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Biographies
Source:
Twentieth Century History of Sandusky
County, Ohio & Representative Citizens -
by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio
Publ. Richmond - Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago.
1909
< CLICK HERE to RETURN to 1909 BIOGRAPHICAL
INDEX >
< CLICK HERE to RETURN to
LIST OF BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >
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JOHN E. RATHBUN,
superintendent of the Oakwood Cemetery of Ballville Township,
Sandusky County, Ohio, and the owner of forty-eight acres in
Green Creek Township, was born Aug. 11, 1857, in Green Creek
Township, Sandusky County, Ohio, and is a son of Saxon S. and
Barbara E. (Huss) Rathbun.
Saxon S. Rathbun was born in Seneca County, New
York, and in 1834 accompanied his parents, Chaplin and
Lucinda (Sutliffe) Rathbun, to Sandusky County. The
father entered forty acres of land in Green Creek Township and
Saxon S. entered eighty acres, and the old lease bears
the name of Andrew Jackson as President of the United
States. Saxon S. Rathbun was married in Sandusky
County, Apr. 20, 1834, to Barbara E. Huss, who was born
in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, and died Mar. 13, 1894.
He survived until Feb. 3, 1895. They had thirteen
children, the youngest of the family being John E. and
the others as follows: Clark, who died in childhood;
Edwin, who died at St. Louis, Missouri, of yellow fever, in
1878; Norton G., who resides in Green Creek Township;
S. B., who also lives in that township; James H., who
was killed in the Battle of Stone River, during the Civil War;
C. L., who resides in Green Creek Township; Thaddeus,
who died in infancy; Mary Lucinda, who married
C. W. Storer, of Green Creek Township; Norman H., who
died in 1872; Jacob, who died aged 8 years; B. M.,
who resides at Eaton Rapids, Michigan; and Orvilla, who
married Horace Sackrider and resides at Fremont.
John E. Rathbun resided with his parents in
Green Creek Township until the fall of 1880, when he married and
moved to Ballville Township. While he assisted his father
on the farm, he pursued his studies both in the district schools
and the Normal School at Green Springs. On Apr. 1, 1882,
Mr. Rathbun was appointed superintendent of Oakwood
Cemetery and immediately began the improvements which have made
it a very beautiful City of the Dead. The enclosure was
originally laid out by the venerable Mr. Hyde, now
of Cleveland, who, in his eighty-ninth year, visited Mr.
Rathbun and gave praise concerning the latter's artistic
work. Beautiful drives wind through this sacred place and
velvet lawns and properly grouped shade trees lend
attractiveness to the view. Here lie some 3,500 bodies at
rest, some of whom once were distinguished personages, but now,
through the great leveler, Death, all are alike. It was
Mr. Rathbun's sad duty to have the last resting place of
that dear and admirable lady, Mrs. Lucy B. Hayes,
prepared for her remains, and the equally sad one, eight years
later, in 1897, that for her husband, one of Ohio's most beloved
sons and great men, Rutherford B. Hayes.
The trustees of Oakwood Cemetery meet on the first
Monday of every May and the present board is made up of the
following members: I. H. Burgoon, president; C. R.
McCullough, Edward Loudensleger, secretary, and
treasurer; S. A. Wilson and J. W. Worst and
John E. Rathbun, superintendent.
On Sept. 14, 1880, Mr. Rathbun was married to
Miss Elva Andrews, who is a daughter of
JEREMIAH and Mary J.
(Craig) ANDREWS.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrews were early settlers in Sandusky
County, living first in York Town ship and then moving to Green
Creek Township. Mr. Andrews was born in Mahoning
County, Ohio, Nov. 23, 1834, and died March 5, 1892. His
wife was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, Apr. 6, 1839, and died
Aug. 11, 1904. They had four children: Alma, who married
C. R. Cleveland, lives in Green Creek Township; Grant,
who lives in Michigan; Mertie M., who married John
Gunyea, lives in North Dakota; and Mrs. Rathbun.
Mr. and Mrs. Rathbun have one daughter, Ferra
Fern, who was born Dec. 10, 1884. She is an
accomplished and highly educated young lady, who graduated from
the Fremont schools and then attended the Actual Business
College and also took a collegiate course at Oxford, Ohio.
She is a successful teacher in the public schools at Fremont.
Mr. Rathbun and family are members of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. He is a Knight Templar Mason and has
also passed all the chairs in the Odd Fellows Lodge at Fremont.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 749 |
Dr. L. Q. Rawson |
DR. LA QUINIO RAWSON
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 742 |
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EDWIN REED,
residing on and operating the old Reed Homestead farm,
situated six and one-half miles west of Fremont, in Washington
Township, was born Aug. 22, 1851, at Hessville, Sandusky County,
Ohio. His parents were JOHN
and Barbara (Orandorf) REED.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Reed came to Washington
Township from Perry County, Ohio, and the grandfather, Joseph
Reed, built the house in which his grandson lives, in 1843.
JOHN REED,
father of Erwin, was born in Perry County and accompanied
his parents to Sandusky County, and his death occurred on this
farm Apr. 25, 1800. His son Edwin succeeded in the
property, in which his widow still has her dower right.
She still survives, being now in her seventy-ninth year, and
resides at Hessville.
Edwin Reed took advantage of all the educational
opportunities that were presented in his youth in the section in
which he lived, but they were not abundant. His summers up
to the age of nineteen years were given to farm work and three
months of school in the winter was about all he could claim.
He then learned the carpenter trade and did work in that line
until he was called to take charge of the farm, when his father
died. He has done considerable improving and has a very
comfortable home and good farm.
On Aug. 25, 1881, Mr. Reed was married (first)
to Miss Emma Jane Van Ness, a daughter of Samuel and
Mary (Grundy) Van Ness. At death she left one son,
John Franklin Reagna. Mr. Reed was married (second)
May 31, 1903, to Miss Martha Young, a daughter of
Godfrey and Mary (Sprang) Young, and they have one daughter,
Edwina Mildred Frances. Mr. Reed and family are
members of the Lutheran Church. He is a Democrat in
politics and for six years he served acceptably as constable in
Washington Township. Both he and son belong to the order
of Knights of Maccabees.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 657 |
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GEORGE REED,
a leading citizen of Sandusky Township, owning a valuable farm
of 110 acres, forty of which he cleared up himself, is
successfully engaged in farming and stockraising. He was
born on his present farm, Oct. 7, 1846, and is a son of
MICHAEL and Salome
(Waggoner) REED,
natives of Pennsylvania.
MICHAEL REED
came to Sandusky County, Ohio, in 1826 and at first worked as a
carpenter, but later acquired the farm which is now owned by his
son, George Reed. Michael Reed built his log
cabin in the woods and was a typical pioneer of the period, a
hard worker, an honest man and a law-abiding citizen. He
died in 1869. In politics he was a Democrat and on the
Democratic ticket he was twice elected county commissioner, at
that time Sandusky County also the present territory known as
Ottawa County. He married Salome Waggoner and of
their children the following survive: Elizabeth, residing
at Kingsway, Ohio, is the widow of Samuel Immel formerly
of Rice Township: George; Caroline, residing in Sandusky
Township; Caroline, residing in Sandusky Township, is the
widow of Jacob Smith; Sarah, residing in Sandusky
Township, is the widow of Barney Waggoner; Isabel, wife
of George Wolfe; John who resides at Fremont; Frank,
who lives in New Mexico; and Alfred, who is a resident of
Fremont, Ohio. The deceased children of Michael and
Salome Reed were: S. W. Reed, of Ottawa County, who
died aged sixty-two years and who was representative in the
State Legislature; Lucy, who was the wife of Jacob
Engler of Rice Township; Catherine, who was the wife
of Frank Hannawin, of Arkansas; Emanuel, who lived
in Sandusky Township and who died at the age of about fifty-nine
years; and Moses, who also lived in Sandusky Township and
who died at the age of forty-six years.
George Reed was reared on the home farm and
while he went to school in his native township, found plenty of
employment for his leisure time in assisting his father on the
place. As he grew older he earned the carpenter trade and
for some years worked at this in his neighborhood, but later
turned his entire attention to farming and stockraising.
On Dec. 23,1873, Mr. Reed was married to Miss
Catherine Gnepper, a native of Rice Township and a daughter
of Francis and Amelia (Miller) Gnepper. Mrs.
Reed's parents came from Saxony, Germany, to America in 1853
and settled in Rice Township, Sandusky County. The father
cleared up a farm from the forest and there he and his wife
reared a family and spent the remainder of their worthy lives.
They were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Rice
Township. Francis Gnepper was twice married and of
his children the following are still living: Winnie, who
is the wife of William Miller of Adams County;
Catherine, who is the wife of George Reed; Maria, who
lives in Sandusky Township; Lewis F., who has his home in
Ottawa County, Ohio; and William N., who lives on the old
homestead in Rice Township. Mr. and Mrs. Reed have
three children, namely: Mary Isabel, who is the wife of
Seymour Gainer, of Sandusky Township; Minnie?
G., who is the wife of Dr. M. F. Parrish, a
prominent physician of Monroe, Indiana; and Clarence A.,
who resides in Sandusky Township. Mr. and Mrs. Reed
are members of Salem Lutheran Church and Mr. Reed is one
of its board of trustees. In politics he is a Democrat.
He is a representative man of this section and has served two
terms as township trustee, has also been township assessor and a
justice of the peace. He is well informed on all matters
concerning this part of Ohio and is a member of the Sandusky
County Pioneer and Historical Society.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 831 |
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MICHAEL REED - See GEORGE
REED.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 831 |
Charles R. Richards |
CHARLES R.
RICHARDS, who does a large business in
York Township in the line of tile and brick manufacturing, owns
an excellent farm of forty-five acres and is numbered with the
representative men of this section. Mr. Richards
was born in York Township, Sandusky County, Ohio, Dec. 13, 1868,
and is a son of WILLIAM L.
and Sarah F. (Rife) Richards.
WILLIAM L. RICHARDS
was born and reared in York township, where he resided through
life, dying in April, 1896, at the age of sixty-seven years.
He married Sarah F. Rife, who survives him and resides at
Clyde, Ohio. Her father was Michael Rife, of York
Township. To this marriage seven children were born, one
of whom died in infancy, the others being, Charles R.,
raising on the homestead; William H., residing in York
Township; Emily, wife of George L. Bemis;
Carrie, who died at the age of twenty-two years; Bertha,
wife of James Lewis; and Mary, wife of Charles
Weeks. The late William L. Richards served 100
days in the Federal Army during the Civil War. He was an
honest, progressive citizen and for five terms served his
township efficiently as a trustee. He was a farmer and for
many years also a brick and tile manufacturer.
Charles R. Richards grew to manhood on the home
farm and attended the country schools, subsequently taking a
commercial course at the Normal School at Ada, Ohio. He
then spent a year and a half at Cleveland, in the employ of the
Broadway & Newburg electric lines, in 1891 returning to York
Township, where he took charge of the brick and tile business
that had been previously conducted by his father, and he has
been successfully engaged in it, together with farming, ever
since. From 1896 to 1904 he was interested with his
brother-in-law, A. J. Guile, in the brick and tile
business at Curtice, in Lucas County. The company
purchased eighty acres of land at that point and established a
tile yard and factory, the land subsequently becoming valuable
as oil territory. He is also associated with George L.
Bemis in the Clyde tile yards, at Clyde. The
Richards Brick and Tile yards were started in 1857 by
George Carleton and George Taylor and thus is one of
the pioneer industries of York Township. After the
retirement of Mr. Taylor, the late William L. Richards
became the partner of Mr. Carleton, and in 1885 he became
sole proprietor, and continued until his son, Charles R.
Richards, took charge. The plant furnishes employment
to seven men the year round and is one of the most prosperous
enterprises of this section of the county.
In May 1803, Mr. Richards
was married to Miss Edith H. Guile, of New London, Huron
County, Ohio and they have two sons, Karl R. and Fred. A.
Mr. Richards and family attend the Methodist Episcopal
Church at North Ridge. In politics he is a zealous
Republican. For eight years he has held the office of
township trustee and for seven years has been a member of the
board of education. In 1908 he was his party's candidate
for county commissioner. In 1909, he was at the primary
chosen as candidate for the office of land appraiser on the
Republican ticket, by a vote of ninety-nine or eleven, and the
opposition placed no candidate on their ticket to oppose him.
For a number of years he has been identified with the Royal
Arcanum.
Source:
Twentieth Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio &
Representative Citizens - Publ. Richmond - Arnold Publishing Co.
- Chicago - 1909 - Page 658 |
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Hon. S. S. Richards |
HON. S. S. RICHARDS,
who is serving his second term as judge of the Court of Common
Pleas in this judicial district, has been a member of the
Sandusky County bar for the past thirty years, having his home
at Clyde. Judge Richards was born Aug. 8, 1857, in
Townsend Township, Sandusky County, Ohio, and is a son of
Archibald and Mary (George) Richards.
The maternal grandfather of
Judge Richards was Joseph George, who was a soldier
in the War of 1812. He came to Sandusky County in early
days, probably about the same time that the Richards family
settled in this section, for both names are connected with the
early development of the county. The father of Judge
Richards, who was a substantial farmer in Townsend Township,
died in1884 at his home in Clyde.
Judge Richards spent his early life on his
father's farm and attended school at Clyde, graduating from the
Clyde High School in 1875. He immediately started for
California and remained in the far West until the fall of 1876,
when he entered upon the study of law in the office of
Attorney Basil Meek, a well known practitioner at Clyde.
In the spring of 1879, after his admission to the bar, by the
Supreme Court at Columbus, he opened an office in Clyde, and in
the following June admitted D. A. Heffner to a
partnership. For a long period this firm, under the name
of Richards & Heffner, was a leading one at Clyde and
took part in much of the important litigation in Sandusky
County. In 1905 Judge Richards was elected to the
bench and at the expiration of his term was renominated by
acclamation. His subsequent re-election followed his able
administration during his first term.
Judge Richards married Miss Jennie Harding,
a member of an old and respected family of the county, her
father, John Harding, being a retired farmer. To
this marriage were born three children; Robert G., Rena,
and William M. Judge and Mrs. Richards are regular
attendants at the Presbyterian Church. They have a
pleasant home at Clyde and are identified with the agreeable
social life of the place.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 464 |
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WILLIAM H.
RICHARDS, a prosperous farmer and
representative citizen of York Township, Sandusky County, Ohio,
resides on his well improved farm which contains 141 acres and
is located on the North Ridge Road, about two and one-half miles
northeast of Clyde. This is his birthplace farm, although
his nativity occurred in the old farm-house jut across the road
from his present residence, Sept. 18, 1872. He is a son of
William L. and Sarah F. (Rife) Richards.
The Richards family is of New England
ancestry and was established in Sandusky County by the
grandfather, Lester Richards, a native of
Connecticut. He reached York Township among the pioneers
and acquired the present farm and here reared a family and
subsequently died. William L. Richards spent his
whole life on this farm and was a well known and respected
citizen of the township.
William H. Richards was reared
on the place he now owns and has devoted his time and effort to
its improvement ever since boyhood. His education was
secured in the country schools and he has been a director
of these schools many years. Mr. Richards' family
consists of wife and three children. He married Miss
Dora F. Guinall, who was born in Indiana and is a daughter
of Frank and Rebecca (Witter) Guinall. Their
children are named respectively: Howard W., Paul F. and
Ruth V. In politics Mr. Richards has been quite
active and has been chosen a township official many times and
has served faithfully. For several years he was township
assessor and for about seven years was road supervisor.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 845 |
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EMMET RIFE,
who is engaged in general farming on his father's farm of eighty
acres, which is located about three miles northeast of Clyde on
the North Ridge Road, York Township, was born Nov. 3, 1874, on
his present farm and is a son of ROBERT and Maria (Dimick) Rife.
ROBERT RIFE, who was born on the farm opposite our
subject's present home, is a son of Michael Rife, and
was reared in York Township, where he later followed farming
until spring of 1899. He then moved to Clyde, Ohio,
where he has since lived in retirement. He married
Maria Dimick and they have reared the following
children: Charles, who is engaged in the
grocery business in Cleveland, Ohio; Fred, who lives in
California; Emmet, the subject of this sketch;
Gertrude, the wife of D. Hayden; and Homer,
who lives in York Township.
Emmet Rife is one of the progressive young
farmers of York Township and has always lived on his present
farm, where he follows general agriculture. He was
united in marriage with Anna Craig, who was born in
Iowa, a daughter of Hiram Mahala (Babcock) Craig,
with whom she came to Sandusky County when a child.
Mr. and Mrs Rife have two children, Gladys and
Gertrude.
Source: Twentieth Century History of Sandusky
County, Ohio & Representative Citizens -
by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio -
Publ. Richmond - Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 -
Page 798 |
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JOHN JACOB RIFE.
Among the old and esteemed residents of York Township, where he
has lived since childhood and to the development and improvement
of which he has contributed through a long and busy life,
John Jacob Rife occupies a prominent place. He resides
on his valuable farm of 183 acre, which is situated on the North
Ridge Road, about three miles northeast of Clyde. He was
born in Maryland, Mar. 4, 1829, and is a son of
DANIEL and Elizabeth (Zumbrun)
Rife.
In 1832 the parents of Mr. Rife
left their old home in Frederick County, Maryland, and by slow
stages came to Sandusky County, Ohio, purchasing the present
Rife Farm from a Mr. Cookston, who had been
one of the earliest settlers in York Township. Here
DANIEL RIFE and his wife
resided until their death, the father dying when John Jacob
was fourteen years of age. This farm has been his home
ever since and he has expended considerable money in improving
it and enriching the soil. The old buildings which served
for same years have been replaced by substantial new ones, all
of these being put up after Mr. Rife came into
possession. For many years he was considered one of the
township's best farmers.
On Dec. 3, 1863, Mr. Rife was married to Miss
Fannie Jackson, a daughter of Robert and Mary (Cragg)
Jackson. Mrs. Rife was born in England and accompanied
her parents to America when she was eight years old. The
family lived for one year in the State of New York and then came
to Sandusky County and located in Townsend Township, where they
were residing at the time of Mrs. Rife's marriage.
Later they sold the Townsend Township farm and moved to York
Township and both died here. They were quiet, worthy
people, who are kindly remembered by all who knew them.
Mr. and Mrs. Rife have two children, Alta and
Belle, the latter of whom married Wallace J. Reed.
Mr. and Mrs. Reed have one son, Frederick. They
reside on the homestead, and Mr. Reed operates the farm.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 799 |
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ROBERT RIFE - See EMMET RIFE
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 798 |
Orrin A. Roberts |
ORRIN A. ROBERTS
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative
Citizens - by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio - Publ. Richmond -
Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 - Page 616
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EBEN
ROOT, one of Sandusky Township's well-known citizens and
experienced farmers and stock raisers, was born in Erie County,
Ohio, Jan. 16, 1843, and is a son of Oliver Perry and Celia
(Hardy) Root.
The father of Mr. Root was born in
Connecticut and at an early day accompanied his parents to Erie
County, Ohio, where his subsequent life was passed. He
married Celia Hardy, who was born in the State of New
York, and her life also was mainly spent in Erie County.
Of their children there are three survivors: Elizabeth A.,
who is the wife of Robert Wilcox, of Wood County, Ohio;
Eben; and John O., who remains in Erie County.
Eben Root obtained his education in the district
schools near his father's farm in Erie County, and on the home
place was trained in the pursuits which he has followed ever
since, having an extended experience, as his father was a large
farmer and stock dealer. Mr. Root came to Sandusky
County in 1876 and, with the exception of a short time spent in
Erie County, has lived here continuously since that year.
On October, 9, 1867, Mr. Root was married to
Miss Jemima Fell, who was born in Scotland, Oct. 1, 1848,
and is a daughter of James and Isabella (Kail) Fell
When she was five years old she with other members of the
family, accompanied her widowed mother across the Atlantic Ocean
to America. The family settled in Stark County, Ohio, and
there she grew to womanhood and there married Mr. Root.
To this union were born five children, as follows:
Sarah Isabella, wife of George Carr, lives in
Sandusky Township; Carrie E., wife of William C.
Engler, lives in Washington Township; Walter F.,
lives in Sandusky Township; Bessie A., wife of George
Overmyer lives at Fremont; and David P. is deceased.
In politics, Mr. Root is a Democrat. He
has been a loyal and patriotic citizen of all mature life, and
in May 1863, testified to the truth of his assertions, by
enlisting for service in the Civil War. He served for
three months as a member of Company F, 145th Ohio Vol. Inf.,
being then honorably discharged.
Source: Twentieth Century History of Sandusky
County, Ohio & Representative Citizens -
by Basil Meek, Fremont, Ohio -
Publ. Richmond - Arnold Publ. Co., Chicago - 1909 -
Page 560 |
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AMELIA (GESSNER)
RUST, born at Buffalo, N. Y., Aug. 16,
1836, married Peter Rust, who died in 1895. Of the
eleven children which resulted from this union but two survive.
Theodore and Reginald who, with their mother, are engaged
in farming near Williston, Ohio.
Source: Twentieth Century History of
Sandusky County, Ohio & Representative Citizens - Publ. Richmond
- Arnold Publishing Co. - Chicago - 1909 - Page 854 |
NOTES:
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