680 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Werter M. Seymour, of Bainbridge, was born and bred in Paxton township, Ross county. His father, Aaron W. Seymour, was a native of West Virginia who located in Paxton township in 1849; became a successful farmer and stockdealer, and took a prominent part in the politics of his township. He married Catherine E. McNeil, of Ross county, descendant of an old Virginia family, and they had three children, of whom Alice V. married Mordecai C. Hopewell and died in 1872 ; Anna M. became the wife of Robert L. Irvin, of Kentucky, and died in January, 1901. Werter M. Sey-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 681
mour, the only living child, was educated in the public schools of Ross county and at Danville, Ky., where he spent three years. After leaving school he embarked in farming and stock-dealing, which has been his occupation ever since. In 1880-81 he spent some time in New Mexico and western Kansas in the sheep business. In 1883, he was married to Agnes E., daughter of Seymour McMechen, descendant of an old Virginia family. They have had three children of whom only Allie H. and Katherine H. are living. Their oldest son, A. Welton Seymour, a bright and lovable boy, died at the untimely age of fourteen, thus cutting off a career that was full of promise. Mr. Seymour has always taken a good citizen's interest in politics but has held no office. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and of the American Insurance union.
Horace E. Shepler, dealer in wagons, implements, fertilizers and other farm supplies at Kingston, has all his life been engaged in agriculture or business connected therewith. His father, John Shepler, also a lifelong cultivator of Mother Earth, was born in Ross county, November 26, 1826. The father of the latter was brought to Ross county from Pennsylvania, when an infant. When John Shepler reached manhood he became a farmer in Green township, which occupation he adhered to continuously, and is now living a retired life in the evening of his days. He married Catherine Vawter, born Aug. 15, 1835, daughter of Milton and Lucy Vawter, who came from Essex county, Va., to Ross county in 1837. Mr. and Mrs. John Shepler are and long have been devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which they have held various offices. In times long gone, before the clays of railroads and hotels, their home was the stopping place for ministers traveling from place to place to meet their appointments, and many were the pioneer preachers who benefited by its cordial greetings and generous hospitalities. Mr. Shepler believes in organization among farmers for mutual benefit, and has long been a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, holding the position of treasurer of his local grange. John and Catherine Shepler have been married fifty years and have been the parents of twelve children: Minnie, Emma, Jacob, Charles, Ella (deceased), Horace E., Flora (deceased), Lucy, John, William, George and Guy. Horace E. Shepler was born in Green township, Ross county, on what is known as the Joseph Wright farm, April 8, 1862. After the usual educational routine, including the Kingston high school course, he engaged in farming and later added the agricultural implement business. This he prosecuted both in Kingston and Chillicothe for some time, and during the last ten years, while still retaining connection with the farm, he has dealt in fertilizers. In 1899, he came to Kingston and since then has been handling buggies, wagons, fertilizers and other agricultural
682 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
supplies. In December, 1900, he took a position in connection with the Scioto Valley Traction company, an electric line, but this has not interfered with his regular business. Mr. Shepler held the office of assessor five years and is a charter member of Kingston lodge, No. 419, Knights of Pythias. May 1, 1890, he was married to Fannie, daughter of David and Julia (Moore) Terry of Green township, and has two sons, David B. and Forrest Lesley. Mrs. Shepler is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
William E. Shepler, extensively engaged in fanning and stock-raising, and for some years in the meat business at Kingston, was born in Green township, Ross county, January 24, 1871. Full particulars of the parentage and family appear in the sketch of his father, John Shepler, which is presented above. Mr. Shepler grew up on the farm, learned all the details which are only to be obtained by practical experience, and is himself a thorough and successful farmer. He has charge of 295 acres of land, which he manages and cultivates by modern methods and pays much attention to the raising of stock. Few men of his age are better posted on all things appertaining to the live stock industry, which he has made a profitable feature of his dealings. For three years past Mr. Shepler has been engaged in the meat business at Kingston and has made a success of that feature, as he has of whatever else he undertook. October 31, 1895, he was married to Elizabeth J. Evans, born in Green township, June 18, 1870. She is a daughter of Isaac and Minerva (Senff) Evans, and granddaughter of Andrew Senff, a pioneer of Ross county. Mr. and Mrs. Shepler have three children.
Jacob Shively was born May 24, 1833, in Union township, Ross county, about one quarter of a mile from where he now resides. He is a grandson of George Shively, who was brought to America while an infant by his father, Jacob Shively, from the fatherland of Germany, about the year 1760. George Shively grew to manhood and married Rebecca Rileys, of Irish family, and they had six children: Margie A. (Gooley), born in 1782 ; Nancy in 1786, Sarah (Ballenger) in 1791, Phoebe in 1794, Jacob in 1797, and Catherine (Robertson) in 1799. Jacob Shively, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Loudoun county, Va., obtained a meager education during his childhood in that state, and in 1815 came to Ohio with the family. The original intention was to go to Indiana, but when they reached a point in the vicinity east of the present town of Kingston, the father was taken with a fatal illness which soon terminated his life. As a result of this untoward accident, the responsibility of caring for the helpless family was thrown upon Jacob, who was then only eighteen years old. After the father's death it was decided to change all their plans and abandon the intention of going to Indiana,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 683
so the route was reversed and the travelers, with young Jacob in the lead, returned clown the Scioto river and finally settled in what was then known as Heller's Bottoms on Paint creek. As soon as he could obtain a foothold, he, with very limited means, embarked in the business of teamster, and for several years was engaged in hauling to and from Zanesville his cargoes, consisting of salt and whiskey. In 1824 he bought 140 acres of land near the Sulphur Lick springs, which he leased to William Robertson and still continued his teaming business and farming on the creek bottoms, until 1833. He then moved on to his farm and soon after added fifty acres more to it and from that time on was closely engaged in general farming and stock-raising. During all these years he continued to accumulate until finally he was owner of 275 acres of land, all the improvements on which had been made by himself. In polities Jacob Shively, Sr., was first a Whig, then an Abolitionist, later a Free Soiler, and finally a charter member of the young Republican party when that organization was just commencing its historic career. During his time he occasionally held minor township offices and his religious affiliations were with the Missionary Baptist church. In August, 1885, after a long and strenuous life, he passed away in his eighty-ninth year. In 1818 he married Ellen Fernandes, a sister to the Rev. Henry Fernandes, a man of considerable notoriety as a revivalist in his day in the Methodist Episcopal church. They were of Irish descent. There were seven children born to Jacob and Ellen Shively, two of them dying in infancy, Henry at the age of eighteen and George when twenty-four. Frances married William Henness, and Phoebe became the wife of Andrew Roseboom. Jacob Shively, the youngest child, and the subject. of this sketch, was born May 24, 1833. He remained at home and worked on the farm, and acquired only an ordinary common school education by attending the district schools two or three months during the winters when he could be spared from work on the farm. In August, 1855, he was married to Mary E. Wright, a lady of German descent. They rented a farm near Frankfort, where they remained for six years, after which he returned to Union township. At that time the civil war was in progress and on August 13, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Eighty-ninth Ohio infantry. In April, 1863, he was appointed corporal and' the following May 10th received promotion to sergeant of his company. In the battle of Chickamauga he was wounded near the left eye. In January, 1864, he was appointed color sergeant of the regiment, and he was discharged near Washington, D. C., June 7, 1865. Mr. Shively has an authorized official statement showing places and dates when he was under fire of the enemy, which amounts to a total of 188 days. He participated in the following engagements. Hoover's Gap, Tenn., Chickamauga, siege of Chattanooga, Brown's Ferry, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Rocky Face, Buzzard's Roost, Tunnel Hill,
684 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Resaca, Kingston, Pine Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, advance on Savannah, Fayetteville, N. C., and many skirmishes and smaller engagements. This is a record to be proud of and such as few men can show. After the war Mr. Shively returned home and resumed farming on the place which he had left at his country's call. In 1867 he purchased the farm where he now resides and since then has carried on farming and stock-raising in the usual way. He has been prosperous and now owns 240 acres of land besides a holding of 320 acres of valuable lands in Oklahoma. His political affiliations have been with the Republican party. He was often elected and served as township trustee, and some other offices in township and school board, but reluctantly accepted such positions, preferring to avoid official responsibility. He and his family were all Baptists and he has well fulfilled all the duties of a good citizen, both in war and peace. Following is the list and present status of Mr. Shively's children: The first born died in infancy. Isaac M. married Elizabeth Cory, of Frankfort, Ohio, who died about eight years afterward. They had one son. After that he married Minnie Coshman, of Clinton county, Ohio, and they have one son. The next, Martha E., is at home. Mary C. is the wife of Charles Jenkins. They have five children, and reside in Kingfisher county, Old. Ellen J. is the wife of William Augustus: they have one son living and one dead. Etta F. is Mrs. Irvin Grant, now in Oklahoma ; they have one daughter. Marie is at home.
Sampson Shoemaker is a native of Highland county, Ohio, born February 28, 1813. His father, Martin Shoemaker, was born in Virginia about 1810 and came to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Highland county and followed fanning. After obtaining a common school education, Martin married Anna Purgett, a native of Ross county and member of one of its oldest families. They immediately commenced housekeeping on the old home place in Highland county, and in the course of years had a family of nine children. Of these, Henry and an unnamed infant are dead. The living are Frederick, of Highland county Lydia, wife of Eli Runyan, of Iowa ; Sampson, the subject of this sketch ; Priscilla, wife of Nobis Setterfied; William, of Highland county; Manda, wife of James Roby, and Allen. Besides being a general farmer, Martin was a partner in the mill business with Daniel Shoemaker. He died on the old home place about the year 1853, his wife surviving him until 1888. Their son Sampson was educated in the district schools, and when the civil war broke out be enlisted in Company D, Eleventh Ohio cavalry, later being transferred to Company L of the same regiment. He served in the quartermaster's department for fourteen months, was also corporal for six months, his total service being
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 685
for three years, and was discharged on June 10, 1866. Mr. Shoemaker returned home to Highland county, where he remained a few months, then rented other property and engaged in farming. He was twice married, first to Esther A. Smith, on April 11, 1868, after which he lived near Berrysville in Highland county for two years. At the end of that time he bought the 100 acres in Twin township where he now resides and has since added 75 acres, besides making extensive improvements. By the first marriage there were thirteen children, of whom Stella and Flossie died in infancy. The other children are thus enumerated in order of birth : Etha, wife of Leo Fels; Louisa, now Mrs. Fred Fels ; Aquilla, in Kansas; Alvin, in the Philippines : Harvey, at Bourneville ; Frederick, in Iowa ; Lena, Frank, Metta, Clarence M. and Gracie, at home. The mother of these children died in 1892 and on January 6, 1896, Mr. Shoemaker married Martha Kearns, by 'whom he had one child that died in infancy. Mr. Shoemaker is a general farmer by occupation but also operates a small mill on his place. He has served as constable and is a member of the G. A. R. post, No. 534, at Bourneville. He also belongs to the Paint Valley lodge, I. O. O. F., at the same place, and has been connected with the Christian Union since 1867.
Wesley Shoemaker is a native of Pike county, Ohio, born December 1, 1868. His parents were Israel and Elizabeth (Mick) Shoemaker. Israel Shoemaker was born June 3, 1845, son of Robert Shoemaker, a son of German parents, who came to America at a very early date and settled in Ross county. Robert was a cooper by trade and followed this occupation throughout the most of his life. He married Hannah Park of Huntington township, Ross county, by whom he had the following children : Abigail, married to James Toops; Mary, wife of James Baker; two unnamed, who died in infancy; Israel, and Margaret, the latter married to Henry Baker; Jane, the wife of James Ford, and Jerneva, now Mrs. Z. R. Murphy. A few years before he died the father removed to Nipgen, in Ross county. Israel Shoemaker enlisted as a soldier in the Twenty-fourth regiment Ohio infantry and served three years during the civil war. After the cessation of hostilities, he returned to Ross county and worked at the cooper's trade for a number of years. After his marriage to Elizabeth Mick, he settled down in Pike county, where he spent several years. The exigencies of his trade necessitated frequent removals, but finally he bought property in Nipgen, which became the place of his permanent abode. By his first marriage, Israel Shoemaker had four children : Wesley, Elsie (deceased), Robert, and Martin. The mother died shortly after giving birth to the last child, and Mr. Shoemaker's second marriage was to Hannah Murphy. This union resulted in the birth of eight children, of whom the first and second (named Josie) are dead. The living are
686 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
James, Jane, Mary, William Jesse, John and Anna. The father is still living, but is retired from the active duties of life. Wesley Shoemaker, the eldest of the children, remained at home until he was fourteen, after which he worked by the month on the farm. On March 13, 1898, he was married to Sarah E. Riehle, daughter of Ferdinand Riehle, descendant of an old Ross county family. After that event the couple settled down in Twin township on a farm of 117 acres, which was inherited by Mrs. Shoemaker. They have had three children, of whom Phoebe, the first born, and Virgil, the second, are dead, and Sanford living. Mr. Shoemaker carries on general farming and stock-raising and enjoys the reputation of being an industrious man and good citizen.
David C. Shotts, a civil war veteran and substantial farmer of Huntington township, belongs to a family which has had representatives in Ross county since the first decade of the nineteenth century. David and Mary Shotts were Germans who became immigrants to Virginia in or about the year 1800, and nine years later joined the army of movers westward bound, finishing their journey on the banks of the Scioto. Shortly after arriving in Ross county, the head of the house bought 290 acres of land in Huntington township, on which he lived until his death and which has ever since been in the possession of his descendants. David Shotts was killed by a stroke of lightning in 1825, but his widow long survived him and lived to be ninety-six years old. They had ten children : Cathrine, Elizabeth, Hannah, Mary, Sophia, Margaret, Susan, Jacob, Daniel and Jonas. All of these are dead with the exception of Susan who, at the age of ninety years, lives with her nephew, the subject of this sketch. Daniel, next to the youngest of the family, married Mary A. Bishop, of Ross county, by whom he had six children : Martha, who first married William Marshall, and, after his death, George Woods, of Waverly, Ohio; Catherine E., who married first, Lemuel Sayre, and, after his death, Amos Gorrell; David C., the subject of this sketch; Eliza A., wife of J. W. Gorrell, of Clinton county, Ohio ; George W., United States consul at Sault Ste. Marie; and Sarah A., wife of Austin M. Logan, of South Dakota. The father died in his seventy-second year and the mother when ninety years old. David C. Shotts was born in Ross county, Ohio, November 16, 1835, on the farm in Huntington township where he now resides. He attended the district schools and Bainbridge academy, spent eighteen months in Indiana and returned home in time to enlist in Company A, Eighteenth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, under command of Capt. R. H. Miller. This regiment was partly organized in August, 1861, at Athens, Ohio, and completed in the following November. It reported to General Sherman at Louisville early in the same month and was assigned to Gen. O. M. Mitchell's division of the army of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 687
the Ohio, being with that officer during his campaign south in February, 1862, to Bowling Green, Nashville, and Huntsville, Ala. It was next engaged at Stone River, and here it did noble work, and at Chickamauga it was in the thickest of the fight. After the battle of Missionary Ridge, a portion of the men became veterans and the remainder were mustered out. Shortly after his return from the front, in November, 1864, Mr. Shotts spent a year in Indiana, after which he returned to his home in Huntington township and resumed his farming operations. Mr. Shotts is a member of the Republican party and was appointed enumerator of his district during the taking of the last decennial census. He married Elizabeth Ann Brown, a native of Madison county, by whom he had seven children : Lena M., Bertha L., Charles C., Cora and Dora (twins), Edward E. and Mary L. The religious affiliations of the family are with the Methodist Episcopal church.
George Sigler, of Richmond Dale, was born in Ross county, March 7, 1832. His parents were John and Hester B. Sigler, the former of Virginia and the latter of New York. John was a son of George and Mary Ann (Sell) Sigler, the former of Germany, who married in 1798 and came to Ross county when John was a mere child. George Sigler was a farmer, served in the war of 1812 and died in Jefferson township in 1828, his wife surviving until 1865. John Sigler owned a small place, but followed the carpenter trade and also made spinning wheels, which at that time were an important article in the domestic household. Of his four children, three are still living. His son George, who is the subject of this sketch, learned the carpenter's trade. In partnership with his father, he made coffins for thirty years, and together they put up a large grist mill on Walnut creek. In 1853 George Sigler bought the property where he now lives, about seventy-five acres, but now owns all told some 400 acres of land. In addition to his other enterprises, he built a spoke factory and carried on that business for two years. He also, erected a corn-cracker for his own use, which has grown into quite a considerable establishment. At first it was devoted to grinding corn meal, to which buckwheat was added later, and today Mr. Sigler has an extensive business in this line. He manufactures buckwheat by a new process of hulling the grain before it is ground, and this product is shipped and sold to distant points. Among his industries are also included a saw mill and planing mill. Mr. Sigler has served his township as trustee for three terms. In 1853 he was married to Elizabeth Deshler, daughter of Christopher and Nancy (Phillips) Deshler, of Athens county. Mr. and Mrs. Sigler have had three children. Emily L. died when eight years old, and Effie D. died at the age of seventeen. Ernest Sigler, the only son, was educated at Richmond Dale and is the engineer at the mill.
688 - COUNTY OF ROSS.
Luther C. Skinner, connected with the agricultural interests of Deerfield township for over thirty-five years, is justly regarded as one of the most substantial of Ross county's farmers. Like so many other Ohioans, he comes of old Virginia stock and his ancestry have been cultivators of the soil from time out of mind. William Skinner came with his wife from the Old Dominion when Ohio was quite new as a state and sought a settlement in the county of Belmont. This location not proving satisfactory they removed shortly afterward to Muskingum county, where the head of the house secured land and entered into the business of cultivating the same. This Virginia couple had nine children, all now dead, named as follows : Lucy, Nancy, Eliza, William (who was a soldier in 1812), Charles, Johns Madison, Joseph and Philip. The father ended his days in Belmont county, Ohio, and the mother while on a visit to Virginia. Philip, the youngest. of their children, was born in 1804 near Richmond, Va., and after the death of his mother was reared by his elder brother Charles. When he reached the proper age, he went to Moorefield, in Hardy county, to learn the tanner's trade, and spent several years in mastering the details of that business. While living at this place he married Mary Ann Collins, after which he worked at his trade in Moorefield for some time and then removed to Dresden, Ohio. He resumed the tanning business in that. town and continued it two or three years, but was eventually compelled to give it up on account of failing health. Hoping relief from a change of occupation, he undertook farming and prosecuted that work a few years, after which he went to Athens, Ohio, and resumed his old calling as a tanner. Again he was forced to quit by persistent illness, and as soon as strong enough took up farming for the second time. Both he and wife lived to the age of eighty-four years, the last fifteen of which were spent in Ross county, where in the fullness of time they found their graves. This pioneer pair realized in full what the ancient Hebrews regarded as the greatest blessings--length of years and abundance of children. The latter were twelve in number and scattered throughout various states and places : James lives in Missouri; Luther C. is the subject of our sketch; Harrison and William are dead ; Mary is in Florida; Joseph resides at Clarksburg, Ohio ; Adolphus and Anna are in Pickaway county ; Nancy lives at Loveland, Ohio, Charles in Missouri, Philip at Clarksburg, Ohio, and Charlotte in South Carolina. Luther C. Skinner, the second of the family, was born near Dresden, in Muskingum county, July 29, 1829. He remained at home until he attained legal age, when he began working by the month for neighbors, continued this occupation for several years and then married Elizabeth Lowery, of Athens county. Securing possession of some land in the county just mentioned, Mr. Skinner cultivated it until 1866 when he came to Ross county which has since been his place of residence. With the excep-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 689
tion of one year spent in Iowa, he has lived all this time in Deerfield township, and since 1870 has resided at his present home. Mrs. Skinner, who has so long been the faithful companion and helpmate of her husband, died in 1895 after having become the mother of the following named children: William, of Chillicothe; Charles (deceased) ; John, of Pickaway county; Dudley, at home; Frank, of Concord township; Elmer (deceased), Hooker (deceased), Amy, Anna L., Robert, Nancy, Elizabeth and Luther.
Dias S. Smith, M. D., of Bourneville, is a native of Adams county, Ohio, born June 8, 1854. He is a son of John M. Smith, who was born in Adams county September 30, 1822. About 1847 John M. Smith married Margaret Edgington, and soon thereafter bought a farm, on which he lived for several years. By this marriage he had three children, of whom Asenath and Calvin are dead and Jason M. is living in Clinton county. Their mother died about 1850 and in 1852 John M. Smith was remarried, to Mrs. Harriett G. Pence, nee Greenlee, widow of Philip Pence. By this union there were two children, Dias S. and Grafton P., the latter living in Missouri. The father continued to farm his place until 1885, when he sold out and went to Missouri, where he died in May, 1901. Dr. Smith attended the district school and remained at home until he was about twenty-two years of age. In September, 1875, he entered the office of Dr. Arthur Noble, of Winchester, Adams county, and studied medicine for three years. He also took courses of lectures at Miami Medical college, in Cincinnati, from which institution he was graduated in the spring of 1879. Shortly afterward he removed to Bourneville, where he still resides and enjoys an extensive practice. The Doctor is a member of Paint Valley lodge, No. 808, I. O. O. F., at Bourneville, and of lodge No. 5,754, Modern Woodmen, at South Salem. On May 3, 1882, he was married to Anna M. Ritter, daughter of John G. Ritter, of Chillicothe. They have two children, Maud M. and Arthur N.
George J. Smith, coroner of Ross county and one of the most popular of the county officials, is of Pennsylvania nativity and German parentage. His father, George Smith, crossed the Atlantic in 1836 and lived in Pennsylvania ten years, removing to Covington, Ky., in 1846. In that city and Cincinnati he was occupied for some years with his trade as a tanner, which he resumed at Chillicothe after his removal there in 1855. He removed in 1863 to Zaleski, Ohio, where he died in 1879 at the age of seventy-three years. About the year 1840 he was married in Pennsylvania to a young lady of German birth by the name of Renner, who died of cholera during the epidemic of that disease in 1848 at Cincinnati. She had
690 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
three children, one of whom, a daughter, perished of the same malady that carried off the mother. Another daughter, named Mary, is the wife of Jacob Summers, of Chillicothe. George J. Smith, the only son, was born in Pennsylvania, April 7, 1844, attended school two years in Cincinnati and obtained his subsequent education after his father's removal to Chillicothe. August 7, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Sixth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, which was one of the last of what were called the German regiments organized in that State. The first engagement of this command was the unfortunate affair at Hartsville, Tenn., where after a spirited fight they were compelled to surrender. They were detained as prisoners of war about four weeks and then exchanged. The subsequent work of the regiment. was principally devoted to guard duty of different kinds, though they occasionally had a skirmish with guerrillas. After his command was mustered out of service, June 29, 1865, Mr. Smith located at Zaleski, where his father then lived, and learned the tanner's trade, which he followed for two years, Removing at that time to Chillicothe he secured employment in a tannery and continued at that work for twenty-one years, after which he spent some time in market gardening. In the fall of 1898, Mr. Smith was elected coroner of Ross county, being one of the only two candidates on the Republican ticket that year who escaped defeat. In 1900 he was elected for another term and received the second highest vote of any man on his party's ticket. It. so happened that during Mr. Smith's incumbency the coroner's office was called on to do an unusual amount. of work in its line, more in fact than had fallen to any predecessor, and the general verdict is that he has performed the duties devolving upon him with a promptness and discretion that has won the commendation of all parties. January 8, 1866, he was married to Susan Hess, a native of Germany who came with her parents to this country in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had eight children, of whom five are living: George J., Jr.; Mary, wife of George Wymer, of Dayton ; Carrie, wife of Henry Hall, of Chillicothe; William, of Washington Court House, and Susan.
Isaac N. Smith, M. D., one of the progressive citizens of Greenfield, Ohio, has long, been identified with the professional life and business development of that place and of western Ross county. Though a native of Fayette county, he was educated in Greenfield and there spent his boyhood and early manhood. His father, William Smith, now a venerable man more than eighty-six years old, goes hack in recollection almost to the very beginning of Highland county. His birth took place in Greenfield, July 17, 1815, or about ten years after the comity was created by act of the legislature. Of later years he has made his home in Greenfield. Isaac N. Smith, after receiving such literary education as the common schools
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 691
afforded, attended the South Salem academy, and later matriculated at the Medical college of Ohio and devoted himself assiduously to preparation for his chosen profession. In 1874 he finished the course at that excellent. institution and was graduated with the degree of M. D. From that date up to the present time, with the exception of one year, Dr. Smith has been in continuous practice at Greenfield. From that point he is called in the line of his professional duties to attend patients over a wide area of territory in the adjoining counties of Ross, Fayette and Highland. He is also special examiner for the Phoenix life insurance company of New York. But it is not simply as a physician that Dr. Smith has been an integral feature of Greenfield's life. He has been identified more or less directly with all the enterprises calculated to advance the development of the community. He is a stockholder in the Home Telephone company, whose organization was a distinct gain to the business and social life of the city. Dr. Smith has been a member of the First Presbyterian church for over thirty-seven years, having attached himself to that organization in 1864.
John W. Smith, of Chillicothe, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, September 23, 1859. His parents were Selby and Susannah (Risinger) Smith, both natives of Ohio. The father of Selby Smith was a native of Pennsylvania and married Sarah Wantz of the same state. They settled in Fairfield county, Ohio, and had a family of ten children, of whom three are still living. Selby Smith and wife had five children, but only two are living. His son, John W. Smith, was educated in the schools of Fairfield county and is a carpenter by trade, though he has engaged in farming. December 2, 1880, Mr. Smith was married to Mary Pugh, of Monroe county, O., daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Fox) Pugh, natives of Pennsylvania. Her mother died in that state in 1859, and her father entered the Union army, in which he served until the close of the war. Afterward he came to Ohio and married Mary Bryan, by whom he had two children, and died in March, 1872. Mr. and Mrs. John W. Smith have six children, whose names are Ora, Dell, Frank, Joseph Newland, Charlie and Rush. While living in Fairfield county, Mr. Smith held the office of supervisor for two years. He is now serving his second term as trustee of his township, though the normal Democratic majority is 65, and he is a Republican. The paternal grandmother of Mr. Smith was a woman of remarkable longevity and vigor. She lived to he one hundred and five years and four months old and at the age of ninety-three years was able to sustain the fatigue of a walk of eight miles.
Otho Lyons Smith, stock-raiser and general farmer in Concord township, is a worthy representative of the younger generation of
692 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Ross county agriculturists. His grandparents were natives of Germany who crossed the ocean in 1837 in a sailing vessel and landed in New York after a tedious voyage of six weeks. The immigrants made their way to Ross county, bought a farm in the south part of Union township and spent the remainder of their days in cultivating the land. Their son, Lewis Smith, was born in Germany in 1819 and accompanied his parents to America when eight years old. In youth he spent several years in his native country, where he obtained the principal part of his education, and on returning to Ohio remained at home until his marriage to Jeanette Lyons, a native of Tennessee of Scotch-Irish descent. He settled with his bride in Piekaway county, where several years were spent, and from there returned to Ross county, where a farm was purchased in the northern part of Union township on which the family resided until the death of Mrs. Smith in 1886. Of the nine children born to Lewis Smith and wife, four are dead : Lewis, George, Louisa. and Nettie. Those living are John, Otho L., Edward, Albert, and Emma, now the wife of Cary Brown. Otho Lyons Smith, sixth of the children, was born in Union township, Ross county, June 13, 1863, attended the district schools and assisted his father on the farm until his marriage to Laura B., daughter of Hon. Byron Lutz. After ten years spent at different places in Deerfield and Union townships, Mr. Smith finally settled in Concord township on the farm which he now occupies. It consists of 334 acres and is cultivated in modern style by Mr. Smith, who also raises and handles stock. A Democrat in politics, he is in no sense an office seeker, but he has held the position of assessor for one term. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have four children : Cloude S., Warde Byron, harry Neal, and Glenn Lutz.
William H. Smith, of Frankfort, is a native of Pickaway county, born January 5, 1859. He is the son of William Smith, an old resident of Pickaway, living near the Ross county line, and a farmer by occupation. William H. received his education in the Pickaway common schools, and when he arrived at the age of eighteen concluded to strike out for himself. His first venture was in the farming business, which he followed until 1888. In that year he went to Springfield, where he secured employment in a fish store and remained there for eight years. After giving up this job, he worked for eighteen months in the fish business at Dayton, Ohio. In 189i he removed to Frankfort. Ohio, and engaged in the liquor business, and there he has ever since made his home. In 1899 Mr. Smith was married to Daisy B., daughter of George Santee, a prominent farmer of Ross county. They have one child, whose name is Bernard R.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 693
Val Southworth, city marshal of Chillicothe, is a native of Omega, Pike county, Ohio, born May 29, 1869. He is a son of Buckner and Mary (Davis) Southworth, both natives of old Virginia, where their parents were also born and reared. The Southworths were of Scotch-Irish antecedents, their ancestors being established in Virginia before the Revolutionary war. On the mother's side, the extraction was German and Irish. Buckner Southworth and his wife left their native state after the civil war, by which it had been desolated, and sought a location in Pike county, Ohio. The father engaged in merchandising at Omega, where he died in 1878 at the age of sixty-four years. His widow is still living at the age of seventy-one and is a member of the household of her son Val. The latter is the only son of three children born to his parents. The sisters are Eliza, wife of William Kelley, of Chillicothe, and Minnesota, wife of Charles Somers, of Columbus, Ohio. Val. Southworth, whose full name is Vallandingham, left Pike county the next year after his father's death, and came to Chillicothe twenty-three years ago. He remained here in school for six years, after which he went to Cleveland and was engaged in mercantile pursuits for over three years. He then returned to Chillicothe where he continued the same line of business for five years. For two years Mr. Southworth was a fireman on the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railway, followed a mechanical trade for several years and was employed in manufacturing works at Dayton for two years. In May, 1895, he was appointed night patrolman on the Chillicothe police force, third district, in which position he served for four years. At the spring election of 1900, he was elected city marshal and is now serving in that capacity. He has always been sober and industrious and opposed to being idle, even though the positions offered were not always those most desired. His election was an especial cause of congratulation to Mr. Southworth, inasmuch as he obtained a majority of 400 in a city which is very closely divided politically. Though a stanch Democrat, he carried the strongest Republican ward in the city by a majority of 105 votes. December 22, 1896, he was married to Catherine Carroll, of Chillicothe, whose parents were natives of Ireland. Her father, James Carroll, who still resides in Chillicothe, spent his life largely in the manufacture of artificial gas. Mr. and Mrs. Southworth have two children, Elizabeth M. and Carroll F. Mr. Southworth is a member of Tecumseh lodge, No. 80, I. O. O. F., the Knights of the Ancient Essenic Order, the Elks, and the Modern Woodmen.
David A. Speakman, a well known farmer of Deerfield township, comes of Maryland stock westernized by long residence in Ross county. The first of the name to cross the mountains in search of an Ohio home was Joshua Speakman, and on arrival he fixed his
694 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
abode in that part of Ross which afterward became Vinton county. Here his son Ebenezer was born April 18, 1820, and, just twenty-one years after, he left the paternal domicile to seek a residence in Ross county. He located in Harrison township, where he cultivated land and eventually rose to prominence and prosperity. Being a man of excellent business judgment and prudent in financial affairs, the people often called on him to hold the important position of township trustee. August 18, 1839, Ebenezer Speakman married Margaret Strawser, of Vinton county, who died in December, 1900, leaving ten children : Jacob, of New Holland ; David, subject of this sketch ; Joshua, of Fayette county ; George W., of Hocking county; Samuel, of Madison county; William, of Indiana; Rhoda Ann, wife of Oliver Childers, of Hocking county; Mary, wife of Jackson Morrison, of Hocking county ; Ebenezer, of Ross county, and Frank, of Fayette county.. David A. Speakman was born in Harrison township, Ross county, August 20, 1542. He had finished school and was getting ready to establish himself in farming when all regular business was interrupted by the shock of the civil war. August 9, 18633, he enlisted as a private in Company B, Sixty-third regiment Ohio infantry, with which he served until July, 1865, when the termination of hostilities led to a general discharge of troops. Mr. Speakman took part with his regiment in the battle at Decatur, Ala., and all the marching and fighting incident to Sherman's campaigns in 1861 until the surrender of Johnston in North Carolina. At Atlanta, July 22, 1864, he received a wound in the neck from a musket shot which disabled him for two weeks, but aside from that he escaped serious injury. August 26, 1866, he was married to Eliza Ann, daughter of Thomas Kearns, an old resident of the county, as the result of which union the family records make the following register of children, all of whom are living : Alice, wife of Charles H. Noble, of Deerfield township; Flora Etta, wife of William Lawrence, of Ross county; George W., of Deerfield township; Samuel and Wallace N., of Ross county; Della, wife of William Noble, of Ross county; Margaret, wife of Omer Ater, of Pickaway county; Frank, John, and Ethel.
Benjamin F. Spicer, superintendent at Kingston of the Natural Gas and Fuel company, which supplies a wide area of Ohio territory, is a native of Pennsylvania. His parents were John H. and Catherine (Guthrie) Spicer, both Pennsylvanians, the former born in 1816 and the latter in 1854. The paternal grandfather was Isaac Spicer, who came from Maryland to Pennsylvania in 1840 as a teamster, learned the shoemaker trade and followed that until his death in 1881. He married Rose Ann Hunter, of Greene county, who died in 1881. The maternal grandfather was Cephas Guthrie, born of Scotch ancestry in Greene county, Pa., where he died in 1898. He
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 695
married Mary Scott, a native of the same county and state, who died in 1856. John H Spicer, who is a carpenter by trade, resides at present in Jefferson, Pa. He is a veteran of the civil war with an unusually honorable record to his credit. At the boyish age of seventeen years he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania regiment of infantry, with which he served until the close of hostilities. He was with Grant during the severe campaign in the spring of 1864 and participated in the sanguinary battles which made that period historic. He went through the terrible fighting in the Wilderness without serious hurt, but at the still bloodier battle of Spottsylvania Court House was severely wounded, receiving four bullets. Benjamin F. Spicer was born in Greene county, Pa., September 13, 1871. His first youthful ambition was to become a teacher and with a view to qualifying himself for this calling he attended a course at the Normal school in Spraggs. After leaving this institution he taught school two terms in his native state and then abandoned that vocation to enter the commercial field. Securing employment with the Philadelphia Gas company he retained that position until 1898, when he resigned and came to Fairfield county, Ohio. Since then he has been in the service of the Logan Natural Gas and Fuel company, of Lancaster, with Kingston as a center of operations. From that point he superintends the distribution of gas over a territorial area including the towns of Hallsville, Adelphi and Laurelville, as well as Kingston itself. April 24, 1897, Mr. Spicer was married to Clara Harding, of Mahoning county, Ohio, by whom he has one child, William H.
Amasa Delano Sproat, for over fifty years in the drug business at Chillicothe and one of the most esteemed citizens of the county, was of Scotch descent and New England parentage. The progenitor of the family in America was Robert Sproat, who emigrated from near Ayr, Scotland, about the year 1835, and settled at Scituate, Mass. In the course of years his descendants were scattered over the states of Vermont and Massachusetts and some of them joined the tide of western migration in the earlier part of the nineteenth century. Amasa D. Sproat was born at Stockbridge, Vt., January 28, 1802; lived on his father's farm until he was sixteen years old and then walked out to Ohio to clerk in the drugstore of his uncles, Amasa and Ira Delano. The latter had moved from Vermont to Chillicothe a number of years before, and become enterprising citizens of the Ohio town, where they carried on several other kinds of business besides their drugstore. Amasa clerked for them until 1829, when he embarked in the drug business for himself and continued it until January 1, 1881, when his sons James and B. F. Sproat took charge. In 1829 he married Emily Wade, of Lynchburg, Va., and they had eleven children, seven of whom reached adult age and four are still
696 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
living, the youngest and only surviving son being B. F. Sproat, who is carrying on the same business as his father. In religion, Amasa D. Sproat was a New Churchman. While a young man he studied with great delight the writings of Swedenborg, with the result that he became an earnest, ardent believer in the doctrines given to the world by that great teacher. From them Mr. Sproat derived great comfort and help during his long period of helplessness and suffering, which was borne with great patience and ended November 28, 1885. Amasa D. Sproat was a man of fine mind and a natural student, interested in all branches of science, especially philology. His opportunities for education in his youth were very limited, but in his early manhood, he made up the lack by diligently using every opportunity for study, day and night. Thus he became a good linguist and mathematician and the possessor of a well stored mind. A more honest and conscientious man never lived. e took no very active part in polities or municipal affairs, the offices of city clerk, treasurer and member of the hoard of education being about the only public positions he ever filled, hut as an example of unswerving integrity in business and all the relations of life he was a useful man and citizen.
John Stanley, one of the most noted men of the city of Chillicothe, was born in Athens county, Ohio, October 1, 1848. His parents were Isaac and Sarah (Norris) Stanley, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Vermont. John Stanley spent his early youth on his father's farm, assisting in its management, and in season attending the district schools until the age of fifteen when, in March, 1863, he responded to his country's call to arms and enlisted in Company I, Ninety-second regiment Ohio volunteers. e soon thereafter joined his regiment at Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., and participated in that famous battle. The impressions of that engagement on his youthful mind will forever linger in his memory, especially the burying of the Union dead after their bodies were in an advanced state of decomposition. We find him next in the battle of Atlanta, where his regiment was in the thickest of that historical fight, and thence he marched with Sherman to the sea and up through the Carolinas, and after the surrender of Johnston's army, on to Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review, one of the greatest military pageants of modern times. His regiment was transferred from Washington to Louisville, Ky., where it was mustered out of the service, and soon after he received his honorable discharge at Columbus. It is worthy of mention that Private Stanley, during his entire military service, never missed a roll call or was incapacitated a minute for service during his enlistment. A man of extraordinary physique, standing six feet in his stockings, he represented that noble type of physical manhood so dear to the Romans in their day of exceptional
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 697
athletes. After his return from the war he was engaged in various pursuits, and in the meantime selected a life companion in the person of Miss Lena Reed, the accomplished daughter of Moses and Nancy (Sommerville) Reed, old and respected residents of Ross county. In 1891 he joined the police force of Chillicothe, and began a remarkable career of one of the most astute detectives Ohio has ever produced. In 1892 he was elected city marshal of Chillicothe and his excellent services so attracted the attention of the officials of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railway that at the expiration of his term as city marshal they selected him as their chief detective. In this capacity his career as a "sleuth" is one of the most successful as well as the most remarkable in the annals of detective jurisprudence. It was through his indefatigable perseverance that the notorious "Corcoran gang" of thieves at Washington, Ind., were broken up and the ringleaders sent to the penitentiary. His success with the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern was so appreciated by the officials that they not only voluntarily trebled his salary, but issued him a testimonial over the signatures of all officers of the road from president down, attesting his consummate skill and ceaseless energy in their behalf. While with this company he made forty-six arrests, and succeeded in sending thirty-three out of the forty-six to the penitentiary. He also recovered thousands of dollars in stolen property and but for a temporary attack on his usual rugged health would today hold the honored position of chief of detectives for that famous system of railways. On his retirement from the railway service he returned to Chillicothe to recuperate his health, but his excellent services were soon demanded by his home city and in 1891 he was appointed chief of police and in 1892, after the office of city detective was established, he received the appointment to that responsible position, in which capacity he is still adding laurels to his already established fame as a detective. He has devoted the best efforts of his life to combating lawlessness in all its forms and has proven a terror to the criminal class. e is undoubtedly one of the shrewdest detectives in the state and the fact of his residence in Chillicothe has caused the criminal fraternity to give this city a wide berth in their nefarious work. The writer's interview with John Stanley will long be remembered. He is one of the very few men one meets in life that seem to impress you that he has the power of reading your soul and penetrating your innermost thought at a glance of his eagle-like eye. He is powerful in stature and still in the prime of his activities and bids far to continue a long number of years yet in this peculiar and remarkable profession, which of all others requires men to be especially gifted to fill. Of the many eminent men in the various walks of life to reflect credit upon his native state, none have achieved greater success in his chosen pro-
698 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
fession than detective John Stanley and none stands higher in every essential of honorable citizenship than he does.
Shepherd Stauffer, of Chillicothe, was born in Ross county, July 4, 1864. His parents were Benjamin and Hester Ann (Keller) Stauffer, both natives of Ross county. Benjamin was a son of David Stauffer, a native of Pennsylvania who settled in Ross county and died there. His second wife was Teney Myres, and by her he had a family of five sons and three daughters. Benjamin Stauffer, one of the sons, was born and reared in Ross county and always followed the occupation of fanning. He and his wife now live in Springfield township. They had a family of six children, of whom five are still living. Shepherd Stauffer grew up on the farm and was educated in the common schools. His chief business in early manhood was that of farming and gardening, but he spent three years in the tanking works. At the present time he is engaged in the manufacture of brooms. Mr. Stauffer has been twice married. On February 4, 1890, he was married to Ottie M. Veil, of Ross county, who died August 1, 1894, and on May 14, 1897, he married Althea Barnhart, of Colerain township. By the first marriage there were three children, Lela, Clark and one that died in infancy unnamed. The second marriage resulted in three children, Josie, Marshall and Jacob. Mr. Stauffer held the office of constable for six years and in 1900 was elected justice of the peace.
James Gladstone Steel, one of Ross county's most prominent farmers and a citizen of high standing, comes of noted Scotch ancestry and is a member of an influential and widely distributed family. His middle name immediately recalls that of the celebrated English statesman who passed away a few years ago after occupying the attention of the world for more than half a century. Mr. Steel, through his mother's family, is a relative of this illustrious man, as will appear as the links in his genealogy are unfolded. In 1690 Alexander Steel was born at Kilbohe Mains in Scotland, and June 16, 1710, was married at Biggar to Isabel Simpson. A son named John was born of this union April 4, 1717, and married Elizabeth Milligan, November 31, 1754. From this marriage came a son, subsequently known as James Steel, Sr., born February 23, 1769, who married Jane Gladstone January 18, 1805. The lady last mentioned was a daughter of John Gladstone, who lived in the county of Lanark and was cousin of the father of Hon. William Ewart Gladstone, who was born at Liverpool in 1809. July 20, 1807, at Biggar, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, there was born to James and Jane (Gladstone) Steel a son, whom they christened James, and he in the course of years became the founder of the well known Ross county connection of that name. James Steel, Jr., was only nine
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 699
years old when brought to this country in 1816, by a cousin, on board a sailing vessel which took fifty days to come from Glasgow to New York. Next year his parents, with the rest of the children, also came over, and after spending a year or two near Winchester, Va., migrated to Chillicothe, O., in the late fall of 1816. October 3, 1837, James Steel, Jr., was married to Jane, daughter of John Sommerville, who came from Ettrick, Scotland, in 1808, and settled near Bourneville, Ross county; in 1815 married Elizabeth Smith, and raised a large family. He was appreciated by his neighbors for his learning and sound judgment, which induced others to come to. him for advice in legal affairs and other complications. He died in 1879, aged nearly ninety-two years. His brother, James Sommerville, a man of cultivated tastes and fine education, was in the tent with General Harrison at the battle of Tippecanoe and was killed early in the engagement. In 1842 James Steel, Jr„ purchased the farm on North fork of Paint Creek, where he lived for fifty-six years, dying December 21, 1898, when over ninety-one years of age. James Steel was a noble character and one well worthy of imitation by every young man anxious for a successful and happy life. He was devoutly religious, not only as the result of the training received from his excellent parents, but from natural inclination and through-out life was a zealous member of the Presbyterian church. He inculcated in his children the lessons of honesty, integrity and industry; taught them to abhor injustice and oppression in all their forms and to strive for that form of government which would give the largest measure of liberty and protection to all. He : was especially insistent in setting before his children, and all others who came near him, the unspeakable injustice of the slavery system and the evils arising from indulgence in intoxicating liquors. In fact he was a pioneer in the temperance cause and when men thought they could not cut wheat without strong drink, he was willing to pay higher wages to have his work performed without whiskey. All the Steel family, both of the younger and older generation, are total abstainers and by their temperate habits and upright lives have set valuable examples before their associates of all that "makes for righteousness." Of the thirteen children of James and Jane (Sommerville). Steel, ten grew to maturity and nine are still living. James Gladstone Steel, the second son, was born in Paxton township, Ross county, Ohio, January 29, 1840. His education was received in the common schools and the high school at Chillicothe. His first work for himself was in the role of preceptor, and by teaching in winter and farming through the summer he soon laid a good foundation for future business success. Having been trained from earliest childhood to habits of frugality and industry by his pious Scotch parents, he ever strove to utilize each passing minute of time for some useful purpose. In this way he progressed in business beyond
700 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
his highest anticipations and in four years formed a partnership with his brother, John S. Steel, for the purchase of a good farm, Being a period of prosperity, they made money rapidly, and in four years the subject of our sketch was able to dissolve partnership and purchase on his own account an excellent farm from David Moore. He now owns about six hundred and twenty-five acres of land and is regarded as one of the most progressive and prosperous farmers in Ross county. Though he has always voted the Republican ticket, Mr. Steel has never sought office and has stood aloof from all the intrigues of practical politics. He is a zealous member of the Presbyterian church and earnest in his efforts to build up the cause of Christ, lending assistance to every movement that makes for temperance, morality and good government. February 15, 1872, near Bourneville, Ross county, Mr. Steele was married to Margaret Alice Igou, a lady of most excellent family connections, concerning whom a word or two will prove of interest. In the latter part of the eighteenth century there lived in Kentucky a young man named Lewis Igou and among his acquaintances was another youth known as Duncan McArthur. One day the latter came to Igou and asked for the loan of his slate. "Certainly," said Igou, "I will loan you my slate, but I am curious to know what you are going to do with it." "I intend to study surveying'," replied Mr. McArthur, "and if I don't I will be a rail-splitter all my life." A few years later this young man was in Ohio with Nathaniel Massie surveying land through the Scioto valley, eventually became very prominent in war and politics, accumulated great wealth and was elected governor of Ohio in 1830. Not many years after the conversation growing out of the loan of the slate, Lewis Igou bought some land of Duncan McArthur in Twin township, Ross county. April 3, 1794, he married Elizabeth Hare and four years later removed with his family to his Ross county possessions. Before this arrival he had visited his farm, split a tree in halves, made two troughs and filled one with venison and hear meat for winter supplies after the new home was occupied. One trough was used to cover the other and, after salting the meat, brush was piled around the whole for the purpose of concealment and protection from prowling Indians. Such was one of the primitive pioneer devices to meet the difficult problems presented by life in the wilderness. In 1803, Lewis Igou's wife died, leaving him five little children to be cared for, and a few years later he married Nancy Marsh. All of his sons, including William, Daniel, Peter, Paul and Silas, were well-to-do farmers, each one owning a good farm, and were highly esteemed as men and citizens. William, one of the children by the second marriage, was born July 1, 1810, and was married to Julia Ann McKenzie, October 23, 1834. They had seven children, four of whom are living, and among the number is Mrs. Margaret Alice (Igou) Steel. John McKenzie, father of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 701
Mrs. Steel's mother, was born October 17, 1786, and was for a long time a resident of Twin township, where he was noted for his truly Christian character. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and exercised a strong influence for the promotion of morality and Christianity in his neighborhood. He married Elizabeth Hare, by whom he had ten children, nine of whom lived to advanced age and became highly respected members of the church. He was eighty years old and his wife eighty-seven at the time of their respective deaths. Mr. and Mrs. James G. Steel have had a family of ten children, of whom Julia Igou died at the age of fourteen months, those living being named as follows: Arthur Lewis, William James, Jennie Bell, Gladstone Marsh, Edward Newton, Nellie Floss, Ethel Marie, Samuel Albert, and Margaret Alice.
John Summerville Steel, well known farmer of Scioto township and formerly enjoying high rank among the state's breeders of Shorthorn cattle, is a member of one of the most noted and highly esteemed families of Ross county. As a full sketch of the genealogy appears elsewhere in this volume, it will only be necessary here to briefly summarize the main features. James Steel, of Scotland, married Jane Gladstone, a near relative of the celebrated English statesman of that name. They reared a family of seven sons, all of whom lived to be more than eighty years old and the youngest., George, is still a resident. of Pickaway county. The parents emigrated to America with their children and after spending two years in the vicinity of Winchester, Va., reached Chillicothe, Ohio, in the late fall of 1819. With the exception of William, who was a merchant, Father Steel and all his boys were tillers of the soil and depended exclusively on the fruits of agriculture for a livelihood. But there were other notable things about these sturdy children of the north. They loved liberty so intensely that when they found on arrival here that. slavery was authorized by law they became Abolitionists and were among the pioneers in the anti-slavery agitation which so long convulsed the country. James Steel, the second of the sons in age, was born at Biggar, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, July 20, 1807, and was brought to America by a cousin one year in advance of his parents. In 1837 he married Jane Summerville, whose father had come from Scotland in 1808 and settled in Ross county near Bourneville. After his marriage, James Steel lived several years in Paxton township and then purchased land in Scioto township where he spent the remainder of a long and blameless life. His wife died in 1873 and his own career in the world terminated December 21, 1898, after he had passed his ninety-first year. This esteemed couple became the parents of thirteen children, nine of whom are still living, and among them is John Summerville Steel, who was born in Paxton township, Ross county, in 1838. After his
702 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
father's removal to the vicinity of Chillicothe he had the benefit of the schools in that city and in early manhood embarked in farming, which has been his lifelong pursuit. For many years he made a specialty of breeding Shorthorn cattle and achieved notable success as a handler of that famous strain of the `"bovine aristocracy." He carried off many a prize on his beautiful stock at the various state and county exhibitions and ranked in the very top notch of Ohio breeders of Shorthorns. In May, 1864, Mr. Steel enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Forty-ninth regiment Ohio National Guard, with which he served for the `"hundred days," during which time they participated in the bloody battle of Monocacy on July 9, 1861, where the regiment greatly distinguished itself. While a resident of Twin township, he was elected a member of the board of trustees and served one term. Mr. Steel married Mary M., daughter of James R. Anderson, a leading farmer and stock-breeder of Union township. The children of this union, seven in number, are Jeanette, William A., Frank Gladstone, Mary J., Helen Louise, James Walter and Elizabeth Morris. Mr. Steel, like all of his brothers and uncles, is a total abstainer, abhorring "John Barleycorn" second only to slavery, and is an uncompromising enemy of all forms of injustice and immorality. Like his ancestors for generations he is a member of the Presbyterian church and finds the best expression of his moral and political views in the platform of the Prohibition party, of which he is a sincere adherent.
Samuel S. Steel, one of the practical and progressive farmers of Scioto township, is a member of a family long and influentially connected with the agricultural development of Ross county. No better blood or stauncher citizenship ever came to America than that contained in the sailing ship which in 1817; brought to these shores James Steel, his wife Jane (Gladstone) Steel and their contingent of lusty sons. They were from Lanarkshire, Scotland, and choice representative of the very best that "Old Scotia" could contribute to the new republic across the seas. They were Scotch Presbyterians of the strictest faith, trained to a love of liberty and hatred of oppression, inured to habits of industry, economy and self-reliance, but above all taught to "fear the Lord and keep his commandments." All countries in need of immigrants have ever been eager to welcome the Scotch on account of their thrift, their sobriety, their morality and other qualities which made good citizens. It was the good fortune of Ross county to secure the Steels, who came here after a year or two spent in the lower valley of Virginia. On their arrival at Chillicothe in November, 1819, the family consisted of the parents and their sons, John, James, William, Thomas, David, Alexander and George. These brothers lived to the average age of eighty-one years, the death of the shortest-lived occurring when he
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 703
was seventy-two years old. James Steel, the second of these sturdy sons, was born at Biggar, in Lanarkshire, Scotland, July 20, 1807; was nine years old when he reached America, twelve when he got to Ross county and thirty when he married Jane Sommerville, then living near Bourneville. She was the daughter of another Scotch immigrant who had come to Ohio in 18O8, settled in Buckskin township and lived there seventy-one years, being nearly ninety-two when he died. His daughter, who married James Steel, is highly, spoken of by those who remember her as a loving wife and mother and a woman of strong and original character. A full tribute to the character of James Steel has been rendered in the sketch of his son, James G. Steel, and it is not necessary to repeat the particulars. It is sufficient to say that his children have been among the most moral, upright and enterprising of Ross county's citizens, contributing their full share towards the enrichments and development of their respective communities. They all inherited their father's hatred of slavery, intemperance, and immorality of all kinds, hence they could always be found working and voting on the side which they thought led to righteousness. Of the thirteen children of James and Jane Steel, William died in the Union army at Cumber, land Gap, and nine of the ten who reached maturity are still living, Among the number is Samuel S. Steel, who was born in Ross county August 27, 1859, on the farm in Scioto township where he now resides. He was educated in the district schools and the high school at Chillicothe and, like the entire family, is a man well informed on current events and all matters appertaining to his business. For some years after reaching maturity he remained at home assisting in the farm work, and on June 21, 1893, was married to Mayme Camp, a native of Illinois, with whom he located on the place which he has since cultivated. His operations are conducted on an extensive scale and he is in every way an up-to-date farmer. Mr. Steel is a member of the Presbyterian church, interested in all religious and temperance work and as a school director also looks after the interests of education. Mr. and Mrs. Steel have three children : Dorothy, Russell and Harold.
William L. Stinson, of Ross county, is widely known throughout Ohio as an extensive shipper and exporter of high-grade cattle. In fact, be stands at the head of the list in this branch of the live stock industry. He may he said to have inherited both his business and his taste for it, as his father before him achieved success and prominence as a breeder and feeder of stock. In his early youth, therefore, William L. Stinson was familiarized with this occupation and received valuable training in all that related thereto. He greatly improved upon and enlarged the business until he eventually became recognized as the most extensive shipper and exporter of stock in
704 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
the State of Ohio. He has made a specialty of the export trade, which under his energetic management has increased to large proportions. He deals in the best quality of cattle, such as command high prices in the European markets. Mr. Stinson's operations cover a large number of counties in Ohio and the neighboring state of West Virginia. His exports of cattle amount to about 10,000 head a year and he also sends abroad a large number of sheep. He has accompanied his foreign shipments in person and there is no feature of this important industry with which Mr. Stinson is not familiar. This eminent citizen is a son of Allen Stinson, who for many years was conspicuously identified with the agricultural interests of Ross county. The latter was a native of Pennsylvania but was brought to Ohio by his parents when only two years of age. He was engaged in farming and stock-raising until the time of his death which occurred in 1897. He married Barbara Ann Leib, whose father was Daniel Leib. William L. Stinson was born in Paint township and educated at the old Salem academy. Soon after leaving school he entered upon the career which was destined to bring him fame and fortune. Mr. Stinson's interests are extensive and varied and he is one of the most enterprising of Ross county's citizens. e is a director in the Citizens National bank of Chillicothe and in close touch with the county's financial affairs. At the election of 1900 he was one of the Ohio presidential electors on the Republican ticket. an honor which fully attests his high standing with his political party. His religious affiliations are with the Presbyterians and he is a member of the church of that denomination at South Salem.
William H. Stoker, of Chillicothe, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, May 19, 1861. His parents were George and Minerva (Cox) Stoker, both natives of Ohio, the former of Fairfield and the latter of Ross county. The father was a farmer in early life but his later years were spent in the livery business at Circleville. He died in 1893, aged sixty-eight years, at New Holland, O., where his widow still lives. Jacob, their first born, died at the age of seven. Of the other children, Allie and Emma are at home with their mother; George W. is married and living on a farm near Ashville, Pickaway county; William H. is the subject of this sketch; Samuel A. is a livery man and stockdealer in New Holland; Charles lives in New Holland and cultivates the home farm ; Thurman is at home, engaged in farming, and all the brothers are married. William H. Stoker lived in his native county engaged in farming until September, 1894, when he came to Chillicothe and opened a livery, feed and sales stable on East Second street, which he conducted until December 3, 1901, when he disposed of that business and soon after purchased the harness store at No. 30 East Second street, in which business he is now engaged. In 1890 Mr. Stoker was married in New Holland
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 705
to Allie M., daughter of Thomas J. Cook, a prosperous farmer of Pickaway county. She was educated in the New Holland public schools and at the Delaware (Ohio) Normal school. Mr. and Mrs. Stoker have had four children, whose names are Cecil Tom, Hazel Cook, Leslie Poe, and Babie Willie, who died in infancy. Mr. Stoker has no direct church connections, but his wife is a member of the Presbyterian denomination. The founder of the Stoker family in this country came from Germany about the time of or before the revolution and established himself in Pennsylvania. The family is of German descent on the side of the mother also, the Coxes being of German origin and established in Ross county at an early period of the State's settlement.
Elias Stookey was born on the farm where he now resides in Concord township, Ross county, January 10, 1840. His father, Isaac Stookey, was born on the same farm about the year 1818. The father of the last mentioned was Abraham Stookey, born about 1774, who came from Botetourt county, Va., to Ohio, and settled in Ross county in 1800. One year after his arrival he removed to Concord township, where he purchased 458 acres of land, every foot of which is now owned by his grandsons, Elias and Peter Stookey. Before coming West, Abraham Stookey had married Eva Bush in Virginia. He made farming his exclusive business, interrupted only by a short service as a soldier in the war of 1812, until his death, which occurred in 1856, and that of his wife in 1860. They were the parents of eight children, six daughters and two sons. One of these sons died in infancy and the other was Isaac, father of the subject of this sketch. One of the daughters married Elijah Rowe and another became the wife of Joseph Anderson. Both are now dead, but their children remain in Ross county. Isaac Stookey received in the common schools the education usual to boys in the country, and as soon as he reached manhood adopted farming as his occupation. He served as justice of the peace for several years, was county commissioner two terms, and in 1865 was elected to represent Ross county in the Ohio legislature. He died on March 1, 1866, two months after taking his seat. His wife was Susannah, daughter of Peter and Mary Snyder, old settlers of Ross county. She survived her husband over thirty years, her death not occurring until October, 1896. Their children were four sons, who are still living, and three daughters, all of whom are dead. Of the sons, Elias, Peter and Abraham live in Concord township and Levi is a resident of Columbus. Elias Stookey was educated in the district schools and after reaching manhood became a farmer by occupation and has continued in this business all his life. He has been married twice. His first wife was Sarah Jane, daughter of William Thompson, an old resident of Ross county. She only lived two years after marriage, dying
706 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
in 1867, and leaving two daughters. Of these, Eva married James Hughey and now resides in Greenfield, Highland county. The other daughter, Jennie, married John Sheely and died on January 7, 1897, leaving one daughter, Ethel. In 1873, Mr. Stookey took a second wife in the person of Lizzie, daughter of Daniel Hyre, an old settler of Ross county. They have two children, Nora and Ozillah, the former of whom is married to Marcus Jenkins, of Concord township. Mr. Stookey is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and the Masonic order. His father, Isaac Stookey, was a charter member of the Frankfort lodge and master of the same almost continuously up to the time of his death.
Thomas Summers was born in Twin township, Ross county, September 28, 1839. His parents were David and Margaret (Howard) Summers, the former of whom was born in West Virginia in 1793, where he married and lived for some time on a rented farm. Deciding to come west, they removed to Ross county, Ohio, and located in Twin township. Their sojourn there was brief, however, the next move being to the then sparsely settled state of Indiana. There the father died, and the mother returned with her family to Ross county, settled on a rented farm and set to work to raise a large family without any aid outside of the household. The fact that she accomplished this fact is evidence sufficient of the strong character and managerial ability of Mrs. Summers. This devoted mother and splendid sample of the pioneer woman, who died in 1879, was left a widow with a family of eleven children. Of these, Abraham, John, Henry, Michael, David, Richard, Elizabeth and Allen are numbered with the dead. The others are Samuel, Reuben and Thomas. Thomas Summers, who was next to the youngest of the children, remained at home helping on the farm until he was nineteen, meantime obtaining some education at the district school. On February 10, 1858, he was married to Henrietta Duey, and for the two subsequent years they lived in Fayette county, Ohio. About that time the civil war was raging and Mr. Summers joined the Union procession by enlisting in Company K, Ninetieth Ohio infantry, with which he was mustered into the service at Circleville in August, 1862. The command was first sent to Lexington, Ky., from which place they retreated to Louisiville. During his subsequent experience, Mr. Summers took part in the battles of Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin and Nashville. In addition to these historic fields, there were innumerable small skirmishes which resulted in more or less loss of life and made the soldier's life a busy one. Mr. Summers escaped capture or dangerous hurt, his most serious injury being a slight wound on the wrist. The command was mustered out at. Camp Parker, from which place he proceeded to Camp Dennison where he spent a couple of weeks. He
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 707
then returned to his home and for the next two years worked by the month on a farm. Later he purchased 150 acres of land in Twin township, to which place he removed and has made his home on the part still owned by himself. Mr. Summers is a member of the United Brethren church and of Prater post, G. A. R., at Bourneville. He has two children, Mack H., of South Salem, and Reuben, of Twin township.
Wilber Denman Taylor, of No. 196 Hirn street, one of Chillicothe's industrious and esteemed mechanics, seven years connected with the lumber firm of Reed & Marshall, is of New Jersey birth and parentage. James Taylor, who was a born and bred Jerseyman and a cooper by trade, migrated to Ohio in 1855 and located in Roscoe, Coshocton county, remained there about ten years and removed to Chillicothe, where he spent the remainder of his life. He had three children, of whom Edward H. Taylor, the only son, came with his father to Ohio in 1855, remained in Roscoe, Coshocton county, ten years and later also removed to Chillicothe, the last few years of his life being spent at Circleville. Though a cooper and carpenter by trade, after coming to Ohio he obtained a position with the Ohio & Erie canal company, and held the same until his death. He was the father of five children, of whom three are living: Wilber D., Emily H., wife of Theodore F. Denman of St. Louis, Mo.,, and Elmer Taylor, of the same city. Wilber Denman Taylor was born in Springfield, N. J., February 14, 1847, and came with his parents to Ohio in 1855. When the family settled in Chillicothe, Wilber was about eighteen years old. He was assistant superintendent of the Ohio & Erie canal for a short time at the State Dam, and clerked in Joseph Stewart's dry goods store on Paint street for one year, then following the ancestral example he learned the carpenter's trade. Starting in the planing-mill of William H. Reed he remained with him until his death, having been foreman and architect and estimator for a good many years, making drawings for a great many fine houses that were built in Chillicothe, and since then has continued in the lumber business with the old proprietor's sons, under the firm name of Reed & Marshall. Mr. Taylor is a member of Chillicothe lodge, No. 24, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he has been financial secretary for eighteen years. He has also been scribe of Valley encampment, No. 21, for twenty-four years, and is a charter member of Sereno lodge, No. 28, Knights of Pythias. In 1870, Mr. Taylor was married to Emily, daughter of Michael Henninger, an old resident of Chillicothe. Of the five children resulting from this union, only three are living: James Eugene, of Chillicothe, Edith Augusta and Irene Jane.
708- THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
The Templin Family :--The Ross county founder of this numerous and influential connection was James Templin, who arrived in 1796, about the same time that Nathaniel Massie and associates first came upon the scene of their historic achievements. James Templin located near High Banks, below Chillicothe, and after harvesting his crop of corn, returned to Kentucky for his wife and children. This trip consumed several weeks, but he got back the same fall and reoccupied his old quarters, where he remained until 1801, and then bought a farm on the North fork of Paint Creek in Concord township. James Templin married Margaret Salmond, like himself a native of Kentucky, by whom he had the following named children, all long since dead: Robert, Salmond, Terry, Isaac, John, James, and another boy who went South and was never again heard of. There were two daughters, Polly and Easter, the former of whom married Captain Herrod. This man's life terminated tragically and the family records contain a somber story in connection with the event. He resided near Austin and incurred the enmity of a man named John Noddy by defeating him for the captaincy of a company organized for the war of 1812. Some years later he was candidate for justice of the peace against the same man but just before election day he was found murdered in the woods near his home. The other side claimed that this outrage was perpetrated by Indians, but the friends of Captain Herrod always insisted that John Roddy did the deed. After the tragic death of her husband, Polly (Templin) Herrod returned home and lived thereafter with her parents. The latter, after remaining two years on Paint creek, removed to a place on Hough's run, in Deerfield township, where they both died. Salmond Templin, second of the children in order of birth, married and lived in Highland county until his death. Terry married, also removed to Highland county and reared a large family. Isaac settled in Fayette county, was married twice and reared a family of twenty-three children. John married Martha McCoy and died in Frankfort at the age of eighty-four, outliving his wife several years. They had ten children: James, Margaret, Mary Ann, John, Alexander, William, Silance J., Robert, Martha and Eleanor. Martha is in Arkansas, James and Eleanor, wife of Wesley McGinnis, at Frankfort, and the others are dead. James, eldest son of John and Martha (McCoy) Templin, first married Elizabeth Afflick, by whom he had four children: Mary G., wife of Benjamin Timmons of Clarksburg ; Jane N., wife of John Willis of the same place; Martha F., wife of John F. Brown of Chillicothe ; John C. deceased. Their mother died in May, 1851, and a year later James Templin married Margaret O'Neil Ware. In 1857 he disposed of his farming interests and engaged in mercantile business at Greenland, Ross county, where he remained thirty years and removed to Frankfort, which is his present residence. He has a very creditable military
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 709
record as a member of Company A, Seventy-third regiment Ohio volunteer infantry commanded by Captain Hurst. He went in as sergeant, was promoted to the rank of sergeant of the ambulance corps and later made quartermaster sergeant. He served two years, two months and fifteen days, during which time he was never off duty a single day. The principal battle in which he took part was Second Bull Run but he was in many other engagements of more or less importance. He has held various township offices, including that of justice of the peace for fifteen years, both in Concord and Deerfield townships, was assessor of the latter for twenty consecutive years and mayor of Frankfort two terms. The sixth son of James and Margaret (Salmond) Templin, founders of the family in Ross county, who was named after his father, was born in Kentucky, October 10, 1791, and was about five years old when the peregrination took place to Ross county. James Templin, Jr., married Margaret Stewart, by whom he had five children : John S., Margaret (wife of John McCoy), Matilda (wife of W. Leffingwell of Chicago), Esther and Mary; all dead but Matilda. The mother died and James Templin's second wife was Abigail Strain, a native of South Carolina. Her father was John Q. Strain, who owned many slaves, but changed his opinion as to the righteousness of the institution, brought them all with him to Ohio, and there set them free. His daughter Mary became the mother of five children by James Templin, of whom James A., Salmond W. and William W. are dead, the two last mentioned having served as members of Captain Hurst's company in the Seventy-third regiment Ohio infantry. Ewing W. was the fourth child, and Laura F., the only daughter, married William Willis. The father's life covered a stirring period in the country's history and he participated actively in some of the most tragic scenes. e served six months as a soldier in the war of 1812, and could describe graphically many adventures and perilous experiences with the Indians during the heroic clays of pioneers. His death took place in 1875, when he lacked but one month of being eighty-five years old. Ewing W. Templin was born in Deerfield township, Ross county, Ohio, October 29, 1841, and had the usual experience of a farmer's boy as to work and securing an education. December 29, 1870, he was married to Missouri Blacker, a native of Pickaway county, and they settled at Clarksburg, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for fifteen years. After retiring, he removed with his family to Virginia, embarked in stock-raising, spent five years in that state and returned to Ross county, where he resumed the mercantile business. Aside from this, Mr. Templin manages several farms and raises stock extensively, making a specialty of the Aberdeen Angus cattle. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and the New Holland (Ohio) lodge Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. and Mrs. Templin have five living children : Harry C., Ross S.,
710 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Ray, Stella, wife of Eugene Brown, and Earl. Fenn, the youngest child, and Roy, a twin brother of Ray, are dead, the latter killed by an accidental discharge of a gun.
David Terry, who resides on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Kingston, has spent practically his whole life within five miles of the place where his present home is located. His parents, Thompson and Nancy (Talbert) Terry, were Virginians and married in their native state before coming to Ross county. They settled in Green township, where the father farmed until his death, which occurred in 1868, at the age of seventy-two years, his wife dying in 1881 when sixty-nine years old. Of their family of six sons and one daughter, three are now living: Elizabeth, wife of Henry Musselman, of Illinois ; James of Fairfield county. O.; and David. The latter was born iii Green township, July 18, 1839, and trained to farm work, which he followed after he grew up and has never known any other occupation. He met with a fair measure of success and now owns a farm of 165 acres one mile from Kingston, which he cultivates in a general way and raises various kinds of stock. He affiliates politically with the Republican party and has been trustee of the township for several years. In 1862 Mr. Terry was married to Julia A., daughter of Enos and Rachel (Miller) Moore, of Hocking county, and they have seven children: Elizabeth, wife of Edward Exstine, of Kingston ; Lolla M., at home; Fannie, wife of Horace F. Shepler, of Kingston ; Jessie, wife of Dr. Maple, a dentist of Chillicothe ; Minnie and John at home ; Bessie, a school teacher. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
Andrew J. Timmions, retired merchant and farmer of Concord township, has been long and creditably connected with the business affairs of Ross county. He is of Delaware origin, his father, Andrew A. Timmons, having come from that state with his parents at a very early period of Ohio's history and settled in Deerfield township, Ross county. They secured land and went through the usual pioneer hardships connected with clearing land and establishing a home in the wilderness. Andrew was a bright scholar and had some aptitude for music, so at an early age he ventured forth as a teacher and soon gained local fame for his capacity as instructor in the neighborhood singing schools. In early manhood he married his second cousin, Penelope Timmons, likewise a native of Delaware, after which he left his father's house and sought a location in the neighboring county of Fayette. He went to work on a farm and as the result of several years' hard labor had accumulated some property, but a conclusion being arrived at to go farther west, all their belongings were converted into cash. With this in his pocket, the father of the household started off on a tour of inspection and has
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 711
never been heard of from that day to this. All speculations as to what became of him were mere guess work, as no definite clue could be ascertained, but the friends and relatives finally arrived at the conclusion that he was one of the many who lost their lives in the explosion of the Steamer Moselle, near Cincinnati. It was known to be his intention to take that boat on his journey to the westward to select a new location, and it was a very natural supposition that he was among the unidentified dead in this river disaster. As the result of this sad tragedy, the young wife was left penniless with five small children, whose names in order of birth were Catherine, Robert, William, Andrew J. and Celina D. She immediately returned to Ross county where, with the resolution characteristic of the pioneer mothers, she set about the task of providing for and rearing her family. She died in 1849, and of her five children the only one now living is Andrew J. The latter was born in Fayette county, Ohio, June 20, 1828, remained at home until his mother's death, then obtained work by the month on a farm and for several years continued thus employed. Sickness, however, compelled him to give up the hard and exacting labor of farm life and his next venture was as employee of Hugh Campbell, a merchant doing business at Good-hope in Fayette county. Mr. Timmons continued in this position for ten years, at the end of which time he married Margaret Young, a native of Ross county, with whom he settled on a farm in Concord township. About this time he engaged in the nursery business and was thus employed at the breaking out of the civil war. In 1862 he enlisted in Company K, Eighty-ninth regiment, Ohio infantry, received a commission as first lieutenant and went with his command to Kentucky to assist the forces engaged in heading off Kirby Smith. who was supposed to have designs upon Cincinnati. From this field of operations the regiment was sent to Point Pleasant and thence up the Great Kanawha to the falls of that river. At this point they went into winter quarters and remained there until the spring of 1863, when they were ordered to Nashville, Tenn., to join the army of General Rosecrans. With that force they proceeded south, but soon afterward Mr. Timmons was so prostrated with illness as to compel his removal to a hospital and for many months thereafter he was confined at Carthage and a place near Nashville. As soon as he was strong enough to go, Mr. Timmons was sent home on sick leave but for a year and a half thereafter was unable to do any serious work. Eventually he joined the Hundred and Forty-ninth regiment in the hundred days' service and was thus employed for some time until a return of his sickness compelled another stay of two months in the hospital, when he was sent home as soon as able to travel. As soon as his strength was recuperated, Mr. Timmons was engaged for a year in merchandising at Frankfort, after which he removed to the place where he now resides and for about twelve years conducted a
712 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
general store in connection with farming. Mr. and Mrs. Timmons have had three children, two of whom died in infancy. Ellsworth J., the only survivor, is employed in journalism at Cincinnati. Mr. Timmons is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and of the Grand Army of the Republic at Frankfort.
Curtis H. Tittler is a native of Chillicothe, born March 18, 1842. His parents were Jacob and Eliza Tittler, the former a native of Pennsylvania. His mother died when he was quite young, and at the age of thirteen he went to live with E. R. Hudnell, at whose house he made his home until the age of manhood. In 1863 Mr. Tittler enlisted in Company B of the First Ohio artillery, as a private and after a short service was detailed as a teamster, which position he filled during the remainder of his stay in the army. He received an honorable discharge from the service in July, 1865. After the war he returned home and engaged in farming, which has been his occupation throughout life. In 1867 he was married to Rachel, daughter of E. R. Hudnell. The union resulted in the birth of three children, of whom Eddie H. is a railroad employee; Sarah Ida is the wife of William N. Winchell, of Franklin township ; and Willett Oren is a resident of Chillicothe.
Edward Riley Hudnell, father of Mrs. Tittler, is a native of Kanawha county, W. Va., born August 2, 1822. He remained in his native state until about the year 1835 when he came west with his parents. The latter located in Jackson county, but their son Edward, while still a boy, took up his abode in the county of Pike. There he remained until 1847, in which year he removed to Ross county and settled in Franklin township, where he has ever since made his home. His principal occupation has been farming and he has met with a fair measure of success in that pursuit. Mr. Hudnell has never been an office seeker but at various times has held different offices in the township. In 1847 he was married to Sarah Crockett, of Ross county, who died November 9, 1891, leaving the following children : Rachel, above named ; John R., of Greenfield ; Rebecca Jane, now Mrs. George Dunbar of Franklin township ; Martha Jane, wife of Granville Stuart, of Pickaway county, and Bonaparte, of Ross county.
George W. Tudor, carriage-builder and constructor of railroad supplies, is one of the substantial and popular citizens of Chillicothe. His grandparents were English people who emigrated in the early part of the nineteenth century and found a location first in Ross but later removed to Highland county. A son was born to them March 7, 1820, whom they named Jarett Tudor and who subsequently became a farmer in Highland county, where he spent most of his life. He married Maria Collins, a native of Ohio, by whom he had
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 713
twelve children, nine of whom are living. One of these is George W. Tudor, who was born March 19, 1867, while his parents were in Ross county, and subsequently went with them to Highland county, where he remained until eighteen years old. In 1885 he went to Columbus, where he spent five years working as a carriage-builder and completely mastered the details of that important trade. In 1890 Mr. Tudor came to Chillicothe where he resumed work in his line and soon established himself as a thorough and competent mechanic. He continued in the carriage-building business until two years ago, when he accepted employment in the shops of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railroad company and has since retained that position. Mr. Tudor's social manners and friendly address soon made him popular and caused him to be sought after in political circles as an available candidate from the First ward for the city council of Chillicothe, and was easily elected on April 1 for a term of two years. September 14, 1893, Mr. Tudor was married to Mary, daughter of Philip and Margaret Keim, natives of Germany resident in Ross county, and they have three children, Lottis, Albert and Ernest. Mr. Tudor is a member of Chillicothe lodge, No. 24, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the M. & L. Benevolent society and the Carpenters' union.
William M. Turpen, liveryman, of Chillicothe, was born at Hamden, Vinton county, Ohio, April 28, 1872. When six years old he removed with his parents to Richmond Dale, where he remained for six years, and about the year 1886 came to Ross county. Six years were spent on a farm in Liberty township, then removal was made to another place in West Springfield township, and after a temporary sojourn there a final move was made to Chillicothe in 1896. Shortly after arriving in the city, Mr. Turpen opened in the livery business at the Warner House alley and in 1900 removed to 45--47 West Second street, where he has since remained. He has a very complete stock and does a good business in his line, combining the buying, fitting and selling of horses with the general livery. Mr. Turpen is a son of Wiley and Mary Ann (Pleasant) Turpen, both' natives of Kentucky, where the former was born November 20, 1829, and the latter in July, 18 39. The mother died at Richmond Dale when her son William was ten years old; the father is now a member of that son's family. Wiley Turpen was enlisted in the State Guards of Kentucky from 1861 to 1865, his service being home protection of the loyal people against incursions of the Confederate soldiers and sympathizers. He took part in the pursuit of Morgan in 1863, which -created so much excitement in the North at the time. The children of Wiley and Mary Ann Turpen were as follows : George F., proprietor of the Baltimore Hotel in Chillicothe ; Lizzie W., wife of Sherman Miller, a farmer in Lee county, Ill. ;
714 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
William M., the subject of this sketch ; Nannie Kate, wife of P. Johnson, of the Baltimore & Ohio shops at Chillicothe. William M. Turpen received the ordinary common school education, but from early youth was accustomed to depend on himself and work for a living. He turned his hand to any honorable employment that offered, not waiting for better but accepting such as he could get, and by doing well whatever was given him to do. Thus he made a success of life and in time became independent. January 27, 1897, he was married to Alice Jennette Miller, a native of West Springfield township, Ross county. Her parents are Charles F. and Amy (Palmer) Miller, both living on a farm and well-to-do. Mr. and Mrs. Turpen have only one child, Charles Wiley, born January 13, 1898. Mr. Turpen is a member of the Ancient Essenic Knights and Modern Woodmen of America. Mrs. Turpen is a member of the Presbyterian church, while her husband, though a believer, is not connected with any religious organization.
David Umsted, well known as a successful breeder of Shorthorn cattle, and fine hogs, comes of a family long prominent in the agricultural affairs of Ross county. His grandfather and namesake was an old Pennsylvania pioneer who settled in Ross county when it was still part of the western wilds. Before leaving the home state he had married Catharine Norris, who shared with him the hardships of the wilderness and became the mother of his two children, a daughter and son. The latter was named Bazel, born and bred in Green township, and in early manhood married Julia A. Haynes. The parents of the latter were George and Rosana (Groves) Haynes, both of Pennsylvania, and the maternal grandparents were Peter and Rosana Groves who came from Holland to America about the year 1700. Bazel Umsted became very prosperous as a farmer and stock-raiser, operated on a large scale, and in time accumulated about one thousand acres of land. He lived until 1852, when he was gathered to his fathers at a ripe old age, his wife surviving until 1891. Bazel and Julia Umsted reared a family of six children, of whom William and Addison are dead, the others being John, George, David and Norris. David Umsted was born in Green township, March 30, 1844. He was brought up on the farm of his father and received from the latter that thorough training which was to equip him for future usefulness in the same line of business. In after year, when cultivating his own land, he developed a taste for fine stock of all kinds, with a preference for the noble breed of Shorthorn cattle and the strain of hogs known as Duroc Jerseys. These he has raised with such success as to be ranked among the well known breeders of fancy stock, of which he has become an excellent judge. Aside from this feature, however, he carries' on general farming in all its branches and is up-to-date in methods and equipments. December 13, 1871,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 715
he was united in marriage to Mary E., daughter of David Goodman, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. They have four children, all of whom have been given excellent educations by their affectionate father with especial view to qualifying each one for his or her chosen calling. Carrie E., after going through the high school, attended the National normal at Lebanon, where she received a thorough training in the teachers' department and was graduated with honor. Edward B., whose chosen occupation was that of farming, went through the entire common school course and finished at the excellent high school in Kingston. David C., after finishing in the high school, attended the Spencerian business college at Cleveland, where he was graduated in 1896, and holds a responsible position as bookkeeper and city salesman in a mercantile house at Louisville, Ky. John A., after completing his studies at the Kingston high school, took a course at Wilmington college, a popular institution of learning in Clinton county. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
John Marshall Vanmeter, president of the Savings bank at Chillicothe, has been long and conspicuously identified with the financial and business interests of Ross county. His father, John I. Vanmeter, who became a man of great distinction, was born in Hardy county, Va., in 1798. He was educated at Princeton university, New Jersey, and later received a thorough legal training in the law school of Judge Gould at Litchfield, Conn. Without delay he entered upon the practice of his profession at Moorefield, county seat of Hardy, and soon rose to prominence both in law and politics. He had been in business but a short time before he was elected to represent Hardy county in the Virginia legislature. Soon thereafter he determined to try his fortunes in the west and in 1826 came to Ohio, where he located on a farm in Pike county. It was not long, however, until he was again drawn into politics, for which he had both taste and talent and found himself a member of the lower house of the Ohio legislature. During the exciting campaign of 1840, ever memorable in the history of the old Whig party of which Mr. Vanmeter was an ardent and conspicuous adherent, he became a candidate for the Ohio state senate and was triumphantly elected. Two years later he received the nomination of his party for Congress and after one of the strenuous struggles characteristic of that political period he was sent to Washington as one of the leaders of the Whig forces. His course was approved and endorsed by renomination in 1844, but the Democrats having control of the Ohio legislature had so "gerrymandered" the state as to relegate Mr. Vanmeter to a district with a hostile majority. However, he accepted his party's trust and made a strong race against no less a personage than the famous Allen G. Thurman, but the Democratic preponderance was
716 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
too great and he was defeated. It was during Mr. Vanmeter's term in Congress that the question came up of making an appropriation to test the practicability of the electric telegraph. Much to his credit he supported the small appropriation asked for by the struggling inventor while others, including some of the greatest men in Congress, were sneering at poor Morse and ridiculing his "effort to talk to the moon over a. wire," as it was facetiously pronounced. After his location in Pike county, Mr. Vanmeter followed farming until 1855, when he removed to Chillicothe and resided in retirement until his death in 1875. In 1826 he married Mary, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Williams) Harness, who were among the earliest settlers of Ross county, having come there prior to 1800 from Hardy county, Va. Mrs. Vanmeter died in 1854, leaving seven children : Elizabeth H., Joseph II., Isaac, John M., Eliza and Sally (twins) and Mary. They are all dead excepting Mary and the subject of this sketch, both of whom live in Chillicothe. John M. Vanmeter was born in Pike county, Ohio, in September, 1836 ; had the benefits of an unusually thorough and liberal education, derived from attendance at the noble University of Virginia and the well known Monongahela college at. Jefferson, Pa., graduating from the latter institution in the class of 1854. Subsequently he entered the law school at Harvard, took the full legal course in that. famous institution and received his degree of bachelor of law in 1857. In that same year he engaged in practice at Chillicothe and devoted himself almost exclusively to his profession until 1881, when he retired to attend to his accumulating interests in farming and finance. In 1876 Mr. Vanmeter was appointed common pleas judge to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Judge Mitchell Grey, and served a short term. He is connected with both the Central National and Savings banks of Chillicothe, having been one of the directors of the former and president. of the latter since the organization of each. In January, 1861, he was married to Eliza Irwin, daughter of Dr. Peleg and Eliza (Waters) Sisson. Mrs. Vanmeter died in 1865, leaving three children : John I., now a practicing attorney in Chillicothe, Eliza Irwin and Marshall, the latter dying in early manhood. In 1872 Mr. Vanmeter married Susan T., daughter of William Streit and Sally (Vanmeter) Cunningham, of Hardy county, W. V a. The second union resulted in the birth of three children: William Streit. Mary Harness and Sally Cunningham. The eldest died in childhood and Sally C. is now the wife of John Maderia Brown, of Ross county.
George A. Vaughters, long and favorably known in the commercial world as a merchant and president of the Citizens National bank of Chillicothe, is one of the representative business men of Ross county. During his quarter century residence in the city he has been influentially identified with its progress and development, doing his full
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 717
share in aid of all movements promising an advancement of the public welfare. Mr. Vaughters was born in Scioto county, Ohio, September 11, 1851. He had aspirations at an early period for a thorough education, especially such as would aid a commercial career, and his plans in this direction were satisfactorily carried out. After such preliminary training as was afforded by the public school system of his native place, he spent three years at that. thorough and excellent institution known as the National Normal at Lebanon, O. In addition to the regular curriculum, Mr. Vaughters took the commercial course in the same college and was graduated in that department with the class of 1874. He recalls a very dramatic and nationally important event which occurred during his attendance at the Lebanon school. Clement L. Vallandigham, the famous anti-war leader of Ohio, was engaged as counsel in "a criminal case then being tried there, and while endeavoring to show how a wound received by one of the parties might have been self-inflicted, his pistol was discharged and mortally wounded himself. Mr. Vaughters was admitted into the room and became one of the sympathetic spectators of the sufferings which preceded the death of this eminent lawyer and statesman. His education completed, Mr. Vaughters, while looking around for a business location, was attracted to Chillicothe, where in 1877 he obtained employment as bookkeeper for a wholesale grocer named English. He retained this position for a year and when his employer went to Columbus accompanied him to that city, remaining for some time in charge of the books. In 1879 Mr. Vaughters returned to Chillicothe and formed a partnership with Michael Kramer in the wholesale grocery business, under the firm name of Vaughters, Kramer 8: Co., which has been continued with success up to the present time, and in course of time Allen W. Hamill was added to the firm. In April, 1901, the Citizens National. bank of Chillicothe was incorporated, and Mr. Vaughters was elected president. In addition to his other business interests, Mr. Vaughters is secretary and treasurer of the Chillicothe Electric Light and Power company, and altogether is quite a busy citizen. He has been three times married, and has two sons, Harry, a farmer in Scioto county, and Donald.
Valentine Wagner, during his fourteen years of residence in Kingston, has not only become a popular and successful merchant but has fully demonstrated his ability in various lines of business. His parents, John and Catherine (Duerstine) Wagner, were born in Baden, Germany, married there, and in 1854 came to New York city. The father had spent four years in the United States in his younger days and thus had some acquaintance with the customs of the country. After arriving in New York he tried his fortune there for a while in the grocery business but soon abandoned this to work
718 -THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
at the cooper's trade in Cleveland. In 1859 he came to Chillicothe, where he resumed the cooperage business for a year or two and then went to farming in Springfield township. He met with a fair measure of success, being elected to the offices of school director, trustee and supervisor of his township, and holding membership in the Odd Fellows lodge at Chillicothe. His life was tragically ended November 6, 1881, by drowning in the Scioto river. Of his nine children, John, Barbary, Katie, Henry and Jacob are dead. The living are: Valentine, Annie, wife of John Knab, of Springfield township; Lizzie, wife of George Smith, of Chillicothe ; and Albert, a resident of Kingston. Valentine Wagner, second of the children, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, November 23, 1857. He was brought to Chillicothe in infancy and received his education there, including a. course in the City high school. He engaged in farming and followed that occupation until 1887, when he changed his base of operations to Kingston and there, with a capital of $375, launched into the grocery business. Pluck and energy, aided by excellent judgment in buying, won the day and Mr. Wagner has become one of the substantial men of the place. His original capital of a few hundred dollars has grown until his possessions now include two store buildings, two residences and a farm of eighty-two acres, on which he raises stock and all the customary cereal crops. He held the office of assessor in 1901 and for several years was treasurer of the building and loan association. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men at Circleville, in the neighboring county of Pickaway. September 20, 1881, he was married to Alice G., daughter of Peter Mettler, a well-to-do farmer of Springfield township. The living children are: Oscar, law student at the State university, at Columbus ; Edith, Bessie, Earl and Glenn. Bertha, Clyde and Grace are dead. The family attend the Lutheran church.
Albert Wagner, a busy and well-to-do young man of Kingston, is a son of John Wagner, a sketch of whom appears above. He was born in Chillicothe, May 18, 1875, and reared on the farm, where he was trained to industrious habits from early youth. He attended schools in Springfield and Union townships as well as at Chillicothe, and being ambitious to do something for himself started out at the age of eighteen. He came to Kingston and worked for his brother, Valentine Wagner, for about three years, after which he determined to enter business on his own account. In 1896 he opened a retail saloon in Kingston and has since enjoyed a good trade in that line. He votes the Democratic ticket, but is not a seeker of office, although he takes an interest in politics and works for the success of the principles in which he believes. Mr. Wagner is a member of Congo tribe, No. 51, Improved Order of Red Men, and also belongs to the Knights of the Royal Arch, at Chillicothe, and to the German Lutheran
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 719
church. June 15, 1897, he was married to Bertha Roby, of Fairfield county, by whom he has one child, Myrtle Marie, born October 11, 1898.
William Arthur Wallace, who since his twentieth year has enjoyed high reputation as a political speaker and later prominently identified with the business interests of Chillicothe, is a popular representative of the younger generation of citizens. He comes of most excellent. blood both on the side of father and mother. As far back as 1808, Cadwallader Wallace, of Virginia, was found among the pioneers settled at Chillicothe, and for many years thereafter he was connected with the United States government land office. By his wife Ruth he became the father of Augustus Wallace, who in due course married Ann Elizabeth McGinnis, member of one of the most distinguished families in Ohio. Her parents were James S. and Margaret (Tiffin) McGinnis, the former coming from Massachusetts in 1825, and the latter a daughter of Dr. Joseph Tiffin and niece of Hon. Edward Tiffin, first governor of Ohio. This lady is still living at the venerable age of eighty-four years and is a resident of Indianapolis, Ind. Augustus and Ann E. were the parents of William Arthur Wallace, who was born in Chillicothe September 24, 1867, and when four years old was deprived of a father's care by death. He was sent at an early age to the excellent public schools in his native city, and after going through the usual period of attendance was graduated in the high school with the class of 1886. For a year or more thereafter he was a student of law in the office of Lawrence T. Neal, chiefly, however, for the educational benefits, as he never applied for admission to the bar. In the fall of 1887 Mr. Wallace made his first appearance "on the stump" as a political speaker and made an instantaneous success, having been in demand since then at every recurring campaign as one of the foremost workers and orators of the Republican party. During the Harrison campaign in 1888, his work as a canvasser was so especially brilliant and noteworthy as to earn for him the sobriquet "Young Eagle of Ross." In 1891 he accepted the position of cashier in the freight office of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railroad company, with a view to training and disciplining himself for a business career, and he remained there five years. In May, 1895, he rented offices in the Foulke block for the purpose of conducting a business in general loans, insurance and real estate, and he is thus engaged at the present time. January 5, 1899, he was married to Anna Marie, daughter of William A. and Jane Jones, of Twin township, members of one of the old and wealthy pioneer families of southern Ohio. During the years 1899 and 1900 Mr. Wallace was city clerk of Chillicothe. He holds membership in the following named organizations and orders : the First Presbyterian church ; Chillicothe lodge, No. 52,
720 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; Paint Valley Lodge, No. 808, I. O. O. F., of Bourneville ; Scioto lodge, No. 6, Free and Accepted Masons, serving for five years as its secretary; Chillicothe chapter, No. 4, Royal Arch Masons : Chillicothe council, No. 4, Royal and Select Master Masons: Chillicothe commanders, No. 8, Knights Templar. Mr. Wallace, aside from his naturally brilliant mind, is a man of wide general information due to much reading of standard authors in all departments of literature. He is always ready and willing to aid, as much as lies within his power, all enterprises directed toward public improvement and progress.
Jacob Warner, proprietor of the Warner House. of Chillicothe, is a native of Germany, born in 1830. He was only one year old when brought to America by his parents. In youth he learned the blacksnith's trade and worked at it for some years. He also cut cord wood and did all kinds of hard labor, with the persistence and patient industry so characteristic of the German people. After spending one year in Newark, Ohio, young Warner found his way to Chillicothe, the city that was destined to he the scene of his busy life and his residence for seventy years. Finally he secured a place as bell-boy in a hotel that proved to he the beginning of a successful career. This was fifty years ago, the Maderia House being his first employer, and since then he has had all the ups and downs incidental to the business. From the first humble position he rose by slow but steady degrees until he reached the proprietorship of one of the finest hotels in southern Ohio. For twenty years he conducted a hotel called the Warner House, now the Hotel Carson. Sixteen years ago he took possession of the present Warner House, which is one of the most popular hostelries to he found in any city of the size of Chillicothe or even much larger. It is curious to contrast the past with the present, the then with the now in Mr. Warner's experience as a boniface. When he first essayed the role of hotel-keeper he had but one table in a small room called a "restaurant." He now has forty-five people on his pay roll, and caters only to first class trade. No labor or expense is spared to render the Warner House up-to-date in every detail. It may he said with truth that few men in the United States have had a longer experience at the hotel business than Jacob Warner or better understand it in all its intricacies. In 1856 Mr. Warner married Elizabeth Barr. Their only son, John, died ten years ago at the age of thirty-five. Their daughter Margaret is superintendent of the Warner House since the loss of her mother, who died in 1891.
Peter Wegerle is a native of Germany, born March 21, 1843. His father. George Wegerle, also a German, was born in 1815 and married Marguerite Herbert in 1840. Of their four children, Mar-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.- 721
guerite is dead, Adam and Jacob reside in the old country and Peter is the only one living in America. He came here in 1869, eight years after his father died, and located in Chillicothe, where he worked for several years in the shops of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Afterward he did farm work by the month and later bought the place where he now resides. January 2, 1870, he was married to Lottie Griesheimerer, a native of the same place in Germany where he himself was born. This union resulted in the birth of eight children, all of whom are still at home and whose names are Marguerite, Peter, Charles, Lotta, Tillie, Minnie, Clara and Bessie. Mr. Wegerle was educated in his own country, where they have the best schools in the world, and also learned the business of farming before he came to the United States. Four years ago he moved to his present place, which is a farm consisting of sixty acres, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. His only fraternal connection is with the Odd Fellows lodge, No. 83, at Chillicothe. Politically his predilections are Democratic and his religious connections are with the German Presbyterian church.
John H West, residing near Kingston, has spent his life in farming in Ohio and Illinois, but principally in Ross county. His ancestors for several generations back were natives of Maryland, mostly of Frederick county in that state. The grandfather was Charles West, who spent his life as a farmer in the locality mentioned and became a soldier in the war of 1812. His son John married Annie Sane, a neighbor of the family, whose father was a blacksmith, and died in 1851 at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains. John and Annie (Sane) West became the parents of John H. West, who was born in New Market, Md., December 20, 1826. He grew up in Jefferson county, Va., where he learned the blacksmith trade, and in 1850 came to Ross county, settling at Chillicothe. He worked at his trade in that city for ten years and with his accumulations bought a farm in Green township, within two miles of Kingston, which by subsequent additions was increased to 151 acre's. In 1883 Mr. West purchased a farm of 321 acres in Clark county, Ill., and lived there for seventeen years, but eventually came back to Ross county for permanent residence. He has devoted much attention to raising thoroughbred stock and deals in Poland-China hogs and Shorthorn cattle. All of his property, whether real or personal, has been accumulated by himself, as he started life a poor boy and had nothing to depend on but his own head and hands. A long life of industry and careful management have given him a competence and made him one of the well-to-do farmers of Green township. He has always taken the interest of a good citizen in public affairs, voting first with the Whigs and afterward with the Republicans. While in Virginia,
722 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
more than fifty years ago, he was initiated into the order of Odd Fellows and on arriving in Ohio he united with Tecumseh lodge, No. 80, at Chillicothe, of which he is now the oldest member. In 1852 Mr. West was married to Mary Carmean, a native of Ross county, who died after giving birth to one child, the latter also dying in infancy. Afterward he married Martha Carmean, a sister of his first wife, by whom he had eight. children: Irene, wife of Charles May; Mary Shanton, now on home farm; Zora, living in Kansas; Pearl, resident of Chillicothe; Ollie, wife of Jacob Duestin; John, deceased ; Martha E., at home ; Jesse, deceased.
Milon D. Whaley, civil war veteran with an excellent record and one of the influential citizens of Concord township, has long been connected with the agricultural interests of Ross county as a dealer in live stock. He comes of New York parentage, his father. Lyman Whaley, having come from the Empire state to Ohio in the early part of the nineteenth century and located in Athens county. Lyman Whaley was a cooper and though he lived on a farm most of the time, he depended rather upon his trade than agriculture as a means of procuring a livelihood. In 18:30 he married Elizabeth Stiffle, a native of Virginia. by whom he had eight children : Ruth, of Chicago, Ill.; Adeline, of Guysville, O.; Timothy, Emily, MiIon D., Mary, Sarah and Nancy, all residents of Ross county. After several removals to different parts of Athens county the family located in 1863 at Roxabell, Ross county, where the old gentleman died in 1869 and his wife in 1894. Milon D. Whaley was born in Athens county, O., February 14, 1841. He w as a little over twenty years old when the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor signalized the opening of the great civil war. his decision was prompt to become a soldier of the Union and in furtherance of this desire he joined the Eleventh Ohio battery, an independent organization, which was originally intended to act as part of General Fremont's body guard. Accordingly they were sent first to St. Louis, but owing to the political complications that led to Fremont's removal, it became necessary to assign the battery to other duty. Subsequently it saw much hard and dangerous service during which Mr. Whaley made a brilliant and highly honorable record, such as any soldier might be proud of. During the three years and three months that he was with this command, he did not lose a single day nor was he off duty at any time. But this is not all. Entering as a private he received steady promotions until he was finally commissioned as first lieutenant. of his company. The specific record of the successive honors reached by Mr. Whaley is as follows: January 20, 1862, promoted to corporal: May 21, 1862, made sergeant; December 3, 1862, commissioned second lieutenant : and on July 12, 1864, he received his commission as first lieutenant. April 4, 1864, Lieuten-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 723
ant Whaley was detached as brigade inspector of artillery, and was mustered out of the service November 3, 1864, at Columbus, O. He took part with his command in the following named engagements, sieges and battles : siege of New Madrid, Mo., and that of Corinth, Miss. ; battle of Iuka, second battle of Corinth, battles of Raymond, Jackson and Champion's Hill, in Mississippi, winding up with the long siege of Vicksburg. From Vicksburg, the command went into Arkansas and participated in an engagement at Little Rock. They remained in Little Rock the following winter and in the spring were sent to Pine Bluff, Ark., where they had a small engagement. After his retirement from the army Mr. Whaley came to Roxabell, Ross county, to which place his parents had removed during his absence. He farmed a few years, worked in a saw mill for a while and then engaged in buying and selling live stock, which business he has continued until the present time. Mr. Whaley was trustee of Concord township several terms and held the office of assessor for seventeen consecutive years. He is a member of Chillicothe lodge, No. 80, I. O. O. F., and Frankfort post, Grand Army of the Republic. November 24, 1880, he was married to Jennie M., daughter of Charles Parker, one of the respected old settlers of that part of the county. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Whaley are Frederick T., who lives at Cleveland, O., and Strawder J., at the Roxabell home. The religious affiliations of the family are with the Baptist church.
Andrew H. Wilkins, prominent in educational and agricultural circles of Deerfield township, belongs to a family long connected with the development of that part of Ross county. The stock is of Delaware origin, John and Nancy Wilkins having come from that state in the early part of the nineteenth century, and settled in Concord township in 1816. They engaged in farming and lived to advanced age, the father dying July 30, 1869, when ninety years old. This couple had four sons, Thomas, Peter, Lemuel and Samuel, and two daughters who married and moved to the west. Thomas, who resides in Illinois, is the only one of the sons now living. Samuel, the oldest of the sons, was born in Delaware in 1808, married Nancy A. McCafferty, November 7, 1830, and located on what is known as the Squire Hides land. After several years' residence at this place, he purchased a farm in Twin township on which he lived for twenty years, when this was disposed of and a homestead secured in Deerfield township, where he spent the remainder of his days. The father died February 12, 1888, in his eighty-first year, and his wife March 29, 1888. They had nine children, of whom Nancy, John M., Joseph, Sarah, Spencer and Francis are dead; the living are David, Andrew H. and Druzilla, wife of Isaac N. Dyer. Andrew H. Wilkins was born December 14, 1841, in Twin township, Ross county. After the opening of the civil war he enlisted in Com-
724 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
pany E, One Hundred and Fourteenth Ohio infantry, which, after some necessary drilling, was sent to take part iii the campaign in Mississippi for possession of the great river. The first hard battle of the command was at Chickasaw Bluffs, after which it. was at Arkansas Post and from there moved to the rear of Vicksburg, on the way taking part in the engagements at Thompson's Hill, Champion's Hill, Black river, and subsequently the operations during the siege. While at Vicksburg, Mr. Wilkins became sick and was taken to the hospital in New Orleans where he was detained two months. As soon as discharged he rejoined his regiment in Texas and later saw much service and fighting at various points, including Red River, Ark., Mobile, and other places, finally being mustered out at Houston, Tex., July 29, 1865. Returning home as soon as possible, Mr. Wilkins immediately went to work on the farm and so continued until his marriage, May 30, 1867, to Margaret, daughter of Edward and Julia Ulm, old settlers of Ross county. They lived ten years in Pickaway county, and then returned to Ross which has since been the family home. Mrs. Wilkins died March 25, 1902, and was buried in Brown's chapel, three miles south of Clarksburg. Besides general farming and stock-raising, which is his main pursuit, Mr. Wilkins for years has handled a threshing machine and done a large amount of business in that line. His services are also in demand for public purposes, he having been township trustee for ten years and a member of the school board for eighteen years. He belongs to the New Holland post, Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of the Republican party. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins have had nine children: Edward .J., of Dayton; Andrew E. (deceased) ; Samuel S., of Indiana ; Julia A., wife of Amos Bowman, living near Chillicothe; Jesse M., Etna C., Laura O., wife of Strawder Fletcher, of Deerfield township ; Nettie B. and Amelia L., at home.
William H. Willson, M. D., is one of the most popular and promising of the young professional men who make Greenfield, Ohio, their center of operations. He is a native of Highland county, was educated in her public schools and has spent most of the years of his life in her confines. At an early age he conceived a great admiration for the noble science of healing and determined to make a study of the same with a view to its professional practice. With this end in view, he became a student at the Medical College of Ohio in 1894 and continued in diligent attendance at all the lectures during the three subsequent winter terms. In the spring of 1897 he was made happy by the reception of the degree of M. D., conferred upon him by his alma mater. Immediately after his graduation, Dr. Willson located in his native town of Greenfield and entered upon the active practice of his profession among old friends and neighbors. He was so engaged at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war in the sum-
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 725
mer of 1898. Actuated by a patriotic desire to do what he could in the cause of his country, Dr. Willson joined the Fourth regiment hospital corps and served with it during the Porto Rico campaign. Returning from the war, he resumed his practice at Greenfield, which extends over portions of Highland, Ross and Fayette counties. In addition to his regular professional duties, Dr. Willson holds the position of medical examiner for several leading insurance companies. He is a member of the Highland County Medical society, a Master Mason and communicant of the First Presbyterian church. On February 26, 1902, Dr. Willson was married to Bessie E. Hendry, daughter of Richard and Minnie T. Hendry. Her father, a native of Scotland, has been a resident of Cincinnati for a number of years.
Frank L. Wilson, M. D., a prominent and successful physician of Greenfield, Ohio, was born and bred in Highland county. His grandfather, Adam B. Wilson, a native of North Carolina, was among the earlier settlers of Highland county, where he became a successful and influential farmer. His son, the late Dr. James Leighton Wilson, was one of the eminent surgeons of that section of Ohio. After obtaining a literary education in the Ohio university at Athens, he entered the Ohio Medical college, from which he was graduated about 1846 with the degree of M. D. After a year spent in the northern part of the state, he formed a partnership with Dr. Milton Dunlap for the practice of medicine at Greenfield, and this association was carried on profitably for a number of years. Dr. Wilson was enthusiastically devoted to his profession and surrendered his whole life to its study and practice. His laudable ambition and unwearied efforts met with deserved success, as he achieved rank as a physician and surgeon of unusual ability. He refused to lay down his work at the approach of ill health, but continued to practice until a short time before his death, which occurred in 1899. He enjoyed the greatest consolation of a father in being able to leave behind a successor well worthy to wear his mantle and fully able to continue his professional work. This solace was afforded in the person of his youngest son, Dr. Frank L. Wilson. This gentleman had been well educated at the old academy of South Salem, and in the Miami university. Subsequently he entered the Ohio Medical college, from which he was graduated in 1875 with the degree of M. D. In the year following he became associated with his father in the practice of medicine at Greenfield, where he has attained a very prominent position among the physicians and surgeons of southern Ohio. He is employed in his professional capacity both by the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern and the Ohio Southern railway companies, in addition to his extensive practice in Greenfield and surrounding country. Dr. Wilson is a member of the Highland County Medical society
726 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
and the fraternities of Knights of Pythias and the Elks. He was married in 187G to Anna, daughter of Judge John Eckman, a very prominent citizen of Greenfield, who was mayor of the city and at one time associate judge. Dr. Wilson and wife have two sons, of whom Charles D. is a student at the Miami university and Oscar is at home.
John E. Wilson, the energetic and popular agent of the United States express company at Chillicothe, is a representative young business man of that city. His parents were John R. and Melissa A. (Aten) Wilson, the former a native of Maryland and the latter a Pennsylvanian, who met and married in Jackson, O. The father had embarked in the iron and coal trade with a bright promise of success which was blighted by his untimely death at the early age of twenty-eight. Just one month after this untoward event, or November 1, 1871, at Jackson, O., his only son, John E. Wilson, was ushered into the world. The mother was called on for a double mourning, as four weeks previous to her husband's demise she had lost her only daughter at the age of two years and three months. She still resides at Jackson and has not been disappointed in the fond hopes centered upon her remaining child. John E. Wilson attended school a while in his native county and city, but found it necessary to begin work at an early age and made his first venture as a messenger boy. Securing employment later in the train service on the Ohio Southern railroad he spent three years in that business. Meanwhile having been learning telegraphy he secured a position as operator and station agent at Bond Hill, a suburb of Cincinnati, taking charge October 5, 1898, and remaining there until August 22, 1900. On the date last given he was appointed agent of the United States express company at Chillicothe and entered immediately upon the discharge of his duties. Mr. Wilson was given exclusive charge of the company's business, with four assistants, and under his management there has been a great increase. The business for the closing month of 1901 was the largest ever transacted by the company in all its history at Chillicothe. This, of course, makes a very complimentary showing for the young agent's capacity and energy, and one which is pleasing both to himself and his many friends. September 11, 1897, he was married in Cincinnati to Louise Rapp, an accomplished and well educated lady of Jackson. Mrs. Wilson was graduated at the high school of her native city with the class of 1894 and in addition to this had the benefit of a college course at New Philadelphia. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have one son, Louis La Mar, born June 28, 1898, at Jackson. Mr. Wilson is a member of the Christian church, while his wife, like her parents before her, is of the Roman Catholic faith.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 727
John M. Wiltshire, M. D., a medical practitioner at Gillespieville, is a son of William and Lydia (Stinson) Wiltshire, natives respectively of Rockingham county, Va., and Ohio. William Wiltshire emigrated to Ross county with his father, also named William, about the year 1825, and located some five and a half miles south of Chillicothe, in Scioto township. He was married in 1833, and continued to remain on the old homestead until his death, which occurred January 18, 1888, at the age of about eighty-one years. His widow survives him, at. an advanced age. John M. Wiltshire, the eldest in a family of seven sons and three daughters, was born on the old homestead in Ross county, October 8, 1831. He remained at home attending the common schools of Chillicothe, until he began the study of medicine under the tutorship of Dr. Jonathan Miesse. Afterward he completed his course of preliminary instruction in the office of Dr. Theodore Zanders. Both his preceptors were leading physicians of Chillicothe. He was graduated at Starling Medical college, in Columbus, in the class of 1865. During the civil war of the sixties, Dr. Wiltshire served nearly a year in the army, being detailed and assigned to hospital duty. While in the service he was disabled by a stroke of paralysis, and on account of this disability he received an honorable discharge from the United States service. Since the fall of 1862, he has followed the practice of medicine at Gillespieville. He was married near Portsmouth, O., in April, 1856, to Mary Sutherland, who was born at Coshocton, O., June 2, 1836, and died November 6, 1897. There were born of this union four children : William H., who is a farmer and attends to and superintends the lands of the whole family; James S., who was graduated in 1897 at Starling Medical college, Columbus, taking first honors in a class of three hundred students, and has followed the practice of medicine at Gillespieville, in the office with his father, ever since he completed his course at college ; John E., a merchant and following that occupation at Gillespieville ; Mary F., residing with her father.
Joshua R. Wisehart, of Chillicothe, was born in Frankfort, Ross county, June 28, 1839, son of John M. and Mary (Rogers) Wisehart. John M. Wisehart was born in Culpeper, Va., in 1810, came to Ross county in 1818 and ended his days at Frankfort. He was a tailor by trade and operated a shop in Frankfort. for many years, but by reason of ill health retired long before his death, which occurred in April, 1898, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife died in May, 1892, when she was in her seventy-ninth year. Their family consisted of eight. children, of whom John, Mary and Thomas Hamar died in infancy or early childhood. William A. was a soldier in Company K, Sixty-third Ohio regiment, and was killed at the battle of Resaca, Ga. James M. was a soldier in the same organization, for three years, during which he experienced many dangers and
728 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
hardships. He also served for three months with the Twenty-second Ohio infantry. Since the war he has conducted a shoe business at Frankfort, where he now lives with his wife and three children. Joshua R. is the second in age of the living children ; Clara, widow of Thomas H. Griffin, who was a merchant at Gillespieville, resides at Chillicothe with her three children; Russell B., formerly a railway employee, resides at Frankfort. Joshua R. Wisehart spent his early life in his native town, where he attended school and clerked in the postoffice under his father, who was postmaster there for four years before the war. On the 22d of July, 1861, following the news of the battle of Bull Run, he enlisted in Company A, Eighteenth Ohio infantry, with which organization he served over three years. The regiment was under the command of the famous and much beloved "Pap" Thomas, being part of the Second brigade, Second division, Fourteenth army corps. He took part with his command in the battles of Stone River, Davis' Crossroads and Chickamauga. When the army fell back from the last named battlefield to Chattanooga, Mr. Wisehart's regiment was equipped as sappers and miners and furnished with all necessary engineering tools for that kind of work. Their duty called them to the front to open roads, build bridges, remove obstructions, repair breaks and to do whatever else was necessary to facilitate the progress of the army. This service, always arduous, was often dangerous, as the sappers and miners had to fight as well as work, and participated in many severe skirmishes. Mr. Wisehart escaped wounds, but incurred serious disability which has remained with him all his subsequent life. November 19, 1864, he was discharged from the service at Camp Chase, Ohio, and returned to his parental home at Frankfort. His stay there, however, was short and he proceeded south to become citizen clerk in the quarter-master's department at Mobile, Ala. He retained this employment until the surrender of the garrison equipage. After the war, Mr. Wisehart engaged' in the oil business in West Virginia, where he remained from 1867 to 1870. In the last mentioned year he arrived in Chillicothe, where for the thirteen succeeding years he was employed as a hotel clerk. In 1884, he was elected recorder of Ross county and served a term of three years in that office: In 1889, he was elected sheriff of the county and held that place for two years. When he retired from the sheriff's office in 1892 he was appointed money order and registry clerk in the Chillicothe post-office, which position he has since held, serving under three different. postmasters and two parties. Mr. Wisehart was made a Mason on November 19, 1860, and has attained to the Knight Templar degree. Politically, he is an uncompromising Republican and has long been a recognized leader in local politics. He was married December 31, 1874, to Mary Morningstar, a lady born, bred and educated in Springfield. They have a family of seven children, of
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 729
whom Mabel is the eldest and the only one married. She is the wife of Rev. George Gray, a Presbyterian minister at Snohomish, Wash. The other children, still under the parental roof, are, John M., Mary Agnes, Emma B., Bertha M., Mead M. and Erma. The family are adherents to the Methodist Episcopal church.
Otto Wissler, of Chillicothe, was born at that city, in the home he now owns at No. 30 Western avenue, on March 6, 1859. His parents were Reinhard and Catherine (Higley) Wissler, both natives of Baden, Germany, who came to America in early youth and were married in Chillicothe. They have five sons and five daughters, whose names are Elise, Flora, Anna, Otto, Emma, George, Albert, Charles, Reinhard and Katherine. Anna, Otto, Albert and Charles are married, the others are still under the parental roof, though all the sons are engaged in business. Albert is a baker, Charles a hardware merchant, and Reinhard is a pharmacist, operating an extensive drug establishment, all in Chillicothe. The father of this noteworthy family was a blacksmith and carriage builder, operating a shop of this kind from the time he came here in 1852 until the year 1857. He then invested in the brewery business, purchasing a small plant. and operating the same on a small scale until the profits justified an enlargement. The establishment, under judicious management, grew by safe degrees until Mr. Wissler had a finely equipped plant, which he operated successfully until his death in 1885. Six months before that sad event his sons, Otto and George, had purchased the entire business, and they still own and operate the same. The brewery is complete in all its appointments and has a capacity of 5,000 barrels per annum. The product, is sold entirely in the local market, and the brand is quite popular with all those who delight in the foamy fluid. An average of eight men find regular employment in this industry, which supplies only the wholesale trade. Otto Wissler, senior partner, was educated in the public schools of Chillicothe and has followed the business of brewing ever since the time of his arrival at the working age. In 1887, he was married to Louise Schilling, who was born, bred and educated in Cincinnati, where her parents died when she was young. Her mother was a sister of the well known Dr. Walker, dealer in surgical instruments on Sixth street, Cincinnati, and after the death of her parents she became a member of his family and was reared therein. Mr. and Mrs. Otto Wissler have a family of five sons, whose name are Max, Robert, Arnold, Irvin and Louis. Mr. Wissler is a member of the Royal Arch Masons and a gentleman of general popularity, both in business and social circles.
Charles W. Wood was born in Twin township, Ross county, September 23, 1858. His parents were John and Elizabeth (Slagle)
730 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
Wood, the latter being a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Slagle, who were early settlers of Highland county. John Wood's father was William Wood, who settled in Pike county with his parents at a very early date, became a farmer, and married a Miss Wilson, by whom he had several children. After living for several years in Pike county, they removed to Ross county, near Greenfield, where both died on the same clay. Their son John, who was born on February 25, 1825, attended the district school and later studied for the ministry at Wittenberg college in Springfield. During his school clays be had acquired a knowledge of civil engineering, which he followed for some time after coming to Ross county. In the spring of 1850, he left for California with a party of gold seekers, which trip consumed about two years of time. During his absence he kept a journal of each day's happenings which was later published in pamphlet form and is now considered quite valuable. Shortly after returning from California, he married Miss Slagle and went to live on the farm in Ross county which was subsequently given to them by his wife's relatives. Besides general farming, he dealt extensively in the buying and selling of stock. John Wood died September 1, 1896, and his wife in 1892. Of their children, Alice and Mary are dead ; and Anna is married to Albert L. Slavens, of Greenfield. Charles W. Wood, the eldest of the children, attended school until he was fifteen, at which age he went to work and engaged in different pursuits at different places for the next five years. When twenty years old he went to sea as a shipper of live stock, sailing between coast towns in all foreign ports. This occupation he followed for twenty years, when he returned to Ross county and took charge of the old home place. After a year's time, however, be went back to the stock-shipping business, which he followed until about six months ago, when he again resumed possession of the farm for permanent occupation. October 20, 1901, he was married to Bertha C. Allen, of Chillicothe, a daughter of Frank Allen, a descendant of one of the early families of that ancient Ohio capital. Mr. and Mrs. Wood own 561 acres of the best land in Ross county and occupy a home that is as pretty and cosy as heart could wish. J. William Wood, younger and only brother of Charles, was born in Twin township, Ross county, in 1860. He was educated in the public schools and upon reaching manhood he engaged in the business of shipping live stock, which he has always followed and is still so engaged. For the past three years his head-quarters have been in New York City. His business comprises the shipping of stock to England and the continent. He has never been married.
Morgan Wood was born in Franklin township, Ross county, O., October 28, 1862. The first of the name to settle in Ross county
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 731
was his grandfather, John B. Wood, a man of English descent, born in Kentucky during the troublous times of 1797. His father dying when he was still an infant, his mother brought him to Ohio in 1800 and located in Ross county. There he grew up and in 1831 was married to Mary Austin, a native of Pennsylvania. They became the parents of seven children, of whom two died in infancy, the others being Wilson, Samuel, Mary, Rebecca and Minerva. John B. Wood died in March, 1875, and the mother in January of the same year. Samuel Wood, the second of the above mentioned children, was born in Franklin township in 1837. At the outbreak of the civil war he enlisted in Company C, Thirty-third Ohio infantry, as a private, and served in this capacity until the siege of Atlanta in the summer of 1864, when, during one of the engagement before the city, he was so badly wounded in the left arm as to necessitate its amputation. Previous to this he had taken part in all the battles and hard marches in which his regiment participated. Receiving an honorable discharge on account of his injuries, he came home unfitted for manual labor. He filled the position of justice of the peace for twenty-seven years and was pension agent for about the same length of time. His death occurred March 17, 1898. Morgan Wood, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the common schools and upon reaching manhood worked at various occupations, mainly railroading. On August 12, 1886, he established a general merchandise store, and its management has constituted his occupation since that time. Mr. Wood's perseverance and good judgment have conducted him to prosperity. When he made his investment, the first invoice of stock amounted to $142, which was his entire capital. This has been so greatly increased and the business has so flourished that he is now regarded as one of the substantial men of the community. He has always taken a lively interest in public affairs occasionally filling offices of trust, among them that of township clerk, a position he held for twelve years. Mr. Wood is an Odd Fellow and a member of the Knights of the Ancient Essenic Order, being a charter member of the local lodge in Chillicothe. February 21, 1886, he was married to Jennie Shay, of Jackson county, and they have six children, Etta, Roy, Minnie, Ada, Edna and Alma.
Worthen Bros. is the firm name under which two popular and enterprising young merchants are conducting a general mercantile business at Kingston. They are sons of James Worthen, a merchant and farmer, but best known as one of the most extensive fruit-growers in Ross county. A native of Meigs county, where he grew up and was educated, he removed to Pike county in 1868 and came to Ross county in 1882, settling in Huntington township where he soon came to the front as a skillful horticulturist. Of the one hun-
732 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
dred and sixty acres of land owned by him, seventy acres are planted in fruit trees, principally apple and peach, and this is one of the finest orchards in the county. Though Democratic in his views, James Worthen has been too busy a man to seek office, but held the position of justice of the peace for eight years. He is a member of the Masonic order, and connected with the lodge at Waverly. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Bazel and Mary A. (Tuttle) Carter, natives of Meigs county who went to Missouri and died there in 1892. Charles W., eldest son of James and Elizabeth Worthen, was born in Meigs county, O., December 17, 1867, attended Hurdland college in Missouri and afterward qualified himself for a business career by a course at the Commercial college in Lexington, Ky., where he was graduated in 1892. He learned telegraphy and was engaged as an operator for six years, after which he associated himself with his brother in the mercantile business. He is clerk of the board of health and member of several fraternal orders, including Chillicothe lodge, No. 28, Knights of Pythias, and Kingston lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. May 30, 1890, he was married to Miss Katie Overly, of Green township. George B. Worthen was born in Meigs county April 24, 1871, and like his brother Charles was educated at the Hurdland (Mo.) college and the Lexington (Ky.) business college. In 1893, he established a store at Denver in Ross county, and conducted it alone until 1897, when his brother Charles W. joined him in forming the firm of Worthen Bros. In 1899 they decided to remove to Kingston, in Green township, where they soon established a good business, carrying a fine line of general merchandise and enjoying a liberal trade with the surrounding territory. George B., the junior member of the firm, served as postmaster for several years during his residence at Denver and was also clerk of the township. He was married, April 15, 1902, to Miss Ethel Titus, of Kingston.
Stephen Wright was born in 1828 in Union township, Ross county, Ohio, the son of Peter Wright, whose birth occurred in the state of Delaware, near Bridgeville, as far back as 1786. Shortly after reaching full age, Peter Wright married Nancy Corbin, this event taking place in 180$, and at the opening of the war of 1812, he was employed as a teamster. He then determined to seek a home in the West, and removed to Ross county, where he settled near Bear's run and engaged in farming. Some years afterward he purchased a tract of land in Union township and at the time of his death was the owner of 286 acres. Peter Wright had but limited educational advantages in his youth, but was a man of good sense and sound judgment in business affairs. He had a numerous family of children, of whom Joshua was born in Delaware, and all the others in Ohio. Of the latter, Eliza, John, Nancy, Vena,
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 733
Drusilla, and Peter are dead. Peter lived near New Holland when he died; Vena was the wife of Joshua :Noble; and Drusilla was married to P. Justice. Stephen Wright lived with his father until he reached the age of twenty-one. What education he received, and that was limited, was obtained by brief and broken attendance at a subscription school. Shortly after reaching manhood he married Nancy Justice, that important event in his life taking place on February 14, 1852. Immediately thereafter he secured possession of a farm near his father's place and commenced business for himself. He met with the usual experiences of small farmers and has had his full share of what are called "ups and downs" of life. On the whole, however, he has succeeded fairly well, owning at the present time 108 acres of good farming land on which he has made a number of improvements. Mr. Wright became the father of eleven children, of whom Queen Victoria, Katherine, Charles and William have passed away. The others, in order of birth, are Lafayette; Mary, now Mrs. Charles White; Peter, of Greenfield; Sarah, wife of Thomas Tortle ; John, Elmer and Douglas.
Stuart V. Wright, merchant, of Lyndon, was born in Buckskin township, Ross county, in 1850. He is a son of Esby Wright and grandson of Joseph Wright, who came from Pennsylvania about 1810 and settled in Buckskin township. There Esby Wright was born in 1813 and after growing up became a farmer and stock-raiser. He continued this occupation until 1868, when he embarked in the mercantile business at Lyndon under the firm name of Wright & Sonner. This continued for three years, when the partnership was changed to Wright & Son, and so remained until the early eighties, when the father retired from the firm. He led a quiet life until the time of his death, which occurred in 1890. Esby Wright had a family of ten children, of whom Oscar F., Mary and Charles W. are dead. The living are Stuart V., the subject of this sketch; Rev. John Newton Wright, who has been a Presbyterian missionary in Persia since 1878 ; Cyrus W., with the Burlington railway company in South Omaha; George A., traveling salesman of Marshall, Mo.; Edward M., business man of same city; Emily J. and William Scott, at the old home. Stuart V. Wright was educated in the public schools and at the Salem academy. In 1868, at the age of eighteen, he entered his father's store as clerk and three years later became a full .partner. After his father's retirement from business about 1885, the firm became Wright Brothers, the new partner being Edward M. Wright. They conducted a large general merchandise store at Lyndon and a dry goods establishment at Marshall, Mo. Stuart V. Wright has served as treasurer of Buckskin township and is an official of the Presbyterian church in South Salem. He is also a member of the board of trustees of the Salem academy and takes an active interest in the cause of education. In 1872 he was married
734 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
to Mary E., daughter of John Clark, a well known stock-dealer. They have two children whose names are Hugh Otis and Clark C.
Hon. Wallace D. Yaple, mayor of Chillicothe, was born in Eagle township, Vinton county, O., May 2, 1870. His parents were William Ross and Elizabeth (McDonald) Yaple. The grandfather of William Ross Yaple, whose name was John, was a native of Ithaca, N. Y., and one of the four men who founded that city. He came to Ross county about 1815 and settled in Colerain township. Since then the family have been prominently connected with the development of the county. Samuel Yaple, a son of John, and father of William R., located in Eagle township, Ross county, which was subsequently set off as a part of Vinton county in 1850. William Ross Maple, born in Ross county in October, 1833, was a school teacher and farmer, and studied medicine in early life, but never practiced the profession. His wife was a native of Washington county, O., born November 26, 1842, and is now a resident of Chillicothe. William R. and Elizabeth Yaple had six children, of whom Wallace D. was the eldest. The others are Albert S., a farmer on the old homestead; Mary Alice, wife of Thadeus S. Hanson, of Ross county; Mary E., wife of W. J. McGee, of Colerain township ; Odessa and Vesta, at home attending school. Wallace D. Maple was educated in the public schools and began his career as a school teacher, which occupation he followed from 1887 until 1892. He read law with his uncle, Judge Alfred Yaple, of Cincinnati, and was admitted to the bar on December 6, 1891. In April of the following year, he opened an office in Chillicothe and has established a good practice. He owns the finest law library in the city, is a systematic reader and a close student of all appertaining to his profession. In the fall of 1896 he was nominated by the Democratic party as candidate for probate judge of Ross county, and he made a vigorous canvass, but it was not a "Democratic year," and he went down with the defeat of his party. His work during the campaigns, however, gave Mr: Maple considerable prestige and since then he has been considered a leader among the local Democracy, largely deserving of credit for the party's later successes. In the spring of 1897 he was elected city solicitor, in spite of most strenuous opposition from the Republicans, who were then in power, and in 1899 he was re-elected. In April, 1901, he was elected mayor of Chillicothe, obtaining a plurality of 137, with three other candidates in the field. He has distributed the patronage of the office and administered its affairs in such a manner as to give entire satisfaction to his constituents, while the city has had a business-like and conservative administration. Mr. Yaple has clearly demonstrated that he is a young man of superior professional and executive ability, and has already laid the foundation for a life of usefulness. As an organizer and campaign speaker, his
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 735
strength has been fully tested in assisting to bring order out of chaos in the reorganization and solidifying of the local Democracy. While city solicitor, beginning with his first term and continuing throughout his entire service, the city did all of the street paving, sewer-work, etc., which has been done. He also prepared the hill which provided special legislation relative to the erection of the Chillicothe high school building, a magnificent edifice costing about $45,000. During his term he was called upon by the city council to render legal services on many occasions, owing to the large amount of city business then in progress. Mr. Maple has been a prominent and enthusiastic fraternity member. He joined the Masonic order in February, 1892, became a Royal Arch Mason in 1897, and joined the council and temple in 1900. He also joined the order of Red Men in 1899, and the Elks in 1901. He is a member of the Eintracht singing society and quite popular in the social circles of the city.
William Zeller, one of the oldest residents and most popular citizens of Huntington township, has been connected with the agricultural interests of that part of Ross county for nearly forty years. Born in Prussia, February 12, 1828, he arrived in the United States, August 28, 1855, and shortly thereafter located in Chillicothe. He made that city his place of residence about eight years and while there married Ursella Moritz, who was born in Baden, Germany, in 1842. After a brief wedded life in Chillicothe, Mr. Zeller purchased a farm of sixty-five acres in Huntington township, to which he removed and since has made his home. In February, 1865, Mr. Zeller enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Eighty-seventh regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, which was one of the last full regiments recruited in Ohio under authority of the war department for one year. It was organized March 1, 1865, and left Columbus on the third of the same month for Nashville, Tenn. On its arrival it was ordered to Dalton, Ga., where it remained about two months and then marched to Kingston. Later it returned to Dalton and after one month there was taken to Macon, where it performed provost duty until its muster-out, January 23, 1866. After his return home Mr. Zeller resumed his occupation as a farmer at his old place, but on account of diseases contracted during his absence was permanently disabled for hard work. He has lived in the township nearly forty years, during which time he has seen one generation die off and another take its place, and there is no citizen more generally liked than he. Mr. and Mrs. Zeller have had nine children, of whom Mary, William and John are dead, the living ones being Charles, trustee of Huntington township ; Katie, wife of John LaBeau, of Chillicothe ; Anna, wife of John Rothe, of the same city; Rosa, wife of Joseph Leffler of Scioto township ; Christina,
736 - THE COUNTY OF ROSS.
wife of H. F. Rector, of Pennsylvania, and Matilda, at home. The family are members of the German Lutheran church at Chillicothe.
Charles Zeller, trustee of Huntington township, and one of its most popular citizens, is a native of Ross county of German parentage. His father, William Zeller, a sketch of. whom appears above, was born in Germany in 1828, came to the United States in 1855, and since that year has been a worthy citizen of Ross county. Charles Zeller, eldest son of William, was born in Scioto township, Ross county, July 4, 1861. In early manhood he was married to Sophia Henkleman, a native of Ross county, of German descent, and immediately thereafter located on the farm in Huntington township, where he has since resided. Mr. Zeller owns in this tract one hundred and ten acres of good land which he has cultivated with success and keeps well improved. At the present time he is township trustee and it is an evidence of his personal popularity that he was elected on the Republican ticket by 29 majority in a township usually about 100 Democratic. Mr. Zeller is a member of Chillicothe lodge, No. 80, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. and Mrs. Zeller have had four children, losing one named William by death, the others being Lewis, Ada and Edward, all at home. The family's religious affiliations are with the Lutheran church.