USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume II > Part 32
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FREDERICK WENGER.
The little republic of Switzerland has sent more citizens to the United States according to its size than perhaps any other foreign country. They have been coming to our shores since the old colonial days and they have almost without exception proven to be progressive and public spirited, quickly adopting our manners and customs, ready to defend our institutions on the battlefield or in private life, and no class of foreigners is more welcome in the numerous communities where they have located. Of this vast number, Frederick Wenger, father of the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this sketch, deserves to be remembered. He was born in Switzerland in 1805, and while yet a young man he made his way to America. About the same time there also came to this country from France a young girl, Mag- dalena Miller, who was born there on March 31. 1809. By strange chance of fate they each located in Greene township. Wayne county, Ohio, where they met and were subsequently married. They soon settled down on the farm where the subject of this sketch now resides. The city of Orrville
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now covers the major part of this land. It was at that time covered with woods, but Mr. Wenger began work earnestly and soon had a small spot cleared, on which he erected a small log cabin, He became a large land owner and was very prosperous, a man who was far-seeing and analytical in his judgment ; he was very accurate in figures "in his head," seldom using a pencil and paper for the most complex problem. He was not a highly educated man, but he was widely read, always keeping a good library. He was one of the leading pioneers of this county, a strong man in every re- spect and a leader in his locality, a man whom everybody respected and admired. He remained here until his death, which occurred in 1873. His good wife passed to her rest on June 1, 1888. They were the parents of thirteen children, five of whom are living in 1909, namely: Elias; Magda- lena, wife of David Mast, living in Iowa; Leah, widow of Stephen Miller, of Weland, Iowa; Lydia, widow of Samuel Benner ; Frederick.
Frederick Wenger, of this review, was born in Greene township, Wayne county, Ohio, April 6, 1855, and he was reared on the farm where he still lives, having enjoyed the rare privilege of spending his life under his parental rooftree, a thing that is denied most of us. When old enough he began working in the fields and attending the common schools during the winter months. When he reached the age of twenty-one he took charge of the home farm and his subsequent career as an agriculturist has been highly successful and satisfactory.
Mr. Wenger was married to Catherine Schrock, was was born in Greene township, this county, June 17, 1854, the daughter of Moses Schrock, who was born, lived and died in Greene township, his birth occurring June 10, 1828, and the date of his death was April 22, 1909. He was a prosperous farmer and good man. He married Christena Greig on September 15, 1853, and to this union six sons and three daughters were born. Christena Greig was born April 17, 1831. Mrs. Wenger received a good education in the local schools and she has been a faithful helpmeet and an exemplary mother.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wenger, namely : Amanda, born March 8, 1878, is the wife of Elmer W. Burkholder; Lydia, born June 30, 1879, is the wife of Simon Schmucker; Levi J., born March 2, 1884, is devoting his life to farming and teaching in the common schools : he has remained single.
Mr. Wenger is one of the substantial men of his community. He owns a very valuable farm of eighty acres along the corporate limits of Orrville. It is under a high state of improvement and is one of the model farms of
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this part of the Buckeye state. He has a beautiful modern home and every- thing about the place shows that a gentleman of excellent taste has its man- agement in hand.
Mr. and Mrs. Wenger are among the best citizens of the county, and their friends are numerous throughout the same. Mr. Wenger is a member of the Amish Mennonite church. In politics he is a Democrat, and he al- ways takes an abiding interest in whatever tends to promote the general good of his county.
JACOB REHM.
The old Keystone state has sent a vast horde of its most enterprising citizens to Wayne county, Ohio, and they have played well their parts in the upbuilding of the same. One of this worthy number is Jacob Rehm, who was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, December 3, 1842, the son of Jacob and Barbara (Hutz) Rehm, both natives of Germany. Jacob Rehm, Sr .. was born October 8, 1808, and died November 25, 1899, aged ninety-one years, one month and seventeen days. Like many of his con- temporaries of that period, he conceived the idea of coming to the United States when he had grown to manhood, consequently he crossed the broad Atlantic in an old sailing vessel, landing on our shores about 1832. and he soon located in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. Barbara Hutz came to America with her parents when she was still a very young girl, and she, too, settled in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, where her father soon had a com- fortable living amid the new conditions which they bravely faced. She was married to Jacob Rehm, Sr., in 1836, and in 1845 they moved to Baughman township, Wayne county, Ohio, where they secured one hundred and sixty acres of land, mostly in the woods, but being made of sterling stuff they set to work with a will and soon had a good home and a fine farm. They lived there until 1867 when they moved just across the road from their original farm, where they purchased an eighty-five-acre place, where they lived until 1899, on November 25th of which year Mr. Rehm died, aged ninety-one years, one month and seventeen days. He had nothing when he came to the United States. Being a weaver by trade, he wove some carpets and in that way saved some money and sent for his father, defraying his expenses to this country. His father was Martin Rehm, a plain, honest. . excellent old German. To such a man as Jacob Rehm, Sr., all credit is due, for although he started out in the midst of the greatest possible dis-
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couragements, he had all the elements of success within him and during his lifetime he accumulated fifty thousand dollars, and all this was the result of excellent management and honest dealing, for he was a very religious man and not a dishonest dollar ever passed through his hands. He took a very active interest in the Lutheran church, of which he was a member and a lib- eral supporter and an elder in the same for many years, being, in fact, the main pillar of that church. In politics he was a Democrat. Quiet and un- assuming, he did not seek public display, but rather preferred the even tenor of his way. All who knew him were unstinted in their praise of his many admirable qualities of head and heart. His noble wife was also a faithful advocate of all that was ennobling and good.
To Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Rehm, Sr., ten children were born, eight sons and two daughters, namely: George; Mary, who is the wife of Henry Crites ; Jacob, of this review; Catherine, John, Martin, Daniel, Samuel, William and Henry.
Jacob Rehm, of this review, was two years old when his parents. came to Wayne county, Ohio. When he reached the proper age he began working on the home farm, continuing thus until he was twenty-one years of age, having in the meantime attended the neighboring schools and received a very serviceable education. After he reached legal age he worked for his father by the month.
Mr. Rehm was married in 1868 to Catherine Forrer, a native of Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, where her birth occurred on April 18, 1847. She came to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1855 with her parents, who were pro- gressive and highly respected people. She received a common school edu- cation and has proved to be a very faithful and sympathetic helpmeet. To Mr. and Mrs. Rehm five children have been born, two of whom died in early childhood. Those living are Mary, the wife of Ora Brillhart, living in Baughman township; Emma, the wife of Peter Felix; Amos married Grace Layman.
Mr. Rehm has prospered by reason of his close application to business and his excellent management. He is the owner of one of the model farms of Wayne county, consisting of three hundred and forty-five acres, all in Baughman township, which is conservatively worth ninety dollars per acre. It is well improved in every respect, and the crops have been so skillfully. rotated that the soil has retained its original fertility. He has a modern, 'commodious and nicely furnished home, substantial barn, convenient outbuild- ings and all the farming machinery that his needs require,-in short, his place shows thrift and prosperity. He keeps an excellent grade of stock of
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all kinds and is an admirer of fine horses; however, hogs are his specialty, and a large part of his income is derived from the handling of large num- bers of an excellent breed from year to year.
In his political relations Mr. Rehm is a Democrat, but not a strict parti- san, often preferring to vote for the man instead of the party. He keeps abreast of the times by wide miscellaneous reading. Religiously, he belongs to the Lutheran church, being an elder in the local congregation and a liberal supporter of the same. All movements having for their object the general progress of Wayne county find in him a hearty exponent, and he and his excellent family are the recipients of the courteous treatment that is due people of their good standing.
WILLIAM F. WINTERSTEEN.
One of the best-remembered gentlemen of the past generation in Orr- ville, Wayne county, was the late William F. Wintersteen, than whom a more whole-souled, affable and all-around high-minded citizen it would have been difficult to find, and although his earthly career has ended, the good he did and the many kind words spoken by him still live in the hearts of his many friends and acquaintances. He was born near Jefferson, this county. April 16, 1864, the son of Benjamin and Sarah Wintersteen. After spending his carly childhood on the home place he lived in Reedsburg until he was mar- ried, then moved to Wooster, from there back to Reedsburg, and then moved to Orrville eighteen years ago and engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. He was educated in the common schools of Reedsburg. His father had a furniture and undertaking establishment and he assisted in the management of the same, thus early receiving the valuable training that has been of such great help to him in his subsequent business undertakings. He remained with his father until he was twenty-three years of age when he went to Wooster and worked for Landis & Swope for two years. He then returned to Reedsburg and formed a partnership with his father, which continued for two years. He then came to Orrville and was in business alone on North Main street for a short time. He then formed a partnership with J. H. Stansberry, which continued very successfully for ten years. About eight years ago he sold his furniture to Stansberry and bought a music store, which he conducted in connection with his undertaking establishment.
In 1903 Mr. Wintersteen went on a western trip, accompanied by his wife. They sojourned in New Mexico and California for one year in the
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hopes of benefiting Mr. Wintersteen's health, but he continued to grow worse and the end came at Claremont, southern California, on December 24, 1904. His remains were sent back to Wayne county, Ohio, and interred at Reeds- burg.
Mr. Wintersteen was married on December 12, 1885, to Lillian Houser, daughter of David and Susan ( Barnhart) Houser, who were influential citizens of West Unity, Ohio. Mrs. Wintersteen was born at West Unity, Williams county, Ohio. To this union six children were born, three of whom are deceased ; those living are : Guy, an electrical engineer, now working in Alaska ; Ralph and Charles.
Mr. Wintersteen was a member of the Reformed church, and fraternally he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Mod- ern Woodmen. He was regarded by all who knew him as a most congenial and companionable gentleman and he had scores of friends throughout the county. He was kind and indulgent to his family and a successful business man. Mrs. Wintersteen is living in a cozy and nicely furnished home in Orrville, a woman of pleasing personality, who has many warm personal friends here.
JAMES TAGGART.
From the early pioneer epoch the life of the honored subject of this review has been identified with the agricultural and commercial activities of Wayne county, of which he is a native son and in which he has maintained a consecutive residence. He has now passed the psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten, and this fact is significant, since it indicates the early date at which his parents must have cast in their lot with the pioneers of this now prosperous and opulent section of the old Buckeye state. His father exercised a potent influence in the development and advancement of the county in the early days, and this is also true of the son, who has here lived and labored to goodly ends, so ordering his life as to command the un- reserved confidence and regard of all who know him. To a review of his earnest and honorable life the writer turns with a feeling of respect and satis- faction, since the same offers both lesson and incentive.
James Taggart, of Wooster township, was born in the city of Wooster, Ohio, on March 20, 1836, and is a son of William and Lydia A. (Reiter) Taggart. William Taggart was born in Belmont county, Ohio, March 5, 18II, and was a son of James Taggart, who came to the United States from
MRS. CATHERINE TAGGART
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James Taggart
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county Cork, Ireland. That was prior to the war of the Revolution and he was then but three years old, having been brought to this country by his par- ents. The family came at once to Belmont county, Ohio, and there James Taggart spent the remaining years of his life. William Taggart came from Belmont county to Wooster in 1833. He was a saddler by trade and was employed at this work at Wooster until 1846, when he removed to a farm in Wayne township, where he lived during the remainder of his life. He and his wife are now buried in the Wooster cemetery. Religiously he was a member of the Baptist church, of which he was a trustee, and he and his wife both took a deep interest in the various activities of the society. His political affiliation was with the Republican party. To him and his wife were born the following children: James, the immediate subject of this sketch ; William, who now lives in Kansas, was a member of Company .1. One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war, was captured during the Red River campaign, and was confined in rebel prisons at Tyler, Texas, thirteen months and seven days: Samuel died April 26, 1863, at the age of twenty-three years; Joseph is deceased: Em- mett F., who now lives at Akron, Ohio, was a private in the One Hundred and Second Ohio Regiment during the Civil war and has since held the rank of major in the National Guards: Isaac is assistant cashier of the Merchants National Bank at Massillon, Ohio: John lives at Columbus ; Mary Catherine is the wife of William Hatfield, a furniture dealer at Chicago. William Tag- gart died October 31, 1862. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Lydia A. Reiter, was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, November 1I, 1814, and died May 31, 1882. She was a daughter of William Reiter, who came to Wooster township, Wayne county, Ohio, in the early twenties. He here followed the occupation of a farmer, in which he was fairly successful, and became a well-known and influential man in Wayne county. He was widely known as Squire Reiter, having served for many years as a justice of the peace. Part of the farm which he owned is now included in the farm owned by the subject of this sketch. William Taggart was posessed of strong quali- ties of mind, being a man of marked intelligence and sound judgment. He was energetic and progressive in his methods, and during his active years was identified with practically every local movement looking to the betterment of the community, especially along educational lines. He served efficiently as president of the Wayne County Agricultural Society for a number of years and was a number of times a delegate to the State Agricultural Society meetings. He was a well informed man on the general topics of the day, and
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during the Civil war he was an ardent supporter of the war measures of the government. He was a faithful supporter of all moral efforts and his influ- ence was ever found on the side of good and against evil.
James Taggart was reared by his parents and received a district school education. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty years of age, when he went to work for the Pennsylvania railroad. Two years later, however, he returned to farming, in which he has since been contin- uously engaged, with noteworthy success. He is wide awake and progres- sive in his ideas and gives his personal attention to everything he undertakes, so that all his undertakings have been rewarded with a gratifying result. His fine country home in Wooster township presents an attractive appear- ance, its general aspect indicating the owner to be a man of good taste and excellent judgment. Aside from his agricultural operations, Mr. Taggart is also identified with a number of other enterprises, in all of which he takes a leading part. He is a stockholder in and chairman of the board of directors of the Coach Pad Company, Wooster, one of the successful enterprises of that city, and is also a stockholder in the Wayne County National Bank.
In politics Mr. Taggart is a stanch Republican and has taken a very active part in the local affairs of his party. He has been honored several times by election to public office, having served as assessor and for three years as a member of the county infirmary board. In 1907 he was elected a trustee of the township, and is now serving as such with marked credit to himself and the benefit of the township. He has several times served as a delegate to the state conventions of his party. For twenty-seven years he has been a member of the school board and for a number of years has been president of that body. His religious faith is that of the Baptist church and he is now a member of the church of that denomination at Wooster, of which he is an earnest and liberal supporter. Mr. Taggart has taken a deep interest in military affairs and for fifteen years he was a member of the Ohio National Guard, belonging to the Eighth Regiment, and during the greater part of this time was a sergeant, being regimental quartermaster for six years.
Mr. Taggart was united in marriage to Catherine Scentman, a native of Pennsylvania, and to them were born the following children: William S., who lives at Wooster, married Bell Tettars, and they have one child, Flossie ; John H., of Columbus, married Viola Tettars, and they have one child, Howard; Anna lives at Dayton, Ohio; Sarah Jane, now deceased, was the wife of a Mr. Etter, and they had three children, Grant. James and Chloe, who married Addie Weaver, of Congress township, this county, this union resulting in three children; James Lincoln, of Akron, Ohio, married Mary Eckart, who died, leaving two children, namely: Alvirda, the wife of
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Charles Brubaker, of Rittman, this county, and they have two children, Mildred Pauline and James Clifford; Florence, who has made her home with her grandfather, is now the wife of Lee Drabenstock and her mother of one child, Arline; Ulysses Grant, of Wooster, married Margaret Taylor and they have one child, Mary ; Miley Bell is the wife of J. D. McKee, of Chicago, Illinois, and they have one child, Robert. Mrs. Taggart died on the 22d of April, 1904. She was a faithful member of the Baptist church at Wooster and was possessed of many fine womanly qualities of character which commended her to the love and good feeling of all who knew her.
During a residence of many years in this community, Mr. Taggart has lived a life that has given him a high standing in the opinion of those who know him best. A man of progressive spirit and marked enterprise, he has always been foremost in all movements for the general good and his in- fluence has ever been a potential factor for the best things in the life of his fellow men.
HENRY H. FORRER.
The state of Pennsylvania has furnished a large number of its best citizens to Wayne county, Ohio. This is not strange, for the distance is not great and this is a much newer country and richer, also, than many parts of the great Keystone state. Of this number of progressive citizens Henry H. Forrer should be mentioned in this work, along with other leading citizens of the county. He was born in Pennsylvania, September 30, 1842, the son of Henry K. and Charlotte (Kendig) Forrer. The former was born in Pennsylvania, but came to Wayne county, Ohio, and engaged in farming, be- coming fairly well situated, spending the remaining years of his life here. He had married before coming to Ohio. He was the son of Martin Forrer, who also was born in Pennsylvania.
Henry K. Forrer moved to Wayne county, Ohio, in 1855 and here he engaged in farming during the remaining years of his life, becoming well established, owning one hundred and fifty acres of land. He was a member of the Mennonite church and a good and useful man. His death occurred in March, about 1897.
Henry H. Forrer, of this sketch, was about twelve years of age when he accompanied his parents to Ohio, and here he worked on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He received a limited education in the district schools of his community. He learned the carpenter's trade and became a very skilled workman, doing considerable contract work and there-
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by got a good start in the business world, having saved enough to purchase seventy-seven acres of excellent land in 1895; he also owns three and one- half acres in the city of Orrville. The land had but few improvements on it when he bought it, but he has made a number of changes and now has one of the choice farms in this vicinity, clearing much of the land himself. He erected a modern and commodious dwelling and a substantial barn, each being among the most attractive and modern in the township. He carries on general farming and stock raising in a manner that shows him to be fully abreast of the times.
Mr. Forrer married Margaret Anderson, a woman of fine personal traits and the daughter of an excellent family. To this union three children have been born, two sons living and one daughter deceased, namely: G. W. Forrer. who is single and living with his parents, and J. E. Forrer, also at home.
In politics Mr. Forrer is a Republican and he has always been a worker in his party ; however, he prefers to spend most of his time in looking after his personal business affairs rather than mingling with the crowd of office seekers. He is a quiet, unassuming, honest and highly respected man, one of the best known citizens of Baughman township.
ABNER G. ORR.
The people who constitute the bone and sinew of this country are not those who are unstable and unsettled, who fly from this occupation to that, who do not know how to vote until they are told, and who take no active and intelligent interest in affairs affecting their schools, churches and property. The backbone of this country is made up of the families which have made their homes, who are alive to the best interests of the community in which they reside, and who attend to their own business and are too busy to attend to that of others, who work on steadily from day to day taking the sunshine with the storm, and who rear a fine family to a comfortable home and an honest life. Such people are always welcome in any country and any com- munity. They are wealth producers and Wayne county is blessed with many of them, among the number being the subject of this sketch.
Abner G. Orr is descended from sturdy Irish ancestry, his grandfather, Samuel Orr, having emigrated to this country from Ireland in young man-
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MR. AND MRS. ABNER G. ORR
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hood. He came at once to Wayne county, Ohio, and located in East Union township. At that time he had no means, but he possessed strong arms and a willing heart, and by dint of tireless energy and a wise economy he was enabled to buy a small tract of land, to which he added from time to time as he was able until at the time of his death he was the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres. He married Mary Burnett, and they became the parents of eight sons and one daughter. Of these sons, Thomas was the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born in East Union township on October 31, 1820, and was reared on his father's farm, which he continued to till during his active years. He married Nancy Gaddis and they became the parents of six children, two boys and four girls, namely : Martha, the wife of Albert Hughes, of Defiance county, Ohio; Mary, the wife of Abram Eshelman, of Milton township; Abner G., the subject of this sketch; Emma, the wife of Charles Swaingart, of East Union town- ship; William J. married Emma J. Brenneman and resides on the old home- stead in East Union township; Sarah A., who was the wife of C. M. Badger, is now deceased.
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