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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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JAMES WARBURTON is a native of
England, and was born September 25, 1822. At the age of eighteen,
he parted with his parents, Abraham and Ann Warburton, his two
brothers and a sister, and came to America, locating in Medina County,
Ohio, 1841, since when he has been but once out of the State - on a
visit to Indiana and Michigan. He began working in a flouring mill
at $12 per month, and thus became a miller. Two years later, he
moved to Cuyahoga, and thence to Summit County, where he married Miss
Diana Salter, who was born in England, but had been resident of this
country since six years of age. Here he remained until 1873, when
he came to this township and settled on a 240 acre tract he had
purchased about 1850, and which he had caused to be so improved as to
become one of the very good farms in the township. Mrs.
Warburton died in 1860, leaving five small children - Albert H.,
Mary E., Alice A., Frank S. and Lizzie J., now all married
and in good circumstances. Mr. Warburton remained a
widower until December 9, 1879, when he married Miss Mary A. Morse,
a native of Canton, Ohio, who has borne him two children - Hannah
(deceased) and Ida. Mr. Warburton has led a strictly
temperate life, and his success has been greatly due to this fact.
He arrived in this State wholly exhausted of means, but through the
virtues of sobriety, industry and economy has been enabled to go into
retirement and await the close of his useful career on earth in peace
and comfort.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Pg. 620 |
Bridgewater Twp. -
ALEXANDER WATERSTON (deceased), was a baker and
farmer, was born Mar. 6, 1805, in Dalkeith, Scotland, and was the elder
of the two children born to Simon, Sr., and Janet (Thorburn)
Waterston, both natives of Scotland. He received a plain
education, and was taught the baking business, and the greater part of
his early manhood was passed at his grandfather's house. Sept. 15,
1829, he married Janet Forrest, a native of Pennycuct, Scotland.
For two years after, he worked at his trade, and then came to America,
settled in Belmont County, Ohio, where he farmed ten years, and then
came to this township and purchased 580 acres, which he cultivated till
his death, Mar. 11, 1875. His widow is still living on the
homestead with her son William, and on her seventy-seventh
birthday, Aug. 20, 1882, was in the enjoyment of good health, and
possessed her faculties well preserved. Alexander was an
honorable man and a good citizen, and died a Republican in politics, and
a Presbyterian in religious faith. Of this faith his widow is
likewise a firm adherent. The surviving children of eleven born to
this couple are six in number, viz., Simon, Thomas, James, William,
Mary Haines and Elizabeth Culbertson.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Pg. 798 |
Bridgewater Twp. -
SIMON WATERSTON, the eldest of the eleven children
of Alexander and Janet (Forrest) Waterson, was born in Edinburgh,
Scotland, May 20, 1830. The father was a baker by trade, and
emigrated to the United States in 1831. He was followed by his
family, who arrived at the port of New York July 4, 1832. He then
went to what is now the State of West Virginia, remained one year, and
moved thence to Belmont County, this State, where he remained eight
years, engaged in farming. Thence he removed to Richland County,
in 1842, bought eighty acres of land, and resided on it twelve years,
and thence, in September, 1853, remove to this township and purchased
one-half section of land, Simon then twenty-three years old,
taking the middle eighty acres, and, in 1869, adding the west eighty to
his possession, which he has rescued from the primitive forest and
improved with excellent buildings, wind mills, stock, and everything
necessary to make it one of the model farms of the county. Apr.
13, 1854, he married Cyrena Lindsay a native of Essex County, N.
Y., and daughter of Francis W. and Polly (Adams) Lindsay.
Her parents moved from New York to Michigan about 1832, remained there
eight years, and, in 1840, came to this township, where the daughter was
married. Mr. Waterston has been a Freemason since 1861, and
an Odd Fellow since 1879. He has served as Township Trustee
several years. In 1851, he enlisted in the Thirty-eighth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, and was under Gen. Thomas in Kentucky, with
Gen. Buell in his famous march to Shiloh and his retreat north;
then with Rosecrans and Thomas respectively until the fall
of Atlanta, when, as Lieutenant, he was ordered to take the surplus
baggage of the Fourteenth Corps back to Bridgeport, Ala., where he
remained until Sherman's army reached Washington, when he joined
the command, and was discharged in July, 1865. Mr. Waterston
received a good common-school education in his youth, and his wife was a
school-teacher at the age of sixteen. They became the parents of
five children - George T., an infant, deceased, Anna C., Frank
L. and Jennie A. Mr. W. is a stanch Republican, having
been one of the twenty-six who organized that party in Williams County.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Pg. 799 |
Bridgewater Twp. -
THOMAS F. WATERSTON was born in Belmont County,
Ohio in March, 1834, and is the second of six surviving children born to
Alexander and Janet (Forest) Waterston. Thomas
received a fair common-school education while residing in Belmont and
Richland Counties with his parents. He came with them to this
township in September, 1858, and this has been his home ever since.
When about twenty-two, Thomas began working for himself, and, at
the age of twenty-seven, married Lucinda Knapp, a native of Ohio.
He then settled on his present farm, which comprises 200 acres of as
fine land as there is in the township, and which is improved with good
buildings, wind pump, etc. His residence is a fine, large tasteful
frame, and was built in 1877. He is a thoroughgoing farmer,
energetic and enterprising, and a worthy and reliable citizen. In
politics, he is Republican, and his religious faith is that of the
United Brethren. He is the father of two children - Ida M.
and Edwin - and he is rearing two whom he has adopted - Frank
Goodrich and Berton Dorn.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Pg. 800 |
Bridgewater Twp. -
WILLIAM T. WATERSTON, son of Alexander
Waterston, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, May 25, 1841, and came
to this township with his parents. He received a good common
school education, and when twenty-four years old enlisted in the One
Hundred and Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served in Virginia
ten months, on guard duty, when the war closed, and received his
discharge December, 1865. Oct. 5, 1876, he married Lucretia K.
Haines, a native of Columbiana County, this State, born Jan. 5,
1851, and daughter of
Michael and Rebecca
(Lowe) Haines, natives respectively of Ohio and Maryland.
The young couple took up their residence on the home farm, of which
William has had charge ever since his father's death in 1875, and
which up to the present time he has prosperously conducted. Mr.
Waterston is one of Bridgewater's most reliable citizens, and in the
"blackleg" days was a member of the "Regulators." In politics, he
has ever been a stanch Republican. His well-stored library shows a
cultivated taste, and the old homestead and its surroundings indicate
that they are under the control of a discreet and intelligent master.
He is the father of two children - Ursula L. and Augusta.
Source: County of Williams, Ohio, Historical & Biographical -
Illustrated - Chicago: F. A. Battey & Co., Publishers - 1882 - Pg. 798 |
ADAM
WEITZ, son of Joseph Weitz, is a native of Germany, and
was born in 1810. He was reared a Catholic and taught the weaver's
trade in the old country; served his six allotted years in the army
there, and at the age of twenty-seven emigrated to America, locating in
Portage County, Ohio. He began work on the canal; attended school
one winter and acquired a knowledge of English, and then went on to
learn the stonecutter's trade. His temperate habits and industry
soon gained for him a position of overseer, and for twenty-four years he
followed his trade. In 1846, he bought his farm in this township;
went to work at stone-cutting, hired help to clear away the forest
trees; built a small frame house, yet an adjunct of his present
dwelling, and soon was the owner of as comfortable a home as there is in
the township. In 1839, he married Elizabeth Yeager, a
native of Pennsylvania, and to this marriage have been born eleven
children - nine now living - Daniel, Harriet, Lovina, Lucina, Joseph,
Wesley, Thomas, George and Frances. Mr. Weitz has
proven himself to be one of the most energetic citizens of St. Joseph
Township, and was largely instrumental in causing the new survey to be
made, which permanently fixed the legal boundaries of St. Joseph.
Formerly he was a Democrat, and cast his first vote for James K. Polk,
but in 1856 changed his political views, and cast his vote for John
C. Fremont for President, and thenceforward became stanchly
Republican. He is now a Protestant in religion, and, with his
wife, is a member 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 620 |
JOHN
P. WERTZ, the son of Henry and Julia Wertz, was born in
Germany Nov. 22, 1822. His father was born about 1781, and his
mother about 1786. They were married in Germany, and died there,
she in May, 1831, and he about three weeks after. Henry Wertz
was twice married, his first wife being Caroline Suber, who bore
him three children; his second was Julia Ogle, the mother of
John P., who was the only child born of the second marriage.
In 1840, John P. Wertz, in company with a half-sister, came to
America, landed at Baltimore, and thence came to Morgan County, Ohio.
One year later, John P. moved to Wood County, bought some
property, remained a short time, and then went to Hancock, County, where
he resided about six years, and then came to this township and purchased
the farm on which he now lives on Section 14. He returned to
Hancock County, and their married, in October, 1849, Margaret,
daughter of Jacob and Catharine Grindle, who was born Mar. 12,
1827. He shortly after returned to his farm in this township,
where he has ever since resided. He has been a very successful
manager, and has accumulated a great deal of land, which, however, he
has liberally divided among his children. He still retains for his
own purposes 137 acres, which are in a thorough state of cultivation,
and improved with substantial buildings. All the country was a
dense forest when Mr. Wertz settled in it, and all the
improvements here have been made through the industry and frugality and
enterprise of Mr. Wertz, who is now passing his declining days in
retirement. He has a family of eight children - Henry P.,
Jacob, William M., Oscar, John F., Elizabeth A., Charles I. and
David H. Mr. Wertz is a man of deep religious feeling,
and is universally respected.
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 782 |
JOSEPH WHITE, son of John and
Mary (Mitchell) White, was born in Bucks County, Penn., Oct. 14,
1806. John White was a soldier of 1812. When fifteen
years of age, Joseph was apprenticed to a coach
maker, with whom he remained four and one-half years, and continued to
live in Bucks County until his twenty-third year, when he removed to New
Hope and set up his trade there. In this town, on May 8, 1830, he
was married to Miss Rebecca F. Leach, and continued the trade of
coach-making. In 1835, he came to Crawford County, Ohio, and
purchased eighty acres, fifteen of which were cleared. This he
sold, and coming to Williams County in 1839, and entered 160 acres.
He assisted in clearing two and one-half miles of road to reach the mill
at West Buffalo. Mr. White was Justice of the Peace for
three years, and has had a family of ten - Mary A., Deborah, Martha,
Lucretia, Fannie, Isaiah, Joseph H., Julie A., Prudence and
John. Of these, two (Lucretia and Prudence) are
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 - Page 650 |
Mill
Creek Twp. -
THOMAS E. WHITNEY was born in New York City December 25, 1844,
and is the eldest son of Marvin N. and Esther (Underhill) Whitney,
respectively natives of Connecticut and New York, and of English
descent. The Pell and Underhill families are quite
numerous on the line between New York and Connecticut, and our subject
derives his descent from their founders, Lord Pell and Lord
Underhill, the latter having been his grandfather. Mervin
N. Whitney was engaged in ship and house building in New York, and,
a few years before the late ware, came to Akron, Ohio, and erected the
only steam flouring mills in the place, and they are still standing.
Here he died within a few years; the family became separated, and the
Thomas E. came to this township. Having received a very fair
common-school education, and possessing a good share of energy, he
pushed his way along through the world, and, April 13, 1863, married
Lila M. Ames, a native of Erie County, Ohio, and daughter of
Calvin and Chrisan (Garrison) Ames, who were both born in New York.
During the war, Mr. Whitney enlisted in Hoffman's
Battalion, doing garrison duty on Johnson's Island, and received his
discharge July 18, 1865. Two or three years later, he bought
thirty acres of land, lying partly in this township and partly on the
other side of the Michigan line, and farmed until 1869, when he engaged
in general merchandising. In 1882, he joined Mr. Steadman
in the lumber business, at which he is still profitably engaged.
His children are three in number, and bear the names of Waldo, Hattie
L. and Eddie.
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 800 |
JOSEPH WIBIRT, JR.
born May 23, 1840, in Waterloo County, N.Y., is the youngest of eight
children born to Joseph and Polly A. (Reynolds) Wibirt. In
1842, the elder Mr. Wibirt moved with his family to Springfield
Township, and settled on eighty acres entered the previous year, built a
cabin, and began the work of clearing, residing thereon until his death,
April, 19, 1876; Mrs. Wibirt died April 27, 1880; both were
Quakers. Joseph Wibirt, Jr., has always lived on the old
homestead, which he now owns. He was married, Aug. 14, 1862, to
Lucinda C. Colgan, of Springfield Twp., and daughter of Daniel
Colgan. Mr. and Mrs. Wibirt have two children - Alice A.
and Mary J. He is a member of Springfield Grange, No. 499,
and also of A., F. & A. M. Both himself and wife are members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is in politics a Republican, also
an enterprising farmer. Joseph Wibert, Sr., was born in
Saratoga County, N. Y., and his wife in New Hampshire; both were of
English-German extraction. The parents of Mrs. Joseph Wibirt,
Jr., Daniel and Christina A. (Haller) Colgan, were
both natives of Connecticut.
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 743 - Springfield Twp. |
HARMON WIEMAN,
is a son of L. and Mary Wieman, and was born in Germany Jan. 15,
1811. He came to America with his parents in the year 1834.
On June 23, 1847, he was married, in Montgomery County, Ohio, to
Legina M. Kluse, born in Germany, Dec. 18, 1820. Son after his
marriage, he commenced to work in a woolen factory at Miamisburg, in
Montgomery County, where he remained until 1841, when he removed to
Williams County, and purchased a farm in St. Joseph Township; here he
remained until 1851, when he sold and moved on the place on which he now
resides, in Centre Township, Section 30, having 125 acres, which he
himself improved. Mr. and Mrs. Wieman have nine children -
Sarah, Emily, Hannah, John, Mattie, Harmon, George, Edward and
Samuel. Both himself and wife are members of the Lutheran
Church. HE is a cordial and very excellent man.
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 783 - Center Twp. |
| HON. J. W. WILLIAMS, M. D.
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 |
JOSEPH
W. WILLIAMS, M. D.,
was born in Williams County, Ohio, Apr. 15, 1852. His parents,
Andrew S. and Mary A. (White) Williams, were also natives of Ohio.
Andrew Williams served three years in the army and was wounded at
Atlanta, Ga., Aug. 7, 1853, which caused his death the September
following. Mrs. Williams resides with her son in Montpelier.
Dr. Williams attended the public schools of Williams County in his
youth; afterward Bryan Normal School, studying his profession for three
years with Dr. P. O. Jump, of Bryan, following which he attended
medical lectures and graduated at Cincinnati in 1878. He began
practice the same year at Bridgewater Centre, in Williams County, in
connection with R. F. Lamson, which was continued for two
and a half years, when Dr. W. removed to Edon, remaining but six
months, when he decided upon Montpelier as a permanent location. A
partnership was formed between himself and Messrs. J. a. And J. W.
Starr for the purpose of carrying on the drug business, which is one
of the permanent institutions of the place. They carry a fine
stock of from $2,500 to $3,000 value. Dr. Williams also has
an extensive practice in this vicinity. Miss Emma Starr
became the wife of Dr. Williams May 28, 1878. She is a
daughter of Richard and Mary A. Starr, natives respectively of
Pennsylvania and Ohio, but now residents of Williams County,, Ohio.
Dr. and Mrs. Williams are members of the M. E. 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 650 |
PHILO B. WILLIAMS was
born in Licking County, Ohio, Feb. 5, 1829. His parents, Gilbert
and Catherine Williams, were natives of Vermont and New York
respectively, and of English and French descent. They removed to
De Kalb County, Ind., adjoining St. Joseph Township, in this county, in
1840, when they country was new and unsettled, and for ten years worked
at subduing the forces of nature and improving and cultivating their
land, when they returned to Licking County, Ohio, and thence to Iowa,
where the father ended his days, leaving the mother with seven children.
Philo B. assisted his father in his early pioneer labors,
receiving but slight educational advantages. At that time the trip
to Defiance to dispose of the produce required three or four days,
efforts almost forgotten in these days. He returned with his
parents, in 1850, to his native county, and was joined in wedlock, Sept.
29, 1853, with Miss Julia Hastings, a naive of
Licking County, and a daughter of William and Susanna (Skeels)
Hastings, natives of New Hampshire and Vermont and of English and
Scotch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Williams have had a family of
five children, four surviving, viz., Madora, Arthur, Josephine
and Eunice. The family returned to Edgerton in 1855, where
Mr. Williams has been engaged as carpenter and joiner, and later
at farming and lumbering. He has acquired a fine home of
forty-three acres, besides village property in Bryan and Edgerton.
Mr. W. enlisted in Company K, Sixty-eighth Regiment Ohio
Volunteer Infantry in 1861, and participated in active service under
Sherman at Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, Fort Donelson, Corinth and
Atlanta, and received an honorable discharge in 1864.
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 621 |
CONRAD WINEGARDNER
was born in Bedford County, Penn., Oct. 24, 1816, and was the eldest of
seven children born to William and Elizabeth Winegardner, natives
respectively of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and married in the former
State. Some years after their marriage they moved to Wayne County,
Ohio, and there ended their days. Conrad Winegardner was
married, in Wayne County, May 23, 1839, to Jane Slater, who was a
native of the county, and born Aug. 28, 1816. For twelve years
after marriage, he remained in Wayne, engaged in blacksmithing; he then
went to Wilmot, Stark County, where he lost his wife Apr. 8, 1851.
He returned to Wayne a short time after, and Aug. 19, 1852, married
Margaret Porter, a native of the county, and born Apr. 14, 1824.
Two years later he relinquished blacksmithing, and moved upon his
father-in-law's farm in Wayne, and engaged in agriculture for seven
years; then moved to Putnam County, Ohio, bought a farm, worked it eight
years, sold out, and moved to this township, where he now owns and
operates a fine farm of 240 acres. Mr. Winegardner had born
to him by his first wife the following-named children: Jane
(deceased); and, by his second wife, Porter, Angeline, Elmira,
Emerson, and Charles (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 - Page 783 - Centre Twp. |
ELI WISMAN
is a son of George and Susan Wisman, of Superior Township, this
county. He was born in Williams County Aug. 25, 1845, and was next
to the youngest of a family of eleven children. Nov. 7, 1867, he
married Miss Elizabeth J. Courtney, who was born in Mahoning
County, Ohio, June 27, 1852, and the daughter of Isaac and Sarah
Courtney, now of Superior Township, this county. In 1872,
Mr. Wiseman bought and moved upon the farm where he still resides,
and which consists of 240 acres of well improved land. His only
child is a daughter, named Cora M., who was born Nov. 27, 1870.
In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company K, Sixty-eighth Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Both he and wife
are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Wiseman is
regarded by his neighbors as an enterprising citizen and progressive
young man, and they have called upon him to serve them as County
Commissioner.
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 784 - Centre Twp. |
CYRUS T. WYATT
is a native of this county, and was born in 1848. He is the
son of William and Martha E. Wyatt, who were among the very early
settlers of Williams. His earlier years were passed upon the home
farm, on which he assisted his father till about nineteen years of age.
In 1867, he began to learn the carpenter's trade, at which he continued
to work till 1870. In 1871, he married Miss Minerva Burgoyne,
also a native of Williams County, and the fruit of this union is two
children - Lulu O., and Oscar W. Although Mr.
Wyatt has never exhibited any desire for public office, or sought
political distinction, the Democratic party, of which he is a stanch
member, called upon him to fill the office of Town Assessor, the duties
of which he most ably discharged during his incumbency. His
forty-acre farm is highly cultivated, and he is surrounded with every
improvement and convenience appertaining to a comfortable home.
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 763 - Jefferson Twp. |
NOTES:
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