A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 96

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 96

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On the 25thi of May, 1899, the Doctor was united in marriage to Miss Flora M. Jefferis, a native of German township. She was educated in the common schools, was also a student in the Greenville high school and received a teacher's certificate. Her .parents were prominent citizens of Darke county. Both the Doctor and his wife oc- cupy an enviable position in social circles , and enjoy the hospitality of the best homes in his locality. In politics he is a Demo- crat, who keeps well informed upon the is- sues of the day and is frequently chosen as a delegate to the county and congressional conventions. He cast his first presidential vote for William J. Bryan, the brilliant orator and free silver champion. The cause of education receives his loyal and unfalter- ing support, for he realizes its importance in the affairs of life and does all in his

power to secure good schools. He is a charter member of the Darke County Med- ical Association, which was organized in January, 1900, and embraces the best talent of the profession in the county. His public and private careers are alike commendable, and his marked ability insures his continued advancement along professional lines.

JOHN SWINGER.

John Swinger is one of Painter Creek's highly respected citizens whose useful and well-spent life has not only gained for him the confidence of his fellow men but has also secured for him a comfortable competence which enables him to lay aside all business cares and spend his declining days in ease and retirement.

Our subject's paternal grandfather was George Schwinger, as he spelled the name, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany. There he owned a little land and engaged in farming to some extent, but principally worked as a day laborer. He married Eliz- abeth Stout, and to them were born four children, namely: Jacob, the father of our subject; Rosanna, who first married a Mr. Hughey and located in Indiana, and sec- ondly, Franz Metz; Conrad, who married Mary Ann Emerch and died near Kokomo, Indiana; and an infant, who died at sea. About 1812 the grandfather, with his fam- ily sailed for the United States and met with terrible suffering and distress on the voyage. Terrific storms drove the vessel out of its course along the coast of Green- land. The masts and sails were swept over- board, and while the passengers were all be- low and the hatches closed the masts were

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broken off and became entangled with the main ropes. This turned the vessel on her side and she gradually sank under the water and was held there. The air in the vessel became so foul that life could not be main- tained an hour longer, the poor unfortunates being nearly suffocated, when the captain, who knew where to come in contact with the ropes, bored holes with an auger and made an opening large enough to insert his arm. He then severed the ropes with a halcart and freed the vessel from its fasten- ings. As it then righted itself those on board were saved from suffocation. After being tossed and buffeted about by the wind and waves they were finally driven ashore along the Greenland coast, where they re- maied through the winter and until the fol- lowing spring, when the United States gov- ernment sent a vessel to their relief and brought them to Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia. George Swinger had several hundred dollars when he left the old country, but this he spent for the relief of his fellow pas- sengers during the winter and arrived in Philadelphia penniless, with a wife and three children, one having died on the voyage. He sold the father of our subject to a Mr. Grumm in Philadelphia to pay his debts. He settled near Lebanon, in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, where he spent the remainder of his life. After his death his widow came west and died at the home of her daughter, eighteen miles west of Peru, Indiana.

industrious bov, Mr. Grumm took a great liking to him, sent him to school and re- leased him at the age of twenty, at the same time giving him a little money with which to begin life for himself. Mr. Swinger worked as a farm hand, and although he learned no trade he was handy with tools and was employed in laying plank on the canal one year. He married Anna Maria Stager, a native of Lebanon county, Penn- sylvania, and a daughter of Frederick and Elizabeth (Yingst) Stager. The latter was born in Germany, December 17, 1768. Her mother's maiden name was Remgontz. In the family of Frederick and Elizabeth Sta- ger were the following children : Henry, born December 27, 1785, died in infancy; Henry, born October 2, 1787, married Eliza- beth Six and died in Lebanon county, Penn- sylvania; Adam, born August 6, 1789. mar- ried Anna Maria Six and died in the same county ; Elizabeth, born December 10, 1791, married John Daub; Catherine, born Janu- ary 7, 1794, married John Fourman and moved to Van Buren county, Ohio, in 1833; Frederick, born January 29, 1796, married Rebecca Fousceler ; Regina, born March 28, 1798, married George Fourman and died in Pennsylvania, after which her husband came to Ohio; John, born February 4, 1800, mar- ried Sarah Fousceler; Samuel, born May 20, 1802, married Catherine Jacobi ; Hannah, born October 11, 1804, married Jacob Eier- ly : Margaret, born December 15, 1806, mar- ried John Mock; Anna Maria, born Novem- ber II, 1808, married Jacob Swinger ; Chris- tina, born January 8, 1812, married John Jacobi; and William, born May 28, 1814, married first Catherine Hansel, of Kensel, and secondly Caroline Walten. Our subject is the eldest of the nine children born to

Jacob Swinger, our subject's father, was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, March I, 1805, and when a boy came to America with his parents. He received a good education in the schools of Pennsylvania, and, as was previously stated, was bound out until twenty-one years of age to a Mr. Grumm, a farmer of Lebanon county. Being a good, | Jacob and Anna Maria (Stager) Swinger ;

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Sarah, the second, married David Staffer and died in Franklin township, Darke coun- ty, Ohio; Susannah died unmarried; Jacob married Martha Hyer and is now a retired farmer of Crawford county, Illinois ; Cather- ine and Rebecca both died young : Elizabeth, wife of Abraham Minnich, of Franklin town- ship, this county ; David is represented on an other page of this volume ; and Samuel, twin brother of David, married Mary Miller and lives in Crawford county, Illinois. In 1836 the father, with his family. emigrated to Ohio, making the journey, which lasted six weeks, with a two-horse wagon. He stopped first at the home of his cousin, John Fourman, in Van Buren township, and remained there a short time. Having brought with him a little money he purchased forty acres of land on: Painter creek, in Franklin township, only an acre and a half of which had been cleared and a log cabin of one room erected thereon. The following year he added to his original purchase another forty-acre tract, and made that place his home for five years. His next purchase consisted of eighty acres, on which was a log cabin that was taken apart and re- built on his home farm. Subsequently he bought of Samuel Hall one hundred and sixty acres, which is now owned by his son David. He also owned the eighty-acre tract which is now in possession of Hiram Rhodes, one hundred and sixty acres owned by John Flory, Sr., and eighty acres now owned by Moses Roymer. Besides the prop- erty already mentioned Mr. Swinger owned what is known as the Burkett mills on Still- water, below Ludlow Falls. He continued to engage actively in farming until a few years before his death, which occurred in 1866. He was a deacon and a prominent member of the German Baptist church, and a stanch Democrat in politics. His estima-

ble wife survived him many years, dying December 31, 1893.

John Swinger, whose name introduces this review, was born September 29. 1828, in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, where he attended German schools until eight years of age, when the family removed to Ohio. At that time much of Darke county was an unbroken wilderness and deer and other wild game was found in abundance. Mr. Swin- ger says that he was practically reared with a gun and ax in his hands. Here he at- tended an English school, but every night after supper his mother made him study German. This did not prove satisfactory, however, as he often confused the two lan- guages, and finally he dropped the German. As his services were needed at home his educational privileges were somewhat lim- ited, during one winter only being able to attend school for eight and a half days, an- other for twelve days; but he was fond of study and applied himself at home.

Mr. Swinger assisted his father in clear- ing one hundred acres of land, and remained at home until twenty-two years of age, re- ceiving five dollars per month and his board and clothes during the last year. He then began life for himself on a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres belonging to his fa- ther. In the fall of 1853 he rented a farm near Troy, on which he lived for eight years, and then moved to White county, Indiana, where he rented three hundred and twenty acres of land. Returning to Darke county, Ohio, in February, 1864, he bought the Squire Hess farm of seventy acres in Frank- lin township, and in the fall of 1875 moved to a thirty-seven-acre tract entered by Bev- erly Richardson, and now owned by John Swinger. In 1862 he established a tile fac- tory, which he moved to his present farm in

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1878. Being blessed with a strong consti- tution he was able to withstand any amount of work. For many years he conducted a saw-mill on Painter creek, leaving home on Monday morning and running the mill every day until twelve o'clock at night. He would then sleep on a bench with a jack- plane for a pillow. He also ran a thresh- ing machine for some years, and during the busy season he would run his tile factory day and night without any sleep whatever, doing all his own burning for ten years. In 1877 he rented his plant to his son Amos and his son-in-law, John Deeter, and when the lat- ter went west in 1886 he and his son formed a partnership and engaged in the manufac- ture of tile until 1886, since which time the son has carried on the business, while our subject lives retired, enjoying a well-earned rest. He and Jacob and David Swinger and Elizabeth Minnich owned the old home- stead of his father for many years, but sold it in December, 1899. Enterprising, ener- getic and industrious, he met with success in his undertakings, and can now well afford to lay aside all business cares.

Since 1855 Mr. Swinger has been an active worker and consistent member of the Painter Creek German Baptist church, in which he has served as a deacon for many years, and gives his support to every enter- prise calculated to advance the moral welfare of his community. He has ever been found upright and honorable in all his dealings, is charitable, benevolent and hospitable and is a well-informed man, and an interesting con- versationalist. In politics he is a Democrat, and he has most capably filled several town- ship offices.

On the Ist of August, 1850, Mr. Swin- ger married Miss Margaret Ann Stauffer, who was born near Salem, Montgomery 45

county, Ohio, May 15, 1831, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Kinsey) Stauffer. She has been to her husband a faithful help- meet, counselor and adviser, and to her chil- dren a kind and loving mother. Five chil- dren were born to them, namely : Amos H., born May 10, 1851, attended the local schools until twenty years of age and be- gan work in his father's tile factory in boy- hood. In 1886 he purchased the plant and is still engaged in the manufacture of tile. He was formerly a Republican in politics, but now supports the Democratic party, and is a member of the Ludlow and Painter Creek Baptist church. He was married, . December 21, 1873, to Susan Frock, and they had five children : Oliver, who was born September 27, 1874, and married Hat- tie Reiber; Edward R., who was born Au- gust 28, 1878, and married Lola Brown; Cora and Myrtle, who died in infancy ; and Katy Elizabeth, the second child of our sub- ject, was born October 13, 1852, and is now the wife of David Dell, of Landis, Darke county, by whom she has two children- Susan and Maggie. Rachel, born October 15, 1853, was married February 8, 1874, to John M. Deeter, and to them were born six children : Charles, who died in infancy ; Simon; Amos; Libbie, the wife of Clyde Stratton; John; and Lola, who died in in- fancy. They moved west in 1886, and in 1899 located in Eddy county, North Da- kota. Margaret, born July II, 1867, was married May 8, 1887, to John Haber, and they have four children : Verna, Roy, Oma and Charles. John L., born June 22, 1869, attended the public schools until twenty-one years of age and was married January 31. 1891, to Martha L. Hyer, by whom he has four children: Lova Ethel, born October 27, 1891; Sarah Margaret, born May 25.

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1894: John Jesse, born February 11, 1898; and Elizabeth N., born August 30, 1900.

John L. Swinger is an active Democrat, and has held several township offices.

RALPH D. BEEM.

The subject of this sketch is the leading photographer of Greenville and is an artist of far more than ordinary ability He was born in Licking county, Ohio, June 29, 1860, and is a son of Isaiah K. and Eliza ( Pitzer) Beem, who were born, reared and married in that county, continuing to make their home there until 1877, when they removed to Morrow county, this state, where they located permanently and spent the remainder of their days. Our subject's maternal grandfather was John Pitzer, a native of Maryland. On the paternal side his an- cestry can be traced back to Jacob Beem, a noted German philosopher who flourished in the seventeenth century. The name was originally spelled Boehme. The American progenitor of the family was Richard Beem, a native of Saxony, Germany, who settled in Allegany county, Maryland, in 1768. His son, Michael Beem, Sr., came to America with his parents. He moved to Licking county, Ohio, in 1812. In 1775 he married Elizabeth Green, and their son, Michael Beem, Jr., the grandfather of our subject, came to Ohio with his parents. He mar- ried Rachel Rhodes.

In the county of his nativity Ralph D. Beem passed his boyhood and youth. He had the advantages of the common schools and later attended the Mount Gilead high school, at which he was graduated in 1882. When his education was completed he went to Cleveland, where he learned the art of photography of J. H. Copeland & Ryder,

with whom he remained two years. He then returned to Mount Gilead, where the following eighteen months were passed, and at the end of that time removed to Wilming- ton, the county seat of Clinton county. In 1887 he came to Greenville and opened a photograph gallery on East Third street, which he has fitted up in a most approved style. It is supplied with all the latest appa- ratus necessary for doing first-class work. That Mr. Beem is a skilled artist is shown by his work, his pictures, both large and small, having a superior finish which only a true artist can produce. The portraits which embellish the second (or local) part of this work are from photographs made by his masterly hands. He is progressive in his methods, gives close attention to his busi- ness and has secured a very liberal patronage. He takes great interest in everything per- taining to his art, and is quite prominent pro- fessionally, having been elected vice-presi- cent of the Ohio State Photographers' As- sociation in 1899, while for four consecu- tive years he was tendered medals by the National and State Photographers' Associa- tions, ranking second place in America. So- cially he is also very popular and is a past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias lodge.

In 1890 Mr. Beem was united in mar- riage with Miss Lohru Kintner, of Wooster, Ohio, a daughter of David Kintner, and to them have been born two sons, to whom they have given the names of Kintner and Rob- ert, born respectively June 17, 1892, and October 15, 1900.

EZEKIEL S. CONOVER.

For a quarter of a century this gentle- man has resided upon his present farm in Greenville township, and to its improvement

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GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

and cultivation he has devoted his energies with most gratifying success. He is a na- tive of Ohio, born in Miamisburg, Mont- gomery county, in 1845, and is a son of Crinonce Schenck and Eleanor (Denise) Conover, also natives of this state and rep- resentatives of an old colonial family of New Jersey. The first twelve years of his life our subject spent in his native town. where his father was engaged in blacksmith- ing and then removed with the family to a farm near by, which the father had pur- chased. He received a good practical En- glish education, and throughout his active business life has engaged in agricultural pur- suits. In 1875 he came to Darke county and purchased a tract of eighty acres of land in Greenville township, five acres of which he has since disposed of.

On the 30th of November, 1871, Mr. Conover was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Green, a native of Warren county, Ohio, and a daughter of Edward and Lydia ( Feerer ) Green. Her paternal grandfather was one of the heroes of the Revolutionary war. Her father was born in Fishkill, New York, and was only six years of age when brought by his parents to this state. With Revolutionary blood flowing in his veins, he could not remain quietly at home when his country was in danger, and during the civil war he enlisted in the Seventy-fifthi Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the first battle of Bull Run. The latter part of huis service was devoted to hospital work. His son, Peter Green, was also one of the "boys in blue," enlisting at the age of eight- een years in the Seventy-ninth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry. He was in thirteen engage- ments and on the twenty-first anniversary of his birth he participated in the battle of Peach Tree Creek. Mrs. Conover's mother

was a native of Pennsylvania and a daugh- ter of Peter and Catherine (Wagner) Feer- er, who were of German descent and well-to- do people of Lebanon, Lebanon county, Penn- sylvania. Mr. Feerer brought his family to Ohio when Mrs. Green was only four years old, and he became one of the wealthiest farmers of Montgomery county. To Mr. and Mrs. Conover were born four children, namely: Schenck, the eldest, is deceased. Victor A. was graduated at the Greenville high school in the class of 1895, and has since attended the Lebanon Normal School one year, and the teacher's school at Ada, Ohio, one term. For seven years he has been a successful teacher in the public schools, and is now teaching in Montgomery county. Edward S. is at home; and Eleanor, the only daughter, is a young lady of exceptional musical talent and is fitting herself for teach- ing that art.

Mr. Conover, his wife and two children are prominent members of the Christian church of Coaltown, of which he is now a trustee. He is also one of the active mem- bers of the Knights of Pythias, of Green- ville, and in politics is a Republican, taking a warm interest in the welfare of his party and in all local affairs. During the Civil war he aided in the state's defense against General Morgan and his forces, and as a public-spirited and progressive citizen he gives his support to every enterprise which he believes calculated to advance the moral, intellectual or material welfare of his county or state.

Mrs. Conover is a lady of culture and refinement, and is highly educated. After attending the public schools for many years slie entered the Delaware Normal School, where she pursued her studies for two years. In 1864 she commenced teaching in the pub-

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lic schools of Warren and Montgomery counties and followed that profession unin- terruptedly until after her marriage, meet- ing with most excellent success. Since re- siding in Darke county she has in no sense relaxed her interest in educational affairs, and has conducted classes at her home, re- ceiving no remuneration, but doing it solely to gratify her mind by dispensing knowledge to others. She is a member of the Greenville Woman's Relief Corps, and is a most esti- mable lady, sharing with her husband the high regard of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

GEORGE W. SIGERFOOS.

At the time of his death the subject of this sketch was one of the leading dry-goods merchants of Arcanum, Darke county, Ohio, and was a man highly respected and es- teemed by all who knew him. He was born in the state of Maryland, December 13, 1825, and emigrated to Montgomery coun- ty, Ohio, when nine years of age, his early life being devoted to farming and school- teaching. After his marriage he followed brickmaking and school-teaching some five years in Phillipsburg, and in 1855 turned his attention to the dry-goods trade. In 1872 he opened a store in Arcanum where he was successfully engaged in business when called from this life October 16, 1875. In his business dealings he was ever prompt, relia- ble and entirely trustworthy, and he justly merited the high regard in which he was uniformly held.

On the 28th of July, 1850. Mr. Sigerfoos married Miss Nancy Shanck, who was born in Montgomery county, October 2, 1830, and they became the parents of the follow- ing children : Lorin, born August 25, 1851,

died November 28, 1870; Orrin, born March 22, 1853, died August 12, 1870; Arabella, born October 22, 1856. attended the public schools until nineteen years of age and then taught for five years at Laura, Ohio. In 1888 she entered the Michigan State Nor- mal School, where she was graduated in 1892, and the following two years she taught in the Arcanum high school. In the summer of 1895 she went to Los Angeles, California, where she taught for three years, and since that time has resided with her mother in Arcanum. Ella B., born Jan- uary 26, 1863, was married November 10, 1881, to Solomon Minnich, of Arcanum, and they have four children, namely : Daisy, Mamie, Nancy and Catherine. Charles P., born May 4, 1865, attended the public schools until seventeen years of age, and then entered the Ohio State College, where he was graduated in 1889. He spent one year at the University of Virginia, four years at John Hopkins University, and is now professor of biology at Minneapolis, Minnesota. Edward, born December 14, 1868, attended the public schools until six- teen years of age, and the following year entered Columbus University, at Colum- bus, Ohio, where he was graduated in 1891. Passing the examination at Washington, D. C., he was appointed second lieutenant in the regular army, and spent two years in a military school at Fort Leavenworth, Kan- sas. In 1898 he was commissioned first lieutenant and served one year at Santiago, Cuba, under General Wood, but is now sta- tioned at Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He was married, in December 1895, to Miss Opal, a daughter of Dr. Donavan Robeson, of Greenville, Ohio, and they have one child, Grace.

Peter Shanck, father of Mrs. Sigerfoos,

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was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, May 28, 1803, and was a son of Christo- pher and Catherine Shanck, who spent their entire lives in that county, where the former died in 1825, aged forty-five years ; the lat- ter died aged ninety-one. Their remains were interred in the place of their nativity. Of their children Peter was the eldest ; Eliz- abeth married John Ryder and died near Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania ; Catherine married Adam Ryder and died in the same state; Margaret married Henry Hoffman and died in Whitley county, Indiana ; Fanny is the wife of John Miller, of that county; John married a Miss Bishop and lives in Pennsylvania; and Henry married Susan Baker and resides in Whitley county, Indi- ana.

During his minority Peter Shanck assist- ed his father in the tailoring business, and at the age of twenty-one began life for him- self by following that trade. After his fa- ther's death he resided with his mother for four years, and was then married, January 12, 1830, to Miss Barbara, a daughter of John and Mary ( Huffer ) Keener, who lived and died in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania. She was the tenth in order of birth in their family of thirteen children, the others being as follows : John wedded Mary Heeter and died in Montgomery county, Ohio; David married Catherine -, and died near Palestine, Darke county; Jacob, twin of David, married Elizabeth Arnett .and died in Michigan; George died near Palestine, Darke county ; Christina married a Mr. Bryan, who died in Pennsylvania, af- ter which slie came to Ohio and died near . Lewisburg ; Molly married John Loxley and died near West Alexandria, Ohio; Elizabeth married George Gable and died in Whitley county, Indiana: Nancy married Christo-

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A Biographical history of Darke County, Ohio : compendium of national biography, Part 96

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