USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 75
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reappointed in 1914 and is still incumbent of the office, his record having ever been eminently satisfactory to both the postoffice department and the people. He owns one hundred and thirteen acres of good land in Union county, Ohio, also fifteen acres in Adams township, Champaign county. He is a stockholder in the First National Bank at St. Paris and is a director in that institution. He has managed well, and his perseverance and good judgment have brought him a large measure of material success. He has an attractive home in Rosewood.
To J. M. Birkhold and wife seven children have been born, namely : Rebecca, the wife of R. E. Hicks, of Kirkwood, Ohio; Jennie, the wife of C. L. Armstrong, of DeGraff, Logan county, Ohio; Jason P., who died at the age of twenty-four years; J. W., in business in Rosewood; Mary, the wife of Charles Cookston of Rosewood; Oscar F., living at home; and Fairy, the wife of Raymond Curl, a farmer of Adams township.
Politically, Mr. Birkhold is a Democrat. He served as justice of the peace for a period of twelve years in an able and highly commendable manner. He is at present township trustee. He belongs to the Lutheran church. He is one of the public-spirited and influential men of his com- munity.
EDGAR V. HANNA.
One of the leading farmers and substantial citizens of Mad River township, and a life-long resident of Champaign county, is Edgar V. Hanna, living on the farm where he was born, one and one-fourth miles north of Westville, consisting of two hundred and forty-eight acres of fine land located in Mad River and Concord townships. Mr. Hanna was born on July 7, 1868, the son of Elijah and Mary (Arrowsmith) Hanna, the former of whom was a native of West Virginia, and the latter of Ohio.
Elijah Hanna was born in Nicholas county, West Virginia, May 7, 1824, and was reared on a farm in that county. When a young man he came to Champaign county, Ohio, where he worked at farm labor by the month during the summer seasons, cutting wood, or doing anything he could find to do to make a start in life, as he had come here a poor young man, with nothing but good health, industry and willing hands to make a place for himself in life. He was twice married, his first wife being Emily Haller, and to this union three children were born, only one of whom is now living, William, a farmer, of Corning, Iowa. His second wife was
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MR. AND MRS. ELIJAH HANNA.
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Mary Arrowsmith, who was a native of Champaign county, having been born on a farm in Mad River township on December 15, 1834. Her father, Mason Arrowsmith, was one of the pioneers of this county, a son of Ezekiel and Elizabeth Arrowsmith, who came here in December, 1801, and it was while Elijah Hanna was helping to build a saw-mill for her father that he met and married Mary Arrowsmith. Mason Arrowsmith's father, Ezekiel Arrowsmith, upon coming to this county from Virginia, entered land from the government. He and his wife erected a rude log cabin in the wilder- ness, which the family occupied for many years. It then was replaced by a brick house, built in 1824, which still stands. He made the brick and lime and with his own hands made the frames and doors out of walnut. This old house is still in good condition, though it was one of the earliest brick houses erected in these parts. They died in this house. When Ezekiel Arrowsmith and his family first settled on this land, it was still virgin forest, wild game of all kinds abounding in the woods, and bears and Indians being seen occasionally; but with true pioneer spirit they proceeded to literally hew a home out of the wilderness. In this brick house built in 1824 Ezekiel Arrowsmith spent their last days.
After his marriage to Mary Arrowsmith on March 26, 1862, Elijah Hanna settled on the farm which he had purchased from his first wife's father, and here they lived the remainder of their lives. He was a well- to-do and prominent farmer and made a success of his chosen calling. He and his wife were earnest and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Westville, and took an active and interested part in the affairs of the church. They were the parents of four children: Edgar V., of this review; Frank, who died at the age of forty-eight years; Charles, who died in 1901, and Laura L., who is living with her brother on the home place. Elijah Hanna died on September 23, 1901, and his widow survived him for more than ten years, her death occurring on May 9, 1913.
Edgar V. Hanna was reared on the home farm where he has lived al' his life, receiving his education in the district schools of the township, and assisted with the work of the home farm. After leaving school he con- tinued to work on the farm, and upon the death of his father, took over the entire management of the place. He built his present home in 1902. He is a successful farmer and stock raiser, having now (1917) a herd of forty-seven Shorthorn cattle and has fine horses. He and his sister are very comfortably and pleasantly situated on part of the old homestead. Like his father before him, he is a Republican in politics, but takes no active part in political affairs.
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GEORGE W. SMITH.
George W. Smith, a truck gardener and fruit grower living on his farm of seven acres of well tilled and well improved land one mile east of St. Paris, Ohio, was born in Craig county, Virginia, December 16, 1839, the son of James and Catherine ( Deeds) Smith, both of whom were natives of Virginia.
James Smith was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, and his wife was a native of the same county, where they grew up and were married. Later, they moved to Craig county, Virginia, and in the spring of 1852, they came with their family to Ohio, locating in Millerstown, this county, where James Smith worked as a cabinet-maker and at pottery making for several years ; later, he moved to Bellefontaine, Ohio, where he followed his trade. In later years he returned to Virginia, where his death occurred, his wife having passed away previously in this county. They were the parents of the following children : Elizabeth, widow of Henry Pence ; Mary Jane ; George W., of this review ; Susanna : Isabelle, widow of Harvey Sowers; Nancy, wife of William Sagers, of Fremont, Ohio; Henry, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Joseph, living north of Millerstown, Ohio, and Sarah, wife of George Baker, of Grant county, Indiana.
George W. Smith came with his parents from Virginia when he was a lad of thirteen years of age, and received part of his education in the dis- trict schools of this county, although he had attended school to some extent in an old log school house in Virginia, of which he retains a picture. He also has a picture of the old farm house in Virginia where his birth occurred, which he prizes very highly. After leaving school he worked on a farm for his uncle, and also learned the harness trade from another uncle in Shelby county, Ohio, which occupation he followed for some years. On January 2, 1862, George W. Smith enlisted for service in the Union army in Company K, Fifty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until he was mustered out at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. There he took the measles and was removed to a hospital, where he lay ill for some time, finally reaching home in a very weakened condition. Later, he again joined the army, but on account of his ill health, was mustered out in the fall of 1862. After leaving the service, he returned to Champaign county, where he engaged in farming, and has since made that his principal occupation. He has been very successful as a fruit grower and truck gardener, and has a very com- fortable and attractive home on the edge of the village of St. Paris.
On September 24, 1865. George W. Smith was married to Amanda
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Offenbacher, who was born in Johnson township, November 7, 1846, the daughter of John Offenbacher and wife. To this union was born one son, Will- iam C., born November 22, 1880. William C. Smith is a graduate of the high school at St. Paris, and of the Urbana Business College at Urbana, now employed by the heat and light department at Columbus, Ohio. On August 31, 1916, he married Catherine McCormack, of Columbus, Ohio, and they make their home in that city.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith are earnest and devoted members of the Baptist church at Millerstown, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Smith is a member of the lodge of the Improved Order of Red Men at St. Paris, in which he holds the office of past sachem. He is a Republican in politics, and has always taken an active part in the civic life of his community, having served as township trustee, supervisor and also as constable.
CLEMENT A. LONG.
One of the substantial citizens and prosperous farmers of Concord township, this county, is C. A. Long, the owner and proprietor of "Poplar Lane Farm," situated one and one-half miles north of Millerstown. He was born in Concord township on February 23, 1872, and is a son of Thomas R. and Lydia (McCroskey) Long, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Adams township, this county.
Thomas R. Long came from his native state to Ohio in an early day, and was here married to Lydia McCroskey in 1870. He located on a farm north of the present home of C. A. Long in 1839, remaining on this place for many years, but in later life moved to Johnson township, where his death occurred November 14, 1900. His widow is still living. They were the parents of four children, of whom C. A., is the eldest, the others being Emma, wife of Thomas Halterman; Mary, wife of Wallace Comer, and Homer.
Clement A. Long was reared to manhood on the home farm, receiving his education in the district schools, remaining at home until he was twenty- one years of age, when he started to farm on his own account. That he has met with very commendable success, is attested by the fact that he is now the owner of one hundred and eight acres of land in Concord township, all of which is in a fine state of cultivation, with good buildings and all the modern equipment necessary to progressive, up-to-date farming. Mr. Long is engaged largely in buying and feeding live stock for the markets, deriving
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a considerable income from this branch of farming. Besides his farming interests, Mr. Long is a stockholder in the United Telephone Company, of Bellefontaine, Ohio.
On September 27, 1894, C. A. Long was married to Anna Abbott, who was born in Millerstown, this county, and they are the parents of one son, Loren A., who was born on July 29, 1905. The latter is now a student in the public schools. The family are earnest and devoted members of the United Brethren church, and take an active interest in the affairs of the local church of that denomination at Rosewood. Mr. Long is a member of Lodge No. 397, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a past noble grand of that order. He also holds membership in the encampment, where he has reached the office of past chief patriarch, and is at present the dis- trict deputy grand master of district "B". Both Mr. and Mrs. Long are active members of the Daughters of Rebekah, in which order Mrs. Long is past noble grand. Mr. Long is a Democrat in politics, and is actively interested in local civic affairs, being a warm supporter of all movements having for their object the betterment of the community. At one time Mr. Long served as justice of the peace of his township, and is now a member of the Concord township board of education.
LEWIS F. PURK.
A well-known citizen of Adams township living in Carysville, the owner and proprietor of a general store in that village, and the owner of one hundred and fourteen acres of land, is Lewis F. Purk, who was born in Adams township, on a farm west of Rosewood, January 21, 1871, the son of Levi and Emeline (Klinger) Purk. The former was a native of this county, and the latter of Van Wert county, Ohio.
Levi Purk was born on a farm one mile south of Rosewood, near where his son, Lewis, now lives, on June 28, 1842, and was the son of Jeremiah and Polly (Rusk) Purk, the former of whom was a native of the vicinity of Shades Furnace, Pennsylvania, who came with his parents to Cham- paign county, among the early pioneers of Adams township. Jeremiah Purk lived the remainder of his life in this township, spending his last days in the village of Carysville, where his death occurred. He was a son of William Purk, a native of Maryland, who came to Pennsylvania in an early day, where he married a woman by the name of Purkeypole. His wife's name
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was the same as his own, and at that time was spelled and used that way; but later the last two syllables of the name were dropped. Polly Rusk, the wife of Jeremiah Purk, was born in this county, her parents having come into the county in an early day from the East. Emeline Klinger, the mother of Lewis F. Purk, was born in Van Wert county, Ohio, the daughter of Abraham and Julia Ann (Heckard) Klinger, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, and were among the early settlers of Van Wert county.
As a young man, Levi Purk enlisted for service in the Union army in Company B, Sixty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served three years at the front. During the time of his service, he saved money, which he sent home and purchased the farm where Lewis F. is now living. After his return from the war, he was united in marriage to Emeline Klin- ger on April 3, 1865, and they located first on a farm south of Rosewood, where they lived a few years. Later they sold this place and bought another farm just north of them, where he lived the remainder of his life. Levi Purk and wife were the parents of ten children, two dying in infancy; those reaching maturity are: Corey, an engineer living in Iowa; Diana, wife of John C. Woolley, a farmer of Johnson township; Charles B., living near Rossburg, Shelby county, Ohio; Lewis F., the immediate subject of this review; Sarah, deceased, who was the wife of Berton Chaney, of Lima, Ohio; Stephen A., of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Alice V., who died at the age of twenty-two years, and John W., of Carysville, Ohio. Levi Purk and his wife were earnest members of the Christian church, in which they took an active interest. He was a member of Spring Hills, Ohio, lodge, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows. He was a Republican in politics, always taking an active interest in political affairs.
Lewis F. Purk was reared to manhood on the farm in Adams town- ship, receiving his early education in the district schools of his township, and he supplemented this by taking a business course in the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio. In 1896 he engaged in the general mercantile business at Carysville, Ohio, to which he devoted his entire time and atten- tion for some years, and in which he was very successful, having built up a large and lucrative patronage in Carysville and the surrounding commun- ity. In later years, however, he has devoted much of his time and atten- tion to his farming interests, although still engaged in the general merchandise business.
On May 22, 1907, Lewis F. Purk was married to Emma A. Ward, the daughter of Lewis and Catherine (Journell) Ward, pioneers of Johnson
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township, who came to this county in an early day from the East. Mr. and Mrs. Purk are the parents of one daughter, Zelina Ruth, who is a student in the schools at Rosewood. The family are members of the Chris- tian church at Carysville, and take an active and interested part in the affairs of that demonimation, Mr. Purk having served as trustee of the local church for the past eight years.
THOMAS E. WALBORN.
T. E. Walborn, an enterprising farmer now living on the H. H. Bre- count farm of one hundred and ninety acres three miles west of St. Paris, was born in Jackson township, this county, September 4, 1868, the son of John H. and Elizabeth ( Parker) Walborn, who are mentioned else- where in this volume in the sketch of Solomon Walborn.
John H. Walborn and wife were the parents of seven children, five of whom are now living. Among the seven are the following: G. W., living on the J. W. Kiser farm in Johnson township; Thomas E., the immediate subject of this brief review; Minnie, the widow of William Betz, living at Bluffton, Indiana; Annie Jane, who died at the age of sixteen years; Solomon, a farmer of Johnson township; and Emma, the wife of Charles Stapleton, of Columbus, Ohio.
T. E. Walborn was but three years of age when he moved with his parents to Van Wert county, Ohio, where they lived for the next fourteen years, and there he received his education in the district schools. When he was seventeen years of age, the family moved to Jay county, Ind., with the exception of the mother, who died in Van Wert county, Ohio. He remained in Indiana for six years, during which time he was married. In 1891 he returned to Champaign county, locating in St. Paris, where he was engaged in the teaming and dray business for eleven years; from there he moved to the rented farm where he is now living.
Mr. Walborn has been thrice married, his first wife being Mary J. Brighton, whom he married in Indiana, and to this union three children were born: Charles, living near Westville, this county; William, living on the Kiser farm in Johnson township, and Carl, living on the Leonard Hall farm in Johnson township. After the family returned to St. Paris, the wife and mother died. Mr. Walborn then married Elina White, and to them one son was born, J. Roger, now a student in the public schools. After
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the death of his second wife, and while he was still living in St. Paris, Mr. Walborn was married to Clare Batdorf, in May, 1911. She is a daughter of George and Margaret (Watkins) Batdorf, and was born and reared in St. Paris, Ohio. Mrs. Walborn is a member of the Reformed church at St. Paris, as were her parents before her, who lived and died in this village.
Mr. Walborn is a Democrat in politics, and has always taken an active interest in local public matters. While living in St. Paris, he served as coun- cilman of the village board for two years.
CHARLES O. TAYLOR.
The late Charles O. Taylor, for years a well-known hardware mer- chant of Urbana and a substantial landowner of Champaign county, who died at his home in Urbana in the fall of 1906 and whose widow is still living in that city, was a native son of Champaign county and lived here all his life. He was born on the Mad River farm in Concord township on August 12, 1852, son of Oliver and Catherine (Caraway) Taylor, both of whom also were born in this county, members of old families, and who spent all their lives here. Oliver Taylor was born on a pioneer farm at Spring Hills and there grew to manhood and was married. He continued a farmer and stockman all his life, his death occurring on the old home place. He was a man of much energy, a leader in his community and was for years president of the Citizens National Bank of Urbana, and was one of the best-known and most influential bankers in the county. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church and he was a deacon of the local congregation. Three children were born to Oliver Taylor and wife, Charles O. Taylor being the only one who grew to maturity.
Reared on the home farm on Mad River, Charles O. Taylor received his early education in the schools of Concord township and supplemented the same by a course in Gundray Commercial College at Cincinnati. From the days of his youth he took an active interest in the work of the farm and upon leaving college returned to the home farm. Later he located on a farm of three hundred and twenty-three acres, where he established his home and became actively engaged in stock raising, a breeder of fine stock, his specialty being Percheron and Norman horses. He made several trips to Scotland to import those breeds, his efforts in this connection doing much to improve the strain of horseflesh throughout this part of the state.
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In 1892 Mr. Taylor retired from the farm and moved to Urbana, where he engaged in the general hardware business and was thus successfully engaged until his retirement from business. He continued to make his home in Urbana and there he spent his last days, his death occurring on November 12, 1906, about two years after his retirement from business. Mr. Taylor was an active Republican and was a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias.
On March 29, 1876, Charles O. Taylor was united in marriage to Emma E. Downs, daughter of William and Catherine (Saunders) Downs, and to this union three children were born, namely: William Oliver Taylor, who married Adah Rhodes and is now living in New York City; Vance, who married Gladys Blackmer, of St. Gonis, where they live, and has two children, Catherine and Caroline, and Elizabeth, who married William M. Dixon, of Urbana, and has one child, a daughter, Catherine Caraway. Mrs. Taylor is still living at Urbana, where she is very pleasantly situated.
ISAIAH STOWE.
Isaiah Stowe, a well-known and substantial retired farmer of Wayne township, this county, and an honored veteran of the Civil War, is a native son of Champaign county and has lived here all his life, having made his home at North Lewisburg for the past fifteen years or more. He was born on a pioneer farm in Wayne township on November 7, 1843, son of William and Julia Ann (Tucker) Stowe, whose last days were spent in this county.
William Stowe was born in Virginia and was but five years of age when he came to this county with his parents, John and Sallie (Spain) Stowe, who were among the early settlers of Wayne township, where they established their home in the heavy timber, clearing off a small tract upon which to erect an humble log cabin when they settled there, and there they spent the remainder of their lives, influential and useful pioneers of that part of the county. John Stowe and his wife were the parents of seven children, William, John, Edwin, Joel, Richard, Patsy and Polly. William Stowe grew to manhood on that pioneer farm, receiving his schooling in the old log school house in that neighborhood, and after his marriage to Julia Ann Tucker, also a member of a pioneer family in that section, set- tled on the old home farm, later moving to Union county and after some years spent there returning to this county and locating on a farm south of
ISAIAH STOWE
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North Lewisburg, where he spent the remainder of his life. For years he was constable for his home township and also served in the local militia for several years. He and his wife were members of the Methodist church and their children were reared in that faith. There were four of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follow: Sarah, who died unmarried; Lavina, widow of Jacob Fisher, a Champaign county farmer, who has one daughter, Chloe, wife of Lewis Rowell, of Urbana, and Diantha, who lives in North Lewisburg.
Reared on the farm, Isaiah Stowe received his schooling in the neigh- borhood schools and from the days of his boyhood was a valued assistant to his father in the labors of improving and developing the home farm. On May 2, 1864, in his twentieth year, Mr. Stowe enlisted for service during the hundred-day term as a soldier of the Union, a private in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was engaged in several important engagements and skirmishes of the Civil War; the greater part of his service, however, being performed on guard duty near Petersburg, Virginia. Upon the completion of his military service he returned home and took up the duties of the farm and continued farming that place until about 1902, when he retired from the farm and moved to North Lewisburg, where he is now living, in comfortable retirement. Mr. Stowe owns a comfortable house and two acres of land at the west edge of North Lewisburg and his sister, Mrs. Fisher, keeps house for him, the two being very pleasantly situated.
PEARL V. JONES.
Pearl V. Jones, farmer of Urbana township, Champaign county, was born on June 17, 1874, in Union township, this county, on a farm two miles north of the village of Mutual. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Nincehelser) Jones. The father was born in Champaign county, Ohio, and the mother was a native of Pennsylvania. He was a son of William Jones, a native of Virginia, where he grew up and married, finally making the overland journey from the Old Dominion to Champaign county, Ohio, being among the first settlers in the Muddy Creek district, Concord township, where he cleared and developed a farm. His wife was Elizabeth Swan before her marriage. Their union resulted in the birth of the following children: (48a)
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