USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 69
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wife of David Conner and they live at Markleville, Indiana; Marion died in early childhood; Emma A. is the wife of George Licklider of Carysville ; Ellen is the wife of Alex Stephenson of Adams township; Herman C. lives in Adams township; Samuel lives on the home farm; Lizzie B. is the wife of Homer Guy and they live in Adams township; and Emerson E., who lives on the home place.
Wesley A. Maurice was nine years old when his parents located in Adams township and here he grew to manhood on the home farm and attended school. He lived at home until his marriage, June 4, 1893, to Stella P. Conner, who was born and reared in Adams township and here she attended the common schools. Her birth occurred in 1873. She is a daughter of Benjamin and Eliza (Ward) Conner.
To Mr. and Mrs. Maurice one son has been born, Forrest J., whose birth occurred on January 10, 1915.
Mr. Maurice has control of the home place, which consists of two hun- dred and thirty-one acres, which he has kept well improved and under a fine state of cultivation. He carries on general farming and stock raising suc- cessfully, or rather has it done, for he is connected with the Procter & Sturgeon Implement Company at Rosewood.
Politically, he is a Democrat. He was treasurer of Adams township for a period of six years. He is prominent in local fraternal circles, belonging to Rosewood Lodge No. 253, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past noble grand; also belongs to Pharos Lodge No. 355, Free and Accepted Masons, and St. Paris Chapter No. 137, Royal Arch Masons.
GEORGE W. WALBORN.
George W. Walborn, superintendent of the three thousand-acre tract of land belonging to the estate of the late John Kiser, lying in Champaign and Shelby counties, Ohio, was born in Jackson township, this county, on January 7, 1867, the son of John H. and Elizabeth ( Parker) Walborn, both natives also of Champaign county.
John H. Walborn was born on the same farm in Jackson township as was his son, George W., and was a son of Abraham Walborn, who was born in Pennsylvania, of German parents who came to this country in an early day. Abraham Walborn came with his parents from Pennsylvania to Ohio in an early day, locating first at Dayton, Ohio, and a few years later they came
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to Champaign county, where they settled in Jackson township, where George was born, and this farm is still in the Walborn name and ownership, and is the origin of the Walborn settlement in the county. Elizabeth Parker was born at Terre Haute, this county, of pioneer parents. Her father was a miller by trade, and after her mother's death, which occurred while Elizabeth was still a very young girl, her father moved to Jay county, Indiana, and later to Missouri, where his death occurred. After her marriage to John H. Walborn, the young couple settled on the old home place in Jackson township, where they lived for several years, moving from there to Van Wert county, Ohio, where Mrs. Walborn died. John H. Walborn then went to Jay county, In- diana, but in his later years returned to Champaign county, where his death occurred. He and his wife were the parents of six children, five of whom are living: George W., the immediate subject of this review; Edward, who lives on the H. H. Brecount place in Johnson township, this county; Minnie, the widow of William Betz, of Bluffton, Indiana; Anna, who died at the age of fourteen years ; Solomon, a farmer of Johnson township, and Emma, the wife of Charles Stapleton, of Columbus, Ohio.
George W. Walborn was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Champaign and Van Wert counties, Ohio, receiving his education in the rural schools of home townships, and at the age of eighteen he returned to Cham- paign county and worked for three years on the farm of Edwin Carlo, in Johnson township. After his marriage he rented property in St. Paris, Ohio, for one year, and then bought property there, living in the village for a period of nine years. At the end of that time he operated the farm of Henry M. Black in Jackson township for five years, after which he purchased a farm of one hundred and eighty-one acres in Mad River township, where he lived for five years. He then came to his present location to take up the work of super- intending the large estate of the late John Kiser, and is now living on that part of this estate known as the Furrow Farm, about a half mile north of St. Paris, and here he is discharging the duties of his responsible position with very commendable success, and to the satisfaction of his patrons. He still owns his farm in Mad River township, which is operated by reliable tenants.
On February 19, 1888, George W. Walborn was married to Mary Desh, the daughter of Lewis and Lydia Desh, both of whom died when Mrs. Wal- born was only a small child of ten. George W. Walborn and wife are the parents of three children: Clara, the wife of Harry Zirkle, a farmer living four miles north of Urbana; Bessie, the wife of George Bruner, a farmer of Mad River township, and Frank, living at home. The family are members
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of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, in the affairs of which they take an active interest. Mr. Walborn is a Democrat in politics, but is very liberal in his views, and any movement for the betterment of his community receives his hearty support.
FRANK SNAPP.
Among the well-known agriculturists of Champaign county is Frank Snapp, extensive farmer, stock dealer and shipper, who resides on a fine farm in Jackson township east of St. Paris. He was born in Jackson township, Champaign county, on December 12. 1845, the son of Daniel and Margaret (Barnhart) Snapp, early settlers in that neighborhood.
Daniel Snapp was born in the state of Pennsylvania and when three years old came with his parents to Dayton, Ohio, and continued to reside there for some years. He married Margaret Barnhart, near Dayton, and when about the age of twenty-one he had not sufficient money to purchase eighty acres of land, which he desired to acquire. However, the man by whom he was employed at six dollars a month, loaned him the money and he presently en- tered his first holding of eighty acres of land. Later, Mr. Snapp acquired another eighty, his mother assisting him in the purchase by making and sell- ing maple sugar. His investments in land were successful and as he prospered he continued to add to his holdings until he finally became the owner of eleven hundred acres of excellent land, being generally recognized as one of the most substantial farmers in or about St. Paris.
Daniel and Margaret ( Barnhart ) Snapp were the parents of ten children, all of whom grew to maturity. Of these children but two are now living, Frank, the subject of this sketch, and Catherine, wife of Jonathan Schrumm, of Jackson township. Daniel Snapp was a devout member of the Lutheran church and a liberal contributor to its upkeep throughout his life. Some years before his death he divided his land among his children, reserving for him- self a quarter section, on which he continued to reside to the end of his life.
Frank Snapp was reared on the farm which he now owns, in Jackson township, and attended the schools of the district until he was seventeen years old. He enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, May 2, 1864, and served until the close of the war. He was in one skirmish with the enemy forces and on being mustered out at the close of the war, returned to Jackson township and resumed operations on the farm.
On December 27, 1866, Frank Snapp was united in marriage to Susanna
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Batdorf, and they became the parents of one child, a son, V. E. Snapp, who was educated in the common schools of Jackson township and in 1887 mar- ried Martha Wiant. Frank Snapp is the owner of two hundred and ninety acres of prime land in Jackson and Mad River townships. Portion of the land now occupied by Frank Snapp was in woods and water when his father acquired it. The latter reclaimed and brought it to a high state of cultivation. He still ships live stock and is an active and industrious farmer. Mrs. Snapp died on June 18, 1916.
Frank Snapp is vice-president of the Spring Grove cemetery, which was organized by Daniel Snapp and Allen Pence, both of whom bought the land and donated it for cemetery purposes. Mr. Snapp is a member of the Baptist church, as was his wife. In political faith he is a Republican, but has never been a seeker after office.
GOTTLIEB SIEGENTHALER.
The little republic of Switzerland has sent a large number of good citizens to our various states, where they have readily assimilated our methods and customs and readily grasped the opportunities offered. Among this number in Champaign county is Gottlieb Siegenthaler, farmer of Harrison township. He was born in Canton Bern, Switzerland, September 22, 1845. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Wirthmiller ) Siegenthaler, both natives also of the vicinity in which the subject of this sketch was born. There they grew to maturity, were married and established their home. Their progenitors were of German stock. John Siegenthaler was born on May 5, 1817, and died on January 17, 1885. His wife was born on February 14, 1816, and died on February 13, 1899. They spent their lives on a farm in Switzerland. They were parents of ten children, six of whom grew to maturity, four dying in infancy, and five are living at this writing, namely: John, who was born on November 5, 1840, came to America, located on a farm in Harrison township, Champaign county, and died there on February 26, 1913; Mary, born in No- vember, 1843, is the wife of Jacob Snider and they live in Canton Bern, Swit- zerland; Gottlieb, of this sketch; Jacob, May 31, 1850, lives in Switzerland ; Elizabeth, November, 1851, is the wife of Otto Linn and they live in Cleve- land, Ohio, and Samuel, November, 1855, lives in Oklahoma.
Gottlieb Siegenthaler grew to manhood in Switzerland and there he at- tended the common schools. In March, 1870, he married Anna Moser, and before leaving their native land three children were born to them. They
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immigrated to the United States in 1882, and after a long and tedious journey they landed at Bellefontaine, Ohio, March 25 of that year. They came on to Champaign county, locating in Harrison township and here they have since engaged in farming. In 1890 he moved to his present farm. Although he does not farmi on a large scale he is a scientific tiller of the soil and makes his small acreage produce as much as some larger farms. In. 1892 he fixed up the old mill in his vicinity and operated it awhile.
Mr. Siegenthaler has three children, namely : Gottlieb, Jr., born on June 4, 1871, lives at West Liberty, Ohio; Samuel, March 9, 1873, is operating the mill on his father's place in Harrison township and mention of him is made in a separate sketch in this work; Anna, the third child, is the wife of Clarence Frantz, and they live in Logan county, this state.' The mother of these children died on September 20, 1908.
Politically, Mr. Siegenthaler is a Republican. He joined the Presby- terian church in Harrison township in 1887 and has since been a member of the same.
MRS. LOUISA J. IDLE.
One of the useful and neighborly women in Concord township is Mrs. Louisa J. Idle, widow of the late Wesley Idle. She was born in the locality where she now resides on February 24, 1846, and is a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Harshmann) Kiser, both natives of Virginia, where they grew to maturity, attended the early-day school and were married. From that state they made the overland trip on horseback to Ohio, locating in Clark county, where they spent several years on a farm, then came to Champaign county, locating on a farm in Concord township. Here they began life in typical pioneer fashion. He built a log cabin in the woods, cleared his land and developed a farm on which they spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring in 1845. Their family consisted of eleven children, namely: One, who died in infancy ; Elijah, John, Betsey, Sallie, Benjamin, Ruhama, Mary, George, Cinderella and Louisa J. The only ones living at this writing are Benjamin W., Cinderella and Louisa J.
Louisa J. (Kiser) Idle was reared on the home farm and received her education in the public schools. On October 21, 1879, she married Wesley Idle, who was born in Concord township, Champaign county, October 20, 1841. He grew up on the home farm and attended the early-day rural schools here. He was a soldier in the Civil War, enlisting, on October 22,
WESLEY IDLE
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1863, in Company C, Twelfth Ohio Cavalry, in which he served faithfully for over two years, being honorably discharged, November 14, 1865, at Nashville, Tennessee. He took part in a number of important battles in the South. . After the war he returned home and worked at the carpenter's trade, at which he was quite expert, and he made this his chief occupation throughout his active life. He also devoted considerable attention to farm- ing, owning a good farm of ninety acres in Concord township. He was a Republican and he belonged to the Methodist church, to which his widow also belongs. She is still living on the home farm, with her daughter, Allie G. Loudenback, who was born on April 24, 1867.
JOHN W. BECK.
John W. Beck, a prominent and successful farmer, living all his life in Champaign county, was born within one-half mile north of where he now lives in Jackson township on March 16, 1868, a son of English parents, both being born in that country.
James Beck, the father of the subject of this sketch, left England with his parents to come to the United States. On the voyage out he was unfor- tunate enough to lose his father, whose death occurred aboard the ship and he was buried at sea. The widow, her son, James, and a daughter came along to the state of Ohio and settled in this county in Jackson township. His mother acquired a tract of land on which the family settled and on which she spent the remainder of her life.
James Beck was sixteen years old when his mother came to Champaign county and he was a valuable help to her in the work of operating the farm. Some years later he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Smith, also a native of England. He prospered in his farming operations and continued to add to his land holdings, finally acquiring six hundred acres of prime land and also other property and was reputed to be the richest farmer in Jackson town- ship. His farm work was conducted on an extensive scale and continued actively engaged thereat almost to the end of his life, being at the time of his death an octogenarian of eighty-three years. He was regarded throughout the community as a citizen who ever threw the weight of his influence on the side of what was best for the welfare of the township and county in which he lived. To James Beck and wife ten children were born, seven of whom
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are still living, namely : Mary J., who became the wife of Edward Montoon; Maria; Prudence, who married Maxwell Stevens; Charles; Anna, wife of William Jenkins; John W., the subject of this sketch, and James, a farmer, of Jackson township. James Beck and his wife were members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church and were active in all matters appertaining to the welfare of the church and its good works. He was a supporter of the Republican party, but had never been a seeker after public office.
John W. Beck was reared on the farm and has spent his entire life in Jackson township. He was educated in the public schools of the district and worked on his father's farm for several years. He is now engaged in gen- eral farming and is the owner of two hundred and twenty acres of choice land, all of which is kept in an up-to-date state of cultivation, modern methods of farming being notable factors in bringing about success.
On March 26, 1898, John W. Beck was united in marriage to Pearl Warner, who was born in Miami county, Ohio. They are the parents of the following children : Lizzie, James R., Irene, Mildred and Myrtle. The Beck family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Beck serves as a steward. He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge and takes a warm interest in the work of that order. He is a Republican in political mat- ters, but has never been a seeker after public office. Mr. Beck is well known throughout Champaign county as a progressive farmer and as a citizen he is regarded as measuring up to a standard which represents all that is good and wholesome in the affairs of life.
WILLIS O. WING.
Willis O. Wing, a member of the Wing Seed Company, further and fit- ting mention of which is made in this volume, and one of the best-known and most progressive agriculturists in Champaign county, part proprietor of "Woodland Farm," one mile southeast of Mechanicsburg, in the township of Goshen, was born in the house in which he now lives on that farm and has lived there practically all his life. He was born on May 14, 1871, son of William H. and Jane ( Bullard) Wing, natives of New York state, who came to Champaign county in 1865 and established their home on a farm in Goshen township, where they spent the remainder of their lives.
William H. Wing was born in Rensselaer county, New York, in 1818, son of William and Miriam Wing, also natives of that state, who spent all
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their lives in their native state. The Wings are of old Colonial stock, the founder of the family in this country having been a Quaker who came here from Holland, the family originally having gone from England to Holland. In Rensselaer county, New York, William H. Wing grew to manhood and there married Jane Bullard, also of an old Colonial family, the Bullards being of "Mayflower" descent. . She was born on a farm not far from Geneva, New York. After his marriage William H. Wing was engaged in the mercantile business and in the early sixties he came to Ohio on a little vacation trip and was so deeply impressed with the appearance of things in Champaign county that he decided to locate here. Returning to New York he disposed of his interests there and with his family came back here and bought a "forty" in the neighborhood of Mechanicsburg, the nucleus of the present celebrated "Woodland Farm," widely known in consequence of the astonishing results achieved there in the way of alfalfa culture. William H. Wing was not only a good farmer, but a careful and prudent manager and in time he built up an excellent piece of property there, adding to his holdings until he became the owner of one hundred and ninety-seven acres. The story of the work done by himself and his sons in the way of alfalfa culture and the dissemina- tion of the knowledge of the best means of obtaining satisfactory returns in the cultivation of that valuable forage crop is told elsewhere in this volume and need not be repeated here. The story of the establishment of the Wing Seed Company, growing out of the demand made upon the Wings for alfalfa seed, also is told elsewhere and is one of the most interesting features of the agricultural development of Champaign county. Since the death of the late Joseph Wing, first president of the company, who died in 1915, Charles Wing, another of the sons of William H. Wing, has acted as president of the same. The Wings now control about five hundred and sixty-five acres of excellent land in this county and seven hundred and forty-five acres in the neighboring county of Madison and their seed-supply station at Mechanicsburg has grown from its humble beginning in 1909 to its present extensive proportions. William H. Wing and his wife were the parents of five children. of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being as follow : Edwin, of Clifton, Ohio; Joseph, former president of the Wing Seed Com- pany, who died on September 7, 1915, and a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume; Jennie May, deceased, and Charles, born on April 8, 1878, present president of the Wing Seed Company.
Willis O. Wing was reared on the home farm in the vicinity of Mechanics- burg and upon completing the course in the high school in that city took a supplementary course in Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. From the
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days of his boyhood his active labors have been identified with the affairs of "Woodland Farm" and upon the development of the seed business which grew out of the propagation of alfalfa on that farm under the capable direction of Joseph, his brother, he turned his attention to that line and has ever since been connected with the Wing Seed Company, first in charge of the seed station at Mechanicsburg, and actively engaged in extending the interests of the con- cern through the various channels it controls.
On October 21, 1908, Willis O. Wing was united in marriage to Eva M. Guy, daughter of W. H. and Sarah (Oyler) Guy, and to this union three children have been born, William Guy, James Guy and Phyllis May. Mr. and Mrs. Wing are members of the Episcopal church at Mechanicsburg and take an active part in church work and in the community's general social activ- ities. Mr. Wing is a Mason and a member of the local Grange and takes a warm interest both in the affairs of the Masonic lodge and of the Grange.
JASON KIZER.
The unusual distinction of having been born on a farm, seventy-two years ago, which he now owns, belongs to Jason Kizer, who lives on rural route 4 out of St. Paris, Champaign county. He was born on April 2, 1845, the son of Charles and Hannah ( Handback) Kizer, the former of whom was born and reared on a farm in Johnson township. Charles Kiser was the son of Joseph and Catherine (Comer) Kizer and was born on January 28, 1818, and lived on a farm throughout his life. Joseph Kizer was born on September 5, 1777, and his wife, on October 19, 1783. Joseph Kizer was the father of the following children, Peter, Daniel, Benjamin, Mary, Philip, Charles, Cor- nelius and Martin.
Charles and Hannah (Handback) Kizer were the parents of the following children : Barbara, Elizabeth, Ellen, Jason, Mary, Lydia, Harriett, John and George. Ellen married John Bear, who lives in Fletcher, Ohio; Jason is the subject of this sketch; Mary became the wife of Isaac Amons, of Christians- burg, and Harriett married Jacob Pfeister, of St. Paris.
Jason Kizer was reared on the farm he now owns and was educated in the district schools of the neighborhood. He remained at home until he was twenty-five, engaged in work about the farm. He was married to Ellen McMorran on April 22, 1869, and settled on the old farm and continued to live there until he was forty years of age. He then went to Miami county,
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Ohio, and purchased eight hundred and sixty acres of land on which he set- tled and continued to live for fourteen years, at the end of which time he sold it and bought the old home farm of one hundred and sixty acres, moved back on to it and has here resided ever since.
To Jason Kizer and wife four children were born, two of whom are now deceased, the others being Charles C., born on August 29, 1871, who married Nannie Howell and lives in St. Paris, and David P., born on September 5, 1877, who married Margaret Heuling, of St. Paris. Mr. Kizer's wife died on April 18, 1913. Their grandchildren are Olive Marie and Joseph Hanson. Mrs. Kizer's niece, Ella May McMorran, daughter of Simeon McMorran, was taken at the death of her mother and reared by Mr. and Mrs. Kizer. The adopted daughter, who was but three weeks old at the death of her mother, was born on January 22, 1890, and was educated in the schools of Johnson township. She is now Mr. Kizer's housekeeper.
Jason Kizer and his wife are members of the Reformed church at Millers- town, Ohio, and he acted as elder of that congregation for several years. He is a Democrat, and for ten years was a trustee of Johnson township, and for fourteen years served as a member of the school board in Miami county, Ohio. Mr. Kizer now rents his land. He raised some very fine horses and was a breeder of Berkshire swine for fifty years and of Jersey cattle. He always carried on a general farming business.
G. S. F. BATES.
G. S. F. Bates, farmer, of Harrison township, his farm lying along the line of Champaign and Logan counties, was born four miles north of Urbana, Ohio, on the old homestead in Salem township, the place now known as the Bates farm, on October 13, 1865. He is a son of William W. and Celinda (Kenton) Bates. The father was born near Meadville, Pennsylvania, and when eighteen months old his parents brought him over- land by wagon and team to Champaign county, locating on a farm in Con- cord township, near Northville. Here William's father, Adam Bates, cleared land and farmed for some time, later moving to Indiana, where his death occurred. When a young man William W. Bates went to Clark county, Ohio, where he learned the miller's trade, finally returning to Salem town- ship, Champaign county. He operated a mill owned by Governor Vance. „ Later, he moved to a farm, which he purchased in Salem township and there
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