USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Centennial history of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Vol. I > Part 44
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Soon after his removal to Columbus, Mr. Neil resolved to own the Vance farm, which had taken his fancy, and after his disastrous speculation in flour. he had bought forty acres and a log cabin near Urbana and gave his attention to general agricultural pursuits. In 1818, however, he was offered the cash- iership of the old Franklin Bank of Columbus and came to the city to take his part in the management of one of its early financial enterprises. It was not long after this that he bought the first stage line in connection with Peter Zinn, the line extending from this city to Granville. This was the beginning of staging operations, which finally led to the contsruction of several railroads as the latter means of transportation superseded the former. Mr. Neil bought several stage lines, including one to Wheeling, one to Cleveland and one from Cleveland to Buffalo. He was also the owner of a line to Sandusky, through Delaware and Marion, Ohio; one to Marietta; one to Cincinnati; and one lead- ing toward Indianapolis. Many other branches were also established as the necessity of the times required. At one time he owned all the stage lines from Cumberland, Maryland, to St. Louis. In his operations in this field Mr. Neil was at one time associated with Jarvis Pike, who was a pioneer on West Broad street. The firm name was Neil, Moore & Company, but subsequently the business was merged into what was known as the Ohio Stage Company, with David W. Deshler, William Sullivant and others as partners of Mr. Neil. When railroad building became a factor in Ohio's development, this company built the first railroad to Xenia, completing the first line in 1845. As the state constitution then required that a certain amount of stock had to be subscribed before a company could organize, the Ohio Stage Company had to take nearly all of the stock. Shortly after the building of the first road the same company
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began operation of the Columbus and Cleveland line and this was followed by the building of the old Central Ohio and the Columbus, Piqua & Indiana, now the Panhandle West. It is a well known fact that no other agency has con- tributed in so large or prominent a measure to the development of the country as the railroad building and in this connection Mr. Neil deserves much credit, giving large financial support to many railway lines which have been an im- portant factor in opening up different sections of the state. He was at one time associated with practically every line leading out of Columbus and it was he who financed the first railroad between Columbus and Indianapolis, now a part of the great Pennsylvania system.
In the year 1828 William Neil purchased the Vance farm, thus realizing an ambition which he had cherished for a number of years. He then took up his abode upon the place, which comprised three hundred acres and which is now the University farm. His home occupied the present site of the lawn tennis grounds but the house was destroyed by fire in 1866, at which time it was occupied by William Neil, Jr. As the father saw opportunity for favor- able investment he made extensive purchases elsewhere and at one time was the owner of much of the land on which the city of Columbus now stands. He bought all of the land west of High street to the waterworks except the twenty-five acre Fisher tract and the Starr farm, now Goodale park, also the Hubbard tract, on High street, paying five dollars and up per acre for the property. Nearly all of this land was a forest of finest walnut and oak from which the first timber used in the old Neil house was cut. Mr. Neil also owned nearly three thousand acres west of High street, twenty-eight acres in Indianola being part of the orignal tract, which extended to the Harbor road, almost to the Mock road and south to Tenth street. The first residence of Mr. Neil in Columbus was on the northeast corner of Gay and Front streets and at another time he resided on Front street between Broad and Gay. Maintaining his residence in this city and county from 1818 until his death, he was not only a factor in its business development through his railroad operations and real-estate dealing but also contributed to public progress in his support of the various measures which advanced the material, intellectual, social and moral development of the community.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Neil were born six children, of whom one died in in- fancy. Robert E. Neil, the eldest son, was born in Columbus, May 12, 1819, was educated in Kenyon College of Ohio and in Georgetown College of the District of Columbia. On attaining his majority he began farming but finally abandoned agricultural pursuits and became connected with com- mercial interests. He was also a factor in the ownership of various manufac- turing enterprises which were an element in the city's growth, but he largely gave his attention to the management of his real-estate interests and invest- ment. In politics he was always a stalwart republican but never an office seeker. On the 30th of May, 1843, he married Jane M., daughter of William Sullivant. The second member of the family of Mr. and Mrs. William Neil was Mrs. Anna Eliza Dennison, the wife of Governor William Dennison, who was occupying the executive chair at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. The other members of the family are Mrs. General McMillan, William
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A., John G., and Colonel Henry M. Neil, the last named and Mrs. Dennison being the only ones now living. The death of William Neil, the father, oc- curred May 18, 1870, at the home of William Dennison, while Mrs. Neil passed away in February, 1868, at the age of seventy-four years.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Neil was always a most hospitable one, stand- ing with wide open doors in true Kentucky style. While Mr. Neil was prov- ing so important a factor in the development of the state and the promotion of its prominent industries, Mrs. Neil was giving of her time and means toward the moral progress of the community and to the amelioration of the hard conditions of life for the unfortunate. Her gifts included a lot on High street to the Methodist church, which lot was sold after the church was destroyed by fire, the sale price going toward the erection of a new church known as Wesley Chapel, at the corner of Broad and Fourth streets, where there is a bas-relief of her in the church wall. The Hannah Neil Mission, named in her honor, is a home for friendless women and children, to whom her heart ever went out most warmly and helpfully. She was one of the founders of the Female Benevolent Society, while her private charities were almost number- less. The memory of her life remains a blessed benediction to all who knew her, while many who shared her bounty entertain for her a feeling of deepest gratitude. No history of Columbus would be complete without extended men- tion of Mr. and Mrs. William Neil, each taking part in the development of the city and leaving their impress for good upon the annals of Ohio's fair capital.
TILLMAN PALSGROVE.
Tillman Palsgrove, who owns a valuable and well improved farm of two hundred and nine acres in Madison township, in the cultivation of which he is successfully engaged, was born on the 19th of November, 1845. His father, David Palsgrove, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1819, ac- quired a common-school education and in the year 1859 removed to Fair- field county, Ohio. He first worked at the shoemaker's trade for one year, subsequently was engaged in the operation of a rented farm for five years and on the expiration of that period bought a tract of thirty-five acres of land. Later he disposed of this farm and took up his abode in the southern part of Miami county, this state. He was a democrat in his political views and was a member of the German Reform church, in the faith of which he passed away in 1903. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza Candy, was born in Pennsylvania in 1820. The record of their children is as fol- lows: William M .; Mary E., who is deceased; James D .: Tillman. of this review; Anna Maria, who has also passed away; Sarah; Daniel F .; Thomas J .. deceased; Charles Henry ; and Sally, who died in infancy.
Tillman Palsgrove obtained his education in the common schools and in 1862, when but seventeen years of age, enlisted for service in the Union army, under Colonel Sanderson, as a member of Company C. Tenth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. He participated in many important battles. including
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the engagements at Murfreesboro, Laverne, Shelbyville, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Atlanta, Kenesaw Mountain, Lovejoy Station and Jonesboro. He also went with Sherman on the march to the sea and took part in the North Carolina campaign, doing some hard fighting at Columbia. At the battle of Big Shanty his horse was shot from under him, and being injured to such an extent that he was unfitted for active duty he was made orderly of the Third Division, continuing in that position until honorably discharged on the 10th of August, 1865. One dark night, while doing orderly duty, his horse fell upon him and he thus received other severe injuries that necessitated his confinement for eleven weeks, during which time he was cared for at the home of an aged couple. Though his military service was often of a hazardous and difficult nature, he never faltered in the performance of any task assigned him and returned home with a most creditable record. On once more taking up the pursuits of civil life he became connected with agricultural interests, in which he has been successfully engaged to the present time. His farm comprises two hundred and nine acres in Madison township and in the careful cultivation of the fields he has gained a gratifying measure of prosperity, being widely recog- nized as one of the substantial and enterprising agriculturists of the county.
On the 11th of December, 1870, Mr. Palsgrove was united in marriage to Miss Sarah J. Whims, whose birth occurred June 18, 1850. Their chil- dren are four in number, namely: William Henry, Tillman F., Altus M. and George A.
In his political views Mr. Palsgrove is a democrat and has served as road superintendent for two years. He is a devoted and faithful member of the German Reform church and still maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in the G. A. R. The circle of his friends is almost coextensive with the circle of his acquaintances and it is therefore with pleasure that we present the record of his life to the readers of this volume.
GEORGE D. JONES.
George D. Jones, who is widely known by reason of efficient public serv- ice in Columbus, as well as through his prominent connection with the bar of the city, was born near London, Madison county, Ohio, in 1856. His parents were John C. and Sarah A. Jones, the former born in Tennessee in 1817 and the latter in Richmond, Virginia, in 1820. The paternal grand- father of our subject came to America from England in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Prior to the Civil war both Mr. and Mrs. John C. Jones were ardent advocates of the abolition of slavery and aided in carry- ing on the operations of the underground railroad. The father was a well educated man for his time, was a ready and fluent talker and forcible in the argument of vital public questions. His political allegiance was originally given to the whig party and when the republican party was formed to pre-
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vent the further extension of slavery he joined its ranks and continued to support it until his demise in 1893. His wife, who passed away in 1887, was a woman of great benevolence and beloved by all who knew her. She was regarded as a most interesting and entertaining conversationalist and possessed moreover a deep love of literature, espcially of poetry and history.
The youthful experience of George D. Jones were not of an unusual char- acter. He seems to have manifested a studious turn of mind and took little interest in the sports of his day. Throughout his entire life he has mani- fested the taste of the scholar and his reading and research have carried him far into the realms of knowledge. When but seventeen years of age he began teaching in the country schools and followed that profession for three or four years. He had himself previously attended the common schools and also an academy of the district but did not graduate from a collegiate insti- tution. His education, however, has been very much more thorough and comprehensive than that of many a college bred man because of his love of literature and his wide reading. In early youth he made a study of the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Theodore Parker and W. E. Channing and became a supporter of Unitarian doctrines. He has also long been a student of the subject of evolution, is fond of scientific propositions and be- lieves that scientific principles underlie all things.
Tiring of teaching in the country schools and working in the fields through the summer months, Mr. Jones took up the study of law, mastered, many of the principles of jurisprudence, was admitted to the bar and has since been very successful in his profession. His practice has been of an important character, connecting him with much litigation that has figured prominently in the court records of the city. His mind is naturally analyti- cal and inductive and his reasoning is therefore sound, while his deductions follow in logical sequence. His professional labors have brought him gratifying success and he now owns some real-estate. He has great faith in agricultural pursuits as a method of securing an honest subsistence and for the promotion of morality and high civic ideals. He takes Jefferson as his ideal as regards all political and social organizations: common opportunities for all; special privileges for none. He was born and bred a republican but left that party on account of the tariff and financial policies of its leaders During the period of his residence in Columbus he has filled a number of important political offices, serving as city solicitor, president of the council and member of the board of public service, discharging the duties of each with marked fidelity.
In 1877 Mr. Jones was married to Miss Eva J. Lattimer, who died in 1899. In 1901 he wedded Mrs. Deborah H. McDonald nee Holloway. Two children of the first marriage survive, Margaret Fuller and Grace Lattimer Jones, while a son, Emerson Jones, died in 1885. Mr. Jones is modest and unpretentious as well as energetic and enterprising and stands high in pub- lic estimation as a useful citizen. He has never felt inclined to enter mer- cantile pursuits and has always abhorred stock speculation and its cognate methods. He is exceedingly independent in religious as well as in other lines of thought, preferring to form his opinions from his own study and
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investigation. Withal he confesses a liking for theological investigation and though not a member of any church, he attends the Presbyterian service with his family. He belongs to the Woodmen of the World and has appreciation for the social amenities of life. He is well known as a clear and entertain- ing writer and a forcible and instructive speaker.
JOHN F. BACHMAN.
John F. Bachman, who owns and operates a valuable and well im- proved farm of two hundred acres in Madison township, was born on the 6th of September, 1864. Throughout his entire business career he has been connected with agricultural interests and resides on the old homestead farm in Madison township, which was purchased by his father in 1866. It orig- inally comprised fifty acres but he has since extended its boundaries by the additional purchase of one hundred and fifty acres, so that the property now embraces two hundred acres of rich and productive land, in the cultivation of which he is successfully engaged.
In 1890 Mr. Bachman was united in marriage to Miss Luresa A. Sarber, whose birth occurred September 16, 1869. They now have the following children : Stanton L., a student in the University at Columbus; Homer C., who is attending school at Canal Winchester; Elmer L., Helen C., and Alma M., who are grammar school students; and Alice E.
Mr. Bachman is a stalwart democrat in his political views and takes an active and helpful interest in the local work of the organization, having served as township trustee for one term and as a member of the board of education for two terms. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Lutheran church. His labors are well directed by sound judgment and, realizing the fact that zeal and energy constitute the basis of success, he has pursued his work diligently year after year and is now well known and highly esteemed as one of the substantial agriculturists and public-spirited citizens of the community.
JOSEPH WESLEY McCORD.
Joseph Wesley McCord, who is conducting an extensive business under the firm style of McCord & Kelly, was born in Bainbridge, Ross county, Ohio, September 11, 1850. His father, N. E. McCord, was also a native of Ross county, spending his entire life at Bainbridge, where he learned and followed the millwright's trade. The grandfather of our subject was born in 1802. in Pike county, Ohio, and was of Irish lineage, for his parents came to the new world from the Emerald isle. From southern Ohio he removed to Ross county, becoming one of its early settlers, closely identified with its development as the region was transformed from a frontier district into one
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of the rich farming regions of the state. In the days when a militia com- pany constituted a feature in every community he was a prominent factor in the training of the troops, serving with the rank of captain.
N. E. McCord was reared amid the wild scenes and environments of pioneer life and as the years passed continued to engage in business in the place of his nativity. He married Sarah Bridwell, a native of Pike county, Ohio, and a representative of one of the old pioneer families of the state. Her father was a veteran of the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. N. E. McCord reared their family at Bainbridge and there the mother passed away in 1901, while the father's death occurred in the fall of 1906 when he was seventy-nine years of age.
Joseph W. McCord was a student in the common schools of Bainbridge to the age of seventeen years and then began earning his own living as a clerk in a store there. He was thus employed until 1876 when he came to Columbus and started in business as a grain dealer, continuing alone until 1881. A partnership was then formed under the firm style of McCord & Decker and through the succeeding four years the partners not only made extensive shipments of grain but also operated several grain elevators. In 1885 the firm became McCord & Kelly and the business has been continued under the same name to the present time although Mr. Kelly has long since retired, leaving Mr. McCord as sole owner of the business. He buys from country shippers in carload lots only and sends large exportations to the southern and New England states. He likewise handles grain and is numbered among the largest shippers of Columbus. While not all days have been equally bright, his rich inheritance of energy and determination has enabled him to turn defeats into victories and threatened failure into success. His strict integrity, business conservatism and judgment have always been so uniformly recog- nized that he has enjoyed public confidence to an enviable degree and natur- ally this has brought him a business that through times of general prosper- ity and general adversity alike has constantly increased. He has a branch establishment conducted under the name of D. S. Cook & Company at Basil, Fairfield county, Ohio, and has elevators, mills, lumberyard, planing-mill and hay storage located there. He is likewise secretary of the Ohio Ship- pers Association, secretary of the Ohio Grain Dealers Association and the secretary and general manager of the Ohio Grain Dealers Mutual Fire In- surance Association. It was largely due to his influence and efforts that the last named association was organized. It is today an important and success- ful factor in grain insurance and continues as a visible evidence of the busi- ness enterprise and ability of Mr. McCord. He is the vice president and a director in the Grain Dealers National Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Indianapolis which carries eight million dollars in risks, he is also the legal representative of the Millers Mutual Fire Insurance Association of Illinois, with home office at Alton, Illinois.
Mr. McCord has been married twice. He first wedded Laura J. Kelly, a daughter of the Rev. A. C. Kelly. She died in October, 1905, leaving four daughters ; Caroline, now the wife of W. S. Butterfield, of Battle Creek, Michigan ; Estelle, the wife of N. Woodward, of Columbus; Ettie, the wife
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of Paul Delong, of Columbus; and Josephine, the wife of Fred Vercoe of this city. In October, 1907, Mr. McCord was again married, his second union being with Miss Mabel Root, of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Mr. McCord is a member of the Ohio Club and the Masonic lodge. He became one of the charter members of the Board of Trade and has been actively identified with it since its organization. He also became a charter member of the Ohio Grain Dealers Association in 1880 and he is today one of the most prom- inent grain dealers of this section of the country. He has always given close attention to the study of railroad transportation and conditions and his thorough understanding thereof has been one of the strong elements in his success. There has been nothing sensational in his career. no spectacular moves in the business world and yet he stands in a leading position among the grain shippers and dealers and association workers and supporters of the middle west, strong in his ability to plan and perform. strong in his honor and good name.
GUSTAVUS SWAN INNIS.
Inasmuch as he was born in Franklin county at a very early period in its development and for many years was associated with its improvement in agricultural lines and inasmuch as he was a valiant soldier of the Civil war and for two years warden of the state penitentiary, while later he engaged in surveying and civil engineering, the life record of Colonel Gustavus S. Innis cannot fail to prove of interest to many of the readers of this volume.
He was born February 4, 1819, and was a son of Henry Innis, who. cast in his lot with the earliest settlers of this locality. He had been mar- ried on the 10th of June, 1813, to Isabel Clifford Pegg, a daughter of Elias and Elizabeth Ansettler Pegg. Near the close of the war of 1812 her father received a good offer for his farm in Jefferson county and on selling his property proposed that his sons-in-law, Henry Innis and Ephraim Fisher, should accompany his to Franklin county, Ohio. They journeyed westward on horseback, it requiring an entire week to make the trip, and in 1817 they removed their families to this locality. At that time Mr. Innis established
a little tavern or hotel on the south side of Broad street alinost directly op- posite the site of the county courthouse at that time. He also opened a blacksmith shop and worked at his smithy and also conducted his hotel for four years. Later he removed from Franklinton to his farm in Clinton township, taking up his abode thereon in 1820. He had few white neigh- bors but Indians still visited the locality and the wolves frequently made the night hideous with their howling. Other wild animals were to be seen and deer and much smaller game were to be had in abundance. Most of the settlers lived in log cabins, which were heated by fireplaces and lighted by candles. There were few, if any, luxuries in those days and even many of the comforts of life were denied the early settlers, but Henry Innis and other of his associates were determined, resolute men and as the years
COL. GUSTAVUS S. INNIS
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passed they converted this wild district into an attractive center of civiliza- tion. The first school of the neighborhood was established in a little one- room cabin on land belonging to Rev. Matthews and Lura Matthews became the first teacher there.
It was there Colonel Gustavus S. Innis attended school and gained his knowledge of elementary branches. He mastered the lessons assigned him and, progressing along intellectual lines, he too became a teacher in 1837, conducting school in a little log cabin on Allum creek. He taught in all for about ten years and was regarded as one of the competent educators of that early day. The cause of education always found in him a worthy and helpful friend, and he later served as a member of the county board of school examiners, and for thirty years he was a school director and a mem- ber of the township board of education.
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