USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 39
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 39
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From the public schools of Perry Coun-
ty, Dr. Baker entered the Ohio State Uni- versity and later Starling Medical College and was graduated with his degree from the latter institution in the class of 1895. He located at Piqua, choosing this city for both business and social reasons, and has become a valued citizen and a prominent professional man here. He is a member of the Miami County and Ohio State Medical Societies and of the American Medical Association. His well equipped office is located at No. 215 West Ash Street.
In 1900 Dr. Baker was married to Miss Helen Constance Castle, a lady of much literary talent, whose contributions regu- larly appear in the leading magazines of the day. She was born at Leavenworth, Kansas, and is a granddaughter of Capt. William J. Downs, who came to Miami County in 1837. She is a member of the Danghters of the American Revolution. Capt. William J. Downs was a prominent civil engineer, and with his father-in-law, laid out the Miami and Erie Canal, and also constructed the St. Mary's Reservoir.
CHARLES A. HARTLEY, M. D., one of Troy's best established physicians and surgeons, was born in 1847, in Columbiana County, Ohio, and secured the larger part of his literary education at Columbus Grove. In early manhood, Dr. Hartley made liis choice of profession. After proper preparation he attended medical lectures at Western Reserve College, at Cleveland, Ohio, and later the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, where he was graduated in February, 1871. For a short time he practiced in Kansas and then returned to Ohio, locating for six months in Warren County and then settling at Casstown, in Miami County, where he con-
CHARLES A. HARTLEY, M.D.
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tinned for twenty years, when, in April, 1892, he came to Troy. He is identified with all the leading medical bodies of his school of practice, including the State and National Eclectic Associations, the Central Ohio Eclectic Medical Association, the Mi- ami County Medical Association, and the Ohio State Medical Association. In 1875. Dr. Hartley was married to Miss Sarah M. Allen, who formerly was a popular teacher in the public schools of Troy, and the wife of M. T. Rossiter, of this city. Dr. Hartley is a member of the Presby- terian Church. He is a Knight Templar Mason and belongs also to the Odd Fel- lows. In his character as a citizen, he is they have one daughter, Clara E., who is broad minded and public spirited.
DAVIS MARION HONEYMAN, whose finely improved farm of eighty acres is sit- nated in Concord Township, on the west- ern township line, about four and one-half miles west of Troy, is one of the self-made men of this section who has gradually built up his fortune from a small begin- ning and takes a justifiable pride in the fact. He was born in the old log house on the home farm near Troy, Ohio, January 18, 1856, and is a son of Michael and Lu- cinda (Hoover) Honeyman.
Mr. Honeyman belongs to a pioneer fam- ily of Miami County, his grandfather, Ben- jamin Honeyman, coming here when the whole country was a forest and swamp land. He established himself near Nash- ville, Miami County, and to his first acqui- sition of land kept adding until he owned 400 acres, and gave each of his children forty acres. He lived to be eighty-two years of age and he was buried on his own farm, where many of the family rest.
His children bore these names: William, Charles, Michael, Andrew, Benjamin, Se- rena, Anna, John and Susan. The two survivors are John and Benjamin. Serena was married to George Idemiller, who is also deceased; and Anna was the wife of Samuel Curtis, also deceased.
Michael Honeyman, father of Davis M., was probably born in Pennsylvania, but he was quite young when the family came west. making the long journey through a wild region, in wagons. He grew to man- hood near Nashville and helped his father to clear up the land and often told of the valuable timber that was burned by the pioneers; much of it, if now standing, would mean a fortune to its owners. IIe lived at home until he was married and then bought eighty acres of the old Jen- kins farm, three miles west of Tippecanoe (ity and went to housekeeping in the old log house that still is tenanted. He ar- quired other land until he owned 300 acres, this being his estate at the time of his death, which occurred in 1893, when he was aged seventy-five years.
Michael Honeyman married Lucinda Hoover, who was born across the river from Milton. Her father was JJohn Hoover, of German descent, who was one of the very early settlers in Miami county. The following children were born to Michael Honeyman and wife: Webster, who died young; Sarah Jane, deceased- was the wife of William Frantz, also de- ceased ; Benjamin, residing in Montgomery County, Ohio ; Almeda, deceased-was the wife of David Jones, also deceased ; John, deceased; George, residing at Tippecanoe City: Davis M .: Hanford, residing in Darko County, Ohio: Harvey, residing in Miami County, Ohio : Emeline, wife of Ira
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IIISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Grisso, of Miami County: Cora, widow of Frank Fritz, of Miami County ; and Enos, who lives on the south end of the old home farm near Troy.
Davis M. Honeyman remained at home helping his father until his own marriage. lle found but little time to attend school, but went through the winter months some- times, but the greater part of his boyhood and youth was put in in very hard work. For three years after his marriage he lived on a farm belonging to his father, and in 1884 bought his present farm from Fred Fowler, and here he has engaged very successfully in general farming ever since. All the substantial buildings on the place were put up by Mr. Honeyman. When he started out for himself he received the gift of a horse from his father and with that went to work, exercising the prudence which has resulted in his now owning one of the very good farms and comfortable homes in the township. The handsome ten-room frame residence, setting back from the highway, he put up in 1903, hav- ing built the commodious barn in the pre- vions year.
Mr. Honeyman was married December 7, 1881, to Miss Anna Elizabeth Smith, a daughter of John and Mary (Idemiller) Smith. Mrs. Honeyman was born in Mi- ami County, but her father came from Pennsylvania and her mother from Ger- many. Two children were born to this marriage: Minnie, who is the wife of Hubert Frantz, has one child and they live at Pleasant Hill; and Elnora, who lives at home. In politics Mr. Honeyman is a Democrat. He is an active citizen in his township and has served two terms, of three years each, on the School Board.
WILLIAM A. VANDEGRIFT, a mem- ber of the firm of Bashor & Vandegrift, extensive dealers in farm implements at Covington. Ohio, is also one of the best known auctioneers and land criers in this section of the State, his services being con- stantly in demand and his successful sales amounting to very large sums annually Mr. Vandegrift was born May 11, 1873, on a farm in Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of John an-l Elizabeth (Miller) Vandegrift. The father of Mr. Vandegrift resides on his farm in Darke County, Ohio, to which he moved from Miami County. The mother died in Darke County.
William A. Vandegrift was reared on the John Rhoades farm and was an apt pupil in the public schools. Until 1895 he devoted himself mainly to farming. In that year he established a grain business at Rangeville, on the C., H. & D. Railroad, and in November, 1897, a postoffice was established there, named Abe by the efforts of Mr. Vandegrift, and he became its first postmaster. He continued in the grain business for five years and then gave himself the benefit of a vacation, spending seven months in an extended trip through the western States. In the latter part of 1906 he went into partnership in the farm implement business with S. B. Bashor, who had conducted a business of this kind at Covington for three years. The firm of Bashor & Vandegrift do a very large business. They have commodious ware and exhibit rooms and if their daily crowded condition is any indication of sales, they must provide for residents of a large territory. They handle only the most reliable machinery and implements and keep fully abreast of the times. Their
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high commercial rating and trade standing enable them to make reasonable prices and conditions. Mr. Vandegrift married Miss Alice Smith and they have three children -Ray Ernest, Velma May and Luther Omer.
S. B. Bashor, senior member of the firm of Bashor & Vandegrift, like his partner, was born on a farm in Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, December 13, 1863, and is a son of Benjamin S. and Susanna (Martin) Bashor, the former of whom was a very prominent farmer and the latter a member of the old Martin kin, some of the best stock in the county. Both are now deceased. S. B. Bashor was appoint- ed by Governor Bushnell, in June, 1896. supervisor of the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum, at Columbus, and he served in that capacity for four years, giving en- tire satisfaction. After the close of his official life he established himself, in 1901, in the implement business at Columbus, where he remained until he came to Cov- ington, in 1903. He married Miss Carrie B. Hartle, a daughter of A. J. Hartle, and they have three children-Glenna, Io and J. Lee. Mr. Bashor is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is a Thirty-second degree Mason.
C. E. HETHERINGTON, M. D., one of Piqua's well established professional men, has been engaged in the practice of med- icine and surgery here for the past eight years and is the leading exponent of home- opathy. He was born at Piqua, in Jan- uary, 1875, and is a son of William Heth- erington and a grandson of William Heth- erington.
It was the elder William Hetherington who established the family in Miami Coun-
ty, and in 1838 he built the old lime kiln in Piqua and for many years was engaged in business as a contractor. The second William Hetherington was born at Piqua in 1852 and for a long period was identi- fied with the manufacturing interests of this city. He is now president of the Ohio Handle Company, which plant is located at Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Dr. Hetherington was reared in his na- tive city, and after graduating with credit from the Piqua High School entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was graduated in 1896, with the degree of A. B., and later was granted the degree of A. M. He graduated in 1901 from the Chi- eago Homeopathie College, of Chicago. IIe immediately settled at Piqua, and has never had reason to regret his choice of business field. He is a member of the Miami and Shelby County Homeopathic and the Ohio State Homeopathie Societies and of the National Homeopathie Society, through them keeping in elose touch with the remarkable scientific discoveries of the times in his profession. Mrs. Hethering- ton is a daughter of Elias Kerns, an old resident of Miami County. Dr. Hether- ington is a member of the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He belongs to the Odd Fellows, and various other se- cret orders and to the Piqua Club.
PETER BOIILENDER, one of Tippe- canoe City's most respected citizens, an old and experienced man in the nursery business, to which he has devoted twenty- seven years in Miami County, was born in the walled village of Arlembangh, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Germany, Feb- ruary 1, 1838. His parents were George and Mary Bohlender.
1
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
In the spring of 1847, when Peter was scarcely ten years old, his parents decided to emigrate to America. They secured passage on a sailing vessel and after forty- seven days of voyaging, the ship safely reached the harbor of New York, where another long trip awaited them before they could join their relatives living at Dayton, Ohio. This included a voyage by boat up the Hudson River to Albany, then by the Erie Canal to Buffalo, from there by steamer to Erie, and thence to Beaver, Pennsylvania, thence to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, from there to Cincinnati, and then on to Dayton. In a short time the father purchased a little home, some three miles from Dayton, between the Cov- ington and Salem Turnpikes, and there both parents of Mr. Bohlender lived during the remainder of their lives, the father dy- ing when aged fifty-four years and the mother when aged seventy-three years. Their family consisted of two daughters and three sons, namely: John, Frederick, Peter, Adaline and Catherine.
Peter Bohlender, who is the only survivor of the above family, was early put to work, beginning with George Heiks, a nursery- man, with whom he continued for a num- ber of years, and later he was with George Muma and for several years in the em- ploy of John Wampler, receiving a salary of $1,000 a year. Mr. Bollender devel- oped a natural taste for the nursery business and has devoted to it the whole of his industrial period, covering some sixty years. His present enterprise is one of importance. He erected his present buildings in 190S and handles all kinds of shrubs and evergreens and all varieties of fruit trees and ships his stock all over the country and even to Mexico.
In 1863 Mr. Bohlender was married to Miss Annie Belle Elmore, who resided near Covington, Miami County, and they have had the following children: Thomas, who has full charge of the field work of the Gen. Bidwell ranch in California, and is there engaged in the cattle business; Edmond, who is a graduate of the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, and en- gaged in medical practice at Dayton ; Howard, a graduate jeweler, who is pros- pering in the jewelry business at Dayton; Fletcher, who is associated with his father in the nursery business at Tippecanoe City; Lon V., who is the wife of Harry Kyle, who is connected with the Spring Hill nursery, and has three children --- Mary Belle, Elizabeth and Thomas Bar- ton; and Ivy, who is assistant teacher at Steel High School, Dayton. Mr. Bohlen- der has given all his children good educa- tions and has the satisfaction of seeing them all well established in life. He has never taken any active part in politics, but has so lived that his fellow citizens fully understand where he stands when just laws are to be upheld, desirable public measures are to be furthered, or contribu- tions to charity are being collected.
L. A. RUHL, M. D., is successfully en- gaged in the practice of his profession at Covington, Miami County, Ohio, and main- tains his office and residence on East Wright Street, adjoining the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Ruhl was born in Coving- ton, September 7, 1877, and is a son of Josiah W. and Zipporah (De Vault) Ruhl. His father is president of the Citizens National Bank, of Covington, and one of the leading business men of the place. The subject of this sketch was reared and edu-
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cated in his native village, graduating from the Covington High School in 1896. Hle pursued a scientific conrse in Witten- berg College, at Springfield. and after his graduation from that institution matricu- lated at Jefferson Medical College, of Phil- adelphia. After a full course of four years, he was graduated with the degree of M. D. in 1905, and immediately there- after opened his office for practice in Cov- ington. He is a member of the Miami Medical Society, of which he is at the pres- ent time vice-president, the Ohio State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. He is also a member of the Masonic order. Dr. Ruhl was united in marriage with Miss Ada (. Van Horn. a daughter of Oscar Van Horn, of Covington, and they have a son, Joseph W. Ruhl. Religiously they are members of the Presbyterian Church.
REV. GEORGE P. STEINLAGE. rec- tor of St. Boniface Catholic Church, of Piqna, Ohio, was born in Osnabruck, Ger- many. in 1840. His literary education was acquired in the schools and colleges of his native land, including the college of Mep- pen, in Hanover, where he was graduated in 1859. He came to America in the fol- lowing year, sailing from Hamburg to New York. On his arrival here he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, entering St. Mary's Seminary, where in 1863 he completed the course in philosophy and theology. He was ordained in the same year by Arch- bishop John B. Purcell, and received his first assignment, which was as assistant to the Very Rev. Joseph Ferneding, of St. Paul's Church, Cincinnati. He was subse- quently transferred to St. Philomena's Church, in that city, for two years being
assistant to Father Tobbe. He was then appointed pastor of St. Joseph's Church at Hamilton, Ohio, and during the seven years which he spent there, labored with zeal and efficiency, building a church and schoolhouse. He was next assigned to a charge at Taylor's Creek, where he re- mained for over live years, going thenee to Reading. Ohio, for a two years' pastor- ate. On February 14, 1551, Father Stein- lage came to Piqua as rector of St. Boni- face Church. Since coming here, besides carrying on the ordinary work of the par- ish, he has made some important improve- ments, remodeling the church and parson- age, the former of which was built in 1865 at a cost of thirty thousand dollars, the latter being erected in 1879. He also paid off the indebtedness of thirteen thonsand dollars which he found against the church property on his arrival here. This prop- erty includes a good school of four large rooms, which is under the care of eight Sisters of Christian Charity, and is at- tended by 200 pupils .. Both the school building and the residence of the Sisters were built by Father Steinlage. The par- ish now numbers three hundred families residing in the city and surrounding coun- try. to which Father Steinlage is both a spiritual guide and a friend and counselor in the various troubles and perplexities of life. Ilis field of labor is wide and ar- duons, but he conscientiously performs his duties, content to deserve as his final re- ward the words of his Divine Master, "Well done, thon good and faithful serv- ant."
SAMUEL N. NEAL, who carries on general farming on an estate of 109 acres, which is situated on the Brandt and Ad-
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dison Turupike Road, in Section 2, Eliza- beth Township, is one of the representa- tive men of his section of Miami County. Ile was born Jannary 22, 1882, in Eliza- beth Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of James K. and Martha (Saylor) Neal.
James K. Neal was born in Miami Coun- ty, Ohio, and is a son of James Neal, wlio had a large family of children and was an early settler in the vicinity of Miami City. There James K. Neal went to school in his boyhood and then worked around on farms until he married, after which he settled first on a rented farm in Bethel Township, and later in Elizabeth Town- ship. He is now retired and resides very comfortably on a small place of one acre, which he can manage for himself. He married Martha Saylor, a daughter of Philip and Jane (Ramsey) Saylor, and they had eight children, namely: William, Frank, Oscar, Effie, Samuel N., Clarence, Harry and Rena.
Samuel N. Neal enjoyed excellent publie school advantages in Oak Grove and con- tinned to attend school until he reached the legal limit, after which he was elected assessor of Elizabeth Township and served one term. He then turned his attention to teaching school, and during vacation time followed the carpenter's trade. After teaching for three years and three months, he settled on his present farm, renting it from George Crawmer, and has carried on farming very successfully ever since. Mr. Neal finds no time hanging heavily on his hands, for when opportunity does not offer in one direction, he is able to em- ploy himself to advantage in another. In polities he is a Democrat and takes an
active interest in township affairs of a pub- lie nature.
Mr. Neal was married November 29, 1905, to Miss Lizzie Crawmer, a daughter of George and Minerva (Thompson) Crawmer. He belongs to Lodge No. 406, K. O. T. M., at Tippecanoe City. Mr. Neal is recognized as one of the rising young men of his township, well educated, progressive and enterprising.
CYRUS T. BROWN, secretary and treasurer of the Troy Wagon Works Com- pany and a director and vice-president of the First National Bank of Troy, Ohio, is one of the substantial and influential men of Miami County, and makes his home on the old Brown homestead in Staunton Township. He comes of an old and re- speeted family of the county and was born on the farm on which he now lives, June 13, 1844. He is a son of Daniel and Eliza (Telford) Brown, and a grandson of Ar- nold and Elizabeth (Owens) Brown.
Arnold Brown was a native of Rhode Is- land, where he was engaged in blacksmith- ing until 1832, in which year he moved west with his family to Hamilton County, Ohio, where he turned his attention to farming and cheese making. In 1836 he moved to Miami County, Ohio, purchasing 160 acres of land in Staunton Township, which formed the nucleus of the present magnifi- cent farm belonging to his heirs. He add- ed to his holdings from time to time and was a man of considerable affluence at his death. He married Elizabeth Owens, and they reared six children as follows : Daniel, John, Elizabeth, who became the wife of Louis Morse; Mary, who married C. W. Singer; Joseph, and Almira. Mr. Brown
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died in 1869 at the advanced age of eighty- four years.
Daniel Brown was born at Chepachet, Rhode Island, May 9, 1809. When a boy he found employment straightening spin- dles in a cotton factory at Providence, that state, for which he received the munificent sum of two cents a day and his board, con- tinning this work for one year, and walk- ing home thirteen miles from the factory every week to spend his Sundays at home. Later he accompanied his parents to Ohio, and resided on the home farm from the time it was purchased in 1836 until his death in 1878. He always farmed and ac- cumulated a handsome property, having some 500 acres in the home place. June 13, 1843, he was united in marriage with Eliza Telford, who was born on the old Telford farm in Coneord Township, Miami County, near the present site of the county fair grounds; she was a daughter of Andrew and Jane (McKaig) Telford; her death occurred November 27, 1899. The follow- ing were the issue of their union: Cyrus T .; Cornelia, who is now deceased; Dr. Mary B., who has been a practicing physi- cian in New York since 1880 and has met with remarkable success in her profession ; Arnold O., who resides in Troy, Ohio; Harry W .; and Rebecca, who died at the age of two years. Daniel Brown gave lib- erally of his means to the Troy Presby- terian Church, which he attended, although not a member. He was a generous-hearted, fair-minded man, and had the good will of all with whom he was brought into contact.
Cyrus T. Brown was educated in the dis- triet schools of Staunton Township and the public schools of Troy and spent his boy- hood days in work upon the farm. When twenty-four years old he was placed in
charge of the 500-acre farm by his father, and since the latter's death he has had the management of it. His labors, however, were not confined to the farm, as he became interested in some of the foremost enter- prises of the city of Troy. He was one of the organizers of the Troy Wagon Works Company, of which he is secretary and treasurer, and he contributed materially to the success of the flourishing plant oper- ated by that company. He also was one of the organizers of the Miami Farmers' Fire Insurance Company, of which he has been treasurer for more than thirty years. Ifis position as vice president and one of the directors of the First National Bank has been already referred to, and he was also clerk of Staunton Township for more than twenty years. Politically he is a Re- publican but has never been active in po- litical affairs. He is a man of wide ac- quaintance in the county and has many friends.
HENRY WARE ALLEN, president of the First National Bank of Troy, Miami County, Ohio, was born in Pembroke, Mass., April 6, 1822, a son of the Rev. Mor- rill Allen. The family to which he belongs on the paternal side came from England in the first quarter of the seventeenth cen- tury. Rev. Morrill Allen was a man of superior education and a minister of the Unitarian church. Beginning his pastoral services at the early age of twenty-two, he labored as a faithful shepherd for nearly four-score years, preaching a sermon ou his ninetieth birthday. He was for the most part of his time engaged in agricul- ture, being the owner of a good farm in the vicinity of Pembroke.
Henry Ware Allen, after laying the
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foundation of his education in the common schools of his home neighborhood. pursued further literary studies in the academy at Hanover, Mass., and the normal school at Bidewater, that state. In 1848, when twen- ty-six years of age. he came to Ohio and settled in Troy, with the interests of which city he has since been so closely and prom- inently identified. His first investment was in a mill property, with which busi- ness he was connected for many years. meeting with a very satisfactory degree of snecess. His operations brought him into touch with the leading business men of the city and county and led to his becoming one of the prime movers in the organiza- tion of the First National Bank, of which he has ever since been the efficient presi- dent. He has kept in close touch with the various interests of the county ever since his early manufacturing days, and perhaps no man is better informed as to general business conditions. In 1855. taking ad- vantage of a favorable opportunity, he erected a fine block, and he has since at dif- ferent times added to his real estate hold- nigs until at the present time he is a large property holder. The financial institution of which he is the head was founded in 1847 and has a capital and surplus of over $270.000. It is numbered among the safe and conservative institutions of the state. D. W. Smith is the cashier. As a far-see- ing, capable and energetic business man, Mr. Allen easily stands in the very first rank among the citizens of this part of the state. His ability is reflected in the man- agement of the bank, and its prosperity and sound commercial standing is the re- sult in large measure of his guiding hand.
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