Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 65

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 65

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).

Joshua Neiswander attended a German school in Richland Township until he was about fifteen years of age, when he learned English. After his school days were over he helped his father and gradually became a well balanced and intelligent farmer himself and after his marriage he came to his present farm, which he bought from John Freed, clearing twenty-five acres of it, draining a large part of it and still having six acres in wood land. Be- ing a carpenter as well as a farmer, he began

to put up first class buildings on his place and all those now standing he erected.

In the fall of 1880, Mr. Neiswander was married to Miss Susan Blosser, whose father died of smallpox when she was small. Mr. and Mrs. Neiswander have nine children, namely: Harry A., who is a medical student at Cleveland, married Rosella Spacht, of Van Buren Township; Lois, who is the wife of J. M. Bushong, of Van Buren Township; Leo, who attends the Ohio Normal School at Ada, O .; Estella, who is a popular public school teacher at Jenera, O .; Claude, who is in his third term in the Ada High School; and Ed- gar, Byron, Ralph, and Una, all at home. In politics, Mr. Neiswander has always been a Democrat. He has frequently been elected to township offices and for two terms was town- ship trustee and is now serving in his second year as president of the township school board. He is a representative citizen of Van Buren Township.

HON. JAMES B. WALKER,* who served two terms as mayor of the city of Findlay, O., is a leading citizen of Hancock County, and is also an honored veteran of the great Civil War. . Mr. Walker was born in Pennsylvania, No- vember 3, 1840, and is a son of James B. and Maria ( Adams) Walker, the former of whom was a native of Vermont, but died in Pennsyl- vania.

James B. Walker obtained his education in his native state and probably would have be- come a millwright, as was his father, had not the Civil War been precipitated about the time he should have chosen a trade or profession, and perhaps that was all the more fortunate for the people of Findlay, as it was the pursuit of the business he subsequently engaged in,

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that brought him to Ohio. In April, 1861, in and is a son of Jacob and Rebecca (Edginton) answer to the first call, Mr. Walker enlisted Thomas. in Company D, Ist Pa. Vol. Inf., the famous "Bucktails," and continued in the service for three years, after being three times wounded being transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, May 21, 1864. He is a valued member of the G. A. R. Post at Findlay, where often his old comrades recall with him the sharp en- gagement at New Market Cross Roads, where his first wound was received; the second battle of Bull Run, when he was again unfortunate, and at South Mountain, where his third wound was received and many of his regiment fell by his side.

Mr. Walker returned to his home in Penn- sylvania and soon afterward became interested in the oil business and continued this interest after coming to Hancock County in 1888. He has taken an active part in politics in city and county and his leadership was recognized first when he was elected on the Democratic ticket, in 1906, to Findlay's highest municipal office, and his administration was approved as was evinced by his re-election by a majority of 600 votes. Mr. Walker has a pleasant home and handsome residence at No. 217 East Main Cross Street, Findlay. He married Miss Eliz- abeth McGill, a daughter of James McGill, and they have three sons. Mr. Walker is a Mason.

HENRY BENTON THOMAS, who en- joys the distinction of being the oldest born native white child in Pleasant Township, Han- cock County, O., a member of one of the oldest township families and an honored survivor of the great Civil War, has lived a busy and use- ful life and is a man of very interesting per- sonality. He was born on the old Thomas farm on which he lives, September 1, 1837,

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Thomas were Charles and Mary (Ripley) Thomas. Charles Thomas was born in Virginia and his father was a native of Pennsylvania. Grand- father Thomas and wife settled in Marion Township, Hancok County, when they came to Ohio from Virginia, they died there, and their burial was on the old farm. They had seven children and of these the father of Henry B. Thomas was the eldest. A number of the others have descendants in this section. Nancy married Robert Hamilton and both died at Findlay. Eliza was the wife of David Hen- line. John married Nancy Ankrom and he and wife lived and died near the Thomas Church. Daniel married Lucy Ann George and they lived east of Findlay, where he died. George first married Catherine Paden, then Mary Paden and they lived and died on their farm three miles east of Findlay. William married Sidna Paden, a sister of Catherine and Mary Paden, and lived the greater part of his life on the home farm which he later sold and moved to Findlay, where he died. Narcissa married a Mr. Bennett and they lived and died at Bryan, in Williams County.

Jacob Thomas, father of Henry Benton, was born in 1810, in Tyler County, Va., and died in Pleasant Township, April 2nd, 1878. He accompanied his parents to Ohio in 1832 and with them settled in Section 16, Marion Town- ship, Hancock County, and remained two years longer with his father. In 1837 he came to the farm now owned by his son, Henry B., which has never since been out of the Thomas family. At the time of his death he owned 240 acres. Pioneer conditions prevailed when Jacob Thomas came to Pleasant Township. The land

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was heavily timbered and not a stick had ever been cut. There was not much chance for socia- bility as the other nearest settler was several miles away. The first log cabin had dimensions of 12 x 14 feet but a second house was built in the same fall, 16 x 18 feet, of hewed logs and with a clap-board roof.

Jacob Thomas was twice married. His first wife was Rebecca Edginton, and his second was Elizabeth Gorrell. Four children were born to the first union: Mary Jane, May 28, 1835; Henry Benton, September 1, 1837; Levi Marion, October 13, 1839; and Julia Ann, July 27, 1843. Mary Jane married Peter Deter (died January 11, 1900) whom she survives and lives in Portage Township. Levi Marion married Mary C. Wilson. He lived near North Balti- more, where he followed farming. He was a soldier in the Civil War, a member of Co. G, 2Ist O. Vol. Inf., and was captured with his comrades, at Chickamauga. He died May II, 1906. Julia Ann married John W. Butler, for- merly of Pleasant Township, but a resident of Findlay before his death. She resides on Cen- ter Street in that city. The children born to the second marriage of Jacob Thomas were: William C., February 12, 1848; Caroline, Sep- tember 4, 1846; David H., January 6, 1852; Cyrene, January 13, 1850; and Amanda April 30, 1859 (died July 22, 1899). William C. Thomas holds the positon of captain in the Soldiers' Home at Dayton, O. He served in the Civil War in the 178th O. Vol. Inf. He has been twice married, first to Barbara E. Nye and second to Belle Lathonce, of Columbus, O. Caroline married Hon. Eb. Poe, late of Co- lumbus, and formerly state auditor of Ohio. David H. Thomas formerly resided in Pleas- ant Township but is now engaged in mining in the West. He married Columbia J. Bowman.

Cyrene married J. F. Dillinger and they own a farm near Hoytsville, O., but reside in Day- ton. Amanda, who is now deceased, was the wife of Corwin Wilson, who survives her and lives near North Baltimore, O.

Henry Benton Thomas grew up on the home farm and obtained a district school education. . He worked on his father's and his uncle's farms, the latter living then east of Findlay. He was a member of an independent military company which had been organized in 1861, at McComb. They went to Findlay and there he formally enlisted for service in the Civil War, on September 19, 1861. His regiment was sent first to Camp Dennison, at Columbus, and from there to Piketown, Ky., and from there to Louisville and he was on guard duty at Lex- ington, Murfreesboro, Tenn., and other points and then went to Nashville, Tenn. Later he was a participant in the battle of Stone River and was at Lookout Mountain and Chatta- nooga, Graysville, Kenesaw Mountain and At- lanta. He celebrated his birthday in September, 1863, by fighting in the battle at Jonesboro, Ga. He belonged also to the victorious army that marched with Sherman to the sea. Other engagements in which he bore a brave soldier's part were Raleigh, Goldsboro and Martha's Vineyard, on New River, N. C., and then came Richmond and later the grand review at Wash- ington, D. C., and he was finally mustered out at Columbus, O. Mr. Thomas saw very hard service and the word soldier recalls to him the sternest kind of discipline and scenes of carn- age and suffering that he hopes his country will never again witness.

Mr. Thomas returned to Hancock County practically unharmed after his military service was over. His father had given him eighty acres of land in Pleasant Township and to this

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he added eighty more. In 1878 he sold this land and moved to Saline County, Kas., where he spent one year in agricultural efforts, but his success was not up to his expectations and his crops were entirely destroyed by the hot winds. In the meanwhile his father had died and so he returned to Pleasant Township and here he has continued to live ever since. The house in which Mr. Thomas and family had lived since their return to the old homestead, was destroyed by fire and the present hand- some residence was erected in 1901. Mr. Thomas has 116 acres under cultivation, this farm being one of the best in the township.

October 4, 1866, Mr. Thomas was married to Miss Ruthanna Archer, a daughter of Henry and Lucinda (Osenbaugh) Archer, of Mercer County, O. Six children were born to them, namely :

Mary Orlida, born July 9, 1867; married Willis Mygrants, April 9, 1898; they live in Jackson, Mich. They have three children- Warren, born March 11, 1899; Russell, born September 12, 1900; Cliffton, born October 30, 1905.

Minnie L., born October 4, 1868; married Chester Ewing of McComb, December 6, 1899. They have three children-Lois, born May 30, 1901 ; Webster, born March 5, 1903; and Arthur, born April 21, 1906.

Delos Archer was born December 13, 1869: was married to Belle Norris of Cass Township (where they have since resided), September 5, 1894. They have three children-Gayle, born September 4, 1895; Bernard, born January 25, 1900, and Raymond, born September 8, 1903.

Estella J., was born October 31, 1871; was married to Fred King, January 23, 1896, and

they have two children-Ralph, born February 10, 1897, and Iloe, born September 21, 1900.

Sarah Elizabeth and Laura Leota, who re- side with their parents.

Mr. Thomas and family were members of the Thomas Methodist Episcopal church, in which he formerly was an official. For the past twenty-five years he has maintained opinions that identify him with the Prohibiton party, but formerly he was a Democrat. He served a number of times as township trustee and was active generally in public affairs. He is a mem- ber of John Howard Post, No. 154, G. A. R. at McComb.

WILLIAM H. ADELSPERGER, who is engaged in general farming and stock raising on Elm Wood farm, is the owner of 390 acres of fine farming land, located in Sections 10 and 13, Big Lick Township, Hancock County, Ohio, and is.one of the representative agricul- turists of the county. He was born June 22, 1842, in Tiffin, Seneca County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Cinderella ( Ricketts) Adel- sperger, and a grandson of Jacob Adelsperger, who was a native of Hagerstown, Md.

John Adelsperger, father of our subject, was born in Hagerstown, Md., and during his boy- hood came to Tiffin, Seneca County, O. He was first married to Cinderella Ricketts, and. to them were born three children: William H .; John F., deceased; and Joseph A., deceased. His second union was with Mary Albert, and resulted in the following issue: Mary Jane; Katherine; Amanda; Flora; Nora; Charles; James; Albert; Frank; John, deceased; and Henry.

William H. Adelsperger was reared in Tif- fin, Ohio, and there obtained his education in the public schools. In 1861 he enlisted for

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three years in the 49th Ohio Vol. Inf., and was ties in which he has been engaged for so long a time and with so much ability, have had an effective part in the commercial and financial upbuilding of this city. Joseph S. Patterson- was born November 25, 1827, at Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio, and is a son of Robert and Eliza (Moore) Patterson, and a grandson of Rev. James Patterson, who was a clergy- man of Ballee, County Down, Ireland.

with the Army of the Cumberland in Tennes- see, Alabama and Georgia. He later enlisted with the 64th Ohio Vol. Inf., for one year, and participated in many of the important battles of the war, his last two fights being the battles at Franklin and Nashville. He was not sick a day during his entire four years' service. He was taken prisoner at Stone River, and hon- orably discharged at St. Louis in 1865. After the close of the war he worked at carpentering for six years and in 1871 bought his present farm in Section 10, Big Lick Township, Han- cock County, Ohio. He has just completed building a large brick residence on Elm Wood farm, and has one of the finest and best im- proved farms in the township.

In 1871 Mr. Adelsperger was married to Sophia Kenner, who was born December 25, 1850, in Germany, and at the age of two years came to this country with her parents. Of their union have been born the following chil- dren: John, who died aged six years; Minda, who died aged eighteen years; Milton L., who operates Elm Wood Farm, is married and has one child, Clarence; and Joseph A., who farms his father's place in Section 10, Big Lick Township. Mr. Adelsperger is a member of the G. A. R., Morris Post of Fostoria, is po- litically a Republican, and is now serving as land appraiser, having been elected to that office one year ago.

JOSEPH S. PATTERSON, who for sixty years has been identified with the mercantile interests of Findlay, O., is the senior member of the firm of J. S. Patterson & Sons, a busi- ness which had its inception in 1849, stands today as one of the representatives of the high- est standard of business integrity. The activi-

Although the Pattersons originated in Ire- land, for a generation they have been Ameri- can and in almost every State of the Union, bearers of this honorable name have been dis- tinguished in some walk of life.

Robert Patterson, father of Joseph S., was born in 1789, in Ireland. In 1811 he came to Licking County, O., one of the venturesome pioneers, but he later established his pernia- nent home at Bellefontaine, in Logan County, where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits until his death in 1867. In 1819 he was mar- ried to Eliza Moore, a daughter of Joseph Moore, also a pioneer, and they had nine chil- dren born to them, the fifth in order of birth being given the name of Joseph S., and he is one of the two survivors.

Joseph S. Patterson attended school at Bellefontaine until he was sixteen years of age, leaving home at that time with the intention of providing for his own necessities and of pre- paring himself to do so in the future by learn- ing a special line, heredity, perhaps, having something to do with his choice. He came to Findlay in 1843, where he found employment as a clerk with Frederick Henderson, with whom he continued for six years, when he pur- chased an interest in the business and it was continued under the firm name of Henderson and Patterson. Three years later the business was reorganized and additional capital gave

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the concern larger and more extended facili- ties, and the firm name then became J. S. Pat- terson and Company, remaining that way until 1857.

In the above year, Mr. Patterson retired and purchased the business of Van Eman and Com- pany. Two years later, Milton Taylor, a brother-in-law, became associated with him un- der the firm name of Patterson and Taylor. This firm continued until the withdrawal of Mr. Taylor in 1865.

In 1866 Mr. Patterson built his present busi- ness block, moving into it early in 1867. From 1870 to 1875 the firm name was Patterson and Winders.

In 1878, Chas. W. Patterson, his eldest son, became interested under the firm name of J. S. Patterson and Son.

Five years later, Frank T. Patterson, the second son, was taken into the firm, when the name became J. S. Patterson & Sons and has so continued to the present time.

With the exception of one year during which he was local agent for the Mad River and Lake Erie R. R., for sixty years and over, Mr. Patterson has been interested in the same line of business and has always been recog- nized as a keen and able business man.

In 1853 Mr. Patterson was married to Min- erva Taylor, a daughter of Wm. and Margaret Taylor, one of the early pioneer families. For years, they enjoyed one of Findlay's handsom- est homes at No. 823 South Main Street. Two sons were born to them, Charles W. and Frank T. Patterson.

In religious matters, Mr. Patterson has al- ways taken an active interest. His affiliation has been with the Presbyterian denomination, of which church he is an elder as well as a lib- eral supporter.

As a charter member of the City Y. M. C. A., he was always interested in its work and contributed liberally towards its present build- ing and equipment.

Politically, Mr. Patterson has always been a Republican. He never aspired to office and never held but one office, that of city council- man and that as a matter of duty.

JASPER DUKES,* one of Blanchard Township's most substantial citizens, a large dealer in livestock and the owner of 700 acres of valuable land, was born in Union Town- ship, Hancock County, O., in January, 1850. His parents were D. R. and Eliza Jane (Mc- Dowell) Dukes.

D. R. Dukes was born in Franklin County, O., and when he came to Hancock County and entered 160 acres of land from the Govern- ment, he had not more than reached his major- ity. He continued to live on this land for more than twenty years, but in 1864 he moved to a farm on the Ridge road and was residing there at the time of his death, which occurred when he was aged seventy-six years. Of his 160 acres he had cleared 100 of it and was consid- ered a sensible and judicious farmer. His first wife was named Miller and four children were born to that union. His second marriage was to Eliza Jane McDowell, who was born in Licking County, O., of Irish parentage. Nine children were born to this marriage, as fol- lows: Laura, who is the widow of Mr. Com- ley; Jasper and Irwin, twins, the latter of whom died at the age of fifteen years; Naretta, who is the wife of J. S. Renhart, of Findlay ; Elizabeth, Caroline and Richard, all of whom died when about five years of age; and two that died in infancy. D. R. Dukes and wife

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were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Jasper Dukes attended the public schools in Union Township and then became his father's main helper on the farm, and after his mar- riage, in 1875, started for himself on 160 acres of his present farm. To the original acres he added, purchasing two tracts of eighty acres each, one of fifty and two others each contain- ing 165 acres, until he now owns 700 acres of land, all in one body. Since 1872 he has done a large amount of business handling livestock,

his purchases and shipments annually reaching into thousands of dollars. Mr. Dukes has not torn down the old house in which he first went to housekeeping, but in recent years he has erected one of the handsomest rural homes in Blanchard Township and has put up other sub- stantial buildings, having five sets of farm structures on his land. He has otherwise im- proved his property, taking a great deal of in- terest in it and is the practical overseer of all the farm operations.

In March, 1875, Mr. Dukes was married to Miss Maria M. Hopkins, a daughter of M. E. Hopkins, of Blanchard Township, and they have six children: Nora D., who is the wife of Frank Wineman, resides in Blanchard Township, Putnam County, O .; Floyd J. and Claud A., twins, the former of whom married Carrie McClelland, a daughter of B. F. Mc- Clelland, of Eagle Township, and the latter of whom married Bertha Thomas, a daughter of J. W. Thomas, of Putnam County ; D. R., who married a daughter of William Miller, of Put- nam County, and they have two children; and Eli V. and L. P., the latter of whom is a stu- dent at Findlay College. As was his father, Mr. Dukes is a Republican. He served three years as township trustee and two years as as-

sessor. He is identified with the order of Elks, at Findlay.

HON. WILLIS E. COOPER, formerly mayor of McComb, O., and a leading member of the Hancock County bar, was born just east of this town, in Pleasant Township, Hancock County, O., November 16, 1868, and is a son of Allen and Rebecca A. (Ritter) Cooper.

Allen Cooper was born in Portage Town- ship, Hancock County, O., in 1834, the first white male child born in the township. His father was John Cooper, who came from Perry County, O., and entered eighty acres of land in Portage Township, Hancock County, in 1832 and lived here until his death when over eighty years of age. He became a man of large estate and at the time of his death, in 1891, he owned 700 acres of valuable land. He was also more or less prominent in public af- fairs and served as associate justice of Han- cock County. He married Eliza Jane Cusac. In 1860, Allen Cooper entered into the saw mill and planing mill business and continued until 1902, when he retired to Findlay, where he and wife live at present, people well known and highly esteemed. He married Rebecca A. Ritter, who was born in Ohio and was small when her parents came to Hancock County. Her father was born in Germany and came to McComb from Stark County, O. He later bought a farm in Hancock County and alter- nated farming and working at his trade, which was that of a tailor. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ritter were: Rebecca, who married Allen Cooper; William C., who lives east of McComb; Thomas J., Gideon and Caroline, all three of whom are deceased. The brothers and sisters of Allen Cooper were : James, who lives at Knoxville, Tenn .; John, who resides north

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of Findlay; William P., who was accidentally killed while working in the lumber business; Martha, deceased, who was the wife of John D. Ewing; Sarah, deceased. who was the wife of James Shoemaker; Phebe E., who is the wife of Moses McAnelly, of Big Lick Town- ship, Hancock County, and one that died young. To Allen Cooper and wife eight chil- dren were born, as follows: Ida L., who is the wife of H. W. Doty, an attorney of Chatta- nooga ; Willis E .; Joy and Arba, both of whom died in childhood; and four who died in in- fancy.

Willis E. Cooper was educated at McComb and in 1886, after leaving the McComb High School, he began making his preparations for the study of law and on January 1, 1890, he became a law student under H. Walter Doty, and remained in the office of this well known attorney until January 10, 1893, when he en- tered the law department of the Ohio State University and creditably passed the required examination for the bar on June 8, 1893. He entered into practice at Findlay and remained there until November 1, 1895, when he came to McComb, at that time purchasing the law and insurance business of ex-Mayor A. D. Whisler. He soon received professional rec- ognition and ere long had become a prominent factor in local politics and in 1897 he was nom- inated and subsequently elected on the Demo- cratic ticket, mayor of McComb. His admin- istration of the office proved eminently accept- able and he was re-elected in 1899, 1901, 1903 and again in 1905, serving for five successive terms, aggregating ten years and nine months, in the highest municipal office in the gift of his fellow citizens. His personal popularity is un- usual and at his first election he overcame the normal Republican majority of forty votes.

Since June, 1907, he has served as city solici- tor. His line of practice includes general law and abstract work.

Mr. Cooper was married to Miss Bessie D. Bowen, who was born in West Virginia, a daughter of J. W. and Theresa Bowen, and they have two daughters: Dorothy F., a school girl of eleven years; and Catherine Cliff, who has seen but four summers. Mr. Cooper is identified fraternally with McComb Lodge, No. 179, Knights of Pythias; Camp No. 7474, Modern Woodmen of America; and the Tribe of Ben Hur.

CHARLES ERSKINE NILES (de- ceased), the late president of the First Na- tional Bank of Findlay, O., and one of the best known and most respected citizens of Hancock County, was born in Boston, Mass., in 1836. His early years were passed with his parents, in St. Catharines, Ontario, where he received a good education at the grammar school and academy, located in that little city, and later, upon the removal of his family to Hudson, Mich., he completed with great credit a full commercial course in one of the leading mer- cantile colleges of the country.

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Twentieth Century History of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Part 65

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

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