USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 47
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 47
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men of this city, who, through their enter- prise, have developed an important in- dustry.
J. B. Neth, a member of the firm of Neth Brothers, was born at Covington, Ohio, May 7, 1871, and is a son of Jacob and Barbara (Flammer) Neth. George Neth, the junior member of the firm of Neth Brothers, was born at Covington, Decem- ber 16, 1873, and is also a son of Jacob and Barbara (Flammer) Neth. Jacob Neth and wife were both born in Germany, but their marriage took place in America. By trade he was a weaver and he was in business at Covington for many years, where his death occurred in September, 1908. His widow still survives.
J. B. Neth was reared at Covington and when ten years old he began to work for the old firm of Dress, Neth & Co., the Neth of the firm being his uncle, Conrad Neth. He continued to work for that house until 1889, with the exception of one year, and then was employed for a few months, on three different occasions, in a grocery at Celina, Ohio, and later spent four months in a grocery house at Dayton. After com- ing back from Dayton and before entering into his present enterprise he worked for W. W. Witmer, undertaker, for three years. He is serving in his second term as chief of the Covington Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Neth married Miss Mary Koons and they have two children : Neva Barbara and Blanche Louisa.
George Neth left school when fifteen years of age and began work in Charles Flashner's butcher shop. In 1893 he took a trip through the West, and while resid- ing in California he worked as a butcher, returning in July, 1897. On March 1, 1898, he entered into partnership with his
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brother in the present business, under the firm name of Neth Brothers. On July 5, 1898, Mr. Neth was married to Miss Maude Downey, a daughter of George Downey, and they have had six children, namely: Lee, who died aged seven years ; Grace; Gladys; Juanita, who died aged twenty-two months; Frances and Irene Etoile.
Both members of the above firm under- stand business principles and their own . line of work in particular, and they are numbered with Covington's best and most prosperous dealers in what is, no less than bread, one of the staffs of life. Doing their own butchering, they can assure their customers of the quality of the meat they sell them and the large trade they enjoy shows that this is appreciated.
GEORGE R. MeCONNELL, who has attained wide prominence in insurance cir- cles in the state of Ohio, has been engaged in that business at Troy since 1888. He also is president of the Troy Wagon Works Company, and a director of the Troy Star Storm Front Company, the Troy Telephone Company and various other leading enterprises, being one of the foremost business citizens of the city. Mr. McConnell was born in Hancock County, Olio, in 1862, but was reared and educated at Van Wert, Ohio. Early in life he started in the insurance business at Pauld- ing, Ohio, and in 1888 located at Troy. He represents practically all the leading fire insurance companies, and as fire insur- ance adjuster for Ohio has visited all parts of the state in adjusting losses.
November 26, 1885, Mr. McConnell was joined in marriage with Miss Olive N. Hook of Van Wert, and they have a son,
Glen G. McConnell, who is in attendance at Dartmouth College. Fraternally, George R. McConnell is affiliated with the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., Knights Templar, and Knights of Pythias. Religiously, he and his family attend the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
MISS ELIZABETH SHEETS, whose valuable farm of 120 acres lies in Section 23, Elizabeth Township, belongs to an old and prominent family of Miami County, one which has been established here for several generations. Miss Sheets was born in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Isaac S. and Nancy (Knoop) Sheets.
Andrew Shects, the grandfather, was one of the early land owners in Elizabeth Township. He married Catherine Sills and they had a family of eleven children, of whom five died in childhood. The re- maining six, who reached middle life, were: Isaac S .; Catharine, who married Samuel Youart; Elizabeth, who married William Saunders; Nancy, who married Michael Knoop; Eve, who married Samuel Sherrill; and Sarah, who became the wife of William Fuller. Isaac S. Sheets was a prominent farmer and for many years a valued citizen of Elizabeth Township. He was born January 10, 1799, and died in September, 1876. In June, 1824, he married Nancy Knoop, who was a mem- ber of probably the first family that ever settled in Miami County, far back in its earliest days. Mrs. Isaac S. Sheets was a daughter of John and Barbara Knoop. Seven children were born to Isaac S. Sheets and wife, as follows: Elizabeth, Andrew, Mary, John, Barbara Jane, George M. and a babe that died.
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Miss Elizabeth Sheets is a highly edu- cated, cultured lady, obtaining her early education in the Scott school at Walnut Grove. Later she attended school at Troy, still later at Piqua and then became a student in the Cooper Female Academy at Dayton, completing her studies at Marietta, Ohio. She then returned home and engaged for some years in teaching school, finding much enjoyment in impart- ing knowledge to others. She taught the Scott School at Walnut Grove and taught at the home school, but after the death of her father she gave up teaching and re- turned to the homestead. One year later, when the home farm was divided, she re- ceived 120 acres, which is situated in Sec- tion 23. She immediately proved herself a woman of excellent business capacity, making many improvements on her land and putting up new and substantial build- ings. She keeps an excellent tenant on the place. She also owns her comfortable residenee in Miami City. She is an active and interested member of the Universalist Church at Miami City and serves both as a teacher and as superintendent of the Sunday-school. Personally Miss Sheets is a most interesting lady to meet. The family connection is large and in none of them are the social qualities more ap- parent.
J. W. DAVIS, who has long been promi- nently identified with the affairs of Troy, Ohio, has been a resident of the city since 1880, and is engaged in the real estate and insurance business at the present time. He was postmaster of Troy during the second administration of President ('leve- land, receiving his appointment in 1893.
and during his tenure of office had the dis- tinetion of sending out the largest amount of first class mail of any postmaster of the same class in the United States, 300 mail pouches being required for use in the local office. This supremaey brought the city into prominence throughout the country.
Mr. Davis was born in Tippecanoe City, Miami County, Ohio, in 1862, and was reared and educated at that place, being a graduate of the Tippecanoe High School. In 1880 he came to Troy and accepted a position as clerk with the wholesale and retail grocery firm of D. M. MeCullough. After one year he entered the employ of C. L. Coolidge (dry goods, boots and shoes) in the capacity of bookkeeper and salesman, and so continued for three years. He next represented E. Levering & Company, coffee importers of Balti- more, Maryland, in the wholesale and retail trade through the states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, continuing with that firm for seven years. He then becanie associated in business with Mr. C. T. Long, and under the name and style of Long & Davis they conducted a gentle- men's furnishings and fine tailoring estab- lishment for a period of five years. In 1893 he was appointed postmaster, and upon his retirement from that office in 1897 he became associated with M. K. Gantz and George S. Long in the owner- ship of the Troy Democrat, which they condneted two years. Mr. Davis then em- barked in the real estate and fire insur- anee business, with which he has since been snecessfully identified. He has always taken an active interest in politics and the success of the Democratic party, and has served as chairman of the executive
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committee of that party and as chief state supervisor of elections for Miami County.
In 1889 Mr. Davis was united in mar- riage with Miss Ellen Eliza Shilling, who comes of one of the pioneer families of Miami County and is the youngest daugh- ter of Jesse Shilling Sr. One son, Brice Barron Davis, was born to them and died in infancy. Mr. Davis is past chancellor commander of the local lodge, Knights of Pythias; eminent commander of Coleman Commandery; and a member of Antioch Shrine, A. A. O. N. M. S., at Dayton.
JOSHUA HUSTON COTTINGHAM, one of Elizabeth Township's most re- spected retired farmers, resides on the farm on which he was born, November 30, 1828, this being a traet of 125 acres, located in Section 25, on the Tippecanoe City and Elizabeth Road, in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio. His parents were Joshua Enniss and Eliza- betlı (Harritt) Cottingham.
The Cottingham family came originally from England and the grandfather of Joshua H. Cottingham, William Cotting- ham, was born probably in Maryland or England. He married Mary Enniss, and in a few years moved to Kentucky; they subsequently came to Ollio and resided until death in a home at Dayton, situated about where Woodland Avenue now ex- tends. They had five children, namely : Joshua, Nancy, Leah, James and William.
The father of Joshua H. Cottingham came to Miami City from Greene County, December 31, 1822. He was interested in agricultural pursuits all his life and ac- quired a farm of sixty-one acres in Eliza- beth Township. For a number of years before the railroads were built he engaged
in teaming, carrying produce frequently as far as Columbus and Dayton, this being very lucrative employment at that time. Stage coaches conveyed passengers, but all other transportation had to be done by the wagoners or teamsters. His father had built the brick house on the present farm in 1831, and here the father of Joshua H. Cottingham lived until his death, which occurred when he was aged eighty-six years. The house remains very much as it was in those days, little change having been made in the shape of the building when necessary repairs were made. The barn was built about 1858 and the present owner has added twenty-four feet to it.
Joshua Enniss Cottingham married Elizabeth Harritt, a daughter of Robert and Abigail Harritt, and to this union were born eight children, namely: Mary Leah, William, Robert, Abigail, James, Joshua H., Elizabeth and Louisa, all of whom are dead with the exception of Louisa and Joshua H.
Joshua H. Cottingham first went to what was known as the Kepper school, not far from his home, and when he grew older he went to school in Troy for one winter. He helped his father on the farm and also, after he was twenty-one, frequently worked for farmers in the neighborhood, and spent one year as a farmer in Indiana. After he came back to Miami County he married and then rented the Rose farm in Lost Creek Township, for one year, go- ing from there to Mrs. Haywood's farm, in the Bottoms, from there to his father- in-law's farm. He then moved to Troy for a time, later went on the Teneick farm and then went back to the homestead and bought his father's farm of sixty-one
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acres, together with fifty acres from Jacob and John Mann. For many years there- after Mr. Cottingham engaged in general farming and stock raising, and was con- sidered one of the leading agriculturists of Elizabeth Township during his active years.
On February 14, 1856, Mr. Cottingham was married to Miss Elizabeth Bousman, a daughter of Leonard and Elizabeth (Jackson) Bousman, and they have two children: Milton A., who married Jennie, a daughter of Peter and Sarah Fair, of Tippecanoe City; and Freeman O., who married Laura E., daughter of William B. and Annie Widener. Mr. Cottingham attends and gives support to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Tippecanoe City. In polities he is a Republican and has served for some years as township trustec.
H. L. JOHNSTON, manager and chief engineer of the Hobart Electric Manufac- turing Company, has been a resident of Troy, Ohio, for thirteen years. He was born at Bambridge, Indiana, in 1869, and was nine years of age when his parents moved to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mr. Johnston attended the public schools of Cincinnati, and afterward pursued a course of study at the Ohio State Univer- sity in electrical engineering, graduating with the class of 1892. He entered the employ of the General Electric Company, in the Cincinnati office, and continued in its service for three and a half years. In 1893 he represented that firm in the in- stallation of the electrical work for the interurban railroad from Troy to Piqua. and continued here as superintendent of the work for six months. This was the third interurban road built in the State
of Ohio, and the first to run big cars. After retiring from the superintendency Mr. Johnston became associated with Mr. Hobart in electrical manufacturing, the business being incorporated under the name of The Hobart Electric Company. He was vice-president and treasurer of the concern until about a year ago, when he was made manager and chief engineer. It is one of the principal manufacturing enterprises of the city and transacts an enormous business. Mr. Johnston is the mechanical expert of the Troy Sunshade Company, in which he is financially inter- ested, and is the patentee of several valu- able articles used by that firm.
In 1900 Mr. Johnston was united in mar- riage with Miss Adeline Smith, a daugh- ter of D. W. Smith, cashier of the First National Bank of Troy, and they have two children, Edward and Frances. Frater- nally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Troy Club. In religious attachment he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.
EUGENE JOHNSON, the leading real estate dealer at Piqua and the pioneer in the business, has been a resident of this city for twenty-seven years, during twenty of which he has been actively engaged in the real estate business. He was born in 1851, in Gallatin County, Kentucky, but was reared from the age of nine years at Waveland, Montgomery County, Ohio, where his parents settled.
Mr. Johnson was educated in the public schools and at Waveland Academy, an in- stitution conducted under the supervision of the Presbyterian Church. In early manhood he went to Kansas, where he looked up land claims for two years. After
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he returned to Ohio he engaged in the drug business at Waveland until he was twenty-two years old, removing then to Noblesville, Indiana. He continued in the drug line there until he came to Piqua, in 1881, where he carried on the same busi- ness for six years. He then turned his attention to the real estate business and has done considerable building and selling and has platted some 600 lots. He con- fines his activities to city and farm prop- erty. When he entered into the business at Piqua a real estate agency was a new venture, and he has been the practical builder of this line of trade. In his own operations he has never had a bad title given through his office and there has .never been a foreclosure of a loan. He has negotiated for the larger number of Piqua's numerous factories, his latest contract relating to the immense plant to be erected by the Felt and Blanket Com- pany, on South Main Street, during the summer of 1909. Among the other large transactions of this nature negotiated through him may be mentioned the sites of the Wood, Shovel & Tool Company, Miami Light, Heat & Power Company, Union Underwear Company, Atlas Under- wear Company, Piqua Furniture Com- pany, Dayton & Troy street car barn, Piqua Dyeing & Bleaching Company, the DeArmon-Mckinney Cement Block Com- pany and the Colonial Saxony, Piqua's handsomest flat building. He has also had direct charge of the platting or subdivi- sion of out lots of eleven additions to the city. At different times, also, he has been interested in other enterprises of more or less importance. A Democrat in politics, his interest in public matters is only that of a good citizen who desires the election
of the best qualified candidates and the assurance of good government.
In 1879, in Noblesville, Indiana, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Ally Lochr, and they have two children, Kate and Ray, the latter a resident of California. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Presbyterian Sunday-school and has been a trustee of the church for six years; for more than twenty years he has been a teacher in the Sunday-school. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity.
ROBERT S. SCOTT, for many years a prominent agriculturist of Miami County, Ohio, is now living in retirement in the city of Troy. He was born in Eliza- beth Township, Miami County, in March, 1832, and is a son of John Scott, who first came to the county as early as 1820.
John Scott was born in Pennsylvania, and there learned the trade of a mill- wright. Upon coming to Miami County, Ohio, he resumed his trade and became a very useful citizen, being at various periods identified with many of the old mills in this and adjoining counties. The latter years of his life were spent on the farm. He was one of the first abolitionists in the county, and for years was the only one to vote the Free Soil ticket in Eliza- beth Township.
Robert S. Scott has always lived in Miami County, and his business has al- ways been that of a farmer. He was in 1856 united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Hearst, who was born in Pennsylvania and was in childhood when her parents moved to Miami County, Ohio. Her death occurred in 1878. Mr. Scott formed a second union with Miss Rebecca Wharton, who was born in Miami County, and is a
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daughter of Oliver and Jane (Duer) Wharton.
Oliver Wharton, father of Mrs. Scott, was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, May 17, 1807, and was four years old when his parents moved west to Warren County, Ohio, where they took rank among the pioneers. There he was reared and edu- cated, and at the age of fourteen years began learning the trade of a wheelwright. Ile served an apprenticeship of seven years and then opened a shop of his own. He continued there until 1836, when he moved to Fletcher, in Miami County, Ohio, and established a successful business. He continued at Fletelier until 1865, when he moved upon his farm in Brown Township and spent the declining years of his life. He was married to Miss Jane Duer, who was born in Pennsylvania, but was living in Warren County, Ohio, at the time of her marriage. Two sons and two daugh- ters were the issue of this union, namely : William, Samuel, Plebe and Rebecca (Scott).
Mr. and Mrs. Scott are parents of three sons : Robert Stanley ; Alva Wharton, deputy surveyor of Miami County; and Ernest H., who is an electrician by pro- fession. Religiously they are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, of which Mr. Seott is an elder. Politically he is a Republican.
JOHN A. NUNLIST, proprietor of the City Hotel at Tippecanoe City, Miami County, Ohio, has been in the hotel busi- ness for a period of thirty-five years, which in length of time makes him the oldest man in that business in the county. He was born in Nieder Erlinsbach, Kan- ton Solothurn, Switzerland, December 5,
1844, and is a son of Vietor and Catherine (Buser) Nunlist, both natives of Switzer- land.
Victor Nunlist moved with his family to the United States in 1860, arriving in New York City after a voyage lasting several weeks. They immediately afterward moved west to Berlin, Shelby County, Ohio, where Mrs. Nunlist died in 1861, at the age of forty-three years. He died ou a farm in Shelby County in 1865, aged forty-five years. They were parents of the following children, all but the young- est of whom were born in Switzerland: John A. of Tippecanoe City; David, de- ceased ; Lena, wife of John Shaper of Day- ton, Ohio; William, a resident of Dayton; Emil, who lives at Springfield, Ohio; Al- bert, also of Springfield; Elizabeth, who married Charles Stuby and lives at Springfield, Ohio; and three daughters who entered convents and became Sisters of Charity. Only one of these sisters is now living and is located at Phoenix, Arizona.
John A. Nunlist worked on a farm with his father until 1862, then on May 2 of that year enlisted for service in the Union Army as a member of Company (, One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted at Sid- ney, Ohio, and was sent with the regiment to Kentucky. He remained in the service until June, 1863, when his father secured his release owing to the fact that he had entered the army before he had reached the required age. Ile returned home and the same year located at Tippecanoe City, where he learned the trade of a butcher, being in the employ of Fred Huber until 1871. He then started up a shop of his own and conducted it successfully until
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1874, when on August 1 he embarked in the hotel business. In 1878 he purchased the City Hotel and has conducted the es- tablishment with uninterrupted success ever since. He has a well equipped and furnished hotel, and its popularity is easily explained after one has been enter- tained for a meal and enjoyed Mr. Nun- list's hospitality. . He has acquired much valuable property in Tippecanoe City and is one of its heaviest taxpayers. He has been identified with all measures and en- terprises for the upbuilding of the place and is most highly esteemed as a citizen. He is a fancier of good stock and has raised many standard-bred roadsters and good draft horses.
June 19, 1871, Mr. Nunlist was united in marriage with Miss Julia Messmer of Tippecanoe City, and they became parents of the following children: Mamie, who married Jacob Hand, Jr., of Dayton, and has a danghter, Cecelia Hand; Lulu, who married A. W. Taylor, a grocer and livery- man of Tippecanoe City, and has a son, John Nunlist Taylor; Frank David, who is associated in business with his father; and Edward Frederick, who conducts a plumbing business in Tippecanoe City. The last-named married Miss Bertha Prill, and they have a daughter, Catherine. Religiously the family belongs to St. John's Catholic Church. Mr. Nunlist is a Democrat in politics.
N. W. CADY, a veteran of the Civil War and for many years a leading edu- cator in Eastern Ohio, who now lives re- tired in his pleasant home on West Mar- ket Street, Troy, was born in 1837, in Morrow County, Ohio, where he was reared and educated. His first self-sup-
porting occupation was teaching, which he followed for three years in the Morrow County schools, and subsequently for the same length of time in those of Cham- paign County. He was teaching in the St. Paris school when the first gun was fired in the Civil War and he was the first volunteer from St. Paris in the three months' service.
In 1861 he enlisted for three years, be- coming a member of Company I, Forty- second Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infan- try, having Col. James A. Garfield com- manding, and during the three and one- half years of hard service he took part in the following serions and decisive battles : Middle Creek, Kentucky; Chickasaw Bayon, Black River; Arkansas Post, Ar- kansas; Thompson Hill, Champion Hill, Vicksburg, Jackson and Opelousas, Louis- iana, together with many minor engage- ments. Mr. Cady served as sergeant of his company and although he was ever at the post of duty he survived all the dan- gers of camp and field and returned safely to his home after being mustered out in 1864.
Mr. Cady came then to Miami County and engaged in teaching, and spent fully twelve years in educating work in Miami and Champaign Counties, a part of the time being superintendent of the township schools. In 1896 he took up his residence at his present location in Troy, his pleas- ant home being so situated that he can enjoy the benefits of city life with a rural environment.
In 1861 Mr. Cady was married to Miss Anna Mott, who was born in Miami County. Her father, Josiah Mott, was born in Warren County, Ohio, and came to Miami County when a young man. Mr.
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and Mrs. Cady have six children, all daughters and all ladies of culture and high educational attainment, namely : Zella, who has been successful in educa- tional work for some twenty-three years; Nettie, who was a teacher for four years prior to her marriage to Elwood French of Oklahoma; Mary, who is the wife of Charles Armstrong of Marysville; Har- riet, who taught school eight years before she married Frank French, a resident of Texas; Alice, who taught for seven years and then married Joseph H. Levering of Miami County ; and Elfie, who is teaching her third year in the Miami County schools.
Mr. Cady has been an active citizen, tak- ing an earnest interest in public affairs and lending his influence to all that has served to uplift the community. He has served as a justice of the peace and as assessor. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a member of the Universalist Church.
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