USA > Ohio > Clark County > Springfield > Century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens 20th > Part 97
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Springfield Commercial Club, and he has served on the directing board of the Springfield Board of Trade.
THEODORE SWARTZBAUGH, a well known and influential farmer of German Township, Clark County, Ohio, resides on a valuable farm of 100 acres located about eight miles northwest of Springfield, on the Lawrenceville and Dialton Pike. He was born in that township August 6, 1851, and is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Klinefelter) Swartzbaugh.
Our subject was reared in German Township and received a limited educa- tion in the common schools. He early took to agricultural pursuits and has made this his life work. He labored in- dustriously and by good management and frugal living was able at an early age to become a property owner himself. In the early eighties he came to his present farm of 100 acres in German Township, and . nearly all the improvements, including the large house and barn, have been made by him. He follows general farming, raising some stock, and has met with suc- cess.
Mr. Swartzbaugh was in 1873 united in marriage with Alice Dibert, who was born in German Township, and is a daughter of David and Louisa (Shurr) Dibert. their union: Walter, who married Grace Hensbarger, has two children, Gladys and Lena; Samuel D., who married Nellie Morningstar, has a daughter, Helen Gert- rude; Vernon married Emma Baker and has two children, Daisy and Russell; Al- len lives at home with his parents ; Sarah is the wife of Claude Patton; Esther is
MR. AND MRS. THEODORE SWARTZBAUGH
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residing at home; and Clarney died at the early age of three years and nine months. Mr. Swartzbaugh is a man of high 'stand- ing in his community and has many life- long friends, who hold him in high esteem as friend, neighbor and public-spirited citizen.
ANDREW NICHELSON, a retired farmer, residing at South Charleston, has been a life-long resident of this county and owns a fine farm situated in Harmony Township and across the line in Madison County. He was born on the old home place in Harmony Township in 1835, and is a son of Andrew, Sr., and Rachel (Ham- mond) Nichelson.
Andrew Nichelson, Sr., was born in Pennsylvania in 1803 and was three years of age when his parents came west to Ohio, locating in Harmony Township, on the Samuel Goodfellow farm, now owned by C. A. Snyder. Here Andrew grew to maturity, living the hardy pioneer life incident to that period. He was a man of extraordinary ability, and he and his faithful wife became the largest land- owners in the county. His wife, Rachel Hammond, was a native of New York state and a daughter of Calvin Hammond. They had eleven children, of whom five are still living, three sons and two daugh- ters. Mr. Nichelson died at the age of seventy-seven years.
Andrew Nichelson, Jr., was reared on the home place and attended the old log schoolhouse of his home district. He farmed successfully and lived in Har- mony Township until 1902, when he re- tired from active business and moved to South Charleston, where he has one of the
finest homes in the village. On November 20, 1866, he was united in marriage with Sina Smith, who was born in Union Coun- ty, Ohio, and is a daughter of William Smith, who at one time was a resident of Clark County. The following children were born to bless this union: Augusta, Mrs. Charles C. Smith, of South Charles- ton; Charles, who farms the home place ; and Nancy R., who lives at home with her parents. Politically Mr. Nichelson is a Republican. He is a member of the Christian Church.
Charles C. Smith, son-in-law of Mr. Nichelson, is a retired farmer, residing in South Charleston, but owns a farm northwest of this village in Madison Township. He was born in that township June 13, 1855, a son of George and Eleanor (Chenoweth) Smith. His ma- ternal grandfather, Thomas Chenoweth, came from Virginia to Clark County, Ohio, at a very early date. George Smith was born in this county September 4, 1812, and his death occurred in 1892. Mr. Smith has always followed farming.
Charles Nichelson, son of Andrew Nichelson, was born on the home place in Harmony Township in 1873, and in his early days attended the district schools there. He subsequently attended Witten- berg College three years and Ohio State University one year. Upon leaving col- lege he returned home and turned his at- tention to farming, making a specialty of buying and shipping stock. He is a man of recognized business ability. In 1900 Mr. Nichelson was appointed administra. tor and receiver of the John Nichelson estate, which he settled satisfactorily to all concerned, and upon the death of his uncle, John Smith, it was found he was
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named in the will as executor of that es- tate. It consisted of 1,400 acres of land and was encumbered, but Mr. Nichelson set about his task with a will, cleared the indebtedness and then settled it with the utmost efficiency. After his discharge as executor he took up the management of his father's farm, which he continues at the present time. Politically he is a stanch Republican.
ROBERT F. STAFFORD, a prominent citizen of New Carlisle, Clark County, Ohio, is the owner of a fine farm of 112 acres in Pike Township, located two miles north of the village. He was born in this county November 22, 1841, is a son, of George and Susan (Mckinney) Stafford, and grandson of George and Catherine (Fair) Stafford.
George Stafford, Sr., was a native of Ireland, and after coming to this country was married and located in Virginia, about the year 1790. He lived there about twenty years, in 1811 moving with his family to Clark County, Ohio, locating about three miles north of New Carlisle. He and his wife had eleven children: George, James, John, Ralph, Joseph, Findley, Elizabeth, Margaret, Ruth, Cath- erine and Susan.
George Stafford, Jr., was born in Vir- ginia July 1, 1804, and was seven years old when his parents moved to Pike Township. Here he grew to maturity and engaged in farming throughout life. He died March 5, 1880. He married Susan McKinney in 1832, who was born Decem- ber 6, 1807, and died April 22, 1856, and they had three children : Abarilla, Samuel McKinney and Robert F. Abarilla, born
February 6, 1833, married David Johns- ton November 22, 1865, who died March 19, 1880. They had two children: Mary S., who is the wife of H. C. Coombs, and Julia F., who is the wife of M. G. Stafford. Samuel Mckinney Stafford, born August 6, 1837, was married in 1874 to Elizabeth Service, who died April 28, 1905.
Robert F. Stafford was educated in the district schools and Linden Hill Academy at New Carlisle, after which he turned his attention to farming, and also taught school during his younger days. He was first married in 1872 to Mary F. Black, and they had three children, as fol- lows: Wallace, born in 1873, died in 1876; Cora A., born July 6, 1877, married Rooney Jones, of Vienna; and Carlton J., born December 6, 1878, died November 13, 1879. Mrs. Stafford was born in 1848 and died September 29, 1880.
Mr. Stafford formed a second martial union with Miss Jeanette C. Johnson, who was born in Clark County, Ohio, September 21, 1852, and is a daughter of Rev. E. Roger and Julia A. (Colton) Johnson. Her father was born June 4, 1814, at Plainfield, Connecticut, and died in New Carlisle September 7, 1862. Her mother was born at Exeter, New Hamp- shire, July 25, 1818, and died January 15, 1907. They were married September 2, 1842, and had five daughters: Laura L., born July 30, 1843, died January 31, 1854; Frances, born July 17, 1848, married Asa N. Mitchell, and they have had five chil- dren : Clifford, Burton J., one that died in infancy, Florence B. and Howard L .; Emily W., born May 1, 1850, is the wife of Oliver M. Turner and has one child, Edith H .; Jeannette; and May A., born September 7, 1858, married William S.
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Vail and has a son, Chester C. Rev. Johnson was a man of scholarly attain- ments, receiving his education in Bowdoin College, Maine, Lane Seminary and Ann Arbor, Michigan. His pastorate in the Presbyterian Church at New Carlisle be- gan in 1841 and lasted until 1862. He had the respect and esteem of all and had a wide acquaintance throughout this sec- tion of the state. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford have one daughter, Nellie Johnson, who was born August 9, 1886, and is an in- structor in the schools at Medway, Ohio. They are devout members of the Presby- terian Church, at New Carlisle, in which he is an elder.
J. W. PARMENTER, president of the J. W. Parmenter Company, and also of the Ohio Garment Company, is one of Springfield's leading men of business and has been a resident here for some twenty years. He was born in 1859, in Wood County, Ohio.
After completing his education in the local schools near his home Mr. Parmen- ter first became a clerk in a general store at Bowling Green, the county seat, and then went into a clothing business on his own responsibility. From Bowling Green he came to Cincinnati, in which city he was with the John Shilito Company until he came to Springfield. For about seven years following his location here he traveled for a suspender manufactur- ing house and then went into the business for himself, which he carried on for twelve years, developing it from a small concern until it grew to dimensions that required commodious quarters and the protection of incorporation. In 1904 Mr.
Parmenter incorporated the J. W. Par- menter Company for the manufacture of men's suspenders and belts, and also the Ohio Garment Company, for the manu- facture of all kinds of men's cotton gar- ments. Mr. Parmenter requires 150 reg- ular employes and has eighteen men on the road who cover all the territory from Boston, Massachusetts, to Denever, Colo- rado. The responsibilities of these two enterprises are heavy, but Mr. Parmenter has others interests, including oil.
In 1884 Mr. Parmenter was married to Della M. Moore, who is a daughter of Dr. George W. Moore, of Springfield, and they have one child, Georgia, who is a student at Millbrook College, New York. Mr. Parmenter and family attend the Episcopal Church. He is a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Commercial, the Country and the La- gonda Club.
HARLEY CRAIG, residing on his well improved farm of 110 acres, which is sit- uated in Section 1, Springfield Town- ship, was born on what is locally known as the Mary Jane Laybourn farm, in Springfield Township, Clark County, Ohio, November 2, 1865. He is a son of William and Eliza (Hawkins) Craig. When he was two years old he lost his mother by death. His father then moved to the present farm, and was married (secondly) to Nancy Mckinney. Of his first marriage twin sons were born, Har- ley and Harry, the latter of whom died in March, 1904, leaving a widow and three children. Of his second marriage Will- iam Craig had' three children, namely : Owen, who is engaged in the drug busi-
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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY
ness at Springfield; Fannie, who married Fred Severs; and William, who lives with his widowed moother on the part of the William Craig farm which she owns, in the extreme southeastern part of Spring- field Township.
The late William Craig was born in the home in which his son Harley lives, and almost the whole of his life was spent here or at Springfield, where his last years were passed. His father was Rob- ert Craig and his grandfather was a sol- dier in the Revolutionary War. William Craig was a leading citizen of his com- munity for many years, serving in town- ship offices on several occasions. He owned 160 acres of land.
Harley and Harry Craig grew up to- gether on the home farm and attended the local schools. They owned eighty acres of land in partnership, and when Harry died Harley traded his share of that land for what he owns of the old home farm. He carries on a general jine of agriculture. On Christmas Eve, 1889, Harley Craig was married to Louie Morningstar, who is a daughter of Chris- topher and Mary Morningstar. She was reared in Springfield Township, but her father now resides in Harmony Township. Mr. and Mrs. Craig have five children, namely: Daisy, Ruth, Allen and Edith and Edna, twins.
NORTON VICTOR BOBO, who oper- ates the W. S. Snyder farm of 196 acres, which is located near the eastern line of Pike Township, comes of a family long established in Ohio, and his ancestors came to America from England at a very early day. He was born in Hardy County,
West Virginia, in 1857, and is a son of Joseph and Lucinda (Reed) Bobo, both natives of West Virginia.
Joseph Bobo was born and reared in Hardy County, West Virginia, where he engaged for some time in farming. He married Lucinda Reed, who died before the family came to Ohio, leaving four sons : Thomas, deceased, Norton Victor, Benjamin, deceased, and Joseph, residing in Delaware County, Ohio. About 1865 the father brought his four sons to Ohio and settled at Columbus, where, during that same year, he was accidentally killed on the railroad.
Norton Victor Bobo was about eight years old when he was brought from West Virginia to Ohio, and after the death of his father he went to live with his uncle, Jerry Bobo, who then resided on a farm near Xenia, from which he moved, one year later, to the John Allen farm, now known as the Kelly farm, a tract of 1,200 acres located near Yellow Springs, Ohio. After living there several years Jerry Bobo moved to the John Allen farm, near Xenia, and later engaged in turnpike con- tracting. Norton V. Bobo worked for his uncle in that business until about eigh- teen years old. He went then to North Hampton, and was employed there for a short time on a farm, after which he ob- tained work in Mr. Myers' wheel factory, at Dialton, where he remained for seven years. After his marriage he worked at the carpenter and plastering trades at North Hampton until he secured the contract to carry mail from Dialton to Springfield, when he located in the former place and was mail carrier for eight years. He then rented his present farm from W. S. Snyder, where he has since
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been successfully carrying on farming in a general way, and also raising cattle and hogs. Mr. Bobo owns two town lots in North Hampton, which he purchased from the Zinn heirs, and on this prop- erty he has erected a large ten-room frame house. He is financially interested in the North Hampton Horse Company.
On December 5, 1878, Mr. Bobo was married to Anna Lehmon, a daughter of Christian Lehmon, and to them have been born six children, as follows: Elsie J .; William, Harry, Emma D., Mary E., and Glendon. Harry married Nellie Hart- man, and they have one child, Charles Willard. In politics Mr. Bobo is a Demo- crat and has served two years on the School Board. He is a member of White Star Lodge, No. 292, Knights of Pythias, of North Hampton, in which he has passed all the chairs.
JOSEPH SULTZBACH and wife, owners of 395 acres of fine farming land, 176 acres of which are located in Bethel Township, and the rest in Pike Township, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, December 11, 1836, and is a son of Jo- seph and Catherine (Longnecker) Sultz- bach.
The great-grandfather of Joseph Sultz- bach came to his country from Germany and resided here until his death, at the age of 108 years. He had three children: Henry, the next to the oldest, - and the grandfather of Joseph Sultzbach, was born in York County, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in general farming in connection with operating a tannery at Yorktown, and one at Marietta, Pennsyl-
vania. Notwithstanding the fact that his older brother inherited his father's es- tate, Henry Sultzbach died aged eighty- five years, a man of means. Mr. Sultz- bach was married to Mary Mumaugh, who died aged eighty-five years and five months. They reared a family of seven children: John; Henry; Jacob; Joseph, Frederick; Mary, and Elizabeth, the lat- ter of whom died aged ninety-two years. Mary and Joseph were the only members of the family to locate in Ohio, coming here in the spring of 1854, first locating at Eagle City, Clark County, and then moving, in 1855, to the Sultzbach farm, which is located on the Urbana Pike, two and one-half miles north of Springfield. The Sultzbach family were among the first settlers of York County, Pennsyl- vania, and Joseph Sultzbach still has in his possession some Continental currency which was a part of the old Sultzbach fortune.
Joseph Sultzbach (1), father of Jo- seph (2) was a general farmer. He re- mained in Clark County until his death, April 30, 1886, aged seventy-four years. He was married in Pennsylvania to Cath- erine Longnecker, who died December 19, 1892, at the age of eighty-one years. To them were born: Elizabeth; Henry, who is a resident of Kansas ; Joseph; Amanda, who married S. Markwood and lives in Washington; Franklin, who resides at Springfield; Webster, who died in 1905; Catherine, who married M. McClain; Hy- man, who is a resident of Colorado; Anna, who married John Humbarger, of Mad River Township; Alvin, deceased; Byron, deceased; George, who lives in Clark County; and Howard, also of Clark County. With the exception of Howard
50
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all of the children were born in Pennsyl- vania.
Joseph Sultzbach, Jr., came to Ohio in 1854, since which time he has been en- gaged in general farming and cattle-rais- ing. The land now owned by him was originally a swampy wilderness and re- quired a great amount of labor to bring it to its present excellent state of cultiva- tion. Mr. Sultzbach resides on his farm of 176 acres, his son, Elmer, having charge of his other land. The commodi- ous and substantial buildings on the farms have all been erected by Mr. Sultz- bach and compare favorably with any in this section.
January 22, 1863, Mr. Sultzbach was united in marriage with Margaret Deit- rick, a daughter of John and Mary (Sence) Deitrick, and to them were born two children: Elmer B., who married Elizabeth Rowlands, has one child, Roy; and Cora, who married Henry Mauck, re- sides in Medway, and has one child, El- mer. Mr. Sultzbach is a member of the German Baptist Church. Politically he is a Republican.
DR. JOHN LUDLOW, for many years president of the Springfield Bank, and proprietor of the pioneer drug store in this city, was long numbered with the substantial and representative men of Clark County. He was born in this county December 9, 1810, his father, Cooper Ludlow, having settled here when he came to the State as a pioneer from New Jersey.
Dr. Ludlow was educated at Cincinnati
to be a pharmacist, and prior to 1851 he had become sole proprietor of the only drug store at Springfield, with which he was connected for a number of years. He was one of the early promoters of the Springfield Bank, and from its board of directors was chosen its president on the death of Judge Oliver Clark. He was deeply interested in the progress and growth of Springfield and was noted for his public spirit. He was one of the founders of Ferncliff Cemetery, where his dust now rests.
On August 31, 1835, Dr. Ludlow was married to Elmina Getman, who came from an old family of Herkimer County, New York. Of this union there were three children, namely : Ellen, who is the widow of the late Gov. Asa S. Bushnell; Fred- erick G., who died January 18, 1906, and who was for many years a resident of Los Angeles, California; and Charles, for many years a prominent druggist and business man of Springfield, who is re- cently deceased.
For more than forty years Dr. Ludlow was a valued and active member of Christ Episcopal Church, at Springfield, of which he was one of the founders, and served as senior warden for many years. He was also a liberal supporter of its various charities. He was a man of ex- emplary life and sterling character who had at heart the cause of true religion and the spread of Christian truth, and for fourteen years he served as treasurer of the Clark County Bible Society. He may surely be counted among those who might expect to hear the Divine eulogium, "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
JOHN T. RICKS
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JOHN T. RICKS, president and treas- urer of The Reama Silver Plating Com- pany, at Springfield, has proven himself, during his residence here of thirty-three years, to be a citizen of public spirit and personal integrity. He was born at West Liberty, Logan County, Ohio, in 1853, and remained there through a portion of his period of education.
Mr. Ricks was twenty-two years old when he came to Springfield, in 1875, and entered into the service of the old C., S. & C. Railroad and Pennsylvania & Pan- handle Railroad, and he continued in rail- road work for eight years. Following this he was connected with the Springfield Malleable Iron Company and other like industries, for about twenty years. On January 22, 1907, The Reama Silver Plat- ing Company was organized and incor- porated, and of this Mr. Ricks became president and treasurer, giving his main attention to this business, atlhough he is also identified with other concerns. He has taken an active interest in politics, and during 1896-7 he was councilman-at- large and a very valuable member of that body.
In 1883 Mr. Ricks was married to Sarah A. Hall, who is a daughter of James W. Hall. They have one daughter, Sarah Elizabeth. Mr. Ricks is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church and has served on its board of trustees. Fra- ternally he is a Knight Templar Mason, and he belongs to the Springfield Com- mercial Club.
CHARLES ADDISON YOUNG, who has a fine farm of 265 acres in Mad River Township, Clark County, Ohio, is travel-
ing representative of the Peters Cart- ridge Company of Cincinnati, and is famed throughout the United States and Canada as a champion gun shot. In 1893, in competition with the world's greatest marksmen at Detroit, Michigan, he won the championship of the United States and Canada at artificial targets, breaking 99 of a possible 100 birds. In 1904 he won the live bird championship of the United States and Canada, killing 124 out of a possible 125 pigeons. In addition he has won numerous medals and cups in competition in different parts of the country.
Mr. Young was born in Frederick County, Maryland, September 10, 1866, and is a son of William A. and Sophia E. (Strawsburg) Young, the former a native of Frederick County, Maryland, and the latter of Washington County, Maryland. In 1866 William A. Young, with his wife and only child, our subject, came to Ohio, first stopping at Vandalia a short time and thence going to Mad River Township, Clark County, where they rented of Susan Funderburg a part of the farm Charles A. Young now lives upon. He had farmed up to this time, but subsequently engaged in the agricultural implement business at Springfield, going back and forth between his farm and store each day. He was quite successful and continued thus occu- pied until his death, in 1899, at the age of fifty-two years. Mrs. Young, after the de- mise of her husband, carried on the busi- ness in partnership with her son, under the name and style of Young & Young, and still resides on the old home place.
Charles A. Young was six months of age when brought by his parents to Clark County. He was reared on the home farm,
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and after completing the prescribed course of study in the district school, was a stu- dent for some time at Nelson's Business College, Springfield. He then became identified with his father in the agricul- tural implement business as Young & Son, and later with his mother as Young & Young, continuing in the business for thirteen years. In his boyhood he took great delight in shooting, being naturally a good marksman. His enthusiasm and persistence developed him into an expert, and his success at the traps attracted the attention of the manufacturers. He ac- cepted a position as demonstrator with the Baker Arms Company, of Batavia, New York, remaining with them three years. He was then with the Robin Hood Powder Company, of Swanton, Vermont, two years, and since 1904 has been con- nected with the Peters Arms Company, of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has given exhibi- tions of shooting in every town of any im- portance in the United States, and in the larger towns and cities of Canada, work- ing in the South during the winter months, and in the North during the sum- mer. Of the 265 acres owned by Mr. Young, his first purchase was the David Funderburg place of 100 acres, of which the old home place forms a part, and on which is located "Enon Mound." The remainder of his farm is made up of the R. L. Miller, Eliza Haines and John Harshman places, which he purchased at different times. He built his present com- modious residence, which is on the north side of the Dayton Pike, seven miles west of Springfield, and many other substan- tial improvements.
In March, 1888, Mr. Young married Ida May Winget, a daughter of Daniel and
Minerva (Albin) Winget, both natives of Clark County, Ohio. Squire Winget lives at Enon and has served as Justice of the Peace for many years. Four children were born of this union: Chella Fern, Thurl, Reba, and Rolla. Fraternally Mr. Young is a member of Lodge No. 51, B. P. O. E .; Tribe No. 711, Knights of Abel, at New Haven, Connecticut; and also of an order for marksmen known as "Indian Lodge," its membership being limited to seventy in the United States.
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