USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 87
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George H. Slaughter received his early educational training in the public schools of Clark County, after which he took a course of study at Puget Sound Univers- ity, and Wittenberg College. He then purchased his present business from Adams & McMillan, and has since con- ducted it with much success. Mr. Slaughter is a man of considerable busi-
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ness ability, following up-to-date methods, and the success attending his efforts is well merited. Mr. Slaughter married Ethel Arthur of Springfield. Religious- ly, he is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of South Charleston. He is fra- ternally a member of the Masonic order, of the I. O. O. F. and K. of P. Politically, he is a Republican.
ROSCOE GLENN STOTTS, M. D., physician and surgeon at Catawba, was born at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, .June 11, 1881, and is a son of Leonard B. and Anna (Postal) Stotts.
Dr. Stotts was reared on his father's stock farm at Alton, near Columbus, and attended school both in Alton and Colum- bus. Prior to entering Starling Medical College, he taught school for four years. In the fall of 1902 he became a student at the above-mentioned and well-known med- ical institution, where he was graduated in the spring of 1906, with the degree of M. D. He was then for two years en- gaged in hospital work, acting as first as- sistant at St. Anthony's Hospital, and for one year of this period having charge of the free dispensary connected with Star- ling Medical College. Subsequently, after practicing nine months in Hancock Coun- ty, Dr. Stotts settled in Catawba, May 1, 1907, where he has since gained his share of public patronage and has proved his ability and medical skill.
On November 5, 1906, Dr. Stotts was married at Columbus, to Mabel Seymour, who was born and reared in Madison County, Ohio. She is a step-daughter of Dr. C. M. Deem, her father, Wilson Sey- our. having died when she was but one
day old. Dr. and Mrs. Stotts are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Stotts is a Mason and an Odd Fellow and he retains his membership in the Phi Sigma Psi fraternity of Sterling Medical College.
CHARLES ADAM YOUNG, a promi- nent wholesale meat dealer and business man, is a resident of Springfield Town- ship, where he has a fine home and two small farms. He was born in Donnels- ville. Clark County, Ohio, May 16, 1872, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Creshbaum) Young.
John Young was born in Germany, where he learned the trade of a mason in his early days. While a young man he came to America, settling first in Penn- sylvania, where he engaged in the meat business. After his marriage he came to Clark County, Ohio, locating at Donnels- ville, in Bethel Township, where for years he sold meat through the country. He lived there until his death in June, 1897, when he was aged seventy-nine years. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Creshbaum, who was born in Germany and was but two years of age when brought to this country by her par- ents. She survives her husband and re- sides at Donnelsville. Four children blessed their union: John A., who lives at Yellow Springs; Peter of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania ; William of Springfield, Ohio; and Charles Adam.
Charles Adam Young was reared at Donnelsville and attended the public schools there. He remained at home un- til his marriage, and for two years there- after continued to reside in that village.
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He then purchased his present place from G. W. Adams. The large house of ten rooms and the barn were built when he moved upon the farm, but the cold stor- age plant and the cattle yards were built by Mr. Young. He has a very extensive business, disposing of all his meats to the retail establishments of Springfield. He is a successful business man and stands very high in the esteem of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Young was joined in marriage, Oc- tober 2, 1895, with Miss Amy E. Minnich, who was born in Bethel Township, where her parents, Dewitt C. and Elizabeth (Higgins) Minnich still reside. She is one of five children, as follows: Grace, wife of Lee Miller; Anna, wife of Dr. H. T .. Herstand; Amy E .; Edith, wife of M. Aston; and Ethel, wife of Henry Willett. Mr. and Mrs. Young are parents of three children-Kathleen, who died at the age of six months; Robert, and John. Fra- ternally, Mr. Young is a member of Mad River Lodge, K. P., at Enon; and Spring- field Lodge, U. C. T., No. 23. Politically, he is a Democrat. He and his wife are consistent members of the Lutheran Church.
CHARLES H. PATTERSON, a farm- er, residing on a valuable property in Harmony Township, containing sixty-one acres of land, was born in Clark County, Ohio, October 1, 1873, and is a son of Malcolm H. and Anna E. (Beales) Patter- son.
The grandparents of Mr. Patterson, Charles C. and Caroline Patterson, passed the larger part of their lives at Springfield. Ohio. Charles C. Patterson
was born in 1802 and died at Springfield in 1892. His wife was born in 1812 and died in 1888. They have three children --- Malcolm H., Barney, and Agnes. Barney Patterson, who is now deceased, was a clergyman in New York city. Agnes Pat- terson is the widow of Edwin Duley and has one child, Alice.
Malcolm H. Patterson was born at Day- ton, Montgomery County, Ohio, October 2, 1839, and died February 6, 1886. He saw service in the Civil War, enlisting as a private Angust 9, 1862, in Company D (Capt. James L. Hart), One Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment Illinois Infantry. He was discharged at Springfield, Illinois, on the expiration of his term of service, .July 8, 1865. He first met Anna E. Beales his future wife while he was a sol- dier in the Federal army. She is still living and is now a resident of Dayton. Her people were prominent Southerners, and one of her brothers was a soldier in the Confederate army. Circumstances bronght her into close contact with mil- itary affairs during the great struggle; she witnessed many battles, and had a personal acquaintance with several of the high commanding officers of the Confed- erate army. Her early home was in Mis- sonri. To Malcolm H. Patterson and his wife were born six children, namely : Carrie, who is the widow of George Run- yan, and has two sons, Brnce and Lewis; Nettie, who is the wife of Charles A. Jones, and has one son, Malcolm : Charles HI., subject of this sketch; Howard Lee, born in 1876, who now resides in Mexico; Frank, born in 1881, who resides in Day- ton ; and Chester A. born in 1883, now re- siding in Chicago, Illinois, who married Grace L. Clapp.
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Charles H. Patterson was married at Springfield, Ohio, in 1899, to Leona Smith, who is a daughter of Amos and Catherine Ann (Wiet) Smith, and they have one son, Robert S., born May 6, 1902, who is a pupil in the local school. Mr. Patterson is a prominent member of Vienna Lodge No. 660, Knights of Pythias.
D. H. SNYDER, a leading business citizen of Snyderville, is vice president of The Victor Rubber Company, an im- portant manufacturing industry of Clark County. He was born on his father's farm in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, December 10, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Anna H. (Hertzler) Snyder.
Henry Snyder accompanied his parents to Ohio from Pennsylvania, walking a large part of the distance. He became a farmer and grain merchant and operated mills for a number of years in Mad River Township. He was a member of the D. I .. Snyder Company, which donated Snyder Park to Springfield. The old Snyder estate has never been entirely settled, 1,600 acres of land around Snyder- ville being involved Henry Snyder died June 28, 1893. He married Anna H. Hertzler, who has been a life-long resi- dent of Mad River Township. She was a daughter of Daniel Hertzler who was one of the prominent and wealthy men of Clark County. He was born in Lancas- ter County, Pennsylvania, where he en- gaged in farming and milling. He mar- ried Catherine Hershey and they came to Ohio in 1834. accompanied by one child, Barbara, who is now the wife of Samnel IInffman, residing at Springfield. They
lived at Springfield, then a small town, for a short time, and then settled in Mad River Township on what is now the Sny- der farm. Here, in the wilderness, Daniel Hertzler built a mill which he operated for many years, also carrying on farm- ing, and then returned to Springfield in order to give his children better educa- tiona! advantages. Mrs. Snyder was edu- cated in the school, now the Springfield Seminary, which is attended by her grand- children.
After a residence of four years at Springfield. Mr. Hertzler purchased a farm near the one he had formerly owned and was residing there when he met his death from the attack of six masked as- sassins, who entered his house at night and shot him. He was a large and power- ful man and fought hard, as evidences showed, before he was overpowered. His death was a shock to the community, and although large sums were offered for the capture of the murderers, they have never been apprehended. His widow survived him five years. The children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hertzler after com- ing to Ohio were: Martha, deceased, who married L. Baker; Mary, who died in youth; Anna, who was born on her present farm October 26, 1839; Susan and Elizabeth, twins, both deceased, the for- mer the wife of Jacob Rubsam and the latter of William Pope; Daniel, who died aged eighteen years; and Benjamin and two others died young.
D. H. Snyder was educated in the dis- triet schools of Mad River Township, at Oxford and at Media, Pennsylvania. After his return home he naturally be- came a miller, this having been a family occupation for generations back, even be-
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fore his ancestors left Switzerland. His 1808. They settled on a farm about one father owned the Tecmnseh mill, in Mad River Township, and he started to work in that mill, which became his property on the death of his father. He operated the mill for ten years and then leased it to the firm of Allen & King, of Springfield. In 1903 the old mill was destroyed by fire.
In 1903 Mr. Snyder began working in the office of the company with which he has been identified ever since, which was then known as the Victor Rubber Com- pany. The business was founded by J. S. Harshman, Mr. Snyder's brother-in-law. After the failure of Mr. Harshman, with this enterprise, a new company was or- ganized in July, 1904, of which Henry H. Durr became president and Mr. Snyder vice president. At this time the present firm style was adopted. The business is the manufacturing of all kinds of molded rubber goods. Employment is given 100 men. The plant occupies six acres of ground and the buildings are all of brick construction.
Mr. Snyder belongs to the Elks and to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, both of Springfield.
THOMAS B. MINNICH, one of Ger- man Township's most respected citizens, resides on his valnable farm of fifty-two acres, which is situated on the Jordan Turnpike, about six miles northwest of Springfield, was born in German Town- ship. Clark County, Ohio, December 19, 1887. Ile is a son of Peter and Martha (Stephenson ) Minnich.
Peter Minmich was born in Pennsylva- nia and was a son of Peter Minnich, who brought his family to Clark County abont
and one-half miles east of the present place. The maternal grandfather, David Stephenson, came to Ohio from Virginia and settled in Champaign County. Ohio, entering land abont three miles southeast of Urbana. After his death on that land, his widow and children moved to German Township, Clark County, and located near Peter Minnich. The parents of Thomas B. Minnich were married in 1816 and went to housekeeping on the farm on which he was born, the youngest of their ten chil- dren. Peter Minnich died in 1842 and when Thomas B. was fourteen years old his mother married Jonathan Park and they moved to Logan County, near the Shelby County line. Mrs. Park died in 1873, aged seventy-six years.
When his mother contracted her second marriage Thomas B. Minnich started ont to take care of himself and is an example of a self-made man. He engaged in farm work in different neighborhoods and after his marriage he rented a farm in German Township. which he operated for a number of years. In 1886 he bought his present farm and in 1901 he erected his comfortable residence. He is assisted in the management of the property by his eldest son, John B., who is a member of the school board of this township.
Thomas B. Minnich was married De- cember 2, 1875, to Elizabeth Michael, who is a daughter of John and Eliza Ann (Domer) Michael. Mrs. Minnich was born and reared in German Township. Her father was born in Virginia and ac- companied his father, Frederick Michael, to Clark County in 1812, being then a boy of twelve years. The maternal grand- father of Mrs. Minnich, John Domer.
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MR. AND MRS WILLIAM & LAYTON
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came to Clark County from Maryland. to erect the first brick wall in Springfield. Thomas B. Minnich and wife have four John A. Layton was born in 1838 on the old home farm in Bethel Township and devoted his life to farming, making a specialty of fruit trees during the latter part of his life. He married Eveline Tullis and they were the parents of two children, Lucinda, who married, first, A. N. Brown, secondly, Harry Kryder and thirdly, F. Moudy, now deceased; and William A. The death of Mr. Layton oc- curred while he was in his sixty-third year and his wife died aged seventy-four. children, namely: John B., residing at home, was educated at Wittenberg Col- lege, where he spent three and one-half years; Ozzie B., who operates the North- ampton Bell Telephone Exchange, gradu- ated from the Lawrenceville Township High School in 1899, married Alice Nave; Charles Stephenson, who graduated from the Lawrenceville High School in 1900, at- tends a business college at Springfield; and Lulu Blanche, who graduated from the Lawrenceville High School in 1903, taught two terms of school in District No. 10, German Township. Mr. Minnich's family is prominent in the educational and social circles of German Township.
WILLIAM A. LAYTON, township trustee and owner of 112 acres of fine farming land in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, was born in Bethel Township, Clark County, November 15, 1845, and is a son of Jolin A. and Eveline (Tullis) Layton.
The paternal grandfather of Mr. Lay- ton, Arthur Layton, came to Ohio with his father, William, from Pennsylvania in 1787, settling on Mad River. Arthur Layton married a Miss MeKinney, who was later killed while riding horseback. William Layton was the parent of eight children, five sons and three daughters, Joseph being the first Common Pleas judge of Clark County. Arthur Layton, who died in Bethel Township when John was eight years old, served as a colonel in the War of 1812, and John Tullis, the ma- ternal grandfather of our subject, helped
When William A. Layton was seven years old the family moved to Yellow Springs and seven years later to his pres- ent farm, which was purchased from John Flohr. Mr. Layton attended the district schools of his native locality, and also Antioch College for two years. After his marriage he spent seven years on his present farm, then bought a farm of 145 acres in German Township, residing there for the succeeding twelve years. At the end of this period he bought his present farm and has since devoted his time to general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Layton was married December 30, 1869, to Angeline Wolf. who is a daughter of Michael and Sarah (Ruppert) Wolf. Seven children were born of this union, namely: Carrie, who died aged four years; Claudius A., who married Alice Arthur, lives in Clark County, and has two children -- Arthur and Lowess; Charles, who married Dora Ada, and lives in Clark County; Edward A., who married Laura Dunevant, resides in Clark County, and has one child-Aldrich E .; Louie B., married H. Birch, of Spring- field. Ohio, and has two children-Arthur and Engene : Myrtle E., who married Wil-
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bert Newlove, of Clark County; and members of the board. This firm repre- Frank, E., who is living at home.
In political affairs Mr. Layton is a Re- publican, and in 1905 was elected town- ship trustee and president of the school board, holding both of these offices at the present time. He has served as a member of the school board for about thirty-seven years. Fraternally Mr. Layton belongs to the Masonic Lodge, No. 421, at Yellow Springs and is master of the Husted Grange. Religiously he is connected with the Lutheran Church, in which he is a member of the council, having just been re-elected for two years.
J. S. ELLIOTT, one of Springfield's men of capital and business success, is president of the J. S. Elliott Company, leaders in general insurance, with com- modious quarters in the Mitchell Build- ing. Mr. Elliott was born in Queen Anne County, Maryland, December 9, 1854.
Mr. Elliott remained at home until his school days were over and then became clerk in a store at Centerville, Maryland, where he gained the experience that made him an acceptable addition to the clerical force in the Murphy Brothers store, when he came to Springfield in 1875. Later he entered into the insur- ance business and in March, 1902, the J. S. Elliott Company, general insurance, was incorporated, with a capital stock of $25,000. its officers and directors being the following: J. S. Elliott, president and general manager; John M. Good, vice president; D. D. Downing, of Lon- don, secretary and treasurer; and John O. Elliott and David F. Snyder, the other
sents some of the leading insurance com- panies in the United States and does a very large amount of business.
In September, 1877, Mr. Elliott was married to Mary W. Boyer, of Dayton, Ohio, who died in December, 1882, leav- ing two children, John Oliver and Lyda B., the latter of whom married C. C. Linnbocker, of Dayton. Mr. Elliott was married (secondly) in January, 1884, to Nora E. Wood, who was born and reared in Springfield. Two sons and one daugh- ter have been born to this marriage, namely : Benjamin F., Allan G., and Margaret, the last mentioned of whom is the wife of John Snyder.
Mr. Elliott is a Democrat and he takes an active interest in public affairs. He is a member of the Board of Public Safety at Springfield. Fraternally he is a Mason and has reached the 32d degree. He belongs to the Springfield Commer- cial Club and also the Lagonda Club.
EDWARD C. PHLEGER, a promi- nent farmer and stock-raiser of Moore- field Township, Clark County, Ohio, re- siding on a valuable farm of 100 acres, which is part of the old Thomas B. Wil- son farm, was born October 19, 1871, on the Mechanicsburg Pike, Moorefield Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Edward and Jane H. (Lynn) Phleger, further mention of whom may be found elsewhere in this volume.
Edward C. Phleger was reared and educated in his native township, where he has always followed farming and stock-raising, and is one of the most pros- perous young farmers and well known
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stock-raisers of Moorefield Township. He She was related to the Virginia Ran- makes specialties of draft and road dolphs and gave her first son that name. horses, hogs, cattle, etc. Mr. Phleger Daniel Randolph Taylor is a self-made was united in marriage December 22, man. His mother had been married but 1898, to Dora Bumgardner, a daughter of Levi Bumgardner, and to them has been born one child, Pauline Gladys. After his marriage Mr. Phleger lived on a farm of forty-five acres in Champaign County, Ohio, until March 6, 1906, when he removed to his present farm of 100 aeres, which he had purchased in the pre- ceding January.
DANIEL RANDOLPH TAYLOR, postmaster and ticket agent for the elec- tric railroad and express agent for the Pacific Express Company, at North Hampton, is probably one of the best known men in Pike Township. He was born December 31, 1835, in Virginia, and is a son of Daniel and Mary (Crowisen) Taylor.
The parents of Mr. Taylor were born in Virginia. His father was a mill- wright by trade and in search of work he came on horseback to Zanesville, Ohio, in 1834. His young wife followed shortly afterward, with her infant son, Daniel Randolph, in her arms, also making the journey on horseback. She was left a widow soon after reaching Zanesville, her husband meeting death by accident in that eity. She remained at Zanesville for sev- eral years, when she moved to Newark and then to Granville, Licking County, where she married David Southwick. To this marriage four children were born, two sons and two daughters. Mrs. South- wick died at the age of sixty-five years.
a few months to her second husband when the lad left home, determined to take care of himself and he never returned except to visit. He was about ten years old when he started to work in a rope fac- tory. The power was supplied by hand and it was his duty to turn the power wheel, receiving twenty-five cents a day for his labor, boarding himself in the ineantime. Later he learned the cooper trade and after serving an apprenticeship of two years, went to Urbana and became an employe in the cooper shop of the Hag- genbaugh mills.
It was during his residence at this place and while he was working in these mills that he was married, January 4, 1854, to Harriet A. Merser, who was a daughter of one of the leading citizens of Alexandria, Ohio, Dr. N. Z. Merser. This marriage was an elopement and had many romantic features. In the course of a few years the parents of Mrs. Tay- lor became so reconciled that they came to reside in the home of their son-in-law, where Dr. Merser died and where Mrs. Merser resided for many years after- ward. In following his trade, Mr. Tay- lor soon moved to St. Paris, Ohio, where he was working as a cooper when the Civil War was declared. He enlisted in the regimental band in the Forty-fourth Regiment. Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he remained for sixteen months, when a general order was given that all organizations of this kind should be mus- tered out. Mr. Taylor returned home, but three months later, at Columbus, he
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reenlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to band duty in the Third Brigade, Fourteenth Army Corps, in which he remained until the close of the war.
Mr. Taylor participated in many bat- tles and endured the privation and hard- ships which came to the gallant men of General Sherman's army. On the mem- orable march to Atlanta, which consumed ninety days from Rossville to the ob- jective point, from the third day the sol- diers engaged in fighting or skirmishing continuously. They remained at Atlanta for three weeks and then, started by rail to Chattanooga. After a most trying series of raids in Alabama, the regiment was again returned to Chattanooga and by that time, Mr. Taylor was so worn out that he was obliged to rest for sev- eral weeks in a hospital and was then given a furlough of thirty days, which he spent with his family in Ohio. On his way back to his regiment, he was stopped at Lonisville by orders to take a large squad of furloughed soldiers to Bedloe Island, where he remained for three weeks. Then, with a force of 1,000 men he went aboard an ocean steamer bound for a North Carolina port, and from there they were distributed to their various commands, Mr. Taylor reaching his regi- ment at Goldsboro, on the day before the fight at Black Swamp. The regiment was then sent after the Confederate General Johnston and when within ten miles of Raleigh, they paused for dinner. At three o'clock that afternoon rumors were heard of the surrender of General Lee and be- fore they could reach General Johnston, he had also surrendered to the Union
forces. The regiments then had rations for fifteen days issued and orders given them to report at Richmond, Virginia. In the rapid march to the Southern capital, the army corps to which Mr. Taylor be- longed, was the first to reach Richmond, making the trip in seven days. They re- mained there three days and then received orders to march to Washington, where several weeks were passed and then the brigade was started to Louisville, Ken- tucky. They made the trip to Parkers- burg, West Virginia, in box cars, where they took boats on the Ohio River and thus reached Louisville. The brigade camped for five weeks in the environs of this city, when, as peace seemed to be firmuly established, they were sent to Co- lumbus, Ohio, where Mr. Taylor and his comrades were mustered out in August, 1865.
The many events which Mr. Taylor had been called on to participate in and the trying scenes in which he so often was forced to take part, exerted a very sober- ing effect on his mind and resulted in his serious contemplation of becoming a min- ister. He still resides at St. Paris, where, in 1872, he entered the ministry of the Reformed Church, and served the congre- gation at Bradford, Ohio, for three years. From there he went to the Union charge in Clark County, where, for seventeen years he labored with great success, meet- ing the encouragement which causes true ministers to feel that their endeavors are blessed. During this period of seventeen years he received between 900 and 1,000 additions to the church, officiated at 500 weddings and preached 600 funeral ser- mons. During his last pastorate he re- sided at North Hampton, where he sub-
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