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Source:
History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County
with
Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of
Pioneer and Prominent Public Men
by C. W. Williamson
Columbus, Ohio
Press of W. M. Linn & Sons
1905
BIOGRAPHIES
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DANIEL
LANDON RICHARDSON, a son of William Richardson,
whose biography appears in this work, was one of the oldest
residents of Auglaize county, and one of the largest property
owners in Logan township, where he lived for many years before
moving to Wapakoneta. He was born in Shelby county, Ohio,
August 17, 1816. He married Miss Agnes Francis in
1835, and commenced housekeeping in Franklin county, Ohio, where
he resided for eleven years. In 1846 he moved to Logan
township, where he purchased a large tract of land on the
Auglaize River and developed a farm. Here he resided until
1875, when he moved to Wapakoneta.
In 1844 he entered the ministry of the Christian
Church, and traveled for years on horseback through the wilds of
this section of the State, preaching to the people wherever he
could get them together, in the woods or in their cabins, there
being no churches in those days.
Elder Richardson died March 15, 1891, and was
buried in Green Lawn Cemetery. A handsome monument,
erected by himself, marks his resting place.
Source 1: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County -
by C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn &
Sons - 1905 - Page 638 |
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WILLIAM
RICHARDSON, the subject of this sketch, was born in
Montgomery county, Virginia, in 1765. His boyhood was
passed during the exciting times of Indian wars and the American
Revolution. At the age of seventeen he served as scout and
soldier in the Indian border wars of western Virginia and
Pennsylvania. Later, he served two years on the skirmish
line in the Revolutionary War. He was a cousin of
General Anthony Wayne, their mothers having
been Mattie and Nancy Hiddens. He has the
reputation of having been married seven times. His first
wife was a Miss Mary Adney, whom he married in 1784, and
who died in 1811. In 1812 he entered Harrison's army and
served during the war, with the exception of two or three
months. In 1815 he married Catharine Millhouse, a
sister of Barbara Dillborne, who, with her husband, had
been murdered by three Shawnee Indians. Richardson
avenged the death of Mr. and Mrs. Dillborne by shooting
the three murderers. Two of the Indians were killed near
Piqua in Miami county - the third paying the death penalty on
the Auglaize River two miles north of Buckland in Auglaize
county. Richardson was a man of powerful physique
and of great endurance. The indulgence of his appetite led
to many quarrels and fights. It is said of him that he
would rather fight than eat." Owing his pugilistic
proclivities, he was called Rowdy Richardson.
During the last twenty years of his life he resided at Hamar,
Paulding county, Ohio. He died in that village at the
advanced age of one hundred and nine years, from injuries
received in breaking a colt.
Source 1: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County -
by C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn &
Sons - 1905 - Page 638 |
John Ridley |
Wayne Twp. -
JOHN RIDLEY, or Redlon, one of the
pioneers of Auglaize county and a soldier of the Revolution, was
born in Saco, Maine, Nov. 11th, 1760. He was the fourth
son of Matthias Ridley and remained under the paternal
roof until 1775, when he and his elder brothers enlisted in the
War of the Revolution. He participated in the battles of
Bunker Hill, Princeton, Brandywine, and Germantown. After
the defeat he accompanied the retreating army to Valley Forge,
and experienced all the severities for which the memorable
winter of 1777-8 is noted. He carried the scars of frozen
legs and feet the remainder of his life. He also
participated in the campaigns of 1778-9, and was present at the
siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis. Soon
after the surrender, the company to which he belonged was
mustered out of service and he returned to Saco.
On the 15th of December, 1779, he married Abigail
Holmes of the town of Scarborough, and settled in his native
town. "He subsequently followed his brothers to Little
Falls Plantation, now in Hollis, York county, and cleared a farm
on a twenty-rod strip between the 'College Right' and 'Dalton
Right,' so called." Mr. Ridley's house, built of
logs, was near where the brick house, known as the Uncle
David Martin house, now stands. He
owned that farm and the land on the hill in the Ridlon
neighborhood. Mr. Ridley lived at Little Falls
Plantation about ten or twelve years, when he moved to Vermont,
where he purchased a large tract of land and built a house.
His wife died during his residence in Vermont, and becoming
discouraged in the cultivation of a rocky soil, and hearing from
his brother Abraham from Ohio about the beauties of the
western country and the fertility of the soil there, he sold his
property and emigrated to that State. Mr. Ridley's
first settlement in Ohio was in Miami county, where he lived
many years. He subsequently moved to Auglaize county and
purchased a farm near Waynesfield, where he continued to live
with his only surviving son until his death." He married a
second wife in Vermont. No children were born of this
union. She also preceded her husband."
"Mr. Ridley spent his last days in the family of
his son and namesake in Waynesfield, where he died in 1867, aged
one hundred and six years and three months. He was never
known to be sick, and died of old age. He retained his
faculties to a remarkable degree, and when more than a hundred
years old would carry a chair into his orchard and sit to shoot
the birds that came for plums and cherries. He was
naturally quiet and sober, but when he had taken some spirits he
became communicative, and would spend hours in relating his
adventures in the woods of Maine and his hardships in the army.
He was not tall, but resembled his brother Thomas in
build. He was singularly broad across the shoulders and
hips. Erect and full-chested, he carried himself
gracefully when walking. He had black hair, which inclined
to curl; bald crown; broad, smooth forehead; heavy, outstanding
brows; gray eyes, oval face, red cheeks, and a short, thick
nose. Like all his relatives, he had the broad mouth and
chin so characteristic of the people of northern Europe, from
whence his grandfather came. When a young man he was able
to leap over a line under which he could walk when erect.
The old patriot died May 12, 1867, aged one hundred and
six years, six months and twelve days, and was interred in a
cemetery located a mile north of Waynesfield. His funeral
was attended by a large concourse of people from the surrounding
counties. The military and civic ceremonies on the
occasion were appropriate and impressive. Two years
afterward his body was removed to Fairmount cemetery in Union
township. The removal of his remains was attended by a
large assemblage of the citizens of Auglaize and Allen counties.
Judge Metcalf delivered an eloquent funeral oration at
the re-interment of the body.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County - by
C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn & Sons -
1905 - Page 741 |
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Union Twp. -
HUGH T. RINEHART was born in Tazewell
county, Virginia Oct. 23, 1813, and was reared on a farm.
His mother dying when he was four years of age, his father
was married a second time, and he was brought up by his
stepmother until he attained his seventeenth year, when he left
home and apprenticed himself to learn the blacksmith's trade.
Three years later he married Miss Juliana Godfrey who was
born in Tazewell county, Virginia, Nov. 1, 1813. Three
years after their marriage they emigrated to Ohio, and located
on section 14 in Union township. The locality was in a
wild state at that time. Mr. Rinehart erected a log
cabin on his new farm, which comprised eighty acres, and by hard
work and good management cleared and improved the same. He
was a resident of this place for fifty-five years, and all his
children were born on the homestead with the exception of two.
Mrs. Rinehart departed this life June 13, 1881. She
was the mother of eleven children, four of whom are living,
viz.: Arnold P., John A., Sarah C. (Mrs. Graham),
and Adam F.
Mr. Rinehart received a fair education in his
younger days, and taught school for several years. He was
a consistent and zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, having become a member of that denomination when he was
sixteen years of age.
As the following indicates, Mr. Rinehart has
been prominent and popular in local affairs, having served as
Justice of the Peace for fifteen years, and was a member of the
first Board of County Commissioners of the county. He was
also chairman of that board. Mr. Rinehart was a
candidate at two different times for the State Legislature, but
on both occasions was defeated by a small majority. During
the years 1859 and 1860, he was a member of the State Board of
Equalization, and has been a trustee, clerk, and assessor of
Union township for many years. He acted as land appraiser
while this section was still a portion of Allen county, and
appraised the four eastern townships in Auglaize.
Mr. Rinehart died Mar. 30, 1904.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County - by
C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn & Sons -
1905 - Page 766 |
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Washington Twp. -
JESSE ROBERTS was born near Xenia, Ohio,
Dec. 11th, 1811. He married Catherine Meyers, and
moved to Washington township in 1837. He here entered one
hundred and sixty acres of land, receiving his patent from
President Van Buren. His wife died in 1867, leaving
eight children: Minerva A., Lavina J., John M., Cyrus
P., Cornelia S., Nancy C. and Mary M. On May
31st, 1870, Mr. Roberts married Sarah J. Rush; of
this marriage one daughter was born, Ella May, who
married Rufus Hastings, with whom she resides at the
present time.
Mr. Roberts was an influential and respected
citizen, and held numerous minor offices during his residence in
the townships. His death occurred Mar. 21st, 1874, at
which time he owned six hundred and forty acres of and, acquired
by his industry and economy.
Source: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County - by
C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn & Sons -
1905 - Page 777 |
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JOHN
ROGERS was born in Orange county, New York, Oct. 20th,
1800. His parents subsequently moved to Sussex county, New
Jersey, and finally to Licking county, Ohio, in 1814. In
1821 he went to Richland county, Ohio, and shortly afterward
married Miss Mary Hadley of Mt. Vernon. In
the autumn of 1833 he came to Auglaize county and settled on the
site of the Blackhoof village, where he became one of the two
original founders of St. Johns. Tow years later Clay
township was organized, and at the first election he was chosen
trustee of the township. He afterwards held the office of
justice of the peace. His wife died about 1841, and ten
years later the married Mrs. Nancy Bechdolt. To the
development of the community he contributed his full share; and
having attained his eightieth year, he laid down the burden of
cares and years, April 30, 1880, and embraced the rest which
awaits even the restless. He was thus closely associated
with the village and township, having assisted in the founding
of both, and continued identified with them during a period of
nearly half a century.
R. SUTTON.
Source 1: History of Western Ohio & Auglaize County -
by C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio - Press of W. M. Linn &
Sons - 1905 - Page 723 |
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Jackson Twp. -
RUDOLPH A. RULMANN, M. D., was born in
Prussia, Jan. 19th, 1860. Although young in years, he has
met with unusual success in the profession he has chosen, and in
the dual capacity of physician and druggist has gained a most
enviable reputation. He father, Herman B. Rulmann
was also a native of Prussia, and there followed the trade of a
miller. In 1865, he emigrated to America, locating first
at Oldenburgh, later at Laurel, Indiana, and finally, in 1888,
came to Minster, where he is now engaged in milling. His
wife, the mother of our subject, whose name was Augusta
Muellar, was born in Prussia, and died in Indiana in 1875.
Afterward, the father married Miss Mary Hackman.
Dr. Rulmann is the elder of two children, his
brother being at the present time a prescription clerk in a
Cincinnati drug store. He was quite young when his parents
came to America, his father crossing the ocean in 1865, and the
family following in 1869. They landed at Baltimore,
Maryland, on the first of July of the latter year, and on the
4th reached Cincinnati, where the display and celebrations of
that day made an indelible impression upon the mind of the lad.
Before coming to America, he had attended school nearly four
years in his own country, and after reaching the United States,
he was a student in the Reading (Ohio) schools about one year,
and later studied at Oldenburgh, Indiana. In the year
1874, he entered Francis College and there passed two years,
after which, in the fall of 1876, he read medicine with Dr.
Averdick of Oldenburgh. In the autumn of the following
year, he entered the Ohio Medical College, of Cincinnati, took a
graded course of four years, and was graduated on the 3d of
March, 1881, with the degree of M. D. He had the advantage
of hospital practice during his collegiate studies, and took a
special course in obstetrics and diseases of women and children.
On the 22d of April, 1881, Dr. Rulmann began
practicing in Minster and is now one of the foremost physicians
of the county, where he has an excellent practice and is well
established in business. In the year 1881, he married
Miss Isabel Schmieder, a native of Minster. Her
father, Hon. J. P. Schmieder, was one of the earliest
settlers and most prominent citizens of Minster, where he
resided for many years. He was a physician of acknowledged
ability, and his death, which occurred in 1887, while he was
serving his second term as State Senator, was widely mourned as
a public loss. Mrs. Rulmann died on the 19th of
February, 1886. Two children were born to this union,
Albert H. and John P. (deceased).
Dr. Rulmann's second marriage occurred in 1888,
his wife being Miss Josephine Vogelsang, who was born in
Minster, and whose parents, Fred and Elizabeth Vogelsang,
were early settlers of that place, where they reside at the
present time. Two children have been born to Dr. and
Mrs. Rulmann, Clarence and Herbert. In
political preference our subject is a Democrat and a staunch
advocate of the platform of that party. For the past four
years he has been Health Officer of the town. He and his
wife are members of the Catholic Church. In 1881, he
established a drug store in Minster (the only one in the
village), and has occupied his present fine building since 1889.
He is secretary and treasurer of the Rulmann Milling
Company, of which his father is President, and he is one of the
most enterprising and most thorough-going men of the place.
(From Portrait and Biographical Record.)
Source: History of Western Ohio &
Auglaize County - by C. W. Williamson - Columbus, Ohio -
Press of W. M. Linn & Sons - 1905 - Page 843 |
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