USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 37
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of the Thackery Creamery Company, and has been thus employed since that time.
On September 4, 1903, Clinton A. Neese and Lottie B. Faulkner were united in marriage. She is a daughter of George W. Faulkner. Further men- tion is made of the Faulkner family in another place in this work. Mr. Neese is a member of the Junior Order of Mechanics, of Terre Haute, and is a Republican in politics. Mrs. Neese is a member of the Lutheran church at Thackery.
WILLIAM J. CARSON.
Wliliam J. Carson, an enterprising farmer and stock raiser of Salem township, Champaign county, was born in Ross county, Ohio, April 9, 1851. He is a son of William and Martha (Bradford) Carson, both natives of Ohio, he of Ross county and she of Montgomery county. The father grew to manhood and was married in his native county, and there he owned a farm, which he operated until 1854, when he came to Champaign county, locating in Urbana township, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres, for which he paid thirty dollars per acre. His means were very limited when he started out in life, but by perseverance and good management he pros- pered and at one time owned four hundred and twenty-five acres of valuable land here, carrying on farming on an extensive scale. He was also one of the leading stock raisers of his locality. He was a leader in public and church affairs in Urbana township, being an active worker in the Presby- terian church. He continued to operate his farm here until 1891, when he retired from active life and moved to Urbana, where his death occurred in 1903, at the advanced age of ninety years. He was born in 1813. His wife was born in 1825 and died in 1896. To these parents four children were born, namely: William J., of this review; Robert, deceased; James, also deceased, and Anna, who is living in Urbana.
William J. Carson grew to manhood on the home farm, and he received his education in the rural schools of Urbana township. He remained on the home place, farming with his father until 1881, when he was married and moved to Salem township, locating on one of his father's farms, the same place he now lives on, which place reverted to him upon the death of his father. He has kept the land well improved and well cultivated. He has an attractive home and numerous convenient outbuildings. His holdings embrace three hundred and forty-five acres and is one of the most success-
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ful farmers and stock raisers in his township. He feeds large numbers of cattle and hogs annually for the market.
Mr. Carson was married in February, 1881, to Ida Pence, a daughter of Jacob and Sarah (Dugan) Pence, natives of Urbana township, Champaign county, and lived and died there. Mrs Carson was born in Urbana town- ship on her father's farm. To Mr. and Mrs. Carson eight children have been born, namely: Nellie lives in Columbus, Ohio; Mabel, who married Fred Pearce, has one child, Betsy; Alice married Earl Beatley, lives in Columbus, Ohio, and has one child, Charles; Grace is the wife of Golden Dagger; they live in Columbus, Ohio, connected with the Ohio State Uni- versity agricultural extension department; Jeanette is the wife of Ray Wil- hur Vorhis; Beatrice lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; John is single and lives on the farm with his parents; Marcella is at home, attending high school. These children were all given excellent educational advantages and are all graduates of the local high school.
Politically, Mr. Carson is a Republican. He served as a member of the school board in his district for ten years. He belongs to the Grange in Salem township, and the United Presbyterian church at Bellefontaine, Ohio. His wife and children belong to the Baptist church at Kingston.
SAMUEL J. C. BATES.
Another of the successful tillers of the soil in Salem township, who has been content to spend his life in Champaign county, is Samuel J. C. Bates, who was born on the old Captain Thomas farm here, September 13, 1862. He is a son of William W. and Selinda (Kenton) Bates. The father was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, and when a young man he came with his mother to Champaign county, where he subsequently married and settled on a farm in Concord township, where he lived a few years. In 1857 he settled in Salem township on the James Kenton farm where his son, the subject of this sketch, now lives, Mr. Kenton having been the lat- ter's grandfather. James Kenton built the brick house on this place in 1840, burning all the brick for the same himself. He also built the barn in 1847. for which he got all the timber off his own farm. William W. Bates and wife spent their lives on the farm, his death occurring in 1871 at the age of fifty-two, his widow surviving until March 18, 1897, dying at the age of seventy. In early life William W. Bates was a miller and operated the
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Vance mill for some time. He was first a Whig and later a Republican .. His wife was a member of the Baptist church at Kings Creek. They were well known and highly respected in their community. Eight children were born to them named as follows: Mary, who died in 1868, married M. V. Patten and they located in Montgomery county, Ohio; Duncan died when young in years; Janie also died in early life; James K. died in 1887; Benja- min died in 1888: Samuel J. C., of this sketch; Gustaf lives in Spring Hill, Ohio; Lucy is single and makes her home with the subject of this review.
Samuel J. C. Bates grew up on the home farm, where he assisted with the general work when a boy, and he received his education in the district schools. He has always remained on the home farm, which he has kept well improved and under a high state of cultivation, rotating his crops and carrying on diversified farming in such a manner that the soil has retained its original fertility. He has never married, neither has his sister, Lucy. who has also remained at the old home and keeps house for him. They are both members of the Baptist church at Urbana, and politically, he is a Repub- lican, but he has never been active in public affairs nor aspired to political office.
FRANK HOWELL BRINEY.
One of the enterprising farmers of Rush township, Champaign county. is Frank Howell Briney, who was born near Yellow Springs, Clark county. Ohio, in September, 1851. He is a son of Mark DeMoss Briney, a native of Warren county, Ohio. His grandfather was pilot on the Ohio river. Mark D. Briney grew up in his native county and married Amanda E. Eber- sole, who was born in Springfield, Ohio. Her people came to America from Holland. The Ebersole family located in Clark county, Ohio, and there the parents of Mrs. Mark D. Briney spent the rest of their lives, the father (lying at the age of sixty-five and the mother at the age of seventy years. Mr. Briney was a preacher in the Christian church for many years in Cham- paign and Clark counties. He was also a school teacher and farmer. He was first a Whig, later a Republican. Mr. Briney moved to Champaign county in 1854.
To Mark D. Briney and wife the following children were born: John K., who was a soldier in the Civil War, was killed at Port Republic in 1862, while a private in Company A, Sixty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; Emily married John E. Emmons, and they both died in Pennsylvania; Jennie is
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the widow of Charles Emmons and she resides in Cleveland, Ohio; Horace died when young; Mary is single and lives at Kirkwood, Missouri; Frank H., of this sketch; Sallie is single and lives in Cleveland; Rose, deceased, was the wife of Leroy M. Reed; Florence died in early life: Charles died single, and Mark also died single.
Frank H. Briney grew up on the farm and he attended the Black school in Rush township. He lived at home until his marriage, September 7, 1880. to Clara Belle Smith, who was born in Clinton, Dewitt county, Iowa. She is a daughter of Rozalvo and Betsy (Cranston) Smith, both natives of Rush township, Champaign county, Ohio. Rozalvo Smith was a son of Dexter Smith and wife, natives of Vermont, from which state they came to Cham- paign county, in pioneer days, locating at Woodstock on a farm, where they spent the rest of their lives. Mrs. Clara Belle Briney was their only child. Rozalvo Smith was a soldier in the Civil War, belonging to the Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Smith married a second time, his second wife being Elizabeth Hewett, and four children were born to their union, namely : Elmer M., who lives in Chicago; Ulla Dell, of Rockport, Illinois, and Nora and Mattie, deceased.
Five children have been born to Frank H. Briney and wife, namely : Horace B., died in infancy ; H. Clifford received a good education in the Woodstock schools and is a graduate of Ohio State University, and he is now in New York City with the George Battin Advertising Company; he married Catherine Stone: Mabel C., who is at home, was educated at Wood- stock and the University of Urbana, and a graduate of Miami University. and she is now principal of the Woodstock schools; F. DeWitt, who was educated in the home schools, also the high school at Pendleton, Oregon. now lives in that town: Leroy, who is now assisting his father on the home farm, was educated in the local schools, the schools of Columbus, Oberlin College, and the College of New York City.
Frank H. Briney has always lived on the old home place, which he has kept well improved and well cultivated. He has been successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. He keeps Jersey cattle and does a dairy business : also handles Percheron horses and Duroc-Jersey hogs. Politically, he is a Republican, and he and his wife are members of the Christian church at Woodstock, Ohio, and they are active in church work. Both were superin- tendents of the Sunday school. He was county organizer for Sunday schools for five years. His wife has driven over four thousand miles in her Sunday school work. One or the other of them has been vice-president of the County and president of the township Sunday School Associations for over twenty-
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five years. He has been clerk and deacon in the church, also held other offices in the same. Mrs. Briney is descended from one of the oldest families of the Buckeye state. Her great-grandfather, John Cranston, a native of Rhode Island, who married a Miss Edwards, came to Ohio in 1808 and settled in Union county, where they spent the rest of their lives. Their children were: Phoebe, Stephen, John B., Ephraim, Christopher and Edward.
John B. Cranston, Mrs. Briney's maternal grandfather, married Betsy Lathrop, of Connecticut, and they came to Champaign county, in pioneer times, locating in Rush township, where he hired out, first receiving thirty- seven and one-half cents per day. He devoted the rest of his life to farming bere. His family consisted of the following children: Mary Ann, who married Joseph Johnson ; Peleg, John, Dollie, Betsy, and Ann B. The last named is the only one living at this writing, 1917; she makes her home on the old homestead, where she has resided for seventy-nine years.
CHARLES H. ESPY.
Charles H. Espy, progressive farmer, engaged in stock raising for thirty years, and holder of various public offices of trust, living on route 2. Degraff, Champaign county, was born on the old Espy farm near Spring- hill, Ohio, on March 18, 1861, a son of David H. and Rebecca ( Kinsinger ) Espy.
David H. Espy, at the outbreak of the Civil War, joined the Union forces by enlisting in Company G. Sixty-sixth Volunteer Infantry. He saw considerable service and was in many engagements during that long struggle between the states. He received severe wounds at the battle of Cedar Mountain and was removed to the Alexander hospital, in which insti- tution he died some time later. His widow married William Ritter, who is now deceased, and she is living at Degraff, Ohio. David H. Espy and wife were the parents of one child, Charles H. Espy, the subject of this sketch.
Charles H. Espy was reared on the old home farm in Adams township and was educated in the public schools of the district. At the age of thir- teen, and following his mother's second marriage, he started to work on farms by the month at ten dollars per month and continued thus engaged for about five years. He then commenced at team work, at which he remained for another five years. During those ten years he was saving all
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available money with the view to acquiring land of his own. He subse- quently bought forty acres of land, which he immediately put into cultiva- tion, setting the tract out to general farming. As he prospered in his farm- ing operations he added to his holdings, finally becoming the owner of two hundred and twenty-eight acres of prime land. In addition to his farming activities, he is also extensively engaged in the breeding and shipping of live stock, with which branch of agricultural life he has been identified for thirty years, and in both phases of work he has met with marked success. He is also the owner of two nice residence properties in Bellefontaine, this state.
On December 30, 1883, Charles H. Espy was united in marriage to Mary Wilson, who was born in Adams township in 1862, a daughter of William A. Wilson and wife. She was reared on her father's farm and educated in the common schools of her home district. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Espy three children have been born as follow: Ethel, who was graduated from the Rosewood high school and is now the wife of J. W. Burkhold, of Rosewood, this county; Bonnie, also a graduate of the Rose- wood high school, who later married F. E. Bailor, and Raymond, who was graduated from the high school and is now a student in the State Univer- sity. These children are members of the United Brethren church at Rose- wood.
Mr. Espy has long been a supporter of the Republican party and has ever taken a keen interest in public affairs. He served for a period of six years as county commissioner and for five years was treasurer of Adams township. Later, he became a member of the district school board, serving in that capacity for eight years, and during his incumbency the Rosewood schools were built. His services in all of these responsible positions met with general approval and his work on behalf of the schools has always been recognized as above the average, his efforts on behalf of educational matters being at once genuine and practical. His interest in fraternal organ- izations is not less marked. He is a member of Rosewood Lodge No. 242, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which order he is a past noble grand. He is also a member of the encampment, of which he is past chief patriarch. He holds membership in the Knights of Pythias at Degraff, Ohio, and in the affairs of these several bodies he takes a prominent part. Mr. and Mrs. Espy display a warm interest in all community affairs and are ever ready to assist in all movements having for their object the welfare of the town- ship and county.
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JOHN EMORY MAST.
John Emory Mast, one of the best-known and most substantial pioneer farmers of Champaign county and the proprietor of a fine farm in Salem township, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born in that township on September 12, 1838, son of John and Elizabeth (Trego) Mast, natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in Berks county and the latter in Chester county, who became residents of Champaign county in 1830 and here reared their family and spent the remainder of their lives. being long accounted among the most influential and useful residents of the community which they had helped to develop from its wilderness state. Elsewhere in this volume, under the head of "The Mast Family", there is set out at some length something of the genealogy and the history of that well-known family in this county and the attention of the reader is respect- fully called to that interesting narrative for additional information in con- nection with the present sketch. The pioneer John Mast and wife were the parents of eight children, five sons and three daughters, of whom further mention is made in the narrative above referred to, and of these children the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth.
Reared on the pioneer home farm in Salem township, John E. Mast has lived there all his life, his present fine farm including a portion of the old home farm which his father divided among his children when he retired from the active labors of the farm many years ago. On April 13, 1869, at Mutual, this county, he was united in marriage to Minerva J. Stonebraker, who was born in this county, a daughter of Arnold S. and Sophia -( Rems- burg) Stonebraker, and to this union eleven children have been born, Ellis Heber, Marie May, Lulu Grace, Willie E., John Arnold, Clayton, Clarence Simpson, Jennie Irene, Cleveland H., Evelyn Sophia and Earl Talmage. Mr. and Mrs. Mast are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Kings Creek and their children were reared in the faith of that church.
Ellis Heber Mast, born on May 24, 1871, is now living at Cleveland, where he is engaged as a conductor on an electric railroad Marie May Mast, born on February 10, 1873, was married at Urbana on January 6 1901, to William C. Brucker, who was born at Oketo, Kansas, July 12, 1871, son of Fred and Emma (Zimmerman) Brucker, the former a native of France and the latter of Prussia. After their marriage William C. Brucker and wife lived in Gage county, Nebraska, for five years, at the end of which time, in 1906, they moved to the farm on which they are now living in
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Jewell county, Kansas. Lulu Grace Mast, born on January 22, 1875, was married on July 29, 1897, to David L. Thomas, who was born in Canada on September 30, 1870, son of David J. Thomas, and who is now living at Fernhill, Ontario. To theni six children have been born, namely: Mast Leroy, born on April 29, 1898; Glenn Abner, September 15, 1899, who died on April 25, 1900; Blanche Leona, April 16, 1901; Evelyn May, May 20, 1903; Velma Ferne, July 10, 1905, and Earl Theodore, June 10, 1907. Willie E. Mast, born on September 8, 1876, died on September 27, follow- ing. John Arnold Mast, born on November 25, 1877, is now living near Ozone, Idaho, on a four-hundred-acre farm. Clayton Mast, born on Decem- ber 15, 1879, died on April- 8, 1880. Clarence Simpson Mast, born on December 15, 1879, is now living at Abington, Illinois, where he is engaged as teacher of science in the Abington College. On August 22, 1906, at Delaware, this state, he was united in marriage to Clara Glenn Buck, who was born on January 5, 1880, a daughter of the Hon. Henris Edmund and Jennie (Glenn) Buck, of Delaware. Jennie Irene Mast married Clifford Johnson (deceased) who was born on June 29, 1882; she lives at Coffey- ville, Kansas; Cleveland H. Mast, born on December 13, 1884, died on December 14, 1886. Evelyn Sophia Mast, born on February 10, 1887, died on December 18, 1891. Earl Talmage Mast, born on December 29, 1890, is now living at Cleveland.
JAMES W. BLACK.
James W. Black, farmer and banker, of Salem township, proprietor of the old Black homestead which was entered there by his grandfather, Capt. Alexander Black, back in 1809, an extensive landowner and for years actively engaged in the live-stock business, one of the most substantial citizens of Champaign county, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on the place on which he is now living and of which he is now proprietor, a place that has been in the family for more than one hundred years, October 28, 1854, son of James and Caroline (Culbertson ) Black, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Pennsylvania, who were for years accounted among the most influential residents of the northern part of this county.
James Black was born in Clark county, Kentucky, February 8, 1798. son of Capt. Alexander and Jane (Crockett) Black, Virginians, who came
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up into Ohio in 1809 and settled in Salem township, this county, there establishing the old Black homestead that has ever since been in the pos- session of the family. Capt. Alexander Black was born in the colony of Virginia on October 14, 1765, a son of Capt. William Black, who became captain of a company in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War. Capt. William Black, who was a son of Alexander Black, who had come to the Colonies from Ireland and had settled in the Old Dominion, joined the Continental army at the age of fifteen and before the War of Inde- pendence was at an end was promoted to the rank of captain. He later crossed the mountains into Kentucky, locating at Strouds Ford, three miles from Winchester, where he remained for three years and during which time he became a companion of Daniel Boone. In 1792, in Rockbridge county, Virginia, Capt. William Black married Jane Crockett, a cousin of David Crockett, and then returned to Kentucky to make his permanent home. He served with General Scott's Kentucky Volunteers and was with General Wayne when the latter scored his decisive victory over the Indians at the battle of the Maumee in August, 1794, being wounded in the face in that battle. In 1809 he came up into Ohio with his family and settled in this county, entering a tract of land in Salem township. During the War of 1812 he was given a captain's commission and with his company guarded the settlers against the attacks of Tecumseh and his Shawnees and against Batiste, who with his Wyandots had gone over to the English. Capt. Alexander Black was a warm personal friend of Gen. Simon Kenton and had no love for the Indians. He continued to make his home in this county, a substantial and honored citizen, until his death in 1854. His widow survived him for five years, her death occurring in 1859.
James Black was eleven years of age when his parents came up into Ohio and he grew to manhood on the homestead farm in Salem township and there spent the remainder of his life, one of the leaders in the com- munity life of this region, and a very successful farmer and stockman. He received excellent schooling for that period and became a very well informed man. From the days of his boyhood he took an active part in his father's live-stock operations and when fourteen or fifteen years of age began to accompany the drovers on the long trips through the wilderness with droves of cattle or hogs for the Detroit market. He grew to be a man of powerful physique and was accounted one of the hardiest pioneers of this section. In early life he was a Henry Clay Whig, but upon the formation of the Republican party threw in his allegiance with that party and was ever there- after a stanch Republican and one-of the local leaders in that party. James
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Black lived to be past eighty-four years of age, his death occurring on July 3, 1882. His widow survived him less than a year, her death occurring in 1883, she then being eighty-three years of age.
It was in 1832 that James Black was united in marriage to Caroline Culbertson, who was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, January 26, 1810. daughter of James Culbertson and wife, who became pioneers of Champaign county and here spent their last days. James Culbertson was born in Lan- caster county, Pennsylvania, son of Samuel Culbertson, a native of Eng- land, who had served with the patriot army during the Revolutionary War and who settled in Lancaster county, where his last days were spent. James Culbertson served as a private during the War of 1812 and later came to this county, where he died in 1835. To James and Caroline (Culbertson ) Black were born eight children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being as follow: Jane, who married William Kiser, of Logan county, this state, and died there, after which her husband mar- ried her younger sister, Lucy, who died in Los Angeles in 1915; Susan. who married John W. Staub and died in Logan county; Lucy, mentioned above, who died in Los Angeles in 1915; Alexander, who married Mary Courts and is now living retired at Eddyville, Iowa; Caroline, who died unmarried; John R., now deceased, who for years was a partner of his brother, James W., and of whom more extended mention is made below. and Lizzie, now deceased, who was the wife of Daniel Donovan.
John R .. Black was born on the old home place in Salem township and there grew to manhood, completing his schooling in the high school at West Liberty. He early took up farming and stock raising, making a specialty of the latter, and was a partner of his brother, James W. Black, in opera- tions in that line until his retirement from business in 1901. In addition to his extensive land interests in this county he also was the owner of prop- erty in West Liberty and was a stockholder in the Farmers Bank of that place. He ever gave his earnest attention to the promotion of the agricul- tural interests of his home county and was for fifteen years a member of the board of managers of the Champaign County Agricultural Society, for some years serving as vice-president of the same. He was a stanch Repub- lican, ever giving a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs, but was not included in the office-seeking class. He was a Knight Templar Mason and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and took a warm interest in the affairs of these fraternal organizations. On December 9. 1886, John R. Black was united in marriage to Belle Robbins, of Logan county, who was born in Hunterdon county. New Jersey. September 21,
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