Samuel Spyker
Samuel Spyker, for many years a prominent resident of Shawnee township, was the father of Joel Spyker, a sketch of whom apperars elsewhere in this work. Locating in Shawnee township early as 1837, he materially aided in the development of what is now one of the richest townships in Ohio, clearing his farm and assisting in the building of roads.
Samuel Spyker was born at Circleville, Ohio, November 13, 1813, and was a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Todd) Spyker, his father being a native of Pennsylvania and his mother, of Kentucky.
His parents were pioneers of Pickway and Allen counties, dying in the latter at advanced ages.
Samuel Spyker was reared in his native county and acquired the trades of plasterer and brick mason. He worked on a farm and at his trades in Pickaway County until 1837, when he located in Allen County, settling upon a farm in section 25, Shawnee township, which is still owned by his heirs. He cleared this farm, as well as a 100 acre tract east of the homestead and in the same section. Here he resided until his death in 1897, in Shawnee township thereby losing one of its most substantial and public-spirited citizens.
Samuel Spyker was first married December 13, 1835, to Sarah Weaver, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Fox) Weaver, and they had eight children, seven of whom reached maturity as follows: Martin; Lewis; Elizabeth, wife of Francis Stevenson; Allen; Mary, wife of Francis Mohler; Henry, deceased; and Jacob. After the death of Mrs. Spyker, Samuel Spyker formed a second union August 13, 1851, with Margaret Losch, a daughter of Michael and Eva (Smith) Losch, by whom he had 12 children, as follows: Jonathan; Sarah, Samuel, Peter and Theodore, all deceased; Effie, wife of D. Tippy; Charles, deceased; Joel ; Nettie; Addie; and twins who died in infancy. Two of his 12 sons served with distinction in the Civil War.
Politically, our subject was a lifelong Democrat. In religious connections both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.