USA > Ohio > Adams County > A history of Adams County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including character sketches of the prominent persons identified with the first century of the country's growth > Part 107
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Directly after his graduation, in 1869, he took charge of the Pres- byterian Church at Worthington. Ohio, where he was married on June 22, 1870, to Mary Foster. On September 8, 1870, he was ordained by the Presbytery of New Albany, Indiana, having previously accepted a call to Vevay, Indiana. In 1872, he was called to Solon, near Cleve- land; thence to Conneatville and Waterford, Pennsylvania; thence he
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REV. M. D. H. STEEN, D. D. L.L. D.
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was called to Ludlow, Kentucky, where he remained seven years ; thence to Pleasant Ridge, Ohio. He was afterwards located at Troy and Ed- wardsville. Ill., Gunnison and Black Hawk, Col., and Snohomish, Wash- ington. At Conneatville, Pennsylvania, July 4, 1873, his only child, Lulu Grace, was born, and she died July 3, 1876. On September 1, 1886, he located at Woodbridge, Cal., where he still remains as pastor. He made a tour of Europe in 1877 and has travelled in every State and Territory in the United States, in Canada and Mexico. His degree of Doctor of Divinity was given him by the San Joaquin Valley College, California, in 1888, and in 1889, Wooster University conferred on him the degree of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. Since 1893, he has been stated Clerk and Treasurer of the Presbytery of Stockton, a district as large as Ohio. He was a Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1880, 1887 and 1894. In 1895, the General Assembly sent him as delegate to "The Council of the Reformed Churches throughout the world, holding to the Presbyterian system," which met in Glasgow, Scotland. June. 1896. He attended this with his wife and made a tour of British and Continental Europe. He is the author of the following works: "Scriptural Sanctification," "How to be Saved." "The Human Soul," and numerous magazine articles.
His wife is a true helpmate in his sacred profession, cultivated, amiable, and devout. Since 1887, she has been the Presbyterial Secre- tary of the Woman's Occidental Board of Foreign Missions. Dr. Steen is a man of fine culture, deep scholarship, and unusual ability. His Christianity is profound. In many particulars, he has been like John Elliot or Jonathan Edwards, in that he has lavished upon his congrega- tions, in remote places, an amount of learning that would shame many a metropolitan pulpit. He has a warmth of religious affection that would satisfy a Baxter. He cheers the sorrowing, and the poor are helped by his tender consolation. He has lived a noble and useful life and holds the affection of all his people, men, women and children. He is true to all obligations. He believes in, and cultivates in himself and others, those virtues which make true Christian manhood and woman- hood. His life is a true exemplification of his teachings.
Lyman P. Stivers
was born in Bentonville. Adams County, on July 25, 1839. His father was William Stivers. and his mother's maiden name was Mary Downey. She was born at East Liberty, Pennsylvania. Her father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and killed at Sandusky, Ohio. She was brought to Adams County, Ohio, when she was but two years old, in a flatboat on the Ohio River, in a party with the Rev. John Meek, the celebrated Methodist minister. The party landed at Manchester, Ohio, and Aaron Pence reared her. She made her home with him until she was married. She died in 1878 and her husband in 1884. Our subject received a common school education.
He was married September 10, 1861, to Mary I. Fitch, daughter of the Hon. E. M. Fitch, of Brown County, who was a member of the Legislature from that county for four years. Mrs. Fitch was a daughter of Col. Mills Stephenson, of Brown County, Ohio. He was killed in the
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War of 1812 at Fort Stephenson, which was named for him. Our subject is the father of five children, four daughters and one son. His daughter, Ida B. Stivers, born September 17, 1862, is the widow of Frank Gaffin. Cora B. Stivers, his second daughter, was born and died in 1868. Icie W. Stivers, his third daughter, born November 13, 1866, is the wife of E. W. Erdbrink, formerly of Baltimore, Md., now a resident of Man- chester, Ohio. Our subject's son, Joseph Randolph Stivers, born July 23, 1874, who received his Christian names in honor of the late Col. Joseph Cockerill, graduated in the Manchester schools, and is now a traveling salesman.
His daughter, Sallie B. Stivers, was born October 6, 1878. She is married to Samuel A. Walker, formerly of Point Pleasant, W. Va., but now foreman of the Ohio Valley Furniture Company at Manchester. Our subject was reared at Bentonville, Ohio. When quite young he engaged in the mercantile business at that place, where he remained till he was elected Sheriff in 1871. He served as Sheriff one term after which he moved back to Bentonville, where he kept hotel till 1880. He then removed to Manchester, Olio, and engaged as agent 'tor buggies and farm implements. He has been the salesman for the S. P. Tucker Buggy Co., of Manchester, Ohio, for several years and is at present employed by the Piano Manufacturing Company of Pullman, Illinois.
Elisha Pinkney Stout,
Vice-President and Acting President of the Cincinnati Savings Society, located at Nos. 43 and 45 East Fifth Street, in the city of Cincinnati, was born in Greene Township, Adams County, April 5. 1834. His mother was a daughter of Jonathan Wait, and was born on Blue Creek in the same county, in 1811. His father. William Stout. was born on Stout's Run, in Greene Township, in 1806. He was the founder of the village of Rome and sold goods there until his death in 1859. He was the first Postmaster at Stout. the name of the postoffice of the village of Rome. Our subject received such education as the common schools afforded and in 1854 went West. He went to Fort Riley, Kansas, but left there when the Border Ruffian troubles began. He went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, in October, 1854. and took part in locating and establishing the city of Omaha. In 1856, he was elected a member of the Territorial Legislature of Nebraska, and took his seat therein January 3, 1857.
One Winter's legislative experience was sufficient and in the Fall of 1858, like Jo, in "Bleak House," he "moved on" with six others to Pike's Peak, on the discovery of gold there, and with them laid out and started the city of Denver. In 1861. he returned to Ohio. From the organiza- tion of the 91st O. V. I., he was Sutler of that regiment during its service.
In 1865, he entered into the manufacture of fine cut tobacco in Cin- cinnati, as one of the firm of Barber & Stout, and caried on an extensive business until 1882, when he retired from active business. In 1887, he became interested in the manufacture of linseed oil, but gave but little personal attention to the business. He still owns the plant located at Win- ton Junction. He was also interested in the manufacture of wooden- ware in Paulding County. Ohio, with offices in Cincinnati. The busi- ness was conducted under the name of J. P. Gay & Co. Mr. Stout estab-
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lished a reputation in Cincinnati, and wherever his business relations ex- tended, for integrity and ability. For this reason he was invited to be- come a Trustee of the Cincinnati Savings Society in 1892. For two years, though nominally its Vice-President, on account of the sickness and ah- sence of the President, he has been its head and chief executive officer. No one could have been found to have managed it with greater ability and success. Mr. Stout has a high sense of honor and is strictly correct in all his dealings. He has great administrative and executive ability and has been successful in all his undertakings. He would succeed in any financial enterprise, because he would not undertake anywhere he could not com- mand the conditions of success. He is a man of forceful character, and would lead in any vocation he might adopt. He has sound judgment, is discreet and prudent, and is unswerving in any course his judgment ap- proves. He investigates any subject he considers, thoroughly, and when his mind is once made up to a course, he is fearless in its execution. He has no guide in politics or business, but his high sense of duty. When he has once determined on a course in any matter, no one can turn him from it, and this is true of him in every relation of life, in banking, in com- mercial business, or in politics. He was one of the Trustees who built the waterworks of Wyoming, and is a Director of the Electric Lighting Company, which lights Wyoming and several of the surrounding villages. Whenever anything was required to be done for the public, and he was called upon to do it, his services have been eminently successful and satis- factory to his constituents. He is respected and honored by all who know him.
In November 22, 1859, he was married to Miss Margaret Kirk, daughter of A. D. Kirk, of North Liberty, Adams County. He has four daughters, Mrs. William S. Stearns, whose husband is one of the firm of Stearns, Foster & Co., cotton manufactures of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Paducah, Kentucky, another daughter, Mrs. E. E. Moore, whose husband is a cotton broker in New York City, but who resides in Hackensack, New Jersey. He has two daughters at home, Misses Edna and Florence. He lost his only son at the age of fourteen, some six years since. He re- sides in the most attractive home in Wyoming, a suburb of Cincinnati, having thirty acres of ground attached to it in which trees and flowers do their best to make it like the original Eden.
In politics, Mr. Stout has always been a Republican, but has never hesitated to be independent when he thought a duty to the public re- quired it. Enjoying that high position in business life which his talents have commanded, with an interesting family, and surrounded by the most delightful social relations, it is the hearty wish of his friends that his health and life may be spared many years to enjoy these conditions.
Judge I. N. Tolle,
of West Union, was born on Elk Run, in what is now Winchester Township, April 2, 1839. His parents, Denton and Nancy Waldron Tolle, were well known residents of Adams County for many years. Stephen Tolle, the grandparent, was a Virginian by birth and was a pioneer of Adams County. He was a miller by trade and built one of the first mills on Elk Run. The Tolle family is of Welsh descent, and
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displays down to the present generation the strong characteristics of that race.
Judge Tolle was reared in Adams County, and lived from boyhood untii about his fortieth year at Bentonville. Here he attended the Pub- lic schools and later became a pupil in the select school of Prof. Miller, an Eastern educator, who made Bentonville an educational center for several years. Prof. Burns, the author of Burns' English Grammar, was a teacher in this school. Samuel Mckinley, a relative of the ancestors of President Mckinley, was one of the eminent tutors of our subject. So that upon attaining his majority, Judge Tolle was equipped with a good common school education supplemented with a knowledge of the sciences, that enabled him to take a position among the foremost edu- cators of his portion of the State. He was engaged in his chosen pro- fession from 1862 till his election as Probate Judge, in 1881, and during a good deal of that time he was a member of the Board of School Ex- aminers of the county. On the twelfth day of June, 1862, he was united in marriage to Miss Esther A. Edgington, daughter of William L. and Mary A. Payne Edgington. Her grandparents were Virgin- ians and came to Adams County in pioneer days. The grandfather, William Edgington, was a cousin of Asahel and John Edgington, whose biographies appear in this volume, and who were celebrated pioneers of Adams County.
While engaged in the profession of teaching, Judge Tolle read law under the guidance of Hon. Thomas J. Mullen, an eminent lawyer of Adams County for many years. But after some experience in the courts, he took an aversion to the practice of law as observed by him, and laid aside his Chitty forever.
The Judge has been a prominent factor in Adams County politics for over forty years, never having missed voting at but one election, April. 1863, when very sick, in all that time. He was elected Clerk of Sprigg Township in 1861 and re-elected in 1862. Refused the nomination in 1863, but in 1864 the Democratic party, of which he has always been an active member, took him up and elected him Clerk of the Township the two suc- ceeding years. In 1871, he was appointed School Examiner by Judge Coryell, and he served continuously in that capacity until 1881, when he was elected on the Democratic ticket Probate Judge of Adams County. He was re-elected three times in succession to this office, so that he served in the office a term of twelve years. He was nominated for a fifth term and defeated by a plurality of twenty-nine votes. His defeat was caused mainly from the fact that being Chairman of the Democratic County Executive Committee the first year of President Cleveland's second term. the disappointed applicants for postmasterships put the blame on the Judge, while in reality Senator Brice controlled this patronage. The Judge has been a member of the West Union School Board, City Council, Trustee of Wilson Children's Home, County Board of Elections, and of the Democratic State Central Committee. He has always been feared from his safe counsel to his party, more than any Democrat of the county, by Republican politicians. He has but one child, Hallam V., who was his Deputy while Probate Judge, and who
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made most of the records of the office except the journal, which records are not excelled in any Probate office of the State. Hallam married Mary Robuck, a daughter of Thomas Robuck, of West Union, and is now the business associate of his father.
Judge Tolle is a member of West Union Lodge, No. 43, F. & A. M., and of Manchester Chapter, No. 129, R. A. M. Also, of West Union Lodge, No. 570, I. O. O. F., and of West Union Encampment, No. 219. He and his wife were members of the Disciples Church at Bentonville until it ceased to exist in 1880. Mrs. Tolle is now a con- sistent member of the Baptist Church, of West Union.
Isaac Frederick Tharp
was born on the David Stevenson farm in Monroe Township, Adams County, Ohio, on the twenty-fifth day of September, 1875, the son of Isaac Tharp. He showed a taste for learning and books at the age of five years, and acquired knowledge from them as rapidly as his circum- stances and surroundings would permit. His mother died when he was eighteen years of age. He determined to qualify himself as a teacher, and did so at a great sacrifice. He sold his last horse in 1898 to obtain money to attend a Normal school at West Union. In 1899, he obtained a certificate to teach in the Public schools in Adams County; and was so favorably known in the district of his own home that he was employed to teach the Public school there. He began it in the Fall, and con- tinued it until the ninth of January, 1900, when he was taken sick with what proved to be typhoid pneumonia. His disease baffled all medical skill, and he died on the seventeenth of January, 1900. On the day fol- lowing, he was buried beside his mother in the Nesbit cemetery.
He had subscribed for this work at the first opportunity, and looked forward with great pleasure to its forthcoming. He was one of the eight subscribers to the work who were called away after ordering it and before its publication. He was a model young man in every respect, and it seems a great pity that he could not have been spared to complete what promised to be a most useful life. He left a precious memory to his friends and a bright example to the world.
William Treber,
of Dunkinsville, was born at the old Treber Tavern, on Lick Fork, in which he now resides, August 10, 1825. He is a son of Jacob Treber, whose father, John Treber, was a pioneer of Adams County, and opened the old tavern on Lick Fork in 1798. Jacob Treber married Jane Thoroman.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and after reaching man's estate, married Miss Melissa Thoroman, daughter of Samuel Thor- oman and Rachel Florea, January 10, 1856. His children are Anna: Agnes, married to Doctor O. T. Sproull; Sallie, Lizzie, Clara, married to Cameron Tucker : Jacob, who married Margaret Chapman; Lucy, married to Ola Thoroman; Stella, married to Dr. Treber Crawford, and Lyman, who married Lulu Gaffin.
Mr. Treber is one of the most prominent citizens of Adams County, and is honored and respected by all who know him. He is a
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Democrat of the Jackson school and has often been honored by his party with official recognition. He served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners, and was on the Board of Trustees of Tiffin Township for fifteen years. His father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and his grandfather, was a soldier, in the Revolution from the State of New York.
William T. Thoroman,
of Wheat, was born on Wheat Ridge, February 15, 1844. He is a son of John Thoroman and his wife, Rosanna Hamilton. He was brought up on his father's farm working in Summer and attending the District school in Winter, in which he received a good common school edu- cation. He enlisted as a Private in Company G, 182d O. V. I., and was mustered into service at Cincinnati, September 28, 1864, and hon- orably discharged at Nashville, July 7, 1865. This regiment belonged to the Engineering Corps of the Army of the Cumberland, and took part in the battle of Nashville, December 15-16, 1864. Returning to Adams County after the war, he married Miss Harriet C. Elliott, Feburary 29, 1872, daughter of John Elliott, who married Mary Collier, a daughter of Colonel Daniel Collier, whose sketch appears elsewhere. The chil- dren of William T. Thoroman and wife are: Ola C., Lloyd A., and Laura B., deceased. Mr. Thoroman is a Republican and was Census Enumerator for Oliver Township in 1890. He is a member of the M. E. Church at Dunkinsville.
The Thoromans came originally from Delaware. There were two brothers. Thomas and Samuel, who married sisters. Thomas married Hester Crawford and Samuel her sister Anna, in the State of Pennsyl- vania. From there they came to Ohio.
J. Wesley Thoroman, (deceased,)
son of Oliver Thoroman, was born March 21, 1828, on the old homestead farm one mile north of Dunkinsville, Ohio. He was reared on the farm, and followed that occupation through life. He attained a good com- mon school education, and was well qualified to fill any position in the ordinary affairs of life. March 3, 1853, he married Almira Mason, a daughter of Squire Samuel S. Mason, of Tiffin Township, Adams County. To this union there were born Lyman O., Theodore M., Sallie J., Wesley H., Anna, and I. J., the fourth son, now residing on the old home farm. The subject of this sketch was a man very highly es- teemed in the community in which he lived. He was a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity in good standing at the time of his decease, November 28, 1890. In politics, he was a Democrat of the Jeffersonian type.
Harvey James Thompson,
pharmacist, of West Union, was born on Island Creek, Adams County, January 10, 1871. His father was John Thompson, and his mother, Dorcas Jane Vance. He was educated in the common schools, Man- chester High school and the Normal University, Lebannon, Ohio. He taught in the Public schools of Adams County from 1891 to 1893, and then took a course in pharmacy at Ada, Ohio, where he graduated in that science. February 19, 1895, he married Eva Prather, and they have
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one interesting little daughter, Anna Thelma, as fruit of that union. Mr. Thompson is a successful business man and is repected in the commu- nity where he resides. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Improved Order of Red Men, and belongs to the uniformed rank of each of these orders. He was left an orphan at the age of nine years and by energy and economy, under the watchful care of his mother, acquired a good education and has now a good business and a pleasant home.
Dr. Titus Stevenson,
of Cherry Fork, is recognized as one of the most accomplished physicians and surgeons of Adams County. He acquired a good English educa- tion including a course in the sciences, a thorough knowledge of which is so necessary to the successful practitioner. In his seventeenth year, he began the study of medicine under the tutorship of Dr. L. C. Lay- cock, then of Decatur, Ohio, and after a preparatory course, entered Starling Medical College at Columbus, Ohio, for the term 1886-7. In 1887-8, he was a student in the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, from which he graduated with high honors in March, 1888. After graduation, he opened an office in Youngsville, this county, and in October of that year married Miss Mary E. Williams, daughter of W. P. Williams, a descendant of an old and respected family of Adams County.
In 1890, Dr. Stevenson removed to Aberdeen, Ohio, where he had a large and lucrative practice till 1893, when at the solicitation of friends and old patrons who recognized his great ability and skill as a physician and surgeon, he was induced to return to Adams County, and located in the beautiful and thriving little village of Cherry Fork. Here he enjoys not only a lucrative practice, but the esteem and friendship of all who come in contact with him.
Dr. Stevenson comes of good old Scotch ancestry, his paternal great-grandfather, Col. Mills W. Stephenson, being a direct descend- ant of one of the four "Stinson" or Stevenson brothers, who came to America from Scotland in the Seventeenth Century. His maternal grandmother was a descendant of Governor General Joseph Waters, of the West Indies, under British rule.
Col. Mills W. Stevenson cleared and improved the farm now known as the W. A. Montgomery farm in Liberty township, Adams County.
Dr. Stevenson is a son of John M. Stevenson, of Decatur, Ohio, who married Mary Jane Geeslin, daughter of Acklass Geeslin, of Brown County. The Doctor is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, and of North Liberty Lodge, No. 613, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. In politics, he is a believer in the teachings of Jefferson, Jackson and Bryan.
The family of Dr. Stevenson consists of Miss L. Grace, Augustus D., Guy A., and L. Preston. The Doctor and his family are connected with the M. E. Church, he having been reared in that faith.
John Shumaker,
of West Union, Ohio, was born in Harrisburgh, Pa., September 22, 1837. His father was Jos. H. Shumaker and mother, Susan Shumaker, whose maiden name was Susan Walton. He emigrated to Fairfield
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County, Ohio, with his father's family at the age of eight years, where he attended the common schools, and at the age of seventeen was granted a one year certificate by the Board of School Examiners of Fairfield County, Ohio. At about this time he, with his parents, moved and settled on a farm in Morrow County, Ohio, where his time was occupied on his father's farm during the Summer and teaching during the Winter months.
At the breaking out of the Civil War, he enlisted July, 1862, in the 45th O. V. I., but was not mustered into the service on account of being disabled by sickness. On July 20, 1864, he re-enlisted in the 178th O. V. I., and served as First Sergeant of Company K, until the regiment was mustered out at Charlotte, N. C., July 1, 1865.
He then returned to his father's farm and was engaged in farming, teaching, and clerking. He was connected with the Adams Express Company from 1877 to 1880, as Express Messenger between Pittsburgh and Chicago, on the P., F. W. & C. R. R. From 1881 to 1883. he was en- gaged in teaching in Scott County, Ills. He returned to Ohio and was engaged in various occupations until May, 1893, when he settled in West Union and conducted a restaurant in the Mullen Building. September 21, 1893, he married Miss Cedora F. Caraway, of Adams County. At the November election, 1894, he was elected a Justice of the Peace of Tiffin Township. At the April election, 1896, he was elected Mayor of the incorporated village of West Union. April, 1897, he was re- elected as Justice of the Peace, and in April, 1898, was re-elected Mayor, which offices he now holds.
William Jacob Shuster.
William Jacob Shuster is the son of Frederick and Jacobina Shus- ter. His mother's maiden name was Jacobina Kohler. They came from Germany in the year 1831. William. Jacob Shuster was born May 5, 1856, and married Anna Mahaffey, March 9, 1881.
He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Republican. He was elected Assessor of Liberty Township three time, and is at pres- ent Superintendent of the Adams County Infirmary.
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