A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 37

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 806

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January 20, 1882, Mr. Requarth married Mrs. Wilhemena Koester, whom he has known from girlhood. By her first husband, Ferdinand F. Koester, she had four chil- dren, all of whom are living: William, of Springfield, Illinois; Sophia, now Mrs. Charles Friark, also of Springfield, Illinois; Mena, the wife of Henry, the second son of Mr. Requarth, Greenville, Ohio: and Charlotte, the wife of Frank Stauffer, of Darke county. By her marriage to Mr. Requarth she also has four children, namely : Frederick H., Catherine A., Carl H. E. and Maria R. C.

Mr. Requarth has long been known as one of the most enterprising men of the county. Whatever he has taken hold of he has pushed with vim and energy. He is progressive in every line of thought and ac- tion ; and that he is appreciated by his fellow citizens is evidenced by the fact that they have frequently called him to places of re- sponsibility. In this connection it may be mentioned that he has held the office of town- ship trustee five terms, and he has been a school director a number of years. He was the nominee of the Democrats of his county for the office of county commissioner in 1887, but was defeated through party de- fections arising from strife between warring factions in the party, the majority against him, however, being less than any other man on the ticket. He is one of the directors of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Com- pany of Darke county. For years he has been active in church and Sunday-school

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work, having been prominently identified with St. John's Lutheran church since 1865, all this time serving in some official ca- pacity, at present being a trustee and the treasurer. For many years he was secretary of the Sunday school, recently having re- linquished this work on account of failing eyesight and loss of hearing. He is, how- ever, a well preserved man. He is five feet seven inches in height, weighs one hundred and thirty-five pounds, stands perfectly erect and possesses, so far as the eye can see, all the vitality of men in middle life.

JOHN F. SPENCER.

Upon a farm on section 16, Harrison township, John Francis Spencer resides. He is numbered among the native sons of the Barnhart farm February 6, 1831. His father was Anderson Spencer, who was born in Greene county, Ohio, January 29, 1806, his parents being Francis and Sarah Spen- cer. The grandfather was born in England, about 1778, and died in Harrison township, Darke county, in 1870, at the age of ninety- two years. His wife prior to her marriage bore the family name of Spencer and was a distant relative of her husband. Both lived to an advanced age and when called to the home beyond their remains were interred on a farm in this township, where they settled at an early pioneer day. They had ten chil- dren, namely : Anderson : Ludlow ; William ; Clark; Jackson; Mark; Elizabeth, the wife of Henry Watson; Delilah ; Eliza Ann, who became the wife of David Polly and resides in Indiana, and Sarah, who is a widow liv- ing in Iowa.

Anderson Spencer was reared to man- hood in the Buckeye state and married Emily

Hill, of Harrison township, Darke county, a sister of Milton Hill. Their marriage took place in 1830 and was blessed with the following children: John Francis; Hugh, who died at the age of sixteen years; Saul, who resides in Rock Island county, Illinois; Sarah Keziah, the wife of William Alex- ander, of Harrison township; William, who served in the civil war and died soon after his return home ; Lemuel. of La Platte, Mis- souri; Anderson, who died in middle life; and George W., a manufacturer of Ander- son, Indiana; and there were also two chil- diren who died in infancy. The mother of this family passed away in 1880, at the age of seventy-three years, and the father's death occurred in 1892, at the age of eighty-six years. His life was one of industry and honest toil and he was actively connected with business affairs until well advanced in years. He held a number of township of- fices, including that of township clerk. He possessed more than ordinary ability and had considerable mechanical genius.

Mr. Spencer began work when very young, being employed in the fields when he was so small that he could scarcely reach the plow handles. His educational privileges were very limited, but he pursued his studies as opportunity offered in a log school house adorned with a mud and stick chimney. Through the greater part of his youth he re- mained at home and in 1855 he went to Kansas. He was married on the 26th of February, 1857, to Miss Mary. a daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth ( Brower) Ouker- man, the former a native of Preble county, Ohio, and the latter of Virginia. Her par- ents were farming people, who reared thir- teen children, seven sons and six daughters, Mrs. Spencer being the second in order of birth. The father died at the age of fifty-

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two years and the mother when eighty-three years of age, their remains being interred in the Palestine cemetery. Mrs. Spencer was born in Palestine. in 1832, and by her marriage has become the mother of eight children, as follows: Lewis, who is living in Anderson, Indiana ; Laura Alice, the wife of Calvin Young, of Washington township, by whom she has two children and three children by her former marriage to David O. Baker, who died in February, 1887; Oliver, of Indiana, who has one son and one daughter; Minerva Jane, wife of Robert Simpson by whom she has one son; Settie AAnn, who married Newton Clapp. and has one son; Minnie, who was born and died in 1871: Charles, who married Miss Effie White and operates the home farm; and Phenie Elizabeth, who died at the age of six years. Mr. Spencer located upon his present farm of eighty acres in 1867 and has led a busy, useful and active life, but is now living retired. He has relegated to others the care of his land and is enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and abundantly deserves. He holds membership in Snodgrass Post, G. A. R., of New Madi- son, is a stanch Republican in politics and has served as school director. Both Mr. and Mrs. Spencer are members of the Univer- salist church and are people whose well spent lives make them worthy of the veneration and esteem which should ever be accorded to those who have accomplished the greater part of life's pilgrimage.

ALBERT HARTER.

AAlbert Harter is the senior member of the firm of Harter & Coblentz, dealers in farm machinery, buggies, etc., and also lead-

ing shippers of stock of New Madison. Mr. Harter is but a recent acquisition to the goodly array of progressive business men of this thriving town, but his ability, enter- prise and upright methods have already established for him an enviable reputation. . He was born in Butler township, this county, October 5. 1857, and is a son of Lewis Harter, a farmer of that township, who was born near New Madison about 1825, and is a son of Samuel Harter, a na- tive of Pennsylvania. Our subject was reared on his father's farm near Savona, and was given a liberal common-school educa- tion. He remained at home until he was married, April 19, 1879, to Samantha B. Crawford, of Butler township, a daughter of A. J. and Catherine (Lewis) Crawford, now residents of Greenville township. Of the seven children born of this union, the first and third, both daughters, died in in- fancy, and the second, Earl, also died in in- fancy. Ivy May died July 20, 1896, when nearly sixteen years of age, being taken in the bloom of youth. She was a most prom- ising young lady, of lovely character and be- loved by all who knew her. Erta D. has finished school and is now at home. Edna May and Virgil, aged respectively twelve and eleven years, are still in school and are very bright and studious.

In July, 1899, Mr. Harter purchased a farm of eighty acres just outside the cor- poration limits of New Madison, and he lo- cated thereon in the spring of 1900. He embarked in his present business on the 19th of January, 1899, and has already suc- ceeded in building up a good trade. The firm deals in all kinds of agricultural im- plements, carriages, etc., and ships cattle, sheep and hogs to different markets, averag- ing about seventy-five carloads per year.

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They are wide-awake, progressive business men of known reliability, and have the con- fidence and respect of their fellow citizens in a marked degree.

BARTON W. LONG.

Among the representative farmers of Darke county distinctive recognition must needs be given to Mr. Long, whose fine homestead is located on section 16. Harrison township. his postoffice address being New Madison. Barton Webster Long was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, six miles distant from the city of Cincinnati. August 21, 1862. His father. Joseph Long, was a native of bonnie Scotland, where he was born in the year 1830, coming of stanch old Scotch- Irish stock. The latter's father was James Christopher Long, who emigrated from Scotland to the United States about the year 1840, sending for his family to join him about two years later. After a few years' residence in the east the family came to Cincinnati, where he did effective service as a clergyman of the Methodist church. He was a victim of the memorable epidemic of cholera in 1849, his wife and one son also succumbing to the dread disease within twenty-four hours. The father of our sub- ject fled from the plague-stricken city, going to Bartholomew county, Indiana, where he remained for some time. He was married in the year 1855. at the age of twenty-five years to Nancy Jessup, who was born near Cincinnati, in 1831, the daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Stewart) Jessup, the former of whom emigrated to Ohio from New Jer- sey in the early pioneer days, being an in- spector of the Indians, many of whom were installed upon the reservation here. He was of a studious nature and through his own ef-

forts acquired a good education for his day. The parents of Mr. Long owned a small farm near Cincinnati, and to brighten the little home there came to them six children, name- ly : Virginia, who died in infancy : Zendora, who is unmarried and who resides at the home of her brother; Barton W., the im- mediate subject of this review; Madallia, who is the wife of the Rev. T. J. Halstead, an itinerant clergyman of the United Breth- ren church ; Genevra, wife of J. W. Miller, of Newcastle, Indiana; and Douglass E., who died at the age of six months. The mother of our subject died in May, 1884, the father surviving her four years, and their mortal remains were laid to rest in Otter- bein cemetery. Butler township, this county.

Barton W. Long received excellent edu- cational advantages and prepared himself for pedagogic work, having pursued his studies in New Madison and in the New Parison high school, after which he entered the normal school at Danville, Indiana, and thereafter supplemented his already thorough discipline by a course in a commercial col- lege. Circumstances, however, led to his adopting the life of an agriculturist, and his success has been such as to leave him no re- gret that he chose this field of endeavor. The place which Mr. Long owns and culti- vates was secured by his father about twen- ty years before his death, the latter having been for many years an itinerant preacher, and the original place comprised one hun- dred and sixty acres. At his death the fa- ther left a good estate, including a life in- surance of six thousand dollars, and it be- came the duty of his son, Barton W., to finally assume the management of the prop- erty, which was somewhat encumbered. By careful management and well directed efforts le eventually cleared the estate of indebted-

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ness and put the farm into excellent condi- tion. In 1895 he sold one-half of the place, retaining his present farm of eighty acres, which is under a high state of cultivation, with permanent improvements of the best order, indicating the progressive spirit and wise methods brought to bear by Mr. Long. Though there are more pretentious homes to be found in the county, there is none which is more pleasant and attractive that that of our subject, for the home idea is evident and neatness and good taste characterize all the improvements that have been made. The buildings are most eligibly located on a natural building site, the knoll command- ing a fine view of the surrounding country and affording excellent drainage facilities. The residence grounds are rendered attract- ive by fine shade trees and shrubbery and an air of refinement and cultured taste per- vades the home, both in its exterior and in- terior appointments. Climbing about the porch at the rear of the house is a fine speci- men of the sweet-briar rose, the dainty blos- soms and fragrant leaves perfuming the house and bearing a perpetual tribute to the memory of the gentle mother of Mr. Long, who with her own hands planted the shrub and trained it during many years. It is thus doubly dear to the family, being hallowed by the associations of the past and breathing the fragrance of the gentle life which it so happily typifies.

On November 1, 1890, Mr. Long was united in marriage to Miss Dora M. Thomas, a native of this township and the daughter of J. V. Thomas, a well known citizen of the county. Of this union one child was born, but did not long survive to brighten the home.

Mr. Long's natural predilection is not for farming and though his success has been

gratifying he feels that he has done his share in the line, and he contemplates turn- ing his attention to some commercial or me- chanical pursuit when favorable opportunity shall offer, and as he is in the vigor of his young manhood, is fortified with excellent education and has shown marked executive ability and business acumen, a continued success may be predicted for him in what- soever field he sees fit to turn his effort. He has carried on general farming, having made somewhat of a specialty of raising swine, and his place is one which is a credit to him and to the county. Mr. and Mrs. Long have a wide circle of acquaintances and are highly honored in the community.

DAVID A. CLEAR.

This well-known blacksmith of Green- ville township, is a native of Darke county, his birth occurring in German township, August 30, 1856. His father, David Clear, was born April 1, 1823, in German town- ship, but he now lives in Washington town- ship. this county, where he owns a good farm of sixty acres. He married Esther Ann Ross, born in German township, April 13, 1823, and both are now well advanced in life. They have five children, namely : Reuben ; Sophia, the wife of Abraham Haw- kins; Maggie, the wife of John Burch, who lives in Randolph county, Indiana, near the Ohio state line; David A. and Jeremiah S. With the exception of Maggie all make their home in Darke county.

On the home farm David A. Clear grew to manhood receiving a common-school edu- cation and remaining with his parents until attaining his majority. At the age of twen- ty-two years he commenced learning the blacksmith's trade, serving an apprentice-

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ship of three and a half years with B. M. Bright and J. F. Lane, and mastering the trade in all its details during that time. Eighteen months of this time were spent in Coletown, Darke county, and in 1882 he em- barked in business at his present stand. He does a general blacksmithing business, and being a good mechanic and reliable man he has built up an excellent trade.

September 26, 1880, Mr. Clear was united marriage with Miss Lila, a daughter of Mrs. Mary Ann Arnold, of Darke county, and to them have been born two children that are now living, Dessie and Frank, besides Bessie, deceased. For ten years Mr. and Mrs. Clear have been members of the Chris- tian church of Coletown, and take an active interest in religious work. In his political affairs he is a stanchi Republican. He is a well informed man who keeps abreast of the times, and is highly respected and esteemed by all who know him. Fraternally he is a member of Greenville Lodge, K. of P.

LARKIN G. TURNER.

Prominent among those who have con- tributed to the agricultural advancement of this section of the Buckeye state is he whose name initiates this paragraph. He is now a valued resident of Hollandsburg, Har- rison township, Darke county, where he is living practically retired from the active duties which so long claimed his attention.

Mr. Turner is a native of Wayne county, Indiana, where he was born July 19, 1831, his father, Jeptha Turner, having been the first white child born in Wayne county, the date of his nativity having been October 29, 1806. His father, John Turner, had the distinction of being the first sheriff of Wayne county. He was a native of Henry

county, Kentucky, was born about the year 1785, and his deathi occurred in 1835. The latter married a Miss Holman, daughter of George Holman, who was one of the earliest settlers in Wayne county, Indiana, having located there in 1803. The mother of the immediate subject of this sketch bore the maiden name of Martha Gaar, and she was born in Wayne county, Indiana, on the 25th of September, 1810. Her marriage to Jep- tha Turner was solemnized January 14, 1830. and they became the parents of nine chil- dren, namely: Larkin Gaar, subject of this sketch; Levi P., a resident of Abington, Wayne county, Indiana; Abraham W., of Brazil, Clay county, Indiana, where he is a prominent merchant; Sarah Jane, wife of John Endsley, of the same county; Eliza Ann Turner, who still remains at the old home; Martin Van Buren, a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska; John Milton, of Brazil, Indiana ; Martha Ellen, who died, unmar- ried, at the age of twenty-eight; and Jesse D., who remains upon the old homestead, which he operates successfully. All of the married children are well established in life and have small families. The father died April 16, 1885, and his venerable widow sur- vived him until September 15, 1890, their remains being laid to rest in the cemetery at Elkhorn, Indiana.

Larkin G. Turner, with whom this re- view has more specifically to do, remained on the old homestead until he had attained his majority, when he entered a machine shop at Connersville, Indiana, where he served a careful apprenticeship of four years, after which he farmed on rented land for a time, being successful in his efforts. In 1868 he made his first purchase of land, the same -comprising one hundred acres, located in Harrison township, which has ever since

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been his home. He moved on to his farm within the succeeding year and there con- tintied to live and labor for the long term of eighteen years, when he removed to his present place, where his tentire has now con- tinted for twelve years, so that he is known and honored as one of the old representative farmers of this township, being held in the highest esteem for his integrity and ability.

On the 15th of February. 1855, Mr. Turner was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Endsley, whose brother inarried a sister of our subject. as has already been noted. Mrs Turner was born March 3, 1835, and of her marriage four children have been born : Clara, wife of N. T. Irelan, of Hollansburg. is the mother of seven children; Jolin Perry Turner, also of this township, is married and lias one son and one daughter ; Rose Emma, wife of Henry Wolfal, who operates the homestead farm of our subject, and has two daughters, and Charles F. Turner, who died at the age of two years.

Fraternally Mr. Turner is a Master Mason, having been prominently identi- fied with this time honored order for the long period of thirty-five years, hav- ing been initiated into its mysteries July 21, 1865, and having served as master of Bethel Lodge, No. 250. F. & A. M., of Wayne county, Indiana, for two terms. In his political adherency lie is a Democrat, and in 1859 was elected on that ticket a jus- tice of the peace of Abington township, Wayne county, Indiana, where he served two terms. After his removal to Darke county lie was five times elected to this honorable office, in which he served with marked abil- ity and discretion, and in 1891 he was ac- corded the honor of being elected as a di- rector of the county infirmary, in which ca- pacity he served two terms. He has several

times been called upon to preside over the destinies of Hollansburg, as president of its board of trustees, is at the present time the incumbent of that position and at this writing is just entering upon his third term as justice of the peace.

Mr. and Mrs. Turner inherited the farm owned by her father. Her grandfather, Jolin Endsley, came from North Carolina to Wayne county, Indiana, in 1805, the latter's father having been a native of Ireland. Our subject has a well defined genealogical record of his mother's family, the Gaar line, the same running back two hundred and seven- ty-five years. The family has been one of marked prominence in the history of Wayne county, Indiana, and in the annals of the nation, as is evident when the fact is recalled that the family had three representatives in the war of the Revolution ; fifteen in the war of 1812; sixteen in the Mexican war ; while in the war of the Rebellion over one hun- dred members were enlisted in the Union armies and a practically equal number in the Confederate forces.

JACOB HALDERMAN.

For many years this gentleman has re- sided in Darke county and his name is in- separably connected with the agricultura! and building interests of this region. Hi thoroughly American spirit and his great energy have enabled him to mount from a lowly position to one of affluence. One of his leading characteristics in business affairs is his fine sense of order and complete sys- tem and the habit of giving careful atten- tion to details, without which success in any undertaking is never assured.

Mr. Halderman was born in Dayton, Ohio, October 25. 1835, and is a son of

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Jolın Halderman, a native of Pennsylvania, who settled in Dayton the year of our sub- ject's birth, and died there when his son was only three years old. At that tender age Mr. Halderman passed to the care of strangers and relatives, and when twelve · years old went to Indiana, where he spent two years. At the end of that time he came to Darke county, Ohio, where he worked as a farm hand one year, and then served an apprenticeship to Reuben Heffner, a con- tractor, at the carpenter's trade, and re- mained with him as a journeyman after his apprenticeship was complete, being in his employ nine years. In the meantime he had attained man's estate, and at the end of that period commenced contracting and build- ing on his own account, at the same time carrying on farming on rented land. In 1861 he rented a farm of one hundred and twenty acres in Greenville township, which he subsequently purchased, and to which he has since added until he now has a valuable and well improved farm of two hundred and sixty acres. Upon his place he has erected comniodious barns of the best construction, a fine residence, tobacco sheds, granaries, etc. His principal crops are wheat, corn and tobacco. and he also gives considerable attention to the raising of hogs. He is one of the most intelligent and successful farm- ers of the county.

December 27, 1860, Mr. Halderman was united in marriage with Miss Mary Baker, by whom he had seven children, but one died in infancy unnamed. The others are Leota, the wife of S. E. Bishop, of Hamil- ton, Ohio; Alice, the wife of William Mc- Neil. of Columbus, this state; Ida Bird, the wife of W. J. Wagner, a farmer and school teacher of Darke county ; Herschel V., a resident of El Paso, Texas; Elnora, at 18

home; and Pearl, the wife of William G. Bishop, of Greenville. The mother of these children died in 1875, aged thirty-six years. For his second wife Mr. Halderman mar- ried Miss Frances E. Helm, a native of Darke county and a daughter of Eli and Catherine ( Zimmerman) Helm, and to them was born a son, Roll H.

In Mr. Halderman we have a perfect illustration of a self-made man. Being left an orphan at the age of three years, he be- gan the battle of life much younger than most men, and his success has been phenom- enal, though of a steady, healthful growth. For twenty-eight years he has been con- nected with Greenville Lodge, I. O. O. F., and is also a member of the En- campment and Patriarchs Militant. He has filled all the chairs in the subordinate lodge and encampment. He has also served as ensign and lieutenant in the Patriarchs Mil- itant. Politically he is a supporter of the Democratic party and has served as town- ship trustee and in other minor offices. To strangers he is always most cordial and enter- taining and is widely and favorably known throughout his adopted county.

JOHN G. FRANK.

On sections 17 and 18, Harrison town- ship, is located the fine farmstead of one hundred and twenty-six acres which is owned and cultivated by the gentleman whose name introduces this review, and we are pleased to give a resume of his career in this connection, for he stands forth as one of the leading German-American citizens of Darke county and as a representative of our best yeoman that has gained to this section its reputation as one of the most attractive

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 37

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 806

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 806