USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 80
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 80
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On August 13, 1891, Mr. Longnaker was married to Miss vis Ely, a daughter of George W. and Annie Ely, and they have one daughter, Miriam, who is a student in the Pleasant Hill High School. The fam- ily are members of the Christian Church at Pleasant Hill, Mr. Longnaker being one of the trustees. He is identified with the Masons, belonging to the Chapter at West Milton, and is also an Odd Fellow.
JOHN JUDSON DRAKE, residing on his fine farm of 145 acres, which is situated in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio, about two miles southwest of Piqua, was born on this farm, October 30, 1841. and is a son of Jonathan and Frances (Curry) Drake.
The parents of Mr. Drake were born, reared and married in New Jersey. In 1831 they started over the mountains for Ohio, making the long journey by wagon and consuming six weeks on the way. They rested for a short time in Butler County, near Hamilton, and then eame on into
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Miami County. Daniel Drake, a brother of Jonathan, came to this county in 1833 and they bought the land together which is now a part of where John J. Drake now lives. They found but eight acres cleared and pioneer conditions prevailing. Home ties were not forgotten and five years after the Drakes settled they longed to have the dear old mother, Mrs. Eleanor Curry, who had remained in New Jersey. At that time there was no way for her to reach what was then almost the frontier, except by making the same journey over the mountains and recognizing this, Mr. Drake drove the team back to New Jersey and the wagon that had first transported the family, brought Mrs. Curry to her daughter. Four children were born to Jonathan Drake and wife, two sons and two daughters. The two oldest died when aged six years. The only survivor is John Judson. The one sister who grew to ma- turity, Mary Frances, is now deceased. She was the wife of Joseph Culbertson. Jonathan Drake died August 11, 1866, and his widow, November 8, 1868.
John Judson Drake has passed almost the whole of his life on his present farm. Following his marriage he settled on the farm belonging to his father, adjoining his own, and for two years cultivated his own land and his father's 100 acres. He then purchased that place, after the latter's death, but subsequently sold it. He en- gages in general farming to some extent, renting out the larger part of his land but reserving enough to make berry raising and trucking profitable, finding a ready market at Piqua.
On November 26, 1861, Mr. Drake mar- ried Miss Elma Irvin, who is a daughter of William and Adeline Irvin. She was
born in Shelby County, Ohio, and lived there until she was six years old, when her parents moved on the farm in Washington Township, Miami County, which is owned by her brother, John Irvin. Mr. and Mrs. Drake have had six children, the survivors being: Addie Frances, who is the wife of James W. Curtis; Edgar Judson, residing at Coshocton, Ohio, who married Laura Holly, and has four children-Ernest, Ir- vin, Forrest and Myrle; and Earl Leroy who is engaged in the farm implement business at Piqua ; he married Carrie Rees and they have two children-James Clin- ton and Robert Judson. The three chil- dren deceased were : Charles Oscar, who died when aged three months; Minnie Le- ola, who died aged three years; and Grace Inez. who passed away at the age of twen- ty-eight years. Mr. Drake and family are members of the Calvary Baptist Church at Piqua, of which he has been a trustee ever since it was organized, in 1871, and a dea- con since 1881. He has been a member of the organization devoted to the interests of agriculturists, the Patrons of Hus- bandry, for a number of years. He is not an active politician but has always been numbered with the best and most reliable citizens of his township.
CHARLES HILLIARD THOMAS, a representative citizen of Spring Creek Township, and a lifelong resident of Miami County, residing on a fine farm of 168 acres located east of Piqua, was born on his present farm April 5, 1857, and is a son of David E. and Maria (Hilliard) Thomas.
David E. Thomas was born in Wales May 10, 1816, where he grew to maturity and became a Baptist minister. About
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1854 he came to this country with his father, Eben Thomas, who was a medical practitioner, and who located in Licking County, Ohio, where he engaged in the practice of his profession until the time of his death. David E. Thomas resided for some years in Piqua, where he had charge of the Baptist Church during that time, and in 1852 located on the fam on which our subject was born and now resides, and four years later erected the present dwell- ing on the place. He was one of seven sons born to his parents, six of whom were min- isters, one of whom, now in his eighty- ninth year, is a resident of Ilinois. Rev. D. E. Thomas never operated the farm himself, but employed others to run the place, he continuing with his work in the ministry. He was united in marriage with Maria Ililliard, who was born July 31, 1821, on the old Hilliard farm, and died November 25, 1900. Her father, Charles Hilliard, was one of the earliest settlers of Miami County, locating in Spring Creek Township in 1776, on the land now ownel by our subject. He always followed farm- ing, and owned a section of land where East Piqua is now situated, and the house in which he lived is still standing, just south of our subject's home. There were six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas. namely: Sarah, who died young; Emma. deceased; Anna, deceased; Eva, who re- sides in Piqua : Ella, deceased ; and Charles H., the subject of this record. David E. Thomas died in Spring Creek Township May 5, 1864.
Charles H. Thomas was reared on his present farm, and received his educational training in the schools of the district and at Piqua, since then operating the home farm, where he carries on general farming
and stockraising. He is one of the most successful and progressive farmers of the township ; is publie spirited, and enjoy the esteem and confidence of his fellow citi- zons. Mr. Thomas married Ella Carr, a daughter of Millard and Sarah Carr, well known farmers residing cast of Piqua. Mr. Thomas is politically identified with the Republican party : is fraterna ly a member of the 1. O. O. F., and is an active member of the Baptist Church.
R. HAYES WIDENER comes of an ol l and respected family of Miami County, Ohio, and has been a resident of Troy for five years, being identified with the post- office here. Ile was born in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, in 1876, and is a son of William D. Widener.
William D. Widener is well known to the people of the county. Laving been a life- long resident of Miami County, Ohio. In his younger days he was a carpenter, and later engaged in farming operations with much success. He has always taken an active interest in political affairs, and was called upon to fill varions township offices and also that of infirmary director. Ile served two terms in that office, and proved a most efficient public official. He now re- sides at the home of his son in the city of Troy.
R. Hayes Widener attended the public schools of the county, and his education was supplemented by a two-year- course at Ohio Northern University, at Ada, Ohio. Upon leaving that institution he engaged in teaching school for seven years, and in 1904 he became a citizen of Troy. He at that time entered the postal service under Mr. W. M. Kyle, the postmaster, and has continued under the present postmaster,
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E. A. Jackson. He is a prominent Odd Fellow, having been appointed Deputy Grand Master of this district for the term of 1908-1909.
In 1899 Mr. Widener was united in mar- riage with Miss Maud Miller, of Cham- paign County, Ohio, and they have three children: Maurice M., Amy I. and Mar- jorie E. The family attends the Christian Church.
FREDERICK W. JOHNSTON, owner of 140 acres of farm land located about three and a half miles north of Covington, has always been a resident of Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, where he is well known and held in high esteem. He was born at Greenville Falls, in Newberry Township, October 4, 1849, and is a son of Andrew Jackson and Mary Ann (Thompson) Johnston, and a grandson of Frederick Johnston.
Frederick Johnston was a native of Ire- land, and some time after his marriage emigrated to the United States. He set- tled between Enon and Yellow Springs, in Greene County, Ohio, and the farm is still in the family name, being owned by two of his daughters, who have never married.
Andrew Jackson Johnston was born on the ocean while his parents were en route from Ireland to this country, and was reared on the home farm in Greene Conn- ty, Ohio. After his marriage he moved to Covington, where he conducted a tavern for a while, that establishment having pre- viously been run by his wife's people. He was a cooper by trade, and also a wagon maker, and for a time operated a cooper shop at Greenville Falls, but farming was his principal occupation. About the year 1845 he purchased a farm about midway
between Piqua and Covington, upon which he erected buildings and made other im- provements, and moved on the farm in 1850, living there until 1864. In the fall of that year he purchased 160 acres where his son, Frederick W., now lives, and con- tinued to live there and farm until his death in 1894. He was twice married, having by his first wife a daughter, Eliza, who died in Seattle, Washington. His second marriage was with Mary Ann Thompson, who was born and reared in Greene County, Ohio, to which her parents had come from the state of Maryland. Six children were the issue of this union, namely: James A., who lives in San An- tonio, Texas; Louisa, deceased, who was a twin to James A. and who married Will- iam Drake; Frederick W .; John K., also of San Antonio, Texas; Edward, who lives at Covington; and Arthur, who died when young. The mother of this family died in 1900.
Frederick W. Johnston was less than a year old when his parents moved from Greenville Falls to the farm between Pi- qua and Covington, and was about sixteen when they moved to where he now lives. He received a common school education and has always engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has made many important improvements on the home place, and in 1904 erected a fine frame house, in which he lives. Mr. Johnston was united in mar- riage with Miss Sarah J. Meenach, a daughter of Ezekiel Meenach, and they have two children: Noel L., of Darke County, who married Minnie Lambert and has a daughter, Neva Arline; and Myrl C. Religiously they are members of the Covington Presbyterian Church, of which he is a deacon.
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HON. DAVID M. COPPOCK, one of Marion, Indiana, and they have four chil- Miami County's most prominent citizens, dren : Clarence, Herbert, Chester J. and Esther :J. mayor of Pleasant Hill, president of the Pleasant Hill Banking Company, presi- dent of the Miami County Mutual Insur- ance Company, and identified with many of the movements which have resulted in advancing the various interests of this seetion, was born December 29, 1841, in Union Township, Miami County, Ohio. His parents were Benjamin and Esther (Miles) Coppoek.
Benjamin Coppoek was a native of Mi- ami County, where his life was spent in agricultural pursuits. He married Esther Miles, a daughter of William and Mary (Pearson) Miles, and they had three chil- dren: David M., Almeda and Elwood.
David M. Coppoek obtained his educa- tion in the Union Township schools, but his success in life has not been dependent upon the knowledge there gained, a nat- ural inheritance of foresight, ability and good judgment doing much more. He re- mained with his parents through early manhood, including one year after his marriage, and then moved to the vicinity of Pleasant Hill. where he lived until 1905, when he came to Pleasant Hill, purchasing here a residence. He still retains his val- uable farm of 150 acres, which is situated in Newton Township.
Mr. Coppock was married (first) March 21, 1860, to Miss Jane Jay, who died Janu- ary 17, 1879. She was a daughter of JJo- seph F. and Mary Jay. The following chil- dren were born to that marriage: Anabel, Horace, Lambert, Almeda, Furnas J .. Lura, Bertha. Fred and Charles B. In Angust, 1880. Mayor Coppoek was mar- ried (second) to Miss Rachel Overman, a daughter of Silas and Hannah Overman, of
Politically a Republican, Mayor Cop- pock has frequently been chosen by that organization in the township as standard- bearer, and prior to coming to Pleasant Hill served in local offices. As mayor of the town he has been a fearless official, and has brought about excellent local condi- tions. He still retains his membership in the Grange, and is also a Mason. For many years he has been a leading member of the Christian Church.
MADISON MILLHOUSE, a veteran of the Civil War and a well known citizen of Spring Creek Township, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of a valuable farm of 257 acres, located four miles east of Piqua. Ile was born on this place August 14, 1843, and is of German descent. He is a son of Jacob and Frances Johnson Millhouse, and a grandson of John Millhouse. Mr. Mill- house has among his treasured possessions the honorable discharge, bearing the signa- ture of George Washington, which his grandfather received at the close of that war.
John Millhouse was one of the very early pioneers of Miami County, Ohio, and entered the home farm, for which he re- ceived a patent from the Goverment signed by President Madison. This farm has passed from father to son, and has al- ways been in the Millhouse name, a record which doubtless cannot be equalled by any other family in the records of Miami County history. John and his wife, Mar- garet Millhouse, were parents of four chil- dren, of whom Jacob was the oldest.
Jacob Millhouse was born on the home
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farm in Spring Creek Township, and at- tended the primitive schools of that early period. Although his schooling was lim- ited, he developed unusual ability as a mathematician. He turned his attention to farming, and after the death of his father purchased the interests of the other heirs in the home farm. Ile was a man of prominence in the community, and lived a life of great usefulness ; his death occurred June 20, 1871. He was married to Frances Johnson, a daughter of Isaac Johnson, who was in early life a sailor, but later located on a farm in Spring Creek Township, about one mile west of the Millhouse farm. Two children blessed this marriage: Mar- garet, who died in 1861; and Madison. Mrs. Millhouse died about seven months after the latter's birth.
Madison Millhouse was reared and edu- cated in Spring Creek Township, and has always followed farming. His is one of the best improved farms in the township, the residence being a large twelve-room brick, which he built in 1877. The barn was erected by his father and grandfather in 1836, but he has a number of times remod- eled and enlarged it. He is progressive and public spirited, and has always taken a deep interest in the progress and develop- ment of the township and county. During the Civil War he served as a member of Company E, 147th Regiment, Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, under Captain Johnson, and although he saw considerable service, never met with injury. He suffered with fever for two years, however, after leaving the army.
Mr. Millhouse was united in marriage with Miss Sarah U. Furrow, a daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah Furrow, of Spring Creek Township. Her father was a farmer,
and for twenty-five years line master on the Miami and Erie Canal, which he helped to build. He was an early settler here, and lived to reach the age of eighty-six years. His wife died at the age of seventy- seven. They were parents of the following children: Sylvanus; Jane; Martha, de- ceased; Clarinda; Angeline; Alonzo, de- ceased; Sarah U., wife of the subject of this sketch; Charlotte; Elizabeth ; and two who died in early life. Madison Millhouse and his estimable wife are parents of two children: Murra J., who married Pearl Steward and has a daughter, Helen Frances; and Alberta, wife of Chauncey Young, of Piqua, by whom she has two children, Ralph and Ruth. Politically, Mr. Millhouse is an independent voter. lle has served nineteen years on the School Board.
G. E. MCCULLOUGH, M. D., one of the leading professional men of the City of Troy, has been a resident of Miami Coun- ty, Ohio, all his life. He was born near this city in 1872, and is a son of Charles MeCullongh, a representative of oue of the pioneer families of Miami County.
Dr. Mccullough is a graduate of Troy High School and attended Wooster Uni- versity, and after leaving the latter insti- tution began preparation for his profes- sional career. He was graduated from Cincinnati Medical College of Ohio (M. C. O.) in 1889, and soon after receiving his degree opened his office for practice at Troy, where he has met with success. He pursued a post-graduate course in New York Post Graduate College, in New York City, in 1905, and in 1907 completed a course in the Chicago Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat College. He is a member of the Miami County Medical Association, the
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Ohio State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. In 1904 Dr. Mccullough was married to Miss Jes- sie Van Beseler, a native of Troy, Ohio. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Troy Club, and has a wide circle of acquaintances throughout this vicinity.
JOHN W. IRVIN, president of the Washington Township School Board and one of the leading farmers of this section of Miami Connty, Ohio, was born on the farm on which he resides, June 14, 1851, and is a son of William and Adeline (Brown) Irvin.
William Irvin was a native of Montgom- ery County, Ohio, born about seven miles south of Dayton, where he lived until after his marriage, when he moved first to Shelby County and later to Miami County, and settled in Washington Township, where he acquired two farms, aggregating 125 acres. He died at Piqua, Ohio, in 1879, and was survived twenty years by his widow. Of their family of nine children, two were born in Shelby County.
John W. Irvin was reared on the home farm, and was educated in the township schools. He has been a farmer all his ma- ture life, and has interested himself in agri- cultural affairs generally, recognition of this fact being shown by his selection as one of the two members from Washington Township elected on the Miami County Agricultural Board. Ile has also been ac- tive in educational matters, and served several years as a school director prior to the passing of the new school law, which went into effect in 1904, since which time he has continuously held the office of presi- dent of the board.
On February 4, 1873, Mr. Irvin was mar-
ried to Miss Addie Morrow, a daughter of Hugh and Susan Fletcher (Morrison) Morrow. She was born at Piqua, but was reared on her father's farm, which ad- joined the Irvin land, in Washington Township. In his early married life, Mr. Morrow engaged in elerking in Piqua, but later settled down to farming and died in Washington Township in 1875. His widow survived until 1893. Mr. and Mrs: Irvin have one son, Wilbur W., who resides on a farm but one mile distant from that of his father. He married Miss Olive Routledge. Mr. Irvin and family are members of the First Presbyterian Church at Piqua.
FRANK GOODMAN DAVIS, merchant and manufacturer of Tippecanoe City. Ohio, was the youngest son, as well as the youngest child of Enoch and Barbara Davis, nee Goodman, and was born in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, Ohio, May 5, 1855.
He moved with his family to the then small village of Tippecanoe in the year 1862, where he entered the union or public schools, in which he continued until he had obtained a very fair common school educa- toin, through the use of which, together with his congeniality and his untiring ap- plication to his duties, he has gained the enviable and honorable position he now occupies. He is not only well known and popular in and about his immediate home town but throughout the entire county.
Mr. Davis' first employment after leav- ing school was at telegraphy, working at the key until the death of his father in 1872, which compelled a thorough altera- tion of all his plans. From the key he went to a clerkship in the general store of Bow- man & Lindsley, and from a clerkship with
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
B . Lindaley, Jater .J. W. Bowman, he , to be a partner, the firm being Bowman & Davis, which was for many years one of the best known concerns in Miami County in the mercantile business as well as one of the largest distributors of general merchandise in south Miami County. The present firm is Davis & Smith, which firm continues to handle a large part of the general merchandising business of this most prosperous little city and country surrounding.
Mr. Davis was one of the very first pro- moters of the whip manufacturing indus- try in Tippecanoe City, and was one of the first incorporators of The Tipp Whip Company and the president of the com- pay for nearly twenty years. He was also the promoter of The Davis Whip Com- pany, which was incorporated eleven years ago, and his official relationship to the com- pany is that of president and general man- ager. Both these concerns are prosperous and representative of the most modern ideas in whip manufacturing. Their out- put is marketed all over the United States.
In 1882 Mr. Davis was married to Mary E. Harshbarger, daughter of Isaac D. and Hannah R. Harshbarger, nee Kable. They have three children, Margaret E., Loa L. and Robert G.
Mr. Davis, as well as an active citizen, in nearly everything of good in the town, enjoys distinction in Democratic political circles also, and liis strength has been rec- ognized by his party, it having nominated him, unsolicited and against his earnest protest, twice for important offices, his de- feat in both instances being accomplished through the most untiring endeavor of his opponents and by a reduction of a big Re- publican majority to almost no majority
at all. His party honored him by sending him as a delegate to the National Demo- cratic Convention that convened in Chi- cago in 1892 and which nominated Hon. Grover Cleveland for the presidency.
He belongs to F. & A. M. Lodge No. 174, I. O. O. F. Lodge No. 247 and the Royal Arcanum Lodge, all of Tippecanoe City, Ohio.
FRANK W. TENNEY, one of Concord Township's substantial citizens, resides on his farm of forty-six acres, which is situ- ated one mile west of Troy, raises Jersey cattle and high grade horses, owning "Mollie O.," "Mary B.," "Gertie" and "Renand," all roadsters and registered. Mr. Tenney was born at West Milton, Mi- ami County, Ohio, October 15, 1860, and is a son of W. I. and Jennie (Kelly) Tenney.
The Tenney family is a very prominent one in Miami County and was established here by Dr. Eli Tenney, tlie grandfather. Hon. W. I. Tenney, whose farm of 167 acres adjoins that of his son Frank W., formerly taught school, probably for thirty years, later went into politics to some ex- tent, was elected and served in the State Legislature, and after completing his father's unexpired term as county auditor, was twice elected to that office. He mar- ried Jennie Kelly, who was reared at West Milton, and they had eight children born to them.
Frank W. Tenney was partially educated by his father and attended school at West Milton, later the Troy High School, and spent one winter in college, at Ada. He was about fourteen years old when the family moved to Troy and lived there for nine years and accompanied the family when it took up its residence in Concord
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Township, living at home until his mar- riage. For a number of years he rented different farms and for fifteen years oper- ated a dairy, running a wagon to Troy, and during that time kept from fifty to sixty head of Jersey cattle. The first farm that Mr. Tenney purchased was 126 acres of the old Peckham place, on the Coving- ton turnpike, one mile west of his present farm, and after living on that for six years, he sold it to John Hartstein & Sons. Ile then bought sixteen acres of his present farm from his father, completing the pur- chase in December, 1906, in the meanwhile having bought and sold another farm of eighty acres. In addition to his general farm interests, his cattle and horse-raising and the growing of tobacco, Mr. Tenney finds time to act as special agent for the Michigan Mutual Life Insurance Company, of Detroit.
On October 26, 1882, Mr. Tenney was married to Miss Callie M. Tullis, a daugh- ter of O. M. and Sarah (Tullis) Tullis, and they have three children : Roy T., Leila E. and Arthur. Educational and social advantages have been afforded his children by Mr. Tenney and they have been appre- ciated. Roy T. Tenney is a graduate of the Troy Iligh School and of Delaware College and at present is a teacher of lan- guages in the High School of Minneapolis, Minnesota, a leader of the church choir and also a teacher of vocal music. Leila E. Tenney, who has made teaching music her profession, is a graduate of the Troy High School and was a student of the Con- servatory of Music, at . Indianapolis. Mr. Tenney and family are members of the Christian Church. Politically he is a Re- publican and fraternally a Mason.
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