Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 59

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 59

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May 21, 1881, Judge Hagan was mar-

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ried to Justina Bevitt, who was a daughter of Dr. Bevitt, of St. Charles, Missouri. Mrs. Hagan is one of the leaders in the social, educational, and religious life of the City of Springfield. They have three children, Francis M., Hugh, and Margaret. Judge Hagan and family belong to the Second Presbyterian Church of Spring- field, Ohio, of which he is an elder. The family reside at a beautiful home known as Oak Place, in the city of Springfield.

JESSE STROUP, a venerable and honored citizen of Madison Township, re- siding on a tract of fine farming land lo- cated just beyond the limits of the city of .. South Charleston, was born March 1, 1828 on a farm in Madison County, Ohio, and is a son of David and Mary (Ray) Stroup.

John Stroup, grandfather of Jesse, was one of the early settlers of Pennsylvania. He served throughout the entire Revolu- tionary War and was a valiant and dar- ing soldier. At one time he was taken prisoner and wounded while resisting an officer, who endeavored to place him in the dungeon, but after a desperate strug- gle was finally released because of his pluck and valor. Later he became a farmer. He was married in Madison County, Ohio, his wife having been a na- tive of Chillicothe, and they reared a fam- ily of five sons, and two daughters.

David Stroup, the father, was born in Pennsylvania, but was reared near Chil- licothe, Ohio. He moved to Madison County and located in what was called "The Barrens." He always followed farming and acquired a large amount of land, having at one time 500 acres. David

Stroup died April 30, 1876, and was sur- vived by his widow until June 28, 1881. He married Mary Ray, a native of Clark County, and they reared a family of nine children, five boys, and four girls, all be- ing now deceased except Jesse and a. sister, Mrs. Rebecca McCollum, a resident of South Charleston.

Jesse Stroup spent his early life in Madison County, and attended the district schools. Upon starting out in life he first could earn but fifty cents per day, but by much hard work, combined with good man- agement of his business affairs, has be- come possessed of large landed interests, having during his life time acquired over 1,300 acres and has given to each of his six children, a tract of 150 acres, as well as $500 in cash. Although an octogena- rian, being now in his eighty-first year, Mr. Stroup is still actively engaged in managing his business affairs, and is one of the influential and most highly respect- ed citizens of the township. In politics he is a Republican, and his religious con- nection is with the Methodist Church.

Mr. Stroup was united in marriage with Lavina Woosley, who was born in 1842, in Clark County, Ohio. Her parents were Benjamin and Keturah (Hunt) Woosley. Benjamin Woosley was a man of ample fortune, owning over 1,000 acres of land at one time. Mr. and Mrs. Stroup had the following children: Keturah, Mary Ellen, Rebecca, Emma L., Jesse and Lulu, the latter of whom resides with her parents. Keturah married Lewis Hunter, of Madison County and they have five living children: Carl Edgar, Jessie, Clarence, Louise and Harold. Mary Ellen married George Clemans, of Madi- son Township, and they have seven chil-

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dren: Foster, Florence, Esther, Gladys, He engaged in farming on the home place Hazel, Grace and Geneva. Rebecca mar- ried R. M. Bennett of Madison Town- ship, and they have one child, Rodger. Emma L. married James G. Lewis, of Madison Township, and they have one child, Margaret Lavina. Jesse married Grace Herrick and they live in Madi- son Township. Their children are: Harry, Alice, Helen, Florence and an in- fant son.

JAMES H. KITCHEN, who comes of a prominent old Clark County family, is a prosperous farmer residing on a tract of 185 acres about one mile south of Pitchin, in Green Township. He was born on the old homestead, located about eight miles southeast of Springfield on the South Charleston traction line, Sep- tember 7, 1875, and is a son of Erasmus Jones and Lavina M. (Hatfield) Kitchen.

Stephen Kitchen, paternal great-grand- father of James H., was born in Gettys- burg, Pennsylvania, in 1785, and on com- ing to Ohio in 1818, he located in Clark County. His father, Richard Kitchen, was the first of the family to leave Eng- land for America, settling in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, about 1750. The latter married Margaret Vorhees, who was of the family from which Senator Vorhees, of Indiana, was descended. Abraham Kitchen, grandfather of James H., was united in marriage with Matilda Jones, and of their children one was Erasmus Jones Kitchen.

Erasmus Jones Kitchen was born on the same farm as was his son James H., acres of valuable land.

his natal day being August 11, 1836, and he was educated in the district schools.

until 1861, when, in answer to President Lincoln's call to arms, he responded by enlisting in Company F, Forty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After the expiration of his term of en- listment, he re-enlisted as a member of Company M, Eighth Ohio Cavalry. With his command he was sent to aid in the capture of Floyd at Cotton Mountain, in West Virginia, and was at Lewisburg when his regiment was driven back to the Ohio River, fighting all along the way. He subsequently participated in many im- portant engagements, among them Dut- ton Hill, Cumberland Gap, Siege of Knox- ville and battle of Bristol. In January, 1864, he returned home on a thirty-day furlough, at the end of which time he went to the front with the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, participating in the battles of Lynchburg and Bristol. At the time his regiment was captured, he escaped by re- .maining in his bunk until daylight. He then went out to give himself up, but as none of the enemy remained in sight, he started on a weary march of three days for the Union lines, suffering much from cold and hunger. He spent a day and night in the snow on the mountains, and but for an exceptionally hardy constitu- tion would have fared badly from the ex- posure. He continued in the service until 1865, when he was honorably discharged and returned home. He shortly after- ward bought a farm of eighty acres, and operated it successfully the remainder of his days, adding to his holdings from time to time until he was possessed of some 615

On October 12, 1865, Erasmus J. Kitchen was joined in marriage with

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Lavina M. Hatfield, a daughter of James and Margaret (Kitchen) Hatfield, and they became parents of the following children: Joseph L .; Abraham, who died at the age of twenty-two years; James H .; Stephen; Erasmus J., Jr., and. Wayne, who died at the age of ten years. Mr. Kitchen was a member of the Free Will Baptist Church. He was a Repub- lican in politics, and although he held a position on the School Board several years, was never an office seeker. He was one of the charter members of Mitchell Post, G. A. R., Springfield.

James H. Kitchen attended the schools of his home district, and then assisted his father on the farm until the latter's death. He continued on the home place four years afterward and then located upon his present farm of 185 acres near Pitchin. He has demonstrated superior business ability and is making a success of his work. He is a Republican in poli- tics and takes an earnest interest in the success of the party and the principles it stands for.

HON. J. WARREN KEIFER, presi- dent of the Lagonda National Bank, at Springfield, and one of the oldest and ablest members of the National Congress, has long been one of Ohio's honored and distinguished citizens. He was born on Mad River, Clark County, Ohio, January 30, 1836, and is a son of Joseph and Mary (Smith) Keifer.

gineering profession, and while the main occupation of his life was farming, his professional knowledge was of use in the development of these then wild regions, the construction of highways, and other work of a civilizing tendency. He mar- ried Mary Smith, who was born January 31, 1799, in Losantiville (now Cincinnati), and died at Yellow Springs, Clark Coun- ty, March 23, 1879. Through his mother, General Keifer traces his ancestral line to England. The Smith family was one early established in New Jersey, and in 1790, a branch removed to Ohio.

J. Warren Keifer was educated in the public schools and at Antioch College. Upon completing his collegiate course, he returned to the home farm and between the intervals of agricultural labor he de- voted himself assiduously to the study of law. After further student work in the law office of Anthony and Goode, he was admitted to the bar in 1858, at Spring- field, Ohio.

Almost before the young lawyer had an opportunity to prove his ability, the Civil War was precipitated upon the country and his ambitions, like those of hundreds of his fellow-citizens, fell into abeyance before the great wave of patriotic enthus- iasm that then swept Ohio. He no longer saw before him forensic triumphs and the judicial toga, the picture of a disrupted country filling his whole vision. He en- listed in defense of the Union on April 19, 1861, being among the first to proffer his services. They were so prolonged and of so distinguished a character that their records appear in every contemporary history of Ohio. On April 27, 1861, he was commissioned major of the Third

Joseph Keifer was born at Sharpsburg, Maryland, December 28, 1784, and died in Clark County, Ohio, April 13, 1850, having come to this county in 1812. He had qualified himself for the civil en- Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for a period of

HON. J. WARREN KEIFER.

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three months, and before the expiration of that time was commissioned for three years. He participated in the battle of Rich Mountain, July 11, 1861, and in the same year was on the field at Cheat Moun- tain and Elk Water, West Virginia. On February 12, 1862, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the Third Ohio In- fantry regiment and was present at the capture of Bowling Green, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee, and Huntsville and Bridgeport, Alabama. In April, 1862, he led an expedition into Georgia and per- formed an important service in destroy- ing the saltpetre works at Nickajack Cave. On September 30, 1862, he was commis- sioned colonel of the 110th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and being as- signed to General Milroy's division in West Virginia, was placed in command of a brigade and the post at Moorefield. On June 13th, 14th and 15th, 1863, was fought the battles of Winchester, in which Colonel Keifer was twice wounded.

On July 9, 1863, Colonel Keifer was as- signed to the Third Army Corps, Army of Potomac, which pursued General Lee's army and fought at Wapping Heights. In August, 1863, Colonel Keifer was dis- patched with his command to New York City to suppress riots and enforce the draft. This work successfully accom- plished, in September he rejoined the army and November 27, 1863, he took part in the battle of Mine Run. On March 24, 1864, he was transferred to the Sixth Army Corps. At the battle of the Wilder- ness, May 5, 1864, he was seriously wounded, but in August following, in spite of his disability, he resumed com- mand of his brigade. His adoring soldiers saw their commander, with his

wounded arm still in a sling, fighting at their head under Generals Sheridan and Wright through the battles of Opequon, Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, down to Shenandoah Valley, having his horse shot from under him in the first named battle. Recognition of his bravery and indomit- able courage was shown by President Lincoln, who brevetted him a brigadier- general.

In December, 1864, with his own corps, General Keifer rejoined the Army of the Potomac in front of Petersburg, and March 25, 1865, he led a successful assault which received commendation in general orders; on April 2, he charged with his division in the final assault which carried the main works and resulted in the cap- ture of Petersburg and Richmond: Quot- ing from an authority: "April 5, his command aided in cutting off the retreat of Lee's army and forced it to give battle on the 6th at Sailor's Creek, the wings of the army (General Keifer commanding the left) being forced forward, surround- ed and effected the capture of above 6,000 of the enemy, including Generals Ewell, Kershaw, Custis Lee, Barton, Corse, Hunton and other officers of high rank."

General Keifer again distinguished himself. On information reaching him, at this time, that a body of the enemy was concealed in a dense forest to the right, he rode in person to find out if the infor- mation was correct and came suddenly upon the Confederate troops. The shades of night were fortunately falling and the air was clouded with the smoke of battle and when he shouted to the waiting troops the command "forward," they followed after him, suspecting nothing. The great moment came when the edge of

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the wood was reached and discovery was made that they had been obeying the com- mands of a Union officer. It probably has never yet been thoroughly explained why he was not pierced then by a hundred Confederate bullets, but possibly his un- flinching courage and cool presence of mind so excited the admiration of the Confederate officers that they permitted him to escape to his own troops. The latter soon surrounded the Confederate body, capturing them all. Later, General Keifer used his influence in having the Confederate officers paroled from John- son's Island. His corps was later sent to aid in the capture of General Johnston's army in North Carolina, and he was pres- ent at the capitulation of General John- ston, as he had been at that of General Lee. Thus was ended a military service scarcely equalled by any other officer in detail. In 1866 he was tendered a com- mission as lieutenant-colonel of the Twen- ty-sixth United States Infantry, but this honor he declined.

Many years after General Keifer added another page to his military career. In April, 1898, when war with Spain was declared, he was again ready for serv- ice, although sixty-two years of age. Ap- pointed a major-general by President Mc- Kinley, he served in command of the Seventh Army Corps at Miami and Jack- sonville, Florida, and embarked at Savan- nah, with 16,000 men for Cuba, establish- ing his headquarters at Buena Vista, just outside the ancient city of Havana. He was in command of the United States mil- itary forces which took possession of that city, January 1, 1899. In May, 1899, he was mustered out of the military service, and quietly resumed his interrupted law

practice at Springfield. This practice has covered a period of fifty years and at present General Keifer is associated in law partnership with his two sons, Will- iam W. and Horace C.

The political life of General Keifer also covers a long period, and as a states- man he has won the commendation and admiration of his fellow-citizens in equal degree as a soldier. From 1868 until 1870, he served with marked efficiency as a member of the Ohio State Senate, and he is the author of many of the most im- portant laws adopted during that period. In 1876 he was sent as a delegate to the Republican National Convention and in the same year was elected to Congress, where he served continuously from 1877 until 1885. In December, 1881, he was chosen speaker of the House, which posi- tion he filled with his usual distinction, enjoying the prestige of being the first and only Ohio man who was selected for this office, until March 4, 1883. The pub- lic records show how untiring were his labors for the welfare of his county. Fol- lowing his service in the Spanish-Ameri- can War, General Keifer was again called into public life, and in 1904 he was again elected to Congress. He was re- elected again and again and still, like a sturdy oak, stands as the representative of his district at Washington. As a mat- ter of fact there are few members of the House of Representatives who can trace their service back so far as can Ohio's favorite son, Joseph Warren Keifer.

On March 22, 1860, General Keifer was married to Eliza Stout, who was born in Springfield, Ohio. He and his wife have been the parents of three sons and one

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daughter, namely: Joseph Warren (now a member of the Nebraska Legislature), who resides in Nebraska ; William W. and Major Horace C., both of whom are as- sociated with their father in the practice of law; and Margaret E., who is now de- ceased. Major H. C. Keifer is a member and officer of the Ohio National Guard.

General Keifer has served almost con- tinuously as president of the Lagonda National Bank, at Springfield, since 1873. From 1870 to 1878 he served as one of the trustees of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphan Home, at Xenia, he having or- ganized its Board of Control in 1868. As a member of the Grand Army of the Re- public, he has done much for the interests of the soldiers and has been honored with official position. So full has been his life of active participation in public matters that it is remarkable to find that beside his close study in connection wth an im- mense legal practice, he has found the time to turn his attention to literature. He wrote his political history, "Slavery and Four Years of War," in 1895-6, but interesting addenda was made after the Spanish-American War, prior to the issu- ance of the book, in 1900. The work is comprehensive and convincing.

Since beginning public life, General Keifer has been noted for his oratory and he has not yet ceased gathering laurels. At the annual banquet of the Pittsburg Board of Trade, held at Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania, March 26, 1907, he delivered an eloquent address on "The Panama Canal," having recently returned from a trip to the canal zone. He resides in a beautiful home which stands at No. 1220 East High Street, Springfield,

STEWART FAMILY. The ancestral line from John Stewart is as follows :

I. John Stewart moved from Scotland to the North of Ireland, locating in Dru- more Township, County Down, twelve miles from Belfast, during the reign of Charles II. of England, shortly after the commencement thereof (his reign extend- ing from 1660-1685).

II. Robert Stewart was the son of John, who was born in 1665, near Glas- gow, Scotland, but who also went to the North of Ireland.

III. Samuel Stewart was the son of Robert, who was born in 1698 near Glas- gow, Scotland. He moved to the North of Ireland, and died in 1770 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1735, accom- panied by his youngest brother, Hugh, he crossed the ocean, landing in Philadel- phia, and settled in Drumore Township, Lancaster County, Province of Pennsyl- vania, near Chestnut Level, a Scotch- Irish settlement, where had been estab- lished a Presbyterian meeting-house. In person, Samuel Stewart was large and well proportioned, six feet in height, Roman nose, bluish-gray eyes,, brown hair and ruddy complexion. He married in Ireland, Mary McClay, who was noted for her very dark complexion and large person. There was born to them ten chil- dren.

IV. The second son was Samuel, who was born in County Down and was brought to Pennsylvania in the emigra- tion of his father's family in 1735, and, on coming of age, settled as a farmer in Hanover Township, Lancaster County, now West Hanover, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, about 1750. In the book published by William H. Egle, State

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Librarian Pennsylvania, entitled who married Rachel Nicholson; William C. Stewart, who married Elizabeth T. Sellers."

"Pennsylvania Genealogies" in refer- ring to Samuel Stewart, among other things the author uses the following language: "A public meeting of the cit- izens of Hanover Township, June 4, 1774, has gone into history, showing the earliest recorded movement toward independence, and, when the Revolutionary War began, the liberty-loving and patriotic Scotch- Irish of Hanover were found faithful and active participants. Samuel Stewart en- tered as a private, serving in Colonel Timothy Green's battalion for the de- fense of the frontier, and on June 6, 1776, in Captain James Rodgers' Lancaster County Associators, 'destined for the camp in the Jerseys.' His first wife was Nancy Templeton, and his second wife, Agnes Calhoun. Children were Sarah, Robert Templeton, Samuel Elder, James B., Charles, John Templeton, Mary Mc- Clay and Agnes. Sarah married Joseph Stewart; Joseph and James moved to Butler County, Ohio, in 1805. Robert Templeton Stewart was admitted to the bar in Center County, Pennsylvania. Samuel Elder Stewart, James B. Stewart and John Templeton Stewart moved to Clark County in 1806, locating on the Mi- ami. John T. Stewart married Ann Elder on March 2, 1815; she was a daughter of Robert Elder, of Hanover, of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. They had issue: Julianna, who married David Anderson; Perry, who married Rhoda Ann Wheeler ; Elder R., who married Rachel E. Jacoby ; Samuel, who married Mary Ann Mar- shall; Charles, whose first wife was Isabel Nicholson; James M., who married Re- becca C. Jacoby ; Thomas Elder, who mar- ried Delilah A. Marshall; Oscar Nesbit,

CHASE STEWART was born in Yel- low Springs, Ohio. His grandfather, John T. Stewart, located on the Miami River in what is now Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, in 1806. His father, Sam- uel Stewart, was born in Clark County, Ohio, in 1823, and his mother, Mary Ann Marshall, was born in the same county in 1825.

Mr. Stewart attended law school for two years in Washington, D. C., having prior thereto studied in the office of Judge Will- iam Lawrence for a short period. On his return from Washington he commenced the practice of law in Springfield, Ohio, and has continued as an active practi- tioner in the courts of Clark County and elsewhere.

He served as prosecuting attorney of Clark County for six years, and was a member of the Ohio House of Representa- tives for two terms. He was chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the House.

AMOS SMITH, whose valuable farm of 250 acres lies partly in Harmony and partly in Pleasant Township, is one of the leading citizens of this section of Clark County, where he is a prosperous agri- culturist and also a successful inventor. Mr. Smith was born in Clark County, Ohio, June 16, 1848, and is a son of Eli and Minerva (Shaw) Smith.

A large part of Mr. Smith's splendid estate descended from his great-grand-

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father, Peter Arbogast, who entered this land from the Government, in 1812. He came overland across the mountains from Crab Orchard, now in Lee County, Vir- ginia. He was accompanied by his fam- ily, who were compelled to utilize the big emigrant wagon as a place in which to live until their cabin could be erected. The land has never gone out of the possession of the family. The Smiths are of English extraction and when the great-grandfather Smith came to America he settled first in Pennsylvania. Prior to 1823 he came to Clark County, accompanied by his son Jacob and the latter's wife, Priscilla.

Their son, Eli Smith, father of Amos, .was born in 1823, in Clark County, and died December 22, 1891. In 1846 he mar- ried Minerva Shaw, who was born in 1821 and died in 1895. They had three chil- dren, namely: Amos; Mianda, who died in 1871, married J. W. Wright, who sur- vives her, but their children, Bertram and Ella, are both deceased; and Alice, who was born July 3, 1858, married Oscar Runyan, residing in Clark County, and they have one child, Glennie.

Amos Smith grew to manhood on the home farm and during boyhood he at- tended the district schools. He inherited 123 acres of land from his father and to this he added sixty acres, bought from the estate of Henry Jones, and sixty-five acres, from Samuel Melvin. In addition to this he owns two other properties at Vienna and two and one-half acres near Springfield, at Bird's Crossing, which is very valuable, being already laid out in town lots. From boyhood, Mr. Smith has been interested in mechanics and has made many experiments which have resulted in the invention of innumerable farm imple-

ments in which the moving principle makes the invention superior to any other of the kind on the market. His invention, a clover buncher, was considered so valu- able that it was gladly purchased by the Champion Machine Company. On this he has secured an improved patent, a buncher that will deliver at the side instead of behind. Mr. Smith has also an improved drill on the market, together with other inventions. He is a man of progressive and up-to-date ideas and was the first farmer in Clark County to invest in an automobile.

In 1872, Mr. Smith married Catherine Wiet, who was born in Clark County, Feb- ruary 10, 1853, and is a daughter of Mich- ael and Ann (Runyan) Wiet. Mr. and Mrs. Wiet had nine children, namely : James, Eli, Mary, Catherine, Sarah A., Asa, Lucinda, Millie and a babe that died in infancy. The father of Mrs. Smith was a soldier in the Civil War and died in 1864, at New Orleans. Mrs. Wiet, who was born in 1827, still survives. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have had six children, name- ly: Clifford, Sylvia, Leona, Nina, Fos- toria and Kate. The eldest, Clifford, was born April 7, 1873, and died December 12, 1898. Sylvia was born November 24, 1875, married Noah Jones and they have one child, Gladys. Leona was born December 18, 1878, in 1899 was married to Charles Patterson and they have one son, Robert. Nina was born May 27, 1883, married Dr. E. A. Dye and they have two children, Max and Mildred. Fostoria was born March 13, 1891, and attends the Platts- burg High School. The youngest, Kate, was born January 8, 1893, and resides with her parents.

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 59

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