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 22
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seven years. William H. Davis was born in Maryland in 1781, and came to Ohio in 1803, settling first in Chillicothe. He was a cabinet-
maker by trade, and served in the war of 1812. His wife Marian Johnson, was born in 1797 and died in 1865, having survived her hus- band who died in 1847. Mr. Davis' father, Joshua Davis, was killed
in the Revolutionary war. When Mr. Virden was married he had but He fifty cents in money and began housekeeping in an old log cabin. made his money in his industry and thrift, and became very successful, so that at the time of his death he owned a fine property. He and his wife had children as follows: William A., a farmer of Marion county ; Mary E., wife of Ezra Umpher, of Marion; Charles C., a farmer of Marion county ; Samuel T., of California, where he has an orange grove; Thomas D., a retired farmer of Larue, Ohio; Joshua D., Robert H., of Missouri; and Dr. Milton H., of Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Virden held several local offices, and was a prominent man in public affairs.
Joshua D. Virden attended school three months a year and helped carry on his father's farm. After he reached his majority he began farming on his own account and when twenty-five years of age bought forty acres, on which he lived until 1887. He then removed to Hardin county and purchased his present one hundred-acre farm. This farm was only partly cleared, so that he had to make all improvements,, and now has one of the most modern residence in the northern part of Dud- ley township, where he carries on general farming, and makes a specialty of stock-raising. He is much interested in good horses, of which he has raised a great many. He has added forty acres to his farm and has erected substantial and comfortable buildings. He has now prac- tically retired from the active work of his farm but takes charge of it still.
Mr. Virden is a member of the Knights of Pythias and has always taken an active part in public affairs. He served six years as trustee of Dudley township and is an ardent Democrat. He is well known in the community, where his good qualities and high character are appreciated. IIe is well liked and has a host of friends.
November 18, 1873, Mr. Virden married Frances Margaret Ansel- man, who was born in Marion county, Ohio, May 10, 1853, daughter of Charles Anselman, a native of Germany, who came to America with his parents when three years old. The parents, John Philip and Frances Anselman lived in Marion county many years, and then removed to Hardin county and spent the remainder of their lives with their child- ren, the father passing away at the age of one hundred years. John Philip Anselman was an officer in the German army and served seven years in the war. Charles Anselman served one hundred days in the Civil war. He was an active business man and sold machinery, mowers,
John B. Fletcher.
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reapers etc., except in harvest time when he returned home to care for his crops. He married Anna Felton, also a native of Germany, who located in Marion county, Ohio, as a child, with her parents. The fam- ily located in Hardin county in 1869. She was born March 8, 1826 and died September, 1884, at the age of seventy-eight years. Mr. Ansel- man died June 28, 1904. Mrs. Virden was one of eight children, the others being: Katie Bishop, Charles, John Joseph, Sarah Wood, Elizabeth S., Clara Banning. Her mother was for fifty years a
member of the Christian church. Mrs. Virden is a member of the Methodist church and also belongs to the Pythian Sisters, being inner guard of the lodge of Hepburn. Mr. Virden and his wife have one son, Lloyd Milton, who was born May 13, 1883, and he is living
at home. He is a graduate of Kenton high school and Ada Uni- versity and helps with the work of the farm. Being a lover of stock- raising and especially of good horses the farm had the tendency to
make a farmer of him. Lloyd has the pleasure of owning two of the best bred road mares in the country, each standard bred and registered and have lots of speed. These mares Goldie Nu and Lady Mansfield are used as brood mares, and have proved themselves producers. He also breeds English Shire horses in which he has been quite successful and has a team at present for which he has refused six hundred dollars.
In 1907 and 1908 wishing to see the talked of California, Lloyd made a three months tour of the South and West, being in seventeen states and once out of the Unietd States in that time.
J. B. FLETCHER, merchant tailor, Kenton, Ohio, has been identified with the business activity of this place since he was a youth in his teens; has figured prominently in the affairs of the town, and has been the recipient of honors from his fellow citizens.
Mr. Fletcher is a native of England. He was born in Lincolnshire, November 23, 1847, son of William and Marie (Eldridge) Fletcher, English people, and with them came to America in 1854. Arrived in this country, the Fletcher family settled in Washington township, Har- din county, Ohio, where for a time the father was employed as a con- tractor on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Later he ran a hotel and store at what was then North Washington, now Dola, and still later he settled on a farm, where his last years were spent. Ile died at the age of sixty-seven years and his wife, at thirty-three. While a resident of Washington township, William Fletcher at different times filled local offices. In his family were nine children, three daughters and six sons, J. B. being the eldest.
J. B. Fletcher started out to make his own way in the world when he was fifteen, and it was then that he came to Kenton. Here his first work was as a clerk in the grocery of Crowley & Dickson, with whom he remained two years. Afterward he was for several years employed as a clerk in other stores (A. B. Ingersoll, B. F. & C. Schwartz, JJ. M. Brimon), where he gained a varied business experience and a knowledge of human nature, which fitted him to embark in an enterprise of his own. In partnership with Adolph Fullerton, under the firm name of Fuller-
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ton & Fletcher, he made his first business venture as a merchant tailor and dealer in ready-made clothes. Two years later the firm became Fletcher & Carry. This partnership continued until 1876, when they sold the business. That same year Mr. Fletcher engaged in business under his own name, which he has since continued.
During his long residence here, Mr. Fletcher has been active in Democratie polities and twice, in 1900 and 1902, was the choice for mayor in which office he served acceptably two terms. In 1907, he was elected a member of the Board of Public Service, of which he was elected presi- dent. On December 16, 1909, he was appointed Director of Public Service for a term of two years, beginning January 1, 1910.
Mr. Fletcher became a charter member of Robert Bruce Lodge No. 101, Knights of Pythias, September 4, 1876, and a charter member of Kenton Division, Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias in December, 1883. April 29. 1896 he was appointed assistant adjutant general of the Ohio Brigade Uniformed Rank K. of P. by General James C. Howe and served until the death of General Howe which occurred November 1, 1897. For eighteen years he has been a member of the B. P. O. E., No. 157, and in both this order and in the K. of P. he has filled all the chairs.
June 13, 1872, Mr. Fletcher married Miss Mary A. Hoon, a native of Ohio and a daughter of A. S. and Jeannette Hoon, and they have two daughters: Ellen, wife of R. C. Caples, traffic manager for the New York Central R. R., New York City; and Kate, wife of Dr. H. D. Belt, a practicing physician of Kenton.
CURTIS AVRA ROBINSON .- The representative of a family that has been for many years intimately identified with the annals of Hardin coun- ty, Curtis Avra Robinson, of Cessna township, is also widely known as one of the upbuilders of the town of Alger, he and his father, the late James H. Robinson, having erected the first building in Alger, that is now ocenpied by the Phillips Hotel. They also established the first mer- cantile house in that place, conducting a general store there for eight years, while for seventeen years Curtis Avra Robinson owned and con- dneted a livery business, it being the first enterprise of the kind in Alger. He was born April 29, 1868, at Marseilles, Wyandot county, Ohio, of pioneer ancestry, his grandparents, Peter A. and Anna E. Robinson, having been among the early settlers of Hardin county, Ohio.
Born near the city of Auburn, New York, May 7, 1839, James H. Robinson was but three years of age, when, in 1842, he was brought by his parents to Goshen township, Hardin county, where he grew to man's estate. During the Civil war, he responded cheerfully to his country's call, enlisting as a private in Company A, Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until February 9, 1862, when he was hon- orably discharged on account of physical disability. On October 13, 1864, having regained his former vigor, he again enlisted in his old com- pany, with which he remained until the close of the war, receiving his discharge on July 24, 1865. He lived for a few years after his marriage in Wyandot county, but returned to Hardin county, and in the spring of 1883 located in Alger as one of its original settlers, and built the
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property now occupied by George Phillips. For a number of years he was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits, conducting a grocery. Retiring from active business on account of ill health, he built a sub- stantial residence on East Lee street, and there lived until his death, January 23, 1902. He was held in high esteem as a man of honor and worth, and served his fellow-townsmen in many offices of trust and responsibility, in the administration of public affairs being careful and conscientious. At the time of his death he was serving his second term as mayor of the city. On June 4, 1864, he married Lydia A. Baker, who was born August 4, 1844, near the city of Mansfield. Richland county, Ohio, and is now living in Kenton, Ohio. Two children were born of their union, namely : Curtis Avra, and Harvey W. of Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania.
After leaving the district schools Curtis Avra Robinson attended the public schools of Kenton for a time, acquiring a practical business education. For a number of years he was engaged in the livery business at Alger, but he has always been more or less interested in agriculture, and is now numbered among the foremost farmers and stock-raisers of Hardin county. He owns a valuable farm of one hundred and eighty- eight acres on section fourteen, Cessna township, and in addition to having property in Alger, including a business house, and two dwelling houses, he is a stock-holder in the new J. W. Kirts Company department store at Alger.
Mr. Robinson married, April 29. 1890, Ruah A. Shadley, who was born in Marion township, Hardin county, Ohio, October 24, 1869, on the farm on which her father, W. A. Shadley, was born and reared, it hay- ing been entered from the government by her grandfather, Sampson Shadley. Her father is now a resident of Tennessee. Mrs. Robinson's mother was Mary E. McElhaney and she died June 3, 1876, at the age of thirty-three years, eleven months and seven days. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson have one child. Parker Avra Robinson, who was born, October 26, 1902, near Delta, Ohio. Mrs. Robinson is a woman of culture and refinement, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politi- cally Mr. Robinson exereises his right of franchise in favor of the Repub- liean party, and fraternally he is a charter member of Alger Lodge No. 751, K. of P., and of Kenton Lodge No. 157. B. P. O. E.
JOHN SCOTT SLOAN, a prominent farmer and stockman of Taylor Creek township, was born on the farm where his father lives, April 30. 1883. He is a son of Robert and Ada V. (Rice) Sloan, the former also a farmer. Robert Sloan was born January 5, 1858, and is a son of John Sloan, who died July 6, 1883, at the age of sixty-one years. John Sloan and his wife, Margaret, came to the United States from Ireland, and settled in Hardin county, Ohio, purchasing the present Sloan farm. He purchased this large farm in 1866 and settled in what was then the forest and he built a log house and began clearing the land. He enlisted in the Union Army and served nine months. Mr. Sloan was a member of the United Presbyterian church. He and his wife had four children and besides Robert one other is still living, Emma, unmarried, living at Belle Center, Ohio.
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The childhood and youth of Robert Sloan was spent on a farm and he received a common school education. He worked for his father and lived with his parents until his majority. lle has lived about thirty years on his present farm and until his marriage his sister was his housekeeper. Ile makes a specialty of breeding and raising stock and has made all possible improvements, so that now he has one of the most modern homes in the township. He is a member of the United Presby- terian church of Silver Creek and politically is a Republican. Mr. Sloan has served as township supervisor.
In 1882 Robert Sloan married Ada V. Rice, who was born February 9, 1862, daughter of Robert Rice, who died in 1903, at the age of seventy years. He removed to Taylor Creek township, Hardin county, from Muskingum county, Ohio, and was a farmer all his life. Mr. Rice married Mary Ann Koons, who died in December, 1906, at the age of sixty-six, and was a daughter of William and Martha (Shepard) Koons, pioneers of Hardin county. Besides Mrs. Sloan her parents had two other children, namely : Clara May, wife of Judge Roberts, a farmer of Taylor Creek township, and Roy C., a farmer of Huntsville. Robert Rice was a son of John and Eliza (Seaton) Rice and grandson of Clement Rice. Eliza Seaton was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, February 8, 1812, daughter of Robert and Nancy Seaton, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania before the war of 1812, in which Mr. Seaton served. Robert Rice's father, John Rice, was justice of the peace for years, also served as assessor of the township, and was the Whig nominee at one time, for probate judge, but was defeated. He died December 20, 1861.
The brothers and sisters of John S. Sloan are: Mary Jane, born in 1884, does dressmaking at home; Lloyd Judson, born in 1886, married Cleo Shindwolf; Paul Raymond, born in 1887, at home; Alta, born in 1892, at home; Grace Irene, born in 1895; Elmer Leroy, born in 1898 and Frank Marshall, born in 1900.
John S. Sloan spent his boyhood on a farm, attended the district school and afterward attended school one year in Kenton. He then went to Ada University two terms and for four years in Silver Creek drove a huxter wagon. Since that time he has devoted his attention to farming and stock-raising, and makes a specialty of high grade stock, having three thoroughbred hogs, O. 1., C. and Dew Rock.
February 20, 1906, Mr. Sloan married Marie Hannah Breidenbaugh, born June 10, 1888, daughter of John and Barbara (Reffer) Breiden- baugh. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Sloan, Nicholas Reffer and Catherine Reffer, nee Lintz, were born in Albach, Hessen, Ger- many, the date of his birth being February 25, 1829, and that of his wife September 22, 1827. Before coming to America, Mr. Reffer was a miller, but after coming here (in 1853), he became a farmer and lived south of Kenton on what was known as the old Shirk place, until he built a fine frame house on Taylor Creek pike, three miles from Kenton, where he and his wife lived the remainder of their lives. Mr. Reffer died June 17, 1894, and his wife July 6, 1898. To them thirteen children were born, all of whom are living except Mary, who
mes alice Crozier
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died June 25, 1909, and Barbara, who died December 7, 1899. Barbara Reffer, Mrs. Sloan's mother, was born May 23, 1859, and married John Breidenbaugh March 16, 1882. He was born in Grant, Ohio, December 15, 1860. They conducted a grocery in Grant until 1887, when they moved to a farm east of Grant, where Mr. Breidenbaugh died December 7, 1898. To them three children were born: Marie, Alta and Teana.
Mr. Sloan and his wife have one daughter, Catherine Virginia, born June 27, 1907, who is the only grandchild of the Sloan family. Mr. Sloan is a member of the United Presbyterian church of Silver Creek, and also belongs to the local Grange. Politically he is a Republican and takes an active interest in public affairs. He was elected in 1909 for a first term of two years in the office of township treasurer. He is an enterprising and industrious farmer and has been very successful in all his undertakings. He is well known in the county and highly re- spected.
SAMUEL A. CROZIER has during many years been numbered among the influential and representative agricultural residents of Washington township, but he has been distinctively the architect of his own fortunes and is numbered among the ever honored class of "self-made men." He was one of the six children born to Daker Crozier and a Miss Boyd, both of Irish birth, namely : Robert, deceased, James, Sarah, Mary, Robert, and Samuel A. Daker Crozier owned at one time seventy-five acres of land in Logan county, Ohio, but he finally returned to his native land.
Samuel A. Crozier, born in Logan county, Ohio, in 1860, was left motherless when but five years of age, and in his early youth he was thrown upon his own resources. He was reared and educated in the county of his nativity, and agriculture has proved his life's occupation. Forty acres of his present homestead he has owned since 1882, the re- maining forty having been purchased in 1902. When he became the owner of the first tract it was in an unsightly and unimproved state, containing a little log cabin which served as his home for a number of years, but with his family he now enjoys the luxury of a comfortable brick residence and splendid farm buildings. He married in 1884 Miss Alice, a daughter of Levi and Almina Hatcher, and two sons blessed their marriage union, James C. and Ira C., but the older one met death in 1904 by a runaway team. He was a young man of the greatest promise, and was loved and honored wherever known. Mrs. Crozier was born in Logan county in 1865, one of the three children of Levi and Almina Hatcher, James, deceased, Alice and Charles, but the daughter is the only representative of the family in Hardin county. Mr. Crozier is a member of the fraternal order of Odd Fellows. Mrs. Crozier belongs to the Methodist Protestant church.
WILLIAM C. KAHLER, a prominent farmer of Pleasant township, Hardin county, Ohio, was born in the township where he now resides, in 1883, son of William and Mary ( Bloom) Kahler, and grandson of Conrad Kahler. Conrad was one of the pioneers of Hardin county, and there made his fortune. He was a native of Germany, and upon
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his arrival in the county, Kenton was only a small village; there were few settlers in the neighborhood, and land was plenty. The only capital he had was his ambition, energy and pluck, as his eash in hand consisted of only ten cents, and aside from the clothes he wore his wardrobe was contained in a handkerchief which was shung over his back. After living a short time in his adopted country he began to prosper, and soon desired to avail himself of the splendid opportunities all around him; he lost no time, but invested his savings to good advantage, as soon as he had worked long enough to obtain a little money, and in time became the owner of 700 aeres of land. He also engaged in the manufacture of brick, building up an extensive business in this line, and carried on this enterprise a number of years. The two large dwelling houses now on the family homestead were built in 1879, from bricks of his own manu- facture, and he also made the brick used in many large buildings of the community. Not only did Conrad Kahler acquire wealth, but he became an influential citizen, and served at one time as commissioner of Hardin county. His large estate was on the edge of the village of Kenton, and extended three miles north of it. He and his wife, who was Hannah Meyers, a native of Germany, were members of the German Reformed church. They had children as follows: Edward, William, Henry, Emma and Minnie, all deceased; they were all born in Pleasant township.
William Kahler was born in 1858, on his father's farm near Kenton, and inherited his share of the estate; he improved this land, and held it until his death, July 27, 1887. His widow, whose maiden name was Mary Bloom, is also a native of Pleasant township, and survives him; she was born October 26, 1862. They were parents of two children, Eva deceased, and William C.
William C. Kahler was reared in his native township, and received his education in the public schools. When old enough he began working on his father's farm. Upon attaining his majority he moved to his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres of first-class farming land. He is a successful farmer, and carries on general farming in a scientific and efficient manner. He is well known in the community, where his entire life has been spent, and has many friends.
In 1907 Mr. Kahler married Nettie, daughter of John and Margaret Deueker, natives of Germany and Hardin county, Ohio, respectively. Mrs. Kahler was born in Buck township, Hardin county, in 1888. John Deucker was born in 1853, and emigrated to the United States in 1870; he was married in Hardin county, and owned two hundred acres of land in Buck township, where he lived until 1897 and then removed to Cleveland, Ohio. He and his wife had six children, all born in the county, namely : William, Karl, Mary, Emma, Minnie, and Nettie. Mr. Kahler and his wife have one daughter, Madeline M.
L. D. SELLS, D. D. S., has been engaged in the practice of dentistry in Ada, Ohio, since 1881, and is well known and held in high esteem here. Dr. Sells was born in Vinton, Benton county, Iowa, in 1860, son of George W. and Anna (McCoy) Sells, natives of Columbus, Ohio. In early life George W. Sells was a merchant at Dublin, near Columbus,
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but later was a commercial traveler. He moved to Iowa in 1855 and took up his residence at Vinton in Benton county, where he made his home until the fall of 1867. when he returned to Ohio and settled at Ada in Hardin county. After they came to Ada. his wife engaged in the milliner business, which she conducted five years. He traveled until well advanced in years, and died here at the age of seventy-nine. She is still living. spending her summers in Ada, and winters in Chicago with her son, L. B. In their family were three sons and one daughter; the daughter is deceased.
L. D. Sells, the youngest of the family, was seven years old when they came to Ada, and here he was educated in the Ohio Northern Uni- versity. He prepared himself for the practice of his profession, at Ann Arbor. Michigan, where he graduated in 1880. and the year follow- ing his graduation he opened an office in Ada, where he has since con- ducted a successful practice in dentistry.
July 24. 1881, he married Miss Lizzie Cline, a native of Knox county, Ohio, and a daughter of Phillip Cline. one of the early settlers of that county. They have three sons and one daughter, namely : Fred, of Utica, Ohio, and Morris, Paul and Ruth, at home.
Politically, the doctor is a Republican, and has always taken a com- mendable interest in local affairs. He was twice elected and served two. terms as a member of the City Council. Fraternally, he is identified with the Masonie Order. the Knights of Pythias, and the Odd Fellows. His religious creed is that of the Presbyterian church, of which for years he has been a worthy member.
R. S. SHANKS, descends from perhaps one of the oldest and best known families of Liberty township. His grandfather on the paternal side. Thomas Shanks, came from Crawford county. Ohio, to Hardin county in 1832, entering here two hundred acres of the government land and building thereon a cabin. the typical dwelling of pioneer days. He lived principally on the products of the forest. for game was then in abundance, and in due time his wild land showed signs of productive- ness, and to his original purchase he in time added eighty acres more. His wife was before marriage Susannah Pence, and thirteen children were born to them. Samuel. Henry, Thomas, John, William, Jackson. Sarah, Nancy, Barbara, Rachael. Elizabeth. Anna and Jane. Both Thomas and Susannah Shanks were born in Pennsylvania and were of German origin, and Thomas died in the year 1871. He was one hundred and one years old at the time of his death. His wife Susannah died in 1860.
John Shanks, one of the thirteen children, was born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1821. and was eleven years of age when his parents came to Hardin county. Ile remained with his father some little time after his marriage, assisting him in clearing his land. and in 1849 he purchased eighty acres of wild land in Liberty township, and as he cleared and improved in turn each subsequent purchase he kept increasing his land holdings until he now owns an estate of four hundred aeres, while each of his two sons owns eighty aeres in their own name. thus making in this
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