Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 104

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 104

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

At Springfield, October 19, 1868, Mr. Harwood was married to Anna M. Hart- stone, and they had ten children, the fol- lowing of whom survive: Frank C., re- siding at No. 1054 East High Street, who is president of the Gazette Publishing Company ; Frederick H., who was an offi- cer of the Tenth Regiment, Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, during the Spanish-Ameri- can War, and served also for two years in the Philippines as sergeant-major of the Thirty-first Regiment; Lee Edward, Charles A., who resides at Birmingham, Alabama; Ralph C., who lives at Cleve-

land; Kenneth S., who resides at Bir- mingham, Alabama; Jessie Manton, who married John L. Bushnell, of Springfield; and Nannie L. Carter, residing at Cleve- land .

HOWARD SULTZBACH, a leading citizen of Moorefield Township, part owner of 200 acres of very valuable land which is situated in Section 32, on the Urbana Turnpike Road, about three miles from the center of Springfield, was born in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, March 20, 1856. He is a son of Joseph and Catherine (Longenecker) Sultzbach.

Both parents of Mr. Sultzbach were born in Pennsylvania, the father in York County, and the mother in Lancaster County, both stanch old German strong- holds. After their marriage they lived for some years on a farm of 100 acres near the town of Hellam, York County, and on that farm thirteen of their four- teen children were born. In 1855 Joseph Sultzbach brought his family to German Township, Clark County, Ohio. He had · sold the York County farm and for the first year in the new locality he rented land and then purchased 346 acres of land in Clark County, sixteen of which were in German Township. The former owner was John Grube, and he had built a large brick house, so that there was a com- fortable home on the new farm. Joseph Sultzbach prospered and in 1860 he built what is still one of the largest barns in Clark County, its dimensions being 112 feet in length by 50 feet in width. He was an intelligent, reliable man and soon became a leader among his fellow citizens and was frequently elected to responsible

1009

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

offices, serving both as trustee of German Township and of Moorefield Township, and also as county commissioner of Clark County. After a life of usefulness he died, in 1886. His widow survived until 1892.

The children born to Joseph Sultzbach and wife were the following: Henry, who lives in Harvey County, Kansas; Eliza- beth, who resides on the home farm; Frank, who lives in Mad River Town- ship; Joseph, who is engaged in farming in Bethel Township; John, who lives in Mad River Township; Catherine, who is the widow of J. J. McLean, formerly a grocer at Springfield, resides with her brother, Howard; Amanda, residing at Seattle, Washington, married Mark Wood; Hyman, who resides at DuBois, Iowa; Webster, who died in 1907, was a resident of Harmony Township; Bayard, who is deceased; Calvin, who was acci- dentally killed at Detroit, Michigan; George, who resides on a farm in Moore- field Township; Anna, who married John Humbarger, residing in Mad River Township; and Howard, the latter being the only member of the family born in Ohio.

Howard Sultzbach was one year old when his parents settled on the present farm, which is jointly the property of himself and his two sisters, Mrs. Cath- erine McLean and Miss Elizabeth Sultz- bach. Two railroads run through this farm, the Erie and Big Four and the Ur- bana Traction. Mr. Sultzbach manages the farm, carrying on general farming, stock-raising and dairying. He has never married. His sister, Mrs. McLean, at- tends to his domestic affairs and makes his home comfortable. She has one

daughter, Bessie, who married J. J. Cromwell. Like his late father, Howard Sultzbach is a stanch Republican. He takes a good citizen's interest in public affairs, but has never sought office, his preference being for the quiet, enjoyable life of an independent farmer.

JOHN TEMPLETON STEWART. It is deemed fitting and proper to give rep- resentation in this work to one who, though long deceased, left an impress on the affairs of Clark County which more than half a century of time has not effaced. A pioneer, coming in 1805, prior to the organization of Clark County, Mr. Stewart took an important part in the work of development, improvement and progress in this part of the state, both in private and official capacity. Aside from this, he gave to the community a large family of children, who became influential and of large affairs and have done much as individuals, some of them as public of- ficers, to add materially to the welfare and prosperity of Clark County.

John Templeton Stewart (1) was born in Hanover Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in 1781, and was a son of Samuel, Jr., and Nancy (Templeton) Stewart. He came of a prominent old colonial family in this country and traced his ancestry in Scotland back to John Stewart, a Scotch Covenanter of the sev- enteenth century, who fled from Scotland to County Down, in the North of Ireland, at the time when Charles II. of England was trying to force Episcopacy upon the Scottish nation, some time between the years 1660 and 1685. Of this early an- cestor we have record of but one son,

1010

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

Robert Stewart, who was born near Glas- part of Greene County, settling on the gow, Scotland, in 1665. The latter did not go to the Emerald Isle until the death of his father in 1720, then located in Dru- more Township, County Down, where he died ten years later.

Samuel Stewart, Sr., a son of Robert, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1698, and in 1720 emigrated to North of Ire- land with his father. In 1735, with his only brother, Huglı, he came to America, and after landing in Philadelphia, went to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1770. He married Mary McClay, and one of their ten children was Samuel, Jr.

Samuel Stewart, Jr., was born in Coun- ty Down, Ireland, and came with his par- ents to America. He was reared in Lan- caster County, where, about the year 1750, he settled on a farm of 100 acres in Han- over Township, for which he held a war- rant dated May 17, 1754. He served as a private in a battalion commanded by Colonel Tim Greene in the defense of the frontier, and in 1776 he became a member of the company commanded by Captain James Rogers of Lancaster, fighting for American Independence. He moved to Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and in 1785 served on the first grand jury of that county. He first married Nancy Temple- ton, a daughter of Robert and Agnes Tem- pleton, and after her death married Agnes Calhoun, a daughter of William and Hannah Calhoun. He died Septem- ber 16, 1803, and was buried in Hanover Cemetery.

John Templeton Stewart lived in his native county until 1805, when, with an older brother, Samuel E., he came west to what is now Clark County, Ohio, then a

bank of the Little Miami River. In 1813 he was elected justice of the peace, serv- ing continuously until 1838. He was the first clerk of Green Township, and served from 1837 until 1840 as associate judge of the Court of Common Pleas. In com- pany with his brother he purchased about 500 acres in Section 15, Green Township, erected a log cabin and set about clearing the land and converting it from its wild state to one of cultivation. There he lived and prospered, adding largely to his landed interests. His death on April 16, 1850, was mourned as a sad loss to the en- tire community.

Mr. Stewart was married March 2, 1815, to Miss Ann Elder, who was born in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in May, 1798, and was a daughter of Robert and Ann Elder, her people moving to Ohio in 1812. This union resulted in the birth of ten children, eight sons and one daughter growing to maturity, as follows: Juliana, wife of David Anderson, died in 1901, at the age of eighty-six years; Perry, a rec- ord of whom may be found in the sketch of David Wilmot Stewart; Elder Robert, a resident of Springfield; Samuel, who died near Kenton, Hardin County; Charles, a resident of Springfield, died October 26, 1902; Hon. James M., of Xenia, Ohio; Thomas, a resident of Green Township; Oscar N., a resident of Harmony Township; and William C., a resident of Green Township.

JOSEPH F. CRABILL, general farm- er and stock-raiser, of Springfield Town- ship, residing on a highly cultivated farm of 253 acres, part of which is the old

1011

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

Crabill homestead, was born on this farm February 1, 1859, and is a son of Thomas V. and Sidney (Yeazell) Crabill. He is the youngest of a family of fourteen chil- dren and has always lived on his present farm, engaged in agricultural pursuits. His education was obtained in the district schools of the township. Mr. Crabill is one of the most successful farmers of the township, and is extensively engaged in stock-raising, making a specialty of cat- tle, horses and sheep. With the excep- tion of twenty acres of timberland, the entire farm is under cultivation and in pasture, and is well equipped with com- modious and substantial buildings.

Mr. Crabill has been twice married, first to Minnie J. Smith, a daughter of Andrew J. Smith. She died September 27, 1897, leaving two children-Glenna L., a graduate of the Springfield High School, who also took a Normal course at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and now teaches at Benson's School, Springfield Township, and Robert E., who lives at home. Mr. Crabill was married secondly to Mrs. Flora J. (Jones) Lawrence, a widow, from Detroit, Michigan. She has one daughter by her first marriage, name- ly, Helen E.

GIDEON HARTMAN, a leading citizen of Pike Township, where he owns a valu- able farm of 113 acres, was born March 6, 1832, on his father's farm in York County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of Peter and Hannah (Myers) Hartman.

The parents of Mr. Hartman sold their farm in York County in the spring of 1837 and came to Ohio by wagon, stop- ping for one month at Springfield on the

way to German Township, where they bought the farm on which they both died. Peter Hartman died in 1872, aged seven- ty-seven years. His widow survived un- til 1889, dying in her eighty-seventh year. They were members of the German Re- formed Church. Their four children were: Maria, who married Eli Keiser; and Amos, Gideon and Lewis M., the lat- ter of whom was born after the family settled in Ohio.

Gideon Hartman was five years old when his parents took up their residence in German Township and he can remem- ber many of the incidents of their early settlement there. He assisted his father in clearing up the land and after the death of the father he came into possession of a part of the home farm, to which he added until he owned 158 acres. This property he sold to Americus James in 1891. In January, 1883, he bought his present farm in Pike Township and moved on it in the following March, and here he has been actively engaged in a general farm- ing line until recently, when he retired. In 1897 the residence was destroyed by fire, but Mr. Hartman soon built a larger and more substantial one. In addition to farming Mr. Hartman also conducted a dairy and for nine years sold milk in Springfield, his largest customer being the old St. James Hotel.

Mr. Hartman was married in German Township to Barbara Snell, who was born in Clark County, Ohio, a daughter of Daniel Snell, who came to Ohio from Vir- ginia at an early day. Mrs. Hartman died March 22, 1884, aged forty-four years. There were seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Hartman, namely : Oscar W., residing at Atchison, Kansas,

1012

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

married Clara Kline; Harrison F., died aged four years ; Ellen F., married George Lavey, residing in Clark County, and they have three children, Harvey, Bessie E. and Dorothy; Ida A., married Jacob Baugh, residing in Champaign County, Ohio, and they have the following chil- dren, Maude, wife of Wiley Gundolf, Jessie, Cecil S., Noah and Nola, twins, and Luther ; Peter, died aged six months ; Effie M., married David Flory, who farms the homestead, and they have the follow- ing children, Clara M., Emma C., Russell H., Inez M., Elmer F., Lavina E., Verna E. and Nellie A .; and Elmer C., who is engaged in a mercantile business, mar- ried Crista Bush, and they have had four children, Ludwig, Lucille, Christina and Louise. Mr. Hartman has a fine family of descendants. Several children and grandchildren have not survived in- fancy, but the larger number have de- veloped into men and women and boys and girls of physical strength and beauty and of mental capacity. Mr. Hartman's family belongs to the German Baptist Church, of the old order. He is one of Pike Township's most respected resi- dents.

CHARLES PARTINGTON, a retired farmer of Mad River Township, who owns eighty acres of valuable land on which he resides, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, July 17, 1836, and is the youngest child of James and Mary (Wil- son) Partington.

James Partington was born in England and came to America in boyhood, accom- panying his parents, who settled at Bran- dywine, Delaware, where he later became

superintendent of the Dupont Cloth Man- ufacturing Works. From there he went to Pennsylvania, where he was also en- gaged in a manufacturing business, and he was married in that state to Mary Wil- son. After their marriage they came to Ohio, and settled in Fairfield County. James Partington manufactured blank- ets, carpets and woolens at Knisley's mill in that county. About 1839 he came to Clark County and bought the farm now owned by his son, Charles, acquiring a paper-mill and water-power. This mill he changed into a woolen mill and en- gaged in a manufacturing business quite extensively, giving employment to a num- ber of men. Both he and wife died in advanced age on this farm. They had eight children, namely: James W., Rich- ard, Jane, Eliza, Mary, Martha, John and Charles, the latter being now the only survivor.

Charles Partington was a child when his parents came to the Mad River Town- ship farm. The mill then stood on the land, but all the surroundings were in a wild state, and even when Charles had grown old enough to be trusted with a gun, squirrels and turkey were yet plan- tiful on the home acres. As he grew to manhood he assisted in clearing the land and also worked in his father's factory. He obtained his education in the log school-house near his home, his teacher being James Hagen. After he had reach- ed manhood he began buying land, and kept on adding to the original tract until he owned 155 acres, seventy-five of which he has recently sold. After a time he opened up a stone quarry on his land, which was worked for a number of years, as long as it was profitable, and he still

CHARLES PARTINGTON.

1015

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

sells sand and gravel, furnishing a great deal of the gravel used in mending the roads in the township. Mr. Partington has always been considered a good busi- ness man. In addition to his other inter- ests he was engaged in dealing in horses, buying and selling for the Dupont Band- ing Company, of Brandywine.

Mr. Partington has never married. He resides in the old comfortable stone house which was built by his father and with him live Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Sparrow and their son, Ralph, the latter of whom now looks after the horse business. In politics Mr. Partington is a Republican. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

GEORGE L. KEDZIE, one of the early settlers of Mad River Township, an es- teemed citizen and prominent agricultur- ist, residing on a fine farm of 207 acres, was born August 5, 1821, and is a son of James and Margaret (Hume) Kedzie. The grandfather, Adam Kedzie, a native of Scotland, brought his family to Amer- ica in 1795, and settled on a farm in Dela- ware County, New York, where he re- mained until his death, some years later.

James Kedzie was one of his family of eight children: George, James, William, Adam, Elizabeth, Janet, Isabella, and Nancy, all now deceased. James Kedzie was married in New York State in 1804, to Margaret Hume, a native of Scotland. She came to America on the same vessel as Mr. Kedzie, accompanying her par- ents, Robert and Allison (Willson) Hume. In 1837 James Kedzie and family re- moved to Ohio and settled in Mad River Township, buying a large tract of tim-

bered land from Henry Bechth, who had entered it from the government. The family lived for a time in a log house which was found on the place, but in 1842 a frame house was erected. Three years later this house burned down. In 1852 the large ten-room brick house in which George L. Kedzie now resides was erected, and here both James Kedzie and his wife died, the former on May 28, 1860, and the latter in 1865. They were the parents of nine children: Adam, deceased; Allison, married Robert Hyde, both deceased; Margaret, married Orrin Penfield, both are deceased; Isabella, deceased; Robert, died while attending college in Now York; John H., deceased, went to Chicago in 1847 and became a large real estate owner, and his widow, Mrs. Mary E. (Kent) Kedzie, still resides there; Eliza- beth, married John Dewey, both are de- ceased; George L., and Jane Ann, who died, aged nine months.

George L. Kedzie was born on his fath- er's farm near Delhi, New York, and at the age of sixteen years came with his parents to Clark County, Ohio, and set- tled on his present farm. The trip from Delhi required about two weeks time, the travelers going first to Utica, New York, in a lumber wagon, thence to Buffalo by canal, from there to Cleveland, Ohio, by steamboat, then down the canal to Colum- bus, and from there to Clark County in wagons. Mr. Kedzie's education was re- ceived in the common schools previous to coming to Ohio. After reaching Clark County, although only a lad, he began clearing the farm and experienced many of the hardships common to pioneer life. He subsequently purchased the place

1016

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

from his father and assumed entire charge of the farming and stock-raising, in which he has always been very successful. Mr. Kedzie is a stockholder in the Mad River Bank, the First National Bank and in the Lagonda Bank, of which he was one of the organizers. He is a Republican in politics. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an elder:

LEON H.HOUSTON, who has the repu- tation of being one of the shrewdest and most capable and successful business man of Central Ohio, as a merchant, banker and farmer, was born in South Charles- ton, Clark County, Ohio, March 1, 1842, a son of Thomas F. Houston. His paternal grandparents, Joseph Houston, and his wife, Nancy (Fisher), were among the early settlers of Clark County. They were born and married in Sussex County, in the State of Delaware, lived a short time in Kentucky, and came to Ohio in 1812, settling about three miles northeast of Springfield, near what is now Lagonda.

There was a large family of children who married and had homes in Clark and adjoining counties of Ohio and other states. Thomas Fisher Houston was the youngest son of Joseph and Nancy Hous- ton, and was born October 7, 1818, in their pioneer home. He was married to Ra- chael A. DeLashmutt, December 25, 1839, in South Charleston, where they lived many years, and after five years spent on their farm in Pleasant Township, Clark County, they moved to Springfield, and in their East High Street home Thomas Houston died June 28, 1874, and his wife, Rachel, died November 8, 1886. Their family consisted of ten children, namely :

Catherine, William L., Charles, Thornton, Mary, Emma, Leonidas Hamlin (subject of this sketch), Edwin DeLashmutt, Fos- ter B., and Elissa J. The six first men- tioned have all passed away, while of the living members of the family Leon H., Edwin D. and Foster B. are residents at South Charleston, Elissa being a resident of Springfield, Ohio.

Leon H. Houston was their eldest son. Edwin D. Houston was their fourth son, and was married to Ethel A. Jones Feb- ruary 22, 1905. Foster B. Houston was their youngest son, and was married to Ida Rose Arbogast June 24, 1890, in Springfield, where he had lived until he was twenty years old. They have a son, Roger, and daughter, Rachel.

William Laws Houston was their sec- ond son, and was one of the progressive farmers of Clark County. He died in London, Madison County, leaving a wife, two sons and a daughter.

These Houstons are lineal descendants of Robert Houston, of Sussex County, Delaware, who was a recognized patriot and rendered material aid to the cause of independence during the Revolution- ary War, and also of Robert R. Houston, of near Paisley, Scotland, whose name is found on the land register of Virginia and Maryland as early as 1664. He died at Pokomoke City, Maryland, in Decem- ber, 1692. The parish, castle, and town of Houston, in Scotland, near Glasgow, are objects of present interest.

On April 1, 1859, Leon H. Houston commenced his business career with the firm of Houston & Brother, composed of Henry Clay Houston and John R. Hous- ton, at a salary of $50.00 per year and board for the first year. He continued as

1017

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

a clerk until January 1, 1863, when he make a specialty of loaning money on was admitted as a partner into the firm farm mortgages. of Houston & Company, composed of H. C. Houston, J. R. Houston, and Leon H. Houston, which partnership lasted until January 1, 1867. John R. and Henry C. Houston then retired and the firm of Houston & Murray was organized and continued until January 1, 1875, with Leon H. Houston and Peter Murray as partners, when Peter Murray retired, and the firm of Houston & Brother was or- ganized by Leon H. Houston and Edwin' D. Houston. This firm continued until January 1, 1893, when Foster B. Houston was admitted under the firm name of Houston Brothers, this co-partnership Leon H. Houston owns over 4,000 acres and Edwin D. Houston over 1,500 acres of the best farming lands in Madison, Clark, and Green Counties. continuing up to January 1, 1904, when the business was incorporated under the name of The Houston Company, with Ed- win D. Houston as president, Foster B. Houston, vice president, and Leon H. Houston, secretary. The business con- ducted from the beginning was the selling of general merchandise to farmers and others, and the operation of grain eleva- tors, lumber and coal yards, including also extensive dealings in wool.

Mr. Leon H. Houston has been actively engaged in the said general business from April, 1859, to the present time. In 1892 the Citizens' Bank, of South Charleston, Ohio, was organized, Leon H. Houston and Edwin D. Houston owning more than three-fourths of the institution, Leon H. Houston acting as president, Edwin D. Houston as vice president, and William A. Malsbary, cashier. This is regarded. as the strongest bank in Clark County, as it is a co-partnership, and all the prop- erty of each and every co-partner is bound for the liabilities of the bank. They

Mr. Leon H. Houston has been several times elected to the village council, and has taken much interest in beautifying the village of South Charleston. He was in- strumental in the construction of the mod- ern cement sidewalks and macadamized streets, which are known to be the best of any village in the state. He served with credit as county commissioner from 1878 to 1881; was a member of the State Board of Equalization in 1890 and 1891, and was accredited with accomplishing great good for the farming and other in- terests of the state.

Their Woodlawn Farm, about seven miles north of London, in Madison County, is known as the best farm in the State. They also own large tracts of tim- ber land in Mississippi.

To operate these farm lands there has been recently organized The Houston Farm Company, with a capital stock of $100,000.00-Leon H. Houston, Edwin D. Houston, Foster B. Houston, Elissa J. Houston and Howard Yeazell being own- ers and directors of said farm company.

Leon H. Houston has been quite an ex- tensive traveler between this country and Europe, having crossed the Atlantic twelve times, and profited much by his observations in this and foreign coun- tries. Edwin D. Houston has made two trips around the world and one to South America.

The subject of this sketch has a pala- tial residence in South Charleston, of

1018

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

which place he is one of the foremost and respected citizens, and is known for his liberality and helpfulness to all worthy causes, and has contributed largely to the benefit and welfare of the community by aiding private and public interests.

WALTER S. MICHAEL is a well known citizen and successful farmer and stock- raiser, residing on his valuable farm of eighty acres, which is situated on the Flick Turnpike Road, eight miles north; west of Springfield, and two miles west of Lawrenceville, in German Township. Mr. Michael was born in German Town- ship, Clark County, Ohio, January 14, 1872, and is a son of Alexander and Re- becca (Overholser) Michael.

Alexander Michael was also born in Clark County, where his father, David Michael, settled at an early day, and owned the farm adjoining the one now owned by his grandson. Alexander Michael was married twice and had twelve children. Walter S. Michael has two surviving brothers, D. I. and John, both residing at Springfield. He lost his mother when a babe only eleven days old and he was reared by Peter J. Hause and wife, who had no chil- dren of their own and who gave their adopted son a chance to obtain a good, common school education. Mr. Michael loved them as his parents, as he now reveres their memory; in every way he was a son to them and from them inherit- ed his present farm. Peter J. Hause died in 1895 and his widow in 1899. After his marriage Mr. Michael remained for one year on the farm and then moved to Herbst, Grant County, Indiana, where he

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 104

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co. Number of Pages: 1086

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086