USA > Ohio > Lucas County > Toledo > Portrait and biographical record of city of Toledo and Lucas and Wood Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the locality, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 49
USA > Ohio > Wood County > Portrait and biographical record of city of Toledo and Lucas and Wood Counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the locality, together with biographies and portraits of all the Presidents of the United States > Part 49
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Gilbert B. Brim was born near Woodville, San- dusky County, May 19, 1853, and attended the district schools of that neighborhood until reach- ing his majority. As soon as he was old enough to work, his help was required on the farm, and lic continued to live with his widowed mother until he was married, in 1877, with the exception of one year, when he worked at Millbury with his brother Walter W. He has been a School Director and Highway Supervisor, and in politics is a Repub- lican, having cast his first vote for R. B. Hayes.
In Troy Township occurred the marriage of G. B. Brim and Lizzie E. Hahn, March 1, 1877. The lady was born July 16, 1853, and is a danghi- ter of Valentine and Magdalene (Berg) Hahn, who were married in July, 1852, and had a family of four sons and six daughters, as follows: Lizzie E .; Herman D., who is carrying on the old farm in Troy Township; Mary and Laura, twins, the former the wife of George Brown, and the latter the wife of William Andrews, both farmers of Troy Town- ship; and Theodore, Barbara, Katie, Albert, Au- gust and Clara. The six last inentioned are living at home with their parents. Valentine Hahn was born in Germany, near the River Rhine, Marchi 3, 1814, and came to the United States about 1844,
since which time he has been engaged in farming. He is a son of Jacob Halin, who was a miller in the Fatherland. Mrs. Magdalene Hahn was born in Germany, and was a daughter of Jacob and Eliza- betli (Smithi) Berg, who came to America prior to 1843. They first settled in Cleveland, and went thence to Ashland County, where they passed the remainder of their lives. Jacob Berg was also a miller by trade, and worked at that vocation after coming to this country.
Nine children came to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Brim, their names and dates of birthi be- ing as follows: George Valentinc, born December 6, 1877; Clara Mabel, August 8, 1879; Otto Ricli- ard, December 18, 1881; Orville Gilbert, August 18, 1883; James Lloyd, October 4, 1885; Logan L., February 14, 1888; twin children that died un- named; and Edna May, born May 17, 1894. In January, 1892, Mr. and Mrs. Brim became mem- bers of the Evangelical Church at Millbury.
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OHN RETHINGER is one of the most popu- lar citizens of Providence Township, Lucas County, and is numbered among the pio- neers of this locality. He is a self-made and self-educated man, having been the architect of his own fortunes. In boyhood he had no school advantages, but has made up for the deficiency by private reading and by the knowledge gained in the world of business and experience. He owns a beautiful home and a valuable farm of eighty acres on section 22, and also eiglity acres on section 23.
A native of Germany, our subject was born De- cember 25, 1820, in the province of Alsace. The father died in Germany when his son John was yet an infant. His widow later married again, and
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in 1833 came to America, landing in Boston, where the family remained until 1836. At that time they removed to Michigan, but stayed only a short time, and then returned to Boston, where the stepfather of our subject died. His wife then, in company with her son John, set sail for Germany, but at the end of a year returned to the United States and remained in Boston several years. After com- ing to Ohio they lived for a short time in To- ledo, then moved to Waterville, and after looking around bought land in Providence Township. The farm was heavily timbered and it required much time and work to bring it into a state suit- able for cultivation.
John Rethringer remained on the farm with his mother until he was married, February 12, 1847, to Mary C. Long. She was born April 27, 1830, and was the daughter of Andrew Long, wlio came to Ohio at the same time that our subject did. Twelve children came to bless the hearthstone of Mr. and Mrs. Rethinger. The eldest, George, who was born February 13, 1848, married Kate Dunnington, and lias a family of ten children. He is a merchant in Custer, Wood County. The other members of the family, in order of birth, arc as follows: John, born September 6, 1849, and who died at the age of twenty years; William, who was born August 22, 1851, and was killed in a runaway accident; Jos- eph, who was born August 11, 1853; Mary, whose birth occurred October 20, 1855, and who died January 26, 1862; Helen, born February 23, 1858; Charles, on the 7th of May, 1860; Peter, who was born November 4, 1862, inarried Emma DeBacher, by whom he has two children, and is now engaged in farming in this township; Andrew V., born April 1, 1865, unmarried, and a resident of Swarton, Ohio; Lizzie, whose birth occurred August 13, 1867; Francis E., born March 15, 1872; and John H., who was born April 9, 1874, and lives at home. The faithful wife and devoted mother was called to her final rest May 7, 1889, at the age of fifty-nine.
A large part of his home farm Mr. Rethinger has cleared himself. He has always been a hard worker and has accumulated a good fortune for his de- clining years. He attends the Catholic Church in this township, and helped to build the house of worship. In politics he is a Democrat. He has
never been an office-seeker, but has on several oc- casions been urged so strenuously by his neighbors to serve in a public capacity that he has acceded to their wishes, and has served acceptably as a School Director and as a Township Trustee, besides filling a number of other local offices.
T HOMAS M. STEVIC, one of the enterpris- ing merchants of West Toledo, is proprietor of a store containing a full and well se- lected line of drugs, hardware, paper, paints and oils. It was in 1890 that he came to this point, and it was not long before he had built up a lucra- tive trade. He is courteous and accommodating to all, and readily makes friends of his customers. His goods are always just what they are repre- sented to be, and can be depended upon as being reliable and the best of their kind.
A native of the Buckeye State, Mr. Stevic was born October 17, 1849, in Wooster, Wayne County, being a son of Henry and Mary (Berlin) Stevic. Henry Stevic's parents were natives of Germany, but he was born in Pennsylvania, and there grew to maturity. In early life he was a farmer, but later embarked in the grocery business. He was called from the scenes of his labors by death when he was in his eightieth year. His wife, Mary, was born near Harrisburg, Pa., and her parents were natives of the Emerald Isle. She is still living, and is now in her eighty-sixth year.
The boyhood of our subject was passed on his father's homestead, where he was early inured to agricultural duties. His elementary education was such as was afforded by the district schools of that period, but subsequently it was his privilege to continue his studies at Smithiville (Ohio) College. About the time of reaching his majority he started in the grocery business at Jefferson, Ohio, and car- ried on this venture for some eight years. He
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then went to Waldron, Mich., where for three years he held positions as a clerk. After leaving therc he engaged in the drug business at Shiloh, and de- voted eight years to that enterprise. He became thoroughly conversant with the needs of the pub- lie in this direction, and fully competent to man- age a store of his own. Having husbanded his means, he found himself in possession of a fair sum, which served as capital and enabled him to equip a store in this city.
In 1886 Mr. Stevie married Miss Mettic Barron, of Shiloh, Ohio. Her father, Rev. J. II. Barron, is a minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is now stationed at Canal Fulton. To Mr. and Mrs. Stevic have been born two children, a son and daughter, Thomas R. and Leona Madge.
In his political views Mr. Stevic is an uncom- promising Republican. Fraternally he is associated with the Odd Fellows.
J OIIN M. MAYER, one of the old and re- spected residents of Waterville Township, is a native of Germany, but for over half a century has lived in the United States. He has cleared about ninety acres of his farm of one hundred and twenty acres, which is situated on section 10, and on which he has made many valu- able improvements during the forty-five years which have elapsed since he became owner of the place. He has served as Road Supervisor and has occupied several other township offices.
The parents of John Mayer were Jolin M. and Mary (Sautter) Mayer, who were natives of Wur- temberg, Germany, born in 1794 and 1819, respect- ively. The parents of John Mayer, Sr., lived and died in Germany, his father, a tailor by trade, passing away in 1801, at the age of sixty-six years, and his mother in 1803, when in her seventy-sixth year. In 1840 John Mayer, Sr., and his wife took
passage in a sailing-vessel bound for Boston, where they arrived on the 26th of August. At the end of three weeks' time they started for Ohio, and on reaching this state located in Maumec. Mr. Mayer then rented land for two or three years, after which he moved to this township and took up two hundred acres of Government land, the great- er portion of which was covered with timber. He erected a log cabin and other necessary buildings, and with energy began to clear his land. Here he made his home until he was summoned to the world beyond, January 28, 1871 ..
By his first marriage the father of our subject had seventeen children, only three of whom sur- vive: Mary B., who was born June 3, 1824, and married Jacob Zahn, of Toledo, by whom she has eight children; Otto, born July 17, 1835, who mar- ried Elizabeth Dill, and has seven children; and John, of this sketch. The mother of these children died in 1848, and later the father married Miss Mary Mayer, who was born in Germany, July 17, 1817, and of this union were born thirteen chil- dren, six of whom died in infancy. Mary died at the age of twenty years, and the others are as fol- lows: Rheinholdt; Albert, who married Mary De- Muth, and has four children; Louise, who married William Dobin, a Michigan farmer, and lias four children; Caroline, who married Henry Knarr, a blacksmith of Whitehouse, Ohio; Bertram, de- ceased, who married Sabina Lewis, also now de- ceased; and Rosina, who married George Koch, a farmer of Washington.
The birth of John Mayer occurred February 20, 1821, in Wurtemberg, Germany, and until he was nineteen years of age he continued to dwell in the Fatherland. He rendered dutiful assistance to his father in clearing his new farm in Lueas County, then in the wilderness, and remanied with him until he was in his twenty-ninth year. At that age he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land for himself, built a log cabin and industri- ously set to work to clear the place of timber. Ile was married January 9, 1850, in Waterville Township, to Elizabeth Brener. She was born January 11, 1826, in Germany, and came to Amer- ica with her parents in 1830, settling in Trumbull County, Ohio, Her father bought a tract of land
JOIIN P. MCAFEE.
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in that locality, and there passed his remaining years. His daughter Fredericka beeamne the wife of Fred Grimm, a farmer of Fulton County, this state; Caroline married Bart Seiger, of Toledo; Catherine wedded John Mischlich, who is engaged in farming in Missouri; and John, the youngest, lives in 'Toledo.
To the union of John Mayer and wife, Elizabeth, were born eleven children. Two died in infancy, and of the otliers, Matilda, born December 13, 1850, died when thirty-six years old; Julia, born February 15, 1852, married William Mahlen, a farmer of Providence Township, and has three children ; Julius, born March 18, 1853, is engaged in farming in Wood County; Mary, born September 15, 1854, died in childhood; Paulina, born December 18, 1855, married Jolin Ester, a Fulton County farm- er, by whom she has two children; August was born January 9, 1857; Caroline, born May 13, 1859, is deceased; John is at home; and Elizabeth is mar- ried and lives in Michigan. John, the son who lives at home, was born August 4, 1860, and mar- ried Sarah Noble, whose birth occurred December 6, 1866. The date of their wedding was April 8, 1890, and three bright children have come to bless their home: Jennie E., born December 30, 1890; Lucy A., February 15, 1892; and John M., July 26, 1894. Mrs. Elizabeth Mayer, wife of our subject, died January 10, 1886, aged sixty years.
Our subject has been for years a member of the German Lutheran Church, and has contributed freely of his means and time to its support. In politics he is a supporter of the Democratic party.
J OHN P. MCAFEE is manager for the Union Central Life Insurance Company of Cincin- nati, Ohio, and has his office in the Chamber of Commerce in Toledo. One of the suc- cessful and best known men in this branch of bus- iness in northwestern Ohio, he worked into his vocation by degrees, and has given it the main
share of his attention for upwards of fifteen years, his connection with the present firm having ex- isted for the past eleven years. Under his inan- agement the Toledo office has written up more than a million dollars of insurance each year for the past seven years.
Mr. McAfee is a native of the Buckeye State, his birth having occurred at Zanesville, in 1850. His parents were James and Elizabeth (Clapper) McAfee, natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, re- spectively. About 1857 they removed to Mercer County, Ohio. The father, who was a farmer by occupation, was an industrions, hard-working man, who provided for his family to the best of his ability, and strove to train his children in upright- ness of action. He was a son of John McAfee, who was born in Ireland and was reared to man- hood in the city of Dublin. The father of Mrs. Elizabeth McAfee, James Clapper, was for many years a resident of the Keystone State.
The boyhood of Jolin P. McAfee was passed amid the surroundings of farm life near Ft. Re- covery, Mercer County. His education was com- menced in the district schools, after which he pur- sued the higher studies at Liber Academy, at Portland, Ind., and at the age of fifteen he entered Ridgeville (Ind.) Baptist College. By his own efforts he worked his way upward and obtained practical training for his future career. At the age of seventeen years he obtained a certificate and began teaching, following that calling for about five years.
In 1872 Mr. McAfee accepted a position as cashi- ier iu the private bank of Godfrey & Milligan, at Celina, Ohio, where he remained for five years. He was next elected acting Secretary of the Fidelity Fire Insurance Company of Delplios, but after occupying that position for a year, he resigned it in order to again take his old place as cashier in the bank. In time he wearied of the confinement of his clerical duties and became an adjuster for a fire-insurance company, after which he engaged in a general fire and life insurance business at Celina, and subsequently was in a general hardware busi- ness at the same place. In 1884 he became special agent for the Union Central Life Insurance Com- pany of Cincinnati, and a year later located in
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Toledo as their general agent, his territory em- bracing north western Ohio.
The vast business Mr. MeAfee has established is a monument to his executive ability and his en- terprise and perseverance. He seems to possess just those qualities which are necessary to sueeess, and he has truly been the architect of his own for- tunes. In polities he deposits his ballot in favor of the man placed on the ticket of the Republican party.
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J OHN W. BROWNSBERGER. No resident of Weston has been more closely identified with its history than the subject of this sketelı, who has been an eye-witness of its material growth and an important factor in the develop- ment of its commercial interests. Here he is eon- dueting a furniture and undertaking business, and by his reliable and straightforward transactions he has gained the confidenee of the people as a patri- otic eitizen and an upright, shrewd business man.
In Perrysburg Township, Wood County, Ohio, the subject of this notice was born March 24, 1843, being the next to the youngest among eight chil- dren comprising the family of John and Barbara (Failor) Brownsberger. His father, who was born in Cumberland County, Pa., March 27, 1800, was reared on a farm, and in his youth learned the trade of a weaver, which occupation he followed until 1832. In the spring of that year he came to Ohio and entered land near Perrysburg, in Wood County, being one of the pioneers of this region, which was then in its primitive state. It was not long, however, before settlers began to floek into the county, and soon improvements were intro- dueed, cities sprang into existence, and fine farms were improved.
Soon after making settlement in Perrysburg Township, John Brownsberger was chosen Justice of the Peace and superintendent of road improve-
ments. For a number of years he also had charge of the toll-gates. So faithfully did he perform his duties as a eitizen that he gained the esteem and confidence of his neighbors. A short time before his death he removed to Lucas County, and there he passed away at the age of eighty-six. He was of German descent, but the family had been represented in America for many generations, and some of his ancestors took part in the Revolution- ary War.
The mother of our subject was also a native of Cumberland County, Pa., and was born August 30, 1804. Her death occurred in Lueas County, this state, at the age of seventy-six, after she had spent a number of years in total blindness. She was of German origin, her ancestors having emi- grated to the United States in an early day.
Our worthy subject spent his early life on a farm, and received his education in the country sehools near his home. At the age of fifteen he started out in life for himself, first becoming a clerk in a grocery store, where he received only his board for the first three years. August 5, 1860, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundredth Regi- inent Ohio Volunteers, and served for three years. He enlisted as a private, but was promoted to the office of Corporal soon after, and served in that eapaeity during his enlistment. He took an active part in a number of engagements, and was taken prisoner, with about three hundred others, at Lew- iston Station, Tenn., and was eonfined at differ- ent times in Jonesborough, Libby and Belle Isle Prisons, being held a prisoner for seven months before he was paroled. He was mustered out July 3, 1865, and returned to his home at Perrysburg.
A short time after coming home, Mr. Browns- berger took a course in a commercial college, and then entered a dry-goods store in Toledo, where he remained eight years. After this he went into the office of the Auditor of Lucas County, and prepared a set of geographieal books for Wood County, and when the work was completed he re- mained as assistant elerk for a short time. Ile was then appointed Deputy Sheriff, serving for two years. In 1868 he was elected Sheriff of the coun- ty, and re-elected in 1870. It was during his term of office that the fight between Bowling Green and
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Perrysburg for the distinction of being the county seat occurred, and he had a hard time in preserv- ing order during that exciting time. He followed the instructions of Chief Justice Waite, and de- fended the records from being taken by a mob that came to remove them. On the 3d of July, 1869, a celebration was held at a place about twelve miles from Perrysburg, and in the disturbance that generally takes place on such occasions David Shilling shot and killed Charles Lunday. A mob collected, which was going to hang Shilling imme- diately, but a friend sent word to our subject, who was Sheriff at the time, and he rode his horse on the run the whole twelve miles, and arrived in time to rescue the man. Mr. Brownsberger was a young, boyish-looking fellow at the time, and the mob consisted of twenty-five of the most desperate men in the county, but he had the nerve to rush into the crowd, rescue his man and take him to the county jail.
When his term of office had expired, Mr. Browns- berger removed to Weston and erected a large saw and planing mill, which he successfully conducted for three years. In connection with his other business, lie also acted as Deputy Sheriff of the county, in which office he had gained a reputation as a terror to evil-doers and a friend to the law- abiding citizens. In July, 1874, he sold out his interest in the mill, and took charge of the records of the Probate Court, which position he filled for two years.
In the spring of 1876 our subject became a keeper in the State's Prison at Columbus, Ohio, but only remained there eleven months. After returning to his home he remained a short time, and then went to Bowling Green, where he occu- pied the position of Deputy Clerk for five years. At the expiration of this time he was obliged to resign his place in the office on account of poor health, and, going from there to Toledo, he em- barked in the undertaking business. He followed this occupation for three and a-half years, and then sold out and found employment as a conductor on the Clover Leaf Railroad. He was also express- man and baggagemaster for a time, and remained in the employment of the railroad for six years. In 1892 he bought an interest in a furniture store
in Weston, and in January, 1893, came here and took possession, and has been actively engaged in the furniture business, in connection with that of undertaker, up to the present time. He has an attractive store, and his trade extends over the surrounding country, as he is a man who is held in the highest respect by all who know him, and has the confidence of the entire community.
Mr. Brownsberger was united in marriage with Miss Lucy J. Bonney, of this city, February 24, 1869, and to them three children have been born. Bessie May is the wife of C. K. Merrill, and resides in Toledo. Mabel B. is attending school in To- ledo. The only son died in infancy. Our subject is a stanch Republican in his political views, and in his younger days took an active part in politics, being one of the leading men of his party in the county. Fraternally he is connected with Lodge No. 123, F. & A. M., of Perrysburg, and Post No. 20, G. A. R., of Weston. He is also a member of the Undertakers' Union and Gen. John W. Fuller Commandery, at Toledo.
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ILLIAM W. HILL, M. D., one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Weston, Wood County, is a native of this state, and was born in the town where he now resides, on the 6th of September, 1845. He is the eldest in the family of ten children born to John and Hester (Crum) Hill. The father was born September 9, 1822, in Stark County, this state, where he was reared and educated. In 1831 he came with his parents to Wood County, and located in Milton Township, where his father purchased some Government land, and with the help of his son began the arduous task of clearing and culti- vating the same.
John Hill remained on this farm with his par- ents for several years, but after his marriage to
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the mother of our subject he removed to Weston Township, where he purchased a farm, and imme- diately set about making the necessary improve- ments. He soon had a comfortable home, and became one of the leading agriculturists of his seetion. In early life he was a member of the United Brethren Church, but later on became iden- tified with the Christian or Disciples Churel, in which faith he passed away, having lived an ex- emplary Christian life. His death occurred Au- gust 10, 1887, in the sixty-sixth year of his age.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of England, where he was reared to man- hood. After attaining his majority he married and emigrated to America, settling in Ohio, in the early pioneer days of the country. He served in the Mexican War, and was a true patriot and a brave man. His wife was of German origin, her parents having emigrated to this country in a very early day. The mother of our subject was a na- tive of this state, and was born in Harrison Coun- ty, January 5, 1821. Her death occurred Novem- ber 9, 1894, at the age of seventy-three years. Her father was a prominent minister in the United Brethren Church, and a man highly respected by all who knew him.
The subject of this sketch was but ten years of age when he started out in life for himself. ITis father was a man of limited means, and as the family was large it bceame necessary that the elder children should do all in their power to assist in maintaining the others. William was young, but strong and willing to work, and soon found work on a neighboring farm, where he was hired by the monthi. He was but fifteen years of age at the breaking out of the late war, but he was filled with zeal and enthusiasm, and though not old enough to enter the service as a regular soldier, he enlisted as a drummer-boy in Company K, Eighty-fourth Ohio Infantry, remaining in the service for three months, and receiving his dis- charge in November, 1861. In the following spring he again enlisted, this time becoming a member of Company G, Tenth Ohio Cavalry, serv- ing three years, or until the close of the war. On the 13th of March, 1864, he was wounded in the right hip by a shell, and received a scar that he
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