George Uhlich
After an honorable and useful career the subject of tins sketch can well afford to lay aside all business cares and spend his declining years in ease and quiet, surrounded by all the comforts which make life worth the living.
A native of Richland county, he was born on the old homestead in Madison township, northwest of Mansfield, which was purchased by his grandfather, George Uhlich, in 1828, and which comprises one hundred and forty-two acres. His grandfather was probably a native of Berks county, Pennsylvania, and was a soldier of the war of 1812. He died in 1834. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Saltzgaber, was a native of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and belonged to one of the pioneer families of this county, which was founded here in 1834. Her brother, Samuel Saltzgaber, who celebrated his one hundredth anniversary in Van Wert county, in 1899, conducted a hotel in Shelby, this county, for thirty years. His son, Gallord Saltzgaber, was a representative to congress from Van Wert county.
The father of our subject was born in Pennsylvania in 1819, and was eight years old when brought to Ohio by his parents. He inherited the old homestead, upon which he spent his entire life with the exception of the last few years, when he lived in Mansfield. He died at the age of seventy-two years, honored and respected by all who knew him. He married Catherine Fidler, who also belonged to one of the pioneer families of this county, and by this union four children were born, namely: George, our subject; Jonathan, who is represented on another page, of this volume; Susan, the deceased wife of Harry Hall, a merchant of Williams county, Ohio; and Nella, the wife of James Fay, of Mansfield.
During his boyhood George Uhlich attended the common schools, and early became familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. Later he worked the old home farm until 1882, when he moved to Mansfield, where he was engaged in the grocery business for fourteen years, and has since lived retired.
In 1865 Mr. Uhlich was united in marriage with Miss Abigail Petrow, a daughter of John Petrow, who came to this county from Forestville in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, in 1859. By this union were born four children: Joseph, a resident of Mansfield, who married Emma Enlow, of Springfield township, a daughter of Jackson Enlow; George W., who married Ida Feltner, of Mansfield, where they reside; and Rolla and Lemont, both at home with their parents.
During the Civil war Mr. Uhlich was a member of the Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was in the service from 1861 to 1864, participating in all the engagements in which his regiment took part. He is now an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and also belongs to St. Luke's Lutheran church. In politics he is an active Democrat, and was a member of the city council two terms,—from 1891 to 1895. He is now a trustee of the water-works, being first elected in 1897 and re-elected in 1900 for another three years. He was the chairman of the board in 1899 and 1900. As a public-spirited, enterprising man, he is recognized as a valued citizen of the community, and justly merits the high regard in which he is uniformly held by all who know him.
From A Centennial Biographical History of Richland County, Ohio, A. J. Baughman, Editor; The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago. 1901