Biographies
Source:
HISTORY OF ERIE CO., OHIO
with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers
Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich
Published, Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -
1889
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DANIEL GARRETT, Huron,
was born in Lebanon county, Pa., in 1812, and was a son of
George and Eve Garrett. Daniel was brought up
on his father's farm, but in early life became engaged in
the lumber business, rafting and contracting for the same.
He then became a pilot on the Susquehanna River, a calling
which he followed for eighteen years. In 1849 he became
engaged in farming, and settled in Summit county, O. He was
married in 1832 to Margaret Hettrick, of Union
county, Pa. She was born in 1814. They had a family often
children: Henry A., George F., William F., Margaret A.,
Daniel W., Mary E., Lydia A., Sarah J., Katie L. and
Harriet F. William F. died at the age of
twenty-one years; Sarah J. married John
Rhinemiller, and died, leaving two children. Mr.
Garrett purchased a grape vineyard on Kelley's Island in
1862. In 1864 he purchased his present homestead farm of
fifty acres, where he now resides. One of his sons,
George F. enlisted in the 3d Iowa Regiment, and served
for three years, being in the commissary department almost
two years.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
570 |
JOHN GARRITT, Huron,
druggist and dealer in groceries, stationery, books, paints,
oils and fancy goods, was born in Huron, Erie county, in
1849, and at an early age became engaged in the drug
business with his father, George W. Garritt, and in
1865 became a partner in the business, the firm becoming
John M. Garritt & Co. In 1878 Mr. Garritt
became sole proprietor, and located in his present store,
greatly increasing his facilities for trade. He was
elected treasurer of the township in 1884, '85, '86, '87,
'88. He was married in 1873 to Lettie Phelps,
of Huron, a daughter of James and Mary Phelps.
Mr. Garritt has a family of two children: James
Henry and Mira F. John M. is a son George
W. and Fannie (Mason) Garritt. George W.
was in New York city in 1811. He was married in 1834,
in Erie county. They had a family of six children, two
of whom are now living: Susan and John M.
One son, Henry, enlisted in the 24th Ohio
Regiment and died while in service. George W.
settled in Erie county, at Milan, in 1828, with his parents,
Charles and Catharine Garritt who had a family of
five children: George W., Adaline, Edward, Hiram
and Sarah. Charles Garritt became engaged in
the manufacture of rope of Huron in 1828, and in 1830, on
the completion of his residence, removed his family to
Huron. George W.'s wife, Fanny, died
Jan. 19, 1887. George W., became engaged in the
grocery business in 1865, and retired from the same in 1886.
He has served as town councilman, constable and inspector
and collector of port for nine years. On September 10
he was at Niagara Falls, and saw the boat Michigan,
with several animals on board, go over the falls.
Charles Garritt and his family went from Buffalo to
Sandusky by a sailing vessel, consuming three weeks in
making the voyage.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
570 |
THEODORE GEROLD,
Sandusky, an insurance and real estate agent of Sandusky,
was born in Baden, Germany, in 1840, and with his mother and
one sister, Francisca, emigrated to America in 1852.
They were ninety-three days in making the voyage. The
mother died in 1855. Theodore was left to
depend on his own resources. He shipped as helper on
board one of the steamers plying between here and Buffalo.
After the last trip made by the vessel in the fall, he
worked his way to Philadelphia, and in 1856 went to New York
and shipped as a sailor on board of a vessel bound for Ladrador
on a fishing expedition. He settled in Sandusky in
1850, where he remained for a short time, when he worked his
way on foot from Sandusky to Cincinnati and engaged as cook
on board one of the steamers running on the Mississippi, and
after making several trips engaged with the Morgan line then
running on the gulf. At the opening of the war he
enlisted in the first special battalion of Louisiana, which
was called the Robert Wheat or Tiger battalion.
He was discharged in 1862, and afterwards became engaged in
several different occupations, but meeting with frequent
interruptions was obliged to abandon his plans. He was
arrested and imprisoned in a cell with six other
ex-soldiers, and while trying to make their escape were
captured and heavily ironed. He finally gained his
liberty on promising to again join the army. Previous
to this he had sought protection from the German consul at
Richmond, but after the proclamation of President Jeff
Davis for all non-residents to leave to join the army,
he was compelled to wander about or join the army.
After going from place to place, traveling both night and
day during the months of December and January (1864), he
finally crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains in rags and nearly
starved. He was finally cared for by some Northern
pickets and afterwards released and sent to Philadelphia,
where he found employment, and replenished his wardrobe.
He came to Sandusky. They have had a family of ten
children, eight of whom are now living. Mr. Gerold
became engaged in his present business in 1869.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
570 |
JOHN A. GIDEMAN, Sandusky,
one of the extensive boot and shoe dealers of Sandusky, and
a member of the firm of Gideman & Homegardner, was
born in Baden, Germany, in 1850, and was a son of John
and Theresa Gideman. John was born in 1822,
and died in 1882, leaving a widow and two children, John
A. and Sophia. John, sr., enlisted in
Company G, 65th Ohio Regiment, in 1861, and served for three
years. John A., in early life, became engaged
in clerking. In 1870 he became engaged as partner in
the shoe firm of William Koch & Co., and in 1878
formed the present firm of Gideman & Homegardner.
He is also agent for the Dayton Teutonia Insurance Company.
He was married in 1875 to Kate Homegardner.
They have had three children: Cora, Ida and Katie.
Kate was a daughter of John and Mary L.
Homegardner.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
571 |
W. H. GILCHER, Sandusky, one
of the leading lumber merchants of Sandusky, was born July
2, 1843, in Sandusky, and was a son of Peter Gilcher and
Christian (Boos) Gilcher who settled in Sandusky in
August, 1833. Mr. Peter Gilcher was born May
24, 1812, and was one of the earliest lumbermen in the
county. He established the business at the present
stand in 1853. His son, W. H., became a partner
in the business in May, 1865, as P. Gilcher & Son,
and in 1868 R. E. Shuck was taken in as a
partner, and the style of firm was changed to P. Gilcher
& Co. That continued until 1878, when the style of
firm was changed, on account of death of Peter Gilcher,
to Gilcher & Shuck, the present firm. They are
now engaged in a general lumber and shipping trade.
Peter Gilcher's death occurred in July, 1877.
W. H. Gilcher was married in 1868 to Tennie Rosenbaum,
who was born in Russia. They have three children:
Laura H., William A. and Bessie H.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
571 |
CHRISTIAN GILDENMEISTER,
Groton, Sand Hill p. o., was born in Mecklenburg Schwerin,
Mar. 20, 1836, and was a son of Johannes and Elizabeth
Gildenmeister. He emigrated to America in 1857, and
settled in Sandusky, where he worked at farming by the
month, until 1861, when he hired a farm in Oxford. He
purchased his present homestead of 80 acres, in 1872, for
which he paid $65, which he now has under a high state of
cultivation. He was married in 1860 to Mrs.
Elizabeth Russell, who was born in Herzogthum, Nassau.
They have two children: Lewis, born in 1861, and
William, born in 1865. Mrs. Gildenmeister,
by her first husband, Philip Russell, had a family of
three children: Charles, Philip and Nettie.
Christian's parents came to Ohio in 1863, and settled
in Huron. They had two sons, Christian and
John.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
572 |
EDWARD GILL, Oxford,
Bloomingville p. o., was born on the Isle of Man, in 1818,
and was a son of John Gill. He learned the
carpenter's trade at Liverpool, England, and in 1842 came to
America and settled in Monroeville, Huron county, as a
journeyman carpenter. He soon became a contractor and
builder. He was married Jan. 1, 1852, to Esther
Young, of Milan. They have a family of ten
children: Mary E., Sarah C., William E., Almona, John T.,
Florence, Ruth E., George, Bertha, Ernest R. They
settled in Oxford in 1855, and purchased their present
homestead form of 60 acres. Mr. Gill has one of
the finest building-stone quarries of the county, which he
has worked in connection with his farm interest with much
success. He has given a college education to each of
his ten children. William and John are
now practicing physicians and surgeons; William is a
graduate from the college at Cincinnati, and John T.
of the New York Medical Society; Mary is a graduate
from the Athens University; Florence graduated from
Oberlin, and went as a missionary to Japan, in 1887, for a
term of five years. She received a diploma of art from
the Cooper Union; Ruth E. is now studying music at
Oberlin; Sarah attended the Ohio University, but was
compelled to leave before graduating; George is now a
student at Chattanooga; Ruth, a professor of music,
while Bertha and Ernest are students at
Oberlin College. Mrs. Gill was a daughter of
Lazarus Young, one of the early settlers in Milan
township, coming from Pennsylvania.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
572 |
JOHN F. GING, Sandusky,
dealer in groceries and provisions, was born in Sandusky,
O., in 1859, and was a son of Charles and Elizabeth
(Keller) Ging, who were born in Baden, Germany, and
married in Sandusky. Charles enlisted and was
discharged at Cleveland. He died Oct. 7, 1871, leaving
a widow and five children: Albert, John F., Elizabeth,
Philip and Kate. Three children, Philip,
Caroline and Frank, are deceased. John
F. Ging was married in 1885 to Lena Faber.
They have had two children, Earl and Emma.
Mr. Ging, in 1872, became a clerk in the grocery
business, and in 1855 became engaged in the grocery and
provision business for himself, and is now meeting with
success.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
573 |
GEORGE GOSSER, Sandusky,
owner and proprietor of the Gosser Hotel, saloon and
restaurant, opposite the Lake Shore Railroad depot, was born
in Sandusky in 1828, and was a son of Martin and Mary E.
(Payne) Gosser, who were born in Alsace in 1819.
Martin and Mary were married in Sandusky, where
Mary died in 1863, leaving a family of six children:
George, Frank, Edward, Mary E., Emily and Martin J.
George learned the mason trade and became a contractor,
a business in which he was engaged in several years.
In 1877 he purchased his land and erected his hotel
buildings at No. 307 Depot street. He has served two
years in the board of aldermen. He was married in
February, 1868, to Maggie Macke, of Sandusky, a
daughter of Thomas Macke. They have had a
family of six children: James E., Mary L., Hattie, Alice,
Lucy and Bessie M.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
573 |
JESSE T. GREENE, Perkins,
Sandusky p. o., was born in Perkins township in 1836, and
was married Aug. 18, 1867, to Mary M. Stephens, of
Erie county. They have had a family of five children,
four of whom are now living: Leonard F., John E., Jesse
S., jr., and Foster C. Mr. Greene was a son
of John and Maria (Taylor) Greene. Maria was
born in Glastonbury, Conn., Mar. 12, 1811, and was a
daughter of Jesse and Julia (House) Taylor, who
settled in Hartford county, Conn., in 1815. John
Greene was born in Lycoming county, Pa., Oct. 4, 1805.
They were married Mar. 20, 1834; John died Aug. 13,
1848. They had a family of six children, five of whom
are now living: Jesse T., Frank, Esther, J. Fletcher
and Dennis J.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
573 |
JOHN FLETCHER GREENE,
Perkins, Sandusky p. o., one of the representative men of
his town, was born in Perkins, Mar. 11, 1844, and was a son
of John and Maria (Taylor) Greene. Maria was a
daughter of Jesse and Julia (House) Taylor. She
was born in Glastonbury, Hartford county, Conn., in 1811,
and came to Erie county in 1815 with her parents, and was
married Mar. 20, 1834, to John Greene, who was born
in Lycoming county, Pa., in 1805, and died in Wauseon,
Fulton county, Aug. 13, 1848. They had a family of six
children, five of whom are now living: Jesse T., Frank
A., Esther A., J. Fletcher and Dennis J. John
Fletcher was a graduate of the Sandusky High School, in
the class of 1863. He continues his studies after
graduation and taught until 1877, when he was appointed
county examiner of school teachers by the probate judge,
which important office he still holds. He was elected
justice and assessor, and was vice-president and secretary
of the county agricultural society for seven years, and is
prominent in town and county affairs. He chose farming
for his permanent occupation. He was married in June,
1878, to Ida A. Goucher, who was born Sept. 21, 1859,
in Pecatonia, Ill. They have one son, Pearl Hayes,
born in Perkins Oct. 9, 1879.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
573 |
AUGUST GUENTHER,
Sandusky, wholesale dealer in native wines and grape
brandies at Sandusky, was born in Westphalia, Prussia, in
1848, and was a son of John and Anna (Brune) Guenther.
August received a classical education and emigrated to
America in 1869, when he settled in Galveston, Tex., where
he was employed in numerous branches of trade. He
settled in Sandusky in 1872, when he embarked in the wine
and pure grape brandy business, and now receives a large
amount of trade from the druggists. He was married in
1873 to Sophia Kolbe, who was born in Prussia.
They have a family of three sons, August, jr., Theodore
and Bruno. Mr. Guenther is active in the German
educational interests of the city.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 -
Page574 |
GEORGE GUENTHER,
Perkins, Bloomingville p. o., was born in Richland county,
O., in 1836, and was a son of Andrew and Dora Guenther,
of Wurtemburg, Germany. Andrew was born in
1813, and was a son of Jacob Guenther, who settled in
Richland county, O., in 1834, where he died in 1835.
Mr. Dora Guenther died, leaving a family of three
sons, George, Jacob and John. George
purchased his present homestead farm of fifty acres in 1867,
for which he paid $60 per acre. He was married in 1859
to Frederica Balduff. They have two children
living, Catharine and Jacob; George deceased.
Catharine married Charles L. Kubach.
Frederica was a daughter of Jacob and Frederica
(Rohrbacher) Balduff.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
574 |
WILLIAM D. GURLEY,
Perkins, Bogart p. o., one of the leading citizens of
Perkins township, was born in Connecticut July 31, 1811, and
was a son of Rev. William and Susan (Beatty) Gurley,
who came from Connecticut to Erie county Nov. 14, 1811, with
a family of two sons and three daughters. Three of the
children are now living, William D., John and
Susan. Rev. William Gurley was born in
Ireland in 1757 and died in Erie county, O., in 1848.
He was an M. E. clergyman, and licensed to preach the Gospel
by the Rev. John Wesley. His wife, Susan,
died in 1848, aged seventy years. William D. Gurley
was educated in the early schools of Ohio. Two of his
brothers were M. E. clergyman. William D.
was married in 1838 to Nancy Jane Stevenson, who was
born in Pennsylvania in 1817. She died in 1880.
They had a family of six children, four of whom are now
living: Ann, now Mrs. Van Natta; Lucinda; Sarah,
Mrs. Parker; and William Fletcher. Nancy J.
was a daughter of Rev. Dr. Matthew Stevenson, who
settled in Erie county in 1830. William D. Gurley
was a wagonmaker by trade, but retired from this business in
1882. He visited Chicago in 1832, going on foot from
Milan. He found but five stores, a fort and six log
dwellings comprising the village of Chicago. His
present stone residence was erected in 1822, and was the
first in the town.
Source: History of Erie County, Ohio - Published,
Syracuse, N. Y. - by D. Mason & Co., Publishers -1889 - Page
574 |
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