Henry Spyker of Pennsylvania and his wife Elizabeth Todd of Kentucky were pioneers of Pickaway County, Ohio, and later of Allen County, where both died. Their son Samuel, born at Circleville in 1813, learned the plasterer's and brick mason's trades and settled on section 25 of Shawnee Township, in 1837 by the 1906 history or 1841 by the 1885 history, clearing two farms there. Samuel married Sarah Weaver in 1835 and Margaret Losch in 1851 and had twenty children by the two marriages. His daughter Mary, born on the homestead in 1840, was widowed when her first husband, the Cridersville merchant Charles D. Meffley, died about 1865, and his youngest surviving son, Joel, born in 1865, became a large oil operator in the Ohio and Indiana fields and president of the Consumers' Fuel, Building & Supply Company. Every fact below is cited to a public-domain Allen County history.
Where the family starts
Henry Spyker and Elizabeth (Todd) Spykerthe earliest generation in the recordMost recent in our records
Joel Spykerborn 1865Tap a name to jump to that person.
Pioneers of Pickaway and Allen counties
Plasterer, brick mason and farmer, section 25, Shawnee Township
WIAMUEL SPYKER, for many years “ai a prominent resident of Shawnee 3, township, was the father of Joel Spyker, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Locating in Shawnee township early as 1837, he materially aided in the development of what is now one of the richest townships in Ohio, clearing his farm and assisting in the building of roads.
Samuel Spyker was born at Circleville, Ohio, November 13, 1813, and was a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Todd) Spyker, his father being a native of Pennsylvania and his mother, of Kentucky.
His parents were pioneers of Pickaway and Allen counties, dying in the latter at advanced ages.
Samuel Spyker was reared in his native county and acquired the trades of plasterer and brick mason. He worked on a farm and at his trades in Pickaway County until 1837, when he located in Allen County, settling upon a farm in section 25, Shawnee township, which is still owned by his heirs. He cleared this farm, as well as a 100-acre tract east of the homestead and in the same section. Here he resided until his death in 1897, in Shawnee township thereby losing one of its most substantial and public-spirited citizens.
Samuel Spyker was first married December 13, 1835, to Sarah Weaver, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Fox) Weaver, and they had eight children, seven of whom reached maturity as follows: Martin; Lewis; Elizabeth, wife of Francis Stevenson; Allen; Mary,
HISTORY, OBR ALLEN COUNTY, wife of Francis Mohler; Henry, deceased; and Jocob. After the death of Mrs. Spyker, Samuel Spyker formed a second union August 13, 1851, with Margaret Losch, a daughter of Michael and Eva (Smith) Losch, by whom he had 12 children, as follows: Jonathan; Sarah, Samuel, Peter and Theodore, all deceased; Effie, wife of D. Tippy; Charles, deceased; Joel; Nettie; Addie; and twins who died in infancy. Two of his 12 sons served with distinction in the Civil War.
Politically, our subject was a lifelong Democrat. In religious connections both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Daughter of Samuel Spyker
Daughter of Samuel Spyker
Oil operator and farmer, Perry Township
MOEL SPYKER, one of the substantial N @ and prominent citizens of Perry township, president of the Consumers’ Fuel, Building & Supply Company, a large oil operator and producer for a number of years, has recently taken possession of his fine farm of 240 acres in section 9, Perry township. Mr. Spyker was born in Shawnee township, Allen County, Ohio, March 29, 1865, and is a son of the late Samuel Spyker, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.
Joel Spyker attended the schools of Shawnee township, passed two years in academic study at Cridersville, and later went to Ottawa, where he was graduated in 1887. He then returned to the old homestead farm in Shawnee township, but soon interested himself in the oil industry and became a large operator. ‘and producer in the Ohio and Indiana oil fields. For a considerable period he was the most extensive operator of this section.” Mr. Spyker is gradually reducing his interests in this line, disposing of his oil properties in order to give more attention to his productive farm in section 9, Perry township. He is still associated with the German-American and the Niagara oil companies and is the president and a stockholder of the Consumers’ Fuel, Building & Supply Company.
In point of location, fertility and improvements the farm owned by Mr. Spyker. is among the finest in the county. In connection with other interests he operates a dairy for which he keeps a herd of choice Jersey cows. Amid beautiful surroundings, his stately brick residence has-been constructed according to the most modern architectural designs, and is the type of an ideal rural home, in which is combined the advantages of the country and the conveniences of the city. The out-buildings are also modern and commodious. The great barn, especially is convenient, sanitary and even ornamental, and the lighting is entirely by electricity.
In 1887 Mr. Spyker was married to Mary Driscoll, who was born in Williams County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Dennis Driscoll, who died when Mrs. Spyker was but 18 months old. Mr. and Mrs. Spyker have a family of five children, viz: Lawrence K., Gertrude, Florence, Erma and Elenor. The family is identified with the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Spyker has always been a leader in movements conductive to the public welfare. He has served for four years as a member of the Lima Board of Education, and _ has evinced much interest in all movements tending to civic advancement. His fraternal connections include membership in Solar Lodge, No. 783, and Lima Encampment, No. 62, I. O. O. F. He also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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