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FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

JACOB BREITENSTEIN, Sr., lawyer, Clinton. He is the oldest and only son living of Jacob Breitenstein, who was married to Barbara Sweithauser, both natives of Ober Rhein Kreis, Germany. He came to this country with his parents in 1836. They came to Marshallville, Wayne Co., Ohio, and remained there one year, when they removed into Chippewa Township in the same county. They remained there fifteen years, when they came to Franklin Township, this county. His education was received in the common schools of Germany, attending school but six weeks in this country. He worked on his father's farm until 24 years of age, when he married Lydia Keller, a native of Pennsylvania. He worked for six years as a coal miner, after which he bought a small farm of 24 acres with his earnings. He carried on farming very successfully until 1876, when he retired. He then began practice as a lawyer in the Justice's Courts. By his industry and economy he has amassed considerable wealth, and is now owner of five farms, including a valuable and rich coal mine, which yields him no small income. He has six children—John, Jacob D., Elias, Daniel, Andrew and Mary. He has served as Township Trustee for a number of years, and is a Notary Public. He is a member of the German Reformed Church. His parents came to this country very poor, and all he has was acquired by his own exertions.

MATHIAS DAVIS, retired farmer ; P. O. Johnson's Corners ; was born Sept. 23, 1810, in Pennsylvania. His father, John Davis, with wife and ten children, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and settled on the farm where Mr. Davis is now residing, in 1817. The parents have long since gone the way of all mortals, and but four of the children survive, viz., Mathias, Nancy, Christina (now Widow Hassett, living in Hudson Township with her son), and Mary living in Carroll Co. Matthias took charge of the farm when about 19 years of age. He and a brother farmed it together for several years. Their location is one of the most naturally picturesque spots in the township, being quite elevated, overlooking the valley of the Cuyahoga River for miles, and immediatelyover the Erie & Ohio Canal. The first wheat raised for market in this vicinity, was that grown by Mr. Davis, which was sold for 50 cents per bushel, and one of the first lots ever shipped to Cleveland on the canal was a lot of Mr. Davis' for which he received about 50 cents per bushel. Mr. Mathias Davis never married, and is now well advanced in years ; lives in very comfortable circumstances, and cares for an aged and feeble sister ; he is a man of generous and hospitable impulses, though very unassuming ; his memory is replete with incidents of early pioneer life and hardships, which both old and young were necessitated to endure during their struggle for existence in the unbroken forest.

ANDREW DONNENWIRTH, saddler, Clinton. He is one of the nine children of John Donnenwirth, a native of Alsace, France, who married Margaret Lang. He was born in Canal Fulton, Stark Co., Ohio, Dec. 19, 1845. He received a common-school education, and learned the trade of saddler. He came to Clinton in 1865. There he began his career as a business man, by carrying on a harness and saddle business. In 1868, he opened a general store, doing a good business until 1880, when he again worked at his trade. He was married in 1869 to Mary A. Ingraham, a native of England. They have five children—Ross, Willie, Belle; Lorena and Daisy M. He enjoys the confidence and goodwill of his fellow-citizens, and was recently elected Justice of the Peace. He is a member of the English Lutheran Church.

DAVID D. DAILEY, farmer; P. O. Nimisila He was born in Blair Co., Penn., Nov. 15, 1817. He worked on his father's farm until 1841, when he came to Franklin Township, and has been here ever since. He was married in 1846, to Elizabeth Row ; they had one son, Adam ; wife died in 1850 ; he was remarried, in 1852, to Anne Holl. They have four children—Andrew, Catharine, Michael and Clara. He is one of the prominent and well-to-do citizens of his township.

LEWIS EVERHARD, traveling salesman, Nimisila. He was born in Plain, Stark Co., Ohio, Nov. 26, 1829. He was raised on a farm,

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and obtained a common-school education. He came to Manchester, Ohio, in 1866 ; began his career as a salesman with the Warthorst Stone Co., of Massillon, Ohio, in 1869. He was married, in 1854, to Anne Hoy. They had two children—Frances E. and John H. She died in 1869. He was remarried, in 1871, to Nancy Williams ; one child, Lottie 0., is the fruit of this marriage. He is a member of the Disciples' Church.

DAVID GROVE, farmer ; P. O. Nimisila ; was born in Franklin Co., Penn., July 3, 1822 ; is son of Jacob and Rachel (Dice) Grove, who were also natives of Pennsylvania. They emigrated to Ohio in 1832, with their five children, viz., David. Polly, Solomon, Arabella and Jacob ; three others were born to them after their removal to this State, viz., Ephraim, Rachel and Hannah ; these are all living. Mr. Grove located in this township, and spent the remainder of his life here, and died in the 72d year of his age. David was married to Mary Long Oct. 12. 1844. They have reared four children, viz., Byron F., Eliza. Mary and Emma. Mrs. Grove was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., and was brought to Wayne Co.. Ohio, by her parents when about 2 years old. Both Mr. and Mrs. Grove are familiar with the hardships of pioneer life, but enjoy a competency earned by their own industry and care.

HENRY A. HOUSMAN. Superintendent Franklin Coal Mine, Clinton. He is the oldest son of Jacob Housman, who was married to Catharine Brougher. He was born in Franklin Township July 19, 1840. He worked on the farm until he was 20 years old. He was then employed as clerk in a store in Manchester, Ohio. In 1860, he went into business for himself. This he carried on successfully until 1870, when he took charge of the Franklin Coal Mine. He came to Clinton in 1875, and has resided here since ; he also taught school here for one and one-half years. He was married in 1862, to Margaret Sisler, a native of Manchester, Ohio. They have two children—Nellie and Fannie. He is at present Superintendent of the Franklin Coal Mine, an extensive and paying mine.

JAMES M. KERSTETTER, general store, Nimisila. Among the self-made business men of Manchester is the subject of this sketch ; he was born in Green Township, Summit Co., Ohio, March 17, 1851 ; his parents were oldsettlers of the county ; he was the oldest o three children ; he was raised on the farm, and when 11 years old, he went with his parents to Manchester ; his education was such as the common schools of the village afforded, and his business career was begun with a clerkship with Kerstetter & Housman. He went into business for himself in 1871 ; he is now keeping a general store, and all he has he obtained by his tact, industry and economy. He was married in 1868 to Isabel Benner, a native of Franklin Township ; they have one daughter—Olive M. His business career is one of remarkable success, he having comparatively nothing when he started.

DANIEL SMITH (deceased) ; was born in Pennsylvania April 10, 1811, and came here with his father's family during the construction of the canal. He married Eliza Diehl March 15, 1835 ; she was also a native of Pennsylvania, and came here with her parents about a year previous to her late husband , her father, Jacob Diehl, settled at Canton, Stark Co., when they came from Pennsylvania, then to Franklin Township. Soon after Mr. Smith was married, they repaired to the farm, where his widow and daughter now live, and, on June 7, 1861, he was called away, leaving a widow and large family to mourn his loss. They were parents of ten children, viz., Judson, Rachel, Amanda, Mary, Ransom, Louisa, Angeline, Carolina, Josephus and Ida ; the last named resides with her aged mother. When their eldest boy, Judson, was about 4 years old, he met with a sad and fatal accident ; while he, with one of his sisters, were endeavoring to cross the millrace on unsafe footing, he fell in, and, although his father was at work near by, the boy was drowned before it was possible. to rescue him. In 1834, Mr. Smith and his father built a sawmill, which Daniel owned and operated many years ; the mill property he had sold, but owing to nonpayment by the purchaser, he (Mr. Smith) had to take it back, and the season preceding his death he had refitted the mill. Since his death, Mrs. Smith has managed the affairs of her business with more than ordinary executive ability, and reared her family, and yet lives to see them enjoy their own homes.

JOHN A. STUMF, farmer ; P. 0. Nimisila ; was born in Franklin Co., Penn., June 2, 1809 ; he is son of Michael and Mary (Ashway) Stumf. In 1819, they moved from Pennsylvania—par-

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ents and five children—and settled six miles west of Massillon, in Tuscarawas Township, Stark Co. They had in all seven children—Catharine, John A., Jacob, Elizabeth, Polly, Lydia and Nancy—the two last named were born after their parents came to this State. About nine years after their locating in Stark County, Mr. Stumf was assisting a neighbor in " raising " a log cabin ; during the progress of the work, some feeling of rivalry as to which party should have their end of the log first in position arose ; the result being that one end of a log was carried up much quicker than the other, causing a skid to break, and swinging the other out of place and in its descent struck Mr. Stumf on the head and killed him. This sad and fatal accident left the widow with her seven young children, in poor circumstances, in the new and sparsely settled country. Shortly after his father's death. John A. returned to his uncle's in Pennsylvania to learn the carpenter's trade, and remained there three years. In the meantime he got married to Mary Grove in April 1832 ; and the following month came back with his wife to his mother's in Stark Co., Ohio, where they lived one year, and in 1833 he moved to Franklin Township and purchased 80 acres, which was partially improved. He worked at his trade for two years after coming here, and then turned his attention principally to farming, which has been his life work. except when he chose to do odd jobs of carpenter work or manfacture anything for his own use, as he was quite handy at any kind of woodwork. He owns a good farm on which he erected a commodious brick residence in 1845. They had five children—Lucinda (who died at 5 years old), Alpheus, Eliza (was wife of Eli Stout, who died in the army of the rebellion ; she is also deceased, leaving one child, Ida, and was reared by Mr. Stumf), Hiram and Mary M. (deceased). Mrs. Stumf died in September, 1872. His mother remained on the old homestead in Stark County, until a short time previous to her death, when she removed to Wayne County, when she died September, 1874, in the 92d year of her age. Besides John A., only Catharine (now widow of Sam Davis of Lucas County), and Lydia (now wife of Moses Hingley, of Richland County), survives.

A. SISLER, M. D., Nimisila ; he was born in Lycoming Co., Penn., Dec. 29, 1823. When 4 years old, he went to Erie Co., N. Y., with his parents ; here he remained until 1844, when he came to Nimisila, and has been there ever since. He read medicine with his brother, Dr. William Sisler, who was at that time in active practice there. He attended lectures in the Cleveland Medical College, and began practice in partnership with his brother, in the spring of 1848, and is at present practicing in Manchester. He was married in 1848 to Amanda E. Hoy, a native of Nimisila. Nine children are now living—Francis E., Charles E., Clara A., Caroline B., Lewis E.. Everett B., John H., Jennie L. and William H. He is a member of the Disciples' Church.

EPHRAIM STUMF, farmer; Nimisila ; is the son of Jacob and Catharine (Sorrick) Stumf, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio when quite young. They settled in this township, where Ephraim was born May 28, 1842. There were four other children born to Jacob and Catharine Stumf, viz.: Matilda, Nathaniel. Amos (deceased) and William. Ephraim lived with his parents until he was married, which event occurred Nov. 29, 1870, to Louisa Smith, daughter of Daniel Smith. They have two children—Bertha and Clarence. Mr. Stumf is a man of few pretentions, but an industrious citizen who attends to his own affairs in an unassuming way.