USA > Ohio > Putnam County > A Portrait and biographical record of Allen and Putnam counties, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Ohio, pt 2 > Part 35
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Thomas R. McClure, our subject's father, was born in Baltimore, Md., September 9, 1804. fle was mited in marriage to Miss Faithful E. Ditter, who was born at Peach- bottom, Pa., the date of her birth being Oc- tober 17, 1814. Thomas R. McClure and his
family lived in Muskingum county, Ohio, until 1840, when they removed to Putnam county, and entered eighty acres of land in Blanchard township. Here Mr. McClure became prom- inently identified with the early history of the county, and was several times given political preferment by being elected to various high offices in the gift of the people. He was one of the early sheriffs of Putnamn county, and as Kalida was the county seat, he removed to that place, where he continued his residence until his death. Later he was elected treas- urer of the county, a position which he filled for four years to the eminent satisfaction of his constituents and the general public. He was a prominent pillar in the Methodist church, to which he contributed liberally, an ! was a charter member and the first junior warden of the first Masonic lodge (No. 180) formed in Putnam county. His death occurred March 28, 1864, and he was buried with high Ma- sonic honors. His estimable wife survived him many years, her death taking place Jan- uary 17, 1893. Thomas and Faithful McClure were the parents of eight sons, whose names, in order of birth, are as follows: John, Milton E., George D., Nathaniel C., Andrew J., Thomas R. (deceased), Charles G. and William D.
. Andrew J. McClure, our subject, was born in Putnam county, Ohio, September 6, 1847. He received excellent educational discipline, and for eleven years taught school with an eminent degree of success, a vocation which wa's also followed to a greater or less extent by all seven of his brothers. After pursuing a course of technical reading in the law he was admitted to the bar, March, 7, 1882, and commenced the practice of his chosen profes- sion at Kalida, Putnam county. At the be- ginning of the year 1886 he received the ap- pointment as claim agent of the Cotton Belt Railroad company, with headquarters at Tex- arkana, Ark., at a salary of $1, 800 per annum.
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He filled the position most acceptably for two years and then resigned, notwithstanding the fact that the company proffered him a salary of $2, 500 a year if he would consent to re- main with them. He returned to Kalida, Ohio, but soon afterward removed to Conti- nental, from which point he has since prac- ticed his profession. His technical ability, facility in debate and his judicial acumen in counsel have gained him a representative cli- entele, and he has achieved an enviable repu- tation throughout the county, being recognized as one of the representative members of the Putnam county bar.
Mr. McClure was united in marriage, Sep- tember 24, 1874, to Miss Elizabeth Foley, who was a native of Putnam county, being the daughter of James and Rhoda Foley, who were among the highly respected pioneers of Union township. The married life of our sub- ject was of brief duration, for he was called upon to mourn the death of his beloved wife September 22, 1875, only a short time after the birth of a daughter, Elizabeth M., who was born on the 3d day of that month. The daughter died October 12, 1885.
Our subject is a stanch democrat and has over taken an active interest in public affairs, his voice often being heard in the councils of the leaders of his party. Fraternally he is a prominent and active member of the Masonic order, being a charter member and first senior deacon in the lodge of Free and Accepted Ma- sons at Continental, and a royal arch Mason of chapter No. 125, of Ottawa.
HILIP R. McDONNEL, the popular hardware merchant of Latty, Pauld- ing township, Paulding county, Ohio, has been in business here since 1888, with the exception of one year, from Decem- ber, 1894, to December, 1895, when he was
engaged in the same business at Continental, Putnam county. Mr. McDonnel was born June 23, 1860, in Fayette county, Ohio, and lived on his father's farm until sixteen years of age, and then for three a half years worked at shoemaking, but on account of ill health was compelled to relinquish the bench and seek the open air and an agricultural life for seven years in the fields of Van Wert and Mercer counties.
James W. McDonnel, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia in August, 1828, but, although a native of a southern state, was loyal to the flag of the Union and served for three years in its defense, going into the vol- unteer service from Fayette county, Ohio. He married Miss Annie Jones, and to this union were born the following children: George W., Martha, John, Alonzo, James, Philip R. and Jacob E. The mother of these children died in Fayette county in 1862, and the father next married Martha J. Kilgore, a native of Fayette county, .Ohio, and to this marriage have been born Jasper and Augusta McDonnel.
The marriage of our subject, Philip R. McDonnel, was with Miss Almira E. Shep- herd, who was born in Mercer county, Ohio, February 8, 1858, a daughter of James and Polly A. (Hamilton) Shepherd, who are among the most respectable and substantial residents of Union township, Mercer county. To this felicitous union have been born Nora B., Ora B. (who died November 15, 1892,) and Ho- mer L. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. McDon- nel located at Middlepoint, Van Wert county, Ohio, and engaged in the millinery business for a year or more; then moved to Mendon, Mercer coounty, where they lived for two years, and thence moved to Latty, Paulding county, where Mrs McDonnel continued to follow the millinery business, in which she was quite an artist. and Mr McDonnel em barked in the Hardware trade, in which he has
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since been so successful. While in business at Continental Mrs. McDonnel has met with phe- nomenal success as a milliner, and occupied a show-room in a building separate from that in which her husband carried on his trade, and was the leader of style in the township, draw- ing her patronage from all the country round- about, owing to her exquisite taste as dis- played in the production of ladies' head-wear. In the hardware trade Mr. McDonnel has been equally successful, and succeeded in establish- ing almost a monopoly, carrying, as he did, a full line of heavy, shelf and builders' ware, and everything pertaining to the trade. On August 12. 1894, Mr. McDonnel was burned out, losing two buildings, one having two busi- ness-rooms. The loss from this fire was nearly total, Mr. McDonnel receiving only $500 in- surance on the buildings and $250 as damages to the millinery and hardware stocks.
In politics Mr. McDonnel is a republican, and in religion he and wife are members of the Society of Friends. Mr. McDonnel is also a member of K. of P. lodge, No. 650, of Latty, Ohio. He is the owner of a neat farm of eighty acres in Palmer township, Putnam county, Ohio, all well improved, and also a farm of 500 acres in Scott county, Tenn., two miles from Helenwood, the county seat .. All this property he has made through his own ex- ertions, and it is evident that he is equally successful in his mercantile trade, as he is pos- sessed of the valuable qualities-urbanity and a disposition to please-which are the factors of success in any and all of life's ventures.
UGH L. MODOWELL, postmaster of Ottawa, and ex-treasurer of Putnam county, is a native of Ohio, and son of James and Agnes (Bacon) Mc- Dowell. James McDowell was born in Lick- ing county, Ohio, where he spent the greater
part of his life, moving thence, in 1845, to the county of Putnam, where he died two years later. By occupation he was a farmer and made his first purchase in Putnam county in 1844, his place consisting of eighty acres of wild land, upon which he erected a small cabin, for the reception of his family, the year following. He died in 1847, leaving a widow and four children, two sons and two daughters, viz: Isaac, deceased; Hugh L., Jane, and Sarah, wife of Joseph Bartoon. The mother subsequently married William Sackett; she died at Gilboa, Putnam county, at the age of seventy-four years.
Hugh L. McDowell was born in the county of Licking, Ohio, August 12, 1841, and in his fourth year was brought by his parents to Put- nam county, of which he has since been an honored resident. He attended, at intervals, the country schools, but was early obliged to rely on his own resources for a livelihood. At the age of fifteen he began working by the month as a farm laborer during the summer seasons, and in the winter worked for his board, while he attended school. On attain- ing his majority he took charge of the home place, which he operated for several years, and after it was sold he purchased sixty acres of timber land in Riley township, which he cleared and upon which he resided until 1873, moving in that year to Ottawa. During the stay in Riley township he was engaged in general farming and in buying and selling stock, the latter proving very remunerative. He was also assessor of the aforesaid township for a period of eight years, and in 1879 was elected county treasurer, the duties of which position he discharged in a manner creditable to himself and highly satisfactory to the public for four years. At the expiration of his official term Mr. McDowell returned to his home place, and for five years thereafter was engaged in agricultural pursuits and the stock business,
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giving the greater part of his attention to the latter, while his sons managed the farm. He bought extensively throughout northwestern Ohio, and for a number of years was con- sidered one of the heaviest shippers in this part of the state. He was associated for some time with Matthew Ewing, and after that gen- tleman's death continued the business alone until 1893. In March, 1894, he was ap- pointed postmaster of Ottawa, receiving his commission the same month. In the manage- ment of the office Mr. McDowell has displayed executive ability of a high order, and has proved a most capable and popular official. His sons, Harvey and Isaac, assist him as deputies, and it is conceded by all that the office has never been in more efficient and trustworthy hands.
Mr. McDowell moved to Ottawa in 1891, since which time he has practically retired from all business, except that pertaining to the post-office. He is a democrat of the old school, and has contributed not a little to the success of his party in Putnam county. He belongs to the F. & A. M., Ottawa lodge, No. 325, and is also a member of the Royal Ar- canum. Mr. McDowell was married June 23, 1865, to Miss Mary E. Ridge, daughter of William Ridge, a union blessed with the birth of eight children, viz: Orvill, druggist; James W., street commissioner of Ottawa; Harvey H., deputy postmaster; David, barber of Ottawa; Isaac Newton, clerk in post-office; Earnest; Nelson H. ; and Cortis E.
Mr. McDowell is essentially a self-made man, and as such ranks with the foremost cit- izens of the county of Putnam. He has done his full share in the development of the county, and seconds every movement having for its object the advancement of the commu- nity. He served in the late war, in company D, Twenty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, and participated in a muuber of battles, the most
noted of which was the engagement at Stone river. He was honorably discharged at De- card Station, Tenn., August 7, 1863.
ILLIAM McELDERRY, a promi- nent and self-made farmer-citizen of Pleasant township, Putnam coun- ty, Ohio, was born in Carroll county May 14, 1840. At the age of nine years he was taken to Delaware county by his parents, who remained there six years, and then moved to Union county, where they lived until 1865. They then came to Putnam county and lo- cated in Pleasant township, our subject all this time following the pursuit of farming and remaining with his parents until his marriage, January 5, 1868, with Miss Louisa Bogart, a native of Putnam county, born February 23, 1851, and daughter of William and Eliza (Critten) Bogart, of Pennsylvania-German de- scent. He had purchased forty acres of the land on which he now lives, and he has since added to his possessions until he is now the owner of 233 acres, of which 208 are under cultivation. He received from his father twenty-six acres of land, which he sold for $1,000. This money he invested, together with other inoney subsequently acquired, in adding to the original forty acres he had previously pur- chased, in section No. 19, as follows: Twenty acres adjoining in the north; eleven acres nortli of this last purchase; twenty acres adjoining the northwest corner of his farm; then seventy acres in section No. 20, adjoining the forty on the east; then ten acres in section No. 19, and then thirty-three acres adjoining the last purchase, and subsequently twenty-nine acres adjoining the original forty on the north, the entire tract being now in one piece. In his purchase he secured several domiciles, and still owns two well improved places His homestead he hewed bodily from the wilder-
7tw
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ness, assisted by his willing wife, and this is well ditched and tiled, and his dwelling com- modious and substantial, modern and conveni- ent, is situated about two and one-half miles from Columbus Grove.
William McElderry's parents, Richard and Eliza .(Gailey) McElderry, were natives of Beaver county, Pa., and were married in that state. The father of Richard, John McEl- derry, was born in Ireland, married a Miss McCabe, and on coming to America first lo- cated in Pennsylvania, later came to Ohio and settled in Carroll county, and there ended his days. Richard McElderry was a brick-layer and stone-cutter, became a resident of Putnam county, Ohio, engaged in farming on a tract of 190 acres of land which he had bought in the wild state, and which he had cleared up and put in a first-class state of cultivation, and here passed the remainder of his life, dying in January, 1867, a leading member of the Presbyterian church and a democrat in poli- tics. His widow survived until May, 1879, when she, too, was called away. The children born to Richard and Eliza McElderry were eleven in number, born in the following order: Margaret J., deceased wife of J. H. Noble, left two children; Mary is the wife of E. L. D. Tracy; Jonathan died in the army during the late Civil war; James and Samuel died young; William is the subject of this sketch; Joseph died a soldier while fighting for the preserva- tion of the Union; John served through the late war and is now a resident of Columbus Grove; Andrew died young; Sarah married George Arnold, a farmer and carpenter; James S. was in the regular army of the United States and died in Wyoming. William Bo- gart, the father of Mrs. McElderry, had born to him by his first wife, Louisa Critten, six children, viz: Mary E., Louisa (Mrs. McEl- derry), Amanda, James, Daniel L. and Will- iam W. In 1863 the mother of this family 19
passed from earth, the children became scat- tered, and Mr. Bogart re-married and went to live in Arkansas. To his second marriage have been born eight children, who are scattered from Massachusetts to Oklahoma.
To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McEl- derry have been born eight children, of whom two died young, the survivors being named Gertrude, who is the wife of Charles Michael, a farmer; Louisa J., married to Chester H. Jones, also a farmer; Francis M., Virgil, Ever- ett L. and Len, at home. The parents are both members of the United Brethren church, and in politics Mr. McElderry hns been entirely independent, voting as his judgment dictated for either of the old parties until within the past two years, since when he has exercised his franchise in favor of the populists. Mr. Mc- Elderry, in arranging his lands and getting his farm into good shape, has made eight different purchases. For his first forty acres he paid $12 per acre; since then the plats have varied in price, his last tract costing him $94.40 per acre, and he now has his farm nicely squared up, with a very tasteful dwelling thereon, barns, orchards, and every improvement tending to make a model farm. His property is the re- sult of his own and his wife's joint industry and hard labor, and no names are better deserving a place in this volume than those of Mr. and Mrs. McElderry. He has paid a good deal of attention to cattle, in which he has dealt ex- tensively for a good many years, meeting with great success. He has served upon the school board and filled the office of district clerk. He and his wife visited the World's Fair, and from a clear apprehension of the innumerable and wonderful exhibits of agricultural products and implements, as well as live stock, came back a wiser man. Mr. McElderry points, with pride, to the fact, with all his extensive deal- ings in cattle and other businesses, that he has never been sued, nor has he sued any one.
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.
N. KELLEY, a thriving and highly respected farmer of Pleasant town- ship, Putnam county, is a native of Shelby county, Ohio, born Novem- ber 30, 1845, and is a son of Isaac Kelley, also a native of the Buckeye state and a tailor by trade, and Phebe A. (Livingston) Kelley- Isaac, after his marriage, also becoming a farmer. Isaac Kelley was of Scotch-Irish descent and his wife of Pennsylvania-German extraction. The latter was the widow of Thomas Kelley when she was married to Isaac, and the mother of three children-Elizabeth, Mary and Martha; by her marriage with Isaac Kelley she became the mother of five children, viz: Larinda, married to Andy Cotterman; Rhoda, wife of Jacob Cotterman; Thomas, a resident of Van Wert county; H. N., the sub- ject of this sketch, and Sarah E., wife of Wes- ley Wade. Isaac Kelley died about 1848, and Mrs. Kelley next married William McManly; to this union were born two children-William, who resides at Rimer, Ohio, and George, at Dashler. The mother of these children died in the fall of 1875, a life-long member of the Baptist church, our subject having done her farming and with filial care attended to her wants in her latter days.
H. N. Kelley was reared a farmer. He was but three years of age when his father died and was under the care of his mother un- til he was old enough to do something for him- self; but when that period was reached he did much toward keeping the family together and in aiding his mother during her widowhood. After her marriage with Mr. McManly he still contimied with the family for some time, but worked out by the month until about 1865, when he went to Warren county, where he passed five years. In 1870 he came to Put- nam county, and leased a farm for six years, but in the meantime bought a tract of sixty acres. In the fall of 1876 he married Miss
Anna E. Beard, who was born in Madison county, Ohio, May 3, 1859, a daughter of Jo- siah and Henrietta (Corwin) Beard, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ohio, and in the latter state were married. A year after his marriage Mr. Kelley rented his father- in-law's farm, and since then has bought out the heirs, the property comprising 104 acres, of which fifty acres were cleared. Mr. Kelley has the place all now cleared up, with the ex- ception of eight acres; has it ditched and tiled and under cultivation; has remodeled the dwelling and made many other important im- provements. The farm is delightfully situated a mile and a half from Columbus Grove, and Mr. Kelley has converted it into a most desir- able home. Here he and his family contime to reside in the enjoyment of the respect of the entire neighborhood. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kelly three children, of whom one, a son, died in infancy; Eva was born March 26, 1879, and Blanch Marie, February 4, 1881, and both are living at home.
Josiah Beard, the father of Mrs. Kelley, when a young man, was in the railroad busi- ness, but afterward bought a farm in Pleasant Valley, Ohio. The mother of Mrs. Kelley was of Scotch-Irish descent and a second cousin of Tom Corwin, the celebrated statesman. Mr. Beard came to Putnam county in 1856, bought a small farm, with a few acres cleared. then lived in Columbus Grove until his farmhouse was built, and here he resided a few years, when he sold and moved to Kenton; a short time afterward he came to Pleasant township and bought the farm on which Mr. Kelley now lives; in 1878 he retired to Columbus Grove and there died in 1881, an honored and highly respected citizen. His widow, at the age of fifty-six years, is a resident of Columbus Grove, a devont member of the United Brethren church, of which Mr. Beard was also a mem- ber. By a former marriage Mr. Beard was the
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father of one son, William, a railroad con- ductor and a resident of Columbus, Ohio; by his second marriage there was one child also born-Mrs. Kelley. Mr. Kelley is a self-made man and is a credit to the community in which he lives, and whose respect he enjoys to the full. In politics he is independent, using his own sound judgment as to how he shall exer- cise his franchise.
D. MACK, an enterprising and pros- perous young farmers of Liberty township, Putnam county, Ohio, is a native of the Buckeye state and was born in Fairfield county April 5, 1851. His parents, Christian and Mary (Stiger) Mack, were born respectively in Fairfield county Feb- ruary 15, 1825, and in Switzerland in January, 1824. The parents of Christian Mack came from Germany at a very early date and set- tled in Fairfield county, where the father cleared ap a farm and built and ran a grist- mill until called away by death. Christian Mack learned wagon-making, which trade he followed in his younger days and then engaged in farming in his native county until the fall of 1858, when he came to Putnam county and bought a tract of eighty acres, on which was a small improvement, and this tract he soon remodeled and converted into an excellent farm. Being possessed of considerable means he afterward became a large land-owner. After coming here, however, he still followed his trade to some extent in conjunction with farming, but in a short time relinquishod wagon-making entirely. Of his homestead he cleared and placed under cultivation 150 acres and otherwise inproved to the utmost. He was a Lutheran in religion and very active in church work, giving especial attention to Sun- day-school affairs. In politics he was a dem- ocrat, and, although he was never an aspirant
for public office, was greatly interested in po- litical matters. His death took place Febru- ary 16, 1894 -- an honored and highly respected citizen. His widow, at the ripe age of seventy- two years, is still a resident on the homestead and is also a devout member of the Lutheran church. Of the family of twelve children born to Mr. and Mrs. Christian Mack, eight were reared to maturity and named as follows: Edward, a farmer of Liberty township; H. D., our subject; George C., a farmer; Maggie, wife of George Kratzer, Farmer; W. F. and B. F., both on parts of the homestead; Catherine, married to John Kratzer, farmer, and Sarah, wife of T. F. Hummon, a hardware clerk at Leipsic.
H. D. Mack, the subject of this biograph- ical sketch, was eight years of age when brought to Liberty township by his parents. Here he was trained to farming, grew to manhood. and remained at home until his marriage, in 1876, to Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, a widow, who had borne the maiden name of Fordner. She lost her parents when she was quite young and was reared to womanhood by Daniel Marshall and wife, whose kindness she will always cher- ish and whom she regards with a filial affec- tion. She was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, April 3, 1855, and was first married to Phillip Miller, by whom she was the mother of two children, viz: William C., now farm- ing on his own account, and Eva R., the wife of Peter Ballmer, a carpenter. It should here be remarked that these two children were reared to maturity by our subject, Mr. Mack, who spared no pains to bring them up to lives of usefulness. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Mack has been blessed by the birth of seven children, viz: Florence, Mary, Clyde, Charlie, Clarence, Myrtle and Melvin, all still at home.
At his marriage Mr. Mack settled on a tract of forty acres presented to hum by his father, of which tract fifteen actes had been
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cleared and improved with a cabin. To this farm our subject, through his own industry, has added eighty acres, and has cleared over 100 acres- --- ditched and tiled and placed in an excellent state of cultivation; he has built a commodious dwelling, a good barn and out- buildings for all farm purposes, has a wind- mill and orchard, and has a neat, tidy and comfortable home, that can vie with any other in the township. In politics Mr. Mack is a democrat, has served as township treasurer two years, and is now serving his second term as township trustee; he is also a member of the board of education, and has filled, beside, several minor township offices, much to the satisfaction of his neighbors, whom he has been more desirous to serve than to reap any personal benefits through filling public posi- tions. In religion Mr. and Mrs. Mack are con- sistent members of the Lutheran church, and socially they stand deservedly high.
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