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 7
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After the death of his mother Charles F. Abbott and his brother and sister were placed in the hands of their grandfather Abbott, and after
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his death his second wife, Martha (Hallett) Abbott, took care of them until they were able to look out for themselves. She is still living, and has reached the age of ninety-two years. After reaching the age of sixteen years Charles F. Abbott worked out on a farm by the month until attaining his majority. He married and bought a small farm in Wood county, where he lived seventeen years, and then removed to Dudley township, Hardin county, where he now owns one hundred and twenty acres of fine farming land. He carried on general farming with splendid snecess and made a specialty of stock raising. He has now retired from the harder lahor of the farm and is enjoying a well- earned rest. Politically Mr. Abbott is a Republican, and he has served two terms as township trustee. He is a member of the United Brethren church and has been a trustee of the church for many years. His wife is also a member of this church and both are actively interested in its prosperity and good work. Mr. Abbott has always worked with great energy and by his good management and thrift has acquired a fair amount of property. Being left an orphan at an early age he has felt the necessity of looking ont for himself since childhood, and has always demonstrated his business ability.
Mr. Abbott married Matilda Ann, daughter of Levi and Levina (Long) Helm, the father a native of Crawford county, Ohio, and a farmer. Levi ITelin was born August 27. 1827, and died in 1864. He was a son of John and Susanna (Kirtz) Helm, and he married Levina Long. daughter of James and Matilda (Markey) Long. of Crawford county, Ohio. Mrs. Abbott has one sister living. Sarah Jane, wife of George Mell. a half sister. Julia Ann, and a half brother, Albert. To Mr. and Mrs. Abbott children have been born as follows: Arthur J., a farmer of Goshen township, married Fay Wilcox, of Hepburn, and they have five children. Andra Cecil. Paul Wilcox, Clidath, Justin and Alvin H .; William Frederick, who is now attending the University of Michigan, in preparation for ministry in the United Brethren church, married Grace Mauller in Marion county; Ernest Leroy, a farmer of Dudley township. married Bessie Kneisley, and they have one child. Anna Bell ; Ida, at home; Luella May, wife of George W. Breitenstein (whose father's sketch appears elsewhere in this work), has two children, Freda M. and Dortha May; Charles Francis, at home; Earl Wesley, at home ; and Clarence Edmund, also living at home.
MRS. SUSANNA CALVIN, who for several years managed the farm left by her husband, has now retired from its active supervision and is en- joving a well-earned rest. She is the widow of Lorenzo T. Calvin, who was born May 13, 1834, and died at his home in Dudley township Febru- ary 12, 1896. Mrs. Calvin was born November 5, 1840, in Logan county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Hosea and Nancy (Rosehrook) Johnson, the former of whom died January 20. 1910, at the age of ninety-two years, and the latter was born February 11, 1817. The Johnson family eame to Ohio from Kentucky in 1817, and settled in Logan county; they had a family of ten sons and two daughters. The Rosebrooks were natives of Virginia, where the father of Mrs. Johnson, Robert Rosebrook, had
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a plantation and kept slaves; the old home and plantation are still in existence, and there her grandfather Ililkiah was born. He died in 1837. Her grandfather on the paternal side, Jacob Johnson, married Rachel Green. HIosea Johnson was the first child born after the family settled in Ohio.
As a girl Mrs. Calvin went to school in a log schoolhouse at Wolf Creek ; her family moved to Hardin county when she was ten years of age. In her mother's family (the Rosebrooks) were fifteen children, who became seattered over many parts of the country, and at the last birth in the family triplets were born, two girls and one boy. The two girls died at birth and the boy died in the army. George was his name.
On October 21, 1860, Susanna Johnson married James Morrison, who was born June 4, 1838, in Muskingum county, Ohio. His father, Alexander Morrison, was born in Washington eonnty, Pennsylvania, June 4, 1797, and died at the age of ninety-one years; he married Grace Dickson, who died in 1880, at the age of seventy-seven years. In 1851 they came to Hardin county, where the remainder of their lives were spent. James Morrison and his wife followed farming after their mar- riage until his death, June 15, 1872, at the age of thirty-four years and on the farm now occupied by Mrs. Calvin. IIe enlisted for service in the Civil war, in Company II, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Ohio, for ninety days. After he was mustered ont he settled on the farm where Mrs. Calvin now lives, consisting of one hundred acres, which he cleared. The farm now consists of one hundred and fifty-five aeres and contains one of the most modern and handsome brick mansions in Dudley town- ship. By her first marriage the subject of this sketch had children as follows: Robert II., born October 28, 1862, who was of great assistance to his mother as soon as he was old enough, and now has charge of the farm for her, making a specialty of stock raising; Nancy, who married C. C. Davis, of Dudley township, and they have two children ; John. deceased, who left two children ; Grace E., born in 1868; Flora A .. horn in 1869, married John McCullough, a farmer of Dudley township, and they have seven children; and Hosea E., who married Bertha Smiley. is a farmer of Dudley township, and they have five children.
On February 8, 1880, Mrs. Morrison married Lorenzo T. Calvin, and they became the parents of two daughters, namely : Cora E., who married II. A. Wilson, living near Kenton, and they have three children ; and Minnie married Ed Daniels, a farmer living near Kenton. and they have two children.
Mrs. Calvin is a woman of strong will and brave character. During the years she lived a widow she was untiring in her efforts to keep up the standard of the farm and rear her children in the way they should go. She had a hard duty to perform, and never faltered in her ambition to do it in the very best manner that lay in her power. She is well known in the community, where she is highly respected for her many good qualities of mind and heart. She has a multitude of friends, and is a woman of unusual intelligence and business judgment.
Vol. 11-4
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WILLIAM I. WITCRAFT, now retired from active business and living at Mt. Victory, Ohio, is known throughout the community as "Uncle Billy." He was born in Warren county, Ohio, February 22, 1822, and is a son of George and Amelia (Golden) Witcraft. George Witcraft was the son of Isaiah and Elizabeth Witcraft, the former of whom died in New Jersey in 1830, at the age of seventy-two years. George Wit- craft was born in 1801, in New Jersey, and died in 1855; he was a farmer, brick layer and mason, and came to Ohio at the age of eighteen years. Ile took up land in Logan county and carried on farming there until 1852, when he came to Mt. Victory, where he died. His widow died in 1885. at the age of eighty-two. Of their eleven children only two sur- vive, namely : William I. and Elizabeth Hill, wife of James Boyd.
William Isaiah Witcraft attended the public schools and afterward learned the trade of brick and stone mason. When he reached his majority he began working on his own account, and on January 13, 1896, came to live with his sister in Hardin county. He spent some time with his sister and went back and forth between her home and his danghter's home. Mr. Witcraft identified himself with the financial affairs of Mt. Victory and invested in many enterprises. In 1890 he founded the Mt. Victory Bank, serving as president of the same until 1905.
Mr. Witeraft has been very generously disposed toward many worthy objects tending towards the growth and progress in Mount Vic- tory, and its citizens have reason to feel very kindly and gratefully toward such a benefactor. He donated four thousand dollars toward the erection of the Methodist church, one of the finest edifices in Hardin county, a sum of seventeen hundred dollars to the Ohio Northern Univers- ity and one thousand dollars to the Old People's Home in Cincinnati. He was, during his active business life, one of the most progressive and enterprising business men in the county, but alway found time to con- sider the needs of any institution for the benefit of the public. He gave freely to churches of any denomination needing pecuniary assistance within many miles of Mount Victory, and though now advanced in years he still takes an active interest in the cause of charity and. the Gospel. As his business enterprises have been successful and he has gained in wealth he has felt it a privilege to help others less fortunate. He is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and has served sixty years as a trustee and steward as well as being a class leader. Politically Mr. Witeraft is a Republican, though he has never cared for publie office.
Mr. Witcraft was industrious and ambitions from early youth, and as the oldest son was of great assistance to his father in clearing land. The original farm consisted of four hundred acres. Later Mr. Witcraft cleared land for himself, at first clearing ten acres and building a cabin with no floor or doors. Ilis father was of English descent and his mother's family came to Warren county, Ohio, from Kentucky. His family has been well known in Hardin county more than half a century, and they have been universally esteemed and respected. Several years
W. S. Witcraft.
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ago Mr. Witcraft divided his large real estate holdings among his two children, thus giving each a very good financial start.
Mr. Witeraft married Margaret Wallace, who died in 1894, at the age of seventy-seven years, and they had three children, one of whom survives. Sarah Elizabeth, wife of R. W. Williams, a farmer of Logan county, Ohio. Mr. Witcraft has ten grandchildren and twenty great- grandchildren ; he lives with a son-in-law.
MINITER J. ROBINSON .- Farming offers a very profitable field of endeavor in Hardin county, Ohio, and among the successful men engaged in this industry is Miniter J. Robinson, of Dudley township, who was born on the old Robinson homestead, September 8, 1852, son of Silas and Rebecca (Paxton) Robinson, the former deceased and the latter now living on the home farm. The parents are given mention at length in connection with the sketch of Mrs. Rebecca Robinson, found in another page of this work.
Miniter J. Robinson received a good education in the publie schools, but as his father died when he was twelve years old his days at school were necessarily ent short, he being the oldest child. He tried to take his father's place in the work of carrying on the farm, and though so young did nobly, remaining on the farm until 1873, when he was married and took active management of affairs, which he continued until 1905. and in that year became manager of the well-known Wessling farm, sometimes known as the old Wheeler farm, in Dudley township. Here he has a large enterprise under his care, having five assistants under his direction, and he carries on general farming and stock raising on an extensive seale. He also owns one hundred and thirteen acres himself, a part of the old homestead.
On December 25. 1873, Mr. Robinson married Serena E. Areher, born May 4. 1855, at Rushsylvania, Ohio, daughter of Nicholas and Margaret (Bayles) Archer, the former living in Buck township, at the age of eighty-three years, and the latter deceased. Mrs. Robinson has two brothers and two sisters living. To her and her husband children were born as follows: Orla E. married Lola Goff, and they live on the home farm; Oscar II., also on the home farm, married Clara Collins and they have one child, Ona ; Blanch, wife of John Sieg, a farmer of Taylor Creek township, and they have one child, Edward; Florence, wife of Charles Higgins, an engineer, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have one child, Rachel J .; Ruah, wife of Charles Smith, a farmer of Hale town- ship ; and Paul, at home.
Mrs. Robinson died February 10, 1909, at the age of fifty-three years, nine months and six days. She was a most estimable woman. and her loss is deeply felt by a large circle of sorrowing friends. She was a very earnest and devout member of the Methodist Protestant church, in whose interests she was an active worker. She was intensely interested in every good work and canse, and many received the benefits of her kind, charitable disposition. She was a woman of lovely charac- ter, who made friends easily, and who had the faculty of holding the affection and esteem of all who knew her.
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Mr. Robinson is an ardent Republican and an active worker for the party. However, he has lately had little time for political affairs, on account of managing and superintending the work of the large farm of which he is in charge. This farm is mentioned further in connection with the sketch of A. G. Wessling, of Kenton, Ohio, given elsewhere in this work.
JACOB N. BANNING, widely known and highly esteemed as a man and a citizen, is numbered among the active and practical workers who are doing so much towards developing and maintaining the agricultural interests of Hepburn, his sound sense and efficient business methods giving him an important place in the community. A native of Hardin county, he was born October 7, 1867, in Dudley township, where his father, the late George Banning, spent his earlier life.
His paternal grandfather, Jacob Banning, migrated from Pennsyl- vania, his native state, to Ohio, becoming a pioneer of Knox county. He located at Mount Vernon during the first quarter of the nineteenth century and there began to establish a home for himself and family. He died while yet in the prime of a vigorous manhood, in 1832. His
wife, whose maiden name was Sophia Zimmerman, was born in Holland, of ancestors noted for their industry and thrift. Left a widow when young, with twelve children to care for, she came during the following year to Dudley township, Hardin county, locating on what is now known as the old Banning homestead, and here brought up her children and educated them, rearing them to lives of usefulness and content.
Born at Mount Vernon, Knox county, Ohio, in 1827, George Banning was but six years of age when he came with his widowed mother and the family to Dudley township. As soon as physically able he began work- ing on the home farm, remaining with his mother until taking unto him- self a helpmeet. In the meantime he had bought land lying north of Hepburn, and having settled upon it with his bride he began its improvement. In addition to general farming, he subsequently intro- dueed stock raising, for many years making a specialty of breeding sheep and horses, and continued thus engaged until his death, in 1889. He married Nancy J. Smith, who was born in 1845, and is a sister of E. E. Smith, of whom a brief sketch may be found on another page of this volume. Ten children blessed their union, as follows: Jacob N., the subject of this sketch; Nathan, a ranchman in California; George A., of Hepburn, engaged in farming; Mary, wife of M. Everhast, a farmer in Dudley township; William, of Hepburn; Frank, engaged in ranching in California; Iloward, a farmer in Winchester, Indiana; Avis, wife of E. Dickerson, of Stark county, Ohio; Inez, twin sister of Avis, living at home; and John, living at home.
Leaving home at the age of twenty years, Jacob N. Banning worked as a farm hand in Iowa for a year, also following the trade of a barber to some extent. He subsequently spent one year in Colorado and New Mexico. While in Colorado he opened a claim, managed a road house and also engaged in teaming, carrying passengers mostly to near-by places. Returning then to Dudley township, Mr. Banning had charge of
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the parental aeres for seven years, afterwards renting adjoining land for five years. Buying then his present farm in Hepburn, he has since been prosperously engaged in its management, and in addition to his agricultural labors has followed his trade of a barber, being one of the most popular tonsorial artists of the place.
Mr. Banning married, in 1891, Emma E. Shaffner, who was born November 5, 1870, in Hardin county. Iler father, Frederick Shaffner, a native of Switzerland, was a moulder by trade, and after coming to this country followed it first in Buffalo, New York, and afterwards in Columbus, Ohio. Locating in Hardin county in 1860, he bought land and was employed in tilling the soil until his death, at the age of seventy- five years, in 1906. To him and his wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Amneg, five children were born, namely: Elizabeth, wife of William Gaston, a farmer in Kenton; Callie, who married John Vogel, a farmer near Dunkirk: Fred, engaged in farming in Dudley township; Eva, deceased; and Mrs. Banning. Mrs. Shaffner is still living. being now seventy-five years of age. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Banning four children have been born, namely: Amy, born in 1891; Eva, born in 1893; Ralph, deceased; and Ruth, born in 1902. Mr. Banning is a stanch Democrat in politics, but has never sought public office, his pri- vate affairs engrossing his time and attention.
MRS. CLARA SHARK LINGO was born January 19, 1858, in Union county, Ohio, and is a daughter of Simon and Marion ( Weiggle) Shark, the former a brother of Jesse Shark, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Shark died in 1902, at the age of eighty-one years, and his wife died in 1895. at the age of sixty-nine.
On November 29, 1885, Clara Shark married Alvin Lingo, a farmer born on the Lingo homestead March 10, 1856, and a prosperous farmer of Dudley township. lle was a son of James H. Lingo, who died in 1889, at the age of seventy-four years. Ile was a native of Sussex county, Delaware, and was the first of the Lingo family to settle in Hardin county, locating northeast of the present home in 1839. How- ever, through a defect in his title he lost his first farm and purchased the present home, where he farmed all his life. He is a member of the
United Brethren church and was one of its founders. Though a Re- publican he is not actively interested in political matters, although he served as trustee. He married Emeline Kemper, born in 1816, danghter of Samuel and Catherine (Sheets) Kemper. She was a native of Virginia and died in 1888. The grandfather, John Lingo. married Patience Dodds; he was a planter and slave owner in Virginia.
James Lingo and his wife endured the hardships of pioneer life, and at one time had but one pair of shoes between them. He paid his first tax with silver half-dollars which had been given him by his mother.
Al Lingo attended public school until eighteen years of age, and then farmed for his father until the time of his marriage. He then purchased the old Fisher home, which is still the family home. He married first, at the age of twenty-two years. October 10, 1875, Clara Fisher, who died in 1883. at the age of twenty-seven years. She was a
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daughter of Edwin and Rachel (Banning) Fisher. The Fisher family is given mention at length in connection with the sketch of Azel Ballin- ger, found elsewhere in this work. Mr. Lingo and his wife had children as follows: Clara Edna, wife of M. Harvey (mentioned elsewhere in this work), of Mt. Victory, and James, a hardware merchant of Hepburn, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work. Mr. Lingo married for his second wife Clara Shark, and to this marriage two children were born: George, a merchant of Hepburn, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this work; and Holmes B., born February 28, 1892, living at home. Mrs. Lingo is one of nine children who survive. Mr. Lingo has brothers and sisters as follows: James HI., a farmer of Dudley town- ship; Edward, a merchant of Larne; Lafayette, a farmer; and Patience, wife of Joseph Smith, a farmer.
For the past twenty-five years Mr. Lingo has been a member of the school board, and he is a member of the United Brethren church, as is his wife. They are well known in Ilardin county, and have a host of friends. They have a pleasant home, and are highly esteemed by all who know them. Mr. Lingo carries on general farming and raises some stock.
JAMES LINGO, a successful hardware merchant of Hepburn, Ohio, was born in Dudley township, Hardin county, April 27, 1881, and is a son of Alvin and Clara (Fisher) Lingo, both also natives of Dudley township. Alvin Lingo was born March 10, 1856, a son of James H. and Emeline (Kemper) Lingo, who settled in Dudley township, Hardin connty, among the early settlers, and lived on a farm the remainder of their lives. When James H. Lingo and his wife first came to Ohio they endured many hardships, and at first possessed but one pair of shoes between them, so that whichever one had outdoor work to do, wore the shoes at the time. He was born in Delaware, November 16, 1814, and his wife, a native of Virginia, was born December 21, 1816.
Alvin Lingo is a farmer, and became a prominent citizen of Dudley township. He is a member of the United Brethren church, a strong Republican, and is well known in the vicinity of his home. He served many years as a member of the school board of Dudley township. His wife was a daughter of Edwin and Rachel (Banning) Fisher, the latter born March 27, 1822, and died in 1858. Clara (Fisher) Lingo was born May 31, 1857, and died August 25, 1883.
Besides James Lingo his parents had but one child, Clara Edna, born July 6, 1879, wife of M. O. Harvey, a merchant of Mt. Victory. Alvin Lingo married for his second wife Clara Shark, born January 19, 1858, a daughter of Simon and Maria (Wiggle) Shark, of Madison county, Ohio. Of this marriage were born two children, namely : George A., born May 7, 1887, married Edith Clement and is a clerk in lIepburn for his brother; and Holmes, born February 28, 1892, unmar- ried and living with his parents on the farm.
The early days of James Lingo were spent in his native township, and he attended the public schools until sixteen years of age; he re- mained with his parents until he was of age and taught school to earn his way through a two years' course at Ada University. Mr. Lingo
Jasper & Richardson
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embarked in his present business at Hepburn in 1905, and has been suc- cessful from the start. He now owns one of the largest hardware and agricultural implement establishments in this section of the country, and does an annual business of some twenty thousand dollars. When he first started in this business he purchased a half interest in the store of J. C. Noyes, and in February, 1906, bought the entire business. He is an enterprising and wide-awake business man and has won his present standing and financial success through his own efforts. Politically he is a Republican, actively interested in local affairs, and now holds the office of township clerk.
Mr. Lingo married September 24, 1903, Anna Robinson, born April 27, 1885, in Marion county, Ohio, daughter of Willis and Abbie (Thew) Robinson, who now live in Montgomery township. Willis is a son of Alexander and Sarah (Carter) Robinson, the former a farmer and still living at the age of seventy-six years, and his wife died in 1898, at the age of sixty-two years. Willis Robinson was born August 27, 1858, and is a farmer; his wife was born March 18, 1860. Mr. Lingo and his wife have three children, namely: Pauline, born November 27, 1904; Thela, January 11, 1907 ; and James, Jr., September 29, 1908.
JASPER NEWTON RICHARDSON is one of the prominent men of Mt. Victory and the president of the Mt. Victory State Bank. He was born in Kenton, Ohio, September 6, 1846, a son of Aaron Richardson and a grandson on the paternal side of Barnett Richardson, a Virginia farmer, and of Elizabeth Jenkins, his wife. Barnett Richardson came to Champaign county, Ohio, and later to Hale township, Hardin county, locating near Mt. Victory, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a member of the Free Will Baptist church, and in politics was identified with both the Whig and Republican parties. Aaron Richard- son, his son, after leaving the school room followed the carpenter's trade until the age of forty years at Kenton Ohio, and he then bought a farm in Union county, but selling that property in 1902 he retired from an active business life and is now living in Toledo, Ohio, having reached the age of ninety-one years. lle too is a member of the Free Will Baptist church. His first wife bore the maiden name of Maria Topliff, and she died in 1848, when but twenty-one years of age. She was a daughter of Horatio Topliff, from the State of Connecticut, and Jasper Newton was her only child. Mr. Richardson subsequently married Clarinda Young, also deceased, and she became the mother of five children : Benton R., living in Hale township; James C., whose home is in California ; Moody, living in Toledo; Wheeler, of Union county, Ohio; and Maria, wife of Abner Baldwin, also in California.
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