BIOGRAPHIES
COMMEMORATIVE
BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF THE COUNTIES OF
HURON AND LORAIN, OHIO
CONTAINING
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens
and of Many of the Early Settled Families
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO
J. H. BEERS & CO.
1894
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WELLINGTON VARNEY,
a well-known prosperous farmer of Columbia township,
is a native of Ohio, born in 1843, in Geauga county.
His father, William Varney, a native of
Massachusetts, and a wagon maker by trade, came in
an early day to Geauga county, Ohio, and married
Miss Elizabeth Reed; he was killed in a mill in
1850, and his widow subsequently married Pardon
Wells and removed to Wisconsin, where she died
in 1889. Mr. Varney had four
Wellington, subject of sketch, and Sarah wife
of Reuben Wescott, residing in Black River
Falls, Wisconsin.
Wellington Varney was eight years old when he
came to Lorain county, making his first home here in
Henrietta township, where he received his education.
He was reared to farm life, and has always followed
agricultural pursuits. In 1862 he enlisted at
Oberlin in Company F, One Hundred and Third O. V.
I., for three years or during the war, and was
mustered into the service at Frankfort, Ky.
His regiment was attached to the army of the West,
and he participated in the battle of Atlanta,
Buzzard's Roost, Armstrong Hill and Nashville under
Gen. Thomas; he was also in the Carolina
campaign, and in 1865 he was honorably discharged at
Cleveland, Ohio, and returned to Lorain county,
after seeing three years' active service.
After about three years' stay in Henrietta township,
he moved to Columbia township, where he has since
resided. In 1869 Mr. Varney was united
in marriage with Miss Caroline Healey who was
born in Columbia township, a daughter of John and
Sarah (Ruple) Healey, early settlers of same,
where the former died in the township, was born
there, a daughter of Dr. Boltis and Clara
(Osborne) Ruple, the former of whom came from
the East, being among the first settlers of Columbia
township; he died at the age of ninety-one years; he
died at the age of ninety-one years; his widow is
yet living, now aged ninety-two years. Four
children have been born to our subject and wife,
viz.: Sarah, wife of Clayton Cooley,
of Columbia township; Fannie, residing at
home; Frank, and Elbert, married,
living in Copopa. Mr. Varney is a
Republican in politics, and has served on the school
board; he is a member of Richard Allen Post
No. 65, G. A. R., at Elyria. He is the owner
of a neat and fertile farm of thirty-three acres.
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
- Page 1205 |
G. H. Van Wagnen` |
G. H. VAN WAGNEN,
who for the past fifty-five years has been a leading
agriculturist of Lorain county, is a native of the
State of New York, born May 5, 1817, a son of
Garrett c. and Mary (Welton) Van Wagnen, natives
of New Jersey.
They were married in New York State, whence in 1832
they moved to Portage county, Ohio, where they
carried on farming, and reared a family of fifteen
children, eight of whom are yet living, namely:
Sally Ann, wife of Samuel Voorhees of
Elmira, N. Y.; Mary, widow of Ambrose
Johnson, of Sullivan, Ashland Co., Ohio; G.
H., our subject; Alonzo, married, and
residing in Missouri; Evaline, widow of
Madison Johelyn, late of Brownhelm
township. Lorain county; Agnes, wife of
Edward Frost, of Mantua, Portage Co.,
Ohio; Charles, married, residence
Chicago, Ill.; and Sabrina, wife of Albert
Hastings, of Kent, Portage Co., Ohio. The
father of this family passed from earth in 1851, the
mother surviving him till 1876.
The subject of our sketch was reared on a farm in New
York State, and received his education at the
schools of the neighborhood of his place of birth.
In 1832 he came west to Ohio, making his home for a
time in Portage county, and in the following year
proceeded to Cleveland, where he learned the trade
of carpenter, at which he worked thirty-years.
In 1838 he came to Lorain county, plying his trade
in Grafton and Eaton townships till 1848, in which
year he bought ninety-six acres totally unimproved
land in the wild woods of the last named township.
This he set to work to reduce to a state of
cultivation, subsequently adding to it thirty-eight
acres, now presenting in the aggregate as fine a
farm as can be found in the county. Here he
carries on general agriculture, including the
rearing of Holstine cattle.
In 1840 Mr. Van Wagnen was married in Grafton
township, Lorain county, to Miss Lucinda Cornning,
a native of New York, daughter of Nathan and
Clarissa (Smith) Cornning, both of Connecticut,
whence in 1832 they came to Lorain county, Ohio,
settling in Grafton township, and here the father
followed his trade, that of mechanic, up to the day
of his death; he passed away about the year 1854,
his wife surviving him some years, and dying in
Iowa. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Wagnen were
born seven children, as follows: (1) Welton,
married, and residing in Michigan. (2)
Clarissa, wife of C. G. Reynolds, of
Tuscola county, Mich.; have four children: Ida
Ettie, wife of George Clark, of Brighton,
Lorain county (have two children: Tracey and
an infant, unnamed), Hattie, Clark and
Delos. (3) Irving, married and
residing in Tuscola county, Mich.; have children as
follows: Martin, Henry (married, and
living in Michigan), Katie, Lo,
Olive and Frederick. (4) Hattie,
the wife of Thomas King, of Eaton
township; their children are Eva, Grace,
Myrtle, Clara, Minnie,
Richard and Nellie. (5) Henry,
a resident of Eaton township, a sketch of whom
follows this. (6) Frank, married to
Susan Chambers, and has three children,
Lura, Cora and Gertrude.
(7) Charles, twice married, first time to
Elmira Bingham, and by her had one child,
Ida; second wife Martha Bingham;
he is a painter by trade, and they reside in Lorain.
In politics our subject is an ardent Republican, and
cast his first vote for William H. Harrison;
he served his township as justice of the peace and
as trustee several terms.
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
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HENRY
VAN WAGNEN, a prominent farmer of Eaton
township, was born Feb. 5, 1848, in La Porte, Lorain
county, son of G. H. and Lucinda (Cornning) Van
Wagnen, early pioneers of Lorain county.
Henry Van Wagnen was reared n
Eaton township, where he received his education, and
he has always followed agricultural pursuits.
In 1884 he purchased a tract of sixty acres, which
had been improved by John Allen, and
here engaged in general farming. He was first
married, in 1867, to Miss Clara
Bennington, a native of Eaton township, daughter
of Thomas and Jane (Robson) Bennington, early
pioneers of Eaton township, where they died.
To this union were born six children; Ada,
George, Jennie (who married Edward
Johnson, and has one child, Clara),
Minnie, James and Alonzo.
The mother of these children died in Michigan in
1881, and on July 3, 1884, Mr. Van
Wagnen married, in Henrietta township, Miss
Florence Kelly, a native of Henrietta
township, Lorain county, daughter of Richard and
Jane (Peabody) Kelly, who reside in that
township. To this union has been born one
child, Dolly. In 1876 Mr. Van Wagnen
went to Michigan, and engaged in farming in Tuscola
county, where he remained until 1881; he was burned
out in 1880. He is now engaged in general
farming and stock raising, and makes a specialty of
Cotswold sheep. He is a member of the
Republican party.
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
- Page 1113 |
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J. M.
VANTILBURG, M. D., a popular physician and
surgeon of Lorain, was born Jan. 19, 1849, in
Ashland county, Ohio, and is descended from one of
the early pioneer families of that county.
His grandfather, Daniel Vantilburg, was
born in Jefferson county, Ohio, and in 1812 entered
land in Ashland county, same State. He
returned to Jefferson county, where he was united in
marriage with Miss Margaret Clinton,
and in 1813 settled permanently in Ashland county,
where he became a prominent citizen, residing on his
farm until his death, which occurred in 1866.
He took part in the war of 1812, serving six months
in an Ohio regiment. Mr. and Mrs.
Vantilburg reared a family of six children -
three sons and three daughters; two of the sons,
John and Henry (twins), are practicing
physicians in Ashland county. The
Vantilburg family was originally from Holland,
and Grandfather Vantilburg was of
Pennsylvania-German descent.
Daniel Vantilburg, son of this old pioneer, was
born on the farm in Ashland county (one mile south
of Ashland), where he passed his entire life.
He was married in Jefferson county, this State, to
Miss Clarinda Myers, a native of same, and
they had a family of four children (three yet
living), namely: Margaret, who was married to
Dr. Charles Campbell, of Ashland, and died in
1879; J. M., subject of sketch; William,
residing at Ashland, and George, living on
the home farm in Ashland county. The father of
this family died in 1878, in Ashland county, where
his widow still resides.
J. M. Vantilburg was reared in his native
county, and received his education in the common
schools of Ashland and in the college schools of
Ashland and in the college at Hayesville. In
1864 he enlisted, for three years or during the war,
in Company G, Twenty-third O. V. I., under Gen.
R. B. Hayes, Captain William McKinley (afterward
Governor McKinley). He was mustered
into service at Columbus, Ohio, being assigned to
the army of West Virginia, and participated in the
engagement of Cedar Creek and in many skirmishes.
He was honorably discharged at Cumberland, Md., in
July, 1865, and returned to his home in Ashland
county, Ohio. In 1885 he entered Jefferson
Medical College, Philadelphia, and in October, 1888,
came to Lorain, Lorain county, where he has since
made his home, actively engaged in the duties of his
profession. From 1881 to 1883 the Doctor
resided in western Texas and Mexico, assisting for
some time in the construction of the Texas and
Pacific Railroad from Ft. Worth west. From
nine months he was engaged on the construction of
the Mexican Central Railroad, from El Paso to
Zacatecas, and then located for a short time in the
city of Chihuahua, Mexico, after which he returned
to Ashland county.
Socially Dr. Vantilburg is a member of Q. A.
Gillmore Post No. 752, G. A. R., and has been
commander of same since it organization (this post
at the present writing has twenty-three members); he
is also a member of Woodland Lodge No. 226, K. of
P., of Uniformed Rank No. 117 Loyal Legion and
Lorain Lodge No. 552, F. and A. M. For many
years he has been a member of the Ohio National
Guards, of which he was the first lieutenant.
Politically he is a Republican, and has served as
member of the town council.
Source: Commemorative Biographical
Record of the counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio -
Illustrated_ Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. - 1894
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