Bucyrus Township (part 3 of 3)

I aided his father on the farm, when he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade with Michael Lutz. He worked over three years, only receiving $160. Dec. 4, 1859, he married Margaret Schuler, of Bucyrus, Ohio. Of their union five children are living - Annette C, Frank A., Frederick E., Lena C. and Lizzie E. Two children died in infancy. Mrs. Walther is a daughter of Frederick and Eve (StoU) Schuler. Her father was a native of Baden,

' he married Miss Eve Stoll, August, 1837. In September, 1838, he came to Bucyrus, where he, for man}' years, followed the trade of shoemaker. Her parents are still living in Bucyrus, j and are among the few who still live to recall the struggles of pioneer times. After completi ing his trade, our subject went to Fayette Co., Iowa, in 1856, where he worked as journeyman and contractor until 1859, when he made a trip to Bucyrus, returning with his wife in the same year. They lived in Iowa until 1861. when he returned to" Bucyrus and located permanently. In the same year, he began taking contracts and

I has since employed from six to eight men. He has gained an enviable reputation as a first-class workman, having put up some of the largest public buildings and private residences in the

School building, which he erected in 1867-68. Mr. Walther began life without capital, and has, by hard work and close attention to business, raised himself and family into comfortable circumstances. He and family are members of the German Lutheran Church, in which he has served as Trustee and otlier offices. He is a Democrat. His parents were both natives of Baden, where they were married, about 1830. and settled in Liberty Township of this county in 1845. They raised five children - whose names were Christopher. Magdalena, Philip J.. Caroline and Henry. The father died Aug. 14. 1879, and the mother died Sept. 9, 1873.

LUDWIG WEBER, grocer and express agent, Bucyrus ; is the son of Jonathan and Annie (Fritt) Weber, and was born Aug. 18, 1821, in Cumberland Co., Penn. He was raised on a farm until his 16th year, when he went to Lexington, Ohio, to learn tailoring, and was there four 3-ears. He next went to Ontario, Richland Co.. and there lived until 1850, having worked at his trade until two years previous to this date, and also carried on the Ontario House. He went to California by the overland route, the trip occupying ninety-two days. ' He met with varying success, and returned in 1852. The following year, he removed his family to Crestline, and there he embarked in the grocery business, continuing for eight years with good success. He then removed to a farm near there, and, for eight 3-ears following, he tilled the soil. In 1872, he sold his farm and came to Bucyrus, where he opened a grocery and Ijecame agent for the Adams Express Co. His business is flourishing, and he is one of the first grocers in the town in point of business. During Pierce's administration, Mr. Weber was Postmaster of Ontario. He was also for three terms Trustee of Jackson Township. He was married May 30, 1844, to Jerusha J. Martin, of Martin's Mills, Ohio ; of this union, eight children are living, two having died when j'oung. Those living are Aveline A., wife of A. SI. Pinney. of Chicago ; Ellen V., wife of Engineer Fitzsimmons, of Allegheny, Penn.; Flora G., wife of C. D. Sheffler, conductor, Chicago ; Cora, wife of F. D. Mann, of Kansas City, JIo., formerly of Pittsburgh ; Harry L., County Surveyor ; Madge B., Mettle and Jennie at home.

! death of Frank L. Plants. In October following, he was elected to fill the office and ran ahead of his ticket handsomely. He entered upon the discharge of his duties Jan. 5. 1880, being but 23 years of age. On April 8, 1880, he was married to Flora Hoover, of Bucyrus. Mr. Weber is a j'oung man of considerable talent, and is, indeed, a rising young man, of

! ANSON WICKHAM. attorney at law. Bucyrus; is the son of Williard and Phoebe (Pennington) Wickham, and was born in Lykens Township June 19, 1850. He spent "the finst 16 years of his existence on a farm and in attendance upon district school, when he entered the union schools of Bucyrus. He taught seven terms during the time he was receiving his education. He entered Otterbein University, at Westerville, in the spring of 1867, and graduated in May. 1873. In August of that year he came to Bucyrus and commenced the study of law, with Scott & Harris, and was admitted to the bar Sept. 17, 1875. Since that time he has become noted as a rising j'Oung law^'er, being especially successful in criminal eases. He was appointed School Examiner in 1874. and held the office two vears.

WILLIAM WISE, furniture dealer and undertaker, Bucyrus ; is the sou of George and Charlotte (Moore) Wise, and was liorn in Fairfield Co., Penn., Sept. 1, 1824. The first eighteen years of his life were spent on a farm, varied with a short season of schooling in the winters. His parents removed here when he was aged 10 j-ears. When 18 years of age, he commenced to learn the cabinet-maker's trade with C. Howenstine, his apprenticeship lasting three years.

makes a specialty of undertaking, in which department he has had twenty-flve years' experience. He was married, July -1, 1850, to Eliza J. Deardorf, of Bucyrus. Of this marriage nine children are living - Mattie, wife of Rev. George Heindle. of Belleville, Ohio ; Rebecca, at home ; Elizabeth, John Pressley, William R., Millie R., George L., Frederick A. and Joseph D. Mr. Wise was a Free-Soiler and is now a stanch Republican in politics. He is ;t member of St. Paul's English Lutheran Church, and for thirty years has led the choir of that Church, serving also as one of its Deacons. His parents were natives of Penns3ivania. His father was a blacksmith by trade, but in later years followed farming. He came here in 1833, and for one year was a resident on Broken Sword. He then removed south of town some three miles, and lived there till 1853, dying ten years later, his wife having died in 1858, They reared eight children to manhood, and were conscientious Christians and members of the Lutheran Church.

R. K. WARNER, farmer; P. 0. Bucyrus; was born April 8, 1825, in Lycoming Co., Penn., and is the son of Benjamin and Mary (Walton) Warner. He was about 2 years old when his parents removed to Whetstone Township, this county, being among the first settlers. Here he was raised among the Wyandot Indians, and played with the " Johnny Cake " boys many a day, and learned their language. When he was 8 years old, his father removed to this township, and settled on the pike. It was in 1836 that the subject of our sketch attended his first school, taught in Dallas Township, by Miss Susan Bovee. He attended school until he was about 20 years of age, in a log schoolhouse near the residence of Thomas J. Monnett. In 1847, he rented a farm for two years, and afterward purchased 120 acres, where he now lives. He now owns -140 acres of fine farming land. He has dealt extensively in sheep, cattle and hogs, and has been very successful. He was raised a Quaker, but is not a member of any church. In politics, he was formerly a Whig, and later, a Republican. He was married in December, 1846, to Miss Martha Monnett, daughter of Jeremiah Monnett, who was born in Pickaway Co. Jan. 22, 1827. He has raised four children - Ellen, liorn Aug. 30, 1849, now the wife of Thomas McKinstry ; Mary, born Jan. 1, 1856, married Albert Yaker, and died in January,

1874 ; Harriet, born Dec. 27, 1861 ; Louisa, born June 25, 1871. In 1875, Mr. Warner erected a fine frame dwelling of sixteen rooms, which is an evidence of his good taste, and an ornament to the vicinity. His father, Benjamin, was born in Lycoming Co.. Penn., about 1801, and was married in 1822. coming to Ohio in 1827, driving here in a four-horse wagon. Four miles from Gallon their wagon sunk in the mud, and they walked four miles to a relative, leaving the wagon behind. He lived in the county all the rest of his life, and died May 8, 1872, in Kankakee, 111., where he had gone on a visit. His wife survived him until March 7, 1877, when she, too, closed her earthly labors, and went to her rest. Harriet Welsh, of Missouri, and Louisa Everett, of Bucyrus, are still living. Five died young. He was a Quaker in belief, the family for several generations back holding to that faith.

GEORGE HENRY WRIGHT, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Bucyrus ; son of George and La Vendee (Woodard) Wright, was born Aug. 16, 1828, iu Jackson, Washington Co., N. Y., and spent his boyhood on a farm. He attended common school, and at the age of 16 years entered Argyle Academy, under the instruction of his brother. Prof D. W. Wright. He began teaching at the age of 20, and taught nine terms, six of which he taught while yet living in New York. In 1853, he came to this county, teaching during the winter, and dealing in stock during the summer ; finally abandoned teaching and devoted his time wholly to the stock business, packing beef with his brother, T. H. Wright, of Huron, Erie Co. In 1856, he bought 480 acres of land in Wood Co., Ohio, which he improved. Dec. 29, 1857, he was married to Miss Martha E. Monnett, a daughter of Abraham Monnett, and in March, 1 858, he removed to his land in Wood Co. Nine children were born of this marriage, eight of whom are living - Earl P., Helen A., Gertrude M., Oda M., Libbie B., Charles H.. Carrie and Clark W. ; Mattie died in infancy. His wife made a visit to her father in October, 1859, and, returning home, reached Findlay, when a snow two feet deep fell on October mud, which was then extraordinarily deep. She was twenty-two miles from her destination, and almost gave up going ; after trying other means, she hired a horse and set out alone on horsebai^k, determined to reach home, if possible. Shortly after starting, she overtook a man, who exclaimed, " My God ! lad}-, I shall expect to find your head sticking out of the mud." She reached home at 11 o'clock at night, crossing the " Black Swamp " (fourteen miles wide), in safety ; there were very few people living on the route. Mr. Wright built substantial houses on his farm and improved it well, remaining on it until the spring of 1861, when he removed to his present farm of 225 acres, on the pike, four miles south of Bucyrus, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising ; he makes a specialty of sheep and cattle. He has erected large and handsome buildings, and has one of the most attractive places on the road. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. He was formerly connected with the M. E. Church, and was Superintendent of Sunday school at Monnett Chapel ; he was raised in the Associate Presbyterian Church. His wife was born in Scott Township, Marion Co., Ohio. He is a Republican in politics, and has acted with that party since its organization, but was previously a Democrat. He held various offices in his native State ; is of Scotch descent ; his early ancestors lived in Connecticut. His father was born in Cambridge, N. Y., about the year 1790, and was a soldier of 1812, and served on Lake Champlain. He raised twelve children, five sons and seven daughters, named respectively - Daniel W., Franklin H., Earl P., Olive M., Delana P., Mary Y., La Vendee, Sophronia J., George H. (subject), Elizabeth v., Sarah S., Edwin W. - all of whom are living at this date, except the oldest and the youngest. The oldest, D. W., was Principal of Argyle Academy for many years, and died Oct. 29, 1847.

HON. CHAPMAN D. WARD, Justice of the Peace, Bucj-rus. This representative of an old and honored family traces his ancestry through a genealogical account, published in 1851 by Andrew Henshaw Ward. The first representative in this country was William Ward, who settled in Sudbury, Mass., in 1639. His progenitors were Normans, who came over to England with William the Conqueror in 1066, as one of his noble Captains was named Ward, and the name of William de la Ward appears in English history as a resident of Chester in 1175. William Ward, of Sudl)ury, Mass., was made a freeman in 1643, and the next year rep- Sudbury in the General Court, and was for several years Chairman of the Selectmen. He, in common with many others, endured great hardships during the Indian hostilities, especially during King Philip's war, in 1675-76, when his buildings were fired, his cattle destroyed, and one of his sons slain by the enemy. Through several generations, the Wards continued to take an active part in governmental affairs, and we again take up the thread I of family history. William, of Sudbury, had fourteen children, of whom his son William was I the seventh child, born Jan. 22, 1640. Hemari ried Hannah Eames, at Marlboro, in 1679. Their oldest son, William, born March 27, 1680, was Colonel of the militia, and married proba- 1 bly Jane Cleveland, of Boston. Fourteen chilj dren were born to them, of whom Charles was ! the j-oungest son, born Oct. 27, 1722. He is i the great-grandfather of our subject, and married Abigail Pike, Aug. 25, 1742. He enlisted in the expedition against Cape Breton, and died at the siege of Louisburg, in 1745, leaving ' three children, of whom William, born Sept. 12, I 1743, was the oldest. He married Lucy Church, j Dec. 11, 1763, and removed to Poultney, Vt., in ! 1775, becoming one of the first settlers of the ' town, and was one of that sturdy band who bravely resisted Burgoyne's array and participated in its capture. In the meantime, his wife, with ; her helpless children, was exposed to the ravages of the British soldiery and their savage allies, then within a few miles of her dwelling. She fled to Bennington, forty miles through the wilderness, on foot, with her childi-en, carrying the youngest in her arms, without a man to protect or guide her, finding her wa)' b}' the blazed trees. They reached there in safety, and \ quickly the battle of Bennington and the surrender of Burgoyne followed. The Hon. William Ward returned to Poultney, Vt., where he resided until his death, Aug. 3, 1819, in his 76th ! j'ear. He was a member of the convention which framed the Constitution of the State, and was for six years one of the Judges of the County Court of Rutland, and Judge of the Probate for the District of Fairhaven twentytwo years. He was a Justice of the Peace i forty years, and Representative in the Legislature eighteen years. He was a much-esteemed citizen and a devoted Christian gentleman, having a family of twelve children, who all grew ' to manhood and womanhood except one. His j fourth son, Elisha, born July 30, 1780, is the father of oui- subject. He married Miss Zelina Deuslow, of Kent, Conn., Nov. U, 1803. Ten children were the fruits of this happy union - Lucy M., Eliza, Polly D., William 'C, Clark Kendrifk, Zelima, Publius (i., Kosetta, John W. and Chapman Denslow. The latter, whose name heads this sketch, was born June 22, 1823, in Reading, Steuben Co., N. Y., and, in 1835, came to Huron Co. (now Erie Co.), where the family settled on the prairie. He remained there until 1847, working on the farm until he was 21 years old, when he went to buy stock, and passed through this section in 1845. In the spring of 1 847, he removed to the village of Bucyrus and began buying and selling stock, and, in 1850, iu order to have better facilities, went on to a farm about two miles from town, where he remained five years. In 184S, he bought cattle, horses and sheep, and drove them through to Milwaukee, Wis., where he sold them to emigrants. He was married, Sept. 19, 1850, to Mary A. J. Harper, a daughter of John Harper. Two children were the fruits of this union - Harper J. and Blanche E. He came back to Bucyrus in 1855, and, in 1857. was appointed Postmaster by President Buchanan, which office he held until 1861, when he was elected Justice of the Peace - the first Democrat ever elected Justice of the Peace in Bucyrus - serving one 3'ear, when he resigned. He at once began buying horses, and, in the spring of 1863, in partnership with Rowse and Thomas, he, with a number of hands, drove niuety -eight horses to California, the journey taking over 100 days. The venture was successful, and, returning the same jear, he took a second lot in 1864, drove from Omaha, completing the journey in fifty-six days, and without losing a single horse. He returned in the fall of 1864, and, In the spring of 1865, he was elected Mayor of Bucyrus, serving some two years with satisfaction. In 1867, he began shipping horses to Lake City, Minn., which he kept up for two years. He also shipped stock to the East. In the fall of 1875, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and Mayor in 1876, serving until 1880 ; was re-elected Justice of the Peace in 1878, in which capacity he is still serving. He has served in Council for many years ; has always been a Democrat, and firstvoted for Polk and Dallas.

HON. CLARK K. WARD, lianker, Bucyrus ; is the second son of Col. Elisha and Zelina (Denslow) Ward, and was born in Reading, Steuben Co., N. Y., Oct. 17, 1812 ; his boyhood and youth were spent on the farm of his father ; at the age of 19, he began the struggle of life, with little capital except stout hands and good purposes ; he at once found employment as teacher in the pu))lic schools for three winter terms ; in 1833, he became clerk in a store in Y'ates Co., N. Y.; here he remained until 1841, in the meantime becoming proprietor ; in April, 1844, he removed to Erie Co., Ohio, near Sandusky City, and, in June, 1845, he united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Porter, of Erie Co.; one daughter, Sarali A., wife of George C. Gormly, is the only child of this marriage. On coming to Ohio, Mr. Ward began dealing in stock, until 1847, in Erie Co., Ohio ; in April of that year, he came to Bucyrus, where he became one of the leading stockdealers of this vicinity, being among the first to pay cash for corn. In the fall of 1850, Mr. Ward was elected to the Ohio Legislature from the counties of RiciilaiHl ami ("niwfonl for one year; he was re-elect cd lor two years in 1851. He continued in the .-itock trade until 1878, in the meantime dealing quite extensively in real estate. In 1866, he was elected a Director in the First National Bank of Bucyrus, and,

1 MAJ. J. H. WILLISTON, editor of Forum, Bucyrus ; was born in Fayetteville, N. C, June 15, 1833 ; his parents," William K. and Annis C. (Chapman) Williston, removed to Geauga Co., Ohio, when he was 1 year old, and located on a farm ; he is of Scotch-English descent ; his father was born in Connecticut and his mother in Massachusetts ; his maternal ancestors came over in the Mayflower. In 1845, his fiither was elected Auditor of Geauga Co., and the family removed to Cliardon. the t'ounty seat, where the subject rcinaiiud until 1850, when, at the age of IT ycar>. he ui nt to Cleveland and entered a jo!i ]]rintiiiu ollici' as an apprentice ; he serveii in this lapacity for four years, clo.sing his apimntir, >hip in tiie office of was elected First Lieutenant ; in about one month, he was promoted to Captain, and, in the spring of 1863, was promoted to Major of the regiment ; he was wounded in a skirmish before Atlanta, July 15, 1864, and from which cause he was mustered out of the service on the 31st of October, 18G4. He at once returned to Cleveland, and engaged in the printing business until 1872 ; in 1873, he purchased an interest in the Marion Mirror, becoming the partner of James K. Newcomer, a partnership which continued until August, 1876 ; on the 15th of April following, he came to Bucyrus and purchased the Crawford County Forum, which he has ever since managed with success ; he, in connection with his paper, conducts a job office, and employs in it an efficient corps of workmen ; his paper is the organ of the Democratic party of Crawford Co., and of which party he has alwa3's been an able supporter. He was married, Nov. 27, 1854, to Miss Helen M. Newcomb, of Cleveland ; three children is the result of this union. Maj. Williston was Superintendent of Police in Cleveland in 1869.

MRS. JULIA A. WALTER, Bucyrus. The above-named ladj' is a daughter of Abram Hahn, one of the pioneers of Crawford Co. He was born in Frederick Co., Md., in the year 1796, and moved to Ohio in 1822. He first settled in Stark Co., but, in 1828, removed to Bucyrus. He built the Sims House in 1829 and continued as its landlord until 1843, when he removed to Mt. Gilead, where he resided until his death, which occurred Jan. 21, 1867. In August, 1838, while digging a mill-race near Bucyrus, he uncovered the bones of a mammoth, which were sold at Columbus. Ohio, and then passed into one of the Eastern museums. Mr. Hahn was a man of great energy, unwavering integrity and a devout and earnest Christian. In early manhood, he united in marriage with Julia Ernst, and the union resulted in ten children, only four of whom are living, as follows : Dr. Charles Hahn, Auditor of Marion Co., Ohio ; Mrs. Walter (subject) ; Alexander, undertaker at Mt. Gilead ; and Mrs. Mary Cooper, of Mt. Gilead, Ohio ; six are dead - Maria, Melvina, William, Henry, James and Henrietta. Julia A. Walter was born in Bucyrus August 29, 1828. She spent her girlhood here until 15, when the family removed to Mt. Gilead, Ohio, where the subject of these lines lived until Nov.

11, 1847, which was the occasion of her marriage with George Walter, of Bucyrus. He was born in the town of Ophingen, Baden, April 3, 1824. When but 9 years old he left Germany with his widowed mother and came to Bucyrus. He was a good scholar and fine penman, and was made Deputy Clerk under Zalmon Rowse when but a mere boy, as he talked German fluentlj'. This proved a necessitj- with the large German-speaking population of those early times. After serving one year as Deputy Clerk, he was employed as clerk by Potter & Quinby for five years. He was next employed by Henry Converse to conduct a mercantile business for him at different times for about four years, which brings us to the time of his marriage. He continued in mercantile pursuits about seven years, and came to New Washington, this county, in August, 1854. The village was then in its infancy, and he opened a store and post office there, which he kept for three years. He came to Bucyrus in April, 1867, and opened a paint-shop and employed a number of hands. He was a successful and skillful painter, and, during the last years of his life, produced some fine specimens of oil paintings. He died Sept. 10, 1861, leaving the following family : Scott is a member of the United States Signal Service ; Clara and Lora at home; Lunette, wife of W. L. Penfield, Esq., lawyer at Auburn, Ind. ; Edgar and Harry still reside at home. Under the tr3ing circumstances of bereavement, our subject has reared and educated her family by intelligent forethought and force of character.

DAVID B. WOODSIDE, carriage manufacturer, Bucyrus. The subject of these lines was born in Chester Co., Penn., Nov. 23, 1847, a son of William S. and Caroline (Crosby) Woodside, who were residents of the village of Woodside's Corners, where J'oung David lived until the late war ensued. Being a mere boy, he enlisted in 7th Penn. V. C, in February, 1864, aud sen-ed until the close of the war, participating in the battles of Atlanta, Kenesaw Mountain aud all the engagements of the Kilpatrick raid. He was mustered out at Macon, Ga., Aug. 23, 1865, and returned home, where he attended school for some time ; then went to Wilmington, Del., and there served an apprenticeship of three years at carriage-smithing. He worked at his trade at different points in Delaware and Pennsylvania until 1870. He then traveled through