USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 4
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Mr. Deaton was married to Mabel West, December 23, 1898. Mrs. Deaton was born in Jackson township and is the daughter of George W. and Ellen (Breslin) West, both of whom also were born in that township.
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Her parents were members of pioneer families in that part of the county, and spent all their lives there, her mother dying on March 5, 1916, at the age of fifty-nine years, and .her father about five weeks later, April 13, 1916, at the age of sixty years.
Mr. and Mrs. Deaton have a pleasant home at Urbana on Lafayette avenue. They have always taken an earnest interest in the general social and cultural activities of the community. Mr. Deaton is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias, and of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
CHARLES D. CONOVER.
The Hon. Charles D. Conover, of Urbana, twice representative from this county to the Ohio state Legislature and former speaker of the House of Representatives, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here nearly all his life. He was born on a farm in Salem township on March 21, 1881, son of Nicholas and Mary (Murphy) Conover, the former of whom was born in the state of New Jersey and the latter in this county, whose last days were spent at Bellefontaine, in the neighboring county of Logan.
Nicholas Conover was but a lad when his parents came to Champaign county from New Jersey and settled on a farm in Salem township. There he grew to manhood and married, starting farming operations on his own account in Salem township. He later moved to the adjoining county of Madison, but after a brief residence there moved to Logan county and began farming in the Middlesburg neighborhood, but presently returned to Salem township, this county, and was there engaged in farming until his retirement and removal to Bellefontaine, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there in February, 1905. His widow survived him for more than twelve years, her death occurring on April 20, 1917. They were the parents of five children, those besides the subject of this sketch, the fourth in order of birth, being Clarence, Edgar, John and Mattie.
Charles D. Conover's early schooling was received in the district schools of Salem township and in the high school at Middlesburg, after which he for some time was in attendance at the Ohio State Normal at Ada and at Ohio Wesleyan University. Upon leaving college Mr. Conover became en- gaged in teaching school and was for ten years thus engaged, seven years of which time was spent as superintendent of the schools at Kings Creek,
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there conducting the first consolidated township school established in Cham- paign county. Meanwhile, Mr. Conover had been giving considerable atten- tion to the reading of law during his vacations and was also giving his close attention to local political affairs and the affairs of the state in gen- eral. In 1912 he was elected to represent this district in the state Legislature and his service in the succeeding session was so eminently satisfactory to his constituents and the public at large that he was re-elected in 1914 and in the following session was elected speaker of the House, the first time such an honor had ever been conferred upon a representative from Cham- paign county.
In 1903 Charles D. Conover was united in marriage to Florence Gail Stokes, daughter of George W. and Marie Elizabeth (Cowgill) Stokes, and to this union two children have been born, Richard and one who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Conover are members of the Methodist Protestant church and take a proper part in church affairs, as well as in the general social and cultural affairs of the community. Mr. Conover is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same. Politically, he is a Republican and has for years been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county and throughout this part of the state.
BISHOP S. E. ALLGYER.
The Rev. S. E. Allgyer, pastor of the Oak Grove Mennonite church in Salem township, this county, a Mennonite bishop, field worker of the Mennonite board of missions and charities in the United States and Canada and for years one of the best-known figures in that communion in this country, is a native of the old Keystone state, but has been a resident of this county since he was sixteen years of age. He was born in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1859. son of Joseph and Barbara (Zook) Allgyer, also natives of that state and earnest members of the Mennonite colony in Mifflin county, who came to this county in 1875 and settled on a farm in Salem township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Upon coming to Champaign county, Joseph Allgyer bought a farm of one hundred and fifty-four acres in Salem township and there established his home, farming there until his death in 1884. His widow survived him for about eighteen years, her death occurring in 1902. They were the parents of five children, four of whom are still living, but of whom the subject of
.
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this sketch is the only one now residing in this county, he having three sisters, Mrs. Nancy Harshberger, Mrs. Hannah Mattler and Mrs. Joseph E. Zook, residing in the neighboring county of Logan.
S. E. Allgyer was about sixteen years of age when he came to this county with his parents from Pennsylvania in 1875 and his schooling was completed in this county. From boyhood he was an earnest student and in addition to his labors on the home farm, after he left school, he continued his studies, with particular reference to the work of the church, and in 1905 he was chosen by the congregation of the Oak Grove Mennonite church to serve them as pastor, and he was formally ordained to the ministry of the Mennonite faith. In that new relation he rendered such faithful and val- uable service, that he soon began to attract the attention of the church at large and in 1908 he was created a bishop in the church at Oak Grove. In the meantime Bishop Allgyer had been continuing his farming operations on the home place and some time after the death of his mother bought the interests of his sisters in the place, becoming proprietor of the same. He not only is a good preacher, but an excellent farmer and as he prospered in his operations added to the home place until he became the owner of two hundred and forty-two acres of excellent land there. In 1912 Bishop All- gyer retired from the active labors of the farm and has since been devoting his undivided attention to the affairs of the church, his evangelistic labors calling him to all parts of the country, his services as bishop also taking him into Canada, and he thus has become one of the most widely recognized features in that communion in the country. The Bishop also is field worker of the Mennonite board of missions and charities, an international organi- zation covering both the United States and Canada. His work consists of looking after the missions of the church and soliciting funds. The Men- nonites have a strong organization at Oak Grove and during his active min- istrations there Bishop Allgyer has done much to extend the cause of the church locally, as well as throughout the country at large.
On January 18, 1883, Bishop Allgyer was united in marriage to Pris- cilla Umble, daughter of Jacob and Barbara Umble, of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and to that union eight children have been born, Eva May, Barbara E., Maude, J. Roy, Anna M., Ruth E., S. Maurice and John Mark. Eva Allgyer married N. E. Troyer and has two children, Luella and Ray- mond. Barbara E. Allgyer married Earl M. Yoder and has two children, Olive and Roy. Maude Allgyer married Daniel C. Yoder and has three children, Geneva, Richard and Marie. J. Roy Allgyer was graduated from the agricultural department of Ohio State University in 1917 and then was
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chosen as instructor in agriculture in the schools at Plattsburg, Ohio, for the following school year. . All the children have had good educational ad- vantages and J. Roy and Barbara have taught school in their home town- ship. The Bishop and his family have a delightful home and have ever taken a proper part in the general social and cultural activities of the com- munity in which they live, helpful in many ways in promoting movements designed to advance the common welfare thereabout.
DAVID McMORRAN.
The biographical section of this work will contain no more interesting account of any citizen of Champaign county than that of David McMorran, president of the Central National Bank at Paris, and who for many years engaged in general farming. He was born in Johnson township, this county, July 18, 1850, the son of Christian and Sarah ( Loudenbach ) McMorran. Christian MeMorran was born in Jackson township, this county, and Sarah McMorran was born in Mad River township. Samuel T. McMorran father of Christian, was born in Scotland and came to the United States when a boy. He married in Indiana and some time later set- tled in Jackson township, south of St. Paris. He acquired large and val- nable tracts of land, north and south of that place. Samuel McMorran was the father of five sons and one daughter, all of whom are now deceased. He was an active member of the Baptist church and rendered valuable serv- ices in many directions to the neighborhood in general.
Christian McMorran grew up in the vicinity where he was born and attended an old log school house. After his marriage he settled down on part of his father's farm. He finally accumulated an excellent farm of about six hundred acres of prime land and became prosperous in all his under- takings. He was the father of eight children, as follow: Ellen, who be- came the wife of Jason Kiser; David, the subject of this sketch; Barbara, the wife of Sebastian Nixon, and Simeon, born to his first marriage. By his marriage to Susan Loudenbach, he became the father of John P .. of Johnson township; Stella, wife of O. P. Mitchell, Huntington county, In- diana ; Mary, wife of William Heater, of St. Paris, and Abraham, deceased.
David McMorran was reared on a farm in Johnson township and educated in the common schools of the district. He remained at home until he was about twenty-one and then worked out at farming, being thus
David. 19. Herran & wife
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engaged for about two years. On October 26, 1873. David McMorran was umited in marriage to Susan Norman, who was born in Johnson township on June 24, 1850, and who was educated in the common schools. About that time Mr. McMorran bought thirty-six acres of land, for which he paid three thousand six hundred dollars, going in debt for the purchase money and paying interest at the rate of ten per cent. for the debt. He later added ninety-eight acres to his original purchase and is now the owner of two hundred and seventy acres of prime land.
To Mr. and Mrs. McMorran three children were born, one of whom died in infancy, the others being. Dollie B., who became the wife of C. A. WViant, of Johnson township, and Don, who married Pearl Perfect and now lives in Jackson township. The McMorran family are members of the Baptist church of St. Paris, of which Mr. McMorran has served as one of the deacons for several years and has always been active in church work. He is a Republican and has served as trustee of his township.
Mr. McMorran was one of the founders of the Central National Bank at St. Paris and helped to organize it. He was the first president, which official position he still holds. He is also a director in the St. Paris Grain Company and owns three business rooms in the same town. He is a stock- holder in the National Insurance Company and is interested in other local business interests, also owning a half section of land in Texas.
ISAAC I. ARROWSMITH.
The late Isaac I. Arrowsmith, for years one of Champaign county's best-known and most substantial farmers, who was living retired in the city of Urbana at the time of his death on November 13, 1913, was a native son of this county and was an honored veteran of the Civil War. He was born on a pioneer farm in Mad River township, February 6, 1844, son of Wesley and Susanna Arrowsmith. Wesley Arrowsmith was a farmer and mill owner, living four miles west of Urbana, and he and his wife were the parents of four children, those besides Isaac, the youngest, being Mary Jane, Elizabeth and Miller, all deceased.
Upon completing the course in the local schools, Isaac I. Arrowsmith took a course in a commercial college. Though but a boy when the Civil War broke out he enlisted for service in the Union army and served during the hundred-days service as a member of Company A, One Hundred and
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Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He later became a farmer on his own account and on November 3, 1868, married Amanda J. Powell, daughter of James D. and Minerva (Hill) Powell, members of pioneer families in Champaign county and further and fitting mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. After his marriage Mr. Arrow- smith farmed the old Arrowsmith farm in Mad River township until 1909, when he retired from the active labors of the farm and he and his wife moved to Urbana, where he spent his last days, his death occurring, as noted above. in 1913, and where she is still living. She is a member of the Presbyterian church and has ever taken an earnest interest in church work. Mr. Arrowsmith was a Republican and ever gave a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but was not included in the office-seeking class. He was a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and took a warm interest in the affairs of that organization. As a member of Brand Post No. 98, Grand Army of the Republic, at Urbana, he took an active interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization and in all ways did his part as a good citizen in the promotion of the best interests of the community in which he spent all his life.
To Isaac I. and Amanda J. (Powell) Arrowsmith two children were born, James I., living on the old home place in Mad River township, who married Bessie Craig and has one child, a son, Marion Powell Arrowsmith. and Minerva A., who married Jesse Lewis, living on the old Powell homestead, and has two children, Emma Jane and Charles Richard Lewis.
DUNCAN BURTON McDONALD.
The late Duncan Burton McDonald, former treasurer of Champaign county and for many years one of the best-known merchants at Urbana. who died at his home in that city in the summer of 1915 and whose widow is still living there, was born in that city and there spent all his life, an important factor in the commercial and political life of the community, even as his father before him had been. He was born on April 7, 1844, son of Duncan B. and Hester ( Heylin) McDonald, both of whom were born in this state, the former in Ross county and the latter in Urbana. members of pioneer families, and whose last days were spent in Urbana, the latter dying in 1887 and the former in 1891.
Elsewhere in this volume, in a memorial sketch relating to the senior
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Duncan B. McDonald, who for many years was one of the leading mer- chants of Urbana, there is set out at considerable length the history of this branch of the McDonald family in America and the reader is referred to that narrative in this connection, it being sufficient here to state that the senior Duncan B. McDonald was a son of Archibald and Margaret ( McDon- ald) McDonald, natives of Scotland, the former born in Glencoe and the latter in Sutherland, who were married in this country and became early residents of Ohio, settling on the banks of Paint creek, in the vicinity of the present city of Chillicothe, in Ross county, about the beginning of the past century, and it was there, in that pioneer home, that Duncan B. McDonald was born in 1802. Archibald McDonald was born in 1759 and was but a boy when he came to the American colonies with his parents, William and Elizabeth (Douglas) McDonald, also natives of Scotland, born in Suther- landshire. Though but sixteen years of age when the colonists began their war for independence, Archibald McDonald shortly afterward enlisted his services in behalf of the patriots and served in that cause until the end of the war. When eighteen years of age, in 1820, Duncan B. McDonald en- tered upon his commercial career at Urbana, as a clerk in the store of Marcus Heylin, whose daughter he later married, and he presently became a part owner of the store, later, in association with his brothers, William and Colin McDonald, establishing the dry-goods store, which came to be the leading mercantile establishment in Urbana. Marcus Heylin, father of Hester Heylin, mother of the subject of this sketch, was one of the early merchants of Urbana and in the days of the beginning of his commercial activities there, his place was one of the most popular Indian trading posts in this whole region.
Reared in Urbana, Duncan Burton McDonald received his schooling in that city and upon leaving high school entered his father's mercantile estab- lishment and was for a short time there engaged, but after awhile decided to take up farming as a vocation and with this end in view began farming on a quarter of a section of land south of Urbana and was thus engaged for several years, at the end of which time he disposed of his farming interests and moved to Muncie, Indiana, where he became engaged in the grocery business. Several years later he returned to Urbana and opened a grocery store on "the Square" and there continued actively engaged in the grocery business until his retirement from business thirty years later. In the mean- time he had been elected treasurer of Champaign county, serving in that public capacity for five years. Not long after his retirement from office he
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sold his store and the rest of his life was spent in quiet retirement, his death occurring in July, 1915, he then being in the seventy-second year of his age. During the Civil War Mr. McDonald participated in the hundred- days service as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, in the affairs of which organiza- tion he took a warm interest. Politically, he was a Republican and by reli- gious persuasion and inheritance was a Presbyterian, for years serving as a deacon of the local congregation of that church.
In 1866 Duncan Burton McDonald was united in marriage to Laura E. Lamme, who was born in Bethel township, in the neighboring county of Clark, daughter of William A. and Eliza (Harr) Lamme, the former of whom was born in that same township and the latter in Urbana, a daughter of Daniel Harr, a pioneer tavern-keeper at Urbana, his tavern having been located on the present site of the postoffice in that city, but who later moved to Springfield. David Harr was a son of James Harr, a soldier of the patriot army during the Revolutionary War. William A. Lamme was a son of John and Sarah Lamme, natives of Virginia, the former of whom took part in the War of 1812, serving in Hull's army, and who became pioneers of Clark county, this state. William A. Lamme continued farming in Clark county until the death of his wife, after which he made his home with his children, his death occurring at the home of a daughter in Chicago. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom but three are now living, Mrs. McDonald having a sister, Caroline, living at Portland, Oregon, and a brother, Edwin H. Lamme, a successful lawyer at San Diego, California.
To Duncan B. and Laura E. (Lamme) McDonald were born two sons, Robert Heylin and William Lamme, the latter of whom died years ago. Herbert H. McDonald married Helen James, of Memphis, Tennessee, and has two sons, Clarence Heylin and James Duncan. Clarence H. McDonald married Isabel Wagar and has one child, a daughter, Elizabeth Wagar. James D. McDonald married Irene Gardner. Since the death of her hus- band Mrs. McDonald has continued to make her home at Urbana, where she is very pleasantly situated. She is a member of the Presbyterian church and has ever taken an interested part in the work of the church, as well as in the general good works and social and cultural activities of her home city, she and her husband having been helpful in promoting such move- ments as were designed to advance the common welfare of the community.
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GRIFFITH ELLIS.
The late Griffith Ellis, who for years was one of the best-known mer- chants and public men at Urbana, who died at his home in that city in the fall of 1912 and whose widow is still living there, was a native of the prin- cipality of Wales, but had been a resident of this country since the days of his boyhood, the greater part of his life having been spent at Urbana, where he entered upon his successful business career at the age of sixteen years. He was born in the year 1830 and when ten years of age came to the United States with an uncle, who settled on a farm in the vicinity of Columbus, this state.
When he was sixteen years of age Griffith Ellis was offered a position as a clerk in the old Gwynn mercantile establishment at Urbana and ac- cepted the same, his residence at Urbana dating from that time. Displaying an unusual aptitude for business, two years later he was given a partnership in the firm and several years later became the sole owner of the store, which he continued to operate for a short time and then sold out and went to New York City, where he became engaged in the wholesale shoe business. A few years later Mr. Ellis returned to Urbana and there opened a mer- chant-tailoring establishment, which he continued to operate until his election to the office of county treasurer of Champaign county in 1880. He served the public in that important capacity for four years and was then elected .clerk of court, a position he occupied for six years. Mr. Ellis was a stanch Republican and for many years was regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this state. He voted for John C. Fremont, the Republican party's first nominee for President, and ever after took an active part in the affairs of the party, serving for some time as chairman of the Champaign county central committee. Governor Foster appointed him a member of the board of governors of the Ohio state penitentiary and he also served for some time as financial officer of the state institution at Dayton, later returning to his established home at Urbana, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there in November, 1912. At one time MIr. Ellis was nominated by the congressional convention as the Republican candidate for Congress from this district, but he declined the nomination. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church at Urbana, a York Rite Mason and a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
In 1857 Griffith Ellis was united in marriage to Jane Hoge Woods, daughter of Robert T. Woods and wife, of Urbana, and to this union nine
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children were born, of whom five are still living, namely: Mrs. Jennie E. Gibbons, of Ann Arbor, Michigan; Miss Sophia R. Ellis, a teacher of Latin in the Brooklyn high school for girls at Brooklyn, New York; Griffith Ogden Ellis, of Detroit, Michigan, publisher of the American Boy, a popular mag- azine for juveniles and in which company he owns the controlling stock; Miss Melvina K. Ellis, of Urbana, and Mrs. Louise R. Inslee, a member of the faculty of the Emma Willard School for Girls at Troy, New York.
HENRY M. PEARCE, M. D.
Dr. Henry M. Pearce, of Urbana, former county physician and city health officer and for years the local surgeon for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, was born in Urbana and has lived there all his life, continuously engaged in the practice of his profession there since receiving his medical degree in 1890. He was born on December 20, 1868, son of Dr. Henry C. and Sarah Jane ( Morgan ) Pearce, the former of whom for many years was one of the best-known physicians and medical instructors in the state of Ohio.
The late Dr. Henry C. Pearce, who died at his home in Urbana on December 2, 1891, also was a native son of Champaign county, born on a farm in Union township, on April 10, 1833, son of Harvey C. and Beulah ( Barrett) Pearce, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families. Harvey C. Pearce was born in 1805, son of Thomas and Elizabeth ( Collins) Pearce, who were among the very earliest settlers of Champaign county. Thomas Pearce, a soldier of the patriot army dur- ing the Revolutionary War, moved from New York State to Maryland after the war and later came to Ohio and settled in the then wilds of Cham- paign county, he and his wife becoming influential pioneers of the new com- munity and here spending the rest of their lives. Harvey C. Pearce grew to manhood on the pioneer farm on which he was born and married Beulah Barrett, who also was born in this county, in 1809, a daughter of Capt. Abner Barrett, one of the very early settlers of Champaign county, who later served as an officer during the War of 1812. For some time after his marriage, Harvey C. Pearce continued farming and then moved to Urbana and was for many years thereafter engaged in the shoe business in that city, the rest of his life being spent there, his death occurring in 1891. His wife had preceded him about six years, her death occurring in 1885. Harvey
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