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Source:
The County of Fulton
A History of Fulton County, Ohio

Publ.: Madison, Wis. Northwestern Historical Association
1905

Transcribed by Sharon Wick

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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  EDWARD EVERETT WILLIAMS, of Wauseon, probate judge of Fulton county, a descendant of one of the pioneers of that county, was born in Clinton township in 1864.  He is the son of Jeremiah M. and Matilda (Biddle) Williams, both natives of Ohio.  Jeremiah M. Williams was born near Tiffin, Seneca county, O., in 1822, and when brothers, John H. and Burt, and his sister, Mrs. Thomas Lingle, to Clinton township in 1834.  Here he grew to manhood and took an active part in local affairs, serving as township trustee for some years.  His wife, Matilda Williams, was the daughter of Samuel Biddle who came to York township, Fulton county, from Wayne county.  He was deeply interested in township affairs and served as justice of the peace for a number of years.  Edward Everett Williams, the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools of Fulton county, being a graduate of the Wauseon high school.  He remained on the farm until he embarked in the grocery business at Archbold, Fulton county, which business he conducted successfully for two and one-half years, when he sold it.  For seven years he served as deputy probate judge of Fulton county.  So well did he perform the duties of his office that in 1899 the people elected did he perform the duties of his office that in 1899 the people elected him to the office of probate judge, a just recognition of the ability that he displayed while serving as deputy.  Three years later he was re-elected and he is now serving in that capacity.  In him the people realize that they have an impartial judge and a man who has the moral courage to do what is right, regardless of the cost.  To fill this important office successfully executive ability of no mean order and a ripened judgment are required, both of which qualities Judge Williams possesses.  He is Worshipful Master of Wauseon Lodge, No. 349, Free and Accepted Masons, and a Knight Templar.  He married Miss Alice B. Meeks, the daughter of William J. Meeks, Jr., and Mary J. (Cornell) MeeksWilliam J. Meeks, Jr., was born in Wayne county, Apr. 4, 1832, and married Mary Jane Cornell.  They had the following children: Flora B.; Alert M.; James, deceased; Franklin and Alice B., who is the wife of the subject of this sketch.  Mr. Meeks was one of the leaders of the Democratic party of Fulton county.  President Cleveland recognizing his worth, appointed him postmaster of Wauseon, in which he was serving at the time of his death, in 1885.  His father, William J. Meeks, Sr., was born in Fairfield county, O., in 1800, and died in Fulton county in 1875.  Mary Jane (Cornell) Meeks was the daughter of James Cornell, Jr., and Margaret (Baggs) CornellJames Cornell, Jr., was born in Trenton, N. J., Jan. 26, 1805, and come to Fulton county in 1837, being one of the pioneer settlers of Clinton township.  His prominence in public affairs is shown by the fact that he served as county commissioner for three terms.  He died at his home aged seventy-nine years.  His father, James Cornell, Sr., together with four brothers settled in Manhattan Island, N. Y.  Ezra Cornell, the founder of Cornell university, was the son of one of these brothers and a first cousin of James Cornell, Jr., of Fulton county.  Margaret (Baggs) Cornell was the daughter of John and Nancy Jane (Wright) Baggs, of Somerset county, Pa., who located in Holmes county, O., where John Baggs died in 1846.  Thomas Baggs, the brother of John, settled in Clinton township in 1836.  They were the sons of Jewell A. and Nancy (McWilliams) Baggs.  Jewell A. Baggs, a civil engineer and a Methodist minister, came with his brother, Hugh, from Scotland and settled in Somerset County, Pa., in 1755.
Source 4: The County of Fulton - A History of Fulton County, Ohio - Publ.: Madison, Wis. Northwestern Historical Association - 1905 - Page 626
  JOHN WILLIAMS (deceased), one of the pioneer settlers of Fulton county, was born July 20, 1814, and died at the homestead on Jan. 23, 1890, aged seventy-five and one-half years.  When twenty years old he came with his parents to what is now Fulton county and spent his early life in the avocations of a pioneer, for which he was well fitted, being strong and robust.  The first farm that he opened was located two and one-half miles northeast of Delta, where he lived for many years.  In 1849 he made the overland trip to California, and, after meeting with marked success in his search for gold, returned to Ohio and opened up another farm three miles east of Delta, where he spent the remainder of his life.  John Williams was very prominent in the organization of Fulton county and was a useful citizen throughout his long residence there.  His life was spent in agricultural pursuits, in which he was unusually successful.  He could truthfully boast of having cleared more land than any other man in the county.  On Sept. 14, 1840, he was married to Miss Elizabeth A. Norton, daughter of Hiram and Sarah (Gamble) Norton, and their union was blessed with ten children.  They are: Emily, now Mrs. Fashbaugh, a resident of Colorado; David, a farmer of Delta; Elsie (deceased), who was the wife of John Westbrook; Phoebe, now Mrs. George Westbrook, residing on the homestead; Sarah, the wife of John N. Petersen of Delta; John, a farmer of Swan Creek township; George, a farmer near Delta; Anson, a railroad man, a resident of Toledo, Ohio; Ida, who died at the age of seven years, and Lovina, who died in her second year.  His widow is still living and makes her home with Mrs. Pattersen, her daughter.  John N. Patersen, the son-in-law of the subject of this sketch, was born in New York City July 30, 1852.  He is the son of John Jacob and Sophia (Winkleseth) Petersen, both natives of Germany, the former having been born in Houston, near Denmark, and the latter in Bremen.  They were married in New York City, whence they removed to Ohio during the early part of the Civil war, locating on a farm east of Delta.  Afterwards they removed to a farm in Fulton township, where the father died, Oct. 22, 1892, aged seventy-eight years.  His widow is still living on the homestead at the age of eighty-two years.  They were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters, all living and married.  They are: John N., the eldest; Anna, now Mrs. Wallace Smith, a resident of Paulding county, O.; Theresa, now Mrs. Eugene Wales of Swanton; Henry H., section foreman on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railway at Wauseon; and William B., living with his mother on the homestead.  John N. Petersen grew to manhood on a farm, receiving a fair common school education.  In public affairs he has always taken a deep interest.  So well does he stand in his community that he was elected township assessor on the Democratic ticket, notwithstanding the township is strongly Republican.  He is a member of Fulton Lodge, No. 248, Free and Accepted Masons, of Lodge No. 199, Knights of Pythias, and has also been an Odd Fellow; having passed the official chairs of Swanton Lodge in that organization, as well as that of the Knights of Pythias.   Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are both members of the adjunct order of the Knights of Pythias, known as the Rathbone Sisters, the name of the lodge being Thirza Temple No. 189, Delta, Ohio.  Mr. Petersen is also a member of the Uniformed Rank Knights of Pythias No. 122, at Delta.  In 1880 he was wedded to Miss Sarah R. Williams, daughter of John and Elizabeth A. (Norton) Williams, and their union was blessed with two children: Ocie E., the wife of Jacob F. Perkins, a farmer and contractor of this county, and they have one daughter, Grace Elizabeth; Opal L. the younger daughter, is now attending the Delta schools.
Source: The County of Fulton - A History of Fulton County, Ohio - Publ.: Madison, Wis. Northwestern Historical Association - 1905 - Page 627

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