BIOGRAPHIES.
Source:
A Portrait and
Biographical Record of Allen and Van Wert 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.
Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.,
1896
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G. J. Eblin, M.D. |
GEORGE
JOSEPH EBLIN, M. D., one of the most talented physicians of
Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Vevay, Switzerland county, Ind., Sept.
22, 1852. His father, DAVID EBLIN, was
born in Virginia in 1806, and was quite a child when taken to
Switzerland county, Ind., where he was educated in the pioneer
schools and reared to manhood - his first business for himself being
brick-laying and farming. For some years later he was engaged
in merchandising at Vevay, where he resided until 1882, and died
while on a visit to Christiansburg, Ky., in the fall of 1882.
His marriage had taken place in Switzerland county, Ind., in 1830,
to Miss Sarah Buchanan, and to this union were born eight
children, viz: Sarah, deceased; James, Elizabeth, John
Lawson, Nettie, Fletcher, deceased; George J. and
Charles, deceased. The mother, Mrs. Sarah Eblen,
died in1858; she was a member of the Christian church, and was known
as a lady of many admirable traits of mind and heart. For his
second wife, Mr. Eblen chose Mrs. Mary Sachwell, of
Ghent, Ky., who bore him one child - Laura. Mr.
Eblen was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as
republican in politics and a man of considerable prominence in the
community where he resided.
George Joseph Eblen, at the age of ten years,
abandoned the parental domicile, and sought a home with John B.
Gordon, a farmer in Switzerland county, Ind., with whom he lived
until nineteen years of age, attending in the meantime the district
school and studying assiduously and profitably, so that, when at the
age mentioned, he made application for a license to teach, and
secured at the examination the best rating of any applicant in
Switzerland county - that of ninety-three and a fraction. He
thus secured a license to teach for twenty-four months. He
next attended Bryant & Stratton's business collage at
Louisville, Ky., for a year, graduated in 1873, and then taught a
year in the same institution. He was similarly employed a year
in Hollingsworth & Johnson's business college in the same city; and
then returned to Switzerland county, Ind., and taught school until
1875, when he attended a course of lectures at the Kentucky School
of Medicine, at Louisville, Ky. Subsequently, he pursued his
professional studies at Cross Plains, Ind., with Dr. J. M. Sweezy,
for five years, teaching school in the interim, and then attending
lectures at the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, from
which he was graduated in 1880. Dr. Eblen began the
practice of his profession in the town of Shasta, Van Wert county,
Ohio, and for six years met with marked success; in 1886, he
effected a copartnership with Dr. W. H. Christopher, at Van
Wert, for one year, and since then has been alone in the practice.
Dr. Eblen's professional career presents a
series of continued successes, and his reputation as a practioner
is of the highest order of excellence. He brought to the
practice a mind well fortified with intellectual and professional
training, and he possesses a presence and sympathetic nature which
at once gains him the confidence of his patients, and skill mark him
as a true friend of suffering humanity. In the sick room he is
a typical family physician, and his conscientious fidelity to duty
and principle has won for him the love and confidence of all with
whom he comes in contact as a medical advisor. The doctor,
while engaged in the general practice, makes a specialty of female
and rectal diseases, and his reputation in the department of surgery
is regarded as second to that of no other practitioner in the city
of Van Wert.
Dr. Eblen belongs to the Ohio State Eclectic
Medical association, and in 1890 added to his professional knowledge
by taking a post graduate course in the Polyclinic of New York city.
The doctor and commanding presence, both of which have contributed
not a little to his professional success. Fraternally he is a
member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows' orders, and also of the Royal
Arcanum and National Union, and financially has been quite
fortunate, owning valuable property in Van Wert and the city of
Cincinnati.
Dr. Eblen was united in marriage in Cincinnati,
Dec. 7, 1881, with Miss Carrie Niles, of that city.
Mrs. Eblen is a native of Cincinnati, born Jan. 19, 1854, and is
a lady of culture and refinement, moving in the best social circles
of Van Wert. The Eblen home on South Washington street
is the abode of a genuine, open-hearted hospitality, and the genial
nature of the doctor, and the affable manners of his amiable lady,
add new charms to the pleasant domicile. Dr. and Mrs. Eblen
belong to the Methodist church, being esteemed members of the Van
Wert congregation.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 224 |
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FRANK
P. EDSON, eminent as an attorney of Van Wert was born in the
city, Apr. 22, 1858, and is a son of George F. and Elizabeth
(Slater) Edson, of whom a biographical sketch immediately
precedes this notice. Frank P. Edson attended the
schools of his native city until he had attained the age of eighteen
yeas, when he entered the Cincinnati Law school, from which he
graduated with honors in 1881. He immediately entered upon the
practice of his profession in his native city, and assiduously
followed it until 1888, making a decided mark through his abilities
as a lawyer. He then accepted the position of deputy county
auditor under L. A. Harvey, the duties of which position he
performed in a most satisfactory manner for six years, when he
resumed the practice of law, having his office with H. G. Richie.
While in the auditor's office Mr. Edson went to Columbus and
represented Van Wert county, before the state board of equalization,
and succeeded in having the county assessment largely reduced
In 1892 he secured the passage of a bill through the state
legislature, by which the money collected on the bonds of the county
was transferred to the tax inquisitor, and thus saved the people of
the county $32,000. So efficient an diligent was he in the
performance of his duties as deputy county auditor, that he received
the nomination by the democrats for county auditor, in 1893, but the
republican party was too powerful, and he met the general fate of
his own party.
Mr. Edson was happily married, in Van Wert, Feb.
22, 1893, to Miss Elizabeth Baird, who was born in Jennings
township, Van Wert county, July 26, 1873, a daughter of Jesse
Baird, a sketch of whose life will be found elsewhere in this
volume; one child, Helen B., has blessed this union.
Mr. Edson is a knight templar Mason, and as a citizen is
considered as progressive and useful, while his reputation as a
lawyer is widespread and solid; his merit as a statesman is
universally recognized, and there can be no doubt that he will
frequently be charged with the best interests of his fellow-citizens
in the offices of the highest responsibility.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 151 |
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GEORGE
FOX EDSON, deceased, was born July 28, 1827, in New York, a
son of Hon. CHARLES P.. and Caroline
Edson, and when a mere child in arms was brought by his parents
to Portage county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and learned the
trade of a tinner. In 1846, he accompanied his parents to Van
Wert, where he followed his trade as an assistant until 1855, when
he united with G. W. Day in the tinware and stove trade, the
partnership lasting until 1861, when Mr. Edson withdrew from
the firm and engaged in the livery business, and subsequently in
various other vocations and lines of trade, being an energetic and
enterprising man in all respects. He was very popular as a
citizen and equally popular as a democrat. He served as deputy
sheriff under Sheriff ____ and also under Sheriff Stith, in
all four years; he was next route mail agent on the Pittsburg, Ft.
Wayne & Chicago railroad, from Crestline, Ohio, to Chicago, Ill.,
for a year; was next deputy postmaster at Van Wert under Samuel
Neel for two years. He was an investigator of
Spiritualism, and with his wife attended the services of the
Spiritualists at their hall. The marriage of Mr. Edson
too place in Van Wert, Ohio, Mar. 29, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth
Slater, who was born in Liberty township, Van Wert County, Ohio,
Feb. 7, 1840, and who is a sister of Mrs. O. W. Rose, whose
genealogy on another page will show that of Mrs. Edson, and
to this union were born two children - Frank P. and Emma
C. Mrs. Elizabeth (Slater) Edson is a firm believer
in Christian Spiritualism, is being developed in one of the many
phases of mediumship, and takes an active part in the building up of
the church and in the demonstration of the truth of its doctrines.
She enjoys the esteem of the community and has a pleasant home,
comprising four acres, at the corner of Main and Burt streets.
Hon. Charles P. Edson, father of the late
George F. Edson, was born in Vermont, in 1809, and lived there
until he was nineteen years of age, when he went to New York state
and Shortly after came to this state. After the usual course
of reading, he was admitted to the bar in 1843. After 1846 his
permanent residence was in Van Wert. He represented Van Wert
and Mercer counties in the state assembly two terms, was appointed
by Gov. Bishop to fill the probate judgeship of Van Wert
county made vacant by the death of A. W. Baker, and filled
other positions of honor and responsibility with honor to himself
and satisfaction to his constituents. Aggressive in politics
and firm in his convictions, he took an active interest in the
democratic party, whose cause and principles he warmly espoused to
his latest day. His death occurred February 22, 1885, at the
age of seventy-six years, one month and twenty days, and his remains
were interred in Woodland cemetery.. Resolutions of respect
and honor to his memory were passed by the members of the Bar
Association of Van Wert on his demise, and his loss was deeply
deplored by the entire community.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 150 |
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ARTHUR R. EDWARDS, the
affable and popular clerk in the grocery store of William
G. Edwards, Van Wert, Ohio, was born in Waterdown,
Canada, Jan. 25, 1865. His genealogy will be
found in the sketch of his brother, William G., which
precedes this notice. He came to Van Wert in 1880,
attended school one year, then entered his brother's store
as clerk, and has made himself almost indispensable to his
relative. He is polite and accommodating to customers,
intuitively comprehends their needs and supplies them with
celerity. He is a republican in politics, but is
hardly active as a partisan, being satisfied with the simple
exercise of his franchise. He is a member of the
Knights of Pythias, and since his coming to Van Wert has won
friends on every side, who admire him for his intrinsically
sterling merits as a man and gentleman. He married in
Van Wert, Apr. 17, 1895, Mary M. Coleman, who was
born in Delphos, Ohio, May 28, 1870, a daughter of L. O.
Coleman, of Van Wert. Subject and wife reside on
West Main street.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 153 |
| |
WALTER EMERSON,
of Pleasant township, Van Wert county, is a native of Union
county, Ohio, where his birth occurred Feb. 10, 1837.
His father, FRANCIS EMERSON, was born
in Kentucky, about the year 1812, and was a son of one of
the sturdy pioneers of that state. When eight years of
age Francis Emerson was brought by his parents to
Pickaway county, Ohio, where he grew to manhood, and at an
early age, owing to the death of his father, was obliged to
assume almost the entire responsibility of supporting the
family. He acquired a limited education in the
indifferent schools of that period, and in 1830 entered into
the marriage relation with Alletha Smith, who bore
him eleven children, viz: Jacob, William, Francis, Isaac,
Walter, Thomas, John, James, Nancy, Sarah J. and Mary A.
After his marriage Francis
Emerson engaged in farming in Union county, where he
remained a few years, thence moved to the county of Logan,
later to Champaign county, and in 1858 became a resident of
the county of Van Wert, purchasing a tract of woodland in
Pleasant township. Here he cleared a farm upon which
he lived until his death, in 1872. Politically he was
a stanch democrat, from early youth belonged to the
Methodist Episcopal church, and is remembered as a
public-spirited and highly respected citizen. His wife
was born in Licking county, in 1814, and is still living,
having reached the ripe old age of eighty years. Like
her husband she early united with the Methodist church, of
which she is till a devout member.
Walter Emerson, under whose name this sketch is
written, was reared on a farm in his native county, laid the
foundation for his education in the common schools, and was
early taught the lessons of industry by which his subsequent
life has been characterized. He accompanied his
parents to Van wert county in 1858, and began life for
himself as a farm laborer, working early and late, and
husbanding his means for the purpose of procuring a home of
his own, which, in time, he succeeded in doing. In
1875 he purchased the land on which he now resides and began
life upon his own responsibility, erecting a log
house, and clearing around the same a field, to which
additional acres of cultivated land were added in due time.
He married, June 12, 1870, Paulina E. Drake, and
became the father of four children - William H., Oscar,
Francis M. and Moses. Mrs.
Emerson was born in Miami county, grew to womanhood at
the country home of her parents, who were natives
respectively of New Jersey and Maryland and early settlers
of the county of Miami, Ohio. She came to the county
of Van Wert in 1860, and has resided here ever since; she is
a woman of many excellent qualities, a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and wields an influence for
great good in the community. Mr. Emerson is
also a Methodist in his religious belief, and in politics
supports the democratic party. He has made a success
of his chosen calling, owns a good farm with substantial
buildings, and ranks among the enterprising citizens of
Pleasant township.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 153-154 |
NOTES: |
