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OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
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PUTNAM COUNTY,
OHIO
History & Genealogy
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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen & Putnam
Counties, Ohio
Containing Biographical Sketches of Many
Prominent and Representative Citizens,
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the
Presidents of the United States
and Biographies of the
Governors of Ohio
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Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.
1896
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REV. LEWIS GANDER |
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RUFUS
E. GILBERT. - The alert mentality and the
sturdy, practical ability of the Irish race, as
transfused into the make-up of our composite nation,
have had notable influence in furthering our
progress and in establishing a stable prosperity,
and to this element do we owe whose ancestral
history traces back to stanch old Irish stock, which
is of prominent identification with the history of
the Union from the early colonial days, and of
valiant service rendered not only in time of war but
also in the more prosaic endeavors of the times of
peace, our subject himself having shown his loyalty
and inherent patriotism by unstinted service
accorded in the late war of the Rebellion. The
name Gilbert is of Irish origin, as already
stated, and James Gilbert, the grandfather of
our subject, maintained his residence on North Hero
island, in Lake Champlain, N. Y. He married
Ruth Conkey, who like-wise was of Irish
extraction, and subsequently, during the war of
1812, removed to Shazeetown, located on the shores
of the same beautiful lake, and there James
Gilbert remained until the time of his death.
He was a Jacksonian democrat, and both he and his
wife were zealous members of the Methodist church.
Jacob C. Gilbert, the father of our subject, was
born on North Hero island, in October, 1807, and was
reared to farm life, receiving a good practical
education and putting the same to test by engaging
in teaching, in which vocation he was employed at
various points in the state of New York, and later
in Ohio. In his native state he was united in
marriage to Mandana Stoughton, the date of
this ceremony being 1832. She died on the 3d
of July in the succeeding year, and on Jan. 1, 1838.
Mr. Gilbert consummated his second marriage,
in Atwater, Portage county, Ohio, where he was
united to Martha A. Butler, who was born in
New Haven county, Conn., Dec. 16, 1820, the daughter
of David and Betsey (Foot) Butler; the former
of whom was born in New Haven county, Conn., Oct. 2,
1772, and the mother in the same county, Aug. 90,
1781, their arriage having been consummated in the
same county. There they remained until 1829,
when the family emigrated to Portage county, Ohio,
where the parents passed the residue of their lives,
being among the most honored pioneers of that
county. David Butler died Mar. 29,
1856, his wife having passed away, Aug. 3, 1854.
In their religious affiliations they were
Congregationalists, and in politics he was an
old-line whig. Mr. Gilbert's
grandfather, Matthew Butler, was a native of
England, and emigrated to New Haven county, Conn.,
in the early colonial days. He was an active
participant in the war of the Revolution, serving in
the continental army for a period of seven years.
The maiden name of his wife was Ruth Lindley,
and by occupation he was a wheelwright. His
son David also served in the war of the
Revolution and stood as a minute-man in the battle
of Long Island.
The children of Jacob C. and Martha A. Gilbert
were in order of birth as follows: Lucian and
Lucius, deceased; Rufus E., the
immediate subject of this review; Martha,
deceased; Mary E., wife of Henry Wing;
Adelaid, deceased; Ida M., wife of
David Owens, and Prosper L. After
coming to Ohio, Jacob C. Gilbert was for six
years engaged in mercantile business at Cuyahoga
Falls, and after this located in Cleveland, where he
was employed as a traveling salesman for a period of
three years as a representative of a wholesale paper
house. In 1858 he removed to Monroe township,
Putnam county, and here purchased a farm, and was
prominently identified with the interests of his
county until the time of his death, which occurred
Dec. 16, 1864. He was a stanch republican in
his political proclivities, and was called upon to
fill the office of township clerk. He was a
zealous adherent of the Methodist church, in which
he held for a number of years the position of
steward. His venerable widow still retains her
residence on a part of the old farm, in close
proximity to the home of our subject, who accords
her a true filial solicitude.
Rufus E. Gilbert, who holds distinctive prestige
as one of the most intellectual and honored farmers
of the township, was born in Summit county, Ohio, on
the 21st of February, 1844. He accompanied his
parents on their removal to Cleveland and there
remained for three years, during his youth, securing
the exceptional advantages afforded by the public
schools of the Forest City. In his early youth
he accompanied his parents to Putnam county and
assisted in the work of the pioneer farm, so that
his memory reverts to the stirring incidents and
manifold vicissitudes of that epoch in the history
of the state. July 19, 1866, he lead to
the-hymeneal altar Miss Mary A. Pope, a
native of Putnam county and a daughter of George
W. and Fanny (Weaver) Pope. Since their
marriage our subject and his wife have retained
their residence on the beautiful farm stead, to the
cultivation of which Mr. Gilbert has
devoted his attention with much intelligence and
success for so many years. His farm comprises
seventy-six acres, is equipped with a good residence
and other buildings essential to the successful
carrying on of operations. Mr. and Mrs.
Gilbert are members of the Christian church, in
whose work they take an active interest. In
politics our subject is a democrat and has served as
township clerk, and for six years as director of the
county infirmary.
The military record of Mr. Gilbert is one which
stands to his credit and honor. He enlisted,
Aug. 22, 1862, in company H, the One Hundred and
Eighteenth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and
served in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama,
North and South Carolina and Virginia, participating
in all the engagements of the Atlanta campaign.
He received an honorable discharge May 25, 1865, and
returned to his home an honored veteran, and
re-entered the peaceful pursuits of the “piping
times of peace.”
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen
& Co. - 1896 - Page 190 |
C. M. GODFREY |
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GEORGE
W. GUFFY, one of the oldest and most
prominent farmers of Sugar Creek township, Putnam
county, Ohio, was born in Franklin county, Nov. 22,
1806, the younger of twins, the first born children
of John and Nancy (Pendleton) Guffy, natives
of Kentucky. Henry Guffy, father of
John Guffy, with two brothers, came from Ireland
and settled in Kentucky at a very early date in the
history of the state, and was killed by Indians.
John Guffy, father of our subject, had one
full brother, one full sister, and five
half-brothers and sisters. Of these, the full
brother, Henry Guffy, was killed by the
Indians near Terre Haute, Ind., in 1812 or 1813.
The father, John Guffy, was quite a young man
when he came to Ohio with his mother and
step-father, who settled in Franklin county.
John was their married and lived on leased
land; in 1829 he came to Putnam county and entered a
tract of land in Sugar Creek township, but did not
come to permanently reside until 1831, when he
entered additional land, making a total of 304
acres, on which he made his home until his death,
which occurred July 1, 1874. He had risen to
be a gentleman of considerable importance in his
township and county, and died a greatly respected
and honored man. Of his land, forty acres were
obtained with a warrant granted him for his services
in the war of 1812; this tract was increased to 304
acres, and he owned, beside, 120 acres in Kansas.
William Guffy, the subject of this sketch, was
reared to all the hardships of pioneer life, and,
like all the male members of the family, he acquired
great skill as a hunter. In those days the
frontier forests were filled with game and beasts of
prey, all, when slaughtered, yielding a double
source of revenue—the former for food, and both the
former and latter peltries, that were easily
exchangeable, partly for cash and partly for the
commoner kinds of dry goods and groceries.
Flour and meal, however, were obtained with
difficulty, and the latter consisted chiefly of
grated corn—and even for this, at one time, our
subject had to travel to mill eighty-one miles,
taking seven days for the round trip. When he
had eventually settled down to farming, he was
compelled to haul his surplus products 100 miles to
market, atrip requiring ten days. To group the
Guffy children together, it may be stated
that to John and Nancy were born a family of
ten, in the following order: Isaac and
William, twins, of whom Isaac died in
Kansas Feb. 2, 1885; Margaret, deceased wife
of Samuel Parker; Henry, deceased;
Jane, married to James McKinley;
Joseph, who was killed by a falling tree in
1835; Aquilla, who died and left a family of
six children, Sarah, wife of Jacob
Rhodes; Nelson, now of Michigan, and
Elizabeth, married to William McLain,
a farmer. To our subject, who married Miss
Mary A. T. Jacobs in 1834, have also been
born ten children, of whom two died in infancy,
those who grew to maturity being named as follows;
Samuel, in Kansas; Elizabeth, wife of
James Rhodes; Alexander, who
died a prisoner of war; Anetta, married to
Noah Myers; George and James,
farmers; Sarah, wife of John Gratty,
a farmer, painter and teacher; Alice, wife of
Christopher Sakemiller, with whom our
subject is now making his home, the mother of the
family having died Nov. 8, 1864.
On his marriage, in 1834, Mr. Guffy
entered eighty acres of land in Sugar Greek
township, and here built a hewn log cabin, in which
he lived fourteen years, and then built a good frame
dwelling that was an ornament to the neighborhood.
Changing to other farms, which he also cleared up
and improved, he added to his possessions until he
was owner of over 500 acres, of which he sold a
portion and divided the remaining acres of what he
had reserved for himself among his children,
excepting sufficient to yield an income which, added
to the interest from his investment in other ways,
would maintain himself, enabling him to live in
independence by paying his way with his daughter,
Mrs. Sakemiller, with whom he has a more
comfortable home than he would have, without her
filial care, under any other circumstances.
Mr. Guffy has never aspired to public
office, but as a matter of duty as a citizen, has
served as township trustee, and has filled, also,
many of the minor township offices. Samuel
Jacobs, the father of Mrs. Mary A. T.
Guffy, was a native of Kentucky, who moved to
Champaign county, Ohio, where Mrs. Guffy
was born, and later moved to Allen county, where
he died about 1853, having served as coroner under
whig auspices, and having been a faithful member of
the Methodist church.
Christian Sakemiller, with whom our subject
has now his happy home, was born in Allen county,
Ohio, January 14, 1852, and is a son of Benjamin
and Mary (Sherrick) Sakemiller, natives,
respectively, of Pennsylvania and Fairfield county,
Ohio, where they were married. Benjamin
was of German descent and came to Allen county,
Ohio, with his parents, in 1830, was reared a
farmer, and died in February, 1889. His wife,
a daughter of Christian Sherrick, was
also a native of Pennsylvania, of German descent,
and came to Ohio, with her parents, about the year
1833. Mr. Sherrick was a
carpenter by trade, but was also a farmer, the
former trade being his chief occupation. He
reared a family of seven children, his parents
having had born to them eleven children; the living
are named: Rachael, Christopher, Jane,
Samps, Charley, Rebecca, William, Benjamin F.,
and James W.
Christian Sakemiller, after his marriage
with Miss Guffy, settled to farming on
100 acres of land, which he has brought under a good
state of cultivation and improved with every modern
convenience, including his elegant residence and
commodious barns and out-buildings. He raises
sufficient live stock for home use, but his chief
attention is given to general farming, from which he
makes a decided profit. He has been a democrat
in politics, and has filled a number of township
offices, including that of trustee. Of his
five children, Elnora, who was born Apr. 17,
1876, died at the age of nine months; William D.,
born May 18, 1879, is still at home; Elsie M.,
was born Nov. 26, 1882; Mary A., May 11,
1884; and Ray, Sept. 4, 1890. The
parents of these children are demoted members of the
Christian church, and also members of the Patrons of
Husbandry.
Of all the residents of Sugar Creek township, the
probability is that no one has attained a higher
degree of respectability or met with a more
successful career as a farmer than William Guffy,
whose life, in Putnam county, we have, in a feeble
manner, attempted to delineate. At the
venerable age of nearly ninety years he commands the
respect of all who know him, and for the very
efficient part he has taken in the development of
the county from a wild and barren wilderness to one
of the most beautiful and fruitful counties in the
state of Ohio, no thanks of the present generation
can be too fervent.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen
& Co. - 1896 - Page 208 |
WILLIAM GUFFY |
WILLIAM
GUFFY, a well known farmer, is a native of
Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, Ohio, his
present place of residence, was born Aug. 18, 1844,
is a son of William and Mary A. Guffy, and
was reared to agricultural pursuits. He
acquired a very good education in the schools of the
township and assisted on the home farm until 1869,
when he went west, stopping about one year in
Clinton county, Iowa; then went to Brown county,
Kans., farmed three years on rented property, then
bought a farm in 1865 acres, and in December, 1874,
was married, after which event he broke up his raw
prairie farm, built a frame house, stable and crib,
but in 1882, sold out and came back to Putnam
county, Ohio, and purchased that part of the old
John Guffy farm on which he still lives.
He has remodeled this place considerably - over the
large barn, building a fine two-story frame
dwelling, and by ditching and tiling has placed the
fields in an excellent state of cultivation.
He has also given especial attention to the grading
up of live stock, such as Clydesdale, Percheron and
Norman horses and choice breeds of hogs.
As previously stated, Mr. Guffy was married in
December, 1874, in Kansas, the lady being Miss
Cassie A. Hyde, who was born in Missouri Sept.
16, 1875, a daughter of James L. and Mary (Pace)
Hyde. The father, James L., Hyde,
is a native of Kentucky and the mother of Illinois
and they were married in Missouri; in 1860 they
moved to Kansas, where the former had been engaged
in teaching, and also as a carpenter and farmer; he
was an old resident of that state and was familiar
with those of the John Brown, Quantrill and
Jim Lane raids; he was a well-educated
gentleman, and was formerly a democrat, but of late
years has affiliated with the populists; he has
served as justice of the peace and has filled many
other offices, but, though religiously inclined, is
a member of no church. Of his seven children,
five are still living, as follows: Cassie,
wife of our subject; Anna, married to
Samuel R. Guffy, of California; John, a
farmer of Missouri; May, wife of O. E.
Hardesty, of Oklahoma, and Maud, at home.
In 1883 Mr. Hyde returned to Missouri, bought
a large farm, remained until 1890, then rented his
farm and went to Oklahoma, where he improved a farm
on which he still lives. Although born in 1835
and his wife in 1837, both are still hale and hearty
and have been prominent in every community in which
they have lived. In 1893 Mr. Guffy and
his wife also made a visit to Oklahoma, remained
three months and were very favorably impressed with
the country.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Guffy has been
blessed with five children, of whom, however, one
died young. The survivors are named as
follows: Ola, born May 29, 1879;
Vernon, Apr. 5, 1882; Clara, June 30,
1884, and Ralph, Aug. 31, 1886. Both
parents and their eldest daughter are consistent
members of the Christian church, and their social
standing is second to none in the county.
Mr. Guffy has always been republican in his
politics, but he has never aspired to office.
He is
one of the best and most progressive farmers in the
county, and for further particulars relating to this
pioneer family the reader’s attention is called to
the sketch of William Guffy, to be
found on a preceding page.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen
& Co. - 1896 - Page 207 |
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