A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 94

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

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Our subject was the only child born to this worthy couple. He came with his par- ents to Darge county in 1868. His educa- tion was partly obtained in this and Mont- gomery counties and was completed in the schools of Union City. During his boy- hood he became thoroughly familiar with every department of farm work, and throughout his entire life has devoted his time and attention to agriculture and has met with most gratifying success. In 1880 he assumed charge of the home farm, which he managed until his father's death. He had previously purchased one hundred acres and has since acquired one hundred and twenty acres more, on which he is now suc- cessfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He is also somewhat inter- ested in tobacco culture.

In 1880 Mr. Stover was united in mar- riage with Miss Matilda Isenhour, who was born and.reared on a farm, a daughter of William Isenhour. By this union were born

six children, namely: Ira H., who was graduated at the district schools of North Manchester and the Union City high school. and is now taking a business course ; Ella M. and Emma C., who are students in the high school of Union City; John H., who died at the age of eight years; Clara E., who is attending school: and William D., de- ceased.

Since his father's death Mr. Stover has served as a class leader in the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he is a prom- inent member. As a public spirited and progressive citizen he takes an active inter- est in public affairs; was instrumental in getting free delivery established in his town- ship and has efficiently served as a school director for fifteen years. Politically he is identified with the Republican party.

BENJAMIN L. GRILLOT.

Prominent among the successful teachers of Darke county is the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch and who is now residing on the C. Treiber farm on section 8. Patterson township. He is a native of this county, born in Wabash township .Au- gust 4. 1874, and is a son of Henry Grillot, who was born in France in 1820, and was brought to America by his parents in 1834. By trade the grandfather of our subject was a stone mason. In his family were seven children-four sons and three daughters- ali of whom are now deceased. On attain- ing man's estate, Henry Grillot was married, in Darke county, in 1852, to Miss Margaret Leona Larmanie, who was born in Lorraine, France, January 6, 1834, and they began their domestic life upon a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres in the midst of the forest, where the wolves were often heard

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howling at night, and the deer would enter the garden and eat the vegetables found there. Mr. Grillot died in February, 1886, but his wife is still living and is still very strong and active both in mind and body. To them were born nine children- six sons and three daughters-namely: Lewis J., born in 1857, lives in Versailles: John B. is a farmer and trustee of Wabash township : Mary L. married Frank Graff and died at the age of twenty-five years, leaving three children ; Joseph S. was severely burned at the age of three years, and died from the ef- fects of the same when twenty-one; he pos- sessed great strength in his hands and arms; Harriet is the wife of Nicholas Gouboux and they live on the old home farm; Henry J. is a teacher living at French- town; Emanuel is a blacksmith of Russia, Shelby county, Ohio; Benjamin L. is next in order of birth; and Margaret M. is the wife of Ira Ashman, of Russia, Ohio. There are also twenty-nine grandchildren.

Our subject received a liberal district- school education and also attended school in Versailles two terms. At the age of nineteen he commenced teaching and has de- voted his time and energies to that occupa- tion for eight winters, or forty months, hav- ing that love for his profession without which there can be no success. During the summer season he follows farming. On the Ioth of May, 1898, Mr. Grillot was united in marriage with Miss Louise Monnin, a native of Shelby county, Ohio, and a daugh- ter of Justin and Emily ( Millet) Monnin. They now have a little daughter, Emma Leona, born October 14, 1899.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Grillot are Catholics in religious faith and in politics he is a Dem- ocrat, as was also his father. He is a young man of strength and vigor of both

body and mind, which have been developed and preserved by habits of industry and a moral domestic life. He is wide-awake and observing, possesses studious habits, a good memory, keen perception and sound judg- ment, and undoubtedly a brilliant future awaits him.

CYRUS LITTEN.

Among the well-to-do and prosperous agriculturists of Patterson township is Cyrus Litten, a native of Darke county, who was born in Monroe township. January 13, 1859. His father, Samuel Litten, was a native of Montgomery county, this state, and a son of James Litten, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and spent his last days in Montgomery county. In his family were six children, two sons and four daugh- ters, only one of whom is now living- Betsey, the wife of Noah Baker, of Brook- ville, Ohio. She is now about seventy years of age. In 1855 the father of our subject married Lucinda Baker, also a native of Montgomery county and a daughter of Sam- uel and Elizabeth ( Neisswanger) Baker. She is still living at the age of sixty-nine years, and is very active, but the father died in 1889, at the age of sixty-seven. In their family were the following children : James, who is unmarried and cultivates a small fruit farm near Hot Springs, Arkansas; Warren, a farmer of Montgomery county; Cyrus, the subject of this sketch; David, a farmer of Monroe township, Darke county ; Emeline, also a resident of Monroe town- ship; Levi, a wealthy landowner of Laura, Miami county, Ohio: Calvin, a resident of Monroe township, Darke county; Carl, who is unmarried and lives in this county ; Sarah,

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the wife of Charles Johnson ; and John, who died at the age of twelve years.

During his boyhood and youth Cyrus Litten obtained a fair district-school edu- cation, and early acquired an excellent knowledge of every department of farm work. He remained at home until he was married, October 1, 1881, to Miss Amanda Brown, of Monroe township, a daughter of Elias and Eliza (Oaks) Brown, who are now living with Mrs. Litten. She has two brothers and one sister, namely : Hige, a to- bacco grower of Monroe township; Charles, unmarried, and Mattie, the oldest of the family and the wife of Eli Robinson, of Lee county, Illinois. Four others died young. Mr. and Mrs. Litten have one child. Charley, who was born January 30, 1882.

After his marriage Mr. Litten had his father-in-law's farm for a time, and then rented land near Brookville for two years. In 1894 he located upon his present farm of eighty-three acres in Patterson township, forty-three acres of which he purchased for eighteen hundred dollars, the remaining forty acres belonging to his father-in-law. He is engaged in general farming and to- bacco growing, and also raises considerable stock, each year fattening from thirty-five to fifty hogs for market. He also keeps cat- tic and sheep, and three horses for doing the farm work, besides a colt. Most of the corn which he raises-some eight hundred bushels-he feeds to his stock. The fine residence upon his place was erected by Mr. Litten, but the barn was built before hic lo- cated thereon. He is a thorough and sys- tematic farmer and a man of good business ability, who is upright and honorable in all his dealings. Reared as a Republican, Mr. Litten has always affiliated with that party, and he is a member of the Christian church. 44

Although his residence in Patterson town- ship is of short duration, he has become well and favorably known and has made a host of warm friends.

PHILIP M. FORD.

Philip M. Ford, an industrious and en- ergetic farmer residing on section 7, Wa- bash township, Darke county, was born in Greene county, Ohio, December 29, 1851, and is a son of Jacob Ford, who was prob- ably born in the same house, November 30, 1830, as he was a native of the same town- ship. The grandfather, David Ford, was one of the early settlers of Ohio, where lie died in 1861. In his family were ten chil- dren. . In February, 1851, Jacob Ford mar- ried Hannah Turner, who was also born in Greene county, May 16, 1831, and died June 25, 1899, while his death occurred August 19, 1887, and the remains of both being interred in Holsapple cemetery. Their children were Philip MI., our subject ; Allen, a resident of Coldwater, Mercer county, Ohio; Robert H., of New Weston, Darke county ; Martha Jane, the wife of Henry Gib- son; and David E., a mailcarrier of New Weston. All are married and have children.

The boyhood and youth of our subject were spent on the home farm and his edu- cation was acquired in the common schools of the neighborhood. He was married, Oc- tober 8, 1874, to Miss Mary E. Birt, who was born May 2, 1854, a daughter of John Birt, and they have become the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters, namely: Stella M., who was born Decem- ber 4, 1875, and died when nearly fifteen years of age : Cora A., who died at the age. of six years ; Harley D., aged eighteen, who is now through school and aids his father in

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the operation of the farm; Clem, aged thir- teen ; Harry G., aged ten; and Arthur Rus- sell, aged eight years.

Mr. and Mrs. Ford began life at the bottom of the ladder, but have met with success owing to their industry, enterprise and good management, and now have a good farm of thirty-seven acres. He also culti- vates an additional tract of eighty-cight acres. His principal crops are corn, wheat and oats, and he also raises horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Although he lives in a Democratic township and is a strong Re- publican, he lias twice been elected township trustee, and is now acceptably filling that office.

WILLIAM HARRISON KIESTER, M. D.

Dr. Kiester, one of the leading physi- - cians and a prominent resident of Arcanum, Ohio, was born on the Benjamin Bushore farm in Newton township, Miami county, July 5, 1857, and is a son of Peter K. and Mary (Bushore) Kiester, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in Buffalo Valley, Union county, the latter near Mif- flintown, Juniata county. His paternal grandfather, John Kiester, died in Buffalo Valley, but the maternal grandparents, Ben- jamin and Susannah Bushore, spent their last days in this state. The parents of our subject came to Ohio with the Bushore fam- ily and first located in Greene county, but later removed to Newton township, Miami county, where the father engaged in farm- ing until his death, which occurred August 24, 1875. His widow subsequently removed to Troy, where she still resides. She is a devout Christian, a member of the German . Baptist church.

In the family of this worthy couple were five children, of whom our subject is the youngest. John married Lavina Cauffman and is now living retired in Dayton, Ohio. Simon W., born in Newton township, Mi- ami county, in 1842, was reared as a farmer boy, and at the age of seventeen entered the National Normal School at Lebanon, where he spent several summers as a student, while he followed teaching during the winter months. At the age of twenty-one lie en- tered the Jefferson Medical College, of Phil- adelphia, at which he was graduated four years later. He began practice at Laura, Miami county, but is now living retired upon luis farm in Newton township. He married Sophia Williams, October 6, 1867. Louisa, the next member of the family, is the widow of Dr. John Senseman, of Tippecanoe City, Ohio. Benjamin F. was graduated at the Ohio Medical College, in 1875, and was a successful practitioner at Arcanum for sev- eral years, but has lived retired at Dayton View since 1895. He married Sally J. Hill who died in Arcanum. Susan is the wife of J. L. Norris, of San Diego, California.

Dr. Kiester remained on the home farm until eighteen years of age. About that time his father built a residence in Troy with the intention of locating there, but was taken sick and died after a short illness. After this sad event the mother and our subject, then the only child at home, moved to Troy. He obtained his early education in the common schools of Pleasant Hall and the Covington high school, and later spent two years at the Lebanon Normal School, at the same time reading medicine when he found opportunity. Subsequently he was engaged in the grain business at Troy with his brother-in-law, John Lee Norris, under the firm style of Norris and Kiester. This

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was a wide-awake, energetic firm, and soon their ambition led them to St. Louis, where they purchased a sugar refinery fitted up with all the latest improved machinery. It was in splendid running order when un- fortunately it was destroyed by fire. They removed what machinery was left to Dayton, Ohio, there formed a stock company, and built a large sugar refinery, which was con- ducted under the name of the Dayton Sugar Refining Company, with J. K. Jeeter as president ; Mr. Norris, vice-president, and Dr. Kiester, superintendent. The capital stock was seventy-five thousand dollars, but was afterward increased to one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

At the end of two years Dr. Kiester withdrew from the firm and took up the study of medicine with his brother, Dr. S. W. Kiester, who was then at Troy, and after spending one year with him entered the Ohio Medical College, being graduated with the class of 1889. Ile located at Arcanum, where both of his brothers were then en- gaged in practice, but have since retired. By merit alone our subject has built up a large and lucrative practice and is considered one of the most successful physicians in Darke county.

He is a member of the American Med- ical Society, the Ohio Medical Society, and the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 341, of Ar- canum. The Doctor is a man of integrity and strong personality, is kind, open-hearted and generous, and as he lias a pleasing man- ner and is an engaging conversationalist, he makes many friends, and has the happy fac- ulty of being able to retain them.

On the Ist of December, 1886, Dr. Kiester was united in marriage to Mary Elizabeth Williams, of Mystic, Connecticut, and to them have been born two children,

Edith and Forrest Mabel, both in school. Mrs. Kiester's parents were William and Mary Elizabeth ( Williams) Williams. From Connecticut her father went to Wernersville, Wisconsin, where he invested in timber lands and rafted lumber down the river to St. Louis, Missouri. After making one of three trips he was taken ill at St. Louis, and died there February 25, 1860. He was born May 29, 1823.

GEORGE RUH.

Among the representative farmers liv- ing in Darke county is George Ruh. When we examine into the secret of his success in life we find that prosperity has come to him as the legitimate outcome of earnest pur- pose and well directed and honorable effort. His ancestry may be traced back to the province of Alsace or Lorraine, which prov- inces have been contested territory be- tween the nations of Germany and France throughout the greater part of the nine- teenth century. The name was origin- ally La Ruh, which indicates that it was of French origin, but the orthography has been changed to the present form. The representative of whom we write is regarded as one of the practical and progressive agri- culturists of Brown township, where he is a well known and respected citizen.

He was born September 4, 1862, his par- ents being Anton and Barbara ( Ring) Ruh. His father was born in the little village of Hoppelrochdeck, January 3, 1819. This little village is located on the eastern bank of the beautiful river Rhine, whose vineclad hills are far famed in story and in song, while its picturesque scenery, adorned by many a castle of baronial days, has formed the setting for numerous events of historical

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importance. Mr. Ruh grew to manhood in the Fatherland and obtained his education in liis native tongue. He was a man of strong mentality, an apt student and an excellent mathematician. He was reared to agricult- ural pursuits, and after arriving at years of maturity he decided to come to America, hoping to better his financial condition in the new world. Accordingly he crossed the Atlantic, taking passage on a German sailing vessel, which after a voyage of six weeks reached the harbor of New Orleans. Before sailing, however, he had completed the required term of service in the German army. He arrived in the Crescent City in 1854 and the following year made his way to Cincinnati, Ohio. Two years later he arrived in Preble county and in 1867 came to Darke county, locating just north of Greenville, where he entered a tract of government land. To this he added as his financial resources increased and at the time of his death was the owner of a valuable estate comprising three hundred and ninety acres, all in Greenville and Brown town- ships. While in Cincinnati he worked for a time in a butter factory. His success was well merited, for earnest labor formed the keynote of his prosperity. His business methods were reliable and in all transactions he was just and honest. In politics he was a Republican and he was frequently urged to become a candidate for office, but always refused, preferring to devote his energies to his private business interests. He was charitable and benevolent, contributing liber- ally to many good causes, and at the time of the erection of the beautiful St. John's Ger- man Lutheran church in Greenville town- ship, he aided substantially in the work by liberal contributions. His wife, a native of Germany, was also a devout Lutheran in her

religious belief. The father died Novem- ber 28, 1897, leaving four children. In the family were three sons and two daughters, our subject being the second in order of birth. He is now the oldest living repre- sentative of the family, the others being : Mary, the wife of Max Hoffman, a resident of Greenville township; Daniel, a farmer, who superintends the old homestead in Greenville township; and Barbara, who is living with her brother, Daniel.

George Ruh, whose name introduces this review, was reared in Darke county from his sixth year, at which time he ac- companied his parents on their removal hither. He acquired a common-school edu- cation and has added to his knowledge by reading, observation and experience, so that he is now a well informed man. His par- ents enjoyed the benefit of his labor wages until he attained his majority, and in the practical training of the home farm he be- came familiar with all the duties that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. As a com- panion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Miss Follie Henning, the wedding be- ing celebrated on the 19th of December, 1883. The lady is one of Darke county's native daughters, born July 19, 1864, and is the third in a family of five children, whose parents were Jacob and Lovina (Hines) Henning. The father was born in Darke county, December 11, 1832, and is now living in Greenville township. His entire life has been devoted to the work of the farm and he has ever been industrious and enterprising. He is a man of strong, clear intellect and of sterling worth, and the family name has been tarnished by no act of his. A Democrat in his political affiliations, he is stanch in the support of the party, yet has never been an aspirant

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for office. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren church of Greenville township known as Zion church. Mrs. Henning was born in Darke county, July 18, 1835, and is still living. Her father, Samuel Hines, came to Ohio from the Key- stone state, driving over the mountains to Ohio when the roads were little better than Indian trails and when the paths through the forest were marked by blazed trees. He arrived in the state when the red men were far more numerous than the white settlers and took up his abode in Darke county when the now beautiful city of Greenville, with its population of seventy-five hundred, had only one house in it. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Henning who now survive are : Samuel, a resident of Greenville township; Mrs. Ruh; Lulu, the wife of Charles Eb- eling, an agriculturist of Darke county; and Henry, who is married and follows farin- ing in Greenville township. Two sons and a daughter grace the marriage of our subject and his wife, the eldest being Harry J., who was educated in the common schools and is now a stock dealer. Maudie D. is an apt pupil in school and has made marked progress in music. The youngest child is Earlie A., also a student in school. Mrs. Ruh has been to her husband a faithful counselor and has been to her children a kind and affectionate mother.

When Mr. and Mrs. Ruh began their domestic life they located upon a rented farm-a part of the old homestead-and there they remained until 1893, when Mr. Ruh embarked in merchandising in Ansonia. He carried on business there for about two years, after which he returned to the farm and again rented land. He is today, how- ever, the owner of eighty acres of the old homestead and has a valuable property,

which has been largely acquired through his own efforts. He has made excellent im- provements upon the place, and there are now to be seen good buildings, well kept fences and excellent machinery. He is a man of marked thrift, idleness and indo- lence being utterly foreign to his nature. His property, too, has been so honorably ac- quired that the most envious could not grudge him his success. He has been as- sisted by his estimable wife, who is an ex- cellent manager and has made her home most pleasant and attractive to her family. Mr. Ruh is a Democrat in his political affil- iations, having supported the party since casting his first presidential vote for Grover Cleveland. He has served as school director for nine years, and during this long term has done effective service for the cause of edu- cation. He is a charter member of the Darke County Horse Thief and Protective Association. His wife belongs to the Unit- ed Brethren church at Rossville, and he has aided in the erection of four different churches in the county, the Lutheran, Unit- ed Brethren, Methodist and Christian. Both he and Mrs. Ruh enjoy the high regard of all who know them, for they are recog- nized as people of sterling worth and in- tegrity. With pleasure we present the rec- ord of their lives to our readers, knowing that it will prove of interest to many, for they have a wide circle of acquaintances in Darke county, their circle of friends being almost co-extensive therewith.

MRS. PHEBE FRY.

This old and honored resident of Darke county, whose home is on section 14, Neave township, was born in Liberty, Montgomery

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county, Ohio, September 26, 1819, and is a daughter of David Jeffries, who was born and reared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was a hatter by trade. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. After his marriage he settled in Montgomery county, in 1812, and there his wife died when Mrs. Fry was about nine years old, leaving three daughters, who were bound out, as their father went away and left them.

Mrs. Fry passed her girlhood in Preble county, and there married Thompson Fry, also a native of Montgomery county. At length they came to Darke county and set- tled in Neave township, where Mr. Fry en- gaged in farming until called to his final rest August 16, 1882, at the age of sixty-two years. Eleven children were born to this worthy couple, namely : Rachel ; Catherine, deceased ; Cornelius and Sarah, twins; An- drew ; John ; Allen ; Eliza Ann, who died at the age of three years ; Mary Jane; Frances Ann ; and Margaret. All were born in Neave township, where for sixty years Mrs. Fry has now made her home. Although now well advanced in life she is still well pre- served and quite active for one of her age. She is a most estimable lady, whose circle of friends and acquaintances is extensive.

JOHN MCNUTT.

Darke county has many well-to-do and successful farmers, who have accumulated what they have of this world's goods through individual effort. Among this class the name of the subject of this notice is entitled to a place. He now owns a well improved and highly cultivated farm of one hundred and eighty-one acres on section 25, Neave township, where he is industriously engaged in the prosecution of his noble calling and is meeting wth good success.

Mr. McNutt was born June 9, 1837, in Harrison township, Preble county, Ohio, of which his father, Peter McNutt, was also a native. The grandfather, Alexander McNutt, was from Tennessee and located in Harrison township, Preble county, as early as 1806, taking up a tract of government land, upon which he spent the remainder of his life. He was eighty-four years of age at the time of his death, while three of his sons, including the father of our subject, lived to the age of eighty-six, and the last one of the brothers died in Indiana, in 1900, at the age of eighty- five years. The family was of Irish descent, the great-grandfather of our subject having been a native of Ireland and an early settler of Tennessee. Peter McNutt, who through- out life followed farming, married Margaret Vantage, also a native of Preble county, Ohio, and a representative of one of its pio- neer families. Her ancestors were from Maryland and are supposed to have been of Dutch descent. To Mr. and Mrs. McNutt were born eleven children, and with one ex- ception all grew to manhood or woman- hood, while six are still living.

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 94

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