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 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58
Returning to Ridgeway he taught school three terms, and then moved to Kenton, where, in 1875, he was elected probate judge, a position that he filled ably and wisely until 1882. Returning then to Ridgeway. Judge Selders was for five years employed in agricultural pursuits, the following seven years being interested in the oil regions near Lima, where he located during the oil boom of 1887. Coming back then to Hardin county. the judge purchased land at Taylor's Creek, and managed it successfully for a few years, when he sold out, and has since lived retired from active pursuits in Ridgeway. He is an active member in the Democratic party, and in 1909 was elected mayor of Ridgeway, and is serving with credit to himself and to the honor of his constituents. Hle is one of the leading members of the E. I. G. Post. No. 753, G. A. R., of which he has been commander two terms, and belongs to the Disciples church, in which he is an elder.
Judge Selders married, on the 24th of December, 1865, Mary A. McCullough, who was born March 19, 1844, a daughter of Alexander and Mary (Sweitzer) MeCullongh. To the Judge and Mrs. Selders four children have been horn, namely : Ida, wife of D. S. Bird, of Findlay, Ohio; Carrie E., who married Alexander Van Sky, of Hardin county, and they had six children; Nettie, who became the wife of Lonis Conner, and died in Jannary, 1905, leaving three children ; and Effie married William Ward, and died in 1894.
BENEDICT FINK .- Success is the prerogative of valiant souls, and those endowed with definite energy, ambition and determination will overcome obstacles seemingly insuperable. It was given the late Benedict Fink, who was a member of one of the sterling pioneer families of Hardin county, to achieve through personal effort a large and generons measure of success in connection with business affairs and to make for himself a secure vantage place in the confidence and esteem of the people of the county which represented his home during the major portion of his life. Marked by inviolable integrity in all its relations, his life was one that counted for good and his ability enabled him to advance to prominence as one of the most substantial business men of the city of
BENEDICT FINK
477
HISTORY OF IIARDIN COUNTY
Kenton, where his interests were varied and of important order. In this eity his death occurred on the 8th of October, 1905, and his name is held in gracions memory by all who knew him and had cognizance of his sterling attributes of character.
Benedict Fink was born in Buetigen, Switzerland, on the 17th of Jannary, 1830. and was the son of Benedict and Mary Fink, of whose six children he was the eldest. Ile received the rudiments of his edueation in his native land and was about seven years of age when, in 1837. his parents immigrated and the family passed the first winter in the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1838 they set forth with team and wagon for Hardin county, Ohio, making the entire journey by means of this primitive equipment, as this was long before the time of railroad accommodations. Three weeks were consumed in making the trip and to reach the place selected for a homestead they were compelled to fell trees and clear out underbrush to effect a passage through the forest. The father secured a traet of available timber land in Pleasant township. abont two miles north of Kenton, which was then a mere hamlet in the midst of the forest. IIe reelaimed a farm from the wilderness and was one of the well-known and highly honored pioneers of Hardin county, where both he and his wife continued to reside until their death.
Benediet Fink, the immediate subject of this memoir, was essen- tially a self-made man, and owing to exigencies of time and place, his educational advantages in his yonth were somewhat meagre, being limited to desultory attendance in the primitive pioneer schools. He had his full quota of experience in connection with the reclamation and devel- opment of the home farm, and his boyhood and youth were marked by "ceaseless toil and endeavor." He continued to be associated in the work and management of the homestead until 1850. when, at the age of twenty years, he located in Kenton, where he secured employment as errand boy and general clerk in the store of Bromberger & Jones. In this connection was gained his initial business experience, and here his course was early marked by that fidelity, determination and aggressive- ness which eventually conserved his distinctive individual snecess as a business man. Throughout his whole life it may well be said that his word was as good as any bond, and no citizen of the county has ever commanded more nnequivocal popular confidence, though his directness and inflexibility in following the course which he believed to be right. at times promoted temporary antagonisms. After having been employed for a few years by the firm mentioned, Mr. Fink entered into partner- ship alliance with John A. Sheetala and purchased the store of Robert Russell, who had snecceded to the business of Bromberger & Jones. This association continued for a few years, at the expiration of which Mr. Fink purchased his partner's interest in the enterprise, which he there- after conducted in an individual way. In 1877 he creeted and moved his stock into the building in which the business has since been continued. This building stands on the site of the store in which he gained his first experience as a business man, and the enterprise with which he was so long identified is now conducted by his son. Charles B. Fink, of whom specifie mention is made on other pages of this work.
Vol. II-3
478
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
In addition with his connection with the general merchandise busi- ness, as already noted, Mr. Fink's enterprising and progressive spirit led him to identify himself with other business interests that materially conserved the commercial and industrial prestige of his home city. He was vice-president of the Home Savings and Loan Company from the time of its inception until his death, and for many years he was also a valned member of the directorate of the Kenton Savings Bank. He was essentially publie-spirited and loyal as a citizen, and his aid and influence were ever given in support of measures and enterprises tend- ing to advance the general welfare of the community. For eighteen years he served as member of the Kenton Board of Education, and within his inenmbeney of this position he maintained an advanced attitude in bringing educational facilities of the city np to the highest possible standard, having ably advocated the erection of new and properly equipped buildings and having in divers other ways proved his vital interest in educational affairs.
In the year 1860 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Fink to Miss Martha Moy, who was born in Diesbach, Switzerland, and the two chil- dren of this union were Laura Moy, of Kenton, and Charles Benedict Fink, a brief record of whose career appears on other pages of this work. The devoted wife and mother, who was held in affectionate regard by all who came within the sphere of her gracious influence, was consigned to rest on October 25, 1891.
JOSEPH YEARSLEY, an extensive dealer and shipper of hay and straw living in Mt. Victory, Ohio, was born November 1, 1864, in Union county, Ohio. He is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Green) Yearsley ; the father was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, and his wife, a daughter of Robert and Ruth Green, was born August 3, 1833, and died April 5, 1907, at the age of seventy-three. Mr. Green and his wife settled in Ohio when Sarah was a child. Thomas Yearsley tanght school in his vonth, and later took up farming, which he followed during the remain- der of his life. Besides Joseph, his children were: Alben, of Union connty, Ohio, a farmer; Burton, also a farmer of Union county; Ada, wife of David Wyeth, of Union county; Emma, wife of Clifton Folsom, of Bellefontaine, Ohio; one daughter who died in infancy; and Mary, wife of Lloyd Rogers, died in Union county, Ohio, at the age of twenty- eight years, in 1900.
Joseph Yearsley attended school until seventeen years of age and then began working in a store at Broadway, Ohio, where he re- mained two and one-half years. He spent two years himbering and hauling logs, and in 1891 rented a farm where he remained two years. He then worked on his father's farm until 1896, when he came to Hardin county, Ohio, and spent six years on a farm. Mr. Yearsley rented a farm in Buck township four years, spent one year farming on the edge of Logan county and then settled at Mount Victory, Hale township, in 1902. Since the time of his first coming to Hardin county, he has been interested in dealing in hay and straw, besides attending to his farming interests. He has been very successful in all his enterprises, and is one
479
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
of the substantial, representative business men of Hardin county. Politically Mr. Yearsley is a Republican, and he is now serving on the school board.
Mr. Yearsley married September 30, 1886, Anna Winter, born in Franklin county, Ohio, January 31. 1865, daughter of Levy and Nancy (Myers) Winter, both natives of Washington county, Pennsyl- vania. Mr. Winter was born in 1822 and died in 1890, and his widow survives at an advanced age. They were farmers of Union county, Ohio. Mrs. Yearsley died October 5, 1907, at her home in Mount Victory, sincerely mourned by a large circle of friends. She was kind and charitable, with a beautiful character and high ideals. She was a devout Christian and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, also of the Ladies' Aid Society, and was president of the Missionary Society. She was active in church work and always interested in every good cause.
Mr. Yearsley and his wife had children as follows: Blanch, born April 3, 1888, wife of Robert MeKimm, a barber of Mount Victory ; Mabel, born March 21, 1893, attending high school; Fern, born October 15, 1896, attending school; and Wilbur, born September 8, 1901, died August 10, 1904. Mr. Yearsley lives at home with his children.
ELMER ELLSWORTH LYNCH, M. D., a highly successful physician and pharmacist of Ridgeway, is one of the most useful and esteemed citizens of this place, his enterprise, good character and publie spirit, having won for him an assured position in the estimation of the people. A son of the late Hezekiah Lynch, he was born April 25, 1864, in Hale township, Hardin county. His grandfather. Clinton Lynch, came from Virginia to Hardin county, establishing himself as a general merchant at Forest, where he remained in business until after the death of his wife, in 1875, at the comparatively early age of forty-nine years. He subsequently moved with his family to Mount Victory, and was there a resident until his death, in 1881, at the age of three score years.
Hezekiah Lynch was born in Virginia, in 1838, and when young came with his parents to Hardin county, where he grew to manhood, and subsequently spent his life, dying at his home in Hale township in 1902. He married Mrs. Levina (Andrews) Osborn, who was born in Hale township. May 31, 1838, a daughter of Lewis and Mary (Conk- lin) Andrews, early settlers of Hardin county, coming from Pennsyl- vania to Ohio in 1827. The only child born of their union was Elmer Ellsworth, the subject of this brief sketch. By her union with her first husband, Obedia Osborn, Mrs. Lynch had three children, namely : Lafayette, of Mt. Victory, a stockman; Ida, wife of C. A. Wilgus, of West Mansfield; and Etta, deceased, married Arthur Van Tuyl.
During his earlier life Elmer E. Lynch taught school five years three years of the time being thus employed at Mount Victory. He afterwards attended Wittenberg College at Springfield, Ohio, one term. later studying a year in the literary department of the Wesleyan Uni- versity at Delaware. Ile subsequently began the study of medicine at the Miami Medical College in Cincinnati, and in 1895 was graduated,
480
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
with the degree of M. D., from the Toledo Medical College. Dr. Lynch began the practice of his profession at Silver Creek, from there going to Big Springs, and in 1901 came to Ridgeway, where he has since remained, having built up an excellent practice, in connection with which he es- tablished a pharmacy, which he is conducting most successfully. The Doctor is active in public affairs, being one of the leading Democrats of this section of Hardin county, and from 1902 until 1908 served as mayor of the city. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and of the Woodmen of the World.
Dr. Lynch married in 1891, Elizabeth Iames, who was born March 7, 1872, a daughter of Thomas D. and Lydia Iames, natives of Penn- sylvania, where her birth occurred. She came with them from Penn- sylvania to Ohio, and lived in Logan county until her marriage. On October 8, 1909, the angel of death crossed the Doctor's threshold, bearing to the life beyond the loving wife and mother. She was a woman of noble character. devoted to the interests of her household, and was a conscientious member and an active worker of the Methodist Protestant church. One child was born to Dr. and Mrs. Lynch, namely : Leota, born July 2, 1892, and who has had charge of the home since the death of her mother, filling the place of the loved one to the best of her ability.
FRANCIS MARION LIST is the present postmaster of Mt. Victory, and he is an active public worker. He was born in Marion county, Indiana, June 20, 1845, a son of Henry S. List, born in Switzerland county, Kentucky, and a grandson of John D. List, one of the early pioneers of that county. This John List. a farmer and later a cooper, came from Switzerland county to Johnson county, Indiana, when his son Henry was a boy of ten years, and the family camped out until a log cabin could be erected. He made the journey with an ox team, coming with a colony which settled in Johnson county at that time, and his worldly possessions then consisted of an axe and a few utensils. There was scareely any money in circulation there at that time, skins of animals being used in exchange for food and materials. John D. List married Sarah Breckenridge, also from Kentucky, and she shared with her husband the pioneer life on the frontier of Indiana. Their son Henry after leaving the school room followed the carpenter's trade and farmed. After his marriage he moved to Marion county, Indiana, and he continued his farming and carpentering there until his death, dying in 1851, a member of the Presbyterian church and a Whig in his political affiliations. He had married in his early life Louisa E. Mars, and she died in 1852, when but twenty-three years of age. She was a daughter of Daniel G. Mars, who came from his native Ireland to America in 1835 and located in Marion county Indiana. Two of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. List are living, and the daughter Anna. the younger of the two, is the widow of Gilbert MeCaslin and a resident of Franklin county, Indiana.
Francis M. List was left an orphan when but six years of age, and he was reared by his grandparents. Moving to Champaign county,
481
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
Illinois, in 1856 he spent three years there, and moving then to near Monticello, that state, he farmed the land which had been purchased by his grandfather and an unele many years before. At the age of seven- teen he enlisted for service in the Civil war, and joining Company D, Seventy-third Illinois Infantry, at Monticello, in 1862 he was sent with his command to Louisville, Kentucky, and thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, crossing the river on pontoons. They built the first fort near Covington, Kentucky, and with his command Mr. List participated in the battles of Perryville, Nashville, Murfreesboro (where they were under fire for four days,) Chickamanga, Missionary Ridge, Knoxville and the Atlanta campaign. Ile was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, and he was mustered out of the service on the 12th of June, 1865. After returning home from the war, Mr. List attended the academy at Monticello, Illinois, for one year, and then studied dentistry and practiced the profession for a year. He was after this for two years the superintendent of railroad grading, and then returning to Urbana, Illinois, he resided there until 1874. Following his marriage on the 29th of October of that year he came to Mt. Victory, where he was engaged in the manufacture of brick and tile until 1905, and in that year he was appointed the postmaster of Mt. Victory.
Mrs. List bore the maiden name of Lney J. Patrick, and she was born on the 12th of July, 1851, a daughter of John and Martha (Cutting) Patrick, the father a cabinetmaker at Zanesfield, Ohio. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. List three died in infancy, and the only one living is Lula, born March 25, 1876, and now assisting her father in the postoffice. Mr. List is a member of the Republican party and of the Methodist Episcopal church.
MRS. REBECCA ROBINSON .- One of the most highly respected resi- dents of Hale township, Hardin county, Ohio, is the venerable Mrs. Rebecca Robinson, widow of Silas Robinson, who died in 1864. The Robinson homestead is located in a historie spot, and even today is known by its very old title of Grassy Point. Mrs. Robinson was for many years actively engaged in managing and carrying on the farm, but has now retired from active life, and her task has been taken up by her son, who resides with her. She was born May 22. 1829, in Logan county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Margaret ( Richardson) Paxton, the former of whom died in 1879, at the age of eighty-eight years, and the latter died in 1876, at the age of seventy-five years. William Paxton
came from Virginia to Logan county. Ile was a son of John and Nancy Paxton, the former of whom died in 1800. William Paxton farmed with his parents until 1835, and then moved with his family to Hale township, where he lived a short time, but by mistake in the title lost his land and then located on the farm now occupied by the Balding heirs. There he remained until 1875, and then removed to Cass county, Michigan, where the remainder of his life was spent. He and his wife had ten children, of whom five survive, namely: Henry, retired and living at Bell Center. Ohio: Harriet Ann, wife of J. Boyd, a retired farmer of Cass county, Michigan ; Susan, wife of M. Dunson, of Bellaire.
482
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
in northern Michigan; Harriet, wife of Sol Ream, of Zanesfield, Ohio; and Mrs. Robinson.
Rebecca (Mrs. Robinson) is the oldest living of the family. Grand- father Paxton was a school teacher, and one day, just before his death, sent his pupils home with the remark that he would never teach again and his death occurred that night. Rebecca Paxton remained at home nntil her marriage, in 1851, to Silas Robinson, who was born in Cham- paign county, Ohio. He was a successful farmer and became a promi- nent citizen. He made a specialty of raising and shipping stock. He came to Hardin county from Champaign county, Ohio, with a sister and his father and settled on the farm where his widow now resides, he and his sister living together until his marriage. After 1855 he confined his attention to farming, and became prominent in local political matters. He was a Whig and later a Republican, becoming a member of the school board.
The father of Silas, John Robinson, came from Virginia to Cham- paign county, Ohio, as a boy, and afterward located in Hardin county. Ile died at the home of his son Silas, in 1860, at the age of ninety-one vears.
Silas Robinson and his wife had children as follows: William IIenry, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work ; Lavina, widow of William Callahan, of Ridgeway; Harriet, wife of Dan Ferris, a dray- man of Ridgeway, and they have four children ; and Albert, who married Catherine MeElhaney, and they have three children.
Mrs. Robinson is one of the most enterprising and able business women of Hardin county, enjoys the affection of a large circle of friends, and is highly respected by all. She is well known in the community, and for the past forty years has been a church member. The home of Mrs. Robinson was in early days a hotel, which was operated by Horace Buckminster, and this was known as the Wayside Inn. Mrs. Robinson 's father built a rough cabin, during his absence trading furs, and his wife, who was left alone with the children, had to keep a bright fire all night to keep away the wolves.
PETER BROWN .- The substantial and well-to-do agrienlturists of Buek township, Hardin county, have an excellent representative in the person of Peter Brown, who comes on both sides of the house of pioneer stock, and is snecessfully devoting his time and energies to his well im- proved and finely managed farming property. Ile was born May 31, 1853, in Scioto county, Ohio, a son of Joseph Brown. His paternal grand- father, William Brown, was born in Ireland, of thrifty Scotch ancestry. Emigrating when yonng to the United States, he bought a tract of wild and wooded land in Scioto county, Ohio, and on the farm which he cleared and improved he resided until his death, at the age of four score years.
Born, reared and married in Scioto county, Ohio, Joseph Brown lived there until 1855, when, accompanied by his wife and two children he migrated to Logan county, and bought a tract of land near Ridgeway. A log house, a log stable, and a patch of cleared land constituted the
Ella Brown Peter Brown
483
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
improvements on the place. He cleared more of the land and then sold at an advance, and bought eighty-seven aeres on the north line of the county. There were two log cabins on the land when he bought it. He subsequently built a spacious hewed log house, and resided there a number of years. Selling out then, he bought ninety-six acres, a part of which was in Hardin county. He built a hewed log house, improved the land, and set out fruit and shade trees, rendering the estate one of the most attractive in the neighborhood, and was there a resident until his death, at the age of forty-nine years, while yet in the prime of life.
Joseph Brown married Edey Riley, who was born near Zanesfield, Logan county, Ohio, eighty-seven years ago, a daughter of William and Nancy Riley, who were among the original settlers of Logan county. When they located there wild game of all kinds was abundant, and In- dians still inhabited the forests. Mr. Riley cleared and improved a good homestead, and there he and his faithful wife and co-worker spent their remaining years. Mr. Brown's mother is still living, and has a vivid recollection of the hardships and privations endured by the brave pioneers of this section of the country, who first uprooted the trees, ploughed the sod, and made a broad track for the advance of civilization. She reared four children, namely: John, Peter, Sarah Jane, and Margaret Ellen.
But two years old when his parents moved to Logan county, Peter Brown attended school as opportunity offered, gaily trudging the two long miles between his home and the log school house. After the death of his father he assisted in clearing the land and tilling the soil, remaining with his mother until ready to establish a home of his own. He settled then on a portion of the old homestead, but at the end of two years sold and bought land three miles north of Rushsylvania, where he lived three years. Selling that property Mr. Brown lived eleven years on rented farms in Buck township, and then moved to his present near-by farm, where he has since been actively and successfully engaged in gen- eral agriculture.
Mr. Brown married in August. 1879, Ella Roberts, a native of Logan county, Ohio. Her father, John Roberts, was born March 7. 1827, in Tennessee, and when six years old came with his parents, Andrew and Margaret (MeCamish) Roberts, to Logan county. He served during the Civil war as a member of the One Hundred and Ninety- fifth Regiment of Illinois, at the close of the conflict being honorably discharged from the service. He was a farmer by occupation, owning land in Rush Creek township, Logan county, where he was engaged in his chosen vocation until his death, November 28, 1899. being seventy- two years, eight months and twenty days at the time. His wife, whose maiden name was Anna Kautzman, was born February 9. 1824. in West Virginia, a daughter of John and Mary Kautzman, who became early settlers of Logan county, Ohio. Anna Kautzman married John J. Roberts July 5, 1846, and she died October 30, 1904. at the age of eighty years, eight months and twenty-one days. She was the mother of eleven children of whom eight are living and Mrs. Brown is the third
484
HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
youngest. the date of her birth being March 23, 1863. Mrs. Brown's mother spun and wove the large canvas cover that was used in camping when they came here. Mrs. Brown's mother passed to the higher life October 30, 1909.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.