USA > Ohio > Fulton County > The County of Fulton: A History of Fulton County, Ohio, from the Earliest Days, with Special Chapters on Various Subjects, Including Each of the Different Townships; Also a Biographical Department. > Part 64
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a brief record concerning the nine children of Mr. and Mrs. Schaff- ner : Albert remains at the parental home and is associated in the operation of the farm; Clara is the wife of Martin Sayres, of Frank- lin township; Charles and Frank are at home; Jacob died at the age of eleven years; and Grover, Oliver, Mahlon and Nina May are all members of the family circle in the attractive home, which is a place of utmost hospitality.
WILLIAM SCHUCH is the owner and operator of a well-im- proved farm, of one hundred and sixty acres, in Section 6, Franklin township, and is one of the popular citizens of the community. He is a native of the old Keystone State, having been born in Lycoming county, Pa., March 18, 1863, a son of Jacob and Regina (Stoltz) Schuch, the former of whom was born in Germany, being six years of age at the time of his parents immigration to America, in 1833, the family settling in Pennsylvania, where he was reared to manhood, becoming one of the prosperous farmers of Lycoming county, where he still maintains his home. He is a son of Peter and Barbara (Drum) Schuch, who remained resident of Pennsylvania until death, the former having followed farming and lumbering and having died at the age of seventy-eight years, and his wife died seven months later. Of their seven children six attained maturity; Margaret is the widow of Philip Heisley and resides in Perry county, Pa .; Peter is a resident of Pioneer, Williams county, Ohio; Jacob is the father of the subject of this review; Katie is the wife of William Krisher, of Williams county, Ohio; Sarah is the wife of Charles Smith, of Williamsport, Pa .; Louisa is the wife of Joseph Aderhold, of Lycom- ing county, Pa .; and one child died when very young. Jacob and Regina Schuch, who still reside on their old homestead, in Lycoming county, Pa., have reared seven children, of whom William is the eldest; Charles likewise is a successful farmer of Franklin township, Fulton county, Ohio; Emma is the wife of Dr. Charles Bastian, of Lycoming county, Pa .; Peter is engaged in farming in that county; Phoebe is the wife of Edward Williamson, and they reside on the home farm of her father; Hattie is the wife of a Mr. Lusk, of Ly- coming county ; Katie remains at the parental home; and Harry is a successful teacher in the public schools of Lycoming county. Wil- liam Schuch remained on the homestead farm until he was twenty- two years of age, having duly availed himself of the advantages of the public schools of the locality. He then came to Fulton county, Ohio, and settled on a farm which his father had purchased, in Franklin township. He sold this property in 1892 and purchased a farm near West Unity, in Williams county, and in 1900 he came into possession of and settled upon his present place, which is well-im- proved and under effective cultivation, being devoted to diversified agriculture and stock-raising. Mr. Schuch is a stalward Democrat in his political proclivities, and his popularity in the community is well attested by the fact that he is now serving as a member of the board of trustees of Franklin township. September 29, 1885, Mr. Schuch was married to Miss Esther Hornberger, who was born
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August 21, 1860, and reared in Lycoming county, Pa., where her parents, David and Hannah (Ludwig) Hornberger resided until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Schuch have four children: Clarence Wesley, Bessie May, Harry William, and Ruth Regina.
RICHARD H. SCOTT is numbered among the enterprising and representative agriculturists of Royalton township; he is also vice- president of the Fulton County Savings Bank, of Lyons, and he is an honored pioneer of the county, where he has made his home for more than half a century. Mr. Scott has the distinction of being a native of the national metropolis, having been born in New York city, on the 9th of June, 1836, and being a son of Robert and Eliza (Halsey) Scott. His father was born in Glasgow, Scotland, whence be came to America in youth, and the mother was a native of the city of Boston, and a member of one of the old Colonial families of New England. This worthy couple was numbered among the prominent pioneers of Fulton county, Ohio, having located in Royal- ton township in the early '50's. Here the father secured eighty acres of wild land, heavily timbered, the property being located in Section 8, and he cleared and improved the place, with the aid of his two sons. Both parents continued to reside on this homestead until death, honored by all who knew them. Of their, two chil- dren the elder, Walter, was killed on shipboard, on the Indian ocean, while en route from New York city to Canton, China. Richard H., the younger son, was reared to the age of seventeen years in New York city, where he received good educational advantages, and the year 1853 marks the date of his arrival in Fulton county, where he gave material aid to his father in his reclamation of the homestead farm, and he also cleared from the wilds a portion of the farm upon which he now resides. He has one hundred and sixty acres of most arable land and has made the best of improvements on the place, including the erection of a handsome residence, making the farm- stead one of the most valuable and attractive in this part of the county. Mr. Scott was a loyal soldier of the Union during the War of the Rebellion, having enlisted, on the 16th of October, 1861, as a private in Company I, Sixty-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry, which .was-assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and he was an active par- ticipant in all the engagements in which his command took part until he was compelled to retire, by reason of physical disability; having received his honorable discharge in January, 1863. In politics he has been identified with the Republican party from the- time of its organization, and the confidence and regard of the community has been manifested in his being called upon to serve in various offices of distinctive trust and responsibility. He was trustee of Royalton township for fifteen years, was township assessor nine years, and was a member of the board of county commissioners for two terms, of three years each. He was one of the organizers of the Fulton County Savings bank, at Lyons, has been a member of its directorate from the start, and for the past two years he has been vice-president of the institution. He is a member of Baxter Post, N. 238, G. A. R.
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In 1853 Mr. Scott was united in marriage to Miss Lucy A. Hilton, daughter of Jesse and Cynthia (Travers) Hilton, of Royalton town- ship, and one son was born of this union, George C., who married Miss Lottie Hoag and who died in 1902, leaving one son, Charles E.
FRED K. A. SEELY, a prominent merchant of Metamora and also incumbent of the office of cashier of the Farmers' and Mer- chants' bank, of that village, was born in Monroeville, Huron county, Ohio, October 11, 1862, a son of Robert and Marilla (Searles) Seely. His paternal grandfather, Charles Seely, was a resident of Pennsyl- vania and a tanner by trade, and the maternal grandfather, Elbridge Searles, was born in Massachusetts in 1812, settling in Huron county, Ohio, in the early 50's, and' in 1861 he removed to Amboy township, Fulton county, where he improved a good farm, on which he con- tinued to reside until his death, in the autumn of 1899, at the age of eighty-seven years. Concerning his children the following brief rec- ord is given: Ralph and Addison both died while serving as soldiers in the Civil war; Jane is the wife of George Buskirk; Marilla is the wife of Robert Seely; Rachel is the wife of Trune Alvord; Louisa is the wife of John Setzler; Oscar is a resident of this county; Mary is the wife of William Brooks; Julia is the wife of Jay White; and the younger children are Emily, Frederick K. A., Hattie and El- bridge. Robert Seely has been a resident of Monroeville, Ohio, since 1850, has there been engaged in the livery business since 1872, and he is also one of the oldest merchants of the town. He and his wife became the parents of six children, all of whom are living, namely : Charles, Fred K. A., Cora, Edith, Laura M. and Edward. Fred K. A. Seely was reared in Monroeville, and after completing the cur- riculum of the public schools he took a course in the business col- lege at Ada, Ohio. In 1880 he located in Metamora, where he was employed as salesman in a mercantile establishment for five years, after which he was employed four years as traveling salesman of agricultural implements. He then established himself in the furni- ture and undertaking business in Metamora, in which line of enter- prise he has since continued most successfully, and in 1900 he added a stove-department to his well equipped establishment. Upon the organization of the Farmers' and Merchants' Banking company, in . 1902, Mr. Seely was appointed cashier, in which executive capacity he has since served with marked discrimination and acceptability. He is also the owner of a fine farm of forty acres, in Amboy town- ship, and is a reliable and public-spirited citizen and progressive busi- ness man. In politics Mr. Seely is a Republican, he has served in various offices, including that of clerk of Amboy township, and for the past seven years he has been village clerk, having been one of the incorporators of the village of Metamora, in 1893, and having taken a most active interest in all that has tended to advance the welfare and progress of the town. He is identified with the lodge, chapter and commandery of the Masonic fraternity, and also with the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife are valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church in their home town.
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May 24, 1880, Mr. Seely was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Frail, daughter of Perry and Elizabeth Frail, of Delaware county, N. Y. They have no children ..
JOHN B. SEGRIST is one of the sterling pioneer citizens of York township, where he has maintained his home for more than half a century, and he has here gained a full measure of success in connection with the vocation of farming. He was born in the king- dom of Wurtemburg, Germany, on the 30th of August, 1823, being a son of John B. and Agnes (Laudenschlager) Segrist, who immi- grated to America when he was about eight years of age, settling in Berks. county, Pennsylvania, where he was reared to the age of eighteen years, being afforded the advantages of the common schools of the locality and period. He then set forth to face the prob- lems and labors of life on his own responsibility, coming to Ohio and settling in Stark county, where he remained about five years, at the expiration of which he removed to the city of Toledo, where he made his home about four years, being employed at the butchering trade during this period. In 1853 he came to Fulton county and set- tled in York township, where he secured two hundred and forty acres of land, the greater portion being unreclaimed. He has developed one of the valuable farms of the county, having erected good build- ings and now having a fine homestead of two hundred and forty acres. He has been known as an energetic and progressive farmer and stock-grower, and he has so ordered his course as to retain the unequivocal confidence and esteem of his fellow-men, his entire life having been dominated by absolute integrity of purpose. - His politi- cal allegiance is given to the Democratic party, and his religious faith is that of the Lutheran church, of which he has been a member from his youth. In Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1851, Mr. Segrist was united in marriage to Miss Christina Laudenslager, and she died in 1866. Six children were born of this union, namely: Amanda, who is deceased; Mary Ann, who is the wife of Jonas H. Seymour, a representative farmer of York township; William H., who is like- wise a successful farmer of this township; George, who is deceased; John E., who is a prosperous farmer of York township; and Agnes D., who is the wife of Samuel Ruppert, of Wauseon. In February, 1868, Mr. Segrist was married to Miss Lucinda Bowmann, of New Bedford, Coshocton county, and she was summoned to the life eternal in July, 1891, leaving three children-Ellen, who is the wife of Elijah Dickerson, of Delta, this county; Theodore, who has charge of the operation of the homestead farm; and Fred A., who is engaged. in farming in Swan Creek township.
WILLIAM SEGRIST, a prominent farmer and honored citizen of York township, was born in the kingdom of Wurtemburg, Ger- many, on the 6th of May, 1829, and in 1832 his parents immigrated to America, locating in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he- was reared and educated. In 1848 he removed to Coshocton county, Ohio, where he married Miss- Nancy Baad, who was born in Germany,
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August 28, 1836, and who was ten years of age at the time of her parents' immigration to America, in 1846. Mr. Segrist was engaged in farming in Coshocton county until 1882, when he came to Fulton county, locating on his present farm, which is one of the well-im- proved places of York township, comprising one hundred and twenty acres. As a young man Mr. Segrist learned the miller's trade, but he has preferred to make farming his vocation and has been most successful in the same. He is a Democrat in his political allegiance and has served in certain minor offices in his township. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Segrist have three children : John W., who was born September 18, 1858, is engaged in farming in this county; Sophia, who was born October 20, 1867, remains with her aged parents; and Lewis, who was born. June 28, 1870, is engaged in farming in York township on a farm he owns of forty acres.
G. SCOTT ROOS is a young man who is well upholding the prestige of the family name in connection with the industry of farming and also as a citizen of utmost loy- alty and public spirit. He was born on his present homestead farm, in Chester- field township, on the 18th of October, 1875, and is a son of George W. and Eliza- beth (Tunison) Roos. His father was born in Barrytown, Dutchess county, N. Y. July 4, 1831, and in May, 1836, he came to Fulton county with his parents, who were numbered among the very early settlers of GEO. W. Roos. Chesterfield township, his father having here purchased a tract of government land in 1835. He developed a considerable portion of the homestead, which is the one on which his son, George W., now resides, and became one of the representa- tive citizens of the community, both he and his wife remaining on the farm until their death. George W. Roos was reared on the farm which is now his home, and his memory forms an indissoluble link between the primitive pioneer epoch and the latter days of opulent advancement and prosperity. He is a man who has ever stood high in the esteem of his community and has held various public offices of trust, including that of justice of the peace, of which he has remained incumbent for more than a quarter of a century. He is a Republi- 'can in politics, is a valued member of the county Grange and has long been an active and zealous member of the Christian church. He has been twice married. His first wife bore the maiden name of Cather- ine Bennett, and she was born in the State of New York, about 1834, and she was a resident of Michigan at the time of her marriage, in 1857. They became the parents of three children-Cora, who is the wife of Calvin Turner, of Chesterfield township; Almina, who is the wife of Jacob Whitehead, of the same township; and Edith, who is
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the wife of Edward Butler, of the same township. Mrs. Catherine (Bennett) Roos died in 1865, and on the 19th of August, 1868, George W. Roos married Miss Elizabeth Tunison, who was born in the State of New York, February 3, 1836, her parents having died in that State. The only child of the second marriage is G. Scott Roos, sub- ject of this review. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this review was born in the State of New York, August 4, 1791, and came to Fulton county in 1836, as has already been stated. The quarter- section of land which he secured from the government is the fine farm upon which his grandson now lives, and he resided on the place until his death, on the 26th of August, 1859. His father was a na- tive of Germany, and was one of the Hessian soldiers employed by the British government to assist in suppressing the American Revo- lution. He was taken prisoner by the Continental forces, and was well content to ally himself with the brave patriots who were thus fighting for independence, and after the war, so well pleased was he with America that he established a permanent home here. He came here in 1776, at the age of twenty-nine years, and served six years and seven months in the Revolution. He was married after the war and was engaged for a number of years in the practice of his profession, that of a physician and surgeon. G. Scott Roos, to whom this article is dedicated, remained a student in the public schools until 1893, hav- ing completed his discipline in the high school at Morenci, Mich., and he has since been actively and successfully identified with farming and stock-raising on the fine old homestead farm, which has been in the possession of the family for three generations, as has been noted, the government deed now being held in the possession of the father of Mr. Roos. December 19, 1894, G. Scott Roos was united in mar- riage to Miss Ora B. Stutesman, who was born in this county, Oc- tober 7, 1876, being a daughter of Charles and Anna E. (Roberts) Stutesman. Mr. and Mrs. Roos have three children, whose names, with respective dates of birth, are as follows: Charles G., February I, 1896; George S., July 17, 1900; and E. Norine, January 18, 1902. Mr. Roos has a fine farm of eighty acres, and his father still owns one hundred acres, having lived on the homestead consecutively since 1836 and being one of the honored pioneers of the county. G. Scott Roos is a stalwart Republican in his political proclivities, and has held various local offices, being at the present time township trustee and also a member of the school be -- d. He is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Grange and the Glean- ers, and both he and his wife are members of the Christian church.
CHARLES L. SEWARD is properly given representation in this volume by reason of his standing as one of the progressive farmers and highly esteemed citizens of Royalton township, his finely-im- proved farm lying contiguous to the village of Seward, which was named in honor of the family of which he is a member. He was born on the homestead farm, in Royalton township, August 15, 1862, and is a son of Charles N. and Lucy (Roop) Seward. His paternal grandfather, David. Seward, a native of Connecticut, settled in
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Wayne county, Michigan, in 1834, and somewhat later, while making a visit to Monroe, that State, he was taken ill and there died. His wife, whose maiden name was Susanna Smith, was born in Delaware county, N. Y., and they became the parents of eight children, namely : Lambert, Parmelia (Mrs. Samuel Richards), Paulina (Mrs. Thomas Lee), Aaron, Versal, Charles N., and Orsemus. In 1839 the widow and her children removed to Fairfield township, Lenawee county, Mich., and there she passed the remainder of her life. Charles Nel- son Seward, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Dela- ware county, N. Y., March 17, 1823, and was eleven years of age at the time of the family removal to Michigan, where he was reared to maturity. On the Ist of January, 1840, he located in Royalton township, Fulton county, Ohio, where for many years he success- fully followed the carpenter trade, becoming one of the leading con- tractors and builders of this section and being identified with the erection of a large number of the first houses in his township, and he also assisted in the construction of the old plank-road, one of the first improved highways in this part of the county. In the early pioneer days his services were also much in requisition in the manu- facturing of coffins. September 5, 1852, he married Miss Lucy Roop, daughter of John and Mary (Mills) Roop, of Amboy township, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Melvin D., Alvin T., Ida (Mrs. Edgar Fuller), Charles L., and William H. Charles L. was reared to manhood in Royalton township and duly availed himself of the advantages of the local schools during his boyhood and youth, and he has always followed farming as a vocation. He located on his present farm in 1901, the place comprising one hun- dred acres and being under a high order of productivity and im- proved with excellent buildings, making it one of the model farms of the township. He is a loyal supporter of the principles and cause of the Democratic party, and has served two terms as justice of the peace and one term as trustee of his native township. He is affili- ated with Royalton Union Lodge, No. 434, Free and Accepted Ma- sons; Lyons Chapter, No. 175, Royal Arch Masons, and Eastern Star, Magnolia Chapter, No. 87. July 29, 1883, Mr. Seward was united in marriage to Alice, daughter of Benson L. and .Mary (Young) Barden, honored pioneers of Royalton township and widow of Alonzo Patterson. Two children were born of her first marriage- Mary E., deceased wife of George S. Brown, and Welcome, who re- mains with her mother. Mr. and Mrs. Seward have one son, Charles Lewis, who is associated with his father in the management of the home farm. Both the father and mother of the subject of this sketch are living and have spent fifty-three years of their life together.
ยท GIDEON SEYMOUR, one of the honored pioneers of Fulton county and one whose active career was here given to successful farming, still resides on his old homestead, in York township, and is a citizen peculiarly entitled to representation in a work of the pro- vince assigned to the one at hand. He is a native of the old Key- stone State of the Union, having been born in Berks county, Pennsyl- 85
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vania, on the 20th of January, 1820. When he was about twelve years of age his parents removed to Ohio, settling in Pickaway county, where he was reared to manhood and where he received very limited educational advantages, owing to the fact that his parents were in straitened circumstances and to the practical absence of schools in the vicinity of his home, in the pioneer era. He continued to be identified with agricultural pursuits in Pickaway county until 1849, when he came to Fulton county and located in York township, where he has ever since maintained his home. Here he secured wild land, which he developed into a valuable farm, and the passing years brought their due fruitage in the way of independence and prosperity. He has resided on his present homestead since 1850 and is the owner of a well-improved farm. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Seymour has been twice married. In 1845 he wedded Miss Effie Markle, of Pickaway county, and her death occurred on the 12th of December, 1867. Five children were born of this union: George M., who is a successful farmer of York township; John, who died at the age of two years; Jonas H., who is mentioned in appending paragraphs; Mary A., who is the wife of Sanford Lutton, of York township; and Mattie B., who is the wife of Frederick Schlegel, of the same township. On the 10th of May, 1868, Mr. Seymour con- summated a second marriage, being then united to Miss Rosena B. Schlegel, daughter of Gottleib Schlegel, one of the sterling pioneers of Fulton county. Of this marriage were born three daughters : Net- tie A. is the wife of Philip Screm, of York township; Lucy C. is the wife of Rolla Miller, of York township; Lucy A. is the wife of R. B. Skeels, of the same township.
JONAS H. SEYMOUR, son of the honored pioneer mentioned in the preceding article, was born on the old homestead farm, on which his father still resides, in York township, on the 2d of December, 1854, and he was reared to maturity on the farm, early beginning to lend his aid in its work, and he was afforded the advantages of the local schools, receiving adequate discipline to fit him for the successful management of his business affairs in later life and to form a basis for the wide fund, of knowledge which he has gained in the school of experience and through keeping in touch with cur- rent events. He has maintained his home in York township from the time of his birth to the present, save for an interval of three years, during which he was engaged in farming in Ridgeville town- ship, Henry county. Since 1880 he has resided on his present well- improved and highly-productive farm, in Section 35, York township, his homestead comprising one hundred and forty-five acres. In his political adherency Mr. Seymour is a stanch Democrat, and he has ever shown loyal interest in public affairs of a local nature, though never ambitious for the honors or emoluments of political office. Mrs. Seymour is a member of the German Lutheran church .. On the 4th of April, 1877, Mr. Seymour was united in marriage to Miss Mary . A. Segrist, daughter of John B. Segrist, a pioneer of York township. and of this union have been born two children. Dorothy E., who
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