The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc, Part 96

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway
Number of Pages: 1072

USA > Ohio > Wyandot County > The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc > Part 96

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EDWARD S. SHELLHOUSE was born April 25, 1834, and is a native of Tymochtee Township, this county. The family is of Hessian ancestry, the progenitor of the Shellhouse family in this country being one Conrad Shellhouse, who was sold to the British Government to serve in the wars

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HISTORY OF WYANDOT COUNTY.

against this nation. He was sent to America to engage in war against the colonists, whom he was taught to believe were cannibals, or little less. On arriving here and discovering his mistake, he deserted the British forces at the battle of Red Bank, and joined the Colonists, serving with them during the Revolution. He sent for his wife and six children, who, on ar- riving here, were sold for a term of service to defray the expense of their passage, Mr. S. being unable to pay it. One of these, George Shellhouse, was sold to the captain of a vessel, with whom he made several voyages to the East and West Indies. When about twenty-one, his time expired and he returned and settled in New Jersey, where he married Mary Swift, and reared a family of six children. His father's family had remained scat- tered during this time, and were never collected together from the time they were sold into their peculiar slavery. Through advertising and every other means available, all were gathered up but one sister, who was never found. The father, Conrad, and his wife both died in New Jersey. In 1811, George Shellhouse, his wife and six children started for Ohio; stopped a short time in Cincinnati; then moved to Hamilton, Butler County, and from there to Tymochtee Township, this county, in 1821, being among the first settlers of that locality. Here they opened up a farm in the wilderness, as it then appeared, and the children grew to man's and woman's estate, isolated from society and civilized life. The children were Katie, Edward, Sarah, George and Lydia-the latter now a resident of Indianapolis, and the only relict of the family of that generation now living. George, while living in Southern Ohio, enlisted and served through the war of 1812. He died in Tymochtee Township, and is there buried. Edward, the eldest son, was born in New Jersey in April, 1805, and is the father of Edward S., who is the subject proper of this sketch. He was a farmer, and married Mary Willis, of Butler County, Ohio, in 1829. She was born in the same county in September, 1813. They removed to Indiana, where they stayed till 1863, and then returned to Tymochtee, where Mr. Shellhouse died in 1873; his wife survived till January 3, 1884. They had eleven children, six of whom are still living, namely, Edward S., Lydia, Conrad H., Louisa, Chandler, Perry and Elizabeth. Edward S. began the produce business with his father in 1849, and has since continued in that line of business. He was married, March 1, 1855, to Maria Thomas, who died the following year. July 15, 1858, he married Elizabeth Richey, who was born near Indianap- olis January 29, 1839. They have four children living-Edward J., Will- iam S., Elmer B. and Forest. In 1864, Mr. Shellhouse entered the service as a member of the Ohio National Guards, Company D, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment, and served four months. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., G. A, R., and Good Templars; was a Republican till 1872- since a Democrat: and the family is associated with the Lutheran Church.

JACOB C. SHULER was born in Butler County, Penn., July 11, 1839. He is a miller by trade, having been engaged as such since 1859, in which year he came to Findlay, Ohio, where he obtained his first lessons in the business. After three years in Findlay, he returned to Pennsylvania, where he formed a partnership with his brother. In 1861, he enlisted in Company B. Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and entered the service. He participated in the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Look- out Mountain, and many others, numbering about thirty-three in all. He re- ceived a gunshot wound in the left shoulder, which disabled him, and dur- ing a charge in the same battle received a wound in the knee by a thorn, as a result of which he lay in the hospital at Washington three weeks, re-

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ceiving his discharge July 27, 1864. In the same year he came to Carey, and, in 1873, went to Clinton County, Ind., where he engaged in milling up to 1880, when he returned to Carey and leased the Walborn Mili, in which he is still engaged. He married Huldah Chesebrough in November, 1864, and one child-Samuel Y .- has blessed the union. Mr. S. is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., G. A. R. and the Presbyterian Church. He is well respected as a citizen, and is an energetic, industrious business man.

FREDERICK SHUMAN, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Arno) Shuman, was born in Union County, Penn., September 26, 1818. His parents were of Pennsylvania Dutch descent, natives of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in 1836. They first located in Hancock County, but one year later moved to this township and purchased land. Their children were Jonas, Frederick, Sallie, William, Lucy, Jacob and Ann-all living but Sallie. The father died in 1866, the mother in 1874. Mr. Shuman was married, February 25, 1847, to Miss Mary Stahl, a resident of this township, native of Pennsylvania, daughter of Philip and Susanna (Spotz) Stahl. She was born February 9, 1829. Her parents were married in Union County, Penn., and moved to Ohio in 1839. They purchased land in Crawford Township, and reared a family of eleven children, of whom the following still survive. Rebecca, Christina, Samuel, Susanna, Anna M. and Catharine. The father died in 1844, the mother in 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Shuman are the parents of nine children-Joseph, Sylvester, Sarah E., Emily J., Mary C., Angeline A., Susan A., George H. and Franklin L. Mr. Shuman is the owner of 330 acres of land in the township. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Shuman is a Democrat in politics.

JOSEPH SHUMAN, son of Frederick Shuman, was born September 19, 1848. He was married, December 19, 1871, to Miss Sarah M. Chese- brough, who was born in Ridge Township, September 10, 1851, to William and Charlotte L. (Kople) Chesebrough, natives of York State. Her parents came to this township and purchased land in 1841. They later moved to Ridge Township, where they resided many years, their children being twelve in number, ten surviving-Mary, Matthew Y., Huldah, William H., Harriet E., George W., Eliza B., Saxton A., Sarah M. and Matilda. The deceased are Saxton and Samuel G., who died in infancy. The father died August 8, 1873, aged sixty-seven years. His widow now resides in Carey, in her seventy-fifth year. Mr. and Mrs. Shuman have three children -- Leora A., born September 22, 1872; Hattie E., July 17, 1878; Charlotte A., October 9, 1883. In 1872, Mr. Shuman purchased of his father sixty acres of land in Hancock County. This farm was sold three years later, and 120 acres were purchased in this township, Sections 5 and 6. He has provided his farm with good building, a set of stock-scales, and now values it at $75 to $85 per acre. In 1883, he purchased ninety-five acres in addition to his former possessions, now owning 215 acres. He devotes his time to general agri- culture, and is regarded as a very successful farmer. In politics, Mr. Shu- man is a Republican. Mrs. Shuman is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church of Ridge Township.

SYLVESTER SHUMAN, born June 22, 1850, is a native of this town- ship, and son of Frederick and Ann (Stahl) Shuman. He was married, De- cember 23, 1873, to Miss Sarah E. Corwin, who was born in New Jersey June 11, 1853, daughter of George B. and Elizabeth (Blair) Corwin, also natives of New Jersey, where they were married, and from whence they migrated to Ohio in 1864. They first settled in Sycamore Township, this county, residing there four years, and then purchased land in Section 18, this

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township, where the father died September 24, 1883. They had five chil- dren-James, Almeda, Adelia, Sarah E. and Mary. The mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Shuman had three children-Ray, born August 28, 1875; Myrtie M., born June 1, 1878; George F., June 14, 1882-all living but Ray, who died August 25, 1876. In 1876, Mr. Shuman purchased 212 acres in Crawford Township, residing there about seven years. He then rented this tract, and moved to his present farm of 173 acres. His land is valued at $75 to $90 per acre. Mr. Shuman has always engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. He and Mrs. S. are members of the Lutheran Church. In politics, Mr. Shuman is a Republican.

JAMES R. SIDDALL is a native of Mahoning County, Ohio, and was born July 11, 1842. His parents, Joshua and Mary A. Siddall, were natives of Ohio, and reared seven children. The family moved to Hancock County in the spring of 1851, and in the fall of the same year the father died, owning about 300 acres of land. James R. remained with his mother till twenty years old. He then enlisted (fall of 1862) in Company H, Fifty- seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the fall of 1863. Re- turning to his home in the spring of 1864, he went to Montana, and was engaged in mining till 1869, when he again returned to Hancock County. In 1870, he went to Kansas, but returned the same year; farmed one year on his mother's land; run a saloon two years in Vanlue; came to Carey in January, 1874, and till 1884 conducted a saloon in that placé. He married Mary Hart October 20, 1879, and they have one daughter-Jessie. Mr. Siddall was elected Councilman in 1881, and re-elected in 1883. In Feb- ruary, 1884, in company with C. L. Sheldon, a nephew whom he reared, he opened a grocery store in Carey, in a building purchased in December previous. They are enjoying a liberal patronage.

M. A. SMALLEY, the present Mayor of Carey, and Justice of the Peace, was born in Ashland County, Ohio, October 4, 1850. He is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Smith) Smalley, and at the age of eighteen began life for himself, pushing out for the West. He located in Labette County, Kan., where he spent two years in teaching school and enjoying the pleasures of the chase, also its profits, which at that date were very fair. While in that locality, he was one of the many who had occasion to partake of the hospi- talities of the notorious Bender family, and, as later developments evi- denced, was at one time " spotted " as a prey of the murderous fiends. On returning to Wyandot County, he engaged in farming and teaching. He was elected Justice of the Peace of Crawford Township, and in 1882 was elected Mayor of Carey, to which place he had removed in 1880. He devotes the principal part of his time to the business of negotiating and dealing in Western land, chiefly in the States of Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri and Texas, besides a considerable in Ohio. Mr. Smalley was married, Jan- uary 26, 1877, to Miss Hattie, daughter of Daniel Benson, of Morrow County, Ohio, and four children have been born to them, namely. Stella, Horace, Stanley and Lucile. He is a member of F. & A. M., I. O. O. F., Wyandot Encampment, K. of H., and Myrtle Lodge, Independent Order Good Templars. In politics, Mr. Smalley is a Democrat, and is one of the most popular of Carey's citizens.

CLINTON SMITH was born January 2, 1857. He is a native of Han- cock County, Ohio, and son of David and Aurelia (Brown) Smith, whose history appears in this work. He was married, November 16, 1882, to Miss Lillie Anderson, who was born in this township October 18, 1859. She was a daughter of Isaiah J. and Elizabeth (Stauffer) Anderson, natives of

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Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively, and now residents of Carey. They are parents of five children, namely, James, Lillie, Rezin, Frederick and Ella. The mother died May 3, 1883. The father still resides in Carey. In 1882, Mr. Smith purchased 100 acres of land, located just west of the town of Carey, where he has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He values his farm at $100 to $110 per acre. He holds a membership in the great society of Republicans, and is regarded as one of the township's most relia- ble citizens. Mrs. Smith is a member of the Lutheran Church at Carey, Ohio.

DAVID SMITH, formerly a prominent farmer of this township, was born in Hampshire County, Va., January 26, 1814. His father and mother, Jacob and Mary (Long) Smith, were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia respectively, the former being of German parentage, and a hatter by trade in his younger days. After his marriage he operated a flour mill in Vir- ginia. The family consisted of six children-Eliza, George, John, David, Samuel and Sarah A. Mrs. Smith had two sons by her first husband -Will- iam and Jacob Rannells. In the fall of 1824, Mr. Smith moved from Vir- ginia to this county and located about one mile west of the present site of Carey, where he entered eighty acres of land. On this farm the children grew up, and in due season began life on their own responsibility. George Smith entered the Methodist Episcopal ministry, and died in Michigan. The parents died in the neighborhood where they had spent most of their ma- ture days, the father in 1859, in his eighty-second year, the mother in 1869 in her eighty-sixth year. Mr. Smith was a man of liberal views and highly respected. He served as Associate Judge while this was yet Crawford County. David Smith, our subject, worked on the farm with his parents till twenty-six years of age. He married Amelia Brown, daughter of Will- iam Brown, June 4, 1840. Her parents came to this county in 1824. She was born at Columbus, Ohio, April 28, 1823. After his marriage Mr. Smith began farming on the Big Spring reservation on land purchased by his father. He here improved 200 acres, to which he added 300 more in after years. His chief business for the past twenty years has been the raising of fine grades of stock-thoroughbred short-horn cattle. In 1868, he came to Carey and purchased a farm near town, dividing most of his Hancock County property with his children, whose names are as follows: Ellen A., McKendree, Ann L., William B., Albert, Emma V., Clinton D. and Virgil A. The eldest son, McKendree, enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the fall of 1862, and served about two years in the war when he was taken sick and died in the hospital at Philadelphia, Penn. Mr. Smith is Republican in politics; he was elected Land Appraiser in 1880, and has served several years as School Director. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After a life of toil and hardship for many years, they are now enjoying the fruits of their labors.

M. B. SMITH, attorney at law, was born in Hancock County, Ohio, February 22, 1846; he is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Hare) Smith, na- tives of Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively; his father came to Ohio in 1824; his mother in 1834. They located in Ridge Township in 1858, and reared four children-M. B., J. A., S. O. and M. Allie. Mr. Smith ob- tained a good education and taught school several terms. March 28, 1864, he enlisted in a United States Signal Corps, and was discharged after the close of the war September 10, 1865. He returned home and farmed two years; engaged two years in the grocery and produce business, and in 1871

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began the study of law, which he prosecuted three years, at the end of which time he began the practice of his profession. In 1883, he purchased fifty acres of land lying a short distance north of Carey, and opened thereon two limestone quarries, erecting two draw kilns. by which he is enabled to pro- duce 175,000 bushels of lime per year. Forty acres of his land are under- laid with the finest limestone in Ohio, the product of his kilns yielding 92 per cent to 95 per cent of carbonate, and competing favorably in the mar- ket with material purchased in Philadelphia at 50 cents per bushel. Mr. Smith was married, August 9, 1870, to Emma J. McClure, daughter of Rus- sell and Milda (Joy) McClure. Two children are the fruits of this union- Dora H. and Homer A. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church, and highly esteemed citizens. Mr. Smith is warmly attached to the interests of the Republican party.

HIRAM J. STARR, one of the most prominent grain and stock dealers of this county, was born in Franklin County, Ohio, June 24, 1816. James and Persia (Shaw) Starr, his parents, were both natives of Connecticut, where they were united in marriage, their children being Emily, Joseph S., Franklin J., Julia Ann H., James H., Laura P. and Hiram J. The Starr family are descendants from one Dr. Comfort Starr, who emigrated to this country from Kent, England, in 1634, the progeny being numerous, as shown by a history of the family. Nicholas Starr was the grandfather of our sub- ject, and was a Revolutionary soldier, losing his life in the massacre of Fort Griswold September 6, 1781. He left a wife and four children- Nicholas, Joseph, James and Benjamin. Of these four orphans, James, our subject's father, was four years old when his father met his death. He was apprenticed to a millwright when a boy, and began work on his own responsibility early in life. He married Persia Shaw, and in 1815 they moved to a small farm in Franklin County, Ohio, where Mr. Starr died July 8, 1824. Hiram J. Starr was then eight years of age, and soon began work for himself for monthly wages. Soon after this he was employed as clerk in a country store at Crawfordsville, this county, locating here with his family in 1830. He engaged in the cattle business with his brother-in-law, William M. Buel, who was the first merchant of Carey, but who removed to California, and died there. On his return from Illinois, where he had been engaged in the cattle business, Mr. Starr entered, as an equal partner, in the merchandise and grain business, with Reed, Carey & Co., of Carey, Ohio, this partnership existing about five years. This firm built the elevat- or now used by Mr. D. Straw, and did a large business. Mr. Reed having sold his interest to Carey & Starr, the latter conducted the business till 1850, when they disbanded. When married, Mr. Starr located in Big Spring Township, Seneca County, where he was prominently engaged in the live stock trade and farming. In 1879, he again began operations in the grain trade, in partnership with his sons, James H. and W. B., and son-in-law, J. M. Barr. He owns an elevator at Alvada, Seneca County, one at Sycamore, and one at Lemert. Mr. Starr was married, July 21, 1851, to Ellen G. Brown, widow of Napoleon B. Carey, and they have five chil- dren-Laura D., Mary E., Ellen G., William B. and James H., the two latter twins. Mrs. Starr was a daughter of William and Eliza (Kooken) Brown. She had one child, Emma B., by her first husband. Her parents were natives of Maryland and Berks County, Penn., respectively. Her mother came to Columbus, Ohio, with her parents when she was three years old. She was married to Mr. Brown July 3, 1822, at Columbus. He came to this township in 1822, and entered 160 acres in Section 18. He came

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from Columbus July 20, 1823, and made some improvements-built a log cabin, dug a well, etc .- and then returned to the city. April 5, 1824, he again came to his farm, with outfit for cultivating a crop. He completed his cabin in the summer of that year, and October 7, 1824, left the city with his family and effects for his new home, arriving the 12th. They had one child, and on the 22d of October a daughter was born to them, the first white child born in the vicinity. She is now the wife of Hiram J. Starr. Mr. and Mrs. Brown had fifteen children, all of whom grew to maturity but one. Two of their sons died in the late war. Sovereign H. was a member of the One Hundred and First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed in the battle of Chickamauga; Charles returned home, but died soon after of pneumonia contracted in the South. James K. was a member of the Forty - ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was wounded first in the battle of Stone River, and again seriously in the engagement at Chickamauga, where his right arm was disabled for life. Mr. Brown was not a member of any church organization, but was rather a deist. He lived a quiet farm life till 1866, when he passed into " the beyond." His wife survived till June, 1876, when she was called away. Mr. Starr, our subject, is not a member of any church. He is a Republican, and has been since the party was or- ganized. His brother, Dr. James Starr, removed to the South; was married in Georgia; moved to Texas, where he was located during the war, and still resides there.

FRANKLIN M. STARR was born in Hamden County, Mass., August. 6, 1846. He is a son of Joseph S. and Mary C. (Smith) Starr, natives of Connecticut. His parents were married in their native State, and moved to Hamden County, Mass., where the father engaged in milling, and reared his children-Joseph S., Lauractt, Marion M., George W. and Frank- lin M., the first two now deceased. The parents are both dead. Mr. Starr located in Carey in 1857. He was married, April 12, 1877, to . Miss Nancy J. Snyder, a resident of Salem Township, and native of Marion County, born January 10, 1854. Her parents were Samuel and Nancy (Mclherren) Snyder, who were born in Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively ; married in Marion County, moved to this county, and reared a family of four children-Mary, Richard, Nancy and John; Mary is deceased. The father is also dead. Mr. and Mrs. Starr have four children-Lauraett, born February 19, 1878; Mary A., April 9, 1879; Olive, November 23, 1881; Joseph, August 14, 1883. Mr. Starr rented land for several years, but in 1883 purchased forty acres in Crawford Township, where he now re- sides. His farm is valued at $75 to $80 per acre. In politics, Mr. Starr is an active Republican.

AMOS STETLER is a native of Washington Township, Union Co., Penn., and was born March 21, 1824. Ho is the eldest son of Henry and Mary (Klose) Stetler, natives of the same place, where they were married ·May 11, 1823. In 1832, his parents moved to Sandusky County, Ohio, and purchased 240 acres in Section 34, York Township, where his father fol- lowed general farming, though a brick and stone mason by trade. The children were Amnos, Mary, Sarab, Ellen, Jacob H., Leah, Rachel, John A. and Elizabeth, all living but Mary. The father died May 28, 1874, in his seventy-fifth year, his birth having occurred August 11, 1799; his widow is now living in her eighty-fifth year, her birth having taken place January 17, 1800. His paternal grandparents, Henry Stetler and Sarah (Haus) Stetler, were born in Lehigh County, Penn., September 26, 1763, and De- cember 17, 1768, respectively. At the age of eighteen our subject, Amos

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Stetler, left his home and was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade with Benjamin Kachel, of Seneca County, Ohio. He worked one year with Mr. K., one year with Abijah Brown, at Bellevue, and a third year at job work in the Western States. He was married, September 24, 1846, to Miss Re- becca Lewis, of Seneca County. She was a daughter of Isaac and Susan (Hornberger) Lewis, natives of Pennsylvania, and of German descent, and was born in Lancaster County, Penn., November 27, 1826. Her parents were married in her native county December 9, 1821, and moved to Ohio in 1830. In 1832, they located in Seneca County, where they reared seven children-Harriet, Richard, Rebecca, Matilda, Solomon, Caroline and Ma- hala, all living but Rachel and Rebecca. The mother died in her seventy- seventh year, January 24, 1878, the father in his eighty-second year, May 12, 1883. They were born on the respective dates, February 15 and Janu- ary 19, 1801. Mr. and Mrs. Stetler had ten children-Addie, Henry L., Amos R., John T., Ardon L., Mary A., Eva R., Jay, Grant and an infant son, Horace, all living but the latter and Henry L. Mrs. S. departed this life August 5, 1879, and Mr. S. was married, August 10, 1880, to Mrs. Har- riet Salether, divorced wife of John F. Sherman, deceased. By this wife two children were born-John and William, the former dying in infancy. Mrs. Stetler was born in Holmes County, Ohio, August 20, 1833, and is a daughter of John and Dorothy (Anger) Salether, natives of Germany, where they were married. They emigrated in 1833, and located in Holmes County, Ohio. They moved later to Stark County, and in 1840 to Wood County, Ohio. They had six children-Charlie, John, Harriet, Mary A., Catharine and Julia. The mother of this family had previously married one Mr. Denner, of Germany. Mr. Stetler followed his trade till about 1851, and then purchased eighty acres of land in Sandusky. He sold out a few years later, and in 1854 moved to this county, where he purchased 100 acres in Crawford Township, Section 4, where he still lives. In 1866, he erected a fine brick residence, in 1869 a good barn. He also owns prop- erty valued at $3,000 in Carey. He now oversees his farm, has his old smithing tools, and when able does his own work in that line. Mr. Stetler was a member of the O. N. G., and was called out in 1864, serving under Col. S. H. Hunt, of Upper Sandusky, in Company D, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant, and served as such till discharged August 31, 1864. He and Mrs. Stetler are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a Republican-Prohibitionist in politics; has served two years as Township Assessor, six years as Trustee, and has also served as Clerk.

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The History of Wyandot County, Ohio, containing a history of the county, its townships, towns general and local statistics, military record, portraits of early settlers and prominent men etc, Part 96

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway Number of Pages: 1072

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, Leggett, Conaway
Number of Pages: 1072