Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 43

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1189

USA > Ohio > Hancock County > Findlay > Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens > Part 43

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

A. M. Agin attended the public schools in Orange Township and later the Ohio

Normal University at Ada, after which he taught school for some time. After his marriage he settled first on a farm on the township line between Van Buren and Orange Townships and came from there to his present farm in 1907. He has done a large amount of clearing on his property and has all but twelve acres under tillage on the sixty-acre tract. His comfortable and substantial buildings have been erected since he came to the place.

Mr. Agin was married in April, 1884, to Miss Annie E. Stonehill, a daughter of Jacob and Elmira (Miller) Stonehill. Jacob Stonehill, who died in 1907, established himself in the undertaking business in 1859 and was one of the earliest and became one of the best known funeral directors in all this section. Calls came to him from long distances, even as far as Logan County, and it is said that he buried as many as 1, 100 bodies. He sold out to O. L. Ream, of Ada, O. He was a Republican in politics but never took any very active part in public affairs.

Mr. and Mrs. Agin have two daughters: Fairie M. and Maude Esther. The former is a very accomplished lady. She is a grad- uate of the Ohio Northern University at Ada and has taught piano music for six years. Her natural talent was developed so young that her parents had her given in- struction in music when she was not more than six years old. The second daughter is in school. Mr. Agin and family are mem- bers of the Baptist church, in which he is very active and teaches the Bible Class in the Sunday-school. Like his late father he is a Republican. He has never desired political office but for six years consented to

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serve as appraiser for the Mutual Insurance Company.

HARRISON W. STOKER, of the firm of Stoker Bros., dealers in lumber, lath and shingles, who conduct a planing mill at McComb, O., was born in Allen Township, Hancock County, O., June 25, 1860, and is a son of Tunis A. and Eve (Mitchell) Stoker.

Tunis Stoker was born in Fairfield County, O., and was nine years old when he accompanied his parents, Jacob and Mary Stoker, to Hancock County, prior to 1835. Jacob Stoker bought a farm of 160 acres in Findlay Township, which he subsequently cleared and he died there about the time of the Civil War, his wife dying many years afterward. Of their five sons and three daughters, but one son is living. Cyrus, David and Darius all served in the War of the Rebellion, as members of Co. F, 21st O. Vol. Inf. Cyrus was killed at the battle of Stone River. David died of wounds re- ceived nine days afterward. Darius survived until the fall of 1908 although he had car- ried a bullet in his body all the intervening years. Of the other members of the family W. C. resides near Findlay and is a farmer. Mary Jane died unmarried. Dicey married Chrisley Grauel and died at Findlay. Athelinda died in 1907, in Portage Town- ship and was the wife of John Hedges.

The maternal grandparents of Harrison W. Stoker were George and Rachel Mit- chell, who came to Hancock County in 1832 and in the same year purchased a farm in Portage Township. They lived in their traveling wagon until they could cut down trees and clear a large enough space upon

which to build their log cabin. They lived into extreme old age, reaching about ninety- one years. They had twelve children, those who survived infancy being as follows: Jacob, who died at Findlay, in 1907, had served as a soldier in the Civil War, in Co. F. 21st O. Vol. Inf .; George, who is a farmer, lives in Allen Township; Nancy, who is the wife of Eli King, lives in Portage Township; Rachel, who is the wife of Josiah Moore, lives in Pleasant Township; Betsey, who is deceased, was the wife of Henry Wright, of McComb; and Isabella and Mary Jane, both of whom are deceased, and Eve, the mother of Mr. Stoker, who died in 1883. Tunis Stoker died in May, 1910, in his seventy-eighth year.

Two sons and one daughter were born to Tunis Stoker and wife: Harrison W., George M. and Elizabeth. The latter mar- ried Eli Alexander and they reside in North Findlay. He was born in Richland County but was reared at Findlay and now fills the position of department foreman of the Find- lay Clay Pottery Works. They have the following children: Jennie, Eve, George, Isabella, Ruth, Harold and Dora.

Harrison W. Stoker attended the public schools of Findlay Township and then learned the carpenter trade and worked at this at Findlay and Rawson and spent one summer in Kansas. In 1883 he came to Mc- Comb and entered into the furniture and undertaking business, with Wright & Griffin, and continued four years, when he resumed work at his trade until he started his present business. For the first two years he was alone and then his brother, George M. Stoker, joined him and they have developed

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CALVIN D. TODD. M. D.

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an extensive business and are now leaders in contracting and building at McComb.

In 1889, Harrison W. Stoker was married to Miss Maroa Mackey, a daughter of William Mackey, of Pleasant Township. They have two sons: William T., who is a lineman with the telephone company at McComb; and Clinton, who has not com- pleted his education.

George M. Stoker, the other member of the firm of Stoker Bros., also learned the carpenter trade after his school days were over. He was married in 1866, to Miss Lillie Stout, a daughter of Madison Stout, of McComb, and they have two children, Fred and Lena.

The Stoker Bros. are not only associated as a firm but they agree politically and are identified with the same fraternal organiza- tions. They both are members of the Ma- sonic lodge at Deschler, the Odd Fellows and the order of Ben Hur, at McComb. They are Democrats in politics and Harri- son W. Stoker for nine years was fire chief of the department at McComb and for fifteen years has been a member of the town coun- cil. They were reared in the Methodist faith.

WILLIAM J. FISCUS, tinner, roofer and sheet metal worker, at Findlay, O., has carried on his business at his present location, No. 116 North Main Street, since January 1, 1894, and controls a large amount of the best trade in his line. He was born in a village in Lucas County, O., not far distant from Toledo, bear- ing the name of Whitehouse, August 11, 1864, and is a son of Peter and Barbara Fiscus. They are both deceased, the father passing away when the son was about ten years old.

The mother survived until in her eighty-third year and died in 1905, in Wood County, O.

William J. Fiscus was reared at Whitehouse and attended the village schools and when fif- teen years old he went to Fostoria and there learned his trade with his brother-in-law, J. M. Schatzel. In March, 1883, he came to Findlay and worked at the tinning and roofing business until ready to embark in the same for himself. He has prospered and for some years has been contracting in tin, slate, roofing of all kinds, gravel, etc., and keeps four men con- stantly employed. He did the substantial work on the Argyle Block, the Marvin Block, the Lutheran church and other large structures and also on some of the city's finest residences.

Mr. Fiscus was married to Miss Emma Sterner, at Findlay, O., who was born in Han- cock County and is a daughter of the late E. P. Sterner. Mr. Sterner was one of the old settlers in this section and was a veteran of the Civil War. Mr. and Mrs. Fiscus have two children : Helen and Edna. Mr. Fiscus is not active in politics, but he fraternally belongs to Lodge No 400, Knights of Pythias.

CALVIN D. TODD, M. D., who is success- fully engaged in the practice of medicine at McComb, O., and is serving in the office of cor- oner of Hancock County, was born at Mc- Comb, January 27, 1878, and is a son of Wil- liam H. and Eliza (Gault) Todd.

William H. Todd was born in 1837 and died in 1906. He was a son of Benjamin Todd, who was a soldier in the War of 1812 and afterward came to Hancock County. Ben- jamin Todd owned the land on which McComb now stands. William H. Todd was a cabinet- maker and undertaker for a number of years. He married Eliza Gault, who died in 1896

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She was a daughter of Moses and Rachel Gault, who settled one mile west of McComb, prior to the laying out of the town by Benja- min Todd. The two families were subse- quently connected by marriage and they were leaders in many of the early enterprises of this section, and were founders of the Church of God in this vicinity. Among the children of Benjamin Todd and wife were: William H .; Elisha, who is a venerable resident of McComb, being now in his eighty-seventh year; Benja- min, who lives in Kansas; and George, who died in Iowa, in advanced age.

To William H. Todd and wife there were born five sons and three daughters, as follows: Idona, who is the wife of John C. Buto, of Pleasant township, Hancock County; Melville, who is a merchant at Goshen, Ind .; Edward L., who is engaged in growing small fruits, at Viola, Del .; Jennie, who is the wife of H. C. Fry, of Blanchard Township, Hancock Coun- ty; Calvin D .; Oliver L., who is connected with the McElhenny grain elevator at Mc- Comb; James H., who is a farmer in Pleasant Township; and Dora, who resides at home with her brother, Calvin D. Todd.

From the public schools of McComb, Calvin D. Todd entered the Normal School and for seven years afterward engaged in teaching school, a profession for which he seemed well adapted although it was not the one of his cherished desire. In 1903 he entered the To- ledo Medical College and graduated in the class of 1907, locating immediately in his old home, McComb, where he has built up a substantial practice. In 1908 he was elected county coro- ner on the Democratic ticket and in the fulfill- ing of its duties, Dr. Todd has shown care, judgment and discrimination. He is a member of the county and Ohio State Medical Asso-

ciations and also of the American Medical As- sociation. He is identified fraternally with McComb Lodge No. 354, Odd Fellows; and with Camp No. 7470, Modern Woodmen of America. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOHN W. BAKER, postmaster at Rawson, O., and the owner of a valuable farm in Union Township, Hancock County, was born Sep- tember 12, 1855, one-half mile south of Raw- son, and is a son of Nathan E. and Elenore (Oman) Baker.

Nathan E. Baker was born in Lorain County, O., and was brought to Hancock County by his father, Joseph Baker, who was an early settler in Union Township. Nathan E. Baker followed farming all through his ac- tive life and died in 1900 at the age of seventy- seven years. He married Elenore Oman, who was born in Pennsylvania and was a daughter of Joseph Oman, who was one of Eagle Town- ship's early settlers. She died in 1890, at the age of sixty-seven years. They were well known and highly respected people and are remembered in great kindness by those with whom their lives were spent.

John W. Baker attended the country schools and afterward gave his father assistance on the farm. In 1891 he was appointed assistant postmaster of the Rawson office, and in 1899, received his commission as postmaster and has made a very satisfactory official.

Mr. Baker has been a member of the Ma- sonic Lodge at Rawson for the past fifteen years, and has held every official position in this lodge except Master, and at present is serv- ing as its treasurer. Since 1880 he has also been identified with the Knights of Pythias at Rawson and has likewise been an official of

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this organization. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Baker has never married.

WILLIAM MANECKE, president of the Union National Bank of Fostoria, O., and owner of 600 acres of land in Hancock County, resides in a handsome residence that he erected in 1896, in Section 3, Washington Town- ship. He was born in Philadelphia County, Pa., November 4, 1835, and is a son of Henry and Christina (Markley) Manecke.

Henry Manecke was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, where he had social and educational advantages and graduated from a German in- stitution of learning. His family was one of importance and he was given a Government position, being made an inspector of farms. About 1828 he came to America and located in Philadelphia County, Pa., where he was inter- ested in a sugar refinery. Several years later he moved to Stark County, O., where he rented a farm and four years afterward bought a farm in Section 10, Washington Township, Han- cock County. This was about 1843 and at that time this whole county was yet heavily tim- bered. He built a log cabin in the forest and went to work clearing his land, apparently just as well satisfied notwithstanding his early ad- vantages, as was any other pioneer. Strag- gling Indians often passed through the forests and game was still plentiful. He remained here until his death which occurred December 23, 1861. He married Christina Markley, who was born in Wittenberg, Germany, and came to America with her parents. She survived her husband some five years, her death taking place January 9, 1866. They had six children, namely: William Peter, who lives in Wash- ington Township; Emma, who is the wife of

Andrew Bowman, of Decatur, Ill .; Harmon, who lives in Colorado; Thomas J., who lives in Illinois; Frederick, who resides at Fostoria; and Albert, whose home is in Illinois.

William Manecke was quite young when his parents moved to Hancock County and as he grew up he assisted his father to clear the farm. His book knowledge was secured in the dis- trict schools and all his home influences were helpful. He followed general farming and took personal charge of the work as long as he con- tinued actively interested and when he retired he turned his responsibilities over to his sons who, in the meanwhile, had grown into capable and reliable young men. He was one of the organizers of the Union National Bank at Fos- toria, of which he is president. It operates with a capital of $100,000, and has a firm standing. E. W. Allen is vice-president and George A. Snyder is cashier. During the Civil War, Mr. Manecke was a patriotic citizen. In 1862 he enlisted in Co. K, 115th O. Vol. Inf., under Capt. A. R. Holland, and served faithfully un- til he was honorably discharged May 22, 1865. He took part in a number of sharp engage- ments and was one of the brave soldiers to march to the sea under Gen. Sherman, and on this march in December, 1864, he was wounded by the enemy and carried a minie-ball in his thigh for ten months and ten days. Through his bravery he was promoted to be sergeant of his company. He is a member of the G. A. R. Post at Fostoria.

In April, 1868, Mr. Manecke was married to Miss Susan A. Ernest, a daughter of Jacob Ernest. She died after the birth of their daughter, Della, who grew to womanhood and married Jacob D. Groth. Mrs. Groth died in South Dakota, and is survived by two children : Ruth and Reeve. On May 16, 1871, Mr. Ma-

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necke was married to Caroline C. Stout and the following children were born to them: Henry R., who died in November, 1907; Gilbert, who is an attorney at law, graduated from the Ohio State University at Columbus, in 1897; Thomas J., who married Anna Stauffer and they have two children-Florence and Leona; Rosa, who married Leila Ecker and they have two children-Helen and William; James F., who married Montana McDonald; Mrs. A. J. Crouse, who lives at Buffalo, N. Y., and Mae, who lives at home. Mr. Manecke is a member of the German Reformed church. He is one of Washington Township's prominent and representative men.

ROBERT W. CLOUD, justice of the peace in Portage Township, Hancock County, O., and a leading citizen of this section, resides on a small farm of three acres here and owns a farm of eighty acres situated in Paulding County, O. He was born at Columbus, O., September 24, 1834, and is a son of Samuel P. and Jane (Van Pelt) Cloud.

The father of Mr. Cloud was at one time a man of ample fortune, a part of which he earned by selling produce through the country. Later he owned and operated a hotel at Cin- cinnati, but subsequently was reduced almost to poverty through signing a bail bond for a friend which entailed the loss of $7,000, all at one time. Other men have done the same thing and have been equally unfortunate. Through this domestic calamity, Robert W. Cloud was separated from his kindred and was reared by strangers in Clermont County, until he was twenty-one years old. He then went back to Columbus, and worked there for seven years for an uncle, in a saw mill, and learned the lumber business.

In Franklin County, O., Mr. Cloud was mar- ried to Miss Catherine Miller, a daughter of a German farmer, Caspar Miller, and six chil- dren were born to them, namely: Robert Ethelbert, who died in May, 1901, leaving a family of three children, lived on a farm of 100 acres which his father formerly owned; Milan, who died in childhood; Warden W., who lives on the Paulding County farm, mar- ried there and has two children; Enoch, who lives with his family in Montana; Isolla, who married Franklin Huber, has one child, May, and they live at North Baltimore; and Alwilda Cretora, who married Perry Smith and they have two children and reside at North Balti- more.

Mr. Cloud is now one of Portage Township's substantial men, but in the building of his for- tunes he has had little assistance. He has been a fireman on a railroad, a soldier, a farmer and a lumberman and has also filled public offices with the utmost efficiency. He is a veteran of the Civil War and has two honorable dis- charges, having served for three months in Co. G, 133rd O. Vol. Inf., and three months in a cavalry regiment, and is a member of the G. A. R. Post at McComb. Prior to coming to Hancock County and locating at Findlay, in 1869, he had spent some time and capital seek- ing a suitable location in Michigan, but not finding it came back to Ohio. At that time he had just $9.60 in cash, with a wife and four children depending upon him. He engaged in teaming as the first employment that offered and then went to work in a saw mill which stood on his present farm and later bought a half interest and subsequently the mill which he conducted for twenty-one years. He also acquired a farm of 100 acres which he retained until 1910, when he sold all but the three

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acres surrounding his residence. In politics he niture vans, seven drays for heavy hauling, four is a Republican and while living in Franklin coal and four road wagons, with strong teams, and gives steady employment to twenty-five men. County served seven years as constable. He was elected justice of the peace in Portage Township and has served in this office since January 1, 1910. He has also been township supervisor. He is identified fraternally with the Knights of Pythias.

HARRY G. DAVID, who does a large coal, transfer and storage business at Findlay, O., started here in this line in 1904, having F. D. Howe as a partner from then until July, 1909, when he bought the partner's interest and has been alone ever since. Mr. David was born at Cleveland, O., in 1875, and is a son of W. L. David, Sr.

The father of Mr. David died at Findlay in 1907. He early became connected with the hardware line of the oil business and continued through the oil fields of Pennsylvania until 1890, when he came to Findlay and up to the time of his death, was connected with the Ja- reeki Oil Well Manufacturing Supply Com- pany.

Harry G. David was but a boy when the family moved from Butler, Pa., to Findlay, O., and later, for four years, he was connected with the oil industry, having leases in Cass Township, Hancock County, where he worked as a field foreman. Prior to accepting this po- sition, however, he had learned the machinist trade, one that he followed for nine years. In 1904 he saw a good business opening in his present line at Findlay and took advantage of it and has greatly prospered. His coal office and yards are located at No. 418 East Lincoln Street, while his transfer and storage quarters are in the rear of No. 118 South Cory Street. He has a fine equipment, owning five large fur-

Mr. David married Miss Martha McKelvey, who is a daughter of S. L. McKelvey, a promi- nent real estate dealer, of Findlay, and they have one child, Francis Lee David. Mr. David is a member of the Knights of Pythias, B. P. O. E., and also of the Protected Home Circle.

GEORGE A. MITCHELL, who is en- gaged in general farming and stock raising on a tract of eighty acres in Allen Township, has resided on his present farm since 1870, and is the owner of two other farms in Portage Township, Hancock County, O., the three farms aggregating a total of 220 acres. He was born April 3, 1849, on a farm in Portage Township, Hancock County, O., and is a son of George and Rachel (Switzer) Mitchell.

George Mitchell was a native of Belmont County, O., and his wife of Richland County, O. They were married in Richland County, and immediately afterward came to Hancock County, O., and located on a tract of timber- land in Portage Township. Here they contin- ued to reside the remainder of their lives, he clearing the land and placing it in a state of cultivation. George Mitchell lived to the ad- vanced age of ninety years, and his wife to the age of eighty-six years.

George A. Mitchell was reared in Portage Township, his father's farm being the scene of his boyhood activities. He has always followed farming, and in 1870, after his marriage, set- tled on his present farm of eighty acres, which is located in Section 35, Allen Township, lying along the road which separates Allen and Port-

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age Townships. Here he has made many im- years after his first marriage he remained in provements, erecting a fine large frame house and barn, and other necessary buildings, and carries on farming in a general way, in connec- tion with stock raising.

Mr. Mitchell was united in marriage with Abigail Cusac, who was born and reared in Portage Township, a daughter of John and Nancy (Bell) Cusac, and of their union have been born two sons: Homer, who resides on one of our subject's farms in Portage Town- ship, married Stella Moorehead and has two children, Charles and Gertrude; and Harry, who lives on his father's other farm in Port- age Township, married Nellie Peabody, and has two daughters-Gladys and Grace. Mr. Mitchell is a member of the Blanchard Presby- terian church.

LEVI GORBY, a well known citizen of Hancock County, O., is the owner of three farms, aggregating 140 acres, land being thus divided: eighty acres, on which he lives, in Section 18, Portage Township; forty acres, in Section 7, Eagle Township; and twenty acres in Section 13, Pleasant Township. He was born on a farm in Eagle Township, November 19, 1856, and is a son of Jacob and Maria (Frederickson) Gorby. Jacob Gorby was born in Chester County, Pa., and came to Hancock County as a child with his sister. He grew to manhood here and married Maria Frederickson, who died in 1858. Jacob Gorby spent the greater part of his life in Eagle Township, where he followed farming, but his death took place at Rawson.

Levi Gorby followed the example of his father and has been a farmer ever since reaching the age of responsibility. For six

Blanchard Township on rented land and then moved to the homsetead in Eagle Township. He spent fourteen years in that township and came to his present farm in Portage Township in March, 1898.

Mr. Gorby was married first to Miss Flora Powell, who died in Eagle Township. They had three children: Cora, deceased, who was the wife of Charles W. Gorrell and is survived by two children-Ruby and Carl; Estella, who is the wife of W. J. Swine- hart, and has one child, Harold; and Viola, who died aged 4 years. In January, 1891, Mr. Gorby was married to his present wife, who was Miss Celesta Bond, a daughter of Jesse Bond, and they have two children, Erma and Earl DeLoss. Mr. and Mrs. Gorby are members of the Thomas Meth- odist Episcopal church, in which he is a class leader, steward and trustee and also a teacher in the Sabbath-school. In the same year that Mr. Gorby moved to Portage Township he was elected township treasurer and he served in that office until January 1, 1910. He has also been a member of the school board and in every way has shown the qualities of good citizenship. He is identified with the order of Maccabees.

DAVID DICK, whose valuable farm of 240 acres lies in Washington Township, in Section 21, divided by the general highway, is one of Hancock County's substantial citi- zens and representative men. He was born on his father's farm in Richland County, O., May 28, 1836, and is a son of George and Sarah (Nickles) Dick.

George Dick was born in Pennsylvania and was a son of Simon Dick, who was a

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Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 43

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1189

Author: Jacob Anthony Kimmell
Publication date: 1910
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1189