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BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
 Source:
History of Crawford County, Ohio
Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers
186 Dearborn Street
1881
Whetstone Twp. -
JOHN GIBSON; P. O. Bucyrus; this gentleman
is of Scotch-Irish descent, his birth occurring in Pennsylvania
Jan. 8, 1812. He is the eldest of a family of nine
children, six sons and three daughters born to George A. and
Hannah (Buchanan) Gibson, both natives of the above State.
The family resided in Pensylvania until 183, when they
left the old home and came to the new one in Crawford County,
Ohio where the father died in 1848. Shortly after this,
the widow moved with her family to Wyandot County, where she
likewise died in 1872. In 1835, Mr. Gibson, then a
young man of 23 years of age, came to Crawford County. He
had previously traveled over several States, viewing the
country; but, liking Crawford County, he purchased 80 acres of
school land upon which he yet resides. On the 15th of
April, 1837, he was united in marriage with Miss Martha
Matthews who bore him one child, Martha.
Mrs. Gibson died Sept. 22, 1838, and on the 15th of April,
1841, Mr. Gibson married his second wife, Miss Mary A.
Kerr. This lady was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Mar.
4, 1822, and has borne her husband eleven children, ten of whom
are living - Margaret A., Hannah E., Andrew H., George B.,
James McG., Emma A., John E., Charley E., Della J. and
Leafe L., living; and Mary B., deceased.
Mary A. Gibson is the daughter of Andrew and Margaret
(Campbell) Kerr, natives of Franklin Co., Ohio, in 1826,
entering a small piece of land and suffering all the hardships
of pioneer life. They were among the earliest settlers in
the county, and are closely identified with its history.
Mr. Kerr died in 1880, aged 85 years, and his wife yet
survives him at the advanced age of 88 years, being one of the
oldest living settlers in the county. Mr. Gibson
owns 150 acres of land, and is one of the most prominent
citizens in the county, engaging actively in educational
enterprises, and in all movements to insure the prosperity and
happiness of the human race. He has always found a warm
assistant and sympathizer in his good wife, whose womanly heart
never tires of well-doing. Mr. Gibson is one of the
few Republicans in the county. The family are members of
the Presbyterian Church.
Source 2: History of Crawford County,
Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186
Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 890 |
Bucyrus Twp. -
GEORGE C. GORMLY, Cashier of First
National Bank, Bucyrus. The subject of this sketch is the
second son of John A. Gormly. The maiden name of
his mother was Louisa B. Bowman. He was born on the
18th of October, 1841, in Bucyrus. In his 19th year, he
completed the high school course of this place, and in the fall
of 1860, he entered the freshman class of Jefferson College, at
Cannonsburg, Penn. He graduated from this institution in
June, 1864, receiving first honors as the essayist of his
society. On his return to Bucyrus, he entered the First
National Bank as teller, a position which he held until 1876,
when he was promoted to the position of assistant cashier.
In 1878, he was elected cashier - a position for which his
fifteen years of faithful service had eminently fitted him.
He has conducted a general insurance business since 1869, and is
Treasurer of the Crawford County Agricultural Society, and
Secretary of the Joint Stock Company. He is one of the
Trustees of the Oakwood Cemetery, and also served his party as a
member of the Central Committee. He united with the
Presbyterian Church in 1863, and has been Secretary and
Treasurer of the Sabbath school for ten years. On Jan. 4,
1866, he united his fortunes with Sarah A. Wood, only
child of Hon. C. K. Ward. Of this marriage two
children were born - Gracie W. and John Clark Gormly.
Source 2: History of Crawford County,
Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186
Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page |
Bucyrus Twp. -
JAMES B. GORMLY, banker, Bucyrus; the
oldest son of John A. Gormly was born Nov. 23, 1836, in
Bucyrus. In his youth he received such instruction as the
village schools afforded, until his 17th year, when he entered
the store of his uncle, J. P. Bowman, for one year.
In the fall of 1855, he entered Bartlett's Commercial College in
Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he graduated in the spring of 1856.
On his return home he at once entered the Exchange Bank of this
place, as teller and general book-keep0er. He performed
these duties with efficiency from May, 1856, until June, 1859.
In the latter year, he and his father organized the People's
Deposit Bank, Aug. 1, 1859, being sole proprietors. This
institution continued until May 1, 1864. At the
organization of the First National Bank of Bucyrus, Mr.
Gormly was chosen Cashier - a position which he held until
the death of his father, in May, 1878, when he was elected
President - a tribute to his long experience and faithful
service. From 1871 to 1875, he served the Ohio Cent. R. R.
Co., in the double capacity of Secretary and Treasurer. He
was also Treasurer of the Crawford County Agricultural Society,
from 1867 until 1878 - a period of eleven years. In May,
1859, he was united in marriage with Miss E. Virginia Swingly,
daughter of Dr. F. Swingly. This union has been
blessed with three children - Ella K., Susie E. and
James B., Jr. Mr. Gormly was raised a Presbyterian,
and has been Treasurer of his church since his eighteenth year.
The First National Bank, under the management of father and
sons, has become widely known as the Gormly Bank. Within a
period of ten years it has returned to its stockholders in
dividends their entire original investment of $100,000, besides
putting $20,000 into a reserve fund. The father, John
A. Gormly, whose portrait appears in this work, was born at
Pittsburgh, Penn., Feb. 19, 1804. He was the son of
John Gormly, an Irish Protestant, who was born in the county
of Tyrone, Ireland, in 1776, and came to America about 1790;
settling at Pittsburgh, Penn., where he followed the business of
milling. John A. Gormly was reared by pious and
godly parents, whose early lessons blossomed, and, in after
years, bore the fruit of a well-rounded life and exalted
Christian manhood. About 1830, he removed to Brownsville,
Penn., where he became a member of the Presbyterian Church.
It was here that he met and married Miss Louisa Bowman,
in 1833. The result of this happy union was three children
- James B., George C. and Mary L., wife of Rev.
James G. D. Findley. Pastor of the United Presbyterian
Church, at Newburg, N. Y. Mr. Gormly was employed
in mercantile pursuits at Brownsville, Penn., until 1836, when
he removed to Bucyrus. He had but little capital at that
time, and purchased a house and lot on Sandusky avenue, and kept
a small store, on the site of H. H. Moderwell's tin and
stove store. It was a general store where the meager wants
of both the white and the red children of the forest were
supplied. In those days, he and his faithful wife came to
know what toil and privation meant, but by unswerving purpose
and careful management, step by step Mr. Gormly became
one of the substantial men of Bucyrus. He invested his
surplus capital year by year, in the rich farm lands near town,
until he owned over 1,000 acres, besides considerable city
property. In 1859, he became proprietor of the People's
Deposit Bank of this place, which continued in successful
operation until 1864, at which time he was elected President of
the First National Bank of Bucyrus, a position which he held
until his death, and to him that worthy institution owes much of
its past prosperity, and present prestige for fair dealing and
sterling integrity, which were synonyms of his life and
character. He took a prominent part in church affairs, and
in the year 1838, he was elected a Ruling Elder in the
Presbyterian Church, and chosen by the Presbytery of
Bellefontaine Lay Commissioner to the "General Assembly, which
met at Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1876. His faithful wife
departed this life May 6, 1872, and he passed away peacefully
May 8, 1878, in the 75th year of his age.
Source: History of Crawford County,
Ohio, Publ. Chicago: Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186
Dearborn Street. - 1881 - Page 741 |
Auburn Twp. -
SAMUEL S. GREEN, farmer; P. O. Tiro.
The oldest settler living in Auburn Township is the subject of
this biography. He was born in Indiana Co., Penn., June
25, 1807. Is a son of William and Martha (Stanton)
Green, who were married in Luzerne Co., Penn., in 1806.
The father was a native of Berkshire Co., Mass., and was born in
1778, and the mother was born in New London Co., Conn., in 1788.
In 1813, they came to Licking Co., Ohio, where they remained
three years. In 1815, Mr. Green came to Auburn
Township, Crawford Co., Ohio, where he entered 640 acres of land
in the southeastern part of the township. In December,
1816, he moved his family to the log house he had on his
clearing in Auburn Township. Mr. and Mrs. Green
were the parents of eleven children, one dying in infancy
without any name - Samuel S., Caroline, Walter, Julia A.,
William, Martha M., Daniel, John, Mary and Hannah J. Those
named are all living. The father died in 1862, and the
mother in 1865. Samuel S. was 9 years old when they
came to Auburn Township, and much of the Auburn Township history
was learned from him. He is single; owns 80 acres of land,
and is a Democrat in politics, and a genial, wide-awake
gentleman.
Source: History of Crawford County, Ohio, Publ. Chicago:
Baskin & Battey, Historical Publishers, 186 Dearborn Street. -
1881 - Page 864 |
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