USA > Ohio > Guernsey County > Portrait and biographical record of Guernsey County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 30
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Dr. Rosamond was married, in 1873, to Miss Mary M., daughter of Huffman and Catherine (Allison) Kimball, and to them have been born four children: Kitty, deccased; Mary C., Fanny A. and George K.
EORGE GECKELER. The native-born citizens of Tuscarawas County are coming rapidly to the front in various lines of work, particularly in agriculture, which is pre-em- inently the occupation of the residents here. The gentleman above named is one of the shrewdest and most intelligent young farmers in Fairfield Township, worthily representing an honored an- cestry.
The subject of this sketch was born on section 4, on the estate where he now resides, October 10, 1864. His parents were Lewis and Anna (Grove)
Geckeler. The former was born in Germany, where he lived until reaching mature years. On decid- ing to come to America, he embarked on a ves- sel which was over forty days in making the trip. Ile at once made his way to this state on landing, locating near Bolivar, where he was employed in driving a hack. After his marriage he purchased eighty acres. Ile was very industrious, and almost everything which he undertook seemed a success. Hle landed on American shores with no capital whatever with which to begin life in a new coun- try, but being courageous and brave lie set to work, and at his death left a valuable estate, comprising two hundred acres in the homestead, besides a traet of one hundred and forty-seven acres in Stark County. Ile was also the possessor of property at Valley Junction. In 1887 he retired from active business life, and died February 21, 1893. He served two terms as one of the Directors of the Infirmary, and was also Treasurer of the institution for the same length of time. In religious faith he was a Lutheran.
The mother of our subject was born in Bolivar and was the daugliter of George Grove, a well-to- do farmer and an early settler of that section. IIe lived to be eighty-two years of age. Mrs. Geck- eler had born to her eleven children, all of whom reached mature years with one exception. Will- iam was the first-born. John was the next in order of birth. Lewis died in Dover, leaving three chil- dren. Fred is a resident of Montgomery County, Kan., where he is engaged in the shoe business. George is the subject of this sketch. Charles is a citizen of Alliance, and IIenry, Emma (Mrs. Bai- ley); Louisa (Mrs. Ackerman) and Anna (Mrs. Feil) complete the family. The lady whom Lewis Geckeler married for his second companion was Emeline Grove, a sister of his first wife. Their union resulted in the birth of two children, Mary M. and Lorin.
The subject of this sketch has passed his entire life on the old homestead. He was well educated in the district schools, and on attaining his ma- jority hired out to his father for $150 per year. After his marriage, however, he farmed on the home place on shares. On the 3d of June, 1886, George Geckeler was married. Of this union three
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children have been born, Clarence, Elmer and Her- man. Both Mr. and Mrs. Geekeler are members in good standing of the Lutheran Church and take a leading part in religious work.
RR EV. THOMAS S. LUCCOCK is now living retired from active life in Liberty Town- ship. For two years he was a local minis- ter in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has always taken a very active interest in the work of his denomination. Among his neighbors and fel- low-citizens he has always been popular and highly esteemed, and in 1875 was chosen by them to rep- resent this district in the Ohio Legislature, where he remained for two years.
A native of Germantown, Pa., our subject was born January 24, 1823, and is a son of Napthali and Jane (Thomson) Luccock. The father was a native of Kimbolton, Huntingdonshire, England, and died July 8, 1878, at the age of seventy years. His parents, Thomas and Rebecca (Stevens) Luc- cock, were natives of the same village, where they passed their entire lives.
Mrs. Jane Luccock was born at Portsea, Eng- land, March 3, 1806, and died November 23, 1828. She was the daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Moore) Thomson. The marriage of our subject's parents was celebrated in Wooster, Ohio, January 2, 1822, and of their union the following children were born: Thomas; Benjamin, deceased; Sam- uel W., whose sketch appears in this work; and Elizabeth, who died in infancy. The father, after the early death of his first wife, married Miss Mary Wiggin, who died in September, 1830. Ilis third wife, Maria Kinkaid, departed this life on the 10th of March, 1832, leaving a daughter, Maria, who is a resident of Columbus, Ohio, and the widow of Dr. Black. The last wife of Napthali Luccock was Rebecca Kile, who died in 1873. It was about 1830 when he removed to this coun- ty, settling near Kimbolton, where he remamed during the rest of his life, and for many years was
engaged in merchandising. He also taught school, and served as Township Clerk and Justice of the Peace for years. Ile was a member of the First Methodist Church organized at this place, the meetings being held at private homes.
Until he was sixteen years of age, Rev. Thomas S. Luccock continued to live under the parental roof. Ile then went out into the world to make his own way and, going to Washington, Ohio, learned the cabinct-maker's trade, which he followed for a short time. Ile then returned home and engaged in a general mercantile business with his father and brother for the ten succeeding years. About 1853 the father retired from the firm and the brothers continued to run the same for another decade. In 1868 our subject purchased the broth- er's share and continued alone in business for ten years. In 1878 he turned his interests over to his eldest son, John B., who did not make a financial success of the undertaking. During the years of his commercial life, Mr. Luccock gave more or less of his attention to agricultural pursuits, and was quite successful in this direction, as well as in others.
In 1848 occurred the marriage of our subject with Susan Heslip, who was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, May 11, 1825, being a daughter of Joseph and Ellen (Wolgenmock) Ileslip. Mrs. Luccock was called to the silent land on the 12th of January, 1889. She was greatly loved for her amiable qualities and true worth, and many were the friends who bitterly mourned her loss. Seven sons and a daughter came to bless the home of our subject and his wife, and in order of birth are as follows: John B., who is now a bookkeeper for a St. Louis firm; Ellen, Mrs. William MeConaughy, of Zanesville, Ohio; Napthali, pastor of the Meth- odist Church at Pittsburg, Pa .; Joseph, who has a pastorate at Malta, Ohio; Benjamin, who was a United States Revenue Collector, and died at Pres- cott, Ariz .; Samuel C., an attorney-at-law at Pitts- burg, Pa .; Ilenry 11., a lawyer of Ascolincha, Mexico; and Charles, who died in infancy.
Rev. Mr. Luccock is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this township. The first regu- lar organization of a congregation in this denomi- nation was effected liere in 1831, and one of the
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first few members was Napthali Luccock. The lat- ter was prominent as well in the political circles of Liberty Township, and during the '40s filled the office of Justice of the Peace. In political ques- tions his son Thomas S. is now identified with the Prohibition party.
EORGE W. COULTAS. T' .. most imper- ishable monuments which can be erected to commemorate the virtues of those who have been removed from earth are not those built of cold marble or granite, but are to be found in the memories of the bereaved ones. In the present instance we have been cheerfully given a few of the leading events in a life which, although now ended, is not forgotten.
George W. Coultas was born in Noble County, this state, November 29, 1847, and departed thuis life in Quaker City September 21, 1894. Ile was the son of Robert and Thamer (Dement) Coultas, the former of whom was born in England, and the latter a native of America. The parental house- hold included six children, of whom George W. was the eldest. His brothers and sisters were: Caroline, the wife of Lucius Lovall, residing in Calais, this state; Hannalı, who married John Tuttle, and also makes her home in that city; Emily, now the wife of Jasper Eagon, and living in Quaker City; Mary, the widow of William McPherson, formerly a resident of Noble County; and Russell, who is engaged in farming in Monroe County, near Calais.
The subject of this sketch was reared on the old homestead in Monroe County, and secured a fair education in the schools taught in the neighbor- hood. He remained under the parental roof until attaining his majority, when he began working at the carpenter's trade in and around Calais. To this he added that of bridge-contracting, beginning in this department of work in 1874. Ile became : an expert in this line, and was engaged to build many structures throughout this and other coun-
ties of the state. Ile made many improvements in bridge-building, and secured the patent on an in- vention connected with this work, from the sale of which he derived a handsome income.
In 1888 Mr. Coultas retired from contracting, and, in order to be at home with his family, moved to Quaker City, where he purchased a comfortable residence and prepared to take life easy .- About this time he fitted out a planing-mill, which is now being operated by his son, Edward D., and began the manufacture of sash, doors, blinds, etc. lle was a thorough business man, and built up a large and profitable patronage in the line of carpenters' supplies.
The lady to whom our subject was married De- cember 25, 1869, was Miss Lydia J. Johnston. She was the daughter of James and Nancy (Steele) Johnston, and was born in Monroe County No- vember 25, 1850. To them were born three chil- dren, of whom we make the following mention: Mary A. is the wife of C. W. Eberle, of Quaker City, and to them have come two children, May and Lew, the latter deceased. Edward D. Coultas married Anise Webster, and they have a daughter, Thora. Shirley T. is at home.
In politics our subject was a stanch Republi- can, but in no sense of the term could he consid- ered an office-seeker. lle was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and belonged to Quaker City Lodge; also Lodge No. 310, K. of P. Mrs. Coultas is still residing in Quaker City, in an elegant home in the west end, and isone of the devout and con- sistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She is domestic in her tastes, devoted to the inter- ests of her children, and during her entire life has manifested her ability as a helpmate, her consid- eration as a parent, and her value as a friend.
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R OBERT T. SCOTT is one of the leading members of the Bar in Guernsey County. Ile was born December 3, 1858. on a farm two and one-half miles east of Cambridge, the son of George S. and Caroline A. (Black) Scott. Ilis early education, which was begun in the district
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schools near his home, was continued in the graded schools of Cambridge. Afterward, entering Musk- ingum College, he pursued a course of study, and was graduated from that institution in 1879. Ile read law two years with Messrs. Taylor & Ander- son, and was admitted to the law department at Ann Arbor, Mich., where he completed the speci- fied course, graduating in 1882. Ile at once re- turned to Guernsey County, and was admitted to the Bar the same year, on the recommendation of Ilon. T. M. Cooley, since which time he has been
actively engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Cambridge, with marked ability and success.
On the 20th of October, 1886, Mr. Scott married Jennie L. McCartney. Three children have come to bless their home, two sons and a daughter, namely: Robert Ellsworth, Byron and Gerlinda. The parents are members of the United Preshy- terian Church, and enjoy the friendship of a large circle of acquaintances. Politically Mr. Scott is affiliated with the Democratic party.
CYRUS P. B. SARCHET.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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CYRUS PARKINSON BEATTY SARCHET.
YRUS PARKINSON BEATTY SARCHET was born in the house formerly owned by his grandfather, Thomas, this structure having been the third one erected in Cambridge, and, with the exception of three years in his early manhood, his entire life has been spent in this vi- cinity. He is the eldest son of Moses and Martha (Bichard) Sarehet, and was born November 17, 1828. His ancestors were French Huguenots, who at an early day took up their residence on the Island of Guernsey. The original spelling of the name, it is supposed, was Suchet, the French form of which would be De Sarcha, and some of the family have taken that name.
About 1670 one Thomas Sarchet, a zealous Catholic, obtained a French Bible, which he per- sisted in reading against the protests of his parents and the parish priest, and at length he was obliged to flee from his home to the Island of Jersey, and from there to Guernsey. The Bible is still a precions relic owned by one of his descendants. lle married and had one son, and this son married and had two sons, Thomas and Peter, who became the heads of the two families in Guernsey of their name. The five sons of Thomas all emigrated to Guernsey County, Ohio. . Thomas Sarchet, the pa- ternal grandfather of our subject, was born in 1770, and married Anne Bichard, by whom he had six children: Thomas, David, Peter B., Moses, Nancy and Rachel, all born on the Isle of Guern- sey. They set sail for America in 1806, and pro- ceeded overland from Baltimore to Ohio. Arriv-
ing in Cambridge on the 14th of August, they found the town was just being laid out, and after some consultation they decided to locate here. The father bought a lot, which is now on the corner of Seventh Street and Wheeling Avenue, and at onee began the construction of a hewed-log house, a part of which is still standing. Within its walls he resided until his death, which occurred April 21. 1837, and there his wife also died about twelve years later. Ilis children all lived to be fourscore years of age or over.
Moses Sarchet, the father of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, was born April 17, 1803, and died in this city September 10, 1890. At the age of sixteen he entered the office of his brother- in-law, C. P. Beatty, as Assistant Clerk of the Court of Guernsey County, and held the office until his marriage, which took place in March, 1827, when he removed to his farm four miles north of here. For a long period he was engaged in the manufacture of salt, at the old Sarchet Salt Works, four miles north of this place. This salt well was the first one bored in the county, it being constructed as early as 1815, and kept in active use until 1840. After the death of Mr. Beatty, he returned to fill his unexpired term, and from September, 1828, to September, 1842, was Clerk of the Supreme and Common Pleas Court of the county, during which time he was also Township Clerk, County School Examiner, and Overseer of the Township Poor. In 1847 he was the Whig candidate for Representative, but was defeated.
10
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In 1848 he was appointed Resident Engineer of the National Road, and held the office for three years. In 1851, when the Central Ohio Railroad was being projected, he was active in the move- ment for having it pass through this city, being the largest stockholder here and a contractor on its construction. This contract he completed, but a failure of the company crippled him financially during the remainder of his life. When the War of the Rebellion came on, he was appointed a member of the Military Commission of this conn- ty, and was also a Draft Commissioner during the war. For twelve years he was Justice of the Peace, and during this period was also Township Trustee, was two terms Mayor of Cambridge, and was Mas- ter Commissioner of this county. In religious faith he was a devout Methodist. To himself and wife were born five sons and three daughters.
The early years of our subject were passed in an uneventful manner, his time being given to farm- ing and to attendance at the district schools of the period. For a short time he also went to what was known as the Cambridge Academy. For a few years he was a clerk in local stores, but in 1855, in company with his father, began publishing the Guernsey Times, with which he was connected for some years. About forty years of his life were given to industrious tilling of the fields and management of the farm, and during this time he held a number of offices, in which he gave both time and labor for the public good, without reward or the hope thereof. No one, perhaps, in the his- tory of the county has given as much time to the history of men and events connected with its growth and development, or has given as much to answering general and statistical inquiries relat- ing both to state and national affairs. During the war Mr. Sarchet performed much provost duty, looking after soldiers who were away on furloughs, and was appointed as an Enrolling Officer. In 1863 Governor Todd commissioned him Captain, and instructed him to organize the militia of this county into three regiments. After he had effected this, he was elected Colonel of the First Regiment, a title by which he has since been known. lle took an active part in the John Morgan raid, was at Chillicothe, and later at Eagleport, where he
erossed the Muskingum River and followed the enemy until the latter were captured near Saline- ville, Ohio. For many years Mr. Sarchet was con- nected with the Guernsey County Agricultural Society, and is now President of the Farmers' In- stitute of this county. In politics he has been suc- cessively a Whig, Republican and Democrat.
The residence of our subject being just outside the corporate limits of Cambridge, to which he walks to and fro each day, he has for the last twenty years covered a distance of twelve hundred miles yearly. A ready writer, he has contributed much to the literature of this region. At one time he wrote a history of the "Cambridge of Fifty Years Ago," which was published in several num- bers of the Jeffersonian. On political questions he contributed a history of the Whig campaign of 1840 in this county, and of the thirty-three Whigs of the County Central Committee. His article on the subject of the Morgan raid was very interest- ing, and pertained to the events of eight days and nights in the saddle, during which he passed through the counties of Morgan, Noble, Guernsey, Harrison, Belmont, Jefferson and Columbiana.
April 24, 1855, our subject married Margaret M., daughter of Andrew Moore. Their surviving chil- dren are Andrew M .; Inez L., wife of Cyrus F. Wilson; and Martha Blanche. Frank M., the eld- est child, is deceased. Mr. Sarchiet is now Secre- tary of the Guernsey County Soldiers' Relief Com- mission, a benevolent organization. Religiously he is a member of the Methodist Church of Cam- bridge, and Treasurer of the congregation.
DWARD O. BLACKBURN, President of the Quaker Glass Company, is one of the prominent and substantial citizens of Guernsey County. In January, 1894, he organ- ized a stock company to operate the window-glass works in this city, and the first fire was put in their furnaces on the 20th of that month, since
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which time they have been running with full capacity. The capital of the company, which is op- erated on the co-operative plan, aggregates about $11,000. Directors are chosen from the workingmen -two from the blowing department, one from the flattening, one from the cutting, and one from the box and packing department. Our subject was chosen the first President of the enterprise, which position lie still holds. Henry Boedecker is Sec- retary, John Lawrence, Treasurer, and Louis Reitz Manager. They do a very large business, amount- ing to $1,000 per week, and the product of their factory is sold throughout the Unit states.
Our subject was born in Wheeling, W. Va., January 24, 1859, and is the son of Oliver T. and Eliza (()'Hara) Blackburn. The former, a native of Ohio, was born near Steubenville, the mother at Wheeling, W. Va. The father was a mason by trade, whichi occupation he followed during the active years of his life. He was living in Bellaire, Ohio, at the time of his decease, which occurred in 1890, at the age of sixty-eight years. Ilis wife, who also departed this life in the above year, was in her sixty-fourth year.
Of the five children born to Oliver and Eliza Blackburn our subject was the youngest. The other members of the family were Eliza, who mar- ried John Donaldson, of Carrollton, this state, and is now deceased; Miranda, who became the wife of Joseph IJeatherington, and makes her home in Bellaire, Ohio; William, deceased; and Elizabeth, who is the wife of II. G. Hardenstein, a resident of the World's Fair City.
The original of this sketch was educated in the public schools of Bellaire, to which place his par- ents removed in 1868. When ready to start out for himself, he began working in a nail factory in that place, operated by the Bellaire Steel and Nail Company. After a stay of six years with that company young Blackburn left, and in 1882 was given a position in the box room of a window- glass factory at Bellaire. Ile was very observing, and, being eager to learn the business, applied himself to the work and soon became familiar with all the details of glass-making. Having accu- mulated a snug sum of money, he, in 1894, organ- ized a joint-stock company, as we have already
recorded, and began the manufac: of window glass in Quaker City. Ile is a very sharp, shrewd business man, fair and honorable in all his deal- ings with his fellow-men, and will without doubt acquire a handsome property by the capable and efficient manner in which he manages the affairs of the company.
Mr. Blackburn was married, December 21, 1879, to Capitola McCann, a native of Middlebourne, W. Va., who was born March 17, 1859. Mrs. Blackburn was the daughter of Jolin and Martha (Swan) McCann, and by her parents was given a good education. She is a most estimable lady, and is training her children to fill useful and hon- ored positions in life. Edna is deceased; and Effie, Oliver and William are at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church (to which he is a lib- eral contributor), and manifest a deep interest in all good works. Although he takes no active part in politics, other than to cast a ballot in favor of Republican candidates, he contributes much to the general welfare of the community, which holds him in high esteem. Socially he is a Mason and a member of the chapter in excellent standing, and is also an Odd Fellow, belonging to the encamp- ment. Ile is identified with the Senior Order of United American Mechanics and the Knights of Labor, in all of which orders he takes an active part, and has passed through many of the chairs.
D ANIEL DEFENBACHER, the genial land- lord of the Iron City Ilouse of Canal Dover, is eminently worthy of a place among the honored and representative men of this county. Ile claims old Tuscarawas as the county of his birth, as he was born in Franklin Township, September 14, 1855.
In order to better his condition, and being in- Huenced by stories of America, our subject's fath- er, John Deffenbacher, as, he spelled his name, left
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Baden, Germany, and crossed the Atlantic in 1838. After reaching the New World the journey west- ward was made by way of the Hudson River, the Erie Canal to Buffalo, Lake Erie to Cleveland, and thence by canal to this county. Arriving here, the father engaged in farming operations, which he combined with the trade he had learned in Ger- many, that of a stonemason. To himself and his wife, whose maiden name was Fredericka Iloo- ver, was born a large family of children: Eliza- beth, the wife of F. Wolf, of Huntingdon, Ind .; Hattie, who married II. A. Grim, of West Vir- ginia; Ilannah, who became the wife of Noah Hulderman, of Ashland County, this state; John T., a resident of New Philadelphia; Catherine, Mrs. Andrew Homan, of Canal Dover; Daniel, whose name heads this article; Gideon, a harness-maker of New Philadelphia; and John T., of the same city, who is a grocer by occupation. The two other children of the family died in early child- hood. The father departed this life April 11, 1892, but his wife preceded him to the silent land by many years, as her death occurred in 1860.
Daniel Defenbacher obtained a fair education in the common schools, and upon arriving at a suit- able age learned the trade of harness-making, which he followed for about four years only. Subse- quently he engaged in the hotel business, for which nature pre-eminently fitted him. Ils first venture in this line was at Dresden, Ohio, from which place he went to Uhrichsville, where he followed the same vocation. Then going to Bowerstown, he kept a hotel for two years, afterward engaging in mercantile pursuits for a period of four years. As he had a fancy for farming, he tried that oocu- pation near Stillwater, but only made a short stay there, when he acquired his present property, the Iron City House. This hotel he has successfully operated since 1889. In connection with manag- ing his hotel, he is interested in a livery business, in which he has a half-interest with J. W. Crothers.
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