USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > A Biographical record of Fairfield County, Ohio, illustrated > Part 19
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ened by Morgan of the Confederacy. They were stationed at Camp Nickelson, seven. miles from Covington, Kentucky, where they remained one week, Morgan retreating. In 1864 Mr. Mauger was agent for the Home Insurance Company of Columbus, and the following year went to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was employed by the government as assistant steward of the. Summer street quarters, having charge of about seven hundred and fifty men, who were doing government work. There he remained until after the close of the war. He then returned to Fairfield county, Ohio, and was engaged in teaching school through sixteen consecutive winters, while in the summer months he engaged in the work of the farm.
In 1869 Mr. Mauger was united in mar- riage to Miss Rachel A. Roby, of Fairfield county, a daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Seibert) Roby, who came from Virginia to Fairfield county, bringing the most of their effects upon a pack-saddle. They are still living in Walnut township and Mrs. Roby is now in her eighty-third year. Mrs .. Manger died October 1, 1884, and Mina Helen, the only child born to our subject and his wife, passed away March 2, 1900.
As a citizen Mr. Mauger is deeply inter- ested in all that pertains to public progress and improvement. When in his twenty- second year he was elected a major of the Third Ohio Militia and remained an active member of that military organization for several years. In fraternal circles he is quite prominent, being a valued representa- tive of the Masonic lodge, No. 537, of Mil-
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Jersport : Chapter No. 11. R. A. M. : Lan- .caster Commandery, No. 2, K. T. : the East- ern Star lodge; and the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He exercises his right of fran- chise in support of the men and measures of the Democratic party and has filled a number of township offices. He has also been assessor and township land appraiser, and has had in charge the settlement of several important estates. In November, 1900. he
was elected county auditor for a term of three years and on the 21st of October, 1901, entered upon the duties of his posi- tion. His unbending integrity of character. his fearlessness in the discharge of his du- ties and his appreciation of the responsi- bilities that rest upon him are such as to make him a most acceptable incumbent of the office and his worth is widely acknowl- edged.
HENRY H. WALTERS.
When the toesin of war sounded at the time when the spirit of rebellion reigned in the south, men from all walks of life flocked to the standard of the Union, putting aside business cares and home ties to perform their duty to their country upon the field of battle. Henry 11. Walters was among the loyal sons of Fairfield county who joined the northern army and since his retirement from military life he has been equally faith- ful to his native land and her best inter- ests.
Mr. Walters was born in Lancaster on the 12th of December, 1837. His paternal grandfather, Irwin Walters, was a native of Pennsylvania and married a Miss Weaver. Seeking a home on the frontier they made their way to Fairfield county in the begin- ning of the nineteenth century. bringing with them three horses. The woods were green about their cabin home and the hard-
ships and privations of pioneer life were to be met and overcome. Game of all kinds was plentiful and it was through the use of his ritle that the family board was supplied with meat for several years. The work of clearing and cultivating the land progressed slowly, but in course of time richly culti- vated fields brought good harvests. Samuel Walters. the father of our subject, was born in Harrisburg. Pennsylvania, in 1798. and was about two years of age when his parents came to this county. When a little lad of six summers he was captured by the Indians and hell for six days before re- turned to his parents, during which time he was clothed in an entire new suit of buck- skin. AAmid the wild scenes of the frontier. in a district on the very borders of civili- zation he was reared and early became fa- miliar with the arduous task of clearing will land and preparing it for the plow.
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After partially clearing his farm he re- man he embarked. Having thoroughly mastered the business in early manhood, he has ever followed it and to-day is recog- nized as one of the leaders in this line.
moved to Lancaster, where he engaged in contracting and building. He erected many of the early structures there and was a very useful citizen. He also engaged in cabinet making in Lancaster and his efforts proved of great value in this frontier region. He married Miss Julia A. Warnell, who was born in Hagerstown, Maryland. in 1804. and came to Lancaster with her parents. By her marriage she became the mother of four sons: Irwin, who was killed in the Civil war : Samuel, who is now a resident of Texas: Noah S. and Henry H. The only daughter of the family was Minerva, the wife of Daniel Rodepouch, of Lancaster. After the death of the father his widow removed to White Cloud, Kansas, where she died in 1882.
Heury H. Walters acquired his early ed- ucation in the public schools of Lancaster ankel afterward attended a private school un- til his seventeenth year, when he learned the trade of house and sign painting and of papering, and throughout his business ca- reer he has been connected with these pur- suits. He takes contracts for both city and country work and employes a force of men for both branches of the business. His patronage comes from adjoining counties as well as Fairfield and the business has been successfully carried on to the present time. He takes and executes a large number of contracts annually and his labors bring to him a well merited success. Perhaps one feature of his prosperity is the persistency with which he has continued to labor in the field of activity in which as a young trades-
On the 30th of June, 1860, Mr. Walters was united in marriage to Miss Catherine, a daughter of David and Mary .A. (Bowers) Groff. She was born in New Holland. Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, and in 1850 came to Lancaster, Ohio, where her father spent his remaining days. Unto our sub- ject and his wife have been born several children : William, of Lancaster : Brunella. the wife of Leon Miesse, of this city; Mary E .. the wife of Abraham Parett, of Circle- ville, Ohio: and Margaret, the wife of G. Nixon, of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Mr. Walters is a pronounced Republican,. having been a stalwart advocate of the party from the time he attained his majority. In matters of citizenship he is most loyal and in 1861 he responded to the first call for seventy-five thousand men, joining Com- pany A. of the First Regiment of Ohio Vol- unteers. under command of Colonel Connell. The regiment was ordered to Washington, D. C .. and participated in the first battle of Bull Run. On the expiration of his three months'term Mr. Walters returned home and accepted a position with a sutler, in which capacity he served until November, 1863. when he enlisted in the Seventeenth Ohio Regiment and took part in the battle of Re- saca, Georgia, where he was severely wound- ed by being shot through the left hand, permanently disabling him. He was then taken to the hospital, where he remained for nine months, after which he was trans-
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ferred to Memphis and later to Camp Den- the war and his experiences on southern nison, at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was honorably discharged in October. 1864. He is now a member of Ben Butterfield Post. G. A. R., and takes delight in recalling when with his okl army comrades the incidents of
battlefields. Upon his return from the fields of carnage and desolation he resumed the pursuits of civil life and has since main- tained an honorable position in industrial circles in his native city.
JAMES B. CLAYPOOL.
James B. Claypool, who is engaged in general farming on section 34. Greenfield township, represents one of the most hon- ored as well as one of the oldest pioneer families in this portion of the state. He was born in this township, October 22, 1850, and is the second son of Isaac and Nancy (Mason) Claypool, whose history is given in full on another page of this volume. No event of special importance occurred to vary the routine of farm life for Mr. Claypool in his youth. His early education was acquired in the schools of Lancaster and afterward he became a student in Dennison University, at Granville, where he remained in 1869-70. When his education was completed he at once began stock-raising, making a specialty of the breeding of coach and trotting horses. He located on the farm where he now re- sides and has greatly improved the place. When he took possession of it, it was largely covered with a native growth of forest trees. These he cleared away and with character- istic energy has continued the work of im- provement and development until he now
has a very valuable property. In 1877 he erected his present fine residence, which is modern in style of architecture and in all its appointments. His farm comprises one hundred and forty-five acres of good land. He has one of the finest droves of horses in the country, including an imported Oklen- burg coach horse. Zelora G., sired by Penny- pack, a very famous horse, having a record of 2:2014 at three years old. He also has a horse that is a grandson of George Wilkes, and he makes the circuit with some of his horses, which have made good records upon the track. This is merely a department of his business, for he engages in general farm- ing and other branches of stock-raising, and his well directed efforts are bringing to him a very satisfactory success.
In 1883 Mr. Claypool was married to Miss Lizzie Peters, a daughter of Newton and Lydia ( Eversole) Peters. She was born in Greenfield township, pursued her education in the district schools and by her marriage has become the mother of two chil- dren : Carl Peters, a very bright boy, who
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is pursuing his education in the high school of Lancaster ; and Clark Wesley, who is at- tending the district school. The elder was appointed a page in the senate during the last general assembly. He desired to make his own way through school unaided and is doing so. He will soon graduate at the age of seventeen years and has already passed the county examination under the Boxwell law, which gave him free tuition in the high school.
Mr. Claypool, of this review, exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, which
he has supported since attaining his major- ity. He is now township trustee and has held other offices, although the township is strongly Democratic. He has never sought official preferment, but his fellow men, recognizing his worth and ability, have called him to office. He attends the Pres- byterian church, and as a citizen is liberal in support of all measures which he believes will prove of public benefit. His worth is widely acknowledged and he is well known as an honored representative of a promi- nent pioneer family whose record is praise- worthy and above criticism.
ISAAC GROVE.
Isaac Grave, who is filling the position of section foreman on the Cincinnati & Mus- kingum Railroad, makes his home in Bre- men. He is numbered among the native sons of Fairfield county, for his birth oc- curred in Rush Creek township on the 11th of March, 1845. His father, Oliver Grove. was born in Pennsylvania in 1821 and in his thirteenth year came to Fairfield coun- ty, Ohio, with his parents, John and Anna (McWilliams) Grove, who settled in Rush Creek township. After arriving at years of maturity the father of our subject mar- ried Miss Martha Blosser, who was born in Fairfield county, a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Coffman) Blosser. By this mar- riage were born eleven children, seven of
whom are living: Isaac, whose name in- troduces this review; Caroline, the wife of Oscar Siefert; Nancy, who married John C. Nagney; William; Samuel; John : and Harvey.
In the public schools of his home neigh- borhood Isaac Grove pursued his education until his sixteenth year and during that time made his residence with his parents on the farm. The Civil war was then in progress and his patriotic spirit was aroused by the attempt of the south to overthrow the union. Accordingly, although but a boy, he offered his services to the government and became a member of Company B, Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Colonel John N. Connell. The troops were
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immediately sent to the front and partici- pated in a number of battles and skirmishes, including the engagements at Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Stone River and others of less importance. Mr. Grove served faithfully for three years and eleven months, and dis- played valor and loyalty equal to that of many of the veterans twice or thrice his years. He was always found at his post of duty, which often took him into the thickest of the fight, but never wavered in his sup- port of the starry banner and the cause it represented. When the war was ended he received an honorable discharge on the 23d of July, 1865, and again took up the peaceful pursuits of life.
Returning to this county, Mr. Grove was employed to operate a sawmill used in manu- facturing hard lumber. In 1881 he entered the employ of the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Railroad on a section and for the past seventeen years has been foreman of that branch of the service. He has been most capable in the discharge of his duties and has the entire confidence of those whom he rep-
resents. As his financial resources have in- creased he has made judicious investments in real estate and he is now the owner of valuable city property.
In 1872 occurred the marriage of Isaac Grove and Miss Louisa Hillyard, a daugh- ter of lenoch and Mary ( Blosser ) Hillyard, of Bremen. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and her mother of Virginia. They became early settlers of Rush Creek township and were highly regarded as rep- resentative citizens of the community. Mr. and Mrs. Grove have no children of their own, but have an adopted son, Roy Grove, who is now ten years old. Mr. Grove was for six years a member of the city council and during his incumbency strongly advo- cated every measure which he believed would prove of general good. It was dur- ing his service that the walks of Bremen were paved. His co-operation is heartily given every measure tending to benefit his fellow men and throughout the community he is known for his honesty and integrity. as well as his loyal citizenship.
DAVID PENCE.
David Pence, who is engaged in general farming on section 22. Pleasant township. was born on the 3d of November. 1822. in Richland township. Fairfield county. His father. David Pence, was a native of Shen- andoah. Virginia, born February 4. 1777.
He became a planter of the Old Dominion and was there married to Barbara Ruffner by whom he had two children before the re- moval of the family to the west. These were: Aaron, who became a carpenter and died in Licking county, Ohio, at the age of
H
DAVID PENCE
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eighty-three years; and Annie, who married Tunis P. Ashbrook, a farmer of Fairfield county, in which place he died at the ad- vanced age of ninety-two years. Determin- ing to make his home in the Buckeye state. David Pence, Sr., journeyed westward by wagons, bringing with him his household goods and his family. He settled on a quarter section of land in Richland town- ship, which had been given to him and his wife by the latter's father. Emanuel Ruff- ner. . As time passed he prospered and added to his landed possessions until he had very extensive interests here. The family was also increased by the birth of eight children : Eleanor, who married Benjamin Miller and after his death became the wife of George Shoemaker: Mary, the wife of Jacob Stoker, a farmer of Hancock county, Ohio: Joseph, who died at the age of fifty-five years: Rebecca, the wife of David Fall. a farmer of lowa: Elizabeth, who married Abraham Spetler, an agriculturist of this county : Saphira, the wife of George Miller. a farmer of Jones county, Iowa: David, whose name introduces this review": and Sa- villa, his twin sister, who is the wife of S. P. Weaver. a farmer of Putnam county, Ohio. After the death of his first wife, the father of this family was married on the 2Ist of February, 1832, to Catherine Grow. a daughter of John Grow, of Licking county, Ohio, and they had four children : John, a resident physician of Columbus : Henry, a farmer of Walnut township, Fair- field county: Samantha, the wife of David Chism, a farmer of Licking county: and Sarah, who became the wife of John Mays, but both are now deceased. After the fam-
ily resided for a number of years in Rich- land township. David Pence sold his land there and removed to a farm in Pleasant township, situated two miles south of Pleas- antville on the Pleasantville pike. upon which he spent his remaining days, passing away in 1852.
David Pence, the subject of this re- view, attended the district schools and later continued his education in the Granville Col- iege in Licking county, Ohio. He after- ward engaged in teaching for a number of years and then embarked in the stock busi- ness, buying cattle in the west and driving them to market in Pittsburg, Baltimore and Philadelphia. For fourteen years he fol- lowed that enterprise and then began deal- ing in sheep, which he purchased in Ohio and in the east and sold in the western markets for breeding purposes. After en- gaging in that business for a number of years Mr. Pence found that he had ac- quired sufficient capital to enable him to pur- chase a farm and he then bought two hun- dred and seventy-five acres of land in Wal- nut township, Fairfield county. As a com- panion and helpmate for the journey of life. he chose Harriet M. Pugh, the wedding be- ing celebrated on the 20th of July. 1853- They had two children: Anna M. is the wife of Joseph S. Sites, an attorney at law of Lancaster. Ohio; and they are the par- ents of the following children: David E .. Jessie L., Robert, Frederick and Margaret ; Henry C. married Anna Chisler, and has four children: Earl, William, Della and Ilazel. Mrs. Pence died in 1895.
Mr. Pence remained upon his first farnr for only a brief period. When three years
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had passed he soid the property and through the succeeding three years resided upon a rented farm in the same township. He then bought his present farm of one hundred and forty-one acres of rich land, which is under a high state of cultivation, being improved with all modern equipments and facilities. .At the time of the Civil war he served as sut- ler's clerk for Reber & Kutz and was with the army of the Tennessee for some time. At the battle of Chickamauga their horses, wagons and stock were stolen. The Thir- teenth Ohio Regiment to which they were'
attached re-enlisted and Mr. Pence again went to the front, remaining with that con .- mand until it reached Atlanta, when he re- turned to the north. He has since engage.I in peacefully tilling the soil and is enjoying the fruits of his former labor. He is a pro- gressive farmer and stock man and is widely and favorably known in his native county. Mr. Pence has always given his support to the men and measures of the Republican party, but has never cared for office, pre- ferring to give his undivided attention to his business interests.
JACOB ERNST.
Jacob Ernst is one of the representative and highly respected citizens of Fairfield county, being one of its early settlers, and is now residing in the village of Stoutsville. He was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania. September 30. 1830, where he resided until he was seven years of age, when in April. 1838, he accompanied his parents to Ohio. The facilities for traveling in those early pioneer days were very primitive and the family made this journey with teams. They located in Washington township, Pickaway county. The father of our subject. Daniel Ernst, was also a native of Berks county. Pennsylvania, and was there married to Miss Sarah Mohn. He followed the use- ful occupation of farming all his life. He died in Washington township, Pickaway
county, in 1843. at the age of thirty-five years. He was an active, enterprising man, and his labors toward the cultivation and improvement of their frontier home were not in vain. The mother was born in 1806, in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and long survived her husband, being called to the home beyond in 1873. in the village of Stoutsville. The father held membership in the Lutheran church, the mother in the Re- formed church. In politics he gave his sup- port to the Democratic party. The parents were earnest Christian people, with that sterling worth of character which, when combined with energy and industry, has formed the basis of the thrift and prosperity of our great country. In their family were five children, four of whom are yet living :
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John resides near Bluffton, Wells county. Indiana, and like his father before him, is a farmer by occupation. Jacob is the second in order of birth. Mary became the wife of Jesse Brown. of East Ringgold, Ohio, who is a farmer there. She died leaving a family of children. Sarah became the wife of William Upp. a farmer, and they reside in Clear Creek township. Mary M. is the wife of M. Van Buren Lothouse, who resides in Columbus, Ohio, where he is en- gaged with the Citizens' Telephone Com- pany.
Our subject pursued his early educa- tion in the common schools of Washington township, Pickaway county, and remained on the old home place until he reached man's estate, becoming, through the good influence of worthy parents, early imbued with those principles of right conduct, without which success in life cannot be attained. In 1854 Mr. Ernst removed to Fairfield county, and settled in Clear Creek township. He there rented a farm, which he operated for some years. He then purchased a home in the village of Stoutsville, about the year 1856, and removing to his new home has lived there ever since. Here he engaged for eight years in stone cutting. However, in 1864, feeling that the country needed his services, he joined the boys in blue, enlist- ing in Company I, One Hundred Fifty- ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was stationed at Baltimore, Maryland, where he served one hundred days and was mus- tered out at Zanesville, Ohio, having been honorably discharged by the government. He had gladly rendered his services to the cause of the Union, and when they were no
longer required he returned to Stoutsville, where he resumed his old business, as well as that of a thresher and so continued for twenty-five years. He is at present engaged in farming near Stoutsville.
In the year 1853 Mr. Ernst had been united in marriage to Miss Catherine Stout, a daughter of Jonathan Stout, of Clear Creek township, who was born in 1800. He en- gaged in agricultural pursuits and run a sawmill, and was a prominent and enterpris- ing business man of his day, doing much to promote the future welfare of the coun- ty in which he lived. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Ernst were born two children: Amanda is the wife of Lewis F. Crites, a merchant of Stoutsville. They had two children: Flor- ence, who died at the age of five years, and Ernst. Noah A. resides in Canton, Ohio, and is a lawyer, practicing at that place. He married Clara Levan. They had three children, two of whom are living: Delmar E., a law student and teacher in the schools of Clear Creek township; Alverta, who died at the age of twelve years; and William A., who resides at home and is a school teacher.
From pioneer times up to the present progressive age, Mr. Ernst has been an act- ive factor in the improvement and develop- ment of the county in which he has lived. He has ever been an earnest advocate of anything tending to the general upbuilding and improvement of his community. He was school director for some twelve years and helped build the school houses of Clear Creek township. He erected the second dwelling house in the village of Stoutsville. Mr. Ernst is what may well be termed a self-
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made man, having started in life without capital, he has attained to a position of prom- inence and importance, and while through his industry, energy and untiring devotion to business enterprises he has achieved finan- cial success, he has not failed to advance the interests of his community in every way possible. Ile is highly esteemed by all who
know him. In politics he is a Democrat. Ile has held the office of township trustee and other local offices, and in times of peace as in war he has ever been faithful to duty. He is a devoted member of the Heidelberg congregation of the Reformed church of the United States at Stoutsville and is hold- ing the office of elder.
JASPER J. BARNETT.
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