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STARK COUNTY, OHIO
History & Genealogy

BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
  History of Stark County:
 with an outline sketch of Ohio

Chicago: Baskin & Battey,
1881
 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Bethlehem Twp. -
ALEX GARVER, druggist, Navarre; was born in the village of Navarre, Ohio, Feb. 24, 1839; he is a son of John W. and Elizabeth (Weisbroad) Garver, the former being a native of Baden, Germany, and the latter of Berne, Switzerland.  The father was a carpenter by trade, and, when a young man, went to Switzerland to obtain more work, and while there married our subject's mother.  He resided in this beautiful little republic until about 1834, when, seeing thousands of his countrymen flocking Westward, he determined to cross the Atlantic with his family, to that new El Dorado that was draining Europe of all its freedom-loving people; he located in Navarre, Ohio, on his arrival in the United States, and for a time found employment on the Ohio Canal; for many years preceding his death, he worked at his trade, and at one time, while building a dam across the Tuscarawas River, was severely injured by an accident.  Previous to the breaking-out of our great civil war, Mr. Garver advocated the Democratic cause, but, when he saw Republicans adhering with fidelity to the Union, his views changed, and he became a Republican, and as such remained until his death.  He was an honest, upright citizen, and a man highly esteemed by all who knew him; his death occurred Oct. 28, 1879; his widow still survives him, and resides in Navarre.  Alex Garver is one in a family of eleven children, nine of whom are yet living; when 12 years of age, he began working in a hotel in his native village, but, at the end of three years, discontinued this and entered the employ of Dr. Leeper as clerk in his drug store; at the end of six years, he purchased the stock of his employer, and has ever since continued the business.  Jan. 1, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Chrissie Stahl, and to their union were born three children - Laura G., Milton S. and Cora B.; the last named is dead.  Mrs. Garver was born in Navarre, Ohio, May 9, 1842.  In 1860, Mr. Garver was appointed Postmaster at Navarre, a position he has since held, with the exception of a short time during President Johnson's administration; he has held various town and township offices; is a stanch Republican in politics, and a successful business man.
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 985
Paris Twp. -
G. J. GESZNER, farmer; P. O. Robertsville; was born Nov. 3, 1837, in Cincinnati, O.; a son of George L. and Catharine (Weirman) Geszner, natives of Prussia; sailed for the United States in 1818; and his father continued his trade as baker in Philadelphia.  In 1836 they removed to Cincinnati; his parents returned to Philadelphia, and after a short residence removed to Stark Co. in 1847, and purchased 142 acres.  George L. Geszner died in 1865, leaving the estate to the subject of this sketch and Elizabeth wife of Valentine Mong.  The farm being willed to George, he has improved it with a fine residence where he enjoys the felicities of single life.  In politics Mr. Geszner votes the Democratic ticket.  He is a member of the Lutheran Church at Robertsville and a strong supporter of the same financially. 
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 868
Bethlehem Twp. -
JOSEPH GOEPFERT, Navarre.  This gentleman was born in Alsace, France, in 1821; he is one of a family of four children born to John and Mary (Hartman) Goepfert.  when Joseph was a small boy, his father died, and in 1835 the mother, with the family, came to the United States.  They stopped for about a year in New York, and then came to  Ohio and located in Stark County.  The family were in limited circumstances, and for some years endured numerous privations and hardships.  The mother died in 1862; he was a woman of great executive ability, a kind and loving mother and a consistent Christian.  Joseph, during his youth, received but little education; as he grew older, he saw the need of an education, and, by applying himself to his studies at odd times, acquired quite a good education.  When about 19 years of age, he began working on the Ohio Canal, in the employ of the State; he remained in the employ of the State some eighteen years, his services being highly prized; few men have done more honest work for the State than Mr. Goepfert, and few have the confidence of the people to a greater extent.  He was married, in 1842, to Miss Margaret Armstrong, who was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, June 10, 1816; five children were born to this union - Joseph, Matilda and Melissa, living; John and Mary, deceased.  Mrs. Goepfert died in 1880.  Mr. Goepfert was married to Mrs. Mary Halterman July 5, 1881; she was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, in 1825.  Mr. Goepfert began life as a poor boy, and is, in the fullest sense of the word, a self-made man; he owns 109 acres of well-improved land; he is a Democrat in politics, and has held positions of honor and trust in Bethlehem Township.  The county would be much better off had it more such men as Mr. Goepfert.
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 986
Osnaburg Twp. -
WILLIAM BERRY GOODIN
, deceased, whose residence was in Osnaburg Tp., Stark Co., was born in Fayette Co., Penn., June 26, 1814.  He came to Ohio with his parents when 2 years of age, settling in Wayne County, near Mt. Eaton.  The day following their arrival, the neighbors, five in number, all then living in the township, met together, cut down the trees and built a cabin, the family moving in the second day, living and lodging in it without a door for over a week - while the woods around was full of wild animals.  Often in the night time was the mother awakened by the bowling of wolves, when she would reach out to ascertain if there children were all there.  Mr. Goodin's youth was filled with incidents common to frontier life.  His educational opportunities were extremely limited.  At the age of 18, he began teaming for his father from Wooster to Pittsburgh.  At 25, his father fitted him out with a five-horse team, to do for himself.  At the age of 27 he married Joanna Springer, of New Lisbon, Ohio, and soon after purchased and settled upon a farm in Osnaburg Tp., Stark Co., thought he continued teaming to and from Pittsburgh some years after.  For two seasons he ran a canal boat from Massillon to Cleveland, and was popular with freighters as he was reliable and trustworthy.  In 1852, he abandoned freighting and retired upon his farm, giving his entire attention to his family and farm.  In character, he was honest, humane and charitable.  If he had an enemy, it was not known.  Though not a member of the church, he was a strict observer of the Sabbath Day.  During our civil war he was a strong supporter of the Union cause and an active agent for the Townships of Osnaburg and Paris in procuring substitutes for the draft.  After an illness of one week, he died July 22, 1878 - aged 64 years and 26 days.  His wife survived him, with seven out of a family of nine children.  Two a son and a daughter, died in infancy.  Four of the remaining seven are married.  One son resides in Huntington Co., Ind.  The others in Stark County.  He had sixteen grand-children.
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 1012
Bethlehem Twp. -
WILLIAM C. GRANT, Navarre; was born in Washington Co., Penn., Feb. 23, 1818; he is one in a family of fourteen born to Joseph and Margaret (Crawford) Grant; Joseph Grant, his father, was a native of New Jersey, from which State he removed with his parents when about 2 years old; during the spring of 1833, he came to Stark Co., Ohio, locating in Sugar Creek Township, where he began farming, and where he resided until his death, on the 7th of December, 1864, aged 76 years; his widow died May 6, 1879.  Mr. Grant  was a sober, hard-working man, and an exemplary citizen; he started in life poor, but showed sufficient business sagacity to leave 400 acres of land at his death.  Up to Van Buren's administration, he was a Democrat, but from that time to his death he voted with the Whigs and Republicans.  He was a man of sound judgment, with a deep sense of honor and uprightness.  William C. Grant was reared upon a farm, receiving a common-school education.  At the age of 23, he commenced clerking in a store in Navarre, at which he continued about a hear; he then commenced the life of a drover, buying horses, cattle and sheep, and then driving them across the country to Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Lancaster, where he would dispose of his property at a handsome profit; he continued in this for some fifteen years, during which time he had saved sufficient amount of his earnings to invest in real estate at different times, until he now has 1,300 acres of land, 465 of which are in Stark County, 380 acres in Knox Co., Ohio, and the rest near Lansing, Mich.  For the past twenty years, he has farmed, raised stock and dealt in real estate.  He was united in marriage with Miss Ruth Johnson Apr. 16, 1850, and to them were born six children - James J., Edward L., Horace S., Della, William V., and Mary I., deceased.  Mr. Grant is a Republican in politics, but has steadily refused to take an active part, as he wished to confine his attention to his farm.  He is a progressive and enterprising citizen, and one of the best farmers and citizen of Bethlehem Township.
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 986
Onasburg Twp. -
REV. JOHN M. GRETHER, Osnaburg.  Out of the numerous congregations in the village of Osnaburg there is at present only one resident minister, the Rev. John M. Grether, of the Reformed Church of the United States, born in Niederweilder, Grand Duchy Baden-Baden, Germany, Dec. 22, 1828, his parents being John J. and Catharine (Eberhart) Grether.  His father died in 1841 when John M. was but 12 years of age.  He received a thorough common-school education in the German Schools.  After his 14th year, he continued his course of study in a religious direction, laboring in vacations for a number of years with his relatives, in the bakery business.  June 21, 1847, Mr. G., with his mother and their family of eight children, sailed from Havre for America, arriving Aug. 2.  They moved first to Canton, Ohio.  Mr. G. engaged himself in the bakery and confectionery business at Akron, O.  Tiring of this, he began a course of medicine under Dr. John Weimer of that city, completing his medical education in the Cleveland Medical College.  Practiced three years at Wooster.  A severe type of diphtheria breaking out at New Philadelphia, Dr. G. was called to that locality to treat the disease among the Germans.  He continued his practice in this place very successfully four yeas.  The last two years he served as County Physician at the Infirmary.  The many scenes of suffering and dying incident to the medical profession, called forth the more serious part of Mr. Grether's nature, and he took up a course of theological reading during hi last year of medical practice, and even before he was ordained minister, he was called to various fields of church labor by the ministry of the Reformed Church.  In 1862 - 63 he took a special course in theology, being ordained as minister of the holy gospel in 1863.  His appointment by the Synod was for Medina and Ashland Counties, serving three congregations and establishing a fourth at Ashland.  In 1867 was sent to Warren, Ohio, where he labored for six years.  During his administration he lifted the entire debt of $1,800 from the small congregation of Youngstown.  In 1873, Mr. G. was called to Hartville, Stark Co., serving the three congregations of Hartville, Randolph and Limaville.  In the spring of 1877 he began his pastoral labors in Osnaburg, serving at present three congregations, besides the village one at Strasburg, which he organized Mar. 16, 1879.  The St. Martin's, east of Osnaburg, is the third congregation.  They have a communicant membership of 230.  Mr. G. was deprived of his first wife Mar. 5, 1854.  Dec. 17, 1854, he was remarried.  This union was blessed with ten children, six sons and four daughters, all living - Frank, the eldest, is in his 26th year;  at present is minister and tutor in the Mission College, Franklin, Wis.; William is in the same school; Emma is wife of J. J. Broumbach; Louisa, the second daughter, is teaching; John, Amanda, Anna, Frederick, Alfred and George.  Mr. Grether stands high among his people, and is an earnest laborer among them, in all branches of ecclesiastical labor, constantly holding extra services through the week.
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 841
Washington Twp.  -
JACOB GROSSMAN, farmer and school-teacher; P. O. Paris; born in Carroll County June 9, 1844; son of Christian and Elizabeth (Waldhart) Grossman who were born in the Canton of Berne, in Switzerland; they emigrated to America in 1834 and settled in Carroll County, where Christian died in February, 1864; his wife died in April, 1877; they were the parents of ten children; five are dead; the balance are now residents of Stark County, viz.:  Lucinda, now Mrs. Nicholas Zintsmaster, of Navarre; Margaret, now Mrs. Daniel Black, near Onasburg; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jacob Snyder, of Onasburg; Catharine, now Mrs. Christian Schweisberger, of Nimishillen Township; and Jacob Grossman, subject of this sketch, who was for twenty-eight years a resident of Carroll County; he received a common-school education, and at the age of 17 commenced to teach school, and he has taught every winter since that time, or for twenty winter terms.  During the civil war, he was a member of the Ohio National Guards, and as such was called into active service for 126 days, serving in the 157th Regiment, under Col. McCook.  In 1864, he purchased 80 acres in Carroll County, and farmed this until he removed to Washington Township, where he now owns a fine farm  of 77 acres.  He was married, Oct. 3, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Foltz, daughter of Valentine Foltz; by her he is the father of five children, viz., Flora Alice, John Edward, Martha Elizabeth, Emma Melinda and Ida Cordelia.  Politically, he is a Republican, and has served as trustee in Brown Twp., Carroll Co., he is now Secretary of the Washington and Paris Township Insurance Company, and was instrumental in securing the incorporation of this association; he is a member of the Reformed Church, and connected with the congregation of Paris, of which society he is Secretary; has been a Sunday-school worker ever since he was 15, and has occupied the position of Superintendent of the Paris Sunday School ever since he removed to Washington Township.
Source: History of Stark County: with an outline sketch of Ohio - Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, 1881 - Page 1001

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