20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 97

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 97

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).

In 1884 Mr. Parmenter was married to Della M. Moore, who is a daughter of Dr. George W. Moore, of Springfield, and they have one child, Georgia, who is a student at Millbrook College, New York. Mr. Parmenter and family attend the Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Commercial, the Country and the La- gonda Club.

J. W. PARMENTER, president of the J. W. Parmenter Company, and also of the Ohio Garment Company, is one of Springfield's leading men of business and has been a resident here for some twenty years. He was born in 1859, in Wood County, Ohio.

After completing his education in the local schools near his home Mr. Parmen- ter first became a clerk in a general store at Bowling Green, the county seat, and then went into a clothing business on his own responsibility. From Bowling Green he came to Cincinnati, in which city he was with the John Shilito Company until he came to Springfield. For about seven years following his location here he traveled for a suspender manufactur- ing house and then went into the business for himself, which he carried on for twelve years, developing it from a small concern until it grew to dimensions that required commodions quarters and the protection of incorporation. In 1904 Mr. Owen, who is engaged in the drug busi-

HARLEY CRAIG, residing on his well improved farm of 110 acres, which is sit- uated in Section 1, Springfield Town- ship, was born on what is locally known as the Mary Jane Laybourn farm, in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, November 2, 1865. He is a son of William and Eliza (Hawkins) Craig. When he was two years old he lost his mother by death. His father then moved to the present farm, and was married (secondly) to Nancy MeKinney. Of his first marriage twin sons were born, Har- ley and Harry, the latter of whom died in March, 1904, leaving a widow and three children. Of his second marriage Will- iam Craig had three children, namely :

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ness at Springfield; Fannie, who married Fred Severs; and William, who lives with his widowed moother on the part of the William Craig farm which she owns, in the extreme southeastern part of Spring- field Township.

The late William Craig was born in the home in which his son Harley lives, and almost the whole of his life was spent here or at Springfield, where his last years were passed. His father was Rob- ert Craig and his grandfather was a sol- dier in the Revolutionary War. William Craig was a leading citizen of his com- munity for many years, serving in town- ship offices on several occasions. He owned 160 acres of land.

Harley and Harry Craig grew up to- gether on the home farmn and attended the local schools. They owned eighty acres of land in partnership, and when Harry died Harley traded his share of that land for what he owns of the old home farm. He carries on a general fine of agriculture. On Christmas Eve, 1889, Harley Craig was married to Louie Morningstar, who is a daughter of Chris- topher and Mary Morningstar. She was reared in Springfield Township, but her father now resides in Harmony Township. Mr. and Mrs. Craig have five children, namely: Daisy. Ruth, Allen and Edith and Edna, twins.

NORTON VICTOR BOBO, who oper- ates the W. S. Snyder farm of 196 acres, which is located near the eastern line of Pike Township, comes of a family long established in Ohio, and his ancestors came to America from England at a very early day. He was born in Hardy County,

West Virginia, in 1857, and is a son of Joseph and Lucinda (Reed) Bobo, both natives of West Virginia.

Joseph Bobo was born and reared in Hardy County, West Virginia, where he engaged for some time in farming. He married Lucinda Reed, who died before the family came to Ohio, leaving four sons: Thomas, deceased, Norton Victor, Benjamin, deceased, and Joseph, residing in Delaware County, Ohio. About 1865 the father brought his four sons to Ohio and settled at Columbus, where, during that same year, he was accidentally killed on the railroad.

Norton Victor Bobo was about eight years old when he was brought from West Virginia to Ohio, and after the death of his father he went to live with his uncle, Jerry Bobo, who then resided on a farm near Xenia, from which he moved, one year later, to the John Allen farm, now known as the Kelly farm, a tract of 1,200 acres located near Yellow Springs, Ohio. After living there several years Jerry Bobo moved to the Jolin Allen farm, near Xenia, and later engaged in turnpike con- tracting. Norton V. Bobo worked for his unele in that business until about eigh- teen years old. He went then to North Hampton, and was employed there for a short time on a farm, after which he ob- tained work in Mr. Myers' wheel factory, at Dialton, where he remained for seven years. After his marriage he worked at the carpenter and plastering trades at North Hampton until he secured the contract to carry mail from Dialton to Springfield, when he located in the former place and was mail carrier for eight years. He then rented his present farm from W. S. Snyder, where he has since

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been successfully carrying on farming in a general way, and also raising cattle and hogs. Mr. Bobo owns two town lots in North Hampton, which he purchased from the Zinn heirs, and on this prop- erty he has erected a large ten-room frame house. He is financially interested in the North Hampton Horse Company.

On December 5, 1878, Mr. Bobo was married to Anna Lehmon, a daughter of Christian Lehmon, and to them have been born six children, as follows: Elsie J .; William, Harry, Emma D., Mary E., and Glendon. Harry married Nellie Hart -. man, and they have one child, Charles Willard. In politics Mr. Bobo is a Demo- crat and has served two years on the School Board. He is a member of White Star Lodge, No. 292, Knights of Pythias, of North Hampton, in which he has passed all the chairs.

JOSEPH SULTZBACH and wife, owners of 395 acres of fine farming land, 176 acres of which are located in Bethel Township, and the rest in Pike Township, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1836, and is a son of Jo- seph and Catherine (Longnecker) Sultz- bach.

The great-grandfather of Joseph Sultz- bach came to his country from Germany and resided here until his death, at the age of 108 years. He had three children : Henry, the next to the oldest, and the grandfather of Joseph Sultzbach, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in general farming in connection with operating a tannery at Yorktown, and one at Marietta, Pennsyl-

vania. Notwithstanding the fact that his older brother inherited his father's es- tate, Henry Sultzbach died aged eighty- five years, a man of means. Mr. Sultz- bach was married to Mary Mumaugli, who died aged eighty-five years and five months. They reared a family of seven children: John; Henry; Jacob; Joseph, Frederick; Mary, and Elizabeth, the lat- ter of whom died aged ninety-two years. Mary and Joseph were the only members of the family to locate in Ohio, coming here in the spring of 1854, first locating at Eagle City, Clark County, and then moving, in 1855, to the Sultzbach farm, which is located on the Urbana Pike, two and one-half miles north of Springfield. The Sultzbach family were among the first settlers of York County, Pennsyl- vania, and Joseph Sultzbach still has in his possession some Continental currency which was a part of the old Sultzbach fortune.

Joseph Sultzbach (1), father of Jo- seph (2) was a general farmer. He re- mained in Clark County until his death, April 30, 1886, aged seventy-four years. He was married in Pennsylvania to Cath- erine Longnecker, who died December 19, 1892, at the age of eighty-one years. To them were born: Elizabeth; Henry, who is a resident of Kansas; Joseph; Amanda, who married S. Markwood and lives in Washington; Franklin, who resides at Springfield; Webster, who died in 1905; Catherine, who married M. McClain; Hy- man, who is a resident of Colorado; Anna, who married John Humbarger, of Mad River Township; Alvin, deceased; Byron, deceased; George, who lives in Clark County; and Howard, also of Clark County. With the exception of Howard

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all of the children were born in Pennsyl- vania.

Joseph Sultzbach, Jr., came to Ohio in 1854, since which time he has been en- gaged in general farming and cattle-rais- ing. The land now owned by him was originally a swampy wilderness and re- quired a great amount of labor to bring it to its present excellent state of cultiva- tion. Mr. Sultzbach resides on his farm of 176 acres, his son, Elmer, having charge of his other land. The commodi- ous and substantial buildings on the farms have all been erected by Mr. Sultz- bach and compare favorably with any in this section.

January 22, 1863, Mr. Sultzbach was united in marriage with Margaret Deit- rick, a daughter of John and Mary (Sence) Deitrick, and to them were born two children: Elmer B., who married Elizabeth Rowlands, has one child, Roy; and Cora, who married Henry Mauck, re- sides in Medway, and has one child, El- mer. Mr. Sultzbach is a member of the German Baptist Church. Politically he is a Republican.

DR. JOHN LUDLOW, for many years president of the Springfield Bank, and proprietor of the pioneer drug store in this city, was long numbered with the substantial and representative men of Clark County. He was born in this county December 9, 1810, his father, Cooper Ludlow, having settled here when he came to the State as a pioneer from New Jersey.

to be a pharmacist, and prior to 1851 he had become sole proprietor of the only drug store at Springfield, with which he was connected for a number of years. He was one of the early promoters of the Springfield Bank, and from its board of directors was chosen its president on the death of Judge Oliver Clark. He was deeply interested in the progress and growth of Springfield and was noted for his public spirit. He was one of the founders of Ferncliff Cemetery, where his dust now rests.

On August 31, 1835, Dr. Ludlow was married to Elmina Getman, who came from an old family of Herkimer County, New York. Of this union there were three children, namely : Ellen, who is the widow of the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell; Fred- erick G., who died January 18, 1906, and who was for many years a resident of Los Angeles, California; and Charles, for many years a prominent druggist and business man of Springfield, who is re- cently deceased.

For more than forty years Dr. Undlow was a valued and active member of Christ Episcopal Church, at Springfield, of which he was one of the founders, and served as senior warden for many years. He was also a liberal supporter of its various charities. He was a man of ex- emplary life and sterling character who had at heart the cause of true religion and the spread of Christian truth, and for fourteen years he served as treasurer of the Clark County Bible Society. He may surely be counted among those who might expect to hear the Divine enloginm, " Well done, good and faithful servant; enter

Dr. Indlow was educated at Cincinnati thou into the joy of thy Lord."

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JOHN T. RICKS

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JOHN T. RICKS, president and treas- ing representative of the Peters Cart- urer of The Reama Silver Plating Com- pany, at Springfield, has proven himself, during his residence here of thirty-three years, to be a citizen of public spirit and personal integrity. He was born at West Liberty, Logan County, Ohio, in 1853, and remained there through a portion of his period of education.

Mr. Ricks was twenty-two years old when he came to Springfield, in 1875, and entered into the service of the old C., S. & C. Railroad and Pennsylvania & Pan- handle Railroad, and he continued in rail- road work for eight years. Following this he was connected with the Springfield Malleable Iron Company and other like industries, for about twenty years. On January 22, 1907, The Reama Silver Plat- ing Company was organized and ineor- porated, and of this Mr. Ricks became president and treasurer, giving his main attention to this business, atlhougli he is also identified with other concerns. He has taken an active interest in politics, and during 1896-7 he was councilman-at- large and a very valuable member of that body.

In 1883 Mr. Ricks was married to Sarah A. Hall, who is a daughter of James W. Hall. They have one daughter, Sarah Elizabeth. Mr. Ricks is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and has served on its board of trustees. Fra- ternally he is a Knight Templar Mason, and he belongs to the Springfield Com- mercial Club.

ridge Company of Cincinnati, and is famed throughout the United States and Canada as a champion gun shot. In 1893, in competition with the world's greatest marksmen at Detroit, Michigan, he won the championship of the United States and Canada at artificial targets, breaking 99 of a possible 100 birds. In 1904 he won the live bird championship of the United States and Canada, killing 124 out of a possible 125 pigeons. In addition he has won numerous medals and cups in competition in different parts of the country.

Mr. Young was born in Frederick County, Maryland, September 10, 1866, and is a son of William A. and Sophia E. (Strawsburg) Young, the former a native of Frederick County, Maryland, and the latter of Washington County, Maryland. In 1866 William A. Young, with his wife and only child, our subject, came to Ohio, first stopping at Vandalia a short time and thence going to Mad River Township, Clark County, where they rented of Susan Funderburg a part of the farm Charles A. Young now lives upon. He had farmed up to this time, but subsequently engaged in the agricultural implement business at Springfield, going back and forth between his farm and store each day. He was quite successful and continued thus occu- pied until his death, in 1899, at the age of fifty-two years. Mrs. Young, after the de- mise of her husband, carried on the busi- ness in partnership with her son, under the name and style of Young & Young, and still resides on the old home place.

CHARLES ADDISON YOUNG, who Charles A. Young was six months of age when brought by his parents to Clark has a fine farm of 265 acres in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, is travel- County. He was reared on the home farm,

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and after completing the prescribed course Minerva (Albin) Winget, both natives of of study in the district school, was a stu- Clark County, Ohio. Squire Winget lives at Enon and has served as Justice of the Peace for many years. Four children were born of this union: Chella Fern, Thurl, Reba, and Rolla. Fraternally Mr. Young is a member of Lodge No. 51, B. P. O. E .; Tribe No. 711, Knights of Abel, at New Haven, Connecticut; and also of an order for marksmen known as "Indian Lodge," its membership being limited to seventy in the United States. dent for some time at Nelson's Business College, Springfield. He then became identified with his father in the agricul- tural implement business as Young & Son, and later with his mother as Young & Young, continuing in the business for thirteen years. In his boyhood he took great delight in shooting, being naturally a good marksman. His enthusiasm and persistence developed him into an expert, and his success at the traps attracted the attention of the manufacturers. He ac- cepted a position as demonstrator with EDWIN M. BAIRD, one of the well known and highly respected retired farm- ers of South Charleston, was born in Feb- ruary, 1864, in Harmony Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel E. and Mary (Bonner) Baird, and a grand- son of William D. Baird. the Baker Arms Company, of Batavia, New York, remaining with them three years. He was then with the Robin Hood Powder Company, of Swanton, Vermont, two years, and since 1904 has been con- nected with the Peters Arms Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has given exhibi- William D. Baird, a native of Ken- tucky, was born in 1803, and in 1807 was brought to Clark County, Ohio, by his par- ents, who settled on Beaver Creek, in Harmony Township. Here he spent his entire life engaged in farming, and be- came possessed of large landed interests. He married Sarah Hodge of Harmony Township, whose parents accompanied the Baird family from Kentucky in 1807, but located on Sinking Creek, in Pleasant Township. William D. Baird and wife reared a family of seven children, all of whom are now deceased. tions of shooting in every town of any im- portance in the United States, and in the larger towns and cities of Canada, work- ing in the South during the winter months, and in the North during the sum- mer. Of the 265 acres owned by Mr. Young, his first purchase was the David Funderburg place of 100 acres, of which the old home place forms a part, and on which is located "Enon Mound." The remainder of his farm is made up of the R. L. Miller, Eliza Haines and John Harshman places, which he purchased at different times. He built his present com- modious residence, which is on the north side of the Dayton Pike, seven miles west of Springfield, and many other substan- tial improvements.

In March, 1888, Mr. Young married Ida May Winget, a daughter of Daniel and

Samuel E., the second eldest and father of Edwin, was born in 1832, in Harmony Township, where he spent his entire life. He was united in marriage with Mary Bonner, a daughter of Matthew and Ann (Roberts) Bonner, the former of whom was born in 1799 and came to Clark

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County in 1830. He was a large land- owner and a surveyor of considerable prominence. Three children were born to Samuel and Mary Baird: Edwin M., Frank, and Mary.

Edwin M. Baird was reared on his fath- er's farm, receiving his education at Lon- don and Yellow Springs, Ohio, after which he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and with the exception of fourteen years spent in London, Madison County, has always been a resident of Clark County. Besides owning valuable farm land in this county, he owns also his fine residence property in South Charleston, where he is now liv- ing in retirement. He was married in 1891 to Annette Emery, a daughter of Benjamin Emery, and has one child, Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Baird attend the Presbyterian Church of South Charles- ton. He is fraternally affiliated with the Masons and Elks. Politically he is a Re- publican.

CHARLES LUDLOW, whose recent passing away deprives Springfield of one of her early residents and most reputa- ble business men, was a native son, born in Springfield February 3, 1842, son of Dr. John and Elmina (Getman) Ludlow. He was a grandson, on the paternal side, of Cooper Ludlow, who came to Ohio as a pioneer from the State of New Jersey.

Dr. John Ludlow, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, learned in Cincinnati the trade of druggist, which he followed in Springfield for many years, prior to 1851 being proprietor of the first and only drug store here. He was one of the pro- moters and for some time president of the Springfield Bank, and was one of the

founders of the Ferncliff Cemetery, and in many ways helped to advance the ma- terial prosperity of the city. By his wife, Elmina, who came from an old family of Herkimer County, New York, he was the father of three children: Ellen, who is the widow of the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell; Frederick G., who died January 18, 1906, after having been for a number of years a resident of Los Angeles, California; and Charles, whose name appears at the head of this article.

Charles Ludlow, the date of whose na- tivity has been already given, was reared and educated in the city of Springfield, Ohio. Under his father's supervision he learned the drug business, and on the death of Dr. Ludlow, succeeded to the lat- ter's interests. This pioneer drug store, with which Mr. Ludlow was connected for over fifty years, was situated on East Main Street, near Limestone Street. Here Mr. Ludlow conducted a prosperous drug business from 1865 to 1896, and during much of this time was also associated in business enterprises with his brother-in- law, the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell, of Ohio. A few years ago he practically re- tired from all active business enterprises, except that he remained interested with his son, Frederick B., in a pine-apple plantation in Florida. Shortly previous to embarking in this enterprise he was en- gaged for some time in a wholesale oil business, which he gave up on account of ill health. In 1905 Mr. Ludlow received a warning of his approaching end in a stroke of paralysis, which was afterwards followed by a nervous breakdown which resulted finally in his death.

Mr. Ludlow was a Civil War veteran, and he also belonged to the Society known

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as the Sons of the Revolution, ancestors of his having taken part in the war that delivered this country from British rule. He was also a member of the Ohio Phar- macy Society. Though he never took any active part in politics, he was a stanch Republican and a warm supporter of every movement calculated to advance the moral or material interests of Springfield. The Ferncliff Cemetery Association, his father's connection with which has been already noticed, always received his cor- dial support. Like his father, also he was a member and vestryman of Christ Epis- copal Church, to which all the members of the family belong.

Mr. Ludlow married Ella R. Spencer, who is a daughter of Richard S. Spencer, formerly a prominent citizen of Spring- field. Of this union there are three chil- dren: Frederick B., now a resident of Caxambas, Florida, where, as already in- timated, he is engaged in pine-apple cul- ture; Eleanor S., who married J. B. Pau- ley, of Chicago; and Charles R., who is associated with the First National Bank, and who married Nellie Hollenbeck.

CONRAD KAPPENBERGER, a gen- eral farmer and representative citizen of German Township, residing on his fine farm of 149 acres, which is situated on the Troy Turnpike Road, about six miles northwest of Springfield, was born Sep- tember 18, 1848. in Germany. His par- ents were Philip and Elizabeth (Fetter) Kappenberger.

Mr. Kappenberger was sixteen years of age when he came to America, making the voyage alone and proving his courage thereby, for it was not an easy matter to

take up life among strangers, with a new language to learn and new conditions and customs to get accustomed to. Mr. Kap- penberger came to Springfield Township and learned the blacksmith's trade, at Sugar Grove Hill. He worked at it for two years and then began farm work, and later went to work in the Hoakem stone quarry, where he was employed for six- teen years. In 1888 he bought sixty acres of his present farm and moved on to it, and subsequently purchased fifty- eight acres more, still later adding thirty additional acres. This land is kept in fine condition and Mr. Kappenberger is one of the most successful farmers and stock- raisers of the township.

When twenty-three years of age Mr. Kappenberger was married to Barbara Shaffer, who died after the birth of two children, namely: Kate, who married Michael Rader; and George. Mr. Kap- penberger was married (secondly) to Anna Grube, and they have six children, namely: Ida, who married Edward Fred- erick, and has two children-Ralph and Savilla; Elizabeth, who married Willis Stickle; Effie, who married George Gwin, and has one child, Floyd; and Philip, John and Maggie. Mr. Kappenberger and family belong to St. John's Lutheran Church. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow.

WILLIAM TROXELL, in former years a well known and prosperous farm- er, of Harmony Township, Clark County, was born in Angusta County, Virginia, December 16, 1816, son of George and Elizabeth (Miller) Troxell. His paternal grandfather was Peter Troxell, of Penn- sylvania, who was of German descent and

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who married Rachel Chambers, a native of Chambersburg, Maryland. Peter and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom George, the father of the sub- ject, was the second in order of birth. Peter Troxell was a Revolutionary sol- dier. He removed to Augusta County, Virginia, soon after his marriage, and there he and his wife spent the rest of their days.

George Troxell was born in Augusta County, in the Old Dominion, and was there reared to maturity. He married Elizabeth Miller, of that county, whose father, Adam Miller, was a native of Ger- many, who had settled in Virginia. George fought against the British in the War of 1812. He and his wife were the parents of seven children: Daniel, Andrew, John, William, Hettie, Eli and Elizabeth.

William Troxell, the date of whose birth has been already given, was reared on the farm and trained to agricultural pursuits. His boyhood, however, was spent among strangers, and he received at different times for his services all the way from $1.50 to $8.00 per month. His opportunities for obtaining an education were very limited, especially in his earlier years. When twenty years old he accom- panied his brother Daniel to Ohio and re- sided for about a year in Pike Township, Clark County. In 1837 he removed to Harmony Township, where he worked on a farm. Here he had a chance to attend school, which he did for about four years. In 1846 he went to Illinois, where he bought 160 acres of land, then returning to Ohio.

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20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 97

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 993