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(Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County, Ohio -
Chicago: 1902)
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ALEXANDER McKEAN.
There is not in Jefferson township, Crawford county, Ohio, a man
who is held in higher esteem for all that constitutes good
citizenship than the subject of this sketch. Alexander
McKean was born in Leesville, Ohio, June 27, 1839, a son of
Dr. John and Rebecca (McClaskey) McKean. Dr.
John McKean, detailed account of whose life would be very
interesting reading, was born at Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania,
February 10, 1810. Long before that time his father had
carried the ail on horseback between Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
and Baltimore, Maryland, and in 1819, when the future physician
was about nine years old, the family removed to Calcutta,
Columbiana county, Ohio, where the youth gained a good common
school education and a practical knowledge of business as it was
transacted there at that time. When quite young he began
teaching school, studying medicine in his spare moments and
in that employment he earned money with which to pay for his
professional education. In 1830, equipped with the
necessary diploma and some little experience as a medical
practitioner, he started out on horseback in quest of a location
in which to practice his profession. He passed through
Mansfield, Ohio, which did not appear promising to him, and at
Galion he found only a few log cabins. While taking dinner
at the last mentioned settlement he met the Rev. Robert Lee,
the founder of the village of Leesville, who persuaded the young
physician to locate at that point. For four years he
boarded with the Rev. Mr. Lee and was practically a
member of his household. Then he married Miss McClaskey,
who bore him nine children, the following information concerning
the most of whom will be of interest in this connection.
Their daughter Margaret, who became Mrs. Robert Hall,
is dead. Alexander, who is the immediate subject of
this sketch, was the second in order of birth. William,
Rebecca J. and John L. are dead, Eugenia is
the wife of John Ludlum superintendent of the Barnett
shops at Canton, Ohio. Jacob lives in
California. Emma is the wife of D. G. R. Edwards,
of Los Angeles, California.
Dr. McKean lived in Leesville, Ohio, giving his
entire attention to a growing medical practice, until 1866, and
then removed to Crestline, Ohio, where he practiced his
profession until 1879, when he retired. He died in 1890,
aged eighty years. His wife died in 1886. They were
consistent members of the Presbyterian church, in which he took
great interest. He was well read man who gave much
attention to the world's progress in every department of human
endeavor, and he was a charitable man who gave his professional
services freely even when there was no hope of pecuniary reward.
He rode over the country in all directions from his place of
residence and had hundreds of accounts on his books, but it is
said of him that he never sued on any claim or pressed any
delinquent unduly.
Alexander, his oldest son, was born and reared
and educated at Leesville, Ohio, and at the age of twenty-two
moved upon a farm near that place, where he lived until 1872.
From 1872 to 1889 he lived on a farm near Crestline, and in 1889
he located on his present farm in Jefferson township, Crawford
county. He is the owner of eighty acres of good land and
gives his attention to the production of miscellaneous crops.
He is a Republican, and while not a practical politician he has
been active in promoting all measures tending to benefit the
township and county. Devoted to his church, the Lutheran,
he has been liberal in the support of religious worship wherever
he has lived. His life embraces not only the modern but
the pioneer period of the history of this part of the country
and is rich in reminiscence of the early days. Among other
recollections is one concerning the advent of the first cook
stove at Leesville. Money as a commodity those times was
scarce, and his fathe rhaving secured a load of wheat from the
settlers for medical services, and for the express purpose of
buying a stove, hired John Clements to haul it to
Sandusky City, a distance of sixty miles. Clements
returned with the stove on the evening of the fifth days after
leaving, when every one in the village turned out to see it.
Mr. McKean was married January 1, 1862, to
Margaretta Osborn, w2ho died August 19, 1897. To them
were born ten children, nine of whom are living.
Bernhard the oldest son, is married and lives on the farm.
Sherwood, a railroader, lives in Crestline, Ohio.
Irene died April 4, 1880. Hall and
Claude, both railroaders, reside in Pratt, Kansas.
Grace is the wife of William Thoman, also a resident
of Pratt, Kansas. Pearl is the wife of Elmer
Courter, whose home is in Galion, Ohio, and who is a
railroader. The three youngest Ariadne, Edna and
Philena, live with their father on the old homestead.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County,
Ohio - Chicago: 1902 |
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BURTON R. MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 422 |
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ELI MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 607 |
GEORGE W. MILLER.
As a representative of an honored pioneer family, of the
educational interests of Crawford county and now of the
insurance business, George W. Miller is widely and
favorably known throughout this section of the state. He
has attained to an enviable position in the business world
entirely through his own unaided efforts. Faithfulness to
duty and strict adherence to a fixed purpose in life will do
more to advance a man's interests than wealth or advantageous
circumstances. The successful men of the day are they who
have planned their own advancement and have accomplished it in
spite of many obstacles and with a certainty the could
have been attained only through their personal efforts. It
has been along such lines that George W. Miller has won
and maintained a creditable position in business circles in his
native county, where he is now occupying the position of
secretary of Crawford County Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company
and of the Crawford County Agricultural Society.
He was born in Todd township in
1859, a son of John D. and Mary (Kahl) Miller. The
father came to Ohio with his parents in 1837 and located in
Richland county. He was born in Cumberland county,
Pennsylvania, in 183, and his parents, George M. and
Cartherine (Rex) Miller, were also natives of the Keystone
state. Having arrived at years maturity, 1840 John D.
Miller married Miss Mary Deal, and their union was
blessed with five children, three of whom are yet living:
Nathaniel M., living in California; Annias D., a
resident of Wyandot county, Ohio; and William A., of
Seneca county, this state. Annias D. and William
A. served through the Civil war as defenders of the Union.
The mother of these children died in 1852,and in 1855 Mr.
Miller wedded Mrs. Mary Barga, a widow who had two
children, Albert and Lovina. She was the daughter of
Henry and Susan (Rank) Kahl, who emigrated to Richland
County, Ohio, from Pennsylvania, at an early date. The
subject of this review is the only child born unto this
marriage. His father came to Crawford county in 1852 and
located on a farm just north of Oceola, where both he and his
wife spent their remaining days, the later dying in 1890, at the
age of sixty-six years, and the father in 1896, at the age of
eighty-three. Both were consistent Christian people, and
enjoyed the respect of all who now them.
The childhood days of George W. Miller were
spent on the old homestead which he now owns. His
education was mostly acquired in the common schools,
supplemented by a course in the Northwestern Normal, of
Fostoria, Ohio. Having qualified himself for teaching he
became a follower of that profession and for a number o f years
performed the duties of an instructor in the schoolroom through
the winter months, while in the summer seasons he engaged in
farming. Having the ability to impart readily and with
accuracy to others the knowledge he had gained, and being also
an excellent disciplinarian, he proved a competent educator,
giving excellent satisfaction. During the last three years
of his school work he was employed as principal of the Oceola
schools. He did much to advance the efficiency of the
schools and his labor was attended with gratifying results.
He is now president of the county board of school examiners and
of the Ohio Teachers' Reading Circle of the county, thus keeping
in close touch with the educational interests of this part of
the state.
In 1880 Mr. Miller was united in marriage to
Miss Dell A. Sigler, the youngest daughter of George E.
and Harriet (Horrick) Sigler, of Todd township. Her
parents were among the pioneers of Crawford county, having come
here in the early 40's. They were the parents of four
children: Mary L., Elliot W., Rosamond E. and Dell A.
Mrs. Sigler, who was the daughter of John and Mary
(Grimes) Horrick, died in 1898, but Mr. Sigler is
still living on a farm in Todd township. He is a son of
Jacob and Rachel (Hines) Sigler and is a native of
Pennsylvania, while his wife was born in Ashland county, Ohio.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Miller has been born but one child,
Minta M., who is in the senior year in the high school of
Bucyrus. In that city her parents have a pleasant home,
justly celebrated for its warm-hearted hospitality.
In 1898 Mr. Miller was elected secretary of the
Crawford County Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company, which was
organized in 1877 and now is the strongest farmers' mutual in
the state. In 1899 he was elected secretary of the
Crawford County Agricultural Society, and since his election the
society has introduced the educational feature in their fair and
it has proven one of the best attractions. A new hall has
been constructed especially for this feature, which is filled
each year with the best work from the schools of the county.
Mr. Miller also served for fourteen years as treasurer
and clerk of Todd township. In his political views, like
his father, he is a stalwart Democrat, and takes an active
interest in the work of the party, doign all he can for its
substantial advancement and success. He is a man of strong
purpose, of sterling worth and of unquestioned integrity and
fidelity to duty, and enjoys the high regard of the people among
whom his entire life has been passed.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County,
Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 59 |
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HENRY D. MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 570 |
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JACOB MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 537 |
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JOHN R. MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 253 |
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LOUISA MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 131 |
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WILLIAM H. MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 592 |
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WILLIAM H. MILLER Source: A Centennial Biographical History of
Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 638 |
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ANDREW MOORE.
Any adequate account of the life of a self-made man is
necessarily both interesting and instructive. It is always a
story of human ambition, struggles and triumph and as such must
claim the attention of every student of human nature and of the
progress of the people at large; and as an example of what may
be done by industry and perseverance by one actuated by worthy
motives, it is worthy the emulation of all young men who have
their way in the world to make. Such a career as is here
indicated has been that of Andrew Moore, of
Benton, Lykens township, Crawford county, Ohio.
Andrew Moore was born in Erie county,
Pennsylvania, February 2, 1847, and when he was six years old,
in 1853, his father died. Not long afterward his mother took her
family to Crawford county, Ohio, and settled in Texas township,
where, at the early age of twelve years, the boy began working
on: farms by the month. This was necessary from the fact that
his mother was-very poor and that as soon as they were old
enough her four sons were obliged: to earn money to be expended
toward her support and the maintenance of their home. The names
of these sons were William, Joseph P., Andrew
and: Henry. Soon after the Civil war began Mrs.
Moore, who was a devout Christian woman of much education
and refinement and of great patriotism, made the following
declaration, which her son remembers word for word: "I know that
this is to be a terrible war and we must make sacrifices to save
the Union and I am willing that my sons should go to the front,
and may-God protect them and bring them back to me." The sons
whom she thus devoted to the service of her country were her
only support. Joseph P., the second son, was the first to
avail himself of this permission. He enlisted in: 1861 as a
private in Company H, Forty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer
Infantry, and was killed at the battle of Stone River, on New
Year's morning, 1862. William, the eldest son, was the next to
enlist and he was color-bearer in the One Hundred and First
Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed while carrying
the flag in the front line of battle at Chickamauga, in August,
1863. At that time Andrew was only little more than
sixteen years old, but/without serious objection on the part of
his mother, who believed that it was her duty, if necessary, to
sacrifice her last son old enough to be of any assistance to the
cause of freedom, enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-third
Regiment of Infantry at Martinsburg, West Virginia. His
first experience of battle was at Newmarket, where he was
dangerously wounded in the left thigh by a minie ball. After
lying for two days in a field hospital he was taken to
Clairsville hospital, in the mountains near Cumberland,
Maryland. After he had been under treatment there three months
he was able to go home on a furlough. He rejoined his regiment
at Kernstown and after that fought at Winchester, Cedar Creek,
and in other engagements and participated in the fighting which
resulted in the fall of- Petersburg and Richmond. After the
evacuation of Richmond the One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio
and-the Fifty-fourth Pennsylvania Regiments were detached to
burn the bridge across the river to keep Lee's army from
crossing. When they arrived at the bridge Lee's cavalry was on
the point of crossing the river, and not only succeeded in doing
so, but took about five hundred prisoners of war from the two
federal regiments mentioned, Mr. Moore among them,
who were under guard with the Confederates when Lee surrendered.
After the war Mr. Moore returned to
Benton, Lykens township, Crawford county, Ohio, where he
remained only a short time, however, before going to Oil City,
Pennsylvania, where he was employed for three years. Returning
to Texas township, he farmed four years and after that sold
agricultural implements for twelve years. After that he was for
five years a buyer for Young & Brother, lumber dealers at
Canton, Ohio. Since that time he has been buying timber on his
own account, cutting it up into saw logs and selling it in that
form to lumber manufacturers.
He is a Republican in politics and is a member of Roberts Post,
No. 672, Grand Army of the Republic, at Benton, Ohio. He has
held the office of township trustee and has otherwise served his
fellow townsmen with ability and credit. His mother, of
Christian and patriotic memory, who was a lifelong member of the
United Brethren church, died at Benton at the age of seventy-one
years.
Mr. Moore was married
June 1, 1868, to Miss Mary J. Haskins, and she has borne
him three children. Their son Earl was accidentally
killed in 1895; while attempting to get on board a moving train
of cars. Their daughter Bertha is now Mrs.
Haskins. Their son Clyde, who is a proficient
stenographer, is a student at the Northern Indiana Normal School
at Valparaiso, Indiana.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County,
Ohio - Chicago: 1902 |
ALLEN B. MULFORD. The name will
be recognized by readers of this work throughout Crawford
County, Ohio, as that of a prominent farmer of Texas township,
now living in well earned retiracy after many years of useful
and fruitful endeavor.
Allen B. Mulford was born at Monroeville, Huron county, Ohio,
March 4, 1839, and came to Crawford county with his parents at
the age of twelve years. He received his education in the
common schools near his parents'' home and early became an
assistant to his father in his agricultural enterprises, and
after his father's death he acquired the ownership of the old
family homestead of one hundred and forty-two acres. He
devoted himself to general farming and stock-raising until 1892,
and since that time has rented his farm but has retained his
residence upon it.
During the Civil war Mr. Mulford offered his services
to the country but they were rejected because of his physical
disability. Later he became a member of the home guards,
and as such duties as devolved upon him, regretting that he had
been unable to go to the front and participate in the more
stirring and dangerous scenes of the war. He is a member
of D. A. Roberts Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Benton,
Ohio. In politics he is a Republican, but he never sought
nor accepted office or has been especially active in political
work, but his public spirit has impelled him to further so far
as has been possible all measures having for their object the
enhancement of the public weal. He was married Nov. 16,
1893, to Miss Christine Beard.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford
County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 |
JACOB MUNCH.
One of the most respected citizens and successful farmers of
Vernon township, Crawford county, Ohio, is Jacob Munch,
who was born in Germany, on April 29, 1847, and he was one of a
family of three children born to Nicholas Munch
and wife, who remained in Germany all their days. The former
died. at the age of sixty-eight years, the mother of our subject
having died when her son was but two years old.
Jacob Munch was well taught in the
schools of his native land, and at the age of twenty-one,
according to the laws of his country, he entered the army,
serving faithfully through the Franco Prussian war. In 1873,
after the close of that war, Mr. Munch decided to
emigrate to America, in the hope of bettering his condition. His
landing in the United States was in the harbor of New York,
where he remained one week, coming then to Mansfield, Ohio.
Although he was master of the trade of stone mason, he was
without means,. and it took some time for him to become
accustomed to' the unknown language and different manners and
customs, but his honest face and willingness to work soon made
him friends, and he secured employment in Mansfield after a
short delay. About one year later Mr. Munch went
to Crestline and worked at his trade and also assisted
neighboring farmers in agricultural work.
In 1877, by his industry and economy, Mr.
Munch found himself able to rent a farm for himself. This
was a tract of some sixty acres, in Jackson township, and here
Mr. Munch and his estimable wife bent every energy
to cultivate the land to its highest condition of producing
capacity, and to lay aside means in order to become the owners
of one of the fine farms in this favored part of the state.
Mr. Munch had been married in 1875 to Miss
Christina Riber, who was a native of this township,
and who was a daughter of John Riber, who had come
hither at an early day from Germany and was a pioneer settler of
the township.
For nine years Mr. Munch cultivated the
farm in Jackson township, but. in 1886 he became the owner of
his present home farm, which consists of ninety-three acres, and
here the family has since resided, the efforts of Mr.
Munch having been directed to their welfare. Honest toil has
met with its reward in the case of our subject. It was by no
fortunate speculation that he attained his success, but by the
application of unremitting industry and self-denial he has
changed the condition of a poor German youth, in a strange.
country, to that of one of the most respected and prosperous
land-owners of one of the best parts of the state in which he
has made his home. Six children were born to Mr. and
Mrs. Munch, the five survivors of the family being
as follows: Henry: Mary, the wife of Edward
Zimmerman, of Mansfield; John; Frederick
William; and Tracy, while the one removed by death
was named George.
In politics Mr. Munch has become
identified with the Democratic party and his religious
connection is with the German Reformed church. He is one of the
most industrious and practical farmers of this neighborhood, and
his well cultivated land and excellent improvements show his
excellence as an agriculturist.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County,
Ohio - Chicago: 1902 |
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