USA > Ohio > Hardin County > A twentieth century history of Hardin County, Ohio : a narrative account of its historical progress its people and principal interests, Vol. II > Part 19
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Until he was seventeen years of age the latter attended the country schools near his father's farm in the Seioto valley, working at the same time to assist in the maintenance of the household. When seventeen, he entered the freshman class of Angusta College, Kentneky, and after remaining in that institution for two years went to Cineinnati, where he spent a like period at the Woodward Preparatory School. At the end
of his three years at Yale University he was obliged to return home on account of ill health. As soon as he was able to resume work, he com- meneed the study of law in the office of Judge Joseph H. Crane, of Dayton, and afterward attended lectures at the Cincinnati Law School, from which he graduated in 1845. He then formed a partnership with HI. V. R. Lord, opening offices at Dayton and Germantown, Ohio, with himself in charge of the former and Mr. Lord, of the latter. Quite early during the period of his residence in Dayton Mr. Walker became identified with both the eivie and military affairs of the community, at the breaking out of the Mexican war holding the commission of major of cavalry in the state troops. This he resigned to raise a company of infantry, but before an organization was effected an order came to accept no more troops; which prevented him from seeing service on Mexican soil. Continuing his law practice with Mr. Lord until the death of his partner, he then associated himself with Judge G. B. Holt, an eminent lawyer of Dayton, under the firm name of Walker, Holt & Walker, the
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junior member of which was a nephew of Moses B. The senior of the firm served as a member of the Ohio senate in 1850-1, and was an unsuc- cessful congressional nominee in 1864 and 1866, although he made a remarkable run against an overwhelming normal majority for the Democracy.
At the opening of the Civil war, General Walker was commissioned captain of the Twelfth United States Infantry, but through his friend, Salmon P. Chase, he was appointed colonel of the Thirty-first Ohio Infantry and assigned to the army of the Cumberland under General Thomas. He first distinguished himself at the battle of Perryville. Fully recognizing his high standing at home General Rosecrans sent him to Ohio to recruit and organize troops. Owing to the unsettled political situation then prevailing and the bitter feeling existing between the two parties, these duties were as trying. and fully as important, as any which could have been assigned to him at the front. In the forming and practical organization of public sentiment toward the primary end of raising troops for the Union cause, General Walker accomplished a wonderful work. his stirring addresses, oral and printed. arousing wide-spread sympathy, enthusiasm and action. Ile returned to the front in time to participate in the battle of Stone River, as commander of the first brigade. third division. fourteenth army corps. Ile also bore a heroic part in the battle of Chickamauga, in which he was severely wounded. As a result he was not only publicly commended for his brave and skillful handling of troops, but on March 27. 1865. was eom- missioned brigadier general of volunteers, by brevet, and major and brevet lieutenant colonel in the regular army. Subsequently he parti- eipated in varions military operations at Resaca. Dalton, Lookont Moun- tain, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek. Atlanta, Jonesboro and Nashville, and at the elose of the war was honorably minstered out of the service as a retired colonel of the Regular army.
Upon his return to Ohio, General Walker engaged in the practice of the law at Findlay, but in 1868 was ordered to Texas on military duty. His professional abilities soon earned him high preferment at the hands of the administration, and by successive appointments he served both as district judge and as a member of the state supreme bench. In the
latter capacity he served until the state was admitted to representation in Congress, his colleagues of the supreme court being Judges A. J. Hamil- ton, Morrell. Lindsay and Dennison. General Walker then returned north, settled at Kenton, Ohio, and resumed the practice of his profes- sion in partnership with his sons. Willis and John. In 1879 he retired to his farm in the outskirts of that place, where he remained until his death. December 17. 1895. In his religious faith, the deceased was a Methodist, and his fraternal connections were with the Masons, Odd Fellows and his comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic.
General Walker was married. November 10. 1842, to Miss Maria C. Van Scoyke. daughter of Tobias and Elizabeth ( Posey) Van Scoyke. The father was a merchant in Franklin and Germantown. Ohio, who gave his daughter a good eduration, partly in a private school of Dayton. Mrs. Maria Walker died at Germantown. July 3. 1853, leaving three
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children. Of these Mary Elizabeth was born in Germantown and is now the wife of John T. Carlin, a retired citizen of Perrysburg, Ohio; John O. Walker, a native also of Germantown, is a graduate of the Michigan University Law School. practiced for a time but retired on account of ill health and lives in Kenton ; and Antoinette, who was born at Dayton, is now the widow of E. F. Cullen and a resident of Austin, Texas.
On May 1, 1855, General Walker married, as his second wife, Miss Mary M. Hitt, the ceremony occurring at Vincennes, Indiana. She was a daughter of Dr. Willis M. and Mary (Reynolds) Hitt, both of Mary- land. the latter being a descendant of Thomas Smith, a soldier of the Revolution. The second Mrs. Walker, who died October 16, 1907, at Kenton, Ohio, was also a cousin of the late Congressman Robert Hitt, of Illinois. The children of the second union were as follows: Willis S., who was born at Germantown, Ohio, graduated from the Law School of the Michigan University, and died at Spokane, Washington, January 10, 1890, being then engaged in practice there; Harriet R., born at Germantown, educated as a vocalist, married L. B. Tyson (now a retired druggist of Kenton) and died in that city, November 25, 1907; Mozelle H., who was born at Dayton, was educated as an artist, and married Eugene Rogers, a Kenton druggist; George W., born in Dayton, edu- cated at Ohio Northern University, West Point and Ohio State Univer- sity, and now professor of mathematics at the Pittsburg high school ; Bessie F. was born in Findlay, educated at Delaware College, Ohio, and now resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is married to a dry goods merchant of that city; Frank W., also a student of the Ohio State Uni- versity (a native of Findlay), and a traveling salesman residing at Kenton ; Mary L., who was born in Austin, Texas, was educated as a musician and is now engaged in professional work at Kenton; and De La Mar E. Walker, born at Findlay, also educated as a musician, and the wife of Paul K. Strong, an architect of Kenton.
The American ancestor of the Ohio branch of the Walker family to which General Walker belonged was John Walker, who settled in Maryland with Lord Baltimore, and was killed in the Revolutionary war at the battle of Eutaw Springs.
ANTHONY RAMSEY, who owns and occupies a farm of ninety acres in Washington township, Hardin county, Ohio, was born at Kenton, this county, in 1840. Here he grew to manhood, receiving his education in the common schools, and early in life giving his attention to the ship- ping of stock. This business he followed for twenty-five years. He was reared on a farm, and in later years he naturally turned to the farm again. First, he bought eighty acres in Pleasant township. Afterward he owned other farms, aggregating in all nine hundred sixty-five acres.
Mr. Ramsey is a son of George and Lizzie (Peifer) Ramsey, na- tives of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in 1836, coming direct to Hardin county. Here George Ramsey purchased one hundred acres of unclaimed land. He was the first man in Hardin county to do any milling. His mill was a portable one, operated by horse power,
A Raweg
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and while he conducted business on a small scale it was sufficient for those pioneer days. Also he was the first man in the county to distill liquor. By trade he was a tailor, having served an apprenticeship in the old country; but in the new conntry in which they had settled they found new conditions to which they adapted themselves. His brothers had learned milling and distilling in Germany, and it was with their assistance that he engaged in these occupations here. George Ramsey was the father of four children: Anthony. Lizzie, Maggie and George, deceased, and when the children were small the father died, his death occurring in 1849. The mother lived to rear her little family, and to reach the ripe old age of eighty-six. She died April 27, 1905. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Henry Ramsey. He was the head of the family which emigrated to this country from Germany in 1836, as above stated, and his children were George, Lewis, Anthony. Coen, Dorotha and Lizzie. The maternal grandfather was Michael Peifer, also a German. The Peifer family came to America about the time the Ramseys did, and settled at Kenton. The children of Michael Peifer were: Adam, John, Michael, George, Barbara and Lizzie.
April 27, 1877, Anthony Ramsey married Miss Rose, daughter of Jacob and Harriet Hufnagle, who bore him three children: Hattie, who married Alexander Eberhart and has two children, Anna and Freder- iek; Georgiana died at the age of twenty-four; and Mark. Mrs. Ramsey was born in Crawford county, Ohio, March 2, 1851. Mr. Ramsey's mother came from Germany.
DR. W. N. MUNDY, a successful physician of Forest, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, and his common and high school education were acquired in New York city. His further education was largely ac- quired through his own efforts, and he is a self-made man. He is a son of William N. and Margaret J. ( Harris) Mundy, both natives of New Jersey; they had four children, namely: John, Mary, Lavina and William N. William N. Mundy, Sr., served in the Civil war, in the Eighth New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. for three years and three months. After serving the short term for which he first enlisted he reenlisted. Ile was promoted from rank of private to commissary sergeant of his company. William N. Mundy was son of Edward N. Mundy, a soldier in the war of 1812. The Mundy and Harris families are of English origin, and members of both families took part in the Revolution.
The Doctor received his medical education at The Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, from which he graduated in 1883. In 1888 he entered New York Post Graduate Medical School and pursued a post graduate course, and in 1891 he took a special course in diseases of the eye and ear, in treating which organs he is a specialist. Dr. Mundy was living in Forest in 1875, being then a poor yonth, though he had ambi- tion and energy to better his position in life. In 1883 he returned to Forest, for the practice of his profession, and with a bright future before him, whose promise has been realized. Ile is now accorded a high place in his profession, and has the confidence and esteem of the community.
Vol. II-10
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Dr. Mundy is editor of the Ohio State Eclectic Medical Journal, and secretary of the Ohio State Eclectic Medical Association. He is an instructor in the Eclectic Medical Institute, of Cincinnati, on diseases of children, which post he has held since 1894. He takes a special interest in this institution, being himself one of its graduates. Dr. Mundy is the author of a work on Diseases of Children and takes an intense interest in this very important subject. Ile is a member of the Northwestern Ohio Eclectic Medical Association, also a member of the National Eclectic Medical Association of which he is corresponding secretary and editor of its journal.
At present Dr. Mundy is a member of the school board of Forest, in which capacity he has served eighteen years. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is Past Grand Patriarch of Ohio. He is also Past Grand Representative of the state. In 1883 Dr. Mundy married Maggie J., daughter of J. K. and Lucinda Waltermire a native of Wyandot county. This union has been blessed with two children, Carl S. and Giles J.
MARTIN LUTHER SNYDER .- A public-spirited and influential citizen of Ada, Martin Luther Snyder is widely and favorably known as junior member of the enterprising firm of Parlette & Snyder, publishers of the University Herald, and job printers. A son of the late Daniel Snyder, he was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, April 13, 1865, of German ancestry. His great-grandfather, De Walt Snyder, was born in Germany, where his surname was spelled Schneider. Emigrating to the United States in early manhood, he became a pioneer settler of Somerset county, and took an active part in the advancement of its agricultural interests. Jacob Snyder, the grandfather of Martin Luther, was a life-long resident of Pennsylvania, and a successful farmer.
Daniel Snyder was born, reared and educated in Pennsylvania, and during his active life was engaged in tilling the soil in Rockwood, Somerset county, living there until his death, in 1891. He married Eliza Miller, who was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, where her father, Jonathan Miller, was for many years owner and manager of a grist mill. She is now living in Davenport, Nebraska, a venerable and esteemed woman of eighty-two years.
The seventh child in order of birth of a family of eight children, Martin Luther Snyder spent his boyhood days on the home farm, obtain- ing his early education in the district schools. He subsequently took special studies winters at the State Normal schools, and at the age of seventeen years began his career as a teacher, and taught several terms. Going to Nebraska in 1883, Mr. Snyder remained there five years, being engaged in general farming in Richardson county. Being then recalled to Pennsylvania on account of the serious illness of his father, he taught school in his old home township until 1891. Locating then in Ada, Ohio, Mr. Snyder entered the classical department of the Ohio Northern University, from which he was graduated in 1894. In 1895 he bought the half interest of E. E. MeCoppin in the University Herald and job printing office, then owned by Parlette & MeCoppin, and has since
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carried on a substantial printing business as junior member of the firm of Parlette & Snyder.
Since 1890 Mr. Parlette has devoted the greater part of his time to the lecture platform, and Mr. Snyder has had full control of the plant, where he does general job printing, book work, and in addition publishes the University Herald, a weekly publication, which was established in 1885.
Mr. Snyder married. November 26, 1895. Ola Estella Feiss, a daughter of Gustavus and Sarilda Feiss, of Lima, Ohio, and to them five children have been born, namely : Barton F., Ruth L., Lowell F., Edith M., and Ralph L. Mr. Snyder is an earnest supporter of the principles of the Republican party, and active in public affairs. He is a consistent member of the Presbyterian church, and is chairman of its board of trustees.
RILEY PARK MCELROY, M. D., a prominent physician of Ada, Ohio, dates his birth in Hancock county, this state. May 13, 1871, and is the only son and youngest child of George W. and Sarah (Parks) McElroy. George W. MeElroy was a native of Hardin county, Ohio, and by occupation was a farmer. He died at the age of fifty-six years. His widow, a native of Hancock county, is still living there, she and her daughter, Mary Celesta, occupying the old home.
Riley P. was reared on his father's farm and studied his first lessons in a district school. By applying himself closely to his books. he qualified for the position of teacher before he emerged from his teens, and by teaching he paved his way to higher education and to a pro- fessional career. In the meantime he took a course at Findlay College and is a graduate of the latter with the class of 1896. Beginning at the age of eighteen he taught country school four winters in Hardin county, and subsequently was for three years an instructor in Defiance College. He spent four years attending the Baltimore Medical College, where he graduated in 1903 and afterward took special hospital work at Baltimore, and a course in the New York Post Graduate School. After his gradu- ation in 1903. he entered upon the practice of his profession at Ada, where he has since continued successfully. He is a member of both the IIardin County Medical and the State Medical Societies.
Dr. MeElroy is interested in farming, having a farm in Hancock county and one in Hardin county. Politically he is a Republican. He married, in 1902, Miss Cora Motter daughter of John Motter.
WILLIAM STOLL is one of the young and influential agriculturists of Washington township, where he resides on a valuable farm of two hundred and forty acres. He was born in Pleasant township of Har- din county, Mareh 17. 1878, being there also reared and educated, and starting in life for himself he chose the vocation of his ancestors. Hc is a grandson on the paternal side of one of the early pioneers of Hardin county, Conrad Stoll, who was born in Germany, and his children were Eliza, Maggie, Betty, George. Casper, John and Mrs. Andrews.
George C. Stoll, of the above family, was born in Hardin county
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and has long been numbered among its most influential business men and farmers. In addition to the estate of two hundred and forty acres on which his son resides and superintends he has also a farm of eighty acres in Pleasant township, this latter being his homestead. He married in his early life Emma Reese, a native daughter of Germany, and five children have been born to them, namely : William, Philip, Julia, Millie and Mary, but the last named is deceased. William Stoll, their elder son, married on the 3d of May. 1904, Miss Electa Haynes, born in Goshen township, Hardin county, in 1883, and a son, Kenneth, has been born to them. Mrs. Stoll belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Stoll is a member of the Masonic order.
ROBERT A. DEMPSTER, a respected citizen of Marion township, Har- din county, Ohio, was born November 13, 1839, in Franklin township, Harrison county, this state, and is a son of early pioneers of the Western Reserve. His paternal grandparents. Robert and Eliza (Hunter) Dempster, were of Scotch descent and both natives of Pennsylvania. Their son, John W. Dempster, the father of Robert A., was born in Jefferson, Ohio, August 7, 1817, and died October 3, 1904. He married in Tuscarawas county. Ohio. March 29. 1838, Miss Florania Huston, a native of Harrison county, this state, born May 20, 1820. Of the eight children born to them, four are now living: Robert A., Jacob, Catherine and W. Perry.
Robert A. Dempster grew up on his father's farm attending dis- triet school in winter and working in the fields in summer. About the time he reached his majority the Civil war came on, and he was among the first to tender his services to the Union cause. He enlisted in Com- pany K. 33rd Ohio Volunteers, for three-months service, but was not called ont, and was discharged in the fall. In August. 1862, he again enlisted, this time as a member of Company E. 13th Ohio Volunteers, and with his command joined the Army of the Cumberland. A short time before the battle of Stone river, he was taken down with pneumonia and was disabled for field service, but was on duty in hospital as medi- cal cadet. He was honorably discharged, and was mustered out June, 28, 1865.
That same year, 1865, he was married at Cincinnati, Ohio, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary J. Possnett, a native of Pennsylvania, born June 25, 1838. Her father, William Possnett, was a native of Stockport, England. He was pressed into the English navy when a boy and spent some time on a man-of-war vessel. In 1815 he was a partici- pant in the battle of Waterloo. He was born in 1800, and died in 1884. His wife, Margaret (Peacock) Possnett, was born in Pennsylvania, of Dutch parentage, in 1807, and died in 1891. For many years they lived in Cincinnati, where their daughter, Mrs. Dempster, was reared. To Mr. and Mrs. Dempster seven children were given, three of whom are living: William J. W., of Lima, Ohio; Alice, and Maude, the latter being the wife of Clark P. Henders of Westminster, Ohio, and Miss Alice lives with her parents.
Mr. Dempster is a member of the G. A. R. and, politically, is a
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Republican. He and his family are identified with the United Brethren church at Herrod, in which for a period of twenty-one years he has served as quarterly conference secretary. Both he and his daughter Alice are active in Sunday school work, he being superintendent and she a teacher.
CHARLES CORWIN, a prominent farmer and stockman of Taylor Creek township, Hardin county, Ohio, is a native of the county, born in Hale township, September 8, 1855. He is a son of George W. and Rosa Jane (Eddy) Corwin, old settlers of the township. George was a son of Daniel Corwin, who died in 1900, at the age of eigthy-eight years. He married Nancy Williams and they came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, in 1827, settling in Logan county in 1827 and in 1843 removing to Hardin county. Mrs. Corwin died in 1851 and in the sixties Mr. Cor- win married Mary Ann Bruce. He purchased part of the farm which is still in the family, after first renting part of the Eddy farm, and later farmed for Samuel MeCullough. After his second marriage Mr. Corwin removed to New Scotland county, Missouri, where Mrs. Corwin died in 1882.
George W. Corwin was born in Logan county, Ohio, May 10, 1831, and died April 22, 1907. He received his education in the district schools and remained on the home farm with his parents until his mar- riage, May 3, 1852. He then worked two years in the employ of his uncle in Logan county, but returned to Hardin county and lived on the old Eddy farm nine years. In 1861 Mr. Corwin bought the present homestead of the family, which had but one acre cleared. He built a log house near the Ansley home and here spent the remainder of his life farming and raising stock. In 1876 Mr. Corwin engaged in the manufacture of tile, which business he afterward sold. He also did considerable timber working. He was a member of the Local Grange and politically was a Democrat. His wife was born May 7, 1833, and was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Zimmerman) Eddy, who came to Hardin county from Virginia, in 1835. Mr. Eddy died January 12, 1857 and his widow died March 26, 1868. Mr. Corwin was a member of the Methodist church. Besides Charles, he and his wife had children as follows : J. D. born in 1853, now living in Missouri, married Launa Rummer, has three children, Pearl, Cora and Elbert ; Gnettia, wife of H. Ash of Marion, has five children, Ella. Evert. Earl, Floyd and Edwin ; George A. of Ifale township, born in 1861, married Edith Marmon, and has three children, Fae, Albert and Olen ; Harley, born in 1875, a farmer of Hale township, married Laura Deerwester, has two children, Erwin and Elton; Annabell is the wife of II. Carr and has two children, May- dean and Eddie Herbert; Elizabeth S. married G. McCoy and is the mother of five children, Ola, Jessie, Rosa, and Lillie and Hattie, deceased; Leander Corwin is deceased and Charles is the second child of the family.
The early days of Charles Corwin were spent on his father's farm and he received a good education in the public schools. He lived with his parents until he was twenty-eight years of age and then purchased a farm of forty-two acres. He has been very successful in his farming
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operations and has paid considerable attention to fine stocks. He owns an interest in a thoroughbred horse in company with Ezra Vassar, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Corwin has won success through his own efforts and is well known for his industry and good business judgment. Near his present home stands the old log house in which he was born, an old land-mark, which he moved to its present position. He is a substantial and representative citizen and has the confidence and esteem of all who know him. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and belongs to the Grange at Shiloh.
November 8, 1883, Mr. Corwin married Jennie McCoy, who was born August 7, 1865, in Lynn township, Hardin county, daughter of John McCoy, an old pioneer of the county, who died in 1884. His wife, Mary Taylor, was a daughter of James Taylor. Mrs. McCoy died at the age of forty-six years, when Mrs. Corwin was but seven years of age. Mrs. Corwin had one brother who died in infancy. After the death of her mother, Mrs. Corwin remained two years with her half-sister. Mr. Corwin and his wife became parents of children as follows: Izora, born in September, 1884, wife of Melvin McIntosh, a farmer of Logan county, has three children, Howard (six years old), Mildred Pauline (three years old), and Opal Lucille (one year old) ; Otis Dan, born May 24, 1886, at home; Mamie, born January 20, 1889, wife of P. D. Winter, of Hale township; Waldo Hayes, born April 29, 1891, at home; Ruth, born July 26, 1893, died in infancy; Lena, born April 6, 1895; Clarence M., born January 24, 1898; and George Ralph, born June 26, 1901. Mrs. Corwin belongs to the Methodist church and to the Grange. She is a member, also of the Woman's Relief Corps.
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