USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 46
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 46
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
On December 25, 1900, Mr. De Weese was married to Miss Grace Doren, of Pekin, Illinois. They are members of St. James Episcopal Church. He is an Odd Fellow and for three years filled the office of exalted ruler in the Elks organization.
THOMAS CHALMERS HARBAUGH. The subject of this sketch was born at Middletown, Maryland, January 13, 1849. He is the son of Morgan M. and Catherine Routzahn Harbaugh. At an early age he came to Ohio with his parents and settled at Piqua, but subsequently moved to Cass- town, Miami County, where he has since
420
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
resided. Mr. Harbaugh served in the Casstown post-office during the Civil War and early took up literature as a profes- sion. Since 1867, in which year he pub- lished his first fiction, he has been con- stantly engaged in writing. He has con- tributed acceptably to nearly all the prom- inent publications of the country and has written voluminously in every branch of literature.
Mr. Harbaugh has published three vol- umes of poetry : "Maple Leaves" (1885), "Bugle Notes of the Blue" (1906) and "Lyrics of the Gray" (1907). The two last books have circulated largely in both the North and the South, receiving the commendation of prominent generals on both sides of the great conflict. His poem, "Grant Dying," was the only poem of that nature selected for publication in Stedman's "Encyclopedia of American Literature."
Of the numerous novels written by Mr. Harbaugh it is unnecessary to speak. They run into the hundreds. His most famous novels are "The White Squad- ron," "Janet Sinclair," "Robespiere," "Alice of Maryland," "The Black Inn," "By Whose Hand?" and "The Czar's Spy." He is a contributor to the Sunday magazines, "The Chicago Ledger," "Youth's Companion," "The Ohio Farmer," etc. His contributions to the various county newspapers under the nom de plume of "Tarcomed" are well known. . Mr. Harbaugh has visited every battle- field of the Civil War in search of data for his novels, many of which have a his- torical basis. He is also in demand at soldier reunions and on patriotic occa- sions, where he recites his own poems. He was educated in the public schools of
Casstown and never had the chance of en- tering college, but he is a great reader and has stored his mind with every sort of information. He is unmarried.
GEORGE W. ROUTSON, one of Ohio's prominent educators, superintendent of the schools of Staunton and Concord Townships, Miami County, and serving in his third year as a member of the Board of County School Examiners, has been identified with school and educational work ever since completing his own train- ing. He was born December 7, 1861, in Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of Reuben and a grandson of George Routson.
George Routson, the grandfather, came to Ohio from Maryland, settling in New- berry Township, Miami County, in 1832. There his son, Reuben Routson, was born August 5, 1833, and the old homestead subsequently became the birthplace and boyhood home of the present George W. Routson.
George W. Routson attended the best local schools and began to teach at an un- usually early age, and in 1886 he became a student at Wittenberg College, where he remained until 1888. He then resumed teaching, for several years being con- nected with the schools of his native town- ship, and then accepted the position of superintendent of the schools of Casstown .... One year later he resigned this position in order to accept that of principal of the Covington schools, where he remained one year, and then spent the same period at North Clayton. About this time he pur- chased a farm in Staunton Township and resided there while he served for five years as township superintendent of schools and
421
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
later as a teacher. Mr. Routson is widely known in the educational field, not only as a man of scholarly attainments, but also as one whose heart is in his work and who, in a peculiar degree, is admirably fitted for it. His constant aim appears to be the formulating and trial of new methods to improve the efficiency of the schools and, although often forced to give way in his progressive methods until less intelligent co-workers have caught up with him, the superiority of all the schools with which he has been identified is easily proven.
On July 21, 1892, Mr. Routson was mar- ried to Miss Angie Branson, who was born and reared in Newberry Township. She is a daughter of D. C. Branson (dec'd), who was born in Lost Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, May 1, 1828. The Branson family is a pioneer one in Miami County and was an early one in New Jer- sey. Two brothers of the name came from England and founded the family, which has now representatives in many States. Mr. and Mrs. Routson have one son, Luther Branson. They are members of the Lutheran Church, in which Mr. Rout- son is an official. Although he retains his valuable farm in Staunton Township, Mr. Routson is residing in an attractive resi- dence in the suburbs of Troy, having pur- chased the property in the fall of 1907.
ISAAC S. SHEETS, general farmer and dairyman, residing on a farm of 400 acres and carrying on an equal partner- ship business with his mother and brother, Arthur K. Sheets, in Section 33, Elizabeth Township, was born in Miami County, Ohio, September 7, 1872. His parents were John K. and Elizabeth (Null) Sheets.
The first of the Sheets family to come to Miami County was Isaac S. Sheets, the grandfather of the present Isaac S. He was a native of Tennessee and in 1805 he settled in Elizabeth Township on the farm now occupied by Mrs. Joseph Studebaker. He had the following children: Elizabeth, who resides at Alcony, Miami County; Mary, who resides on thic old homestead; John K., who is deceased; Barbara Jane; George M .; Andrew, who died in early manhood. Isaac S. Sheets was a farmer, miller and distiller and a dealer in stock and grain. For his day he was a most enterprising and successful man. He built the old mill in Elizabeth Township and shipped grain and stock to Philadelphia, constructing the wagons for carrying the grain to points of shipment, there then being no canal yet built and no railroads.
John K. Sheets, father of Isaac S., operated the mill with his brother George for a number of years and then divided the homestead farm. In 1884 John K. Sheets bought the Gearhart homestead of 157 acres and then went extensively into the breeding of Jersey cattle, in which industry he remained interested until his death, in 1895. He married Elizabeth Null, a daughter of Jacob and Sybil Null, and they had three children, namely: Jen- nie, who died when aged sixteen years; Isaac S., who has charge of the home farm; and Arthur K., who resides in Troy, Ohio.
Isaac S. Sheets first attended the Knoop school, not far from his father's resi- dence, later was a student in the Troy High School and then took an engineering course in the State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan. The serious illness of his father recalled him home, and after
422
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
the father's death he took charge of the latter's large interests, and has success- fully carried them on ever since. Mr. Sheets has fine herds, including twenty- five milch cows and twenty-five young stock, all being registered. About forty acres of the land is in timber, while the remainder is in cultivated tracts and pas- turage. He devotes his whole time to liis business and is numbered with the most progressive and enterprising young busi- ness men of this section.
Mr. Sheets married Miss Carrie Schweinfurth, a daughter of John and Wilhelmina Schweinfurtlı of Ann Arbor, and they have one child, Miriam. Mr. and Mrs. Sheets attend the Methodist Epis- copal Church at Troy. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity and retains his interest in his college society, the Phi Gamma Delta. He is a Democrat politically but is not active.
A. G. STOUDER, one of the business men of Troy, Ohio, is president of the Hobart Electric Manufacturing Com- pany, and has been a resident of this city since 1888. He was born near Muncie, Indiana.
Mr. Stouder was about six years of age when the family moved from Indiana to Iowa, where he was reared and educated. His mother died in the latter state. He was variously employed during his younger career in business and traveled extensively in the different sections of the United States. In 1SSS he took up his residence in Troy, Ohio, and at that time established the Troy Sunshade Company ; he continued with that enterprise some ten or twelve years, then sold out, and with others purchased the Hobart Electric
Manufacturing plant, of which he has since served as president. He is a stock- holder and director of the Carriage Sun- shade Company at the present time. He also is a member of the Troy Club.
LAWSON D. SMITH, owner of 100 acres of rich farming land, situated in Concord Township, on the south side of the Swailes Turnpike Road, about two and one-half miles southwest of Troy, is one of the representative men of this section and a member of an old Miami County family. He was born April 7, 1854, in Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of William and Mary (Davis) Smith.
The grandfather, John Smith, came to Ohio from North Carolina about 1800, and after he selected his tract of land in Union Township, Miami County, had to cut down forest trees in order to find a sufficiently ample space on which to build his lonely little log cabin. He subsequently married the daughter of another early settler, by the name of Fouts, who died there, and many years later he died at the home of his son William, in Union Township, east of West Milton. They had three children: Mary, who married Edward Fenters, both deceased; William; and Susan, who mar- ried Albert McCool, both deceased.
William Smith was born in the little log house mentioned above, and with the ex- ception of one year during which he lived at West Milton, spent his whole life on the old place. A large part of the clearing of the farm fell to his share and it all came to him as an inheritance. He died there in 1905, aged seventy-six years. He was married (first) to Hannah R. Pear- son and they had two children, neither of
423
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
whom survives. He was married (second) to Mary Davis, who died in 1906, just one year and one month after her husband. She was the beloved mother of six ehil- dren, namely: Lawson Davis; Martha, who married William Pearson; Isabella, who married Benson Antonedies; William Bronson; Leslie, who married Edward Bowers; and Elizabeth, who died when aged nine years.
Lawson Davis Smith was born and reared on the old homestead farm, which had been the dwelling place of father and grandfather, and during his youth split many of the rails and set posts for many rods of fence, that being before barbed wire was thought of. After his school days were over he settled down to hard work on the farm, although he had more than once proved his strength at the plough handles when not more than nine years old, being robust from childhood. He continued to live with his father until his own marriage and then continued on the farm under other conditions. He re- mained on that place until he came to his present one in Concord Township, March 8, 1906. It is well improved property and Mr. Smith bought it of Dr. Means. He devotes about six aeres to tobacco and the remainder of his land to grain farming.
On June 9, 1875, Mr. Smith was mar- ried to Miss Rachel A. Wininger, who was born in Indiana and is the third child of her parents, George and Cinderella (Badger) Wininger, the former of whom is deceased. Mrs. Wininger still survives and is in the enjoyment of good health, and takes pleasure in the fact that her seven daughters and three sons are all living and have happy domestic circles of their own. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had three
children: Carrie G., who is the wife of Prof. George Countryman, county super- intendent of the schools of Plymouth County, Iowa, and has one son, Winston; Rose M., who is the wife of Charles Kess- ler, of Miami County, and has three chil- dren: Margaret, Alice and Elizabeth; and Edith, who died at the age of six monthis. In politics Mr. Smith is a Repub- liean. For many years he has been a mem- ber of the Union Township School Board and was chairman for three years.
AMOS M. HETZLER, chief of the Troy Fire Department, has been a resident of this city for some nine years and is one of its most valued citizens. He belongs to an old pioneer family of Miami County and was born in 1868, at Hetzler's Cor- ners, a place named in honor of his grand- father.
John Hetzler, grandfather of Chief Hetzler, came to Miami County when the country was little less than a great wilder- ness, and he was the founder of the vil- lage of Hetzler's Corners. There the father of Chief Hetzler, George Hetzler, was born in 1840, in the same house in which his son was born, twenty-eight years later. George Hetzler resides at Dayton, Ohio.
Amos M. Hetzler was sixteen years old when his parents moved to the southwest- ern part of Kentucky, where he remained for seven years. He then came back to Miami County, where he worked on a farm and in factories until he came to Troy. He became identified with the fire department and was elected its chief on December 31. 1907. On many occasions his bravery and leadership have been tested and proven, and he enjoys the full confidence of his
424
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
fellow-citizens as to his official efficiency. On February 14, 1900, Chief Hetzler was united in marriage with Miss Elizabetlı Hendershott, of Conover, Miami County, and they have two children: Irene and Harold. They are members of the Baptist Church. Fraternally Chief Hetzler is a Knight of Pythias.
JOHN HEADLEY, one of the best known and most efficient public officials of Troy, has filled the position of chief of police for the past three years. He has been a resident of this city for seventeen years, but is a native of another State, having been born in 1869, at Lexington, Kentucky.
Mr. Headley remained in his native place until he had reached early manhood and then went to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, coming from there to Troy in 1892. For several years he was varionsly employed, working a part of the time in the winters for a coal dealer and in the summers sell- ing a certain excellent oil for harness, of his own manufacture. He first became connected with the public service of the city when he was appointed driver for the fire department, a position he so admir- ably filled for three years that he was then appointed chief of the department and that office he most acceptably filled until the latter part of 1907. The death of Chief Irwin, of the police force, left a vacancy which Chief Headley was ap- pointed, in April, 1905, to fill, and on the first of May following he was elected to the office. In former years he was active in politics, but latterly he has given but scant attention to matters political. He is a member of the order of Elks at Troy.
GEORGE A. FREY, one of Bethel Township's most substantial citizens and prosperous farmers, carries on extensive operations, having two hundred and seventeen acres in Section 36, Bethel Township, and nineteen acres in Elizabeth Township, all in one tract, situated on the Tippecanoe City and Elizabeth Turnpike; also other land in Elizabeth Township. Mr. Frey was born May 15, 1854, in Cler- mont County, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel and Sarah (Losey) Frey.
The parents of Mr. Frey removed from Clermont to Miami County, and in 1862 the father settled on a rented farm of 200 acres, and later bought 136 aeres on the Carlisle Turnpike, in Bethel Township, where he carried on mixed farming. After the death of his wife in 1904 he retired with his eldest daughter to Tippecanoe City, where they still reside. He married Sarah Losey, a daughter of Abiel Losey, and they had four children, namely : George A., Lucretia, Charles W., and Sedate.
George A. Frey obtained his education in the Ten Eick school in Bethel Town- ship, and then assisted his father up to the time of his own marriage in 1879. He then bought 172 acres of his present land, which is one of the richest farms in the township, and made improvements, which ineluded the repairing of the farm resi- denee and the building of a new barn. He purchased the remainder of his land from the Booher heirs, and this land he has also been improving.
In July, 1879, Mr. Frey was married to Miss Anna M. Rudy, a daughter of Joseph and Louise Rudy, and they have three children, as follows: Norah, who married L. R. Wilson, of Monroe Township, and
MRS. CAROLINE T. MANNING
DAVID C. MANNING
3
1
427
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
has three children-George Il., Mary Frances, and Marjorie; and Harry and Jessie, both residing at home. Mr. Frey and his family are members of the Pisgalı Methodist Episcopal Church, of Bethel Township. In polities he is a stanch Democrat. and for nine years has served as township trustee, for three years being president of the Board of Agriculture. He is one of the representative men of this section of Miami County.
DAVID C. MANNING, one of the most respected among the elderly residents of Brown Township, where he is now living retired from active life, was born in the northeast corner of this township Febru- ary 3, 1835, son of Major Clarkson and Phoebe (Corey) Manning. His paternal grandfather, Isaac Manning, was of Ger- man descent, and was a soldier in the Rev- olutionary War, serving with Washing- ton's army at the battle of Trenton.
Clarkson Manning was born in Warren Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, Angust 15, 1794. He was early trained to farm labor, and, the school of his dis- trict being some two miles away, his edu- cational opportunities were in consequence very limited. In September, 1814, he was drafted, and served as a private under Captain John Logan, his company form- ing a part of the troops detailed for the guarding of New York Bay and being sta- tioned in the vicinity of Sandy Hook. During this service he opened fire on some British vessels that were approach- ing, but which thereupon retreated. From that time, it is said, he was known by the title of major (the major of the company being sick, he had served in his place) ; he retained this title to the end of his life.
Ilis military service was short, as he was discharged in Jersey City in December of the same year-1814. In later years ho received two land warrants from the Goy- ernment, one .of forty and another of 120 acres, which were obtained for him by Squire Duncan, of Fletcher.
On March 18, 1818, Major Manning mar- ried Phoebe Corey, who was born in New Jersey, January 7, 1791. Early in the following June they started in a two-horse wagon for Ohio, heading for Lebanon, Warren County. On arriving there they remained a short time, and then went to Middletown. Here they stopped until April, 1819, when they emigrated to Miami County and entered land in Section 3, Brown Township. While his family and belongings found shelter at the nearest neighbor's, some four miles away, Major Manning went to work to erect a habita- tion, building a log cabin 18×20 feet and opening up a road to his property. He then took possession with his family, and soon all were engaged in the strenuous work of developing a good farm out of the rough and wild land on which they had settled. This took a number of years, but was finally accomplished. In 1824, on the prospect of a new road being opened up to pass by his farm, Major Manning built a hewed-log house, which was one of the best in the township and was the first house taxed by the county ; it was also the only one with a shingle roof in Brown Township. In this the family resided un- til 1833, at which time the Major erected a brick house on the Lena Pike. Here he spent the rest of his life, which was pro- longed to his ninety-fourth year. his death taking place April 12, 1887, as the result of a fall on the ice several weeks pre-
428
HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
vious. His wife attained a still greater longevity, dying in her ninety-seventh year, about eighteen weeks before her hus- band. At the time of her death they had enjoyed almost sixty-eight years of happy married life together-a remarkable rec- ord, which few are privileged to repeat. To their latest days they were well pre- served and intelligent old people, who took an interest in what was going on around them and kept informed with respect to the leading events of the day. In politics Mr. Manning was a Jacksonian Democrat. He accompanied his wife to the Leather- wood Baptist Church, of which she was a member. Mrs. Manning was an active church worker, a true and loyal woman and of a good and highly respectable family.
Major Manning and his wife were the parents of seven children, as follows: Parkus, who died at the age of nine years; Elsie Anna, now deceased, who was the wife of David Counts and lived in Fletch- er; Isaac, who died at the age of forty years, on his farm near Lena, in Cham-
paign County ; Johanna, who married John Hair, and died in Fulton County, Illinois ; Mary Jane, widow of William Wooley, and a resident of Palestine, Ohio; John, who died at the age of cighteen years; and David Corey, whose name appears at the licad of this sketch.
David Corey Manning was reared on the home farm and educated in the common schools of his neighborhood. When about twenty years of age he took a trip through northern Indiana, sonthern Michigan, central Illinois and Iowa, looking for a favorable location on which to settle. He purchased some land in Benton County, Iowa, but subsequently disposed of it with-
out having settled thereon. During the Civil War he took another trip, this time going east, overseeing a few loads of stock, and also visiting some friends in Plain- field, New Jersey. In 1865 he took charge of a steam saw-mill north of Conover, and operated it until it was destroyed by fire some three years later. In 1868 he pur- chased a farm in Brown Township from Daniel H. Knoop, which comprised sev- enty-seven and a half acres. This he paid for within ten years. He made excellent improvements on the property, including the erection of substantial farm buildings. At his father's death he became admin- istrator of the property, dividing the land according to his father's wishes. He re- ceived forty acres of the old homestead, and afterwards purchased his sister's in- terest, also consisting of forty acres. He was engaged for many years in agricul- tural pursuits, being one of the most pro- gressive and successful farmers in this vi- cinity. A few years ago he retired, and is spending his life on his home farm, known as Fruit Hill farm.
Mr. Manning was married February 5, 1857, to Miss Caroline Throckmorton, of Brown Township, a danghter of George and Sarah (Lafferty) Throckmorton, who were New Jersey people. George Throck- morton, who was a carpenter by trade, came to Ohio with his parents and was married in Warren County. For some time he and his family resided in Piqua, but afterwards settled on a farm in Brown Township, where he made his home for a number of years. He removed to Clinton County, where he spent three years, but afterwards returned and purchased a farm adjoining his old place in Brown Town- ship. Here he died, but in the meanwhile
429
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
had resided for a brief interval at Con- over. His daughter, Mrs. Manning, was born in the homestead, October 25, 1838.
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Manning have been the parents of two children-George D. and Charles E. The former, whose death occurred October 23, 1904, was an agriculturist and school teacher, being one of the best known educators in the county. He was married and was an en- terprising and useful citizen, whose un- timely demise was much regretted by the entire community. His brother, Charles E. Manning, residing in this township, is also married and is a successful farmer.
Mr. Manning is a Democrat in political faith, but has taken little active part in politics. He was, however, elected trustee to fill an unexpired term of six months, was re-elected to the same office for one year and subsequently for three years more, his election being a voluntary ex- pression of the confidence of his fellow citizens, as he had not solicited the office. On his father-in-law's death Mr. Manning successfully and satisfactorily settled the latter's estate. He was formerly active in the work of the Grange, and at various times held office therein. At the present time he is enjoying the repose which he has well earned by a life of industry and usefulness that has been marked by fidel- ity to every trust reposed in him. He now rents out his former farm and is one of the most esteemed among the older resi- dents of Fletcher and township generally.
NETH BROTHERS, who have con- ducted a first class meat business at Cov- ington since June 1, 1897, with market on High Street and slaughter house in West Covington, are representative business
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.