USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 79
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Simon Michael was a mere boy when his parents moved to Indiana and pur- chased a farm near Muncie, in Delaware County. His father died there six weeks later, and after remnining in Indiana about five or six years, Mr. Michael re- turned to Clark County, Ohio, and worked for his brother-in-law, David Jenkins, who had purchased the old home farm from his father. He remained in German 'Township with his brother-in-law until after his marriage, September 30, 1862, with Elizabeth Freeze, a daughter of John Freeze. She was born in 1842 and died May 10, 1904. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Michael, namely : George Marion, who died at the age of two years and six months, and Cora Irene, wife of Charles E. Ryman, who operates Mr. Champion Coal and lee Company con-
Michael's farm and who has two chil- dren-Myrtle Beatrice and Clark Roscoe. Mr. Michael purchased a tract of fifty
HERMAN VOGES, manager and sec- retary of the Springfield Coal and Ice Company, has been a resident of Spring- field since 1875, and is one of the fore- most business men of the city. He was born April, 1844, in Germany, and came to America at the age of twenty-one, first locating in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was engaged in the hardware business for five years. He then moved to College Cor- ners. Butler County, Ohio, and there also was engaged in the hardware business, continuing in the same for five years, when he came to Springfield, in 1875. He was for seven years engaged as shipping clerk for the Champion Bar Knife Com- pany, of this city, and in 1882, in partner- ship with Mr. M. M. Hedges, entered the ice and coal business under the firm name of Voges & Hedges. In June, 1883, in connection with E. S. Kelly, they estab- lished the Champion Coal & Ice Company, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000, with E. S. Kelly, presi- dent ; Mr. Hedges, secretary, and Mr. Voges, as manager of the company. The
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tinued snecessfully in business until 1888, when it was succeeded by the Springfield Coal and Ice Company, with the capital stock increased to $100,000. In June, 1890, they began the manufacturing of ice, being the first ice plant to operate in this section of the country. The present of- ficers of the company are: W. S. Wilson, president and treasurer ; George Glessner, vice president; Herman Voges, manager and secretary.
Mr. Voges was married in 1868 to Ida Sattler, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and of their union were born the following children: Herman, now a member of the Webster & Perks Manufacturing Company, of Springfield, Ohio; Olga, widow of Joseph Beck, residing in Springfield; Ida, who is the wife of Edward Letzler, of Denver, Colorado; William F., who is traveling auditor for the Diamond Rubber Com- pany, of Akron, Ohio; Albert, who is em- ployed by the Springfield Coal and Ice Company ; and Flora, who lives at home. Fraterually Mr. Voges is a member of the B. P. O. E., and also of the Lagonda Club.
PETER GERON, general farmer, re- siding on his well improved property con- sisting of 16714 acres, known as "Prairie View Farm," which is situated in Moore- field Township, was born in this township May 14, 1857, and is a son of Adam and Elizabeth (Reddick) Geron.
Adam Geron was born in Germany and came to American in early manhood, set- tling in Ohio prior to his marriage. In 1858 he settled with his family in Spring- field Township, where he resided for abont ten years and then moved to a farm
on the National Turnpike east of Spring- field. Peter Geron was a boy of some eleven years at this time and he recalls the family changes of the next few years and remembers the farm in Bethel Town- ship on which his father remained for the following ten years. From that farm Adam Geron moved to Urbana Township, in Champaign County, and there his death occurred in September, 1907. His widow still survives.
When Peter Geron was sixteen years of age he went to work for Henry Snyder. in Mad River Township, and labored as a farm hand for eight years, and also farmed Mr. Snyder's place for six years following his marriage. In 1886 he was married to Elizabeth Kropp, and they have five bright, intelligent children. namely: Mamie, Harry, Effie, A. J. and Ralph.
In 1900 Mr. Geron bought his present fine farm and he has been improving the property ever since, in 1904 building his commodions and comfortable frame dwelling and in 1906 putting up his sub- stantial barn. His surroundings indicate thrift and good management. Mr. Geron is a man of social instincts and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Mae- cabees. Religiously he belongs to St. John's Lutheran Church in Springfield. In politics he is a Democrat.
WILLIAM B. TODD, one of Spring- field Township's representative citizens and excellent agrienlturists, residing on the T. Ward Frey farm of 365 acres. lo- cated about two miles east of Springfield. was born in Green Township. Clark County, Ohio, January 7, 1859, and is a
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RESIDENCE AND BARN OF PETER GERON. MOOREFIELD TOWNSHIP
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son of Samuel A. and Marietta (Wood) Todd.
James Todd, the grandfather, came to Morrowtown, Ohio, from Pennsylvania and was the first of the name to settle at Todd's Forks. Later he came to Green Township and settled on what became known as the Todd farm, where he died. He was of Irish extraction. He married a lady at Hagerstown, Maryland, who was of German descent.
Samnel A. Todd was born on the old Todd farm and prior to enlisting for serv- ice in the Civil War taught a term of school in Harmony Township. He was commissioned a lieutenant by Governor David Todd and served three years in the army. After he returned he worked a short time as a blacksmith and also con- ducted a small grocery business and then traveled for some years as a representa- tive of a business house. He became very prominent politically and for nine years served as county recorder on the Repub- lican ticket. After retiring from office he made his residence at Springfield, and for a time carried on a clothing business at No. 31 West Main Street. He was a man of excellent business faculty and had a wide circle of friends. His death took place December 19, 1899. His widow still survives and lives at Springfield.
William B. Todd attended school in Springfield and when eighteen years of age began to farmn, and, with the excep- tion of two years spent in the grocery business, at Springfield, he has given his attention ever since exclusively to agri- culture. In 1884 Mr. Todd was married to Armenia Nave, who is a daughter of John G. Nave, and they have had eight children, namely: Daisy E., Samuel Le-
Roy, Bessie, Warren, Edwin Augustus, Enla, Frances and Florence. Daisy E. died at the age of eleven years and Samuel LeRoy at that of six. Mr. Todd has an interesting family and is giving them many advantages. Politically he is a prominent Republican, and fraternally he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the Junior Order of American Mechanics and to the Eagles.
ANDREW JACKSON BAKER, gen- eral farmer and stock-raiser, resides on his well improved farm of eighty acres, lying about three miles northwest of Springfield, on the Valley Turnpike, was born on this farm March 3, 1833. He is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Flick) Baker.
Daniel Baker was born about 1800, in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, whence his father, Rudolph Baker removed to Clark County, settling about 1820 in Ger- man Township, where he died in 1823. Rudolph Baker had then scarcely begun to clear his farm from the forest, a task his sons subsequently completed. Daniel Baker succeeded to a part of the farm and there spent his life. He married Elizabeth Flick, who was born and reared near Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio.
Andrew J. Baker was thirteen years of age when his father died. He remained on the home farm until he was eighteen, when he went to Springfield, where he learned the carpenter's trade. For fif- teen years he worked at his trade, but shortly after his marriage he returned to the home farm and resumed farming. He has the larger part of his land rented out. He made many improvements on the
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place after coming here and it ranks with house and spent his entire life on the the best improved farms of the township.
In 1857 Mr. Baker was married to Margaret I. Jones, who is a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Weaver) Jones. She was reared in Mad River Township, Champaign County, near the Clark Coun- ty line. Mr. and Mrs. Baker have had three children: Dora, Effie and Minnie, the latter of whom died aged four months. Mr. Baker and family belong to St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church. He takes an active interest in the educational advancement of his community and for eight years has been a member of the school board.
STEPHEN KITCHEN, owner of a fine farm of 136 acres in Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, was born June 12, 1877, near his present farm, which is part of the old homestead, and is a son of Erasmus Jones and Matilda ( Hatfield) Kitchen.
Abraham L. Kitchen, grandfather of Stephen, was a native of Warren County, Ohio, and a son of Stephen Kitchen, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio at a very early period. Abraham followed farming all his life, and in 1830 came to Clark County and settled on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch. building and residing in for the remainder of his life the old log house which is now occupied by onr subject's tenant. He married Matilda Jones, who was born near Selma, Madison Township, Clark County, Ohio, and to them were born four daughters and three sons.
Erasmus Kitchen, father of Stephen, was born Angust 11, 1837, in the old log
farm adjoining our subject's. He spent four years in the army, enlisting in June, 1861, and serving until the close of the war, after which he returned home and engaged in farming until the time of his death. He married Matilda Hatfield, who was a native of Springfield Township, and to them were born six sons, all of whom are engaged in farming.
Stephen Kitchen was reared on the home farm and after completing his edu- cation, which was obtained in the district schools of the township, he worked for his father until his marriage with Josie Alice Stewart, a daughter of Charles F. Stew- art, of Green Township. Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen have three children-Rhoda Alice, Erasmus Jones and Frances. In polities Mr. Kitchen is a Republican. He is a member of the Grange, and the re- ligious connection of the family is with the Presbyterian Church.
PHILIP E. PEMBERTON. a well known citizen and agriculturist of Har- mony Township, where he owns an excel- lent farm of fifty-three acres, which is sit- uated on the Wilson Road, about one-half mile from Brighton, Ohio, was born in Madison County, Ohio, in 1857, and is a son of William and Nancy (Markley) Pemberton.
William Pemberton was born in 1-21 and in 1846 he married Nancy Markley and they had eight children, namely : Samuel, born in 1847, married Mary Reed and they live in Kansas and have ten chil. dren; John, born in 1849, married Susan Watson and has one child: Mary E., born in 1851, was accidentally burned to death
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at the age of seven years; Martha J., 1883, in 1905 married Lucinda Melvin and born in 1853, married Walter Bennett they live in Champaign County; Eva, born in 1886, married Elmer Stits, has two children, Ruth M. and Edna P., and lives at Vienna, Ohio; and Ethel, born in 1888, Harry, born in 1891, and Ruth, born in 1896, all live at home. and they have two children; Frances M., born in 1855, married John Thomas Evans and they live in Indiana and have four children; Philip E .; Emma L., born in 1859, died aged four years; and Will- iam A., born in 1862, married Mary A. Miller and they have one child.
Philip E. Pemberton lived in his native county until he was ten years old and then came to Clark County, where he has re- sided ever since. He has engaged in farming since he reached manhood. Prior to purchasing his present farm of James Wilson, September 4. 1888, he resided at Brighton, Ohio. He carries on a general farming line and has continued to im- prove his property ever since settling on it. He takes a good citizen's interest in all that is of public note in the township and does his full share in the general line of progress and improvement through his neighborhood. He has served as school director and several terms as road super- visor.
In 1882 Mr. Pemberton was married to Mary E. Randolph, who was born in 1863 and is a daughter of William P. and Mary (Mincer) Randolph. Her father was born February 20, 1833, and died in 1889, 'and her mother was born September 2. 1839, and died in March, 1871. Mr. and Mrs. Randolph had the following chil- dren: Mary E .; Nancy L., married James Goings and they have three chil- dren : Eliza K., married John Rathburn and have one child; and William F., mar- ried Anna Dunn and they have three chil- dren.
DR. W. G. STEPHENS, a prominent physician of Catawba, Pleasant Township, who has been a resident of Clark County, Ohio, since 1889, was born March 27, 1863, in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James D. and Nancy (Glassford) Stephens.
James Stephens, father of Dr. Stephens, was the eldest of a family of seven chil- dren-four boys and three girls-and during his early manhood taught school for some time. Ile then devoted his time to farming and milling until his death at the age of fifty-six years. He was united in marriage with Nancy Glassford, who is still living, a resident of Pennsylvania, and they reared a family of three chil- dren-W. Glassford Stephens, the subject of this sketch; Alexander, who lives in Pennsylvania: and Sadie, who married John Shillito, of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Stephens was born and reared on his father's farm in Pennsylvania and ob- tained his education in the district schools of Indiana County. When about eighteen years old he began teaching, remaining in Pennsylvania for two years. He then taught for some time in Illinois, after which he returned to Pennsylvania and again taught school. during which time he commenced the study of medicine at the Eclectic Medical College, of Cincinnati,
Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton have five chil- dren, as follows: Avie, born July 3, Ohio. He graduated in medicine in 1889
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and that same year located in Catawba, where he embarked in the practice of med- icine and now enjoys a large and lucrative practice. In 1904 Dr. Stephens purchased a farm, to which he had added at various times, now having 214.acres, in different tracts, most of it having been the old Baldwin farm. In addition to his farm the doctor also has a fine residence in Catawba, which he and his family occupy.
In June, 1894, Dr. Stephens was joined in marriage with Marion Hunter, a daughter of Dr. Milton R. Hunter, and Sarah (Skillman) Hunter, and to them have been born two children-Helen and Mildred. Fraternally Dr. Stephens is a member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 349, of Catawba.
LEWIS PHILLIPS, secretary and treasurer of the Springfield Breweries, has been a resident of this city since Feb- ruary, 1866. He was born in Jackson County, Ohio, September, 1843, where he was reared and educated and remained until 1861, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company C, Fifty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer In- fantry.
Mr. Phillips remained in the army for over one, year and after his honorable discharge he returned to Jackson County and then attended school at Athens, fol- lowing which he taught school for a sea- son and then took a commercial course at Cincinnati, From his time of graduation until he came to Springfield he was en- gaged as a tutor at the college and for twenty-one years following his coming he had charge of the office of Whiteley- Fassler & Killey, manufacturers of mow-
ers and reapers. In 1890 Mr. Phillips ae- cepted his present position and since January, 1907, has also been president of the Springfield Pure Milk Company.
In 1876 Mr. Phillips was married to Elizabeth Catheart and they have one son. Lewis Walter, who has been with the Ford Motor Company, of Detroit, for the past year. With his family Mr. Phillips at- tends the High Street Methodist Episco- pal Church. Mr. Phillips is a thirty-sec- ond degree Mason and he belongs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Com- mandery at Springfield, and to the Mystic Shrine at Dayton. He is a member also of Mitchell Post, Grand Army of the Re- public, at Springfield.
ALVAH T. GARLOUGH, a represent- ative agriculturist of Springfield Town- ship, operating a valuable farm of 223 acres in Section 8 of that township, was born in Green Township, Clark County, Ohio. November 28, 1861, and is a son of James T. and Sarah J. (Hause) Gar- lough.
The father of Alvah T. Garlough was also born in Green Township, where he died March 28, 1905, but the grand- father, Jacob Garlough, was born in Maryland and came to Clark County in 1812, taking up land in Green Township, on which he lived during the remainder of his life. James T. Garlough spent the whole of his long and useful life in Green Township. His occupation was farming and he was numbered with the township's substantial men. He married Sarah J. Hause, who was a daughter of William Hause, who came from Virginia to Clark County prior to the birth of Mrs. Gar-
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GEORGE W. TUTTLE
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lough. The surviving children of James T. Garlough and wife are: Clara, who married C. F. Stewart; Alvah T. and Sheridan G., Jesse Elmer, W. Forrest and Robert Centennial, all residing in Green Township. Those deceased were named: Flora, Mary, Retta and Alice, the latter of whom married Charles Otstott. The mother of the above family still resides in Green Township.
Alvah T. Garlough was reared in his native place and passed his boyhood at- tending school and learning the first de- tails of farming. He has devoted himself almost exclusively to agricultural pur- suits and raises wheat, corn, hay and oats and a considerable amount of good stock.
In 1884 Mr. Garlongh was married to Emma J. Crabill, who is a daughter of David and Nancy C. Crabill, who are prominent farming people of Springfield Township. Mr. and Mrs. Garlough have had two sons: David C., residing at home, assisting in the management of the farm, and Ralph, who died aged three years. After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Garlough resided for three years in Green Township and then came to the farm upon which they now reside. It is the David Crabill homestead.
GEORGE W. TUTTLE, formerly a substantial citizen and prominent farmer of Springfield Township, where he died in March, 1893, was born in Clark County. Ohio, July 22, 1823. His parents were John and Margaret Tuttle and his grand- father was Sylvanus Tuttle, who was an early pioneer of Clark County.
When George W. Tuttle was seven years old his parents settled on what was
known as the old Tuttle home place, which is now owned by Judge Kunkle. George W. Tuttle had twin brothers, David and Jacob Tuttle, and the three brothers married daughters of James Todd, who was a prominent farmer of Green Township. George W. Tuttle mar- ried Catherine A. Todd and they had five children, namely: Mrs. Ellen Hoffman; John, who died aged nineteen years; James, who is superintendent of schools at Washington Court House, Ohio; Will- iam Eugene, who resides at Springfield, and Elma K., who married William G. Otstot.
Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle were married Feb- ruary 23, 1847, and in the March follow- ing they moved to the present farm of Mrs. Ellen Hoffman, a tract containing over 152 aeres, on which stood an old log house, which is now used as a stable. In 1865 Mr. Tuttle greatly improved the property by erecting the present commo- dious brick house, and in 1885 he erected a comfortable frame one, which is now oc- cupied by a son of Mrs. Hoffman. Mr. Tuttle was an excellent business man and was a successful farmer until his health failed, but until the close of his life he continued to manage his affairs, although not able for some time to take any active part in the work. He survived his wife for some seven years.
Mrs. Ellen Hoffman was reared on the farm on which she has always livad, with the exception of ons year, 1872-3, when she accompanied her husband to Kansas, just after her marriage, which took place February 22, 1872, to Martin C. Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1843, and died July 4, 1884. He was a son of Jacob
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Hoffman, who came of an old family of Lancaster County. Martin C. Hoffman came to Clark County at the age of nine- teen years. He served almost three years in the Civil War as a member of the Ninety-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was with the army under General Sherman on the famous march to the sea. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman had five children, namely : John, who resides with his mother; Harland and Howard, twins, now deceased; Wilfred, who married Lillie M. McDonald, and has two chil- dren-Wilfred Carl and Louis Martin; and Ada Celia, who resides at home.
EDWARD A. HAYS, a representative citizen of Springfield Township, whose fine farm of ninety-eight acres is all in one body and is situated on the Gillett Road, about two and one-half miles south of the city of Springfield, was born May 7, 1859, at Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and Emily (Otstot) Hays.
The paternal grandfather of Edward A. Hays came to America from Scotland and for some years afterward he lived in Michigan. Later he established his home in Laneaster County, Pennsylvania, and there Samuel Hays, father of Edward A., was born October 9, 1825. He died on his farm in Springfield Township, Clark County, April 23, 1894. When he came to Springfield in 1842 he had completed his apprenticeship to the trade of cabinet- maker and this he followed until about 1863, when he purchased a team of good horses and rented a farm, that tract of land now being practically a part of the city of Springfield. He followed farming
here for five years and then moved to the farm on which Edward A. Hays resides. It was the girlhood home of his wife, the old Otstot farm, and here he continued agricultural pursuits until the close of his life.
Samuel Hays was married at Spring- field, to Mrs. Emily (Otstot) Crossland, who was the widow of Jacob Crossland. She had one son born to her first mar- riage, Albert Crossland, who resides on his farm in Springfield Township. Mrs. Hays was a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Hinkle) Otstot. She was three years old when her parents left Pennsylvania and came to Springfield Township, the long journey being made in wagons. She was too young to remember the wild con- dition of the country at that time or to recall the many pioneer privations to which the family was subjected, but learned of these as she grew older and left many stories of the early days with her children. Her father secured 160 acres of Government land for which he paid $5.00 per acre, and he built his first log cabin on the site of the present Hays home. In this little cabin his daughter grew to womanhood and she was quite regular in her attendance at the district school. The log structure used as a schoolhouse stood on the present site of Congress Hall. Jacob Otstot came to Clark County with money amounting to $1,700, which he had earned at the cooper trade. He was an expert workman, but did not follow his trade after leaving Pennsylvania, finding plenty to occupy his time in clearing up his pioneer farmi. The death of his wife preceded his own and his last years were spent with his daughter, Mrs. Hays, where he died in
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1883, aged eighty-three years. The farm and household possessions came then to his daughter and her husband. Among the latter is a clock that was made by John Hoff, of Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania, which is over 150 years old, an ancient spinning wheel and many tools and implements. Another relic was a silver dollar that was coined in 1800, the year of Mr. Otstot's birth, which he had always carefully preserved, and it, with all the other objects, are now just as care- fully treasured by his grandson, Edward A. Hays.
Samuel Hays and wife had two chil- dren: Charles O., who was born in 1857, is engaged in farming in Harmony Town- ship, Clark County, and Edward A. The mother of these two sons died October 6, 1894.
Edward A. Hays was four years old when his parents moved to Springfield Township and almost the whole of his life has been spent on a farm. After his marriage he continned to reside on the home place and from his father he re- ceived sixty-one acres of the land that his grandfather had obtained from the Government. In 1902 Mr. Hays pur- chased ahnost thirty-eight acres of the old Hinkle land. In 1894 he built his com- modious and comfortable frame house and in 1895 he remodeled his barn. The latter building was destroyed by fire in April, 1906, but he lost no time in rebuild- ing and had another structure ready by the time his erops were harvested.
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