USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 94
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 94
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ZENAS PIERCE,* who for twelve years has served as justice of the peace at Pleasant Hill, is one of the substantial as well as representative men of this section, owning two improved town properties and an excellent farm of forty-six acres situ-
ated in Newton Township. He was born in Union Township, Miami County, Ohio, April 17, 1834, and is a son of Samuel and Millie (Iddings) Pierce.
Samuel Pierce was born in Pennsyl- vania, October 15, 1785, and lived to be seventy-eight years of age. His parents took him to Virginia when eight years old and when nineteen he came to Ohio and lo- cated in Miami County, building the third log cabin that was erected in West Milton. He was a carpenter and wagonmaker by trade. Although he acquired many farms he did little actual farm work after clear- ing up his first property, finding profitable employment for his time in work at his trade and also in dealing in farm lands and in stock. He had fourteen farms at one time and to each of his twelve chil- dren he gave a good property. He was a Republican in politics and served for two terms as county commissioner. On May 3, 1810, he married Millie Iddings and they had the following children: Ruth, Mar- garet, Malinda, Gainer A., Almira, Sam- uel, William, Hannah, Mary, John, Clark- son, Zenas and Benjamin, the last men- tioned of whom died an infant.
Zenas Pierce attended the district school in Union Township nearest his home and then worked on the farm for his father until he reached his majority and then went to farming for himself in the same neighborhood and remained on the farm until he was about forty-five years old and then conducted a hardware store at Brad- ford for seven years, after which he moved his store to Pleasant Hill. He soon took so active an interest in the public affairs of the place that he was elected a member of the town council and subsequently jus- tice of the peace, in which office he has
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served his fellow citizens to their entire satisfaction, dispensing justice impartial- ly and according to legal procedure. He has been a zealous Republican ever since he cast his vote for John C. Fremont for President of the United States.
Mr. Pierce was married (first) Septem- ber 6, 1854, to Elizabeth McCormick, who died May 2, 1880. Her parents were Ja- cob and Hannah (Hiatt) McCormick, the latter being a daughter of William and Elizabeth Hiatt. The children of Jacob McCormick and wife were: Amy, Syl- vanus, Lacy, Nancy, Eliza, Robert, Eliza- beth, Rohanna, Aaron, Lewis, Hannah, Jennie, Margaret and William. Jacob McCormick resided on his farm of 160 acres in Franklin County, Indiana, and also owned eighty acres in Stark County. He died in February, 1871, and his burial was at Marion, Indiana. In politics he was a Republican. He was a member of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Pierce was married (second) September 27, 1880, to Hannalı Jennie McCormick, a sister to his first wife. He has seven children, all born to the first union: Clarkson, John, Hannah, Samuel, Abraham S., Zenas and Roland N.
For a period of thirty-five years, Mr. Pierce has been a member of the lodge of Odd Fellows at Pleasant Hill, in which he has passed all the chairs. He is also a charter member of the local Grange. His religious connection is with the Society of Friends, in Union Township.
SAMUEL CARRIE BECHTOL,* mer- chant and assistant postmaster at Brandt, where he does a business of $5,000 annu- ally, was born at Brandt, Betliel Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, August 21, 1873,
and is a son of Joseph and Helen (Bless- inger) Bechtol.
Joseph Bechtol was born in the town of German, Ohio, and obtained his education in the schools of Darke County, after which he learned the blacksmith's trade and in that capacity established himself at Brandt. Later he engaged in a mercantile business in Adams County, Indiana, eight months later moved to Greenville, where he followed merchandizing for twenty-one months, and then conducted a store at Brandt for three years. Mr. Bechtol then closed out his stock and resumed work as a blacksmith. For a time he resided on his farm of forty acres, which he had in- herited from his father, in Darke County, and which is now operated as a truck and nursery farm by his oldest son, Charles Bechtol. Mr. Bechtol has not been active in business for some time, his health not being of the best. He has been postmaster at Brandt since 1905 and is a stanch sup- porter of the Republican party. He mar- ried a daughter of G. W. Blessinger and they have four children: Charles, who married Maude Brown, daughter of Hiram Brown, of Brandt; George Harrison, who married Emma, daughter of John Har- ness; Samuel Carrie; and Joseph Earl, who married Grace Allen, daughter of Jackson Allen, and has one son, Howard J.
Samuel Carrie Bechtol obtained his ed- ucation at Brandt and Greenville, Ohio, and began to earn his first money by act- ing as a clerk in a grocery store, about 1899, and he has continued to be interested in the mercantile line ever since and now owns a first-class store stocked with gen- eral merchandise. In addition to this he conducts a wholesale and retail ice cream business and he owns four town lots at
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Brandt. Ever since his marriage he has lived continuously at Brandt and is one of the town's most representative citizens.
On February 22, 1903, Mr. Bechtol was married to Miss Velma Iola Brown, a daughter of Hiram and Hattie (Gantz) Brown, and they have two children, Feta Iola, residing at home, and an infant. Mr. Bechtol was reared in the German Re- formed Church, of which his parents are worthy members.
JOHN C. RUDY,* who comes of an old and well known family of Newton Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of eighty acres of land in Section 15, Range 5. He follows general farming and tobacco raising, and in addition has for many years been engaged in the threshing busi- ness. He was born in Newton Township, May 28, 1868, and is a son of Levi and Susan (Deeter) Rudy.
Levi Rudy was born in Newton Town- ship, Miami County, where his father was among the pioneer settlers. He attended the primitive schools of his boyhood days and at an early age began farming. He first owned a farm in Section 9, Newton Township, which he later sold to a brother, and then bought sixty acres in Section 4, which is now owned by his heirs. He died March 2, 1907, and was buried in the Cov- ington Cemetery. He married Susan Dee- ter, a daughter of Abraham and Mary Deeter, and she now resides in Covington. The following were born of this union : Charles, John, Hannah, Samuel, Theodore, who died at the age of two years, and Jesse. Religiously, Mr. Rudy was a mem- ber of the German Baptist Church. He was a Democrat in politics.
John C. Rudy first attended school in
district No. 10, Newton Township, and grew to maturity on the home farm. When a young man he embarked in the thresh- ing business for himself, and for a period of twenty-nine years has followed this business with good results. After his mar- riage he settled on a farm in Section 4, Newton Township, but later purchased of the M. L. Mowery heirs his present farm of eighty acres, all of which is cleared and well improved but six acres. He has made many of the improvements on the place, including the erection of a tobacco shed and a corn crib, but the main buildings were standing at the time of its purchase by him. He has from eight to twelve acres in tobacco each year, but otherwise follows mixed farming. He also farms the old home place.
July 10, 1898, Mr. Rudy was united in marriage with Miss Della Furlong, a daughter of Samuel and Christiana Fur- long, and they have one son living, Har- old, who is attending the public schools. Two daughters, Ivy and Elma, died in infancy. Politically, Mr. Rudy is a Demo- crat, but aside from the office of township supervisor has filled no official positions.
BERT A. REED,* who is serving in his second term as city auditor of Piqua, Ohio, is a member of the Piqua bar and a pub- lic spirited and progressive citizen. He was born at Piqua, in 1878, and is a son of E. C. Reed, who is engaged in the car- riage manufacturing· business.
Mr. Reed was reared in his native place and attended the Piqua schools and after graduating from the High School, entered Phillips Academy, at Exeter, New Hamp- shire, going from there to the Ohio State University, where he was graduated in
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law in 1900. After practicing his profes- sion for about eight months at Tippecanoe City, he returned to Piqua; where he has been more or less prominent in public life ever since. In 1901 he was elected a justice of the peace and city clerk, and sub- sequently, under the new code, city auditor, an office he has acceptably filled ever since. In 1904 Mr. Reed was married to Miss Bessie E. Cathcart, of Piqua, and they have one son, Edward. Mr. and Mrs. Reed at- tend the Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Junior Order of American Mechanics, belongs to the Odd Fellows and is a Master Mason.
IRA JACKSON,* president of the Board of County Commissioners of Miami Coun- ty, a body of intelligent and public-spirited men, is a prominent citizen and a repre- sentative agriculturist, having resided all his life on a farm. He was born in 1867, in Butler Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, near the line of Miami County. J. L. Jackson, the father of Ira Jackson, was born in Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood. In 1864 he came to Ohio and located in Montgomery County and still resides on his farm in Butler Township.
Ira Jackson was reared and educated in Montgomery County and continued to re- side there until after his marriage in 1892. He then moved to a farm in Union Town- ship, Miami County, which he continued to cultivate and improve until 1906, when he purchased his present valuable farm of 175 acres, which is situated in Monroe Township. Mr. Jackson has thus been identified with agricultural pursuits all his life and is one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of this section of Ohio. For a number of years he has made a specialty
of Duroc Jersey swine and his annual sale, in February, is always cagerly anticipated by other breeders of fine stock. On Decem- ber 16, 1892, Mr. Jackson was married to Miss Minnie Eidemiller, who was born and reared in Miami County, a daughter of the late George W. Eidemiller, a well known citizen.
Mr. Jackson is a prominent factor in politics in Miami County and has fre- quently served in offices of responsibility. He was first elected county commissioner in November, 1902, and was re-elected in 1905 and made president of the board, his present term expiring on the third Monday in September, 1909. He is affiliated with the Masons and the Odd Fellows and be- longs also to the International Stock Ex- position of Chicago and to the American and National Duroc Jersey Association.
SAMUEL M. FETTER,* a well known resident of Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of 130 acres of farm land located three miles north of Bradford. He was born on this farm, De- cember 7, 1861, and is a son of Jacob and Catherine (Brumbaugh) Fetter.
Jacob Fetter was born about one mile east of the farm above mentioned, and was a son of Samuel Fetter, who was one of the pioneers of Newberry Township. Jacob was an early day school teacher and for more than forty years was a school di- rector. He held numerous other local of- fices and was a prominent man of the township. He lived to reach the advanced age of ninety years. He was first married to Anna Hogan, by whom he had four chil- dren. His second union was with Cather- ine Brumbaugh, who also was born in New- berry Township and was a daughter of
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Jacob Brumbaugh, who came from Penn- sylvania in 1804, and was four years of sylvania. They also had four children.
Samuel M. Fetter was reared on the home farm and attended the schools of this locality. He has been in the threshing busi- ness ever since he was fourteen years of age, and has also dealt in horses for the same length of time. He raises a high grade of Percheron-Norman horses and has been more than ordinarily successful in that branch of his business. In addition he follows general farming. He erected a fine barn on the home place in 1901, and two years later built the comfortable frame house in which he lives. Mr. Fetter was united in marriage with Miss Henrietta Miller, who is a daughter of Abraham Mil- ler, and they have three children-Myrtle May, who is the wife of Ashley Routson and has two children, Mildred and Mar- cella; Otto; and Raymond Le Roy. Mr. Fetter is a man of wide acquaintance and is held in high esteem.
MORRIS J. STILWELL,* for many years a prominent farmer of Washington Township, Miami County, Ohio, is now re- tired from active operations. His farm, located about three miles southwest of Piqua, was recently sold, and he and his estimable wife will in the spring of 1909 locate on West Boone Street, Piqua.
Mr. Stilwell was born on a farm in Staunton Township, Miami County, Ohio, October 27, 1840, and is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Sayers) Stilwell. Joseph Stilwell was born in New Jersey and was first married there to a Miss Claypole, by whom he had three children. As a young man he came west to Miami County, Ohio, and liere he formed a second union with Elizabeth Sayers. She was born in Penn-
age when her father, Thomas Sayers, moved with his family to Miami County, Ohio, settling southeast of Casstown.
Morris J. Stilwell was reared on a farm in Staunton Township and attended the local schools. He was scarcely twenty-two years of age when, on August 12, 1862, he enlisted for service in the Union Army as a member of Company A, 110th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf. He participated in many important engagements, eighteen in num- ber, and September 19, 1864, was wounded at O'Puken Creek, Virginia. He was hon- orably discharged at Providence, Rhode Island, July 7, 1865. At the close of the war he returned home and resumed farm- ing, which has been his occupation through- out his entire career. In 1882 he and his wife located upon the farm on which they have since lived.
Mr. Stilwell was married March 20, 1866, to Miss Angeline Darnold, who was born and reared in Piqua, and is a daugh- ter of William and Mary (Jones) Darnold. William Darnold was born in Fauquier County, Virginia, and was about ten years of age when his father, William Darnold, Sr., moved to Kentucky, settling on a farm near Carrollton. There the father died, and when about twenty-one years old, Will- iam, Jr., came to Piqua, Ohio, where he worked as a mason. He was the contractor in the construction of the First Baptist Church in this city. At the age of twenty- eight he was married for the third time. His first wife was a Miss McFarland and lived but four months after marriage. He was married a second time to Miss Mary Mitchell, whose death occurred four years after their union. His third marriage was with Miss Mary Jones, a daughter of Caleb
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and Susan (Anderson) Jones, who were early residents of Miami County. Mr. Jones located on a farm three miles east of Piqua on the Urbana Pike and lived there until his seventy-fifth year, when he sold out and moved to Piqua. His wife, Susan Anderson in maiden life, was born in Ken- tucky but was a mere baby when her par- ents came to Miami County. Her father was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Morris J. Stilwell and his wife became parents of the following children: Mary Elizabeth, who died at the age of seven years of typhoid fever; William Morris, who died of typhoid fever within eight days of the death of his sister, being five years old at the time; Harold Clifford; Joseph Creighton; and Charles Carroll. Harold Clifford Stilwell, who is in the lum-
ber business at Helena, Arkansas, married Miss Amma Angle, a daughter of Henry Angle of Piqua. Joseph Creighton Stil- well, who is in the real estate business in Denver, Colorado, married Miss Anna Thompson of Rochester, New York, and they have two children, Mary Elizabeth and Dorothy Margaret. Charles C. Stil- well married Miss Jean Thompson of Roch- ester, New York, and lives in Denver, where he has charge of the repair depart- ment of the National Cash Register Com- pany. Clifford and Charles Stilwell were members of the Third Regiment of Ohio Infantry during the Spanish-American War, and were stationed at Tampa, Flor- ida. Morris J. Stilwell and his wife are members of the First Baptist Church of Piqua, of which he is a deacon.
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