A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 53

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

USA > Ohio > Darke County > A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography > Part 53

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In the township where he still resides. Mr. Arnold was born August 20, 1826. His father. George Arnold, was born in South Carolina, March 1, 1800. but was only eight years old when brought by his parents to this state. They located first in Clinton

county, but in the spring of 1817 came to Darke county, where our subject's grand- father, Moses Arnold, died at the age of eighty-seven years. He was of English de- scent and was born and reared in North Car- olina, but about the time of the Revolutionary war moved to South Carolina, and in 1807 came to Ohio, as previously stated. George Arnold, father of our subject, was married in Warren county, Ohio, to Mary Dynes, a native of Kentucky, who was born No- vember 4, 1800, and was about four years old when her family moved to Warren coun- ty this state. Her father, Chambers Dynes, was born in Ireland and was four months old when brought to this country by his par- ents, being reared in Maryland. After his inarriage George Arnold located on section 13. Neave township, Darke county, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying there April 9, 1882, at the age of eighty- two years. In early life he was a Jacksonian Democrat, but later supported the Whig party, voting for Harrison in 1840, and be- came a Republican on the organization of that party. He filled the office of justice of the peace for nine years, and was highly respected and esteemed by all who knew him. His estimable wife died at the age of eighty years. They had a family of five children, all of whom were born in Neave township: Amelia is now the widow of Michael Floyd. and a resident of Cowley county, Kansas; Lizzie died in Missouri; Rachel died in Darke county, Ohio ; and Mary died in Ran- dolph county, Indiana.

John C. . Arnold, the third child and only son of this family, was reared in Neave township and attended school conducted in a log building with stick chimney, rude benches and a desk made by laying a board on pins driven into the wall. As soon as

6 Amcola

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old enough to be of any assistance he com- menced to aid his father in clearing and cul- tivating the farm, and throughout his active business life continued to engage in agri- cultural pursuits, but is now living retired. He remained on the old homestead and took care of his parents until their deaths, con- tinuing his residence there until 1885, when he built his present home on the Dayton pike three miles southeast of Greenville, where he has since lived, with the exception of two years spent in Jackson township. His fine farm of two hundred and seven acres he now rents.

On the 14th of January, 1847, Mr. Arnold married M. Elizabeth Shephard, by whom he had nine children: George W., pastor of the High Street United Brethren church at Dayton, Ohio, married Adeline Pickett, by whom he had two children, Flor- ence and Harry, and for his second wife wedded Mary Brant, by whom he has a daughter, Ruth; Mary is the wife of Will- iam Delk, of Arcanum, Darke county, and they have one child, Orpha; John H. mar- ried Jane Crawford, and they have seven children, Laura, Reuben, Pearl, Clifford, Sophia, Ella and Opal; Jane is the wife of Nelson Batten, and they have eight children, Alford, Martha, Jesse, Millie, Molly, Joseph, Charles and Jasper; Sophia J. is the wife of Oscar Jay and they have four children. Effie, Wilma, Carma and Otho; Winfield married Rebecca Eisley and they have six sons, Ora, Frank, John, Carl, Hugh and an infant ; Amanda is the wife of Adrian Aten and has no children; Martha is the wife of Archer Pearson and they have seven chil- dren, Ethel, Ruth, Virgie, Zella, Katie, Wal- ter and an infant daughter ; Charles married Martha Galbreth and they have two children, Clarence and Douglass. Our subject also 25

lias several. great-grandchildren. After the death of his first wife he married Mary Pickett, widow of Isaiah Pickett. His third wife was Elizabeth Clark, widow of Elisha Clark, and his present wife was Catherine (Mathews), widow of George Dynes. She was born in Warren county, Ohio, April 24, 1826, and is a daughter of Job and Catharine ( White) Mathews, both natives of New Jersey, the father's birth occurring February 25, 1789, and the mother's March 17, 1799. The father died April 10, 1874, and the mother passed away December 5, 1880.

Mr. Arnold served as corporal in the Home Guards during the dark days of the Civil war, having enlisted in 1864 in the one-hundred-day service. Politically he is a Republican, but has always supported the Prohibition party, having always been a strong temperance man. He takes a deep interest in every enterprise calculated to prove of public benefit, and is justly recog- nized as one of the valued and useful citi- zens of his community. In early life he was a friend and playmate of Professor J. J'. Martz, the boys having been born and reared on farms not more than a mile apart.

CHRISTIAN SCHAEFER.

The subject of this sketch, Christian Schaefer, of Greenville township, Darke county, Ohio, was born in Tabbenstadt, Luebeke county, Westphalia, Germany, on September 13, 1836. He attended the com- mon schools of his country from April 1. 1844, until he was confirmed on April 1, 1851, at which time he made a confession of the Evangelical Lutheran faith, to which he has been true up to the present day, being

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affiliated with the Lutheran church now and one of the trustees of St. John's congrega- tion. He united in marriage with Miss Louisa Dorethea Homeier, in Germany, on May 17, 1857, and emigrated to America with his wife soon after, locating at Dayton, Montgomery county, Ohio, on July 9, of the same year. He resided there for seven years and in 1865 came to Darke county, Ohio, locating in Greenville township, upon the farm still in his possession. A large family of children, six sons and two daughters, were the fruit of the union with his wife, who are a credit to their parents and an honor to the community in which they live. The com- panion of his life preceded Mr. Schaefer and all his children to eternity, having been called away by death on August 31, 1897.

Christian Schaefer is one of the influen- tial citizens of his community, of old German stock, honest, industrious, law-abiding and true. He has been and still is a successful fariner, owning the beautiful farm upon which he resides. with its handsome build- ings. He is a loyal church member and a sound old Jeffersonian Democrat in politics, reliable at all times.

ABRAHAM BYRD.

A farmer of York township, Abraham Byrd is numbered among the native sons of Darke county, his birth having occurred here on the 27th of July, 1854. He is the sixth in the family of ten children, four sons and six daughters, born unto Abraham and Emma (Rodenfeldt) Byrd. A short history of his parents is given in connection with the sketchi of George Byrd, the trustee of Richland township, who is represented on another page of this work.

Abraham Byrd, of this review, was reared

in Wayne township and was early inured to the labors of the farm, working in field and meadow through the summer months, while in the winter season he pursued his education in the district schools. In his leisure hours he devoted much atention to the perusal of good books and has thus added largely to the knowledge gained in the schoolroom. He gave his father the benefit of his services in the fields during his early years and later the care of his parents devolved entirely upon him, so that he was thus enabled to repay them for the loving attention which was be- stowed on him through his youth. He wed- ded Miss Sarah Boyer on the 23d of Novem- ber, 1848, and a little son graces their union. Grover C., who is a bright and interesting boy now pursuing the work of the eighth grade in the public schools. Mrs. Byrd was born in Wayne township, May 15, 1865, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Cable) Boyer. Her father was a native of Penn- sylvania, born in 1833, and his death occur- red November 1, 1892. Throughout his active business life he carried on farming, and, coming to Darke county at an early day, was long a representative of the agricultural interests of this community. He was a mem- ber of the River Brethren church and in pol- itics was a Democrat. His wife, who was born in Darke county, is still living, at the age of sixty-two years, and is an earnest Christian woman whose careful teachings have had marked influence over her family. She became the mother of twelve children, five sons and seven daughters, nine of whom are yet living, as follows : Ella, the wife of J. N. Bashore, who was formerly a teacher and is now a farmer of Wayne township, Darke county ; John, who is married and lives in Richland township ; Mrs. Byrd ; Milton, who is married and follows farming at Stelvideo,

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Ohio; Maggie, the wife of J. E. Stoner, a horticulturist of Sedgwick, Kansas; Emma, the wife of Clyde E. Morris, a salesman in a hardware store in Sedgwick, Kansas ; Daniel and Mada, who are also living in Sedgwick, Kansas; and Eddie, who completes the family.

Mr. and Mrs. Byrd began their domestic life upon a rented farm in Wayne township, where they resided for about seven years, after which they passed four years in Shelby county and then took up their abode on a farm near Gettysburg, in Darke county. Four years later they located in York town- ship, having charge of the Bayman estate. They enjoy the high regard of many friends in this locality and are people whose com- mendable characteristics have won for them high respect. Since casting his first presiden- tial vote for Tilden, in 1876, Mr. Byrd has been a stanch Democrat, but has never been an aspirant for office, preferring that his time and attention shall be given to his business interests, in which he is meeting with credit- able and desirable success. He and his wife attend the services of the Methodist Episco- pal church and contribute liberally to its sup- port. Socially he is connected with the Odd Fellows lodge at Versailles, in which he has passed all the chairs, and he and his wife are members of Rebekah Lodge, No. 216, Mrs. Byrd having served as chaplain in the order. In their life they exemplify the noble and be- nevolent principles of the order and are true to its humanitarian teachings.

L. R. HOUSHOLDER.

For sixty-three years Mr. Housholder has been a resident of Darke county, his birth having occurred in York township, July 28, 1837. He is one of the pioneer families of

the locality. His father, David Housholder, was born in Pennsylvania, near Hancock, Maryland, July 21, 1811, and was the only son in his parents' family. He was a man of much mechanical skill and became a mill- wright. He also possessed considerable in- genuity in manufacturing machinery, espe- cially the old-time cradle. Through his active labors in this direction, as well as upon the farm, he accumulated a comfortable compe- tence. In all his business affairs he was care- ful, methodical and reliable, and his word was as good as his bond. His educational privileges were meager, but experience in the practical affairs of life added largely to his knowledge. He remained in the Keystone state until he was twenty-five years of age, and was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Rachel Stahl, on the 22d of February, 1836. this date being recorded in the old family Bible now owned by our subject.

The young couple determined to seek a home farther west and in a one-horse vehicle started for Ohio. They had little of this world's goods but were possessed of resolute spirit and determined purpose and bravely met the difficulties and hardships of pioneer life. Mr. Housholder manifested the ster- ling characteristics of his German ancestry, for he was of German lineage, being de- scended from one of two brothers wlio came to America from the Fatherland and thus established the Housholder family in the new world. The date of their emigration was about 1700. It was in the fall of 1837 that the parents of our subject arrived in York township. Darke county, and for a short time they resided in a log cabin witlı their brother-in-law. Soon, however, they took up their abode upon a farm of one hun- dren and twenty-seven acres in York town- ship, which was entered by Mr. Housholder

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at the land office in Cincinnati, the old parch- ment deed being signed by Martin Van Buren, who was then president of the United States. This gave the description of the property and the date of purchase and is still in possession of the family.

Soon the plow was placed in the virgin soil, for with characteristic energy the father Legan to clear away the trees and develop his land. The family lived in a little log cabin, which was heated by an old-time fireplace. The meals were cooked in utensils suspended from a crane and in an old Dutch oven, and had the relish which, it is claimed, is seldom found at the present day when more modern methods of cooking are in use. Deer and turkey often formed a part of the meal, for these could be obtained by the skilled hunts- man who, with his rifle, went into the woods and often brought back excellent game. Mr. Housholder was prosperous in his business undertaking's and before his death had accu- mulated one thousand and three acres of land, situated in Brown and York townships, in Darke county, and in Cherokee county, Kan- sas. From the time that he cast his first presidential vote, for .Andrew Jackson, he was a stanch Democrat in his political affilia- tions. He held the office of township trustee and filled other positions of responsibility. As a man and a citizen he was highly es- teemed for his sterling worth; and at his death, which occurred .August 6, 1897, the community lost one of its valued citizens. His wife was born in Maryland, April 3. 1815, and died July 26, 1868. In the family of this worthy couple were seven sons and three daughters. of whom eight are now living, the eldest being L. R., of this review ; Esther Anna is the wife of R. B. Kunkel, a carpenter and joiner living in Greenville ;

Louanna, who was educated in the Greenville high school, in Lebanon, Johnstown, Erie and Bradford, Pennsylvania, having gradu- ated in two colleges, is now an editor and authoress of merit ; Iselius is a farmer living in Brown township; Newton S. is married and follows farming in Williamsburg, Ohio; Moses A., a farmer residing near Columbus, Kansas, and formerly a successful attorney, is a prominent and influential citizen and is serving as a member of the state legislature ; Franklin is married and follows horticultural pursuits near Guthrie, Oklahoma, where he has an orchard of one hundred and ten acres ; and Ella is the wife of Jerome Lodermilk, of Baldwin, Kansas, who was a teacher of music.

Mr. Housholder, whose name introduces this. record, obtained his elementary educa- tion in the common schools and was for a time a pupil under the instruction of Profes- sor J. T. Martz. He successfully passed the teachers' examination at the age of twenty- two years, and has capably followed the pro- fession in Darke county for nine terms. He has the ability to impart clearly and concisely to others the knowledge he has acquired and is regarded as a most competent instructor. He also possesses considerable mechanical ability and is familiar with the carpenter and joiner's trade. He started out on his own account empty-handed. When he had at- tained his majority he had no capital and earned his first money by cutting cordwood for his father at twenty-five cents per cord. He was industrious and energetic and scorned no labor that would yield him an honest living. Through determined purpose he has steadily worked his way upward, and his position as a substantial citizen of the community has for a long time been assured.

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On the 20th of June, 1867, Mr. Hous- holder was united in marriage to Miss Pearl Nevius, who was born in Huntington, Indi- ana, November 24, 1846. They became the parents of five sons and four daughters, of whom eight are yet living, as follows: Ivie Olive, the wife of J. A. Patterson, who re- sides in Washington county, Pennsylania, and is an expert oil driller ; Lucy Grace, the wife of John E. Longcreek, a farmer of York township: Lot Franklin, who is living in York township; Nellie Gail, the wife of Joseph Rox, a teamster of Dayton; Minnie Alice, Carl Nevius, Harry Leo and Glen George, at home. The mother of this family was called to her final rest June 27, 1897. She was for thirty years a faithful compan- ion and helpmate to lier husband along the journey of life, and her loving words and counsels are sadly missed in the household. She held membership in the Christian church in Ansonia and was ever true and loyal to its teachings. Mr. Housholder and his chil- dren still reside upon the home farm. In politics he is a Democrat and his first pres- idential ballot supported Stephen A. Doug- las. He is a stanch advocate of temperance and strongly favors the abolition of the liquor traffic. For two terms he served as trustee of York township and was township clerk for one year. He. too, belongs to the Chris- tian church and contributed liberally toward the erection of the house of worship. To- day he is the owner of one hundred and thirty-seven acres of land under a high state of cultivation, and all that he possesses has been acquired through his own efforts.

JOHN WALKER.

John Walker, deceased, was for many years one of the honored and highly es- teemed citizens of Darke county, his home

being in Van Buren township. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, his ancestors having left Scotland on account of religions perse- cution and located in Ireland, of which coun- try his paternal grandfather was a native. His father, Joseph Walker, was born in the North of Ireland, and on his emigration to the United States, when a young man, settled at Gettysburg, Adams county, Pennsylva- nia, where he spent the remainder of his life, becoming a very successful farmer. There he married Elizabeth Stewart, who was also of Scotch-Irish descent and had a brother John living near Gettysburg. By this union were born the following children : William, born in 1794, took part in the war of 1812 at Baltimore, and died unmarried ; Jane, born in 1795, married her cousin, Andrew Stew- art, and died in Pennsylvania ; Nancy, born in 1796, married David Withrow and died in Adams county, Pennsylvania ; Andrew, born September 17, 1798, married Elizabeth Blakely; and in April, 1830, moved to Mus- kingum county, Ohio; Elizabeth, born De- cember 21, 1800, married Gibson Wade and settled in Adams township, Darke county, Ohio; Joseph, born February 27, 1803, mar- ried Annie Seltzer and lived near Emmits- burg, Maryland; John, our subject, is next in order of birth; and Mary, born July 1, 1808, married Nathaniel Patterson, a noted lawyer of Columbus, Ohio, where both died.

The subject of this sketchi was born on the old homestead at Gettysburg, March 31, 1805, and was reared in the midst of pleas- ant home surroundings, his parents being earnest members of the United Presbyterian church. His education was obtained in the common schools. He remained on the farm until he was married, March 9, 1830, to Miss Sarah Moore, who was born in Adams county. August 23, 1808. Ten days after

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their marriage they left their old home in Pennsylvania and came by wagon to Darke county, Ohio, landing in Van Buren town- ship on the 19th of April. Mr. Walker's father had died when he was seventeen years of age, and he had but little to begin life with in the west. He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land from John Carnihan and entered a like amount, all in one tract. A small log cabin stood on the place, and in it they made their home until the follow- ing spring, when Mr. Walker prepared brick and built a more substantial and commodious residence. In the meantime he commenced to clear and improve his land. His first wife died December 27, 1843, leaving four children, namely : Elizabeth Jane, deceased, born October 27, 1831, married Levi Reck ; Sarah Mary, born July 22, 1834, married David Campbell and died in Adams town- ship, Darke. county, in 1859; Harriet F., born April 24, 1837, is a resident of the home farm; and Joseph S., born March 28, 1841, married Malissa Van Winkle and lives in Greenville.

Mr. Walker was again married, Decem- ber 4, 1845. his second union being with Miss Ann Eliza Reck, who was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, October 1, 1825. and is a daughter of Jacob and Mary MI. (Sipes) Reck. the former a native of Adams coun- ty, Pennsylvania, the latter of Maryland. After the marriage of her parents they set- tled in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, where the father died in 1839. He was three times married, his first wife being Mary Ann Ben- ner, of Adams county, Pennsylvania, who bore him one child, Mary E., who married Rev .. Thompson and went to Minnesota. His second wife was Eve Cluts, of the same county, by whom he had two children : Cath- erine and Sarah, who both died unmarried.

His third wife was the mother of Mrs. Walker, and by that union were the follow- ing children: Ann Eliza, already men- tioned; Susan, born December 21, 1826; Mary Jane, September 22, 1828; William, July 4, 1830; Jacob, July 3, 1832 ; and Sam- uel, June 14, 1834. The mother was left a widow with eight small children, six of whom were her own, and with her family she came to Darke county, Ohio, by wagon in 1839, locating in Adams township. She died August 30, 1868.

Her father was Joseph Sipes, a native of Germany, who came to this country to es- cape military service, and hired out to pay his passage. One of his fellow passengers on the voyage was a Miss Rent, with whom he soon became acquainted, and after land- ing they were married. They located near Emmitsburg, Maryland, and he. was sta- tioned at Baltimore while serving as a sol- dier of the war of 1812. In religious belief they were strict Lutherans. Their children were John, who died in Maryland; Mary M., the mother of Mrs. Walker; Catherine, who married George Carls and located near Bedford, Pennsylvania; and Henry, who made his home in Bedford county, that state. Mrs. Walker's paternal grandfather was Christian Reck, who was of German descent, and married Sophia Beaker, of Adams coun- ty, Pennsylvania. Their children were as follows : John, who married for his first wife Annie Hiner, and died in Gettysburg, Ohio; Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Lichten- walter and came to Canton, Ohio, after her husband's death; Jacob, the father of Mrs. Walker, was next in order of birth; Chris- tian, who married a Miss Routzong, and lived in Canton ; Sarah, who was the wife of John Stutzler, of Pennsylvania; William, who married Christina Miller and died in

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Gettysburg; Catherine, who was the wife of Samuel Routzong, a soldier of the war of 1812; Samuel, who married Saralı Cluts and died in Pennsylvania; and David, who married Maria Lightner, of Pennsylvania, and died in Van Buren township, Darke county, Ohio. By his second marriage Mr. Walker had three children, namely : Will- iam Harrison, who was born November 22, 1847, and died March 27, 1852; Catherine Ann, born April 27, 1853, who is with her mother ; and John Newton, born January 24, 1859, married Nellie G. Keefauver, and they liave five children -- Mary E., Hazel H., Wil- lard Ward, Helen Gertrude and Lulu.

Mr. Walker died June 23, 1895. He was a stanch Republican in politics and as one of the leading citizens of his community he was called upon to serve as township trustee and in other local offices. Reared in the United Presbyterian church he joined the Greenville Presbyterian church on coming to this coun- ty, and remained one of its faithful and con- sistent members throughout life. He was a true husband and kind father, devoted to his family, and in his death the community real- ized that they had lost one of their most valued and useful citizens.

JOHNSON K. ALBRIGHT.

After years of active labor as an agri- culturist, this worthy citizen of Twin town- ship, Darke county, is now living a retired life. He belongs to an honored pioneer fam- ily of this state, and traces liis ancestry back to three brothers who came to America from Germany prior to the Revolutionary war. One settled in North Carolina and one in Pennsylvania, but all trace of the third has been lost. It was from the first that our subject is descended. He served all throughi

the Revolutionary war. His son, Philip Al- bright, the grandfather of our subjeet, was born and reared in Orange county, North Carolina, and in early life learned the tail- or's trade. Some time previous to 1804 lie and his wife Christina came to Preble coun- ty, Ohio, and he entered land on the pres- ent site of Lewisburg, where he erected a primitive log cabin and followed farming throughout the remainder of his life. He died November 20, 1820, his wife, December 29, 1817, and bothi were buried at Lewis- burg. Of their children John died in Ar- kansas; Catherine, the wife of John Thomas, died in Preble county, this state; Elizabeth, the wife of Daniel Sharp, died in Twin town- ship, Darke county; Barbara, the wife of Lewis Thomas, died in Preble county ; Phil- ip died in Twin township, Darke county; Adam died in the same township; Mary, the wife of Philip Nation, died in Eaton, Ohio; Jonas also died in Eaton ; and Simpson, the father of our subject, died in Arcanum.

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 53

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