Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/752

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��to whom have been born twelve children — six living and six dead ; five of the living reside in Richland Co. Mr. West has been a member of the Methodist Church fifty-five years. Mrs. Sarah West died Dec. 2, 1873, aged 68 years — an affectionate wife and loving mother, her life was that of a true Christian ; she had been a faithful member of the Methodist Church over fifty years ; she was born in Jefferson Co., in the year 1805, and after her marriage was always ready to assist her husband in making home pleasant and happy.

WHARF, FREDERICK (deceased); he was born in New York, April 20, 1809, and removed to Richland Co. with his parents, .James and Jane (Graham) Wharf, in 1838. Mr. Wharf was married in New York, to Miss Laura Gault, to whom were born two children —William, who died in Mansfield, Aug. 23, 1878, and Henry, a painter, now engaged at his trade in this city. Mrs. Laura (Gault) Wharf died in Mansfield in 18-51. Frederick Wharf lived at the old homestead south of Mansfield until he was appointed Deputy Sheriff. Mr. Wharf was afterward elected Sheriff of Richland Co., and served his full two terms to the en- tire satisfaction of the people who elected him. Al- though a strong party man, he possessed many qualities of head and heart that made him warm friends in both parties. He died in the fall of 1862, and was buried at Mansfield.

WHISSEMORE, A., photographer; he was born Dec. 20, 1829, in AVayne Co. Married to Martha Jane Mathews, of Richland Co. Mr. Whissemore has been engaged as an artist in Mansfield for twenty-three years, and is the oldest artist in the city ; has been keeping up to the standard of his business, and having every facility, he is prepared to execute all kinds of first-class work ; his reputation as an artist is so exten- sively known that it needs but little comment. Rooms above Blymyer's stove store.

WHITE, TIRZAH McCONNELL, MRS. Among the oldest of the faithful and good Christian mothers who still linger is Mrs. Tirzah White, of East Fourth street, Mansfield, a native of Lancaster Co., Penn.; she was born on the 14th day of July, 1800, and was married to John White the 11th of August, 1825, in Lancaster City. When but 4 years of age, she was left an orphan, and passed through the sad experiences of those bereft of parents in youth. Although now aged and infirm, she looks back over her long life without regret or com- plaint, and, anxious for the future welfare of all, she kindly admonishes them when opportunity offers to put their trust in Him who has been her stay and strength. John and Tirzah White were the parents of three chil- dren, two of whom are living — Samuel S. and Cath- erine J.; the third, Mary E., died July 3, 1877, leaving two daughters and one son ; the daughters — Sai-ah Alice Stevens and .Jessie Bowman — reside in Mt. Vernon. John Ligget Longshore, son of Catherine J., lives with his parent and grandparent at the old homestead on East Fourth street, Mansfield.

WILER, JOHN JACOB, weaver, butcher, brewer and baker retired ; he was born in Herisau, Appenzell Co., Switzerland, June 4, 1780, and was the oldest of a large family of children, only four of whom, however, lived to manhood and womanhood. When quite young, he learned the trade of weaver in his native town.

��which he continued until his 16th year, when, conclud- ing to travel and ply his vocation, he went to France, where he remained two years in order to acquire some knowledge of the language; afterward, for fifteen years he traveled through the different governments of Europe as a journeyman weaver ; specimens of his workmanship are now in the possession of his daugh- ter, Mrs. J. H. Cook, which show him to have been an expert workman. During the campaign of Napoleon I in Austria, he enlisted for a time in the Swiss army on the frontier, and was assigned to the Army of the Reserve. While engaged in his occupation as a jour- neyman weaver, he passed over the battlefield of Leip- sic the morning after the engagement, while the dead were being buried ; his description of the scene he used often to relate with minuteness. Mr. Wiler sailed for America from Amsterdam on the 19th of May, 1817, in the ship " Bourbon," Capt. William Gobrell in charge. Mr. W. landed in Philadelphia, after a voy- age of ninety-nine days, on the 26th of August, 1817. Some idea may be formed of the terrible suffering and distress felt by the 500 souls on board during this long voyage, when, after being out some days, ship fever in its worst form made its appearance on the vessel, and, before reaching port, 105 of the crew and passengers succumbed to the dreadful disease, and were buried at sea. Mr. Wiler, after landing at Philadelphia, was sent to the hospital, suffering from this malady, where he remained three months, until fully recovered, when he started on foot through Pennsylvania, accompanied by his nephew, John Ulrick Tanner, who came to America with him. Being ignorant of the language, he was frequently taken advantage of by some people on the route and defrauded out of what little money he had. The treatment he there received, often by those professing Christianity, caused him to have little faith in man's professions, and he thereafter judged men by their actions alone. After coming to Ohio, he stopped at New Lancaster about one year with a Mr. Arnold, who befriended him, and to whom he has always felt grateful. He went from Lancaster to Columbus, where he remained about one year engaged as a hostler by a Mr. Heyle. At the end of the time, he came to Mans- field. Mr. Wiler was married to Miss Margaret Steyer after an acquaintance of three weeks, whose father lived in Franklin Township, ou the 25th of April, Sun- day, 1819, and the following Monday morning took possession of the tavern then owned by his father-in- law, which has since that date been known as the "Wiler House." His means were so limited, that when ordering his sign he found that he would be unable to pay if his full name was used, when, at the suggestion of his nephew, Tanner, the name Jacob was omitted, and he was able to secure the sign, and since that date he has been known only by the name of .John Wiler. Mrs. Margaret Steyer Wiler died in Mansfield in her 71st year May 25, 1868. John Wiler lives on West Fourth street, and was 100 years old on the 4th of June, 1880. John Wiler had nine children, three of whom are living — Mary Ann (Cook), John Ulrick Wiler, Margaret Louesa (Barr); two sons, grown to manhood, i died in California of cholera ; the others died in infancy and youth. In this year, there are living twelve grand- children and four great-grandchildren.

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