USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Century history of Delaware County, Ohio and representative citizens 20th > Part 105
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Wellington Slack was reared on the home place and in his youth attended the schools of that vicinity. He has farmed the property ever since old enough, and still does at the present time, although he has lived in Ash- ley since 1892. He was one of the organizers and incorporators of the Farmers' Savings Bank Company, and has served as director since its inception in February, 1905. and as president since January 1, 1907. He is one of Ashley's most successful business men and public spirited citizens.
February 7. 1900, Mr. Slack was united in marriage with Mary Lanius, who was born in Greencamp, Marion County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Henry and Mary Lanius. Po-
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litically, Mr. Slack is a Republican, and fra- ternally a charter member of the K. P. Lodge at Ashley.
EORGE W. MILLER, one of Dela- ware Township's representative citi- zens, who is owner of 150 acres of fine farming land, was born June 3. 1871, in Delaware Township, Dela- ware County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Catherine ( Siegfried ) Miller.
Henry Miller, his paternal grandfather, was a native of Pennsylvania, whence he came to Ohio in 1836, and settled on 8 acres of land, most of which was heavily timbered. He erected the brick house now occupied by George W. Miller, which is still in a good state of preservation, and here the remainder of his life was spent.
John Miller, who was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1827, came with his parents to Ohio, and his entire life was spent on the farm. to which he added from time to time, and at the time of his death, in 1886, it consisted of 270 acres. He made a specialty of sheep rais- ing, and became one of the township's leading citizens, serving as township trustee, to which office he was elected on the Democratic ticket, for many years. lle was a member of the Reformed Church, of which he was elder for many years, and in the faith of which his wife died in May. 1903. at the age of 72. Mr. and Mrs. Miller were the parents of seven children, namely : Frances, who is the widow of Johnson White, who resided in Delaware Township; Henry, who lives in Delaware Township; Forest, who was a resident of Troy Township, and was killed by a train. Decem- ber 7. 1907: Emma, who is now deceased ; AAmanda, who married John Price, of Troy Township; Minnie, who married Emery Sult, of lluntington, Indiana ; and George W.
sometimes marketing some of the hay. He has 175 head of sheep and from 15 to 20 cat- tle, and sells his milk to creameries in his section.
June 10, 1896, Mr. Miller was married to Millie Darst, who is a daughter of D. P. Darst. and to this union there have been born three children-Arthur C., Raymond L. and Wal- lace H. Mrs. Miller is a Presbyterian in her religious belief, while her husband is a mem- ber of the Reformed Church. In political mat- ters he is independent, casting his vote rather for the man than for the party.
DWARD WHIPPLE, a prosperous € farmer residing in Oxford Town- ship, Ohio, comes of one of Dela- ware county's oldest and most promi- nent families. He was born in Brown Township, December 10, 1852, a son of Lewis and Almira ( Brown) Whipple, and a grand- son of Reuben Whipple, mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
Lewis Whipple was born September 22. 1814. in Rhode Island. and was four years of age when his parents came to Delaware County, locating in what is Peru Township, Morrow County. Here he grew to maturity, receiving a limited education in the common schools of the pioneer type. In his early days he followed the trade of cabinet-maker. He and his brother James purchased 100 acres of land in the northwest part of Brown Town- ship which they afterward divided. Lewis Whipple cleared his 50-acre tract and farmed it with success, adding thereto from time to time until he was possessed of a large estate. He owned the 100 acres on which his son Edward now lives and the 5212 acres owned by Wellington C. Whipple, and at his death still owned 245 acres. He was a man of high principle, a credit to the community in which he lived, and his death. which occurred Sep- tember 28, 1904, was mourned as a sad loss by his fellow men. He married Almira Brown, who was born in Connecticut, AAugust.
George W. Miller received a common school education, and has always made his home on the old original farm. Ile owns 150 acres, but cultivates about 75 acres, rais- ing corn, oats, wheat, hay and potatoes, and | 1821, and who was a young girl when her peo-
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ple came west to Marion County, Ohio. In her latter years she resided with her son W. C. Whipple, dying March 4, 1908, at the ad- vanced age of 87. The following children blessed this union: Harriet, wife of Albert McCreary, now deceased, lived in Oxford Township: Adelia, wife of Orville Slawson; Samantha, wife of Charles Olmsted, lives in Washington, D. C .; AAdelia and Smith, twins. of whom the former is the wife of Samuel Primmer and lives in Marion County, and the latter died at the age of one year: Edward. subject of this sketch: Omar II., who con- ducted a store at Leonardsburg. but is now de- ceased: Wellington C., who lives on a farm adjoining the old home place: Laura, wife of Newton Grant, of AAshley; and one who died unnamed.
Edward Whipple attended the schools of his home district and lived at home until his marriage at the age of 25 years, Ile then moved to his present farm of 100 acres in the southwest part of Oxford Township. He made most of the improvements on this farm and has followed general farming and stock- raising with good results. In 1891 he erected a commodious home-one of the best in the vicinity.
March 15. 1877. Edward Whipple was joined in marriage with Eurema Adell Lea. a sister of Thomas W. Lea. She died in 1885. leaving three children, namely : Ona Lester, born October 2, 1878, a resident of Kingston Township, who married Blanch Riley and has three children-Norma. Dor- othy. and Riley; Winifred Isabel, born Febru- ary 5. 1881, who married Harry Blair of Columbus and has a son-Harry Mitchell ; Thomas Lea, born December 3. 1883, who died October 8. 1884.
Mr. Whipple married secondly, October 12. 1887. Cora Raines, a native of Brown Township and daughter of James and Lydia ( Evans ) Raines, who now live in Oxford Township. This union resulted in the follow- ing issue: Ray Arthur, born December 28. 1880: Claude Arnold, born November 20. 1804. and Clive Bryan, born September I. 1806. The last mentioned takes his second name
from the illustrious William Jennings Bryan. who upon being apprised of the fact by a sister of Clive Bryan, wrote a pleasing letter, which she still treasures. Politically, our subject is a Democrat and served three years as Town- ship trustee. Fraternally he is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry; Knights of Pythias, and Pythian Sisters, to which Mrs. Whipple also belongs.
ENRY M. ROGERS, a representative farmer and successful stock-raiser of Genoa Township, residing on his well-improved farm of 136 acres. was born in Genoa Township. Dela- ware County, Ohio, and is a son of Jeremiah H. and Sarah ( Prosser ) Rogers.
The Rogers family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction. It was the great-grandfather, Bixby Rogers, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio, as the pioneer of the family and after serving as a soldier in the War of 1812, in the follow- ing year entered land in Delaware County which he cleared and occupied until his death. He married in Pennsylvania and became the father of five sons, two of whom subsequently owned and cleared farms in Genoa Township.
Samuel Rogers, grandfather of Ilenry MI .. was born in Pennsylvania, August 26, 1804. and hence was nine years old when he was brought to Delaware County, where the rest of his life was spent. He taught the district school .during young manhood and also en- gaged in farming. He continued to live on the homestead until 1846, when he bought 50 acres of the farm in Genoa Township now owned by his grandson, Henry M., which he cleared and partly improved. In Genoa Town- ship he married Sarah Closson, who was born in Pennsylvania and was a daughter of Daniel Closson, who was born in Pennsylvania. Oc- tober 19, 1794, and who was a pioneer settler of Genoa Township, to which he came in 1818. Ile took up a farm which was then covered with timber and which he cleared. He brought with him three children and seven more were born to him in Genoa Township. In 1850 lie
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moved to Illinois, where he died nine years later. One son, Jeremiah IL., was born to Samuel Rogers and wife. In politics, Samuel Rogers was a Democrat.
Jeremiah H. Rogers was born July 3. 1832, in Genoa Township. He attended the district schools and grew to manhood on his father's farm. In 1851 he was married in Genoa Township to Sarah Prosser, who was born in Pennsylvania, March 6, 1833. There were nine children born to this union-seven sons and two daughters-namely: George A., William Clark, Charles Daniel, Henry M., Samuel L., John P., Stephen H., Dora J. and Mary L. Like his father and grandfather, he was a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party.
Henry M. Rogers obtained his education in the district schools of Genoa Township. When he was 17 years of age, he left home and from that time on made his own way in the world. He purchased his present farm from his father and has made most of the substantial improvements on the place. He carries on general agriculture and raises quite a large amount of valuable stock.
On March 25, 1883, Mr. Rogers was mar- ried to Laura J. Meeker, who was born at Galena, Delaware County, being the second of four daughters of Wickliff C. and Mary L. (Cunningham) Meeker. Mr. Meeker came to Delaware County in boyhood and was reared by his uncle, Victor Arnoldl. and learned the tanning business which he followed in connection with farming. He was married a second time and reared seven children by that marriage. When Mrs. Rogers was 13 years old she went to reside in the home of her aunt, Margaret Yates, and she was educated in the schools of Delaware and Galena, and prior to her marriage taught school for two years. She is an intelligent, well-informed lady. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have three chil- dren-Leonard G., born June 20. 1884: Edna G., born December 15, 1892; and Monna M., born April 25, 1895. Mr. Rogers and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow and politically he is active in the Democratic party.
ORACE A. SILVERWOOD, whose fine farm of 87 acres is situated in Troy Township. is a well-known agriculturist of this section and is a survivor of the great Civil War. He was born October 13. 1845, in Wayne County, Michigan, and is a son of James F. and Eliza- beth ( McPherson) Silverwood.
Both parents of Mr. Silverwood were born in Pennsylvania, but the ancestry on the pa- ternal side was English and on the maternal Scotch. John McPherson, the maternal grand- father of Mr. Silverwood, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and from the same family came the brave and beloved General McPherson, who fell in front of Atlanta. In 1859, James F. Silverwood moved from Wayne County, Michigan, to Delaware County, Ohio, settling in Troy Township, where he resided until his cleath at the age of 75 years. His widow, who survived him, attained the advanced age of ninety-three.
Since he was about 12 years of age, Horace A. Silverwood has lived in Troy Township. He attended the public schools and the High School at Delaware, and, for six months, the Ohio Wesleyan University. On May 10. 1864, he enlisted in answer to the call for 100- day men, entering Company C, One Hundred and Forty-fifth Regiment. O. V. 1., which was attached to the Army of the Potomac, and un- til his honorable discharge, in the following September, he was stationed mainly at Arling- ton Heights. Washington, D. C.
Mr. Silverwood married Mary E. Spauld- ing, who is a daughter of Ellis Spaulding, of Berkshire Township, Delaware County, and they have two children-Olney James and Jay Gordon .. The former is a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University, class of 1900, and is now principal of the High School at Newton, Kansas. The second son resides at home, assisting his father. He is a student in the Delaware High School, class of 1908.
In politics, Mr. Silverwood is a stanch Re- publican. Hle has served three years as town- ship assessor and in 1890, was census enumer- ator of Troy Township. He is a leading mem- ber and liberal supporter of Troy Chapel.
·
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Methodist Episcopal Church, a steward and a trustee in the same. Mr. Silverwood is largely a self-made man, having made his own way in the world after being equipped with a good education.
OHN J. MILLER. a representative agriculturist of Marlborough Town- ship, whose well-cultivated farm of 72 acres testifies to the intelligent care given it, is a well-known and highly respected resident of this section. Ile was born January 23, 1849. in Marion County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Sarah ( Patter- son ) Miller.
The father of Mr. Miller was born in Fair- field County. Ohio, and the mother in Penn- sylvania. The paternal grandfather was Ja- cob Miller, a native of Virginia, and an early settler in Waklo Township, Marion County. where he left a family. John Miller lived in Marion County for a long period. Ile mar- ried Sarah Patterson and five of their children still survive. John J. being the only one resid- ing in Delaware County.
John J. Miller was reared in Waldo Town- ship. Marion County, and obtained his edu- cation in the district schools. He has been a farmer ever since early manhond and from youth has been accustomed to an agricultural life, almost from that time having made his own way in the world. Through perseverance and industry, Mr. Miller acquired property and resided in Troy Township for a number of years prior to 1885. when he settled on his present farm in Marlborough Township.
On December 25. 1870. Mr. Miller was married to Susan Ashbrook, who was born in Delaware County, and is a daughter of Solomon Ashbrook, a former prominent resi- dent of Troy Township, who died in Septem- Ler. 1894. Mr. and Mrs. Miller had six chil- dren. of whom one is deceased, the five sur- vivors being. Charles, residing on the home farm: William. a resident of Troy Township : Alice, who is the widow of the late Oliver Clark, of Marlborough Township, and resides
in Troy Township: Carrie, who married ( if- ford Sherman, residing in Morrow County: and Lulu, residing in Marion County. Mr. Miller's son Charles married Ida B. Young. of Marion County. Both he and his father are stanch Republicans. Mr. Miller is a dea- con in the Baptist Church and formerly served as one of its trustees.
R OBERT R. DAVIS, chairman of the board of trustees of Radnor Town- ship, and a prominent and influential citizen of this section, resides on his valuable farm of 89 acres which he has placed under a fine state of cultivation. Mr. Davis was born December 12, 1854. in Radnor Township, Delaware County. Ohio, and is a son of John H. and Maria Davis.
The parents of Mr. Davis were natives of Wales. Atter marriage they emigrated to America and about 1842 settled in Radnor Township. Delaware County. Ohio. They there passed the remaining years of their lives. John H. Davis dying in 1893, having survived his wife for some years. He was a deacon in the Calvinistic Methodist Episcopal Church. at Radnor.
Robert R. Davis grew to manhood in Radnor Township, attending the local schools. and since youth has been engaged here in agricultural pursuits. In addition to cultivat- ing his ample farm, Mr. Davis has been en- gaged in the threshing business for the past quarter of a century, in partnership with H. H. Davis, under the firm name of R. R. and H. H. Davis. He is considered one of the substantial and representative men of his com- munity.
In early manhood, Mr. Davis was married to Elizabeth Davis, who was born in Radnor Township and is a daughter of the late: James Davis, formerly a well-known farmer of this section. Mr. Davis is affiliated with the Pres- byterian Church at Radnor, being a deacon in the same. Mrs. Davis belongs to the Con- gregational Church.
In his political views, Mr. Davis is a Re-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
publican. Ile has been an active member of his party and on many. occasions has been sent as a delegate to county conventions. He has done much to forward the cause of education in his township. For nearly eight years he has been township trustee and for a considerable part of this time has been chairman of the board. Mr. Davis belongs to the Odd Fel- lows at Radnor, and has passed all the chairs of Radnor Lodge. No. 250.
A NSON JAMES, a prominent citizen of Troy Township, one of her honor- able board of trustees, resides on his farm of 57 acres, which is situated near Troytown. Mr. James was born in Union County, Ohio, October 7, 1871, and is a son of Lemuel and Sarah A. ( Fogle ) James.
The parents of Mr. James were born in Noble County, Ohio, but they have resided at New Dover. Union County, for many years. Lemuel James has served a number of terms as township trustee of Dover Township and was a man of local prominence during his active years. His surviving children are : Sarah E., who married Frank Montgomery, residing at Marysville, Ohio ; Mary, who mar- ried William Bonnett, residing in Union County, Ohio; Lydia, who married William Walker, residing in Union County: Rose, who married Albert Phillips, residing in Union County; Elizabeth, who married George Black, residing in Union County; AAnson, whose name appears at the head of this sketch ; William, residing in Union County: Sylves- ter, residing in Scioto Township, Delaware County: Perry. a resident of Union County; Youtha, who married Charles Ligget, resid- ing in Union County: Florence, who married R. Benton, residing at Columbus ; and Emma, who married Percy Freshwater, residing in Delaware County.
Inson James was reared on his father's farm in Dover Township and attended the lo- cal schools through boyhood. afterward en- gaging in general agriculture. In the fall of
1897 he settled on his present farm, which he has placed under a good state of tillage, and raises hay, corn, wheat, oats and potatoes, with some stock.
Mr. James was married in Delaware County, to Louie Robinson, who is a daughter of the late John Robinson, of Troy Town- ship, and they have one daughter, Brunette. Mr. James is a member of the Baptist Church, to which his daughter also belongs. Mrs. James died January 20, 1908, aged 40 years, Io months and 28 days. Mrs. James was also a Baptist.
Politically, Mr. James is a strong Republi- Call. He is serving both as township trustee and as school director of District No. 7. and takes a great deal of interest in the perform- ance of his official duties.
ACOB A. MILLER, formerly a well- known farmer and highly respected citizen of Delaware Township, was born in this township in 1830. and spent his entire life on the home farm of 100 acres, on which he died October 3. 1881.
On September 13, 1864, Mr. Miller was married to Josephine Eury, who is a daughter of Jesse M. and Mary ( Kline) Eury, and a granddaughter of Samuel and Sarah Eury. who were farming people of Unionville, Mary- land. Jesse M. Eury was born near Union- ville. Frederick County, Maryland, March 25, 1813, and died December 21, 1890. He re- ceived a common school education, and early in life learned the trade of miller, at which he became an expert, for many years being a flour inspector at Baltimore. He made his way to Delaware, Ohio, on horseback, and followed milling here for several years, but finding that it did not agree with his health. he embarked in agricultural pursuits, settling in 1842 on a property about three miles south of Delaware. Later he removed to the Co- limbus Pike, but subsequently sold his prop- erty here and located on the Liberty Road, where he resided until his death, being en-
ZENAS L. WHITE
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gaged in farming and stock-raising. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. and his political views were those of the Dem- ocratie party. On March 28, 1839, Mr. Eury was married to Mary Kline, who was a daugh- ter of Michael Kline, of Berks County, Penn- sylvania, and they had one child-Josephine. Since the death of her husband. Mrs. Mil- ler has capably managed the home farm of 100 acres. about one-half of which is under cultivation, and raises large crops of corn. oats, wheat and hay, also giving some atten- tion to cattle raising. When Mr. and Mrs. Miller first located on this property the build- ings were in very bad condition, but in 1905 Mrs. Miller remodelled the house, having pre- viously erected new outbuildings which had been destroyed by fire. Mrs. Miller is a faithful member of the German Reformed Church.
ENAS LEONARD WINTE, presi- dent and manager of The Z. L. White Company, which conducts one of the most successful department stores of Columbus, Ohio, was for many years a resident and well known business man of Delaware, Ohio.
Mr. White was born in Brown Township. Delaware County, Ohio, and is a son of George and Elizabeth ( Leonard) White. His grandfather. Fisher White, whose given name was derived from his mother's maiden name. was born near Baltimore, Maryland, and was a farmer throughout life. In 1802 he re- moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania. and there lived until his death. George White was born in Washington County. Pennsyl- vania. in 1802. and lived there until after his marriage, then about the year 1825 moved with his family to Delaware County, Ohio. He located upon a farm in Brown Township and lived there until 1855, then sold out and moved to Centerburg. Knox County, Ohio. The last two years of his life were passed in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, where he died in Febru- ary, 1860. He was a member of Hiram
Lodge. No. 18. F. & A. M., of Delaware. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he assisted in building the church at Eden. He married Elizabeth Leonard, a daughter of Joseph Leonard, who came from Green County, Pennsylvania, at an early date and located in Brown Township. Seven children were born of this union, of whom our subject is the only one now living. Four grew to maturity, as follows: Eliza, de- ceased wife of Andrew Fry of Brown Town- ship: Leah, now deceased, formerly wife of James Sackett: Fisher, deceased; and Z. L. Franklin died when 13 years old.
Zenas L. White lived upon the farm until he was fourteen years of age. He attended the common schools of his home district and Centerburg High School two years, after which he attended Ohio Wesleyan University. He then went to Mt. Vernon and clerked in a dry goods store for two years, after which he returned to Delaware County, and in partner- ship with his brother, Fisher, opened a gen- eral store at East Liberty, Porter Township. under the firm name of F. & Z. L. White. They began in the fall of 1860 and after a time our subject purchased the interest of his brother, continuing there five years. He was then located in Cardington five years, and in 1870 moved his business to Delaware, where he continued alone, except for three or four years during which time he had a partner. until 1884. The success with which he had met prompted him to seek a larger field for operations, and in that year he removed to Columbus, locating at No. 102 High Street. where he still continues. There he first had as partners W. B. Denman and J. W. Stevenson, business being conducted under the firm name of White, Denman & Co. At the end of the first year he purchased the interests of his partners, and took into partnership his son. Homer E. White, and Mr. J. R. Lane, the firm name becoming Z. L. White & Company. The firm continued unchanged until the death of Mr. Homer E. White in 1892, Mr. Lane continuing in the business until 1807. at which time 7. L. White again become sole proprietor. In 1903 The Z. L. White Company was in-
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HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY
corporated, with Mr. White as president and manager, and has since continued the business with uninterrupted success. Mr. White is also identified with other business interests, being president of the Buffalo Fertilizer Company : president of the Pennsylvania Fertilizer Com- pany of Scranton, Pennsylvania ; president of the Columbian Building, Loan and Investment Company of Columbus ; and vice-president of the City National Bank. He founded the Ilomer E. White chair of economics at Ohio Wesleyan University shortly after the death of his son, with an endowment of $30,000, and in addition he contributes annually to its support. Hle has ever evinced a deep interest in educational matters, contributing liberally of time and money to the cause. He has been a trustee of Ohio Wesleyan University for a period of fourteen years, and served two years on the School Board for the city of Columbus, one year of that time presiding over that body. He also is a trustee of the Chautauqua Insti- tution at Chantauqua. New York: and is trustee and treasurer of the Protestant Hos- pital at Columbus.
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