USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 45
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 45
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410
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
James R. McCandliss secured a good public school education, attending the .Brown School near Piqua, the Edward School in Troy and later the Walnut Grove School in Elizabeth Township, after which he assisted his father until his own marriage in 1878. He then rented An- drew Sayers' farm, moved from there to the Coleman farm near Stillwater for two years and from there to a farm north of Troy, on which he remained for two years more, coming then to his present farm, which he rented at first and purchased in 1900. He engages in mixed farming and devotes four acres to tobacco. When he came here he found it profitable for a time to quarry stone on the farm, but has since abandoned that industry. He has a fine orchard of about forty trees, which he set out himself, and has done considerable improving on the place.
On November 1, 1878, Mr. MeCandliss was married to Miss Priscilla F. Webb, a daughter of Lewis and Rebecca Webb. They are members of the Baptist Church at Casstown, with which he has been unit- ed for thirty years. Formerly he was an active member of the Grange and also of the Order of Red Men, but the only frater- nal association he still continues to have interest in is the Casstown Lodge, No. 426, Odd Fellows, of which he has been a member for thirty-five years. having passed all the chairs and for the past twelve years having been a trustee. In poli- tics, Mr. McCandliss is a Democrat and he has acceptably served his township in the office of supervisor, at different times.
LOSH O. HARBAUGH. attorney-at- law and a well known member of the Piqua bar, was born near Brandt, Miami County.
Ohio, in 1874, and is a son of John C. Har- baugh.
John C. Harbaugh is a veteran of the Civil War. He was born in Washington County, Maryland, and enlisted in 1862 as a member of Company L, First Maryland Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of hostilities, after which he settled in Miami County, where he has been ever since engaged in farming.
Losh O. Harbaugh was reared in Miami County, attended the country schools and prior to studying law, took a commercial course in a business college in Dayton. In the fall of 1898 he received his degree of B. S. at Valparaiso College, Indiana, having taught school for four years pre- vionsly. Undoubtedly this profession is a great training field for any other and Mr. Harbaugh has never regretted devot- ing four years to it. In 1901 he completed his law course in the University of Michi- gan, at Ann Arbor, immediately locating at Piqua and practicing in all courts of the State. In addition to a large law business he is extensively interested in dealing in real estate.
On June 11, 1902, Mr. Harbaugh was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth David- son, of Ironton, Ohio, and they have two children : W. Davidson and John C. Mr. and Mrs. Harbaugh are members of the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church. He is identified with the Masonic frater- nity and with the Piqua Business Men's Association.
WILLIAM R. MUMFORD, one of Eliz- abeth Township's most substantial and representative citizens, resides in Section 3. his 500-acre farm being reached by the Dayton and Brandt Turnpike road. Mr ..
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Mumford was born in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio, June 7, 1841, and is a son of John and Mary (Crawmer) Mumford. The grandfather, John Mum- ford, spent his life in Maryland. Ile married Ilannah Kniekiriet and they had eight children, namely : James, William, George, Richard, Hannah, Betsey, Aman- da and John.
Of the above family the youngest son was the father of William R. Mumford. In early manhood, following his marriage, he came to Ohio and engaged first in farm- ing near Zanesville and then rented a farm in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, on which he lived until he purchased the one on which his son lives, buying 113 acres from John Helvey. He went into the grain growing and stoek raising business and became a man of wealth and prominence. Both he and his wife were members of the Universalist Church of Miami City. His death occurred September 16, 1868. He married Mary Crawmer, who died in Sep- tember, 1862, and they were both interred in the MeKendree Church cemetery. They had eight children, as follows: James, John P., William R., Joseph, Matilda, Julia Ann, Mary Jane and Amanda.
William R. Mumford was educated in the schools of Elizabeth Township and Miami City and grew to manhood a farmer under his father's practical training. He continued on the homestead for several years after his marriage and then settled on his present farm, which he lived on un- til the death of his wife, when he returned home for several years more, subsequently resuming his residence on his own farm. Of his large property about eighty acres lie in Pike Township, and twelve in Bethel Township, but all the rest is in Elizabeth
Township and with the exception of twen- ty-five acres still in timber, all the land is well drained and ready for cultivation. Farm buildings are on different parts of the property, Mr. Mumford finding the erection of one barn being the only neces- sity. It is a magnificent property and its value is represented by many thousands of dollars.
On November 7, 1868, Mr. Mumford was married to Miss Olivia Schindler, who died September 29, 1876. She was a most estimable lady, a daughter of Jolin and Sarah Schindler. To this marriage were born four children, namely: Irwin, who married Susan Drake, a daughter of Ezra H. Drake, and has one child, Ruth; Eben, who married Luella M. Horn; Viola, who died when aged sixteen years; and Olivia, who died at the age of two and one-half years. In his political sentiments, Mr. Mumford is a Democrat.
SHERMAN D. SYLER, dealing in real estate, bonds, loans, investments and in- surance, is one of Piqua's representative business men. He was born September 29, 1872. near Troy, Ohio, a son of Samuel Syler.
The late Samuel Syler was born in Mi- ami County, in which his life was spent, he dying at the early age of twenty-nine years. The Syler family has been estab- lished in this county from its earliest days and in every important sense is a repre- sentative one.
Sherman D. Syler was educated in the schools of Troy and when he put aside his books he became a clerk and served as such with different employers for seven years. He then came to Piqua and con- tinned in mercantile pursuits for ten years.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
In 1895 he engaged in a partnership in his present line of business, with Ira T. Swartz, and in 1896 he purchased his part- ner's interest and since then has continued in the business alone, through energy and business capacity placing himself in the front rank in this line.
In 1898 Mr. Syler was married to Miss Bessie M. Knouff, a danghter of the late Dr. Knouff, a leading physician of An- sonia, Darke County, Ohio, and they have one little daughter, Mary Elizabeth. Mr. Syler and wife are members of the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been treasurer of the Sun- day-school for seven years. His activity in politics is not pronounced, but his dn- ties as a public-spirited eitizen are never neglected.
ALONZO J. FURROW, deceased. The subject of this notice was a native son of Miami County, born in Staunton Town- ship, October 18, 1842. His parents were Jeremiah and Sarah (Covault) Furrow, and he was a grandson, on the paternal side, of Adam Furrow, who was a native of the Old Dominion. The father and grandfather came to Ohio from Virginia in or about the year 1811, making the jour- ney with a four-horse team. Adam Fur- row entered a tract of eighty-three aeres of land from the Government, which tract afterwards became the farm owned and operated by the subject of this sketch. Here he built a log cabin and afterwards erected a part of the house which in later years became the residence of his grand- son, Alonzo. At that early date this tract was heavily timbered and most of the land around was in its primeval condition. In- dians were still numerous, but usually not
hostile to the settlers. Adam Furrow died September 30, 1854, having attained the advanced age of eighty-nine years. He and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Grimes, were the parents of eight children, namely : Abel, David, Jacob, John, James, Jeremiah, Elijah and Eliza- beth.
Jeremiah Furrow was brought up on the homestead in Miami County, where he re- sided most of his life. His time was not all devoted to agriculture, however, as he aided in building the canal and was line- man and paymaster of the canal for forty years. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and also a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He died September 5, 1890, his wife having pre- viously passed away-on June 6, 1888.
Alonzo J. Furrow was about four years old when his father returned to the home- stead, and he subsequently resided there all his life, except for a period during the Civil War, when he was in the army. On August 11, 1862, he became a member of Company A, 110th Ohio Volunteer Infan- try. The first engagement in which he participated was at Winchester, Virginia. He later took part in the battle of Mine Run and in the Wilderness campaign, be- ing captured in the latter by the enemy. He was sent to Danville Prison, where he remained for a week, and was then trans- ferred to Andersonville Prison, where he spent four months of hardship and semi- starvation. At the end of that time he was transferred to Florence, South Carolina, Prison for three months, his total impris- onment lasting seven months to the day, he being captured May 6th and paroled on the 6th of October. Receiving a twenty days' furlough, he spent it in a visit home,
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MR. AND MRS. ALONZO J. FURROW
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afterwards reporting again for duty at Camp Chase. He was honorably dis- charged June 10, 1865, and returning home, devoted himself to agriculture and to the improvement of the homestead, on which he subsequently resided until his death. The latter event ocenrred on August 17, 1908.
Mr. Furrow was a man of industry and intelligence, keeping well informed on the leading issues of the day. In polities he was a Republican. He was a member of Alexandria Post, G. A. R., and was held in high esteem, not only by his comrades who wore the blue with him through the trying days of the great struggle for a united country, but also by his neighbors and the residents of this and neighboring townships generally. This esteem he justified by his sterling character as a man and citizen.
Mr. Fnrrow was married February 1, 1866, to Miss Louie Riddle, a daughter of Manning Riddle. Six children were born of this union-Edna, Nellie, Charles, Bertha P., Effie Maud, and Henry R. Edna, born March 4, 1867, is now the wife of Harry Ceeil, and has two children- Earl K. and Lester L. Nellie, who was born October 12, 1869, died January 7, 1871. Charles, born June 4, 1872, married Jennie Du Bois, who died May 3, 1908. They had two children-Berniee, born Jan- uary 21, 1899, and Ralph H., born Janu- ary 16, 1906, both of whom are living. Bertha P., born December 16, 1875, died September 27, 1876. Effie Mand, born November 29, 1878, married F. M. Holmes, who died December 20, 1907. She has two children-Gladys, born June 2, 1899, and Robert F., born September 4, 1903. Harry P. Furrow, born April 9, 1883, was mar-
ried November 26, 1902, to Lola Carson, and has two children-Dorothy, born June 3, 1903, and Aileen C., born September 26, 1904.
MISS MARY SHEETS, who is one of Elizabeth Township's best known and most highly esteemed ladies, resides on her farm of 260 acres, on which she was born and which has always been her home. Iler parents were Isaac S. and Nancy ( Knoop) Sheets.
The paternal grandparents of Miss Sheets were Andrew and Catherine (Sills) Sheets. They were born in Pennsylvania and moved from there first to Tennessee and then to Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio. They had eleven children, five of whom died in infancy. Those who reached maturity were Sarah, Nancy, Eliz- abeth, Catharine, Eve and Isaac S. An- drew Sheets was both farmer and black- smith.
Isaac S. Sheets was born in 1799 and lived on his father's farm until his mar- riage, when he moved to the farm on which his daughter Mary now resides. He en- gaged in farming and was an extensive raiser of cattle and hogs. He was a man of great business capacity and not only put np the substantial farm buildings but also erected a saw-mill, a flour mill and a distillery and carried on these industries successfully. He married Nancy Knoop, who was a daughter of John and Barbara (Hnltzstein) Knoop, and they had the fol- lowing children: Elizabeth, lives in Al- cony, Ohio; Andrew, who died in young manhood; Mary, and John, Barbara and George, all deceased. Isaac S. Sheets died September 23, 1877, having survived his wife some fifteen years.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
The Sheets homestead is a very valuable property. It is situated in Section 34, Elizabeth Township, lying along the Troy and Springfield Turnpike road. The Sheets and Knoops are old and represent- ative families of this section.
JOHN VOLENY HOWE, who carries on general farming in Concord Township and lives on his well improved farm of 160 acres, which is situated on the north town- ship line, was born January 3, 1852, at Piqua, Ohio, and is a son of John Alex- ander and Rebecca (Stattler) Howe.
John Alexander Howe was born at Ox- ford, Pennsylvania, and when he was very young, his father, Dr. Howe, died and his mother started with him, in 1824, to Ohio. The journey was made on horseback and in a wagon, and the mother settled first on a farm near Lockport, Shelby County. Some years later she married James Rob- inson and they had two children-Caro- line, who married William Maymyer, both now deceased; and Mary, who married Thomas Miller, both being now deceased. The mother of these children then went to the home of her son, John Alexander, Mr. Robinson having also died, and there her last days were spent. John Alexander Howe had to go to work when quite young and for a number of years lived in the home of Stephen Woodney, who was as kind to him as a father. When he reached manhood he started out for himself and as he had no capital but his strength, he worked at different things and finally be- came a boatman on the old canal, where he continued for thirteen years. After his marriage he bought eighty acres of land from Henry Kitchen, in Washington Township, near Piqua, and lived there all
the rest of his life, his death occurring in 1891, at the age of seventy-three years. He married Rebecca Stattler, who was born south of Piqua, and died in 1893, aged sixty-nine years. Her father, Christopher Stattler, had settled in Miami County while Indians were still numerous. Four children were born to this marriage, namely: Laura, who is the widow of Will- iam Du Bois, of Piqua; George, who lives on the home farm situated on the traction line three miles west of Piqua; John V .; and William, deceased.
Jolin V. Howe was two years old when his parents settled on the farm, on which he grew to manhood. His education was secured in the district schools during the winter months, but he found it necessary to help his father, from boyhood up to manhood. He remained at home until he married and then settled on his present farm, secured from his father, and has re- mained here ever since. He has done a large amount of improving, including the building of his comfortable eleven-room frame house, and other structures on the place made necessary by his large farming operations. He makes no specialty, but carries on general agriculture, living in great comfort and putting aside a modest sum to enjoy when he retires.
On November 25, 1881, Mr. Howe was married to Miss Nellie C. Graham, a daughter of James and Jane Graham. Many years ago the father of Mrs. Howe bought the present farm and here Mrs. Howe was born. It later was purchased by John A. Howe and subsequently became the property of its present owner. Mr. and Mrs. Howe have three children : Alex- ander, who assists his father; Ethel, who married Hubert Tiser; and Frona, who
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attends the Troy High School. Mr. Howe and family are members of the Christian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Covington.
L. H. SILIPMAN, a well known lawyer of Troy, Ohio, has been a resident of that city some twelve years. He was born near St. Mary's, Ohio, in October, 1874, and was reared on a farm.
Mr. Shipman, after completing the pre- scribed course in the common schools, at- tended St. Mary's High School and the National Normal School, being a student in the latter institution two terms. He was then an instructor in the schools for four years. and in 1896 moved to Troy and entered the law office of Mr. Gilbert. He studied under his preceptorship and also attended the law department of the Ohio State University for one year. After his admission to the bar, March 17, 1899, he formed a partnership with Mr. Gilbert. but on March 3, 1909, it was dissolved. Mr. Shipman's office is now on West Main Street. He practices in the various state courts, and in June, 1905, was admitted to practice in the Federal courts. He has taken an active interest in political affairs, and served one term as city solicitor.
April 17, 1901, Mr. Shipman was united in marriage with Miss Jessie Shannon, who was a teacher in the public schools of Troy. She was born and reared in that city and is a daughter of Samuel Shannon. One son, Franklin Shipman, was born of this union. The subject of this sketch is a prominent member of the Masonic Or- der, Knights of Pythias, the Troy Club and the Island Outing Club. He is a mem- ber and secretary of the board of the
Feghtley Lutheran Home at Tippecanoe City. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Shipman are members of the English Lutheran Church.
G. II. RUNDLE, president of the Piqua National Bank, president of the George H. Rundle Company and officially and finan- cially connected with a number of other important and successful business enter- prises, has been a resident of this city for the past twenty-three years and during this time has served as treasurer of Miami County. He is a native of the State of New York but he was reared and educated in Connecticut.
In 1871, when a young man of twenty- three years, Mr. Rundle came to Lima, Ohio, and went into the patent medicine business in association with Dr. Porter, and in the following year he purchased Dr. Porter's interest and continued the busi- ness at Lima until 1875, when he removed to Fletcher and in the following year came to Piqua. In 1897 the business was in- corporated as The G. H. Rundle Company, with a capital stock of $140,000, and with the following officers : G. H. Rundle, pres- ident : J. C. Duncan, of Dayton, vice presi- dent; A. D. Hance, secretary and general manager; and Allen G. Rundle. An im- mense business is done. the company occu- pies a brick block with office at No. 527 North Main Street, and in addition to an army of chemists and workers, a force of 100 men are kept on the road. Mr. Rundle's additional interests are many. Ile is president of the Piqua National Bank; is a director in the Stuart-Brown Underwear Company ; is vice-president of the Home Telephone Company: is presi- dent of the G. H. Rundle and Son Com-
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
pany, of Windsor, Ontario, Dominion of War; Charles, deceased; Jolm; Willian, also deceased.
Canada; and has lesser interests. He has been an active and useful citizen and served with efficiency as county treasurer.
In 1874 Mr. Rundle was married to Miss Amanda Hance, who was born near Cass- town, Miami County, Ohio, and they have two children: Allen G. and Ida. The for- mer was educated in the Piqua Schools and Exeter Academy and is treasurer of the G. H. Rundle Company. He married Miss Grace A., daughter of W. A. Snyder, of Piqua. Ida was educated at Piqua and at an exclusive school in Washington City. She married Logan A. Frazier, of Piqua. Mr. Rundle and family are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Piqua. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and be- longs to the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council at Piqua, to the Commandery at Troy and to the Shrine and Consistory at Dayton. He is also a member of the Piqua Club.
JOHN ORMOND MOORE, whose busi- ness has been that of painter and paper hanger at Piqua for many years, resides on a beautiful farm on the Troy Pike, in Staunton Township. He was born in Lost Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, September 5, 1860, and is a son of William and Maria (Shidaker) Moore, and a grand- son of Philip Moore.
Philip Moore, who probably was a native of Scotland, came west from Pennsylvania in a wagon to Miami County, Ohio, and here passed the most of his days. He and his wife, Rebecca, were parents of the fol- lowing children: Ruth, deceased; Sallie. Susan, deceased; George, who was a sol- dier in the Union Army during the Civil
William Moore, father of the subject of this record, was born in the eastern part of Miami County, and spent his boyhood days in the vicinity of Addison. He became a painter by trade and after his marriage settled on a farm in Lost Creek Township. Later they moved to Georgia, where he died, but his widow now lives at the old home in Lost Creek Township, aged sev- enty-five years. She was in maiden life, Maria Shidaker, and came from near Tip- pecanoe City, where her father was the owner of 300 acres of land. They became parents of the following children : Minnie, wife of John Mann; Caroline, widow of Webster Shidaker ; George, deceased ; Jobn Ormond ; Savannah Ellen, who died at nine years; Rose, wife of Alva Gabriel; and Arthur E.
John O. Moore spent his boyhood days on the farm and lived at home until his marriage in 1888, when he moved to Piqua and worked at his trade as painter and paper hanger. He continued there with uninterrupted success until 1895, when he purchased his present property of ten acres in Staunton Township, about three and a half miles north of Troy. He also owns three properties in Piqua, two of them on Boal Avenue, and one on South Avenue.
Mr. Moore was married March 7, 1888, to Miss Sedora M. Angle, a daughter of John P. and Sarah G. (Orr) Angle, both now deceased. Her father died in Febru- ary, 1897, at the age of seventy-five years, and her mother on October 28, 1908, at the age of ninety years. Five children were born to bless the union of Mr. and Mrs. Moore, namely: Bertha May, who is en-
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dowed with superior musical talents and has been an instructor on the piano since she was fifteen years old; one who died in infancy ; Ormond A .; Gladys M. and Ken- neth P. Miss Bertha May Moore is a graduate in music of the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, Michigan, and un- doubtedly inherits a love of music from her father. She is the composer of three pieces of music of unusual merit. While he has received no musical training, Mr. Moore has the talent and has always played on the organ; his oldest son plays the cornet, and the three spend many pleasant evenings with their music. It is a very entertaining and hospitable family, as their many friends will attest, and in the summer there are few days passed which do not witness the arrival of crowds of young people from Piqua in search of entertainment in the beautiful little park and the fine bathing stream on their farm. In the winter many sled-loads come out to enjoy the hospitality of their home. Mr. Moore is a Republican in politics. In fraternal affiliation, he is a member of Piqua Lodge, No. 180, I. O. O. F. Relig- iously, he and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
A. W. DE WEESE, a representative member of the Piqua bar, who has made this city his place of residence since 1899, was born in 1873, in Staunton Township, Miami County, Ohio.
The De Weese family is one of the old- est in Miami County, and the grandmother of A. W. De Weese was the first white child born within its borders. His father, Henry G. De Weese, was a substantial farmer in Spring Creek Township.
A. W. De Weese graduated first from
the Spring Creek Graded School and then the Troy High School, after which he spent one year, with the Class of 1893, in the law department of the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, graduating in 1895 from the Cincinnati Law School. Mr. De Weese then practiced for two years in partnership with Capt. Williams at Troy, and later conducted offices at both Troy and Piqua, in partnership with A. R. Byrkett, and after this association was dissolved Mr. De Weese took the Piqua business and now practices in all the State and Federal courts. He is a man of ver- satile gifts and for three years was editor of the Buckeye. He has always been active in politics and served on the Board of Elections from April, 1903, until Au- gust, 1908. He was the candidate for the anti-saloon party in both the mayoralty and city solicitorship contests, and in spite of the strong element gathered against him was defeated by the small margin of eight and thirteen votes, re- spectively. He has always upheld law and order and has thus stood for everything best in civic life.
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