The Uhl Family
This is one of the leading families in Holmes County, and no other has so many representatives, or has been longer identified with the county. In 1808, Charles Uhl, a resident of Maryland, entered 600 acres of Government land in Hardy Township, paying for it with the money earned by his own labor, and also entered 320 acres in Mechanic Township about 1818, and about the same time 160 acres in Tuscarawas County, Ohio.
CHARLES UHL was a native of Germany, born in 1761, and when two years of age was brought to America by his parents. They setled in Eastern Pennsylvania, and there he lived till twenty years of age, when he married Catherine Close and moved to Allegany County, Md. They had a family of sixteen children, names and years of birth being as follows: John, born April 5, 1785; rose, in 1786; Jacob, in 1787; Elizabeth, in 1789; Daniel, in 1790; Charles, in 1792; Peter, in 1794; Jacob, in 1795; Catherine, in 1797; William, in 1798; George, in 1799; Samuel, in 1801; Henry, in 1803; Lydia, in 1805; Jesse, in 1806; and Archibold, in 1808. Charles Uhl and wife made Allegany County, Md. their home till death and there their children were reared. Seven of their sons and one daughter became residents of Holmes County, Ohio.
CHARLES UHL, the fourth son of Charles and Catherine (Close) Uhl, was the first to come to the State and settle on the land entered by his father. He came to Holmes County in 1815, and located where Joseph Uhl, Sr., now lives, and began the labot of clearing away the forest. In 1818 and 1820 three brothers, Jacob, William and George, followed him, and they in turn were followed by Samuel and Jesse in 1825, and in 1832 the eldest brother, John, came and settled in Hardy Township. Charles Uhl married Barbara Korns, a native of Somerset County, Penn., and a daughter of Michael Korns. To this couple were born thirteen children, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood. Joseph was born in 1815; John, in 1818, (drowned June 1, 1878); Jesse, in 1819; Susan, in 1822; Eliza, in 1823; Hannah in 1825; Archibald, in 1827; James, in 1829; Amanda, in 1831; Julian, in 1833; Benjamin Franklin, in 1836; Alfred, in 1839; and Jane, in 1842. Charles Uhl continued a resident of Holmes County from the date of his settlement in 1815, until his death in October, 1865. His widow died in 1868, aged seventy-two years.
JOSEPH UHL, Sr., the eldest son of Charles and Barbara (Korns) Uhl, was born in Maryland February 6, 1815, and was but six months old when his parents came to Holmes County. Reared in the wilds of a frontier county, his advantages were limited, and his education was mostly obtained around his father's fire-place after the day's work was done. He has always followed the occupation of a farmer, and has now 340 acres of good land, all well improved. He is one of the leading and most intelligent citizens of the township, where he has spent his life, and he has always been among the first to encourage enterprises of public benefit. He is a public-spirited man, and has assisted materially in the development of the county's resources. He was married, in March, 1839, to Julia, daughter of John and Catherine (Hinkle) Shaffer, and they have had four children, but one of whom, James, is living.
ARCHIBOLD UHL, the seventh child of Charles and Barbara (Korns) Uhl, was born in Hardy Township, September 30, 1827. His early life was spent on his father's farm, and he was given as good educational advantages as the schools of that day afforded. Since reaching manhood he has devoted his attention to agriculture, in which he has been uniformly successsful. He now owns 170 acres of choice land, eighty of which were part of his father's homestead, and also a part of the original entry of his grandfather. He was married August 22, 1849, to Miss Susan, daughter of Peter Close, and she died leaving three children: Rowland, Jerome and Mary Jane. Mr. Uhl was then married to Sarah, daughter of Joesph and Susan (Everett) Wolgamot, and eight children were born to them, five of whom are living: Charles, Susan (now Mrs. Gonser), Ida F., (now Mrs. Freeman), Bigham and Joseph; one daughter, Eliza, died after reaching womanhood, and two children died in infancy. Mr. Uhl has always taken a keen interest in the affairs of the township, and while in no sense a politicial has been active in promoting what seemed to him to be of benefit to the community.
JAMES UHL, the eighth child of Charles and Barbara (Korns) Uhl, was born in Hardy Townshiip in 1829, and with the exception of nine years has spent his life in his native township. One year was spent in California working in the mines, and seven years were spent in farming in Fulton County, Ohio, He now owns 300 acres of valuable land in Holmes County, and in addition to general farming is extensively engaged in stock raising and shipping hogs, sheep and cattle. He enlisted in June, 1864, in Company I, One Hundred and Sixty-Sixth Regiment, Ohio, National Guards, and was discharged from duty September 15, 1864. He was married in 1853 to Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Catherine Vogle, and they have a family of five children: Alfred, Jacob, Catherine, John W. and Leanah.
JOHN UHL, son of Charles and Catherine (Close) Uhl, married Catherine, daughter of Christian Hayman, and born August 7, 1787, by which union there were fourteen children: Levi, born in 1807; Rebecca, in 1808; Eliza, in 1810; Hannah, in 1812; Eli, in 1812; Charles, in 1815; John, in 1816; Henry H., in 1817; Catherine, in 1819; Christian, in 1820; Lydia, in 1821; George W., in 1823; Mary, in 1824, and William, in 1827. John Uhl settled on 180 acres of Western Reserve school land, and here made his home until his death. He died May 30, 1871, aged eighty-six years, one month and twenty--five days; his wife died January 21, 1854, aged sixty-six years, six months and fourteen days.
ELI UHL, a son of John and Catherine (Hayman) Uhl, was born in Allegany Coutny, Md., June 18, 1813, and was a young man when his parents came to Holmes County. He leaned the carpenter's trade when a young man, and worked at it about ten years, but with that exception he has devoted his entire life to agriculture. He bought the farm where he now lives in 1849. At that time it was a trract of uncultivated land, and all the improvements have been made by Mr. Uhl. His 161 acres are all now under cultivation, and the farm is still superintended by Mr. Uhl, who is remarably active for one of his age. He was married in April 18, 1839, to Mary, daughter of Philip and Susan (Swartz) Hayman, and to them have been born four children: Philip, who was killed at San Juan, Cal., in 1880; S. Jerome, an architect and painter, in Washington D.C.; John F. and Susan.
WILLIAM UHL, a son of Charles and Catherine (Close) Uhl, came to Holmes Coutny in 1818, and settled on 160 acres of land entered by his father. The most of this land was heavily timbered, but by hard work and industry, he cleared and improved it, and made it his home until his death, which occurred February 14, 1885. He married Mary Uhl in 1820, and they had eight children: Catherine, Jacob, Solomon, Martin, Mary, William, Romana and Lydia Ann. William Uhl, Jr., was born in Hardy Township, January 23, 1833, and has spent his entire life on the farm where he now lives. He owns a fine farm of 130 acres, eighty being a part of his father's homestead. He was married August 26, 1858, to Dorothy E., daughter of William Anderson, of Holmes County, and they have two children: L.E. and Valurius. Mr. Uhl is Assisted in the work of the farm by his son, who is married, but still resides at home.
Thus we have given a short sketch of one of the best known families in Holmes County, they have for many years been identified with the Lutheran Church. Since the organization of the Republican party they have been stanch adherents to its principles, being strong anti-slavery men, and during the Rebellion they were firm supporters of the Government, which their ancestors fought to establish.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889