Jane Bechtel

As printed in 1889

JANE BECHTEL, of Woosjr ier, Ohio, is the widow of John J. Bechtel, and was born in Chester Township, Wayne County, in 1818. Her father, James Flack,was born in Washington County, Penn., and was by trade a millwright. His father was born abroad.

of English extraction. The father of our subject married Margaret Ramsey, who bore him eight children, six of whom reached maturity; Mrs. Bechtel and Mrs. Mary McDaniel, of Wooster, are the only ones living in Wayne County. While Mrs. Bechtel was but a child she lost a mother's care, and some time afterward her father those as his second wife Miss Jxilia White, who bore him six children. The father died in 1853. About 1818 he had come to Wayne County, where he settled on a farm, and also built and operated a mill on Little Killbuck Creek. Mrs. Bechtel's girlhood was passed on the farm in Chester Township, and in 1837 she was there married to John Bechtel. They came to AYooster, where they built the house which has since been her home with the exception of the four years during which Mr. Bechtel was sheriff.

John Bechtel was a son of Martin and Margaret (Spellman) Bechtel, natives of Pennsylvania, both of whom died in Wayne County, to which they had removed when John was quite young. The latter became well known in Wayne County; was a Democrat in politics, and influential in the councils of his party. He held various township and county offices; was constable, deputy sheriff, and was later elected and re-elected to the office of sheriff, which he filled acceptably to the people and creditably to himself for two terms. For many years be had been a member of the I. O. O. F., and was looked upon as a man of unflinching integrity. Mr. Bechtel died in 18G5, at the age of fifty-five years. Of his union with our subject there were six children born, as follows: James Martin, now a resident of Burlington, Iowa; Melissa A., now Mrs. Irving Foghsou, of Duluth; David E., in Southern Ohio; Mary E., wife of J. P. Hockius, of Grand Rajiids, Mich.; John T., living in Greenfield Oliio; Jennie T., now Mrs. Jerome T. Baird, of Wooster, Ohio. Mrs. Bechtel was as well known as her husband, and is held in high esteem by all who know her. Jekome T. Baird was born in Wayne County, Ohio, October 16, 1858. His father, Cyrus Baird, was also a native of the county, born in Plain Township. His grandfather, who was also named Cyrus, was a native of the Slate of New York, born March 2, 1801, and came to this county with his father, Aai-ou Baird, in 1812. He was married to a Miss Blatchley, and both died in Wayne County. His son, Cyrus, father of Jerome, was reared apoii the farm, and after arriving at years of manhood, married Amy Tyler, a daughter of Benjamin and Maria Tyler, both of whom were early settlers of Wayne County. Of this union four children were born, Jerome T. being the only one living in Wayne County. In the spring of 18(19 the mother passed away, the father still living in Wooster. Jerome Baird's first business experience was as a clerk in a drug store in Wooster, in which he finally bought an interest. In the spring of 1884 he sold out his interest, and started alone in the business he is now conducting, lu 1882 he was married to Miss Jennie, daughter of John and Jane Beclitel. No children have been born to them. Ml. Baird is a member of the K. of M., and he is regarded as a young business man of capacity, whose attention to business and character for probity are sure to command success.

JfOHN EVEY was born in Washington County, Md., April 23, 1825, and "— is a son of Samuel and Sophia (Neiswander) Evey, both natives of the State of Maryland. The paternal grandfather of John Evey was Christian Evey, and his maternal grandfather was John Neiswander, both natives of Germany, and early settlers of Washington County, Md. The parents of our subject settled in Wayne County in 1827, locating on a farm on Section 16, Chippewa Township, which they cleared and improved, in later life removing to Doylestown, where they died. They reared a family of eight children, as follows: Christian, William,

Maria (Mrs. Daniel Snyder), John, Sophia (Mrs. Henry Hoj-t), Samuel, Susan (Mrs. Eiley Franks) and Elizabeth.

John Evey, the subject of this memoir, was reared in Chippewa Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, where he received a limited common-school education. He began life poor, on a rented farm; later purchased eighty acres of his father's farm, which he sold in 1861, and bought 106 acres on Section 8, same township, where he has since resided, and has made all the improvements in bxiildings, etc. Mr. Evey married, August 15, 1849, Catherine, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Case) Whitman. He is a thorough-going farmer, and by industry and frugality has accumulated a fine property. Politically he is a Democrat.

As printed in Commemorative biographical record of Wayne County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, and of many of the early settled families .. (1889). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.