USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 57
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were born fourteen children, of whom nine grew to maturity, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow: John, a Salem township farmer : William, who lives at Marysville, this state; David, a Salem township farmer ; Oran E., a farmer and horseman, of Salem township; George, who died in 1915; Anna, wife of Harry Cooper, a Salem township farmer; Margaret, wife of Clinton Boyer, also of Salem township, and Ella May, wife of Marion Goul, of that same township.
Rufus Detweiler was about fifteen years of age when he came from Penn- sylvania to this state with his parents and his schooling was completed here. He early began working on his own account and was thus engaged, at farm labor, until his marriage in 1896, when he rented the Carson farm, south of Urbana, and for seven years made his home there, a quarter-section farm, on which he did very well. He then bought the Clinton Black place of one hun- dred acres and after farming that place for a couple of years traded for the Samuel Black farm of ninety-two and one-half acres, on which he is now living. Since taking possession of that place Mr. Detweiler has increased his land holdings until now he is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and thirty-two and one-half acres, all of which is under cultivation and well im- proved. He has made numerous improvements on the place and has a fine looking place, well kept and up-to-date in its equipment. In addition to his general farming Mr. Detweiler has for years given considerable attention to the raising of high-grade hogs and annually feeds from eighty to ninety head, and has done very well in his operations. He is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.
In 1896 Rufus Detweiler was united in marriage to Minnie Pearce, who was born in this county, daughter of Dr. A. B. and Ella (Shepard) Pearce. for years prominent residents of Kings Creek. Dr. A. B. Pearce was born in Goshen township, this county, son of Henry C. and Beulah (Barrett) Pearce, pioneers of that section of the county. He was born on October 8, 1836, and was graduated from the Urbana high school, after which he began teaching school and was for four years thus engaged. In the meantime he had been giving his leisure to the study of medicine and presently entered Sterling Med- ical College at Columbus, from which he was graduated in 1863. For fourteen years Doctor Pearce was engaged in the practice of his profession at Kings Creek and he then moved to Urbana, where he remained in practice for six years, at the end of which time he moved to Vincennes, Indiana, where he remained for six years. He then retired from practice and returned to this county, in 189!, and settled on his farm in Salem township, where he lived
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five years and died at South Bend, Indiana, in 1911. On September 17, 1867, Doctor Pearce was united in marriage to Ella Shepard, who still survives him. Mr. and Mrs. Detweiler have four children, Helen, Beulah, Howard and Law- rence. They have a very pleasant home and take a proper interest in the gen- eral social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in all good works thereabout.
FRANK CLEMENT BOWERS.
Frank Clement Bowers, of Urbana, deputy county treasurer, former superintendent of the Urbana township rural centralized schools, former justice of the peace in and for Jackson township, a member of the board of county school examiners, president of the Champaign County Teachers Asso- ciation, past president of the Addison Pioneer Association, and for years one of the best-known and most influential teachers in Champaign county, is a native of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm one mile east of Christiansburg, in Jackson township, July 19, 1886, son of Andrew and Susan L. (Richeson) Bowers, both of whom also were born in the vicinity of Christiansburg and the latter of whom is still living.
Andrew Bowers was born on a pioneer farm in Jackson township in 1844, a son of Jacob and Susan (Zerkle) Bowers, natives of Pennsylvania, who became early residents of this county and spent their last days, sub- stantial and influential residents of the Christiansburg neighborhood. On the home farm in Jackson township Andrew Bowers grew to manhood and in turn established his home there. He married Susan L. Richeson, who also was born in the vicinity of Christiansburg, in 1854, daughter of John J. and Martha (Deaton) Richeson, Virginians, who had settled in that neigli- borhood and had become substantial residents of the same. Andrew Bowers was a well-to-do farmer and for several years served as trustee of Jackson township, taking an active and helpful part in the general public affairs of his community. For more than thirty-two years he was an active member of the local lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons and took a warm inter- est in Masonic affairs. He died at his home near Christiansburg in 1904 and his widow is still living there. They were the parents of three children, Harry L. Bowers, a wholesale shoe merchant at Cleveland, Ohio; one who died in infancy, and the subject of this biographical sketch.
Frank C. Bowers was reared on the home farm in Jackson township and was graduated from the Addison high school. His latter schooling has
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been received in Wittenberg College at Springfield, where he has taken academic and collegiate work. When seventeen years of age Mr. Bowers began his career as a teacher, his first term of school having been taught in the Lutz district school in Mad River township, this county, in the winter of 1903-4. He then for three years was engaged in teaching district school in Jackson township and then was called back to Addison as a teacher in the grammar department of the schools of that place and served in that capacity for two years, at the end of which time he was promoted to the . position of principal of the Addison high school and served in that capacity for a year. After that time Mr. Bowers became connected with the schools at Thackery and after a year in the grammar department there was pro- moted to the high school and for two years supervised the Jackson township schools. He then for three years served as superintendent of the Concord township schools and acting in that capacity established the centralized school in that township. He then was elected superintendent of the Urbana town- ship rural centralized schools for a term of two years, but after serving for one year in that position resigned the same in order to accept the position of deputy county treasurer and in that capacity served during the incumben- cies of W. W. Rock and L. B. Berry. Mr. Bowers is a holder of a life elementary-teacher's certificate. In 1915 he was appointed a member of the Champaign county board of school examiners and still holds that position. He is the present (1917) president of the Champaign County Teachers Asso- ciation, in the affairs of which he for years has taken an active interest, and is also affiliated with the Central Ohio Teachers Association and with the Ohio State Teachers Association. He was the first president of the Addi- son Alumni Association and for three years served as president of the Addi- son Pioneers Association. Mr. Bowers is a Republican and in 1911-13 served as justice of the peace in and for Jackson township. During the time of the taking of the census of 1910 he served as enumerator for the Addison pre- cinct, including Christiansburg.
On February 10, 1907, at St. Paris, by the Rev. J. W. Gibson, Frank Clement Bowers was united in marriage to Grace Mae Dibert, who also was born in this county, in the neighborhood of Terre Haute, November 5, 1885, daughter of Isaac and Jennie (Towler) Dibert, the former of whom, born on May 14, 1851, is still living, and the latter of whom, born on April II, 1858, died on December 28, 1906. Isaac Dibert and wife were the parents of four children, of whom Mrs. Bowers was the third, the others being an infant who died in 1878; Minnie Estella, wife of Harry V. Jenkins, and Harry Emmet Dibert, telegraph operator at Thackery. Mr. and Mrs.
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Bowers have one child, a daughter, Zelpha I., born on December 18, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers are members of the Christian church at Addison. He is a member of the men's Bible class of the Grace Methodist Episcopal Sun- day school at Urbana and a singer in the choir of that church. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of Harmony Lodge No. 8, at Urbana, and of the chapter at that place and in the latter is now serving as master of the first veil and in the former as junior steward. He also is a member of Social Lodge No. 139, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and in 1908 served as noble grand of the same, and for some time was a member of Addison Encampment, Patriarchs Militant. He formerly was a member of the local lodge of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics at Christiansburg and in 1904 was past councillor of the same, but demitted his membership when the lodge at that place was discontinued. Mr. and Mrs. Bowers have a very pleasant home at 610 South Main street, Urbana, and take a proper interest in the city's general social activities.
WILLIAM WALLACE DOWNS.
The late William Wallace Downs, for years one of the best-known citizens of Urbana, an honored veteran of the Civil War, a retired farmer and saw-mill man, who also conducted a feed store in Urbana, in which city he died in the summer of 1912, was a native son of Ohio and lived in this state all his life. He was born on a farm near Springfield, in the neighbor- ing county of Clark, October 20, 1846, son of William and Catherine (San- ders) Downs, the latter of whom was born in Concord township, this county.
William Downs was a substantial farmer and he and his wife were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being as follow: Eliza, now deceased, who was the wife of Levi Williams, of Lima, this state; Samuel, who spent his last days in South Dakota; Emma, widow of Charles A. Taylor, of Urbana: Frank, a salesman, now living at Denver, Colorado; Harry, a hotel man, of New York City, and Elmer, who died at Urbana.
William W. Downs was reared on the home farm, going to school at the neighborhood school, and from the days of his boyhood was a valuable help in the work of the farm. Though but a boy when the Civil War broke out, his patriotic impulses were deeply stirred and he enlisted at Northville for service as a member of Company G, Sixty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Vol-
WILLIAM W. DOWNS.
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unteer Infantry, with which command he served for three years and four months, a portion of which time was spent as a prisoner of war in Libby prison. During the latter part of that service he participated with his regi- ment in the Atlanta campaign and was with Sherman on the march thence to the sea. Upon receiving his final discharge at the close of the war Mr. Downs returned home and resumed the pursuits of peace on the farm, helping on the home place until after his marriage in the fall of 1874, when he began farming on his own hook on a part of the home place and not long afterward bought a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, which he pro- ceeded to improve and to develop and on which he was quite successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising until his retirement from the active labors of the farm in 1888 and removal to Urbana, where he spent the remainder of his life. Upon locating in Urbana Mr. Downs, in partnership with Charles O. Taylor, bought a saw-mill in that city and was engaged in the milling business for a number of years. He also conducted a feed store for some time. Mr. Downs was a Republican and ever took a good citizen's interest in local political affairs, but was not a seeker after public office. He was an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic and after his death at his home in Urbana, in June, 1912, his comrades of that patriotic organization accompanied his remains to their last resting place in Oakdale cemetery.
On September 24, 1874, William Wallace Downs was united in mar- riage to Tamzon H. Miller, who was born on a farm in Mad River town- ship, this county, a daughter of Samuel and Ruth (Hill) Miller, the former of whom was born in the state of Virginia and the latter in Concord town- ship, this county. Samuel Miller was but ten years of age when he came to this county with his parents from Virginia and he grew to manhood on a pioneer farm in Mad River township, later, after his marriage, establishing his home on a farm in that some township. He and his wife died in Con- cord township, having been influential and useful residents of that com- munity. Mr. Miller was a Democrat and for years was looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in his section of the county. He died in 1878, at the age of sixty-nine years, and his widow survived him but two years, her death occurring in 1880, she also being sixty-nine years of age at the time of her death. They were earnest members of the Baptist church and their children were reared in that faith. There were nine of these children, of whom Mrs. Downs was the eighth in order of birth, the others being as follow : Joseph, who died in early youth; Amanda Jane, who married John M. Miles and after a sometime continued residence in this county moved
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to Missouri; Mary Elizabeth, wife of Stephen J. Packer, of Concord town- thip, this county; James Marion, who died in his youth; Mildred, who mar- ried Samuel J. Bosler and who, as well as her husband, is now deceased; John, who died in the days of his childhood; Margaret S., wife of Llewellyn Miles, of Urbana, an honored veteran of the Civil War, who went to the front from his farm home in Concord township, when a boy of fifteen years, as a member of Company G. Sixty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served for more than three years, during which time he participated in the Atlanta campaign and was with Sherman to the sea. Upon completing his military service he returned home, completed his schooling and then engaged in school teaching, ever since making his home in Urbana; Samuel L., who died in infancy, and Samuel W., who also is now deceased.
Since the death of her husband Mrs. Downs has continued to reside in Urbana, where she has a very comfortable home. She is a member of the Baptist church and has for many years taken an earnest interest in church affairs as well as in other local good works.
WILLIAM A. McDANIEL.
Among the hard-working farmers of Salem township, Champaign county, is William A. McDaniel, who was born in West Virginia, April 5, 1868. He is a son of Presley and Malissa McDaniel, both natives of West Virginia, where they grew up, were married and established their home, spending their lives there on a farm. They have been deceased a number of years. Their family consisted of seven children, namely: E. E., C. A., A. J., H. C., W. A., Anna and Margaret.
The subject of this sketch grew to manhood on the home farm in his native state and there he attended the neighborhood schools. When a young man he took up farming for himself for a short time, then began working in the mines and in 1897 took a position with the Consolidated Coal Company as a clerk in one of their mining stores at Enterprise, West Virginia, remain- ing there three years, then, having performed his duties promptly, faithfully and in a courteous manner, he was promoted to manager of one of the com- pany's stores at Meadow Brook, and remained there three years, then took charge of a large store at Berryburg, which he managed six years. He was then transferred to Kentucky, locating near Vanlear, taking charge of the
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company's stores in that vicinity, remaining there five years. During this protracted period he served his company ably and in a highly satisfactory manner. Upon severing his connection with the Consolidated Coal Com- pany he came to Champaign county, Ohio, locating on the old Hooley farm, which he purchased a number of years ago. It consists of ninety-three acres and is well improved. He has just finished a fine new home and his out- buildings are in good repair. In connection with general farming he raises about one hundred and twenty-five head of a good grade of hogs for the market annually, also a small herd of cattle.
Mr. McDaniel was married in 1898, at Enterprize, West Virginia, to Emma Rittenhouse, a daughter of Justin and Margaret Rittenhouse, natives of West Virginia.
To Mr. and Mrs. McDaniel the following children were born: Zalpha, Robert, Joseph, Thomas, James.
Politically, Mr. McDaniel is a Republican. He belongs to the blue lodge of Masons and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Kennard and has been steward of the same a number of times and is now a trustee.
SAMUEL WAYRE.
Another of the representative farmers of Salem township, Champaign county, who has been contented to spend his live in his native locality is Samuel Wayre, who was born on a farm three miles north of where he now lives on January 9, 1854. He is a son of John and Rebecca (Lantz) Wayre. The father was born in Hessel Darmstadt, Germany, and the mother was born in Mefflin county, Pennsylvania. John Wayre was a year old when his parents brought him to America, the family locating in Mifflin county, Pennsylvania, and there he grew to manhood and resided until 1851. After his marriage he came to Champaign county, renting land which he farmed until 1859, when he bought eighty acres, in Salem township. He followed farming there until about ten years prior to his death, when he retired from active life. He was born March 31, 1824, and died in 1905. His wife was born February 1, 1826, and died in 1905. He was among the first Mennonites to settle in Champaign county, and was the first ordained minister in the local church of this denomination, which is now the Oak
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Grove Mennonite church. His family consisted of five children, namely; Samuel, Jonathan, Joseph, Solomon and Nattie.
Samuel Wayre grew up on the home farm and he received his educa- tion in the common schools. He engaged in farming with his father until he was twenty-six years old, then married and began farming for himself, renting land for four years, then bought ninety acres, which he operated two and one-half years, then sold out and bought seventy acres which he operated twelve years, then sold out and rented for six years, then bought the sixty-acre farm on which he now resides. It is all under cultivation and he and his son Edwin carry on general farming on the same. It is well improved and on it are to be seen two sets of buildings. They also rent sixty-five acres additional, which they operate. They raise all kinds of grain and live stock and feed about one hundred head of hogs annually for the market.
Mr. Wayre was married in 1880 to Emma Kauffman, a daughter of Chris Kauffman and wife, and to their union three children were born, namely : Maude, who married Harry Goode, has two children, Dorothy and Alice; Edwin married Lola Johnson; John is single and at this writing is attending college at Goshen, Indiana.
Mr. Wayre is an independent voter. He is a member of the Mennonite church, and has been deacon in the church since 1890.
ELI PENCE.
Eli Pence, a farmer of Johnson township, Champaign county, was born two miles north of St. Paris, Ohio, January 20, 1842. He is a representative of one of the old families of this county, where he has spent practically all of his life of seventy-five years during which he has seen many important changes in a material way. He is a veteran of the Civil War in which he fought gallantly for the Union.
Mr. Pence is a son of Samuel and Mary A. (Howard) Pence, and a grandson of Daniel and Elizabeth Pence, who came to Champaign county from Virginia in early pioneer times, settling in Jackson township, where they carved a home from the wilderness and spent the rest of their lives. They were parents of the following children: Elizabeth, who married Jacob Kib- binger; Susan, who married David Gump; William, who married Zenella McDaniel; Amos, who married Clarinda Browning; Eli, who married Mary
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Grove; Sarah, who married William Rusk; Samuel, father of the subject of this sketch.
Samuel Pence devoted his active life to farming in Champaign county. His family consisted of the following children: B. F. died in childhood; Isaiah was a soldier in the Civil War; Sarah J. married John Apple; Susan married Daniel Poorman : Elizabeth married Samuel Heck ; Samuel, Jr., died when a boy.
Eli Pence spent his boyhood days on the home farm in Johnson township, and there he attended the rural schools, but only for a short time, in fact, he had little opportunity to obtain an education. On August 5, 1862, he enlisted in Company H, Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and he saw considerable hard service in the Fourth Army Corps, later being transferred to the Twenty- third Army Corps. He was in the Atlanta campaign and under General Sher- man on his march to the sea. He was wounded in the right shoulder at the battle of Resaca, Georgia, and was away from his regiment three months thereafter, and he still carries the bullet. He rejoined his regiment at Nash- ville, Tennessee, and was under General Thomas until the close of the war. Although wounded he was never in the hospital. He was mustered out and honorably discharged in June, 1865. He had been a very faithful and loyal soldier according to liis officers and comrades.
After his army career Mr. Pence returned to Champaign county and has since resided on a farm in Johnson township. He has lived on his present farm, five miles northwest of St. Paris, since 1867. He has been very success- ful as a general farmer and stock raiser. He is now living in retirement.
Mr. Pence was married on March 4, 1866, to Rachel Srofe, who was born on the farm where they now live, her parents being early settlers in John- son township, and here she has spent her life. She is a daughter of George W. and Isabelle (Grimes) Srofe. Her maternal grandfather, Benjamin Grimes, was a soldier in the War of 1812. He lived to the advanced age of one hun- dred and thirteen years.
To Mr. and Mrs. Pence six children have been born, named as follow : Orlando married Dora Apple and they live in Johnson township; William F. married Flora Hamilton ; Samuel, now deceased, married Clara Maxin; Mary is the wife of Perry E. Apple ; Emma E. is deceased : Mrs. Thursa Hobbins is deceased. There are six grandchildren.
Politically, Mr. Pence is a Democrat. He has served as school director and supervisor. He has been a member of the Baptist church at Mt. Pleasant since 1868, and is a deacon and trustee in the same, and at one time served
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as treasurer, and was a member of the building committee. He has always been active in the church, in fact, has been one of the pillars of the same for nearly fifty years. For a period of eleven years he was treasurer of the Mad River Association.
EDWARD B. THOMAS.
Edward B. Thomas, a farmer of Salem township, Champaign county, was born November 25, 1875, in the locality where he still resides. He is a son of Ivan B. and Lucretia (Burnett) Thomas. The father was also born in the above-named township and county, but the mother was a native of Tuscarawas county, Ohio. Ivan B. Thomas was born in 1832. He was a son of early pioneers in this section of the Buckeye state, and he grew to manhood here on the farm, amid pioneer conditions. He received a limited education in the early-day schools, and when a young man took up farming on his father's place, later starting in life for himself as a farmer here, buy- ing forty acres. He was a man of rare industry and good judgment and, prospering with advancing years, he added to his original holdings until he became owner of six hundred acres of valuable land and ranked among the leading general farmers and stock raisers of his county. He also owned nine hundred and thirty-eight acres in the state of Florida. He devoted his life to agricultural pursuits and was also interested in the grain business. He, with two other men, William Gest and T. A. Cowgill, built the elevator at Kennard, which he later bought for himself and operated successfully for over forty years, in connection with farming. His father. John Thomas, came to Champaign county in 1809, locating in Salem township, where he developed a good farm and became one of the prominent men of the county in his day. He was one of the earliest settlers. The family of Ivan B. Thomas consisted of four children, namely: Edward B. of this sketch; Robert was next in order : Marie married L. E. Baldwin; Roy was the young- est. The father of these children died in 1912 at the age of eighty years. The mother, who was a school teacher in her younger years, died in 1908. She was a daughter of Edward Burnett and wife, who were natives of Con- necticut. The parents of the subject of this sketch first met while she was teaching school at Kennard, Ohio.
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