A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 54

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

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Simpson Albright was born in Lewis- burg, November 2, 1804, and received only a limited education. He was an excellent reader but had little knowledge of other branches of study. As his father was lame and in limited circumstances most of the farm work fell to his sons, and when he died the family were left poor. Simpson was only thirteen years of age at that time and was forced to earn his own livelihood by working as a farm hand, being thus employed until his marriage. He drifted to Anderson county, Tennessee, where he met Miss Mary Snoderly, who became his wife November 9, 1828. She was born in Guilford county, North Carolina, November 1, 1808, and was a daughter of Philip and Mary ( Thomas) Snoderly, who moved to Tennessee about 1816.

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After his marriage Mr. Albright contin- ued to make his home in that state until August, 1832, when he returned to Ohio and located in the northeast corner of Preble county. The following spring he rented a farm in Preble county, where he resided two years, and during that time bought eighty acres of wild land in Twin township, this county. At that time no improvements had been made and there were but few fam- ilies in the neighborhood. Philip Mullenix had squatted near the Albright farm and built a house, but William Nealeigh, of Lew- isburg, had paid him a small sum for his right to the tract and entered the land. The property Mr. Albright rented until he could clear a small tract of his own land and erect a cabin thereon, which was accomplished in April. 1836. The house, which was six- teen by twenty feet, was built of round logs and contained but one room. He cleared his land and transformed it into a beautiful farm, finally selling it, after his children were grown, for one hundred dollars per acre. He then moved to Arcanum and lived retired until his death, which occurred May 17, 1886. His wife died November 7, 1883. They were leading members of the United Brethren church of Arcanum, and were very charitably disposed, their home being a refuge for the poor and needy. In early life the father was a Democrat, but in 1854 sev- ered his connection with that party and later Lecame an ardent Republican.

Our subject is the oldest in a family of eleven children, the others being as follows: Henry M., born in Anderson county, Ten- nessee, December 29, 1830, married Eliza- beth Eichelberger. He was a member of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the one-hun-

dred-day service during the civil war, and was a farmer of Van Buren township. Darke county, Ohio, where he died August 24. 1878. Henderson L., born in Tennes- sec. February 19, 1832, married Cather- ine Leedy. He was a member of the same regiment as his brother, and now resides 011 a farm in Neave township, this county. Daniel S., who was born in Preble county, this state, October 6, 1834, married Elizabeth Leedy. He, too. was a member of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty- second Regiment, and is now living in Arca- num. Philip S., born in Twin township, Darke county, in 1836, married first Ma- linda Raines and secondly Nancy -

and is now a farmer of Greenville township. this county. He served for three years in the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, and then veteranized, remain- ing in the service until hostilities ceased. William K., born in Twin township, March 22, 1838, married Nancy Clark, and resides in Greenville. He enlisted first for nine months in the Eighty-seventh Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, and after being discharged joined Company B, One Hundred and Tenth Regiment, serving until the close of the war. Adam C., born in Twin township, November 21, 1842, married Nancy Robeson and now lives in Adams county, Nebraska. He served through the war as a member of the Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Catherine S., born in Twin township, No- vember 24. 1843, married Anderson Till- man, and died in Arcanum. Sarah Ann, born in Twin township, February 13. 1845, married George F. Hapner and resides in Arcanum. Elizabeth, born in Twin town- ship, August 13, 1848, married Dr. Royal- ston Ford, of Greenville, Ohio, and died in

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Arcanum. Margaret Minerva, born in Twin township, January 21, 1856, died in infancy.

Johnson K. Albright was born in Ander- son county, Tennessee, June 13, 1829, and was only three years old when brought by his parents to Ohio. He received his edu- cation, as he says, "in the woods." He at- tended school when he was not needed at home: was fond of study and spent much time with his books. He qualified himself for a teacher, received a certificate from the county examiners and taught one year. He passed through all the different phases of pioneer life. Being the oldest son the re- sponsibilities of the farm work fell upon him at an early age, as his father was not strong, and he did much of his father's business tin- til leaving home.

On the IIth of September, 1851, at Phil- lipsburg, Montgomery county, Ohio, Mr. Albright was united in marriage with Miss Mary Ann Reichard, who was born in Pyr- mont, that county, December 8, 1834, a daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Winicke) Reichard. Two children were born to them, but Edward Henry, born September 28, 1853, died April 6, 1854; and Granville Moorey, born May 15, 1859, died May 3, 1870. Mrs. Albright died September 21, 1897, and was laid to rest in Abbottsville cemetery. She was a devout member of the United Brethren church, possessed a beauti- ful disposition and was a loving wife and mother.

After his marriage, Mr. Albright re- mained with his father until the following December and then moved to his present farm of eighty acres, which he purchased November 3, 1851. His first home here was a hewed-log house, 18x20 feet, but he and his wife were very happy in their humble

abode, and in 1876 he built his present beau- tiful home of red brick. When the civil war broke out he was operating a saw-mill, and was engaged in that business for three years. He also owned and operated a threshing machine for the same length of time. The first school house erected in the north precinct of Twin township was built on a corner of his farm, it being of round logs and about 12x20 feet in dimension. The first teacher was William McGriff, who taught the first year in an old log cabin which was built by Alfred Ayers and stood on what is now the Aaron Wellbau place.

Mr. Albright was also one of the "boys in blue" during the war of the Rebellion, enlisting May 2, 1864, in the one-hundred- day service, as a private in Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was continually on the march, and participated in Hunter's raid. Mr. Albright was discharged at Camp Den- nison, Ohio, September 2, 1864, and is now an honored member of Rosser Post, G. A. R., at Arcanum, of which he has been the com- mander two years. He cast his first presi- dential vote for Franklin Pierce, in 1852, and is now a stanch supporter of the Repub- lican party. Quiet and unassuming, he has the confidence and respect of all who know him, and justly merits the high regard in which he is held.

DAVID SWINGER.

Among the enterprising, energetic and well-to-do agriculturists of Franklin town- ship, Darke county, Ohio, who thoroughly understand the vocation which they follow, and are consequently enabled to carry on their calling with profit to themselves, is the subject of this sketch. He was born in

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Franklin township, October 6, 1845, and grew to manhood on the old homestead farm, assisting in the labors of the fields and attending the district schools from the age of six to twenty-one years, when his services were not needed at home. He re- mained under the parental roof until after lis marriage.

On the 16th of April, 1868, Mr. Swinger wedded Miss Luvena Richardson, who was born near Pittsburg, Monroe township, Darke county, June 29, 1850, and belongs to one of the pioneer families of the county, being a granddaughter of William and Sa- rah ( Markham ) Richardson, natives of Ten- nessee, who came to Ohio at an early day and entered land near Pittsburg, Darke county. They were members of the Christian church. George Richardson, Mrs. Swinger's father. was born near Pittsburg, September 20, 1830, and died September 1. 1850, at the early age of twenty years. He married Es- ther Haworth, a daughter of John and Sa- rah ( Penny) Haworth, and by that union was born only one child, Mrs. Swinger. For her second husband the mother married Aaron Wellbaum, and now lives in Dayton, Ohio. By that marriage she had eight chil- dren : Harvey, who died in infancy ; Sarah, who died at the age of eight years; Chris- tian, who married Sarah Vanatta and died in Hamilton, Ohio, January 15. 1898; Hi- ram, who married first Allie Dersham, and secondly Martha Daubinyer, and resides in Greenville, Ohio; Albert, who married Mar- garet Morrison and died in Greenville : Sampson, who married, first, Lizzie Hussey, and, secondly, Carrie Witt, and lives in Lexington, Kentucky ; Dora, the wife of Ar- thur Bond, of Dayton, Ohio: and Martha, the wife of John Emerich, of Dayton, Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Swinger are the parents

of six children, concerning whom we make- the following observations : Esther M., born June 10, 1869, is now the widow of Isaac Newton Bashore, and they have two children, Simon and Myrtle. She lives in Franklin township, Darke county. Simon, born February 10, 1872, married Martha Kauffman and has one child, Velma Ruth. Lucinda, born February 12, 1874, is at home. Edward I .. born October 22, 1876, is also at home. Annie M., born January 18, 1879. is the wife of Harvey Small, and they had three children: Iva Luvena, who died in her third year: Lucinda Venice and Ruby Norine. They moved to Madison county, Indiana, in 1895, but returned to Darke county in June, 1898, and are now living in Franklin township. Walter Ray, born April 27. 1890, is attending school.

For three years after his marriage Mr. Swinger remained upon his father's farm, and then moved to his present place of one hundred and thirty-six acres, which was deeded him by his father. He has erected good and substantial buildings, and made many other improvements, which add great- ly to the value and attractive appearance of the farm. He is a stanch Democrat in poli- tics, and since April, 1870, has been an active member of the German Baptist church, to which his wife also belongs. They are highly esteemed on account of their sterling worth and many excellencies of character, and have a large circle of friends and ac- quaintances throughout Darke county.

ELI A. FISHER, M. D.

The subject of this review is one of the leading physicians and surgeons of the northern part of Darke county, being now successfully engaged in practice at York-

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shire. He is a native of this county, born in Mississinawa township, May 24, 1864, and is a son of Ephraim Henry Fisher, who was born near Columbus, Franklin county, Ohio, May 26, 1822. His paternal grand- father also was a native of Ohio and a farmer by occupation, while his father was of English and his mother of Spanish de- scent, the latter tracing her ancestry back to Queen Isabella. The Doctor's father was only six weeks old when his mother died, and was left an orphan at the age of four- teen years. On the 12th of August, 1847, at the home of the bride's father in Missis- sinawa township, he married Sarah Peters, who was of Pennsylvania Dutch and Welsh descent on lier mother's side, and English on her father's side.

Mr. and Mrs. Fisher began their domes- tic life on a farm in Mississinawa township, which the father commenced at once to clear and cultivate. He held several township offices and was a stanch Republican in poli- tics. During the civil war he was drafted three times, but, having a family of ten children depending upon him, his neighbors refused to allow him to go to the front. He died in 1878, but his wife is still living, and makes her home on the old farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, all of which has been cleared with the exception of twenty acres. It is pleasantly located one-half mile west of Lightsville, and consists of the eighty-acre tract given her by her father, and another eighty acres, which Mr. Fisher purchased at one dollar and a quarter per acre. In their family were thirteen children. ten of whom reached maturity, and eight are still living, namely : Libbie O., who lives with her mother; Harrison T., a farmer of Shelby county; Elva J. Marsh, of Dayton: Mrs. Effie L. Staight, of Paulding county, Ohio ;

Mrs. Harriet AA. Symonds, whose husband has the old home farm; Mrs. Rachel E. Brooks, of Washington township; Eli _1., our subject ; and George W., an undertaker of Arcanum. Amy died in 1871, at the age of twenty-three years, and was buried in her bridal dress, and John P. died in 1893, at the age of thirty-eight.

Dr. Fisher received a liberal common school education, and was granted a teach- er's certificate, but decided to devote his life to the medical profession, and entered the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, where he was graduated in 1888. In March of that year he opened an office at Pleasant Hill, but in September, 1889, he removed to North Star, and in 1896 came to York- shire, where he has since successfully en- gaged in general practice. His skill and ability in his chosen profession were soon widely recognized, and it was not long be- fore he received a liberal share of the public patronage.

On the 16th of June, 1888, Dr. Fisher was united in marriage with Miss Ella Irena Hance, of Shelby county, a daughter of William Hance, whose grandfather, Joseph Hance, a young Englishman, during the Revolutionary war, desiring to come to America to assist the patriots, could find no means of coming except to join the British army. This he tried to do, but was too short in stature. He retired, put a deck of cards in his shoes and returned and this time came up to the standard and came over to Amer- ica, where he promptly deserted and joined the American army. After the war he lo- cated in Kentucky, where the father of Will- iam Hance was born, who in time emigrated to a point near Cass, Miami county, Ohio. Here William was born, October 25. 1833, and he married Margaretta Wise, October

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16, 1856. To them were born three daugh- ters-Florence E., Ella I. and Minnie A., and one son, Forest P. When Mrs. Fisher was seventeen her mother died, at the age of forty-eight years, leaving four children, one son and three daughters. The Doctor and his wife have three children : Lloyd R., born March 24, 1889: Stanley Paul, born February 8, 1891; and Amy Irena, born October 9. 1895. All are healthy and bright children.

Dr. Fisher is a member of the Versailles Medical Association, and of the Masonic or- der, and politically he is identified with the Republican party. He has served as a school trustee, but has never cared for the honors or emoluments of public office, pre- ferring to devote his undivided attention to his professional duties. He is very popular. socially, and his friends are many through- out the county.

EASAM SHUFF.

Among the representative farmers of Darke county the record of whose lives fills an important place in this volume, it gives us pleasure to commemorate the name of this gentleman, who owns and operates a highly cultivated and well improved farm of eighty acres in Franklin township. He was born in Montgomery county, this state. May 7, 1832, and is a son of Samuel and Delilahı (Rinert) Shuff, natives of Mary- land and Pennsylvania, respectively. His maternal grandfather was a soldier of the war of 1812, and after serving out his own term of enlistment took his son's place, the latter being taken ill while in the service. Our subject's father was born in 1800, and was a young man when he located in Mont- gomery county, Ohio, where he purchased

land near Phillipsburg and engaged in farm- ing throughout the remainder of his life, dying there in 1884. He had married in that county and his wife died about 1872. Their children were David, now a resident of Marion county, Indiana; Margaret, the wife of Joshua Weisner, of Darke county ; Rachel, who married Samuel Oldham and died in Franklin township, Darke county; Easam, our subject; Elizabeth; Nancy; and Sarah, who married Jesse R. Hyer and died at Painter Creek.

The first nine years of his life our sub- ject passed on the old home farm near Phil- lipsburg, at the end of which time the fam- ily removed to a farm of eighty acres in Franklin township, Darke county, where he grew to manhood and was educated in the public schools. In 1856 he married Miss Sarah Jane Shaffer, a daughter of Freder- ick Shaffer, and to them have been born the following children : Samuel, who died at the age of two years; John, who died at the age of four; Francis, who married Florence Eck and lives in Franklin township; Earcy E., who married Nan Ditmer and lives in Franklin township; Molly, the wife of David Wright, of Greenville; Jesse, de- ceased; Lydia Ann, who married Henry Poock, of Franklin township; Zachariah, who married Minnie Surber and lives in Monroe township; Irvin, who married Clara Eck and makes his home in Franklin town- ship; Sylvester, Charles, Ora and Roy, all at home.

For several years after his marriage Mr. Shuff lived on his father's farm, and for ten years rented the place now owned by his sisters-Elizabeth and Nancy. At the end of that time he bought his present farm of eighty acres from his father's estate, and has since made many improvements upon the

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place, which add greatly to its value and attractive appearance. Although he is en- gaged in general farming, he makes a spe- cialty of tobacco raising and is meeting with good success. He is a Republican in politics and has capably filled local offices of honor and trust. Religiously he is an earnest mem- ber of the German Baptist church.

ALLEN NETZLEY.

At this time the younger generation of farmers and professional men are coming to the front and taking the lead among men in their respective callings. Darke county, Ohio, has its full proportion of young farm- ers, and among them there is none more de- serving of the success that he has attained than Allen Netzley, of Monroe township.

Allen Netzley is a son of George Netzley, whose wife was Catherine Kauffman, and a grandson of George Netzley, the elder, who married Elizabeth Landis. His grandfa- ther was born in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, and in 1836, when George Netzley, Jr., also a native of Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, was in his fourteenth year, made the journey by wagon to Montgomery coun- ty, Ohio. From there he came to Darke county and he and his wife both died in Franklin township. Something of the his- tory of George Netzley, Jr., is given in a biographical sketch of Eli Netzley, which appears in this work. George and Cather- ine (Kauffman) Netzley had eight children, of whom Allen was the fifth in order of birth.

This prominent citizen and farmer of Monroe township was born on the Netzley home farm in that township, February 10, 1857. He was educated in the common schools, where his first teacher was Lydia

Paterson, and in the Greenville high school, presided over by Professor Jacob T. Martz, at Greenville, Darke county, Ohio, and in his vacations gave his best energies to help- ing about the work of the family farm. He taught his home school two winters. For his wife he married Miss Dora Jones, Feb- ruary 4, 1882. She is a daughter of H. H. and Jane (Graham) Jones, who are favor- ably known for their culture and high re- spectability. After his marriage he located on his present farm, a part of the family es- tate, which became his by purchase after his. mother's death.

Mr. and Mrs. Netzley have children named Hiram, Clara and Harold. They are members of the Christian church, in which Mr. Netzley is a deacon, and are active in promoting all its important interests. He is a Republican and a citizen of patriotic impulses and much public spirit.

ELI NETZLEY.

It is pertinent now to consider how valu- able and important a factor in our national progress and prosperity is the farmer. When it is remembered that he is indispensable to our very national existence, it may be thought that there is little more to say of and for him, but this sweeping statement does not by any means exhaust the subject and a big book, both interesting and in- structive, might be written about the tiller of the soil and his relations to all other classes of our population, to whom he stands primarily in the relation of an essential but not too generously appreciated provider of food, which is as necessary to existence as is the air itself. Besides, history teaches that the farmer provides not only the pabu- lum essential to all times and all conditions

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of men, but in a broad and comprehensive sense the sinews of war as well. Since its early settlement, Ohio has poured the wealth of its land out upon the tables of the nation and the revenue from the taxation of that land has gone to help make plethoric the public treasury. The farms of Darke county have contributed their share to these ends, and the farmers of Monroe township, of whom Eli Netzley is a worthy representative, have not been laggards in the work.

Eli Netzley is a son of George and Cath- arine (Kauffman) Netzley and was born on the old Netzley homestead, in Monroe town- ship, January 27, 1855. George Netzley was a native of Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, born November 23, 1823. He was reared in his native town and received some education in the German schools. In 1836, . when he was thirteen years old, his parents emigrated by wagon to Ohio and settled in Montgomery county, where the boy grew to manhood, dividing his time between farm work and attendance at the public schools, which were kept in primitive log houses near his home. He early acquired a practical knowledge of the carpenter's trade, but did not work at it long. He came of a fam- ily of farmers and took naturally to the farm- er's life. He married in March, 1847. His wife was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, November 8, 1829, a daughter of Daniel and Mary (Stauffer ) Kauffman. For three ycars after his marriage he remained in that county, then moved to Monroe township, Darke county, where he bought sixty acres of land, which constituted the place now owned by his daughter, Mrs. Lowery. He later added twenty acres to this farm; then by subsequent purchases eighty acres on the west of the original homestead and forty on the north; forty acres more; then another

forty; and still later twenty acres adjoin- ing his land on the south, until he owned three hundred acres. When he moved to the spot there was on the place a one-room hewn-log house, with a lean-to log shed on one side of it. A family occupied the log house proper and Mr. Netzley and his house- hold were obliged to take refuge in the shed, a fragile structure with an insufficient roof resting on poles, in which they lived for six weeks. During the first night of their habitation there, there came a heavy snow- storm and in the morning the sleepers found that they had been given an additional blanket of snow. Game was plentiful and as Mr. Netzley was an expert hunter, he drew on the surrounding wilderness for a good part of the food for his family. He pushed liis work of clearing and getting his land under cultivation with much vigor and per- severance and became a prosperous farmer with productive fields and ample conven- iences long before some of his neighbors who came into the country earlier. His in- dustry and integrity gave him good stand- ing among his fellow citizens and his friend- ly and helpful disposition made him well liked by all who knew him. A lover of human liberty, he was a Whig and from the birth of Republicanism a Republican. For several years he held the office of treasurer of Monroe township and from time to time he filled other offices, with the greatest credit. He died in September, 1879; his wife, Feb- ruary 22, 1892. The children of this worthy pioneer couple were named as follows : Mary, born December 3, 1847, who married Jacob Lowery, June 18, 1899. Uriah, born Sep- tember, 1849, who married Jane Hunt and lives in Monroe township. Joseph was born July 1, 1851, and married Sarah Minnick. He lives at Muncie, Indiana. Eli is the

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subject of this sketch. Allen and Jesse are represented by biographical sketches in this work. Rosa Etta was born November 27. 1865, and married Levi Litton. David was born August 30, 1861, and married Rachel Brumbaugh and lives at Greenville, Darke county. George Netzley, the grandfather of Eli Netzley and father of George Netzley, the pioneer, married Elizabeth Landis, a daughter of David and Annie (Springer) Landis. He came to Franklin township, Darke county, from Montgomery county. He bought and improved a farm and he and his wife died many years ago. Their chil- dren were: David, of Union City, Ohio; John, of Van Buren township; George, the father of Eli; Nancy, who never married.

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 54

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