USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 53
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She came to Wapakoneta in 1849, and boarded with John J. Rickley, who had been elected county treasurer of Auglaize county. Mrs. Layton states that the old church in which she taught was built mainly by James Elliott, in 1838. "It was a pretty good building for the time, but quite unpretentious in appearance. But it proved to be a very useful church, as it was used by all the Protestant denominations in town for years, and also for school and court."
At the close of a three months' term at Wapakoneta, she engaged to teach a term of school in what was then known as the Crow Settlement. Her reputation as an efficient teacher, by that time, became known all over the county. She received more invitations to teach than she could accept. A Methodist protracted meeting was held in that neighborhood during the winter, at which time she joined that denomination, and of which she has been a consistent member for more than fifty years. She next taught a term of school in the Burke district, five miles north of Wapakoneta. In 1850 she taught school in the Berryman district.
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near Fort Amanda. The school was considered a hard one to govern, and she was employed to teach it on account of her known ability as a disciplinarian. It is needless to say that she taught the school to the satisfaction of her patrons. The Whet- stones, Berrymans, and Richardsons were among the patrons of the school. One of the incidents that she recalls to mind is that Russell Berryman came into the schoolhouse on Christmas Day, carrying a three-bushel bag filled with delicious apples, and emptied them on the middle of the floor, and invited the teacher and children to help themselves. This was her last term of school. In May, 1851, she was married to W. V. M. Layton, of this county. To them were born five sons and one daughter as follows: Cyrenius A., Florence, Otho, Clarence, Bernard, and Leslie. Bernard is the only surviving member.
Colonel Layton died in 1879, since which time she has resided on West Benton street. She has been a dutiful wife and an indulgent mother, beloved by all her children.
"BENJAMIN LINZEE, Judge of the Probate Court of Auglaize county, was born in Athens, this State, September 24, 1828. He is the son of Robert and Electa (Reynolds) Linzee, natives. respectively, of Virginia and New York states. His paternal grandfather, William Linzee, who was born in Belfast, Ireland, emigrated to this country as early as 1769, at which time he located in Virginia. He came to this country on the same vessel as did Colonel Crawford, the latter of whom located in Pennsyl- vania.
"William Linzee was a farmer by occupation, and had but one brother. The father of our subject came to this State in 1792, and put on the first shingled roof in the State of Ohio, the work being done for Colonel Putnam at Marietta. He also constructed the first macadamized road in the State, which was completed in 1818, and led from Athens to Marietta. At the time of accepting the contract for this work, he was only eighteen years of age, but a first-class carpenter.
"Robert Linzee, on removing to Hocking Valley, cleared up a farm in that section, where he resided until October, 1831, which was the date of his removal with his family to St. Mary's, Auglaize county. Here he located on the north side of the Reservoir, where he was residing at the time of his decease, which
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occurred January 31, 1851. His wife, who had borne him five children, preceded him to the better land by a number of years, having died in February, 1832.
"Judge Benjamin Linzee is the eldest of the three surviving children of the parental family, his brother and sister being Andrew J., and Ruth, Mrs. Dr. Riley. He was a lad of nine years when he was brought to this county, and was reared to manhood by his father, his mother having died when he was quite young. He carried on his primary studies in the best schools which that day afforded, supplementing the knowledge gained therein, however, by a course in a select school at Piqua.
"He of whom we write grew to manhood on his father's farm, which he aided in clearing and placing under excellent tillage. When reaching his majority, he left the parental roof, and when twenty-three years of age was elected to the responsible position of treasurer of Mercer county, the duties of which office he performed most acceptably for nine years. Coming to Wapa- koneta in 1867, Mr. Linzee embarked in the hardware business, which branch of mercantile trade he followed for three successive years. Then, determining to make the profession of law his calling in life, he read law under the most eminent jurists of the place, and in 1882 was admitted to the bar. He practiced his profession successfully until 1888, when he was elected to his present office, which position he has filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the public. Judge Linzee is one of the oldest citizens in the county, and is well and favorably known through- out its boundary.
"In 1848 Frances Timmonds, who was born August 5, 1831, became the wife of our subject, and of their union have been born two children, only one of whom is living, Katherine, the widow of Rev. I. G. Hall. In social matters, the Judge is a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. and being a man of strong convictions, does not hesitate to express them freely and frankly with all the vigor he can command. The usual amount of praise and fault-finding has been measured out to him as Judge, but his character as a man of honor, integrity, and public spirit has never been questioned."
After the publication of the foregoing sketch in the Bio- graphical Record of Auglaize, Logan, and Shelby Counties, Judge Linzee completed his nine years of service as Probate Judge,
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when he resumed his law practice. Three years ago (1900) he withdrew from practice, and since that time has given his atten- tion to the cultivation of his farm and to his oil interests.
WILLIAM RICHARDSON, the subject of this sketch, was born in Montgomery county, Virginia, in 1765. His boyhood was passed during the exciting times of Indian wars and the Ameri- can Revolution. At the age of seventeen he served as scout and soldier in the Indian border wars of western Virginia and Penn- sylvania. Later, he served two years on the skirmish line in the Revolutionary War. He was a cousin of General Anthony Wayne, their mothers having been Mattie and Nancy Hiddens. He has the reputation of having been married seven times. His first wife was a Miss Mary Adney, whom he married in 1784, and who died in 1811. In 1812 he entered Harrison's army and served during the war, with the exception of two or three months. In 1815 he married Catharine Millhouse, a sister of Barbara Dillbone, who, with her husband, had been murdered by three Shawnee Indians. Richardson avenged the death of Mr. and Mrs. Dillborne by shooting the three murderers. Two of the Indians were killed near Piqua in Miami county - the third paying the death penalty on the Auglaize River two miles north of Buckland in. Auglaize county. Richardson was a man of powerful physique and of great endurance. The indulgence of his appetite led to many quarrels and fights. It is said of him that "he would rather fight than eat." Owing to his pugilistic proclivities, he was called Rowdy Richardson. During the last twenty years of his life he resided at Hamar, Paulding county, Ohio. He died in that village at the advanced age of one hun- dred and nine years, from injuries received in breaking a colt.
DANIEL LANDON RICHARDSON, a son of William Richardson, whose biography appears in this work, was one of the oldest residents of Auglaize county, and one of the largest property owners in Logan township, where he lived for many years before moving to Wapakoneta. He was born in Shelby county, Ohio, August 17, 1816. He married Miss Agnes Francis in 1835, and commenced housekeeping in Franklin county, Ohio, where he resided for eleven years In 1846 he moved to Logan township, where he purchased a large tract of land on the Auglaize River,
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and developed a farm. Here he resided until 1875, when he moved to Wapakoneta.
In 1844 he entered the ministry of the Christian Church, and traveled for years on horseback through the wilds of this section of the State, preaching to the people wherever he could get them together, in the woods or in their cabins, there being no churches in those days.
Elder Richardson died March 15, 1891, and was buried in Green Lawn Cemetery. A handsome monument, erected by himself, marks his resting place.
FREDERIC SALLADE was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 30, 1815. He was of French extraction, his ancestors having settled in the city of Quebec, but who afterward moved to Philadelphia. While yet a youth, he was apprenticed to Andrew Suber, of Philadelphia, to learn the blacksmithing trade. After completing his apprenticeship he worked for a time at Wheeling when that county was yet in the Old Dominion. While residing at Wheeling he married Miss Harriet Roberts, of Potts- ville, Pennsylvania. The issue of this union was three children : Frederick (deceased), Emma (wife of Thompson ), and Catharine (wife of L. N. Blume). About 1842 he moved to Columbus, Ohio, where he entered into partnership with Mr. Neil, who was proprietor of a livery stable and a blacksmith shop. Mr. Neil afterward built what is known in Columbus as the Neil House.
After working at his trade in Columbus until 1852, he joined a company of twenty men in April of that year, who left Colum- bus to seek for fortunes in the gold fields of California. They boarded a steamboat at Cincinnati, and reached St. Joseph, Mis- souri, April 14th. Here they spent twenty-four days in prepara- tion for the long overland journey. On the 8th of May the company left St. Joseph and followed the trail over which thou- sands of men had passed within the two years previous. In that year the cholera prevailed along the Missouri River and the great trail. Hundreds of men died of that plague and were buried along the road. Mr. Sallade states in his journal that graves were to be seen every few miles along the entire length of the trail. His journal contains graphic descriptions of the country and incidents that occurred on the journey. The danger of an
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attack by Indians was constantly before them. Before the start from St. Joe, a member of the company (- Ice, from near West Minster, Allen county) boasted that he intended to shoot the first Indian that he should see. When they were three days out, they met a band of mounted Indians, who were desirous of buying whiskey and tobacco. As the travelers had neither article for sale, the Indians departed in the direction of St. Joe. As soon as the red men were out of sight, Ice was reminded of his declara- tion, and charged with a want of courage. Irritated by the amusement of the company, he asserted that he would kill the first redskin that should come in sight. On the following day they met an Indian squaw and five children. Upon their near approach the squaw was instantly killed by a ball from Ice's rifle. The rash act was a surprise to the company, and was followed by grave apprehensions of being overtaken by Indians seeking revenge. Their fears were realized the next day, when they were overtaken and surrounded by more than two hundred Indians. A demand was made for the surrender of the man who had killed the squaw. In obedience to justice, he was sur- rendered to the Indians, and flayed alive by them in presence of the company. After the barbarous execution, the company was permitted to proceed on their journey. Though the country along the trail teemed with Indians, the company was not molested further by them. At the end of five months and eight days of continuous travel, the company reached Marysville in the Sacra- mento alley. Soon after their arrival at that point, Mr. Sallade found employment at blacksmithing at a hundred dollars per month for three months. At the termination of his engagement he became a prospector and gold digger for fourteen years.
After his departure from Columbus his family moved to his farm in Auglaize county, located a mile and a half north of Wapakoneta. Within the fourteen years of his sojourn in Cali- fornia, he visited his family twice. Upon his final return, he brought with him eighteen thousand dollars in gold. Soon after his return he engaged in the cultivation of his farm, in which vocation he continued for several years. In 1869 the family moved to Wapakoneta, where the mother died in 1875. Two years afterward Mr. Sallade married Mrs. Sarah Jane Crow, who was a faithful and dutiful wife to him during the remainder of his life.
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Mr. Sallade was a gentleman of exemplary character, and highly respected by all who knew him. He was an enterprising citizen, and always anxious to promote any measure that would advance the interests of the community. For over forty years he was a consistent member of the Methodist Church. His wife, who still survives him, has also been a member of that denomina- tion for many years.
Mr. Sallade died April 10, 1895.
ROBERT J. SKINNER, one of the early and most respected citizens of Wapakoneta, was born in Virginia in 1788. He estab- lished the first Democratic paper published in Dayton, Ohio, the first number of which was issued in December, 1816. This paper was continued by him until 1830, in which year he removed to Piqua, and established in that town the first Democratic press. In 1832, having received the appointment from President Jackson of Receiver of the United States Land Office at Wapakoneta, he moved his family to that town, and continued a resident of the place until June, 1849; when, being on a visit with part of his family at the house of a married daughter in Dayton, himself, wife, daughter and son, composing all the visitors, were attacked with the cholera, which prevailed in the city at the time, and in one week the four died of the disease. Mr. Skinner was. a man of positive character, of great enterprise, and a most useful citizen. He represented Montgomery county, of which Allen county formed a part, in the General Assembly, at the sessions of 1828-29.
JOHN H. TIMMERMEISTER, the subject of this sketch, was; born near Osnabrueck, in the province of Hanover, Germany .. April 13th, 1831. He started to learn the tinner trade in the spring of 1845, and served an apprenticeship of four years from that date. After the four years had elapsed, he worked at his trade until July 9th, 1851, when he left the fatherland and sailed for the United States. He arrived at New York City in Sep- tember, and remained in the city about four years, working at his trade a portion of the time, and part of the time selling goods. Mr. Timmermeister came to Wapakoneta in July, 1855, and was soon engaged as a salesman in .O. T. Dieker's dry goods store He continued in Mr. Dieker's employ until the spring of 1859,
41 HAC
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when he commenced business for himself, under the firm name of J. H. Timmermeister & Co.
Mr. Timmermeister not only succeeded as a merchant, but in every enterprise to which he lent his time and talent. He was one of the organizers of the Wapakoneta Wheel Company, and was president of the company from its organization to the date of his death. He was also a stockholder and director in the First National Bank. In 1885 he erected the large brick block, the first floor of which has since been occupied by his department stores, and the second floor by the well-known Timmermeister Opera House.
On the 22d of August, 1859, Mr. Timmermeister was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Machetanz. Of this marriage nine children were born, of whom William C. Timmermeister, Mrs. Bertha Herbst, Mrs. Carrie Mead, Mrs. Louise Rogers, Miss Emma, and Karl are living.
Mr. and Mrs. Timmermeister were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, and were active members in the establishment of that denomination in Wapakoneta.
Mr. Timmermeister died October 29th, 1902.
H. W. TAEUSCH. Among the many enterprises necessary to complete the commercial resources of a town or city, none is of more importance than that of the grocer, as being one of the main factors in the furnishing of our food supplies. Promi- nent in this trade is the establishment of Mr. H. W. Taeusch, which is one of the most complete in its line in the city. This gentleman was born in the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar, Ger- many, November 29, 1825, and his parents, Caroll W. and Sophia E. (Steinmetz) Taeusch, were natives of the same place.
In 1835 the parents of our subject emigrated to America, and landed in Baltimore, where they remained for a short time, and then with wagon they went from there to Cincinnati. At the latter place they disposed of their teams and went by boat to St. Louis. Not being satisfied with the country, they came back as far as Louisville, Kentucky, remained there a few weeks, and then again entered the city of Cincinnati. Still later they went to Miamisburgh, Ohio, and while there heard of the rapid filling up of the Wapakoneta country, the Indians having just been driven out. In the fall of 1835 they came to what is now Auglaize
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county, and purchased eighty acres of land, one and one-half miles southwest of Wapakoneta. This was covered with timber at that time, and after clearing a small portion, a rude log cabin with clapboard roof was erected. The cracks were plastered with mud, the clapboards were weighted down with poles, and in this primitive manner Mr. Taeusch and family began their career as pioneers. As years passed by, they gradually began to gather around them many of the comforts and conveniences of life, and as improvement after improvement was made on the place, it soon became a very attractive and pleasant home.
Mr. Taeusch inherited all the thrift and energy of his German ancestors, and it was not long before the humble log cabin was supplanted by a comfortable hewn-log house, which at that time and day was considered one of the finest in the country. In this the father's death occurred in 1863. The mother had passed away in 1851. While a resident of the Old Country, Mr. Taeusch was a very prominent man, and held the office which we call county treasurer. This position is a Government office in Ger- many, and he held this for over twenty years. Mr. and Mrs. Taeusch were the parents of one son and two daughters, as fol- lows: Mena, who married Mr. Everett, and remained in Ger- many, is now deceased; the other daughter, Charlotte, became the wife of John Rummel, and is now a resident of Kentucky.
The original of this notice was about nine years of age when he came with his parents to this country, and he well remembers the voyage across the briny deep. After settling with his parents in Auglaize county, Ohio, he assisted them in clearing the farm and making improvements, and thus acquired habits of industry and perseverance, which have remained with him through life. He received a common-school education, but his advantages were not of the best, for he was obliged to work hard, as he was the main hand on the farm of his father. The principal part of his education was received from his father, who was a man of intel- ligence, and his record is an example of what can be accomplished by ambitious and intelligent young men, whose only fortune at first consists of good health, energy, integrity, and firmness of purpose.
After the death of the father, our subject continued on the farm until 1866, when he removed to Wapakoneta with his brother-in-law, and engaged in the provision business under the
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firm name of Fisher & Taeusch, which continued until the spring of 1870, when they sold out with the intention of locating in the Lone Star State. After reaching that State, they settled for a short time in Austin, but subsequently returned to Wapakoneta, where our subject bought and built his present fine residence. In 1873 he opened a grocery store, and this he has carried on success- fully ever since. He is one of the leading grocers of the place. always keeps a fresh and attractive stock of goods, and has a very large trade. He owns a farm near Wapakoneta, and is a. prosperous and substantial citizen. He has several times been nominated for office, but as he is on the minority side, he has never been elected.
In the year 1853 he married Miss Julia Miller, who bore him seven children, five of whom are living, viz .: Henry C., who owns an interest in the store; Sophia, John, Lizzie and Sarah. Mrs. Taeusch died in January, 1869. On the 7th of December, 1872, our subject was married to Miss Mary Frische, a native of Hanover, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Taeusch are faithful mem- bers of the Lutheran Church.
W. F. TORRENCE, superintendent of public. schools and auditor of Auglaize county, was born in Essex county, New York, February 3d, 1836. He grew to manhood on a farm. He became a prominent teacher in his native county and was also engaged in merchandising previous to his removal to Ohio in 1867. In that year he secured the superintendency of the schools in St. Mary's, where he continued for eleven years, going then to a like position at New Bremen, where he remained until his removal to Wapakoneta in the fall of 1883 to assume his duties. as county auditor. He served in this capacity almost seven years, retiring in September, 1890. He was for many years one of the county school examiners, and was throughout his life closely identified with educational work, and especially so in this county during his sixteen years' residence in St. Mary's and New Bremen.
Mr. Torrence was married in 1858 to Miss Diadema C. Wood, also a native of New York. To them were born eight children, four of whom are living : Minnie, the oldest, is now Mrs. Duvall, of Salt Lake, Utah; Carl W., Mattie and Harry.
Mr. Torrence was an active member of the Methodist Epis-
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copal Church all his life, and was a sincere, earnest Christian man. In religion as in other matters he was a man of strong convictions and possessed of the courage and ability to maintain them.
Mr. Torrence was a man of great energy and capacity, and was successful as an instructor, as a public officer, and as a business man. He was widely known and highly respected. He died May 5th, 1896.
ST. MARY'S TOWNSHIP.
This township, as near as can be ascertained from official records, was organized in 1824, and is the oldest permanently settled portion of the county. The entire settlement of the township, prior to that date was centered at the St. Marys trading post. In 1820 the entire population did not exceed twenty. Four years later the tax duplicate numbered twenty-nine, and the total amount of taxes collected amounted to $26.64.
St. Marys became the seat of justice of Mercer county in 1824, and so remained until 1840, when Celina became the county seat.
Hon. Joseph H. Crane as president judge, held the first term of court in the fall of 1824. Court was held in such rooms as could be obtained until 1828. In March of that year the county commissioners entered into a contract with W. McClung for the erection of a two-story frame court house, twenty by twenty-four feet on lot 27, at a cost of $291.49. The settlement for the con- truction of the building took place, March 2d, 1829, and the lot was valued at $40.
A jail was afterward built on the corner of Spring and Main streets.
St. Marys township is bounded on the north by Noble town- ship, east by Washington township and Shelby county; south by German township, and west by Mercer county, and contains thirty-six sections. A portion of sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17 and 18 are covered by the St. Mary's reservoir. The principal part of the township is drained by the east branch, the center branch and the west branch of the St. Marys river. The Miami canal passes through sections 35, 36, 23, 14, II, and 3 in each of which there is a lock. The lands adjacent to the great reservoir and along
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the St. Marys river and its tributaries are unsurpassed in their fertility.
A Shawnee village, located at the junction of the three branches of the St. Marys river, was a noted locality as early as. 1782. In that year the noted outlaw, James Girty, established a store here, and on that account the place became known as Girty's town.
James, George, Simon and Thomas were sons of Simon Girty, Sr., who settled in western Pennsylvania, in 1749. "He was killed in a drunken frolic, by an Indian named "the Fish," at his home, about the ending of the year 1751. The killing of Girty was avenged by John Turner, who put an end to the existence of "the Fish." But Turner must have his reward ; and he married in Paxtong, early in 1753, Mrs. Girty the widow, a woman of unblemished character. After their marriage they moved to a point near Fort Granville in the western part of Pennsylvania. Soon after settling in the valley, the Turner family took refuge in the fort. In July, 1756, the fort was at- tacked by a party of twenty-three Frenchmen and thirty Indians. After a short resistance, its occupants were quickly hurried into the western wilderness. Among the number were Turner, his wife and children. Turner was recognized by the Indians as the one who had put an end to the existence of "the Fish." He was tortured at the stake for three hours, scalped while yet alive, and finally dispatched by a boy with a hatchet. Of the four sons, Thomas, Simon, James and George, - Thomas was rescued by Lieutenant Colonel John Armstrong, in an attack made after their capture of the fort."
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