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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Centennial
Biographical History of Hancock Co., Ohio
Pub: New York & Chicago by The Lewis Publishing Company
1903
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CHARLES EDWARD
WATSON. The gentleman above mentioned,
ex-mayor of Findlay, achieved this distinction after a twelve years’ residence,
the preferment having been preceded by membership in the city council for two
terms. Aside from his official
tenures his business connections have been with the mercantile interests, but in
both lines he has exhibited those qualities which usually attract attention and
insure success. His family is of
English origin and was founded in America by his grandfather,
Joshua Watson, who came to the United
States in the early part of the nineteenth century and died while a resident of
Michigan. The latter’s son,
Samuel G. Watson, was born in New
York state, in 1830, came to Huron county, Ohio, in 1850, and was married four
years later to Abigail Bugess, by
whom he had six children, the five survivors being:
Alice A., wife of
Wesley Griffith, Charles E.,
Egbert N., C. Albert and
Wilbur L. G.
Charles
Edward Watson, second of the surviving children, was born on his father’s
farm in Huron county, Ohio, July 12, 1858, and remained at home obtaining his
education until he reached manhood.
Leaving school after the completion of his twenty-first year he went to
Lincoln,
Kansas, and secured employment in a drug store as clerk, which position
he held a year, after which he opened a drug store at Dansburg, Michigan. His establishment being shortly after
destroyed by fire, he returned to his
Ohio
home and spent a short time on the farm.
In February, 1888, he came to
Findlay
and was engaged as clerk in various grocery stores for several years. In 1897 he was elected to the city
council as representative of the Eighth ward and was re-elected to the same
position two years later. His
resignation from the council was necessitated by his acceptance of the
mayoralty, to which office he had been elected in 1900 on the Republican ticket. This closes his political career up
to date, but the friends and admirers of ex-Mayor Watson predict that still further
honors await him at the hands of his constituents.
In 1880
Mr. Watson was married, at Greenwich,
Ohio, to Miss Minnie J., daughter of John Crouse, and has
two children:
Veva and
Kenneth. The religious affiliations of the
family are with the Presbyterian church, and
Mr. Watson’s fraternal connections
are with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the
Mr. Watson’s fraternal connections are with the
Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Modern Woodmen of America, of which he
is now district deputy of the territory embraced in the Fourth and Eighth
Congressional districts.
Source 4: Centennial
Biographical History of Hancock Co., Ohio - Pub: New York &
Chicago by The Lewis Publishing Company - 1903 -
Page 207
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MARY A.
WOLFE. We are now privileged to touch upon the life
history of one of Hancock county's most estimable families, the
immediate representative of which is the above lady, who is the
widow of the late Levi Wolfe, of Marion
township. She was born at Hagerstown, Washington county,
Maryland, Sept. 22, 1833, and is the daughter of William
and Margaret Davis, of the same state. Her
parents left that portion of the country in the fall of 1833,
and during the overland journey to Ohio they lost a son as the
result of an attack of sickness. This misfortune caused
them to remain for the winter at the place where it occurred, so
that it was in the spring of 1834 before they finally reached
Marion township, of this county. Here the father entered a
claim of forty acres, which he subsequently sold but soon bought
another forty, which was increased at various times until his
holdings amounted to six hundred acres of the most valuable land
in the county. William Davis was a man of
influence and character in his township, where for a number of
years he held the office of justice of the peace, and was also
county commissioner for a long period. He was kind to the
poor, hospital to all, and a man whose friends were myriad.
He was a worthy member of the Baptist church, and proved his
usefulness in that denomination by an active and consistent
religious life. He was joined in marriage to
Margaret Lafferty in 1830, and to this union there were
born eleven children, nine of whom are now living.
Mrs. Margaret Davis died in October of 1882, her
husband having passed away a number of years before, in 1863.
His death was caused by anxiety for a favorite son John, who was
a soldier in the active service during the Civil war. He
had been wounded at the battle of Picket Mills, where his father
in searching for him contracted a cold, and which caused his
death in the year above stated. He was a man of sterling
qualities of character, and was missed by his host of friends.
His life was one of usefulness, and he assisted in the events
which helped to inaugurate the period of prosperity which his
descendants now enjoy. The son John recovered from the
wound, and returning to the army was unfortunate enough to be
captured at the battle of Stone River. He was kept a
prisoner in the lines of the enemy for a considerable period,
but was finally exchanged and returned home. Mary
A. Wolfe was joined in marriage to Levi Wolfe
on the 14th of August, 1851. The marriage resulted in the
birth of four children: Margaret J., Lydia A., Fannie D.
and John W., the last two deceased.
Levi Wolf, the father of the family, was born
in Fairfield county, Ohio, on the 20th of August, 1825. He
there received an excellent common school education which fitted
him for his life of usefulness. In 1843 he, together with
his parents, Rev. David and Lydia Wolfe,
removed to Hancock county. They first located upon eighty
acres in Marion township, to which they added afterwards fifty
more. Their family numbered eleven children, but two
of whom are now living, viz: John and
Christian Wolfe. Rev. David Wolfe was a minister
in the Evangelical church, and during his active career did much
to build up that organization in that part of the state.
By trade Levi Wolfe was a blacksmith in his
younger life, but when the Civil war broke out he offered
himself a willing sacrifice on the altar of his country, by
enlisting in 1862 in Company E, Fifty-seventh Regiment, Ohio
Volunteer Infantry. In the bloody battle of Shiloh, while
trying to bind up a comrade's wound, he was taken prisoner and
confined for a period at Macon, Georgia. He was finally
exchanged, but was in such an emaciated condition as to cause
his death before he reached home. He died in the city of
Cincinnati on July 30, 1862. During his life he held some
of the responsible township offices, was a man of influence in
his neighborhood and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal
church. Previous to his army life he made provision for
his family by laying the foundation for their present home.
His kindness of heart and noble traits of character erected in
the memories of the members of his family a lasting monument.
Source 4: Centennial
Biographical History of Hancock Co., Ohio - Pub: New York &
Chicago by The Lewis Publishing Company - 1903 - Page 266 |
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