A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 140

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 140

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

When Mr. Lambert was six years old, his parents moved from Gallia county to Richland Furnace, Vinton county, remaining three years. They moved from there to Monroe Furnace, Jackson county, where they remained until 1872, when they moved to Madison township, Scioto county.

In 1862, he entered school at Ewington Academy at Ewington, Gallia county, Ohio, where he attended four terms, after which he attended school at the Wilkesville Academy, in Vinton county. He commenced teaching in 1872 in sub-district, No. 9, Madison township. He taught continuously during each consecutive school term until 1899. During this time he taught in Scioto, Lawrence and Jackson counties, and in Stafford and Reno Counties, Kansas, and in Dent county, Missouri. He served as assessor of Madison township in the year 1895-6. He was appointed Supervisor of Census for the Tenth Congressional District in the taking of the twelfth census in 1900. He has always been a republican and may be counted on at all times to work for the success of his party. He is a member of the United Brethren church, of South Webster, where he resides. He was united in marriage to Tenie Miles Allen, daughter of James M. and Matilda (Sargent) Allen, September 28, 1873. They have one son, James N., who has reached his majority and is a telegraph operator at Jamestown, Ohio.

John Herman Lange

was born at Portsmouth, Ohio, November 17, 1866. His father was Joseph Herman Lange and his mother's maiden name was Adelheid Fisher. She was the daughter of Joseph Fisher. Both were natives of Hanover, Germany. He received his education in St. Mary's school of Portsmouth, up to the age of fourteen, when he went into the hardware business as a clerk for one year. He worked two and a half years with J. L. Hibbs & Company, and then went with John B. Rottinghaus and kept books until 1890, when he was engaged as book-keeper in the Citizen's Savings Bank and remained there until 1893. He worked for the assignees of the bank until 1894. On April 1, 1894, he became assistant postmaster of Portsmouth, under John Jones, and served as such un- til March 31, 1898. On April 23, 1898, he went with the Burgess Steel and Iron Works and remained with them until they sold out, August 1, 1900, and was then employed by the Crucible Steel Company until December 15, 1900, at which time he was elected secretary and treasurer of the Mingo Coal Mining Company and remained with it until in February, 1902, when it sold out. He was then elected secretary and treasurer of the Portsmouth Street Railway and Light Company, succeeding Samuel B. Timmonds, and is now holding that position.

He was married October 18, 1892, to Theresa Snyder, daughter of Joseph Snyder, and resides at 14 East Second street. He is a democrat, and a mem- ber of St. Mary's church. As a book-keeper, there are few more expert, and he is regarded as one of the best business men of Portsmouth. He is faithful to every duty and trust imposed upon him.

Captain Henry Lantz

was born February 22, 1831, in Athens county, Ohio. His father, Aaron Lantz, was a descendant of a German emigrant who came from Scotland to Athens county, Ohio, in 1790, where Aaron was born in 1793. The father of Aaron was George Lantz, one of three brothers who emigrated from Scotland. His mother, whose maiden name was Leah Claypool, was born in Greenbrier coun- ty, Va., in 1803, and was married to Aaron Lantz and settled in Jackson coun- ty in 1818. They soon after removed to Athens county, where our subject was born. Aaron Lantz died in 1842, and his widow died at McArthur, Vinton county. in 1890, at the age of eighty-seven.

Our subject continued to reside in Athens county until 1851 when he came to Bennett's mills which he undertook to operate. His father had been a maker of millstones. On December 21, 1852 he married Lovina Bennett a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Mills) Bennett. Joseph Bennett was the son of Thaddeus Bennett (see his sketch in this volume). Joseph was a sol- dier in the war of 1812.

After his marriage Capt. Lantz located three miles from McArthur, and engaged in milling. He was there until 1857, when he moved to McArthur. In the year 1857, he returned to Scioto county.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

On April 27, 1861, he enlisted in Company G, 22nd O. V. I., at the age of thirty, for three months. He was made a Sergeant and mustered out August 19th 1861. He entered Company F, 56th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, November 21st 1861, as First Lieutenant. He was mustered out November 21st 1864, at New Orleans, on expiration of his term of service. March 14th 1865, he was ap- pointed Captain of Company K, 194th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for one year, and served with the Company until October 24, 1865. This Regiment was or- ganized at Camp Chase, O., in March, 1865. It was first ordered to Charleston, W. Va., and assigned to General Egan's Division, composed of one Brigade of Eastern and one of Western troops. The surrender of Lee's army caused the Division and Brigade to be broken up, and the Regiment was ordered to Wash- ington City, where it remained performing garrison duty until October 24, 1865, when it was mustered out. After his discharge, Captain Lantz went to McAr- thur, and engaged in the undertaking business. In the year 1866, he went to Bennett's Mills, Ky., and spent four years there as an undertaker and a carpen- ter. In 1873, he returned to Harrison Township, and has lived there for twenty- eight years last past. His business in that time has been that of an undertaker. His children are: Henry Clay, married and lives in Harrisonville; Mary Edna, wife of Alexander Shuter, who lives in Harrisonville; Benjamin Franklin, aged thirty-two, married, a merchant in Harrisonville; Thomas C., aged thirty, a teacher, living at Portsmouth. All of his children are married and have chil- dren of their own. He never was sick during his army service, and never had wounds of any consequence. Up to 1856, he was a democrat, after that he be- came a republican, and has remained such. He is a member of Delta Lodge, F. and A. M. at McArthur, Ohio, and an Odd Fellow.

Henry Clay Lantz

was born at Scioto, Ohio, September 10, 1863. He is the son of Henry and Lo- vina H. (Bennett) Lantz, (see sketch of Henry Lantz). The boyhood of our subject was passed at Scioto, except four years from 1869 to 1873, which were spent in Greenup county, Kentucky. He obtained a good education and com- menced teaching in 1881. He followed the profession, with one intermission of two years, until 1900. He spent two terms at the National Normal Universi- ty, at Lebanon, Ohio. He went west in the spring of 1887 and remained till the fall of 1889. For several years he was engaged in the mercantile business at Harrisonville. He was Clerk of Harrison township from 1885 to 1887 in- clusive. He was Treasurer from 1896 to 1898 and School Examiner of Scioto county from 1894 to 1900 inclusive. He is a republican and very liberal in his views.

He married Emma J. Samson the adopted daughter of David and Susan Samson, of Harrisonville, February 9, 1893. Her parents were William and Martha J. (Fox) Dalton, of Pomeroy, Meigs county, Ohio. Her mother died when Emma was a little child and she was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Samson. Our subject has three children: Wenona Goldine, Gladys Sylvia, and Clay Dalton. Mr. Lantz is one of the best qualified of the teachers in the county. He was always bright and quick, ready to take up new ideas and make them his own. He is noted for his sincerety and straightforwardness. This quality in him is pronounced and has made him both enemies and friends. As a public official, he has always acted without fear or favor. He is true to his convictions and to the right as he sees it.

Thomas C. Lantz

was born near Bennett's Mills, Greenup county, Kentucky, October 8, 1871. He is the youngest son of Henry and Lovina (Bennett) Lantz. He spent all his early life in Harrisonville except the first two years which were spent in Ken- tucky. He attended the schools of Scioto county until 1889, when he com- menced teaching which pursuit he has followed continuously since. From 1892 to 1900 he conducted a series of normal schools at Scioto. In 1901, he conducted a normal at Sciotoville. He was for six years a member of the firm of Lantz Bros., merchants, at Harrisonville. He is a republican, a Past Chan- cellor of Ives Lodge No 472, Knights of Pythias, a Past Captain of Lois Camp,

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

No. 16, Sons of Veterans, and a member of Lucasville Lodge, No. 465, F. and A. M. He married Rosa B. Mckinney, daughter of William and Rachel (Odell) Mckinney, December 19, 1892. They have three children: Lowell Liston, Leroy Marcus, and Lyle Ray.

He possesses rare gifts, or endowments, of an artistic nature, being one of the best native pencil artists in the county. He is one of the most successful teachers in the schools of the county. His efficiency as a teacher is due to the untiring efforts he puts into the work; and in all other vocations in which he has been engaged, the same energetic spirit characteristic to himself, has clearly shown itself. He stands for those lofty principles which characterize every true American citizen. Mr. Lantz ranks among the best teachers in the county, judged both by his scholarship and his uniform success.

Delos Velos Larkin

was born in Galena, Delaware county, Ohio, August 20, 1826. His father Stephen Larkin was from Albany, New York, and his mother from Essex coun- ty, New Jersey. His mother's maiden name was Mary Jane Rosecrans and she was a cousin of General and Bishop Rosecrans. When a lad, his parents moved from Fairfield county, and as a youth he drove cattle to the Eastern markets. It took from twenty to sixty days to make the trip. September 18, 1850, he mar- ried Miss Sarah Margaret Johnson of Ross county and shortly after came to Scioto county and located on the McArthur farm. He returned to Ross county in 1851 and remained until 1853. He returned to Scioto county in the year last named and leased 40 acres of the New York land. Subsequently he leased 300 acres for twenty-three years.

On May 2, 1864, he enlisted as a private in Company I in the 140th reg- iment O. V. I. for one hundred days. He was mustered out with the Company, September 3, 1864. In 1865, he purchased the farm on which he resided until his death, January 31, 1884. He made a specialty of raising broom corn and in 1886 had 100 acres all of which he manuactured into brooms. He was at one time a Trustee of Washington township.

His children are the following: Charles, Effie, wife of John A. William- son, Harry, Catharine, Mrs. Alice Stephenson, of Columbus and Mrs. Charles McFarland, of Los Angeles, California. They had six other children now de- ceased. He was a Universalist in faith. He was originally a whig and a re- publican but afterwards acted with the Democrat party for a few years. He was at all times a good citizen, generous and kind with all his neighbors, a be- liever in good fellowship, a lover of his country, and a devoted friend to all the soldiers of the Civil War.

Gordon Frank Lauman

was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, November 17, 1840. His father was George Mim Lauman, born in York, Pennsylvania, in 1805. His father was a tanner and was taken to Chillicothe, Ohio, by his father, Barnet Lauman, at the age of four years. His great-grandfather was Christopher Lauman, a soldier of the Revolution. His record will be found in the article entitled Revolution- ary Soldiers.

George M. Lauman was reared at Chillicothe and learned the tanner's trade there. He followed the same trade after locating in Fleming county, Kentucky, and was there married to Anna Shanklin, a native of Kentucky. There were eight children of this marriage, three sons and five daughters, of whom our subject was the seventh. The family left Kentucky in 1845 and went to Aberdeen, Ohio, where Mr. Lauman worked at his trade. In 1846, he went to Chillicothe and remained there following his business of tanner until 1849. In that year, he located in Waverly and carried on a tannery for G. and G. L. Armstrong, and remained there until his death.

Our subject went to school for one year in Chillicothe and a short time in Waverly. In 1850, he went to work at Emmitt's Mills tending gate at $5.00 per month. Then he was a cob-picker at the Distillery for three years and in the meantime was advanced to head sheller. He was taken into Emmitt's store and worked there ten years.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

He enlisted April 17, 1861, in Company G, 1st O. V. I., for three months. He was wounded June 17, 1861, at the battle of Vienna. He was standing up on a flat car, when the moving train was fired on by a masked battery. A solid shot struck his gun and completely mangled his hand. The same shot struck and tore away the clothing and accouterments on his left side and bruised his side so badly that he was unfit for further service. He was dis- charged at Washington, D. C., at expiration of his service.

On his return from that service, he re-entered Mr. Emmitt's employ and remained there until 1864, when he became Provost Marshal and served as such until 1865. He then went to Jasper and clerked for Peter B. Hayes until 1872. In that year he came to Portsmouth and worked in the grocery store of Thomas Brown for four months. He heard of a store at Bear Creek and purchased it and carried it on till 1900. Atter he located at Bear Creek, he engaged in buying and selling railroad ties and made a fortune at it. He has always beeen a republican and is a member of the Masons and Elks.

He was married first, October 6, 1864, to Mary Lucretia Watkins, daugh- ter of John Watkins. She died October 22, 1892. November 28, 1895, he was married to Elizabeth Dever, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Wales Dever.

Mr. Lauman is a liberal minded, public spirited citizen. He is always ready to aid in any good cause. He always regretted he could not serve his country during the war, but his honorable wounds received at the outset, pre- vented. No man has a kinder regard for his comrades of the Civil war, than he.

Thomas Benton Lawson

was born May 16, 1843, in Portsmouth, Ohio, the son of Thomas Lawson and Rebecca Jane Tillow, his wife. His grandfather, William Lawson, was one of the original proprietors of Portsmouth. Thomas B. received his education in the old brick school house on Fourth street. He enlisted April 16, 1861, in Company G, 1st O. V. I., commanded by Captain George B. Bailey. He served three months and was mustered out with the company August 1, 1861. He then enlisted in October, 1861, in the 75th New York Infantry, Company A, and served two years. He re-enlisted again in Company A, 160th New York In- tantry, for three years and served until the close of the war. He was in the grand review in Washington in May, 1865.

After the war he went to work as fireman on the New York Central rail- road and fired a locomotive for three years. Then he came to Kentucky and fired a locomotive on the old Kentucky Central railroad running from Covington to Lexington, Kentucky. He received his promotion to engineer. One day he had a little mishap and knocked some cars off the track. The company stopped his pay and laid him off. He got angry, quit railroading and returned to Portsmouth, Ohio. He worked for T. M. Lynn as book-keeper and collector for two or three years. He also worked a year or two for Yeager and Dice, who were engaged in the livery business. In March, 1872, he went into business for himself at Middleport, Meigs county, Ohio. He went into the mercantile business in which he was very successful. He remained there in the same business for twenty-three years, or until 1892, when he returned to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he has since resided. He had always had a strong love for his native place and returned to spend the remainder of his life here.

On July 22, 1873, he was married to Miss Ada Eliza Horn. They have three children living, two sons and a daughter: Earl Benton is a shoe cutter; Ernest Charles travels for Biggs, Watts & Company, of Huntington, West Vir- ginia, and Maude is a student in the High School. His oldest daughter Ina. died at the age of seventeen, and his youngest daughter, Frieda Marie, at the age of eleven. Mr. Lawson was a member of the council of Middleport, Ohio, for two years. He is a democrat, a member of Bigelow M. E. church, of the Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Elks, Bailey Post, G. A. R. and of the Mystic Circle.

Horace Leete

was born in 1818, in Tioga county, Pennsylvania. His father was Uriah Leete, and his mother's maiden name was Polly Ives. They lived on a farm and Horace was brought up to be a farmer. At fifteen, he went into a printing

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

office in Wellsboro, and worked there for three years. He afterwards carried the mail from Belfont, Pennsylvania, to Olean, New York, a distance of 126 miles through the wilderness. He made one trip a week. The winters were se- vere and there was danger from wild animals. He was a chain carrier when the Pennsylvania railroad was surveyed through to the lakes. Their work took them through a dense wilderness, inhabited by deer, elk, bear and panthers. There was much hunting and the streams were full of fish. There were fifty en- gineers in the party and many were related to distinguished men. While on this business, Mr. Leete met Thaddeus Stevens, then Canal Commissioner of Pennsylvania. He clerked for a while for an uncle in Potter county, Pennsyl- vania. He was also editor of the first paper ever published in that county. His first vote in 1840. was for Martin Van Buren. He has always been a demo- crat. He was one of the auditors of Potter county, Pennsylvania, and resigned the office to come to Ohio.

In the spring of 1850. he landed at Catlettsburg, Kentucky, with a raft of lumber. He remained there until November, 1850, and came to Portsmouth. He engaged in the lumber business in Portsmouth with his brother Ralph Leete, for a partner. Their office and lumber yards were west of his present residence on Sixth street. Later his brother retired and his nephew, Horace L. Chapman, went into the business with him. The first bill of lumber he sold in Ports- mouth was to James Pursell, then a dry goods merchant. In the fall of 1864, Mr. Leete quit business in Portsmouth, and went to Alleghany county, New York, where he bought a stock farm. He operated this until May 18, 1869, when he returned to Portsmouth, and re-engaged in the lumber business with Daniel McIntyre, as Leete & Mcintyre. They had a lumber yard and ran a planing mill on West Fifth street. In 1870, they were burned out. but immediately re- built at Ninth and Washington streets. From 1870 until 1880, Carl Lehman was his partner.

In 1874, he was elected a member of the School Board for two years. In 1881, he was a candidate for Water Works Trustee, but was defeated by John I. Mercer. The vote stood: Mercer, 1,212, Leete, 996, majority, 216. In 1883, he was a candidate for Cemetery Trustee, but was again defeated. His opponent, Wilson, received 1,267 votes to 1,229, for Leete, majority, 38.

In 1858, he was married to Miss Ellen Weatherby, of Coudersport, Penn- sylvania. They had four children, two of whom are living: Mrs. Mary Small, and Phelps Leete. On his eightieth birthday, he was notified that all his em- ployees wanted to meet him, that they had decided to work no longer at their present wages. He met them and began to explain why he could not pay more, and they cut him short and presented him with a gold headed cane. Though eighty-four years of age, he works every day and still holds all the threads of his business in his own hands. He is considerate of every one's opinions and feelings. He enjoys the respect and affection of all those con- nected with him in business, and is highly esteemed by the general public. The article on the Leete family in the Pioneer Record, shows that he is from a long line of sturdy ancestry, of men who have been important factors in the world's work, and is a good example of the old adage that blood will tell; but Mr. I eete is essentially a modest man and never speaks of his ancestry. His enviable position in the community has been obtained by a long life of living up to correct business and social principles.

Charles Joseph Legler,

the son of Fredrick Legler, was born December, 1857, in the Eagle hotel, on Front street, and has resided on that street all his life. He was the eldest of his family. He attended St. Mary's Parish school and the public schools. He en- gaged in business for himself, in 1890, in conducting the Legler house, formerly managed by his father. He continued this until 1893, when he started a shoe store on Second street. After a year he sold out his business to W. A. Connol- ley ard entered the Central Savings Bank as a bookkeeper and served as such in 1894 and 1895. In 1895, he purchased the Hotel Portsmouth and renovated it and has conducted it ever since. It accommodates one hundred guests and Mr. I egler has proven a very popular landlord. His house is as well patron- ized as any in the city.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

He was married October 5, 1882, to Anna Maria Schwartz, of Ports- mouth. He has had three sons born to him: Harry, his second son, died at the age of three years and two months, and Clifford and Ralph are still living. Mr. Legler was originally a democrat but when President Mckinley ran for his second term for Governor of Ohio, he became a republican and has continued as such every since. He is a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church. He is noted for his honor and his integrity and for his excellent qualities. As a business man and good citizen, he possesses the confidence of the entire community.

Frederick Legler

was born June 27, 1832, in Baden, Germany. His father was Joseph Legler. His mother died when he was a boy. His father brought him to this country when he was only six years of age, in the year 1838, and he located in Scioto county. He had a brother James, now deceased, and a sister Mary now living near Pana, Ill. He began the hotel business in Portsmouth, in 1855, with a Mr. Wolford from Mt. Joy, the Eagle hotel on Front street, near where Fred Brodbeck now resides. In 1863, he took the White Bear, and kept it until 1866, when he purchased what is now the present Legler House. In 1867, he started a restaurant in the building and was so well patronized, that he turned it into a hotel. In 1867, he rebuilt the house at a cost of $7,000. He purchased the lots in the rear of the present Hotel Portsmouth, which fronted on Second street, and kept stables and wagon yards there for his patrons. He opened the Legler House on June 20, 1868, as a hotel, having previously conducted it as a restaurant.

On January 8, 1867, he was married to Elizabeth Eck, daughter of Adam Eck, an old citizen of Scioto county. The children of that marriage were: Charles J., Fred and Frank, both living in the city of Portsmouth; George who is a resident of Berwyn, Ill .; and William. who died at the age of three. His daughter, Clara, is the wife of Albert J. Reitz. In 1875, he was appointed a member of the City Annual Board of Equalization and re-appointed in 1876 and 1879 and was a member of that board at the time of his death. In April, 1880, he was appointed a member of the Decennial Board of Equalization and was appointed a member of the Board of Health at the same time, for a period of three years. On April 29 1880, he died in his forty-eighth year. He began with- out anything and amassed a competence for his family. He was a democrat in his political views and a member of St. Mary's church, in Portsmouth. Mr. Legler was a man of quiet and retiring disposition. He made a good impression on all who knew him. He was honest to the value of a pin and honorable in all his dealings. When he made a friend, that friend remained such. He was liked by the public generally and was very successful in his business.

William H. Leive

was born in South Webster, Ohio. March 22, 1870, in the house where his parents still live. His father and mother are Henry W. and Mary (Sudbrook) Leive. William's father came from Southern Germany to South Webster in 1856, and learned the trade of wagon-maker. He served in the Civil War in Company B. 10th O. V. I. from June 3, 1861 to June 17, 1864, and was at the seige of Chattanooga, battle of Chickamauga and other important battles in which his company was engaged. William's education was received in the South Webster schools. He taught school for two terms, but did not like it and quit to become a carpenter and funeral director. He qualified himself for the business by a course of study. He was graduated from the Portsmouth Business College in book-keeping, July 13, 1897. In politics he has been a republican and has al- ways taken an active interest in local affairs. He held the office of Township Clerk in Bloom from September, 1896, to September, 1900. He is now Clerk of the village of South Webster, having been elected April, 1901, for a term of two years. He is a member of the Evangelical St. John's church of North America and also of South Webster Lodge No. 724. Knights of Pythias. He was married to Miss Nan Zimmerman, August 14, 1901. Mr. Leive is a promising young man, honest, industrious and upright. He enjoys the confidence and re- spect of all who know him.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 140

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