USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 74
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Arthur G. Hanger was reared on the home farm in Harrison township, and he received his education in the district schools. On October 9, 1902,
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he was married to Grace Emery, a daughter of John and Melissa (Stemble) Emery, and to this union three children have been born, namely: Henry Russell, born on December 24, 1903, is attending school; Bernice Helen, December 18, 1905, is also in school, and William Dwight, May II, 1915.
John Emery, father of Mrs. Hanger, was born in Harrison township, Champaign county, June 8, 1850. He grew to manhood in his native com- munity and attended the common schools. He has devoted his life to gen- eral farming in this locality. He died on March 17, 1901, and his wife died on April 14, 1902.
After his marriage Arthur G. Hanger began farming for himself. He is owner of a good farm of sixty acres in Harrison township, on which he is making a very comfortable living. Politically, he is a Republican. He belongs to the Christian church at West Liberty, Ohio.
WVILLARD B. HYDE, M. D.
One of the younger citizens of Christiansburg, this county, who is suc- cessfully winning a place in the front ranks as a physician and surgeon is Dr. W. B. Hyde, who was born at Summerville, on Boke's Creek, Ohio, February 14, 1881, the son of Dr. William F. and Sarah A. ( Monroe) Hyde, both of whom were natives of Union county, Ohio.
Dr. William F. Hyde was born on a farm in Union county, Ohio, near Boke's Creek, December 23, 1856, and was reared to manhood on the farm, receiving his early education in the public schools. As a young man, he decided to make the practice of medicine his profession, and studied under Dr. S. B. Drake, of Broadway, Ohio. Later he entered the Columbus Medical College, from which institution he was graduated in 1889. He located the same year at Boke's Creek, Ohio, where he actively practiced his profession until 1893, when he came to Christiansburg, and has been in the active practice here ever since. Sarah A. Monroe, the mother of Doctor Wil- lard B. Hyde, was also born in Union county, Ohio, and grew up on a farm adjoining that on which her husband, Dr. W. F. Hyde, was reared. They are the parents of four children, three of whom are now living: Lacy Marie, who died at the age of seventeen months; Willard B., of this sketch; Stella Atlanta, wife of A. H. Chronaberry, of Conover, Ohio, and Maud, the wife of A. L. Dobbins, of Christiansburg.
Dr. W. B. Hyde received his early education in the public schools of
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his home township, and came as a lad of twelve with his parents to Christians- burg. Here he graduated from the high school, studied medicine with his father until 1899, when he entered the Ohio Medical University at Columbus, Ohio, from which institution he graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1904. At once he returned to Christiansburg, where he took up the active practice of his profession, and has since remained at this place. He has a large and constantly increasing patronage in the village and sur- rounding country.
On November 30, 1905, Dr. W. B. Hyde was married to Leo A. Robin- son, the daughter of C. A. Robinson, of Miami county, and to this union two children have been born : Virginia, a student in the public schools, and Charles, at home. The doctor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Christiansburg, and take an active interest in all church and social affairs of the village. Doctor Hyde is a member of Social Lodge No. 139, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and also of the Encampment, No. 75. He is a Republican in politics ; is warmly interested in all public matters per- taining to his home town, and is now serving as councilman on the town board.
JACOB N. PENCE.
Among the substantial citizens and progressive farmers of Johnson town- ship, this county, is Jacob N. Pence, living on his well-improved and highly cultivated farm of forty acres four miles northwest of St. Paris, on rural route No. I. He was born in this township, on September 22, 1865, the son of Wesley and Lydia (Ammon) Pence, and was one of nine children born to his parents, only six of whom are now living: Delelia A., the wife of Rastus Mercia, of St. Paris, Ohio; Russell, of Johnson township; Jane, the wife of Orin Decker, of St. Paris; John W., of St. Paris; Millie, the wife of Jacob Robbins, a farmer of Johnson township, and Jacob N., of this sketch.
After his marriage Wesley Pence and wife located on the farm now owned by Jacob Robbins and Russell Pence, where he lived the remainder of his life, after which his widow moved to St. Paris, where her death occurred some years later. They were members of the Baptist church, and actively interested in the affairs of the local church of that denomina- tion. In politics he was a Democrat, but never took an active part in political affairs.
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Jacob N. Pence was but a boy when his father died, and early in life learned the habits of industry and frugality. He was reared to the life of a farmer, receiving his education in the township schools of his home neighborhood. After his marriage he and his wife lived in the old home- stead for two years, when they moved to a farm of their own, which they had purchased. On February 27, 1907, they moved to their present farm of forty acres, which they had purchased the year previously, and here they have since made their home. His farm is well equipped for modern farming, having good buildings and machinery.
On November 28, 1886, Jacob N. Pence was united in marriage to Cora Ellen Poorman, a native of Johnson township, the daughter of Daniel and Susanna (Pence) Poorman. To this union have been born five children, only one of whom grew to maturity, Zetta Ellen, who was born on August 13, 1888. She received her education in the township schools, and after leav- ing school, became the wife of Jasper Leon Scott, a farmer of Johnson town- ship. Mrs. Scott died June 5, 1915, leaving one son, Stanage Asa.
Mr. Pence and his wife are earnest and devoted members of the Zion Lutheran church, at St. Paris, Ohio, in which Mr. Pence is serving as deacon. He is a member of St. Paris Lodge No. 246, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and both he and his wife are members of Lodge No. 469, Daugh- ters of Rebekah.
WILFORD OWEN KNIGHT.
The late Wilford Owen Knight, an honored veteran of the Civil War and a substantial farmer of Champaign county, who for some years before his death in 1909 had been living retired at his pleasant home in Urbana, where his widow still resides, was born in the neighboring county of Miami, but had spent the greater part of his life in this county, his parents having moved over here from the former county many years ago. He was a son of William and Elizabeth (Palmer) Knight, of English stock, who had settled in the vicinity of Troy, in Miami county, upon coming to Ohio and later had come to Champaign county and had established their home on a farm opposite the county infirmary. There William Knight had engaged in farming until his retirement from the farm and removal to Urbana, where he and his wife spent their last days. They were the parents of six children, of whom but two are now living, Stephen Knight, an attorney-at- law, living in Chicago, and Sidney, unmarried, a resident of Urbana; the
WILFORD O. KNIGHT.
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others, besides the subject of this memorial sketch, having been John, who lived in this county ; Catherine S., who lived at Troy, and Margaret.
Reared on the paternal farm, Wilford O. Knight grew to manhood in this county, receiving his schooling in the local schools, and from boyhood was a valued aid to his father in the labors of the home farm. For some time after reaching manhood's estate he was engaged in the insurance busi- ness. During the Civil War he was a member of the famous "Squirrel Hunters" organization and also served for a year or more as a member of the One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After his marriage in 1870 he established his home on a farm and was actively and successfully engaged in farming until his retirement and re- moval to Urbana, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there on May 6, 1909. Mr. Knight was an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, in the affairs of which patriotic organi- zation he ever took an earnest interest. By religious persuasion he was a Presbyterian and took a warm interest in church affairs and was otherwise helpful in local good works. For years a member of the Masonic frater- nity, he took an active interest in the affairs of that ancient order, and in other ways did well his part as a neighbor and as a citizen.
As noted above, it was in 1870 that Wilford O. Knight was united in marriage to Sarah J. McDonald, who was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Urbana, a daughter of Hugh and Sarah (Smith) McDonald, the former of whom was born at Chillicothe, this state, and the latter in the state of Pennsylvania. Hugh McDonald was a substantial farmer and stockman and had an excellent farm on the Springfield road five miles south of Urbana, where he made his home until his retirement from the farm and removal to Urbana, where his last days were spent. He was a stanch Republican and ever took an active part in local political affairs, though not a seeker after public office. He and his wife were earnest members of the Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight of these children, of whom Mrs. Knight was the sixth in order of birth, the others being as follow: Jane, deceased; Margaret, who died unmarried in 1910; the Rev. James McDonald, a minister of the Pres- byterian church, who died in California; Duncan, who was killed in battle while serving as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War; Blair, now deceased, who was a farmer; Mary, who died unmarried, and Effie, who is making her home with her sister, Mrs. Knight, at Urbana. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Knight has continued to make her home at Ur-
(47a)
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bana, where she is very pleasantly situated. She is a member of the Pres- byterian church and has for years taken an active interest in local good works, helpful in promoting all worthy causes designed to advance the common welfare of the community in which she has spent all her life.
E. WALTER MANNING.
One of the substantial citizens and leading farmers of Johnson town- ship is E. Walter Manning, the owner and proprietor of a fine farm three miles west of St. Paris, on the Piqua and Urbana pike, who was born in the house where he is now living on February 8, 1860. He is a son of Isaac and Hannah (Graham) Manning, the former of whom was a native of Ohio, and the latter of Pennsylvania.
Isaac Manning was born in Miami county, Ohio, about three miles north of Lena, on December 21, 1823, and died February 5, 1862. He was a son of Clarkson and Phoebe Manning, both of whom were natives of New Jersey, coming to Miami county, Ohio, in an early day, being among the earliest pioneers of that county. Hannah Graham was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, May 7, 1831, and died July 14, 1905. She came to Miami county with her parents in an early day, who located on a farm just north of Lena, Ohio, in the same neighborhood where Isaac Manning was reared. After her marriage to Mr. Manning the young couple purchased the farm of eighty-seven acres in Johnson township, this county, on which their son, Walter, now lives, where they lived until his death, which occurred when he was still a young man. Isaac Manning and wife were the parents of four children: Rose Ellen, born on April 26, 1850, died on January 26, 1892; Charles W., September 23, 1854, died on August 30, 1859; John C., March 14, 1859, and Walter E., the subject of this review. After the death of Isaac Manning, his widow and family continued to live on the home farm until Mrs. Manning's marriage to John Sergeant, when they moved to Shelby county, Ohio, near Palestine. To this second union there were born three children, two of whom are now living: Cory Elwood, who died while young; Dora May, the wife of William Princehouse, of Sidney, Ohio, and Thomas Lee, a resident of Shelby county, Ohio.
E. Walter Manning was reared to the life of a farmer, making his home with his mother and stepfather after his father's death, and receiving his education in the district schools of Shelby county, Ohio. Upon reaching
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the age of twenty-one, he started out in life for himself by working by the month on neighboring farms, which he continued for three or four years. After his marriage he settled on the home place for a short time, but later removed to Miami county, where he lived for some time, but eventually returned to his father's old home farm, where he has since lived. He is a progressive farmer and good citizen of his home community, where he ranks high in the confidence and esteem of his neighbors and friends.
On October 11, 1884, E. Walter Manning was married to Mary Rowena Wheaton, the daughter of William and Jane (Williams) Wheaton. She is a native of Champaign county, having been born on a farm just south of her present home on August 7, 1860. To this union two children have been born: Otto Isaac, born on October 1, 1886, died on May 22, 1893, and Harry, born March 2, 1890. The latter is a graduate of the St. Paris high school, and was a student for several summer terms at Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio. He married Ola May Merritt, and is now living at Arlington, Ohio, where he is a teacher in the public schools.
Mr. Manning is a Democrat in politics, and takes a proper interest in all public and political matters. Fraternally, he is a member of Industry Lodge No. 256, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, at Lean, Ohio, while his wife holds membership in Mt. Olive Lodge No. 469, Daughters of Rebekah, at St. Paris, Ohio. They are earnest and faithful members of the Baptist church at Lena, Ohio.
MRS. EMMA A. LICKLIDER.
Mrs. Emma A. Licklider, a well-known and esteemed woman of Carys- ville, Champaign county, was born in Adams township, this county, March 9, 1883, and here she has spent her life. She is a daughter of Joseph and Isabelle M. (Neese) Maurice. Her father was born in German township, Clark county, Ohio, May 27, 1846. He is a son of Isaac and Caroline (Davis) Maurice. Isaac Maurice was a native of England and there he grew up and married Eliza Weldon. They immigrated to America and located in Clark county, Ohio, in 1844 and established their future home on a farm. They were parents of five children, three of whom were born before they left England, namely: John, who is deceased; William, who died while crossing the ocean on the voyage of the family to the United States; Jere- miah, who died in Clark county, Ohio; Isaac W., deceased; David, deceased.
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After the death of the mother of the above named children, Isaac Maurice married Caroline Davis, who was born in Virginia, from which state she came to Clark county, Ohio, with her parents, when seven years old. Mr. and Mrs. Davis spent the rest of their lives on a farm in Clark county. Six children were born to Isaac and Caroline (Davis) Maurice, three of whom grew to maturity, and only one, Van Horn, who lives on the old home place in Clark county, is living, in 1917.
Joseph Maurice, a child by his father's second marriage, grew to man- hood on the home farm in Clark county, and he attended the district schools there. Upon reaching manhood, he married Isabelle Neese, who was born in Mad River township, southeast of Thackery, in Champaign county, Jan- uary 14, 1849. She was a daughter of Elias and Sarah (Foltz) Neese, both natives of Virginia, from which state they came with their parents to Clark county, Ohio, when they were young. There they were subsequently married and spent the rest of their active lives on the farm where Homer Jenkins now lives. There Mr. Neese died, his widow later dying in Mad River township, Champaign county.
Joseph and Isabelle Maurice lived on a farm in Clark county for ten years after their marriage, then moved to Adams township, this county, and bought a farm on which they spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring there on May 28, 1908, after a very successful and useful life. His family consisted of twelve children, namely: W. A., who lives in Rosewood, Ohio; Della, who is the wife of Stephen Bowers, of Adams township, this county; George A., who lives in Shelby county, Ohio; C. A., who resides at Rosewood; Sarah V., who is the wife of Dr. Connor of Markleville, Indiana; Marion, who died when eighteen months old; Emma A., of this sketch; Ellen, who is the wife of A. C. Stephenson, of Adams township; H. C., who lives in Adams township; Samuel J., who resides on the home farm; Lizzie B., who is the wife of Homer B. Geny, of Adams township, and Emerson, who lives on the home place.
Emma A. Maurice grew to womanhood on the home farm in Adams township, where she received her early education in the district schools. She was graduated from the local high school in 1901. On April 11, 1906, she married George B. Licklider, who was born in Johnson township, this county, July 23, 1867. He grew to manhood on the home farm here and attended the common schools. On May 1, 1896, he was married to Blanche Neal of Adams township, who died October 26, 1903; but to this union no children were born. He was a son of William and Margaret J. (Struble) Licklider. The father was born in Virginia, from which state he came to
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Champaign county, Ohio, when a boy, with his parents, the family locat- ing in Johnson township on a farm. The death of William Licklider oc- curred November 7, 1905, his widow dying January 15, 19II.
The union of George B. and Emma (Maurice) Licklider resulted in the birth of four children, two of whom died in infancy; those surviving are, Nelson M. and Virgil F., both attending school.
George B. Licklider continued farming on the home place after his marriage and was making a pronounced success as a general agriculturist. being a good manager and a hard worker. There his death occurred on February 23, 1914, and was buried in Rosedale cemetery. Since his death Mrs. Licklider has made her home in Carysville. She is a member of the Christian church there, as was her husband, both having been reared in this faith.
MAXWELL G. STEVENS.
One of the substantial farmers who has lived almost his entire life in the county is Maxwell G. Stevens, the owner and proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and forty-six acres in Jackson township, located five and one-half miles south of St. Paris and two and one-half miles east of Addi- son on the cow path pike. Mr. Stevens was born in Jackson township, on a farm two and one-half miles west of where he is now living on March 20, 1860, the son of Riley and Susan (Deaton) Stevens, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Virginia.
Riley Stevens was born in Missouri, where he grew to manhood and married Susan Deaton, a Virginian by birth, but who had come as a small child with her parents to Springfield, Ohio, and thence on West to Mis- souri. Her father died in Missouri, and her mother returned to Cham- paign county, Ohio, where she spent her remaining days. Her death occurred in 1916, after she had reached the advanced age of ninety-three years. After his marriage, Riley Stevens lived for a short time in Missouri, and then, with his family, came to Champaign county, Ohio, locating on a farm one mile south of Christiansburg. A little later he purchased forty acres of land near where Maxwell G. Stevens now lives. After living on this farm a few years, Riley Stevens sold the forty acres and bought a farm in Mad River township, two miles north of Thackery, where his death occurred in 1873. His widow remained on this farm where she reared her family. After leaving the farm in later years, she lived for a short time in Thackery, and then she went to live with a daughter in Springfield, Ohio. Riley Stevens
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and wife were the parents of seven children, four of whom are now living: J. H., deceased, a former resident of Mad River township; Frank, deceased, who formerly lived in Kansas; S. D., deceased, who lived in Jackson town- ship, this county; Maxwell, the immediate subject of this review; Laura, the wife of Dr. Charles Gaines, of Covington, Ohio; L. W., of Springfield, Ohio; and Ida, widow of James Hartman, of Springfield, Ohio. The family were all earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which they took an active interest.
Maxwell Stevens was five years of age when his parents moved to the farm in Mad River township, this county, where he was reared to manhood, receiving his education in the district schools of that neighborhood. Since his father's death occurred when he was but a lad of fifteen, very early in life he assumed the duties and responsibilities of the farm. When he reached the age of twenty-one years, he started to learn the carpenter trade. He followed this occupation until 1884, when he engaged in farming by renting land one mile north of Thackery, where he remained one year. He then moved to a farm in Jackson township, south of St. Paris, where he lived four years, and then moved to Johnson township, where he lived three years. In 1899 he purchased his present farm, and has since made this his home. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, making a specialty of Shorthorn cattle and thoroughbred Poland China hogs, and has been very successful in this branch of farming.
On October 23, 1884, Maxwell G. Stevens was married to Prudence Beck, the daughter of James and Elizabeth (Smith) Beck, both of whom were natives of England. To this union one son has been born, Marley F., born October, 1885, who is living at home with his parents. He is a graduate of the district schools of his township, and has also passed the Boxwell examination. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have also reared three other children: Elisha McCoy, whom they took into their home at the age of nine years, and who remained until he was eighteen years old; Charles Pine, who came into their home when he was eleven years of age, and died at the age of fifteen; and William Bippincott, who has been with them four years, and is now fourteen years of age. Mr. Stevens and wife are earnest and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Newson Chapel, and the former is now serving on the board of trustees of that con- gregation. He is a Republican in politics, and always takes a warm interest in all local public matters. He served two successive terms as trustee of his township, and in 1895 was superintendent of the gravel roads of Jackson township.
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J. M. BIRKHOLD.
J. M. Birkhold, retired merchant and farmer living in Rosewood, Cham- paign county, was born May 5, 1852 in Wurtemburg, Germany. He is a son of John M. and Barbara (Schoen) Birkhold, both born in Wurtem- burg, where they were reared and married. There the father followed the weaver's trade, becoming an expert cloth maker. In 1853, he brought his family to America. After spending a short time in New York City, they started to Cincinnati, Ohio, but their money gave out, and they were put off the train at Monroeville, Huron county, Ohio. They remained in that county from 1853 until 1861, and then moved to Paulding county, this state, where they bought forty acres on which they spent the rest of their lives. The father was a man of grit and courage, and, by hard work and perseverance, he forged to the front, although starting out with nothing. He became owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres and was one of the well-to-do men of his township when he died. He was a Demo- crat and a member of the Lutheran church. Eleven children were born to John M. Birkhold, Sr., and wife, all still living but one, namely: Christian, living in New Haven, Ohio; J. M., of this sketch; D. C., who lives in Paine, Ohio; J. E., deceased; Tina, the widow of Marion Stephenson, living in . Shelby county, Ohio; George, who lives in Paulding county, Ohio; Mrs. Lena Cress, living in Van Wert, Ohio; Henry, who lives in Paine, Ohio; William, living in Edgerton, Indiana; Lucinda, the wife of Dr. John Herrod, deceased, of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Mary Ann, wife of Samuel Stabler, living in Paulding county, Ohio.
J. M. Birkhold was reared on the farm in Paulding county, this state. He received a common school education, and remained on the home farm until he was married on December 24, 1874, to Rebecca C. Jenkins, who was born and reared in Johnson township, Champaign county, Ohio. After his marriage, Mr. Birkhold bought forty acres in Paulding county, to which he later added another forty of timber land. A little later, however, he removed to Johnson township, Champaign county, and rented a farm, and then went to Shelby county and bought another forty acres. After a short residence there he returned to Johnson township and bought eighty acres, living there from 1881 to 1894. He then moved to what is now the village of Rosewood and erected the first building, in which he opened up a general store. He built up a good trade with the surrounding country. He was appointed postmaster in 1895, which position he held until 1899. He was
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