Biographies
(Transcribed by Sharon Wick)

Source:
 A Portrait and Biographical Record of
Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio
Containing Biographical Sketches of Many Prominent and Representative Citizens,
together with Biographies and Portraits of all the
Presidents of the United States
and Biographies of the Governors of Ohio
CHICAGO: A. W. BOWEN & CO.
1896

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	DANIEL FISHER, a respected farmer and stock raiser of Dublin, Mercer county, was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, Mar. 7, 1851, a son of JOHN S. and Julia (Crissman) FISHER, was reared to farm life and early taught the use of ax, maul and wedge, which he has since been called upon to use frequently and unsparingly, both in his native county and in Mercer.  His education was acquired in the common schools, and his close observation of matters and things has added materially to the meager stock of knowledge he had secured in the pioneer schools of his early day.      At the early age of sixteen years, young Daniel Fisher faced the world to battle in his own behalf, and first began his business life by working out by the mouth on a farm one summer; for two years following he was occupied in filling a contract to clear ditch split-rails, fence, and otherwise improve a farm, and at twenty years of age went to Holmes county, Ohio, his father having moved from Van Wert to Mercer county fifteen eyars before.  After working at farm labor for about eight months in Holmes county, our subject came to Mercer county, but the same year, 1871, went to Michigan, where his stay was but short.  Returning to Mercer county, he rented his father's farm, which he cultivated one year.  In June, 1873, he married Miss Emma (Diehl) Wiley, of Dublin township, and in the fall of that year moved upon his father-in-law's farm, which he tilled three years; then he bought sixty-five acres of partially improved land in Black Creek township, there passed three years, sold out, and purchased his present ninety-acre farm in section No. 32, Dublin township.  This he has cleared up to a considerable extent and has made upon it many valuable improvements, erecting substantial, commodious buildings, and putting down about 1,500 rods of tiling, thus making it compare most favorably with any other farm of its size in the township.  General farming and stock-raising occupy his attention, and he makes them both yield handsome profits.      In politics Mr. Fisher is an ardent democrat, and has officiated as school director, as well as filled some of the minor township offices, but has never sought office for the sake of either fame or lucre.  To Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have been born three children, named Allen F., James O. and Fannie E. - the last named deceased.  This family are members of the United Brethren church, of which Mr. Fisher is one of the trustees.  Mr. Fisher is a self-made man, and through his energy and industry has made himself one of the solid farmers of the county and won the respect of all who knew him. Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 276
	HENRY C. FOX, one of the most intelligent and prominent business men of Cold Water, was born Apr. 26, 1860, in Washington township, Mercer county, Ohio, and is a son of Matthias and Babara (Weigel) Fox.      MATTHIAS FOX was born in Prussia, which now includes the larger part of Germany, in 1819.  He emigrated to the United States in 1836, locating at first near Fostoria, but in 1840 removed to Washington township, Mercer county, where he has since resided.  When he was twenty-seven years of age he married Miss Barbara Weigel, by whom he had eleven children, as follows:  Mary, who has been married twice - first to Max Stark, who died, and, second, to Matthias Renn, who is also dead, and she herself died in 1881; Elizabeth, who died when two years old; Margaret, now a sister in a convent at Fort Wayne; John, married to Kate Sacher, and living on a farm in Jay county, Ind.; Sophia, who is married to Charles Hess, a contractor and builder of Celina; George, who married Retta McKenzie, and lives in Cold Water; Henry C., the subject of this sketch; Matthias, Jr., who, when nineteen years old, died.  He was a perfect health, but his sister being ill, he walked and ran to Celina for aid for her, thus becoming overheated, and then drank heartily of very cold water, and in two days afterward he died; Joseph and Benjamin, twins; Joseph, who married Nancy Hickey, and lives in Versailles, Darke county, Ohio; Benjamin, who married Rosa Diedier, and lives in Lima, Ohio; and Charles, who married Christina Schockman, and is manager for Henry C. in his general store at Macedon, Ohio.      Henry C. Fox received his fundamental education in the common schools, and when nineteen years old entered the Western Normal university at Ada, Ohio, and was in attendance there four terms.  He then attended the National Normal university, at Lebanon, one term.  After thus thoroughly qualifying himself he taught nine years in Cold Water - four years in the primary department, one year in the intermediate, and four years in the high school.  Becoming tired of teaching, as every one must, sooner or later, he purchased the general store owned by Fox Brothers, and he has ever since then conducted it with uniform and remarkable success.  He is a thorough-going business man, well knowing when and how to buy, and also how and when to sell.      Mr. Fox was married Nov. 19, 1885, to Miss Rosa Schrockman, daughter of Henry and Barbara (Rheim) Schockman, the former born in Hanover, and came to the United States, when nineteen years old.  Henry Schockman located in Washington township, and there followed farming until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he enlisted and served his adopted country as a soldier three years.  Returning from the war, he remained in Washington township until 1870, when he removed to Butler township.  To Henry and Barbara Schockman there were born twelve children, as follows:  Mary, who died in infancy; Rosa, wife of the subject of this sketch; Regina, wife of B. Rose, of Saint Henry's; Christina, wife of Charles Fox, of Cold Water; Joseph; John, died in April, 1896; Frank Anthony, Albert and Clara, all living at home; Lewis and Anthony, who died when quite young.  One child, named Anthony, died, and when the next child was born it was named Anthony, hence the two children of the same name.  To Henry C. and Rosa Fox there have been born four children, as follows: Elnora, born Feb. 21, 1887; Urban, born July 8, 1889; Leo, born Nov. 26, 1891; and Francis, born Jan. 27, 1894, all of whom are living, and all unusually bright and intelligent children.      Mr. Fox is a good, strong democrat, a prominent Catholic, and a most influential citizen.  He owns one of the largest general stores in the county, and, being courteous and obliging, as well as an honest, fair dealing man, he has hosts of friends and a splendid trade.  He is educated not alone in literature and science, history and polite literature, but also in all kinds of business lore, and having also traveled extensively in the United States, and also in Europe, he is well versed in human nature, and thus understands how to win and retain friendship, which is to any one a source of pleasure as well as of profit.  Mr. Fox made his tour of Europe in company with Mr. C. T. Rauh, who is at the present time mayor of Cold Water, and during this trip they thoroughly traveled most of the territory of Europe, but especially Germany and Switzerland.  The knowledge thus gained is a never-failing source of pleasure to Mr. Fox and to the friends whom he delights to entertain. Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 278
	MATTHIAS FOX - See HENRY C. FOX Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 278
	CHARLES FRISINGER, a prominent young farmer of Dublin township, Mercer county, Ohio, born in that township Nov. 25, 1867.  He is a son of Nathan and Jane (Ryan) Frisinger, mention of whom may be found in various parts of this volume.      Charles Frisinger was reared on a farm, and on Oct. 15, 1887, was married to Miss Norma Amanda Hayes, a daughter of LEWIS D. and Harriet (Shingledecker) HAYES, and to their marriage there have been born two children, as follows:  Homer Crayton and Hazel Marie. The mother of these children was born in Dublin township, Jan. 15, 1868, and was there reared and educated.  Her father, LEWIS D. HAYES, was a son of HARRISON and Sally (Webb) HAYES, and was born in Dublin township, Nov. 29, 1833.  HARRISON HAYES was born in Fayette county, in 1803, and was a son of David Hayes, a native of Kentucky, and an early settler in Mercer county, locating there when Harrison Hayes, the eldest of the family, was a small boy.      HARRISON HAYES was reared on the farm, was educated in Mercer county, and, though a farmer, had a mechanical genius which could not be suppressed.  One trade seemed to be as easy to him as another, and he was proficient in all.  He married Sally Ann Webb, a daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Johnson) Webb, and to them were born the following children:  Lewis, father of Mrs. Frisinger; Amanda J., wife of Philip Davis, of Bradford, Miami county; Shelby, who resides on the home farm with his mother; and Malvina, wife of George J., Siler of Mercer.  Sally Ann Webb was born in 1809, and after her husband's death married Eli Compton, and is still living on the old farm.  Harrison Hayes died about 1860.  He was a prominent man, held the office of township trustee a number of terms, and was an official at the time of his lamented death.      LEWIS D. HAYES was reared on the farm, was educated in Mercer county, and in 1855 married Harriet Shingledecker, a daughter of Abraham and Rebecca (Hoover) Shingledecker.  To their marriage there were born the following children, as follows:  Glendora, deceased; Jackson, died in infancy; Owen, died at the age of twenty-seven years, ten months and ten days; Frances, wife of Franklin Shaffer, of Van Wert county; Bird, wife of James Hickernell of Union township; Norma, wife of the subject of this sketch; Perry, at home.  The mother of these children was born in Clermont county, Jan. 1, 1834, and when two years of age was brought to Mercer county by her parents.  Full reference is made to her family history in biography of Jacob Shingledecker on another page.  After his marriage Mr. Hayes purchased a farm in Dublin township, on which he lived until 1864, when he then sold and purchased his present farm of eighty-one acres, which was then partially cleared.  He is a democrat in politics and has served on the board of education a number of years.  Though he is principally engaged in general farming, he has been for several years engaged in raising pacing and trotting horses, and in every way he has been s successful man, and is highly appreciated by all.     Charles Frisinger, the subject of this sketch, has lived on his present farm ever since he was married.  He is a democrat in politics, and has been a member of the township school board for a number of years.  Mrs. Frisinger is a progressive young man, and is setting a most excellent example to young men, who seem to have such a strong desire to leave the farm for the city, perhaps because there is some work attending successful agriculture, forgetting, however, the incomparably independent life that a farmer leads, and forgetting, apparently, that as the years roll round more and more intelligence is needed on the farm, because of the improved methods of cultivation, of fertilizing, and of raising live stock of all kinds. Source: A Portrait & Biographical Record of Mercer and Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. - 1896 - Page 286

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