USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 49
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the . propaganda of alfalfa broadcast, his work in this connection being of so enthusiastic a character that he came to be styled "Alfalfa Joe," a sobriquet that stuck to him the rest of his life and which came very prop- erly regarded as a title of honor, for he did a wonderful work in the way of introducing alfalfa culture in other parts of the country and developing the interest of agriculturists generally in that valuable forage crop. Not only were his labors in this behalf extended into nearly every state in the Union, but he made three trips to Europe and one to South America in the same behalf and likewise extended his propaganda into Canada and Mexico. In 1913 the first "alfalfa picnic" was held at "Woodland Farm," the old Wing place near Mechanicsburg, and there were thirty-five hundred people present, among those who addressed the gathering being Governor Cox. A. P. Sandles and Dean Price, of the Ohio State University.
On May 4, 1905. Charles Wing was united in marriage to Jeannette Monce and to this union three children have been born, Marguerite May, Gardner Bullard and Charles Winston. Mr. and Mrs. Wing are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and take a proper interest in church work, as well as in the general good works of their home town and in the general social activities of the same, helpful in many ways in promoting all agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare thereabout.
1.
JAMES H. IRELAND.
James H. Ireland was born in Mad River township, Champaign county, Ohio, October 30, 1839, and is now living in Terre Haute, Ohio. He is a son of William and Mary (Bell) Ireland.
William Ireland was born in Kentucky, and came with his brother, Thomas Ireland, to Champaign county when a young man. He was among the early settlers of this county. He located in Mad River township and found employment working by the day. Later he engaged in the stock- buying business, in which he was quite successful. His wife, Mary Bell. was born in Mad River township, her parents being Kentuckians. They had also come here among the early settlers in Mad River township, locating near to the place where Richard Lee now lives. Mary Bell was reared and educated here.
Willian Ireland was engaged in the stock-raising business, and, in 1846, the family removed to southern Indiana. While there an epidemic of cholera
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broke out and the entire family, except James H., died with this scourge. James H. ran away from home and found a place with a family by the name of Owens, and thus escaped the fatal disease. He remained with this family one winter and then returned to Mad River township and found a home with the Bells where he grew to manhood.
James H. Ireland was married to Margaret A. Davis, February 28, 1861. She was a daughter of John W. Davis, and was born in Mad River township, October 29, 1842. To this union thirteen children were born, nine of whom are now living: Rowana, born September 11, 1865; L. B., born December 12, 1861, now deceased; John W., born June 3, 1863 ; Eliza, Anson, Foy, deceased; Cory, Elsie, deceased; Clifford, died in infancy: Mina, Vida. Mabel, Maggie F., deceased; Hettie C.
James H. Ireland enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War, serving in Com- pany I, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry until the close of the war. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic; also a member of St. Paris Lodge No. 246, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows. His political affiliation is with the Republican party. He has served as constable and as a member of various boards in the township. His wife died November 9, 1903, at her home in Terre Haute, Ohio.
SAMUEL L. P. STONE, JR.
Samuel L. P. Stone, Jr., hardware merchant at St. Paris and one of the best-known and most progressive young business men of that city, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born at Urbana on May 30, 1884, son of Samuel L. P. and Julia (Geiger ) Stone, the former a native of the state of Virginia and the latter of Penn- sylvania, for years prominent and well-known residents of Urbana.
The elder Samuel L. P. Stone became a resident of Urbana in the days of his youth and there married Julia Geiger, daughter of Judge Geiger, of that city. He first engaged in the grocery business in that city and later formed an association with his brother in the hardware business, under the firm name of Stone Brothers, and was thus engaged for about forty years. He and his wife were the parents of five children, three of whont are still living, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Ida, wife of George McConnell, of Urbana, and a brother, Levi G. Stone, a traveling salesman. residing at Pittsburgh.
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Reared at Urbana, the junior Samuel L. P. Stone received his schooling in the public schools of that city and in Urbana University and upon com- pleting his school work entered his father's hardware store and there became thoroughly familiar with the details of the hardware business, remaining there as a clerk until 1913, in which year he became engaged in business for himself, opening a hardware store at St. Paris, which he has since been conducting very successfully, his store being well stocked and operated according to up-to-date methods.
On August 12, 1904, Samuel L. P. Stone, Jr., was united in marriage . to Lutie V. Ivins, who was born in Warren county, this state, and to this union two children have been born, Ferdinand F., born in December, 1908, and Nancy L., born June, 1916. Mr. and Mrs. Stone are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at St. Paris and take a proper part in church work, as well as in the general social activities of their home town, helpful in the work of promoting all agencies having to do with the advancement of the common welfare. Mr. Stone is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of Champaign Lodge No. 525, Free and Accepted Masons, and of St. Paris Chapter No. 132, Royal Arch Masons, and is also a member of the Knights of Pythias, taking a warm interest in the affairs of both of these popular fraternal organizations.
GUY C. COUCHMAN.
Guy C. Couchman, farmer of Concord township, Champaign county, was born in the state of Kansas, August 12, 1886. He is a son of George and Elizabeth (Craig) Couchman, both natives of this county, where they spent their earlier years and were married. They settled on a farm in Salen township, but finally sold out and moved to Kansas, where they spent eight years on a farm, then returned to Champaign county, Ohio, and here the father's death occurred on December 21, 1905. Both were members of the Methodist church at Wesley chapel, and he was active in the work of the same. Their family consisted of eight children, namely: Addie is the wife of Perry Borden; Charles is farming in Logan county, Ohio; Bert is farming in Harrison township, this county; Mary is the wife of Will Calland; Lulu is the wife of Abe Maburry; Edith is the wife of Newton Calland; Frank is farming in Champaign county; Guy C., of this sketch.
Guy C. Couchman was six years old when his parents brought him
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from Kansas to Champaign county, Ohio, and here he grew to manhood and attended the district schools. He assisted his father with the work on the home place until he was twenty-one years old, when he started farming for himself. About this time he was married to Celeste Vaughn, on Novem- ber 3, 1906. She was born in Champaign county where she was reared and attended school.
After his marriage Mr. Couchman continued to make his home in Concord township, working out for a while by the month, later lived in West Liberty, then spent a year on a farm in his native county. He finally purchased sixty-one acres where he now lives and here he has made a very . comfortable living as a general farmer. He raises a good grade of live stock.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Couchman, namely: Elsie, born on September 10, 1908, and Robert, born October 11, 1913.
Politically, Mr. Couchman is a Republican. He is a member of the Methodist church.
JOSEPH H. DAVIS.
Joseph H. Davis is living a retired life in Terre Haute, Ohio, Mad River township. He was born near Terre Haute, December 6, 1848, a son of William and Annie (Weaver) Davis, who were residents of this county for many years. The father died when Joseph H. was only five years old. There were six children in this family of whom four are now living. The children are: John, of Urbana, Ohio; Mary E., deceased; Lucretia, widow of Evan Davis, Marion county, Ohio; Jane, deceased; Joseph H., our sub- ject ; Nancy, wife of Joseph Shaffer, Terre Haute, Ohio.
After the death of his parents Joseph H. Davis lived with an uncle and aunt in Mad River township. When the Civil War came on he enlisted first in the Home Guards, at the age of twelve years. Later he enlisted as a regular soldier in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry and served until the close of the war. After the war he returned to his home with his uncle and remained until 1868, when he was twenty years of age. He then went to Hardin county, Ohio, to manage a farm. While there he met and married Margaret J. Baughman, July 1, 1869. In 1875 he returned with his wife to Mad River township, where he rented a farm and worked by day's work for a few years. In 1882 they removed to Terre Haute and this has been their home ever since, while he has con- tinued work as a farmer.
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Mr. Davis is a member of the Junior Order of Mechanics, of Mad River township, and a past master of that order, having passed through all the chairs. He is a member of Brand Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Urbana. He is a member of the county board of agriculture, having had a period of fourteen years of continuous service on the board. He has always been actively engaged in agriculture and endeavors to keep abreast of the times in that line of industry. Politically, he is a Republican, and he has always been firm in the belief that the principles on which that party was founded, and the policies advocated by that party, are principles and policies in accord with those on which the government was founded.
JOHN HESSELGESSER.
A venerable retired farmer of Champaign county is John Hesselgesser, now making his home at Eris, Concord township. He was born in Clark county, Ohio, November 8, 1837, a son of Richard and Elizabeth ( Pence) Hesselgesser, natives of Pennsylvania and Clark county, Ohio, respectively. When a young man he left his native state and came to Clark county, Ohio, locating in German township, Clark county, and there he bought forty acres of bottom land. He sold that and bought eighty acres near Tremont City, on which he spent the rest of his life. He was first a Whig and later a Republican. He belonged to the German Reformed church. His death occurred on his farm in Clark county, May 30, 1869, at an early age. His widow survived him thirty-three years, dying on July 4, 1902, in Tremont City, Ohio. Eleven children were born to Richard Hesselgesser and wife. only three of whom are living in 1917, namely: John, of this sketch: Samuel is farming in Miami county, Ohio; Sarah J. is the wife of Granville Leber.
John Hesselgesser grew to manhood on the home farm in Clark county. He attended school in a log school house in his district. He remained at home, assisting his father with the general farm work until he was twenty- eight years old. During the Civil War he volunteered for special military duty at the time of Morgan's raid into Ohio, but did not see active duty. On March 29, 1866, he married Elizabeth Kizer, who was born in Concord township, Champaign county, Ohio, December 7, 1843: She is a daughter of Philip and Phoebe (Dagger) Kizer; the latter was a native of Virginia, and Mr. Kizer was born in Johnson township, Champaign county, on the
MR. AND MRS. JOHN HESSELGESSER.
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farm which is now owned by Jason Kiser. His family consisted of nine children, three sons and six daughters. Philip Kiser was for years a leader in the Concord Methodist Episcopal church.
After his marriage Mr. Hesselgesser located on a farm in German town- ship, Clark county, but a year later he moved to the farm now owned by J. W. Zimmerman, in Champaign county. His family consisted of four children, two of whom are deceased, namely: Ada is the wife of Elmer Offenbacher, of Urbana; Chester P. was graduated from the Ohio Wes- leyan University at Delaware, Ohio, with the degree of Master of Arts, he took special courses in bookkeeping and music, becoming proficient in each ; he lives on his father's farm. He married Luretta Hesselgesser who grew up in Butler county. Pennsylvania.
Mr. Hesselgesser has devoted his active life to farmning. He owns seventy-nine acres in one place, eighteen in another, and one and one-half in another. He has been living in retirement at Eris for some time. Polit- ically, he is a Republican and has for some time been active in local public matters. He is now president of the Concord Township Cemetery Asso- ciation. He and his wife belong to the Methodist church. He is a fine tenor singer, and in young manhood he did lots of work as choir leader in churches-in fact, he has followed work as a chorister in every community in which he has lived. His son has inherited his vocal talents.
ANDREW B. C. DEATON.
Andrew B. C. Deaton was born in Jackson township, Champaign county, Ohio. May 23, 1856, a son of Samuel and Nancy (Cannon) Deaton.
Samuel Deaton was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, March 30, 1813. He learned to read and write after he had reached the age of fifteen years, and afterwards learned a trade. His father was an overseer of slaves in Virginia during the time that institution existed in that state, and he spent his entire life in Virginia. After the death of his father Samuel Deaton came with his mother and family to Ohio. The family consisted of six sons and three daughters. They first settled in Clark county, Ohio. near Northampton, where they continued to live for some time. In com- ing to Ohio from their Virginia home they moved in a covered wagon in which was carried all their personal possessions. Here the five boys of the family grew to manhood and married. They engaged in farming and
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in time became possessed of good farms and good sized families. Samuel Deaton, father of our subject, made his start in splitting rails, an occupa- tion that required hard labor for which there was a great demand in those times in that well-timbered country. In time he was able to buy eighty acres of land on which he established a home. He afterwards added fifty-six more acres to this farm, all of which he improved and continued to cultivate until his death, which occurred at the age of eighty-four years. He was one of the leading citizens of the township, and was trustee and school director for a number of years. His church affiliation was with the Methodist Episcopal church in which he was an influential and active worker. He was the father of six children, five of whom are now living. They are: Samuel H., a farmer in Jackson township, living on the old Deaton farm; James M., a farmer, living in Miami county, Ohio; Andrew B. C .; Charlotte, widow of G. P. Helvie; Martha, widow of Charles Howell.
Andrew B. C. Deaton was reared on the old farm and was educated in the district schools. He made his home on the old farm until he was twenty-five years old. At the age of eighteen years he began teaching in the district schools and followed this vocation for sixteen years. He mar- ried Ella Proctor and to this union three daughters were born:
Zilpha, graduate nurse of the Flower Hospital, of Toledo, Ohio; Zephyr, graduate of the Piqua high school, and student at Delaware, Ohio. She has been a teacher for several terms in the township schools; married Neal McMorran, lives near St. Paul, Ohio. Zola, graduate of Piqua high school, a teacher and a student for a time at Delaware, Ohio, married A. C. Pence, principal of high school at Coshocton, Ohio. Mrs. Zola Pence died on January 1, 1898. He subsequently married Nora Davis and they have five children: Clifford, Martha and Marlow (twins), Herman and Edmund M., all living at home.
Mr. Deaton is the owner of one hundred acres of fine farming land, all well improved and in a fine state of cultivation. In addition to general farming he deals largely in fine graded stock, a line of industry to which his farm and facilities are well adapted. He is also interested as a grain dealer and is one of the directors of the Conover Grain Company, at Conover, Ohio.
In his fraternal affiliation Mr. Deaton is a member of Social Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Addison, Ohio. His political affilia- tion is with the Republican party. He has held official position as trustee of the township and as a member of the school board. He has always taken an active interest in educational affairs and in all other matters that pertain to the welfare and betterment of the community of which he is a citizen.
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SARAH E. NEESE.
Sarah E. Neese lives on her farm located on the Thackery and Terre Haute pike, Mad River township, rural route No. 4, Urbana, Ohio, her farm joining the west side of Terre Haute. She was born on a farm lying west of Thackery, in Jackson township. May 16, 1845, a daughter of Duncan and Susan (Ray) Thackery.
Duncan Thackery was born in Yorkshire, England, and came with his parents, John and Elizabeth Thackery, to the United States when he was sixteen years of age. They came to Champaign county, Ohio, and located on a tract of land one mile west of where the village of Thackery now stands. The country was all new and land was very cheap. They finally bought a small piece of land on which they put a house of cheap construction, with no doors nor windows in it, and this is how and where the Thackery settlement was started. Duncan Thackery was reared to manhood in Jackson township. His wife, Susan Ray, was of German descent. She was born near Northampton, Ohio. After marriage to Mr. Thackery they settled in Jackson township on a piece of land which they bought, and there they began life and continued to live for a number of years, and reared a family of nine children. They, like most of the early settlers, started out in very poor circumstances, as to worldly possessions, but by industry and economy they gradually increased their possessions until they had acquired a number of acres and a good farm. Mr. Thackery was a man well known and a highly respected citizen. Mrs. Thackery was also a woman of intelligence and highly esteemed in the community, a woman of motherly attributes and sincerely devoted to her home and family. Through her influence the family was educated and trained in right moral principles, and by her economy and intelligent judgment her husband prospered. The nine children born to this family were: Anna Jane, deceased; Sarah E., John, of Thackery, Ohio; Mary, married Andrew Ryman and lives in Iowa; William, living in Clark county, Ohio; Finley, living in Jackson township: Arabella, wife of Michael Faltley, of Thack- ery ; Emma, wife of Aaron Insley, Clark county ; Joseph, Clark county.
The family were members of Newsome Chapel, Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Thackery was one of the most active and influential members. He was a Republican, but not active in politics. He was a home man and found his greatest delight in his family.
Sarah E. Neese grew to womanhood in the old home in Jackson town-
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ship and received her education in the district schools of the neighborhood. She was married to John Neese, July 16, 1881. He was born and reared in Mad River township and received a good education in the public schools. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Neese lived for a short time on a part of the home land, and about 1883 they bought the present farm. Mr. Neese died. February 9, 1914, having lived here nearly all his married life. The farm now owned by Mrs. Neese consists of sixty-four acres. She has been a life-long member of the Newsome Chapel, Methodist Episcopal church.
SOLOMON PRINCE.
Solomon Prince, one of the oldest native-born sons of Champaign county now living in this county and the proprietor of a well-kept farm of forty- five acres in Johnson township, four miles north of St. Paris, was born on a pioneer farm in Mad River township, December 22, 1834, and has lived in this county all his life, a period of more than eighty years. His parents, Martin and Elizabeth (Snapp) Prince, natives, respectively, of Virginia and of Pennsylvania, were married in the latter state and then came over into Ohio and settled on a pioneer farm in Mad River township, this county. where they established their home, but later moved to a farm in , Johnson township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, useful and influen- tial pioneers of that neighborhood. Martin Prince was a good farmer and became the owner of two hundred acres of excellent land. He was a Demo- crat and took an active part in local political affairs. He and his wife were members of the Lutheran church, active in church work, and their children were reared in that faith. There were thirteen of these children, five of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this sketch being John, of St. Paris: William, of Piqua; Susanna, wife of John Brown, of St. Paris, and Amanda, widow of Benjamin Apple, of St. Paris.
Reared on the home farm in Mad River township, Solomon Prince received his early schooling in a little old log school house in that neighbor- hood and completed his schooling in the schools of Johnson township. to which latter township his parents moved in the days of his youth. He remained at home until his marriage at the age of twenty-one and then established his home on the farm on which he is now living and where he ever since has resided, becoming very comfortably situated there. Mr. Prince is a Democrat and has ever taken an interested part in the county's
.
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political affairs. For eight years he served as trustee of his home township and also served for some time as director of his local school district. During the days of his young manhood Mr. Prince was a member of the state militia organization, second lieutenant of his home company, but was never called into active service. Having been a continuous resident of Chant- paign county all his life, a period of more than eighty years, Mr. Prince has witnessed the development of this county from pioneer times and has thus seen some amazing changes in conditions of living. He has a clear memory of events of the days of his youth and is therefore one of the best-informed men in the county on matters relating to the history of Champaign county during the past seven or eight decades.
On September 4, 1856, Solomon Prince was united in marriage to Sarah Brown, who was born in Johnson township, this county, August 30, 1839. daughter of Thomas and Mary (Bunton) Brown, pioneers of that section of that county, and to this union have been born five children, all of whom are still living, an unbroken family, namely: Mary, wife of Janies Maggert ; Clara, wife of Leonard Snapp, of Columbus, this state; Thomas, a farmer. who married Alta Howard and is living at Columbus, and Alice, wife of James B. Putnam, a well-known farmer of Johnson township. Mr. and Mrs. Prince are members of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist church and have ever taken an interested part in church work, as well as in the general good works of the community in which they have so long resided.
J. H. BIDDLE.
J. H. Biddle, postmaster at St. Paris, formerly and for years engaged in the grocery business in that city, for ten years clerk of Johnson township, former state deputy supervisor of elections for Champaign county and former chairman of the Champaign county Democratic central committee, was born at St. Paris and has lived there all his life. He was born on May 11, 1862, son of John and Frances (Bater) Biddle, the former of whom also was a native of Ohio and the latter of the republic of Switzerland, whose last days were spent at St. Paris, the latter dying there many years ago and the former surviving until the summer of 1916, a well-known retired merchant of that city.
John Biddle was born on a pioneer farm near Marysville, in the neigh- boring county of Union. in 1834, and there grew to manhood. At Spring-
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field, this state, he married Frances Bater, who was born in the city of Basel, in the republic of Switzerland, and who was but ten years of age when she came to this country with her parents, the family locating near Kenton, this state, later moving to Springfield, where she grew to woman- hood and where she married Mr. Biddle. After their marriage they came to Champaign county and located at the village of Christiansburg, but pres- ently moved from there up to St. Paris and there established their permanent home. Mr. Biddle had been trained as a baker, but not long after locating at St. Paris engaged there in the grocery business and was thus engaged until his retirement from business in 1900, after which his son, the subject of this sketch, who had for some time been his father's partner, took over the business and continued it. The elder Biddle continued to make his home in St. Paris and there his death occurred on August 10, 1916, he then begin eighty-two years of age. John Biddle was twice married. His first wife died at St. Paris in 1876, leaving five children, of whom three are still living, the subject of this sketch having a brother, W. A. Biddle, of Springfield, and a sister, Mary N., wife of A. W. Long, of Fostoria, this state. He married for his second wife Amanda Losh and to that union one child was born, a daughter, Alice, widow of Pharad Reed.
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