USA > Ohio > Darke County > A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography > Part 30
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"On this list of our country's defenders we are proud to enroll the names of J. W.
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Frizell, A. R. Calderwood, David and Theo- dore Beers C. G. Matchett, Charles Calkins and J. W. Sater. Inscribed on the monu- ment of Hiram Bell is the following: 'Died December 21, 1855.' He was a lawyer by profession, represented this district in the legislature of Ohio and in the congress of the United States and his record is on high. On the monument of D. H. R. Jobes is in- scribed, 'Died January 13, 1877. To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.' On that of Joseph McDonald, 'Died August 17, 1885. Farewell, my companions.' These are the only epitaphs we could find. Twelve graves are not marked by monument, and on twenty-three no epitaph. So sleep our de- ceased brethren. Their work on earth is done. With the labors and success of many of them in the legal profession many of you are familiar, and I could add but little to that knowledge were I to make the effort. Suffice it to say that we do not think any of them were of that peculiar class of law- yers of whom the great Master said, 'Woe also unto you lawyers for ye lade men with burdens grievious to be borne. and ye your- selves touch not the burden with one of your fingers.' From the epitaphs we pass to biog- raphy and history and note extracts only con- cerning those members who have left them on record, and first that concerning David P. Bowman, who died May 30, 1878. He was entirely devoted to his chosen profession. His knowledge of the law was both accurate and profound. His preparation was thorough. ' He believed in the Bible and in the efficacy of the attonement made on Mount Calvary.' In the biography of William Allen we note : 'Mr. Allen, although he had risen from poverty to affluence by his own unaided ex- ertions, is one of the most charitable of our
citizens, and his integrity has never been questioned ; his positive character, while it wins friends true as steel, also makes bitter enemies, but even his enemies conceded to him great ability and unflinching honesty of purpose. He represented this district in the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh congress- es of the United States, being elected in the fall of 1858 and again in 1860.
"Of the Hon. D. L. Meeker it is said : 'He is one of the most highly respected citi- zens in Darke county and his repeated calls to the highest office in the gift of the people of this county is an index of the universal esteen in which Judge Meeker is held in this section of Ohio.'
"Of J. W. Sater it is written: 'While on the bench he had the well deserved rep- utation of being one of the most able judges who ever held court in this district.'
"Of A. R. Calderwood it is said: 'He is endowed with superior natural abilities, which have been developed by industrious personal application ; he stands in the front ranks of his profession and is one of the best criminal and jury lawyers in the state.'
"Of Charles Calkins we write: It was accorded to him unanimously by the Green- ville bar that he was the most able, con- ceptive, decisive and successful lawyer in this section of Ohio.
"Of J. E. Breaden, Jr. : He attended law school at Cincinnati and having read law was admitted in January, 1879.
"L. B. Lot represented Darke county one term in the legislature.
"C. G. Matchett : 'He entered the service immediately after the firing on Sumter and remained till the close of the war. In 1865 he resumed the practice of law in Greenville and stands prominent in the profession.'
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"J. T. Meeker, admitted to the bar in 1873, was probate judge seven years; retir- ing. he entered upon the practice of law. "Of Swan Judy it is said: 'With the natural ability, high legal education, force of character, honest and pure determination that he possesses (liealth permitting) he is surely destined to reach the summit of his profession within the near future.'
!
"In the action taken by this bar relative to the death of J. R. Knox occurs the fol- lowing: 'He despised a court or jury that was not unsullied. He left the world better for having lived therein and his upright life and noble virtues will survive him for the emulation of all who knew him.'
"We note on our list twenty-six de- ceased members, many of whom have left us no written biography or epitaph, and our knowledge of their qualifications and success in the profession is too limited to even ven- ture a statement. Their lives are before us and we are susceptible in a greater or less degree to their influence, and we believe the influence never dies. No thought, no word, no act of man ever dies. They are as im- mortal as his own soul. Somewhere in this world he will meet their fruits. Somewhere in the future life he will meet their gathered harvest, it may be and it may not be a pleas- ant one to look upon. Take care of your in- fluence. consecrate it to virtue, to humanity, and our lives will be like a star glittering in its own mild lustre, undimmed by the radiance of another. Earth is not man's only abiding place. This life is not a bubble cast upon the ocean of eternity to float an- other moment upon its surface and then sink into nothingness and darkness forever. No, the rainbow and clouds come over us with beauty that is not of earth, and then pass and leave us to muse on their faded loveliness.
The stars which hold their festival around the midnight throne, and are set above the grasp of our limited faculties, are forever mocking us with their unapproachable glory, and our departed brethren, we trust, are now enjoying those high and glorious aspirations that are born in the human heart, but are not satisfied in this life.
"Brethren, we are born for a higher des- tiny than that of earth. There is a realm where the rainbow never fades, where the stars will spread out before us like the islands that slumber on the ocean, and where the beautiful impressions that here pass before us like visions will stay in our presence for- ever. This is that far-away home of the soul, where hill and dale are enriched by divine liberality, the inhabitants clothed in all the beauties of moral perfection, every so- ciety cemented by the bond of friendship and brotherhood, and displaying all the virtues of angelic natures. May we not trust that our departed members are now inhabitants of that home, where the storms of this life never beat."
JACOB T. MARTZ.
Jacob T. Martz, lawyer and educator, Greenville, Ohio, was born in Darke county, Ohio, September 14, 1833. He is the son of Jolin Martz, who was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1798, settled in Darke county in 1829, and died at the home of his son, January 5, 1883, aged eighty-four years, seven months and four days. His wife, Barbara Hardinger, the mother of our subject, and a native of Bed- ford county, Pennsylvania, died in 1841.
Jacob T. Martz attended the Ohio Wes- Jeyan University, at Delaware, at which in- stitution he was graduated in June, 1856.
J. J. Marty
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During the nine succeeding years he was en- gaged in teaching, and superintending the schools of Greenville. During part of this time, and while engaged in teaching, he also read law under Judge D. L. Meeker, and was admitted to the bar in June, 1860. In March, 1865, he resigned the superintend- ency of the Greenville school and formed a law partnership with the Hon. J. R. Knox. In August, 1865, he was appointed receiver of the Cincinnati & Mackinaw Railroad Company, which work occupied his time for nearly five years. In 1871 the superintend- ency of the Greenville school was tendered to him without his solicitation. This he accepted, but at the end of that school year he asked to be relieved by the board of edu- cation from further supervision of the school, but his work had been done so well, having brought the schools out of a state of chaos, as it were, to one of order and effi- ciency, that the board prevailed upon him to continue his good work, which he did for seventeen consecutive years, and closed his labors as superintendent on the ist of June, 1888. In this year the enumeration in the district was twelve hundred and eleven, and the enrollment in the school for the year was ten hundred and ninety-eight, showing that ninety-one per cent of the entire enumera- tion was enrolled upon the school registers, while in efficiency the school stood second to none in the state. Under his supervision he saw the school grow so steadily that the corps of teachers was increased from four to twenty-two. When he took charge of the school there was no laboratory, no ap- paratus and no geological cabinet, except a few ordinary specimens, but, in June, 1888, over six hundred dollars had been expended for educational and philosophical apparatus
of various kinds, and there was a large and convenient laboratory arranged with all the modern conveniences, geographical maps and globes, and physiological charts, en- abling the teacher to illustrate and explain all the modern methods of teaching, together with a human skeleton procured, prepared and mounted by Mr. Martz and the janitor of the old school building, and which they have kindly permitted to remain in the labor- atory, for the benefit of the students in phys- iology and hygiene. The cabinet containing various specimens of value, including the bones of the mastodon found in this county, and which are in a remarkable state of preser- vation, are the result of Mr. Martz's personal purchase and labor. During all these years, modern methods of teaching and govern- ment were introduced by the superintendent and adopted by the teachers, so that tardiness -was measurably controlled by the teacher, and truancy, except in a few chronic cases, was almost a thing of the past. Order, sys- tem and good government prevailed in all the rooms and in the deportment of pupils. while improper language was seldom heard on the play-grounds, and so potent was the influence of the superintendent in maintain- ing order and decorum among the pupils on the play-ground that it became the pride of all, even the most combative element among the boys, the moment they reached the school- grounds to stand upon their good behavior. The high school course of study contained no more branches than could be mastered by every pupil of ordinary intelligence in the five years given to complete the same, while the elocutionary drill and composition writ- ing, in all the grades in which they were taught, strengthened the memory and exer- cised the reasoning faculties to the great
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benefit of the pupils. No partiality was shown in these exercises as all were expected to do their part.
The method of graduation from the high school was Mr. Martz's suggestion and it has been adopted by at least four union schools in this county, and the one hundred and four alumni, all graduated under his supervision, speak of good order, management and effi- ciency of the school. Superintendent Martz with two other teachers organized the Darke County Teachers' Association in 1859, and though for several years it struggled for ex- istence, yet by his untiring energy and en- thusiasm for its success it increased in num- bers and interest almost beyond expecta- tion. During the greater part of this time he presided over its deliberations. He was also a member of the board of county school examiners for about twenty-two years, and assisted greatly in advancing the qualifica- tions of the teachers in the county.
He has also taken an active part in devel- oping the resources of the county, and was for six years secretary of the Darke County Agricultural Society, and was mainly in- strumental in selling the old grounds of the society and purchasing the large and com- modious grounds it now owns. For eight years he was secretary of the first building association organized in this county; having closed out the same, and he has been for more than eight years secretary of the larg- est company of the kind now doing business in the county. Mr. Martz has always mani- fested a deep interest in the moral and relig- ious influences in the county, has for a long time been identified with the Methodist Epis copal church, has been superintendent of the Sabbath school for a number of years, and for more than eight years has been record -. ing steward of its official board. For the
past years he has been associated with his law partner of 1865 and the mayor of the city of Greenville in the legal profession. He has also assisted in all the local enter- prises that were intended to advance the pub- lic good ; has been associated with the trus- tees of the Greenville cemetery as their sec- retary since 1865, and assisted in bringing about that order and system which has re- sulted in beautifying, adorning and enlarg- ing those grounds to meet the public wants.
On September 19, 1860, he married Miss Esther M., daughter of James H. Jamison, of Delaware, Ohio, with issue of four sons: John H., born November 8, 1861; Adel- bert, born September 28, 1868; James J., born May 8, 1872, and Benjamin F., born December 18, 1874. John H. is married and is engaged in farming and raising fine registered stock. Adelbert is also married and is teller of the Greenville Bank. James J. is a teacher in the Greenville high school, and Benjamin F. is engaged in farming his father's place.
WILLIAM COX.
In the year 1816 the Cox family was founded in Darke county, and through the intervening years the name has been insep- arably interwoven with the history of this locality on account of the prominent part its representatives have borne in the devel- opment and progress of this section of the state. It is therefore with pleasure that we present to our readers the record of William Cox, who is known as a successful and highly esteemed agriculturist of Washington town- ship. His grandparents, Jacob and Eve Cox, were the first of the name of whom we have authentic record. They had eight children, and in 1816 the entire family emigrated west-
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ward to Darke county, Ohio, from Fayette county, Pennsylvania. A settlement was first made in the northeast portion of German township, and they were among the first to take up their abode in what was then an al- most unbroken wilderness. The trip from Pennsylvania had been made with teams and wagons, and often they had to mark out a road for themselves or follow an old Indian trail. There in the midst of the woods Mr. Cox, assisted by his children, made a small clearing and erected a rude log cabin, in which they began life on the frontier in true pioneer style. Of sturdy and courageous spirit, they were well prepared to meet the hardships of such a life and in a short time they had a portion of their land under culti- vation. Year by year the cleared tracts were enlarged and improved, and when Mr. Cox passed to his final rest the home farm pre- sented every appearance of thrift and pros- perity and was regarded as one of the valu . able properties of this section of the state. The land was inherited by his son, Henry Cox, who shortly afterward disposed of it and removed to Missouri, but when a few years had passed he returned to Ohio, taking up his abode in Miami county, near Pleasant Hill, where he spent his remaining days. The other two sons of the family, Jacob and Martin, came to Washington township, Darke county, after the death of their father, and were the first white men to enter claims in his locality. Jacob Cox, Jr., the father of our subject, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on the 14th of July, 1887, and, as before stated, came west with his people, living with them in German township until 1817, when he and his brother removed to Washington township. They took up ad- joining claims, and the first cabin was erected ! where the home of Samuel Cole now stands.
In that little home both brothers with their families lived for some time, or until a cabin could be erected on the land owned by Jacob Cox, now the property of his son, William. The little pioneer home stood on the site of the present handsome residence, and in this rude domicile, the second one to be erected in Washington township, the sturdy pioneer family began life in the midst of the forest. With characteristic energy the father con- tinued to clear away the trees and trans- formed the tract into rich and fertile fields. He was a man of undaunted energy and per- severance, and soon a valuable farm indi- cated what may be accomplished by people of determined purpose who are not afraid to meet the obstacles and difficulties in their path. At the time of his death Jacob Cox owned four hundred and eighteen acres of valuable land, and was considered one of the most prominent and successful farmers and influential citizens of Darke county. In the early days the Indians often camped in a small ravine near his home, but they were friendly and occasioned no trouble to the settlers. Jacob Cox married Elizabeth Wise, who was a native of Hardy county, Virginia, and removed to Ohio with her par- ents, who afterward went to Indiana, where they spent their last days. Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Cox: Jesse, who was born April 24, 1817, and died Sep- tember 28, 1873: Job, who was born Feb- ruary 8, 1819. and die:1 September 28, 1834; Hannah, who was born May 20, 1821. and became the wife of Lorenzo Dixon, their home being now in Greenville township, Darke county; Samuel, who was born Octo- ber 7, 1823, and died April 16, 1849: Mar- tin, who was born June 20, 1826, and died December 14, 1876: Jacob, who was born January 2, 1829, and died on the 22d of Oc-
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tober of the same year ; Mary, who was born August 17, 1830, and is the wife of Philip Rodgers, of Washington township; John, born March 17, 1833: Eliza Jane, who was born February 26, 1835, and is the wife of Samuel Van Fleet, of Washington town- ship; a daughter who was born in 1836 and died before being named: Israel, who was born June 22, 1838, and died in 1889; and William, the immedite subject of this review.
Jacob Cox, the father of these children, was a stanch supporter of the Baptist church and a consistent Christian gentleman. He exercised his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy and earnestly advocated its principles, but was never an aspirant for political honors. He died April 3, 1842, and his estimable wife, surviving him many years. passed away in 1877. Both were honored and respected by all who knew them, and when they were called to the home beyond their loss was mourned not only by many relatives but throughout the entire neighborhood, for all who knew them were their friends. Upon the farm on which he settled in 1816 Mar- tin Cox, the brother of Jacob, lived up to the time of his death, in 1856.
In taking up the personal history of Will- iam Cox we present to our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in Darke county. He was the youngest child in his father's family, and was born in the hewed-log house which is still standing on the farm that is yet his home, his natal day being January 27, 1841. The old log cabin is now used for storage pur- poses, and stands as a mute reminder of pio- neer days, and the habits of life at that time. His school advantages were somewhat lim- ited, but he mastered the elementary branches of the English language in the district
schools of the neighborhood, and by expe- rience and observation has added greatly to his knowledge. His training at farm labor was not meager, for as soon as old enough to handle the plow he began work in the fields, and was thus largely engaged from the time of spring planting until crops were garnered in the autumn. Upon attaining his majority he came into possession of a portion of his father's estate. He has al- ways carried on general farming, and for years has made it a practice to manufacture maple syrup and sugar on an extensive scale, disposing of this product to regular cus- tomers in Greenville. He has a large sugar camp and the excellence of the product en- ables him to secure a ready market therefor. In 1892 he erected upon his farm a fine, modern residence, and near by stands good outbuildings. The place is neat and thrifty in appearance, and the owner is recognized as one of the practical and progressive agri- culturists of his community.
On the 22d of August, 1872, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Cox and Miss Margaret A. Van Fleet, daughter of John D. and Mary ( Pradmore ) Van Fleet. This family came from New Jersey to Ohio at an early day, locating in Washington township, Darke county. Mrs. Cox is now the only representative of the family living in the county. By her marriage she has become the mother of four children: Ory Newton, who was born January 22, 1873, was mar- ried December 20, 1898, to Miss Jennie, daughter of William Young, of Greenville, and they reside upon the old home farm; Harriet A., born November 5, 1874, is with her parents; a son, born in 1876, died the saine year unnamed; and John Jacob, born December 18, 1877, also resides at home.
In his political views Mr. Cox was a sup-
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porter of Democratic principles for some time, but now votes the Socialist ticket. He holds membership in the Christian church. He has neither time nor inclination for po- litical office, but finds ample time to faith- fully discharge every duty of citizenship. He is a man of determined character, of sterling worth and of inflexible integrity, and among the residents of Darke county lie has a host of warm friends. He resides upon one of the oldest developed farms in Washington township, and is a worthy rep- resentative of an honored pioneer family, whose connection with the history of Darke county has ever been creditable.
CHRISTIAN ERISMAN.
Among the pioneer familes of Darke county, Ohio, were the Erismans. Jacob Eris- man, the father, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and at the time of his emigration from that state to Ohio, 1839, his family con- sisted of wife and fifteen children. At that time but little of the land in Adams township had been cleared and the only improvements on their claim consisted of a small clearing and a little log cabin containing one room. Not far distant was another log cabin and in these two cabins and the wagons the fam- ily slept at night. Another child was born to this pioneer couple shortly after they landed here, this being the eighteenth; two had died in Pennsylvania. The mother died at the age of forty-six years, and the father at the age of sixty-eight, both passing away at the homestead. Of this large family only five sons and one daughter are now living.
Christian Erisman, whose name heads this sketch, was the fourth child and second son, his birth occurring in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, December 24, 1820. At the
time of their removal to Ohio he was nine- teen years of age. Strong and energetic, he was his father's chief assistant in the work of clearing and improving the farm and al- ways resided upon it. This farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres and is well im- proved with good buildings and fences, all of which have been placed here by the sub- ject of our sketch.
Among the other pioneer families who settled in this same locality was one that bore the name of Long. Jacob Long and his wife, whose maiden name was Catherine Rinacker, were natives of Pennsylvania, and were the parents of eleven children, the third of whom was Catherine, born in Adams county, Pennsylvania, near Gettysburg, Feb- ruary 16, 1827. Her mother died in Penn- sylvania, and when she was seventeen years of age she came with her father and other members of the family to Darke county, where on the 6th of February, 1845, she became the wife of Christian Erisman. Their union has been blessed with eleven children, five of whom are living, namely : Lizzie, Frank, Lewis, Cora and Arthur.
The youngest, Arthur, now has charge of the farming operations at the old home place.
The subject of our sketch was long affil- iated with the Republican party and during his earlier years took an active part in local affairs, serving as township trustee, school director and in other positions. For a period of forty-five years he and his good wife were consistent and respected members of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which Mrs. Erisman still belongs. He departed this life August 23, 1900, and the funeral ser- vices were held at the residence on Sunday morning, August 26, by the Rev. Jesse Carr, of Bradford, Ohio. His body was placed
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in a most beautiful couch casket and laid to rest in the old family cemetery on the farm which he had owned and on which he had so long lived.
CHARLES E. DUNKLE.
Charles E. Dunkle, who is in the United States railway mail service, was born in the city of Dayton, Ohio, December 10, 1866, and is the eldest son of Simon P. and Mary . E. (Troutman) Dunkle. The Dunkle fam- ily originated in Germany and the first American ancestor, Peter Dunkle, came to this country more than two hundred years ago, locating in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, where he remained until his death. The father of our subject was born in Penn- sylvania, May 17, 1842, and was a son of David and Anna (Freilich) Dunkle, who also were born in the Keystone state. With their family they came to Ohio when their son, Simon, was but eight years of age and in this section of the country he was reared to manhood. After obtaining his majority lie married Miss Mary E. Troutman, who was born in Maryland, March 30, 1844, a daughter of Michael and Rebecca ( Holler) Troutman, who were also natives of the same state and came to Ohio at an early period of its development. In 1867 the parents of our subject removed with their family to Gordon, Darke county, and later made a permanent settlement at Greenville.
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