Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 55

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 55

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).

George F. Sharninghouse was a babe when his parents moved into Portage Township and here he grew to manhood and attended the country schools in his youth. His business has always been farming and stock raising and he has met with much success in his efforts. He bought his farm in the winter of 1909-1910 and moved on it in the following spring.

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house has taken an active interest in township affairs and has served as a member of the school board of Portage Township since March of the current year.

JOHN H. JELLEY, an enterprising farmer and highly respected citizen of Allen Township, Hancock County, O., is the owner of 127 acres of highly cultivated farm land, fifty-seven acres lying in Cass Town- ship, and the remaing seventy acres, adjoin- ing being in Section 20, Allen Township. He was born December 7, 1848, on a farm in Cass Township, Hancock County, O., and is a son of John H. and Hannah (Johns- ton) Jelley.

John H. Jelley, was born in Jefferson County, O., on a farm, through which the line dividing Jefferson and Harrison Coun- ties ran, and was there reared to maturity. In 1840, on the eve of Hallowe'en, he first came to Hancock County, and after remain- ing but a short time, went to Coshocton County, O., where he had two brothers liv- ing. He subsequently returned to Hancock County and purchased a farm in Section 32, Cass Township, and there spent the re- mainder of his life, his death occurring May 13, 1880. He was first united in marriage with Hannah Johnston, who died April 1852, and his second union was with Ann Maria Spangler, who died December 27, 1866. His third marriage was with Mrs. Susan (John- son) Cratty, a widow of Hiram Cratty, who died while in service in the Civil War.

John H. Jelley, subject of this sketch, was reared in Cass Township, his father's farm being the scene of his boyhood activities, and with the exception of ten years spent at carpentering, has always followed gen-

eral farming. For two years after his mar- riage he rented a farm in Allen Township, but in November, 1882, located on his pres- ent farm, which he had purchased some time before, and has here carried on general farm- ing. Mr. Jelley is one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of the township, and has served six years as justice of the peace of Allen Township.

Mr. Jelley was married to Rozena Mel- lott, who is a daughter of Elijah and Jane (Kline) Mellott, and is a granddaughter of Obadiah and Katherine (Sipes) Mellott, natives of Bedford County, Pa. Obadiah Mellott was of English descent and his wife of German ancestry. He died in 1862, and his wife died in 1859. Elijah Mellott was born in 1820 in Bedford County, Pa., and was married there in 1842. In 1851 he lo- cated in Ashland County, O., and four years later came to Hancock County and pur- chased eighty acres of land in Allen Town- ship, which he later increased to 117 acres. Mrs. Elijah Mellott died in Allen Town- ship in 1891, and is still survived by her husband, who resides with his son, John H. Mellott, of Allen Township.

Mr. and Mrs. Jelley became the parents of the following children : Jenny Pearl, who teaches music in Findlay, O .; Eiljah Oral, who teaches the school of District No. 5 of Allen Township; Cleveland Hazlett, who is employed as a machinist at Detroit, Mich .; Elva J., who is employed as an oil pumper, married Belva Shafer, and they have one child, Gale Lillian; Leland Laverne, who died aged seven months and twenty-eight days; Clarence Ithel; James Jule; Harland Henry; and Bernard Lowell.

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C. E. BECK, who enjoys the distinction a son of Rev. Peter and Anna (Eyer) of being the youngest business man in the Biggs. growing little city of Mt. Blanchard, O., is also numbered with the most prosperous. He was born at Mt. Blanchard in December, 1873, and is a son of Peter and Katherine (Morehart) Beck.

Peter Beck is one of Mt. Blanchard's lead- ing citizens. He was born in Amanda Town- ship, Hancock County, O., and followed farming until he moved to Mt. Blanchard, where he was appointed postmaster by the late ex-President Cleveland. His wife died when their son, C. E. Beck, was small.

C. E. Beck was educated in his native place and after leaving school he became a clerk in the post office and remained with his father until the close of his term as post- master. He then opened up a retail grocery and has demonstrated much business ability and commands a large amount of the most desirable city trade.

In November, 1895, Mr. Beck was mar- ried to Miss Mamie E. Bell, a daughter of J. T. Bell, of Mt. Blanchard. Mr. and Mrs. Beck have two children: Helen and Kath- erine. With the other representative busi- ness men of the city, Mr. Beck is identified with the Masons and the Odd Fellows and is the treasurer of both organizations at Mt. Blanchard.

DON. B. BIGGS, M. D. The medical pro- fession at Findlay, O., has many able repre- sentatives and among these may be men- tioned Don. B. Biggs, M. D., who has been established in practice in this city for the past eight years. He was born at Arcadia, Hancock County, O., June 16, 1873, and is

Rev. Peter Biggs is now living retired at Findlay, after a continuous service of thirty- three years in the Methodist ministry. Few residents of Hancock County are better known or more highly esteemed.

Dr. Biggs attended the public schools of Hancock County and afterward spent three years at Louisville, Ky., and then entered Starling Medical College, at Columbus, O., where he was graduated in the class of 1902. In August of the same year he came to Findlay where he has built up a substan- tial practice. He is a member of the Han- cock County, the Northwestern, the Ohio State and the National Medical Societies. He is affiliated with the Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.

JOHN BRENNER, justice of the peace and leading citizen of Cass Township where he is held in high esteem by his fellow citi- zens, in association with his son owns 287 acres of fine land, of which, the home farm of eighty acres lies in Section 25, while the remainder is in Section 13, almost adjoin- ing. Mr. Brenner was born October 12, 1846, in Washington Township, Hancock County, O., and is a son of Mathias and Caroline (Mouser) Brenner.

Mathias Brenner and wife were both born in Wittenberg, Germany, and shortly after their marriage they embarked for America. Travel in those days was slow and laborious and we are not surprised to learn that a stage journey of eighteen days had to be un- dertaken before they reached Havre, where the steamer was ready to carry them to the

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unknown land across the ocean. Mathias Rosean, deceased, married first John Scott Brenner was a skilled blacksmith and after and second Joseph Foust; Mary, deceased, was the wife of Henry Pfeiffer, also de- ceased; John, and Caroline, deceased, was the wife of Fred Mouser. The mother of the above family died in August, 1890, aged seventy-five years. they reached Philadelphia, he found work at his trade and two years later came to Ohio. In partnership with his brother-in- law, Jacob Hofer, he bought fourteen acres of land in Mulberry Township, Stark County, and together they carried on a John Brenner was one year old when his parents came to Cass Township and here he grew to manhood, in his boyhood attending the district and later private schools, and the High School at Findlay. For thirteen years he continued to work on the farm during the summers and teach school in the winters and in the fall of 1874 he purchased sixty-four acres of his present farm from Joseph Linhart. Five years later he added forty acres and still later the home farm of eighty acres, and still later, in partnership with his son Henry, bought 103 acres, situ- ated in Section 13, all of which is under the farm management of Henry Brenner. blacksmith business for two years. They then came to Hancock County, where Mr. Hofer bought forty acres in Washington Township, while Mr. Brenner purchased thirty acres from Peter Wyant. He con- tinued to work at his trade but found time to clear twenty acres of his land and build a round log house and shop and later one of hewn logs and still later erected better buildings. Mr. Hofer, however, apparently became discouraged as he sold out and moved to Williams County where he sub- sequently died. Within five years, Mr. Brenner sold his thirty acres to such good advantage that he was able to buy eighty

On October 6, 1872, Mr. Brenner was acres in Section 25, Cass Township. He married to Miss Mary Ann Myers, a daugh- was a man of enterprise and courage. He walked the whole distance to Coshocton County in order to pay the sum of $462.50, for this land, prudently putting $3 in his pocket for expenses on the way. He ac- complished his purpose and when he reached home had one-half of his expense money still in his pocket, proving himself a man of resource and expediency. This trip he made in August, 1847. He continued to live on that land until within six years of his death when he sought the comforts of his son's fireside, his wife having died, and here he passed away in April, 1897, at the age of eighty-six years. There were four children : ter of Gotlieb and Mary (Ott) Myers, na- tives of Germany. Five children were born to this union, namely: Henry; Ella, who is deceased, was the wife of C. P. Taylor, and the mother of two children-Ethel and Genevieve; Ida, who is the wife of C. P. Taylor; John W., who died aged eleven years and five days; and Treva Netta. Mr. Brenner and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Democrat and has frequently been elected to township offices, serving as school director and township clerk and also as jus- tice of the peace. He is identified with the order of Ben Hur, of Findlay.

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C. R. BURNETTE, Ph. G., the owner and proprietor of the best equipped and most modern drug store, of its size, in North- western Ohio, has been established in busi- ness for himself at Mt. Blanchard, Hancock County, since 1902, in which year he was appointed postmaster. Mr. Burnette was born at Orangeville, in Trumbull County, O., and is a son of John W. and Alice (Seiple) Burnette, natives and residents of Orangeville.

C. R. Burnette attended the schools in his native place and when twenty-two years old entered the Ohio Normal University of Ada, and was graduated there in pharmacy in 1900. He came then to Mt. Blanchard and for two years managed a drug store which he then bought. He carries only the drugs and preparations which are guaranteed by the Pure Food & Drug law, together with the usual line of merchandise now found in every drug store and in addition has a de- partment fitted up with a full line of wall paper, books and jewelry. He is a man of much enterprise and his business qualities are freely recognized by his fellow citizens who have sought his services on many boards.

In 1901, Mr. Burnette was married to Miss Dawn Pugh, a daughter of Newton and Mary Pugh, who were people of promi- nence in Delaware Township. Mr. and Mrs. Burnette are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Burnette has been a member of its board of trustees for a term of years. He is also trustee and treasurer of the cemetery board. He is identified fraternally with Lodge No. 519 F. & A. M., and Lodge No. 481 Knights of Pythias, both of Mt. Blanchard.

JOHN B. HEIMHOFER, president of the Commercial Bank and Savings Company, of Findlay, O., and a prominent old producer, has been a resident of this city since 1886. He was born in Switzerland, November 13, 1863, and is a son of John M. and Agatha (Miller) Heimhofer.

John M. Heimhofer was born, reared and married in Switzerland. When he came with his family to America he settled in what is now Lackawanna County, Pa., where he se- cured employment in the coal mines, but later became interested in the oil fields, at which time he moved to Red Rock, in Mckean County. Later on in life, when his son, John B., came to Findlay, he and wife accompanied him and in this city Mr. Heimhofer died in 1904, but his widow survives. They had three children: John B., Fred H. and Ida.

John B. Heimhofer was quite young when his parents came to America. He was afforded educational advantages, being sent to a select school at Archibald, Pa., and was seventeen years old when he went with the family to Mc- Kean County. There he engaged in teaming in the oil fields for a time and then entered into partnership with his brother and E. V. Wyss- brod and together they purchased a lease in the Bradford oil fields and thus his start was made in the path which has resulted in his becoming so successful an oil producer. In a short time they acquired other leases and kept on until they owned seventy-two wells. In 1886 the firm disposed of its holdings in Pennsylvania and in November of that year opened a hard- ware store at Findlay, O., under the firm name of Wyssbrod & Company. This business was continued for three years and at the end of that time the firm resumed operations as oil producers.

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In 1899, Mr. Heimhofer purchased a fine farm but he has placed tenants on it. In 1901, when the Commercial Bank and Savings Com- pany was organized, he was elected vice-presi- dent and became president on January 1, 1910. He has additional interests both at Findlay and other points. He is a director in the Findlay Sucker Rod Company and in the Buckeye Steam Laundry Company, and is also inter- ested in zinc and mineral lands, the former near Joplin, Mo., and the latter in Arkansas.

In 1898, Mr. Heimhofer was married to Miss Rosetta Boyd, who was born and reared in Hancock County and is a daughter of the late Richard W. Boyd, whose death occurred March 10, 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Heimhofer have had two children: John Russell, who died when aged one year; and Bessie M., who was born in 1901. In politics, Mr. Heimhofer gives support to the Republican party, and has served one term in the city council. He is a member of the order of Elks.

JOHN W. SMITH, one of the representa- tive men of Blanchard Township and well known in Hancock County, owns 300 acres of valuable land which is divided into three farms, all of the land being situated in Blanchard and Pleasant Townships. He was born in Wash- ington Township, Hancock County, O., April 10, 1864, and is a son of Henry and Albertina (Tagler) Smith.

The parents of Mr. Smith were born in Ger- many and there grew up and were married. Two days after the ceremony they left their quiet homes for Hamburg, with the intention of embarking there for America. It took them two weeks to reach the city of Hamburg and six months had passed before they landed on American soil. Henry Smith soon made ar-

rangements to rent eighty acres of land near Fostoria, O., as he could not purchase as his sole capital was represented by a coin of the value of ten cents. He had not been accus- tomed to hardship, as his father was a man of means in Germany, but, on account of the son marrying against the father's will, he was cut off from his inheritance. The family is fa- miliar with the story of his successful and cour- ageous efforts to acquire independence in the new land and of how much he was helped by the thrift and industry of the wife he had chosen.

John W. Smith attended school in Pleasant Township, north of McComb, and the Blanch- ard schools. He was married August 8, 1884, to Miss Nancy A. Fundum, a daughter of Henry Fundum, of Blanchard Township. After marriage they resided on the present farm which then belonged to Mr. Fundum, who spent the closing years of his life with Mr. and Mrs. Smith. After the property became his own, Mr. Smith did a large amount of improv- ing, including the thorough draining of the land. He engages in general farming and raises a large amount of stock.

Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith, namely : Ella, who married D. A. John- son and they live in Blanchard Township, and have two children-Clarence and Harry; Cora, who resides at home; and Arthur, who is yet at school. Mr. Smith and family belong to the Lutheran church at McComb, O. In politics he is a Democrat and has been a mem- ber of the school board for several terms and has also been township trustee, and is known as an honest and capable official. He has other investments and is a stockholder in the Farm- ers' Mutual Telephone Company of McComb. Perhaps no resident of this section is more

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HON. JOHN MELVILLE K. LONG

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kindly thought of than Mr. Smith by the poor kind heart that prompts them is in sympathy with all who are in trouble.

HON. JOHN MELVILLE K. LONG, manager of Snyder's saw mill, situated in Amanda Township, Hancock County, O., and dealing in concrete and lumber and mill sup- plies, is one of the best known and most popu- lar citizens of Vanlue, having been elected to the office of mayor of the place on both the Democratic and Republican tickets. He was born at Vanlue, O., June 3, 1858, and is a son of J. W. and a grandson of John Long, who was known far and wide as "Honest" John Long.

J. W. Long, father of John M. K., was born in Wyandot County, O., May 12, 1833, and died October 1, 1909. He married Wealthy Ellen Woodard, who was born July 24, 1838, and still survives. Nine children were born to them as follows: John M. K .; Minnie, who is now Mrs. Dr. Gemmell; Almeda Josephine, who is now Mrs. R. Leese, of Dunkirk; Charles Sherman, who lives at Carey, O .; Emma, who is now Mrs. Cesna of Forest; Net- tie, who is now Mrs. Snook, of Delaware Township; Kenneth, who resides at Wharton, O .; Daisy, who is Mrs. McClelland, of Dela- ware Township; and Fred, who resides at Ar- lington, O.

John Melville K. Long was educated in dif- ferent schools in Wyandot County and the Mt. Blanchard High School in Hancock County and later completed a course in civil engineering. He started into the mill busi- ness shortly after leaving school and became so much interested that he has continued in the same line and has greatly prospered.

Mr. Long was married to Miss Jessie F. and needy for his charities are large and the Hammond, who was born and reared in Han- cock County, and they have had three children, namely: Rex R., who was in the shoe busi- ness at Toledo, and died at the age of twenty- four years; Alice Lenola, who married John Gamel, of Cary, has one child, Ronald; and Mollie, who married H. G. Early, of Vanlue. Mr. Long is a member of the Lutheran church, while his wife attends the Methodist church. He is a 32nd degree Mason and belongs to the Blue Lodge and Chapter at Carey, O., to the Commandery at Findlay and to the Shrine at Toledo. He belongs also to the Knights of Pythias at Forest. In politics he is a Repub- lican.

GEORGE J. HICKLE, one of the most prominent farmers in Hancock County, is the owner of 250 acres of fine farming land, upon which he lives, it being located in Sections 7 and 12, Delaware Township. He has resided on his present farm for fifty-three years, but was born in Ross County, O., April 15, 1836, his parents being Henry and Eliza (Smith) Hickle. Henry Hickle, who was born at Win- chester in the Shenandoah Valley, Va., settled in Ross County when a young man, occupying a farm which he cultivated until his death in 1842, at which time his son George, our pres- ent subject, was but five years old. Mrs. Henry Hickle died at Mt. Blanchard in 1871.

When he was eleven years of age George J. Hickle accompanied his mother and brothers to Hancock County, they settling on a 160- acre farm one and a quarter miles east of Mt. Blanchard. He attended the Delaware Town- ship schools and subsequently found employ- ment as a clerk in a general store at Mt. Blanchard, which occupation he followed for

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some time. Later, however, he turned his at- tention to farming in which pursuit he has been very successful. Besides raising the ordinary grains and other farm produce, he possesses some of the best registered horses in the state, which have taken prizes at numerous county and state fairs. Among them are the fol- lowing :

Prosper No. 44,888. Prosper is recorded by the Percheron Society of America, his re- corded number being 44,888. Color and de- scription : Dark grey; star in forehead. Ped- igree: Foaled May 10, 1905; bred by E. D. Kohli, Pandora, Ohio; owned by G. J. Hickle & Sons, Mt. Blanchard, O. Sire: Rotrou 27,437 (43,665), by Jules (37,987), Viliers 13,169 (8,081), by Briard 5,317 (1,630), by Brilliant 1,271 (755), by Brilliant 1,899 (756), by Coco II (714), by Vieuxchaslin (713), by Coco (712), by Mignon (715), by Jean Le Blanc (739).

Teddy No. 43,560. Teddy is recorded by the Percheron Society of America, and his re- corded number is 43,560. Color and descrip- tion : Black; star. Pedigree: Foaled May 10, 1905, bred by Lonzo McClain, Lima, Ohio, and owned by G. J. Hickle & Sons, Mt. Blanch- ard, O. Sire: Excelsior 26,128, by Itasca

20,034, by Introuvable 16,875 (24,146), by Seducteur 8,850 (7,057), by Fenelon 2,682 (38), by Brilliant 1,271 (755), by Brilliant 1,899 (756), by Coco II (714), by Vieux Chaslin (713), by Coco (712), by Mignon (715), by Jean Le Blanc (739). In addition to horses Mr. Hickle also breeds high grade cattle, hogs and sheep.

On April 15th, 1858, Mr. Hickle was mar- ried to Miss Virginia E. Latham, of Delaware Township, Hancock County, O., a daughter of Rouzee and Nancy Latham. Her parents, who

were prosperous farming people, both died in this county, Rouzee Latham attaining the re- markable age of ninety-six years. Mr. and Mrs. Hickle have been the parents of eleven children, whose record in brief is as follows:

Cordelia F., born April 3, 1859, died at the age of three years. Mary E., born January 12, 1861, and became the wife of George Riter of Delaware Township, and the mother of five children-Stanley, Fairy, Emmons, Ellen and Hazel. Alben Vinton, born December 24, 1862, married Miss Hattie Warren of Han- cock County, and his children are Stanley, Anna and Ethel. Maud A., born April 13, 1865, became the wife of Edward Shoemaker, of Hancock County, and her children are George, Florence, May and Helen. Blanch A., born March 24, 1867, married Mr. O. S. Bell, of Mt. Blanchard, this county. Anna E., born May 24, 1869, married J. W. Nessbaum, of Hancock County and has three children- Helen, Mabel and Bernice. Orland E., born May 5, 1871, died at the age of twenty-six years. He married Miss Fanny Stewart of Han- cock County, and they had two children-Grace and Maynard. Grace G. Hickle, the eighth member of the family, was born June 11, 1873. Harry H., the ninth member, was born Jan- uary 21, 1876. Lawrence C., born July 6, 1878, and Austin, born December 16, 1880, complete the family. The last named married Miss Edith Grace Jenkins, of Delaware Town- ship. Mrs. Virginia E. Hickle, the mother of the above mentioned children, died December 5, 1909, at the age of seventy-two years. She was a worthy woman and a member for many years of the Methodist Protestant church, to which her husband also belongs, having been a member for sixty-two years. The various members of the Hickle family are worthy men

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and women, of progressive citizenship and farmers of Hancock County, O., is the owner sound principles, and are esteemed and re- of 185 acres of valuable oil and farm land in spected in the several communities in which they reside. Allen Township, his residence property of eighty acres being located about three miles north of Findlay, O. He was born October 21, 1850, in Bavaria, Germany, and is a son of Nicholas and Catherine Hillshafer.

ALBERT J. REYCRAFT, M. D., presi- dent of the Hancock Medical Society, has been engaged in the practice of medicine at Fosto- ria, O., since 1895, with offices at No. 1111/2 South Main Street and his residence in the Hancock County side of the city. He was born in the Dominion of Canada, at Highgate, On- tario, February 22, 1862, and is a son of James and Phillicia Reycraft, the latter of whom died in 1906, but the former still resides in High- gate.

Dr. Reycraft was reared on his father's farm and attended school first at Highgate, where he graduated and went then to a more ad- vanced school at Ridgtown, after which he went back to the farm and remained there until prepared to enter the Detroit College of Medi- cine, at Detroit, Mich., where he was gradu- ated, and came then to Fostoria. He engages in a general practice but makes a specialty of diseases of women and children. Dr. Reycraft is widely known and is in the enjoyment of a very substantial practice.

Dr. Reycraft married Miss Ida A. Wigle, of Leamington, Ontario, and they have one son, James Leonard, who is a student in the West- ern Reserve University at Cleveland, O. For eight years Dr. Reycraft has been a member of the Hancock Medical Society and his election to its presidency is a signal mark of honor shown him by his brother practitioners. He is identified also with the Masonic fraternity.

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Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 55

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

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