The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 85

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076

USA > Ohio > Hardin County > The history of Hardin county, Ohio > Part 85

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HENRY K. FORD, merchant tailor and clothier, Kenton, Ohio, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, May 12, 1828. His parents, Joshua and Sarah (Kelly) Ford. natives of Baltimore County, Md., emigrated to Har- rison County, Ohio, in 1827. They remained there until 1836, when they removed to Hardin County, where they settled in Marion Township on a farm of 400 acres, which Mr. Ford had purchased of the Government in 1835. Joshua Ford was, politically, a Whig, and always took an active part in the elections. In 1838, he erected a horse-mill, which, although not a success financially, was a great benefit to the new settlers, many com- ing from Allen and Hancock Counties. This mill ran continually from Monday morning until Saturday night, never being allowed to run on the

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Sabbath Day, Mr. Ford being a man of strictly moral and quiet habits, as well as a kind neighbor and a generous citizen, often grinding toll-free for the needy. He died on his farm in 1853, in the sixty-ninth year of his age, and was followed by his widow in 1875, who died in her eighty-fifth year. Both were interred in the Maysville Cemetery. They raised a fam- ily of eight sons and two daughters, four of whom are living, viz., Thomas K., who for thirty years was a resident of Iowa, but has recently settled in Dakota Territory on a farm of 2,000 acres; John K., a Methodist divine, formerly of Hardin and Logan Counties, now in Lockwood, Dade Co., Mo .- where he preaches and farms; Micha E. Wigham, of Washington Town- ship, living on her farm, and our subject. In 1844, at Lima, Ohio, the subject of our sketch, in his sixteenth year commenced serving an appren- ticeship of four and a half years at the tailoring business. He was united in marriage October 29, 1850, to Miss Catharine Bernard, a native of Tiffin, Ohio, at which time he commenced business in Kenton, where he continues to this day. His wife died October 11, 1861, leaving four children, viz., John F., now of California; Alwilda F., wife of W. H. Lippincott; Mag- gie B. and Jessie C., a teacher in the Dunkirk School for the past three years. Mr. Ford was again united in marriage, October 21, 1862, to Miss Emma Biddle, of Troy, Ohio, by which union they have six children, viz., Carrie B., graduate and teacher in the Kenton Union School; Mary E., also a graduate; and James M., Lloyd S., Sarah L. and Elizabeth K., con - tinuing in the same school.

ULLRICH GERLACH, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Hesse, Dis- trict of Sluschtern, Germany, January 21, 1812, and emigrated with his brother Christopher in 1834. They lived in Pennsylvania for three years, and came to Kenton in October of 1838, and started the first saddler's shop in Kenton. Here Mr. Gerlach was engaged for many years, and, in 1868, settled on his present farm, consisting of 120 acres. He was married in Kenton, in 1839, to Miss Mary Pfeufer, a sister of Mrs. Kneblin. To this union were born eight children, six of whom are living, viz., John, George, Adam, Christopher, William and Elizabeth. Mr. Gerlach has been identi- fied with various township offices, and is connected with the German Re- formed Church.

LUDWELL G. GLENN, physician, Kenton, was born in Clermont County, Ohio, December 8, 1851. His father, John A. Glenn, also a na- tive of that county, was born December 1, 1820, and moved to Hardin County in March, 1853. He resided there until 1862, when he united his fate with the Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving in the ranks until his death, May 3, 1863. He was married, January 10, 1849, to Miss Mary J. Hall, a native of Milford, Ohio, born April 7, 1829. The subject of this sketch began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. Watt, an eminent physician of Kenton, with whom he remained for some years. He took a course in the Ohio Medical College in Cincinnati, and attended lectures at the Columbus Medical College, graduating in 1877. He com- menced the practice of his profession in Kenton, where he has since been succesfully engaged. In the spring of 1883, he formed the present part- nership with Dr. Protzman. He was married, November 4, 1878, to Miss Mary L., daughter of Martin Price, of Kenton, by which union there has been one child, Byron. The Doctor is Chief Executive in the order of the Knights of Pythias, and as a physician and citizen is highly esteemed.

NICOLAUS GLOCK, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Hesse-Cas- sel, Germany, in 1826, and is a son of Conrad and Barbara Glock. Nico-

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laus emigrated in 1847, his parents following him in 1848. He purchased forty acres of land north of his present place, and worked in Kenton ten or twelve years before he settled on his farm. After four years' residence on his forty acres, he purchased his present farm of 150 acres, retaining the ownership of his first farm. His parents settled in Kenton, where they both died. The subject of this sketch was married in Hardin County, in 1853, to Miss Barbara Bridenbach, a native of Hesse-Cassel, Germany. To this union were born five children, three living, viz., John, George (married to Margaret Bloom) and Nicolaus. Ho is a member of the Evan- gelical Lutheran Church, and is one of the oldest and most esteemed of the German citizens of Kenton.

DAVID GOODIN, retired hotel-keeper, Kenton, was born in Somerset County Penn., May 31,1805, and is the only living son of Smith and Nancy (Skinner) Goodin. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania, whence they emigrated, settling near Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio, in 1808. Smith Goodin was among the early pioneers of that county, where he died in the forty- seventh year of his age. The widow and her children, three sons and two daughters, came to Hardin County in January, 1836, and David Goodin succeeded John W. Williams in a hotel standing on the site now occupied by Bans Block, known as the Goodin Block, in Kenton. Here our subject was engaged as hotel proprietor for fifteen years, being among the first that started in this section. He afterward turned the hotel into business rooms, which were destroyed by fire in 1856, subsequent to which he erected the present structure. For the past thirty years, he has lived a quiet and un- ostentatious life, attending to the landed estates in this county and in Iowa, where he had a large tract of land. He was one of the founders of the Kenton Savings Bank, of which he was, for some years, one of the direc- tors, still retaining an interest in the institution. He was elected Associate Judge in 1840, serving for seven years to the satisfaction of his constit- uents. He also served in the City Council several terms, and has always taken an active interest in the public welfare of his county. Judge Goodin was joined in marriage in Somerset, Ohio, in December, 1825, to Miss Sarah Kishler, a .daughter of John Kishler, and a native of Pennsyl- vania, where her family were pioneers of Mifflin County. This union has resulted in ten children, five living, viz .: Alfred, resident of Nevada, Iowa; Elizabeth, widow of William Stanley, and resident of Des Moines City, Iowa; Isabel B., wife of Dr. John Dimmett, residing in Laramie, Wyo- ming; Mary J., widow of Charles Peet, residing with her parents on the homestead; and David E., at home.

H. W. GRAMLICH, cashier of the First National Bank, Kenton, was born in Cessna Township, Hardin County, Ohio, in June, 1851. He is the eldest son living of John F. and Julia (Foit) Gramlich, both natives of Wittenburg, Germany. His parents emigrated to the United States in 1838, and located the same year in Hardin County, settling on 117 acres of Government land in Cessna Township. In 1882, his father retired from business, moving with his family to Kenton, where he is now residing. He has attained his seventieth year. Of the twelve children born to him, five are living. The subject of this sketch secured an education at the Northwest- ern Normal School at Ada, Ohio. His early years were spent in working his father's farm in summer and teaching school during the winter months. He entered the Hardin Savings Bank, now the First National Bank, in 1878, as cashier, and is still serving in that capacity. He was one of the original founders and stockholders of the Hardin Savings Bank, organized in 1875.

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R. K. GRAVELL, carriage manufacturer, Kenton, was born in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, in 1848. He is a son of Thomas and Mary (Keyes) Gra- vell (both deceased), natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio in 1842, settling in Upper Sandusky. In 1864, when fifteen years of age, our sub- ject enlisted in the ranks of the Union army as private in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the four months' service. Serving this call, he again enlisted in Company I, of the One Hundred and Ninety-first Regiment, serving to the close of the war. He participated only in the engagement at Perryville, the regiment prefer -. ring detailed service most of the time. At the close of the war, our sub- ject learned the trade of blacksmith. In 1871, he established business in Kenton, under the firm name of Schrader & Gravell, and was located on the corner of Ohio and Maine streets. This firm built up a large trade, and were the most extensive manufacturers of light work, but were obliged to succumb to the hard times of 1874, when they dissolved. Mr. Gravell, by dint of energy and perseverance, rented a fire of Magoy and began ironing some work, commencing at the forge himself. His brother O. E. came to Kenton at this time and assisted him in his work, soon becoming proprie- tor of a new establishment, our subject continuing in work for him. O. E. Gravell subsequently removed to Bucyrus, and R. K. Gravell succeeded him in the business. He occupied his present premises in 1875, which was then an old livery stable, occupying one-half of the present building, which was erected in 1880. The building is two stories high, the upper floor be- ing used for painting and trimming. Here he carefully superintends all the work, and is making a specialty of spring wagons. In 1876, Mr. Gravell was married to Miss Letty Rinehart, a native of Hardin County, and who died in 1878, after one year and a half of wedded life. She was a daughter of Adam R. Rinehart, who was a pioneer of Hardin County. Mr. Gravell chose for his second wife Miss Jennie Maddux, to whom he was married June 6, 1883. She is a native of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and only child of the late Henry Maddux, who, in his lifetime, was a promi- nent attorney of Upper Sandusky, and one of the most substantial business men of that State. Mr. Gravell is among the active business men of Ken- ton. 1

JOHN McGUIGIN, liveryman, Kenton, was born in Goshen Town- ship, Hardin County, Ohio, May 20, 1837. He is the oldest and only liv. ing son of Edward and Ellen (Tally) McGuigin, natives of County Tyrone, Ireland, who emigrated to Hardin County in July of 1834, settling in Goshen Township. Edward McGuigin entered 160 acres of land, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1864. He was among the early pioneers of the county. He had two sons, our subject and Edward. The latter died in 1863. Mrs. McGuigin died in 1849. The subject of this sketch was reared on the homestead, where he lived until 1875, when he sold the place and removed to Kenton. He is proprietor of the livery stable purchased from Mr. Vance, whom he succeeded in the spring of 1883. He was married in this county in 1873 to Miss Mollie A. Toner, a na- tive of Goshen Township and a daughter of Michael and Mary Toner, pio- neers of this county. To this union has been born one child-Ellen M. Mr. McGuigin is a member of the Catholic Church of Kenton, and is one of the oldest citizens here.

GEORGE H. HARRIS, Secretary of the Scioto Straw Board Company, Kenton, was born in Bellevue, Ohio, April 8, 1842, and is a son of Henry G. and Ruth (Boslow) Harris, natives of Canada. His father located in

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Bellevue at an early time, and was a civil engineer on the Mad River Rail- way, which penetrated the county at that time. Subsequently he removed to Hardin County and settled in Patterson, finally moving to Kenton, where he became engaged in the flour and grain trade. He erected the elevator now run by E. Lawson, and was proprietor of a distillery many years. He served the county as Treasurer, and departed this life in 1870. The subject of this sketch was for many years connected with the Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne Railway as telegraph operator, and, later, was cashier for the Cincinnati, Dayton & Sandusky Railroad, also of the Chicago, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, of the former of which he was then agent at Kenton, 1871. The same year, he engaged in the grain and wool business in Ken- ton. He afterward formed a copartnership with A. Letson and erected a large pork-packing house, carrying on an extensive business until 1882, at which time he became associated with the Scioto Straw Board Company, and the pork establishment gave place to the erection of a handsome edi- fice. He and his former partner, A. Letson, purchased at a Sheriff's sale the gas company's works, and have put it into successful operation, owning one-half interest in the same. Mr. Harris was married in January of 1867 to Miss Maggie, daughter of Judge Letson, and a native of Hardin County. Two children, Ann and Mabel, born to this union, are both living.

DR. E. B. HIESTAND, of Kenton, Ohio, was born in Fairfield Coun- ty, Ohio, April 11, 1830. His father, Samuel Hiestand, was a native of Virginia, of German descent, and died while serving as Bishop of the United Brethren Church, after having officiated nearly six years. When his son E. B. was nine years old, his mother, Margrette Ann (Rodabough), a native of Pennsylvania, died in 1860. Our subject in his common school days and early life remained on the old home farm with his mother until he took a collegiate course of over two years with Prof. Samuel Weaver. During the last two years, the Doctor was a teacher of vocal music In 1845, he entered upon his professional studies of medicine and surgery, and, in 1847-48, he attended a course of lectures at Cincinnati. In 1850-51, he attended medical lectures at Columbus, graduating there. He then en- tered into copartnership with Dr. George W. Edgerly, of Dayton, Ohio, at Ansonia, Ohio. He again attended Starling Medical College in Columbus, Ohio, in 1856-57. At the close of the college, he removed to Cannons- burg, Ohio, and formed a copartnership with Dr. E. P. Leslie, of that place. In 1862-63, he again attended lectures in the last-named college, then located in Ada, Ohio. In 1868, he formed a copartnership with Dr. J. H. Williams, late Surgeon in the United States Army. Previously, in 1864-65, he had attended college at Chicago Medical College. In 1870, he took Dr. S. H. Sturgeon with him in partnership, attending lectures in 1871-72 at New York, at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College. He took an honorary degree in medicine and surgery from the faculty of the last- named college. The same year he attended a private course in surgery under the teaching of Prof. Frank H. Hamilton, of New York. Then again in 1880-81, he attended the various medical colleges of New York City, viz., the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, the University of New York and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, hearing lectures on branches he deemed most essential to his medical knowledge, also taking a private course in gynecology and surgery of the same with Prof. M. A. Pallen, at the University, also at the Women's Hospital of New York, and a course of operations and treatment on the eye and ear, under Prof. W. F. Mitten- dorf. In 1874, he removed from Ada to Kenton, Ohio, where he now lives.

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He formed a partnership with Dr. William Watt, said partnership ceasing in 1876. Dr. D. C. Smith became a partner in 1879 and 1880, when Dr. Edwin Howard, his son, took his place. The Doctor was married in 1856 to Miss Haddassah Ann Harris, daughter of Col. Nehemiah and Anna Harris. Mrs. Harris' maiden name was Anna McGuffey, sister of the late Prof. William McGuffey, formerly of Oxford and latterly of the University of Virginia.

GEORGE HILL, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born on the homestead of his father in Section 25, Pleasant Township, Hardin County, Ohio, June 27, 1854. His father, Nicholas Hill, was born in Germany in 1808; emi -- grated to this country, landing at Baltimore in 1833. He entered the land our subject now occupies in the year 1836. The mother of our subject, Elizabeth (Rosenbacher) Hill, was also a native of Germany, born in 1817. They had eight children, viz., Margaret, Daniel (deceased), Elizabeth (de- ceased), Martin (deceased), Mary, Mena (deceased), George and Jonn. Mrs. Hill died on the home farm in February, 1876, aged fifty-seven years, followed by her husband in April, 1883, aged seventy-five years. The latter was well known by all the pioneers of Hardin County, and was honored and respected by all. The two surviving sons, George and John, still live on the homestead, which comprises 120 acres of fine, well-cultivated land.

LESTER T. HUNT, attorney at law and real estate dealer, Kenton, was born in Chaplin, Windham Co., Conn .. September 10, 1832. He is the youngest child of Elisha and Almira (Bill) Hunt, both natives of Chap- lin, Conn. His father, a farmer, resided all his life in his native town, dying of cholera in 1833. Mrs. Hunt lived to be seventy years of age. They were the parents of three sons and two daughters, two living, Lester T. and Henry, the latter a resident on the homestead in Connecticut. The subject of this sketch spent his early years in teaching a school during the winter months and farming in the summer. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he started for the West, stopping at his uncle's in Hunt's Corners, N. Y. In the winter of 1853, he became connected, as an assistant, with Prof. Lewis Swift. He traveled in that ca- pacity until the summer of 1855, when he severed his connection with Dr. Swift and came to Ohio. In the fall of 1856, he entered the Cincinnati Law School, graduating in the spring of 1857, and was admitted to the bar in April of the same year. In the summer of 1857, he commenced his prac tice in Kenton, where he has since remained. He was Mayor of the city in 1859, served one term, and, in 1861, was elected Prosecuting Attorney, and re-elected in 1863, serving until 1865. In 1868, he was a delegate from his Congressional District to the Republican National Convention in Chi- cago. He became editor of the Kenton Democrat in 1857, and of the Ken- ton Republican in 1862, of which latter sheet he purchased an interest and pursued its publication until 1869. He then sold a half interest to A. W. Millar, who finally took whole charge in the following year. Mr. Hunt re- tained his editorial connection with this paper until 1878, when he relin- quished his position, and the paper finally passed into the hands of its present proprietors, in 1880. In 1870, Mr. Hunt became interested in the Chicago & Atlantic Railway, organizing the company on November 25,

1871, the date of its charter. The company, composed of Kenton citizens, was subsequently consolidated with the Indiana division, to connect it through to Chicago. The work of construction was stopped in 1873 by the panic of that year, but the last rail was laid in 1380. In November, 1882, Mr. Hunt resigned his position. Since 1862, he has been largely engaged in real estate transactions, and is in partnership with Gen. J. S. Robinson.

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On January 2, 1859, he was married to Miss Ellen F., a daughter of Luther Burnham, of North Windham, Conn. Two children were the fruits of this union-Marcia, wife of Frank Martin, residing in Chaplin, Conn., and Alice, a resident of North Windham, Conn. Mrs. Hunt died February 2, 1869, at her home in Connecticut. Mr. Hunt was again married, June 14, 1878, to Miss Maggie Young, a native of Chester County, Penn., and sister to James and William Young, of Kenton. One child, Florence A., has been born. Mr. Hunt was originally a Democrat, but since the rebellion has belonged to the Republican party. He is a member of the Masonic order, and numbers among the stanch and strictly business men of Kenton.

A. B. JOHNSON, attorney, Kenton, was born in Norwalk, Ohio, Sep- tember 9, 1843. He is the only son of William P. and Betty (Bell) John- son, both natives of Massachusetts. His parents came to the West in 1835, settling in Huron County, Ohio. His father, at the time of his death, was living in Oberlin, Ohio, where he died in the seventy-second year of his age. The widow and mother is now residing in Oberlin, and has attained her seventy-first year. The subject of this sketch secured his primary edu- cation in the common schools of Wellington. When his parents moved to Oberlin, he entered the college there, graduating in 1864. During the . winters of that and the ensuing year, he was teaching school in Sharon, Ohio. In the spring of 1865, he went to Sandusky and read law in the office of Homer Goodman, coming to Kenton in October. Here he was ap- pointed Superintendent of the Public Schools for the term of one year. În the following April, he went to Cleveland and entered the Ohio State Union Law College, and was admitted to the bar June 6, 1866, at Wooster, Ohio. He began the practice of his profession in August, 1866, in Kenton, where he has since been successfully engaged. Mr. Johnson was married. in July, 1866, to Miss Louise M., daughter of George W. Crane, a native of Medina County, Ohio. The five children born to this union are all liv- ing, viz., Cedric E., Ethel G., Burke L., Kent P. and Cecil A. Mr. John- son served as Prosecuting Attorney for four years, being elected in 1867 and re-elected in 1869, serving until 1871. He was the Mayor of Kenton from 1874 to 1876, and for the past twelve years has been a member of the School Board. He is a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery of the Masonic order, and also a member of the lodge and en- campment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellews. Mr. Johnson was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States on the 3d day of De- cember, 1877, and to the Circuit Court at Cleveland on October 31, 1873.

CHARLES P. JONES, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Knox Coun. ty, Ohio, in 1838, and is a son of John and Sarah (Bradbury) Jones, the former of New Jersey, the latter of Pennsylvania. His father was born in 1800 and married in Pennsylvania. He settled in Knox County, Ohio, in 1825, and was among the early pioneers there. They moved to Hardin County in 1852, settling in Washington Township, and lived there to the close of their lives. They had a family of nine children, seven of whom are living. The subject of this sketch was the youngest son, and was mar- ried in Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1866, to Miss Eliza J., daughter of Alexander Campbell. She is a native of Trumbull County, of which her parents were early pioneers. This union has resulted in two children, Lehr B. and Early V. Mr. Jones enlisted, in 1864, in Company F of the One Hundred and Seventy-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honor- ably discharged at the close of the war. He established in the dairy busi- ness in Kenton in 1880, and has now a dairy of nineteen cows, with a large

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and profitable business. He lives on his farm of 132 acres, upon which he settled in 1875.

CONRAD KAHLER, fariner, P. O. Kenton, is the oldest son of Nicho- las and Gala Kahler, born in Germany November 24, 1823, and came with his parents to this country and to Kenton in 1845. He began working on the railroad, but, in 1850, bought a few acres of land near Kenton and com- menced the manufacture of brick, which business, with farming, he carried on successfully for a number of years. He purchased acre by acre of land, until he has now a stretch, just outside the corporation, of about two miles. in length, of as fine land as can be found in the county, numbering 600 acres, all bordering on the Cleveland, Sandusky & Cincinnati Railway. His parents were born in Germany, where they were married and had three chil- dren-Conrad, Mary (wife of Henry Myers, of this county) and Henry, who died at about twenty-one years of age. The father of our subject died in 1872, aged seventy-two years; the mother still survives, hale and active, and lives with our subject. Mr. Conrad Kahler, although not an office- seeker, has held the offices of Infirmary Director and Township Trustee, and for a number of years has been School Director, still serving in that capacity. He was married, in September, 1850, to Hannah, daughter of Henry and Sophia Myers, who came, in 1841, from Germany to America, locating in Kenton. The children by this marriage are as follows: Ed- ward, born February 11, 1853; Minnie, born February 7, 1855, died De- cember 29, 1858; William, born November 16, 1857; Henry, born October 23, 1860; Enos, born May 13, 1863, died September 15, 1872, and Emma, born October 22, 1865.

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The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 85

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1076

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076