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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Richland Co., Ohio -
from 1808 to 1908
Vol. I & II
by A. J. Baughman -
Chicago: The J. S. Clarke Publishing Co.
1908
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JONATHAN UHLICH,
who has been superintendent in charge of the Children's Home at
Mansfield since 1897, was born in Madison township, Richland
county, Ohio, May 14, 1857. He is a son of Joseph
Uhlich, a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, born Dec.
27, 1818. He arrived in this county on the 12th of May,
1830, when a youth of twelve years, and took up his abode in
Madison township on a farm just north of the Mansfield
corporation line, now comprising one hundred and thirty acres.
It was upon this place that Jonathan Uhlich was born and
it is today his property. Having arrived at years of
maturity, Joseph Uhlich was married to Miss Catherine
Fiddler, also a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, born
Apr. 30, 1821. She too came to Richland county with her
parents, and the family home was established in Madison township
in pioneer days. With the work of early development and
improvement Joseph "Uhlich was connected, assisting
materially in the progress of the county, especially along
agricultural lines. His salient traits of character were
such as won for him the highest regard and confidence, and
throughout the period of his residence here he enjoyed the good
will and respect of those who knew him. He died June 15,
1890, having for ten years survived his wife, who passed away in
1880 at the age of fifty-six years. There was one daughter
in the family, Mrs. Ella Fay.
The son, Jonathan Uhlich, obtained his education
in the district schools and was trained to habits of industry,
economy and integrity on the home farm. After he had
gained some practical knowledge of affairs and life he engaged
in business in Mansfield and so continued his success until he
relinquished his enterprise, assuming the superintendency of the
Children's Home in September, 1897. The first sixteen
years of his life were spent upon the home farm and then he came
to Mansfield in 1873. He was thereafter identified with
business interests of the city until 1897, and in his present
position he has given eminent satisfaction by the capable
businesslike way in which he conducts the home and also by
reason of the humanitarian spirit which he displays in the care
of the little ones entrusted to his charge.
Mr. Uhlich was married to Miss Hettie
Caldwell, a daughter of Samuel Caldwell, who was born
in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1818, and died in
Missouri in 1880. She was a granddaughter of Samuel
Caldwell, Senior, who died about 1830. Her mother,
Mrs. Sarah Caldwell, nee Chambers, is a
resident of Springfield township. Her father, James
Chambers, arrived in Ohi8o from Pennsylvania in 1810. Both
the Caldwell and the Chambers families were of
Scotch-Irish descent and were numbered among the early residents
of Richland county, where becoming identified with the work of
public progress they assisted materially in the early
development and upbuilding of this part of the state.
Mrs. Uhlich was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania,
Sept. 18, 1858, and was brought to this county by her parents in
1859. The consensus of public opinion award both Mr.
and Mrs. Uhlich high praise for their management of the
Children's Home, Mr. Uhlich acting as superintendent of
the institution and his wife as matron since Sept. 1, 1897.
The farm consists of forty acres of well cultivated
land and the house contains about sixty large and airy rooms.
It has specious halls and is in every way splendidly appointed,
being an ideal home of this character. The house is
approached from the street by an avenue a quarter of a mile long
bordered by grand old trees. The average number of
children accommodated here from different parts of the county is
about sixty and they range in age from one to sixteen years.
On reaching the latter age they are placed in desirable homes
where they are cared for until fully able to care for
themselves. Since Mr. Uhlich assumed the
superintendency of the home it has never had less than forty-two
children under its roof, while the highest number has been
eighty-three. He is in all ways an ideal superintendent
for an establishment of this kind, for he loves children in an
intense degree, so that he stands to those under his charge
practically in the relation of a father, and Mrs. Uhlich
surrounds them with a mother's love and care. They are
both much interested in the work, and the county is certainly
fortunate in securing their services in this connection.
Mr. Uhlich, too, manifests excellent business ability in
the management of the farm and it partakes as little as possible
of the nature of a public institution, but on the contrary has
the real home spirit, so that the children largely enjoy the
advantages of which fate has denied them in homes of their own.
(Source: History of Richland Co., Ohio - from 1808 to 1908 by A.
J. Baughman - Chicago: The J. S. Clarke Publishing Co. 1908 -
Page 684) |
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