The
following Biographies of "SHELBY FARMERS" are paraphrased
from
an original collection of biographies titled "SHELBY FARMERS"
appearing
in the 1907 Shelby Globe. It is due to the hard work of
the
original writer, Henry E. Sheets that we have these to add our
collection of historical research. He stated it was his purpose
to
interview
every farmer within 9 miles of Shelby.
Due
to the length of these articles, I have condensed them.
I
have tried to recapture all of the historical details in my writing
but
would certainly encourage you to make a trip to the
genealogy
room at the Marvin Library and to view the
original
text on micro-film. - Mr. Kim B. Histed
J.
W. ACKERMAN
was
born in Crawford County on November 3, 1871.
His
father Jacob and his mother Caroline still live in
Crawford
County. There were 11 children born into
his
mother and father's family.
J.W. Ackerman lives 3 miles and a half from Shelby on
R.R.
2. He was educated in the district schools and
is
a carpenter by trade.
In 1899 he married IDA BROWN of Crawford County.
They have 2 children, a boy and a girl. Ackerman owns
63 acres of land. Before becoming actively associated
with
farming he did contracting all over Richland and
Crawford
County. Both he and his wife belong to the
United
Brethren Church.
GORDAM
ADAMS
was
born Jan 13, 1862(?) in Plymouth township.
His
mother Elizabeth and father Samuel are both dead.
Of
his father and mother's family 6 children were born.
Five
of whom are living, four reside in this county.
Mr. Adams lives 3 miles from town in Cass Township
on
R.R.#4. He attended district schools and he is
a
carpenter by trade and a good workman.
In 1897 he married CORA BELSTLINE ( Beistline)
who was born and raised in Richland County.
They
have one child, a boy.
W.
H. ADAMS
was
born in Shiloh, Richland County on January 14, 1844.
His
father, Andrew was born in Pennsylvania and his Mother
Ann
was born in Richland County. He had 3 siblings,
two
of whom are now living, having a sister in Indianapolis.
In 1872 he married MARY HUMBERT of Richland County.
They
have 4 children, 3 still being at home.
The
Adams live 3 miles from Shelby on R.R.# 4.
Mr.
Adams has 163 acres.
GEORGE
ARMOLD
was
born March 4, 1849 in Perry County, Pennsylvania,
coming
to Ohio with his father John P. and his mother,
Susanna
- both deceased.
He has 3 siblings living. The family lived in Stark County
before
coming to Richland County. Mr. Armold lives 3 miles from
town
on R.R.#1 on the family homestead comprised of 109 acres.
In 1877 he married AGNES RHODES who was born in
Richland County. Their daughter married JOHN HOFFMAN of
Shelby,
their son is a druggist in Mansfield, Richland County, Ohio.
George
Armold and his wife are members of the
Lutheran Church at London.
ISSAC
F. ARTZ
who
lived East of Shelby on R.R.#1 was born in Franklin
Township,
Richland County on January 2, 1871. His
father
Henry and his mother Hannah were of the old settlers.
His
father has been dead for years while his mother is still living.
He
had 5 siblings, one is now dead.
Issac Artz has worked on a farm all of his life and for several
years
engaged in teaming and for a period of 18 months worked at
the
Shelby Tube.
Artz
married EMMA COVER in 1894. They have 4 children
at
home.
Currently
he is in charge of 80 acres rented from Gideon Arnold.
In
the spring he will move to a farm owned by the Bricker Brothers,
which
is 1 1/2 milesfrom town.
CHARLES
BAIRD
was
born in Crawford County in February of 1876 to
John
and Lizzie Baird and currently lives 10 miles north of Shelby.
He
has 7 siblings, 6 are still living. His father came to this
county from Germany while his mother is a native of America.
Six years ago he married NELLIE FAULKNER who was reared in
Crawford
County. They have 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl.
He purchased his 60 acre farm from James Powers.
Prior
to coming to Richland County, Baird lived in Huron County.
He is a member of the Auburn Grange and been Road Supervisor
for
3 years. The Bairds are members of theMethodist Church.
ELMER
M. BAKER
was
born in Franklin Township, Richland County on March 6,
1866
to Daniel and Malinda Baker. He has 8 siblings. 6 in Richland
County,
1 in Ashland and 1 in Cleveland.
Mr. Baker lives on 40 acres of land, 1 1/2 miles from town on
R.R.
#5 and is a carpenter by trade.
In 1885 he married MARGARET ELIZABETH SMITH, a Richland
County
native. They had 3 children. One is dead. Of the two son's
living,
one is 20 and the other is 10.
Mr. Baker is Road Supervisor, Constable and School Director.
He
and his wife attend the Reformed Church.
D.
L. BAKER
who
resides 3 miles from town on R.R.#1, was born in
Cumberland
Pennsylvania, April 3, 1843. Both of his parents
have
been dead for some time and of the 3 children born to
his
parents, two are living.
In 1853 he came to Ohio and settled in Crawford County remaining
there
until 1859 when he moved to Wyandot County. Next he moved
to
Bellville in Richland County and remained there for 5 years.
Next
he came to Shelby, Ohio and bought his present 22 acre farm.
He was married for the first time in 1865 and in 1882 married
his
second
wife Miss Kitzmiller. Of the second union there have been
5
children. Two are still at home.
Both he and his wife are members of the Church of God. He
is
also a member of the I.O.O.F. and the Masons.
G.
W. BARGA
lives
3 miles from Shelby on R.R.#2. He was born on May 24, 1835
in
Sharon Township, Richland County Ohio. His father was a pioneer
to
the area coming from Virginia while his mother was born in
Pennsylvania. His father fought in the war of 1812 shortly before
coming
to Ohio.
Mr.
Barga had 5 siblings, all are dead except for 3 boys.
A
brother lives in Michigan and one lives in Toledo.
At
the outbreak of the Civil war, he enlisted in the 15th regiment
O.V.I.
and
in 1864 re-enlisted in the 163 O.V.I. At the second enlistment
he
was made a corporal.
In 1862 he married FANNIE COBLE of Richland County.
They
have 3 children and live on a 77 acre farm. He is a road
supervisor
and he and his wife attend the Myers Chapel of the
Lutheran
Church.
J.
L. BARGAHEISER
was
born on the 29th of November 1834 in Sharon Township,
Richland
County Ohio and now resides 1 mile from town on R.R. 3.
His father Levi and mother Susan were among the first settlers
to
settle
the area and had 5 children. Two survive. Levi was a soldier
in
the
war of 1812. He entered a quarter section of land here in 1815
but
did
not settle on it until 1818. Coming here from Pennsylvania with
Martin
Ruffner, Levi was very close to the scene of the historic
massacre
of Ruffner and Seymour. The papers for entering the
land
were signed by James Monroe and the deed signed by
Andrew
Jackson.
In 1856, J.L. Bargaheiser married Mary Ellen Price of Knox County.
They
have 7 children, one son and two daughters are now living.
Both Mr. Bargaheiser and his wife are members of
the Lutheran Church.
H.
J. BARNES
lives
3 1/2 miles from Shelby on R.R.#5. He was born in
Richland
County January 12, 1854 to Patrick and Katherine
Barnes.
Both Deceased. He had 9 siblings, 5 are still living.
Mr.
Barnes was married in 1882 to CARRIE PITTENGER, they
have
5 children.
Mr.
Barnes has 151 acres of land, is a school director and township
trustee.
He is a carpenter by trade and he and his wife attend
the
Lutheran Church.
WILLIAM
J. BERG
lives
1 1/2 miles from Shelby on R.R.#3. He was born in Mansfield
on
November 22, 1871. His father William J. and his mother Mary,
both
dead, lived in Richland County for years.
Mr.
Berg had 3 brothers and a sister, 2 of whom are now living.
From his 7th to his 12th year he lived in Mansfield and attended
school
there. From this time until he was 21 he lived in London
where
he attended school.
He
was married seven years ago to LAURA LYBARGER of near
Ganges,
they have 4 children.
He
is cultivating 80 acres of land that he rents from George Arnold.
Mr.
Berg and his wife are members of the Reformed Church.
THOMAS
S. BRADLEY
Of
the men of Shelby and Richland County Thomas S. Bradley is
the
best known. He was born 1 mile north of the reformatory in
Madison Township on June 18, 1832. His father William B.
and
mother Priscilla, were the parents of 10 children, 6 of whom
are
still living. William B. came from Maryland and his mother
came
from York State. Both migrating to this state at a very
young
age.
From
the time he was 2 years of age until he was 20, Thomas S. Bradley
lived
on a farm 5 miles east of Shelby. He then got the western fever
and
in 1852 left this state for California, mining for gold from
the
American
River to British Columbia.
On
his first trip he remained in California for 7 years, working
in
practically
every camp of consequence in the state. He then
returned
to his home in Ohio for a short time before returning