Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 64

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 64

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In the fall of 1856, Mr .. Slupe was married to Miss Catherine Bechtel, who died in 1859. She was a daughter of Andrew K. Bechtel. One daughter was born to that marriage, Emma Jane, who died when four years old. Mr. Slupe was married a second time to a widow, Mrs. Eliza Shilling, who was a daughter of Joseph Kinsey, of Seneca County. She was a most estimable woman and was beloved by all who knew her. Her

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death occurred January 3, 1909, when she was aged seventy-three years, seven months and five days. Three daughters and one son were born to the second union, namely: Laura E., who is the wife of E. M. Orwig, and they have two children, Charles and Esta; Ida, who is the wife of Willard G. Haley, of near McComb, and they have children : Maud, Kale, Alice, George and Ruth; Simon Sylvester, who died at the age of ten years; and Ella, who is the wife of George C. Robinson, who assists Mr. Slupe in farming, and they have one son, Ralph J. Nominally Mr. Slupe is a Democrat but in local elections he usually uses his own good judgment and supports the man he considers best qualified for the office sought. For himself, Mr. Slupe desires no political prominence.

KARG BROS.,* a representative busi- ness firm of Findlay, Ohio, made up of three brothers, Fred J., Charles A. and Al- bert E. Karg, own and operate two meat markets and thus control a large part of the meat trade of the city, and also own a val- uable farm of 160 acres in Marion Town- ship, Hancock County. The meat business was established by their father, the late . August Karg, who was the pioneer in this line at Findlay.

August Karg was born in Germany and after his school attendance was over he learned the butchering trade and worked at it in his own land for several years after- ward. He then came to America and re- mained in the city of New York until 1850, when he came to Findlay, his sole capital at that time being $26, and the clothing he wore, having had the misfortune to be

robbed of all his belongings while on a Lake Erie boat, at some point between Dunkirk, New York, and Sandusky, Ohio. Although he returned to Dunkirk and made inquiries, he was never able to regain pos- session of his effects. The loss was a more or less serious one to him at the time but it did not cause him to change his plans about going into business at Findlay, and in the same year he opened his shop and the pres- ent business is a continuance of the one he then founded. He became well known all over Hancock County and in early days it was his custom to do his own buying from farmers and they soon learned that while he was a shrewd business man he was al- ways an honest one. He was thus held in universal respect. He remained at the head of the business until 1880, when he retired and turned his interests over to his four sons. His death occurred in September, 1904, and all of his seven children still sur- vive, namely: Mrs. Elizabeth Klentsche, Fred J., August, Jr., Charles A., Mrs. Min- nie Hull, Albert E. and William D.

Fred J. Karg was born at Findlay, Sep- tember 4, 1854, and was educated in the public schools. When fifteen years old he entered his father's shop and learned the business. He married Miss Eliza A. Mills and they have one child, Eva. Mr. Karg is a member of the Knights of Pythias.

Charles A. Karg was born at Findlay, Ohio, January 13, 1860, and he gained his education in the Findlay schools. When fifteen years of age he went into his father's shop and learned the business with which he has been identified ever since. He mar- ried Miss Mary Best and they have three children, Carl, Fred and Esther. He is a

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member of the Knights of Pythias and the order of Ben Hur.

Albert E. Karg, the third member of the firm of Karg Bros., was born at Findlay, August 18, 1865, and after he was through with school he also entered his father's shop and learned the meat business. He married Miss Mollie Reimund and they have two children, Inez and Earl A. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.

The present owners of the Karg Bros.' meat markets took charge in 1880, the fourth brother at that time having an inter- est which he sold in 1888. In 1887 the firm bought a farm of 160 acres in Marion Township and their slaughter-house it situ- ated there, as they kill and dress all the meats they handle. They operate one store at No. 233 South Main Street and another at No. 229 North Main Street, their refrig- erating and cooling plant being attached to the former store. They are all practical butchers and men of business capacity of a high order, men well qualified to handle an important and necessary part of a city's food supply.

DOUGLAS SPITLER, a prominent farmer and highly respected citizen of Allen Town- ship, Hancock County, O., is the owner, with his wife, of 560 acres of productive farm land in Allen and Portage Townships, and resides on a tract of 162 acres just west of Van Buren. O. He was born January 15, 1858, on his present farm, which is the old Spitler home- stead, and is a son of Samuel and' Anna (Bretz) Spitler, both of whom were natives of Fairfield County, O. His parents were married in Fairfield County, and later moved to Crawford County, O., and in 1842 located

on our subject's present farm, where they re- sided until the time of their death, his occur- ring September 26, 1886, and hers January 2, 1888.

Douglas Spitler has spent his entire life on his present farm and attended the schools of this district. He has always followed farming in a general way, and is one of the leading and influential agriculturists of the township.

Mr. Spitler was united in marriage with Lucy Rader, who was born in Pleasant Town- ship, Hancock County, O., a daughter of Adam and Amelia Rader, prominent farmers of Allen Township, who resided on an adjoin- ing farm. The father died in October, 1907, and the mother died December 31, 1902. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Spitler : Sylvia, who is the wife of Perry Dove, and the mother of two children-Virgil and Elsie; Anna, who married L. W. Baker, and they have one child, Burdette; Virgie; Troy; Florence, who married Clifford Davis and they have one son, Paul; and Clyde, and Harold. Mr. Spitler is a member and a trus- tee of the United Brethren church of Van Bu- ren, O. His fraternal affiliation is with the Maccabees. Politically he is a Democrat, and he has served two terms as township clerk, two terms as township assessor, and the same length of time as trustee of Allen Town- . ship. Mr. Spitler and family reside in a fine frame dwelling which was erected in 1908, and he has also built three fine barns on the home place. Mr. Spitler's land is divided into six separate farms, four of which are located in Allen Township and two in Portage Township.

A. L. WORDEN, who owns 400 acres of fine farming land which is situated in Sec- tion 7, Liberty Township, Hancock County,

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Ohio, was born on this farm which has al- ways been in the Worden name since it was secured from the Government. He is a son of A. C. and Rachel (Hall) Worden.

A. C. Worden was born at Albany, New York, and was the only child of Robert D. and Sally Worden, the former of whom died in 1819, when his son was but one year old. His widow returned to her own people in Champaign County, Ohio, where she continued to reside until her death in 1879. A. C. Worden obtained his education in the Findlay schools and then engaged in farm- ing in Liberty Township, securing wild land which he cleared himself and at one time owned 353 acres. He improved his property and all the buildings now standing were erected during his lifetime. His death occurred March 19, 1891, and his burial was in the Worden Cemetery. He married Rachel Hall, who died January 17, 1892. Her father was Absolom Hall, a native of Harrison County, Ohio, and sixteen chil- dren were born to this marriage, four of whom still survive: Sally, who is the wife of C. G. Moore, and lives in Liberty Town- ship; Robert B., who makes his home with his brother, A. L .; Sylvia S., who is the wife of J. A. Green, of Montana ; and A. L. The father and mother of the above family were members of the Presbyterian church.

A. L. Worden was reared in Liberty Township and obtained his education here and has always lived on the homestead. He carries on farming and stock raising and is one of the representative agriculturists of this section. On account of his many farm interests he finds little time to devote to politics but he keeps thoroughly posted on all public questions and casts his vote care-

fully and intelligently. He is identified with the Republican party.

Mr. Worden was married (first) to Miss Sophia Teasworth, a daughter of Isaac and Mary Teasworth, of Liberty Township, and she left one child, Claude L., who married Effie Hickeson, a daughter of Frank and Esther Hickeson. Mr. Worden was mar- ried second to Mrs. Daisy (Taylor) Roys, who is a daughter of Ellis C. and Katherine (Harris) Taylor. She has one son, Edwin O. Roys, who resides at Toledo, Ohio. He married Jessie St. Claire.

The Taylors were early settlers in Cham- paign County, Ohio. The grandparents of Mrs. Worden were Levi and Sally (Cham- berlain) Taylor, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the latter in New York. They had nine children. Ellis C. Tay- lor, father of Mrs. Worden, was born in Champaign County, Ohio, December 9, 1832, and died at New Carlisle, Indiana, September 4, 1903. He attended school at Findlay and was married at the age of twenty-four years to Miss Katherine Har- ris, a daughter of Dr. and Charlotte (Cump- ton) Harris. Six children were born to this marriage : Charles L., who is now deceased ; Emma C .; Annabel; Edward W .; Daisy, who is the wife of A. L. Worden; and Har- ris C., of New Carlisle. The mother of the above family died at New Carlisle, Indiana, October 20, 1894. She was active in the Disciple church.

After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor continued to reside for a time in Champaign County, where he was a merchant. They then moved to Michigan and from there to New Carlisle, Indiana, where he continued merchandising during the remainder of his

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life. He became a man of high standing tions, being identified as Past Grand in there and was considered a very able busi- ness man as well, being active in the Ma- sonic lodge and also in the Disciples church. He was a Republican in politics and was city treasurer for thirty-four years.

JACOB LINE, attorney at law and in the enjoyment of an excellent practice, at Mt. Blanchard, Ohio, was born in Eagle Town- ship, Hancock County, Ohio, February 27, 1870, and is the fifth of a family of ten chil- dren. His parents, Peter and Mary B. (Jewett) Line, both of whom are deceased, were pioneers of Eagle Township where his father was a well known school teacher, farmer and tile manufacturer.

Jacob Line spent his early life at home working for his father on the farm and in the tile factory, attending the rural school during the winter months. In 1890 he be- came a student in Findlay College and for several years he taught school, attended college and read law. In 1895 he entered the law department of the Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, where he com- pleted the course of law and took his Bach- elor of Law Degree. October 15, 1896, he was admitted to the bar before the Su- preme Court of Ohio. He now practices before the State and Federal Courts.

August 26, 1902, Mr. Line was married to Miss Clare Hammond, daughter of M. G. and Ruth G. Hammond, of Mt. Blan- chard, and they have one daughter, Mary Ruth. In politics Mr. Line is a Democrat. He has held the office of city solicitor for eight years and served the village in other offices.

He is interested in fraternal organiza-

Comet Lodge No. 344, I. O. O. F., Past Chancellor of Mt. Blanchard Lodge No. 481, Knights of Pythias, and Past Master of Mt. Blanchard Lodge No. 519, Free and Accepted Masons. He, also, is a member of the ladies' auxiliary lodges. He is con- sidered one of the town's representative citizens. He was one of the promoters and is interested in the Citizens' Bank of Mt. Blanchard.

CHARLES DAVIS*, senior member of the well known grocery firm of Charles Davis & Company, who are located at No. 212 South Main Street, Findlay, Ohio, was born October 31, 1864, at Findlay, Ohio, and is a son of William L. and Mary (Thompson) Davis.

William L. Davis was born on a farm in Marion Township, Hancock County, Ohio, a son of Squire William Davis, who was a native of Cumberland, Maryland, and one of the pio- neers of Hancock County. His father entered land from the government, blazed the trail from Findlay to Tiffin, Ohio, and subsequently bought more land, owning at the time of his death 520 acres. William L. Davis was reared on the farm, and when a young man went to Celina, Mercer County, Ohio, where he en- gaged in buying and selling furs with his uncle Abner Davis. In 1859 he married Miss Mary Thompson of Celina and two years later re- turned to Findlay, where in October of 1861 he established the grocery store now operated by our subject. The firm was known as Will- iam Davis & Company, he having taken in as partners, his brothers John W. and David T. and Martin L. Detwiler, and he continued in that business until the time of his death in 1877. In 1870 he erected a store room and in

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1876 he enlarged the block, building around ents were Benjamin and Catherine (Kalb) and above the store room, building what was Todd. known as the Davis Opera House, which was the first opera house or theatre in Findlay, al- though there had been several halls where small entertainments could be given. The first at- traction to appear at the Davis Opera House was the well known play, East Lynne. The mother of our subject died in 1875.

Charles Davis was reared to manhood in Findlay and in 1884 went to Fostoria, where his guardian, Charles W. Davis, had entered the wholesale grocery business with Charles Foster, who was Governor of Ohio. After finishing in the grammar schools of Fostoria he attended a military Academy in the east, then attended Cornell University until some time during his senior year, when he returned to become a member of the wholesale grocery firm at Fostoria. This firm subsequently failed and Mr. Davis went to Toledo, Ohio, where he en- tered the commission and brokerage business, and since May, 1906, he has been engaged in his present business at Findlay.

Mr. Davis was married to Emma V. Blecker of Findlay and they have one child, William Henry Davis. The family reside at No. 868 South Main Street. Mr. Davis is well known in military circles of Northwestern Ohio, hav- ing served for ten years as Captain of Co. A, Second Ohio National Guards. He is also a member of the B. P. O. E. and Ben Hur orders.

ELISHA TODD, now living retired at Mc- Comb, O., is one of the best known and most highly esteemed citizens of Pleasant Town- ship, where about seventy-seven years of his long and useful life have been passed. He was born in Franklin County, O., eight miles east of Columbus, November 15, 1824. His par-

Benjamin Todd was born at Baltimore County, Md., in 1792, and died in McComb, Hancock County, O., March 1, 1882. Between 1800 and 1810 he accompanied his parents, John and Mary Todd, to Ohio, they being pio- neers in Franklin County. John Todd was a wagonmaker, and it is recorded that he fol- lowed his trade until the close of his life, evi- dently being a man of skill to have successfully constructed vehicles that could be satisfactorily used in the rough forest roads that then were the only transportation lines in the wild region. He was twice married, his first wife bearing the name of Mary Jarmin, and his second being Catherine Huff. To his first union were born: Benjamin, Joseph, Jesse, John, William, Thomas W., Mary, Elizabeth, Susan and an infant. To the second marriage three children were born: Sarah Ann, Samuel Wesley and Hannah.

In Franklin County, O., Benjamin Todd was married in 1814, to Catherine Kalb, who was born in Maryland August 3, 1795, and died in McComb, Hancock County, O., April 8, 1854. Her parents were George and Mary Kalb, who came early to Franklin County and acquired land there. They had children named as fol- lows: Catherine, John, George, Jeremialı, Isaac, Elizabeth, Annie and Susan. Benjamin Todd followed farming in Franklin County until 1833. In the meanwhile a family was growing up about him and being desirous of properly providing for them, he decided to do as his parents had done before him-push into a yet unsettled region, favorable reports of Hancock County having reached him. In this resolve he was associated with two other old Franklin county residents, and from the same

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motives, and in August, 1833, Benjamin Todd, Susan Jane, William H., Delilah and Sarah John Needles and Edward Stephenson came to Catherine. Mary married Philip Shumaker, who is deceased. She was born in Franklin County, as were seven others. John Todd married Christiana Shumaker and they lived near McComb until 1854, when he started for Iowa, but was prostrated with typhoid fever on the way and died at Joliet, Ill., his family continuing to Iowa in the following spring. George Todd married Rachel Needles and spent all but the last ten years of his life at McComb, dying in Iowa. Margaret married Alexander Harkness and they lived in Ohio until 1854, when they moved to Iowa, where both died. Benjamin A. Todd for the past thirty-seven years has been a resident of Law- rence, Kans. He is a retired minister, teacher and farmer. He married Sarah Edgar. Will- iam H. Todd spent his life in Pleasant Town- ship and died at McComb. He married Eliza Gault. Delilah Ann married John W. Todd and soon after marriage they moved to Iowa and died there. Sarah Catherine married Joseph Bixby and they moved to Nebraska and died there. Pleasant Township, they being its first settlers. All entered land, Mr. Todd securing eighty acres, his property being on the site of the pres- ent flourishing town of McComb. The whole country at that time was heavily timbered and the three sturdy home seekers had no difficulty in securing logs with which to erect cabins on their selected farms. With this provision made for the comfort of their families in the ap- proaching winter, they returned to Franklin County and prepared to make the journey to the new home. This was so momentous an event that it impressed itself on the mind of the nine-year old son, Elisha, so clearly that he can recall all its details after the passage of seventy-seven years. The family started from Franklin County on November 12, 1833, their belongings carefully packed for the long jour- ney-probably in a wagon made by the grand- father-and five days later reached the pioneer home in Pleasant Township. Mr. Todd also recalls that he was suffering at that time from a not unusual malady, the every-other-day ague, a distressing complaint that more or less prevailed among all pioneer settlers and which no doubt was the result of miasmatic condi- tions. Mr. Todd remembers the remarkable display of meteors which took place on the night of November 13, 1833, the nature of which was not then as scientifically explained as at the present day. As quickly as possible enough land was cleared before the ground froze, to get in a small crop but it took many years before the timber was all cleared off and the farm made profitable for tillage.

To Benjamin and Catherine Todd the fol- lowing children were born: Mary, John, George, Margaret, Elisha, Benjamin Asbury,

Elisha Todd had but meager educational op- portunities after coming to Hancock County and he was fourteen years old before the town- ship had a district school. He worked on the farm and took part in the social festivities that testified to neighborhood good will, married and became a quiet, industrious, law abiding citizen. Conditions changed as the country be- came settled and by 1847 the first lots for the building of McComb were laid out on his father's farm. As the site of a town, this land became exceedingly valuable; much of the farm was subsequently absorbed and where once stood giants of the forest, as Mr. Todd recalls, there are now streets busy with traffic

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or structures devoted to the housing of hun- dreds of people and to their schools and churches. He has watched all these changes with the keenest interest and for some years after his return from the army, he assisted practically in this development, following car- pentering and building.

Mr. Todd was thirty-seven years of age when the Civil War broke out, and in August, 1862, at Findlay, he enlisted as a soldier in the Union army; becoming a member of Co. D, 99th O. Vol. Inf., under Capt. A. J. Pope. The first battle in which he took part was that of Stone River and the last one was the battle of Nashville. His division went as far as Atlanta and returned from there with Gen. Thomas and following the battle of Nashville, his reg- iment was sent to North Carolina. He took part in the battle of Chickamauga and in many others and he remained in the service until the close of the war and was honorably discharged at Camp Dennison, O., July 17, 1865. He was twice wounded but not seriously. He is a mem- ber of John Howard Post, No. 154, at Mc- Comb, O.

In 1847 Mr. Todd was married to Miss Edith Harkness, who died without issue in 1851. In 1853 he was married to Miss Mary Gault, a daughter of Moses and Rachel Gault, and to this marriage the following children were born, Martha, Sylvester B., Sanford, Ra- chel Catherine, Benjamin M., Ulysses, Terry T., Mary and Rufus S. Martha married E. C. Kelly and they live three and one-half miles southwest of McComb. They have six chil- dren : Earle, A. C., Clyde, May, Eunice and Carl. Sylvester B. Todd is a farmer residing in Sandusky County. He married Tilda Broy and they have four children, Annie, Mina, Ira

Glenn and Estella. Sanford Todd died after reaching manhood. Rachel Catherine is now deceased. She was the wife of Doc Mont- gomery of Portage Township. Benjamin M. Todd has spent the larger part of his life at McComb, where he follows the plastering trade. Ulysses is a carpenter by trade and re- sides at Toledo. He married Della McCreary. Terry T. Todd is a carpenter and architect and has resided as Los Angeles, Cal., since Feb- ruary, 1905. He is married and they have one daughter, Margaret Pauline. Mary is the wife of Raleigh Lano, a brick mason and contractor, and they live at Port Clinton, O., and have two children, Terry and Herbin. Rufus S. Todd is a carpenter and in business at Findlay, O. He married Lucinda Gibson. The mother of the above family died in 1902.

Mr. Todd no longer takes any active part in town matters but formerly was a leading pub- lic citizen. In politics he is a Democrat. He has been mayor of McComb, a member of the town council, a justice of the peace, township supervisor and served five years as assessor in Pleasant Township. Among his early recol- lections are the following, which will be of in- terest to many readers :

"The first schoolhouse in Pleasant Town- ship was built in 1838; the first teacher, Sam- uel Bowman. Only three months' winter terms were taught during my school age. The first mill for manufacturing flour or meal was a horse-mill. The first religious society in the township was organized in 1834 in my fath- er's cabin house by the M. E. church. The first church house in McComb was built in 1850 by the M. E. church. At the first elec- tion when the township of Pleasant was or- ganized there were only twelve voters."

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JOSHUA NEISWANDER, member of the Van Buren Township School Board and a well known farmer and carpenter, owns seventy acres of well tilled land situated in Section 29, Van Buren Township, Hancock County, O. He was born January 4, 1857, in Richland Township, Allen County, O., and is a son of Michael and Fannie (Geiger) Neiswander.

Michael Neiswander was born in 1822, on the Atlantic Ocean, during the voyage of his parents from Germany to America. His pa- rents settled in Wayne County, O., where they lived until 1832, when they removed to Rich- land Township, Allen County and there Mich- ael Neiswander grew to manhood and married Fannie Geiger. He acquired 240 acres of land and devoted his lifelong efforts to its cul- tivation and improvement. This farm is still in the family. Michael Neiswander was a Democrat in politics but for the last fifteen years of his life, took little interest in outside affairs. Both he and wife were members of the Mennonite church. His death occurred when he was over seventy years of age and that of his wife when she was seventy-six, and both were interred on the home farm west of Bluff- ton, O. They were good people who were long held in respectful memory by those who knew them.

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Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 64

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

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