USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 38
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1856, a daughter of John W. and Rebecca (Huff) Robbins, the former of whom was born in the state of New York and the latter in Hunterdon county, New Jersey. John W. Robbins was a blacksmith and in 1857 came to Ohio with his family and settled in Logan county, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring at West Liberty in 1887, at the age of fifty-four years. He and his wife had three children, Mrs. John R. Black having a brother, William, who is now living in California, and a daughter, Mrs. James W. Black. John R. Black died on May 16, 1904, and his widow is now living at West Liberty. She has three children, Maude, Wayne C. and Yale D.
James W. Black was reared on the old home farm in Salem township and has lived there all his life. He received his schooling in the public schools and after his marriage in 1882 he and his wife took up their resi- dence in the fine old house that his grandfather, Capt. Alexander Black, had erected there in 1818. Upon beginning his farming operations on his own account James W. Black entered into a partnership with his elder brother, John R. Black, and this mutually agreeable arrangement continued until the latter's retirement in 1901, since which time Mr. Black has carried on the extensive operations begun by the brothers alone, continuing to make a specialty of live stock. Mr. Black has about six hundred acres of valuable land, besides valuable real estate interests at West Liberty and is a member of the board of directors of the Farmers Bank of West Liberty, in which sound old concern he has quite a goodly block of stock. Mr. Black is a stanch Republican and has ever taken an active interest in local political affairs, but the only public service he has sought has been as a member of the school board, in which capacity he has rendered admirable service in behalf of the local schools. Fraternally, he is affiliated with Liberty Lodge No. 96, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.
On December 21, 1882, James W. Black was united in marriage to Lizzie Robbins, who was born in the neighboring county of Logan, March 8, 1862, daughter of John W. and Rebecca (Huff) Robbins and sister of Mrs. John R. Black, mentioned above, and to this union four children have been born, Burr R., Geneva B., Howard C. and Virginia. Burr R. Black. born on January 15, 1885, is now assistant cashier of the Farmers Bank of West Liberty. He married Hazel Stickinger and has one child, a daughter, Beatrice, born in November, 1914. Geneva B. Black, born on March 9,' 1891, married Raymond F. Hughes, who is connected with the J. W. Bobbs wholesale grocery firm at Columbus, and has two children,
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Maxine, born in October, 1914, and James Raymond, October, 1916. How- ard C. Black, who was born on May 24, 1894, remains at home, a valued assistant to his father in the management of the home place. He was gradu- ated from the West Liberty high school and supplemented that course by two years of attendance at the State University and a year at Oberlin College. Virginia Black, born on August 23, 1901, is still in school. The Blacks have a very pleasant home, one of the historic old places in the county, and have ever given proper attention to the general social activities of the community.
JACOB I. CLARK.
Jacob I. Clark, farmer and stock raiser of Salem township, Champaign county, was born in Clarke county, Ohio, January 31, 1872. He is a son of Jacob and Susanna (Swisher) Clark, both natives of Virginia, where they grew to maturity and were married. Upon leaving their native state they came to Champaign county, but in a short time went on to Clarke county, where they lived on a farm eighteen or twenty years, then returned to Champaign county, locating on the Jennings farm in Salem township, where they spent three years, then moved south of Hagenbaugh village, buy- ing a farm there of one hundred and twenty-six acres, where they spent the rest of their lives. Isaac Clark, father of Jacob Clark, was also a native of Virginia and he came to Champaign county, Ohio, shortly after his son, Jacob, moved here, but later moved to Clarke county, where he remained a number of years, then came back to Champaign county, locating in Wayne township, southeast of Cable, and there spent the rest of his life. Eleven children were born to Jacob Clark and wife, seven of whom are now living, namely: Joshua, Gabriel, Samuel, Elmer; Charles and John are deceased ; Laura married W. E. Briggs, Cora married Griffith Fox, Eliza married John Powell, and she is now deceased: Della who married Abe Hondshall ; she also is deceased.
Jacob I. Clark, of this sketch, grew up on the home farm and he received his education in the district schools of Salem township, Champaign county. He worked with his father on the farm until he was twenty-five years old, then started farming for himself, buying a place of one hundred and eleven acres and he has since made his home on this place, carrying on general farming and stock raising. He later added to his original holdings until he now has one hundred and ninety-seven acres, which he has brought up to a
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high state of improvement and cultivation. He is a breeder of good graded live stock. He feeds the grain raised on his place.
Mr. Clark was married on December 16, 1896, to Lucinda Nincehelser, a daughter of Joseph and Lucinda (Eicholtz) Nincehelser. The death of Mrs. Clark occurred on January 27, 1912, leaving one child, Maryvon Clark. The death of the father of the subject of this sketch occurred on May 6, 1903, but the mother is still living, making her home near Hagenbaugh, Salen township, this county.
Politically, Jacob I. Clark is a Republican. He was a member of the school board in his district for a period of eight years. He is an active member of the Baptist church at Kings Creek and is an ordained deacon of the same.
MAJOR ALEXANDER F. VANCE.
Major Alexander F. Vance, president of the National Bank of Urbana and for years one of the most active and influential figures in the business and civic life of Champaign county, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life with the exception of the period spent in the service of the Union during the Civil War and for about five years afterward when he was engaged in business in New York City. He was born on what is known as the old Eichholtz homestead in Salem township, this county, January 26. 1840, son of Judge Alexander F. Vance and grandson of Gov. Joseph Vance. the latter of whom was a son of Joseph C. Vance, a Virginian and a soldier in the patriot army during the Revolutionary War. The latter became one of the leading factors in the organization of Champaign county, helped to establish Urbana as the county seat, became the first director of the county, served as first clerk and as first recorder and in other ways did much toward establishing a proper social order hereabout in the days of the beginning of things out here on what then was practically the frontier of Western civil- ization. Elsewhere in this volume in a biographical sketch relating to Gov. Joseph Vance, the only resident of Champaign county to become governor of the great state of Ohio, there is set out at considerable length further details of the history of the Vance family, one of the very first families of Champaign county, and the attention of the reader is respectfully invited to a consideration of that sketch in connection with this.
Judge Alexander F. Vance, who served as judge of probate of Cham-
MAJOR ALEXANDER F. VANCE, JR.
JUDGE ALEXANDER F. VANCE.
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paign county longer than any other man ever elected to that office, was a native son of this county, born on the old Vance farm on August 25, 1811, son of Joseph (afterward governor) and Mary ( Lemon) Vance. He grew to manhood in this county and completed his schooling in old Miami Uni- versity. On August 6, 1835, he married Mary R. Ward, a daughter of Col. William Ward, one of the most prominent citizens of this section of Ohio. and after his marriage established his home on what is known as the old Eichholtz farm, where he remained for several years, at the end of which time he moved to Saratoga and was there in charge of a mill until a short time before his father's death in the sunimer of 1852, when he returned to the old home and upon his father's death received the old homestead. There he continued to make his home until 1859, when he moved to Urbana and there engaged in business, opening a hat store in a building at the southeast corner of the square, and was thus engaged at the time of his election to the office of judge of probate for Champaign county in 1860, after which he sold his store. By successive re-elections Judge Vance was retained as judge of probate until 1879, a longer period of service than that of any other incumbent in this office.
When the Civil War broke out Judge Vance raised a company and was elected captain of the same. This command was mustered in at Camp McArthur and Judge Vance tendered its services to the governor, but the state's quota at that time was already filled and the offer could not be accepted. Circumstances prevented Judge Vance from enlisting, but he was repre- sented in the war by four sons. Upon retiring from the bench he continued to make his home in Urbana and there spent his last days, ever active and useful in good works. He and his wife were earnest members of the Presby- terian church, of which he was a ruling elder for many years. The Judge was a Royal Arch and York Rite Mason and a member of the council, Royal and Select Masters, becoming a Royal Arch Mason on May 15, 1845, and a Knight Templar in 1869, and for many years was one of the most promin- ent figures in Masonic circles in this county, an active worker in Harmony Lodge of that order at Urbana. He and his wife lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary and were the parents of thirteen children, of whom eight grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this biographical sketch being William W., Joseph C., John, C. H. Colwell, Mrs. Rev. John Woods, Mrs. Thomas C. Berry and Ella P.
The junior Alexander F: Vance was the third in order of birth of the children born to his parents and was about seventeen years of age when his
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parents moved from the old home farm to Urbana, where he completed his schooling. When eighteen years of age he accepted a clerkship in the dry- goods store of Simon Weaver at Urbana and later became bookkeeper in the office of his uncle, proprietor of the Stony Point mills, serving in that capacity until 1862, when he was made a clerk in the paymaster's department of the Union army and in January, 1865, was promoted to the position of pay- master, with the rank of major of cavalry. Upon the completion of his service in the army Major Vance went to New York City and was there engaged in the wholesale boot and shoe business for five years, at the end of which time he returned to this county and was here engaged in farming until Jannary 1, 1875, when he was elected teller of the old Third National Bank of Urbana. He was afterward made assistant cashier and, upon the death of E. G. Wiley, cashier, on February 28, 1881, he was elected cashier, con- tinuing as such when the Third National was succeeded by the National Bank of Urbana. He was elected vice-president on January 17, 1910, and president on January 10, 1911. For several years also the Major served as president of the Natural Gas Company and has in other ways taken an active part in the business affairs of the city and county. He is a Republican and has for years been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county, but the only public position he has sought was that as a member of the board of education, in which capacity he served for some years, rendering an admir- able service in behalf of the schools.
In February, 1868, Major Alexander F. Vance was united in marriage to Mary Glen Jamieson and to this union has been born one child, a daughter, Louise. wife of Charles Brand, a well-known and substantial farmer of this county. Major Vance is one of the most prominent and distinguished Masons in the state of Ohio, being a member of the supreme council of Sovereign Grand Inspectors-General of the thirty-third and last degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the northern Masonic jurisdiction of the United States of America, the supreme power of the Rite. He became affiliated with the consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, on February 18. 1873, and in 1885 received the thirty-third degree at Boston. In the local bodies of the Masonic order the Major has taken an active part for years and has served as master of his lodge; as high priest of the chapter, Royal Arch Masons ; thrice illustrious master of the council, Royal and Select Masters, and eminent commander of the commandery, Knights Templar. He is one of the best-known and most influential Knights Templar in the state, having served as grand commander of the grand commandery of Ohio.
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It is worthy of note that in this family. grandfather, father and son, the subject, have all been masters of the Harmony Lodge No. 8, Free and Accepted Masons of Urbana, Governor Vance having been master of this lodge in 1815 and again in 1817.
GEORGE W. SHAFER.
George W. Shafer, one of Salem township's best-known and most progressive farmers and stockmen and the proprietor of a fine farm in the Kings Creek neighborhood, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm near Terre Haute, in Mad River township, May 25, 1864, son of Nicholas and Louise (Cook) Shafer, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in this county and both of whom are now dead.
Nicholas Shafer grew up on a farm in his native country and remained there until he was twenty-six years of age, when he came to this country, landing here with but a five-franc piece (one dollar) in his pocket. For a short time after coming to this country he worked as a farm hand in Virginia, receiving for that service twenty-five cents a day. He then made his way over into Ohio and stopped in the Terre Haute neighborhood, in this county. where he worked as a farm hand until his marriage there to Louise Cook. who was born in this county, daughter of pioneer parents, after which he bought a farm and began farming on his own account. His first farm was a tract of one hundred and twenty-five acres, in the vicinity of Terre Haute, where he made his home until 1867, when he moved to Salem township and bought a farm of three hundred and fourteen acres at the point then known as Saratoga. There he established his home and as he prospered in his farming operations added to his holdings until he became the owner of nine hundred and seventy-five acres of land in Salem township and was regarded as one of the most substantial farmers in that part of the county. He also gave much attention to the raising of live stock, particularly sheep, and always had about three hundred head of the latter on his place. Nicholas Shafer died in 1900. His wife had preceded him to the grave about eleven years, her death having occurred in 1889. They were the parents of five children, the subject of this sketch having two sisters, Elizabeth and Martha. and two brothers, Henry and Charles.
George W. Shafer was about three years of age when his parents moved from Mad River township to Salem township and in the latter town-
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ship received his schooling and grew to manhood. From the days of his boyhood he was a valuable aid to his father and brothers in the labors of the home farm and remained on the home farm until his marriage in 1890, when he began farming for himself on a farm north of the place on which he is now living, to which latter place he moved in 1904 and has ever since made his home there. Mr. Shafer is the owner of two hundred and fifty acres, but only farms one hundred and six acres of this himself, renting out the remainder. In addition to his general farming he has long given considerable attention to the raising of hogs, feeding from one hundred to one hundred and fifty head annually, and has done very well. His place is well improved and equipped in truly up-to-date fashion and is regarded as one of the best farms in that neighborhood. Mr. Shafer is a Democrat, but has not been a seeker after public office.
On July 15, 1890, George W. Shafer was united in marriage to Florence Stick, who also was born in Randolph county, Indiana, daughter of Samuel and Mary Stick, and to this union has been born one child, a daughter, Alice, who is at home with her parents. The Shafers are members of the Kings Creek Baptist church and take a proper interest in the affairs of the same, as well as in the general good works of the community, helpful in advancing all worthy causes thereabout. Fraternally, Mr. Shafer is affiliated with the Urbana lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that popular organization.
ALBERT L. HUNTER.
The late Albert L. Hunter, who died at his home in Salem township in 1909, and whose widow is now living at Kings Creek, was born in that town- ship and there spent all his life, becoming one of the most substantial farm- ers in that community. He was born on a pioneer farm in that township in 1845, son of Nathaniel C. and Helen M. ( Purdy) Hunter, prominent resi- dents of that community, the former of whom also was born there, on the old Hunter homestead, son of John and Jane ( Humphries) Hunter, the former of whom was born in Virginia, son of Nathaniel and Ann ( Porter) Hunter, natives of Ireland, who came to this county after their marriage and settled in Virginia, where they remained until 1910, when they came to this state and after a brief residence in Madison county came over into Champaign county and established tlteir home in Salem township, where they spent the
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remainder of their lives. In a memorial sketch relating to the late Nathaniel C. Hunter, father of the subject of this memorial sketch, presented elsewhere in this volume, there is set out at considerable length something of the his- tory of the Hunter family in this county and to that interesting narrative the reader is respectfully referred for additional details in this connection.
Reared on the old home place, Albert L. Hunter received his early schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and supplemented the same by a course in the college at Delaware. From the days of his boyhood he had been a valuable aid to his father in the labors of the farm and after his marriage in the late fall of 1876 he established his home on the old home place and there continued farming for five years, at the end of which time he took a farm in the vicinity of Cable, where he remained for nine years. He then moved back to the old Hunter farm, bought two hundred acres of the same, and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in August, 1909, he then being sixty-two years of age. Albert L. Hunter was an excellent farmer and did well at his farming operations, developing a fine farm. He was a Republican and ever gave a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but had not been a seeker after public office. He was a member of the Mt. Tabor Methodist Episcopal church, as is his widow, and took a proper part in all neighborhood good works.
In November, 1876, Albert L. Hunter was united in marriage to Mary Frances North, who also was born in Salem township, on the old North home- stead, a daughter of Abel and Elizabeth (Herr) North, the latter of whom is still living, now making her home at Kings Creek. The late Abel North and his wife were the parents of ten children, of whom Mrs. Hunter was the first-born, the others being as follow: Lucy, who married J. S. Ewing and is now deceased; Adelaide and Adrelina, twins, the former of whom mar- ried J. N. Fields and is now living at Cleveland, and the latter of whom was burned to death when twelve years of age: Sarah Elizabeth, who died at the age of seventeen years; Charles L., who is now farming the old North home place : Cora, now deceased, who was the wife of Prof. John Hamilton, super- intendent of the city schools at Cincinnati; William North, a prominent attorney at Cincinnati; Grant, who died in youth, and Birdie, wife of Prof. D. C. Bryant, principal of schools at Columbus.
To Albert L. and Mary Frances ( North) Hunter, four children were born, namely : Grace, who married Quinn M. Yocum, a farmer, of Salem township, and has two children, daughters, Helen M. and Margaret E .: Edna, who married Alva Kiser, of Troy, this state, and has three children, Truman A., Paul and Mary V .: Fern P., born on November 22, 1882. who
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. married the Rev. Milton S. Swisher, a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, now living in Illinois, and died on November 13, 1905, leaving one child, a daughter, Dorothy, who is now making her home with her grand- mother, Mrs. Hunter, and Sarah Elsa, who married Daniel C. Lemon, a farmer, living in the neighborhood of St. Paris, in this county, and has two children, Mildred and Donald. Besides these children, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter have an adopted son, John Hunter, who is now farming the home place. Some time after the death of her husband Mrs. Hunter moved to Kings Creek, where she is now living and where she is very comfortably and very pleas- antly situated.
THOMAS RAWLINGS.
The late Thomas Rawlings, for years one of Champaign county's best- known and most substantial farmers, who died at his delightful farm home on Pretty Prairie, in Urbana township, in the fall of 1912, was a native son of this county and lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in Urbana township, August 28, 1836, son of James and Susanna (McRoberts) Rawlings, the former of whom was born in the state of Kentucky and the latter in this county, whose last days were spent on their farm in Urbana township.
James Rawlings was but a child when his parents came up here from Kentucky and settled on a tract of land in Urbana township, this county. becoming useful and influential pioneers of the Pretty Prairie neighborhood. He grew to manhood on that farm and married Susanna McRoberts, who was born in this county, daughter of pioneer parents, and after his marriage established his home on a farm on the Springfield pike, in Urbana township, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow: William J. W., now deceased, who married Electa Mumper, now living in Urbana, and a memorial sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume; Mary, who married Thomas M. Todd, a farmer of Urbana township, and who, as well as her husband, is now-dead; Elizabethi J., widow of John P. Knight, a farmer of Urbana township and a memorial sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; James, now deceased, who was a farmer in Urbana township and who married Laura Townley, who also is now deceased, and Douglas W.,
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also deceased, whose widow, who was Alice Townley, now lives in Spring- field.
Reared on the home farm in Urbana township, Thomas Rawlings received his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant to his father and brothers in the labors of developing and improving the home place, remaining there until his marriage in the spring of 1864, when he established a home of his own on a farm on Pretty Prairie, where he spent the remainder of his life, successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising, long ago becoming recognized as one of the substantial farmers of that community. Mr. Rawlings was a Republican and ever took a good citizen's interest in local political affairs, but was not a seeker after public office. He built up an excellent farm and at the time of his death on September 18, 1912, left his widow in good cir- cumstances.
It was in March, 1864, that Thomas Rawlings was united in marriage to Sarah Emily Humes, also a native of this county, born on a farm on Dugan Prairie, in Union township, a daughter of Samuel and Mary .I. (McNeill) Humes, both of whom were born in Virginia and who came out here after their marriage and settled on Dugan Prairie, becoming substantial and useful pioneers of Union township, and spent the rest of their lives on their well-improved farms. Mrs. Humes died at the age of sixty-seven and Mr. Humes survived her for some years, he being eighty-four years of age at the time of his death. They were earnest members of the Buck Creek Presbyterian church, of which congregation Mr. Humes was for fifty years an elder, and their children were reared in the faith of that communion. There were ten of these children, of whom Mrs. Rawlings was the sixth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Sidney Elizabeth, who was born in Virginia shortly before her parents came to this county and who married Charles Stanbury and went to Illinois, where she spent the rest of her life: John Seymour, who married Caroline Porter and also spent his last days in Illinois; Nancy Margaret, who died unmarried; Samuel R., who also died nnmarried: David Merrill, who went to the front as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and died in service: William Andrew, who married Elizabeth Price and is also deceased: James Calvin, who died in his youth ; Mary Eliza, who also died young, and Edwin K., a retired farmer, now living in Urbana, who married Caroline Mumma and has had five children. Crystal (deceased), Florence, Blanche, Bertha and Homer.
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