A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 87

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 87

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

665

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

fifty dollars an acre for his land, and the final payment on the same was made within three years.

George M. Noggle has always lived on the old homestead and he early became fa- miliar with the various duties involved in successful farming. He received such edi- cational advantages as were afforded by the distriet schools and this discipline has been most effectively supplemented by his ex- perience in connection with the practical af- fairs of life.

On the 16th of December, 1869, Mr. Noggle was united in marriage to Miss Cynthia A. Flatter, a native of this town- ship, and a daughter of Perry and Eliza- beth Flatter, both of whom are deceased, the father passing away in 1898. They were the parents of five sons and four daughters. To our subject and his estimable wife have been born nine children, namely : Elmer, who still remains on the old home- stead ; Harry, who died in infancy ; Olive H. ; Ella Viola; Andrew Porter; Clara Edna; Harley Webster; Russell G., who was born June 4. 1892, died at the age of fourteen months ; and Ethel May, an animated little maiden of six years.

In politics Mr. Noggle renders alle- gianee to the Demercy, supporting the Bryan wing of the party, and he served four years as township treasurer, and has also leen a member of the school board. Fra- ternally he is a member of the Masonie order.

ANTHONY T. KNORR.

This gentleman is the well known editor and proprietor of the Greenville Deutsche Umschau, the leading German paper pub- lished in Darke county. He was born in Germany, December 25, 1855, and was ed-

ucated in his native land, attending first the common schools and later a gymnasium, where he completed his studies. Having thus acquired a good practical education he was well fitted to begin life for himself. In 1876 he came to the United States, sail- ing from Hamburg and landing in New York city. He stopped first in Toledo, Ohio, and from there went to Omaha, Ne- braska, where he remained for a short time and then proceeded to Fort Davis, Texas, where he spent two years and a half.

On his return north Mr. Knorr first lo- cated in Indianapolis, Indiana, and from there came to Greenville, Ohio, entering the office of the Greenville Post, when owned and published by J. G. Feuchtinger. In 1890 he purchased the paper, which he has since published under its present name. It is a well edited sheet, neatly printed in Ger- man and has a large circulation. It is an eight-page paper, 15x22 inches in size, and is issued weekly. Mr. Knorr is an able writer and is a man of social qualities, well liked by all who know him and very highly es- teemed by his friends.

WILLIAM C. PLEASANT.

This well-to-do and prominent farmer of Van Buren township, Darke county, Ohio, is one of the self-made men of the locality, whose success in life is due entirely to his own well directed efforts and the assistance of his estimable wife. He was born in Gooch- land county, Virginia, December 25, 1847. His father, William Pleasant, was the son of a slave owner and was born and reared it. Alabama. When a young man he went to Virginia and settled in Goochland county, where he clerked in a store for a time. There he married Ellen Woodson, who was

666

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

born in Powhatan county, Virginia, but after the death of her parents made her home with her grandmother in Goochland county, where she grew to womanhood. The father died in 1858 at about the age of thir- ty-eight years, leaving four sons, namely : William C., our subject ; Robert F., a resi- dent of Trotwood, Ohio, who married, first, Lizzie Carter and, secondly, Mary Brewer ; James, of Dayton, Ohio, who married Katy Drown; and George Washington, of Painter Creek, who married Ollie Miles and has one child, Willis. After the death of her husband the mother held her family together and about 1866 moved to Rockingham coun- ty, Virginia, and three years later to Trot- wood, Montgomery county, Ohio. She is still living and makes her home with her children.

The family being in limited circum- stances William C. Pleasant never attended school but one day in his life, and at the early age of eight years he commenced work by the month in order to contribute to the support of the family. He was about twelve when his father died and the main support of the family fell upon his shoulders, as he was the oldest son. He joined the southern army at the age of fourteen years, enlisting in September, 1863, in Goochland county, Virginia, in Company F, Fourth Virginia Cavalry, and was under the command of Captain Hobson, Colonel Mumford and later Colonel Fitzhugh Lee (now general). Without any previous drill he went to the front and the following day took part in the engagement at Raccoon Ford, where, while making a charge, he was wounded in the right side by a piece of bomb shell. For three days and three nights he lay uncon- scious in the hospital, but as soon as reason was restored he would remain no longer and

at once rejoined his regiment, being in ac- tive duty continuously until the close of the war. He was in a number of skirmishes, was at Fredericksburg a short time and then went into winter quarters at Charlottesville, Virginia. In the spring of 1864, with his regiment, le proceeded to the Shenandoah valley and met Sheridan's army at Win- chester. They were under fire almost daily during that campaign, their next important battle being at Cedar creek. Marching south tc North Carolina the Fourth Virginia Cav- alry took part in the battle at Weldon Rail- road and captured General Alvorell's com- mand, the general escaping. They were next stationed on the south side of the James river and for seven days participated in the battle of the Wilderness. Being sharp- shooters they generally took a very import- ant part in every engagement. Their next battle was Cold Harbor, after which they proceeded up the Shenandoah valley as far as Stanton, and from there were ordered below Richmond, spending the winter of 1864-5 near that city. Their last fight was the battle of Petersburg, and were with the army until the surrender at Appomattox Court House.

After the war Mr. Pleasant returned home and commenced work on a farm. In 1866 he came to Ohio, but being taken ill he soon rejoined his family in Virginia. He accompanied them on their removal to this state, and worked in the nursery of John Wampler at Trotwood for one year, after which he and his brother Robert F. had a rented farm for two years, and then bought five acres of land at Stringtown, Montgom- ery county. Two years later they sold that place and purchased the store of Simon Dunkle at Painter Creek, Darke county, which they conducted together for one year,

667

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

and then our subject purchased his brother's interest and formed a partnership with Sam- uel Swinger, to whom he sold out a year later. He next purchased a piece of property from Dr. McCrew at Painter Creek and erected thereon a confectory stand which his wife carried on while he devoted his attention to tobacco culture. His next purchase con- sisted of thirty-three acres of land on section 2, Van Buren township, and he later sold his property at Painter Creek and located on his farm March 5, 1881, since which time he has engaged in farming, tobacco culture and the raising of small fruits with most gratifying success. He also owns eight acres south of his farm, and in 1899 he erected a beautiful residence upon his place.

Mr. Pleasant was married, August 5. 1878, to Miss Isabelle Miller, who was born in Van Buren township, April 20, 1857, a daughter of Emanuel and Nancy (Wager- man ) Miller, and to them have been born six children, namely : Mollie M., who married Jesse Flory, of Franklin township, Darke county, and they have two children, Roy and Alma ; Mattie Rosella, the wife of John Burr of Greenville; and Allie Viola, Vernie For- est, May and Jessie Omega, all at home. Religiously Mr. and Mrs. Pleasant are mem- bers of the Christian church and politically he is identified with the Democratic party. For the success they have achieved in life they deserve much credit, and they are highly re- spected and esteemed by all who know them.

WILLIAM S. THOMPSON.

Among the honored and highly respected citizens of Patterson township, Darke coun- ty, Ohio, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, October 14, 1824, and

is a grandson of Staples Thompson, whose parents were natives of England. He spent his last days in Bucks county. He was twice married and reared seven children- five sons and two daughters. David Thomp- son, the father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1791, and was married there, in 1818, to Lucy Ridge, a native of the same state. In 1832 they came to Ohio, driving the entire distance and. reaching Warren county after about five weeks spent upon the road. With the few hundred dol- lars which Mr. Thompson brought with him he purchased sixty acres of partially im- proved land, to which he subsequently added until he had a fine farm of one hundred acres in Warren county. There he died, August 31, 1870, aged seventy-four years. Of his twelve children one daughter died in infancy. The others were as follows : Mary Ann, born in 1819, is now the widow of Levi Cleaver and a resident of Warren county ; Samuel makes his home in Seneca, Kansas; William S., our subject, is next in order of birth; Mahlon died in Missouri; Hannah became the wife of William Reason, of Springboro, Warren county, Ohio, and died October 13, 1900, aged seventy-three years; Sadie, who died at about the age of sixty-five years ; David Headley met with an accident result- ing in death, June 6, 1899; Thomas is single and resides in Lebanon; Comley died in Perrysburg, Ohio, in middle life; Rachel is the wife of Edward Roberts, of Warren county; and Rebecka is the widow of Marion Allen.

The education which our subject received during his boyhood was liberal for the times, and at the age of eighteen hie commenced learning the cooper's trade, serving an ap- prenticeship of one vear, after which he fol- lowed that occupation for twenty years.

668

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

For three years he was employed as a fruit tree agent, but now gives his entire time and attention to general farming and stock rais- ing, having located upon his present farin of eighty acres in March, 1872. He raises horses, cattle and hogs, making a specialty of the last named, which he has found quite profitable, handling about fifty head per year.

On the 23d of March, 1848, Mr. Thomp- son married Miss Sarah A. Carter, who was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in 1827, but during her infancy her parents, William and Nancy ( Shaw) Carter, re- moved to Montgomery county, Ohio. About 1837 the family moved to Auglaize county, this state, and settled near Wapakoneta, where in the midst of the forest Mr. Carter developed a farm of two hundred and eighty acres. He died December 24, 1857, at the age of fifty-seven years, eight months and twenty-four days, and his wife departed this life February 12, 1870, at the age of sixty- five years, both being laid to rest in Auglaize county. When she was eighteen years of age her name was carved on the Natural Bridge in Rockbridge county, Virginia, near her native place. In the Carter family were twelve children, of whom four sons and three daughters are still living, one son, Jolın, dying in the army.

To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were born six children, namely : Horace Monroe, born April 6, 1859, died at the age of three years ; Nettie E .. born October 6, 1860, is the wife of Bert Faun, of Bradford, Miami county, Ohio, and they have seven sons and two daughters, one son dying in infancy ; Jennie B., born July 10, 1862, is the wife of Eli C. Hanselman, of Piqua, and they have one son and one daughter ; Mary Jane, born near Terre Haute, Indiana, June 14, 1864, is the

wife of Isaiah Straker, who lives near Straker's Station, Ohio, and they have one son and one daughter, which died in in- fancy; Anna, born July 11. 1867, is a well educated lady, possessing considerable mu- sical talent, and resides at home ; and Birdie, born October 24, 1870, is the wife of Prentiss Hardman, who assists in the cultivation of the home farm, and they have one son, Cletaus Wayne.

Politically Mr. Thompson is a Repub- lican, and socially is a member of Tippe- cance Lodge, F. & A. M. Both lie and his wife are active members of the Christian church and are highly respected and es- teemed by all who know them on account of their sterling worth.

WILLIAM A. BROWNE, SR.

William A. Browne, Sr., is the editor and proprietor of the Daily and Weekly Ad- vocate. In 1883. he began the publication of the journal as the Weekly Advocate, and on the Ist of January, 1890. completed his arrangements and put forth the first issue of the daily paper. His name has long been connected with the journalistic interests of this section of the state, and along the line of his chosen vocation he has wielded a strong influence in support of many meas- tires which have largely contributed toward the public good.

Mr. Browne is a native of Cecil county, Maryland, born April 19, 1842. His fa- ther. the Rev. William A. Browne, was a Methodist Episcopal minister, who for many ycars belonged to the Maryland conference and continued in the active work of the church up to the time of his death, which oc- curred in 1844. His wife bore the maiden

C69

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

name of Hester A. Touchstone, and was of English lineage. She survived her husband for many years and passed away in 1892. In her family were five children, three daugh . ters and two sons. Emma Alice was the eldest, and was a highly cultured lady, who for many years was a regular contributor to the Saturday Evening Post, the New York Ledger and the St. Louis Republic. She was a poetess of national reputation.

William A. Browne, whose name forms the caption of this article, attended the com- mon schools and later was a student at West Nottingham, Maryland, until his twelfth year. He then entered the office of the Cec.1 Whig, at Elkton, that state, and there learned the printer's trade. Subsequently he was employed in the office of the Cecil Demcerat, of the same town and county, and later went to Pennsylvania. Afterward he was employed on the force of a newspaper at Brighton, New Jersey, and on leaving the east made his way to St. Louis, Missouri. Subsequently he went to Leavenworth, Kan- sas, and also worked in Cincinnati, Ohio, and other places in the middle states. In 1874 he bought the Covington Gazette, at Covington, Ohio, and remained as editor of that paper for nine vears. In 1883 he came to Greenville, Darke county, and founded the Weekly Advocate, which is a neat and well-printed eight-page journal, having a large circulation in the city, county and adjacent districts. In 1890 he estab- lished the Daily Advocate, which is one of the strong Democratic organs of the county. For both papers he has secured a liberal pat- ronage, and those journals are welcome vis- itors in many homes in this section of the state. Mr. Browne is not only a good writer, his editorials being forcible and pleas- ing, but is also a practical printer, familiar

with all departments of the newspaper busi- ness.

In 1862 occurred the marriage of Mr. Browne to Miss Sarah A. Hawkins, of St. Louis, Missouri, a daughter of Samuel Haw- kins, a prominent resident of that city. The lady is a graduate of Franklin Academy, of St. Louis, Missouri, and by her marriage she became the mother of five sons and four daughters, five of whom are living, namely : Annie, wife of N. J. Kuntz, a prominent lumber dealer of Ohio City, Ohio; Agnes, wife of Thomas G. Wolf, of the Greenville Awning & Tent Company; William A., who is a printer in the office of the Advocate; Walter E., who is also a practical printer : and Lineas M., an electrician of Greenville.

Mr. Browne is a member of several of the leading secret orders. In his political faith he has ever been a stalwart Demo- crat, his labors in behalf of the party being very effective. His chief recreation is found with rod and gun in the lake regions of Michigan, and in the forests of that state, where, as a successful angler, he has suc- ceeded in capturing some splendid speci- mens of the finny tribe. In his business affairs he has prospered, and is now the owner of considerable valuable city prop- erty in Greenville, including his own hand- some and well-furnished residence at No. 516 Third street.

GEORGE ARNOLD.

Darke county can boast of quite a num- ber of enterprising and thorough-going farmers who have given considerable atten- tion to the raising of fine stock, and have met with success in this branch of industry. Among these was George Arnold, a promi- nent farmer who resided on section 24,

670

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Neave township. He was born October 10, 1846, on the farm where he lived until his death and was a son of Noah Arnold, a na- tive of Warren county, Ohio, who was only six weeks old when brought to this county. Tradition says that the Arnold family was founded in America about the year 1725, by one Arnold, who settled in the southern part of North Carolina, having emigrated from England. It is believed that he was a farmer or planter. He had a family of seven sons, but the names of only two are remembered : Butler, who was a surveyor of government lands in Kentucky, and John, who emigrated from North Carolina to South Carolina dur- ing the Revolutionary war. It is thought that the other members of the family emi- grated to Pennsylvania. The John Arnold just mentioned, on his removal to South Car- olina, purchased land in the Newberry dis- trict of that state. His family consisted of seven sons and one daughter, namely : George, who emigrated to Ohio in 1805; Moses, who removed to Ohio in 1808; Will- iam, who came to this state in 1806; Jolin, Isaac, Jacob and James, who removed to South Carolina; and the daughter, who be- came the wife of William Jay and located in Buncombe, North Carolina. It is said the sons of the family were tall, straight, well built, of reddish complexion and of a fine personal appearance in manner and dress.

Of this family Moses Arnold was the great-grandfather of our subject. He was born in North Carolina, January 6. 1763, and with his father went to the Newberry district of South Carolina, where he was married, August 14, 1782, to Rachel Lynch. · He owned land two and a half miles south of the Newberry court house. By his marriage he had seven children : Isaac, Aaron, William, Lydia, David, George and Mary. With his

wife and all of his children, with the ex- tion of his eldest son Isaac, he emigrated to Ohio in the autumn of 1808, taking up his abode in what was then Warren, but is now Clinton county. There he remained until June, 1817, at which time he removed to Darke county, accompanied by the children who had come with him to Ohio, with the ex- ception of William, who had previously lo- cated in Darke county. He died near Green- ville, Ohio, April 1, 1850, at the age of eighty-seven years, two months and twenty- five days. His wife, who was born in March, 1765, died in Darke county, Ohio, in 1826. The Lynch family to which she belonged was of Welsh descent. Moses Arnold was described as a man five feet, eleven inches in height, florid complexion, brown beard, red- dish hair and small, keen black eyes. He long held membership in the Methodist church and was very strict in attending to religious matters, observing the Sabbath scrupulously, permitting no ordinary work on that day under any circumstances. His disposition was kind and amiable and he was universally respected. He never married again after the death of his wife and spent the last twenty years of his life with his youngest son, George, who occupied the old homestead property.

William Arnold, the third son of Moses and Rachel (Lynch) Arnold, was born in Newberry district, South Carolina, March 12, 1789, and in 1808 accompanied his par- ents to Ohio. Previous to that time he had been engaged with his brother Isaac in trans- porting the products of this section of the state to Charleston, which was about two hundred miles distant from his home. Re- turning they would bring with them salt and other articles which were imported at the place and mention is made of negroes

671

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

brought into the interior from slave ships which arrived. His education was limited, for public schools were then unknown in that state. He was, however, a close observer and listener and became well informed on matters of general interest. In politics he was a Whig and was greatly opposed to the policy inaugurated by President Jackson. After coming to Ohio with his parents, he was married in Warren county to Miss Eliza- beth Townsend, on the 4th of July. 1815, In the fall of that year he visited Darke coun- ty, preparatory to his removal thither in the ensuing spring. The land on which he set- tled was the northeast quarter of section II, township 11. range 2 east. He soon pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres adjoin- ing on the north and ultimately became the owner of four hundred and fifty-six acres. His first home was a log cabin with puncheon floor, but about the year 1827 he erected a two-story brick dwelling, which was one of the first brick houses in the county. He also put up good barns and outbuildings and was a prosperous farmer. On the 5th of Decem- ber, 1825, he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, and on the 18th of Septem- ber, 1828, he was again married, his second union being with Margaret Folkerth, who was of German descent, the family having probably emigrated from Saxony to the new world. In the fall of 1832 and in Septem- ber. 1835. he visited the Eel river country of Indiana, and at the latter date, purchased four hundred acres of land in Whitley coun- ty. . \ purchase made about this time in Adams county, Indiana, increased his hold- ings to nearly eleven hundred acres. He was a remarkably successful farmer, having started out in life in very limited circum- stances, but year by year he added to his ac- cumulations and became very prosperous. 41

He usually kept from sixty to one hundred head of cattle and his sales annually aug- mented his income. He was naturally adapt- ed to farming and thought it the best and safest occupation that a man could follow, advising all of his sons to adhere to agricul- tural pursuits as being the most advantage- ous. His second wife died February 23, 1867, and at the age of sixty-four years, after a happy married life of thirty-nine years. At that time his daughter Lydia was the only member of the family at home and she remained with her father until his death, which occurred February 12, 1875, when he was almost eighty-six years of age. His children were as follows: Delilah, who was born in Warren county. Ohio. November 9, 1813, married William Sandford Harper, April 5. 1832, and died at her home near Greenville, Ohio. April 1, 1874; Noah, born February 16, 1816, married Amelia Stingley, September 22, 1839: George, born in Darke. county, September 27, 1818. married Ann Maria Welty and lives in Bluffton, Indiana ; John, born November 12, 1820, married AAugennette Fogger, who died in South Whitley, Indiana, April 4, 1855, and after her death he wedded Elmira Thompson, his death occurring at South Whitley. October II. 1880; Mary, born March 5, 1832, is the widow of Rev. Elisha Hook, a Methodist minister, and is living at Tower Hill, Illinois ; William, born November 29, 1825, married Mary Ann Stingley and died at Grand Rap- ids, Wisconsin, in November, 1860. Isaac, the eldest child of the second marriage, died April 2, 1836, at the age of six years ; Jesse, born October 24. 1831. married Sarah Thomson and lives in North Manchester, In- diana ; Maria A., born December 10, 1833, became the wife of S. V. Hopkins and died October 2, 1887, in North Manchester, In-

672

GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

diana ; Henry, born March 11, 1836, married Annie Cleveland and lives in Huntington, Indiana ; Isaac N., born April 5, 1840, mar- ried Susan Loring and also resides in Hunt- ington ; Lydia, born April 5. 1844, is the wife of Jacob Worley Ford, of Huntington; James T., born April 5, 1844, married Eliz- abeth Johnson, and after her death wedded Lettie Cleveland, and is now living in Chat- tanooga, Tennessee. The Arnolds have al- ways been connected with the Methodist church and have always been people of prom- inence and influence in the communities in which they have lived.

Noah Arnold, the father of our subject, was born in Warren county, Ohio, February 6. 1816, was reared on his father's farm in Darke county, and, making the most of his educational privileges, was enabled to engage in teaching at the age of nineteen. When twenty-three years of age he left the farm and in February, 1839, embarked in the dry- goods business in Greenville, conducting his store there until 1843. In September, 1839, he married Emilia Stingley, of German township. On selling his store in 1843, he purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres in Neave township, taking up his abode thereon in September of that year. There he made his home and was a witness of the won- derful growth and improvement which has been made in the county, bearing his part in the work of progress and advancement. For nine years he faithfully filled the office of jus- tice of the peace and was notary public for twenty-one years. He became one of the organizers of the Farmers' National Bank of Greenville in 1864, was a stockholder from the beginning and for a long time one of its directors.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 87

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