USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio > Part 43
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was born and where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring on the 3d of May, 1885, while his wife passed away on the 5th of May, 1900. She was a member and active worker of the United Brethren church, and Mr. Worthington contributes liberally to the support of the church and lives an honorable Christian life, although not identified through membership with any religious denomination. In politics he was a Democrat, but not an office- seeker. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Worthington were born two children: Charles Edward, and Flora, now the widow of Edward Ralston.
Charles E. Worthington, whose name introduces this review, first opened his eyes to the light of day in the old log cabin which still stands upon the home farm. He pursued his education in the schools of Pisgah until about sixteen years of age, mostly attending through the winter seasons, while in the summer months he worked in the fields and meadows, aiding in the cul- tivation of the farm. After his marriage he took charge of the home farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres, and now energetically devotes his attention to the raising of the cereals best adapted to this climate and to the raising of stock. He possesses the true spirit of enterprise and progress, and his place is characterized by neatness and thrift.
On the 2d of April, 1891, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Worth- ington and Miss Florence Demorest, who was born in Prairie township, Franklin county, April 19. 1870. She was reared in Galloway and attended school there until fourteen years of age, after which she was a student in the Reynoldsburg and other schools. When nineteen years of age she began teaching in Pleasant township, successfully following that profession for two years. She is a daughter of Milton and Virginia (Lavely) Demorest, who reside at Morgan Station. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Worthington has been blessed with three children: William Milton, Harold D. and Olive Lillian. Mr. Worthington exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democratic party, believing that the principles of that party contain the best elements of good government. Political pre- ferment has no attraction for him, his attention being given to his farming work. His methods are progressive and systematic and his work is diligently prosecuted, bringing to him a good living and a substantial competence.
A. H. PACKARD.
This well-known real-estate dealer of Columbus was born in Readfield, Maine. in 1837; and his parents, James and Sophronia (Clough) Packard, were also natives of the Pine Tree state. His father was a contractor and builder, following these pursuits for some time. His grandfather, Caleb Packard, was a native of the old Bay state, a son of Joshua Packard, a grandson of Abel Packard and a great-grandson of Zaccheus Packard. Samuel Packard, who was the father of Zaccheus Packard, became the founder of the family in America, emigrating from Norfolk, England, to the new world in the year 1638. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Chase
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Clough, a native of New Hampshire, who married Betsey Taylor, and their daughter, Sophronia Clough, was the mother of our subject.
Mr. Packard, the subject proper of this brief sketch, spent his boyhood days in Maine, where he acquired a good common-school education, and later he pursued his studies in the home academy at Kent's Hill. After leaving school he was apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade, and on the completion of his term of service he came to Ohio, locating first in Delaware, Delaware county, where he followed carpentering until a change of employ- ment found him in the service of the Big Four Railroad Company, by which he was appointed foreman of the bridge-building department, having in charge the construction of bridges and depots, also superintending repairs along the line. On severing his connection with the railroad service he went to Ten- nessee, where he had charge of a corps of men in bridge construction. In 1883 he came to Columbus, where he has since resided and where he has been actively engaged in handling real estate and in building residences and business blocks, among which may be mentioned Orton Hall. He is the owner of considerable valuable property in this city, and his business affairs are annually augmenting his income.
In 1863 Mr. Packard was united in marriage with Miss Miranda Black, of Delaware county, Ohio, and a daughter of John Black. She was born in Indiana and when about ten years of age her parents died and she returned to Delaware county. Mr. Packard has two children,-Frank L. and Cora. The son is a skilled architect, and has drafted the plans of many of the finest business buildings and residences in the capital city. The daughter is now the wife of H. L. Rownd, who is in the employ of the Republic Steel & Iron Company, of Chicago, and is a son of Robert Rownd, a capitalist of Columbus.
In his political views Mr. Packard has been a stalwart Republican ever since casting his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont. He has served for two terms as a county commissioner of Delaware county and for one term as a member of the city council of Delaware. Local advancement and public progress are both dear to his heart, and he withholds his support from no movement or measure calculated to prove of general good.
JAMES LINDSEY.
If a good name is valuable to a man during his lifetime, it is doubly valuable to his family after he has passed away. Those who looked to the late James Lindsey, of Hamilton township, Franklin county, for support and protection during his active years have a right to be proud of the excel- lent reputation which he achieved and they regard it as their most priceless heritage.
James Lindsey was born in Columbus. Ohio, July 19, 1821, and died at his home on section 22, Hamilton township, June 25, 1885. He was the third in order of birth of the three sons and three daughters of James and Mary (Barr) Lindsey, and his parents were of high social standing and
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prominent in the Presbyterian church. His father was a man of wealth, a banker and a stockholder in various prominent enterprises at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, where he was born, reared and entered upon his active career. He came, a single man, to Franklin county, Ohio, and there married Mary Barr, daughter of John Barr, an early settler there. Their son, James Lind- sey, was educated in the common schools and reared to farm work, but he demonstrated that he possessed unusual business ability and interested himself in stock raising to such an extent that he became known in New York and Boston, where he often went in the interests of his business, as in Franklin county. In association with Dr. Clark, he in one year disposed of one hun- dred thousand dollars' worth of fine cattle. He carried on farmng on the same extensive scale, as will be apparent when it is stated that he at one time marketed fifteen thousand bushels of corn. With his home farm of three hundred acres he farmed also a tract of four hundred acres on the river, making an aggregate of seven hundred acres.
Mr. Lindsey was in every sense of the word a self-made man, for he was only twelve years old when his father died and was obliged to begin the battle of life at that tender age. He was reared a Presbyterian. but in time became a Methodist, in which faith he died. Previous to 1856 he was a Whig, but in that year he became one of the original members of the Repub- lican party and voted for John C. Fremont, its first nominee for the presi- dency. Four years later he voted for Abraham Lincoln, and he voted for every subsequent Republican presidential nominee until his death. In recog- nition of his splendid business ability he was frequently importuned to devote it to public interests, but he was too busy with his private affairs to entertain such a proposition and persistently refused to be a candidate for any office. At the same time he was an active worker for the success of his party, and was often influential in placing his friends in offices they desired. He was among the largest employers of labor in Franklin county in his time, and was liberal and helpful to all who served him faithfully. As an Odd Fellow he was well known.
Ann Elizabeth (Wright) Lindsey, widow of James Lindsey, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1823, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Watt) Wright. Her father was born near Baltimore, Mary- land, and was educated in the schools near his childhood home. His parents died when he was very young, and he went to Pennsylvania, and was mar- ried at Strasburg, Lancaster county, that state, where he became a farmer and the owner of two hundred acres of valuable Pennsylvania land. There Thomas and Elizabeth (Watt) Wright had seven children. They came to Ohio in 1831 and settled in Hamilton township, Franklin county, where the youngest child was born. Their children, mentioned in the order of birth, were as follows: John, of Logan county, Ohio, now deceased; Martha, also deceased ; Charlotte, who is now Mrs. Lockard Ramsey; Mrs. Lindsey; Margaret, who married Philo Watkins and is now deceased; Isabelle S., who married William Riley; and Mary, who is the widow of Gibson Barr, and
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lives in Franklin township, Franklin county. Mrs. Lindsey, who was the third daughter and fourth child of her parents, was seven years of age when they brought her to Franklin county, where she and Mr. Lindsey attended the same schools and were in the same classes. They were married August 29, 1844, by the Rev. Josiah Smith, founder of the Westminster church of Columbus, Ohio, and about one hundred guests attended their wedding.
Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lindsey settled on their farm on section 22, in Hamilton township, where she has lived for fifty-seven years. Six children were born to them, two of whom died in infancy. The others were named as follows, in the order of their nativity : Ellen is the widow of Dr. G. S. Stein, and she and her daughter Gertrude are members of Mrs. Lindsey's household. Frank has the active manage- ment of the home farm. Thomas is now deceased. Lucien is a lawyer. Mrs. Lindsey is a remarkably well-preserved woman for her years, and is a business woman of unusual ability. She was in early life a Presbyterian, but is now a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. She is a woman of much culture and has traveled much throughout the United States, having accompanied her late husband on many of his business trips through the east and on numerous journeys for pleasure and recreation to different parts of the country.
W. DALLAS HOYER, M. D.
Among the younger representatives of the medical fraternity in Colum- bus is Dr. W. Dallas Hoyer, yet his years seem no bar to his advancement, for he is already enjoying a large practice and his patronage is steadily in- creasing. He is a native of Holmes county, Ohio, his birth having occurred at Millersburg. His father, W. E. Hoyer, was for many years a successful educator, acting as the principal of several schools of Holmes county. He married Miss Amanda F. Harris, a native of Ohio, reared and educated in Holmes county, where she gave her hand in marriage to Professor Hoyer. The Hoyers are of Holland lineage, the ancestors of the family in America having come directly to this country from the land of dikes. The paternal grandfather of our subject, B. E. Hoyer, became one of the pioneer settlers of Holmes county, Ohio.
The Doctor acquired a good common-school education in his early youth and in 1890 became a student in the Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, and later he determined to make the practice of medicine his life work. His preliminary reading was supplemented in 1894 by a course in the Ohio Med- ical University, in which he was graduated in 1900. After his graduation he began practice in Columbus and is now well established in his profession. He is the district physician of the thirteenth and fourteenth wards and is a young man of ability, whose knowledge of medicine is comprehensive and whose skill is indicated by the successful results which attend his efforts. In 1897 the Doctor was united in marriage to Miss Helen Monroe, of this city,
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a daughter of Peter and Magdalena (Schnider) Monroe. They have a acquaintance among the best people of Columbus and are cordially welcomed to their homes.
THOMAS N. GREGORY.
Thomas N. Gregory, a well-to-do and prominent farmer of Franklin county, was born at Centerburg, Knox county, Ohio, on the 16th of July, 1857. His father, Charles P. Gregory, was born in Berkshire township, Delaware county, Ohio, August 28, 1828, and is descended from old New England families that through long years were connected with the develop- ment of that section of the country, for early representatives of both the pa- ternal and maternal ancestry had come to this country prior to the Revolu- tionary war. The paternal great-grandparents of our subject were Nathaniel and Hannah Gregory, who resided in the vicinity of Hartford, Connecticut. There in 1807 occurred the birth of their son, William Gregory, the grand- father of our subject, who was reared in that locality and there married Sophronia Hitchcock, the tenth and youngest daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Johnson) Hitchcock. The former was a son of Samuel Hitchcock, and it was Samuel Hitchcock or his father who came to this country in the Mayflower and thus planted the family on American soil.
Members of both families have been prominently connected with events that have aided in shaping the history of the nation. Benjamin Hitchcock entered the American army at the time of the war for independence and served for seven years. When he went before Washington to be examined, - the General asked him his age. The young man replied that he could not lie about it, that he was only seventeen. Washington looked at him and smiled and then said: "We will take you, for I see you have outgrown your pantaloons." He was tall, angular and awkward and wore homespun clothes, but he made a good soldier and for seven years aided in the struggle for independence. Twice he was made a prisoner of war, but on gaining his freedom again entered the army. Some of his brothers became famous ir letters and science and he had two sons who won fame. The family is a distinguished one and numbers many prominent men. Mrs. Sophronia (Hitchcock) Gregory was the daughter of Mrs. Benjamin Hitchcock, whose maiden name was Platt, and thus the father of our subject, Charles Platt Gregory, is a grandnephew of Senator Platt, of Connecticut, and bears the family name. He is also a second cousin of Grover Cleveland, and is related to the prominent Trowbridge family of New Haven, Connecticut. His aunt Patty became the wife of a son of Elbridge Gerry, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
As before stated, William Gregory married Sophronia Hitchcock, who was born in Bethlehem, Litchfield county, Connecticut, in 1809, and was married at the age of eighteen years. The "blue laws" of Connecticut were in force during her girlhood. Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gregory came to Ohio, making the journey in a wagon across the
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country and taking up their residence in Berkshire township, Delaware county. Other members of the family, on both sides, soon afterward came to the Buckeye state. The grandfather developed a farm and continued to carry on agricultural pursuits until his death. He passed away in 1841, leaving three children, Charles P., Mary and Elvira. The mother afterward mar- ried again and had a daughter, Mrs. Martha Wintermute, who is living near Newark, Ohio. Mrs. Gregory died when about eighty-one years of age.
Charles Platt Gregory was about six years of age when his parents sold their farm in Delaware county and removed to Licking county, where a settle- ment was made in the midst of the green forest, the grandfather there de- veloping a farm, upon which the family remained for eleven years. That place was then sold and they removed to the town of Granville, where Will- iam Gregory died in February, 1841, after which the widow and her chil- dren returned to Berkshire, Delaware county, where Charles P. Gregory was bound out to learn the harness-maker's trade. When his term of apprentice- ship was completed he removed to Knox county, Ohio, and was employed by a harness-maker in Centerburg. While there he formed the acquaintance of Rebecca Williams and they were married. The lady was born in Hunt- ingdon county, Pennsylvania, and when about nine years of age accompanied her parents on their removal to Knox county, Ohio. She was a daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Black) Williams, the latter a member of the well- known Black family of the Keystone state. Charles P. Gregory and Re- becca Williams were married about 1850, and began their domestic life in Centerburg, where he followed the wagon-making trade, also the business of making guns, until the great war of 1861-5. He enlisted in a company made up at Centerburg and engaged in the military service of his country till the close of that struggle. Returning from the war, he removed to Mount Vernon, where he was employed at the C. & G. Cooper machine shop, where he still continues.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gregory were born three children: Sophia, who was born May 15, 1853, and died on the 3d of August of that year ; William, who was born September 21, 1854, and married Lydia Berkholder, their home being now in Mount Vernon, Ohio; and Thomas N., of this review. The mother passed away at Mount Vernon, July 14, 1890, her remains being interred at Richill, but the father is still living.
In taking up the personal history of Thomas N. Gregory we present the life record of one who has a wide acquaintance and is well known as a rep- resentative agriculturist of Franklin county. He remained in Centerburg until five years of age and began his education there. The family then re- moved to Mt. Vernon, Knox county, where he attended the public schools until sixteen years of age. On the expiration of that period he began work as a brakeman on the Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Columbus Railroad, following that pursuit until 1878. After his marriage he took up his abode in Mount Vernon, where he continued for a year. In 1878 he located upon his present farm, comprising one hundred and fifteen acres. For twelve
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years he followed railroading. He acted as fireman on the road mentioned for three years and was yard master at Mount Vernon for six months. He mow devotes his time and energies to agricultural pursuits, and has a well- developed farm, the highly cultivated fields yielding to him a rich return.
On the 29th of November, 1877. Mr. Gregory was united in marriage to Miss America L. Henderson, who was born in Pleasant township, Frank- lin county, March 15, 1858, and is a daughter of Henry T. Anderson. When a maiden of eight summers she accompanied her parents to Wester- ville, Ohio, and acquired her education in the schools of Pleasant township and of Westerville. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory has been blessed with two children-C. Frederick and Harry H. Mr. Gregory is an active member of the United Brethren church of Galloway, and is serving as one of its trustees. In politics he is a stanch Republican and keeps well informed on the issues of the day, but has never sought or desired office, his time being fully occupied with his business cares. He now successfully follows agri- cultural pursuits and upon his place are found all modern accessories and conveniences, giving evidence of the progressive and enterprising spirit of the owner.
WILLIAM B. AND ELDON F. SMITH.
Progress is to-day the keynote of the world's history, and America is certainly the exponent of the spirit of the age. Along all lines which may. be classified as utilitarian her advancement has been most marked, leading all other nations. To be actively identified with this great movement is to gain a place in the history of the country that is indeed desirable. In con- nection with the great department of agriculture, especially in stock-raising interests, the gentlemen whose names head this sketch, William Brown and Eldon F. Smith, father and son, have become widely known. They have a reputation throughout the country as breeders of Holstein cattle and have been the owners and produced some of the best cattle registered in America. They have indeed become leaders in this line, and through the prosecution of their individual business interests have largely contributed to the pros- perity of stock-raisers by improving the grade of cattle and thus raising the value of stock.
William B. Smith is a native of Athens county, Ohio, born in 1828, and is a representative of an old Virginia family, his father, William Smith, having emigrated from the Old Dominion and cast in his lot with the pioneer settlers of Athens county when that region was first opening up to civilization, about the year 1800. He took up two hundred acres of land from the gov- ernment and became a prominent agriculturist. William B. Smith was reared amid the wild scenes of the frontier and early became familiar with the labors of field and garden, assisting in the cultivation of the land from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the autumn.
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He continued to follow farming until 1882, when he began the breeding of Holstein cattle in connection with his son. .
William B. Smith married Miss Nancy A. Carpenter, a daughter of Rev. Jeremiah Carpenter, a Baptist minister of Meigs county, Ohio, whose parents came to the Buckeye state from Virginia. He died about 1887. Eldon F. Smith, the son of William and Nancy Smith, was reared at his parental home and has always associated with his father in business. He married Jennie McBride, a daughter of William McBride, of Morrow county, who served in the Civil war as a member of an Indiana regiment, and is now a resident of Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have two interesting children, Frank and Edith, both students in school. He is a valued member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Masonic order, in which he has taken the Scottish-rite degrees; but while Mr. Smith enjoys the friendship of many acquaintances in Columbus and vicinity, he is most widely known in connection with his business interests.
In 1882 the father and son began stock raising on the Columbus state farm connected with the State Asylum for the Insane. They had made a specialty of the breeding of Holstein cattle and are now the owners of some of the finest specimens in the entire country. They own the celebrated bull Paul Dekol, the finest Holstein bull in America, and have others almost as valu- able, constituting what is widely known as "Ohio's famous herd." They sell only calves and ship their stock into fully half the states in the Union. They exhibit at the state fairs and for the last six years have won, on an average, ninety per cent. of prizes. At present the herd numbers one hundred and twenty. They milk sixty-six cows and supply two hundred gallons per day to the asylum, which has fourteen hundred patients and three hundred em- ployes. The farm is splendidly equipped for stock-raising purposes with large barns and milk houses, supplied with the latest improved facilities for caring for the dairy products. They have a splendid silo of three hundred and fifty tons, and the ensilage is all grown on the farm. Five men are em- ployed to look after the buildings and the stock, and everything is done in the most up-to-date and progressive manner. It is a well known fact, proven by statistics, that the Holstein cattle are the best milk and butter producers, and it is evident then that they are the best cattle for general use.
William B. and Eldon F. Smith are both men of marked business ability, giving close attention to their interests, and gaining through their industry, perseverance, capable management and honorable business methods most de- sirable and creditable success.
EDWARD M. HELWAGEN.
A prominent representative of the legal profession of the city of Colum- bus, Ohio, is Edward M. Helwagen, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, February 23, 1872, and was a son of Edward
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F. and Mary J. ( Warner) Helwagen, the former being a native of Germany, where he was born May 30, 1840. He came to America in 1849 with his parents, Gottleib and Mary Helwagen, the family settling at Williamsport, Ohio, where they resided until October, 1875, when they removed to Circle- ville, Ohio, Mr. Helwagen removing to Columbus June 21, 1890. His father died in 1875.
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