The Defiance Crescent News, in their December 26, 1903, issue, named Franklin M. B. Winans as the current oldest man living in Defiance County. Franklin Winans and his father, Mathias, especially, lived adventurous lives, especially in their military experiences and as pioneers.
"OLDEST MAN IN COUNTY
LIVING AND BORN IN DEFIANCE IS FRANKLIN WINANS
First Saw Day in Hut near Auglaize.
Father was a Soldier under Gen. Wayne and Helped Build Fort.
Franklin M. B. Winans, residing in Mark township, is undoubtedly the oldest man in Defiance county who was born in this city.
Mr. Winans was in the city Thursday and told a short history of his family to a representative of this paper.
His father's name was Mathias Winans who was a soldier under General Anthony Wayne and assisted in building Fort Defiance. He was born in 1776, and after the fort was built and the troops withdrawn, he returned to Miami county where he married Miss Lettie McCully.
Mathias Winans liked the location here so well, that in 1827 he moved to Defiance with his bride
Franklin Winans was born in this city in 1837 in a hut on the ground where the homes of Mrs. Eunice Knapp and Perry Helpman are located. At that time. Defiance was but a settlement, and contained, all told, about a half dozen houses.
The only enterprise of a business nature then in the city was a grist mill. Flour was made by use of large stones and in one end was a new mill.
At the age of three years, Franklin Winan, with his parents, went to Fremont. The next time that he saw Defiance he was nine years old and came through here as an employee on the canal.
There is another incident in Mr. Winan's life which is of historical significance. His grandfather was in the British navy and before he finished his term of enlistment, he deserted by jumping overboard into the ocean and swimming ashore. He then came to America and immediately enlisted with the Revolutionary War patriots fighting until the Declaration of Independence had been recognized by the mother country.
Mathias Winans fought in the Indian wars under General Wayne and in the Mexican War.
The son, Franklin Winans, at the outbreak of the rebellion, enlisted with the Union troops and fought bravely through the entire conflict. Thus, this last act of the son completed a patriotic history for the Winan's family from this country's first to last great war.
After the Civil War, Mr. Winans returned to this county. He settled first in Tiffin township, but for a great number of years has made his home in Mark. He had two children, a son and a daughter. The former, with his wife, have long since died. He now makes his home with his daughter.
Mr. Winans is full of historical reminiscences which are interesting. He says he was a Democrat before the war and during the war has been since and ever will be. He is sincere in his opinion that he is the oldest living Defiance resident who was born here, and as far as is known, there is no other claimant to the honor."
Mr. Winans died on August 17, 1913, at the age of 76 in Branch County, Michigan. His death certificate shown above (click for larger view) indicated that he died of erysipelas, which is a bacterial skin infection which is accompanied by a severe red rash. It would be a milder form of cellulitis which today might be treated with an antibiotic and creams. No effective treatments were available yet, so that, and "debility of old age" brought about his death
Although he died in Michigan, he was buried in the Sherwood Cemetery.
He had two children: William E. and Catharine Phoebe.
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