Almer Hegler
The Hegler family is of Swiss descent, and Almer Hegler, whose history is here presented, is the fifth in direct line from the first member of the family to come to this country. The heads of the respective generations are as follows: Sebastian, Jacob, Abraham, Milton and Almer. Sebastian was born in Virginia in the earlier part of the eighteenth century. One of his sons, Jacob, married Mary Dice, and to this union was born Abraham, the grandfather of Almer, with whom this narrative deals. Abraham Hegler was born in Virginia in 1789, and was twice married.
The first wife of Abraham Hegler was Elizabeth Shobe, and to this union three children were born, Lucinda Stingley, Mrs. Mahala Latta and Adonijah. The second marriage of Abraham Hegler was to Dolly Stookey, and to this union six children were born, Milton, Cyrus, Allan, Lawson, Huldy, Effa, all deceased. The father of Almer, the immediate subject of this sketch, was the eldest of his family.
Abraham Hegler moved to Ross county, Ohio, in 1809, and lived there the remainder of his life. Milton Hegler, one of the six children born to Abraham and Dolly (Stookey) Hegler was born in Ross county, Ohio, March 21, 1816, and after his marriage took up his abode in Fayette county. He was a life-long resident of this county and died here in 1887, at the advanced age of eighty-one. Milton Hegler was twice married, his first marriage occurring in about 1850 to Abigail DeWitt, the daughter of Henry and Abigail (Davis) DeWitt. His first wife died February 14, 1858, leaving her husband with two living sons, Lawson and Almer, and two who died in infancy. Lawson has since died. The second wife of Milton Hegler was Sarah J. McCoy, the daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Harper) McCoy, this marriage occurring December 24, 1862, and to this second union four children were born, Mrs. Dora Shobe, Orris, David S., and Iva B.. the wife of Harry T. Baker. Milton Hegler was one of the wealthiest men of his county at the time of his death and left an estate of over one thousand acres of land in Wayne township. He had extensive business interests outside of his land holdings and was a director in the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company for many years.
Almer Hegler, son of Milton and Abigail (DeVVitt) Hegler, was born November 17, 1854, in Wayne township, this county, and has spent his entire life within the township where he was born. He was educated in the schools of his home township and finished in the graded schools of Washington C. H. He has spent all of his life in farming, although he has been engaged in various business enterprises along with his agricultural pursuits. For several years he and Elijah Hopkins had a factory at Washington C. H., where they made the Eclipse hog holder and the Eclipse hog ring, which were endorsed and widely used by the most substantial stock raisers of the county. At the present time Mr. Hegler is largely interested in the manufacture of fertilizer, to which he gives a great deal of attention and which has proven very remunerative, from which he has just retired, November 1, after seventeen years spent in these lines. For many years Mr. Hegler was the manager of his father's estate of twelve hundred acres and is now farming his share of the paternal estate. He has a beautiful country home with attractive surroundings and is classed among the most substantial men of his township and county.
Mr. Hegler was married September 21, 1887, to Mrs. Laura (McCoy) Thompson, the widow of Wesley C. Thompson and a daughter of Allen and Malinda ( Kuhl) McCoy.
From History of Fayette County Ohio - Her People, Industries and Institutions by Frank M. Allen (1914, R. F. Bowen & Company, Inc.)
Almer Heagler, son of Milton Heagler, who was born in Ross County, four or five miles southeast of his present residence, March 21, 1816, and was the son of Abram Heagler, a native of Virginia. He remained in Ross County until 1850, when he removed to this township, taking possession of the brick house, now occupied by William Wells, on the Chillicothe pike, and engaged in farming. He was married in about 1850, to Abigail, daughter of Henry Dewitt, of this township, who bore him four children, two of which died in infancy; those living are: Lawson, and Almer. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and died in that faith, February 14, 1856.
Mr. Heagler was married again, December 24, 1862, to Sarah J., daughter of Thomas McCoy, who bore him four children: Dora, Orris, David S., and Ivy B., all living. She is a member of the Fairview Methodist Episcopal Church.
Our subject was born, November 17, 1854, on the farm now occupied by Elijah Hopkins; here he was reared and educated; also attended school at Washington, and has since been on the farm. Politically, he is a Republican. He has under his control, and management, the Milton Heagler land, which contains one thousand two hundred acres, on the Chillicothe pike, and is in a fine state of cultivation. The home residence is a handsome two-story brick, situated on a beautiful lawn, and making one of the most desirable dwellings in the neighborhood. The land is farmed by tenants, and used in grazing cattle for others. Messrs. Almer Heagler and Elijah Hopkins are the sole owners of the "Eclipse Hog Ring," and the "Eclipse Hog Holder," which they manufacture at Washington. This ring and holder is indorsed and used by the most substantial stock raisers in the country, and has proved a success.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County