Susannah, born December 5, 1823, died De- cember 23, 1824; Isaac, born December 12, 1825, is referred to in following paragraphs; Phebe, born December 21, 1827, died July 17, -1831 ; Solomon, born June 9, 1830, married Elizabeth Gabriel February 24, 1853, and his death occurred September 15, 1899. Isaac Tate was a native of Pennsylvania, from whence he came overland to Franklin township, Wayne county, Ohio, in 1828. Here he cleared up a farm of moderate size and there successfully carried on agricultural pursuits. He lived there during the remainder of his life and died in the enjoyment of the love and regard of all who knew him.
In 1828 the subject came with his parents from Pennsylvania to their new western home and here he was reared to the life of a tiller of the soil, which vocation he followed during all his active years. He received his edu- cation in the district schools of the neighborhood, and on attaining man- hood's years he took up the active work of the farm, to the ownership of which he in due time succeeded.
William Tate was twice married, first to Mary May, in April, 1836, she being the daughter of Jacob and Christina May, and to them were born the following children : Michael, who is referred to elsewhere in this work; Jacob, Isaac, Mary, Carrie Elizabeth and Mrs. Cyrus Franks. Mrs. Tate died May 6, 1852, and on the 6th of March, 1853, Mr. Tate married Re- becca Margaret Lemmon, who was born July 9, 1831, and died November 9, 1889, leaving one child. Jacob and Christina May were natives of Pennsyl- vania and came to Wayne county in 1828, and became prominent among the old settlers of the county. William Tate was a Republican in politics and took an active interest in local public affairs.
Isaac Tate, the fourth in order of birth of the children of Isaac and Catherine (Gray) Tate, was born December 12, 1825. and died on the 8th of April, 1868. On the 23d of December, 1852, he married Margaret Ann Fegtly, who was born February 3, 1834, and died on August 17. 1898. She was the daughter of John Jacob and Hannah ( Marks) Fegtly. Her father was of Swiss nativity and his death occurred on November 8, 1828. After the death of Isaac Tate, his widow became the wife of Robert C. Reed, and
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her death occurred August 17, 1898. To Isaac and Margaret Tate were born several children, namely: Hannah Catherine, born July 4, 1854; William Marks, March 4, 1856; Jacob N., born March 9, 1858, died August 13, 1861 ; John W., referred to in another paragraph; Emma Tressa, born April 30, 1863, died May 15, 1864; Jane Ann, April 1, 1865, died November 16, 1866. Isaac, the-father of these children, was a staunch Republican in politics and followed the pursuit of agriculture all his active years, his death occurring at the comparatively early age of forty-two years.
Of the children of Isaac and Margaret Tate, referred to in the preced- ing paragraph, John W., who is a well-known farmer of this township, was born on the paternal homestead November 2, 1860. He has been twice mar- ried, first to Helen Sloan, to which union was born one child, William Reed Tate. His second union was with Clara Benepe, to which union was born a son, Jacob Marks. Mrs. Clara Tate is a native of Wayne county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Wallace W. and Abigail (Franks) Benepe. Her father was born at Mount Eaton, this county, and after attaining mature years he was for a time engaged in the hotel business at Fredericksburg. John W. Tate is the owner of one hundred and seventy-five acres of splendid land in Frank- lin township and is a progressive and enterprising farmer, being also a public spirited and influential citizen. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Moorland, of which he has been a member of the official board, serving as steward and trustee, as well as class leader. In 1889 he was made a Master Mason in Ebenezer Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, at Wooster. His political belief is that of the Republican party, with which he has always voted, and he takes an active interest in the public affairs of his community.
William Marks Tate, the son of Isaac and Margaret Tate, was born on the old homestead March 4, 1856, and was there reared. He was educated in the district schools of the neighborhood, and his manual education was along the lines of agriculture, with which he has always been closely identi- fied. He is the owner of one hundred and ten acres of land, which is highly improved and, under the careful management of the owner, has been made highly productive and profitable. He is a stanch Republican in politics, but has never been a seeker after public office, though ever taking a commendable interest in the trend of current public events. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal church at Moorland. He is a public-spirited man and his support is ever given to those movements which promise to be a benefit to the community. Because of his many personal qualities of a high order he is held in high regard by all who know him, his friends being in number as his acquaintances.
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SIMON D. BURKHOLDER.
One of the leading agriculturists of Greene township. Wayne county. is S. D. Burkholder, who has made his influence felt among his fellow men and earned a name for enterprise, integrity and honor, that entitles him to worthy notice in a work of the nature of this volume. He was born in Greene township, this county, September 26, 1863. the son of Jonathan S. and Eliza- beth (Smoker) Burkholder, the former born in this township in 1826, the son of John Burkholder, who was a native of Alsace-Lorraine, formerly a prov- ince of France, now of Germany. He came to the United States when a young man, having been fourteen weeks on the voyage, the trip being made in an old-fashioned sailing vessel that was slow and tiresome. He made his way to Wayne county, Ohio, and located in Greene township, marrying here and securing a farm, where he spent most of his later life, and where his son, Jonathan S., lived and where S. D., son of the latter, was also reared. The grand father, John Burkholder, moved to Smithville late in life and died at that place. Thus we see that this name has been a familiar one in Wayne county since the pioneer days and this family has been a very enterprising and honorable one ever since. Jonathan Burkholder, mentioned above, was reared on the home farm in this township, where he was married and reared his fam- ily, which consisted of nine children, namely : Sarah, Anna, Caroline, Menno, all deceased; an infant also died unnamed ; Noah S., living in Greene town- ship; S. D., of this review ; Amos J., of Greene township; Joseph, deceased.
S. D. Burkholder was reared on the home farm near Smithville and he assisted with the work there, attending the common schools in the meantime, alternating the two until he was eighteen years of age; then he devoted his attention exclusively to farming until he was twenty-two years of age. He was married on January 20, 1887, to Emma Musser, the daughter of a highly respected old family, and this union has resulted in the birth of eight children, five of whom are living, namely : Ada, Nora, Allen, Grace and Roy. The mother of these children passed away in 1902, and afterwards Mr. Burk- holder married Salina Byler. She was reared in Noble county, Indiana, her birth having occurred September 6, 1868. Three children were born of this last union, Guy, in 1906, Ray in 1908, and Zora in 1909.
When Mr. Burkholder was first married it became necessary for him to borrow money to buy a team with which to begin farming. He rented the home place for one year, then rented other farms, prospering by reason of his habits of industry and economy, until he was able to purchase a farm of eighty-one and three-fourths acres in the center of Greene township and as
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good land as the township afforded. However, he went in debt for all of the place and used what money he had saved to stock the same and began farming in a proper manner. He made a success principally by raising grain, and he has been enabled thereby to pay for the farm, remodel his house and barn and improve the place in many ways. He has a very good dwelling and other buildings and his land is easily worth one hundred and twenty-five dollars per acre, the entire farm being worth ten thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. He also has an interest in the gristmill at Smithville and had an inter- est in a threshing machine for some time. Considering the disadvantages under which he started in life he has succeeded admirably well and has shown him- self to be a man of soundness of judgment and rare foresight. In politics he is a Democrat, and he holds membership in the Amish Mennonite church.
MRS. DAVID LAWRENCE.
Wholly devoted to home and domestic duties, doing through all the best years of her life the lowly but sacred work that comes within her sphere, there is not much to record concerning the life of the average woman. And yet what station so dignified, what relation so loving and endearing, what office so holy, tender and ennobling as those of home-making wifehood and motherhood. A celebrated writer and biographer once said that the future destiny of a great nation depended upon its wives and mothers. May this not also be said concerning the future that is bone of her bone, blood of her blood and flesh of her flesh, and which is incalculable in its results and will never be fully known until eternity solves the problem? In the settlement of the great Middle West woman bore her full share of hardship. suffer- ings and other vicissitudes, helping man in the rugged toil of wood and field, cheering him when cast down and discouraged, sharing his dangers, mitigating his sufferings, in the end quietly and unostentatiously rejoicing in his success, yet ever keeping herself modestly in the background. In a bio- graphical compendium, such as this work is intended to be, woman should have no insignificant representation. As man's equal in every qualification save the physical, and his superior in the gentle, tender and loving amenities of life, she fuller merits a much larger notice than she ordinarily receives, and there should be given her due credit for the important part she acts in life's great drama and be accorded her proper place in history and biog- raphy.
SARAH E. LAWRENCE
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Sarah Elizabeth Francis, the subject of this sketch, is a native daughter of the old Buckeye state, her birth having taken place in Harrison county, Ohio, on the 5th of May, 1835. She is a daughter of Caleb and Julia Ann (Hooper) Francis, who were both born in Maryland, the father on February 20, 1812, and the mother on January 18, 1817. They were married on July 29, 1834, and soon afterwards came to Harrison county, Ohio. Subsequently they moved to Belmont county, where he died. Later the stepfather came to Coshocton county, where he died on July 28, 1842; the widow moved to Tuscarawas county. She later married again and eventually settled in East Union township, Wayne county, where her death occurred on December 21, 1851, and her remains are buried at Apple Creek, this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Francis were born the following children: Sarah Eliza- beth, the immediate subject of this sketch; Charles T., who was born August 16, 1836, died February 2, 1852; Ann Eliza, born August 24, 1833, now deceased, became the wife of Jacob Mootersbaugh and they had ten children : Mary E., born March 22, 1840, died August 19, 1843; Caleb B., Jr., born April 9, 1842, died in 1907. Mrs. Lawrence's maternal grandfather, Michael Hooper, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and her step-grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812.
The subject was reared in the parental home and secured her education in the district schools of the locality. At Wooster, Ohio, August 31, 1854, she was united in marriage with Cyrenius Geislman, who was born January 18, 1833, at New Franklin, Columbiana county, Ohio, a son of John and Sarah (Miller) Geislman. Subsequently they moved to Wayne county, lo- cating on land which was located partly in East Union and partly in Franklin townships. Here he received a fair education in the common schools, supple- menting this with attendance at an academy at Apple Creek. On reaching mature years he engaged in farming and eventually bought the homestead now occupied by the subject of this sketch, where he spent the remaining years of his life. The residence was built in 1837 by Nicholas Smith, and was the first brick house built in this locality. It was large and commodious and for several years the second story was used as a place of worship by the United Brethren congregation. Mr. Geislman was an enterprising and progressive farmer, in which he was fairly successful, and during his later years he also took the agency for farming machinery, in which also he was successful .. He took an active part in politics and local affairs and rendered efficient service as a trustee of his township. In religion he was a faithful member of the Lutheran church, to which he gave an earnest and liberal support. His death occurred on October 12, 1884. To Cyrenius and Sarah Geislman were born
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the following children : Julia Ann, born July 8, 1855, died March 31, 1883, became the wife of Allen Derr, also now deceased, and they became the par- ents of two children, Ada Alice, who married a Mr. Williams, and Cyrenius Derr, who married Savilla Swartz, four children being born to them; John Franklin, born November 6, 1857, died September 16, 1893, married Alzoma Franks, who is now living, and they became the parents of six children, two of whom are now dead, those living being Carl Dean, Alta, Lillie and Myron; Caleb Francis, born October 18, 1861, died December 15, 1861 ; Mary Ettie, born December 14, 1862, died December 26, 1862; Emma Loretta, born August 3, 1864, is the wife of Peter W. Martin, of Hampton township, Sum- mit county, Ohio, and they have had six children, four of whom are living, Ada, Anna B., Wesley and Walter, Lonna Delno (died in infancy), Viola and Myrtle. Cyrenius Geislman was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Fredericksburg, and was a popular man in the circles in which he moved. Mrs. Geislman remained a widow eleven years, and then, on the 3d of September, 1895, she became the wife of David Lawrence, who is now . deceased. He was a man of many fine personal qualities of character and was well liked throughout the community by all who knew him.
Mrs. Lawrence still resides on the old homestead in Franklin township, and though she is nearing the golden sunset of her life's journey, she still takes an active interest in the affairs of the community. She possesses con- siderable business ability and is conducting her landed interests in a practical and businesslike manner. She has through a long course of years enjoyed the warm friendship of a large circle of loyal friends and today her attractive and hospitable home is a favorite meeting place for the companions of her younger days, who delight in her society.
JONATHAN K. HOSTETLER.
One of Greene township's most progressive and influential citizens is Jonathan K. Hostetler, a representative of an old and highly respected family of Wayne county, where he was born September 22, 1860, the son of Jeptha and Salome (King) Hostetler, the former a native of Wayne township, this county, where he was born June 10, 1834, the son of Christian and Elizabeth (Yoder) Hostetler, both natives of Berks county, Pennsylvania. They came to Wayne county, Ohio, in a four-horse wagon about 1831, and settled in Wayne township, where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, all timbered. Christian cleared this and developed a good farm on which he
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spent the balance of his days. He was a member of the Mennonite church, and although he had nothing when he landed in this county, he became pros- perous in due course of time, becoming the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land. He was a robust, hard-working man, measuring over six feet in height; he was a very religious man, of sound moral principles. To Mr. and Mrs. Christian Hostetler the following children were born : John, Samuel, Jeptha, Christian, David, Jonathan, Lydia, Barbara and Fanny.
Jeptha Hostetler was reared on the old home place which he assisted in developing from the primitive soil. He received a limited education in the old-fashioned log school house near his boyhood home, but being a good student his education was fairly good for those days. Choosing farming for his life work, he began life for himself early and when he reached manhood he married Salome King, this union resulting in the birth of seven children, namely : Lizzie, who became the wife of N. S. Burkholder, living in Greene township; Jonathan K., of this review ; Christian married Mary Bener, and they are living in Alabama ; Anna is the wife of John Schmucker, of Greene township; Barbara is the wife of Elam Horst, of Halifax county, Virginia : Jeptha married Fannie Hintsburger, of Orrville, Greene township: Menno died in infancy.
Jonathan K. Hostetler was reared in Wayne township, this county, and when he became of proper age he began working on his father's farm, in the meantime attending the district schools during the winter until he was twenty- one years of age. He was sufficiently educated to begin teaching, but not- withstanding the fact that his career as a teacher was promising, he seemed to prefer the freer life of the husbandman and returned to the farm. When twenty-two years of age he took for his life partner Malinda Schmucker, who was born in Greene township July 31, 1862, the daughter of David and Sarah (Zook) Schmucker. She was reared on the home farm in Greene township where she attended the common schools.
After his marriage Mr. Hostetler remained on his father's farm for about seventeen years and then he purchased forty acres for which he paid cash, having obtained a good start on his father's farm and saved money. In 1905 he sold this place and purchased the one where he now lives in section 32, containing eighty-two acres, on which he carries on general farming and stock raising very successfully. He has a well improved and highly produc- tive farm. Having always been a close observer and painstaking worker he has been very successful, and he so rotates his crops as to get the best pos- sible results.
Twelve children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler, their names
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and births being as follows: Salome, November 22, 1883; David, April 23, 1885; Sarah, May 11, 1887; Chancy, February 23, 1889; Ammon, April 8, 1892 ; Boyd, June 13, 1894; Paul, September 23, 1898; Christian, November 10, 1900; Harry, January 10, 1903; Edith, July 25, 1896; Esther, July 13, 1907: Isaiah, March 1, 1891. All these children received a good common school education. The members of this large household belong to the Men- nonite church. In politics Mr. Hostetler was reared a Republican, but of recent years he has cast his vote with the Prohibition party, being an ardent advocate of temperance. He is regarded by all who know him as an ex- emplary citizen in every respect, honest in all his business transactions, and as a result of these many praiseworthy qualities he is held in high favor, as is also his family wherever they are known.
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