USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 66
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Mr. Faulkner is a member of Magrew Lodge No. 433, Knights of Pythias, of Westville. Politically, he is a Republican and has always taken an active part in political campaigns.
JOHN W. ZIMMERMAN.
John W. Zimmerman, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers and stockmen of Concord township, this county, and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-one acres on rural mail route No. 7 out of Urbana, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Mad River township on March 21, 1850, son of George W. and Sarah (Berry) Zimmerman, both members of pioneer families in this county, whose last days were spent here.
George W. Zimmerman also was born in this county, son of George W. and Barbara (Norman) Zimmerman, natives of Virginia, who came to Ohio in 1808 and became prominent pioneer settlers in the west central part of this county, where they reared their family. The elder George W. Zim- merman was a son of Adam Zimmerman, who was one of the Hessian sol- diers sent over to this country to help the British during the Revolutionary War. Adam Zimmerman was captured by patriot troops, later swore alle- giance to the revolutionary cause, enlisted in General Washington's army and served with that command until the close of the war, afterward settling
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in Rockingham county, Virginia, where he married and spent the rest of his life. He and his wife were the parents of three children, Barbara, Christina and George Washington, the latter of whom married Barbara Norman and emigrated to this county. At the same time his sister, Chris- tina, married Christian Norman, a brother of Barbara, and the Normans also came to this county, the two families settling in what is now the lower part of Concord township, in the southwest corner of the same. The pioneer George W. Zimmerman presently erected a water mill in Mad River town- ship, having there one of the first saw-mills in western Ohio, and John Nor- man erected a grist-mill, and at his saw-mill the timber which entered into the erection of the first houses built at Urbana and at St. Paris was sawed. He died at his home in Mad River township in 1840, of smallpox. He and his wife were the parents of five children, John, Joseph, George W., Isaac and Katie, the latter of whom married Jacob Whitmore. The junior George W. Zimmerman grew up on the pioneer farm in Mad River township and lived there all his life, a well-known and substantial farmer and miller. He married Sarah Berry, a daughter of David Berry who had a farm and a carding mill for the local wool growers. Her parents were pioneers of this county, and to that union were born five children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Elizabeth J., Clarissa A., Sylvester B. and Ampy W. George W. Zimmerman was a prominent beekeeper.
John W. Zimmerman was reared on the home farm in Mad River town- ship, receiving his schooling in the schools of that neighborhood, and has always been a farmer and stock raiser, now the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty-one acres in Concord township, which he has created one of the best farm plants in that part of the county. He has a good home and his own electric light plant in his house. Mr. Zimmerman is a Republican and has ever given his earnest attention to local political affairs, but has not been included in the office-seeking class. He is a member of St. Paris Lodge No. 246, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Russell Encamp- ment No. 141, Patriarchs Militant, and takes a warm interest in Oddfel- lowship, one of the active workers in both the lodge and the encampment.
On March 26, 1872, John W. Zimmerman was united in marriage to Amanda M. Neer, also a member of one of Champaign county's pioneer families, and to this union three children have been born, of whom but one is now living, a daughter, Anna C., who married Theodore Idle and has one child, a daughter, Lolela. Of their other children, one died in infancy and Oliver B. died at the age of five years. Mr. Zimmerman is a member
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of the Concord Methodist Episcopal church and takes a proper interest in church work, as well as in other neighborhood good works and in the gen- eral social activities of the community in which they have lived all their lives. Mrs. Zimmerman died September 21, 1913.
AMOS N. COUCHMAN.
During his life of more than three score years in Salem township, Amos N. Couchman, well-known farmer, has seen a great transformation in his vicinity and Champaign county. He was born on a farm in this township, two miles south of West Liberty, February 26, 1843, a scion of one of our pioneer families, being a son of Michael and Elizabeth (Neer) Couchman. The father was a native of Berkeley county, in what is now West Virginia, where he grew to manhood and learned the blacksmith's trade. In an early day he moved to Champaign county, Ohio, and worked in different places. During the latter part of his life he resided south of West Liberty on a farm, known as the Reynolds place. However, he finally bought a farm in Harrison township, where he died, after which event his widow went to live with her daughter, Mrs. H. P. Wilson, in that town- ship, and there her death occurred. Michael Couchman was an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal church. He was twice married, first, in Vir- ginia, to which union four children were born, namely: Mary, deceased; Henry, deceased; Sarah, who lives at Van Wert, Ohio, and Rebecca, de- ceased. Mr. Couchman's second wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Neer, had previously been married to a Mr. Demory, by whom she had four children, namely: John, Sarah, Susan and Matilda. The following children were born to Michael Couchman and his second wife: Jacob, deceased, married Mariam Daniels and they made their home in Indiana; Amanda is the widow of John Edwards and she lives in Missouri; George, now deceased, married Lizzie Craig, and they lived in Salem and Harrison townships, Champaign county; James, now deceased, married Mary Hen- derson, and they had one child, May; Lewis married a Miss Davis and they make their home in Topeka, Kansas; Emma, who married H. P. Wilson, is deceased; Amos N., subject of this sketch.
Amos N. Couchman was reared on the old home farm and received an excellent education in the local schools. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years old, then married Fidelia Rose, of Delaware
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MR. AND MRS. AMOS N. COUCHMAN.
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county, Ohio, whose death occurred on February 2, 1917. To their union four children were born, namely: Vernon, who is single and lives at home, has been a dealer in woven wire for many years and is an expert fence builder; Clyde M., who lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, married Lizzie Mock, now deceased: Emma married Lawrence Hemenway and they live in West Liberty, Ohio; Milton died in infancy.
In his early career Mr. Couchman, of this sketch, followed school teach- ing with pronounced success for a period of fourteen years. After his mar- riage he located in Harrison township, Champaign county, and lived on various farms in different places until he purchased his present farm of sixty-six acres in Salem township, in 1877. He has made all the improve- ments now to be seen on the place and he has a comfortable home. He has been associated with his son for many years in dealing in woven wire fencing.
Politically, Mr. Couchman is a Republican. He is a member of Wesley chapel, Methodist Episcopal church, in Harrison township. He has always been active in school affairs and has served on the school board in his dis- trict, and was trustee for six years. He is a well posted man on all current topics and a leader in public affairs in his locality.
JACOB CHIDESTER.
Jacob Chidester, one of Champaign county's best-known farmers and "old settlers," an honored veteran of the Civil War and proprietor of a fine farm on the Milford pike in Goshen township, one and a half miles north- east of Mechanicsburg, is a native son of this county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm on Tickle creek, in Goshen town- ship, May 8, 1838, son of Isaac and Mary (Mitchell) Chidester, natives of Virginia, who came to Ohio in the early thirties and settled in Champaign county, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Isaac Chidester was born in Harrison county, Virginia, June 17, 1806, and there grew to manhood and married Mary Mitchell, who was born in that same county on July 26, 1805. In the early thirties Isaac Chidester and his wife and the three or four children that were born to them in Virginia moved to Ohio, driving through in a covered wagon, and settled in Champaign county, establishing their home on what is now the Wing (42a)
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farm in the neighborhood of Mechanicsburg, and later on the Thomas Doug- las farm. Later Isaac Chidester moved into the village of Mechanicsburg and was there engaged in the grocery business at the time of his death in the early forties. By political persuasion Isaac Chidester was a Democrat, but never took a particularly active part in political affairs. He and his wife were devoted members of the Baptist church and for some years he served as a "local" preacher, being widely known in his day as an expounder of the Baptist faith hereabout. . He and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth, the others being as follow: Jesse, born on September 15, 1827, who served as a soldier of the Confederate army during the Civil War and spent his last days in his native Virginia ; Prudence, September 28, 1828, wife of New- ton Guthridge, of Lima, Ohio; Amos Franklin, September 30, 1829, who died in Missouri; Johanna, November 23, 1830, who died unmarried at Flora, Illinois; Isaac, February 15, 1832, a veteran of the Civil War, a member of the Sixty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, now living at Eureka Springs, Arkansas; Abraham, January 16, 1837, who also served as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, his service being rendered during the latter part of the war; Mary, February 4, 1840, who married Richard Lansdale, who was killed in battle while serving as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, and Granville Lawler, 1841, who enlisted as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Port Republic and lies in an unknown grave at the scene of that battle.
Jacob Chidester was but two or three years of age when his father died at Mechanicsburg and he was reared in the household of an uncle on a farm on Brush lake in Goshen township, this county, receiving his schooling in the school of that neighborhood and early becoming a practical farmer, compelled to "do for himself" from the time he was twelve years of age. He was working as a farm hand in that vicinity at the time the Civil War broke out and on August 7, 1862, he enlisted for service and went to the front as a member of Company I, Sixty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, and was transferred the following July to the Tenth Regi- ment, Veteran Reserve Corps, by general orders, and served with that command until the close of the war, being honorably discharged on July 17, 1865. After the battle of Gettysburg Mr. Chidester was transferred with the sick and wounded to New York City, where he was on duty during the time of the famous draft riot in that city. Later he was detailed as a mounted orderly to one of the generals in Washington, D. C., and was serving in that capacity in that city when the war came to a close. On
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the night of the assassination of President Lincoln Mr. Chidester was present at the performance in Ford's Theater, which Mr. Lincoln was enjoying at the time of his assassination, and he thus is one of the very few surviving witnesses to that tragedy. Some years ago there was pub- lished in The Ohio Farmer, together with a portrait of Mr. Chidester, his own personal account of that historic tragedy and the same is regarded as so interesting and informative that it is here reproduced, as follows:
After the battle of Gettysburg I was sent to New York with the sick and wounded, as I was ill. I soon recovered and was detailed as General DeWitt's mounted orderly. Our headquarters in Washington, D. C., were at the corner of I street and Pennsylvania avenue. As Lee had surrendered, the city was very joyful the 14th of April, 1865, and all orders had been rescinded, so that guards were very lenient, letting people go and come almost as they pleased.
The headlines of the papers that morning read something like this: "The President and Mrs. Lincoln, General and Mrs. Grant, will attend Ford's Theater tonight, where Our American Cousin' will be played." General and Mrs. Grant were unable to be present. but Major Rathburn was in the box with the President and Mrs. Lincoln.
As there were no orders that night I was given permission to go to the theater, and of course, went to Ford's.
I sat in the middle aisle, about half way back, and could see Lincoln very plainly when he leaned forward. The American flag was draped around the box seat which he occupied and he was sitting with his chin in his hand several times when I looked at him. He was at the right of the stage and there were a few steps leading directly from the sidewalk to his box seat. This theater was on the ground floor and as Booth was an actor he was well acquainted with the building. In addition, as all orders had been rescinded for the day because of Lee's surrender. the President was not so closely guarded and people were permitted to go and come quite freely.
I do not remember the leading woman's name, nor what scene it was. but she was on the stage alone. When a shot rang out everybody thought it a part of the play for an instant. until we saw the actress throw up both hands, with her eyes on Lincoln, who had fallen a little forward. I think Major Rathburn caught him in his arms. I think that Lincoln was sitting erect when shot. though I could not see him when he leaned back and did not see Booth fire the shot. 1 doubt if anyone did unless it was the actress. Booth, crying something in Latin (sic semper tyrannis), jumped from the box but caught his spur in the flag and fell onto the stage, breaking the small bone in his leg. He grabbed the actress and dragged her across the stage to a back door through which he made his escape.
When Booth jumped there were dozens of revolvers drawn. but no one could shoot. as he very carefully kept the woman in front of him. The people became frantic and I could hardly move. I knew that I must get out as soon as possible and report to head- quarters, as I was needed. but it was impossible for quite a while. When I finally did get out I ran all the way to headquarters, on the corner of I street and Pennsylvania avenue, but the word was there before me and the whole regiment was in line for duty. The excitement was becoming intense and people were wild.
As soon as I arrived, General DeWitt asked me if it were true. I told him that it was, as I had been in the theatre. He said. "Go tell Major Bowers." I went and had
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to waken him. He was so grieved he did not know what to do for a few minutes and finally burst out crying like a little boy.
The road which Booth took after the assassination passed over Eastern Branch bridge into Maryland and previously had been very closely guarded. The guards had been ordered to let people pass without examining them and when notified that Lincoln had been shot by Booth they replied that a man had just passed whom they halted but let pa: s. He immediately urged his horse into a run and as long as they could hear the clatter of the horse's feet it was going as fast as it could. This had aroused their sus- picion, but it was too late.
I did not sleep that night, as I rode carrying orders until morning. There were few in Washington that did sleep that night of April 14. 1865, when our beloved Abraham Lincoln was laid low.
Upon the completion of his military service Jacob Chidester returned to his home in this county and resumed the pursuits of peace, as a farmer. After his marriage in 1869 he rented a small farm and he and his wife engaged in the dairy business and were thus engaged for five years, at the end of which time they moved to the Lewis Britton farm, the place on which Mrs. Chidester was reared, and there established their permanent home, Mr. Chidester ever since having been successfully engaged in farm- ing there. Mr. Chidester is a Republican and has ever given a good citi- zen's attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office. He is an active member of Baxter Post, Grand Army of the Repub- lic, and has for years taken an earnest interest in the affairs of that patriotic organization.
On November 17, 1869, Jacob Chidester was united in marriage to Margaret Britton, who was born in this county, daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth (Britton) Britton, and who died on April 19, 1895, leaving three children, Walter S., now a resident of Punta Gorda, Florida; Edith, who is secretary of the Continental Dorset Club, an influential organization that was effected by the late Joseph Wing, and Emma, who is at home with her father. Mr. Chidester is a member of the Methodist Protestant church at Mechanicsburg, as was his wife, and has ever taken an interested part in church work as well as in other local good works. His daughters also are members of that church, in the affairs of which they take an earnest interest, as well as in the community's general social and cultural affairs. Mr. Chidester is the oldest living member of the Mechanicsburg lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons, having been raised a master Mason in 1865, and he and his daughters are members of Caroline Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. He and his daughters are also members of the local Grange and in the affairs of that organization, as well as in Masonic affairs, have long taken a warm interest.
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D. IRVIN NEESE.
A well-known farmer of Adams township, living on his farm located on the Urbana pike about one mile east of Rosewood, on rural route No. I, is D. Irvin Neese, who was born on September 10, 1864, on a farm in Mad River township, just east of Thackery, the son of Elias and Sarah (Foltz) Neese, both of whom were natives of Virginia.
Elias Neese was born in the Shenandoah valley, Virginia, and lived there until he reached the age of eighteen, when he came alone to Champaign county, Ohio. After arriving here he worked at farm labor until his mar- riage to Sarah Foltz, who was also a native of Virginia, but who had come with her parents from that state to Clark county, Ohio, where they lived until she reached the age of fifteen years, when the family moved to a farm near Thackery in Mad River township, this county, where her parents lived the remainder of their lives. After his marriage Elias Neese located on a farm in Mad River township and here he lived the rest of his life. After his death his wife lived with her children until her death occurred. They were the parents of ten children, of whom six are living: Isabel, the widow of Joseph Maurice, of Carysville, Ohio; Reuben, of Thackery; Emma, wife of Allen Zirkle, a farmer of Mad River township; Viola, wife of George Cook, living in Clark county, Ohio, and Irvin, of this review.
Irvin Neese was reared to manhood on the home farm in Mad River township, receiving his education in the district schools of his home neigh- borhood. He remained at home until he reached the age of twenty-one years, when he started out to farm for himself in partnership with Allen Zirkle, with whom he operated a farm in Adams township, living on this place for a period of fourteen years, after which he moved to his present home. Here he is engaged in general farming and stock raising, in which occupation he has met with a very commendable degree of success and ranks among the progressive and up-to-date farmers of Adams township.
On November 13, 1889, D. Irvin Neese was married to Dora Halter- man, the daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Hall) Halterman, and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter: Florence, the wife of Raymond Persinger, living on a farm five miles northwest of Rosewood, Ohio, and Forest, a farmer of Harrison township, this county. Mr. Neese is a member of the Lutheran church at Thackery, while his wife and children are members of the United Brethren church at Rosewood. Fraternally, Mr. Neese is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holding
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membership in Lodge No. 253, at Rosewood, where he holds the office of past noble grand. He is also a member of the Patriarchs Militant, and is past chief patriarch of the local encampment, while both he and Mrs. Neese are members of the White Lily Lodge No. 449, Daughters of Rebekah, wherein Mrs. Neese holds the office of past noble grand. Politically, Mr. Neese adheres to the principles of the Democratic party.
JAMES I. ARROWSMITH.
James I. Arrowsmith, well-known farmer and stockman of Mad River township, this county, living on rural mail route No. 7 out of Urbana, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there all his life. He was born on October 29, 1881, son of Isaac I. and Amanda J. (Powell) Arrowsmith, the former of whom was born on that same farm and the latter on a farm west of Urbana in Urbana township, and the latter of whom is still living, now a resident of Urbana, where she has resided since 1905 and where she is very comfortably situated.
Isaac I. Arrowsmith was born on February 6, 1844, son of Ezekiel Arrowsmith and wife, substantial pioneer residents of Mad River township, . the former of whom died about 1887. Reared on the farm on which he was born and on which his son is now living, Isaac I. Arrowsmith completed his schooling in a commercial college at Dayton and after his marriage to Amanda J. Powell, who was born in the neighboring township of Urbana on October 16, 1848, established his home on that farm and there con- tinued to make his home until 1905, when he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Urbana, buying a residence on Sciota street, where he died November 13, 1913, aged sixty-nine years, and where his widow is still living. Isaac I. Arrowsmith was a Republican and was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife were the parents of two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Minnie, wife of J. E. Lewis, of Concord township, this county.
Reared on the home farm, where he was born, James I. Arrowsmith received his schooling in the Westville schools and from the days of his boyhood was a valued aid to his father in the labors of improving and developing the home farm. After his marriage in the fall of 1905, his parents retiring from the farm and moving to Urbana in that year, he established his home on the old home place and has since been managing
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the farm, not only farming the home place of one hundred and four acres, but an "eighty" in Concord township. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Arrowsmith is giving considerable attention to the raising of live stock, with particular reference to hogs, and is doing very well.
On October 26, 1905, James I. Arrowsmith was united in marriage to Bessie E. Craig, who was born in Salem township, this county, daughter of E. C. Craig and wife, and to this union has been born one child, a son, Marvin P., born on April 24, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Arrowsmith have a very pleasant home and take an interested part in local social activities. Mr. Arrowsmith is a member of Magrew Lodge No. 433, Knights of Pythias, and both he and his wife are members of the local Grange at Westville, in the affairs of which they take a hearty interest.
W. C. WILKINSON.
William C. Wilkinson, a retired farmer, now living at Rosewood, Adams township, Champaign county, was born on a farm one and one-half miles north of Rosewood, October 21, 1861. He is a son of Asahel and Mary (Cal- land) Wilkinson. The father was also born on the same farm as his son W. C., his father being one of the early pioneers here. He was of English ancestry. Mary Calland was born and reared in Adams township also. She was a daughter of William Tipton Calland, a native of Scotland where he grew up and married, afterwards immigrating with his wife to America.
After his marriage Asahel Wilkinson began housekeeping on his father's farm in Adams township and there he remained the rest of his active life, carrying on general farming and stock raising successfully. He finally moved to Logan county, Ohio, where the death of his wife occurred. Later he re- turned to Champaign county and died at Rosewood. To these parents four children were born, namely: Susanna, who married Edward Ulrich, is de- ceased; G. C. lives on the old home place; Nancy Ellen, who married Peter Keesecker, is deceased; and W. C. of this sketch.
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