Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 44

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 44

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).

Digitized by Google

397

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

native of Germany. The latter came to America and settled in Pennsylvania where he married and reared a large family. Of these George was one of the younger sons. He remained on the Pennsylvania farm until after his marriage and the birth of three children, and then moved to Wayne County, O., where he rented a farm and moved from there to Stark County where he also rented land, after which he moved to Richland County and there bought ninety acres of land and resided on it into old age, being aged ninety-one years at the time of death. His wife had passed away earlier, when aged eighty-six years. The record of their children is as follows: Eliza became the wife of William Boyd and both are de- ceased. Josiah is deceased. Harmon lives in Shelby, O. Levi, George and Jacob, are all deceased. Sarah Ann married Samuel Smith and is now deceased. Mary Ann is also deceased. David and Hiram were twins and the latter is deceased. Susann, now deceased, was the wife of Samuel Turpet.

David Dick grew up on the home farm and he easily recalls the old schoolhouse with its primitve accommodations. He re- members also that he and his seat-mate built their own desk. From boyhood he was ac- customed to farm work and after he was married he continued to work on the home farm for his father for four years and then came to Hancock County, where he pur- chased his first land, a tract of fifty-three acres situated one mile east of his present farm, the former owner being H. Hunt. To this he added fifteen acres but subsequently sold out and went back to Richland County, where he bought 165 acres. That he sub-

sequently traded for his present farm, with Josiah Dick, this being in 1876. A log house then stood on the place but Mr. Dick built all the buildings now standing, cleared up about thirty acres and put it under cultiva- tion with the remainder of the land, had it all thoroughly tiled and for years has suc- cessfully followed general farming. He is one of the stockholders in the bank at Ar- cadia, O.

On March 11, 1862, Mr. Dick was married to Miss Barbara Weiser, a daughter of Adam and Susan (Bender) Weiser. The father was born in Dauphin County, Pa., and the mother in Cumberland County, and both came to Ohio with their parents, Mrs. Weiser being then eleven years of age. Her parents settled near Mansfield, O., and it is said that when they went to take possession of the cabin on the farm, a deer ran out of it, the wild creature having taken shelter there. Until they could get their own house comfortable they lived with a Mr. Weiler, one of the well known pioneers. The Weiser family entered 160 acres of land in Richland County, near Shelby. Mrs. Dick is one of a family of twelve children, namely: Sarah Jane, who died at the age of five years; Barbara, who is the wife of Mr. Dick; John, who is deceased; Harriet, who died when aged sixteen years; Jacob, who lives in Williams County, O .; Adam, who is on the old home farm in Richland County : William, who lives at Fostoria; Alice, who is the wife of William Sherman of Fostoria; Mary, who is the wife of George Suter, an undertaker at Shelby, O., and two who died in infancy.

Mr. and Mrs. Dick have four children: George Wesley, Cora, Adam and Charles

Digitized by Google

398

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

F. George Wesley Dick is secretary of the Mutual Insurance Company and secretary of the bank at Arcadia, of which he was one of the organizers and has a half interest in a threshing business. He married Jessie Taylor and they have six children. Their eldest daughter, Ethel, took a Normal School course and is now teaching in the home district where her father taught sev- eral terms. Lulu and Nellie are both stu- dents in the Arcadia High School, while John E., Anna and Bessie H., are at home. Cora, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dick, is the wife of Alvin Davison and they reside at Fostoria. Having no children of their own, they have adopted a son and he has been theirs from the age of seven weeks. Adam Dick, who owns a half interest in the threshing business, resides in a part of his father's house and operates the home farm. He married Nannie Wyant. Charles F. Dick, the youngest son, is also in the thresh- ing business and lives in Washington Town- ship. He married Nellie Need. The Dicks are identified with the Democratic party.

ARTHUR N. McNEAL, who is engaged in farming and stock raising on a tract of eighty acres which his wife owns, located about five miles south of Findlay on the Washington road, in Section 3, Eagle Town- ship, Hancock County, O., is also engaged in road contracting, and was born on his present farm August 21, 1848, a son of John Parks and Catherine (Swisher) Mc- Neal.

John P. McNeal, a native of Pennsylvania, came to Hancock County in 1862 and en- tered a tract of eighty acres in Eagle Town-

ship, from the government. He lived upon and farmed this land until within a few years of his death, when he removed to Findlay, O., where he lived in retirement until the time of his decease, October 22, 1890. His wife, who in maiden life was Catherine Swisher, was also a native of Pennsylvania and died on the farm in Eagle Township in 1870.

Arthur N. McNeal has spent his entire life on his present farm, and attended the local schools of Eagle Township. He has always followed farming in a general way, and raises considerable stock, including hogs, sheep, cattle, horses, etc., but devotes most of his time to road contracting and has built a great many of the best turn pike roads in the county. He has made extensive improvements on the farm in the way of tiling, ditching, etc., and in 1906 erected a large frame residence.

In 1869 Mr. McNeal was joined in mar- riage with Elizabeth Briggs, who is a daughter of Raymond and Margaret Briggs, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Mc- Neal was but six years old at the time of the death of her father, who was a sailor, and she afterwards came to Hancock County with her mother, who located at Findlay. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. McNeal, namely: John H .; Grace E., who married John Ecker, who comes of one of the prominent families of Hancock County; Blanche M., who is the wife of Lorison Stanfield, who comes of a well known family of Wood County, and they have one son, Everett J .; and Cora Dell, who died at the age of three years, nine months and eleven days.

Digitized by Google

Digitized by

Google

WILLIAM JORDAN

Digitized by

Google

401

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

WILLIAM JORDAN, one of the honored old soldiers of the Civil War, one of the first to enter the service of his country when her de- fenders were summoned in 1861 and only leaving after more than three years of hardship had brought on serious disabilities, is one of the best known and most esteemed residents of Washington Township, Hancock County, O. His comfortable frame residence stands on his little farm of fourteen acres, not far from the village of Arcadia. He was born in Tuscara- was County, O., January 19, 1833, and his par- ents were Charles E. and Margaret (Moore) Jordan.

Charles E. Jordan was born near Stillwater on the Ohio River when this great common- wealth was yet a territory. The names of his parents have not been preserved but when he was small they moved down the river below Wheeling and there he grew to manhood and learned the shoemaking trade. He worked there at his trade and also engaged to some ex- tent in farming and there married Margaret Moore, the daughter of a neighbor. Some time later they moved to Tuscarawas County, O., settling in the woods six miles southeast of New Philadelphia and lived there until the fall of 1835 when they moved to Hancock County. The father entered 160 acres of Gov- ·ernment land at that time and later 160 more lying east of his first farm. No clearing or improving of any kind had yet been done, the land lying as a virgin wilderness and therefore the family had to live in the wagon until the father could clear a site and then erect his log cabin. At that time there was plenty of game in the forest, a few wild hogs running through the underbrush and fattening on the nuts from the trees, while deer and wild turkey were not difficult to shoot. Thus, in those early days,

there was no lack of food or fuel, nor of shel- ter, the three great necessities which each year in modern life and civilized communities are the most difficult for the poor man to procure.

Charles E. Jordan in the course of time cleared up his land and enjoyed the result of his many years of hard work. Before his death he retired to Findlay and there he passed away in old age. His first wife died on the farm and he later married a widow by the name of Mrs. Winders. She had several children born to her first marriage but none to the second. To Charles E. and Margaret Jordan the following children were born: Daniel, Martha, William, John M., Nancy Jane, James, Charles Wesley, Mary and Robert D. Of the above family five sons were in the Civil War. William served in the 49th Ohio. John M. was in the 57th Ohio, and is deceased. James, who was killed May 27, 1864, at the battle of Peach Tree Creek, was a member of the 49th O. Vol. Inf. Charles Wesley, who is now deceased, served as a member of the 57th O. Vol. Inf. Robert D. was also a member of the 57th Ohio. Nancy Jane is the wife of Michael Steelsmith. Mar- tha and Mary are both deceased.

William Jordan recalls many events of his childhood in this section but he was too young to remember the wagon journey here from Tuscarawas County. He remembers his child- ish interest in the forming and drilling of the local militia which took place on his present farm. As soon as he grew old enough he had farm tasks to perform, his school attendance. not exceeding two months in the year. When he reached the age of sixteen years he decided to learn a self-supporting trade and being somewhat accustomed to leather on account of his father's shoemaking business, he concluded to also learn a leather trade, hence served an

Digitized by

Google

402

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

apprenticeship with Capt. John Poorman, a well known saddle and harness maker at Tiffin, O., and he followed this trade until the out- break of the Civil War, which found him at Cedar Rapids, Ia., where he had been with G. W. Westlake for six years.

Mr. Jordan was one of the first volunteers to offer himself as a private in the First Ia. Vol. Inf., but was not accepted on account of being lacking in required height for that regiment. He then returned to Ohio and enlisted in Co. A, 49th O. Vol. Inf., under Col. William Gib- son and he continued in the service for three years, three months and thirteen days, during this time participating in the long and weary marches and innumerable skirmishes and such notable battles as Shiloh, Stone River, Chicka- mauga, Missionary Ridge and Nashville. He was then attacked with measles and was made so seriously ill that he was confined for some eight months in different hospitals and very nearly lost his eyesight. After receiving his honorable discharge, Mr. Jordan returned to Hancock County and again visited Iowa and possibly might have remained there, finding excellent business prospects in buying and sell- ing land, but the brisk western wind affected his eyes to such an extent that he decided it to be the part of wisdom to return to Ohio.

After his return to Hancock County, Mr. Jordan bought 160 acres of land in Cass Town- ship and kept adding farm after farm until he had taxes to pay on 288 acres of land. He car- ried on farming and sheep-raising until March, 1903, when he sold out and came to his present place where he has enough land to keep him pleasantly occupied in its cultivation without taxing his strength. Formerly he did consid- erable business in shipping cattle and hogs to- gether with dealing in sheep but no longer pays

attention to these industries. He greatly im- proved his present place and erected his frame house and other substantial buildings. He has always been deemed a good business man and is a stockholder in the Arcadia Bank at Arca- dia, O.

On July 27, 1876, Mr. Jordan was married to Miss Mary Dietz, a daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Nunemaker) Dietz. They came to Hancock County from New Jersey when Mrs. Jordan was small. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jordan, namely: Margaret, who died young; Martha May, who married Ridge- way Anderson, and they have five children- William, Dale, Frances, Charles and Arlouine; Charles, who married Bessie Taylor; and Sa- rah, who is the wife of Verne McCracken. Mr. and Mrs. McCracken have the following chil- dren: Delmar, Arthur, Esther, Laverne and Hartley Howard. Mr. Jordan and family are members of the Lutheran church. In his views on public questions Mr. Jordan is a strong Re- publican but he has never been willing to ac- cept public office although he is well qualified for the same and is so esteemed by his neigh- bors that the affectionate title of "Uncle Billy" is very generally accorded him. He is a valued member of Norris Post, Grand Army of the Republic at Fostoria and takes much interest in army matters. Mr. Jordan possesses a fund of interesting reminiscences. He has seen wonderful changes since 1858 when he drove across country from Arcadia to the city of Denver.

THOMAS W. LANG, who is serving in his third term as city solicitor of Findlay, O., is recognized as an able member of the Findlay bar. He was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., April 15, 1882, and is a son

Digitized by Google

403

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

of Charles and Anna (Curtis) Lang. Charles Lang is a well known gas and oil contractor at Findlay and one of Hancock County's substantial citizens. He came to Findlay from New York in 1889.

Thomas W. Lang attended the Findlay schools and was graduated from the High School in 1900 and from the business depart- ment of Findlay College, in 1902, when he entered the Ohio State University where he took a complete law course and was grad- uated in 1904. He located at Findlay and soon built up a very satisfactory practice and so demonstrated his legal ability that he was selected two years later on the Re- publican ticket, city solicitor. He occupies well appointed offices in the Adams Build- ing, Findlay.

Mr. Lang was married to Miss Maud Marion Boehmer, a daughter of A. Boeh- mer, formerly of Findlay, now residing at Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. Lang is a member of the Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen.

PHILIP SCHALLER, whose well im- proved farm of 118 acres is situated in Section 6, Van Buren Township, Hancock County, O., has always lived here, it being the old home- stead. He was born in the old log cabin that then stood on the farm, February 15, 1833, and is a son of Christian and Mina (Bower) Schaller.

Christian Schaller was born in Germany and was twenty-one years of age when he came to America. He was a farmer all his life and spent many years of it on the present farm in Van Buren Township, dying here when aged seventy-eight years. He married Mina Bower, a daughter of William Bower. She died when

aged forty-two years and both she and hus- band were buried in the Van Buren Township Cemetery. They were members of the Luth- eran church. Christian Schaller was a strong Democrat in his political views. They had five children.

Philip Schaller obtained his education in the district schools. From boyhood he has filled a man's place on the farm and much of the ex- cellent condition of the land may be attributed to his careful cultivation of it for so many years. His flocks and herds compare favora- bly with others in this section and he is re- garded as one of the most successful farmers of the township. In 1884 he erected his pres- ent comfortable residence and in 1897 put up the commodious and substantial barn. In poli- tics, Mr. Schaller is a Democrat. He has never accepted any township office, finding the care of his farm sufficiently important and demand- ing the larger part of his time.

Mr. Schaller married Miss Margaret Bower and they have five children: Jacob, William, Charles, Mary and Barbara. Mr. Schaller and family belong to the Lutheran church, in which he is a deacon.

HIRAM COOPER EWING, a lifelong resident of Hancock County, O., a member of an old and honorable family, owns one of the best improved farms in Pleasant Township and is one of its most substantial men. He was born in Liberty Township, Hancock County, O., April 12, 1863, and is a son of Jacob and Lou- isa (Cooper) Ewing.

Jacob Ewing, father of Hiram C., was born August 16, 1836, in Ashland County, O., and accompanied his parents to Hancock County in 1854. They were Jacob and Sophia ( Mowery) Ewing, natives of Pennsylvania. They had

Digitized by Google

404

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

accompanied their parents to Ashland County and also worked in the tile business and also in and were married there and when they came getting out timber, but has made farming his main business. He owns eighty acres of val- uable land and he has put many improvements here although it was in fair condition when he came into possession. He is regarded among his neighbors as an unusually successful farmer. to Hancock County settled in Liberty Town- ship. Grandfather Jacob Ewing first bought 160 acres and later added to it until he owned 300 acres. His death occurred in 1866, on the farm now owned by Jeremiah Ewing and his widow survived him but a short time. They had seven children, as follows: Cornelius, a resident of Findlay; Julia Ann, widow of Eli- jah Goudy, also of Findlay; Philip, of Pleas- ant Township; Rudolph, also of Pleasant Township; David, who died in the Civil War; Jacob; and Elmira, widow of Richard Boyd and a resident of Findlay.

In 1859, Jacob Ewing of the above family, was united in marriage with Louisa Cooper, a native of Licking County, O., a daughter of Hiram and Louisa (Miller) Cooper. Her father died in 1883, in Blanchard Township, but her mother lived until August 9, 1901, her age being 100 years and sixteen days. To Ja- cob Ewing and wife the following children were born: Ella, who resides at Deweyville, O .; Erwin E., formerly sheriff of Hancock County, resides at McComb; Hiram C .; Earl, a farmer, who resides with his sister at Dewey- ville; Charles, who owns and operates a farm near Deweyville; and Jennie, who died at the age of two years. After marriage, Jacob Ew- ing remained for some years in Liberty Town- ship and then exchanged his farm there for eighty acres in Pleasant Township, coming to the farm on which Hiram C. Ewing lives, in 1878. He died in the same spring, being then in his forty-second year. His widow survived until 1904, she being sixty-eight years of age.

Hiram Cooper Ewing attended District No. I school in his boyhood, this being in Pleasant Township. He assisted on the home farm

Mr. Ewing was married in January, 1888, to Miss Metta Bolton, a daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Shepler) Bolton, the former of whom died in 1883 and the latter of whom has reached her eighty-third year. Mrs. Ewing was reared in Liberty Township, the youngest of four children, the others being: Hattie, who is the wife of P. J. Gross, of Findlay; Eliza- beth, who is the wife of William Browneller, of Deweyville; and Jacob, who is a carpenter by trade and a resident of Findlay. Mr. and Mrs. Ewing have four children: Lloyd Ernest, born in 1888; Troas, born in 1891 ; Lee Bolton, born in August, 1899; and Ralph Cooper, born in 1901. Mr. Ewing and family are members of the Church of God. In politics he is a Dem- ocrat.

FRANK L. MILLER, one of Amanda Township's most substantial citizens, owning 240 acres of valuable land situated in Sections 5 and 8, was born on this farm, in Amanda Township, Hancock County, O., October 10, 1868. His parents were Jones R. and Mary (Gilbert) Miller.

Jones R. Miller was born in Chester County, Pa., in 1830, and was a son of Henry Miller, who was also a native of Pennsylvania. He first married Margaret Carver of Hancock County, and her death occurred here. After the death of his first wife, Jones R. Miller mar- ried Mary Gilbert, who was born in 1823, in Baltimore County, Md., and died in 1905, aged

--- ---

Digitized by Google

405

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

eighty-two years, his death taking place in the same year, he being aged seventy-five years. They were parents of four children, namely: Thomas G., who was accidentally killed on the railroad in 1892; D. J., who died in his sixth year; Eliza, who is the wife of John F. Hoy, of Vanlue, O .; and Frank L. By his first marriage he had one son, William. Jones R. Miller came to Amanda Township in 1854 and purchased the farm which his son, Frank L., now owns. He erected here the first brick house in the township and did all the construc- tion work himself.

Frank L. Miller was educated in the schools of Vanlue, and at Findlay College and Dela- ware College, and was graduated from the last named institution, after which he taught school for four years. Mr. Miller then turned his at- tention to farming and has found an agricul- tural life perfectly satisfactory. He carries on a general farming line and grows livestock.

In 1895, Mr. Miller was married to Miss Cora F. Spangler, of Wyandot County, O., and they have two children: J. Lee and Helen. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and for more than twenty years he has been superintendent of the Sunday school. In politics he is a Democrat and has occasionally accepted township office and has served accept- ably as assessor and as trustee. He belongs to Lodge No. 710, Knights of Pythias, at Vanlue.

JAMES LONG, senior member of the firm of Long Bros., conducting a livery and feed stables at Findlay, and a quick transfer line, is continuing an enterprise which was founded here by his well known father, J. W. Long. James Long was born on a farm in Eagle Township, Hancock County, O., in 1874.

In 1875, John W. Long moved to Dunkirk, O., where he embarked in a livery business which he continued until 1890, when he re- moved to a farm in the vicinity of Dunkirk, but in 1893 he came to Findlay and in the follow- ing year founded the present business in part- nership with his son, James Long, under the firm name of J. W. Long and Son. In 1900, another son, R: J. Long, entered the firm, and . the partnership continued until 1909, when J. W. Long retired and bought the Standard Liv- ery. He occupies a substantial two-story brick building on West Sandusky Street and devotes his time mainly to the buying and selling of fine horses and conducting a feed stable. He has been in the livery business for thirty-five years.

James Long was practically reared in his present business as he became associated with his father as soon as he left school. Prior to 1902 the main business was confined to the conducting of a first class livery but at that date the firm broadened out and entered also into funeral work, investing in all necesasry accom- modations for the same and now own ten rub- ber-tired hacks suitable for funerals. They also have fine vehicles for hire for other pur- poses, and keep several hacks which meet all trains for transporting both travelers and their luggage and also do a general transfer busi- ness, keeping from thirty to forty head of horses all the time. Their stables and ware- house are situated in the rear of the Phoenix Inn.

James Long was married to Miss Viola Werts, of Findlay, O., and they have two chil- dren: Robert Neil and Annabelle. Mr. Long is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Elks. He is numbered with the progressive and public spirited men of Findlay.

Digitized by

Google

406

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

ELIAS FOX, who resides in Section 13, Washington Township, Hancock County, O., is one of the capitalists of this section, being interested in banking institutions and owning 1,000 acres of land which is divided into easily cultivated farms, the most of them being occu- pied by his children. He was born in 1834, in an old log house that stood on the home farm in the woods, on Section 12, Washington Township, Hancock County, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Whaley) Fox.

William Fox was born in Pennsylvania and after his first marriage he came to Fairfield County, O., where he rented land. From there he moved to Seneca County, where he cleared up a small farm south of Tiffin, O., and thereby made enough money to enable him to enter eighty acres of land in Hancock County, in 1832. He was a man of business foresight and resource and to his eighty acres he added forty more by clearing up twenty acres for Isaac Wiseman, which he did with the help of his older sons. When William Fox settled first in Section 12, Washington Township, he hast- ily put up a plain log house which later gave way to a hewn log one and this in turn to the brick house which is still standing. He was known to every one in the neighborhood and was called "Uncle Billy" in friendliness. After the death of his first wife he married Elizabeth Whaley, a lady of Scotch descent, who died in 1837, leaving two children: Isaiah and Elias, the former of whom died at the age of nine- teen years. The third marriage of Mr. Fox was to Elizabeth Jacobs, who died without is- sue. He married Catherine Mailes for his fourth wife, and they had a large family, of whom there are two still living-Nicholas, of Hancock County, and Milton, of Seneca County. He survived his last wife, his death

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 44

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

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