History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio, Part 3

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry
Publication date: 1921
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 678

USA > Ohio > Harrison County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 3
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 3

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Growing to manhood on the parental farm. Robert G. Kean attended the winter terms of the district schools, gaining a practical educa-

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tion. Enlisting for service in the Civil war in 1862, in Company H, Ninety-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, he was subsequently pro- moted, being discharged as sergeant of his company. Having acquired title to 160 acres of land in Washington Township. Carroll County, he was actively and profitably engaged in general farming for a number of seasons. In 1903 he sold a part of his land, disposing of the remainder of the tract in 1903, and has since lived retired in Carrollton, where he bought his present home property, at 527 North Lisbon Street.

Influential in public affairs, Mr. Kean served as justice of peace for nearly half a century, first in Washington Township, and later in Carrollton. In 1889 he was elected to the State Legislature, going as a representative of Carroll County, and was re-elected in 1891, when he represented both Carroll and Harrison counties. He introduced the bill that resulted in the building of the courthouse at Cadiz. Harrison County, the bill being bitterly opposed, but being finally passed by act of the Legislature.

Mr. Kean married. March 30, 1869, Sarah McBurney, who was born in Monroe Township, Carroll County, Ohio, March 10, 1847. Her parents, Samuel and Sarah Jane McBurney, were pioneer settlers of that township and well- to-do farmers. Mr. and Mrs. Kean have no children. Politically Mr. Kean supports the principles of the republican party. Religiously he and his wife are active members of the United Presbyterian Church.

HOMER J. RICHARDS. For over twenty years Mr. Richards' activities have made him a factor in the business affairs of Carrollton, where he is looked upon as one of the men of enterprise and distinctive leadership. For the past ten years be has been one of the partners and manager of the L. & M. Rubber, now The Tus- can Rubber & Tire Company ( see history of the company ).

Mr. Richards was born at Harlem Springs in Carroll County December 28, 1876. Three generations of the family have lived in the county from pioneer times to date. His paternal grandfather, Otho Richards, came to Carroll County at a very early time and married Miss Elizabeth Little. He spent his life as a farmer and died in this county. John Richards, father of Homer J., was born in Carroll County in 1842 and soon after completing his education in the common schools he enlisted in 1861 in the Eightieth Ohio Infantry. He was in service until wounded at Corinth, after which he was granted an honorable discharge. but subsequently reenlisted in the One Hundred and Ninetieth Ohio Infantry and served to the end of the war. He was also captain of a company of Home Guards. He was an active republican. a mem- ber of the Masonic Order and he and his wife were Methodists. John Richards married Mary Hayes, who was born in Carroll County in 1843. Her father. Richard Ilayes, and wife were natives of Ireland, but spent their active lives in Carroll County. Mrs. Mary Hayes Richards is still living in Carrollton.

In the old community where he was born at Harlem Springs, Homer J. Richards spent his

youth, and in addition to the advantages of the local schools attended Scio College one year. As a young man he received a good commercial training in his father's store, and when the family moved to Carrollton in 1897 he engaged in the hardware business and was an active merchant here for about ten years. Following that he assisted in the organization of the Carrollton Savings Company and remained with that institution as its cashier for a year and a half. He and his brother Howard Richards and Doctor Williams then bought out the L. & M. Rubber Company in 1910 and since that date Mr. Richards has been the moving spirit in that well known business.

Politically a republican, he has never sought the cares and responsibilities of office. He is a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Methodist Church. In 1904 he married Miss Martha Lawler, a daughter of J. V. Lawler. The Lawler family is one of prominence in Carroll County and more is said of them on other pages. To Mr. and Mrs. Richards were born six children : John; Emma, who died at the age of seven years; Joseph ; Mary ; Thomas, and Martha.

JOHN W. WELLING has been a resident of Harrison County from the time of his birth, has been associated with progressive farm in- dustry in the county and since 1902 he has been successfully established in the lumber business at Scio, a thriving village in North Township. Mr. Welling was born in Athens Township, this county, November 14, 1858, and is a son of David and Mary Elizabeth (Black) Welling, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, where was solemnized his first marriage, of which six children were born. From the old Keystone State he came as a pioneer to Harrison County, Ohio, where he endured the full tension of arduous toil involved in the reclaiming of a farm from the forest, and where he eventually gained a substantial prosperity as an exemplar of agricultural industry. He was one of the honored pioneer citizens of the county at the time of his death, in 1864. Soon after his arrival in Ohio his first wife died, and later he married Mary Elizabeth Black of Guernsey County, where she was born and reared. She survived her husband about eight years and was summoned to the life eternal in the year 1872, both having been devout members of the Presbyterian Church and numbered among the organizers of Nottingham Church of this de- nomination. In politics Mr. Welling was a democrat. David and Mary Elizabeth (Black) Welling became the parents of seven children : Margaret Jane became the wife of Finley S. Butler and is now deceased; William Wallace is deceased : Nancy Jane, deceased, was the wife of Walker Hollowell: Martha A. is the wife of Joseph White: George W. was a prosperous farmer in Washington Township and is now living virtually retired at Freeport. Harrison County ; Harriet Caroline is the wife of John Cubitt, now residing in Iowa; and John W., of this sketch, is the youngest of the number.

John W. Welling acquired his youthful edu- cation in the district schools of Athens and Nottingham townships, and was six years old

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at the time of his father's death and fourteen years old at the time of his mother's death. He early began to lend his constructive aid in the work of the home farm and the basic industries of agriculture and stock-raising long engaged his attention after he had initiated his inde- pendent career. His marriage occurred in 1879, and thereafter he was actively identified with farm industry in Morefield and Nottingham townships until 1902, when he removed from his farm to the village of Scio, where he has since developed a prosperous business in the handling of lumber and builders' supplies. He

is one of the progressive and public-spirited citizens of the village and has served as presi- dent of its Board of Trustees since 1918, with effective administration of the municipal gov- ernment. His political support is given to the democratic party ; he is affiliated with the Scio Lodge, F. & A. M., Cadiz Chapter No. 171 Royal Arch Masons, and also with the Ancient Ac- cepted Scottish Rite of Steubenville. In his home village he is a member also of the lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in their home village, and he is serving as a steward of the same.

On the 18th of December, 1879, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Welling to Miss Sarah A. Bartow, daughter of Elijah and Margaret Bartow, of Harrison County, and the children of this union are five in number: Cora is the wife of John C. Moore, of New Philadelphia, Ohio; Mary is the wife of Rev. George W. Strothard, a clergyman of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and at the time of this writing they reside at Cuba, New York, where Mr. Stro- thard has a pastoral charge; Grace is the wife of Rev. Harry L. Dunlavy, now pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Coltauer, New York; Neva is the wife of Buford C. Windom, who is engaged in the drug business at Russell, Kentucky ; and Virginia remains at the parental home. Of Rev. H. L. Dunlavy it may further be stated that when the nation became involved in the great World war he went to Europe for service with the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion. He was stationed in Russia several months, later passed three months in the city of London, and held the position of secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association dur- ing the period of his earnest service abroad.

GEORGE D. CUSTER, M. D., has been engaged in the successful practice of his profession at Scio, Harrison County, since 1892, and has gained secure vantage-ground as one of the able and representative physicians and surgeons of his native county, with the additional prestige of being a scion of one of the prominent pioneer families of this favored section of the Buckeye state.

Doctor Custer was born in Washington Town- ship, Harrison County. November 10, 1851, and is a son of Robert F. and Margaret ( Baker) Custer, the former of whom was born at New Rumley, this county, and the latter near the village of Tippecanoe, same county, she having been a daughter of George and Jane (Birney)

Baker and her father having been one of the sterling pioneers of Washington Township, where he and his wife continued to reside until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Baker were active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in the faith of which they reared their eight chil- dren, namely : Mary, Elizabeth, Birney, John, Margaret, Sarah and Deborah.

Robert F. Custer was a son of Jacob and Sarah ( Webster) Custer, with whose names shall ever remain pioneer honors in this section of Ohio, the latter having been a daughter of William Webster, who came to this part of the state in a very early period. Jacob Custer was born at Jessups, Maryland, where his father, Emanuel Custer, died when somewhat more than 100 years of age. At an early period in the history of Ohio Emanuel Custer made a visit to this state, where he took up a section of government land,-a property which he later gave to his daughters, his children having been six in number: Jacob (the Harrison County pioneer), John and Emanuel (died in Mary- land), Charlotte (Mrs. James Cummings), Susan (Mrs. John Hendricks), and Mary (Mrs. Joseph Cummings).

Reared and educated in his native state, Jacob Custer there learned in his youth the trade of blacksmith. He was a young man when he came to Ohio and settled in Rumley Town- ship, Harrison County, where he took up wild land and instituted the development of a farm. He reclaimed his land to cultivation, and in the meanwhile continued to follow his trade to a greater or less extent. He was the founder of the village of New Rumley. which he platted, and after a number of years had passed he removed to Jefferson County, though he eventu- ally returned to Rumley Township, where he died in the year 1862, when seventy-two years of age, his wife having died in 1830, at the age of thirty-seven years. He was a brother of John Custer, who was the father of Gen. George A. Custer, the gallant officer and intrepid Indian fighter who met his death in the historic mas- sacre which perpetuates his name. Jacob and Sarah ( Webster) Custer became the parents of eight children : William Webster, M. D., was for nearly half a century engaged in the practice of his profession at Scio, Harrison County, and his nephew, Dr. George D. Custer of this sketch, became his virtual successor; Alexander died at the age of four years; Stewart F. was a resi- dent of Conotton, Harrison County, at the time of his death ; John M. and Henry L. estab- lished their home in New Philadelphia, Tus- carawas County, Ohio; Robert F. became a merchant at Scio, Harrison County .; Isaac N. became a representative dental practitioner at Westerville, Franklin County, Ohio; Vincent died at the age of seven months. Jacob Custer and his wife were devout communicants of the Lutheran Church and he was one of the founders of the New Rumley Church of this denomination.

Robert F. Custer was for some time engaged in the mercantile business at Perrysville, Carroll County, and in 1874 he established at Scio, Harrison County. the general merchandise busi- ness which continued to engage his attention during the remainder of his active career, his

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death having here occurred on the 5th of Janu- ary, 1909, and his wife having preceded him to eternal rest. Both were zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of the tour children Dr. George D., of this review, is the eldest; Sarah J. was the wife of Dr. G. M. Weller and later Joseph Phillips; Mary Belle died in chidhood; and Rev. Addison R., a clergy- man of the Methodist Episcopal Church, resides in the city of Dayton, Ohio.

Dr. George D. Custer gained his preliminary education in the public schools of Perrysville, Carroll County, and Scio, Harrison County, in which later village he also attended Scio College. In preparation for his chosen profession he entered Columbus Medical College, in the capital city of his native state, and there he continued his studies two years. He completed his techni- cal course in the celebrated Starling Medical College, now the medical department of the University of Ohio, in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1879. In 1880, after thus receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine, he entered upon his professional novitiate at Uhrichsville, Tuscarawas County. where he developed a good practice and where he remained until 1892, since which year he has continued in active general practice at Scio, with a business whose scope and importance attest alike his professional ability and zeal and his secure hold upon popular confidence and esteem. In 1902 he opened a well equipped drug store, which he has since conducted in connection with his professional work. The Doctor is affiliated with the Harrison County Medical Society, the Ohio State Medical Society. and the American Medical Association. He has had neither time nor inclination for special political activity, but is a staunch supporter of the principles of the republican party and is loyal and progressive as a citizen. He and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Epis- copal Church of their home village and he has served twenty years as a member of Its board of trustees.

On the 10th of September, 1871, was solem- nized the marriage of Doctor Custer to Miss Jennie C. Kirby, who was born and reared in Carroll County and who is a daughter of John and Sarah Kirby. Doctor and Mrs. Custer have two children : Earle E. is the wife of Ross Il. Mortland, of Scio, Ohio, and they have two children, Paul Custer and George A. ; Imyke K .. now a resident of the city of Detroit, Michigan. married Miss Anna Dickey and their one child is living. A daughter, Lyllian Earle, died, aged one year; a son, George D., named in honor of his paternal grandfather.

JAMES E. MORRISON was a resident of Harri- son County from his boyhood until his death, and left upon the community the impress of strong, noble and useful manhood. He became one of the representative farmers of Freeport Township, and upon bis fine old homestead form he continued to reside until his death, on the 23d of March, 1908. Since that time his widow and sons have effectively continued the management of the farm, which comprises 161 end 35/100 acres and which is devoted to di- versifiled agriculture and stock-raising. with

special emphasis given to the dairy department of the progressive farm enterprises.

James E. Morrison was born in Washington County. Pennsylvania, on the 30th day of Au- gust, 1856, was about nine years of age at the time of the family removal to Harrison County, Ohio, in 1864, and he was reared to manhood in Freeport Township, the while he was given excellent educational advantages, as gauged by the standards of the locality and period. The genealogy of the Morrison family of Harrison County traces back to John Morrison, who was born and reared in County Antrim, Ireland, where he became a farmer and where he also followed the trade of stone mason. There he married Miss Nancy Taggart, and they became the parents of five children-James, Mary, John, Nancy and Rachel. Soon after the death of their parents Mary and John came to America. In the late '30s James Morrison married Mary Ervin. of County Antrim, her parents, John and Jane ( Wallace) Ervin, having been of Scotch ancestry and their religious faith having been that of the Seceder Church, as it was then known. In the year 1847 James Morrison came with his family to the United States and estab- lished his home in Washington County, Penn- sylvania, where he engaged in farming and where he also followed the trade of stone mason. In September. 1864. he came with his family to Harrison County, Ohio, and purchased the farm in Freeport Township that later was owned by his son, James F., the subject of this memoir. Here he continued his activities as a fermer during the remainder of his active life, and here his death occurred October 19, 1886, his widow passing away December 13, 1889. Both were earnest members of the Covenanter Church, and his political views were in con- sonance with the tenets of the republican party. They became the parents of nine children, and the four who attained to years of maturity and survived the honored parents were Samuel W., Nannie C. ( Mrs. William J. Blackwood), Jennie A. (Mrs. Marshall McCall) and James E.

.James F. Morrison was a loyal and public- spirited citizen, was a republican in his political sentiment. and was a zealous and influential member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church at Londonderry, in which his widow and sons likewise hold membership. On the 12th of November. 1887. Mr. Morrison wedded Miss Jennie M. Forsythe, who was born and reared in Freeport Township, this county, and who is a daughter of Wiliam and Rose A. (Mckeown) Forsythe. the latter a daughter of Alexander Mckeown. who was an honored pioneer settler of Harrison County. William Forsythe was one of the representative farmers of Freeport Township at the time of his death, in August. 1871. and his widow's death occurred in Febru- ary of the following year. both he and his wife having been earnest members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, in which he served as an elder. Of the children of William and Rose A. Forsythe the following brief data is available: Jennie M., widow of the subject of this memoir, was born September 20. 1863: Arthur M., who became a prosperous farmer in Guernsey County. was born June 13. 1865; Nannie M .. who was born March 26, 1867. married David

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C. Sleeth, of Guernsey County, now deceased, her second marriage being to George Rapp, a contractor of Cleveland, Ohio; and William A., who was born January 29, 1869, is now (1921) superintendent of the city schools of Canton, Ohio. William Forsythe was a son of Matthew and Margaret (Glenn) Forsythe, natives re- spectively of County Antrim and County Derry, Ireland. Their marriage was solemnized in Pennsylvania, whence they came to Ohio in October, 1840, the closing years of their lives having been passed in Harrison County, where Mr. Forsythe died in 1874, his wife having passed away in 1872, and both having been members of the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Their children were three in number-William, Jane (Mrs. Jesse Alexander), and Margaret (Mrs. James Alexander).

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Morrison became the parents of three children-Samuel W., James R. and Ralph M., the last named having died on the 6th of June, 1918, and the two surviving sons being associated in the management of the old home farm.

James R. Morrison was born on the farm which is now his place of residence, and the date of his nativity was December 12, 1889. His native county must ever honor his name by reason of the gallant service which he gave in connection with the nation's participation in the great World war. He entered service Octo- ber 6, 1917, and thereafter was stationed at Camp Sherman until the 10th of December, 1917, when he was transferred to Camp Han- cock, Georgia. There he was assigned to Com- pany H of the First Motor Mechanics Regiment. with which he embarked February 8. 1918, on the Government transport "President Lincoln" and salled for France. It is worthy of inci- dental note that on a later return trip this vessel was sunk by the enemy. Mr. Morrison landed with his command at St. Nazaire, France, and there he was stationed during the entire period of his active service in France. He was granted furloughs on three occasions, and on one of these passed ten days in the city of Paris, besides which he availed himself of the opportunity of visiting the great battlefields of Rheims, Chateau Thierry and Soissons. On the 26th of June, 1918, he sailed for home, and shortly after his arrival he received his honor- able discharge, on the 14th of July, 1919, at Camp Sherman.

The Morrison family are members of the Re- formed Presbyterian Church, the members of which denomination do not vote. for the reason that Christ is not acknowledged in the Constitu- tion of the United States as King of Nations, or the Bible accepted as the Supreme Law of the land.

JOHN ROSS RUTLEDGE. Representing one of the older families of Carroll County, John Ross Rutledge, though he grew up at the old home- stead in Union Township has found his work chiefly in Carrollton. where for several years past he has been in charge of the shipping department of the Tuscan Tire & Rubber Company.

Mr. Rutledge was born in Union Township June 8, 1874, son of William and Susannah

(Buchanan) Rutledge. His maternal grand- parents were John and Mary Buchanan, the former born in 1807 and the latter in 1809. They reached Union Township at an early day, and lived out their lives in the county, Mary Buchanan dying in Union Township, while he passed away in Loudon Township. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Rutledge were Robert and Jane B. Rutledge, who early founded a home in Union Township and lived there, useful and honored members of the community the rest of their days. William Rutledge was born in Union Township in 1846, and spent practically all the days of his life on the home farm. Educated in public schools, he lived the life of a quiet and industrious farmer, and died hon- ored and respected in 1907. Susannah Bu- chanan, his first wife, died in 1884. He was a republican in politics and an active member of the Methodist Church. They were the par- ents of four children : Charles W .; Mary J., wife of Cornelius Brackin; John Ross; and Ira Lee. For his second wife William Rutledge married Lydia M. Tope, who is still living, the mother of one child, Frank H. Rutledge.

John R. Rutledge grew up on the homestead and made the best possible use of the advantages of the public schools. For several years he followed farming, but in 1907 came to Carroll- ton and for a number of years was an express agent, at first with the Pacific Express and later with Wells Fargo & Company. Following that for three years he was a clerk for A. J. Stoody, and in 1917 took up his present duties in charge of the shipping department of the Tuscan Tire & Rubber Company. Mr. Rutledge is a republican and a member of the Methodist Church.

In 1897 he married Miss Eva E. Tripp, daugh- ter of Sylvester and Mary Tripp, who belonged to the era of early settlement in Carroll County. Her father is still living, at the age of seventy- eight years. Mr. Rutledge had the misfortune to lose his wife January 9, 1917, the year in which they would have celebrated their twen- tieth wedding anniversary. Two children were born, Sylvia Ann and Ralph McRae. The son is in the seventh grade of the Carrollton schools. The daughter, who finished her education in the Carrollton High School, became the wife of Clarence Gotschall. Mr. Gotschall responded to the draft in 1918, but a short time after he began training at Camp Sherman was stricken and died with the influenza. He is survived by one son, Homer.

PETER A. CRUMRINE. The attractive little city of Carrollton, judicial center and metropolis of Carroll County, naturaly has made distinct ap- peal to many of those native sons who have here gained substantial success in connection with farm industry and who have finally been justified in retiring from the labors and exac- tions of the farm. Thus the city has gained a goodly quota of sterling retired farmers, and among the number is he whose name introduces this paragraph.

Mr. Crumrine was born in Perry Township, this county, July 16, 1856, and is a son of John and Margaret ( Binger) Crumrine, both of whom were born in Pennsylvania. Peter and Elizabeth

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History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio, Part 3

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Number of Pages: 678

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry
Publication date: 1921
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 678