650 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. GEORGE A. SHOVER. George A. Shoyer, a successful farmer of Darby township and a breeder of percheron horses and purebred. Duroc-Jersey hogs, is one of the best-known citizens of the township. Mr. Shover. owns a tract of two hundred and fifty-five acres of land on the Post road, tivo miles east of Plain City, Ohio, a farm that is under a high state of cultivation and well improved. George, A. Shover was born on the farm which he. now owns, August 31, 1868. He is the son. of Eli and Mary (Taylor) Shover, tlae former of whom was born in Union county,. Ohio, in 1834, and the latter was born in Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, March 9, 1842. Eli Shover died in May 1915, and his widow is still living in Plain. City, Ohio. To Eli and Mary (Taylor) Shover were born four children, three of whom are now living. Rosa, who is deceased, was the wife of Harry L. Doughty. She had two children. Fred married three times, his present wife being. May Courtney. They live in California. George A. is the subject of this sketch. May is unmarried and liveswith her mother in Plain City, Ohio. Mr. Shover was reared on the farm he. no owns, and educated in the district schools, which he attended during the winter working at home on the farm during the summer. After finishing the common schools, Mr. Shover took up book-keeping at Plain City, Ohio, and was graduated from a business college at that place. Upon finishing his course, he. returned to the farm .and .has lived on the home, farm ever since. On January 2, 1901, George A. Shover was married Minnie D. Smith, who was born in the Buckeye state. George A. Shover is a quiet, unassuming man, an honorable citizen of Madison county and one who is highly respected in. the. neighborhood where he lives. He is a member of Pleasant Valley Lodge No. 193, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Plain City, and is a past grand in this lodge. He votes the Republican ticket but has never been an office seeker. The men who have large agricultural interests have little time to devote to Politics, and Mr. Shover, is a man of this class. Mrs. Shover is a member of the Daughters of Rebekah, and a past noble grand. Mr. Shover is also a member of this, lodge. LYSANDER G. HUFF In judging the character of a community one examines the standing and, reputation of its citizens. One of Darby township's agriculturists who is deserving of a place in a volume of this nature is the subject of this sketch. Mr. Lysander G. Huff, whose courage and self-reliance, together with his tong residence in Madison county, have given him a prestige above average, is one of the honored and highly respected inhabitants, and his wide range of experience has given him a prominence not occupied by many. Lysander G. Huff, farmer, Darby township, Madison County was born on October 24, 1838 at, Pierpont. Ashtabula county, Ohio. He is son of James R. and Lydia (Austin) Huff. He was reared on a farm and attended the district schools until seventeen years of age, after which he wept to Onondago county, New York, where he was employed by the New York Central railroad, as freight agent, and served in this capacity for one year, during. which time he attended high school. After leaving this position Mr. Huff went to Washington. C. H., where he was employed in a distillery plant. He saved his money and in 1868 came to Madison county and, operated a distillery. At the beginning of the Civil War, he enlisted in Company G, Seventeenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was with the company four months, and later MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 651 enlisted, on December 10, 1861, for three months, and on being discharged returned to Madison county, but in a short time he again enlisted, in Company. K, Fifty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded on April 6, 1862, in the first battle of Shiloh, which disabled him from further service. He was in the hospital until August, 1862, when he was discharged. He again tried to enter the army, but was refused on account of his wound. Mr. Huff has always been a strong advocate of Republican principles, and gave his support by serving on the election board for many years. His religious membership is with the Universalist church; and his fraternal membership is with Pleasant Valley Lodge No. 193, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he is a past noble grand, and is the oldest member of the lodge. He now acts as past grand, and both Mr. and Mrs. Huff are members of the Rebekah. Lodge No. 132, in which Mrs. Huff is a past noble grand. Mr. Huff was quartermaster of the Grand Army of the Republic. for seventeen years. He now receives a monthly pension of forty-six dollars. James R. Huff, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Lyons, Wayne county, New York, of which county his wife, Lydia (Austin) Huff, was also a native. They lived most of their lives at Hartsgrove, Ohio, where he was a farmer. They were the parente of eight children—Six daughters grid two sons. Lydia is the only one of their daughters living in 1915. She is the wife of Chauncy Hopkins, of Broadhead, Wisconsin. Lysander G. Huff was united in marriage, January 7, 1864, with Ellen M. Baker, daughter of Hiram E. and Margaret (Wilson) Baker. She was born on June 25, 1845, in Delaware county, Ohio. She came with her parents to Morrow county, Ohio, locating at Cardington, where she attended the public schools of the village. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Huff settled on a farm in Union county, and on April 9, 1867, they settled on the farm. where they now live. Mr. Huff owns Seventeen acres of land, on which he has put valuable improvements, including the present buildings. His place is located one mile south of Plain City. This union has been blest with three children: Clara; who is the wife of S. T. Simkins, who lives in Union county, Ohio; Annetta became the wife of Clark Kile, and lives in Union county; Clayton A. is married to Ora Siyh, and also lives in Union county. Mr. and Mrs. Huff are citizen's of eminent respectability, and enjoy the esteem of all who know them in Madison county, where they have spent the most of their lives. LOUIS MOTTELER. Louis Motteler, a well-known young farmer of Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, and one of the trustees of Darby township, was born on August 24, 1876, and is the son of George, and Selitia (Taylor) Motteler, both of whom are now residents of the state of Washington, where they are engaged in farming. George and Selitia (Taylor) Motteler have had nine children, eight of whoni are now living, namely: Henry is a rancher, in the state of Washington; Anna is the wife of A. J. Torbert of Darby township; Ollie is the wife of Lee Iden, of Wyandot county, Ohio; William A. is farmer in Canaan township; Frank lives in Washington; Rosa lives is deceased; Louis in this state; Clinton lives in Washington, and Dell in the same state. Born and reared in Union county, Ohio, Louis Motteler was four years old when he was bought to Madison county, Ohio, by his parents. He remained in Madison county until six years of age and then went with his parents to Tennessee, where he remained until eight years old. At the end of that time the family returned to Madison county and here Mr. Motteler has lived ever since. His education was obtained in the public schools of Tennessee and of Madison county, Ohio. 652 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. On March 30, 1898, Mr. Motteler was married to Mary Wise, who was born in Union county, Ohio, and was educated in the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Motteler have had four children, as follow: Oral K., born on December 15, 1902, is a student in the Plain City public schools, and has now advanced to the seventh grade; Harold, June 9, 1905, is the twin brother of Helen; Francis, May 14, 1911. All of the children live at home with their parents. Mr: Motteler has charge of one hundred and twenty-five acres of land two. miles east of Plain City, and for some years has been breeding Percheron horses. He also keeps a good grade of other kinds of live stock, and feeds the grains raised on the farm to the. stock. Mr. Motteler is a Democrat. He is a member of Pleasant Valley Lodge No. 193, independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has taken more or less prominent part in the affairs of this lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Motteler are quiet unassuming people, honorable citizens and highly respected in the community where they live. ELTON M. KILE. A lawyer by profession, but for a number of years, engaged in farming in Darby township, Madison county, Ohio,. Elton M. Kile has made his presence felt in the legal circles of Plain City and in the agricultural life of Darby township. Since his graduation from Ohio State University, from which he received the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor, the former in 1910 and the latter in 1912, and where he was prominent for many years as a debater, he has divided his time between law and agriculture. Mr. Kile owns thirty acres of land and has charge of the ninety acres owned by his father. Elton M. Kile was born in Jerome township, Union county, Ohio, May 3; 1887, and is the son of Fred and Elizabeth (Purdum) Kile, both of whom are residents of Union county. Mr. Kile was reared on farm in Jerome township, Union county, which is just north of the Madison County line, and was educated in the district schools at Kileville and was graduated from the Plain City high school. After completing his secondary education he entered Ohio State University in the fall of 1906, and four years later received the degree of Bachelor of Arts and six years, later the degree of Juris Doctor. He was admitted to the bar in December, 1911, shortly before his graduation. While a student at the university he was identified with the college debating and was a member of the teams which defeated Indiana University, at Bloomington, Indiana, and the University of Illinois, at Champaign, Illinois. A few months after his graduation from college, in September, 1912, Elton M. Kile was married to Edith Worthington. the daughter of Charles Worthington and. a graduate of the Plain City high school with the class of 1906. Mrs. Kile had been a teacher in the district schools and in the Plain City schools. Appointed as a Republican, Elton M. Kile was chosen by the members of the Ohio House of Representatives as message clerk for the 1915 session, and served faithfully in this capacity until the close of the session. He has always taken an active part in politics and is a member of the Prain City village district school board. It comprises all of the territory in the neighborhood of Kileville. At one time Mr. Kile was a teacher in the district schools of Darby township and also for one year in the grade schools of Plain City. He is a man of great promise in this community, .a young man who is greatly admired and one whose future is regarded as very bright. In his rather brief career he, has devoted himself with all seriousness to the business of life and is already well started, on an honorable and useful career. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 653 WILLIAM F. LOWRY William F. Lowry, an industrious and hard working farmer of Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, has made all of the wealth of which he is now possessed exclusively by his own efforts. He owns a farm of seventy-five acres on rural route No. 2, out of Plain City, Ohio, and, in partnership with his son, O. M. Lowry, has charge of about two hundred and fifty acres. William F. Lowry was born in Ross county, Ohio, July 6, 1850, and is the son of Washington and Mariah (Boyer) Lowry, the former of whom was born in Winchester, Virginia, July 12, 1807, and who died on December 3, 1887, and the latter was born in Lebanon, Ohio, May 10, 1817, and who died on November 1, 1873. The great-grandfather was a native of County Down, Ireland. His family were linen bleachers by trade, and some of them came to the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Lowry were married in Chillicothe, Ohio. They had a family of seven sons and four daughters, of whom, William F., the subject of this sketch, was the eighth born. The names of the children, in the order of their birth, are as follow : George W., born on March 31, 1835, who served in the Civil War, is deceased; John C., September 5, 1836, a first lieutenant in the union army of the Civil War, is also deceased; Maria L., September 30, 1838, and Mary A., August 22, 1840, are living; Richard H., August 31, 1842, was a soldier in the Civil War ; Moses C., February 22, 1845, was a soldier in the Civil War, and died in the defense of his country at Rome, Georgia ; James R., May 20, 1847, was a soldier in the Civil War, and died in the service; William F., the subject of this sketch, July 6, 1850; Frank K., April 16, 1853, is a farmer in Union county, Ohio; Rachel V., April 19, 1856, is the wife of James Vanschoy, of Ross county, Ohio; Charlotte E., the youngest, February 21, 1859, and is the widow of Marion Ertel, of. Dayton, Ohio. William F. Lowry, the subject of this sketch, grew up on a farm in Ross county, Ohio, and received a good common-school education in the district schools of that county. He attended school until about eighteen years old, and, in the meantime, learned the miller's trade with Marfield Brothers, at Chillicothe, Ohio, and was employed by them until 1876, when he removed to Madison county to take charge of the grist-mill owned by W. I. Ballinger & Sons. Mr. Lowry was had miller of this mill for twenty-three years. While engaged in the milling business Mr. Lowry purchased seventy-five acres of land from L. D. Converse and moved to the farm. He has made extensive improvements on the farms, and is one of the extensive farmers of this section. He breeds Percheron horses, and raises a. great many Shorthorn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs. Mr. Lowry's wife, before her marriage, was Sarah F. Corner, of Fairfield county, Ohio, who was born in that county, January 1, 1850, and who is the daughter of Isaac and Anna (Cotterill) Corner. Isaac Comer was descended from Nicholas Bary, who came to the United. States from Switzerland in 1707. Anna Cotterill was the daughter of the Rev. Thomas Cotterill, of the Old Dominion state. Her parents came to Fairfield county, Ohio, from Virginia. They had six children, but Mrs. Lowry is the only one living at this time. She was educated in the public schools of Lancaster, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. William F. Lowry have three living children. William W. Lowry, born on December 28, 1873, was a teacher at the age of seventeen years. He married Bessie Jones, and they live in Plain City, Ohio, and have two children. He is in the employ of the United States mail service and has a run from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to St. Louis, Missouri. O. M. Lowry was born in Madison county, Ohio, August 1, 1880, and was educated in the Plain City public schools. He married Carrie Armentrout, and they have two sons, Samuel and Sherman. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Plain City, and is vice-chancellor of the lodge. Anna E. Lowry, 654 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO born on July 17, 1883, received a, good common-school education in the Plain City schools, and married Charles Violet, of Pike township, Madison county, Ohio. William F. Lowry has served four terms comprising a period of eight years, as trustee of Darby township, having been elected as a Republican. He has served as a member of the school board, at Plain City.He is also a member of Knights of Pythias ledge and is a past chancellor. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has served as noble grand in the Odd Fellows. lodge. Mr. Lowry and his sons have all been active in local and county politics, And are among the most highly respected citizens of Darby township. WILLIAM B. KILGORE. To occupy the position of bank president is an advertisement of the character and standing of a man, and establishes the fact that he has the confidence and respect, not only of his immediate associates, but the community at large. Mr. Kilgore, whose name introduces this sketch, not only enjoys the place of honor in one of the representative institutions of Plain City, Ohio, but his fine executive ability has been of great value to the business. William B. Kilgore, president of the First State Bank of Plain City, Ohio, was born on February 28, 1869, in Canaan township, Madison county, and is a son of William and Mary (Boyd) Kilgore. He was reared in the township of his birth, and was educated in the district schools, attending school during the winter seasons, and assisting with the farm work during the summers, until, he was eighteen years old. At the age of twenty-one, he became ambitious to try another line of business, and began to buy live stock, which proved so successful that he continued in the business or eighteen years, under the firm name of Foust & Kilgore. In the fall of 1904, Mr. Kilgore moved to Plain City. He is a stanch Republican. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plain City, in which church Mr. Kilgore officiates as one of the board members. He owns a splendid farm of two hundred and seventeen acres in Madison county, known as "Sugar Run Stock Farm," and one of two hundred acres, known as "Homestead, Farm." He was elected president of the First State Bank of Plain City at its organization, February 1, 1914, with officers as follows: William B. Kilgore, president; Charles Wilson, vice-president; and W. P. Wilson, cashier. The directors are: William B. Kilgore, Charles Wilson, O. K. Howland, Frank Cary, W. L. Blaney, D. LaMar Lombard, G. B. Chapman, C. D. Brown and Henry Bowman. William Kilgore, father of the subject of this sketch, was barn, January 26, 1823, in Canaan township, and his wife, Mary (Boyd) Kilgore, was born on June 25, 1830, in Washington county. Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of James and Martha (Milliken) Boyd. Mr. Kilgore was a son of Thomas and Jane (Patterson) Kilgore. He came to this county when a young man, and was married here, remaining in the county until his death. To Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore were born four children., Martha, Eliza, Etta, and William. Martha Kilgore became the wife of S. H. Francis, of Brown township, Franklin county, Ohio, where he follows agriculture. Eliza Kilgore, deceased, was married to Charles Slyh. Etta is the wife of A. P. Hieronymus, of Kansas City, Missouri. James and Martha (Milliken) Boyd, the maternal grandparents of Mr. Kilgore, came from Washington county, Pennsylvania, to Madison county, Ohio, in 18301 Mrs. Boyd was a daughter of Col. James Milliken, a large landowner in Canaan township, this county. William B. Kilgore was united in marriage on March 27, 1890, with Irene Howland. daughter of Dr. J. S. Howland. She was born on April 17, 1870, near Richwood, Union county, Ohio, and was educated in the schools of New California, Ohio. To MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 655 this union have been born two children: Joseph W., born on November 10, 1894, who was graduated from the Plain City. high school in the class of 1914; and Mary Louise Kilgore, who was born on September 7, 1896, and died on March 9, 1914. She was also a graduate of the Plain City high School, of which she was to have been valedictorian at the graduation exercises. She stood high in her Class, and died just prior to her graduation. Mr. and Mrs. Kilgore are highly esteemed for their kind consideration of those in trouble distress. They have the sincere regard and confidence of Many warm and admiring friends. WILLIAM TAYLOR William Taylor, of Plain City, Darby township, was born on August 30, 1859, in Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, and is a son of Jacob and Rebecca (Kilgore) Taylor. His boyhood days were spent, on the farm, attending school during the winter months and assisting with the farm work in the Summer. He remained at home until the death of his father, after which, he was married and began farming for himself. With close attention to business details, industry and thrift, he has continued to increase his worldly goods, until he now owns a fine tract of four hundred acres of the most valuable farm land in Marison connty, known as "Artesian Stock farm," because of its splendid the well. Mr. Taylor has been active and is deeply interested in the success of the Republican party, rendering efficient service as trustee of Canaan township. Jacob Taylor, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on October 20, 1819, in Canaan township, and was perhaps the oldest native citizen of Madison county. He was united in Marriage on April 8, 1845, with Rebecca, Kilgore and was a son of William and Elizabeth (Cato) Taylor. His education, was obtained in Darby township in a rudely built house, with a mud and stick chimney. His father died when he was eighteen years old, necessitating his attention and assistance in caring for his mother and the other members of the family until he was twenty-three years of age, was he began farming for himself, paying two dollars a month for his land, which was a large amount in those days. He received twenty-five cents a cord for cutting wood, and split rails at twenty cents a hundred. With industry and economy he saved enough for the purchase of a farm consisting of one hundred and three acres in Canaan township, which under his care, soon became a beautiful home. His wife, Rebecca (Kilgore) Taylor, was born in 1827, in Madison county. They were the parents of five children: Sarah, Zachary, William, Jane and Jennie, only two of whom are, living in 1915. Jennie, who became the wife of C. H., Andrew, and is living in Plain, City, was a devoted daughter, and spent much of her time with her aged father while the shadows are growing long; and William. Mr. 'Taylor was a stanch Republican from the birth of that party, but never sought official reward, and never coveted honor in connection with the spoils of office. He died on October 20, 1913, aged ninety-four years and eight months. William Taylor, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Virginia, and an early settler in Madison county, coming here from Kentucky in 1803, and locating in Darby township. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Cato, a native of New Jersey, who came With her parents to Ohio in 1808, and located at the present site of Cincinnati. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor moved to a farm in Darby township, and later to Canaan township, where Mrs. Taylor's father lived until his death. William. 'Taylor was united in marriage on November 15, 1914, with Bertha Latimer, daughter of Slack and Flora (Currier) Latimer, of Union county, Ohio, where she was reared and received her early education at the district school's, from which 656 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. she was a graduate. After leaving school she was employed as a clerk in a dry-goods store. Mrs. Taylor's religious membership is with the Methodist .Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs Taylor are quiet, home-loving people, and have the high esteem of the entire community in which they make their home. DENNIS CLARK. Dennis Clark, second son and fifth child of Raphael and Mary (Rose) Clark, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, April 8, 1827. His father was a native of Maryland. At the age of eighteen he marched through Ohio in the War of 1812. After his marriage to Mary Rose, also of Maryland, he returned to the land made familiar by his campaign and settled near Lancaster, Ohio, where he lived until the subject of this sketch was about one year old, at Which time the family removed to the "Sandusky Plains" near Upper Sandusky. The playfellows of the Clark children at that time were the little Indians on the Wyandot reservation nearby, and many and interesting were the stories Dennis Clark told his own children in a later time, of the intimate home life of the famous chiefs, Lump-on-the-Head and Between-the-Logs. This childish playtime was brief, however; for in accord with the idea of the times, Raphael Clark removed his family to Clifton, Green county, that his children might be put to work in the cotton mills at that place and so become bread winners for the family; Dennis was but ten years old at that time, but his life work was begun, as he pursued the manufacturing business, first of cotton, later of woolen goods, all the rest of his life. At the age of seventeen, he had charge of the spinning department of a large cotton factory at Dayton, and such was his dignity, tact and self-control, that he handled the rough , gang of men under him with entire satisfaction, despite their previous discontent, as they had objected to having a boy made boss over them. In 1850 Dennis Clark took charge of a woolen-mill owned by C. K. Single and situated one mile north of London at the Slagle homestead. He married Virginia Frances, the eldest child of Mr. Slagle, on February 8, 1852, and shortly after purchased the mill, which he operated with great financial success until .it burned down in July, 1864. A story told of this occurrence is illuminative of Mr. Clark's character. When all had been forced by the intense heat to desist from their efforts to save the goods, Mr. Clark had retreated to the top of the hill and was silently gazing on the destruction of his property, when a friend ventured to express his sympathy. To his surprise, Mr. Clark said, "Well, maybe it's all for the best. I was getting rich very fast and it might have made a mean man of me. I never wanted to be a mean man." Mr. Clark then purchased a part interest in a woolen-mill at Washington C. H., and resided there about a year, at the end of which time a stock company was formed and a large four and one-half story factory was erected in London. Mr. Clark was recalled to be superintendent and stockholder in the company. This mill was operated from 1866 till December, 1871, when it was robbed and burned. The memory of that spectacular fire on that desperately cold winter night is vivid to all of the older inhabitants of Madison county. The building had been erected with infinite pains to make it fireproof, but it had been set on fire from within. The integrity of the outer walls, however, can be vouched for, as they are now a part of the building known as the London Flouring Mills. The loss, estimated at sixty thousand dollars, was almost entire, as, owing to an oversight of a secretary, most of the insurance had lapsed a few days previously. As Mr. Clark had by this time bought up most of the stock, the loss fell most heavily on him and he became again a man possessing scarcely more than his two hands. He possessed that quality of courage, however, which confronts seemingly overwhelming MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 657 trouble with a dauntless front, and the ashes were scarcely cooled before he, with his eldest son, set about rebuilding, this time only a small wooden building, a factory containing only one set of machines. Such, however, was Mr. Clark's business acumen that he was fast regaining his place as a man of importance in the financial world, when his death occurred on July 20, 1886. Dennis Clark was a man of immense importance in the world of human interest. He was ever a leader in what pertained to the good of man in his community and the world at large, though he was ever on the unpopular side, because he lived ahead of his times; but he had the great joy of seeing, in many instances, the rear guard of the army of human progress camping where only the vanguard had ventured. The political life of Dennis Clark was lived along the lines of succor to the oppressed. He voted the Abolition ticket when. he. had. to write it himself. A political party to him was merely an instrument by which some reform was brought about. When it no longer had a living issue, he was not at all reluctant to fare him forth into another that was working for some high principle. Therefore, he came from the Whig through the Republican to the Prohibition party, for which latter great principle he was working when he died. Dennis Clark was an optimistic man, with great control of temper and sweetness of disposition, thoroughly 'honest in his dealings with other men, with himself and with his God. His personality gave his principles many a hearing. in unfriendly quarters. Mr. and Mrs. Clark had a family of eleven children, five of whom died in infancy. Their youngest son, Albert Slagle, principal musician with the rank of sergeant in the regular army, died of cholera at Vigan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, August 2, 1902, aged thirty-five years. Of the remaining children, W. Floyd married Jennie Blizzard. They reside with their four children in Columbus, Ohio. Alice M. is the wife of J. R. Manning. They, also, live in Columbus, Ohio, with a family of six children. George W. served many years in the recorder's and auditor's office of Madison county; was engaged in the grocery .business and at present is on the staff of the Magison County , Democrat. Mary F. has been for many years a teacher in the public schools of Chicago, Illinois. Nellie M. is married to Dr. Virgil Newell and has two sons. They reside at Stafford, Kansas. :Mrs. Clark died on February 17, 1915, aged eighty-two years. THOMAS DOUGLAS. Thomas Douglas, who owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in Darby township, and a residence in Plain City, Ohio, was born on June 16, 1864, in Canada and is a son of John and Rosanna (Martin) Douglas, the former of whom was born in Scotland, and who came to. Canada at the age of fourteen years. John Douglas, the father of Thomas, worked by the month on farms until he was married to Rosanna Martin, who was a native of Ireland, and who, at the age of three, was brought to America by her parents. They settled in Canada, where she grew to womanhood, and where she was married. John Douglas and wife were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are now living: Richard, ft real estate dealer on the western coast; Susan, the wife of Angus McMullen, a farmer living in Canada; Donald, a carpenter in Canada ; Thomas, the immediate subject of this review; Mary, the Wife of David Philips, a resident of Canada ; Robert and John, twins, both residents of Canada, where the former is a farmer and the latter is a stationary engineer; Lavina, a resident of Canada. Reared on a farm in Canada and educated in the Canadian schools, Thomas Douglas lived in the Dominion until nineteen years of age, when he came to the United States (42) 658 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO and located in the state of Ohio. Later he married Ora Lombard, who was born in Darby township, and who is a daughter of Dyer and Samantha Lombard. Mrs. Douglas was educated in the common schools of her home county. Thomas Douglas and wife are the parents of three children: Ruth, a graduate of the Plain City high school, and a teacher in Darby township; Louise, a graduate of the Plain City high school and Bruce, who is a student in the high school. at Plain City. Mr. and Mrs., Douglas are .members, of the Universalist church at Plain City, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Douglas is a Republican, although his farming interests prevent his taking a very active part in political matters. He is well known throughout his township as an extensive breeder of Duroc-Jersey hogs, and raises only purebred stock and has them registered. WILLIAM H. HANER. William H. Haner, vice-president of the Farmers National Bank, of Plain City, Ohio, was born on April 3, 1870, in the city where he now resides) and is a son of Doctor Albert and Elizabeth (Leonard) Haner. He was educated in the public schools of Plain City, and later entered, Ohio State University at Columbus, after which, for a period of six years, he was engaged in the grain- business two years with R. H. Andrew and four years by himself, and then changed this line for the hardware business, which he followed for nine years. Mr. Haner owns a beautiful farm in Madison county, also one in Union county, comprising two hundred acres, and known as "Cedar Brook Farm." He is vice-president of the Farmers National Bank of Plain City, of which he is also a director. Mr. Haner is a Republican, and ,at one lime was a inein ber of the council, He is a member of Urania Lodge No. 311, Free and Accepted Masons, and the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Albert Haner, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on October 16, 1.832, in Chautauqua county, New York, and was a son of Henry H. and Sarah (Stroupe) Haner. He was the sixth child of the family, and was six years old when he came to Ohio. His early education was obtained at the schools of Wyandot, after which he began the study of medicine at the Eclectic College of Cincinnati, Ohio, attending the lectures from 1856 to 1858. He received his diploma from that institution and immediately established himself in practice at Cincinnati, Oho, where he was eminently successful for a number of years, his. first case being one of smallpox. Doctor Haner went to Urbana in 1861, but at the end of the second year there he came to Plain City, where he practiced until his death, which occurred on February 6, 1896. He was united in marriage, in 1852, with Elizabeth Leonard, daughter of Jacob Leonard. by whom he had two sons, Jacob L. and William H. Doctor Haner was a member of the Masonic lodge No. 311, Plain City; the Independent. Order of Odd Fellows, and the Improved Order of Red Men, all of Plain City. His wife conducted a dry-goods business in Plain City at one tithe. Doctor Haner died on Febthary 6, 1896, and his wife died in March, 1913. The paternal grandfather, Henry H. Haner, was born in Rensselaer county, New York, about seven miles from Albany, where he followed farming, coming to Wyandot, Ohio, early in 1838, where he continued his vocation of a farmer. He later moved to Franklin county, Kansas, seven miles from Ottawa, and in 1863 he bought a farm there and lived on it until he died, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He was a son of Philip Haner, a native of Germany, who lived to be one hundred and ten years old. His wife was Sarah (Stroupe) Haner, daughter of John Stroupe, a native of Germany. Sarah (Stroupe) Haner was born in the Empire state and was sixty-nine years old when she died. To this union were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters. William H. Haner was united in marriage on May .1, 1891, with Rose Douglass, MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 659 daughter of Jeremiah and Mollie (Sherwood) Douglass. She was born in Union county. This union has been blest with one daughter, Vivian N., who is a graduate of the Plain City high school, and later attended Ohio State University for two years. She is a member of the Methodist church. Mr. Haner has been rewarded for his industry by a liberal portion of the comforts and blessings of lire, and will doubtless have many years of usefulness and prosperity. JOHN M. MORSE, M. D. John M. Morse, although a young man in the medical profession, has established and now enjoys, a splendid practice at Resaca, Ohio: He has built up a reputation as a skillful physician and surgeon, and his list of patients is not confined to his home town. They come from far beyond the township limits, in order to have the satisfaction of knowing they will receive a scientific diagnosis, followed by the best treatment to be obtained in that district. John M. Morse was born on May 4, 1882, in Monroe township, Ohio, and is a son of John P. and Mary J. ( Mitchell) Morse. He was reared in the township of his birth on a farm, attending at first the public schools and later entered. the Milford high school, from which he graduated in the class of 1901. He then entered the Starling Medical College, at Columbus, from which he was graduated after a four-year course, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. The day of his graduation occurred on his twenty-third birthday, May 4, 1905, and the same year he located at Resaca, where he has since been in active practice. Doctor Morse was the youngest member of his class who passed the state board. Doctor Morse is a strong believer in the principles of the Republican party. His fraternal alliance is with Urania Lodge No. 311, Free and Accepted Masons. He took a competitive examination for physician in the Sioux Indian reservation schools, of Lower Broule .Indian Reservation, and was one of the few to get an appointment as inspector on the reservations as to sanitary conditions. He is a member of the Madison County, Ohio State and American Medical Associations, and occupied the position of health officer for several years. John P. Morse, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on December 28, 1839. in Union county, Ohio, and was a son of Ray G. and Sarah (Parthmore) Morse. He was reared in Monroe township, and was a man who was well liked on account of his cheerful disposition. He always looked on the bright side of everything. He went to the Civil War, June 22, 1863, in Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. On November 29, 1871, John P. Morse was united in marriage with Mary J. Mitchell, daughter of David and Elizabeth Mitchell. This union was blest with six children, George N., a high school graduate, was married to Mabel Guyer, and follows farming in Union county, Ohio; Renna, a graduate of the Milford Center. high school, was a teacher for a number of years, but is now the wife of Fred Burns; John Millard, the subject of this sketch; Ruby A., who was graduated from the Milford Center high school, became the wife of Thomas Kreamer,. a farmer in Union county, Ohio; William C., attended the public schools and then entered the high school at Milford Center, from where he went to Ada, Ohio, was married to Esther Kezerta, and lives in Union county, Ohio; Sarah E. died in. infancy. John P. Morse died on January 20, 1913. He was a stanch Republican, and was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Dr. John M. Morse was united in marriage on June 26, 1905, with Vaughan C. Ziegler, daughter of Dr. A. M. Ziegler, of Mingo, Ohio. She was born on April 7, 1885, and was reared and educated in the public schools of Champaign county, Ohio, finishing her course at the university at Ada, Ohio. Dr. A. M. Ziegler was born at Fultonham, Muskingum county, Ohio, and married 660 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Mary Rettberg, of King's Creek, Ohio. He was educated at the public schools and taught school several years afterward. He was graduated in 1881 from. Starling Medical College, at Columbus, and took up his practice at Urbana, Ohio. One year later he moved to Mingo, Ohio. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Junior Order of American Mechanics, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the American Medical Association. He is a member of the Lutheran church. Doctor and Mrs. Ziegler were the parents of four children: Vaughn C., Naomi H., Ruth and John A. Morse's mother was first married to David Winter, an attorney of Wooster, Ohio, and one child was born to this union, Florence Estella, Doctor Morse, like his father, is an affable man. He is a great hunter, and an expert with the pole and line. THEODORE VOGELSBERG Theodore Vogelsberg is a general contractor of Madison county and one of the .well-known citizens of this section of Ohio. He was born at Ronae, Franklin county, Ohio, November 12, 1869, and in the spring of 1870, was brought by his parents to this county, the family locating in London, the county seat. Mr. Vogelsberg's father, Gus Vogelsberg, was a native of Bavaria, Germany, who had come to the United States about 1840 and who at the age of ten years, settled near Columbus, where for some time, he was engaged in farming. He was also engaged in street and cellar work in the city of Columbus. Por a time he rented land and later purchased land on Darby plains and became a very successful farmer, owning one hundred and thirty-seven acres: Finally he retired and moved to Springfield. Ohio, where he now lives. He and his wife had a family of ten. children, among whom are the following: Nora, who married Ed. Hodge and lives in Springfield; Hattie, who is the wife of A. S. Heath, of Pike township; Katie, who becanae the wife of Thomas Scott, of SPringfield; Bessie, who married Peter Koontz, of Springfield; Jennie, who lives in Columbus; Ada, who is the wife of Roy Rickard, of Springfield; Theodore, the subject of this sketch; Frank, who is the proprietor of the Bookwalter hotel at Springfield, and George, who died in Arkansas. Theodore Vogelsberg lived on the farm until twenty-two years old, at which time he began building roads under contract. About that time he farmed six hundred acres of land and, after seven years, he sold out and moved to Springfield, where he engaged in railway contract work. He built forty miles of the Dayton, Springfield & Urbana electric railway. During the next three years he operated a farm and then moved to Greene county, Ohio, where he purchased one hundred and five acres. After two years, he sold out and bought two hundred and forty acres in Warren county. In the meantime, he returned to Madison county and settled down to road and bridge contracting. At the present time, Mr. Vogelsberg has about one hundred thousand dollars worth of work ahead. He has a complete equipment for road building, which is worth more than twenty thousand dollars, and employs from sixty-five to seventy-five teams and men. He keeps five or six foremen, who have active supervision of the outside work. Ordinarily, Mr. Vogelsberg does from fifty to one hundred thousand dollars worth of work every year. He has built many gravel roads in Madison county and also makes a specialty of building macadam roads, having constructed Greenlawn avenue in. the city of Columbus. He also built the Franklin road out of Columbus. Ordinarily, he manages from four to six jobs at one time. While his specialty is road building, he is able, with the equipment he has, to do all kinds of bridge work or whatever is connected with the construction of roads. At the age of twenty-eight years, Theodore Vogelsberg was married to Sallie R. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 661 Critz, of South Charleston, Ohio, to which union have been born seven children, John, Mary, Fred, Theodore, Jr., William Allen and Edna. Mr. Vogelsberg attends strictly to his own business and has no important outside interests. He is not interested especially in politics and, so far as he exercises his right as an American citizen, he votes independently, not being tied to any party. He is a member of the London. lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Vogelsberg is a member of the Quaker church and Mr. Vogelsberg is a Lutheran. MARION F. SANFORD. Marion F. Sanford, farmer, London, Ohio, was born on January 12, 1853, in Monroe township, Madison county, and is a son of William and Caroline (Brown) Sanford. He was reared on a farm and obtained his early education at the public schools, after which he attended the National Normal School, at Lebanon, Ohio. When his normal course was completed he began to teach and followed that work for eight years, abandoning school work for agricultural pursuits, in which he was much interested. After his marriage he rented the home farm from 1895 to 1902. Mr. Sanford is a stanch Republican, and has served as township treasurer, as well as township clerk, for several terms, in addition to which he served as census enumerator in 1890 and 1900. He is greatly interested in the subject and science of agriculture, and is president of the Madison County Agricultural Society, in which he is serving his third term. Mr. Sanford is a member of the Methodist church, has served on the official board, and is now superintendent of the Sunday school at Pluthwood, and is an active worker in the church, to which he contributes liberally. William Sanford, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on March 2, 1819, at Hoboken, New Jersey, and was A son of Nathan P. and Anna Sanford. His wife was Caroline (Brown) . Sanford. He came with his parents to Somerford township in 1833, and settled there, remaining until 1855. To William and Caroline Sanford were born ten children, seven of whom are living in 1915 : David B., born on May 18. 1850 ; Mary A., October 23, 1851, and is the widow of John W. Williams, and lives at Jeffersonville. Fayette county, Ohio ; Charles, December 20, 1854 ; Marshall, December 20, 1856, is an attorney at Lima, Ohio ; Louisa became the wife of John Sceva, president of the Farmers Bank at Mechanicsburg, Ohio; Marion F., January 12, 1863; Carrie M., July 29, 1865, is the wife of percy Moore, a dry-goods merchant at Mechanicsburg, Ohio. Those deceased are: Fletcher, born on May 1, 1853, died on September 14, 1880; Edwin H., February 5, 1869, died on March 17, 1873 ; and Arthur, October 3, 1860, died in August, 1883. Nathan P. Sanford, the paternal grandfather, settled in Somerford township, Madison county, but later moved to Allen county, where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife, Anna Sanford, died in 1855. They were the parents of seven children. Marion F. Sanford was united in marriage, June 5, 1895, with Carrie Morris, daughter of Josiah and Orpha (Sidebottom) Morris. She was born in Monroe township and educated in the public schools, and later entered the Milford Center high school. After graduating she became a teacher in the public schools and was there several years. They have one son, Morris B., who was born on November 21, 1898, and attended three years at the Plumwood high school. He is now a senior at London high school. Josiah Morris, the father of Mrs. Marion F. Sanford, was born on March 23, 1837, in Monroe township, and was a son of David and Sarah (Weaver.) Morris. He was reared on a farm and received a good education, for those days, at the public schools. He went to the Civil War on May 26, 1862, in Company D, Eighty-fourth Regiment. 662 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged at Camp Delaware, September 20, 1862, his term of enlistment having expired. On July 4, 1863, he was elected captain of Company E, Second Regiment of Infantry, Ohio Militia, for the term of five years. At the beginning of the Civil War, he was farming in Missouri, when he was drafted in the Confederate Army, but he deserted and came to Ohio and enlisted, as above stated. Mr. Morris was married on February 21, 1865, to Orpha Sidebottom, who was born on November 10, 1846, at Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio. She was a school teacher. To Mr. and Mrs. Morris were born two children, Rosa, who became the wife of C. D. Trimble, and is living at Columbus; and Carrie M., who was born on August 18, 1871. Josiah Morris is a member of the Masonic lodge at Plain City, Ohio. He moved to London in 1908. His splendid farm consists of three hundred and forty-five acres and is located in Monroe township. Mrs. Morris is an earnest and attentive member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and they are both honored citizens of the section in which they reside. David Morris, father of Josiah Morris, was married on June 14, 1831, to Sarah Weaver, daughter of George and Elizabeth Weaver. He came with his parents, Joseph and Levina (Drake) Morris, to Clark county, Ohio, in 1812. This union was blest with six children : John W., Benjamin F., Solomon and Josiah, twins, and both living in 1915, Saurilda, and one other. David Morris, after his marriage, located on a farm in Logan county, and lived there until he came to Madison county and settled in Monroe township, where he spent the remainder of his life. He served his township as justice of the peace, treasurer, and trustee. His death occurred in 1894. Mr. Sanford is a strictly honorable man in every sense of the word. He is quiet, retiring in his disposition, and has many loyal friends. He moved to his present farm of one hundred and seventy acres in 1902. On this farm he has put valuable improvementg, consisting of a good house and barn, and now has a pleasant, comfortable home, which he and his wife enjoy to the fullest extent. JOHN C. BUTLER. John C. Butler, a skillful farmer of Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, who lives on rural route No. 2, out of Plain City, Ohio, and who cultivates two hundred and sixty acres in this township, was born in Union county, Ohio, May 16, 1865, the son of John and Jane (Crego) Butler. John Butler was a native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, and at the age of fourteen came to the United States a poor boy and located at West Jefferson, Ohio. Later he removed to Paulding county, Ohio, but was married in Columbus, Ohio, in 1864. After his marriage he located in Jefferson township, Madison county. Having acquired one hundred and sixty acres of land in Paulding county, Ohio, in 1882, he removed to Paulding county and lived there until his death. He was the father of six children, three of Whom are now living, as follow : Edward is a farmer in Paulding county; Martin is also a farmer in Paulding county; John C. is the subject of this sketch. Born and reared on the farm in Madison county, Ohio, John C. Butler remained here until seventeen years old, but accompanied his parents to Paulding county in 1882. He remained there eight years, after which he returned to Madison county, where he has lived ever since. Mr. Butler's education was obtained in the common schools of this county. On February 17, 1892, two years after his return to Madison county, John C. Butler was married to Catharine Holland, the daughter of John and Mary Holland, who was reared in Madison county, Ohio, and educated in the common schools. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have had three children, Dorothy, Walter and William Jennings Bryan. Dorothy was graduated from the public schools, and is the wife of R. F. Bailey, MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 663 of Union county, Ohio. Walter was graduated from the common schools, and is a farmer by occupation and lives at home. William Jennings Bryan lives at home. Coming from good old Irish stock, Mr. Butler is recognized as one of the most honorable citizens of Madison county. He is an extensive breeder of live stock and a prosperous farmer on the two hundred and sixty acres of land which he occupies as a tenant. Mr. and Mrs. Butler and family are members of the Roman Catholic church of Plain City. Mr. Butler votes the Democratic ticket, and has served as a member of the Madison county central committee. EBER W. BIDWELL. Eber W. Bidwell, farmer, West Jefferson, Ohio, was born on June 11, 1877, on the old Bidwell farm, where his father still resides, and is a son of Monroe and Martha (Kreamer) Bidwell. He was reared on the old farm, and when old enough, attended the district school during the winter, months, and assisted on the farm in the summer, quitting school at the age of fourteen years, and was married when eighteen years old. Mr. Bidwell has always given his best attention to his agricultural interests, and has given a portion of his attention to the breeding of fine stock, among which may be found some registered hogs and cattle. He is a Republican, but has never taken an active part in local politics, outside of being generally interested in the progressive welfare of the community. He is one of the directors of the People's Commercial and Savings Bank, at London, Ohio. A biographical sketch Of Monroe and Martha (Cramer) Bidwell, parents of Eber W. Bidwell, is presented elsewhere in this volume. Eber W. Bidwell was united in marriage with Maggie Burrell, who was born in Madison county, and died April 2, 1897, at the birth of her child; who was reared by his grandparents, attending the schools at Ada, Ohio. Mr. Bidwell was married, secondly, in 1899, to Alta Ford. They had two children. After the death of his second wife. Mr. Bidwell was married to Mrs. Magdalena (Hansel) Hanson, widow of George Hanson, to which union no children were born. Mrs. Bidwell had two children by her former husband, Leslie and Mabel. Mr. Bidwell's home place, on rural route No. 2, West Jefferson, Ohio, is known as "Darby Plains. Stock Farm," and consists of seventy-three and one-half acres. The place is well and scientifically managed, and Mr. Bidwell enjoys the reputation of being one of the progressive and honorable residents of his township, where he is known and liked by all. Mrs. Bidwell belongs to the Ladies' Aid Society at Gillivan. CLARK WILSON. Clark Wilson, farmer and clerk of Monroe township, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, was born on October 15, 1860, in Somerford township, and is a son of Valentine and Hannah (Clark) Wilson. His mother died when he was nine days old, and he was reared and cared for by his maternal grandfather, Robert C. Clark, until he grew to manhood. He was given a good education in the public schools of Clark county, Ohio. living with his grandfather until the time of his marriage. Mr. Wilson has always been a stanch supporter. of Republican policies, and in the interest of his township served four years as township trustee, and is in his second year as township clerk. He also officiated as township treasurer for four years. He is at present associated with M. E. Thomas in the manufacture of drain tile of all kinds. Mr. Wilson spent five years in Los Angeles, California, but the balance of his life has been spent in Ohio. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plainwood, Ohio. Valentine Wilson, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Madison county, Ohio, and was a son of Elias Wilson. His youth was spent in Madison county, Ohio, 664 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. where he was later united in marriage with Hannah Clark, who was born in Clark county, Ohio: Mr. Wilson died in 1965. Clark Wilson was united in marriage with Annie Thomas, daughter of John M. Thomas, by whom..he' had two children, Blanche, deceased, and Calvin, who is following agriculture in Madison county, Ohio. Mrs. Wilson died and Mr. Wilson was married, August 15, 1895, to Fannie Ronemus, daughter of George and Maggie (Heaton) Ronemus; she as born on May 25, 1868, in Madison county, Ohio, receiving a good education in the public and high schools of London, Ohio. The children born to this union are as follow: Raymend, a student in the Plainwood high school; Robert, and Elmer, twins, and both graduates of the public school, and Frederick. George Ronemus, father of Mrs.. Clark Wilson, Was born on February 12, 1824, in West Virginia, and is still living in 1915. At an early date, he learned the tailor's trade, which he worked at for a, number of years in Plattsburg, Ohio, from where he moved to London in the same state, continuing in the merchant tailor business until 1911. His wife, Maggie (Heaton) Ronemus, was born in October, 1843, at Plattsburg, Ohio, and was the mother of ten children, seven of whom are living in 1915: Florence, a graduate of the high school at London, Ohio ; Fannie ; Ella, also a graduate of the London, Ohio, high school, and is now the wife of Robert Woodhouse, of London; Arthur, who is married and lives at London; Louise, who became the wife of Elmer Miller, and resides at Lindsay, California ; Mabel who was married to George Brown; and George, who is married and lives at London, Ohio. Mr. Wilson is very well informed on the topics of the day and his genial and companionable disposition have won for him a wide range of friends and acquaintances. WILLIAM MORGRIDGE. In Newburyport, Massachusetts, one of the early settlers was John Morgridge, a ship builder, who came froth England. He remained but a short time at Newburyport, going to the town of Newbury, Massachusetts on the Merrimad river, locating at a place afterwards called "Morgridge Point." He had three sons, William, Samuel and John. John died young at Newburyport without children. He was a person of quite some Means. William was a close friend of Dr..Benjamin Franklin, and was a member of the famous "Junto Club" of Philadelphia, organized. by Doctor Franklin for public benefit. William Morgridge was the fifth member of the club, which had a membership of but twelve. Samuel, the eldest son of John Morgridge, also a shipbuilder, was a than of learning. He was much injured by a fall and afterward taught school for a number of years. He married Ruth Silvers, who came from Ireland and was sold for her passage, and to that union six children were born. He died, June 26, 1772, at Amesbury, Massachusetts. The house in which Samuel Morgridge lived was a quaint old structure. It was taken down in 1857 and one of the panels of woodwork over the mantlepiece, on which is a rude painting of a ship on the stocks, with Indians .at work as carpenters, is still preserved at the public library in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Previous to the Revolution slaves were lawful in Massachusetts and Samuel Morgridge owned several negroes who were employed about the shipyard during the daytime and: lodged at. night in the barn or woodshed adjoining the house.In the inventory of hi estate, recorded at Salem, Massachusetts, there is one item of “three negroes, valued a £133 6s 8d." A great-grandson, George W. Jackman, now owns a portion of the ship. yards. Richard Morgridge, youngest child of Samuel and (Ruth Silvers) Morgridge, born at Amesbury, Massachusetts, NoVember 18, 1771; lived with his mother until seven years of age and lived with a Mr. Coffin until twenty-one years of age. He had but little time to learn, but became a fair penman, made good progress in mathematics and MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 665 gained some knowledge of surveying. When he reached his majority, he left Massachusetts and went to Vermont. Wages were low there and he earned but five dollars a month, but land was also low and he worked and bought land. On May 1, 1800, he married Sallie Emerson, she being, eighteen years of age, and they emigrated to Ohio in 1815 with their earthly possessions, all of which' were contained in a wagon especially built for the occasion. The distance was great, nine hundred miles, and the roads new and in some places alniost impassable, yet with a determined purpose, the pioneer leading the way, the journey was accomplished and the 18th of September found the family sheltered in a small cabin in Licking county, every member afflicted with the ague. A year later, the father, by way of availing himself of the convenience and benefit of western institutions, sold all of his chattel effects, which, together with some currency, he converted into bills of the Muskingum Bank located at Marietta, then the leading bank of the state. Four days later, when in Newark in which place he had gone to make some purchases, he learned that the bills were worthless, the bank having failed two days before. It had been the intention of the Morgridges to locate in Hamilton county, but the sickness referred to prevented. In the fall of 1820 the family came to Madison county, settling on land upon which William Morgridge now resides, which had previously been bargained for with Walter Dun, then located at Chillicothe, to whom the early settlers of the county ever were grateful for the kind indulgences extended to them on overdue payments. In moving to this county; Richard Morgridge, impoverished as lie was, had been compelled to contract some debts in procuring an outfit in the way of a team and implements to begin farming. For two years a general Sickness prevailed in the locality, the seasons were unfavorable for crops and there was a great scarcity of money in the country. Therefore, the year 1824 still found him in debt and, with the expenses incident to the rearing of a large family, unable to pay. He was sued by his creditors, who in their eagerness to collect, sold him out letting articles go at far less than their value, thus depriving him of the only means he possessed and which would have enabled him, in the near tature, to have canceled their claims. When all was gone and the creditors unsatisfied (there being then no chattels or homestead exemption too sacred to be attached by execution, as now); the debtor explaining to the creditors that he had no more property or money with which to pay in the presence of the harassed man's family the creditor said: "If that be so, I demand that you, Mr. Constable, lay upon the body of this debtor, Richard Morgridge, and take him forthwith into the jail of the county, as is my right and pleasure to do, and there keep him till my claim be fully satisfied." The mother passed the remainder of the day and evening with tears in her eyes. At five o'clock in the morning on the day following, Richard Morgridge, the debtor, tired, wet and hungry by walking all the way from London in mud and rain; knocked at the door, and was unexpectedly but joyfully admitted. He not having the for the expenses to the county, as the law required, was released. Under the hardships of a new country, the cares and wants.of a large family and misfortune beyond his control. Richard Morgridge's health and resolutions gave way, never to revive, and he died on August 10, 1843. Richard and Sallie (Emerson) Morgridge were the parents of nine children. Joshua Bailey Morgridge, the fourth son and the seventh of .these children, in order of birth, was born on August 2, 1814, amid the beautiful hills of Vermont, in the town of Berlin, Washington county, three miles from Montpelier, He was but two 'years of age when the family emigrated from his birthplace to the wilds of Ohio and was five years' old when the family settled in Madison county. Occasionally in his boyhood he went to school in the primitive log school house of the time, with its rude home-made 666 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. furnishings and, in order. to reach the school, had to go nearly two miles over the wet prairies. He only went to school about thirty-five days in the year, but was tught at hoine by his mother, and from her instructions learned more than he ever did at school. At the tender age of ten years the lad became independent, going out to work for his own living, and when fourteen years of age he was able to do a man's work, so vigorous, strong and industrious in his habits was he. He was an expert in handling the scythe and hand-rake in haying time, and with a rope used to haul the hay, to stack it in the field, plowing around the stock to keep the fire from it. The purposes and fixed resolutions of his life rushed to his mind on realizing ,the causes of his father's break down and death. He then most fully realized that poverty was most humiliating and inconvenient; that debts and creditors were tyrants; and always strove to be free, at the same time advising all young men to avoid debts if they valued comfort and hoped for freedom. Joshua Bailey Morgridge, with the assistance and encouragement of his mother, from the period mentioned until 1833, and jointly with her, became the real owner of one hundred and thirty acres of the land bargained for by his father with Mr. Dun and under such circumstances that he was relieved any fear of old creditors. About this time Joshua B. Morgridge was invited to teach the neighborhood backwoods district school, at nine dollars the month, which was then the customary salary for that honored position. Of books, up to that period, he had seen few and hardly owned any, his mother having been his principal instructor, he never having carried a slate, arithmetic, geography or atlas, history or grammar into a school-room. The little learning, he had mastered was ample to serve as a test of his fitness for the position, which ordeal he safely passed, paid the required fee of twenty-five cents to the: board of examiners, took charge of the school and remained employed in that capacity for eight or ten "quarters," among his pupils having been youngsters who later became successful as farmers, mechanics, inventors, machinists, surveyors, engineers, architectural draftsmen, merchants, sheriffs, county commissioners, lawyers, doctors, legislators, and, Mr. Morgridge used to recall, one minister, which as he jocularly was wont to remark, was perhaps an accident. Previous to and about this period of his teaching, Mr. Morgridge passed the summer seasons in herding cattle in droves of from two hundred to two hundred and fifty head on the then unfenced and unimproved wild prairies in the northern part of this. county, and in this employment he made the acquaintance of many. of the pioneer drovers, among whom were Comstock, Williams, the Weavers, Guy, Buell and Minor as well as the large grazers, the Gwynns, the Wilsons, Fullington. and the Wildmans. Mr. Morgridge, believing that estates were, in the most instances largely the result of growth, directed his attention in main. to the growing of young stock, and purchased, as he was able small parcels of land. His first venture as a drover was in the year 1840, when he purchased one thousand four hundred head of sheep, and drove them to the state of Wisconsin and there disposed of them to the pioneer settlers of that region, stopping ten or twelve days at Chicago, to graze the herd. from the. wild prairie thereabout, worth then only from five to ten dollars the acre. During the decade beginning with 1840, he was engaged in the cattle business, buying West and driving to the Northern and Eastern markets, and to the feeders in. Pennsylvania, having , to 'cross the mountains and ford and swim the intervening rivers. In 1859 he drove cattle, which he purchased in Iowa, through on horseback to the city of Philadelphia and returned to Ohio on the same horse. He drove cattle in herds of one hundred and .fifty to two hundred and fifty froth Illinois. to Philadelphia, the task requiring a period of twenty-five days to Ohio and from there, through the state of Pennsylvania, to Philadelphia, about forty-five days, at an expense of from two dollars and fifty cents to three dollars and fifty cents per head, swimming such rivers, on the course of the drives, as the MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 667 Sangamon, Kankakee, Illinois and the Ohio. After 1850 Mr. Morgridge turned his attention more closely to his farm, which, in the meantime, he had increased in point of the number of acres, but added not much to its productivity.  The lawfully established roads in this locality then were very few and steps were taken by Joshua B. Morgridge in petitioning for better and more direct highways, and he became instrumental in the laying out and establishing of three county roads, in all about fifteen miles, which soon were found to be such useful roads that the county improved by piking and graveling them. The most urgent need of this region at that time was the draining of the lands, a task not so easily accomplished. A large tract of the country was so situated, including a large portion of the three, townships, Darby, Canaan and Monroe, that any location of ditches less comprehensive than a system that would drain the whole, must have been a failure. To reconcile the views of some one thousand six hundred persons, owning not less than twenty thousand acres of land, some of whom were non-residents of the county, but none the less watchful and jealous, but mainly all neighbors, was no easy task especially as each one, in justice, law and equited was to contribute or be assessed, if the needed improvement was to be made. Without draining, this large tract of land was not only unhealthful, but almost useless for agricultural purposes. Notwithstanding the difficulty and the unpleasantness of the to k, the individual as well as the public or common interest Mr. Morgridge had in this matter, impelled him to draw up and present petitions to the county commissioners of the county at different times, though all having the same object in view, a complete system of necessary drainage eventually was adopted and constructed, including a public county ditch, twenty-two miles in length, with more than that length of tributary private ditch, at a cost of nearly two hundred thousand dollars, which has been of incalculable benefit, as the lands thus drained have enhanced in value from twenty-six dollars to one hundred and fifty dollars the acre, the once practically worthless land now being second to none in any part of the state. All unkind feelings and differences of opinion or grievances over unequal assessments and benefits were reconciled in Mr. Morridge's lifetime and this, too, without any deplorable or fatal results, except in one instance. Joshua Bailey Morgridge, or "Bailey," as he was commonly known prospered largely and was truly grateful to Providence for what he received and proud, too of the improvement the county made ; but prouder, as he often said, of that representative of our county who was mainly instrumental in the repeal of that barbarous law that sent my father to the jail of my county for no crime but debt." Bailey Morgridge turned his attention to farming and became one of the large land owners of the county, at the same time becoming a prominent factor in local politics. He helped to organize the first Farmers' Alliance in the county and was present at the great Farmers' convention at Galion in 1890, having been active in its deliberations, as one of the committee on resolutions. He was sent as a delegates to Cincinnati when the People's party was formed and in the campaign of 1891 he was nominated by that party for state senator, to represent the district composed of Madison, Clark and Champaign counties. He was endorsed by the Democratic central committees of the three counties, but the district was, so overwhelmingly Republican that he was defeated at the polls. Mr. Morgridge was a delegate to the great labor convention held at St. Louis in 1892. He was a welcome speaker at farmers' institutes and similar gatherings, and his practical and interesting addresses, replete with useful information and containing frequent happy hits, were of much benefit to his fellow farmers. He served as delegate-at-large to the Omaha convention, the first held by the People's party to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President, and in 1892 he was a candidate on that ticket for Con- 668 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. gress from the seventh congressional district, comprising the counties of Madison, Pickaway, Fayette, Clark and Miami. In Plain City, this county, on February 17,. 1852, Joshua Bailey Morgridge married Harriet Hoyt Tuttle, a native of Darien, Connecticut., and to this union were born eight.children, all of whom are living at this writing. Mr. Morgridge died at his "Hickory Grove Feria," April 10, 1803, of pleurisy. His earnest and devoted helpniate had preceded him to the grave about four years, her death having occurred on March 21, 1889. Mrs. Bailey Morgridge was born on September 23, 1823. Her mother died when she was nine years of age, and she and a sister and brother came with their father to Ohio in.1836, locating near Dublin, in Franklin county, on a farm which the father bought and owned for many years. Mr. Tuttle was in conifortable circumstances and the children knew little of the hardships many families at that early day were compelled to endure. She was an ambitious, studious girl, and was carefully educated at the academy in Worthington, Ohio, the associations and acquaintances made during this educational period, in after years being productive of pleasant memories. She taught school in the villages of Pleasant Valley, Dublin and Amity for ten years, during which time she made her home with. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Weatherington, who kept the hotel in Pleasant Valley, and a pleasant, cheerful place it was for the travelers who came by stage coach over the postroad. Harriet Tuttle was prepOssessing in looks and engaging. in. manners. She was a gifted conversationalist, possessing a voice of rare charm and a remarkable memory which made her eminently fitted for her vocation as teacher. Those gifts, which were a pleasure to her friends in her maiden days, were none the less valued in the home on the Darby Plains, when there were many years filled with the routine of domestic duties incidental to the rearing of a large family and the care of the farm help, a part of every farmer's household, that being before the days of maids or house servants in this section. The farm help mainly was recruited from the ranks of immigrants from the Old country, and many were the letters Mrs. Morgridge wrote for those boys to sweethearts or home folks. As time passed and these men became settled on the farm, her interest in those new families was always maintained. She saw to it that a way was provided for them to go to the church, and that the babies were properly christened. West Jefferson, twelve miles away, was the nearest trading point and place. for church attendance, .and the farm teain and wagon usually were pressed into service. Never were the material wants of these dependent families overlooked. A garden plot, orchard or potato patch, and a cow were considered essentials and were. freely supplied. Letters in the possession of the family, written by Mrs. Bailey Morgridge to her husband more than a half century ago, pertaining to those days when business called him to the Western cattle country for many weeks each year, are long interesting missives, full of the affairs of the day, but deploring his long absence from home and : children and expressing the utmost confidence -in his judgment in the farm management. Those letters were written in even close lines, beginning rather formally and ending with expressions of great love and respect. Then would come the long winter evenings spent around the great wood fire. When the children were quieted the mother would read aloud the papers to the father and the hired men. Frequently some one of the neighboring families would come in to hear the news read. At "Hickory Grove Farm," where her whole married life was lived, Mrs. Morgridge took much pride and pleasure in the upbuilding of the home, which stands today as a memorial to a useful and well-spent life. For her Dublin friends and for the people bearing the imprint and atmosphere of her native New England home she ever cherished a deep sentiment and strong affection. She was a loyal church woman, and her life was full of good works. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 669 Algernon Sydney Morgridge, the youngest child of Richard and Sallie (Emerson)  Morgridge and brother of Bailey Morgridge, was unmarried and lived on his farm, his mother and an unmarried sister making their homes with him. He was very fond of his brother Bailey's children, and gave his home place to Hotchkiss Morgridge, eldest son of his brother. Hotchkiss Morgridge was named for Mr. Hotchkiss, of New Haven, Connecticut, who married Mary Sawyer, of Madison county, a life-long friend of Bailey Morgridge. Bailey Morgridge now lives on a farm in Kansas on the banks of the beautiful river Elk, a part of. his farm being in the corporation of Longton. He married Miss Rice, and they have two children, Hotchkiss H. and Luluvon. William Morgridge, the subject of this sketch, and the sixth child and second sou of Joshua Bailey and Harriet (Tuttle) Morgridge, lives at the old homestead, which is built on the land for which his grandfather, Richard Morgridge, bargained before 1820, and which his grandmother, Sallie Morgridge, and her children afterwards bought, part of the residence having been built by his grandfather, between 1830 and 1835. William Morgridge is a successful farmer, stock raiser and feeder, and is trying to improve his farms by draining and fertilizing so that they may be more valuable and productive. He has always been in favor of public improvements, believing that they are a benefit to all the people. On March 4, 1893,William Morgridge was married to Effie Roseberry, a school teacher of Madison county, eldest daughter of Ebenezer Taylor and Mary (Carter) Roseberry, of Pike township; this county, to which union two children have been born, Paul William, born. on December 2, 1894, and Emerson Roseberry, July 10, 1807. Ruth Morgridge, daughter of Joshua Bailey and Harriet (Tuttle) Morgridge, married E. L. Williams, who was born near Granville, Licking county, Ohio. After leaving college, Mr. Williams moved to Plain City, where for several years he was engaged in the mercantile business Later, he went to New York City and accepted a position with the Public Service Railway Company. He is now superintendent of that road, with headquarters in Jersey City, New Jersey: Mr. and Mrs. Williams have, one child, Richard, named after his maternal great-grandfather, and who, also is engaged in the railway service. THOMAS F. HAFEY. Numbered among the descendants of Irish lineage now located in Canaan township, Madison county, Thomas F. Hafey is doing his share in placing agricultural interests on a high plane of efficiency, the same principle being carried out in his stock-raising enterprise. Thomas F. Hafey was born on February 9, 1871, in Fayette county, Ohio, a son of Jeremiah and Ellen (Kelley) Hafey. He attended the district schools and after the year 1897 began farming for himself. He took over the home place, paid off the indebtedness, and took care of his mother and sister, and now owns the entire home place, consisting of one hundred and twelve acres, located four and one-half miles southwest of Plain City, on the Converse road. Everything he possesses has been acquired entirely through his own efforts. In addition to his general farming interests, Mr. Hafey is greatly interested in the breeding of fine stock of various kinds, of which he owns a large number. He is a Democrat and takes an active interest in local politics, serving as school director for the past six years. Both Mr. Hafey and his wife are members of the Catholic church. He is one of the stockholders of the First State Bank at Plain City, Jeremiah Hafey, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and his wife, Ellen (Kelley) Hafey, was born in County Cork, Ireland. She 670 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. came to the United States and located in Fayette county, Ohio, and Mr. Hafey emigrated to Ohio and settled in Clark county, near Springfield, where he was employed by the month, owning but little at the of his marriage. He went to work with a will, and in due course of time he became the owner of a fine farm consisting of one hundred and twelve acres, located in Canaan township, all of which came through his own efforts. He came to America in 1866, and spent the remainder of his life in Canaan township. His death occurred in. October, 1897, in Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio. His wife is still living, and resides in California. They were the parents of three children: Thomas F.; John, who died aged fifteen years; and Anna, who became the wife of R. W. Van Winkle and resides in California. Thomas F. Hafey was united in marriage, in June, 1912, with Alice Minogue, daughter of Michael Minogue, a native of County Carlow, Ireland. She was born on January 7, 1880, in Madison county, Ohio, and received her education at the district schools. Michael Minogue, father of Alike (Minogue) Hafey, came to America in 1859, and settled. in Madison county, Ohio. He was married in 1868 to Elizabeth Sheehan, a native of County Limerick, Ireland, who was born on April 1, 1846, and who came to America with her parents in 1847. Mr. Minogue was a farmer. He and his wife were the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are now living; Edward, James, Daniel, Mary, Margaret, Frances, Alice, Sarah, William and John are deceased, and two died in infancy. Mr. Hafey is of a quiet, retiring disposition, and is happy in the respect of his neighbors, because of the scrupulous exactness in his business dealings. HENRY FREY Henry Frey, farmer, West Jefferson, Madison county, was born on April 29, 1859, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Gottlieb and Mary A. (Holliver) Frey. At the age of one and one-half years, he came with his parents to Madison county, where he attended 'the district schools until seventeen years of age, after which he followed farming under the instruction of his father, until he was twenty-three years old, and then did farm work by the month. When he was twenty-nine years old he was married and began farming for himself, and now owns a good farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres. Mr. Frey is a Dethocrat, but never takes an active interest in politics. His wife belongs to the Catholic church at West Jefferson, Ohio. Mr. Frey is a member of West Jefferson Lodge No. 412, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Gottlieb Frey. father of the subject of this sketch, and his wife, Mary A. (Holliver) Frey, were natives of Germany, and on their arrival in America settled at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1856, where he followed the trade of a mechanic. Remaining there a few years, he decided to try the western country. He settled in Madison county, Ohio, where he rented land for a number of years. and later bought the farm now owned by Henry Frey. Here Mr. and Mrs. Gottleib Frey both lived until they died. He died on May 21, 1896. They were both members of the German Lutheran church, and were the parents of six sons, four of whom are living in 1915: Henry; Frederick, a farmer in Van Wert county, Ohio; William, who lives in Clark county; and Charles. who resides in Madison county. Henry Frey was united in marriage in January, 1889. with Susan C. McNeil, daughter of John and Anna (Corrigan) McNeil: She was born on October 1, 1866, in Jefferson township, and is a member of the Catholic church at West Jefferson, Ohio. John McNeil, father of Mrs. Henry Frey, was a native of Ireland, and his wife Anna (Corrigan) McNeil, was born at Dublin: They were united in marriage at Springfield, Clark county, Ohio, after which they came to Jefferson township, where MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 671 they spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. McNeil died on October 3, 1900, and his wife died on November 29; 1913. They were the parents of nine children, six of whom are living in 1915. Mr. Frey has led a life of quiet simplicity, and his name stands for honest business methods and patient industry. JOHN PATTERSON. John Patterson, farmer, Plain City, Madison county, was born on January 8, 1867, in Clark county, Ohio, and is a son of Abraham and Eileen (Peene) Patterson. His mother died when he. was about three years old, and he was reared by an uncle living in Madison county, and was educated in the district schools. Mr. Patterson is a general farmer and stock raiser, and disposes of several carloads of .hogs and cattle. He gives his support to the Republican party. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal. church at West jefferson, Ohio, and the West Jefferson lodge No. 412, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Abraham Patterson, father of John Patterson, was born, reared and educated in Ireland, and came to the United States when a young man, settling, at Cincinnati, where he became a general merchant, and later moved to Springfield, Ohio, where he spent the remainder of his life. Mr. Patterson was married while in Cincinnati to Eileen Peene, by whom he had three children, George, Samuel and John. George Patterson is a manufacturer of pottery, and lives near Springfield, Ohio. Samuel Patterson is a citizen of West Jefferson. John Patterson was united in marriage, February 20, 1901, with Mary Flugge, daughter of Fred and Anna (Kallies) Flugge. She was Will on May 15, 1878, in Franklin county, Ohio. No 'children have come to bless this union. Mrs. Patterson is a regular attendant of the Methodist church. Mr. Patterson is a descendant of Irish ancestry on his father's side, and of English lineage on his mother's side. He and his wife are pleasant, agreeable people, and occupy a high position in the estimation of the citizens of their community. JOHN L. BUSWELL. John L. Buswell. farmer, West Jefferson, Ohio, was born on February 28, 1870, in Jefferson township, and is a son of George and Nancy (Toop) Buswell. He grew up on a farm in Jefferson township, where he attended the district schools, remaining at home until twenty-one years of age, when he began to rent land and farm for himself, eventually becoming very successful and now owns one hundred and eighty-five acres of land, all in good agricultural condition, located five miles northwest of West Jefferson. Mr. Buswell is a Republican, but has never taken an active part in local politics. George Buswell, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of England, coming to the United States when a young man, and locating in Jefferson township. His wife, Nancy (Poop) Buswell, was a native of Ohio. They were the parents of six children, as follow : Sarah became the wife of John Penney, who is now deceased; Maggie is the widow of Uriah Blair; Susan was married to William Lombard, who is deceased; Mary is the wife of John Bailey, and lives in Nebraska ; George is an agriculturist in Jefferson township, and John L., the subject of this sketch. Mr. Buswell died on March 29, 1899. He was a son of Thomas and Catherine Buswell, natives of England, where they lived and died. He came to the United States on April 18, 1855, settling in Madison county, Ohio, on June 19, of that same year. He at once entered the employ of Edward Roberts, and remained with him four years. He worked by the day when he first came to this country, and when he died he was 672 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. wealthy, owning three hundred and thirty-six acres of land. He was married on August 25, 1861, to Nancy Toop. John L. Buiwell was united in marriage on June 30, 1889, With Mary Hennis, daughter of. George and Wilberta (White) Hennis. She was born: on November 22, 1870; in Pickaway county, Ohio. She was reared on a farm and her education was obtained in the public schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Buswell have been born two children, Leslie, who became the wife of Smith Olney, and Mamie, who is the wife of Leroy Bradley. George Hennis, father of Mrs, John L. Buswell, was born on June 4, 1841, in Licking county, Ohio, and died on February 9, 1915. His wife, Wilberta (White) Hennis, was born on August 21, 1849, in West Virginia and in Union county, Ohio. She is the Mother of nine children, eight of whom are living. in 1915: Mary, Ida., Laura, Samuel, Emma, Anna, Minnie and John. Willie. died in infancy. Ida became the wife of Grant Paugh ; Laura was married to Perry Murry ; Emma is now Mrs. Harley McFadden ; Anna married Samuel Geho ; Minnie was united in marriage with Jabez Thompson. Mr. Buswell has earned and retains the sincere regard of the entire community in which he resides. BERTHIER LOHR. The Lohr family. has been prominent in the agricultural, financial and political history of Madison county for nearly a century. Later generations of the family have been especially prominent in the religious history of the county, Berthier Lohr, who is now serving his first term as a commissioner of Madison county, having been a commissioner to several general assemblies of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Lohr is a retired farmer, who :is now living in London. Berthier Lohr was born in London, this county, November 13, 1847, in an old house on Union street, which is' still in use. He is the son of John and Ann (Noteman) Lohr, the ,former of whom was born. in Virginia, the son of Michael Lohr, also a native of that state. Michael Lohr's father, Michael Lohr, was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and Michael himself served in the War of 1812. Michael Lohr's widow, who before her marriage wag a Miss Miller, became the wife of a Mr. Messmore and, as his wife, immigrated from Virginia to Ohio in 1820, driving through directly to Madison county, Ohio, and settling on the Crider farm, three miles west of London. In 1825 she returned to Virginia in company. with two other women on horseback and returned to Madison county by the same way after she had settled an estate. On Mrs. Messmore's first overland journey to Madison county, she had .brought with her two sons and two daughters by her first marriage, George W., John, Margaret And Mary. Of the daughters, Margaret married William Chappel of Madison county. She died later in Toledo, leaving, one daughter. Mary married Michael Carr and lived in Fayette county. One of her daughters, Mrs. Clara Irwin, lives in Madison county. Mr. Messmore was a shoemaker by trade at Sedalia, later called Midway, where he died of old age. His wife died in 1862 at the home of her son, George W. Lohr, in London. By her marriage to Mr. Mesmore, she had several children. Catherine, who. married James Gossard, lived in Range township, later moving to Illinois, where she died. Her Children, George and Jephtha Gossard, now live in Fayette county. Isabel married a Mr. Wielmuth and later moved to Kentucky. She had no children. The other children we're. Samuel, Jane, Marion and Isabelle. George W. and John Lohr spent their lives in London. They operated a saddlery and harness business in partnership until about 1840, after which George engaged in MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 673 the livery business and was thus engaged for many years. George W. Lohr died in London, after having passed the age of eighty years. His wife was Sarah Reeder and they had a family of three daughters, who are still living in London, Josephine N., who is unmarried ; Mrs. Mary Dungan and Mrs. Arnold Gardner. Ann Noteman, who married John Lohr, was born in Madison county and was the daughter of William Noteman, who, with his wife, who was a Smith, lived one mile northeast of London, in Union township. William Noteman was born on the ocean while his parents, of Scotch-Irish descent, were coming to America. They came to Ohio while he was still a boy. His farm was located northeast of London and there he died while still a young man about 1830. Ann Noteman was reared on a farm northeast of London and spent her whole life in Madison county. She was married to John Lohr about 1844, and when her parents' estate was settled she inherited through her mother two hundred and fifty acres of land. After dissolving his partnership with his brother in 1848, John Lohr and wife moved to a farm two miles east of London, on the West Jefferson pike. The acreage was increased until John Lohr owned three hundred and ten acres. He erected the present house and cleared a great deal of the land now under cultivation, having at the time of his death, on December 31, 1898, a. very fine farm: He was eighty-two years old when he died. His widow died in London. John Lohr was township trustee for a number of years and also served as school director. Until the very last days of his life, he looked personally after his property interests. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church of London and he was an elder in the church for many years and a strict observer of his faith. He was popular in the ranks of the Republican party and an important worker therein. In 1840 John Lohr was a member of the brass band in London, being a bass drummer. He made a canoe of a large log and the band was taken to Chillicothe for the Harrison campaign of that year, where they played at a big rally. Later he took an active part in the famous Brough campaign in this state. John Lohr was a celebrated exhibitor of Merino sheep at the county fairs held in this section of Ohio. His wife was a great Bible student and was prominent in church work. She was a subscriber to the Herald and Presbyter for many years. John Lohr was sent as a delegate the presbytery, and the.. synod on several occasions. The family of John and Ann (Noteman) Lohr consisted of eight children, namely : Theresa, who married Robert Moore, a veteran of the Civil War, lives in London; Berthier, the subject of this sketch; Clara, the widow of John Pierce, of London, who was a veteran of the Civil War; Angenette, the wife of James B. Crider, lives con the old Crider farm, three miles from London on the Charleston pike; Smith, a resident of Georgia ; Ella, the wife of Arthur McDonald, of Ames, Iowa ; Flora, who married Frank White and lives in London, and Charles, an assistant engineer in London. Of these children, Berthier Lohr has spent all of his life, except one year, in Madison county. One year he lived in Kansas. During his active career, Mr. Lohr was a general farmer and stockman. He took a great interest in hogs and fed a large number. At the age of twenty-eight, Berthier Lohr was married to Mary J. Creath, the daughter of Owen M. Creath, who was born and reared in Madison county and who spent practically all of her life here, with the exception of a few years in which she lived in Iowa. Her father was a member of an Iowa regiment during the Civil War and was .killed at the battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing. To Mr. and Mrs. Berthier Lohr five children have been born, as follow : John C., a graduate of the London high school, is a rural mail carrier in Madison county ; Owen F., a graduate of the London high school, lives at home; Bessie, who was also educated in (43) 674 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. the high school, lives at home; Ira, a resident of Dayton, and Albert Floyd, a civil engineer at Columbus, Ohio, who is graduate of the Ohio State University. A good many years ago, Mr. Lohr was ordained an elder in the Presbyterian church and he has been an industrious worker in the church. He has been a delegate to various meetings of the church in this state and was a commissioner to the general assembly of the church held at St. Louis in 1900. He also attended the assembly in the years that body was convened at Columbus, at Atlanta and at Des Moines, Iowa. As a Republican, Mr. Lohr was elected to the position of infirmary director and served in that position for a number of years. He has served as township trustee, as school director and, in 1914, was elected commissioner of Madison county, his term of office beginning in September, 1915. Mr. Lohr succeeded E. E. Willard. Since 1873 Berthier Lohr has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Follows. He has passed all of the chairs in the subordinate lodge and in the encampment. He is also a member of the Grange and was one of the promoters of the Farmers' Club. Beginning back as far as 1874, Mr. Lohr has been one of the active workers in the Grange organization. He has also been active in the work of farmers' institutes throughout this section. He is widely known throughout the county and is held in the very highest regard by his hosts of friends. WYATT C. PRATT. Wyatt C. Pratt, farmer, London, Monroe township, Madison county, .was born on July 14, 1888, in Clark county, Ohio, and is a son of J. C. and Anna (Hall) Pratt. He was reared amid farm scenes. and received his education in the public schools of the district and the high school at Plainwood. After leaving school he followed farming for about six years and then went west, returning after a stay of one year, to Madison .county, Ohio, where he is successfully following agriculture, having the sole ownership of two hundred and twenty ,acres, and an interest in another tract of five hundred and fifty acres. Mr. Pratt is a supporter of the Republican policies. J. C. Pratt, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on November 28, 1861, in Clark county, Ohio, and was a son of A. G. and Mary (Clark) Pratt. His wife was Anna (Hall) Pratt, by .whom he had four children, three of whom are living in 1915; Wyatt C., Robert E., and John E. Their fourth child, Murray A., is deceased. Mrs. Anna (Hall) Pratt was born in Greene county, Indiana, in 1868. A. G. Pratt, the paternal grandfather, came from Union county to Madison county, Ohio, where he became the owner of a vast estate, consisting of five hundred and fifty acres in Monroe, and three hundred and fifty acres in Clark county, Ohio. He was a man of good business judgment and was considered one of the leading and progressive citizens of Madison county. Mr. Pratt, during his earlier years, was a great stock-raiser, but .in his latter years, he withdrew from active farm interests and moved to London, Ohio, where both he and his wife spent their last days. Mr. Pratt was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which lodge he took an active part. His wife was Mary (Clark) Pratt, by whom he had the following children: Charles, Irene, Ida, J. C., Josie, Norma, Blanche and Mable, only four of whom, Blanche, Ida, Josie and Norma, are living in 1915. Wyatt C. Pratt was united in marriage in November, 1912, with Maud E. Weaver, daughter of Erastus and Anna (Stickley) Weaver. She was born in Monroe township and was educated in the public schools, after which she taught school in Monroe township for several years. This union has beep blest with one daughter, Mary Louise, born on March 8, 1914. The Pratt family has always been interested in fine stock, and J. C. Pratt, uncle