USA > Ohio > Harrison County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 74
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 74
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February 15, 1896, recorded the marriage of Mr. Tope to Miss Hattie Rainsberger, daughter of Thomas Rainsberger, of whom individual record is given on other pages of this work. The one child of this union is John Clayton Tope. who was born in the year 1897 and who is now employed in the city of Canton, Stark County. John C. Tope was one of the sterling young men who represented Carroll County in the nation's military service in the late World war. He en- tered service in September, 1918, passed three months in the training camp at Toledo, and was then transferred to Camp Oglethorpe, at At- lanta, Georgia. Two months later he was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, as a private of the first class, and after the signing of the historic ar- mistice he continued in service until April, 1919, when he was mustered out and received his honorable discharge.
JOHN F. LEYDA. A prosperous stock man and farmer illustrates by his experience the ups and downs of his line of business, its fascinating promises of fortune as well as its equally abun- dant opportunities for failure. One of the men of Carroll County who has had some of these vicissitudes of fortune, who has made several changes in location and business, but each one dictated by good judgment, and by determina- tion has overcome obstacles and is now enjoy- ing a well earned prosperity is John F. Leyda of Harrison Township.
Mr. Leyda was born in Harrison Township in December 17, 1867, son of David and Samantha (Putoff) Leyda. His father was also a native of Harrison Township and a well known farmer there. Oldest of nine children, John F. Leyda had his early education limited to terms of winter school until he was seventeen. He learned farming by work at home, but had practically no capital when he married Miss
Nettie A. Wright, daughter of W. S. and Eliza- beth Wright, of Monroe Township.
The first year of their married life they lived on the Wright farm of a hundred acres. He then rented a hundred acre farm in Rose Town- ship, spent a year there, another year on a hundred fifty acres in Brown Township, farmed a hundred sixty acres at Magnolia for a year, and then returned to the Wright farm in Mon- roe Township, where he continued his varied efforts at agriculture for seven years. After a public sale of his stock and equipment Dr. Leyda located at Dellroy, and employed his labor and a teaming outfit as his principal busi- ness for five years.
In 1914 he bought his present place of a hun- dred five acres. This is now a well equipped farm, and he has made it the source of a steady income for the past six years.
Mr. Leyda is an independent democrat and member of the Presbyterian Church at Dell- roy. Two children were born to their marriage. Gladys was born in 1906. Marie died in 1898, at the age of two years and one day.
JAMES GRANT SNIVELY was reared under the discipline of the farm and has depended wisely upon his knowledge of agricultural and live- stock industry in making his way to the goal of independence and stable prosperity. He now has secure place as one of the prosperous and rep- resentative farmers of his native county, eighty acres of the place being in Loudon Township, Carroll County, and the remaining seven acres in Lee Township. He was born in Washington Township, this county, August 15, 1868, and is a son of John Milton and Eleanor ( Figely) Snively, his father likewise having been a na- tive of Washington Township, where he passed his entire life, his vocation having been that of farming. His parents, Henry and Mary (Car- mon) Snively, were natives of Pennsylvania and became pioneer settlers in Carroll County, so that the family name has been long and worthily linked with the civic and industrial history of this Ohio county. Of the children of John M. and Eleanor Snively the eldest is Emma, who is the wife of Thomas Demilton, a farmer near Minerva, this county; Robert is engaged in farming in Washington Township; James Grant, of this sketch, was the next in order of birth; Alvin is a farmer in Washing- ton Township; Margaret is the wife of James McGee, of Augusta Township; Howard remains on the old home farm, in Washington Town- ship; and Mary is the wife of Foster Roude- bush and they reside in the city of Detroit, Michigan.
James G. Snively profited alike by the dis- cipline of the district schools and the home farm, and upon attaining to his legal majority he began to work by the month, as a farm em- ploye. After his marriage, in 1890, he con- tinued to farm on rented land for a period of eighteen years, and he then purchased his pres- ent farm, which had been permitted to run down and which thus placed distinct challenge upon his characteristic energy and progressive- ness. He has brought the place up to a high standard of productiveness, has remodeled the
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buildings, and has made other improvements which likewise indicate the supervision of a keen, determined and enterprising owner. Mr. Snively takes loyal interest in all that concerns the welfare of his home community and native county, is a staunch republican and is affiliated actively with the Kilgore Grange.
December 21. 1890, recorded the marriage of Mr. Suively to Miss Matilda A. McCully, who was born and reared in Harrison Township, this county. a daughter of William and Jennie (Smith) McCully, the former a native of Har- rison Township and the latter of Fox Town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Snively have six children : Maude is the wife of James Simmons, of Lou- don Township: Erna is the wife of Harvey Mc- Cartney. of Dellroy, this county : Lillie is the wife of Oscar Reigle, of Carrollton; Mary now resides in the city of Carrollton : and James W. and Wilbur S. remain at the parental home.
JAMES MILTON FINEFROCK, one of the prosper- ous farmers of Carroll County. operating the old homestead, 280 acres of as well-developed land as can be found in Rose Township, is rec- ognized as one of the important factors in the agricultural life of his neighborhood. He was born in Rose Township. September 26, 1890. a son of Atwell John and Mary Elizabeth (Shine) Finefrock, and grandson of John Finefrock, who was born in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania, in 1792. He married Elizabeth Harple, who was born at Wurtemberg. Germany, in 1798, and came to the United States with her par- ents, who located near Lancaster. Pennsylvania. They made the trip on a sailing vessel which took eight weeks to cross the Atlantic ocean. The marriage ceremony which united John Finefrock and Elizabeth Harple was performed at Lancaster in 1817. and for six years there- after they resided in that city, and they moved to Centerville. Ohio, now Carrollton, making the trip by wagon and being four weeks on the road. On July 4. 1823. they located on a farm in Rose Township. Carroll County, which re- mained in the family until 1918. After twenty- seven years spent on this farm, they moved to another one one mile south of Waynesburg, Stark County. where five years were spent. They then moved to Waynesburg, and spent twenty-four years. Being then advanced in rears they went to live with their son. John Finefrock. who resided one-half mile north of Waynesburg, and nineteen months later, Janu- Pry 9. 1881. they passed away within eight hours of each other. By trade John Finefrock was a locksmith, but was also engaged in farm- ing. There were ten children in his family. peven sons and three daughters. Atwell John Finefrock was a farmer for many years, and owned 280 acres of land in Rose Township, but Is now retired. Both he and his wife are still living. They had nine children, of whom James Milton Finefrock is the seventh in order of birth.
Growing up in Rose Township, James Milton Finefrock attended district school Number 6 during the winter months until he was sixteen years old. and has always been engaged in farming. After his marriage he took charge of
the homestead. and has remained on it ever since, and carried on general farming. His property is in fine condition and he takes great pride in keeping everything up-to-date.
On February 28, 1912, Mr. Finefrock was mar- ried to Lou Emma Halter, a daughter of George and Minnie ( Yarger) Halter, of East Sparta, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Finefrock have two chil- dren, namely : Helen Marie and Roy Herman. In politics Mr. Finefrock is a republican. He . finds it beneficial to maintain membership with the National Grange of Magnolia, Ohio. The Lutheran church of Waynesburg has him on its rolls as a useful member. and he gives it a generous support. An excellent farmer, good citizen and honorable man Mr. Finefrock meas- ures up to the best standards. and deserves the confidence he always inspires in those with whom he has dealings.
J. FINLEY MATTERN. One of the old estab- lished and highly honored families of Harrison County is that bearing the name of Mattern, and it has representatives here which belong to the highest type of American citizenry, one of them being J. Finley Mattern, a prosperous farmer of Archer Township. He was born in Green Township, where the family was first established many years ago by his great-grand- father, John Mattern. a native of Maryland. J. Finley Mattern came into the world on Feb- ruary 17, 1860. a son of John Mattern, born in Green Township on July 12, 1837, a son of Abraham Mattern, and grandson of the original John Mattern of Maryland. The mother of J. Finley Mattern bore the maiden name of Margaret Leas. and she was born in Green Township on August 2. 1839, a daughter of George and Mary (Bream) Leas. Both the Mattern and Leas families not only were very prominent in agricultural matters, but they also participated to a marked degree in the estab- lishment and support of the old Bethel Meth- odist Church of Green Township, of which John Mattern and his wife have been members for over fifty-eight years. They are both living and conducting their farm of 120 acres on which they located in 1866.
For about two years J. Finley Mattern at- tended the district schools of Green Township. but his parents then moving to Archer Town- ship he completed his studies in the latter. He remained at home until his marriage to Mary Bell Maxwell, a daughter of Allan and Mary Anna Maxwell. and following that event he lo- cated on a farm of his own in Archer Town- ship. His first wife died on August 15. 1888, and on October 2. 1889, he was married to Isa- bel Snyder, a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bradford) Snyder. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder have sixty-one and one-quarter acres in their pres- ent farm, and she owns sixty-seven and three- quarter acres not far away. Mr. Mattern car- ries on general farming and stock raising, and is, like the other members of his family, a man of means and influence.
Mr. and Mrs. Mattern became the parents of three children : May Blanche, who was born August 3, 1890, died on February 25, 1914, hav- ing married Joseph M. Mitchell ; Frank Everett,
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who was born on November 2, 1893; and Wilmot Doyle, who was born on April 8, 1896, is at home. Having been brought up in the faith of the Methodist Church, both Mr. and Mrs. Mat- tern are members of the old Bethel Church of that denomination in Green Township.
Frank Everett Mattern is a veteran of the great war, having enlisted in the service on May 30, 1918, and was trained at Camp Gordon, Atlanta, Georgia. About the middle of July of that year he left Camp Gordon with his organi- zation for Camp Merritt, New Jersey, and sailed from Boston, Massachusetts, on July 24, 1918, and landed in England on August 8, 1918. Following a stay of two days at the American rest camp at Winchelsea, England, he sailed from Southampton, England, for France and landed on French soil on August 12, 1918. He took part in the Saint Mihiel and Argonne of- fensives, and was gassed on October 3, 1918, serving with the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Infantry, Fortieth Division, and the Eighteenth Infantry, First Division. Sailing for home, he landed at Hoboken, New Jersey, on March 18, 1919, and was discharged at Camp Sherman on May 23, 1919, and returned home, where he is now engaged in assisting his father and brother In conducting the homestead.
MRS. EMMA FITZSIMMONS is one of the prop- erty owners of Harrison Township, her valu- able farm of 160 acres being one of the best in her locality. She was born in Rose Township, Carroll County, May 1, 1874, a daughter of Jacob Hope and Margaret (Sangler) Warley, and granddaughter of Joseph Warley, who mar- ried Dosia Burwell, of Brown Township, and they had ten children, six sons and four daugh- ters. The grandparents are both deceased, the grandmother dying in 1886, in Brown Township. Jacob Hope Warley was born in Brown Town- ship, was married in Harrison Township, but first lived at Mineral City, Ohio. Later he bought forty acres in Rose Township, where Mrs. Fitzsimmons was born, she being the third in a family of one son and three daughters.
Growing up in her native township Mrs. Fitz- simmons attended the district schools of her neighborhood until she was fifteen years old, and remained at home until her marriage. which took place September 6, 1898, when she was united with Patrick Fitzsimmons, a son of Luke and Ellen Fitzsimmons, both natives of County Cavin, Ireland, where they spent their entire lives. For the first five years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Fitzsimmons lived at Canton, where he was night watchman for the Canton Axle Works, and then they moved to the old homestead of Mrs. Fitzsimmons. com- prising ninety acres, but a year later bought her present farm of 160 acres, moving on it April 5, 1904, and since the death of Mr. Fitz- simmons, November 1, 1915, she has continued to operate it very successfully, specializing in general farming and short-horn cattle.
Mr. Fitzsimmons was born in County Cavan, Ireland, and was twenty-one years old when he came to the United States. He spent sev- eral years in western states, Arkansas and Texas, and located at Canton, Ohio, in 1889.
There he met his future wife, whom he courted for three years before they were married. For two years of that time he was with the Canton Axle Works as night watchman. He was inde- pendent in politics. The Catholic Church held his membership. A man of quiet tastes, he was a student of literature and very well informed. Mr. and Mrs. Fitzsimmons became the parents of three sons, Robert Jacob, Marion Theodore and Elmer Patrick, all of whom are at home. Mrs. Fitzsimmons is recognized as an excellent farmer and a lady of unusual force of character. Left a widow, she has reared her sons to be a credit to their parents and neighborhood, and has every reason to be proud of what she has accomplished.
FREDERICK J. MERRYMAN. The rich soil of Carroll County has already made generous re turns for efforts expended upon it, and now that modern scientific methods are being so widely adopted, there are years more of fertility left for it. Some of the most properous men of the county are those who have devoted themselves to cultivating this land, and among them one who is worthy of special mention is Frederick J. Merryman of Rose Township, owner of 158 acres of as valuable land as can be found in this part of the state.
Frederick J. Merryman was born in Wayne Township, Jefferson County, Ohio, April 24, 1879, a son of Nicholas William and Effie Ann (Elliott) Merryman, and grandson of Jared Merryman, who located in Wayne Township. Jefferson County, Ohio, at an early date, and married Mary Jones. His life was spent in agricultural pursuits. Of their large family, Nicholas William Merryman was the fourth in order of birth. He spent his entire life on the home farm in Wayne Township, where he died January 10, 1906, his widow surviving him until March 4, 1907. During the winter months. when somewhat free from the responsibilities of farming, he made apple and molasses bar- rels, casks and other cooperage. He and his wife had two children, namely : Mary Belle. who married William Mehollin of Wells Town- ship, Jefferson County and has four children; and Frederick J .. who was the younger.
Until he was fifteen years old Frederick J. Merryman attended district school Number 9, Wayne Township, during the winter months, and in the spring and summer worked on the home farm of seventy-seven acres. Following his completion of his schooling he spent the greater part of his time on this farm until he was twenty-five years old, when he married. and then he took charge of the farm and con- ducted it for four years. In 1908 he came to his present farm in Rose Township, and here he is carrying on general farming, and is very successful. His farm has thoroughly modern buildings which are equipped with electric light. and he takes a great pride in having everything in first-class order about his place. Mr. Merry- man is very progressive and is always learning something new, and many of his experiments are so successful that his operations are fol- lowed with profit by his neighbors.
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In 1904 Mr. Merryman was married to Eva Blanche Fritchley, a daughter of George and Lucinda ( Hoobler) Fritchley of Rose Township, and granddaughter of John Fritchley, who came to the United States from Baden, Germany, De- cember 9, 1817, with his father, John Fritchley. and was one of six children. In 1829 he moved to Brown Township, Carroll County, where he died June 15, 1845. The grandfather was mar- ried to Christina Wetzel and they had ten chil- dren, of whom George Fritchley was the eldest. George Fritchley died May 15, 1908, but his mother is still living. Mrs. Merryman attended the district schools of Rose Township and the Waynesburg High School for two years. Mr. and Mrs. Merryman have two children, namely : Edna O., and Donald Fritchley.
A republican, Mr. Merryman has taken an ac- tive part in local affairs, and was elected a mem- ber of the school board for three years, and was re-elected for a second term, which office he is still holding. He is an elder of the Presby- terian Church of Waynesburg.
Mr. Merryman is proud of his father's record as a soldier during the war between the two sections of the country. He was a private in Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, enlisting May 15, 1864. After the war he became a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and maintained connec- tions with the post at Smithfield, Jefferson County, Ohio. On the maternal side Mr. Merry- man is descended from Revolutionary soldiers.
WALTER M. COPE, who is a member of one of the old and highly respected families of Har- rison County, operates a valuable farm in Ar- cher Township. He was born in Nottingham Township, Harrison County, on September 8, 1883, a son of Jacob and Amanda R. (Rose) Cope, and grandson of Samuel Cope and Hugh Rose, both of whom were for years prosperous agriculturists of Nottingham Township. With the exception of a few years passed in Illinois Jacob Cope spent his life in Nottingham Town- ship, and he, too, devoted himself to farming. His death occurred in Nottingham Township in 1897, but his widow survives him and lives in Cadiz City. Their children were as follows: Ida May, Nancy Emma, Jacob O., Thomas Blaine, Lucy L., Walter Milo and Denver L.
The Cope family is of English origin. Oliver Cope having come to the American Colonies from Wiltshire, England, in 1687 and located permanently in Pennsylvania, where some of his descendants are still living. Others, however, went to Virginia, and from the latter state in 1812 John Cope, animated by the same spirit that prompted his ancestor to brave the un- known perils of a long ocean voyage and those of a practically unexplored country to leave the Old for the New World, came to Ohio. After a year in Belmont County he settled in what is now Harrison County, and from then on mem- bers of the Cope family have been connected with the constructive work of this part of the state.
Walter M. Cope was given the usual educa- tional advantages of the average farmer's son, and at the same time he acquired a practical
working knowledge of farming under the experi- enced tuition of his watchful father. After his marriage in 1906 he began farming in Cadiz Township, and there farmed the John Devore farm in Archer Township until March, 1921, when he moved to the James Strausbaugh farm in Archer Township. He is engaged in a gen- eral line of farming and stockraising, and the results of his training show in his successful operations.
On November 28, 1906 Mr. Cope was united in marriage with Anna Laughlin, a daughter of Albert W. Laughlin. Mr. and Mrs. Cope have one son, Albert Lloyd. Having been reared in the faith of the Christian Church Mr. Cope naturally was inclined toward it, and has found it a medium for the expression of his religious views. For some years he has maintained mem- bership in the congregation at Minksville. Both he and his wife are held in high esteem in the neighborhoods in which their lives have been spent, and they are proud of the records of their families, and are rearing their son to have a respect for his ancestors and a desire to emu- late their example.
SAMUEL G. MOORE is a successful and repre- sentative exponent of farm enterprise in his na- tive township, where he is the owner of an ex- cellent farm of 154 acres, so effectively improved and equipped as to make it an ideal place of residence and the responsive stage of progres- sive activity in diversified agriculture, stock- raising and dairy farming, in which last men- tioned department Mr. Moore utilizes princi- pally Jersey cows of fine type. He is one of the substantial farmers of Harrison County and a scion in the third generation of a well known pioneer family of this favored section of the old Buckeye State.
Samuel G. Moore was born in German Town- ship, Harrison County, on the 1st of May, 1863, and is a son of Thomas and Rebecca (Galbraith) Moore, the former of whom was born near Can- nonsburg, Pennsylvania, and the latter in Rum- ley Township, Harrison County, Ohio, a daugh- ter of the late Samuel Galbraith. Thomas Moore, Sr., grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came to Harrison County from Penn- sylvania in an early day and established his home in the village of Germano, where for many years he followed his trade, that of tailor. The maternal grandfather, Samuel Galbraith, be- came a prosperous pioneer farmer in Rumley Township. Thomas Moore, Jr., father of him whose name initiates this article, learned the tailor's trade under the direction of his father, and to this trade he gave his attention during virtually his entire active career, he having been a resident of the village of Germano about seventy years and having been one of the ven- erable and honored citizens of the county at the time of his death, in December, 1914, his de- voted wife having passed away in the preceding month, so that in death they were not long separated, both having been earnest members of the United Presbyterian Church at Germano. Of their two children Samuel G., of this review. is the elder, and William T. is a resident of
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Germano. The maiden name of his wife was Ada Fleming.
Samuel G. Moore profited fully by the advan- tages offered by the village schools of Germano, and as a young man he engaged in teaming, besides which he followed the butcher's trade for some time. Since his marriage, in 1889. he has resided on his present farm, in the manage- ment of which his thrift and enterprise have enabled him to gain success and that secure independence which no other vocation offers so distinctively. He has been influential in com- munity affairs, is a democrat in politics, and his secure place in popular confidence and es- teem is indicated in his having served eleven years as trustee of German Township. He and his wife are earnest members of the Reformed Church at Germano, in which he is serving as a deacon.
In 1889 Mr. Moore was united in marriage to Miss Laura Peoples, who likewise is a native of German Township and who is a daughter of James and Ellen (Habn) Peoples, the former's father, John Peoples, having been one of the early settlers in German Township. James Peo- ples became one of the representative farmers of German Township, and his old homestead is the place now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Moore having been an only child and the parents having remained on this farm until their deaths. Both were devout members of the Presbyterian Church but after the death of her husband she joined the Re- formed Church at Germano. They commanded the high regard of all who knew them. Mr. and Mrs. Moore have two children : Thomas Earl was graduated in Scio College, Harrison County, and also in the University of Iowa. He is a chemist by profession and now resides in the city of Toledo, Ohio. He married Miss Ber- tha Shaub, and they have two children. Irma LA was graduated from the Jewett High School as a member of the class of 1920, and remains at the parental home.
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