SUMMIT COUNTY OHIO 
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File contributed & permission given for use in the Ohio Biographies Project 
by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman <73777.25@compuserve.com> & the submitter

From the 
The OHGenWeb Archives
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/oh/ohfiles.htm
a part of
The USGenWeb Archives
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Gina Reasoner 
greasoner@prodigy.net
12 October 1999
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1882 HISTORY OF LA GRANGE COUNTY INDIANA
F.A. Battey & Co., 1882

	MICHAEL WESTLER, lumber dealer. The Westler family came from Maryland to 
Ohio at an early day, where the subject of this sketch was born, in Green 
Township, Summit County, July 30, 1827. John and Elizabeth (Blatner) 
Westler were his parents, and their occupation was farming. Michael Westler 
lived with his parents on the farm until fourteen years old, when his 
father died. From that time until 1847, he worked at farming, went to 
school, and in the fall of that year commenced the study of dentistry. In 
October, 1848, he went West and bought a farm of 104 acres on Section 29, 
Johnson Township, La Grange County, paying for it $2.50 per acre. He 
boarded at a neighbor's and began improving his place. He was often called 
upon to work at dentistry. When he first bought the land there was no 
clearing on it. After building him a log cabin; he, on the 5th of April, 
1853, married Sarah Ann Stroman, and to them were born -Francis M., Ida M., 
Charles J., deceaseed, Elmer E. and Etta R. R.  Mr. Westler has been 
married three times. By his second wife there was born one son -William M., 
who died when about seven months old. He married his present wife (Naomi 
Wilcox) November 3, 1875. She bore him one daughter -Ottley E.  In 
February, 1865, Mr. Westler enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and 
Fifty-second Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged August 
31, 1865. In about 1869, he sold a part of his farm, moved to Wolcottville, 
and engaged in milling. For a time he had an interest in a saw-mill, but at 
present is engaged in the lumber trade and the agricultural implement 
business. He is a Republican, and has held various township offices. He is 
a member of the I.O.O.F. of Wolcottville, and the La Grange Encampment. He 
has represented the lodge at the Grand Lodge, and has held all the offices 
of both lodges except that of Secretary. Mr. Westler is an honest gentleman 
in every respect. During the war he was a decided loyalist, and during the 
trouble with black-legs from 1856 to 1858, he was one of the first to 
become identified with the Regulators.
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