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 50
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 50
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will carry to his grave. The wound was not seri- ous however, and he did not go to the hospital, but remained with his regiment. July 25, 1864, he received a gunshot wound in the right leg while in action, and carries the ball in his limb yet, it never having been extracted. He seems to have been a mark for the rebels, as he was a third time wounded in a very short time. On the 20th of August, 1864, he was struck by a canister-shot, just below the left knee, causing a wound more se- rious than either of the others, and he was sent immediately to the Kingston Hospital, but was soon afterward transferred to David's Island, where he remained until the elose of the war.
Dr. Hill was honorably discharged July 12, 1865, and returned to his home in Weston Town- ship. He never recovered from the effects of the shot he received in the last battle in which he took part, and for seventeen years was compelled to walk on crutelies, and at last to have his limb am- putated. After his return from the war he at- tended the Weston sehools for a time, where he received a very good education, and fitted himself for the position of a teacher. He followed this profession for several years, and then became a clerk and bookkeeper, but after a short time de- eided to adopt the medical profession as his life work. In 1874 he began reading medicine and in a short time entered the Western Reserve Univer- sity at Cleveland, Ohio, and was graduated from that institution in Marclı, 1879.
In Weston, the home of his birth, Dr. Ilill be- gan the practice of his profession, and from the start met with fair success. His practice is now large, and is rapidly increasing throughout the town and surrounding country, and he is known as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Wood County. Having started out in the world with nothing but his own hands and head with which to make his way, the prominence to which he has attained is due to his own individual efforts and perseverance. In all matters pertaining to his profession he is interested and well informed, and in addition to his duties as a general practi- tioner and family physician he does a large amount of surgical work.
On the 25th of August, 1869, Dr. Hill and Miss
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Elvira W. Hathaway were united in marriage, and to this union two children have been born. Charles E., born March 10, 1872, is a prominent young business man of Toledo, being engaged in the grocery business. Fred M., born March 31, 1874, makes his home with his parents. Politi- eally the Doctor is a stanch Republican, but ean- not afford to take an active part in polities, as he is fully occupied in attending to the duties of lis profession. He is publie-spirited, however, and is ever ready to assist in every enterprise for the improvement of his home locality and the welfare of the community. He and his estimable wife are both ardent members of the Methodist Church, and are foremost in all church work.
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T HOMAS BROWN, one of the most pro- gressive and public-spirited men of Mau- mee, is part owner of the flouring-mills in this place, and is manager of the plant. In local politics he lias been quite active, and is a stanel defender of Republican principles. For ten years he served as a member of the Board of Education, and is now a Trustee of the Maumee City Gas Company.
In a family of nine children, Thomas Brown is the fifth in order of birth. His birth occurred March 22, 1826, in Dunbar, Scotland. His father, Edward Brown, who was a millwright by trade, and followed the business for many years, died when Thomas was a child. Both he and his wife, whose maiden name was Belle Shiel, were natives of Innerwick. Of their large family of children Thomas is now the only survivor.
Our subject learned the millwright's trade with his eldest brother, and was employed in the busi- ness in lus native land until 1850. Coming to America in that year, he settled in Buffalo, where
he worked for aboutseven years, and in 1858 came west to Toledo. In that city he remained until the fall of 1859, when he removed to Maumee. Here he found employment in the mill until 1878, when he purchased a third interest in the business, the remainder of which is controlled by R. B. Mitchell, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. The mill, which is valued at $15,000, is supplied with modern machinery and has a capacity of about two hundred barrels per day.
On the 2d of May, 1864, Mr. Brown enlisted in Company- E, One Hundred and Thirtieth Ohio In- fantry, as a private soldier, and on the expiration of his term received an honorable discharge, Sep- tember 22, 1864. He was elected to the position of Captain, but declined the honor on account of outside business matters. Though he did not par- tieipate in any regular battle, he had a hand in several skirmishes, and traveled up and down the James River many times in the discharge of his duties. He is now a member of C. B. Mitehell Post No. 84, G. A. R., of this place, and is also identified with Maumee Lodge No. 682, I. O. O. F.
November 29, 1860, Mr. Brown married Eva C. Worth, of this city, and to them have been born five children, as follows: Edward A., who is now a member of the fire department of Toledo; George T., who died at the age of seven years; Belle E., who died when in her twenty-fourth year; Nellie G., who is still living with her parents; and Car- rie A. L., who is attending school. The family are influential members of the Presbyterian Church, and occupy an enviable position in social circles.
P ETER CRANKER carries on general farm- ing on section 15, Washiington Township, Lucas County, and has resided on his homestead for the past twenty-three years. He is one of the native sons of this township, the date of his birth being August 19, 1844, and, with the exception of the time spent in the South when he
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was fighting the battles of his country, his life has been spent entirely in this region.
Joseph and Mary C. (Bertholf) Cranker, the parents of our subject, were natives of New York State. The former, who was a blacksmith by trade, was a thorough workman, and followed this call- ing during his entire life. He was only a small boy when he came to Lucas County, and here his death occurred in 1853. His other sons were Will- iam H. and Joseph. His only daughter, Maria, died at the age of five years.
Our subject was deprived of his father's care and protection when only nine years of age, and he re- mained with his mother on the old homestead until he enlisted in the Union service in the Civil War. After he returned he went to school at in- tervals for three years, in order to better fit him- self for the battle of life. For the next eight years he was employed by Mr. Luny on his farm, and at the end of that time embarked in business on his own account. It was in 1872 that be be- came the owner of his present farm of twenty-five acres, which is devoted to gardening and general crops.
September 16, 1862, Mr. Cranker enlisted as a private soldier in Company A, Sixty-seventh Ohio Infantry, being mustered in at Columbus, Ohio. His first active engagement was at the battle of Cold Harbor, after which followed Morris Island, Ft. Wagner, Drury's Bluffs, the siege of Petersburg (from August 25 to September 25, 1863), Chapin's Farm and many others. In the charge on Ft. Gregg, Va., Mr. Cranker was wounded by a minie- ball in the right thigh, and from the effects of this injury lie has ever since been a cripple. He was removed to the rear field hospital, and three days later was taken to the hospital at Fortress Monroe, where he remained from April 5 until September, 1865. Ile received his final discharge at Cincinnati, October 31, 1865. He had been promoted to the rank of Corporal in 1863, and was discharged as suchı. He has long been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, belonging to Volunteer Post of Toledo.
On Christmas Day, 1872, Mr. Cranker married Miss Jennie Jackman, who was born in Lucas County, May 31, 1852. Seven children have
blessed the union of this worthy couple, but Cora, James and William H. have been called to the better land. Those living are Agnes, Fred, Bertha and Ada.
R REDERICK KOHLI, a well-to-do farmer of Providence Township, was born in Swit- zerland, June 8, 1855. His parents were Samuel and Eliza (Winkelman) Kohli, both of whom were born, reared and died in Switzerland. The father departed this life when our subject was an infant, but his mother lived until 1885, when she, too, passed away. They were farmers by occu- pation, and people highly respected in their com- munity.
Samuel Kohli was one of a family of nine chil- dren, only one of whom survives. On attaining mature years he became one of the more substan- tial citizens of his locality, and was of much ben- efit to the community. His son, our subject, spent his early life on his father's estate, and received a good education. He became conversant with the French language, and on emigrating to America soon mastered the English tongne. The trip hither was begun May 18, 1877, and soon after landing in New York he came direct to this state, locating on a farm with an uncle, with whom he remained for three years, or until his relative died. Our subject then purchased the place, which contained forty acres, but the only improvement on it was a log cabin. His uncle had come to America in 1851, and at the time of his decease was laboring hard to clear his purchase. When the tract was taken possession of by our subject, he continued the work of clearing it, and lived in the little cabin until 1884, when his means made it possible for him to erect a more substantial and comfortable d welling.
March 17, 1881, Frederick Kohli married Cath- erine Boyer, and their two children are Mamie E.,
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born October 11, 1882, and Frank, born November 21, 1887. Our subject has always been interested in educational matters, and has done much to help on the good work in his district since he became a member of the School Board. In politics he votes with the Republican party. He is identified with the Lutheran Church, and is held in the highest possible esteem by all who know him.
H ON. D. K. HOLLENBECK, Mayor of Per- rysburg and one of the leading attorneys of Wood County, was born in Mumford, Monroe County, N. Y., January 15, 1834. He is a member of a family that has been honorably connected with the history of this country for sev- eral generations. The first of the name to settle in America was Casper Jacob Hollenbeck, a native of Holland, who, emigrating to the United States and settling in Albany, N. Y., became prominently identified with the early history of that city. From him the line of descent is traced through Isaac Casper, Hendrick and James to Henry Isaac, a native of New York, and a successful agricult- urist.
The father of our subject, Francis, was a son of Henry Isaac Hollenbeck, and was born in Will- iamsburg, N. Y., in 1809. He had two brothers, James and Hamilton. The former, whose life oc- cupation has been that of a farmer, is now living retired in Schoharie County, N. Y., at the ad- vanced age of ninety-three years. The latter, at the time of his death, was a hotel-keeper at Mum- ford, N. Y. Francis Hollenbeck was the recipient of excellent educational advantages, and was a graduate of Wyoming Seminary. In 1844 he came to Ohio in the interest of Eastern capitalists, and was so favorably impressed with the oppor- tunities offered by this state that he decided to settle here permanently. Opening an office at
Miami, he remained there a few years, but in 1847 removed to Perrysburg. January 10, 1856, he was admitted to the Bar, and from that time until his death he followed the profession of an attorney.
An ardent supporter of the public-school system, Francis Hollenbeck was instrumental in promoting the educational interests of this community, and was a prominent factor in the building of the first schoolhouse at Miami. For many years he was Principal of the schools of Defiance and Perrys- burg. but from 1856 until the time of his death, August 31, 1884, he directed his energies wholly to the legal profession. A man of progressive spirit and more than ordinary ability, he is remem- bered as one of the most able lawyers and influ- ential citizens Perrysburg has ever had. His wife, Eliza (McNaughton) Hollenbeck, was born in New York and was of Scotch ancestry. She died in September, 1893, at the age of eighty-tliree.
The subject of this notice is the eldest of five brothers, all of whom are living with two ex- ceptions. George W., who during the Civil War was Lieutenant of Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio Infantry, was for some years a resident of New Mexico, during which time he served as Probate Judge of Socorro County; he is now engaged in the real-estate business at Los Angeles, Cal. W. H., also a soldier in the late war, and Postmaster at Perrysburg under Presi- dent Harrison's adininistration, died April 3, 1895. F. E., who was born May 4, 1840, was for many years in the railroad business at Rochester, N. Y., but since 1884 has been a partner of our subject in the real-estate business. Charles J. died in infancy.
At the time of the removal of the family to Ohio, the subject of this sketch was ten years of age. On completing his studies, lie taught school for several years, after which lie read law under the guidanee of his father. Admitted to the Bar, he was in partnership with his father until the death of the latter in 1884. For years he lias been prominent in local politics, and has been a member of the City Council and the Board of Ed- ueation. In the spring of 1894 he was elected Mayor of Perrysburg, and in that responsible po-
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sition has been an important factor in securing many improvements and municipal reforms
Since the organization of the Perrysburg Bank Mr. Hollenbeck has been one of its stockholders and one of the Directors. At the request of the City Council, the executors of the will of the late W. V Way expended the money set apart for the purpose ^erecting the Way Library, concerning which mention is made elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Hollenbeck was one of the executors. In the growth and development of Perrysburg he has been a leading factor, promoting its interests and increasing its resources. No one deserves greater praise than he for the prosperity of the place and its high standing among other cities of north west- ern Ohio.
By his marriage with Miss Frank Bruce, a na- tive of Oswego, N. Y., but at the time of their union a resident of Clinton, Mich., Mr. Hollen- beck has four children, Fred Bruce, Ella E., Grace A. and Jean K. His eldest son, a promising young man, has for some years been engaged in business in Seattle, Washı .; while his daughter, Miss Ella, is a successful teacher in the schools of Yankton, S. Dak.
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R EV. SEBASTIAN LIPE has occupied the pulpits of the New German Baptist Church of Spencer Township and the one in Ger- man Township, Fulton County, since 1858. He gives one sermon on Sundays at the Swanton vil- lage church, one in Spencer Township, and one occasionally in German Township, and, according to the custom of that denomination, he has never received any remuneration for his services. He was the fifthi convert of this particular sect in the United States, and was elected a Deacon in the church, afterward becoming an Elder. In 1883 there were eighty-five members of the Spencer Township church.
Rev. Mr. Lipe was born in the canton of Schaff-
hausen, Switzerland, April 12, 1829, and is a son of Jacob and Anna (Kaller) Lipe. The former was a stonemason and contractor, who employed many hands in his stone quarry. He died in 1852, aged sixty-nine years, and his wife died ten years pre- viously, aged fifty-four years. Of their five sons and five daughters, three sons emigrated to the United States. Henry settled in Monclova Town- ship, Lucas County, where he followed the trade of a blacksmith, but died two years after coming to this locality. Jacob, another son, settled in the same township, and condneted a blacksmith shop for three or four years. In 1848 he moved into German Township, Fulton County. He died in Spencer, Lucas County, Ohio, in 1880.
The education of our subject was obtained in the graded schools of his native village. On com- pleting his studies, he learned the cabinet-maker's trade, and set forth to seek his fortune in the New World in 1847. In Toledo he secured a position in Stockman's shop, which was located on a va- cant lot between Summit, St. Clair, Jefferson and Madison Strects. Mr. Stockman afterward had a furniture shop on the same site. At that early day the only brick store in the city was a general store on the east side of Summit Strect, between Monroc and Jefferson Streets, which was kept by a Mr. Ketcham; and the only tavern was the old In- diana House, on Summit Street, between Monroe and Perry. After three years' residence in Toledo, Mr. Lipe left the city ou account of ill-health, sick- ness prevailing to a great extent for some time after the cholera epidemie of 1849. He removed to German Township, where his brother was liv- ing, and purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres. At the end of four years, however, he returned to Toledo, and once more engaged in carpentering, taking contracts and building houses there for three years. Then, making still another removal, lie went to Maumce, and lived in that vicinity for two years.
From 1855 until 1864 Mr. Lipe engaged in op- erating his farm in German Township, but sold out in the latter year, and invested in sixty acres in Spencer Township. He has added more land, until he now owns one hundred and ten acres on section 8. In October, 1893, he moved to Swan-
NEW GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH, SWANTON, FULTON COUNTY, OHIO.
NEW GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH, SPENCER TOWNSHIP, LUCAS COUNTY, OHIO.
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ton, where he had built a fine residenee the pre- vious summer.
In 1852 oeeurred the marriage of Mr. Lipe and Elizabeth Berthand, who died in April, 1880, leav- ing no children. December 9, 1880, Mr. Lipe wedded Barbara, daughter of John Zeigler, of Monelova Township, Lueas County, and a potter by trade. Of huis six children, only Mrs. Lipe and one sister, Catherine, Mrs. Jacob Berthand, sur- vive.
In 1847 there were but six members of the new German Baptist Chureli in Maumee, and these were all natives of Switzerland. They first held religious serviees in sehoolhouses, but in 1857 managed to put up a small house of worship in German Township, and in 1883 one was built in Spencer Township. Rev. Mr. Lipe is devoted to the interests of the denomination with which he has been so long identified, and is popular with all of the members. In his political belief he is a Re- publiean.
J OSIAH CHAMBERS, one of the sterling old residents of Washington Township, pur- chased the farm on which he is residing in 1838. It was bought at second-hand, and consisted of forty aeres, lying in seetion 5, and besides the log cabin on the place but few im- provements had been made. In 1839 he landed in Toledo, and as he was a miller by trade soon found employment in a mill in that eity, and ground the first bushel of grain ever ground there. In this township he has served as Assessor, Trustee and Justiec of the Peace for a number of terms. He has been a witness of much of the growth and de- velopment of northwestern Ohio, and well remem- bers when Indians and wild game were plentiful.
Josiah Chambers was born in Gloucestershire, England, November 26, 1809, and is a son of Jo- siah and Elizabeth Chambers, likewise natives of
England. Their three other children were Rhoda, Stephen and Joseph. After the death of his wife, Elizabeth, the father married Ann Gray, by whom he had thirteen children, namely: Sarah, Mary, Ann, Betsy, Caroline, Josephi, Robert, Caleb, El- eanor, John, Elizabeth, Eliza and one who died in infancy. Elizabeth and Eliza, twins, were born on the Atlantic Ocean, during the voyage of the fam- ily to the United States in 1830.
Joseph Chambers was a wagon-maker by trade, and followed that ealling during his active life. On reaching America in 1830, he settled in Onon- daga County, N. Y., where he remained for six years, and then, by way of the canal and lakes, came to Lucas County. He worked at his trade in Toledo until 1838, when he purchased eighty acres of unimproved land in this township. A few acres only had been broken, and a log house had been erected on the farm, which Mr. Chambers culti- vated industriously until shortly before his death, in 1844. He was a worker in the Methodist Church, and helped to build the first edifice for that denomination in Toledo.
The boyhood of Josialı Chambers passed un- eventfully in his native village, and when four- teen years of age he commenced serving an appren- tieesliip to the blacksmith's trade, receiving only his board for five years, and in addition his father was obliged to pay £5 to the man to whom he was ap- prenticed for the privilege of learning the trade. He continued working at the business until, with the other members of the family, he came to seek a fortune in the United States. At Jordan, N. Y., he served a four-years apprenticeship to the milling business, and finally, in 1838, located in Toledo, where, as before mentioned, he obtained a position as a miller in the first mill of the city. For about half a century he has given his energies to the cultivation and development of his farm, and now owns eighty aeres of valuable land, which he has eleared and improved by himself.
January 5, 1837, Mr. Chambers married Miss Mary A. Worriek, who was born in New Jersey, August 16, 1817, and who departed this life De- eember 29, 1856. Eight children were born of their union, namely: William, deceased; Cather- ine E., Mrs. H. B. Shay; Mary, deceased; Theodore,
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a fariner of this township; Emma; Sarah, who died in infancy; Sarah, thic second of the name, now also deceased; and Serena, twin brother of Sarah. The second wife of Mr. Chambers, to whom he was married August 18, 1859, was a Miss Eliza Weston, whose death occurred in February, 1882.
In foriner years Mr. Chambers was a Whig, and voted for William Henry Harrison. He is now loyal to the principles of the Republican party.
OHN LYTLE, a well-to-do and thrifty agri- culturist of Waterville Township, Lucas County, owns a well improved homestead on scetion 12, where he has dwelt since his mar- riage, or for over forty years. Commencing life a poor boy, he persevered in his determination to succeed, and wrought ont for himself the prosper- ity which has abundantly crowned his efforts.
Mr. Lytle was born June 2, 1828, in the northern part of Ireland, and passed his early years in his native land. When he was sixteen years of age, or in 1844, he crossed the Atlantic with his par- ents, James and Elizabeth Lytle, and soon after landing on American shores continued his journey to Lucas County. His father became one of the pioneers of Waterville Township, where he died in 1847, at the age of seventy years. His family numbered six children, only two of whom now survive: our subject and Martha, who was born Angust 13, 1825, and is the wife of Andrew El- liott.
In 1848 John Lytle was united in marriage with Miss Sarah McWilliams, who did not long survive her marriage, but passed away at the age of twenty- four years, in 1854, leaving two children. The elder, Elizabeth, married a Mr. Thompson, a Cana- dian farmer, and the younger, William, is a farmer in Wood County, Ohio. In 1856 Mr. Lytle mar- ried Eliza Jane Henderson, by whom he had five
children. Their names and the dates of their births are as follows: James, born February 3, 1859; Mary Ann, January 25, 1861; Alice, September 2, 1862; Glover, May 11, 1872; and Martha Belle, August 17, 1876. James, who married May Gor- don, and has two children, resides in Waterville, Ohio, whicre he is well known and highly respect- ed. Mary A. became the wife of Samuel Nowart, a farmer of Waterville Township, and is the motli- er of three children. Alice wedded John Kutzley, a farmer, and lias one child. Glover and Marthia live at home. The mother of these children was called to her final rest January 17, 1894, at the age of fifty seven years, seven montlis and twenty- eight days, and was buried in the Waterville Com- etery.
When sixteen years of age, John Lytle actively began the battle of life, working at different places and at various occupations for four years. After- wards he bought eighty-seven acres of land, which were covered with undergrowth and timber. He erccted a log cabin on the place and energetically set to work to clear and improve it. He now has nearly thic entire farm cleared and under cultiva- . tion, and it is considered one of the best in this lo- cality. He has held several township offices, and is known far and wide as a man of upright charac- ter and honesty of word and deed. In liis politi- cal faith lie is a Democrat, and religiously he is con- nected with the Episcopal Church.
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