Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 61

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 61

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P. P. Crabill was reared on the old home place in Springfield Township, and. after completing the prescribed course in the public schools pursued a course of study in mechancial engineering in the Ohio State University at Columbus, from which institution he was graduated in 1900. Immediately thereafter he became identified with the Foos Gas Engine Com- pany, remaining with them for seven years. In February, 1907, he, in connec- tion with James Turner, organized the Central Brass and Fixture Works of Springfield, which in September of that year was re-organized and incorporated

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as the Central Brass and Fixture Com- pany with a capital stock of $10,000. Mr. Crabill was elected president, with Mr. Turner as treasurer and manager. They manufacture all kinds of brass castings and finished work, making a specialty of the Puritan Bath Cock, and have built a large and remunerative trade. Our sub- ject is also a stockholder in the Foos Gas Engine Company.

In October, 1906, Mr. Crabill was joined in marriage with Miss Bertha Jones, daughter of C. M. Jones, a well known citizen of Union County, Ohio. Frater- nally he is an Elk. He and his wife are members of the High Street Methodist Episcopal Church.

MAJOR WILLIAM HUNT was for- merly one of the leading men of Clark County, Ohio. He was the first president of the Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, now known as the Sandusky branch of the Big Four Railroad, was the first presi- dent of the Clark County Agricultural So- ciety, and was identified with improve- ment and progress during the whole of his active life. Major Hunt was born in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, October 25, 1797, and died while on a visit to a daughter at Springfield, Ohio, May 17, 1867.

The parents of Major Hunt were Ralph and Lydia (Eyre) Hunt. Prior to coming to Clark County, Ohio, Ralph Hunt op- erated Hunt's Mills in Hunterdon Coun- ty, New Jersey, and after reaching this section he bought, in association with his sons, about 600 acres of land. The Hunts soon began the building of a fine resi- dence, which was completed in 1830, and

at the time was the best house in Clark County. In early manhood he married Lydia Eyre, who was a daughter of Man- uel Eyre, who was an officer in the War of the Revolution. He was born in Phila- delphia and was a ship builder by trade and testified to his loyalty not only by serving as a soldier but also by contribut- ing to pay war expenses. There were five sons and one daughter born to Ralph and Lydia Hunt, namely: William, Manuel Eyre, Ishi Van Cleve, Daniel and Frank- lin Eyre. The youngest son was a student at the military post at West Point when his father came to Ohio. The eldest son had preceded his father and the two next in order accompanied him. These two sons never married but remained in Ohio, where they acquired large tracts of land in Clark and Champaign Counties. The other son, Daniel, came also to Clark County, where he married but did not re- main in Ohio, his record being lost. Ralph Hunt died in 1838.

Major William Hunt probably acquired his title through service in the New Jer- sey militia and in the War of 1812. He was afforded educational opportunities and in young manhood came to Ohio in search of a business opening, which he found at Urbana, in Champaign County, where he entered into a mercantile busi- ness and was subsequently made post- master. It was during his residence at Urbana that his father and brothers came to Clark County. Several years after his marriage, when his father died, William Hunt left Urbana and came to Moorefield Township, Clark County, and took posses- sion of the home farm and he continued to reside in Clark County during the re-

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mainder of his life, which was one of great activity and usefulness.

At Urbana, Ohio, Major William Hunt was married to Mary McCord, a most es- timable woman, who survived until De- cember 25, 1881, having outlived her hus- band for fourteen years. They had born to them six sons and six daughters, the sons, Ralph, Samuel, William, Robert, George and Edward, all having passed out of life. Ralph and William were soldiers in the Civil War. All the daughters of the family survive, as follows: Kate, who is the widow of E. B. Cassilly ; Mary, who is the widow of William H. Tiers, resid- ing at Philadelphia; Meta, who married Chandler Robbins, residing at Spring- field; Eleanor, Rose and Virginia, resid- ing on the homestead in Moorefield Town- ship.

Major Hunt took a deep interest in pol- itics and public matters prior to the Civil War and was a zealous supporter of Stephen A. Douglas. He remained a Democrat in his convictions but never voted the ticket after the defeat of his chosen candidate.

GUSTAVUS S. FOOS. The late Gus- tavus S. Foos was one of Springfield's representative men, one who, through public spirit, progressive business meth- ods and exemplary personal life, deserves to have his name remembered among those who have contributed largely to this city's prosperity. He was the foun- der and for many years the able presi- dent of the Foos Manufacturing Com- pany, one of Springfield's leading in- dustries. Gustavus S. Foos was born in Franklin, now West Columbus, Ohio, July

8, 1818, and died July 11, 1900, rounding out a useful life of eighty-two years. He was a son of General Joseph Foos, who was once prominent in the military af- fairs of this section, and later served as a statesman, for twenty-one years, being a member of the Ohio Legislature.

Gustavus S. Foos obtained his educa- tion in the Springfield schools, leaving the High School in his second year, when he went to Illinois, where he remained three years. Upon his return to Ohio he en- tered the employ of his brother, the late William Foos, as a salesman, and after some mercantile experience, in partner- ship with another brother, the late Levi Foos, he purchased the business of Will- jam Foos and it was successfully con- tinued for several years. In 1848 Gus- tavus S. Foos again became associated with his brother William, and they be- came jointly interested in mercantile, real estate and banking enterprises. In this year the brothers bought a large tract of land at Springfield, which they laid out in town lots, and these now form the best residence sections of the city. In 1858 they embarked in a brokerage business, and two years later they established a private bank, this subsequently develop- ing into the Second National Bank. Of this institution William Foos became president and Gustavus S. Foos cashier, a position he filled until his resignation, in 1862. Prior to this Mr. Foos disposed of large farming interests which he had owned in Illinois, and after freeing him- self from the bank, entered extensively into the wool business and rapidly be- came prominent in that industry.

The panic of 1873 fell upon the country and many of the leading business men in

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every section saw the fortunes that they of the men who were fighting at the front. had accumulated swept away, as it were, During the Morgan Raid he was a mem- ber of the famous "Squirrel Hunters' Brigade. In times of peace he also was large-hearted in his charities and was ex- ceedingly liberal-minded on many sub- jects. in a night. Among these was Gustavus S. Foos, who found himself, at the age of fifty-five years, forced to begin life anew. He turned his attention at first to the manufacture of that humble but useful household article, a kitchen clothes- Mr. Foos was married June 28, 1849, to Elizabeth Houston, who was a daughter of Dr. Robert Houston, of South Charles- ton, Clark County, Ohio, and they had two sons, Robert H. and William F. William F. Foos is president of the Springfield National Bank and is receiver for the Springfield Malleable Iron Com- pany. For the past five years the Foos brothers have not been connected with the Foos Manufacturing Company. Their handsome residence is located at No. 560 East High Street, Springfield. wringer, associating with him his two sons. From the very bottom they built up a business which became one of impor- tance. In 1884 Mr. Foos saw that it would be the part of wisdom to dispose of the enterprise in which he was then en- gaged and to widen his field of operations. When he again entered the manufactur- ing field with his sons, the business was the making of special grinding and pul- verizing oil-mill machinery and forges. He then organized the Foos Manufactur- ing Company, taking the duties of presi- dent upon his experienced shoulders, and making his son, Robert H. Foos, vice JOSEPH MILTON YEAZELL, who is well known throughout Clark County as a prosperous retired citizen, and formerly as an extensive breeder of and dealer in fine sheep and other stock, was born in this county October 5, 1847, son of George and Nancy Ann (Wilkinson) Yeazell. president, and his other son, William F. Foos, treasurer. The business prospered and the time came when the name of Foos was held in esteem in every trade center. Near the close of his life it contributed great satisfaction to the venerable foun- der, that the same old standards of business integrity which he had estab- lished were continued by those who fol- lowed him.

In early life Mr. Foos was a Whig in his political views and later became an active Republican and zealous supporter of the policies of this party. During the Civil War Mr. Foos on many occasions demonstrated his loyalty and true patriot- ism, contributing both time and money and giving generously to those benevolent agencies which took care of the families

He traces his ancestry in the direct paternal line back to Abraham Yeazell, and then, indirectly, through the Brown and Ball families, to William Ball, of Berks, or Berkshire, England, the name of whose wife is not known, but who died in the year 1480, in the reign of Henry VII., the first of the Tudors. The line from this William Ball to Abraham Yeazell is as follows:

Robert Ball, son of William, of Berk- ham, died in 1543. The name of his wife is not known. He was father of William

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Ball (wife unknown), who died in 1550.

John Ball, son of the second William, died in 1599. He was twice married, first to Alice Haynes, by whom he had four children, and secondly to Agnes Hollo- way, of which union also there were four children.

John Ball, son of John and Agnes (Holloway) Ball, died in 1628. He mar- ried Elizabeth Webb, who bore him ten children, among them William, better known as Colonel William Ball, who died in 1680. Colonel William Ball married Hannah Atheral, of which union there were three children, the one to continue this line of descent being William, or Captain William Ball, who married Margaret Downman and died in 1699.

The next progenitor in the Ball line was William, who died in 1740 and who by wife Mary, had, besides other children, William, who died in 1809. It is in this generation that we find the Ball family intermarrying with the Browns, and the line to the subject of this sketch is now continued through the latter family. It is thus traced :

The brothers and sisters of the Will- iam Ball last mentioned were: Samuel, Joseph (died 1821), Mary (died 1816, married Thomas Brown) and Ann (mar- ried John Gibson).

Thomas and Mary (Ball) Brown had a large family, consisting of ten children, and including Sarah (born 1758; died 1828), who married William Curl. The family of William and Sarah (Brown) Curl was also large and included Mary, who married Abraham Yeazell, great- grandfather of the subject of this sketch.

Abraham Yeazell (or Yeazel, as the name was sometimes spelled) came to this

country from Germany and settled at an early date in Moorefield Township, Clark County, Ohio. By his wife Mary, above mentioned, he had thirteen children- Mary Ann, Sarah, George, William, Caro- line, David, Jeremiah, Adam, Jacob, Elizabeth, Abraham, Sidney, James and Isaac.

George Yeazell, of the above-mentioned family, married Elizabeth Jones, and their children were George, Mary Ann, Jeremiah, John W., Eliza, Caroline M., Isaac, Angeline and Frances M.

George Yeazell, son of George and Elizabeth (Jones) Yeazell, and father of J. Milton Yeazell, married Mary Ann Wilkinson, and their family was as fol- lows: Joseph Milton, James W., Retta, Anne Belle, Mary, Ellen, Thomas, Eliza- beth, Angie and Mabel Estella. James W., the second child, married Amanda Neer, and he and his wife are the parents of four children, all sons-George, Clay- ton, Fred and Lawrence, all of whom are living. Retta is the wife of John Conley, and has three children-Blanche, Harry and Robert. Anne Belle married Nathan Baumgartner, and has two children, Agnes and Wilmette, of whom Agnes be- came the wife of Dr. Deman and resides in Mechanicsburg, and Wilmette married M. C. Houston.

Mary, fifth child of George and Nancy Ann Yeazell, married Samuel Prugh, who is now deceased. She has one child- Earl. Ellen Yeazell married Jacob Baum- gartner and has two children-Alice, who is the wife of Forest Taverner and Nathan, all living. Thomas Yeazell, of the above- mentioned family, and seventh in order of birth, was killed on the railroad. Elizabeth died at the age of two years.

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Angie, the ninth child, married Newton Jones and is now deceased. Her chil- dren are Walter and Thomas, both of whom are living. Mabel Estella, the tenth child, married Arthur Taverner; she has no children.

Joseph Milton Yeazell, whose nativity has been already given, has resided in Clark County all his life, unless we ex- cept the period of his service in the Civil War. He enlisted at Columbus, Ohio, September 16, 1864, in the Sixteenth Ohio Light Artillery, and was stationed for a while at New Orleans. On the close of the war he returned to Clark County, and settled on his father's farm, and was for some years engaged in agricultural pur- suits. In 1874 he entered into mercantile business at Catawba Station, Champaign County, Ohio. He continued thus occu- pied, however, but for a short time.

On February 15, 1875, he married, and in the same year bought a farm of 345 acres in Pleasant Township. Here he went into the business of raising grain and live stock, giving special attention to the breeding of sheep. It was also his practice to buy trainloads of sheep in Montana, ship them to his farm and here fatten them for the Buffalo market, sell- ing them there at a good profit. Though now retired from active pursuits, he fre- quently contributes valuable articles to agricultural papers, among them the American Agriculturist, the Ohio Farmer, the Pittsburg Stockman, the Breeders' Gazette and the Chicago Drovers Journal. He is regarded as an authority of stock matters, especially on sheep, and has re- ceived many offers to become a salesman at the Buffalo and Chicago sheep markets, but prefers to remain on his farm. He

has served the town as trustee, being elected on the Republican ticket, and held that office for six years. A member of the G. A. R., he has served as commander of N. M. McConkey Post No. 391, was ad- jutant for ten years and was a member of General Townsend's staff, with the rank of major, for two terms. He is a promi- nent member of the Catawba Methodist Episcopal Church, which he has served ten years as trustee, having also been school director a number of times.

Mr. Yeazell has had the misfortune to lose his wife, who passed to the higher life May 19, 1900, after a happy married life of twenty-five years. She was just two years his senior. She had borne him four children, whose record, in brief, is as follows: Leon Howard married Josephine Campbell, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Campbell, and they reside in Springfield, this county. Florence is the wife of Herbert Loveless, of this township, and has one child-Phelma. Gwendoline, who is now deceased, was the wife of Van C. Tullis, of Champaign County, Ohio. Wendell, born in 1885, died in Los An- geles, Cal., in April, 1906, at the early age of twenty-one years.

HON. JAMES HATFIELD, who ca- pably represented Clark County in the Ohio State Legislature, is a veteran of the Civil War and a prominent farmer of Green Township. He was born in Spring- field Township, April 12, 1844, is a son of James and Margaret (Kitchen) Hat- field, and a grandson of Nathaniel and Nancy (Judy) Hatfield.

Nathaniel Hatfield, the grandfather, was one of the pioneer farmers of what

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is now Clark County, coming with his panied the regiment to Clarksburg, West family as early as the year 1808. He lo- cated about one and a half miles north- east of Pitchin, in Springfield Township, where he became owner of several hun- dred acres of land. His death resulted from milk sickness while he was in the prime of his life. James Hatfield, father of our subject, was born in 1803, and was five years of age when brought to this country by his parents. He followed farming until his death, which occurred at the age of fifty-two years. He was joined in marriage with Margaret Kitch- en, who was born in Pennsylvania and was a small girl when her parents moved to Clark County, Ohio. They were par- ents of fourteen children, eleven of whom grew to maturity, and of these the present survivors are James, the subject of this sketch, and two sisters.

James Hatfield, Jr., was six years of age when his mother died, and he was left an orphan at eleven years. Upon the death of his father he was bound out to a brother-in-law, to remain with him un- til eighteen years of age. He performed such labor as he could on the farm in pay- ment for board and clothing, attending school during four months of the winter, but at the age of fifteen he began to work out by the month for himself. At sixteen he went to Hillsdale, Michigan, and at- tended Hillsdale College two years. Then returning to Clark County, he engaged in teaching, being thus employed in the Lib- erty School for a time. In the spring of 1862, he enlisted for three months' serv- ice in Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Captain Howard D. Johns, and after being sta- tioned at Camp Chase for a time, accom-

Virginia, where he'remained for about four months. His term of enlistment hav- ing expired, he re-enlisted as a member of Company D, Eighth Ohio Volunteer Cav- alry. He was with his regiment in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, and was in numerous engagements under General Sheridan. At Beverly, Virginia, he was taken captive, but an overwhelming de- sire for freedom resulted in his escape fifteen minutes later. He participated in many engagements and served in the army until the war closed, performing his duty with a bravery and courage meriting the commendation he received. He re- turned to his home in Clark County in 1865, but after a short stay went west to Logan County, Illinois, where for a time he engaged in teaching school. There he purchased 150 acres of land, now valued at more than one hundred dollars per acre, and in 1866 returned to Clark County, Ohio, to be married. He was married on April 12th of that year and immediately thereafter returned to Logan County with his bride. He farmed there until 1867, when, having sold his property, he re- turned to Clark County, where he rented and farmed for several years. In 1872 he purchased the 125 acres which now consists of his home property and set about converting it into an up-to-date farm. He has always farmed along the line of the most modern and approved methods, and the success attained by him bespeaks his business sagacity and man- agerial ability. He has always taken an active and intelligent interest in all that relates to the welfare of his home com- munity, and frequently has been called upon to fill offices of public trust. He is

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a Republican, having cast his first presi- 1841, and is a son of Levi and Margaret dential ballot for Lincoln in 1864. In (Lyon) Buchwalter. Green Township he served as treasurer for some years. He next became the can- didate of his party for state representa- tive, and after his election to that office served this district with an intelligence and faithfulness that brought him a host of new friends and followers. He is a man of marked ability, and in the dis- charge of his official duties brought into play the same energy, sagacity and good judgment which have always character- ized his private dealings.

Mr. Hatfield was joined in marriage with Harriett J. Stewart, a daughter of Perry and Rhoda Ann (Wheeler) Stew- art, and they reared three children, name- ly: Charles Stewart, who was born in Logan County, Illinois, May 27, 1867; Jessie R., who married Alonzo Stretcher and has two children-Edwin and Robert; and Julia M., who married Clarence An- derson, lives in Green Township and has one daughter-Harriet Helen. Mr. Hat- field is a member of James A. Elder Post, G. A. R., and has attended most of the re- unions of that body. He also attended the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. He and his wife are faithful members of the High Street Christian Church, at Spring- field.

Edward L. Buchwalter was reared on a farm, attended the local public schools and later the Ohio University, and had not decided upon his future career, when his thoughts were turned to his country, endangered by civil war, and he became a soldier. As a member and officer succes- sively of the One Hundred and Four- teenth Ohio Regiment and the Fifty-third United States Volunteer Infantry, serv- ing in like manner as private, sergeant, lieutenant and captain, he brought honor to his command by his careful perform- ance of duty and his gallantry in action. He served under General Sherman in 1862 and under General Grant in 1863, being present at the surrender of Vicks- burg. In 1864 he was promoted to the rank of captain. He was honorably dis- charged at the close of the war, after a hard service covering three years and seven months. Mr. Buchwalter was twice wounded and was once left on the battle- field with the dead, but fortunately re- covered sufficiently to be able to crawl back and reach the new position taken by his regiment.

After the close of his army life, Mr. Buchwalter was engaged in farming and stock-raising in Ross County until 1873. He then came to Springfield and for the following ten years was connected with the manufacturing firm of James Leffel & Company, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of machinery and gained much business experience. He was active in the organization of the Superior Drill Company, at Springfield, Ohio, in the fall

EDWARD L. BUCHWALTER, presi- dent of the Citizens' National Bank, at Springfield, and president of the Amer- ican Seeding Machine Company, has been identified with the leading interests of this city for more than thirty years. He was born in Ross County, Ohio, June 1, of 1883, and became the president of the

ROSS MITCHELL

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company which purchased the business of Thomas, Ludlow & Rodgers. With his business associates he pushed the manu- facture of the Superior Drill until it be- came known all over the country. At the organization of the American Seeding Machine Company in March, 1903, by the consolidation of the Superior Drill Com- pany, the Hoosier Drill Company and several other manufacturing companies, Mr. Buchwalter was elected president and continues to hold that important of- fice. In December, 1898, the organization of the Citizens' National Bank was com- pleted and Mr. Buchwalter was selected its president and has continued in that po- sition ever since.

Mr. Buchwalter was married Septem- ber 1st, 1868, to Clementine Berry, a lady of education and accomplishments and of much social prominence. Mrs. Buch- walter takes much interest in club work and educational progress, and at this writing is president of the Ohio State Federation. She was first vice president of the Women's Board of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, at St. Louis. Mr. and Mrs. Buchwalter have a beautiful residence at No. 805 East High Street, Springfield, besides several rural ones, Mr. Buchwalter owning the old family home in Ross County and another in the vicinity of this city.

Politically, Mr. Buchwalter is a Repub- lican. For thirty years he has been a member of the board of trustees of the Warder Public Library of this city, and is also a member of the Springfield Board of Trade. He belongs to Mitchell Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and to the Ohio Commandery of the Loyal Legion.

ROSS MITCHELL, one of Spring- field's highly regarded citizens, now liv- ing retired in a beautifully situated home, located at No. 302 East High Street, was long a prominent factor in the great busi- ness concerns which have made the name of Springfield known in almost every quarter of the globe. Mr. Mitchell was horn November 14, 1824, in Landisburg, Perry County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James Blaine and Cynthia (Gowdy) Mitchell. The Mitchell family is of Scotch-Irish extraction. It probably was established in Cumberland County, Penn- sylvania, in the days of the great-grand- father, where the grandfather of Ross Mitchell is on record as a man of sub- stance and local prominence.

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 61

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