Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 84

Author: Rockel, William M. (William Mahlon), 1855-1930, ed
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Chicago, Biographical publishing co.
Number of Pages: 1086

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and Eliza Jane Lowry. Of this union were born three children-Hershell, who died in infancy ; Carena B., who died aged twenty-eight years; and Athella M., who married Rev. McDanniel Howsare, and has three children, George, Elizabeth Ev- elyn, and James E. Captain Mckinney is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of Mit- chell Post, G. A. R.

DAVID BENTON JENKINS, former- ly for two terms clerk of German Town- ship, is one of the best-known educators of Clark County. He was born in Page County, Virginia, March 27, 1865, and is a son of Daniel and Barbara Ann (Printz) Jenkins. Daniel Jenkins was born in Vir- ginia, in which state also he died. In 1852 he visited Ohio, and in 1856 Illinois, but he never resided in any state except that of his nativity. He followed the shoe- maker's trade.

David Benton Jenkins attended the country schools near his home until he was sixteen years old, when, through the interest of a cousin, William H. Jenkins, he became a resident of Ohio. This cousin had lived in Clark County for a time and had then gone back to Virginia, but later had decided to return to Ohio. He recog- nized the fact that in the latter state the ambitious young man and eager student, David Benton Jenkins, would have better chances of success in life; hence he se- cured the consent of the youth's father to allow him to take David to Ohio. They arrived in Clark County, March 7, 1882. David went to work for Jacob Mitzell, near Tremont, and with that just man and his excellent wife he made his home for

ten years, winning their confidence and affection, and to this day he attributes much of his success to their kind interest.

For two years young Jenkins attended school at Tremont City, after which he entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and for one year he was fortunate enough to be under the instruc- tion of that able educator, Professor Al- fred Holbrook. Prior to this he had taught one term of school at Tremont, and after returning from the university he resumed teaching at the same place. He continued in this occupation almost continuously from 1884 until 1902, giving himself but short periods of rest and not really abandoning the educational field un- til 1902. During 1890-91 he taught the Lawrenceville High School. He has been prominently identified with educational work all over Clark County and during 1891 he served as county school examiner. Since giving up teaching he has lived on his farm. On September 20, 1892, Mr. Jenkins was married to Mary Margaret Overholser, who is a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Callison) Overholser.

Politically Mr. Jenkins is a Republican. From 1894 until 1898 he served most ef- ficiently as clerk of German Township, being one of the very few members of his party who were in office during those years. He is a Knight Templar Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery at Springfield.

He is also a member of the First Con- gregational Church of Springfield, Ohio, and has been a teacher in the Sabbath- school since 1884.

In June, 1900, he served as census enu- merator for German Township.

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DAVID SHROYER, a representative ceased; Amanda, wife of William Over- citizen of Pike Township, has a fine farm ton of North Dakota; Mary, who first married David Reed, and is now the wife of John Slattery of Dayton; John, who lives in North Dakota; William F., who lives in Wisconsin; and Sarah Ellen, who died at the age of nine months. of 110 acres about fifteen miles northwest of Springfield. He was born in Miami County, Ohio, a short distance from the Clark County line, May 24, 1835, is a son of John and Eliza (Rall) Shroyer, and a grandson of Thomas Shroyer.

Thomas Shroyer, the grandfather, was born in Maryland and there followed his trade as a carpenter. He lived there many years after his marriage, then came west to Ohio with his family, making the jour- ney in wagons. Arriving in Dayton they there spent the winter and when spring came purchased 170 acres of land in Mia- mi County, just west of New Carlisle- the farm on which Henry Shroyer now lives. They cleared this farm and Thom- as made it his home for the rest of his life.

John Shroyer, father of David, was born in Maryland and was about fifteen years of age when his parents came to Ohio. He followed farming throughout life and was a very prosperous man, own- ing several tracts of land in addition to the old home place. He married Eliza Rall, who was born in Bethel Township, Clark County, Ohio, and was a daughter of Abraham Rall, who was one of the very early pioneers of the county. He made the brick, laid the foundation, built the walls and plastered the first brick house erected in Clark County. His home place was the farm on which is located the Scarff Nursery. Mr. Shroyer died at the age of fifty-four years, and his wife, sur- viving him some years, died at the age of sixty. They had nine children, as fol- lows: David; Harrison, deceased; Hen- ry ; Elizabeth, wife of J. P. Meranda, de-

David Shroyer was born in a log cabin on the old home place, and received a very meager educational training in the old log school of the district. This school, like most others of its kind, had a pun- cheon floor, and was equipped on three sides with slabs fastened to the walls for desks, and slab benches, with wooden pins for legs. Mr. Shroyer assisted in clear- ing the old farm and lived there until he was twenty-six years of age, when he came to Clark County, locating on a farm in Pike Township. Four years later he located on the farm on which his daugh- ter now lives, and made that his home un- til August, 1893, when he bought of Seth Black the farm on which he lives at the present time. In his younger days he worked to some extent in a stone quarry, and at one time operated for three years a threshing machine, in which he owned a half interest. He has devoted his atten- tion to general farming, and success has crowned his efforts. He is considered one of the substantial men of the township.

February 17, 1861, Mr. Shroyer was joined in marriage with Eliza Jane Jen- kins, who came of a prominent Clark County family, being a daughter of Dr. Wiley Jenkins. They had three children : Sarah Ann, who died at eighteen years; Ida J., wife of Joseph Lippincott, died at the age of forty years; and Rebecca, wife of Henry Jones, who has two children -.- Bertha and Lona. Mrs. Eliza Shroy-

MR. AND MRS. JEREMIAH FROCK

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er died in 1880, and Mr. Shroyer formed field, and was engaged there in farming a second marital union, March 5, 1899, until his death in 1892. with Adelia A. Whiting, a daughter of Giles and Margaret W. (DeGroot) Whit- ing, her father being a native of New York, and her mother of New Jersey. Her parents were married in New York, and went from there to Michigan, and lat- er to Xenia, Ohio, where Mr. Whiting con- ducted a store for a time and afterward a hotel. They then moved to Preble Coun- ty, where he died, and after his death Mrs. Whiting moved to Franklin, Warren County, where the remainder of her days were spent. Mrs. Shroyer was one of nine children, six of whom grew to matur- ity, namely: Mary, William W., Adelia A., Lucy A., Junius F., and Frances Helen.

Politically Mr. Shroyer is a Democrat and has served two terms as supervisor. While in discharge of the duties pertain- ing to that office he was buried in a gravel pit, breaking a leg in three places, and after the expiration of his term he de- clined to run for the office again. Relig- iously he is a member and elder of the Reformed Church.

A. VAN BIRD, county surveyor of Clark County, and a well known resident of Springfield, was born September 19, 1857, four miles east of Springfield in Springfield Township, and is a son of Si- las Van Bird.

Silas Van Bird was born in Virginia and came to Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, in 1816. He was a millwright by trade, and followed the same for many years during his early life, but subse- quently located on a farm near Spring-

A. Van Bird was reared in Springfield Township, and attended the district schools, later graduating in 1880 from Wittenburg College, after which he spent much time in traveling. In 1888 Mr. Bird was elected township clerk and also as- sistant to county surveyor William Sha- ron, and in 1897, upon the appointment of the latter to the Board of Public Service, Mr. Bird was appointed county surveyor by Judge J. C. Mills and Judge Distin, and has since served continuously in that capacity. In 1886 Mr. Bird was united in marriage with Martha J. Hoffman, and they became the parents of two sons and two daughters, namely: Laura E., Silas Van, Martha M., and Paul S. Mr. Bird is a member of the First Baptist Church of Springfield.

JEREMIAH FROCK, one of Clark County's most substantial citizens, re- siding in a pleasant home at Vienna Cross Roads, owns 160 acres of valuable farm- ing land in Harmony Township and 203 acres in Moorfield and Springfield Town- ships. He is a native of Ohio and was born May 12, 1836. His parents were Samuel and Mary Ann (Wient) Frock. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Frock, Benjamin and Malinda Frock, were Maryland people, who came to Ohio in 1844.

Samuel Frock, father of Jeremiah, was born March 7, 1812. He was married, first, to Mary Ann Wient and they had six children : Jeremiah, Henry, John and Daniel (twins), Amos and an infant. Henry was born June 12, 1840, and died

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in 1906. He served for over three years in the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1865 he married Martha Clark and they had two children, Harry and Frank. John and Daniel were born January 6, 1842. John died in 1861 and Daniel died in 1864, while serving as a soldier in the Civil War. Amos was born June 7, 1846. He married Sarah Pentony and they have two children, Pearl and George; they re- side in Indiana. The mother of the above family died November 15, 1854, and the father was married, secondly, to Barbara A. Teach, who was born August 29, 1826. They had four children, namely: Samuel, born in 1859, who married Emma Stan- ford in 1882 and has one child, Maud; Fannie J., born in 1856, who married Emory White in 1877 and has three chil- dren-Arthur, Fred, and Edward; Ed- ward, born in 1867, who died in 1904. He married Minnie Rathburn in 1890 and they had one child, Ellen. The fourth child died an infant.

during this period he took part in a num- ber of sharp skirmishes. For ten days he was confined in a hospital suffering from measles, but otherwise he returned un- harmed to his home when his services were no longer needed.

On January 16, 1862, Mr. Frock was married to Sophia Christina Rudolph, who was born August 14, 1844, and who, was the only child of John W. and Eliza- beth (Baldner) Rudolph. Mrs. Frock's father was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, and died in 1873. Her mother was born in Germany in 1816, and died in August, 1896. Mr. and Mrs. Frock have had four children, as follows: Charles, born in 1862, married Jessie Walker in 1886, and they have one son, Robert; George Ed- ward, born in 1864, lives at Vienna; Effie J., born in 1867, died aged ten years ; and Orran, born in 1868, married Minnie Shellebarger in 1903, and they reside in Clark County. Mr. Frock is of German ancestry.

Jeremiah Frock has been a resident of . Clark County since 1859, with the excep- tion of three years spent in Illinois prior WILLIAM H. BITNER, who is mana- ger of the Pure Milk Company at Spring- field and the owner of 145 acres of excel- lent farming land in Springfield Town- ship, is one of the representative men of this section. He was born in Pennsylva- nia August 18, 1855, and is a son of Henry and Nancy (Glass) Bitner. to his marriage. He first rented farming land on Mad River. In 1868 he bought forty-seven acres of his present farm and has kept adding to it until he now owns a great amount of property. He has car- ried on a large business in raising grain and stock and has been one of the largest hog-raisers in Clark County. He now lives retired at Vienna. In 1864 he en- of Pennsylvania and both died at Biglers-

The parents of Mr. Bitner were natives ville, in Adams County, in that state. For a number of years Henry Bitner op- erated a grist-mill and then kept a hotel at Mummasburg, later removing to Big-

listed at Camp Dennison and served until the close of the war as a member of Com- pany F, One Hundred and Fifty-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His main service was in doing guard duty at , lersville, where he followed a butchering Harper's Ferry and other points, and business until 1862, when he sold out and

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served one year in the Civil War, during which period he was wounded. After re- turning to Biglersville he engaged in a nursery business for a time, but later in life he rented his lands and operated a small store. He married Nancy Glass and they had the following children: Jennie, Elizabeth, William H., George, Emma and Alice, both of whom, with Jennie, are deceased. Henry Bitner was married (second) to Rose Bean and they had two children, one of whom, Bessie, survives. "

Since he was a lad of nine years Will- iam H. Bitner has been self-supporting, for at that tender age he started out to work on farms in his native neighborhood, engaging by the month. Prior to this, in July. 1863, while he was living at home, in a small town named Heidelberg, the great battle of Gettysburg was fought, ten miles distant, and the scenes before, during and after, that came under his own eyes. made impressions which can never be effaced from his memory. Mr. Bitner relates that on the day before the battle the Confederate troops came to the quiet little Dutch town of Heidelberg, where they encamped, tearing down the residents' fences to feed their camp fires. A large detachment settled on a vacant lot immediately next to the boy's home, and at first demanded all the food in the house and then gave the family three minutes to vacate the premises. His father had for- tunately driven his horses to Lancaster and thus saved them. He was preparing to leave the home to the invaders, when the order to vacate was suddenly counter- manded and they were not further dis- turbed.

The great battle of Gettysburg came to

an end on Friday, although smoke of gun- powder still hung over the battlefield on Sunday, when Mr. Bitner, accompanied by two others, went to view the scene. It was a terrible sight, horses and men lying in every position so close together that the horrified visitors could scarcely touch ground with their footsteps. The great Lutheran College had been thrown open as a hospital, and every poor mangled body in which there still remained a spark of life had been gathered up and crowded in this building in the hope of easing their sufferings. This was no sight proper for a child of eight years, and probably Will- iam Bitner was one of the few ever an eye- witness of such an appalling sight on American soil. He walked ten miles to the scene of battle and then tramped over the grounds, returning to his home after covering a distance of twenty-five miles without even a morsel to eat. It is no wonder that Mr. Bitner has ever been a man of peace.

When about fourteen years of age, and living at Biglersville, he suffered a very severe accident through catching his arm in a circular saw. After his recovery he went to work again on different farms, but received such meager compensation that when eighteen years old he became a miner and worked in the ore mines of Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, for two years. Mining is a dangerous industry, and Mr. Bitner was once taken from a mine cave- in, supposed to be dead. A strike was de- clared while he was working in these mines and he left that neighborhood and went to Noble's Mine, near Mt. Holley. Here some fifteen or twenty men lived to- gether in one house, doing their own cook- ing. Mr. Bitner remained there six

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months and then went back to Adams County and engaged in farming for Daniel Sheeley. In August, 1875, Mr. Bit- ner came to Ohio in company with Wilson Walley, stopping first with Michael Kline, near Medway. The first work he ever did after reaching Clark County was for David Neff, near Medway, later worked for Michael Kline, still later for John Lipp and then worked as a farm hand for A. Holcomb, in Springfield Township, for four years and seven months. Another ac- cident laid him prostrate for a long time, he being run over by a team with two and one-half cords of wood, and although he was obliged to go about on crutches for a considerable period, he survived this, as he had done other serious injuries. This, however, was not the end of his misfor- tunes. After his marriage he bought an interest in a steam threshing and saw- mill, and while operating it he fell from a log and thereby broke a bone in his leg. This accident, which would have made an invalid of a less courageous man, kept Mr. Bitner from his business for two days only. His physician gravely advised him to keep in bed, he having had his leg placed in a plaster cast, but with this in , that condition and with a crutch and cane he ran a saw until his recovery.

In 1883 Mr. Bitner rented the Creighton farm, on the Dayton Turnpike, south of Springfield, and there he started into the dairy business in the fall of 1884. In April, 1885, Mr. Bitner removed with his family to the Snyder farm on the Valley Turnpike, north of Springfield, where he remained, renting, for thirteen years and eight months. On October 25, 1898, he sold out the stock he had accumulated and bought the home farm of his wife's par-

ents, where the family has continued to reside, although Mr. Bitner has other in- terests. This farm is situated on the south side of the National Turnpike Road, two miles west of Springfield. The com- modious residence was on the place, but the many modern features have been add- ed and substantial improvements have been made by Mr. Bitner. He has here a beautiful rural home.

On December 28, 1880, Mr. Bitner was married to Elmira A. Miller, who is a daughter of Cornelius and Henrietta (Kieffer) Miller, old and respected resi- dents of this section. Mr. and Mrs. Bit- ner have two daughters, Etta B. and Grace M. Both these young ladies have been given educational and social advan- tages and both are graduates of Witten- berg College.

In September, 1902, Mr. Bitner was one of the organizers of the Springfield Pure Milk Company, the starting of the enter- prise, being largely due to his persistent efforts, and now one which is recognized to be of incalculable advantage to the farmers of this whole section. He was the first purchaser of stock'and holds a large amount at the present time. Since October, 1903, he has devoted his entire time to the business and is its general manager and one of its board of directors. He is also a director of the Lagonda Na- tional Bank and of the Springfield Coal and Ice Company. In considering the fact that when Mr. Bitner reached Ohio, a five dollar bill represented his entire capital, his present ample fortune and re- sponsible position among his fellow-citi- zens tells a story of industry and perse-' verence that should not be lost on those who read. 'With his family he belongs to

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the English Lutheran Church and for many years has been superintendent of the Sunday-school.

In 1898, accompanied by his wife, Mr. Bitner made an extended trip through many of the western states, the only un- pleasant feature of which was the experi- ence of being snow-bound at one point. The travelers visited a lead mine in Warder, Shoshone County, Idaho, where 600 men are at work, and this was a very interesting sight to Mr. Bitner, recalling as it did his old experiences in the Penn- sylvania mines. Mr. Bitner continues very active in promoting dairy interests and on December 14, 1907, he made an ex- cellent address on dairy farming before the Farmers' Institute, at Donnelsville, Ohio. The subject was so well handled that the address was secured from Mr. Bitner and was published in the local newspapers.

JAMES CLARK, who was one of the leading citizens of Moorefield Township, and for over a quarter of a century filled uninterruptedly the office of township treasurer, was born November 20, 1838, in Moorefield Township, Clark County, Ohio, under the same roof that sheltered him through the whole of his long and busy life. He was a. son of John David and Susan M. Clark.

John David Clark was an early settler in Moorefield Township and was one of the wealthy agriculturists of his day. He erected the fine brick residence which is occupied by the widow and younger son of the late James Clark, one of the most pretentious of this section. James Clark continued his father's activities and de-

veloped still greater business qualities. He gained almost a national reputation as a breeder of fine trotting horses, and was able to secure very large sums for these valuable animals, the price occasionally being as much as $20,000. He bred what was known as the fastest yearling trotter in the world, which was purchased by Frank Rockefeller, who then was a mem- ber of the Standard Oil Company. James Clark was also engaged extensively in farming and stock-raising and became one of the capitalists of Clark County. He was also one of her most useful and re- spected citizens. For ten years he was a prominent member of the Clark County Agricultural Society and in his own town- ship he was held in such esteem that he could have filled any office in the gift of his fellow-citizens. When his death oc- curred on March 16, 1906, not only Moore- field Township but Clark County felt the loss of a man of unusual worth.

James Clark married Emma S. Morgan and they had two children: Lester, who died aged four years; and Emerson E.

Emerson E. Clark was born October 24, 1879, and was educated in the schools of Moorefield Township and the Nelson Bus- iness College. For a number of years prior to his father's death he had been the practical manager of the farm. On Feb- ruary 26, 1903, he was married to Ethel McConkey, who is a daughter of Oliver Y. McConkey. They have one little daughter, Mary Katherine. She is very fortunate in having a large number of devoted relatives, for not only her imme- diate ones but both of her great-grand- mothers still survive, Mrs. Mary Morgan and Mrs. Catherine Nicklin. The mater- nal grandfather of Emerson E. Clark was

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the late Charles Morgan, who is remem- bered as the proprietor of the old Taylor mill. His widow still survives, at the age of eighty-two years. A picture of the res- idents of Mr. Clark's home would show four generations, from the aged great- grandmother to the little babe just upon the threshold of life.

JAMES T. EICHELBARGER, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Green Township, owns a tract of fifty acres on which he resides, and has also for the past twenty-five years rented eighty-two acres of land from his mother. He was born on his present farm April 29, 1847, and is a son of Michael and Margaret Ann (Todd) Eichelbarger.

Michael Eichelbarger was born Sep- tember 3, 1815, in Washington County, Maryland, and was a son of John and Fanny (Baker) Eichelbarger, both na- tives of Maryland and farmers by occu- pation. Michael, who was a farmer, car- penter and millwright by occupation, came to Ohio in 1836, when about twenty years old, and worked with James Todd at carpentering and as a millwright.

James Todd, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was born near Philadel- phia on October 22, 1796, and was by oc- cupation a farmer and millwright. He married Elizabeth Garlough, who was also a native of Maryland and who was born January 12, 1799, and of their union were born nine children. Mr. Todd sub- sequently came to Clark County, Ohio, and built all of the mills which are on Mad River. Margaret Ann Todd was born November 21, 1819, and was married May 27, 1841. Her union with Michael

Eichelbarger resulted in the birth of four children-Frances Elizabeth (Tuttle), Margaret Ann (Paschall), James T., the, subject of this sketch, and J. W., who is deceased. Michael Eichelbarger died Jan- uary 7, 1867, and is survived by his widow, who lives in Pitchin and is now eighty-eight years of age.

James T. Eichelbarger was reared on his present farm, which is part of the old home place, and attended the district schools of Green Township. He worked for his father until the death of the latter, and at the age of nineteen assumed the responsibilities of the home place, having followed farming, with the exception of seven years spent in operating a saw-mill, all his life. Mr. Eichelbarger was united in marriage with Eliza Nave, a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Knable) Nave, who ·lived on the farm just below Mr. Eichel- barger's farm. Mr. Nave was born on the Garlough farm in Clark County, Ohio, and died in 1865; his wife, who was a na- tive of Pennsylvania, died in 1903. Mr. and Mrs. Eichelbarger have been the parents of four children-John, Nina, Claude (deceased) and Byron. The three living reside at home and assist in the work on the farm. In politics Mr. Eichel- barger is an independent voter.

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Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th, Part 84

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