The Baxter Families of Allen County, Ohio

JAMES BAXTER, farmer, P. O. Allentown, was born September 9, 1817, in Ross County, Ohio, son of Samuel and Keziah (Cremean) Baxter, former born in Knox County, Ohio, son of John and Sarah Baxter, both foreigners. Samuel Baxter had eleven children, those living are James; Curtis, in Marion Township, this county; Smith, in German Township, this county; David, in Marion Township, this county; Eliza, wife of William Cochran, of Marion Township, this county. The family came to Amanda Township, this county, in 1827, where they endured all the trials and hardships of pioneer life. The father died about four years after his removal to this county. Our subject being the eldest, manfully assumed the responsibility left by his father in providing for the family and clearing the farm, and for this reason he received but little education. At eighteen years of age he started out for himself, engaging in daily labor. He was married, April 20, 1837, to Melissa John, who was born January 10, 1820, in Ross County, Ohio, daughter of Griffith and Rachel (Miller) John, former a son of Abia and Martha John, born September 6, 1795, died February 20, 1856; latter a daughter of George and Sarah Miller, born September 13, 1802, died June 23, 1862. They were married February 20, 1817. To our subject and wife were born eleven children, four of whom died without issue. Samuel, the second child, was born April 16, 1839 (he was a corporal in Company I, Thirty-fourth Regiment, killed at Winchester, Ya., in the battle between Gens. Sheridan and Early; he was married to Rachel Cremean, by whom he had three children). Those living are Griffith J., in Cotfey County, Kans.; Keziah, wife of William D. Poling, county auditor; David E., in Amanda Township, this county; Levi, in Amanda Township, this county; Eliza (wife of Otis Fraunfelter), of Bath Township, this county, and Rachel, at home, unmarried. Mr. Baxter has held the office of township trustee for sixteen years and was for six years county infirmary director, arriving to these positions of honor by energy and close application to business. The family are members of the Christian Church, in which our subject was elder. He takes an active interest in the improvement of stock and farm products, and in the advancement of education and religion. He has lived to see a beautiful and productive country developed from the once dense forest, and to see thirty-two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren around him.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

SMITH BAXTER, farmer, P. O. Elida, is a native of Ross County, Ohio, born October 10, 1824; son of Samuel and Keziah (Cremean) Baxter, who were of English and Scotch descent, and who came from Ross County, Ohio, to this county in 1828, where the father soon afterward died, and where the mother died in 1853. Of their family of nine children only five survive: James, Curtis, Smith, David E. and Eliza. Our subject was married, March 29, 1845, to Miss Mary Cremean, of German Township, this county, a native of Ross County, Ohio, and daughter of William and Margaret (Miller) Cremean (both deceased) who came from

Ross County, Ohio, to this county in 1839, and reared a family of eight children, all now living. To Mr. and Mrs. Baxter were born the following children: Sarah E., James J., Elizabeth J., Rachel A., Samuel B.,

Mary M., Freemont W., Roxana M. and Flora T., all now living but Samuel and Roxana. Mr. Baxter entered land in German Township in 1847, which he cleared and improved, and about ten years later went into general trading, continuing in same until about 1867, after which he confined himself to the lumber trade for several years, then operated his farm for a few years again, and in 1881 engaged in mercantile trade in Elida, Ohio, disposing of his business there in 1883. Since that date Mr. Baxter has been somewhat retired. He has served in some of the township offices. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Baxter was a Democrat until 1852, since which time he has been a stanch Republican.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

SAMUEL A. BAXTER (deceased), was born in Washington County, Md., September 26, 1807; son of Samuel A. Baxter, of English descent, his ancestry being among the early settlers of Maryland and Virginia. Our subject, a matter and furrier by trade, was offered an opportunity to take charge of a hat store in Lancaster, Ohio, by a gentleman who met him while East buying goods. He accepted this offer and immediately, in company with another young man, set out, having one horse which they rode alternately. On arriving at his destination Mr. Baxter took charge of the business which he conducted many years, and eventually bought out. During his residence in Lancaster, and while working at his trade, he commenced to study law under ex- Gov. William Medill. In 1838 he removed to Lima, and opened a hat store, which he carried on most of the time till 1816, when he spent a winter attending the law school at Cincinnati, and was admitted to the bar in 1847. Returning to Lima, he then commenced to practice his profession and soon became a prominent member of the bar. He dealt largely in real estate, was enterprising, persevering, generously giving of his means to the poor and every good cause, and was foremost in every enterprise conducive to the improvement of Lima. Mr. Baxter was married in 1833, to Miss Nancy, daughter of Henry Mason, by whom he had three children, two now living: Alfred C. and Samuel A. Mrs. Baxter died in 1862, and our subject subsequently married Annie M., daughter of John Mason, by which union there was one child — Nancy M. S. A.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE M. BAXTER (deceased) was born December 3, 1834, in Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio: son of Samuel A. and Nancy M. (Mason) Baxter. Samuel A. Baxter, a matter and furrier by trade, came to Lancaster in an early day to take charge of a hat and fur store there, which he conducted for many years. While thus employed he took up the study of law, under the preceptorship of ex Gov. William Allen, and finished his studies at the Cincinnati Law School, subsequently becoming a prominent lawyer of Lima. Our subject, also a graduate of the Cincinnati Law School, was admitted to the bar. He was married in June, 1855, to Margaret C., daughter of William Chaney of Lima, and to this union were born four children (one now living): Fannie M., married to J. K. Brice. August 30, 1880, died July 12, 1882; Alfred C., secretary Lima Gaslight Company, was married January 7, 1885, to Carrie, daughter of B. C. Faurot, a banker and proprietor of the opera house; Medora and George. Capt. George M. Baxter raised the first company of Zouaves of Lima, and. in 1802, went into the held where he served until 1804, then resigned on account of the death of his mother, and returned to Lima. He died May 10. 1805.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

DR. SAMUEL A. BAXTER.

When the wild mob in Paris was rushing on its way to overthrow the Bastile and the Palace of the Tuileries, an old man with silver hair appeared in the street, and with uncovered head called for silence. The leader of the mob at once recognized him, and called to his men, “Halt! Sixty years of pure life is about to address you. It is De La Ure; halt! and listen.” The mob halted and listened—then returned quietly to their homes, influenced by one known to be the friend of all humanity.

The long and eventful life of Dr. Baxter, filled with sweet charity and unselfish devotion to his friends and his home city, his high moral standing and business integrity, might well cause him to be called the “De La Ure” of Lima, and the one man who could influence the masses to do right under very trying and excited conditions.

Born, and largely educated, in Lima, all his life a over of his city and its people, no one claims a higher place in the hearts of the people. Called again and again to posts of influence and trust, he was never found wanting. When the city had a business crisis, or a great financial success, Dr. Baxter was always called on to aid in tiding over the one, and in expressing the general good will of the other.

Blest with a wise father and a devoted mother, plans were early matured for his medical education. He was graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College in 1863, and began practice in the army under a commission direct from Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. He was commissioned by John Brough, Governor of Ohio, to the 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry commanded by General Charles Grosvenor, a personal friend of Dr. Baxter from his youth. Later he’ served both as assistant and acting medical director of the Department of Georgia under Gen. James B. Steedman.

After the war, Dr. Baxter began the active practice of medicine in Lima. It was hard work for a time. But fortune came to him in disguise. He was made health officer, and was put in charge of all small-pox cases during the terrible courage in Lima. He nursed the sick, and buried the dead with his own hands. Smallpox then had greater terror than the bubonic plague has now. So successfully did he perform his loathsome work that, upon the passing of the courage, he found himself overwhelmed with business in Lima and for a radius of 50 miles about the city. He was called in counsel to adjoining towns, and was made surgeon for a number of railways. This success was soon followed by one as brilliant, but in another line —that of the financier. He became interested in great enterprises, was secretary of the original gas company, then entered the banking business, establishing the City Bank of Lima for a long time one of the most successful financial concerns of the Northwest; was president of the

First National Bank, which institution he made ‘substantial in every way. He managed the artificial and built the natural gas plants; was very influential in building the street car line; promoted and sold the Indiana & Ohio gas pipeline and secured the building of the car works, then consolidating these works with The Lima Locomotive & Machine Company, still one of the greatest of Lima’s industries. The Lake Erie & Western shops, the Chicago & Erie and the Ohio Southern railroads were each secured for Lima through his aid and enthusiasm. But other fields of usefulness also commanded his time and money: the Young Men’s Christian Association and Lima College, institutions of great credit to the city were greatly aided by him. Every church built in Lima in the last 40 years has been aided by his generosity. During his long business career he formed strong alliances in Bradford, England, Boston, New York, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and Chicago.

He has served the State as trustee of the State asylums for the insane at Dayton and at Toledo and in many other ways. The people of Lima elected him mayor of the city and would repeat it at any time they could get his consent to be a candidate.

A short time ago, Dr. Baxter retired from the banking business, and formed a partnership with his sons, under the name of Samuel A.

Baxter & Sons, for the purpose of developing his properties in the West, and for handling other extensive interests.

Dr. Baxter is a man of rare intellectual force, history being his favorite study. He has long been recognized as the leading historian not only of Lima, but of the county. To his untiring labors as a chronologist and as a collector of the facts of history, this work is largely due, and to him as a benefactor of the community the people owe an enduring monument.

Samuel A. Baxter is a friend worth having. No man has ever exhibited the sweet amenities of life in a higher degree than he. So warmhearted and generous—he has drawn men to him and held them through life with “hooks of steel.” To him charity is a word of sweet and familiar sound. No snow ever fell too deep, no northern last ever pierced too sharply to stay his helping hand. When old earth is wrapped in the icy bounds of the Frost King—and God’s poor are suffering most—then Dr. Baxter’s charity is most freely bestowed. In all the good — work he has done, he was only regarded by himself as a plain individual in the general economy. With him charity began at home, where, surrounded by a sweet and companionable wife and happy children, he was more than a lord, but his charity did not end there. He took too broad a view of life to be selfish—he lived and still lives for all humanity. When his career is ended, truly may it be said that, “Were all for whom he has done a kind act to bring but a blossom to his grave, he would sleep beneath a wilderness of flowers.” CC.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.