A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 69

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

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Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell are well known for their many admirable traits of character and for this reason, as well as for that of their being representatives of honored pio- neer families, we are pleased to accord them this slight recognition in the genealogical record of Darke county.

LEWIS MANSFIELD.

The gentleman whose name introduces this sketch and who resides on section 31. German township, Darke county, Ohio, is one of the representative farmers of his lo- cality. The facts regarding his life and family history are as follows :

Lewis Mansfield was born in Preble county, Ohio, November 3, 1833, son of one of the pioneers of that county. His fa- ther, Joseph Mansfield, was a native of Ken- tucky, was born in ISHI and came with his parents to Preble county, Ohio, in 1819, when he was about eight years old and who was reared and married there. About a

year after his marriage, with his wife and babe, he came to Darke county and they es- tablished their home on a farm in Harrison township, where he carried on agricultural pursuits the rest of his life and where he (lied at the age of forty-two years. William Mansfield, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Delaware, from which state, when a young man, he emigrated to Ken- tucky, where he married, and whence he subsequently came up into Ohio, as above recorded. He was of English descent.

The mother of Lewis Mansfield was, before her marriage, Miss Nancy Bowles. She was a native of North Carolina, born in February, 1810, and came to Preble coun- ty, Ohio, in her girlhood, where, as already stated, she was married. She died at the age of fifty-two years. The Bowles also were of English origin. Stephen Bowles, the father of Mrs. Mansfield, was born in North Carolina and was the son of a Revo- lutionary soldier. Joseph and Nancy Mans- field were the parents of two children, one dying when three weeks old, the other being Lewis.

Lewis Mansfield was brought to Darke county in his infancy and was reared on his father's farm in Harrison township, receiv- ing his education in a log school house near his home. He remained on the homestead until after the death of his father. Early in the winter of 1859 he married and im- mediately afterward removed to the farm upon which he has since resided, and which he had purchased previous to his marriage. This farm comprises one hundred and twenty acres, all of which is cleared and under cultivation except twenty acres, the work of clearing and improving it having all been done under his supervision. Here for over forty years he has carried on general farm-

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ing and has been fairly successful in his op- being Barbara Bigler, by whom he had one erations. Mr. Mansfield's mother lived with him until her death, which occurred in 1862.

Mr. Mansfield was married December I, 1859. to Miss Lucretia Lanie, born in Preble county, Ohio, August 12, 1835, and which was her home until the time of her marriage. They are the parents of five children, name- ly : Eliza, the wife of C. Jones. a farmer re- siding near Madison, Ohio, and they have one son, Paul; Albert, who married Mary McClure, of German township. Darke coun- ty, and has one son, Lewis O. : Ella, at home ; Minnie, the wife of Charles Harland, of Richmond, Indiana, they having one daugh- ter, Lucretia; and one that died in infancy.

Mr. Mansfield casts his franchise with the Democratic party. He is not a member of any church nor does he have any lodge affiliations. His religious creed is embodied in the golden rule. This he has tried to fol- low, and in so doing he has won the confi- cience and respect of his fellow men.

D. W. K. MARTIN.

D. W. K. Martin, the well-known editor and proprietor of the Versailles Policy, pub- lished at Versailles. Ohio, is a native of Darke county, born in Adams township, June 2, 1849, and is a son of John B. and Rachel (Kreider) Martin, natives of Mont- gomery county, this state, the former born i. December, 1820, the latter in 1822. On leaving Montgomery county, at the age of nineteen years, the father came to this county and settled in AAdams township, where he followed his chosen occupation-that of farming-throughout life, dying in his seventy-sixth year. Ile was of German de- scent and a member of the Dunkard church. Hle was three times married, his first wife

daughter. His second wife was the mother of our subject, who also was of German de- scent and died in 1872. By this union there were nine children, all of whom grew to manhood or womanhood, all married and all are still living, with one exception. For his third wife the father married Catherine Sword, by whom he had two children, both of whom are living.

The subject of this sketch is the second child of the second marriage. He was reared in his native township, and acquired a good practical education in the district schools, remaining at home until twenty years of age. At the age of nineteen he commenced teaching school and successfully followed that profession for twenty-one years, three years of which time he was su- perintendent of the schools at Fort Recovery. Ohio. He taught for two years in Ver- sailles, for one year in Bradford, and the re- mainder of the time in country schools. He became interested in the newspaper business in1 1889, when he purchased the Versailles Policy, which he has since so successfully carried on. When he took possession of the office it was supplied with an old Washing- ton hand press, but he has added an engine and Campbell press and also job presses, and now has a well equipped office. He conducts the paper in the interests of the Democratic party, and has made it one of the best and most popular journals of Darke county.

In 1870 Mr. Martin was united in mar- riage with Miss Lydia A. Apple, a native of Wayne township, Darke county, and a daughter of George and Catherine ( Rhodes ) Apple. To them have been born nine chil- dren, namely: Minnie A., Cora D., Ira J. and Estella M. (twins), Laura V., Marion A., Grace E., George J. and Clissie C.

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

SAMUEL V. HARTMAN.

Samuel V. Hartman is one of the young- est representatives of the legal fraternity in Greenville. He was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, on July 19, 1864. and is a son of C. B. and Catherine (O'Donnell) Hartman. The father was born in Lan- caster county. Pennsylania in 1816, and the mother was a native of Limerick, Ireland, whence she emigrated to the United States with her parents at the age of thirteen years. After their marriage they removed to Ohio, Jocating in the vicinity of Dayton, and the father engaged in teaching school for some years. He was also the school examiner of Montgomery county for a number of years. In 1866 he removed with his family to Darke county, locating in Neave township, where he engaged in farming. He is still living, in Hill Grove, Darke county, and is a well preserved and energetic man, his years rest- ing lightly upon him.

Samuel V. Hartman, whose name intro- duces this record, spent his youth upon the farm in Neave township and pursued his education in the public schools of Fort Jef- ferson until sixteen years of age. when he attended the high school in Greenville. taught by Professor J. T. Martz. Later Mr. Hartman successfully engaged in teaching for two years in Woodington and New Weston, and later, to still further perfect his own education, he entered the National Nor- mal University at Lebanon, Ohio, where he prosecuted his studies for one year. Leav- ing school he read law with Judge J. M. Bickel and Judge J. I. Allread, both of Greenville, and under their able preceptor- age was well fitted for his chosen calling. On the 4th of March, 1890, he was admitted to the Darke county bar and was soon after-

ward elected prosecuting attorney, filling that position for two terms of three years cach. On the expiration of that period, he retired from office and has since engaged in practice in the different courts, local, state and federal. The care with which he pre- pares his cases enables him to arrive at the strong points in his case, and these he pre- sents forcefully and logically to court and jury, thereby winning many notable forensic contests. Socially he is connected with the order of Knights of Pythias.

RILEY M. BRANDON.

All honor is due the pioneers of any section, for they blazed the way for the march of progress and laid broad and deep the foundation of the magnificent prosperity which forms the superstructure reared in later days, but with facilities which were denied to them in their sterner and more self-abnegating labors. In this favored sec- tion of the Buckeye state, now grilled with railroads and with fine pike roads, none of these improvements were in evidence when the subject of this sketch first opened his eyes to the light of day, as a native of the county, but here the pioneer settlers still disputed dominion with the crafty red men and the beasts of the forest. He lias borne his part in the work of development and im- provement, and is worthy of definite con- sideration in this publication.

Mr. Brandon was born in Darke county, March 18, 1849, being the second in order of birth of the eight sons and two daugh- ters of Alex B. and Anna (Shafer) Brandon. Of the ten children eight are living, namely : Riley M., the immediate subject of this sketch ; Dora B., wife of Nathaniel P. Kersh- ner, a farmer of Brown township; Eugene,

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a farmer of York township: Aaron C., a prominent lawyer of Greenville; Frank, a farmer of Jefferson county, Indiana : Noah, a salesman in a wholesale grocery at Day- ton, Ohio; and Arthur, who is a graduate of the Ohio Medical College and is a well known physician and surgeon of Ansonia, this county; Bertha B. is the wife of Clifford Thomas, of Chicago, and is the youngest of the family.

Alex Brandon was born in Darke county, in 1820, and died in April, 1882. His pro- genitors came from the Old Dominion state of Virginia to Darke county, the agnatic line being of English or Scotch origin and having long been identified with the annals of American history. Grandfather Brandon was a volunteer in the war of 1812, but the conflict terminated before he had been called into action. Alex Brandon passed most of his life in Darke county, having resided for a few years in Miami county. He became a member of the Republican party upon its or- ganization and was a zealous advocate of its principles. He and his wife were devout members of the Christian church at Beams- ville, and he was one of the pillars of the organization, being one of its charter mem- bers and having aided very materially in the erection of the first church building. His life was ordered upon a high plane of in- tegrity and he was held in uniform respect and confidence as a man of sterling worth.

The mother of our subject was born in Pennsylvania, in 1826, and her death oc- curred December 17, 1881, she and her hus- band being laid to rest in the cemetery at Versailles, where a fine monument has been erected to their memory. She was a woman of gentle refinement and true Christian grace, and her influence upon the character

of her children was marked and is held by them in deepest reverence.

Riley M. Brandon, whose name intro- duces this review, has passed his entire life in Darke county, and Richland township has been his home for the greater portion of this period. IIis initial educational dis- cipline was secured in the district schools and. supplemented by a course in a select school at Versailles, where he so advanced himself in his studies as to be eligible as a teacher, devoting himself to this vocation for a short time. Mr. Brandon has been twice married, his first union having been with Miss Jane Siegmund, who bore him one daughter, Irene May, who is the wife of Charles York, a farmer of Richland town- ship, and they have a little daughter, May Ethel. Mrs. Brandon was summoned into eternal rest March 21, 1874, and on the 7th of October. 1877, our subject married Miss Sarah J. Davidson. Two sons and two daughters grace this union-Edwin A., who is associated with his father in carrying on the work of the old homestead; Hattie B., who passed the Boxwell examination with a general percentage of seventy, when she was but thirteen years of age, and who is thereby entitled to admission to any high school in the county ; Charles D., who is at present in school; and Hazel May, a bright and inter- esting little maiden, now attending to her school work.

Mrs. Brandon was born in Darke county, June 28, 1853, a daughter of Edwin R. and Rebecca J. ( Warvell) Davidson, who were the parents of two sons and three daughters, only one of whom is deceased; Mrs. Brandon is the eldest; William II. is a farmer of Hancock county, Ohio; Robert is a farmer of York township, Darke county: May is

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the wife of John Beery, of Springfield, this state. The father of Mrs. Brandon is de- ceased, his birth having taken place in Clinton county, Ohio, and it is a matter of record that her grandfather ate dinner with the Indians near the site of the village of Beamsville, pronouncing the corn bread which they prepared to have been the best he had ever eaten. The parents of Mrs. Brandon were both devoted members of the Christian church. The mother was born in Virginia, and was a maiden of twelve years when the family came to Ohio, her birth having occurred May 4, 1833. She is still living, making her home with her youngest son, in Richland township, and retaining her mental faculties unimpaired. Mrs. Brandon has endeared herself to a large circle of ac- quaintances, through her gentle refinement and consideration of the feelings of others, and she has proved a true helpmeet to her husband.

Our subject purchased at the start a farm of ninety acres, being compelled to as- summe an indebtedness for a considerable por- tion of the purchase price, but his capable management and energy have made him one of the independent and influential farmers of the county, where he is held in the high- est esteem. He has witnessed the remark- able development of Darke county from the condition of a wilderness to its present era of prosperity and fine improvement, and his estate lies contiguous to the site of old Fort Briar, which was an important place in the early days. He has in his possession the original deed for the quarter-section 34. township II, range 3, the document hav- ing been executed December 6, 1823, and bearing the signature of President Monroe. This deed is retained as a valuable historical

relic. Mr. Brandon renders allegiance to the Democratic party, having cast his first vote for General Grant, and for ten years he gave active support to the cause of prohi- bition. His aim has been to support men and measures rather than to render supine al- legiance to party dictates. He has been a delegate to the convention of the Prohibition party at various times and has been a zealous worker for all that makes for the better- ment of his fellow men. "He is a stanch friend of popular education and was strongly in favor of the establishment of the town- ship high school, but this measure was de- feated. Ile was a member of the school board for five years. He and his wife are members of the Christian church at Beams- ville, and he has lent effective and timely aid to the cause of religion. The family is one of the representative families of the county, and we are gratified to be able to. present this brief review at this time.

FRANKLIN WISE.

In this work there is much interest at- taching to the records, both personal and genealogical, of those who stand represent- ative of the worthy pioneer element in the. history of Darke county, and who are ex- ponents of the progress and prosperity which mark the later years. To the gentleman whose name heads this record we must ac- cord an honorable place among the leading citizens of the county, and no publication having to do with the annals of this histor- ic section could legitimately omit such spe- cific reference to his genealogical record and individual accomplishment.

Mr. Wise was born on the old homestead in Richland township, the land comprised in.

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the same having been entered by his grand- father, John Wise, the entry having been inade August 14, 1834, and executed over the signature of President Andrew- Jack- son, thiis being one of the oldest deeds of the township and being cherished as an heir- loom by the Wise family. In the days to come it will be valuable as a relic of the pio- neer days. Mr. Wise was born January 12, 1853, being the sixth in order of birth of the seven sous and two daughters born to Daniel and Catharine (Longenecker) Wise, and one of the eight who are living at the present time, namely : Benjamin L., a farmer of Patterson township, served for three years as a Union soklier in the war of the Rebellion; Iarena is the wife of Tobias Overholser, a farmer of Allen township: Samuel A. is a farmer of Eaton county, Michigan ; John M. is a farmer of Missis- sinawa township, Darke county; Franklin is the immediate subject of this review; Clara A. is the wife of Jolin Cable, a farmer of Wayne township; Harvey is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Ionia county, Mich- igan; and Daniel C., the youngest, is a farmer of Adams township, Darke county.

Daniel Wise. father of our subject, was born in the old Keystone state, being of the old Pennsylvania German stock. The date of his nativity was July 12, 1816, and he died September 18, 1869. It is presumed that he was about eighteen years of age when he became a resident of Ohio, and lie was reared under the conditions prevalent at that time, receiving such meager educa- tional advantages as were afforded in tlie early subscription schools, which, like other farmer boys, he was permitted to attend for a brief time each year. He was early inured to the hardships of frontier life, growing

to be a strong and sturdy man physically and one of marked mental vigor. Politically lie was an old-line Whig until the birth of the Republican party, when he transferred his allegiance to the new party, which more clearly expressed his views in its code of principles and policies. He and his wife were members of the German Baptist church.

Franklin Wise, subject of this review. is a thorough Ohioan, having been born and reared in Darke county, and he has unmis- takably embraced the dominating principles of his parents as to thrift and honor. He has been reared to the sturdy discipline of the farin and has incidentally carried on a suc- cessful enterprise in the manufacture of brooms. He received a good common- school education, which has been supple- niented by personal application and practical experience in the affairs of life. Mr. Wise worked for wages until he reached his mia- jority, after which he prepared to establish his household goods upon a firm foundation, April 29, 1886, he was married to Miss Rutli A. Craig, who has borne him two daugh- ters-Ethel and Hazel-who are very bright and interesting little maidens. Mrs. Wise is a native of Darke county, having been born November 10, 1860, a daughter of David and Malinda ( Baird ) Craig. who became the parents of six sons and five daughters, nine of whom are yet living and all these are residents of Darke county except Lieu El- mer, who is now an express agent at Tiffin, Ohio.

David Craig was born in New Jersey, February 5, 1814, and died January 5, 1884. He was three years of age when his parents moved to Warren county, Ohio, and in 1857 lie became a resident of Darke county, be- coming a farmer by occupation. Mrs.

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Wise's great-grandfather in the agnatic line came from Scotland, the name Craig being of the pure Scotch origin. Malinda ( Baird ) Craig, mother of Mrs. Wise, was born in Warren county, Ohio, September 16, 1825, and her death occurred July 21, 1898. She and her husband were members of the Pres- byterian church at Greenville and were very zcalous in their religious work. They owned a fine farm two and one-half miles east of Greenville. Mrs. Wise was educated in the common schools, and she is of that genial and candid nature which will ever insure warm and lasting friendships. She has been a true helpmeet to her husband and they are known and honored far and wide throughout the section where they have passed their lives. They began their domestic life on the old liomestead of our subject's parents, renting the land at the start, and finally Mr. Wise undertook to purchase the estate, a work which he accomplished within six years, with the aid of his devoted wife, and in ad- dition to this he also cared tenderly for his widowed mother until her death. The estate comprises one hundred and forty- nine acres and this is kept in a fine state of repair and cultivation.

In politics Mr. Wise is a Republican, hav- ing cast his first presidential vote for Hayes. Socially he is a member of Lodge No. 605, I. O. O. F., at Ansonia, and also of Stelvideo Grange, No. 295, with which Mrs. Wise is also identified. He is the treasurer of the grange and Mrs. Wise is overseer. In religious adherency Mr. and Mrs. Wise maintain the faith of the Christian Scien- tists, having made a careful study of the wonderful developments and comforting promises to be noted in this line of religious thought. They are among the represent-

ative people of Richland township and are well worthy of this slight tribute in the genealogical and biographical history of the county.

JAPHETH BYRD.

It is unmistakably true that upon the young, progressive men of the day the great- est responsibility rests. The gentleman . whose name initiates this review is one who enjoys the confidence and respect of all who constitute the better class of citizens in Rich- land township, Darke county, and as a rep- rcsentative young man of the township it is consistent that a review of his life and gene- alogy be incorporated in this connection.

Mr. Byrd is a native son of the Old Dominion state, having been born in Rock- ingham county, Virginia, on the 16th of February, 1861, being the second in order of the three sons born to Isaac and Mary (Gaines) Byrd. The brothers of our sub- ject are Rev. Rudolph Byrd, clergyman of the United Brethren church and a resident of Chewsville, Maryland ; and Isaac D., who is a successful agriculturist in Rockingham county, Virginia. The father was born in Rockingham county, and his father was a soldier in the war of 1812. The family is of English extraction and has been long identified with the an- nals of American history. One Colonel Byrd located near the famed old city of Richmond, Virginia, at a very early day, and from him the line of descent to the sub- ject of this sketch is directly traced. The father was a carpenter by trade and was in active service in the war of the Rebellion, supporting the cause in whose justice he firmly believed. He was a stanch Democrat

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in politics. His death occurred Septem- ber 3, 1864. His wife, Mary (Gaines) Byrd, was likewise a native of Virginia, and in that state she is still living, venerable in years and loved by all who have felt the in- fluence of her gentle life.

Japheth was a mere child at the time of his father's death, and as the family were left in moderate circumstances he was · thrown upon his own resources at an early age. His first employment netted him the modest sum of three dollars per month and upon this basis he managed to clothe himself and pursue his preliminary educational work. His independent spirit was thus manifested at an early age, and by this he has always been animated, being essentially progressive and active.

.At the age of eighteen Mr. Byrd de- termined to seek his fortune in the west, and he accordingly came to Ohio, coming to Montgomery county about 1880, where he remained one year, after which he located in Darke county, which has ever since been his home and field of endeavor. He came here without influential friends or financial reinforcement, began working for wages and step by step won his way to a success which is gratifying to note-a success hovorably achieved through energy, economy and inde- fatigable application. On the 14th of April, 1884, Mr. Byrd was united in marriage to Miss Dora B. McFarland, and to them one son and three daughters have been born- Bessie F., Josephine, George and Mary-all being bright and attractive children, show- ing marked interest and proficiency in their educational work. Mrs. Byrd was born in Darke county, upon the old homestead where she and her husband now reside, the date of her nativity having been September 28, 1866, and she being the youngest of the nine

children born to James and Rachel ( Jolin ) McFarland. Of the children eight are still living, namely: William, who is a resident of Dawn, this county; Newton, a resident of Greenville ; Ellen, wife of Charles Beedle, of Miami county; Albert, of Greenville; Thomas, who resides at Dawn; Clark, of North Star, Ohio; Madison, who resides at Dawn, and Mrs. Byrd, who is the youngest. James McFarland was born in Greene coun- ty, Ohio, on the 8th of May, 1822, and his death occurred March 25, 1893. He was a blacksmith by trade, and was a very suc- cessful business man, having become the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of fine farming land in Richland township. He secured a common school education in his youth, and lived an honest and noble life, which gives the richest of heritage to his children and children's children, who ven- erate his name and memory. In politics he was a Jacksonian Democrat, and as one of the leading men of the township he was called to positions of public trust, having served as trustee, land appraiser and in other offices of responsibility. He and his wife were zealous and devoted members of the Christian church, and he aided materially in the erection of the church edifice at Beams- ville, and also contributed liberally to the building of the Methodist church at Dawn. He was liberal and benevolent, charitable and kindly in his judgment of others, and was always ready to lend his aid and in- fluence in any good work. Fraternally he was a charter member of the lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Versailles, and his funeral obsequies were conducted according to the impressive rites of this noble frater- nity. In his death the community mourned the loss of one of its most honored and valued citizens.

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 69

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