USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 31
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 31
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dustry. At first there were many discour- agements and some loss. Some processes had to be perfected through experiment, but headway was gradually made until, through perseverance and energy Mr. Gray succeeded in making felts that were able to compete with those manufactured by the great concerns that had had for a long time a monopoly of the business.
In 1881 the F. Gray Company was incor- porated, the leading stockholders and own- ers being Francis Gray, H. C. Nellis, and William C. Gray. In the following year the old plant was destroyed by fire and a new one erected, the buildings composing the plant being comparatively modern in structure. They were built substantially of brick and fitted up with the most up-to- date machinery known to the trade. The product of the company consisted of paper- makers' felts and jackets, flannels and yarns, the orders, especially for felts, com- ing from all parts of the United States and Canada and even from across the ocean. Their cylinder felt jackets earned the reputation among paper mill men of being the best in the world. Their prod- uct also included laundry machine cloth- ing, mangled cloths, scarlet flannels for underwear, and sleeping car blankets. The utmost care was taken in every depart- ment of this large concern, the best grades of wool only being selected; and every step in the process of manufacture was watched over by thoroughly competent foremen and superintendents, the most skillful workmen being employed. The pay-roll of the works numbered one hundred and fifty hands. The paper makers' felts and laundry machine clothing were made spe- cially to order to suit the requirements of
the different manufactures, the product going directly to the trade throughout the country.
Mr. Gray's success was the result pri- marily of his own efforts and he reaped the reward in large measure of his foresight and perseverance. Everything about his vast business was given his personal atten- tion, no detail being so small as to be over- looked by the eye of the master. He was both just and liberal to his employees, pay- ing them good wages, and his business deal- ings with others were marked by a strict regard for honesty and fair dealing. He was quick to record faithful service, and every one of his employees knew that so long as the wheels of the factory might turn he could keep his position if he were faithful and attended to his work with dili- gence and sobriety. Mr. Gray's death took place March 30, 1901, after an illness of several months, the news being received with a feeling of deepest regret by the citi- zens of Piqua generally. The local jour- nals and those throughout the county paid sincere and graceful tributes to his memory, all realizing that the county had lost one of its foremost citizens and bene- factors.
Mr. Gray was married in 1844 to Miss Rebekalı Arthur, who died in 1855, leaving a son, W. C. Gray, who was associated with his father in the business.
In 1857 Mr. Gray married for his second wife Mrs. Jane F. Penney, of Covington, Ky. She died June 16, 1875, leaving a son, Walter E. Penney, of her former mar- riage, who was born in 1852. The latter is now engaged in the oil business in Lima, Ohio. Mr. Gray was a third time mar- ried to Mrs. Sarah Ann Kendall, widow of Dr. F. S. Kendall, of Lima, Ohio, who
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
now survives him and who resides at No. 621 Broadway, Piqna.
In his early manhood Mr. Gray was a member of the Whig party, but on its dis- solution joined the ranks of the Repub- licans and was afterwards a staneh sup- porter of Republican principles. He was made a Mason in Covington, Ky., in 1852, joining Colonel Clay Lodge, No. 159, F. & A. M., and was an esteemed member of the brotherhood. As a useful and public spir- ited eitizen of Piqua few, if any, held a higher place than he.
JOHN EDWARD NOLAN was born on his father's farm in Staunton Township, Miami County, Ohio, February 13, 1864, and is a son of Michael and Phebe Cath- erine Nolan.
The Nolan family is of Irish extraction, and the grandfather, Isreal Nolan, was born in New Jersey. He was married to Fanny Corrington. They emigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio, at an early date, where lie worked as a weaver, but prior to the birth of their son Michael, in 1818, they set- tled on a farm in Miami County, three miles east of the present Nolan farm. Eight children were born to them-John, James, Daniel, Michael, Elizabeth, Han- nah, Sarah and Mary-all of whom are de- ceased.
Michael Nolan followed an agricultura! life until he went to California in 1853, in the days of the gold excitement there, and during the three years that he remamed there, made enough by mining to give him a fair start in life, buying property situated east of the present Nolan farm, which was then owned by Daniel Nolan. In 1860 he married Mrs. Phebe Catherine (Conrad)
Kaw, she having one daughter, Caroline Kaw.
Phebe Catherine Conrad was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America at the age of nineteen years. To this union six children were born, namely : Emma J .; John Edward; Elizabeth A .; Cory H .; Hattie M. and Nora B. On the death of Daniel Nolan, Michael bought the farm, and with his family moved on it, and here he passed away June 6, 1889, at the age of 66 years, 9 months and 5 days.
John Edward Nolan was educated in the district schools and at Ada College, Ohio, where he graduated in the commercial de- partment, in 18SS. His life has been main- ly devoted to agricultural activities, al- though he learned and for several years worked at the carpenter trade. He carries on general farming and gives his estate the careful attention which brings him bountiful harvests as a result. He is one of the township's intelligent, practical men, takes a good citizen's interest in pub- lie matters, particularly those pertaining to his own township. He votes with the Republican party. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Masonic lodge at Troy, Ohio.
SAMUEL RAPER FERGUS repre- sents important business interests of Mi- ami County. He was born October 27, 1848, in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of John Shannon and Susan (Black) Fergus.
The paternal grandfather, Gen. James Fergus, was a native of Virginia and gained his military title on account of his activity in the militia. He came to Bethel Township, Miami County, in 1807, and was
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one of the most prominent citizens of Mi- ami County in his day. He served in many offices and responsible positions, was both county surveyor and county commissioner, and he also served acceptably as a member of the General Assembly. Almost all of his mature life was passed in Bethel Town- ship and his death took place at the home of a daughter, in Tippecanoe City. His children bore the following names : James, Samuel, Alexander, John Shannon, Jane, Evaline, Mary, Elizabeth and Amanda. Of the above family, John Shannon was the only one who lived and died in Miami County. The others scattered far apart, one dying in California, one in Missouri, two in Nebraska, one in Illinois, two in In- diana, and one in Cincinnati.
John Shannon Fergus followed an agri- cultural life. He married Susan Black, who was a daughter of John and Eliza- beth Black, farming people who lived and died in Clark County, Ohio. John S. Fer- gus died in 1888, at the age of sixty-nine years and was survived until 1892 by his widow, when her age was about the same. Three sons were born to them, namely : James Corwin, Samuel Raper and John Franklin. James Corwin Fergus settled in Nebraska soon after the Civil War, where he engaged in farming and stock- raising until his death. John Franklin Fergus has made a name for himself in the law. He graduated from the Ohio State University and has been a successful prac- titioner at Columbus, for a number of years.
Samuel Raper Fergus was educated in the common schools and the university at Lebanon, Ohio, after which he taught school, and assisted in the home farming. He also was interested in the nursery busi-
ness and from 1880 until 1902 conducted this business in Bethel Township, and since 1902 the organization of which he is president, has maintained the business in Tippecanoe City, but from September 1, 1908, the offices have been at Troy. The Farmers' Nursery Company, of which Mr. Fergus is president, is one of the largest concerns of the kind in the State and it has a capital of stock of $200,000, $50,000 of which is preferred. Everything in the line of hardy nursery stock is carried, and the business territory extends all over the United States and into Canada and Mex- ico, a particularly good field being in On- tario. Mr. Fergus was one of the found- ers and president of the Citizens' National Bank of Tippecanoe City, which was or- ganized in January, 1908.
Mr. Fergus was married to Miss Pris- cilla Freeman, a daughter of Robert and Mary Freeman, of Bethel Township, on December 29, 1873, and they have had six children, namely: Guy C., who is an elec- trician, married Miss May E. Dodd and resides at Zanesville ; they have one daugh- ter, Hortense; Clyde Shannon, who is en- gaged in stock and sheep raising in Texas, practiced dentistry in Van Wert, Ohio, and married Bernice McMillan. The others- Fern, Jean, Maud E. and Mary Ruth-all reside at home except Jean, who died when in her fourteenth year. Mrs. Fergus was reared in the German Reformed Church and her daughters are Lutherans. The family home, a beautiful one, Mr. Fergus built at Tippecanoe City.
W. W. V. BUCHANAN, a venerable and highly respected citizen of Piqua. Ohio, now living in retirement, was for many years prominently identified with the af-
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fairs of this vicinity. He was at one time mayor of the city, and was magistrate in Washington Township for more than a quarter of a century. He was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, September 15, 1826, and was about six months old when his parents moved to Newberry Township, Miami County.
Mr. Buchanan was reared in Newberry Township, and after the district schools attended Lebanon Normal School when it was organized in 1856. He was then en- gaged for seven years in teaching and in 1849 moved to Piqua, where he taught in the public schools continuously until 1872. In that year he embarked in the insur- ance business, in which he attained high success. He was elected mayor of Piqua in 1875 and served as such one term, and in the meanwhile was made magistrate of Washington Township. A scholarly and capable business man, imbued with the proper public spirit, he has always been a leader in the matter of public improve- ments and a supporter of enterprises and measures tending to add to the material prosperity of the community.
In 1849 Mr. Buchanan was joined in marriage with Miss Phoebe Dye, a daugh- ter of Andrew Dye, and they have five children living. The eldest of them, A. C. Buchanan, is a well known lawyer of Piqua. He was born October 9, 1850, and was reared to maturity in Piqua. He is a graduate of the Piqua High School and of the Normal school at Lebanon. After leaving the latter institution he engaged in teaching in the Troy schools, and in the meanwhile prosecuted the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1877, and has since been engaged in practice with unqualified success. During his school
days he studied civil engineering with a view to making that his life work and lie has followed that profession more or less since. He was married in 1874 to Miss Anna Belle Shoemaker, a daughter of Da- vid Shoemaker, now deceased. Mrs. Bu- chanan also is a graduate of the high school at Piqua.
Mr. Buchanan was the organizer and first president of the Piqua Memorial As- sociation organized for the purpose of per- petnating Memorial Day.
MRS. FERN BENSON, whose home is the old Mitchell farm in Section 3, Eliza- beth Township, Miami County, Ohio, on which she was born, resides on land which has been in the possession of the Mitchell family for ninety-seven consecutive years. This farm was entered from the Govern- ment December 24, 1811, by William Mitch- ell, the great grandfather of Mrs. Benson.
William Mitchell was born in Virginia in 1785. His father, Samuel Mitchell, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and a prominent Mason. William served in the War of 1812, after securing his land in Ohio, and after the close of his military service he engaged in clearing and culti- vating the wilderness to which he had come. He married Catherine Stafford, who was born in Ireland in 1878, and died on his farm in 1867. They had eleven children.
William S. Mitchell received from his father a portion of his land, an acre hav- ing been deeded by the latter to the church, and which is now occupied by McKendree Church and Cemetery. In its shadow rest William Mitchell and many of his de- scendants. He had 160 acres of land and his entire life was given to agricultural
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pursuits. He died in 1884, aged sixty- three years. In 1843 he married Mary Robinson, a daughter of Adin and Jane Robinson. She was born in 1821 and died in 1902. They had two children-Eliza- beth and Milton G. Elizabeth was born March 15, 1844, and was married Novem- ber 7, 1872, to George Brier, no issue re- sulting. He was a soldier in the Civil War and participated in the battles of Cham- pion Hill, Vieksburg, and Pittsburg Land- ing or Shiloh.
Milton G. Mitchell, father of Mrs. Ben- son, was born August 30, 1845, and died September 17, 1901; he was buried at New Carlisle. He was a soldier in the Sixteenth Ohio Battery during the Civil War. In polities he was a Republican but took no active part in public affairs. In Free Ma- sonry he had reached the Knight Templar degree. He was a consistent member of MeKendree Church. He married Celestia Iliff, a daughter of James and Mary (Um- ble) Iliff, and they had four children- Fern, Quinn B., Mildred, and an infant, deceased. Quinn B. graduated from the Bethel High School and also attended the Ohio State University for one year. He married Angeline Wright, a daughter of Dr. T. M. Wright, and they have a daugh- ter, Priscilla. Quinn B. represents the fifth generation to reside on and enltivate the Mitehell farm. All the Mitchell fam- ily have been members of McKendree Church. Mildred is a graduate of the Bethel High School and also spent one year at the Springfield High School and one year at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. She is now residing at home. Mrs. Mitchell, the mother of these children, taught school for nine years.
Fern Mitchell grew to young woman-
hood in the parental home. She was grad- uated from the New Carlisle High School, after which she spent one year at the Ohio Normal University at Ada and a similar length of time at the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity at Delaware. She married Ans-" tin Benson and they have two children- Raymond Mitchell and Mary Virginia.
Austin Benson is a son of James C. and Anna (Dunkelbarger) Benson, and a grandson of Abraham and Mary (Runkle) Benson. The children of the grandpar- ents were Barbara, Sarah, Mary, John, Abraham, Daniel, James C., Jesse, and Simeon. Abraham Benson was born in Pennsylvania and after coming to Ohio lived in Clark County.
James C. Benson, now living, was born March 2, 1851, and married Anna Dunkle- barger, born February 6, 1851, a daughter of Samuel Dunklebarger; they had two children-Austin and Charles. Austin Benson is well known throughout Miami County as a composer and music publish- er. Charles, who married Daisy Hall, daughter of John Hall, is a physician at Tippecanoe City.
GEORGE W. SCOTT, president of the Star Storm Front Company, with plant on the corner of East Main and Clay Streets, Troy, has been a resident of this eity for the past thirty-five years. He was born in 1849, in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of the late Jolin Scott.
Jolin Seott came to Miami County from Pennsylvania, very early and as he was a millwright, he built many of the pioneer mills here. The later years of his life were passed on a farm in this county. He was a man of sterling character and deep
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convictions and was one of the first two men who had the courage to vote the Abo- litionist ticket in Miami County.
George W. Scott was reared in his na- tive county and attended the country and Troy schools. His first work was done in connection with a nursery and he re- mained interested in that for some ten years or more, when he was appointed deputy-treasurer of Miami County. After the close of his official term he engaged in the buggy manufacturing business, found- ing the Troy Buggy Works in 1880, with which concern he continued until 1903, when he sold his interest, having been both president and general mananger of the enterprise from its incorporation. Mr. Scott then engaged in the manufacture of buck-boards until the fall of 1895, when he patented the storm front, in the manu- facture of which he has been concerned ever since. In 1906 the business was incor- porated as The Star Storm Front Company, of which he has since been president. The business includes the manufacture of five different styles of storm fronts, all of which Mr. Scott invented. It is due to Mr. Scott's ability, energy and talent that many of the largest manufacturing plants now located in Troy have been developed. He is an active citizen so far as encourag- ing public-spirited efforts go and never shirks responsibility for himself.
In 1873 Mr. Scott was married to Miss Emma M. Knoop, who is a daughter of William Knoop, who was a pioneer of the county. They have five children, namely : Eugene, who is superintendent of the Troy factory; Guy, who represents the business in Indiana; Beatrice, who is a talented vocalist and soloist in the Congregational Church choir, at Toledo; and Ruby and
Marguerite, who reside at home. Mr. Scott is a charter member of the order of Knights of Pythias.
JOHN H. CLARK, who holds a fore- most place among the enterprising busi- ness men of Piqua, is a native of this city, his birth having taken place here on Octo- ber 16, 1852. He is a son of Harvey Clark, who was born in Essex County, New Jer- sey, in 1823, and who, coming to Piqua in 1845, was long numbered subsequently among the enterprising and successful business men of the city.
Harvey Clark was for fifteen years a member of the grocery firm of Clark & Zollinger, and later became a member of the firm of Rouzer, Evans & Clark, found- ers and machinists. In 1873 he sold his interest in the latter concern and engaged in the quarrying of stone as a member of the firm of H. Clark & Son, they being owners of one of the valuable stone quar- ries south of Piqua. He also became one of the stockholders and directors of the Piqua Strawboard & Paper Company, and superintended the building of one of their large plants in this city. After having thus contributed for a number of years by his active enterprise to the prosperity and upbuilding of Piqua, he retired in 1890 from active business life. His retirement was followed at no great interval of time by his death, which took place March 30, 1902, and which was sincerely regretted by his numerous friends and his old busi- ness associates.
He was prominent in the local councils of the Republican party, and was elected and served for a while as mayor of the city, which position, however, he was forced to resign, on account of the press-
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ing nature of his business interests. In his latter years he had a winter home at Redlands, California, where he spent a portion of his time. He also owned valu- able property in that State, including a fine, ten-acre orchard, besides quite an amount of city property in Piqua. In re- ligion a Methodist, lie belonged to the church of that denomination on Green Street, of which he was a liberal sup- porter. His activity was exercised along various lines in the improvement of local conditions and exerted a marked influence in business circles. In 1849 he was mar- ried to Mary J. Kitchen, a daughter of Henry Kitchen, and he and his wife were the parents of seven children, all worthy and useful members of the community in which they reside.
John H. Clark, or Harry Clark, as he is familiarly called, passed his boyhood days in the city of his birth, receiving a liberal education, including a high school and commercial course. He was still quite young when he became his father's part- ner in the operation of the stone quarry before alluded to, and he continued in that enterprise until 1889, when the firm sold out. Some nine years later, however, they repurchased the quarries, which they aft- erwards leased. In the spring of 1890 Mr. Clark became connected with the Piqua Lumber Company, and continued as one of the officers of the concern until it was merged into the Piqua School Furniture Company, when he sold out his interest therein. Previously he became interested in the Piqua Hosiery Company, which he had assisted to organize in 1886, and which has an authorized stock of $16,000. The company manufactures all kinds of knit underwear, their trade amounting to over
$75,000 annually and the output being shipped to many of the most prominent markets. The business, which is now es- tablished on a very solid foundation, is still growing and its outlook is very prom- ising. Besides being manager of the com- pany Mr. Clark holds the office of vice- president therein.
He was a director of the Third National Bank until it liquidated, which office his father held for many years formerly; also a director in the Piqua National Bank. He is besides a stockholder in the Frenchi Oil Mill Machinery Company and in the Ohio Marble Company, and is a member of the firm of Clark & Zeigenfelder, engaged in real estate operations and engineering. Mr. Clark is both a good general business man and an excellent financier. He is quick to see and take advantage of a good business opportunity, but never loses his judgment and is conservative whenever conservatism is the price of safety.
As his father was, he is a staunch Re- publican in politics. He is now serving as one of the members of the Republican County Central Committee and lends act- ive aid in promoting the success of his party. He is also president of the City Council. He is a member and trustee of the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church. His character is one that con- mands the respect of the community at large and the warm esteem of a wide circle of personal friends. Mr. Clark belongs to Warren Lodge, F. & A. M., of Piqua, and is a thirty-second degree Mason.
ALBA LLOYD HARSHBARGER, sec- retary of the Tipp Whip Company, manu- facturers of buggy whips, has been a con- tinuous resident of Tippecanoe City
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throughout the entire course of his busi- ness life, with the exception of two years. He was born November 21, 1859, in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of Isaac D. and Hannah R. (Kable) Harshbarger.
The grandparents of Mr. Harshbarger on both sides, were natives of Virginia. Henry Harshbarger was an early settler in Miami County and died in Monroe Township. James Kable settled first in Greene County, not far from Osborn and later moved to Bethel Township, Miami County and from there in 1867, to Illinois. He died while on a visit at Tippecanoe City.
Isaac D. Harshbarger was born in Bethel Township, Miami County, later resided at New Carlisle and still later at Tippecanoe City, where he died in 1874, aged thirty- seven years. His widow survives and has passed her seventy-first birthday. They were the parents of the following chil- dren : Harry J., who is a member of the Tipp Whip Company, and married Mary Hogendobler, of this city; Mrs. F. G. Davis, who resides at Tippecanoe City ; Mrs. H. S. Hutchins, who resides at Tole- do, where her husband is principal of one of the public schools; Mrs. H. J. Collins, who is the wife of a minister of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, who is stationed at New Milford, Illinois; and Alba Lloyd.
Alba Lloyd Harshbarger attended school at New Carlisle and the common and high schools of Tippecanoe City, after which he took a commercial course at Dayton. His first business situation was that of a bookkeeper for a business firm at Hamil- ton, Ohio, in which he remained for two years and then returned to Tippecanoe City and here entered into the drug busi-
ness, with whiel he continued to be iden- tified for eight years. In 1889 he began to manufacture whips, organizing with others the Tipp Whip Company in that year. The industry is in a prosperous condition and employment is afforded thirty-five workmen.
In 1895 Mr. Harshbarger was married to Miss Kittie Staley, a daughter of Sam- ucl C. Staley. Mr. and Mrs. Harshbarger are members of the Lutheran Church. Fraternally he is a charter member of the Modern Woodmen of Tippecanoe City, be- longs to the Royal Arcanum, and is a member of Tippecanoe Lodge No. 174, F. & A. M., Franklin Chapter, No. 24, of Troy, and Reed Commandery No. 6, of Dayton. In politics he is identified with the Republican party and he has been an active and useful citizen and at present is serving as a member of the School Board.
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