Samuel H. Hashbarger

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Hashbarger

Samuel H. Hashbarger was the first settler in Marion Twp., Henry County and had located in the midst of the Black Swamp. His cabin home for sometime was 3 miles from the nearest neighbor in an adjoining twp. This was in 1841. Indians still roamed through that section of the country and in order to reach his place he had to blaze a trail through the woods and across the swamps. On his first tract of 40 acres, he bought a log cabin with a puncheon floor, clapboard roofs weighted down with poles, and with a wooden door swinging on wooded hinges. The family lived a life of many privations and hardships of several years.

The nearest trading place was 20 miles away at Defiance, which was then only a little hamlet and a number of times the household was on very short rations because of delay of getting to the mills or grocery stores. Meat was very plentiful, since the woods and swamps were filled with wild game. Samuel H. Hashbarger took up his life in that pioneer community and with much vigor improved his land.

He was born about 1800 and was of Pennsylvania Dutch stock. On coming to Ohio, he made his first pioneer home in Hancock County, where he met and married Anna Rader, who also was of Pennsylvania parentage. Her father was Henry Rader, who entered a tract of wild land in Hancock County and was a well-to-do citizen, living to be past 80 years of age.

Samuel H. Hashbarger and his wife had 3 sons and a daughter born in Hancock Co., and they then moved with their family to the wilds of Henry Co., and settled in Marion Twp. After his death, his widow looked after her family alone for 6 years, and was then married in Hancock Co., to Enoch B. Stephenson. With him they returned to the old homestead in Marion Twp., where both lived out their lives. The Raders' were members of the Baptist Church while the Hashbargers' were members of the Methodist Church, as was Mr. Stephenson. The Raders' were all Democrats and the Hashbargers' were all Republicans.

Samuel H. Hashbarger and his wife raised 5 sons and 1 daughter. The daughter Catherine married John Dillon of Belmore, Putnam Co., Ohio. Four of the sons were soldiers in the Civil War. All of them in different Ohio Regiments. William was wounded in the Battle of Stone River in 1863, after having been captured and recaptured several times. He died at Nashville from the effects of his wounds. Drake and David went through the service unharmed and returned home.

Albert Mowery, Mabel Gillispie, her daughter

Another son, Samuel R. Hashbarger, the first white child born in Marion Twp., Henry County, was a very young boy when the war broke out and in the meantime had spent his time on his father's farm, in Marion Twp. He had also gained such education as the local schools could afford. In 1884, at the age of 20 he enlisted in the 189th Ohio Volunteers Infantry and spent most of his time in garrison duty in the far South. His regiment followed General Sherman in his campaign and he came out of the war without a scratch. After the close of the war, he took up his career as a farmer. Beginning in Marion Twp., where as a result of his industry and good management, he acquired large holdings of fertile and well-developed land. He owned a farm of 138 acres and this at the time was one of the most improved places in Henry Co. He had been very liberal in giving his children a good start on land of their own. In 1908, he retired to his modern home on East Maumee Street in Napoleon (across from Biddie's Restaurant - which is now Kaufman's Bar) and 2 years later accepted the post of president of the Insurance Company. On June 17, 1869, in Marion Twp., he married Loriane Blue, who was born in Shelby Co., Ohio, on June 26, 1849. She was a daughter of Morgan and Mary Magdelania Blue and sister of Morgan Blue. She was brought to Henry Co. when a child of 13 years old. To this couple were born two children, Olive Belle, who is the wife of Albert Mowery. Their only child, a girl named Mabel, is married to Cloyce Gillespie (now deceased). Sidney Hashbarger, the only son, was married to Orpha Swiehart. Sidney died at the age of 36 years. To this couple were born five children: Verda (deceased), Veron, Hamler, Bernard, Romulus, Michigan, Carl, Hamler, and Bonnie, Lima. In politics, Mr. Hashbarger had acted with the Republican Party and for 8 years rendered services to his Twp. as assessor. He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Hamler, Ohio. He was Commander of Post No. 66 Grand Army of the Republic at Napoleon, Ohio. He was always extremely popular with his old comrades of the war.

Samuel and Lorraine Hashbarger then moved to the 4th house east of the Catholic Church on E. Clinton St., Napoleon, where Mr. Hashbarger died. Their granddaughter, Mabel Gillispie and Cloyce had children Mrs. Pete (Bernadine) Osborn, Jackson, Michigan; Harold, Jackson, Michigan;

Bernita (Mrs. George) Fruth, Napoleon; and Mary (Mrs. Wayne) Fruth of Holgate. Mrs. Mabel Gillispie still owns the beautiful country farm that belonged to her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel R. Hashberger.

Submitted by: Mrs. Edna Blue Grant