MILTON ZIMMERMAN owns and
operates a valuable farm on section 27, Center Township, Wood
County, to which he moved in 1892. For about fifteen
years he worked at his trade, that of carpentering, but at the
end of that time settled on a farm lying on section 22, this
township, and in addition to carrying on agricultural
pursuits, ran a sawmill for four or five years. He is
one of the native sons of this county, having been born on
section 13, Webster Township, May 25, 1842.
The parents of our subject were William and Isabella
(Housholder) Zimmerman. The former was a son of
William Zimmerman, Sr., and was born in Virginia in 1796.
He was reared on a farm and learned the millwright's trade.
About 1805 the family removed to Columbiana County, Ohio,
making the journey by ox-teams. At Steubenville young
William grew to manhood and was married. In 1834 he
emigrated to Wood County by team and settled in Webster
Township, where he took up one hundred and sixty acres of
Government land, covered with heavy timber. In the early
days he was a Township Trustee, and helped to organize Webster
Township and to build the first schoolhouse in section 12.
He died April 6, 1883, and was interred to Scotch Ridge
Cemetery. He was a member of the United Brethren Church
and for many years was a Republican. His father enlisted
in the War of 1812, and died while in the service.
Mrs. Isabella Zimmerman died in 1888, in her eighty-third
year.
In a family of fourteen children, eleven sons and three
daughters, Milton Zimmerman is the eighth in order of
birth. The others are as follows; Edwin, John,
Lewis, Eliza, Daniel, Mary, George, Isaac, William, Isabella,
James, Harvey and Edward. Edwin, Lewis, George,
John, Mary and Eliza are deceased.
Milton Zimmerman's boyhood was passed in Webster
Township, and to his father he gave his assistance on the
homestead until he was twenty years of age. July 24,
1862, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundredth Ohio Infantry,
and was mustered into service at Toledo as a private.
His first actual engagement was near Mt. Sterling, in
Tennessee, after which he took part in the siege of Knoxville,
Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Lost Mountain and Kenesaw Mountain.
He went all through the siege of Atlanta, after which he was
transferred to the command of General Thomas.
Then followed the engagements at Columbia (Tenn.), Franklin
and the two-days battle of Nashville. After being placed
in the Army of the East he fought in the battles of Goldsboro
and Raleigh, besides many minor engagements. From June,
1863, until the close of the war he was a drummer-boy.
His honorable discharge is dated June 20, 1865.
The schools which our subject attended in his early
years were built of logs, and the nearest one was a mile and a
half from his home. When fourteen years of age he
attended the select school at Mill Grove, and managed to
obtain a fair, practical education. In 1879 he was
elected Assessor of Personal Effects in Center Township, and
served acceptably for three years. He was also Real
Estate Assessor for the years 1880 and 1890. In 1885 he
was elected Justice of the Peace, a position he held for nine
years. In 1892 he was made Infirmary Director, serving
as such three years. He is a member of the Grand Army of
the Republic, and is a Knight of Pythias. In religious
faith he is identified with the United Brethren Church.
December 30, 1866, Mr. Zimmerman and Ella M.
Drumheller were united in marriage. The lady was
born in Sandusky County, September 9, 1845, and is the
daughter of George and Christina (Roth) Drumheller.
Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman have had born to them six children,
five sons and a daughter, as follows: Ellis, George
W., Harley B., James W., Frank B. and Mabel D.
( Source: Portrait & Biological Record of City of Toledo &
Lucas & Wood Counties, Ohio - 1895) |
