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 37
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maiden name of the wife of Henry Nagle was Asenath Crockett. She
was born in Kentucky, and belonged to the family from which David Crockett, the noted frontiersman, sprung. She died at the age of seventy-five years. To her and her husband twelve children were born. Politically Mr. Lawson was a sound Democrat. Religiously he was a member, with his wife, of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he was an active worker, and for many years was the secretary of its Sunday school.
WILLIAM II. LAWRENCE .- A man of sterling integrity and worth, William H. Lawrence holds a position of note among the honored and highly esteemed citizens of Kenton, where he is now living, retired from active pursuits. A native of Logan county, Ohio, he was born, Decem- ber 21, 1848, at Bellefontaine, a son of Hon. William Lawrence, who in the three fold capacity of lawyer, soldier and statesman achieved emi- nence and honor, becoming one of the best known men of his day. He is of English descent, his lineage having been traced back to Sir Robert Lawrence, upon whom Richard, Coeur de Lion, bestowed a coat- of-arms for his distinguished services in planting the banner of the Crusaders on the walls of Saint Jean D'Acre in 1191. Among his ancestors of a later generation were Robert Lawrence, of Ashley Hall, Lancashire, England, and one James Lawrence, who married Matilda Washington, a member of the same family that produced George Washington.
Joseph Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence's grandfather, was born, Decem- ber 21, 1793, at Byberry, Friends' Meeting House, which is now included within the corporate limits of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ile served as a soldier in Captain Beneget's company during the war of 1812. Migrating to Ohio in 1816, and married at Mount Pleasant, Temperance Gilchrist, who was born in Berkeley county, Virginia, Aug- ust 6, 1792. Locating in 1830 on a farm in Jefferson county, Ohio, he
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lived there a number of years. Subsequently buying farm lands in Har- din county. he took up his residence at Bellefontaine, and there lived until his death, in the meantime superintending the care of his farm.
William Lawrenee was born. June 20. 1819, at Mount Pleasant, Ohio. An intelligent. studions lad, with scholarly ambitions, he at- tended every session of the district school, assisting in the farm labors during the long summer vacations. He acquired a good knowledge of surveying when young, and before entering his "teens" wrote a book entitled "A solution of Gummer's Surveying." In 1833 he attended Rev. John Tidball's Academy in Knoxville, and in 1838 was graduated from Franklin College in Athens, with the degree of A. B., and as vale-
dietorian of his class. In the meantime he had assisted on the home farm a part of each year and had taught in the distriet school. He subsequently studied medicine, natural philosophy and chemistry, acquir- ing a knowledge that became useful to him in later years. In 1838 he began the study of law at MeConnelsville, and in March, 1840, was graduated from the Cincinnati Law School with the degree of LL. B., and was at once admitted to practice in the supreme court of the state at Zanesville. In 1840 and 1841 William Lawrence was reported for the House of Representatives of Ohio, and was correspondent for several newspapers. Locating at Bellefontaine in 1841, he began the practice of his profession, and soon took rank among the leading attorneys of the state, his name subsequently appearing in the records of the supreme courts of Ohio, Kansas and the United States. By authority of At- torney General Williams he was the leading counsel for the United States in the case of the Goverment versus the L. L. and G. Railroad, whereby a traet of nine hundred and sixty thousand aeres of land was reclaimed by the United States and opened for settlers. In 1842 William Lawrence was appointed commissioner of bankruptey for Logan county. and in 1845-6 was prosecuting attorney for the same connty. In 1847 he represented his district in the state legislature, and was elected state senator in 1849 and re-elected to the same high position in 1854. In 1852 he was candidate for elector on the Whig ticket.
In 1862 William Lawrence, now entitled to the term "Honorable." enlisted for three months service in the Civil war, and was made colonel of the Eighty-fourth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. One month of the time he served as president of the court martial, before which many important cases were tried. In 1863 he was appointed by President Lincoln as district judge of Florida, but deelined the honor. In 1864 he was elected to congress, and was subsequently re-elected. serving with the exception of one term until 1877. In congress he was the author of several bills that became laws and championed many others. He was in full sympathy with the Republican party, and was the author of the bill giving each Union soldier one hundred and sixty aeres of government land, and was one of the first in congress to urge that Indian lands should no longer be disposed of by railway companies but reserved for homesteaders. He likewise introduced the bill in congress to make the office of attorney general an executive department. In 1877 he was chosen by the Republicans of the House to argue the
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case of four contested states before the Electoral Commission, and his portrait appears in the painting entitled "Electoral Commission," which was purchased by congress and now adorns the walls of the Capitol.
Hon. William Lawrence delivered several notable addresses on the subject of wool protection, one of the, entitled "The Protection of Wool from the Standpoint of the Grower," was printed by the "Home Market Club" of Boston, and was widely circulated by its members. He was appointed by Governor Foraker as a delegate to the Farmer's Congress of the United States, held at Chicago in 1887, and the address which he there delivered on the wool industry was published and distributed as a campaign document by the Republican National Committee. He was a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a delegate from the Central Ohio Conference to the General Conference in the years 1872-76-80 and 1892. In 1871 he organized the Bellefontaine National Bank, of which he was the principal stockholder, and served as its president during its earlier years of existence. He was an enthusiastic farmer and stock raiser, and owned farms in Buck, Taylor Creek and Lynn townships, Hardin county, and carried on general agriculture with success. Ile died May 8, 1899, his death being a public loss to the community in which he resided, to the county and to the state.
Hon. William Lawrence married, December 20, 1843, Cornelia Hawkins, a daughter of Hon. William Hawkins. She died February 29, 1844. He married on March 2, 1845, Caroline M. Miller, who was born January 20, 1828, in Port Republic, Rockingham county, Virginia, a daughter of Henry Miller, who was born in Virginia, of German ancestors, and moved from there to Ohio, becoming a pioneer settler of Bellefontaine, where he was for many years successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits, conducting a general store. She was a woman of culture, receiving her education at the Presbyterian Female Seminary in Granville, Ohio. Three sons and three daughters blessed their union, namely : Joseph H., William H., John M., Cornelia, Frances C. and Mary Temperance.
Acquiring his rudimentary education in the public schools of Bellefontaine, William H. Lawrence completed his studies at the Swed- enborgian College at Urbana, Ohio. Turning then his attention to agricultural pursuits, for which he had a natural love and taste, he was for thirty years industriously and prosperously engaged in farming and stock-raising in Lynn township. Removing to Kenton in 1900, he has since resided here retired from active business cares.
Mr. Lawrence married, February 5, 1878, Agnes Gunn, who was born in Lynn township, Hardin county, November 23, 1854, a daughter of John Gunn, Jr., coming from Scotch ancestry. Her grandfather, John Gunn, Sr., was born in Scotland in 1770, and as a young man joined the English army, with which in 1800 he came across the Atlantic to Canada. After leaving the army he continued his residence for a time in Canada, living first in Montreal, then in Malden, and afterward in Wapakoneta where he was an Indian trader. Coming to Ohio in 1808, he located at McKee Creek, Logan county. The country roundabout was then in its pristine wildness, deer, bear, wolves, panthers, turkeys
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and wild game of all kinds being plentiful. while the Indians were num- erous and sometimes quite troublesome. He became a tavern keeper. and during the war of 1812 rendered valuable service to the United States commissary department, and for these services his widow was subsequently awarded one hundred and sixty acres of government land. He died in 1842, and his widow passed away in 1864. They reared three sons, namely : John, Jr., Walter D. and Robert. John Gunn, Jr .. was born, October 24, 1814, in Logan county, Ohio, and was brought up on a farm, and in 1842 located on land in Lynn township. Making the most of his opportunities, he acquired a practical education, becoming
a surveyor of note. He purchased land at different times, becoming
owner of upwards of a thousand aeres. He was a man of enterprise and publie spirit, among the foremost in promoting improvements, assisting in the establishment of schools and churches, and was a strong advocate of good roads. He died July 22. 1876. Ile married, in 1844, Emily Garrett, a daughter of Tirey Garrett, of whom a sketch may be found on another page of this volume. She died January 16, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence are the parents of three children, namely : John M., who married Mabel Ewing and has one child, Joseph H .; J. William; and Frances A.
ROBERT L. MILLER .- In the front rank of the class of men who have been actively associated with the financial movements of various parts of the Union is Robert L. Miller, of Kenton, a man of superior business talent, judgment and tact. In his judicious operations he has aecumu- lated much wealth, and is now living retired from business eares in Buck township, Hardin county, occupying his magnificent country seat, a farm of one hundred aeres. A son of William Miller, he was born, October 15, 1853, at Catasauqua, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania.
A native of Ireland, William Miller was born in Coleraine, County Londonderry, and when a small child was left an orphan. When nine years old he came to the United States to make his home with a maternal unele, a Mr. Leslie, living in Manch Chunk, Pennsylvania, and there he grew to manhood, receiving in the meantime excellent educational ad- vantages. Endowed with natural ability, he embarked in early man- hood in mereantile pursuits, but in common with those of much greater experience suffered severe losses during the panie of 1857. IIe subse- quently became a railroad builder, and took contracts to build several hundred miles of the Union Pacific Railroad, both on the plains and in the mountains. He subsequently purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land in Benton county, Iowa, and superintended its management. living in the meantime in Vinton, the county seat, until his death. December 17. 1872. He married Mary McKee, who was born in Dutchess county, New York, where her father. Thomas McKee, who emigrated from Ireland to this country when young, was for many years an Indian trader. She died December 8, 1881, leaving three children. namely: Robert L .: Mrs. Belle Parker, of Los Angeles, California ; and Bertha. Bertha married George Scoville, and died in Iowa, leaving two children. Both parents were members of the Presbyterian church.
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Robert L. Miller went west with his father, and at Ogden, Utah, on May 10. 1869, witnessed the driving of the golden spike into the last tie that united the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific railways. Coming to Kenton in 1873, he clerked in a bank a year, and then made a trip ahroad, visiting many of the larger cities of Europe. Returning to Kenton, Mr. Miller was for a number of years extensively engaged in banking and real estate business. In 1885 he was appointed chief of loans and currency division of the treasury department at Washington, D. C., where he remained four years. Going from there to Saint Paul, Minnesota, Mr. Miller was there engaged in banking several years, and afterwards operated successfully in stocks in Chicago, his home in the meantime being in that beautiful suburb of the city. Evanston. Leaving there he resided in Toledo, Ohio, until 1907, when he assumed possession of the farm which he purchased in 1895. it being beautifully located three miles south of the Kenton courthouse.
Mr. Miller has been twice married. He married first. when in his twenty-first year, Achsa Stevens, who was born in Kenton, a daughter of Julins and Anne (Burnham) Stevens. She died in 1905. Mr. Miller married second in 1906, Mrs. Mary J. (Smith) Stubbs. She was born in Warren county, Ohio, a daughter of Thomas and Eleanor (Bowyer) Smith, who are still living on their home farm in that county. Her first husband. Horace Stubbs, a life long resident of Warren county, died at a comparatively early age, leaving one son. George Wilbur Stubbs. Mr. Miller has an adopted daughter. Mary, to whom he is devoting as much care and attention as though she were in reality his own child.
In his political views Mr. Miller was identified with the Democratic party until 1906, when he became a stanch advocate of sound money and has since voted the Republican ticket. Religionsly Mr. and Mrs. Miller are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Fraternally he belongs to the Wolf Creek Grange, and takes great interest in pro- moting the welfare of the organization, believing it can be made an instrument of much good to its members. Although Mr. Miller has ever been a busy man, he has been a constant reader, keeping himself well informed on the topics of the day, and in consequence has been uniformly successful in his undertakings, even in his battles with the stock market. Mr. Miller's country home is one of the finest in Hardin county and the admiration of city people, who envy him its possession. The commodious frame house, built in modern style and containing all of the np-to-date improvements for heating and illuminating. stands in the midst of a spacious lawn, which is ornamented with a great variety of trees and shrubs, the estate being an ornament to the community and one in which he and his fellow townsmen may take a just pride.
GEORGE W. OVERLY .- Standing high among the industrious and bus- iness-like farmers who are so successfully conducting the agricultural interests of Hardin county is George W. Overly, of Buck township, who represents the younger generation of the Ohio husbandmen. He was born, January 16, 1867. in Wabash county, Indiana, which was also the
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birthplace of his father, Samuel W. Overly. His grandfather, Daniel Overly, a native of Pennsylvania, born of German ancestors, became a pioneer settler of Wabash county, Indiana. Entering a tract of tim- bered land from the government, he redeemed a good farm from the forest and while establishing a home for himself and family contributing his full share toward the growth and development of that part of the state. There he and his wife spent their remaining years. Daniel Overly was eighty-six years of age at the time of his death.
Developing into manhood on the Indiana homestead, Samuel W. Overly assisted his father in the strennous labor of clearing the land, and was engaged in farming in that locality until 1873. Migrating then to Pettis county, Missouri, he located fifteen miles south of Sedalia, and there continued his ehosen occupation three years. Coming then to Ohio, he spent a year in Champaign county, after which he rented a farm three miles west of Kenton, in Hardin county, where he lived a number of years. Coming then to Bnek township, he was here employed in tilling the soil until 1908, when he took up his residence in Ridgeway, where he now lives, retired from active pursuits. He married Eveline Ash, who was born in Indiana, and was there bred and educated. She died in 1894, leaving eight children, namely: George W., Elda, Charles T., Elinor, Stella, John, Edith and Ada.
Ten years old when he came with his parents to Hardin county, George W. Overly received a practical education in the district schools, while at home he was well trained in agricultural arts. In early man- hood he began his agricultural career on rented land and met with very encouraging success from the start. In 1897 Mr. Overly purchased his present farm in Bnek township, and is here carrying on general farming with satisfactory results, displaying excellent judgment in his operations.
Mr. Overly married, in 1892, Iva M. Scott, who was born in Ohio, a daughter of William Seott, a Hardin county farmer. Three children have been born of their union, namely: Ethel Mary, Lloyd E. and Leota May. Mr. Overly belongs to Wolf Creek Grange and to Scioto Camp, M. W. A.
SAMUEL A. MCCULLOUGH, one of the most enterprising, useful and prosperous citizens of Hardin county, condnets a fine farm of four hun- dred aeres on Mt. Victory pike, Bnek township, two and a half miles from the courthouse. He purchased the modern place he now ocenpies in 1907 and is therefore a new settler. Mr. MeCullongh's long and noteworthy career as an educator and a broad-gange farmer was made chiefly in Fairfield and Van Wert counties, Ohio, the grandfather. William, having established the family in the former county in 1806. The ancestor named came from Ireland, which was his native country. As his parents crossed over into Scotland when he was very young he made his home with an uncle; but it is supposed that both his father and mother perished of the plague which was raging at that time. At all events, all tidings of them were lost, and at the age of nineteen the youth crossed the ocean to America, first residing in Pennsylvania. In 1806 he took up land in Fairfield connty. Ohio, where he died at the age of Vol. II-19
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ninety-seven. William, his son ( father of Samuel A.), was born in that county, and when he had reached manhood moved across the line into Perry county, where he purchased a quarter section for seven hundred dollars. Coal was discovered on his land, but as he did not wish to work the deposits he sold the one hundred and sixty acres four years after their purchase for five thousand dollars. Ile then returned to Fair- field county, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. William Mccullough married Miss Elizabeth Nixon, born in Virginia, daughter of John and Rebecca (Holt) Nixon, both born in England. The father came to Virginia in his early boyhood and one of his sons, George, served in the Revolutionary war. The Nixons generally remained in the south and its male representatives served in the Confederate army; the McCulloughs were distributed in various sections of the country, some being soldiers of the Union and others of the southern army. Twelve children were born to William and Elizabeth (Nixon) Mccullough, of whom nine reached maturity and Samuel A. was the fourth.
Samuel A. McCullough was born in Perry county, Ohio, March 27, 1847, being eight years of age when his parents moved to Fairfield county. Although his education was confined to his training in the district school he so proved his adaptability to teaching that for twenty- nine years he continued his educational work during the winter terms, giving his summers to farming. Then for two years he gave his entire time to teaching at Bloomfield, Iowa, but in 1892 located on a farm in Hoglin township, Van Wert county, and since that year has made agriculture the main purpose of his life work. For several years of his early residence in that county he was identified with the Gilliland and Little farms, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty aeres in Tully township, and for nearly twenty years made a specialty of harvesting hay, his season's product ranging from one hundred and fifty to two hundred tons. He also raised various grains and live stock ; so that "Grand View" farm became noted as much for its varied pro- ductiveness as for its elevated and beautiful location. Mr. MeCullongh purchased the land. in 1898, at thirty-seven dollars and fifty cents an acre, and sold it in 1906 at one hundred and twenty-five dollars an acre- a somewhat remarkable advance in price caused by the fine improvements which the proprietor had put upon the place, by the general rise in the desirable lands of the locality, and the improvement made by the Lima and Fort Wayne Electric Railroad. As stated, in 1907 Mr. MeCullough located on the fine homestead he now occupies in Buck township.
In 1874 Mr. McCullough married Miss Anna Jane Wright, who was born in Fairfield county, daughter of William and Betsy (Hansacker) Wright. Her father, an extensive livestock dealer, is also a native of Fairfield county. Her maternal grandfather, Jacob Hansacker, was a native of Virginia, was captured by Indians when a boy and held for twenty-five years; so that when recovered by his relatives he was, in appearance and nature, an Indian himself. His daughter, the mother of Mrs. McCullough. migrated from Virginia to Fairfield county. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Mccullough-Isaac W., Kate, Benjamin F. and William A. The son last named is follow-
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ing in his father's footsteps as a teacher, his efficient work having been condneted both in Van Wert and Hardin counties. He is now teaching in Dudley township. Mr. Mccullough's preparation for his profession has been of the most thorough nature. He first exhausted the facilities of the district school, then completed a course at the Conroy high school, and has been a faithful student at the Lima College and the Northern Ohio University at Ada.
WILLIAM L. GARRETT .- Noteworthy among the active and valned citizens of Hardin county is William L. Garrett, a well-known farmer whose home is pleasantly located on Mt. Victory pike, two miles south of the city of Kenton. A son of Tiry Garrett, he was born, January 1. 1844, in Pleasant township, this county. His grandfather, William Garrett, a Virginian by birth and breeding, was a pioneer settler of Highland county, Ohio. Taking up a tract of wild land, he cleared a homestead and there resided until his death in 1825, when but fifty-two years of age. His body was buried in the old Pope cemetery near Centerfield. One of a family of fourteen children, Tiry Garrett was born in Virginia on the 4th of April, 1802, and there acquired his early knowledge of books. Coming with the family to Ohio, he first assisted his father, but after his marriage moved to Wyandot county, where he was a pioneer farmer. Coming from there to Hardin county in 1841. he bought a traet of timbered land that is now owned by the county, it being the present site of the Hardin County Infirmary. The small cabin which he built of round logs had a riveted board roof, a split puncheon floor, an earth and stick chimney, with a huge fireplace, before which his young wife did all of her cooking. Wild beasts of all kinds roamed through the forests, and Sandusky. many miles away. was the nearest milling and marketing point. Devoting his time to clearing and improving a farm, he resided there, an active and industrious farmer, the remainder of his life, passing away August 31, 1845.
Tiry Garrett was twice married. He married first Eliza White, who died in Sandusky, Ohio, February 27, 1833, just eight years after their marriage, which was celebrated in February, 1825. By this union two children were born, Emily and Rebecca. He married for his second wife Mahala Nessel, who was born in Pike county, Ohio, where her father, George Nessel, was a pioneer settler. He was born in Ger- many and came to Ohio with his parents at the age of three years. IIe married Priscilla Pearl, and both he and his wife spent their closing years on their homestead in Ross county, and were buried in the family lot on their home farm. Mrs. Mahala (Nessel) Garrett survived her first husband, and married James Keith. She died in 1893, aged seven- ty-seven years. Of her union with Tiry Garrett five children were born : Mary Ann, who died in infancy; George II., who was killed in the Civil war; Charles C., living at Ada, Ohio; our subject. William L. : and Blona, who died in infancy. By her marriage with Mr. Keith she had four children, Silas, Sarah M., Laura and John.
Receiving his elementary education in the typical pioneer log school- house, William L. Garrett was initiated into the mysteries of agriculture
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