USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 20
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J. L. Van Meter is unmarried, but Edwin R. married Amelia Van Pelt. a native of Kentucky, and the daughter of Cyrus N. Van Pelt, who married Mildred Hope, of Clark county, Ohio, she of Kentucky. He was a saddler and in early life worked in a drug store.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwin R. Van Meter, namely : Rollin C. and Sarah, living, and Ross M. and Joseph R., deceased.
ยท Politically, the Van Meter brothers are Republicans, and they belong to the Methodist Episcopal church of Catawba.
GEORGE E. ROPP.
One of the well-remembered and highly esteemed citizens of Union township, Champaign county, during the generation that is past was the late George E. Ropp, who devoted his life to general agricultural pursuit- He was a scion of a sterling old southern family, and his birth occurred in Loudoun county, Virginia, April 15, 1848. He was a son of John W. and .Almina Virginia (Penhorn) Ropp, both natives of Virginia, where they grew up, were married and established their home on a farm. They re- mained there until removing to Clark county, Ohio, and later they came to Champaign county and bought the place where the widow of George E. Ropp is now living. and here they spent the rest of their lives, the death of John W. Ropp occurring in 1882. He had devoted his life to general fa- ing. His family consisted of three children, namely: George E., Mrs. B. F. Hull, and one that died in early life.
George E. Ropp grew to manhood on the home farm and he helped his father with the general work there. He received a common school edu- cation in Clark county, later was a student at Wittenburg College at Spring-
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field, completing the law course there, and receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws.
Upon completing his education Mr. Ropp located in London, Ohio, and at the age of twenty-three was practicing law and also served one term as mayor of London. However, not fancying the law as a life work, although giving promise of becoming one of the leaders of the bar in Madison county. he went to Missouri and turned his attention to teaching school, becoming superintendent of schools at the town of Holden, Missouri, remaining there eight years, during which time he did much to build up the schools, intro- ducing new and improved methods and putting them under a superb sys- tem. He was popular with both pupils and teachers, and was regarded as one of the leading educators in that section of the state.
After his teaching career in the West Mr. Ropp returned to Ohio and took up farming on his father's farm in Union township, Champaign county, on which he spent the rest of his life, engaging in general farming and stock raising with success. He became owner of two hundred acres of good land. which he kept well improved and well cultivated, and kept the buildings well repaired and the surroundings attractive in general.
Mr. Ropp was married at Holden, Missouri, on July 10, 1883, to Anna L. Batsell. She was born in Simpson county, Kentucky, July 16, 1864, and when young went to Holden, Missouri. She was educated in the public schools. She is a daughter of John and Ellen (Whiteside) Batsell. He and she both were born in Simpson county, Kentucky, near Franklin. He was a farmer all his life. They lived most of their lives in Kentucky. and she are both dead. They had six children, Florence, Alice, William, Frank, Anna L., Gordon. They were members of the Baptist church at Holden, Missouri.
To George E. Ropp and wife three children were born, namely: Ouide B., married Mayme Long and they have one child, George, a farmer on the home place; Kersey C., who married Kate Smith and lives on the home place; Rolla married Essie Stipp and they have two children, Horace E. and Carrol, who lives in Goshen township, a farmer and member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. Ouide B. and Kersey C. are members of the Masonic order at Mechanicsburg.
Politically, Mr. Ropp was a Democrat and was one of the leaders of his party in Champaign county, active and influential in public affairs. He was a member of the school board. Fraternally, he belonged to the Masonic order at Holden, Missouri.
Mr. Ropp was called to his eternal rest on July 29, 1915, and was buried at Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
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HENRY ELLSWORTH.
Henry Ellsworth, farmer of Rush township, Champaign county, was born in Plymouth county, Iowa, in June, 1861. He is a son of William and Harriet (Kimble) Ellsworth, natives of Rush township. William was the son of Jacob Ellsworth, a native of Vermont, who married Sarah Runyon, and they were early settlers in Rush township. They reared a large family and several of their sons were in the Civil War, William being one of the younger children. He was educated in the common schools, and he married in Rush township in 1845. He went to Iowa overland in a wagon in an early day, bought land there, and his death occurred near Sioux City. His family consisted of five children, namely : Frank is farming at Grand Valley, South Dakota; Abbie married Ezra Woodward of Columbus, Ohio: Walter is farming in Rush township; Henry of this sketch; and Mary, who married Jacob Swisher of Mechanicsburg. Champaign county. The mother of these children were married a second time, her last marriage being to Ephraim Woodward of Chester county, Pennsylvania, and he was an early settler of Wayne and Rush townships, this county. His death occurred in 1902 at the age of ninety-one years. His wife died in 1911 at the age of seventy-four years. They had one daughter, Jane Woodward, who married James Sparks, and they live at Irvin Station, Ohio.
Henry Ellsworth grew up on the home farm and he received a limited education in the public schools. At the age of five years he went to live with his aunt, Mrs. Lucy Guy, of Madison county. Her death occurred when he was thirteen years old, and he then lived with his mother at different places, remaining with her until his marriage on June 10, 1880, to Ada Wil- son, who was born in Wayne township, Champaign county. She is a daugh- ter of William and Macy (Winder ) Wilson, natives of Wayne township. Mr. Wilson died at North Lewisburg in 1913 at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife died in Wayne township in 1879 at the age of forty-four years. They were members of the Friends church. Five children were born to William Wilson and wife. namely: Nettie is deceased; Rettie, deceased. was the wife of John Peterson: Thomas lives in Little Rock, Arkansas: Charles is farming in Rush township, and Ada, who married the subject of this sketch.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth, namely : Mabel married Rev. Charles Shinn, a minister in the Baptist church and a leader in the state Sunday school work, being secretary of the Ohio State
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Sunday School Association: Mr. and Mrs. Shinn have one son, Lawrence. Pearl Ellsworth married Julia Hanson and they had two children, namely : Catherine and Harold, deceased. Both children of the subject of this sketch received good educational advantages.
.After his marriage Mr. Ellsworth settled on a farm in Wayne town- ship for a short time. In 1901 he bought his present farm of one hundred and fifty-three acres. It was formerly owned by Pearl Howard and is known as the "Lazy Man's Rest." He carries on general farming and stock raising.
Politically, Mr. Ellsworth is a Republican. He is a member of the local school board. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Lodge No. 167, at Woodstock. His wife is a member of the Friends church.
OTTO N. HOWARD.
Otto N. Howard, proprietor of "Oakland Place," Rush township, Champaign county, was born in Milford Center, Ohio, May 15, 1868. He is a son of Nathan and Helen M. ( Hathaway) Howard. The father was born in Irwin, Union county, this state, where he grew up and attended school. The mother was also a native of that county where she grew to womanhood and received her education. After their marriage they located two and one-half miles west of Milford Center, Ohio, where they spent the rest of their lives engaged in farming and stock raising. Politically, Nathan Howard was a Republican and was active in the affairs of his county. He served as county commissioner. His father, William Howard, was one of the first settlers at Irwin, Union county. He married Mary McDonald, and devoted the rest of his life to farming there. He had but three children- Nathan, father of the subject of this sketch; William, of Union county, deceased, 1917, and Mary, who died in infancy.
Nathan Howard and wife had three children, namely: Charles Mack, who is engaged in farming and stock raising at Hammond, Kansas, married Lucy Reichenecker: Cone, who is a farmer and stockman of near Milford C'enter, Ohio, married Alice Hunt: Otto N., of this sketch.
Otto N. Howard grew up on the home farm and he was educated in the schools of Milford Center, Ohio, then attended the State University at Columbus. After leaving school he took up farming, finally buying the J. D. Cranston place in Rush township, Champaign county, one and one-half miles north of Woodstock, which place consists of five hundred acres. He
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also owns three hundred acres in Union county, Ohio. Both farms are under a fine state of improvement, with substantial and convenient sets of build- ings and the land is kept well tilled .. General farming and stock raising is carried on extensively, large numbers of cattle and hogs being fattened each year for the market. He has made a specialty of breeding Belgian horses since 1914. He is one of the progressive and industrious general farmers of the county, being an advocate of modern scientific methods. Everything about his place denotes thrift, good taste and good management. He has an attractive home with up-to-date conveniences. He keeps well posted on all agricultural topics as well as general questions of public import.
Mr. Howard was married on March 23, 1892, to Eunice Smith, of Rush township, Champaign county, and a daughter of A. J. and Delilah Smith, who lived on a farm in Rush township many years, but in 1890 removed to California where they spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring in 1804 and she died in March, 1916.
To Mr. and Mrs. Howard three sons have been born, namely: Paul S., Max S. and Donald D. The last named died February 21, 1916.
Mr. Howard is public-spirited and always ready to assist in any move- ment having for its object the general good of his locality, but he does not aspire to political leadership. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic blue lodge and chapter at North Lewisburg, also the chapter and Knights Tem- plar at Urbana, and the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Columbus. He is a man of excellent business acumen and person- ally is neighborly, companionable and honest in all his relations with his fellowmen.
WILLIAM C. KIMBALL.
William C. Kimball, farmer and stockman at Woodstock, Champaign county, was born on December 17, 1862, in Rush township, this county. He is a son of Truman M. and Mary Jane (Chatfield) Kimball, natives of Ver- mont. For a record of the Kimball ancestry, the reader is referred to the sketch of D. R. Kimball, which appears on another page of this work. Tru- man M. and Mary Jane Kimball were parents of two children, namely : Romette married I. D. Howard and they live in Colorado Springs; William C., of this sketch.
William C. Kimball received his education in the home schools. He began life for himself in 1883, continuing general farming on his father's home place until the fall of 1909, when he moved to Woodstock and built
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a beautiful home. He is now owner of a fine farm of two hundred and fifty-seven acres in Rush township, which is well improved, including a sub- stantial set of buildings. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser.
On November 15, 1883, Mr. Kimball married Lucy D. Marsh, a daugh- ter of Charles and Laura E. Marsh, who were descendants of Vermont stock. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kimball, namely: Edward Marsh Kimball was educated in the home schools and the Ohio State Uni- versity, also the Bliss Business College at Columbus ; he married Celia Mar- tin, of Woodstock, and to their union three sons have been born, Robert Martin, William Henry and James Edward. Edward M. Kimball is oper- ating his father's farm in partnership, and in connection with general farm- ing he deals extensively in live stock. Marjorie Kimball, second child of the subject of this sketch, was educated in the home schools, later taking a course of two years in domestic science at Athens, Ohio, after which she taught one year in Woodstock; on May 3, 1917, she married Herbert L. Hobert, a farmer of Union county, Ohio. Louise Kimball, youngest child of the subject of this sketch, is unmarried and living at home : she is receiving a good education.
Politically, Mr. Kimball is a Republican. He is president of the school board at Woodstock, and has been trustee for five years. Was a member of the school board of Rush township for five years. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at North Lewisburg and the Knights Templar at Urbana.
Mr. Kimball is a stockholder and director in the People's Bank of Wood- stock. The wife of this subject was educated at Woodstock, Ohio, and grew to womanhood at this place. Her father was a buggy maker and black- smith at Woodstock and died here when the wife of subject was small. Her mother died February 17, 1917. They had three children, Martha E .. Charles E. and Lucy D., wife of subject.
JACOB M. SHAMBAUGH.
Jacob M. Shambaugh, one of the most progressive farmers of Urbana township, this county, and widely recognized as one of the leading breeders of pure-bred Poland-China (large type) hogs in this part of the state, is a native of the old Keystone state, but has been a resident of this county since the days of his young manhood. He was born in York county, Penn- sylvania, January 24, 1872, son of Jacob and Elizabeth ( Burkheimer) Sham-
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baugh, both natives of that same state, who spent their last days there. The senior Jacob Shambaugh was reared a farmer and, when a young man, came over into Ohio and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Mansfield. Presently he returned to Pennsylvania, where he married and settled down on a farm in York county, and there spent the remainder of his life. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third-born, the others being David, William, Minnie and Annie.
Reared on the home farm in York county, Pennsylvania, Jacob M. Shambaugh received his education in the schools of that county and when but a boy began working as a farm hand on his own account. When he was nineteen years of age he came to Ohio and began working on a farm in this county. He was married at the age of twenty-four and then rented a farm of four hundred and eighty acres in Union township, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time he moved farther north in the county and there rented a farm for four years. He then rented a farm in Urbana township, three years later moving to the Pettigrew place, in that same town- ship, where he remained for two years, at the end of which time, in 1907, he moved to the Hedges farm of three hundred and sixty-five acres in that same township, where he ever since has made his home and where he has very successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. For years Mr. Shambaugh has given particular attention to the breeding of Poland-China hogs for stock purposes and annually sells from one hundred to one hundred and fifty hogs for this purpose, long having been recognized as one of the leading breeders of this type of swine in Ohio. With his hogs Mr. Sham- baugh has won enough ribbons to form a good-sized blanket. which he dis- plays with his exhibits at county and state fairs. In 1913 he carried off .the first prizes for both boars and sows in the Poland-China class at the state fair and has always carried off honors at the county fair-that is, ever since he entered into the breeding business on something like an extensive scale, about twelve years ago. Mr. Shambaugh is a Republican and during his residence in Union township served for three years as supervisor of highway construction in that township.
In 1896 Jacob M. Shambaugh was united in marriage to Jeannette Wagner, daughter of Joseph and Nancy Wagner, of Clark county, and to this union five children have been born, Amos, Joseph, Margaret, Anna Mary and Minnie, all of whom are at home. The Shambaughs are members of the Baptist church and take a proper part in church work, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Sham- baugh is a member of the lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
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at Urbana. of the Knights of Pythias at Mechanicsburg and of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics at Mutual, in which latter lodge he has held all the "chairs". He carries on his farming in accordance with up-to-date methods and is widely known throughout the county as one of the progressive agriculturists of this section.
ROWLAND COTTON MOULTON.
One of the sterling pioneer citizens of Champaign county, whose name is deserving of perpetuation on the pages of local history, was the late Row- land Cotton Moulton, of Rush township. He was born in West Randolph, Vermont, February 5, 1821. He was a son of Phineas and Mariah (Cotton ) Moulton, natives of Vermont, where they grew up, married and established their home, spending their lives there on a farm. Their family consisted of two sons and eleven daughters. One of the daughters, Lavinia, taught music three years in Mechanicsburg, Ohio.
Rowland C. Moulton grew to manhood in Vermont and was educated in the public schools and the academy at West Randolph. He read law and was admitted to the bar. When a young man he went to Wisconsin, being a pioneer of that state, later locating at Grand Detour, Illinois, where an uncle had preceded him. He became a successful lawyer, specializing in set- tling estates. He subsequently moved to Woodstock, Champaign county, Ohio, where he did a great deal of the legal work of Erastus Martin.
. Mr. Moulton was married in Rush township to Olive Pearl Howard. who was born in that township, and there she grew to womanhood and attended a private school at Mechanicsburg. Her birth occurred on Febru- ary 3, 1832. She is a daughter of Anson and Olive ( Pearl) Howard. Mr. Howard and wife were natives of Hampton, Connecticut. In 1817 they came to Champaign county, Ohio, locating among the pioneers of Rush town- ship, Mr. Howard buying military land. He developed a good farm and became one of the leading farmers and stockmen of his locality. He was influential in public affairs, and served as county commissioner. He also took an active part in the Christian church. The brick house which he built on his farm in Rush township is now occupied by Mrs. Moulton, widow of the subject of this memoir. Mr. and Mrs. Howard spent the rest of their lives on this farm, dying here many years ago. They had three sons and one daughter, namely: Anson Pearl Howard married Elizabeth Jane Mc-
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Donald, became an extensive farmer in Rush township where he died some time ago; George P., deceased; married Celesta Chapman, of Woodstock, and she later married a Mr. Purcell; Charles Philip died in infancy ; Olive Pearl, who married Mr. Moulton, of this sketch.
Two children were born to Rowland C. Moulton and wife, namely : Olive Pearl Moulton, died when four years old, and Mary, who married Charles Bell Whiley, an attorney and banker of Lancaster, Ohio, and they have two children, namely: Dorothy Bell Whiley, who married Philip Pising Peters, a banker of Lancaster, who has three children, namely: Mary Idelle. Philip Pising and Henry Charles, who were twin sons. Olive Pearl Whiley is single and living at home.
After his marriage Mr. Moulton located on the farm where his widow is still living, in Rush township, and here he spent the rest of his life. He was a successful farmer and took great interest in his fine stock, especially the raising and breeding of Rambouillet sheep and Shorthorn cattle. He was a loyal Republican. He was a member of the Episcopal church. He was a man of honor and bore an untarnished reputation. The death of Mr. Moulton occurred on May 27, 1908.
JOHN S. MCCARTY.
John S. McCarty, farmer of Rush township, Champaign county, was born on the old home farm in this township, November 19, 1865. He has been content to spend his life in his native locality, rather than seek uncertain fortune in other counties or states. He is a son of Enoch and Rebecca ( Morgan) McCarty. The father was born on January 11, 1833, in this county, and he was a son of Stephen McCarty, of Virginia, from which state he came to Champaign county, Ohio, in an early day, built a log cabin in the woods, cleared and developed a good farm and here spent the rest of his life. Rebecca Morgan was born in Wayne township, this county, and is still living on the home place. She is a daughter of Abel Morgan, who first married Naomi Cox, and secondly Keziah Blair, of this county. Mr. Morgan devoted his life to farming. He went to Kansas in later years and died there. He was the father of eight children, four by each wife. To Stephen McCarty and wife six children were born, namely: Betsy Ann, who first married John Stowe, and secondly a Mr. Meyers; James, who is farming in Wayne township, married, first, Sallie Ann Leese, and secondly Nancy Johnston : John married Minerva Johnston, moved to Auglaize county,
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Ohio, and died there; Daniel married Angeline Zimmerman, of Auglaize county ; Enoch, father of the subject of this sketch, and Thomas, who died in early life.
Enoch McCarty devoted his life to general farming and stock raising. He was a Republican, but was never active in political affairs. His family consisted of but two children, namely: Sarah Louise, who married John W. Ratchford, a farmer of Urbana township; John S., of this sketch.
John S. McCarty grew to manhood on the home farm and was educated in the public schools. He has always lived on the homestead and has devoted his life successfully to general agricultural pursuits. He owns a finely improved and well cultivated farm of three hundred and twenty-four acres in Rush township. He has a pleasant home and such outbuildings as his needs require. He raises a good grade of live stock and breeds a good many cattle. He raises large quantities of grain which he feeds, for the most part. to cattle and hogs, preparing several carloads each year for the market.
Mr. McCarty was married on December 22, 1891, to Susie Cushman. of Woodstock, this county, where she grew to womanhood and attended school. She is a daughter of Charles A. Cushman, a sketch of whom appears on another page of this work, to which the reader is respectfully directed. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. McCarty, Charles E. McCarty, whose birth occurred on September 7, 1907.
Politically, Mr. McCarty is a Republican, but he has never aspired for office. He is a member of the Universalist church at Woodstock.
JOHN H. WOOLENHAN.
John H. Woolenhan, a well-known building contractor at Urbana and an honored veteran of the Civil War, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Urbana since 1887. He was born on a farm in the neighboring county of Logan on September 25, 1840, son of Joseph and Hannah ( Havens) Woolenhan, the former a native of the state of Maryland and the latter of this state, whose last days were spent in Logan county.
Joseph Woolenhan came to this state from Maryland in the days of his young manhood and presently acquired a tract of unimproved land in Logan county and proceeded to clear and develop the same. After his marriage to a daughter of one of the pioneers of that neighborhood he established his
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home on the place he had taken and there he and his wife spent their last days, useful and influential members of that pioneer community. Joseph Woolenhan originally was a Whig in his political affiliations, but upon the organization of the Republican party cast his lot and allegiance with that party and remained a stanch Republican to the time of his death. He and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were helpful in all neighborhood good works. They were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having had a sister, Sophia, long since deceased.
John H. Woolenhan grew up on the paternal farm in Logan county and received a limited schooling in the somewhat primitive schools of that time and place, the school house in which he received his schooling having been a little old log school house of the type familiar in pioneer days, with slabs for seats and but the crudest helps to learning. As the only son of the family he was from the days of his boyhood a valued aid to his father in the labors of improving and developing the home place and was working at home when the Civil War broke out. Though but twenty years of age at the time President Lincoln issued his first call for volunteers he enlisted for service in the Union army, on April 22, 1861, becoming a private of Company A, Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until the expiration of the three-months term of service on which his enlistment was based. Three days after his return home from that term of service he re-enlisted and went to the front as a member of Company G. First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered into the service for the second time at Dayton, being sent thence to Cincinnati and later to Louisville, where the command was organized and attached to the Depart- ment of Ohio. Later the First Ohio was attached to the Fourth Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, under General Thomas and General Ward. and in that service Mr. Woolenhan took part in the battle of Shiloh, the siege of Corinth, on to Huntsville, Alabama, and then participated in the battle of Stone's River, in which latter engagement he was taken prisoner by the enemy and held for some little time before being exchanged. After rejoining his regiment he participated in the battles at Chickamauga, Mis- sionary Ridge, Kenesaw Mountain, Resaca, Dallas and numerous skirm- ishes. He served under Sherman during the Atlanta campaign and at the close of the war received his discharge at Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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