USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 98
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In February, 1847, he married Mrs. Margaret Brooks, who was born in On- tario County, New York, June 6, 1800,
and who was a daughter of Nathan Ham- mond, a pioneer of Clark County, Ohio. Mr. Troxell had worked as a farm hand on his wife's farm, and after his marriage he settled permanently on the property, of which he subsequently became the own- er by buying out the heirs. His wife died July 26, 1873, and on July 28, 1874, he contracted a second marriage, with Dora V. Shryack, a daughter of John and Ma- tilda Shryack, of Clark County. She was born in Harmony Township, January 18, 1849, and has here resided all her life. Her father, John Shryack, was born in Urbana, Ohio, in 1816, and in after life became a resident of Clark County, where he died in 1896. His wife, Matilda, was born in 1822 and is still living. They were the parents of ten children, namely : Elder J., Jane, Charles, John, Dora V., George, William, Alfaretta, Robert and Rurie N. Charles and John died in in- fancy. George died in Africa in 1895, he being engaged in mining in that part of the world. The others are still living.
After his second marriage Mr. Troxell continued to carry on the farm, and was very successful, both in that respect and in acquiring agricultural property. When he came to Clark County his sole capital was $25.00, but he succeeded in accumu- lating 550 acres of land, besides paying over $15,000 as security debts. He and his step-son, Andrew Brooks, did an ex- tensive business as stock dealers and shippers, being thus engaged for abont twelve years. He was a man of strictly temperate habits and was universally re- spected. He was a Republican in politics and served as township trustee for ten years, and as school director for a num- ber of years, filling both offices with abil-
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ity. He was also road supervisor for twelve years and constructed the road on which his farm is situated. He was a con- sistent member of the Christian Church. as are the surviving members of his fam- ily, and when he died the community lost a good man and a useful, public-spirited citizen.
By his second wife, Dora, who survives him and who is now residing on the farm, Mr. Troxell had six children, whose rec- ord, in brief, is as follows: Pearl C., born in 1875, married Bruce Cruickshank, and is now residing in New Mexico. She has had one child, Glanville T., who was born September 8, 1904, and died Feb- ruary 18, 1908. George W., born Septem- ber 29, 1877, died in 1894. Jessie M., born April 28, 1880, married Charles Mitsch, and resides in Harmony Town- ship. She has two children, Dora and Charles B. Virginia J., born in 1882, is the wife of Clarence Laybourn, and is a resident of Clark County. Her two chil- dren are named, respectively, Troxell and Elizabeth. William P., born March 18, 1886, resides at home with his mother and assists in the management of the farm. Paul E., born October 8, 1887, also resides at home, and is occupied with the work of the farm. Mr. Troxell died May 14, 1888. Mrs. Troxell has two of her children still with her, and all but one residing within easy distance. The farm on which she lives consists of 320 acres, and there are besides 140 acres owned by her children. and 140 acres that were purchased from the widow Bennett, all in Harmony Township. The property is in a high state of cultivation and Mrs. Troxell is numbered among the prosperons resi- dents of the Township, as she is also one
of the best known and most popular. Her - popularity is shared by her children, who are all worthy members of the respective communities in which they reside.
JOHN S. PROSSER, whose fine farm of over 128 acres is situated in Section 13, Moorefield Township, was born in Mon- mouthshire, England, February 18, 1868, and is a son of George and Esther (Evans) Prosser. The parents of Mr. Prosser came to America in 1880 and set- tled at Springfield, where the father was engaged for a short time in a brick busi- ness in partnership with a Mr. White, but later went into market gardening in Springfield Township. He was born in Monmouthshire, England, November 11, 1840, and died in Ohio, October 6, 1887. His four children were: John, Stephen, George, Thomas, Hall and William.
John S. Prosser was twelve years old when his parents came to Clark County. Here, after completing his education, he engaged in dairying, and later in general farming, together with dairying and rais- ing Duroc Jersey hogs. February 28, 1894, Mr. Prosser married Edith Hol- comb, daughter of a prominent and old time Clark County settler. They have three sons, namely: George Holeomb, Jolin Evans and Arthur .Jennings. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Prosser settled on the W. S. Thompson farm on North Lime- stone Street, where they lived for eighteen months, moving thence to the Peter Sintz farm on the National Road, and three years later to the present farm, which Mr. Prosser had bought in 1898. He keeps abont thirty cows and sells his milk by wholesale. Mr. Prosser is a Republican
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RESIDENCE AND BARN OF FRANK HADDIN, MAD RIVER TOWNSHIP
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politically. He is an active, respected cit- izen and is numbered with the representa- tive men of this section.
FRANK HADDIX, owner of 133 aeres of fine land situated in Mad River Town- shop, one mile east of Osborn, was born on his present farm January 20, 1863, and is a son of George and Harriet (Cascad) Haddix.
John Haddix, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Virginia and came to Ohio with his parents at the age of twelve years. They entered the present Haddix estate from the government and here John spent his active life, retiring in his old age to Osborn, where he died aged ninety-four years. He was married to Sarah Cox, whose father, John Cox, was an early settler of this section, and who originally came from Virginia. John and Sarah Haddix had seven children, among them George, the father of our subject, who was the youngest member of the family.
George Haddix was born on the farm now owned by his son Frank and resided here all his life, with the exception of seven years spent in Indiana, where his father had a farm. On this farm he op- erated a saw and grist-mill and also bred cattle. He was married to Harriet Cas- cad, who was born in Fairfield, Ohio, and upon leaving Indiana returned to Clark County, Ohio, where the rest of their lives were spent. Mr. Haddix died in 1892. aged sixty-four years. He is survived by his wife, who resides near her son Frank. They had nine children, as follows: Belle, who married F. Thayers, now de- ceased; Martin; John, who died young :
Lillian, who married Joseph Nadin; Emma, now deceased, who married Ed- ward Williamson, also deceased; Charles; Frank, subject of this sketch; Jennie, who died young; and George, also de- ceased.
Frank Haddix received his education in the district schools and has always made farming his occupation. He worked on his grandfather's farm until his marriage and after his father's death bought out the other heirs. He named the place "Hillside Stock Farm," and all the sub- stantial buildings have been erected by him. He keeps the farm well stocked and during the winter feeds from twenty-five to forty head of cattle.
Mr. Haddix was married in February, 1885, to Lamelia Gephart, who was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, a daughter of Michael and Rachel (Wadoner) Gep- hart. Seven children have been born of this union, namely: Josephine, William, Guy, Clifford, Robert, Harvey and Thel- ma. Politically Mr. Haddix is a Repub- lican.
GEORGE SHELLABARGER, whose 144 acres of fine, fertile land in German Township is divided into a traet of 100 aeres lying on the division road separat- ing German and Pike Townships and an- other tract of forty-four acres one mile north of the residence farm, is one of the well known and substantial men of this section. He was born October 27, 1853. in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Littlejohn) Shellabarger.
Isaac Shellabarger was born in Penn- sylvania and was twelve years old when
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he accompanied his father, John Shella- barger, to Bethel Township, Clark Coun- ty, where he was reared. In early man- hood he married Elizabeth Littlejohn, who was born in Virginia and was brought to Clark County in girlhood. They had three children, namely: George; Mary, who married Ezra Heck; and Amanda, who died aged four years.
George Shellabarger was a school boy when his parents moved to a farm near Osborn, Montgomery County, Ohio, where they lived for eight years, and he was thirteen years old when they came to the present farm, which has been his home ever since. The father built the house and farm buildings, but Mr. Shellabarger has made all the excellent improvements and has reason to take pride in his fine home. He is a practical, up-to-date farm- er and successfully raises grain and ex- cellent stock. The property has been his since the death of his father, in 1903, the latter being aged eighty-one years. The mother died in March, 1867.
Mr. Shellabarger married Ella Baker, who is the daughter of Joseph Baker, and they have two children, Mildred and Noah. Mr. Shellabarger takes a good cit- izen's interest in public affairs relating to his neighborhood, but his main interest has always been centered in his home and family.
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JOHN WILLIAM COLLIER, a well known agriculturist of Mad River Town- ship, residing on a farm of 149 acres, sitn- ated in the sontheastern part of Section 17, was born on his present farm October 24, 1854, and is a son of John and Matilda (Husted) Collier.
Thomas Collier, his grandfather, came to this country from Ireland when six- teen years of age with two brothers, who were ship carpenters by trade. Shortly after arriving here he was discarded by his brothers because of religious differ- ences, and was subsequently imprisoned in New Jersey for debt. After coming to Ohio he earned money which enabled him to return to New Jersey and pay his debts. Thomas first located in Mad River Township, Clark County, and twice each year walked to Cincinnati to attend Mass, but later he became a Presbyterian and assisted in building the Mud Run Pres- byterian Church, which has since been torn down. Thomas Collier was the fath- er of seven children: Richard, Thomas, William, John, father of our subject, James, Charlotte, wife of Jacob Martin, and Fannie, who married John Hagan, all of whom are now deceased.
John Collier, father of John William, was born in Mad River Township, on what was then the old Robert Love farm, now known as the John Drake place. He was reared on this farm and became a blacksmith by trade. His father had willed the farm to his brother Richard, who was to have each son taught a trade. He continued on the farm three years, from his eighteenth to his twenty-first year, after which he learned the black- smith's trade, at which he worked all his life, conducting a shop of his own. At the time of his marriage he owned nothing. and was married in a borrowed shirt. He subsequently became the owner of two fine farms, one of 345 acres in Illinois and one of 114 acres in Mad River Town- ship. At one time his shop burned down leaving him with nothing but a "pair of
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willing hands." He then had the pat- ronage of such men as Stephen Willson, Jacob Athey, Lem Van Meter, etc., all of whom were historic characters of Clark County. They came to his assistance, each giving him ten dollars, which was to be returned when he found himself in bet- ter circumstances. They were all paid with interest, and in 1852 he purchased from his father-in-law, Joseph Husted, some farming land, which now forms part of the present farm of the subject of this sketch. He then returned to Mud Run, bought the old Drake farm and operated a saw-mill and blacksmith shop until his death in 1884, when he was aged seventy- four years. He married Matilda Husted, who was born in a log house on John Col- lier's present farm and who died in 1887. John and Matilda Collier became the par- ents of fourteen children, nine of whom died when young. Those living are: Hanna Ann (Mrs. E. Flohire), Joseph C., Andrew J., Charlotte Frances and John William.
J. William Collier was born on his pres- ent farm, where the greater part of his life has been spent. He conducted it for his father until 1873, when he went west for one year, returning home in 1875, after which he engaged in farming, his sister acting as housekeeper for him. Mr. Col- lier also spent some years at blacksmith- ing and after the death of his mother bought his farm from the heirs.
Mr. Collier was married in August, 1876, to Rebecca May, a daughter of Ben- jamin and Elizabeth May, and of this union have been born seven children- one child for each day of the week, and each born on that day. They were as fol- lows: Matilda Josephine; John Folger,
who died in 1906; Gilbert; May, wife of Jacob Hilt, who has one child, Karl; Nina, wife of H. Holsapple; Hazel; and Harry.
Mr. Collier has been a member of the school board for the past thirty years and is fraternally associated with the Knights of Pythias, the P. of H., and the I. O. O. F.
JOHN W. PARSONS, superintendent of the Ohio Masonic Home, of Spring- field, and a native and life-long resident of Springfield, was born in 1838, a son of Israel and Ann C. (Cox) Parsons.
Israel Parsons was born in 1799 in Frederick County, Maryland, and in 1830 emigrated to Springfield, where he was engaged in general contracting during his active career, and died in 1883.
Jolin W. Parsons was reared in Spring- field, and his educational training was re- ceived in the public schools of this city. Early in life he learned telegraphy, at which he worked for a period of twenty- nine years, being for eighteen years man- ager of the Western Union Telegraph Company, of Springfield, Ohio. He served two years as telegraph operator in the United States Military Telegraph Corps in the Army of the Potomae, and has in his possession many original tele- grams of General George B. MeClellan and other military officers of high rank.
In 1876 Mr. Parsons was elected treas- urer of Clark County, and two years later he was again elected to the same position. He has served all together four terms in this office, as he was elected to it again in 1884, serving two consecutive terms, the last of which expired in 1888. During 1891-2 he served as a member of the board
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of public affairs and was one of the most active and prominent members of that body. Three years later, in 1895, he was elected superintendent of the Ohio Ma- sonic Home, in which capacity he is still serving very efficiently. Mr. Parsons is a man of public spirit and enterprise and has always taken an interest in all mat- ters pertaining to the advancement of the county. Politically he is a Republican and has served as chairman of the Re- publiean central committee.
Mr. Parsons was united in marriage in 1867 to Miss Lida Enoch and they have two children: Jessie M. and Orrin L., who lives in Indian Territory. Fra- ternally Mr. Parsons is a Mason, having attained the thirty-third degree, which he took in 1887 in Providence, R. I. He is a member of St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, of Springfield.
JOHN HENRY KOBELANZ, residing on a well improved farm of 160 acres, sit- nated in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, was born March 15, 1839, in Springfield, Ohio, and is a son of Fred- erick and Margaret (Duhme) Kobelanz.
Frederick Kobelanz was a native of Hanover, Germany, and his father, who was born in Poland, was an officer in the German Army. Frederick Kobelanz was married in Germany, and in 1834 he and his wife came to America. They located Moses Miller, great-grandfather of Charles R., eame, with his family, from New Jersey at a very early period and settled in the timberlands of Mad River Township, near our subject's present farm. He lived here for the remainder of his life, passing away a few years after at Buffalo, New York, for a time, after which they came to Springfield. Fred- erick then went down the Ohio River and obtained employment on a steam-boat for a while and after he returned to Spring- field he was engaged in the lime and stone business on North Market Street. Mr. his arrival in this locality. Dayton Miller,
Kobelanz subsequently moved to the farm on which his son, John Henry, now re- sides, and he built the brick house, which is still on the place. Here he died, aged eighty-two years. His wife died in August. 1864.
John H. Kobelanz was a small boy when his parents moved to his present farm and here he was reared, and he at- tended the country schools. He was mar- ried to Anna Maria Snyder, a daughter of Abraham Snyder, of York County, Penn- sylvania. Mrs. Kobelanz came to Clark County in 1861. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kobelanz: Elva May, who married Peter A. Dillahunt; Charles Edwin, who died aged two and one-half years; Harry, who lives at home; Daisy, who also lives at home; and Mary, who married H. G. Miller. Politically Mr. Kobelanz is a Democrat and at one time was a candidate on that ticket for county commissioner in a Republican stronghold, but was defeated. In Novem- ber, 1907, he was elected township trustee on the Democratic tieket.
CHARLES R. MILLER, a well known general farmer of Mad River Township, whose property contains 1441/4 acres, was born on his present farm May 9, 1851, son of Charles Dickerson and Belle M. (McClelland) Miller.
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his eldest son, and grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a young man when he came to the wilds of Clark County with his parents. He cleared the farm now owned by Charles R. Miller, built the residence and planted the trees, which are still standing in front of the house. He was married in Miami County to Eliza Morrison, a native of New Jersey, and after his marriage came to live on the property that now forms our subject's present farm, residing for a time in a hewn log house, which then stood on the land. He died here in 1860 at an ad- vaneed age, and his widow survived him until 1874. They were the parents of five children, namely: W. D. Miller, who was a manufacturer of plows at Enon; Henri- etta, who is now deceased; Charles Dick- erson, father of Charles R. Miller; Maria, who married H. Tannehill, and, with her husband, is now deceased; and Robert, who died at the age of five years.
Charles Dickerson Miller was born and reared in the old log house on the farm where his son, Charles, now resides. He followed the occupation of threshing for twenty years. He married Belle McClel- land, a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, and they reared a family of four children, one of whom died in infancy. Of the oth- ers, Mary E. married J. R. Wooden and resides in Iowa; Agusta, married H. Ja- cobs, of Clark County, Ohio; Charles is the direct subject of this sketch; and Frank B. is a resident of Springfield, Ohio. Mr. Miller died in 1868 and his wife in 1904.
Charles R. Miller was reared on his present farm, remaining at home until thirty-six years of age. He then spent nine years in Darke County, Ohio, where
he bought a quarter section of land. Sub- sequently returning home, he purchased his farm from the Miller estate in 1897, and has been engaged in general farming, also raising many hogs. Mr. Miller was united in marriage February 29, 1885, to Tillie R. Hamaker, a daughter of John Hamaker. Of this union there are two children : Lucy Florence, and Mary E. Politically Mr. Miller is an independent voter, but was elected township trustee in 1905 on the Republican ticket.
SAMUEL SNYDER, a prosperous farmer of Springfield Township, residing on a farm of 108 acres situated about two miles northwest of Springfield, on the St. Paris Pike, was born February 18, 1837, in York County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Frey) Snyder.
Mr. Snyder's parents were prosperous farmers of York County, Pennsylvania, where they both died, the mother passing away when our subject was quite young. The father died at the advanced age of eighty-seven years.
Samuel Snyder spent his boyhood days on his father's farm in York County, and on October 13, 1859, was married there to Lydia Ginter, a daughter of John Gin- ter, who died when she was very young. In 1864 Mr. Snyder, his wife and one child, came to Clark County, Ohio, where he rented for twenty-seven years the old Maria Snyder farm, in Springfield Town- ship, and engaged in general farming. In 1894 he bought and moved to his present farm of 108 acres, where he has since been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and although now past 71 years of age, still operates his own farm.
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Mr. and Mrs. Snyder reared a family of They came on the newly-built Dayton six children, of whom the eldest child was born in Pennsylvania. They are: Alice, Henry, Ida, Samuel, Lydia, and Ward. .Alice, who married John H. Sanders, of Lawrenceville, has four children, namely : Lydia, wife of Harry Helfrish; Samuel D., Walter, and William Dewey. Henry married Cora Lorton and has two chil- dren, Robert and Mildred; they reside in Springfield. Ida, wife of Christ C. Graner, lives with the subject of this sketch; Samuel and Lydia are twins. Sam- uel married Pearl Hook, and has four children, Oris, Paul, Harold, and an in- fant son; Lydia, who married Rev. Wil- liam Rilling, pastor of the Millersburg Lutheran Church, has a family of four children, Reginald, Pauline, John, and an infant son. Ward Snyder is a resident of Toronto, Canada. He is connected with the National Cash Register Company, of Dayton, Ohio. Mrs. Snyder died Septem- ber 22, 1899.
ABRAHAM MARTIN, a much es- teemed resident of Bethel Township, re- siding on a farm of fifty-six and three- quarters acres, was born October 23, 1827, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of David and Esther ( Martin) Martin.
David Martin was born and reared in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In his earlier years he engaged in farming, after which he conducted an iun until a railroad line was built through that see- tion of Lancaster County, when, finding this interferred with his business, in 1840, packed his belongings into a two-horse wagon and brought his family to Ohio.
Turnpike through Springfield to Dayton, where they had relatives, and thence to Enon. Mr. Martin remembers that there his mother sent him into a store to buy eggs, and he received just 100 eggs for twenty-five cents. The little store where the purchase was made is still in exis- tence. They then proceeded to Tippeca- noe City, Miami County, then to Medway, Bethel Township, and finally purchased land in Donnelsville. Mr. Martin con- ducted a hotel at Medway for some time, but later followed gardening. His death occurred in 1864, when eighty years of age. He was survived by his widow until 1866, when in her eighty-first year. There were ten children born to David and Es- ther Martin, namely : Fanny, who married Frank Hawthorn, both deceased; Hattie, who married Dr. Miller, both deceased, her death occurring in California when in her ninety-first year; Aun, who mar- ried John Steele, both deceased; Chris- tian, deceased; David, deceased; Magda- lena, who died in youth; Mary, who mar- ried George Alban, both deceased; Henry, who is a resident of Dayton, Ohio; Eliza, who married James Allen, both deceased; and Abraham.
Abraham Martin was a lad of thirteen years when his parents removed from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to Clark County, Ohio, Springfield being at that time a very small village. He received his education in the district schools of the pioneer type, with the slab benches, and he assisted his father in clearing the land and chopped many cords of wood for others at twenty-five cents per cord. He learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed until about fifty years old, and
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during his younger days also taught school during the winter months.
Mr. Martin was married October 12, 1848, just eleven days previous to attain- ing his majority, to Sarah Ann Allen, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Allen, both of whom came to this county at an early age, the former from New Jersey in 1804, at the age of four years, and the latter from Kentucky when young. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have had five children, name- ly : Minerva, widow of Lewis Schaffner, who died in 1887, has two children, Ber- tha, who married W. Ebersole, and has four children, and Cassius L., who mar- ried Alice Smith, has two children; David. who died aged 35 years, married Fanny Ziegler, also deceased, and had four chil- dren, Thurza, Sadie, Abraham, and Ros- coe; Mary (Mrs. W. Hicks) has three children, Abraham O., Gertrude, and Ruth; J. Cassius married Rosette Miller, and has seven children, Harry, Viola, de- ceased, Irene, Ethel, Della, Abraham, Edna; Nora, deceased wife of Willis Morningstar, is survived by four chil- dren, Otto, Fern, Frank, and Nellie. Mr. Martin is the great-grandfather of four- teen and the grandfather of twenty chil- dren.
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