CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 575 four days, and his wife, who survived him. until January 24, 1888, passed to her final rest at the age of seventy-six years. Of their nine children seven are yet living, namely : John, Daniel, David, Catherine, Jacob, Joseph and Mary. One of the sons, George, was a member of the Union army during the Civil war and died on the train while en route to Columbia, South Carolina. John Gilger spent his youth at home in the midst of surroundings such as were familiar to pioneer settlers but are unknown at the present stage of our advanced civilization. He pursued his studies sitting on a slab bench in an old log schoolhouse. After reaching his twentieth year he went to Kansas and took up a claim near Osawatomie, that state, but being told that that part of the country was not good he sold his claim, after a sojourn there of six months, and returned home. The following winter he followed shoemaking, in a room of his father's home, and in the succeeding spring he built a shop in Shiloh and worked at his trade. He never served an apprenticeship to the business, but possessing considerable mechanical ingenuity he picked up the trade after his return from the west. For seven years he conducted: a prosperous business in Shiloh, at Limes employing two or three assistants. While there he was appointed to the position of postmaster under President Buchanan. In 1864 he purchased his present home of twenty-nine acres, adjoining a tract of seventeen acres, of which he had previously become the owner, and upon the place he has since resided. In 1883 he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business, which he conducted profitably until 1898, when he disposed of his store and has since given his entire attention to the farm. On the 27th of December, 1860, Mr. Gilger was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor Douglas, a native of Richland county and a daughter of David and Anna (Kirkland) Douglas. Their marriage was blessed with four children, three of whom survive, namely : Jennie, the wife of T. A. Vaughn, of Shelby, Ohio ; Myron M., who is engaged in Braying in Shiloh ; and Delbert W., who is a resident of Shiloh. The mother died May 22, 1874, and on the 30th of March, 1876, Mr. Gilger was again married, his second union being with Miss Margery Latimer, a native of Blooming Grove township and a daughter of William and Nancy (Wilson) Latimer. They now have two children : George A., a painter and public-school teacher, and Ella E. Relis, at home. Through an active business career Mr. Gilger has so conducted his interests as to win a comfortable competence. He served for three terms as township trustee and was postmaster under James Buchanan's administra- 576 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. tion. He was one of the first three voters to give their support to the Prohibition ticket in Cass township At that time he was compelled to vote a written ticket. 'He did this to indicate his opposition to the saloon and to aid in saving the boys of the nation. He attended the Prohibition state convention at Columbus on the 6th and 7th of June, 1894, as a delegate, and was also a delegate to the convention at Findlay, Ohio, April 21 and 22, 1896. After the meeting of the national Prohibition convention in 1896 he became convinced that he was not acting wisely in allying himself with the political parties. He believed that it was God's will and since that time he has not voted. At the age of twenty-three he was converted and became a member of the Evangelical Lutheran church, with Which he was identified for more than thirty-six years, and during most of the time held office in the church. He then left the church, for, after careful study of the Bible he came to believe that as God's children we must not be contentious and that the organized churches of the day are not in harmony with the will of the Creator as expressed in Holy Writ. In his life he closely follows the teachings of the holy Nazarene, endeavoring daily to exemplify in his life the true spirit of Christianity. SAMUEL FERGUSON. Samuel Ferguson, deceased, was for many years one of the honored citizens and successful agriculturists of Washington township, Richland county, Ohio. He was born near Pittsburg, Allegheny county,. Pennsylvania, on the 7th of August, 1816, a son of Samuel and Wilhelmina (Dye) Ferguson, in whose family were nine children. His father, Who was a soldier of the war of 1812, and a traveler to a considerable extent, came to Richland county, Ohio, in 1820, and from the government entered the land upon which our subject's family now reside. He lived to the advanced age of ninety-eight .years. Mr. Ferguson, of this review, was reared on a farm in his native state, and continued to reside there until 1842, when he came to Ohio and took up his residence upon the farm in Washington township, Richland county, which he made his home up to ale time of his death. In the original purchase there were three hundred and twenty acres, and the family still own two hundred and twenty acres, which is pleasantly located on section 8, four miles from Mansfield. Of this tract one hundred and forty acres have been cleared and placed under a high state of cultivation. On the 2d of May, 1844, Mr. Ferguson was united in marriage with CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 577 Miss Margaret C. Glasgow, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, May 3, 1820, a daughter of James and Betsey A. (Sleator) Glasgow, both natives of Ireland. Her family moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio by team in 1832, and first settled in Knox county, but a year later came to Richland county. In June, 1834, there was a heavy frost, which did much damage to the crops. Mr. Glasgow purchased eighty acres of, and where Joseph Hainley now resides, and erected thereon a log cabin. Here he followed farming for some years, but his last days were spent in Henry county. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson began their domestic life in a log cabin on the farm where the family is still living, and there ten children were born to them, namely ; James Glasgow, who is mentioned below ; Wilhelmina E., the wife of William Lawrence; Samuel, deceased ; Jennie, the wife of Ervin Beattie, of Michigan ; Lycurgus E., a resident of Hiawatha, Kansas ; Ella, the wife of Charles Dean, of Cameron, Missouri ; Wilda O. and Rilda A. (twins), the former the wife of John Longshore, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and the latter the wife of John Dean, of Mansfield ; Nettie, the wife of Frank Brown, of Kansas ; and one who died in infancy. James G., the oldest son, is now successfully carrying on the home farm, and has served as trustee in Washington township for three years. He married Louisa Hiskey, who died October 6, 1900, leaving eight children,—Anna L., Ethel W., John S., Mary O., Nettie M., Alice J., an infant unnamed ; and two who preceded her in death,—Josie and Maggie, only five days apart in their decease. Throughout his active business life Mr. Ferguson followed farming, and his labors met with well deserved success. He was one of the most highly esteemed men of his community, and was called upon to serve as trustee for several years. Politically he was a strong Democrat, and religiously was an earnest member of the United Presbyterian church. He died April 6, 1895. He had won by an honorable, upright life an untarnished name, and the record which he left behind him is one well worthy of emulation. GEORGE UHLICH. After an honorable and useful career the subject of this sketch can well afford to lay aside all business cares and spend his declining years in ease and quiet, surrounded by all the comforts which make life worth the living. A native of Richland county, he was born on the old homestead in Madison township, northwest of Mansfield, which was purchased by his grandfather, George Uhlich, in 1828, and which comprises one hundred and 578 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. forty-two acres. His grandfather was probably a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and was a soldier of the war of 1812. He died in 1834. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Saltzgaber, was a native of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and belonged to one of the pioneer families of this county, which was founded here in 1834. Her brother, Samuel $altzgaber, who celebrated his one hundredth anniversary in Van \Vert county, in 1899, conducted a hotel in Shelby, this county, for thirty years. His son, Gallord Saltzgaber, was a representative to congress from Van Wert county. The father of our subject was born in Pennsylvania in 1819, and was eight years old when brought to Ohio by his parents. He inherited the old homestead, upon which he spent his entire life with the exception of the last few years, when he lived in Mansfield. He died at the age of seventy-two years, honored and respected by all who knew him. He married Catherine Fidler, who also belonged to one of the pioneer families of this county, and by this union four children were born, namely : George, our subject ; Jonathan, who is represented on another page of this volume; Susan, the deceased wife of Harry Hall, a merchant of Williams county, Ohio ; and Nella, the wife of James Fay, of Mansfield. During his boyhood George Uhlich attended the common schools, and early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Later he worked the old home farm until 1882, when he moved to Mansfield, where he was engaged in the grocery business for fourteen years, and has since lived retired. In 1865 Mr. Uhlich was united in marriage with Miss Abigail Petrow, a daughter of John Petrow, who came to this county from Forestville in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, in 1859. By this union were born four children : Joseph, a resident of Mansfield, who married Emma Enlow, of Springfield township, a daughter of Jackson Enlow ; George W., who married Ida Feltner, of Mansfield, where they reside; and Rolla and Lemont, both at home with their parents. During the Civil war Mr. Uhlich was a member of the Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was in the service from 1861 to 1864, participating in all the engagements in which his regiment took part. He is now an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and also belongs to St. Luke's Lutheran church. In politics he is an active Democrat, and was a member of the city council two terms,—from 1891 to 1895. He is now a trustee of the water-works, being first elected in 189 and re-elected in 1900 for another three years. He was the chairman of CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 579 the board in 1899 and 1900. As a public-spirited, enterprising man, he is recognized as a valued citizen of the community, and justly merits the high regard in which he is uniformly held by all who know him. JOSEPH SIMPSON. Prominent among the representative citizens of Richland county who have by honest toil and industry succeeded in acquiring a handsome competence and are now able to spend the sunset of life in quiet and retirement, is the gentleman whose name appears above, his home being on section 27, Mifflin township. Mr. Simpson was born on the farm where he now resides, June 28, 1832, a son of Samuel and Catherine (Hout) Simpson, in whose family were seven children, but only two now survive, the younger being Margaret, the widow of A. C. Culbertson and a resident of Loudonville, Ohio. The father of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, November 26, 1793, his parents being natives of Ireland and of Scotch-Irish descent. He grew to manhood in the Keystone state, and soon after his marriage, which was celebrated March 19, 1818, started with his bride for the west. Floating down the Ohio river in a small boat, they landed in Jefferson county, Ohio, and from there came overland to Richland county, where Samuel Simpson entered the quarter section of land upon which our subject now resides. In the midst of the forest he built a cabin and at once turned his attention to clearing and improving his land. He was an industrious, sturdy pioneer and prospered in his undertakings, acquiring three hundred and forty acres of land in Mifflin township and a half-section in Sandusky township. In his political affiliations Samuel Simpson was first a Whig and later a Republican, and although well advanced in years at the outbreak of the Civil war he was an ardent supporter of President Lincoln and his policy. Religiously he was an active member of the Presbyterian church and was a man highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He died on the 28th of November, 1867, and in his death the community realized that it had lost one of its most valued and useful citizens. His estimable wife, who was born March 13, 1796, of Virginian parentage, departed this life April 25, 1878. During his boyhood Joseph Simpson acquired a limited education in the home schools, but the knowledge he obtained of farm work was not so meager, and he soon became a skillful agriculturist. On reaching man's estate he continued to work on the home farm with his father, having stock of his own, and after the latter's death conducted the place for his mother 580 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. until she, too, passed away, when the homestead fell to him, while the lower farm became the property of his brother John. About 1870 he purchased the latter place and now owns two hundred and forty acres of very valuable and productive land, which he has placed under a high system of cultivation. For some years past, however, he has not engaged in active farming, but has merely managed his business affairs and the working of his land. The Republican party finds in him a stanch supporter of its principles, and as a public-spirited citizen he takes an active interest in advancing the welfare of his township and county. He is widely and favorably known, and comes of a prominent and highly respected family. JOHN A. NOBLE. The Pennsylvania Scotch-Irish stock, which is so important an element in our national population, is a leading factor in the population of Richland county. Among the many citizens of Blooming Grove township who trace their lineage to Pennsylvania none is better known or more highly respected than John A. Noble. Mr. Noble was born in what is now Butler township, Richland county, Ohio, January 15, 1836, one of the six children of William and Margaret (McWilliams) Noble, only two of whom survive. Mr. Noble's sister, Margaret, is the widow of Nathaniel Finch, of Blooming Grove township. William Noble was a native of Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, born in 1803, and moved with his parents to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he grew up and was married and where two of his children were born. He manufactured sieves in Pennsylvania until 1831, when he came into Ohio, bringing his family, and located on eighty acres of land in what is now Butler township, Richland county. He had but eighty dollars in cash, and, as the price of the farm was one hundred dollars, he was obliged to assume the debt of twenty dollars. Small as such a sum appeared to him in after years, this debt worried him beyond expression until it was finally discharged. His land was mostly covered with timber, but six acres of it had been cleared after the early style of cutting out all small timber and "deadening" all the rest. He built a log cabin on the place and lived there until 1853, when he sold his land there and bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Blooming Grove township, where John A. Noble now lives and where the pioneer lived until 1887 when he died, then in his eighty-fifth year. He was a rugged, active man who did much hard work, a man of sterling character, influential in local affairs and a leader in political and religious work. CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 581 He was a Whig and later a Republican, and in early life was a member of the Presbyterian church; but some years after coming to Ohio, he united with the Disciples church, of which his wife also became a member, who, too, had been a Presbyterian. For several successive terms he filled the office of trustee of Butler township. The mother of John A. Noble was Miss Margaret McWilliams, of Scotch-Irish ancestry and a daughter of John and Betsey McWilliams, both of whom died in Washington county, Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Noble was born in 1798. William and Mary Noble, Mr. Noble's grandparents in the paternal line, were natives of Ireland and were married there. Owing to religio-political troubles in their native land, they fled to America and settled in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, whence they subsequently removed to Washington county, in the same state, where William Noble died. His widow came to Ohio and made her home with her children, living until she was in the ninety-third year of her age. Some idea of her remarkable physical strength will be afforded in the statement that not more than two months before her death she walked from the farm of John A. Noble to the farm of John Noble, a distance of more than a mile. John A. Noble was reared and educated in his native township, and with the exception of a year and a half spent in the mining region of Montana, in the '60, has spent his entire life thus far on the Noble homestead in Blooming Grove township. On his return from Montana in 1865 he assumed the management of the home farm, which he bought in 1884, and he has devoted himself with much success to general farming and stock-raising. In 1869 he Married Miss Adeline Howard, a native of Huron county, Ohio, and a daughter of William Howard, a Virginian by birth, who was comparatively an early settler in the Buckeye state. Mr. and Mrs. Noble have had eight children, who may be mentioned as follows in the order of their nativity : Hermie, who married Jay De Witt and lives at Cleveland, Ohio, where Sumner and Wade also reside ; and Lloyd, Florence, William, John and Vernice, members of their father's household. Mr. Noble is a live, progressive Republican, who believes in the principles of his party and commends the official acts of President McKinley and endorses the policy of his administration. He is a public-spirited man, who is willing at all times to do everything in his power to advance the important interests of his township, county and state. He has taken an exceptionally deep interest in educational matters and has devoted himself earnestly and successfully to the maintenance and improvement of the public school; of his community, having given a number of years to the service of his township as a member of the school board. He has proved himself a useful citi- 582 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. zen, of wise judgment and methods, at the same time practical and economical, and his counsel is sought in all matters looking to the enhancement of the public weal. He is liberal in the support of churches and of all other public interests affecting the intellectual and moral development of the people. JEREMIAH W. SHATZER. Jeremiah W. Shatzer was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of March, 1839, and the family is of German lineage. John Shatzer, the father of our subject, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, but his ancestors originally came from the fatherland. He was reared in his native county and in early life he apprenticed himself at the millwright's trade, also learning the miller's trade, under the direction of Samuel Frederick. He followed both pursuits in the Keystone state until 1844, when he emigrated with his family to Richland county, Ohio, settling in Ganges. The following spring he rented the old Urick mill in Franklin township. a mile south of Shenandoah, on the Black Fork. For four years he operated the mill and on the expiration of that period purchased a small tract of land in Jackson township, removing his family to the new home. He remained only a short time in Ganges, however, for the following fall his father died and the children found homes with neighbors, while the mother and the youngest child returned to Jackson township, where she lived with her father. Mrs. Shatzer bore the maiden name of Mary A. Pickint, and by her first marriage she became the mother of five children, all of whom are yet living, namely: Jeremiah W.; Henry A., a farmer of Henry county ; John D., who operates a sawmill in Shelby, Ohio ; Christopher, who is living in Tiffin, Ohio ; and Mrs. Rebecca Phillips, a widow. Ten years after the death of her first husband Mrs. Shatzer became the wife of Jonas Blocker, and their union was blessed with one daughter, Johanna, now the wife of Franklin Steiers, of Weller township. The mother's death occurred in 1863. Soon after the death of his father Jeremiah W. Shatzer found a home with John Rank, a farmer of Springfield township, with whom he lived for three years, and when fifteen years of age he apprenticed himself at the carpenter's trade for a term of three years, receiving forty-eight dollars annually in compensation for his services. On completing his apprenticeship he worked as a journeyman carpenter for Patrick Barnes, under whom he had learned the trade, and was thus employed until after the inauguration of the Civil war. He and three of his brothers entered the service of their country. In December, 1861, he donned the blue and went to the south as a. member CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 583 of Company H, Sixty-fourth Ohio Infantry, which formed a part of Sherman's brigade. After nine months he was discharged, on account of lung trouble. His brothers, Henry and John, enlisted for three months in the Fifteenth Ohio Infantry in the spring of 1861, and after the expiration of that period Henry enlisted in the Sixty-fourth Regiment, Sherman's brigade, for three years, and was shot through the left lung at Stone River, but survived that injury. Later, however, he was seriously wounded in the leg by a shell, and the accident has occasioned him serious trouble since that time. John Shatzer, after receiving his discharge, went to Indiana on a visit and the same autumn enlisted in an Indiana regiment, with which he served until the close of hostilities. Christopher Shatzer, the other brother, after serving with the three months' men, re-enlisted for six months, and when that period had expired he veteranized, becoming a member of Sherman's brigade, with which he served until the close of the war. The record of the family for patriotism and bravery is one of which its members have every reason to be proud. After receiving his discharge Mr. Shatzer, our subject, returned home and for two years worked for his old employer, but in 1864 began business on his own account, and during the following thirty years gave his entire attention to contracting and building. On many sides are seen evidences of his handiwork, a large number of the substantial structures of the county standing as monuments to his skill and enterprise. Since 1895 he has lived quietly upon his farm, where he is now enjoying the fruits of his many years of labor. In 1860 occurred the marriage of Jeremiah W. Shatzer and Miss Mary A. Laser, a native of Cass county and a daughter of John Laser, one of the early settlers of Richland county. In 1862 our subject purchased forty acres of his present farm and removed his young wife to the new home and rented the land. In 1882 he purchased fifty-two and a half acres just across the road from the old place and built a residence thereon. This has since been his abode and here he has enjoyed many of the comforts and luxuries of life. Mr. and Mrs. Shatzer became the parents of fifteen children, nine of whom have reached years of maturity and are still living : Mary Catherine, the wife of Oscar Stout, a farmer of Franklin township ; Della, the wife of Dennis Malott, a business man of eastern Virginia ; Etta, the wife of Martin Hodge, of Cass township ; John, who follows farming in Weller township ; Amos, a house-builder of Shelby, Ohio ; Lucy, the wife of Bert Jilger, of Cass township ; Jennie, the wife of William Cline, of Hancock county; and Scott and Maud, both at home. For one term Mr. Shatzer served as township trustee and for several 584 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. years he was a member of the school board, called to these positions by his fellow townsmen, who recognized his ability. In politics he is a Republican and socially he is connected with Stiegel Post, No. 208, G. A. R. He belongs to the Reformed church and has served as one of its deacons. Through an active business career he was prominently identified with the industrial interests of his adopted county and now he is enjoying. a well earned rest. He has justly won the proud. American title of a self-made man and his life stands in exemplification of the possibilities that he before young men in this land where energy and ambition are not hampered. ALFRED BARNEY PULVER. Alfred Barney Pulver was born November 14, 1853, near Newville, Richland county, Ohio. He is the son of Isaac and Hannah (Armstrong) Pulver. His youth was passed principally in Washington township, where he worked upon the farms in the summer and attended district schools in the winter. A number of his teachers afterward became prominent in life. Among the number are Judge McBride, of Waterloo, Indiana, and ex-Governor John P. Altgeld and wife, of Chicago. Upon attaining his majority Mr. Pulver went to the far west, where he became a cowboy, herding cattle for a year, after which he worked in a lumber camp. Returning to Ohio, he was married, on February 7, 1878, to Miss Sarah Catharine Marks, of Monroe township. They are the parents of eight children, six girls and two boys, as follows : David Franklin, Mary Rosetta, Anna Elmetta, Odessa Ellen, Fanny Cecelia, Clayton Tecumseh, Bernice Marguerite and Olive Ruth. For ten years previous to his election as sheriff Mr. Pulver was the superintendent of the farms of the late Hon. John Sherman, and was one of the most trusted employes of that distinguished statesman. In 1899 Mr. Pulver received the Republican nomination for the office of sheriff, to which position he was elected by a majority of about seven hundred, being the only Republican elected, the county going Democratic by from one to twelve thousand. Mr. Pulver is the first Republican sheriff of Richland county since Nelson Ozier, thirty-six years before. Barney, as his friends familiarly call him, has filled his office with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents. During the Dowieite troubles in Mansfield, in the summer and fall of 1900, Sheriff Pulver was placed in critical and trying positions, in each of which he acquitted himself with prudence and judgment. There were no precedents by which he could be governed. The city was passing through a state of fanatical religious excite- CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 585 ment that was extraordinary in its phases and conditions. There were times when the officers of the law had to act quickly, without time for consideration orconsultation. During that troublesome period Sheriff Pulver acted with the highest conception of his duty as a conservator of the public peace. Mr. Pulver is five feet, eight inches in 'height and weighs two hundred and ten pounds, but is so symmetrical in build that he seems, well proportioned. In physique he is a perfect specimen of manhood. He is an athlete, and in his younger days was a prize winner at shooting matches, where he won numerous turkeys. Isaac Pulver, the father of Sheriff Pulver, was born in Ontario county, New York, in 1801, and came to Ohio in October, 1826. He was twice married. His first wife was Balinda Brown, who died July 19, 1834. There was one child by this marriage. In 1840 Isaac Pulver married Hannah Armstrong, and they became the parents of eleven children,—eight sons and three daughters. The parents are deceased. BYRON J. ABY. Among the active, prominent and enterprising citizens of Mifflin town-. ship is Byron J. Aby, who was born on the 29th of March, 1856, on the farm: on section 22 where he still resides. His father, Isaac Aby, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, May 9, 1821, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth Aby, also natives of Lancaster county, while their parents were emigrants from Germany, who came to this country at an early day and spent the remainder of their lives in the Keystone state. In 1825 Jacob Aby came to Richland county, Ohio, and located upon the farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Mifflin township, where the family have since made their home. He had three children,—Ann, Ephraim and Isaac,—all now deceased. Isaac Aby grew to manhood upon the home farm, and as a young man was engaged in the distillery business, in partnership with Henry Kisling. In 1850 he became one of the -California gold-seekers. Taking passage on the steamer, John L. Stephens, he rounded the Horn, and for two years was engaged in mining in California, being reasonably successful in his search for the yellow metal. In 1852 he returned home, but in the spring of the following year again started for the gold fields, this time by the isthmus route. Finding the mining district overrun with prospectors he did not remain long, returning home in the fall of the same year. With his savings he purchased eighty acres of the home farm lying south of the road, and on the 10th of January, 1854, married Miss Sarah J. Clugston. They began their domestic life upon his newly acquired farm, 586 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. and in connection with the cultivation of his own land he farmed his father's place on the shares, the litter having reached that age when he wished to retire from active labor. This he continued until the death of his parents, when he purchased the remaining eighty acres of the heirs, and successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits throughout life. Although he began his business career empty-handed, prosperity crowned his well .directed efforts and he became one of the well-to-do and substantial citizens of his community, owning three hundred and nine acres of valuable land. He was a stanch Democrat in politics, but never an office-seeker, and was highly respected and esteemed by all who .knew him. He died March 3, 1899, leaving two children : Byron J., our subject ; and May E., the wife of Wesley Koogle, who resides on a portion of the Aby farm. Mrs. Sarah J. Aby, the mother of our subject, was born on the 27th of August, 1831, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, of which her parents, John and Jane (Martin) Clugston, were also natives. Mr. Clugston's father and mother were from Scotland and Ireland, respectively, .while his wife's parents were both from the Emerald isle. In 1847 John Clugston, with his family, moved to Ohio and settled in the village of Mifflin, better known among the old settlers at Petersburg. By trade he was a wagonmaker, at which he worked, and in conjunction conducted a hotel for many years. (This hotel is still standing.) in 1867 he removed to La Grange, Indiana, where he resided up to the time of his death, dying there at the advanced age of eighty-three years, while his wife died at the same place, when sixty-five years of .age. In their family were eight children, seven of whom are still living, namely : Franklin, George A., Johnson, Sarah J., Martha, Margaret and Amanda. The early education of Byron J. Aby was acquired in the district schools near his boyhood home and during his boyhood and youth he assisted his father in carrying on the farm. On the 27th of February, 1879, he was united in marriage with Miss Anna E. Keffer, a native of Mansfield and daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Kisling) Keffer. Her father, who was a well-known merchant of Mansfield, is now deceased. By this union were born four children : Floyd E., Gladys M., Vera M. and Myrtle F., all at home. After his marriage Mr. Aby took charge of a portion of the home farm, which he cultivated for his father until 1898, when the latter deeded his present farm to him. In politics he is a Democrat, and for seven years he most acceptably served as township treasurer. Both he and his wife are prominent and influential members of the United Brethren church and have CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 587 taken an active part in its work, he having served as a trustee and the treasurer for many years, and also as the Sabbath-school superintendent. Fraternally he is one of the charter members of Ruffner Grange, No. 1433, P. of H., and for the first three years of its existence he served as the master of the same. He is also a member of Mifflin Tent, No. 306, K. O. T. M. GEORGE H. MOWRY. George H. Mowry, who quietly resides on his farm in Monroe township, was born on the 11th of October, 1842, in the township which is still his home, his parents being Jacob and Catherine (Crone) Mowry. He represents one of the old pioneer families of the state and is of Holland lineage. His great-grandfather was born in the land of dikes and became the founder of the family in the new world. Jacob Mowry, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and in the '40s came to Ohio in a covered wagon. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild land in Monroe township, the property which now belongs to the family of Adam Mowry, and there he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits until called to his final rest. He voted with the Democracy and was a member of the Lutheran church. Wherever he was known he was esteemed for his genuine worth. Jacob Mowry, the father of our subject, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and in 1820 accompanied his parents on their removal to this state. Upon the home farm he continued until his marriage to Miss Catherine Crone, who was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, about 1818, a daughter of John and Catherine (Pentz) Crone. Her father was a blacksmith of Baltimore, Maryland, for many years, and removed thence to Hagerstown, where he lived until his emigration to Ohio. On coming to this state he set-: tied on a farm of eighty acres, two and a half miles southeast of Lucas. There he spent the remainder of his days and conducted a shop in connection with his farming operations for many years. He served as an officer in the war of 1812, and was one of the reserves at Fort Henry. near Baltimore, when that fort was fired upon by the British. He attained the advanced age of about eighty-six years. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Mowry spent about two years on a farm near Lucas and then removed to the Jesse Swan farm in Monroe township, where they remained for twelve years. In 1857 they took up their abode on the Culler farm in Mifflin township, Ashland county, where Mr. Mowry remained until 1872. He then located on 588 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. his farm of seventy-five acres in Vermilion township, Ashland county, having acquired that property some years previously. It is still his place of residence and is one of the most highly improved tracts of land in this section of the state. He has held various township offices, being elected on the Democratic ticket. He is a member of the Lutheran church and a man of the highest respectability. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mowry have been born nine children, of whom seven are living, namely : George H. ; Samuel, who is a carpenter and contractor of Mansfield, Ohio, and has built many of the churches and most prominent buildings there; Maria, the wife of John Wilson, a farmer of Ashland county, Ohio; John M., an agriculturist of Mifflin township, Richland county ; Ursula, the wife of William Kelley, a hardware merchant of Hayesville, Ohio ; James N., who follows farming in Ashland county; and Ellen, at home. In taking up the personal history of George H. Mowry we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in Richland county. His boyhood clays were spent in the acquirement of his education in the common schools, to the pleasures of youth and to the duties that fall to the lot of farmers' sons. At the age of twenty-two he secured employment in a sawmill and for three years followed that business in Richland, Holmes and Wayne counties. In 1867 he went to Michigan, spending the summer in the pineries, where he was employed in the operation of a sawmill and also aided in building a mill. In the autumn of the same year he reurned to Richland county and was married. He then located on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres and in pursuit of fortune has followed farming. In 1876, however, he met with an accident which crippled him somewhat, and for sixteen years he engaged in business as an agent of the Phoenix & Hartford Fire Insurance Company in Richland and Ashland counties. He has since lived quietly upon his farm, his land being rented, and the income from the place supplies him with all the necessaries and many of the comforts of life. For a number of years he has been writing for various publications and at present is a contributor to the Loudonville Democrat and to the Mansfield Shield and Banner. In the autumn of 1877, Mr. Mowry was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor Culler, a native of Ashland county, Ohio, and a daughter of Michael Culler. He and his wife have many warm friends in this community and enjoy the hospitality of the best homes in their section of the county. In politics Mr. Mowry is a Democrat and in religious belief is a Lutheran. He holds membership relations with Mifflin Lodge, No. 306, Knights of the Maccabees, and is one of the most highly esteemed residents of Richland CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 589 county, for his course has ever been straightforward and honorable, commending him to the confidence, good will and regard of those with whom he has been associated. JOSEPH FISHER. This gentleman, who has spent his entire life in Richland county, and is to-day a leading citizen of Weller township, was born on the 19th of May, 1836, in Franklin township, a son of John and Effie (Eversole) Fisher. The father was a native of Jefferson county, this state, born about 1799. and was a son of John Fisher, a prominent farmer of that county and a veteran of the war of 1812, who was of German descent. The mother of our subject was born in New Jersey in 1803, and was a daughter of Martin Ever-sole, also a native of that state and a pioneer of Jefferson county, Ohio, where his death occurred and where our subject's paternal grandfather also died. In the county of his nativity the father was reared and married, and shortly afterward came to Richland county, locating at Spring Mills, where he spent about a year. He then rented a farm of eighty acres from John Palmer, for five years, and at the end of that period purchased forty acres of land in Franklin township, upon which he made his home for three years. On selling that place he bought eighty acres near the Alfred Urick farm in the same township, to which he later added a twenty-acre tract, making a good farm of one hundred acres. He was a Democrat in politics and a man highly esteemed by all who knew him. His death occurred on the 31st of January, 1853. and his wife departed this lift in 1859. Unto them were born twelve children, but only four are now living, namely Joseph, our subject ; Samuel, a farmer of Weller township, this county ; William, a farmer of Hillsdale county, Michigan; and Mary L., the wife of Jacob Miller, of Williams county, Ohio. Joseph Fisher was only seventeen years of age at the time of his father's death, but he and his brothers successfully carried on the home farm, and also engaged in the threshing business for four years. At the end of that time he purchased his brothers' interests in the outfit, and for thirty-three years owned and operated one or more threshing machines, meeting with good success in that undertaking. In the spring of 1865 he purchased sixty acres of land in Franklin township, upon which he made his home for fifteen years, and then sold, buying his present farm of eighty-one and a half acres on section 26. Weller township, which he has placed 590 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. under a high state of cultivation and improved with good and substantial buildings. In 1895 he purchased another farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Blooming Grove township, which he rents. In February, 1864, Mr. Fisher was united in marriage with Miss Susanna Boals, a daughter of David Boals, one of the early pioneers of Mifflin township, and to. them have been born four children, as follows : Effie j., now the wife of John McElroy, of Toledo, Ohio ; Susie E., the wife of Foster Urick, a farmer of Franklin township, this county ; and Mary and Calvin M., both at home. The son is now carrying on the work of the farm. The Democratic party finds in Mr. Fisher a stanch supporter of its principles, and he has been called upon to fill the offices of infirmary director from 1888 to 1894, and township trustee of Franklin township for three years, refusing longer to accept the position, as he cares nothing for official honors. By untiring industry and sound judgment he has won a merited success in all his undertakings, and is in all respects worthy the high regard in which he is held by his fellow men. JOHN A. TUCKER. Among the successful men of Mifflin township none are more deserving of representation in this volume than John A. Tucker, whose home is on section 33, and who is to-day one of the leading farmers and stock dealers of that locality. Keen discrimination, unflagging industry and resolute purpose are numbered among his salient characteristics, and thus he has won the prosperity which is the merited reward of honest effort. A native of Richland county, Mr. Tucker was born in Monroe township, November, 17, 1865, and is a son of David Franklin and Mary (Welty) Tucker. His boyhood and youth were passed upon the home farm, and his early education was acquired in the common schools of the neighorhood. Later he attended the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, taking a teacher's and commercial course, and graduating in 1886. During the winter months for the following four years he taught in the district schools of Monroe township. On the 6th of April, 1887, Mr. Tucker wedded Miss Minnie E. Wise, a native of Clark county, Ohio, and a daughter of Lewis and Malinda (Hatfield) Wise, prominent agriculturists of that county. By this union were born four children, as follows : Lewis F., David, Christian, Alfred Clark and James Harvey. CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 591 After his marriage Mr. Tucker located upon his present farm, which was then the property of his father and which he cultivated as a renter for ten years. He then purchased the place, consisting of one hundred and thirty-seven acres, and has converted it into one of the best farms of Mifflin township. Since 1893 he has been interested in buying and shipping poultry and stock to eastern markets, and in the intervening years has probably made more trips to New York city than any other man in Richland county. He has met with marked success in all his undertakings, and has become widely and favorably known. Fraternally he affiliates with the Patrons of Husbandry, and religiously is a member of the Congregational church. In politics 'Mr. Tucker is a Democrat, and since 1895 he has efficiently served as a justice of the peace. As mediator he has gained for himself an enviable reputation, endeavoring to settle all difficulties without recourse to law. EDWARD B. SWITZER. Well known in business circles, Edward B. Switzer, of Bellville, is extensively engaged in dealing in horses. He was born in Newville, Richland county, September 5, 1849, and belongs to a family that has been identified with the development of this section of the state from an early clay. His great-grandfather, Jacob Switzer, was a native of Pennsylvania, and at an early period in the development of the Buckeye state took up his abode in Richland county, where he carried on farming. He was of German lineage. His death occurred in Hancock county, Ohio, when he was about ninety years of age. His son, Martin Switzer, the grandfather of our subject, was probably born in Pennsylvania and in early life came with his parents to Richland county. He was a shoemaker by trade and when a young man went to Illinois, but subsequently returned to Ohio, where he died at the age of eighty years. Jacob Switzer, the father of our subject, was numbered among the native sons of Richland county. Throughout his active business career he carried on farming and also dealt in cattle and horses. He married Ella Kerrey, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and came to Richland county with her parents. His death occurred at the age of fifty-seven, but his widow still survives, at the age of seventy-two. He held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, and in his political affiliations was a Republican. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Switzer were born twelve children, namely : Lodina Jane ; Edward B. ; Madison ; Louis K., a stock-dealer in Butler, who died at the age of forty-five years ; Ella, the 592 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY wife of Robert Kline, of Cleveland, Ohio; James M., who is associated with his brother Edward in business ; Flora, the wife of James Pierce, who conducts a dry-goods store in Butler ; Delevan, who also buys and sells stock and makes his home in Butler ; Burdell, the wife of David Kars, of Chicago ; and the two who died in early life. Edward B. Switzer spent his boyhood days in the usual manner of farmer lads of that period, enjoying the sports of childhood and assisting in the labors of the home farm. He also became interested in the stock business, and at the age of twenty-eight years he abandoned the cultivation of land and began dealing in horses and cattle, buying and shipping in partnership with his father until the latter's death. Edward Switzer then removed to Bellville, where he has since made his home. He is one of the most extensive horse-dealers in the state. He travels throughout the northern portion of Ohio, buying and shipping horses, of which he is an excellent judge. This enables him to make judicious purchases and to realize a good profit on his investments. He also owned two farms in the township, all highly improved,—one tract of land of one hundred and fifty acres and another tract of forty-three acres. In addition he has a beautiful home in Bellville and sixteen acres of land within the corporation limits. On the 5th of March, 1877, Mr. Switzer was united in marriage to Miss Mary L. Rodgers, who was born in Galion, Ohio, and they have two children : Louie Cline, who is engaged in the stock business with his father; and Daisy Leone, at home. Mrs. Switzer is a daughter of Leslie and Hannah (Uhl) Rodgers. Her father was a native of Holmes county, Ohio, and was there reared upon a farm. In early life he engaged in teaching music and in conducting- singing schools in his native locality. Soon after his marriage he removed to Galion, Ohio, where he followed his profession until his death, which occurred at the early age of twenty-eight years. He served in the war of the Revolution as a musician and there contracted consumption, which caused his death. His father, Samuel Rodgers, .was also a native of Ohio and was of Irish lineage. In his family were but two children, both sons. The mother of Mrs. Switzer also was a native of Holmes county, Ohio, and belonged, to a German family from Pennsylvania. Her father, Levi Uhl, was born in Pennsylvania December 11, 1807, and died at the age of eighty-nine years. He was a very successful farmer. After her husband's death Mrs. Rodgers came to Richland county, where her death occurred at the age of fifty-six. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and in her family were five children, of whom two died in early life. The others are Samuel, a farmer of Holmes county, CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 593 Ohio; Levi, the proprietor of a meat market in Millersburg, Ohio ; and Mrs. Switzer, who in early girlhood came with her mother to Richland county and has since made her home here. Mr. Switzer gives his political support to the Republican party and is a firm adherent of its principles, yet has never sought nor desired public office. His attention has been given untiringly to his business affairs and thus he has won the success that places him among the substantial citizens of his native county. He is truly a self-made man and his life indicates what can be accomplished through determined purpose, careful management and willingness to work. HIRAM WALTERS. Hiram Walters, one of the extensive stock dealers and prosperous farmers of Mifflin township, whose home is on section 29, was born in that township March 16, 1825, a son of Solomon and Mary (Starrett) Walters. His father was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1795, and when a young man came to Ohio with his parents, George. and Mary Walters, also natives of the Keystone state. After a short residence in Jefferson county they came to Richland county, and George Walters purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in Jefferson township, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their clays. After coming to this state Solomon Walters learned the wheelwright's trade of an uncle in Carroll county, and in 1821 located on the southwest quarter of section 20, Mifflin township, Richland county, which was one of several quarter sections of land entered by his father on an early trip to Ohio. Here he erected a log cabin and opened a shop, working at his trade and at intervals devoting some time to clearing his land. After keeping bachelor's hall for two years he married Miss Mary Starrett, who also was born in Pennsylvania, in 1803. Her parents, John and Mary Starrett, came to Ohio about the same time as the Walters family and settled in the northern part of. Mifflin township, but later removing to Weller township. Mr. Starrett bought a farm near Olivesburg, and upon that place he and his wife made their. home until called to their final rest. Solomon Walters was a finished mechanic and successfully worked at his trade for some fifteen years, after which he abandoned it and devoted his entire time and attention to agricultural pursuits. He was rather a conservative man and an ardent Democrat in politics. He died in 1858, his wife in 1852, honored and respected 594 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. by all who knew them. To this worthy couple were born ten children, but only four are now living, namely : Jesse, a stockman of Fort Worth, Texas; Mary M., the widow of a Mr. Conners and a resident of Weller township, this county ; Solomon, a resident of Mifflin township ; and Hiram, the subject of this review. On the home farm Hiram Walters grew to manhood, acquiring his education in the primitive log schoolhouse of frontier days. After reaching his majority he left home and went to Wabash county, Indiana. where for, some time he worked during the winter months at clearing land for farmers, while through the summer season he followed farming in this county. In the spring of 185o, during the gold excitement in California, he went to the Pacific slope, by way of New York and the isthmus of Panama, Arriving at his destination, he Was fortunate in locating a valuable claim in Nevada City, and, good health favoring him, he prospered. In partnership with others, he secured over thirty thousand dollars' worth of gold from his claim in three months. He took up various other good claims, but abandoned them for what he supposed were better ones. During his sec, and summer in California he was engaged in turning the Yuba river, which was thirty-three feet wide at the bottom, ten feet deep and seventy rods long. In this stream twelve men had been drowned. It was a heavy undertaking to turn the channel of the river, and about thirty men were interested in the enterprise, but financially the project was a failure. They employed as high as seventy and eighty men, paying them six dollars per day. Mr. Walters finally sold out his interest in the business for five hundred dollars. In the winter of 1851 he returned to Ohio, with the intention of again going to California; but, the boat on which he was a passenger touching at Cuba on the voyage to New York, he and others ate heartily of fruit and were taken seriously ill. He spent the following spring and summer in recuperating at home, and in the fall of 1852 went to Mercer county, Ohio, where he taught school during the winter. There he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land two years later., and commenced to clear and improve his place. In 1866 he sold out and went to Iowa and Illinois on a prospecting tour, but not finding a suitable location he returned to his old home in Richland county, Ohio, and purchased the interests of the other heirs in the farm. After carrying on the place for five years he disposed of it and bought his present farm on section 29,. Mifflin township, where he has since resided. For over thirty years he was one of the heavy stock buyers and shippers of the county, and in his dealings has become one of the best known citi- CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 595 zens of this section of the state. Upright and honorable in all things, he commands the respect and confidence of those with whom he comes in contact, and his circle of friends seems limited only by his circle of acquaintances. In his political views he is a stanch Democrat. In 1855 Mr. Walters was united in marriage with Miss Jemima Shaffer, native of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and a daughter of Samuel and Ruth Shaffer, who removed from that county to Mercer county. By trade her father was a cabinetmaker, but in later life followed farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Walters were born eight children, namely : Frank, who is engaged in the butcher business in Portland, Indiana ; Warren C., a conductor on the Belt Line Railroad at Chicago, Illinois ; William C., a piano-tuner of Mansfield, Ohio ; Otis H., a butcher of Portland, Indiana; Morris S., a foreman for the Central Union Telephone Company ; Ira M., who resides on one of his father's farms ; Alice, the wife of Charles Stevens, representing the Osborn Farm Machine Company in Mansfield; and Ray, assistant foreman for the Central Union Telephone Company. The children are all filling responsible and honorable positions in life, and his family is one of prominence in this community. JOHN REMY. On a farm in Worthington township, which he now owns, John Remy was born February 2, 1855. His father, John W. Remy, was a native of Nassau, Germany, and was there reared, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. When a young man he came to the United States with his parents, who located on a farm in Washington township, Richland county. After his marriage he inherited the farm, which is now the property of his son John, and there spent his remaining days, devoting his energies to the cultivation and improvement of his fields. He owned seventy-nine acres at the time of his death, constituting one of the valuable places in his section of the county. He was a member of the Lutheran church and a Democrat in his political affiliations. He passed away at the age of fifty-nine, but is still survived by his wife. She bore the maiden name of Mary Zern and is a native of Germany. John Remy is one of their family of six children. The days of his boyhood and youth were spent upon the home farm, and in the public schools of the neighborhood he acquired his education. When entering upon an independent business career he rented land in Worthington township for 596 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. eighteen months and then purchased a part of the old homestead from the heirs. He has since added to the place until he now has one hundred and twenty-two acres of valuable land and is successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising. His methods are progressive, his labors well directed by sound judgment and his diligence has brought to him good financial returns. Mr. Remy married Miss Eliza J. Spahn, who was born in Worthington township, and is a daughter of J. J. Spahn. They now have three sons: Frank, Charles and Clarence, all at home. Mr. Remy votes with the Democracy and is a recognized leader in the ranks of the party in his locality. He is now serving for the fifth year as a township trustee and is a capable and zealous officer. JOHN F. WHITE. John F. White is now practically living retired upon his farm on section 3, Cass township. He was born in this township May 17, 1840, his parents being Samuel and Jane (Balk) White. He received but a limited education in the common schools, for his services were needed upon the home farm, and he early became familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. At the age of fifteen years he began working in a tanyard owned by Abraham Willet, by whom he was employed for four years, on the expiration of which period he apprenticed himself to a brick and stone mason. His life has been one of marked industry, and whatever success he has achieved is due to his own efforts. At the time of the Civil war, however, Mr. White put aside all personal considerations of a business nature and with marked promptness offered his services to the government in defense of the Union, joining the "boys in blue" of Company I, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served throughout the war and participated in forty-seven regular engagements. He was wounded at the battle of Stone River, was taken prisoner and was reported dead ; but life was not extinct and he ultimately recovered. He was confined in a prison in Montgomery for ten days when he was transferred to Andersonville, where Ile was incarcerated until the night of the riot, when he was sent to Libby prison. There he remained in confinement for five months, on the expiration of which period he was exchanged, rejoining his regiment at Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In the winter of 1864 he was mustered out, and with a most creditable military record he returned to his home, for he was ever found at his post of duty faithfully defending the old flag. CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 597 On the 4th of July, 1865, John F. White was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Shanck, a native of Jacksonville, Morrow county, Ohio. They became the parents of ten children, of whom nine are yet living, as follows: Clinton S., who works his father's farm; Franklin L., a mason of Shelby, Ohio ; Leila, a teacher in Milroy, Indiana; Mary, the wife of William Coerber, of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania ; Lulu and Adrian, both at home; Blaine, who is engaged in blacksmithing in Plymouth, Ohio; and Eva and John S., also at home. After his marriage Mr. White located in Shiloh, where he resided for fifteen years, working at his trade. In 1880 he purchased his present farm, comprising one 'hundred and four acres on section 3, Cass township. Here he has since lived and devoted his attention to the further cultivation and improvement of his property. He continued to work at his trade also until failing health forced him to abandon it, his sons performing the farm work under his direction. Energy and enterprise are numbered among his chief characteristics and have been the salient features in his success. His study of the political issues and question of the clay has led him to exercise his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party. For thirty-five years he has been a consistent member of the United Brethren church, in which he has served as a trustee, and of Spiegel Post, No. 208, G. A. R., he is also a representative. He belongs to one of the prominent old pioneer families of the county and has ever been a valued citizen of the community, as true to his duties as when he followed the old flag upon southern battle-fields. DANIEL SMITH. Daniel Smith owes' his success in life to his own efforts: he had no inherited fortune nor influential friends to aid him, and all that he has acquired has come to him in return for his labor. He now follows farming in Worthington township. A native of Stark county, Ohio, he was born in September, 1834. His father. Henry Smith, was probably a native of Pennsylvania. but was reared in Stark county, and about 1840 came to Richland county, where he purchased a farm of forty-one acres, located in Hanover township. He afterward exchanged that property for eighty acres in Indiana, and upon the latter spent his remaining clays, his death occurring when he had attained the age of eighty-three years. His political belief was in harmony with Democratic principles. His wife bore the maiden name of Susan Smith, and she, too, was a native of Stark county, 598 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. where she was reared and married. Her death occurred at the home of her son Daniel, when she was eighty-eight years of age. She was a consistent Christian woman, holding membership in the Lutheran church and by her marriage she became the mother of eleven children, Daniel being the fourth in order of birth. He was only a small boy when his parents came to Richland county. He assisted in the work of the home farm and remained with his parents until nineteen years of age, When his father gave him his time and he began to earn an independent livelihood. He engaged in clearing land and in chopping wood for several years, after which he and his brother conducted a rented farm for several years. In 1873 he bought his present home of eighty acres, contracting an indebtedness of three thousand dollars, and as the result of his industry he was enabled to meet the payments and now owns a good property. On the 12th of September, 1860, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Miss Charlotta, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Rutesville) Harter. She was born in Worthington township June 10, 1836, but her parents were natives of Pennsylvania and became pioneer settlers of Richland county, entering land from the government. Her mother died in early womanhood, but her father reached the ripe old age of seventy-seven years. He was a stanch Democrat and he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have become the parents of three children : Sarah Alice, the wife of Louis Snyder, a farmer of Worthington, township; Jacob A., who died at the age of six years ; and Anna A., the wife of William McCready, who is engaged in the implement business in Butler, Mr. Smith exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democratic party, hut his attention has been given exclusively to his business affairs, and he has gained the success which he well deserves. HARVEY FREER. On the 6th of October, 1899, there passed away at his .home in Weller township, this honored and highly respected citizen, who was for twenty years one of the leading farmers of that locality. A native of Ohio, he was born in Trumbull county August 10, 1823, and was one of a family of- fourteen children, all now deceased. His parents, Lemuel and Catherine (Phillips) Freer, were both natives of New York state. When a young man the father moved to Trumbull county, Ohio, where he was married and where he followed farming for some years. Later he made his home CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 599 with his family in Wayne county, this state, where his death occurred. He was all ardent Republican in politics, and was a man of pronounced views and of much influence in his community. During his boyhood Harvey Freer attended the common schools and remained at his parental home until he attained his majority. He was then united in marriage to Miss Sarah Hartwell, who died nine years later. Of the four children born of that union only one is now living : Albertus, a farmer of Weller township, Richland county. In September: 1858, Mr. Freer was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary Bruth, a native of Wayne county, Ohio, and a daughter of Henry and Polly (Duffy) Bruth. Her father was born ill Germany and when a young man emigrated to America, locating first in Stark county, Ohio, where he worked as a farm hand until his marriage. He then removed to Wayne county and bought a farm, which he successfully cultivated, becoming one of the well-to-do and highly esteemed citizens of that locality. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-three years, and after his death his wife made her home with her children. She died at the age of eighty-four: By his second marriage Mr. Freer had ten children, but only four are now living, namely : Ira, a resident of Mission, Washington; Melvina, the wife of David Oswalt, a farmer of Weller township, this county ; Joseph and James, who are now carrying on the home farm. When a young man Mr. Freer learned the trade of windmill-making with his brother in Paris, Stark county, where he was first married, and was then engaged in the manufacture of windmills at Rallsburg for a time. Selling out his business at that place in 1850, he moved to Ashland, where he and his brother Jonas were engaged in buying and shipping country produce for five years. He then purchased a farm of ninety-four acres, a mile and a, half south of Ashland, and turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, later purchasing an additional farm of one hundred and twenty acres near his home place. He prospered in his farming operations, and on selling his property in that locality came to Richland county, and bought the farm of two hundred acres still owned by the family. For some four or five years prior to his death he practically lived a retired life, on account of his health, though he managed his place, the farm work largely devolving upon his sons. He was a man of good business and executive ability, and was able to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertook. As such he became one of the substantial citizens of his community. By his ballot he supported the men and measures of the Republican party, but