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wife of William Nicehorner ; Mattie, wife of William Neal; and Josephine, wife of Dr. Hunt.
William E. Woolley attended school near his father's farm and no doubt the sessions were held in a log structure, as was the usual custom when he was a boy and perhaps his opportunities were very meager. Nevertheless he became a well-informed man and during a busy and useful life performed all the duties and accepted the responsibilities which come to one as a good citizen, a peaceable neighbor, a kind husband and indulgent father. He learned the wagon-making trade in early manhood and followed the same until he became a farmer. On May 16, 1872, he was married to Miss Nancy Jane Johnson. She was born in Perry township, a daughter of James and La fey (Newman) Johnson, both now deceased. The father of Mrs. Woolley was a native of Shelby county, while her mother was born in Logan county. Mrs. Woolley has one brother, Charles William Johnson.
To Mr. and Mrs. Woolley the following children were born : Cora, who is the wife of C. M. McCashin, of Perry township; Charles, who married Mabel Ritter, she being now deceased; Ora, who is the wife of John Lorton; Daisy Belle, who is deceased, was the wife of Chester Staley; James C., who married Edna Ward; Frank; Harry; Grace, who is the wife of Wallace Lockard ; and William. Mrs. Woolley and children attend the Methodist Episcopal church. She continues to reside on the valuable home farm of 108 acres, which is her property.
A. G. WHEATON, who operates one of the fine farms of Orange township, containing 160 acres of well-improved land, is one of the enterprising young agriculturists of this section. He was born on his father's farm located on the Urbana turnpike road, in Miami county, O., in March, 1889, and is a son of Thomas and Ida (Garbry) Wheaton.
Thomas Wheaton was born in Champaign county, O., and moved into Miami county after marriage and there followed farming until 1892, when he came to Shelby county and settled on the farm which his son now manages, and operated it until the fall of 1910, when he retired to Sidney, where he resides in great comfort, he and his wife being leading members of the Baptist church there. He married Ida Garbry and three children were born to them : Ora T., who lives at Dayton, married Neva Loy; Lucy, who is the wife of James Wiley, and they have one son, Darwin; and A. G.
After completing the common school course, A. G. Wheaton began to relieve his father of many of the farm responsibilities and when the latter retired and moved to Sidney, took entire charge. He had little improving to do as the homestead had received excellent attention from his father. Mr. Wheaton makes use of the best farm machinery obtainable and takes a very intelligent interest in his farm industries, raising the usual farm products and some excellent stock, In politics, like his father, he is a democrat, but is no seeker for public office, contented to have others make the laws, provided they are just ones.
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Mr. Wheaton married Miss Iona Redinbo. They attend the Baptist church at Spring Creek, are well known all over the township and have a pleasant social circle.
JAMES W. WILEY, who is successfully engaged in farming and stock raising on his farm of eighty acres, which is situated in Orange township, Shelby county, 0., is one of the enterprising and intelligent young agriculturists of this section, active alike in business and in public matters. He was born on his present farm September 7, 1880, and is a son of George W. and Lydia A. (Geer) Wiley.
George W. Wiley was born in Miami county, 0., and was a young man when he came to Shelby county, after which he engaged in farming in Orange township during the rest of his active life, subsequently retiring to Sidney, where he still lives. He yet owns eighty acres of land here and made all the improvements and put up all the buildings on the whole estate. He married Lydia A. Geer, who was also born in Ohio and they had six children born to them, five of whom yet survive.
James W. Wiley obtained a good common school education and then turned his attention to an agricultural life and has been engaged ever since in farming and stock raising, not only operating his own farm but also a sixty- acre farm belonging to his uncle. Mr. Wiley is prominent in local politics, being one of the leading democrats of the township and at present is serving in the office of township clerk.
Mr. Wiley married Miss Lucy Wheaton, born in Miami county, 0., a daughter of Thomas and Ida (Garbry) Wheaton, who live retired at Sidney. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have one son, Darwin W. They are members of the Presbyterian church at Sidney and Mr. Wiley is identified fraternally with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
JOHN B. BORCHERS, one of Shelby county's substantial and respected citizens, who has spent the larger part of a useful and busy life in Ohio, was born in Hanover, Germany, August 7, 1832, and is the oldest of the three sons and two daughters born to his parents, John H. and Catherine Borchers.
The parents of Mr. Borchers emigrated from Germany with their children in 1848 and after reaching the United States settled near Minster, in Auglaize county, 0., where they lived for eighteen years. The father died there when aged sixty-three years and his burial was in the Minster cemetery. After his death the mother and children came to Shelby county and settled on the farm in McLean township on which John B. Borchers still resides and here the mother passed away in her eighty-sixth year. Both she and her husband were faithful Catholics and she was a member of St. Michael's church.
John B. Borchers was sixteen years of age when he accompanied his parents and brothers and sisters to the United States and is the only survivor of the family. The country was but sparsely settled when the family came to McLean township, and the farm of 160 acres on which they settled was about one-half cleared. Mr. Borchers continued to add other tracts as an advan-
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tageous opportunity offered and continued until at present he has 560 acres, 230 of which lie in Cynthian township. His land is separated into three farms, his sons having a partial interest in the same and each farm has a set of substantial buildings. All the land is utilized for general farming except about sixty acres, which is still in woodland.
In Auglaize county, O., Mr. Borchers waS married to Miss Catherine Timmerman, a daughter of John H. Timmerman, who died in that county when his daughter was a babe. To Mr. and Mrs. Borchers the following children were born : Catherine, who is the wife of Barney Ernst, of McLean township ; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Barney Krampe ; Mary, who is the wife of Henry Ernst ; Henry, who married Frances Hilgefort ; Bernard, who married Eleanor Shank ; Clement, who died when aged three years ; John, who married Ann Schlater ; William, who married Lena Seitters ; and Frank, who married Emma Boerger. Mr. Borchers has the satisfaction of knowing that all his children are well settled in life and takes much interest in his grandchildren. He has been a democrat ever- since reaching manhood but has never been anxious to serve in public office, consenting at one time, however, to accept a place on the board of education in his special school district. He and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie.
SAMUEL HIGGINS, one of the well-known citizens of Shelby county, now living retired on his valuable farm of 130 acres, which is situated six and one-half miles southwest of Sidney, in Orange township, is also entitled to respect and esteem as a surviving veteran of the great Civil war. He was born January 18, 1841, on a farm in Shelby county, one mile south of his present home, and is a son of Francis and Mary (Doak) Higgins.
Francis Higgins was born in Hamilton county, O., and came to Shelby county in 1833, locating on the farm on which his son was born, from which he removed to the second farm when Samuel Higgins was one year old. Here he died at the age of sixty-seven years. He married Mary Doak, who came to Shelby county in 1815 and lived beyond her eighty-first birthday. They had five children : John V., Elizabeth, Ella, Samuel and Mary C., the two survivors being Elizabeth and Samuel.
Samuel Higgins attended the district schools in Orange township, during the winter seasons, until he was about nineteen years of age, giving his father help on the farm in the summer time. In 1862 as a patriotic young man, he enlisted for service in the Civil war then in progress, entering Company B, Fiftieth Ohio Vol. Inf., under the command of Captain Gellespie, and continued all through the war, receiving an honorable discharge, and never was seriously injured although he participated at Perryville, Knoxville, through the Atlanta campaign including the taking of the city, Franklin and Nashville, being ever at the post of duty. When the war was over he returned to peaceful life and took up farming on his present property, on which he has lived ever since. He practically made the place over, putting up all the buildings now standing and adding all the other improvements. Since his retirement from active farm work, the industries are carried on by his son.
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PAGE - 504 - PICTURE OF MOSES R. RUSSELL
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Mr. Higgins was married to Miss Martha E. Bryan, whose father, James Bryan, died in Sidney when she was only one year old, leaving a widow, formerly Wilma Crumbaugh, and two little daughters: Sarah E. and Martha E. To. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins eleven children were born and nine of these survive. Mr. Higgins and sons are republicans and he belongs to Neil post, G. A. R., at Sidney. With his family he attends the United Brethren church at Kirkwood.
MOSES R. RUSSELL, who owns eighty-three acres of excellent land in Clinton township, and, in association with his two sisters, eighty acres in Turtle Creek township and 130 acres in Franklin township, is well known all over Shelby county, in which his life has been passed and belongs to a pioneer family that settled here in 1834. He was born in Turtle Creek township June 18, 1852, and is a son of Moses and Mary A. (Laughlin) Russell, and a grandson of Moses and Jane Russell.
Moses Russell, the grandfather, a soldier of the War of 1812, was born in Augusta county, Va., July 29, 1775. He was a carpenter and cabinetmaker prior to becoming a farmer. He married Jane Ross, who was born in February, 1779, in Virginia, and they remained in their native state until the fall of 1811, when they came to Ohio and located in Greene county and lived there for twenty-three years. In March, 1834, they came to Shelby county and settled on land later owned and occupied by their son, Moses Russell, and there passed the rest of their life, Moses Russell, Sr., dying March 13, 1851, and his wife February 13, 1845. They reared a family of seven children : Jane, William, Joshua, Elizabeth R., Moses, Margaret L. R., and Mary J.
Moses Russell, son of Moses and father of Moses R. Russell, was born in Greene county, 0., May 25, 1812, where he passed his younger days and in 1834 accompanied his parents to Shelby county and they settled in section 16, Turtle Creek township, where his life was spent, his death occurring in 1889. He was a well-known and useful citizen and served as township trustee for four years. In 1843 he married Mary A. Laughlin, a daughter of John and Jane Laughlin. She was born in Jefferson county, 0., August 25, 1819, and died March 17, 1897. She accompanied her parents to Shelby county in 1839, they settling in Turtle Creek township. Both she and husband were members of the First Presbyterian church at Sidney and when they passed away their burial was in beautiful Graceland cemetery in that city. They reared six children : John F., Margaret J., Martha E., Moses R., Elizabeth A. and Mary B.
Moses R. Russell obtained his education in the district schools of Turtle Creek township and has always resided here. He has been engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life and is numbered with the successful farmers and stock raisers of this section. In his political views he is a republican in national affairs but in local matters he uses his own good judgment when it comes to placing power in the hands of
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candidates. He has never been an office seeker although he served one term as township trustee and takes an interest in all that concerns the public welfare of his county. He is a member of the First Presbyterian church at Sidney, O.
D. FINLEY MILLS, junior member of the well-known law firm of Barnes & Mills, at Sidney, and serving in his second term as city solicitor, was born April 25, 1879, at the village of Newport, in Cynthian township, Shelby county, O., and is a son of N. W. and Mary Elizabeth (Spraley) Mills.
D. Finley Mills lost his mother when a child and his father when he was only nine years old and then went to live with an uncle, Marcus Mills, who was a farmer in Cynthian township. After securing a public school education he began to provide for himself by teaching school and taught for four years, then spent one summer in the study of law in the office of Mr. Barnes, his present partner, after which he entered the Ohio Northern University at Ada, and in 1905 was graduated after completing the scientific course, and completed the law course in 1906, in December of the same year being admitted to the Ohio bar, resuming teaching and being so engaged in Logan county from January until May, 1907, when he came to Sidney. Here he entered first into partnership with the late Judge E. L. Hoskins, whose death occurred in 1909, in which year he became associated with his present partner under the firm style of Barnes & Mills. Mr. Mills has been somewhat active in politics and on the democratic ticket was elected city solicitor, in the fall of 1909, and was reelected in the fall of 1911. A general law practice is carried on by the firm and they are local attorneys for the Western Ohio Electric Railway Company, and Mr. Mills is attorney for the Shelby County Building and Loan Association. He belongs to the junior order of American Mechanics, to the Masons, and to the Odd Fellows, and in the last named organization is past grand master of the subordinate branch Both in his profession and as a citizen, Mr. Mills occupies a leading position in Shelby county.
WILLIAM J. BORCHERS, a general merchant and representative business man of Fort Loramie, O., was born in McLean township, Shelby county, O., October 28, 1884, a son of Bernard and Catherine Borchers. He was reared and attended school in the same locality and at the age of twenty-two years left the farm to attend business college at Sidney, O. After taking a course in bookkeeping, he purchased the grocery business of E. J. Evans, on Pomeroy avenue, Sidney, which he conducted for two years. He then sold out and moved to the Wagner block, becoming proprietor of the Arcade Grocery. On June 30, 1910, Mr. Borchers sold that place and moved to Fort Loramie, O., where he established his present business, in which he has been quite successful. His property, which he purchased, is located on the west side of the canal, adjoining the bank. He has greatly improved the building and carries a first-class stock of goods. Besides attending to his personal business, Mr. Borchers is ticket and freight agent for the Western Ohio Railroad and is also agent for the Wells Fargo Express Company. Politically a stanch
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democrat, he has the confidence of hiS fellow citizens, and was elected January 1, 1912, as a member of the town council. He is also an active and useful member of the Commercial Club and belongs to the volunteer fire department.
Mr. Borchers was married November 11, 1908, to Miss Lena Seiter, a daughter of Joseph Seiter, of Sidney, 0. They have one son, Joseph, who was born June II, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Borchers are members of St. Michael'S Catholic church, and he is identified with the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of St. John.
HENRY W. EHRHARDT, florist and gardener, located at No. 756 Spruce street, Sidney O., is a representative business man of this city and one of long experience in his particular line. He was born at Cincinnati, 0., May 19, 1850, and is a son of Adam and Margaret (Vogel) Ehrhardt.
Adam Ehrhardt was born in Bavaria, Germany, and in his own land learned to be a gardener. At the age of twenty-two years he came to the United States and was naturalized, in 1845 casting his first vote as a citizen in the city of Cincinnati, 0. He married Margaret Vogel, who was reared in Cincinnati from the age of two months, a daughter of Fred Vogel, who once conducted a tailoring establishment in that city. Adam Ehrhardt engaged in the gardening and florist business and so prospered that he was able to acquire property, purchasing land at Clifton, now a suburb of Cincinnati, where he continued in the same business until his death in 1870. The family owned that property for thirty-seven years and when they disposed of it, it had increased many times over in value and the price paid was over $70,000.
Henry W. Ehrhardt was reared and attended school in his native city and was trained in his father's business and continued to carry on the same at Clifton for some years after his father died. In 1888 he came to Sidney and here has seven acres of land and six fine greenhouses. Mr. Ehrhardt is not only a successful business man but is also an active and useful citizen and at times has served in the city council.
Mr. Ehrhardt married Miss Emma Hambrock, a daughter of John and Mary (Martin) Hambrock, of Cincinnati. John Hambrock served three and one-half years as a soldier in the Civil war and died shortly afterward. The mother of Mrs. Ehrhardt resides with her daughter. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ehrhardt, namely : Theodore, who died May 28, 1910, is survived by a widow and four children; George, who is his father's assistant ; Lydia, who is the wife of Edward Gretzinger; Rebecca, who is the wife of William Ralston; Emma, who is a student at Dayton, 0.; and Esther, who is a school girl at Sidney. Mr. Ehrhardt and family belong to St. Paul's Evangelical church. In politics he is a republican and he maintains fraternal relations with the Odd Fellows.
FRANK J. RATERMAN, M. D., who is engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at Fort Loramie, 0., where he has built up a large and substantial practice, was born in McLean township, Shelby county, 0., Janu-
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ary 19, 1879, and is a son of Henry and Sophia (Weheringer) Raterman. This is an old family in this part of Ohio being among the pioneer settlers at Fort Loramie. Mrs. Sophia Raterman was born in Germany.
In the public schools of McLean township, Frank J. Raterman received his early educational training and afterward he attended the Normal School at Lebanon, 0., and Valparaiso, Ind., and then taught school for three years and subsequently was graduated from the Ohio Medical College, at Columbus, 0., with the class of 1907. Dr. Raterman came then to Fort Loramie as successor of Dr. Lester Pepper, a former well known physician, and has made this pleasant town his permanent home, making investments in property and interesting himself as a fair-minded citizen in public matters but declining all political office. He devotes himself to his profession and is a valued member of the medical organizations of both county and state.
Dr. Raterman was united in marriage with Miss Anna Barhorst, who is a daughter of Henry and Wilhelmina Barhorst, old residents of McLean township. Dr. and Mrs. Raterman are members of St. Michael's Catholic church and he is identified with the Knights of Columbus. He follows his father's example in politics, always casting his vote for candidates of the democratic party.
F. M. CARPENTER, a well known citizen of Orange township, whose excellent farm of eighty-two acres is situated six miles south of Sidney, 0., has spent the greater part of his life in this county, but his birth took place in Miami county, 0., in December, 1862, a son of J. C. and Rebecca (Darlington) Carpenter.
J. C. Carpenter was born in Pennsylvania and when he came first to Ohio settled at Dayton, in Montgomery county, removing from there to Miami county, and afterward settled on a farm west of Lockington, and from there went to Springfield, Mo., dying on his farm there when aged seventy-five years. He married Rebecca Darlington, who survives with nine of their twelve children.
F. M. Carpenter obtained his education in the public schools of Shelby county, afterward engaged in farming on the home place in Missouri, for eight years, and then returned to Shelby county and purchased his present farm in Orange township from John Young. He has erected all the farm buildings on the place and made many desirable improvements. In addition to carrying on general farming, he devotes attention to raising Percheron horses, having registered mares and a valuable stable, his fine Percheron stallions— Clay Center, Isba and Jaures, being among the most valuable animals in the county.
Mr. Carpenter was married to Miss Dora Valentine, a daughter of Samuel Valentine, and they have four children : Irene, Earl, Caldwell and Howard. Politically Mr. Carpenter is a republican and is now serving in the office of township trustee. He is identified with the Odd Fellows, at Kirkwood, and he and wife attend the Methodist Episcopal church at Lockington.
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LAUSON C. SHOWERS, who, since the spring of 1903, has been the efficient superintendent of the Shelby County Infirmary, is a well known citizen of the county and belongs to an old family. He was born October 26, 1857, in Champaign county, O., and is a son of Andrew and Mary (Slife) Showers. He had better educational opportunities than many, after completing the common school course attending the Urbana University for six years, and, with a view of adopting a profession, read both medicine and law for some months. He then decided that an agricultural life would best satisfy him and continued with his father on the home farm until he was twenty-eight years of age. Mc. Showers then came to Shelby county, where he rented land for a few years and for six years was an employe of the Sidney Wheel Works, at the end of that time entering upon his present duties. He is well qualified for this position and in him the tax payers have a man of good judgment and personal integrity, one who does justice to his charges while administering the affairs economically for the county.
On July 1, 1884, Mr. Showers was married to Miss Elizabeth Chapple, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (White) Chapple, Mr. and Mrs. Showers are members of the Baptist church. In politics he is a democrat and fraternally is connected with the K. O; T. M. at Sidney.
THOMAS DUNCAN, one of Shelby county's well known citizens, now living retired, owns a valuable farm of sixty-four acres, which lies in Orange township, six miles southwest of Sidney. He was born in 1832, in Fairfield county, O., and is a son of James and Matilda (Wise) Duncan. The father of Mr, Duncan was born in Pennsylvania, there grew to manhood on a farm and farming was his business through life. He marriel Matilda Wise and they had nine children. From Fairfield county, O,, James Duncan and family came to Shelby county in 1834 and his death occurred in Orange township, at the age of forty-seven years.
Thomas Duncan attended the district schools in boyhood, mainly during the winter seasons, devoting the summers to helping on the farm. Afterward he worked as a farmer in different sections prior to settling permanently in Orange township, where he carried on farming and stock raising until he retired from active labor.
Mr. Duncan married Miss Sarah Jane Doak, who died January 27, 1912, after a happy married life of sixty years. She was an estimable woman in every relation in life and was beloved by a wide circle. To Mr. and Mrs. Duncan the following children were born: Mrs. Mary Alice Randolph, Mrs. Clarinda Higgins, Sarah Jane, Samuel J., James and Mrs. Viola Randolph. Mr. Duncan has always been in sympathy with the principles of the democratic party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Piqua, O.
CHARLES E. GIVEN, secretary and treasurer of The R. Given & Sons Company, tanners and manufacturers of saddlery goods, one of the large and prosperous business enterprises of Sidney, O., was born at Sidney, September 6, 1857, and is a son of Robert and Catherine Given.
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Robert Given came from Pennsylvania to Shelby county about 1851 and as he was a tanner by trade became interested at once in the leather manufacturing business at Sidney. For a number of years he worked in the tannery that later became his property, then became foreman and superintendent, and in 1869 entered into partnership with S. Alexander Leckey under the firm name of R. Given & Co., which operated as tanners until the death of Mr. Leckey in 1881. Mr. Given then admitted his son, Charles E., to partnership and continued his own association with the business until 1884, when John F. Given, another son, entered into the partnership and the firm style was R. Given & Sons until 1890, when Joseph C. Royon was admitted. The three partners continued together until 1902 when the business had so expanded that incorporation became desirable and a board of officers was elected, Mr. Royon becoming president; Charles E. Given, secretary and treasurer ; and J. F. Given, vice-president and general manager. About 1885 they opened their saddlery branch, first putting out flynets and later manufacturing collars and other properties. Having been more or less connected with this business all his life, Mr. Given understands it in every detail and his name and that of the firm stand high in the hide and leather trade all over the country.
Mr. Given married Miss Catherine Yenney, a daughter of George F. Yenney, who formerly was in the pork packing business at Sidney but now lives retired. Mr. and Mrs. Given are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
ERNEST LININGER, one of Sidney's well known business men, being the junior member of the firm of Fretz & Lininger, funeral directors and furniture dealers, is-experienced in this line and has been established since 1910 at Sidney. He was born on a farm in Marion township, Pickaway county, 0., November 18, 1882, and is a son of Michael and Adeline Lininger, who are highly respected retired residents of New Holland, O.
Ernest Lininger was reared in his native section and attended the Marion township schools. He assisted his father on the home farm prior to entering into the undertaking business, for which he prepared by attending Clarke's School of Embalming, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated. He then entered the undertaking and furniture business at New Holland, and remained there until August, 1910, when he came to Sidney and bought a one-half interest in the undertaking business of W. E. Fretz and shortly after the partnership was formed the firm added the furniture department which has been gradually expanded until they have one of the largest furniture displays in Shelby county. They are well equipped as undertakers and funeral directors and their services are called for from different parts of the county.
Mr. Lininger married Miss Florence West, also of Pickaway county, and they have two children : Kenneth and Virginia Alice. Mr. Lininger is a quiet, law abiding citizen, not given to much display of his sentiments but has won the respect of all with whom he has had business relations. He belongs to the fraternal order of Knights of Pythias.
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ADOLPH F. SHERMAN, clerk of the board of education of the Sherman Special School District and so well qualified for that position that he has been retained in office for twelve continuous years, was born on the farm he owns and occupies, 240 acres, situated in section 9, McLean township, Shelby county, O., February 12, 1855, and is a son of Henry B. and Catherine Sherman.
Henry B. Sherman was born in Germany and when nineteen years of age came to the United States with his parents in 1835, who settled in what is now McLean township, all this cultivated and improved locality being at that time a wilderness. The Shermans were progressive and intelligent men and the Sherman schoolhouse was built on Grandfather Sherman's farm, that property being owned at present by John Siegel. Henry B. Sherman was a somewhat unusual man for his day and opportunity, possessing great mental gifts and these were made valuable to those with whom he lived and associated. For twenty-two winters he taught school, attending to his farm industries in the summers, and served in many local offices, being township clerk and a justice of the peace for many years, always giving his political support to the democratic party. In his youth he frequently carried corn as far as Piqua to have it ground. He was an earnest Catholic and first attended church at Minster and later was one of the founders of St. Michael's church, and on account of his many activities this neighborhood was called the Sherman Settlement and when the turnpike road was completed his name was given it to honor his memory and to reflect credit on his sons. His long and useful life was extended to eighty-six years. He married a young woman who was also a native of Germany and she accompanied her parents to Shelby county when sixteen years of age and lived here into her eighty-first year. To them were born three children : John J., Louis and Adolph F.
Adolph F. Sherman attended the Sherman school and grew up on his father's farm and this has always been his home. In addition to the old homestead as noted above, Mr. Sherman owns a second farm, containing eighty acres, situated in section 11, McLean township and the substantial buildings now standing were erected by him. Mr. Sherman cleared some twenty acres of his land and still retains forty acres in timber growth that is valuable.
In 1879 Mr. Sherman was united in marriage with Miss Agnes Brandewie, a daughter of Joseph
Brandewie. She was born in 1862 and died in 1891 and her burial was in St. Michael's cemetery. She was an estimable woman in every relation of life and was the devoted mother of the following children : Henry, Herman, Clara, Lucy, Caroline and two babes, deceased.
In politics Mr. Sherman has always been a zealous democrat and as a citizen he has so met the approval of his fellow citizens that they have honored him time and again by electing him to responsible township offices. In 1899 he was first elected clerk of the Sherman Special School District and has been continued in the office ever since. For nine years he served as township assessor, for two terms as land appraiser, and for six years acceptably filled the office of justice of the peace.
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HARRY N. DICKENSHEETS, who conducts a first class grocery at No. 116 South Main avenue, Sidney, is numbered with the representative business men of this city, and was born at Sidney, 0., January 21, 1868, a son of Jesse L. and Melissa (Williams) Dickensheets, and a grandson of David. Dickensheets, who was a pioneer settler of Shelby county. Jesse L. Dickensheets was born after his parents came to Shelby county and spent his entire life here, dying when his son was but eighteen months old. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Dickensheets removed to Plattsville, Shelby county, where subsequently she was married to David Sibert, after which they settled on his farm in Orange township.
On his step-father's farm Harry N. Dickensheets grew to manhood, attending the country schools and assisting with the farm industries, and then went to Piqua where he learned painting and paper hanging and from there came to Sidney. Here he became a contracting painter and continued until an attack of typhoid fever interrupted work at his trade. On March 3, 1902, he embarked in the grocery business at his present location, buying out S. D. Voress, and has prospered in this undertaking.
Mr. Dickensheets was married to Miss Jenette Johnston, of Green township, and they have one son, Jesse Johnston, a youth of nineteen years. Mr. Dickensheets and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He has been identified with the Knights of Pythias for a long period, for ten years being master of finance in the Sidney lodge, and belongs also to the Odd Fellows, the Red Men, the Tribe of Ben Hur and the Knights of Khorassen. Ile is by no means active in politics but belongs to that class known as the quiet, effective, dependable citizens.
JOSEPH ALTENBACH, contractor and builder at Sidney, 0., the oldest man in his line in this city and well known all over Shelby county, was born October 31, 1839, a son of Joseph and Theresa (Foultz) Altenbach, then residents of Auglaize county, 0., but natives of Germany.
Joseph Altenbach remained on the home farm until old enough to learn the carpenter trade and afterward, for many years, was one of the busiest men of Shelby county, coming to Sidney in 1866, and continuing a leader in this line until within very recent years, when his responsibilities, in great measure, were taken over by his son, Frank J. Altenbach. During these years of activity he erected many of the leading business blocks, factory and public buildings, churches, school houses and residences, and has a greater number to his credit than any one else in the same line. Upon many occasions he has not only contracted for and erected buildings but has also drawn the plans, showing that his talents might have been so developed that he could have also been a leading architect. The following may be mentioned as examples of Mr. Altenbach's fine work : The Shelby County Children's Home, for which he had the entire contract ; Holy Angel Catholic church at Sidney; Thediecks Department Store building; Peoples Savings and Loan Association building; Woodward building; Fred Salm's building; Wag-
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ner Manufacturing Company's buildings; Buckeye Churn Company buildings; Catholic church at Russia, Shelby county; Lutheran church at Sidney; Catholic church and school house at Piqua and the Lutheran church and school house attached, at Piqua. Many of the most elegant residences of Sidney are the results of his skill and taste. Mr. Altenbach was so closely interested and devoted to his work that he very unwillingly accepted membership on the Board of Review, repeatedly declining to accept other positions tendered him by both the republican and democratic parties, being a member of the latter organization.
In January, 1863, Mr. Altenbach was married in Auglaize county to Miss Susanna Linder, and eight children were born to them : Mary, who belongs to that noble order, the -Sisters of Charity ; Catherine, who is the wife of Michael Smith; Frank J., who is a leading builder and contractor at Sidney, practically succeeding his father ; Edward, who is the municipal architect of Toledo, O. ; Louise, who is deceased, was the wife of John Madigan; Roman ; Hurry; and Florence, who is the wife of John Gattes. Mr. Altenbach and family are members of the Roman Catholic church and for thirty -years he has belonged to the order of Catholic Knights of America. He enjoys a comfortable home, his residence being located at No. 411 South Main street, Sidney.
J. W. ROTTINGHAUS, one of the well known men of Shelby county, was born April 20, 1863, and reared on the farm of 160 acres, situated in section 5, McLean township, on which he has always lived, his people having been early settlers in this section. He is a son of J. B. and Elizabeth (Unterbrink) Rottinghaus.
J. B. Rottinghaus was born and reared in Germany and was a young man when he came to Putnam county, O., where he married Elizabeth Unterbrink, also a native of Germany and a daughter of Henry Unterbrink. After marriage they came to McLean township, Shelby county and settled on the land which was later chosen as the site of the reservoir, and when they moved from there, J. B. Rottinghaus began the purchase of the present home farm, buying it at different times. It was all covered with heavy timber and it required years of hard work to clear and put the land under condition to cultivate advantageously. Here he continued to live during the remainder of his life, dying in his seventy-seventh year, his burial being in the cemetery attached to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie, of which he was a member. Politically he was a democrat and was one of the leaders of his party in McLean township, of which he was clerk for seven years and for twenty-one years served in the office of justice of the peace. . He was the father of ten children, the four survivors being : Elizabeth, who is the wife of Herman Klecker ; Matilda, who is the wife of John B. Holcher; Ann, who is the wife of Bernard Schlater ; and J. W. Those deceased were: Mary, wife of Joseph Sherman; Caroline, wife of Bernard Gerling; and Catherine, Henry, Carl and Frederick.
With his brothers and sisters, J. W. Rottinghaus attended school in the
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Sherman Special School District and afterward continued to assist his father on the home farm and when the latter died assumed entire charge. He has made many improvements here including the erecting of a substantial barn and other buildings, but the farm house, which was so stanchly built forty-five years ago, still continues the family residence. When it was built it was considered a modern house, having many conveniences and comforts not included in other structures in the neighborhood. Mr. Rottinghaus successfully carries on farming and stock raising and is one of the substantial men of this section.
Mr. Rottinghaus married Miss Mary Holthaus, a daughter of Bernard Holthaus. She died at the age of thirty-three years and her burial was in St. Michael's cemetery. His second. marriage was to Mrs. Clara (Fleckenstein) Sherman, widow of Joseph C. Sherman, and they have two children : Alma and Leona. To her first marriage three children had been born : Tracy, Joseph and Velma. Mr. Rottinghaus and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. In politics he has been a stanch democrat all his life although he has never been willing to accept any political office.
BERNARD DANZIG, who is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business at Fort Loramie, was born in McLean township, Shelby county, February 15, 1864, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Goer) Danzig.
William Danzig was born in Germany and came to the United States in youth. He carried on farming for many years in McLean township, and his death occurred here at the age of seventy-three years. After coming to this township he was married to Elizabeth Goer, who died when aged but twenty- seven years. They were devout members of St. Michael's Catholic church and their burial was in St. Michael's cemetery. They had three sons and one (laughter.
Bernard Danzig attended school in boyhood and worked on the home farm for fifteen years and then came to Fort Loramie to engage in the furniture business, three months later adding undertaking and being in partnership with J. L. Applegate, the firm style being Danzig & Applegate, which continued for five years. Mr. Applegate then retired and since then the firm name has been Danzig & Ballenger. They do a large business and cover a distance of fifteen miles south, one mile north and ten miles east and west. Mr. Danzig owns an unimproved farm of eighty acres which is situated in Texas, which is capable of being developed into a valuable ranch.
Mr. Danzig married Miss Bernardine Brandewie, who was born in Auglaize county, 0., and they have two children : William J. and Agnes Catherine, the former of whom is a student and after Christmas, 1912, will be the embalmer and funeral director of the firm above mentioned. In politics Mr. Danzig is a democrat. He and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. He is a highly respected citizen and is known as an honorable business man all through this section.
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JONAS KAUFFMAN, who is now pleasantly situated at Sidney, O., occupying his comfortable residence at No. 605 South Ohio avenue, is a retired farmer and still retains the ownership of his valuable farm of seventy-seven acres lying in Clinton township, not far from the location of the Shelby County Infirmary. He was born in Mifflin county, Pa., April 4, 1840. and is a son of Christian and Catherine Kauffman, both of whom died in Pennsylvania.
Jonas Kauffman had district school advantages in boyhood and remained on the home farm until 1865, starting out for himself at the age of twenty- one years. For four years afterward he worked on the farms of agriculturists in Juniata county, Pa., and from there went to Wayne county, O. He worked there for a short time as a farm hand and then enlisted for a period of six months as a government employe, which he passed at Little Rock, Ark., and from there came to Shelby county. For several years afterward Mr. Kauffman worked at different things, during the summers mainly on farms and in the winter time finding teaming and other kinds of labor ready at hand for any one willing to exercise self denial and muscle. After marriage he and wife went to housekeeping at Sidney for a time, while he was employed in a brick yard, but Mr. Kauffman preferred farm life and they soon went into the country and there he acquired tracts of valuable land. For twenty-five years he and wife lived on their farm of 156 acres, situated in Cynthian township, west of Sidney, after which Mr. Kauffman traded that farm for his present one of seventy-seven acres, receiving also $4,500 additional in cash. In 1901 Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman came to their present home at Sidney, where they are well known and highly respected people.
In the spring of 1866 Mr. Kauffman was married to Miss Elizabeth King, who was born in Berks county, Pa., a daughter of Michael King. She was six years old when her parents settled in Clinton township, Shelby county, where they had a farm of 142 acres, which Mr. Kauffman subsequently owned and then sold to William Kingseed. Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman have two children: Adam Francis, who is a farmer in Miami county, O. ; and Nora, who lives with her parents. The family belongs to the Christian church.
HUGH McDOWELL BEEBE, M.D. For forty years the name of Beebe has been associated with the medical profession in Shelby county, O., representing men of high scientific attainment and successful exponents of the Homeopathic School of Medicine. The pleasant and thriving town of Sidney, the county seat and the home of business, culture and refinement, has two physicians of the above name, father and son. Hugh McDowell Beebe was born at Sidney, July 24, 1883, and his parents are Dr. Henry E. and Ophelia (McDowell) Beebe.
Hugh McDowell Beebe was educated in the public schools of his native place and after completing the high school course, entered the Ohio State University and subsequently the medical department of the University of Michigan, and was graduated from the latter institution in the class of 1907. Shortly afterward he entered into practice at Sidney and has been associated
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with his father. He has won recognition, particularly as a surgeon, and is held in high regard by his professional brethren and by the general public.
Dr. Beebe was married in 1909 to Miss Ruth Pearson, who was born at Troy, Miami county; O., a daughter of Elmer E. Pearson, who formerly was auditor of Miami county. Dr. and Mrs. Beebe have one son, Henry Pearson. Dr. Beebe is identified with the Masonic fraternity and professionally is connected with a number of organizations including the Union Clinical Society, the Ohio State Homeopathic Medical Society and the American Institute of Homeopathy.
JOHN B. HOLSCHER, one of the well known men of McLean township, whose fine farm of eighty-five acres, situated in section 11, lies on the south side of the east and west road, three miles southwest of Fort Loramie, 0., was born in Cynthian township, Shelby county, March 19, 1849. His parents were Joseph and Clara (Eilerman) Holscher.
Joseph Holscher was born in Germany and spent his earlier years in his native land, being aged about twenty-one years when he came to Ohio, where his first work was helping to dig the canal. He married Clara Eilerman and they settled on a forty-acre tract of land which is the present site of the reservoir, which land they were obliged to vacate when plans were completed for the building of that utility. Although Mr. Holscher received a certain amount as damages it was not as large as might reasonably have been expected. He moved then to the northern part of Cynthian township, where he secured eighty acres and afterward devoted his time until death to the improvement Of that land, his decease taking place in his sixtieth year. His widow survived about ten years and their burial was in the cemetery attached to St. Michael's Catholic church. They had the following children : Henry, who resides on the old homestead ; Mary, who is the wife of Henry Schalter, lives at Fort Loramie ; John B.; Joseph, who lives in Cynthian township; and a babe that died.
John B. Holscher, with his sister and brothers, attended the Sherman District school and grew up on the home farm as his father's helper and has carried on farming and stock raising on his present place ever since his marriage. He still has fifteen acres in timber but has cleared all the rest of the land and has, by careful cultivation, made it very productive. He has always been a hard working man and of so reliable a character that frequently his fellow citizens have elected him to township offices, and has served many years as road supervisor and as a member of the board of education in the Walkup Special School District.
Mr. Holscher Was married first to Miss Kate Gudenkauf, who became the mother of one daughter and both are deceased. The second marriage of Mr. Holscher was to Miss Matilda Rottinghaus, and the following children were born to them : Benjamin, Henry, William, Elizabeth, Matilda, Anton, Sophia and Frances, twins, Ludwig, Adam and Emma, all of whom survive except
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William and Elizabeth. Mr. Holscher and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. In his political views he has always been a democrat.
ROBERT B. EVANS, who is one of the substantial and well known men of Franklin township, where he owns seventy acres of very valuable land, was born in Auglaize county, 0., February 15, 1860, and is a son of John and Mary (Throckmorton) Evans.
John Evans probably came of Welsh ancestry but was born in Berkeley county, W. Va., as was his wife, and they married there and then came to Ohio, where the rest of their lives were passed. They were upright people, members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had the following children : Thomas; Margaret, who married Andrew Close; Robert B. ; David; Charles; Albertus; Mary Effie, who married John Murphey ; and Silas.
Robert B. Evans had common school advantages and afterward worked with his father on the home place until he was twenty-one years of age and then started out independently, working for three years by the month, for S. D. Young. In partnership with his brother he then rented land for one year and afterward, for twenty years by himself, at the end of which time he and brother together bought the home farm. Eighteen months later Robert B. Evans sold his interest and in 1907 bought what is the old Thomas Shaw farm in local conversation but it is a much better property since Mr. Evans has become proprietor. Here he carries on general farming and does considerable business in buying and selling stock.
On April 30, 1886, Mr. Evans was married to Miss Jennie Stewart, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Elliott) Stewart. The parents of Mrs. Evans were farming people who were well known and highly respected. They had the following children : William : Jennie; Emma and Anna, twins, the former of whom married Joseph Fogt, and the latter, Alonzo Boyer; and Cora, who married Stanley Chiles.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans have children as follows : Earl L., Harry F., Clyde H., Stanley, Floyd G. and Robert T. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church in which all are active, and Mr. Evans is a member of the board of trustees and a class leader as well as Sunday school superintendent. Politically a republican, Mr. Evans has frequently been urged for office by his party and has served in school positions and as road supervisor.
B. P. HIGGINS, who carries on general farming and stock raising in Orange township, owns 110 acres of well cultivated land that has been in the family since the time of his grandfather, who erected the residence that still stands. He was born in 1875, near Kirkwood, 0., and is a son of J. V. and Sarah Elizabeth (Dunn) Higgins.
J. V. Higgins was born, reared and educated in Shelby county, and for thirty-five years carried on farming north of Sidney and then came to the place his son now occupies, and here the rest of his life was passed, his death occurring at the age of seventy-five years. He married Sarah Elizabeth Dunn.
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who was born on this farm, seventy-eight years ago, and resides here with her son, B. P. Higgins, who is the youngest of the family of six children, the others being : Mrs. Susie Hartshorn, of Miami county; Charles, of Piqua ; Mrs. Minnie Hetzler, of Orange township; and W. H. and T. L., both of this township.
B. P. Higgins obtained his education in the Kirkwood schools and afterward went to the west, where he spent eighteen months. When he returned to Shelby county he came to this farm, Grandfather Dunn's old place, and here has followed his agricultural industries ever since. In 1904 he was married to Miss Ida Baker, who is a daughter of Ephraim and Anzetta (Cain) Baker. They were well known residents of Shelby county, where the father died in 1908, when aged seventy-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Higgins have one son, Kenneth. In his political views Mr. Higgins chooses to be independent and the only office he ever accepted was that of constable. He belongs to the Odd Fellows at Kirkwood, O.
EDWARD E. KAH, one of the representative and old established business men of Sidney, who for twenty-two years has been proprietor of Kah's jewelry Store, and who, for thirty-four years has been in the jewelry and optical business, was born on his father's farm in Franklin township, Shelby county, O., December 23, 1857, and iS a son of George and Dorothy (Zimpher) Kah.
George Kah was born in Germany and both he and wife came to America prior to marriage, with their parents, settling in Shelby county. After marriage they lived for some time on their farm in Franklin township and then came to Sidney, where George Kah conducted a shoe store, being a practical shoemaker. He died at Sidney, December 10, 1904, where his widow, now aged eighty-two years, still resides.
Edward E. Kah attended school in this city and then gave his father assistance in the shoe store until he was twenty-one years old, when he felt at liberty to follow his own inclinations in regard to his choice of career. Consequently he went to work for C. W. McKee, who, at that time, conducted a jewelry store in the Wagner House block. He finally bought the business from Mr. McKee but in order to get a more desirable location, had to buy a book store, which he continued to conduct in conjunction with his other business until 1911, when he closed out that feature but still continues to handle wall paper and picture moldings. He is considering the matter of erecting a new building and moving into it in the near future, although he already owns a fine block in which Young Brothers' clothing store is located. He is an expert watchmaker and a graduated optician, having completed his course in the latter branch in a well known optical college at Chicago, in 1898.
Mr. Kah married Miss Carrie A. Bush, a daughter of George L. Bush, of Sidney. They enjoy the comforts of a handsome residence on North Walnut avenue. Mr. Kah is a man of quiet tastes and is identified fraternally with but one organization, the Knights of Pythias.
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GEORGE EHRHARDT, a member of the board of trustees of Clinton township, and a substantial business man of Sidney, was born at St. Louis, Mo., November 6, 1879, and is a son of Henry W. and Emma (Hambrock) Ehrhardt, the former of whom is one of the leading gardeners and florists in this section.
George Ehrhardt was two years old when his parents returned from St. Louis to Cincinnati, 0., their former home, where both had been reared. In 1888 the family came to Sidney and here George Ehrhardt was educated and then served an apprenticeship to the baker's trade. In the meanwhile his father had taken his eldest son, the late Theodore Ehrhard, as his assistant in the gardening and florist business which he had established, and the younger son carried on a bakery for seven years at Sidney. When Theodore Ehrhardt died in 1910, George Ehrhardt sold his business to Edward Staley and became associated with his father. Seven acres of land are utilized for gardening purposes and six greenhouses supply plants and flowers to all this part of the county.
Mr. Ehrhardt was married in 1902 to Miss Anna Adlon, of Springfield, 0. They have no children of their own but are parents to two of the four children left by Theodore Ehrhardt, Vendora and Walter A., whom they have adopted. Mr. Ehrhardt has always been identified with the republican party and on the republican ticket he was elected in the fall of 1911 to his present office and Clinton township is profiting thereby. Fraternally he is connected with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
C. K. PRUDEN, one of the representative citizens and successful agriculturists of Orange township, whose well improved farm of eighty acres lies three and one-half miles south of Sidney, 0., was born on the old home place, four miles south of Sidney, in 1870. He is a son of James K. Pruden and a grandson of Peter Pruden, who was born in New Jersey and left there in early manhood and went to Paris, Ky., where he engaged in shoemaking until 180, when he came to Shelby county, and settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, C. K. Pruden. He married Christiana Amos, and they spent the closing years of their lives in Orange township.
James K. Pruden was one of a family of eight children and was born in Bourbon county, Ky., in 1826. After he reached manhood he engaged in farming and stock raising, improving his property and building the stanch residence in which one of his sons resides, some forty-five years ago. He lived to the age of seventy-four years, a man well known and universally respected. He married Mary E. Cooper, who was born in Hamilton county, 0., but was a child when she came to Shelby county, and now is a beloved member of the household of her son, J. Edward Pruden. They had five children : J. Edward ; Mrs. Mary Fields, who is deceased ; Mrs. Anna Beaman, who lives on a part of the homestead ; Alfred, who is deceased ; and Clark K., of the present review.
Clark K. Pruden has been engaged in farming and stock raising ever since his school days,
remaining on the home place until his marriage and then
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moving to his present farm. In 1893 he erected his comfortable residence and has placed all other buildings and improvements here and was actively engaged in his various industries until 1910, when he retired to some extent, since then renting out the larger part of his land and devoting the rest to growing potatoes and some common stock for home use.
Mr. Pruden married Miss Josephine Voress, a daughter of Okey Voress, and they have two children; James Earl, who is a member of the graduating class of 1913, in Miami University, having taken a chemical course; and Alfred David, who is also a bright student, now in the Sidney schools, who is making plans to enter the Ohio State University. In politics Mr. Pruden is a republican and has been quite active in local affairs for many years. He served five years as township clerk and very acceptably served Out also an unexpired term of the township treasurer. He is identified with the Odd Fellows, attending the meetings of the order at Kirkwood.
L. F. EVERLEY, whose fine farm of 114 acres, situated in Washington township, may be reached by traveling ten miles southwest- of Sidney, O., belongs to one of the old families of Shelby county, which was established by his grandfather. He was born in Loramie township, Shelby county, O., July 3, 1866, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah J. (Feint) Everley.
Jacob Everley was a well known resident of Washington township where he was concerned in agricultural affairs and for many years followed the carpenter trade. He was a highly respected man, having been honest and upright in all his dealings, and left many friends behind when he passed out of life, April 25, 1912, in his seventy-third year. He was a veteran of the Civil war and served afterward in township offices. His widow survives and is a member of the household of her son, L. F., who is one of the four survivors of a family of eight children.
L. F. Everley attended school at Lockington and afterward learned the carpenter trade, which he followed for fifteen years. When prepared to embark in farming as his main business, Mr. Everley purchased his present property, on which he erected new and substantial buildings and otherwise improved the place until it is one of the most attractive properties in the township. Mr. Everley and wife, who was formerly Miss Laura. Booher, with Mr. Everley's mother, enjoy the comforts of this beautiful home alone, as they have no children. They are very hospitable, however, and have a wide circle of friends. They attend the United Brethren church at Lockington. Mr. Everley is a republican in his political views.
JAMES ANDERSON LAMB, formerly one of the foremost business men of Sidney and at the time of death, December 9, 1898, president of the Citizens National Bank, was closely identified with this section of country for more than a half century. He was born in Pennsylvania, December 14, 1815, a son of Samuel and Jane (Anderson) Lamb.
During youth James A. Lamb worked on a farm, attended the subscription schools and until 1833 was a clerk in a store. In 1834 he came
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to Ohio and with a partner went into the drug business first at Mansfield and later at Lancaster. He was a man of great business perception and his whole subsequent life showed the shrewd foresight that provides for emergencies while it also ventures into unknown fields. In January, 1840, he embarked in the mercantile busineSs with Colonel Zinn and in the spring of 1842 came to Sidney, which was then a village but the business field seemed promising, and the partners started here a factory for the manufacture of pearlash, the product being conveyed overland to Sandusky. Mr. Lamb continued with Colonel Zinn until 1868 and then• sold his interest and purchased a farm. This land he sold two years afterward in order to accept the presidency of the Citizens National Bank, one that he held until his death. For eight years Mr. Lamb was a member of the city council and introduced the ordinance providing for waterworks and was largely instrumental in carrying this and other public-spirited projects to a successful issue. He had much to do with the material growth of Sidney, building the warehouse later occupied by Moore & Marshall, his own fine residence, the handsome Presbyterian church and parsonage and many other structures. He was the second son horn in his parents' family, all of whom came to Ohio; John, Hannah, James Anderson, Samuel, Margaret, Jane and Elenor, Hannah becoming the wife of Colonel Zinn, Jane becoming the wife of Silas Thompson, and Elenor, the wife of Henry Wilkinson.
In 1843 Mr. Lamb was married to Miss Julia A. Taylor, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stipp) Taylor, farming people. The father of Mrs. Lamb was born in Maryland and the mother in Virginia. They were members of the Chritstian church. Mrs. Lamb was their youngest child, the others being: Jason, George and William ; Susan, wife of Abner Girard ; Margaret, wife of Mark Broderick ; and Lewis and Shelby. Mr. Lamb was reared in the Presbyterian church and to that religious body he gave liberally. For many years he was identified with the Masonic fraternity.
ROBERT PATTERSON THOMPSON, who is one of the highly respected, widely known and substantial citizens of Washington township, was born on his father's farm in this township, in 1834, and is a representative of one of the earliest pioneer familieS, the Thompsons having come to Shelby county in early days. His parents were Freeborn and Margaret (Patterson) Thompson, the former of whom died in 1837. The latter, a native of Ireland, was brought to America when four years old, and died at Piqua, 0., in her eighty-sixth year. R. P. is the elder and the only survivor of his parents' two children, his sister, Elizabeth Ellen, having passed away October 23, 1912. She was the widow of George J. Legg, who died in 1859.
R. P. Thompson had few of the present day school advantages. In his boyhood books were scarce and school sessions continued through but a few months in the year and the old log school houses were but poorly equipped, in fact were fitted only for the most sturdy of children. With the others he
526 - HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
trudged for miles, many times through the snow, and then hauled wood for the heating of the log structure with its puncheon floor and slab benches. In those days farmers' sons just naturally became farmers and very much, too, to their credit and advantage. Prior to 1885 Mr. Thompson followed farming on a place somewhat west of the old homestead and then moved to his own home farm of 120 acres, making all the improvements here at that time. He also owns eighty acres in Loramie township and has a part interest in the old Patterson homestead. Until 1907 Mr. Thompson carried on all his various industries himself but since then lives somewhat retired, contenting himself with overseeing his several properties and their management.
Mr. Thompson was married to Miss Jane McKee, a daughter of John and Catherine McKee, who were born in Pennsylvania but later came to Shelby county. Mrs. Thompson is the only one living out of eight children. In politics Mr. Thompson has always been a democratic voter but, with one exception, has never accepted public office, having served through one term as township supervisor.
DARWIN H. WARNER, proprietor of the D. H. Warner Grocery Store, one of the leading business houses of Sidney, and one of the stable and representative men of this city, was born at London, Madison county, 0., June 8, 1868, and is a son of Louis and Lida (Williams) Warner. The parents of Mr. Warner removed to South Charleston, in Clark county, in 1870, where, the father engaged in work at his trade, being a carpenter, and from there moved to Port Jefferson, in Shelby county, in 1876.
Darwin H. Warner attended the public schools of Port Jefferson and afterward went to work as an employe of the Sidney Wheel Company, changing to the Philip Smith Company six months later, and remained with the latter concern for about nine years, being connected with the hollow-ware department. For eight years prior to first embarking in the grocery business he was connected with a Sidney manufacturing plant, and after conducting a grocery for two years, closed that interest for one year, during which he was with the Sidney Steel Scraper Company. About 1909 he reentered the grocery trade, conducting his business, at his excellent location at No. 414 North Main street. Mr. Warner has long been recognized as a citizen of sterling worth and has been and still continues an important factor in civic life. He served usefully in the city council for four years, for two years representing the Second ward, and for two more years being councilman-at-large, resigning that office in order to accept his present office, that of director of public service, the duties of which he assumed on January 1, 1912.
Mr. Warner came to Sidney in 1890 and in the same year he was married to Miss Rosetta Snodgrass, and they have a family of four children : Blanche, who is the wife of Oscar Burns ; and Clara, Doris and John. Mr. Warner is a prominent Odd Fellow, belonging to both the Encampment and the subordinate lodge, and belongs also to the Knights of the Golden Eagle, in which organization he has passed all the chairs and has been a delegate to the Grand Lodge.
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WILLIAM J. MEYER, residing three miles east of Fort Loramie, on his exceedingly valuable farm of 240 acres, situated in section 4, McLean township, is a well known and highly respected citizen of Shelby county, where his parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Meyer, were early settlers. He was born at Fort Loramie, O., June 22, 1876, and was educated mainly in the Berlin Special School District.
Farming and stock raising have engaged the time and attention of William J. Meyer ever since he reached manhood, and he is numbered with the sensible, practical and successful agriculturists of this section. After some early experience he engaged in farming for two years in Cynthian township but has been on this farm for the past five years and has been six years a continuous resident of McLean township. He has impressed his fellow citizens as a man of reliability and character and in January, 1912, he was elected a member of the board of education of the Sherman Special School District, a mark of public confidence.
Mr. Meyer was married to Miss Carrie Struckamp, a daughter of Barney and Elizabeth (Burwinkel) Struckamp. The parents of Mrs. Meyer were born in Germany. The father came to the United States when a young man and was a bricklayer by trade and at the time of Mrs. Meyer's birth was a resident of Mercer county, O. His first marriage was to Catherine Vondrelle and two children were born to them : a child that died in infancy, and Mrs. Henry Barhorst of Shelby county. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Burvvinkel and seven children were born to the second union : Carrie, who became Mrs. Meyer; Henry; Benjamin, who was accidentally drowned in childhood; John and Louis, and two who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer have five children : Ralph, Julia and Aslea, twins, and Agnes and Leona. The family belongs to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie.
LINK T. SNODGRASS. Probably one of the best known men in Shelby county, is Link T. Snodgrass, of Sidney, who, for twenty years has followed the business of auctioneer, one who, with never failing wit, humor, seriousness or pathos, has sold commodities of all kinds, on all occasions and at all points where his services have been called for. He handles farm lands and chattels with remarkable success for their owners and the mere fact of his being the auctioneer for the occasion, is sure to bring a large concourse to hear him. It is a real gift that Mr. Snodgrass possesses and there are those who declare he was born with it, and that a story told of his childhood is that one of his first conscious acts, while still in his cradle, was an attempt to auction off his teething ring and baby rattle.
Link T. Snodgrass was born February 14, 1861, in Orange township, Shelby county, O., a son of Alexander and Climena (Boyer) Snodgrass. The father was born near Sidney and was a son of Thompson Snodgrass, one of the pioneer settlers of this section. Alexander Snodgrass married Climena Boyer, a daughter of Jacob Boyer, who was a man of large substance, having entered 284 acres of land from the government when he first settled here.
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Mr. Snodgrass died at the age of sixty-two years on the farm on which he had spent his life, his widow. surviving some years and dying at Sidney, in her seventy-third year.
Link T. Snodgrass continued to make his home on the farm until he was twenty-eight years of age. having been educated in the public schools. In 1885 he was married to Miss Jennie N. Proctor, of Green township, a daughter of George W. Proctor, who, for forty years was a school teacher.
In view of the success that Mr. Snodgrass has had as an auctioneer it is interesting to learn how he began. Putting aside the amusing story of his infantile attempts, he made a beginning by selling cakes and watermelons, auctioning them off at social festivals, when a mere boy. The first sale he cried in the rural regions was for Mrs. Sallie Metz, while still living on the farm, and he had associated with him George De Nise, a well known local character. His largest sale was in 1907 when he sold at auction almost a half-million dollars worth of real estate for J. D. Barnes, receiver for the German American Bank, the auction continuing for a number of days. He also does a general real estate business, mainly handling farm properties. He belongs to the order of Elks and to the Odd Fellows, both the lower and Encampment branches. Mr. Snodgrass is a man of wealth and has a reputation for a great deal of quiet charity. His business brings him into contact with many very distressing situations and his warm heart is often touched. For business as well as pleasure, Mr. Snodgrass travels over the country in his speedy automobile.
WILLIAM A. FERGUS, general farmer and stock raiser, residing on his well cultivated farm of forty-four and one-half acres, situated in Perry township, belongs to old county families, his grandfathers having settled here in early days. Mr. Fergus was born in Shelby county, May 12, 1857, and is a son of Joseph and Barbara (Uhlrey) Fergus.
Joseph Fergus was born in Shelby county and here learned and followed the carpenter trade and later was in the lumber business. He was a republican in his political views but was no politician, just a quiet, busy man, attending to his business and performing life's duties according to his best judgment. Both he and his wife were 'members of the United Brethren church. They had a family of children and almost all of them survived their parents. The record reads as follows : Caroline, who married George Faulder ; Richard; Sarah, who is deceased, was the wife of William Valentine, also deceased; John S. ; William A.; Mary, who is the wife of Thomas Mitchell ; Joseph ; Winfield S. Stella, who married P. 0. Stockstill; Laura, who married Samuel Knoop and Charles.
William A. Fergus obtained his education in the public schools and afterward, until he was twenty-two years old, worked for his father at logging for the latter's saw mill. He then rented a farm of 105 acres on which he resided for' seventeen years. when he moved to the Norman Key farm and rented that for ten and one-half years, and in 1907 bought his present
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place from William Dormire. Like his late father, Mr. Fergus is a republican but no office-seeker.
In 1879 Mr. Fergus was married to Miss Belle Sheppard, who was born in New Jersey, a daughter of Charles and Mary Sheppard. Mrs. Fergus had three brothers, David, George and Martin, the first named being deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Fergus the following children have been born : Edward, who married Eva Simes; Bertha, who married Otto Steenrod; Clinton, who married Grace Stevenson ; Edith, who married Roy Fogt; and Florence. Mr. and Mrs. Steenrod have two children : Gladys and Harold; Clinton Fergus and wife have two children : Joseph and Frances; and Mr. and Mrs. Fogt have two daughters : Thelma and Roma. Mr. Fergus and family attend the United Brethren church. He takes an interest in all that promises to benefit his section, gives encouragement to local enterprises and is a stockholder in the Farmers Telephone Company.
BERNARD VONDRELE, whose valuable farm of 114 acres, situated in section 12, McLean township, is bordered on the south by the Loramie reservoir, is one of the best known residents of this section of Shelby county, where the greater part of his life has been passed. He was born in this township, three miles east of Minster, O., August 13, 1843, and is a son of Bernard and Margaret (Qoutte) Vondrele.
Bernard Vondrele was born in Germany and was a young man when he came to this section and lie assisted in the construction of the Ohio Canal, working in Shelby, Auglaize and Mercer counties. In Shelby county he married Margaret Qoutte and then settled on the Harman Siesman farm in McLean township, where he died when his only child, his namesake, was a babe of one year, his burial being in the Minster cemetery. The farm of forty acres belonged to his widow and she remained on it and later bought forty acres more and here she resided until the time of her death, at the age of sixty-two years. She was a faithful member of the Catholic church at Minster, O.
After his school period was over, Bernard Vondrel applied himself to farming and stock raising and following his marriage settled on his present farm in section 12, which, at that time was partly cleared. Mr. Vondrele has carried on all his farm undertakings in a practical, common sense way, draining his land and putting down tile as he found desirable and raising grain and stock. He is one of the leading democrats of the township and served four years as township trustee and has always been interested in having good schools.
Mr. Vondrele married Miss Caroline Drehman, who was also of German extraction and was born in Germany, a daughter of Herman and Catherine Drehman. The five children of Mr. and Mrs. Vondrele were all born on this farm, namely : William, Joseph, Herman, John and Frank, the two youngest sons assisting in carrying on the farm industries. Mr. Vondrele and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie and he was a liberal contributor to the building of the present church edifice.
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HENRY A. ERNST, who, for eight years, has been a member of the board of education of the Sherman Special School District in McLean township, Shelby county, 0., owns the old homestead farm in section t0, containing 185 acres of well improved land, situated three and one-half miles southeast of Fort Loramie. Mr. Ernst was born on this farm, March 10, 1867, and is a son of Joseph and Catherine (Barringhaus) Ernst, both of whom died on this place, fine people and faithful Catholics.
Henry A. Ernst has lived on his present farm all his life. He attended the Sherman school in boyhood and has always been interested in advancing the cause of education in this section and hence has consented to serve for so long a time on the educational board. It is to Mr. Ernst and his fellow members that the township looks for the increase and permanence of its school facilities and it is due to their wisdom and liberality that educational work is so far advanced in this part of the county. Mr. Ernst is a busy and successful farmer, carrying on a general line, raising grain, hay and stock, and finds a market for his overplus at Fort Loramie. He has his place well drained but has not deemed it necessary to replace the buildings that were erected by his father, they being in good condition.
Mr. Ernst married Miss Mary Borchers, a daughter of Barney Borchers, of McLean township, and the family of ten children were born on this farm and all live in the vicinity except the fifth child, Urban, who died when aged two years. The others are : Clemens, Bernard, Louis, Anton, Henrietta, Wilhelmina, Carl, Henry and Mary. Mr. Ernst and family are members of the Catholic church. He has always cast his vote with the democratic party.
JOHNSON GINN, who is well known all over Shelby county, 0., is a very large and successful dealer in livestock, devotes the greater part of his time to the buying and selling of cattle and resides on his farm of ninety- two acres which is situated in section to, Walkup Special School District, McLean township, three miles west and one-fourth mile south of Port Loramie. Mr. Ginn was born on this farm in April, 1847, and is a son of William and Marian (Bodkin) Ginn.
William Ginn was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and there married his first wife, Jane Walkup, who died in Miami county, 0. William Ginn and wife and their eight children settled three miles north of Troy, O., and remained there one year when the wife died and he moved to the farm in McLean township now owned by Johnson Ginn. He found work on the Miami Canal near Fort Loramie and in that way earned the money which he invested in this land. Later he married Marian Bodkin, who was born in Virginia and came with her people to Ohio. Six children were born to this marriage, the second wife dying when their son Johnson was two years old. William Ginn was married a third time, Mrs. Jennie (Mullen) Rutledge, a widow, becoming his wife. She was also born in Ireland and died when over sixty years of age, having had three daughters born to her first marriage. William Ginn outlived all his wives, he being in his eightieth year at time of death. He was a man of many fine traits of character and continued to be
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active both in mind and body into advanced years. He served as a soldier in the Civil war but escaped all injury. When he settled on his land in McLean township it was heavily timbered, not a stick of wood ever having been cut, and it was through hiS untiring industry that the first building on the place was put up and preparations made to convert the wilderness then prevailing into a comfortable homestead. Gradually he acquired other tracts of land until at one time he owned about 500 acres situated in Darke and Shelby counties. After improving his McLean township land so that others could live on it with a large degree of comfort, in 1851 he made himself a home on his Darke county land, just across the road, and there continued to live until his death. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and hiS burial was in the Sidney cemetery.
Johnson Ginn attended school near his father's farms and then began his own career as a farmer, residing south of his present farm for some years and selling the same before coming back to the old home place. This property he has under a tenant's care as he devotes the most of his time to his stock activities. The land is well tiled and much of it is in pasturage and fifteen acres remain in valuable timber.
Mr. Ginn married Miss Minerva Houston, who was born in Darke county, O., a daughter of Eli and Melvina Houston. Mr. and Mrs. Ginn have had two daughters : Florence, who resides at home ; and Abigail, who died when aged six months. In political connection Mr. Ginn has always been a republican as was his father.
WILLIAM H. BOWEN, one of the substantial citizens and excellent farmers of Turtle Creek township, where he owns 120 acres of fine land, was born in Washington township, Shelby county, July 24, 1869, and is a son of Joseph and Christina E. (Strate) Bowen.
Joseph Bowen, who is a leading business man at Hardin, O., where he has been a merchant for a quarter of a century, was born in Clermont county, O., in 1844, a son of Clark and Elizabeth (Godfrey) Bowen. Joseph Bowen served as a soldier in the Civil war from 1861 until 1865, afterward engaged in farming and then established himself at Hardin, and is one of the representative men of that section. In 1868 he married Christina E. Strate, who was born in Germany, and they have had seven children born to them.
William H. Bowen, the eldest of his parents' children, was afforded educational advantages and after completing the public school course spent two summer terms at the Ohio Normal School, at Ada, O., and for six years thereafter taught school in his native county. He then became associated with his father in business but three years later sold his interest and since then has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits exclusively. He is a progressive farmer, adopting new methods according to the latest scientific plans for agricultural advancement and is a valued member of the local Grange.
On September 14, 1893, Mr. Bowen was married to Miss Nancy M. Malcolm, who was born in Indiana but was reared in Shelby county, being six months old when her parents, James and Elizabeth (Davenport) Malcolm,
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brought her to this section. The father was a farmer until hiS death. MrS. Bowen has three sisters and one brother : Lucy, wife of Wallace Gamble; Cora, the wife of G. T. Patton; Clara, wife of J. D. Price; and J. Harper, Mrs. Bowen being the youngest of the family.
Mr. and Mrs. Bowen have seven children : Helen, Elizabeth, Elsie, Hazel, Dorothy, Joseph and William Kenneth. Mr. Bowen and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is trustee of the parsonage. In politics a republican, Mr. Bowen has served on the township school board for the last twelve years.
SAMUEL M. DORSEY, who is very capably managing his mothersis farm of 160 acres of valuable land, which lies in Green township, Shelby county, 0., belongs to one of the old families of this section. He was born in Green township, October 26, 1868, and is a son of Snowden T. and Anna M. (Mathers) Dorsey. His father died in 1894, one-half mile east of the old Dorsey homestead where he was born in 1825.
In the public schools Samuel M. Dorsey secured his early educational training and later pursued higher branches at Lebanon, 01. For two years afterward he taught school and as an educator fulfilled every expectation but as a business, agriculture made closer appeals to him and for many years he devoted himself to farming and stock raising. He is connected at Sidney with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and he belongs also to the Presbyterian church at Sidney. In politics he early identified himself with the republican party and has served in the office of township clerk.
W. H. HIGGINS, who belongs to one of the old families of Shelby county and is a. successful general farmer in Orange township, was born in the Russell settlement, in Turtle Creek township, and is a son of J. V. and Sarah Elizabeth (Dunn) Higgins. For many years the father was a prosperous farmer in this section and lived to the age of seventy-one years. The mother still survives and lives on her old homestead, now aged seventy- eight years.
W. H. Higgins attended the township schools and then turned his attention to farming, which has been the family business. He worked for five years by the month and afterward rented farm land, living on the home place until five years after his marriage, when he moved into Washington township, Miami county, and lived there for one year. In 1903 he settled on his present farm of fifty acres, which lies seven miles south of Sidney, and here has successfully carried on farming and stock raising ever since. He is identified with none of the political parties, belonging to a very independent family, but nevertheless has frequently had township offices tendered him and has served as road supervisor.
Mr. Higgins married Miss Lula M. Moore, a daughter of Jacob Moore. an
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PAGE - 534 - PICTURE OF GEORGE H. BILLINGS AND FAMILY
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old resident of the county, and they have four children: Jessie, Floyd, Robert and Francis. Mr. Higgins is an Odd Fellow and belongs to the lower branch at Kirkwood and the Encampment at Sidney.
GEORGE H. BILLING, who owns large bodies of land in different sections of Shelby county, 0., is one of the county's best known men. He was born in Franklin township, this county, February 12, 1865, and is a son of Frederick and Sarah (Knasel) Billing.
Frederick Billing was born in Germany and after coming to the United States became a farmer. He married in Shelby county, 0,, and there both he and wife died. They were well known and highly respected people. A family of eight children was born to them, namely : Susan, who is the wife of Samuel Hagelberger ; John; Sophia, who is deceased, was the wife of Jacob M. Finkenbine; George H.; William ; Louisa, who is the wife of W. J. Fogt ; Lena, who is deceased, was the wife of Samuel H. Fogt ; and Edward, who is a resident of Michigan. These names represent some of the best people of Shelby county.
George H. Billing secured a common school education and remained at home with his father until he was twenty-eight years of age when he started out as a farmer on his own responsibility, at first renting land from his father and afterward acquiring it for himself, although he first rented the homestead during the last years of both parents, afterward buying out the other heirs. When they died he inherited t00 acres but. the purchase of the remainder of the estate c0st him $1,000. He has made many improvements including the remodeling of the barn and at the present time of writing is converting the old farmhouse into a modern and attractive residence. He owns 378 acres of valuable land in Shelby county, 160 of which is located in Salem township and 218 acres in Franklin township and is one of the county's large tax payers.
In 1892 Mr. Billing was married to Miss Elizabeth Gerber, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of John C. and Catherine (Smith) Gerber, and they had the following children : Sarah, Elizabeth, Edward E., Albert, Clara, George, Henry, Charles and Anna, Charles being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Billing have three children: Leota, Raymond, and Ora. The family belongs to the Lutheran church at Anna. In politics Mr. Billing is a democrat but has not been willing to accept public office although ever an interested and liberal-handed citizen.
W. T. PICKERING, who is numbered with the prosperous and progressive agriculturists of Washington township, owns a farm of 140 acres which lies twelve miles southwest of Sidney. He was born in 1880, in Putnam county, 0., and is a son of M. S. Pickering, who was born in Fairfield county, a member of one of the old pioneer families. M. S. Pickering was a farmer first in Paulding county, later in Shelby county and at present is a resident of Fairfield county.
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W. T. Pickering attended school in both Putnam and Paulding counties and remained with his father until 1897, when he came to Shelby county and in 1907 purchased and settled on his farm in Washington township. The general improvements he has placed here give evidence of good judgment and he probably has as fine a modern residence as can be found in the township. He raises the usual grains of this section and also devotes attention to stock raising.
Mr. Pickering was married in 1901 to Miss Katie Patterson. Thy are members of the Presbyterian church at Piqua. In his political sentiments he is a democrat.
NATHAN MOYER, who resides on his valuable farm of 147 acres situated in section 20, Cynthian township, Shelby county, O., was born in this township, on an adjoining farm, which is now owned by J. C. Short, December 22, 1841, and is a son of George and Sarah (Seymour) Moyer.
The parents of Mr. Moyer were born in Pennsylvania. They were farming people in Shelby county, and the father died in Cynthian township, when aged sixty-two years, and the mother in her eighty-fourth year, and their burial was in the cemetery at Oran, O. George Moyer owned a farm of eighty acres which he cleared and improved to some extent, at the time of his settlement in Cynthian township the country being yet in a wild condition. In those days even the ordinary domestic duties were carried on in a burdensome way. Mr. Moyer remembers when his mother wove all the family wearing apparel, coloring the cloth afterward and fashioning it into garments. She also cooked the toothsome viands for which the pioneer home was celebrated, in the open fireplace, Mr. Moyer being seventeen years old before he even saw a cook stove. All the family attended church, a spring wagon being called into requisition when the distance was too far to cover by walking, but in those days it was considered no disgrace to wear a patched coat or gown or to appear with bare feet. Mr. and Mrs. Moyer were long remembered in their community for those virtues which prevailed in old days—kindness, generosity, charity and hospitality.
Until he was sixteen years of age Nathan Moyer attended the district schools in the winter seasons and then started out to be entirely self supporting, his industries including farming, chopping wood, making staves, digging ditches and hunting. In 1863 he bought forty acres of the place he now owns and to his original purchase kept on adding until he now has 147 acres of finely cultivated land, excepting only ten acres, which is still timbered. When he came here the land was wooded and it was no slight task to clear it but this was completed many years since, and on the spot where once stood giants of the forest, wave the grain or feed the herds and stock which make Mr. Moyer one of Cynthian township's men of independence. He is one of the four survivors of his parents' family of ten children, his twin sister dying in 1864. The others are : Mrs. John Short, Sr.; George, of Loramie township; and William, of Piqua,
Mr. Moyer was married to Miss Eliza A. Forrest, who was born at Day-
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ton, O., a daughter of John Forrest, who died while serving as a Soldier in the Civil war. To Mr. and Mrs. Moyer the following children were born : John, who married Elizabeth McCorkle ; Elizabeth and Charles, both of whom are deceased ; Walter ; Leonard ; Louella, who is the wife of William Newman ; and Laurence. Mr. Moyer and family are members of the Christian church at Oran, O. In politics he is a democrat and has served in such township offices as supervisor and road superintendent.
JOSEPH V. GAIER, a general farmer and respected citizen of Cynthian township, who owns seventy-six acres situated in section 18, Basinburg Special School District, one-quarter mile east of St. Mary's turnpike road, was born in McLean township, Shelby county, December 26, 1877, and is a son of Jacob and Louisa (Wise) Gaier.
Jacob Gaier was a farmer throughout his active years and resided in Shelby county where he was a man well known and much respected. He died when agel sixty-five years and his burial was in the cemetery attached to St. Michaelsis Catholic church at Fort Loramie, he having been a member of that church. He was twice married and two children were born to his first union and seven to the second.
Joseph V. Gaier attended school in boyhood in the Berlin district and then helped his father on the home farm in McLean township until his marriage, when he settled on his present place where he has carried on general farming and stock raising ever since. He remodeled and repaired the buildings and made many improvements and has a home and farm in which he justly takes pride, all of his land being under cultivation except ten acres in timber.
Mr. Gaier married Miss Elizabeth Barhorst, a daughter of Joseph Barhorst of McLean township, and they have one daughter, Helen Elizabeth. Mr. Gaier and family belong to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie. Like his late father he is a democrat but has never desired public office of any kind. He is a quiet, industrious farmer, one who attends to his own business and performs his duty as a citizen according to his best judgment.
JOSEPH WINNER, a general farmer and highly respected citizen of Cynthian township, who owns a carefully cultivated farm of eighty acres, was born January 14, 1867, in McLean township, Shelby county, and is a son of Anton and Caroline Winner.
Joseph Winner attended school in the Dirksen district and remained at home helping his father until his marriage, when he located where he has remained ever since, in section 17, Cynthian township. He has made all the substantial improvements on the place, has his land well drained and tiled and all of it under cultivation with the exception of ten acres. It has an excellent location being three-fourths of a mile east of the St. Mary turnpike on the township line road, with postoffice accommodations at Fort Loramie.
Mr. Winner married first Miss Josephine Bruns, who, at death, left four children : Joseph A., Herman, Frances Elizabeth and William. Mr. Winnerls second marriage was to Mrs. Agnes (Brackman) Richling, widow of
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August Richling. She had one son, Henry Richling, born to her first marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Winner four children have been born : Leona, Alexander, Lucinda and Louetta, all surviving except Lucinda. Mr. Winner and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie. In politics he is a democrat but has never accepted any office except one connected with the public schools, for three years serving as a member of the board of education of the Short Special School District.
JOHN J. HUFFMAN, a leading citizen of Turtle Creek township, where he owns an excellent farm of forty acres, has served acceptably in the office of justice of the peace for the past seven years and is interested in all movements that promise to improve or advance this neighborhood. He is widely known and was born in Clinton township, Shelby county, August 14, 1850, and is a son of George and Mary ( Johnston) Huffman.
George Huffman and wife lived out long and respected lives and passed away on the farm which they had occupied for many years. They were consistent and useful member of the Baptist church and their burial was in the McClure cemetery. They had the following children, all sons : John J., William M., Samuel, James S. and George A.
After his school days were over, John J. Huffman spent two years at Sidney and then settled down to farming as a business and prior to purchasing his present farm in 1894, from C. E. Thompson, rented land in this section. Here he carries on varied farm industries, growing grain and fruit and raising stock and poultry for home use, not being particularly desirous of adding to his agricultural burdens as he finds that official responsibilities absorb a large part of his time. He owns stock in the Farmers Telephone Company, a profitable investment.
On December 2, 1869, Mr. Huffman was married to Miss Mary L. Van Gorder, who was born in Trumbull county, O., a daughter of James L. and Phoebe (Moore) Van Gorder. The father of Mrs. Huffman was a farmer and he and family moved from Trumbull to Shelby county, his children being: Mary L.; Charlotta, wife of Charles L. Argabright ; and Charles A. and George L. To Mr. and Mrs. Huffman a son and daughter have been horn, Albert B. and Edith L. The latter is the wife of David Latimer and they have three children : Morris L., Mary E. and Ethel G. Mr. Huffman and family belong to the Presbyterian church at Hardin, 0. Both Mr. and Mrs. Huffman take an active interest in the Patrons of Husbandry and Mr. Huffman has been for twenty years secretary of the Shelby County Grange, and for the past sixteen years, has been secretary of the Shelby County Farmers' Institute. He belongs also to the Knights of Pythias at Sidney. Mr. Huffman has been a republican for many years, his father having been interested in the same organization of political leaders in 1857 and an upholder of its principles throughout his life.
ADOLPH F. RATERMANN, cashier of the Loramie Banking Company, of Fort Loramie, is one of the representative men and well-known financiers
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of Shelby county. He was born in McLean township, Shelby county, September 26, 1873, his people being early settlers in that section.
Mr. Ratermann attended the local schools until the year 1892 and in 1893 he attended the Valparaiso, Indiana, Normal College, and spent four terms at the Ohio Normal University of Lebanon, 0. Having improved his opportunities then engaged in teaching, a profession he followed for ten years, during three years of which he was at the head of the Fort Loramie village schools. In March, 1904, he entered the Loramie Bank as assistant cashier, of which he became cashier a few months afterward and has continued in this connection.
On August 21, 1901, Mr. Ratermann was married to Miss Rosa Rieger, who was born at Fort Loramie, 0., and died here June 12, 1906, at the age of thirty-one years. She was a daughter of Joseph and Anna (Schwartz) Rieger. Two sons survive : Paul J. and Albin H. Mrs. Ratermann was a faithful member of St. Michael's Catholic church, to which Mr. Ratermann also belongs. He is identified with the Knights of St. John and the Knights of Columbus. A democrat in his political preference, Mr. Ratermann is not active along that line although ever ready to perform every necessary act of good citizenship.
JACOB R. LEAPLEY, who, in addition to being a stockholder in the Farmers Telephone Company, owns 120 acres of some of the finest land in Franklin township, Shelby county, 0., was born in this county September 15, 1864, and is a son of Othol and Mary (Stone) Leapley.
Othol Leapley and wife belonged to old pioneer families of Shelby county, where they were born, married, and passed out of life. They were estimable people and liberal supporters of the Methodist Episcopal church, attending at Port Jefferson, and their burial was in the cemetery there. Their family consisted of five children, three Sons, namely : Ouin, Charles and Jacob Raper ; and two daughters, Anna, wife of Newton Wooley, and Blanche, wife of Orrin C. Staley.
Jacob R. Leapley attended the country schools with his brotherS and sisters and afterward, as a dutiful son, assisted his father until he was twenty-one years olds About this time occurred his marriage and he then went to Nebraska where he rented land and raised one crop. Conditions there, however, did not look promising to a young man when compared to those he had left behind in Shelby county, therefore he returned and for two years following rented farm land in Franklin township. He then moved on the place which he now owns, a part of the old Yinger farm, which he rented for twelve years previous to buying. He is one of the township's most prosperous stockmen aS well as farmer, paying particular attention to Jersey cattle, Shropshire sheep, Percheron horses and 0. I. C. hogs.
On December 17, 1885, Mr. Leapley was married to Miss Lollie Fee, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of William and Sarah (McClure) Fee, both of whom were also born in this county. The father of Mrs. Leap-ley is deceased, but the mother still resides here. Mrs. Leapley has one older
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sister, Maggie, who is the wife of James Shaw ; and a brother, Frank, and a sister, Mattie, who is the wife of William Davis, both younger. Mr. and Mrs. Leapley have but one son, Rollie, who remains with his parents. Mr. Leapley and family are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is a trustee, treasurer and steward. In politics he is a republican.
JOHN C. McCLURE, proprietor of Sunnyside Farm, an attractive name that pleases the ear and prepares the stranger traveling through Clinton township, for the fifty acres of finely cultivated land that spreads out before him, is one of the well-known citizens of the county, having had business interests in many parts of it during some fifteen years or more. He was born in Green county, 0., in 1844, and is a son of John and Elvira (Young) McClure.
The parents of Mr. McClure came of Virginia people on the paternal side and of North Carolina on the maternal. The father was a carpenter by trade and in later life also followed farming. Both he and wife were members of the Presbyterian church. Their family consisted of the following children : Jennie, wife of Jacob Wilson; James Harvey; David Franklin; Andrew H. ; John C.; Cyrus ; Mary, who is deceased; Elizabeth and Augustus. The parents lived into old age and at death were laid to rest at Bellbrook, 0.
John C. McClure had such educational advantages as the district schools offered in his boyhood, and he remained with his father on the home farm until he was thirty-five years old. He then became a traveling salesman, first covering the country selling nursery stock and afterward contracting for hedge fence. He now carries on general farming on his productive land, raising some good stock but keeping it for his own use.
In May, 1879, Mr. McClure was married to Miss Josephine Stevenson, who was born in Orange township, Shelby county, 0., a daughter of Samuel S. and Margaret (McClure) Stevenson. Samuel S. Stevenson was born near Xenia in Greene county, 0., and died in his eighty-seventh year, in Shelby county, to which he had come when twenty-one years old. He was a carpenter and contractor and was a well-known and highly respected man. He married Margaret McClure, who was born in Shelby county, and the following children were born to them : Jennie, who is the wife of William Wilson; Anna, who is the wife of John Thompson ; Josephine, who is the wife of Mr. McClure ; J. Frank ; Frances, who is the wife of W. S. Shaw; and Harry. Mr. and Mrs. McClure attend the United Presbyterian church. In politics, like his late father, Mr. McClure is a republican.
JOHN M. BLAKE, who is one of the proprietors of the Farmers Grain and Milling Company, of Sidney, 0., has been so associated since the business was founded in January, 1912, and in the division of responsibility between the three partners concerned, has charge of the flour department. He was born at Sidney January 1, 1867, and is a son of 0. B. and Mary (Ensey) Blake.
O. B. Blake was born on a farm in Perry township, Shelby county, a son of John Blake, one of the very early settlers, who was a son of John Blake,
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who was born in England. For some ten years 0. B. Blake was engaged in the meat business at Sidney, later moved to a farm in Turtle Creek township but subsequently retired to Sidney where he still lives. He married Mary Ensey, who was born at Sidney, a daughter of Mathew Ensey, who was the contractor who built the court house at Ottawa, 0., fifty years ago.
John M. Blake was three years old when his people moved to Turtle Creek township and he was reared there and continued to reside in that part of the county for thirty-two years, when he moved to Clinton township, but still owns one fine farm of 200 acres in the former township, and one of eighty acres, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Fred J. Russell, in the latter township. The flour mill now belonging to the Farmers Grain and Milling Company, is one of the oldest mills and grain elevators in Shelby county and prior to January, 1912, was operated for many years by the late Capt. E. E. Nutt. At the time above mentioned, John M. Blake, Fred J. Russell and Mrs. Frank M. Sayre, bought the mill and a prosperous period of business has followed. Mr. Blake's duties have been specified. Mr. Russell has charge of the buying and selling of the grain, while Frank M. Sayre is secretary and treasurer of the company and attends to all the office work. With the exception of one year in the Sidney high school, Mr. Blake never had any but common school advantages and during the larger part of his life has been exclusively an agriculturist, moving from his farm to Sidney early in 1912.
Mr. Blake married Miss Jessie Russell, who is a daughter of Moses James Russell and Martha E. Russell, now deceased, the father once a very prominent farmer in Clinton township, where Mrs. Blake was born. They have a family of five children : Mary, Russell, John Chester, Gladys and Ethel, and the removal of the family to Sidney opened another hospitable home here and made welcome additions to pleasant social circles.
JOHN SHORT, SR., a retired farmer and one of the oldest settlers now living in Cythian township, was born in Virginia, October 29, 1829, and was brought to Ohio when a child of two years. His parents were Isaac and Mary (Vandegri ft) Short.
Isaac Short and wife were born in Virginia and in all probability came from Holland ancestors. The ten children born to them are recorded as follows : Susanna, the eldest, married George Barker of Cynthian township, Shelby county, and they had four children : Isaac, Sarah Ann, George and Ivy. John, who was the second in order of birth. Christian, who is now deceased, was married first to Caroline Rhona and after her death to Nancy Clauson and was the father of : Mary, Perry, John, George, Margaret and James. George Short married Jane Slack and both died in Cynthian township, three of their children, Susan, William and George, still living, and three of them deceased, Frank, Levi and Henry. Newton Short, the fifth of the family, married (first) Mary Jane Moyer and (second) Margaret Crotinger, and he died in Miami county. His children were : Rachel, Ella, Sarah, Maria and Peter. Allison Jason Short married Sarah Butt and he still resides in
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Darke county where his wife died some years ago, the mother of four children: Thomas, Martha, Allison and William. Rachel Short was the wife of Jacob Hollinger of Indiana, deceased, and they had five children : Mary, Martha, George, Samuel and William. Martha Short married William Butt and both died in Cynthian township having no children. William Short, who lives at Piqua, 0., married Lucinda Austin, who died at Piqua, the mother of six children : Abraham, Charles, Leonard, Della, Virgin and Ida. Richard, the youngest, died at the age of sixteen years.
It was in 1831 that the Shorts came from Virginia to Dayton, 0., and one year later all the family, including the grandfather, Richard Short, came to Cynthian township, Shelby county, where the six sons contracted for eighty acres of land, each one to pay twenty-five dollars. The grandfather advanced the money and the sons subsequently paid it back. He secured 169 acres for himself and also owned eighty acres near Newport. All the Shorts were men of good business judgment and became men of affairs. The Short Special School District was named for Isaac Short, who died on the old homestead, in his sixty-eighth year. His widow survived to be eighty-three years old and their burial was in the cemetery attached to the Christian church at Oran, 0.
John Short, Sr., grew up amidst pioneer surroundings. In boyhood he attended a subscription school in a log cabin situated in McLean township and as those were primitive days, he had but meager advantages, but, at that time, it was not considered necessary for the farmer boys to have more than a practical knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic, and history shows that the acquirement of these was sufficient to enable many a youth to become a leader of men and the possessor of ample fortune. As the eldest son of his father, John Short very early took responsibilities upon himself and during the whole of his subsequent active life, followed agricultural industries with vigor and success. He resides in Cynthian township, where he owns 309 acres, his home being two and one-half miles southeast of Fort Loramie, and eleven miles from Sidney, 0.
On March 13, 1851, Mr. Short was married to Miss Elizabeth Moyer, who was born May 8, 1829, in Cynthian township, a daughter of George and Sarah (Zemer) Moyer. The parents of Mrs. Short were born in Pennsylvania, came early to Ohio and were married in Cynthian township and became parents of ten children, the survivors being : Mrs. Short, George, William and Nathan. The Moyers settled on land that John Short now owns and here both died, the father aged sixty-two years and the mother eighty-five years.
When John Short and wife went to housekeeping it was in a log cabin surrounded with dense woods and it was his task to clear off this heavy forest growth, drain and tile the land and then put it under cultivation. As time went on he made additional improvements and erected the comfortable farm house in which he is spending his later years. The children were all born here, five in number as follows : George W. ; Mary Jane, who resides with her parents ; Isaac, who died when twenty-six years old ; Sarah Elizabeth, who married William Jelly ; and John C. Mr. and Mrs. Jelly reside in Cynthian
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township and they have had five children : Annie, Milton, Hugh, Ethel and John, the last named dying at the age of twelve years. A nephew of Mr. Short, Elmer F. Short, has a very desirable government position at Washington, D. C. During the period of the Civil war Mr. Short was an auctioneer when his services were needed. A lifelong democrat, this being a democratic family, Mr. Short has heartily supported democratic principles and candidates and occasionally has consented to serve in local offices. He is a highly respected citizen and is widely known and long has been a liberal supporter of the Christian church at Oran, O., of which he is a member.
GEORGE W. SHORT, who is a successful general farmer residing in section 17, Cynthian township, where he cultivates 106 acres of fine land belonging to his father, was born on his father's homestead in Cynthian township, Shelby county, 0., February 9, 1852, and is the oldest son of John and Elizabeth Short.
After his school period was over, George W. Short assisted his father on the home farm until 1889 when he became a salesman of organS and pianos for the Baker Music Company of Sidney. After marriage he settled on a farm that adjoins his present one on the south and lived there for two years and then came to the one on which he has resided ever since and here has made many improvements including the erecting of a new residence and the remodeling of the other buildings. The property is well drained and tiled and is in fine condition.
Mr. Short was married (first) to Miss Sarah Ann Noland, of Washington township, Shelby county, who died at the age of twenty-nine years, her burial being in the cemetery at Oran, O. She was the mother of two sons : John R. and Harley H. The latter married Bertha Hemmelright and they reside in Cynthian township and he is a farmer and school teacher. They have three children : Hubert R., Musetta C., and Martha Ellen. Mr. Short was married (second) to Miss Mary Walters, who died aged twenty-seven years, leaving one daughter, Elizabeth May, who died when nineteen years old. Mr. Short's third marriage was to Miss Lilla Belle Taylor, a daughter of Alexander Taylor, formerly of Montgomery county, O., but for some fifteen years a member of Mr. Short's household. To Mr. and Mrs. Short four children have been born: Martha Belle, who died when aged fifteen months ; Olive Goldie, who died when aged eleven weeks; and Emmet Wendle and Byron W., both of whom are making satisfactory progress at school. Mr. Short and family are members of the Christian church at Oran, of which he is a deacon and is also a member of the finance committee and clerk, for the past thirty-five years having been active and helpful in this church body. In 1881 Mr. Short was elected a member of the board of education of the Short Special School District and he has served continuously with the exception of tw0 years, and during that time was president of the board for one year, also treasurer and its clerk for twenty years. On the democratic ticket he was elected township assessor and served two years in that office, and in all his public life has commanded the respect and possessed the confidence of his fellow citizens.
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JOHN FINKENBINE, Sr., one of Shelby county's most substantial and respected citizens, now living retired and residing on his large and well-improved property in Franklin township, where he owns 342 acres, is a native of the old Keystone State, born near the city of Philadelphia, in December, 1831. His parents were Jacob and Susan (Fogt) Finkenbine.
Jacob Finkenbine and wife were born in Baden, Germany, and many of the old and prominent families of Ohio have originated there. When they came first to the United States they located at Philadelphia, Pa., but, in 1832, came to Shelby county, 0., where he found ready employment at his trade of stone mason. He and wife belonged to that sturdy, thrifty class naturally well equipped to face and overcome hardship and they not only comfortably reared their large family, by example and precept teaching them industrious habits, but so prospered that they lived to enjoy ease in their old age. They were among the early f0unders of the German Lutheran church in this section. They had the following children: John, Jacob, Louis, Frederick, George, Charles, Christian, Michael, Dorothy and Sarah. Dorothy married Jacob Fogt, and Sarah married John Fogt.
John Finkenbine attended the district schools in boyhood but as soon as old enough to be trusted with the handling of tools, learned the carpenter trade, which he followed for a number of years. In the meanwhile he acquired land, tract by tract, and then gave up carpenter w0rk and during the remainder of his active life successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. In addition to his Franklin township land he owns 123 acres in Dinsmore township. The extensive farm activities are now in the hands of his sons who continue them profitably.
On June 8, 1858, Mr. Finkenbine married Miss Barbara Schiff, who was born in Baden, Germany, a daughter of Michael and Magdalena (Ludwig) Schiff, who emigrated to America when Mrs. Finkenbine was six years old, she being the youngest of the family: Michael; Magdalena, wife of Jacob Pfaadt; Sarah, wife of Michael Stengle; Jacob; Christian and Barbara. To Mr. and Mrs. Finkenbtne the following children were born: William; Magdalena, wife of Jacob Hagelberger and they have four children—Della, Alfred, Frederick and Carl; Louisa, wife of Christian Foster, and they have two children—Dora and Catherine; Julia, widow of Edward English, and they had three children—May, Bessie and George; Ella, wife of William Stockstill, and they have three children—Pearl, Minnie and Thomas; Sophia, deceased, formerly the wife of Thomas Emley, and they had two children—John and Warren; John E.; Margaret, wife of John Boyer, and they have three children-- Clyde, Donald and Paul; and Lewis H. and Milton B. Mr. Finkenbine and family are members of the German Lutheran church at Anna, 0. He iS a strong democrat in his political views but has never desired to serve in public office. Since coming to this section he has seen many changes take place, new methods of farming have been adopted and comforts and
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conveniences have been brought into the life of the farmer such as, in his boyhood, were not enjoyed by any residents outside of large cities. He has seen many of the old families, also, pass away, their descendants giving up their birthrights of land to enter into the rush and bustle of town and city and it must be a source of satisfaction to him that his sons still love the soil.
N. A. PAULUS, who is one of Cynthian township's substantial and valued citizens, doing a large contracting and building business all through Shelby county, resides on his valuable farm of 100 acres, which lies three miles west of Newport, O. He was born March 6, 1869, in Patterson township, Darke county, O., and has spent his life in his native state.
When he was five years old Mr. Paulus was taken to Wayne township and there he lived all through his school period, then learned his trade and continued to make his home in that section until his marriage in 1900, to Miss Mary Perin. Mrs. Paulus was born in Cynthian township, a daughter of Julius and Rosa (Frances) Perin, well known and highly respected people of this township. Mr. Paulus bought the interestS of the different heirs in the Perin farm and here he and family have lived ever since. With the exception of the comfortable residence, Mr. Paulus erected all the buildings now standing and has made many other substantial improvements. There are two sets of buildings on the place.
Mr. and Mrs. Paulus are members of the Catholic church at Newport. They have three interesting children : Clara, Francis and Rosa. Mr. Paulus has always voted the democratic ticket but has never been willing to accept political office, making an exception when it came to membership on the school board, and in January, 1912, he was elected a member of the board of education of the Turner Special School District to serve until 1916.
FRANK LINDHAUS, a successful general farmer residing in section 19, Cynthian township, where he owns seventy-three acres of productive and well-cared-for land, was born in Ohio, November 30, 1877, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth Lindhaus.
Frank Lindhaus was three years old when his parents moved to Fort Loramie and he obtained his education in the Berlin Special School District. General farming has occupied the time and attention of Mr. Lindhaus ever since and he has resided on this property, which lies one and one-fourth miles north of Newport, O., ever since his marriage. Here he has put in many improvements and these include the erection of the substantial buildings and the neat fencing which encloses his fields.
In May, 1903, Mr. Lindhaus was married to MisS Elizabeth Kloecker, who is a daughter of Herman Kloecker, of McLean township, Shelby county, and they have four attractive and intelligent children : Emma, Henry, Raymond and Laurence. Mr. and Mrs. Lindhaus are members of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic church at Newport, O. In politics he has always been a democratic voter and has never accepted any public office except that of school
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director, and in January, 1912, was elected a member of the board of education of the Basinburg Special School District.
FRANK J. BORCHERS, whose valuable farm of 160 acres lies in section 26, Cynthian township, is one of the enterprising and prosperouS young agriculturiSts of this section. He was born November 12, 1887, in McLean township, Shelby county, one and one-quarter miles southwest of Fort Loramie, 0., where his people were well-known old settlers.
Frank J. Borchers attended school in the Berlin Special School District and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1911, he came to his present farm where he has thirty acres yet in timber, but all the rest is well drained and sufficiently tiled, while Mr. Borchers haS put the buildings in excellent repair. He carries on mixed farming and all his industries are flourishing.
Mr. Borchers was married to Miss Emma Boerger, a daughter of Henry Boerger, a former resident of McLean township, and they have one daughter, Freda. Mr. and Mrs. Borchers are members of the Catholic church at Newport, 0., which town is situated two and one-half miles east of their farm. Mr. Borchers votes the democratic ticket in both local and national elections.
J. WILLIAM KLOCKER, a well-known general farmer and stockraiser of Shelby county, 0., residing in section 35, Cynthian township, where he has eighty acres of fine land, was born December 23, 1872, in McLean township, and is a son of Herman and Elizabeth Klocker.
J. William Klocker obtained his schooling in the Berlin Special School District, after which he engaged in farming, a very natural thing to do as he was reared to take an interest in this direction. In March, 1911, Mr Kloecker purchased this farm and has all but seven acres of woodland under cultivation. Through remodeling and building, draining and tiling, he has made his property much more valuable than when he bought it. He carries on mixed farming but has little grain to sell, finding it more profitable to feed stock. His markets are easy to reach, his land lying but three and one-half miles west of Newport, 0., and on the Hale turnpike road through Cynthian township.
In February, 1908, Mr. Klocker was married to Miss Mary Eilerman, a daughter of F. J. Eilerman, of McLean township, and they have two children: Leo, who was born December 23, on the Eilerman farm, 1908, in McLean township ; and Margaret, who was born on the present farm October 24, 1911. Mr. Klocker and wife are members of SS. Peter and Paul Catholic church at Newport, O. He is a democrat in politics and on the democratic ticket was elected in January, 1912, a member of the board of education of the Turner Special School District.
J. C. SHORT, general farmer and stock raiser, residing in Cynthian tOWnship, Shelby county, 0., was born on this place, the old family home-
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stead January 25, 1872, and is a son of John Short, one of the old and respected residents of this section.
J. C. Short was primarily educated in the Short Special School District and afterward attended the Normal School at Lebanon, O., and then engaged for a time in teaching school in his own and neighboring townships. In more or less degree he has always engaged in farming and since marriage has devoted himself entirely to agricultural activities. This farm is the old Moyer homestead and here Mr. Short's mother was born, Grandfather Moyer having entered the land. There are eighty acres in the farm and it has been improved by J. C, Short and his father and is one of the fine farms of Cynthian township.
J. C. Short was married on May 1, 1901, to Miss Sarah Anderson, a daughter of I. N. and Catherine (Peters) Anderson, of Miami county, O. Mr. and Mrs. Short have one son, a bright youth of ten years who is making satisfactory progresS at school and the name of John Emery Short stands on the record of the Oran Special School District with many credit marks attached. Since January, 1912, Mr. Short has been a member of the school board, elected on the democratic ticket. Mr. Short and family are members of the Christian church at Oran, O., their farm lying one mile north and one and one-half mile west of that town.
HENRY J. BORCHERS, one of the prosperous farmers of McLean township, who successfully
cultivates his farm of 153 acres, which is situated in section 11, two and one-half miles southwest of Fort Loramie, O., is interested also in a farm of eighty acres, which, in association with his brother, J. J. Borchers, he purchased from George Williams, with the intention of devoting it to stock raising. Mr. Borchers was born in McLean township, Shelby county, O., June 3, 1874, and is a son of J. B. Borchers, one of the well-known residents of thiS section of the county.
Henry J. Borchers obtained his schooling in the Berlin Special School District and ever since has been engaged in agricultural pursuits and at the time of marriage purchased his home farm from his father. He has all of his land well drained and in fine tillable condition with the exception of twelve acres which he prefers to keep as a wood lot. Mr. Borchers is known as an industrious, sensible and careful farmer and his time is largely devoted to his own affairs, although at times he has accepted official responsibilities on the board of education, for seven years serving as clerk of the Walkup Special School District.
On May 1, 1901, Mr. Borchers was married to Miss Frances Hilgefort, a daughter of Clemens and Mary Hilgefort, and their eight children were all born on this farm and here the fifth of the family, Bernard Paul, died when aged but three weeks. All the others survive and are a sturdy and interesting little group : Marie, Kate, Eleanor, Bernadine, Loretta, Ursula and Rose. Mr. Borchers and wife are members of and are carefully rearing their children in St. Michael's Catholic church. In politics Mr. Borchers is a democrat.
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JOSEPH POEPPELMAN, who operates his mothersis excellent farm of eighty-three acres, which is situated in section 11, McLean township. Shelby county, 0., is one of the well-known and highly respected citizens of this township and for seven years served on the board of education of this special school district. He was born in McLean township and is a son of Bernard and Elizabeth Poeppelman.
The father of Mr. Poeppelman was born in Auglaize county, 0., and for many years was a successful farmer in Shelby county, where he owned three farms. His death occurred in his sixty-fourth year and his burial was in the cemetery belonging to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie, of which he was a member. His wife was born in Germany and still survives, and eight children were born to them.
Joseph Poeppelman attended school in the Dirksen Special School District and afterward helped his father and remained with his mother after the father's death. He has improved the farm in the matter of drainage, putting down a large amount of tiling, but all the buildings now standing were built before his time. He carries on a general farming line, raising stock for his own use and has the reputation of being a fine farmer and good manager.
Mr. Poeppelman was married to Miss Mary Gerling, who was born in McLean township, a daughter of Barney Gerling, and they have a family of nine children : Rosa, Ludwig, Anna, Albert, Allwis, Regina, Herman. Joseph and Martha. The family belongs to St. Michael's Catholic church. As a lifelong democrat, Mr. Poeppelman is much interested in the political future of his party and loyally supports its candidates. He has never accepted any public office for himself except membership on the school board as above mentioned.
MRS. LILLY MAY MARTZ, whose beautiful farm of 117 acres lies in Perry township, Shelby county, 0., is a member of old and respected families of the county, who for years have been numbered with the solid and reliable residents. Mrs. Martz was born in Perry township and is a daughter of William A. and Rachel A. (Sturm) Ried, and a granddaughter of George and Mary (Stout) Sturm. The second marriage of Mrs. Ried was to Samuel Woolley, and to this marriage the following children were born : Mary Etta, who is the wife of Edward Taylor ; George A.; John William ; Martha Ellen, who is the wife of William Develvis; Clarence Earl; Harley Thurman ; Maggie Alberta, who is the wife of Charles Glick ; Anna, who is the wife of William Hatcher ; Adrian; and one who died at the age of fifteen years.
Lilly May Ried was educated in the public schools of Perry township and carefully reared by a very capable mother. On December 24, 1890, she was married to Lee Martz, who is the son of Flavius and Mary (Weaver) Martz. The parents of Mr. Martz were Champaign county people and he has one sister, Jennie, who is the wife of Albert Harner ; and two brothers, Michael, who is older, and Lester, who is younger. Mr. and Mrs. Martz have two children : Jennie May, who is the wife of Vernon Elliott and they have one daughter, Verna May; and Guerna O'Feral, who married Harry M. Zimpfer.
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Mr. Martz and family belong to the United Brethren church. Politically he is a democrat and fraternally belongs to the Odd Fellows, the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Red Men. He is numbered with the enterprising and successful farmers and stock raisers of Perry township and he and family have a wide circle of friends.
J. HENRY ALBERS. The well cultivated farm of 100 acres which lies on the east side of the North and South road, in section 4, Dirksen Special School District, one-half mile west and one and one-half mile north of Fort Loramie, O., in McLean township, Shelby county, O., is owned by J. Henry Albers. one of the representative men of this section. He was born on the farm that adjoins this on the west, January 16, 1864, and is a son of H. H. and Josephine Albers.
H. H. Albers was born in Germany and came to the United States and to Ohio when a young man. He was married to Josephine N. Eneking, who was born in Auglaize county, and eight children were born to them, three of whom are deceased. After marriage H. H. Albers and wife came to McLean township and settled on the farm on which Mrs. Albers still resides, being now in her sixty-fifth year. He carried on farming there for a number of years prior to his death, when agel fifty-two years, and was a very highly respected man. He was influential in democratic politics and served as township supervisor and also as a member of the school board, and was a faithful member of St. Joseph's Catholic church, to which his widow also belongs.
J. Henry Albers obtained his education in the Dirksen Special School District and remained at home assisting his father until his own marriage, at which time he bought his present farm from his mother and has continued here ever since. He cleared about twenty acres of the land and yet has fifteen acres in woodland, and has made many improvements including a first class system of drainage and the erection of the commodious and comfortable buildings. He carries on mixed husbandry and raises cattle, paying close attention to his industries and having the reputation of being very successful.
Mr. Albers was married to Miss Margaret Hoying, who was born in McLean township, Shelby county, O., October 20, 1877, a daughter of Clemens and Bernadine Hoying, and they have the following children: Clemens, Bernadine, Frances, Herman, Leo, Alphonse, Matilda and Estella. Mr. Albers and family are members of St. Joseph's Catholic church at Egypt, O. He is affiliated with the democratic party, as was his late father all his life, and is serving in his second term as a member of the board of education in the Dirksen Special School District.
FRANK BORNHORST, who resides on his well-cultivated and improved farm of eighty acres, which is situated in section 9, Dirksen School District, McLean township, was born in May, 1856, in Jackson township, Auglaize county, O., and is a son of Joseph and Katie Bornhorst.
Frank Bornhorst attended school in Jackson township and afterward worked as a farmer and after his marriage purchased his present farm of his
552 - HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
father-in-law, Anthony Imholt. The land had been somewhat improved but Mr. Bornhorst completed its clearings, all but five acres, which he retains in woods, and erected all the substantial and comfortable buildings on the place. He carries on a general farming line and raises enough stock for his own use and at all times is a busy man. He is at the head of a fine family, nine sturdy children having been born to himself and wife and they all survive. He married Miss Catherine Imholt, who was born at Cincinnati, 0., a daughter of Anthony and Mary Imholt, both of whom died on this farm. Mr. and Mrs. Bornhorst's children are as follows : Mary and Frances, twins, Bernard, Herman, Bernadine, Amelia, Elizabeth, Anthony and Leo. Mr. Bornhorst and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. He is a democrat in politics and has served in local offices with honesty and efficiency, for two years being road superintendent and at present belonging to the board of education of the Dirksen Special School District.
BERNARD SEGER, who is president of the board of education of Dirksen Special School District, McLean township, Shelby county, 0., successfully carries on general farming on his valuable tract of eighty acres, situated in section 4, on which place he was born January 9, 1862. He is a son of Clemens A. and Elizabeth Mary (Albers) Seger.
Clemens A. Seger was born in Germany and it was about the time of the Civil war that he came to Shelby county and secured the farm under consideration, it then being entirely unimproved, in fact but a belt of woodland. He worked hard to clear and improve his land but did not survive beyond middle life, his death occurring in 1875, when he was aged but fifty-six years. He was twice married, first to Bernandina Grieshop, and second to Elizabeth Mary Albers. The first wife was the mother of Henry, Ferdinand. Bernard and an infant son. To the second marriage the following children were born : Herman, Elizabeth, Bernard, John, Anthony, Josephine, Anna, Theresa, Clemens and Joseph. The mother of the above children died January 29, 1902, at the age of sixty-six years and her burial, like that of her husband, was in the Catholic cemetery at Minster, where they attended church.
Bernard Seger was only thirteen years of age when his father died. With his brothers and sisters he had been attending school in the Dirksen Special School District, but the death of his father made it necessary for him to give the greater part of his time to work on the farm, which subsequently became his property. He has developed it into one of the finest and best improved forms of the township and has all cleared but ten acres. He put up all the present handsome buildings and takes a pardonable amount of pride in his richly cultivated fields and in his herds and stock. Like his late father, he is a democrat and has served several terms as road supervisor and for the past three years has been a member of the Dirksen Special School District, of which he is president. In this public office he is associated with other leading men of the community. With Mr. Seger president, the district is fortunate and the other members of the board are : Henry Portman, clerk; August
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Schmising, treasurer; and Henry J. Albers, Frank Bornhorst, and Bernard Brandewie the other members.
Mr. Seger was married to Elizabeth Aspree, born in Germany, a daughter of Henry and Agnes Aspree, and the following children have been born to them: Mary, Frank, Ludwig, Charles, Johannah, Clemens, Edward, Albert and Harold, all surviving except Mary and Johannah. Mr. Seger and family are members of the Catholic church at Minster, 0. The handsome home iS situated on the east side of the .Brandewie turnpike road.
ELISHA YOST, who is one of Sidney's most respected retired citizens, occupying his comfortable residence which is located at No. 219 North Miami avenue, is one of the best known men of Shelby county, his various activities during his earlier years, bringing him into businesS and social relations with a very wide circle. He was born December 25, 1837, in Morgan county, Va.
Until he was seventeen years old Elisha Yost remained in Virginia, but early in December, 1856, accompanied his uncle, Rev. John Yost, to Logan county, 0., and remained with him at Quncy, until the spring of 1857, when he began work at the carpenter trade, having learned the same with his brother before leaving Virginia. In Quincy he worked at the trade with his cousins for a time and then, being curious to see something of other parts of the state, accepted an offer from the American Tract Society and traveled through Logan, Shelby and Champaign counties for several months, selling that company's books. In Champaign county he found other relatives and worked for some of them as a farmer, after which he purchased the carpenter tools of a cousin and went into the building business, and continued until 1862, erecting many houses and barns all through the country, and a Methodist Episcopal church edifice in Champaign county.
In the spring of 1862 Mr. Yost moved to Shelby county, and here, on August 11th of that year, he entered the Union army for service in the Civil war, enlisting as a private in Company H, Ninety-ninth Ohio Vol. Inf., and was honorably discharged at the close of that long struggle. During his first year he was connected with the Army of the Cumberland but then was transferred to the Pioneer Corps, that necessary branch of the service that, among its many duties, had the responsibility of building the pontoon bridges. Mr. Yost was present at the fall of Chattanooga and after that was transferred to the Veteran Volunteer Engineers, which built fortifications and probably occupied a more dangerous position than any other body of Soldiers, and was made up entirely of skilled men. Although for all these years he lived a life of hazard, Mr. Yost escaped all injuries and was finally mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., and returned to his home in Shelby county. In the following September he was married and he and his wife resided with the latter's father until he built a residence in Champaign county, on a farm of 265 acres, which was purchased from his wifesis brother and
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partly belonged to her, and on that farm they lived for twenty-two years. While at Quincy he had had some experience in the saw mill business, and as he had fine water power on his Champaign county property, he erected a saw mill there and successfully operated it and also made a profitable business of raising tobacco. When he sold his Champaign county farm he moved to Palestine, Shelby county, where he owned 400 acres, 200 of which he has sold. In 1907 he came t0 Sidney, where he has been a quiet but useful citizen ever since and a liberal supporter of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which religious body he has been a member since January 16, 1857.
On September 12, 1865, Mr. Yost was married to Miss Caroline Weimer, a daughter of Peter and Christina .(Dormice) Weimer. Peter Weimer was born in Germany and when he came to the United States as a boy was entirely dependent upon his own industry for a living. After settling in Ohio and securing land he did not have enough capital to enable him to buy a plough with which to break up his land and it was with the only farm implement that he had, a hoe, that he toiled until he could sow wheat for his first crop. This lack of tools caused many early settlers to grow discouraged and abandon the land which they had worked hard to get, but Mr. Weimer was persevering in the face of poverty and through his industry became prosperous and in the course of years one of the large and successful farmers of his section. The mother of Mrs. Yost was born in France.
To Mr. and Mrs. Yost the following children were born: Effie May, who is the wife of Edward Miller, a farmer ; Olive 'Myrtle, who is the wife of Asbury Wilson; Dora A., who is the wife of Marcus Partington ; Caroline Belle, who is the wife of Lee Sergeant ; Mary M., who is the wife of Charles Leever and they live in Cincinnati; Daisy Alberta, who is the wife of O. W. Cook, of Maplewood, O.; Norma Lavilla, who iS a teacher of music, resides at home; and Bonnie Loretta, who is deceased. While never an aggressive politician, Mr. Yost has always taken a good' citizen's interest in public affairs. While living in Champaign county he served twelve years in the office of justice of the peace and afterward served six years in the same office in Shelby county. For forty years he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity.
FERDINAND C. ARKENBERG, who is a prominent citizen of McLean township, Shelby county, O., resides on his improved farm of 200 acres, sit-. uated in section 10, one mile north of Fort Loramie, O. He was born in McLean township, January 28, 1858, and is a son of Ferdinand and Elizabeth Arkenberg.
Ferdinand Arkenberg, the father, was born in Germany and waS twenty- five years old when he came to the United States. He found a home in Ohio, locating near Minster, in Auglaize county, later marrying and buying a farm in McLean township, Shelby county. His wife, who was also a native of Germany, had lived in America from the age of six years. They became the
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parents of five sons and two daughters, of which family two sons and one daughter are deceased. Ferdinand Arkenberg and wife both died when aged sixty-five years. They were laid to rest in the cemetery attached to the Minster Catholic church, of which they were early members, later transferring their membership to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie. In politics Ferdinand Arkenberg was a democrat and at one time served with honest efficiency in the office of road supervisor in his township.
Ferdinand C. Arkenberg attended school all through boyhood, first in the Dirksen Special School District and also at Minster and Fort Loramie, and then naturally assumed farm duties on the homestead, where he remained until his marriage, when he settled at Minster. One year afterward he moved to his present farm, which is a part of the old home place, and has continued here ever since. The present substantial buildings were on the place when it came into his possession, with the exception of a fine barn which Mr. Arkenberg put up in 1910, after the former one was destroyed by fire. This was destroyed by fire also but he has erected one which he completed in December, 1912. In addition to general farming and stock raising, Mr. Arkenberg has a source of income from a valuable gravel pit on the place, from which he has sold material for turnpike construction for many years. This farm has many historic associations clinging to it as it is the site of old Fort Loramie. On numerous occasions as its present owner has turned furrows in the soil as his plow has been driven back and forth, he has found souvenirs of old days and as gathered together they make a very interesting collection and are naturally very highly prized by Mr. Arkenberg. Included in this collection are about twenty cannon balls, suggestive of less peaceful times than the present, and several pieces of silver. He has found three fifty cent coins bearing dates of 1776, 1777 and 1778; one dollar piece dated 1780 and a shilling bearing the date of 1805. On the south side of the farm is an area of 40x40 feet, which was long since dedicated to cemetery purposes and around which Mr. Arkenberg has planted trees.
Mr. Arkenberg was married to Miss Mary Ortman, a daughter of Bernard and Sophia Ortman, of Auglaize county, and while living at Minster one son, Frank, was born, the family being increased since coming to the farm by the following children : Rosa, Joseph, Ferdinand, Julia, Albert, Herbert and Lawrence. Mr. Arkenberg and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church. In politics he has always been a democrat. The high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens is indicated by the confidence they long have shown in him in reference to educational matters. He served as a member of the Berlin Special School District three terms of three years and two terms of four years each; and is now treasurer of the board.
DAVID M. PRUDEN, general agent for the Union Central Life Insurance Company of Cincinnati, 0., for Shelby and Miami counties, for a number of years has been a resident of Sidney, where he has had business interests. He was born on a farm in Orange township, Shelby county, 0., December 29, 1836, and is a son of Peter and Anna (Amos) Pruden.
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Peter Pruden was probably born at Elizabeth, N. J., and was a shoemaker by trade, later became a farmer. He was married in Benton county, Ky., where his wife, Anna Amos, was born, and they came to Orange township, Shelby county, and both died on the home farm. On this farm David M. Pruden was reared and resided until he was forty-six years of age when he came to Sidney. Here he embarked in the farm implement business and also engaged in handling wool. For the last twenty years he has been connected with the above standard insurance company and probably few men are better known than he in the territory his business interests cover.
In 1879 Mr. Pruden was married to Miss Anna M. Thompson, who was born in Washington township, Shelby county, a daughter of Davis Thompson. and three children were born to them, namely : Nellie, who died at the age of twenty-five years, was the wife of Clifford Livingstone; Sadie, who died when aged twenty-three years ; and Catherine. Mr. Pruden is identified fraternally with the Masons, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.
WILLIAM CASHNER, a highly respected citizen and retired farmer of Shelby county, who occupies his comfortable residence situated on South Ohio avenue, Sidney, was born in Dinsmore township, Shelby county, 0., April 23, 1843, and is a son of John and Barbara (Walburn) Cashner.
John Cashner and wife were born in Pennsylvania and were married there a short time before coming to Ohio. They settled in Montgomery county and spent one year on a farm south of Dayton and about 1833 came to Shelby county, settling on a heavily wooded tract of land in Dinsmore township. They were among the first white settlers and found many Indians remaining in this section, while, for years afterward, wolves howled unpleasantly near the farm-house at night and a close watch had to be maintained to prevent the deer coming from the forest and pawing out the winter wheat, Game was plentiful and there was no lack of food, but other pioneer conditions brought many hardships which only courage and brave endurance could overcome. John Cashner died on this place when aged but fifty years, but his widow, of more robust constitution, survived into her eighty-seventh year. Their original farm contained forty acres, to which Mr. Cashner had added twenty acres.
William Cashner was about nine years old when his father died and he then accompanied his mother to Champaign county, where they lived for two years, in 1860 returning to Shelby county. Choice and immediate opportunity made a farmer of Mr. Cashner and after coming back to his native county he worked for more than a year for John Bush, south of Sidney, and afterward for other farmers over the county for twenty-six years. He then invested in farm land in Wood county, 0., on which he lived for three years when he disposed of it and for two more years rented a farm in Orange township, Shelby county, belonging to an uncle, Benjamin Wirt. From there he went to Auglaize county and lived on a rented farm for seven years and then returned to the former farm in Orange township, which he rented for nine more years, and in 1894 purchased it and continued to reside there until June,
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1910, when he bought his home in Sidney and retired from active life. Shortly afterward he sold his farm, which he had greatly improved, realizing $12,000, which was a profitable investment as he had paid but $5,000 for the property.
In 1873 Mr. Cashner was married to Miss Valerie L. Rush, a daughter of Jesse and Jane (Martin) Rush. She was born in Franklin township, Shelby county, O., but her father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother in New York. They were married in Greene county, O., and for many years lived comfortably as farmers in Franklin township, Shelby county, where the father died in 1866 and the mother in 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Cashner have three children : Charles C., who is clerk in the Oliver Hotel at South Bend, Ind.; Nellie Jane, who is the wife of Milton Haney, a farmer in Orange township, and- they have one child, William Don ; and William Dow, who is a bookkeeper in the great commercial house of Montgomery Ward & Co., Chicago, Ill. Mr. Cashner and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. Although ever a wide awake and interested citizen, Mr. Cashner has never been very active in political life and never accepted any public office except membership on the school board in Orange township.
EDWARD F. STALEY, proprietor of Staley's Bakery at No. 714 Spruce street, Sidney, O., where he is doing a very satisfactory business, has had an experience in this line that covers twenty-one years. He was born on a farm east of Anna Station, O., May 23, 1869, and is a son of Joseph and Mary J. (Kerst) Staley. Joseph Staley was born in Shelby county, a son of Emanuel Staley, the latter of whom was a native of South Carolina and an early settler in Montgomery county, 'O., from which section he came to Shelby county. Joseph Staley followed farming all his life and died on his farm, after which his widow moved to Anna, where her death occurred.
Edward F. Staley attended the country schools and remained on the home farm until he was twenty years of age. Then he decided to learn the baking business and worked in a bakery at Anna Station for two years, after which he went to New London, O., later to Wapakoneta, then to Lima, and from there to Winchester, Ind., working at his trade at all these points. Mr. Staley has been a resident of Sidney for six years, in 1910 purchasing the bakery which George Ehrhardt had been Operating here for seven years. Mr. Staley has a clean, commodious and sanitary bakery, and the extent of his patronage may be judged when it is asserted that he turns out from 1200 to 1400 loaves of bread a day, beside quantities of other goods, and requires the assistance of two bakers. His range of customers covers so large a territory, both in and outside the city, that Mr. Staley now makes use of an automobile for his deliveries.
Mr. Staley was married to Miss Sophia F. Preter, Of New Knoxville, Auglaize county, O., a daughter of Joseph Preter, a well-known resident of that section, and they have five children : Vida, Minnie, Wilbur, Ethel and Everett. Mr. Staley and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is identified with the Odd Fellows.
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J. W. WEYMER, who is a well-known citizen and farmer of Washington township, Shelby county, 0., operating his farm of 150 acres, situated six and one-half miles southwest of Sidney, was born in Washington township, June 2, 1850, and is a son of Michael and Mary (Barnes) Weymer.
Michael Weymer was probably of German extraction but was born in New York and from there came to Shelby county in 1838, locating at that time in Washington township where the remainder of his life was spent, his death occurring in 1877, at the age of sixty-seven years. He was married to Mary Barnes in New York and they came by wagon to this section and in the early days endured many pioneer deprivations. Seven children were born to them and all reached maturity with one exception, there now being but two survivors, J. W. and Carrie. One daughter, Mary A., married John J. Alexander, who died in February, 1895. Mrs. Alexander died in May, 1900.
J. W. Weymer obtained his schooling in Washington township and from boyhood assisted his father on the home farm. Since 1877 he has been operating his present property and also manages his sister's farm of 100 acres. The residence occupied by Mr. Weymer and also by his sister, was built by a brother-in-law, the late John J. Alexander, who owned and operated this farm. A general agricultural line is carried on including grain growing and stock raising.
Mr. Weymer married Miss Ida M. Burnett, a member of one of the early families of Shelby county, and they have one son, Clarence, who has been given collegiate advantages at Ada, 0., and who assists his father. Mr. and Mrs. Weymer are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lockington. In politics Mr. Weymer is a democrat. He has never desired political office but has always taken an interest in the agricultural development of the county and has served as a director of the Agricultural Association. He belongs to the fraternal order of Maccabees.
D. W. SCOTT, whose valuable farm of ninety-five acres is situated four and one-half miles southwest of Sidney, 0., in a fertile and favorable section of Washington township, was born in 1863 in Washington township, Shelby county, 0., and is a son of John and Elle (Higgins) Scott.
John Scott, who is one of the highly esteemed retired residents of Washington township, where he owns a farm of 140 acres, was born in Shelby county and has spent his life here. He was married first to Ellen Higgins and they had three children : D. W.; Samuel and Mrs. Hunt, Samuel being deceased. Mr. Scott was married (second) to Jennie Stewart and the two children of that union are both deceased. His third marriage was to Callie Stewart, to which there was no issue.
D. W. Scott obtained his education in the public schools and afterward, for some years, worked in different sections by the month, for farmers. For two years after his marriage he was associated with his father and then spent four years in Miami county. In 1898 he purchased his present farm which he devotes to stock raising and general farming, mainly grain growing.
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Mr. Scott married Miss Cora Valentine and they have two children : Ella and John. Mr. and Mrs. Scott are members of the United Brethren church at Lockington. In politics he is a republican and at one time served as township trustee. The Scotts are representative people of Washington township.
CAPT. JAMES L. VAN RIPER, captain of Company L, Third Ohio National Guard, and city auditor of Sidney, 0., is one of the prominent young men of Shelby county and one in whom Sidney takes a proprietary interest as he was born here on August 17, 1884, and has made his native place the scene of his interests. He is a son of William L. and Margaret (Lampher) Van Riper, the former of whom is agent for the United States Express C0mpany in this city.
James L. Van Riper attended the public schools of Sidney and was graduated from the Sidney high school in 1902, at that time accepting a position in the office of the American Steel Scraper Company, where he continued for five and one-half years, when he accepted, in 1907, the position of secretary with the Standard Clutch Manufacturing Company, with which lie remained until his resignation in 1911. In the meanwhile he had become interested in public affairs and politics and became the candidate on the republican ticket for city auditor, to which office he was elected with a large majority, being the only one of his political complexion elected on the city ticket. A patriotic sentiment suggested his uniting with the state militia and on July 1, 1907, he enlisted as a private in Company L, Third Regiment, Ohio National Guards, and he was quickly discovered to possess military qualities which resulted in his promotion. On July 22, 1907, he was appointed corporal, and on March 20, 1908, was advanced to the rank of sergeant, on April 22 following being made first sergeant and on January 6, 1910, was commissioned first lieutenant by Governor Harmon. On January 26, 1911, he succeeded Captain Douglas and has command of a fine body of fifty-six men, his being the largest as well as one of the best drilled companies at the annual encampment in 1912. Although a stern disciplinarian, Captain Van Riper has the universal devotion of his men and they form a very effective section of the Third regiment. Captain Van Riper is identified with several fraternal organizations, including the Knights of Pythias and the Foresters.
ANTHONY BARHORST, who is a very enterprising and successful farmer of McLean township and a member of one of the old and respected Catholic families here, was born in McLean township, Shelby county, 0., March 1, 1884, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Grieshop) Barhorst.
Henry Barhorst was born at Steinfeldt, Oldenberg, Germany, September 30, 1828, and came to the United States when sixteen years of age, settling on a farm west of Loramie, 0., and after his marriage he followed farming there for ten years and later acquired a large body of land, at the time of death, August 22, 1906, owning 240 acres. He was a man of high standing in McLean township and for fifteen years served as a township trustee. On
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June 5, 1855, he married Elizabeth Grieshop, who was born at Denklage, Germany, January 7, 1838, and was brought to America in her ninth year. Her people settled in Mercer county, O., where she lived until her marriage took place at Loramie. She died on the home farm in McLean township, August 23, 1908. They were faithful members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie and were known all through the parish for their many fine qualities. They had eleven children : Henry, Herman, John, Bernard, Joseph, Anthony, Mary, Catherine and Rose, being those named, and of these, Herman, Joseph, Mary, Catherine and Rose are deceased.
Anthony Barhorst was educated in the Sherman Special School District and has followed farming ever since reaching manhood. After marriage he settled on his farm of z00 acres, which is situated in section i 1, McLean township, four miles southeast of Fort Loramie, which he bought of George Babylon. He remodeled the residence and has added buildings as his large agricultural operations have made necessary and has all his land in tillable condition except twelve acres of woodland.
Mr. Barhorst was married January 22, 1907, to Miss Josephine Debrosse, who was born in Loramie township, a daughter of Irenus and Margaret (Esthman) Debrosse, and four children have been born to them : an infant daughter who did not long survive ; and Irenus Henry, Agnes B. and John Robert. Mr. Barhorst and family belong to St. Michael's Catholic church. He is a democrat in his political views and takes a good citizen's interest in public matters.
JOHN BURKHART, one of the leading business men of Sidney, conducting a first class shoe store, in the Burkhart block, on North Main avenue, is an experienced shoe and leather man, having been engaged in this line since 1879, when he and his brother became partners with their father, one of the pioneer business men of the city. He was born at Spring Hill, Champaign county, O., September 13, 1857, and is a son of John and Mary Ann (Berner) Burkhart. The parents were born and reared in Germany and shortly after marriage, in 1850, came to the United States and settled first at Quincy, O., but later moved to Spring Hill, and in 1865 came to Sidney. The father was an expert shoemaker, having learned his trade in Germany and continued active in business until his death in 1902. He was a successful business man ; not only erected the Burkhart block on North Main avenue, but also owned the two-story brick building directly north. He left three sons : William, John and E. E., the last named serving for eight years as mayor of the city of Dayton, O.
John Burkhart was educated in the Sidney schools and among his earliest recollections are events connected with his father's shoe store in which he assisted as he grew older, and in 1879 he and brother William became partners with their father. In 1880 the firm erected the Burkhart block, a fine three-story brick building with basement, which Mr. Burkhart now owns, having purchased his brother's interest in 1904. The other real estate owned
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by the father is also retained in the family, being valuable property and in the heart of the business district.
At Sidney, Mr. Burkhart was married to Miss Mary Kraft, a daughter of George Kraft, and they have one daughter, Stella, who is the wife of Prof. L. J. Meyerholtz, a well-known teacher of music here and the leader of the Sidney band. As a citizen Mr. Burkhart has been public spirited and enterprising, has served usefully in the city council and was a member of Sidney's first board of public service. He maintains fraternal relations with the order of Eagles and belongs also to the Elks and is a trustee of the local lodge of this organization.
E. M. BAKER, a leading citizen of Green township, formerly a justice of the peace, resides on his valuable farm of seventy-five acres, which lies ten miles southeast of Sidney. He was born in Clark county, 0., in 1863, and is a son of C. W. and Mary A. (Wells) Baker.
C. W. Baker was born in Maryland and was four years old when his parents brought him to Ohio. He was reared in Clark county and followed farming there for many years and continued to be an agriculturist after moving to Shelby county, where he died in his seventy-ninth year. He married Mary A. Wells, who was born in Champaign county, 0., and five children were born to them, namely : N. H. and W. B., both of whom live in Green township ; Forrest, who is deceased ; E. M.; and Mrs. Bertha A. Pence.
E. M. Baker was educated mainly in the public schools of Shelby county, enjoying two terms also at Lebanon, 0., after which he became a school teacher and more or less continuously devoted himself to educational work for twenty-five years, practically in Shelby county with three terms in Miami county. As a teacher he was considered very efficient and his acquaintance extends all over both counties and his friends are in every section. In 1905 he moved on the farm on which he resides and in retiring from educational work he turned his attention to the improvement and development of his property. With the exception of the residence, all the substantial buildings on the place have been put here by Mr. Baker, and it has been so remodeled that it has many desirable modern comforts and conveniences. General farming and stock raising are carried on and Mr. Baker is proving that an educated man makes a very successful farmer.
Mr. Baker married Miss Clara Moon and they have two children : 0. H. and C. L., both of whom reside at home. In politics Mr. Baker is identified with the republican party.
E. W. PARTINGTON, a successful general farmer of Green township, Shelby county, 0., residing nine miles southeast of Sidney, where he owns 118 1/4, acres of excellent land, the old home place, was born here and has the privilege of being associated with the old familiar landmarks that he can remember since childhood.
Edward W. Partington married Miss Ora D. Middlekauff, who was born in Indiana. They have no children and now live retired, Mr. Partington
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finding enough to still occupy his time in overseeing his large property. During his active years he carried on general farming and stock raising and his land still brings him a satisfactory income. He still occupies the residence his father built but has made many improvements. Mr. Partington has always been a democrat although he has never been willing to accept office, but his judgment is valued by his fellow citizens and is often consulted. Mr. and Mrs. Partington have a wide circle of friends.
P. A. HOWELL, one of the representative men of Orange township, Shelby county, 0., residing on his excellent farm of 135 acres, named Cedar Hill, situated six miles south of Sidney, 0., was born in Hancock county, Ill., and is a son of James A. and Ellen (Slaughter) Howell.
James A. Howell was born in Ohio and reared to manho0d here. Prior to his marriage he moved to Illinois and remained there and in Iowa some six years. After he returned to his native state, he located in Miami county and lived there and in Shelby county until Iw0, when he removed to Richmond, Ind., where he now lives retired. He married Ellen Slaughter, and of their six children five survive.
P. A. Howell was educated in the schools of Miami and Shelby counties, being aged four years when his parents came to Ohio from Iowa. At the age of sixteen he was granted a certificate to teach, being at that time the youngest person ever given a teacher's certificate in his home county. He however preferred the farm and began life for himself as a farm hand. Fearing no amount of hard work and never turning back when encountering difficulties and adversity, although still a young man, he has succeeded in establishing himself on one of the most productive farms of Orange township, being considered one of the substantial citizens of the community. For a number of years Mr. Howell has been engaged frequently in lecture work before Farmers' Institutes, and Cedar Hill farm, on which he has resided since 1900, is surely an example of what may be accomplished by modern methods and systematic effort in increasing the productiveness of a run down farm. He makes a specialty of breeding draft horses and raising potatoes and also has for a number of years been engaged in buying and shipping potatoes, being the founder in this vicinity of an industry amounting to many thousands of dollars annually to the farmers of the county. Mr. Howell is one of the progressive agriculturists of this section, undoubtedly is prospering, and is in every sense of the word a self made man. In politics he is a democrat but has never accepted any offices except in connection with the public schools and has served several years on the school board, and for five of these was clerk.
Mr. Howell was married to Miss Dora C. Voress, only daughter of J. F. Voress, one of the well known residents of Shelby county, and they have four children : Mabel, Walter, Violet, and Ethel. Mr. Howell and family belong to the Christian church.
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JOHN ARLING, who is one of the heirs of the late Henry Arling, and who, with his brothers, Henry and Frank Arling, carry on the agricultural activities of the homestead, where they have 170 acres of fine land, was born on this farm, situated in section 12, McLean township, Shelby county, O. He is a son of Henry and Mary (Fischer) Arling.
Henry Arling was born and reared in Auglaize county, O., and died on the present home farm in August, 1906, at the age of sixty-six years. He was a faithful member of the Catholic church and an upright man in every relation of life. His first marriage was in Auglaize county, to Elizabeth Leining and they had two children : Bernard, who lives at Fort Loramie, O. ; and Elizabeth, who is the wife of Frank Rethman, of the same place. After his first marriage, Henry Arling lived at Minster until he bought his farm of 170 acres in McLean township, Shelby county, a tract that had been but little improved. His first wife died on this farm and his second marriage was to Mary Fischer, who was born in McLean township, a daughter of John Fischer. Mrs. Arling still lives on the old homestead, and she and her children all belong to St. Michael's Catholic church. To the above marriage eight children were born, namely : John, Henry, Rosa, Katie, Anna, Frank, Caroline and Loretta, all of whom survive except Anna.
John Arling and his brothers and sisters attended the schools near home and the sons of the family have all become capable farmers, industriously carrying on general farming and raising livestock, cattle and hogs. The. old home sufficed until 1909 when it was replaced by a more commodious and comfortable one, erected by Mr. Arling and his two brothers. On this farm there are gravel pits which have supplied the material for the building of three turnpike roads but they have not been operated since 1w0. John Arling and brothers, like their late father, are all stanch democrats.
JOHN W. LOCHARD, who now lives in comfortable retirement at Sidney, O., for many years was an extensive farmer in Salem township, where he still retains 240 acres of highly improved land, a fine farm that lies six and one-half miles northeast of Sidney. He was born in Champaign county, O., March 18, 1855, and is a son of Thomas and Eliza (Ellis) Lochard.
The parents of John W. Lochard were born in Virginia and were married shortly after removing with their people to West Liberty, Logan county, O. They moved then to Champaign county where they continued to live until 1874, when they came to Shelby county and the father bought 160 acres of land in Salem township on which he died in 1879, the mother surviving until 1881. After the death of both parents, John W. Lochard bought the interests of the other heirs and subsequently added more land until, as above mentioned, he has 240 acres, all in one body. During the succeeding years Mr. Lochard replaced all the old buildings with modern ones and his residence is an unusually fine example of rural architecture with attractive surroundings. In addition to general farming Mr. Lochard gave considerable attention to raising high grade hogs and cattle. Although a busy man all his active life he never neglected any duty of citizenship, and his neighbors frequently showed
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their confidence in him by electing him to local offices and for seven years he served as a trustee of Salem township. In 1905 he was elected a county commissioner on the democratic ticket and continued in this responsible office until 1911, in the spring of which year he came to Sidney.
Mr. Lochard married Miss Clara Belle Murphy, a daughter of H. C. and Nancy Murphy, farming people of Franklin township, Shelby county, and four children have been born to them, namely : Laura Celia, who is the wife of George L. Kraft, and they have one daughter, Virginia ; Mabel Clare, who is the wife of Dr. Fred McVay, of Botkins, 0.; the third daughter, who died at the age of eleven years, and Hazel Ellen, who lives at home. Mr. Lochard and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is identified with several fraternal bodies that have a large and representative membership in this section, including the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of Khorassan.
WILLIAM H. McCLOSKEY, a retired farmer and well known citizen of Shelby county, who has occupied his handsome residence on South Main avenue, Sidney, since March, 1909, still retains possession of two valuable farms situated in Perry township, aggregating 120 acres. He was born in Orange township, Shelby county, 0., January 17, 1857, and is a son of Josiah W. and Sarah (Barklow) McCloskey.
Josiah W. McCloskey was born at Maysville, Ky., and was sixteen years old when he accompanied his father, Michael McCloskey, to Shelby county, who settled first in Orange township but afterward lived in both Green and Clinton townships and then returned to Orange township where he and wife died on the same clay. Josiah W. McCloskey grew to manhood in this county and married Sarah Barklow, a daughter of John Barklow, who came here about 1836. Mr. McCloskey bought his first farm in Orange township about the time of marriage and afterward owned several valuable tracts of land. His death occurred in March, 1890, at the age of seventy years.
William. H. McCloskey attended the district schools in boyhood and remained on the home farm in Orange township until he was thirty years old and then moved to Perry township where he had bought a farm. Three years later he was united in marriage to Miss Nora E. Redinbo, a daughter of Andrew Redinbo, and they have one daughter, Myrle. She was married in October, 1911, to Charles Louis Eichel, a business man of Sidney. Mr. and Mrs. McCloskey resided in Perry township until his retirement, carrying on general farming until 1887, when he went into the threshing business and continued until 1904, after which for five years, he again devoted his attention entirely to his farm activities. In politics Mr. McCloskey has always been identified with the republican party and at times has been elected to township offices on this ticket, serving as township trustee, and also for six years has held the position of deputy state supervisor of elections. For many years he has had fraternal interests which include membership with the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of Khorassan and the Elks.
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M. E. PARTINGTON, who has been a lifelong resident of Shelby county, O., resides on his valuable and well improved farm of 156 acres, which lies in Green township, one mile east of Plattsville. He was born one and one- half miles southeast of this place and is a son of Edwin and Jemima Partington.
Edward Partington. was born in Union county, Ind., in 1831 and came to Green township, Shelby county, with his mother when nine years old and remained here during the subsequent years of his life, dying in 1905. He was a man of high standing in his community and was widely known. His widow, who still survives, was born in 1831, and six children were born to them : Joseph, who lives near Middletown; John D., who lives at Midway, Shelby county; Mrs. Mary Middleton ; William E., who lives at Sidney; Edwin W., who operates the homestead farm; and M. E.
M. E. Partington remained on the home farm during his boyhood while attending school and afterward until 1900, but when he married he came to this farm which his father owned, and bought it in 1906, and here carries on farming and stock raising very successfully.
In 1900 Mr. Partington was married to Miss Dora Yost, who is a daughter of Elisha Yost, of one of the old pioneer families, and they have two children : Florence and Myron. They are members of the Christian church. In politics Mr. Partington is a democrat.
JOHN E. DORSEY, one of the representative men of Green township, Shelby county, O., and a member of one of the pioneer families of this section, resides on his farm of ninety acres, situated twelve miles southeast of Sidney. He was born in 1854, on a part of his father's land lying immediately across the road from his present farm, and is a son of Snowden D. and a grandson of John Dorsey.
Snowden D. Dorsey was born on the farm above mentioned which his father had secured from the government, and as he grew old enough helped his father to clear the 160 acres from its wild state. Snowden D. Dorsey was both farmer and carpenter. His death occurred in 1894, on his farm east of where he was born in 1825. He was thrice married, first to Margaret J. Dodson, who, at death, left two sons : Edward C. and John E. His second marriage was to Sarah Shaw, who died without issue, and he then married Anna M. Mathers and two sons were born to that union : Samuel M. and Charles M.
John E. Dorsey attended the district schools and afterward continued to assist his father and remained on the old homestead until 1892, when he purchased his present land. This property he greatly improved, building a comfortable and commodious residence and otherwise changing and rearranging structures so that everything was made convenient and now has one of the fine farms of this section. He married Miss Mary E. Licklider and they have six children, namely : Edward E., Harry F., Bonnie F., William S., Bessie M. and Bertha M. Mr. Dorsey has always been an active citizen so far as taking an interest in all law abiding movements is concerned, but he votes indepen-
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dently. His fellow citizens, however, have many times shown their appreciation of his sterling character by electing him to local offices and he has served on the school board, as township assessor, as township trustee and as turnpike superintendent. He is a man of social tastes and is identified fraternally with the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Improved Order of Red Men.
FLINT L. HUBBELL, M. D., physician and surgeon, haS been engaged professionally at Sidney, 0., since 1905, and has built up a very satisfactory practice, making a specialty of surgery. He was born at Quincy, 0., January 9, 1879, and is a son of Dr. James A. and a grandson of Hezekiah Hubbell.
It is a long way back to the times of Grandfather Hubbell as he was one of the earliest pioneers of Shelby county. He was a shoemaker by trade and for a short time followed the same when Sidney was but a village. He was a great hunter and the family tradition is that in one winter alone he killed a bear and forty-three deer on the present site of Sidney. His son, Dr. James A. Hubbell, still resides at Quincy, where he has practiced medicine continuously for the past forty years, his father having died there.
Flint L. Hubbell was reared at Quincy and in the home of his grandfather near by, receiving his educational training in the Quincy schools and after completing his course in the high school entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, 0., where he was graduated in 1896. For two years afterward he conducted a drug store at Quincy and in 1898 entered Starling Medical College at Columbus, where he was graduated with the class of 1901. He returned to Quincy and engaged in medical practice there, in the meanwhile continuing his scientific studies which included several post graduate courses prior to coming to Sidney, February 22, 1904. He was an interne for six months at Bellevue Hospital, New York, and on July 4, 1904, was graduated from the Chicago Clinical School. Dr. Hubbell's enthusiasm for his profession induced further study and he completed a post graduate course in 1912, at the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital. He is identified with the leading medical organizations of the country, belonging to the Shelby County Medical Society, the Ohio State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the International Associations of Surgeons.
Dr. Hubbell was married at Sidney to a daughter of John F. Horr, who, at present is a government official at Jacksonville, Fla. Dr. Hubbell is a member of the Elks and is a thirty-second degree Mason.
V. C. HETZLER, whose extensive agricultural operations are carried on his farm of 214 acres, situated in Green township, and on a farm of 121 acres, located one mile further north, which belongs to himself and sister, is a member of one of the old and respected county families. He was born October 20, 1877, at Hetzlersis Corners, in Orange township, Shelby county, 0., and is a son of George F. and Orilla F. (Sanders) Hetzler.
George F. Hetzler was born and reared in Orange township, Shelby county, and lived and died on the place where his father, Christian Hetzler, had also been born, whose father, George F. Hetzler, had come to this place
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from New Jersey, securing the land from the government when this locality was first opened up for settlement. Grandmother Hetzler was a member of the old Lemon family, which came early to Shelby county. The great-grandfather's farm was never out of the Hetzler name until it was sold in 1912, but the grandfather's farm is still held by the Hetzlers. George F. Hetzler, father of V. C., followed farming until his health failed, his death occurring at the early age of twenty-eight years. He married Orilla F. Sanders, who died November 21, 1912, their two children being : V. C. and Harriet, the latter being the wife of Roscoe Laymaster, who is in business at St. Mary's. They have three children : Dorothea, Florence and Harold.
Since his school days, V. C. Hetzler has been occupied with farming and stock raising and carries on his large undertakings with very satisfying results. The death of his mother has increased his ownership of land, he now having 204 acres in Green township, eighty-three acres where he lives and 121 acres one mile north. He married Miss Sylvia Woodmancy and they have three children : Gladys F., Rachel E. and Doris L. In his political attitude Mr. Hetzler prefers to be independent but takes a good citizen's interest in all local matters and served three years on the school board. With his family he belongs to the Christian church. Fraternally he is identified with the Odd Fellows.
FRED McNEIL, general farmer and stock raiser, who owns a valuable farm of sixty acres in Orange township, situated five and one-half miles southwest of Sidney, was born in Montgomery county, O., August 23, 1866, and is a son of Milton and Elizabeth (Boyer) McNeil.
Milton McNeil was born in Montgomery county, O., where he grew to manhood and after his first marriage moved to Missouri and lived there for six years and then came to Shelby county and settled on the farm now owned by his son and continued to live here until his death, when aged seventy-six years. His first marriage was to Frances Boyer and they had four children: Mary Frances, Jacob, Lucretia and Martin, the last two being deceased. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Boyer, a sister of his first wife, and two children were born to them : Fred and Jessie, the latter of whom died in Missouri. The mother died in February, 1912, at the age of eighty-four years.
Fred McNeil obtained his education in the public schools, and farming and stock raising have been the industries to which he had devoted his time and attention ever since and for the past thirty years he has lived on his present place. The buildings were all put up during his father's time and he has kept them in repair and has done other improving.
Mr. McNeil was married to Miss Hannah W. Weatherhead, who was born in Miami county, O., and they have two children: Milton, who gives his father assistance ; and Jessie, who resides at home. Mr. McNeil and family attend the United Brethren church. Politically he is a democrat and at present is serving as a member of the township school board.
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JOSEPH DANIEL BARNES, a leading member of the bar at Sidney, where he enjoys a fine practice and is a representative and stable citizen, was born in Adams township, Champaign county, 0., June 14, 1869, and is .a son of John H. and Mary (Hubbell) Barnes.
John H. Barnes was born at Hedgesville, W. Va., in 1845, and died April 13, 1907, in Ohio, to which state his father, Michael Barnes, had brought him when a motherless boy of two years. Michael Barnes settled at what was known as Mosquito Lake, Champaign county, where he acquired land and there John H. Barnes was reared and a year after marriage moved to Logan county, later returning to Champaign county and in 1884 moved to Sidney. He was a well-known, reputable citizen, a member of the Episcopal church and a democrat in his political connection. He married Mary Hubbell, in 1867, a daughter of Hezekiah and Sarah ( Johnson) Hubbell, of Quincy, where Mr. Hubbell was a merchant. Three children were born to John H. Barnes and wife, two of whom died in infancy.
Joseph Daniel Barnes attended the public schools in Champaign county and later the Sidney high school, subsequently entering the Cincinnati Law School, where he was graduated in May, 1890, afterward spending one year in the law office of Davies & Hoskins, at Sidney. Mr. Barnes then opened a law office in the Thompson building, at Sidney, and continued alone in practice until July, 1909, when he formed a partnership with D. F. Mills, which association continues under the firm style of Barnes & Mills. For twenty-two years Mr. Barnes has been engaged honorably in the practice of his profession in this city and at times has accepted public office when tendered him, serving efficiently as city solicitor from 1892 until 1895, and as prosecuting attorney from 1895 until 1901. He has ever been an active and interested citizen and an ardent supporter of the principles of the democratic party, for a number of years being entrusted with party management as chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Central Committee. He has four farms in his charge, but otherwise devotes himself entirely to his profession.
In December, 1900, Mr. Barnes was married to Miss Raeburn Eppler, a daughter of Thomas W. and Mary (Miller) Eppler. His fraternal connections include membership with the Masons, Odd Fellows, and the Elks. He maintains his office in the court house at Sidney, and owns an attractive and comfortable residence.
WILLIAM A. PERRY, president and general manager of the Sidney Steel Scraper Company at Sidney, 0., an enterprise of large importance, backed by ample capital and officered with men of business experience and reliability, was born in Union county, Ind., November 24, 1865, and is a son of Russell Biglow and Eliza (Rider) Perry.
The father of Mr. Perry died when he was four years old and his widowed mother moved then to Hamilton, 0., where, eight years later she married John Laughlin and shortly afterward the family removed to Sidney, where Mr. Laughlin became the head of the Sidney School Furniture Company. Mr. Perry was twelve years old when the family came to this city and here
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he completed his education and began his business career in the office of the Sidney School Furniture Company, advancing from the position of bookkeeper to be secretary and treasurer of that concern. It was a prosperous business enterprise which, on the death of Mr. Laughlin, was sold to the American School Furniture Manufacturing Company. Mr. Perry then went to New York City and for two years had charge of the collection department for that company and still further confidence was shown in his tact and ability by the company when they commissioned him to go to Mexico and there establish a branch house. His mission to Mexico was successful, but, on account of becoming interested there in mining, one year later he resigned his position with the above named company and devoted the following three years to developing Mexican mining properties. In the meanwhile he associated himself with Julius Balke, who is now vice president of the Brunswick-Balke Company, of Chicago, Ill., in a partnership for the manufacture of school and church furniture, under the firm name of the Mexican School Furniture Company, operating in conjunction with the American School Furniture Company. Six months after starting their factory was destroyed by fire and the partners decided to return north instead of rebuilding, Mr. Balke going to Chicago and Mr. Perry to Sidney.
The Sidney Steel Scraper Company was established at Sidney many years ago by the late William Haslup and after returning to Sidney Mr. Perry identified himself with this concern, which was subsequently incorporated with a capital of $200,000. For ten years Mr. Perry served as secretary and treasurer and also as sales manager of this company, and, on the death of Mr. Haslup, in 1912, succeeded him as president. The other officers are : Ben Strauss, vice president, and W. L. Snyder, secretary and treasurer.
Mr. Perry was married at Sidney, O., to Miss Clara Epler, who is a daughter of Thompson W. Epler, a prominent citizen. They have one son, John Perry. Fraternally Mr. Perry is a Mason and politically a republican and unquestionably is one of the reliable and conscientious citizens of the community in which his life has been mainly spent and where his dearest interests are centered.
WILLIAM H. WAGNER. In every community there is some one family which stands out prominently among the other inhabitants and in the history of Sidney that family is Wagner. They were originally French, born in Alsace, then a northern province of France, and came to this country in 180, three sturdy brothers, Joseph, Peter and Mathias. Mathias Wagner first saw the light of day in Alsace, April 24, 1818, and in 1830 came to America and drove a team through to Pittsburg, where he met his father who had preceded him by stage from Baltimore. After working there awhile he came to Ohio, to Columbiana county, and there his father engaged in farming. Mathias came on to Allen county in 1837 and a year later to Sidney, when he opened up a meat market and engaged in other enterprises until he became one of the strongest financial men of the town. In 1844 he married Miss Mary R anti,. born in Germany, and became the father of twelve children,
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eight of whom are living. Two brothers of Mathias were born in Ohio, John and George, and came to this county in the fifties. Mr. Wagner died in June, 1888.
William H., the second child of this union, was born in Sidney, May 24, 1855, attended parochial and public schools in Sidney and supplemented this with a course at St. Mary's Institute at Dayton. He married Miss Sophia Cable, of Sandusky, in 1880, who died leaving a son, Cable, who is now associated with the Wagner brothers in the Wagner Manufacturing Company. In 1887 he married Miss Ina Graber, of Findlay, who became the mother of seven children, one of whom died at the age of two years. Mrs. Wagner died a year ago, January 26, 1912, universally beloved. His oldest son, Mathias, is now an interne at St. Frances hospital in Pittsburg, an honor graduate of medicine from the St. Louis University, in 1912. His second child, Marcelle, graduated with the B. A. degree from St. Mary'S Institute three years ago, matriculated with the M. A. degree from the Catholic University at Washington and is now taking a theological course in Cincinnati. William is now at St. Mary's and the daughter, Rose Evelyn, the youngest, with two sons, Richard and Alfred, are attending school in Sidney.
Mr. Wagner lives next the old Wagner homestead on North Miami avenue, and while a very busy man, finds time to cultivate the higher side of his nature in his love of music, pictures and books. He was for Many years the tenor soloist in Holy Angels church and is now one of its wardens.
Mr. Wagner is now and has been president of the First National Exchange Bank since its organization in 1899. President of the People's Savings and Loan Association for the last ten years and for twenty-four on its board of directors.
He has been president of the Wagner Manufacturing Company since its organization twenty-two years ago. This company makes high grade polish and nickel-plated and aluminum kitchen utensils. Mr. Wagner is also president of the Sidney Telephone Company and a director in the Sidney Tool Company and the Monarch Machine Company. He was president of the Commercial Club in 1906 and has always taken an interest in civic utilities and is foremost in advancing public spirited enterprises. Proof of his business capacity is shown in the success which has attended his efforts and which has made his name a familiar one in marts of trade at many points.
WILLIAM T. JOHNSTON, who is a well-known resident of Shelby county, residing on his valuable farm of 190 acres, which is situated in Green township, five miles southeast of Sidney, 0., was born on this place in 1849 and is a son of Joseph and Hannah (Dorn) Johnston.
Joseph Johnston was born and reared in Virginia and came from there, in early manhood, to Shelby county and bought the present homestead when he could secure land at eight dollars an acre. To the development and improvement of his property here he devoted the rest of his life, his death occurring when well advanced in years. He was a sturdy type of citizen and was held in