A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 129

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 129

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He was a republican in his political views. He was a member of the city Board of Elections in Portsmouth, from 1889 to 1895. He was a prom- inent member of Bigelow Methodist Episcopal church in Portsmouth, during his entire life in the city and was superintendent of the Sunday schools of that church for twenty-seven years. He was Grand Regent of the Royal Arcanum of Ohio. from 1892 to 1893. and representative to the Supreme Council 1894 to 1896. He was always interested in his surviving comrades in the civil war, and took great interest in the Grand Army of the Republic. He served as Post Commander of the local Post. He was a member of the Loyal Legion. In 1895. he accepted a position with the Welsbach Commercial Company. and removed to the Pacific coast. where he became prominent in all the fraternal organiza- tions to which he belonged in Ohio. Mr. Ewing was a man of fine and com- manding presence. In all parliamentary bodies his genius shone. He was a fluent, easy speaker and could always command attention in any deliberative body or public meeting. His remarks were uniformly apropos and to the point. He was a born poet, and could compose poems whenever the occasion demanded. As a toastmaster at banquets and social functions. he was much in demand and there his talents for such occasions shone resplendent. He has left poems of which any poet might be proud. He had fine literary tastes and cultivated them all the time. He was genial and courteous to all, a pleasant and agreea- ble companion. He was highly esteemed by the public as will appear bv the nu- merous municipal offices he was called upon to fill; and he discharged the duties of all of them in the most complete and efficient manner. His church and fra-

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ternal work he took up on the Pacific coast with the same interest and zeal he manifested at his home in Ohio. In San Francisco, hewas on the official board of the Central M. E. church, chaplain of the Grand Army Post, to which he be- longed there, a District Deputy of the Royal Arcanum, an officer of the Ohio So- ciety, etc. He was not happy except when fully employed, and social functions were his delight, and his part in the same was pleasing to all concerned. He was a man of a high sense of honor and of the most tender sensibilities. He died in the midst of his labors, October 20, 1900, and was interred in the Oak Grove cemetery at Delaware, Ohio. He left a widow and one daughter, an only child, Mrs. Jessie Ewing Stokes, wife of Professor Horace A. Stokes, superin- tendent of the schools at Delaware, Ohio.

James Henderson Farmer

was born November 10, 1850, at Hanging Rock, Ohio. His father was James William Farmer and his mother was Elizabeth (Griffin) Farmer. He is the third of fifteen children. His father is living at the age of seventy-seven and his mother also, at the age of seventy-two. Of the fifteen children there were five sons and ten daughters, of whom four sons are living and six daughters. The daughters are all married. He was raised at Pine Grove Furnace while John G. Peebles was manager, and attended the Sunday school of which Mr. Peebles was superintendent. He attended school at Pine Grove and re- ceived only a common school education. He entered the employ of Means, Kyle & Company at the age of twenty-three, as assistant manager of the fur- nace and remained three years. He then became book-keeper and storekeeper for the company at New Castle and was there seven years. During the year of 1883 he worked as salesman for J. J. Towell & Company, dry goods mer- chants. He was storekeeper at Little Aetna during 1884 and 1885. He farmed opposite Hanging Rock in Kentucky, from 1885 to 1888. He kept a general store in Haverhill from 1888 to 1894, and came to Portsmouth where he has since resided. He owned and operated the East End feed store till November, 1898, when it was burned. He then started a coal business and implement store which he gave up in 1901. and opened a general store.

He was married March 15, 1875, to Naomi M. Williams daughter of Henry Williams, of Greenup, Kentucky. She is a descendant of James Williams, a Revolutionary soldier. (See his sketch on page 214.)

They have five children: Henry, Jane Myrtle, Mary, Sarah and Elizabeth. Our subject is a republican and a member of the Manley M. E. church of Ports- mouth, Ohio. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum and also of the Masonic order. Mr. Farmer is a citizen highly esteemed in the entire circle of his ac- quaintance.

Ira C. Farney,

one of the prominent citizens of Sciotoville, is a native of that place, born NO- vember 23, 1867. He is a son of Van B. Farney, who died November 5, 1872, and Minerva (Coriell) Farney, with whom he makes his home on a farm in the eastern part of the town. His father, Van B. Farney, wa's a native of Virginia, born March 21, 1836, and came to Sciotoville with his parents when four years old. He obtained a good common school education, and at the age of 17 he en- tered the employ of the late Robert S. Wynn, a prominent contractor on public works in those days. At the age of eighteen, he commenced contracting himself and built many of the bridges, piers, etc. that were constructed during the fif .. ties and sixties. At intervals, during the winters, he taught in the public schools of Sciotoville and Harrison township. He was the prime mover in the organization of, and the largest stockholder in the Salamander Fire Brick Com- pany, which was operated by the partnership known as Farney, Murray & Com- pany; and he was instrumental in organizing the corporation of the Scioto Fire Brick Company, which absorbed the Salamander and in which, he was a charter member.

His mother, Minerva (Coriell) Farney, was born in Harrison township September 3, 1838, and was the daughter of Ira and Serena (White) Coriell. She taught five years in the public schools, and was married to Mr. Farney Sep- tember 30, 1860. She is a sister of William B. and Alfred J. Coriell of Harrison township, and Mrs. Harriet Wilcox, deceased.

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Ira C. Farney, the subject of this sketch, is one of five children. viz: Mrs. Serena Shump, born August 30, 1861. wife of Theodore Q. Shump, of Portsmouth; Ella Winnifrede, who was born June 30, 1863, and died April 2. 1878; William L., who was born October 16, 1865. and is now living in Cincin- nati; and Hattie Amelia, who was born October 24. 1869. and died June 20, 1901. He was reared on the farm and attended the public schools of Sciotoville, ob- taining a good common school education. On January 1. 1890, he entered the employ of the Scioto Fire Brick Company as office assistant under the late C. P. Lloyd, president. On May 1. following. he was promoted to chief storekeep- er, which position he filled until January 1, 1894, when he returned to the office and was given sole charge of the books. He continued in this capacity until January 1, 1900. when he became assistant superintendent and traveling sales- man, which position he now fills.

Our subject is a member of the Christian church and is now and has been superintendent of the Sciotoville Christian Sunday school almost consecutively for the past fifteen years. In politics. he is a staunch republican.

Mr. Farney is a man of fine physical build and appearance. He is rather domestic in his habits and tenderly cares for his widowed mother. They to- gether occupy the home of his boyhood days. He is an active Sunday school worker and cheerfully supports all movements for the improvement and eleva- tion of society.

William Evert Feazel

was born at Barboursville, West Virginia, April 10. 1860. He is the son of Wil- liam E. Feazel and Amancetta Virginia Lusher, his wife. He lived in West Virgina and received a common school educaton at Ceredo. He came to Scioto county in 1887 and located at Sciotoville. He married Elizabeth Kleffner. Oc- tober 30. 1888. He engaged in the mercantile business in 1891, at first on a small scale, but now his business has grown until he has one of the largest general stocks in the county and employs several salesmen. He is one of the live, active, pushing, driving, go ahead members of the community. He is pro- gressive in business and is ever enlarging and extending. He has the talent of combining and would make an excellent manager of any extensive combination in business.

Daniel H. Feurt

is a farmer in the French Grant and was born in Lawrence county, Ohio. Jan- uary 22, 1836. His father, Daniel Feurt, was the son of Francis and Mary Feurt of the French Grant. The mother of our subject was Frances Henry, daughter of James Henry, of Virginia, and granddaughter of Rev. John Lee, also of Virginia. a pioneer Baptist preacher in southern Ohio, in the twenties and thirties. The parents of our subject moved from Lawrence county to the French Grant in 1848, where he spent his boyhood. He received a common school edu- cation, and on reaching his majority followed farming until the winter of 1863 and 1864 when he engaged in flat-boating for one year. In the spring of 1865, lie accepted a situation with James Forsythe & Company. of Empire Furnace as storekeeper. remaining with the firm until they decided to wreck the furnace and discontinue business.

In the spring of 1870, he accepted a position with the Charcoal Iron Com- pany at Howard Furnace as book-keeper, which he held for two years. He was then given the position as manager of the furnace. holding the same for five years, and in the meantime purchasing stock in the concern to the amount of $2,000. He then sold his furnace stock and moved to the farm where he now resides. He remained on the farm for two years.

In the winter of 1879 and 1880, he accepted a position with Means, Kyle & Co. at Pine Grove Furnace as book-keeper and assistant manager, which position he held until March. 1884 when he returned to his farm where he still resides. In the fall of 1896, he engaged in the grocerv. implement and hardware business with W. H. McCurdy, at Wheelersburg, Ohio, which business is car- ried on by Mr. McCurdy.

Our subject has always been a republican. He was raised a regular Baptist. but identified himself with the Methodist Episcopal church to which his wife and children belong.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

He was married to Caroline McNeal of Scioto county, September 24, 1857. They have five children, one of which died at the age of ten months. Their names are Mary Luella, married to G. W. Fay of Richmonddale, Ross county, Ohio; Carrie E., deceased; Frank Lee, of Seattle, Washington, married to Grace Mackintosh of Lawrence county, Ohio; Clara C., married to W. H. McCurdy, Jr., and now resides at Wheelersburg; Bessie H., a teacher in the public schools.

Mr. Feurt is a citizen who always undertakes to do his part in the com- munity and in the opinion of his neighbors, succeeds. He is a good example of munity and, in the opinion of his neighbors succeeds. He is a good example of what the American citizen should be.

Henry Clinton Feurt

was born October 7, 1839, in Scioto county, Ohio, in the French Grant. His father was Henry Feurt, and his mother's maiden name was Mary A. Winkler, a sister of John A. Winkler. His great-grandfather was Peter Feurt, a native of the state of New Jersey. His great-great-grandfather was Francis Feurt, a native of France who emigrated to this country before the Revolution. See notice of Francis Feurt, in the Pioneer Record in this work. Peter Feurt came to the Northwest Territory in 1795. He acted as an Indian Scout between Maysville and Pittsburg. He married Lavinia Critzer, in New Jersey. He brought his wife and settled in the French Grant where all of his children were born.

Henry Feurt. father of our subject was born October 6, 1815, and died October 6, 1873. His wife, Mary A. Winkler, was born in 1817, and is still living.

Henry Clinton had only a common school education, and was always a farmer. From his birth till 1865, he resided in Green township, in the French Grant. He resided in Clay township, north of Portsmouth, twenty years, where he was a member of the School Board for nine years from 1875 to 1884. In 1885, he purchased one-half of lot 19, all of lot 20 and one-half of lot 14, in the French Grant, and moved to his present residence in Green township. He was married in January, 1867, to Caroline, a daughter of John D. Feurt. They have two children: Albert L., a farmer in the Scioto Valley, and Jennie O.

Mr. Feurt is a member of Lucasville I odge, 465, F. & A. M. He has al- ways been a farmer and a successful one. He is a republican in his political views. In 1893, he was elected one of the Commissioners of Scioto county on the Republican ticket, by 4,356 votes, to 3,131 for his opponent, William H. Kinker. In 1896, he was re-elected by a vote of 5,463 to 2.671 for his opponent, William J. Bennett, Jr., and served until September 20, 1900. When his first term expired January 11. 1897, he was appointed to serve till September 20, 1897. He made a most efficient officer. As a citizen, Mr. Feurt believes in pro- gress and public improvements. He tries all new methods and adopts the best. He is a useful citizen, highly respected by the entire circle of his acquaintance. As a farmer, he has been very successful and has set a good example to his neighbors.

William Oldfield Feurt

was born March 10, 1858, in Scioto county, Ohio. His father was John D. Fevrt, and his mother's maiden name was Maria Oldfield. He was brought up a farmer, and resided on the same place all his life. He received a common school education. In 1878, he took a commercial course in a Pittsburg Busi- ness College, and since then has followed farming. He was married Septeli- ber 30 1890, to Miss Fannie Crawford, daughter of Andrew Crawford. They have one child, a daughter, Catharine, born March 23, 1891. In his political views he is a republican, but is not a member of any secret societies.

Mr. Feurt is regarded as one of the model valley farmers. He knows how to manage and does it, and as a result has been very successful in his busi .. ness. He possesses all of the domestic virtues and is the ideal citizen.

John Findeis

was born in Bavaria, Germany, December 17, 1827. His father was John Fin- deis. He came to the United States in 1851 and located in Pittsburg, remained there three years and went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he married Mary

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Hormikel, a native of Germany. He subsequently removed to Monroe, Ohio, . and remained there seven years and then came to Portsmouth and went into the liquor business from which he retired in 1892. He has nine children: Charles; John; Lizzie; Mary, deceased, wife of George Fuchtinger; Margaret, deceased, wife of Herman Miller; Annie, wife of Charles Harwood; Minnie, wife of William Galtz; Jacob and Rosa at home. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and Harugari societies. Mr. Findeis was always noted for honor and fair dealing with all whom he had business. He has a circle of old German friends whom he meets almost daily and when they get together they have most en- joyable times. The "fatherland" is not forgotten and the old German customs are duly observed. No one gets more pleasure from the society of his friends than Mr. Findeis and no one is respected more than they do him.

Andrew Jackson Finney

was born in Scioto county, Ohio, October 2, 1840, the son of George H. Finney, who was also a native of Scioto county, born in 1818. His mother's maiden name was Eliza Fullerton. His education was received in the common schools. On the 20th of April, 1861, he enlisted for three months. in Co. D, 22nd O. V. I. and served until August 19, 1861. On October 27, 1862, he enlisted for three years in the 8th Independent Company of Ohio Volunteer Sharp Shoot- ers. He was appointed Sergeant, March 9, 1863, First Sergeant, November 19, 1864, and was mustered out with the Company, July 19, 1865. His father, George H. Finney, enlisted August 10, 1862, at the age of forty-four, for three. years, in Co. D, First Ohio Heavy Artillery. He was appointed a Corporal on the 1st of October, 1864, and was afterwards made Sergeant. He was mustered out June 20, 1865.

Our subject engaged in farming until 1871, when he sold his farm and moved to Greenup county, Kentucky. He returned to Scioto county in 1872. In 1873 he became a merchant in Powellsville and remained there ten years. He was postmaster at Powellsville from January, 1873, until December, 1882, when he resigned. He was elected land appraiser of Vernon township in 1870 and served for one year. He served as Justice of the Peace in Greene township from 1873 to 1879. He was Treasurer of Greene township from 1881 to 1883. In 1882, he was elected Sheriff of Scioto county on the republican ticket. The vote for him was 3,286, and for his competitor, William B. Williams, 2,915, a ma- jority for Finney of 371. In 1884, he was re-elected Sheriff, by a vote of 4.241 to 3,080 for his opponent John Neudoerfer, his majority being 1,161. He was a very obliging and capable officer and discharged the duties of the office to the satisfaction of every one.

Upon retiring from the Sheriff's office, he engaged as a clothing merchant for about sixteen months, when he entered the retail grocery business. continu- ing the same until 1892, when he established a wholesale department under the firm name of A. J. Finney & Sons. The members of the firm were Oscar T. Finney, traveling salesman; Walter A. Finney, city salesman; and Captain Fin- ney, general manager. He was elected Clerk of the Common Pleas court, No- vember 8, 1898. He received 3,984 votes to 2,847 for Thomas B. Lawson, ma- jority, 1,137.

On February 22, 1862, he married Levina Wait, daughter of Benjamin Franklin Wait of Wait's Station. They have had eleven children, five of whom are deceased. Those surviving are: Eliza, the wife of James Chabot; Mary, the wife of Dustin W. Gustin, City Marshal; Frank B., an attorney of Ports- mouth; Walter in the grocery business; Ora, engaged in the telephone busi- ness in Chicago and Clay.

"Jack" Finney, as he is best known, is the most genial man in Scioto county. He knows everybody and all their relations. He is the greatest hand- shaker in the county, and it is all genuine and not put on. The fact that he has held numerous public offices and trusts, demonstrates that the people appre- ciate a man of his character; and with all this he has administered well every office he undertook, and has been true to every trust imposed upon him. At this time no one enjoys a greater measure of the confidence of the people of Scioto county than Capt. A. J. Finney.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

James H. Finney

was born May 27, 1868, in Scioto county. His father's name is George H. Finney, and his mother's maiden name was Alice Staten. His grandfather, George H. Finney, Sr., came from Vermont. When our subject was nine years old, his father moved to Sciotoville, where he attended the schools and obtain- ed such an education as the Sciotoville schools could give him. He began teach- ing at the age of eighteen. His first school was in Union township, in the Vogel district. He continued district school teaching for six years, when he became superintendent of the Lucasville schools in 1893. He remained therc until he resigned December 21. 1901, and took employment with the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York. He was married to Miss Lillian C. Wheeler, August 1. 1894. They have one child James Vaughn born August 6, 1897. He is a republican in his political views, and a member of the Methodist church at Lucasville. He has been County School Examiner since August 1, 1899.

Mr. Finney is a progressive young American who believes in doing liis best all the time and in every work before him. As a teacher he achieved dis- tinguished success and in the insurance field he bids as fair to achieve dis- tinction as in the other. He will be found in the front rank in any enterprise lie undertakes and combines all those happy elements which insure success.

Walter Andrew Finney

was born April 19, 1876. He is the son of Andrew Jackson Finney, Clerk of the Court. His mother was Levina Wait, daughter of B. F. Wait. His father moved to Portsmouth when he was six years of age and he attended school in Portsmouth until he was fifteen. He then clerked in a retail grocery for his father for three and a half years when his father went into the wholesale busi- ness. He was clerk for him in that business for four years. He then went into business with James A. Chabot, his brother-in-law, for one year. At the end of that time he went into partnership with his father in the wholesale grocery business as A. J. Finney & Son. He was manager of the Portsmouth Telephone Company from October, 1890 to 1891. He then went into the retail grocery business at 122 Gallia street and has been in that ever since, He was married May 6, 1897, to Cora Fullerton, daughter of William Fullerton. of Wheelersburg, Ohio. He is a republican but not a secret society man. He is not a member of any church but believes in the broad doctrines of humanity, and thinks he can make his fortune by attending to his own business and he is working on that line.

George Fisher

was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 31, 1830. His father, Joseph Fisher, was a farmer. He died in 1830. at the age of 38. Our subject came to the United States in the spring of 1847, and located in Portsmouth. He had learned the shoe-maker's trade in Germany and worked as a journey-man two years in Portsmouth. He then opened a shop in Greenupsburg, Kentucky, but not lik- ing it, removed to Wheelersburg, Ohio. He remained here for 13 years and while there became acquainted with the late Dr. Cyrus M. Finch, and they became very intimate friends. While in Wheelersburg, Mr. Fisher carried on a shoe store.

On October 29, 1850, he was married to Louise Herndon Welch, a native of Bath county, Kentucky. She was born on September 26, 1828. Her parents located at Wheelersburg, in 1835. She was a sister of Mrs. George W. Flanders. They had no children but reared a niece, Miss Libby Kennedy, who married James T. McCormick. She died a few years afterwards, leaving two children. On October 11. 1863, our subject enlisted in Co. M, of the 9th Ohio Cav- alry as a private, was immediately made hospital steward, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Lexington. North Carolina, July 20, 1865. Dr. Cyrus M. Finch was appointed surgeon of this regiment October 5, 1863, and as the surgeon was always allowed to choose his own steward. he selected Dr. Fisher.

The regiment participated in the following battles: Florence Ala., April 13, 1864; Center Star, Ala., May 16. 1864; Rousseau's Raid in Georgia and Ala- bama, July 22, 1864; East Point, Ga., Aug. 30, 1864; Waynesboro. Ga, Dec 4, 1864; near Savannah, Ga., Aug. 30, 1864; Aiken, S. C., Feb. 11, 1865; Winnsbor-

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ough, S. C. Feb. 22, 1865; Monroe's, N. C., March 10, 1865; Averysboro, N. C., March 16, 1865; Raleigh, N. C., April 13, 1865.

He developed quite a liking for his position in the service and on his re- turn from war he studied medicine for a period of two years for the purpose of qualifying himself as an expert druggist. He opened up a drug store in Ports- mouth, Ohio, in 1867, and continued the business on Second and Washington streets until 1871. In 1873, he purchased the property on the north-west corner of Sixth and Chillicothe streets and built a drug store, which he occupied. He continued in the business there along until February, 1890, when he entered into a partnership with Philip M. Streich. The firm was known as Fisher & Streich. This business continued until July, 1901, when he sold out to Mr. Streich.

As a citizen and business man Dr. Fisher was very popular. He never had any enemies. He was always a democrat of the very strongest kind but never made himself offensive as such, to his friends in the opposite party. He was a candidate for member of the Board of Education in his ward in Portsmouth, Ohio, a number of times and was always elected, serving for a period of ten years. He was a very useful member, generally serving on the committee on school supplies and school buildings, and every duty connected with that office was faithfully performed by him. He was always at the com- mand of his party and was a candidate for office whenever they needed him, but never for any office which would interfere with his business. He was a member of the city Hospital Board for several years. He was better quali- fied for Cemetery Trustee than any man in Portsmouth, as he took a great in- terest in having the cemetery kept in the very best order. He was a candi- date for that office in 1891 and 1897, but owing to being a democrat he was defeated. He was a candidate for Water Works Trustee on the democratic ticket in 1898. He received quite a large vote, but was not elected. He is a member of the G. A. R. and has always took a great interest in the affairs of that organization. His heart is always warm for his comrades among the old soldiers of the Civil War.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 129

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612