USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 72
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108
Dig izedby Google
690
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
JOIIN HI. GOWER, a general farmer and they have two children, John H. and who owns fifty acres of very fine land in Harmony and Springfield Townships, be- longs to a family that was established in Clark County in 1850. Mr. Gower was born in Pleasant Township, Clark County, Ohio, May 23, 1852, and is a son of James Z. and Eliza C. (Yeazel) Gower.
James Z. Gower was born in Maryland and was a son of George Gower. In 1850 he came to Clark County and taught school and studied medicine, remaining until after the birth of his son, when he moved to Michigan, where he lived one year, and from there to Indiana, where he con- tinued to practice medicine until his death, October 9, 1875, at the age of forty-five years. He married Eliza C. Yeazel, who was born in Moorefield Township, Clark County, April 24, 1834. They had two children: John H. and Elizabeth. The latter died in infancy.
John H. Gower has lived in Clark County almost all his life, and has fol- lowed agricultural pursuits. In 1878 he purchased his present farm, on which he has continued to make excellent improve- ments. He carries on general farming and handles thorough-bred stock. For about twenty years he dealt in imported stal- lions. On February 16, 1871, he was mar- ried in Clark County, to Mary E. Mc- Clellan, and they had the follow- ing children: Manrice H., Lottie A., Thomas J. Cartmell (now deceased) was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. and came to Clark County, Ohio, in 1805, with his parents. Nathaniel and Eliza Cart- mell, who made the entire trip on horse- back and located in Pleasant Township. Orrie L., Richard, Stuart M., Mary A., and James L. Maurice H., born October 26, 1873, married (first) Lillian E. Poffenberger, and they had three chil- dren: John M., Isabel and Harriet. He married (second) Ella Eaton, and they Nathaniel M. Cartmell was reared and educated in Pleasant Township, where he reside at Springfield. Lottie A., born October 11, 1875, married John L. Tuttle, has practically spent his entire life, en-
Helen, and they live at Mansfield, Ohio. Richard, born April 1, 1883, died Decem- ber 6, 1888. Orrie was born May 5, 1877. Stuart M., born December 12, 1884, mar- ried Emma Burkhardt, and they have one child, John Ernest, and they reside on the homestead. Mary A., born April 4, 1887. married Harry Nicklen, and they live at Springfield. James L., born October 17, 1889, is a student in the High School at Plattsburg, class of 1908.
Mrs. Gower is a member, on the ma- ternal side, of the prominent Tuttle fam- ily. Her father, Jacob Mcclellan, was born May 4, 1830, and died in 1892. He married Rachel Tuttle, who still survives. She was born September 29, 1832. Mr. and Mrs. McClellan had five ehil- dren, namely: Isabel, Mary E., Emma, Alice and William L.
Mr. Gower and family belong to the Universalist Church at Springfield.
NATHANIEL M. CARTMELL, mem- ber of the Board of County Commission- ers, is one of the leading citizens of Clark County, and represents one of its oldest pioneer families. He was born on a farm in Pleasant Township, Clark County. Ohio, in 1848, and is a son of Thomas .J. Cartmell.
Diomxed by Google
691
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
gaged in farming. He is at present a res- ident of the village of Catawba, but con- tinues to carry on his farming interests in Pleasant Township. He was first married in 1871 to Sally L. Ropp, who came from London County, Virginia, with her par- ents, and they had one child, which died an infant. Mr. Cartmell's second mar- riage took place in September. 1906, to Louise Borger.
Mr. Cartmell is a man of public spirit and has always taken an active interest in polities. He has served on the Board of Agriculture of Clark County for about twenty-one years, and was elected a mem- ber of the Board of County Commission- ers of Clark County in November, 1905. He is a member of the order of the Knights of the Golden Eagle.
ORSON D. ESTLE, one of the trustees of Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, is located on a farm of 197 acres one mile north of Clifton and is extensively en- gaged in farming and stock-raising. He was born three miles east of Clifton, March 4, 1857, and is a son of William H. and Rachel Ann (Farrow) Estle. Will- iam Estle, his paternal grandfather, was born in New Jersey, living near Shrews- bury until he was grown. Upon coming west to Clark County, Ohio, at an early date, he located east of Clifton on a part of the farm now owned by his son. He fol- lowed farming here until his death.
William H. Estle, father of our sub- jeet, was born September 3, 1828, on the place he now owns, three miles east of Clifton, and there grew to manhood. He attended the early district schools and then took to agricultural pursuits, farm- and died in that connty in 1855.
ing the home place until 1880, when he re- tired from business activity and moved to Clifton. He and his wife are surrounded by many friends of life-long standing, and are held in the highest esteem by all who know them. He was united in wedlock with Rachel Ann Farrow, who was born near Maysville, Kentucky, May 15, 1832, and came to Clark County at an early age. Six children blessed their union, four of whom are now living.
O. D. Estle was reared on the home place and during his boyhood days attend- ed the district schools. He remained at home and assisted in the farm work until the spring of 1878, when he rented the Peter Knott's place, farming it for two years. Then he returned to the home place, remaining there until the spring of 1888, when he moved to his present farm in Green Township, occupying this as a renter until 1906, when his wife acquired the property as a devisee under the will of her deceased Uncle, James Anderson. He has been active and energetic in his farm work, following modern methods of agriculture and has been more than ordi- narily successful. He followed general farming and stock-raising, making a spe- cialty of Aberdeen Angus cattle, and hav- ing a herd of registered stock.
Mr. Estle was united in marriage with Harriet A. Anderson, on February 4th, 1880. She was born in Greene County, Ohio, on November 7th, 1855. and is a daughter of the late John Anderson, who was born in Milnacraig, Scotland, in 1807, and who at the age of thirteen years emigrated with his parents, James and Elizabeth (Ogelvey) Anderson, settling on Clark Run in Greene County, Ohio,
Digitizedby Google
692
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Estle, namely: Fred, who married Bertha Rife and lives in Green Township: Rachel intermarried to Fred Stewart, who also lives in Green Township; Bessie and Ellen. The two last mentioned are at home; Ellen is in attendance at school. Politically a Republican, Mr. Estle is serving as township trustee and is a mem- ber of the school board. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, whilst in religious attachment he and his family are Presbyterian.
ALF JONES, a representative citizen of Pleasant Township, who resides on his well cultivated farm of twenty acres, be- longs to one of the old settled families of this section. He was born May 27, 1860, in Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Z. B. and Mira Jane (Ferguson) Jones.
The family was established in Clark County by the great-grandparents, George and Eva Jones, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. They had the fol- lowing children: Mira, Nancy, Elizabeth, Catherine, Uriah, John and Josiah. John Jones, the grandfather of Alf Jones, was born in Pleasant Township, Clark Coun- ty, Ohio, February 27, 1814. On Janu- ary 1, 1835, he married Mary B. Bodkin and they had three children born to them, as follows: George F., born in 1835, mar- ried Elizabeth Neer and they had three children: Lydia, born in 1836, married Samuel Melvin, had five children and died in March, 1906; and Z. B., who survives.
natures of President Madison and his secretary, under the date of December +, 1811. The first marriage of Mr. Jones was to Mira Jane Ferguson, who died February 18, 1885. She was a daughter of William and Margaret Ferguson. Of their four children the two survivors are: Alf, residing in Pleasant Township, and Bert, who was born in 1869, married Lillian Bratton and has one son, Howard. Z. B. Jones was married a second time, the lady being Ellen C. Ward, the cere- mony taking place March 14, 1895. Mrs. Jones is a daughter of Josiah and Rebecca (Veasy) Ward, natives of Maryland.
Alf Jones attended the schools of Pleasant Township through his boyhood and since then has devoted his attention to farming. He manages and operates both his own and his father's land. On November 26, 1882, he married Anna Tavenner, who was born October 9, 1860, and is a daughter of Benjamin and Emma (Cook) Tavenner, the former of whom was born in 1830 and still survives, and the latter in 1834. Mrs. Jones is one of a family of nine children, the names of the others being: Charles, Effie, Harry R., Albert S., William, Amelia, Arthur and Lillian, all of whom survive, with the ex- ception of the youngest, who died in in- fancy. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have one son, Harold F., who was born July 6, 1889. Mrs. Jones is a member of the M. P. Church at Catawba. Mr. Jones is one of the influential men of his community and has frequently been elected to office. He served three years as a justice of the peace, for a number of terms as a trustee of the township, and the excellent condi- tion which is remarked concerning some
Z. B. Jones, father of Alf Jones, was born December 27, 1837, in Clark County, where he owns farming land and has in his possession a deed which bears the sig- of the public highways in his neighbor-
Dgiized by Google
693
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
hood may justly be attributed to his faith- ness. He also has been identified with ful performance of duty during the terms he has served as road supervisor.
HENRY L. SCHAEFER, funeral di- rector and prominent business man of Springfield, Ohio, enjoys the distinction of being the oldest man now resident in the city who was born here after its incor- poration. He was born in 1850, and is a son of Leonard and Rosina D. (Esslin- ger) Schaefer, both natives of Wuert- temberg, Germany.
Leonard Schaefer was reared in the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg and received a liberal education in the schools there. In June, 1849, he came to the United States to seek his fortune in the New World, locating at Springfield, Ohio, where he was married in Angust of the same year. He engaged in general iron work for many years and made this city his home until his death in May, 1895. He survived his wife many years, she dying in June, 1869.
Henry L. Schaefer was reared in Springfield and after completing the pre- scribed course in the common school, went to Germany, where he attended a technical college at Stuttgart. Returning to Springfield, he worked in a machine shop until he was twenty-six years of age, then was employed as foreman and tech- nical draftsman for a period of eighteen years. Deciding to turn his energies in a new direction, in 1893 he took a course in the Chicago School of Embalming and returned to Springfield to follow that pro- fession. His undertaking establishment is located at No. 226 West Main Street, and he carries on a very successful busj-
other important business interests in the city, and is now a stockholder in the Clark County Building and Savings Association.
Mr. Schaefer was married July 30, 1872, to Miss Bertha C. Orthmann, a daughter of Dr. Frederick Orthmann, and they have three children, as follows: Kath- eryn S., wife of Henry S. Carpenter, of Hamilton, Ohio; Bertha C., wife of Will- iam S. Wead, of Springfield; and Theo- dore F., a graduate of Springfield High School and Wittenberg College, is asso- ciated in business with his father. Mr. Schaefer has taken an active interest in local politics, and served two terms as county coroner; he is now serving his third term as a member of the Board of Education. He is a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, and has served as pres- ident of the official board. He is a thirty- second degree Mason, a member of the Shrine, Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, and other fraternal orders. Mr. Schaefer also is an active member of the Springfield Commercial Club.
EARL ELLIOTT CALLISON, a gen- eral merchant in the village of Northamp- ton, who owns' a farm of forty acres in Pike Township, and also rents a tract of 112 acres, was born March 17, 1878, at New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of David F. and Mila (Burns) Calli- son, and a grandson of Robert Callison.
Robert C'allison, who now lives retired at the home of his grandson, owns a farm of thirty aeres in Pike Township, in which he has spent the greater part of his life, following farming. He was born Decem- ber 21, 1823, in Pike Township, Clark
Ilgilized by Google
694
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
County, Ohio, a son of Arthur Callison, a native of Virginia, who came to Ohio at a very early day and settled in the woods in Pike Township, where he died, aged sixty years. Robert Callison married Alice G. North, who died November 7, 1901, aged seventy-six years, and to them were born five children, two of whom died infants. Those reared were as follows: William A., David F., and Verlem O .; Da- vid F., being the only survivor. He was born on his father's farm in Pike Town- ship, December 10, 1858, and remained at home until the age of twenty-one, when he went to Columbus and engaged in the sewing machine business, and later moved to Philadelphia, where he continued in the same line, thence to New York City for a time, and at present is engaged in the real estate business at Brooklyn, New York. David Callison was married in 1876 to Mila Burns, who was born at Medway, Clark County, Ohio, and died May, 1907, aged forty-seven years. She was a dangh- ter of Jacob Burns, who was one of the early settlers of that locality. Two chil- dren were born to David and Mila Calli- son: Earl E., and Ora C., the latter of whom is a resident of Dayton, Ohio, where she is assistant cashier in the Pan Handle Freight office. Earl Elliott Callison was an infant when his parents moved to Med- way, where they remained several years, and then located at Dayton for a short time. Earl E. then came to Pike Town- ship and made his home with his grand- father, spending most of his boyhood days on the farm. His educational training was received in the common schools of Co- lumbus, Ohio, and Philadelphia. In 1894 he entered a dry goods store at Brooklyn, New York, where he continued for three
years, and then returned to the farin, where he remained until September, 1907, when he purchased the A. W. Ryman gen- eral store at Northampton. Mr. Calli- son carries a complete line of dry goods, notions, hardware, and groceries, and con- ducts his business enterprises along mod- ern lines. On October 24, 1901, Mr. Calli- son was united in marriage with Hetty B. Stephenson, a daughter of H. G. and Anna E. (Dillahaunt) Stephenson, and to them have been born two children : Robert, and Harold. In polities Mr. Callison is a Re- publican, and his fraternal connection is with the Knights of Pythias, the Junior Order of American Mechanics.
JOHN S. SWAIDNER, a representa- tive farmer of Springfield Township, who owns sixty-five acres of valuable land sit- uated on the Columbus Road, is part owner also of another farin of 280 acres which is situated in Moorefield Township. Mr. Swaidner was born in Allen County, Indiana, November 12, 1856, and is a son of John and Elizabeth ( Raby) Swaidner, both of whom are now deceased.
John S. Swaidner was reared in Allen County and remained on his father's farm until he was seventeen years of age, when he attended the township high school. When nineteen years old he began to teach, during the first year in DeKalb County, and for six years more in Allen County, Indiana. Mr. Swaidner completed his education at Adrain College, Adrain. Michigan, and it was during his college life that he met the lady who subsequently became his wife, she being a student of the college at the same time. They were mar- ried on March 23, 1882. Mrs. Swaidner
Digiized By Google
CHARLES E. PATRIC
Digezind by Google
697
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
was formerly Emma F. MeKillip. She is a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Me- Killip, people of substance and promi- nenee in Moorefield Township. Mr. Mc- Killip died May 12, 1904, but his widow survives and resides on the old home- stead.
After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Swaidner took up their residence with Mr. and Mrs. MeKillip, where they remained for ten years, Mr. Swaidner teaching school in Moorefield Township for several years. In 1892 they settled on the present farm in Springfield Township, on which Mr Swaidner carries on general farming. Mrs. Swaidner inherited the second farm from her father, and it is under rental. Mr. Swaidner fell heir to a third interest to 160 acres of his father's estate in Indiana in 1908. He and his wife have had three children, namely : Daniel B., who died aged five months; Emma, Laura, and Jes- sie B.
Mr. Swaidner is a Republican in his political views. He was elected township trustee of Moorefield Township and served on the Springfield Township School Board for eleven years, during five of which he was president of the board. While thus serving he performed a useful and important work, as it was through his persistent efforts that music and school libraries were installed in the township schools.
CHARLES E. PATRIC, who may justly be termed the father of those agri- cultural implements, the Superior Drills, which have carried the name of Spring- field all over the United States and to re- mote foreign lands, came first to this city
in 1867, and has made it his permanent home since 1883. Mr. Patric was born at Poughkeepsie, New York, September 6, 1837, and is a son of Richard F. and Be- thia (Patric) Patric.
The founders of the Patric family in America were born in Scotland, and set- tled in Connecticut about 1635. Abel Pat- rie, the paternal grandfather, served in the Revolutionary War and had many thrilling adventures, through which he lived, and died in his peaceful home in Eastern New York. His son, Richard F. Patric, father of Charles E., was born in Connecticut, but later moved to a farm near Poughkeepsie, New York, and still later to Wayne County, in the same state. He was engaged in a lumber business during his active years. His death took place in Monroe County, New York, in 1855. His widow survived him until 1863. They were zealous and worthy members of the Baptist Church.
Charles E. Patric was the ninth child in his parents' family of ten children, and with his brothers and sisters he enjoyed the same educational advantages in the district schools. Later he had academie training at Hornellsville, after which he returned to Wayne County and for a time, prior to starting out independently, he was associated in business with his father. He was connected subsequently, until 1864, with manufacturing and milling in- terests at Victor, in Ontario County, and then entered into manufacturing, at Shortsville, New York. In the meanwhile, Mr. Patric had been quietly developing a natural talent for invention, one that in the course of time has closely approached genius. After many experiments and in- numerable valuable inventions, in 1865 he
Do cowy Google
698
HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
succeeded in completing what is known as the "double force feed grain distributor for grain drills." In the fall of 1866 he moved to Macedon, New York, where he was able to secure better facilities for per- fecting his great inventions. In May of the following year, Mr. Patric came to Springfield, and here he set forth the mer- its on his inventions before capitalists of this section, who quickly recognized their merits and lost little time in organizing for their manufacture.
In 1878 Mr. Patric returned to Roches- ter, New York, where he had established a foundry and machine works, and while experimenting, he succeeded in making an entirely new drill, one which was superior in every way to the former inventions, and this fact naturally suggested the name of the "Superior Drill." In the fall of
1883 Mr. Patric came back to Springfield, and here he organized The Superior Drill Company, which was then incorporated with a capital stock of $250,000. Mr. Pat- rie has continued as a director and one of the heaviest stockholders of this company, which, with the exception of one indns- try, controls the largest business done at Springfield. His brain is still active, al- though he has taken out more than forty patents on grain drills and seeding ma- chines.
His latest invention consists of a Seed Planter, adapted to the use of the gard- ener, florist, nurseryman or seedman. It plants perfectly all kinds of seeds, from the finest seeds to and including the wrin- kle peas and lima beans, either in drills or hills. It is constructed upon thor- oughly scientific principles, using an ah- solute "force feed." insuring absolute control of the quantity sown, and will sow
exactly the quantity it is set to sow, and without injury to the seed. It opens the furrow, plant the seed, covers it, and presses the soil over the seed, all at one operation, and as fast as the operator can walk. It is a model of simplicity and will last for years. It weighs but nineteen pounds, and a boy can operate it with ease. A great deal of time and money have been expended in perfecting this lit- tle machine, on which patents are pend- ing.
Mr. Patric's other business connections include the vice presidency of The Foos Gas Engine Company, the presidency of The Springfield Metallic Casket Company. and a directorship in the Springfield Na- tional Bank. His name stands ever for business integrity and personal honor.
In 1907 Charles E. Patric was married to Mary Jane Veazie, who is a daughter of Judge Veazie, of Natchez, Mississippi. They reside in an elegant home at No. 1314 East High Street, Springfield.
In political sentiment Mr. Patrie is a Republican, but his aims and thoughts have always been far removed from po- litical office. He has been an active pro- . moter of Springfield's commercial inter- ests ever since making this city his home. and as such is one of her most representa- tive men.
FRANK H. ROLFES. city treasurer. and a life-long resident of the City of Springfield, Ohio, where he was born March 20, 1877, is a son of Frank Il Rolfes, Sr., and Mary (Storch) Rolfes.
Frank H. Rolfes, Sr., who died in Feb- ruary, 1908, in his seventy-seventh year. was born in Germany, and came to this
Dia zed by Google
699
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
country in about 1854, loeating in Spring- field, Ohio, where he followed his trade as machinist with success for many years. Mrs. Rolfes preceded her husband to the grave by several years.
Frank H. Rolfes, Jr., was reared in Springfield, and early in life left school to learn the tool-maker's trade with the Warder, Bushnell & Glessner Company, with whom he remained for a period of twelve years, after which he was engaged with the Foos Manufacturing Company for two years. He then accepted the po- sition of secretary of the Springfield Water Works, serving in that capacity for two years, and on November 5, 1907, was elected city treasurer of Springfield. Mr. Rolfes has always taken an active in- terest in politics and his popularity among his associates was duly attested by his election as city treasurer, he being one of the only two Republicans elected to city office at that election.
Fraternally, Mr. Rolfes is a member of the Knights of Pythias order and the B. P. O. E., and is religiously affiliated with St. John's German Lutheran Church.
JOHN H. BECKER, general farmer and stock-raiser, residing on his well-cul- tivated farm of ninety-three acres, which is situated to the east and south of Tre- mont, in German Township, was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, January 1. 1841, and is a son of John and Eliza- beth (Zimmerman) Becker.
John H. Becker accompanied his par- ents to Clark County in 1848, and although he was then a small boy, he remembers the long wagon journey and many of its hardships. For one year the family
lived near the present site of the Chil- dren's Home and then settled in German Township, near Eagle City, the father purchasing a farm at this point. This was the home of John H. Becker until he reached manhood. He attended the coun- try schools and assisted in the manage- ment of the farm. On February 22, 1862, Mr. Becker enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company E, Sixtieth Regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and re- mained in the service for one year. At Harper's Ferry, following the battle of Antietam, Mr. Becker, with his whole reg- iment, was captured by the enemy, but was paroled two days later and was sent to Chicago, where he was finally dis- charged.
In 1864 Mr. Becker was married in Ger- man Township, to Elizabeth Neff, who is a daughter of Christian Neff, who was a pioneer and prominent citizen in the neighborhood of Tremont City. Mr. and Mrs. Becker have two children: Iva, who married J. E. Armstrong, a farmer of Logan County, Ohio, and has one daugh- ter, Elizabeth; and Carrie, who married Irvin Ilges, and has one son, John Ed- mund. Mr. and Mrs. Ilges reside with Mr. Becker, Mr. Ilges operating the farm. This was formerly the old Christian Neff farm. Mr. Becker is not actively inter- ested in politics. He is a member of the fraternal Order of Red Men.
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.