USA > Ohio > Licking County > Newark > Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio > Part 29
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his wife, who was born January 12, 1833, now resides in Newark. It is worthy of remark that Tompkins county, New York, where Mrs. Shaw and her parents were born, took its name after a relative, George Daniel Tompkins. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Shaw are: Louisa Blanch, wife of Wallace Neibling, of Newark; James C., who wedded Bessie Jamison, the couple having two children, Frances Victoria and Walter James, who reside with their parents; Edward Lee, who wedded May Philo, of Columbus, Ohio, the couple residing in Washington, D. C., with their children, Alice P'. and Dorothy May, their father being professor of animal husbandry under Secretary Wilson; and Henrietta, wife of Clifford Markins, of Newark. Mr. Shaw is a democrat who has taken considerable interest in local affairs, having served for eight years as a trustee of the township. He belongs to Olive Branch Lodge, No. 34, I. O. O. F., which he joined in 1868; to Mount Olive Encampment, No. 12, and to the Daughters of Rebekah, Lodge No. 143, of Licking county. Mr. Shaw is deeply interested in church work and, being a man opposed to denominationalism and its variety of conflicting creeds, has been affiliated with the Christian Union church of Newark for the past thirty- eight years, in which he has served as trustee and elder for thirty years and for thirty-five years as superintendent of the Sunday school. During this long season of religious activity he has instilled the principles of Christianity into many who have since grown to manhood and are now in a position to appreciate the benefit of their early religious training received at his hands. He is a man actuated by noble purpose, who endeavors to conduct his life in harmony with the teachings of the church, and he well merits the high measure of respect he entertains from his neighbors.
CHARLES WILKINS.
Charles Wilkins, who for more than three-quarters of a century actively en- gaged in the pursuit of agriculture and stock-raising in Mary Ann township, this county, and who now in his eighty-first year has laid aside the active duties of life and is living in retirement, enjoying the fruits of his long years of honest labor, was born on an adjoining farm January 11, 1828, a son of Daniel and Rebecca (Barnes) Wilkins, both of whom were natives of the state of Virginia and came to this county at an early date, his mother having settled here with her parents in 1811. Here they departed this life about the same time. Daniel Wilkins was among the early pioneers of the county and spent his entire life here, actively engaged in farming and stock-raising. His family numbered seven children, namely : Mary, who resides in Lima, Ohio; Charles, of this review ; and Sarah A., Barbara, Albert, Jane and Joseph, all deceased.
Charles Wilkins was reared on the home farm and acquired his education in a log schoolhouse situated on his father's land, the little "temple of learning" being equipped with slab benches and other primitive furnishings characteristic of that early day. When his time was not occupied with the mastery of the lessons assigned him, he assisted in the labors of the home farm, where he remained until he had attained his majority. He now owns two hundred and seventy-two acres
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MR. AND MRS. CHARLES WILKINS
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of rich and arable land, on which he has placed many improvements that bespeak his enterprising and progressive spirit. He inherited a part of his land and bought the interests of the other heirs in the property and at the present time owns ninety- two acres of his father's old homestead. His present highly cultivated and well improved farm bears little resemblance to the wild and undeveloped tract on which he began his labors as an agriculturist. From year to year he worked with unre- mitting energy and his place has long since been provided with every convenience, including a comfortable home, substantial barn and outbuildings and machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. Here he engaged in producing general crops, raising hay, wheat, oats and other grain and at the same time taking some interest in stock-raising, until he retired from active life to enjoy the fruits of his long season of labor.
In 1857 Mr. Wilkins was united in marriage to Miss Abigail Smith, a native of the state of New York and a daughter of Adam and Phoebe Smith, by whom he had the following children: Horace B., residing on the home farm; Phoebe Jane, deceased; Nelson, who resides in this county; Nettie Ann, the wife of Milton Wilkins, who likewise assists in the cultivation of the home farm; Emma May, deceased ; and James Harvey, who has also passed away. The mother of these children was called to her final rest on the 28th of May, 1908, when in the seventy- sixth year of her age. Mr. Wilkins has always been prominent in the affairs of the township and among other services which he has rendered the corporation is that of trustee, in which capacity he has served for several terms. He is a man of noble character who has never permitted the pressure of business life to usurp the time he ought to give to his religious duties and he has always been a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church, where he regularly attends divine services and of which he is a liberal supporter. His wife was likewise a consistent and devoted member of that church. His long career has been one of great use- fulness and throughout his many years he has endeavored to so live that his char- acter might be unsullied and that by his example he might exert a Christian influ- ence upon those with whom he came in contact and, having been a good man, he has always merited and entertained the respect of his neighbors, so that now in his declining years he may look backward upon a well spent life which need cause him no regrets, and forward to a glorious immortality, which is the earnest of the faith he holds as a Christian.
H. B. ANDERSON, M. D.
Among the prominent, energetic and successful business and professional men of Newark, Dr. H. B. Anderson is numbered, and he enjoys the high regard of his fellow townsmen in this city, where his entire life has been passed. Here he first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 23d of February, 1878. His father, William A. Anderson, was a native of Zanesville, Ohio, and became an engineer of the Baltimore & Ohio railway, acting in that capacity for many years. He ran the first engine over the Shawnee division of the road, and at length died as the result of an accident which he met while performing his duties on the 14th day
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of November, 1881, when thirty-six years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Rachael A. Armstrong, was a native of Franklin township, Licking county, and a daughter of John and Margaret Armstrong, pioneer settlers of Licking county, while her uncle was Squire Armstrong, who figured prominently here at an early date.
H. B. Anderson was educated in the Newark high school, completing the course by graduation with the class of 1897. He studied medicine in the Ohio Medical University, and is numbered among its alumni of 1902. He then com- menced the practice of medicine in Newark, and has remained here in the active prosecution of his profession to the present time, his office being within one hun- dred yards of his birthplace. The true measure of success is determined by what one has accomplished, and, as taken in contradistinction to the old adage that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country," there is peculiar inter- est attached to the career of the subject of this review, since he is a native son of the state where he has passed his entire life, and through his ability and efforts he has gained recognition as one of the representative physicians of Newark. He is a member of the Licking County and Ohio State Medical Associations and the American Medical Association, and in addition to his private practice has served as surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad for the past three years.
On the 25th of September, 1907, Dr. Anderson was married to Miss Amy Carew Franklin, a daughter of Edward H. Franklin, of Newark. The young couple are well known in the social circles of the city and enjoy in large measure the esteem of an extensive circle of warm friends. Dr. Anderson belongs to the Acme Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and to the Royal Arcanum. His life history is as an open book to his fellow townsmen, and the respect which is uniformly tendered him is an indication of his fidelity to the principles which govern upright and honorable manhood.
THOMAS B. HILLMAN.
Thomas B. Hillman, now deceased, who for many years was a well-known stockman of Licking township, this county, was born in Indiana, November 29, 1836, a son of William and Jane Hillman. The father was a Virginian who left his native state, locating in Indiana and later in lowa, where both he and his wife passed away. Thomas B. Hillman, who was one of a large family, was reared in Indiana and Iowa. He was educated in the common schools of Toledo, Iowa, and his early life was spent on his father's farm, where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age, at that period of his life repairing to Kansas, where he took up a claim which he disposed of at the time of his marriage. He then located in Ohio, residing six months on a farm in Licking township, subse- quently removing to the farm whereon he departed this life in 1888, his remains being interred in the old family graveyard in Licking township.
Mr. Hillman was an aggressive agriculturist and at the time of his death owned three hundred acres of excellent land, provided with substantial improve- ments. He enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best farmers in this
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part of the county. He was well versed in every department of agriculture, and while he raised general products he made a specialty of hog breeding, becoming well known throughout the county in this connection. His hogs were in great demand and he carried on a lucrative business as a buyer.
In the year 1861 Mr. Hillman was united in marriage to Phobe A. Green, who was born in this township, and came from an old Virginia family. Mrs. Hillman's parents were Benjamin and Mary Green. Her mother is still alive at the advanced age of ninety-eight years, living in Hebron. Her father, a local clergyman, well known throughout the county for his Christian integrity and zeal, passed away some time ago. His was a career of great usefulness, particu- larly to the small congregations scattered throughout this region. Mrs. Hillman was one of a family of six children, and to her have been born six children, the first and second of whom passed away in infancy, the remaining ones being: John L., a Methodist Episcopal clergyman, stationed in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Will- iam B., manager of a typewriting concern in Cleveland, this state; Mary R., a foreign missionary, at present stationed in Korea; and Oren R., who married Miss Blanch Lees. The couple have one child, Phoebe Ellen, and reside on the old homestead of his father.
Politically Mr. Hillman supported the republican party during his early life, but later gave his allegiance to the democratic party, for whose candidates he cast his vote until the time of his death. He was a man particularly interested in church work and desirous of doing what he could to advance the moral and spir- itual life of those with whom he came in contact, and especially those of the com- munity in which he resided. As a member of the Methodist Episcopal church he brought to bear, both among the members of that congregation and also among the citizens of the neighborhood, all the moral force he could to the end of advan- cing the interests of the church, and thereby contributing to the higher life of his fellow citizens. He was known everywhere as a man who considered a good name better than worldly possessions. His entire life was spent in striving to live in obedience to the dictates of his Master, and his death, owing to the fact that he was ever faithful in following in the footsteps of Him whose name he professed, far from being a loss or deprivation, was in every sense a gain by reason of the fact that in leaving this world he entered into the peace and rest of that better country upon which his eyes had always been set.
CLARENCE V. FLEMING.
There is no resident of Madison township who enjoys in larger degree or more fully deserves the confidence and good will of his fellow townsmen than Clarence V. Fleming. Straightforward, reliable and energetic, he is a splendid type of the progressive business man. He was born in Hanover township, Licking county, February 20, 1867, of the marriage of Nathan C. and Mary (Van Voorhis) Fleming, both of whom were natives of this county. Extended mention of the parents is made on another page of this work. On the home farm in Hanover township the son was reared and after mastering the branches of learning
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taught in the district schools, continued his education in the Hanover high school, in Denison college at Granville and in the Business College in Zanesville. He then located on a farm, where he now resides, and has continuously given his attention to its cultivation and improvement along the modern lines of farming. His place comprises one hundred and ninety-two acres of land, its neat and thrifty appearance indicating his careful supervision and practical methods. He erected thereon his present residence and also a large and substantial barn and today the farm is one of the best improved in the county.
On the 14th of October, 1886, Mr ... Fleming was married to Miss Martha Yancy, a daughter of Frank Yancy, of Hanover township. Two children bless this union, Clyde V. and Clara F., the latter now attending the Newark high school.
Mr. Fleming gives his political allegiance to the republican party and always keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day. For several years he has served as a member of the school board and the cause of education finds in him a warm and stalwart friend, his labors being effective in upholding the standard of public instruction here. He is socially connected with the Modern Woodmen of America. All who know him speak of him in terms of praise and high regard and he belongs to that class of substantial men who uphold the political and legal status and promote the intellectual and moral progress of the community.
HOWARD MELVIN LOOKER.
The home farm of Howard Melvin Looker is pleasantly and conveniently situated about a mile and a half north of Wagram. It has been his place of resi- dence throughout his entire life. Here his birth occurred September 12, 1866, his parents being William M. and Hettie M. (Wiekliff) Looker. The father was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, January 28, 1838, and in September, 1854. came to Licking county, Ohio, with his parents, John and Mary Looker, who set- tled on a farm in the northern part of Lima township, purchasing there a tract of land, which John Looker tilled and cultivated for a number of years. He had one hundred and thirty-five acres of land and as the years passed he transformed this into a productive tract, from which he gathered good harvests. Both he and his wife died on that place. Their children were: William; Thomas, deceased : Catharine, the deceased wife of Junius Wolcott; Mary, the wife of Alonzo Beem. who is mentioned elsewhere in this work; John; and Rachael Ann and Mar- garet, who died in Virginia before the removal of the family to Ohio.
William Looker was a youth of sixteen when he accompanied his parents to this county, after which he spent his entire life upon the farm here. He was married December 7, 1865, to Miss Hettie Wickliff, a daughter of Joshua and Sarah (Huntwork) Wickliff. The father was of Irish parentage and was born soon after his parents, George and Isabella Wiekliff, arrived in this country from the Emerald isle. The Wickliffs became pioneer residents of Licking county and here spent their remaining days. In the family of Joshua Wiekliff were the
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following named sons and daughters: George, who died while serving in the Union army; Mrs. Looker; Martha Jane; Leah; Joseph; Joshua; John; Sarah; and Harvey. Of this family Mrs. Looker is still living and now makes her home with her son, Howard. The death of William M. Looker occurred November 26, 1897. He had been for many years a respected and valued resident of Lima township and was recognized as a citizen of genuine worth. The family numbered two children: Howard; and William M., who is married, has five children and resides in Columbus.
Howard M. Looker has spent his entire life on the farm which is yet his home. It is a tract of eighty-eight acres and in its further development and improvement he displays keen business discernment and unfaltering enterprise. He is a man of resolute purpose, carrying forward to successful completion what- ever he undertakes and is numbered among the progressive agriculturists of this community.
Miss Sadie Wickliff, a niece of Mrs. Looker, is now the adopted daughter of Mrs. Looker and has resided with the family since her infancy.
CHARLES W. MONTGOMERY.
Charles W. Montgomery, a successful practitioner at the Newark bar, was born in Granville, Licking county, Ohio, September 18, 1880. He traces his ancestry back to Henry Montgomery, his great-grandfather, who was the founder of the family in America. A native of County Tyrone, Ireland, he arrived in Pennsylvania in 1795, accompanied by his parents, and in 1809 came to Licking county, settling in Perry township. In the meantime, however, he and two brothers and a half-brother had gone from Pennsylvania to Virginia, and from the latter state made their way to Ohio. The two brothers settled in Madison township and the family thus became closely associated with the pioneer develop- ment of the county, for at the time of their arrival here much of the land was still in possession of the government, and was entirely uncultivated. There were still many evidences of Indian occupancy, and it was no unusual thing for the red men to visit the settlements, but on the whole they were peaceable and did not to any extent contest the invasion of the white race.
John H. Montgomery, the grandfather of Charles W. Montgomery, was born on the old homestead farm in Perry township, September 25, 1825, and was reared in this county, becoming closely and prominently identified with its agricultural and stock-raising interests. For forty-two years he lived in Granville township and was one of the leading and influential residents there. He made a specialty of raising Shorthorn cattle and paid the highest price for his breeding stock of any man in Ohio. He did much to improve the grade of cattle raised in this part of the state, and thus directly promoted the prosperity of the farming community. He married Margaret Lane, a native of St. Albans township, Licking county, whose people came from Maine in 1817, and here took up their abode, casting in their lot with the carly settlers of St. Albans township. Mrs. Mar- garet Montgomery was born in 1827 and died on the 22d of February, 1870.
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The birth of Wesley Montgomery, father of Charles W. Montgomery, occurred in Harrison township, Licking county, November 7, 1858, and he attended the public schools, but at an early age began work and for a long period was identified with the agricultural and stock-raising interests. In those lines he was quite successful and was recognized as a prominent representative of that department of business. In more recent years, however, he has given his attention to indus- trial, commercial and financial interests, and his intense and well directed activity has constituted a factor in the business progress and upbuilding of this part of the state. Removing to Granville in 1893, he organized the firm of Pratt & Mont- gomery, in connection with P. L. Pratt, for the manufacture of veneered doors, interior finishings, etc. The business was conducted for about three years in Gran- ville and then removed to Newark in 1896. Success attended the venture and the business was carefully conducted, becoming one of the leading industrial concerns of the city. In 1903, however, Wesley Montgomery sold his interests and turned his attention to other business affairs. He had for many years been connected indi- vidually with the lumber trade, and on his retirement from the firm of Pratt & Montgomery he branched out into other fields, and is now recognized as one of the resourceful and enterprising business men, conducting interests along various lines. He is connected with lumber, agricultural and real estate interests, with contracting and building, and with financial affairs as a director of the Licking County Bank. With keen sagacity he has recognized opportunity for favorable investment and in the control of extensive business affairs he has shown the keenest discrimination combined with marked executive ability.
While the life work of Wesley Montgomery has been crowned with notable and gratifying success, he has never made the accumulation of wealth his sole aim, and as he has prospered has given generously in support of many movements and projects for the public good. The Methodist church, in which he holds member- ship, finds in him a liberal contributor as well as an active worker, and he has also been generous in his support of the Young Men's Christian Association. He was a representative to the general conference of his church at Baltimore in 1908. He is one of the members and directors of the board of trade and has thus been instrumental in securing the location of important industrial concerns in Newark. His aid to the city has been along most practical and beneficial lines, and Newark is proud to number him among her representatives.
On the 24th of December, 1879, Wesley Montgomery was united in marriage to Miss Alice Reece, of Granville, who died October 26, 1904. He has since mar- ried Florence Croyle, a native of Pittsburg.
Charles W. Montgomery, son of Wesley and Alice (Reece) Montgomery, was educated in the Granville schools, passing through consecutive grades until he was graduated from the high school. He afterward entered the Denison University and was graduated with the class of 1900. He then determined upon the practice of law as his life work, and to this end studied in the Ohio State University, pass- ing an examination which secured his admission to the bar in 1903. He located in Newark, becoming associated with Edward Kibler, with whom he has been in practice, under the firm name of Kibler & Montgomery, for the past three years, or since the retirement of the judge from the bench. Mr. Montgomery belongs to the Phi Gamma Delta and Phi Delta Phi college fraternities, a legal fraternity,
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and he has a bright future before him in his profession, for he has displayed the requisite qualities of the successful attorney-carefully preparing his cases and analyzing the points in litigation with a clearness that enables all to see the related interests and to discriminate between the essential and the non-essential points in the evidence. Moreover, Mr. Montgomery is recognized as a prominent republican, and while he is not an office seeker for himself, he has done effective work in behalf of the party, serving as chairman of the republican county com- mittee for three years. A century has passed since the Montgomery family was established in this county, and the name has ever been a synonym for progressive- ness in business and for loyalty in citizenship.
LEWIS HEADLEE.
Lewis Headlee, who for many years engaged in the pursuit of agriculture and stock-raising in Harrison township, this county, and who entered into rest, after a long and useful life, on August 22, 1884, was one of the most prosperous farmers of this part of the state and a man whose high moral character and the interest he took in the general welfare of the community merited him the con- fidence and respect of all who had the pleasure of meeting him. He was a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, born February 4, 1808, and a son of John and Lydia (Headlee) Headlee. In the family were seven children, namely: Phineas, Eli, Enos, Lucy and Rachael, twins, Katherine and Lewis.
The boyhood days of Lewis Headlee were spent on his father's farm in Greene county, Pennsylvania, and there he attended the district schools, where he acquired his education, remaining under the parental roof until he was of age, at which period of his life he went to Newton, Pennsylvania. There for several years he engaged in the mercantile business, meeting with a high measure of success and, upon giving up that enterprise, he removed to this county, settling in Summit Station, where he remained eighteen years, nine years of which he served as justice of the peace. The duties of that office he had also performed while a resident of Newton, where he followed general farming and stock-raising on five hundred acres of land, most of which he cleared and improved. His farm produced great quantities of the best quality of hay and oats and he did quite a business in all kinds of stock, having fed many head annually which he shipped to the markets throughout the state. Subsequently he disposed of this farm and removed to Harrison township, where in 1867 he bought two hundred and sixty- six acres of land, later adding one hundred and five acres, all of which he cleared, fenced and thoroughly drained, his premises being known as the "Old Pigeon Swamp" farm, to which he had given sufficient. attention to make it one of the most desirable in the county. Here he spent the remainder of his days in general farming and stock-raising.
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