20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 107

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 107

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

February 2, 1873, Mr. Ulery was joined in marriage with Mary Evelyn Mock, a daughter of Samuel and Mary A. (Bod- kin) Mock. Her father was a native of Pike Township and was born, lived and died on the same farm. His death oc- curred in 1877, when he was fifty-seven years old. He is survived by his wife, also a native of Ohio, who makes her home on the old place and is now about eighty years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Mock were the parents of eight children, name- ly: Melissa, Lucinda, Evelyn (now Mrs. Joseph Ulery), Ella, John, Julia, George, and Vesper. Of these children, Melissa, George, Vesper and John P., who was the husband of Crilla (Mitchell) Mock, are now deceased.

Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ulery, namely: Glenn M., a

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resident of Springfield, Ohio, who mar- ried Florence Jenkins, June 17, 1907; Aldo, who died in infancy; and Ilo V., who is a pupil in the Springfield High School. In politics a stanch Democrat, Mr. Uery has served his township as trustee for five years and as justice of the peace for one term. The religious connection of the family is with the Honey Creek Christian Church, of which Mr. Ulery is a deacon, trustee and the treasurer.

SAMUEL S. ZERKLE, who owns al- most one hundred and one acres of fine farming land in German Township, was born on a farm lying on the line between Clark and Champaign Counties, Ohio, Oc- tober 29, 1835, and is a son of Jonathan and Regina (Zerkle) Zerkle.

Jonathan Zerkle, who was a son of Jacob Zerkle, married a daughter of Abraham Zerkle, who was a brother of Jacob Zerkle. Jonathan Zerkle was born and reared in Virginia. His wife was born in what is now West Virginia and she was brought to Clark County, Ohio, in girlhood. Jacob Zerkle owned a part of the farm now ocenpied by Samuel S. Zerkle, and Abraham Zerkle owned a farm that lay in both Clark and Cham- paign Counties, his residence standing on the county line. Jonathan and Regina Zerkle had eight children. all of whom grew to maturity and married, but there are now only three survivors: Samuel S .; Michael, residing in Indiana: and Mary. who is the widow of John Tshan. The father of the family died in Clark County, Ohio, but the mother died in Illinois.

Samuel S. Zerkle had the advantage of living in two counties during his boyhood and attended the schools situated nearest to his home. Farming has been his main ocenpation in life, but not the exclusive one, as he ran a sawmill for eight years at Terre Hante, in Champaign County. Prior to coming to his present place he resided on a farm on the Valley turnpike, south of Tremont. On March 16, 1892, he took possession of his present farm, which, to be exact, contains one hundred and seven-tenths acres of land and is sit- uated about nine miles northwest of Springfield and two miles northwest of Tremont, on the road that runs from Law- renceville to Terre Haute. He carries on general farming, grows fruit and raises a considerable amount of good stock.

Mr. Zerkle married Catherine Michael, who died in 1890, leaving one son, Walter. The latter married Clara Belle Swartz- baugh, who is a danghter of Philip Swartzbaugh, and they have two children : Ernest and Mertie. Walter Zerkle assists his father on the farm. Both are highly respected citizens and are widely known through both Clark and Champaign Counties.

A. C. HARRAMAN," who is vice presi- dent of the Springfield Planing Mill and Lumber Company, and is also interested in a general insurance business, with offi- ces in the New Zimmerman Building, Springfield, was born in 1869 in Preble County, Ohio. Mr. Harraman was reared and educated in his native county. In 1888 he came to Springfield and for ten ten years was interested in a general in- surance business, representing the Cooper

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Fire Insurance; the German, of Pitts- Ohio. David Steinbarger was five years burg; the Concordia, of Milwaukee; the Cincinnati Underwriters; the Philadel- phia Casualty and the United Surety of Baltimore, during his twenty years of residence here becoming very prominently identified with insurance matters. As vice president of one of the city's large indus- tries, he occupies a prominent place among her business men. He has also borne an active part in political life in Clark County, having served as a mem- ber of the Republican Central Commit- tee, a very influential organization. From January 1, 1903, until 1908, he held the office of justice of the peace.

In May, 1904, Mr. Harraman was mar- ried to Anna E. Johnson, who is a daugh- ter of Albert Johnson, one of the pioneer settlers of Clark County. They have one child, Blanche L. Mr. Harraman is a member of the fraternal order of Eagles, of the Junior Order of American Mechan- ics, of the Odd Fellows and of Camp Ben Hur, Red Men.

GEORGE S. STEINBARGER,* one of Moorefield Township's prominent citizens and large farmers, owning 206 acres of valuable land, was born in Urbana Town- ship, Champaign County, Ohio, August 10, 1830, and is a son of David and Eliza- beth (Pence) Steinbarger. The Stein- barger family came from Germany to America and settled in Virginia, in the person of the great-grandfather of George S. Steinbarger.

David Steinbarger was born in Virginia in 1800, and was a son of John Stein- barger, who was also a native of Virginia and was the founder of the family in

old when his parents settled near Millers- town, Champaign County, Ohio, the father securing a farm on Nettle Creek. He re- mained on that farm until 1819, when he removed to Taylorsville, about thirty miles south of Indianapolis, Indiana, where he secured a very valuable farm in the bottom land along the White River. On that farm John Steinbarger died, his son, David, subsequently leaving Indiana and returning to Champaign County, Ohio, where he became a leading citizen and successful farmer of Urbana Town- ship. In Champaign County, David Stein- barger was married to Elizabeth Pence, who was born in that county and was a daughter of John Pence. The Pence fam- ily was also of German extraction, and John Pence was born in Virginia. After the death of his first wife, David Stein- barger was married to Lucy Gains and he was the father of fifteen children.

George S. Steinbarger was reared in Urbana Township and attended the dis- trict schools. He assisted on the home farm until he was twenty years of age, when he went into the mill and distillery business with his father and thus con- tinued for ten years. In 1862 he moved to Springfield, where he lived for three years, during which period he was en- gaged in a wholesale liquor business, after which he removed to a farm south of Springfield, just north of the Spring Grove Park. On this farm Mr. Steinbar- ger resided until 1876, when he settled on his present farm, where he carries on gen- eral agriculture and raises Shorthorn cat- tle. He has made many improvements on his property, completely remodeling the house and erecting farm buildings. He

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has a very valuable property in which he takes justifiable pride.

On March 11, 1856, Mr. Steinbarger was married to Barbara Elizabeth Funk, who was born in Pennsylvania and who is a daughter of John Funk. She was six months old when her parents brought her to Ohio. She was reared in Clark Coun- ty and was married in Springfield. Their three living children are: David R .; Mary Elizabeth, who is the widow of A. D. Hol- man, and has one child, John Roy; and John Brutus, who was married (first) to Clara Benedict and (secondly) to Lou Peters. A child survives from both mar- riages, both wives being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Steinbarger have three deceased children-an infant; James Edward, who died aged nineteen months; and George Christy, who died aged twenty-two years.

CHARLES P. DUNN," a well-known citizen, whose publie-spirited efforts while serving as a member of the City Council from the Second Ward, have resulted in great advantage to Springfield, was born at Springfield, Ohio, in August, 1870, and is a son of the late Charles Dunn. Charles Dunn was born in Ireland and came to America and settled at Springfield as early as 1849, which city remained his home until his death in 1896.

Charles P. Dunn was reared and edu- cated in his native place and after leav- ing school worked for some years in var- ious factories. He then embarked in a laundry business which he conducted un- til 1903, when he became identified with the Central Union Telephone Company. He is one of Springfield's leading Demo- crats, is a member of the Democratic Ex-

ecutive Committee and has been a useful member of the City Council. He worked hard for the measure which has resulted in the draining of Buck Creek, which will add materially to the sanitary condition of the city. He is an earnest, progressive and reliable citizen.

In 1900 Mr. Dunn was married to Jane F. Kelly, who was born and reared at Springfield and who is a daughter of Will- iam Kelly. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn have four children-Charles, Frances, Louise and William. Mr. Dunn and family belong to St. Raphael's Catholic Church. His fra- ternal connections are with the Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hiber- nians and the National Union.

J. S. HARSHMAN,* one of Spring- field's capitalists and most prominent business men, who has been closely identi- fied with many successful enterprises in this section of Ohio, is perhaps best known in connection with the establish- ment, control and management of electric railroads. To name these is to designate the most important lines in which Spring- field capital is interested. Mr. Harsh- man is the president of the Dayton, Springfield and Urbana Electric, presi- dent of the Columbus, London and Spring- field Electric, president of the Springfield and Western Electric, also of the Urbana, Bellefontaine and Northern Railway Company and of the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Railway. Other large interests with which he has been asso- ciated are: the Citizens' National Bank of Springfield, of which he was formerly vice president : the Victor Rubber Tire Company, the Kyle Art Glass Company,

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and the Harshman Shoe Manufacturing Company, of Harshman, Ohio.

Mr. Harshman was born at Harshman, Montgomery County, Ohio, January 26, 1863, and is a son of George W. and Anna V. (Rohor) Harshman. The family is of German extraction and its founder in Ohio came from Maryland. The father of J. S. Harshman was born in Ohio and died at the village named in his honor, where he had been manufacturer, farmer, merchant and prominent man for many years, in 1898.

J. S. Harshman completed his educa- tion in the public and select schools of his native locality and then spent one year in the employ in the office of the Amer- ican Express Company at Dayton. After returning home he became interested with his father in many of the latter's busi- ness enterprises and subsequently became buyer and seller of grain and farm prod- ucts for his father's mills and farms. He continued thus engaged until 1886, when he became associated with his brothers in the business of buying and shipping grain. Subsequently he sold out his interests to his partners and located at Enon, Clark County, where he entered into the grain business on an extensive scale. His ele- vator was once destroyed by fire and was rebuilt, but since 1893 he has been mainly interested in electric railway lines. His office is at Room No. 128 Bushnell Build- ing, Springfield.

Mr. Harshman was married in 1887, to Mary Snyder, who is a daughter of Henry and Anna (Hertzler) Snyder. The late Henry Snyder and a brother were promi- nent citizens of Clark County and the name is perpetuated not only in the vil- lage of Snyderville, but also in Snyder's

Park, which was a gift to the city. Mr. and Mrs. Harshman have three children, namely: Anna S., George W. and Vir- ginia V. The family home is in the en- virons of Springfield.

JOHN W. SULLIVAN,* president of the City Board of Review of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, was born in Cham- paign County, Ohio, in 1856. Mr. Sullivan was reared and educated in Champaign County and early in life learned the mold- er's trade at Mechanicsburg, Ohio, after which he spent about twenty years en- gaged in following that business. He has been a resident of Springfield since 1882 and a member of the Board of Review since the time of the organization of that body. In 1880 Mr. Sullivan was married to Mary Dolan and to this union have been born five children, namely: Mattie, James, Josephine, John, and Maurice. Mr. Sullivan is a member of the St. Raphael Catholic Church of Springfield, and is fraternally a member of the Knights of Columbus.

· L. F. DIFFENDAL,* a prominent citi- zen of South Charleston, Clark County, Ohio, has for many years been extensively engaged in buying and shipping stock. He is a successful business man and a sub- stantial citizen, and has a wide circle of acquaintances and friends throughout this section of the county. He is a native of Frederick County, Maryland, the date of his birth being January 11, 1860. He is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Eyler) Diffendal, and on both sides of the house comes of old Maryland families.

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Samnel Diffendal was born and reared in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where his father had for many years been en- gaged in agricultural pursuits. In early life he moved to Maryland, and was there joined in marriage with Elizabeth Eyler, whose father was a farmer in Frederick County. They later lived in Washington County, Maryland, and in the spring of 1877 Samuel moved west with his family, locating near South Charleston, in Clark County, Ohio. Here he continued to farm until his death. He and his wife were par- ents of nine children, six of whom are now living, and of these our subject is the youngest.

L. F. Diffendal was but one and a half years old when his mother died. He was reared and educated in Washington Coun- ty, Maryland, and in 1877 came to Clark County with his father. He also took to agriculture and upon leaving the home place was for ten years engaged in farm- ing for himself. He has always been an expert judge of stock and stock values, following his inclinations along that line even in his younger days. Since locating in South Charleston, he has operated on an extensive scale and success has crowned his efforts. For fifteen years prior to his marriage he made his home at the Ackley House in South Charleston.

Mr. Diffendal was united in marriage October 30, 1907, with Miss Anna Myrtle Walker, a daughter of R. P. Walker, a re- spected citizen of South Charleston. Po- Jitically, he is a stalwart Democrat, and although his party is very much in the minority, he was elected mayor of the vil- lage by a large majority, and this in spite of the fact that he made no effort to win votes. He was the first man of his party

to hold that office, and although strongly urged to make the race a second time, he declined for business reasons. He also ran for county commissioner, receiving a large vote that evidenced the esteem in which he is held, but the odds against him were too great to be overcome. Frater- nally, he is an Odd Fellow, serving as dis- trict deputy one year; a member of Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., at South Charles- ton; Adorian Chapter at London, and the Knights Templar Commandery at Spring- field. Religiously he belongs is the Meth- odist Church.

JOHN L. BOWLUS,* postmaster of Bowlusville and proprietor of the largest general store in the town, is a leading citizen of this section of Clark County. He was born in Moorefield Township, Clark County, Ohio, September 9, 1858, and is a son of Samuel H. and Lucinda (Michael) Bowlus.

The Bowlus family came to Ohio from Maryland. Samuel H. Bowlus was born near Middletown, Frederick County, Maryland, grew to manhood on his father's farm, and was married in that neighborhood, and when he came to Clark County in 1853, he already had a family of seven children. He settled on what is now known as the Rupsum farm, on which his son .John L. was subsequently born, and engaged in farming that prop- erty until 1865. He then built a grain warehouse on the Erie Railroad, at the point now known as Bowlusville, giving the name to the place. He was a man of great business enterprise and in addition to dealing in grain and later in coal, he started a general store. His son, John

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L., succeeded to all his interests. Sam- and Columbia (Jennings) Dunlap, and uel H. Bowlus invested largely in land and as his judgment was good, his various purchases were intelligently made and he became a man of large fortune. He died November 26, 1897.

Samuel H. Bowlus married Lucinda Michael and they had the following chil- dren: George C., who resides at Spring- field; Samuel W., who lives at Bowlus- ville; Charles F., who died in Michigan, in 1906; Mary A. C., who lives at Bow- lusville; Maria Nettie, who is the wife of T. C. M. Shindler, who is private sec- retary to United States Commissioner Garfield; Millard MeCauley, who resides at Kansas City; Warren L., who is a high official with the Wabash Railroad, at Springfield; John L .; Henry C., who lives at Springfield; and Clement L., who died in 1891. Two children died in infancy, in Maryland. The mother of the above mentioned family survived her husband but seven weeks.

John 1 .. Bowlus was reared in Moore- field Township, where he attended the dis- trict schools. Before he had reached his majority he entered into the mercantile business which his father had established and in the same year, 1878, he was ap- pointed postmaster, an office he has con- tinuously filled until the present time, with the exception of some ten months during the administration of President Hayes. Mr. Bowlus conducts a large business and he is well and favorably known over a large territory, enjoying the high regard of his fellow-citizens as public official, business man and as private citizen.

Mr. Bowlus was married (first) in May, 1893, to Emily Dunlap, who died May 25, 1904. She was a daughter of George R. pany for the manufacturing of wall paper

was born and reared near Urbana. Mr. Dunlap was born at Lexington, Kentucky, He assists Mr. Bowlus in the store. The three children born to the above marriage were: Anna Dunlap, Gwendolyn M. and Edward Jennings, the last mentioned of whom died in 1898, at the age of fourteen monthis. Mr. Bowlus was married (sec- ondly) in May, 1905, to Mrs. Adeline Laughrey.

CHARLES T. RIDGELY,* a well- known resident and highly respected busi- ness man of Springfield, was born here in February, 1856, and is a son of J. F. Ridgely, one of the leading business men of the city, who came here in 1852 from Maryland, where he was born.

Charles T. Ridgely was reared and edu- cated in Springfield and early in life be- gan learning the painter's and paper hanger's trade, at which he worked for about seven years when he was obliged to give up painting on account of ill health. He then devoted his time wholly to decorating for eleven years, during which time he was employed by C. H. Pierce, and in 1885 invented the first trim- mer. In 1890 he took charge of the wall paper department for another firm in Springfield, remaining there one year, when he organized the Ridgely Decorat- ing Company, later selling his interest in the business and also his trimmer patent. On August 15, 1903, he became one of the incorporators of the Bookwalter Hotel and also operated a news and cigar stand until 1906. In July of that same year he organized the Standard Trimmers Com-

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trimmers, straight edge folding pile tables institution of learning celebrated its six hundredth anniversary.

and boards, seam rollers, smoothing rolls, base and casing cutters, and plumbs and level combination tools, in fact a full line of paper hanger's tools. Mr. Ridgely is president and general manager of the Standard Trimmers Company, which is incorporated and has a capital stock of $50,000. He is also financially interested in the United States Nursery of Rich, Mis- sissippi. Mr. Ridgely was united in mar- riage to Nellie Sharp of Troy, Ohio, and to them have been born two sons-Charles Verrey, and Roderick Leigh. Fraternally Mr. Ridgely is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen, and the B. P. O. E.

JOHN B. HIRONS, M. D.,* a promi- nent physician engaged in the practice of his profession at Tremont City, was born in Highland County, Ohio, May 18, 1862, and is a son of Joseph C. and Melissa J. (Gardner) Hirons.

Dr. Hirons was reared mainly on his father's farm in Highland County and at- tended the country schools. After his father became a merchant at Buford, he assisted both on the farm and in the store and also taught one term of school. When twenty-one years of age he began the study of dentistry and remained under the instruction of Dr. J. R. Callahan, at Hills- boro, Ohio, for one year, after which he studied medicine there for a year. He then accompanied his brother, Dr. Joseph Gardner Hirons, now of New York City, to Europe and studied medicine and sur- gery at Heidelberg University and at Leipsic. The brothers were students at Heidelberg in 1886, when that famous old

Upon his return to his native state, Dr. Hirons located at Chattanooga, Mercer County, until 1889, when he came to Tre- mont City and easily took a leading place among the medical men of Clark County. Dr. Hirons was married at Tremont, Jan- uary 1, 1893, to Iora Augusta Hinton, who is a daughter of Edgar B. Hinton, post- master at Tremont. Mrs. Hirons had been a successful school teacher for three years previously, at Terra Haute, Champaign County, Ohio.

CHARLES E. MICKLE,* general foreman of the Machine Department of the International Harvester Company of Springfield, with which concern he has been associated for the past thirty years, was born March 27, 1858, at Delaware, Ohio.

Mr. Mickle was reared and educated at Delaware and early in life learned the ma- chinist's trade at which he worked there until 1879. He then came to Springfield and entered the employ of the old firm Warder, Mitchell & Company, with whom he continued when the firm was changed to Warder, Bushnell and Glessner, who were later succeeded by the International Harvester Company, with which concern he has been identified ever since. He be- came foreman in the shops in 1880 and for the past five years has been general foreman of the Machine Department.

Mr. Mickle married May Harrison, a daughter of Edward Harrison of Spring- field, and they have two sons, namely : Edward H., a student at the Ohio State University of Columbus and Frank, who

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will graduate from the Springfield High School in the spring of 1908. In politics Mr. Mickle is a Republican and his reli- gious connection is with the United Breth- ren Church.

WILLIAM BALLENTINE,* general farmer and stockraiser, whose valuable farm of ninety-four acres is situated on the Terre Haute Road, about ten miles northwest of Springfield and three miles from Tremont, was born at Lawrence- ville, Clark County, Ohio, November 28, 1836. He is a son of Robert and Kather- ine (Berry) Ballentine.

William Ballentine was reared in Ger- man Township and attended the country schools in his boyhood. His business has been farming ever since he started out to make his own way in the world. On Jan- uary 5, 1850, Mr. Ballentine married Mary Clark, who is a daughter of Thomas and Susannah (Cox) Clark. Mrs. Ballen- tine was born and reared in Randolph County, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Ballen- tine have reared a fine family of nine chil- dren and thus far there has been no break in the circle. They are as follows: John, residing in Lagonda, is married and has four children: Emma married Moses (verbolser and they have one child; Rose married William Baker and they have seven children; Mary Etta married Ralph Snyder and they have one child; Lenore is married and has eight children; Thomas is married and has one child; Clifford is also married; Albert, the farm- er on the home place, is married and has three children, and Alpha, the youngest, still resides at home. Thus it will be seen that Mr. and Mrs. Ballentine have

plenty of young life about them and have every reason to be proud of their twenty- five grandchildren.

For one year after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Ballentine lived in Indiana, moving then to Clark County, Ohio, but two years later they returned to Indiana. After four more years in Mrs. Ballen- tine's native state, in August, 1866, they moved to the farm on which they reside, Mr. Ballentine buying sixty acres of it at that time. To the first purchase he added until he owned one hundred and twelve acres, but they have sold some eighteen acres. The property is an excellent one and the D. T. & I. Railroad runs through the farm. Mr. Ballentine built the sub- stantial house and barn and made many other improvements. Both he and wife belong to the Reformed Church at Tremont.

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20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 107

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993