Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio, Part 42

Author: E. M. P. Brister
Publication date: 1909
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 913

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GEORGE ROSE.

For more than a century the name of Rose has figured conspicuously and honorably on the pages of Licking county's history. At the time when the first settlements were made by the white race in this part of the state the ancestors of George Rose located here and as the years have gone by members of the family have taken an active and helpful part in the work of progress and development. George Rose bore his share in the task of transforming the wilderness into a region of fertility, and the usefulness of his life made his death the occasion of deep and widespread regret. He was born September 4, 1820, in Granville, and was a son of Captain Levi and Polly (Stowe) Rose. The father was a native of Granville, Massachusetts, born about 1777. He was there reared to agricultural

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life and followed the occupation of farming throughout the period of his man- hood. In 1805 he married Miss Polly Stowe, who was born in Granville Massa- chusetts, in 1780, and the same year they emigrated westward with the little Massachusetts colony that made their way to Licking county and founded the town of Granville. They located on land now owned by Henry Hobart, on North street, in Granville township, where they remained for six years. In 1811 Cap- tain Rose purchased and removed to the farm now occupied by C. T. Chapin, a son-in-law of William Rose. The following year he enlisted for service in the war of 1812 and became captain of a company. When hostilities had ceased he returned to his farm in Granville township and devoted his remaining days to its development and improvement. The family experienced all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life at a time when the homes of the settlers were little log cabins, when forests were uncut, streams unbridged, and fields uncultivated. There were Indians living in the state, and on a few occasions exhibited active hostility to the white race, but on the whole were peaceable. Wild animals of various kinds were found in the forests, and wild game, including deer, was abundant. As the years went by Captain Rose transformed a portion of the wilder- ness into a highly improved farm and made his home thereon until his death, which occurred in 1863, his wife surviving until 1865. For several years he filled the office of justice of the peace, and his fair and unbiased decisions "won him golden opinions from all sorts of people." Unto him and his wife were born nine children : William, who was the first white child born of the colony that moved to Granville; Roland; Levi; Betsey; Polly; George; and others who died in childhood.

Reared on the homestead farm, George Rose acquired his education in the old academy of Granville, and in connection with his father he afterward engaged in the salt business in Athens county, Ohio. Later he turned his attention to farming, which he followed until 1857, and during that time lived in the house where occurred the birth of the famous historian, Bancroft. In 1858 he went to Missouri, where he purchased land from the government, and in addition to agricultural pursuits also carried on merchandising at Lamar. Then followed the troublous times of the Civil war, and while bitter sectional feeling was every- where manifest, his store and home were burned by guerrillas under General Jackson and General Reins. He was taken prisoner and held a captive of war for a time, after which he was given his liberty. Content no longer to remain in a state where hostility was so manifest, Mr. Rose returned to Granville and pur- chased the old Granville Hotel, which he occupied for about a year. He then purchased Prospect Hill, which he greatly beautified, occupying the property until 1877, when he sold it. He then returned to Missouri to look after his property interests there, and died while in that state, in Barton county, September 27, 1882.

Mr. Rose had been married, July 27, 1854, to Miss Helen Abbott, who was born in 1834, and was a daughter of Hon. Elizur and Clarissa (Munson) Abbott. Her father was born in Wellingford, Connecticut, February 11, 1801, and died in Granville, Ohio, October 4, 1877. He was the eldest of five sons and three daughters, whose parents were Samuel and Lois (Ives) Abbott. He was sixteen years of age when the family removed to Worthington, Ohio. His early education was acquired in the academies of Canton and Hartford, Connecticut, and all

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through his life he remained a student, his extensive reading and investigation making him a well-informed man. At twenty-two years of age he wedded Miss Clarissa Munson, daughter of Jesse and Hannah Munson, of Granville, where they afterward took up their abode. In 1833 they removed to Marysville, Ohio, and two years later Mr. Abbott was elected associate judge of Union county by the unanimous vote of the state legislature. About the same time he was chosen an elder in the Presbyterian church at Marysville and thus was closely associated with the material, political and religious development of the community. In 1837 he returned to Granville with his family and made his permanent home here. He was called to various positions of public honor and trust, was elected a mem- ber of the board of trustees of the Granville Female College in 1840, and soon afterward was chosen secretary of the board, filling the position for nearly three decades. He then resigned because of failing eyesight. For many years he was connected with the Granville Furnace Company and also with the Granville Bank, and in all business affairs his judgment was regarded as sound and reliable, while his commercial probity remained unsullied. In 1850 he was elected associate judge of Licking county, and capably discharged the duties of the position until it was abolished through the adoption of the new constitution. All through his life he remained active and interested in religious work. At the age of fourteen he became a member of the church, and his habits of thought and his actions were at all times under the directing influence of his religious faith and belief. In 1850 he was chosen a deacon of the Congregational church of Granville, and in 1870, at the time of its reorganization as a Presbyterian church, he was elected one of its elders. For more than thirty years he was a teacher in the Sunday school, and his words of wisdom and truth sank deep into many hearts, and in time brought forth rich harvests in consecrated Christian lives. No trust reposed in Mr. Abbott was ever betrayed in the slightest degree. He was the soul of honorable manhood, and his character was one of rare purity, strength and usefulness. His memory remains as an inspiration to those who knew him and a benediction to all with whom he was associated. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Abbott were the following children: George; Lucius Moore; Lucy; Helen, now Mrs. Rose; Harriet; Mary Ives; all of whom are dead except Mrs. Rose and Lucius M .; and three who died in infancy. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Rose four children were born: Fred and Edward, both deceased; Clifford Abbott, of Colum- bus; and Grace Helen. The last named was educated in the schools of Columbus and in the Ohio State University. She afterward engaged in teaching in a school for the deaf, at Wilkinsburg, and also taught in the state of New York. While teaching in Detroit her health failed, and for the past three years she has been with her mother in Granville. Mrs. Rose, too, has made an excellent record in educational circles, acting as matron at the State School for the Deaf, in Colum- bus, for twenty years. Her work here has been characterized by the broadest humanitarianism, and has placed her name high on the roll of those who are giving their services to the help of the state's unfortunate people. She was also president of the Granville Historical Society from 1905 until 1908, when she resigned. At the present time she is treasurer.

Mr. Rose was a stanch republican in his political views, espousing the cause of the party on its organization. While many years have come and gone since he passed away, he is yet well remembered in the county as a prominent and

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worthy representative of an honored pioneer family and as a man whose genuine personal worth endeared him to all whom knew him. Mrs. Rose is now very widely known in the county, and her work for humanity has been of the utmost importance. Like her husband, she, too, is a representative of one of the old and prominent families, the names of Rose and Abbott being equally honored in this part of the state.

ABRAM R. MILLER.

Abram R. Miller, who for many years conducted the largest stock farm in Harrison township and perhaps in Licking county, and is a well known breeder of trotting horses, is now living retired. He was born on the Walnut Bottom farm, located two miles southeast of Pataskala on the Creek road, where he has always resided, a son of Abraham and Pleasant (Smith) Miller, his father having been a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, where his birth occurred Sep- tember 6, 1801, and his mother of Brooke county, West Virginia, where she was born July 28, 1800. They came to Ohio and settled on this farm October 18, 1834, having at that time a family of four children, while the same number were born after they took up their residence in Harrison township. Mr. Miller, before his arrival, purchased eight hundred and eighteen acres of land, which he placed under cultivation but later disposed of part of it and devoted his attention par- ticularly to sheep-raising. He kept on hand an average of one thousand head and for many years was recognized as the leading wool grower in the county. He was an active politician and gave his allegiance to the whigs and later to the republicans and during campaigns was always enthusiastic in working for the success of his party. In educational affairs he took a profound interest and was instrumental in adding many improvements to the school system and at one time was trustee of Otterbein University, to which on one occasion he donated a thou- sand dollars, while at various times he made other contributions. Mr. Miller was an active member of the United Brethren church. He reared a large family as follows: Mary A., an oil, crayon and pencil artist, who died September 2, 1906; John S., who died October 24, 1863, at Westerville, Ohio, after being at Camp Chase, while serving as a soldier of the Civil war, and whose wife, Lizzie Kumler, now deceased, was prominently identified with the United Brethren church and was principal of the female department of Otterbein University; S. Jennie, who died November 1, 1863, a graduate of Westerville College and Otterbein Univer- sity and principal of Western College at Western, Iowa, and also an accomplished artist; Lizzie, who died October 15, 1908, an artist and a graduate of Granville Female Seminary, who was brought to this farm on her birthday in 1834 and was also buried on the anniversary of her birth; George W., who departed this life September 23, 1839; Marenda, an artist and a graduate of Granville Female Seminary, and the widow of William Richey, of Pennsylvania : IT. Clay, a retired farmer and stock dealer and interested in several banks of this county, whose wife. Eliza D. Aldred, departed this life in 1907: and Abram R., who at one time was a teacher of vocal and instrumental music. All the members of the family taught

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ABRAHAM MILLER

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school at one time or another with the exception of Mary A., John and Clay. Mr. Miller departed this life in the house in which his son Abram now resides, on May 12, 1891, for seventeen years, surviving his wife, who passed away in the same place.

In the district schools Abram R. Miller acquired his earlier education and later attended Otterbein University and Denison University, after which he remained on his father's farm, engaged in agriculture and stock-raising. He has since paid particular attention to the latter and has bred and kept some of the finest trotting horses in the county, among which were: Alert, No. 737, son of Hambletonian, No. 10; Penny Pack, No. 2445, son of Mambrino Pilot, No. 29; Vincenzo, No. 5392, son of Electioneer, No. 125; Question, son of Dictator, No. 113; Moka, No. 31506, son of Wilton. This farm is considered one of the finest for agriculture and particularly for stock raising in the county, owing to its nat- ural facilities and location, being situated on the south fork of Licking creek. Aside from breeding horses Mr. Miller has also given much attention to the breeding of shorthorn cattle and to sheep-raising and has dealt extensively in wool. He lived an active life, devoted to general farming and stock-raising on this farm, until two years ago when he retired and now rents out his farm by the field.

Mr. Miller has supported the republican party all his life and was appointed an alternate delegate to the republican national convention at Minneapolis, Minne- sota, in 1892. He is a stanch believer in the principles of the party and a careful study of them has long since convinced him of the fact that they contain the secret of the nation's financial welfare and permanent prosperity. For the past twenty-seven years he has been efficiently serving the township as justice of the peace, was assessor for eight years and land appraiser for one term. He is a man of excellent executive ability and business judgment, whose upright character and straightforwardness have always won him the respect of his fellow citizens and have greatly contributed to the success with which he has been attended and the prosperity he now enjoys.

ARTHUR D. THOMPSON.

When the tocsin of war sounded in 1861, men from all parts of the country flocked to the standard of the Union. They came from the counting house, the office, the work shop and the fields, and rallied under the nation's starry banner, determined to preserve the Union intact. Among the number that Licking county sent to the front was Arthur D. Thompson, and in days of peace he has been as loyal to the best interests of the community, manifesting the same fidelity which he displayed when following the old flag on southern battlefields. He was but a boy at the time he joined the army, for his birth occurred May 29, 1846, on the old farm homestead on Burg street, in Granville township. He is a representative of one of the oldest families of this part of the state. More than a century has passed since the first of the name purchased the land which is still in possession of his descendants and is known as the old Thompson homestead. His parents were William M. and Sarah Thompson. Upon the farm Arthur D. Thompson

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was reared, working in the fields from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the late autumn. His educational privileges were those offered by the public schools. In the spring of 1862, constrained by a spirit of patriotism, he offered his services to the government and became a member of Company A, Eighty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for three months. He saw service in the Shenandoah valley, was taken prisoner at Harper's Ferry, was then paroled and sent home, for his time of enlistment had expired. In the fall of 1864, however, after being exchanged he reenlisted in the First United States Engineering Corps as a member of Company F, and with that command he fought for about a year, or until the close of the war.

When the country no longer needed his aid Mr. Thompson returned home, and in the spring of 1867 went to Illinois, where he spent a year. He then returned and on the 15th of November, 1868, was married in this county to Miss Emma Louise Piper, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1848, and there resided until her marriage. Her parents were Dr. William A. and Henrietta (Bibbighause) Piper, whose lives were passed in Pennsylvania, where the father engaged in the practice of medicine. The Bibbighause family came from Germany, the father of Mrs. Piper being the Rev. Bibbighause, who was a native of that country, and a clergyman of the German Reformed church. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have been born two daughters and a son: Alice, the wife of H. L. Hale, of Kentucky; Maggie, the wife of Albert H. Dillon, of Indiana; and Walter, at home.

After his marriage Mr. Thompson returned to Illinois, where he lived for thirteen years, and then went to Kentucky, where he remained for six years. He afterward spent twelve or thirteen years in Indiana, and then returned to Licking county, purchasing a farm on Burg street, in Granville township, which he later sold, purchasing his present place on the Columbus road, one mile southwest of Granville. He has here twenty-eight acres of productive land, in the midst of which stands a pleasant and commodious home. He has also owned and operated farms in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. His life has been a busy one, and he has many sterling traits of character, is genial, cordial and reliable, and therefore enjoys the warm regard of many friends.

CHARLES H. STIMSON, M. D.

Charles II. Stimson, a prominent and successful medical practitioner at New- ark, who is now professor of operative surgery in the College of Medicine and Surgery, was born in Albany, New York, in 1857, a son of Dr. Charles Hopkins and Melissa (Dean) Stimson, the latter of Athens, Ohio. The son devoted his early youth to study and closely applied himself to his school work. His prelimi- nary training was supplemented by a course in the Ohio State University at Athens, where he was graduated in 1876. Determining upon the practice of medicine as his life work, he entered the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, from wl.ich he was graduated in 1828, and the following year he attended and com- pleted a course in the Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York city. Fol-

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lowing his graduation in the latter institution he accepted the position of house surgeon in the Charity Hospital of New York city, where he remained for eighteen months without pay. The work, however, afforded a large field for experience and thus proved a valuable factor in his preparation for his chosen life work. Return- ing to Ohio, he located for practice in Newark, where he has remained continu- ously since and in the lines of both medical and surgical practice he has won dis- tinction through his superior ability. He has been on the surgical staff of the Newark City Hospital since its organization, was for twelve years surgeon for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company and is now professor of operative surgery in the College of Medicine and Surgery. The profession, as well as the general public, acknowledges his ability and accords him the prominence to which his merit justly entitles him.

On the 7th of November, 1889, Dr. Stimson was married to Miss Etta F. Burner, a daughter of J. V. and Catherine Burner, of Newark, Ohio. Dr. and Mrs. Stimson are prominent in the social circles of the city, the hospitality of the most attractive homes of Newark being cordially extended them. The doctor has attained high rank in Masonry, being a Knight Templar and Consistory Mason and also a member of Aladdin Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is likewise a charter member of Newark Lodge, No. 391, B. P. O. E., and is popular among his brethren of these fraternities by reason of his social qualities aside from any professional relations.

ROBERT B. MUSSELMAN.

Robert B. Musselman, a substantial agriculturist of Newark township, who devotes his attention to general farming on a tract of land of eighty-eight acres, was born in this county, November 26, 1846, a son of Joseph and Lucinda (Wil- kin) Musselman, both of whom were natives of Licking county, where they resided until they departed this life, in the years 1893 and 1895, respectively. They reared the following children : Samuel, deceased; Anna, wife of Henry Dorsey, of Licking county; Ollie, who wedded Frank Gray, of this county; and Rob- ert B. The father, at the time of his death, owned one hundred and fifteen acres of land, which he had highly improved. He was a stanch democrat and throughout his life remained loyal to that party, and, being convinced of the fundamental nature of its principles, was enthusiastic during campaigns in working for its success. The family has resided in this county for many years, the paternal grandfather having located here in 1814, where he lived until his death, in 1882, at the advanced age of ninety-seven years, his wife having departed this life when but six years younger.

After acquiring his education in the district schools, Robert B. Musselman remained at home, engaging with his father in agricultural pursuits until he was twenty-seven years of age, when, upon being united in marriage, he rented the old home place for four years. After the expiration of that time he continued renting for twenty-two years, and then purchased the farm in this township which he now has under cultivation. His property is highly improved, the premises

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being equipped with a comfortable residence, barns, outbuildings and machinery requisite to the occupation of agriculture, and he has become quite successful in general farming and stock-raising. Aside from taking an interest in general stock-raising, Mr. Musselman gives special attention to raising hogs, of which he has fine specimens. He is a man of remarkable energy and industry, and during the many years he was compelled to rent the property he tilled he resorted to practical economy, and this, reinforced by careful management, enabled him to purchase his present farm, which he maintains by the most advanced methods of agriculture.

Mr. Musselmen was united in marriage to Miss Annie I. Yocum, formerly a school teacher of this county, who was born in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1843, the daughter of Richard and Matilda Yocum, natives of the Keystone state. Mrs. Yocum was married a second time, becoming the wife of Tildon Stunt, a native of England, in 1849. In 1850 they came to this county, here remaining until they departed this life, he on October 19, 1869, and she on March 26, 1906. By her first husband Mrs. Yocum had three children: Sarah, deceased; Mary, who makes her home with her brother, Robert B. To the second union were born : George C., Minnie, and Ella, wife of Ora Lucas, all residents of this township; and four children, deceased.

Mr. Musselman and his wife are dutiful in carrying out their religious obli- gations and are faithful adherents of the Presbyterian church. He is a stanch democrat and has always given his political support to that party and, while he has always been enthusiastic during campaigns in assisting the candidates of his party to secure office, he has never sought political preferment for himself, but has been content with confining his interest and labors to his farm, in the culti- vation of which, through his unwearied industry, he has attained a measure of prosperity, which now in his declining years enables him to live comfortably and somewhat withdraw from the active duties of life. He is known. throughout the township as a man of moral force who has always endeavored to deal justly with all men and live uprightly, thus winning the respect of the entire community.

SAMUEL F. VAN VOORHIS.

The specific and distinctive office of biography is not to give voice to a man's modest estimate of himself and his accomplishments, but rather to leave the perpetual record establishing his character by the consensus of opinion on the part of his fellowmen. Throughout Licking county Samuel F. Van Voorhis is spoken of in terms of admiration and respect. His life has been so varied in its activity, so honorable in its purposes, so far-reaching and beneficial in its effects, that it has become an integral part of the history of his city, and has also left an impress upon the annals of the state. In no sense a man in public life, he has nevertheless exerted an immeasurable influence on the city of his residence; in business life as a financier; in social circles by reason of a charming per- sonality and unfeigned cordiality; in politics by reason of his public spirit and devotion to the general good; and in those departments of activity which ame-

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liorate hard conditions of life for the unfortunate, by his benevolence and liber- ality. He was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, July 26, 1841, and is a son of Daniel and Jane (Roberts) Van Voorhis. The father, a native of Pennsylvania, became a resident of Nashport, Ohio, at the age of six years, and remained a resident of this state until his life's labors were ended. He was for many years one of the most prominent and valued residents of Muskingum and Licking counties, and extended mention is made of him on another page of this work.

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Centennial History of the City of Newark and Licking County Ohio, Part 42

Author: E. M. P. Brister Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Number of Pages: 913

Author: E. M. P. Brister
Publication date: 1909
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 913