USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 38
USA > Ohio > Morrow County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 38
USA > Ohio > Union County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 38
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Mr. Moody married Miss R. M. Colmery, who was born in Pennsylvania but who has been a resident of Morrow county from her early childhood, and they have a family of four, two sons and two daughters, namely: Jennie L., E. C., M. L. and Robert M. Jennie L. is the wife of J. F. McClaren, of Whetstone.
Like his father before him, Mr. Moody is a stanch Republican. He is a member of Wallace McNeal Post, No. 687, G. A. R., and he is also identified with the K. of P., U. V. L. and I. O. O. F. For many years he has been a Deacon in the Presbyterian Church. Thus in business, political, social and religious circles he is alike prominent and active, and he is as highly respected as he is well known.
C. KENNEDY, who is conspicuous as one of the successful farmers and honored war veterans of Union county, is a resident of his native county, since he was born in the vicinity of Milford Centre, July 9, 1840, son of Othias Kennedy, now deceased, a native of Penn- sylvania, and of Irish extraction. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Sarah Lee, and she was born in the Old Do- minion State. She is still living, being well advanced in years, and resides at Colling- wood, a suburb of the city of Cleveland. She became the mother of five children, of whom we make mention as follows: H. C., the immediate subject of this sketch; Harry B., who was a soldier in the late war, a member of Company F, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and who met his death in the service, having received a mortal wound, September 20, 1863, at Chicka- mauga; Hester; Anna, and Ella.
Henry C. Kennedy was reared to farm life on the parental homestead in this county, receiving his educational training in the public schools at Milford Centre. In his early manhood he devoted his attention to work as an engineer for some little time.
Young, ambitious and loyal, it was but natural that he should have been one of
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those brave boys who stood ready to take up arms in the nation's behalf, and on the Ist of June, 1861, he enlisted as a member of Company F, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served faithfully and with dis- tinction for a term of four years. He partici- pated in a number of the most notable bat. tles of the Rebellion, among which were the following: Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Stone Mountain, Franklin, Nashville and the memorable siege of Atlanta. While with his company in front of Atlanta he received a severe wound in the foot, from a frag- ment of flint rock upon which he jumped bare- footed with sufficient force to penetrate and pass through the foot, between the instep and toes. This wound continued to trouble him after he had returned home, and eventu- ally it was found necessary to amputate the foot. Mr. Kennedy was discharged from the service at San Antonio, Texas, and was one of a party of seven who made the long homeward journey from that State on horse- back. In 1879 he took up his residence on his present farm of fifty-five acres, in Union township, the place being under thorough cultivation and well improved, with a good dwelling and all essential outbuildings. The care and discriminating attention which our subject has given to the cultivation of his prolific little farm has resulted in his secur- ing goodly returns therefrom, and he is not one of the class who consider farming a failure.
Mr. Kennedy's marriage was celebrated in October, 1867, when he espoused Miss Caroline Stewart, a native of Union town- ship, and the daughter of James and Eliza- beth Stewart, the former being a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Virginia. They had eight children, namely: Emily Johnson, who met her death as the result of
an assassin's hand; Armeda; Americus; Car- oline, wife of our subject; Margaret, Ellen, Louisa and E. Taylor.
Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have had the fol- lowing named children: William R., who is a member of Company D, Ohio National Guard, and who accompanied his company to the scene of the great strike in the Ohio coal mines in the present year (1894), tak- ing part in a skirmish between the troops and the miners; Hattie A .; Edna; Norton Reed; James Oliver, who was drowned No- veinber 26, 1893, at the age of fourteen years; Orpheus, deceased, was the twin of James O .; Laura and Altina.
In politics our subject is a stanch Demo- crat, and religiously he and members of his family are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally Mr. Ken- nedy retains a membership in Ransom Reed Post, No. 113; G. A. R., of Marysville, said post having been named in honor of the first comrade killed in the company of which our subject was a member.
YMAN P. LEWIS, the Auditor of Delaware county, now living in the city of Delaware, is numbered among Ohio's native sons, his birth having occurred in Wyandot county, on the 7th of April, 1861. His parents, Loran P. and Mira S. (Dutton) Lewis, were also natives of the Buckeye State. The father made farming his principal profession and carried on agricultural pursuits in Marion and Wyandot counties until about 1870, when he moved to Upper Sandusky, Ohio. His death occurred on May 7, 1893. In their family were three children, two sons and a daughter,-Truman C., Etta I. and Lyman P.
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DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO.
The subject of this sketch received school privileges similar to those usually afforded farmers' sons but his training in other direc- tions, especially at the plow, was not limit- ed. He continued under the parental roof until eighteen years of age, when he began learning telegraphy, and when he had mas- tered the business he accepted a position as railroad telegraph operator in Upper San- dusky. There he continued for two years, after which he removed to Columbus, Ohio, where he was employed in the line of his profession for a short period. In October, 1882, he moved to Delaware, Ohio. From that time until July, 1893, he occupied a position as agent for the Hocking Valley Railroad Company.
On the 29th of June, 1882, Mr. Lewis was joined in wedlock with Miss Dora M. Bell, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Ady) Bell. After a married life of about ten years she was called to the home be- yond, dying on the 28th of May, 1892. She left two children, daughters, Maud and Myrtle.
It was in the same year that Mr. Lewis was elected to the position of County Audi- tor of Delaware county. He ran against a strong candidate of the opposing party, but won the election by the largest vote given any candidate in the county that year. His term of service extends through 1895. Al- though the youngest man who ever held a county office in Delaware county his ability and efficiency is recognized and much satis- faction has been expressed concerning his administration of affairs. He warmly ad- vocates Republican principles, and cham- pions the measures of the party with great. strength.
In his social relations Mr. Lewis is an Odd Fellow and also belongs to the Knights
of Pythias, the Royal Arcanum and the Order of Elks. He is a man of noble and generous impulses, of happy and hopeful disposition, and has the friendship and high regard alike of young and old, rich and poor.
0 AVID G. COOMER, a farmer of Lincoln township, Morrow county, is a son of Jonathan Coomer, born in Massachusetts in 1787. He was a farmer by occupation, a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a life-long member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His father, Benjamin Coomer, was born in North Prov- idence, Rhode Island, March 8, 1748, a son of Benjamin Coomer, Sr., born in Massa- chusetts in 1710, and the ancestor of the Coomer family in America. The mother of our subject, formerly Amanda Guernsey, was born in Connecticut, September 18, 1791, a daughter of Southmayd Guernsey. Jonathan Coomer was married July 4, 1813, while serving as a soldier in the war of 1812. They settled on his father's farm in Gorham, Ontario county, New York, but about 1818 located on a wild tract in Niag- ara county. He improved two farms in that county, and resided there until 1834; from that time until 1855 was a resident of Marlborough township, Delaware county, and in the latter year located on the farm where our subject now resides. He died January 18, 1856, and his widow survived until September 3, 1876. Jonathan Coomer and wife were the parents of seven children, six now living, viz .: David, the subject of this sketch; Dr. H. N., of Ashley, Ohio; Albert B., of Payne, Paulding county, this State; Erasmus D., deceased; Jonathan M .; Sabra D. Warner, of Van Buren county,
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MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
Michigan; and Alma R., wife of Henry Welch, who resides near Van Wert, Ohio.
David G. Coomer was born in Gorham, New York, August 7, 1814, and received his education principally in the district schools of Niagara county, also attending the high school in Lockport one term. At the age of twenty years he began teaching, and followed that occupation forty terms. Mr. Coomer remained with his father dur- ing the latter's lifetime. After his marriage he located and remained on his father's farm in Marlborough township, Delaware county, until 1855, and since that time has resided where he now lives. He owns twenty-two and a half acres of land. Previous to the civil war, Mr. Coomer was Lieutenant of a State militia company in Delaware county. In
political matters he is a stanch Republican, and served as Trustee of Lincoln township during the civil war. His father served as Justice of the Peace a number of terms in Marlborough township, Delaware county.
September 15, 1839, D. G. Coomer was united in marriage with Phoebe Clark, a · native of Delaware county, Ohio, and a daughter of Elihu and Mary (Keene) Clark, natives of New York. They came to Ohio as early as 1805 or 1806, locating near Worthington, Delaware county. The father died in Oxford township, same county, March 24, 1845, and the mother died Feb- ruary 11, 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Clark had thirteen children, all but one of whom grew to years of maturity, and four are now liv- ing, viz .: Mahiel L., James P., Phoebe and Sarah. The last is the wife of Mor- ris M. Coomer. David G. Coomer and wife have had seven children, five now liv- ing, as follows: James H. and Albert S., both deceased in the army; Chauncey D .; Mary Malvina, wife of Joel F. Caris; Henry
C .; Henrietta Eliza, wife of Frank Hoff- mire; Ida A., wife of Lonzo G. Caris. D. G. Coomer is a Universalist in faith, and his father, although for many years a Methodist, entertained the same doctrine for several years previous to his death.
S IDNEY FLEMING, one of the leading agriculturists of Brown township, Delaware county, Ohio, was born near Stantontown, in Peru township, Morrow county, Ohio, Au- gust 8, 1840, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Wyan) Fleming, and at the age of five years moved with his parents to the farm where he now lives. The father died on the old homestead at the age of seventy- eight years, one month and eight days. He was a farmer by occupation and a Democrat in his political views. The mother died at at the age of seventy-four years, nine months and twenty-five days.
Sidney, the youngest of seven children, was reared to farm labor and received his education in the district schools. August 13, 1862, at Lincoln's call for 300, 000 vol- unteers, he enlisted for service in the late war, entering Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Colonel Reed and Captain Samuel Sharp. He was first under fire at Perryville, Kentucky; next took part in the siege of Atlanta, Ga .; participated in the battles of Resaca, Rome, Kenesaw Moun- tain, Jonesboro, Bentonville, North Carc- lina, and was in Sherman's march to the sea, and through the Carolinas to Richmond, and on to Washington, District of Columbia, where he took part in the grand review. Re- ceiving his discharge, Mr. Fleming returned
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DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO.
to the old homestead. He now owns 139 acres of land, where he has all the necessary farm improvements.
At the age of twenty-eight years he was united in marriage with Lydia Mc Daniel, a daughter of Anderson McDaniel, of Morrow county, Ohio. She was a school teacher. They had three children: Harry W., aged twenty-two years; Freder- ick B., twenty-two years; and Mary Cynthia fourteen years. The wife and mother died August 30, 1887. She was a worthy mem- ber of the Adventist Christian Church. Mr. Fleming was again married, April 3, 1890, to Emma Clark, a native of Upper San- dusky, Ohio, and a daughter of Loyd and Hannah Clark, also of that place. In his political relations Mr. Fleming is a Dem- ocrat, and socially is a member of Ashley Post, No. 281, G. A. R.
DAM SHOEMAKER, deceased, was the first of the Shoemaker family to locate in central Ohio. He came West as early as 1820 and settled half a inile north of Ashley in what is now Morrow county, then Delaware county, on a tract of wild land 160 acres in
extent. His oldest son, John Shoemaker, had come out here the year before to pre- pare the way for the rest of the family and had built a log house containing one room. Into this cabin Mr. Shoemaker moved with his wife and eleven children, nine sons and two daughters.
Adam Shoemaker was born December 25, 1778, either near Bedford, Pennsylvania, or in Loudoun county, Virginia. His wife, née Jane Baker, was a native of Pennsyl- vania. Six of their children were born in Pennsylvania, four in Zanesville, Ohio, and
one in Delaware county, this State. Mr. Shoemaker was a man of sterling qualities. In his make-up were found the elements which constitute the true pioneer. In his political views he was first an old Jackson- ian Democrat and afterward a Whig. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and by his life exemplified the teach- ings of his church. He and his sons cleared the frontier farm on which they settled, and during his life the boys cleared up several other tracts of land. A brief record of the eleven children is as follows: John, who married Miss Jane Jenkins, a native of Virginia, was killed by a falling tree, in 1845, and left a family of six daughters and one son; Jacob, who married Elizabeth Walters, died about 1884, leaving a family of seven daughters and one son; Daniel, who married Harriet Smith, died at the age of thirty-six years, leaving two sons and two daughters; Jonathan and his wife, née Betsey Jenkins, had a family of six children, and the date of his death was 1883; Betsey, wife of Levi Barton, died, leaving a family of seven chil- dren; Joseph, who married Juliett Coomer and reared a family of seven children, is now eighty-four years of age and is a resi- dent of Ashley, Ohio; George, who married Margaret Flemming and had a family of eight children, died in April, 1894, at the age of eighty-one years; Samuel, now seventy-nine years of age and a resident of Cardington, Ohio, has been twice mar- ried, -first to Miss Ann Jones, by whom he had five children, and second to Miss Eliza Lotterige, by whom he had two children; Solomon, a resident of Whitley county, In- diana, and now seventy-five years of age, is married to Mixinda Salmon and has four children; Sally, wife of Ellis Powers, has four or five children and resides in Iowa;
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MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
and William, who died in Iowa, was twice married and had several children, his first wife being Mary McGonigle and his second wife Eliza Witham. The boys in this large family all followed farming, except Samuel, who was a carpenter. Probably no other family has done more toward bringing about the present development of Delaware county than has the Shoemaker. They not only cleared away the forest and tilled the soil, but they were also ready when duty called in another directions. Six of them were valiant soldiers in the civil war, one being in Company C, Twenty-sixth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, and the others in Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Most of the descend- ants of Adam Shoemaker, now numbered by the hundreds, are residents of Delaware and Morrow counties, and are among the most worthy citizens of their communities.
Milton B. Shoemaker, the third child of Daniel and Harriet (Smith) Shoemaker, was born on a farm in Oxford township, Dela- ware county, Ohio, March 21, 1839. His early life was not unlike that of other farmer boys of his time, his education being receiv- ed in the old log school house near his home. When he was seventeen he began to do for himself, and for one year he was engaged in butchering. Then he and his sister kept house together at the old homestead. In January, 1862, he married Matilda More- house, and two years later he removed to Ashley and engaged in the grocery and grain business, in company with T. M. Seeds. In 1866 they sold the grocery and in its stead opened up a stock of hardware. They continued the hardware and grain business until 1873, when Mr. Shoemaker sold out and turned his attention to milling. The firm of Shoemaker, Cole & Company erected
a flouring mill at Ashley, and under that name the mill was run until 1880, when J. B. Miller bought the interest of Mr. Cole and the name was changed to J. B. Miller & Company. In 1884 Mr. Shoemaker sold out, but February 2, 1889, he again became connected with the mill, having bought a half interest in it. The firm name is now Linn, Shoemaker & Company. In 1880 the mill was changed from a burr to a roller mill, it being the second roller mill in Ohio. Mr. Shoemaker is now travel- ing in the interest of the company, selling flour. The firm also deals in coal and grain.
Ever since he located in Ashley Mr. Shoemaker has been an important factor in its upbuilding. Indeed, few have done more to advance its interests than has he. He has made three additions to the town, these additions covering a tract of twenty-five acres. In 1887 he laid out a fine park of thirty acres, which was known as Shoe- maker's park until 1893, when he sold it to the Spiritualists for camp meeting and other gatherings. The first brick walk in the town was laid by him, and in 1865 he put up the first good dwelling in the town, this having a stone foundation under it. Since then he has erected three other good dwell- ings. He has all these years dealt consider- ably in real estate, both town and farm pro- perty. At this writing he is the owner of a fine farm of 106 acres adjoining the corpora- tion. He was one of the organizers of the Ashley Creamery and is a stockholder in the same.
Mr. Shoemaker was married in Delaware county, as above stated, and has a family of six children, namely: Herrod, who is a member of the firm of Linn, Shoemaker & Company; Bian L., a farmer of this county;
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DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO.
James Guy, a blacksmith and a resident of Prospect, Ohio; and Ruth, Walter and Vaughn, at home.
S AMUEL GORSUCH, a farmer of Harlem township, and an ex- soldier of the late war, was born in this township, January 28, 1835, a son of Ben and Margaret (Hill) Gorsuch, native respectively of Pennsylvania and Knox county, Ohio, and of Dutch and Irish ancestry. The parents came to Delaware county, Ohio, in 1830, locating in the dense woods of Harlem township, where they soon cleared a farm, and remained there until death. Mr. and Mrs Gorsuch had twelve children, viz : David, Rebecca, Caroline, Samuel, Sarah, John, Lamech, Margaret, Kerne, Phillip, and two deceased in in- fancy. Three of the sons were soldiers in the late war. John was a member of the Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, re- , enlisted after the expiration of his term of enlistment, and was wounded in the wrist. Phillip was a member of the Eighteenth United States Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, at the age of nineteen years. Ben Gorsuch was a life- long farmer, and was identified with the Democratic party.
Samuel Gorsuch, our subject, enlisted for service in the late war, September 23, 1861, entering Company E, Eighteenth United States Infantry, and received his discharge September 3, 1864. He partici- pated in the battles of Murfreesboro, Resaca, Rockyface Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Nashville, and in all the battles of the Atlanta campaign. He was wounded in the right leg at the battles of Murfrees- boro and Resaca. Mr. Gorsuch was dis-
charged from the army as Corporal. Re- turning home, he resumed the carpenter's trade, which he had followed since his nine- teenth year. He has erected many of the best houses and barns in this part of the county. Mr. Gorsuch now owns 303 acres of good and well-improved land in Harlem township, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising.
He was married at the age of twenty- nine years, to Emeline Bateson, a daughter of Jonathan and Eliza (McClellan) Bateson. To that union have been born six children, viz : Seth, at home; Mary E., Smith, Bateson, Milo and Tinsel, all popular and successful teachers. Mr. Gorsuch is an active worker in the Democratic party, has served as Justice of the Peace for many years, also as Trustee, as a member of the School Board, and has been a delegate to county conventions. Socially he is a mem- ber of the G. A. R.
A H. DEAN, a respected farmer of Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, postoffice address West Mansfield, is a native of this county and has been identified with it all his life.
Mr. Dean was born June 18, 1845, son of George Dean and grandson of John Dean, both early settlers of Ohio. John Dean was a veteran of the Revolutionary war. He came to the Western Reserve at an early day and spent the residue of his life in Union county. His remains rest in the old Mill Creek burying ground. His son George was but a boy when they came West, and on the frontier farm he was reared. He married Mary Henderson, a native of Lewis county, Kentucky, and after his marriage went to housekeeping in a log cabin in the woods.
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As the years passed by he cleared away the forest and developed a fine farm of 152 acres. He and his wife had six children, viz .: John, deceased; O. W., of Erie, Illi- nois; James, of Liberty township; Ellen, wife of M. Berner, Marion county, Ohio; D. A., West Mansfield; and A. H., whose name heads this article. The father died at the age of forty-nine years and the mother at the age of fifty-eight. Both were members of the Disciple Church and were held in high esteem by all who knew them.
A. H. Dean grew up on his father's farm, spending his summers in farm work and a portion of his winters in attending the dis- trict school. In 1863 he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, Colonel Robinson's old regi- ment, and was in the service for two years. He took part in the battles of the Atlanta campaign, and while in one engagement had his left thumb shot off. He spent four months in hospital at Nashville, Tennessee, after which he joined his regiment at Holly Springs, and in July, 1865, was honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky.
After the war Mr. Dean spent three years in work at the carpenter's trade, and since then he has given his attention to ag- ricultural pursuits. He has seventy-six acres of good land, well improved with good build- ings, fences, orchard, etc. He takes great pride in keeping a good grade of stock on his farm; is breeding some of the best Me- rino sheep in the county.
Mr. Dean was married in September, 1868, to Miss Malinda Shirk, daughter of Aaron and Rosanna (Tcby) Shirk, both de- ceased. She died June 9, 1875, leaving two children, namely: May, wife of C. Hollo- way, of York township, this county; and Harry, at home. February 8, 1877, Mr.
Dean wedded Miss Elizabeth Lane, daugh- ter of Levi and Mary (Skidmore) Lane, both of whom died in York township. This sec- ond marriage resulted in the birth of four children, two of whom are living, -Blanche M. and Herman G., aged thirteen and nine years respectively. The mother of these children died June 16, 1894. She was a worthy member of the Disciple Church, to which Mr. Dean also belongs, he being a Deacon in the church.
a HRISTOPHER MCCRACKEN, In- firmary Director at Chesterville, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 15, 1826, the second son of Joseph McCracken. When ten years of age Christopher came to Ohio, and attended the schools of Holmes county, completing his education at Chesterville at the age of nineteen years. He then learned and followed the blacksmith's trade in Franklin township, and afterward em- barked in the grocery business at Chester- ville two different times. He still occasion- ally works at his trade. In August, 1861, Mr. McCracken enlisted for service in the late war, entering Company A, Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the three years' service. At the close of his three years' service he veteranized at Vicksburg. He was first appointed Sergeant, later Or- derly Sergeant, and afterward promoted to First Lieutenant, serving in that capacity until the close of the struggle. He took part in all the battles in which his regiment participated, including Fort Donelson and both days at Shiloh. At Atlanta Mr. Mc Cracken was wounded in the left ear by the explosion of a shell. He was mustered out
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