USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 26
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Mr. Pettigrew has been thrice married. As noted above, he was united in marriage in 1883 to Elizabeth Hough, of Concord township, this county. a daughter of William and Margaret Hough, and to that union one child was born, a son, Floyd H., born on April 15, 1885. Floyd H. Pettigrew, who is now engaged in the plumbing business at Hamilton, Ohio, married Emma Johnson and has two children, Ruth and Helen. After the death of his first wife Mr. Pettigrew married Martha J. France, of this county, daughter of John France, a cabinet-maker, and after her death he married Verna E. Mearns. of Summersville, West Virginia, daughter of A. J. and Lola Mearns, the former of whom was a merchant at that place. Mr. and Mrs. Pettigrew have a pleasant home at Urbana and take a proper part in the general social activities of their home town. Mrs. Pettigrew is a men- ber of the Presbyterian church there and both she and her husband do their part in helping to promote the general good works of the community.
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JOHN L. MOORE.
The late John L. Moore, an honored veteran of the Civil War and for years a well-known building contractor at Urbana, who died at his home in that city on February 2, 1917, was a native of the state of Pennsylvania, born on January 2. 1842, son of the Rev. William and Margaret ( Tatman ) Moore. who were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this memo- rial sketch was the eldest, the others being as follow: Kate, who married David Chaney and lives at Wausau, Wisconsin; Sarah, who married John Shull and lives at Riley, Kansas: Samuel, who lives at South Blooming- ville, Ohio, and Margaret, who married William Hammond, and lives at Portis, Kansas. The Rev. William Moore was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church and during the many years of his ministry preached in Pennsylvania, in Ohio and in Kansas.
John L. Moore early learned the trade of carpenter and became a skilled workman in that line, afterward engaging in building contracting on his own account and was quite successfully engaged until his death. He was but nineteen years of age when the Civil War broke out and there being parental objection to his participation in that struggle, he ran away from home and enlisted in Indiana as a private in Company H, One Hundred and Fifth Regi- ment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until the close of the war. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Moore located at Chillicothe, this state, where he engaged in carpentering and where he married, later moving to Dayton, where he remained until 1896, in which year he moved to Urbana, where he spent the remainder of his life, successfully engaged as a building contractor. His wife died in Urbana in 1899, three years after moving there. Mr. Moore was an active member of W. A. Brand Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Urbana, and took a warm interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization. On his deathbed he confessed faith in the Catholic church and received the last rites of that church. His wife and children were members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
At Chillicothe, this state, John L. Moore was united in marriage to Lydia A. Atkinson, who was born at Albany, West Virginia, July 8, 1854. daughter of James and Margaret Atkinson, and to that union three children were born, Minnie A., William C., who died at the age of nineteen years. and Frank C., who also died at the age of nineteen years.
Minnie A. Moore was born at Chillicothe, Ohio, and was united in
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marriage to William K. Burton, who was born at Dayton, Ohio, and who at the age of three years moved to Urbana, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on December 24, 1915. He was a painter and decor- ator and for years was connected with the work of the Illinois Car Company at Urbana. To William K. and Minnie A. ( Moore) Burton two children were born, William and Helen, both of whom are making their home with their mother at Urbana. William Burton is a barber, at which trade he formerly worked at Cleveland and was at one time the owner of two barber shops at Urbana. On June 11, 1909, he married Martha Smith, of Ken- tucky, and has one child, a daughter, Helen Marie, born on July 27, 1916.
WILLIAM H. VERMILLION.
William H. Vermillion, a veteran of the Civil War and a substantial farmer and dairyman of Union township, born on a farm in the south- west part of Union township on March 19, 1844, son of Daniel and Eliza (Zumbro) Vermillion, the former of whom was born in Muskingum county, this state, and the latter in the state of Virginia, whose last days were spent in the village of Mutual, this county.
Daniel Vermillion was but a child when his parents, George Vermillion and wife, natives of Virginia, moved from Muskingum county to Cham- paign county and he grew to manhood here and was here married. During the days of his young manhood he had been engaged working as a cabinet- maker in Urbana, but after his marriage he located on a farm on Buck creek, in Union township, and was for nine years there engaged in farming. He then moved with his family to the village of Mutual and became engaged as a carpenter, following that vocation until he was past middle age, when he took up wagon-making and was thus engaged at that place the rest of his life, his death occurring there in 1872. Daniel Vermillion and wife were the parents of nine children, of whom five are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being John, Samuel, Sarah and Jane.
William H. Vermillion received his schooling in the village of Mutual, the first school he attended being held in a little log school house, and at the age of twelve years he began working on a farm. He continued engaged at farm labor until May 2, 1864, when he enlisted for service in Company E. One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with that command served for one hundred days. He then returned
WILLIAM H. VERMILLION
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home and re-enlisted as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Eighty- fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with this latter command served for eight months, at the end of which time he returned to this county. After his marriage, in the spring of 1866, he established his home on a farm he rented, continuing as a renter until he bought his first land, a tract of thirty-six acres, a part of his present well-improved farm of one hundred and seventy acres in Union township, where he ever since has made his home and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. All of Mr. Vermillion's farm is under cultivation save a small tract of woodland. For years he has devoted a good deal of his attention to dairying and at present is maintaining a herd of thirty-five dairy cows and has an extensive busi- ness in that line. His place is on rural mail route No. I out of Cable.
Mr. Vermillion has been twice married. On March 31, 1866, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Booth, daughter of John and Marian Booth, and to that union three children were born, Edwin, who married Matilda Gurnis; Effie, wife of Charles Smith, and Gertrude, wife of Earl Heller. The mother of these children died in 1895 and Mr. Vermillion later married Mary Speakman, to which union two children have been born, Gladys and Robert. Mr. and Mrs. Vermillion are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which for years Mr. Vermillion has served as a class leader. He also is a steward of the church and a member of the board of trustees and has long given his earnest attention to church affairs. Mr. Vermillion is an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Urbana and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.
WILLIAM A. JOHNSON.
William A. Johnson, a substantial landowner and stockman of this county, former trustee of Union township and former trustee of Wayne township, now living at Cable, where he is extensively engaged in the live stock business, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Union township on April 22, 1857. son of James and Mary (Woodard) Johnson, both of whom also were born in this county, the former in Wayne township and the latter in Rush township, and whose last days were spent in Union township.
James Johnson was a son of James and Matilda Johnson, Virginians, (17a)
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who came to this state after their marriage and located in Champaign county. settling first in Wayne township and later moving down into Union town- ship, where they established their home and where they spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influential pioneers of that part of the county. The junior James Johnson was but a lad when his parents moved to Union township and there he grew to manhood on the home farm. After his inarriage to Mary Woodard, who was born in the neighboring township of Rush, daughter of pioneer parents, he established his home on a farm in Union township and there he spent the remainder of his life, one of the best-known and most influential farmers of the neighborhood in which he lived. His death occurred in March, 1901. His wife had preceded him to the grave about a year, her death having occurred in 1900. They were the parents of seven children, of whom but three are now living, the subject of this sketch having two brothers, Olney and Charles Johnson.
William A. Johnson grew to manhood on the home place in Union township, receiving his schooling in the district school in that neighborhood. and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the home farm. He later became a partner of his father in the operation of the farm and after awhile bought the home place of one hundred and two and one-half acres and there con- tinued farming and stock raising until in March, 1909. when he retired from the farm and moved to Cable, where he has since made his home. Upon leaving the farm Mr. Johnson turned his attention to the buying and selling of live stock and has since been engaged in that business, shipping to the Pittsburgh markets. Not long after locating at Cable he bought a fine farm of one hundred and ten acres in Wayne township, to the operation of which he gives considerable personal attention. Some time ago he sold his farm in Union township. Mr. Johnson is a Republican and for years has given close attention to local political affairs .. For seven years he served as trustee of Union township and for four years as trustee of Wayne town- ship and is now serving as a member of the local school board at Cable, in that capacity doing much to promote the interests of the schools in that pleasant and flourishing village.
On April 22, 1886, William A. Johnson was united in marriage to Enola Durnell, who was born in Wayne township, this county, daughter of Booker R. and Catherine (Hall) Durnell, both of whom also were born in that town- ship, members of pioneer families, and were there married. Booker R. Durnell was a son of Hiram and Sarah ( Middleton ) Durnell, Virginians, who came to this county at an early day in the settlement of the same and
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became substantial pioneers of Wayne township, where they established their home. During the progress of the Civil War Booker R. Durnell enlisted for service in behalf of the Union and went to the front as a private in Company K. One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served valiantly until he met a soldier's fate about a year later, at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864. His wife had died a little more than a year previously, her death having occurred on June 16, 1863. and their children were thus orphaned early. There were three of these children, Mrs. Johnson having two brothers. Hiram and Richard Durnell. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson have no children of their own, but they have reared four children with as much care and con- sideration as though they had been their own indeed. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper interest in church work and in other local good works. Mr. Johnson is one of Cable's most substantial citizens and is in the forefront in all movements having to do with the advancement of the general interests of that thriving village.
JOHN P. KNIGHT.
The late John P. Knight, for years one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of Champaign county, who died at his home in Urbana township in 1905, was a native son of Ohio and lived in this state all his life. He was born in the neighboring county of Miami on February 18. 1839. a son of William D. and Elizabeth ( Palmer) Knight, also natives of that same county, members of two of the oldest families in this part of the state. William D. Knight's father was a native of Redstone, Penn- sylvania, who came to this state in the days of his young manhood, locating near Cincinnati, where he married and reared his family and died. On a pioneer farm William D. Knight grew to manhood and, with his mother, moved to Miami county and there later married Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of pioneer parents. and established his home on a farmi in the neighborhood of her old home near Casstown. He moved to Champaign county in 1853 and settled on a farmi two and one-half miles south of Urbana, on the State road. He later retired, moved to Urbana, where he died in December, 1890. He and his wife were the parents of seven children, of whom but two now survive, Sidney Knight, of Urbana, and Stephen Knight, a prom- inent lawyer at Chicago, who is now serving as county attorney of Cook
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county ; the others, besides the subject of this memorial sketch, having been Thomas, Wilford, Catherine and Margaret.
Reared on the home farm in Miami county, John P. Knight received his early schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home and supplemented the same by a course in the Urbana school, after which for seven or eight years he spent his winters in teaching school, continuing meanwhile to farm during the summers. After his marriage in 1865 he established his home on a farm in Urbana township, this county, and there spent the rest of his life, becoming a successful farmer and a man of wide influence throughout that part of the county. Mr. Knight was an earnest Republican and for years was looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in his part of the county. For years he served as director of schools in his local district and did much to advance the cause of education there- about. He was an ardent advocate of any proper movement that would tend to increase the efficacy of the schools and took much interest in educa- tional affairs, giving his children every opportunity for acquiring liberal educations. Mr. Knight was an active member of the Baptist church, and ever took an earnest interest in church affairs and other good works. He had many warm friends throughout the county and his death on March 12, 1905, was widely mourned. He enlisted at the beginning of the Civil War for three months service in Company H, Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry.
It was in the year 1865 that John P. Knight was united in marriage to Jennie Rawlings, who was born in Urbana township, this county, a daughter of James and Susanna ( McRoberts) Rawlings, prominent residents of that community, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Urbana township, this county, daughter of pioneer parents. James Rawlings was twenty years of age when he came from Kentucky to Cham- paign county, Ohio, and there he worked for farmers until he married. He then bought a farm on Pretty Prairie, where he spent the remainder of his life. After the death of his wife Susanna he married, secondly, Mrs. Jane Osborn, widow of James Osborn and a daughter of David Todd. By his first marriage James Rawlings was the father of six children, of whom Mrs. Knight, the third in order of birth, is now the only survivor, the others having been as follow: William J. W., a memorial sketch of whom is pre- sented elsewhere in this volume: Mary, who was the wife of Mitchell Todd, a farmer of Urbana township; Thomas, who married Emma Humes and was also a farmer in Urbana township; James, who married Laura Townley
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and was also a farmer in Urbana township, and Douglas, who married Alice Townley and was also a farmer in Urbana township.
To John P. and Jennie (Rawlings) Knight four children were born, namely : William J. Knight, a graduate of Oberlin College, now engaged in the seed business at Urbana, who married Florence L. Dempsey and has three children, Paul D., Robert P. and John P .; Edwin Knight, who served in the Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish-American war, and was on the firing line at the battle of Santiago, who died in his youth : Harley E. Knight, who married Fannie Clark and is now farming the old home place in Urbana township, who has five children, Mrs. Stella K. Growden, Harold U., Ruth H., Kenneth Ray and Edwin Sanford, and Earl Rawlings Knight, who received his technical education at Purdue University and is now engaged as superintendent of an extensive electrical concern, a branch of the Allis-Chalmers plant, at Norwood, a suburb of Cincinnati. Mrs. Knight is now making her home with her son, William J. Knight, at Urbana. She retains an active interest in church affairs, having for years been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in other local good works and has ever exerted her gentle influence in behalf of movements having to do with community betterment.
SAMUEL M. OVERFIELD.
Samuel M. Overfield, postmaster at Woodstock, former mayor of that village and former member of the village council, has for years been re- garded as one of Woodstock's most energetic and influential citizens. He was born in this county on July 1, 1862, and has lived here all his life. The Overfields were among the earliest settlers of Champaign county, having come out here from Virginia in 1826 and the family has been widely repre- sented throughout this part of the state in the succeeding generations since then.
Samuel Overfield, great-grandfather of Postmaster Overfield, was the founder of the family in Ohio. He was born in Virginia, son of a Welshman who had come to this country during the progress of the Revo- lutionary War and had been required before his departure from his native land to take an oath of allegiance to the crown. He landed on these shores shortly before the battle of Yorktown and was a witness to that engage- ment. Though strongly sympathetic toward the cause of the colonists, his
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oath of fealty to his king prevented his participation on the side toward which his heart went out. He settled in Virginia and there established his home, becoming a well-to-do citizen. His son, Samuel Overfield, became a freighter and for some time was engaged in hauling between Staunton and Rumney, driving a six-horse team. He saved the money thus earned and presently bought a tract of five hundred acres of Virginia land, nine miles from Clarksburg, established his home there and proceeded to clear and develop his land. He had made considerable progress toward the develop- ment and stocking of his farm when one day a man drove up and informed him that he would have to vacate the land, that he had no title to the same. the title under which he held possession having been fraudulently bestowed. Investigation revealed the truth of this statement and Samuel Overfield took his horses and his movable belongings and came over into Ohio, driving on out to Champaign county and settling in Rush township, where he estab- lished his home and where he spent his last days, an honored pioneer of that community. He and his family suffered numerous hardships, along with their pioneer neighbors, and some of their horses were stolen by the Indians, but they persevered and finally found themselves well established. Samuel Overfield's wife, Mary Butcher, was of English descent. She was born at Germantown, Pennsylvania, and was a child living there at the time of the battle of Germantown during the Revolutionary War and ever retained a distinct recollection of the incident of the soldiers of the Continental army piling cannon balls in the dooryard of her father's home when they left for Virginia. Among the children born to Samuel and Mary ( Butcher ) Overfield was Joah Overfield, who was born in Harrison county, Virginia, in 1803, and who was about twenty-three years of age when he came to Champaign county with his parents. He became a substantial farmer in Rush township and there spent his last days. He married Beershelba Tucker, also a member of one of the pioneer families in this county, and to that union six children were born, namely: Samuel, Mary. Rebecca. Diana. John and Susan.
Reared on a farm in Rush township, Samuel M. Overfield. great- grandson of the Virginian, Samuel Overfield, who became a pioneer of Champaign county, received his schooling in the district schools in the neigh- borhood of his home and as a young man was engaged for some time in farming. He then clerked in a store at Woodstock for awhile and then started a livery stable there which he conducted for five years, at the end of which time he established a general store in the village and was thus engaged in mercantile business for nine years. In 1803 he was appointed
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postmaster of Woodstock and served in that important public capacity from August 3, 1893, to August 14, 1897, and on December 9, 1909, received his second commission as postmaster of the village and has since been serving in that capacity. Mr. Overfield is an active Democrat and has for years been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in the eastern part of the county. For four years he served as justice of the peace in and for Rush township, was mayor of Woodstock for two years and also served for some time as a member of the village council, to all of which official duties he brought his most thoughtful attention, ever concerned for the welfare of the public. Mr. Overfield also for twelve years held a commission as a notary public and is widely known throughout that part of the county in which his life has been spent.
On June 19, 1901, Samuel M. Overfield was united in marriage to Alta Ruth Ott, of Mechanicsburg, and to this union two children have been born, Marion W. and Donald M. Mr. and Mrs. Overfield are members of the Christian church and give their interested attention to church work and the general social activities of their home town, helpful in promoting all worthy causes. Mr. Overfield is a Mason, a member of the lodge of that ancient order at North Lewisburg, and takes a warm interest in Masonic affairs.
ROBERT J. EASON.
Robert J. Eason, vice-president of the Bank of North Lewisburg and a well-known and substantial retired merchant and grain dealer is a native of the Keystone state, but has been a resident of Ohio and of North Lewis- burg since 1873. He was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, December 27. 1854, son of John and Anna (Sly) Eason, both natives of England, born at Castle Cary, in Somersetshire, who were married there and after their marriage came to this country and were for a short time thereafter located at Brooklyn, New York, where John Eason became engaged in the milling business, to which vocation he had been trained in his native land. Some time later he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he further followed the milling business for several years, at the end of which time he located at Franklin, in that same state, where he followed his trade until presently he bought a mill at Columbus, Pennsylvania, and moved there. Not long afterward he sold that mill and bought another at Titusville, Pennsylvania. which he continued to operate until his death. John Eason came of a family
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of millers, his father and his grandfather having been engaged in that voca- tion, and he became quite successful. Besides his milling operations at Titusville he was the owner of several grain elevators, including one at North Lewisburg, in this county.
Upon completing the course in the high school at Titusville Robert J. Eason entered the Clinton Liberal Arts Institution at Clinton, New York, and after a course of instruction there entered Hamilton College. Upon completing his studies in the latter institution he returned home and for a time thereafter occupied himself in acquiring a further acquaintance with his father's milling business and in 1873, he then being about eighteen years of age, was sent to North Lewisburg, this county, to take charge of his father's grain elevator at that place, and there he ever since has made his home, for many years one of the most progressive and influential busi- ness men in the northeastern part of the county. For twenty-five years Mr. Eason remained engaged in the grain business at North Lewisburg and then he sold his grain elevator and for some time thereafter was engaged in the real-estate and general merchandising, being thus engaged until his final retirement from business. During all these years he gave his earnest attention to the general business affairs of his home town and years ago was elected vice-president of the Bank of Lewisburg, a position which he still occupies, one of the well-known bankers in Champaign county.
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