BIOGRAPHIES

Source: 
History of Allen County, Ohio
And Representative Citizens
Edited and Compiled by
Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.
Assisted by
Dr. Samuel A. Baxter
Lima, Ohio
Published by Richmond & Arnold
George Richmond; G. R. Arnold
Chicago, Ill
1906

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	FRANK SIEBER, president of The Lima Brewing Company, was born in Seneca County, Ohio, May 25, 1862, and is a son of Frank and Caroline (Elses) Sieber.      The father of Mr. Sieber was born in Germany.  By trade he was a cabinet-maker.  He married Caroline Elses also of German extraction, and they had a family of three children.      Frank Sieber was reared through the years of childhood in his native county, where he attended the local schools and gave particular attention to music, for which he has great talent.  In 1884 he engaged in hotel-keeping the continued in that line until 1899 when he became president of The Lima Brewing Company.  The officers of this company are:  Frank Sieber, president; Gus Spannagel vice-president; and E. W. Charles, secretary and treasurer.  The Lima Brewing Company manufactures lager beer and malt extract, its products being of fine quality and possessing healthful tonic properties.  Employment is given to 26 men.  The plant is the largest of its kind in Allen County.      Mr. Sieber was united in marriage with Mary Knarr, a daughter of John Knarr, and they have a family of six children.  Their comfortable home is situated at No. 402 West Market street.  The family belongs to the Catholic Church. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 437
Mr. & Mrs. Adam Simons	ADAM SIMONS, prominent in the brick manufacturing line at Lima, has been one of the city's leading business men for a quarter of a century.  He was born in Seneca County, Ohio, in 1844, and is a son of the late John Simons, who formerly was a substantial and well-known farmer of Upper Sandusky.      Mr. Simons spent all the earlier years of his life on a farm in Wyandotte County, and there obtained his education. In 1872 he left home and removed to Delphos, where he engaged in the manufacture of brick until 1880, when he came to Lima.  Here he found an excellent field for his industry and now stands at the head of the brick manufacturers of the city.  The quality of his product has done its own advertising, and a canvass of Lima’s most substantial structures will prove how large is his local trade.      In 1869 Mr. Simons was united in marriage with Maria Hoffman, who is a daughter of Eli Hoffman, a farmer of Upper Sandusky.  They have reared a family of nine children, namely: Frank, who is in business at Lewiston, Illinois; Henry, who is the engineer of the Lima central fire department; Charles, who is chief engineer of the LaFayette (Indiana) Traction Company; Minnie, who is the wife of A. McPheron, of Lima; Permilla, who is the wife of E. F. Flaving, of Chicago; Rosa, who is the wife of Byron S. Langin, of Lima, employed in the Lake Erie & Western Railroad office; Bertha, living at home; Earl, who is employed at the Lima Locomotive Works; and Raymond, who is attending school.  The inclinations of Mr. Simons’ sons have led them into mechanics, where each one is giving an excellent account of himself.      In late years Mr. Simons has paid little attention to politics.  Both he and his wife are members of St. John’s Catholic Church.  Their portraits accompany this sketch. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 799
	FRANK C. SMITH, who is the senior member of the large contracting firm of Smith & Sherrick, of Lima, has been a resident of this city for the past 17 years.  He was born at Westminster, Allen County, Ohio, in 1867, and is a son of Isaac N. Smith and a grandson of Abner Smith.      Abner Smith was born in Pennsylvania and removed to Allen County, Ohio, about 1822.  Later he moved to Champaign County and in 1829 to Allen County, where he entered land near the present site of the town of Westminster.  In 1830 he moved his family here and during the remainder of his life he was engaged-in clearing and cultivating his property.  He was one of the first trustees of Auglaize township and took an active part in its public affairs.  Politically he was a Whig.      Isaac N. Smith, father of our subject, now lives retired in his pleasant home at No. 708 East Kibby street, Lima.  He was born in 1839 in Auglaize township.  When 14 years of age he started to learn the carpenter’s trade and continued work at the same until 1864, when he enlisted in Company B, 151st Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., for 100 days, but his real service covered four months.  He was detailed to the quartermaster’s department and was stationed during the greater part of the time at Fort Reno.  At the close of the war he returned home and resumed carpenter work until 1868, when he engaged in wagon and carriage manufacturing at Westminster.  Mr. Smith continued in business for 10 years and had a large establishment, where he also did repair work and dealt in agricultural implements.  Some of the wagons built by him 40 years ago are still in commission in and about Westminster.      In June, 1888, Mr. Smith located in Lima, where he carried on contracting until failing eyesight caused him to retire from business.  During his residence in Auglaize township, he was active in public affairs and was elected to many of the township offices.  He served four years as assessor of that township, for years was school director and was a man whose advice was asked and judgment consulted by his fellow-citizens.      Frank C. Smith of this sketch was reared and educated at Westminster, and learned the carpenter’s trade with his father.  He entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company and remained with that corporation for six years, during four of which he was in charge of the tanking department at different points.  He built the first pump station in the Ohio oil field.  Then for some four years he followed his trade by himself; but in 1898 he formed his present partnership with S. S. Sherrick.  This firm is engaged in a general contracting business and is the leading firm in this line in Lima. Their large planing mill and sash, door and blind factory is located at Nos. 330-332 South Union street.      In 1899 Frank C. Smith was married to Ella Biederman, of Auglaize County.  They have one son, Walter Stanley, aged five years.  Both Mr. Smith and his wife are members of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church at Lima.       In politics Mr. Smith is a zealous Republican and is a member of the Republican Central Committee.  He belongs also to the Lima Board of Health, and is interested in all movements tending to promote the welfare of the city.  His fraternal connections are with the Odd Fellows and Red Men. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 815
	WILLIAM H. SMITH, an expert stationary engineer of Allen County, residing in section 22, German township, was born in this township, Dec. 4, 1856.  His parents, William B. and Barbara (Conrad) Smith, came here from Fairfield County, later they returned to that county where they lived five years until the death of the father.  The widow and children returned to Allen County after the death of the father in 1863 and she is still a resident of German township.  There were eleven children, viz.:  Taylor, Harrison, George W., Martin A., Jacob H., Richard E., William H., Isabelle, wife of David Reed; Mary C., wife of Jackson Kellar of Michigan; Barbara E. wife of John Baumgartner, and Sarah E., wife of Gilbert Snook.      William H. Smith began life as a wage earner in the sawmill of Isaac East in German township.  Later he learned to run a threshing machine engine and now has a license as a stationary engineer and is one of the most competent engineers in the county.  He is at present traveling for the International Harvester Company, as an expert operator.      Mr. Smith was married in 1877 to Margaret Remegan, daughter of Peter Remegan, of German township.  They have one son, Delvert, born Sept. 22, 1879, who is now in the employ of the Fort Wayne, Van Wert & Lima Traction Company, as motorman.  Mr. Smith is a member of the United Brethren Church, of Elida, Ohio.  In politics he is a Republican and was assessor of German township during 1904.  He has served a number of years on the School Board and also as road supervisor. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 665
	SOLOMON D. SNIDER was born in Thorn township, Perry County, Ohio, Apr. 30, 1842, and came to Allen County in the spring of 1865 when he bought 80 acres of land in section 25, Jackson township, took possession in April of that year, and has lived upon it ever since.  His parents were Daniel and Mary (Greenawalt) Snider, and his grandfather was also named Daniel Snider.       The grandfather of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, whence he came to Ohio, entering land in Perry County, where he died March 3, 1866, at the age of 93 years, 7 months and a few days. He was a \Vhig, while his son and grandson (our subject) became Democrats.  He took an active part in reform work and was a leader in the German Baptist or Dunkard Church, being one of the preachers of that body and holding services in his house and barn until they were able to build a house of worship.      Daniel Snider, the father of our subject, was born in Thorn township, Perry County, Ohio, June 28, 1808.  During his younger days he engaged in teaching school, and afterwards bought a farm of 180 acres in Perry County, where he devoted his time to agriculture until his death Nov. 3, 1861.  He was a member of the Lutheran Church.  He was married to Mary Greenawalt, who was born in Hocking County, Ohio, in 1811 and died in Perry County, Mar. 6, 1895, at the age of 83 years, 3 months and 20 days.  Her parents, Mathias and Mary (Coon) Greenawalt, came to this State from Maryland, and were of German descent.  She was the mother of the following children, viz: Lucinda (Boyer), deceased; John Henry, who resides on the homestead in Perry County; Mary Katharine (Clum), deceased; Solomon D.; Sarah Elizabeth (Anspach), of Jackson township; and Eliza Ann (Humberger), deceased.      Solomon D. Snider was reared in his native county where he was married Aug. 31, 1863. to Katharine Zartman.  She was a daughter of Henry and Mary (Swinehart) Zartman, of Perry County, and was born Feb. 18, 1844.  She died May 4, 1902, leaving two children, Mary Aretta, wife of R. C. Klingler; and Clarence Franklin, both of Hardin County.  Mr. Snider came here with his wife and one child and at once set about improving his new home.  He erected buildings, planted an orchard and made many other improvements from which he is to-day reaping the benefits.  He has been an industrious, frugal man and in addition to caring for his farm ran a threshing machine for some time.  He has been assessor three times and made a most efficient officer.  He is a member of the Lutheran Church and served as deacon and elder for many years. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 553
	JACOB STALEY, an influential agriculturist of Allen County, has resided on the farm of 150 acres in sections 19 and 20, Jackson township, his entire life, having been ushered into the world on homestead farm Sept. 11, 1839.  His parents were Jacob and Eunice (Fisher) Staley, both of whom were natives of Virginia.      Jacob Staley, Sr., was born in 1800 and was married in his native State before coming with his parents and family to Ohio.  He was one of a large family of children born to Peter Staley and his wife, all of them came to Ohio.  They were as follows:  Wilkes who was a farmer and conversed almost entirely in the German language; Peter; John; Sally (Hall); Betsey (Mauch); Jacob; Eva (Suddith); and Katie (Fisher).  Jacob Staley was a man of tall, spare build, capable of accomplishing a large amount of work.  He entered 160 acres of land on Hog Creek and lived there until his death at the age of 62 years.  He voted with the Whig and Republican parties and was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  His wife passed away in 1887 at the age of 86 years.  Their children are as follows: Betty (Grant), deceased; Eva (Watt); John; Jemima (Boyd); Eunice (Hall); Jacob and Hannah (Mrs. Thomas Watt).      Jacob Staley, the subject of this biography, has been a farmer and for 25 years was engaged in quarrying stone, giving up that occupation only about three years ago.  He has been very successful as a stock-raiser and general farmer and has put many of the improvements on the farm.  On Dec. 5, 1861, he was married to Olive Hall, of Jackson township, who was born May 10, 1842, and is a daughter of William M. and Lydia G. (Walton) Hall, who came here from Pickaway County and were among the first to take up a claim.  Mr. and Mrs. Staley have no children.  Mr. Staley is a Democrat. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 451
	JOHN P. STAMETS, who was one of the honorable business men and old time citizens of Lima, died here on April 26, 1897.  He was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1829.  In his early business life, Mr. Stamets left his native State and moved to Ohio, where he resided in Wayne and Ashland counties.  During the five years prior to coming to Lima, he resided in Bucyrus, where he was engaged in the dry goods business.  In 1877 he located at Lima, engaging first in a hardware business and later, in the sale of wagons and buggies.  Failing health induced him to dispose of many of his interests, several years before his death.  The deceased was a man of business principle and commanded the respect of all associated with him.      On Feb. 1, 1855, Mr. Stamets was married to Malinda Kern, who, with one son, Lori E. still survives him.  For 45 years he was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church, and alike in his religious, business and social connections, his worth as an upright Christian man was recognized.  He was known as one of the city's most liberal contributors to worthy objects of charity.  In his political sentiments he was a life-long Democrat.      Mr. Stamets was a large owner of real estate, and erected the handsome flat building which bears his name, his widow and son residing there in much comfort. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page
	RICHARD T. SUTTON, proprietor of the "Fountain Farm," one of the best-improved properties in Amanda township, situated in the best part of section 3, belongs to one of the oldest families of Allen County.  He was born in 1852 in the old frame house which stood on the present farm, one of the first frame structures in the neighborhood.  He is a son of Thomas and Susan (Kephart) Sutton, and a grandson of Joseph and Sally (O'Hara) Sutton.      Joseph Sutton was one of the greatest woodsmen of his day.  He was a scout during the War of 1812, and he it was who blazed the State road through Allen County.  He came here from Montgomery and Champaign counties, locating in Allen County in 1822.  His life had been one of much adventure and gave him a roving disposition.  He was a great hunter and trapper, and took up land in various portions of the county but retained none of it permanently.  He was friendly with the Indians and did much bartering with them, his family being one of the very first white ones to settle here.      Thomas Sutton was an entirely different man.  When he reached manhood, he took up land in section 3 and kept adding to his original tract until he owned a large farm.  He was born in Champaign County, Ohio, Jan. 27, 1809, and married Susan Kephart, who was born Feb. 22, 1816, and died July 27, 1891.  She was a daughter of George Kephart, a pioneer miller.  Mrs. Sutton was one of the little band of worshipers that was faithful to the Amanda Baptist Church, in the pioneer days, when it required loyalty.  She was converted, when quite young, and her life was one of consistency to her Christian faith.  She was permitted to see her husband also become a member of the same faith, he joining the church Nov. 18, 1869.  Mrs. Sutton was affectionately known all through this neighborhood as "Grandma Sutton," and her many acts of kindness endeared her to both old and young.      Thomas Sutton was one of the trustees of Amanda township and both he and his brother were school directors for many years.  The first school-house was on his farm, located about 50 feet south of where Richard T. Sutton's present residence stands.  It was a long structure and its fittings were exceedingly primitive.  The early teachers were George Maxom, Pell John- and Misses Williams and Vincent.  Mr. Sutton died in 1877.  Of his eight children, the survivors are: Robert, a veteran of the Civil War and a resident of Spencerville; Mary K. Spencer of Spencerville; Catherine wife of Francis Bice; and Richard T.      To look back to the childhood and youth of our subject, takes the reader to days of pioneer simplicity.  He recalls with lively interest when his father's log house was the center of social life in Amanda township, and after a new plank floor was put in the old log barn that edifice became the favorite meeting place for social gatherings from miles around.  While in many ways the life of the pioneers was one of toil, hardship and privation, it was by no means lacking in pleasures, many of them of course of a simpler nature than modern life demands, but no less enjoyable.  Both father and mother were industrious; in fact, with a large farm to clear and eight children to rear, there was but little time for idleness.  The careful mother made all the family clothing by hand dfrom flax, which, in all probability, she sowed and pulled herself and spun into thread and wove into cloth, or, from the wool grown on the home farm, and her busy, capable hands also spun the yarn and knitted the stockings and mittens for her family.  She made the candles and the soap, tried out the lard at the yearly butchering, and baked those loaves of sweet, wholesome bread which her children still, most likely, believe never to have been equalled; in fact, in recalling all the good mothers did n those days, their descendants are lost in admiration and wonder.  In Mr. Sutton's youth there were no lucifer matches in use, fire being produced with the old flint upon punk or two, and upon occasion live coals had to be procured from the neighbors.      Ploughing was done with the old wooden mold-board plow, which stirred the virgin soil then rich enough to produce without fertilization, and the harvesting was done with a reaping hook and sickle, and later with the hand cradle.  Corn was dropped in the long, tiresome rows by the barefooted boys of the family, grain by grain, and was then covered with the hoe.  As but 10 acres had been cleared when Thomas Sutton settled here and as the land was heavily timbered, oxen had to be used for the work.  Our subject remembers that when bad weather prevented outside work his father was kept busy fashioning the family shoes and even earning an addition to his income by making them for others.  Hand mills were in general use as established grinding mills were then far distant, Piqua being the nearest point to the Sutton household.  Mr. Sutton has seen all this fair locality developed out of the forest and in his youth did a large part of the work of redeeming this farm.      The present home is known as the "Fountain Farm."  Mr. Sutton has been an extensive stock-raiser for a number of years and now has 200 head of sheep, 20 head of horses and about the same number of hogs.  In its equipments of machinery, cultivation and improvements, it is one of the most modern in all Amanda township.  The handsome residence has been built upon a slight elevation which gives a wide outlook in every direction.  The grounds are carefully attended to, and the result is a beautifully shaded lawn and a profusion of flowers in their season.  In 1882 Mr. Sutton lost his fine home and all his buildings by a destructive fire.  They were rebuilt and again burned to the ground, in 1894; by 1895 he had replaced the buildings with still better ones, and in 1903 he erected his new barn, a substantial structure, 48 by 36 feet in dimensions, modern in every particular.  He is a man with very practical, sensible ideas and in making his many improvements has built entirely along modern lines.      Mr. Sutton was married to Amarella Bice, who is a daughter of the late William and Tabitha (Sunderland) Bice.  Mrs. Bice was a daughter of Dye and Mercy (Berryman) Sunderland.  Mr. Sunderland was one of the very first settlers at Fort Amanda.  The father of Mrs. Sutton was a man of prominence in the county, and served for some years as county commissioner.      Mr. and Mrs. Sutton have two children - a daughter and son; the former, Ura Lucretia, is the wife of George Daugherty, of Spencerville; and the latter, Charles Thomas, assists on the home farm.      In religious belief Mr. and Mrs. Sutton have always been identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church.  They are well and widely known all through Amanda township representing, as they do, two of the old and prominent pioneer families.  Their beautiful home is one of great hospitality, its owners showing a hearty welcome to their many friends on all occasions.  Mr. Sutton has never been very active in politics but he has always been ready to do his full part in advancing the township's interests in the way of public improvements, and the making and upholding of good laws. Source:  History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 396