USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 20
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reared seven sons and five daughters. The father of Mrs. Ford learned the blacksmith's trade in Fairfield County. In 1855 he moved to Allen County and settled on a farm in Mar- ion township, one mile east and south of Mr. Ford's place. He remained on this farm in section 3 for a number of years. His wife died some years before he was accidentally killed by a train on the P., Ft. W. & C. Railway, at Scott's Crossing.
D ON CARLOS HENDERSON, an at- torney of the Allen County Bar, was born at Tranquility, Adams County, Ohio, February 13, 1862. He is a son of Dr. James Kyle and Susanna Henderson, who now reside at Weston, Ohio. Dr. James Kyle Henderson, now of the age of 82 years, is a graduate of the New York Col- lege of Medicine, and for many years was one of the leading physicians of Western Pennsyl- vania and Eastern Ohio.
Don Carlos Henderson attended the public schools at Bucyrus, Ohio, and completed his course of studies at the Ohio Normal Univer- sity in the year 1887, at which time he received the degree of A. B. The year following he at- tended college at Delaware, Ohio, and later studied law, completing his course of reading in the office of Hon. Moses A. Hoagland, of Lima, and being admitted to the bar in Octo- . ber, 1889. After admission to the bar, he be- gan practice with Mr. Hoagland as the junior member of the firm of Hoagland & Henderson. This partnership continued for a period of one year, and since that time Mr. Henderson has practiced alone.
On the 14th of May, 1892, Mr. Henderson was united in marriage to Minnie W. Kahle, a daughter of Frederick and Isabelle Kahle, both of whom are still living, and reside at Frank- lin, Pennsylvania. Mr. Kahle was one of the early operators of the Pennsylvania oil field. Two children, Dudley Kahle Henderson, aged 12, and Marjorie Isabelle Henderson, aged II, have been born of this marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Henderson are members of the Market Street Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Henderson was elected city solicitor in the spring of 1897 for a period of two years and was reelected in the spring of 1899. From the beginning of his business career he has been recognized as one of the leaders in city and county affairs, and has been active in local and State politics. He is an untiring worker, and, to his great credit, is one of those who believe that his chosen profession should receive his undivided time and energies. Mr. Henderson is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order of Essenees and Royal Arcanum. While yet young in years, he is prominent in his profession, and in the social and business interests of the community.
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C HOMAS S. HANTHORN, one of the good citizens of Bath township, where he is a very large land-owner and has the reputation of raising and handling the best draft horses put upon the market, is also a survivor of the Civil War, having given three years and more of his young manhood to the defense of his country. Mr. Hanthorn was born December 17, 1845, in Perry township, Allen County, Ohio, and .is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth ( Hardesty) Han- thorn.
The grandfather was George Hanthorn, who was probably of Irish birth and parentage. He was a very early pioneer in Perry County, Ohio. Thomas Hanthorn, the father, was born March 17, 1810, in Perry County, Ohio, and was still a youth when his parents moved to Allen County. His first purchase of land was a tract of 40 acres, the same on which a portion of the city of Lima now stands. He subse- quently owned 200 acres, and spent his whole life here with the exception of eight years, dur- ing which he lived in Branch County, Michi- gan. He died at the age of 68 years. He was one of the early organizers of the First Baptist Church, at Lima. He married twice; first, Myrea Daniels, who lived but two years; in 1840 he married Mrs. Elizabeth ( Hardesty)
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Colvin, who was born May 29, 1814, on the way between Connecticut and Ohio, when her parents, Henry and Elizabeth Hardesty, were making their pioneer journey hither. She was reared in Allen County near Westminster, mar- ried (first) William R. Colvin, and died May 1, 1893.
The children of Thomas and Elizabeth Hanthorn were: Nancy Caroline, who died young; Elizabeth, wife of Daniel Rowlands, of Lima; James Milton, born in 1843, who died aged three years; Thomas S., of this sketch; Frances Emeline, wife of John Crumrine, of Lima; George L., born in 1850, who died in Nebraska in 1895; Sarah Alice, wife of James Frost, of Lima; Howard and Harmon (twins), the latter is deceased, the former a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Viola Bell, wife of James McGuire, of Lima.
Thomas S. Hanthorn remained at home until the opening of the Civil War. He then began preparations to enter the Union Army ; in September, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, 12th Reg., Ohio Vol. Cav., under Captain Monroe, and during his long service of three years he participated in 24 engagements, in- cluding the battles of Mount Sterling, Ken- tucky, Saltville, Virginia, and Cumberland Gap, Maryland. For three months he was con- fined in the hospital at Knoxville, suffering with typhoid fever. He did not receive any in- jury in battle and on his return home resumed farming. In the following spring he accom- panied his parents to Branch County, Michigan, and remained there for seven years, engaged in farming.
Upon his return to Perry township, Allen County, Mr. Hanthorn for some 16 years worked a sand-bank on the west side of the cor- porate limits of Lima, and with his numerous teams supplied almost all of the sand used for building purposes in the city. He then bought 55 acres which he later traded, and then pur- chased 182 acres north of Lima, on which are situated two excellent dwellings now occupied by his sons. He formerly owned town prop- erty and still retains as a homestead a farm of 156 acres, which is admirably improved, with two sets of farm buildings. Mr. Hanthorn
gives his attention entirely to dealing in horses now and lives with his grandson, who rents his farm.
Mr. Hanthorn was married on June 21, 1866, to Hester A. Shannon, who was born near Fremont, in Clark County, Ohio, Septem- ber 7, 1847, and is a daughter of Isaac and Margaret (Hollinger) Shannon. They have three children, namely: Emma, who married O. J. Fields, of Lima, and has four children; William Henry, who has six children; and Rollie, who has two children. The two sons live on our subject's farms in Bath township.
Mr. Hanthorn has always been identified with the Republican party, but has never been very active politically, his other interests ab- sorbing his time and attention. He is a good citizen and is always ready to lend a helping hand in movements for the public welfare.
ALTER C. BRADLEY, one of the leading business men of Lima, treasurer of the Lima Pork Pack- ing Company, was born in Cayuga County, New York, in 1866, and is a son of Daniel Bradley.
Daniel Bradley was born at King's Ferry, New York, where his ancestors had been pio- neer settlers. He still resides in Cayuga Coun- ty, New York, where he is a large farmer and extensive stock dealer. Two of his brothers served in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Walter C. Bradley was reared in Cayuga County. He had good educational opportuni- ties, being for a considerable period a student at the Sherwood select school, a private acad- emy of note in that locality. When about 18 years of age he left school and taught through one year, after which he entered into the pro- duce business, in the interest of a New York commission house. He also engaged in farm- ing and did quite a successful business in the sale of agricultural implements. His financial success was sufficient to procure him the posi- tion of local manager for Swift & Company, of Chicago, when but 29 years old. He was
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located first at the branch house at Springfield, Ohio, then spent a year at the branch house at Lima; the following year he was at Toledo; after a short time at Erie, Pennsylvania, he came back to the important branch house at Lima, and continued here as manager of Swift & Company's business for three years.
Then Mr. Bradley entered into business for himself, in association with B. F. Thomas, Ira P. Carnes, D. W. Leichty and A. R. Thomas, incorporators of the Lima Pork Packing Com- pany, with a capital stock of $20,000, which, in 1903, was increased to $60,000. The officers of this company are: B. F. Thomas, president ; Ira P. Carnes, vice-president; W. C. Bradley, treasurer, and D. W. Leichty, secretary. This board of officers has remained intact since the incorporation of the business. They moved from the old stand on North Elizabeth street, near the P., Ft. W. & C. Railway tracks to their present fine quarters on South Central street, occupying Nos. 215-217-219-221-223 where they do a general packing business, their spe- cialty being the manufacture of all kinds of sausages. The company requires the assistance of two traveling men to cover Ohio territory ; exclusive of these and the office force, they em- ploy about 30 men. This business promises to be a strong competitor with the great pork packing concerns already in the field.
Mr. Bradley was married September 9, 1885, to A. Luella Price, who is a daughter of the late David Price, of New York. They have three children, viz .: David R., who is a graduate of the Lima public schools and the Lima Business College; - Violet Luella; and Anna Maybel. The family belong to the Pres- byterian Church, Mr. Bradley having been a member of this religious body since young manhood.
J OHN B. SEVERNS, a farmer of sec- tion 28, Perry township, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, June 21, 1850. His parents were Simon and Catherine (Schaffer) Severns, the former of whom was born in Knox County, Ohio, Octo- ber 13, 1820, and the latter, in Maryland, Sep-
tember 14, 1819. The paternal grandfather came from Virginia at an early day and settled in Ohio. In 1852 Simon Severns brought his family to Allen County and located on the farm now occupied by Jonathan McPheron, where they continued to reside during the remainder of their lives. He met his death April 2, 1879, by the explosion of a boiler at a sawmill, at which he had stopped for a moment while pass- ing. His wife survived him many years, dying. April 14, 1890. Their children were as fol- lows : Samantha R. (Budd), of Colorado; Merriman, unmarried, who resides in Colo- rado; Sarah Ann, who died young; Llewellyn A., a resident of Van Wert, Ohio; John B .; Franklin P., who died in Van Wert County ;. and Stephen D., who died in early life.
John B. Severns was educated in the dis- trict schools of Perry township and remained at home until the death of his mother, when he went to Colorado. He learned the carpenter's. trade and followed it for several years during early manhood, but finally abandoned it and turned his entire attention to agriculture. He remained in Colorado from September, 1890, until February, 1895, when he came back to. Allen County and purchased his present farm.
Mr. Severns has been twice married; first, on September 4, 1879, to Sarah J. Hanthorn, a. native of Perry township and a daughter of James A. Hanthorn. She died April 26, 1883,. leaving two children: Roscoe, born July 21, 1880, and Florence R., born March 30, 1883, who married George W. McClain, a farmer of Perry township, and has two children-Viola P. and Lawrence S. On July 20, 1889, Mr. Severns was married to Hattie E. Cummings. who was born in Auglaize township, Allen County, Ohio, January 3, 1867, and is a daugh- ter of W. E. and Mary A. Cummings, pioneers. of Perry township. Five children have blessed this union, namely : Hazel M., born May 13, 1890, in Perry township; Etta I., born June 19,. 1891, in Colorado; Frances E., born April 26, 1893, in Colorado; Velma P., born July 9,. 1895, who was born in Ohio; and Simon E., who was born in Ohio May 27, 1902. They are members of the Disciples' Church. Mr. Severns is a Democrat and has served the-
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township both as clerk and treasurer. He is a prominent Knight of Pythias, being a member of Uniopolis Lodge, No. 685.
ILFORD E. HEATH, mayor of Harrod, is one of the most capable and efficient officials that has ever presided over the affairs of that vil- lage, and has been equally success- ful in looking after his bakery and confection- ery business. Mr. Heath was born in Medina County, Ohio, February 18, 1863, and is a son of Thomas E. and Martha ( Aldrich) Heath.
The paternal grandfather was a native of Vermont but of Scotch descent. He moved to Pennsylvania at an early day and secured 200 acres of land, which is now in the heart of the anthracite coal field. This land, together with all his property, was lost through his going bail for some merchants of Philadelphia; but no word of complaint was ever made by his noble wife, whose property was also swallowed up in the misfortune.
Thomas E. Heath was born February 20, 1820, in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, near Pottsville, and was eight years of age when his parents moved to Medina County, Ohio, where he lived until his death. He learned the trade of carpenter and became one of the most successful contractors in Medina County. He took an active interest in politics, was a stanch Republican and for several years served as con- stable. A member of the United Brethren Church, he was a man of noble principles and consistent deeds. His death in 1898 resulted from a stroke of paralysis and terminated an upright and useful life. His wife, Martha A. Aldrich, was born January 6, 1832, and was of Scotch-English origin, her immediate ances- tors being Roswell and Eva Aldrich. She died at the age of 47 years, leaving three children : Leonard M., a farmer residing near Kenton, Ohio; Rosa, who married F. D. Marble and resides at Ravenna, Portage County, Ohio; and Wilford E. Mrs. Marble is the mother of four children, only two of whom are now living. Frank B. Marble, her son, graduated from the
Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland, Ohio, and then entered the service of the Bal- timore & Ohio Railroad Company, being em- ployed as an engineer in bettering the grades for the heavy freight traffic of that road. Later he accepted the position of chief engineer of the American Steel & Wire Company, and is still retained by them at a large salary. He married Loie Davis, of Cleveland, and their little daughter, Helen, is the youngest of four generations of Marbles. The family have a photograph of this group of four generations which is highly prized. Eva Marble, daugh- ter of Mrs. F. D. Marble, lives at home and is an accomplished musician.
Wilford E. Heath remained at home until his 13th year when the death of his mother occurred, after which he made his home with his sister. He attended the schools of Medina County and also was a student in the schools of Bedford. Leaving school, he secured work in the hardware store of J. B. Haines, and for two years was not only the bookkeeper but a handy man in the store. The next three years were passed in the employ of the A. L. Shat- tuck Chair Company, after which he went to Galva, Illinois, and, in partnership with his cousin, engaged in the bakery business. The continued ill health of his father necessitated his return home, where he remained four years until his father's death, when he located a. Harrod, Allen County. Erecting a suitable building, Mr. Heath opened a bakery, adding also a line of confectionery, patent medicines, tobacco and groceries. He has built up a good business and has endeavored to merit patronage by having everything of the best. His bakery is well equipped, all his mixing being done by machinery operated by steam power, and everything entering into the composition of his goods is the purest and cleanest that can be procured.
Mr. Heath is a Republican and has given his hearty support to the success of his ticket, whenever the men nominated were those whom he could conscientiously endorse. He believes in a clean administration and before being elected to the mayoralty, in 1903, he was one of the most energetic and efficient members of
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the Council and of the School Board of Harrod.
Mr. Heath was married December 21, 1892, at Galesburg, Illinois, to Clara A. Frisin- ger, of Lima, Ohio. Mrs, Heath was born April 4, 1874, in Allen County, Ohio, and is one of 10 children-seven sisters and. three brothers-born to Thomas and Hannah Frisin- ger. Mr. and Mrs. Heath have one daughter, Hazel A., born July 8, 1896. The family are members of the United Brethren Church, and have made many warm and enduring friend- ships since moving to Harrod. Mr. Heath is a member of LaFayette Lodge, No. 846, I. O. O. F., and of Lima Lodge, No. 91, K. of P.
E. RUDY, the veteran automobile dealer of Lima, was born in Allen County 38 years ago and has been a resident of the city of Lima for the past 15 years. Mr. Rudy es- tablished a new line of business for Lima when he opened his garage and entered into the sale of automobiles, bringing the first machine to this county. He carries, in addition, a complete line of bicycle sundries and a good line of bicycles.
Mr. Rudy grew to manhood in Allen Coun- ty and enjoyed the advantage of a college edu- cation, having taken the scientific course in the Ohio Normal University at Ada, from which he was graduated. Two years of practical work in teaching followed, when he became a "knight of the grip" and for five years was salesman for a bicycle company, traveling over Ohio, Pennsylvania, and a part of New York in his Eastern territory, and through Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma in the West. In 1890 he settled in Lima and engaged in retailing automobiles and bicycles, his business growing to such an extent that it necessitated enlarged quarters, when he erected his garage, a large building 100 by 50 feet, which is located on Elizabeth street, near the Postoffice-a splendid site and a splendid business.
Mr. Rudy was married in 1892 to Anna Doolittle, of Pennsylvania, by whom he has
two bright children-Mildred and Marcus. Mr. Rudy is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church while his wife is a Presbyterian. He was a member of the Lima City Council for two years and is always ready to lend his hearty support to any movement of utilitarian import. Fraternally, he is connected with the Elks, the Red Men and the Odd Fellows.
1 H. ROGERS, a prominent attorney and one of the leading citizens of Lima, was born February 28, 1865, in Wirt County, West Virginia, and re- mained in that State until about 20 years of age. He is a son of the late Charles W. Rogers, and has fought life's battles single- handed, having worked his way through col- lege to his present eminent position with an ardor that insured success. Mr. Rogers first secured employment in the lumber business but, having a desire to find more congenial employ- ment and also to acquire an education, he en- tered the Ohio Normal, now the Ohio North- ern, University, at Ada, Ohio, and was a close student for five years, graduating in 1891 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
Having been elected principal of the Frank- lin School, at Lima, he at once entered upon his duties, and for nine years was the capable and efficient executive who inspired both teachers and pupils to put forth their best efforts, and made the school one of the best in the State. During this period all his spare time and his summer vacations were devoted to reading law, and the same optimistic. nature which over- came the obstacles in his college days now enabled him to disentangle the knotty points and master the intricacies of legal lore. He was admitted to the bar in October, 1897; but he continued to hold his position in the Lima schools until 1900 when, much to the regret of the patrons, he gave up school work and began the practice of the law.
He was first associated with D. C. Hender- son, the firm of Henderson & Rogers continuing until 1902, when Mr. Rogers was elected mayor of Lima. He served in that capacity
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one year, retiring when the new code, which was passed by the Ohio Legislature for the government of cities, went into effect. Since then Mr. Rogers has practiced law alone and has built up a large and lucrative practice, which places him among the leading attorneys of Allen County.
While engaged in school work, he was also one of the members of the City Board of School Examiners, and continues to take a deep inter- est in the schools and, indeed, in any question of import to the municipality. In 1902 Mr. Rogers was nominated by the Republican party for Representative in Congress from the Fourth Congressional District. Although the dis- trict was overwhelmingly Democratic, Mr. Rogers succeeded in greatly reducing the nor- mal Democratic majority.
In 1892, our subject was married to Lucile E. Everett, daughter of the late M. A. Everett, of Trumbull County, Ohio. Four children have blessed their home, namely: Margaret, Everett Lewis, Josephine and William Addi- son. Mr. Rogers is quite prominent in frater- nal circles, being past chancellor of Lima Lodge, No. 91, K. of P .; a member of Solar Lodge, No. 783, I. O. O. F .; D. O. K. K .; Woodmen of the World; and Lima Tent, No. 142, K. O. T. M.
h ON. ROBERT MEHAFFEY, who has been identified with the financial inter- ests and public affairs of Allen Coun- ty for many years, and has been a lead- er in educational and temperance work, was born August 23, 1833, in County Tyrone, Ireland, and is a son of James and Martha (Clark) Mehaffey, who spent their en- tire lives in Ireland, where James Mehaffey was a farmer. The parental family consisted of five sons and one daughter. Two of the sons, James and Robert, came to the United States.
Robert Mehaffey was reared on his father's farm until he was 13 years of age. Then the death of the mother broke up the family to some extent, and Robert left home and went up to London with a friend. In 1849 he took
the step which, in a great measure, settled his future career. Taking passage at Liverpool on the sailing vessel, "Albert Gallatin," he was landed at Philadelphia in December of that year. He had an uncle who was a farmer at Beaver Dam, Allen County, Ohio, and after many experiences by land and water and pauses at Wheeling, Cincinnati, and other points, he reached Lima, in February, 1850, and joined his uncle shortly afterward. He worked for his uncle and another farmer until April, 1852, when he located in the village of LaFayette, which has since continued to be his home.
Accepting a position in a store with an idea of only remaining long enough to earn sufficient capital to take him still further West, Mr. Me- haffey remained with that employer for seven years; but at one time during this period he actually started for California, going as far as Council Bluffs, Iowa; he turned back on ac- count of the threatening activity of the Indians at that time. He bought a tract of 28 acres of land, but after farming for a short time de- cided to enter into the mercantile business for himself, as the town offered at that time an ex- cellent field. He therefore purchased a stock of general merchandise to the value of $520, and started in, doing all the work incident to the new venture, and for the II succeeding years he sold goods over his own counters, giving full weight and running over, and making a friend of every customer.
For a number of years Mr. Mehaffey had taken an active interest in politics before he ac- cepted any office. His first elective office was that of county clerk; he was elected in 1869 on the Democratic ticket and was reelected three years later, being in office six years in all. He then became prominent also in financial affairs, as president of the First National Bank, of Lima. Later he sold his interests and was suc- ceeded by Dr. S. A. Baxter. His next enter- prise was handling cattle, and this proved very lucrative and he continued in this business for a number of years. Mr. Mehaffey gave great assistance in the organizing of the Merchants' National Bank of Lima, of which he was elect- ed president, a position he continued to fill until
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the bonds were all called in and the corporation went out of business. Mr. Mehaffey took charge of the concern and ran it as a private bank for the accommodation of merchants, and continued until he was called to take so promi- nent a part in State politics that he found it ex- pedient to dispose of many of his private busi- ness interests.
With very little effort on his part, Mr. Me- haffey was nominated and was subsequently elected to the State Senate from the 32nd Dis- trict, which included Allen, Van Wert, Aug- laize, Mercer, Paulding, Defiance and Williams counties, and in this honorable position he served through two terms. As a member of the Legislature, Mr. Mehaffey met the expecta- tions of his constituents and fellow-citizens and retired from public life with their increased confidence and added respect.
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