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BIOGRAPHIES
Source #3
Commemorative Biographical Records
of
Northwestern Ohio
including the counties of
Defiance, Henry, Williams & Fulton.
Published at Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co.
1899
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HENRY
CLAY UMBENHAUR. The late Mr. Umbenhaur
represented a
pioneer family that was identified with the early history and progress
of Williams county, Ohio.
John Phillip Umbenhaur, the pioneer ancestor, was born
in Berne, Pennsylvania, where he passed the early years of his life, and
married Elizabeth ___. After marriage they made their home for a
number of years near Manchester, Frederick county, Virginia, and there
most of their family of ten children were born. Actuated by a
desire to try his fortune in a newer section of the country, he, about
the year 1835, took his family to Ohio, locating first at Taylorsville,
Muskingum county, where he resided a number of years, pursuing the
business of a contractor and builder. He finally located
permanently in Williams county, where, possessed of the courage
requisite for the life imposed by such an undertaking, this energetic
and, as we believe, vigorous man purchased and settled on a tract of one
hundred and sixty acres of primeval forest land in Superior township.
The work of clearing this heavily-timbered farm was prosecuted to its
completion, and here the husband and father lived to the advanced age of
eighty-one years. The partner of his sorrows and joys remained at
the homestead till she, too, was borne by the angel of death to the
spirit land. She was laid to rest by the side of her husband in
Montpelier cemetery, Superior township. Mindful of the highest
duties and privileges of this earthly existence, they were religious in
their lives and attended the services of the Methodist Church.
Francis Henry Umbenhaur, the third in their family of
children, was born in the Virginia home, and accompanied his parents to
Muskingum county on their removal thither. Here in 1844 he wedded
Miss Mary A. Sullivan, a daughter of Richard Sullivan, formerly of
Maryland, but afterward a resident of North Carolina, where he was a
planter and slave holder. Mr. Sullivan, however, did not approve
of slavery, and while on a visit to Ohio (during which his daughter,
afterward Mrs. Umbenhaur, was born) his views on the subject were so
strengthened by ideas imbibed there that on his return to North Carolina
he disposed of his property at a loss in order to move to a free State.
He then located permanently in Taylorsville, Ohio, where he became an
influential and esteemed citizen. He held office of mayor of the
village for ten or twelve years. He was a member of the Methodist
Church.
In 1859 Mr. Umbenhaur removed with his wife and family
of eight children to Williams county, and shortly afterward purchased
the old homestead, his mother living with him during the remainder of
her life. He gave up the farm during the latter part of his life,
and with his wife moved to Fayette, Ohio, where they spent their closing
years, the wife departing this life at the age of sixty-seven, and the
husband surviving her four years. They are buried in Fayette
cemetery.
Mr. Umbenhaur was an intelligent and well-bred man,
thoroughly informed on the current events of the day. Holding very
positive views in favor of the ground defined for and by the Whig party,
he took a firm stand in maintenance of its doctrines. In Muskingum
county he worked for the educational good in the office of school
director. He was unassuming in this manner, churches and schools
he was ready with substantial aid in other good causes, and his
character in the community was such as to command universal respect.
He attended the Methodist Church, of which his wife was a member.
Henry Clay Umbenhaur, grandson of the pioneer and son
of Francis H. and Mary A. Umbenhaur, was born February 8, 1843, at
Taylorsville, and attended the schools of that place until he was
fourteen years of age. His home was with the family until his
enlistment in 1864, removing with them to Williams county, where he
assisted in the farm work summers, and attended school winters. On
June 20 of that year he joined the Union army as a volunteer in Company
A, One Hundred and Forty-Second Indiana Volunteer Infantry. His
principal service was in Tennessee, where he participated in the battle
of Nashville, in which the Union cause suffered defeat, and took part in
a number of skirmishes with the Rebel troops under General Hood.
On the organization of the company he was elected corporal, and after
some four months of service he received promotion for merit to the rank
of orderly sergeant, and served as such to the close of the war.
He received an honorable discharge from the service in August, 1865, at
Nashville, Tennessee, and a month later began the study of medicine in
the office of Doctors Cooney & Snyder at Bryan, Ohio, remaining there
three years with the intention of taking a complete collegiate course in
preparation for the medical profession; but an opportunity offering for
establishing a much-needed drug-store at Pioneer, Ohio, he was led to
change his plans, and in 1868 he embarked in the drug business there,
his former preceptors also having an interest in the concern. At
the end of two years he purchased their right and continued business
several years alone. On January 18, 1872, he was united in
marriage with Miss Sophia A., daughter of Thomas Hodson, a retired
business man and lawyer of distinction of that place, and one of its
useful and leading citizens.
About three years after marriage, Mr. Umbenhaur gave up
the drug business at Pioneer, and invested in a drug store in Fayette
county, where he located. He then built a mill for the manufacture
of liquid paint, and there for three years, in connection with the drug
business, engaged in the manufacture of this article, selling large
quantities of the paint, and making the venture a decided success.
He also became the agent of the American Express Company at that place.
At the end of the three years he removed to Montcalm, Michigan, where he
purchased a mill for the manufacture of a useful article, a carload of
which was shipped each day. With that industry he connected the
manufacture of shingles, and still continuing the other lines of his
business interests in Fayette county, conducted all these branches of
his varied interests for a year and a half, when the mill was destroyed
by fire. His loss was heavy, the property not being insured.
He then sold his drug store and resumed the drug business at Pioneer,
remaining there until 1883, when he again disposed of his interests
there and established himself permanently in the same business in
Hicksville, locating on the corner of High and Maple streets Mr.
Umbenhaur died July 17, 1898.
In politics our subject was a stanch Republican, and he
did much to maintain the efficiency of the Hicksville schools, serving
as a member of the board of education for six or seven years. He
had been elected a member of the board of trustees of the village water
works, and served as clerk and superintendent for several years, holding
these offices until his resignation. He was an interesting and
instructive after-dinner and public speaker, and was active in the
support of a lecture course in the village. He was connected with
the National Union Lodge of Hicksville. Mrs. Umbenhaur is a member
of the Christian Church. Her family consists of two children:
Mabel C., born in March, 1873 and Fred H., born Jan. 18, 1876.
On January 6, 1897, the daughter became the wife of
Frederic Mundhauk, a member of a prominent family of southern Ohio, and
a graduate of the Ohio State University, holding the distinction of
standing at the head of his class. After his graduation he went
abroad and took a post-graduate course at the University of Paris,
returning home a month before his marriage. Mrs. Mundhauk is a
graduate of the high school of the place, and after her graduation was a
student one year at Hiram College, and two years at the Conservatory of
Music at Fort Wayne. As a young lady, one of intelligence and
culture and an accomplished pianist, she has been prominent in
Hicksville society, and the attractive home of the family, No. 35 South
street, one of the finest residences of the place, has been made the
scene of many delightful social gatherings. The son is also a
graduate of the Hicksville High school. He now resides at
Rushville, Indiana, where he holds a responsible position with an
Express Company.
Source: Commemorative Biographical Records of Northwestern Ohio
including the counties of Defiance, Henry, Williams & Fulton.
Published at Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1899 - Page 605 |
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