A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 156

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 156

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Mr. Shumway was always a republican. He was elected County Surveyor of Scioto county, in 1883. and resigned the office in April, 1885. He located in Rice county, Kansas, May 1, 1885, where he now resides. In the fall of 1885, he was appointed Deputy County Treasurer, which position he held for eight years, when he was elected to the office of County Treasurer and served two terms. In addition to his official work, he was made assignee of the Bank of Lyons, the largest institution of its kind in Central Kansas, whose affairs he successfully closed up. Mr. Shumway is a citizen of the highest character. He has acquired a competence, and is living the life of a christian gentleman, honored and respected by all.

Frank Lee Sikes,

son of Melvin Sikes and Marian Seeley, his wife, was born September 24, 1859, at Haverhill, Ohio. His grandfather, Levi Sikes, was one of the first settlers of Portsmouth. His grandmother Sikes was a sister of James Keyes, and daughter of Salma Keyes. His mother was a daughter of Amos Seeley from New York. Mr. Sikes had two brothers: Owen and Thomas. His sisters were Laura, wife of Walter Hope, of Kansas; Lorene, wife of Lewis S. Nourse, of Wheelersburg, and Flora, wife of Oscar M. Keyes, of Cripple Creek, Colorado; Ruby, unmarried, living at Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mr. Sikes received a common school education and began to teach in 1879, at Franklin furnace. He taught for ten years, the last five years of which he was superintendent of the schools of Sciotoville. On December 1, 1889, he was appointed deputy Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Scioto county. He resigned after serving fourteen months. In the fall of 1891, he was elected Recorder over Simpson by a vote of 3,798 to 2,922. He served his term of three years and was appointed for eight months more. He left the office September. 1895. He was elected Clerk of Courts in November, 1895, vote: Sikes, 4,554, J. G. Basham, 2,260, and served till August 5, 1899. On August 5, 1899, he was

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elected Clerk of City Water Works and served one year. He was superintend- ent of the Water Works eight months. He was elected City Clerk, April 17., 1901, for two years, which office he still holds.

Mr. Sikes has always been a republican, and is a member of Bigelow M. E. church of Portsmouth, Ohio. He is a member of the Masonic, Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen Lodges.

On March, 4, 1886, he was united in marriage to Marie Emily Erlich, daughter of Charles W. Erlich and Laura Colegrove, his wife. In 1902, he was. nominated by the Republican party of the county for Probate Judge and was elected. He is tall, of full habit, and of fine physical presence. He is full of energy and purpose and of great will-power. As a politician, he possesses all the qualitites which insure success. He is a good organizer and knows how to deal with men. The people of Scioto county have confidence in his honesty and integrity. He has been faithful and honorable in the administration of every public office he has ever held. Owing to his strong discriminating pow- ers and excellent judgment, he will undoubtedly make an excellent Probate Judge.

Colonel Thomas Sikes

was born March 11, 1836, at Wheelersburg, Ohio. His father was Levi Sikes, and his mother Mary Keyes, sister of James Keyes. Levi Sikes was born in 1794, in Massachusetts, and came to Ohio in 1804, with his father John J. Sikes and his mother Sarah. John J. Sikes went on a produce boat to New Orleans, in 1810, and after leaving Cincinnati, he was never heard from. John J. Sikes had served in the Revolutionary War and his record will be found under Rev- olutionary Soldiers. His widow Sarah, drew a pension in 1857, and survived until 1860.

Our subject attended the common schools until he was seventeen years of age, and then for two years attended school in Portsmouth, Ohio. He then learned the trade of brick-making and worked under Asa R. Cassiday and his son Ed., until the war broke out. He enlisted in Company G, 1st O. V. I., April 16, 1861, for three months. He was appointed a corporal April 29, 1861, and served until August 1, 1861. He entered Company E, 33rd Ohio, on September 3, 1861, and was promoted from First Lieutenant to Captain on March 3, 1865. He was promoted to Major on May 18, 1865, being the fourth Major in the reg- iment. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, June 6, 1865, but was not mus- tered out owing to the regiment not having enough men. He was mustered out July 12, 1865.

At the close of the war, he was offered a captain's commission in the regular army, by General George H. Thomas, and regrets very much that he did not accept it, for he believes, and all his friends believe, he would have made a most efficient officer in the Regular Army. He said that at the time he was offered a Captain's commission, General Miles was only a Captain and he be- lieves that by this time, he might have worked up to where General Miles is now. He was wounded twice, once in the shoulder in May, 1862, by a minie- ball. He was wounded at Chickamauga, September 20, 1863, by a buck-shot, behind the right ear, which wound has never troubled him any at all. He was in all the battles in which his regiment participated during the war.

After retiring from the service, he followed his occupation of bricklaying in Portsmouth, until the spring of 1872, when the town of Huntington was laid out and he removed there. While residing in Portsmouth, he was a mem- ber of the Council from the Fourth ward from 1868 to 1872. He was Chief of Police in Huntington, in 1886. In 1887, he went to California, located in I os An- geles and staid there until 1890, when he came back to Huntington. While in California he was engaged in brick-laying. He followed the same occupation after his return to Huntington, until April, 1901, when he was elected City Treasurer of Huntington, for two years.

He was married in May., 1866, to Minerva J. Williams, daughter of Ewell Williams, of Scioto county, Ohio. He has six children: Ida M., widow of Samuel Johnson, resides in Huntington; Mamie K .; George H., married and lives in Central City; Maudie; Austin M., court stenographer for Cabell, Wayne, Lincoln, Mingo and Logan counties, West Virginia; and Herbert A., at Marshall

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College. Colonel Sikes is a member of the Methodist church. He has always ben a republican and is a Blue Lodge Mason.

John Harold Simmons

was born September 23, 1839, at Marion, Lawrence county, Ohio. His child- hood was spent at Burlington, Lawrence county. When "Jack" was about eight years old, his father moved to a large farm known as "The Homestead" in the valley, five miles below Marion. Here Jack resided until he was twelve years of age. His father became Sheriff, a second time through a tragedy, and afterward Treasurer, and the family moved to Ironton, where the county seat had ben removed. Until he was eighteen, Jack attended the graded schools of Ironton, when not assisting his father in the office. His first vote was for President Lincoln, in 1860. He taught the home district school that winter, and in the spring of sixty-one entered at Lebanon, Ohio, intending to follow a short term there, with a full course at the Athens University, where he had the tender of a free scholarship, and beyond that he contemplated the law as a profession.

He and William Betts, a neighbor, shook hands, in a boyish way, over an agreement to practice law as a profession, in Kansas, as partners, in the coming years, but both volunteered under the President's call for three months troops, as soon as Sumter was fired on. Both enlisted in Company E, Sixth O. V. I., three months men, April 20, 1861. On June 18, 1861, Simmons enlisted for three years in the same company and regiment, known as the Cincinnati "Guthrie Grays." The war ended the proposed law partnership of Betts and Simmons, but their subsequent friendship was so ideal as to give rise to many a pleasant story among their associates. When honorably discharged, at Camp Dennison, in June, 1864, by the reason of the expiration of enlistment. "Jack" left a record without a flaw, and returned to Nashville and the service in the field, as chief clerk for Captain Leroy R. Hawthorn of Newport. Kentucky, U. S. Commissary of Subsistence. He was at Nashville during the siege and battle, and after the rout of Hood's Army by General Thomas, moved on to Columbia, and afterward to Pulaski, Tennessee, where, in sole charge of that branch subsistence post, when the Confederate's returned from war, he issued the government ration allowed by the Federal authorities to returned Confederates and their families, until December, 1865. He has a record to his credit, therefore, of almost five years of consecutive active service in the field.

His ability, accuracy and versatility was recognized by a special detail as amanuensis to Generl Ormsby M. Mitchell, during the orgnization of Buell's Army of the Ohio at Louisville. He was detailed as report clerk, after the battle of Shiloh, to General William Nelson, thought by Mr. Simmons to have been the greatest natural warrior developed during the rebellion. He was also detailed as report clerk to General Jacob Ammen, at McMinnville, Tenn., when Bragg broke through the mountains, on his Kentucky raid. He was detailed as report clerk to General Wm. Sooy Smith near Nashville up to the eve of the battle of Stone river.

After Stone river he was detailed to the Quartermaster's department, at the headquarters of General John M. Palmer, following which he was transfer- red to the same department to General Grose, returning to his regiment for Mission Ridge and refusing further details, a promotion by Governor Brough into another regiment, and a Captaincy in a Tennessee regiment by the gover- nor of that state.

He returned home in December, 1865, was appointed Deputy Auditor of Lawrence county by Seth Sutherland, Auditor. In December. 1866, he became book-keeper and stock receiver at Olive furnace. In 1868, he made a slight et- fort for the republican nomination for Auditor for his county. He was unex- perienced, relied too much on his father's acquaintance and popularity, and was defeated. He learned some political lessons which he put to victorious use in Scioto county at a later date. After this episode, he accepted a position ten- dered by the late John Paull, and moved across the line to Bloom furnace, in Scioto county.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

There, at the age of thirty, he found his fate in Miss Susan Paull Cole, the twenty-year-old daughter of Allaniah Cole, deceased. They were mar- ried at the furnace October 14, 1869, and moved to Ironton, in 1871, where he had become interested in business. He was prospering rapidly, when the sudden death of John Paull, August 6, 1873, compelled him to give all his time to the furnace, as the only male survivor in the firm of John Paull & Company. He left his Ironton business in the hands of his partner, and the panic of 1873, made shipwreck of this enterprise. He made such provision as was possible for the management of the furnace and turned his attention to his Ironton affairs. After this he took up his residence at Bloom furnace, as a member of the firm of Clare, Amos & Company, subsequently J. D. Clare & Co., and now The Clare Iron Company, in which corporation he and his family are eighth owners. He has made his home in Scioto county since 1879.

In 1884, he was elected Clerk of the Courts for Scioto county, on the Re- publican ticket, and moved to Portsmouth in January, 1885. He was again elec- ted for a three years term to succeed himself in 1887, but in 1889 resigned to accept the appointment of Marshal of the United States for the southern dis- trict of Ohio. After one term, he retired from office with his chief and his party, and has held no office since.

His happy family was broken up in 1895, owing to a fatal malady overtak- ing his wife. who died after two years pathetic lingering, January 27, 1897, leay- ing the husband and three young daughters. Clare, the youngest daughter makes her home at Ironton with her mother's sister, Mrs. Oscar Richey. Paula, the second daughter, graduated in 1902, at St. Mary's of the Spring, near Columbus and makes her home in Portsmouth, with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. William V. Simmons. Carol, the eldest, is employed as a teacher of literature at the Ohio Institution for the education of the blind, at Columbus, and during vacations makes her home with her Uncle and Aunt Simmons, at Portsmouth. Since his wife's death, Mr. Simmons has made his home when in Portsmouth, at first with his warm friend, Judge James M. Dawson, and since the untimely passing of the Judge, he resides with his family, at 199 East Third street.

William Valentine Simmons

was born March 20, 1848, in Lawrence county. For ancestry see sketch of John Harold Simmons. He attended school at the District schools and two years at Lebanon, Ohio, in 1871. He thinks the best part of his education was obtained on his father's farm. He began teaching school in 1871 and followed that for five years. Then he farmed the old Homestead on Symmes' Creek, Lawrence county till 1884, when he came to Portsmouth and was a deputy with Charles Kinney, Treasurer, for six months. In 1885, he went into the Tribune Com- pany, purchasing the interest of Al McFarland, and has been engaged in the newspaper business ever since. The Company is now the Blade Printing Com- pany, and Mr. Simmons is secretary, treasurer and general manager. He was married in 1880 to Nancy J. Cole, daughter of Allaniah Cole. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons reside at 80 West Sixth street, Portsmouth, Ohio. Mr. Simmons is a living, walking, speaking, every day contradiction of the idea that the man- agement of a newspaper wears a man out. He is five feet, eight and one-half inches high. weighs 250 pounds, and is a handsome man. He takes life easy, and strange to say for a newspaper man, seems to enjoy it. He lets his neigh- bors worry, if they like, but he seems to appreciate all the pleasures of life, and enjoys them every day. The business of the company has largely prospered under his management.

Henry C. Simpson

son of Elias and Mary Howard Simpson was born July 17, 1863. His boyhood and youth were spent on his father's farm where he now lives. He received a common school education. He went to Kansas in 1888 and remained there until 1891. June 27, 1883, he was married to Agnes B. Ballingee, daughter of John Ballingee. They have five children: Bertha Lee, Margaret, Earl Elias, Ralph E. and Franklin. He is a republican and a member of Lucasville Lodge, F and A. M. No. 465.

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Captain James Skelton

was born in Vernon township, Scioto county, Ohio, December 30, 1836. His father's name was John Skelton, and his mother's maiden name was Minerva Sperry. His grandfather, Samuel Skelton, came from Staunton, Augusta coun- ty, Va. His grandmother was Francis Wilson Skelton. Our subject was brought up in Scioto county. He received a common school education. At the age of eighteen year's, he engaged in farming, and general labor. He also did work about Empire, Pine Grove, Ohio and Junior furnaces.

He enlisted in Company F, 27th O. V. I., July 19, 1861, as a private. He was soon made fourth Sergeant and later First Sergeant, and was promoted to the office of Sergeant-Major of his regiment June 27, 1864. He was then com- missioned Second Lieutenant, and on the same day lost his right leg in the bat- tle of Kenesaw mountain. He remained in the hospital until February 14, 1865, when he was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain, having been pro- moted to that position in recognition of his brave and meritorious conduct. He participated in many important battles, including those of New Madrid, Is- land No. 10, Hamburg Landing, the siege and battle of Corinth, Parker's Cross Roads and a number of others. He was in every battle from Chatta- nooga until he was wounded at Kenesaw mountain.

Captain Skelton returned to Powellsville, after the war, and engaged in merchandising until 1868. He then located in Wheelersburg, where he was postmaster, conducted a hotel and carried on a drug store. He was elected County Auditor of Scioto county at the October election, 1868, by a vote of 2,825 for himself on the Republican ticket, to 2,312 for M. G. Nichols, on the Democrat ticket, majority 513. He was re-elected in the fall of 1870, and served two years and ten months. His term was extended ten months by the Legislature. In 1875, he purchased and operated the street horse-car line in Portsmouth, being at the head of that enterprise for about eight years. He was elected Commissioner of Scioto county in 1877, by a vote of 2,777 to 2,699 for James Richardson, and served one term. Before the expiration of his term, he was appointed United States gauger, in which capacity he served for ten years. On his retirement from that office he turned his attention to the real estate business in connection with Hon. A. T. Holcomb, and laid out several town plats. He has always delighted in raising fine stock. He was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth from the Fourth and Third wards respective- ly for a number of years. It was while he was a member of Council that the first paving of the streets was done in Portsmouth. He was a member of the State Board of Equalization in 1900 from the Seventh Senatorial District. He obtained everything for his constituents which he asked for. He has been a member of the Republican County Executive Committee several times, and for two terms was chairman of the Congressional Committee of the Tenth Con- gressional District. He has been an alternate to the National Convention. In 1896, and was especially active as a campaign worker.

He was married first May 16, 1858, to Mary O. Remy, daughter of Thomas Remy. They had the following children: Berry, deceased; William W., resides at Scioto Furnace; Charles F., in Montana; James, in Chicago; Fannie, mar- ried John DeLotelle, resides at Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Skelton was married the second time to Mary E. Knittel, April 2, 1884. There were four children: John R., Samuel A., Dessie and Grace L.

Captain James Skelton is the noblest Roman of them all. He does not know fear, As a soldier, he was like Ney, "the bravest of the brave." Had he not met with the loss of his right leg at Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864, he would undoubtedly have come home at the close of the war as a General. No one ever received greater meed of praise for his gallantry and bravery on the battlefield and no one ever deserved it more. If the Captain ever sets up a coat of arms, his motto will undoubtedly be, "Never say die," for he has lived up to that motto all his life. He is one of the most active, energetic and enterpris- ing men of his time, or any one's time. Though only four mile posts from sev- enty, he has all the activity, vim, push and energy of a young man of twenty. He seems to overlook the fact that Old Age and its train of infirmities may over- take him, and with him Youth has lasted 66 years. He has laid out more ad- ditions to the city than any man who ever lived in it. He is the soul of honor

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and would die a thousand times before he would be guilty of a dishonorable action. He is always ready to stand up for the right, as he sees it, as were the immortal signers, with his life, with his fortune and with his sacred honor.

Calvin Slattery

was born at Scioto, Ohio, January 28, 1839. His grandfather, William Slat- tery was born in Ireland. He came to America in 1800, and settled in Mary- land. His son, William Slattery, came from Maryland to Scioto county, Ohio, in 1820, and settled in Madison township, about one mile south of Harrison- ville, where our subject, his son, was born. His mother was Maria Stockham, daughter of Joseph Stockham. His boyhood and youth were passed in Harri- son township where he obtained a common school education.

He enlisted in Company A, 39th O. V. I. July 16, 1861 as a private, and was discharged July 9, 1865. He was in all the battles participated in by the regiment, except the last. At Kenesaw Mountain on June 9, 1864 at night, he was placed as a picket in an exposed part of the advance line. At day light, he saw a rebel chopping on a hill near by. He fired on him and thinks he killed him. This discovered him to the advance line of the rebels near and he drew their fire, not only of those in front but of those on each side. He was lying flat behind a log and a stump. The rebels kept up a fire until four o'clock in the afternoon. He was exposed to the hot sun, and was without anything to eat or drink and was covered with dirt from the bullets fired at lim. It was impossible to send any guard to relieve him, and from daylight to four o'clock he laid there under this continued heavy firing, thinking about his young wite he had married but six months before and who would likely be lett a widow. At tour o'clock our troops made a charge over his position and thus relieved him. He thinks the rebels fired about a ton of lead in and about the stump and log which protected him.

After the war, he went to Missouri, and was there for two years, but did not like it and returned to his farm near Harrisonville. In 1868 and 1869, he tarmed for his father. In 1870, he went to Sciotoville and was there and at Oak Hill until 1875. In the latter year, he returned to Harrisonville and bought a farm and has lived there ever since. He is a republican and a member of the M. E. church at Harrisonville. He is a member of Scioto Post, No. 287 G. A. R. He was Assessor of Harrison township from 1887 to 1890.

On January 28, 1864, he was married to Miss Emma J. Crull, daughter of David W. Crull and granddaughter of Judge Samuel Crull. His wife's mother's name was Rhoda Pool. They have four children: Clarence L. mar- ried and living near Uniopolis, Auglaize county, Ohio and engaged in con- tracting: Minnie F. wife of Gustavus A. Matz, who is a farmer and resides near Cozad, Nebraska. Wilbur V. is married and lives near Brighton, Pennsyl- vania, and is engaged in contracting. Walter D. is at home. In his advancing vears Mr. Slattery is trying to take lite easy. He is respected by all who know him, and enjoys the confidence of his neighbors.

Charles Slavens

was born in Madison township, Scioto county, Ohio, January 9, 1842. His father was Stuart Slavens, born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, in 1804. His father came with his parents to Ohio on pack horses and lived in Scioto county for sixty years. He died April, 1876. His mother's maiden name was Clarissa Schoonover. She was born at Horsehead, Chemung county, New York, in 1807, and died in Pike county, Ohio, February, 1891. Our subject received his education in the common schools of the county, at Jackson Academy and Ohio University, at Athens. He taught school until the war broke out. On August 12, 1864, he enlisted in Company G, 173d O. V. I. and on September 18. 1864, he was appointed Captain of that Company and served until June 26, 1865, when the Company was mustered out. After the close of the war he resumed his occupation as a teacher.

In 1867 he was married to Mary C. Noel, daughter of Aaron Noel. They have had five children: Albert Lincoln, Annie Ruth, Margaret W., Minerva Dean and Roscoe C. who died in infancy. In 1869, he was elected Treasurer of Scioto county. The vote stood Charles Slavens 2,530, Aaron Noel his father-

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in-law, 2,078, majority, 452. In 1871, he was re-elected to the same office, re- ceiving 2,730 votes to 2,166 for his opponent, John T. Miller; his majority, 564. He has always been a republican and is a Protestant in his religious views. For many years he has held a position in the pension office as Special Examiner, and has resided in Missouri, Iowa and Ohio. His legal residence is now in the city of Columbus, Ohio. He made an excellent army officer and has always been a good citizen.

Charles Augustus Smith

was born August 18, 1876, at Buena Vista, Ohio. His father was Joseph W. Smith, County Surveyor and Commissioner, and was named for Capt. Charles A. Barton. His mother's maiden name was Harriet A. Cross, daughter of Lewis Cross. Our subject was the eldest of the children. He attended school near and at Otway, and attended a Normal school at Lucasville and one at Peebles. He taught school from 1894 until 1900 in Scioto county on the West Side. In the winter of 1899, he began the study of telegraphy. He secured work with the Cincinnati, Portsmouth & Virginia railroad, November 1, 1900, and was a temporary operator until June, 1901, when he became an operator and agent at Mineral Springs until January 10, 1902, when he was appointed agent at Rarden, Ohio. He is a young gentleman who has only to be known, to be liked, He is as steady as clockwork in his habits. He is temperate in word and deed. He is caretul and conservative in all he does. He is prudent and self-reliant, firm of purpose and faithful in pursuing any course he adopts.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 156

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