Marion County, Ohio - Biographical sketches (3 of 4 so headed), 1883

EMERY BREWER, deceased, was born in Fulton County, N. Y., in 1820, and came to Marion' County in 1845, settling in Salt Creek Township. He was a mau of great energy and perseverance, and although he commenced with very limited means, he added year after year till his real estate amounted to 1,700 acres of land, stocked to the fullest extent with horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. He was an enthusiastic Republican, and during the civil war, by his means and influence, gave energetic support to the union cause. He died May 7, 1880, leaving a widow and two children. His widow, Mrs. Cynthis Brewer, is a resident of Marion, and a member of the Christian Church.

ANDREW D. BRETZ was born March 6, 1827, and is the son of Samuel and Catharine (Bibler) Bretz. Samuel Bretz was born in Lancaster, Penn., August 28, 1800, and his wife, Catharine, April 25, 1804, in Fairfield County, Ohio; they were married in 1828, and located in Grand Prairie Township when the county was first organized, and purchased 320 acres of land in the northern part of that township. At this time, Indians were quite numerous, but friendly. They had nine children; those living are Anna, Andrew D., Elizabeth B., Fannie M., David S. and Mahala V. Amanda and Mary are deceased. Mr. Bretz was a prominent and highly honored citizen during his life-time, and was at one time elected Justice of the Peace; ne also served in other publie positions in the township, and as School Director for sixteen years. He was a member of the Regular Baptist Church, one of the first in the township. He died April 30, 1874; his widow, Catharine Bretz, still resides on the old homestead surrounded by her children and grandchildren, and pleasant and genial in her old age she awaits the Master's call. Andrew D. Bretz lives near the old homestead of his father, and is the owner of one of the finest farms in the county, worth, with its improvements, at least $30,000. His residence is one of the best houses in the county, and situated on an eminence affording a fine view to the south and east. He is one of the oldest residents in the township, and one of its "most influential citizens. He is, politically speaking, a Republican, and held various offices in his township, and is a member of the Regular Baptist Church, of which he is a Trustee. His wife was formerly Miss Mary Seitz, the daughter of a prominent Baptist minister. Several years ago Mr. Bretz mei with severe accident, injuring the spine, and has been obliged ever since to use canes for a support while walking.

SILAS W. BRIGGS was born in Huntingdon County, Penn., February 14, 1828, and settled in Grand Prairie Township, Marion Co., Ohio, April 10, 1861. He is one of the susbtantial farmers of the township, and has served in various local offices, among which is Justice of the Peace for several years. He affiliates with the Democratic party; is a member of the I. O. O. F., and himself and wife are members of the Methodist Church. They have the following children: Jonathan C., Luther, Emma, Otteimer G. and Eugene. The first named is a graduate of the Western Reserve Medical College. Mr. and Mrs. Briggs have a farm of 245 acres, and the cash value of the estate would be at least $20,000 to $25,000. Mr. Briggs is a prominent and highly respected citizen.

EZEKIEL BROWN, farmer and tile manufacturer, is a native of Wyandot County, Ohio, born January 24, 1850. His father, Abraham ' Brown, was a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, and moved with his family to Wyandot County in 1848. Ezekiel Brown was reared to the life of a farmer, and on attaining his majority was given $400 for a start. He has made such good use of this start, combined with industry, perseverance and good management, that he is now, although but thirty-three years of age, one of the most substantial and well-to-do citizens of hi; to«nship. He is the owner of 400 acres of land, and is also interested in the manufacture of tile. He has been Treasurer of the township three years, and Trustee two years, and politically, is a Republican. He is also a member of the Marion County Agricultural Society. He was married, January 20, 1876, to Alice C. Bretz, and the same spring became a resident of Grand Prairie Township, where he still resides. Himself and wife are members of the Baptist Church; the latter of the Regular Baptist Church.

JOHN BURTSFIELD was born in Franklin County, Penn., on the 6th day of September, 1822, andis a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Burtefield, who settled with their family in Grand Prairie Township, in April, 1828, on eigbty acres of land that he pre-empted. He died on the same farm February 14, 1872, aged eighty-three years and six months. His wife died December 19, 1875, aged seventy-five years. John Durtsfield was married February 21, 1847, to Nancy Jane Van Meter, who died December 13, 1864, avi ng three children. He was married again in July, 1865, to Amanda Lucas. By the last marriage they have no children. John Burtsfield is one of the most substantial and highly respected citizens of the township. He has filled all the offices of the township from Justice of the Peace down, and is serving as Trustee at the present time, while his son, J. W., is Township Clerk. He is the owner of 360 acres of well improved land, valued at $25,000, which he has made by his own industry and economy. He resides on the place where his father first settled in 1828.

MICHAEL CAMPBELL, pioneer and farmer, was born in Ross County, Ohio, October 19,1811. He came to Marion County in 1831, and in 1836 he was married to Mary Bibler, of Fairfield County, Ohio. Mr. Campbell endured all the hardships of pioneer life, and although he had very little means at the start, he acquired through industry and perseverance quite a large property, and at one time owned over 700 acres of land, and now owns 240 acres, where he and his wife still live. They have six children - Ezra, Samu@l, Annie, John, Barbara and Ellen. Mr. Campbell is a Republican in politics, and during the war for the Union gave liberally of his means in support of the Union cause. He is one of the very few pioneers of the county that are still living, and is a man greatly honored for his honesty

MRS. MARY (BUNN) COONROD, widow of Adam Coonrod. The latter was born in Pennsylvania April 20, 1797. He settled in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1810; then he moved to Wyandot County, and in 1830 settled in Grand Prairie Township, Marion County, and purchased 200 acres of land. He was a prosperous farmer, and much esteemed as a citizen, and served the township in various local offices. He was a member of the United Brethren Church at Marion, and during the late years of his life was, politically speaking, a Republican. He died August 20, 1876, at his homestead, which consisted of 260 acres of land, in Grand Prairie Township. He left a widow and eight children. He was married to Mary Bunn, June 21, 1842. She was born June 9, 1816. Her father, John Bunn, with his family, settled in Grand Prairie Township in 1824. John Bunn was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was taken prisoner by the British at the time of Hull's surrender at Detroit. He afterward lived in Ross County, Ohio, from whence he came to Marion County. Mrs. Mary (Bunn) Coonrod lives on the old homestead in Grand Prairie Township. Her two sons, George W. and Howard W., are carrying on the farm. She also owns a house and three lots in Marion. Two of her sons served as soldiers in the Union army during the war of the great Rebellion. John Coonrod enlisted in the Eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served during the whole war. Howard W. Coonrod enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 24, 1864, participated in the battle of Murfreesboro, and served until the close of the war. He was honorably discharged from the service July 3, 1865.

JACOB HARRIS, farmer, was born December 31, 1831. Hecameto Marion County in 1856, and has since resided in Grand Prairie Township, where he has a farm of 125 acres. He is a prosperous farmer and an enterprising citizen ; is a member of the County Agricultural Society, and of the Grange. In politics, he affiliates with the Republican party. His grandfather, Frederick Canous, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and lived to the age of one hundred and two years. Mr. Harris is a member of the Free- Will Baptist Church.

HON. ROBERT HILL is a native of Knox County, Ohio. He was born July 14, 1821, and is a son of Samuel J. and Margaret Hill; the former was a native of Scotland, and the latter of Juniata County, Penn. Mr. Hill was born September 29, 1756. He visited Ireland, and in 1784-85 sailed for America, and settled in Pennsylvania, where he was married in July, 1808, to Margaret Arbuckle. They came to Ohio, stopping first in Coshocton County, then in Knox County, but in the spring of 1830 they moved to this county, settling in Scott Township. He bought forty acres, and in time forty acres more; he improved this farm, building the fifth house in the township, and helped build the first church and schoolhouse in that township. He was called upon to serve in the war of 1812, but peace was declared before he could take action. He was a teacher by profession, continuing at tbat work until within a few years of his death. Their union was blessed with the birth of nine children, of whom our subject is next to the youngest; four are living. Mr. Hill died October 23, 1850, and his wife February 14, 1869. Our subject was reared and educated on the old homestead, where he resided until 1849, when he purchased a farm in Grand Prairie Township, to which he has been adding until be owns 847 acres in this township, and 1,430 aeres in all, which are loeated in Grand Prairie, Big Island and Scott Townships; he is also interested in an extensive cattle ranch in Wyoming Territory. Mr. Hill started in life with nothing, so that all that he now owns is the sole product of his individual labor. He was married in Morrow County, Ohio, November 23, 1843, to Miss Mary A. Cone, a native of that county. Eight children have been born to them, six living - Joseph, George W., Martha E. (wife of A. H. Hord), Marietta (wife of T. B. Hord), James and Henry, at home; Alice and an infant are deceased. Mr. Hill is a prominent Democrat; he served one term as County Commissioner, and was re-elected in 1872, and, having continued one year, resigned. In 1878, he was elected Representative to the State Legislature; he became his own successor, and, having acceptably served two terms, re. tired to the farm. He is still active in the politics of the county, and is frequently delegated to the State Conventions. He was largely instrumental in securing the pike from Marion to Bucyrus; he is a public-spirited citizen. The family are members of the Disciple Church.

FREDERICK HINERMAN, farmer, was born in France April 4, 1822. He came to this county with his father, George Hinerman, in 1829; his father in 1832 bought fifteen acres of land; he died in 1860. Frederick Hinerman owns at the present time 310 acrés of land, and is a grain and stock farmer. | He has a fine stone quarry on his farm, from which he is now furnishing stone for building the Marion & Bucyrus pike. He is a member of the Marion County Agricultural Society, and of the Regular Baptist Church. In politics, he is a Democrat.

BENJAMIN F. HITE was born June 6, 1846, in Perry County, Ohio, ana is a son of Martin and Emily, Hite, the former born in Perry County, Ohio, February 28, 1819, and the latter in Fairfield County, Ohio. They were married April 10, 1840. Benjamin F. first came to Grand Prairie Town: ship November 1, 1868; remained five years, and went to Wyandot County, and five years afterward returned to this township, where he now resides and owns 124 acres of land. He was married, August 30, 1868, to Margaret Kagy, formerly of Seneca County, Ohio. They have two children - Alice and Elnora. Politically, Mr. Hite is a Democrat, and has served his township in various offices, as Justice of the Peace, Assessor, etc. He .and wife are members of the Regular Baptist Church.

JACOB D. LUST, farmer, was born in Germany August 6, 1851. He is a son of Jacob Lust, who came from the fatherland in 1853, and settled on forty acres of land that he soon purchased in Pleasant Township, thie county. He was born in 1828, and had a family of eight children, six of whom are living. He died September 9, 1881. Jacob D. Lust has been a resident of Grand Prairie Township since March 30, 1882. He is the owner of 151 acres of valuable land. Himself and wife, to whom he was married in 1874, have a family of four children. They are members of the Lutheran Church, and politically he is a Democrat. bane

JOHN W. MALONE was born November 10, 1838, in Grand Prairie Township, and is a son of Francis and Rachel (Walters) Malone. His father was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1811, and came to Grand Prairie Township about the year 1835, where he remained until the spring of 1857, when he moved to Indiana. He was Trustee of this township for some years, and was an honest and respected citizen. John W. Malone, the subject of this sketch, is the owner of sixty acres of land; has held various offices in the township, such as Trustee, etc.: is a Democrat, and an upright and honored citizen of Grand Prairie Township. He has a family of eight children - Ellery E., Electa J., Maggie E., Nina O., Viola A., Elfreda E., Erma G. and Mason W. The grandfather of our subject, Richard Malone, was an early settler in this township, and a soldier in the war of 1812.

WILLIAM B' McWHERTER moved from Pickaway County, Ohio, and settled in Wyandot County in 1820, and from thence to Marion County in 1826. He was married to Jane Morral November 9, 1826. They had six children, all now (1883) living in Marion County, with the exception of one daughter, now Mrs. Margaret Gordon, who lives in Kansas. Mr. MeWherter, son of the above, was born in Marion Towaship March 29, 1830. He was married, March 18, 1856, to Fidelia Allen, and April 3, 1856, he took up his residence in Grand Prairie Township, where he purchased 160 acres of land. He has since added land, so that the homestead now consists of 310 acres. His first wife died, and he was married the. second time. He has nine children, seven by the first marriage and two by the last. Mr. MeWherter is one of the most prosperous and prominent farmers in the township.

. JOHN T. MONNETT, son of Abram Monnett, was born in Scott Townhip February 26, 1840. He was reared upon the old homestead and received his education in the common schools. His marriage occurred September 17, 1863, to Miss Minerva Harvey, daughter of William and Mary Harvey; she is a native of Marion Township, where she was born November 16, 1844. They have three children - Byron E., Eva F. and Lola M. Mr. Monnett's farm numbers 830 acres, and he is engaged in farming and rearing stock; his specialty is raising short-horn cattle. He is a member of the Agricultural Board, of the Republican party, and, with his wife, of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

BARTON SHOOTS, a resident of this township, is a son of Landy Shoots, a pioneer of the county, and was born in Hocking County, Ohio, July 22, 1828. He is one of the most prominent citizens of the township, is the owner of a large and highly improved farm where he lives, is a Republiean, and has resided in the township about fifty years.

LANDY SHOOTS. This pioneer was born in Fauquier County, Va., November 30, 1795. He was brought by his parents to Oldtown, Ross County, Ohio, in 1799. He was married in Ross County, in 1820, to Miss Mary O'Neal. They subsequently lived in Hocking County, Ohio, whence they came to Marion County. In 1829, with a family of four children, named Joseph, Barton, Eleanor and Benjamin F., he entered 160 acres of land in Section 33, Grand Prairie Township, on which he erected a log house, where the fine residence of George W. Walters now stands, into which he moved with his family. At this time the Indians still owned their reserve in Wyandot County, and when their lands finally came into the market, he purchased several hundred acres. He became a very large land owner, and ` possessed at one time, 3,284 acres in Grand Prairie Township. At his death, May 4, 1871, he left a wife and eight children, several of whom now reside in Grand Prairie Township.

JAMES SWINNERTON settled in Grand Prairie Township in 1819. He was born in Salem, Mass., August 13, 1757, and in 1808 settled in Delaware, Ohio. He was the first settler in Grand Prairie Township; he entered one half of Section 20; on this land, in a log cabiu, hesettled with his wife, one son and two daughters. He was a man Of sterling good qualities, anda leader in his community. With the Indians who were then very numerous, he was always a favorite. He served as a soldier in the war of the Revolution. Four of his children founded colonies, one in Seneca County, Ohio, one in Wisconsin, and the other two in other counties in Ohio. Hedied at his homestead in Grand Prairie Township December 6, 1824. His wife and all of their fifteen children are now deceased.

MAJ. S. N. TITUS. This gentleman is a native of Meigs County, Ohio, and born November 17, 1837. At the breaking-out of the civil war in 1861, he volunteered as a soldier, and enlisted at Columbus, Ohio, as a private in Company M, Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, and was soon sent to Washington, D. C., and thence to Fortress Monroe. The same >ar of his enlistment, he was promoted to Lieutenancy. He was subsequently stationed at Suffolk, Va., and participated in many of the cavalry raids around Richmond. In the summer of 1863, he was promoted to the rank of Captain, and a short time after to that of Major. Maj. Titus took part in many of the engegements in the valley of the Potomac and the Peninsular campaigns. He was at the siege of Suffolk, and with Gen. Butler in his operations around Richmond, and with Grant's army. at Petersburg. In the fall of 1864, he was wounded, while in an engagement with the enemy near Richmond, Va., and taken prisoner. He was confined several weeks in Libby Prison, when; he was paroled. He returned to his home in Meigs County in the winter of 1864; but returned soon afterward, and was hunorably discharged from the service. For meritorious conduct as an officer and soldier, he was brevetted Colonel. In 1868, he was elected, and in 1870 re-elected, as Representative from Meigs County in the Ohio State Legislature, and since becoming a resident of Marion County in 1873 he has served as delegate several times to the Republican State Convention; also as Vice President of the Marion County Agricultural Society, and in other ways taken an active and prominent part in the public enterprises of the day. He is a member of the G. A. R., of the I. O, O. F., and F. & A. M. He was married, November 14, 1872, to Miss E. C. Swinnerton, a grand-daughter of James Swinnerton, a pioneer of Marion County, and resides on the homestead, where James Swinnerton settled in 1819, in Grand Prairie Township. Maj. Titus is the owner of 450 acres of land in this and other counties, and is principally engaged in farming.

DANIEL WALTERS. Daniel Walters was born in Pennsylvania in 1763, having married there. He removed to near Kingston, Pickaway Co., Ohio, in 1794, residing there until 1801, when his parents entered 240 acres in Scott Township (this county), and he moved upon it. He had thirteen children - nine living. His death took place in 1848, and his remains were buried in Rocky Fark Cemetery, Grand Prairie Township. His oldest son was Jacob Waiters, born in 1707. He went to Circleville, and enlisted in the war prevailing at that time, and served to its close. Upon his return, he resided in Grand Prairie Township until 1849, when he removed to Upper Sandusky, dying six years later, and was buried in the Old Mission's Graveyard at that place. He had married Kate A. Wetzel, a daughter of Anthony Wetzel, and a niece of Lewis Wetzel. They had seven children - -four of whom are living - Daniel, Anthony, Catherine A. (wife of Peter Withers), and John C. The deceased are William H., Jacob and George. The mother died September 26, 1845, aged forty-eight years, one month and one day.

G. W. WALTERS, farmer, was born in this county October 10, 1842, and came to Grand Prairie Township with Philip Retterer in 1845, having been left an orphan when young. He has since been a resident of the township. He has one of the largest farms in the county, containing 836 acres of land. On this farm, in 1875, he erected a commodious and elegant

' has served his township in many of its local offices, and may be justly ranked as one of the prominent citizens of Marion County. Mr. Walter's farm is stocked with some 1,500 sheep, a large number of cattle, and other stock. He was married December 13, 1866, to Lucretia Shoots, a daughter of the pioneer, Landy Shoots. They have a family of five children. Mr. and Mrs. Walters are members of the Free- Wil! Baptist' Church.