900 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO born, two of whom died in infancy. The survivors are : Marvin, who married Edna Graham, and lives in Pleasant township; Mrs. Marie Dick, who resides in Mt. Sterling; Mrs. Pearl Downs, who lives in Xenia, Ohio; William, who married Mary Morian and is farming in Madison county, and Glenn, Willard and Robert, who are living at home. Mr. Parrett is keenly alert and public spirited in his civic attitude and accords a strong allegiance to the Progressive party. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a firm believer in the Methodist doctrines and is interested in the advancement of education in Pleasant township, where he serves as school director. In reviewing the life of Mr. Parrett the qualities of persistence and integrity are notably prominent. Back of the important moves which have led to his success in life has been a driving ambition to make his efforts count for something worth while. JOHN M. OGLESBEE. If one were to look through Pleasant township, this county, for a citizen who, all of his life, has been conscientious in his work, and loyal in his family obligations, that person need not look further than the home of John M. Oglesbee. Unlike most young men, he remained under the paternal roof after his school days and early manhood were passed and dutifully assumed the cares incident in farm life as his father grew older and less able to be active. By hard work and application to business it has been possible for him to increase the real estate holdings of the family from eighty-seven to one hundred and forty-nine acres and to become a stockholder in the First National Bank of Mt. Sterling, Ohio. John M. Oglesbee was born on August 5, 1858, in Pleasant township, Madison county, on the farm which he has made his home ever since. He was the son of John and Mary (Long) Oglesbee, who were the parents of four children. John Oglesbee, Sr., was a native of Greene county, Ohio, being born there on March 17, 1810.. on the ground which is now occupied by Spring Valley. His early days were spent oil a farm, but he came to Madison county with his parents about the year 1834. He worked for his father for two years, receiving in payment for his labor fifty acres of land. Besides this he drove a freight wagon and delivered products from Springfield, Ohio, to the inland towns of Circleville and Dayton. At that time London, Ohio, the county seat, consisted of only a few log cabins. At the time of his death in 1907, this pioneer agriculturist had managed to acquire eighty-seven acres of land. His wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, who did her share toward increasing the family income in those many ways known only to the farmer's wife, was born in 1819, in Pickaway county, and passed away four years after the death of her husband. The following children formed the family circle of this worthy couple: Edithia, who died in infancy ; Mrs. Phoebe E. Duncan, of Sedalia, Ohio; Mathilda, deceased, and John M. John M. Oglesbee was able by thrift and perseverance not only to keep the property which he had acquired from his father, but to increase this considerably. His boyhood was like that of other farmer's boys, both in his education, which was, obtained at the district schools, and in his work and play. He was content to remain at home and to assume each duty manfully as it appeared, taking charge' of the farm from the year 1880. After the death of his parents he became sole owner of the land. To this inheritance he added enough acres of well-improved land to give him in all one hundred and forty-nine acres, twenty-five of which are in natural timber. He takes much pleasure in the possession of his modern house and barn which he built in 1913, and one of his chief sources of pride is his high-grade stock, of which he has a large quantity. He is also a shareholder in the First National Bank of Mt. Sterling. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 901 In 1884 John M. Oglesbee was married to Mary Graham, who was born in this township in 1860. She is the daughter of James A. and Elizabeth (Anderson). Graham. An only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oglesbee is Mrs. Milda Bower, of this township Mr. and Mrs. Oglesbee are earnest members of the Christian church. Mr. and Mrs. Oglesbee have lived so long in this community that theirs is a wide acquaintance. By frugality in the early days, and ceaseless work, Mr. Oglesbee has acquired not only property, but an honorable name, which he may be proud to hand down to the next generation. He is known for his honest dealings and his principles of integrity. WILLIAM H. RIDDLE. So often is it found that those who are conspicuous in the business, professional and social life of their home town are the children of parents similarly conspicuous in their generation, that "like father like son" expresses only a truism. William H. Riddle was born in London on November 6, 1860, his parents being William. and Elizabeth (Warner) Riddle, the former a native of Mt. Sterling, Madison county, the latter a native of London. The paternal grandfather, Henry Warner, was a man of unusual gifts. 'He was a scion of one of the old pioneer families of this county. William H. Riddle received an education rather above the average, for after graduating from the London high school in 1879 he attended Ohio Wesleyan. University at Delaware for two years. However, attracted to business enterprises, in 1882 he became associated with E. J. Robison, a London druggist. The firm name was Robison & Riddle and this business alliance continued for seven years. Between the years 1884 and 1894 Mr. Riddle served as deputy county treasurer under A. Tanner, W. M. Jones and John T. Vent. He will be remembered in local history as timekeeper and paymaster for the contractors who built the Madison county court house. At the expiration of Mr. Vent's term of offiAugustcounty treasurer, he and Mr. Riddle became engaged in the grain business, at Sedalia, Madison county, a business in which both are still actively interested. These men are owners of a large elevator and do an extensive business under the firm name of Vent & Riddle. Besides handling grain, they sell coal, cement products, lumber, feeds, etc. They also feed some stock Mr. Riddle has never relinquished his connection with farm, life, and with his sister, Mrs. Sarah K. Robison, owns and manages a farm of six hundred and sixty acres in Range township. Mrs. Mary Snyder, a charming young woman of London, became the wife of William H. Riddle on Angust 28, 1911. To them twin boys were born On July 6, 1913, these being William Henry and James McClain. Mrs. Riddle is the daughter of James A. McClain, of Fayette county, Ohio. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Riddle is one of the picturesque and beautiful places which makes London an attractive city. William H. Riddle is sought after by various organizations in whose work and purposes he is interested. He is a Mason, of which organization he is a past master; a member of the knights of Pythias lodge; a Shriner and a Knight Templar. He belongs to Mt. Vernon Commandery No. 1, of Columbus, and the Aladdin Temple of the same city. Among local Republican politicians Mr. Riddle is well known and has served two terms as a member of the city council. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The life of Mr. Riddle has been one of great activity, but in spite of this fact he has not been unmindful of the obligations of society. Mr. Riddle has those graces of character which endear any man to those among whom his life has been spent, and his place in this published work is merited by fact that in his community he has risen to an enviable place in the business and social and religious life. 902 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. MRS. LACY ANDERSON. There are few to whom the day does not bring a return of the tasks that grow irksome and of duties that one would fain neglect. But the stout heart does not ask how nor why. It shoulders the burden and bears it uncomplainingly, deeming as incidents the events and circumstances which to others would be insurmountable obstacles. Below are given .a few of the facts concerning a life remarkable for its tenacity of purpose; its clearness of vision and its executive ability. Mrs. Anderson's life has been one full of interest as well as unusual activity. Left a widow by the death of her husband, Mrs. Anderson has bravely borne the burdens which usually fall to the lot of man. She is a native of Mt: Sterling, having been born near there on January 25, 1857, the place of her birth being where a part of the Mt. Sterling cemetery now is located. She is the daughter of Robert H. and Harriet .(Fitzgerald) Alkire, prominent citizens of this region. Robert H. Alkire was born on October 14, 1830, on the same farm which afterward became the birthplace of his daughter and his own permanent residence. He died near Big Plains on January 8, 1912. His parents were William and Katherine (Neff) Alkire, natives of Pennsylvania, and the parents of William were Robert and Elizabeth (Douglas) Alkire, who originally came from the state of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Alkire were the parents of the following children. Lacy, the subject of this sketch ; Lydia M., deceased; Catherine, of Fairfield township; Edward W., a lumber merchant at Columbus, Ohio; Ella. M., who died on February 2, 1915; George F., who married J. T. Graham and is living at Columbus; Florence M., who became Mrs. J. T. Wilson, and is now deceased, and Belle W., who is now Mrs. Bell, of Columbus. In 1815, Robert H. Alkire and James B. Anderson became parties to what afterward transpired to be a romance, for they drove a herd of cattle from Mt. Sterling, to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Lacy Alkire later became Mr. Anderson's wife, but neither of the two men had the slightest idea at that time that the daughter of one of them would be the wife of the other. Lacy Alkire had only such training for her future career as would come naturally to the daughter of a farmer. She had no other schooling besides that acquired in the "little red school house" of Fairfield township, to which township her father had moved in 1862. and the high school of London, in which she studied for one term and qualified Is a teacher but never taught. Lacy Alkire was married to James B. Anderson in 1884. The history of James B. Anderson will be found in the sketch of James R. Anderson, presented elsewhere in this work. Undaunted by the death of her husband, Mrs. Anderson operated the farm in the same capable manner that had characterized her husband's work. Besides possessing a lifetime lease on one hundred and four acres, Mrs. Anderson owns Fairland township property amounting to fifty acres, and is also a stockholder of the First National Bank of Mt. Sterling. Mrs. Anderson has had no children of her own but she has adopted Thomas B. Wilson, whose parents were John T. and Florence (Alkire) Wilson, and who is a grandson of Senator Thomas B. Wilson. The lad was born on the old "Uncle Billy" Wilson farm in Canaan township. In spite of her very busy life Mrs. Anderson has found time to be a helpful member of the First Presbyterian church of Mt. Sterling, to which she has been a generous contributor. There are few professions requiring more arduous labor and careful planning than are necessary in the administration of a farm. One must not only be industrious but one must have executive ability in order to make the enterprise yield the largest returns. In order to achieve this result, the subject of this sketch has had MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 903 to possess the same business qualities which characterize her competitors. That she has succeeded speaks volumes for her ability in this direction. She has not only been hard working and energetic but has been honorable in all of her dealings and most considera to of the feelings and rights of others. In this volume which is concerned principally with the histories of men, it is of especial interest to include the life history of a woman who has been successful in her line of endeavor. NELSON H. STONE. A representative farmer and stock raiser is Nelson H. Stone. Because of his lifelong application to his calling he has become one of the leading farmers of this section of the state. As evidence of his ambition and foresight might be given the fact that where others were content to be partial owners of an estate, this man at one time bought out the other heirs, and thus possessed the family property in his own name. Nelson H. Stone was born on the farm which is his present home, on May 9, 1853, a son of William and Elizabeth (Jones) Stone, who were the parents of eleven other children. William Stone was born in Maryland in 1802, and was a lad when his parents set out from that state to find their new home in the West. They did not unpack their wagons until they reached Madison county, Ohio, where they rented enough land on which to start farming. It was 1830 when William Stone came to the present farm in this township, and although there were no improvements on the land, it appealed to him as being a good investment and he purchased it, paying two dollars and a half an acre. There were sixty-eight acres of timber land and the first task of this pioneer was to clear enough space for his log cabin and log stable. He never lost interest in this farm on which he lived and labored until the day of his death, which occurred in 1879. Elizabeth Jones was born in 1807, in Maryland, and after living a useful and helpful life, passed away on December 9, 1890. Both Mr. and Mrs. William Stone were Methodists. Nelson H. Stone toiled on the farm of his nativity up to the present time. At the death of his father, in 1879, he became the possessor of the property by purchasing the estate of the heirs, so that, he has the original sixty-eight acres, which he has cultivated. Although he was educated only in the local schools he has been a student of the subject of education, and has been honored by being a director- on the board for several terms. The wife of Nelson H. Stone was formerly Harriet Bower, born on July 11, 1852, in Lawrence county, Ohio, the daughter of George and Sophia (Machling) Bower, who were natives of Pennsylvania. The marriage took place in 1872. When Mrs. Stone's parents came to this county her father was a circuit rider in the United Brethren church in which capacity he served until his death. He and his wife were the parents of two children. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stone are Elza, who became Mrs. Spangler, now deceased; Mrs. Leah Lindig, of Madison county; Mrs. Mary Lightfoot, of Columbus, Ohio; Mrs. Mattie Mouser, of Madison county, and Mrs. Murl Taylor, of Oak Run township. Besides these, one child died in infancy, Stephen H. To the church which his father served so long and so well Mr. Stone has made liberal contribution. The father of the subject of this sketch came to this section of the country at such an early date that he had to haul products to and from Springfield and Circleville, Ohio. Nelson H. Stone inherited many of the worthy qualities of his noble father and mother. These have made him a man of progressive tendencies and enterprising spirit as well as, of generous impulses which result in an unusual 904 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. degree of consideration for others. Mr. Stone is one of the most highly respected men residing in this township. He has been a staunch Republican all his life. On his well-improved farm he carries on general farming and now has the place in a high state of cultivation. CYRUS R. HORNBECK. Cyrus R. Hornbeck, son of Cyrus and Elizabeth (Milliner) Hornbeck, was born on August 28, 1858, at the Hornbeck homestead, two and a half miles from London on the Springfield road, near what is now the state fish hatchery, in Union township. Two Hornbeck brothers, from one of which the subject Of this sketch traces connection, immigrated to this country from Holland prior to the American Revolution. One of these brothers settled in Dutchess county, New York, and many of his descendants live there and in the city of New York. One of the best known of this family is the sheriff of Dutchess county, who recently came into prominence in connection with his pursuit of Harry Thaw into Canada at the time of his escape from Matteawan asylum. The other of these brothers came to Virginia, where he reared a large family. Four of the older members of this family, Simon, Isaac, Michael and Samuel, the father of Cyrus and grandfather of the subject, moved to Ohio, through Kentucky, and were among the earliest settlers in the vicinity of South Solon, this county. For five generations the name of Hornbeck has been linked with the history of Madison county, viz : Samuel, father of Cyrus ; Cyrus, father of Cyrus R.; Cyrus R.,' father of Roscoe G., and Roscoe G., father of Donald W. Hornbeck. Cyrus Hornbeck, the father of the subject, was born west of Midway, January 27, 1823. His father was Samuel Hornbeck, above referred to, and his mother, Mary (Hutson) Hornbeck. He married Elizabeth Milliner, daughter of John and Mary (Slaughter) Milliner and a sister of Peter Slaughter. Elizabeth Milliner was born near Leesburg, Highland county, to which place her parents had come from Halifax county, Virginia, in 1807. Cyrus Hornbeck was a successful farmer and breeder of Shorthorn cattle, being among the first in this state to specialize in this stock of cattle. At his death, which occurred soon after his enlistment in the Union army, he owned a part of what is now. the state prison farm and the state fish hatchery, on the Springfield road, west of London. He died at the age of forty, July 23, 1863, a good citizen, whose early death was widely mourned. He was the father of seven children, Martin, John Q., Melissa, Sidney E. and Isaac W., all now deceased, and Mary E. Schurr, wife of John. Schurr, of Paint township, and Cyrus R., the subject. John Q. Hornbeck was married; the father of two children; enlisted in the Fourth Ohio Cavalry and served in the Union army in the Civil War ; died at Nashville, Tenn.; was returned to his home and laid away in Paint township cemetery, not having reached his majority, at the age of twenty years. He sacrificed 'his life and all for the flag. Left with his. mother, brothers and sisters on the farm at the death of his father, Cyrus R. Hornbeck there grew to. early manhood. He was educated in the common schools of Union township, supplemented by a course of study in Union Christian College at Merom, Indiana, where he prepared himself for the ministry. He was Married to Rilla F. Parker, of the adjoining township of Somerford, June 13, 1878. Of this union, two boys were born, Roscoe G. Hornbeck, judge of the court of common pleas of this county, and Clamming C., who died at the age of seven years. Mr. Hornbeck, for .a number of years after marriage. lived n the farm in Union township, then moved to Plattsburg, Clark County, where he conducted a grocery store for a few, years, then moved to Lafayette, this county, where he managed a general store. In 1889 he located at London, and in 1890 was elected justice of the peace of Union MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 905 township, which office he held for two terms. During his tenure of office as justice of the peace, this being a period when litigation was frequent, he tried hundreds of cases. Although many of these matters were taken to the upper courts, none were reversed for error in the trial below. While serving as justice of the peace, Mr. Hornbeck studied law and, on March 7, -1895, was admitted to practice in the state courts, later, June 5, 1902, being admitted to practice in the United States district court. Mr. Hornbeck was a candidae for nomination to the office of probate judge in 1S93, but was defeated in convention by L. H. Hauer. In 1900 he was nominated and elected to the office of prosecuting attorney of Madison county, which office he held for two terms. He gave to this office his best effort and made an enviable record, especially in the success with which he convicted those charged with crime. Mr. Hornbeck has a knowledge of the fundamental law, a keen power of analysis of fact, fine judgment of human nature and tenacity of purpose, together with a strong sense of duty to his client, which make him a safe and valuable counsellor and a successful trial lawyer. In politics he is a Republican and has consistently supported that party. He has always manifested a lively interest in politics and in the success of his friends. Although of much strength in the councils of his party, he has held no official place in its organization. He has been a hard and, open- fighter, and consequently has incurred considerable political criticism. His power in politics may be attributed to his capacity for organization, loyal following, reputation for keeping his political promise and unswerving fealty to his friends. He is a member of the Christian church, at Summerford and of the order of the Knights of Pythias at London. ROBERT W. ARMSTRONG. Among the well-known farmers and citizens of Union township, Madison county, Ohio, is Robert W. Armstrong, who is a native of this county, born in Range township, a son of Samuel and Sarah (Johnston) Armstrong. Samuel Armstrong was born in Union township, and was a son of James Armstrong and wife, early settlers of Madison county. Sarah Johnston was born in Range township, this county, and was married to Samuel Armstrong here. They were the parents of seven children, of whom four are living: Jessie, the wife of Fred Brundage, of Columbus, Ohio; Elizabeth, living in London; Samuel a resident of Union township, and Robert W., the youngest born, the immediate subject of this brief review. Samuel Armstrong was a merchant and live stock dealer, and one of the largest shippers of Madison county. He was 'a prosperous and influential citizen who took a worthy interest in all public affairs, and was highly respected and esteemed in his community. He died in 1904, and his wife died on October 12, 1897, and is buried at Kirkwood. Robert W. Armstrong received a common-school education in the public schools of his home township, and lived at home with his parents until his marriage, which took place on October 2, 1902. His wife was Edna. B. Weygandt, a daughter of George and Ida May (Baker) Weygandt, of Grove City, Ohio. George Weygandt was a native of Pennsylvania, 'and came to Ohio With his parents when a young man. They settled in Franklin county, Ohio, on a farm. Ida May Baker was a native of Franklin county, and was married in that county to George Weygandt, and to this union were born three children, all of whom are living. Mabel is the wife of M. E. Donnely, of Springfield. Ohio. Edna B. is the wife of Mr. Armstrong, and Carl B. is a resident of Springfield, Ohio. Mrs. Armstrong's parents are also residents of Springfield, Ohio. 906 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Armstrong are the parents of one son, Robert Edgar, who was born on September 22, 1905. Mr. Armstrong is a prominent farmer and stockman of Union township, and operates three hundred acres of the Old Fulton Armstrong place. Mr. Armstrong is a Republican, and takes an active interest. in local public .affairs, and is now serving his third term as president of the township board. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Knights of Pythias and the Oak Run Grange, holding his membership in all these lodges at London. Mrs. Armstrong, is a member of .the Presbyterian church at London. SAMUEL C. ARMSTRONG. Madison county has been fortunate in the number and character of its farmers, and much of the material prosperity of the county can be attributed to the fact that the farmers have kept abreast of the times. It can hardly be questioned that the farmer is an index to the civilization of a community. If the farmers are progressive and up-to-date, it follows that the standard of living in that community will be high. Thousands of banks have been organized within the last two years in, order to supply the needs of the farmers, and, according to one authority, the farmer and his crops furnish the bulk of the money, for most of the smaller banks throughout the United States. The wholesome living, which is the, good fortune of the farmer, is a factor in keeping up the general tone of the county. The business men of the towns are drawing the men for their employees from the country, and everywhere it is noted that the men who are rising to prominence in the various activities of life were born and reared on the farm. Madison county has long been known as one of the very best farming counties of the state. Its excellent farmers have been one of the biggest factors in the material advancement of the county. Among the many excellent farmers of Madison county, there is none who stand higher than Samuel C. Armstrong, of Union township. He owns a splendid farm of one hundred and seventy acres, and has just completed the construction of a modern home. Samuel C. Armstrong was born in Sedalia, Madison county, Ohio, November 17, 1875, and is the son of Samuel and Sarah (Johnson) Armstrong, the former of whom was born in Union township, and the latter in Range township. They were married in Madison county and had seven children, four of whom are living. Three died in infancy. The four living children are Jessie, Elizabeth, Samuel C. and Robert. Jessie is the wife of Fred Brundage, of Columbus. Elizabeth lives in London. Samuel C. is the subject of this sketch. Robert lives in Union township. Samuel Armstrong was engaged in the mercantile business. He also bought and shipped live stock and was one of the largest shippers in Madison county. He died in 1904. His wife died on October 12, 1897. Samuel Armstrong was the son of James and Nancy (Fulton) Armstrong, who were married on March 24, 1791, at Chillicothe, Ohio, and in 1814 settled in Madison county, where they built a cabin. One year later James Armstrong brought to Madison county the others of his family who had not come in 1814. He and his wife had eight children. They were farmers all their lives. Samuel C. Armstrong the subject of this sketch, received a good common-school education, and on November 17, 1903, was married to Carrie May Murray, a daughter of Robert and Eliza (Truitt) Murray, both of whom are natives of Madison county. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel C. Armstrong have had two children, both of whom are living. Mary Louise was born on September 21, 1904, and Ruth Elein was .born on July 31, 1911. Mr. Armstrong owns one hundred and seventy acres of fine land in Union township. He is a man who takes a very commendable pride in farming, and his farm shows MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 907 the results of his careful attention. Mr. Armstrong is a member of the Knights of Pythias, at London. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Union town. ship school board. The Armstrong home is located five miles southeast of London, in Union township. CHARLES W. PRINGLE. Charles W. Pringle, a well-known business man of London, may be justly proud of his ancestry, for as the son of a father noted for his rugged honesty and kindly nature, and of a pious pioneer mother, he comes naturally to distinction in the business and social world. Although a college graduate, Charles W. Pringle was early attracted to. mercantile enterprises, and here has he forged his earthly destiny, not forgetting, however, the claims and obligations which good citizenship places, upon the stronger members of society in favor of its weaker, dependent members. Charles. W. Pringle was born in Fairland township, Madison county, September 6, 1850, his parents being William D. and Catherine (Bales) Pringle. William D. Pringle was born in South Charleston, Clark county, Ohio. Catherine Bales was born. in Loudoun county, Virginia. Charles W. Pringle's boyhood was spent on the farm, where he had plenty of hard work after school hours and during the summer vacations. He first attended the Fairfield township schools, then the West Jefferson Academy, and later Oberlin College, where he took a scientific course, remaining there for four years. After his college course was completed, he helped organize and was the first, teller of the Central Bank, now called the Central National Bank of London. For two years he was associated with this bank, then with his brother,. J. A. Pringle, he built a grain elevator at Lilly Chapel. For . nine years this elevator business was operated under the firm name of Pringle Brothers. Then Charles W. Pringle bought out his brother's interest and conducted the business alone for eight years, when he sold out, and in 1893 removed to London. Here, in partnership with the late William M. Jones, he began the manufacture of a patent baking pan, operating this business successfully for six years. Mr. Jones' death ended the partnership. Being versatile in his tastes and ability Mr. Pringle has not confined himself to purely mercantile business, for during all the years he was engaged in manufacturing and selling he has operated the old homestead farm in Fairfield township. It was in 1913 that Mr. Pringle began the new line of work in which..he is still interested. At that time he bought a half interest with Job J. Clark, who had established an insurance office in 1871. At the death of Mr. Clark, which occurred on February 28, 1914, Mr. Pringle assumed the business with W. D. Chenoweth, the firm name being Pringle & Chenoweth. Their success was assured from the start, and they now occupy a leading place among local business men. On May 1, 1884, Charles W. Pringle was married .to Minnie L. Snyder, a daughter `of John and Drusilla Snyder, living near Lafayette, in this county. Two daughters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Pringle, these being Mabel L. and Emma. M., the latter is now a student at the Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. The subject of this biography is held in high esteem in the community in which he lives. C. W. Pringle is a 'prominent Mason of London, and like his father. a member of the Republican party. Some light is shed upon the estimable character of the subject of this sketch by reference to the life and personality of his esteemed father. The latter was a Virigina slave holder and was well-to-do, but convinced that slavery was wrong, before the war set his slaves free, and came to Ohio. He was a great admirer of Lincoln, who, it is evident, had a strong- influence upon him. 908 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO JESSE S. BOWER. Widely known on account of varied business relations and personally held in high esteem as a man of strong character and usefulness, Jesse S. Bower is entitled to a place of honor in the ranks of those who have fought for the political and agricultural interests of Madison county. Possessing the strong mind and true information as to public wants and needs, he has often been called upon to exercise his powers in municipal affairs. The various lines of work in which he has, at different times in his life, been engaged would lead one to believe that he could make a success of everything he undertook. Jesse S. Bower, who is now living on his farm in Pleasant township, was born in Fairfield county,. Ohio, on the 17th of. January, 1845. He is the son of George H. Bower, born in York county, Pennsylvania, on the 28th of August, 1810, and Sophia Mechling, a native of Fairfield county, Ohio, who died in 1885, at the age of forty-five years. George B. and Sophia (Mechling) Bower reared an interesting family of ten children. The eldest child, Manual, was poisoned in the Civil War and died shortly afterward. The other members of the family are : Joseph, who died on April 6, 1914, at Derby, Ohio ; Henry, who lives in Mt. Sterling, Ohio ; Speed G., who lives on the home place; John, deceased ; Mrs. Sarah Francis, of Columbus, Ohio ; Mrs. Leah Tracy, who is a widow ; Mrs. Harriet Stone, of Madison county, Ohio ; Mrs. Alice Clark, of Union county, Ohio, and Jesse S. George H. Bower, the father of Jesse S. Bower, died in 1872. George H. Bower, who was the son of Michael and Sarah Bower, natives of Pennsylvania, came to Ohio when a young man and worked at the shoemaker's trade near Lancaster, Fairfield county. In 1850, through a true desire to aid and uplift his fellow men, he entered the, ministry of the United Brethren church, and became one of the pioneer circuit riders, his travels taking him all over the southwestern part of Ohio. In this vocation he proved himself a true soldier of the church. As he was obliged to be away from home for many weeks at a time, he soon saw the necessity of buying a permanent home for his. wife and children and this resulted in his purchasing a forty-one acre farm in Pleasant township, Madison county, Ohio, in the year 1857. His last work as a missionary of his faith was in the southern part of Ohio, where the expression of his zeal left a deep impress upon those whose lives were touched by his. Jesse S. Bower was reared on the farm in Pleasant township, where he remained until 1861, when the change of conditions brought about by the Civil War, caused him to learn the blacksmith's trade in Perry county. He enlisted at Loudon, Ohio, in Cora-. pany B, Ninety-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in 1864. He was in the battle of Guntown, Mississippi, and as a result was taken prisoner and sent to the Andersonville prison, where he remained ten months and eighteen days. When he was liberated he was sent back to Camp Chase and there received his discharge on the 27th of June, 1865. In 1867 Jesse S. Bower married Minerva Stone, who was born in Pleasant township, on the. 2nd of April, in 1848, and was the daughter of William and Elizabeth (Holloway) Stone. For two years he worked on a farm in Illinois, and the two years following were spent on a farm. In Madison county. The blacksmith's trade, however, still held a fascination for Mr. Bower, and in 1869, he returned to his former occupation, where he remained until the opportunity came to open a general store, which he took advantage of in 1885. Later, after he had received a postoffice appointment, he had charge of a rural route from Lilly Chapel to Nioga and return. The farm on which he now lives contains one hundred and fifty acres, and is an extension of the thirty-one acre farm which he bought in 1889. In politics Mr. Bower has given his ardent support to the cause of the Republican party, and his political friends, have honored him in many ways in recognition of his ability and interest. He has held the office of justice of the peace and has had experi- MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 909 ence as constable in his district. Following the teachings of his father, Mr. Bower continues to be an active member of the church of the United Brethren, and is the oldest living member of the Dennison Chapel, in Fairfield township. Fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. and Mrs. Bower are the parents of ten children, three of whom died in infancy, those who survived are George, who lives at the home place; Mrs. Fleeta Jones, who is living in Madison county; Mrs, Mary Anderson, of Pleasant township, Madison county; Nelson, of Harrisburg, Ohio; Earl, who is farming on the home place; Frank, who is employed in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, and Hattie who makes her home with her parents. WILLIAM PAYNE. Specific mention is made in the following paragraphs of one of the worthy citizens of Madison county, Ohio, one who has figured in the growth and development of the agricultural and commercial interests of this favored section. His interests have been identified with its progress and have contributed in a definite measure to the well-being of the community where he resides and to the advancement of its normal and legitimate growth. Earnest purpose and tireless energy, combined with mature judgment and every-day common sense, have been among his most prominent characteristics. William Payne merits the respect and esteem which is freely accorded to him by the people of Union township. William Payne was born in Union township, Madison county, Ohio, May 4, 1857, the son of Samuel and Sarah (Black) Payne, the former of whom was born in Ross county, Ohio, January 20, 1820. The late Samuel Payne was the son of Jesse and Ann (Griffith) Payne, who were natives of Maryland, but of English and German descent, respectively. They came to Madison county in the latter part of 1820 and settled seven miles southeast of London. Samuel Payne was married in 1858 to Sarah Black and they were the parents of two children, William, the subject of this sketch, and Lydia, who married John T. Armstrong. Mr. and Mrs. John T. Armstrong moved to Illinois and settled on a farm, where Mrs. Armstrong died in October, 1902. Mr. Armstrong died in 1903. They had a family of six children, two of whom, Grant C. and Archie, are living in Illinois. Samuel Payne followed farming throughout his life, but in his early years drove cattle from Madison county to Philadelphia. He and his wife were both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died on August 24, 1909. His wife died five years previously on August 24, 1904. Reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of Madison county, William Payne, at the age of seventeen, began life on his own responsibility. For some time he farmed, purchased feed and shipped cattle. Few men are better judges of cattle than Mr. Payne. He now owns two hundred and forty acres of splendid land, which is well improved, and upon which he has put most of the improvements. The Payne farm is located about four miles southeast of London in Union township. On December 24, 1891, William Payne was married to Anna Eggelinge, of Hillsboro, Highland county, Ohio. Mrs. Payne is the daughter of Edward and Lillian Eggelinge. the former of whom was a native of Germany and came to the United States when a young man. After landing in New York City. where he remained for a short time in 1849 during the gold fever, he went west to California. Later he settled at Hillsboro, Ohio, and was engaged In the wholesale liquor business for a number of years. He died about 1885 and his wife, who survived him many years, died in August, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Payne have no children. It is a matter of interest that William Payne is not a political partisan, but is 910 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. independent in his political thoughts and actions. He votes for the best man regardless of what ticket he is on. Mr. Payne raises purebred Shorthorn cattle and Percheron horses. He also, for many years, has made a specialty of Barred Plymouth Rock chickens. JOHN WILSON PARKER, M. D. John Wilson Parker was:.born at Lowell, Michigan, January 14, 1872, the son of Wilson. J. and Margaret (Skidmore) Parker. He went with his parents to Vermontville, Michigan, when he was four years of age. After graduating from the Vermontville high school in 1889, he attended Olivet College for two years. He then had medical training at the Chicago Homeopathic College for four years, graduating in 1900. He served as interne in the Chicago Homeopathic Hospital one year and practiced in South Chicago for a similar length of time, thus adding to the experience which was later to make him one of the county's most efficient physicians. It was 1901 when Doctor Parker moved to London, Madison county, Ohio. On May 26, 1904, John Wilson Parker was married to Grace Phifer, a woman of unusual gifts and of strong personality. To. them have been born one child, Albert Phifer Parker, born on April 7, 1908. He is now a student in school. Doctor Parker, by reason of his careful medical training and his personal fitness for his profession has built up a large practice not only in London, but in the surrounding country. He is popular both as a physician and in private life. Doctor Parker is a member of the Homeopathic Medical Society. He has served as secretary, and later as president, of the Madison County Medical Society. The people showed their confidence in him when they made him their health officer, and for six years he was engaged in improving local sanitary conditions. Doctor .Parker is a Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias. Besides fulfilling her destiny as a devoted wife and mother, Mrs. Grace Parker has occupied an even broader sphere as a woman of culture and intellectual attainment. As far back as her early school days, she wa.s an ardent student, attending first the country school and Was graduated from the London high school in 1894. She was then fortunate enough to be able to enroll. as a student at Harcourt. Place Seminary in Gambier, graduating from that institution in 1896. She then went to Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware; Ohio, at which institution her studies were principally in oratory, art :and music. With such splendid . training added to her native gifts, it is not to be wondered at that Mrs. Parker has taken her place in the community, a place as distinguished among women. as is her husband's career among men. It may truly be said that Mrs. Parker is a. leader. She is an active and enthusiastic member of the Women's Club of London; is chairman of the civic committee of the London Civic Federation; and has been .especially prominent in Pomona Grange, an order of which she has been a. lecturer for several years and in which . she has held most of the local offices. It is through the life and, work of such women as. Mrs. Parker that the whole community receives inspiration and uplift. Such women teach not only through the power of example, but through the subtle influence of personality. It is impossible to estimate the good thus. accomplished, for the reason that it cannot be measured. by the ordinary standards of profit. The community in which Mrs. Parker has spent most of her life has shown that it recognizes its obligation by according to her the official positions which are given only to the capable and strong. A physician's wife has so many opportunities for service along humanitarian lines that are not possible to other women that she seems particularly blest, and these opportunities are well filled by Mrs. J. W. Parker. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 911 GEORGE DORN. It has been said that the essentials that go to make up a successful banker are “a good mind, a fair education, honesty, a strong will and industry." These George Dorn undoubtedly possesses, for from a farmer's boy he has risen to a position in the public confidence that not only has made him a bank cashier, but mayor of an Ohio town. More fortunate than some of his colleagues, he was permitted to learn the principles of business under the instructions of a wise and God-fearing father. And in addition to this, he had the innate qualities of head and heart that must be possessed by all Who use above the average in life's struggle for existence. George Dorn, banker and former mayor of Sedalia, was born on January :30, 1874, in Ross county, Ohio, and his parents, Peter and Katherine (Uhrig) Dorn, are still living. Peter Dorn, born who was born on October 18, 1838, in Baden, Germany, came to this Country with his ,parents when he was a lad of fourteen years, settling in Chillicothe, Ohio., His father, the grandfather of George Dorn, died in 1854, in Ross county, during the cholera epidemic, two years. after his arrival in this country, and his wife was left to struggle through the hardships of pioneer life alone. Too much cannot be said in praise of such noble womanhood. She bought land in Ross county, and there brought up her little brood. Peter Dorn was taught the principals of farming, a notion which he followed for fifteen years. He is now president of the Farmers Bank of Sedalia. He accumulated about one thousand acres of land in Madison and Fayette counties, which he subsequently divided among his children. The mother of George Dorn, was born on March 10, 1842, in Baden, Germany, leaving there about 1856, with her parents, who located in Ross county, Ohio. Mrs. Katherine Dorn is living and, like her husband is 'a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Dorn were the parents of fourteen children as follow : William (deceased), Edward, Anna B. (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased), Charles, Lucy, Henry, Phillip (deceased), George, Frederick W., Lina May Florence, Frank P. and Walter F. George Dorn spent his boyhood on his father's farm, attending the district school of Range township. This building is known as the Dorn school, being built by his father on the family estate for whom it Was afterwards named. For the use of this school Mr. Dora gave an acre of land. When George Dorn had reached his twentieth year he entered upon a business career in association with his father, who owned a general merchandise and implement store at Madison Mills, Fayette county, Ohio. For eight years they carried on a successful business, then selling out they came to Sedalia and organized the bank of which George became the cashier and manager. He is also a stockholder in the First National Bank of Mt. Sterling. Not limiting his interests, however, to financial enterprises, George Dorn owns one hundred acres of well-improved land on which he has built a splendid seven-room house and large barn as well as good substantial fences. The marriage of George Dorn and Lena Terry was solemnized on August 1, 1895, his bride being born in October, 1876, in Logan county, Ohio, the daughter of Silas and Eliza (Bostwick) Terry, natives of Ohio. Four children have been born in this home, namely. Raymond, a graduate of the Sedalia high school ; Martha, Ethel M. and Clarence E. Mr. and Mrs. Dorn are prominent members of the Presbyterian church, and the former belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Free and Accepted Masons. While living at Madison, Mills. Mr. Dorn served One term as treasurer of Madison township. During his, residence in this township, where he has always been regarded as a man of forceful character and generous impulses, few have been better known or more highly respectedthan the subject of this review. 912 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. HON. ROSCOE G. HORNBECK. Roscoe G. Hornbeck, judge of the court of common pleas of Madison county, son of Cyrus R. and Rilla F. Hornbeck, was born. August 18, 1879, two and one-half miles west of London, in Union township, Madison county, Ohio. For a more complete history of the Hornbeck family, reference is made to the biography of Cyrus R. Hornbeck, elsewhere in this work.. A native of Madison county, Judge Hornbeck has .spent practically all of his life here. His early education was secured his the district schools of Union and Deer Creek townships and in Plattsburg, Clark county. At the age of ten, he entered the public, schools of London, from the high school of which he graduated as president of his class in 1899. Afterward he attended Ohio Northern University at Ada, then entered the Law College of the Ohio State University in 1900, which institution he attended for two years and, while in this school, was admitted to practice law in this state in June, 1903; and five years later, in 1908,, in the district court of the United States. Be took office with his father in London and' began the practice of law in 1903 where he followed his profession until elected to the office which he now holds. Soon after coming to London, Judge Hornbeck was employed as a newsboy for the only daily newspaper London ever boasted, the Daily Nickel Plateedited and published by the late A. J. Heintzleman. He often refers to the trouble sometimes experienced by the editor and his assistants in getting the paper off the press and to the subscribers on the same day. It was common occurrence to distribute the papers through the village as late as nine o'clock p. m. A Republican in politics, he has been active in his party since becoming of age and has served as central and executive committeeman arid for five years. as secretary of the Madison county executive committee. On January 13, 1909, he was appointed postmaster at London by President Roosevelt and at the expiration of the first term was promptly reappointed by President Taft. Because of a change. of administration soon after his second appointment, it was not confirmed and he served but a few months of his second term. Many sweeping changes were made in the postal service during his tenure of office, the principal of which was the establishment of the postal savings system, instituted at the London office September 19, 1911, and the parcel post, begun January 1, 1913. Strictly local changes, such as extension of rural routes, increase of clerical force, rearrangement of equipment, and a general systematizing of the work of the office, were also made. The city free delivery of mail was also established during his term and largely through his efforts, on January 1, 1911, giving to the village of London mail delivery service not excelled in any city. In the Republican primaries of August, 1914, Mr. Hornbeck was nominated for the office of common pleas judge of Madison county, and in the following November was elected over two aggressive opponents, a Democratic nominee and an independent nominee, achieving a notable victory in one of the greatest political battles ever waged in Madison county. He was the first judge to be chosen in Madison county under the law giving to each county in the state one or more common pleas judges. He was elected pledged to .two propositions, viz. : prompt action in lawsuits and opposition to needless technicality in construing the law. In furtherance of these pledges, he has inaugurated a plan of hearing motions, and demurrers promptly after being filed and of enforcing a rule of practice which provides for the dismissal of cases for want of prosecution which remain on the docket for more than three terms without action. He has also recognized the evil of hasty divorce and will grant no decree for divorce until thirty days have elapsed after the case is heard. He has been on the bench since January 1, 1915, and, although one of the youngest jurists in the state, is giving to his duties a degree of care and attention that fully meets the exacting requirements of the office. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 913 On November 22, 1901, Judge Hornbeck was united in marriage to Gertrude Warner, who was born and reared in London, a member of one of the oldest families of the town, her uncle, Patrick McClain, having been the founder of the village of London. Of this marriage, four children have been born, Donald Warner, Marian Elizabeth, Ruth Arline and Helen Louise, deceased. Donald, aged thirteen, is locally quite famous as a drummer and musician and is almost as widely known as his father. Judge Hornbeck and wife also take considerable interest in vocal music and have sung in many of the choirs of London and in numerous local musical events. They are warmly interested in the advancement of the community and are popular with all who know them. Judge Hornbeck is alive to the business interests of the city and county. He was One of the organizers of the London Board of Trade, served as its secretary and is now on the board of directors. He is a member of the blue lodge; chapter and council of the Masonic fraternity, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. ALBERT THEODORE PHIFER. Albert Theodore Phifer was born in Paint township, this county, March 25, 1844, and was the son of James and Phoebe (Harpole) Phifer. James Phifer was born in Stokes, now Paint township, on July 12, 1815, and died on November 26, 1886. His wife, who was a native of Greene county, Ohio, died on December 10, 1899. Albert T. Phifer was a farmer and lived all his life in the township of his birth. He had received only a fair education, as his school days were interrupted by the Civil War. After the war he realized the need of an education and took a course in a commercial college at Columbus, preceding this, however, with a return temporarily to farm life. He became a proficient bookkeeper, which knowledge served him well in later years. At the outbreak of the Civil War Albert T. Phifer enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, attached to the Fourteenth Army Corps. He participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and other important engagements, and was with General Sherman on his famous march to the sea. On January 5, 1872, Albert T. Phifer was married to Vinnie Neiberger, a native of Greene county, Ohio, who was born on May 1, 1854. Mrs. Phifer is a daughter of Dr. James A. and Caroline (Moss) Neiberger. One child was born of this marriage, she being Grace, the wife of Dr. John Wilson Parker, of London, mentioned elsewhere in this work. The widow of A. T. Phifer still lives on the old farm. The Phifer family comes of German and Scotch-Irish stock, the earlier members of the family having lived in Virginia. Abraham Phifer, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia, his ancestors being John and Catharine (Rader) Phifer, natives of Greenbrier county. Virginia. Abraham Phifer, father of James Phifer, came to this county in 1809 or 1810, taking up two hundred and seventy acres of land in what was Stokes township, but is now Paint township. Here the worthy ancestor lived until the time of his death which occurred in April, 1875. He married Ann Withrow, of Pennsylvania, who died in July, 1860. James Phifer was the eldest of four children. After his marriage to Phoebe Harpole he rented land, but not content with being a tenant soon purchased three hundred and ten acres, which was the nucleus of a valuable tract of seventeen hundred acres, the ownership of which made him one of the wealthiest citizens of the county. It was in the year 1872 that he and his faithful wife moved to London. (58) 914 - MADISON COUNTY. OHIO. Albert T. Phifer was an earnest member of the Methodist church. In this faith he was true and active till, the day of his death, which occurred. on June 4, 1901, Mrs. Vinnie Phifer is also a member of the Methodist church. No one of his day was more highly esteemed. than was the subject Of this sketch. As a citizen Mr. Phifer had the greatest respect of his associates, and it was a matter of common knowledge that his word was as good as his bond. He kept a diary of his business interests, and so honest and fair was he ,known to be that he was often called into settle disputes, and from his. judgment there was no need of appeal. Mr. Phifer was a leader in his time. Sober, industrious, frugal, and yet kindly withal, he has left a memory which men might envy. JOHN H. IRWIN. Probably the largest annual payroll of any industry in Madison county, Ohio, is that of John H. Irwin, who employs some thirty or forty people, and about one hundred and fifty people fed and clothed from the payroll at the mill. Mr. Irwin's mill and lumber ,yard are located between the tracks of the Pennsylvania and Big Four, railroads. and .depends upon his logs being hauled by wagon, and is a "good roads" advocate. but despite the urgent needs of his business and several other industries of the. city,.. the London city council has been negligent in providing suitable access to the various industrial plants. including that of Mr. Irwin. He is a staunch citizen of this great county, and although sometimes rather emphatic in expressing his views, being independent and self-reliant, he is nevertheless sociable and esteemed by his employees.; who have ever been loyal. John H. Irwin, well-known lumber manufacturer, was born in Hardin county, Ohio, and came to Plain City, Madison county, Ohio,, at the age of twenty-five years. and has dealt in lumber all his life. His first experience with lumber was buying and selling logs. In 1898, Hariott. Gill & Company, started a saw-mill on the site of Mr. Irwin's present mill, and about three years later Mr. Gill disposed of his interests in this mill to Mr. Hariott and Mr. Irwin, and the business was continued under the latter management until 1903. the firm in the meantime operating a London, and in Adams county, Ohio. In 1901, after having acquired the Adams county mill. Mr. Hariott was given his option on the choice of either mill. and, he chose the Adams county mill, and Mr. Irwin has been in. charge of the London mill ever since. Mr. Irwin saws from one million to twelve hundred thousand feet per year and has bough timber within a radius of ten to fifteen miles. at an average of perhaps eight or nine miles. He keeps from ten to fifteen teams busy all the time hauling logs to the mill. The output of this mill is principally railroad stock, and he manufactures chair stock, principally cut to pattern and is able to produce almost any piece that goes into the manufacture of a chair. The payroll of the .mill proper includes nineteen persons and Mr. Irwin pays out annually about fourteen thousand dollars for timber, ;end his entire payroll is from three to five hundred dollars a week. The .Irwin business now requires twice the amount of capital required in 1901. Mr. Irwin has also operated mills at other places, especially one at Natural Bridge, Virginia. He buys the standing timber which is cut by men, by the hundred feet, and he keeps about five men cutting. timber all the time, and furnishes them with a tent and car. This feature of the business has proven very attractive. Mr. Irwin is no sportsman and devotes little time to outside interests. He has adhered closely to his business and has let other interests take care of themselves. Twenty-two years ago John H. Irwin was married at Plain City. Ohio. to Mrs. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 915 Minerva (Snyder) Bradley, the widow of David Bradley. Mrs. Irwin died on September 23, 1911, after eighteen years of married life. She was an earnest and devoted worker in the Methodist Episcopal church, taking an active part in the Sunday school and prominent in the various societies of that denomination. She was also prominent and influential in the literary clubs of Plain City and London, and was a very popular woman; possessed of most charitable instincts, and her loss was deeply mourned by all who knew her. Mr. Irwin is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, he still retains his membership in the church at Plain Ciyt. REA CHENOWETH. Rea Chenoweth was born in Fairfield township, Madison county, Ohio, on March 12, 1876, a son of the late F. M. and Margaret (Rea) Chenoweth, referred to elsewhere In this work. Moving to London in 1885 with his parents, he had the opportunity of attending good public, schools and the local high school. He took a course in the preparatory school at Columbus and then matriculated as a student in the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. Mr. Chenoweth's taste attracted him to a business career. He first started in the grain business with Silver & Chenoweth at West Jefferson. becoming their bookkeeper for the period of a year. In the fall of 1896, he purchased the interest of A. Tanner, who was engaged in the grain business, operating under the name of Tanner & Chenoweth, which firm later became Chenoweth Brothers, the brothers being Robb F. and Rea. This firm conducted an extensive business in grain, hay, straw and feed, also operating fifteen hundred acres of farm land. For about nine years this partnership existed, when Rea Chenoweth sold out to his brother in 1904. In the .fall of 1906, Rea returned as manager of the business for his brother, who had in the meantime lost his health. Continuing as manager for three years. he then purchased the business, remodeling the plant and in various ways extending the enterprise generally. Mr. Chenoweth also takes an active interest in farming, for he personally oversees the cultivation of one thousand acres of land in this county. Rea Chenoweth enlisted for service during the Spanish-American War and was made first sergeant of Company E. Third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and afterward became first lieutenant, and then captain of Company L. Fourth Regiment, Ohio National Guard. Louise Watson, daughter of Capt. David Watson and Elizabeth (Jones) Watson, of London, became the wife of Rea Chenoweth in April, 1909. David Watson was born on a farm in Paint township. this county. He was a captain in an Ohio regiment during the Civil War, and died in Madison county. Elizabeth Jones was born in Madison county, a (laughter. of John Jones. David and Elizabeth (Jones) Watson were the parents of four children as follow: Howard, Robert J., deceased; Mrs. Mary Williams. and Louise, wife of the subject of this sketch. Besides his business associations. Mr. Chenoweth has other important affiliations. His city has honored him by making him its treasurer and a member of the city council. He is a member of the Masonic lodge, is a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias. Politically, Mr. Chenoweth is a Democrat. The religious affiliations of Mr. and Mrs. Chenoweth are with the Presbyterian church, of which they are both members. The above is a brief review of the life of a man not only well known in his community but well liked. Mr. Chenoweth has not permitted the pursuit of a livelihood to obscure the greater life values, and it is thus that he has won and retained the high regard of all who know him, whether in business relations or in private life. 916 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. THE O'HARA FAMILY. This family has always held a marked distinction in educational, musical and literary achievements on the two continents. Henry and Patrick O'Hara were born near Lisnagael, County Sligo, Ireland, and were sons of Charles and Mary (Naughton) O'Hara, who had their children educated in the schools in Ireland. Many who are in high places today in Ireland and Massachusetts are still grateful to Henry O'Hara for the encouragement and knowledge he helped them attain, even after they were no longer his pupils. Mrs. Henry O'Hara, who died on September 21, 1915, was a daughter of William and Cecelia McDonough, of County Sligo, Ireland. Her father was a relative of Charles Carroll, of Carrolton, who was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, and her brother, Patrick McDonough, was a captain in the United States army. Her relatives were all noted for their musical ability. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Henry O'Hara, of Madison county, are four children, namely: Charles, Mary, Cecelia and Helena, in whom the literary attainments are becoming no less pronounced. Their writings of both prose and poetry have already received favorable recognition from California to Maine. Some of their verses have been copied and sung in Egypt, Australia, Ireland and England and have been translated into Greek and Spanish. The Misses Helena Frances and Mary Agnes O'Hara have been frequent contributors of their valued poetry to the London Democrat and other Ohio newspapers. Their verses express in their deepest feeling the keenest understanding of the people of their home community. They are bards of Madison county and of rural Ohio almost as truly as James Whitcomb Riley is the poet of all rural America. It is with regret that the editor of this history cannot devote more space to the rhymes of the O'Hara sisters. A GLIMPSE OF PIONEER DAYS. Near our home is the National road, stretching east and west through Madison county and often would I like to see a stagecoach coming down as it was said to do in days gone by, but today it is a matter of history, as it has long been replaced by the carriage, automobile and the trolley line which runs close by. At first 'twas the path of the grim pioneer, Who sought for a home on the western frontier, Who stopped on his journey to build an abode, Of rough logs he hewed from where now is the road. More followed the trail and the silent woods woke To the buzz of the saw, and the sturdy axe stroke; Rude cabins loomed up, soon the green valleys turned To oceans of gold where the corn tassels burned. The soil blossomed forth with abundance for all, Who heard and came on to the far western call. The nation so pleased with a region so blest, Constructed a highway connecting the West. Magnificent inns would the stranger beguile. To come and partake of their comforts awhile, The shrill whistle blew as the stagecoach and four Prancing steeds drew up by the tavern's great door. The occupants wearily sought for a rest, Great statesmen among them, each stranger a guest, MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 917 Still vivid the stories of many today When the neighboring inn heard the orator Clay. Long, long days elapsed and the old road at last Seemed doomed as a relic, or thing of the past; The trav'ler no more sought the old western trail, But rode by the great iron steed on the rail. Who journeys at twilight down to the old inn That echoed with laughter to ceiling within? What equine goes now to the sheltering stall When lowering shadows the daylight enthrall? The friendly old trees there a welcome yet nod, And children now play where the statesmen once trod. The great doors still speak of the grandeur they knew, And love-light still blesses the old portals too. Instead of the foam on the prancing steed now, The draft slowly comes from the sweat of the plough, Caressed by the hands that he knows and loves best, He finds for each work-day, a nighttime of rest. No more the sharp whistle, no stagecoach is seen, But now the honk and the whiz of machine. Not toilsome or long does the journeying seem; Surpassed e'en the pioneer's loftiest dream. A day's journey now marks a full week's of old, Within the great inn no more stories are told, And history returns with the old life bestowed, Restoring to traffic the National road. THE STATE FISH HATCHERY AND OLD ROBERTS' MILL. The State Fish Hatchery, three and one-half miles west of London, is among Madison's most attractive and picturesque places. It occupies the site of an ancient distillery and of the old-time Roberts' grist mill. Here the pure limpid water rushes forth from the ground in great springs and in sufficient volume to have supplied these industries with their power for almost a century. For there beneath our eager gaze Green avenues appear, O'er shadowed by the friendly bough Of weeping willows near. The limpid waters press along, Their frame of mossy green, Presenting to our wondering eyes An awe inspiring scene. Could Switzerland in all her pride, A rarer grandeur show? Or give to man such sights sublime With all her peaks of snow? Above the crystal water's edge The weeping willows bend, With drooping, lengthened boughs that seek Forever to descend. 918 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. No sky above they strive to gain, The only blue they know Is that reflected in the ponds Of waters deep below. Unlike their sister willow trees That lift each stately bough To greet each jewel star that decks The night's illumined brow. TWO RUSTY MILL WHEELS. Outside of the mill near the stream two rusty, mill wheels tell the silent story of a day long past. Aye, there they are recalling all The stormy days gone by ; Displaying on their rusty arms The frown of winter's sky. Quite useless and deserted now Upon the velvet grass, As sentinels they rest beneath The varied winds that pass. Their very presence seem to throw An echo o'er the way, And bring us swiftly to the time When they held regal sway. When steadily their tones rang out Across the summer air; Like to a mystic songster's tone Adown the star-lit stair. As ceaselessly they hurried round To grind the meal and flour, And all throughout the livelong day Marked not an idle hour. Ah, then their voice was truly king Of all surrounding plains; Of all that potent power now. Their strength alone remains. The relics of a by-gone age, Their careless shadows throw A sparkling mirror on the scene Of sixty years ago. Of sixty years ago, when 'neath The old mill's rooftree high, Both men and boys from far and near Passed countless hours by. Their steps are slow and falt'ring now, Their hair as white as snow, The very ones who were. the boys Of sixty years. ago. And though we travel in the realms Of youth's exquisite bowers, We think of days that were to them As sweet as these of ours. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 919 CLINTON JUNK. Considering the bank the great recruiting ground for the populations of cities there is a sense in which civilization is dependent upon the rural districts: As one writer puts it : "If it were not for the fresh and healthy. blood,.muscle and :brain from the farms, our large cities would degenerate." In this sense, then, he who contributes to the healthy; wholesome life of the country helps to develop the conditions upon which the cities may draw for their best type of citizens. Clinton Junk, therefore, ,belongs to that type of .men who, by useful Hying, contribute much to the general good. Clinton Junk was born on November 8, 1854, Ross county, Ohio, and is the son of William and Rachel (Hicks) Junk. The parents of Mr. Junk possessed all the characteristics of the noble souls who braved pioneer life, and were inured to the hardships of the frontier. During a long period of. their life they were three miles from their nearest neighbor. William Junk was far above the average. in public spirit, and seemed to possess that type of civic loyalty which is so lauded today. This spirit was shown in his gifts, one of which was the ground upon which a Range township school house was built. He also opened up the pike now known as the Junk Pike which runs from Mt. Sterling to London. Always in favor of public improvements, he contributed to the expense of laying seven pikes before there was one built in front of his own home. William Junk was born in 1825, in Ross County, Ohio, coming to Madison county in 1858, and settling in Pleasant township. He was a farmer of practical experience and broad insight. He bought the six hundred acres of land which constitutes the present Junk farm, the purchase price being nineteen dollars and twenty cents an acre. The home built upon this property consisted of a two-story house of ten rooms. This house, which is still. standing, was one of the finest in the county, being splendidly built and constructed of large studdings. Mr. Junk himself built this ,house. At the time of his death Mr. Junk owned one thousand acres of well-improved land in Pleasant and Range townships. One of the industries in which this early settler engaged was the raising of sheep. He died in 1901. Rachel Hicks was born in Ross county, Ohio, in 1829. being of English descent. She is the daughter of. Willis and Frances (White) Hicks, the former of whom was. a colonel in the War of 1812.: A proof that this man was a brave fighter is shown by the fact that he had ten horses shot from under him. . He himself was unhurt. Mrs. Junk is living at present in Mt. Sterling. Five children were born in the home of these estimable people. Pryor W., of St. Sterling, Ohio; Clinton, the subject of this sketch; Beecher. of Columbus. Ohio; Webster, deceased, and Mrs. Eva L. Core, of Mt. Sterling. Clinton Junk early showed signs of unusual ambition, for at the age of twenty, having completed the usual course of studies in the district schools of Pleasant and Range townships, he rented land from his brother, Pryor, and also from his father and began his own career. He has never lived outside of these two townships. Inheriting at the time of his father's death one hundred and fifty, acres of land, he bought ninety acres more in 1895, and. to these holdings he has added until he now owns four hundred and eighty acres. Besides his prominence as a farmer Mr, Junk is .a stockholder in the First National Bank of Mt. Sterling. Like every good citizen whose time and attention are not limited exclusively to personal affairs, Mr. Junk, has taken a deep interest in educational matters, and as occupied a place on the school board for sixteen years. He also gave practical assistance in building the school. Miranda Alkire became Mrs. Clinton Junk on October 15, 1878. She was born in 1855, in Pleasant. township, and is the eldest daugher, of George and Mary (Bragg) 920 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Alkire. The children born in this household are Homer, deceased; Willis, mentioned in another sketch; Elmer, of Range township; Mary, deceased; Harry, a graduate of a business college of Columbus and now living in Range township; Ida R., Bessie L. and Bruce C. The three last named are living at home. The political affiliation of Clinton Junk are with the Democratic party. Both he and Mrs. Junk and family are honored and active members of the Christian church at Mt. Sterling. Mr. Junk is possessed of those sterling qualities which make his type of citizenship a true asset to any community. Inheriting from his parents a strict sense of honor and of neighborly obligation he has widened this sense of obligation until it has come to mean the whole community with which his life is directly associated. With such a spirit of loyalty, it is not surprising that his life has been full of generous deeds and kindly consideration for others. JOHN SIMPSON The late John Simpson, who was an honored veteran of the Civil War, was one of those progressive and influential citizens of Madison county who figured conspicuously in the progress and prosperity of this county for more than a half century. By his industry and good management, he was able to improve a splendid farm and win for his declining years a substantial competence. He died full of honors and respected as only a man who has done his full duty to his home, his family, his country and his neighbors, can die. John Simpson, a native of Nottingham, England, was born on June 24, 1840, and was brought to America by his parents when a mere child. He was a son of the Rev. James A. Simpson, an elder of the Baptist church, who after living for a time in Canada removed to Ohio in the early forties, and, for twenty-five consecutive years, was the preacher at the Big Darby Baptist church, and who collected funds for the erection of present church building during the Civil War. He preached at several places in Madison county, and lived in the county until his death. His residence for many years was at Lafayette, where he died. In early life the Rev. James A. Simpson had been an infidel and had used the power of his large intellect against the Christian religion. At his conversion, however, he became a stanch Christian, and lived as a Christian in all the relations of life. He was a radical abolitionist and was connected with the "underground railroad" movement so much used in Civil War times in aiding fugitive slaves to escape to Canada. As an earnest and effective speaker he had many debates. in this part of Ohio, some of which lasted as long as seven days. The first wife of Rev. James A. Simpson was Ellen Ryder and his second wife, Mary Gatton, a widow, who survived him and lived at Dayton, Ohio. James A. Simpson had the following children: James, who Went to Kansas in early life, is still living at Fitzgerald, Georgia. Elizabeth was the wife of W. H. C. McCoy, a farmer of Madison county, both are now deceased. Anna married Jonathan Henry, a minister in the Christian church. John Simpson, the subject of this sketch. Harriet married Jerry. West, a farmer of Champaign county, Ohio. Mr. Simpson was a great huntsman and a gunsmith by trade. A rifle made by him, in 1857 (quite a work of art) is still owned by the Simpson family. He hunted with Buffalo Bill in the early seventies on the Kansas plains. He died in Champaign county, Ohio. Alfred B., the youngest child, left the county in middle life. John Simpson grew to manhood in Madison county, Ohio, and was a self-made man. He served through the Civil War in Company A, One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, covering a period of four years. He was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain, while carrying the flag. He was officer of the color guard at MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 921 the time, and, the two color bearers being shot, and also the seven color guards, and he being the last of the guard, he picked up the flag but was soon shot down. He, however, again raised the colors, but was so badly wounded that he had to retire. He leaned the colors against a tree and was carried to the hospital. This incident terminated his active services, and he was discharged at the end of the war. The wound, however, never healed, and, after thirty-two years of a running wound, the limb was amputated. During all these years he had been a great sufferer. His musket and canteen are still possessed by the Simpson family. In 1866, John Simpson was married to Philomelia McDonald, the daughter of the late John McDonald of Deer Creek township. She was born on February 17, 1841, on a farm in Deer Creek township. She and her husband eventually became the owners of a farm adjoining the McDonald homestead, and owned over three hundred acres of land. In 1884, they erected a substantial brick house which still stands on the farm, four miles northeast of London, on the Simpson road. Before that, however, they had lived for fourteen years in a log cabin, one of the oldest in the country. John Simpson developed the "Honest John" variety of corn. It came from a carload of corn shipped into Madison county, in 1858, by John McDonald and others. This corn has been grown by the family through three generations. John Simpson was a loyal Republican in life, a man who was frank and open in all of his dealings and who was widely respected. He was very radical in his political beliefs, and stood firmly by Republican principles. He once confessed to a Democrat that he had voted for him, but said that he would never vote for another. Mr. Simpson was a fine comrade and companion. During the latter years of his life he attended many reunions, especially the reunions of the "Blue and Grey," and very few men were so near and dear to his old comrades. Soldier reunions were frequently held on his birthday at his home, and, on his last birthday, all of his old comrades gathered there. He died on October 30, 1910, and his beloved wife some years previously, May 23, 1902. His second wife, Phebe B. (Lombard) Bradley, who survived him, was the widow of a former comrade and friend of Mr. Simpson. Of his family of eight children by his first wife, J. Sherman was the only member of the family to reach maturity. J. Sherman Simpson was born on August 21, 1869, at the John McDonald homestead. Sherman was reared on the farm and he experienced all those things which fall to the lot of the average country boy. He has always been engaged in farming and stock raising, and has made a specialty of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs. Mr. Simpson is the proprietor of "Tekenink Stock Farm," an Indian name which means "house in the woods." He is a progressive and up-to-date farmer. On October 26, 1892, J. Sherman Simpson was married to Nora J. Jones, the daughter of Lucian B. and Laura (Kinney) Jones. Lucian was the eldest son of the late John Jones, of this county. He died at the age of thirty years, and, at the time of his death, was one of the firm of Jones Brothers, in the warehouse business at London. His widow survives and lives at Springfield, Ohio. Mrs. J. Sherman Simpson was born in London and was graduated from the London high school. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson have had three children, Amelia, a graduate of the London high school and who lives at home; John L., and one who 'died in infancy. J. Sherman Simpson is a member of the Madison county Young Men's Christian Association board of directors, and has been prominent in the work of this organization. The present board has had much to do with the improving of the conditions of the young men of the county. Mr. Simpson's aim always has been for the betterment of mankind and the social uplift of the county. 922 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. LEROY CORNWELL. Mention is made hi this volume of the Many worthy citizens of Madison county, citizens who have figured in the growth and, development of this community and whose interests are identified with its various phases of progress. Each has contributed in his particular sphere of action to the well-being of the community where he resides and to :advancement of its legitimate growth. Among this number is Leroy Cornwell, the recorder of Madison county and for many years one. of the leading educators of this county. Having begun his educational career at the age of nineteen, he has taught for twenty years in Madison county and for seven years has filled the position of principal of the Summerford schools. Leroy Cornwell, the son of Thomas and Ellen Jane (Wilson) Cornwell, was born near the old Roberts mill, three miles west of London, in Union ,township, Madison county, Ohio, March 11, 1874. His parents were both born in Union township. Thomas Cornwell's father was. Addison Cornwell, a native of Westmoreland. county. Virginia. who, after his marriage to Tabitha Trussle, in Virginia, about 1840, came to Madison county and settled on a part of the present state farm,, two miles west of London. Here in the woods he cleared a part of the farm and, after living here for several years, settled on what is now known as the Dave Gerard farm, near the state fish hatchery, where he spent the remainder, of his life, clearing about six hundred and fifty acres. He was a highly educated man, having a good academic education, read law and preached in the Methodist church for several years. He died on the .old farm about 1893, after having attained the, age, of seventy-two. His wife had died some years previously, Of the children born, to Addison and Tabitha (Trussle) Cornwell, Thomas. Cornwell, who was born on the first farm owned by his father in Madison county, in 1842, grew up in the country. At the beginning of the Civil War he enlisted in Company D, Fortieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served during the war. He was veteranized in Company B, One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Regiment, and was discharged at the close of the war as sergeant. During, the entire four years he was always with his command. After the war, Thomas Cornwell settled on a farm of one , hundred acres, where he lived the remainder of his life, dying on December. 13, 1912. He Was prominent in the Christian church at Wilson's chapel and his wife was also a member of that church. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, at London, and of the Grand Army of the Republic. By his marriage on January 5, 1868, to Ellen Jane Wilson, the daughter of John and Julia Ann (Prugh) Wilson, there were. five children, as follow: Otis, of Somerford township; William, of Deer Creek township; Leroy, the subject of this sketch; Ernest, of. Range township, and Esta, the wife of John Ellsworth, of Range township. Mrs. Thomas Cornwell's father, John Wilson, owned a large tract of land in Madison. county. Mrs. Thomas Cornwell was born in 1847 in ,Union township and, throughout her life, was active in, the work of the church. She is now living with her children. Born and reared on the farm and educated in the common schools, Leroy Cornwell received his certificate to teach school at the age of nineteen and taught for twenty years in Madison county. For seven years he has been principal of the Summerford schools. Mr. Cornwell attended Wittenberg College and the Normal school at Ada, Ohio. Smile' years ago he was elected township clerk of Somerford township and served four terms, covering a period of ten years. He is a Republican, and having been nominated by the Republican county convention of 1914, was triumphantly elected county recorder with a plurality of eight hundred and ninety-seven, the second highest an the ticket. Mr. Cornwell took office on September 6. 1915. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 923 On January 1, 1900, Leroy Cornwell was Married to Jeannette Smith Florence, the daughter of G. A. and Mary : G. Florence, the latter of whom is the daughter of the late Henry Smith, a Well-known attorney of this county, and a sister of Luke Smith, of Deer Creek township. ..Mr. and Mrs. Cornwell have been the parents of three children, Marcus, Mary and Eloise, all of whom are living at home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. .Leroy Cornwell are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are interested in all religious works. Mr. ..Cornwell is .a member of the official board. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He has passed all of the chairs in the Odd Fellows and has served as district deputy of this lodge. in Madison. county. GEORGE W. BUSWELL. One of the largest landowners in Madison county, Ohio, is the gentleman whose brief history follows. George W. Buswell has 'confined his' interests on the farm to the raising and shipping of hogs and hap, both of which have been very remunerative avenues of inconie, and he is now not only one of the largest landowners of Madison county, Ohio, but is also' one of the wealthiest and most influential men of his district. George W. Buswell, general farmer and stockman, London, Ohio, was born on December 5, 1873, in Jefferson township, Madison county, and is a son of George and Nancy (Toops) Buswell. He was two years old when his parents moved to the old homestead, where he grew to young manhood. and attended the district schools. After his marriage, Mr. Buswell rented his father's farm and began the life of an agriculturist on his own behalf, giving his attention especially to the raising of hay, and feeding large numbers, of hogs, which he sold by the carload. Politically, he has always given his vote to the Republican party, while his religious membership is with the Presbyterian church at Plain City. His splendid .tract of land, consisting of three hundred and eight acres, is located on rural route No. 3. six miles north of West Jefferson, Ohio. George Buswell, father of the subject of this sketch,' was born in England, and came to the United States when he was thirty-five years old. He was very poor when he landed in this country, but possessing the essential qualities in following 'the vocation of a farmer, he rapidly became very prosperous, and eventually acquired a fine tract of land, consisting of over four hundred acres of good farm land. He was united in marriage with Nancy Toops, a native of Ross county, Ohio, by whom he had seven children, six of whom are living in 1915. John L., who follows farming ; Sarah, the widow of J. John Penney. of London, Ohio; Maggie, who was Married to U. H. Blair, of Oklahoma, and is now a widow; Mary, who became the wife Of John Darley, of Nebraska ; Susan, who is Mrs. William Lombard, of West Jefferson, Ohio, and George W. George W. Buswell was united in marriage, in February, 1895, with Eva Grewell, daughter of E. C. Grewell. She was born in Madison county, and was educated in the schools of Monroe township, and later attended the high school at Plain City. This union has. been blest with four children : Florence, a graduate of the Plain City high school, is now teaching school in Jefferson township; Leland is' a student 'in the 'West Jefferson high school; Keith attends the public school at West Jefferson, Ohio, and Beatrice is in the district school. Mrs. Buswell is an earnest member of the Presbyterian church at Plain City. Mr. Buswell holds a position of high esteem in his community, where he has become a factor in the business interests, and where his advice is sought by those interested in the raising and shipping of live stock. 924 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. VALENTINE H. WILSON. The late Valentine H. Wilson was the second son of James and Eleanor (Smith) Wilson, and at the time of his death, Saturday, October 22, 1898, had just completed and occupied the handsomest country home in Madison county. Born on the old. Wilson homestead, Darby Plains, October 28, 1839, he died on his magnificent country estate, "Maple Villa," at the age of fifty-nine years. Valentine H. Wilson was one of four children born to his parents, John S., Thomas B. and Lucy being the other three. His father is referred to in the sketch of the Wilson family, presented elsewhere in this volume. His mother was a daughter of John and Sophia (Bond) Smith, and was born in Licking county, Ohio, June 20, 1818, and in 1832, came to Madison county, residing here continually. until her death, February 15, 1904, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lucy E. Beach, with whom she made her home after the death of her husband. Of the children born to James and Eleanor (Smith) Wilson, John S., the eldest son, was born in Madison county, October 4, 1837, and died in London, January 25, 1905. By his marriage, January 14, 1858, to Sylvina J. McDonald, there were born six children, Flora, James W., Mary, Charles, Mrs. Eleanor Wilson Bradley and Mrs. Lucy Wilson Simpkins. John S. Wilson was a farmer and stockman, and retired from active farm life a few months before his death, removing to London. He was loved by his family, friends and neighbors for his plain, blunt honesty and whole-souled generosity. At the time of his death he had attained advanced standing in the Masonic fraternity. Thomas B., another son of James B. and Eleanor (Smith) Wilson, was born in Canaan township, October 31, 1841. He was graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1865, and served during the last year of the Civil War in the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He married Elizabeth S. Trimble. August 24, 1865, and to this union five children were born, Eugene T. Morrow, John P., Mary T. and Betty Winn. He served during the sixty-ninth Ohio General Assembly as a state senator from the eleventh Ohio district. Valentine H. Wilson was reared on a farm, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life. In addition to his farming interests, he was an extensive stockman, and at the time of his death was the owner of five farms comprising fifteen hundred acres. He had just completed the construction of "Maple Villa," his country home, which cost nearly twenty thousand dollars when death removed him from the scene of life's activities. On January 25, 1871, Valentine H. Wilson was married to Dollie Jones, the daughter of John and Jane (Melvin) Jones, the former of whom was born at London, October 31, 1818, and the latter was a daughter of John and Sarah Melvin, natives of Madison county. John Jones was a son of William Jones, who was born near Knoxville, Tennessee, and came with his father, Solomon Jones, to Ohio, and became a blacksmith at London, where he settled in 1814. He became a wealthy landowner and merchant, a friend to all, and one of the most popular men who ever lived in the city of London. He was a heavy loser in the panic of 1837 because of the failure of friends whose notes he had secured. Afterwards he removed to a farm, but his death occurred in the city of London. John Jones was reared in London and worked in his father's store as a boy, and also worked in the store of William Warner. After his marriage, William Warner, then sheriff of Madison county, selected him as a deputy, a position which he held for four years. He was then elected sheriff as a Whig and served two years. Latch' he served twelve years as a justice of the peace. He and his three sons were engaged in the grocery trade until about 1875. He was a strong temperance man, and a charter member in Madison Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. By his mar- MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 925 riage to Jane H. Melvin he had four children, Frank, Horace, Dollie, the widow of Valentine H. Wilson, and Emma, the wife of Harvey Chandler, of London. Valentine H. Wilson and wife were the parents of five daughters, of whom three, Minnie, Maud and Eleanor, are deceased. Mrs. Mabel (Wilson) Dye and Helen are living. Mr. Wilson's success as a farmer and cattle dealer was due to his tireless industry and unrightness. He worked unceasingly and always with fidelity to a given purpose. He was ,too modest to engage in politics, and never sought a public office, but as a member of the school board be took an active interest and served his fellow citizens with honesty and distinction. Valentine H. Wilson will be long remembered for his domestic virtues and high-minded principles. He was a kind father and a most loving and devoted husband. WILLIAM A. CLAWSON. Great stability of character has been the lever with which William A. Clawson, one of Range township's most substantial farmers, has wrested a competency from the soil, and by diligent effort and thrift, has earned the confidence and respect of his fellow men. He was born on April 19, 1859, in Ross county, Ohio, one of ten children born to Strawder and Louise (Ogden) Clawson, eight of whom are now living. Strawder Clawson, the father, was born on March 1, 1823, in Kentucky, and in 1837, when a lad of fourteen, removed with his parents to Ross county, Ohio. Four years after the arrival in Ross county of Strawder Clawson, Louise Ogden, who was to be his future bride, arrived with her parents from Maryland. She was born in 1833, and when she came to Ohio was a girl of eight years. The family had traveled all the way from Maryland to Ross county, Ohio, in a covered wagon. Although an extensive farmer in his day, Strawder Clawson, in addition to his agricultural interests, was a stock buyer and shipper. In 1874, while on a visit in Illinois, he was taken ill and passed away very suddenly. The wife is still living and resides with her daughter, Mrs. Silas Drais, near Mt. Sterling, Ohio. William A. Clawson received what little schooling he could in the district schools near Madison Mills, Ohio. His education was very limited, owing to his father's need of him in connection with the work on the farm at his home. In 1876, when only a lad of seventeen, he came to Madison county, and rented the Curtis Ward farm, situated near Sedalia, which he subsequently tilled for twenty-five consecutive years. During fifteen years of his career on this farm, aside from his agricultural pursuits, he engaged in buying cattle for a large export company, and hogs for a packing plant in Massachusetts. Most of the stock purchased for the export trade was shipped from Madison and Fayette counties. For twenty years past the breeding of Shorthorn cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs and Norman horses has been the specialty of Mr. Clawson. He enjoys the distinction of being an exceptionally good cattle feeder. On one occasion he reared and fed four yearling calves that tipped the beam at one thousand two hundred and ninety-six pounds each, at time of sale. On January 1, 1902, Mr. Clawson purchased the farm on which he now resides, containing one hundred and twenty acres, located on the Federal roads between Danville' and Sedalia, in a soil region of great fertility, well improved with hnudreds of rods of tiling, a good barn and other improvements in the process of completion. On September 1, 1904, William A. Clawson was united in marriage to Mrs. Lillian L. Young, daughter of Reuben T. Latham, of Sedalia. Receiving her education in the village schools of Sedalia, one year each at the London and Springfield schools, Mrs. Clawson began teaching school in her native township at an early age, engaging nine 926 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO consecutive years in this occupation, spending five years of this time at one district in Paint township. She is an active member of the Presbyterian church in the town of her birth, a loyal church worker, interested in the missionary cause, identified with the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, an ardent supporter of all movements having an educational or moral intent. She stands for all that is noble and uplifting, and is highly respected in the different sections where she has, resided. Mr. Clawson is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which orders he is regarded as a member of high esteem. Still hale and hearty, in the prime of life, he displays more than ordinary interest in all civic and political questions, and has a host of friends in and out of his immediate community. FRED L. CRABBE. The liquor question today is a great issue, and the entire country awaits with interest the final outcome of the great battle that is being waged between the "wets" and "drys." To the Casual observer it would seem that the issue is even greater, than the combatants themselves realize, and true it is that if the people had realized years ago the importance of the strictest regulation in regard to this vital ,question, there never would have been the need for national prohibition. Nothing ever becomes a menace if properly regulated in the beginning; however, the fight is on, and many good, strong soldiers are taking part in the campaign, one of whom is Fred I.. Crabbe. attorney and school teacher, of Mt. Sterling. Madison county, Ohio. The majority of people applaud those who have the courage of their convictions, even though an enemy to their cause, and the residents of Mt. Sterling give their hearty support and co-operation to Mr, Crabbe in his campaign against the liquor interests. In his position as city attorney. he wields great influence and stands squarely for purity in both public and private life. Fred L. Crabbe was born on August 19, 185. at Big Plain, Madison county, Ohio. and is the son of John W. and Ellen (Minshall) Crabbe. He was reared on the farm and attended the district schools' of Fairfield and Deer Creek townships, Madison county. After finishing in the schools of Fairfield. Mr. Crabbe attended the Normal school, at, Athens, Athens county and then, in 1903, began teaching at South Solon. this county. For four years he taught in the district schools of Union township, and in the year 1911 began teaching in the Mt. ,Sterling schools. where he was principal of the grammar, department. Later, Mr. Crabbe resigned his position in the Mt. Sterling schools and is now devoting his entire, lime to fighting the liquor traffic. After being affiliated with the Ohio Anti-Saloon League for three years. he was elected attorney for that organization. and is now serving as attorney for the Anti-Saloon League in the Toledo district. He is devoting his entire time to the prosecution of violations of the liquor laws and lecturing for the cause of temperance. That Mr. Crabbe was peculiarly fitted for the practice of law, is attested by the fact that. three years after he was admitted to. the bar, he was elected as city attorney and solicitor for Mt. Sterling and of all the cases he has pleaded, both in the civil and criminal courts, he has never lost a case. He began the study of law with his brother, Charles. in 1905. and was admitted to the bar in 1913. He pow devotes, his entire time to his law practice. In all questions of civic betterment, Mr. Crabbe is a diligent and conscientious worker. On May 21, 1907, Fred L. Crabbe and Ione M. Phillips, of South. Solon, Ohio, were united in marriage. Ione M. Phillips was born on May 24, 1890, at Lima, Ohio, and is the daughter of Mrs. Clara J. Phillips, now of London, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Crabbe are the parents of one child, Gerald, who has developed traits MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 927 that will, very, likely decide him to follow the example of his father, in becoming a leader on all questions pertaining to the public welfare. Mr. Crabbe takes great pride in acknowledging himself, a Republican and a stanch supporter of this party. Mr. Crabbe is termed a "live wire" and any cause which has his support is fortunate indeed. JOHN WOOD JOHNSTON. The individual homes of a nation give it stability or cause it to degenerate to the plane of weakness. So inspeaking of a nation as a whole, we accuse or praise the individual. home. Therefore, to make the establishing of a home the ambition of one's life, is to contribute to the strength of the nation. It is this innate love of home that develops the finest qualities of human life and he or she who has saisfied this love has been a greater factor, in the conservation of the human race, than all else beside. In introducing. John Wood Johnston, of Range township, Madison county, Ohio, to the reader of this history, it is mere justice that actuates the. statement. that he is one of those whose nobility of aim and .untiring. perseverance has contributed so largely to the betterment of this community.. His grandparents came to Pennsylvania in the early days and settled. in Range township, Madison county, and it was here that the George, and the grandson, John Wood Johnston, were born. William and Margaret (McClimans) Johnston, the grandparents of John Wood Johnston, were of .hardy pioneer stock and many a sad broken life. today, would be in perfect. harmony with the universe, had each succeeding generation been prompted to the supreme efforts displayed by these thrifty pioneers. George Johnston. actuated with this same homing instinct which impelled his parents to seek their fortunes amid the greatest hardships, toiled day by day, patiently, persistently and religiously until be finally accomplished that which was dearest and meant most happiness to his family, a home. He was born on November 29, 1814, in Range township, Madison county, and after reaching the age of maturity, availed himself of the privilege necessary to. the completion of a perfect, home, marrying Barbara Beam, who bore him seven children, three of whom are now living. George Johnston followed agricultural pursuits during his entire life and passed away on the farm. which had been the nucleus of his abundant success. His death occurred on December ,20. 1906.. Barbara Beam Johnston was born on September 4, 1812, in Pennsylvania, and after assisting her husband in the building and maintenance of their home passed way on July 10, 1899. Both husband and wife were members of the Methodist church and reared their children, in the faith that has been such a comfort to them through joy and sorrow. Reared on the farm. John Wood Johnston received the rudiments of his education in the district schools of Range township. where he was born, which event took place on November 7, 1850. His labors on the home place, during his. apprenticeship in the agricultural line, were very onerous. but his outstanding character has proven their worth. In order to cultivate the soil the heavy timber had to be removed, and in this process he assisted .bydriving an ox team for logging and hauling. He served his father faithfully for twenty-five years and in appreciation was given a farm with which to build his future competency. On this farm he built a small house and added to it as his earnings and family increased. On September 6, 1853, Lizzie Gregg, who was to be the future wife of John Wood Johnston, was born in Paint township, Madison county, Ohio. Their marriage was solemnized in 1875, and they are Abe . parents of four children : Mrs. Eva Henry, of Range township; Eva, who lives at. home; Alva, a farmer living in Indiana, and 928 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Mrs. Ona Housman, who lives in Paint township, this county. On May 31, 1884, Mrs. Lizzie (Gregg) Johnston passed away. After his many years of efficient industry, John Wood Johnston has acquired two hundred and sixty-three acres of good land upon which he is now living. In his political faith he is a Democrat and in his religious faith a Methodist, in which church he is both a trustee and steward. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also of the Farmers Grange. In the russet years of his life, John Wood Johnston can feel a satisfaction that is denied the restless, money mad crowd that surge the cities, looking with longing eyes at the peaceful farm homes that are the root of happiness. COL. EUGENE TRIMBLE WILSON. Col. Eugene T. Wilson, who is a retired officer of the United States army, is a son of Thomas B. and Elizabeth S. (Trimble) Wilson, and the grandson of James and Eleanor (Smith) Wilson. Thomas B. Wilson was born in Canaan township, October 31, 1841, and received his education in the Lafayette schools and in Ohio Wesleyan University, from which institution he was graduated in 1865. He enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in May, 1864, one year before his graduation, and was mustered out the following September. He was married to Elizabeth. S. Trimble, August 24, 1865, shortly after his graduation from the university. She was a native of Grayson, Kentucky, and his classmate in college. They were the parents of five children: Eugene T., the immediate subject of this sketch; Morrow Beach; John T.; Mrs. Mary T. Keifer, of Springfield, Ohio, and Betty W., the last of whom is the companion and housekeeper for her brother, Col. Eugene T. Wilson. Thomas B. Wilson was an ardent Republican and although his farm of six hundred acres kept him very busy, yet he nevertheless found time to serve the public in positions of trust and responsibility. He was twice elected township trustee, and in 1890 was the nominee of the Republican party for state senator from the seventh Ohio district. He was triumphantly elected and became an earnest, conscientious and able representative of the people in the sixty-ninth General Assembly. His success as a farmer and his career as a public servant were eminently gratifying to his friends, who were legion. He died at his attractive country home on the Lafayette pike, three miles north of London, September 16, 1908. His beloved wife, who had been his companion for many years, had died about seven years previously, September 30, 1901. Eugene T. Wilson was born at Lafayette, in Madison county, and after completing the high school course in the London high school, entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, and was graduated with the class of 1888. Gen. J. Warren Keifer was at that time the representative in Congress from the district and the speaker of the National House of Representatives. Colonel Wilson began his military career proper as a second lieutenant in the First Artillery, at San Francisco, and was retired on July 24, 1914, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel of the coast artillery. He was assigned for one year as commandant of the military school conducted in connection with the Ohio State University at Columbus. From 1898 to 1899 he was chief of the depot commissary at Santiago, Cuba. From 1899 to 1901 he was aid to General Shatter, and for one year was on special service in charge of the trans-Alaska military road and government telegraph. In 1904 he was elected as one of the few officers to receive special training in the school of submarine defenses, and continued this study for one, year. In 1906-7 he attended the Army War College, where special training is given for such officers as MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 929 have ability to conduct administrative phases of war. In June, 1908, he was sent to Panama, where he remained in charge of the subsistence department until February, 1914. On March 4, 1915, by a special act of Congress, he was made colonel along with Goethals, Gorgas and others, and retired after thirty years of continuous service. In the magnificent residence of his father, two miles north of London, on the Lafayette pike, Col. Eugene T. Wilson makes his home. This residence was built in 1869, and is one of the beautiful country places of the county. Colonel Wilson is specializing in the breeding of Shropshire sheep, and the head of his flock is the champion ram of Ohio. MRS. MARGARET TAYLOR. It is said that "society advances in happiness and culture not through striking dramatic acts but through myriads of unnumbered and unnoticed deeds." Historically considered, woman has been the goddess of the fireside. While it was man's duty and custom to hunt and fish and thus provide food and shelter, woman's was the care of the home and the children and the preparation of the food out of the materials which her husband supplied. From this division of labor has come about the comparative obscurity in which woman has heretofore lived, and even the modern woman finds her greatest happiness in self-forgetful ministration to her loved ones. She whose life forms the theme of this brief chronicle, like her sisters, has been faithful to her trust. Mrs. Margaret Taylor, widow of William Taylor, was born on July 28, 1850, in Pleasant township, this county, and is the daughter of John and Margaret (Alkire) Tanner, to whom seven children were born. The father of Mrs. Taylor was a native of Pickaway county, and was born on October 4, 1809, and died in 1869. John Tanner came to Madison county when it was possible to buy good land for one dollar and fifty cents an acre. Building. materials were crude at that time, but this pioneer showed his inventive genius by building a log cabin and making other improvements with the materials at hand. Living here for some time he then bought land in Madison county and the seven room house built upon this property was considered the finest house of its time in that vicinity. This residence is still standing. Mr. Tanner's father was Cortney Tanner and his wife's maiden name was Emery, both these grandparents being natives of Kentucky. Margaret Alkire was born in Pleasant township in 1823, her parents being Abraham and Jennie (Creath) Alkire, both of whom were born in this county. She died in 1823. Although the subject of this sketch was one of seven children, she is the only one living today. The children of Mr. and Mrs. John Tanner were. Malissa, Courtney, Hannah J., Abraham. Catherine C., William and Margaret. Margaret Tanner remained on the home of her father during her childhood and girlhood, during which she attended the school of Mt. Sterling. The event which took her away from the farm was her marriage to William Taylor, which occurred in 1869. Mr. Taylor was a son of Warner and Jane (Blackburn) Taylor, natives of Virginia, who emigrated to Pickaway county in the early days of 1827. William Taylor was born in Pickaway county on October 4, 1836, and came to Madison county in 1869, where for a short time he worked on a rented farm. Subsequently he bought land belonging to the brothers of his future wife. His next enterprise was the buying and selling of stock, the basis of his operations being Mt. Sterling and Era, Ohio. He was too enterprising to be limited in his business dealings by absence of a railway and before the railroad was built, he drove his cattle to Columbus to be marketed. He was one of the most extensive shippers in the county, and it Is said that the First National Bank of Mt. Sterling cashed more personal checks for (59) 930 - MADISON, COUNTY, OHIO him than, for any man, in the county. He was honored by being placed in the office of trustee of Pleasant township, and was a, member, of the Free and Accepted Masons. He passed away in 1893 leaving as the only child of this union are daughter, named Ella T., who afterwards became; Mrs. Zahn. She was born on May 28, 1871, in Pleasant township, and in 1893 was married to John Zahn, a farmer and plumber, and to them have been born an only son Maxwell Taylor Zahn, barn on January 21, 1894. Mrs. Margaret Taylor, although living, an uneventful, life as far as outward affairs are concerned, has been active in matters which concern the happiness of those closely associated with her and of the less fortunate. As a daughter of the Eastern Star, she has given of her time and means for the worthy purposes of this organization, and the work of the local Presbyterian: church and its service to the community have been greatly enhanced, by the devotion good woman. In all of the movements of this church, and especially in the, suaday school has she been a conscientious worker. LUTHER M. JOHNSTON. When it is known that nearly half the population of the United States is found upon farms, and that upon them existence; depends, it becomes evident that agriculture is the basic industry of national. life. He, therefore, who makes the waste places to blossom who turns the desert into a garden, makes no small contribution to human health and happiness. The man whose life record is here briefly considered is one of the army of men who have thus placed humanity in their debt. Luther M. Johnston was born on June 8, 1851, in, Range township, this county and is the son, of John and Elizabeth (Mathers) Johnston, to whom ten, children were born, four being still alive. Luther M. Johnston has followed the same vocation as that of his father who was born on March 12, 1806, in Ross county, Ohio. When a lad of eight years old John, Johnston crossed the intervening country with his parents and came to Madison county, they purchasing land here. Subsequently, John Johnston fell heir to one hundred acres of land and to this he later added real estate until he was at the time of death, July 29, 1882, the owner of three hundred and five acres, Elizabeth Mathers was born on April 20, 1811, and was a native of Ross county. She died on July 4, 1890. The date of the marriage of this worthy couple was October 6, 1831. The man whose life, forms the theme of this brief chronicle had only limited advantages as a boy. for he was, born and reared on a farm and attended the country schools of Range township. During his parents' lifetime he remained at home. At his father's death he inherited thirty-seven acres of good farm land to which he later added forty-five acres, buying a portion of the home place. On this he has built a fine modern home and has made many improvements. He raises fine Poland China hogs, and for the past six or eight years has frequently: won prizes at the Madison county fair in London, for his exhibits of corn and potatoes. Mrs. Johnston, to whom Mr. Johnston was married on March 4, 1875, at London, was formerly Josephine Gregg, a native of Union township, being born, there April 18, 1855. She is the daughter of Amos and, Emiline, ( Wagner) Gregg, who is a farmer of township. Mr. and. Mrs. Johnston, are the parents of ten children as, follow.: Mrs. Bessie Ducker, of the state of Washington; Mrs. Daisy Dunkle, of Range township ; John, who lives at home; Ray, a resident of Range township; Mrs. Pearl Crisman and Mrs. May Junk, both of Range township ; Guy, and Ruth, who live at home, and two children who passed away in early, childhood. Mr. Johnston and his are wife active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, the former is prominent in the Farmers Grange, taking a deep interest in the subject of agriculture and its allied interests. Mr. Johnston has been a member of the school MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 931 board serving in this capacity with honor and with loyalty. in his domestic relation Luther M. Johnston has been a devoted husband and loving father. In his relations to his fellowmen he has been just; conscientious and kind, a striking example of the power of perseverance and oneness of purpose in achieving one's ambition. J. CLARK MURRAY  A man of distinct ability who has eminently merited the high regard and confidence in which he is held in Ills community, and whose progressive qualities and inherent traits of honesty and thrift have made for him a prominent place in the agricultural World of Madison county, is J. Clark Murray, "for many years Manager of the "tower Gwynne Farma." His knowledge of all branches of farming and his wide acquaintance throughout the rural district of Ohio, have given him a commanding standing both 'in the town of Mt. Sterling and the surrounding country. He is a man of alert and well-matured mentality, who from his earliest years has been interested in the problems of the occupation which became his life work. J. Clark Murray was born on the 19th of October, 1870, in Union township, Madison county, Ohio, and is the son of Maxwell and Elizabeth (Leach) Murray. His father was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania on the 3rd of February, 1865, and moved to Ross county, Ohio, with his Parents when he was only three years old. Three years later the father died and Maxwell was taken by the McCreary family of Ross county, and reared by them. In 1826 he came to Madison county, and soon after married the daughter of Judge Armstrong. The first wife of Maxwell Murray was the widow of James Gibson. She had three children who are now deceased. They were Creighton, Mrs. Jane Rayburn and Elizabeth. By her second marriage she became the mother of Armstrong; Alexander, Robert and Mrs, Josephine Creath, all deceased. After the death of Mrs. Jane (Armstrong) Murray, which occurred on the 6th of August, 1863, her husband, Maxwell Murray, married again. His second wife was Elizabeth (Leach) Timmons, a widow, who was a native of Fayette county, Ohio, having been born near Mt. Sterling on the 19th of June, 1838. She died on the 18th of January, 1904: The children by her first marriage were Benjamin, Othello and Owen, who are deceased; Layton, manager and superintendent of transportation for Mandel Brothers, Chicago Mrs. Susie Hewitt, who Is deceased and Mrs. Sallie Ford; of Champaign county, Ohio: After her marriage with Mr. Murray she became the mother of three children, Mrs. Belle Linson, who is superintendent and matron of the County Children's Home of Madison county; Helen, who makes her home with her brother in Pleasant township, and J. C., the subject of this sketch. Maxwell Murray reared and educated all of these children, giving them the educational advantages of the locality in which they lived. He farmed in Union township, Madison county, until 1875, when he moved to Midway, Ohio, now known as Sedalia, where he died. Elizabeth Leach. was the daughter of 'Benjamin and Sarah- (Bostwick) Leach, the former a native of Maryland and the latter a native of Virginia. Sedalia, Ohio; furnished the background for the boyhood days of J. C. Murray. Here, after learning what he could in the district school, where the common branches scarcely outnumbered three, he began to take part in the rugged occupations about the farm, and when only fourteen years :old rented a farm on his own account in Range township and began what might be called an independent life. The enthusiasm and love of hard work which were so prominent in his character as a boy clung to him throughout his life, so that there Is little to wonder at in reviewing his achievements when the fact that they were laid on such early and strong foundations, is considered. When he was just twenty-two years of age he become manager of a large tract of land in Monroe township, Madison county, which proved, to be a very successful venture. 932 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. In October, 1894, he came to the farm where he now lives, and acts as manager of the farm land belonging to Mrs. Maria, (Gwynne) Crotti, of Columbus, Ohio. Aside from the direct management of the farm he is general attorney for the four thousand and twenty acres of land. He is a breeder of purebred stock, consisting of Shorthorn cattle, Belgian horses, Hampshire sheep and Duroc-Jersey hogs. The farm is given over to general stock and agriculture. The Gwynne farms have been under the management of the Murray family for about sixty years. With his brother, Layton, Mr. Murray owns two hundred and sixteen acres of land in Range township. Although his duties are anything but light, Mr. Murray has found time to show his interest outside the scope of agricultural pursuits, and is active in the affairs of Mt. Sterling, where he is a shareholder and director of the Citizens Bank. In 1909, he was nominated for the office of county commissioner, but resigned in favor of E. E. Breyfogel, of Mt. Sterling. J. C. Murray has been married twice, his .first wife, who was Ella C. Stout, was born on the 10th day of July, 1875, in Pleasant township, Madison county, Ohio, and died on the 12th of April, 1909. Their marriage took place on the 6th of March, 1899, and to the union one son, William F., who is now attending school, was born. On the 19th of October, 1910, Mr. Murray married his former wife's sister, Anna B. Stout, who was born in Pleasant township on the 6th of April, 1874. To this union one son, Robert- C., was born. She is the daughter of Abraham and Lydia (Graham) Stout, one of the pioneer families of Madison county, and long identified with the activities of the Christian church. Her father was well known as a political leader and held many offices of public trust. Mr. Murray is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Free and Accepted Masons. He and his wife are devoted members of the Christian church and have contributed liberally in every instance of church building in Madison county. HENRY BOWER. "The farm is and must always remain a chief source of our country's wealth, strength and power as well as the cradle of our ablest men." If this statement is true, every good farmer is a benefactor to the race, because his work is creative. The charge of being a dependent, therefore, can never be laid at his door. The gentleman here considered lays another claim to greatness, for when the integrity of the Union hung in the balance, he tendered his service to his country, forgetful of his own personal affairs, thus not only being true to his idea of loyalty but also becoming a noble example for others to follow. A native son of Fairfield county, Henry Bower was born on April 5, 1843, his parents being George and Sophia (Macklin) Bower. This family is mentioned elsewhere in the present publication in the sketch of Jesse Bower. Making the most of his early opportunities was characteristic of Henry Bower, for his later success was built upon his ability to get the best results out of every circumstance. Growing up on his father's farm he was early accustomed to arduous labor. After attending school in Fairfield, Pickaway and Madison counties. he labored at home until the breaking out of the Civil War. It was August 1, 1862, when he enlisted at Big Plain, Madison county, in Company B, Ninety-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. It was his fortune to see much active service during the war for he' was in battles at Richmond, Kentucky, August, 1862; at. Jackson, Mississippi, in 1863, and the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi, May 18, 1863. During the siege he was wounded in the mouth. He also took part in the siege of Jackson, Mississippi, in July, 1863, and at Guntown, Mississippi, June 10, 1864, as well as the siege of Spanish Fort, Alabama, in 1865. He served with honor under the commands of Generals Grant, MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 933 Sherman and Thomas and was discharged at Louisvillie, Kentucky, on August 14, 1865. He returned to Madison county and took up farm life. About that time Henry Bower married and bought more land in Pleasant township. When this farm was purchased It contained only a log cabin and a barn, but improvements have been added since. Mrs. Bower was married to Mr. Bower in 1866, she being at the time Mrs. Lethy (Roberson) Gilliland, the mother of Charles Gilliland, now deceased. Mrs. Bower's birth date was December 25, 1843, her parents being John S. and Maria (Riddle) Robison, who were natives of Madison county. Mrs. Bower passed away on November 10, 1914, leaving three children, John L., a machinist of Mt. Sterling; Eva M. Wickle, deceased, and Lela M., now Mrs. O. E. Loffbourrow, of Pleasant township. Mr. Bower has always voted the Republican ticket. He is a member of the Christian church and an enthusiastic member of the Grand Army of the Republic, being the present commander of J. C. Bostwick Post No. 406, at Mt. Sterling. Having led an unusually active life Mr. Bower retired from business in 1912, and is now living in his own home in Mt. Sterling, where he owns also one hundred acres of valuable land. The career of this estimable farmer and lover of his country has been a long, busy and useful one, and his service has been of a kind which it is impossible to estimate in the common standards of value. His qualities of head and heart, which go to make up the full measure of a man, have endeared him not only to his immediate friends but to a neighborhood of extensive dimensions. He is the type of man who readily awakens esteem and admiration. MRS. LYDIA J. STOUT. One of the honored women who has marked the passing of years with large and worthy accomplishments and who has maintained her home in Madison county, Ohio, for over seventy years, is Mrs. Lydia J. Stout. Her gracious personality has endeared her to both young and old, and her memory of the early days in Ohio makes her company very interesting and pleasant. Lydia J. Graham was born in Pleasant township, this county. April 20, 1844, the daughter of F. O. P. and Elizabeth (Robinson) Graham. Her only sister, Mrs. Mary Dunlap, lived. in Florida. F. O. P. Graham was born in Madison county, in 1816. He was reared on the farm and found no other occupation as interesting, save that of the blacksmith's trade, in which capacity he assisted his father during the early years of his life. He depended upon his own resources in making his way in the world, had a deep respect for honest toil and was content, during his life, to improve the surroundings in which he worked, rather than seek fortune outside the locality in which he lived. He died in 1803. His wife, who died five years later, was born in Madison county in 1818, and proved a valuable companion to her husband, especially in the affairs of the Christian church where Mr. Graham held the office of deacon and was ever instant in good works in the various departments of church activity. Mr. Graham held the office of township trustee for a number of years, he was county infirmary director and was at one time elected county commissioner, but never assumed the duties of that office. The grandparents of Lydia J. Graham were John and Lydia (Alkire) Graham, natives of Kentucky. They came to Madison county, in 1807, a few years after Ohio had been admitted as a state into the Union. The district schools of her day afforded Lydia J. Graham few advantages save those of learning the three elementary branches. During her attendance at school her home life was spent on the farm. In 1873 she became the wife of Abraham Stout, who was born in Pickaway county, Ohio. on the 27th of January, 1830. He was the 934 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO son of George and Christina (Cortwright) Stout, natives of Germany. After his marriage Abraham Stout settled on the farm with his, wife's parents and continued the occupation of farming until his death which occurred in 1899. He was very fond of horses, and on account of the attention given to their habits, became quite an authority on them. Throughout his life he exhibited characteristics of industry, sincerity of character, and honesty, of purpose. Mr. and Mrs. Stout were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Mary Hagens, who is a widow and lives in McClimansville, Ohio; Anna, who married J. C. McMurray, the husband of her deceased sister, Ella ; Dr. Oliver G., an osteopath at Dayton, Ohio, and Amelia F., deceased. The property belonging to Mrs. Stout includes two hundred and thirty-two acres of well-improved land in Pleasant township and a valuable piece of real estate near Mt. Sterling. The pleasant homestead in which she lives has been the scene of many happy gatherings and is still associated with memories a the past. Its hospitality is still enjoyed by the few who remain, to represent the friends she made in her girlhood days, in the county, in which she was born. M. B. ARMSTRONG. In the industrial life of Madison county few enterprises have a greater reputation for excellence of output or a higher standing in business circles throughout this part of the state than has. the Thomas & Armstrong Company, manufacturers of the celebrated "Buckeye Goods," sheet-metal products, which find a wide and ready market throughout the country. As the president of this well-known company, M. B. Armstrong has a wide acquaintance in manufacturing and business circles in central Ohio and occupies a high place therein, his associates having unbounded confidence in the soundness of his judgments on industrial matters. M. B. Armstrong was born at Columbus, Ohio, on June 1, 1867, son of Frank and Amanda (Harker) Armstrong, both of whom were natives of Miami county, this state. Frank Armstrong was a well-known manufacturer of sheet-metal goods at. Columbus, who died in 1885. His widow survived him a little more than ten years, her death not occurring until in 1896. They were the parents of four children, all sons. M. B. Armstrong haying three brothers, Richard D., Frank H. and C. C. Armstrong, all of whom live at Marysville, this state. His father having been in the sheet-metal trade, M. B. Armstrong may be said to have been born to the business in which he has made so great a success. He became thoroughly grounded in the details of this trade at Columbus and in 1892 came to this county, locating at London, where, after working for a time as a mechanic in a local concern; he entered the sheet-metal trade for himself and was thus engaged until 1906, in which year he formed a partnership with the late M. M. Thomas, for years a well-known hardware merchant of London, in the manufacture of sheet-metal goods of all kinds, under the firm name of Thomas & Armstrong. From the very start this enterprise was successful and the concern of which Mr. Armstrong is the strong and efficient 'head is now one of thebest-known concerns of its kind in the country. Upon the death of i1I. M. Thomas in 1910 the company was incorporated as the Thomas & Armstrong Company, Mr. Armstrong being elected president, which position he ever since has held. On another page in this volume the important enterprise with which Mr. Armstrong is so prominently identified. is dealt with at some length, the reader being respectfully referred to the same for further details regarding it. In 1890 M. B. Armstrong was united in marriage to Charlotte Saunders of Columbus, Ohio, and to this union two children have been born; Marie, who married Dr. Peter Engard, of Columbus, this state, and Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong are active in MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 935 the good works of their home city and are held in the highest esteem by their many friends. Mr., Armstrong takes an earnest interest in the Civic affairs or the town and has an honorable record. of service in the city council of London. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is very popular with his lodge associates; as well as with his associates in his extensive business operations and enjoys the utmost confidence of the entire community, in which he is held in the highest regard by reason of his fine public spirit and enterprising characteristics, he being generally recognized as one of the most forceful factors in the business life of the county. LUTHER E. EVANS, M. D. In the eastern part of Madison county and the western part of Franklin county there are few men who have a wider. acquaintance or who have created for themselves a more firmly established: position in the affections of the entire countryside than has Dr. Luther E. Evans, whose extensive medical practice, first in the village of Alton, in the latter named county; and then for the past ten years in West Jefferson this county, has brought him into the most intimate relations with the people of that prosperous and highly favored section. Since coming to Madison county Doctor Evans has taken a warm interest in the affairs of this county and is widely recognized as a man of high ideals, public spirited and progressive, who holds very dearly to heart the common wealth. As president of the board of education of the village, of West Jefferson, he has exerted his best influence in behalf of the schools of that town and was particularly influential in securing the splendid new high school building which now graces that thriving and enterprising village. A conscientious practitioner of his noble profession, Doctor Evans has brought to that practice a fine natural endowment of talents, supplemented, by the most studious attention to the latest research in the ever-widening realm of medical science and his skill, as a physician and surgeon is recognized far and wide in the field in he has so devotedly applied his energies. Luther E. Evans was born on a farm in Pennsylvania in 1874, son of Lewis Evans, and his boyhood was spent on the farm, his elementary education being received in the district schools' in the neighborhood of his home. At seventeen years of age he began teaching school and was thus engaged for three years. He then attended the Pennsylvania State normal school, from which he was graduated, and later took a course in pharmacy in the Ohio Northern University at Ada. Upon the completion of this admirable preparatory course he entered Starling Medical College, at Columbus, this state, from which excellent old institution he was graduated, after the full course of four years. It is but proper to say that in his efforts to secure an education, this ambitious student was unaided by outside sources, having been compelled laboriously to “work his way" through college, it thus being apparent that there was very little play time mixed with the years he spent acquiring his fine professional and practical education. Upon receiving his degree, Doctor Evans located for the practice of his chosen profession in the Village of AIton, in Franklin County, this state; and after spending four years there moved over the line into Madison county, locating at West Jefferson, where he ever since has been successfully engaged practice. It was in 1905 that Doetor Evans located at West Jefferson and since that time he has established himself very firmly in the good graces and affections of the people with whom he has thus been thrown such intimate relations. Dr. Luther E. Evans was united in marriage to Mrs. Laura (Howks) Gregg who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, whose son Albert A. Gregg, a graduate of the West Jefferson high school, Is now at student it Purdue University, Lafayette; 936 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Indiana, taking the course in electrical engineering. Mrs. Evans is a woman of fine culture, an admirable helpmeet to the doctor in his exacting duties in behalf of the people, and both are held in the very highest esteem by their large circle of friends in and about West Jefferson. They are members of the Methodist church and are earnestly interested in the various beneficences of that church, as well as in all good works of the neighborhood, being regarded as among the leaders in whatever movements are designed to advance the common interest thereabout. Doctor Evans is a thirty-second degree Mason, his local membership being in the lodge at West Jefferson, his affiliation with the Scottish rite being through the consistory at Columbus. He also is a member of the Mystic Shrine at Columbus. He is a Republican and takes an earnest interest in the political affairs of the dounty, being an ardent advocate of good government. As president of the school board of West Jefferson his influence in educational affairs in that village has been pronounced and beneficial and his services in that connection are much appreciated by the people generally. Doctor Evans is interested in several enterprises of a local character and is also a stockholder in the Central National Bank of Columbus. He is a member of the Madison County Medical Society and of the 01 io State Medical Society, in the affairs of both of which organizations he takes a warm interest, his connection therewith being recognized as most valuable by his confreres, all of whom not only hold him in the highest regard but have the utmost confidence in his judgment on professional questions. BENJAMIN F. CORSON. Benjamin F. Corson, born on March 6, 1848, in Fayette county, Ohio. lived at a period in the early history of his state, when luxurious. accommodations were unknown, for he and his hardy ancestors cleared the forests for agriculture and hewed, from the timber, the material with which they constructed their homes and barns. John and Elizabeth (Blizzard) Corson were the parents of Benjamin F. Corson, and to them were born eight children, four of whom are now living. John Corson was born on September 30, 1809, in the state of Virginia. and when two years of age, came to Ohio with his parents and during these early pioneer days he grew to manhood in Fayette county, Ohio. In the year of 1862, he again changed locations and removed to Madison county, Ohio, and two years later he selected the farm in Range township for a permanent home, and on this property he farmed until his death in 1875. With a mechanical turn of mind, John Corson had learned the carpenter's trade when a young man, and with this important accomplishment, so necessary for the providing of shelter for man and beast, he constructed his own buildings. In 1813, in Madison county, Ohio, Elizabeth (Blizzard) Corson, the mother of Benjamin F. Corson, was born. She died at the advanced age of seventy-two years, in 1885. Content to remain one of the multitude, who, from agricultural pursuits, have made possible the permanent prosperity of this nation, Benjamin F. Corson, with wise judgment, secured an ample education in the district schools of Range township and in Fayette county, Ohio, and remained on the old farm, purchasing from the heir his unowned interest in this valuable estate, at the time of his mother's death in 1885. This farm consists of one hundred and seventy-two acres, located in Range and Paint townships, Ohio. At the age of twenty-seven years, Benjamin F. Corson joined his fortune to that of Louise Ellars, who was born in 1847, in Range township. Madison county,. Ohio, and who remained his faithful, capable, loving companion during their many years together, until her death on May 7. 1913. From this union three children were born, Ernest, living on the home place; Edna. deceased, and Emmet, located in Paint township, Ohio. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 937 Politically, Benjamin F. Corson is a consistent Democrat. He is a regular church attendant. Officially he has faithfully served the interests of his community, for four years, as township trustee. To this man, Benjamin F. Corson, reared in the days of hardship and struggle, too much commendation cannot be bestowed, for he has wrought out his life in honest endeavor and ultimate success, with a spirit of tenacity and a well-regulated mind. He has achieved much for his family and himself and, in that achieving, will leave to posterity the culmination of his labors, which has reduced the virgin forest to the home of comfort, connected with all the modern utilities of the present age. IRA CONVERSE. Ira A. Converse, farmer, Plain City, Ohio, was born on March 29, 1844, in Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, and is a son of Cyrus D. and Harriet (Whitman) Converse. He was educated and reared in Darby township, and after leaving school be followed farming until about 1862, when he divided his time between farming and teaching school. He went to the Civil War in Company B, Sixty-second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and went with his regiment to Virginia. He was twenty years old when he went to war, and twenty-two when he returned. Mr. Converse is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plain City, Ohio, and also belongs to the Grange of Darby township. His farm of eighty-five acres is classed with the best land in Ohio, but was originally a swamp. The parents of Ira Converse were Cyrus D. and Harriet (Whitman) Converse. Cyrus Converse was born on September 5, 1814, and was as on of Jeremiah and Malinda Darby. Cyrus D. Converse was reared, in the neighborhood of Plain City, Ohio. where he attended the common schools. He lived there until fifty years of age, when he moved to near London, Ohio, and lived on a farm, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. Converse died on March 18, 1900, and his wife, Harriet (Whitman) Converse, died on November 9. 1914. They were united in marriage on November 6, 1836, and were the parents of three children. Hiram K. married Ellen Morelook, by whom he had five children. His death occurred on September 22. 1914. Louisa M. became the wife of Lucius Burnman. She died in 1862, leaving surviving, her husband and two daughters. Ira A. is the subject of this sketch. The paternal grandparents were Jeremiah and Malinda (Darby) Converse. Jeremiah Converse was a son of Jeremiah Converse, Sr., who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and a native of Vermont, the family, including Jeremiah, Jr.. came from Vermont to Darby Plains in 1814. locating southwest of Plain City, Ohio, where they bought land, and where Jeremiah Converse, Sr., lived until he passed to the "great beyond." Malinda (Darby) Converse, his wife, was of English lineage. Her family came from .Vermont at an early day, and settled in Ohio. To Jeremiah, Jr., and Malinda (Darby) Converse, were born ten children. Jeremiah, Cyrus D., Erastus, Lemuel. Zelotos, Malinda, Lucius, Rosannah, Rhoda and Samantha. The Converse family originally came from France. and the great-grandfather on the paternal side, Jeremiah Converse, Sr., came from Vermont to Plain City. lie was the father of fourteen children-twelve sons and two daughters. Ira A. Converse was united in marriage on September 15. 1867. to Alma Lingofelter, a native of Montgomery county. Illinois, where she was reared, receiving her education in the common schools. Mr. and Mrs. Converse settled in Darby township, where Mrs. Converse died on March 23, 1912. To this union were born five children, four of whom are living. Cyrus D. was married to Mariah Nunameker; Anna was a student in the high school, and is now the wife of Ernest Chapman, and they live in Mississippi; Emma, the wife of Charles Andrews, was a graduate 938 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO of the Plain City high school; Frederick H. married Hattie Giffins, and lives at Russels Point, Logan county; Ohio ; Bertha is a graduate of the Milford Center high school, and is the wife of Sidney G. Young, of Darby township. Ira A. Converse is a descendant of an honorable and upright old pioneer family of Madison county, Ohio; whose reputation he is still bearing out. Mr. Converse is very fond of travel, and in 1912, he spent .the summer in Europe, visiting Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Scotland; England and the Azore Islands. OSCAR W. FINLEY Near Plain City, Ohio, in Darby township. Madison county, is "Oak Lawn Farm," a tract of forty acres, owned by Oscar W. Finley, a prominent stockman and horse fancier, distinghished for having bred "Finley Boy;" a standard bred horse with a mark of 2:15. Besides "Finley Boys," he has also bred many other fast horses and is a prominent citizen in this section of Madison county. Oscar W. Finley was born in Monroe township; Madison county, October 25, 1878, the son of H. T. and Ada (Dillon) Finley, the former of whom is still a resident of Monroe township and the latter died in 1915. H. T. Finley, a prominent farmer of Monroe township, is the son of John Finley, who was an early settler in this township and who owned over eight hundred acres of land at one time. He was the father of seven children; four of whom are now living, Winfield S., H. T., Wallace and Mrs. E. W. Fisher. H. T. Finley was born in West Virginia and, by his marriage to Ada Dillon, was the father of five children, of when three are now living. J. Tilden, who is a farmer in Monroe township; Oscar W., the subject of this Sketch and Faye W., who lives at home with her father. Bertha and Ethel are deceased. Oscar W. Finley, who was reared on a farm in Monroe township and educated in the district schools, worked on the farm until reaching his majority, when he engaged in farming on his own responsibility. On March15, 1899, Mr. Finley was. married to Gwendolyn Thomas, the daughter of Moses and Phoebe C. (Blessing) Thomas, who was born in Stokes township, Madison county, December 30, 1873, and who was educated in the Public schools of Stokes township, is the son of John Finley, who was an early settler in this township and who owned township on December 30;1835, the son of William and Lavina (Beecher) Thomas the former of whom was born in Virginia and came to Ohio when a young man. He was married in Fayette county and to him and his wife were born twelve children, four of whom are now living,  E. S. who is a farmer of Madison county ; Jasper, who lives in Springfield, Ohio; Flora, who is the wife of William Blessink, of South Solon. In Madison county, and O. B., who is a professor of music in New York city. The deceased children are Robert, who was a professor of music; William, who was a teacher and prominent in politics in this section of the state; Noah, who was superintendent of the Ohio Sailors and Soldiers' Orphans Home at Xenia, and also warden of the Ohio state penitentiary, mayor of London and auditor of Madison county. The father of these children; Moses Thomas, was a farmer and stock breeder and raised many fine draft horses. He was prominent in local politics, especially in the councils of the Republican party. Phoebe C. Blessing was a descendant of Abraham and Catherine Blessing; who were pioneers in Fayette County and wealthy citizens of that county. She was educated in the public schools and was the mother of nine children: Dora, the wife of George C. Adams; Amy; the wife, of A. B. Mendenhall ; Amanda, who married R. W. Chapman; Lavina, who Married D. S. McHerny; Austin B., who married Cora Lipson; Gwendolyn, who is the wife of Mr. Finley ; Carrie, who married J. M. Horney; Ralph W.; who married Ada Burnham, and Ried, who married Ella Baer. MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 939 After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Finley moved, to a farm in Deer Creek township, which they rented for a time and then bought the farm. in Darby township; where they now It is located one mile southwest of Plain City. Mr. and Mrs. Finley have one daughter, Ada C., born on August 31, 1904, who is now a student in the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Finley are members of the Presbyterian church. They are pleasant, affable people and prominent socially in the life of this community. Mrs. Finley is president of the Bible class of Plain City, Ohio,. secretary of the Women’s Club and vice-president of, the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Fraternally, she is member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Plain City Lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah, of which she is a past noble grand. Mr. Finley votes the Democratic ticket. THOMAS C. ENRIGHT Thomas C. Enright, who owns a magnificent farm of one hundred and eleven acres, located on rural route No. 6, out of London, in Paint township, Madison county, Ohio, was born near Rosedale, this county, December 1, 1869. Mr. Enright is the son of Morris and Catherine (Sullivan) Enright, the former of whom was born in County Limerick, Ireland, and the latter of whom Was born in County Cork, Ireland, The former came to the United States when a young man and settled in Ohio. The mother came with her elder sister when a young Woman, Mr. and Mrs. Morris Enright were married in London, Madison county. They had nine children; eight of whom are living Mary died at the age of twenty-three; Thomas C. is the subject of this sketch; Jeremiah lives at Dayton ; John also lives at Dayton; Daniel lives at Buffalo, New York; Nellie lives at Dayton; Morris lives at Dayton; Joseph lives at Detroit, Michigan, and Margaret lives at Dayton: The late Morris Enright was a farmer all his life. He rented land in Madison county, and died here in 1911. Mrs. Morris Enright is living in Dayton. Thomas C. Enright received a common-school education in the public schools of London and worked with his father on the farm. He was married on April 13, 1899, to Ella Gallagher, a daughter of John And And (Dean) Galagher.. Mrs. Enright's father was born in County Sligo, Ireland, in 1826, and in 1847 came to America. After landing at New Orleans, he traveled to Cincinnati; where he remained for two years. Subsequently, he removed to South Charleston, where his parents; Patrick and Ann (McDermont) Gallagher, had settled on coming from Ireland in 1849. He engaged with his father in working out a lease in that county, and after ten years took charge of the lease himself, on Herold's farm. He Worked there for six years, and then purchased one hundred and fifty-three acres and added to it until he owned at one time nearly twelve hundred acres of the finest land in Madison county. When he was twenty-five years of age, he married Bridget Gilmore, of Cincinnati by whom he had one child, Mary Jane. She died in infancy; and, three months after the child's death: the mother died. One year later Mr: Gallagher was married to Ann Dean, of Xenia. Thirteen children, including two who died in infancy, were borri-to thig second Marriage John lives in 'London; Frank liveS in' London ; Anna is the Wife of Jerry C:' Deneen,- of Springfield, Ohio; 'Catherine is the 'wife of William DUnn, of London; Margaret is the' wife of Thomas F. Moor, Of ColumhuS; Ella is the wife' Of Mr. 'Enright; James lives in 'London; Thoinas. lives in London ; died at the. Age- of `twenty-one; 'Edward' -died at the age of thirty ; Mary is the wife -Of-john Murray, 'of West Jefferson,' 'Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Gallagher died in 1912. They were members of the Catholic church. To Mr: and Mrs. Thomas C. Enright there have been born five Children, Mary; Anna, Joseph, Francis and Louise. Mr. Enright owns one hundred and eleven acres of fine, well improved land in Paint township. He is a general farmer and stock raiser, and has been very successful. 940 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Fraternally, Thomas C. Enright is a member of the Foresters lodge, No. 703, of London. He is a Democrat in politics and as such served as township trustee for one term. He was also school director for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. Enright's family are members of the Catholic church. GEORGE R. FITZGERALD. The success of men depends upon character as well as upon knowledge, since it is a self-evident proposition that honesty is the best policy. Business demands confidence and, where it is lacking, business ends. In every community some men are known for their upright lives, strong common sense and moral worth, as well as for their success in the material pursuits of life. Neighbors and acquaintances respect them and the younger generation heeds their example. They won their way as a consequence of untiring energy and right principles. Among the citizens of Madison county, Ohio, who have won for themselves success in agriculture and who have been honored by their fellow citizens, is George R. Fitzgerald, of Fairfield township, who is at present one of the efficient commissioners of Madison county. George R. Fitzgerald was born on September 11, 1851, in Fairfield township, Madison county, and is the son of Edward O. and Lacy Ann (Taylor) Fitzgerald, the former of whom was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, August 26, 1806. and the latter February 18, 1810, in Virginia. They were married on October 15, 1827. Edward O. Fitzgerald was the son of Thomas and Mary Fitzgerald, the former of whom, it is said, was born on the ocean and the latter in Virginia. Thomas Fitzgerald, Sr., was a native of north Ireland and married Eleanor O'Farrel, with whom he immigrated to America in 1778. They settled in Virginia and there lived and died. Thomas Fitzgerald, Jr., was the eldest child of his parents and was born in 1778, on the voyage to America. He was reared in the Old Dominion state and on September 13. 1799. was married to Mary Buffington, who was born on January 13, 1780. She was the daughter of William and Mary Buffington, natives of England, who immigrated to America about the same time as the Fitzgerald family and located in the same town, Romney, Virginia, where they remained until their deaths. Thomas and Mary (Buffington) Fitzgerald were the parents of eight children, four of whom grew to maturity, William B., Edward. Eliza and Mary. Thomas Fitzgerald died on March 28. 1815, and his widow afterward married Jonathan Black. In 1827 they came to Ohio and settled in Madison county, where she died in 1873, at the age of ninety-three years. By her second marriage she had two daughters, Rebecca and Sarah Ann, both of whom have been dead for many years. Edward Fitzgerald was the second child born to his parents. He grew to manhood in his native state and, after his marriage to Lacy Ann Taylor, the daughter of Edward and Margaret (Means) Taylor, he started with his bride for the wilds of Ohio. Mrs. Edward Fitzgerald's parents were natives of Virginia. who lived and died in the Old Dominion state, the father in 1839 and the mother in 1854. Edward Fitzgerald and his bride undertook the journey to Ohio in 1827. They settled first near Newark, Ohio, where they remained until April 1, 1828. when they moved to Lancaster. Ohio. There they resided for one year. In April. 1829, they came to Madison county and settled on the old Fitzgerald farm. He first purchased one hundred and forty acres of land from General McArthur and added to this by purchase until he owned over nine hundred acres of excellent land. He began life in a log house with a clapboard roof, which, however, was one of the best houses in the neighborhood. Before coming to Madison county he built within a half-mile of the canal near Westfall. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Fitzgerald were the parents of eleven children, among whom were the following: Margaret E., born on September 11, 1828, married Samuel Robin- MADISON COUNTY, OHIO - 941 son in September, 1849, and died on December 9, 1879, after having borne three children, two of whom, Edward J. and Mary E., still survive; Mary E., July 23, 1830, is the wife of W. L. Morgan; Harriet, June 14, 1832, married Robert Alkire; William H., February 15, 1834; Sarah Ann, April 15, 1836, is the wife of Alfred Pringle; Warner T., November 2, 1838; Louisa, June 15, 1841, married Joel W. Byers; Lydia, March 23, 1849, is the wife of Elias Florence, and George F., the subject of this sketch. The late Edward Fitzgerald held the office of justice of the peace for twenty years. He served as a member of the Legislature during the session of 1845 and 1846 and served as associate judge for two years. In addition to this he filled various township offices. At the time of his death, Judge Fitzgerald was one of the oldest surviving pioneers of Madison county and one of its most esteemed and worthy citizens. Mrs. Edward Fitzgerald died in February, 1889, and her husband on September 26, 1890. George Fitzgerald received a common-school education and lived at home with his parents for many years, having been engaged in business with his father, buying and feeding sheep, from about 1870 to 1888. After his father retired, Mr. Fitzgerald carried on the business alone for a number of years. He has improved the farm by ditching and tiling and has built a commodious country house. He owns one hundred and fourteen acres of magnificent land and, for a long time, has been engaged in raising a high grade of cattle. On November 17, 1875, George Fitzgerald was married to Emma Crookham, who was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, and who was the daughter of Lawrence and Elizabeth (Phillips) Crookham, who spent their entire lives in Pickaway county. The father of Emma (Crookham) Fitzgerald was born and reared in Ross county and was a farmer by occupation. To this marriage there were born two children, both of whom are living, Warnie T., born on November 23, 1876, who married Frank Taylor and lives in Montana, where he owns a large ranch. They have one daughter, Nancy J. Cecil, the second child, was born on June 27, 1878, and lives in Montana, where he is in partnership with his brother-in-law. Frank Taylor. On December 24, 1904, Mr. Fitzgerald was married, secondly, to Lottie Brown, a daughter of William and Hannah (Smith) Brown, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and who settled in Pickaway county, Ohio, in an early day. He was married in Madison county and spent the greater part of his life in this county. He died many years ago. Mrs. Brown lives in Dayton, Ohio, with a daughter. Before his election to the office of county commissioner, Mr. Fitzgerald served as trustee of Fairfield township and as school director during a period of fourteen years. He is now serving his first term as county commissioner, but has already been elected to the second term, a very high tribute to the efficiency of his administration and the satisfaction he has given to the taxpayers of Madison county. DEWITT CLINTON BURNHAM. Eminently prosperous on the list of progressive and up-to-date farmers of Madison county, stands the name of Dewitt Clinton Burnham, who is descended from good old pioneer stock, from whom he inherited the spirit of thrift and forceful determination. With such an inheritance and a good education, he began his life work on a more solid foundation than wealth alone could have given. him. His reputation as an industrious worker and his splendid judgment along agricultural lines, attested by his present valuable acres, speak for his character of good citizenship. Dewitt Clinton Burnham, farmer, Irwin, Ohio, was born on June 22, 1858, in Pike township, Madison county, Ohio, and is a son of Dwight and Sylvia (Mann) Burnham. He was reared to manhood in the township where he now resides, and where he received his early education, entering, later, Ohio Wesleyan University at 942 - MADISON COUNTY, OHIO. Delaware, Ohio. After completing his college course, Mr. Burnham very wisely selected agriculture as a means of making his way in the world, and has every reason for feeling well satisfied with his choice, since he is the present owner of a fine tract of land, consisting of four hundred and eighty-eight acres, the most of which is under cultivation. Politically, he is stanch Republican, but has never taken an active interest in local politics. Dwight Burnham, the father of the subject of this sketch, was bOrn on July 5, 1830, in Pike township, and is a son of Darius Burnham. His wife was Sylvia Mann, by whom he had four children, all of Whom are living in 1915; Ollie, Dewitt Clinton, Celia and Elizabeth. Ollie became the wife of T. E. Burnham (not related), and lives in Mechanicsburg; Celia became the wife of A. L. Mumma, of Mechanicsburg, and Elizabeth was married to C. R. Hunter, also a resident of Mechanicsburg, Ohio. Darius Burnham, the paternal grandfather, came from Vermont to Ohio, locating in Madison county, where he lived until his death. He was one of the pioneers of the county. Dewitt Clinton Burnham was united in marriage on September 28, 1900, with Alice McAlliser. She was born in Union county, Ohio, where she received her education in the district schools. As a successful agriculturist, Mr. Burnham takes his place in the front ranks, and is known throughout the entire township as a man of high principles in his dealings with his fellow men.