|
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Shelby County, Ohio
and
representative citizens
Publ.
Evansville, Ind.
1913
947 pgs.
CLICK HERE to
RETURN to 1913 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
< CLICK HERE to
RETURN to LIST of BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES AND HISTORIES
>
| |
BERNARD P. WAGNER,
president of the Wagner Park Conservatories
Company, and vice president of the Wagner
Manufacturing Company, both very important enterprises
of Shelby county, is one of the solid, reliable and
representative men of this section of Ohio and belongs
to a prominent family of the state. He was born at
Sidney, O., Feb. 1, 1865, and is a son of Mathias and
Anna M. (Rauth) Wagner.
Considering the world-wide
fame that the name of Wagner has brought to
Sidney, it is interest in to know that Mr. Wagner
was not only born here but secured his educational
training here also, attending both the public and
parochial schools, and proving an apt and attentive
student. His entrance into business life was when
he assisted in the organization of the well remembered
department store known as the Wagner Arcade,
which was located in the building which is now occupied
by the Wagner Hotel. He was interested in
the establishing of the factories of the Wagner
Manufacturing Company, of which he has been vice
president since the company was incorporated, and from
that time until 1900, when he was instrumental in
founding the Wagner Park Conservatories,
he devoted all his time and attention to the
manufacturing business. This is the most extensive
manufacturing plant at Sidney and its wares find a
market in every part of the civilized world. The
products are aluminum cooking utensils and employment is
given to more than 300 workmen.
The Wagner Park Conservatories at Sidney were
started in 1900, the main mover in this great enterprise
being Bernard P. Wagner, whose natural gifts as a
landscape gardener and whose inherent love of flowers
had been marked from boyhood. When the present
company was incorporated, with a capital of $100,000,
the following officers were selected: B. P. Wagner,
president and treasurer; W. H. Wagner, vice
president; and H. L. Brown, secretary, and these
offices, with M. M., L. R. and J. F. Wagner,
and A. M. Brown, make up the board of directors.
In the newly erected office building particular
attention ahs been given to the admission of light for
drafting room purposes and to the conveniences and
comforts which modern business men enjoy in their
surroundings. The greenhouses have 15,000 square feet of
space under glass and a modern hot water system of
heating is employed. In these greenhouses are
found palms, roses of all varieties and other tender
plants, not only grown but in many cases originated
here. The growing fields are over 100 acres in
extent and here flowers, shrubs and trees of all
varieties are cultivated for the market, in the busy
season seventy-five men being required to attend to the
cultivation and shipment of these. The landscape
department of the business is a very important feature
and the taste and skill of landscape experts from this
company have not only many times been employed in laying
out the beautiful grounds for some of Sidney's
handsomest residences, but persons in every state of the
Union have also profited by the service of these
experts. A visitor to the park will immediately
become interested in one of the recent additions to its
attractions - the arboretum, where every species of
shrub and tree that can be grown in this locality will
be grown for display. Evergreens and plants,
flowers and shrubs from all countries, France, Germany,
Holland and Japan. There has already been planted
over 300 varieties of evergreen, 600 varieties of shrubs
and 250 varieties of trees. This arboretum extends
the width of the grounds and doubles back, following the
west park boundaries. Another unusual and interesting
feature is the Isle of Nippon gardens. Mr.
Wagner's own idea was followed out in the formation
of an artificial lake containing islands, and the
buildings of a real Japanese garden, in which Nippon
flowers, many having been imported direct from Japan,
are grown. Should a native of that far off,
beautiful land visit this park and stand before the
typical Japanese gate built of logs and catch a glimpse
of the placid lake within, and surrounded with winding
walks and rustic bridges, he could not fail to express
pleasure and wonder at the faithful reproduction that
has been made. To Bernard P. Wagner the
credit must be given for the inception and subsequent
development of this remarkable business.
Mr. Wagner married Miss Jennie Freschard,
of Owensville, O., and they have three children:
Jerome, Bernard and Elizabeth. They
have a beautiful home, their handsome brick residence
being located on North Walnut avenue, on an eminence
overlooking Sidney, Mr. Wagner completing its
construction in 1895 and placing it in the center of a
well kept work. Its outside attractions harmonize
with its inside adornments for Mr. Wagner and
family are people of culture and artistic tastes and
their surroundings give evidence of the same.
Perhaps no private collection of paintings in this part
of Ohio have more value than those Mr. Wagner has
hung on his walls and not only enjoys himself but, with
justifiable pride, exhibits to other lovers of real art.
Artists of world-wide fame have painted the following
pictures which he considers the choice of his
collection: "Dutch Bargain" by Jane M. Dealy;
"The Little Housekeeper" by Ridgeway Knight; "The
Canyon Trail" by H. F. Farney, the great artistic
portrayer of Indian life; "Highland Sheep" by William
Watson; and "Loch Lomond" by Alfred DeBreanski.
While his private interests are so absorbing,
including the enterprises above partially described, and
in addition having large real estate holdings at Sidney,
where he has erected at least 100 handsome residences,
Mr. Wagner still finds time to perform all duties
of good citizenship, taking a particular pride in the
good name of his native place. He is not, however,
a politician in the real sense of the word. He was
reared in the faith of the Roman Catholic church, and is
a valued member of the Catholic organization, the
Knights of Columbus. To some degree, also, Mr.
Wagner is engaged in literary work, having
contributed to magazines and published a book entitled
"Landscape Gardening for Amateurs," which is found in
many a home where flowers are loved and successfully
cultivated. He has given his name to a certain
method of landscape gardening which has become a
standard and may be thus briefly described. The
Wagner method means the treatment of the selected
land in a pictorial way with large effects; flower
borders and masses, shrubs and plants being introduced
in such a way as to add to the repose and simplicity of
the whole, harmony of color being especially studied,
unsightly outlooks being obliterated, vistas being
formed and illusions being manufactured by art.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
754 |
| |
GEORGE H. WAGNER, one of the leading citizens
of Loramie township, Shelby county, O., who resides on
his excellent farm of forty-three acres, situated
one-quarter mile north of Houston, O., lying on the
north side of the Piqua and St. Mary's turnpike road, in
section 5, was born Jan. 9, 1854; in Clark county, O.
He was one year old when he was brought to Shelby county
by his parents, Jacob and Celina Wagner, who
settled south of Houston.
George H. Wagner obtained a district school
education and then assisted his father until his own
marriage, after which he still worked on the homestead
for one more year and then moved to a place one mile
west of Houston. After four years there he moved
on the Flynn farm and operated that for four and
one-half years. Later, after a period in which he
was engaged in a general mercantile business at Houston,
he moved to the Block farm, on the township line,
where he remained for eight years. He then came to
his present place, in 1907, where he has made many
improvements. He has all his land under
cultivation with the exception of four acres of pasture.
For many years he has been a leading factor in
democratic politics and has given most efficient service
in such offices as turnpike superintendent, township
trustee and school director, and for the past three
years has been road superintendent.
Mr. Wagner married Miss Alice Stoker, who
was born and reared in Loramie township, a daughter of
W. F. and Libby Stoker, both of whom died in this
township. The following children have been born to
Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are members of the Christian
church. They are well-known people all through
this section and have a wide circle of friends.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
660 |
| |
HENRY
WAGNER,* vice-president and general manager of
The John Wagner & Sons Brewing Company, of
Sidney, O., may be said to have been associated with
this concern since boyhood, it having been founded in
1854 by his uncle, Joseph F. Wagner and ever
since has been in the family. Henry Wagner
was born at Sidney, O., July, 1858, and is a son of
John and Mary A. Wagner.
John Wagner was born in Columbiana county, O., and
died at Sidney, in 1881. In early life he was a
tallow candler and later learned the butcher business.
He was a poor boy at that time, in fact, when he had
learned his trade and wished to move to St. Mary's and
open a meat shop there, he had to borrow the money with
which to do so. In 1859 he came to Sidney and
rented the brewery that his brother had established, and
in 1860 bought an interest in the business and in 1876
bought the entire plant. He was a shrewd and able
business man and very soon enlarged the original plant
and through his energy and enterprise built up a great
business. From his death in 1881 until 1896 the
brewery was operated by his sons under the name of
John Wagner's Sons, when it was incorporated as The
John Wagner Sons' Brewing Company, with Mary
A. Wagner, widow of John Wagner, as
president; Henry Wagner as vice-president and
general manager; and Edward J. Wagner as
secretary and treasurer. In the winter of 1911-12
the company installed some of the latest and finest
bottling machinery in use in the United States, the
capacity of their plant permitting them to bottle 100
barrels of beer every ten hours.
John Wagner was married in 1857 to Mary Ann
Mayer, who survives and lives in the old home at
Sidney, and nine children were born to them, two of
whom, Henry and Edward J., are interested with
their mother in the brewery.
Henry Wagner began to work in his father's plant
as soon as his school days were over and is a practical
brewer and brewmaster. He married Miss
Josephine Eme, of Fort Wayne, Ind. He
maintains fraternal relations with the Elks and the
Eagles and belongs also to the United Commercial
Travelers.
Edward J. Wagner, secretary and treasurer of the
above company, was born at Sidney, Jan. 6, 1860, and,
like his brother, has been connected with this brewery
during his entire business life. He married
Miss Elizabeth Kraft, of Sidney, and they have two
sons: Carl J. and George E. Mr.
Wagner belongs to the Eagles, the Elks, and the
United Commercial Travelers Association, and is more or
less active in local politics and during 1884, 1886 and
1888, served in the city council. Both he and
brother are solid, reliable business men, and in both
public and private life are trustworthy in every
particular.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
770 |
| |
L.
CABLE WAGNER, who not only belongs to a somewhat
noted family of Shelby Co., O., but in his own person is
a representative business man and citizen of Shelby Co.,
O., was born at Sidney and is a son of W. H. Wagner,
president of the Wagner Manufacturing Company.
L. Cable Wagner attended the public schools in
his native city and after graduating from the Sidney
High school became a student at Villa Nova College near
Philadelphia.. After he returned to Sidney he
assumed business responsibilities and is a director and
one of the large stockholders in the Wagner
Manufacturing Company. He is one of the active and
dependable members of Sidney Commercial Club.
Mr. Wagner was married in 1908 to Miss Louise
Fitzgibbon, who was born at St. Louis, Mo., and they
have two children: Mary Jane and James. Mr.
Wagner was reared in the Catholic church and he is a
member of the fraternal order of Knights of Columbus.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
698 |
| |
LOUIS F. WAGNER, who
has been identified with the John Wagner Sons
Brewing Company at Sidney, O., all his business life,
and is its collector and one of its directors, belongs
to a very prominent family of Shelby county. He
was born at Sidney, on the site of the present office of
the company, Aug. 13, 1866, and is a son of John and
Mary A. Wagner.
Mr. Wagner was educated in the parochial school at
Sidney and at St. Mary's Institute at Dayton, O., and
afterward went into the meat trade, learning the
business from the bottom up. He then entered into
partnership with John Young in the meat business,
but within one year his brother desired him to close out
his meat interests in order to assist in the greatly
increasing brewery business and he has been so connected
ever since and has proven himself an able and effective
business man.
Mr. Wagner was married first to Miss Nellie
Dorsey, of Shelby county, and they had two sons:
J. C. and C. O. Both sons are
veterinary surgeons, the former being located at
Fostoria, O., and the latter being now connected with
McKillip's Veterinary College, at Chicago. The
mother of these sons died in 1900. Mr. Wagner's
present wife was formerly Miss Sarah Boydston, of
Wooster, O. He is identified with the Elks, the
Eagles and the United Commercial Travelers.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
804 |
| |
LOUIS R. WAGNER,
secretary and general manager of the Wagner
Manufacturing Company, of Sidney, O., a very important
industrial enterprise of Shelby County, was born at
Sidney, Oct. 12, 1871, a member of one of the old county
families.
Louis R. Wagner was educated in the schools at
Sidney and St. Mary's College at Dayton, O., and since
earliest manhood has been identified with business
enterprises of this section. He now devotes his
entire time to the interests of the Wagner
Manufacturing Company, with which he has been connected
since its organization. At the plant of the Wagner
Manufacturing Company three hundred men are employed,
with good wages and constant work, the product of the
plant being cast aluminum cooking utensils, known as the
famous "Wagner Ware."
In 1892 Mr. Wagner was married to Miss
Catherine Burkhardt, who was born at Dayton, O.
They are members of the Roman Catholic church and Mr.
Wagner is a fourth degree member and is deeply
interested in that noble organization, the Knights of
Columbus, of which he was its first grand knight, Sidney
council.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
762 |
| |
WILLIAM
H. WAGNER. In every community there is some one
family which stands out prominently among the other
inhabitants and in the history ,of Sidney that family is
Wagner. They were originally French, born in
Alsace, then a northern province of France, and came to
this country in 1830, three sturdy brothers, Joseph,
Peter and Mathias. Mathias
Wagner first saw the light of day in Alsace, April
24, 1818, and in 1830 came to America and drove a team
through to Pittsburg, where he met his father who had
preceded him by stage from Baltimore. After working
there awhile he came to Ohio, to Columbiana county, and
there his father engaged in farming. Mathias came
on to Allen county in 1837 .and a year later to Sidney,
when he opened up a meat market and engaged in other
enterprises until he became one of the strongest
financial men of the town. In 1844 he married Miss
Mary Rauth. born in Germany, and became
the father of twelve children, eight of whom are living.
Two brothers of Mathias were born in Ohio,
John and George, and came to this county in
the fifties. Mr. Wagner died in June,
1888.
William H., the second child of this union, was
born in Sidney, May 24, 1855, attended parochial and
public schools in Sidney and supplemented this with a
course at St. Mary's Institute at Dayton. He married
Miss Sophia Cable, of Sandusky, in 1880, who died
leaving a son, Cable, who is now associated with the
Wagner brothers in the Wagner Manufacturing
Company. In 1887 he married Miss Ina
Graber, of Findlay, who became the mother of seven
children, one of whom died at the age of two years.
Mrs. Wagner died a year ago, January 26,
1912, Universally beloved. His oldest son, Mathias,
is now an interne at St. Frances hospital in Pittsburg,
an honor graduate of medicine from the St. Louis
University, in 1912. His second child, Marcelle,
graduated with the B. A. degree from St. Mary's
Institute three years ago, matriculated with the M. A.
degree from the Catholic University at Washington and is
now taking a theological course in Cincinnati.
William is now at St. Mary's and the daughter,
Rose Evelyn, the youngest, with two sons,
Richard and Alfred, are attending school in
Sidney.
Mr. Wagner lives next the old Wagner
homestead on North Miami avenue, and while a very busy
man, finds time to cultivate the higher side of his
nature in his love of music, pictures and books. He was
for many years the tenor soloist in Holy Angels church
and is now one of its wardens.
Mr. Wagner is now and has been president
of the First .National Exchange Bank since its
organization in 1899. President of the People's Savings
and Loan Association for the last ten years and for
twenty-four on its board of directors.
He has been president of the Wagner Manufacturing
Company since its organization twenty-two years ago.
This company makes high grade polish and nickel-plated
and aluminum kitchen utensils. Mr. Wagner
is also president of the Sidney Telephone Company and a
director in the Sidney Tool Company and the Monarch
Machine Company. He was president of the Commercial Club
in 1906 and has always taken an interest in civic
utilities and is foremost in advancing public spirited
enterprises. Proof of his business capacity is shown in
the success which has attended his efforts and which has
made his name a familiar one in marts of trade at many
points.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
573 |
 |
WELLS FAMILY
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
383 |
| |
THOMAS
WHEATON, who is a highly respected citizen and
retired farmer of Shelby county, O., has been a resident
of Sidney since December, 1911, when he removed from his
fine farm of 160 acres, which is situated in Orange
township. He was born on a farm in Montgomery county,
O., September 14, 1854, and is a son of William
and Jane (Williams) Wheaton.
William Wheaton, with his wife and son.
moved from Montgomery county to Miami county, when the
latter was two years old. Mr. Wheaton at
that time had little capital and the family home was a
log cabin near Lena,, but he was an industrious and
thrifty man and gradually accumulated substance until he
owned two farms and also became interested in a grain
business at Lena. He got to dickering in the board of
trade and lost heavily. His death occurred in advanced
age, a well-known and respected man.
Thomas Wheaton
was mainly reared near Lena, O., attended school in that
vicinity and remained on the home farm working for his
father until he was twenty-seven years of age. After
marriage he rented a farm for eight years, in Miami
county, and then bought 120 acres in Orange township,
Shelby county, to which he later added forty acres in
the spring of 1911. Several years after taking up his
residence on his farm his house was destroyed by fire
and after rebuilding he also replaced the barn and
gradually all the. other structures and now its
improvements equal those on any other place in the
township. He carried on the. usual farm activities until
he retired, since when his son has been in charge. Mr.
Wheaton purchased his handsome residence at No.
710 South Ohio street, Sidney, in 1911, where he and
wife live in great comfort. Mr. Wheaton
married Miss Ida Garbry, a daughter
of James and Mary Catherine
Garbry, of Shelby county, and they have three
children and one grandchild: Ora, who is engaged
in business at Dayton, O.; Lucy, who is the wife
of James Wiley, of Orange township, and
they have one son, Darwin; and Albert, who
ably carries on the farm industries for his father. He
married Iona Redinbo. Mr.
Wheaton and sons are identified with the democratic
party. Although never anxious for public office, Mr.
Wheaton is a conscientious citizen and proved his
value to his fellow citizens during three years of
service as .trustee of Orange township. He has been an
Odd Fellow for many years; still preserving his interest
in the principles and object of this fraternal
organization.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
429 |
| |
COL. HARRISON WILSON
was born near Cadiz, Ohio, Mar. 15, 1841, the youngest
in a family of six sons and three daughters. When
a little boy his parents moved to Belmont county and
there he got a country school education which he
supplemented with a college course at the Ohio
University in Athens, by great effort and sacrifice.
At the outbreak of the war he was assigned to the 25th
O. V. I. and successively held commissions from second
lieutenant to colonel when, he was mustered out with the
regiment July 15, 1865.
He was in forty-two battles and skirmishes, at the
siege of Fort Donalson, Vicksburg, and Atlanta, and went
with Sherman 'to the sea." He came of a
family conspicuous for its bravery, his grandfather,
Thomas Wilson, having served in the Revolution and
his five brothers in the Civil war. Colonel
Wilson himself was awarded a medal by congress.
After the war he settled in Sidney for the study of
law, was admitted to the bar and went into partnership
with General Murray, which continued till
Murray's death in 1879. He took a keen
interest in politics and served thirteen years as
circuit judge in the 2d judicial district of Ohio from
1895 to 1909. For the next two years he was
identified with a prominent law firm in Columbus, but
left for Nordhoff, California, in the spring of 1912 to
spend the remainder of his days indulging his taste for
outdoor life. He married Mary Caroline, a
daughter of J. T. Fry of Sidney, in 1867, and
raised a family of nine children, eight of whom are
living.
Wilson took high rank among the lawyers of Ohio.
He had a mind of choice legal capabilities. As a
judge his decisions were clear and comprehensive and he
now has the confidence of his associates on the bench
for his unswerving integrity. Dignified in manner, in
habits simple, and austerely temperate.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
329 |
| |
L.
C. WILSON, who carries on general farming and
stock raising in Green township, has spent almost all
his life on the homestead, which he is operating for his
mother, who is a highly esteemed resident of Fletcher,
O. Mr. Wilson was born at Covington, Miami
county, O., and was two years old when his parents,
Joshua and Lydia (Blown) Wilson, came to this
property. The father was a native of Montgomery county,
O., and after coming to Green township placed all the
improvements on this farm, on which he continued to live
as long as active, moving then to Fletcher, where his
death occurred at the age of seventy years. Both his
sons, L. C. and Stanley, are farmers in
Green township.
L. C. Wilson and brother attended the district
schools in Green township and assisted on the home farm
of 126 acres, after which he operated the same for six
years and since his father's death has continued its
management in his mother's interest. He owns 137 acres
just north of this farm but he has rented it to a good
tenant and continues to live on the old homestead. Mr.
Wilson married Miss Anna Bennett
and they have four children: Foster, Ethel,
Lowell and Edith. Being an independent
thinker, Mr. Wilson has not identified
himself with any political faction and casts his vote as
a free American citizen, entirely according to his own
judgment after intelligent consideration of public
issues. All local matters of public concern receive his
attention and the public schools and their advancement
particularly interest him.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
582 |
| |
JOSEPH
WINNER, a general farmer and highly respected
citizen of Cynthian township, who owns a carefully
cultivated farm of eighty acres, was born Jan. 14, 1867,
in McLean township, Shelby county, and is a son of
Anton and Caroline Winner.
Joseph Winner attended school in Dirksen district
and remained at home helping his father until his
marriage, when he located where he has remained ever
since, in section 17, Cynthian township. He has
made all the substantial improvements on the place, has
his land well drained and tiled and all of it under
cultivation with the exception of ten acres. It
has an excellent location being three-fourths of a mile
east of the St. Mary turnpike on the township line road,
with postoffice accommodations at Fort Loramie.
Mr. Winner married first Miss Josephine Bruns,
who, at death, left four children: Joseph A.,
Herman, Frances Elizabeth and William. Mr.
Winner's second marriage was to Mrs. Agnes (Brackman)
Richling, widow of August Richling. She
had one son, Henry Richling, born to her first
marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Winner four
children have been born: Leona, Alexander,
Lucinda and Louetta, all surviving except
Lucinda. Mr. Winner and family are
members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort
Loramie. In politics he is a democrat but has
never accepted any office except one connected with the
public schools, for three years serving as a member of
the board of education of the Short Special School
District.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
537 |
| |
GEORGE
M. WYATT,* general farmer and stock raiser,
who successfully carries on his industries on his
valuable tract of sixty-one acres, situated in section
33, Cynthian township, two miles north of Dawson, O.,
was born in Loramie township, Shelby county, O., Dec.
21, 1871, and is a son of J. M. and Mary
Catherine (Green) Wyatt.
George M. Wyatt obtained his education in the
public schools, attending mainly the West Jefferson
school in Loramie township, and afterward assisted his
father, who is now deceased. He has given almost
his entire attention ever since to farming and stock
raising and has proved that agriculture, properly
carried on, is a profitable business in Shelby county.
For ten years following his marriage he remained on the
old homestead in Loramie township and then came to his
present well-improved place.
George M. Wyatt married Miss Mary R. Huffman,
who was born in the western part of Loramie township, a
daughter of William W. and Harriet (Edwards) Huffman,
both now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Wyatt have
one daughter, May Laura, who is a student in the
Oran special school district. Mr. Wyatt has
been treasurer of the board of education of this
district since Jan., 1912. He is a democrat in
politics and served three terms in the office of road
supervisor while living in Loramie township. He is
one of the solid and reliable citizens of this part of
Shelby county.
Source: History of Shelby County, Ohio and
representative citizens - Evansville, Ind. - 1913 - Page
836 |
|
