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 34
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Dr. Winfield Scott was born March 10, 1848, on his father's farm, where he continued to dwell un- til reaching his majority. He made the best of his educational advantages, and at the age of eigh- teen years began teaching school, continuing in this field of labor for seven years successfully. In the mean time he prepared himself by private study, and later was enrolled as a pupil in the Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio. After taking a sci- entific and practical English and business course, he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1872.
For some three years subsequently the Doctor taught school, and on choosing the profession of medicine for his life work, entered the office of Dr. Wall, of Cambridge, where he industriously studied for nearly three years. During this period he spent one year at Ann Arbor, Mich., and one year in the Cincinnati Medical College, where, on the 28th of February, 1877, he received his degrec. Going to Point Pleasant, he began to practice, re- maining there for two years. In 1879 he came to Senecaville, and from that time until 1887 was in partnership with Dr. Noah Ilill. For the past seven years he has been alone in practice, and has succeeded in building up a large clientage. He is
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a tireless student, and possesses a vast fund of in- formation and knowledge on a variety of subjects. Ilis library is unusually comprehensive and well selected, and his medical works comprise those of the best and most modern writers.
April 6, 1878, our subject married Miss Candace L. Ihill. The lady is a daughter of Dr. Noah Ilill, of Senecaville, whose biography appears elsewhere in this volume. Four children have come to bless the union of the Doctor and wife, namely: Walter, Bernice, Frostie and Winfield, Jr.
I ACOB GOMBER. The history of Guernsey County would not be complete if we were to omit the biography of Mr. Gomber, one of its very earliest residents. He was born in Frederick City, Md., September 9, 1759, and died while residing in Cambridge, in March, 1820. Ile was married, May 20, 1787, to Miss Susanna Beatty, the ceremony taking place at Frederick City, Md. The fruits of this marriage were fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters.
While residing in Maryland, Jacob Gomber had charge of the ferry over the Monocacy River. On leaving Frederick City he came to Cambridge, and was present at the survey of the town plat, and the adjoining lots. At this time he was living with the family of his father-in-law, JJohn Beatty, who resided in the first house built in Cambridge. Ile no doubt began the erection of the second log cabin, built on the emmence now owned by Stoner & Scott on Wheeling Avenue. llis co-partner at this time, Col. Z. A. Beatty, chose the square directly opposite on the south, where he built his residence.
Jacob Gomber built the old portion of the McCartney House, located on the corner of Steuben- ville and Eighth Streets. Ilis death occurred in the Gomber & Beatty storeroom, a brick structure occupying a lot on Wheeling Avenue, where now stands the dwelling of J. P. Cain. He was sud- denly striken down while making a call at the store. At that time he was living in a frame res- idence on the site of the Lyndon Ilotel.
Our subject was one of the substantial residents
in the early history of Cambridge. He was pos- sessed of a fair education, was social in his habits, and was often looked to for counsel and advice. He was often the arbiter of many disputed points growing out of the disposition of the estate with which he was jointly connected. It is a remark- able fact that he and Colonel Beatty had such con- fidence in cach other that they sold and conveyed the parcels of their large estate, making the divi- sion as they went along, without keeping any ac- count of the transactions with each other.
The Gomber Mill, which was built on Wills Creek, was erected by our subject. It occupied a site in what is now the corporate limits of Cambridge. On the organization of Guernsey County, he gave to it its name, in honor of the Guernsey settlers; also named the town and ereck. He was appoint- ed the first Judge of the Probate Court, and thus presided at the first term of court, when the coun- ty officials were appointed. In this capacity his knowledge of men was of great value in selecting these various officials, and the records show as bright a beginning for Guernsey County as appears in the history of any other county in Ohio.
Of the large family born to Mr. Gomber, only four lived to mature years, all daughters. They were Susan, who married Judge George Metcalf; Sarah P., who became the wife of Thomas Metcalf, and on his death married Col. Gordon Lofland; Catherine, married to Gen. Robert B. Moore; and Maria, Mrs. James B. Moore. Of the descendants of this family but few are living in Cambridge. These are Mrs. Caroline Hutchison, daughter of Sarah P. Lotland, and J. Sterling Thomas and Mary Thomas, grandchildren; Mrs. Margaret Wheat, granddaughter of Susan Metcalf; and Mrs. Cath- erine McMahon, granddaughter of Catherine G. Moore.
H ON. WILLIAM J. SPEERS, a man univer- sally popular, and one who has achieved success in life, furnishes the subject of the present sketch, and we are pleased to represent such a pleasant and public-spirited gentleman in our RECORD. Besides filling the responsible posi-
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tion of Postmaster of Salem, Guernsey County, he is carrying on a general mercantile establishment, and receives the patronage of the best people for miles around.
Mr. Speers was born in Jefferson Township, this county, December 3, 1842, and his parents were Robert and Elizabeth (McCulley) Speers. Robert was born at Belfast, Ireland, and died in 1885, at the age of seventy-eight years. Ile in turn was the son of John and Elizabeth Speers, natives of Scotland, who removed during their early life to the Emerald Isle, and there made their home until a desire to see something of the New World caused them to cross the Atlantic. On arriving on Amer- 'ican soil, they made their way to this state, of which they had heard glowing accounts, and the grandfather entered the land from the Govern- ment in Guernsey County, which is owned by our subject at the present time.
Elizabeth Speers was born in Ohio County, Va., in December, 1809, and is now living in Salem, this state. Iler parents were James and Margaret McCulley, who made the journey to America from their native Ireland abont 1823. By her union with Robert Speers, she became the mother of two sons and six daughters, of whom the eldest, Mary J., is now the widow of George Grimes, and makes her home in Monroe Township, this county; Elza- beth is deceased; Martha married A. C. Barker, a resident of Cambridge, this state; Keziah is the wife of George Lanning, of this township; Will- iam J. is the original of this sketch; Rose marriedl John McCormick, and is living in Belmont Coun- ty; Catherine is deceased; and James is living in far-away California.
Although a lad of sixteen years when beginning to make his own way in the world, our subject had acquired a good education, and was engaged to teach school at $2 per day. Ile continued teach- ing until attaining the age of thirty-two years, only in the winter season, however, as during the summer months he worked at farming. At the expiration of that time he embarked in the mer- cantile business at Clio, this state, and for four years was very prosperousty engaged. He then disposed of his stock of goods at that place and removed to Kimbolton, where he established a
drug business, and at the same time carried on a good trade as a provision merchant. This he followed for five years, when he received a good offer from Andrew McCreary to go into partner- ship with him at Sugar Tree Creek, this county. In order to do this, he sold his store in Kimbolton, and for two years these gentlemen were the pro- prietors of a thriving business as general mer- chants. Mr. Speers then purchased the interest of his partner in the store, and carried on affairs alone for three years, when he again sold his stock, this time taking a trip to Kansas. Being favora- bly impressed with the prospects presented to him there, he remained for two years, engaged in farm- ing and trading. This not proving a congenial or a very profitable business, he returned at the end of that time to Guernsey County, and bought out Thomas L. Libarger, of New Comerstown, who was then in the mercantile business at that place. At the same time he bought out James L. Jones, of Salem, running both concerns for a while, then consolidating both at Salem. llere, in 1886, he be- came the possessor of a well stocked store. Ile deals in the line of goods which is best suited to the needs of the people of the surrounding country, and which he retails at popular prices. Mr. Speers has been very successful as a business man, and owns another store at Postboy.
Our subject received his appointment of Post- master under President Cleveland's first adminis- tration, and so efficient has he proved in this ca- pacity, and so popular is he with all, that he has been the incumbent of the office ever since. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, and in polities, as the reader doubtless knows, is a Dem- ocrat, tried and truc.
Mr. Speers and Miss Narcissa J. McConnell were married December 27, 1865. The lady, who was born in Harrison County, this state, December 6, 1844, is the daughter of Robert and Margaret Mc- Connell, also natives of that county. IIer father took up his abode in Guernsey County in the year of her marriage, and spent the remaining years of his life in farming. He reared a family of the following children: Narcissa, who is now Mrs. Speers; John, living in Iowa; Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Thomas, also of Iowa; William, deceased;
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Mary, the wife of William Mereer, living at Ap- ple Creek, Mich .; Agnes, deceased; Belle, wife of Newman Dedrich, a minister of the Methodist Church of Tacoma, Wash .; Ida, wife of Mathew Eagleton, Superintendent of the public schools at Denver, Colo .; Marion, living at Taylor, Tex .; Ollie, who also makes his home in the above place; Valentine, living in Scio, this state; Grace, now the wife of Thomas Robinson, of this county; Oliver, a resident of Taylor, Tex .; and Clyde, teaching school in this county. Robert MeCon- nell was active in the affairs of his township, and at different times held the office of Supervisor of his township, and served as School Director and Trustee. He was a devoted member of the Pres- byterian Church, and was well known in the coun- ty, and well liked by his acquaintances.
The seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Will- iam J. Speers are Robert B., living at Greeley, Colo .; Cora B., the wife of Mark Snyder, a farmer of this county; Myrtle, deceased; Lulu M., James W., Thursa and John C., at home with their parents.
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J OHN LEBOLD, deceased, was one of the pio- neers of Lawrence Township, and a man re- spected by all who had dealings with him. The following facts are gleaned from an ar- ticle which appeared in the Ohio Democrat, Decem- ber 28, 1893, Ile was born October 28, 1816, in Groeningen, kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany. In a family of nine children born to Conrad and Hedwig Lebold, he was the seventh in order of birth. With the other members of the family he came to the United States when a lad of fourteen years. Their first settlement was in Zoar, Ohio, where they arrived in the fall of 1830.
Conrad Lebold was a cooper by trade, and worked at his calling for eighteen months while a resident of Zoar. Afterward he bought the land then known as the Moser Farm, which he culti -. vated for a number of years, also working to some extent at his trade. He died in 1860, in his
eighty-fourth year; while his wife, who died ten years previous, reached her seventy-fourth year. Their children were as follows: George, John C., IIedwig, Christiana. Jacob, Barbara, our subject, Frederick and Maria. The two elder boys were coopers by trade. George lived in Sandyville for a few years, and then went to Alton, Ill. John Conrad followed the cooper's trade in Zoar for seven years, then removed to Seneca County, and engaged in farming until his death, in 1889. Hledwig, the eldest daughter, married Jacob Shutz, of Massillon, and subsequently became the wife of Mr. Ilammel. For some years she resided in Illi- nois, but about 1852 returned to Bolivar, and there dwelt during the remainder of her life, her death occurring in 1891. Christiana married Martin Smeltz, and removed to Seneca County. Ohio, about 1835, dying there some twenty-three years later. Jacob, who also became a resident of Seneca County about 1835, was a successful farmer, and is still living in Attica, Ohio. Barbara married Jacob Smeltz about 1840, and is now living in Williams County, this state. Frederick married Maria Zutavern, and died in 1879, upon the u.d homestead, which he had owned and cultivated for years. Maria, the youngest of the family, wedded Jacob Hawk, Sr., who was a farmer in early life, but became associated with the firm of C. Aultman & Co., of Canton, Ohio, where they are still living.
John Lebold, whose name heads this article, re- mained with his father until twenty-five years old, when he married Catherine Maurer, also a native of Wurtemberg, who came to this country with her parents in 1841. The young couple began their married life in 1842, with a very moderate share of this world's goods, but they were possessed.of en- ergy and economy, and accumulated money from the first in addition to providing all necessities. They received a part of the old homestead, some one hundred and ten aeres, for which they paid $1,360 to the other heirs, and in addition surren- dered one-third of the gross proceeds of the farm to his father, who survived their marriage eight- een years. As the time passed tract after tract was added to the homestead, until it comprised six hundred acres. Later they bought land in va-
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rious parts of this county, and also in Missouri, and at one time owned fully three thousand acres.
Mr. and Mrs. John Lebold reared a family of nine children, and two died in infancy. Those who still survive are as follows: JJacob R., whose sketch appears in another part of this work; John .... who married Mary Bender, and lives in, Sandy Township; Samuel .A., who cultivates the north- western part of the old homestead; Conrad II., who married Maggie Knotts, of Bolivar; William F., whose history will be more fully noted later; Susan, wife of J. V. Bruckman, of Great Bend, Kan .; Catherine, wife of G. Felier, of this county; and Lizzetta. The parents of this family gave to each a good start in life, either in the shape of a farm or its equivalent in money.
The death of dolin Lebold occurred December 10, 1893. Ile survived his noble wife two years, eight months and nineteen days, and had she lived another year they would have celebrated their golden wedding. No one was ever turned from their door hungry or shelterless. They were always ready to help the deserving poor, and all who knew them revered them for their kind- ness and goodness of heart. In the extensive bus- iness transactions conducted by Mr. Lebold, he was rarely involved in litigation, preferring to suf- fer a wrong rather than resort to law. He was a member of the Odd Fellows' society, and was also connected with the Masonie order. Both himself and wife were faithful and active members of the German Lutheran Church from their early years.
William F. Lebold, a worthy son of the honored old settler whose history we have traced, was born June 19, 1859, and grew to manhood on his fa- ther's farm. He had learned habits of economy and industry, which have proved to be of the ut- most benelit in his later life. After his father's death he became the possessor of four hundred and thirteen acres of the original homestead. This land lies along the bottom of the rich Tuscarawas Valley. On the place are good barns and substan- tial outbuildings, which are kept up in a thrifty manner. Mr. Lebold is one of the industrious and energetic farmers of Lawrence Township. and is universally respected by all who know him.
February 28, 1883, William F. Lebold married
Miss Mary Groetzinger, daughter of Jacob and Magdalen Groetzinger, of Lawrence Township. They have three children, namely: Jacob ,I., Will- iam Arthur and Lillie A. For twelve years our subject has been a member of the German Luth- eran Church, and is interested in its various work- ings. In polities he is a Democrat, and fraternally is a Knight of Pythias.
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ANIEL WYSS is the popular and efficient Postmaster at New Philadelphia, having been appointed to this office by President Cleveland in April, 1893, and on the Ist of the following May took charge of all the duties per- taining to the place. Mr. Wyss comes from one of the pioneer families of this county, and was born in Sugar Creek Township October 10, 1850, being a son of Christian, JJr., and Anna ( Nickles) Wyss.
In May, 1831, Christian Wyss, Sr., with his wife and two children: (Elizabeth, aged eleven; and Christian, aged seven years) left his native home near Hochstetten, canton of Berne, Switzerland, for America. They arrived at their destination in September of the same year, having proceeded from Switzerland to Havre, France, in a dray; from that port to New York in a sailboat, it taking forty-seven days to cross the Atlantic; from the metropolis up the Hudson River to Albany; thence to Buffalo by canal; thence to Cleveland, Ohio, on Lake Erie; and finally from the Forest City to Canal Dover in a canal-boat. On nearing Buf- 'alo, Lizzie, the daughter, fell between two boats, and from injuries received died in two weeks. Although the mother lived until March 28, 1874, when she had reached the age of seventy-five years, she never fully recovered from this sad bereave- ment.
Ilaving arrived at their new place of abode, Christian Wyss, assisted by his wife and little son, began to clear and improve the land on which he
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had located. The first winter their log cabin was without a floor, but the following season one inade of hewed planks added to their comfort. Instead of chairs, blocks of wood were used, and the chests which they had brought from the Fa- therland answered for tables. Christian Wyss soon planted fruit trees and grape vines, and dur- ing the '50s and '60s he was noted as a grower of fine fruits and grapes. At county fairs he gen- erally received the first premiums for his fine ex- hibits of fruits. In all things he was a strictly temperate man, and at the time of his death, which occurred September 17, 1879, he was quite well off financially. Ilis farm, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, had been well improved, and his family was well provided for. At the time of his demise he was in the seventy-sixth year of his age.
Our subject's father, Christian Wyss, Jr., was engaged in farming during his entire life. Ile was an industrious and strictly honorable man m all his dealings with his fellow-citizens. November 1, 1849, lie married Anna Nickles, whose birth- place was Biel, Switzerland, and the first-born of their union was Daniel, whose name heads this article. The other children in the order of their birth are as follows: Samuel, a farmer of this coun- ty; Mary Ann, who married Fred Balli, and died at the age of twenty-one years, leaving a son, Ed- ward; Robert, a farmer near Ragersville; Caroline, Mrs. Fred Wyss, whose home is near Vining, Clay County, Kan .; Elizabeth, Mrs. Jacob Dummermuth, now living on the old Wyss homestead with her mother, and sister Rosa, who is yet unmarried; Louisa, the wife of Ernst Ladrach, a farmer near Ragersville, Ohio; Emma, who became the wife of Lewis Dummermuth, a farmer near Ragersville; and Jacob, who died in the year 1862, aged nine months. For several generations the Wyss fam- ily belonged to the German Reformed Church, and in politics have been adherents of the Democratic party. Our subject's grandparents, his parents, brothers and sisters, all lived together as one fam- ily on the old homestead until death or the mar- riage of the children separated them. The father, Christian Wyss, Jr., died at his old home March 17, 1893, aged sixty-five years.
Daniel Wyss attended the district school of
Sogar Creek Township in his boyhood. In 1869 he went to Missouri, but remained there for only eight months. Returning then to his native state, he spent the summer of 1870 in a select school in Shanesville, and the following winter taught school in Warren Township. Subsequently he taught six terms in Shanesville and vieinity. In the summer season he was variously employed at farm work, or in selling fruit trees, school furniture, etc. In 1878 his name was announced as a candidate for County Recorder, and October 8 of the same year he was elected by a majority of eight hundred and nmety-three votes on the Democratic ticket. After serving for three years he was renominated by ac- clamation, and October 11, 1881, received a ma- jority of nine hundred and ten votes. On the termination of his official duties, in January, 1885, he returned to his former pursuits and gave par- ticular attention to the raising of nursery stock, small fruits, plants and flowers. In 1889 he pur- chased forty-eight acres of land near New Phila- delphia in company with Samuel Rufer. This tract has since been well planted in orchards and vines, small fruits and nursery stock.
In March, 1892, Mr. Wyss was afflicted with rheumatism, which disabled him from successfully following his former out-door vocations. After Cleveland was elected, the numerous friends of Mr. Wyss persuaded hun to make application for the position of Postmaster of this place. He fol- lowed their advice. and was duly appointed in April, 1893. We quote from the Tuscarawas Ad- vocate, a Republican weekly paper, the following: "When Daniel Wyss was appointed Postmaster of New Philadelphia, he promised he would fit up a better office than we have ever had before. He has more than fulfilled his promise, for we now have not only a better office than we have ever had before, but we doubt if any town of equal size in the state has a better one." The following appeared in the Ohio Democrat, a weekly county paper: "New Philadelphia, Ohio, now for the first time in its history, has commodious and respecta- ble postoffice accommodations, which are fully up to the public requirements. Its construction and furniture were made from plans and designs by the Postmaster himself, and are models of taste. nont.
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ness and convenience. It is now a comfort to transact business at the new postoffice, which was opened on New Year's morning." The room used as the postoffice was expressly built for the pur- pose, and the boxes, desks and entire outfit were modeled and furnished by our subject. In many other ways he has been an important factor in the improvement of the town, and has planted shade and fruit trees extensively in the place. Politi- cally he has been very active, and has been a dele- gate to state, congressional, county and district conventions. He has served efficiently as Town- ship Clerk and City Councilman, always keeping in view the best interests of the community. Socially he holds membership with Schoenbrun Lodge No. 430, I. O. O. F.
At the home of Jesse Winklepleck, near Shanes- ville, this state, June 9, 1872, was celebrated the marriage of Daniel Wyss and Angeline, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth (Aultman) Winkle- pleck. The father was drowned near Shanesville, at Z. Miller's mills, when Mrs. Wyss was an infant, and her mother, Ehzabeth, departed this life in the spring of 1894. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Wyss, namely: Charles A., Ida E., Ilomer, Flora, George W., Walter and May. Charles A. died at the age of two and a-half years. Miss Ida is her father's assistant in the postoffice. Mrs. Wyss was reared in the faith of the Lutheran Church, and our subject, who was formerly a member of the German Re- formed Church, has of late years been identified with the congregation of which his wife is a member.
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A LFRED PHILIP SHAFFNER, who for a number of years was engaged in mercan- tile pursuits in Cambridge, was long con- sidered one of her best citizens. The community felt that his demise, which occurred January 10, 1887, was indeed a public loss, for he was always interested in whatever concerned the welfare of his fellow-men and neighbors. A pillar in the
Methodist Episcopal Church, he was a Class-leader and a Trustee, active in all good works.
The parents of A. P. Shaffner were Philip and Elizabeth Shaffner. The former was a native of Germany, and passed his early years in Lebanon County, Pa. By trade he was a tinner. llis wife died when her son Alfred was only four months old. The latter was born in Brownsville, Pa., January 23, 1811, and when eighteen years old came to this city. Ile obtained a position as a clerk in a store with his brother Jacob, who was then l'ostmaster of Cadiz.
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