Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 69

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 69

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In 1884, Mr. Flatter was united in mar- riage with Miss Mary E. Alexander, who was born in Clark County and is a daugh- ter of Samuel J. Alexander, a prominent farmer of this county. This union was blessed with four children, as follows : Ruth, Leonard, Wayne, and Maud, the last mentioned of whom died in infancy. Po- litically our subject is a Democrat and has ever evinced an earnest interest in

the success of his party. In religious at- tachment, he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church of Clifton.

PETER STUDEBAKER, a prosper- ous and highly respected farmer of Pike Township and owner of three hundred and forty-five acres of land, was born June 23, 1840, on his father's farm, in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Min- nich) Studebaker and a grandson of John Studebaker, an early settler of Clark County.

Samuel Studebaker was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and at the age of ten years came to Ohio with his parents, who settled at West Charlestown, where the father later died. His mother died at the home of one of her children in Indiana. Samuel was the eldest of their family of thirteen children, all of whom settled in different parts of the country and are now all deceased. He assisted his father in clearing the land and later operated a mill in Miami County, Ohio, manufacturing flaxseed oil. He married Elizabeth Min- nich, a daughter of Michael Minnich, who died in 1875, aged about sixty-five years. Eight children were born to them, namely : Michael, Margaret, John, and Elizabeth, all deceased; Peter; Samuel and Hannah, both deceased; and Jane, wife of William Carmen, of Indiana. Samuel Studebaker located on a farm east of Troy, Ohio, after his marriage, and five years later bought a tract of eighty acres in Pike Township, Clark County. At the time of his death, which occurred in 1889, at the age of eighty-two years, he was the owner of one hundred and thirty-seven acres.

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Peter Studebaker was the only son who grew to maturity, his three brothers all dying young. He helped clear the farm and assisted in its cultivation, almost from boyhood. He received a common school education, attending the old log school at Beach Grove. Since his marriage Mr. Studebaker has always engaged in mixed farming, and for a period of thirty years he also operated a threshing machine, be- ginning when the old horse-power ma- chine was the only one on the market.

On February 12, 1877, Mr. Studebaker married Susan Richardson, who was born in a log house on the present farm, and is a daughter of William and Eliza (Car- men) Richardson, who came from Mary- land to Clark County, Ohio, and settled on this place. She is one of six children born to her parents : Elizabeth, Prudence, Susan, John, Joseph, and George, the lat- ter of whom is deceased. Her father died in the fall of 1864 at the age of fifty-five years, and was survived by his widow until 1881, she passing away at the age of seventy-one years. Mr. and Mrs. Stude- baker have one child: Elizabeth. Mr. Studebaker is a man of public spirit and enterprise and is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens. He is a Democrat.

PATRICK L. MAUGHAN, justice of the peace and prominent citizen of Moore- field Township, where he owns one hun- dred acres of fine farming land, situated in one body, in sections 27 and 28, was born at Tremont City, Clark County, Ohio, November 24, 1866. His parents were Patrick and Margaret (Madden) Maughan.

The parents of Mr. Maughan were both

born in County Galway, Ireland, and the father came to America when he was twenty-two years of age. He landed at New Orleans, where he remained for one year and then came north to Cincinnati and on to Springfield, working at several shops in this city before making the visit to Cincinnati, where he married Margaret Madden. They went to housekeeping on the old Adam Baker farm near Eagle City, later moved to Tremont City, then lived for two years in Champaign County, where the father bought a farm, on which the family lived until Patrick L. was five years old, when they came to the farm in Moorefield Township now owned by Jus- tice Maughan. It was heavily timbered at that time but Patrick Maughan was a man of great industry and perseverance and he cleared it. His death took place April 4,'1904, his wife having died Sep- tember 13, 1898.

Patrick L. Maughan has lived on his present farm since he was five years old, being the seventh born in his parents' fam- ily of eight children. The others were as follows : Michael, who died in 1902; Mary, who married Thomas Langen; Luke; Mar- garet, who died in infancy ; Catherine, who manages the domestic affairs for her brother, Patrick L .; Daniel, who died aged two years; and Margaret (2), who mar- ried Michael Roddy. The parents were faithful members of the Catholic Church and they reared their children in the same faith.

Patrick L. Maughan was educated in the country schools and at the Lebanon Normal School, in the latter coming un- der the instruction of Professor Holbrook, and after he returned to Moorefield Town- ship, he became teacher of the Franklin

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School, which he taught continuously for lican, for the interests of which party he eight years. He then took charge of the Kenton School, which he conducted for four years, and closed his long period of teaching by becoming principal of the Rockaway School, in Springfield Town- ship, near the Masonic Home, where he remained for two years. During all this period he resided on his farm and gave considerable attention to the raising of good stock. In 1904 he retired from the educational field and in the same year he was elected a justice of the peace, on the Democratic ticket, and was re-elected in 1907. Mr. Maughan's personal popular- ity has had much to do with his continu- ance in office as the township is strongly Republican.

TOPPY TROUPE, one of the leading citizens of Springfield, who is engaged in a wholesale and retail cigar and tobacco business, at No. 42 South Limestone Street, has been identified with the inter- ests of this city for the past thirty-five years. He was born in 1850, at German- town, Montgomery County, Ohio.

Mr. Troupe completed his education when about twenty-three years of age and then became a boot and shoe salesman and was connected with that industry for about twenty years, when he turned his attention to the cigar business, opening a store on High Street, Springfield. On March 24, 1908, he moved to his present fine quarters, where he does an extensive jobbing as well as retail business. Mr. Troupe has been one of Springfield's most active citizens in the interest he has taken in public matters. He is one of the strong political factors in Ohio, a stanch Repub-

has worked for many years. He has never sought or accepted political office for him- self but has given his time and means to assist the ambitions of his friends and is probably one of the best-known politicians in the state. Since 1876 he has never missed a National, State, Congressional or County convention and he has been doorkeeper or assistant sergeant-at-arms at all the National and State conventions. He will also fill the office of doorkeeper at the Republican National convention, which is to be held in June, 1908. Among his personal friends he numbers the greatest statesmen in the land and on several occa- sions he has enjoyed tokens of their warm esteem. He accompanied President Mc- Kinley and Governor Nash, as an invalid guest, on their memorable trip to San Francisco. He has traveled extensively both in America and Europe and is a man of culture and social presence.

On April 7, 1904, Mr. Troupe was mar- ried to Ella Myers, who was born and reared at Springfield. He is a member of the Masons, Elks, Knights of Pythias and American Mechanics, and he belongs to the Springfield Commercial Club.

WALTER MCKINLEY, a leading busi- ness citizen of Tremont City, where he is engaged in a general mercantile business, is also treasurer of German Township. He was born at Tremont, Clark County, Ohio, December 5, 1854, and is a son of John B. and Elizabeth (Thrawls) McKin- ley. William McKinley, the grandfather, was a very early settler in German Town- ship and his son, John B. McKinley, was born at Tremont about 1827. For a num-

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY

ber of years the latter was in a mercan- years identified with the P. P. Mast Com- tile business at Tremont and for twelve years was postmaster.

Walter Mckinley was reared and edu- cated in his native place. He began to work in a dry goods store when thirteen years old and so continued until he was twenty-one, when he learned telegraphy and was subsequently appointed station agent for the Big Four Railroad, at Tre- mont. In 1888 he opened a tin shop, to which he shortly after added a grocery store, later putting in a fine line of hard- ware. He now has a large trade and is one of the city's representative men. In politics a Democrat, he served as post- master of Tremont during the four years of President Cleveland's last administra- tion.

Mr. Mckinley married Ella Xanders, who is a daughter of Jacob and Maria Xanders, and they have had three chil- dren, two of whom died in infancy. Their surviving child, Donna May, is the wife of I. A. Baker, who resides at Springfield. Mr. Mckinley is a member of the Re- formed Church. Fraternally, he is con- nected with the Odd Fellows and the Mac- cabees.

HARRY C. DOWNEY, head of the firm of W. C. Downey & Company, is one of the most prominent and successful of Springfield's younger generation of busi- ness men. He was born in this city in July, 1876, and is a son of W. C. Downey, one of the prominent early manufacturers of this vicinity.

W. C. Downey was born in Augusta County, Virginia, and in the early sixties emigrated to Ohio. He was for some

pany, and in 1888 established a factory at Mechanicsburg for the manufacture of bale ties. The following year he moved the plant to Springfield and continued actively at its head until his death in May, 1903. He was a successful business man and one of the substantial citizens of Springfield. He was an active member of the Clark County Fair Board, and was always found foremost in support of such measures and enterprises as were calcu- lated to bring advancement and prosper- ity to the city. His death was considered a loss to the entire community.

Harry C. Downey was reared in the city of Springfield, and after completing the prescribed course in the public schools, attended Wittenberg College. This was supplemented by a course in Nelson's Business College. In 1896 he became as- sociated with his father in the manufac- turing business, and since his father's death has had sole charge of the plant, handling its affairs in the capable man- ner which has always characterized the management of this concern.

March 1, 1904, Mr. Downey was joined in marriage with Miss Helen McGregor, a daughter of Frank McGregor, one of the city's foremost citizens, and they have two children, Susan and William. Re- ligiously, they are members of the Second Presbyterian Church. Our subject is a very active member of the Springfield Commercial Club, and also belongs to the Lagonda Club.

HERBERT E. LOVELESS, who owns one hundred and seventy-seven acres of some of the finest farming land in Pleas-

MRS. MARY T. BYMASTER

GEORGE W. BYMASTER

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ant Township, all in one body, lying along the Ellsworth Turnpike Road, was born October 31, 1876, near Catawba, Ohio, and is a son of Charles and Julia Frances (Lowe) Loveless.

Charles Loveless was born in 1832, in Virginia, and was a son of John Loveless. In early manhood he came to Ohio and lived on a farm in Champaign County for a time, when he came to Clark County and worked on the farm of Eli Hunter,. near Catawba, moving subsequently to several other farms, the Yeazell, the Baldwin and the Joseph Wren farm, liv- ing on the latter for thirteen years. He then bought property near Catawba, on which he lived for three years and then moved to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fannie Neer, where he still resides. He married Julia Frances Lowe; in Virginia, and they had nine children, namely : Charles, William, Mollie, Fannie, Rose Anna, Lena, Herbert E. and Nellie. Charles died at the age of three years. William married Ella Davis and they have two children, Carl and Morris. Mollie married Luther Neer and they have five children : Olive, Nathan, Leonard, Gladys and Emerson. Fannie married Grant Neer, of Clark County, and they have one son, Paul. Rose married Charles Gor- don and they have three children, Marion, Louis and Mark. Anna married Edward Rupert. They have no children. Lena married Carl Jones. They have no chil- dren. Nellie married Harley West and they reside at Springfield. They had one daughter, Margaret, who died aged two years.

Herbert E. Loveless obtained his educa- tion in the publis schools and has followed agricultural pursuits ever since he en-

tered manhood. After his marriage he rented the J. W. Yeazell farm, in Pleas- ant Township, on which he lived for three years and then came to his present place. Here he has made many substantial im- provements, and his farm has been de- veloped into one of the best in the town- ship. He raises grain and hay and many cattle and hogs.

Mr. Loveless was married November 15, 1898, to Florence Yeazell, who is a daughter of J. M. and Emma A. (Hous- ton) Yeazell, and they have one child, Thelma, who was born November 25, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Loveless are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Catawba. Mr. Loveless is an official member of the Junior Order of Amercian Mechanics, at Catawba. He is an enterprising, pro- gressive citizen and is held in high esteem in his community.

GEORGE W. BYMASTER, president of the Board of Infirmary Directors, who has been a resident of Clark County, Ohio, since 1853, was born August 25, 1833, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Bymaster was reared and received his educational training in Lancaster County and upon coming to Clark County, Ohio, located at Enon, where he was en- gaged in farming until 1862. He then en- listed in Company G, Ninety-fourth Regi- ment, O. V. I., and was mustered into service at Piqua, Ohio. He was in active service nearly three years and partic- ipated in those important engagements in the vicinity of Chattanooga-Buzzards Roost, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge. During the Georgia campaign while charging on the

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Confederate works at Resaca he was twice severely wounded, after which he was sent to the general hospital at Louisville, Ken- tucky, and, not being able to return on duty, was discharged in May, 1865. He was taken prisoner at Tates Ferry and re- leased on parole. After returning from the war he was located for one year at Donnelsville, Bethel Township, and after- wards went to Mad River Township where he worked out by the month for three years. He subsequently began farming in German Township for himself, and thus continued with much success for some twenty-four years. He then operated a dairy in Springfield Township for eleven years and built a commodious home at Sugar Grove, where he has since resided. Mr. Bymaster also purchased the old Stevenson farm of one hundred and thirty- four acres in German Township and it is now operated by his son.

In 1859 Mr. Bymaster married Miss Mary Tilton and they have four sons and one daughter, namely: Irvin, now de- ceased; Forest, who operates a large cat- tle ranch containing three thousand and forty acres, in Grant County Kansas; David, who lives in North Dakota ; Charles O., who lives on his father's farm of one hundred and thirty-four acres; and Ida A., who lives at home.

Mr. Bymaster has always taken an ac- tive interest in political affairs and has served in various minor offices in German Township. He was trustee of Springfield Township for four years and a member of the School Board for nine years. He was elected president of the Board of Infirm- ary Directors in the fall of 1904, and for about thirty-five years was engaged in pike work for the county.

Mr. Bymaster is a member of Powell Post No. 381, G. A. R., of Tremont City, and, religiously, is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Sims Chapel, of German Township.

STEPHEN CARY GOODALL was born on his father's farm in Darke Coun- ty, Ohio, June 5, 1861. His parents were James and Mary (Long) Goodall. He is a member of the Knights Templars at Springfield.

A. H. THOMAS, who has been a resi- dent of Springfield, Ohio, for some twenty years, is president of the Gearless Gas Engine Company and an inventor of prominence, holding patents to a number of important inventions which have proved a success on the market.

Mr. Thomas was born at Versailles, Ohio, in 1870, and was a small boy when his parents moved to Miami County, Ohio, where he was reared, attending the com- mon schools. Early in life he began learning the trade of a pattern-maker at Piqua, and when eighteen years of age came to Springfield and completed his ap- prenticeship to that trade, as well as to that of a machinist. He was with the Mast-Foos Company three years, then en- tered the employ of the Rogers Fence Company, having charge of the lawn. mower department for three years. At the end of that time he went to Troy, Ohio, where he was connected with the Adams Machine Shop for seven years, subsequently returning to Springfield. He was with the Springfield Gas Engine Com- pany five years, and two years with the

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Foos Gas Engine Company, but in the meantime was spending his time working out some inventions that his practical eye saw were much needed. Having com- pleted a gearless gas engine, the only one invented, and applied for a patent, in 1904 the Gearless Gas Engine Company was in- corporated with a capital stock of $20,000 and the following officers : A. H. Thomas, president; C. W. Foster, vice president; and W. L. Yates, secretary. The gearless gas engine is without a rival in the market, and being a wonderful invention for which there was an immediate demand, the suc- cess of the company was assured from the first. In addition, Mr. Thomas holds pat- ents on an adjustable cuff holder and a lawn-mower, both practical inventions which have been a success.

In 1888 Mr. Thomas was joined in mar- riage with Miss Katie Foster, by whom he has five children, Earl F., Katherine, John, Isabelle, and Naomi. Religiously, he and his wife are members of the Church of Christ. Fraternally, he is a member of Springfield Lodge, I. O. O. F.

JOHN BACON CRAIN, ex-county com- missioner, and owner of an excellent farm of one hundred and fifty acres located in Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, eight miles west of Springfield, on the south side of the Valley turnpike, was born in Springfield, Ohio, where the Ar- cade now stands, May 7, 1847, and is a son of John A. and Anna Matilda (Bacon) Crain.

The great-great-grandparents of Mr. Crain, William and Jean Crain, came to America from Ireland in 1732, settling on the Manada, a branch of the Swatara

River, in what was then Lancaster Coun- ty, now Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Joseph, the second son of William Crain, was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, in 1738. During the War of the Revolution he served as first Lieutenant in Cap. Richard McQuown's Company, of Col: Tim Green's Regiment, and was later commissioned Captain of the Second Com- pany of the Sixth Battalion, Pennsyl- vania Troops, under Col. John Rogers. Capt. Crain remained in active service until 1777. He was 'married to Mary Moore and their second son, John Crain, the grandfather of John B. Crain, was born November 25, 1773, and came to Clark County, Ohio, in 1806, from Han- over, Pennsylvania. He entered the pres- ent Charles R. Crain farm in 1806, and the old deed signed by President Madison is still in the possession of the family. John Crain was married to Lydia Reeder. John Adam Crain, the father of John B. Crain, was born October 14, 1811, in Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio. While still a boy he went to Springfield and subsequently became postmaster dur- ing President Harrison's administration. After the death of his father he bought out the other heirs and returned to the home farm in Bethel Township. He later retired and moved to Springfield where he died November 12, 1889. He was mar- ried to Anna Matilda (Bacon) a native of Springfield, whose ancestors came from England in 1635. She died June 5, 1886. They had four children, as follows : John Bacon; Charles R., a resident of Bethel Township; Mary, deceased; and Edmund, a resident of Philadelphia.

John B. Crain lived in Springfield, Ohio, until five years of age, when he was

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brought by his parents to the farm in Bryan as miller for three years. After- Bethel Township, where his youth was wards he rented and operated a mill north of Tremont for six years and in 1876 came to Clark County and purchased the Eagle City Mills in German Township from John H. Bryan and Jacob Messer. This property he operated until his death in 1903. spent. His education was secured in the district schools of Bethel Township, the common schools of Springfield, and the Commercial College of Dayton, Ohio. In 1873, Mr. Crain became a member of the firm of E. R. Hotsenpeller, millers, con- tinuing with this company until 1878. He then moved on the old Layton farm, which he purchased in 1871. Mr. Crain was married February 15, 1872, to Lydia Hot- senpeller, a daughter of Charles W. and Amelia (Reitenour) Hotsenpeller. Five children have been born to this union: Mary, who is the wife of Dr. C. M. Evans of New Carlisle, Ohio; Madge; Bertha ; Kathleen, who married Harold McGregor, resides in Springfield; and John A., of New York.

In 1897 Mr. Crain was elected county commissioner on the Republican ticket and served six years.

MILTON H. HOCKMAN, a highly re- spected citizen of German Township, who is engaged in general farming and stock- raising on a farm of eighty-eight and a half acres, located six miles northwest of Springfield on the Joel Ebersole Road, was born in Shenandoah County, Virginia, November 11, 1852, and is a son of Sam- uel R., and Anna Eliza (Gochenour) Hockman. He spent his early boyhood days in Virginia, coming to Ohio in 1867 when fifteen years of age, with his par- ents, who first located near Urbana, Champaign County. His father was a miller by trade and operated a grist-mill in Virginia until his removal to Ohio, when he entered the employ of Parker

Mr. Hockman learned the miller's trade and was in partnership with his father from 1876 until 1888, when he sold his interest, finding himself unable to stand the work, and in the spring of 1888 came to his present farm, first buying a tract of thirty-four and a half acres, to which he later added twenty-four acres, and again thirty acres in the fall of 1907. Here he has since followed general farm- ing and stock-raising and has made many important improvements on the place, in- cluding the remodeling of the buildings.

Mr. Hockman was married December 23, 1879, to Ella Dietrick, a daughter of Jacob Dietrick, and they have three chil- dren, Ada Frances; Nora, who is the wife of Irvin B. Shoup of Northampton and the mother of three children, Kennith, Carl, and Ellen; and Ida M. Hockman. Mr. Hockman attends the Dunkard Church, of which his wife is a member.

F. E. MOSHER, auditor of the Amer- ican Seeding Machine Company at Spring- field, Ohio, is one of the best known busi- ness men and citizens of this place. He is a member of various business, fraternal and social organizations, and has a wide acquaintance throughout the county.

Mr. Mosher was born at Salisbury, New York, August 8, 1870, and after attend- ing the public schools for a time pursued

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an academic course of study at Canastota, New York. He then became identified with the Eastman Kodak Company, with whom he continued for nine years, being in the capacity of auditor at the time he resigned. He then became connected with the Bickford & Huffman Co. division of the American Seeding Company located at Macedon, New York, continuing with them from 1899 until 1902, when he left their service to become secretary and manager of the Crandall Packing Com- pany at Palmyra, New York. July 1st, 1903, he moved to Springfield, Ohio, and again entered the employ of the American Seeding Company. He served as assistant auditor until January 1st, 1905, since which time he has discharged the duties of auditor. He also is interested in the Standard Trimmer Company at Spring- field. In 1901 Mr. Mosher was joined in marriage with Miss Katherine Stevens, a native of Despatch, New York. Fratern- ally, he is a member of the order of Ma- son and Elks, belongs to the Country Club, the Masonic Club, Y. M. C. A., and the Springfield Commercial Club.

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 69

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