Samuel Light
Samuel Light, one of the most progressive agriculturists of Allen County, owns 80 acres of land n section 23, Monroe township, where he has resided for 30 years. He was born in Franklin Township, Richland County, Ohio, February 11, 1837, and is a son of Michael and Catherine (Heinkst) Light.
Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania, the father of Dauphin County and the mother of York County. when children, they came of Ohio with their parents in wagons. Here they grew up and were married in Richland County, which was their home as long as they lived. He was a man of small stature, while she was a woman who weighed 275 pounds. The paternal grandfather, John Light, was a native of Pennsylvania, of German extraction. Both the grandfather and the father of our subject used the German language almost entirely in their families. The grandfather had two sons and five daughters. He died in Richland County at the advanced age of 93 years. The Children of Michael and Catherine Light were as follows: Mary Reppert, deceased; Daniel, of Oklahoma; Samuel; John, who died at the age of 10 years; Catherine (Bradley), deceased, and Lydia (Urich), of Richland County, who were twins; George, who died in Oklahoma; Michael, who died at the age of 18 in Richland County; and Maggie (Rhodes), of Shelby. George Light served four years as drummer boy in the Civil War, being too young to enlist for regular service. Like his father, he was small of stature but was a man of prominence wherever he lived, popular and of affable manner. He was a school teacher a number of years and was sent to the Legislature two terms by the Democrats of Putnam County, where he had been engaged in medical practice for 15 years before locating in Oklahoma.
Samuel Light made his home in Richland County until he moved to Shelby, Ohio, where he was employed in operating a jack in the woolen mills for five years, his machine taking 150 threads. He also assisted in the office. He then engaged in the grocery business with two partners for about three years and did a large volume of business, buying and shipping practically all the eggs produced in the vicinity of Shelby. In March, 1871, he came to Monroe township, Allen County, and for 10 years ran a threshing machine here, introducing and operating the first threshing machine engine in Allen County. In 1876 he purchased his present farm of 80 acres in section 23, Monroe township, and the same spring moved into the log cabin which had been built on the property. Since 1881 he has given his entire time to farming and to improving his place which, under his intelligent methods, has become twice as productive as is was originally, and never fails to yield good crops. He has about 77 acres cleared and has beautified it with handsome buildings and other improvements.
Mr. Light has been twice married, his first union being with Mary N. Hood, a native of Wayne County, Ohio. Two children were born to this marriage, viz: Sherman, who resides in Monroe township and is the father of four children; and Emma Catherine, wife of Rev. W. V. Davis, pastor of the United Brethren Church at Robinson, Utah, and formerly stationed in Monroe township for 15 years. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have three children: Clyde, who is an electrician in the United States Army; Leo, who is a talented musician; and Virgil E., a minister of the Gospel. Mr. Light's present wife was a widow of Jeremiah Hershiser, her maiden name was Mary Cline. She had three children by her first union, the only one living being Mrs. Jennie Bistline, of Williams County, Ohio. The second union resulted in the birth of two children: Maggie Elizabeth, who married Oscar Weaver, of Monroe township, and has five children; and Carrie Luella, who married Clark Kidd, of Orange township, Hancock County, and has five children. Mr. Light is a member of the United Brethren Church at Columbus Grove and has been an active worker since his conversion at the age of 23 years. He was class leader during the entire eight years he lived at Shelby and has also acted in that capacity here. He has been a life long Democrat; has served as justice of the peace and township treasurer two terms each, and for six years was an infirmary director.
From History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Edited by Charles C. Miller. Richmond & Arnold, Publishers, Chicago, 1906