USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 77
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After completing his college course, Mr. Campbell engaged in teaching and for some time was principal of a school at New Haven, Hamilton County. Later he Henry Rockel was reared in German Township and after a school attendance of some years, took upon himself a large portion of the work of cultivating the home farm. He continued to reside on the same farm after his marriage and un- til 1882, when he moved to a farm located a short distance south and resided there until October 27, 1906, when he moved to Tremont City. He still retains a lively interest in the management of his prop- erty, although not taking any part in the entered the Ohio State University and was graduated from the law department of that institution in 1903. He imme- diately located at Springfield and now oc- cupies convenient offices in the new Zim- merman Building, since 1904 having been alone, but prior to that time in partner- ship with his former classmate, Clarence Rice, under the firm name of Rice & Campbell, a connection which was dis- solved by the death of Mr. Rice. Besides attending to the large practice which he actual work. For many years he was con-
SAMUEL R. BATTIN MARTHA A. BATTIN
MRS. EMILY T. BATTIN MARY ELIZABETH TOMLINSON
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sidered one of the most successful farm- ers and stock-raisers of the township.
On January 19, 1860, Mr. Rockel was married to Mary A. Richards, who is a daughter of John and Susan (Landis) Richards. They have had five children, namely: Oscar James, who is a trustee of German Township, married Laura A. Haus, and they have six children; Laura E. who died aged thirteen years; Emma, who married Abraham Thomas; Clara, who married Charles Schaffer, who is in a grocery business at Springfield; and Warren Adam, who married (first) Pearlie A. Lorton, and (secondly) Ida M. Pearson. Mr. and Mrs. Rockel have a number of grandchildren and one great- grandchild. The children of Oscar James Rockel and wife are: Lydia, who married Merlin Lorton; Gay, who married Noah Myers, and had two children, both of whom are now deceased; Carlisle, Eman- nel Henry, Mary Elizabeth, and Esther Corinne. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are: Elsie, who married Clement Dean; and Grover Clyde, who married Glenna Bushong and has one daughter, Mildred; Henry Lewis (deceased) and Earl LeRoy. Warren Adam Rockel had two children by his first marriage, both of whom are deceased. He has three by his second union-Edna Corinne, Russel M. and Nora Catherine. Mr. Rockeľ and sons are Democrats. He is a member of the old German Lutheran Church.
SAMUEL REEDER BATTIN, presi- dent of the Clark County Farmers' Mu- tual Protective and Aid Association and a prominent resident of Madison Town- ship, has been a citizen of this county since
1874. He was born in Columbiana Coun- ty, Ohio, March 3, 1829, and is a son of David and Sarah Ann (Reeder) Battin, a grandson of John and Ann (Raley)) Battin, and a great-grandson of Richard and Elizabeth (James) Battin.
The Battin family is of Welsh origin, its members being in general of the Quaker faith. The name at one time was spelled Batten. It is an old family in this country, its establishment on American soil, as traditionally given, dating back to a short time after the arrival of Will- iam Penn. Richard Battin, above men- tioned, and his family located in Philadel- phia County, Pennsylvania, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. They were valued members of the Society of Friends.
John Battin, the grandfather, was born near Wilmington, Delaware, June 13, 1767, and in early life learned the trade of a cooper. After arriving at maturity, he moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania, where he followed his trade in connection with farm- ing, and here he married Ann Raley, and they were parents of ten children, each of whom lived to a ripe old age. The combined ages of these children at the time of their respective deaths, totaled seven hundred and seventy years, or an average of seventy-seven years, which is truly remarkable for so large a family.
David Battin, father of Samuel R., was born in Washington County, Pennsyl- vania, June 8, 1803, and as a child accom- panied his parents on their removal to Stark County, Ohio, thence to Columbiana County, where his father died in 1847. There he grew to maturity and was en- gaged in farming and stock-raising all his life, being especially prominent as a
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breeder of fine sheep. Upon reaching man's estate he had bought a heavily tim- bered tract of land, which he cleared and transformed into a good farm, and as his two sons grew up and assisted in the work the acreage of the farm was increased to more than double that of the original pur- chase. David Battin married Sara Ann Reeder, a daughter of Samuel and Ann (Malone) Reeder, who were among the pioneers of Columbiana County, coming from near Westtown Boarding School, Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1806. They also were members of the Society of Friends. Mr. Battin died September 6, 1877, aged seventy-four years, and his wife, who survived him six years, died at the age of eighty years.
Samuel Reeder Battin was reared on the home farm in Columbiana County, and attended the common schools during the winter months of his boyhood days. He was brought up to hard work and at the age of twenty years began working on a farm for ten dollars per month, a paltry sum in view of the present day wages and hours. He soon turned his attention to the saw-mill industry, purchasing a half interest in a mill, for which he made part payment with what he had been able to save of his wages, giving a note for the balance to his uncle who had faith in his honesty and capacity. He subsequently resumed farming in that county, and so continued until 1874, when he came to Clark County, Ohio. Here he purchased one hundred acres in Madison Township (to which he has since added eighty-three acres), and set about making much needed improvements and converting it into a modern farming property. At the time of his arrival here, he was four thousand
dollars in debt, and the fact that he now takes rank among the substantial and af- fluent residents of his community is am- ple evidence of his industry and his abil- ity in matters of business. He has fol- lowed general farming and stock-raising, paying especial attention to the raising and breeding of fine wool sheep and short- horn cattle. Mr. Battin was one of the charter members of the Clark County Farmers' Mutual Protective & Aid As- sociation, of which he was adjuster for many years, and now holds the office of president. Under his able direction the association has prospered, doing an ex- tensive business in insuring farm prop- erty in Clark and adjoining counties and now carrying two and a half million dol- lars of risks, its membership being over twelve hundred.
In 1853 Mr. Battin was united in mar- riage with Miss Lydda Ann Winder, a native of Columbiana County, Ohio, and a daughter of Joseph and Efphama (Yates) Winder of Carroll County, Ohio. Four children were born to them, of whom the following is a brief record: Efphama Ann married John Cole of Fairfield Coun- ty, and died leaving a son, Harry Battin Cole, who is now married and has a daughter and son; David, now Dr. David Wilmot, and a resident of Shell Rock, Iowa, married Jura Cubbison and has a daughter Edna Cubbison Battin; Charles Sumner, a plumber of South Charleston, married Mary Ann Mather and has two children, Leonard Winslow and Jessie; Amanda, the youngest of the family, died at the age of three years. Mrs. Lydda Battin died December 24, 1864, and Mr. Battin married June 7, 1866, for his sec- ond wife, Emily Tomlinson, a native of
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Jefferson County, Ohio, and a daughter of Samuel S. and Rachel (Street) Tom- linson. Of this union there are four chil- dren, namely: Orlando T., who assists his father on the farm, married Esther Matthews, and has three children-Edith W., Edward M. and Raymond Francis; Kersey Raley, who is now engaged in the building of electric railways; Martha Alma, who lives with her father; and Mary Alice, wife of Walter Sanders Boone, whose home is near Richmond, In- diana, and who has a daughter, Emily Elizabeth.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Battin remain stead- · fast members of the Society of Friends. In politics, the former was a Free Soiler up to 1856, since which time he has uni- formly cast his vote for the Republican nominee for president. He is a broad- gauged, thinking man, and believing it to be a duty as well as a pleasure to get out of the beaten path of everyday life, has traveled quite extensively, visiting many points of historic and national interest in our country, as well as the original homesteads of some of his ancestors.
WALTER DICKASON, general farm- er and leading citizen of Pleasant Town- ship, resides on his valuable farm of 114 acres, which is situated on the London and Catawba Turnpike Road. He was born in Madison County, Ohio, December 10, 1852, and is a son of Samuel and Eliza (Rafferty) Dickason.
family of four sons and three daughters, namely: John, Agnes, Caroline, Rebecca, Charles, Alexander and Samuel.
Samuel Dickason (2nd), father of Walter, was born in 1822, in Madison County, Ohio, and in 1843 married Eliza Rafferty, he died July 24, 1894. His widow still survives. They had the fol- lowing children : Sarah Ann, Jacob, Emeline, Oscar, Walter and Marshall of whom there are two survivors-Oscar and Walter. Oscar Dickason married Alice Cupples and their five children all sur- vive, namely: Lona, who married Mr. Foreman, and resides at Columbus; Will- ard, who married a Miss Wilson, and lives in Colorado; Walter residing at Spring- field; Fern, who married George Ash- more, and lives at home; and Harry, who also lives at home.
Walter Dickason was six years old when his parents came from Madison County and settled in Pleasant Township, Clark County, and this section has been Mr. Dickason's home ever since. He was edu- cated in the district schools and has al- ways followed farming as an occupation. On April 20, 1886, Mr. Dickason was mar- ried to Nettie Willard, who was born Jan- uary 26, 1858, and is a daughter of James and Ella (Hull) Willard.
Col. Abner S. Willard, the grandfather of Mrs. Dickason, was a son of an officer who served in the Revolutionary War. He was born August 2, 1791, in Vermont, served in the War of 1812, and died De- cember 16, 1872. He married Huldah Culver, who was born March 11, 1796, in New York, and they had seven children, namely: Permelia T., born in 1816, who died in 1885; Calvin, born August 22,
The Dickason family came to Ohio from Virginia. The grandfather, Samuel Dickason, settled in Madison County in 1810, where he bought land for one dol- lar and a quarter an acre. He had a, 1817, who died in 1846; Mary C., born
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August 5, 1819, who died June 9, 1898; Angeline, born June 26, 1823, who died January 22, 1898; Spencer, born Octo- ber 2, 1827, who died July 11, 1851 ; James M., born October 21, 1829, who died Feb- ruary 17, 1905; Louise, born August 1, 1832, who died in March, 1895.
James M. Willard was married No- vember 26, 1849, to Ella Hull, who died December 1, 1896. They had the follow- ing children: Talitha, who was born Sep- tember 6, 1850, married M. T. Candler, November 24, 1869, and died June 14, 1886; William S., who was born October 3, 1853, died September 1, 1854; Edwin E., who was born May 9, 1856, and mar- ried Alice Evans, January 17, 1878; Net- tie, born January 26, 1858, who became the wife of Walter Dickason; Louie R., who was born February 4, 1861, and mar- ried Frank Newman, October 3, 1894; and Horace M., who was born June 22, 1864, and married Estella Hicks, Decem- ber 28, 1893.
Mr. Dickason is one of the popular men of his district and was elected to his pres- ent office of township trustee on the Dem- ocratie ticket, receiving a large majority although the township is normally Repub- lican. He belongs to Lodge No. 481, Odd Fellows, at Summerford, Ohio. He is a member and a trustee of the Universalist. Church at London, Ohio.
STEWART L. TATUM, attorney at law, who served two terms as city solicitor of Springfield, was born at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1871, where he resided until eighteen years of age.
Mr. Tatum was educated at Cleveland and the University of Michigan, at Ann
Arbor, and was graduated in the law de- partment of that great school in 1898. He settled immediately at Springfield, becom- ing associated in the practice of law with F. M. Krapp, under the firm style of Tatum & Krapp, a partnership which con- tinued until 1903. At that time Mr. Tatum first assumed the duties of city solicitor, having been elected to the of- fice in the spring of that year. He was subsequently re-elected, his last term ex- piring January 1, 1908. In 1900 he was the Democratic candidate for Congress. He is now engaged in the private practice of law in the Gotwald Building, Spring- field.
In 1899 Mr. Tatum was married to Grace M. Cowan, of Chicago. He is prominent in Masonry, having attained the 32nd degree, and belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Com- mandery at Springfield and to the Shrine and Consistory at Dayton. He is a mem- ber of the Springfield Commercial Club, the Lagonda Club and the Country Club.
HENRY FISHER, one of German Township's best-known citizens, owns six tracts of valuable farming land, ag- gregating three hundred and twenty acres, all situated in German Township, Clark County, Ohio, where he was born April 28, 1860. He is a son of John Henry and Christina (Fritchey) Fisher. The parents of Mr. Fisher were born in Germany. They came to America in 1858, accompanied by two children, and settled in Clark County, where John Henry Fisher followed farming during the re- mainder of his life.
Henry Fisher grew to manhood on his
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father's farm. He was educated in the public schools, after completing the com- mon school course attending the German Township High School for four terms. In 1889 he first officiated as an auctioneer, crying a sale for a neighbor in German Township. He soon found that he pos- sessed a natural talent for this line of work and since that discovery has made auctioneering his main business, and his reputation now extends far beyond Clark County. Although he owns so much land he finds it more profitable to rent it out on shares than to cultivate it himself. He is a hearty, genial man and possesses the quick wit and ready tongue, combined with the business judgment which enables him to make a success of the auctioneer business. He is very popular and has friends wherever he is known.
Mr. Fisher married Laura Jenkins, who is a daughter of Frederick Jenkins, and they have two children, Lola and Virgil. Mr. Fisher is a Democrat and has served for ten years as a trustee of German Township. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias.
T. W. LUDLOW, secretary and super- intendent of the Springfield Malleable Iron Company of Springfield, was born in this city in 1858. He is a son of A. R. Ludlow, also a native of this city, who was born in 1826, and who was for many years one of the leading manufacturers of the city, and a grandson of Cooper Ludlow, a native of Cincinnati, who was one of the pioneer settlers of Clark Coun- ty, coming here in 1790.
T. W. Ludlow was reared in Springfield and received his educational training in
the public schools. He has been engaged in manufacturing all his life, and became associated with the Springfield Malleable Iron Company as secretary and super- intendent, in 1879, and has been serving in that capacity ever since.
Mr. Ludlow was joined in marriage in 1882 with Carrie Trader and of this union have been born four children, namely : Harold and Thurston R., who are asso- ciated in business with their father; Eliz- abeth and Catherine. The religious con- nection of the family is with the Second Presbyterian Church of Springfield. In politics Mr. Ludlow is a Republican.
NATHAN V. BRANSON, a highly re- spected citizen of the village of Selma, who for many years was one of the most prosperous farmers of Madison Township and owner of two hundred and two and one-half acres of farm land, now the prop- erty of his son-in-law, was born Novem- ber 19, 1834, near Cedarville, Greene County, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas and Anna (Vail) Branson, and a grandson of Abraham Branson, a native and life-long resident of Virginia.
Thomas Branson was a native of Vir- ginia. When he moved to Ohio, he located in Belmont County for a time, moving from there to Greene County, and in 1854, to the present home of his son, Nathan V., where he engaged in farming until his death in 1875. He was first married to Anna Vail, a resident of Belmont County, Ohio, and to their union were born three children, of whom but one is living, Nathan V. After the death of his first wife, he married Thomasin Walker, no children being born of the second union.
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Nathan V. Branson was reared in Greene County and obtained his educa- tional training in its schools and at Rich- mond, Indiana. After completing his edu- cation he worked on his father's farm un- til 1854, when he came to Clark County and located on the farm near Selma, where he has since continued to reside. In 1906 he sold the property to his son- in-law, Howard S. Smith. On November 18, 1858, he was united in marriage with Anna Swain, who died March 1, 1902. She was a daughter of Charles Edwin Swain, of Pendleton, Indiana. Three children were born to this union: Evelyn, wife of Ralph Howell, T. Swain, and Lewella.
Politically, Mr. Branson is a Prohibi- tionist and has served his township as trustee. The religious connection of the family is with the Society of Friends.
Howard S. Smith, son-in-law of Mr. Branson, was born in 1870, in Selma, Clark County, Ohio, and with the excep- tion of three years, has lived here all his life. He is one of a family of four chil- dren and a son of Samuel and Esther (Cook) Smith. Samuel Smith, whose death occurred in 1901, was a resident and farmer of Greene County, Ohio, near Selma. His wife was a daughter of M. S. Cook, a resident of Avondale, Penn- sylvania. She died in 1885.
Mr. Smith was reared in Selma, receiv- ing his education in the village schools and at Earl College, Richmond, Indiana. He then engaged in farming, which occu- pation he still follows and is one of the most enterprising young agriculturists of the township. On October 4, 1899, he married Lewella Branson, the younger daughter of Nathan V. Branson.
Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics and is trustee of Madison Township. He is a member of the Society of Friends.
SAMUEL ULERY, whose farm of one hundred and twenty-seven acres, situated in Pike Township, lies about ten miles west of Springfield, is a representative farmer of his section. Mr. Ulery was born January 21, 1852, in Pike Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Rev. George and Mary Ann (Funderburg) Ulery.
The Ulery family came to Ohio from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. John Ulery, the grandfather of Samuel, walked from his home there to Clark County, Ohio, and selected a farm in Pike Township and returned to Pennsylvania on foot. Short- ly afterward he returned to Clark County, bringing his family and possessions in a wagon. They settled on the pioneer farm and for many years struggled with the hardships which beset all the early set- tlers, but overcame many of these by in- dustry and perseverance. Both John Ulery and his wife Elizabeth died on this farm, leaving a family of six children, namely : Nancy, who married David Neis- wander; John; George; Jacob; and Mollie, who married Jacob Biller.
George Ulery was fourteen years old when he accompanied his parents to Clark County and he assisted greatly in clear- ing up the farm from its wild condition. He became a farmer and acquired land. until he owned about three hundred acres. In his later years he became a preacher and served in the churches all through this section. He married Mary Ann Funder- burg and they had nine children. She was born in Pike Township, Clark County,
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Ohio, August 3, 1832, and was reared in the home of her grandfather, Samuel Leffel, who was one of the early settlers. She still survives but her husband died February 13, 1878.
Samuel Ulery lived at home until his marriage, in the meanwhile obtaining a common school education. He received a part of his land from his father's estate and bought the remainder from Jacob Baugh. He built the large barn and re- modeled the house and has a very com- fortable and attractive home.
On February 13, 1877, Samuel Ulery was married to Mary S. Littrell, who is a daughter of Henry S. and Elizabeth (Ashfelt) Littrell. They have a family of five children, namely: Olive Odella; Beulah, who married Dyre Edminson, has three children, Marie, Ernest and How- ard; Harvey, who married Susan Hamil- ton; Charles and Edith. Mr. and Mrs. Ulery belong to the Brethren in Christ Church, in which he is a deacon and of which he is treasurer.
CHARLES H. PETRE, a well known general farmer and dairyman of Spring- field Township, residing on a fine farm of one hundred and two acres, situated in section 1, about three miles south of Springfield, was born on his present farm, September 17, 1866, and is a son of Lewis and Angeline (Printz) Petre.
Lewis Petre was born and reared in Hagerstown, Maryland, and was a son of Ludwick Petre, who died when Lewis was a small child. The latter was a shoe- maker by trade and came to Clark Coun- ty, Ohio, when a young man and lived for
some years in Springfield, but in 1833, he bought a farm of one hundred and for- ty-seven acres in Springfield Township, which his son, Charles H., later purchased. Lewis Petre married Angeline Printz, who was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and came to Clark County when a young girl, with her father, Daniel Printz, who came from Germany. Six children were born to Lewis and Angeline Petre: Andrew J., who resides in Green Township, Clark County; Mary E., who married Addison Wilson of Springfield; Lewis D., who lives in New York; Laird V., who lives in Lin- coln, Illinois; Charles H .; and Frances, who died aged four years. Lewis and Angeline Petre both died on their home farm, the former in 1881, and the latter in 1898.
Charles H. Petre was reared on his present farm, in an old log house which is still standing, and attended the district schools of the township. After buying the farm from the heirs of his father, Mr. Petre sold forty-five acres and has since been engaged in general farming on the remainder, and engages extensively in dairying, making and selling butter. Mr. Petre was married October 10, 1888, to Matilda Hamma, who was born in Greene County, Ohio, but has spent the greater part of her life in Green Township, Clark County. Her parents, Andrew and Matilda (Carter) Hamma, were promi- nent farmers of Green Township, the former of whom is now deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Petre have six children : Alda, Helen, Grace, Robert, Andrew, and Charles Kenneth. Mr. Petre erected his large frame house in 1904. For six years he was a member of the School Board,
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
serving from 1898 until 1904. He is a member and liberal supporter of the Third Lutheran Church.
THOMAS M. HESS, a prosperous farmer of Green Township, Clark County, Ohio, residing on a fine farm of one hun- dred and eleven acres, was born Decem- ber 9, 1841, near Pitchin, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Sibbia (Mills) Hess.
John Hess was born and reared in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and when a young man came to Ohio with his parents who located on a farm near Pitchin, Clark County, where they spent the remainder of their lives. John owned . and spent a great many years on the El- ton Tuttle farm, moving late in life. to a farm. west of the Selma Pike in Spring- field Township, where his death occurred some years later. He married Sibbia Mills, a daughter of Thomas Mills, and of their union were born six daughters and two sons, five of which children are still living.
T. M. Hess was reared on his father's farm near Pitchin and received a limited amount of schooling in the schools of that locality. He worked on the farm until his marriage, after which he rented a farm near Clifton one year, then moved to his present farm, which he rented several years previous to buying, eighty-six acres of his land having been previously owned by Isaac H. Stratton, his wife's father. He subsequently purchased a tract of twenty-five acres in Springfield Town- ship. Mr. Hess has always farmed in a general way and keeps a number of cows, making a specialty of selling butter.
Mr. Hess was joined in marriage with Calista A. Stratton, a daughter of Isaac H. Stratton of Green Township, Clark County, and to them have been born four children: Cora (Garlough) ; Warren L., a resident of Springfield; Jessie (Starr) and Burton, who died in infancy. Mr. Hess served 100 days in the army during the Civil War. He is politically, a sup- porter of the Republican party and his religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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