USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > Portrait and biographical record of Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 63
USA > Ohio > Logan County > Portrait and biographical record of Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 63
USA > Ohio > Shelby County > Portrait and biographical record of Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 63
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Allen Justice, the father of our subject, was a native of Tazewell County, Va .; his mother. who
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bore the maiden name of Ellen Flummer, was the daughter of Samuel Flummer, a native of Virginia, being born near the head of the Blue Stone. The parents came to this State in 1834, traveling all the way from their native State to Ohio in a four- horse wagon. They made their home on section 15 of this township at a time when neighbors were few and far between, and the roads had not been laid out. Their farm, which comprised thirty-seven aeres, was soon cleared and placed under cultiva- tion, and so well did they succeed in their new home that they added to their original purchase, and resided upon the traet for about forty-five years. They became the parents of thirteen chil- dren, seven of whom are now living, and departed this life in the years 1878 and 1882, respectively. One son, George, was a soldier during the late war, in the Forty-fifth Ohio Infantry, and, being taken prisoner, was confined in Andersonville Prison, where he died soon after. The father of our subject was in early life a Democrat in polities, but later joined the Whig party. He was prominent in local affairs and hield the offices of Constable, Road Supervisor and School Director.
The original of this sketch was born January 18, 1828, in Tazewell County, Va., and was a lad of six years at the time his parents removed to this section. When thirteen years of age, lie became afflicted with white swelling in the left knee which crippled him for life. He aided his father in ear- rying on the home farm until reaching his major- ity, when he entered a traet of land in Moulton Township, this county, and traded it in 1854 for his present farm, which was partially improved at that time.
In November, 1854, Mr. Justice and Miss Sara J., a daughter of Joseph and Julia Ann (Wagner) Lusk. were united in marriage. The father was a native of Virginia, and the mother of Champaign County, this State. Mr. Lusk emigrated to this county in 1832, and entered a farm on seetion 22 of this township, on which he ereeted a log cabin. lle was a son of Charles Lusk, one of the very earliest settlers in this locality. The parents of Mrs. Justice were married in 1835, and located on their wild farm, where they resided for sixty years. They were both charter members of the First Meth-
odist Episcopal Church organized in this township, and reared a family of ten children, all of whom are living, with but one exception. The father died April 29, 1892, and the mother, who is still surviving, has reached her seventy-second year. In politics, Mr. Lusk was a Whig in early life, and later joined the ranks of the Republicans.
Mrs. Justice was born May 3, 1837, on section 22, this township, and, after her marriage with our subject, located on the farm where they are at present residing. They have become the parents of eight children, four of whom are living, viz: Allan, who married Caroline Swisher; Martha El- len, who is the wife of Thomas Miller; Joseph U. G., who married Margaret Beer, and William M., who resides at home. Mr. Justice has in his pos- session one hundred and forty aeres of land, and has given each of the above-named children fifty- two acres. In polities, he is a Republican, and has served as Road Supervisor, and member of the School Board.
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AMUEL SCOTT comes of one of the earliest pioneer families of Ohio, and is distin- guished as the oldest resident of St. Mary's in point of settlement, coming here when a boy with his parents sixty-eight years ago, and there is but one other person who has lived in Auglaize County a greater length of time than he. Mr. Scott is a fine representative of our self-made men, who, while building their own fortunes, have materially added to the wealth of the county, of whose development from the wilderness he has been an intelligent witness.
Our subjeet was born in Jackson County, April 29, 1815, and is a son of Judge Thomas Scott, who was descended from an old Virginia family, and was born and reared near the Virginia and Maryland State line. Ile was a farmer and cattle dealer. Liv- ing on the frontier, he was familiar with Indian war- fare, and took part in several campaigns against the redskins, both on the Virginia and Ohio sides
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of the line. In 1795, he moved across the border into Ohio, and was one of the first to settle in Athens County, locating near where the city of Athens now stands. He only lived there a year, and then took up his abode in Jackson County, a mile and a half east of the county seat, on land do- nated by the State for the purpose of manufac- turing salt, which was begun about that time. Ile farmed some, and fed, bought and sold cattle to a considerable extent, the country about there afford- ing a very tine range for cattle. In 1823, the Judge came with his family to St. Mary's, where a block-house had been erected for a protection against the Indians, and a few lots of land laid off. There were not more than a dozen families living in the neighborhood or in all the country round about for a distance of several miles. Mr. Scott had previously purchased two tracts of land sold by the Government in 1820, one on each side of the St. Mary's River, and one of them, compris- ing fifty acres, is now included within the corpor- ate limits of the city of St. Mary's. He built a log house, and at onee began to make improve- ments and also gave his attention to raising stock. The country was yet full of Indians, whose head- quarters were at Wapakoneta, ten miles east of St. Mary's. In 1824, Mereer County was organized, St. Mary's becoming a part of it, and in 1848 Anglaize County was formed. the city then becom- ing a part of the new county. Mr. Scott was elected Associate Judge of Mercer County in 1824, and held court in a log house at St. Mary's. Ile had been Justice of the Peace in Jackson County prior to coming here, and he was a man of much prominence and a valuable citizen, who was highly thought of by all who knew or had dealings with him. While still in office as Asso- ciate Judge, he died. in 1826, at the age of forty- nine, and his death was a serious blow to the in- terests of the county. The mother of our subject. a Virginian by birth. who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Keller, died in 1822, leaving nine children, of whom but two survive. our subject and his sister, Mrs. Mary Richmond. of Vinton County.
Samuel Scott obtained his elementary education in a primitive schoolhouse, which stood on the banks of St. Mary's River within the present corpor-
ate limits of the eity of the same name. It was con- structed of round poles, had a puncheon floor and slab seats, and the light was admitted through greased paper that was placed over the aperture where a log had been left out for a window. He has a distinct remembrance of the wildness of the country in the early years of his living here, when game was very plentiful, and his father, who was a great hunter, could go out with a ritle and shoot a deer not far from home almost any time. Amid pioneer environments our subjeet grew to be strong, sturdy and self-reliant, and was eapa- ble of supporting himself at an early age. This was made necessary by the death of his father when he was eleven years of age, although he lived for two years with relatives, spending a year with an uncle here, and then going to live with another un- ele in Athens County for a like length of time. He then, in 1828, returned to this county, and worked at whatever he could find to do by the day, thus keeping himself in food and clothes. He made his home mostly with his brother-in-law, who kept a store at St. Mary's. After the treaty with the Indians in 1832, a new store was started at Wapa- koneta, and Mr. Scott helped to manage the busi- ness at that point for a short time. In the fall of the same year, he went to Athens County to attend school the following winter session. Returning to St. Mary's in the fall of 1833, he engaged in teaming on shares with his brother-in-law, and thereby earned money enough to buy a team of his own, with which he hauled provisions from this point to Ft. Wayne, Ind., and even from Dayton to that city the ensuing two seasons. He next went to Vinton County, and manufactured millstones.
In 1840. Mr. Scott took a contract to build a piece of the Miami & Erie Canal, and he con- structed about three-fourths of a mile of it, includ- ing the race, besides furnishing considerable tim- ber and other material for bridges. In 1844, he built a sawmill on the canal race, which he operated five years. In 1850, he turned his attention to farming on a tract of land near town. It was prairie land, and he broke it and put it into a good state of cultivation, continuing to follow farming until the war broke out. when he retired
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from active business in that line, his sons having entered the army. He has lived in St. Mary's ever since, and makes his home at the hotel. He still retains possession of his farm, which comprises one hundred and sixty-five acres of land in St. Mary's Township, ninety acres on section 9 and seventy-five on section 6, and sixteen valuable oil wells are located on it, which are the source of a handsome income. Mr. Scott has also made money by dealing in cattle to a considerable extent since the war. He is an honorable, straight- forward, candid man, who is highly thought of throughout the county where he is well known. In politics. he is a true Democrat, but he has never aspired to any office. His elder brother, Sabert, who was born in 1817, died in 1871. He was a prominent man in the county, was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1852, and. a member of the Legislature prior to that.
Mr. Scott was married in 1839 to Miss Char- lotte Dunkle, with whom he lived very happily until her death in 1849, while yet in the bloom of womanhood, deprived him of the companionship of a good wife, to whose memory he has remained faithful ever since. Four children were born of their marriage: Thomas; John, deceased; Sabert, deceased, and Mary. Thomas and Sabert rendered their country gallant service throughont the war of the Rebellion, and Sabert afterward served in the regular army five years.
D AVID ARMSTRONG, who is a represen- tative of one of the very first families to settle within the borders of what is now Auglaize County, on the present site of St. Mary's, is a pioneer dry-goods merchant of this city of his birth, has ever been among the fore- most in planning and carrying forward enterprises for its development, and his name will always be associated with its rise and growth.
September 28, 1833, is the date of our subject's birthi into one of the first homes established at St.
Mary's. His father, who bore the same name as himself, was a native of Virginia. He came to St. Mary's in 1822 with his parents, the Armstrongs being one of the first familes to settle in this locality, there being but two or three others here at that time. The country was one vast wilder- ness, inhabited only by Indians and wild beasts, and it required the utmost fortitude and courage to endure many of the hardships encountered in a frontier life. The father of our subject assisted in the improvement of the land that his father set- tled on, until he started out in life for himself as a boatman on the St. Mary's River. In those days, goods were brought from Cincinnati and Dayton to this point with a team, and were then taken by boat down the St. Mary's River, which was then navigable, to Fort Wayne, Ind. He followed that occupation for ten years, but it was a hard life, and his naturally strong constitution gave way from exposure, and he died in 1833, when only thirty-five years old. His wife survived him un- til 1852, when she, too, passed away. Her name was Elcanor Scott, and she was the daughter of an early pioncer family of this vicinity, that also emi- grated from Virginia. She was the mother of two sons. John H., the elder, joined the gold-hunters, crossed the plains to California, and died there in 1852.
Our subject was thus left the sole survivor of the family. His first school days were passed in an old log schoolhouse, and he subsequently attended the common district school, wherein he obtained snch an education as the times afforded. He has a distinct remembrance of St. Mary's as it used to be in his childhood days-a ronghly-built ham- let, with but few houses, and those constructed mostly of logs-and he is familiar with every stage of the city's development, from the days when the Indians used to frequent the little village to the present, when the aborigines have long since passed far to the Westward, and a thriving mod- ern city marks the spot which, perchance, once formed a part of their hunting-grounds.
Mr. Armstrong spent the most of his boyhood on a farm, but he had a leaning towards mercan- tile pursuits, and in 1855 he secured a position as clerk in a store at St. Mary's. April 15, 1860, is
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an important date in his life, as he then embarked in the dry-goods business for himself, beginning on a small scale, and for more than thirty-two years he has been the leading dry-goods merchant of his native city. In 1876, he erected a substan- tial brick block on Spring Street, which he has since occupied, having it fitted up in an attractive style, and completely stocked with everything in his line, including notions, carpets, etc. Mr. Arm- strong's son-in-law, J. S. Stout, is associated with him in the business, which is carefully conducted on a sound financial basis, and at the same time the firm is quick to see and take advantage of all op- portunities for increasing its trade and enlarging its profits legitimately.
Mr. Armstrong has by no means confined his en- ergies to mercantile pursuits, but he has launched out in other directions, and has been eminently successful in all his undertakings. In 1888, he platted an addition to St. Mary's, known as Arm- strong's Addition, which is developing rapidly, and already forms an important part of the city. Ilis large public spirit, and the generous policy that he has always pursued in regard to civic im- provements, are too well known to need reference here. For the past five years our subject has ac- tively interested himself in raising standard-bred horses, and has a farm of one hundred and eighty acres that he devotes to that purpose. He has sev- eral fine thoroughbreds that compare in all points with some of the best blooded animals in the county. Mr. Armstrong has ably filled various local positions of trust, and the Democratic party has in him one of its most intelligent advocates. Ile is a man of high principles, who has borne himself honorably in all the affairs of life, and is deserving of the confidence reposed in him, and of the great respect and esteem accorded to him on all sides.
Mr. Armstrong was married in 1854 to Miss Fredonia C. Rankin, a native of St. Mary's. She died in 1864, after a happy wedded life of ten years, leaving one child. R. II., who is now mar- ried, and is a prosperous boot and shoe merchant in his native city. Our subject was married to his present estimable wife in 1866. Mrs. Armstrong, whose former name was Henrietta Carr, is a na-
tive of Indiana. Her pleasant marriage with our subject has brought them two children, Nellie, wife of J. S. Stout, and Lillian, at home with her parents.
ON. JACOB BOESEL is a native, and one one of the marked and representative men, of Anglaize County, Ohio, which has con- tributed so much of population and intel- ligence to the State. Ile comes of a parent- age marked by strength and character and by a certain hospitality and largeness of nature. Born at New Bremen, Ohio, on the 6th of Febru- ary, 1841, he is still a resident of that city and one of its most prominent merchants and bankers.
His father, the lon. Charles Boesel, was born in Rhenish Bavaria, Germany, on the 1st of Febru- ary, 1814, and was left without the guidance and care of a father at a very early age. He was one of five children, four of whom came to America with the mother in 1832, the other child having died in the Fatherland, and all are now deceased. Mr. Boesel learned the shoemaker's trade in the Old Country, and in 1833 he settled in New Bre- men, Auglaize County, where a few of his friends had located several months before, but as he found no employment here, he went to Dayton, Ohio, Ft. Wayne, Ind., and other cities where he could get work. In 1836, he returned and settled at New Bremen, where he started a small general store and at the same time continued his trade. In the course of time, however, he gave up his trade and confined himself to his mercantile pursuits, and was appointed Postmaster under President Polk, holding that position for nine years. Year after year, he gradually enlarged his store and in 1845 built a warehouse, after which he began buying grain in connection with merchandising. New Bremen was the best market in all that section of country, and grain and produce were hauled here from forty miles west, even from Portland, Ind. The canal here afforded shipping opportunities
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that the people were not slow in seizing, and dur- ing the '50s Mr. Boesel had a very flourishing business. He was in business at this point from 1836 until 1866, and from 1852 to 1856 he was one of the Superintendents of the Miami & Erie Canal, being appointed to that position by the State Board of Public Works.
When he first came to this country, he began an independent career with no capital save about 818 and a goodly supply of pluck, energy and push. Ile and a companion, Judge Lang, of Tiflin, Ohio, came from Germany in the same vessel and worked together for some time in this country. Mr. Boe- sel accumulated a large fortune and in the year 1866 retired from mercantile pursuits, his sue- eessors being our subject and C. II. Kunning, who have since continued in partnership, the firm title being Boesel & Kunning. After re- tiring from mercantile pursuits, Mr. Boesel es- tablished a bank and continued the same until his death in 1885. Ile was an excellent citizen and a man biglily esteemed for his sterling business qualities. Ile held several positions of trust and represented Auglaize County in the Legislature from 1862 until 1866, and represented the Thirty- second Senatorial District in the Senate from 1870 until 1874. He was also a member of the State Board of Charities and was holding that position at the time of his death. He also held various lo- eal positions; was Commissioner of Mercer County in 1840 two terms, when Auglaize was yet in- eluded, and was prominent in all affairs of moment. He was identified with the Lutheran Church and always gave liberally of his means to assist the same. He visited the Fatherland twice and on one occasion donated a fine organ, costing about $900, to one of the churches. He was ever noted for his striet integrity, enterprise and great liberality. He attended school at night after coming to this country, in order to obtain a knowledge of the English language. Twice he was nominated by the Democratic convention as a member of the State Board of Public Works.
Mr. Boesel was three times married, his first wife being Miss Wilhelmina Maurer, who died in 1813 leaving two children, our subject and Charles. Mrs. Boesel was a native of Germany and came to
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America on the same boat with her future hus- band. The Maurer family was among the first to settle in New Bremen and its members were very prominent and wealthy citizens. In 1845, Mr. Boesel married a sister of his first wife and she died in 1874. There were ten children born to this union, six of whom are now living.
The Hon. Jacob Boesel, the original of this no- tice, received but meager educational advantages in early life, for his schooling was limited to the advantages afforded by the early schools of New Bremen. Later, however, he attended the St. Mary's Union School, remained there two years and there learned the English language. He was grad- uated from Bartlett's Commercial College, Cincin- nati, in 1860, but previous to that, in the fall of 1856, he began his mercantile career at St. Mary's, where he served in the capacity of elerk for two years in the store of Joseph Kelsey, a very promi- nent man. In 1858, he came to New Bremen and took charge of his father's business, which he con- tinued until 1866, when he embarked in merehan- dising for himself in partnership with C. H. Kun- ning. In 1870, Charles Boesel, Jr., his brother, was included in the firm, and this time the firm took charge of the extensive pork and grain trade which the father of our subject had established, and this they have continued up to the present. The firm of Boesel & Kunning were engaged in the hardware business in an adjoining store to their dry-goods store until 1891, when Charles Boesel, Jr., assumed charge of it. Our subjeet has con- tinued in the bank since the death of his father, at which time the bank was reorganized, under the firm name of Boesel Bros. & Co. Mr. Boesel is President of the bank.
In 1867, our subjeet wedded Miss Louisa Wolf, a native of Germany, who came to America with her friends when six years of age, and who has since lived in New Bremen. This union has re- sulted in the birth of six children: Adolph, now Assistant Cashier in the bank; Ida, Alma, Otto, Walter and Dora, the latter deceased. Mr. Boesel is an active and prominent member of the Dem- ocratie party and has advocated the principles of that party ever since he became a voter. At the earnest solicitation of his friends, he has held a
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number of prominent positions, the first being Township Clerk, which position he held for six years. After this he served for four years as City Clerk, was Mayor for four years, President of the School Board for four years and a member for six years. In 1889, he was elected to represent An- glaize County in the Legislature, and as he was very influential, and his high character and rare ability were recognized, he was re-elected in 1891. Ile served on the Finance, Library, and Deaf and Dumb Asylum Committees during both terms, be- ing one of only two Democratie members on the Finance Committee during the several terms. 1Ie has been a delegate to nearly every congressional, distriet and State convention for many years. Mr. Boesel has been President of the New Bremen Natural Gas Company since it was organized sev- eral years ago. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church.
ILLIAM BARTII. A portly man, of fine magnetie presenee, our subject makes friends wherever he goes. He is one of the County Commissioners of Auglaize County, his place of residence being in German Township, where he has a fine farm on section 6. Mr. Barth is a native of this place, having been born here October 18, 1810. He is a son of John F. Barth, who emigrated to America in 1836. Ile made the journey across in a sailing-vessel and it consumed ten weeks. During this time the vessel became unmanageable and drifted so far north that it was in the iceberg region. The suffering that the voy- agers endured on that memorable trip cannot be told.
Our subjeet's father landed at Baltimore and there remained about four years. Ile was engaged on the public works of the city and was employed in various capacities. In 1840 he fitted out a one- horse wagon with the necessities for an overland journey and with his family turned his face West-
ward. They came to Ohio, and being prepossessed with the appearance of German Township, Anglaize County, here settled.
John Barth purchased forty acres of land in this locality on section 6, expending in the purchase most of the money which he had earned at Balti- more. lle erected a log cabin and prepared, in short, to make of the place a permanent home. The country was new and wild, and settlers were few and far between. In common with almost every other family in those early days, the Barths saw some hard times. Although a eripple. John Barth was very industrious and aided by his faith- ful, hardworking wife, managed to earn enough to live in comparative comfort until their children were of an age to assist in clearing and improving the farm. He died in 1865, having been for many years a devoted Evangelical Lutheran. His wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Helen Kamp was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1810. She died in 1875.
The original of this sketch is one of seven chil- dren, the third in order of birth. Four of the family still live. During his boyhood there were few advantages in an educational way; few schools and poor teachers. The settlement was composed mostly of Germans and their language alone was taught, so that Mr. Barth has acquired his English as he has been able to piek it up. With the faitli- fulness of his race, he remained with his parents, assisting them with the cultivation of their farm until their death. He has always lived on the old homestead. The old log cabin which was his first home he has replaced with a substantial brick resi- dence, and in the place of the old log barn now stands a fine frame one. He has added to his father's original purchase until the farm now comprises one hundred and thirty-nine acres of good and well- improved land.
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