KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 475 can. He was a hardworking, home loving man and, like his father before him, enjoyed the respect of all who knew him. His family consisted of three sons, namely : George J , of this sketch: 'William 0. and James E., both soldiers in the Union army, died toward the close of the war, 1864, while in the service, their deaths having occurred within two days, due to typhoid fever. The mother of these children died in 1873, the father surviving until 1891. George J. Ewers, of this sketch, grew up on the home farm, where he made himself useful as a boy during the crop seasons, attending the Caywood school house in the wintertime. Later, having had a bent toward the law, he began reading Blackstone, and attended the law department of the University of Michigan for one term, but not finding a legal career entirely to his liking he took up teaching in the schools near his home, which he followed successfully for four terms, giving much promise as an educator ; but the freer life of the agriculturist finally lured him back to the soil, and he purchased ninety-six acres of the home place, of his father, and to this he later added seventy-seven and one-half acres, now owning one of the choice farms of Middlebury township, which he has kept \ v el I improved and under a high state of cultivation, employing modern methods of farming and stock raising, and he has met with uniform success. Everything about his place denotes thrift, prosperity and good management. Mr. Ewers has long manifested an abiding interest in public affairs, and is an influential factor in local Republican politics. He has served as justice of the peace, as trustee and treasurer of Middlebury township, giving eminent satisfaction as an able and conscientious public servant to all concerned, irrespective of party alignment. As a justice his decisions were always characterized by fairness to all concerned, with a splendid conception of the law, and they have seldom met with reversal at the hands of a higher tribunal. On December 18, 1877, Mr. Ewers was united in marriage with Nettie Adams, who was born in Berlin township, Knox county, Ohio, on September 13, 1834. She is the daughter of Jacob and Sabrey (Brown) Adams, a highly esteemed family here. She grew to womanhood and received her education in her native county. These parents were natives of Berlin township, this county. To Mr. and Mrs. Ewers four children have been born, named as follows: Frank, who is a graduate of Berea College, Kentucky, and of the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, is now a practicing physician at Akron, Ohio. The second son, James E., is a successful lawyer in Boston, Massachusetts, having graduated from Yale University and Yale Law School. Floyd was the third in order of birth, and Walter, the youngest, is deceased. 476 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. Mr. Ewers is a well educated man and an advocate of higher learning; he has given his children every opportunity in educational matters, and they are thus exceptionally well equipped for life's duties, The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Ewers, John and Catherine Adams, came to Knox county, Ohio, from Pennsylvania, driving overland with a team and wagon about 1812, and were thus early pioneers. Jacob Adams was born in 1821 and his death occurred on March 14, 1893; his wife, Sabrey Brown, was born on February 20, 1829, and her death occurred in 1902. In every-day life, George J. Ewers is a man whose word is as good, if not better, than the bond of most men. Honesty and integrity are no meaningless terms with him and his records as a man and citizen are without blemish. He is a leader in this part of the county in public affairs, and because of his interest in all that makes for the good of the county, his industry and genial address, his unassuming nature and his loyalty to all that is ennobling and in harmony with the right as he sees and understands the right, have made him esteemed with a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. RICHARD D. PURDY. The subject of this review is a gentleman of high standing to whom has not been denied a full measure of success. He is one of the representative farmers of Clay township, having long .been a recognized factor of importance in connection with not only the agricultural interests of this and other sections, but has also been identified with the growth and prosperity of the vicinities where he has been pleased to reside. He is a connecting link between the pioneer epoch and the present period, his family having been early residents of the Buckeye state. Richard D. Purdy was born on November 9, 1833, on a farm in Holmes county, Ohio. He is the son of Elijah and Clarinda (Babcock) Purdy, the father born in Wayne county, Pennsylvania, and the mother in Coshocton county, Ohio. The father came to Holmes county, Ohio, about 1818, when eighteen years of age, his parents both being deceased, and here he engaged in farm work, the country then being little developed. He devoted his life to farming and was also a minister in the old-school Baptist church. He spent the remainder of his life in Holmes county and there his death occurred on October 16, 1872, his widow surviving until in July, 1876. They were the parents of ten children, six sons and four daughters. Six of them are now KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 477 living, namely: Richard D., of this review, is the oldest of the sons living; Julia Ann, the oldest of the children, resides in Carthage, Missouri, at the advanced age of ninety years, being the widow of Dr. D. B. Stickney ; Ephraim lives in Vanwert county, Ohio; Mercy Jane is the widow of Emmanuel Shaffer, of Allen county, Ohio; Eliah lives in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; John C. lives in Harrison township, this county ; those deceased are Lucinda, Ruth, Edward and Ozias Wilson. Richard D. Purdy was reared on the farm and was educated in the country district schools, but his education was limited. When eighteen years of age he began learning the carpenter's trade and he worked at that for forty years in many counties in Ohio and Kansas, also Missouri and Indiana. Being a skilled workman, his services were always in great demand, and many are the substantial dwellings, barns and business houses over the country that stand today as monuments to his skill as a builder, Mr. Purdy was married on February 8, 1854, to Rachael Purdy, who was born November 28, 1833, the daughter of Nathaniel and Clara ( Nicholson) Purdy, of Holmes county, this family having originally come from Wayne county, Pennsylvania. Seven children have been born to the subject and wife, namely : Julia A. is the wife of Simon J. Dudgeon, of Gambier; Clarenda V. married Abraham Morningstar, of Gambier; Jasper N. lives in Allen county, Ohio; Emory E. lives in the state of Washington ; John C. lives in Clay township, this county ; Chauncey V. lives in Pleasant township, this county ; Henry Valentine lives in Centerburg. There has not been a death in the family. After his marriage Mr. Purdy settled in Allen county, Ohio, in the woods and there began clearing the land, and in time he had a good farm which he superintended, but also carried on his trade of carpenter. From there he moved to Jefferson county, Kansas, in 1864, where he became the owner of a farm and in connection with it followed his trade. The health of himself and family not being of the best in the Sunflower state, they returned to Ohio in 1866, locating in Harrison township, Knox county, where he bought a farm and also followed carpentering. In 1876 he bought his present farm in Clay township and soon thereafter moved his family to the same and here he has since resided. For a number of years after moving here he followed carpenter contracting, He became the owner of two hundred and thirty-four acres of land, but he has disposed of his land until he now has but one hundred and twenty acres. It is well improved and under a high state of cultivation, and here he carries on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of sheep. He has a large, substantial and 478 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. attractive home and good buildings of all kinds on his place. His home is two miles north of Martinsburg. Politically, Mr. Purdy is a Democrat and he has served as justice of the peace, also as a member of the local board of education. He has kept well informed on public questions and has ever manifested an interest in public matters. He and part of his family are members of the Baptist church and they are prominent in all circles in which they move. LORAN E. MAHAN. This well known citizen is another of the old soldiers who went out to fight their country's battles nearly fifty years ago. What a splendid sight it is at the present day to see a company of these old soldiers go by on Decoration day or the Fourth of July, in their faded uniforms and with their tattered flags flying. But they will soon he gone forever, and nothing will be left but a memory. That memory should be something more than a sound. Their deeds should be perpetuated in song and story, in monument and perpetual commemoration, so that the future generations may draw inspiration from their patriotism and gallantry. One of the honored veterans of that great war is Loran E. Mahan, farmer of Miller township, Knox county, who was born on June 3, 1848. in Milford township, this county. He is the son of Edgar and Weltha (Ellis) Mahan, both natives of Geneseo county., New York, and there they grew to maturity, received their education and were married, The father learned the shoemaker's trade, and he also farmed many years. His death occurred about 188o, his widow surviving a number of years. Loran E. Mahan was reared on the home farm, where he worked when of proper age and he received his education in the common schools, though he never attended school after he was fourteen years of age. When the Civil war came on he wanted to go to the front, but was not old enough, so he waited patiently as the war progressed and when fifteen years old he enlisted in Company H, Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served under General Sherman in his campaign about Atlanta and was with him on the memorable march to the sea, and until the close of the war, which found him in the Carolinas. He was wounded at the battle of Averasborough, North Carolina, in March, 1865, but continued with his regiment, never missing a day's duty while in the service, and he proved to be as faithful a KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 479 soldier as any of the veterans in his regiment. After the close of the war he returned to the home farm in Knox county, where he continued to work until his marriage, on December 31, 1872, to Almeda Harris, daughter of Emer B. and Polly Ann (Dailey) Harris, of Liberty township, an early pioneer family from Virginia. Two daughters and one son have been born to the subject and wife, namely : Anna, who married Thomas Robblee, of Lincoln, Nebraska; Weltha married Edward Paswater, of Lincoln, Nebraska ; Ralph L. lives in Malcolm, Nebraska. After his marriage Mr. Mahan went to Champaign county, Illinois, where he remained four years, then went to Lancaster county, Nebraska, and continued to reside there until 1909, when he and his wife returned to Miller township, Knox county, Ohio. While living in Nebraska he engaged in farming and in breeding registered Jersey cattle and Essex hogs. He was an extensive breeder and became widely known as such. At the Columbian Exposition at Chicago, 1893, perhaps the greatest world's fair ever held, he made seventeen entries of his thoroughbred hogs, and he had the good fortune to carry away seventeen prizes, thirteen of which were first prizes. Nine herds were competing. He was also an exhibitor at various state fairs and was always a prize winner. He was also extensively engaged in the dairy business with Lincoln, Nebraska, as his market point, among the families he furnished being that of William J. Bryan, who was a customer for several years. Mr. Mahan was also a large land owner and engaged in general farming, but it was his fine stock that carried his name broadcast over the country. No better judge of live stock could be found than he and he has always been a great admirer of good breeds of various kinds of stock. Since returning to Miller township, this county, Mr. Mahan bought what was known as the Miller farm, deeded to James Miller in 1814, and signed by President Madison, and it never changed title and was never mortgaged, until bought by the subject in 1909. This excellent farm contains three hundred acres of as valuable land as the county affords, well improved and under a high state of cultivation, in fact, one of the choicest farms of the county. Mr. Mahan has laid miles of tile in the fields and in every way brought the place up to the most advanced standard, and he also carries on a system of crop rotation, and is in every way a successful and scientific farmer, and he carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale. He has also begun fine horse breeding, thoroughbred Belgian horses, there being none finer in the state, and because of their superior quality his stock are greatly admired by all. He also breeds high grade Delaine sheep. He has 480 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. been regarded as one of the most progressive and foremost farmers and breeders in whatever community he has lived. Politically, Mr. Mahan is a Republican and he has been a loyal party man, always interested in public affairs and in whatever tended to promote the interests of his community. While living in Nebraska he was many times urged to become a candidate for the county offices, but always declined, having never been an office seeker. Fraternally, he is a member of the Lil ford Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, His fine farm lies five and one-half miles southwest of Mt. Vernon and he has a modern, attractive and pleasant home, surrounded by large, convenient barns, stock sheds and various outbuildings; he has replaced all the deficient structures on the farm with substantial ones, and everything about the place denotes thrift, good management and prosperity. Personally, Mr. Mahan is an obliging, unassuming, public-spirited gentleman whose integrity is unquestioned. JAMES COLGIN. It is no doubt true that Ireland, of all countries of the world, has sent more emigrants in proportion to population to the United States than any other country, and the reason is well known. For hundreds of years the Emerald Isle has been denied many valuable rights and privileges by Great Britain, and the pride and honor of the people were ground into the dust. They could avoid all this only by leaving the island, much as they loved it, and accordingly thousands of them, as the years rolled round, have crossed the wide Atlantic to find a home of greater freedom in America. They began to come in large numbers after the Revolution and have continued to come until the present time, In every state they have settled and built up comfortable homes. They were among our first teachers and business men, and today they occupy many of the proudest positions within the gift of the inhabitants. In the northern part of Erin was born the late James Colgin, long a thrifty farmer of Butler township, Knox county, and an honored veteran of the Union army, When eleven years of age, he emigrated with his parents, Frank and Mary Ann Colgin, to the United States, soon afterwards locating in Knox county, Ohio, and here they farmed on rented land until their deaths, a few years after establishing their home in the new country. These parents had eight children, who grew to maturity, and three of them are still living. KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 481 James Colgin was educated in the common schools of Knox county and here grew to manhood. He worked on the farm when a boy, by the month, later renting land, and finally, having gotten a start through his industry, he purchased a farm north of here. Later selling that, he bought a farm of one hundred and eighty-three acres in Butler township on which he placed many valuable improvements and made a comfortable living as a general farmer and stock raiser, establishing a good home and here he remained until his death, on May 4, 1904. Mr, Colgin proved his loyalty to his adopted country during our great civil strife in the early sixties by enlisting in 1864 in an Ohio regiment and he served faithfully in the Federal army for nine months. Politically, he was a Republican, and in his fraternal relations was a member of the Masonic order. He also belonged to the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr, Colgin was married on February I1, 1866, to Mary M. Morningstar, who was born November 19, 1842, in Knox county, the daughter of William and Susan Morningstar, a highly esteemed old family of this county, who came here in pioneer days from Pennsylvania. The mother was a member of the Horn family, also prominent in the early life of the locality, Here Mrs. Colgin was reared and educated. Since the death of her husband she and her sons have operated the place, carrying on the work inaugurated by Mr. Colgin in a most praiseworthy manner. Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. James Colgin, named as follows : William Shernian, Elizabeth Ann, Bertha E., Frank; Arthur, who superintends the farm ; Benton teaches school and assists on the home farm in summer ; Garfield was the youngest child. The father was a man whom everybody respected, for he had few personal faults and was neighborly, kind and generous. TORRENCE MITCHELL. A representative of one of the old and honored families of Knox county, which since pioneer days has been prominently connected with the development and substantial progress of this section of the state, Torrence Mitchell, farmer of Milford township, has worthily sustained the good reputation of the family through his active and useful life and prominence in connection with the agricultural industries of this favored section of the Buckeye state. There is utmost compatibility in here entering a brief review of his career, and aside from being a valuable and perpetual record, the article will be read with interest by the many friends of himself and family. 482 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. Mr. Mitchell was born on the farm he now owns in Milford township, this county, on April 22, 1851. He is the son of Almon and Margaret (Hawkins) Mitchell. The paternal grandparents, Sylvanus Mitchell and wife, were natives of Connecticut, where they spent their early lives, emigrating in an early day to Licking county, Ohio, and in 1824 they moved to Knox county when neighbors were few and a wild stretch of woods covered the earth. Here they established their home and spent the balance of their lives. The maternal grandparents, Harrison and Phebe (Lovell) Hawkins, were natives of Rhode Island, locating in Milford township with a colony from that state. Here Mr. Hawkins entered a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he cleared, developed and on which he and his wife spent the balance of their lives. The father of the subject was born in Licking county, Ohio, in 1816 and the mother was born in Knox county in 1818, When eight years old the former came to Knox county and here grew to manhood and married and devoted his life to general farming and stock raising, being very successful and owning four hundred acres of good land at the time of his death. Politically, he was a Republican and was more or less active in party affairs. His family consisted of thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to maturity and were married. Of the number, five sons and two daughters are still living. The mother was a member of the Church of Christ. The death of Almon Mitchell occurred on April 4, 1896, and his widow survived until in March, 1901 Torrence Mitchell grew up on the home farm and assisted with the general routine of work there in his boyhood. He was educated in the public schools and in the Galena Academy. He began life for himself by teaching school, which vocation he followed for a period of ten years with much success, but he finally tired of the school room and took up farming. He remained on his father's farm awhile and then went to Tennessee, where he remained three years, then, his father urging him to take charge of the home farm, he returned here and has since operated the same in a most gratifying manner, keeping it well tilled and well improved. This place of one hundred and forty-two acres ranks with the best in Milford township. Mr. Mitchell also has a farm of one hundred acres in Tennessee. In connection with general farming he carries on stock raising, handling some good grades; however, he merely oversees the place, leaving the active work of the same to his son since April 1, 1910, Politically, Mr. Mitchell is a Republican and he has held various township offices. He is a member of the Grange, the only secret order to which he KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 483 belongs, and he and his wife belong to the Church of Christ, he having been an elder for twenty years. Mr. Mitchell was married on October 27, 1875, to Clara Stevens, a native of Knox county, and the daughter of John and Emmeline Stevens, old settlers here. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, namely : L. Grace, who was graduated from the Centerburg high school and Hiram College, has been engaged in social settlement work in Cleveland for the past eight years; Laura L. died when eighteen years of age; Margaret S., also a graduate of Centerburg high school and Hiram College, is also engaged in social settlement work in Cleveland; John S. was graduated from the Mt. Vernon high school, also took the short course in agriculture at the Ohio State University, and is now operating the home farm and has been very successful in carrying out the work inaugurated by his father. JOHN A. HICKINBOTHAM. Among the substantial farmers and stock men of Morgan township, Knox county, who deserve to rank high in the list of twentieth-century tillers of the soil in this nature-favored locality is John A. Hickinbotham, a man who has worked hard for that which he now possesses, and knows how to appreciate the true dignity of labor and to place a correct estimate upon the value of money ; nevertheless, he is liberal in his benefactions and stands ever ready to support with his influence and means all measures for the material and moral welfare of his community, consequently he is well deserving a place in her history. Mr. Hickinbotham was born on June 26, 185o, on a farm in Monroe county. Ohio. He is the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hindley) Hickinbotham both parents were of German descent, but they were both born in Staffordshire, England, and there they grew up and were married. They emigrated to America early in 1850 and settled in Monroe county, Ohio, where they spent the remainder of their lives. The subject was reared on the home farm and educated in the public schools of Monroe county ; however, he is a self-educated man, having attended the schools in his community only twenty months. He has always been a deep student and kept well abreast of the times. He taught school successfully for a period of twenty years, his last certificate being dated December 28, 1889, good for five years and covered fourteen different branches, 484 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. in which he was graded as perfect in every one. He took high rank among the successful teachers of his day and his services were in great demand. For some time he was principal of the Graysville schools of Monroe county. In the fall of 1889 he closed his teaching career by conducting a teachers' normal for several months; he then entered the mercantile business at Graysville, Monroe county, and during all these years he was conducting a farm which he owned. He maintained his store at Graysville for a year and a half, then turned his attention exclusively to farming and also cared for the home place of his father after his mother's death. On his farm oil was developed which proved very profitable and in 1902 he left his farm in Monroe county, which he afterwards sold, retaining his oil interests and he came to Morgan township, Knox county, two miles northwest of Morgan Center, and here he has since resided, his place consisting of one hundred and twenty acres, which he brought up to a high state of improvement and cultivation, and on which stands a modern and attractive home and large, convenient outbuildings. He keeps an an excellent 0- de of live stock of all kinds. Mr. Hickinbotham was first married on October 24, 1872, to Phebe A. Keyser, daughter of Jesse J. and Lucinda ( Riley) Keyser, of Monroe county, Ohio, the family being from Belmont county. One son and one (laughter were born to this union, John J , of Muskingum county, and Elizabeth J., deceased. The wife and mother passed to her rest on August 23, 1879, and on April 5, 188o, Mr. Hickinbotham was united in marriage with Margaret Daugherty, daughter of Simon and Mary E. (Hilliard) Daugherty, of Monroe county, where Mr. Daugherty was born. Mrs. Daugherty was born in Pennsylvania. They are now both deceased. Four children were born of the second union of the subject, namely : Mary E., who married John S. Vance, of Miller township; Thomas S., of Utica, Licking county, Ohio; Everetta L. married A. B. Devore, of Morgan township, and Harrison H,, who lives on the home farm. Politically, Mr. Hickinbotham is a Republican and in his younger days was active in public affairs. He was chairman of the first Republican central committee in Monroe county at a time when that party was very much in the minority in Monroe county and for many years he was active in the party organization. He served as a member of the board of education at Graysville, and since coming to Knox county he has been trustee of Morgan township. Fraternally, Mr. Hickinbotham is a member of the Independent. Order of Odd Fellows, and the encampment of that order, also the Masonic order at Utica, Licking Lodge and chapter, council and commanders of that order KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 485 at Mt. Vernon, and he is a thirty-second-degree member of the Columbus Consistory, and a member of Aladdin Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Columbus, He is also a member of Morgan Grange No. 828, Patrons of Husbandry, He and his wife are members of the Church of Christ. Personally, he is a man of broad intelligence, progressive in all that the term implies, a man of affairs, public-spirited, obliging and of genial address, being prominent in the life of the community. JAMES LEROY SCOTT. One of the successful farmers and stock raisers of Milford township, Knox county, is James Leroy Scott, who has succeeded at his chosen line of endeavor because he has persistently applied himself and has been thwarted by obstacles, but, haying removed them one by one from his pathway, he has ascended to a high rung of success on the ladder on which he started at the bottom and he is therefore deserving of the esteem in which he is held by his neighbors and many friends. Mr. Scott was born in this township on June 29, 1830, and he has been content to spend his life in his home community. He is the son of James and Sarah (Horn) Scott. His parental grandparents, Chinsworth and Jane (Fitch) Scott, were natives of Greene county, Pennsylvania, from which they came to Knox county, Ohio, about 1840 and settled on land which later became a part of Morrow county, and there became very well established on their farm, which the elder Scott cleared and on which he raised his family, and there he and his wife spent the balance of their lives. The maternal grandparents, Jacob and Priscilla Horn, were natives of Washington county, Pennsylvania, where they grew up, were married and spent their lives. James Scott, father of the subject, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 1818 and the mother's birth occurred in Washington county, that state, in 1820, and they grew up and were married in their native state, coming to Ohio about 1842 or 1843, Mr. Scott having followed his parents here, and he located in Milford township, Knox county, and there he became owner of considerable land and was one of the substantial farmers of the township. Later, however, reverses which he could not control caused him to lose his property. He lived a quiet, retired life. He and his wife belonged to the Disciples church. His death occurred in March, 1899, and his wife died in May, 1879. They were the parents of five children, three of whom are liv- 486 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. ing at this writing, James Leroy, of this review ; Corbin, and Priscilla Fadely. James L. Scott grew up on the home farm and there assisted with the general work when a boy, later working by the day and farming on the shares. He received such education as he could in the rural schools. In 1878 he purchased a farm of seventy-six acres in Milford township, and here he now owns seventy-nine acres. This he has placed under excellent improvements and cultivation and he has a very comfortable home, and always keeps a good grade of live stock in his fields. Politically, Mr. Scott is a Democrat, but he has not been especially active in public affairs. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he and his wi fe are members of the Disciples church. Mr. Scott was married on December 24, 1873, to Mary L. Pickering, who was born, reared and educated in Milford township, this county. She is the daughter of Lot and Sarah Pickering, old settlers here, the father having come from Pennsylvania and the mother from Guernsey county, this state. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Scott, namely : Eldora, who married Perley Wright, and Bessie Corinne Scott, who resides at home. CHARLES F. COLVILLE. The names of those men who have distinguished themselves through the possession of those qualities which daily contribute to the success of private life and to the public stability and who have enjoyed the confidence and respect of those about them, should not be permitted to perish. Such a one is the well-known gentleman whose name initiates this biographical review. He is a well-rounded character, in which the different interests of life are given their due proportion of attention. For years he has been a conspicuous figure in the affairs of Knox county and is widely known as one of her most representative citizens. Charles F. Colville, of Mt. Vernon, was born November 18, 1858, in Pleasant township, this county, and he is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Patrick) Colville and the grandson of James and Sarah (Jackson) Colville. James Colville was born near Winchester, Virginia, in 1767. When a young man he emigrated to Washington county, Pennsylvania, and remained there until 1803, then came to Knox county, Ohio, and located a short distance east of Mt. Vernon when this country was a vast forest and wild game and KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 487 Indians were frequently encountered. Here the old pioneer built a cabin, made, a clearing and eventually became extensively engaged in farming. He assisted, in the survey of the military land in Knox county and was prominent in the early affairs of this locality, In the fall of 1806 he returned to Pennsylvania, and on November 27th of that year he was married to Mary Jackson, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on October 3, 1781, the daughter of James and Nancy Jackson. Soon afterwards he returned with his bride to his Knox county farm. He became prominent in county politics and was elected associate judge here in 18o8. He was a man of sterling qualities and did his full share in inaugurating the physical, civic and moral development of this section of the state. His death occurred on February 7, 1837. He was the first settler in Pleasant township, and the first school in that township was taught in a log cabin on his farm in 1825, the teacher being William Marquis. So for more than a century that section of Knox county has been the home of this excellent family. Both Thomas Colville and his son, Charles F,, of this review, were born and reared here. Charles F. Colville grew to manhood on the home farm east of Mt. Vernon, attended the district schools during the months that he was not engaged in work on the farm, and later he took a course in Kenyon College, from which he was graduated in 1880. He then studied law with H. H. Greer, of Mt. Vernon, and was admitted to the bar in 1886 and the following year he began practicing his profession in Mt. Vernon and followed the same with ever increasing success and popularity until 1900, ranking with the leaders of the Knox county bar. But large business affairs began to claim much of his time and attention and he gave up active practice to devote himself to industrial affairs. In 1898 he organized the Knox Building & Loan Company, and in 1900 he helped organize the Park-Colville & Herrick Company, since moved to Metropolis, Illinois, and known as the Metropolis Bending Company, manufacturers of carriage woodwork, which has experienced a rapid rise in the manufacturing world, its products, owing to their superior qualities, finding a ready market over a vast territory. Mr. Colville is still secretary and treasurer of the company. He is also secretary of the Knox Building and Loan Company, and the pronounced success of both have been due in no small measure to his wise counsel and judicious management. He is also a director in the Knox National Bank. Having long manifested an abiding interest in local public matters, Mr. Colville has exerted a potent influence on the civic life of Knox county, ever loyal to the tenets of the Republican party. He was mayor of Mt. Vernon (32) 488 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. from 1894 to 1896, and he gave the city one of the best administrations it has ever had. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic blue lodge. In 1887 Mr. Colville was married to Dora Galbreath, of Newark, Ohio, the daughter of John G. and Mary (Gibson) Galbreath, the father having formerly been a well known merchant of Newark. He came to Ohio from Washington county, Pennsylvania, and his wife from the adjoining county in West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Colville belong to the Congregational church, in which he is a trustee. PERRY L. COVER, Perry L, Cover, one of the progressive and well-known farmers and stock raisers of the vicinity of Fredericktown, Knox county, is a man who believes in doing well whatever he deems worth doing at all, hence his success in material things, and he is an advocate of clean politics and wholesome private and social living and as a result of his well-ordered life he is held in high esteem by all with whom he has come into contact. Mr. Cover was born on November 16, 1866, in Johnsville, Morrow county, Ohio. He is the son of Upton A. and Susan Cover, the father born in Maryland, from which state he came to Richland county, Ohio, when a child with his parents. The mother of the subject, whose maiden name was Lamb, was born in Richland county. this state, and there spent her girlhood. When the father was a young man he launched out in mercantile business with his brother, J. J. Cover, which they followed with continuous success for a period of twenty-seven years, maintaining a large establishment and enjoying an extensive trade all the while at Johnsville, Ohio, where the subject was born. They kept a general store where the villagers and country people could supply their every need and in return they bought everything the farmers had to sell, from their live stock and grain down to their butter, eggs and poultry. They were the first dealers in this part of the country to pack eggs in salt brine pickle, which was in vogue for years, until supplanted by cold storage. He was a very successful business man, his keen discernment and sound judgment never failing him and his courtesy and honesty in dealing with his many customers won their good will and friendship. He was one of seven brothers, all of whom but himself were Republicans in their political faith, he standing alone as a Democrat. He continued in the mercantile business in Johnsville until 1882, when he closed out his busi- KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 489 ness and purchased a splendid farm a half mile southwest of Fredericktown, where he engaged in farming successfully until his death, in April, 1905, his wife having preceded him to the grave in August, 1896. They were the parents of two daughters and one son, namely : Emma E. and Mattie E., both deceased ; and Perry L., of this sketch. Perry L. Cover was educated in the schools of Johnsville and Frederick-town, Ohio, He worked on his father's farm in his youth, and after the death of the father he took the management of the same and here he has remained. This excellent farm, one of the best in Knox county, consists of one hundred and forty-three acres, which has been brought to a high state of improvement and cultivation and on which the subject has met with continued success as a general farmer and stock raiser, He has kept the buildings and fences all up to the standard and has so rotated his crops as to maintain the original fertility of the soil. Mr. Cover has never married. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic order at Fredericktown, and the chapter and commandery at Mt. Vernon. He is a Democrat in politics, but has never been an office seeker nor an office holder, although he was land appraiser for Wayne township in 1910. In addition to his splendid farm in Wayne township, he has other valuable property in Colorado, some farming interests there. He has long manifested much interest in public improvements and is an advocate of good roads, in fact, everything that tends to advance the best interests of the masses. He is a man of exemplary habits. JOHN R. CESSNA. Faithfulness to duty and a strict adherence to a fixed purpose, which always do more to advance a man's interests than wealth or advantageous circumstances, have been dominating factors in the life of John R. Cessna, well known resident of the vicinity of Bladensburg, Jackson township, Knox county, where he has spent much of his long and useful life engaged in agricultural pursuits and his career has been replete with honor and success. Mr. Cessna was born in Pike township, Coshocton county, Ohio, June 9, 1844. He is the son of William and Elizabeth (Rine) Cessna. The paternal grandparents, John and Mary (McVicker) Cessna, were natives of Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and they settled in Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1822, developing a farm in Pike township when that part of the Buckeye 490 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. state was a wilderness, and they became influential among the pioneers. They were the parents of fourteen children, all of whom were born in Pennsylvania and thirteen of whom grew to maturity. The death of the grandfather occurred in 1833, after which his wife and one son moved to Green county, Wisconsin, though this was not until 1845. and there she died. The family originally came from France, John Cessna having emigrated to America in 1718 and settled in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, later moving to York county, that state, where his death occurred in 1751. Most of his descendants lived in Pennsylvania, a large number in Bedford county, for one hundred and fifty years. He was a Huguenot and fled from his native land during the great religious strife of that period. Some of his descendants have become noted leaders in their various communities, two of them having been colonels in the Revolutionary war, others judges and still others congressmen. The first Cessna spent three years in Ireland, where he was an officer, then came to the United States. He became an extensive land owner and a prominent citizen. This family have always been loyal to American institutions and a goodly number of them fought in our war for independence. The maternal grandparents, John and Matilda (Rine) Cessna, were cousins, and were natives of Maryland, later coming to Ohio, being very early settlers in Coshocton county, entering land in Perry township, and there they spent their last days. They were of German descent. They reared their family in Coshocton county and there the father and mother of the subject were married in 1842. The father was a stock dealer and farmer. In 1854 he moved to Licking county and there his wife died in 1858. They were the parents of five children, four sons and one daughter. Only two sons are living, John R,, of this review, and Rudolph, who lives in Oklahoma. William Cessna again married, his second wife being Margaret M. Rine, a sister of his first wife, this wedding occurring in 1861. The death of Mr. Cessna occurred on October 6, 1865, Politically, he was a Democrat and he took an active part in politics. He was a township trustee and a justice of the peace, having been incumbent of the latter at the time of his death. He was a man of influence in his community and was highly regarded by all who knew him. John R, Cessna was educated in the common schools of Coshocton and Licking counties, and he began life as a dealer in live stock. For years he has followed dealing in horses on an extensive scale and he is widely known in this connection, being one of the best judges of the horse that could be found in this part of the state. Since 1889 he has very capably and acceptably discharged the duties of justice of the peace. His decisions have been characterized by fairness to all concerned and have seldom met with reversal at the KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 491 hands of a higher tribunal. In March, 1875, he settled in Pleasant township, Knox county, on a rented farm and there spent a few years. He has been very successful in a business way. Politically, Mr. Cessna is a Democrat, and fraternally he belongs to the Maccabees, and he and his wife are members of the Christian church. Mr. Cessna was married on February 17, 1874, to Sarah J. Norris, a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and the daughter of William and Nancy Norris, old settlers there and a highly respected family, having located in that community in about 1820 or 1822. This union has been without issue. CHARLES RICHARD TULLOSS. The struggles of the worthy pioneer will remain untold unless some one interests himself in preserving it: this last should be the mission of we of the aftermath. We do not hear the howl of the wolf save in remote places; we will not have an opportunity to again see the "prairie schooner"—its mission has been well and nobly filled. The many great changes have taken place slowly, and we realize their importance at this time. Do we fully appreciate the Titanic struggle of the pioneer, realizing the many privations he endured that we of today might be blessed? The mission of biography should be to bring to the living the voices of the silent ones who would be remembered. We seek no bombast for the living, but we do speak in a forceful manner for those who made it possible for us to enjoy these many present blessings. Charles Richard Tulloss, one of the farmers of Morgan township, Knox county, is a descendant of our sterling pioneers and he has endeavored to uphold the honor of the family name, which has been a familiar sound in this section of the Buckeye state for more than a century, his progenitor having braved the wilderness here when it was still the domain of the painted savage and the wild creatures of claw, fin and feather, and here inaugurated the development of the locality which his descendants have carried forward. Mr. Tulloss was born on September 9, 1853, on the old Tulloss homestead where he has always lived. He is the son of William and Cynthia (Smith) Tulloss. Grandfather John T. Tulloss, born September 6, 1783. came from Fauquier county, Virginia, in 1807 and settled in Licking county, Ohio, near Newark. He made the first brick in the village, was school teacher and farmer ; was a captain in the war of 1812; returned to Virginia and married Elizabeth Kanev ; came hack, settled in Morgan township, Knox county, 492 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. in 1815; died in 1841 ; his wife died in 1869. He here became a large land owner, possessing at one time six hundred and forty acres of fine land, lying in the Licking and Sycamore valleys, two miles northwest of where the city of Utica now stands. He was prominent among the pioneers of this section of the state and an influential man of affairs, strong-minded, courageous and honorable. His family consisted of eight children, namely : Ann, wife of Benjamin Seymour, both deceased ; Elizabeth married Charles Uzziel Stephens, both now deceased ; William, father of the subject of this sketch; Richard Shute, a sincere man and influential citizen who is now deceased, is mentioned in a later paragraph ; John J. married Caroline Smith and is now deceased; Benjamin, who married Margaret Campbell, is a Baptist minister of Mt. Vernon ; Susan remained single Rodham married Elizabeth Harris. William Tulloss, mentioned above, devoted his life to farming and stock raising and, like his father before him, became one of the substantial and influential men of his community. He was twice married. In 1856 he moved to Kansas, where he became a leader in public affairs and he served very creditably as probate judge of Franklin county, that state, for a number of years. His death occurred there in November, i866, his wife having died in 1863. They were the parents of five children, namely : John S., deceased ; James K. is deceased ; Levi is deceased ; William S. lives in Franklin county, Kansas ; Charles Richard, of this review. William Tulloss, the father, was a Republican and was always active in public matters. He held various offices in his township. He was a member of the Baptist church. His second wife -was Felicia Scott, daughter of Rev. James Scott and wife, he being a prominent Presbyterian minister for many years. To this union was born a son, Benjamin F. Charles R. Tulloss, of this sketch, went to Kansas with his parents. He was educated in the district schools of Morgan township, Knox county, Ohio, and in Franklin county, Kansas. Upon the death of his father he returned to Knox county and engaged in farming, which he has continued to the present time. He is a stock feeder. He is the owner of the old Tulloss homestead which he has kept, his part of the old farm consisting of three hundred acres. He employs modern methods in his farming and stock raising. He has an attractive and commodious dwelling, and a library of choice and carefully selected volumes and here he spends much of his spare time, keeping in touch with the world's best literature as well as current topics of the day. He delights especially in Darwin, Spencer, Mills, Schopenhauer, Voltaire and similar works, in fact, he has practically all the "evolution series," as well as those of Tolstoy, Henry George, the great single-tax advocate. But KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 493 his library embraces all subjects. He is very interesting to converse with, being thus self-educated, for, in the language of Franklin, "Reading maketh a wise man." Mr. Tulloss is a man of individuality, fearless in his opinions and a thinker. While he is interested in public matters, he has never voted. He is liberal in his religious views, and has never joined any church, believing not in man-made creeds or set forms of worship. Richard Sheets Tulloss was born June 13, 1819. He was reared on the farm and after his father's death took charge of the farm. He was elected to the constitutional convention of Ohio in 1873 and served on the committee of privileges and election, on preamble and bill of rights and on agriculture. He filled a number of township offices. He was an influential citizen and highly esteemed for his social quality. and straightforward business transactions. He remained single and died August 24, 1892. He was a son of John James and Elizabeth Tulloss, who are referred to in preceding paragraphs. JOHN F. SHRONTZ, M. D. Not only in Martinsburg, but throughout the surrounding country for a radius of many, miles, Dr. John F. Shrontz is known as a successful and skilled physician, one who has given years of thought and painstaking preparation to his profession and who is thoroughly qualified for its practice. Nature endowed him with the qualities necessary for success as a general practitioner, for he is sympathetic, patient and thoughtful. and in the hour of extremity. is cool and courageous. Though his extensive practice has always engrossed most of his attention, he has found time to keep posted upon the practical details in the improvement in the science and avails himself of every development in remedial agencies. For a period of about thirty-five years he has ministered to the sick and suffering here and has always maintained an irreproachable character worthy of respect and emulation. Doctor Shrontz was born on August 10, 1849, in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Jacob and Nancy (Cooper) Shrontz, who came to Knox county in 1864 and settled on a farm in Morgan township and there engaged in farming. Jacob Shrontz became one of the leading men of his community, prosperous and active in Republican politics, filling a number of the local offices, such as justice of the peace of Morgan township, also as a member of the board of education. He was a member of the Disciples church. His death occurred in April, 1900. his wife having preceded him 494 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. to the grave in October, 1895. Both are buried in Hill cemetery, near Bell church, They became the parents of five children, namely : Christie A. is deceased John F., of this sketch ; Emma j. married W. P. Harrison, of Cincinnati ; Nancy died in infancy W. B. lives in Martinsburg. John F. Shrontz was reared on the home farm and there assisted in the general work, attending the country district schools in the winter months, later attending the old Martinsburg Academy and a business college at Mt. Vernon, and before coming to Knox county he was a pupil in the Pleasant Valley Academy in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He began his career by teaching for two years in the schools of Knox county, then entered the Cincinnati Medical College, from which he was graduated with the class of 1877. Thus well equipped for his chosen vocation he came to Martinsburg, Ohio, and opened an office and here he has since remained, with the exception of the years 1894 and .1895, when he practiced in Newark, Ohio, but returned to Martinsburg. He has always enjoyed a very liberal patronage and has met with uniform success. He is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and the National Medical Association. Doctor Shrontz was married on July. 13, 1876, to Nellie Leeding, daughter of Robert and Amanda (Harris) Leeding, an excellent Licking county family, her father having served as county commissioner and as a member of the state board of equalization for several years. Three children have been born to the Doctor and wife, namely : Bessie M., now the wife of Gaylord Vance, of Columbus ; Lena B., who married Homer C, Dodd, of Dayton, and William E., who married Pearl J. Rouse, daughter of William L. and Ida (Mercer) Rouse, the father a physician of Greene county, Ohio, for many years, but is now deceased. William E. Shrontz was educated in the Martinsburg schools and also spent two years in Hiram College, and four years at the Physio-Medical College of Indiana, at Indianapolis, from which he was graduated with the class of 1906 and is now successfully engaged in the practice with his father, being regarded as a young man of much promise in the medical profession. Dr. John F, Shrontz was retained at the Cincinnati Medical College for several years after his graduation in various departments, and there he gave eminent satisfaction as a lecturer, being both an instructor and entertainer and thus popular with both the students and his fellow instructors. In addition to his profession, he has been successfully interested in various business enterprises, especially in promoting an electric line for Martinsburg, the Ohio, Lake Erie & Eastern, having Martinsburg as an objective point. He is a public-spirited citizen and always alert to the best interests of his community. KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 495 He has large farming interests and gives considerable attention to his valuable real estate holdings. Fraternally, the Doctor is a member of the Masonic order, Ohio Lodge, No. 199, at Bladensburg. He is a Republican and has long been active in party affairs. For a number of years he served as a member of the Republican county central committee, and is now succeeded by his son. He has been a frequent delegate to county, district and state conventions. He has served as a member of the village council for many years. and he was active in securing telephone service for Martinsburg, and also many village improvements, such as sidewalks and street lights. He believes in progress, in keeping up with modern twentieth-century methods, not only in his profession, but in all lines. He and his family are members of the Disciples church and he is active in church and Sunday school work. The Shrontz residence in Martinsburg is one of the most attractive and substantial in this part of the county and it is known to the many, friends of the family as a place of old-time hospitality and good cheer, the family having always been prominent in the social life of the community. WILL H. JACKSON. One of the successful farmers of Milford township, Knox county, and one of the worthy native sons of the locality of which this history treats, is Will H. Jackson, a representative of a highly-respected family which has been known here for many decades. Mr. Jackson was born in the west side of Milford township, this county, on October 24, 1861. He is the son of Van Buren and Orlena ( Jackson) Jackson. The paternal grandparents were George and Mary (Hobbs) Jackson, he a native of Washington county. Pennsylvania, born in 1782. died June 6, 1848, and she born at Aliquot Mills, nine miles from Baltimore, March 17, 1793, and died August 5, 1877. They were married in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and in 1835 came to Knox county,. Ohio, and located in Milford township, where he bought a farm and here they spent the rest of their lives, having become very well established. The elder Jackson was the father of nineteen children, fourteen by his first wife and five by his second. The maternal grandparents, Ephraim and Nancy Ellen (Cook) Jackson, natives of Fayette county. Pennsylvania, he of Uniontown, and she of Big Red Stone. Tippecanoe township. Ephraim Jackson came to Ohio about 1820 with his father, Abraham, who entered land here in 1825. Abra- 496 - KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. ham Jackson was the son of an Irish nobleman and he emigrated to America during the Revolutionary war. A year after coming here Ephraim Jackson returned to Pennsylvania and there married, He returned to Ohio with his bride, making the trip on horseback, and built a cabin on his farm, the building, at first, having neither window nor door, and there he and his wife spent the balance of their lives. He was born February 16, 1805, and she on June 5th of the same year his death occurred on November 22, 1872, and she on January 17, 1870, The father, Van Buren Jackson, was born in this township, March 17, 1836, and the mother on the farm occupied by the subject on October 25, 1833, and here these parents grew up as pioneer children, he being the eighteenth child of his father and the fourth of his mother, and she the fifth child of her parents. Here they were married on October 28, 1858. Van Buren Jackson devoted his life to farming, operating the home place most successfully. He bought the interests of his wife's brothers and sisters and at one time owned two hundred and eighteen acres, but most of the place has been sold and divided. He lived a quiet and retired life, but took an interest in public affairs and led an exemplary life. He and his wife were members of the Disciples church. He is still living and has the respect of all who know him. The death of his wife occurred on October 13, 1898. They were the parents of three children, namely : Will H., of this sketch Theo. A., and Lillian B,, now the wife of W. C. Riley. The father was stricken with paralysis on March 3, 1911, and has been very poorly ever since. Will H. Jackson grew up on the home farm and worked there during his boyhood days in the summer months. He received his education in the common schools and the Tri-State College at Angola, Indiana. He has been managing the home farm for some time and is very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. Politically, he is a Democrat, and in his religious life belongs to the Disciples church. JOSEPH BEAL. One of our most enterprising young farmers is Joseph Beal, of Butler township, one of the worthy native sons of Knox county who has been content to spend his life in his own community, well knowing that for him this is the best place of all. It is a question whether or not many young men who have left this nature-favored locality bettered their chances for success, with the doubt on the negative side. But notwithstanding the fact that he grew KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 497 up under favorable environments, he knew that he had to work and work diligently to win in life's battle even here, for we do not get our food in this country like the South Sea Islanders or the dwellers in the tropics, by merely partaking of nature's bounty with no exertion on our part, in case we are not inclined to put forth an effort to gain a living; so he has always worked hard and now finds himself very comfortably established, with bright hopes for the future. Mr. Beal was born in this county on July 1, 186o, He is the son of Michael and Margaret (Albright) Beal, a complete sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. He was one of a large family of children, and, his father being a farmer, there was plenty for the subject to do while growing to manhood, consequently he worked in the fields during the crop seasons and went to the district schools in the winter time, and took up farming for a livelihood in early life, and for some time worked at home for his father, then rented a while. In 1884 he purchased a farm of eighty acres in Butler township, this county, and in 1889 added forty-seven acres to this. In 1896 he deeded this land away, and in 1900 bought forty acres in Union township, and in 1910 forty acres more. He still lives on the farm of Mary M. Beal and carries on farming and stock raising. Politically, Mr. Beal is a Republican, and fraternally, he belongs to the Patrons of Industry, while religiously he is a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Beal was married on August 23, 1891, to Nettie F. Leatherman, daughter of Joseph L. Leatherman, who came to Licking county, Ohio, in 186o. His death occurred on January 3, 1889. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Beal, namely : Russell B., who died when two years old, and Dale; four others died in infancy. JOHN M, MOTZ. Aside from his connections with the civic affairs of Knox county, John M. Motz, farmer and stock man of Brown township, has long been an influential factor in the industrial interests of his community, his entire life having been spent here, everything calculated to advance the community, materially or otherwise, receiving his support and hearty co-operation. He is unswerving in his allegiance to what he believes to be right, and upholds his honest convictions at the sacrifice, if need be, of every other interest. Conscientious in the discharge of his duties of citizenship, he is a valued mem- 498-KNOX COUNTY, OHIO. ber of the body politic, and his aim has ever been to shape his life according to the highest standards of excellence, therefore he has won the esteem and good will of all who know him. Mr. Motz was born on March 27, 1858, on a farm in Brown township, this county, near Jelloway. He is the son of Gottlieb and Catherine (Williams) Motz. both natives of Germany, where they spent their childhood, and from that country they emigrated to America as young people, he at the age of eighteen and she when seven years old. The father made the trip alone, but the mother's parents came with her. All formerly lived in the province of Alsace. Gottlieb Motz was a cabinet-maker. and soon after he landed in this country he established himself at Wooster, Ohio, working at his trade for some time, then moved to Holmes county, later turning his attention to farming and while living in Holmes county he and Catherine Williams. were married. She had also come from Alsace, Germany. After their marriage they lived in Holmes county for a number of years, then came to Brown township, Knox county. buying a farm near Jelloway, which they developed, establishing there a comfortable home, Mr. Motz continuing to work some as a cabinet-maker. It was about 185o that they settled in Knox county. They were a sturdy, industrious, frugal German couple, and, being fortunately located, succeeded, acquiring considerable property and a competence, owning an excellent farm of two hundred acres and other property. Politically, the father was a Democrat, but he did not take much interest in public affairs, merely exercising the right of suffrage at the polls. He and his family. were members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. The death of Gottlieb Motz occurred in October, 1900, his wife having died previously in June, 1892, the month following the celebration of her fiftieth wedding anniversary. They were the parents of seven children, namely : Elizabeth, who is now deceased, married John Artz Mary, also deceased, married Michael Pichrert; Adam lives in Akron, Ohio; Catherine, who married George Richert; John M., of this sketch ; Henry W. lives in Brown township ; Sarah is the Wife of Daniel Richart. John M. Motz was reared on the farm and worked in the fields when but a boy, attending the district schools in Brown township in the wintertime. He remained with his parents until his marriage, on October 16. 1883. to Emma H. Buehl, (laughter of Peter and Mary Ann (Simmons) Buehl, a prominent family of Wayne county, Ohio. To the subject and wife eleven children have been born, six daughters and five sons,' namely : Oscar G. is married and lives in Akron; Ethel M. married Frank Heimbaugh, of Akron; Edna M. married C. C. Long, of Brown township; Gladys KNOX COUNTY, OHIO - 499 A. married C, C. Pealer, of Pike township, Knox county ; Luella C., Martha A., Herman J., Reynold B., Caleb P., Helen G. and Cecil F. are all at home, Following his marriage, John M. Motz engaged in the mercantile business at Jelloway for four years, enjoying a good trade with the surrounding country. He then came to the farm where he still resides, five miles south of Jelloway, and here he has met with encouraging success as a general farmer and stock raiser, his well improved and well tilled farm consisting of one hundred and thirty-five acres. He has a comfortable home and good barn and other outbuildings. Politically, Mr. Motz is a Democrat and has always been active in public matters. He has served as clerk of Brown township for a period of eight years, and for nine years he was a member of the school board of Amity Special, he being still a member of the same, and is clerk of the board. In the fall of 1905 he was elected a member of the board of county commissioners and served on the same for a period of five years. As a public official he has served the people with much ability and fidelity, discharging his every duty conscientiously and his record has been highly commendable to the masses. He is a member of Amity Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and has long been active in the same. He and his family belong to the Evangelical Lutheran church and have always been active in church and Sunday school work. This family is prominent in the social life of the county. MICHAEL BEAL. One of the well-remembered pioneer residents of Knox county, who has long since closed his eyes on earthly scenes in a sleep that wakes not to toil, was the late Michael Beal than whom it would have been hard to find a more whole-souled or trustworthy a man, and because of his many commendable qualities, his industry, honesty and public spirit he was always revered by a host of warm friends and his memory will always be cherished by the many who knew him, and all speak in the highest terms of his exemplary and worthy life. Mr. Beal was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1821. He was the son of John and Margaret Beal, natives of Pennsylvania, in which state they lived and died. Michael Beal was educated in the subscription schools of his time and was reared on the farm, where he found plenty of hard work to do, for it