Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 52

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 52

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).

John Wortman has been identified with the Republican party since its formation and in earlier years took an active part in public af- fairs. In 1880 he was elected land appraiser of the township, served several terms as town- ship trustee and also as justice of the peace. He has contributed liberally to the support of the Presbyterian church at McComb, in which he is an elder.

GEORGE J. HORN, architect and builder, who has been engaged in business at Findlay, O., since 1885, has been a resident of Hancock

John B. Horn was born in Germany, a son of Dr. John Jacob Horn, who was a very prom- inent physician at Findlay. John B. Horn was seven years old when his parents came. to America and to Findlay in 1848. He was a farmer in Cass Township until 1860, when he moved to Findlay, where he was a carpenter and contractor.

George J. Horn attended the old Union school on Sandusky Street, Findlay, and, as a boy, showed remarkable talent for drawing and took more interest in designing than in any other study. He made his own drawing board, triangle and T-square and during the time he worked as a carpenter, displayed unsual exact- itude in his measurements, these details coming to him naturally and easily. It has always been a matter of personal regret with Mr. Horn that at the beginning of his work as an archi- tect he could not see his way clear to attend any technical school, but there are many in the profession at Findlay who did enjoy such ad- vantages, who gladly avail themselves of Mr. Horn's natural talents when they have a dif- ficult piece of work. He started out as an ar- chitect, with his self-acquired knowledge, in 1885, just in time to take advantage of the business "boom" that visited Findlay and con- tinued through 1887, 1888, 1889 and 1890. During 1887 he designed and built over twenty business blocks in the city of Findlay alone. Subsequent years have also been busy ones and want of space makes it impossible to call atten- tion to all of the fine work done by Mr. Horn, but these notable examples may be given: T. B. G. & S. T. Co. Power Station, General Of- fices and Car Barns; D. Kirk & Sons Co.,

Digitized by

. - Google

476

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

wholesale grocery house; Rawson Block, in March 13, 1831, and is a son of Peter and which Mr. Horn has his offices; Gray & Pat- Christina (Platter) Hay. terson Block; First National Bank (rebuilt) ; Fair Company Grand Stand and Training .Stables; Buckeye National Bank (rebuilt) ; Electric Construction & Motor Co. Garage; and the rebuilding of the handsome residences of J. C. Donnell and William M. Tait. Mr. Horn combines architectural beauty with solid and practical construction in a way that is ad- mirable from every standpoint.

Mr. Horn was married to Miss Etta B. Dick- son, of Kenton, O., who died May 25, 1909, leaving one daughter, Georgetta, who resides with her father.

Mr. Horn has always been an active and in- terested citizen. In 1908 he was made a mem- ber of the Board of Public Service at Findlay and served two years. During this time, in a public spirited way, he endeavored to interest his fellow citizens in the project of appropriat- ing a certain sum of money to be used for the erection of a memorial building to mark the site of old Fort Findlay, around which so much of the early history of the city centers. With this idea in view, he prepared a beautiful de- sign, which, if eventually accepted, will be not only creditable to the city but will be but an- other proof of Mr. Horn's artistic skill. Mr. Horn is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Elks.

EDWIN RUTHVEN HAY, who owns a valuable farm of 159 acres, situated in Section 30, Marion Township, Hancock County, O., is one of the leading and sub- stantial citizens of this county and one of the largest tax payers of the township. He was born in the old log house then standing on his father's farm in Fairfield County, O.,

Peter Hay was born in Berks County, Pa., the youngest son of Adam and Mary Hay, who were natives of Germany, and died in Fairfield County. There Peter grew to manhood and died on the old home farm October 28, 1852, having purchased the in- terests of all the other heirs. He followed farming and stock raising. He married Christiana Platter, who was born at Mays- ville, Ky., a daughter of Peter and Sarah (Crabbs) Platter, who came from Ger- many. She survived her husband several years, dying in June, 1858, aged sixty-one years. Ten children were born to Peter Hay and his wife, namely: Joseph and Jonathan, both of whom are deceased; Margaret, who was the wife of N. Schley, both now deceased; Peter, who is de- ceased; Edwin Ruthven; Edward, who is deceased; Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Daniel Schley; Zelda Ann, who died young; Meander, who resides in Fairfield County ; and one that died in infancy.

Edwin R. Hay attended the district schools and also an academy at South Salem, in Ross County, after which he taught school for two winters in Fairfield County and proved very acceptable as a teacher. He followed farming in the sum- mers up to 1862, when he enlisted for serv- ice in the Civil War then in progress, en- tering Co. C, 61st O. Vol. Inf., of which he was first sergeant-major and later second lieutenant, and held that rank in his com- pany during the memorable second battle of Bull Run. After his military service was over he returned to Fairfield County and

Digitized by Google

. e

1- le

as id

Digitized by

Google

MR. AND MRS. ERNEST E. URBAN

Digitized by Google

479

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

resumed farming and came from there to Township and obtained his schooling there. Hancock County in 1869.

On December 2, 1869, Mr. Hay was mar- ried to Miss Angelicie Frisbie, a daughter of Amos Frisbie. She died June 12, 1879, leaving two children, Abigail and Charles. Abigail married Dr. F. B. Entrikin, now de- ceased, a graduate of the Cincinnati Medi- cal College and formerly a practitioner at Findlay. Two children survive him: Edwin Wayne and Lorain, both of whom live with Mr. Hay. Charles Hay lives also on the homestead and is his father's farmer. This place is the old Frisbie farm and the im- provements which Mr. Hay has put here have made it one of the most valuable in the township. The residence is a handsome ten-room structure and it is surrounded by beautiful grounds which make it attractive. Mr. Hay has never cared for political office but he has always been an interested citizen and casts his vote with the Democratic party.

ERNEST E. URBAN, owner of 322 acres of rich farm land, situated in Union Township, Hancock County, O., has resided for twenty years on his farm of 122 acres located in Sec- tion 35, 160 acres being in Section 26, while in Section 34 lie the other forty acres. He was born in Findlay Township, Hancock County, October 10, 1854, and is a son of Andrew and Barbara (Haines) Urban.

The parents of Mr. Urban were born in Saxony, Germany, and they came to America and settled in Findlay Township, Hancock County, O., in 1838, where the mother died in 1883 and the father in 1887. He was a suc- cessful farmer and a respected citizen.

Ernest E. Urban was reared in Marion

After he married he and his wife resided in Union Township for five years, then one year in Eagle Township, coming from there to the farm on which he lives, which lies four miles south of Rawson, on the Ridge road. He has made notable improvements here in the way of clearing, tiling and fencing, and has re- modeled both house and barn. Everything is substantially built and thrift and good man- agement are shown in all directions. He does general farming and raises cattle, sheep and hogs and in addition he has twenty-eight pro- ducing oil wells.

Mr. Urban is a man of independent means and he is also one of the representative citizens in all that pertains to the advancement of his township along practical lines.

On January 1, 1884, Mr. Urban was mar- ried to Miss Polena Schondlemyer, who was born in Marion Township and reared in Cass Township, Hancock County. Her .parents were natives of Germany. Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Urban: Cleve- land C., Lawrence, Oran J., Ray G., Zoa M., Era E. and Andrew O. Lawrence married Miss Elsie Solt, of Eagle Township. Mr. Ur- ban and family are members of the Evangeli- cal church at Canonsburg, in which he has been a steward for sixteen years and a trustee of the township cemetery from 1907 to 1910.

LAWRENCE J. CRAWFORD, a well known building contractor of Van Buren, Hancock County, O., and the owner of 160 acres of farm land in Allen Township, has been engaged in the contracting business since seventeen years of age. He was born September 9, 1858, on a farm in Eagle Township and is a son of George W. and

Digitized by Google

480

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

Eliza (Smith) Crawford. His parents were years later bought an adjoining eighty both natives of Pennsylvania, who, after acres. their marriage located in Richland County, Mr. Crawford served one term as town- ship trustee of Allen Township, and was a candidate for county commissioner on the Democratic ticket in the fall of 1907, but was defeated. He is a member and elder of the Presbyterian church, of which he is clerk of the session. O. The maternal grandfather was a man of prominence and wealth and spent his entire life in Pennsylvania. He gave a farm to each of his children, and upon the parents of our subject locating in Hancock County, gave them a tract of eighty acres in Eagle Township. This they sold in 1869 and pur- Mr. Crawford was married to Anna Kuhlemeier, who was born in Toledo, O., and is a daughter of Frederick and Matilda Kuhlemeier, both natives of Denmark. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Crawford: Howard, who is taking a course in music at the University of Wooster; Harold D .; L. Everett; Donald, and two who died in infancy. chased a tract of eighty acres in Allen Township about one mile west of Morti- mer. Mrs. Crawford died in 1865, while the family still lived in Eagle Township, and in 1870, Mr. Crawford married Parmelia Sipes. In 1879 Mr. Crawford removed from the farm to Mortimer, O., where he died December 19, 1907.

Lawrence J. Crawford obtained his edu- cational training in the district schools of Eagle and Allen Townships, and early in life began learning the carpenter's trade with George Mellott, in whose employ he continued four years. In 1876 he estab- lished a business for himself, and has been engaged continuously and successfully in general contracting since that time. He has erected many of the barns, residences and public buildings of Allen and surround- ing townships, and also built many of the finest buildings of Van Buren, O. Some of the buildings erected by Mr. Crawford are : the Presbyterian church of Liberty Town- ship, the Hagerty School of Liberty Town- ship, the school of District No. 9 of Allen Township, and others too numerous to mention. Mr. Crawford also retains an in- terest in the old home farm in Allen Town- ship, and in 1886 bought eighty acres of land two miles west of Van Buren, and ten

JENS J. WAALAND, florist, with green- houses and office at No. 123 East Front Street, Findlay, O., has been established in business in this city since October, 1905. He was born at Stavenger, Norway, April 27, 1866, and is a son of Lars L. and Helen (Ueland) Waaland. The father still fol- lows farming and conducts a dairy, in his native land.

Jens J. Waaland was twenty-four years of age when he came to America, in 1890. He found his first greenhouse work at To- ledo, O., and from there went to New York State and from there to Boston, Mass., working as a florist at each place he stopped, and then returned to Toledo and from there went to Fostoria, where he bought out two separate firms and contin- ued in business for ten years, when he came to Findlay. He has first class quarters and all modern equipments including a fine hot

Digitized by Google

481

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

water system. He has six different glass covered rooms affording him 10,000 square feet of glass. Mr. Waaland does a very large retail business, deals in cut flowers suitable for every occasion and makes a specialty of funeral designs. He started into this business in Norway, in 1881, and has devoted himself to it ever since, suc- ceeding not only on account of his knowl- edge and skill but because of his natural liking for it.

At Toledo, O., Mr. Waaland was married (first) to Miss Grace Mabel Errett, of Bos- ton, Mass., who died at Findlay, Dec. I, 1908. They had five children born to them : Harold, Norman, Erven, Robert and Wal- ter. Mr. Waaland was married (second) to a widow, Mrs. Frederica (Gjesdal) Strand. Mr. Waaland is a member of a number of fraternal organizations, including the Knights of Pythias, the Maccabees, the Modern Woodmen, the Tribe of Ben Hur and the Turners. He is a highly respected citizen and prosperous business man.

JOSEPH EDWARD SHOOP, who re- sides on his valuable farm of 160 acres situ- ated in Section 29, Portage Township, Hancock County, O., is one of the leading men of his neighborhood and is active in its public affairs. He was born on the Will- iam Brickman farm, in this township, Jan- uary I, 1871, and is a son of Daniel and Sarah E. (Miller) Shoop.

Daniel Shoop was born in Philadelphia and was a son of Joseph Shoop, who came to Portage Township in 1841, Daniel then being two years of age. Joseph Shoop en- tered, cleared and later improved the farm on which his grandson, Joseph E. Shoop,

later was born, and continued to live there until his death. Daniel Shoop still lives and resides in Pleasant Township. He married Sarah E. Miller, who died in 1885. Her father was John S. Miller, of Hancock County.

Joseph Edward Shoop was reared in Portage Township and attended school dur- ing the usual boyhood term and then learned the carpenter trade. He has always been a busy, hard working man, working for three years as a carpenter and then laboring for seven years in the oil fields. Since then he has given his whole attention to farm work and has lived on different properties in the township, renting the McEnnally farm for seven years before he bought a farm of ninety-eight acres directly across from his present one, selling that place when he bought the 160 acres on which he lives, which was formerly known as the old Crumrine place. Here he carries on general farming and raises some excel- lent stock and is considered one of the rep- resentative successful agriculturists of this section.

Mr. Shoop married Miss Amelia Jane Sharninghouse, a daughter of William Sharninghouse, and they have five chil- dren: William Ray, Dorothy E., Clarence D., Trois May and Joseph Edward, Jr. Mr. Shoop and family are members of the Ger- man Lutheran church at McComb. He belongs to the fraternal order of Modern Woodmen of America. He is an intelli- gent, reliable and honest man and his fel- low citizens make no msitake when they elect him to public office. At present he is serving in the office of land appraiser and

Digitized by

Google

482

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

for four consecutive years he was personal Cincinnati, O., where he was graduated in tax assessor.

W. S. VAN HORN, M. D., physician and surgeon, with well appointed office at No. 5101/2 South Main street, Findlay, O., has been established in this city since 1888 and comands a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Van Horn was born on a farm in Amanda Township, Hancock County, O., three miles west of Vanlue, June 13, 1853, and is a son of James Moore and Mary Magdalene (Morehart) Van Horn.

James Moore Van Horn was a native of Bucks County, Pa., a representative of an old Dutch family that came to America from Holland in the 16th century. The founder of the family in Hancock County was the grandfather of Dr. Van Horn, Charles Van Horn, who came in 1832, when his son, James Moore, was six years old. He settled in Amanda Township and subsequently gave his name to the Van Horn church and cemetery, old landmarks there. James Moore Van Horn married a daughter of David Morehart, a native of Fairfield County, O., who was brought to Hancock County in her girlhood. Ten children were born to them, five sons and five daughters. The mother of this family died in 1901 and the father in 1903.

W. S. Van Horn remained on the home farm until he was twenty-seven years of age, in the meantime farming and teaching school alternately for six years. There were other sons, however, to carry on the farm and as his tastes lay in another direc- tion, he began the study of medicine under Dr. J. A. Grove, at Mt. Blanchard and later attended the Eclectic Medical Institute at

1883. For five years he engaged in prac- tice at Mt. Blanchard and then came to Findlay where he has continued to be ac- tively engaged for the past twenty-two years. He is a member of the National, Ohio State and Northwestern Ohio Eclec- tic Medical Associations.

Dr. Van Horn married Miss Agnes Alli- son, of York County, Pa., and they have had four children : Nellie G., who is a grad- uate of the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, is the wife of Dr. Bradstreet, a physician of Rochester, N. Y .; Allison Moore, who is a practicing physician at Findlay, occupying the same suite of offices as his father, is a graduate of the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, married Gail Swartz and has two sons, Winfield S. and Bert; and Edna and Edith, twins, the latter of whom died when aged five years.

JOHN M. CRIST, who resides on a farm of 160 acres, which is owned by his father, situated in Eagle Township, seven miles south of Findlay, O., on the Washington road, and four miles east of Rawson, on the Rawson road, has lived here all his life, his birth having taken place December 3, 1871. His parents are E. E. and Rebecca (Friend) Crist.

E. E. Crist, who lives retired at Rawson, O., was born in 1842 on the farm in Eagle Township on which his son lives and on which his father, Simon Crist, settled about 1837 as a pioneer in this section. J. M. Crist, father of Simon, entered the land from the Government, securing it for $1.25 per acre, and he followed an agricultural life. E. E. Crist paid more attention to

Digitized by Google

483

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

stock buying and as he was successful in kins, who survived him, and they had two chil- that line found it to his advantage to hire dren: Augustus M. and Mrs. Fannie Price, the latter of whom died in 1895. workers on the farm. In 1890 he retired to his present home at Rawson. He married Rebecca Friend, who was born in Indiana and died at Rawson, December 28, 1904.

John M. Crist obtained his education in the country schools. In the fall of 1895 he was married and started to housekeeping at Rawson but moved from there to the home- stead soon afterward and since 1897 has rented the farm from his father and has carried on farming and stock raising very successfully, having many increases yearly to his herds and flocks. Since taking pos- session, Mr. Crist has put his heart into the ·work of improvement and has built a fine residence and substantial barn and has done a great deal of tiling. He has proved himself a capable, intelligent, wide awake, modern farmer.

To Mr. and Mrs. Crist six children have been born, namely: Nemo E., Waldo M., Harry E., Rema F., Leora M. and Howard Leroy. Mr. and Mrs. Crist are members of the Lutheran church in which both were reared by Christian parents.

AUGUSTUS M. SMITH, proprietor of the A. M. Smith Marble and Granite Works, at No. 132 West Crawford Street, Findlay, O., has been numbered with the representative bus- iness men of this city for over a quarter of a century. He was born at Cincinnati, O., July 19, 1854, and is a son of John and Sarah J. (Hopkins) Smith.

John Smith was born in Pennsylvania, in 1832, and died at St. Louis, Missouri, in 1855, having moved there from Dayton, O. He was a tailor by trade. He married Sarah J. Hop-

Augustus M. Smith was an infant when his parents moved to Dayton, O., and when about seven years of age he accompanied his widowed mother to Indianapolis, Ind., where they lived until 1869, when they moved to Cleveland, O. Before leaving Indianapolis, Mr. Smith had started to learn the stone cutter's trade and he completed his apprenticeship in Cleveland. In 1875 he came to Findlay and from July I, 1875, until January 1, 1881, he had charge of the large marble works of Louthan & Son, leaving their employ to begin business for him- self. Mr. Smith is one of the few practical marble and granite men who understand the business from one end to the other. He not only has learned all its mechanical details but thoroughly understands stone cutting, monu- ment work, designing and mechanical drawing for monuments, mausoleums and every descrip- tion of ornamental stone work. There are very few marble workers who are able to do their own designing or draw their own plans. He conducts the only stone yard at Findlay and gives steady employment all the year round to ten men. In addition to his stone work in regard to monuments, he does all kinds of stone contracting and a number of the leading build- ings at Findlay have been erected with Mr. Smith as sub stone-contractor, and in this de- partment he hires as many as forty men. Among the many buildings for which he has done the stone work may be mentioned: the Phoenix Inn; the stone block south of the Phoenix Inn; the Hyatt Block; the stone fronts on the Commercial Bank and Savings Com- pany; the Buckeye National Bank and the City Banking Company. He has also done all the

Digitized by Google

484

HISTORY OF HANCOCK COUNTY

stone work on the Findlay Post Office; the Patterson and Gray Block and on innumerable private residences. He ships monuments to all parts of the country.

Mr. Smith married Miss Julia A. Myer, of Wapakoneta, O. The three children of the family are named: Frank E., Harry A. and Chester P. Mr. Smith is affiliated fraternally with the Elks, the Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows, the Tribe of Ben Hur and the Wood- men of the World.

W. H. WITTENMYER, a representative business man of Benton Ridge, O., dealing in lumber, coal, cement blocks and building sup- plies of all kinds, being a contractor also in the same, is also sole owner of a valuable saw mill at this place. Mr. Wittenmyer was born in Seneca County, O., May 26, 1855, and is a son of Henry and Charlotte Wittenmyer.

When he was six years old, the parents of Mr. Wittenmyer moved to Clearfield County, Pa., and there he attended school and remained until he was twenty-one years of age. In 1876 he returned to Seneca County and for one year worked for his uncle, near Flat Rock, and then came to Benton Ridge where he worked for one year as a farmer and carpenter. He then moved to Wood County, O., where he had charge of a shingle mill for three years and then traded for a saw mill at Hoytsville, which he operated for six years and then rented it to his father and moved to his father-in-law's farm and operated it for eighteen years. When the latter died he moved to Benton Ridge and since 1908 has been identified with his present line of business. The mill was first started by the firm of George & Son and when Mr. George's son retired, Mr. Wittenmyer bought his interest and on November 15, 1909, he

bought out the other interests and has cor- tinued sole owner. Together with the mill he bought an acre of land. He has equipments in the mill for custom sawing of all descrip- tions and can turn out fine planing mill work. Mr. Wittenmyer is not only an active and en- terprising business man but he is also a pro- gressive and reliable citizen and his value as such to his community is fully acknowledged. From January, 1908, until January, 1910, he served as mayor of the town and is now clerk of the school board. He is very active in Dem- ocratic circles and is a member of the township Democratic Central Committee. He has addi- tional business interests, being president of the Benton Ridge Mutual Telephone Company.

Mr. Wittenmyer was married to Miss Clar- inda Sager, a daughter of the late Rev. Jona- than Sager, a minister of the Evangelical As- sociation, and they have seven children: B. C., Bessie P., George O., James Merle, Ethel E., Wm. L., and Mary L. Mr. and Mrs. Witten- myer are members of the Evangelical church, in which he is chorister and of which he is a trustee. He is identified with the Maccabees and the Junior Order of United American Workmen.

Mr. Wittenmyer resides on Main Street, in what is considered the finest residence in the town.

WILLIAM C. NUSSER, superintendent of one of Findlay's most important public utilities, the city water works, has been identified with the water works department since July, 1889, and for nine years has been superintendent. Mr. Nusser was born at Findlay, Ohio, No- vember 7, 1866, and is a son of Godfrey and Rebecca (Burns) Nusser. The father of Mr. Nusser, now deceased, was formerly a well

Digitized by Google

Digitized by

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 52

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

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