HON. WILLIAM RUSLER
HON. WILLIAM RUSLER, one of the most prominent and
substantial citizens of Shawnee township, whose portrait is shown on the
opposite page, resides upon a fine farm of 180 acres in section 17. He
has not only attained success as a farmer, but as a public officer so
discharged his duties as to gain the respect and hearty commendation of
the people.
Mr. Rusler was born in Shawnee township, about two and a half miles
east of his present farm, on March 7, 1851, being a son of Philip and
Elizabeth (Anthony) Rusler, and a grandson of George Rusler. The
grandfather was a native of Pennsylvania, and about 1820 located in
Trumbull County, Ohio where his death subsequently occurred. He married
Elizabeth Ellenbarger, a native of Germany, and of a large family of
children but two came to Allen County John, who later settled near St.
Marys, and Philip.
Philip Rusler was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, October 17, 1825,
and about 1847 moved to Allen County, where he there-after farmed, with
the exception of two years during the early part of the Civil War, when
he lived just north of St. Marys. Although always of delicate health,
he was anxious to serve his country's cause when it needed him.
Consequently, during the winter of 1864-65, when the affairs of the
nation where at a crisis, he deemed it his duty to offer his services.
He enlisted, but owing to his continued ill health never got beyond
Camp Dennison, where he remained until the close of the war. He then
returned to his farm, but as he never regained good health the bulk of
the farm work was done by his son William. He died in 1874, aged 49
years.
Philip Rusler married Elizabeth Anthony, a native of Jackson
County, Ohio, and a daughter of David and Nancy Anthony, by whom he had
five children, namely: William, the subject of this sketch; David A.;
Mary Cahterine; Franklin, and a child who died in infancy, unnamed. Of
these children all died in childhood but William and Franklin; the
latter lived to the age of 30 years, when he too passed away. Philip
Rusler was a Democrat in politics. Religiously, he was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
William Rusler was reared in Shawnee township until the removal of
his parents to St. Marys at the beginning of the war. Two years later
they returned, and his education was completed here in the district
schools and in the Lima High School. Owing to his father's death he was
unable to pursue his studies to graduation in the High School. He
engaged in teaching during the winter months and during the summer
worked upon the farm. He taught school 13 years, always in this county,
except for two terms. He has always been an enthusiastic Democrat and
has worked hard for party success. He has frequently been called upon
to serve in official capacity and ably discharged his duties. He has
been township clerk, land assessor and twice a member of the School
Board. For three years he served as Indian farmer of the Lake Court
Oreilles Reservation one of the seven reserves constituting the LaPoint
Agency and served until the end of Cleveland's administration. In
1893, he was elected to the State Legislature, and during his four year'
service in that body secured much needed legislation for his
constituents. Some of the measures fostered by him showed that he
possessed unusual capacity for that service and was somewhat in advance
of the times. One of them, an "Anti- Shoddy Bill," required the
labeling of all articles of merchandise to show of what they consisted,
a measure resembling the pure food laws of the present day. This bill
passed the House by a vote of 70 to 10, although there were but 23
Democratic members in that body; but it was killed in the Senate.
Another bill, whose aim curing party nominations, was the "Primary
Election Law," which has since been adopted in many States.
Mr. Rusler s a fine farm, improved according to modern methods. To
the original tract of 80 acres secured by his father, he has added 100
acres, most of which he aided in clearing. He built a fine modern home,
and made all the substantial improvements on the place. He was reared
to hard work, and the success attained by him is the result of his
individual effort.
Mr. Rusler was married, in 1874, to Anna McClintock, who died in
1884, leaving four children; Tessie J., who married D. A. Bowsher and
lives in Shawnee township; C. A., living on the north end of the farm,
who married Maud Zurmehly he teaches school and farms the home place;
Eva May, who married John Seref and lives in Shawnee township and Daisy,
who married Ira Coon and lives in Amanda township. His second marriage,
in 1884, was to Sophronia Wiesenmayer, a native of Shawnee township, and
a daughter of George Wiesenmayer, who lives in Amanda township. They
have a daughter, Bessie M., who was named after an Indian. She married
Guy Culp and they live in Shawnee township. Mr. Rusler is a member of
the Shawnee Methodist Episcopal Church, and affiliates with the Knights
of Pythias.
ELIJAH EDMAN
ELIJAH EDMAN, a retired citizen of Lima and an
honored veteran of the Civil War, war formerly a prominent farmer of
Shawnee township, and still retains possession of his well-improved farm
of 196 acres there. Mr. Edman as born November 7, 1827, in Licking
County, Ohio.
He was educated in his native county and grew to young manhood a
practical farmer. In 1853 he came to Allen County and followed farming
until 1861, when he enlisted for the 100-day service in the Union Army,
under Captain Titus, in the 151st Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf. His first
term of enlistment was spent mainly in the forts around Washington, on
guard duty, after which he returned home for a few months; but in the
spring of 1862 he reenlisted, entering the 192nd Regiment, Ohio Vol.
Inf. During this enlistment he saw much hardship as a soldier,
participating in the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley; but during the
whole period he was fearless in the discharge of duty and was honorably
discharged after making a record for fidelity and bravery. He is one of
the valued members of Mart Armstrong Post, No. 202, G. A. R., at Lima.
He draws a pension of $12 per month.
Until 1888 Mr. Edman continued his agricultural operations. His
fine farm in Shawnee township had been cleared through his own industry
and during his many years' residence upon it he continued its
improvement. Since coming to Lima, he has lived retired from active
participation in business affairs. His pleasant home is situated at No.
706 East High street.
On November 28, 1853, Mr. Edman was married to Martha Jane Wagner,
and many years of happy wedded life were afforded them before the death
of Mrs. Edman of January 11, 1906. This recent bereavement has saddened
a hitherto unbroken family circle. These children were born to them:
Wilson, of Portland, Indiana; Marion, of Auglaize County, Ohio; Charles
and Amos, of Hume, Allen County; Emma, wife of Louis Neff, of Lima;
Martin, of Lima; Grant, of Waynesboro, Virginia; and Ida, wife of Grant
McKay, of Lima.
PETER DILLER
PETER DILLER, who for over 30 years has been one of
the leading business men of Bluffton, was born in Riley township, Putnam
County, Ohio, near the Allen County line, Septemer 14, 1847, when
Bluffton was only a trading-point. He is a son of Peter and Barbara
(Sutter) Diller.
The father of our subject was born in Alsace, France, February 26,
1813. His father died while he was but a boy, and in 1824 he and his
brother John accompanied their mother to America. They located at first
in Homes County, Ohio, and removed from there in 1836 to Putnam County,
this State, where the mother died in 1847. Peter Diller, Sr., was a
farmer all his life. He cleared a tract of 160 acres in Putnam County,
which he entered from the government and to which he later added by
purchase. His death occurred September 1, 1866. On January 5, 1837, he
married Barbara Sutter, who was also born in Alsace, France, October 5,
1818, and came to Ohio with her parents in 1825. They settled in
Virginia, and moved in 1834 to Putnam County, Ohio. She died April 5,
1860. They had eight children, our subject being the fifth in order of
birth.
Peter Diller, our subject, remained on his father's farm until 18
years of age, and during this time worked for a season at the
carpenter's trade. In 1869 he came to the village of Bluffton and for a
short time was a clerk in the clothing and dry goods store of John
Henderson. In June, 1872, in partnership with A. D. Lugibihl, he bought
Ransom Barlett's hardware business, and together they operated on of the
first hardware stores in Bluffton, continuing in business partnership
for more than a quarter of a century, under the firm name of Diller &
Lugibihl. The partnership was dissolved in November, 1898, when Mr.
Diller sold his interest.
For some time Mr. Diller was engaged in the manufacture of a
photographic attachment, the "Klay" multiplying plate older, a unique
patented device for producing from 2 to 28 different pictures on a
single plate. It was an attachment which proved of the greatest value
to photographers, and Mr. Diller continued in the manufacturing business
for four years.
In 1902 Mr. Diller embarked in his present large enterprise, the
cream separator business, which has developed into one of the largest
and most important industries of this section. He continued under his
own name for two years, then formed a stock company and the business was
incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio, in November, 1904, as
The Sanitary Cream Separator Company. Mr. Diller is president and
general manager of this large concern. The introduction of the
"Sanitary" cream separator has been of the greatest benefit to the
dairyman and farmer. It has many noted advantages over its competitors
in its general construction, and has been received with the greatest
favor by the large dairymen, while it is equally useful to the farmer's
wife who looks after the milk from but a few cows. The company gives
employment to eight hands. Mr. Diller has other important interests,
being the president of and a stockholder in the Comercial Bank & Savings
Company. He is a member of the Council and was one of the water-works
trustees. In politics he takes no very active part, but votes with the
Republican party.
Mr. Diller was married May 24, 1876, in Tennessee, to Mary Stalder,
who was born in Switzerland, and is a daughter of Ulrich Stalder. They
came here in 1859. Mr. and Mrs. Diller have two children: Estella, born
March 2, 1877, who is the wife of Dr. H. O. Frederick, of Bluffton; and
Waldo E. born June 25, 1881, who is a stockholder in The Sanitary Cream
Separator Company and represents its interests on the road.
For a long period Mr. Diller has been a leader in affairs of moment
at Bluffton, and his fellow-citizens testified to their continued esteem
and confidence by reelecting him a member of their governing body in
November, 1905.
J. R. COULSTON
J. R. COULSTON, road master of the L. E. & W. Railroad,
at Lima, where he has been located since May, 1900, was born in 1870 at
Toledo, Ohio, and is a son of Mathew Coulston, a landscape gardener of
that city.
Until 10 years of age, Mr. Coulston attended school both in Ohio and
Pennsylvania, and then returned to Toledo, where his education was
completed. After teaching school for several years, he studied for a
year in the city civil engineering office at Toledo, and in the fall of
1890 went with the engineering corps of the L. S. & M. S. Railway. In
the spring of 1891 he entered the government service as harbor inspector
of the district between Cleveland and Toledo, efficiently filling this
important position before he had attained his majority after completing
the season's work he returned to the engineering corps of the L. S. & M.
S. Railway, with headquarters at Jackson, Michigan.
After one season's work there, Mr. Coulston was placed in charge of
the Lansing Division, his duties being doubled. He then came to Lima as
road master of the Lake Erie & Western Railroad. Much of the efficiency
of this road is directly due to Mr. Coulston's efforts. All the work
with which he has been directly concerned has advanced most
satisfactorily and the value of the property has been greatly increased.
On October 5, 1894, Mr. Coulston was married to Nita F. Houston, who
is a daughter of James and Anna M. (Allardyce) Houston. The former is
deceased. Mrs. Houston still survives and makes her home with her
daughter, Mrs. Coulston. Mr. and Mrs. Coulston have one child, Joseph
F. They are members of Christ Protestant Episcopal Church at Lima.
Mr. Coulston's railroad supervision covers the Lake Erie & Western
tracks from Sandusky to the Indiana State line, a stretch of 145 miles.
His ability is so well known that he has been given an opportunity to
entertain a proposition connected with the construction of the Panama
Railroad.
S. D. EVANS
S. D. EVANS, now living retired in his comfortable
residence at No. 411 East High street, Lima, is one of the best-known
railroad men of this section, and is also an honored survivor of the
Civil War, in which he served almost continuously from its beginning to
its triumphal close. Mr. Evans was born August 29, 1842, in Fairfield
County, Ohio, and is a son of William H. and Caroline (Eleck) Evans.
The name of Evans was well-known among the pioneer settlers of Allen
County. The father of S. D. Evans came here in 1848. He became a
prominent farmer and also followed his trade of blacksmith in Marion
township, where he and his wife passed away.
S. D. Evans attended the primitive log schoolhouse in the vicinity
of his father's farm. He was 18 years old when the Civil War came upon
the land, and was one of the first in his locality to proffer his
services when a call was made for soldiers for a term of three months.
He enlisted on April 20, 1861, in Company F., 20th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf.,
and was mustered in at Columbus. His regiment was used in guarding the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad lines in West Virginia. After the close of
his first term he came home, but on February 6, 1862, he reenlisted,
entering Company F, 46th Reg. Ohio Vol. Inf. During the years which
followed, Mr. Evans saw much of the hardship and hazard of a soldier's
life, his regiment taking an active and important part in some of the
most dangerous campaigns of those years. At the battle of Shiloh he
received two wounds; but he was too good a soldier to permit these to
incapacitate him long, and he was soon on duty and participated in the
seige of Corinth, the march to Memphis and to Vicksburg, the long siege
there, then back and up the Mississippi, across to Chattanooga, in the
terrible fight on Missionary Ridge and then to the relief of Burnside at
Knoxville. Then followed the wearying march to Scottsboro, Alabama,
where the regiment was veteranized. Mr. Evans reenlisted for a possible
three years more, enjoyed his furlough of 30 days at home, and then
returned to his regiment, which took part in the Atlanta campaign with
General Sherman, participated in the last fight, at Bentonville, and
then covered with rags and glory, with battle-flags showing the rents of
shot and shell, made the long march to Washington, D. C., and
participated in the Grand Review. He was honorably mustered out of the
service on July 22, 1865. For 18 months of his service he was detailed
as orderly to his colonel.
After the close of the war, Mr. Evans returned home and soon entered
into the service of the C., H. & D. Railway, with which company he
served as freight conductor for 11 years and as passenger conductor for
20 years. He retired from the railroad in October, 1901, with an
honorable record and with the most cordial relations existing between
him and his superiors in the service. Mr. Evans is one of the
stockholders of the Consumers Fuel, Building & Supply Company and has
numerous other business interests in Lima.
On September 3, 1868, Mr. Evans was married to Zerelda Bussert, who
died in 1901. She was a daughter of Abraham Bussert, one of the
earliest settlers in Allen County. Two children were born to Mr. and
Mrs. Evans, namely: Mr. M. S., an engineer on the C., H. & D. Railway;
and Maud, deceased in 1891, who graduated from the Lima High School and
became the wife of Lewis Sanford.