DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 725 Scotia, near Bridgewater, in September, 1908, he with his excellency, Governor Duncan Fraser, were the orators before an audience of several thousand. Thus far in his ministry, he has married over six hundred couples, officiated at over seven hundred funerals, baptized over one thousand five hundred persons, received into church membership, by confirmation and certificate, over one thousand five hundred persons. In his present pastorate he has a Sunday school of over seven hundred, which makes it one among the largest Lutheran Sunday schools in the state of Ohio, and has a thousand church members under his spiritual care and supervision. SAMUEL M. BENNER. Samuel M. Benner, a well-to-do farmer of Miami township, is the owner of seventy acres of fine land on the Centerville pike about two miles east of Miamisburg. He was born on a part of this farm, July 10, 1865, and is the son of Valentine and Caroline (Goudy) Benner. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Benner, came here with his father Daniel Benner when a small boy and was among the first settlers in this part of the country, bringing many of the traditions of Virginia, their native state, with them. Jacob Benner's wife was Miss Elizabeth Gebhardt in her maidenhood, and in the family which she bore him was Valentine Benner. He was born on the old Benner farm that lay just below the one occupied by his son. Seventy-seven were the number of the span of years alloted to him, and when he died on the 17th of November, 1907, he was mourned as one of the best citizens of this county, for his years had been spent in useful labor, he was accounted a man of means and had ever been distinguished for the interest he took in public affairs. He lies buried in Miamisburg. Thirteen children were granted to him and his devoted wife, several of whom are living in this section of the county. They are Mary ; Charles, deceased ; Mason, of Dayton ; Cornelia, of Miamisburg; Lucella ; Edith, deceased ; Samuel M., ; William and Albert, both residents of Miamisburg ; Gracie, deceased ; Emma ; Caroline ; and Robert. Samuel M. Benner spent a longer period than the average at school, for he was but five years of age when he entered the school of district No. 7, and he was a pupil with more or less regularity until 1892, the second of the two years he spent in study at the college in Lebanon, Ohio. In the latter years of his school work he elected the classical course. Almost from the first day his lessons went hand in hand with work on the farm and before his education was completed he had undertaken the management of his father's land. Upon the death of the latter Mr. Benner ,became a partner in the business, bought some of the land that was part of his father's farm, and some additional acres on the other side of the road and started in to cultivate the soil for his own profit. Not content with the many duties that were his through his own possessions, Mr. Benner also looked after the old home place. On the 9th of February, 1898, was solemnized Mr. Benner's marriage to Miss Eleanor Conover, the daughter of Schenck and Mary (Moses) Conover. The 726 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY father came to this state from New Jersey, where he was a farmer, but the mother was a native of Holland. Mr. and Mrs. Benner attend the Lutheran church, in which Mr. Benner received his religious training from his childhood, and are intimately identified with its interests and work of all kinds. Mr. Benner is a man who has known the value of hard work and who can look back upon the success the years have brought him as the result of his own efforts. Some of the habits of study and the love of books inculcated during the many years he devoted to attaining his education have remained by him, and he spends many of his hours of recreation over the pages of a book. URIAH WASHINGTON GARBER. Uriah Washington Garber is actively engaged in the milling business in Madison township, Montgomery county, Ohio, and the prosperity which has attended his efforts is indicative of industry and perseverance on his part. Born July 17, 1858, on the old Garber homestead, he has spent his entire life in this section of the state, where members of the Garber family have resided for over a century. His grandfather, Daniel Garber, was a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio about 1807, making the journey in a covered wagon. He settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Montgomery county, where the remaining days • of his life were spent: He was buried near Brookville in Wolf Creek graveyard. It was here that Jonathan Garber, the father of Uriah Washington Garber, was born, reared and educated, and he was numbered among the pioneer farmers of this section. He wedded Sarah Wyland and they became the parents of a son and daughter : U. W. Garber, the subject of this review ; and Amelia, the wife of Jacob Cleppinger. Uriah Washington Garber spent his youthful days on the old homestead farm which had been the home of his father before him, and attended the common schools of the neighborhood, where he received a good general education. That he possessed industry and perseverance, together with good business ability, was early manifest in the fact that while still upon the home farm he conducted a feed-grinding mill, which he operated during the winter months, while the summer season was devoted to agricultural pursuits. The experience thus gained in the milling business not only served as an excellent basis upon which to found his larger enterprise in the future, but proved as well a source of financial profit. He remained on the farm for several years and then in 1905 established his present milling business located on the Eaton pike about six miles west of Dayton. The success and prosperity which he has met in this line of business activity is proving most gratifying and he has also become the owner of seventy-two acres of fine farm land located on the Dayton and Lexington road, about three miles southwest of New Lebanon. On January I, 1880, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Garber and Miss Lydia Lentz, a daughter of George and Catharine (Blessing) Lentz, and they have two daughters : Ida, the wife of Elmer Bright ; and Maud, the wife of Parker Filbrum, by whom she has a daughter, Marie Vida, born June 28, 1909. DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 729 Mr. Garber is greatly interested in community affairs and for a number of years was a member of the school board, the cause of education finding in him a stalwart champion. He votes with the republican party and is a member of the Brethren church, in which he is serving as one of the trustees, and is active and helpful in the different departments of church work. His home, which is very beautifully situated on the Dayton & Western traction line, is a fine modern residence, furnished with every convenience, and its warm hospitality is enjoyed by the large circle of friends of Mr. and Mrs. Garber. WALTER C. BECK. Walter C. Beck, one of the younger generation of gardeners of Montgomery county, has the reputation of being able to win from the soil products that are among the finest in quality as they are among the most generous in quantity. The knowledge and skill in cultivating the land may perhaps have been inherited, for it is known that the paternal grandfather, William C. Beck, who was a native of Michigan, was also a successful farmer. The grandfather was likewise a paymaster in the United States army and was accounted a good officer. At the time of his death he was living in Bradford, Ohio. Hollister Beck, the father of the subject of this sketch, came from St. Mary's Ohio, where he was engaged in railroading, the occupation to which he devoted the greater part of his life.. During the Civil war he enlisted from Urbana, Illinois, in Company K, Twenty-fifth Illinois Infantry and served as a private for two years with honor and credit to his company and country, receiving his discharge at Atlanta, Georgia. He was married to Miss Kittie Ann Hollar, of which union was born our subject. Walter C. Beck was born in Dayton, Ohio, on the 26th of November, 1866, and under his grandmother's care he passed through the period of childhood, receiving the rudiments of his education in the public schools. He was but ten years old, however, when he began to gain that experience in gardening which has been so fruitful during the thirty-two years he has pursued it as his vocation, for each year has brought its own fund of experiments and knowledge, by means of which he has been able to build up his reputation as one of the best gardeners of the county. On the 29th of December, 1886, Mr. Beck was united in marriage to Miss Mary R. Bolender, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Crawford) Bolender. John Bolender was a farmer, residing in Edgemont, and the son of Jonathan Bolender, one of the early settlers of Dayton, who came to Ohio from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was a large. landholder. Two children, May L. and Florence I., were born to Mr., and Mrs. Beck, but both have passed away. Mr. and Mrs. Beck attend the United Brethren church and are active in promoting its interests and work. They are also identified with several organizations, both fraternal and social. Mr. Beck is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He also belongs to the Improved Order of Red Men, has served as deputy and represented his tribe in Toledo in 1909. The W. C. Beck Company, No. 13, of which he is a member, was named in his honor and has won several 730 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY prizes. He is also connected with the Daughters of Rebekah and Pocahontas, of which his wife, too, is a prominent member, she having served as treasurer and deputy in the latter organization. At the present time, in 1909, Mr. Beck has two acres of his land devoted to celery. Here he has planted thirty-five thousand stalks, which will doubtless average five cents per stalk in the market, thus bringing him eight hundred and seventy-five dollars per acre. This is the second crop he has raised this year. He has won many prizes on his celery on account of its excellent quality. His interest in his fellow gardeners is fostered through his membership in the Horticultural Society, and of recent date he has been put on the committee on gardening. All in all, Mr. Beck is a man of great activity and varied interests. He has devoted the best years of his life to the cultivation of the soil and may feel well repaid by the results he has gained. He is a man, too, whose engaging personal qualities attract to him many friends to whom he is most loyal. EMORY C. OBLINGER. For the last eighteen years all the checks on the bank at Germantown have passed through the hands of one man, Emory C. Oblinger. Not only have business associations linked him with this city, but also associations of his whole life, for here he was born on the 5th of June, 1865. His grandfather, Gabriel Oblinger, came from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to this county when the settlers were both few and scattered and took up the life of a farmer. His son, David Oblinger, was born in Germantown and here engaged in general merchandising. He was accounted a man of means, and in the annals of the city is credited with many acts indicative of public spirit. He died thirty-eight years ago, leaving one son, Emory C., the only child of his marriage with Miss Mary A. Clark. At home and in the public schools of Germantown Emory C. Oblinger received his first insight into the problems of life and the means of meeting them, and on completing his education here entered a commercial college in Dayton, where he pursued a business course. He thereafter entered a grocery but was shortly afterward appointed assistant cashier of the bank here. In this capacity he rendered such efficient service that at the end of a year he was elected to the position of cashier, and through the eighteen years that have elapsed has given unfailing satisfaction to those who placed their confidence in his ability. At present he is also a director of the bank, so that its stable condition is further dependent upon him. In September, 1889, Mr. Oblinger was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Schaeffer, the daughter of George and Maria (Emrick) Schaeffer. Mr. Schaeffer was a farmer of this county, but has recently retired from active participation in the work of agriculture. But one son, David L., has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Oblinger. He completed the course of instruction given by the public schools here and then for a term attended the Montgomery Military Institute. He is a young man of great promise who is at present filling the post of assistant DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 731 cashier at the Germantown Bank and to him his father is able to intrust much of his business. Mr. Oblinger enjoys fraternal relations with the Germantown Lodge, No. 21, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is active in promoting the interests of the lodge and the welfare of its individual members. Among his fraternal brothers and throughout the town, Mr. Oblinger is highly respected among the citizens of Germantown, for he fulfilled with honor and credit the duties of a difficult position, has proved himself a man of sterling integrity, and wholly worthy of the confidence the public have reposed in him. WILLIAM A. KEYES. William A. Keyes, secretary and manager of the C. Schwind Realty Company, with offices in the Reibold building of Dayton, is a young man whose business methods are in keeping with the progressive spirit of the age and in his present connection he is continually seeking out new ways and means to further the interests of the company and thus indirectly promote the upbuilding of the city. He was born in Cincinnati, July 29, 1879, and in the paternal line comes of Irish descent, his grandfather having been a native of Ireland and the founder of the family in the new world. Crossing the Atlantic he spent his last days in Massachusetts, where he died when about sixty-seven years of age. His wife was Mrs. Mary Keyes who lived to the very venerable age of ninety-six years. They were the parents of seven children, which number included Patrick J. Keyes, the father of our subject. His birth occurred in County Roscommon, Ireland, and he became a bridge builder and contractor. He was only seventeen months old when his parents crossed the Atlantic to the new world, settling first in Boston where he remained until early manhood when he removed to New York city. There he followed bridge building until after the outbreak of the Civil war but in the opening year of the struggle between the north and the south he enlisted as a member of the Thirty-third Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and served for three years. He was a private, loyal to duty and faithful to the old flag which he followed. He was in a number of the most important battles of the war and was wounded at Lookout Mountain. After the close of hostilities he returned to New York and soon afterward removed to Cincinnati where he did railroad construction work for several years. Subsequent to his marriage he acted as superintendent of construction and built the Soldiers' Home at Dayton. Later he built the Soldiers' Home at Marion, Ind., after which he returned to Dayton and has since been engaged in the roofing business. He married Miss Catharine Drury, also a native of County Roscommon, Ireland. Her father, who was a farmer, died on the Emerald Isle at the age of sixty-three years, while his wife, Mrs. Alice Drury, passed away at the age of eighty-seven. They were the parents of six children including Catharine, who became the wife of Patrick J. Keyes. Their marriage was blessed with the following children : John J. James J. ; Alice C., a member of the Order of St. Dominick ; Joseph A. ; William A. ; and Mary C. 732 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY The parents are both members of Sacred Heart Catholic church and Mr. Keyes gives his political allegiance to the republican party which he has long supported. William A. Keyes was only an infant when his parents removed to Dayton and here he was reared to manhood, pursuing his education in St. Mary's Institute. He afterward attended Wilt's Commercial College and later continued his studies in Jacob's University, after which he put aside his text-books and accepted a position with the Cash Register Company. After leaving there he was in the treasurer's office of the Soldiers' Home for two years and then embarked in business as a member of the Dayton Fibre Plaster Company, with which he was connected for two years. He next accepted the position of manager of the estate of Mrs. Christina Schwind and after her death the estate was incorporated into the C. Schwind Realty Company with Mr. Keyes as secretary and manager and with offices in the Reibold building. In this connection he manifests excellent business ability in placing and caring for investments and his success is recognized by all who know aught of the operations of the C. Schwind Realty Company. Mr. Keyes is also a director of the Dayton Street Railway Company and a director of the Dayton Brewery Company and is known as a young man of sound judgment and keen business enterprise. On the 28th of May, 1902, Mr. Keyes was married to Miss Anna L. Schwind, a daughter of Coelestin and Christina (Latin) Schwind. Three daughters have been born of this marriage but Alice J., the second, died at the age of one year. The others are: Catharine and Josephine Marian. He and his wife are members of Sacred Heart church and he belongs to the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of Equity. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and while he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day he never seeks nor desires office, preferring to concentrate his energies upon the important business affairs which he is controlling. JOHN G. BOWMAN. John G. Bowman, one of the prosperous farmers of Jackson township, Montgomery county, was born in Lebanon county, Pennslyvania, December 15, 1852. Both parents, William Bowman and his wife, who in her maidenhood was Miss Anna Guigerich, were natives of that state. The latter, who was the daughter of Peter and Anna (Balsbach) Guigerich, was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, in 1831. William Bowman was born in that same state in the same year and was the son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Eberly) Bowman, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The paternal grandfather was born in 1797. Until he reached man's estate, John G. Bowman lived with his parents in Pennsylvania, where he attended school and acquired the first part of his practical education. In 1873 he left home to find a place for himself and came to Ohio. Here he engaged in farming on a considerable scale, and, being a man possessed of many sterling qualities of character, of industry, and a good manager, he soon was able to make his land more than pay for itself. Good fortune DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 733 attended all his efforts, prosperity shone upon him, until now his farm is one of the most complete and best equipped in this township. On the loth of October, 1877, Mr. Bowman was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Lucinda Apple, the daughter of Henry Apple. Three children have been born to them : David, Daisy, and Ward. David Bowman was married on the 9th of September, 1899, to Miss Nora E. Sholley, and is now the father of two daughters, Ara Devone and Ruth Valentine. The family attend the church of the United Brethern, of which Mr. Bowman is a trustee, and are actively identified with all its work. A man of high principles, of sterling integrity, devoting himself to that phase of life which he chose as his vocation, and a kind and loving father Mr. Bowman fulfills the requirements of the finest citizenship of this republic. Success has attended all his efforts, his fields have yielded bounteously, and in more than one way he has been blessed. He is respected and esteemed in the community in Which he lives. ROBERT C. PATTERSON. The attractiveness of Montgomery county as a place of residence is indicated in the fact that many of its native sons have remained within its borders to take advantage of its business opportunities, thinking them equal if not superior to those which could be obtained in other sections of the country. In this relation Mr. Patterson is known. He was born on a farm in Jefferson township, May 9, 1873, and has for some years figured as a rising attorney of Dayton, his growing power enabling him to command a constantly increasing clientage. His father, William J. Patterson, was a native of Ireland, born in 1831, and in 1850, when nineteen years of age, he came to America, establishing his home in Montgomery county, Ohio, where he engaged in teaching school and in following other pursuits. He defended the interests of his country in the Civil war by one hundred days' service as a member of Company C, One Hundred and Thirty-first Ohio Regiment of National Guards, acting as sergeant of the company. Our subject's mother, who bore the maiden name of Anna Ford, came to America from Ireland when very young. Reared on the home farm to the age of eighteen years, Robert C. Patterson during that period attended the district schools, while later he had the benfit of instruction in the Steele high school of Dayton, from which he was graduated with the class of 1895. Two years later he completed a course in the Cincinnati Law School and the same year was admitted to practice at the Ohio bar, at which time he opened up an office in Dayton in partnership with J. C. Patterson and Barry S. Murphy. Later the two Pattersons formed a partnership, which continued until the death of J. C. Patterson, March 21, 1905, since which time Robert C. Patterson has remained alone in the practice of law, working earnestly and diligently to achieve that success which is the goal for which ambition is continually striving. Earnest effort, close application and careful study of his cases so as to determine the relative value of each point and to give due emphasis to the promi- 734 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY nent point upon which the decision of every case finally turns, are the strong elements in his success. On the 9th of October, 1906, Mr. Patterson was married in Dayton to Miss Katharine M. Ryan, a daughter of John Ryan, at one time marshal of Dayton, now deceased. Mr. Patterson is a well known member of the Elks and Knights of Pythias lodges and is an interested member of the First Presbyterian church. At this writing he is assistant prosecuting attorney of his county. His sympathies are always on the side of progress and improvement and in as far as his professional labors permit he cooperates in public movements for the general good. GEORGE C. HENKEL, M. D. Dr. George C. Henkel, who for nearly half a century has ministered to the sick of Farmersville, Montgomery county, Ohio, was born in Germantown, this state, July 2, 1835, the son of Rev. Andrew and Elizabeth (Trout) Henkel. Rev. Henkel settled in Germantown in 1830, which was the scene of his ministerial labors during the remainder of his life. He was a pioneer Lutheran minister, sent out from Virginia for the purpose of organizing churches in the territory between Cincinnati and Cleveland. He was a devoted and prominent church worker in those early days and was also a wise and loving father, who reared a family of eleven children, six boys and five girls : Hiram, Melanchthon, Paul, George C., William, Edward, Julia, Mary, Margaret, Vandelena and Savina. After completing such an education as was to be obtained in the local institutions in those early days, supplemented not a little by his father's instruction, George C. Henkel entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, and was graduated therefrom in 1859. From there he went to the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, from which he was granted permission to practice his profession in 1860. Clayton, Ohio, was the scene of his first endeavors. After eighteen months spent there he came to Farmersville, where he has been in active practice for -forty-eight years. When he came here there were but very few houses and for the first fifteen years of his stay he was in the habit of riding on horseback to see his patients, and it was no unusual thing for his journey to take him ten or fifteen miles from home. Circumstances have changed now, the patients, now many times more numerous, are within a smaller radius and a visit is not so much of an undertaking. On the 23d of December, 1860, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Henkel and Miss Catherine Martin, who was born September 16, 1836, the daughter of John and Eliza Martin, who came to this state from Berks county, Pennsylvania. Four children have been born to the Doctor and his wife : Vernon, in 1862; Naomi, in 1865 ; Ruth, in 1867 ; and Orpha, in 1869. Dr. Henkel is a member of societies that look to the advancement of his profession, one local and the other of wider range—the Montgomery County Medical District and the Ohio Medical Associations. Fraternally he has affiliations with the Masons and with the Odd Fellows, and is also a member of the encampment at Germantown, Ohio. Dr. Henkel is an earnest member of the DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 737 Lutheran church, whose interests his father did so much to advance in this part of the state. In short, he is a man of wide interests and sympathies, as successful physicians should be, and here, where he has practiced for such a length of time, he is honored and revered. HOWARD GEBHART. Howard Gebhart, a progressive and well known agriculturist, was born on the farm where he now resides on section 25, Jackson township, his natal day being July 7, 1868. His parents were Cornelius and Mary Jane (Silknitta) Gebhart, the former being a son of George and Magdalena Gebhart. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Samuel and Catherine (Harp) Silknitta, who came to this state from Pennsylvania. Howard Gebhart acquired his education in the common schools, and has always followed the occupation to which he was reared—that of agriculture. He has always continued to reside on the farm where his birth occurred and is actively engaged in its cultivation and improvement, his well directed industry constituting the basis of the gratifying success which has crowned his efforts in his chosen field of labor. On the 16th of July, 1908, Mr. Gebhart was united in marriage to Miss Ada Kline, a daughter of John and Anna Kline, of Miami township, Montgomery county. They now have a little daughter, Edna Irene, born on the 3d of February, 1909. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Gebhart has given his political allegiance to the men and measures of the democrat party and has been a member of the board of elections for many years. He is well known and greatly esteemed throughout the community in which his entire life has been passed and the circle of his friends is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances. EDWIN ATKINS. Edwin Atkins, conducting a profitable and growing business as a coal dealer at No. 1221 East Fifth street in Dayton, his native city, was born August 22, 1852, and is now the only surviving member of a family of five sons and three daughters, whose parents were David Y. and Elizabeth (Dehart) Atkins, both of whom were natives of New York. The paternal grandfather, John Atkins, was also born in the Empire state and died there of cholera. His family numbered eight children including David Y. Atkins, who was reared in the state of his nativity and became a cooper and butcher. Believing that he would have better business opportunities in the growing west, he came to Ohio in 1836, walking from Chillicothe to Dayton. Here he followed both coopering and butchering, continuing his residence in this city until his death which occurred when he was in his seventy-first year. His wife died in 1857. She was a member of the Pres- 738 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY byterian church while his religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Methodist church. He was also somewhat prominent in community affairs, served as assessor of Dayton for five terms and was an influential man in the political circles of the city. Having lost his first wife he married Margaret Mullinex and unto them were born two children, of whom one is now living—Abigail, the wife of John Kaiser. Edwin Atkins has lived in Dayton all his life. He attended the public schools of this city, passing through consecutive grades as he mastered the branches of learning therein taught. As a young man he followed teaming and coal hauling and was thus engaged for thirty-six years but made gradual progress in his business life and when his earnings and careful expenditure brought to him sufficient capital he opened a coal yard of his own and has now conducted it for the past seven years, during which time he has built up a fine business. On the 15th of September, 1873, Mr. Atkins was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Rogers, a daughter of Peter and Lavina (Zook) Rogers. Mrs. Atkins was born in Pennsylvania and her parents were also natives of that state and early settlers of Crestline, Ohio. Her father died in Cincinnati while her mother passed away in Dayton. They were the parents of seven children- but Mrs. Atkins is the only one now living. By her marriage she has become the mother of eight children : Nora, now the wife of William Myers ; Edwin S., who died at the age of twenty-seven years ; Willis J., who is in the employ of his father and married Etta Davis, by whom he has three children: Catharine, Elnora and Iream ; Flora Lavina, who is the wife of David Kugler ; Effie May, the wife of Frank Snyder and the mother of a daughter, Gladys ; Stella Maud and Ida Viola, both at home ; and Mary, who died in infancy. The family residence is at No. 13 Sowers street and was erected in 1881 by Mr. Atkins. In his political views he is independent. Fraternally he is connected with the Junior Order of American Mechanics and both he and his wife are members of the Dunkard church. PETER JERGEN'S. Peter Jergens, a gardener of Mad River township, Montgomery county, and the owner of fourteen acres of land on the old Troy pike, about two and a half miles from the courthouse, was born on the old home place on the 6th of November, 1858. He is the son of Phillip and Mary (Steffan) Jergens, some account of whose lives is given in another part of this volume. Peter Jergens has passed all the years of his life in Mad River township, on 'his garden plot in fact, for during his entice school period he worked here, helping his father to win from the soil the desired products. The union of outdoor work and school lessons was not a bad one in his case, however, for he always stood among the first in his class and received as good an education as the schools of this locality afforded at that time. In hard, persistent labor his days have been spent, but his toil brought its own requital in increase of substance, and the satisfying knowledge that the neat appearance of the garden bespoke a man of real worth. DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 739 Shortly after entering into manhood Mr. Jergens married Miss Magdalena Abele. She was the sister of his brother Phillip's wife and the daughter of John and Barbara (Finkmeyer) Abele, of whom mention is made in the sketch of Phillip Jergens. Three children, a daughter and two sons, were born to Mr. and Mrs. Jergens. Mary, the eldest, has died, but the sons, Henry and Peter, Jr., have been spared to the couple and assist their father in his business. Mr. Jergens is a member, as are the rest of his family, of the Church of the Holy Rosary, and is not only punctilious in his fulfillment of all his religious duties, but is also a conspicuous figure in all the activities connected with the congregation. All his life he has known what it was to work hard he has also learned that great lesson of self-reliance, and these two things, the capacity to devote himself diligently to the task before him and the power to recognize and seize his opportunities, have combined to win for him his well deserved success among the gardeners Of Mad River township. AUSTIN J. ROSS. Austin J. Ross, who is intimately identified with the business interests of Germantown as the owner and proprietor of a large leaf tobacco plant and as one of the partners of the leading dry-goods firm in this city, was born October 12, 1864, and is the son of William F. and Eleanor (Plank) Ross. The paternal great-grandfather was not only the first of the family to come to Ohio from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, but was also among the first settlers in Warren county. His son Robert Ross learned the saddler's trade, but was a general merchant and tobacco raiser and a man who was ever interested in all local affairs. His son by his marriage with Sarah Hening, William F., the father of Austin J. Ross, was born in Montgomery county and followed the life of a farmer to within the last fifteen years, when he retired to the city to live in comparative ease. But one son was born to William F. Ross to carry on his interests as a tobacco man and continue his work. Austin J. Ross attended the public schools for a period, and then at the age of fifteen entered a grocery, where he remained for about three years. At the end of this time he engaged in business for himself for about five years, and then embarked in the manufacture of cigars under the name of the Buckeye Cigar Factory. For about twelve years this latter continued to be his main interest in the business world, when the opportunities in the field of leaf tobacco seemed so good that he engaged in this phase of the tobacco work. The venture has more than fulfilled his highest hopes, for during the last year he was able to build a new factory in the lower end of town, which is considered to be one of the most complete in the county, and as he buys Ohio tobacco and lives right in the heart of the tobacco region he is accounted a good judge of all grades of the weed. In short he has made the best of an opportunity that promised well. As for his other commercial interests, some years ago he entered into partnership with the two Henry brothers, and purchased the clothing and general furnishings stock of H. A. Stutson. A few years later the partners acquired the general 740 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY dry-goods business of Rohrer & Christian, which is conducted at present under the name of the Henry & Ross Company. Outside of Dayton it is one of the largest stores of its kind in the county ; is complete in every detail, and carries a large and well apportioned stock. On the 27th of October, 1886, Mr. Ross was united in marriage to Miss Anna Henry, the daughter of James and Eliza (Lane) Henry. Mr. Henry was a farmer of Trenton, Butler county, and was accounted a successful man. To Mr. and Mrs. Ross there have been born two children: Robert, a student at Montgomery Military Institute ; and Marjorie, who also attends school. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Ross is a steward and of whose Sunday school he is superintendent. One of the leading business men of Germantown, Mr. Ross is a citizen who takes an active interest and pride in the welfare and progress of the civic body. He is especially prominent in educational matters and for a number of years has been a member of the school board. The Germantown lodge, No. 21, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows numbers him among its members, as does the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He also belongs to the Foresters of Germantown, in all of which bodies he takes an active interest. All who have had dealings with Mr. Ross speak most commendably of his business tactics, and rightly, for he appreciates the fact that his success is in large measure dependent upon the welfare and good-will of his fellow citizens. ROBERT JACOB GROBY. Robert Jacob Groby, a prosperous farmer of Miami township, is a son of Jacob R. and Barbara (Buehler) Groby, who live about one mile south of our subject's home, and his only brother, Samuel B., lives in the same neighborhood. Mr. Groby resides upon his father's farm about one mile east of Miamisburg, on the Heinecke road. He follows a general line of agriculture, and, also like the majority of farmers of this section, has planted a number of acres in tobacco. From the public schools he received all they might give him in the way of a good practical education. It was a good foundation upon which to base the experience of the following years, which have brought their own reward for hard and diligent work in large returns. In the work of the Lutheran church he is very active, as are the other members of his family, and of recent years he has evinced a desire to enter into local politics. The years will no doubt prove his ability to act as a servant of the people, but so far he has not filled any office within the gift of his fellow citizens. On the 5th of June, 1902, Mr. Groby was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Leibcap, the daughter of Henry B. and Sarah (Stettler) Leibcap. Her father was born in Montgomery county and is a very prominent farmer and landowner living two miles west of Miamisburg. In his family are four daughters, namely: Mrs. Mary Lambert, Mrs. Catherine Warrick, Mrs. Amanda Groby and Clara, at home with her parents. All are residents of Miami township DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 741 with exception of Mrs. Warrick, who lives in Dayton. Mr. and Mrs. Groby have two children : Pauline D. and Mary Ethel. The difficult life of a farmer which Mr. Groby chose for his vocation has been its own reward. He has known the value of hard work, which in no walk of life is more necessary than in this, and there is every indication that in the long vista of years that stretches out before him he will win a well earned success in his life's work. IRVIN L. HOLDERMAN. Irvin L. Holderman, attorney at law and justice of the peace in Dayton, was born on a farm in Madison township, Montgomery county, Ohio, November 5, 1876, and is a son of Daniel R. and Mary Ann (Eby) Holderman. His grandfather, John C. Holderman, was a native of Pennsylvania and, removing westward, became an early resident of Montgomery county, Ohio, where he followed the occupation of farming, which was his life work. At the time of the Civil war he espoused the Union cause and did active duty for three years and eight months in the Sixty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry as wagonmaster, enduring many hardships and taking part in various battles. His death occurred in Dayton, May 3, 1884. His son, Daniel R. Holderman, was born in Montgomery county, October 9, 1844, and was here reared to farm life. On attaining his majority he took up as his life work the occupation with which he became familiar in his youth until 1907, when he retired and removed to Dayton, Ohio. He was still a lad of seventeen years when he, with his father and brother Jacob, offered their services to the government and joined the boys in blue of the Fifty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in December, 1861. His active military service led him into battles at Gallatin, Stone River, Murfreesboro, the Tullahoma campaign and Chickamauga. He was captured in Sequatchie Valley, paroled and returned to his regiment at Chattanooga, after which he engaged in the battles of Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain, Buzzards Roost, Resaca, Pine Mountains, Kenesaw, Peach Tree Creek, Jonesborough, Bentonville ; went with Sherman on his famous march to the sea ; was in the grand review at Washington ; and was mustered out at Camp Dennison in July, 1865. It was in his native county that Daniel R. Holderman wedded Miss Mary Ann Eby and unto them were born two sons and two daughters, but John H. died in 1893 at the age of eighteen years. The daughters are : Cleora May, the wife of Julius H. Kimmel, of Dayton, Ohio ; and Ada F., the wife of Frank M. Dickes, also of this city. On the old home farm Irvin L. Holderman remained until fifteen years of age and during that period pursued his education in the schools of Jefferson township, his parents having removed to that township in 1884. He afterward became a pupil in the Steele high school at Dayton and a year later entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, now known as the Ohio Northern University. He remained there through the scholastic year of 1894-5, after which he returned to Dayton and entered a private school for the summer. Later he engaged in teach- 742 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY ing for three years in Madison township, presiding over what was known as the Buckeye school, the little "temple of learning" having been first built of buckeye logs. During the summer vacation we found him in college preparing for the law and in 1899 was graduated at the completion of a law course in the Ohio Normal University, finishing three years work in one year and winning the Bachelor of Law degree. He afterward pursued a post-graduate course in 1899 and 1900 and in June of the latter year was admitted to „the bar. In the following August he opened a law office in Dayton, where he practiced until April 16, 1903, when he was elected justice of the peace and before the expiration of his first term, through his efforts and ability, the public was made to realize the importance of the justice court in Dayton, he having brought the office to a higher standing, council voted him a salary, with office, library and clerk furnished by the city, and in 1905 he was reelected to serve for four years or until the 1st of January, 1910. He is therefore presiding over the justice court at the present time and his decisions are strictly fair and impartial. On the 29th of September, 1906, Mr. Holderman was married in Durand, Wisconsin, to Miss Jessica P. Jellison, of New Orleans, Louisiana. They attend the Episcopal church and Mr. Holderman belongs to the Dayton Bar Association, various political organizations and clubs, Knights of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Elks Lodge, and the Modern Woodmen Camp. Politically he stands upon the republican platform, regarding its planks as a safe foundation upon which to rest the superstructure of governmental affairs. ISRAEL C. BEEGHLY. Israel C. Beeghly, a progressive and enterprising farmer and stock-raiser of Madison township, is managing the Pfoutz farm of one hundred and fifty-seven acres of rich and productive land, situated on the Wolf Creek pike about two miles west of Trotwood. The farm, which is located on the south side of the pike, is lacking in none of the improvements and accessories of a model property of the twentieth century, including a commodious and modern brick residence. Mr. Beeghly w1850,rn on the 25th of December, 185o, in Madison township, Montgomery county, near the National Soldiers' Home, his parents being Elias and Sarah (Erbaugh) Beeghly. The paternal grandparents were Michael and Susan (Kimball) Beeghly, the former being a native of Pennsylvania, while the great-grandfather was born in Germany. When his son Elias was about seven years of age Michael Beeghly brought his family to this county, the journey by wagon from Somerset county, Pennsylvania, being a long and tedious one. Michael Beeghly died in this part of the state and was buried in 'Bear Creek cemetery. Elias Beeghly the father of our subject became one of the prominent agriculturists of the community and reared a family of ten children : Abraham and Susan, who are now deceased ; Rebecca ; Israel C., of this review ; Sarah ; Maria ; Amanda ; Elias D. ; Hettie ; and George. Israel C. Beeghly attended the district schools of Madison and Jefferson townships and his youth was a period of earnest and unremitting labor, for when DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 745 he was not busy mastering the lessons assigned him, he gave his father the benefit of his services on the home farm. On attaining man's estate he chose as a life work the pursuit to which he had been reared and has since devoted his time and energies to agricultural interests with gratifying success. In addition to the work of general farming he is likewise engaged in stock-raising, now has thirty-five head of Holstein cattle and also raises some horses for his own use. The excellent quality of his grain and stock insures him a ready market and he is well known and highly esteemed as an energetic, wide awake and representative agriculturist. In December, 1878, Mr. Beeghly was united in marriage to Miss Amy A. Pfoutz, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Wogaman) Pfoutz. The father is still living and makes his home with our subject. Mr. Beeghly is a consistent member of the Brethren church, doing all in his power to promote its growth and extend its influence. He has always lived in this county, so that his acquaintance is a wide one, and that he is best liked where best known is an indication that his salient characteristics are those which command respect and good will. WESLEY MICHAEL. Wesley Michael, whose industry and well directed energies have gained him classification among the prosperous farmers of Montgomery county, was born in Jefferson township, this county, May 26, 1845. He is a son of John and Charlotte (Dull) Michael, who came to Jefferson township in 1835 from Frederick county, Maryland, the father devoting his attention to agriculture. In their family were nine children, namely : Cornelius, Rhuanna, George P., John H., Jacob Mary Ann, Wesley, Enos, and one who died in infancy. Wesley Michael, whose name introduces this sketch, was reared upon the home farm, and the educational privileges which he enjoyed were those afforded by the common schools of the neighborhood. During the periods of vacation he assisted in the work of the fields, thus receiving practical training in farm work. After reaching man's estate he continued to make the occupation to which he had been reared his life work. He owns and cultivates a farm of one hundred and fifty-nine acres, upon which he has placed many improvements, and he has placed the fields under a high state of cultivation. The care and attention which he has bestowed upon it is manifest in the neat and careful appearance of the entire place. Aside from his agricultural pursuits Mr. Michael also operated a sorghum factory upon his place, conducting the same for about twenty-four years. He still runs a camp for the purpose of making maple syrup, and this branch of his business interests is proving a source of gratifying profit to him. Mr. Michael has been twice married. On May 17, 1874, he was united in marriage to Miss Rachel B. Ranch, a daughter of Peter and Anna Ranch, and this union was blessed with four children, Rosa Jane, Clement L., Charles I. and Howard L. After losing his first wife Mr. Michael married Mrs. Minerva (McClellan) Brain, a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Brain. Mr. and Mrs. Michael are members of the United Brethren church at Liberty, Ohio, in which 746 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY he is serving as a trustee. Always a resident of Montgomery county, he is classed with its industrious and prosperous farmers and in the conduct of his business affairs he has displayed a reliability and progressiveness that have gained him admiration as well as sucecss. LEWIS H. STINE. Lewis H. Stine, a successful farmer of Germantown, Montgomery county, was brought into the world on the 16th of June, 1851, in Frederick county, Maryland, as the son of Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Brown) Stine, who were farmers in that old state of colonial associations. There Lewis grew up to young manhood, filling the days with the tasks or pleasures that presented themselves, acquiring such education as was afforded in the vicinity, in fact leading just the healthy life of the average boy similarly placed. With the advent of his manhood he was possessed of the natural desire to start in life for himself. He had already chosen the woman whom he wished to share with him his meed of joy and sorrow, Miss Phebe Freshour, the daughter of Alexander and Louise (Cover) Freshour, who were citizens of Maryland. They were married on Christmas eve, 1874, and shortly after the beginning of the new year, he set out to find a place which should be his new home, He came to Ohio and, selecting a farm in Jackson township, Montgomery county, returned to Maryland to fetch the wife awaiting him. In the years that followed four children were born to bless their union, two daughters and two sons : Clara, who came into the world in 1875 ; Elsie, who was born three years later ; Charlie, born in 1885 ; and Willie, born in 1891. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stine have been connected with farming all their years. They have been wholly dependent upon their own resources and endeavors, too. By hard work and with courage to face the problems of the day, Mr. Stine has steadily prospered. His home is one of the most comfortable in this locality and presents an inviting aspect in its situation. The other buildings on the farm, and the fields themselves, are in a similar condition that bespeaks the hard work and the good management of the owner. Mr. Stine orders his life in conformity with the creed of the church of the United Brethren, in which faith he has reared his family. Not a matter of form has been their religious training, but an integral part of their lives. As a man, a Christian, and a friend Mr. Stine is respected by all who know him. ROBERT G. CORWIN. Robert G. Corwin, practicing law in Dayton as a member of the firm of McMahon & McMahon, was born in Lebanon, Ohio, December.7, 1877, and is a representative of one of the old families of this state, his grandparents having resided here at an early day. His father, Robert B. Corwin, was a native of War- DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 747 ren county, Ohio, who throughout his life resided at Lebanon. His death occurred in 1906 when he had reached the age of sixty-five years. Robert G. Corwin spent the years of his minority in the place of his nativity and in the public schools acquired his preliminary education, being graduated from the high school with the class of 1896. He then entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and was graduated therefrom in 1898. After leaving the university he took up the study of law and also worked on the Warren County Record, an independent republican paper, published weekly. For two years he attended law school at Lebanon, and at different times continued to work on the paper until 1901, when he came to Dayton, after having just been admitted to the bar. In that year he formed a partnership with James Stuart under the firm style of Corwin & Stuart and later became associated with the well known law firm of Young & Young, with whom he continued for three years. At the end of that time he entered into partnership with Julius V. Jones and William G. Frizell, under the firm name of Frizell, Corwin & Jones and thus practiced for eighteen months. In 1907 he came into his present office. Since his admission to the bar he has made steady progress in the profession, devoting a large part of his time to the preparation and trial of cases, in which branch of the practice he has met with success. Mr. Corwin belongs to the Dayton. City Club, the Buz Fuz Club, the Dayton Bicycle Club, the Dayton Country Club, the Dayton Golf Club and the Garfield Club, and has many friends among these societies. His political views are in accord with the principles of the republican party. LEWIS M. BAILEY. Lewis M. Bailey, a prosperous farmer and tobacco raiser of Miami township, Montgomery county, owns one hundred acres of fine land on the Jonathan Reedy road, just off of the Springboro road, about three miles east of Miamisburg. He was born February 21, 1870, on what is known in this locality as the Bailey farm and is the 'son of Napoleon and Amanda (Carver) Bailey. The father came to this state from Virginia with his mother and her family, who located here after the death of her husband. She has since died and lies buried in Centerville, Ohio. Napoleon Bailey was by trade a stone-cutter and followed his calling in this part of the state. He steadily advanced in business, the time of the building of the courthouse in Dayton was a contractor, doing considerable work upon the edifice. Later in life he took up farming, having purchased the old Hibbard farm. He was the father of nine children, all of whom are living: Alonzo, of Dayton ; Henry, of Miamisburg ; Perry and Clara, the wife of James D. Lewis, both living in Warren county ; Ada, the wife of Henry Dearth, of Washington township ;•Lewis, the subject of this sketch ; Wilbur, of Wapakoneta, Ohio-; Walter, of Dayton ; and Arthur, of Wapakoneta. Lewis M. Bailey received his early education in the common schools of Miami township and worked on the farm during the vacations and also through the year, so that by the time he was nineteen years old he was fully competent to manage a 748 - DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY farm of his own. For a number of years, however, he operated the home place with his father, on shares. He has always known the value of hard and persistent toil, and the success that the years have brought him has been the result of his own efforts. Like the majority of the farmers of this section he is a tobacco man, but he also raises considerable stock for the market and does a little diversified farming besides. On the 28th of November, 1897, Mr. Bailey was united in marriage to Miss Mary Matilda Reedy, the daughter of Andrew and Mary (Leis) Reedy, who were residents of this county. Andrew Reedy came to this county with his father and mother, Daniel and Mary Reedy, from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was the first of the family to locate in this state. He passed away May 3, 1897, and is buried in Miamisburg. In his family were the following children : Emanuel, a resident of Miamisburg ; Sarah L., the wife of Levi Weidner, of the same place ; Amanda, the wife of James Rear, of Dayton ; Andrew Y., of Dayton ; Louisa, the wife of Lee Greendish, of Miamisburg ; Henry, of Dayton ; Adam, of Miamisburg; Amelia J.,. wife of Ed Benner, of Xenia ; Mary Matilda, the wife of our subject ; Eliza A., the wife of Harley Paff, of Miamisburg ; Charles R. and George W., both of Dayton ; Ludora and Daniel E., both deceased ; Justina, wife of Arthur Miller, of Dayton ; and Dr. R. A. Reedy, of Dayton. But one son1900,est, who was born March 24, 19oo, in the old Bailey home, has been granted to Mr. and Mrs. Bailey. He is a fine bright boy of nine summers and is now in school. The family are members of the Reformed church and have ever shown an active interest in classork. A member of that large clasg of men popularly called self-made, the record of his years shows that Mr. Bailey has used both his time and opportunities to the best advantage. I3is fields always present the appearance of perfect culture. His stock is ever carefully raised and well cared for, and there is every indication that the succeeding years will be more profitable than the past. DANIEL VALENTINE YOST. Daniel Valentine Yost, an energetic business man of New Lebanon, was born in Perry township, this county, January 5, 1862. He is the son of Robert and Rosanna (Hepner) Yost and comes of a family who for three generations has been identified with the farming interests of this part of the state, for Charlie Yost, his grandfather, came to Ohio from Maryland in 1836. He was accompanied by his wife, who in the days of her maidenhood was Miss Catherine Swisher, and he laid the foundations upon which the succeeding generations have built. Daniel Valentine Yost passed the years of his boyhood and youth at home under the care and guidance of his parents. About twenty-two years ago he opened up an establishment whereby he could satisfy the general needs of the farmers of the vicinity. In it he has a country mill and a feed store, where he manufactures flour and does grinding. His place also is equipped for the making of cigar boxes, and in other ways he accommodates his customers. The machinery that he has installed is of the latest and most improved kind and his business has been more than ordinarily successful. DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY - 749 Mr. Yost has been married twice. On the occasion of his first matrimonial union, which was effected on the 26th of October, 1882, Miss Susie Miller, the daughter of Martin and Susan (Flory) Miller, of Randolph township, was the bride. Mr. Yost had enjoyed but twelve years of her companionship, when she died, leaving a daughter, Mamie, who was born on the 8th of August, 1884. On the 14th of August, 1963, Mr. Yost married Miss Frances Manning, the daughter of George and Susan (Pote) Manning, residents of Clay township. No children have been born to this union. In the score and more of years that Mr. Yost has been ministering to the needs of the farmers round-about he has created for himself a large and appreciative clientele, for in all his dealings he has been found to be honest and honorable, and to make every effort to satisfy those that come to him. In consequence of this policy he has been more than ordinarily successful, and looks forward to enjoying many years even more fruitful than the past. WILLIAM A. PEFFLEY. William A. Peffley, the popular mayor of West Carrollton, Ohio, was born June 17, 1878, in Ellerton, Montgomery county, and is the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Sheritt) Peffley. His paternal grandfather, Henry Peffley, whose wife in her maidenhood was Miss Sarah Bowser, came from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, to Ohio, at a time when the journey had to be made by wagon. He settled here and reared his family to become good citizens of the state and country. His son Henry was born in the same town which was the birthplace of William A. Peffley, the subject of this sketch. The latter years of his short life were passed in Miamisburg, however, whither he had moved his family. Death called him in the prime of life, and he left four young children : Howard, William A., Charles and Robert. The wife and mother is still living at the age of fifty-six years and makes her home in Miamisburg, with her parents, who are now in the eighties. William A. Peffley went to Miamisburg with his parents when a small boy and at that place received his early education, for he attended all the schools there and was graduated from the Miamisburg high school. On account of the premature death of his father, he was reared by his uncle Jacob, who, when he had finished his early education, took him into his business, that of a grocer. The ins and outs of this calling he learned thoroughly, and when opportunity offered he engaged in the grocery business for himself, which has since demanded his time and attention up to the present. In it he has been very successful and has made many friends, who realizing his ability and appreciating the public spirit he has evinced upon several occasions, chose him to guide the destinies of this little city. As the candidate for mayor on the citizens' ticket he was elected by a handsome majority over his two strong opponents. Those qualities that won for him popular regard have remained by him through his period of trial, and he is still looked upon as the people's choice, retaining the good-will of his constituents. On the 24th of May, 1900, Mr. Peffley married Miss Charlotte Bailey, who is the daughter of William and Amanda (Pittinger) Bailey, residents of Warren