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 52
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Joshua Van Fleet served as a member of the Legislature of the state of New York, and as county judge, and was a member of the com- mittee that drafted and reported a bill which became a law, abolishing slavery in the state of New York. He served twenty years in the legis- lature and twenty-two years on the bench. In religious belief he was a Universalist and in political views a Democrat. In 1836 Mr. Van Fleet left Canandaigua and removed to Big Island. Marion county, Ohio, in order to spend his last days near his son Miles, all his children having moved west prior to this time. He died January 8, 1848. and his remains rest in the cemetery north of Big Island.
In 1832 Miles Wilkinson Van Fleet located in Dudley township, Hardin county, Ohio, and at that time there were but two hundred and ten inhabitants in the county. the major portion of these being located near Roundhead and what was then known as Johnstown, now Ada. There was then but one road in the county, which has always been known as the Sandusky road, going from Sandusky on the lake, to Springfield and Dayton, and crossing Hardin county from northeast to southwest. Over this road at that time passed all freight and passenger traffic. Mr. Van Fleet and his family suffered the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life, and the time he spent in Hardin county included the period when it passed from a wilderness to a scene of productive farms and comfortable homes. He was one of those who worked so hard to make this change and development possible, and was one of the first citizens in the county to urge the present system of building pikes or macadamized roads, and he suggested to Benjamin Brunson, then a member of the county board of commissioners, the plan that was adopted by them, which resulted in giving Hardin county so many miles of most excellent roads.
When a young man. Mr. Van Fleet was a warm friend of Stephen A. Douglas, and it was hy the request of Mr. Douglas that when the former came to Ohio in 1832, he interceded in behalf of Mr. Douglas before the sehool board of what was then the village of Cleveland, succeeding in inducing them to employ him as superintendent of schools for a period of two years. Upon the end of the two years Mr. Douglas left Cleve- land to go farther west and came to visit his friend in his cabin in Dudley township, remaining two weeks, then left for Cincinnati, whence he went to Jacksonville, Illinois, and thence to Chicago. The last- named city, Mr. Douglas prophesied would become the largest eity in the west, if not in the whole country. He often wrote Mr. Van Fleet. urging him to sell his farm in Dudley township and move to Chicago. and there friendly relations were unshaken up to the time of Mr. Douglas' death. In all his turbulent and busy career he found time to write occasional letters to his old friend in Hardin county, whom he never forgot.
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In 1831 Mr. Van Fleet married Caroline Knapp, of Canandaigua, and to this union two children were born : Lucy and Henry T. Henry T. Van Fleet followed the profession of law until his death, at Marion, Ohio, in 1892, and Mrs. Lucy Bartram Van Fleet is still living, at Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Caroline Van Fleet died in 1837, and in 1842 Mr. Van Fleet married Miss Nancy White, by whom he had five children, all of whom are deceased. Mrs. Nancy Van Fleet died April 1. 1849, and September 10. 1851, Mr. Van Fleet married Miss Elizabeth Lester, by whom he had nine children, all of whom are deceased except Mrs. C. E. Ridenour, of Denver, Colorado, and John M .. ex-mayor of Kenton. Mrs. Elizabeth Van Fleet died December 8. 1908.
In religious belief Mr. Van Fleet always clung to' the doctrine of Universalism, and in politics was an unswerving Democrat. However, although he was three different times tendered the nomination for state senator, and the same number of times the nomination for office of county representative. he always refused, and his standing advice to his sons was "to keep out of politics, except to use their influence to elect good men to represent the people, who would look to the interests of the people, regardless of party interests." Mr. Van Fleet was highly esteemed for his many fine qualities of mind and heart, and was con- sidered a man of superior intelligence and gifts, who ever had at heart the best interests of the community in which he lived. This excellent man died April 11. 1892, at the age of eighty-seven years, and his remains rest in what is known as the Lee cemetery, in Dudley township, Hardin county.
WILLIAM WOLF, a representative German-American farmer of Goshen township, Hardin county, has been a resident of that section of Ohio since 1866. and his long identity with its substantial interests, as well as his standing in the community, fully entitle him to mention in this work. Mr. Wolf was born in Germany in 1842, and is a son of John and Rosella Wolf, both natives of the fatherland. His mother spent her entire life in Germany, while the father, when well advanced in years, came to the United States and passed away in Goshen township at the age of ninety-two years. They were the parents of five children. The daughter is deceased and two of the sons, Joseph and Frederick, are still residents of Germany. William was reared and educated in his native land, where he learned the trade of a carpenter. Emigrating to the United States in 1861, after a short time spent in New York city he went to Buffalo and thence to Upper Sandusky. In the city last named he entered the employ of the government as a mechanic, during the following three years being identified with the construction of hospitals and other United States buildings. At the end of that period he became associated with private contractors at various localities, and in 1866 located at Kenton, Hardin county, where he worked steadily and efficiently at his trade for sixteen years. In 1872 he purchased his present farm of eighty acres in Goshen township, which has remained his homestead ever since.
In 1868, two years after coming to Hardin county, Mr. Wolf
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married Miss Caroline, a daughter of George Pfeiffer, and the fruits of this union were four children, namely: Rudolph, born JJuly 17. 1872, who married Miss Mabel MeQuown; Margaret, who was born April 25, 1875, and is the wife of Perry Briley; Sammel, born in 1878, who mar- ried Miss Jessie Armstrong; and Mary, born November 8, 1879, who is now Mrs. Louis Lehnhardt. His first wife having died, Mr. Wolf married Miss Ella Rader, daughter of John Rader, their marriage ovenr- ring on July 5. 1883. Mrs. Wolf's parents died when she was eight years of age. The children of this union are six in number, as follows: Minnie, born October 22. 1886, who is now Mrs. Joe Bookmyer; Carl, who was born March 26, 1888; Edward, August 3. 1890; Louis, December 28. 1893; Lanra, August S. 1895; and Catherine, August 2, 1896.
GEORGE B. WELLS .- Prominent among the agriculturists of Hardin county is numbered George B. Wells, a prominent and well known resi- dent of Liberty township. He was born in Franklin county. Pennsyl- vania, May 12, 1864, and in the same year his parents, Elden and Susan B. (Gossert) Wells, both from Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio. Their first home here was in Seneca county, but later moving from there to Wood county. Elden Wells bought one hundred and twenty acres of valuable land there, but eventually sold that farm. In 1864 he entered the army of the north and served as a faithful soldier in the Civil war until honorably discharged. Four children were born to Elden and Susan Wells, namely: Winfield S., Ida M. and George B., twins, and Victoria E., but the last named is deceased. Mrs. Susan B. Wells, is also deceased, dying in 1906.
George B. Wells is now one of the most prominent of the farmers of Liberty township, where he owns and occupies a splendidly improved estate. Ile purchased this farm in 1902. He married Miss Carrie M .. a daughter of John and Susan Alexander, from Wood county, Ohio. They were married on the 1st of November, 1894. and they have two children, John E. and Nina M. Mrs. Wells was born in Wood county. Ohio, February 11, 1876, and was the younger of two children. her brother, James D .. now residing in Canton, Ohio. John Alexander died in the year 1904, and his wife Susan passed away on the 24th of October. 1908. Mr. Wells is one of the representative citizens of Liberty township.
WILLIAM B. PRICE, of the law firm of Price Brothers, of Forest and Kenton, was born in Forest. He is a son of Russell and Addie ( Backus) Price, who were married JJune 22, 1876: Russell Price was brought to Madison county by his parents when one year of age, and his wife is a daughter of Colonel W. H. Backus, a valiant soldier of the Civil war. Russell Price's parents drove to Kenton in 1847, with a wagon, crossing Scioto river on a raft. Ile was reared and educated in Kenton and Patterson, Hardin county, and his father died in 1855, aged fifty-five years of age. Russell Price is a son of Henry and Eloisa (Corry) Price : Ilenry Prive brought his family to Hardin county in 1847. and owned two hundred aeres of land in Pleasant township, besides his
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property in Kenton. Ile was a lover of fine horses and dealt exten- sively in stock. Ile ran a stage between Kenton and Lima, and did his own driving. this being before the day of the railroad. His children were: Shelby, who died in 1848; John C., formerly sheriff of Union county, Ohio, and died in 1893; Henrietta, died in 1848; Mrs. J. S. Snow ; Robert E. and Russell.
Upon reaching manhood Russell Price returned to Kenton, where he remained five years and then located in Forest, which is still his home. In 1868 he began the study of law, and was admitted to the Ohio bar August 25, 1871. Ile was admitted to the United States bar February 5, 1878. While living in Kenton he held the office of township clerk, while at Patterson was postmaster, and also served as postmaster of Forest from March, 1885, until July 31, 1889. Mr. Price also served one term as mayor of Forest. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and the Knights of Pythias. To him and his wife were born three sons, namely : Harry B., superintendent of gold mines in Central America ; Charles R. and William B. Mrs. Addie B. Price died October 30. 1909.
The firm of Price Brothers is composed of William B. and Charles R., both born in Forest, where they received their early education ; later they entered Ohio Northern University, where both graduated in the literary course, William B. in 1901 and Charles R. in 1903. They were graduated from the law department of the same institution, William B. in 1904 and Charles R. one year later. The latter taught three years in the high school of Forest: after his brother graduated in law he entered the law school of the Ohio Northern University from which he was graduated, as above stated. ' The firm has a large practice, not con- fined to the state, as they also practice in the United States courts. Both are able members of their profession, in which they stand high. They have been very successful and have won fine reputations. Both are members of the Masonic order and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Charles R. Price married Louise D. Rese, April 8, 1909.
William B. Price married June 16. 1903, Gwendoline Cessna, and to this union have been horn three children, namely: Russell, Bradley and Eloise.
MRS. JOSEPH M. DILLE both by birth and marriage is connected with the pioneer families of Hardin county. She was born in Logan county. Ohio, on the 31st of July. 1833, and her father, James Smith, a farmer there for some years, came to Hardin county in 1843, establishing the family home near Mt. Victory. On the land which he purchased there was a large hill which he sold for one thousand dollars to the railroad company when it ran its line through his place, and when this hill was dug up and the dirt hauled away many Indians' bones were found there. Mr. Dille was born in Virginia, but he was only a boy when he came with his parents to Ohio, and after a life devoted to agricultural pur- snits and saw milling he died in the year 1877, when seventy-seven years of age. He had married Mary Taylor, and of their children there
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are three daughters and two sons living: Mary, wife of Rev. T. N. Barkdale, of Toledo; Francis, widow of John Baldwin ; Mrs. Joseph M. Dille, the subject of this review; John a real estate dealer and resident of northern Kansas; and Charles a farmer in Hardin county. Three of the sons of this family were Civil war soldiers, one having laid down his life on the altar of his country and another was wounded in its serviee.
Miss Smith in 1850 gave her hand in marriage to Joseph M. Dille, and their married life covered a period of nearly thirty years. the hus- band dying in 1879, when fifty-two years of age. Ile was born in Richland county, Ohio, a son of Abraham Dille, who moved there when a young man from Pennsylvania, and later came to Hardin county. where he died in 1884. at the age of eighty years, and his wife, nee Deborah Post. died at the age of sixty-five years. He was a participant in the celebrated Squirrel Hunters raid during the Civil war. -Joseph
M. Dille was but a lad when he came with his parents to Hardin county in 1832, and his time after leaving the schoolroom was devoted to farm- ing and to the carpenter's trade. During the war between the North and the South he enlisted for ninety days, and at the close of his term of service he returned to his home and to his former occupations. The following children blessed the marriage union of Mr. and Mrs. Dille: Lafayette, a farmer in Larue, Ohio, married Anna Harmon, and they have three children; Clara is the wife of Frank Cessna, a farmer in Dudley township, and they have one child; Oak, a farmer in Hale town- ship married Florence Butler, and they also have one child; Effie is the wife of William Eddy, of Kent, and they have six children ; Fremont is deceased ; Henry, a clerk in Lima. Ohio, married May Hoover and has two children; James is at home with his mother; Edith is the wife of Samuel Deardorff, of Bellefontaine, and the mother of four children: and Frank. Mrs. Dille also has two great-grandchildren : Alice, a dangh- ter of Jennie Dille Penny, and Panline, a daughter of Roy Eddy and a granddaughter of Effie (Dille) Eddy.
Frank Dille is with his mother on the home farm. Ile married Vesta Morrison, born in Union county, Ohio, in 1879, a daughter of John Morrison, who is now living retired at Mt. Victory, sixty-three years of age. Mrs. Morrison, nee Drusilla Ely, died in 1907. when sixty- two years of age. The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Dille are Clair. Dwight, Leonora and Wilburt.
James Dille owns a half interest in the Dille farm, and he devotes his time and attention to its cultivation and improvement. This home- stead is one of the largest and most valuable estates in this section of Hardin county. James Dille is a musician of note, and much of his time since his boyhood's days has been spent in travel, his wanderings taking him over many parts of the continent.
MICHAEL S. MOON .- One of the best known of MeDonald township's business men is Michael S. Moon, who owns a splendid estate here and who has been identified with its agricultural life for many years. He was born in Hardin county, Ohio. December 23. 1859, a son of William
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HISTORY OF HARDIN COUNTY
and Maria (Smith) Moon and a grandson on the paternal side of John and Rebecca Moon. The grandparents were both born and reared in Virginia, coming from there to Highland county, Ohio, and in September of 1833 they came to Hardin county. They established their home in the township of MeDonald and spent the remainder of their lives here. John Moon died in the year 1869, owning considerable land at the time of his death and he was considered a very prosperous man. John and Rebecca Moon became the parents of four children: Silas K. who gave his life to his country's eanse and died in Andersonville prison ; William, who was born in IHighland county, Ohio, July 13, 1828, served with the One Hundred and Eighty-third Ohio Regiment to the close of the war; Lydia, who died in Battle Creek, Nebraska, the wife of E. G. Dennis; and Rebecca, the wife of John Jefferies, of Michigan. William Moon married Maria A. Smith, whose parents were from Virginia, and in the same year in which the Moon family moved from that state to Highland county, Ohio, the Smith family came to Ross county, this state, and the year that the Moon family located in Hardin county the Smiths estab- lished their home in Logan county, but the two families during all this time were unknown to each other. There was but one day's difference in the ages of William Moon and Maria Smith, and another strange coincidence in their lives is that at the time they were married they each weighed one hundred and seventy-six pounds. They were married in the year of 1856, and their four children are: Sarah E., the deceased wife of Lloyd Hoon; Michael S., of this review; Eliza V., who became the wife of Isaac Philips and is also deceased ; and John W., whose home is in Elkhart, Indiana.
Michael S. Moon was reared on his parents farm and received a district school education, and since old enough he has been identified with agricultural pursuits. He now owns nearly four hundred acres of land in MeDonald township, all in one body, and he is extensively engaged in both farming and stock raising. He also has a deer park on his farm. Mr. Moon married on the 7th of June, 1885, Ida B. Hoon, who was born in MeDonald township October 28, 1862, and she was reared on a farm adjoining that of her husband's early home. They have four living children: Grethel F., a graduate of the Belle Center high school and of a business school at Lima, Ohio, and now the wife of Harry Noble, of Logan county; Lendel B., at home; Zelma, a graduate of the Belle Center high school with the class of 1910; and Helen M., a student in the Belle Center high school. A daughter, Gladys, died in April of 1903. Mr. Moon is in politics a Republican.
MARSHALL STEWART, a successful farmer of Taylor Creek township, Hardin county, Ohio, pays special attention to stock raising and owns a large amount of land. Mr. Stewart was born near Spring Hill, Logan county, Ohio, November 12, 1850, a son of Samuel and Mary Ann (Marshall) Stewart. Samnel Stewart was a son of John T. and Ann (Elder) Stewart, and was born in Clark county, Ohio, March 26, 1823. When about twenty-six years of age he moved to Green county and en- gaged in mercantile business, and in 1860 he located in Hardin county,
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where he purchased five hundred acres of land that was partially cleared. He engaged extensively in stock raising, making a specialty of sheep. For some twenty years he handled more sheep than any other man in the .county, and wintered from fifteen hundred to two thousand head of . them. He was a man of superior business judgment and very success- ful. He was for many years president of the Farmers Bank of Rushsyl- vania. Mr. Stewart was a member of the Presbyterian church and served many years as its elder. Politically he was a Republican, and he served in several township offices. In October, 1870, he was elected county commissioner for one term, and during his incumbency of this office the gravel pikes of the county were built. For thirty years Mr. Stewart kept a careful diary of his work and of events, which recorded many interesting things. In the fall of 1876 he moved to Kenton, but two years later returned to his farm, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died March 19, 1888, and his widow died in July, 1890. Mrs. Stewart was also a native of Clark county, Ohio, born June 19, 1825, daughter of William Marshall. Mr. Stewart and his wife were married December 12, 1841, and besides Marshall their children were as follows: Chase, an attorney at Springfield. Ohio; Ella, wife of I. W. Lewis, of Rushsylvania, a merchant ; Mary A., who married C. B. Corry, and they live in Cleveland, where he is general agent for an insurance company ; Elizabeth, wife of Dr. J. J. Boom, of Mt. Victory; and Catherine, wife of R. W. Warmington, a banker of Montreal, Canada.
John T. Stewart's grandfather came to the United States from Belfast, Ireland, in 1735, bringing his wife with him. John T. Stewart was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1781, and his father died September 19, 1803. In 1805 John T. Stewart moved with his brother to Ohio, where he purchased five hundred acres of land, located in Clark county. On March 2, 1815, he married Ann, daughter of Robert and Ann Elder; she was born in Pennsylvania May 19, 1798. Mr. Stewart died April 16, 1850, in Clark county, and his widow died September 24, 1880.
After receiving his education in the public school, Marshall Stewart began helping his father with the work of the farm. At Samnel Stewart's death one thousand acres of land were divided among his children and Marshall received the homestead as his share. Like his father, he has devoted much attention to sheep and has often kept four hundred head through the winter. He also has some fifty head of cattle, fifteen horses and about one hundred hogs, which he ships to market. Mr. Stewart is an enterprising and ambitious man, and in his business affairs has always shown good judgment and ability. He is a man of sterling honesty and integrity, and his high character is recognized and appreciated.
In February, 1886, Mr. Stewart married Olive Stevenson, who was born in Buck township, Hardin county, May 24, 1861. and is a daughter of Samuel and Eliza Jane Stevenson. Samuel Stevenson died in the Civil war; one of his fingers was shot off and blood poisoning resulted. Mr. Stewart and his wife have children as follows: Samuel, born December 3, 1886; Thornton, born in April, 1889; Ella, born May 3.
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1892 ; Harold, April 4, 1894; and Dorothy, horn March 31, 1900. Samuel is now attending the Ohio State University at Columbus. Mr. Stewart is one of the directors of the Ridgeway (Ohio) Bank. He is a eharter member of the County Agricultural Society and one of its director's. He is a member of the Elks of Kenton and politically is a Republican. He is actively interested in publie affairs and has served as township treasurer and trustee.
EARL E. RUTLEDGE .- Among the influential and successful business men of Kenton, Ohio, is Earl E. Rutledge who deals in real estate and insurance. He is a native of Hardin county, having been born in Ada, August 13, 1874, and is a son of George W. and Susanna (Shuler) Rutledge, both natives of Ohio, the former born in Roundhead township, Hardin county, August 16, 1851, and the latter near Lima, Allen county, June 30, 1856. George W. Rutledge was reared in his native county. He entered the Northwestern Ohio Normal School at Ada, and afterward beeame connected with this institution as a teacher. He was a merchant in Ada for a time and in 1880 became connected with the Hardin County Republican, being at one time sole owner, but later sold a half interest in the paper to E. L. Millar; when he was elected to the office of county auditor, in 1884, he disposed of the paper altogether. He was seven years in office, being elected twice. He became prominent in public affairs in Kenton, and served some time as a member of the school board. He was interested in the Kenton Hardware Manufacturing Company and the Kenton Gas & Electric Company. In 1888 he organized the Home Savings Building and Loan Company of which he became secre- tary. He was a Scottish Rite Mason and was also affiliated with the
Knights of Pythias. He was a staneh Republiean and active in the
interests of the party. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Ile was at the head of the Bureau of Inspection and Supervis- ion of Publie Offices of the State of Ohio, at the time of his death, which ocenrred January 18, 1906. He was a life-long resident of Hardin connty, and took great pride and interest in its progress and welfare.
George W. Rutledge was a son of Lewis and Jane ( Tidd) Rutledge. The former was a native of Champaign county, Ohio, and the latter was the first white female child born in what is now Hardin county, Novem- ber 15. 1823, her parents being among the earliest pioneers. She died
March 17, 1873. Lewis Rutledge, who was born September 2, 1818. was one of the pioneers of Hardin county, and identified with the early history of the locality. He died in June, 1875. He was a son of Riehard Rutledge, born July 28. 1798, died January 12, 1875, a native of Hagers- town. Maryland, whose father. Thomas Rutledge, born Angust 3, 1772, came to Hardin county in 1832, one of the original settlers, when the county was ineluded as a part of Logan county. Thomas Rutledge died August 30, 1846. Thomas, Richard, and Lewis Rutledge are all buried in Roundhead township. Susanna (Shuler) Rutledge was a daughter of Valentine and Ley (Strickler) Shuler, of Allen county, Ohio. IIer father died when she was but four days old. Her mother was several years later married to William Garretson. of Allen county, to which union was born one daughter. Della, now Mrs. W. H. Cooper, of Toronto, Canada. Mrs. Rutledge was an active worker in the Methodist Epis- copal church with which she became identified when a child. She was a noble woman and will long be remembered. She died on June 16,
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