Pell Teed Courter
Pell Teed Courter, senior proprietor of Pleasant Hill stock farm, which is located in Delaware Township and is operated under the firm name of P. T. Courter & Sons, is one of this section's must progressive agriculturists and stockmen. He was born in Essex County, New Jersey. August 25, 1840, and is a son of Henry M. and Desire C. E. (Teed) Courter. The
Courters are of Scotch and Dutch ancestry, and although of several generations back, the solid qualities belonging to this combination are apparent in the present representatives of the family. Henry M. Courter was born in Essex County, New Jersey, and was a son of Henry and Charlotte (Terrell) Courter. He learned the shoemaking trade, which he followed until he came to Ohio in 1857, when he bought a home in Berkshire Township, to which he brought his family in the following year, and remained a resident of Delaware Countw until his death. He passed the closing three years of his life at the home of his son, Pell T. Courter. The mother of Mr. Courter was a member of one of the oldest families of Essex County, New Jersey, and her father, Pell Teed, was a prominent member of a family that had been established at a very early date by burghers from Amsterdam, Holland, who settled in Livingstone Township, Essex County. As Desire Teed, she was married (first) to John Jones, who died in Columbiana County, Ohio, a few days before the birth of her son, John F. Jones. She subsequently married Henry M. Courter, and the following children reached maturity: George H., deceased; Pell T.; Josiah, deceased; Amzi, residing at Galena, Ohio; Charlotte, who married L. W. Miller, residing at Bellefontaine; and Wesley, residing al Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The parents of the above children were faithful members of the Baptist Church.
Pell Teed Courter, who bears his maternal grandfather's name, was eighteen years of age when the family came to Delaware County, Ohio. In those days a parent was obliged to pay the sum of two dollars a month in order to have his child attend school, and after he was eight years old, Mr. Courter was not afforded many months of schooling. When 11 years old he went to work at the shoe bench and soon learned all the details of shoemaking, and by the time he was 12 yars old he went to a journeyman shoe shop and took a job to work on his own account. At that time it was the custom for the shoemaker to take his work home with him. and it was with some misgivings that the proprietor of the shop gave the young workman his first two-dozen shoe order. His attitude changed, however, when the well-made shoes were returned to him, a rigid inspection failing to show any defect, and after that, Mr. Courter had no difficulty in securing all the work he could do. The thoroughness which marked his boyish efforts has attended all his enterprises and undoubtedly has been one of the factors in Mr. Courter' s business success.
Until 1883 Mr. Courter followed shoemaking, then became foreman in a shoe store for some three years, after which he engaged in clerking hut became interested in farming in 1881, when he took charge of his father-in-law's farm, on the east side of the river. Here again his thoroughness and attention to detail brought about success and in the spring of 1894 he bought his present farm containing 60 acres. This he has operated mainly as a stock farm, making a specialty of thorough-bred swine and sheep, favoring the Chester White hogs and the Shropshire sheep, all registered, and giving a great deal of profitable attention to choice poultry, especially to Rose Comb Brown Leghorns. He raises also good crops of corn, oats, wheat and hay.
When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Courter was 21 years of age and was making an ample living working at his trade and was busy with plans for the future. When the first call came for troops these plans were put to one side and he, with other loyal young men of his acquaintance, went forward and in a spirit of true patriotism, offered life and service in defense of country. In April, 1861, he became an enlisted private in Company I, Fourth Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with his comrades was sent to Camp Dennison and kept there through the first enlistment. In October, 1861, he re-enlisted, entering Company E, Sixty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, winch was soon sent across the river into Virginia. From Wheeling the regiment followed down the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to Martinsburg, and thence to Winchester and then on to Fredericksburg. On June 9, 1862, he participated in the fight with. General Jackson's troops at Port Republic, where he was unfortunate enough to be taken prisoner. He was sent first to the Lynchburg, Virginia, Fair Grounds, and from there to Belle Isle, where he was kept until September 13th, when he was paroled and transferred to Annapolis and thence to Alexandria, Virginia. He was detained there until November 20th, when he joined his regiment at Bolivar Heights. On account of disability he was then ordered to be examined and in November, 1862, he was honorably discharged. He is a member of the George B. Torrence Post, Grand Army of the Republic. In his political affiliation, Mr. Courter is a Republican. He has never been an active seeker for office but has served as township trustee.
Mr. Courter married Eliza Kruck, who is a daughter of Mathias Kruck. She was horn in Delaware Township, Delaware County, Ohio, where her father settled in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Courter have had three children: Harry, Clara and Walter. The latter is deceased but is survived by his widow and two sons, Ralph and Perry. Harry Courter, the surviving son of P. T. Courter, is associated with his father in operating the farm and is a very enterprising, intelligent and successful business man. He married Emma Salisbury and they have one son, Earl H. The only daughter, Clara, married John H. Maxton, residing at Van Wert, Ohio, and they have four children: Ruth, Jean Marguerite, Reid and Vesta.
Mr. Courter and family are identified with St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. He has long been actively interested in the same, serving for years as one of the trustees and for some time was superintendent of the Sunday school. For a long period he has been an enthusiastic and practical supporter of this congregation and in large measure, to his efforts its well being and strength is due. In like manner he has supported public-spirited enterprises in his community, being one of the first to recognize the importance of good roads to insure speedy and safe transportation, to introduce improved machinery on his own farm and to encourage its use by others, while his efforts to raise the grade of stock to a high standard, has been of great value to all this section. He is one of its most representative men.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908