TUSCARAWAS COUNTY OHIO BIOS: SHOWALTER, Ephraim  (published 1884)
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Contributed to the Tuscarawas Co., OH Biographies Project with permission
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The History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Warner, Beers & Co., 1884

        EPHRAIM SHOWALTER, farmer, P.O. Shanesville, was born June 12,
1823, on the farm he now occupies in Sugar Creek Township, and is a son of
John and Elizabeth Showalter. His father was born in Bucks County, Penn.,
and was raised in Westmoreland County. He came here in 1808, and he and
Jacob Walter settled here and began clearing up a farm. They did their own
cooking, and obtained their bread and other provisions from Mr. Knisely,
three miles west of Dover, Ohio. About 1812, he married Elizabeth Thomas, a
native of Maryland, but raised partly in this county. They died on the farm
they had settled on, leaving a family of nine children, viz., Anna M.
(deceased), wife of David Lower; Isaac (deceased), married to Mary
Harrington, Ephraim, our subject; John T.; Catherine (deceased), wife of C.
Zimmer; Elizabeth (deceased), wife of T. McCurdy; Esther, widow of C.
Fretz, of DeKalb County, Ind.; Sarah (deceased), wife of Peter Dull, of the
same county; and Susanna, wife of Samuel Dull, of Kansas. The subject of
this sketch was united in marriage, October 5, 1848, with Adeline, a
daughter of Jonathan Fisher, by whom he had ten children, viz., Esther A.,
wife of C. Holser, of Michigan; Mary E., wife of Philip Warnes, of Berlin,
Ohio; Sarah B.; Eliza J., wife of John Conrad, of Holmes Count, Ohio;
Lucinda C.; Henrietta, now wife of Benjamin F. Teaters; William, Isaac,
John E. and Emma. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Showalter settled on
the old family homestead, which has never been out of the Showalter name,
and have since resided here. He was engaged in the profession of teaching
when he was about twenty-three years of age, and followed it for six terms;
he was a good disciplinarian, and left a record as a successful teacher.
Mr. Showalter is a Republican, and has been School Director of his district
twenty-one years. He and the family are members of the Lutheran Church, of
which he has been Trustee and Deacon, now holding the position of Elder. He
is an upright and influential citizen of the township. William Henry is the
oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Showalter, and was born May 9, 1857, and is twin
brother of Henrietta. He is living at home, working for his father. He has
already done some successful teaching, and is an intelligent young man, of
good influence and social position

Page 657, Sugar Creek Township. - After the War of 1812 had ceased, a rapid
stream of emigration poured many settlers into the township, and in a few
years it was thoroughly settled. In 1820, the following land owners resided
here, and many of them had emigrated years before: Jacob Showalter, a
Mennonite, owned a fraction of the northeast quarter of section 18. His
brother Peter, a Dunkard, had thirty acres in the northeast quarter of
section 19. John Showalter, who kept bachelor's hall with Jacob Walters
until the latter's marriage, owned a farm in Section 18.

Page 659, Sugar Creek Township. - The woolen mill is operated by John
Showalter. On its site a carding and fulling mill was started, probably as
early as 1830, by George Wertz. It was operated a long time by him, then
changed hands several times, and finally reached its present management.

Page 685, Wayne Township. - In the western part of the township, on School
Lot 5, near Walnut Creek, is an old frame church built many years ago by a
Winebrenner congregation. Among its early members were Peter Showalter and
John Fair. Rev. Metzler is the present minister, and the membership is
about seventy-five.

        CHRISTIAN ZIMMER, farmer and stock-raiser, P.O. Newcomerstown, is a
native of Bavaria, Germany, born October 8, 1818. He emigrated to this
county with his parents when he was eighteen years old. His parents were
Philip and Catherine (Cline) Zimmer. The former was born January 14, 1785,
died June 10, 1877, aged ninety-two years seven months and fourteen days.
The latter died in 1866, aged seventy-six years. They are buried in Buck
Township, this county. Our subject was married, April 17, 1845, to
CATHERINE SHOWALTER, deceased, born April 16, 1826, in Sugar Creek
Township, this county and State, and a daughter of JOHN and ELIZABETH
SHOWALTER. She died November 18, 1838. Her father was a native of
Pennsylvania, and her mother of this county. Marrying a second time, in
1840, Mr. Zimmer chose Christina Smelzy, born August 5, 1823, died December
6, 1853. To this union four children were born, viz.: Lucinda, Amelia,
Henry and John. The latter died January 19, 1873, aged seventeen years four
months and twenty-eight days. Mr. Zimmer was married a third time; on this
occasion, April 25, 1860, to Eliza Fisher, born in this county, January 4,
1835, and a daughter of Jonathan and Hester (Levean) Fisher. To this union
have been born eight children, seven living, viz.: Susan E., Albert, Clara
A., Manetta, Wilmina May, Francis H., Laura and Artha. Two of the children
are married -Lucinda, wife of William Regula, they have three children
-Fred, Eda and Albert; and Henry, married to Elizabeth Hammond, by whom he
has one child, Arthur. Mr. Zimmer owns 100 acres of land in Oxford Township.





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