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BIOGRAPHIES
Source
#1
County of Williams, Ohio.
Historical & Biographical
with An outline Sketch of the Northwest Territory, of the State, and
Miscellaneous Matters.
ILLUSTRATED
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor
CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO., PUBLISHERS -
1882
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MILTON
OBERLIN, born in Holmes County, Ohio, in 1849, was brought at the
age of five years to this township, by his parents, Jacob and Anna
Oberlin. They were farmers by occupation, and Milton
passed his youth and early manhood in going to the district school, and
in assisting his father in his farm work. At the age of
twenty-three, he was joined in matrimony with Miss Charity M.
Altaffer, purchased a farm of fifty acres, and settled down to the
joys and cares of married life. His farm proved to be productive,
and, by good management and industry, he has acquired all that is
necessary to make his home comfortable and pleasant. His children,
two in number, are named respectively Rosanna and Jacob E.,
and are being reared in a manner to make them a credit to their parents
and to their township. Mr. Oberlin, in politics, is a
Republican; is a wide-awake and enterprising citizen, and a young man of
undoubted integrity.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 760 |
ORLANDO
OBERLIN was born in Holmes County, Ohio, in 1846, and was brought
to this township by his parents in 1854. His youthful days were
spent on a farm, and in 1863, at the early age of seventeen, he
enlisted, at his country's call, in the Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry. He joined his regiment at Chattanooga, Tenn., in the
fall of the same year, and with it took part in the battles of Resaca,
Dalton and the Atlanta campaign. He was wounded in the fight at
Jonesboro, Ga. and was with Gen. Sherman on his march to
Savannah, through South and North Carolina and Virginia to Washington,
D. C., and participated in the grand review. His regiment was then
ordered to Louisville, Ky., and thence to Cleveland, Ohio, where it was
mustered out of the service in 1855. Mr. Oberlin then
returned to his home in this township and resumed his vocation of
farmer. In 1872, he married Miss Althea Reed, a native of
Williams County, and to their union have been born two children - Roy
E. and Theodore F. He is the owner of a well-improved
farm of eighty acres, and everything about him bears the sign of
intelligent management.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 760 |
Centre
Twp. -
ALEXANDER H. OGLE was born in Columbiana County,
Ohio, Apr. 18, 1812, the youngest of seven children born to William
and Rachel Ogle, the former born in the State of Maryland, and the
latter in Pennsylvania in 1771, and married in Washington County, Penn.
Here William Ogle owned a flouring-mill, which he operated till
1803, when he moved to Columbiana County, Ohio, entered land, engaged in
farming till 1845; removed to Cincinnati and shortly after to
Burlington, Iowa, where he had intended living in retirement, but was
removed by death Aug. 5, 1845, and was followed by his wife Dec. 8 the
same year. They had a family of seven children - Benjamin,
Nancy, James, William, Hannah, Thomas and Alexander.
Alexander learned the carpenter's trade, and pursued that business
in his native county until 1834, when he went to Stark County and bought
some land. In the spring of 1835, he went to Pittsburgh, Penn.,
bought a flat-boat, and engaged for three yeas in boating to New
Orleans; then returned to Stark County, and engaged in the real estate
business. In 1843, he visited Beaver County, Penn., and March 10,
of that year, there married Miss Jane Marton, returning to Stark
County at once. In the Spring of 1844, he went to Des Moines
County, Iowa, conducted a hotel and real estate business till the spring
of 1852; then moved to Columbiana County, Ohio; thence changed to Wood
County, and again bought some property. Here his wife died July
16, 1856. April 26, 1860, he married Mrs. Emily Gibbs, a
daughter of Robert and Susan Hunter, of Pennsylvania. In
the spring of 1866, he moved to Sherwood, Defiance Co., Ohio; engaged in
general mercantile business; sold out in Order, and came to Williams
Centre, where he is now doing a fine general trade. He is a
Master Mason, and is the father of ten children - Alexander J.,
Andrew J., James H., Nancy J., Sarah E. (deceased), Lorinda R.,
Lavinia, Loren L., Ida A. (deceased), and Charles W.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 778 |
Superior
Twp. -
ROBERT OGLE, son of Thomas and Jerusha Ogle,
was born in Superior Township, Ohio, July 22, 1846. Our subject's
education is limited, he having occasionally gone to school until his
fourteenth year, when he attended a school at Bryan. He was
married in Superior Township, May 19, 1868, to Miss Margaret
Hoverstock. Our subject enlisted July, 1863, in the Ninth Ohio
Cavalry, serving until August, 1865, having been in twenty-six
engagements. Since that time he has been engaged in farming,
except perhaps six months, when he was in the livery business. He
has been Township Trustee two terms. Mr. Ogle's present
farm consists of 200 acres, with considerable stock; he has also 100
acres one and a half miles south. Mr. and Mrs. Ogle are
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and have four children -
George, ALma, Blanche and Ray. Mr. Ogle's
parents were pioneers of Williams County, having come here in 1835.
Mr. Ogle is a native of Superior Township, and her parents,
George and Mary Hoverstock also residents of this township, were
born respectively in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 644 |
JUDGE SELWIN N. OWEN, son of Horatio and Clarissa (Ransom)
Owen, is a native of Steuben County, N. Y., his birth occurring July
5, 1836. Horatio Owen was a native of New York State where
he was reared, educated and married. He served an apprenticeship
at the tailor's trade, and afterward worked as a journeyman tailor.
He came with his family to Columbus, Ohio, in about 1837, shortly
afterward moving to Huron County, where he engaged in merchandising and
dealing in grain. He was killed October 6, 1860, at one of his
elevators in Havana, Huron County, by the breaking of a rope used in
drawing cars of wheat up in the elevator on an inclined track from the
office below. His widow yet survives him, and resides with a
daughter in Butler, Ind. Judge Owen is the second of a
family of eight children, five of whom are yet living. He was
reared to manhood in Huron and Seneca Counties, receiving a good common
school and academic education. For four years he was a student of
Norwalk Institute, paying for his tuition and books by acting as
janitor. He finished his literary education by an elective course
at Antioch College. The winters of 1856-57, he was Principal of a
seminary in Clark County, Ky., succeeding which he came to Norwalk and
began the study of law with Kennan & Stewart, attorneys of that
place. He attended the Cincinnati Law School, beginning in 1861,
and graduating in 1862. Mr. Owen began his career as an
attorney at Fremont, Ohio, but remained there only until November, 1863,
when he came to Bryan and engaged actively in law pursuits. This
has been his home ever since, and, with the exception of one year, he
ahs followed his profession alone. He is a Democrat in politics,
and in 1876 was elected without opposition Judge of the Common Pleas
Court for five counties of the Third Judicial District. He served
his first term of five years, and during this time the Territory of
which he was then Judge was redistricted. In 1881, he was
re-elected, and was assigned to the Judgeship of the subdivision, at
present comprising Paulding, Defiance and Williams Counties. In
1880, he was elected one of the Judges of the Inter-State Oratorical
Contest, comprising the States of Ohio, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana,
Wisconsin and Iowa. His Associate Judges in this contest were
Elihu B. Washburne, of Illinois, Gov. Foster, of Ohio, and
Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana. Judge Owen has been
one of the leading lawyers of the bar of William and neighboring
counties. He was united in marriage in 1870, with Miss Beulah
B. Barret, of Rochelle, Ill., and to this union has been born one
daughter - Gertie L. Judge Owen owns, besides a
valuable town property, a farm of seventy-five acres adjoining the city
of Bryan. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and the
Universalist Church, and is one of the most prominent men in
Northwestern Ohio.
(NOTE: See Death
Notice)
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 582 |
JOHN OPDYCKE,
the son of Albert and Elizabeth Opdycke, were born in Trumbull
County, Ohio, in 1819, and came to this township with his parents in
1836. At that time the county was a dense wilderness;
Defiance was the county seat and the only psot office in the county.
On the farm located by his father in this forest, our subject labored at
clearing up and improving until the year 1847, when he married Miss
Harriet C. Baird, of this county, and began farming on his own
account. To this marriage were born four children, viz.,
Emerson B., Anna B., Charles D. and Wilber G., the last named
dying in 1872. Mr. Opdycke's mother died in 1853, and in
1873 his father followed, when he took charge of and conducted the
homestead farm. He is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres
of land in a fine state of cultivation, improved with an excellent
dwelling and a good barn and other outbuildings. Mr. Opdycke
is an ardent Republican, and is looked upon as one of Jefferson's most
enterprising and trustworthy citizens.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 760 |
JONATHAN
OXENRIDER is a son of William and Mary Oxenrider, who were
natives of Pennsylvania, but came to Wayne County, Ohio, at an early
day, and remained until 1840, when they moved to this county and
township, where, in due course of time, both died. They had eleven
children, viz., Anna, James, Joseph, William, Sarah, Jonathan,
Catharine, Nancy, Elizabeth, David and Mary. Jonathan
Oxenrider was born in Wayne County Nov. 26, 1829, and came with his
parents to Centre Township. He was married, Sept. 25, 1851, to
Elizabeth Archibald, and shortly after bought a small place near his
father's farm, and attended to both farms until about two years after
his father's death, when he sold his land and bought his present home.
Shortly after moving hereon, Mrs. Oxenrider died, leaving him
three children - Amos, William and Sarah. Jan. 17,
1865, he married Harriet Priest, who has borne him a daughter and
son - Rebecca and Myron. His farm comprises
eighty-three acres of good land, which is well improved and cared for.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 779 |
WILLIAM PAGE
was born in Sussex, England, Nov. 27, 1820. His parents William
and Martha (Eason) Page, were English, and their family consisted of
nine children. William Page came to Canada in 1840, where
he purchased a farm of fifty acres. In the fall of 1852, he came
to Mill Creek Township, and bought forty acres of land, subsequently
adding forty acres more, and now owns a rich and finely improved farm of
eighty acres, with good buildings, which he has acquired by his own
energy and perseverance. The parents emigrated to this country in
1860; came to William County, making their home with their children
until their death. Mr. William Page was for a long time
identified with the Republican party, but subsequently became a
Greenbacker. Nov., 19, 1847, he married Miss Sarah
Wilson, a native of Vermont, and their family of five children are
all living in this township, viz.: Mrs. Sarah Shaffer, Mrs. Maria
Kuney, George O., Mary E. and William. Mr. Page is a
member of Hamer Grange, No. 606. He enlisted in 1864, in the One
Hundred and Ninety-seventh Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry ,and served
until the close of the war.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 806 |
ELI F. PARKER
is one of the eight children born to Celius E. and Melinda (Fast)
Parker, and had his both in Ashland County, Ohio, May 19, 1850.
The father still lives in Ashland, and with him Eli made his home
till he was nineteen years of age, when he came to Bridgewater Township,
and resided with his brother for a time, and then with his sister.
In 1873, he married Miss Julia P. Brandebery, a native also of
Ashland, but a resident of this township. He brought his bride to
his present home, then owned by his father, from whom he purchased it in
1875. It includes seventy-four acres of as good land as there is
in the township, and the present owner is keeping it up to its full
yielding capacity. Mr. and Mrs. Parker are members of the
United Brethren Church, and in politics Mr. Parker has
always been on the side of the Republicans. He takes rank among
the most intelligent and enterprising young farmers in the township.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 795 |
ISAAC PARSON,
one of the eleven children of Isaac and Mary A. (Reimer) Parson,
was born in Northampton County, Penn., July 26, 1820. He is a
carpenter and joiner by trade and worked at that business about twenty
years, and worked also at gunsmithing about three years. He left
his native State at the age of twenty, and took up his residence in
Medina County, Ohio, where he married Mary A. Long Dec. 10, 1843.
In 1852, he removed to this township and settled in a twelve-acre
clearing, buying, for use as a dwelling, that first school building ever
erected in Northwest Township. His farm now comprises 209 acres,
well-improved, with all necessary buildings and largely under
cultivation. He has had the misfortune to lose his two children -
John A. and William H., and he is the only member of his
father's family living within the limits of this State.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 816 |
ROBERT N. PATTERSON, editor and
proprietor of the Bryan Democrat, is a native of Delaware, Ohio,
his birth occurring January 19, 1831. His father, Gen. A. H.
Patterson, was a native of Huntingdon, Penn., his father being a native
of Scotland. This gentleman, Thomas Patterson, came
to America in 1773, a single man, served the colonies in the war of the
Revolution and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine. After the
war, he married a Quaker lady, Jane Slack, a native of England.
There was a large family born to this union, Andrew H.,
father of Robert N., being the fourth son. Andrew H.
learned the saddler's trade, was an active politician thirty or forty
years ago in Ohio, and held various positions of honor and trust, among
them being that of State Representative. He married our subject's
mother, Roxanna Vining, for his first wife, and by her had six children.
This lady was a direct descendant of the Vinings and Carters
of Puritanical fame, who settled in Massachusetts. She died in
1839, and Gen. Patterson then married Miss Lucy Bixby,
who bore him three children. Gen. Patterson died in
Bryan in August, 1863, aged fifty-five years. Robert N.
Patterson lived with his father until the age of seventeen, when he
began learning the printer's trade in the office of the Buckeye
Eagle at Marion, Ohio. Since that time, he has worked on
different papers in Ohio until 1862, and the spring of 1863 came to
Bryan and established the Bryan Democrat, of which he has ever
since continued publisher and proprietor. The Democrat has
flourished and thriven under his management, and is the leading
Democratic paper of Williams County, and among the best newspaper of
Northwestern Ohio. Mr. Patterson was married, in 1852, to
miss E. J. Fulkerson, and to this marriage were born six
children, only the following named yet living: Cora, Addie, Medary M.
and Mary. Mr. Patterson is a Democrat in politics and
principles, is a Knight Templar of the Masonic fraternity, a Patriarch
of the I. O. O. F.'s and a member of the K. of H. He is a charter
member of the Grand Temple of the Patriarchcal Circle, has served nine
years as Secretary of the County Agricultural Society, and is the
present incumbent.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page.
583 |
JAMES
PAUL, civil engineer, is a native of Portage County, Ohio, his
birth occurring June 16, 1844. His mother, a widow lady, married
Jacob Byers in about 1850, and this couple, to better their
circumstances, moved west in 1853, locating in Superior Township,
Williams County, Ohio. They purchased eighty acres of land, partly
paying for the same, and engaged in agricultural pursuits and are yet
residents of Superior Township. James Paul was but nine
years old when he came to Williams County, and he made his home with his
parents until twenty-five years of age. His educational advantages
were very limited, but through the influence and persuasions of his
mother and a cousin, J. M. Welker of Bryan, he succeeded, by
close application, in obtaining an excellent practical education.
Having an ardent liking for mathematics, he passed many hours in the
study of that science, and while a student at the Normal School in Bryan
perfected his knowledge in civil engineering. Mr. Paul has
for many years been one of the most successful school teachers of
Williams County. He taught the schools of Pulaski a number of
terms, and in 1870 went to Stryker as the Superintendent of the schools
of that place. Through his influence and management, the schools
of Stryker became second best to none in the county, which reflects much
credit to Mr. Paul as an educator, as he took charge when they
were considered in very poor shape. Mr. Paul is a
Republican in politics, and has served two terms as Surveyor of
Williams County and one term as School Examiner. He is chief
engineer of what is known as the "Forty-five-Mile Ditch," now attracting
much attention in the county. In 1873, he married Miss Emma J.
Carver, who became the mother of three children - Mary N.,
Charles C. (deceased) and Alice M. Mrs. Paul was a
member of the Presbyterian Church; she died March 1, 1881, and her
remains now repose in Bethesda Cemetery, Superior Township. April
27, 1882, Mrs. Paul married his present wife, Miss Dr.
Jennie Buckley, a graduate of the Woman's Medical College, of
Chicago. Mr. Paul is a member of I. O. O. F. Lodge, No.
611, of Stryker, and is a popular man in his party, and with the
community in general.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 584 |
THOMAS
PENNINGTON, son of Paul and Ruth (Cunningham) Pennington,
was born in Huntingdon County, Penn., Aug. 6, 1801. Our subject
passed his boyhood in Pennsylvania, attending a district school a
portion of the time. When sixteen years old, he came to Ohio with
his parents. On Jan. 20, 1825, he was married to Analiha
Holloway, in Clark County, Ohio. To this union twelve children
were born - Phebe, Amanda, Serilda, William F., Joel, John, Rebecca,
Marion, Isaac, Merilla, Cynthia and Mary A. Mr. Pennington
farmed on rented lend for about ten years, when he purchased 100 acres
in Champaign County, which he cleared. This he sold and purchased
160 acres in Williams County about 1837. This he exchanged for the
present farm, in 1854, on which he lived until his death, in 1864.
He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having united there
with in 1817. Mrs. Pennington, since his death, has managed
the farm. She was born in Ross County, Ohio, the daughter of
William and Phoebe Holloway, who were born in New Jersey, and who
died in Clark County, Ohio.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 645 |
WALTER I.
PEPPLE was born on Dec. 13, 1839, in Stark County, Ohio, and is
one of seven children born to William L. and Amelia (Irwin)
Pepple. The elder Mr. Pepple was by trade a carver and
fuller, and followed the same in Stark County for thirty years. In
1857, he came to Brady Township and purchased land, on which he lived
until his death in June 1875. Walter I. Pepple, until
thirty-three years old, worked with his father, with whom in 1868, he
commenced the making of sand brick, and later, of drain tiles; still
later they began to manufacture pressed brick. They had a hard
struggle in the beginning, running by horse-power, but now by team, and
it is the largest place of the kind in the county, and yet the demand
for their wares is greater than their ability to supply it. Mr.
Pepple was married, Feb. 4, 1868, to Sarah J. Kelty, of
Columbiana County; six children have been the issue - William F.,
Ella, Lida, Nellie, Carrie and Birdie. Mr. Pepple is a
member of the Town Council of Stryker, an Odd Fellow, and a Democrat.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 730 |
MARTIN PERKY, Probate Judge of Williams County, was born in
Westmoreland County, Penn., Jan. 18, 1819, one of ten children, five yet
living, born to Christopher and Elizabeth (Slater) Perky, who was
also natives of the Keystone State. Christopher Perky was a
farmer, and at an early day emigrated to Seneca County, this State, and
there died in 1833, his widow surviving him till 1852. Martin
Perky was reared and educated in Seneca County, and followed farming
there till 1839, when he came to this county and located in Florence
Township, where he entered 140 acres of Government land and resumed his
vocation as farmer. In 1843, he married Catharine Gaudern,
whose parents came to the county in 1840. He joined the M. E.
Church in 1843, and in 1853 joined the North Ohio M. E. Conference, and
from that time till about 1865, was engaged in pastoral work over
Northwestern Ohio. In 1861, he was appointed Champlain of the
Sixty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and remained with them until the
fall of 1862, when ill health caused him to resign. In 1865, he
engaged in mercantile pursuits in Pioneer; he sold out in 1878, and he
elected Probate Judge of Williams County, and re-elected in 1881.
The Judge is a Democrat, a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders,
and he and wife are old and honored members of the M. E. Church.
He is the father of two daughters, viz., Eugenia (now Mrs.
Hilton), and Abbie L. (now Mrs. Lewis).
The Judge is widely known because of his long residence in the township
(there having been but thirteen voters in it when he located here), and
is universally respected and esteemed.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 584 |
BENJAMIN
C. PICKLE, one of the early settlers of Florence Township, was
born in Northumberland County, Penn., Feb. 22, 1818, being one of five
children born to Joseph and Sarah (Campbell) Pickle. They
are all living. His father was a farmer. Our subject worked
for his parents until his majority. He was married, Feb. 6, 18404,
to Olive S. Benson, and at once moved to Fulton County, residing
there five years before coming to Williams County. He settled on
the farm he now owns in 1847. At this time, Florence, with
nearly all the eastern por-of the county, was a wilderness.
Previous to this time, he had sold fanning-mills during the summer, and
taught school during the winter, and from money thus saved he bought his
farm. This farm, which he cleared and improved, contains
ninety-five acres. In 1854, he purchased a store and ashery, so
continuing until 1861, when he sold the store, and returned to farming.
His wife died in 1861, leaving a family of seven - Irene M., Lodema
J., Joseph W., Silas B., Adelmer B., Myron S. and Phylena A.
He married his present wife, Agnes Bostater, Dec. 25, 1864, and
has by her six children - Ella, Elva, Ellie, Effie, Clyde and
Lloyd. Mr. Pickle was elected Justice of hte Peace of Florence
in 1875, holding the office of six years.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 752 |
JOSEPH W.
PICKLE, son of Benjamin and Olive S. (Benson) Pickle, was
born in Lucas County, Ohio, Jan. 18, 1845. His parents came from
Knox to Lucas County in 1840, and to Williams County in 1847. His
father is a farmer, his biography appearing in this work.
Joseph W. Pickle has a fair school education. He enlisted
during the recent war, but was rejected from his miniority and
under-size. In 1862, however, he was passed as a substitute,
entering the Sixth Ohio Cavalry under Gen. Sigel, and afterward
under Gens. Averill and Kirkpatrick; he fought at
Gettysburg and Chancellorsville, as well as at other minor engagements;
he remained in the field one year, when he was discharged and sent home,
but re-enlisted in 1864, continuing until the war was closed; he
followed farming from this time until 1870, when he opened a general
store at Union Corners, keeping a good and large line of dry goods,
groceries, boots, shoes, etc., and farming somewhat in this connection.
He was married Dec. 1, 1875, to Laura E. Bowser, of this
township.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 752 |
ELWOOD
ALBERT PIFER, son of Michael and Caroline E. Pifer, was
born in Williams County Mar. 9, 1854. His parents came from
Pennsylvania and settled in Richland County, Ohio, about the year 1830.
In 1850, they came to West Unity, where Mr. Pifer opened a
harness shop, which he conducted till his death, Nov. 30, 1875, to
Mary E. Zeigler whose father came from Pennsylvania, and mother from
Germany. Three children are the result of this union - Somerton,
born Feb. 14, 1876; Clara, Dec. 12, 1877, and Bertha Belle,
Aug. 20, 1879. Mr. Pifer learned harness making with his
father, and followed that business until May 20, 1882, when he went into
the hotel business at the Kenyon House, West Unity, where he remained
three months, then purchased the McIntire House and its
appurtenances, and is now conducting that famous establishment in a most
successful and popular manner.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 681 |
C.
W. PITCAIRN is a native of New Lisbon, Columbiana Co., Ohio, and
was born March 23, 1849. His father, John Pitcairn, is a native of
Scotland, a tailor by trade, and he came to the United States when about
eighteen years of age. He married Catharine Small, a native
of Columbiana County, Ohio, and of German descent. He followed his
trade till about 1864, when he retired from business, and he and wife
are now living in New Lisbon. They were the parents of nine
children, C. W. being the eldest son and second eldest child.
C. W. was reared in his native county, receiving a fair
education. When in his sixteenth year, he enlisted as a member of
Company H, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and
served one year in the Army of the Shenandoah Valley. After his
discharge, he returned home and engaged in clerking. In 1870, he
began the study of law in the office of Clark & McVicker He
attended the Law Department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor,
the winter of 1872-73, and on April 1, 1874, was admitted to the bar.
In December, 1874, he came to Bryan and began practicing his profession.
In August, 1881, he discontinued practicing and accepted the
Secretaryship and Treasurership of the Morrison & Fay Manufacturing
Company, of which he was a stock-owner, at which he is yet employed.
He is a Republican in politics and has been Mayor of Bryan about two
years, having been elected in 1878. He was elected Prosecuting
Attorney in 1879, but resigned to fill the position he now occupies.
He was married Oct. 8, 1878, to Miss Ella Garver, daughter of
John A. Garver. Mr. Pitcairn is an Odd Fellow, and Mrs. P.
is a member of the Universalist Church.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page585 |
M.
B. PLUMMER, son of Jacob and Lucy (Berkshire) Plummer, is
a native of Ross County, Ohio, where his birth occurred Jan. 2, 1818.
He was reared in Ross County to manhood, where he acquired a fair
district school education. By trade he is a woolen manufacturer
but his life has been diversified with a number of different
employments. At the age of twenty-two he began his career as a
school teacher at which he engaged both in his native county and in
Williams. In November, 1841, he came to Williams County, Ohio,
stopping first in Springfield Township, where he began teaching, and
Williams County has ever since been his home. He was married, Oct.
13, 1844, to Miss Emily Moudy, and the spring of that year moved
to West Unity, and embarked in merchandising. In 1848, he was
elected County Recorder by the Democratic party and moved to Bryan.
The spring of 1851, he was appointed County Auditor to fill the
unexpired term of Jacob Bowman, resigned. He continued as
such until his term expired, afterward acting as Deputy County Auditor
three years. In 1856, he engaged in merchandising in Bryan, at
which he continued until 1860. He was one of the Census
Enumerators for that year, and in 1862 he was appointed route agent on
the Toledo & Wabash Railroad. The fall of 1863, he resigned this
position to fill the position of Clerk of Courts of Williams County, to
which he had been elected by the Union party, and in 1868 was appointed
postal clerk on the same railroad on which he had been route agent.
In 1870, he engaged in business in Bryan, at the same time embarking in
a manufacturing enterprise at Pioneer. In 1874, he was elected
Mayor and Justice of the Peace of Bryan, and in 1877 was reelected
Justice of the Peace. In 1870, he engaged in a general insurance
business at which he is yet engaged. Mr. P. is a Democrat
in politics, and he and wife are members of the M. E. Church and the
parents of nine children - John M., Charles W., Edward E.,
Lizzie Z., Leroy D. and Alice, living; and Eliza
J., Udora and Frank W., deceased.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page586 |
JOHN W. POLLOCK was born December 28,
1825, in Richland County, Ohio, and is one of a family of thirteen
children, ten of whom are yet living, born to Samuel and Frances
(Wilkin) Pollock, who were natives respectively of Ireland and
Pennsylvania. Samuel Pollock came with his parents to
America when six years old; was reared in Pennsylvania and Harrison
County, Ohio, at the latter-named place marrying in 1818. He
served in the war of 1812; was a farmer by occupation; moved to Richland
County in about 1820, where he died in 1876. His widow still
survives him at the age of eighty-two years, residing in Mansfield.
John W. Pollock was reared in Richland County, receiving in youth
only such education as limited means in the common schools of that early
day afforded. In August, 1848, he came to Williams County for the
first time, purchased a piece of land directly across the county line
and then returned to Richland County, remaining there until the winter
of 1849, when he returned to Williams County, where he remained one
year, working at this trade of carpenter and joiner. The winter of
1850, he returned to Richland County, when, on the 16th of June, 1851,
he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Finny. He
remained in his native county until August, 1851, during which time he
erected two barns. He then moved to Williams Centre, Williams
County, and recommenced working at his trade, which was that of barn
building chiefly, until the breaking out of the war. September 1,
1861, he enlisted as private in Company E. Thirty-eighth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, and remained with them until November, 1863,
participating in all the movements of his regiment until it was
veteranized. He was sent home for recruiting services in November,
1863, and in April, 1864, was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Company
C, Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. They went into active
service, but soon after starting out, Lieut. Pollock was placed
in the Quartermaster's Department, remaining therein until June, 1865,
when he participated in the grand review of Sherman's army. In
December, 1864, he was promoted to First Lieutenant, mustered into
Company D of the Thirty-eighth, and in about June, 1865, was advanced to
Captain of Company F. After the war, Mr. P. returned to
Bryan, on the place he had purchased in 1852, and to which he had moved
a year or two later. He has remained here ever since, first
engaging in saw-milling, subsequently at his trade and farming. He
owns twenty-four acres where he now resides, and 160 acres in Pulaski
Township. His wife died January 15, 1877. To her marriage
with Mr. Pollock there were born three children - James F.
(deceased), Clayton E., and Ella B. (deceased).
April 21, 1878, Mr. Pollock married his present wife, Mrs.
Hattie (Newman) Eaton. To their marriage has been born one
daughter, Fanny f. Mr. Pollock is a Republican in politics,
and is one of the present Trustees of Pulaski Township. He is a
member of the G. A. R., and he and wife belong to the Presbyterian
Church.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 586 |
WILLIAM POOLE,
farmer, brick-maker and tile manufacturer, is a son of Bannister and
Mary Poole. His father was born in Virginia in 1784, and his
mother in Pennsylvania in 1803. They were married in Adams County,
Penn., where they remained some time, and then moved to Stark County,
Ohio, and a few years later to Summit County, and then, in 1836, came to
Williams County, where the father died, the parents of fourteen
children. William Poole was born in Summit County, Sept. 9, 1831,
and came with his parents to this county, where he has since remained.
June 10, 1852, he married Maria Gardner, who died June 23, 1857.
His second marriage, Feb. 26, 1858, was to Mary E. Connell, and
shortly after this he bought a part of the old homestead, built a house,
moved in, and there still lives. He owns 118 acres of well
improved land, and has had born to him twelve children, as follows:
Ruby J. and Emery C., by his first wife; and Ira A.
and Irving A. (twins), Betha, Franklin W., Roland L., Mary E.,
Mattie E., Altie M., an infant son deceased, Mintie B.
(deceased), and Charles W., by his second wife. Mr. and
Mrs. Poole are members of the Granger Lodge, and among the highly
respectable people of the township.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 779 - Centre Twp. |
J. C. POUCHER,
son of Rev. J. and Mary (Colton) Poucher, was born in Lancashire,
England, Mar. 23, 1847. Previous to coming to American, his father
was engaged in keeping a bakery and confectionery in Manchester,
England. Business reverses, consequent upon the Anglo-Russian war
in 1854, caused him to emigrate to our country. On the voyage he
experienced a shipwreck, the passengers and crew being rescued by a
passing vessel, and carried back to England. He had a second
attempt, and arrived in safety in New York, when he moved West, living
in portions of Ohio and Indiana until 1858, when he came to Williams
County. He has been engaged in the ministry for many yeas.
Our subject came to America the same year as his father, but not with
him. Previous to coming to Williams County, he had attended school
and acted as book-keeper. On coming into the county he settled at
West Unity, engaging as book-keeper and salesman for the late G. H.
Pearce during eight years, afterward opening a store, which he still
continues, in West Unity, having one of the leading dry goods and notion
trades in the place. During the present year, he has charge of the
late G. H. Pearce's store in Columbia, Ohio. On May 7,
1872, he was married to Clara Stephens, daughter of C. A.
Stephens. They have three children - James L., Clara
and Pansy. Mr. Poucher is a member of Superior Lodge, 179,
A. F. & A. M., West Unity Lodge, 638, I. O. O. F. and of Brady Lodge,
1676, K. of H., also of the Uniformed Camp, of Bryan.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 682 |
REV. JOHN
POUCHER was born in Lincolnshire, England, Dec. 10, 1824.
His ancestors were English farmers, with the exception of his maternal
grandmother, who was of French descent, and whose father was a clebrated
Baptist minister, and died about the year 1818. Grandfather
John Poucher died at Digby, Eng., about 1840; father John Poucher
died at Cunningsby, Lincolnshire, in 1876. Mother Poucher
died in 1854. Rev. John Poucher has been twice married.
First to Mary Colton, daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Colton,
of Lincolnshire, Nov. 8, 1842, and to his marriage five children were
born - Elizabeth, John Colton, Mary Ann, Sarah Ann and
Laura. Mrs. Poucher died in Bowling Green, Wood Co., Ohio,
July 19, 1868. His second marriage was with Mrs. John Poe,
Mar. 30, 1869. She was born in Massachusetts Dec. 15, 1836; her
first husband died during the late war, a prisoner in the hands of the
enemy. To this union there were five children born - Frank,
Carver, Edward Thompson, Nellie Naomah, George Wesley and Robert
Colton. Mr. Poucher came to America in the fall of
1854, and passed the winter following in Shanesville, Tuscarawas County,
Ohio. In the spring of 1855, he engaged in milling at Bridgewater,
this county, and has ever since continued the business, and is now one
of the proprietors of Unity Mills, West Unity. He joined the
Central Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1857, and
is still an honored member, and has charge of the Montpelier Circuit.
At the outbreak of the recent war, Mr. Poucher was elected by his
regiment and commissioned by Gov. Tod, Chaplain of the
Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which capacity he served till
the close of the war. While acting as Post Chaplain at Nashville,
Tenn., he received a severe internal injury while assisting a wounded
soldier to the cars, and is still a sufferer therefrom; otherwise he
escaped unscathed.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 681 |
VOLNEY POWERS
was born in Steuben County, Ind., Mar. 17, 1838, and was the first white
child born in York Township, in that county. He is the sixth of
nine born to Stephen A. and Mary A. (Campbell) Powers, of which
number five survive. His parents were natives of New York, and
moved to Steuben County in 1837, where they lived in Steuben County.
Volney Powers lived with his parents until manhood, employed in
farming and teaching school. In 1858, he came to Williams County,
settling in this township on the farm he now owns, embracing 160 acres,
of which 180 are improved, and adorned with good buildings. At the
first call to arms in our late war he responded, but was not enlisted
until August, 1861, being enrolled in Company C, Seventh Michigan
Volunteers. The company was ordered to Washington, where Mr.
Powers became sick. Shortly afterward he was appointed Second
Lieutenant in Company H, First Michigan (colored) Regiment; he was later
promoted First Lieutenant, serving until his discharge, Nov. 1, 1865; in
one of many engagements he was shot through the hand. Mr.
Powers was married Apr. 18, 1866, to Mattie Kimmell, of
Richland, but at this time of Williams County, Ohio.; the result of this
union was six children - Ellen, Viola, Oliver, Jennie, Stephen A.
and Vadia. Mr. Powers has been Township Trustee three
terms, Assessor six terms, and Justice of the Peace one term. Both
himself and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. His
father and two brothers were also soldiers in the late war.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 816 |
A.
M. PRATT, lawyer, was born in Berkshire County, Mass., December
26, 1825. His father, Michael Pratt, was a native of
Taunton, Mass., a direct descendant of the Puritans, and dated the
advent of his forefathers in America as far back as 1623, and it is said
that one of them surveyed and laid out the town of Plymouth.
John the father of Michael, served in the Revolution as a
Massachusetts minuteman. Michael married Lydia Douglas,
of New London, Conn., a distant relative of Stephen A. Douglas,
of Illinois. This lady died, leaving no children. His
second wife, Sophia Humphreville, of Fair Haven, Conn., became
the mother of eight children, five of whom survive their parents, the
father dying January 6, 1862, and the mother in September, 1867.
Our subject was the sixth child born to this union, and was reared on
his father's farm in his native county. In 1846, he entered
Williams College, and graduated in 1850. In December of that year,
he came to Ravenna, this State, and under the instruction of John L.
Ramsey, there began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in
Medina in 1853. The same fall, he came to Bryan, then a town of
about 450 inhabitants, and began practice in partnership with Edward
Foster, and here he has carried on his profession with gratifying
success ever since. January 17, 1855, he married Elizabeth C.
Atwood, of Portage County, who died July 20, 1870, leaving two
daughters, Mabel E. and Cornelia A. His second and
present wife was Mary W. Northrop, who he married October 26,
1871. Mr. Pratt is a Republican, has served as Mayor of
Bryan, and was a delegate to the last State Constitutional Convention.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical
- Illustrated - Publ.
Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles Blanchard, Biographical
Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Page 586 |
LOUIS W.
PRETTYMAN was born June 19, 1828, in Pickaway County, Ohio, and
is one of five living children of Thomas J. and Lydia W. (Wyatt)
Prettyman, from Delaware. The elder Prettyman was a
soldier in the war of 1812, and by trade was a carpenter. He was
married in Delaware, moved to Philadelphia, and then came to Pickaway
County, this State, where he bought to farms, aggregating about 320
acres, and engaged in farming and stock-raising. In 1833, he
brought his family to this township, where he had entered 200 acres of
land two years before, and entered 600 additional acres. Here he
built a cabin on Bean Creek, and began clearing up a farm, in nearest
market being Defiance, which could be reached only by poling down the
river. On this farm he died July 28, 1835. He was the first
Treasurer of the township, and held that office at the time of his
death. He was a local minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and preached probably the first sermon ever heard in Williams County, it
being the discourse at the funeral of a Miss Knipe, whose death
was the first on record in this township. Louis W. Prettyman
received a fair common-school education, and after his father's death
lived on the home farm with his brother-in-law, Jones P. Slusses,
until he was thirteen years old; he then went to live with another
brother-in-law, Davis King with whom he made his home until he
was twenty-four. In 1849, he attended Otterbein University,
Westerville, Ohio, several months, but was obliged to relinquish study
on account of ill health. After his recovery, he attended high
school at Bryan and Evansport, about two years, and afterward taught
several terms in this and Defiance Counties. Apr. 15, 1852, he
married Hannah R. Kintigh, of Westmoreland County, Penn., and
daughter of John and Hannah (Evans) Kintigh, natives respectively
of Pennsylvania and New Brunswick, and to their union were born thirteen
children. In the fall of 1852, he moved upon his present farm of
1858 acres, where he has ever since resided. Mr. Prettyman
has served two terms as Township Trustee, and he and wife are members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 731 |
JAPHETH
L. PRICKETT was born in Burlington County, N. J. twenty miles
east of Philadelphia, Penn., Aug. 5, 1815, and his ancestors, as far
back as he can trace them, where also natives of New Jersey. He
was reared a farmer, and came on foot nearly all the way to Clinton
County, Ohio, in April, 1838. He was married to Miss Phebe
Borton in Wilmington Ohio, Dec. 27, 1838. For four years he
worked at cabinet-making in Lumberton, and then moved to a farm he had
purchased in Lucas County. Four and a half years later, he came to
West Unity, where he had bought the first saw-mill erected in the place,
and ran it about twelve years; he then bought a portable mill, which he
ran two yeas, and then moved on his farm on Section No. 4, where he
still resides. Mrs. Prickitt was born in Clinton County,
Ohio, on the same day with his husband, August 5, 185, and her parents
also came from New Jersey. She has reared to maturity six
children, and has lost three. Two of the sons, Daniel J. and
James H., served in Company H, Third Ohio Cavalry, four years,
lacking sixteen days, during the late war. James H.
sustained such injuries by falling from his horse while on duty as to
almost incapacitate him for work since, but otherwise the brothers were
uninjured, although always at the post of danger.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 681 |
JOEL PRIEST,
the eldest of six children of Levi and Ellen (Smith) Priest,
natives respectively of Virginia and Ohio, was born in Holmes County, in
the last-named State, Dec. 12, 1832. Having received a good
common-school education, Joel left his parents when about
eighteen years old, and came to Bryan, this county, where he was
employed for twenty years running stationary engines, at which he was an
expert. Sept. 27, 1860, he married Catherine Swartz, a
native of Ohio, and to their union have been born eight children -
Mary A., Alice, Frank, John, Emma, Cora, Leo and James V.
About 1870, he came to this township and located on his present farm,
comprising eighty acres of excellent land, on which he has ever since
resided, with the exception of one year passed at milling. He is a
Democrat in national politics, and has filled the local position of
Township Trustee. He is a member of Fountain City Lodge, No. 314,
I. O. O. F., and also of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is an
intelligent man and public spirited citizen.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Publ. Weston A. Goodspeed, Historical Editor - Charles
Blanchard, Biographical Editor - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers
- 1882 - Page 795 |
NOTES:
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