20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 71

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 71

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).

Dignized by Google

680

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

Probate Law and Practice. This came ' ship, has been, up to date, a life resident from the press in 1903, and is the leading of that community. He was born October book in Ohio on this subject. In 1905 he 3, 1848, on the home farm, and is a son was engaged by the American Law Book of Finley and Catherine ( Mitchell) Staf- Company to assist in the preparation of ford. an article on Mechanics' Liens, which ap- pears in Volume 27, CYC. In 1906 his guide to school officers was issued, and in 1907 a guide for executors and adminis- trators.

He became a Master Mason in 1883, and the Knights of Pythias in 1886, going through the chairs, etc., and in 1896-90 served as judge advocate general on the Ohio Brigade of the Uniform Rank.

In 1896 he became a member of the First Lutheran Church, of Springfield, and is now an elder of that organization. From 1897-1903, during the period of the erection of the first Y. M. C. A. Building, he was a director in that organization.

In 1896 he was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Grace Curly, who then lived in Beatrice, Nebraska. Miss Curly was the daughter of Isaac L. Curly, and was born in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Of this union there are three children : Peter Curly Rockel, aged ten; William M., Jr., aged seven, and Margaret, aged four years.

In 1904 Mr. Rockel moved to his farm south of the city, near Possum School- house, where he built a modern residence. in which he now resides. On retirement from the probate judge's office, 1897, he opened a law office in the Bushnell Build- ing, which he still occupies.

Finley Stafford was born on the old home place, on which his son, Joseph, now lives, in 1818, and was a son of George Stafford, who came from Virginia at a very early day and entered 219 acres of land. He had a large family of children, of whom Finley was the youngest son. The latter was born in the old log house on the farm, and during his younger days assisted greatly in clearing the land of its heavy timber. In his later days he erect- ed a good substantial brick house on the place, the one in which his son, Joseph H., now lives. He was joined in marriage with Catherine Mitchell, a native of Miami County, Ohio, and a daughter of Howard Mitchell. They lived on the old Stafford farm until 1887, when he retired from business activity and located at New Car- lisle, where his death occurred in 1894. They were parents of seven children, as follows: Loretta, who died young; Jo- seph. Howard, whose name heads this biography; Edwin, who died in childhood; Albert, who owns a farm of ninety-eight acres adjoining that of Joseph H., and lives at New Carlisle with his mother; Clara, who died young; Laura Ceeil, who is the wife of Tully J. Scarff, of Clark County; and Charles Pence, who lives in Illinois.

Joseph H. Stafford was reared and ed- ucated in Pike Township, attending the common schools. He was born in the old for many years, and has lived on this farm all his life except two years spent

JOSEPH H. STAFFORD, owner of log cabin which stood on the home place sixty acres of farm land on the west boun- dry line of Clark County, in Pike Town-

Diomixed by Google

681

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

on his Grandfather Mitchell's farm after the latter's death. He has followed gen- eral farming, raising some stock, and has met with good success.

Mr. Stafford was married July 3, 1874, to Miss Laura B. Black, a daughter of Robert and Ann (Wallace) Black, and they have five children-Florence; Carrie F. (wife of Charles C. Wilson, by whom she has a son-Allen S.) ; Ross G .; Walter T .; and Grace. Fraternally, our subject is a member of Lodge No. 505, I. O. O. F., at New Carlisle, and also belongs to New Carlisle Encampment No. 222, I. O. 0. F.

GEORGE K. ERNST, trustee of Moorefield Township, is a leading citizen and resides on his valuable farm of forty- five acres, on which he was born, October 3, 1865, and is a son of Noah and Mary (Maxwell) Ernst.

Noah Ernst, father of George K., was born in Virginia and was a son of Jacob Ernst, who came to Moorefield Township, Clark County, Ohio, when the former was two years old. Noah Ernst was married twice, first to a Miss Mckinnon, who left two children, namely: Martin Luther, who is deceased; and Mrs. Emily J. Kip- linger. The second marriage was to Mary Maxwell, and the following children were born : Jacob, who is deceased; Mrs. Fran- ees Ellen Maxwell ; Mrs. Sarah Hyle; John L .; George K., and Noah F.

George K. Ernst was reared in Moore- field Township and after completing his early education in the country schools, he entered Wittenberg College, where he re- mained one year and then spent one year at Antioch College. When he returned

home he engaged in farming, and this has been his main occupation ever since. It is one to which many intelligent, educated men have devoted their attention, and the time has come when agriculture is num- bered with the professions.

Mr. Ernst married Elizabeth W. Wil- son, who is a daughter of Justus S. and Louisa (Bains) Wilson. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Ernst, Horatio Bains, was born in Berkley County, Virginia, and in boyhood accompanied his parents to Warren County, Ohio. He was born in 1791, and came to Clark County in 1811, settling in Moorefield Township. There he married Mary Miller, a daughter of Rev. Ralph Miller, who came to Clark County from Kentucky, and in addition to becoming a large landowner, was a pio- neer preacher in the Methodist Episco- pal Church. For many years Mr. and Mrs. Bains lived in Moorefield Township, where Mrs. Wilson was born. Justus S. Wilson was born in Champaign County, Ohio, and was a son of Reason Z. Wilson, of Virginia. Justus S. Wilson spent the greater part of his life in Champaign County, leaving there and moving to Moorefield Township in 1878, where he died eleven years later. He was a Knight Templar Mason. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had five children. She survived her hus- band and was a beloved member of the household of Mr. and Mrs. Ernst at the time of her death, March, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Ernst have three children: Jennie Irene, who is a student in the Springfield High School; John Wilson, and Sarah Frances.

Mr. Ernst is serving in his second term as township trustee, having been elected on the Democratic ticket in a township

Dlgized by Google

682

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

which generally goes Republican. He has he assumed the duties of market master, also served three terms as township asses- to which office he was appointed by the Springfield Board of Public Service. sor. Fraternally he is connected with the Junior Order of American Mechanics.

AARON T. ALLEN, a well known edu- cator of Clark County, who at present is performing the duties pertaining to the office of market master, at Springfield, was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1856, and is a son of Dr. Aaron and a grandson of the Aaron Allen, who built the first steam- boat to ply on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Pittsburg.

Aaron Allen was one of the energetic, progressive, far-seeing men of his day. He brought the first steam-power mill into Clark County, and he located it at what is now Allentown. He sawed in his mills the rails used for the Pan Handle Railroad, at a time when the rails were of wood construction, covered by strap iron. His son, Dr. Aaron Allen, who was a graduate of the Cincinnati Medical Col- lege in 1849, first practiced at Frankfort, Kentucky, later moving to Cincinnati, and then practiced for four years at Spring- field. Following these changes, he then located at Catawba, where he continued in the practice of medicine for twenty- eight continuous years.

Aaron T. Allen was liberally educated, completing his studies at Wittenberg Col- lege, and at Lebanon, Ohio, after which he devoted himself to teaching, and for eight- teen years taught school in Springfield Township, and for eight years longer in different parts of the county. When he retired from the educational field he in- terested himself in an insurance and col- lection business. On February 1, 1908.

In 1886, Mr. Allen was married to Hat- tie C. Bustrum, and they have five chil- dren, namely : Inez O., Beatrice E., Vivi- an, Bernice and Livia. Mr. and Mrs Allen belong to the Luther Church. Fra- ternally, he is an Odd Fellow.

MARTIN LUTHER STIPP, one of Pleasant Township's representative men. whose valuable farm of seventy-one acres is situated on the Ellsworth turnpike. three miles from Catawba, was born in Clark County, Ohio, December 21, 1851. and is a son of Abraham Stipp.

Abraham Stipp was born in Virginia, in 1818, and came to Champaign County, Ohio, in 1849. He rented a farin there upon which he resided until 1851, when he moved to the farm now occupied by his son, Martin Luther, in Pleasant Town- ship. His wife died on this farm in 1893 and his death took place in 1896. They had two sons and one daughter, namely: Martin Luther; Elizabeth, who is the widow of T. N. Davisson, their one child dying in infancy ; and Henry M., who re- sides in Champaign County. He married Belle Hardman and they have one child. Essie K., who was born in 1891.

Martin Luther Stipp grew to manhood in Pleasant Township and has always followed agricultural pursuits. The farm he owns was left jointly to him and his brother. In 1898 he purchased the latter's interest and has carried on gen- eral farming here ever since, meeting with very satisfactory success. He is a man of practical but also progressive ideas,

Dia zed by Google

683

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

and believes in the use of modern methods and good farm machinery.

On October 25, 1877, Mr. Stipp was mar- ried to Arabella Bumgardner, who is a daughter of Abraham Bumgardner and wife, the former of whom is deceased. Mrs. Bumgardner was born January 31, 1826, and she resides with Mr. and Mrs. Stipp. There were nine children in the Bumgardner family, as follows: George, who married Emma Vanskiver; Eli P., who was married (first) to Mahala Climer, and (second) to Maggie Yeazell; J. N., who married Sarah Stypes; J. R., who is serving in the honorable office of mayor of Catawba, married Ella Earnhart; Ara- bella, who became Mrs. Stipp; Marietta, who married T. M. West, who is town- ship trustee, ha's five children; Clara, who married Thomas Castello, resides at Springfield; A. L., who married Sadie Neer, resides in Greene County, Ohio, has had three children; and Charles V., resid- ing at Springfield, who married Jessie Garrett and has two children.

Mr. and Mrs. Stipp are prominent mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Pleasant Township. He takes a good citizen's interest in public affairs, and has served for upwards of fifteen years on the School Board.

SCIPIO EUGENE BAKER, president and general manager of the Foos Gas Engine Company, of Springfield, Ohio, the largest and most important plant in the United States for the exclusive manu- facturing of Internal Combustion En- gines, has been a resident of Springfield since 1876 and is one of the most prom- inent citizens and leading business men

of the city. He was born June 12, 1860, in Donnelsville, Clark County, Ohio, a son of Dr. A. A. Baker, a native of Enon, and one of the leading pioneer physicians of this county. Ezra D. Baker, grand- father, came from New Jersey in 1805, and laid out the village of Enon, Clark County.

Seipio E. Baker was reared and re- ceived his primary education in this coun- ty, later graduating, in 1881, from Witten- berg College, after which he engaged in the newspaper business and read law in Judge Mower's office for some time. He then formed a partnership with his father 'and D. R. Hosterman and established the Springfield Metallic Casket Company, of which he was general manager until 1890. In 1887 Mr. Baker promoted and organ- ized the Champion Chemical Company, of which he is president and principal stock- holder. The company started with a very small capital and has grown to large proportions and is the largest and most important concern of its kind in this or any other country. One of the principal products of the Champion Chemical Com- pany is the Baker Burglar Proof Metallic Grave Vault, an invention of Mr. Baker. In 1890 Mr. Baker became general man- ager and for fourteen years has been pres- ident of the Royal Salt Company, miners and shippers of rock salt, the mines be- ing located in Central Kansas, where they have an output exceeding 100,000 tons an- nually. He is also director of the West- ern Salt Company, of St. Louis.

In 1897 Mr. Baker headed the corpora- tion which purchased the plant of the Foos Gas Engine Company, a co-partner- ship consisting of John Foos and P. P. Mast, who sold out their entire interest

Digiized by Google

684

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

and retired from the company, the new corporation retaining the old name, how- ever. When Mr. Baker and partners as- sumed charge of the plant, the volume of business being done by the concern was very small, and not over a dozen men, in- cluding office and factory force, were em- ployed. The Foos Gas Engine Company now has a world-wide reputation, em- ploying several hundred men, and carry on an extensive foreign as well as do- doestic trade. Mr. Baker, who has been president and general manager of the corporation since its reorganization, has been largely instrumental in building up the plant from a small concern to the largest plant in the United States for the exclusive manufacturing of Internal Com- bustive Engines.

Mr. Baker was united in marriage June 25, 1895, to Jessie Foos, a daughter of John Foos, one of the pioneer manu- facturers of Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have one daughter, Margaret. Mr. Baker is one of the foremost men of Springfield, enterprising and public-spir- ited, and is held in highest esteem by his fellow-men. Fraternally he is a Mason, having attained the degree of Knight Templar. Religiously he is affiliated with the High Street Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Baker reside in the ele- gant old Foos homestead, which is one of the finest residences in Springfield, and is situated on the corner of High and Syca more Streets, having been purchased in .July, 1904, from John Foos.

One of the principal products of The Champion Chemical Co. is the Baker Burglar Proof Metallic Grave Vault, an invention of Mr. Baker's.

SAMUEL J. KISSELL was born at Beatty, Clark County, Ohio, February 4, 1876, and is a son of Silas G. and Mar- garet (McClure) Kissell. Silas G. Kis- sell, the father, was born in Maryland and came to Clark County when he was nine- teen years of age. He died in Mad River Township, Clark County, in 1905. He and his wife, Margaret, were the parents of eight children.

When Samuel J. Kissell was two weeks old his parents set out with their family to Mad River Township, where the father owned a farm of 100 acres, on which Mrs Silas G. Kissell still lives. He attended the country schools during boyhood, and under his father's training and with his mother's encouragement, he developed into a capable farmer, and has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits entirely, with the exception of three years. when he traveled. He married Zella B. Rice, who is a daughter of William and Matilda (Gowdy) Rice.

William Rice was born in Clark Coun- ty, Ohio, February 17, 1833, and died in April, 1907. He was a son of Edward and Lucy (Pool) Rice, natives of Ver- mont, who came to Clark County at an early day. On January 3, 1856, William Rice was married to Matilda Gowdy, who died July 10, 1906. She was a daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth (MeBeth) Gowdy. They came to Springfield Town- ship in 1826 and settled on the farm which later passed into the possession of William Rice, and still later into that of his daughter, Mrs. Samuel J. Kissell. Mrs. Kissell was born on the farm on which she still lives and on which she was married to Samuel .J. Kissell on Decem- ber 31, 1902.

Ditized by Google

MR. AND MRS. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WEIGEL

Dig zed by Google

687

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

Mr. and Mrs. Kissell lived in Mad River Township for three years following their marriage, coming to their present farm in the fall of 1906. Mr. Rice had lost his wife and desired to have his daughter near him. He lived but a few months longer, his last honrs being soothed by the tender care of his dangh- ter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Kişsell. The latter have two children, Rnth Lamora and Esther Lorena. In politics Mr. Kissell is a Republican.

JOHN R. ELVIN, rural mail carrier, and the owner of 106 acres of fine farming land in German Township, was born in Hardin County, Ohio, November 7, 1850, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Copeland) Elvin.

John Elvin was born in England, where he lived until he was forty years of age. His first wife died there, leaving no chil- dren. He was married a second time, in Richland County. Ohio, to Elizabeth Cope- land, who was of English ancestry, but of American birth. John Elvin settled permanently in Hardin County, and there both he and wife died. Their four chil- dren all survive, namely : John R .; Sarah A .. who resides in Hardin County; Mary Elizabeth, who married George Hafer, re- siding in Hardin County : and James W., who is also a resident of Hardin County.

John R. Elvin was reared and attended school in Hardin County. He followed farming there until he was thirty years of age, but in 1881 he came to Clark County and purchased a farm in German Township, on which he resided until Or- tober 17, 1902, when he moved to Tre- mont, having taken the rural mail route

out from Tremont some six months pre- viously. He found it more advantageous to rent out his farm and remove to Tremont. Mrs. Elvin for the past two years has been compiling an exhaustive history of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this section.

Mr. Elvin has been married twice, first on August 10, 1872, to Mary E. Pence, who died in Hardin County, and secondly to Eva J. Pence. Both ladies were daughters of the late Samuel and Lucy (Swearingen) Pence, old and re- spected farming people of Clark County for many years. Mr. Elvin is prominent in the order of Knights of Pythias in this section, having passed all the chairs in the Tremont lodge, and at present filling the office of prophet and also serving as one of the trustees.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN WEIGEL, justice of the peace and prominent citi- zen of Moorefield Township, residing on his valuable farm of fifty acres, and en- gaged in general agriculture, is a veteran of the Civil War. He was born in Ur- bana Township, Champaign County, Ohio, Sptember 23, 1842, and is a son of Peter and Louisa Jane (Nitchman) Wei- gel.

On both sides of the family the grand- fathers of Mr. Weigel were born in Ger- many, Grandfather Weigel near the storied Rhine. Many of the name live in York County, Pennsylvania, where they gave the name of Weigeltown to a vil- lage of some importance. The parents of Mr. Weigel were both born in Pennsyl- vania and came to Ohio prior to their mar- riage.

Dia zed by Google

688

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

Benjamin F. Weigel has practically taken care of himself since he was nine years old. For two years he worked for a Mr. Pierce, near Taylortown, and for two more years for the widow of Captain Lindell, who resided on the corner of Limestone and Rice Streets, which then marked the corporation limits of Spring- field. Mrs. Lindell owned thirty acres of land, which she used as a garden farm. After Mr. Weigel left that place he en- gaged with J. S. Kitchen, in Green Town- ship, and he continued to work for the Kitchen family until September, 1861. He then enlisted for service in the Civil War, becoming a member of Company F, Forty- fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- try. He engaged for three years, but was discharged in August, 1862, on account of trouble with his throat, which caused him to lose his voice. Dur- ing his term of service he was with the army under General Rosecrans, in Virginia. Mr. Weigel did not recover the use of his vocal chords until April, 1863, and in the following June he re- entered the army, enlisting in Company C, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, to serve six months. He was honorably discharged March 4, 1864.

While still in the army, Mr. Weigel rented a farm of 240 acres from J. S. Kitchen, but after his return Mr. Kitchen was called out on the 100-day service as a member of the National Guard, and Mr. Weigel volunteered to take his place, while Mr. Kitchen started operations on the farm. Thus, for the third time, Mr. Wei- gel's name was enrolled on the roster of his country's defenders, this time in Com- pany D, One Hundred and Forty-sixth

Regiment, Ohio National Guards, and he was again honorably discharged, in Sep- tember, 1864. When he enlisted the sec- ond time, the regiment started out with Captain Howard D. John in command of his company, who was later made colonel of the regiment, and Richard Montjoy, later treasurer of Clark County, was pro- moted to be captain. During this enlist- ment, Mr. Weigel marched with his regi- ment through Kentucky, then on to Cum- berland Gap, where, in September, 1863, the Confederate commander, General Fra- zier, surrendered the Gap to the Union forces under General Burnsides, with 2,250 prisoners. As a treasured trophy of the occasion, Mr. Weigel displays the sword that General Frazier carried on that day. Mr. Weigel participated in ser- eral battles, more or less severe, and en- countered all the hazards of war, on all occasions doing his full duty, but he es- caped all injury except the trouble with his throat above mentioned.

Mr. Weigel then began farming opera- tions on the Kitchen farmn. In February, 1872, he moved to Springfield and went to work in the old Champion shop, which stood on the present site of the Arcade, where he remained until the first Monday in April, 1881, after which he served for two years as constable of Springfield Township. In 1884 he began work at the East Street shop, which was conducted by Mr. Whiteley, and he remained there as an employe until the business went into the hands of a receiver, some years later. For several years afterward, Mr. Weigel was variously employed-at laying street car tracks, at driving a car on the old Green line, and afterward, for five years and two months, he worked as a motorman.

Digazedby Google

689

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

During the last year of service he had the relief run, working every day on a dif- ferent line, his duties being to take note that the regular motorman kept his car appliances in first-class shape. In March, 1898, he came to his present farm, which he had purchased from his father-in-law in the previous month. He does general farming and also raises horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Seemingly, Mr. Weigel possesses the capacity to bring success out of almost everything to which he turns his attention. In March, 1906, he was ap- pointed a justice of the peace, and in the fall of the year he was elected to the office for a term of four years, on the Repub- lican ticket.

On November 10, 1864, Mr. Weigel was first married to Ann Jane Elder, who died April 30, 1871. She was a daughter of John and Phoebe Elder. They had three children, namely : Samuel E., John C. and Finley E., the last mentioned of whom died in infancy, two months before the death of his mother. Samuel E. Weigel, the eldest son, developed a liking for the sea, and left home when fourteen years of age and shipped on a vessel on which he sailed to many parts of the world. He lost his life in the shipwreck of the "Neva," in East Indian waters, when he was almost twenty-one years old. The second son, John Charles, grew to man- hood and married, but developed con- sumption and went to Prescott, Arizona, in hope that the climate would restore him to health. He died there and is sur- vived by a daughter, Effie Mabel, who re- sides in Springfield.

On September 8, 1872, Mr. Weigel was married, secondly, to Elizabeth Wolfe, they are entitled from their fellow-citi- who is a daughter of John R. and Anna zens.

(Riegel) Wolfe. Both parents were born and reared in Pennsylvania, came as chil- dren to Clark County, Ohio, and later set- tled near Springfield. The old Wolfe homestead farm is now Calvary Ceme- tery. In March, 1881, John R. Wolfe pur- chased and settled on the farm on which Mr. and Mrs. Weigel reside. The latter have had four children, namely : Annie J., Matilda F., Mary Josephine, and Nicholas R. K. Annie J. resides at home, Matilda Frances Weigel was married November 27, 1907, to Ira M. Mumper. She is a lady of superior education, and from the age of seventeen years has enthusiastic- ally devoted herself to teaching, fre- quently taking schools eight miles from home and driving back and forth each day, her final day of school work being the very one on which she was married. Mary Josephine, the third daughter, died aged twenty-two months. Nicholas R. K. Weigel, in 1901, married Ida May Isa- belle Hazlett, and they have three chil- dren-Ruth Esther, Ida Frances and Katherine Margaret. Mr. Weigel's fam- ily belong to the Moorefield Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is a trus- tee. He belongs to the Moorefield Town- ship Soldiers' Burial, and also to the Sol- diers' Relief Associations. Until within the past three years, the township had no Memorial Day services, although Mr. Weigel and many others belong to Mitch- ell Post, Grand Army of the Republic; but since then he, in association with Captain MeConkey, have provided for this sacred day ceremonial and each occasion has been more enjoyed than the previous one. These veterans receive the honor to which

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 71

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