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CRAWFORD COUNTY,
 OHIO

BIOGRAPHIES
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)

(Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902)

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Bucyrus Twp. -
CHRISTIAN W. FISHER, Postmaster, Bucyrus, is a son of David and Elizabeth (Stayman) Fisher, and was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Aug. 23, 1825.  His father was a farmer, and young Christian lived the first three years of his life on the farm where he was born.  His parents removed to Richland Co., Ohio, in 1828, and settled on a farm, where their son was reared, to work against the privations of a new and wild country, and to struggle against the disadvantages of pioneer life.  But little time could be spread for schooling in those days, and the school houses were of the primitive character described in other portions of this work.  The only text books in Mr. Fisher's early school days were the spelling book, and that revered volume, the Bible, but Mr. Fisher, despite the barriers which arose before him in the acquirement of an education, was a hard student, and, at the age of 20, was enabled to teach school.  Soon after his debut as a pedagogue, he entered the Ashland Academy, then in charge of Loring Andrews.  For a period of several years he attended and taught school, and proved himself a successful instructor.  In June, 1848, he removed to Bucyrus, and upon his arrival was tendered and accepted a clerkship in the dry goods store of A. Failor, where he continued five years.  On the first day of the year 1856, he commenced business as a partner in the firm of Root, Fisher & Hall, which enterprise was successful.  The business was sold out at the end of two years, and our subject accepted a clerical position under the firm of Hall & Juillard, remaining one year, when he purchased a half-interest, and the business continued under the firm name of Juillard & Fisher, and this partnership lasted until 1865.  In January, 1866, Mr. Fisher commenced a new enterprise, opening a general store three doors north of the National Bank, under the firm name of Fisher & Lauck.  This was continued until February, 1877, when he retired.  Feb. 1, 1879, he received the appointment as Postmaster from President Hayes, an office the duties of which he has ably discharged, and making himself popular among the citizens of Bucyrus.  He has been a prominent and useful member of society, having served on the School Board for several years.  He is a charter member of Howard Lodge, Knights of Honor, No. 109, and was its first presiding officer; also its delegate to the second session of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and was elected Chaplain of that body.  At the third elected Chaplain of that body.  At the third session he was elected Grand Dictator, and in 1878 he retired, becoming Past Grand of Ohio.  He was elected delegate to the Supreme Lodge for two years, Nashville in 1878, and Boston 1879.  Mr. Fisher is a member of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church.  He was married in May, 1852, to Miss Henrietta Lauck, of Bucyrus, and of this marriage there are seven children - Edgar L., Charles J., George P., Mary L., Frank M., Blanche and Grace.
Source:  History of Crawford County, Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186 Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 735
Bucyrus Twp. -
DAVID E. FISHER, merchant, Bucyrus; was born in Mansfield, Ohio, Mar. 24, 1846, where the first fourteen yeas of his life were spent in attending the schools of that place.  In the fall of 1860, he came to Bucyrus to live with an uncle, Mr. C. W. Fisher, assisting him on his farm and attending school one year.  In July, 1862, he enlisted in the 131st O. V. I., from which after five months' service, he was honorably discharged.  He then began clerking in his uncle's store, filling a position there until the 136th O. N. G. marched to the defense of the National Capital.  At the expiration of the term of his enlistment, he was again discharged from the service, and resumed his duties in the store with his uncle, C. W. Fisher, until 1869, t which time the firm was changed to Fisher & Lauck; he, however, remaining with that firm until 1873, when he entered into a partnership with his brother, J. J. Fisher.  He was married Nov. 3, 1869, to Miss Maggie Hoover, by whom he has three children - Bessie M., Jay C. and infant son.  He is a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church and Sunday school, holding, in the last-named organization, a responsible position.
Source:  History of Crawford County, Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186 Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 736
Bucyrus Twp. -
GEORGE W. FISHER, merchant, Bucyrus; is the son of E. B. and Lydia (Webster) Fisher, and was born July 23, 1856, in Middletown, Butler Co., Ohio; his early youth was spent in this village, and, when he was about 7 years of age his parents removed to Franklin, Ohio, where he received his education; at the age of 16, he commenced to learn tailoring with his father, who is a skillful cutter and tailor; in 1873, the family removed to Tiffin, Ohio, and the subject of our sketch became, at the age of 18 years, cutter for G. H. Corthell & Co., at that time doing the best business in Tiffin in their line; he continued here until 1876, when he worked in Marion for six months; he formed a partnership with Morrison on Jan. 8, 1879.  He was married to Hattie E. Cook, of Tiffin, Ohio, by whom he has one son - Harry W., born Feb. 19, 1880.  Mr. Fisher is a young and energetic business man, and the business of his firm is prospering finely; as a cutter, he has few equals and no superiors in Bucyrus.
Source:  History of Crawford County, Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186 Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 737
Bucyrus Twp. -
H. M. FISHER, carpenter and builder, Bucyrus; is a son of David and Elizabeth (Stayman) Fisher, and was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Dec. 12, 1818.  While a boy, he lived on a farm and received a good common-school education.  His father was born near Greencastle, Penn., in 1787; was a farmer and also a miller, becoming a merchant later in life; he was possessed of a liberal education, and was married in Pennsylvania in 1809, and came to Ohio in 1828, and lived here until his death.  The subject of our sketch came with his parents here, and assisted his father on the farm, near Mansfield, and remained until the death of the latter.  He learned the carpenter trade with his brother in Mansfield, about 1842.  In 1854, he came to Crawford Co., and worked in an around Bucyrus, following his trade, in company with his brother, David Fisher, until 1865.  In 1867 and 1868, he also worked in Marion Co.  He has been engaged in carpentering and bridge-building ever since 1854, in this and adjoining counties.  He was married, Oct. 29, 1850, to Miss Solena Culver, of Richland Co., Ohio; she died Jan. 13, 1852.  Sept. 20, 1855, he was again married, to Miss Sarah A. Dickson, of Vernon Township, this county; there is one child of this family - N. C. Fisher, Civil Engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad, stationed at Chicago.  Of his father's family, there are the following children living, besides himself - Eliza, wife of Henry Cook, of Constantine, Mich.; C. W. Fisher, Louisa, widow of Joseph Davis, of Evansville, Ind., and Susannah.  Mr. Fisher has been a Republican since the organization of the party, and is one of the respected and influential citizens of Bucyrus.
Source:  History of Crawford County, Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186 Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 735
Bucyrus Twp. -
J. J. FISHER, merchant, Bucyrus; is a son of David and Martha (Cook) Fisher, and was born in Mansfield, Ohio, Nov. 22, 1837.  He attended school in that place until 18 years of age, at which time he left school and came to Bucyrus, where he was clerk in a dry goods store for nine years.  In 1865, he entered into a partnership with J. A. Schaber, at Sulphur Springs, Ohio, and they there started a general store.  This enterprise they sold out, however, and he commenced business again, in company with Juillard and Lewis in the grocery business at Bucyrus.  This partnership lasted until 1869, doing a very successful business.  Mr. Fisher's health failing, he retired and spent some time on a farm.  In March, 1873, he and D. E. Fisher entered into business together under the firm name of J. J. Fisher & Bro.  Since then they have conducted the business together.  In 1871, they erected the Fisher Block, a three-story brick structure, 158 feet deep and 23 wide.  The first story is occupied with dry goods and groceries, the basement with carpets and queensware.  They are doing an immense business, and are enterprising and successful in business.  The subject of our sketch was married Sept. 17, 1865, to Miss Arena White, daughter of C. W. White, of Dallas Township.  He is an Elder in St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and is a consistent and steadfast Christian.  His father, David Fisher, was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Nov. 11, 1810.  He was a carpenter by trade, and came to Mansfield in 1832.  He was married there in 1836, and continued at his trade throughout his life.  There are four children, James J., Joseph E., John W. and David E., of this first marriage, are still living.  His wife died in 1846.  He was remarried in 1849, to Sarah Furguson.  They had one child a daughter, named Amelia, now Mrs. D. F. Welsh. He died July 22, 1880, holding a firm belief in the tenets of Christianity...., and was a member of the Congregational Church.
Source:  History of Crawford County, Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186 Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 737
JOHN FISHER, an engineer on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, residing at Crestline, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, February 9, 1852. His father, Adam Fisher, was a native of the same locality, and in the year 1855 crossed the Atlantic to America, bringing with him his family. He believed that he might better provide for his wife and children in the new world, and accordingly he located upon a farm in Crawford county, Ohio, where he carried on agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in the year 1878. His wife, Mrs. Catherine Fisher, was also born in Hesse-Darmstadt, passing away in Crawford county. Their children are Adam, Mrs. Grufstein, Mrs. Elizabeth Clemens, Philip, Lein, George, Eliza, Fred, Jacob, John and Mrs. Mary Fiddler.
     In taking up the personal history of John Fisher we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely known in Crawford county. He was brought to Ohio by his parents when only three years of age, and has here passed his entire life. He pursued his education in the schools of Crestline and in his youth worked upon his father's farm, assisting in the labors of field and meadow from the time of early spring planting until the crops were gathered in the autumn. Not desiring to follow the plow as a life work, however, he left home in 1871 to enter the railroad service as a fireman in the employ of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. He was thus engaged for five years, on the expiration of which period he was promoted to the position of engineer, in which capacity he has served for a quarter of a century. He has been offered positions on passenger trains, but has refused these, preferring to run on a freight engine. He is most reliable, painstaking and careful, and he enjoys in an unusual degree the confidence of his superiors. In the line of his chosen life work he has social relations with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
     In 1876 Mr. Fisher was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Metz, who was born in Crawford county, October 12, 1854, her parents having come to Ohio from Germany in an early period of the development of the Buckeye state, Two children grace the union of our subject and his wife,—Amos and Howard. The parents hold membership in the Lutheran church, and in his political affiliations Mr. Fisher is a Democrat, supporting the men and measures of the party and keeping well informed on the issues of the day. He has never been an aspirant for office, preferring to give his entire attention to his work. He has a wide acquaintance in Crawford county and his friends are almost as numerous.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 845


W. B. FORREST

WALLACE B. FORREST

Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 144

ANDREW FRANKENFIELD.  Reference has been frequently made in this work to the good influence of Pennsylvania blood upon the settlement and development of the great, middle west. Of such ancestry is Andrew Frankenfield, of Texas township, Crawford county, Ohio, who was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, April 6, 1820, and was there reared to a practical knowledge of farming and educated in the common schools. In due time he married Rebecca Besulma, who bore him five sons and five daughters, of whom seven are living.
     In 1851 Mr. Frankenfield removed to Crawford county, Ohio, where he bought five acres of land, on which he erected a cabin and a log blacksmith shop. Later he bought fifty acres of heavily timbered land, which he gradually cleared and put under cultivation and on which he lived for twenty-five years, farming and doing carpenter work as there was a demand for his services. At the expiration of that time he located on a farm in Seneca county, Ohio, where he lived until 1868, when he removed to his present farm of one hundred and seventeen acres in Texas township, Crawford county, Ohio, where he has given his attention to general farming with much success.
     Politically Mr. Frankenfield affiliates with the Democratic party and his influence in local public matters is recognized. At the same time he is not in the ordinary sense of the term a practical politician and he has never sought nor accepted office. He is a communicant of the Presbyterian church and has for many years been a liberal contributor toward the support of its various interests. He began life poor and is a self-made man, whose success has been won most worthily and who is highly regarded by all who know him.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 820
F. M. FREESE.  The subject of this notice, the senior member of E. M. Freese & Company, manufacturers of clay-working machinery and appliances at Galion, Ohio, was born in Medina county, this state, Sept. 23, 1845, a son of Harlow and Almira (Morton) Freese, the former a native of Lee, Massachusetts and the latter of Pittsfield, that state.  Harlow Freese was a son of W. and Clarrissa (Beaumont) Freese, who removed from Lee, Massachusetts, when Harlow was eight years of age, in 1818, and located in Brunswick Medina county, Ohio, becoming the owner of about one thousand acres of land, then an unbroken wilderness, and engaged extensively in farming.
     Harlow Freese grew to manhood in Brunswick and there married Almira Morton, continuing his residence there during his life and following the occupation of a farmer, and was an exemplary man and an estimable citizen.  To Harlow and Almira (Morton) Freese were born to children (sons),  E. M. and M. L. Freese.  The last mentioned died about twenty years ago.  Harlow Freese died in 1890, at the age of eight years, and Almira, his wife, in 1887, at the age of seventy years.
     E. M. Freese obtained a practical education in the public schools near his home.  Early in life he developed a decided love of mechanics, and following his inclinations he became, at the age of twenty, a machinist's apprentice at the works of Turner Parks & Company, manufacturers of grain-cleaning and sewer-pipe machinery at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where during the succeeding four years he gained much proficiency in mechanical work.  He then entered the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Crestline, Ohio, where he was employed until 1881.  Here, by the exercise of industry and economy, he accumulated the means with which to engage in a small way in the manufacture of clay-working machinery at Plymouth, Ohio.  Beginning with two partners, he successively purchased the interests of each and became sole owner of the business in 1890, and has continued the same up to the present time.  By the advantage of natural mechanical genius and persistent and industrious effort, he was able to greatly improve the machinery used for the manufacture of building, street-paving and fire brick, and for terra-cotta, fire-proofing and drain tile, and was largely instrumental in this way in revolutionizing these industries, which have had a wonderful growth in the United States, the value of clay products now (1901) amounting to about one hundred million dollars yearly.  Conservative methods soon placed the venture upon a firm footing and the business was constantly increased in extent and larger facilities became necessary, and in 1891 the works were removed to Galion, Ohio, where they are permanently located, occupying extensive and commodious buildings erected for the purpose and equipped with modern machinery and appliances especially suited to this class of manufacture and with many conveniences not usually found in other works of this kind.  The machinery manufactured here  is sold in all parts of the United States and in some foreign countries, and is noted for originality of design, the economy of its operation and the superiority of the wares it produces.
     Familiarity with all details of the manufacture and sale of the variety of machinery in this class now manufactured, and painstaking and conscientious attention to the demands of the trade, on the part of the subject of this sketch, have developed a large and prosperous business which is destined to continue to flourish.
     In 1882 E. M. Freese was married to Miss Rosina Berger, of Galion.  They have three children, - Herbert H., Arthur J. and Horace E. Freese.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 417
SAMUEL S. FREESE.  The family of Freese has long been well known in Pennsylvania, where the name has become identified with success and agricultural and mechanical pursuits, in financial and commercial circles, in the professions and in politics. Wherever representatives of the family have gone, following the westward course of the empire, they have not only planted well, cultivated thoroughly and reaped abundantly, but have been so upright in their dealings with their fellow men and so public-spirited in their relations to their fellow citizens that even-where the name has become a synonym for good citizenship. There may have been men named Frees who have fallen short of realizing this description, but such have never been known in Crawford county, Ohio, where the family has been well represented by Samuel Freese, of Jefferson township, and by others.
     Samuel S. Freese was born at Lancaster. Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1820, one of the five children of John J. and Susan (Eldis) Freese, and he is the only one of them now living. The others were named William, Elizabeth, Susan and Adam. In 1823. when the subject of this sketch was about three years old, he was taken by his parents to Holmes county, Ohio, where the family lived until 1831, when they removed to Crawford county. John J. Freese bought eighty acres of land in Jefferson township, on which some improvements had been made and a one-room log- house had been erected. Mr. Freese died at Galion, Ohio.
     Samuel Freese was brought up to farm work and received a meager education in the subscription school taught in a log school house near his pioneer home. He has a vivid recollection of early days in Crawford county and remembers the now flourishing city of Gallon at a period in its history when it consisted of only a few scattered log cabins. He remained on the farm, assisting his father, until 1848, when, at the age of twenty-eight years, he married Lena Eberly and moved on his present farm, on which there then stood a small log house, which has since given place to a substantial modern residence. He proved himself to be a man of exceptional business capacity and became the owner of more than five hundred acres of land, three hundred acres .of which he has divided among his children. His home farm of two-hundred acres he devotes to general farming and stock-raising.
     Samuel and Lena (Eberly) Freese have children named John, Caroline, Eliza and William.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 823

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