850 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. was highly gratified with his success. In 1885 his father-in-law died, and it became necessary for him to supervise the large Van Sweringen farm in Congress township. In order to properly do this, the Doctor found it necessary to give up his practice, which he did and moved onto the farm. He has since continued to manage this property and has been equally as successful in this line as he formerly was in his profession. He and his wife together own about two hundred and fifty acres of land in Wayne county and they have been greatly prospered in the operation of this land. The Doctor is progressive in his methods and keeps in close touch with the most advanced methods of agriculture. He keeps the place up to the highest standard of excellence and the appearance of the place indicates the owner to be a man of good taste and sound judgment. In politics the subject gives an enthusiastic support to the Republican party, but is not in any sense a seeker for public office. He gives his unreserved support to every measure that promises to benefit the community in any way. On the 31st of October, 1878, Mr. Ward wedded Martha H. Van Sweringen, who was born in Congress township, this county, October 31, 186o. Her father was Thomas Van Sweringen, a prominent farmer of that township. Her mother was a member of the Miller family, being Mary A. Miller. To this union have been born two children, namely : Roy M., born April 3o, 189o, and Georgia May, born September 15, 188o, and who is now the wife of Hugh Johnson, a prominent farmer of this county. Socially, Mr. Ward is a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. Mr. Ward is one of the leading citizens of his township and is well worthy of the regard in which he is universally held. Mrs. Ward is a member of the Presbyterian church at Congress. JOHN CRAMER. The office of biography is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate of himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave upon the record the verdict establishing his character by the consensus of opinion on the part of his neighbors and fellow citizens. In touching upon the life history of the subject of this sketch the writer aims to avoid fulsome encomium and extravagant praise, yet he desires to hold up for consideration those facts which WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 851 have shown the distinction of a true, useful and honorable life—a life characterized by perseverance, energy, broad charity and well-defined purpose. To do this will be but to reiterate the dictum pronounced upon the man by the people who have known him long and well. John Cramer, who is numbered among the enterprising and successful agriculturists of Wayne county, was born at West Lebanon, this county, on the 26th of June, 1851, and is the son of Michael and Nancy (Gramling) Cramer. The Cramer family is traced to a German origin, though the subject's maternal grandmother was a native of England. Michael Cramer was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1815, and in his youth he accompanied his parents to Ohio, they locating at Fredericksburg. The father was a tanner by trade and established a tannery at that place, which soon grew to an important industry. He was an expert in his line and commanded a large patronage, the farmers from all the surrounding country bringing their hides to his tannery. Michael Cramer followed in his father's footsteps and learned the trade of a tanner, establishing himself in business at West Lebanon, where he continued in business until his death, which occurred at the comparatively early age of forty-one years. He was one of the best known men in this part of the country and he too commanded the patronage of all the farmers in his community. He was industrious and a good manager and was considered a very successful man for his day. He built one of the first brick houses in West Lebanon, and in its construction he paid the masons seventy-five cents a day, a wage that at the present day would hardly be an inducement for a man to lay brick. He was a man of decided domestic tastes and did not care to take an active part in the public affairs of his day. At that time Massillon was the only town of any importance in this section of the state, being the main trading point, and West Lebanon was a common stopping place for farmers on their way to Massillon. Mr. Cramer and his wife were faithful members of the Church of God, and he was generous in support of the society. He married Nancy Gramling, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio at the age of nine years, the family making the trip in a covered wagon. Her father had previously been in Ohio inspecting the land and had walked the entire distance from his home both ways. The ancestors of the Gramling family are supposed to have come from Holland. Mrs. Cramer's father was a cabinet-maker by trade, in which he was employed all his life. He was of an inventive turn of mind and constructed the first fanning mill ever in use in this part of the country. Michael and Nancy Cramer were married at West Lebanon, and their union was blessed in the birth of five children, namely : Henry, who died at the 852 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. age of nineteen years, the result of wounds received during the Civil war, while engaged in the battle at Floyd Mountain. He was a member of the Twenty-third Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry and had served all but twelve days of his three-year period of enlistment. Sarah married a Mr. Frantz and lives in Sugarcreek township, this county. Two children died in infancy unnamed. The subject of this sketch is the youngest of the children. John Cramer was reared under the parental rooftree and was given excellent educational advantages. He received his elementary training in the common schools at West Lebanon, and supplemented this by attendance at the Smithville Academy and Mount Union College. He then entered the Lebanon Normal School in Warren county, taking the course in surveying and civil engineering, but left school before graduating. After completing his studies he was for several years engaged in teaching school in Wayne and Stark counties, but at length he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he has been engaged continuously since. Mr. Cramer has resided on his present place practically since he was three years old. His father dying at that time, he was placed in the home of his Grandfather Gramling, and the farm then owned by the latter is that now owned and operated by the subject. It is a fine and fertile tract of land, considered one of the best pieces of land in this part of the county, and it is splendidly improved and is constantly maintained at the highest standard of excellence. Mr. Cramer is practical and progressive in his ideas and he has left no stone unturned to bring the science of agriculture up to the highest possible plane. In th's laudable effort he has succeeded to a gratifying degree. Mr. Cramer lives in a conveniently arranged and attractive residence, which is fitted with many modern and up-to-date conveniences, including a complete acetylene lighting plant and running water in all parts of the house where desired. The other buildings on the place are in keeping with the residence and the general appearance of the whole property indicates the owner to be a man of exceptional taste and sound judgment. He raises all the crops common to this latitude, also giving Considerable attention to the breeding and raising of livestock, and is practical and progressive in his methods. Mr. Cramer's property is of additional value from the fact that underlying it is a magnificent bed of coal. Mr. Cramer has leased the coal rights to a Cleveland company which has sunk a shaft and is engaged in mining it. Large quantities of the fuel are shipped constantly and from this source Mr. Cramer derives a handsome royalty. In 1882 Mr. Cramer was united in marriage to Emmeline Fisher, who WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 853 was born February 12, 1862, near Mount Eaton, Paint township, this county, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Fisher. Her paternal grandfather, 'Solomon Fisher, was a native of the Old Dominion and was one of the earliest settlers in this part of Ohio. Hiram Fisher was well known and for a number of years he served as court constable at Wooster. To Mr. and Mrs. Cramer have been born six children, namely : Bryant, of Alliance, Ohio, where he is employed by a railroad ; Mary, at home ; George, who is a student at Wooster University, where he is fitting himself for the profession of civil engineering ; Leroy, who is at home ; the fourth and fifth in order of birth died in infancy. Mr. Cramer has not been an office-seeker in the popular acceptation of the term, but he has served his fellow citizens as a member of the township school board, having always taken a deep and commendable interest in educational matters. Mrs. Cramer is an earnest member of the Presbyterian church at Mount Eaton. Mr. Cramer is not a member of the church, but gives to it a liberal financial support. His political affiliation is with the Republican party. The subject is one of the strong and sturdy men of his community and has justly merited the high position which he now occupies in the estimation of his fellow citizens. He is ever found on the right side of every moral issue, and his support is freely given to every movement looking to the advancement of the community in any way. Because of his sterling qualities of character he is eminently deserving of representation in a work of this character. DANIEL BEALS. Few men of Wayne county are as widely and favorably known as Daniel Beals, of Paint township, where he was born on the 7th of February, 1833. He is one of the strong and influential citizens whose lives have become an essential part of the history of this section of the state and for years his name has been synonymous for all that constitutes honorable and upright manhood. Tireless energy, keen perception and honesty of purpose, combined with every-day common sense, were among his chief characteristics, and while advancing individual success he also largely promoted the moral and material welfare of his community. The subject's parents were Jacob and Besanba (Bowers) Beals, and the former was the son of Abraham Beals, who came to Ohio in 1812 and en- 854 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. tered large tracts of land in this part of Wayne county, of which he gave each of his children a quarter section. He was a native of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and he rode all the way to his new western home on horseback. He was one of the very first settlers here. At that time there was an Indian reservation at Canal Dover, from which point there was a foot trail to New Sandusky, to which place the early settlers had to go to secure salt. Abraham Beals and his wife both lived to the age of eighty-six years. Jacob Beals was born in Pennsylvania and was married in that state, though all his children were born after his removal to Ohio. These children were Philip, Sarah, Rebecca, Solomon, Sabie, Elizabeth, Rachael and Daniel, all of whom are now dead excepting the subject. The mother of these children died at the age of seventy-six years. She was born in Pennsylvania and two brothers and a sister also came to Ohio. When she and her husband came to Ohio and took up land, not a stick of it had been disturbed by white hands, and to create a farm out of this dense wilderness was a task of herculean proportions. But the sturdy pioneer had reckoned the cost and courageously went to work cutting and burning the timber, building a log house and cultivating the land. In due time what had formerly been the. primeval forest began to present a changed appearance, and soon fields of ripening grain characterized what had been almost impenetrable forests. First operations were primitive in the extreme and, as the nearest grist mill was at Massillon, the pioneers grated the corn from which they made their first bread or pone. Jacob Beals was considered a very successful man for his day and was active in many lines of endeavor. In the work of the Methodist church he took a very leading and prominent part, in this respect following in the wake of his father, who had been instrumental in building the first church in this part of the state, it being located in Stark county. Jacob Beals was a justice of the peace in his community for eighteen years and also at different times held all the other township offices, being also a notary public. He was a man of unusual strength of character and possessed in a large degree that quality commonly called "horse sense," his counsel and advice being often sought by those in need of counsel. In politics he was originally a Whig, but on the formation of the Republican party he allied himself with it and remained an ardent supporter of that party ever after. No man was more prominent or better known throughout this section of the state than was Jacob Beals, and his memory remains sacred to those who knew him. The subject of this sketch secured his early education in the priinitive log school house of the early days, the school being in the beginning supported by subscription. Later the free schools were inaugurated and the subject WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 855 aided in the building of the first free school house in this section and was hitmself made a member of the first school board, though then but a youth. He remained at home with his parents until he was twenty-eight years of age, and then, acquiring the ownership of the farm, his parents remained with him, he taking the most painstaking and careful regard for their comfort. About twenty-eight years ago. Mr. Beals relinquished active farm work and moved to Orrville, for the purpose of giving his children better opportunities for education, and remained there eighteen years. While residing in that city he engaged in the buggy business, in which he was eminently successful, having made the record of selling two hundred and eighty-three buggies in twelve months. He also engaged in handling livestock, buying and shipping large numbers annually to the eastern markets. About 1899 Mr. Beals and his family returned to the old home in Paint township, where he is now living practically a retired life, in the enjoyment of a rest which he has richly earned. He has been a very successful man and, despite much trouble and many material losses, he is considered today one of the most enterprising and successful men in his part of the county. He has ever evinced a spirit of progress and has always given an enthusiastic support to every object or movement having for its ultimate end the advancement of the best interests of the community. A man of sterling qualities of character, he has ever enjoyed the friendship of the best people in the community, and he now enjoys the unbounded confidence and respect of all. Mr. Beals has been twice married, the first time to Mary Scott, a daughter of Robert Scott, and to them were born four children, namely : Ottie became the wife of Isaac Blackstone, of Orrville, and they have four children ; John married Adele Taggart and resides near Orrville ; Emma is the wife of Solon Byall, of Orrville, and they have two children ; William, of Orrville, married a Miss Gardner and they have one child. Mrs. Mary (Scott) Beals died October 20, 1885, and was buried in Crow Hill cemetery in Orrville. She was a good woman and her friends mourned her loss. On October 20, 1899, Mr. Beals married Elizabeth Bookwalter, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Bookwalter. She died October 7, 1909, and was buried at Mount Eaton. She was a lady of splendid personal qualities and was well liked by all who knew her. Her parents were natives of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in about 1831. In politics Mr. Beals has always been actively interested in the success of the Democratic party, but has never been a seeker after office. Regardless of this fact, he has been selected by his fellow citizens to serve in a number of township offices and is now the incumbent of the office of township trustee, in 856 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. which he is rendering the most satisfactory service. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, belonging to the church of that denomination at Orrville. Mrs. Beals is a member of the Universalist church at Akron, Ohio. WILLIAM ADDLEMAN. There is no positive rule for achieving success and yet in the life of the successful man there are always lessons which might \•ell be followed. The man who gains prosperity is he who can see and utilize the opportunity that came in his path. The essential conditions of human life are ever the same, the surroundings of individuals differ but slightly; and when one man passes another on the highway of life to reach the goal of prosperity before others who perhaps started out before him, it is because he has the power to use advantages which probably encompass the whole human race. Today among the prominent citizens and successful business men of Burbank, Wayne county, Ohio, stands William Addleman. The qualities of keen discrimination, sound judgment and executive ability enter very largely into his make-up and have been contributing elements to the material success which has come to him. William Addleman was born, February 9, 1838, in Berlin township, Holmes county, Ohio, and is a son of Adam and Susan (Shidler) Addleman. The subject's paternal grandfather, John Addleman, was a native of Pennsylvania and came to Ohio in a very early day, settling in Holmes county, where he spent his remaining years, and died. The maternal grandparents, John and Katherine Shidler, were also natives of Pennsylvania and likewise early settlers of Holmes county. The subject's parents were both born in Pennsylvania, the father in Greene county and the mother in Washington county. They were married in their native state and in the early thirties came to Ohio. There the father died in 1840 and in 1846 the mother remarried and came to Wayne county, where .she lived until her death, which occurred on June 3, 1891. Adam Addleman was a farmer by vocation and was of a quiet and retiring disposition. He was, nevertheless, a man of sterling qualities of character and enjoyed the respect of all who knew him. William Addleman was born and reared in a typical log cabin of the pioneer period and was reared to the life of a farmer, being at an early age inured to the strenuous labor incident to farm life of that early day. He secured a fair education in the common schools, and until he attained his WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 857 majority he was occupied in assisting his father in the tilling of the soil. In 186o he went to Iowa and in October of the following year, responding to his country's call for aid in the suppression of the southern insurrection, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Fifteenth Regiment Iowa Volunteer ' Infantry. He rendered faithful service for one year, at the end of which time he was discharged because of sickness. He took part in a number of sanguinary conflicts, including the battles of Shiloh, Corinth and Iuka, besides a number of minor engagements and skirmishes. He was employed on guard duty a large part of the time.. Enlisting as a private, he was successively promoted, being a second lieutenant at the time of his discharge. After leaving the army, Mr. Addleman remained in Iowa until the spring of 1863, when he returned to Wayne county, Ohio, and began working by the month on farms. In 1864 he married and located on an eighty-acre farm in Congress township, on which he remained during the following twenty years. In 1884 he moved to Burbank and, forming a business partnership with A: H. Overs, went into the hardware business, which he continued until 1887, when he turned his interest over to his son and has since that time lived a retired life. During President Cleveland's first administration he served one year as potmaster of Burbank, giving a satisfactory administration. A man of strong mentality and naturally a keen business sense, Mr. Addleman made a success of whatever he undertook and is now able to enjoy that rest which he so richly earned during his active years. In politics a Democrat, Mr. Addleman has taken a deep interest in local public affairs, and in 1890 served as land appraiser. During the period that he resided on his farm he served two terms as township trustee, school director nine consecutive years and other minor local offices, the duties of which he discharged with an eye single to the benefit of the community alone. Socially he is a member of the Grand. Army of the Republic, while his religious affiliation is with the Evangelical Association, to which he gives an earnest support. On the 25th of March, 1864, Mr. Addleman was united in marriage to Susan Byers, a native of Congress township, this county, and a daughter of David and Hettie Byers, natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers of Wayne county. To Mr. and Mrs. Addleman have been born two children, namely : John E., who, after completing his common school education, attended Ashland College and the Ohio Wesleyan University, entered the drug business at Burbank, and served as postmaster during Cleveland's second administration ; Bertha R. is at home with her parents. 858 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. In the foregoing lines have been briefly set forth the salient facts and some of the leading characteristics in the life of one of Wayne county's most highly respected citizens. Commencing with a limited capital, but with an inborn determination to succeed, and paving the way to prosperity only with the solid rocks of honest industry, true stability of character and correct conduct, he has achieved success in the face of every obstacle and won a name which when transmitted to posterity will ever shine with a radiance emanating from a life of honor and integrity. JOHN MESSNER. In nearly every community are individuals who by innate ability and sheer force of character rise above their fellows and win for themselves conspicuous places in public esteem. Such a one is the well-known gentleman whose name appears above, a man who has been identified with the history of Wayne county for over sixty-seven years, during which period his life has been closely interwoven with the material growth and development of his county, while his career as a progressive man of affairs has been synonymous With all that is upright and honorable in citizenship. John Messner was born on the farm which is now his home, his natal day having been January 5, 1842. He is the son of John M., Sr., and Hannah (Schweigert) Messner, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania and of sturdy German antecedents. They were married in their native state and came to Ohio with their two children, locating about two miles from Massillon. There they remained about two years and then came to Wayne county and bought the land which is now owned by the subject and which at that time was in its original wild "state, densely covered with the primeval forest growth and inhabited by many varieties of wild animals. To the arduous task of clearing this land and putting it in cultivation the father applied himself, and in due time saw the reward for his toil. John Messner, Sr., was a good farmer and did well everything he undertook. In connection with farming he also raised large numbers of stock, and was considered a very successful man for his day. He was a Democrat in political proclivities and took a prominent part in local public affairs. He was widely and favorably known throughout this section of the county. His religious belief was that of the German Reformed church and he belonged to the church at Mount Eaton. He was ninety years old at the time of his death, and his wife was WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 859 eighty-five. They were the parents of eight children, namely : Amos, deceased ; Sarah is the wife of a Mr. Jarvis and lives in the West ; Josiah is deceased; William lives in Oklahoma Savilla is deceased ; Fyan married Mr. Adams, an inspector of cattle for the government; the subject of this sketch is the next in order of birth ; . Rebecca ; Matilda, who is the wife of a Mr. Ruch and lives at Mount Eaton. John Messner received his education in the district school of his home neighborhood, the schools of that early day being somewhat primitive in methods and equipment. The pupils were required to chop wood for the big fireplace and the building was furnished with rough puncheon seats and floors, oftentimes greased paper serving as a substitute for glass in the windows. The subject remained on the homestead during his young manhood with the exception of six years spent on another farm in the county, and he has always followed the vocation of farming, in which he has been uniformly successful. He is now managing the home farm and is accounted one of the most progressive and enterprising farmers in this section of the county. He keeps in close touch with the most advanced ideas relating to the science of agriculture and is not • slow to adopt new methods when their practicability has been demonstrated. The place is adorned with a full set of commodious and well-arranged farm buildings and the general appearance of the place indicates the owner to be a man of sound judgment and excellent taste. He carries on general farming, raising all the crops common to this section of the state, and in connection with his tilling of the soil he also gives some attention to the raising of livestock, in which also he is successful. On the 14th of June, 1864, Mr. Messner was united in marriage to Mary Graber, who was born in Wayne county August 8, 1843, the daughter of Samuel and Susan (Stauffer) Graber. Her parents were .both born in Germany, her father being ten years old and her mother seven years old when they accompanied their respective families to the United States. They came over in the old-time sailing vessels and were among the earliest foreign-born families to settle in Wayne county. To Mr. and Mrs. Messner have been born seven children, namely : Lee, who married Ida Beal, was formerly a school teacher, but now owns a farm west of Apple Creek, where he resides; Emma is the wife of Frank Senff, a miller at Canton, Ohio, and they have two children; Minnie is the wife of Dr. Edward P. Schaffter, formerly a veterinarian of Mount Eaton, and then became meat inspector for the government, first at Kansas City and then at Cleveland and from there was sent by the government to Liverpool, England, as inspector of cattle, where he now resides with his wife and three children ; Edwin, who married Laura WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 860 Blosser, owns a farm east of Mount Eaton ; Ella is the wife of Prof. Alton Etling, superintendent of the Orrville public schools, and they have two children ; Wilson, who is a school teacher, living at Mount Eaton, married Esta Schaffter, and they have one child ; Nora is the wife of Harvey Blosser. a school teacher, living at Mount Eaton, and they have two children, twins. Of these children, all have been engaged in teaching school at some period of their lives excepting Emma, Minnie and Edwin. A stanch Democrat in politics, Mr. Messner has been actively interested in the success of his party and has himself held a number of local offices. Religiously, he and his wife are consistent members of the Reformed church at Mount Eaton and are interested in all the activities of the society. Their comfortable and attractive home is known far and wide because of the hospitality ever in evidence there, and the members of this family are numbered among the most popular residents of this section of the county. Mr. Messner is a man of fine personal qualities and makes a friend of every one he meets. WOOSTER NURSERY COMPANY. No history of Wayne county would be complete without giving an account of the famous Wooster Nursery Company, an institution of which any community might be justly proud. This flourishing company was incorporated four years ago under the laws of Ohio, which means that the stockholder is secure in every way. Starting from a small beginning, it has rapidly grown through the judicious and honest management of its officials until its products are eagerly sought after throughout northern Ohio and other sections of the Middle West. This is the result of the ambition and splendid management of Thomas E. Ewing, the founder, who came to Wayne county from Ashland, Ohio, in 1902, in which year, by his personal efforts, the company, then in its infancy, received a great impetus, which it so much needed. In 1903 he planted fruit and ornamental trees. There was a large increase in the business in 1904 and at that time an increased acreage was planted. They began growing garden and farm seeds in addition to their trees in 1905. After the incorporation the company purchased twenty-six and one-half acres adjoining the Experiment Station and this has proved to be another one of the wise moves engineered by Mr. Ewing, as it could not be excelled anywhere in Ohio for the nursery business. Their trees have given the utmost satisfaction in every respect, one of their best points being a great WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 861 fibrous root system and the trees can be dug without injury. Trees grown on sand or low muck land are not so hardy or vigorous. In 1907 the business increased to such proportions that more than twice the usual assistance was required to properly handle the output. It also declared at that time a ten per cent. dividend. This has been kept up ever since and it is possible that the present year will see a much larger dividend declared, since large increases in sales and orders have already been reported. The capital stock of the company has been increased and is being offered in a limited way to the public. According to those in position to judge such matters, the company's offer is certainly a safe and sane investment and will, no doubt, be subscribed faster than the officials anticipate. The local trade increased so rapidly that in 1908 it became necessary to establish a down-town office, which was located on South Walnut street. The well-known firm of seed men, E. C. Green & Son, of Medina, Ohio, was consolidated with that of the local company and the combination is proving to be a very strong one and a very satisfactory business is the result. Mr. Green was brought up in the nursery business, his father being one of the foremost nurserymen in Ohio, and for a number of years Mr. Green was connected with the Experiment Station. The location of these combined interests seems to have been, a most fortunate one in every way. The local trade grew to such proportions in 1909 that the company was compelled to seek larger quarters and No. 4o South Market street was selected. This soon proved too small and in the fall of the same year the offices were moved across the street to the Foss building, No. 35 South Market street, where they now occupy the entire first floor and basement with their stocks and seeds for farm and garden, nursery stock in season, poultry and bee supplies. They carry the Canton fertilizer exclusively and their trade on this one article alone is over ten car loads per year. They also handle spray materials and spray pumps. All the latest and best devices for the care of orchards and gardens are to be found here in their neat and well-arranged quarters where they have a floor space of nineteen by one hundred and eighty feet and nineteen by one hundred and forty feet. Last year the grounds of the nursery were planted heavier than ever, the trees, shrubs, etc., then on the place being valued at over ten thousand dollais. This company has a number of interesting phases that commend themselves : It is a home concern and can be seen any time ; the stockholders pay no taxes on their holdings; the management is thoroughly experienced and capable ; they have been in business for a number of years and have proven 862 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. to be entirely safe, sane and conservative, good organizers and promoters along legitimate lines. There is no reason why, in the language of Mr. Ewing, they should not grow—they have the land, the men and the business. The present officers of the company are such men of unquestioned integrity as T. E. Ewing, president and manager; E. C. Green, vice-president; H. L. Sanborn, secretary ; W. J. Giffin, treasurer; T. E. Ewing, R. F. Wallace, W. J. Giffin, Calvin and S. N. Green compose the board of directors. Some insight into the life history of Thomas Edwin Ewing, the prime mover in this noted enterprise and one of Wayne county's most progressi and highly-esteemed citizens, would doubtless be appreciated by the readers of this work, and in closing this sketch of the Wooster Nursery Company we are glad to give the following facts in his life record. He was born near Hayesville, Ashland county, Ohio, June 21, 1866, the oldest child, of Samuel J. and Elizabeth D. (Dobbs) Ewing, a highly respected and influential family of that place. His early education was gained in the common schools, and he took a preparatory course in the academy at Hayesville, later attend. ing Muskingum College at New Concord. He made a splendid record and began teaching soon after finishing his school work, being well equipped for this line of work, which he followed with marked success for a period of three years, from 1884 to 1886 inclusive. But not taking kindly to the school room and believing that his true forte lay in the business world, he went to Mansfield, Ohio, in November, 1887, when twenty-one years of age, and entered the implement business, in which he was very successful and in which he remained until 1908. After engaging in business for himself for a period of four years, he came to Wooster in 1902, as before stated, and organized the Wooster Nursery Company. Mr. Ewing was married in 1889 to Minnie E. Long, a lady of education and culture, the daughter of Mrs. Adam B. Long, of Loudonville, Ohio. Mr. Ewing is a member of the United Presbyterian church, of which he is a liberal supporter and interested worker, having held many of the honorary offices in the same, and he is at this writing superintendent of the Sunday school, in which he is doing a very commendable work. He belongs to the United Commercial Travelers, Wooster Council No. 196, and at present is senior counselor. He has the interests of Wayne county at heart, being public-spirited, always ready to assist in the furtherance of any cause for the general good, and personally he is a man of unswerving integrity, kindness, charitable, genteel and trustworthy, according to those who know him best, and he has hosts of friends wherever he is known. WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 863 WILLIAM M. MELLINGER. In examining the life record of William M. Mellinger, one of the progressive and well-known citizens of Plain township, Wayne county, we find that he is the possessor of those elements which always make for success. Earnest labor, unabating perseverance, good management and a laudable ambition—these are the elements that have brought him a comfortable competency and the good will of his fellow men. His career has ever been such as to warrant the trust and confidence of the business world, for he has ever transacted all business on the strictest principles of honor and integrity. His devotion to the public good is unquestioned and arises from a sincere interest in his fellow men. William M. Mellinger was born September 7, 1843, on the old home farm in Plain township. A history of his parents and the other members of the family will be found complete on another page of this work, entitled, "A Brief History of the Mellinger Family," consequently only those items bearing directly, on the subject of this review himself will be brought out here. Mr. Mellinger began working on the old home farm when he reached proper age, attending the district schools during the winter months in Plain township. He later attended the Fredericksburg Academy under V. C. Smith, obtaining a very good education. He first turned his attention to teaching, alternating the same with sawmilling for a period of seventeen years, and for seven years additional continued teaching, winning a wide reputation throughout this locality as an educator second to none in Wayne county, his services having been in great demand ; however, only ten years of that time were spent in Wayne county, three years having been devoted to this work in Lake county and twelve years in Preble county, winning, in each of the latter, a reputation for thoroughness and ability in his work as he had done in Wayne county. After he abandoned sawmilling he took up farming in Summit county ; but in 1897 he returned to Wayne county and he and his sister bought two hundred and twenty-four acres of the fine farm his grandfather had taken up from the government. It is located in Plain township, the original farrri consisting of five hundred and eighty-four acres, and Mr. Mellinger has since devoted his attention to general farming with his usual success. Politically he is a Democrat and while living in Preble county he held the office of justice of the peace, also held the same office in Wayne county, in all twenty-one years, giving entire satisfaction in the same. The early members of the Mellinger family belonged to the Mennonite church, but William M. belongs to the Reformed church. 864 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. FRANKLIN HOLMES. The history of the loyal sons and representative citizens of Wayne county would not be complete should the name that heads this review be omitted. When the fierce fire of rebellion was raging throughout the Southland, threatening to destroy the Union, he responded with patriotic fervor to the call for volunteers, and in some of the bloodiest battles for which that great war was noted proved his loyalty to the government he loved so well. During a useful life in the locality where he lives he has labored diligently to promote the interests, of the people ; at the same time he has lived up to a standard of citizenship that has brought to him the friendship and regard of all who know him. Franklin Holmes is a native of Wayne county, Ohio, having first seen the light of day near Pleasant Home on the 4th of February, 1844. He is descended from German ancestry and his paternal grandparents, Daniel and Charlotte Holmes, were natives of Pennsylvania and came to• Wayne county, Ohio, in 1812. Here they took up one hundred acres of land and the father devoted his active years to that vocation. They are both now deceased. The subject's maternal grandparents, David and Eve Weaver, were also natives of the Keystone state, who came here in 1812 and took up one hundred and sixty acres of government land, on which they spent their remaining days. Children of these grandparents, Jacob Holmes and Christena Weaver, married and settled near Pleasant Home, where the father successfully prosecuted agriculture, having Owned one hundred and twenty-two acres of land at the time of his death. He was a quiet and unassuming man, inclined to be retiring in disposition, but was possessed of sterling qualities of character which gained for him the sincere respect of the entire community. They were members of the German Reformed church, to which they were generous contributors. They were the parents of eight children, seven of whom are now living. Jacob Holmes was born April 2, 1814, and died August 16, 1901. His wife, who was born in 1829, died March 27, 1891. The subject of this sketch secured his early education in the common schools of the home neighborhood and remained with his parents until the outbreak of the Civil war. He gave unmistakable evidence of his patriotism by enlisting, on August 15, 1862, in Company E, One Hundred and Twentieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served faithfully with this command until the close of the war. He took part in some of the most sanguinary conflicts of that great struggle, including, among others, Chickasaw Bluff, Arkansas Post, Thompson Hill, Raymond, Jackson, Miss., twice, siege WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 865 of Vicksburg, Champion Hill, besides many minor engagements and skirmishes. He saw much arduous duty and was sick four weeks at Young's Point, lying under an ordinary tent. At Snaggy Point Mr. Holmes, together with about half the members of the regiment, was captured by the enemy and they spent thirteen months in the Confederate prison at Camp Ford, Texas. At the close of hostilities, Mr. Holmes and his fellow-prisoners were released and he at once returned home and took up again the vocation of farming, to which he had been reared. Buying a comfortable place at Pleasant Home, he has here made his home ever since. He has done a good deal of well drilling in this county, being considered an expert in this line, and he has also farmed much rented land. He is a wide-awake man of affairs and has been active in prosecuting his affairs. In 1868 Mr. Holmes was married to Clara J. Harbaugh, the daughter of Daniel and Mary Harbaugh, early settlers in Wayne county. Her father died in 1862. To Mr. and Mrs. Holmes have been born three children, namely : Nettie is the wife of. J. E. Matthews, of Ashland ; Jennie Goldie is the wife of Frank Clippinger, of Collingwood, Ohio; Clyde Monroe is a carpenter by trade and lives at Ashland. In politics Mr. Holmes gives a warm support to the Democratic party, though he has never been an aspirant for office of any nature. His fraternal relations are with the Grand Army of the Republic, where he and his old comrades-in-arms review the days of the early sixties and rejoice together in a reunited country. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Holmes are members of the Evangelical church, to which they give an, earnest support. Mr. Holmes is a man of even temperament, calm and self-poised, of refined character, and is an honored and interesting gentleman. He has earned for himself an enviable reputation as a careful man of business, and in his dealings is known for his prompt and honorable methods, which have won for him the deserved and unbounded-confidence of his fellow-men. JOHN DAVID BERGER. Of the sturdy German element that has done so much for the development of Wayne county from the earliest pioneer times to the present day, the name Berger is indissolubly associated, for the several members of this hardy and industrious family have shown that they are deserving to rank with (55) 866 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. the county's best citizens in all phases of life, business, political and social. One of the best-known representatives of the present generation is John David Berger, the popular proprietor of the West End Restaurant, Wooster. He was born at Mount Eaton, Paint township, Wayne county, Ohio, June 4, 1856, the son of Gottlieb and Louisa (Grosjean) Berger, a highly respected family and well known in Paint township. The father was a stone-mason and was considered an excellent mechanic and in many 'places in the county may be seen the monuments of his handicraft, for his services were in great demand for many years. Gottlieb Berger was one of Wayne county's patriotic citizens who gave their services to the government during the troublous days of the sixties, enlisting in Company C, One Hundred and Seventh Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and right gallantly he participated in the trying campaigns and bloody engagements of the same. Owing to the fact that his war record formed one of the principal chapters in his life, the history of this regiment is herewith appended. Capt. Gustave Bueckling's company of the One Hundred and Seventh Ohio Infantry was raised chiefly in Wooster, from the patriotic Germans of that city. Recruiting for it commenced the latter part of July, 1862, and the company was soon filled to its maximum. In August it was ordered to Cleveland, where it was incorporated with the rest of the regiment whose fel ' officers were : Seraphim Meyer, colonel ; Charles Mueller, lieutenant-colonel ; George Arnold, major. Soon after organization the regiment was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac. Its first important battle was Chancellorsville, where, as a part of Gen. O. O. Howard's Eleventh Corps, it was terribly handled by Stonewall Jackson, this regiment losing two hundred and twenty men killed, wounded and captured in this battle. Its next general engagement was at Gettysburg, where the regiment was almost annihilated, losing over four hundred men in killed, wounded and prisoners, out of five hundred and fifty that entered the battle. August i, 1863, this regiment sailed in transports to Folly Island, South Carolina, and performed picket duty there until January, 1864. From there the regiment was taken to Jacksonville, Florida, where it had several skirmishes with the Confederates. It returned to South Carolina on March 23, 1865, and met a detachment of the enemy, defeating him, capturing three pieces of artillery, six horses and fifteen prisoners. The regiment did provost duty in Charleston, South Carolina, during the balance of the service until July 10, 1865, when it was mustered out and sent home to Cleveland, where it was discharged. The regiment was made up of Germans, and was considered a very fine one, its members displaying their earnest patriotism and heroic valor on many occasions. WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 867 Gottlieb Berger died of typhoid fever at Brooks Station, Virginia, leaving a widow and four small children. The mother, a woman of strong mind and willing hands, reared her children in comfort and respectability, educating them and starting them out on life's highway prepared for its various vicissitude's, and she is still living at Mount Eaton; however, the near relatives of the children assisted in their bringing up, John David, of this review, having lived with an aunt near Mt. Eaton until he was sixteen years of age, and in that district he attended the common schools. He then worked as a farm hand until he was twenty-two years of age. In March, 1878, he married Johanna L. Tracy, daughter of Jacob and Phoebe Tracy, a highly-respected family living near Apple Creek, and to this union one child was born, Mrs. Carrie Olive, who lives in Akron, Ohio. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Berger built the Maysville Drain Tile Works at Maysville, this county, and for five years operated the same very successfully, then sold out to the Sauvine Brothers, who now manage it. Mr. Berger then traveled for the Underwood Whip Company for a period of five years, the factory being located in Wooster. He succeeded in building up an excellent patronage for this firm. Then for several years Mr. Berger engaged in the laundry business on East South street, his business increasing gradually ; but he desired to launch into the restaurant business and is now and for the past four years has been proprietor of a well-conducted, attractive and exceptionally well managed restaurant at No. 26 West Liberty street, enjoying a very substantial trade which is rapidly increasing, owing to his quick and courteous treatment of patrons, his desire to please and his conscientious business methods, which have characterized his entire career. He serves meals, hot and cold lunches at all hours and handles fine cigars and tobaccos. This is a meeting place for farmers. He is politically a Democrat. DAVID P. SHIE, M. D. Starting in life under unfavorable environment and beset by many obstacles, Dr. David P. Shie is deserving of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished in subsequent years, for he stands today in the front rank of one of the most exacting and trying professions and is comfortably established in Orrville and known throughout Wayne county as one of her leading citizens. He was born at Bedford, Coshocton county, Ohio, February 22, 1862, the son of Peter Shie, a native of Germany, who came to America when fourteen 868 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. years of age, locating with his father in Ohio. He is still living on a farm at Monroeville, Allen county, Indiana, at the age of seventy-eight years. He owns one hundred acres of excellent land and is prosperous. He married Lucy Rowe, who was born near Farmerstown, Holmes county, Ohio, and she died when her son, David P., was seven years of age. She was the mother of four children, namely : J. W. is living at Piqua, this state ; W. H. died in 1892 at Hastings, Michigan ; David P., of this review ; Mary, wife of P. W. Riffle, a policeman of Canton, Ohio. Peter Shie married a second time, his last wife being Elizabeth Middough, of Farmerstown, Holmes county, and ten children were born to this union, nine of whom are living. Peter Shier grandfather of the Doctor, was a farmer, as was also Grandfather Jacob Rowe, who lived in Holmes county. Doctor Shie lived on the home farm until 1873, assisting with the various duties on the same and attending the neighboring schools. When his father removed to Allen county, Indiana, young David P. remained on the parental farm until 1879. In that year he left Indiana and returned to Ohio. He received his education principally at Berlin, Holmes county ; he began teaching school in 1881 and continued teaching for nine years during the winter months. He made a success in this profession, but desiring to enter the medical profession, he studied medicine during the last three years he was teaching. In 1890 he entered Starling Medical College at Columbus, where he remained for one year, then finished his medical education in the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, graduating from the same on June 22, 1892. In July of that year he located at Fredericksburg, Ohio, where he was successfully engaged in the practice for a period of nine years. On January I, 1902, he moved to Orrville, Wayne county, and has been practicing here ever since, having built up a lucrative patronage with the town and surrounding country and often being called to remote parts of the county. As a general practitioner and diagnostician he has no superiors in Wayne county and he is kept very busy attending to his numerous patients. Doctor Shie was married on. December 30, 1883, to Ella G. Kohr, daughter of Michael T. Kohr, of Strasburg, Ohio, in which place Mrs. Shie was born. On November 6, 1884, their oldest child, William Ray, was born ; he is now seal clerk of the Pennsylvania Company and has the esteem and confidence of the company ; Marvin DaCosta was born December 2, 1893, and is now in high school, graduating. in 1911 ; a daughter, Ida Elizabeth, was born March 1, 1891, and died when eleven days old. Both the sons are living at home. Doctor Shie belongs to the Wayne County, State and American Medical WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 869 Associations. He has served on the local school board, and he has been a member of the Methodist church since he was nineteen years of age. His wife and sons are also members of this church. Fraternally the Doctor belongs to the Masons, Knights Templar and the Knights of Pythias. He is a splendid type of the sturdy, self-reliant, progressive, self-made man, having made his own way in the world since he was seventeen years of age. He is not only up-to-date in the strictest sense of the term in his profession, but he is a well-read man on current topics and deeply interested in whatever tends to promote the general good, especially of Wayne county. He is known as a man of strict integrity and all gentlemanly qualities and is therefore held in high esteem by all who know him. OLIVER GEORGE GRADY, M. D. Notwithstanding the long strides that have been made in the practice of the healing art within the past half century, the discovery of medical properties in hundreds of vegetable and mineral substances that not many years ago were not included in materia medica as remedies or barely mentioned in the pharmacopeia or laid dormant as far as the dispensary is concerned; notwithstanding the charlatancy practiced by adventurers in the legitimate practice of the art and the quacks that claimed particular and special gifts in the treatment of human ills ; and notwithstanding the fact that legislatures have found it necessary to regulate the general practice by the expulsion of diplomaless pretenders and the registration of legitimate and truly scientific physicians, there are some of the latter who have risen to eminence within the field of their actual labors, and their examples are being emulated by younger men in the profession who are conscientious and who are wise enough to see that the greatest and best success must come to them by practicing their profession along legitimate lines. One of these is Dr. 0. G. Grady, one of the youngest but most promising of Wayne county's physicians, whose office in Orrville is already a busy place, because he has, during his brief practice, proven to be not only well read, capable and thoroughly competent to carry on the work of a general practitioner, but also that he is a man of unswerving integrity and honor, therefore inspiring confidence in his patients, who are rapidly increasing. Doctor Grady was born in Wheelersburg, Scioto county, Ohio, March 28, 1884, the son of William Henry and Mary Preston (Burke) Grady, the 870 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. latter the daughter of O. H. P. Burke, of Burke's Point, Ohio, he being one of the pioneers and best known citizens of Scioto county. William Henry Grady was for a period of twenty-four years one of the best known school teachers of Scioto and Adams counties, beginning teaching when sixteen years of age; he was superintendent of the schools at Wheelersburg and West Union, in Adams county, and he taught penmanship in the Portsmouth school, was superintendent of the schools at Union Mills, near Portsmouth. He left the school room where he had been very successful to accept a position as bookkeeper for the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company at Columbus, Ohio, where he remained for one year, then returned to Wheelersburg where he taught for three years and then took a position as transfer agent of the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company at Columbus, remaining in that capacity until 1906 when he was appointed state examiner in the state bureau of inspection, which position he still very creditably holds. To Mr. and Mrs. William Henry Grady two children were born : Dr. 0. G., of this review, and Newton Burke, who is at this writing a medical student in the Starling Ohio Medical College at Columbus. Doctor Grady was reared on a farm. He walked one mile to attend the district schools for five years. When thirteen years old he moved to Columbus and attended the graded schools, with two years in the north high school, and he graduated from the Wheelersburg high school with the class of 1901, and during the summer of that year he attended the normal school at Lucas-\Tulle, Ohio. From November 1, 1901, to February 1, 1902, he worked for a grocery company, then worked for the Smith Brothers Shoe Company until September 21st following, foreman of the finishing department, in Columbus, Ohio. He then began work for the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company, having been appointed general storekeeper and chief clerk to the general foreman of the Scioto Valley division, which position he filled with entire satisfaction until September 21, 1905, when he resigned, for the purpose of gratifying an ambition of long standing—to begin the study of medicine. He at once entered the Starling Medical College of Columbus, Ohio, where he studied until April 20, 1906. From that date until September 12th following he worked as a machinist's helper in the Norfolk & Western railroad shops for the purpose of paying his expenses through college. Then he re-entered the above mentioned institution where he studied until May 1907. From April, 1907, to October, 1908, he was a locomotive fireman on the Scioto Valley division of the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company. During the summer of 1907 the Starling Medical College and the Ohio WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 871 Medical University combined, forming the Starling Ohio Medical College, frdm which Doctor Grady was graduated with a most excellent record on May IS, 1909, successfully passing the examination, of the state board the following June. He at once opened an office at No. 310. East Rich street, Columbus, Ohio, and remained there until August 5th following, when he came to Orrville, Ohio, and opened an office where he expects to remain permanently, having now built up a very satisfactory patronage, his services already being in great demand throughout the eastern part of Wayne county. Doctor Grady was married on June 11, 1906, to Jennie Mae Bowers, a cultured daughter of an excellent Columbus, Ohio, family and this union has resulted in the birth of one child, a son, bearing the name of James Henry, who was born on April 24, 1907. The Doctor belongs to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, Lodge No. 545, also to a local medical frternity in Columbus—the Phi Sigma Psi—and to the national medical fraternity, the Alpha Kappa Kappa ; he also belongs to the Wayne County Medical Association. He is medical examiner for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers and the Order of Railway Conductors, also for the Mutual Life Insurance Company. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ohio State Medical Association. GEORGE A. McILVAINE. To a great extent the prosperity of the agricultural sections of our country is due to the honest industry, the sturdy persistence, the unswerving perseverance and the wise economy which so prominently characterize the farming element in the Buckeye state. Among this class may be mentioned the Mcllvaine family, members of which have not only attained a well-merited material prosperity, but have .established a reputation for honesty that any community might be proud of. The earliest representative of this family came to Wayne county, Ohio, in the pioneer days and ever since that time his descendants have been active in developing the agricultural interests of the county. George A. Mcllvaine was born on the old homestead at Jackson, Canaan township, Wayne county, in 1851, the son of George Mcllvaine. The reader is referred to the sketch of D. W. Mcllvaine, on another page of this work, for a full history of the ancestry of this family. Suffice it to say here that 872 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. both the grandfather and father of the subject were men of sterling worth and succeeded in establishing good homes here. George A. Mcllvaine was reared on the old home farm in this county, assisting his father in completing the clearing of his place and developing the farm. The former was born in the second log house built by his grandfather. He was educated in the home schools of Canaan township, also attended dip Canaan Academy, obtaining a good education. After leaving school he chose farming as a life work. and accordingly rented a farm which he 'worked until his father's death, when he built a house on a part of the home place and continued farming there on twenty-six acres, which he still owns and which he now devotes to truck and general farming, making a very comfortable living, finding a ready market for his products. He has a neat and cozy home and everything about his little place is kept in first-class condition. George A. Mcllvaine was married in 1875 to Anna Marsh, daughter of William and Syntha (Benjamin) Marsh ; the former was an early settler in Creston, Wayne county, where he farmed for some time, then engaged in merchandising until his death. To Mr. and Mrs. George A. Mcllvaine the following children have been born : Roy, Earl, deceased ; Benjamin, Ross and Deane. Mr. Mcllvaine and family are members of the Presbyterian church ; he is a Democrat in his political affiliations. PETER WEIKER. Upon the roll of the representative citizens and prominent and progressive farmers of Wayne county consistently appears the name which appears at the head of this sketch. Mr. Weiker has been a resident of this county since his youth and has worked his way to a position of marked precedence in connection with agricultural affairs, while he is held in unqualified esteem by the people of the community. Sturdy German blood flows in Mr. Weiker's veins, his ancestors having been natives of the Fatherland. His paternal grandfather, George Weiker, was a native of Pennsylvania, but came to Wayne county, Ohio, some time in the twenties. His son, Adam Weiker, father of the subject, and who had preceded his father to this state, was a gunsmith by trade and had followed that occupation during his life in his native state. During the twenties WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO - 873 he emigrated to Wayne county, and after a time he bought a fine farm of one hundred and seventy acres located in Franklin township, which he greatly improved and on which he lived during the remainder of his life. He married, in Pennsylvania, Mary Read, also a native of that state, and their union was blessed in the birth of ten children, namely : Mary, deceased ; Samuel, William; Jane, Peter, the subject of this sketch; Rachael, Margaret, Sarah, Elmira and Caroline. Peter Weiker, who was born in Wayne township, this county, April 7, 1834, was reared to the life of a farmer and as soon as old enough he was put to work assisting in the manifold duties of the farm. His opportunities for securing an education were meager, his attendance at the district school having been limited, but this deprivation was largely made up in after years by much reading and deep thinking, as well as through habits of close observation, so that Mr. Weiker has been considered a very well-informed man. He remained with his father, assisting on the farm, until he had at' tamed his majority, and then he and his brother Samuel took charge of the home farm and for twenty-one years they operated it together. In 1877 the subject purchased his present splendid farm of one hundred and fifty-four acres in Congress township, to which he has since given his undivided attention. On this place he erected a splendid residence and a good set of farm buildings, commodious and well arranged, and he has been successful here to a very gratifying degree. He is progressive in his methods and energetic and persistent in his efforts, so that he has been able to realize large returns for the labor which he has bestowed so unstintingly. The appearance of the place indicates to the passerby that the owner is a man of excellent taste and good judgment. On the 26th of October, 1858, Mr. Weiker was married to Mary Cutter, who was born in Franklin township, this county, the daughter of John Cutter, an early settler and prominent farmer of that township. To this union were born these children, namely : Walter, a carpenter living at Cleveland ; Harry, deceased ; Maggie died in infancy ; Anna M. Mrs. Mary Weiker died in August, 1876, and on May 22, 1879, Mr. Weiker married Savilla Coup, the daughter of Dr. Jacob Coup, of Plain, Ohio. Her death occurred June 22, 1899. Mrs. Anna M. Holmes, the wife of Horace B. Holmes, now lives on the old homestead and keeps house for the subject. In politics Mr. Weiker has given a consistent support to the Democratic party and has always been interested in his party's success. He has not, however, ever sought office for himself. His religious connection is with the 874 - WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO. Progressive Brethren church; a branch of the Dunkards. In every relation of life Mr. Weiker has proven himself the possessor of such qualities as are bound to win in any line of effort and he has won and retains the esteem of all who know him. DAVID C. AMSTUTZ. A highly respected and influential citizen of Milton township, Wayne county, is David C. Amstutz, who was born January 4, 1842, in this township; on the old homestead, the son of Ulrich and Katherine (Logabill) Amstutz, the former a native of Berne, Switzerland, born April 26, 18oi, and died March iv, 1881. Katherine Logabill was also born in Switzerland, May .14, 1809, and her death occurred September 6, 1873. They were of excellent families of the little republic that has sent so many good citizens to this country. It was about 1826 when they came to America with their parents. They came to Wayne county direct, locating in Greene township, and after a few years they were married here and bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Milton township, where Mr. Amstutz lived until his death. He was a hard-working man and made a very comfortable living for himself and family. Both he and his wife were prominent in the affairs of the Mennonite church. They were the parents of thirteen children, two dying in childhood ; two sons and two daughters died after reaching maturity; five sons and two daughters are now living. David C. Amstutz received a common school education in the public schools of Milton township, assisting in the meantime in clearing the home place, and there lived until his marriage, which event occurred on July 15, 1865, and was solemnized with Fannie Steiner. On March 20, 1866, he returned to his father's place and began farming, which he continued there until 1872, in which year he purchased eighty acres of the homestead and in 1882 bought another eighty acres of the old farm. There he lived and prospered until 1883, when he moved to about one-fourth mile south, where he had built a fine home, and since then he has lived there, the date of his occupation of the new home having been January 18, 1883. He carries on general farming and stock raising, but since 1882 he has lived practically retired, merely overseeing his farming operations. Politically he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Mennonite church, to which his wife also belonged. Mrs. Amstutz passed to her rest on November 3, 1902, without issue.