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 75
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hattan Island, N. Y. Ezra Cornell, the founder of Cornell university, was the son of one of these brothers and a first cousin of James Cor- nell, Jr., of Fulton county. Margaret (Baggs) Cornell was the daugh- ter of John and Nancy Jane (Wright) Baggs, of Somerset county, Pa., who located in Holmes county, O., where John Baggs died in 1846. Thomas Baggs, the brother of John, settled in Clinton town- ship in 1836. They were the sons of Jewell A. and Nancy (McWil- liams) Baggs. Jewell A. Baggs, a civil engineer and a Methodist minister, came with his brother, Hugh, from Scotland and settled in Somerset county, Pa., in 1755.
JOHN WILLIAMS (deceased), one of the pioneer settlers of Fulton county, was born July 20, 1814, and died at the homestead on January 23, 1890, aged seventy-five and one-half years. When twenty years old he came with his parents to what is now Fulton county and spent his early life in the avocations of a pioneer, for which he was well fitted, being strong and robust. The first farm that he opened was located two and one-half miles northeast of Delta, where he lived for many years. In 1849 he made the overland trip to California, and, after meeting with marked success in his search for gold, returned to Ohio and opened up another farm three miles east of Delta, where he spent the remainder of his life. John Wil- liams was very prominent in the organization of Fulton county and was a useful citizen throughout his long residence there. His life was spent in agricultural pursuits, in which he was unusually success- ful. He could truthfully boast of having cleared more land than any other man in the county. On September 14, 1840, he was married to Miss Elizabeth A. Norton, daughter of Hiram and Sarah (Gamble) Norton, and their union was blessed with ten children. They are: Emily, now Mrs. Fashbaugh, a resident of Colorado: David, a farmer of Delta ; Elsie (deceased), who was the wife of John Westbrook; Phoebe, now Mrs. George Westbrook, residing on the homestead; Sarah, the wife of John N. Petersen of Delta ; John, a farmer of Swan Creek township ; George, a farmer near Delta; Anson, a railroad man, a resident of Toledo, Ohio; Ida, who died at the age of seven years, and Lovina, who died in her second year. His widow is still living and makes her home with Mrs. Petersen, her daughter. John N. Petersen, the son-in-law of the subject of this sketch, was born in New York City July 30, 1852. He is the son of John Jacob' and Sophia ( Winkleseth) Petersen, both natives of Germany, the former having been born in Houston, near Denmark, and the latter in Bremen. They were married in New York City, whence they re- moved to Ohio during the early part of the Civil war, locating on a farm east of Delta. Afterwards they removed to a farm in Fulton township, where the father died, October 22, 1892, aged seventy- eight years. His widow is still living on the homestead at the age of eighty-two years. They were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters, all living and married. They are: John N., the eldest: Anna, now Mrs. Wallace Smith, a resident of Paulding county, O .; Theresa, now Mrs. Eugene Wales of Swanton ; Henry H.,
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section foreman on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railway at Wauseon; and William B., living with his mother on the homestead. John N. Petersen grew to manhood on a farm, receiving a fair com- mon school education. In public affairs he has always taken a deep interest. So well does he stand in his community that he was elected township assessor on the Democratic ticket, notwithstanding the town- ship is strongly Republican. He is a member of Fulton Lodge, No. 248, Free and Accepted Masons, of Lodge No. 199, Knights of Pythias, and has also been an Odd Fellow; having passed the official chairs of Swanton Lodge in that organization, as well as that of the Knights of Pythias. Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are both members of the adjunct order of the Knights of Pythias, known as the Rathbone Sis- ters, the name of the lodge being Thirza Temple No. 189, Delta, Ohio. Mr. Petersen is also a member of the Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias, No. 122, at Delta. In 1880 he was wedded to Miss Sarah R. Williams, daughter of John and Elizabeth A. (Norton) Williams, and their union was blessed with two children: Ocie E .. the wife of Jacob F. Perkins, a farmer and contractor. of this county. and they have one daughter, Grace Elizabeth; Opal L., the younger daughter, is now attending the Delta schools.
ANSON WILLSON is another of the enterprising and progressive citizens who are exemplifying the attractive possibilities offered in connection with the agricultural industry in Fulton county, being the owner of a well-improved landed estate in Amboy township, and he is a scion of one of the well-known pioneer families of Fulton town- ship. He was born on the 3d of February, 1845, and is a son of Mar- tin and Jane (Fullerton) Willson, the former born in Clark county, Ohio, and the latter in York county, Pa. The paternal grandfather, Nathan Willson, was a native of New York State, and became one of the earliest settlers of Pike township, Fulton county, Ohio, where he took up his residence in 1834. He secured a tract of government land and reclaimed a goodly portion of the same from the native wilds, be- coming one of the influential pioneers of that section and there con- tinuing to reside until his death, his wife also dying on the old home- stead. They became the parents of three children-Martin, Emira and Catharine. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Robert Fullerton, who came from Pennsylvania and settled in Swanton township, Lucas county, Ohio, about 1840, being there en- gaged in farming until his death. Martin Willson, who is eighty-eight years of age ( 1905), has been a resident of Fulton county since 1834, and he has continuously resided on the old homestead. in Fulton town- ship, which he secured from the government more than an half-cen- tury ago, having cleared and improved the farm and being one of the most venerable and honored pioneer citizens of that section. His de- voted wife is dead, having passed away in 1901. They became the parents of seven children. namely : Anson. Eliza, Frank, Mary, Lucius, Howard and Nettie. Eliza became the wife of Wallace Ford and is now deceased; Frank also is deceased; Mary, became the wife of Dr. Elmer Tompkins and is deceased: and Nettie is the deceased wife of
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Oliver Manley. Anson Willson was reared on the old home farm, in Fulton township, and contributing his quota to its work, he was ac- corded good educational advantages, having first attended the local schools and having thereafter continued his studies in Adrian College, in Adrian, Mich. He was successfully engaged in teaching in the public schools for twelve winter terms, and he continued his residence in Fulton township until 1882, when he removed to Amboy township and took up his residence on eighty acres of unimproved land, having purchased the property in 1876. He has here developed one of the valuable farms of the township, having erected good buildings and having brought the greater portion of the place under effective cultiva- tion. He exercises his franchise in support of the principles of the Republican party, has served two terms as trustee of Amboy town- ship and is now serving his second term as justice of the peace, and he is also a member of the school-board of what is known as the Am- boy-Fulton special district. Prior to his removal to Amboy township he was incumbent of the office of clerk of Fulton township for two terms. May 12, 1870, Mr. Willson wedded Miss Susannah Stout, daughter of Samuel and Amanda (Johnson) Stout, of Fulton town- ship, and the two children of this union are Burton, who is engaged in teaching school and farming on the homestead; and Gertrude, who is the wife of Samuel Shug, of Amboy township.
VALENTINE WINSLOW is a type of those progressive and ener- getic farmers who have brought about the magnificent development of the agricultural resources of Fulton county, and he is numbered among the representative farmers and stock-growers of Pike town- ship, where his entire life has been passed. He was born on the farm which is now his home, the date of his nativity having been March 20, 1843, and he is a son of Valentine and Lydia Ann (Welch) Winslow. His father was born in Lewis county, New York, in 1804, and at the age of fifteen years, in company with his brother Martin, who was thirteen years of age at the time, he came to Ohio, making the trip in a one-horse wagon and in due time arriving at their destination, the home of Willard Gunn, at Waterville, Lucas county. This journey was accomplished in the year 1818, so that the youthful brothers be- came pioneers of the Buckeye State. In the winter of 1832, Mr. Wins- low took up his residence on the farm now owned by his son and namesake, the subject of this sketch. The place was in the midst of the virgin forest and no improvements had been made on the same, the nearest house having been at Swanton, nine miles distant. He de- veloped his farm and became one of the honored citizens of the county, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring on the homestead, in 1857, and his wife passed away in 1860. Valentine Winslow, Sr., endured the hardships and deprivations incident to the pioneer epoch in this section, which is now marked by opulent pros- perity, and he labored faithfully in making a home in the wilderness. At the time of the great meteoric shower, in 1832, he and Garry Mil- ler were sleeping at night under their wagon, in Pike township, and he awoke to witness the beautiful phenomenon, forthwith rousing his
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companion and assuring him that the stars were "playing tag." In 1834 he utilized his ox-team and wagon in bearing the corpse of an Indian to the grave, having maintained friendly relations with the red men who still remained in this locality. The subject of this sketch was afforded the advantages of the somewhat primitive schools of his native township, and was reared on the homestead farm, assisting in its reclamation and improvement, and his vocation throughout life has been that of farming, in connection with which he has met with a due measure of success. In 1861 he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead. to whose operation he has since given his undivided attention. He has a finely improved and very productive farm of one hundred and forty acres and is one of the substantial farmers and popular citizens of the township whose devel- opment he has witnessed and aided. He is a Republican in his political proclivities. In 1864 Mr. Winslow was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Koder, who was born in Ashland county, Ohio, on May 27th, 1838, and who came with her parents, George and Mary ( Stout) Ko- der, to Fulton county in 1846, her father dying in 1885 and her mother in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Winslow have three children-Lizzy, who is the wife of Daniel Casey; Minnie, who is the wife of Willard Wins- low; and George, who is associated with his father in the operation of the home farm.
OSCAR J. WISMAN, D.D.S .. a prominent and highly-successful dentist of Delta, is a descendant of a family that on his father's side has long been established on the American continent and whose mater- nal ancestors originally came to Pennsylvania from Germany. He is the son of Eli and Mary ( Lesnet) Wisman, both natives of Ohio. Eli T. Wisman was born in Knox county. O., in 1844. and for a number of years was actively engaged in farming. He served through the Civil war as a member of Company K of the One hundred and fifteenth Ohio volunteer infantry. At present he is engaged in the United States mail service in the capacity of carrier. He and wife, who was born in Williams county, in 1846. are the parents of five children. They are: Eva; Jennie, the wife of Jay Wilkins of Montpelier. O .; Myra, now Mrs. Lawrence Bollinger of Montpelier: Lula. still at home. and Oscar J. Dr. Oscar J. Wisman was born in Kiddville. Sullivan county, Mo., January 19. 1871. He received his elementary education in the country schools of Williams county and of Montpelier, and he is a graduate of the teachers' course at the Commercial college of Fayette, O., Normal University. After graduating he taught for one year and then was engaged for four years in the hardware business. In 1898 he entered the Northwestern Dental college of Chicago. from which he graduated in 1901. He began the practice of his profession at Delta on May 7. of the same year. Until quite recently he was the only dentist in Delta. The result of his push and enterprise is a large and lucrative practice which extends to all parts of the county. Dr. Wisman is a member of Fulton Lodge. No. 248. Free and Accepted Masons and of the Modern Woodmen of America, and with his wife a member of the Presbyterian church. In politics the Doctor is a
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stanch Republican, in which matter he follows his ancestral line. While Dr. Wisman commands a very extensive practice he and his most estimable wife enjoy high social relations in the beautiful little city that they have chosen as their home.
EMIRA WILLSON, a venerable resident of the village of Swan- . ton, where he is now living retired, was long engaged in agricultural pursuits in Fulton township, and is a man to whom has been ever accorded the uniform confidence and respect of his fellow men. He was born in Springfield, Clark county, Ohio, on the 11th of June, 1819, and is a son of Nathan and Margaret (Potter) Willson, both of whom were born and reared in the State of New York, their marriage having been solemnized in Genesee county, whence they came to Ohio about the year 1815, having two children at the time. They settled first in Clark county and later removed to Geauga county, where they' remained about ten years, at the expiration of which, in 1833, they came to Fulton county, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the father having been a skilled mechanic but having devoted the greater portion of his active career to farming. He died in 1840, and his wife passed away in 1844 . Of their seven children only three attained years of maturity, namely: Katherine, who died of consumption, in 1835, hers having been the first grave made on Etna Ridge, where her parents had settled two years previously; Martin, who is about eighty-eight years of age at the present time, 1905, resides on the farm where he settled when first coming to Ful- ton county, two miles west of the village of Ai; and Emira, subject of this sketch, is about two years younger, both brothers being hale and hearty. Emira Willson received a common-school education, and was about fourteen years of age at the time of the family removal to Fulton county, where he has ever since maintained his home. He has cleared and otherwise improved three good farms in Fulton town- ship, and there he still owns one hundred and thirty acres, near the old family homestead. In 1892 Mr. Willson removed to Swanton, where he had previously purchased a nice little place of about seven- teen acres, improved with a good residence and other buildings, and here he has since lived essentially retired, enjoying the just rewards of his many former years of toil and earnest application. Mr. Will- son has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for forty years, hav- ing been initiated as an entered apprentice in the lodge at Delta, this county, and having been a charter member of the lodge at Swanton, to which he was admitted. He is also a member of the Masonic Re- lief association of Ohio. He cast his first presidential vote in 1840. his ballot was given in support of William Henry Harrison, and later it was his privilege to vote for the grandson, General Benjamin Har- rison, for the same office. He has followed the fortunes of the Re- publican party from the time of its organization to the present, hav- ing previously been an adherent of the Whig party. He has never sought office, but has been called upon by his fellow-citizens to serve in various local preferments, having been elected without solicitation or effort on his own part. The Willson family was here during the
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so-called Ohio and Michigan war, resulting from the dispute as to the boundary line, and Mr. Willson heard the only firing that was indulged in by the contending parties during that trouble. Indians were in evidence in this section for several years after he came to the monty, and they were peaceable and hospitable as a rule. When are Willson family located in what is now Fulton county, in 1833, there were only three other families here resident, those of Valentine Winslow, Euretus Knight and David Hobart, but to-day the town- ship is one of the most populous and opulent in the county. January 13, 1842, Mr. Willson was united in marriage to Miss Almira Brown- ing, who was born in Herkimer county, N. Y., in 1821, and whose death occurred on the 8th of December, 1902. Three children were born of this union. William, the eldest, enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Thirtieth Ohio volunteer infantry, at the time of the Civil war, and died while in the service, as a result of disease, having been twenty years of age. George, the second son, resides on the homestead farm of his father, in Fulton township. He married Miss Lucetta Munger, of Delta, and they have two children-Byron. who is married and is associated in the operation of the home farm, and Min- nie, who is the wife of Eugene Penney. a successful farmer of the same township. Emma Jane, the youngest of the three children, be- came the wife of Ambrose Sidney Eldred. who was born in Kalamazoo county, Mich., and who was a soldier in the One Hundred and Twenty- eighth Ohio Volunteer infantry during the War of the Rebellion. He died in 1892, no children surviving him. Mr. Eldred was a farmer of Fulton county during his residence here. In 1882 he sold his farm, in Pike township, after which he resided in Ashland county for three years. In 1885 he went to Western Kansas, where he was engaged in the general merchandise trade for five years, at the expiration of which he returned to Fulton county, passing the closing days of his life on the Willson homestead, west of the village of Ai. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Eldred has remained at the paternal home, and is the loving and devoted companion of her venerable father.
JONATHAN R. WISE has improved and owns one of the valuable farm properties of Gorham township. and is one of the most progres- sive agriculturists and stock-growers of this section. He was born near Shelby, Richland county, Ohio. on the 28th of April, 1845. and is a son of Jacob and Lydia ( Hibbard) Wise, both of whom were representatives of stanch old Pennsylvania stock. and the former was born in Schuylkill county and the latter in Crawford county of the old Keystone State. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this review was Leonard Wise, a pioneer farmer of Pennsylvania and one who was an active participant in several of the early conflicts with the Indians. In 1840 Jacob Wise removed with his family to Richland county, Ohio, where he was engaged in farming until 1847. when he came to Fulton county, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of heavily-timbered land in Gorham township. about three and one-half miles northwest of the present attractive little city of Fayette. He re- claimed a good farm from the virgin wilds, and there remained until
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he was summoned to that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns," his death occurring in July, 1873, at which time he was seventy-three years of age. He was twice married. By the first marriage there were six children, and by the second there were four. His widow of the second marriage survived him by more than a decade, passing away October 17, 1885, and the remains of both rest in the cemetery at Fayette. Of the ten children of the two marriages six are now living. Jonathan R. Wise was about two years of age at the time of his parents' removal to the pioneer farmstead in Gor- ham township, where he was reared to manhood, early beginning to assist in the reclaiming and cultivation of the place, and his educational advantages were confined to the somewhat primitive common schools of the locality and period. In 1871 he began farming on his own re- sponsibility, finally removing to Michigan, where he remained five years. In 1880 he purchased his present homestead farm, which com- prises the northeast quarter of Section 34, Gorham township, and he also owns eighty acres in Section 4, same township, having cleared much of his land from the wild state and having developed one of the best places to be found in this section of the county, and he has erected substantial buildings, including an attractive residence, and made other admirable improvements of a permanent nature. For a period of about six years he rented his farm here, having removed to Clay county, South Dakota, in 1887, and having there been engaged in farming, in Norway township, until 1893, when he sold his property there and returned to his farm in Fulton county, where he has since resided. His political allegiance is given to the Democratic party and he shows a loyal interest in all that contributes to the civic and mate- rial advancement of his home township and county. July 3, 1870, Mr. Wise was married to Miss Rachel Cottner, who was born in Rich- land county, Ohio, June 28, 1850, a daughter of John and Mary (Sheriff) Cottner, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Cumberland county, Pa., her parents having come to Ohio about 1826, settling in Richland county, and Mr. Cottner took up his residence in that county about 1840, having been a soldier in the Mexican war. He died in 1883, at the age of seventy-six years, and his widow, who was born May 16, 1816. died May 8, 1899. She was twice married, her first husband having been Thomas Piper, to whom she bore a son and daughter, and of the second marriage there were also born two children. The children of the two marriages were Eliza- beth, who is the wife of Joseph Richie, of Michigan; Boyd. who is engaged in farming in Fulton county; Rachel, who is the wife of the subject of this sketch; and Allen, who is a farmer of Gorham town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Wise have but one child, Harrie, who is asso- ciated with his father in the management of the homestead farm. He married Miss Etta Good, of Carroll county. Ill., and they have four children : Raymond J., Kennard B., Emanuel L. and Allen B.
MRS. CLARISSA A. WITT, widow of the late Horatio Witt, one of the honored citizens and prominent farmers of Fulton township, still resides on the homestead farm, which is most eligibly located,
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two and one-half miles north of the village of Swanton. She was born in Monclova township, Lucas county, Ohio, February 23, 1834, and is a daughter of William C. and Clarissa MI. (Gunn) Griffin. Wil- liam C. Griffin was born in Genesee county. N. Y., October 30, 1803, and at the age of twelve years he accompanied his parents on their removal to the site of the present city of Toledo, Ohio. Four or five years later he went out with a fur-trading expedition, and later he was with the Smith & Macy exploring and surveying expedition in the West. After an adventurous career of about a decade he returned to Toledo, in the vicinity of which place he maintained his home for a number of years. In Waterville, Lucas county. in 1829, he was united in marriage to Miss Clarissa M. Gunn, and in 1835 they came to what is now Fulton county, locating on a tract of wild land in Pike township, where Mr. Griffin reclaimed a good farm, also continuing to follow mechanical pursuits, to which he had been thoroughly trained, being an expert mechanic. He attained the patriarchal age of ninety- four years, five months and ten days, having passed the closing years of his life in the village of Delta, this county. and his wife died at the age of seventy-three years, both having been held in unqualified esteem as true and worthy pioneers of Fulton county. where their lives counted for good in all relations. The Griffin family is of Eng- lish and German lineage, and the Gunn family of English descent, both having been founded in America in the Colonial days. The mother of Mrs. Witt was born in Vermont and was a collateral descendant of Captain Carver, whose name was prominent in the Colonial annals of New England. William C. and Clarissa M. Griffin became the parents of twelve children, of whom four died young. all the others attaining maturity, being married and leaving families. Five are living at the present time. The names of the eight who reached maturity are : Hor- tensia, Clarissa A., William O .. Henry G .. Elizabeth P .. Louisa M., Augustus M., and Carver S. Aside from Mrs. Witt the four living are Elizabeth P., who is the wife of David Myers, of Delta : Louisa M .. who is the wife of Hector Miles. of Delta : Augustus M .. who owns and op- erates the old homestead farm : and Carver S .. who is engaged in farm- ing near Delta. The last named was a soldier in the Thirtieth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry during the Civil war. and William O., who was a mem- ber of the Sixty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was in active serv- ice during practically the entire war. being killed in the last battle in the vicinity of Petersburg. Va. Mrs. Witt was reared on the home- stead farm and was afforded excellent educational advantages for the day. having attended the schools in Maumee and Perrysburg, and having been a successful and popular teacher for eleven years prior to her marriage. She is a woman of gracious presence and much business acumen, and has the affectionate regard of all who have come within the sphere of her influence. On February 11. 1858. was sol- emnized her marriage to Horatio Witt. a representative of one of the old and prominent families of Fulton county. He was born at Wooster, Ohio, on November 6. 1822. In 1851 he went to California, where he remained until 1854. mining. in which he was successful. He then returned to Ohio. and in 1859 they located upon the home-
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