USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 67
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Asahel Wilkinson and wife were members of the United Brethren church, holding membership for many years at Union Chapel, and later were mem- bers of Degraff Methodist church. Politically, he was a Republican.
W. C. Wilkinson grew up on the home farm in Adams township, in fact, spent forty-seven years on the same farm. He attended the rural schools in his district. He was married in July, 1881, to Sallie E. Heath, who was born
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near Heathtown, Concord township, where she grew to womanhood and was educated. To their union two daughters have been born, namely: Maude is the wife of Pearl Sarver, a farmer of Harrison township; and Blanche, who married J. D. Wright and they are living in Urbana, Ohio, where he is an automobile dealer, handling the "Reo" car.
Mr. Wilkinson owns a well improved farm of ninety-one acres, a portion of the old home place. There he carried on general farming and stock raising, making a comfortable living and keeping the land from becoming worn out by continued cropping. He retired from active work in 1908 and moved to Rosewood, where he and his wife have since resided.
Politically, he is a Republican, and he is at present trustee of Adams township. Fraternally, he belongs to Rosewood Lodge No. 253, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is at present noble grand. He also be- longs to Anderton Encampment, Lodge No. 292, at Rosewood, of which he is now chief patriarch.
DAVID C. JOURNELL.
David C. Journell, farmer, of Concord township, was born in Cumber- land county, Illinois, August 22, 1864, and is a son of Anderson and Eliza- beth (Heath) Journell. The father also was born in Concord township and was a son of John Journell, who, with his family, came from Virginia to this township in pioneer days. They cleared and developed a farm from the woods, on which John Journell spent the balance of his life and where his son Anderson grew to manhood and married Elizabeth Heath, who also was a native of Concord township. She was a daughter of Wilibel Heath, whose family came here in pioneer times, Heathtown being named for them. After his marriage Anderson Journell settled on a farm in Concord township, where he resided about ten years, then moved to Cumberland county, Illinois, remain- ing there about ten years, or until his death. His widow also spent the rest of her days there. Ten children were born to them, only four of whom are now living, namely : J. T. is farming near Quincy, Ohio; Etna is the widow of Calvin Jenkins, of Urbana, Ohio; David C., of this sketch, and U. S. G., who lives at Quincy, this state.
David C. Journell was five years old when his father died and the follow- ing year he went to live with his uncle, Crockett Journell, who lived in Con- cord township, Champaign county. He remained with him until he was fourteen years old, then started out in life for himself. He hired out by the
MRS. OLIVE JOURNELL
DAVID C. JOURNELL
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day and the month, at anything in which he could make an honest dollar. He had the grit that wins and, by perseverance and close application, he suc- ceeded.
Mr. Journell was married on October 22, 1889, to Olive Comer, a daughter of Russell and Sarah Catherine (Pence) Comer. Mr. Comer died on February 8, 1910, and his widow lives with a son in Concord township. The old Pence homestead was in Concord township, near D. C. Journell's present farm. The Comers were natives of Champaign county and were the parents of six children. After his marriage Mr. Journell continued to work by the month for two years. In 1891 he bought his present farm, which was heavily timbered. He worked hard, cleared and developed it into a good farm and here he has continued to reside and has made a good living as a general farmer and stock raiser. He owns one hundred and thirty-six acres. He raises large numbers of hogs annually for the market, having long made a specialty of that line of endeavor.
To Mr. and Mrs. Journell five children have been born, namely: Ethel is the widow of James Stemble of Urbana, Ohio; Elmer is assisting his father on the home farm; Mamie is in school; Oma is also attending school, and Raymond is at home.
Politically, Mr. Journell is a Republican. His wife is a member of the Millerstown Baptist church.
WILLIAM CULBERTSON.
William Culbertson, senior member of the firm of Culbertson Brothers, carriage manufacturers and automobile agents at Mechanicsburg, and a mem- ber of the city council, was born at Mechanicsburg and has lived there all his life. He was born on August 17, 1861, son of William and Elizabeth (Hen- derson) Culbertson, who were for years among the best-known residents of that city.
The senior William Culbertson was born in the state of New York and was but a child when he came with his parents, James and Margaret Culbert- son, to Ohio, the family settling at Warren, in Trimble county. James Cul- bertson and his wife were natives of Ireland, of Scottish descent, and were married in their native land, almost immediately afterward coming to this country. She died at Warren, this state, and he later located at Mechanics- hurg, where his last days were spent. Their son, William, grew to manhood
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at Warren and there learned the trade of a wood worker and carriage maker, which he followed the rest of his life, becoming a successful manufacturer. As a young man, in 1854, he moved to Mechanicsburg and engaged in the carriage-manufacturing business there, as the head of the firm of Culbertson & Murray, which arrangement continued for some years, at the end of which time the firm became Culbertson & Barr. Later, the firm became William Culbertson & Company and the business was being carried on under that firn style at the time of the death of the senior William Culbertson, since which time it has been carried on by his sons, under the firm name of Culbertson Brothers. The senior William Culbertson took an active part in the general upbuilding of his home town and was for years regarded as one of the most progressive and public-spirited citizens of Mechanicsburg. He was a Repub- lican and served for many years as a member of the town council. Frater- nally, he was affiliated with the Mechanicsburg lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being Carrie, widow of P. Benton Owen, of Mechanicsburg; John J., the junior member of the firm of Culbertson Brothers; Minerva, of Mechanicsburg, and Dollie W., wife of Ernest James, of Delaware, this state.
The junior William Culbertson grew up at Mechanicsburg, the place of his birth, receiving his schooling in the schools of that city, and from the days of his boyhood took an active interest in his father's carriage factory, prac- tically growing up in the same and from youth familiar with the details of the business, becoming a member of the company some time before his father's death and after that event the general manager of the concern, which since then has been operated under the firm name of Culbertson Brothers, he and his brother, John J. Culbertson, carrying on the business, one of the oldest and most firmly-established industrial concerns in the city of Mechanicsburg. Culbertson Brothers also are county agents and distributors for the Ford Auto- mobile Company of Detroit and have done a large business in this latter line. William Culbertson is a Progressive and is now a member of the city council from his home ward. He formerly served for a period of ten years as a mem- ber of the council and after a period of two years was re-elected, in January, 1916, and is now serving his second period of service in that office, a position his father also held for many years.
In June, 1890, William Culbertson was united in marriage to Carrie Hustler, a daughter of Joseph Hustler and wife, of Mechanicsburg, and to this union has been born one child, a son, William L. Culbertson, born on February 28, 1892, who is now associated with his father and uncle in busi-
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ness. The Culbertsons have a very pleasant home at Mechanicsburg and have ever taken an interested part in the city's general social affairs. Mr. Culbert- son is a member of Wildey Lodge No. 271, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, at Mechanicsburg, and is a past noble grand of the same.
ALBERT BROWN.
Albert Brown, a veteran railway locomotive engineer, now living on his well-kept farm of seventy acres on the Catawba and Mechanicsburg pike, two miles south of Mechanicsburg, in Goshen township, this county, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state considerably more than half of his life, for twenty-five years having been a resident of Galesburg, Illinois, where he was engaged in the railroad service. He was born at Yel- low Springs, in Greene county, Ohio, March II, 1856, son of John and Mar- garet (Black) Brown, the latter of whom was born in Scotland, a native of the shire in which Robert Burns was born, and who was but seven years of age when her parents cane to this country and settled in Greene county, this state, where she grew to womanhood and married John Brown, who was born in this state, of Scotch-Irish descent. To that union five children were born, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being Samuel, who died at Springfield, Ohio; Mrs. Mary J. Wallace, of Oakland, California; Jennie, widow of Henry Philbrick, also of Oakland, and Horace Mann, who died at the age of eight years. John Brown died at his home in Greene county about the year 1860 and his widow survived him many years. She was a life-long member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Bereft of his father when but a boy, Albert Brown, at the age of nine years, began to make his home with the family of Van Davis, in the neigh- borhood of Mechanicsburg, this county, and remained there, receiving his schooling in the Mechanicsburg schools, until he was eighteen years of age, when he started out "on his own hook" and went to Cleveland, where he was engaged in a factory for three years, at the end of which time, when twenty-one years of age, he returned to Mechanicsburg. There, a year or two later, he married and then went to Springfield, this state, where he became employed as a fireman on the old Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western road, now a part of the "Big Four" system, and three years later was given an engine and transferred to Galesburg, Illinois, where he was
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engaged as a railway locomotive engineer until his retirement from the road and return to Mechanicsburg in 1912. Upon his return to this county Mr. Brown established his home on his present farm in Goshen township and there has since resided, he and his wife being very comfortably situated there. Mr. Brown is a Republican, but the only public office he ever has held was that of marshal of the village of Mechanicsburg, which office he held for two years during the time of his residence there many years ago. During his residence in Galesburg he was for many years an active member of the local division of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers at that place and Mrs. Brown was an active member of the woman's auxiliary to that brotherhood, serving for some time as president of the same.
Mr. Brown has been twice married. On May 14, 1879, at Mechanics- burg, he was united in marriage to Lula Raudebaugh, daughter of David and Cynthia (Baker) Raudebaugh, who lived in that village for about four years, during which time Albert Brown and his uncle, Major Baker, were engaged in the dairy business, and to that union two children were born, both of whom are still living, Margaret, wife of Alfred Blick, of Gales- burg, Illinois, and Walter, who is engaged in the tailoring business at Marion, Ohio. The mother of these children died in 1889 and on Sep- tember 5, 1893, Mr. Brown married Mary Kingsley, a daughter of Lewis and Catherine ( Blue) Kingsley, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Lewis Kingsley Brown, born on June 5, 1896, who is now engaged in the railway service at Galesburg, Illinois. Dr. and Mrs. Brown are mem- bers of the Universalist church at Galesburg. He is a Republican and a member of the local lodge of the Masons at Mechanicsburg. Mrs. Brown is a member of Rebecca Parke Chapter, Daughters of the American Revo- lution, at Galesburg, through descent from Capt. William Howard, one of the pioneers of this section of Ohio. Captain Howard served as a minute man during the period immediately preceding the beginning of the War of Independence, was present at the battle of Lexington and was after- ward commissioned a captain of the Continental army, serving with distin- guished valor during the Revolutionary War. Upon the beginning of the settlement in this part of Ohio Howard came out here and did a good work in the development period of this section. He was a Mason and did much to promote the cause of that ancient order hereabout during the early days. On the Fuller line of her Kingsley ancestry Mrs. Brown traces her descent back to the Fuller who was a member of the devoted band that landed on the shores of this country from the "Mayflower".
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THOMAS E. PYLE.
Thomas E. Pyle, a former well-known teacher in the schools of Cham- paign county and now a substantial farmer living in Adams township, was born in that same township on March 12, 1866. He is the son of H. D. and Margaret (Speece) Pyle, both natives of the state of Ohio.
H. D. Pyle was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, and his wife, Margaret Speece, was born in Harrison township, Champaign county. Both are now living in St. Paris, this county, where they are comfortably situated, living a retired life after years of activity on the farm on which they spent the greater part of their lives. H. D. and Margaret Pyle were the parents of six children, one of whom is deceased and the others are Thomas E. Pyle, the subject of this sketch; William Pyle, a farmer and trader, living in Colorado; Hezekiah L., a minister of the Congregational church in Phila- delphia, who graduated from Ada Westerville College and Yale College; C. E., a farmer living in Adams township, and Sarah, wife of E. F. Brown, of St. Paris, who is engaged in the grocery business.
Thomas E. Pyle was reared on his father's farm in Adams township and was educated in the public schools of the district. He later went through a course in the high school at Urbana one winter. He taught school for two years in Concord township, this county. At the end of that period he went west and taught school near Vernon, in the state of Colorado. The school there was conducted in a sod house which Mr. Pyle helped to build. After remaining in Colorado for some time he returned to Champaign county and commenced his life as a farmer. During the period that Mr. Pyle was engaged in teaching he was generally recognized as an efficient instructor, ever interested in imparting the elements of the subjects he taught to the pupils in his charge.
On May 25, 1892, Thomas E. Pyle was united in marriage to Lottie May Wilson, who was born in Shelby county, this state, and the daughter of James Wilson. After his marriage he settled on the farm of one hun- dred acres of land which he owns in Adams township and on which he now lives. He is engaged in general farming and his efforts have met with con- siderable success. He adopts modern methods in his agricultural labors, to insure the best results, and his buildings are kept in excellent condition, the whole tract showing evidence of continuous care and attention.
Mr. and Mrs. Pyle are members of the United Brethren church at Rosewood and are active in all church work. He is a member of Crayon
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Lodge No. 297, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which order he is past noble grand. He is also a member of the auxiliary, being affiliated with Anterton Encampment No. 397, of which he is past chief patriarch. Mr. and Mrs. Pyle are members of the Rebekah lodge, and in the affairs of all these orders he takes a warm interest. He is a supporter of the Republican party and has filled the office of township assessor for one year, giving the people satisfactory service in this important position. Mr. and Mrs. Pyle have reared a boy whose name was Hunter, but is now known as John Pyle, and who has lived with them since he was five years old. He was gradu- ated from the Rosewood high school.
GEORGE W. NOTESTINE.
George W. Notestine, farmer of Adams township, Champaign county. was born six miles southeast of the village of DeGraff, Logan county, Ohio, November 11, 1846. He is a son of John and Catherine (Neer) Notestine. The father was born in Perry county, this state, but when a young man he came to Logan county, where he married and settled on a farm. His wife, Catherine Neer, was born in Licking county, this state, but when young her parents brought her to Logan county and there she grew to womanhood. John and Catherine Notestine located on a farm in Logan county and spent the rest of their lives there, both being now deceased. They became parents of fourteen children, six of whom are still living, ten growing to maturity, the survivors are: Elizabeth is the widow of Gabriel Krouse and she lives in Bellefontaine, Ohio: George W., of this sketch; Nancy is the widow of Lewis Walcott and lives at DeGraff, Ohio; John, Thomas and Noah all make their home in Logan county, this state.
George W. Notestine was reared on the home farm in Logan county and there he attended the district schools. When a young man he went to Owen county, Indiana, and he spent four years in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, then returned home. On October 19. 1876, he married Lizzie Jane Naugle, a native of Clark county, Ohio, where she grew to womanhood and attended schools. Her mother died when she was but a child.
In February, 1877, Mr. Notestine and wife moved to Champaign county and finally bought their present farm of ninety-three acres in Adams township and here they have since resided. They lived on rented land the first nine years they were in the locality in which they now reside. They have a well
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cultivated farm and a comfortable home and engage in general farming pur- suits.
One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Notestine, namely: Emmett Vance, who married Carrie Wise and they live in DeGraff, Logan county, where he is in the garage business. They have two children, Mildred and Ruth, both now in school.
Politically, Mr. Notestine is a Republican. He belongs to Lodge 292, Free and Accepted Masons. She belongs to the Christian church at Logans- ville, Ohio.
SAMUEL J. MAURICE.
Samuel J. Maurice, farmer of Adams township, Champaign county, was born on a part of the farm on which he is now living, May 19, 1888, and he is regarded as one of the most promising of our younger husbandmen. He is a son of Joseph and Isabelle (Neese) Maurice. The father was born near Springfield, Clark county, Ohio, May 27, 1846. He was a son of Isaac Maurice, who immigrated from England to Ohio in an early day, locating in Clark county, and there his first wife died, he then married Caroline Davis, a native of Virginia, who came to Clark county when a girl. Isaac Maurice spent the rest of his life on the farm on which Joseph Maurice was born, hav- ing remained on the same place he selected when first locating in the New World. Isabelle Neese was born on a farm just east of Thackery, Mad River township, Champaign county, Ohio. She was a daughter of Elias Neese, who came to Ohio with his parents when a boy.
After their marriage Joseph Maurice settled in German township, Clark county, where they remained ten years, then came to Adams township and bought forty acres and there they established their future home. Their son, Samuel J., of this sketch, was born on that place. The family resided there ten years, then the father bought the farm where his son Joseph now lives, and here the father spent the rest of his life, dying on May 28, 1908. His widow is still living on this farm. To Joseph Maurice and wife twelve children were born, all still living but one, Marion: W. A., of Rosewood, Ohio; Adeela is the wife of Stephen Bowers and they live in Adams township ; George lives in Shelby county, Ohio; C. A. lives at Rosewood, Champaign county ; Valdora is the wife of Dr. Connor of Markleville, Indiana; Emma is the widow of George Licklider, of Carysville, Ohio; Ellen is the wife of Alex C. Stephenson, of Adams township, Champaign county; Herman is farming on the home
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place ; Marion died in infancy ; Samuel J., of this sketch; Lizzie is the wife of Homer Geuy and they live on the home place; and Emerson also lives on the home farm.
Samuel J. Maurice was reared on the home farm where he worked when a boy. He received his education in the district schools. He has remained on the home farm and has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. The place consists of two hundred and thirty acres. He has kept his fields well cultivated and well improved
Mr. Maurice was married on December 19, 1909, to Laura Geuy, a daughter of Steward and Alice (Spellman) Geuy, of Johnson township, this county. To Mr. Maurice and wife two children have been born, namely : Alice Isabelle is attending school; and Mildred Ruth, who died when two months old.
Politically, Mr. Maurice is a Democrat, but is inclined to vote inde- pendently, not being a biased partisan. Fraternally, he belongs to the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Rosewood. He is a member of the Christian church at Carysville.
SAMUEL J. BARGER.
Samuel J. Barger, a farmer and truck grower of Concord township, Champaign county, was born in the locality where he now resides, February 21, 1863. He is a son of John and Martha (Graves) Barger, whose family consisted of the following children: Melissa is deceased; F. M. is deceased ; John F. lives at St. Paris, this county ; Joseph M. is a retired farmer living in Logan county, Ohio; Sarah E. is the wife of Robert Valentine; Samuel J., of this sketch, and Mary C., who married Harrison Jenkins and lives in Har- rison township.
John Barger was a son of Jacob and Polly (Bousman) Barger, who were married at the historic Natural Bridge in Virginia, October 9, 1809. They came to Champaign county, Ohio, in 1813, locating among the early pioneers in Concord township, a half mile northwest of the present site of Concord centralized school. Here they cleared the primeval forest and developed a good farm, on which they spent the rest of their lives. A part of the old orchard they set out is still living and bearing fruit. His death occurred on May 1, 1863, and she died on May 22, 1841. To Jacob and Polly Barger twelve children were born, named as follow: John, father of Samuel J .; Madison, born September 30, 1812, died October 9, 1873; Sarah,
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL J. BARGER
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born September 1, 1814, died September 17, 1856; Deborah, born November 7, 1816, died November 10, 1852; William, born November 9, 1818, died February 16, 1896; Mary, born October 10, 1820, died January 28, 1906; George, born September 1I, 1822, deceased; Samuel B., born August 5, 1824, died October 18, 1846; Jacob, Jr., born September 26, 1826, died November 25, 1847; Nancy A., born September 9, 1828, died February 23, 1873; Leonard, born September 21, 1830, died October 22, 1907; Philander R., born January 22, 1835, died in April, 1917.
John Barger was born near the Natural Bridge in Virginia, January 20, 18II, and his death occurred on January 27, 1892. He was two years old when his parents made the long overland trip in wagons from the Old Dominion to Champaign county, Ohio. He grew to manhood amid pioneer conditions in Concord township and assisted his father with the work on the farm until he was a young man. Here he married Sarah Hall, who died on February 15, 1850, in early life, and on November 14th of that year he married Martha Graves, a native of Champaign county. To this second union the following chilrden were born: A daughter, born July 15, 1852, died in infancy; Mary C., born October 31, 1853, is the wife of Harrison Jenkins; a son born January 6, 1862, died in infancy ; Samuel J.
Samuel J. Barger was reared on the home farm in Concord township and he attended the district schools until he was twenty years old, working on the farm during the summer months. He has followed farming and stock raising all his life and has remained on the home place, which he purchased and which he has kept well improved, having rebuilt the dwelling and erected good outbuildings. His place consists of one hundred and eighty acres, the land being well cultivated. He raises a good grade of live stock.
Mr. Barger was married on February 2, 1890, to Celesta E. Looker, who was born in Johnson township, this county, April 7, 1871, a daughter of Hampton and Rebecca Looker. She was reared on the home farm in Adams township and attended the district schools. The following children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Barger: Lawrence H., born November 17, 1890, was graduated from the Concord high school and he is at present serving his township as justice of the peace; Lyman C., born August 18, 1893, and Alta H., born November 21, 1908.
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