Jonathan Custard
Jonathan Custard, one of Lima's esteemed retired citizens, whose period of residence covers almost a half century, was born in November 17, 1834, in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel Custard.
Daniel Custard was born in Maryland. When he was 10 years old, his people moved to Pennsylvania and later to Tuscarawas County, Ohio. In 1835 he moved to Allen County and lived on a farm in German township, where he also conducted a small store,until 1856, when he came to Lima and for some years operated a general supply store on the present site of the Court House. He was the father of 12 children, of whom our subject is the only survivor. Daniel Custard died in 1868, aged 83 years. In politics he was a strong Whig and later a Republican.
Jonathan Custard was reared on a farm and was educated in a select school in Lima. His entrance into business was in the grocery line and later he was connected with the sewing machine trade. For the past 14 years he has mainly occupied himself in looking after his investments and large property interests. He has enjoyed traveling with his wife and daughter and has frequently visited the various points of interest in California and sojourned at that pleasant Pacific city, Los Angeles.
On January 1, 1857, Mr. Custard was married to Sarah E. Terry, a daughter of Enos and Delphia (Watson) Terry. Enos Terry was born in Warren County, Ohio, and came to Allen County in 1830, when the country was still a wilderness, inhabited by wild beast and Indians. He helped to lay our what is now the beautiful city of Lima and during this period, on many occasions, his efficient wife cooked the dinners for the men engaged in this work. Mrs. Terry was born in Virginia. Enos Terry was the pioneer nurseryman of Allen County and was engaged in that business almost the whole of his active life. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Custard and of these two are now living, namely: Edwin K., of Toledo, Ohio, and Delphia Terry. The other two, who died in infancy, were: Lillie Ann, born November 1, 1858, and deceased January 2, 1863; and Daniel Enos, born May 5, 1862, and deceased June 4, 1863.
Edwin K. Custard was married in April, 1887, to Nellie Dunsby, who was born in England and has lived in America since she was four years of age. They have had five children, as follows: Jonathan, Leonise, Madeline, Ocia and Edwin Coldor, deceased. Delphia Terry Custard was married on November 30, 1905, to Frank J. Wurmser, of Lima. Mr. Wurmser is a native of Findlay, Ohio. The family are embers of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church of Lima, which Mr. Custard served as an official for 17 years.
Both the Custards and the Terry families have been identified with the development of Allen County for a great many years. Mr. and Mrs. Custard have a fund of interesting reminiscences of the early days in Allen County. Mrs. Custard remembers hearing her parents tell of their removal from Lebanon, Ohio, into the wilderness of Allen County. They came in covered wagon, which they had stocked with supplies designed to comfortably support them for a year, but a large part of these went to feed the hungry Indians who came begging, Mrs. Terry fearing to refuse them.