Hicksville Township (part 6 of 6)

Mark Center

The only village in the township is Mark Center, an enterprising little place of 210 people. At the exact geographical center of the township, one-half mile north of the present village a little town sprang into existence, grew, and in 1874 contained a store, a grocery, a saloon, a schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop and a number of dwellings. In May, 1875, after township, Frederick Harmening laid out the present village just north of the railroad. The portion south of the railroad was laid out by Josiah Kyle and A. M. Anderson. The Van Wert Stave Company, hands are employed in the factory. The foreman is Mr. Z. T. Hilligas. There are also at the village two hoop pole shaving shops, one steam saw mill, a blacksmith shop, one shoe shop, one hotel, two stores, a post office, millinery store, saloon, express office, a two-story brick schoolhouse and a church. The stores do a thriving business and keep in stock full supplies of general merchandise Josiah Kyle is the owner of one, and R. F. Hecht of the other. also Postmaster and express agent. Ludwig Klein is the village blacksmith and Joseph Kibler the shoemaker. W. Spealman. The church building is a neat frame edifice, recently erected. It is the property of a small but flourishing Methodist society. Other denominations also hold occasional services here. The only other church building in the township is a United Brethren Church, located on Section built in 1878, at a cost of about $550,

Personal Reminiscences

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES. K. H. Devore was born in Hampshire County, Va., November 10, 1820, He removed when a child with his parents to Tuscarawas County, Ohio,

Samuel Onstott was born September 4, 1523, in His father was a Pennsylvanian by birth. His mother a native of New J ersey. His father died in Wayne County, Ohio,to which place he had moved from Washington County, Penn., when Samuel was a sinall boy. Here the latter grew up to the age of sixteen, when he came to Richland County, Ohiv, where he married Miss Sarah Reed, by whom he had thirteen children, viz., John J., William Wallace, Amanda M., Elizabeth A., Jacob B., Nancy E., Francis J., Susan E., Sarah M., Adoniram J., Lewis M., Harriet M. and Saretta M. Three of this number are dead - John J.. Susan E. and Lewis M. His mother died in Indiana in 1881, aged about ninety-seven years. Mr. Onstott moved into Mark Township and settled oz Section 33, where he has lived ever since June 6, 1850. He came from Crawford County, Ohio, with Mr. Thomas Pope, and they had to cut the road from the river road, a distance of three-fourths of a mile, to their several places of abode. He was one of the number who organized

Robert Haver was born in Greene County, Penn., February 20, 1814. Came to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, when he was about fourteen years of age. Moved into Mark Township, Defiance County, in November, 185]. The township was organized prior to his arrival. His neighbors were Joseph Smith, Martin and Samuel Smith, Moses Johnson, Philip Oaks, E. H. Devore, John Kentner, Andy Kentner, Samuel Fisher, James Gribben, Mrs. Jane Young, Charles Koontz, Thomas Pope, Samuel Onstott, Christopher Thompson, Robert Allen, Joseph Breese, Samuel Oliver Harris, W.C. Hutchinson, was there acting as Justice of the Peace when Mr. Haver came into the township Robert Haver married Miss Mary Crea October 1, 1839. Their family consisis of Thomas W., Moses M., James H., John, Godfrey E.,

William ©. Hutchinson was born in Licking County, Ohio, May 20, 1817, and grew up and re- At the age of about twenty-one years, he moved to Knox County with hia mother, and was married there to Maria Hobbs, Aun- der R., Martha L., Maria E., James O., Louisa J., Mary E., Francis I., Narcissa J., Laura E. and William H. Of this number three are dead- - - Leander Re James O., and Maria E. who died in infancy. The two boys - Leander R. and James O., enlisted in the late war. Leander was promoted to First Lieutenant May 2, 1864, and was killed May 14, 1864, aged about twenty-four years. James O died in hospital years. Mr. Hutchinson moved to this county into what is now Mark Township, in October, 1849. One Thomas Pope, from Crawford County, made a purchase of a lot the same time, but gotonto it about three weeks ahead of him and got up his cabin, so that when Mr. Hutchinson, Samuel Harris and George Porter, with their families, arrived (all arriving on the same day), they found a stopping place with Mr. Pope until they could erect their cabins. In the lat. ter part of November Mr. Hutchinson got his cabin roof on and floor laid, and moved in without being chinked or mudded, with no windows or doors except a quilt or blanket hung up. After getting his little family to their new hore, he returned to Mr. Pope's for their little supply of household goods, and owing to the bad state of the road through the woods, Mr. Hutchinson was unable to get back to his cabin until quite late in the evening, when be found it surrounded by wolves, serenading Mrs. Hutchinson and the children with their melodious notes. Mrs. Hutchinson says she couldn't say she was particularly afraid of them, but did feel that a more substantial door would have been desirable. Mrs. Hutchinson's parents, J ames and Elizabeth (Congdon) Hobbs, were English people. To them was born seven children, five boys and two girls- - - Thomas J., John, Isabella, Maria, William, George ©. and Oscar R.

D. 1833. from which place Mr. Hobbs emigrated with his children to Knox County, Ohio,in 1885,and died in Defiance County in 1853. Thomas J. was drowned in the St. Lawrence River on their passage. Mr. Hutchinson was Justice for twelve years and School Director most of the time during his stay in the township. Was Township Treasurer for several years, and was appointed by the Commissioners as first Assessor The first schocl was taught by Jacob Bruner in Mr. Hutchinson's district. In the fall of 1865, Mr. Hutchinson came to Defiance. In July, 1873, bought one-third interest in the William Lewis farm and proceeded to lay it out into village lots, calling the town East Defiance. gaged in the grocery business with his son at Defiof the township.

_ (Caster) Martin, from Surrey, Engand, to Summit : County, Ohio, in 1832, and to Defiance County in 1834. The children of Daniel were Eliza A., | Henry, James G., Mary A., Amelia and Frances V., _ Mr. Martin (Daniel) died in Mark Township, April | 24, 1866, aged sixty-four years. Mary, his wife,

| died in Mark Township, May 16, 1863, aged fiftyeight years. Henry Martin was married J une 1, 1855, to Miss Eliza Dysinger, daughter of Jacob and Christina (Long) Dysinger, who was born in Seneca County, N. Y., September 29, 1835. The children of Henry and Eliza Martin are Angeline and Emeline, twins, Adelaide, Melinda, Harriet A. and Leonard. Mr. Martin lives in Crane Tuwnship, Paulding County, Ohio, but purchased eighty acres of land in Mark Township in Section 35, being the old humestead of his father.

John P. Frederick, the subject of this sketch, is ason of Jacob Frederick, who was a native of Pennsylvania, where he married Esther Kingle, and immigrated to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he lived fourteen years, when he removed to Knox County, Ohio. Here, in 1835, John P. was born, and grew up to manhood, assisting his father in carrying on the farm and taught voval music in the different districts. In the year 1864, he was elected Captain of the militia. He was married, October 11, 1866, to Miss Bell Heiple, the daughter of a pious widow lady, and settled on his father's farm, where he was born, and where he lived up to the time of his father's death in 1872. He then moved with his wife and little daughter to Williams County, Ohio, where he remained six months, and then purchased the farm on which he now resides in Mark Township. He was elected Infirmary Director in the fall of 1878 by a majority of 1070, and re-elected in 1881. He is the youngest of a family of twelve children- - - seven now survive. His family consists of four children, as follows: Lora Mary, Charley Heiple, Ona Alfred and Earnest Lamont.

and soon after removed to Pennsylvania as above stated, where they raised a family of eleven children, six boys and five girls, all of whom are dead so far as known, except the subject of this sketch. He received a common school education and grew up in Westmoreland, where he married Miss Eliza Bird, March 1, 1827, by whom he had ten children - William, Polly, Matthias, Phebe, Samuel, Huldah, Sarah Jane, Lavina, Alice, and Johnnie, died at | the age of three years eight months and twenty-two All the rest are married and doing for them- Mr, Crawford moved from Pennsylvania to

Section 26, where he now resides with his son Satu: uel at the age of seventy-nine years, enjoying as good health as ever, except crippled with rheumatism. His wife died November 23, 1880, aged about seventyseven years, having lived with her husband over half

Jefferson County, Ohio, remained in the county until seven years of age, and then moved with his parents to Carroll County, Ohio. farm of Government land there, and Samuel remained helping to clear up the farm until twenty years of age, receiving but a limited education in the logcabin school. At the age of {wenty, he went to Harrison, Ohio, learned the plastering trade, remaining | there about two years. He was there married to Miss Mary Ann Hilbert October 8, 1835; from there re. moved to Stark County, Ohio, where he took up his trade, remaining about fonreyears. From there to Tuscarawas County, and from there to Defiance County in the summer of 1845 or 1846, living here some time before the organization of the township, and has been a resident of Mark Township ever since that time, residing with his family, who were small, on bis farm in Section 6, which was then a dense forest, making a fine farm, with good comfortable buildings. Mr. Kleckner's family consists of ten children, the first a boy, not named, Franklin, Daniel, David, William, James, Addison, Rebecca, Samantha J ane, Benjamia Burton and Mary Matilda. Six are living, five boys and one girl, who married Joseph Conley. They live in Hicksville Township. The first school for his children to attend was in Farmer Township at a placecalled Lost Creek. Mr. Kleckner's trade has been a source of benefit in his pioneer struggle.

Dr. Levi Colby was born June 15, 1817, ian Henniker, Merrimack County, N. H., where he grew up. He had the advantage of district school education and then entered the academy in his native town, taking his first course of lectures at Dartmouth College in 1838. He removed to Defiance in 1839, and prosecuted his studies with his brother, Dr. Jonas Colby, | and in the winter of 1840 and 1841, attended the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati. the practice of medicine in the spring of 1841 at Defiance, as partner with his brother Jonas. He was married at Defiance, June 7, 1843, to Miss Harriet R. Phelps, who was born in Richville, St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and daughter of James and Dorotha (Snow) Phelps. Their children are born October 24, 1850, at Montpelier, Williams

County, Ohio, dead; George C., born at Independence, Defiance County, July 29, 1853, dead; Frances J., born September 17, 1856, on farm, and married dren- - Sally, Jonas, Barak, Mary, Catharine, Benjamin and Levi, Jr., twins, Lucinda and Abigail. Four The oldest, Sally, died at the age of about fifteen. Joseph, Mary and Catherine have since died. The grandfather of Dr. Colby was in the Revolutionary war, and the father of our subject, Levi, Sr., was sent a substitute in the war of 1812. Mrs. Colby's father, James Phelps, was in the war of 1812 also. Mr. Colby has been a prominent and active man since he came to this county, having lived in this county (except with brief intervals spent in the adjoining counties of Williams and Paulding) ever since he came in 1839. At an early day, and soon after his arrival, we find him associated with the Schoo] Board as Clerk also Corporation Clerk, ete., and he has generally been in township offices all through his life. He is now serving this county as County Commissioner, hav-

He was the first clerk pro tem. of Williams County as it now stands, having received his appointment by President Judge Patrick G. Good and his associates. He was also Deputy under Edwin Phelps, in Williams prior to organization of Defiance County in 1845, and Representative of Paulding and Defiance Counties in the Legislature, being elected in the fall of 1869 and re-elected in 1871, receiving the nomination by acclamation.

Peter Frederick was born September 11, 1821, in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. At seven years of age, he removed with his parents to Knox County, Ohio, where he lived til! the fall of 1845. He then took a trip throngh the Western States, fetching up at Washington County, Iowa, where he enlisted in the Mexican war, February 21, 1848, and served till June 27 of the same year, when he returned to Iowa and from thence to his home in Knox County. In December, 1844, came to Defiance County. and in February, 1850, located his land warrant for 160 acres in Mark Township, where he now resides. Mr. Frederick was present, at the organization of the township, and was elected Clerk. Remained till the fall of 1853, then returned to Knox County. Was married, November 30, 1855, to Miss Catharine Bolyas and has four children, viz,: Sarah J.,Nancy E., Mary and M. H.,who died at about four years of age.

was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., in 1805, and 's now living in Stark County with his third wife. His mother was born in Holmes County, Ohio, A. D. 1809, and died February 7, 1851. Mr. Spealman was married November 15, 1857, to Miss Blanche S. Kirk, at Massillon, Ohio. Her ancestors were Scotch. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Spealman moved to La Salle County, Ill., and in the fall of 1863, came back to Stark County to tuke charge of a steam mill which he had left in 1858. While in Illinois, three children were born to him, viz.: Charles B., the eldest, born August 19, 1858; Alice Mary, February 16, 1861; Estella Tabitha, August 10, 1863, died November 18 of the same year; and Ella, born at Massillon, Ohio, May 30,1866. In September, 1875, he moved to Holmes County and entered into saw mill pursuits. While there, his son James Alexander was born, August 3, 1876. On the Ist of May, 1880, accompanied by his son, he started for Defiance County for the purpose of manufacturing lumber (having shipped their portable mill previously), and located and erected their mill on H. and B. Horzer's farm, about one mile north of the village of Mark Center. November 3, 1861, his daughter, Eva Blanche, was horn. He moved his mill the same fall to the village of Mark Center, where te continues to do business. November 15, 1882, his daughter Allie M. was married to the Rev. M. T. Ayres on the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Spealman.

George N. Rice was born February 26, 1829, on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River, ten miles above Cincinnati. In 1830, his parents, Payne and Margaret Rice, moved to Woodstock, Champaign Co., Ohiv, and the next year moved to Logan County, into the woods, where they had to meet the hardships of pioneer life, going thirty miles for milling. They remained but a few years in this locality, and in 1835 moved to Union County, Ohio, and located in Lib- they again returned to Logan County, and after getting settled, were burned out and the children had to yo to school in winter barefoot. Mr. Rice was married, April 30, 1849, to Miss Sarah Ann Beighler, of ©

Union County, Ohio, and located iu said connty for a time. Sarah M. (dead), Jonathan D., Eliza J. (dead), Mary A.. Celia R.. George C., Ida Pearl, Hattie (dead) and Netta. He removed from Union to Logan Jounty, and ran a cabinet shop there from 1855 to 1861. At the breaking-out of the war, Mr. Rice enlisted on the first call for three-months' men, and net they were forwarded to Grafton, W. Va., and from that time Mr. Rice was in many bloody engagements, among which were McDowell, Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, second Bull Run and Antietam. In December, 1862, he was one of a squad left at Fairfax Station to guard supplies, and while on their way to Fredericksburg, he was captured at Occoqua Ferry by Wade Hampton, and was obliged to march four days and nights without food on their way to Libby Prison, where 227 were put in one room. They were paroled out two months thereafter and were exchanged June 1, 1863. He was in the Gettysburg fight of July 1, 2 and 8, 18638. He was transferred to Hooker's brigade. Was at Lookout Mountain and Mission Ridge. Was with Gen. Sherman at Knoxville, who raised siege in front of Burnside in 1864. He was in all of the battles under Sherman from there to Savannah, at which place he was disharged, January, 1865, and returned home to Union County and vame to Defiance County in 1868 and located in Hicksville Township. In 1878, he moved to Mark Township and located on Section 29, and engaged in lumbering, carrying on his farm in Hicksville Township.

Josiah Kyle was born March 15, 1841, in Stark County, Ohio, removing from there to Hancock County, where he grew up, having only the advantages of a common school education. In 1860, he came to Defiance County, Ohio, and in 1861, August 27, enlisted in the cause of bis country in the Twenty - first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in Company E. On account of disability, he was discharged November 22, 1863. About a year thereafter, he enlisted

| served till the close of the war, receiving an hovorable discharge July 5, 1865. On July 19, 1866, Mr. Kyle married Martha Ellen Knight, who was born in Their children are as fullows: Dollie, Jennie M., born February 9, 1873; and Howard, born February 1, 1881. The parents of Mr. Kyle were Peter and Elizabeth (Metz) Kyle, the former born in Pennsylvania, November 30, 1810, the latter in Stark County, Ohio, April 29.

Hiram (deceased), George W., an infant not named, Milton and Emma. They (the parents) came to Defiance County in 1860, settling in Milford Township. Josiah, subject of this sketch, was elected Justice of the Peace of Mark Township, April 10, 1875, and was re-elected in 1878, and resigned at the close of the second term, as he could not be troubled with it. He was Township Treasurer from the spring of 1873 to the present time. He is also the leading merchant of the place, keeping a general assortment of everything found in a country store, engaging in this business at the Center about the year 1875. Mr. Kyle claims no notoriety for war record, but wishes space given to his friend and comrade in arms, William J. Knight, who enlisted in this county at same time in same company and regiment. As to the capture of engine at Big Shanty, he was the man who ran it on its perilous expedition.

Lyman R. Critchfield, fourth child of Isaac and Nancy (Keifer) Critchfield, was born in Knox County, Ohio, April 16, 1838. his father being a native of Cumberland, Penn. the latter of Olarksille, Va. Their children were Subra, Wyman and Oscar (both died in infancy) Lyman R., David K. and John P., who died in the service of his country at Bridgeport, Ala, August 2, 1864, having enlisted in Company F, Thirty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry in 1863. Lyman R., our subject, enlisted April 18, 1861, on the first call for three-months' men, in Company K, Twenty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and on the 26th of July, 1862, re-enlisted for three years and served till the close of the war, being discharged from Andersonville Prison June 9, 1865. He passed through many trying scenes, but none more so than parting with his dying father when his three-days' furlough had expired, and he had either to leave his father on the brink of death or be marked as a deserter. Stern duty determined his action, and receiving a parting kiss and benediction, he left the deathbed scene, his father's eye anxiously following him to the door, and with a sad heart turned his footsteps in the direction of his country's foes. Enlisting on the 8th of September at Toledo, he proceeded with his regiment to Kentucky against Gen. Bragg. Was at Knoxville, Tenn., when besieged by Longstreet. In the spring of 1864, he passed through the Atlanta campaign, but was captured on November 30, 1864, by Hood's forces below Jonesboro, Ga., and being

Mary C. Cole, who has borne him three children - Alonzo L., born August 28, 1868, died September 16, 1874; Delapheno M., born June 28, 1872, and Homer J., born April 8, 1879. Mr. Critchfield's parents moved to Henry County in 1849, and next spring moved to Mark Township, taking forty acres at $25, which recently changed hands at $1,100.

roads fit for teams; goods had to be transported by men. A man by the name of Ashton put up a saw mill and a corn-cracker in it, where they used to take corn on a hand sled and pull through the woods, distant about five miles. As Lyman R. grew up, he took after his fatber somewhat for hunting. His father settled in Knox County among the Indians when about ten years old and became a great hunter. Lyman R. used to hunt bear, deer, coons and turkeys. One day he ran a big bear all day with six dogs; night coming on, he camped on his track. Next morning routed him easily and treed him. Afterward he dropped to the ground, the dogs all pounced upon him and killed him uearly; one of the men ran up and, striking him on the head, finished him. At another time, late in the evening in September, he heard a rout among the hogs in the marsh on a little island. His brother, D. K. Critchfield, and himself started out. Taking the path to where they slept, discovered a bear lugging off a hog. On seeing them, he was attracted by Lyman's white shirt, dropped the hog, came at him and was within a few jumps of him when his brother shot him, after a pretty narrow escape of a bear's hug.

William J. Knight, a merchant, now of Minnesota, deserves a place in the history of the brave boys of Defiance who enlisted in the late war. He is about forty-five years of age, a native of Wayne County. His mother died when he was an infant, and his father also died when he was bat three years old, so that his grandparents raised him. His father was a farmer who came to this county in 1853. Mr. Knight married at Bryan, about 1868, Miss Emma Oldfield. He was one of the Mitchell railroad raiders, whose adventures form one of the most thrilling episodes of the rebellion. Was a resident of Defiance County at the time of his enlistment in Company E, Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 27, 1861. The raiders consisted of twenty-four men from Gen. Mitchell's division, encamped about Shelbyville, Tenn. Their scheme, a most daring one, was to penetrate a train of cars by fair means or force, and then run northward to the Union lines, burning all the bridges and otherwise destroying the road so effectually as to break all rebel rail communications over it. Four days were given them to reach Marietta, They left Shelbyville April 7, 1862, in small squads, all dressed in citizens' clothes, but did not reach tbeir destination until the 12th, and the one day's delay frustrat- and away it went, thundering toward the Union lines. Passing each station, the rails were torn up and telegraph wire cut. But great delay was caused by waiting at stations for an unusual number of trains going south. The chase commenced in a hand car, but the first engine met was turned in pursuit, a gang of track-layers were secured, and at last the pursuer succeeded in getting a message ahead of the flying train, and its doom was sealed. The raiders took to the woods, but they were near a rebel encampment, and a large force of cavalry was organizéd to capture them. One by one the fleeing men were run down, though some eluded their pursuers for days. Twenty-two in all, they were incarcerated in a loathsome den at Chattanooga, thirteen feet square and thirteen feet deep, where they suffered untold torments. They were afterward transferred to the jail at Atlanta. The brave leader, Andrews, was condemned as a spy and executed. Seven more of the unfortunate prisoners were soon after hanged. A last desperate effort for freedom was planned and carried into execution. The flight as best hecould. Mr. Knight gave the following avcount of his escape: " We broke jail October 16, 1862, and scattered and scampered for the woods. W. W. Brown, E. H. Mason and myself, all of the Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, were together. The first night out Mason téok sick, and we did not. get far, but kept well hidden. We were three days within nine miles of Atlanta. so bad that we were compelled to go to a house with across the plantation and to the woods beyond. The men could not see us, but the dogs told our course, and before we had reached the woods the whole pack were closing on us. The field was full of loose stones, and we hastily chose the best place we could and engaged in a savage combat with the dogs, in which we were victorious, crippling and driving away the whole pack in short order, after which we started again on full run.

" We could by this time see the horsemen coming round to head us off. We changed our course and threw them off again. The hounds followed at a long distance and by their howling indicated our course, but did not come near enough to molest us. We kept see-sawing and tacking in order to avoid the horsemen, who were doing their best to head us off, until at last we came to a little creek in which we waded for a couple of hours, and in this way caused the dogs tu lose us. That day we reached Stone Mountain, eighteen miles east of Atlanta. After that, we traveled nights, going due northward, with the north star for our guide. From our hiding places in the day time we frequently saw scouting parties, patrolling the country, no doubt, for the jail fugi- We crossed the Chattahoochee, October 26, on rails tied together with bark. From the house where we left Mason we were six days without food, except nuts and brush. On the seventh day we caught a goose and ate it raw, and on the same day found a few ears of corn left in the field by the husktives.

him, and began to despair of making good our es- | biting off bits of apple and tossing them to it, backcape, but he told us to leave him and save ourselves.

three men came in at the front door to arrest us. They asked if we were not some of the prisoners whe broke jail at Atlanta. We told them we were. They said they had come to take us back, and that there was no use trying to escape, as all the roads and bridges were guarded.

" Brown was mad in an instant, and ripped out a very blunt reply. We sprang out of the back door and ran around the end of the house and down a fence in the direction of some woods. They ran out of the front door with their shotguns and bawled out, 'Halt! halt!' as we were leaving them at a 2:40 run. They straddled their horses and galloped out on a by road from the house to the main road, while the man where we had stayed unloosed his hounds, and they were soon on our trail in full ery. We had changed our course to baffle the horsemen. for there was a hill to go down and another to ascend before we got

Fortunately the same day we discovered a drove of young hogs in the woods. I hid behind a tree and Brown coaxed a confiding pig up near me by ing up meanwhile, until the young porker came That night found where men had _ been clearing and burning, and we had a feast of cooked pork without seasoning, but we enjoyed it without complaint, for, except the goose and corn, we had The pig

" We traveled hard for four days over an intolera. We were crossing a little old clearing which had a deserted appearance, when we came unexpectedly and suddenly out in front of a log house, where two men stood on the porch. They saw us and it was too late to dodge, so we tried to appear indifferent and asked if we conld get dinner. We told them we were rebel soldiers who had been on the sick list and were trying to get back to our regiments. They said we could have dinner, and as we sat down to eat the | Somerset, Ky., about November 25, from whieb place woman of the house eyed us closely and soon accused | we reached Louisville, and from there by railroad to us of being "Yanks." We soon found out each other, | Nashville, near which place our old comrades and and they were loyal, true pecple, who sont us to | regiment lay, and where our boys received us with