USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 85
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 85
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John E. Billingsley was an only child and never had any occasion to leave the old farm, which came to him through in-
heritance. He has greatly improved it, having fine buildings and modern comforts. He carries on general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of fast horses. He keeps fourteen head of horses and raises fifty head of hogs yearly. Mr. Bil- lingsley's agricultural methods are along modern lines and he proves on his own farm that the best grade of stock is the most profitable.
Mr. Billingsley married Miss Emma C. Harwood, who was born in the State of New York, and died here March 12, 1909. She was a daughter of Rev. John Har- wood, a minister of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. Mrs. Billingsley is survived by three children, Thomas, Roy and Bert, the two younger sons residing at home. Thomas Billingsley, who is now city solici- tor of Versailles, Darke County, and is a law partner with J. Guy O'Donnel, of Cov- ington, was admitted to the bar in 1902 and is looked upon as one of the rising young men of his section. He spent two years in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, and one year in the Ohio State University, at Columbus. He married Ottie Hartle and they have one child, Richard.
FRED SCHUESSELIN conducts the meat market of the firm of Charles F. Schuesselin & Sons at West Milton, and is a member of that firm, which also has a market at Pleasant Hill. He was born in Pleasant Hill, in 1885, and is a son of Charles F. and Louise (Staehlin) Schues- selin, both natives of Germany.
Charles F. Schuesselin was reared to maturity in his native land and learned the trade in Greenville, Ohio. He came to this country, in 1883, prior to his marriage, and located at Pleasant Hill, Miami
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County, Ohio, where he began butchering. He was married at Dayton, Ohio, to Miss Louise Staehlin, and they became parents of six children, as follows: Fred; Albert; Emilie, deceased; Edward; Arthur; and Hermina. Mr. and Mrs. Schuesselin reside at Pleasant Hill.
Fred Schuesselin attended the public schools at Pleasant Hill, and afterward the Dayton Commercial College, where he com- pleted a thorough business course. He then became a partner in the firm of Charles F. Schnesselin & Sons, and in 190S came to West Milton and opened their present shop. They have a neat and at- traetive place of business, and as they slaughter all the meat that goes over the counter, the trade receives none but the best. They run one wagon from West Milton, another being run from Pleasant Hill, and also attend Piqua Market every Saturday, having a stand on the corner of Wayne and Market Streets. They have a full line of fresh meats there and have a regular trade built up.
Mr. Schuesselin was united in marriage withi Miss Laudie Hunt, of Dayton, Ohio, and they have a comfortable home at West Milton. Religiously, they are members of the Christian Church. He is a Republican in politics. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
LEVI DIVENS, residing on a farm of eighty aeres in Section 23, of Newton Township, is a progressive farmer and a well known eitizen. He was born in New- ton Township April 18, 1864, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Switzer) Divens.
Samuel Divens was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, April 13, 1811. He came from Pennsylvania when a young
man twenty-one years of age, and at the age of forty-nine years-September 16, 1860-he was married to Miss Mary Swit- zer and settled down in Newton Township, where he lived the remainder of his life. He died there April 17, 1885, and lies buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Ile was a member of the German Baptist Church. In politics he was a Republican. His wife Mary was a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Konkle) Switzer, and they had three children, Ella, Levi and William. Mrs. Divens now resides at Pleasant Hill.
Levi Divens attended the Fairview School west of Pleasant Hill, and after leaving school farmed for his father until his marriage. He then located on the sixty-five-acre farm on which his father had lived, and continued to reside there for thirteen years. He and his wife then pur- chased the eighty-acre farm where they now live from Frank M. Blackmore. It is a well improved farm, provided with a good comfortable residence and other sub- stantial buildings, and is under a high state of cultivation except four acres, which is still in timber. Mr. Divens is en- gaged in general farming and tobacco rais- ing, having about eight acres devoted to the latter commodity each year.
October 1, 1891, Levi Divens was mar- ried to Huldah Mowery, a daughter of Martin L. and Elizabeth (UHery) Mowery, and they have had seven children whose record in brief is as follows : May Virgil and Ray Virgin (twins) were born June 30. 1892. Ray Virgin died July 8, 1892, aged eight days ; May Virgil died July 17, 1892, aged seventeen days. Leroy was born August 24, 1893, and died May 31, 1894. aged nine months and seven days. The living children are: Treva Blanche.
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Iva Pearl, Hazel Irene, Clarence Arthur, all of whom are attending the public school. Religiously, the family attends the Brethren Church. Politically, the subject of this sketch is a Republican.
CORTEZ M. SMITH, one of Troy's most enterprising and successful young business men, who has been identified with the horse and mule business for many years, was born in 1873, at Casstown, Ohio, and is a son of the late Martin P. Smith. The father of Mr. Smith was born in Mary- land and came to the vicinity of Casstown, Ohio, in 1854, where he followed farming during his active years. He died in 1906.
Cortez M. Smith attended school at Casstown during boyhood and very early learned to depend entirely upon his own efforts to advance himself. He earned his first capital by working by the day and then traded for a time in Bantam chickens, which was the stepping-stone to his larger operations subsequently in the handling of horses and mules. This business he has carried on with much success and he now owns a fine farm of 190 acres in Miami county, besides improved property at Troy, including his own handsome resi- dence on East Main Street. For some time, in addition to his horse and mule business, which he built up entirely by himself, he has been handling real estate, his excellent business qualifications being shown also in this line. Mr. Smith is en- tirely a self-made man and takes justifiable pride in the fact. In 1894 Mr. Smith was married to Miss Lucy E. Hathaway, and they have two sons, Carlton Clay and Mel- vin Frederick. Mr. Smith is a member of the Troy Club and the Troy Business Men's Association.
THOMAS L. DRAKE was a prominent farmer and respected citizen of Washing- ton Township, Miami County, Ohio, and his death, which occurred November 7, 1897, was mourned as a loss to the com- munity. He was born on the farm of 220 acres on which his widow now lives, Au- gust 23, 1847, and was a son of Daniel Drake, who was prominent among the early citizens of Washington Township.
Thomas L. Drake was reared and edu- cated in Washington Township, and spent his entire life on the home farm. He at- tended the district schools and Piqua High School, leaving the latter institution six weeks before the time for him to graduate. He then taught school for two terms, after which he farmed the remainder of his life, meeting with a high degree of success. The farin consists of 220 acres and is lo- cated about two and one-half miles south of the Piqua postoffice. In 1893 he erected one of the finest brick houses in the town- ship and the farm was maintained on the same high plane as to its other improve- ments.
April 4, 1878, Mr. Drake was united in marriage with Miss Jennie Knouff, a daughter of George and Lettie A. (Mc- Klveen) Knouff. George Knouff was born in Pennsylvania and was a son of John Knouff, who died in the eastern part of Ohio. The father of Mrs. Drake was a young man when the family moved to Har- rison County, Ohio, and after his marriage he came west to Miami County, Ohio, set- tling on a farm in Washington Township. Here he lived until his death on February 10, 1885, being survived by his widow, who passed away on October 3, 1893. Mrs. Knouff was born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of
THOMAS L. DRAKE
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Thomas MeKlveen, who came to this coun- try from Ireland. Mrs. Drake was born in Harrison County. Ohio, and was ten years of age when her parents came to Miami County.
Mr. and Mrs. Drake had a son born to them, Forest, who died at the early age of nine months and seven days. Religiously he was a member of the Presbyterian Church, to which Mrs. Drake also belongs. She is a lady of refinement and excellent business qualifications, and has many friends in this community, in which she has lived since the early days of her life.
HENRY REHMERTH, a representa- tive eitizen and business man of Staunton Township, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of a splendid farm of 189 acres. He was born in Prussia, Germany, January 5, 1845, and is a son of John Henry and Sophia (Dohm) Rehmerth, both natives of Germany.
John Henry Rehmerth learned the trade of a blacksmith when a young man and then engaged in making cutlery, principal- ly knives, forks and files. Upon coming to the United States in 1853, he abandoned his trade and took up farming. Their voy- age aeross the ocean consumed six weeks' time, and they passed another week at Dayton, Ohio, prior to becoming residents of Staunton Township, in Miami County. Here Mr. Rehmerth purchased a small place and farmed the remainder of his days, dying at the age of seventy-three years. He was twice married, his first union being with Henrietta Hidison, who died in Germany, leaving three children, as follows: Mary. wife of Charles Miller; Caroline, deceased wife of Henry Martin ; and William. His second marriage was
with Sophia Dolun, who survived her hus- band some years; they had two sons, Henry and Frederick.
Henry Rohmerth was a little past the age of eight years when brought by his parents to this country. He attended school one year in his native land and but one week in this country, but notwithstanding his limited training is a broad-minded and well informed man. Hle worked about home until he was fourteen, then worked out by the month. He was in the employ of Henry Eikmeier one year, of Henry Ladage two years, and of Benjamin Enyeart seven years. He turned his earn- ings over to his parents until he was twenty-one, after which he began saving his money. The earnings he saved during the first summer, together with $125 that he borrowed from John Farver, he in- vested in the rhubarb wine business in partnership with Mr. Enyeart. There proved to be no demand for their product and at the end of one year his entire eapi- tal was gone. Ile then continued to work ont by the month until he was twenty-six, when he and his brothers began farming together. He had in the meantime saved ahont $500, with which, added to what his brothers could command. they purchased land in the southern part of Staunton Township. Industrious and ambitious, of I'rugal and saving habits, they prospered and added to their holdings until they were possessed of 450 acres of the most valuable land. They continued in association until 1899, when the land was divided, Henry Rehmerth receiving 189 acres as his share. Ho erected the home in which he now lives and made many improvements on the place. Ile may well take pride in the suc- cess he has attained, which came solely
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through his own efforts and the helping hand of his wife and sons.
December 21, 1871, Mr. Rehmerth was united in marriage with Miss Mary Horther, who was born in Butler County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Jacob and Mar- garet (Herzog) Horther. Three children were the issue of this union: William Jacob; Martin J., who married Emma Mc- Cool, January 13, 1904, and has one son, named Herbert ; and George, who was mar- ried January 24, 1906, to Elsie Davis, who formerly was a teacher in the public schools. Religiously, the family is German Lutheran, and for twenty years Mr. Reh- merth served as a deacon of the church. He is a Republican in politics, and was at one time pike superintendent.
W. A. ZINK, well known as a prosper- ous business man of West Milton, is pro- prietor of the oldest meat market in the village and in addition deals quite exten- sively in live stock, hides and tallow. He was reared to the business, in which his father and his grandfather were engaged before him. Some of his mother's family also followed that occupation, his brothers all are butchers, and his sisters married butchers.
Mr. Zink was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in 1873, and is a son of Jo- sept and Mary (Gergens) Zink, being one of twelve children born to his parents, of whom ten are now living. Joseph Zink was born and reared in Montgomery County, Ohio, his father being the oldest butcher in that county. He started his market and conducted it some years, then moved to Vandalia, Ohio, where he con- ducted a market one year. About the year 1888 he became a resident of West Milton
and actively continued butchering here un- til 1907, since which time lie has led a re- tired life.
W. A. Zink attended the public schools at West Milton, and from his boyhood days has been identified with the butchering business. In 1902 he purchased the shop of his father and has since continued with great success. He has a new cement front building under course of construction, ad- joining the postoffice, and when completed it will be one of the most up-to-date build- ings of the place, and a credit to the town. He has a large and well established trade, running two wagons and giving employ- ment to three men. He is a man of hustle and enterprise, and is exceedingly popular among his fellow citizens. Mr. Zink was united in marriage with Lora Iddings, a daughter of William Iddings, of Ludlow Falls, and they became parents of two children, Oneda and Harold. Politically, he is a Democrat.
WILLIAM JACOB REHMERTH, son of Henry and Mary (Horther) Rehmerth, was born in Staunton Township, January 19, 1875, and received his education in the public schools. He assisted his father on the farm from the time he was quite young, and for the past nine years has carried on the operations thereon. He has always evinced a deep interest in political affairs and been a consistent supporter of Repub- lican principles. He made an unsuccessful campaign for the office of township as- sessor, but at the succeeding election was elected to that office and served one term. In 1905 he was appointed township trustee to fill the unexpired term of Joseph West, who moved away, and in November, 1907, was elected to that office. His colleagues
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in office are Democrats. He was appointed as a member of the Board of Education to fill the unexpired term of E. B. Duncan. Religiously, he is a member of the German Lutheran Church.
WILLIAM W. WOOD, who is secretary and treasurer of the Wood Shovel & Tool Company, of Piqua, Ohio, was born in this city in March, 1878, and is a son of H. K. and a grandson of William Webster Wood.
The Wood family is an old colonial one that came to New England from England in 1637 and established itself in New Hampshire. William Webster Wood, the grandfather of William W., came from Hollis, New Hampshire, to Piqua, Ohio, in 1837, and shortly afterward the father of William W. Wood was born, the latter be- ing in the third generation of the family in this city.
William W. Wood went from the Piqua High School to Phillips Academy, at Exe- ter, New Hampshire, where he was gradu- ated in the class of 1898. When he re- turned home he went to work for the Piqua Electric Company, remaining until Decem- ber, 1899, and then entered the employ of the Philadelphia Clay Manufacturing Company, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Two years later he retired from that company and came back to Piqua and soon after- ward was one of the incorporators of the Wood Shovel & Tool Company, of which he continues to be secretary and treasurer. The industry is one of importance and Mr. Wood possesses the energy and enterprise to make it a leading one of this section.
In politics, Mr. Wood is an ardent Re- publican and stands very high in the coun- cils of his party. He is chairman of the Republican County Central and County
Executive Committees and possesses the tact and diplomacy which are so necessary to make these offices effective in maintain- ing party harmony and securing tangible results. Socially he is a member of the Piqua and the Cosmopolitan Clubs, and fraternally he is a Mason. He has mem- bership in the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church.
A. J. IDDINGS, president of the Citi- zens' Bank of West Milton and for many years a prominent citizen of Union Town- ship, is located on a farm between West Milton and Pleasant IIill and is the owner of 440 acres of land, all located in Miami County. He was born in Newton Town- ship, in 1842, and is a son of Benjamin and Barbara (Hill) Iddings. His grandfather was one of the pioneers of Newton Town- ship.
Benjamin Iddings was born on the same farm as the subject of this sketch and lived in Newton Township all his life. He al- ways farmed as a business and lived to reach the age of eighty-eight years. He married Barbara Hill, and ten children were the offspring of their nnion.
A. J. Iddings attended the district schools of his native township, and then turned his attention to agricultural pur- suits which he has always followed. A man of great industry and foresight, he made steady advancement and accumu- lated land piece by piece until he was pos- sessed of 440 acres of valuable land. He was one of the organizers and second president of the Citizens' Bank of West Milton, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $30,000. The other officers are: A. Pfifer, first vice president ; C. Em- erich, second vice-president; Ira Minnich,
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cashier; and Ada Gnagey, assistant cash- serving an apprenticeship of three years ier. The Citizens' Bank, baeked as it is by men of substance and officered by men of demonstrated business capacity, takes ligh rank among the financial institutions of Miami County. At the present time there is in the course of construction on Miami Street a new building, with marble front, to be devoted entirely to the busi- ness of this institution.
Mr. Iddings was united in marriage with Miss Melinda Haskett, who prior to her marriage lived west of West Milton, in Miami County. They have one son, Esty, who lives across the road from his father and follows farming. The last named was married to Miss Inlu Coate and they have two children, John and Nellie. The sub- ject of this record is a veteran of the Civil War, having enlisted in 1864 as a member of Company H, 147th Regiment, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry. He served until the ex- piration of his term of enlistment. In politics, he is independent and not bound by any party ties. Fraternally he is affili- ated with the Masons, and also the Pat- rons of Husbandry. He and his wife are consistent members of the Christian Church.
JOSEPH M. FINK, county commis- sioner-elect of Miami County and a rep- resentative business man of Piqua, was born in Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio, in 1853, and is a son of the late D. P. Fink, who came to Perry Conn- ty, Ohio, when a small boy, from Pennsyl- vania, and to Miami County about 1845. He engaged in farming in Washington Township, where he died in 1880.
When his school days were over, Joseph M. Fink learned the machinists' trade,
with Bowdel Brothers, and then going to Dayton, where he worked for three years more as a machinist. Mr. Fink then moved to a farm near Piqua and was engaged in agricultural pursuits for the next twenty- two years. In 1904 he sold his farm and came to Piqna, where he has since been en- gaged in a general contracting business, doing a large amount of work for the coun- ty in the way of ditching and making a specialty of sewer construction. He has always taken an active interest in politics, his father being also an ardent Republican, and Mr. Fink has frequently been elected to responsible offices. For six years he served as township trustee of Washington Township, for fourteen years was a mem- ber of the township board of education, and for two years was president of the Piqua Farmers' Institute. In November, 1908, he was elected a county commission- er of Miami County and will assume the duties of this office in September, 1909. In 1881 Mr. Fink was married to Miss Lida M. Hunter, who was born and reared in Miami County and is a daughter of James W. Hunter. They have two daugh- ters, Fannie M. and Elsie B. Mr. and Mrs. Fink are members of the First Presby- terian Church at Piqua.
JOHN MUMMERT, one of Newberry Township's most respected retired citi- zens, resides on his valuable farm of 1311/2 acres, which lies on the Stillwater Turn- pike Road, two miles north of Bradford, Ohio, was born in York County, Pennsyl- vania, October 6, 1844, and is a son of Jo- seph and Catherine (Orris) Mummert.
The father of Mr. Mummert died in Darke County, Ohio, when aged twenty-
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five years. His widow later married Jo- seph Risser, and she died in March, 1901. She was brought to York County from Ger- many, in infancy, and there grew to wom- anhood and married Joseph Mummert. Three years later they came to Miami County, Ohio, and settled first at Troy but later moved to near Horatio, in Darke County.
Jolm Mummert was reared by his step- father. on his farm in Darke County, and there he attended the district schools in his boyhood. He continued to live at home until he married, and remained in Darke County until 1878, when he came to Miami County and bought his present farm in Newberry Township. Mr. Mummert found the buildings in poor shape on the place and replaced nearly all of them, building a fine frame residence, and has made many excellent improvements. He no longer en- gages in farm labor himself, having rented the property to a good tenant.
In November, 1868, Mr. Mummert was married to Mis Eliza Ann Miller, who died .July 19, 1908. This estimable woman was born in York County. Pennsylvania, but was reared in Miami County, Ohio, by her parents, who were David and Nancy Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Mummert had four children, of whom the only survivor is the youngest. Kathryn, who is the wife of John Eiken- berry; they reside with Mr. Mummert. The three older children-a babe, Joseph and David, all died in infancy. Mr. Mum- mert is a deacon in the Brethren Church.
CHARLES A. HARSHIBARGER is en- gaged in general farming and tobacco raising on his farm of tifty aeres, located two miles northwest of West Milton, and is a representative of one of the old and
prominent families of that vicinity. He was born in Union Township in 1870, and is a son of Lloyd and Electa (Sherer) Harshbarger, and a grandson of George and Mary (Penny) Harshbarger. His par- ents now reside about two and one-half miles west of West Milton.
Charles A. Harshbarger attended the public schools of Union Township and at an early age took up agricultural pursuits. Ile farmed in different parts of the town- ship until 1900, when he purchased his present excellent farm of fifty acres. He remodeled the house and erected a tobacco shed, and has one of the most attractive places in this section of the county. He has always followed general farming and at the present is meeting with much sile- cess at tobacco growing. In January, 1891, Mr. Harshbarger was united in marriage with Florence E. Black, a daughter of .Jo- seph E. Black, who is a well known resi- dent of Miami County. They have one daughter, Gladys. In religions attach- ment they are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church of West Milton. Polit- ically, he is a Republican.
GEORGE SIEGEL, owner of 150 acres of farm land in Concord Township, located on both sides of the Troy and Covington Pike, about one and a half miles north- west of Troy, comes of an old and prom- inent family of Miami County. He was born in the outskirts of the city of Troy, February 22, 1870, and is a son of William and Mary (Shaffer) Siegel, who were na- tives of Germany. The paternal grand- father of the subject of this sketch was engaged in farming in that country.
William Siegel. the father. lived in Ger- many until after his marriage and the
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
birth of three of their children, and at that time set sail for the United States. Upon arriving in New York City, he bought transportation to Troy, Ohio, and arrived at this place with but one dollar in his pockets. He went to work in a brick yard at a salary of but fifty cents per day, and continued at that employment for three years. Although the wages were small, by a rigid practice of economy and a denial of all but the necessaries of life they made steady progress toward better things. For some years they used their old trunk for a dining table, and it is now numbered among the treasured possessions of their son, George. At the end of the three years he went with his family to live in a log cabin on the farm of old Mr. Harter in Elizabeth Township, by whom he was paid to clear the land. He was paid for cutting and hauling cord wood, and was given what he could raise on the place. Upon leaving that farm, he for thirteen years was in charge of the big farm of Mr. Har- ter's, which now is included within the in- corporated limits of Troy, at that time a small place. While living there he pur- chased the farm of Lee Rollands, which was mostly cleared and is located in Con- cord Township. He erected all the build- ings now standing and lived on this farm the remainder of his days. From an hum- ble beginning he attained a respected posi- tion in the community. His death occurred on the morning of the inauguration of President Cleveland in 1893, he being at that time seventy years of age. His widow still survives him and at the advanced age of eighty-one years makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Mary Connor. William and Mary (Shaffer) Siegel were parents of the following children: Floyd; Tiny;
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