OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

 

Welcome to
Van Wert County,
Ohio

BIOGRAPHIES
Found in:
A Portrait and biographical record of Allen 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, 1458 pgs.

PLEASE NOTE:  I will add biographies on request as I find the time.
Please contact me at sawick@suite224.net

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - IJ - K - L - M - N - OPQ - R - S - T - UV - W - XYZ

< CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REV. WILLIAM DUNLAP, deceased, was born in Sidney, Shelby county, Ohio, July 132, 1831, and was a son of William and Elizabeth (Blakely) Dunlap, the former a native of Dublin, Ireland, born January 29, 1787, and came to Philadelphia, Pa., in 1816, lived there three years, and then settled in Shelby county, Ohio.  His parents moved to a farm when he was quite young, but afterward moved back to Sidney, where William went to school when a child, and also finished his education there in early boyhood, as he was always industrious as a student.  Although his father was at one time in good circumstances, by some mistake made in taking a contract on the canal at Sidney, he failed in business and lost all his property.  When William, however, was sixteen years old, he bought two acres of land near Sidney and built a house on it for his parents, where they lived until the death of his father.  Then his mother lived with his sister Mary until after his marriage, November 16, 1854, to Anna Sollenberger.  He was then twenty-two years old.  After his marriage he moved on a farm one-half mile from Sidney, where he lived six months.  Then he moved on a farm two miles from Port Jefferson, known as the Cox farm, where he farmed in summer and taught school in winter.  In the latter vocation his experience extended through seventeen years, having begun when nineteen years old.  After he moved here his mother lived with him until her death, in 1864.  Soon after her death he moved to Port Jefferson and purchased a dry good store in partnership with S. T. Thirkield, but his health failed and he sold out his interest in this store and bought a steam grist-mill in 1867; he sold this in 1871 and built a water-mill in partnership with William Manning, which he kept until he entered the ministry in 1873.
     William Dunlap was converted when fourteen years old, but did not join the church at that time, and dated his conversation from 1870.  After the loss of a little boy, Sherman, Mr. Dunlap was converted by a lady, Mrs. Doran, giving the illustration of a shepherd taking a little lamb and putting it in another field, that he might entice the flock into that field.  Thus applying it to himself, he was converted in the meeting held by Rev. I. Smith and joined the church at Port Jefferson.  He was licensed as a local preacher immediately afterward by Rev. Joseph Fergueson; was always active in church work, being a class leader and Sabbath-school teacher, and in 1872 was sent as a supply to Fort Recovery.  He entered the ministry in 18732, at the conference held at Van Wert.  His appointments were Versailles, Dover, Mount Victory, Marseilles, Bettsville, Middlepoint, Elida, McComb, Rockford and Ohio City.  He was one year at Rockford and one at Ohio City; three years at Marseilles and two years at each of the other places.  While at Mount Victory he had a glorious revival, and as a result a church was built.  He also had a large revival at Elida, and many were converted during his ministry, although his greatest power lay in his ability to strengthen the members and build up the church.  He always left a charge in a more spiritual condition than he found it; he was a good Bible teacher, studied the Scriptures much, and loved to explain them.
     Rev. Dunlap came to Van Wert in October, 1891.  For a year before his death he had been gradually failing, but the last eight months of his life he spent in his chair.  Heart failure being his disease, he could not lie down often, but he was always very patient.  Once he said: "Why, nothing can harm a Christian; when God has him, he can say to all other powers, 'Stand back!  You dare not touch my child.'"  About a month before his death he had a vision.  He saw his name written in Heaven in large letters of gold; he said it was beautiful.  Often during the night, when one of the family would go to see how he was resting, he would say, "O, I've been having a blessed night; I've been talking with Jesus; I'm happy."  He was loved and respected by all who knew him; he was a sweet-spirited man, and even in his great feebleness he greeted all who came to see him with a cheerful smile.  A few days before his death he said to Dr. Avann, with a playful smile, "When you are talking about me at my funeral, and trying to comfort my family, I shall be stirring around in the other country."  He was one of God's noblemen, and a true minister of His word.  His sermon was always clear and to the point.  His faith was firm, and his last expressions were, "Jesus saves; O, I'm so happy; the Lord is good."  The last chapter in the Bible that he tried to read was Romans 5; but he could not read it, so he handed it to his son-in-law, Mr. Littler, who read it for him.  His funeral was conducted by many of his ministerial brethren, at 10:30 a.m. February 2, 1895, in the First Methodist Episcopal church; Dr. Avann offering prayer at the home.  The following-named brethren were present: J. F. Mounts, R. Rauch, W. R. Shultz, J. H. Bethards, S. Baumgardner, M. Gascoigne, J. F. Newcomb, W. H. Leatherman, W. J. Hagerman, J. M. Avann and J. H. Fitzwater.  The Masonic order, of which he was a member, took charge of the remains at the church, and held service at the grave.  Dr. Dunlap left a wife and three daughters to mourn his loss.
     Mrs. Anna (Sollenberger) Dunlap was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, February 2, 1833, a daughter of Abraham and Barbara (Winger) Sollenberger, natives of Pennsylvania.  Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap, viz:  Franklin A., Illyria and Sherman, all deceased, Mary B.,  wife of F. A. Littler, a druggist of Dunkirk, Ind.; Laura E., at home; Eddie, deceased, and Maggie E., at home.  Mr. Dunlap was made a Mason in Port Jefferson, Ohio; he was also an honored member of the I. O. O. F.  He owned, at his death, 135 acres of farming land in Ridge township, Van Wert county, and also two business properties on Washington street, in the city, as well as his residence property.  In politics he was a republican.  The marriage of Mr. Dunlap took place in Sidney, Ohio, November 16, 1854; he was a kind and loving husband, a sincere Christian, and an ardent and faithful laborer in the vineyard of the Master.
~ Page 202

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLICK HERE to Return to
VAN WERT COUNTY, COUNTY

CLICK HERE to RETURN to
OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

This Webpage has been created by Sharon Wick exclusively for Ohio Genealogy Express  ©2008
Submitters retain all copyrights