CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 475 board of education. Fraternally he is connected with Tiffin Lodge, No. 77, F. & A. M. Mr. Smith was married, in 1880, to Miss Susan Booth, of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Reared in the Methodist church, under the loving care of worthy Methodist parents, Mr. Smith early imbibed the principles of that religious body, and they have ever been an influence in his life. He has served the church in many capacities, has been a delegate many times and represented his church in the annual conferences of that denomination. His literary work has excited considerable favorable comment. In 1893 he published a book of poems which ranks high in literary merit, and is now engaged on a historical work, intended to cover a recent epoch in the nation's history. He has a ready pen, but much of his work in the newspapers, although of great value, is not traced directly to him. Socially Mr. Smith is a favorite, his pleasing manner, quick intelligence and courteous demeanor making him many friends. JOHN MARTIN. In the best development of Seneca county John Martin bore an important part. He was identified with the agricultural interests of this section of the state from pioneer days, and while promoting the material welfare of the community also gave an active and liberal support to those measures which tended to advance its intellectual and moral status. His life was filled with good deeds and kindly thoughts, and all who knew him entertained' for him the highest regard, by reason of his upright, honorable life. Over the record of his career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicions of evil, and his example is well worthy of emulation by his many friends. Mr. Martin was born on the farm on which his widow now resides, in August, 1845, the only child of Michael and Mary (Shafferly) Martin. The father was a native of the Emerald Isle, and in the land of his 476 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. birth he spent the first thirty-eight years of his life, coming thence to the-United States. Some time later, in the '30s, he made his way to Ohio, where he secured employment on the Maumee canal, but while thus engaged he had the misfortune to break his leg, which rendered him a cripple for life. He then entered a farm of one hundred and sixty acres,. the birthplace of our subject, and he and Michael Martin, David Lahey and John Whalen were the first to locate in this section of the state. There Mr. Martin lived to the advanced age of ninety-three years, and his wife reached the ripe old age of ninety-two years. She was a native of the fatherland, and when about forty years of age came with her parents to America. Her people were in very limited circumstances, and she was therefore obliged to earn her own livelihood. Mr. Martin was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic church, and a few years before her death his wife also united with that faith. John Martin, the immediate subject of this review, was early taught the value of industry, and when a youth the arduous task of clearing new land and placing it under cultivation fell to his lot, for his father was a cripple and unable to perform hard labor. For about twelve years, in addition to his work on the farm., he also sold fruit trees through thiS section, and thus he became well known to many of the residents of the county. His life furnishes a striking example of the boys who secure their own start in life,—determined, self-reliant boys, willing to work for advantages which many others secure through inheritance, destined by sheer force of character to succeed in the face of all opposition and to -push to the front in one important branch of enterprise or another. As a man his business ability was constantly manifest, showing unlimited possibilities, nothing too great to grasp and master, and he arose to a foremost position among the business men of Seneca county. The marriage of Mr. Martin was celebrated in January, 1866, when Miss Otilla Huth became his wife. She was born in Hopewell township, Seneca county, a daughter of Nicholas and Eva (Swing) Huth, both natives of Germany. The mother was brought to America when a child, but the father remained in his native country until about forty years of age, when he, too, crossed the ocean to the new world, settling CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 477 in Hopewell township, two miles south of Bascom. Twelve children blessed the union of our subject and wife, but only eleven are now living, namely : Mary E., the widow of Henry Eschenbrenner and a resident of Tiffin; Mathilda, the wife of Charley Kimmet, of Liberty township; Margaret E., the wife of Nicholas Brickner, of Jackson township; Ellen L., the wife of J. H. Seewald, of Toledo, Ohio; Sarah, Alice and Isabelle, at home; Susan, of Norwalk, Ohio; Mary J., the wife of Joseph Kimmet, of Liberty township; and John E. and Michael S., at home. Mr. Martin gave his political support to the Democracy, and the family are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church. He was a man of firm convictions, honest purpose, kindly nature and upright life, and the world is better for his having lived. He departed from the scenes of earth's activities June 11, 1897, but his memory is still enshrined in the hearts of his many friends. LEVI BOYD. Within the confines of Seneca county will be found many successful and honored business men who are of the second generation of their families to have become prominently identified with the industrial activities of this favored section of the Buckeye commonwealth, and such is true in the case of Levi Boyd, who is a native son of the county and who has here passed his entire life, being now numbered among the influential and prosperous farmers of Jackson township and a citizen who commands the confidence and esteem of the community where he has lived Sand labored to goodly ends. Mr. Boyd was born on the homestead farm in Jackson township, on the 12th of November, 1846, being one of the ten children of William. and Eliza (Dick) Boyd, and one of the five sons who still survive, namely: Sarah E., the wife of David Wirick, of Jerry City, Wood county; Eli W., of Jackson township, *Seneca county; and Edwin D., Ellis, and our subject, also residents of this township. William Boyd was born in Perry county, Pennsylvania, about the year 1816, and as a 478 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. young man he emigrated to Ohio, locating in Seneca county, where for a number of years he devoted his attention to making shingles, cross-ties, etc., all the work being accomplished by hand. Later he purchased forty acres of heavily timbered land in Jackson township, reclaiming the same to cultivation and eventually adding to his possessions until he had a good. farm of one hundred and eighty acres, the greater portion of which was cleared under his personal direction. Here he continued to maintain his home until his death, in 1891, when he passed away in the fullness of years and well earned honors. His original political affiliations were with the Whig party, but he joined the Republican party at the time of its organization and ever continued to give it his support. He was a devoted and active member of the Reformed church, as is also his wife, who was born in Pennsylvania, about 1822, and who still maintains her home on the old farm. Levi Boyd early became inured to the various duties of the farm, and his educational privileges were such as were afforded in the public schools of the locality. Upon attaining his legal majority he assumed charge of the homestead, which he worked on shares, and thus continued until one year after his marriage, in 1868, when he removed to his present fine farm, which was then the property of his father-in-law. After operating the place for two years he purchased forty acres adjoining it on the south, and there maintained his abode until 1890, when he purchased eighty-four acres of his father-in-law, simultaneously removing to the same and also purchasing forty acres lying contiguous on the east. In recent years he has made some changes, and his farm now comprises one hundred and twenty-six acres, well improved and under most effective cultivation. He has given his attention to diversified farming and has been very successful in his operations. In politics Mr. Boyd has given an unswerving allegiance to the Republican party, and he served six years as trustee of his native township, where he is held in the highest regard by all who know him. He is a member of the Canaan United Brethren church and is serving on its board of trustees, being treasurer of the same and. also holding the office of steward in the church, in whose CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 479 work, as in all that concerns the general welfare, he maintains a deep interest. August 19, 1868, Mr. Boyd was united in marriage to Miss Melissa J. Long, who was born on. the farm which is now his home, the daughter of Benjamin L. Long, one of the representative pioneers of this township. Mrs. Boyd was summoned into eternal rest in the year 1890, leaving three children,—Elsie R., now the wife of Charles Nichols, of this township ; Benjamin F., who remains at the paternal home; and Margaret M., the wife of J. B. Stein, of Morgantown, West Virginia. February 28, 1893, Mr. Boyd was married to Mrs. Mary (Bloom) Sprout, who was likewise born in this county, being the daughter of William Bloom, one of the well-known business men of Fostoria, and widow of Daniel Sprout. JOSEPH RODEGEB. The family of which the subject of this memoir is a most honored representative is a pioneer one of Seneca county, and its members have borne their part nobly in the work of progress and improvement. He was born in Bloom township, Seneca county, November 4, 1847, a son of Jacob and Magdalena (Neiswander) Rodegeb. The father traced his nativity to the Old Dominion, where he was born on the 31st of January, 1795. When a young man he came to Seneca county, Ohio, where he entered two hundred and forty acres of land in Bloom township, a part of which is now owned by John Newcome, there erecting a log cabin in the forest. He was one of the early pioneers of the township, and his life's labors were ended in death on the 9th of August, 1850. His wife was called to her final rest in 1877. This worthy couple became the parents of ten children, four of whom still survive, namely : Henry, a resident of Michigan; Magdalena, the wife of William Ringle, of Attica, Ohio; Daniel, who makes his home in the state of Washington; and Joseph, the subject of this review. Joseph Rodegeb was reared to manhood at the old family home in Seneca county, and the educational privileges which he received in his 480 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. youth were extremely limited. When he was but sixteen years of age he was left in charge of the homestead, three of his brothers being in the Union service and the other in Michigan, and with the exception of eighteen months spent in the lumber regions of Michigan he remained on the old place until his mother's death. He then exchanged his interest in the homestead for an eighty-acre tract in: Bloom township, to which he removed, and there he made his home for the following nine years. Selling that property in 1888, he then purchased his present home farm in Venice township, two miles east of Attica, which consists of one hundred and one acres of rich and productive land. He has made many improvements on his place, has placed his fields under a. fine state of cultivation, and in many ways has added to its value and productiveness and attractive appearance. In 1871 Mr. Rodegeb was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda Summers, and afterward, April 5, 1894, Miss Emma Long became his wife. She is a native of Venice township, Seneca county, and a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Swartz) Long, now deceased. This union has been blessed with two children,—Lorena May and Joseph Fred. Mr. Rodegeb gives his political support to the Republican party, and he is an active worker in its ranks. During the war five of the Rodegeb brothers served in the army, two losing their lives as the result of the exposure. They were Jacob, who was in the Fifty-fifth Ohio and died at Fredericksburg, Virginia ; and Isaac was in the Forty-ninth and died also in hospital ; Henry enlisted from Michigan in the First Michigan Engineers and Mechanics, and served three years; and Daniel and Joseph both were in the One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Regiment, and after a short service his mother secured Joseph's release on account of his minority. PHILIP KISSABERTH. In the history of the agricultural interests of Seneca county the name of Philip Kissaberth occupies a leading place, for through many years he has been one of the representative farmers of the county, pro- CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 481 gressive, enterprising and persevering. Such qualities always win success, sooner or later, and to Mr. Kissaberth they have brought a handsome competence as the reward of his well directed efforts. A native of Tiffin, Ohio, he was born September 5, 1845, a son of George and Catherine Kissaberth. The father was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, where he was reared and married, and some time in the '30s, in company with three brothers and a sister, came to the United States, locating in Tiffin, where for several years he was employed in a warehouse. He then removed to a farm in Hopewell township, and later purchased the tract of fifty acres on which our subject now resides, and there he passed away in death in 1864, in his fifty-first year. By his marriage to Catherine Osman he became the father of eight children, six now living, namely : Gabriel, a resident of Fostoria; William, a prominent farmer of Putnam county, Ohio; Jacob, an agriculturist of Loudon township; Philip, the subject of this review ; George, of Gilboa, Putnam county; and Sophia, the wife of George Cramer, of Bucyrus. Philip Kissaberth, of this review, was reared from a child on the farm on which he now resides, and the educational privileges which he enjoyed in his youth were those afforded by the common schools of the neighborhood. After his father's death he took charge of the home farm and continued to care for his aged mother until she, too, was summoned to the home beyond, at the age of eighty years, after which he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead and thus became its sole owner. He is now the possessor of one hundred and twenty acres of rich and fertle land. From his early years he has been industrious and persevering in whatever enterprise he has undertaken, and by diligence and economy has accumulated a competence for his de-dining years. He has been a life-long supporter of the Democracy, and has been called upon to fill many positions of honor and trust within the gift of the people of his township. He has served with efficiency as supervisor of Loudon township, and was long a member of the school board, of which he was made a clerk and director. May 8, 1866, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Kissaberth and Miss Susan Smith. She is a native daughter of Seneca county, where 482 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. her father, Jacob Smith, was one of the early pioneers, settling upon a tract of wild land near the present Kissaberth house, and there Susan was born. Her parents both died there, he at eighty and her mother, whose maiden name was Susannah Deppler, at seventy-six. He came to the 'United States from Switzerland, his native land, and settled in Buffalo, and later moved to Wayne. Four children have been born unto this union, as follows : George, who farms his father's land, living on the old Smith homestead; Jonah, a resident of Seneca township; Rosa, the wife of Andy Frankert, of Loudon township; and Jesse, deceased. The family are members of the Zion German Reformed church at Bascom, in which Mr. Kissaberth has long served as a deacon. JOHN G. DROLL. One of the most straightforward, energetic and successful agriculturists of Seneca county is John G. Droll. He is public-spirited and thoroughly interested in whatever tends to promote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of his locality, and for many years he has been numbered among its most valued and honored citizens. A native son of the county, Mr. Droll's birth occurred in Seneca township, March 21, 1859, a son of George and Catherine (Brownstetter) Droll. The father was born in a little German home across the sea in 1829, but in 1846 he came with his parents to America, locating in Seneca township, Seneca county, Ohio. After the death of his father he became the owner of eighty acres of land in that locality, and' there he made his home until 1874, when he sold his possessions there and bought the farm on which our subject now resides. That property continued to be his home until 1892, and in that year, leaving his son John on the place, he located on a small farm of eight acres near New Rigel, where he has since lived in quiet retirement, enjoying the rest which he has so truly earned and richly deserves. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Droll was blessed with twelve children, eleven of whom still survive, CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 483 namely : Mary, John G., Catherine, Rosa, Mathilda, Frank, William, Killian, Edward, Anna and Margaret. John G. Droll, whose name introduces this review, has spent his entire life in Seneca county, and to its public-school system he is indebted for the educational privileges which he enjoyed in his youth and early manhood. As a life occupation he chose that to which he had been reared, and throughout his entire business career he has been engaged in the tilling of the soil, his efforts in this direction having been crowned with a high and well-merited degree of success.. His political tendencies connect him with the Democratic party, and religiously he is. a member of St. Patrick's Catholic church. The marriage of Mr. Droll was celebrated on the 17th of November, 1885, when Miss Elizabeth Hug became his wife. To this union were born six children,—Josephine, Charlie, George, Barbara, Leo and Sophia,—all at home. Death entered this happy family circle on the 12th of September, 1898, when the wife and mother was called to the home beyond. Her life was beautiful in its purity and Christian virtues,. and her memory will long remain as a blessed benediction to her immediate family and friends. COMMODORE P. MEEKER. This sterling representative of one of the pioneer families of Ohio is a native son of Seneca county, where he was reared to maturity upon a farm, early beginning to assume the practical responsibilities of life and lending his aid in connection with the reclamation and improvement of the old pioneer homestead. That he has lived and labored to goodly ends is clearly indicated in the position which he holds in the confidence and high regard of his fellow men and in the success which has crowned his efforts as an exponent of the great basic art of agriculture, which has been his vocation throughout his entire business career. His fine farm is located in Jackson township, and no resident of the community commands a fuller measure of respect and esteem. This epitome of his 484 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. life history will be read with interest by his many friends and will serve as a permanent memorial to his sterling character and worthy life. Named in honor of the distinguished hero of the battle of Lake Erie, Commodore Perry Meeker was born in Eden township, Seneca county, Ohio, on the 4th of September, 1833, the son of Charles and Rachel (Clark) Meeker, of whose eleven children eight survive at the present time, namely: Jacob, Angeline, Charles, Jane, Charity E., Thomas, Commodore Perry and Hannah. The father of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, and when he was twelve years of age he accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio, and they first located in Fairfield county, but later came to Seneca county, where the grandfather of our subject took up eighty acres of government land in Eden township, being one of the first settlers in that locality and there reclaiming his farm from the forest. Here he passed the residue of his life, having been successful in his operation and having acquired about three hundred acres of land. Charles Meeker was reared to maturity on the old homestead farm in this county, and shortly after his marriage he began his independent operations as a farmer, eventually becoming the owner of a large landed estate and standing as one of the influential men of Eden township, where he lived to attain the patriarchal age of ninety-two years. Commodore P. Meeker, the immediate subject of this review, remained on the old homestead' during his youthful days, and as his .services were early in requisition in connection with the farm work, his educational advantages were reduced to a minimum, but by personal .application and association with practical affairs in later years he has become a man of broad general information and strong mentality. At the age of eighteen years Mr. Meeker went to Wood county, where he was employed at farm work until his marriage; at the age of twenty-one, when he located on a tract of eighty acres owned by his father in that coUnty. There he. continued to reside until 1863, when he located in Eden township, Seneca county, and there remained) one year, at the expiration of which he settled on his present homestead farm, in Jackson township, where he has since maintained his home. The farm corn- CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 485 prises eighty acres, and was covered with a heavy growth of timber when he located on the place. He cleared all but fifteen acres of the. land and placed it under most effective cultivation, making the best of improvements as opportunity permitted and developing the place into, one of the most attractive and valuable in this section. The value of the farm, is greatly enhanced by the fact that there are nine productive oil wells on the same, this being a source of no inconsiderable revenue. Though he has ever taken a proper interest in public affairs of a local nature, Mr. Meeker has never sought office and has maintained an independent attitude in politics. Mr. Meeker was united in marriage to Miss Emma Bassett, who was born in Wood county, Ohio, and of this union seven children have. been born, of whom five survive, namely : Charles, a resident of Hatton,. Wood county ; Nelson, who is a farmer near Rising Sun; Percy, who resides in the same locality; William, a resident of Findlay ; and Minnie,. the wife of Daniel Baker, who has charge of our subject's farm. MARTIN LICHTLE. Among the honored and venerable citizens of Seneca county is the. subject of this review, who has here maintained his home for a period of half a century, winning a definite success by means of the agricultural industry, to which he devoted his attention during the long years of an active business:life. He is now retired and is enjoying that repose and. rest which are due to him now that the shadows of his life begin to lengthen in the golden west. His career has been without shadow of-wrong or suspicion of evil, and thus he has ever commanded the confidence and esteem of his fellow men, his more than four-score years-resting lightly upon him and being crowned with honor. Mr. Lichtle is a native of the province of Alsace, Germany, which-at the time of his birth, on the 1st of November, 1817, was still a part of France. There he was reared to years of maturity and there he learned 486 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. the trade of weaver, to which he devoted his attention until 1852, when he emigrated to the United States, making the voyage on a sailing vessel, Maria Teresa, and arriving in the port of New York city forty-two days after embarking. From New York he came to Tiffin, Ohio, and for three months after his arrival he was employed in connection with the construction of the Big Four Railroad, after which he purchased thirty acres of land in Loudon township and here settled and began his career as a farmer. Success crowned his energetic and well-directed efforts and he was enabled to add to his original tract until he had accumulated a finely improved landed estate of two hundred and sixty acres. He continued in agricultural pursuits in an active way until his advanced age led him to lay aside the cares involved, and he recently sold his farm property to his sons John and Andrew and his son-in-law, Joseph Brickner, and he now makes his home with the son first mentioned. In politics he has ever given his allegiance to the Democratic party, and' his religious faith is that of the Catholic church, of which he has been a communicant from his youth. At the age of twenty-seven Mr. Lichtle was united in marriage to Miss Therese Murey, who likewise was born in Alsace, France, and who accompanied him on his removal to America. She died twenty-two years since, and his second .wife, who is still living, was Mrs. Christina Roth. Of their nine children six survive, namely: Elizabeth, the wife of Peter Caser, of Indiana; Rosa, the wife of Joseph Brickner, of Loudon township; John, also of this township; Andrew, who likewise operates a portion of the old homestead; and Michael and Joseph, who reside in the city of Cleveland. John Lichtle, son of the subject of this sketch, still resides on the old homestead farm where he was reared, having purchased one hundred acres of the same of his father, and he is known as one of the energetic and progressive farmers and stock-growers of this section, while his course has ever been such as to retain to him uniform respect and esteem. Like his honored father, he is Democratic in politics and a communicant of St. Patrick's Catholic church. He was born on the 3d of July, 1857. John Lichtle has been twice married,—first to Miss CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 487 Sophia Sigman, who died in August, 1897, leaving seven children, namely : Anna, Mary, Emma, Dora, Frederick, Isabel and Henry. On the 25th of January, 1899, Mr. Lichtle wedded Miss Catherine Myers, who was born in this township, the daughter of Joseph Myers. and of this union one child has been born,—Florence. HENRY RINEBOLD. Throughout his entire life Henry Rineboid has been numbered amoung the residents of Jackson township, Seneca county. His birth occurred on the farm on which he now resides, on the 18th of August, 1856. His father, Jacob, was born in Perry county, Ohio, in 1821, but when a boy he was brought by his parents, John and Catherine (Wuninger) Rinebold, to Seneca county, the family locating in Loudon township, where the son Jacob grew to years of maturity. He was here married to Mary A. Lambright, and they became the parents of nine children, seven of whom still survive: Noah, Elizabeth, Henry, Ann, Mahala, Rachel and Jacob. The two who have passed away are John and Margaret. After his marriage Mr. Rinebold purchased eighty acres of school land in Jackson township, to which he afterwards added another eighty-acre tract and still later another tract of eighty acres, and in addition he also had forty acres in Wood county. His remaining days were spent in his home in Jackson township, and his eyes were closed in death on the 4th of March, 1894. During his entire life he was a stanch supporter of the Democracy, and: was a worthy and acceptable member of Zion German Lutheran church. His wife passed to her final reward on the 16th of August, 1887. In coming to Jackson township he located on the present farm, which had been leased to another man, who had made some slight improvements, including a log house, and this was his home until erecting the present brick residence in 1861. He cleared out the greater part of one hundred and sixty acres and his life was devoted to the cultivation of his farm. 488 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. Henry Rinebold, whose name forms the caption of this review, received a common-school education in his youth, and from an early age he has been identified with the work of the farm. After his marriage he assumed the management of the homestead farm, and here he has spent his entire life. After his father's death he became its owner, and the place now consists of one hundred and twenty acres, all of which is under an excellent state of cultivation. This farm also contains eleven oil wells, all of which are excellent producers, and are yielding to their owner a handsome financial return. Although his business interests are such that they claim nearly his entire time and attention, he is at all times a public-spirited and progressive citizen, actively concerned in all that pertains to the welfare of his fellow men, and his political support is given to the Democracy. He is generally found in the party conventions and has often been called upon to be a party representative in various campaigns, generally polling a handsome vote. Mr. Rinebold was married May 27, 1877, to Miss Lodema Sheffler, a native of Wood county, Ohio, and a daughter of Conrad and Presida (Buchtle) Sheffler. Three children have blessed this union, namely Ora Z., the wife of W. R. Mazey, of Delphos, Ohio; and Harvey D. and Wilbert Henry, at home. The family is one of prominence in Seneca county, and their pleasant home is the center of a cultured society circle. JACOB ECKER. In a recent editorial touching the German element in our complex social fabric a leading Chicago daily spoke as follows: "The German is thoughtful, deliberate; the nation is fortunate in which he is numerous.. His mind, profound, thorough, painstaking and free from sudden emotion, acts as a balance wheel for its environment. Germany has supplied to the United States splendid elements of citizenship." None can doubt the truth of these statements, and in nearly every section of the United States the German-American figures as a valued and potent CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 489 factor. The subject of this review is a worthy representative of this type, and his life has been one of signal usefulness and honor, while he has commanded uniform confidence and esteem by reason of his sterling character. He has passed the greater portion of his life in Seneca county, and here he has attained success through his own efforts, being numbered among the substantial farmers of Jackson township. He has depended on his own resources from his boyhood, and through his well-directed efforts and determinate purpose has achieved independence and a high degree of prosperity. Mr. Ecker was born in the kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, and in the fatherland lie was reared to the age of sixteen years, having secured his educational training in the excellent schools of Bavaria. As a lad of sixteen lie emigrated to America, making the trip in a sailing vessel and being on the water for seventy-six days. Shortly after his arrival he came to. Seneca county, making Fostoria his destination, and for the ensuing six years he was employed on various farms in this locality. At the expiration of this period he rented land and engaged in farming on his own responsibility, continuing operation under these conditions for twelve years, within which time he accumulated sufficient money to justify him in the purchase of his present farm, which comprises ninety acres. When he located here the improvements made were of primitive order, a log house and a log barn having been erected on the place, which now has a fine residence and other buildings of the best type, while the land has been brought under a high state of cultivation. In addition to the homestead Mr. Ecker also. cultivates the farm of one hundred and sixteen acres owned by his wife, the same being also located in this township. In political matters Mr. Ecker gives a stalwart support to the Democratic party, and his religious faith is that of the Reformed church, while his wife holds membership in the Lutheran church. He takes a lively interest in all that concerns the well-being of the community and he served for fifteen years as school director of his district. On October 21, 1863, Mr. Ecker was united in marriage to Miss Lucetta Stahl, who was born in Seneca county, Cie daughter of Henry - 31 - 490 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. and Elizabeth (Rinebold) Stahl, and of this union three children have been born, namely: Amelia, the wife of John Heughberger, of Leipsic, Ohio; Ephraim, who is associated with his father in his farming operations; and Annie, the wife of Elmer Ash, of Gratiot county, Michigan. Mrs. Ecker's parents have both died since the above sketch was written,—the mother on the 6th of March and the father on the 3d of May, 1902. JEREMIAH PANKHURST. This gentleman was one of the honored pioneers who aided in laying the foundation on which to erect the superstructure of Seneca county's present prosperity and progress. Through the period of early development he was an important factor in the improvement and advancement of this section of the state, and was also concerned with the broader interests which had to do with the welfare of the commonwealth. Jeremiah Pankhurst was born in Kent county, England, on the 9th of January, 1809, and when twenty years of age he left the land of his birth for Canada, where he remained but a short time and then went to New York. He subsequently made his way to the Buckeye state, where for a number of years he was engaged in work on the canal. The year 1834 witnessed his arrival in Seneca county, where he entered forty acres of land in Loudon township, to which he afterward added until he became the owner of one hundred and twenty acres, but in 1847 he disposed of that property and purchased the one hundred and twenty acres where Mrs. Pankhurst now resides. He was very successful in his Chosen line of occupation, and at one time he owned as high as seven hundred acres of land, but he afterward divided his property among his children, assisting each in turn as it came time for them to start on the journey of life on their own account, till his estate became reduced to three hundred acres at his death. CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY         - 491 Mr. Pankhurst was married in 1836, when Miss Mary Williams became his wife, and one child, Moses, came to bless their home, but he was called upon to lay down his life on the altar of his country at the battle of Stone River, at the age of twenty-two. The loving wife and mother was also called to the home beyond, and in 1841 Mr. Pankhurst wedded Miss Lucy A. McDougle, a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, and a daughter of Benjamin and Nancy (Updyke) McDougle, who came to Seneca county as early as 1834. By his second marriage Mr. Pankhurst became the father of thirteen children, but only seven of the number are now living, namely: Daniel, John, Peter, Wesley, Amanda A., the wife of Robert Bingham, of Jackson township; Celinda, the wife of Joseph E. Chilcote, also of Jackson township, and Lucinda A., at home. Mr. Pankhurst gave his political support to the Republican party, and he was honored with many of the public offices of his township. He was called. from this earth on the 17th of October, 1884, passing away in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was long a faithful and consistent member. His was a long, active and honorable life, and his name is indelibly inscribed on the pages of Seneca county's history. ANSON A. ANDERSON. The first half of the nineteenth century was characterized by the immigration of that pioneer element which made the great state of Ohio what it is. These immigrants were sturdy, heroic, upright, sincere people, such as constitute the intrinsic strength of a commonwealth. It scarcely appears probable that in the future history of the world another such period can occur, or indeed any period when such a solid phalanx of strong-minded men. and heroic, self-sacrificing women will take possession of a new country. Too careful or too frequent reference cannot be made in the pages of history concerning those who have figured as the founders and builders of a great commonwealth, and in connection 492 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. with this brief review of the personal history of Mr. Anderson it is our privilege to touch incidentally and specifically upon interesting data in regard to the sterling pioneer family of which he is -a member and which has been identified with the annals of the Buckeye state since an early period in the last century. Our subject is known as one of the influential and worthy citizens and successful agriculturists of Seneca county, where he has passed practically his entire life, since his parents here located in the year of his birth. Anson A. Anderson is a native son of the Buckeye state, having been born in Franklin county, Ohio, on the 18th of March, 1833, the son of John and Candacy (Chaney) Anderson, who became the parents of seven children, of whom only our subject and his sister Nancy survive, she being the wife of Joseph Hoover, a prominent farmer of Hopewell township. John Anderson was born in Pennsylvania, about the year 1804, and from that state his .parents emigrated to Ohio while he was a boy, locating in Franklin county, where his father took up a tract of wild land and where he was residing at the outbreak of the war of 1812, for which he enlisted, his death occurring at Fort Findlay while he was still in the service. His widow subsequently became the wife of a Mr. Jacob Eisenhart, and of their three children two survive,—Jacob, a resident of Michigan; and Harriet, of Williams county, Ohio. The father of our subject was reared on the pioneer homestead in Franklin county, receiving his educational discipline in the primitive schools of the place and period and early beginning to share in the arduous work of the farm. In that county occurred his marriage to Miss Chaney, and then he came to Seneca county in 1833, where he passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1876, while to him was accorded unequivocal esteem in this section of the state, where he was a pioneer settler. Upon coming to the county he entered claim to seventy acres of government land, in Hopewell township, the same being heavily timbered and practically untouched by the hand of man. He made a clearing and erected a little log house, and then set himself vigorously to the task of reclaiming the farm, eventually making good improvements and bringing it into effective cultivation. This farm is now owned by his CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 493 son-in-law, Joseph Hoover, previously mentioned. Mr. Anderson continued to reside on this homestead until his death, prior to which he had added to his landed estate in the county until he was the owner of more than two hundred acres. His wife had died two years previously. Anson A. Anderson, the immediate subject of this review, was indebted to the pioneer schools of Seneca county for the educational advantages which were his in his youth, and he continued to assist in the improvement and cultivation of the old homestead until he had attained the age of twenty-three years, when he inaugurated his independent career by securing employment at farm work. Two years later his marriage occurred, and shortly afterward he rented a farm in Liberty township, where he continued in agricultural pursuits until 1872, when he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of his present farm, in the same township, subsequently adding to the same by the purchase of contiguous tracts until the home farm now has an area of two hundred and forty acres. That he has been successful in his farming, which has been diversified from the start, is shown in the acquisitions he has thus made and in the fine improvements which are to be noted on the place, while he has further augmented his landed estate, being the owner of forty acres in Jackson township, sixty acres in Loudon township and eighty in Hopewell township, this entire property being well improved and under effective cultivation, the aggregate area of the estate being four hundred and twenty acres, so that our subject is to be designated as one of the extensive landholders of the county, as he is also known as a progressive and public-spirited citizen and as a man of irreproachable character. He has exerted a timely and valuable influence in public affairs of a local nature, maintaining an independent attitude in politics, and the popular confidence in which he is held has been signalized by his election to offices of trust and responsibility, since he served six years as justice of the peace and two terms as trustee of Liberty township. He is a communicant of St. Andrew's Catholic church, of which he is a trustee. His family also hold membership in the same church and are prominent in the social life of the community. On the 1st of January, 1858, Mr. Anderson was united in mar- 494 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. riage to Miss Catherine Corrigan, who was born in Pennsylvania, the daughter of Peter and Catherine (Nolan) Corrigan, who were among the honored pioneer farmers of Seneca county, Ohio, where he died at sixty-four years of age. Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson all are living except Addie, who died at the age of seven years. The others are here named in the order of their birth: John, Jessie, Nettie, William V., James, Frank, Lawrence, Charles and Louis. HENRY BYERS. As one reviews the history of the county and looks into the past to see who were prominent in its early development he will find that through a long period the name of Byers has been closely connected with the progress and advancement of this section of the state. For many years Henry Byers, of this review, has been a resident of Seneca county. Wild was the region into which he came when a boy of fourteen years, and from that early period he has been prominently identified with the history of the community. A native son of the Buckeye state, his birth occurred in Stark county, February 20, 1838, a son of Jacob and Nancy (McLoughlin) Byers. The father was born in Frederick county, Maryland, but when a boy he came with his father, John Byers, to Stark county, Ohio, where the latter entered land from the government. Wild was the region at that early day. Its forests stood in their primeval strength, the prairie land was still unbroken, and the Indians roamed through the dense woods, seeking the game which could be had in abundance. There the son Jacob grew to years of maturity, and after his marriage lie settled down to the quiet and peaceful life of a farmer. About 1852 he removed to Seneca county, purchasing eighty acres of land, which now forms a part of our subject's present farm, and there he spent his remaining days on earth, passing away at the age of eighty-three years. In early life he gave his political support to the Democracy, but later he CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 495 became identified with the Republican party, and his religious preference was indicated by his membership in the Presbyterian church. Of his eight children only three now survive,—Jeremiah S., a prominent farmer of Jackson township, Seneca county; Eliza, the wife of Isaac Cook, of Grattan, Michigan; and Henry, the subject of this review. The latter grew to years of maturity on his father's farms in Stark and Seneca counties, and to their public schools he is indebted for the educational advantages which he received in his youth. When the trouble between the north and the south threw the country into civil war he nobly put aside all personal considerations, and in 1862 became a member of Company K, One Hundred and First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Cumberland. With his regiment he took part in the battles of Perryville and Murfreesboro, but at the latter engagement he was wounded and taken prisoner. After a confinement of three weeks in Libby prison he was paroled and sent to the hospital at Annapolis, thence to the parole camp and later to Camp Chase, where he was ordered, after being exchanged, to join his regiment at Bridgeport, Alabama. Mr. Byers participated in all the battles in which his regiment took part excepting that of Chickamauga., and' at the close of hostilities he was mustered out of service, receiving an honorable discharge in June, 1865, after which he returned to his home and again assumed the management of the homestead farm, which had been his task since his sixteenth year. Two years after returning from the war he was married, bringing his bride to the old family homestead, and after his father's death, in the early '80s, he purchased the place. Prior to this time he had also become the owner of a forty-acre tract adjoining, and thus his landed' possessions were increased to one hundred and twenty acres, where he is now extensively engaged in general farming. He is a business man of much more than ordinary ability, and his unremitting toil and close attention to business throughout his active career have been the means of winning for him the handsome competence which is to-day his. The marriage of Mr. Byers was celebrated in 1867, when Miss Susanna Stainbrook became his wife. She, too, claimed Ohio as the 496 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. state of her nativity, her birth having occurred in Muskingum county. They became the parents of four children, but two of the number, Fannie J. and Margaret E., have passed away in death, at eighteen and thirteen respectively, and the two surviving ones are Sarah E. and Arthur E., both at home. The loving wife and mother has joined her children in the spirit world, having closed her eyes in death in 1888. Mr. Byers gives his political support to the Republican party, but, although he is a public-spirited and progressive citizen to a marked degree, has never been a seeker after political preferment. For many years he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, but that congregation afterward disbanded, and he has never since allied his interests with any denomination, although he is a constant attendant at divine worship. His social relations connect him with Ash Post, G. A. R., at Kansas, this county, in which he holds pleasant relations with his old army comrades of the "blue." ISAAC KAGY, M. D. Dr. Isaac Kagy, who was born on the farm on which he now resides, February 2, 1828, is a representative of one of the old and prominent families of Seneca county. His father, John Kagy, was a native of the Old Dominion, having been born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, on the 17th of January, 1797, a son of Rudolph and 'Hannah (Siple) Kagy, who became the parents of the following named children: John, Jacob, Christian, Abraham, Catherine, Barbara, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary, Rudolph, Henry and Martin. In the year 1819 this family left their home in the Old Dominion state and came to Ohio taking up their abode on a pioneer farm near Rushville, Fairfield county, where the grandfather of our subject died at the age of fifty-five years, his widow long surviving him and passing away at the venerable age of ninety-one years. Both were prominent and devoted members of the Baptist church and were known as persons of sterling character. Deacon John Kagy, the father of the Doctor, was twenty-two CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 497 years of age when he accompanied the family on their removal to Fairfield county, and after his arrival there he engaged in farming and teaching school. In 1822, at a public land sale, he purchased the farm on which our subject now resides, in Eden township, but this did not become his permanent place of residence until 1827. His first home here was a log cabin of one room, the domicile being twenty feet square and being constructed of round logs. This continued to be the family home for ten years, at the expiration of which period the present substantial brick residence was erected on the same site, in 1837. It is finished in walnut and butternut timber taken from the farm, and the brick utilized was also manufactured on the homestead, this having been one of the first brick houses to be erected in the county. Mr. Kagy secured his original homestead, of one hundred and sixty acres, from the government, and at that time it was covered with a. dense growth of native timber, principally walnut, but as the years passed he succeeded in effectively reclaiming the land and soon the fields were under an excellent state of cultivation. Here he continued to make his home until the 4th of April, 1865, when he removed to an adjoining farm, and from that time until his death he lived in quiet retirement, enjoying the fruits of his former toil and endeavor. He was a. worthy member and active worker in the Baptist church, in which he long held the office of deacon, and in all the relations of life he was signally true, faithful and honorable, commanding the high regard of all who knew him. In Fairfield county, on the 3d of December, 1820, Deacon John Kagy was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Hite, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, on the 25th of July, 1801, and they became the parents of ten children, concerning whom we here incorporate a brief record. Andrew, who was a graduate of the Cincinnati Medical College, was long engaged in the practice of his profession at Union Mills, Iowa, where his death occurred in the year 1871 ; Hannah became the wife of Henry Boroff, and her death occurred in 1853; Rudolph, who was born May 13, 1826, became a successful farmer in Marion county, Illinois, where he located in the year 1861 and where his death occurred on the 29th of June, 1901 ; Isaac, the next in order of birth, is 498 - CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY. the immediate subject of this review; John B., who is a prominent attorney-at-law of Salem, Illinois, and ex-judge of the county court, was for many years a professional partner of Judge Silas L. Bryan, the father of William Jennings Bryan; David, who was born May 23, 1832, died in Illinois, on the 8th of February, 1887, having been there engaged in farming, while he was also a successful teacher for a number of years ; Rachel, who was born May 3, 1834, is the wife of Benjamin Huddle, of Marion county, Illinois; Catherine, who was born on the 25th of January, 1837, became the wife of Hiram J. Cummings, and she died at their home, in Pierce City, Missouri, on the 19th of March, 1885 ; Levi, who was born October 29, 1838, is a resident of Fostoria and was formerly incumbent of the office of auditor of Seneca county; and Amos H., who was born January 16, 1841, is a prominent attorney of Kansas City, Missouri. The father of these children lived to attain the venerable age of eighty-eight years, his death occurring at the home of his daughter Rachel, in Illinois, whence his remains were brought to the old home in Seneca county and -interred in the Kagy cemetery. cherished and devoted wife passed away at the age of eighty-five years. Dr. Isaac Kagy, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared on the farm where he now maintains his home, and his. preliminary educational discipline was received in a subscription school one mile distant from the homestead residence. At the age of eighteen years he was matriculated in the Physio-Medical College in Cincinnati, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1849, and immediately after leaving that institution he located in Bloom township, in his native county, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession for eight months. During the winter of 1849-50 the Doctor was engaged in teaching in one of the district schools of the county, and thereafter he resumed the active practice of his profession, locating at Green Spring, where he remained for five years. At the expiration of that period he was compelled to abandon the work of his profession, his health having become much impaired, and from that time until 1861 he served as postmaster at Green Spring and was also the local station agent for the M. R. & L. E. Railroad. In the year mentioned he resigned these po- CENTENNIAL BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY - 499 sitions and became auditor of Seneca county, retaining this. incumbency for a period of four years, having been elected to this office in 1860. In 1863, having prosecuted a careful course of technical reading, the Doctor was admitted to the bar of the state, though he has never given much attention to work in the line of this profession. He has long been an active factor in political and governmental affairs in the county and has gained distinctive recognition as. one of the leaders of the Democratic party in this section of the state, ever laboring earnestly and effectively to advance the party cause. In 1865 the Doctor was elected to represent his district in the Ohio legislature, in which he served for a term of two years, proving an able and valuable working member of the legislative body. For three years he was incumbent of the office of justice of the peace, and while serving as county auditor he was simultaneously a member of the city council and the board of education of Tiffin. In 1872 Dr. Kagy was appointed by the county commissioners to fill a vacancy in the office of county auditor, and in 1885, when occurred the death of the county treasurer, John Heabler, the Doctor was chosen to fill the vacancy and served in that capacity for sixteen months. Dr. Kagy's name is a familiar one in political circles in this section of the state, and, by reason of his marked intellectuality and superior ability, he is well fitted to aid in molding the policies of the state, to control general interests and direct public opinion, and he has been a potent factor in the councils of his party, serving as delegate to its various conventions in the county and state and doing specially effective work in advocating its cause during the different campaigns and through timely and able contributions to the public press. From 1890 until 1900 Dr. Kagy served consecutively as a member of the state board of equalization, the number of whose members is the same as that of the state senate, and whose duties are in the equalization of the real-estate assessments in the state. From 1873 to 1875 he was one of the proprietors and editors of the Toledo Democrat, devoting the major portion of his time to editorial work in this connection, while from early years he had been a frequent and valued contributor to the local papers. When Major Armstrong was elected to the office of secretary of state he insisted