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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
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DEFIANCE COUNTY
OHIO
History & Genealogy |
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Commemorative Biographical Records of Northwestern Ohio
including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams & Fulton.
Published at Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1899.
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OPENLANDER,
David F.
* OTIS, Edward H. |
*
OTIS, George
K.
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DAVID F. OPENLANDER,
the well known and popular Mayor, as well as a leading
attorney of Sherwood, Ohio, has spent his entire life in
Defiance county, his birth occurring in Delaware township,
Dec.
7, 1862.
His father, the late John G. Openlander, was
born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and when a young man came to
the New World. In Crawford county, Ohio they spent
several years of their married life, coming to Defiance
county in 1860 and locating in Delaware township, where the
father died in August, 1886.
The subject of this sketch is fourth in the order of
birth in the family of nine children - seven sons and two
daughters - and was reared on his father's farm, which now
lies within the corporate limits of Sherwood. During
his boyhood and youth he pursued his studies in the common
schools of the locality, and after his own education was
completed he successfully engaged in teaching school for
five years. From 1880 until 1886 he was interested in
the life and fire insurance, loan and real estate business
in Sherwood and vicinity, and for the following two years
was employed as chief clerk by the Ohio Construction
Company, which constructed the C. J. & M. R. R. After
leaving their employ he engaged in the pension business, at
which he was very successful and had a lucrative practice,
spending his leisure time in reading law, until 1894, when
he entered the School of Law, connected with the Ohio State
University, at Columbus, Ohio. He was graduated from that
institution in 1896, and has since successfully engaged in
practice at his present location. He is still quite
largely interested in real estate, and as a business man is
prompt, energetic and notably reliable.
The rapid achievement of his native town is due more to
his energy and personal efforts than any other cause, and
the people of Sherwood appreciate his labors in a
substantial manner. The largest and most prominent
business block in town, known as the Openlander Block,
erected by him in 1892, is a lasting memorial to his
untiring energy and push. It is safe to say that he
owns more dwellings and real estate than any other citizen
in Sherwood. Although gifted with remarkable business
capacity, he is not incapable of appreciating the beauties
of rural life, and has a fancy for farm life, which
culminated in the purchase of one of the largest and best
farms of Mark township, where he may be found during spare
moments supervising farm work.
On the 13th of Jan., 1898, Mr. Openlander was
married to Miss Joanna Fahy, and since then he has
lived with his estimable wife in the large and commodious
residence on South Main Street, which he had in readiness
for the occasion. He is quiet and exclusive in manner,
and conducts himself with a gentlemanly deportment which has
won for him a well-earned respect from his fellow citizens.
Since attaining his majority, Mr. Openlander has
been a stalwart supporter of the men and measures of the
Democratic party, and his fellow citizens, recognizing his
worth and ability, have called him to public office, the
duties of which he has performed with credit to himself and
to the entire satisfaction of his constituency.
Socially, Mr. Openlander is a prominent member of the
Knights of Pythias, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Source:
Commemorative Biographical Records of Northwestern Ohio
including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams & Fulton. -
Published at Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1899. - Page 260 |
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EDWARD
H. OTIS. Mr. Otis, who is a
representative farmer and influential citizen of Milford
township, Defiance county, residing in Section 26, is a
native of Ohio, born Dec. 28, 1827, in Sugar Creek township,
Wayne county, and is a son of Jesse and Charlotte (Davy)
Otis, who died in Wayne county. In their family
were nine children - seven sons and two daughters - our
subject being fifth in the order of birth. In the
county of his nativity he was reared and educated, and their
continued to live until 1861.
In Wayne county, Mr. Otis was married Oct. 14,
1858, to Miss Isabella J. McElhinney, who was born in
that county, Sept. 16, 1836, second in the family of twelve
children - five sons and seven daughters - of Robert G.
and Eliza (Bell) McElhinney, who also died in Wayne
county. Two children have been born to this union:
(1) Eliza, now the wife of Madison Sinn, by
whom she has three sons - Otis, Glenn - Jacob Lee
- the last named being now deceased; they reside in
Hicksville township, Defiance county. (2) Hampton
J., who married Miss Geraldine Rudolph, of
Colorado, and they have one child. Hampton Otis
is a gardener of Colorado.
In the spring of 1861 Mr. Otis came to Defiance
county, and located on the farm where he still lives, it
being pleasantly situated in Section 26, Milford township,
and comprising three hundred and fifteen acres of rich and
productive land under excellent cultivation, and improved
with good buildings; in fact, it is one of the most
desirable farms of the locality.
Mr. Otis has always taken an active and
prominent part in local affairs, and has given his influence
to all enterprises for the public good. For two terms
he efficiently served as land appraiser, and was township
trustee for seven years. His industry in the pursuit
of his own business, his spotless private life, and the
character of the services he has rendered in official
capacities have elevated him to the highest esteem in the
community in which he lives. His wife is a faithful
member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a most estimable
lady. In politics he is a Democrat.
Source:
Commemorative Biographical Records of Northwestern Ohio
including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams & Fulton. -
Published at Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1899. - Page 338 |
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GEORGE K. OTIS.
This descendant of a family prominently connected with the
early history of Wayne county, Ohio, is a native of the
same, born in Sugar Creek township, Mar. 11, 1844.
Jesse Otis, the founder of the family in that county, was
born in the Green Mountain State, of New England ancestry of
the Hon. James Otis stock.
Jesse Otis made his new home in Sugar Creek township,
near Dalton. He there purchased a farm of one hundred
and sixty acres, and in connection with the pursuit of his
trade as a blacksmith engaged in farming, and, besides, gave
attention to the public interests of the township, becoming
a prominent citizen and serving as justice of the peace and
in other official positions. He married Charlotte
Davy, of Frederick, Maryland, Apr. 17, 1817, and that place
became their home till death called them from earthly
scenes. The former died May 1, 1856, suddenly while
returning in his buggy from the city. They were
members of the Baptist Church.
Merrill Otis, a son of Jesse and Charlotte (Davy) Otis,
was born in Wayne county, and was there married to Margaret
Saltzman. They spent the first six years of their
married life there, and then, with the three children that
had come to their home, moved to Milford, Defiance county,
and located on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres
purchased by Mr. Otis. He afterward added eighty acres
to the original purchase, and for a long period conducted
the farm, making that place the permanent home of the
family. Si children were added to the household during
the residence there.
Well-known in his day, Merrill Otis commanded the high
regard of the community, and for its good he was actively
interested. HE was elected county commissioner two
terms, and served as trustee of the township, member of the
school board, and in other township offices. He was a
member of the Presbyterian Church, and received the marked
confidence of his fellow members in the Presbyterian Church
of Lost Creek by being chosen a trustee, a position he held
for many years. He departed this life in 1890 at the
age of seventy years, and was buried in Hicksville cemetery
by the side of his wife, who died in 1887, at the age of
sixty-seven years.
George K. Otis, the second of the nine children of
Merrill and Margaret Otis, was born in Sugar Creek township,
but spent most of his childhood days in the new home of
Milford, where in study and farm life the years passed until
he reached the age of eighteen. Eager than to join in
the defense of the Union against the Confederate foe, he
enlisted in Company F, One Hundred Eleventh Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, to serve during the war, his brother, Doctor
William Otis, enlisting at the same time. After
two weeks of camp life at Toledo, the company on Aug. 13,
1862, was ordered to Cincinnati and thence to Covington,
Kentucky. The regiment formed a part of the division
under General Rosecrans, and participated in the
campaign conducted by him against General Bragg.
After the engagement at Franklin, Kentucky, in which the
young soldier took part, his health failed, and he was
appointed postmaster at Park Barracks, Louisville, by
General Gilmore, and served as such from the 5th of
December to the 1st of April. He then rejoined his
company at Frankfort, but soon afterward was prostrated by
typhoid pneumonia, and receiving an honorable discharge from
the army, was mustered out June 11, 1863. His father
removed him on a cot to his home, in Milford, and after the
youth's recovery he resumed study, becoming a student at the
academy at Newville, Indiana, where he remained eighteen
months. He then took a course of study at the
Commercial College, Cleveland, graduating in 1865, and after
his graduation he taught school one term in Adams township,
Defiance county. A year at home followed, during which
he purchased an interest in a store at Bryan.
In 1864 the State of Ohio was organized into military
companies. In Milford township, Defiance county, one
entire company was raised, and the officers were elected by
a special election called by the Governor of the State.
Three officers - captain, first lieutenant and second
lieutenant - were elected in Milford township, the election
resulting in a spirited contest between Democrats and
Republicans. The result of the election was the
Republicans electing the captain and second lieutenant by
majorities of thirty-five and fifty-one respectively, and
the Democrats electing George K. Otis for first
lieutenant by a majority of three. In those days the
Republicans had a large majority in the township.
On Mar. 19, 1867, Mr. Otis was married to
Sarah Hilbert, a daughter of Peter Hilbert, a
farmer and lumber dealer of Hicksville. After
marriage, he rented his father's farm of eighty acres in
Hicksville township, on which he located. After
operating it one year he sold it and turned his face
westward, going first to Montana, Kansas, where he engaged
in the livery business for a while, and later became a
hardware dealer in Labette City, Kansas, remaining there a
year and a half, when he removed to Howard county, in the
eastern part of the State, and purchased a tract of land
containing eight hundred acres. This he conducted as a
stock farm, meeting with success; but the climate not
agreeing with him, he, in 1873, returned to Ohio, and in the
fall of that year embarked in mercantile pursuits, also
dealing in stock and general produced. He carried on
an extensive and lucrative business in these industries for
three years and nine months, when he went to Hicksville and
spent a year in the drug trade, after which he became an
agent for the sale of farming implements, an occupation he
followed successfully until 1885. He then entered upon
general merchandising, engaging in speculation also, and
through his loans (to friends) met with losses to the amount
of forty thousand dollars. For a number of years since
that time he has been in the real-estate field, and in
connection with his dealings therein is serving as
postmaster in Hicksville, having received the appointment by
President Cleveland, in 1894. His is a firm
advocate of Democratic principles, giving of his means and
using his influence in support of the same. In Milford
he served as justice of the peace three years, and, in
Hicksville, the office of township treasurer has been
conferred upon him two terms. In September,
1898, he was honored by Governor Bushnell with an
appointment as the Fifth District member of the Ohio
Centennial Commission for 1903. The term to be served
will be of four years' duration, and the compensation of
each of the commissioners will be about one thousand five
hundred dollars per year and expenses. That he will
faithfully perform the duties involved therein, none who
know the straightforward and business-like methods can
doubt. He will be an honor to the State and to his own
home, and will be a valuable member of the Centennial
commission.
On Mar. 19, 1867, Mr. Otis was married to
Sarah Hilbert, who died in 1883, leaving two children,
Mary Della and Judson D. On Apr. 2,
1885, Mr. Otis formed a second matrimonial alliance,
making Miss Minnie M. Cowhick his bride, and the
children of this marriage are Vera and Lloyd.
The family attend the services of the Presbyterian Church,
of which Mr. Otis is a substantial member. He
has been the superintendent of the Sunday-school for six
years, and as trustee and elder of the church has rendered
faithful service for many years. As a citizen he is
kind-hearted, generous and public-spirited, and he holds an
enviable place in the estimation of a wide circle of
acquaintances and friends. He is a member of the
Masonic fraternity; of Hicksville Lodge, Knights of Pythias;
and of the G. A. R. The home of the family, on the
corner of Main street and Dixon avenue, is one of the finest
residences in Hicksville.
Source:
Commemorative Biographical Records of Northwestern Ohio
including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams & Fulton. -
Published at Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1899. - Page 135 |
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