Lorain County Biographies
From “Biographical Record of Lorain County, Ohio”, by J. H. Beers, 1894, pg 1102
Jacob Schaible, in his day a well-known Lorain county pioneer, was born March 27, 1807, in Bonlanden, Wurtemberg, Germany, and died February 7, 1874.
When but five or six years old he lost both of his parents by death, leaving him and his only brother, Michael, orphans. After the death of the parents, his grandmother, on the mother’s side, undertook the care of the two little boys, and gave them both a common-school education.
Jacob took up the pursuit of farming (and it was in this career that he grew up to manhood), in which he was eminently successful. In January, 1834, he was united in marriage with Miss Catharine B. Ramsayer, granddaughter of the then eminent physician and surgeon, C. H. von Ottein, who had engaged the best teachers money could procure and gave her a good education. Mr. Schaible, with his young wife, settled on his estates, on which he had made many improvements after his majority, and as they both liked country life their home life was attractive and pleasant. Nothing, in fact, marred their every-day life until in the fall of the year 1846, when Mr. Schaible was suddenly stricken down with an illness so severe that his life hung in the balance for many a day; finally, however, his strong constitution prevailed over the disease, although he did not fully recover his former health. Then his attending physician and several other physicians held a consultation, and their unanimous decision was that Mr. Schaible should take a sea voyage for the restoration of his health.
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Accordingly in May, 1848, with his wife and five children, Mr. Schaible wended his way toward the seaport of Havre, took passage there on a sailing ship, and after a tempestuous voyage of seven weeks landed at New York. Their stay there was of short duration, for they soon turned in the direction of Ohio, taking steamer on the Hudson river as far as Albany; from there in a canal boat to Buffalo, thence to Cleveland, whence they came directly to Elyria, arriving there August 1, 1848. The three months’ travel restored Mr. Schaible to his former health. Elyria was then but a mere village, straggling out over several streets of mud and underbrush, and the only approaches at that time were by the way of lake and stage coach.
Mr. Schaible soon after his arrival purchased land one mile west of Elyria, built a small house and settled on his farm, which was nearly all covered with underbrush and forest. He immediately began to clear and imrove his property until he had one of the best farms in the county, also buying more land from time to time until he had some three or four hundred acres of well-improved land at the time of his death. He was honest and industrious, kind and obliging, and his name became the synonym for integrity and uprightness. Being temperate in his habits, he was a rare specimen of the hardy pioneer. He was a faithful member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church from early youth, and for many years was its staunchest supporter. In the family he was a loving husband, a kind and indulgent father. His faithful wife, who had so long shared his joys and sorrows, preceded him but eight weeks in death. His remains were placed beside those of his wife in Murry Ridge Cemetery, in the bosom of mother earth, in full hope of a glorious resurrection.
Mr. Schaible left four sons and five daughters to mourn his loss. viz.: Agnes B. Theiss, of Cleveland; Margaretha M. Limb, of Wooster; J. Frederich Schaible, who died February 12, 1875; C. Henrietta Krieger, of Wooster, Ohio; Jacob E. Schaible, of Elyria; Carrie SchaibleCharles H. Schaible, John G. Schaible and Sophia C. Shaible, all of Elyria.
John G. and Charles H. Schaible, sons of Jacob Schaible
One of the handsome and well-cultivated properties of Elyria Township is that belonging to the Schaible brothers, John and Charles, which is located on the old Telegraph Road, just outside the corporation limits of Elyria. The have passed their entire lives in this locality, where both have established reputations for industry and integrity, and have contributed in no small measure to the upbuilding and advancement of this part of Lorain County.
John Schaible was born August 15, 1855, and Charles June 5, 1852, in Elryia Township, being sons of Jacob and Catherine Barbara (Ramsayer) Schaible. The parents were natives of Bolanden, Oberamt Stuttgart, Germany, where they were married November 22, 1833, and came to the United States May 1, 1848, arriving in Elyria Township, Lorain County, Ohio, August 1 or that year. They were accompanied by five children, and four more were afterwards born to them in Ohio. Settling on the farm now owned by their sons, Charles and John, they continued to be industriously engaged in farming operations during the remaining years of their lives, and through their sterling traits of character impressed themselves upon their community and won and retained the esteem and regard of those with whom they came into contact. The father, who was born March 27, 1807, died February 8, 1874, while the mother, born Feb 9, 1817, died December 11, 1873. Of their eleven children two died in infancy, while the others were as follows: Agnes Barbara, who is the widow of Frederick Theiss of Berea Township, and has five children; Mary Margaret, who is the wife of Martin Limb of Wooster, Ohio; Frederick, who died February, 1875, a farmer on Telegraph Road, inside the corporation limits of Elyria, married Marie Julia Rodsezzinsky, also deceased, and had an only daughter who survives them and is the owner of the farm: Henrietta Catherine, who is the wife of George Krieger, of Wooster, Ohio, and had five children, of whom two sons survived; Jacob E., a farmer of West Ridge Road, Elyria Township, who married Caroline Eppley, of Zanesville, Ohio, and has two children; Charles Henry and Carrie, the latter being the wife of George Horn, a farmer of Russia Township; Caroline, who died April 29, 1910; Charles and John, of this review; and Sophia. The parents are buried in the older center section of the cemetery (row 3) The Schaibles are buried in Plot # 79 and #80.
The Schaible brothers were reared on the home farm and secured their educations in the publics schools. When ready to enter upon their careers they adopted farming as a vocation in which to work out their sucess, and from the outset have been associated in every dealing. This partnership has been mutually beneficial and congenial and the brothers form a team that is hard to beat in matters agricultural. The home farm is a tract of sixty-four acres, in addition to which they own also two other farming tracts in Elyria Township, one being a farm of sixty acres on the old Telegraph Road, formerly known as the old West farm, and one on the West Ridge, consisting of 127 acres. Their land is all in a good state of cultivation, with substantial buildings and up-to-date improvements and modern machinery, and a general air of prosperity gives evidence of the presence of good management and well-directed effort. While the land is given over principally to general farming, the brothers are also engaged in raising some good cattle, which, while not thorough-bred, is constantly being improved, the Messrs. Schaible working towards a better class of cattle. For several years they were also engaged in breeding race horses, and while a number of years have passed since they abandoned this business, as well as that of racing the animals, the records still bear witness to the speed of their animals, notable among which was the famous “Fleetwood”.
Both brothers are good citizens, ever ready to help in all public-spirited movements, and find their greatest pleasure in the cultivation of their fields, the raising of fat, contented live stock, and the tending of a promising and productive orchard.
Michael Eppley, father of Caroline Eppley, the wife of Jacob E. Schaible
From “Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Huron and Lorain, Ohio”
Michael Eppley, one of the thrifty and prosperous agriculturists of Elyria township, is a native of Wittenberg, Germany, born December 7, 1821, a son of Jacob and Catherine (Keller) Eppley, also natives of the Fatherland.
In April, 1832, the family set sail from Holland for the New World, and after a voyage of fifty-five days landed at Philadelphia. From there they proceeded westward to Ohio, locating at Zanesville, Muskingum County, where the parents passed from earth, the father at the age of eighty-six, the mother when seventy-six years old. They had eleven children – nine sons and two daughters – and seven of the sons are now living, all near Zanesville, Ohio, except our subject, while the two daughters reside in Michigan.
Michael Eppley was reared to manhood in Zanesville, Ohio, where he received his education, and worked hard to make a little money which he saved in his boyhood. At the age of twenty years he commenced carpentry, a trade he followed for twenty-one years; also farming, in connection doing a considerable amount in contracting and building. He was in the employ of the State of Ohio, constructing dams and docks in the Muskingum river. At the age of twenty-three he was united in marriage with Miss Rosina Harsch (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Harsch), a native of Wittenberg, Germany, coming with her parents to America when six years old. Thirteen children were born to this union – five sons and eight daughters – namely: William, who went west and died (he was married to Mary Maner; left two children); Mary, wife of Moses Beal, also died at an early age (left seven children); Katherine wife of Samuel Beal, has eight children; Caroline, wife of Jacob Schaible, has two children; Jacob, married to Kate Martin, has four children; Rosa, died at the age of twelve years; Solomon, married to Nellie Bender, and has one child; Christena, wife of Henry Martin, has four children; Abram, married Mary Martin, has four children; Matilda, wife of Ernest Drunagle, has one child; Mose, married to Mary Spiegelberg, has one child; Lydia, wife of William Spiegelberg, and Cora, residing at home.
Shortly after marriage Mr. Eppley purchased a farm in York township, Morgan county, containing 240 acres of land, which he improved and then sold just before coming to Elyria. He came to Lorain county in 1874, and bought his present farm, containing one hundred acres (in Elyria township), bordering on the town of Elyria (on Murry Ridge, southwest of town), paying one hundred and twenty dollars cash per acre for same. After two years the mother died at the age, of fifty-one years, which was a sore loss to the whole family, and here he has since remained as a widower (his daughter Cora keeping house for him.)
Mr. Eppley always was, and is to this day, for his age, an active man as well as ambitious; honest in all his dealings. In religion he is an earnest, steadfast follower of Christ, and has been from early life. He is a member of the Evangelical Church. His greatest aim is to reach his heavenly home.
