The Zimmerman Families of Wayne County, Ohio

EZEKIEL B. ZIMMERMAN.

It is a rare privilege, not enjoyed by many of us, to spend our lives on the old home place, which, after all, is the best place, no matter what other localities may have to offer, but this E. B. Zimmerman, a well-known farmer of Chippewa township, Wayne county, has been able to do, having been born on the place where he now resides, on September 30, 1848. His paternal grandparents were Nathan and Alary fAIorton) Zimmerman. The father of Alary Alorton had the distinction of being a soldier in the Revolutionary war under General Greene, and the Hessian army camped at one time on the Morton farm, near Trenton, New Jersey, killing all their stock; the farm was overrun and considerably damaged by the soldiers, but Greene’s army helped run the foreign enemy off the place. Alary Alorton was of English descent, while her husband was born in Germany. He lived for many years in Center county, Pennsylvania, and was finally killed there about 1811 or 1812 by a tree falling on him. The maternal grandparents of the subject, Samuel and Alaiy (Likens) AIcClelland, were natives of Pennsylvania also, the A-IcClellands having been of Scotch-Irish descent and the Likens family of Irish descent. Samuel and Alary AIcClelland moved to Ohio in a very early day and lived near Dalton, where Mr. McClelland died; later his widow moved to Indiana and married a Mr. Brown, and she lived to be past ninety-one years of age, dying in Indiana.

Ezekiel Zimmerman, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1808 in Pennsylvania and with his mother came to Ohio in 1812 and located near Alarshallville, WMyne county, in Chippewa township. There he grew up and worked on the farm, attending such primitive schools as the times afforded, receiving only a very meager education. The mother of the subject, Rachael Ann AIcClelland, was born near Dalton, Ohio, in 1821. She was the second wife of Mr. Zimmerman. The latter was always a farmer and at his death owned considerable land, about three hundred and forty acres, in Chippewa township; he traded a great deal in land and was very successful, though he lived a quiet, retired life for the most part. He was a Republican during most of his life, though he voted for Andrew Jackson. His death occurred in 1876, when he was over sixty-eight years of age, Avhile his wife survived until in March, 1908, dying when eighty-six years old. Thev were the parents of eight children, four of whom are still living.

E. B. Zimmerman was educated in the Smithville Academy; being an ambitious student, he later took a correspondence course with the Chautauqua Correspondence School for a period of nine years, receiving a graded certificate.

]\Mr. Zimmerman early in life began active farming and lumbering and has continued in these lines ever since with marked success. He now owns one hundred and sixty-two acres of the old homestead and seventy-eight acres in another place, besides one hundred and twenty-two acres owned by his wife, which he manager. He carries on general farming in a manner that stamps him as one of the leading agriculturists of the township, his places all being under a high state of improvement. He has a beautifully located and attractive dwelling, a fine barn and all the outbuildings and farming machinery needed by an up-to-date farmer. He keeps an excellent grade of livestock, being especially fond of horses and cattle and a good judge of the same.

Mr. Zimmerman was married on March 14. 1877, to Frances Hess, a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and the daughter* of James and Christiana (Franks) Hess. To Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman have been born seven children, namely; Edna E., a graduate of the University of Wooster, now engaged in teaching at Lander, Wyoming; Ira is a farmer; Clara is the wife of Earl Steiner; Ernest, who is still a member of the home circle, was educated in the Ohio State Lhiiversity, taking a short course there, later spent the first year in the University of Wooster and two years in Columbus; Daniel E. is a student in the Marshallville high school at this writing; two children died in infancy.

Politically, Mr. Zimmerman is a Republican, always taking considerable interest in local affairs. He has very ably served as trustee of Chippewa township for a period of three years and has also been school director. Mrs. Zimmerman is a member of the Baptist church.

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

NATHAN R. ZIMMERMAN.

One of the leading business men of Doylestown and the northeastern part of Wayne county, Ohio, is Nathan R. Zimmerman, who throughout his career has maintained the most creditable standards of personal and business integrity, and, without putting forth any effort to achieve popularity, he has done so in a local way by the manner in which he transacts the everyday affairs of a busy man. He is a native of Chippewa township, having been born near Marshallville, June 15, 1857, the son of Ezekiel and Rachel A. (McClelland) Zimmerman, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Dalton, Ohio. The paternal grandparents of Nathan R. Zimmerman were Nathan and Anna (Morton) Zimmerman, the former spending his life and dying in Pennsylvania, and the latter came with her son, Ezekiel, aged eight, and settled near Marshallville. There Ezekiel grew up and followed farming. He was first married to Anna Holliwell and the following children were born to them: Levi, living near Perrysville, Ohio; Elizabeth, Eunice and Ann, all three deceased. Ezekiel Zimmerman was twice married, his second wife being Rachel A. McClelland, and the following children were born to this union; Sarah; Ezekiel, living near iMarshalh ille, this county; Nathan R., subject of this review: Jobn; IDelila and Kasiah both deceased; other children died in infancy. The maternal grandparents of Nathan R. Zimmerman were Samuel and Mary (Likins) McClelland. They came to this county from Pennsylvania and were pioneers near Dalton. Sugar Creek township. The parents of Samuel McClelland were Samuel Emanuel and Ellen (Crooks) McClelland.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Zimmerman was married on December 26, 1889, to Marinda Wag-' ner, daughter of David and Nancy M. (Little) Wagner, the former born near Canal Fulton, Ohio, and the latter born near Marshallville, Wayne county, this state. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Zimmerman were Frederick and Mary (Saylic) Wagner, both natives of Pennsylvania, of German descent. They came to Ohio in an early day and entered land near Canal Fulton. They cleared a tract of land and made their home here, developing a good farm. The parents of Frederick Wagner were John and Mary Jane (Gilcrist) Wagner, both of whom spent their lives and died in Pennsylvania. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Zimmerman were Thomas and Jane (McClelland) Little, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Wayne county, Ohio, and entered land near Orrville in an early day. Here they cleared timbered land and soon had a good home. The parents of Thomas Little were Thomas and Jane Little. Great-great-grandfather Little was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, during which he was captured by the Indians and burned. William McClelland, uncle of Nathan R. Zimmerman, was a soldier in the Civil war.

Mr. Zimmerman is a man of exemplary character and excellent business ability, and he is interested in whatever tends to promote the interests of his community. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.

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

JOHN EDWIN ZIMMERMAN, of Smithville, Wayne Co., Ohio, is the youngest son of John and Mary (Strock) Zimmerman, who have been residents of the county for forty years, and are probably the oldest married couple in the county, having lived together for nearly sixty-four years. The paternal grandparents of our subject, George and Elizabeth (Lyttle) Zimmerman, were both natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in Germantown, and the latter in Chester. The father was of German extraction, his parents having come to this country prior to the Revolution. The mother was of Scotch. -Irish descent. George Zimmerman was a currier by trade, and lived in Philadelphia until after his marriage. On the breaking out of the yellow fever there, in 1801, he removed to Germantown, and shortly after to Lancaster County, Penn., where he and his wife died, he aged sixty-one, and she seventy-three.

John Zimmerman, father of our subject, lived in Lancaster until he was nineteen, when he went to Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co., Penn., where he worked at cabinetmaking and house carpentering, and later helped to build the State capitol, at Harrisburg, Penn. On the completion of the State house he returned to Cumberland County, and again engaged in cabinetmaking until IS IS, when he removed to Ohio, living the first six months in Now

Carlisle, Clarke County, then coming to Smithville, Wayne County, where lie has ever since lived. There he engaged in merchandising for three years, and then again started the cabinet-making, carrying it on until 1884, when he retired, giving up the business to his sons. March 3, 1825, John Zimmerman was married to Mary Strode, who was born in Pennsylvania August 31, 1802. They are the parents of three sons and two daughters. Two are deceased. Joseph died October 6, 18 40, aged twenty years and nine months, and Mary Emily died May 19, IS 55. The survivors are Manuel S., married to Sarah Ginley, carrying on cabinet-making and undertaking with his brother, and John E., our subject. The daughter is Adeline, wife of Henry Willaman, of Canton, Ohio. John Zimmerman was for two years a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature, and since coming to Ohio has held several important offices. For fourteen years he was justice of the peace, and for almost as long a time was notary public. He was an executor and administrator, and settled many states, his first experience in that line I being in Pennsylvania sixty-three years ago. He has enjoyed in a marked degree the confidence of his neighbors, who felt safe in entrusting their business in his hands. He and his wife are members of the Church of God of Smithville. For nearly fifty years he was an elder, but the growing infirmities of age caused his resignation. During all the many years they have been residents of Smithville he and his wife have ever enjoyed the respect and esteem of their neighbors, as most upright and honorable persons and consistent Christians, and now, well advanced in years, can look back with satisfaction to a life well spent.

John Edwin Zimmerman was born in Cumberland County, Penn., September 25, 1834. He came to Ohio with his parents, and since their removal to Smithville has ever since made that place his home. He learned his father’s trade of cabinet-making, working with the latter until his retirement,, when, as stated, he and his brother Manuel took the business. They also do undertaking, which has become the principal part of their trade. On May 2, 18G4, John E. and his brother Manuel enlisted for 100 days in Company A, One Hundred and Sixty-ninth Volunteer Infantry, serving four months. November 9, 1805, he was married to Isabella, daughter of William and Maria Greenamyer, of whose family a full history is given under the name of P. S. Greenamyer. She was born in Columbiana, Ohio, January 30, 1840. They have one child, a son, named William G., now twenty-one years of age, who lives with his parents. Mr. Zimmerman has been treasurer of the township, and has also held other positions of trust. He is a friend to education, and is one of the incorporators of the Northern Ohio Normal School. He is a member of Davidson Post, No. 400, G. A. II., and as a neighbor and citizen is highly esteemed.

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

SAMUEL ZIMMERMAN (deceased) was a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1798, a son of Michael Zimmerman. Samuel was left an orphan at the age of twelve years, when he went with a sister to the State of New York, where he lived until manhood. In 1824 he came to Ohio, and located in Wayne County, entering a tract of heavily timbered land in Wayne Township. He built a log cabin, in which he lived for a time and began the clearing of his land. He was energetic and ambitious, and continued to make improvements on his land until it was one of the best farms in the county. Here he made his home until his death, which occur'red March 24, 1888, when he was aged ninety years. The last years of his life were spent in comfort, in the enjoyment of that rest so well merited by the pioneers who labored to transform a wilderness into a country of thriving villages and productive farms. In early life Mr. Zimmerman learned the tailor's trade, but devoted his attention to farming after coming to Ohio. His widow still lives on the homestead, and is a lady of bright intellect, in the eighty-second year of her age. Mr. Zimmerman was married in 1826, to Sarah Lehman, daughter of Henry Lehman. Of the eleven children born to them, but five are living: Faunie, Sarah, Mary M., David and Jacob. Mrs. Zimmerman has long been identified with the Lutheran Church, as was also her husband. In politics he was a Democrat.

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