1000 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. His children were Clark, Elias, Sylvanus, Dexter Pearl, Rosalvo and Alice. Dexter Pearl Smith's children were Byron, Henry, Cora, Harry, Ora, Lena, Ernest and Dolly. They have all been married and live in or near Woodstock. Dexter Smith died in Ohio; Samuel Smith married Phoebe McCutcheon, who was of Scotch descent. They were natives of Vermont, coming to Woodstock in 1815. Samuel was born in 1792 and died at the age of thirty due to unhealthy conditions of the country. Phoebe died in 1878 at the age of eighty-seven. Their children were Cyrus, who was born in Vermont before 1820; Jesse, Lois, Stephen and Amy, all being born in Champaign county,. with exception of Cyrus. Sylvanus, Jr., came to Champaign county from Vermont in October, 1816, accompanied by his brother, Samuel. Sylvanus, Jr., was a Whig and later joined the Republican party. He served with the minute men from Vermont in the War of 1812 and was in the battle of Plattsburg on Lake Champlain. He married Thankful Kelsey (Dutch), April 2, 1812. Their son, Hiram, was born in Vermont, January 2, 1814, while Myron G., Richard S., Lorena A., Samuel G., Azro and Andrew J., were born in Ohio. They are all dead except Azro, who was born August 20, 1828. Sylvanus Smith, Jr., died on July 12, 1872, aged eighty-four years, eight months and twenty days. His wife, Thankful Kelsey, born on June 29. 1791, at Newport, Connecticut, died on December 24, 1876. She was the daughter of Giles and Elizabeth (Post) Kelsey, of New Hampshire. Giles was a Revolutionary soldier and lived with his son-in-law in Ohio until his death. He is buried at Treacles Creek cemetery. His three sons, Josiah, Nathan and 'Stephen live in Champaign county. Nathan and Stephen, who served in the War of 1812, died in Union county, Ohio.. Azro Smith attended common school and Antioch College. During the winter he taught school in Illinois and later taught in his home town. He was married to Mary Inskeep in March, 1859, she being the daughter of William and Kittura (Warner) Inskeep, and in 1890 moved to Humboldt county, Iowa, where he purchased two hundred and forty-five acres of land. After living there for five years he returned to Woodstock, Ohio. The seven children born to this union were : Lillian T., wife of A. J. Harlan, of Lincoln county, Kansas, who has one daughter, Mabel; Arthur, of Grant county, Minnesota; Ora A., also of that county; Lucy, wife of E. C. Hudson, of Champaign county, now in the West ; Kitty, wife of Charles Rice, of Bowling Green, Ohio; Edith, wife of Clay McClurg, of Tiffin, Ohio ; Ethel, wife of A. J. Greenwald, also of Bowling Green.. Azro was a member of the Universalist church and of Woodstock Lodge No. 167, Independent CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1001 Order of Odd Fellows. He was a Republican and enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for the one hundred days service in the Civil War. He was in Virginia, at Petersburg, and was mustered out on August 29, 1864, as first lieutenant. serving twenty days over time. He afterwards received a captain's commission in the Fourth Regiment, Ohio National Guard. Samuel G. Smith, brother to Azro, was born in Rush township, September 5, 1826. He was a surveyor and engineer. He married Hepsie J., daughter of William Inskeep, on December 29, 1853, but had no children. They raised True Mcllroy, who belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 167. His brother, Andrew, was born near Woodstock in the year 1832. He married Delilah Inskeep, daughter of William, in 1855. They had nine children : Jesse, Jossie, Lora, Fanny, Hattie, Mattie, Eunice, Dale and Maud. Mrs. Smith was born in Union county, December 31, 1836. Mr. Smith belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 167, and was a Universalist in faith. Stephen A. Smith was a son of Cyrus and Lydia Smith and was born in 1840. Cyrus was the son of Samuel and Phoebe. He first married Lydia Hall in 1836. Their children were : George W., Stephen A., Sarah L., Williard H., Elisha D. and Howard. Mrs. Smith died in 1854 at the age of thirty-nine years. He then married Mrs. Fannie (Smith) Harrington on April 6, 1856. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Lodge No. 167, and a Universalist. He was also a member of Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, of one hundred men. He died on June 25, 1880. Stephen A. enlisted in April, 1861, for the three months service in Company K, Second Ohio National Guard, and was in the battle of Bull Run. After his discharge he returned home and on October 15, 1862, enlisted in Company F, Fifty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Second Brigade, Second Division and Fifteenth Army Corps. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Arkansas Post, Siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Champion Hill, Mission Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro and was with General Sherman on the march to the sea. He veteranized on January 1, 1864, at Bellefonte, Alabama, and was mustered in at Larkensville, Alabama, January 22, 1864. He was discharged on July 25, 1865, having served four years. He married Susan Epps, July 25, 1867, and two children were born to this union, Harvey J. H., and Laura E. Erastus M. Smith was born at Woodstock in 1842, and was the son of Elias and Huldah (Swift) Smith. His father was born at Stowe, Ver- 1002 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. mont, in the year 1811. Huldah was born in Rochester, Massachusetts, in 1842. Erastus died on February 28, 1871. They had four children, two of whom are living, Philip and Erastus M. The others were : Curtis B., who died in 1863, aged twenty-eight, leaving a wife and two children, Frederick and Orvis E., one dying in infancy. His grandparents, Philip and Rosina Smith, came here in 1836. He died in 1866, aged eighty. She died in 1858, aged seventy-three. They had three children : Susan, Elias and Abel. They belonged to the Christian church. Erastus M. enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio National Guard, on May 2, 1864, and was discharged on September 1 of the same year. He married Mrs. Laura (Cranston) Marsh, daughter of Edward Cranston. They had one daughter, Nina H., born on June 14, 188o, who died in June, 1917, who married Rev. Harlan Glazier, a Universalist minister. By his wife's (Laura) previous marriage with Charles W. Marsh, she had the following children : Mattie, Charles D., Lucy and Hattie, deceased. Mr. Marsh died in February, 1869. His son, Jesse, married Mary M. (or Minerva) Thomas, daughter of Gardner and Thankful Thomas, from. Stowe, Vermont. They came to Champaign county, Ohio, in 1834, and located in Rush township. He was in the War Of 1812 and was at the battle of Plattsburg. He moved to Illinois and died there at the home of a son. Jesse and Mary had ten children. They moved to Indiana. Jesse died in i800 and Mary in 1872. Their children were : Helen Harriet, Calvin, Phoebe T., Eliza A., Charles A., Ida L., Clarence M. J., Carrol and Solon H. Harriet Smith married Joseph Chamberlin on January 16, 1859. Joseph Chamberlin was born in Livingston county, New York, on May 9, 1834, a son of John and Sarah (Bodine) Chamberlin, also of New York and descendants of old Colonial families. The founder of the family came from England with his wife and three children. He was drowned in a whirlpool off the coast of New Jersey. One of his sons located in New England, one in New Jersey and one in a Southern state. Joseph's great grandparents were Joseph and Amy Chamberlin. Their son, William, Joseph's grandfather, was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in October, 1773, and married Elizabeth Duckworth, June Jo, 1793. They had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. He located at Vienna, Trumbull county, Ohio, in 1834. He died on March 19, 1851, aged seventy-eight years. Joseph's father, John, was born in New Jersey, March 1o, 1796, and married Sarah Bodine, March 3, 1817. They were the parents of twelve children : Matilda, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah Jane, John V. R., CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1003 Emma and Hope, of Illinois; Joseph, of Ohio; Effie, Angelina and William, both of Kansas. The family came to Champaign county in 1854, locating at Woodstock. Joseph enlisted in the Sixty-sixth Ohio Regimental Band and served until 1862. He was a member of the Army of the Potomac in Virginia. He was elected sheriff of this county in 1880. The children of this union were : Charles, born on October 2, 1859, who died on October 14, 1860; Sarah, August 24, 1861, who married Lincoln Burnham, of Goshen township, Champaign county, and has two children, Ralph and Helen. Helen is married to George Lincoln, son of William and Mary (Martin) Lincoln, of Rush township. Helen and George have one son, Richard, and one daughter, . Lincoln Burnham's father was Andrew Burnham. He has a brother, Grant, and a sister, Lida ; Jessie Helen, born on June 4, 1865, died on August io, 1865 ; Harriet Maude, December 9, 1874, married C. Kent Lincoln, son of and Margaret Lincoln. Kent has one sister, Edna (Mrs. Mac McMullin), Maude and Kent have two Children, William and George, all now living at Woodstock ; Bell, born on June 3, 1881, died on July 21, 1881. Joseph Chamberlin was a charter member of Champaign Lodge No. 525, Free and Accepted Masons, of Urbana; of Woodstock Lodge No. 167, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a charter member of the W. A. Brand Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Urbana. He was a Republican. He died ______. Stephen K. Smith, the son of Samuel Smith, and brother to Jesse, was born in Champaign county on January 3o, 1822. He married. Rebecca Baldwin, daughter of Jeremiah Baldwin, of Scotch-Irish descent, in 1842. Stephen enlisted in Company G, Ninety-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on August, 1862, and twenty days afterward participated in the battle of Richmond, Kentucky, and was a prisoner in Andersonville prison a short time, then was paroled and sent home; was exchanged in five months; then participated in the siege of Vicksburg. His regiment went to Misouri, but on account of sickness he remained at Memphis until his regiment returned. They raided through Tennessee and Mississippi. He was in the battles of Guntown, Tupelo and Franklin, Tennessee ; thence to Mobile, siege of Spanish Fort and finally, at Mobile, Alabama, were apprised of Lee's surrender. He was also in several skirmishes, being wounded several times. He was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, August 19, 1865, after seeing just three years of service. He was regimental quartermaster sergeant. After the war he put up a tile factory at North Lewisburg. He was a Universalist in religion and a Republican in politics. He belonged to Lodge No. 167, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The children of 1004 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. this marriage are as follow : John M., Lora E., Timothy D., Emma 0., Velma, deceased ; Frank W. and Elizabeth, deceased. John married Phoebe Elvira Smith Darrow, who was a sister to Alandrus and Sylvanus Darrow, deceased. John and Phoebe had a daughter, Iva, who married Bruce Craig of this county. The Craig family had two daughters, Alice and Ethel. John entered the Civil War at the age of nineteen years, serving in the same regiment as his father. Timothy married Josie Smith. They have one daughter, Helen, who married William Zimmer, and they, in turn, have one daughter, Lora, who married John M. Hatfield, of this county. Their children were: Charles, deceased; Hattie, deceased; Frank and Burley, who lost their health while at Tampa, Florida, during the Spanish-American War of 1898, and died a short time after they came home. They are buried at Jenkins. Chapel. Frank was a sergeant, and both belonged to Company D, Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Martha, who married Ross Dix, of this county, a brother to Mrs. Warren Lincoln, of Woodstock. They now live at Greeley, a *short distance from Denver, Colorado. They have five children : Emma, who married Sylvanus Darrow, and Velam, who married Alandrus Darrow, a brother to Sylvanus. Emma and Sylvanus have one daughter, Nellie, who married Eugene Varley. of Los Angeles, California, where they and their mother, Emma, live with their one daughter, Dorothy, Sylvanus having died there. Velma and Alandrus have two daughters, Florence and Eva Lois. Florence, who married Lewis Spain, of North Lewisburg, and they have one daughter, Cliff. They are all living. Frank. W. Smith was born February 19, 1854. In 1886 he married Anna M. Hewitt, who was born on December 18, 1863. They moved to Grey Center county, Kansas, where they lived for six years, returning thence to Woodstock. Anna M. Hewitt was the daughter of Nicholas Pease Hewitt (born on May 5, 1832, in Washington county, Pennsylvania) and Lucy L. (Cushman) Hewitt (born on September 17, 1842, in Woodstock, Ohio, dying January 16, 1893), Nicholas P. was the son of George Hewitt, born on February 15, 1805, in Pennsylvania, dying on August 9, 187o, in Wayne county. Ohio, at the age of sixty-five, and Anna Engle Hewitt, born on July 23, 1807. in Washington county, Pennsylvania. She died in Wayne county, in 1901. aged ninety-two years. Her mother's name was Pease. They .carne to Ohio and settled in Wayne county when Nicholas P. was only six months of age, in 1832. He had the following brothers, he being the fourth youngest : John —married Nett Myers ; James, Samuel, David and Elizabeth Nicholas took up the trade of making all kinds of wheel vehicles and located in Woodstock CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1005 in 1853, building there a shop in conjunction with a man named Welsh. He later went into business for himself until machine-made vehicles put him out of business. In 1862 he enlisted in the Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regimental Band, to which he belonged during his term of service. He was in an engagement at Ft. Republic, in which his regiment lost heavily. He was discharged in July, 1863, and returned home, but soon after, in 1864, re-enlisted in Company D of the same regiment and saw much active service in the vicinity of Richmond and Petersburg. He engaged in the grocery business in conjunction with his manufacturing business. He later became postmaster. His wife, Lucy, was the daughter of Frank and Susan (Gifford) Cushman. Their children were : Annie, Warren, Lucy, Nellie, Georgie, and Lina and Susie (both deceased). Warren married May Felton, an English woman. He has been the resident physician at the Ohio Sailors and Soldiers' Orphans Home, at Xenia, for years. Lucy married William E. Lattimer, of Columbus, Ohio, who moved to Woodstock and started a general merchandise store. They have two children, Funtobelle and Wilbur. Funtobelle is a graduate of the Ohio University, in music. Nellie married Pearl Clark, of North Lewisburg, son of Shepherd Clark. They have two children—Harold and Roger. Harold is married and has one child and they are all living at Albany, New York ; Roger is a student at the United States Naval Academy, at Annapolis. Pearl is the editor of a newspaper at Norwich, New York. Georgia married Nelson H. McClellan, son of McClellan, of Cable. They have two sons—Robert and George—and live at Marysville, Ohio, where he is a wholesale candy and tobacco merchant. Frank and Anna (Hewett) Smith have two children—Raymond H., born on March 9, 1886, and Lillian A., April 18, 1887. Raymond is a graduate of Ohio State University in civil engineering. He was captain of Company B, Field Battalion, Ohio Signal Corps. On September 22, 1915, he married Mary Francis Robison (born on August 17, 1886, daughter of James S. Robison and Lyda (Hedges) Robison). James S. was the son of Samuel L. Robison, (born on July 31, 1817, who died on December 26, 1910, aged ninety-four years) and Mary Ann Myers (born on April 27, 1827, who died on December 3, 1914, aged eighty-eight years). Samuel L. was the son of Davis Robison (born on March 17, 1775, in Honeybrook, Pennsylvania, who died on January 29, 1849, aged seventy-three years and ten months) and Nancy Hunter (born on May 4, 1778, at Honeybrook, Pennsylvania, who died on January 13, 1849, aged seventy years and ten months). They were married in December, 1800, and had the following children : Jane, Esther, 1006 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. William, Eliza, Hunter, John and Samuel. Esther married James, son of David and Mary (Anderson) Simpson, (who came to America in 1792) in the year 1845. To this union, two children—James. and John—were born. Mary Ann Myers was the daughter of John Myers, (born on May 5. 1871, who died in October, 1871, aged ninety years and five months), and Catharine Bear (born on August 23, 1791, who died on September 13, 1875, aged eighty-four years and twenty days). They had the following children : Eliza, Harriet, Susan, Abner, John, Catherine, Jacob, Mary Ann and Sarah. Samuel L. and Mary Ann Robison had the following children : William H., David T., Catherine E., Sarah J., John A., Anna Mary and James S. William H. Robison, born on October 25 1846 married Rebecca E. Dunlap, November II, 1874. She died on February 21, 1899. Their children were : Maude, Pearl, William, Mary and Waldo. Maude married 0. J. F. Anderson. She died on October 7, 1902, aged twenty-seven years. Their children are Ruth and Donald. Pearl married Elvie Engles and the following children were born to them : Anna (deceased) aged thirteen; Frank, Helen, Mary; William, married to Margaret Kulp, whose children were Thaddeus, Richard, Hazel (deceased) two years ; and Crystal. Waldo married Susan Kulp, .sister to Margaret. They have the following children : Kenneth, Esther, James and Martha. All are living near Urbana. David T. Robison, born on October 27, 1843, died on February 27. 1875; attended Hanover College in 1875, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree there. He was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He never married. Catherine E. was born on January 1, 1851, and died on September 11, 1851; Sarah J. was born on November 15, 1852, dying on March 1, 1853; John A., December 31, 1854; Anna Mary, August 1, 1857. John and Anna are living on the old home place, "The Catalpas," on the Pretty Prairie pike, in Urbana township. James S., born on October 10, 1859, married Lida Hedges in 1882. They had three children, the first dying. The two remaining are: Harry and Mary F. Harry was born on July 27, 1884, in Salem township. Lyda was the daughter of Harrison and Mary (Soverigns) Hedges. Harrison was a Civil War veteran. He and Mary had seven children; William, Lyda, Viola, Eva, Emma and two dying in infancy. William Hedges married Mrs. Ward and they have no children; Viola Hedges married John Wierman. Both of their children are dead; Eva Hedges married Walter Phillips and they have one daughter, Sarah Jane ; Emma married J. S. Sidders, their two children being Roy and William. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1007 HENRY D. HODGE. Elsewhere in this volume of biography there is set out at considerable length something of the history of the Hodge family in Champaign county and of the great farm plant created by the late Samuel M. Hodge in. Union township, long operated by the senior Hodge and his sons, under the firm name of S. M. Hodge & Sons, the business now being carried on by the firm of Hodge Brothers, of which the subject of this sketch is a member. Henry D. Hodge, member of the firm of Hodge Brothers, farmers and stockmen, of Union township, and one of the best-known residents of that township, was born in that township on February 15, 1855, son of Samuel M. and Amanda M. (Roberts) Hodges, natives of the neighboring county of Clark, the former of whom died in September, 1898, and the latter of whom is still living at her old home in Union township. It was in the spring of 1856 that Samuel M. Hodge came to Champaign county and settled in Union township. He was not only an excellent farmer, but a very capable manager and in time became the owner of a fine farm of eleven hundred acres in this county, which, after his sons grew up, he operated under the firm name of S. M. Hodge & Sons, continuing actively engaged in the management of that great farm until his death, one of the most substantial citizens of Champaign county. Samuel M. Hodge and wife were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are still living, Edgar W., Samuel E., James. R., Henry D., Sarah, Agnes and Catherine ; the deceased being Elizabeth, John and Francis I. Reared on the home farm in Union township, Henry D. Hodge received leis schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and upon growing to manhood was taken into the firm of S. M. Hodge & Sons and has ever since been actively identified with the work of the great farm, which since 1903 has been carried on under the firm name of Hodge Brothers ; which firm is now operating a farm plant covering seventeen hundred acres of excellent land, producing five or six hundred acres of corn and the same acreage of small grain annually, besides five or six hundred head of sheep and hogs and several carloads of cattle. Henry D. Hodge is a Republican and was for a number of years a member of the local school board. He is a member of the Goshen Township Grange and has for years taken an earnest interest in the affairs of the same. He also gives his close attention to the general business affairs of the community and is a member of the board of directors of the Mutual Insurance Company of Mechanicsburg. In October, 1884, Henry D. Hodge was united in marriage to Emma. l008 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. G. Kennedy, daughter of Dr. George and Emma (Swain) Kennedy, an to this union four children have been born, namely : Rowland, deceased; Howard, who married Ethyle Gardner and has one child, a son, Edgar; Agnes E., who married Roy McAdams and has one child, a daughter, Mary Jane, and James D., who is unmarried and at home. The Hodges have a very pleasant home and have ever given their interested attention to the general social activities of the community in which they live. HENRY S. PRESTON, M. D. Dr. Henry S. Preston, for many years a well-known physician of Mutual, this county, now retired from active practice and devoting his attention to his general mercantile business in that village, former president of the Champaign County Medical Society, former postmaster of Mutual and former treasurer of Union township, is a native Hoosier, but has been a. resident of Ohio ever since the days of his early childhood. He was born in the city of Indianapolis on February 14, 1844, son of Willard B. and Angeline Preston, natives of the state of Vermont, who were married in their native state and later, in 1838, came to Ohio, locating in Columbus, where for several years Willard B. Preston was engaged in the dry-goods business. In 1842 he moved to Indianapolis, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for several years, at the end of which time he returned to Ohio, bought a farm in the vicinity of Columbus, in Franklin county, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this biographical sketch was the first-born, the others being Adeline, Francenia, Ida, Rose, Prentice and Corrella. Having been but a child when his parents returned from his native Indianapolis to Ohio and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Columbus, in Franklin county, Henry S. Preston grew to manhood on that farm and received his elementary schooling in the schools of Franklin county. He early turned his attention to the study of medicine and in due time enterd Columbus Medical College, . from which institution he was graduated in 1876, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Preston came to Champaign county and opened an office for the practice of his profession at Mutual, where he ever since has made his residence, for many years one of the best-known and most influential residents CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1009 of that section of the county. Doctor Preston continued actively engaged in the practice of his profession until 1905, when he retired from practice and has since been devoting his attention to his mercantile interests in the village, he being the proprietor of 'a well-stocked general store there. Until his retirement from practice, Doctor Preston was an active member of the Champaign County Medical Society and had served that body as its president. He is a Republican and has ever given his earnest attention to local civic affairs, having served the public as township treasurer and for nine terms as postmaster at Mutual in the days before that thriving village lost its postoffice and became a part of rural mail route No. 5 out of Urbana. In addition to his mercantile interests the Doctor is the owner of considerable real estate in and about Mutual. He is affiliated with the Masonic lodge at Mechanicsburg. In 1867 Dr. H. S. Preston was united in marriage to Charity Hushower, and to this union four children have been born, namely : Catherine, wife of J. R. Todd, of Urbana ; Willard, who died at the age of thirty-eight; Adeline, wife of Frank M. Stone, of Springfield, Ohio, and Charity, wife of Edwin A. Baker, also of Springfield. The Doctor and Mrs. Preston have a very pleasant home at Mutual and have ever taken a proper interest in the general social and cultural affairs of the village. JAMES D. RAWLINGS. James D. Rawlings, of Urbana, one of Champaign county's most successful farmers and stockmen, now living retired from the active labors of the farm, but still actively engaged in the buying and selling of live stock, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Urbana township on February 26, 1866, son of William J. W. and Elcetta (Mumpher) Rawlings, prominent residents of that part of the county, the former of whom was born in that same township and the latter, who is still living, in the state of Illinois. William J. W. Rawlings, who died at his home in this county in 1896 and a. memorial sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, was •born on a farm on Pretty Prairie on April 29, 1830, son of James and Susanna (McRoberts) Rawlings, prominent pioneers of that part of the county. James Rawlings was a Kentuckian, who had come to this county (64a) 1010 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. with his parents when but a child, the family settling on Pretty Prairie. and his wife was born in this county, daughter of pioneer parents. After their marriage they located on a farm on Pretty Prairie and there spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influential residents of that sterling community. Of their six children, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, William J. W. Rawlings was the first-born. He grew up on the home farm on Pretty Prairie and after his marriage in the summer of 1863, he began farming for himself in that same neighborhood and became one of the most substantial farmers in that part of the county. There he spent the remainder of his life, his death occuring on March 29, 1898, he then being just one month under sixty-eight years of age. His widow is now living at Urbana. She was born, Elcetta Mumpher, in Macomb, Illinois, a daughter of Jacob and Ann (Wagner) Mumpher. natives of Pennsylvania, who were married in that state! and in 1839 located at Macomb, Illinois, where they remained for some years, at the end of which time they came to Ohio and after a sometime residence in the neighboring county of Miami came to this county and here spent their last days, Jacob Mumpher dying on his farm on Pretty Prairie in the seventy-fourth year of his .age. His widow afterward moved to Urbana, where she died at the age of eighty-three. They were the parents of seven children, of whom Mrs. Rawlings was the second in order of birth. To William J. W. and Elcetta (Mumpher) Rawlings six children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth and all of whom are still living, further mention of them being made elsewhere in this volume. Reared on the home farm in Urbana township, James D. Rawlings received his schooling in the schools of that township and remained at home, a valued assistant in the labors of improving and developing the home place, until after his marriage, when he established a home of his own in that same township and there became a successful farmer and stockman. Mr. Rawlings not only is a progressive and up-to-date farmer, but he has done very well in his live stock operations, having long given particular attention to the raising of Percheron horses and Hereford cattle. As he prospered in his farming operations he added to his land holdings until he now is the owner of two fine farms in this county, one of two hundred acres and another of one hundred and twenty-seven acres, and is also the owner of a seven hundred-and-sixty acre ranch in Kansas. In 1905 Mr. Rawlings moved from the farm to Urbana, in order that he might there give closer personal attention to his extensive live stock interests and has since made his home CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1011 there, being actively engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock, one of the best-known and most successful stockmen in this part of the state. He continues, however, to manage his farms and has brought the same up. to a high state of cultivation. On December 25, 1889, James D. Rawlings was united in marriage to Ida Willoughby, daughter of James and Mary (Maxwell) Willoughby, of this county, and to this union four children have been born, Marie, Christine, Eloise and William, the former of whom married Dr. Arthur C. Bible, of Urbana, and has one child, a daughter, Marie Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings have a very pleasant home at Urbana and have ever given proper attention to the general social activities of the community, helpful in all good works. Mr. Rawlings is a Republican and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public. office and has not held office. EDGAR W. HODGE. Edgar W. Hodge, of Union township, former president of the board of county commissioners of Champaign county and for twenty years a member of the board of education of Union township, who is the senior member of the firm of Hodge Brothers, farmers and stockmen and proprietors of perhaps the most extensive farm plant in Champaign county, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born in Union township on October 3o, 1856, son of Samuel M. and Amanda M. (Roberts) Hodge, both of whom were born in the neighboring. county of Clarke, members of old families there, who were married in that county and afterward came up into Champaign county, settling in Union township, where they established their home. There they were accounted among the most useful and influential residents of .that community. Samuel M. Hodge was a son of James H. and Elizabeth (Sailor) Hodge, the former a. native of Kentucky and the latter of Virginia, who were substantial pioneer residents of Clarke county. James H. Hodge was a son of Andrew and Isabelle (Mateer) Hodge, who were among the early settlers of that county. Andrew Hodge, when but a boy, joined his brother, Hamilton, in Kentucky and remained there until 1808, when he came up. into Ohio and entered a haf section of land in Pleasant township, Clark county, a part of which land is still in the possession of the Hodge family. He died there in 1857. 1012 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. at the age of eighty-six years. Andrew Hodge served as a soldier during the war of 1812. He was a Democrat, and a member of the Presbyterian church. He was twice married, and by his first wife was the father of six children : William, John, Samuel, James H., Sarah A. and Jane M. His second wife was Jane McClintic, who came from Virginia to this state. That marriage was without issue. James H. Hodge grew to manhood in Clark county and there spent all his life, becoming an extensive farmer and stock raiser. He died on September 23, 1878, and his widow survived him about five years, her death occurring on August 1o, 1883. They were the parents of six children, Samuel M., John H., James M., Sarah Jane and two who died in infancy. Samuel M. Hodge was reared a farmer, and, upon coming to this county in April, 1856, engaged here in farming. In 186o he hought a tract of one hundred and fifty acres in Union township and from the very beginning of his operations there, made a success of the same, gradually enlarging his land holdings until he was the owner of eleven hundred acres of excellent land and one of the best-improved farm plants in the county. As his sons grew up and became actively identified with the operations of the farm, he took them into partnership and thereafter the business was carried on under the firm name of S. M. Hodge & Sons, and continued so for some time after the death of the head of the firm, which occurred in September, 1898. The widow of Samuel M. Hodge is now making her home with the family of her fourth son, James R. Hodge. She and her husband were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are still living : Edgar W., Samuel E., James R., H. Douglas ; Sarah, wife. of E. C. Price, of Springfield, this state; Agnes, wife of W. H. Chaney, of Mechanicsburg; and Catherine, unmarried, who is making her home with her mother. The deceased are : Elizabeth, who died in 1869; John, who died in 1878, and Francis I., who died on July 13, 1903. Samuel M. Hodge was a Republican and served for some time as township trustee and as a member of the school board. Reared on the home farm in Union township, Edgar W. Hodge received his elementary education in the local schools of that neighborhood and early became actively associated with his father in the management of the large home farm. In due time the farming operations came to be directed under the firm name of S. M. Hodge & Sons and this arrangement continued, even after' the death of the head of the firm, until 1903, when the firm name was changed to that of Hodge Brothers and has so continued to this day, the members of this firm being Edgar W., Harry D. and James R. Hodge. The farm plant of the Hodge Brothers is about the most extensive concern of its CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1013 kind in the county, now comprising seventeen hundred acres of land, which is being cultivated in accordance with the latest methods approved in modern agriculture. Edgar W. Hodge has for years given his earnest attention to local civic affairs and has done much to advance the interests of good government in the community in which he lives. For three years he served as trustee of Union township, for six years he served as a member of the board of county commissioners from his district, two years of which period he was president of the board, and for twenty years served as a member of the board of education for Union township. He is a member of the Methodist Protestant church at Mechanicsburg and is also affiliated with the Masonic lodge at that place, having taken the Fellowcraft degree. Edgar W. Hodge has been thrice married. In 1883 he was united in marriage to Lucy A. Guy, daughter of Edwin A. and Adelaide (McMullen) Guy, and to that union two children were born, William Guy Hodge, who assists his father, and Helen May Hodge, who married Nathan E. Bumgardner and is living at Springfield, this state. The mother of these children died in. 1901 and Mr. Hodge later married Sarah L. Horr, daughter of Pierce and Laura E. (Baxter) Horr, and to that union one child was born, a son, John Horr Hodge. Mrs. Sarah L. Hodge died on July 31, 1910, and on October 10, 1913, Mr. Hodge married Lillian R. State, who was born at Springfield, this state, daughter of John and Harriet (Watkins) State, and who for twenty-three years before her marriage had been engaged in teaching school at Springfield. John State was a mechanic at Springfield, and his wife, Harriet Watkins, whom he married in 1851, was born in Champaign county in 1832, a daughter of Richard and Catherine (Hedges) Watkins, pioneers of this section of the state. Richard Watkins was born at Annapolis, Maryland, and was a soldier of the War of 1812, who answered the call of the governor of Virginia when the British attacked Washington and who served at Baltimore when the British threatened that city. He later came to Ohio and in 1831, at Springfield, married Catherine Hedges, who had become a resident of that city the year before, having come over from Virginia in 183o. Richard Watkins and his wife had seven children, all of whom died in youth, save Mrs. State and one son, Richard Thomas Watkins, the latter of whom died at New Orleans, of yellow fever, October 27, 1858, he then being twenty-two years of age. To John State and wife six children were born. Of these Mrs. Hodge was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow : Ralph E., of Chicago ; Fred, who died at his home in Dayton, this state, in August, 1904 ; Isabelle, who resided 1014 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. with her mother; Will C., who is living at Akron, and Eugene J., of Ea t. Liverpool, this state. Fred State married Mamie Wiley, of Loudoun county, Virginia, and was the father of four children. JOSEPH CALLAND. Joseph Calland, a substantial and progressive farmer, who has lived in this county for more than seventy years, and who farms in Harrison township, was born in Adams township on September 21, 1846. He is the son of William ana Elnore (Robinson) Calland, the former of whom was born in Adams township, Champaign county. William Calland, grandfather of Joseph Calland, was born in Scotland. in which country he was married and there one of his children was born. Some years after his marriage he emigrated to the United States and on reaching this country he came along to Ohio, and subsequently settled in Adams township, Champaign county. Here the remainder of his children was born, four boys and five girls, as follow: Agnes, Lizzie, Mary, Susan, Sarah, William, Joseph, Samuel and Gresham. He was one of the pioneer farmers of this county and was generally regarded as an industrious and painstaking agriculturist, his early acquired habits of Scotch thrift being no small factor in his success. William Calland, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Adams township, this county, and attended the early schools of the district in which he lived. He helped his father in the work of the farm, later securing land on his own account, which he worked to considerable advantage. He was married to Elnore Robinson and they became the parents of four children, two of whom are living in 1917, Joseph, the subject of this sketch, and William, a retired farmer, of Bellefontaine, Ohio. William Calland, like his father, was an industrious farmer and he and his wife were justly regarded as worthy citizens of the township and county. Joseph Calland left Adams township and came to Harrison township at the age of twelve years. He attended the district schools of both townships and attained a fair degree of education for those early days. He worked on his father's farm up to the time of his marriage. On November 9, 1872, he was united in marriage to Sarah I. Wilson, who was born in Harrison township, this county, and died in 1892. They were the parents of four children, namely : William, who married May Couchman and they CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1015 are the parents of four sons; Nellie, wife of Fred Johnson, of Harrison township, and who has two children, Robert C. and Sarah Isabelle; Miles N., who married Edith Couchman and lives in Harrison township and has three children, Gilbert, Joseph and Donald, and one child that died in infancy. Mr. Calland is the owner of over four hundred acres of prime land in Harrison township, all of which he has acquired by his own energy and perseverance, and where he is engaged in general farming, success attending all his efforts. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and is one of the deacons in the church. He was formerly a consistent supporter of the Republican party and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln for President, but in 1896 changed his political views and became a stanch Democrat and has remained with that party ever since. He has furnished oxen for barbecues, first in 1896 and on four occasions since. He served as trustee of Harrison township for some years. He is a member of the Helmet Lodge No. 2, Knights of Pythias, and has ever been warmly interested, in the affairs of that fraternal organization. MAURICE E. HINTON. Maurice E. Hinton, one of the well-known and substantial farmers of Champaign county and the owner of a fine farm of nearly two hundred acres in the neighborhood of Woodstock, is a native of the great Keystone state, but has been a resident of Champaign county since the days of his early childhood, having come here with his parents from Pennsylvania in 1861. He was born on a farm in Berks county, Pennsylvania, May 2, 1858, son and only child of Owen B. and Mary S. (Finger) Hinton, the former of whom was born at Morgantown, Pennsylvania, January 1, 1835, and the latter, in Chester county, same state, July 11, 1835. Owen B. Hinton was a son of John and Sarah Hinton. He was married in his native state and remained there until 1861, when he came to Ohio and settled in Champaign county, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influential residents of the Woodstock neighborhood. Mrs. Hinton died on February 8, 1907, and Owen B. Hinton survived until September 3, 1915, he then being past eighty years of age. Reared on the home farm in the vicinity of Woodstock, Maurice E. Hinton has always been a farmer and has done well in that vocation, his 1016 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. farm plant on his well-kept place of one hundred and ninety-six acres in Rush township being one of the most up-to-date in its general equipment of any in that part of the county. Mr. Hinton has for years given close attention to the general agricultural affairs of Champaign county, long a member of the subordinate grange in his community and of the county grange, and is now master of the county grange. Politically, he is affiliated with the Republican party, but has not been a seeker after public office. In the general business affairs of his home community he takes an active interest and is a stockholder in the Farmers Bank of Mechanicsburg. On October 31, 1879, Maurice E. Hinton was united in marriage to Mella F. Middleton, who was born in this county, May 13, 1861, daughter of William and Estavilla Middleton, who were the parents of eleven children. those besides Mrs. Hinton living at this time being Cyrus, Rachel and Tilla. To Mr. and Mrs. Hinton seven children have been born, namely : Warren Brooks, who married Maud Bay and died in 1902; Grace, who married Harry Borst, of Woodstock, and has four children; Glen, now living near Mechanicsburg, who married Bertha Douglas and has three children ; Kate, who married Levi Keeran, of Cable, and has three children ; Mabel, wife of Dell Rutan, of Mechanicsburg; Ross, of Woodstock, who married Ethel Darrow, and Homer, who died on September 9, 1915. The Hintons are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have ever taken a proper interest in the various beneficences of the same. They have a very pleasant home and have always taken an interested part in the general social activities and good works of their home community. GRANT BURNHAM. Grant Burnham, a well-known and progressive farmer of Goshen township, this county, was born on the farm on which he is now living, on the Mechanicsburg and Woodstock pike, three miles north of Mechanicsburg, on rural mail route No. 1 out of Woodstock, and has lived there practically all his life, with the exception of a few years immediately following his marriage, when he made his- home in Union county. He was born on September 3o, 1864, son of Andrew and Virginia E. (Crawford) Burnham, both of whom also were born in Ohio, the former in the neighboring county of Union and the latter in the village of Woodstock, this county. Andrew Burnham, a son of Eliphas Burnham and wife, pioneers of CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1017 Union county, was reared in that county and married Virginia E. Crawford, who was born at Woodstock, this county, a daughter of Dr. J. R. Crawford, for years one of Champaign county's best-known physicians. After his marriage he settled on the farm now owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch, in Goshen township, and there established his home, becoming the owner of a fine farm of two hundred acres and long recognized as one of the leading farmers of that neighborhood. Andrew Burnham was twice married. Mrs. Virginia Burnham died on the home farm, leaving three children, who are still living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, T. E. Burnham, of Mechanicsburg, and Lincoln Burnham, of Urbana. Afterward Andrew Burnham married Nancy M. Amy, who died in August, 1907, and to that union one child was born, a daughter, Lydia A., wife of J. P. Bennett, of Columbus, Ohio. Andrew Burnham was a Republican and ever took an interested part in local political affairs. He died while on a visit at Dayton; this state. Grant Burnham was reared on the home farm, where lie is now living, and completed his schooling in the high school at Mechanicsburg. Upon leaving school he continued his labors on the home farm and after his marriage in 1896 made his home for a year in Union county. He then moved to the Kimball farm in Goshen township, this county, and there continued to reside until in 1906, when he moved back to the old home farm in that same township, where he has since resided and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. Mr. Burnham is doing well in his farming operations and is also giving considerable attention to the raising of live stock, having a fine herd of pure-bred Guernsey cattle. He owns one hundred and six acres and has an excellent farm plant. Mr. Burnham is a Republican, but is not particularly active in political affairs. On October 14, 1896, Grant Burnham was united in marriage to Maud C. Child, who was born in the neighboring county of Union on January 3, 1867, daughter of Simeon B. and Susanna (Michael) Child, the former a native of the state of Vermont and the latter of Pennsylvania. Simeon B. Child was but a small boy when he came with his parents from Vermont to Ohio, the family settling in Greene county, where he grew to manhood, the family later moving to Union county, where he met and married Susanna Michael, who had come to Ohio as a girl with her parents from Pennsylvania. After his marriage Simeon B. Child established his home on a farm in Union county and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of five children, Carrie and Kate, who died in youth; Arthur, who is now living at Milford Center ; Maud, wife of Mr. Burnham, and 1018 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO Lottie, wife of L. C. Burnham. Mrs. Child was a member of the Methodist church and Mr. Child's belief was in the Seventh-Day Adventists church, though he attended the Methodist Episcopal church. During the last year of the War he had served as a soldier of the Union, member of an Ohio regiment, and was a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. at Milford Center. He also was a member of the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Burnham have two daughters, Mildred E., born on July 29, 1900, who was graduated from the Mechanicsburg high school with the class of 1917, and Dorothy C., May 13, 1905. The Burnhams lean to the Universalist faith in their religious belief. They have a very pleasant home and take an interested part in the general social activities of their home community. Mr. Burnham is a member of Woodstock Lodge No. 167, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a past noble grand of the same. JOHN W. EVILSIZOR. One of the best-known and leading farmers of Champaign county is John W. Evilsizor, living in his beautiful home on "Spring Run Farm," a place consisting of one hundred and sixty-five and a quarter acres of fine farming land located two miles north of Terre Haute, in Mad River township on rural route No. 4 out of Urbana, Ohio. Mr. Evilsizor was born in this county, December 31, 1865, and is a son of William and Julia Ann (Lee) Evilsizor, both of whom were also natives of Champaign county, Ohio. William Evilsizor was born on a farm in Mad River township, this county, September 9, 1837, and died on July 20, 1895. He was a son of William Evilsizor, Sr., who was born in Kanawa county, Virginia, June 8, 1808, and died on July 25, 1892. William Evilsizor, Sr., came as a lad of six years with his parents to Ohio in 1814, where he was reared to manhood. He was twice married, his first wife being Nancy Jenkins, to whom he was married in 1829, and to this union thirteen children were born. The mother of these children died, and he again married Frances Jane Allison, and to this second union seven children were born. He was of the Baptist faith, and always took an active part in the affairs of the church. William Evilsizor, Jr., married Julia Ann Lee., who was born in Champaign county, the daughter of William Lee, who accompanied his parents to this county from CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1019 Virginia when an infant, the Lee family being among the pioneers of this county. William Evilsizor, Jr., and wife were the parents of eleven children, six of whom are now living: Laura A., wife of George Shaffer, a farmer of Mad River township; John W., of this sketch; Emory T., a resident of Mad River township; Marley E., living on the old home place; Verna A., of Mad River township, and Oran W., a farmer living in Jackson township, this county. John W. Evilsizor was reared on his father's farm in Mad River township, receiving his education in the district schools of his home neighborhood, and lived at home until his marriage, when he started farming for himself on the place where he is now living, but in a different house, where he lived four years. He then moved to Clarke county, Ohio, where he rented land for three years, after which he lived on a farm on the Valley pike in Mad River township for three years. In 1900 he purchased his present farm, where he has since lived, and here he is very successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of the breeding and raising of blooded live stock, such as Jersey cattle, Percheron horses and Duroc hogs. That he has made a success in his chosen calling is evidenced by the fact that he has one of the most attractive farm homes and well equipped farms in the county. His buildings are all new and modern and beautiful in appearance, all being painted white. He has a modern and convenient home of eight rooms, a large barn seventy-six by forty-five feet in dimensions, and both house and barn are well-lighted by an acetylene gas plant. His farm is well-equipped, naturally for live stock, having natural spring water running through it; this, with the modern and scientific system with which Mr. Evilsizor operates, makes his farm one of the best in the county. On September 12, 1888, John W. Evilsizor was united in marriage to Amanda Gentis, the daughter of Daniel and Clarissa (Netchman) Gentis, and to this union seven children have been born, four of whom are living : Alpha, a farmer of German township, Clarke county, Ohio, who married Nellie H. Foster ; Edith, the wife of Alpha C. Faulkner, a farmer living west of Westville, in Mad River township; Ethel, at home, and Ada, now in her second year in the high school at Terre Haute, Ohio. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, while Mr. Evilsizor is of the Baptist faith, being one of the trustees of the Harmony Baptist church at Terre Haute, Ohio. Mrs. Evilsizor was born on a farm in Mad River township, January 18, 1886, a daughter of Daniel and Clarissa (Netchman) Gentis, the former being 1020 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. a native of Clark county, Ohio, and the latter of Champaign county. They were the parents of eight children, the six who are living are: Frank, a farmer living in Jackson township; Tully, of Terre Haute, Ohio; Justin, also a resident of Terre Haute; Clifford, a farmer living on the Valley pike in Mad River township; Ernest, of Thackery, this county, and Amanda, the wife of John W. Evilsizor, the subject of this review. THE WEST FAMILY. One of the oldest families in Champaign county is the West family, which is of English descent and has been represented in this county since the year 1802, three years before the organization of the county. One member of the family, in this generation, Miss Jennie West, still occupies the. old West homestead in Jackson township, living in the same house in which she was born seventy-seven years ago, and which was built by her father, Stockett West. Basil West, a native of Maryland, was born on April 10, 1745, and he and his three brothers served as patriots in the Revolutionary War. He was a slaveholder, and with his wife lived successively in Maryland, Georgia, the Carolinas and Kentucky, finally crossing into Ohio in 1802, where he took a land claim one-half mile south of Westville. He later moved to Jackson township, building a log cabin home just north of what is now known as Bollinger's fish-pond. Basil and his wife, who was a Stockett of Virginia, were the parents of seven children : Stockett, John, Mary, Jeremiah, Basil, Damaris and Phoebe. These young people all were married in Ohio, but the pioneering spirit, of their parents was strong within them and, with the exception of Stockett, they went farther west to establish new homes. John, who married Azubah Wilson, settled in Warren county, Indiana, and was the father of eleven children, the eldest of whom, George, was a captain in the Civil War. Jeremiah West, who married Matilda Wilson of Miami county, also settled in Indiana, becoming a very prosperous farmer near Crawfordsville, and later a merchant in that city. He reared a family of four children, who in turn felt the call to go west, and at the presen day Judge Jere West, of the Montgomery county circuit court, is the only descendant left in Crawfordsville, his six brothers and sisters all living in the state of Washington. Letitia West. Lee, the only daughter of Jeremiah, is living in Oregon, hav- CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1021 ing passed her eighty-fifth year. Her two daughters married brothers, Maurice and Will Thompson, authors and poets, who came North after the Civil War. Maurice Thompson, in his book, "Alice of Old Vincennes." named the heroine for his wife. Basil West's daughters, Mary and Damaris, married brothers, Isaac and John Brier. Isaac owned and lived on the Jackson township farm now owned by Charles Slack, but later moved with his family to what was then known as Grande Prairie in Indiana. His grandson lives there today on the old Brier homestead. Basil West, Jr., married Lillian Noe, who soon died. He then married Rachel Pond and they, too, lived in Indiana for a few years; later going to Washington, then to California. .They were the parents of eleven children whose descendants are scattered through many of the Western states. Stockett West, the eldest son of Basil West, Sr., was born in Maryland, April 20, 1790. He first came into Ohio with his uncle, Adamson Cowhick, who erected a small pole cabin at Big Spring on Honey creek. A little later Stockett West entered a tract of land in the southwestern part of Champaign county, where he lived for several years, clearing and improving the land, and becoming one of the most influential factors in the early development of that section of the county. He sold this land to Mr. Fields, and in 1826 entered another tract nearby, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, creating from the woodland wilderness a home which was and has continued to be one of the famous centers of hospitality in the county. Basil West and his wife passed their last years on this place with their son, Stockett, and finally were laid to rest in the old Honey Creek cemetery. Stockett West was a tall, strongly-built man; he was raised a farmer but was a good blacksmith and carpenter ; he could spin and weave with great skill. The old home which he built shows many marks of his skill in wood-working. He was a Whig and took an active part in local civic affairs, serving his township as treasurer and trustee. He was a great reader of the Bible and both he and his wife were identified with the Honey Creek Baptist church. While Stockett, John, Basil West were dyed-in-the-wool Baptists, their brother, Jeremiah, and many of their close friends were just as stanch Universalists. William and Wallace McCrea, Van Cox, Joseph Woods, Henry Merritt, Sam Bright, Rev. Thomas Price and Rev. David Scott frequented this home, and many heated religious discussions arose among these intimate friends. On May 30, 1816, Stockett West married Elizabeth Merritt, who was 1022 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. born in Virginia, July 13, 1792, a daughter of John and Margaret Merritt: The Merritts were Virginians of German descent, coming to Champaign county in 1813, where John entered nine quarter-sections of land, which he afterward divided among his eight children, giving each child a quarter section and keeping one for himself. Elizabeth was a splendid woman, and was familiarly known as "Aunt Betty" by the many friends who loved her for her kindliness. Stockett West died on July 4, 1852, and his wife lived until October 2, 1876. To Stockett and Elizabeth West were born nine children : John, William, David, Sarah, Janies, Henry, Jeremiah, Mary, and Jane. Five of these died in their early twenties: William, Henry and Jerry lived long, useful lives, each being well past eighty years of age at the time of his death. Jennie, the youngest of all, and the sole survivor, owns and occupies the old homestead. She is a very capable woman and a most charming hostess. For many years she has managed her farm, and has had great success in the breeding of fine Jersey cattle. Henry West, who never married, always lived at the old home with Jennie, and was a most devoted companion. He' was a well-read man, and an interesting talker on many subjects. He was a Civil War veteran. His death occurred on June 14, 1913. Jerry West, who married Harriet Simpson, of Madison county, lived on a farm adjoining the home place. He was a very kind, good man. Besides his work as a successful farmer, he spent a great deal of time in the study and growing of fine fruits. Jerry died on April 21, 1912; his widow died on January 26, 1917. They were the parents of two sons, John Simpson West and James Clyde West. John S. West was educated at Ohio Normal University at Ada and for several years was employed by the Erie Railroad Company. Later on he and Clyde West took up scientific farming on their father's farm. Both were exceptionally fine young men, but unfortunately passed away in their early manhood. Clyde died on March 21, 1907, aged twenty-four. John died on October 22, 1911, aged thirty-four. Both were married but left no children. William West, the second son, of Stockett West was born on July 13, 1818, and lived on the old homestead until his marriage to Hester Cowden Grafton, February 3, 1848. His wife also was born in Jackson township, on November 22, 1822, a daughter of Ambrose and Elizabeth Kelley Grafton, the fourth of a family of thirteen children. Her grandparents, Thomas and Hester Cowden Grafton, were sturdy pioneers who came from Virginia to this section among the earliest settlers. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1023 Throughout his long life, William West was a farmer. Purchasing a farm one mile east of his father's place at the time of his marriage, he and his wife established their home and commenced their life work of making it an ideal farm, which work was later carried on by their sons. William West was a strong, active man; a substantial farmer and stockman ; a man of influence in his community; a Republican in his political affiliation. He was at one time a member of the Honey Creek Baptist church. His wife was a life-long member of the Grafton Methodist church, of which her grandfather was a founder in an early day. Three sons were born to William West and wife : John, who died in early childhood; George Washington and Henry Clay. William West died on April 28, 1900. His widow survived until July 3, 1905, living at the old home with their youngest son, Henry, who spent his entire life on the farm and helped bring it up to the high standard in which it was kept. He was born on July 17, 1857, and died on October 20, 1907. George W. West was born on the home farm of his parents, January 16, 1855, and there grew to manhood, receiving his education in the schools of that neighborhood. Following in the footsteps of his father, he became a practical farmer. After his marriage, he built a house on the "lower eighty" of the home farm and there he and his wife established a beautiful home, where they spent the remainder of their lives, carrying on in their own home the hospitality for which the West homes have ever been noted. George West was an excellent farmer and took much pride in bringing and keeping his land up to a high degree of cultivation, developing one of the best-kept farm plants in Champaign county. He was an ardent Republican and took a good citizen's interest in local political affairs, having served his township in the capacity of treasurer and as a member of the school hoard. On October 17, 1878, George W. West was united in marriage to Ellen Breslin, daughter of James and Bridget (Murphy) Breslin. The Breslins were natives of Ireland, both born in County Mayo, who came to this country in their youth. Ellen was the eldest of eleven children and was born in St. Paris, Ohio, March 21, 1856. She was a beautiful girl, a sweet and gracious woman, greatly loved for her unselfishness and thoughtfulness for others. She died on March 5, 1916, and her husband survived her but little more than a month, his death occurring on. April 13, of the same year. George W. and Ellen (Breslin) West were the parents of two daughters, Mabel and Blanche. Mabel Hester West, who was born on August 6, 1879, was educated in the common schools and in the Ohio Normal Uni- 1024 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. versity at Ada. She married Sherman S. Deaton, a biographical sketch of whom appears in this edition. Blanche West, who was born on January 22. 1885, was graduated from the St. Paris and Urbana schools and later became a teacher in the St. Paris schools. On December 25, 1909, she was married to Edward Griswold Johnston, a civil engineer in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Mr. Johnston's headquarters are at Pittsburgh, and he and his family reside in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of one son, Robert West Johnston, born on July 22, 1913. LELAND C. FUDGER. Leland C. Fudger, one of the progressive young farmers of Goshen township, this county, was born on the place on which he is now living, on the Woodstock pike, three miles north of Mechanicsburg, and has lived there all his life. He was born on May 20, 1888, son and only child of Alanson P. and Lucy (Donley) Fudger, the latter of whom is still living at Mechanicsburg. The late Alanson P. Fudger was born on farmis now the H. M. Fudger farni in Goshen township and spent all his life in that township, a well-known and substantial farmer and influential citizen. The Fudgers are an old family in Champaign county and further and fitting mention of the family is made elsewhere in this volume. Alanson P. Fudger was an active and influential Republican, for years one of the leaders of that party in this county, served for some time as a member of the county Republican central committee, and also as county commissioner for four years. He also took an earnest interest in the general agricultural affairs of the county and for some years was a member of the county fair board. He was a Royal Arch and York Rite Mason, affiliated with the blue lodge and the chapter at Mechanicsburg and with the commandery at Urbana, and took an active interest in Masonic affairs. By religious persuasion he was a Universalist, and took a proper part in the affairs of the church. His widow is a member of the Methodist Protestant church at Mechanicsburg. She is a daughter of William W. and Mary E. (Redd) Donley, natives of Virginia, the former born at Winchester and the latter at Newton, both members of slave-owning families. They were married in that state in 1846 and later came to Ohio, locating at Lebanon, where William W. Donley engaged in the retail meat business, later coming to Champaign county CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1025 and locating at Westville, from which place they presently moved to Mechanicsburg, where the rest of their lives were spent, Mr. Donley conducting a hotel there until the time of his retirement from business. During the Civil War, William W. Donley served for four years as a soldier of the Union, having enlisted at Lebanon as a member of Company B, Seventy-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until the close of the war. He died in 1883. His widow survived him for more than ten years, her death occurring on May Jo, 1895, she then being sixty-six years of age. Mr. Donley was a member of the Universalist church and his wife was a Baptist. They were the parents of ten children, five of whom grew to maturity, those besides Mrs. Fudger being Sarah (deceased), Edgar, Frank and Elmer. Leland C. Fudger was reared on the farm on which he is now living, a fine place of two hundred and seventy acres, and from the days of his boyhood was a valuable factor in the labors of developing and improving the place. On February 24, 1916, he was united in marriage to Mary Dorsey, who was also born in this county, a daughter of Michael Dorsey and wife, the latter of whom was a Lawless, and after his marriage established his home on the home place and has continued to operate the same, carrying on his farming operations in accordance with modern principles of agriculture. Mr. Fudger has a well-improved farm plant and is doing well. Politically, he is a Republican, inheriting from his late father a deep belief in the basic principles of that party and is an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of the same, being recognized as one of the most active and influential young Republicans in that part of the county. His wife is a member of St. Michael's Catholic church at Mechanicsburg and takes an earnest interest in parish affairs. ISAAC N. ANDERSON. Isaac N. Anderson, one of Urbana township's best-known farmers, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Mad River township on August 28, 1850, son of Joseph and Louisa (Steinbarger) Anderson, the former of whom was born on that same farm, but whose last days were spent at Tremont, this state. Joseph Anderson was born in Mad River township, this county, a son of John and Nancy (Lower) Anderson, natives of Virginia, who were mar- (65a) 1026 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. ried in their native state and then came over into Ohio, about 1816, and settled on a farm in Mad River township, this county, where they lived until their retirement from the farm and removal to Urbana, where their last days were spent. John Anderson and his wife were the parents of nine children, those besides Joseph having been James, Betsy, William, Albert, Marion, Louise, Susanna and one daughter who died in childhood. Reared on the pioneer home farm in Mad River township, Joseph Anderson established his home on a part of that farm after his marriage and there continued to reside until his removal years later to Tremont, this state, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there in 1909, he then being eighty years of age. Joseph Anderson was twice married and by his first wife, Louisa Steinbarger, was the father of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first born, the others being as follow : Erastus, a resident of Tremont; George, a farmer of Union township, this county; Wiley, of Tremont; Jasper, who is now living in Nebraska, and Elmer, of Mechanicsburg, this county. The mother of these children died at the age of sixty-one years, and Joseph Anderson later married Mary Overhulser, who survives him and is still making her home at Tremont. To that union were born three children, Anna, Susanna and Charles, the two former of whom are deceased and the latter of whom is now living at Urbana. Isaac N. Anderson was reared on the home farm in Mad River township and in the neighborhood schools received his schooling. After his marriage in the spring of 1876 he continued farming in his home township for twenty years or more, or until in 1900, when he bought the Busser farm of fifty acres in Urbana township, where he is now living and where he ever since has made his home. Since taking possession of that place Mr. Anderson has made many notable improvements on the same and now has a well-improved and profitably cultivated farm and one of the best farm plants in that neighborhood. In addition to his general farming Mr. Anderson gives considerable attention to stock raising and dairying and is doing very well, his farming being carried on in accordance with progressive methods with a view to getting the best possible results from a small farm intensively cultivated. Mr. Anderson is a Republican and has held some of the township offices from time to time, in that connection giving his earliest attention to the public service. On March 5, 1876, Isaac N. Anderson was united in marriage to Ella Mitchell, who was born in the neighboring county of Clark, and to this union has been born one child, a son, Harvey Allen Anderson. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Baptist church at Urbana and take 'a proper CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1027 interest in church work, as well as in other neighborhood good works. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Urbana lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that popular fraternal organization. JAMES R. HODGE. James R. Hodge, of the great farming plant of Hodge Brothers, in Union township, this county, was born in that township and has lived there all his life. He was born on February 5, 1866, son of Samuel M. and Amanda M. (Roberts) Hodge, useful and influential residents of that community and further and fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Samuel M. Hodge was born in the neighboring county of Clark, as was his wife. In April, 1856, they came up into Champaign county and settled in Union township, where in 186o Samuel M. Hodge bought a tract of one hundred and fifty acres and entered upon the agricultural operations that presently caused him to be regarded as one of the most successful and extensive farmers in this part of the state, the owner of eleven hundred acres of land and an extensive stockman. As his sons grew to manhood Samuel M. Hodge took them into partnership with him and carried on the farming operations under the firm name of S. M. Hodge & Sons. He died in September, 1898, and in 1903 the firm name was changed to that of Hodge Brothers, the subject of this sketch being associated in business with his brothers, Edgar W. Hodge and Harry D. Hodge, the firm now operating seventeen hundred acres of land, on which there is raised annually something like- four or five hundred acres of corn and the same acreage of small grain, besides five hundred head of sheep, six hundred head of hogs and several carloads of cattle. The widow of Samuel M. Hodge is now making her home with her son James, the subject of this sketch. She and her husband were the parents of ten children, of whom seven are now living, Edgar W., Samuel E., James R., Harry D., Sarah, Agnes and Catherine the three deceased being Elizabeth, John and Francis I. James R. Hodge was reared on the home farm in Union township and received his schooling in the Wild Rose school. He early became actively identified with his father and brothers in the management of the big farm, as a member of the firm of S. M. Hodge & Sons, and after his father's death continued with his brothers in the operation: of the farm, being made man- 1028 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. ager of the plant upon the change of firm name to Hodge Brothers in 1903, and since occupied that position, one of the most progressive agriculturists in this part of the state. Mr. Hodge is a Republican and takes a good citizen's interest in local civic affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. He was a member of the county fair board for several years. In 1906 James R. Hodge was united in marriage to Mabel Reid, daughter of James C. and Mary (Sailor) Reid, further mention of which family is made elsewhere in this volume. The Hodges have a very pleasant home in Union township, on rural mail route No. 4 out of Mechanicsburg. and take a proper interest in the community's general social activities. JEAN P. PRINTZ. One of Mad River township's best-known and most progressive farmers, living on his fine farm of two hundred acres on the Piqua and Urbana pike one-half mile east of Westville, is Jean P. Printz, who was born at Luray, Paige county, Virginia, on January 6, 1883, the son of Isaiah and Ida (Pence) Printz, both of whom were natives also of the old Dominion. Isaiah Printz was a son of John Printz, who, in turn was a son of George Printz. The latter was aide-de-camp to Gen. George Washington in the Revolutionary War and lived long enough to be a captain in the War of 1812. The wife of Isaiah Printz was Ida Printz, her mother being Rebecca Lincoln, a first cousin of President Abraham Lincoln. Isaiah Printz and wife were both born and reared in Shenandoah county, Virginia. After their marriage they located on a farm in Paige county, Virginia. They became the parents of eight children, all of whom are now living : Estalene, the widow of Frank W. Bird, lives in Paige county, Virginia; Jean P., the immediate subject of this brief review ; Anna, the wife of J. T. Campbell, of Luray, Virginia; Virginia, the wife of John Stewart, of Paige county, Virginia; Cecil, a farmer living near Monticello, Indiana; Mamie, the wife of C. L. Rhoades, of Rockbridge county, Virginia ; Rexford, unmarried, a farmer near Bloomington, Illinois, and Elaine, living at home with her mother. Isaiah Printz was a prominent factor in the life of his home community during his life, being very active in the political life of the time. During the period when the Farmers Alliance and Populist parties were active in the country, he was the nominee of that faction for the state Legislature from his county, and was defeated by only one vote at the succeeding elec- CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1029 tion, which fact indicates his popularity among his fellow citizens. He was active in the affairs of the Lutheran church, of which his wife is still a member. Jean P. Printz was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Virginia, receiving his elementary education in the district schools of his home neighborhood, afterwards attending the high school and academy in Luray, Virginia. He was also a student of Washington University, Washington, D. C., for a time, but was forced to discontinue his studies at the latter institution on account of failing health. In search of health, for the next three years he traveled over the West, and in 1909 came to Champaign county, Ohio, coming direct to Westville, where he remained for a short time, after which he returned to his old home in Virginia, where he remained for one year, then came back to Champaign county, locating on his present farm. Here he is very successfully engaged in fanning, making a specialty of feeding cattle for the market. He is also starting in to specialize in a line of pure-bred Belgian horses. Besides his farming interests, Mr. Printz is a stockholder in the Urbana Building and Loan Association and the Citizens National Bank of Urbana. On December 7, 1910, Mr. Printz was married to Elizabeth Magrew, daughter of Hamilton and Elizabeth (Snyder) Magrew. Mrs. Printz is a member of the Presbyterian church at Urbana and is popular among the religious and social circles of her community. She was born on November 19, 1885. Mr. Printz is a member of Magrew Lodge No. 433, Knights of Pythias, and is a past chancellor of that lodge. He is a Democrat in politics. The Magrew family have been prominent in Champaign county for more than a hundred years. Hamilton Magrew, the father of Mrs. Printz. was born in Mad River township, on January 31, 1834. His father, Archibald, was born in Adams county, Pennsylvania, in 1792, and came to Champaign county in 1810 with his parents, his father, Archibald, Sr., then entering all of section I I in Mad River township. Since the arrival of the family in the county in 1810 they have been influential factors in every phase of the county's development. Archibald Magrew, Sr., laid out the village of Westville, the original plat of which is still in existence. He married Ruth Miller, also a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of five children : Archibald, John, William, Matthew and Mary. Archibald Magrew, Jr., was married on February 25, 1813, to Mary Taylor, a daughter of John Taylor, of Salem township, this county. They were the parents of ten children: Margaret, who became the wife of Amos Rupert Mary J., who married Jacob Aulabaugh ; Caroline, who married Milton 1030 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. Fithian; Lemuel, who married Linda Miller ; Matthew, who died in the days of his youth; Hamilton, who married Elizabeth Snyder and had three children, Luella, who married William F. Ring, an attorney, of Urbana; Cyrus H., who died at the age of fifteen years, and Elizabeth H., who married Jean P. Printz. Daniel Snyder, father of Mrs. Hamilton Magrew, was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, and came to Champaign county in 1815 with his parents, Daniel and Barbara (Pence) Snyder, who located on a farm south of Westville, in Mad River township, and there spent the remainder of their lives, Daniel Snyder dying on February 17, 1849, at the age of sixty-four years; his widow surviving until April 14, 1866, she being seventy-eight years of age at the time of her death. They had four children, Daniel, Sarah, Susan and Elizabeth. Daniel ( Jr.) and Anna (Kiser) Snyder were the parents of fourteen children, all of whom grew to maturity and married, namely : John, who married Caroline Magrew and located in Mad River township, where both he and his wife spent their last days; Cyrus, who married Sabra Ward and was a practicing attorney at Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at Washington, D. C., and who died on May 3o, 1906; Eliza Jane, who married Dr. John Noble Beach, of West Jefferson, this state, and who died in 1908; William, who married Melissa Ogden and died on the old home farm south of Westville; Minerva, who is now living in Louisiana, widow of Dr. N. B. Freeland; Elizabeth, who married Hamilton H. Magrew ; Mary Ann, who married Enos Johnson and who, as well as her husband, died at Sidney, this state; Martha, whose last days were spent in Pennsylvania ; David, who married Roanna Chance ; Margaret, now living at West Jefferson, who has been twice married, after the death of her first husband, John Houx, having married John Roberts; Dr. Charles Snyder, of London, this state ; Laura, now deceased, who was the wife of Joseph Nevin, of Dayton, this state; Balfour, who married Carrie Rainey and is now connected with the SnyderChaffe Candy Company of Columbus, this state, and Josephine, wife of William Foye, a druggist, of Marion, this state. Daniel Snyder took a prominent part in the general affairs of the community during the early days of the settlement of this part of the state, commanded a company of home guards during the time of the Indian trouble, was one of the organ-. izers of the Champaign County Agricultural Society and was president of the old Westville-Dayton Turnpike Company. Hamilton Magrew was a member of the board of directors of the Citizens National Bank of Urbana and was one of the managers of the Champaign County Agricultural Society. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1031 He was a member of the local lodges of the Masons and of the Knights of Pythias at Westville and the lodge of the latter order at that place was named in honor of himself and his brother Lemuel. His wife, Elizabeth Magrew, is a member of the Presbyterian church at Urbana. Hamilton Magrew died on December 30, 1907. Anna Kizer, wife of Daniel Snyder, was a daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Kite) Kizer, natives of Virginia, who came up into this part of Ohio, by way of Cincinnati, and settled in Clark county. Philip Kizer became a prominent factor in the early life of that community and was for some time captain of the local company of state militia. After his death his widow moved with her children up into Champaign county and settled in Mad River township, where her last days were spent. LEVI J. GOOD. Among the pioneer families of Champaign county there are few names better known than those of the Goods and the Spains, these two families having been among the earliest settlers of that part of the county now comprised within the bounds of Wayne township. It was in 1805 that the Goods and the Spains drove through from Dinwiddie county, Virginia, to the then new state of Ohio and settled in Champaign county, which had just been established as a civic unit in that year. Both the Goods and the Spains were cultivated families and their influence in the early days of the Wayne township settlement, in which they located, was from the very beginning exerted in behalf of good citizenship, good schools and the highest measure of social culture that could be accomplished in a wilderness. Thomas Good, the pioneer, and his wife, Frances, established their home in the woods in what later came to be organized as Wayne township, settling on the tract ever since known as the old Good homestead, now occupied by their great granddaughter, Eliza Good and her brother, James Elwood Good, and there they spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influential pioneers of that community. Upon settling there Thomas Good put up a log cabin and set about the task of clearing his wilderness tract. He later built another log cabin and still later a frame house and in due time had a well-improved farm. He and his wife were Methodists and from the beginning of their residence here took an active part in the religious life of the new community, doing much to extend the same, and were helpful in the work of organizing various church bodies in that part of the county. 1032 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO Among the children born to Thomas Good and his wife was Theoderick S. Good, who was born on that pioneer farm in Wayne township on January 22, 18o6, not long after his parents had settled there. He grew to manhood on that place and married his neighbor, Mary G. Spain, who was born on the adjoining farm, daughter of James and Elizabeth Spain, who had accompanied the Goods over from Dinwiddie county, Virginia, in 1805 and had settled in this county, as above noted. Elsewhere in this volume there is set out at greater length something of the history of the Spain family in this county, together with an account of the descendants of the pioneer pair above mentioned. After his marriage Theoderick Good established his home on the old home place and there spent the rest of his life, a substantial and industrious farmer. Among the children born to him and his wife was Levi J. Good, the subject of this memorial sketch. Levi J. Good was born on the old Good homestead in Wayne township on August 27, 1831, and there spent all his life, his death occurring on March 31, 1882, he then being in the fifty-first year of his age. Despite the limited facilities for schooling in the days of his youth, the log school house then being the seat of learning in that neighborhood, Levi J. Good acquired an excellent education through home help and wide reading and was a proficient Latin scholar. Reared a Democrat, he espoused the cause of the Republican party upon the organization of the same and voted for Abraham Lincoln for President in 1860, ever afterward remaining an ardent Republican and for years being regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county. He held numerous township offices and other positions of trust and responsibility in the community and did much to advance the cause of local good government in his generation. In addition to his general farming operations Mr. Good was extensively engaged in the raising of high grade live stock and was a constant and successful exhibitor at the county fairs, in the affairs of which he took an active interest and in the promotion of which he took a useful part. He and his wife were members of the Methodist church and their children were reared in that faith. There were six of these children, namely : Eliza, who was born on the old Good homestead and is still living there; Sale, who married Ida M. Thompson and is now a resident of Dayton, connected with the great works of the National Cash Register Company at that place; Polly Ann, who died at the age of eighteen months ; James Elwood, who has always lived on the old home place and is now managing the same; Ai, who lived at home until 1903, when he moved to Urbana, where he is now engaged in the contracting business, and Ivan T., who married Esther Smith and is now living at Springfield, Ohio, CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1033 where he is connected with the mailing department of the plant of the Fireside Magazine. Miss Eliza Good, who has always made her home on the old home place, which was established by her great grandfather, Thomas Good, back in 1805, the year of the erection of Champaign county, is widely known throughout the county and has hosts of warm friends hereabout. She has preserved many relics of the pioneer period of her family in Wayne township and takes an earnest interest in the general history of the pioneers of this section of the state. Among the relics of the days of the beginning of her family in this county that she has preserved is an old flint-lock musket and two flint-lock pistols that her great grandfather Spain brought out here with him from Virginia in 1805 ; the ancient musket having been carried back and forth between here and Virginia on twelve trips made by James Spain after he located here. Miss Good also has the pioneer's old saddlebags, besides numerous household utensils preserved since pioneer days in the Good and Spain families, all of which form a most interesting collection in these days, more than a hundred years after they had their original uses here. CHARLES A. CUSHMAN. An honored veteran of the Civil War and a substantial retired farmer of Woodstock, Champaign county, is Charles A. Cushman, who has been content to spend his life of seventy-seven years in his home community. He was born here on September 12, 1840, and is a son of Frank and Susan (Gifford) Cushman, also natives of this county, each representing old pioneer families, the Cushmans coming to Woodstock from New England in a very early day. Frank Cushman was a son of Harvey Cushman, a physician and attorney, who was also engaged in various lines of business; he was twice married. His death occurred at Piqua, Ohio. There were five children by his first wife, namely : Frank, Abigail, George, Harriet and Aurora. Frank Cushman, father of the subject of this sketch, received a good education for his day, and when a young man took up the marble cutter's trade, also that of stone mason, and he built many of the old brick houses in and around Woodstock. He burned his own brick and made the lime he used. He was also a successful trader. He was a patent-right man, and patented a machine to cut shingles. Politically, he was a Whig, later a Republican. He was a member of the Universalist church. He and his wife 1034 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. both died in Woodstock. They were parents of the following children : Julius J., who was a soldier in Company A, Second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed at Hoover's Gap; Charles A., the subject of this sketch ; Warren, a noted sculptor, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work ; Lucy L., who married M. P. Hewett, and who, as well as her husband, is now deceased, and Harry, who died in infancy. Charles A. Cushman received a limited education, attending school in the old log school house in his community. He lived at home until the breaking out of the Civil War and then enlisted April 17, 186i, among the first to volunteer in any of the states. He was a private in Company K, Second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. William Baldwin and Col. W. W. Wilson. His enlistment was for three months, and he took part in the first battle of Bull Run. He re-enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, one-hundred-day service, being located at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, and served faithfully until August 4, 1864, when he was honorably discharged. His third enlistment was on February 6, 1865, in the Second Ohio Cavalry. He was sent to Philadelphia, Washington City, Alexandria, Virginia and Harper's Ferry, then back to Washington. From there he was sent with his regiment seventy miles down the Potomac river to Pori Tobacco, then back to Washington, landing in that city the day following the Grand Review. He was again sent into Virginia, and on to Parkersburg, West Virginia, thence to St. Louis, Missouri, by boat, and from there home, and was finally mustered out of the service and honorably discharged in June, 1865. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Cushman located at Woodstock, this county, and there engaged in various pursuits, including that of butcher and farmer. In February, 1863, he married Julia Standish, a native of New York City and a daughter of Samuel Standish, who was a son of Miles Standish, and whose wife was a Pierce, of New York state. Mrs. Cushman was eleven years old when she came to Champaign county, with her parents in 1857. Her father was a blacksmith by trade, and an expert with edge tools. He also made many steel traps for the Indians. He and his wife spent their latter lives in Woodstock. To Charles A. Cushman and wife thirteen children have been born, ten of whom. survive at this writing, namely : Frank P., a carpenter, living in San Francisco, who served two years in the United States army and took part in the Spanish-American War; Mattie, the wife of George Standish, superintendent of the Champaign County Infirmary, and a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in these pages ; J. J., a carpenter, who lives in Salt CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1035 Lake City, Utah; Josephine, the wife of Asa Owen, a farmer, and trustee of Rush township; Susan, the wife of J. S. McCarty, a farmer, of Rush township; Lucy, who married William Crawford, station agent at Woodstock ; C. W., who is farming in Rush township; Jerrard, a carpenter in Salt Lake City, Utah; Arthur, who is farming near Woodstock, and Warren, who is a blacksmith in the employ of the Dayton Street Car Company, at the O'Neill car barns. Mr. Cushman is a member of Harry Davis Post No. 612, Grand Army of the Republic, at Woodstock, and has passed all the chairs in the same. J. F. NEER. J. F. Neer, one of the best-known members of the present generation of this honored, old family of Champaign county, was born on the farm now owned by J. P. Neer, a mile and a half east of Heathstown, in Concord township, March 29, 1850, a son of Joseph and Margaret S. (Monroe) Neer. The father was a native of Virginia and at an early date came with his parents to this county, the family thus being among the early pioneers of Concord township, and well known here for a century. Margaret S. Monroe was born in Harrison township, this. county, of which her parents were also pioneers, coming here from Pennsylvania. They were of Scottish descent. After his marriage Joseph Neer settled on the farm in Concord township, where his son, J. F. Neer, was born and there he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. He was one of the successful farmers and useful citizens of his township, becoming quite well-to-do for those days, through his, able management and close application. He was a Republican, and a member of the Concord Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was a pillar for many years. His family consisted of twelve children, namely : Flora. now living in California, widow of J. W. Ellis; David C., who lives in Allen county, Kansas; Mrs. Tillie Oppenbacker, deceased; John, who lives in Urbana; Mrs. Mollie Neer, deceased; Nathan, who lives in Pasadena, California; Sallie, the wife of L. Clemmon; J. F., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Mary McMaster, who lives in Los Angeles, California; Samuel, who lives in Green River, Utah; James, who lives in Winfield, Kansas, and one child who died in infancy unnamed. J. F. Neer was reared on the home farm and received a common school education. He remained with his parents until his marriage, June 26, 1881, to Lydia A. Bricker, a daughter of Isaac and Martha J. (Clark) Bricker. 1036 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. Mr. Bricker was born in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, and there he spent his boyhood. When a young man he came with his parents to Champaign county, Ohio, the trip being made overland in an old-fashioned covered wagon. He was one of nine children. The family located in Concord township and here he met and married Martha Clark, who was a native of Adams township, Champaign county, where her parents settled in pioneer days. After his marriage J. F. Neer went to Iola, Allen county, Kansas, where they remained a year, then returned to Champaign county and located on a farm near the old home place in Concord township, buying one hundred and sixty acres, but he remained there only one year then bought the place he now occupies, and has carried on general farming and stock raising here with success. His farm is well improved and well adapted to general agricultural purposes and he raises considerable live stock. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Neer, namely : Charles F., who married Nettie Jenkins, and lives in Rosewood, this county; Samuel, who is at home, assisting his father with the work on the farm, and John P., who died when eleven years of age. Mr. Neer is a Republican. He is a member of the Concord Methodist Episcopal church. GERSHAM C. WILKISON. One of the enterprising and progressive farmers of Adams township, this county, is Gersham C. Wilkinson, who lived, on his fine farm of one hundred acres located two and one-half miles northeast of Rosewood. Mr. Wilkison was born on this farm December 25, 1853, the son of Asel, Jr., and Mary (Calland) Wilkison, both of whom were aso natives 'of this county. , Asel Wilkison, Jr., was a son of Asel and Nancy (Tipton) Wilkison, and was born on the same farm in Adams township where his son, Gersham C., now lives. Mary Calland was born and reared in Adams township, the daughter of William and Mary Calland, who came directly to Champaign county, Ohio, from Scotland, and were pioneers of this county. Asel, Wilkison, Sr., was born in Virginia and came to Ohio when a young man, being the first white settler in Adams township, this county. He entered land from the government in the then unsettled wilderness, which he improved and developed, and a part of which is now the old home place, where Gersham C. Wilkison lives. Asel, Jr., was one of the two children CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1037 born to Asel and Nancy (Tipton) Wilkison, the latter of whom was a native of this state, but whose parents came in an early day to Ohio from Virginia. The father of Nancy (Tipton) Wilkison was Thomas Tipton, who served as a soldier of the patriot army during the Revolutionary War. He was born near Baltimore, Maryland, but at the outbreak of the war he resided in Fairfax county, Virginia, about seven miles from Mount Vernon. About the last of June or the first of July, 1776, he enlisted from Fairfax county. At his second enlistment he went from near Winchester, Frederick county, Virginia, and at his third from Botetourt county, Virginia; in all serving four years. He retreated with General Washington across New Jersey before King George's hireling Hessians. Later he fought under General Gates, and at the siege of Yorktown was first sergeant In Capt. John. Galloway's Company, which was attached to Colonel Lewis's regiment. He was also with General Morgan in the famous battle in the "buckwheat field," where he received several bullet holes through his hat. Several times during the lulls in the campaign, he went home to see his wife and three children. Under the act of June 7, 1832, which granted pensions to Revolutionary soldiers, his application was allowed, he then being a resident of Adams township, this county, and at that time one hundred years old. He lived to reach the extraordinary age of one hundred and eleven years, nine months and nine days. When his parents died Asel Wilkison, Jr., took charge of the home farm, after purchasing the interests of the other heirs, and here he remained the rest of his life. He married Mary Calland, who was born and reared in Adams township, and to this union four children were born. Two of these are now living : Gersham C., the immediate subject of this review, and William, who is living in Rosewood, this county. Gersham C. Wilkison was reared on the home farm and received his education in the district schools. After reaching manhood, he went to Oakland, Illinois, near which place he farmed for four years, after which time he went to the Ozark mountains in Arkansas, where he was occupied as a sheepman for three years. Later he lived in Kansas for a year, after which he returned to Ohio, living for a time on the home farm. He then moved to Rosewood, where he lived until he returned to the old home farm, where he lives at present. While in the West, Mr. Wilkison was engaged with a harvester company at Fargo, North Dakota, for a few years. In 1876 Gersham C. Wilkison was united in marriage to Flora Heath, daughter of Nelson and Hester (Davis) Heat, and to this union five chil- 1038 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. dren shave been born, namely : Pearl, deceased; Ernest S., a farmer of Shelby county, Ohio; T. B., a farmer of Adams township, this county; Bessie, wife of William Friend, a farmer of Adams township, and Ray, who is living at home. The family are earnest and consistent members of the United ,Brethren church, Mr. Wilkison having served for some years as steward and class leader of the local church of that denomination in Adams township. He is a Republican, takes a good citizen's interest in public affairs, and always lends his hearty support to any movement having for its object the betterment of his community. JOSEPH M. ZIMMERMAN. Joseph M. Zimmerman, a farmer, of Concord township, Champaign county, was born in Mad River township, this county, 'September 17, 1846. He is a son of Isaac and Eliza (Miller) Zimmerman, and a grandson of George Zimmerman, who came to the United States from Germany, locating in Pennsylvania, later coming to Ohio, and settling in Champaign county. After his marriage to Barbara Norman he settled in the Nettle Creek community, in the forest, clearing and developing a farm there by hard work. He built a crude log cabin, which later gave place to a better frame residence, and there he spent the rest of his life. His family consisted of the following children : Catherine, John, George, Joseph and Isaac. Isaac Zimmerman grew up on the home farm; in fact, spent his life there. He attended the early-day schools, which were conducted in a log cabin during the few months in winter allotted to schools in the country districts. He married Eliza Miller, and to their union the following children were born : Joseph M., the subject of this sketch; Ira, who is farming in Kansas; Isaac, who lives in Mad River township, this county ; Barbara, the wife of Fred Maggert, and Jane, wife of Adam Pence. Joseph M. Zimmerman was reared on the home farm and attended the district schools. He married Mary J. Maggert and to that union six children were born, two of whom are living in 1917, namely : Frank, who married Ida Knobs and lives on the home farm in Concord township, and Farmer, who married Oda Dovell, and lives on a farm in Concord township. In 1901 Mr. Zimmerman married, secondly, Julia Poorman, who was born in Johnson township, this county, May 21, 1853, a daughter of Jacob and Nancy (Nichols) Poorman. Jacob Poorman was born in Pennsylvania, from which CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1039 state he came to Ohio, where he married and settled on a farm in Johnson township, this county, living for many years on the farm now owned by WA. Nixon. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church at St. Paris. Their daughter, Julia, grew to womanhood in her native community and received a common school education. She belongs to the Millerstown lodge of the Daughters of Pocahontas, auxiliary to the Improved Order of Red Men, and was for years very active in the work of the same, passing all the chairs. She is a member of the Lutheran church at St. Paris. Mr. Zimmerman has devoted his life to general farming and is now owner of one of the choice farms of Concord township, consisting of two hundred and thirty acres, which he has brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. He is a member of Urbana Lodge No. 46, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, also the Encampment at Urbana, and both he and his wife are members of the local lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah there. OLIVER GRUBE. Oliver Grube, farmer, of Johnson township, Champaign county, was born a mile north of St. Paris, Ohio, November 6, 1858. He is a son of Simon and Cordelia (Lewis) Grube. The father was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, but when a boy he came with his parents to Ohio, the family locating in Clark county, north of the village of LaGrundy, where the father devoted the rest of his life to farming. Cordelia Lewis was born in Virginia, and when a girl her parents brought her to Clark county, Ohio.. where she grew to womanhood and married Simon Grube. Shortly thereafter they came to Champaign county. locating on a farm in Johnson township, where they spent the rest of their lives. Their family consisted of nine children, seven of whom grew to maturity, namely : Edward, who lives in Johnson township; Charles W., who lives in New Moorefield, Ohio : Oliver, the subject of this sketch ; Jacob, who lives in Johnson township : Joan, the wife of Charles Davis, of Miami county, Ohio; Samuel, who lives in Johnson township, Champaign county, and Ida, the wife of Albert Wirbel, of Adams township, this county. The other two children died in early life. Oliver Grube was reared on the home farm in Johnson township, and was educated in the district schools. He lived at home until his marriage. 1040 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. May 6, 1880, to Martha Ellen Apple, a daughter of A. J. and Artie M. (Flowers) Apple. After his marriage Mr. Grube lived on the home place of his father-in-law about thirteen years, the first year both families living together, then he built a residence of his own on another part of the Apple farm. About 1893 Mr. Grube moved to Montgomery county, Ohio, where he rented a farm until 1896, then returned to the Apple farm in Champaign county, but remained there only a short time, then moved to the farm where A. J. Putnam now lives. A little later he bought a farm in Johnson township and lived there eleven years, then sold out and moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he spent seven years. He then returned to Champaign county and bought one hundred and eleven acres in Johnson township on which place he has since made his home. He has a well-kept farm and raises considerable live stock to which he feeds most of the grain the place produces. Mr. Grube has four children, named as follow : Mrs. Bertha Jenkins, who is living at St. Paris, Champaign county; Adam, who is farming in Miami county, Ohio, and Tillie and Ora, both of whom live at home. Politically, Mr. Grube is a Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at St. Paris. CLAUDIUS N. MITCHELL. Claudius Newton Mitchell, a well-known landowner of Champaign county and dealer in live stock at Mechanicsburg, of which city he has been a resident since 1886, former member of the common council of that city and a member of the board of directors of the Central Bank of Mechanicsburg, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Goshen township on January 1, 1852, son of Chandler and Elizabeth (Hendrix) Mitchell, both now deceased, the former of whom was born on that same farm, the place now owned by the subject of this sketch, entered from the government by the latter's grandfather back in pioneer days. Chandler Mitchell, former president of the Central Bank of Mechanicsburg and for many years one of the best-known dealers in live stock in Champaign county, was born on that pioneer farm in Goshen township on May 22, 1828, son of Claudius and Nancy (Lambert) Mitchell, who CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1041 were among the early settlers of that part of Champaign county, having come up here from Cincinnati. Claudius Mitchell was born in Vermont on January 6, 1794, and in that state grew to manhood, later coming West and settling at Cincinnati, afterward going to work in the salt works on the Ohio river. About the time of his marriage (1815) he entered a tract of four hundred and fifty acres of "Congress land" in Goshen township, this county, where he established his home, becoming a useful and influential pioneer of that community, and there he spent the rest of his life, this death occurring on May 17, 1886. Claudius Mitchell was twice married. It was on October 10, 1815, that he was united in marriage to Nancy Lambert, who was born on December 25, 1795, and to that union were born nine children, of whom Chandler Mitchell was the seventh in order of -birth, the others being as follow : Sarah, who was born on March 15, 1817; Lavina, January 28, 18-19 ; Martha Ann, May 24, 1821; Joshua, May 22, 1823 ; Lucy, December 13, 1825 ; Claudius, November 23, 1830 ; Nancy, October 15, 1832, and Almira, December 6, 1834. The mother of these childern died on October 24, 1839, and on April 6, 1840, Claudius Mitchell married Mary A. Reed, who was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, August 10, 1803, and who was but three years of age when her parents came to Ohio and settled in Champaign county in 1806. To that union two children were born, John M., who died on February 26, 1847, at the age of three years, and Newton, who died on November 27, 1849, at the age of eight. Mrs. Mary A. Mitchell survived her husband a little less than two years, her death occurring on March 5, 1888. Reared on the old home farm on which he was born, Chandler Mitchell there (grew. to manhood, carefully attentive to the details of farm management, and after his marriage in the spring of 1849 established his home there. His father had developed a considerable live stock industry in connection with the farm and this was enlarged by Chandler Mitchell, who for years was regarded as one of the most extensive shippers of cattle, sheep and hogs in Ohio. He also gave much attention to the general business affairs of the community, was one of the founders of the Central Bank of Mechanicsburg, was first president of the same and continued as president of that bank until his death, on September 25, 1893. On March 29, 1849, Chandler Mitchell was united in marriage to Elizabeth Hendrix, who died on February 4, 1901. To that union were born three sons, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only survivor, his (66a) 1042 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. brother, William C., born on January I1, 185o, having died on January 7, 1861, and Charles L., born on May 22, 1861, also being deceased. Claudius N. Mitchell was reared on the home farm, the place that was entered from the government by his grandfather and which he now owns, and early began to give careful attention to the details of farm management and the shipping of stock. Upon completing the course in the local schools he took a course in the college at Akron and later was graduated from a business college at Cincinnati. After his marriage in the fall of 1878 he established his home on the home farm and there remained until the spring of. 1886, when he moved to Mechanicsburg, where he since has made his home and where for years he has been actively engaged in the live stock business, one of the best-known dealers in that line in Champaign county. Besides his live stock business and the general management of his well-kept farm Mr. Mitchell has. other interests in and about Mechanicsburg and is a member of the board of directors of the Central Bank, of which his father was for years the president. He is a Republican and has ever given his close attention to local civic affairs, having served as p. member of the common council of his home city and as a member of the school board. On October 30, 1878, Claudius N. Mitchell was united in marriage to Frances E. Hunter, who was born in the city of Urbana, this county, July 16, 1857, daughter of Lewis and Rebecca (Cadden) Hunter, the former also a native of Ohio, born in Clark county, November .14, 1817, and the latter a native of Ireland, born at Castle Drumgarrow, Enniskillen, in the north of Ireland, May 10, 1827, who came to the United States in 1850 and was married in this county, she and her sister Sarah having come here in the spring of that year on a visit to their uncle, Dr. Adam Mosgrove, at Urbana. The Caddens are of Scottish descent, the first of that name to settle in the north of Ireland having been the great-great-great-grandfather of Mrs. Mitchell, a soldier, who, with six brothers, was sent into Ireland with the army of King James II during the time of the Revolution, and took a conspicuous part in the defense of Enniskillen, for gallantry of conduct being made a "freeman," or "free huntsman," with license to carry on business unrestricted in Ireland. This Cadden, who was' the only one of the seven brothers who could be accounted for after the Revolution, settled on a farm place a mile out of, Enniskillen and there erected a considerable stone house, which to this day retains , the name of Castle Drumgarrow, which he gave it, and there his descendants CHAMPAIGN COUNTY; OHIO - 1043 have ever since maintained residence. Rebecca Cadden was born in that castle, one of the seven children born to her parents, James and Sarah (Mosgrove) Cadden, the others being John, Jane, Robert, James, Sarah and Isabel Ann. James Cadden, father of these children, was in direct descent from the founder of Castle Drumgarrow and was a man of fine physique, six feet tall, of fine frame and handsome countenance, brown hair and brown eyes, and was a man of influence and distinction; and after his death was carried to his grave shoulder high, a mark of honor be: fitting his station. To Lewis. and Rebecca (Cadden) Hunter were born six children, of whom Mrs. Mitchell was the second in order of birth, the others being Sarah J., born on February 12, 1856; James A., May 16, 1859; Mary Ann, February 9, 1861; Julia B., April 18, 1863, and Rebecca M., November 18, 1866. In 1867 the Hunters left this county and went to Springfield. Missouri, later going to Baxter Springs, Kansas, but later returned to Ohio and Mrs. Mitchell's schooling was completed at Urbana, she being a graduate of the high school at that place and of the Chautauqua (New York); having been graduated from the latter in 1889. To Claudius N. and Frances E. (Hunter) Mitchell three children have been born, James C., born on October 7, 1887, who is an assistant t6 his father in the latter's business. affairs, and Juliet and Robert (twins): May 27, 1890, the latter of whom was graduated from the Mechanicsburg high school and Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware and is now assistant cashier of the Central Bank of Mechanicsburg. Juliet Mitchell also was a student at the Ohio Wesleyan. University and finished her musical education at Boston. She married Edward W. Jewell, of Cincinnati, and is now living at Norwood, Ohio. The Mitchells have a very pleasant home at Mechanicsburg and have ever taken an interested part in the general good works and social activities of that place and of the community at large. Mr. Mitchell is a York Rite Mason, a member of the local lodge at Mechanicsburg and of the commandery at Urbana, and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs. Mrs. Mitchell is a charter member of the local chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star and is past worthy matron of the same and deputy grand matron, for years an active figure in the state meetings of that organization. She, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and is a charter member of the Ladies Literary Tourist Club, in the affairs of which she has taken a warm interest since the days of its organization. 1044 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. HORACE M. FUDGER. Horace M. Fudger, a farmer, of Goshen township, proprietor .of "Lake View Farm," which is pleasantly situated two and one-half miles north of Mechanicsburg, was born on the farm he now owns, August 5, 1858, and he has been content to spend his life in Champaign county. He is a son of Peter M. and Sophia (Perry) Fudger. The father was born in New Hampshire in 1816, and a year or two later his parents brought him on the long overland journey from New England to Champaign county, Ohio, the family locating in the wilderness, carving out a farm and a home by hard work and perseverance and enduring the hardships and privations of frontier life. Amid such environment Peter M. Fudger grew to manhood and in fact, spent the rest of his life, engaging successfully in general farming, dying in 1897. His wife was born in the state of New York in 1818, and when a child her parents brought her to Franklin county, Ohio, where she grew to womanhood. Peter M. Fudger and Sophia Perry were married in 1853, after which they located on the farm where their son, Horace M., now resides, and they spent the rest of their lives there. He became one of the leading farmers of the county in his day, accumulating about six hundred acres of good land, on which he carried on general farming extensively. Politically, he was a Republican, but he never aspired to office. He was a Universalist and took an active interest in church affairs. He was twice married, three children being born to each union. Those by his second marriage were named as follow : A. P., who devoted his life to farming in Champaign county, which he served for several years as commissioner, is now deceased ; Sarah U., the wife of Thomas Thompson, of Mechanicsburg, and Horace M., the subject of this sketch. Horace M. Fudger was reared on the home farm, and he received his education in the common schools and high school at Mechanicsburg. He has always lived on the home farm, which he has kept well tilled and well improved. He owns two hundred and fifty acres, and has made a pronounced success as a general farmer and stock raiser. He raises a good grade of live stock, and prepares large numbers annually for the market. He is one of the stockholders in the Farmers Bank at Mechanicsburg. Mr. Fudger was married on May 3, 1899, to Alta Van Ness, who was born in Union county, Ohio, but who came to Champaign county when 'young and attended high school at Mechanicsburg, from which she was graduated in 1897. To Mr. and Mrs. Fudger one child has been born, a son, CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1045 Donald M., whose birth occurred on March 18, 1900. He is now (1917) in his sophomore year in high school. Mr. Fudger is a Republican and is at this writing incumbent of the office of township assessor. Fraternally, he belongs to Lodge No. 113, Free and Accepted Masons at Mechanicsburg, of which he is a past master, and also belongs to the local chapter, Royal Arch Masons. Mrs. Fudger is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Mechanicsburg. SAMUEL BARNETT. The late Samuel Barnett, one of Champaign county's best-known and most substantial farmers, who died on January 28, 1917, was a native son of Ohio and had lived in this state all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Butler county, October 4, 1831, son of Samuel and Mary (Mitchell) Barnett, both of whom were born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, and whose last days were spent in Springfield, this state. The elder Samuel Barnett was a miller as well as a farmer and when he moved with his family from Butler county to Springfield in 1841, in order that his children might there receive the advantage of better schools, he erected a mill and engaged in the milling business, the Barnett mills soon becoming known far and wide over the state. He died at Springfield at the age of seventy-eight years and his son, William A. Barnett, for many years continued the milling industry, the business being conducted under the firm name of Warder & Barnett. The elder Samuel Barnett's wife had preceded him to the grave, her death having occurred when she was sixty-two years of age. They were earnest members of the United Presbyterian church and were long regarded as among the leaders of the congregation with which they were affiliated. They were the parents of ten children, six sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to maturity and five of whom were present at a family reunion held in 1901. The younger Samuel Barnett was nine years of age when his parents moved from Butler county to Springfield and in that city he grew to manhood, receiving his schooling in the public schools. Upon leaving school he was employed in his father's mill until his marriage in .1856, when he came to this county and established his home on a farm in section 34 of Union township, and there, with the exception of one year spent in Urbana (1865) and one year spent in Springfield (1866), he lived until 1909, when the family 1046 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. moved to Urbana. Mr. Barnett carried on a dairy business in connection with his general farming and did very well, becoming the owner of a fine farm of one hundred :and sixty acres. Mr. Barnett and his wife were members of the First Presbyterian church at' Urbana and for many years he was one of the elders of that congregation, both taking an earnest interest in church work.: Mr. Barnett died at Miami, Florida, where he had gone to spend the latter part of the winter, January 28, 1917. Mrs. Barnett died on January 13, 1885. It was on October 11, 1855, that Samuel Barnett was united in marriage to Mary Campbell, who was born in Belmont county, this state, October 26, 1831, a daughter of Jesse Campbell and wife, who became pioneers of Champaign county, and to that union were born five children, four of whom, John C., Carrie B., Mary Lillian, and Laura L., are living, and one, a daughter, Fannie, who died at the age of eight months. Miss Carrie B. Barnett was graduated from the Cook County (Illinois) Hospital Training School for Nurses at Chicago in 1893 and was for a few years superintendent of the Mitchell-Thompson Hospital at Springfield. Laura L. Barnett was married to James S. Ewing, April 19, 1912. John C. Barnett, who was born in 1856, and who for twenty-two years was editor of the Farm and Fireside, a semi-monthly agricultural journal of national circulation, published at Springfield, and farmeturned to the old home Christian,191o; married Essie Christian of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has one child, a son, Alan Barnett, born in 1892, who. is now an officer in the United States navy. AMOS J. FETT. Amos J. Fett, a well-known and progressive young farmer of Harrison township, living on his farm located on the Spring Hill pike on rural route No. 1, out of West Liberty, Ohio, was born in Union township, Logan county, Ohio, on October 3, 1880, a son of John and Nancy (Yoder) Fett, the former of whom was a native of Germany and the latter of Pennsylvania. John Fett remained in his native land until he reached the age of fifteen years, when in company with one of his brothers, he came to America to seek his fortune. His parents lived and died in Germany. Later another brother came to this country, these three being the only ones of the family who came to the United States. After reaching manhood, John Fett married Nancy Yoder, who was born in. Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, but who was CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1047 brought ,when an infant of three months to Logan county, Ohio, her parents being among the pioneer settlers of that county. John Fett and his .wife lived on a farm in Union township, Logan county, until 1910, when they moved to West Liberty, Ohio, where his death occurred on October I, 1912. They were the parents of six children, all of whom are living : Anna, wife of Jacob Kauffman, living on the old home place in Logan County; Emma, wife of J. L. Troyer, of West Liberty, Ohio; Amanda, wife of Isaac Hartzler, of Logan county, Ohio ; Catherine, wife of Menno Yoder, of West Liberty, Ohio; Dora, wife of E. B. Smacker, of Orville, Wayne county, Ohio, and Amos J., the subject of this review. John Fett and wife were earnest, and consistent members of the Mennonite faith. Amos J. Fett was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Logan county, receiving his early education in the district schools of his home neighborhood, later attending the Lower Institute at West Liberty ; and was also a student for a time in the Elkhart Institute, at Elkhart, Indiana. He engaged in farming and stock raising for himself after his marriage, living on his father's place until in January, 1910, when he moved to his farm of two hundred and twenty-two acres in Harrison township, where he has since lived. He has placed many improvements on this place since coming here, and has erected two silos among other additions to his farm, as he is a breeder of live stock, horses, hogs and cattle, dealing mostly in the last named animals. On April 10, 1909, Amos J. Fett was married to Mary E. Spiker, the daughter of John and Amanda (Smiley) Spiker, the former of whom was a native of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Wayne county, Ohio. Mrs. Fetes parents are now living in Wooster, Ohio. They also were adherents of the Mennonite faith. Besides Mrs. Fett, they were the parents of seven children, as follow : Chauncey, of Canton, Ohio ; Catherine, wife of Amos Conrad, of Wayne county, Ohio; Roy, of Canton, Ohio, and Delta, Ora, Viola and Ralph, the last four of whom are still living at home with their parents. Mrs. Fett received her early education in the district school at Smithville, and later was a student at Goshen Normal School; Goshen, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Fett are the parents of three children : Mary Eleanor. born on February 10, 1910; John Crosby, June 23, 1914, and Emil. Richard. August 8, 1916. Mr. Fett and his wife are active members of Spring Hill Presbyterian church, in which the former is serving as deacon. Mr. Fett is a Republican in politics and takes a good citizen's interest 1048 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. in all public affairs, especially those pertaining to the welfare of his home community. He is a member of the Masonic order, holding membership in West Liberty Lodge No. 161, Free and Accepted Masons. LEWIS HINES. Twentieth-century methods in agriculture and stock raising are followed by Lewis Hines, of Salem township, this county. He was born in York county, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1854, a son of Christian (who spelled the name Heintz). The father was born in Germany, from which country he came to America when a young man, locating in York county, Pennsylvania, where he married Henrietta Jacobs. He was a cabinet maker by trade. He moved from the old Keystone state to Logan comity, Ohio, in 1856, but after remaining there only six months came on to Champaign county, locating at Spring Hill, working at his trade until the breaking out of the Civil War, when he proved his loyalty to his adopted country by enlisting for service in 'the Union army. He died while at the front and was buried there. His widow later married Henry Newfarmer and they established their home in Logan county, Ohio. They were all members of the Dunkard church. Seven children were born to Christian and Henrietta ( Jacobs) Heintz, namely : John, who was killed on a railroad in Chicago when a young man ; the second child died in infancy ; Frank died when twenty-one years old ; Lewis, the subject of this sketch; Dan, who died in 1891; Christian, who died in 1911, and Thomas, who is farming in Logan county, Ohio. Five children were born to Henry Newfarmer and wife, namely : Effie, who lives in Ada, Ohio ; Edward, who makes his home in Logan county, this state ; Walter, who moved to Kansas and died there; and the two youngest children, who died in infancy. Lewis Hines received only a limited education in the common schools, for when only fifteen years of age he began making his own living by hiring out as a farm hand, continuing thus until he was married, in 1874, to Hannah A. Hunt, who was born in Adams township, this county, a daughter of Isaac and Emeline Hunt, who lived on a farm in Adams township for many years. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hines, namely : Chase, who is farming in Logan county and who married Purdy Cookston Charles, who engaged in farming and married Anna Swisher, died in 1907 ; William Clarence, at home ; Ernest, who is engaged in farming in Champaign county, married Marie Harner ; Isaac Forrest, who attended a business col- CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1049 lege in Urbana, is working as stenographer for a milling company at Mansfield, Ohio ; Lettie Pearl, who lives at home; Raymond, who is now serving in the United States navy ; and Ethel Marie, at home, and who is now (1917) attending high school at King's Creek. These children have all received good practical education in the home, schools. After his marriage Mr. Hines located on a farm in Harrison township,. where he lived for five years, then moved to Rush township, this county, where he lived four years; then farmed again in Harrison township for eight years, and in January, 1913, bought his present farm of one hundred and eighteen acres in Salem township, known as the S. B. Thomas farm, on which he has made many improvements. He carries on general farming and raises horses, cattle and hogs. Mr. Hines votes the Republican ticket and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at King's Creek. LEMUEL W. MAGREW. Lemuel W. Magrew is a descendant of one of the pioneer families of Champaign county. The Magrew family has been identified with the growth and development of the county from the earliest times and no history of the county would be complete without some mention of the name, and some credit given for the work in which the Magrew family had so large a part. The grandparents of our subject, Archibald and Mary Magrew, were among the first.settlers of Mad River township, coming to this county from Pennsylvania, the state in which Archibald's father was born and where he lived and died. Archibald and Mary Magrew were a worthy couple and commanded the higest respect and esteem of the community in which they spent their lives. They settled east of Westville, where they made their home and reared several children, one of whom is the father of the subject of this sketch. He has always been in the agricultural and stock business, and an energetic business man. He removed to Delaware, Ohio, for the purpose of educating his children. He was wedded to Zelinda Miller, of Union county, Ohio, in 1854, and to this union six children were born, five of whom are living, namely : Archie M., Lemuel W., Mary, Minnie and Clara. Archie married Eva Pence, May 20, 188o ; Lemuel married Mary Harwood, September 26, 1877. Lemuel W. Magrew was horn in Mad River township, July 27, 1857, 1050 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. a son of Lemuel and. Zelinda (Miller) Magrew. He was reared on the farm and was educated in. the district schools and the Urbana high school. He lived at home until his marriage, September 26, 1877, to Mary. A: Harwood, of Springfield, Ohio. To this union four children were born : Blanche, who married Julius Luther, of Wilmington, Illinois; Nellie, wife of G. L. McCracken, of Youngstown, Ohio; Bertha, wife of T. E. Russell, of Urbana, Ohio, and Pearl, wife of Harry Pemberton, of New Vienna, Ohio. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Magrew moved to the home which they have since occupied, known as "The Ridge." Lemuel Magrew has always been engaged in farming and stock breeding, in which he has been quite successful. He makes a specialty as a breeder of registered Jersey cattle and has a fine herd of the best in the country. In his fraternal associations Mr. Magrew is a member of the Urbana Lodge No. 46, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is past noble grand of that lodge and past chief patriarch of Champaign Encampment No. 29, Patriarchs Militant. He is also past chancellor of Magrew Lodge No. 433, Knights of Pythias, and a member of Westville Grange. His church affiliation is with the Universalist church, of Westville, and he is a trustee of that church. Politically, he is a Democrat. He served five years as school director of the township and was the prime mover in the proposition for the centralization of the schools, and it was largely through his efforts that this was accomplished. JOSEPH C. THACKERY. Joseph C. Thackery is one of the largest landowners in Champaign county. His farm consists of fourteen hundred and five acres, located in Mad River and Urbana townships. His residence is on this farm, rural route four, Urbana, Ohio. He was born on the place where he now lives, December 27, 1855, a son of John and Rachel (Hammon) Thackery, who were natives of England and Pennsylvania, respectively. John Thackery was born in Yorkshire, England, May 26, 1818, and came with his parents to the United States, locating in Jackson township, Champaign county, Ohio. They were among the early settlers, locating in the woods .where they built a log house and began the work of clearing out a farm, the father doing his full share in the arduous work incident to those pioneer, times. John Thackery was a stone mason by trade and he worked CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1051 at his: trade until he had accumulated fifty dollars to pay down on a tract of eighty acres of government land, which he purchased for one .dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. They lived and died in Jackson township.. To John,: Sr., and wife were born nine children, of whom John, Jr., was the first child. Rachel Harmon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she lived during her early years, and her parents came to this county when Rachel was a young woman. After her marriage, she and her husband settled on a farm which they rented. He died at the age of forty-six years. They had ten children, six of whom are living : Martha, single, living at Kings Creek, Ohio; Mary, wife of William Sunday, Kings Creek, Ohio ; James, Broadway, Ohio; Alma, wife of S. C. Hovey, Urbana, Ohio; Minerva, Wife of Joseph Overs, Urbana township; Joseph .C., our subject. The family were members of the Baptist church, belonging to the Kings* Creek congregation of that denomination. He was a Republican but took little part in political matters. Joseph C. Thackery was only eight or nine years old when the death of his father occurred. His mother was left with a family of children, of whom our subject was the youngest. She kept them all together and they grew up on this place. The mother died in 1902. Joseph C. Thackery was Married, July 1, 1890, to Margaret G. Stone, daughter of John T. and Maria (Eacott) Stone, the former of whom was born in Hamilton, Ohio, and his parents were natives of Virginia, coming from that state to Ohio. Mr. Stone spent his boyhood days around Hamilton, his birthplace. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served out the whole term of enlistment. Mrs. .Stone was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, in 1841, coming with her parents in wagons to Champaign county, Ohio, in 1853. Here she grew to womanhood and was married to John T. Stone at Hamilton, Ohio, March 31, 1864. After the death of the latter on January 5, 1867, Mrs. Stone and her daughter, now Mrs. Thackery, lived in Hamilton until 1876, when they came to Urbana. The daughter, Mrs. Thackery, was educated in the high schools of Urbana and Cincinnati, and later taught school in Champaign county and in the high school of Urbana. To Mr. and Mrs. Thackery eight children have been born, five of whom are living : Ruth E., wife of Harry S. Earsom, Urbana, Ohio; Ernest G., at home; Ralph H., in Springfield ; John T., Champaign county, and Margaret S., in school. Mr. Thackery, by previous marriage, to Minnie M. Elper, was the 1052 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. father of two children: Mary R., wife of Mark Russell, of Columbus, Ohio; and James W., Mad River township, who is married and has two children, Joseph C., Jr., and Charlotte A. Mr. and Mrs. Thackery are members of the Baptist church. She was born and reared in the Presbyterian church to which her people belonged. Mr. Thackery is a Republican in politics. He is a director in the Urbana Land and Lumber Company, also in the Urbana Furniture Company. CHARLES T. BARGER. Charles T. Barger, a farmer, of Concord township, Champaign county, is a young man, but is making good at his chosen life work. He has been content to spend his life in his native community, being born on the place where he still resides, May 31, 1891. He is a son of Jacob W. and Mary (Taylor) Barger. The father was also born on the farm now occupied by his son, Charles T., and the mother was born on a farm in Concord township, this county, and is now living in Urbana. Jacob W. Barger was reared on the home farm and attended the district schools in his community. He was a son of Matthew Barger, whose father came to Ohio from Virginia in pioneer days and entered a large tract of land from the government. The father, grandfather and great grandfather of the subject of this sketch all spent their lives on the same farm in Concord township, and here they each became successful farmers and highly respected citizens. Three children were born to Jacob W. Barger and wife, namely : Mabel, the wife of J. C. Baker, of Concord township, this county ; Charles T., the subject of this sketch, and Ruth, wife of Orlie Brownfield, of Salem township. The death of the father occurred in March, 1911. Charles T. Barger was reared on the homestead and he attended the district schools and the high school at Eris. He remained on the home farm until his marriage on July 17, 1916, to Clara Bodey, a daughter of John and Elna Bodey, of Millerstown, where Mrs. Barger was reared and attended school. Mr. Barger owns eighty-eight acres in Concord township, but he is operating four hundred acres, and is thus engaged in farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. He is paying particular attention to raising hogs and sheep and keeps a good grade of stock. No inconsiderable proprotion of his income each year is derived from the judicious handling of CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1053 live stock. He has a comfortable home a half mile west of Eris. Politically, he is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of Khorassan. He is a member of the Methodist church at Concord. L. E. WILLIS. L. E. Willis, owner of the North Lewisburg Telephone Company and proprietor of an up-to-date garage at that place, is a native son of Ohio, and has lived in this state all his life. He was born at Sabina, in Clinton county, June 28, 1865, son of W. E. and Jane Willis, both of whom also were born in Clinton county, and who in 1873 moved to Broadway, in Union county, where they still make their home. For some years after moving to Broadway, W. E. Willis had charge of a saw-mill there and during the Cleveland administration served as postmaster of that town. To him and his wife seven children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only one living in Champaign county. Reared at Broadway, he having been but seven or eight years of age when his parents moved to that place, L. E. Willis received his schooling at that place and there learned the art of telegraphing. Upon completing the course in the high school he began working for the Erie Railway Company as a telegraph operator and in 1889 was stationed at Marion, this state, as the company's operator at that place. In 1891 Mr. Willis was transferred to Kennard, as agent for the Erie at that place, and was thus engaged there for ten years, or until 1901, in which year he moved to North Lewisburg and there became engaged in the furniture and undertaking business. Three years later he disposed of his business in that connection and set about promoting the organization of the North Lewisburg Telephone Company and establishing a telephone plant there. Mr. Willis was quite successful in that undertaking and succeeded in the construction of an admirable plant, which is now serving more than three hundred and seventy-five subscribers, and of which plant Mr. Willis is now sole owner and manager. In 1912 Mr. Willis engaged in the automobile business at North Lewisburg and erected a substantial and up-to-date garage, which he since has been conducting quite successfully. He is the local agent for the sale of the Maxwell car and is regarded as one of the best-known and most energetic automobile men in the county. Mr. Willis is a Democrat and ever since taking up his residence in this county has given his earnest and thoughtful 1054 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. attention to local civic affairs. He is a member of the Champaign count) election board and is a member of the board of trustees of the Champaign County Childrens' Home, in the affairs of which institution he takes a deep interest. In December, 1891, L. E. Willis was united in marriage to Zora Collins, daughter of William Collins and wife, of Broadway, this state, and to this union five children have been born, namely : Burrill, who married Nela Bates and has one child, Klair; Alonzo, who married Madge Parrish, of Lawrence. Kansas, and Mary, Leahbelle and James. Mr. and Mrs. Willis have a very pleasant home at North Lewisburg and take a proper interest in the general social activities of their home town. They are members of the Methodist Episcopl church and are active in church work, Mr. Willis being secretary 'of the official board of the church. He is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias, past chancellor commander of the same, and has for years taken a warm interest in Pythian affairs. HERBERT C. EVERHART. Herbert C. Everhart, trustee of Union township and one of Champaign county's well-known and progressive young farmers, was born on a farm in the neighboring county of, Clark, son of John A. and Melissa Ann (Near) Everhart, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio, who later became resident of Champaign county, John A. Everhart becoming a substantial ,farmer in the Mechanicsburg neighborhood, where he spent his last days. His widow is now making her home at Catawba. John A. Everhart was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, and was a young man when he came to Ohio with his parents, Israel and Maria (Ropp) Everhart, also natives of the same county, the former born in 1811 and the latter in 1817. It was in the spring of 1861 that the. Everharts came to this state and settled on a farm in the Catawba neighborhood, in Clark county, where Israel Everhart and his wife spent their last days, the former dying in 1883 and the latter some years later, she having been eighty years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of six children, further mention of which family is made. elsewhere in this: volume, John A. Everhart having had four brothers, William, Thomas, Edgar S. and George, and one sister, Matilda, the family becoming widely known in upper Clark county and in the eastern part of this county. Israel, Everhart was CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1055 a building contractor at his old home in Virginia, but upon settling in Clark county became a farmer and followed that vocation the rest of his life. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Protestant church and their children were reared in that faith. Not long after taking up his residence in Clark county John A. Everhart married Melissa Ann Near, who was born in that county, a daughter of Mahlon and Nancy M. (McConkey) Near, substantial farming people of Clark county, whose last days were spent there and who were the parents of nine children, those besides Mrs. Everhart having been Jane, Sarah C. and Nancy E. (twins), Nathan 0., Charles 0., Mary and two who died in youth. After his marriage John A. Everhart continued to make his home in Clark county, being there engaged in farming until 1898, in which year he moved with his family to Champaign, county and located on the Layton farm in Union township. Later he bought a farm one mile west of Mechanicsburg and there he continued farming the rest of his life, his death occurring there in 1908, he then being sixty-eight years of age. His widow is now living at Catawba. John A. Everhart was a stanch Republican and he and his wife were members of the Methodist Protestant church. They were the parents of four sons, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow : Scott, who married Ida Taylor and is still living in Clark county, where he is engaged in farming: Warren, a farmer, of Union township, this county, who married May Meyers and has one child, a son, Otis, and Robert, also a Union township farmer, who married Emma Riddle and has one child, a daughter, Margaret Ann. Reared on the farm, Herbert C. Everhart early became a practical farmer and upon completing his schooling, at the age of 'nineteen years, engaged in farming in partnership with his father on the home place west of Mechanicsburg and was thus engaged for several years, at the end of which time he became connected with the work in the grain elevator at Catawba. In the fall of 1914 Mr. Everhart located on the Michael farm, in Union township, this county, where he has since made his home and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Everhart raises some high grade live stock and is recognized as one of the progressive and up-to-date farmers of that neighborhood. He is an active Republican and for the past four years or more has been serving as trustee of Union township, giving his most thoughtful and intelligent attention to the duties of that important local office. In the fall of 1902 Herbert C. Everhart was united in marriage to Bertha Michael, who was born in Union township, this county, daughter 1056 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. of W. F. and Elizabeth Michael, natives of Maryland and both of whom are now deceased, and to this union four children have been born, Roger, deceased, Mildred, Marion and John. Mr. and Mrs. Everhart are members of the Buck Creek Presbyterian church and Mr. Everhart is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias at Mechanicsburg. DAVID S. SPEECE. David S. Speece, a member of one of the pioneer families of Champaign county and proprietor of a fine farm of three hundred acres in Harrison township, twelve miles northwest of Urbana, on rural mail route No. 2 out of that city, was born on a farm adjoining that on which he lives and has lived in that neighborhood all his life. He was born on June 11, 1854, a son of William and Elizabeth (McIntire) Speece, both of whom were born in that same township, members of pioneer families in that part of the county. William Speece was a son of Peter Speece, who also was reared in Harrison township, a son of one of the first settlers in that neighborhood, his father having brought his family over here from Virginia in the early days of the settlement of Champaign county and established his home in the Millerstown neighborhood. Peter Speece's father was a native of Germany and for some time after coming to this county taught a German school near Millerstown. Peter Speece reared his family in Harrison township and later moved to Wells county, Indiana, where he spent his last days. His son, William Speece, grew up in Harrison township, married Elizabeth McIntire, also a member of one of the pioneer families of that neighborhood, and established his home in that same township, on a farm adjoining that on which David `S. Speece now lives. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow : Thomas, also a resident of Harrison township; Sarah, wife of David Taylor; Samantha, wife of William Hoffman; Margaret, wife of H. Pyle, of St. Paris; William H., of Degraff ; Etna, wife of J. M. Bargu, also of Degraff, and Rena, wife of L. A. Clark, of Concord. township. David S. Speece was reared on the old home farm in Harrison town- ship, receiving his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood, and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant in the labors of improving CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1057 and developing the home place. When twenty-one years of age he began farming on his own account, renting a portion of the home acres, and after his marriage in 188o established his home on the place on which he is now living. adjoining the old home place, and where he owns three hundred acres of well-tilled and profitably cultivated land. He has a fine house of twelve rooms and a basement, with a hot-water heating plant, which he erected in 1897, and the other buildings which go to make up his excellent farm plant are in keeping with the same. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Speece has for years given special attention to the feeding of live stock and has done very well in his operations, long having been regarded as one of the most substantial farmers and stockmen in that part of the county. On September 26, 188o, David S. Speece was united in marriage to Margaret DeWeese, who was born in the neighboring county of Shelby in September, 1858, and to this union four children have been born, namely: William M., who married Catherine Carey and lives at Rosewood; Erma, wife of B. A. Phineger, of Harrison township; Cora, wife of Fred Heiringberg, of Urbana, and Frank T., who is at home assisting his father the operation of the stock farm. Mr. and Mrs. Speece are members of the United Brethren church at Rosewood and Mr. Speece is a member of Rosewood Lodge No. 213, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically, he is a Democrat, but has never been particularly active in political affairs, though ever giving a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, and has done his part in the general upbuilding of the community in which he has lived all his life. EMMET A. BODEY. Among the younger farmers of Johnson township, this county, who have proved themselves progressive and scientific in their methods, is Emmet A. Bodey, who was born on the farm where he now lives, one and one-half miles west of Millerstown, on April 14, 1875. He is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Vincent) Bodey, both of whom were natives of Ohio, the father having been born in this county, and the mother in Logan county. The Bodey family were among the early pioneer settlers of this part of Ohio, Adam Bodey, the father of -Henry Bodey, coming to Ohio at an early date from Virginia. The family are of German descent. Henry Bodey and wife were the parents of six children, of whom four are now living: Hen-. rietta, the wife of Charles Pence, residing in Washington; Lottie, deceased; (67a) 1058 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. Anna V., of Redmond, Washington ; Mary, deceased; Carl, a resident of Johnson township, and Emmet A., the subject of this sketch. Emmet A. Bodey was born and reared on the farm just north of where he is living, which was a part of the old Bodey home place. He received his education in the rural schools of his home township, and at the age of sixteen, went to Oregon, where he was employed at farm labor for three years. At the end of that time he returned to Champaign county, remaining on the home place eighteen months, at the end of which time he again went West, his destination being Seattle, Washington. He secured employment in the lumber woods and was thus engaged for three years, during which time he acquired twenty acres of. land in that state. Upon the death of his father he returned to Champaign county to take charge of the home farm, and has since lived there, carrying on general farming and stock raising. Emmet A. Bodey has been twice married, his first wife having been Rosa Smith. To that union six children were born, only two of whom are now living, Mary and Dale, both of whom are living at home with their father. After the death of the mother of these children Mr. Bodey married Ada Kautz, the daughter of Charles Kautz and wife, both of whom were natives of Ohio. Mr. Kautz and wife were the parents of three children, two of whom are now living, Harry, of Urbana, Ohio, and Ada, the wife of Mr. Bodey. Mr.. Bodey is an independent voter. He is an up-to-date, progressive farmer, and ranks high in the esteem of his neighbors and friends. WILL B. CROCKETT. Will B. Crockett, a farmer, of Harrison township, this county, was born on September 23, 1864, on the farm where he now lives. He is a son of Newton I. and Rachel J. (Baker) Crockett, the former of whom was born on the farm where his son, Will B., now resides. The mother was born in Dayton, Ohio, a daughter of J. H. and Catherine (Altick) Baker. Her parents moved to Wabash, Indiana, when she was eight years of age, and there she grew to womanhood and married. She received a good education and taught school a number of years in Wabash county, Indiana. After his marriage Newton I. Crockett located on the farm where the subject of this sketch now lives, but three years later moved back to Wabash county, Indiana, where he died, in 1868, after which his widow brought her children to Champaign county and located on a farm in Harrison township, the old home CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1059 place. Later she married H. A. Crockett, a brother of her first husband. To her first marriage two children were, born, namely : Olive A., the wife of J. M. Pittman, of Harrison township, and Will B., the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children is still living, being now well advanced in years. Will B. Crockett grew up on the home farm, attended the district schools, and has spent his life in Harrison township, remaining on the old homestead, which he has kept well improved and well cultivated, and now owns one hundred and thirty-four acres of good land. On April 24, 1882, Mr. Crockett was married to Mary B. Lapp, who was born in Union township, Logan county, Ohio, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Yoder) Lapp, who make their home near West Liberty, this state. Mr. and Mrs. Lapp are parents of fourteen children, four sons and ten daughters, namely : Emma, the wife of Ezra Kauffman ; Malinda, next in order of birth ; Lydia, the wife of John Musser; Jacob, an architect, who lives in Dayton, Ohio; Fannie, the next child ; Sadie, the wife of J. A. Zook ; John H., who lives in New Philadelphia, Ohio ; David A., who married Fannie Hartzler ; Mary B., wife of the subject of this sketch ; Catherine, the wife of A. F. Yoder; Alva, who married a Miss Auxbarger ; Nellie, the wife of Edward Shoemaker ; Celesta, the next in order of birth, and Saloma, the wife of George Harmon. Mr. Crockett is a Republican. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at St. Paris. His wife belongs to the Christian church at West Liberty. PROF. RAY D. CONRAD. Prof. Ray D. Conrad, of Woodstock, one of the best-known members of Champaign county's efficient teaching force, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on September 20, 1888, son of Firman Oliver and Alberta (Collins) Conrad, both of whom are still living in this county. Firman Oliver Conrad was born on July 3o, 1863, son of Howard and Amelia Jane Conrad, of American birth, and his wife was born at Tremont City, in the neighboring county of Clark; October 29, 1867, daughter of Margaret and Thomas Collins, also of American birth. Mr. and Mrs. Conrad have two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mrs. Nellie Pence, also a resident of Champaign county. Ray D. Conrad was graduated from the Westville high school in 1907 ; from the Urbana high school in 1908, and from the Wittenberg Col- 1060 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. lege at Springfield in 1914, receiving from the latter institution the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In the spring of 1917 Wittenberg College conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. Upon leaving high school Professor Conrad began teaching and has since been thus engaged, save for the period spent in completing his studies in college, his summer vacations from his teaching service in this county being spent as an instructor in the Culver Military Academy at Lake Maxinkuckee, in Indiana. The Professor is a stockholder in the Hermine Operating Company, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Politically, he is a Republican. By religious persuasion he is a Methodist and is affiliated with the church of that communion at Terre Haute, this county. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, his connection being with the lodge of that order at Christiansburg. On December 24, 1913, at Westville, this county, Prof. Ray D. Conrad was united in marriage to Abbie Keith, who also was born in this county, February 11, 1889, daughter and only child of Elbert Lewis and Mary Keith. Elbert Lewis Keith, who was born in 1849, died in 1902. His widow, who was born in 1852, is still living. Professor and Mrs. Conrad have two children, Dorothy Mae, born on October 16, 1914, and David, June 29, 1916. They have a very pleasant home at Woodstock and take an interested and .helpful part in the general social and cultural activities of the community at large. JOHN COWGILL. John Cowgill, one of the careful farmers of Salem township, this county, was born on May 12, 1856, in the same' locality where he now resides. and has been content to spend his life in his native county. He is a son of Thomas and Matilda Ann (Watkins) Cowgill, the former a native of Columbiana county, Ohio, and the latter, of Logan county, this state. Thomas Cowgill was about six years old when his parents brought him to Champaign county. He was a son of Thomas and Anna Cowgill. The former was born in Frederick county, Virginia, July 27, 1777, and his death occurred in Champaign county, Ohio, September 14, 1846. His wife was born in Stafford county, Virginia, September 16, 1780. and her death occurred in Champaign county, Ohio, June 18, 1868. To Thomas and Anna Cowgill CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1061 eleven children were born, of whom Thomas, Jr., was the sixth in order of birth. Thomas Cowgill, Jr., father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Salem township, this county, in 1811, grew to manhood amid pioneer conditions, attended the old-time schools here and assisted his father clear and develop a farm from the wilderness. When a young man he took up surveying and later practiced medicine, a country doctor of the old school, and became one of the most prominent and successful general physicians in Champaign county in his day and generation, practicing his profession here for many years. He became well-to-do and was owner of a large tract of valuable farming land. He was a man of many commendable personal characteristics, a fine example of a successful self-made man, and was popular throughout the county. His family consisted of but two children, of whom the subject of this sketch alone survives. John Cowgill grew to manhood on the home farm in Salem township and received his education in the district schools. He has devoted his life to general farming and stock raising on a portion of the old homestead, but he has of late years not been as active as formerly. He married Doschia Slaughter, and to their union five children have been born, namely : Goldie Ruth, Pearl Mae, Mary Elizabeth, Doschia and John Henry. Mr. Cowgill is a Republican. He belongs to the Quaker church. JOSHUA H. CLARK.. Joshua H. Clark, of Urbana, one of Champaign county's best-known farmers and former trustee of Salem township, who for the past seven or eight years has made his home in Urbana, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Urbana township on November 23, 1855, son of Jacob A. and Susanna (Swisher) Clark, natives of Virginia, who had come to this county in that same year and the latter of whom is still living, an old resident of Salem township. Jacob A. Clark was the son of Isaac and Mary (Ambrose) Clark, also natives of Virginia, who drove through to Urbana some little time after their son Jacob had settled in this county and settled on a farm south of Urbana, later moving to the Cable neighborhood in Wayne township, where their last days were spent. Isaac Clark and wife were the parents of seven children, Joseph, Jacob A., Joshua, John, Peter, Harrison and Margaret. 1062 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. It was in 1855 that Jacob A. Clark and wife, shortly after their marriage, came to this county from Virginia. For some time after coming here he lived on a rented farm and then bought a farm of one hundred and twenty-three acres in Salem township, where he established his home and where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring in May, 1901. His widow is still making her home on that farm, where she is very comfortably situated. To Jacob A. Clark and wife were born nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first born, the others being as follow : Gabriel, who married Minnie Gusness and is farming in Union township; Samuel, who married Lizzie McKee and is living at Cary, where he is engaged in carpentering; Eliza, who married John Powl and is now deceased ; Jacob, who married Louise Nanceyhaufer and is engaged in farming in the King's Creek neighborhood; Laura, wife of William Briggs, of Urbana; Della, deceased, who was the wife of J. E. Hougyshell ; Elmer, a carpenter and bridge builder, now living at Bluffton, Indiana, and Cora, wife of Griffith Fox, of Urbana. Joshua H. Clark grew to manhood on the home farm in Wayne township, to which his parents had moved from Urbana township when he was a boy, and he received his schooling in the district school in that neighborhood. Being the eldest son he was a valued assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home place and he remained at home until his marriage when twenty-six years of age, after which he began farming for himself on a farm on the Urbana and Cable pike, four miles northeast of Urbana, in Salem. township, and there resided until he presently bought. the Captain Diltz farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres, on the line between Urbana and Wayne township, and there remained , for seven, years, at the end of which time he sold that place and bought ten acres of the Will Long estate in Salem township, where he made his home for eleven years, at the end of which time, in 1910, he moved to Urbana and has since been residing there in a house at 837 North Main street which he had bought in 1907, known then as the Jennings property, and where he and his wife are very comfortably situated. In addition to looking after the farming interests of his own place Mr. Clark has been farming his father's old home place for the past fifteen years or more and is doing very well. He is a Republican and during his residence in Salem township gave his earnest attention to local political affairs, serving for five years as trustee of that township. He also served for some time as a member of the school board in Wayne township during his residence in that township. It was on July 20, 1882, that Joshua H. Clark was united in marriage CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1063 to Amanda Birks, who was born on a farm in Concord township, this county, a daughter of Adam and Hannah (Heller) Birks, the former of whom was born in Germany, a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, and who upon coming to this country had proceeded on out to Ohio and after a sometime residence near West Liberty, had come to this county and located in Concord township, where he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1871. His widow survived him for twenty-eight years, her death occurring in 1899. They were members of the Lutheran church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these children, of whom Mrs. Clark was the eighth in order of birth, the others being as follow : Henry; a mechanic, of Springfield, this state ; Margaret, wife of Joseph Irestine, of Salem township, this county ; Mary, deceased ; William, a carpenter, living at Springfield ; John, of Urbana ; Frank, deceased ; Charles, deceased, and Anna, of Urbana, who married William Pangle and after his death married Willard Stewart, who also is now deceased. To Joshua and Amanda (Birks) Clark have been born two children, both of whom died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are members of Grace Methodist Episcopal church at Urbana and take a proper interest in church work, as well as in the general good works of their home town, helpful in many ways in promoting movements designed to advance the common welfare. R. G. JOHNSON. Although yet a young man, R. G. Johnson, who is teaching school at Cable, Champaign county, has won a large measure of success in one of the most exacting of professions and gives promise of accomplishing still greater good as an educator in the ,future. Mr. Johnson was born in Union township, this county, December 14., 1889, a son of John W. and Sepha (Wooley) Johnson. The father grew to manhood on the farm in this county, and received his early education in the public schools of Union township. He began farming when a young man in Union township, continuing there in general agricultural pursuits until he was fifty years of age, when he moved to Wayne township, later locating in Cable, where he spent the rest of his life, dying in that Tillage. His widow is still living, making her home at Urbana. To these parents two children were born, the subject of this sketch and Roy. R. G. Johnson grew to manhood in Union township and received his 1064 - CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. early education in the public schools of that township, and in the high school at Mechanicsburg, which latter he attended for a short time; then studied at Miami University, finishing his work there in 1910. During the year 1915 he attended Wittenberg College at Springfield, Ohio, and is now planning to take a special course in that institution. Mr. Johnson has been teaching since 1911. He taught his first term at the White school house in Union township, spending one year there; then taught two years at Middletown and two years at Mingo. At this Writing, 1917, he is engaged in teaching at Cable, where he has been engaged for another year also. He has been very successful from the first as an instructor and now ranks among the popular teachers of Champaign county. He is a diligent student himself and keeps well abreast of the times in all that pertains to educational work. He has introduced many new and approved methods in the schools of which he has been in charge, and has been popular with both pupils and patrons. On May 29, 1916, Mr. Johnson was married to Alice Black, a daughter of Edward and Jennie Black. Politically, Mr. Johnson is a Republican. He is a, member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is past noble grand of the local lodge of that order. He is a member of the Methodist" Episcopal church. WILLIAM HANNA. The biographies of enterprising men, especially good men, are instructive as guides and incentive to others. The examples they furnish of patient purpose and steadfast integrity, strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accomplish, when they have courage and right principles to control their course of action. Such a man was the late William Hanna,. one of the most progressive agriculturists and highly esteemed citizens Of Champaign county, during the generation that has just passed. Mr. Hanna was a scion of one of the sterling old pioneer families of the above named county, and he was born on the Hanna homestead west of Urbana, in Concord township, September 26, 1847. He was a son of Andrew and Rachael (Barber) Hanna, who were among the early settlers in Concord township. Andrew Hanna came here from Virginia when young. His wife's parents were also from Virginia, but she was a native of this township, where she grew to womanhood. CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1065 William Hanna married Margaret Barger, who was born on the old Barger farm a half mile west of Eris in Concord township, on the place where Charles Barger now lives. After their marriage William and Margaret Hanna settled on a farm on the line between Mad River and Concord townships, and there Mr. Hanna carried on general farming and stock raising in a successful manner until 1906, when he removed to the farm in Concord township on which his son, Walter W. Hanna, now lives. There he continued agricultural pursuits until 191o, when he went to Colorado, where he spent three or four years; then returned to Concord township and died here in June, 1916. His wife had preceded him to the grave in 1899. To William Hanna and wife six children were born, three of whom are living at this writing, namely : Cleo V., the wife of John H. Abbott, a farmer of Concord township; Walter W., who was born on the line between Mad River and Concord township, December 21, 1882, resides on what is known as the old F. N. Barger farm in Concord township, and Benjamin E., who makes his home in Colorado. In his earlier years William Hanna was a Republican, but in later life was not a biased partisan, being more of an independent voter. He took an active interest in public affairs all his life. He was one of the first members of Lodge No. 46, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Urbana. He and J. C. Thackery were the originators of the plan for dredging Mad river, and their efforts finally resulted in the accomplishment of this task, which proved to be a great advantage to the people of this section of the state. He took an abiding interest in whatever made for the development of his locality in any legitimate way. His. wife belonged to the Concord Methodist Episcopal church. JOHN TAYLOR'S FAMILY. In the Baptist church at King's creek there is a beautiful memorial window sacred to the memory of John Taylor, .an honored pioneer of Champaign county, who donated the land- on which that church stands and whose efforts in behalf of a proper social order, in the days of the beginning of the settlement in that neighborhood had very much to do with the orderly .establishment of the community on its present sound basis. John .Taylor was one of the first settlers in that part of the county and one of the most influential factors in bringing about proper conditions there in the early days. A Virginian by 1066 -CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO. birth, he had been carefully reared and both he and his wife brought out here to the then wilderness fine ideas concerning the needs of a new community and it is undoubted that their influence in those early days had very much to do with the firm establishment of the King's Creek settlement. John Taylor was born on March 11, 1769, a son of William and Mary (Buckels) Taylor, substantial residents of what then was Berks county, Virginia, now Jefferson county, West Virginia. He grew to manhood in that community and there married Catherine Orsborn, who was born on June 4, 1773. After his marriage he remained in that community until in the spring of 1804, when he came out into the then new state of Ohio, this state having just been admitted to statehood the year before, and established his home in Champaign county, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, honored and useful pioneers, ever devoted to the common good. With them came seven children that had been born to them in Virginia and after taking up their home in this county three other children were born to them. All of these children grew to maturity and all married and had children save one, hence the Taylor family presently became one of the most numerous in this section, gradually growing with the succeeding generations, until now the progeny of this pioneer pair in this part of Ohio form one of the most numerously represented families hereabout. It was in April, 1804, that John Taylor came over from Virginia into the new state of Ohio and settled on a farm in the immediate vicinity of King's Creek, in Salem township, this county. From Isaac Zanes, the white chief of the Wyandots, he bought there a section of land containing six hundred and forty-three and eight hundredths acres and on that: practically unimproved tract established his home and spent the rest of his life. He later bought from the government the west quarter of section 8, township 5, range 12, his deed to the same being signed by James Monroe, President of the United States, July 13, 1819. He also bought other lands hereabout and in time became the owner of one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight acres of land, giving to each of his children a quarter of a section of land before he died. A practical miller, John Taylor had brought out here with him upon coming from Virginia, the machinery for a grist-mill and at King's Creek he set up the first grinding-mill in that section, his mill early becoming the central point for the settlers for miles about. He also erected a tannery and saw-mill and as the head of these three industries performed an admirable service in the new community. He and his wife were ardent Baptists and upon the organization of a. congregation of that communion at King's Creek he donated to the CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO - 1067 congregation the tract of land on which the church stands to this day and also a tract for cemetery purposes. In that cemetery his body was laid away after his death on August 21, 1825, and in the handsome church edifice which now marks the site of the first primitive church building he helped to erect, there is a beautiful memorial window testifying to John Taylor's distinctive service in behalf of the church. His wife had preceded him to the grave several years and she was buried in the old cemetery at Urbana. When the family desired to have her remains removed to the cemetery at King's Creek, after John Taylor had donated a tract for such purpose, her grave could not be satisfactorily identified and her body still lies in its original resting place, though the monument erected at John Taylor's grave just northwest of the church at King's Creek bears her name as well as his. As noted above John and Catherine (Orsborn) Taylor were the parents of ten children, these children, in order of birth, being named William, David, Mary, Samuel, Levi, Margaret, Thomas, Ruhama, Blanche and Elizabeth, or "Betsy." William Taylor married Elizabeth Morgan and had nine children. David Taylor married Ann Hendricks and had two children. Mary Taylor married Archibald Magrew and had ten children. Samuel Taylor was married three times and was the father of seven children. His first wife, Sarah Phillips, was the mother of five children, four of whom grew to maturity. His marriage to Rachel Gray was without issue. His third wife, Susan Reynolds, was the mother of two children. Levi Taylor, who was born in Virginia on March 24, 1800, and who was therefore but four years of age when his parents settled in this county, grew up here and on June 16, 1825, married Mrs: Sarah Lowery, born Chamberlain. Of the ten children born to that union but four lived to maturity, John, Sarah Ann, Elias and Job, all of whom married. Sarah Chamberlain was thrice married, her first union having been contracted in Cayuga county, New York, with Robert Worden, who died two years later, leaving one child, a son, Alvin Worden, who was born in that same county. After the death of her husband the Widow Worden moved with her parents to Indiana and at Lawrenceburg, that state, she married John Lowery, afterward coming to this state and locating at Urbana, where, after the death of Mr. Lowery, she married Levi Taylor. Margaret Taylor married Timothy Powell and had eight children. Thomas Taylor married Lucy Chamberlain and had nine children. Ruhama Taylor, who did not marry, made her home during the later years of her life with her younger sister, Blanche, who married John Miller and had six children. The last-born child of John Taylor, Elizabeth, or "Betsy" Taylor, married Charles Mathes and had two children.