History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 44

Author: Middleton, Evan P., ed
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1338

USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 44

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H. H. Brecount grew to manhood on the paternal farm in Johnson town- ship, this county, and was living there when the Civil War broke out. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted for service in the Union army and went to the front as a member of Company C. Ninety-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until the close of the war, being mustered out as a non-commissioned officer. During this period of service (28a)

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Mr. Brecount spent a good deal of time on detached duty and for eight months was commissary sergeant of the First Brigade. Upon the com- pletion of his military service Mr. Brecount returned home and remained there until the spring of 1866, when he moved over into the adjoining county of Miami and was there engaged in farming and stock raising until 1873. when he returned to the old home place in Johnson township and there estab- lished his home, continuing his farming operations until his retirement from the farm in 1907 and removal to St. Paris, where he has since made his home and where he is very comfortably situated. Mr. Brecount has a well- improved farm of one hundred and ninety acres in Johnson township and continues to give the same his general personal supervision. For years he was actively engaged in the buying and selling of horses and is still doing quite a bit of business along that line. In addition to his general farming he also gave considerable attention to the raising of high-grade cattle and large draft horses, the latter being his "long suit." Since his removal to St. Paris he has continued actively engaged as a cattle buyer.

Mr. Brecount is a Republican and from the days of his youth has been actively identified with the political affairs of this part of the state, for many years having been regarded as one of the leaders of his party hereabout. In 1897 he was elected representative from this district to the state Legislature and served a term in that important public capacity, his service in the House being marked by the most careful and intelligent attention to the needs of the public. At the time of the organization of the movement for the creation of the Children's Home Mr. Brecount was made one of the trustees of the Home and served in that capacity for eleven years. In other ways he also has done his part in the public service, ever helpful in promoting all movements hay- ing to do with the advancement of the common welfare. He is an active member of H. C. Scott Post. Grand Army of the Republic, at St. Paris, and has on several occasions served as delegate from that post to the state encamp- ments of that patriotic organization. Mr. Brecount was a steward for forty- one years in the Methodist church at Lena, this state, and has always been active in church work.

On October 27. 1908, H. H. Brecount was united in marriage to Edwina White, daughter of David W. and Caroline ( Anderson ) White, members of old families in Ohio. By a former marriage Mr. Brecount became the father of the following children: Oliver Stanage Brecount, who was killed in a railway wreck in 1907; Mary Jane, wife of Grant McMorran, of St. Paris: Elizabeth, wife of Frank Deweese, of Conover, Ohio, and Lucy, wife of George Baldwin, of St. Paris. The branch of the White family with which

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Mrs. Brecount is connected is of colonial descent, dating back to the days of the Pilgrim Fathers, a White, of that line, having been governor of one of the first colonies established on American soil.

JOSEPH W. BRUNK.

Joseph W. Brunk, a well-known retired carpenter and contractor at Urbana and a veteran of the Civil War, whose service was rendered in the Confederate army, is a native of the Old Dominion, but has been a resident of Ohio most of the time since the close of the Civil War and of this county since the year 1871. He was born at Harrisonburg, Virginia, January 22. 1837, son of Joseph and Mary Frances ( Elliott) Brunk, the former of whom was a native of Germany and the latter of Scotland. Joseph Brunk came to this country in the days of his young manhood and settled in Virginia. where he married and where he spent his last days, his death occurring there about 1841, when the subject of this sketch was but a child.

Reared in Virginia. Joseph W. Brunk received his schooling in the schools of that state and when the Old Dominion withdrew from the Union he enlisted for service in the army of the Confederate States of America and went to the front as a private in Company H, Tenth Regiment, Virginia Cavalry, with which command he served for about four years, or until the close of the war, being promoted to the rank of sergeant. He participated in the first battle of Bull Run and in numerous of the most important engage- ments of the war. Upon the completion of his military service, Mr. Brunk came to Ohio and located at Lancaster, where he was engaged in the hard- ware business for a couple of years, at the end of which time he went to Missouri, where he bought a half section of land and was there engaged in farming for a few years. He then returned to Ohio and engaged in carpen- ter work at Dayton, presently moving from there to Salem, where he remained until 1871, in which year he came to Champaign county and bought a small farm in Salem township, north of Urbana. For two years after coming here Mr. Brunk worked his farm, at the same time engaging in the work of a building contractor, and after a couple of years of that double form of activ- ity gave his whole attention to contracting and was thus engaged at Urbana until his retirement from a business a few years ago. Much of his contract work was done for the Illinois Car Works, though he also was quite success- ful in his work as a general contractor and became one of the best-known

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contractors in the building line in this part of the state, many of the import- ant buildings in Urbana and in Champaign county having been erected by him. Mr. Brunk is a Democrat and has for years given his close attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.

On August 16, 1877, some years after coming to this county, Joseph W. Brunk was united in marriage to Elizabeth Englehardt, of Salem townhsip, who was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and who was but a child when her parents, Thomas and Phoebe Ann (Hines) Englehardt, came to this county and settled on a farm in Salem township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. To this union have been born two daughters and one son, Nora, wife of E. O. Blose; Ida May, wife of Oscar Sumly, and Pearl, who married Fay Millner, who is a machinist by trade and residing in Springfield, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Brunk are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a warm interest in church work. They have a pleas- ant home in Urbana and have ever taken a proper interest in the city's general social activities, helpful in promoting good works.

ALBERT M. BERRY.

A prominent farmer and substantial citizen of Champaign county, who has been a life-long resident of the county, is Albert M. Berry, living on his farm, one and one-half miles southwest of Westville, on rural route No. 9, along the Urbana and Troy road. He was born on a farm in Concord township, one and one-half miles north of Millerstown, October 12, 1860, and is a son of Achory and Angeline (Kite) Berry, both of whom were also natives of Champaign county.

Achory Berry was born in Johnson township, on a farm near Millers- town, his parents being among the early settlers of this part of the county. coming here from Virginia. Angeline Kite was born in Mad River town- ship, her parents being also among the pioneers of the county, coming from Pennsylvania in an early day. After his marriage, Achory Berry and his wife settled on a farm in Mad River township, known as the Kite farn, where they lived for a few years, after which they purchased a farm in Concord, where they lived until their son, Albert M., was fifteen years old, at which time the elder Berry purchased the farm where the subject of this sketch is now living, and here they lived until the death of Mrs. Berry in 1894. Two years before his death, Achory Berry retired to Tremont,

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Clark county, Ohio, where his death occurred in the spring of 1903. They were the parents of five children, of whom three are now living: George. who died at the age of five years; Monroe, living in California; Albert M .. of this sketch; Minnie, who died June 7, 1917, was the wife of Charles Straub, of Springfield, Ohio; Nannie, who was the wife of Frank Wiant, is deceased. Achory Berry and wife were earnest and devoted members of the Baptist church, and always took an active and interested part in the affairs of the Myrtle Tree church, in which Mr. Berry served as deacon for many years. He was a Democrat in politics, and firm in his belief in the principles of that party, although not an office seeker. He was an indus- trious and successful farmer, having started out in life with nothing, and accumulating one hundred and fifty acres of fine farming land by his own efforts.

Albert M. Berry lived on the farm in Concord township with his parents until he reached the age of fifteen years, receiving his elementary education in the public schools of that township. He accompanied his parents when they moved to the farm in Mad River township, where he grew to manhood. After his marriage he located first on the home farm where he lived until 1901. when he moved to a farm in Clark county, which he owned. In 1903 he returned to the home farm in Mad River township, where he has since lived. Here he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and is very suc- cessful in his chosen calling.

On September 13, 1884, Albert M. Berry was married to Victoria Pence. the daughter of Amos and Clarinda ( Browning ) Pence, and to this union two sons have been born: Willard A., born July 10, 1886, was killed by accident in 1911, leaving a widow, Ella May Muller and one child, Mary C .: Floyd J., farmer, born July 27, 1894, married Janette McMorran, and they have one daughter, Mamie Victoria. The family are all faithful members of the Myrtle Tree Baptist church, in the affairs of which they take an active and interested part. Mrs. Berry's father was a native of this county, his parents having come here from Virginia in an early day. Her mother was a daughter of William Browning, who was also a Virginian by birth, who came from that state to Ohio with the early pioneers, settling in Delaware county, where Mrs. Berry's mother grew to womanhood. She came as a young woman to Champaign county, where she met and married Amos Pence.

Mr. Berry is a Democrat in politics, but takes no active part in political matters, although warmly interested in all local public affairs.

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DAVID E. TAYLOR.

D. E. Taylor, a well-known and substantial farmer of Champaign county and former deputy county auditor, now living on the old Sowers farm three- fourths of a mile north of Westville, in Mad River township, was born on a farm not far west of where he is now living, in that same township, and has lived in this county all his life. He was born on July 24, 1870, son of Simeon and Susan (Ward) Taylor, both of whom also were born in that same township, Mad River, and the latter of whom is still living.

The late Simeon Taylor, former auditor of Champaign county, was born on a pioneer farm in Mad River township, this county, June 7, 1838. a son of Benjamin and Sarah ( Miller) Taylor, the former a native of Ten- nessee and the latter of Virginia, the Taylors and the Millers having been among the early settlers of Champaign county. It was in 1816 that John Taylor, father of Benjamin Taylor, came to this county with his family from Tennessee and settled in Mad River township and in that same year Valentine Miller came with his family from Virginia and also settled in Mad River township, the two families early becoming recognized as among the leaders in the pioneer life of that community. Reared on the home farm in Mad River township, Simeon Taylor received his early schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and supplemented the same by a course in a business college in Cleveland. later becoming engaged as a school teacher in his home township, teaching durig the winter and farming during the summers, and was thus engaged for ten years, teaching for eight years in one school. He was ever active in local political affairs, for years a leader in the Democratic party in his part of the county, and in 1889 was elected auditor of the county. While serving in that public capacity Mr. Taylor made his home in Urbana, but upon completing his term of service returned to his farm in Mad River township and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there on September 28, 1914. In addition to his extensive farming interests Mr. Taylor had long given considerable atten- tion to general business affairs and at the time of his death was presi- dent of the Citizens National Bank of Urbana, a position he had held for some years. He also was one of the organizers of the Peoples Savings and Building Association at Urbana and was president of that institution. He was a past noble grand of Urbana Lodge No. 46, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a member of the local Grange, and in the affairs of both of these organizations took a warm interest. He had been a member of

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the Methodist Episcopal church at Westville since 1872 and for thirty-eight years had served as superintendent of the Sunday school of that church.

It was on October 1, 1863, that Simeon Taylor was united in marriage to Susan Ward, who also was born in Mad River township, this county, daughter of Noah and Lydia (Smith) Ward, both of whom also were born in this county and the former of whom for some time served as major of militia. Major Noah Ward and wife were the parents of five children, of · whom Mrs. Taylor is now the only survivor. To Simeon and Susan (Ward) Taylor five children were born, of whom two are now deceased, A. W. Taylor, who was married (his wife also now being deceased), and Laura, who was the wife of Gerald Colbert, of Mad River township; the survivors being Bertha, wife of Robert Lee Grimes, of Westville; D. E. Taylor, the subject of this sketch, and Floy, wife of Floyd Garrett, also of Mad River township. Mrs. Taylor is a member of the Westville Methodist Episcopal church and has for many years been one of the leaders in the good works of that congregation.

Reared on the home farin in Mad River township, D. E. Taylor was well trained in the ways of farming during the days of his boyhood and was a valued assistant in the labors of the farm. He completed his schooling in the Urbana high school and upon his father's entrance upon the duties of the office of county auditor he was made deputy auditor and served in that capacity during the incumbency of his father. He had married about the time of his entrance into the auditor's office and upon the completion of that term of service he returned to Westville and for a year thereafter was engaged in operating the grain elevator at that place. He then, in 1893, took charge of a farm west of Westville, the farm now occupied by Charles Buell, and was there engaged in farming for two years, at the end of which time he returned to the old Taylor home farm, where he remained until 1902, in which year he moved to the farm he now occupies, three-fourths of a mile north of Westville, and there has since made his home, he and his wife being very comfortably and very pleasantly situated. Mr. Taylor is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-eight acres and his operations are carried on in accordance with the most highly approved and up-to-date theories of modern agriculture. Mr. Taylor is a Democrat, as was his father, and takes an active part in local political affairs.

It was on December 20, 1890, that D. E. Taylor was united in marriage to Mary Sowers, who was born on the farm on which she is now living. in February, 1870, daughter of Samuel K. and Eunice (Blose) Sowers, prominent residents of the Westville neighborhood, and to this union three

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children have been born, Helen M., Harry S. and Edgar S. Helen M. Taylor, who was born on January 22, 1892, died on April 2, 1902. Harry S. Taylor, who was born on April 9. 1893, was graduated from the West- ville high school and is now a senior in the Ohio State University. Edgar S. Taylor, born on May 4, 1895, also is a graduate of the Westville high school. He is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias, Magrew Lodge No. 433, of which his father is a past chancellor commander. D. E. Taylor also is a member of Urbana Lodge No. 46, Independent Order . of Odd Fellows, and is past noble grand of the same, as was his father before him. The Taylors are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Westville and take an active interest in church affairs, Mr. Taylor being a member of the board of trustees of the local congregation. They have a very pleasant home on their well-kept farm and have ever taken a proper and useful part in the general social activities of the community in which both Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have spent practically all their lives.

GEORGE A. TALBOTT.

George .A. Talbott, mayor of Urbana, former treasurer of Champaign county, formerly and for years one of Urbana's best-known and most popi- lar newspaper men, later actively connected with the Firestone Tire and Rub- ber Company and for years one of the leaders of the Republican party in this county, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Urbana since he was twenty years of age. He was born at Barnesville, over in Belmont county, in the eastern part of the state, January 8, 1854. son of William A. and Rebecca Talbott, natives of that county and representatives of prominent pioneer families in that part of the state.

Reared at Barnesville. George A. Talbott received his schooling in the schools of that city and at the age of sixteen entered the office of the Barnes- ville Enterprise and there learned the "art preservative of all arts", remain- ing thus connected with that newspaper until he was twenty years of age. when he came over to this part of the state and located at Urbana, securing there a position, "on the case," with the old Citizen and Gasette. It was in October, 1874, that Mr. Talbott located at Urbana and he ever since has been a resident of that city, ever taking an active and earnest interest in the affairs of the same. When the Daily Citizen was founded he was made city editor of that paper and continued in that position until his election to the office of

GEORGE A. TALBOTT.

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county treasurer. He entered upon the duties of that office in 1895 and so satisfactorily did he perform these duties that he was re-elected and thus served two terms in that important public office. Upon the completion of his term of public service Mr. Talbott returned to the Citizen office and was made business manager of the newspaper, a position he occupied for about one year, at the end of which time he became connected with the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company of Akron, as special representative of the same, and also became personally connected with Mr. Firestone in the affairs of the company. a connection which proved quite profitable and which he continued until his retirement from that business in the latter part of 1915. In the fall of that same year Mr. Talbott was elected mayor of Urbana, receiving in that election the largest majority of the votes of the voters of the city ever received by a candidate for that office. Mr. Talbott entered upon the duties of that office in January, 1916, and is still serving in that capacity. In the chapter relating to the history of the city of Urbana, presented elsewhere in this work, there is set out at some length further particulars of the work of Mayor Talbott's administration and these details need not therefore here be set out. It may, however, very properly be noted in this connection that during the two years of Mayor Talbott's incumbency as chief executive of the city, greater advancement has been made in the way of public improve- ment and general civic advancement than during any two-year period of the city's history. a fact to which the many friends of the Mayor "point with pride." Mayor Talbott has for years taken an active and prominent part in the political affairs of this section of the state. and is widely known in political circles throughout the state. During the Mckinley gubernatorial administration he was chairman of the executive committee of the Chan- paign county Republican committee and was a member of the Ohio state Republican central committee. while in other ways he has given of his time and service, unselfishly and wholeheartedly to his party. As an incidental side- light on the Mayor's abstemiousness, it may be stated that he never smoked a cigar in his life and many of his political friends are ready to congratulate him upon that fact, in view of the thousands of "campaign" cigars he thus has escaped.

Mayor Talbott has been twice married. On April 12. 1877, he was united in marriage to Julia C. Ross, daughter of Philander B. Ross, and to that union three children were born, namely: Frank, who is general man- ager for the Victor Rubber Company, of Springfield, Ohio: Stella. wife of Dr. C. C. Craig, and Philander B., who is general manager for the plant of the Firestone Rubber Company at Kansas City. The mother of these chil-

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dren died on September 19, 1894. and on February 17, 1916, Mayor Talbott was married to Mary Grant, of Clayton, New York. Mayor Talbott is a member of the Grace Methodist Episcopal church and take an earnest interest in church work, as well as in the general social activities of their home town. helpful in many ways in advancing the common interest there. The Mayor is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has for years taken a warm interest in the affairs of the same.

NOAH WARD.

One of the esteemed citizens of Westville, who has been a life-long resident of Champaign county, is Noah Ward, who was born on a farm in Mad River township on April 19, 1860, the son of Sylvanus and Priscilla .(Smith) Ward, both of whom were also natives of this county.

Sylvanus Ward was a son of George and Catherine Ward, who came to Champaign county from Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1816. George Ward located first in Mad River township, where he had entered land from the government, and on this farm Sylvanus was born and reared. George Ward and wife were the parents of several children, none of whom are now living. Priscilla Smith was also a native of Mad River township, the daughter of David H. Smith. The Smith family were natives of Virginia. and were among the early settlers of this county. After his marriage, Syl- vanus Ward and wife settled on a farm in Mad River township, which was a part of the old home place belonging to his father, and on this farm they lived the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom are now living: Frank, a farmer of Mad River township; Theodore, of Cleveland, Ohio; Noah, the immedate subject of this review; C. V., of Westville; Smith, living on the old home place in Mad River township: T. P., of Westville; C. H., living in Clark county. Ohio; Oren, living in Illinois, and Sylvan, a resident of the state of Penn- sylvania. Sylvanus Ward and wife were earnest and devoted members of the Baptist church, being identified with the congregation at Nettle Creek. He was a Democrat in politics, and firm in his belief of the doctrines and principles of that party.

Noah Ward was reared on the old home farm in Mad River township, receiving his education in the township schools. He assisted with the work of the farm, and after his marriage operated the home place until 1885.

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when he came to Westville, where he engaged in the threshing-machine business for many years. In 1893 he started clerking in the general store of Broyles & Bull, and since 1912 in the store of E. L. Walters.

On October 19, 1881, Noah Ward was married to Laura E. Lutz, who was born and reared in Mad River township. In 1903 Mrs. Ward died, and in 1905, Mr. Ward was again married to Susie R. Loudenbeck, who was a native of this county, reared on a farm in Mad River township, but who, at the time of her marriage, was a resident of Sidney, Ohio. Her death occurred in 1906.

Mr. Ward is a member of Magrew Lodge No. 433, Knights of Pythias. and holds the office of past chancellor of this lodge. He is also identified with the Junior Order United American Mechanics, and is past counsellor of Council No. 56, at Urbana, Ohio. He is a Democrat in politics, and a warm supporter of all local public matters having for their object the bet- terment of the community. He served his township two terms, 1909 and 1913, as trustee.

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History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 44

Author: Middleton, Evan P., ed Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1338

Author: Middleton, Evan P., ed
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Indianapolis : B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1338