USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 19
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Four children have been born to Mr. South by his second wife, namely : Nellie, who lives at home; Earl, who is engaged in farming in Salem town- ship, married Nora Moyer; Sallie married Pearl Johnson and they live south of Cable, Ohio: and Ethel, who is clerking in Springfield. Ohio.
Mr. South is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic at Urbana, Ohio, and also belongs to the Union League. His wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
WILLIAM LANE.
William Lane is now living in retirement in his pleasant home at North Lewisburg, Champaign county, after a very active and successful life. He. was born at West Mansfield, Ohio, May 17, 1838. He is a son of Levi and Mary (Skidmore) Lane, the father a native of North Carolina and the- mother of Columbiana county, Ohio. Levi Lane was four years old whic his parents, Benjamin Lane and wife brought him to Warren county, Ohio. the family later moving to Logan county, where Levi grew to maturity and there he attended school and married. After farming several years he moved to Union county, this state. dying there at the age of fifty-one years. His wife died at the age of sixty-five. He was first a Whig, later a Repub- lican. They were both members of the Baptist church. Fourteen children were born to Levi Lane and wife, namely: Ruth Jane, Mary, AAngeline.
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Rachael. Samantha. Serepta are all deceased; Melinda lives in Michigan : Benjamin is deceased; William, of this sketch; Joseph lives in Indiana : Lemuel lives in East Liberty, Ohio; Thomas is deceased; John, of West Mansfield. Ohio: the youngest child died in infancy unnamed.
William Lane grew up on the farm and attended the district schools. He lived at home until his marriage, April 7. 1859, to Emma Munsell. a native of West Mansfield, Ohio, and a daughter of Alvin and Mary (Strong) Mimsell, natives of the state of New York. They settled where West Mans- field now stands, the country then being a wilderness. They were among the first settlers in that locality. Mrs. Mary Munsell was a licensed physi- cian and she built up a large practice. Mr. Munsell devoted his active life to farming. They both died in Logan county. Their family consisted of seven children, named as follow: Dannie, William, Nancy, Phoebe, Eliza, Caroline and Emma, who married Mr. Lane of this sketch: she is the only one of the family now living.
Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lane, namely: Corey is engaged in the insurance business at Bellefontaine, Ohio; Calvin, who was a Free Will Baptist preacher, later took up farming, owing to failing health, and he now lives in Canada: William is engaged in the grocery busi- ness at York Center, Union county, Ohio: Benjamin owns and operates a large ranch in North Dakota; Laura, now deceased, married William Cur- ran: James Ward is a barber in Springfield, Ohio; Asa died when twenty- one years old: Obed is farming at Middleburg, Ohio; Zella is the wife of O. H. Spain, of North Lewisburg, Champaign county; Herbert is employed by the telephone company at Zanesville, Ohio.
After his marriage William Lane located on a farm southeast of West Mansfield. Union county, Ohio, where he remained eleven years, then moved to Logan county, Ohio, where he lived until 1892, then came to North Lewisburg. Champaign county, where he has since lived on a farm, owning a well improved and attractive place. He is now retired from active work.
Mr. Lane enlisted on February 16, 1864, in Company C, Seventeenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at West Mansfield, and was soon sent South, into Tennessee, reaching Missionary Ridge just after the battle. He took part in the Atlanta campaign and was under General Sherman in his march to the sea. He was taken sick at Ringgold, Georgia. He marched to Buzzard Roost, then back to Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was in the hospital at Louisville, Kentucky, for five months. He was a nurse in the officers hos- pital for eight months. He obtained a discharge at his own request and started for the front, and was three months on the road, endeavoring to
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rejoin his regiment, which he reached April 24, 1865, at Tallon Springs. He soon started to Richmond, then went to Washington, D. C., where he took part in the Grand Review. He was honorably discharged July 21. 1865, after which he returned home and resumed farming.
Mr. Lane was a member of the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at West Mansfield, and later belonged to the post at Middleburg, Ohio. He was formerly a member of the Free Will Baptist church, and now belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church at North Lewisburg. Politically, he is a Republican.
HOWARD TOWNSEND.
Howard Townsend, a farmer, near North Lewisburg, Rush township. Champaign county, was born in the northeastern corner of this county, July 22, 1863. He is a son of James Townsend, who was born in 1830, in Mor- gan county, Ohio. He married Hannah Hall, who was born in Salem town- ship. Champaign county, Ohio. James Townsend was a son of Joseph Townsend, a native of Harrison county, Ohio, who later located in Morgan county, this state, where he spent the rest of his life. He married Elizabeth Beck, of Morgan county, and to their union four children were born, namely : Ross, Anthony, James and Anna.
James Townsend, father of the subject of this sketch, grew up on the farm and was educated in the district schools of Morgan county, Ohio. About 1840 he changed his residence to Middleburg, Ohio, later moved to Rush township, this county, where he married, and there he located at North Lewisburg. He was a carpenter by trade, which he followed all his life, becoming quite an expert workman. He was a Republican. He was the first to join the Masonic lodge at North Lewisburg. He took an active interest in lodge work. He was a member of the Universalist church. His death occurred March 31, 1893, his widow surviving until August 3. 1901. To these parents the following children were born: Oscar, who lives at North Lewisburg, married Essie Warner; Henry, who is farming in Union county, Ohio, married Lena Spain; Howard, of this review; Anna married P. H. Dolan and they live at North Lewisburg.
Howard Townsend received a common school education at North Lewisburg, his schooling being somewhat limited, in view of the fact that he started out in life for himself when only eleven years old, working at dif- ferent things during his boyhood, including the blacksmith's trade. He
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operated a drug store at North Lewisburg eight years, in partnership with his brother. He has had thirty-five different stores in different towns a was a very successful merchant. He also owned elevators at Mingo, Irvin and Woodstock. He has been connected with the State Fair Association for the past thirty-four years. He has lived in Irvin, Quincy, Big Springs, Centerville and Columbus, in the latter three different times. In July, 1913, he bought his present excellent farm of one hundred and twenty-eight acres near North Lewisburg and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. His home is an attractive one and he has good convenient outbuildings. He still handles considerable hay and grain. He started in life a poor boy and without aid from any one he has forged to the front, being now the possessor of a comfortable competency. He has educated himself by contact with the world and by wide miscellaneous reading.
Mr. Townsend has long been prominent in Masonry, belonging to the blue lodge and chapter at North Lewisburg, the commandery at Urbana, and the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Dayton. Ohio.
SHERMAN DOWNS.
Another farmer of Rush township, Champaign county, who employs twentieth century methods, is Sherman Downs, who was born near Mt. Tabor church in Salem township, this county, October 24, 1864. He is a son of Joseph and Esther ( Usher ) Downs, the father a native of Salem township, Champaign county, and the mother was born in Cuyahoga county. Joseph Downs, Sr., the paternal grandfather, was a native of New Jersey and the first member of the family to come to Ohio. He was one of the carly settlers near Mt. Tabor church, Champaign county, spending the rest of his life there on a farm, his death occurring in 1863. His family con- sisted of ten children, all now deceased. Joseph Downs, Jr., was reared on the home farm which he assisted in developing from the wilderness. He attended school in a little log house in the woods. He remained on the homestead all his life, engaging in general farming, and died there in 1908. After his death his widow lived in Urbana a while and now makes her home in Columbus, Ohio. He was a Republican. His family consisted of four children that grew to maturity, namely : Elmer died when thirty-eight years old: Clara, who is deceased, was the wife of William Linville and he lives
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near Cable, Ohio; Sherman, of this sketch; Engene, a bookkeeper, married Mary Williamson; Ralph died in 1863 when a child.
Sherman Downs grew up on the old home place where he worked when a boy. He received a common school education and lived at home until his marriage on May 21, 1895, to Emma Staub, who was born in Salem town- ship, Champaign county, where she grew to womanhood and was educated in the common schools. She was a daughter of John and Susan (Black) Staub, who spent their lives on a farm in Salem township, both being now deceased. The death of Mrs. Downs occurred on April 30, 1917, leaving four children, namely: Malcomb Black, a telegraph operator who lives at Springfield, Ohio; Nellie, Milton and Cornelia all live at home.
After his marriage Mr. Downs engaged in farming in Logan and Union counties for four years, then moved to Wayne township, Champaign county, where he farmed for fifteen years. He spent one year on a farm near Wood- stock, and for the past three years he has operated three hundred acres of the Miller farm in Rush township. He carries on general farming and raises a great deal of grain of various kinds which he feeds to live stock.
Politically, Mr. Downs is a Republican. His wife was a faithful mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church.
DANIEL BURNHAM.
A highly honored and successful farmer of Rush township, Cham- paign county, during a past generation was the late Daniel Burnham, whose record is well worth preserving on the pages of local history. He was born on the old Burnham homestead in the above named township, February 2. 1826. He was a son of Elba Burnham, who was born December 25, 1791, in Connecticut. He married Lorenda Burnham, also a native of Connecticut. whose birth occurred March 22. 1803. She died September 14. 1839, and he married for his second wife Nancy Bingham, who was born in 1789: her death occurred July 28, 1866. She was also a native of Connecticut. Elba Burnham grew to manhood in New England and was married there. He devoted his life to general farming and stock raising. He was one of the early settlers in Rush township, Champaign county. Ohio, where his grandchildren now reside. He cleared a place on which to build his log cabin, and began life here in typical pioneer fashion. He persevered and succeeded, the log house later giving way to a comfortable frame dwelling,
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and here his death occurred on November 9, 1861, at the age of seventy years. His children were named as follow: Laura, born March 2, 1822, married Nathan Lamborn, and they moved to Iowa in 1860, where her death occurred; Daniel, of this sketch, was second in order of birth; Charles, born January 23, 1831, lived in Rush township until he moved to Iowa, where he spent the rest of his life on a farm; he married Elizabeth Dee. Martha, born April 7, 1834, married R. Ellsworth, who was a soldier in the Civil War, lived in Missouri for some time, but later went to South Dakota, where he died; David, born December 10, 1835, served in the Civil War. after which he lived in Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, dying in Kansas; he married Mary L. Parke.
Daniel Burnham, subject of this memoir, grew up on the home farm and attended the early-day schools. During the Civil War he enlisted for the one-hundred-day service in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; on September 9, 1851, he married Catherine Hamilton, who was born in Ross county, Ohio, but was reared in Union county. She was a daughter of James and Marie ( Blue) Hamilton, natives of Virginia, from which state they came to Ohio in 1835, locating in Union county, where the town of Marysville is now located, there being but a few houses there at that time. Mr. Hamilton settled on land just north of the village, in the woods, where he put up a cabin, cleared and developed a farm by hard work and perseverance, and there they spent the rest of their lives. The follow- ing children were born to them: John lived in Union county; James and Silas were farmers in Union county; Elizabeth also lived in that county : Catherine, wife of the subject of this sketch: Alexander, who devoted his life to farming, went to Illinois, where he died.
Five children were born to Daniel Burnham and wife, namely :. Lorenda E., born February 3. 1853, married Joseph Perkins, an undertaker, and they reside in Marysville, Ohio: Delphine, born October 15, 1854. is unmarried and lives at home : Elba V .. born September 27, 1857, married Mabel Bellers, December 31. 1886; was married in lowa but in a short time returned to this township and lived here about three years, then returned to Iowa, where she died, July 24. 1889. Elba V., who married Mabel Bellers, has one child, Edna, who married R. L. Pratt. Elnathan H., born November 14. 1859, is single, lives at home and has always followed farming: Leroy, born September 9, 1862, died February 12, 1898.
The above named children were educated in the home schools. Two of the sons and a daughter live on the old home place, which contains two hundred and seven acres of fine farming land, and they have kept it well
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO.
improved and under an excellent state of cultivation. They raise fine sheep and a good grade of cattle, hogs and horses. They built a large modern home in 1900. containing eleven rooms. There are also two large barns and other convenient outbuildings.
The death of Daniel Burnham occurred in 1887.
ALLEN M. GLENDENING.
Allen M. Glendening, farmer of Rush township, and at this writing one of the commissioners of Champaign county, was born in West Middle- burg. Logan county, Ohio, January 15, 1881. He is a son of John W. and Sarah R. (Foster) Glendening. The father was born in Rush township. this county, and the mother in Logan county, Ohio. John W. Glendening grew to manhood on the farm, attended the rural schools, and during the Civil War he enlisted in Company C., Sixty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. . in which he made an excellent record as a soldier for the Union. He re- ceived an honorable discharge at the close of the war and returned home. After his marriage he settled on a farin in Rush township where he spent his life, dying in 1887. His widow survives and makes her home in Belle- fontaine, Ohio. To these parents three children were born, namely: Stella married Jeff D. Welty, a railroad man of Bellefontaine, employed by the Big Four railroad, and his family consists of two children-Reba and Richard: Earl L., a brakeman on the Toledo & Ohio Central railroad, living at Columbus, Ohio: he married Grace Darnell and they have three children. and Allen M., of this sketch.
Allen M. Glendening grew to manhood on the home farm, and he at- tended the district schools, but he started out in life for himself when only sixteen years old, working out by the month for three years. He went to Bellefontaine where he followed teaming for some time. In 1901 he mar- ried Carrie G. Owen, of Woodstock, Ohio. She is a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Owen, of Rush township, Champaign county. To Mr. and Mrs. Glendening eight children have been born, named as follows: Robert N., Dorothy E., Fred O., William T., Donna E., Mary J., Harriet May, and Louis, who died in infancy.
After his marriage the subject of this sketch located in Wayne town- ship. this county, on a farm, owning at one time one hundred three and one-half acres of the old home place, buying out the other two heirs. Later
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he traded the farm for the brick livery barn in North Lewisburg, and con- ducted the same for a short time, but not liking the livery business he traded his barn for a farm in Logan county and lived there three years, then sold ont and bought one hundred and seventy-two acres in Union county. He sold seventy-five acres of that place, then bought sixty-one acres in that county, which was well improved. Returning to North Lewisburg he lived there three years then rented three hundred and sixty acres in Rush town- ship, where he has been engaged in general farming and stock raising for the past six years. He has been very successful and has a well cultivated place. He feeds a large number of cattle and hogs annually for the market. also makes a specialty of breeding Belgian horses. He now owns two fine stallions, "Indigene III" and "Major De Russelede." He also owns two thoroughbred mares, "Alice" and "Finna De Bars," and several head of Holstein cows. He also carries on a small dairy business. He keeps Duroc- Jersey red hogs, raising from one hundred and fifty to two hundred annually.
Politically, he is a Republican. He was elected commissioner of Cham- paign county in 1915 and is still incumbent of that office, the duties of which he is discharging in an able and satisfactory manner. Fraternally, he be- longs to the Masonic order, including the blue lodge and the chapter at North Lewisburg, and the commandery at Urbana, and the Knights of Pythias at North Lewisburg. He is a member of the Grange.
ORA M. CLARK.
Ora M. Clark, one of the best-known sheep breeders in the United States, proprietor of the grain elevator at Cable, this county, dealer in coal at that place and a manufacturer of stock foods, former trustee of Wayne township and for years actively identified with the general business interests of that part of the county, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Wayne township, about two and a half miles south of Cable, May 18, 1877, son of Peter and Lucy Clark, natives of Virginia, who came to Ohio after their marriage and located in Chan- paign county, making their home on the farm above mentioned south of Cable, where they still live. Peter Clark was trained as a carpenter, but upon coming to this county became a farmer and was successful. In addi- tion to his general farming, he engaged extensively in raising live stock, particularly sheep, and did very well. Though now living practically retired
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ORA M. CLARK
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from the active labors of the farm, he continues to give considerable personal attention to the sheep business and finds much pleasure in the same.
Reared on the home farm south of Cable, Ora M. Clark received his education in the schools of that neighborhood and from the days of his boy- hood was a valued aid to his father in the work of developing and improv- ing the farm and in assisting in the raising of the purebred live stock his father early started on the place. He early gave his particular attention to sheep raising and he and his father became widely known among the breed- ers of purebred Cottswold sheep throughout the United States. When Mr. Clark decided to go into the Cottswold line on an extensive scale he went to Canada and personally selected his stock from the famous flocks of the Gar- butts, the Thompsons and others of equal note there and thus stocked the Clark farm with as good stock as could be found. Consequently, it was not long until he became one of the best-known "knights of the crook" in the United States, the products of the Clark flock taking prizes all over the country. In 1901 Mr. Clark's sheep took first prize and sweepstakes at the New York state fair at Syracuse and they also have taken firsts or seconds at the state fairs in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. On the fine Clark farm of four hundred acres south of Cable there is a flock generally maintained at about two hundred head of thoroughbreds and repre- sentatives of this flock are shipped to all parts of the country, calls coming from other breeders from coast to coast. In 1908 Mr. Clark engaged in the coal and grain business at Cable and there also became engaged in the manu- facture of his widely known stock food, "Vermi-Salz", which is in wide demand among stock raisers throughout the country. Mr. Clark also owns elevators at Mingo and at Hagenbaugh and has done well in the grain business.
In 1896 O. M. Clark was united in marriage to Myrtle Hinton, daughter of Taylor Hinton and wife, and to this union one child has been born, a daughter. Marjorie. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Clark for years has been an office bearer in the same, having held at one time and another nearly every office in the church. Politically, Mr. Clark is a Republican and has long given his earnest atten- tion to local civic affairs. For some time he served as trustee of Wayne township and in other ways has done his part in the public service, ever help- ful in promoting movements designed to advance the common welfare in the community in which he has spent his life so usefully. The Clarks have a very pleasant home at Cable and take a proper interest in the general social activities of the village. Mr. Clark is a Scottish Rite (thirty-second degree)
(13a)
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Mason and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with the consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in the "valley" of Dayton and with the shrine at Dayton, and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
VAN METER BROTHERS.
Among the best known and most progressive farmers and stockmen of Champaign county are the Van Meter Brothers, proprietors of beautiful "Woodbine Farm," in Union township, and breeders of Duroc hogs, Ram- bouillet sheep, also S. C. W. Leghorn chickens. Edwin R. and J. L. Van Meter are representatives of one of the honored old families of this section of Ohio. They are sons of Joseph R. and Sarah (Bretney) Van Meter. both natives of Clark county, Ohio, where they grew to maturity, attending school. When a young man the father worked on the home farm, contin- ning there until he removed to Union township, Champaign county, buying the place where his sons, Edwin R. and J. L., now reside. He improved the place and was successful as a general farmer and was an extensive stock raiser. At one time he owned two hundred and forty acres of fine farming land in this township, which he kept well improved, and he ranked among the leading agriculturists of his locality. He carried on active farming until his death, which occurred in 1902. His wife preceded him to the grave in 1894. To these parents four children were born, namely: Edwin R., Charles R., L. Harry and J. L.
J. L. Van Meter grew up on the home farm, and he received his edu- cation in the rural schools of Union township, then took up farming on the home place, but a few years later he went to Kentucky one year, where he secured a position as clerk in a store, finally coming back to Clark county. Ohio. After an absence from home altogether of about ten years, he re- turned to the home farm in Union township, Champaign county, and as- sisted in operating the home place until the death of his father, when he and his brother, Edwin R., took over the homestead, in 1903, and they have since operated the same in partnership, owning one hundred and forty-six acres. They have kept the land under a high state of improvement and cul- tivation. Although they carry on general farming successfully, raising a large quantity of grain from year to year, they make stock raising their chief business and their fine stock is greatly admired by all, and it finds a very ready market whenever offered for sale, owing to its superior quality_
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They are among the most prominent breeders of live stock in Champaign and adjoining counties, of the type of which they make a specialty. Their Duroc hogs are of the finest and their Rambouillet sheep are in demand all over the country for breeding purposes and are shipped over a wide terri- tory. Their fine Leghorn chickens are also in great demand. They are exceptionally good judges of all kinds of live stock and, being close students of all that pertains to this line of business, they keep well abreast of the times in their line. They have substantial, convenient and modernly equipped buildings for the proper care of their stock, and everything about the place denotes good management and thrift.
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