Brown Township (part 2 of 2)

Cale) Shisler was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, August 5, 1836. His parents were Samuel and Mary (Bolinger) Shisler, of Virginia and Maryland. Samuel Shisler took part in the war of 1812, and died September 17, 1870; the mother departed this life October 15, 1874. Caleb Shisler was fifteen years of age when with his parents he removed to Delaware county, where he remained five years. At the expiration of this time he came to Putnam county, where he lived for ten years. May 9, 1861, he was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth, the daughter Mrs. Shisler was born in Wayne county. Ohio, March 17, 1841. In 1808 our subject, with his wife, removed to Williams county, and in the latter part of 1868 located upon the farm in Brown township, where they now reside. They are the parents of Arthur H., Grafton W., Anzaletta, wife of Isaac Robinson; Homer and Della Shisler. Mr. Shisler is a leading republican in his township. He served his country for a short time during the late struggle as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Ninety-second regiment, Ohio volun- infantry, and received his discharge at Winchester, Va., September 1, 1835. He is the owner of 160 acres of good land, and his home is one of the pleasantest in the township. The family are highly respected for their integrity and uprightness.

J.) H. Shirley, freight and ticket agent on N. Y., C. & St. L. railroad, express agent and dealer in fine tobacco and cigars, is a worthy representative of a pioneer family of Paulding county. He was born in Defiance county, April 20, 1832, the son of Robert and Sarah (Hudson) Shirley. The paternal grandfather, Robert Shirley, was a native of Virginia, who came to Defiance county with his parents prior to the year 1828. He reared a family of five boys and three girls and became a wellto-do citizen of his county. Robert Shirley, the father of the subject of this notice, was reared on a farm and became a great hunter in his day. In 1834 he came to Paulding county, where he bought land in Brown township, and with his wife and two children, settled in the forest and erected the little log cabin. The roads had to be made as they were necded, and an ox team was the only means of conveyance. Mr. Shirley served for twenty years as township treasurer, and he acted as judge of the circuit in which his county was located. He was married thrice and became the father of a large family of sons and daughters. His present wife was Elizabeth Strathers before her marriage. Mr. Shirley affiliated with the whig party in the early days, and at the organization of the republican party became a supporter of it. He died in 1886 at the age of eighty years. In 1834 Mr. Shirley planted an orchard in Brown township, and to this day many of the trees are bearing fruit. J. H. Shirley, the subject of this sketch, was but two years of age when brought to this county by his parents. He received but a limited education in the old field schools of that day and spent his boyhood on the farm. Later, at his own expense, he attended school and prepared himself for teaching. He taught many terms with good success, and during that time married Miss Mary E. Ward, of Franklin county, who was also a teacher. She was the daughter of Lewis Ward, who located in Paulding county in 1854. Abandoning teaching, Mr. Shirley purchased land and began farming it. Later, he sold this land and embarked in merchandising, which he continued for thirteen years with good success. In 1876 he again turned his attention to farming and erected the first building in what is now Melrose. Here he purchased a general stock of goods and was soon afterward appointed agent for the Nickel Plate railroad at his place. He then became agent for the American express company, which positions he is still holding. In connection with these positions Mr. Shirley deals in tobacco and cigars. He is one of the self-made men of the county and is a man of much prominence in the community. In political sentiment, Mr. Shirley is a republican and is at present serving his tenth year as notary public. Mrs. Shirley died in 1867 at the age of thirty-four, leaving three children: Milton, Homer and Stephen. Mr. Shirley married Miss Malinda Nash for his second wife, and their children are Alice, wife of L. S. Holbrook, and Warren. The mother is an earnest member of the Baptist church and a lady favorably known in the township where she resides.

George W. Snyder. - Since 1884 George W. Snyder has been a worthy citizen of Brown township, Paulding county. He is the son of Jacob and Fannie (Baker) Snyder, and dates his birth from the 25th of June, 1845. His early life was spent on the homestead farm in Hancock county, and at the age of fourteen years he, in company with his parents, removed to Henry county, where the latter engaged in farming. Mr. Snyder obtained a common education, and was married in Putnam county, Ohio, Mrs. Elizabeth Button, widow of Otis Button, becoming his wife. Mrs. Snyder is the daughter of James Anderson, a respected resident of his county, and by her second marriage is the mother of Sarah (deceased), Robert, George, Cora, Thomas and Ida. Mr. Snyder is a democrat in politics, and by his life of probity and industry has gained the esteem of all who know him.

A. N. Wiseley, merchant and dealer in groceries, queensware, hats, caps, boots and shoes, is one of the energetic and progressive citizens of Brown township. The business, of which he is now proprietor, was established by himself and brother in 1874, but in 1888 he became sole owner. He is prosperous in his trade, which is valued at from $15,000 to $20,000 annually. Mr. Wiseley was born in Licking county, Ohio, December 5, 1850, and is one of a family of ten sons and five daughters born to Allen and Mary (Gilmore) Wiseley, both natives of Ohio, of German parentage. In 1860 the subject of this sketch, in company with his parents, removed to Auglaize county, where he received a good education, At the age of twenty years, he went to the business college, situated at Lebanon, Ohio, from which institution he was graduated in the fall of 1872. At intervals during his school life, Mr. Wiseley had taught school for six terms. In 1873, in partnership with his brother, E. Wiseley, he began his business career and has been successful. Mr. Wiseley is also interested in farming and has 120 acres of good land. He is in charge, also, of the grain elevator under the management of Brown Bros. Mr. Wiseley is an active worker in the ranks of the democratic party, and was a member of the first county board of elections. He is interested in educational work and was himself a successful teacher. Mr. Wiseley was married July 30, 1878, to Miss Florence R., the daughter of Elias and

Nancy (Rayburn) Gleason, natives of New York and Ohio. Mrs. Wiseley was born October 20, 1857, and is the mother of Daisy, Earle, Allen, Rozella, May and Carrie. The family are popular with all who know them, and occupy high rank in the social world.

Rodney Young, a retired agriculturist of Brown township, was born in Delaware county, Ohio, November 17, 1824, the son of Jacob L. and Sarah (Pierce) Young, of German and English ancestry. Mr. Young was raised in his native county, and there obtained his education. He worked on the farm in his youth, and in March, 1850, was married to Miss Malinda Bidlack, the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Davis) Bidlack. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Young, namely: Merrit, who died in the army, and Rebecca, now deceased. Mr. Young served his country in her time of need as a member of company F, Thirty-eight regiment, Ohio volunteer infanty, and participated) in the battles of Mill Spring and Pittsburg Landing, where he was taken sick and confined to the hospital at Cincinnati for several months. He received his honorable discharge on account of disability in July, 1863. His wife having died, Mr. Young married Miss Eliza, the daughter of Henry and Mahala Hoover, and their children are Mahala, wife of Alonzo Pier; Silas, Frank, Almeda, Rebecca, Alfred and Albert, twins. Mrs. Young died in 1875. Our subject is a republican in hig political belief. He located in Paulding county in 1852, and the scenes of pioneer life are familiar to him. He was an expert hunter in his day, and helped clear many a road for use. He is a man of much prominence in the community where he resides and has many friends who respect him and wish him well.

L. Zimmerman is a son of Francis and Teressa (Stephen) Zimmerman, and was born November 6, 1835, in Baden, Germany. He received a common school education. His father was engaged in the milling business, and our subject was taught the business. At the age of eighteen he emigrated to this country; the first position he obtained was in Green county, Ohio, with Frost & Enger, millers, where he remained three years. He then accepted a position as miller at Bellbrook, Ohio, where he remained three months. He then located at Lafayette, Ind., as miller for Halbert & Co., distillers, where he remained one year. Having secured, by industry and close attention to business, some capital, he purchased a mill at Bunker Hill, Miami county, Ind., in 1862, which he conducted for four years. He then disposed of his property and purchased a mill at North Manchester, Ind., which he operated for five years. He then traded this property for a saw mill and farm in Wabash county, Ind., and remained there three years, when he disposed of this property and located at Silver Lake, Ind., he purchased another mill, where he remained until 1889, when he settled in Oakwood, and built his present mill, which is a frame structure, 32x40, containing three floors, and is fitted up with all the latest improvements, ten pair of rollers, and an engine of forty-horse power, with a capacity of seventy-five barrels per day, and gives employment to four men. At the age of twenty, in 1855, Mr. Zimmerman was married to Miss Caroline Kuntz, who died in July, 1888, and by this marriage they had five children: Millie, wife of C. C. Stetler, of Indiana; William, of Chicago, Joseph, Emma Caskey, of Oakwood, and Charley, of Oakwood. His second marriage occurred, in 1889, to Miss Sarah Myers, of Washington township. Politically Mr. Zimmerman is a democrat, and in religious belief a Catholic, and is one of Oakwood's enterprising business men.