USA > Ohio > Wayne County > History of Wayne County, Ohio, Volume II > Part 48
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the ancestors of the subject were people of worth and influence and among the leading residents of their respective communities.
J. E. Etling was educated in the district school No. 7, in Chippewa town- ship, which he attended during the winter months, it being necessary for him to assist with the work on the farm in the summer time. The work he did with his father on the home place when a boy well fitted him for his subsequent career as an agriculturist, he having began farming for himself at the age of twenty-one, renting the home place, continuing thus for twelve years, when he purchased the same, having prospered and saved his money until he then had a good start. It was in April, 1892, that he bought the north half and in 1907 he purchased the south half, and he has since added to that until he is now the owner of two hundred and four acres in one body in Chippewa town- ship and as fine land as the township affords.
Mr. Etling has shown that he is an excellent manager by the manner in which he has improved his land and the abundant harvests he has reaped from his well cultivated fields and the excellent grade of livestock which he markets from year to year, having carried on general farming and stock rais- ing in a manner that shows him to be fully abreast of the times. He has a commodious and well furnished residence and many good outbuildings. He cleared twenty-five acres of the home farm, which is now all cleared but two and one-half acres.
Mr. Etling was married in 1880 to Elizabeth Shafer, whose parents were natives of Germany, though born in different provinces. They came to Wayne county, Ohio, many years ago and became fairly prosperous and well known. To Mr. and Mrs. Etling the following children have been born: Viola B., now Mrs. Frank Snyder, of Barberton, Ohio; W. B. married Mary Rich and works for his father; Eva Grace married John Morningstar, of Canal Fulton, this state; Charles W. married Ida Byler, of Barberton; Isa Abigail, who also lives in Barberton, married Robert Rasor; J. H. is living at home, as are also Minnie Ethel, who married Mr. Frasse, and Jefferson G.
Politically, Mr. Etling is a Democrat, and he has been a member of the school board and a trustee of Chippewa township, serving these offices to the entire satisfaction of all and with much credit to himself.
DAVID H. WARFEL.
Success has been worthily attained by David H. Warfel, one of the most progressive and best known citizens of Greene township, Wayne county, vlo is today accounted one of the leading farmers here. To his energy, en-
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terprise, careful management and keen discernment his present station in life is attributed. He started upon his career as an independent factor at the bottom of the ladder, and is now, after meeting and surmounting many obstacles that would have completely baffled others, the owner of a very desirable farm property and a competency, and occupies a conspicuous place in the front rank of successful agriculturists of this locality.
Mr. Warfel is a native of Stark county, Ohio, where he first saw the light of day June 15, 1853. He is the son of Henry and Nancy ( Horst) Warfel. Henry Warfel was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1820. He grew to manhood and was educated there, coming to Wayne county, Ohio, about 1856, settling in Greene township about 1860 and living there the remainder of his days. He was a very industrious man and be- came the owner of one hundred acres of good land, developing it into one of the choice places of the township. . He was an influential man in his com- munity, an unswerving Republican and a man who delighted to see others prosper as well as himself and family. To Mr. and Mrs. Henry Warfel the following children were born: Eliza, who became the wife of John Stuckey ; Frances is the wife of Marcus Adams; David.
David Warfel was reared on the old home farm in Greene township, working with his father during the summer months when he became of proper age, and attending the district schools during the winters until he was twenty years of age, when he turned his attention exclusively to agri- cultural pursuits.
The marriage of Mr. Warfel occurred in 1875 and it was solemnized with Susie Miller, daughter of Jacob Miller, a highly respected citizen of this county for many years. Mrs. Warfel was born in this county and received her education in the home schools. This union has resulted in the birth of three children, namely: Maggie L., wife of Wellrose Hunter, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Harry, who is now deceased, married Emma Zimmerman: Icie Dell is a bookkeeper in Wooster, Ohio. Mr. Warfel is a believer in education and he has given his children every advantage possible and they have become influential in the circles in which they move. The mother of these children was called to her rest on February 8, 1888.
Mr. Warfel, like many another business man, has met with many dis- couraging situations during his career, but the fabled fates could not crush him and he always plunged forward with a determination and a tact that won out in the end, and today he is one of the substantial citizens of Greene town- ship, having been very successful during the latter years, and he now owns
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four hundred and ten acres, under an excellent state of improvement. This comprises three tracts, on each of which are splendid improvements. He has so skillfully managed his crops that the soil has retained its original fertility. He has a modern, comfortable and beautifully located home and substantial outbuildings. He has been very successful in many deals, especially in the handling of livestock, he having bought and disposed of a very large number of draft horses, being an exceptionally good judge of such animals. Every- thing about the place shows thrift and prosperity and that a gentleman of excellent tastes and good management has its affairs in hand.
Personally, Mr. Warfel is regarded as scrupulously honest and he is friendly to all with whom he comes into contact, thereby winning and re- taining the good-will of his fellow citizens.
WELLROSE HUNTER.
Back to the interesting pioneer days is traced the Hunter lineage in Wayne county and it is safe to say that no family has been more closely in touch with the trend of events here in all the phases of development than those who bear this name, for they have not labored alone for their individual advancement, but also for the general good, thereby winning the highest esteem of all with whom they came into contact. One of the best-known members of the family today is Wellrose Hunter, who was born in East Union township, Wayne county, April 28, 1870, the son of Henry and Mary J. (Orr) Hunter. Henry Hunter was born in East Union township in 1844 and he has spent his life in this locality, residing now in Orrville, this county. He has seen the country develop from a wilderness to its present prosperity, and he himself took no small part in the upbuilding of the same, receiving his just reward for labor thus expended.
Wellrose Hunter was the oldest of a family of three children, the other two children being Nola and Della, the latter the wife of Will Wright. The subject of this sketch was reared on the home farm in East Union township, where he began working when merely a boy. When he became of proper age he attended the district schools in his native vicinity during the winter months until he was twenty years of age, receiving a very good education for he always applied himself in a very careful manner. . He very early de- cided to devote his life to farming and he has certainly made a success of the same, now operating as fine land as Greene township can boast, which
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he rents, and upon which he conducts a general farming business, and he is also interested in the feeding of heavy draft horses, which he buys, feeds and sells, no small part of his annual income being derived from this source, for he is a good judge of that kind of animal and knows how to handle them.
Mr. Hunter was married in 1899 to Magdalena Warfel, daughter of David Warfel, a well-known citizen of this county, and this union has re- sulted in the birth of the following four children: Russel, who is nine years old at this writing; Irene and Arline, twins, born in April, 1903; Harry was born in February, 1907.
Mr. and Mrs. Hunter are members of the Lutheran church in East Union township where they are faithful attendants. Politically, Mr. Hunter is a Republican, and of recent years he has taken a very active part in his party's affairs,-in fact, he is always interested in whatever tends to the development of his community and is always ready to lend a helping hand.
DUDLEY S. ORR.
The record of Dudley S. Orr is that of a man who by his own unaided efforts worked his way from a modest beginning to a position of comparative affluence and influence in the agricultural affairs of East Union township, Wayne county. His life has been of unceasing industry and perseverance and the systematic and honorable methods which he has followed have won him the unbounded confidence of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Orr was born in East Union township, this county, December 20, 1874, and he has achieved success at a much earlier age than most men, being yet young in years but ripe in experience. He is the son of W. C. and Mary B. (Bott) Orr; the father was born in East Union township, Wayne county, Ohio, and he was reared here and married in this vicinity and has spent his life here. He and his wife became the parents of three children, namely : Laura, wife of Harry Jameson, of Apple Creek; Ida, who mar- ried a Mr. Mccullough, is deceased.
Dudley S. Orr was reared on the home farm in East Union township, which he worked when very young during the summer season, attending the winter term of schools in that district in the meantime, but he managed to get a very good education which has since been greatly supplemented by general home reading and observation by coming in contact with the world.
When but a young man he started in life for himself and adopted farm-
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ing, which line of endeavor he has always followed, and, being a hard worker and quick to see the trend of events, he has been very successful as an agri- culturist and stock raiser. He now owns a neat little farm of thirty-seven acres where he lives and another of fine soil south of his home place in East Union township, the latter farm consisting of ninety-three acres. He has a very cozy home and a good orchard and garden,-in fact, everything to make life on a farm desirable.
Mr. Orr was married to Bertha Carson, daughter of John Carson, a well- known citizen in his community, their wedding occurring in the fall of 1895, Mrs. Orr was born in the state of Pennsylvania, and when sixteen years of age she came to Wayne county, Ohio, with her parents. To Mr. and Mrs. Orr six children have been born, named as follows: Donald, Ross, Velma, Wilbur, Cloyce and Rene.
Politically, Mr. Orr is a Republican, and he and his family are well liked by all who know them, owing to their pleasant demeanor in mingling with both stranger and neighbor.
LEVI S. RUDY.
Prominent among the worthy representatives of the pioneer element that cleared the wilderness which covered the rich soil of Wayne county and developed therefrom as fine farms as any state in the Union can boast, is the Rudy family, who were also prominent in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, before migrating westward, and of the descendants of the same, Levi S. Rudy, the well-known agriculturist and stock raiser of Sugar Creek town- ship, is a representative and worthy of a conspicuous place in the present volume. For many years he has been a forceful factor in the growth and prosperity of the same, and as such his name and reputation have extended far beyond the limits of the locality in which the greater part of his life has been spent. He is the son of David Rudy and the grandson of Chris- tian Rudy, who came to Ohio in 1832, a detailed history of each of whom is to be found in the sketch of David Rudy, on another page of this work. Levi S. Rudy was born in Greene township, Wayne county, near Orrville, October 8, 1843. He worked on the home farm and attended the neighbor- ing schools during the winter months, attending school in Orrville and Sugar Creek township, and received a very good education. He remained under the parental rooftree until 1864, when he could no longer repress his patriotic
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pride, and enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteers, and he did very creditable duty until his enlistment expired, four months later, having during that period acted as guard at Fort Ethan Allen and Fort Marcy. Returning to the home farm, he worked on the same until his marriage, in the spring of 1867, to Eliza E. Erwin, who was born in Sugar Creek township in April, 1846. After this event he rented his father's farm two years and then purchased the farm and there remained for a period of forty years. He prospered from the first, the place con- sisting of one hundred and sixty-three acres, on which he made all the im- provements, and it is safe to say that no richer soil and no better improved farm is to be found in Sugar Creek township. It has been so skillfully man- aged that abundant harvests are reaped from year to year and the original fertility of the soil has been retained. He has been a hard working man, and no small part of his ample competency has been gained through the successful handling of livestock, especially horses, which he buys, feeds and sells, no trouble being experienced in making sales owing to the fine quality of the animals he handles. being an excellent judge of a horse. He has on the farm a beautifully located home which is cozy and well furnished, and everything about the place shows that a gentleman of good taste and excel- lent judgment has its management in hand. In fact, no more progressive and up-to-date agriculturist could be found within the prescribed limits of Wayne county. Mr. Rudy built a fine new residence, located a half mile east of Dal- ton, into which he moved in the spring of 1909.
To Mr. and Mrs. Levi S. Rudy three sons have been born, namely : Clyde, 1874; Guy, 1875; Merle, 1885. All received a good high school and collegiate education and are well launched in business affairs.
Mr. Rudy is a member of the Presbyterian church at Dalton, this county, being one of the ruling elders of the same and active in its various lines of work, also a liberal supporter of the church, and takes an interest in Sun- day school work. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic post at Dal- ton. Politically he is a Republican. He is held in high esteem by all who know him for his public spirit, his exemplary life and his genial disposi- tion and generous nature.
WILLIAM HOSTETTLER.
A man who is eminently deserving of a place in this work is William Hostettler, partly because he is the representative of an excellent old family and partly because of his pronounced success in life in the face of obstacles
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that would have made many another man falter, if not entirely overwhelmed him. He is a native of Holmes county, which adjoins Wayne on the south, his birth occurring October 26, 1844, the son of Christian Hostettler, who was born in canton Berne, Switzerland, January 1, 1801. He became a promi- nent veterinary surgeon and later a practicing physician. He married Mar- garet Pauli in 1822, and in 1834 they came to America, the voyage being a long and tedious one owing to the primitive methods of ocean-going ves- sels at that time, the trip requiring thirty-one days. They had heard of the great opportunities that existed in Holmes county, Ohio, and at once came here and purchased a piece of land, which Doctor Hostettler improved in connection with his practice of medicine, in time becoming well fixed in reference to the material things of life. His first wife died and he was mar- ried again in 1852, his last wife having been known in her maidenhood as Magdalena Hebiza. The Doctor became the father of nine children by his first wife and seven by his second; they were: Elizabeth, John, Joseph, Anna, Ulrich, Barbara, Peter, Mary, William, Susan, Amelia, Fred, Caroline and Daniel.
William Hostettler was reared on the farm in Holmes county and when ten years of age moved with his two brothers to East Union township. He received a somewhat limited education in the common schools, principally after he came to Wayne county. When fifteen years of age he worked on a farm by the month, and thereby got a start in life. He was married March 16, 1875, to Mary A. Blosser, a sister of P. S. Blosser. The Blossers have long been a highly respected family in this locality. Mr. and Mrs. Hostettler have had no children of their own, but, out of the kindness of their hearts. they reared a girl, Fairy T. D. Nusbaum, to the age of thirteen years, her death occurring in 1892.
Mr. and Mrs. Hostettler started out in life with but little of this world's goods ; they rented land for six years, and, being hard workers and econom- ical, they were enabled to save enough beyond living expenses to buy a farm in Sugar Creek township, consisting of eighty acres, a part of which they went in debt for, but, prospering here, the place has been paid for and greatly im- proved, and here they have made a very comfortable living and have a cozy home and everything in the way of livestock, poultry and small fruits that their needs require. However, they are now making their home in Dalton. where they own one and one-half acres, but Mr. Hostettler keeps in close touch with his farm. He has laid by an ample competency for his declining years. In politics he is a Democrat, but he does not take a very active inter-
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est in political affairs. He and his wife are members of the Reformed church at Mount Eaton, this county. They are highly respected by the congrega- tion of this church and by all with whom they have come into contact, for their lives have been led along worthy lines.
WILLIAM D. KOSIER.
Many of the best and most progressive citizens of Wayne county, Ohio, are of German and Irish descent and of this class William D. Kosier is de- serving a place in the county's history owing to his life of industry and honor. He was born in Dalton, Sugar Creek township, this county, in 1849, the son of George and Sarah (Wilson) Kosier, natives of Shippensburg, Pennsyl- vania, who came to Dalton, this county, in 1854. William D. Kosier's pa- ternal grandparents came to America from Germany and his maternal grand- parents came from Ireland. George Kosier, father of William D., was an undertaker and cabinetmaker in Dalton, Ohio, for a period of forty years, having been very successful in his line. He and his wife each died at the age of eighty-four years. The father was a Republican and a loyal Union man, and the paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Mexican war. To George Kosier and wife the following children were born: Mary Wadsworth, Sarah, Alice, Bertha, William D. (subject), Frank, George and Charles. the last named being deceased.
Alexander Wilson, brother of Mrs. George Kosier, moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1861 and there followed the trade of coppersmith, being at that time the only skilled artisan in his line there, and he conducted a large busi- ness. Four of his sons went through the Civil war in the Federal army and they were later successful business and professional men in St. Paul.
William D. Kosier, of this review, was educated at Dalton, this county, and early in life began carpentering and contracting, and for eight years he was a lumber dealer. In 1894 he bought the farm he now owns, which con- sists of one hundred and twenty acres, in Chippewa township, south of Easton. It is one of the best in the neighborhood and has been so managed as to yield rich reward for the labor expended upon it. Since purchasing this place Mr. Kosier has devoted his attention exclusively to his agricultural and stock-rais- ing pursuits, making a specialty of Holstein cattle, and he also keeps an ex- cellent grade of other stock, for which he always finds a ready market, his place, which is widely known as the Champion Hill Stock Farm, being one of the "show" places in this vicinity.
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Mr. Kosier was married on March 18, 1875, to Susan Echard, daughter of Peter and Margaret ( Hartman ) Echard, who came to this country from Baden, Germany, in 1830. They lived three years in Chambersburg, Penn- sylvania, then settled two miles south of Dalton, Wayne county, Ohio; how- ever, they spent some time in Chippewa township before going to Sugar Creek township. Peter Echard bought timber land here and cleared it, on which he farmed extensively and became well-to-do. To Mr. and Mrs. Kosier the fol- lowing citizens have been born : Elma, now Mrs. G. H. Houser ; Emma, who married Reuben Messer; Merwin, Ray and Ralph.
Mr. Kosier is a Republican in politics ; he has been school director in Chippewa township and he was a member of the city council of Dalton for a period of twelve years. In 1904 he was elected director of the infirmary, but he did not know that he was on the ticket until after the election. He is a Republican and always active in the party, and in all positions of public trust in which he has been placed he has never betrayed the confidence of his con- stituents, but has made a most efficient, careful and conservative official. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and the former has been identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows since 1874.
DAVID RUDY.
Among the citizens of Sugar Creek township, Wayne county, who have built up a comfortable home and surrounded themselves with large evidences of their thrift and ingenuity, few have attained a greater degree of success or won a higher place in the citizenship of the community than David Rudy, a member of one of the old and prominent families of this section of the Buckeye state. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where mem -. bers of the family have been well known for a century and a half, the date of his birth being given as December 21, 1816. Thus his life has been pro- longed well toward the century mile-post, and now in its golden evening it is a blessing to all those who come into contact with this upright and useful patriarch-a link between the primitive past and the opulent present. He is the son of Christian and Barbara ( Mayers) Rudy, the former born Decent- ber 1, 1790, and the latter born on September 27, 1793, both in Lancaster. Pennsylvania. On October 9. 1834. Christian Rudy came to Wayne county, Ohio, and located where the north edge of Dalton now extends, purchasing
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ninety acres, on which the family remained until the spring of 1835, when they moved on the farm where David L. Rudy now lives. He secured a good piece of land, which he greatly improved, making a comfortable home, and he became prosperous, being an up-to-date farmer for his day, finally becoming the owner of most of the land adjoining the town of Dalton, in all eight hundred and forty-four acres. He also became the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of land in Iowa. He is remembered as a very liberal man, doing many acts of kindness for his neighbors. He was a mem- ber of the Mennonite church, and politically a Whig, later a Republican when that party was organized. The death of this excellent man occurred on July 13, 1875, and that of his wife on October 3, 1858. They had a large family, David Rudy, subject of this biographical review, being the second in order of birth. He was a young man when he came with his parents to Wayne county, Ohio. Here he assisted in clearing the land secured by his father, attending the common schools during a brief time each winter until he had obtained a fairly good education for those early days, most of his education having been secured in Pennsylvania. He soon devoted all his attention to farming. He delights to tell of the removal of the family from their old home in Lancaster county to Wayne county, the trip overland being made with a five-horse team which he drove. He assisted with the work on the farm until he was twenty-three years of age.
Mr. Rudy was married on January 15, 1839, to Mary Martin, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, September 9, 1819. Soon after- wards David's father gave him one of his farms, consisting of one hundred and twenty-eight acres, on which he and his bride settled; prospering, they added ninety acres to the same, where the city of Orrville now stands, and at this writing Mr. Rudy is the owner of two hundred acres of fine land where he now resides in Sugar Creek township. He operated a threshing ma- chine very successfully for some time. In 1852 he bought his present farm and in 1853 moved on the same. He met with the misfortune to lose his right leg in 1855, it being caught in the threshing machine, but notwithstand- ing this handicap he managed to farm until his boys were large enough to carry on the work.
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