USA > Ohio > Darke County > A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography > Part 78
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GEORGE SHIELDS.
George Shields, a practical and enter- prising agriculturist of Van Buren town- ship, owns and cultivates two hundred and ninety-five acres of land, constituting one of the valuable and highly improved farms of the locality. He was born upon this place, June 1, 1838, and on the paternal side is of Irish descent. His grandfather, Pat- rick Shields, was born in Ireland about 1776,
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and was a boy of five years when he came to the United States with his parents, landing in New York. Later the family settled in Kentucky, where his parents are supposed to have died. When a young man he came to Preble county, Ohio, where he entered land, and in the midst of the wilderness made for himself a home. He enlisted in the war of 1812 under General Harrison. and carried important dispatches, passing through Cincinnati when that place con- tained but two log cabins. He married, and his first wife died in Preble county, and he later wedded Salina Smith. While living in Preble county he purchased land in Van Buren township, Darke county, on which he located after his second marriage, and for six years conducted a tavern at what was called Sampson. Later he moved to De Lisle, where he died, and his wife died at the home of a daughter in Darke county." Their children were: Isaac. the father of our subject ; Rachel, who married William Neely and died in Arcanum: Abraham, who married Nancy Price and died in Greenville : Sarah, who married John Dyninger and died in Preble county ; a daughter, who married Tice Sailor and died in Preble county ; Pat- rick, who married Elizabeth Gunder and died in the same county; and Samuel, who mar- ried and also died in Preble county.
Isaac Shields was born in Preble coun- ty, in 1815, and there he grew to manhood and married Elizabeth Rusk, also a native of Preble county, where they continued to make their home until after the birth of two of their children. They then came to Darke county, Mr. Shields purchasing eighty acres of land in Van Buren township from his father, only two acres of which had been cleared and a rough log cabin and stable erected thereon. To the further improve-
ment and cultivation of his place he at once turned his attention, and as his financial re- sources increased he added to his landed possessions until he had five hundred acres. As a citizen he always took an active and commendable interest in public affairs, and supported first the Whig and later the Re- publican parties. He died upon his farm in 1880, at the age of sixty-five years. his wife in 1887, at the age of sixty-seven. In the family of this worthy couple were thir- teen children, concerning whom we make the following observations : Abraham married Salina Smith and died in Van But- ren township: Patrick married Jane Brown, and lives in Greenville ; Mary is the wife of Alfred Townsend, of Van Buren township; Matilda is the wife of John Roll, of the same township: George, our subject, is next in order of birth; William is represented on another page of this volume; Isaac, a vet- eran of the civil war, married Ellen Weaver and lives in Van Buren township: Sarah Jane is the wife of Jesse Smith, of Dayton, Ohio: Isabelle is the wife of Isaac Allread, of Van Buren township; Alfred married Amanda Jobes and died in that township; Elizabeth died young; and two died in in- fancy.
George Shields did not have the advan- tages of an education, much of his early life being devoted to the arduous labors of the farm. He assisted his father in clearing the land, and continued to aid in its operation un- til he entered the army during the dark days of the Rebellion. At Greenville, in Au- gust, 1861. he enlisted in Company G, Forty- fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was under the command of Captain Newkirk, Colonel Wood and Colonel Gilbert. He drove a team a part of the time, handled trains and hunted forage. At Beverly,
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West Virginia, he was captured and held a prisoner in the Pemberton House, Rich- mond, for thirty-three days, at the end of which time he was paroled and came home on a furlough. He had re-enlisted at Straw- berry Plains as a veteran in the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, and remained in the service until the close of the war, being honorably dis- charged in June, 1865.
For fifteen years Mr. Shields rented the old home farm ,and after the death of his father purchased it. He has added to his property from time to time until he now has two hundred and ninety-five acres of land in Van Buren township, and has made great improvements upon his place. He is one of the most skillful and thorough farmers of his community, and is a man of good busi- ness ability and sound judgment, and to these characteristics may be attributed his success in life. In his political views he is a Republican.
On the 4th of March, 1859, Mr. Shields was united in marriage with Miss Mary Taylor, daughter of the late William Tay- lor, of Franklin township, and to them were born three daughters, namely: Eleanora, wife of Jolm Jobes, of Van Buren township; Susan, wife of Joshua Poe, of the same township; and one who died in infancy.
THOMAS A. SHIVES.
old Pennsylvania German stock, so notable- for integrity, industry and frugality. Mr .. Shives was born in Bedford county, of the- Keystone state, on the 25th of April, 1836, being the only child born to John Shives, who was likewise a Pennsylvanian by birth, the latter's father having been a native of Maryland, where he was educated. The subject of this review has in his possession an old letter which was written with a quill pen, before envelopes were invented, the. letter being folded up for mailing like an old-fashioned thumb-paper such as the boys. and girls used to make in the old-time spell- ing books to avoid soiling the same. He has also one of the finest collections of In- dian relics that the historian has seen in- Darke county, the display including stone. darts, arrow-heads, knives, etc. These in- teresting specimens have been found on his estate, and it is supposed that an Indian bat- tle occurred on the grounds-possibly at the time when "Mad Anthony" Wayne passed over the old Fort Recovery road, which was about one mile west of Mr. Shives' residence. He also has a picture of William Henry Harrison, painted on glass, the work being done during the campaign of 1840.
Mr. Shives was but two years of age when he was brought by his mother and grandfather to Perry county, Ohio, the jour- ney being made overland with team and wagon, which were ferried across the Ohio river at Wheeling. On March 20, 1851, ty, locating in York township, where he re- mained until the fall of 1854, when he came. to Brown township, where he has made his home for nearly half a century, engaged in farming and known as one of the representa- tive citizens of the community. He was
. The subject of this sketch is one of the progressive agriculturists of Brown town- ship, and his is also the distinction of being ; our subject made his advent in Darke coun- an honored veteran of the war of the Rebel- 11on. All praise and gratitude is due the - brave men who offered their services, and lives, if need be, in defense of their glo- rious land of united thought and liberty. Mr. Shives traces his lineage to the sturdy
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reared to the trade of a carpenter and joiner, to which line of occupation he gave his at- tention for the period of sixteen years, hav- ing received a liberal education for the day in the schools of his native state, the first institution of learning which he attended having been a subscription school, so com- mion in the early days. The first school lie attended in Darke county was in York town- ship, and a description of the same will be appropriate in this connection. The building was about twenty feet square, constructed of unhewed logs, the floor being of punch- eon and the seats of split logs, with wooden pins for legs, while the desk for the "big" boys and girls was a broad board supported by wooden pins inserted in the side wall, the boys being placed upon the large, high seats, which had no backs. The mode of punishment was chastisement with the birch or hickory rod, which was wielded vigor- ously, as occasion demanded, and our sub- ject can personally testify as to the adequacy of this primitive method of correction, while for minor offenses the old-fashioned dunce- block was brought into requisition. Under these primitive advantages Mr. Shives ac- quired such knowledge as to make him eligi- ble for pedagogic work, and he taught for three terms in the schools of the county.
Mr. Shives is the architect of his own fortune, having won for himself a marked success in temporal affairs, throughi his own industry and effective methods. He started out in life upon his own responsibility as soon as he attained his majority, and soon es- tablished for himself a home, by choosing a companion for life's journey. March 12, 1863, he was united in marriage to Miss Dona M. Clawson, and four sons and seven daughters blessed this union. Of the seven who are living at the present time we offer
the following brief data : Phoebe Ellen, who- was a successful teacher, became the wife of Augustus Huddle, who is a successful farmer of Brown township; Charles, who is also a farmer of this township, married Miss Gertrude Poling ; Emma is the wife of J. C. Poling, of Allen township, who is a successful teacher, being a graduate of the college at Ada, Ohio, while she herself is a graduate of the Ansonia high school, and did effective work as a teacher for eiglit year; Etta is the wife of Enos Sipple, a farmer of Brown township; Iva R., who is at home with her parents, passed the Boxwell examination seven years ago, whichi entitles her to admission to any high school in the county ; Estella, who attended the Ansonia high school, is at home ; and Lowell Clawson, the youngest. is in school and making ex- cellent progress in his work.
Mr. Shives was born in Darke county, August 24, 1845, being the daughter of Aaron and Dezialı (Vail) Clawson, thie for- mer of whom was born in Boundbrook, Mid- diesex county, New Jersey, August 23, 1812. Mr. Clawson moved to Washington town- ship, Darke county, in 1837. Politically he was a Whig, but of strong anti-slavery sen- timent, leading off with the Free-soil party and casting the first Free-soil vote in the township. He was also among the first to engage in the cause of temperance, begin- ning with the Washingtonians, advancing with the Sons of Temperance, and lastly was a firm Prohibitionist. For a half cent- ury he was prominently identified with the history of Darke county, and here he died on the 3Ist of March, 1888. Of his ten children only three are now living-Mrs. Shives; Phobe, a resident of Jay county, Indiana, is the widow of Benjamin Miller, who served in the civil war, as a member of
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Company G, Eighth Ohio Cavalry ; and Eli- hu is a prosperous agriculturist of Brown township, this county.
Mr. Shives did valiant service in the war of the Rebellion, enlisting in Company K. Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Newkirk. At President Lincoln's first call for volunteers he proffered his ser- vices, enlisting for the three-months ser- vice at Greenville, this county, and being sent with his regiment to Camp Dennison. He received his discharge August 17, 1861, and forthwith re-enlisted in the one hundred- days service. as a member of the Ohio Na- tional Guards, while on the 2d of May, 1864. he again volunteered in the United States service and received his honorable and final discharge September 2, 1864. He partici- pated in the Lynchburg raid, and was always at the post of duty, ready to respond to any service required of him as a true soldier of the republic.
In politics our subject is a stanch Re- publican, having cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. He has fre- quently represented his township in the county conventions of his party. He is a member of Ansonia Lodge, No. 488. A. F. & A. M., and of the G. A. R. Post, No. 632. He began life as a poor man, but by indus- try and perseverance, with the effective aid of his estimable wife, to whom he accords a large quota of credit, he lias accumulated a nice estate of eighty acres, well improved and under a high state of cultivation. When they came into possession of their present homestead it was given over to the virgin forests, but the ax has laid low the forest monarchs, and the fine fields and meadows bear perpetual testimony to the energy and arduous labor of our subject, who now has one of the fine places of the township. Mr.
Shives and his family are devoted members of the Christian church, and our subject has been liberal in his contributions to Christian work, having given financial aid in the erec- tion of six different churches in this vicinity. Mr. and Mrs. Shives are sterling citizens of Brown township, and here are held in the highest esteem by all who know them, and we are glad to accord them this tribute in the genealogical record of their county.
ABRAHAM RHOADES.
Among the wealthy and influential citi- zens of Darke county, Ohio, is found the subject of this review, Abraham Rhoades, a retired farmer living at his pleasant rural home on section 4, Greenville township. He was born in Perry township, Montgomery county. Ohio, eight miles west of Dayton, February 8, 1832. His father was Jacob Rhoades, a native of Bedford county, Penn- sylvania, who, when seven years old. moved with his parents to Montgomery county, Ohio. Grandfather Rhoades. also named Jacob, and also a native of Pennsylvania, on coming to Ohio settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, located six miles west of Dayton, where he developed his land and passed the rest of his life. On be- coming of age the younger Jacob Rhoades entered eighty acres of land in that county, married there and settled down to farming, and in Montgomery county spent his life and died, his age at death being seventy-six years. He was a Christian man, a member of the Lutheran church, and was highly re- spected in the community in which he lived. His first wife, whose maiden name was Bar- bara Souders, was a native of Montgomery county and a daughter of Peter Sonders, who was of Pennsylvania birth and Scotch
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descent, his father having been born in Scot- land. Mrs. Barbara Rhoades died at the age of forty-five years, she bore her husband eleven children. By his second wife Mr. Rhoades had five children. Abraham was the third-born in the first family. His brothers are : John, deceased ; Noah, a resi- dent of Montgomery county. Ohio; Jacob. deceased; Peter, of Montgomery county ; Jonas, deceased : and Hiram, of Darke coun- ty. His sisters are as follows : Katie. the wife of Robert Surber, of Darke county; Barbara, deceased : Malinda, the wife of Henry Smith, of Darke county. The members of the family by the second marriage are : Marga- ret, the wife of John Tompson, deceased ; David, deceased ; Henry, of Montgomery county; Amanda, the wife of Jefferson La- mon, of Montgomery county : and Daniel. deceased.
Abraham Rhoades was reared to man's estate in his native county, with very limited opportunities for obtaining an education. Indeed, it may be said that the whole of his education has been obtained in the broad school of experience. In 1854 he came to Darke county, making the journey on foot. carrying an ax and an old carpet-bag, which contained his earthly possessions. Arrived here, he began cutting cordwood, and from this small beginning laid the foundation of his present fortune. He soon bought one hundred acres of land, only two acres of which were cleared, and in the purchase of this property he went in debt eleven hundred dollars. By faithful, honest toil he trans- formed this piece of wild land into a well- cultivated farm, with a comfortable and at- tractive home and other good buildings thereon. and not only paid off the debt that he had contracted but also bought adjoin- ing land, seventy-two acres, which he . has
likewise brought under cultivation. His life has been one of constant endeavor. . 1. hard worker and a good manager. lie has made his own success.
Mr. Rhoades was married in 1856 to Mary Pitzenberger, a native of Montgom- ery county, Ohio, who came to Darke county in 1850. She departed this life June 24. 1894. Her children are as follows: Jacob, who married Mary Lynn and now resides in Indiana; Matilda, the wife of Crist Appen- zeller; Elizabeth, the wife of William Pit- senberger. of Columbus, Ohio; Stephen, who married Clara Stephens; and Curtis, who married Charity Mong. Mr. Rhoades has given to cach of his children six thou- sand dollars, and comfortably settled them in life, at the same time retaining for him- self an abundance of this world's goods. In addition to his farm above referred to, le has valuable property in Greenville and stock in the First National Bank at that place.
He gives his support, politically, to the Republican party.
GEORGE W. RAHN.
The history of a state or nation is best told in the lives and deeds of those who have conferred dignity and honor upon so- ciety, and a record of this nature best indi- cates the true annals of the historic old county with which this compilation has to do. In thus considering the lives of the representative citizens of Darke county the subject of this particular review will need 110 special introduction. for he is widely and favorably known throughout this section. Mr. Rahn is a native of the Buckeye state. and of the county in which he now lives. having been born in Darke county. Adams township, January 25, 1849, being the fourth
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in order of birth of the two sons and three daughters of Levi and Amanda (Lightner) Rahn, and one of the four who are yet liv- ing-Josephine, wife of Chipman Coppess, of Randolph county, Indiana ; Francina, wife of Wesley Armstrong, of Greenville, Ohio ; George W., the subject of this sketch; and Addison C., a dairyman of Greenville, this county. The name Ralın is of German deri- vation, and our subject may well take pride in tracing his lineage to the sturdy Teutonic stock which so early became conspicuously identified with the history of Pennsylvania.
Levi Rahn was born in Adams county, l'ennsylvania, about the year 1820, and he was reared to the life of a farmer. It should be mentioned in this connection that there were many of the Pennsylvania Germans who came to Darke county and colonized as pioneers in what is now Adams township. As they came from Adams county, Pennsyl- vania, and from near the city or town of Gettysburg, they concluded to name their new township in honor of their old home and to confer upon the village of Gettysburg its title in honor of the county seat of Adams county. Levi Rahn came with his wife and three children from their Pennsylvania home to Darke county in 1847, making the trip overland with wagons, in which were trans- ported the little stock of household goods, and covering the long and weary journey of six hundred miles, through the unbroken forests which then marked much of this sec- tion of the Union, the work of reclaiming Darke county having but just begun. When the Rahn family arrived in Darke county they had two horses and their wagon, with a few necessary household goods, and about five dollars in cash. The Germans are well known for their industry, frugality and pragmatic ability, and Levi Rahn showed the
typical thrift of the race, working diligently and eventually becoming the owner of one hundred and ninety acres of valuable land in Darke county. In national affairs he supported the principles of the Democratic party, although at the time of the Rebellion, when the integrity of the nation was threat- ened, he voted for Lincoln. He and his wife were members of the German Reformed church.
George W. Rahn of this sketch has been reared and educated in Darke county, which has been his home for more than half a cent- ury. He is what may be well termed as a self-educated man, as his educational advan- tages were perforce limited in the little pio- neer township where he was reared, and like most of the other boys of the time and place he had soon to lend his aid in clearing away the forests and reclaiming the land for cul- tivation. He may thus be consistently con- sidered as one of the founders and build- ers of the progressive and finely-improved county of which he is now an honored citi- zen. He remained at home until the age of twenty, and in starting out for himself had to rely solely upon his own industry and judgment to accomplish his purpose in life. He was married to Pauline Bailey Novem- ber 26, 1872, and of this union two sons and six daughters were born, all living except one: Alera is the wife of John A. Felt- man, a farmer of Jackson township, and they have two children, George R. and Lucille; Emma D. is the wife of Harry C. Martin, of Brown township, and their children are Harold and Fredrick; Vermille M. gradu- ated in the Union City high school, as a member of the class of 1899, and she is now a successful teacher in Darke county, being also an excellent musical student ; Hattie E., of the class of 1900, in the Union City high
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school, is also a musical student and has shown proficiency in the study of languages ; Ida Opal is now in the eighth grade of the public schools; Georgiana is in the seventh grade; and Charles R., the youngest, is in the fourth grade.
Mrs. Rahn was born in Brown township, this county, December 25, 1852, the daugh- ter of James and Mary Ann (Teegarden) Bailey. There were ten children in the fam- ily, of whom only three are living: Mrs. Rahn ; Anna, wife of Levi Hopper, proprie- tor of the Farmers Hotel, at Greenville; and Stephen H., who is a blacksmith and wagon- maker at Union City. James Bailey was born in Perry county, Ohio, June 12, 1814, and died on New Year's day, 1891. In ear- lier years he was a carpenter and joiner, but eventually devoted his attention to agricul- ture. He was originally an old-line Whig, but identified himself with the Republican party upon its organizaiton, being an ardent abolitionist and an admirer of President Lin- coln. He was a deacon of the Christian church for thirty years. The mother of Mrs. Rahn died when the latter was but seven years old.
When our subject and his wife began their wedded life thev rented land in Green- ville township, and their excellent success has been conserved through their ability and tenacity of purpose. Their first land was a tract of eighty acres of timber and swamp land, in Jackson township, with no build- ings and scarcely any improvements, the property having been willed to Mrs. Rahn. Their first purchase was a fifty-acre tract, for which they assumed an indebtedness rep- resenting more than seventy per cent of its valuation, but by economy and wise man- agement they met all obligations and at- tained the success which was so justly their
due. Their first home was a log cabin, and today they have a beautiful brick residence of two stories, with ample attic and base- ment, which was erected in 1879, and own two hundred and forty acres of valuable land, lying in Brown and Jackson town- ships. In 1885 Mr. Rahn erected a fine barn, and the entire estate gives evidence of thrift and prosperity, while against the same there is not a dollar of indebtedness. Mr. Rahn has in his possession the old deed of the Bailey land purchased in Jackson town- ship, the same having been executed August I, 1838, and signed by President Van Buren.
Our subject is a stanch Democrat, hav- ing cast his first presidential vote for Horace Greeley, in 1872, and he has represented his party in various conventions He has served with gratifying success as trustee of his township, being chosen as his own successor. In 1899 he was elected land ap- praiser of Brown township, and is the pres- ent incumbent. He and his wife are de- voted members of the Christian church, holding membership in what is known as the Teegarden chapel, in the erection of which edifice Mr. Rahn was a member of the building committee. Their daughter Ver- mille is superintendent of the Sunday school. Mr. and Mrs. Rahn are representatives of old and honored pioneer families of the county, and on this score, as well as by rea- son of their own beneficent and kindly lives, they merit full recognition in a work of this nature, and this tribute we are glad to ac- cord.
THOMAS C. MILLER.
Thomas C. Miller, a member of the Darke county bar, was born in West Mil- ton, Miami county, February 25, 1841, upon
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a farm. His father, Samuel Miller, was a native of Virginia, born in Charleston, in ISO1. He learned the miller's trade and fol- lowed that pursuit for many years. ln early manhood he removed to Ohio, and in this state was married to Margaret Bow- man, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio. Subse- quently they removed to Miami county, where Mr. Miller followed his chosen voca- tion for many years. In 1860 he came with his family to Darke county. locating in Ar- canum, where he remained for a number of years, and then returned to Miami coun- ty, where his death occurred in 1874. His wife, who survived him for some time, died in Greenville in 1890.
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