USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 90
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Immediately after marriage, Mr. and
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Mrs. Mitzel located on a farm which had State of Maryland, where he owned large been settled by her grandfather and in- properties prior to the Civil War. He came to Clark County after his marriage to Frances Pierce, who was a daughter of William Williams, of Maryland, and they settled near South Charleston, where he followed agricultural pursnits until his death, in 1860. His widow sur- vived him until 1900. herited by her father. It formerly con- tained 1261% acres, but Adam Neff gave six acres as a site for the German Re- formed Church and cemetery and the D. T. & I. Railroad took four and a half ad- ditional acres. Adam Neff owned three farms, one of which he sold, one, just south of Tremont, he gave to his son Tur- man Neff, and the third he gave to Mrs. Mitzel. Mr. Mitzel has made many im- provements on the place, where he has carried on general farming, but ever since 1860 he has also done more or less work at his trades and can point to many sub- stantial buildings, including the Reformed Church, as proofs of his skill and in- dustry.
Mr. and Mrs. Mitzel have had four chil- dren, namely: Arvilla, who died aged seventeen years; Laura, who married George Kohler, has three children, Ches- ter Neff, Quay Harrison and Mary Ellen; Lucien Chandler, who died aged eight months; and Adam Jacob. The youngest son is a young man of bright mind and there is every indication that he has a sne- cessful future before him. He is a sti- dent of civil engineering at the Washing- ton and Jefferson University.
In 1890, Mr. and Mrs. Mitzel united with the Congregational Church at Springfield.
E. P. Flynn was the only child of his parents. He was reared on the Pierce homestead farm, three miles from Sonthi Charleston, where he resided until 1881. He enjoyed liberal educational advant- ages, attending Delaware University after graduating from the Delaware High School. When Mr. Flynn left the farm he took charge of the "Sentinel," at South Charleston and conducted it as an able organ of the Republican party until his appointment as postmaster, by the late President Mckinley. Mr. Flynn has been very active in polities for a num- ber of years in this section, and served for five terms as township clerk and six times was elected to that important po- litical office, central committeeman.
Mr. Flynn married Josephine Pratt, a daughter of A. G. Pratt, of London, Ohio, who was formerly vice president of the Farmers' Bank at Charleston. Mr. and Mrs. Flynn have one child, who died in 1903. They are members of the Presby- terian Church. Mr. Flynn has been con- nected with the Elks organization and is also a Mason.
E. P. FLYNN, postmaster at South Charleston, was born at Sonth Charles- ton, Clark County, Ohio, December 19, P. J. SHOUVLIN, proprietor of The Superior Gas Engine Co., at Springfield, has spent almost a quarter of a century 1858. His grandfather was a native of Ireland. John Flynn, father of E. P., was born, reared and educated in the in this city, where he occupies a position
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of business prominence. He was born February 1, 1863, on the northwest coast of Ireland, and is a son of Daniel and Bridget (Gallagher) Shouvlin.
In 1866 the parents of Mr. Shouvlin came to America and settled in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where the son attended school until he was eleven years of age. He then took upon himself the main sup- port of the family, owing to the death of his father, entering the anthracite mines, in which he continued to work until he was twenty years of age. Then coming to Springfield, he entered as an appren- tice the old Ohio Railroad shops and con- tinued there for several years, completely mastering every detail of the machinist's trade. In 1887 Mr. Shonvlin went to La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he was placed in charge of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad shops, and where he re- mained until the great railroad strike. His next location was at Tacoma, Wash- ington, where he was in charge of the Northern Pacific shops. Later on he re- turned to Springfield, where he purchased a small machine shop and conducted the same on Washington Street for several years and then moved into the East Street shops. From boyhood his active mind has been given to the invention of me- chanical appliances, and in 1893 he sne- ceeded in perfecting the Superior gas en- gine, and knew that his hopes of success had met with fruition. In 1902 he built his present plant on Sheridan Avenne, which is of brick, its dimensions being 300×75 feet, and it is equipped partien- larly for the manufacture of his engines, He is the proprietor of the Vulcanized Cup & Valve Co. He owns a considerable quantity of oil land situated in Illinois,
Kansas and Oklahoma. His industry at Springfield is one of large scope and im- portance and he affords constant employ- ment to 100 skilled workmen.
In 1885 Mr. Shouvlin was married to Catherine Burns, and they have six chil- dren, namely, Daniel, John, Raphael, Jo- seph, Anna and Mary. Mr. Shonvlin is a consistent member of St. Joseph's Cath- olic Church. He belongs to the order of Knights of Columbus, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the old Emmet club and the Lagonda club. He is a good reliable citizen and is a member of the board of trustees of the Springfield City Hospital.
CHARLES EDWARD FULLER, ex- tensive farmer and stock dealer of Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, has a val- uable estate of 240 acres, on which is lo- cated one of the finest briek residences in the county. He was born on his present farm July 14, 1864, is a son of James C. and Mary Jane (Verdier) Fuller, and grandson of James and Diana (Acres) Fuller.
James Fuller, the grandfather, was born in Montgomery County, Virginia, and in early manhood went to Kentucky, where he was married to Diana Acres. They spent the first few years of married life in the Blue Grass State, and in 1815 moved to Ohio, settling near New Car- lisle, in Bethel Township, Clark County. He remained there one year, then came to Pike Township, purchasing the first 160 acres of land from the government for $2.00 per acre. He put up a log house on the clearing which he made, and in a few years replaced it with a brick. He also erected the first bank barn in this
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vicinity, and it still stands on the place study at the Normal School at Lebanon, and is in use. He followed farming, and in addition bought and sold land exten- sively, being considered one of the sub- stantial men of the township. He was a Democrat in politics and served as town- ship treasurer and filled other local offi- ces. He survived his wife some years, and died in 1883. They were parents of ten children.
James C. Fuller, the father, was born in this old home place in Pike Township, January 19, 1820, and spent all his life in this county. He assisted in clearing the land and followed farming on a large scale, at one time owning as much as 640 acres in Pike Township. This snecess was not accomplished without hard labor, however, as he started with but $1,000 in money, and eighty acres of land. He was married April 14, 1842, to Mary Jane Verdier, who was born in Pike Township in 1824, and was a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Verdier, who also came from Virginia. Mrs. Fuller died February 6, 1897, and James C. Fuller June 6, 1899. They were parents of eight children, as follows: Altersa, deceased, who was the wife of David Fortney, of Osborne, Ohio; Columbus, deceased; Marietta, who makes her home with her brother, Charles Ed- ward; Martha, who is the widow of Jo- siah Knoop; James H., deceased; Editli, deceased, who was the wife of Edward Hoover; Charles Edward; and Bertlia, deceased, who was the wife of Elmer Sultzbach. Mr. Fuller was a Democrat in politics and served in township offices.
Charles Edward Fuller was born on the home place, which had been secured by his grandfather, attended the district schools, and later purered a course of
Ohio. He came into possession of his parent farm by buying 15215 acres from his father, in 1897, and with his sister in- herited the remainder upon the death of his parents. He has followed general farming and stock dealing, but at the present time he rents the farm and gives his attention mainly to the stock business. The fine bank barn was erected by his father in 1879, and was at that time con- sidered the finest in this section of the county. Mr. Fuller is a progressive man and in his business employs new and modern methods, which have proved suc- cessful. He is a stalwart Democrat in polities, and from 1905 to 1907 he served the township efficiently as treasurer.
HARLEY TITUS, a well known citizen and prosperous farmer of Harmony Township, Clark County, Ohio, has a fine farm of 120 acres, a part of the old Titus home farm. He was born in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, January 14, 1863, and is a son of James P. and Eliza (Price) Titus.
James P'. Titus, father of our subject, was born in Chester County. Pennsyl- vania, and at an early age came west to Clark County, Ohio. He was a successful farmer and business man and upon his death left quite a large estate to be di- vided among his children, our subject's share being a part of the old home place and 120 acres of land. He died March 11, 1900, having been preceded to the grave by his wife some fifteen years. Six chil- dren were born of their union, four of whom grew to maturity, as follows: Her- man, Harley, James and Gustavus.
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MRS. ISABEL B. STICKNEY
HENRY STICKNEY
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Harley Titus was reared in his native county and received a good common school education. He has always engaged in farming and stock-raising, and is one of the largest stock dealers in this sec- tion of the country, buying and selling all kinds and grades of live-stock. He lived with his parents until 1885, since which time he has farmed his present place, which his father bought originally of Jo- seph Newlove.
Mr. Titus was united in marriage with Mary E. Hazzard, who was born in Vicks- burg, Mississippi, February 14, 1868, and who is a daughter of William S. and Mary 1 .. (Hendren) Hazzard, her father a na- tive of Maryland and her mother of Vir- ginia. She was reared in Vicksburg and attended the schools there until 1881, when she came to Columbus, Ohio, and lived with an aunt, Mrs. J. S. Morton, until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Titus have five children, as follows: Lamar C., born October 20, 1885, who is an auction- eer; Homer T., born October 1, 1887; Howard P., born August 31, 1890; Mor- ton S., born November 26, 1893; and Mal- com, born October 20, 1895. All of the children are living at home. There is liv- ing with the family an old colored woman, Rose Anabelle, of the Southern type, who is more than one hundred years old and who has been in the Titus family more than half a century. Religiously, our sub- ject and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
WILLIAM J. STICKNEY, residing on the old Stickney homestead, which is situ- ated in Springfield Township, on the Springfield and South Charleston turn-
pike, some five miles east of Fountain Avenue, Springfield, is a representative member of an old pioneer family of this section. William J. Stickney was born on this farm in Clark County, Ohio, Sep- tember 27, 1852, and is a son of Henry and Isabel (Baird) Stickney. The grand- father, John Stickney, was born in Eng- land and came to Clark County, Ohio, at a very early day, locating and dying on the farm now owned by his grandson, William J.
On this farm Henry Stickney, the father of William J., was also born, and in a house which is still used as a residence. When the present fine brick residence was built, the old house was sold and was moved off the farm. Here Henry Stick- ney was reared and inherited 160 acres from his father, to which he subsequently added, until he had in all about 400 acres. He married Isabel Baird, a daughter of William D. Baird, who was an early pio- neer in Harmony Township, to which lo- cality he came probably from Virginia. Henry Stickney and wife went to house- keeping on a tract of twenty-two and one- half acres of the old farm, which he bought, and this portion is now owned by Mrs. Robert Rodgers, a daughter. Two children were born to them, William J. and Sarah, the latter of whom married Robert Rodgers and resides in Spring- field. Henry Stickney became a promi- nent and succesful man. He died on this farm December 30, 1893, at the age of seventy-two years. His widow survived until July 17, 1899.
William J. Stickney attended the neigh- boring schools in his boyhood, and has always given the larger part of his atten- tion to agricultural pursuits. At the age
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of thirty-five years he was married to was born in Lancaster County, Pennsyl- Catherine Huffman, who is a daughter of vania, and was a farmer and distiller. With his family he moved from his native state to Ohio in 1827, locating near Day- ton, in which city he died at the age of seventy-seven and his wife at the age of eighty-seven years. He married Susan Whitmer, by whom he had twelve chil- dren, as follows: George, deceased; Daniel; Catherine, deceased; John W .: Benjamin F., deceased; Jacob, deceased; Mary Ann, deceased; Abe; Susan, de- ceased; William; Emma; and Samuel F .. deceased. Samuel and Barbara Huffman, and they have become the parents of six children, namely: Baird, who married Emily Hayes; Howard, a student at Berea Col- lege, Kentucky; and Clark, Mary, Mar- garet and Isabel. When first inarried, William J. Stickney and wife settled on the farm in Harmony Township which belonged to his mother, a fine property of 338 acres, on which he remained for seventeen years. In February, 1903, he returned to his home farm. He has been largely engaged in raising Shorthorn cat- tle and Poland China hogs and is the old- est breeder of the latter variety in Clark County, making his initial effort in boy- hood. Mr. Stickney has done a great deal for this locality in raising the standard of both stock and cattle. He is a stock- holder in the W. F. Tuttle Hardware Company of Springfield.
AARON SPANGLER KNEISLY, a well known citizen of Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, resides on a fine farm of seventy five acres located near the village of Dialton. He was born in Greene County, Ohio, October 2, 1861, and is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Dice) Kneisly.
Daniel Kneisly was five years of age when brought by his parents to Ohio, who located on Mad River, six miles east of Dayton, in Bath Township, Greene Coun- ty. They bought the old grist-mill, now known as the old Kneisly Mill, and oper- ated it many years. Daniel grew to ma- tnrity there and attended school in the log schoolhouse, which was equipped with slab benches and desks. The legs of the benches were wooden pins driven into the slabs, while the slab desks were support- ed by wood pins driven into the walls. The pupils sat with their faces to the wall. the desks being along three sides of the room, and when recitation time came swing their feet over the benches and faced the center. The fourth side of the room was equipped with a fire-place, in which big logs were kept burning. From 1835 to 1850 Mr. Kneisly worked in the mill and in a small store conducted by his father. In the latter year he went west to the gold fields of California, where he mined with some snecess for four years. He then returned to Bath Township. re- maining until 1877. when he came to Pike
Daniel Kneisly was born in Cumber- land County, Pennsylvania, September 26, 1822, is a son of John Kneisly and a grandson of George Kneisly. The family is an old one in this country and was es- tablished here by three brothers, who came from Switzerland, one of whom was the father of George, above mentioned. John Kneisly, grandfather of Aaron S., Township, Clark County, and continued
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actively in the harness until January, 1908, when he retired and is now living in North Hampton. He was first married in 1845 to Catherine Jane Miller, a daughter of David Miller, and she died in 1848, without issne. In 1858 he contracted a second marriage, with Mrs. Elizabeth (ice) Spangler, whose first marriage, in 1850, to Henry Spangler resulted in the birth of two children: Emma, wife of J. W. Haines, and James W. Mrs. Kneisly is a daughter of Jacob and Jane (Weid- ner) Dice. Her marriage to Daniel Kneisly has been blessed with five chil- dren: Edwin Aaaron Spangler, John Franklin. Jennie, wife of Stephen Trout, and Lulu B. He is a Republican in pol- ities and fraternally has been a member of the Odd Fellows Order since January, 1850. He first joined Buckeye Lodge at Dayton and now belongs to Turner Lodge No. 414 at Osborn.
Aaron S. Kneisly was reared on the home place in Greene County and lived there with his parents until he was mar- ried. He has always followed farming and has met with good results, and is now located on seventy-five acres of the old Thackery estate. He was married December 20, 1888, to Emma E. Thackery, a daughter of Duncan and Susan (Ray) Thackery.
Duncan Campbell Thackery, father of Mrs. Kneisly, was born at the home of his father, John Thackery, in Pansgill, York- shire, England, December 13, 1813, and was sixteen years old when his parents sold their possessions preparatory to com- ing to the United States. Leaving Liver- pool March 18, 1829, they arrived in New York City after a voyage of twenty-one days, and immediately set out for Ohio,
where they expected to make their future home. They came to within one hundred miles of Columbus on the Ohio Canal, then proceeded in wagons to North Hamp- ton, Clark County, where they lived until the following October. They then moved to Champaign County, and in a single day erected a log cabin on their place in the woods. Duncan was twenty-six years old when his father died, leaving debts to pay, and it devolved upon him to look after the family. Thus handicapped he embarked on life's voyage, and the fact that he subsequently was owner of 900 acres of land reflects the energy of his work and his good business judgment. He married Susan Ray, a daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth (Zeigler) Ray, who emne through from Virginia to Ohio with a four-horse team. The Rays located first at Cincinnati, then came to Clark County, where both lived at the time of death. They had the following children: John, Mary, Henry, Michael, Emil, Susan, Lewis and Sarah. Duncan and Susan Thackery were parents of nine children, namely: Ann Jane, Sarah E., Mary. John, William, Joseph, Eleanor Belle, Finley and Emma Etta. The eldest is deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Kneisly have one daugh- ter, Susie. Religiously they all are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically he is a Republican, but has never been an aspirant for office. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias at North Hampton.
WILLIAM H. TUTTLE, for many years one of Springfield Township's most highly respected citizens, was born on the
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old Tuttle home farm, opposite the Sink- ing Creek Church, in Clark County, Ohio, August 2, 1838, and died March 8, 1885, in his forty-seventh year. His parents were Caleb and Mary (Prickett) Tuttle.
Caleb Tuttle was born in Virginia, in 1799, and was seven years of age when he came to Clark County, Ohio, with his father, Sylvanus Tuttle, in 1806. He year and later took a commercial course married Mary Prickett, who was born east of the Allegheny Mountains, but who Mrs. Tuttle continues to reside at her country residence with her son and daugh- ter. They occupy a beautiful brick man- sion which Mr. Tuttle completed so that it was ready for the family's Thanks- giving dinner in November, 1877. came to Clark County from Claremont County, Ohio. Caleb Tuttle's father-in- law. Nicholas Prickett, operated the first flour-mill at Lagonda. Of Caleb's eleven children nine reached maturity and two are now living, namely: Rachel, who is the widow of Jacob Leslie MeClellan, and Miss Laura Tuttle.
William H. Tuttle spent his boyhood on his father's farm and attended the Sink- ing Creek School. He secured 100 acres from his father and to this he added by purchase until he owned 300 acres of ex- cellent land. Farming was his main busi- ness through life, combined with dealing in stock in his earlier years. Like all members of his family, he was a man of many sterling virtues.
On October 26, 1871, Mr. Tuttle was married to Mary Catherine Luce, who is a daughter of John and Martha Ann (Bird) Ince, and they had three children, namely : Frances A., Carrie and Clarence T. Frances A. graduated from the Springfield High School and later took a select course at Shepardson College, Granville, Ohio. Miss Carrie Tuttle graduated from the Springfield High School, the Wittenberg College and took the Library Course of the University of Chicago. She taught school for one year
near her home and for four years in city schools of Springfield, after which she be- came librarian at the Manuel Training and State Normal School at Ellendale, North Dakota, where she is still located. Clarence I. Tuttle graduated from the academy connected with Wittenberg Col- lege, attended the college proper for one at the Nelson Business College.
RUSSELL SMITH, owner of a fine tract of seventy-three acres located in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, was born on a farm near Springfield, Ohio, December, 1877, and is a son of T. A. and Catherine (Miller) Smith.
T. A. Smith, who, with his wife, resides at Enon. Ohio, was born in Clifton and has been a life-long resident of Clark County. His wife was born in Virginia and when a child came to Ohio with her parents, who settled at Catawba.
Russell Smith is one of a family of seven children, namely: George, Alva, Erwin, Russell. Estella, who married E. Crabill, Mary and Myrtle, deceased. When quite young the parents of Mr. Smith moved to Springfield, Ohio, and there his boyhood days were spent. He attended the public schools and also took a course at Nelson's Business College. When a young man he worked for two years in a meat market owned by J. G. Kramer, then was employed for two years
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by Phillip Folckemer. In 1902 he bought calm, and, secondly, to Mrs. Elizabeth out the meat market at 124 Clifton Street, Howe. then owned by C. N. Slyer, and this he Samuel Challott Frey, father of George HI., was born of the second marriage. He followed the trade of jeweler and silver- smith at Canajoharie and at Syracuse, New York, until 1830, when he located at Brockville, Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, where he resided until 1837. He then returned to the United States and settled for a few months at Morristown, New York. In 1838 he removed to Can- ton, Ohio. In 1857 he came to Spring- field, where he was engaged in business until 1870, when he removed to Decatur, Alabama, in which place he died in 1877. operated until he moved to his present home in April, 1907, which he had pur- chased in 1905 from Mrs. Joseph Baker. Mr. Smith was married June 10, 1903, to Emma Sumner, the only child of Richard and Sarah (Watson) Sumner. Mr. and Mrs. Sumner, who reside near South Charleston, Ohio, are natives of England, where they were married. They came to America in 1880 and settled near Spring- field on a farm which was owned by Steven Kirham, a relative. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are the parents of two children- Russell Barton and Norman Edwin.
GEORGE H. FREY, SR., owing to his prominence in the business, political and social life of Springfield for so many years, is rightly numbered with the city's representative men. He was born De- cember 19, 1825, at Philadelphia, Jeffer- son County, New York, and is a son of Samuel C. and Susan (Calhoun) Frey.
The Frey family is an old one in Amer- ica and has had many distinguished mem- bers. History tells of their connection with matters of the greatest public inter- est even prior to the Revolutionary War. Philip Frey, the grandfather of George H., was born in the Mohawk Valley, New York, but went to Canada when sixteen years of age. His last years, however, were spent in his native place, where he was engaged in the practice of law. He was married, first, to Marie Louise St. Martin, of Detroit, Michigan, who was a member of the family of General Mont-
George H. Frey was afforded excellent educational advantages, and in June, 1847, after some time spent in the study of law, he was admitted to the bar at Xenia, Ohio, and immediately afterward opened a law office in Springfield. Here, soon after, he became interested in the "Republic," which was then the leading Whig journal of Clark County. In 1854 Mr. Frey became one of its owners and editors, retaining his interest therein until 1861. Mr. Frey had previously ac- quired a knowledge of telegraphy, of which he made practical use when, in 1849, he was placed in charge of the office of the Cincinnati & Sandusky Tele- graph Company, at Springfield. In 1850 he was elected superintendent of the line, and two years later he became presi- dent of the company and served as such until it lost its individuality through its absorption by the Western Union cor- poration. After retiring from news- paper work, in 1861, Mr. Frey began de- veloping a valuable quarry property which he had acquired along Buck Creek,
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