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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen & Van Wert
Counties, Ohio
Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.
1896
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John Akerman |
Jackson Twp. -
CAPTAIN
JOHN AKERMAN, one of the most gallant soldiers of the
late Civil war and now a prominent farmer of Jackson township,
Allen county, Ohio is a native of the county, was born May 12,
1838, and is of sturdy German descent, his paternal
great-grandfather having been the first of the family to come to
America. John Akerman, son of this hardy immigrant
and grandfather of our subject, was a thrifty farmer of
Cumberland county, Pa., where he married Miss Nancy Baird,
and later came to Ohio, settling in Perry county, where he and
wife passed their pure and simple lives, both dying in the faith
of the Presbyterian church - the father, in his politics, being
a democrat.
WILLIAM AKERMAN, son of
John and Nancy (Baird) Akerman, and the father of our
subject, Capt. John Ackerman, was born in Cumberland
county, Pa., April 17, 1810, and was but five years of age when
brought to Perry county, Ohio. There he grew to manhood,
when he went to Morgan county, and met and married, May 9, 1833,
Miss Keziah Carroll, who was born in Morgan county, May 17,
1814, a daughter of Andrew and Letitia (Beech) Carroll,
who came from Pennsylvania and were the parents of the unusually
large family of thirteen children, viz: Sam B., Nancy
(deceased), John, William H. (deceased), Maria J.,
Andrew, (deceased), James M., Mary S., David
(deceased) and Keziah. In 1834, William Akerman
came to Allen county, entered 120 acres of land in the forests
of Jackson township, and, being an industrious, intelligent, and
skillful woodsman and farmer, was successful in bringing this
tract under cultivation and in adding to it until he accumulated
254 acres. He was very popular with the democratic party,
held all the township offices, and for four full terms filled
the office of county commissioner, and it was during his
incumbency of the last-named office that the first county
infirmary was established.
William Akerman had one brother John, and two
sisters, Maria and Jane; Mrs. Akerman had three
sisters, Margaret, Sabina and Ruth, and these
constituted all the members of their respected families.
When William Akerman came to Allen county, in
1834, he and his wife, with their first born babe, were conveyed
hither in a wagon drawn by a small yoke of oxen, which, with a
cow and $10 in cash, constituted his worldly possessions.
The use he made of this small capital has already been
explained. He taught a few terms of school after his
arrival, more as an aid in the education of the children of his
neighbors than for any pecuniary profit to be derived therefrom.
Although he had accepted the public position named above, also
as a matter of public duty, he steadfastly refused to accept a
nomination for the office of representative of this county in
the state legislature. He was a master Mason and a charter
member of Sager lodge, No. 513, and a member of the Patrons of
Husbandry. He and wife were also charter members of
LaFayette Christian church, in which he was a deacon, and was a
trustee during the erection of the church edifice of that place.
In this austere faith his wife passed away February 27, 1887,
and he October 9, 1878.
John Ackerman, the subject proper of this
biography, was thoroughly trained to the vocation of farming and
had his thews and sinews developed to the arduous labor
necessary to the development of a frontier farm. At
the age of about twenty years he married, October 31, 1858,
Miss Sarah A. Fisher, who was born in Perry county, Ohio,
September 15, 1840, a daughter of Christian and Even (Stumbaugh)
Fisher. Christian Fisher was for over thirty years a
resident of Perry county, and in 1855 came to Allen County and
became quite a wealthy farmer. He was a democrat in
Politics and a faithful member of the Lutheran church, in which
faith he died August 21, 1864, and February 1, 1887, was
followed to the grave by his faithful wife, who died in the same
faith. To the union of Christian and Eve Fisher were born
the following children:
Joseph; Margaret, wife of Jackson Zartman; Mary,
deceased wife of Sam Akerman; Charles; Sarah A., Mrs.
Capt. Akerman; Catherine, Hannah, Frank and William, all four
deceased. To this union of Capt. Akerman and his
wife have been born ten children, named as follows:
Norton J., William N., Emma M., Eugene, Charles H. (deceased),
Loran E., John J. (deceased), Junetta, Newton and
Cora - the last named also deceased.
John Akerman, while yet a young married man,
enlisted at LaFayette, Allen county, January 4, 1862, in company
I, Forth-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was under Gen.
Sherman nearly four years, campaigning in the states of
Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. He fought at
Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh), siege of Corinth, siege of
Vicksburg, Jackson, siege of Knoxville, at Missionary Ridge,
through the entire Atlanta campaign, at Dalton, Resaca, Dallas,
Kenesaw Mountain (at which point he had four rifle balls shot
through his clothing and cartridge box in the grand assault),
against Hood
in his first sortie from Atlanta, at Jonesboro (Ga.), at Lovejoy
Station, at Griswoldville, Savannah, Bentonville, and at every
historical event in which his regiment took part. He was
in the grand review at Washington, D. C., and was a witness of
the fact that Gen. Sherman refused to shake the
proffered hand of Secretary Stanton, while passing
the grand stand. The line of promotion of privilege
Akerman for faithful attention to duty and meritorious conduct
in face of the enemy was as follows: To sergeant in May,
1863, at La Grange, Tenn., at which point he was lying
dangerously ill in hospital of congestive chills; having
veteranized at Scottsboro, Ala., January 4, 1864; he was
commissioned first lieutenant, September 7, 1864, and, having
had the command of his company thereafter, was brevetted
captain. He was first honorably discharged December 31,
1863, at Scottsboro, Ala., not for the reason that his term had
expired but that he intended to re-enlist; next, he was
honorably discharged on the seventh day of September, 1864, at
East Point, Ga., on account of being commissioned first
lieutenant, and finally honorably discharged, July 22, 1865, at
Louisville, Ky., for the reason that the war had come to a
close.
Capt. Akerman was a charger member of
Dexter-Gilbert post No. 206, G. A. R.; is a member of Sager
lodge, No. 513, F. & A. M., of which he had been the worshipful
master, and is a member of Jackson grange, P. of H. At the
first re-union of his regiment, held at Van Wert, Ohio,
September 10, 1879, he was chosen first chairman. While a
resident of Washington township, Hardin county, Ohio, where he
resided from 1865 until 1872, he was township trustee and after
his removal to Latty township, Paulding county, he was trustee
for five years, justice of the peace three years, and land
appraiser one year. In 1879 he was elected county
commissioner from Jackson township, Allen county, and filled the
office six years, and during his terms the county infirmary was
remodeled and the county children's home was built at a cost of
$50,000, and a large room added to the courthouse.
Capt. Akerman is a member of the Christian church and has
served as president of the Northwestern Ohio Christian
conference. He is a member of the George A. Taylor
command of Union Veterans at Lima, Allen County, Ohio. He
has a farm of eighty acres, formerly belonging to his father,
delightfully situated one mile east of LaFayette, Allen county,
and improved to the utmost in every respect, and here he is
passing away his days - one of the most honored men of Allen
county.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 178 |
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ALEXANDER BROTHERS
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 268 |
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MADISON
W. ALEXANDER, farmer of Marion township, Allen county,
Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the late Civil war, was born in Lima,
Ohio, November, 1838, and is of Scotch and Dutch descent. His
paternal great-grandfather, coming from Scotland, settled in
South Carolina, and of his children one of his sons fought in
the patriot army during the Revolutionary war and one adhered
the cause of his king.
John Alexander, the grandfather of our subject, was
born in South Carolina, was there a slave-owner, but in an early
day left his native state and became a pioneer of Greene county,
bringing his family with him, his children being John, George
W., Isabella, one whose name has lapsed from memory, and
Bell. Mr. Alexander was a lawyer by profession, was a
member of congress, and a prominent resident of Xenia, Ohio, in
his early days, and there died at a very advanced age. John
Alexander, son of the gentleman above named and father of
Madison W., the subject proper of this memoir, was born in
Xenia, Ohio, was a graduate of Yale college, Mass., and a
Methodist minister of considerable note. He married Eliza M.
Hoover, daughter of Josiah and Caroline (Adgate)
Hoover—the Hoovers being of Holland origin. The Rev.
John Alexander was a pioneer of Northwestern Ohio, early
preached at Saint Mary's mission in Auglaize county, was a
colleague of Rev. James B. Findlay, and after retiring
from the ministry was one of the first clerks of Allen county.
He died in middle life, leaving three children—Caroline,
Madison W. and Isabella. Madison W. Alexander
was engaged in farming until his enlistment, April 19, 1861, in
company A, Twentieth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three months,
receiving an honorable discharge at Lima, July 23, 1861. In
September, 1861, he again enlisted, entering company B,
Eighty-first Ohio infantry, for three years. He afterward,
having filled out his term, veteranized, received a thirty-day
furlough home, and served until honorably discharge at Camp
Dennison July 25, 1865. Among the many battles in which he
took part were Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka, Atlanta, Resaca, Buzzard's
Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, Jonesboro and others, and was then with
Sherman on the great march to the sea, fought at Bentonville,
went clear through to the culmination, and took part in the
grand review at Washington, D. C. His military record, it may be
said to his honor, is as long as that of any volunteer from
Allen county. September 24, 1885, Mr. Alexander
married, at Elida, Ohio, Miss Mahala Sherrick,
who was born November 27,. 1853, a daughter of Samuel and
Barbara
(Stemen) Sherrick, and to this happy union have been
born five children, viz: John L., Cloyd, Carl H., and
Earl and Myrl (twins). Mr. and Mrs.
Alexander are sincere members of the United Brethren church
and in politics Mr. Alexander is a republican. He
has been a man of industrious habits, owns seven acres of the
homestead and eighty acres in Hancock county, and has an
untarnished reputation, both as a soldier and citizen.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 175 |
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REV.
JOSEPH D. ALLEN, one of the best known and also one of
the leading residents of German township, is the son of
George W. and Patience (Lakin) Allen The father was
born in Rockingham county, Va., in 1815, and died March 16,
1879; the mother was born in Ohio in May, 1819,and is yet living
and a resident of German township.
Joseph D. Allen was born in Hocking county,
Ohio, December 6, 1838. His boyhood was spent in farming
and his education obtained in the district schools of the old
log school-house of the early day. When a boy of about
seventeen years of age he came to Allen county with his parents,
in 1856, when they located in German township. He remained
at home until twenty-one years of age, assisting in clearing up
the home farm. December 31, 1859, he was married to
Miss Catherine Shock, daughter of Peter and Mary (Boyd)
Shock, both natives of Mercer county, Ohio, May 21, 1837.
The newly married couple located in Amanda township, where they
bought fifty-three acres of timberland, erected a log house and
established their first home. Here they remained four
years, when they sold the place and bought forty-seven acres in
section No. 15, where they lived for twelve years, making many
improvements - erecting buildings, putting out an orchard, ect.
This place they sold and purchased eighty acres in section No.
32 - a partially cleared farm - on which they now live and
engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and keeping a fine
draft stallion. Mr. Miller is a stanch
prohibitionist and a member of the radical branch of the United
Brethren church, in which he has been a local preacher for the
past thirty years. Rev. Allen and wife are the
parents of six children living and seven deceased:
James R. , Amos F., Charles W., John L., all deceased;
William L., Emma T., Elmer W.; Hanson R., and Elias
K., (twins) - the latter deceased; Isaac A. and
Anna B., both also deceased; Emry F., and Patience
N., deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Allen ar4e among the
most highly respected citizens of the county. As remarked,
Mr. Allen is a thoroughgoing prohibitionist and cast the
first vote for that party in German township, and has for years
been a faithful worker in the cause of temperance. He has
been a delegate to the two last state conventions and is always
on hand and active at the county conventions. He was a
soldier in the late rebellion, enlisting in May, 1864, in
company B, One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio volunteer infantry.
His company was stationed on the Maryland side of the
fortification at Washington, and he participated near the Fort
Reno skirmish line one day and night. He was mustered out
at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, August 27, 1864.
George W. Allen, the father of Rev. J. D.
Allen, whose biography appears above, was born in Loudoun
county, Va., September 8, 1813, and was the son of Joseph and
Mary (King) Allen, who were of old Virginia stock.
Mr. Allen was one of a large family of children, of which
but six lived to manhood and womanhood. When he was eight
years old the family came to Fairfield county, Ohio, where he
grew to manhood - living on the farm - where he married, on June
23, 1833, Miss Patience Lakin, who was a native of
Fairfield county and born near Rushville, May 22, 1817.
She was the daughter of Daniel and Theodosia Lakin, who
came from Cumberland county, Pa. The father was a
carpenter, shoemaker and miller, and plied at times all of these
occupations. He died in Fairfield county. Mrs.
Allen came of a family of seven children, four of whom are
now living. She was reared in Fairfield county and
remained there two years after her marriage, and then, with her
family, came of Hocking county, Ohio, whence, after six years'
residence, they moved to Perry county, where they lived twelve
years, then returned to Fairfield county, and in the spring of
1856 came to Allen county and bought a farm of 160 acres in
German township, where they made their home and where Mrs.
Allen now lies, at the age of seventy-eight years. The
husband died March 16, 1878, a devout member of the United
Brethren church, deeply respected and loved by a large circle of
friend. A family of fourteen children were born to them:
Mary E.; James Q., deceased, died at Jeffersonville,
Ind., Jan. 11, 1865; he was a soldier in the Ninety-ninth Ohio
volunteer infantry, having served almost three years; Levi
T.; Joseph D.; Savilla, deceased; Moses; Sarah,
deceased; Samuel, deceased; was a soldier in the Civil
war and served in the Thirty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and
was killed June 18, 1863, at Vicksburg, Miss.; George A.;
Isaac A.; Theodosia, deceased; Leander; Emma J.
and Patience A.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 175 |
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Richland Twp. -
GODHARD
ALTHAUS, farmer, P. O. Bluffton, was born in Switzerland,
February 7, 1836. His father, John Henry
Althaus, and his grandfather, Rudolph Althaus,
were physicians. His great-grandfather, Ulrich Althaus,
a farmer and dairyman in Germany, was born in 1705, and lived to
be ninety-three years old. Our subject possesses portraits of
all these ancestors. His mother, whose maiden name was
Barbara
Gagesil, was also a native of Switzerland. Godhard
Althaus was the tenth in a family of twelve children, nine
of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. He came to America in
1854, traveled in the West for two years, and in 1859 settled in
Allen County, Ohio. In 1859 he was married to Elizabeth
Steiner, whose parents were natives of Switzerland, her father
a farmer; and to this union were born John, Barbara,
wife of Martin Grismore; Jacob, Johanna,
Elizabeth, Mary, Maggie and Albert Our
subject, who has made farming the business of his life, is the
owner of a well-improved place, comprising fifty-five acres.
Mr.
and Mrs. Althaus are members of the Mennonite
Society. He has been school director of this township.
Politically, he is a Democrat.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
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PETER
ALTHAUS, one of the proprietors of the Bluffton Planing
mills, and a highly respected citizen of Allen county, springs
from sturdy German stock on his father's side of the family.
He is a son of David and Mary A. (Kilchorfer) Althaus, a
latter being of Swiss descent. David Althaus, the
father of the subject, was born in canton Berne, Switzerland,
and when about twenty years of age emigrated there from to the
United States. He settled in Wayne county, Ohio, and there
was married to Mary A. Kilchorfer, by whom he became the
father of six children that grew to mature years, as follows:
David, John, Elizabeth, Peter, Abraham and Christian.
The farm upon which Mr. Althaus settled, in Wayne
county, was at the time a complete wilderness, nothing having
been done it in the way of clearing. Thus he was one of
the pioneer settlers of that county, and gradually became one of
its substantial and prominent farmers. He had 120 acres of
good land, well improved. He was a member of the Mennonite
church, and died when eighty-six years of age.
Peter Althaus, the subject of this sketch, was
born in Wayne county, Ohio, on his father's farm, May 8, 1841,
and received the education common to the children of the
pioneers of that early day. Having learned the carpenter's
trade, he went to Moniteau county, Mo., where he followed his
trade until 1869, when he returned to Ohio, in the fall of that
year. He here engaged alone in carpentering and
contracting at Bluffton, Allen county, until the fall of 1872,
when, in partnership with Peter Oberly he erected the
present planing mill, in which this firm manufactures all kinds
of dressed lumber, doors, sash and blinds, and all kinds of
house woodwork, ornamental porches, etc. In 1883 Mr.
Oberly sold his interest in the business to P. & A.
Althaus, the firm name then becoming P. Althaus & Bro.,
and in 1886 Althaus Bros. sold to Frederick Geiger
and this firm became well-known as a reliable one throughout the
county; in 1896 Mr. Geiger sold to Althaus,
Ewing & Co.
Mr. Althaus, in 1875, married Christiana
Steiner, who was born in 1846 in Wayne county, Ohio, and is
a daughter of Christian L. Steiner. To Mr. and
Mrs. Althaus there have been born five children, as follows:
Amos J., William H., Mary E., Florence A., and Wilbur
R. Both parents of these five children are members of
the Mennonite church, and highly respected people. Mr.
Althaus is a democrat in politics and has served for five
years as a member of the school board. Mr. Althaus
owns a fine residence in Bluffton, beside other valuable real
estate in the city, in addition to his mill property. He
also owns an interest in the shoe store of Baumgartner, Eiger
& Co., and an interest in two farms. Altogether
he is one of the most substantial and reliable citizens of
Bluffton, and is highly regarded because of the known integrity
of his character and the excellence of his family.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 177 |
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ASHTON
BROTHERS - One of the well-known business firms of
Spencerville, Ohio, is that of S. L. & H. M. Ashton.
They are of English descent, their father's parents coming from
Lincolnshire, England, to America in 1831. Their mother's
parents came from Hew York state, settling in Hardin county,
Ohio, when it was but little more than an unbroken wilderness,
here endured the hardships of a pioneer life, and lived to a
ripe old age. The brothers (Ashton) were born in
Lima, Ohio, the elder in 1863 and the younger in 1867.
They were given the advantage of a common-school education, of
which they ever availed themselves to the fullest extent.
S. L. Ashton started at sixteen years of age to learn the
printing trade, and, after mastering it, went into the Merchants
National bank, where he remained for three years, and there
acquired a knowledge of banking and book-keeping. In 1885
the brothers came to Spencerville, July 1st, and took charge of
the Spencerville Journal, which was a very badly dilapidated and
practically a bankrupt concern. After resuscitating the
paper and putting it fairly on its feet, and operating it for
four years, they sold it and began casting around for another
location, but failing to find one they opened a cry-goods house,
and, although inexperienced, they operated one of teh most
successful mercantile house in Spencerville. This business
they followed for four years, when, at the beginning of
Harrison's administration, the senior brother was appointed
postmaster, which position he very satisfactorily filled for
nearly four years, when ill health compelled him to resign and
seek a change of climate, which he did, going to California and
returning greatly improved.
The younger brother, H. M. Ashton, acted as
assistant postmaster during the older brother's term of office.
Before this time they had organized the Spencerville Home &
Savings association, which became one of the champion
institutions of the town and now holds first mortgage loans,
exceeding in value $75,000. In August, 1893, the brothers
again became owners of the Spencerville Journal, and by hard
work and earnest application have made it one of the best local
newspaper in northwestern Ohio.
The Ashton brothers are enthusiastic champions
of all improvements, take an active part in public affairs, and,
being large real estate holders, their taxes practically aid in
the building up of the town. H. M. Ashton, the
junior brother, was united in marriage to Miss Minnie
Harbison, a daughter of Dr. Harbison, one of the
oldest practitioners of Allen County. He was the founder
of the Spencerville Stave factory, which gave the place its
first business impulse. The senior brother is known all
over northwest Ohio as the "Bachelor Editor," and is the butt of
many a good natured thrust at his single blessedness from the
newspaper fraternity. It is a satisfaction to write of men
who have in so pronounced a manner come to the front and
substantially remained there. As the pen is mightier than
the sword, so, too, are pluck, energy and perseverance, in
comparison with the inheritance of greatness or fortune.
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen & Van
Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896 -
Page 177 |
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LEVI ATMUR
Source: A Portrait and biographical record of Allen &
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co., 1896
- Page 572 |
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