USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 65
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small tree, split it into rails and stood them over a stump, this being the sum of his improvements, but sufficient to pro- tect his property. He then returned to Virginia, where he followed his trade for two years longer and then came back and settled on his land, on which he passed the remainder of his life. He was ac-
WILLIAM HARDMAN, owner of two companied by his first wife, who lived to the age of about fifty years. When she was a girl of twelve years she was scalped by the Indians at the time all the other members of her family were killed, and she was left supposed to be dead. She finally recovered and lived to become the mother of ten children. There were three children born to Peter Hardman's second marriage: Peter, William R. and Jane.
Jonathan Hardman, father of William, was born at Clarksburg, Virginia, in 1803, and spent the remainder of his life in Ohio, dying at London, Madison County, in 1876. He married Mary Arbogast, who was born in Clark County, and was a daughter of Peter and Sarah Arbogast. They had nine children, namely: Sarah, who died in 1863; Peter, who married Lucia Lauman, of Chillicothe, was a sol- dier and died after being brought home from Harper's Ferry; Otho, who married Eliza Weaver, of Madison County, has had five children; William; Henderson, who died unmarried at the age of twenty- two years; Mary, who also died unmar- ried at the age of twenty-two years; Charlotte Ann, who died aged three weeks; Martha, deceased, who married John Sayers, now a resident of Iowa, but formerly of Logan County, Ohio, left two children; and Wesley, who resides at Cable, Champaign County, Ohio, where he
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married Minnie Walk, who died in a hos- pital at Columbus, in 1904. She left no children.
William Hardman was reared on the home farm and attended the country schools when he could spare the time. He assisted his brothers in clearing and cul- tivating the farm and later, becoming in- terested in growing sheep, he went into partnership with J. R. Ware, of Mech- anicsburg, following this business until 1863, when he became a member of the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Regi- ment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for serv- ice in the Civil War. He was with his company in camp at Urbana, when he re- ceived a note from his partner which asked him to turn over his gun to the mes- senger, a man by the name of Thomas Cartmell, as the latter was willing to take his place and was an unmarried man. Mr. Ware knew that Mr. Hardman's absence from the sheep farm would be a sad loss to their business, and as soon as Mr. Hardman recognized this fact, he made arrangements by which he could turn over to Mr. Cartmell his equipments, after which he returned home.
On October 29, 1856, Mr. Hardman was married to Margaret Ellen Bireley, who was born March 11, 1838, in Maryland, and is a daughter of Lewis and Sarah Bireley. They came to Clark County in 1839 and settled for a short time in Springfield Township, and in 1840 came to Pleasant Township, where they lived during the remainder of their lives. They On October 29, 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Hardman enjoyed the celebration of their occasion that will long be remembered by all who were permitted to participate in had nine children, namely: Philip W., who was born February 15, 1826, died No- golden wedding anniversary and it was an vember 3, 1903; Rebecca, who was born September 16, 1827; Lewis, who was born September 28, 1831; Charlotte Catherine, it. Friends and relatives were in attend-
who was born November 14, 1833; Eliza- beth Ann, who was born December 7, 1835; Margaret Ellen, who is Mrs. Hard- man; Sarah Jane, who was born May 23, 1841, died August 20, 1907, at Danville, Illinois; Eliza Henrietta, who was born May 24, 1842; and Henry Clay, who was born February 10, 1846, there having been but two deaths in this family.
Mr. and Mrs. Hardman have four chil- dren, namely: Minor, Belle, Eddie and Ella, the latter being twins. Minor Hardman was reared in Pleasant Town- ship and in 1886 he married Hattie Run- yan, who is a daughter of Thomas W. and Phebe Runyan, and they have three children : Omer, born November 19, 1882; Anna, born in December, 1893, and Ralph, born December 25, 1895. Belle Hard- man, who was born August 8, 1867, married Milton Stipp, who is an extensive farmer and stockman, owning two hun- dred and fifty acres in Champaign County. They have one daughter, Essie Catherine, who was born January 3, 1891. Eddie and Ella Hardman were born May 25, 1877. The former was married Novem- ber 28, 1906, to Effie Marsh, of Madison County. They have a son, William Marsh, born May 10, 1908. The daughter was married April 7, 1898, to P. M. Wil- son, who conducts a store at Brighton, Clark County, and they have three sons, William W., born October 12, 1900; Paul W., born December 31, 1902; and Orrin H., born August 12, 1905.
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ance from Madison, Clark and Champaign Counties and also from Columbus, num- bering four children, seven grandchildren and eighty-eight other relatives and near friends, many of whom had never before found an opportunity of becoming ac- quainted. With their expressions of in- terest, good-will and affection, they each brought an appropriate present, which serves to recall the givers to Mr. and Mrs. Hardman every day of their lives. The banquet, of which ninety-five guests par- took, was probably the most elaborate one ever served in Pleasant Township. Two presents which are highly prized are ad- mirable pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Hard- man, the first having been taken fifty years before this anniversary, and the second, about this period.
Although Mr. Hardman has reached his seventy-seventh birthday, he still takes an active interest in his farm and looks care- fully after his valuable Delaine sheep. In politics he is a Republican and has served three terms on that ticket as township trustee. Mr. Hardman was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but his religious views at present are in accordance with those of the Universalist Church.
O. C. CLARKE, secretary and treasurer of the Springfield Abstract Company, has spent his entire life up to date in the City of Springfield, with the exception of a few years spent in Kansas and Missouri. A native of this city, he is a son of Charles E. and Mary C. (Christie) Clarke, who were born respectively in Decatur, Ga., and Springfield, Ohio. Charles E. Clarke, the father, came to Springfield when a
child of six or seven years, and here grew to manhood. He began business life in Dayton, Ohio, where he engaged in book publishing. Thence he went subsequently to Minnesota, where he was interested in real estate operations for a short time. At the end of that period, or about the commencement of the Civil War, he re- turned to Springfield. He next went to Missouri, where in 1862 he became a mem- ber of the State Militia, entering with the rank of captain and being later promoted to that of major. He resigned his com- mission in December, 1864, and again re- turned to Springfield. Here he remained but a short time, when he again took up his residence in Missouri, entering into the lumber business at Independence, of which place he was a resident for about five years. He then engaged in the real estate business at Fort Scott, Kansas, and was thus occupied for three years. While there his health failed and he once more returned to Springfield, Ohio, where he died March 12, 1876.
His wife, Mary, was a daughter of James S. and Laura (Beardsley) Chris- tie, natives of New Hampshire and New York, respectively, who were married at Springfield, Ohio, in 1824, where they re- sided continuously until their decease, in 1884 and 1888, respectively. Mr. Christie, who was by trade a carpenter, engaged here in contracting and building, and also conducted a saw and planing-mill for a number of years. He and his wife were the parents of five children, who attained maturity, namely: Sarah, Mary, Ed- ward, Harlan and James. All are now deceased, with the exception of Mary and Harlan. The father was a Republican politically, and a member of the Presby-
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
terian Church, being an elder for over fifty years of the First Presbyterian Church in Springfield.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Clarke had two children, Frances and Oliver C., the last mentioned being the subject of the pres- ent article. Mr. Clarke was a Democrat. His wife was a member of the First Pres- byterian Church, Springfield.
Oliver C. Clarke acquired his elemen- tary education in the Springfield schools, and later became a student at Witten- berg College, from which he was duly graduated. He then began business life, entering the office of the Springfield Ma- chine Company, in the employ of which concern he remained for some ten years. In 1895 he became interested in the ab- stract business, and subsequently organ- ized, with others, the Springfield Abstract Company, which was incorporated, and of which Mr. Clarke has since been secretary and treasurer. He has also other busi- ness interests in Clark County, and is a member of the board of directors of the Merchants and Mechanics Savings and Loan Association. He takes no active in- terest in politics. Religiously he is con- nected by membership with the First Presbyterian Church, Springfield.
GOLD WAITHE ZINN, one of the trustees of Pike Township, who is en- gaged in general farming and stock-rais- ing on the Robert Black farm of two hun- dred acres, is one of the progressive young agriculturists of this section. He was born on the family homestead in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, February 26, 1874, and is a son of Peter S. and Elzina (Smith) Zinn, and a grandson of
David Zinn, who was one of the early set- . tlers of Clark County and a native of Pennsylvania.
Peter Zinn was born in 1841, in Clark County, Ohio, one of a family of seven children, David, Aaron, Edward, Richard, William, Peter, Sarah (Mrs. John Freeze), and Mrs. C. Smith. Peter Zinn grew to manhood on the farm and assisted his father in clearing the land. He later operated a stone quarry for about fifteen years, and furnished a great deal of the stone used in the bridges, turn- pikes, culverts, etc., in this part of the county. He is a substantial citizen, own- ing two fine farms in Pike Township and resides on one of them. He was united in marriage with Elzina Smith, who was born and reared in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Peter Smith, who came here from Pennsylvania. Nine children were born to Peter and El- zina Zinn: Jennie, wife of James Green; Willard; Etta, wife of John Funderburg; Ella, wife of Clark Overholtzer; G. Waithe; Lydia, wife of Clyde Leathly; Warren K .; Everett; and Ivy, wife of Charles Byres.
G. Waithe Zinn was reared in his na- tive section and in youth spent much of his time at work in his father's stone quarry. He remained at home until his majority, after which he worked out by the day for several years. After his mar- riage he conducted the home farm for two years, then rented the Black farm of two hundred acres in Pike Township, and since then has successfully engaged there in general farming and stock-raising.
Mr. Zinn was married August 22, 1897, in Bethel Township, to Mary Emmeline Hunt, who was born at Mt. Rose, Mercer
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County, New Jersey, and when a child of three years was brought to Clark County by her parents, John and Laura (Reed) Hunt, who live on a farm near Mr. and Mrs. Zinn. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are the parents of nine children, Mary E., Jennie, Ida May, Ura Ann, Theodore, Walter, Delia (deceased), Nellie, and John.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Zinn, Edgar Bryan, Raymond, Schuyler, and Eva Theresa.
In politics Mr. Zinn is a Democrat and was elected trustee of Pike Township in 1907. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, belonging to White Star Lodge No. 192, of Northampton, and the Jr. O. U. A. M., No. 195, of New Car- lisle.
CHARLES H. HISER, superintendent of the Springfield Metallic Casket Com- pany, with business quarters on the cor- ner of Columbia and Center Streets, Springfield, was born at Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, October 2, 1861, and is a son of Daniel B. and a grandson of Henry Hiser.
Henry Hiser was a manufacturer and inventor and his son, Daniel B., came nat- urally by his remarkable inventive talents. The latter invented the metallic casket that is now manufactured by the Spring- field Company. This business was started on a small scale, but it has so expanded that now it is one of the most important of its kind in the country.
Charles H. Hiser obtained his educa- tion in his native locality. When he was fourteen years of age he went to work in a planing mill for a short time and then entered a tin ship, where he worked for
two years. The family then moved to Orrville, Ohio, and he was employed for three years thereafter in the works of the Orrville Burial Case Company, subse- quently returning to Wooster and enter- ing the employ of the Wooster Burial Company. He had been with the latter company for four years, when his father started the present business at Spring- field with which he has been identified ever since, for the past fifteen years hav- ing been its superintendent. He is also interested in the Reeser Floral Company at Urbana. Mr. Hiser is a 32nd degree Mason, is a member of the Springfield Commercial Club, of which he has been treasurer, and belongs also to the Country and the Lagonda Clubs. He is one of the Masonic Temple trustees and has been vice president of the Masonic Club since its organization. He is also secretary and treasurer of the Springfield-Urbana Shrine Club. Mr. Hiser is one of Spring- field's acknowledged capitalists and owns a large amount of valuable city real estate. He is one of the company of twelve investors that bought the old West property on the corner of Fountain and High Streets.
AMOS SEITZ, proprietor of the Tre- mont City Mills, and one of the leading business men of Clark County, was born in German Township, this county, De- cember 21, 1842. He is a son of Andrew and Mary Ann (Circle) Seitz.
Andrew Seitz, the father, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Henry Seitz, who came to Clark County in 1831, accompanied by his son Andrew. Andrew Seitz married
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
Ann Baker, who was a daughter of berg College and upon the completion of Rudolph Baker. She was born in Vir- his course in that institution went through Nelson's Business College. He then entered the University of Michigan and finished a special law course in prep- aration for the business life which he be- gan immediately upon his return to Springfield. ginia and in infancy was brought to Clark County. After the War of 1812, Rudolph Baker settled on what is now known as the Valley Turnpike Road, near the Springfield Base ball Park, in German Township. In 1845 Andrew Seitz bought the Tremont City Mill and in 1859 he erected a new mill, which stands on the site of the old one. His son, Henry Seitz, began to work in the first mill in 1849 and ran the new mill until 1873, when Amos Seitz took charge, Henry retiring to his farm. In 1883 Amos Seitz bought the mills and has been conducting them ever since. These mills are equipped with the Barnhard & Lee roller mill machinery and a large amount of first-class flour is manufac -. tured, the special brands being "Silver Spray" and "Fancy Family."
Amos Seitz married Dora Belle Mar- tin, and they have had three children, namely: Charles, who is engaged as a stenographer with the Big Four Rail- road; Emma Elmira and Mattie Belle, the last mentioned of whom died Novem- ber 8, 1907, aged twenty-two years. Mr. Seitz is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias.
HARRY W. RUBY was born in Springfield. Ohio, and is one of the city's most prominent and successful young business men. He is the son of G. F. Ruby, who also is a resident of Spring- field, but with manufacturing interests in Dayton, Ohio.
After leaving the Springfield High School, Harry W. Ruby entered Witten-
Mr. Ruby's able and energetic deal- ings in stocks, bonds and real estate soon identified him with the handling of many important interests, both local and for- eign, and won for him a prominent place in the front rank of Springfield's busi- ness men. The financial ends of numer- ous projects have been developed by, and owe their success to, his ability. Among these may be mentioned the Ruby Lum- ber Company, with which he has main- tained an active connection as president. This concern owns large tracts of timber- land and operates mills throughout mid- dle and western Tennessee. The excep- tional progress Mr. Ruby has made as a young business man may be read in his close connection with numerous projects and commercial institutions of important financial influence.
In April, 1907, he was married to Miss Gertrude Bauer, a daughter of W. F. Bauer, one of Springfield's prominent men.
Mr. Ruby is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and belongs to the Commercial, Country and other leading clubs and organizations of the city.
JOHN H. WILSON, a prominent and substantial citizen of Moorefield Town- ship, residing on a valuable farm of 360 - acres, which is situated in Section 32, on
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the Urbana Turnpike Road, four miles his land and it is known all over this sec- from the center of Springfield, was born tion on account of the high grade of stock produced here. February 18, 1850, in County Down, Ire- land, within sight of the spires of the city of Belfast. He is a son of Robert H. and Mary (Hamilton) Wilson.
Until he was ten years of age, John II. Wilson attended a local school and was then apprenticed to a tailor, with whom he served for seven years, after which, according to the law, he traveled as a journeyman. In this way he visited the leading cities of England and also worked in Wales and Scotland. This taste of travel made him anxious to see America and as he was well equipped with his self- supporting trade, he crossed the ocean with no apprehensions of failure in a strange land. He landed in the port of New York on June 21, 1870, and took lit- tle time to get acquainted with the won- ders of that great metropolis, accepting work at his trade on the very day he ar- rived.
Mr. Wilson remained in the city of New York until 1872, when he came to Spring- field, Ohio, and until 1877 worked for leading tailoring firms in that city as a cutter. He then embarked in business for himself, opening a tailoring establish- ment at No. 26 East Main Street and sub- sequently, as his business increased, took in the premises at No. 28 East Main, and he continued in the same line for twenty- two years, during this period enjoying the largest trade in the city. In 1882 he bought 320 acres of land, which was the old Jacob Thomas farm, to which he sub- sequently added forty acres, but parted with ten acres to the railroad running through his property. He has given the pleasant name of Spruce Lawn Farm to
Prior to 1899, when Mr. Wilson sold out his tailoring business to Thomas Hack and retired to his farm, he had lived on the place even while carrying on his business at Springfield. Since that time he has devoted himself closely to his large interests here and to improving this prop- erty. He has spent some $15,000 in im- provements, has built several residences and other substantial buildings and has his own water system and electric light plant. His home is fitted with every mod- ern convenience and probably has not its equal in any other rural district in this section of Ohio.
Mr. Wilson was married (first) to Emma Lohner, who died June 4, 1880. She was a daughter of John Lohner, who came from Germany to Springfield with his wife before her birth. There was one son born to this marriage, Robert J., who was born at Springfield, March 19, 1878. Robert J. Wilson was educated in the Springfield schools and Wittenberg Col- lege and attended Starling Medical Col- lege at Columbus for one year. He then became interested in stock-raising and in raising and dealing in horses. He is widely known over the United States as a judge of horses and as a starter of races. He owns four valuable stallions -- At- lantic King, with a record of 2:093/4; The Jester, with a record of 2:191/4, with a trial record of 2:111/4; Con Bell, with a record of 2:241/4, and a registered Nor- man draft stallion named Phidias. Robert J. Wilson married Leah Dalie, who is a daughter of John Dalie, of Springfield, and they have one son, John L. Robert J.
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
Wilson and family reside at Spruce Lawn Farm.
John H. Wilson was married (second) August 15, 1889, to Martha E. Mowatt, who died February 19, 1892, leaving one son, James M., who was born at Spring- field, at the home of his grandmother, September 5, 1890. He resides with his father in Moorefield Township.
John H. Wilson has been an active cit- izen and has always done his duty in ie- gard to public responsibilities. He has never been particularly active in politics and has never consented to serve in any official capacity except as a member of the School Board. He belongs to the Presbyterian Church and is a liberal sup- porter of its many benevolent enterprises.
JOHN S. CROWELL, president and general manager of the Crowell Publish- ing Company, of Springfield, Ohio, until February, 1906, when the business was sold to others. Mr. Crowell was the founder of that business in 1877, and has been one of the city's most active and progressive men since that date. A man of recognized business ability, he has been exceptionally successful and become widely known among publishers and ad- vertisers throughout the United States as the founder and president of the Crowell Publishing Company, owners of the "Woman's Home Companion" and the "Farm and Fireside," two periodi- cals with over a million subscribers.
John S. Crowell was born in Louisville, Kentucky, January 7, 1850, and was the seventh child born to his parents. His father, S. B. Crowell, was a member and one of the founders of the Walnut Street
Presbyterian Church, at Louisville, of which he was elected a deacon for life. John S. Crowell attended the public schools of his native city, and showed such aptitude in his studies that he was placed in classes with older pupils, among whom he ranked first. He completed an eight-year course in six years. Ambi- tious and self-reliant even in his boyhood days, at the age of eleven years, contrary to the wishes of his parents, he became a newsboy, his original capital invested be- ing five cents, which he obtained in 1861, by holding a soldier's horse. For two years he sold papers in the early morning and attended school during the day. At fifteen years of age he secured a situation in a small printing office at $2.50 per week. This was a short time before the close of school, and so desirous was his instructor that he should take his final, or public examination, that he organized a posse of older scholars, who by force of arms conveyed him to the school-room in his work clothes, where he acquitted him- self with credit. Contrary to the wishes of his parents and the advice of teachers, he refused to enter college and continued in business. Within six months a large job printing office offered him $12.00 per week, and he was soon made assistant foreman, and at seventeen years made foreman. His energy, industry and abil- ity were so marked that his fellow-work- men at that time predicted that in the future he would have a large publishing house of his own. That he possessed rare presence of mind and was capable of quick thought, enabling him to grasp a trying situation on the spur of the mo- ment, was demonstrated while he was em- ployed in this printing office. A workman
JOHN S. CROWELL
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was caught by the arm and held between the ceiling and a pulley making 150 revo- lutions per minute, and while others were looking on in horror, expecting to see him crushed, young Crowell grasped a belt with one hand, was instantly hurled to the ceiling, where, securing a footing, he released his companion, who fainted in his arms. Early in the year 1868 Mr. Crowell became foreman of the Louisville Courier-Journal job printing establish- ment, and so continued until October, 1869, when he met with an accident which incapacitated him for work for a time. About an inch of his right thumb was mashed off while he was attending a pow- er paper-cutting machine; he quickly ad- justed the severed portion of his thumb while the man who had caused the acci- dent shut his eyes and called for help, but young Crowell was able to go alone in search of a doctor. While thus disabled he invented an elastic hand stamp, and the rubber-like material out of which it was made, and while he deemed the inven- tion scarcely worthy a patent, commenced their manufacture. He employed his three brothers in the work, and did a very prosperous business until the panic of 1873. Then, after a visit to a few states and the Northern Lakes, he entered the office of B. F. Avery & Sons, the well known plow manufacturers, of Louisville. He conducted the publication of their ag- ricultural journel, "Home and Farm," which prospered under his management. On a trip in the interest of "Home and Farm" he first met Mr. P. P. Mast, of Springfield, Ohio, to whom he afterward suggested the idea of publishing an ag.' ricultural journal, with the result that in August, 1877, Mr. Crowell being twenty-
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