USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 87
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RESIDENCE OF CHARLES E. ROLLER, BETHEL TOWNSHIP
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the county seat, and the land where the Public Square is located was a swamp. Andrew Roller set about clearing up the land with the assistance of his sons, burn- ing many dollars worth of timber. Here he lived the remainder of his life, passing away at the advanced age of eighty-one years. His wife, Anna Katherine Roller, died April 17, 1864, aged seventy-seven years. They reared a family of six chil- dren, three sons and three daughters, of whom Sylvanus and twin sister, Sally, were the oldest.
Sylvanus Roller was born March 28, 1820, and practically spent his entire life in Clark County. He came into posses- sion of part of the Roller estate, and to this added more land, a part of which is now owned by our subject. He married Eliza Jane Henslee, who is still living and they reared two children-Charles E., the subject of this sketch; and Ada M., the wife of William Thomas. Mr. Roller's death occurred in 1894, when he was aged seventy-four years.
Charles Ellsworth Roller was born and reared on his father's farm in Spring- field Township, and remained at home un- til the time of his marriage. His educa- tional training was obtained in the district schools and at Nelson's Business College, of Springfield, which he attended for two winters. After his marriage he remained a resident of Springfield Township for a period of five years, when he rented his father's place for one year. At the end of that time he purchased the land, where he has since been engaged in general farming and wholesale dairying, keeping about eighteen cows. In 1905 he built the large brick residence which the family occupy, and in 1908 the large bank barn.
There are also two other dwellings on the place.
In February, 1887, Mr. Roller was joined in marriage with Ella Olivia Downs, who was born at Bellfontaine, Ohio, and is a daughter of William O. and Martha Louisa (Usher) Downs, the former of whom died in January, 1903, aged seven- ty-four years, the latter being still living at the age of sixty-four years. Mrs. Roller has one brother, William Harri- son Downs, and a sister, Lillith May, the wife of Frank Sparrow. Mr. and Mrs. Roller are the parents of four children, namely: Chester A., Ethel May, Alta Fern, and Earl E. The last mentioned died at the age of one year and twenty- three days.
HARRY SNYDER MELLINGER, proprietor of the Maple Grove Farm, a tract of one hundred and eighty-two acres located four miles west of Springfield on the Fairfield Pike, is one of the repre- sentative farmers and most highly re- spected citizens of Springfield Township. He was born on his present farm Decem- ber 20, 1861, and is a son of John Hertzler and Rachel (Rosser) Mellinger.
John H. Mellinger was born in Lancas- ter County, Pennsylvania, and when a lad of six or seven years came to Ohio with his parents, Jacob and Martha Mellinger, who settled on a tract of one hundred and eighty-five acres in Mad River Township, now known as the David Herr farm. His paternal grandparents both died on this farm at an advanced age. They were the parents of four children, namely : Mary, now deceased; John H., father of our sub- ject; Martha, the wife of M. Patton, who
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resides in Springfield, Ohio; and Jacob, who is deceased.
John H. Mellinger spent the greater part of his boyhood days on the farm in Mad River Township. When a young man he began dealing in stock, and he was at one time the largest shipper of stock in Clark County. He became an ex- pert at guessing weight and was financial- ly very successful. In 1860 he purchased the present farm of the subject of this sketch, then consisting of timberland, from A. Leffel, and followed farming on it for many years thereafter. Later he moved to Yellow Springs in order to se- cure educational advantages for his chil- dren. There his death occurred at the age of sixty-one years. He was married about 1860 to Rachel Rosser, a native of Springfield Township, and daughter of William Rosser, a native of Wales.
She is still living in Springfield, Ohio. They were the parents of five children- Harry Snyder, subject of this sketch; Emma, wife of D. Herr, who conducts an undertaking establishment in Springfield; Martha, who married H. Hedges of Cleve- land, Ohio; John, who is deceased; and Anna, also deceased, who was the wife of Robert Mills.
keeps about twenty head of horses, some of which he has bred himself.
Mr. Mellinger was married February, 1901, to Enna Flenner, a daughter of Charles and Cora Flenner. Mrs. Melling- er died in January, 1904, leaving one child, Harry Flenner Mellinger. Politi- cally, Mr. Mellinger is a Republican; fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Enon, Ohio.
GEORGE H. SLAUGHTER, owner of a furniture and undertaking establish- ment, is one of the successful and in- fluential business men of South Charles- ton. He was born February 21, 1880, on his father's farm in Madison County, Ohio, and is a son of Marion and Floretta (Watson) Slaughter. Peter Slaughter, his grandfather, was a resident and a large land owner of Madison County, Ohio, where he was engaged in agricult- ural pursuits and in stock-raising. Marion Slaughter, father of our subject, was one of a family of seven children, and a native of Pennsylvania. When a young man he moved to Madison County, Ohio, and devoted his entire life to farming. He married Floretta Watson of Clark County and they became the parents of five children, all of whom but one are living.
Harry S. Mellinger has spent the greater part of his life on his present farm and obtained his educational train- ing in the district schools. Being the eldest George H. Slaughter received his early educational training in the public schools of Clark County, after which he took a course of study at Puget Sound Univers- ity, and Wittenberg College. He then purchased bis present business from Adams & McMillan, and has since con- ducted it with much success. Mr. son, it fell to his lot to assist his father to a large extent, and he was practically reared in the saddle, beginning to work as soon as he was old enough to be of serv- ice. He later bought the farm from his father's heirs and has since followed gen- eral farming and stock-raising, breeding principally hogs, cattle and horses. He . Slaughter is a man of considerable busi-
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ness ability, following up-to-date methods, and the success attending his efforts is well merited. Mr. Slaughter married Ethel Arthur of Springfield. Religious- ly, he is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of South Charleston. He is fra- ternally a member of the Masonic order, of the I. O. O. F. and K. of P. Politically, he is a Republican.
ROSCOE GLENN STOTTS, M. D., physician and surgeon at Catawba, was born at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, .June 11, 1881, and is a son of Leonard B. and Anna (Postal) Stotts.
Dr. Stotts was reared on his father's stock farm at Alton, near Columbus, and attended school both in Alton and Colum- bus. Prior to entering Starling Medical College, he taught school for four years. In the fall of 1902 he became a student at the above-mentioned and well-known med- ical institution, where he was graduated in the spring of 1906, with the degree of M. D. He was then for two years en- gaged in hospital work, acting as first as- sistant at St. Anthony's Hospital, and for one year of this period having charge of the free dispensary connected with Star- ling Medical College. Subsequently, after practicing nine months in Hancock Coun- ty, Dr. Stotts settled in Catawba, May 1, 1907, where he has since gained his share of public patronage and has proved his ability and medical skill.
On November 5, 1906, Dr. Stotts was married at Columbus, to Mabel Seymour, who was born and reared in Madison County, Ohio. She is a step-daughter of Dr. C. M. Deem, her father, Wilson Sey- mour, having died when she was but one
day old. Dr. and Mrs. Stotts are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Stotts is a Mason and an Odd Fellow and he retains his membership in the Phi Sigma Psi fraternity of Sterling Medical College.
CHARLES ADAM YOUNG, a promi- nent wholesale meat dealer and business man, is a resident of Springfield Town- ship, where he has a fine home and two small farms. He was born in Donnels- ville, Clark County, Ohio, May 16, 1872, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Creshbaum) Young.
John Young was born in Germany, where he learned the trade of a mason in his early days. While a young man he came to America, settling first in Penn- sylvania, where he engaged in the meat business. After his marriage he came to Clark County, Ohio, locating at Donnels- ville, in Bethel Township, where for years he sold meat through the country. He lived there until his death in June, 1897, when he was aged seventy-nine years. He was united in marriage with Elizabeth Creshbaum, who was born in Germany and was but two years of age when brought to this country by her par- ents. She survives her husband and re- sides at Donnelsville. Four children blessed their union: John A., who lives at Yellow Springs; Peter of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; William of Springfield, Ohio; and Charles Adam.
Charles Adam Young was reared at Donnelsville and attended the public schools there. He remained at home un- til his marriage, and for two years there- after continued to reside in that village.
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He then purchased his present place from G. W. Adams. The large house of ten rooms and the barn were built when he moved upon the farm, but the cold stor- age plant and the cattle yards were built by Mr. Young. He has a very extensive business, disposing of all his meats to the retail establishments of Springfield. He is a successful business man and stands very high in the esteem of his fellow citizens.
Mr. Young was joined in marriage, Oc- tober 2, 1895, with Miss Amy E. Minnich, who was born in Bethel Township, where her parents, Dewitt C. and Elizabeth (Higgins) Minnich still reside. She is one of five children, as follows: Grace, wife of Lee Miller; Anna, wife of Dr. H. L. Herstand; Amy E .; Edith, wife of M. Aston; and Ethel, wife of Henry Willett. Mr. and Mrs. Young are parents of three children-Kathleen, who died at the age of six months; Robert, and John. Fra- ternally, Mr. Young is a member of Mad River Lodge, K. P., at Enon ; and Spring- field Lodge, U. C. T., No. 23. Politically, he is a Democrat. He and his wife are consistent members of the Lutheran Church.
CHARLES H. PATTERSON, a farm- er, residing on a valuable property in Harmony Township, containing sixty-one acres of land, was born in Clark County, Ohio, October 1, 1873, and is a son of Malcolm H. and Anna E. (Beales) Patter- son.
The grandparents of Mr. Patterson, Charles C. and Caroline Patterson, passed the larger part of their lives at Springfield, Ohio. Charles C. Patterson
was born in 1802 and died at Springfield in 1892. His wife was born in 1812 and died in 1888. They have three children --- Malcolm H., Barney, and Agnes. Barney Patterson, who is now deceased, was a clergyman in New York city. Agnes Pat- terson is the widow of Edwin Duley and has one child, Alice.
Malcolm H. Patterson was born at Day- ton, Montgomery County, Ohio, October 2, 1839, and died February 6, 1886. He saw service in the Civil War, enlisting as a private August 9, 1862, in Company D (Capt. James L. Hart), One Hundred and Twenty-third Regiment Illinois Infantry. He was discharged at Springfield, Illinois, on the expiration of his term of service, July 8, 1865. He first met Anna E. Beales his future wife while he was a sol- dier in the Federal army. She is still living and is now a resident of Dayton. Her people were prominent Southerners, and one of her brothers was a soldier in the Confederate army. Circumstances brought her into close contact with mil- itary affairs during the great struggle; she witnessed many battles, and had a personal acquaintance with several of the high commanding officers of the Confed- erate army. Her early home was in Mis- souri. To Malcolm H. Patterson and his wife were born six children, namely : Carrie, who is the widow of George Run- yan, and has two sons, Bruce and Lewis; Nettie, who is the wife of Charles A. Jones, and has one son, Malcolm; Charles H., subject of this sketch; Howard Lee, born in 1876, who now resides in Mexico; Frank, born in 1881, who resides in Day- ton; and Chester A. born in 1883, now re- siding in Chicago, Illinois, who married Grace L. Clapp.
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Charles H. Patterson was married at Springfield, Ohio, in 1899, to Leona Smith, who is a daughter of Amos and Catherine Ann (Wiet) Smith, and they have one son, Robert S., born May 6, 1902, who is a pupil in the local school. Mr. Patterson is a prominent member of Vienna Lodge No. 660, Knights of Pythias.
D. H. SNYDER, a leading business citizen of Snyderville, is vice president of The Victor Rubber Company, an im- portant manufacturing industry of Clark County. He was born on his father's farm in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, December 10, 1867, and is a son of Henry and Anna H. (Hertzler) Snyder.
Henry Snyder accompanied his parents to Ohio from Pennsylvania, walking a large part of the distance. He became a farmer and grain merchant and operated mills for a number of years in Mad River Township. He was a member of the D. L. Snyder Company, which donated Snyder Park to Springfield. The old Snyder estate has never been entirely settled, 1,600 acres of land around Snyder- ville being involved. Henry Snyder died- June 28, 1893. He married Anna H. Hertzler, who has been a life-long resi- dent of Mad River Township. She was a daughter of Daniel Hertzler who was one of the prominent and wealthy men of Clark County. He was born in Lancas- ter County, Pennsylvania, where he en- gaged in farming and milling. He mar- ried Catherine Hershey and they came to Ohio in 1834, accompanied by one child, Barbara, who is now the wife of Samuel Huffman, residing at Springfield. They
lived at Springfield, then a small town, for a short time, and then settled in Mad River Township on what is now the Sny- der farm. Here, in the wilderness, Daniel Hertzler built a mill which he operated for many years, also carrying on farm- ing, and then returned to Springfield in order to give his children better educa- tional advantages. Mrs. Snyder was edu- cated in the school, now the Springfield Seminary, which is attended by her grand- children.
After a residence of four years at Springfield, Mr. Hertzler purchased a farm near the one he had formerly owned and was residing there when he met his death from the attack of six masked as- sassins, who entered his house at night and shot him. He was a large and power- ful man and fought hard, as evidences showed, before he was overpowered. His death was a shock to the community, and although large sums were offered for the capture of the murderers, they have never been apprehended. His widow survived him five years. The children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hertzler after com- ing to Ohio were: Martha, deceased, who married L. Baker; Mary, who died in youth; Anna, who was born on her present farm October 26, 1839; Susan and Elizabeth, twins, both deceased, the for- mer the wife of Jacob Rubsam and the latter of William Pope; Daniel, who died aged eighteen years; and Benjamin and two others died young.
D. H. Snyder was educated in the dis- trict schools of Mad River Township, at Oxford and at Media, Pennsylvania. After his return home he naturally be- came a miller, this having been a family occupation for generations back, even be-
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
fore his ancestors left Switzerland. His father owned the Tecumseh mill, in Mad River Township, and he started to work in that mill, which became his property on the death of his father. He operated the mill for ten years and then leased it to the firm of Allen & King, of Springfield. In 1903 the old mill was destroyed by fire.
In 1903 Mr. Snyder began working in the office of the company with which he has been identified ever since, which was then known as the Victor Rubber Com- pany. The business was founded by J. S. Harshman, Mr. Snyder's brother-in-law. After the failure of Mr. Harshman, with this enterprise, a new company was or- ganized in July, 1904, of which Henry H. Durr became president and Mr. Snyder vice president. At this time the present firm style was adopted. The business is the manufacturing of all kinds of molded rubber goods. Employment is given 100 men. The plant occupies six acres of ground and the buildings are all of brick construction.
Mr. Snyder belongs to the Elks and to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, both of Springfield.
THOMAS B. MINNICH, one of Ger- man Township's most respected citizens, resides on his valuable farm of fifty-two acres, which is situated on the Jordan Turnpike, about six miles northwest of Springfield, was born in German Town- ship, Clark County, Ohio, December 19, 1837. He is a son of Peter and Martha (Stephenson) Minnich.
Peter Minnich was born in Pennsylva- nia and was a son of Peter Minnich, who brought his family to Clark County about
1808. They settled on a farm about one and one-half miles east of the present place. The maternal grandfather, David Stephenson, came to Ohio from Virginia and settled in Champaign County, Ohio, entering land about three miles southeast of Urbana. After his death on that land, his widow and children moved to German Township, Clark County, and located near Peter Minnich. The parents of Thomas B. Minnich were married in 1816 and went to housekeeping on the farm on which he was born, the youngest of their ten chil- dren. Peter Minnich died in 1842 and when Thomas B. was fourteen years old his mother married Jonathan Park and they moved to Logan County, near the Shelby County line. Mrs. Park died in 1873, aged seventy-six years.
When his mother contracted her second marriage Thomas B. Minnich started out to take care of himself and is an example of a self-made man. He engaged in farm work in different neighborhoods and after his marriage he rented a farm in German Township, which he operated for a number of years. In 1886 he bought his present farm and in 1901 he erected his comfortable residence. He is assisted in the management of the property by his eldest son, John B., who is a member of the school board of this township.
Thomas B. Minnich was married De- cember 2, 1875, to Elizabeth Michael, who is a daughter of John and Eliza Ann (Domer) Michael. Mrs. Minnich was born and reared in German Township. Her father was born in Virginia and ac- companied his father, Frederick Michael, to Clark County in 1812, being then a boy of twelve years. The maternal grand- father of Mrs. Minnich, John Domer,
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM A. LAYTON
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came to Clark County from Maryland. Thomas B. Minnich and wife have four children, namely: John B., residing at home, was educated at Wittenberg Col- lege, where he spent three and one-half years; Ozzie B., who operates the North- ampton Bell Telephone Exchange, gradu- ated from the Lawrenceville Township High School in 1899, married Alice Nave; Charles Stephenson, who graduated from the Lawrenceville High School in 1900, at- tends a business college at Springfield; and Lulu Blanche, who graduated from the Lawrenceville High School in 1903, taught two terms of school in District No. 10, German Township. Mr. Minnich's family is prominent in the educational and social circles of German Township.
WILLIAM A. LAYTON, township trustee and owner of 112 acres of fine farming land in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, was born in Bethel Township, Clark County, November 15, 1845, and is a son of John A. and Eveline (Tullis) Layton.
The paternal grandfather of Mr. Lay- ton, Arthur Layton, came to Ohio with his father, William, from Pennsylvania in 1787, settling on Mad River. Arthur Layton married a Miss Mckinney, who was later killed while riding horseback. William Layton was the parent of eight children, five sons and three daughters, Joseph being the first Common Pleas judge of Clark County. Arthur Layton, who died in Bethel Township when John was eight years old, served as a colonel in the War of 1812, and John Tullis, the ma- ternal grandfather of our subject, helped
to erect the first brick wall in Springfield.
John A. Layton was born in 1838 on the old home farm in Bethel Township and devoted his life to farming, making a specialty of fruit trees during the latter part of his life. He married Eveline Tullis and they were the parents of two children, Lucinda, who married, first, A. N. Brown, secondly, Harry Kryder and thirdly, F. Moudy, now deceased; and William A. The death of Mr. Layton oc- curred while he was in his sixty-third year and his wife died aged seventy-four.
When William A. Layton was seven years old the family moved to Yellow Springs and seven years later to his pres- ent farm, which was purchased from John . Flohr. Mr. Layton attended the district schools of his native locality, and also Antioch College for two years. After his marriage he spent seven years on his present farm, then bought a farm of 145 acres in German Township, residing there for the succeeding twelve years. At the end of this period he bought his present farm and has since devoted his time to general farming and stock-raising. Mr. Layton was married December 30, 1869, to Angeline Wolf, who is a daughter of Michael and Sarah (Ruppert) Wolf. Seven children were born of this union, namely: Carrie, who died aged four years; Claudius A., who married Alice Arthur, lives in Clark County, and has two children - Arthur and Lowess; Charles, who married Dora Ada, and lives in Clark County; Edward A., who married Laura Dunevant, resides in Clark County, and has one child-Aldrich E .; Louie B., married H. Birch, of Spring- field, Ohio, and has two children-Arthur and Eugene; Myrtle E., who married Wil-
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
bert Newlove, of Clark County; and Frank, E., who is living at home.
In political affairs Mr. Layton is a Re- publican, and in 1905 was elected town- ship trustee and president of the school board, holding both of these offices at the present time. He has served as a member of the school board for about thirty-seven years. Fraternally Mr. Layton belongs to the Masonic Lodge, No. 421, at Yellow Springs and is master of the Husted Grange. Religiously he is connected with the Lutheran Church, in which he is a member of the council, having just been re-elected for two years.
J. S. ELLIOTT, one of Springfield's men of capital and business success, is president of the J. S. Elliott Company, leaders in general insurance, with com- modious quarters in the Mitchell Build- ing. Mr. Elliott was born in Queen Anne County, Maryland, December 9, 1854.
Mr. Elliott remained at home until his school days were over and then became clerk in a store at Centerville, Maryland, where he gained the experience that made him an acceptable addition to the clerical force in the Murphy Brothers store, when he came to Springfield in 1875. Later he entered into the insur- ance business and in March, 1902, the J. S. Elliott Company, general insurance, was incorporated, with a capital stock of $25,000, its officers and directors being the following: J. S. Elliott, president and general manager; John M. Good, vice president; D. D. Downing, of Lon- don, secretary and treasurer; and John O. Elliott and David F. Snyder, the other
members of the board. This firm repre- sents some of the leading insurance com- panies in the United States and does a very large amount of business.
In September, 1877, Mr. Elliott was married to Mary W. Boyer, of Dayton, Ohio, who died in December, 1882, leav- ing two children, John Oliver and Lyda B., the latter of whom married C. C. Linnbocker, of Dayton. Mr. Elliott was married (secondly) in January, 1884, to Nora E. Wood, who was born and reared in Springfield. Two sons and one daugh- ter have been born to this marriage, namely: Benjamin F., Allan G., and Margaret, the last mentioned of whom is the wife of John Snyder.
Mr. Elliott is a Democrat and he takes an active interest in public affairs. He is a member of the Board of Public Safety at Springfield. Fraternally he is a Mason and has reached the 32d degree. He belongs to the Springfield Commer- cial Club and also the Lagonda Club.
EDWARD C. PHLEGER, a promi- nent farmer and stock-raiser of Moore- field Township, Clark County, Ohio, re- siding on a valuable farm of 100 acres, which is part of the old Thomas B. Wil- son farm, was born October 19, 1871, on the Mechanicsburg Pike, Moorefield Township, Clark County, Ohio, and is a son of Edward and Jane H. (Lynn) Phleger, further mention of whom may be found elsewhere in this volume.
Edward C. Phleger was reared and educated in his native township, where he has always followed farming and stock-raising, and is one of the most pros- perous young farmers and well known
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