USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 83
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an active interest in all local political matters. He served his township ten years as township clerk, and is now a member of the Jackson township board of education. In 1886 and 1887 he served as assistant postmaster of Christiansburg, under C. A. Hill.
THOMAS SPEECE.
Thomas Speece, a well-known farmer and the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of prime land in Harrison township, this county, was born in that township on March 8, 1839. He is the son of William and Elizabeth (McIntire) Speece, the former of whom was born in Shelby county, Ohio, and the latter in Harrison township, this county.
William Speece came to Harrison township when a young man and was married to Elizabeth McIntire here. They settled in this township and lived on a farin for the remainder of their lives. When William Speece came to this township he was in poor circumstances, but by steady industry and thrift he added to his land holdings and accumulated over four hun- dred acres of choice land and was generally recognized as one of the sub- stantial farmers of Harrison township. He was a member of the United Brethren church and took a very general interest in all church affairs. He was affiliated with the Democratic party, but was never a seeker after office. William Speece and wife were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are living in 1917, namely: Thomas Speece, the subject of this sketch ; Sarah A., the wife of David Taylor; Samantha, the widow of W. R. Hoff- man; Margaret, who married H. D. Pyle; W. H. Speece, of DeGraff, Har- rison township; Cyrene, wife of Albert Clark; Etna, wife of Joseph Barger, and Jacob P., deceased.
Thomas Speece was reared on the farm in Harrison township and attended the public schools of the district. On finishing his time at school he worked on his father's farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He then married Lydia A. Robinson on September 16. 1858. His wife was born in Harrison township, Champaign county, a daughter of Rossiter and Mary ( Withers) Robinson.
Following his marriage Thomas Speece and luis wife began house- keeping in Harrison township on rented land, which he continued to operate for a few years. He then bought eighty acres on which he farmed in a general way and as he prospered in the work, he continued to add land
THOMAS SPEECE
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until he finally became the owner of two hundred and sixty acres of fine land. To Mr. and Mrs. Speece two sons were born, namely : Thomas N., who is the owner of fifty acres of land, married Minnie Stayman, and now lives in Harrison township, and William R. Speece, who married Amanda V. Stover, and who now lives in the state of Oregon. Thomas N. Speece is the father of the following children: Fay, who married Ernest Wilkeson; Hezie, deceased; Mabel, wife of WV. O. Mohr; Eva, who married Francis Buck, of Adams township: Zolu, who married Emerson Cheney, of Spring Hill; Edith and Millard. Mrs. Thomas Speece died on November 15, 1912.
Thomas Speece is a member of the United Brethren church and has served as class leader and trustee. He has been superintendent of the Sun- day school for several years. He was a member of Spring Hill Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Speece is a supporter of the Democratic party and has been prominent in its affairs for several years. He served as trustee of Harrison township for six years, was a member of the school board for a considerable period, and was township assessor for six years, and in each of those offices gave general satisfaction. He has been a member of the Champaign county fair board for the long period of thirty years and is still active. For several years he has been one of the directors of the board and his long experience in that direction has been of the greatest benefit to the managers of the annual fairs.
ISAAC. N. ZERIAN.
Isaac N. Zerian, a farmer of Harrison township, Champaign county, was born in Montgomery county, Ohio. January 4, 1841. He is a son of Daniel and Mary (Trago) Zerian, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respec- tively. When a young man, the father came to Washington county, this state, where he was married, later bought a farm in Jackson county on which place he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. He was a Republi- can and active in party affairs. He was a member of the Methodist church for many years. To Daniel and Mary Zerian eleven children were born, five of whom survive in 1917, namely: Daniel, Jr., who was a soldier in the Civil War, died in Memphis, Tennessee, while in the service; John E., who went to Texas and died in that state; William, a farmer in Liberty township, Jackson county, Ohio; George, a soldier in the Civil War, dying from wounds received in battle: Charles, who lives in the West; Asa I.,
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living in Columbus, Ohio; Mary J., the wife of James Walker and living in California; and Isaac N., of this sketch.
Isaac N. Zerian was about eight years old when his parents brought him to Jackson county, Ohio, and there he grew to manhood on the home farm. He had little opportunity to obtain an education. When twenty-one years old he went to Ross county, this state, and later to Jackson county, Missouri. Six years later he returned to Ohio, locating in Madison county where he engaged in farming until 1901 where he took up his residence in Champaign county. He now owns a good farm in Harrison township, con- sisting of two hundred fifty-one and one-half acres. He is carrying on general farming and stock raising on an extensive scale and has a well- improved and well-kept farm, a good home in the midst of attractive sur- roundings.
Mr. Zerian was married in 1871 to Charlotte Watson, a native of Ohio, and to their union six children have been born, namely: Alta B., the wife of W. S. Shipley; Ora F., the wife of Joseph J. Busick; Nettie A., the wife of Pearl Chaney, and living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Iva M. and Imo- gene, who are single and living at home; Arno N., also unmarried and home.
Politically, Mr. Zerian is a Republican and he has been active in party affairs for some years.
OBADIAH E. GRISWOLD.
Obadiah E. Griswold, one of the oldest native born citizens of Cham- paign county, most of whose eighty-five years has been spent in his home locality, in which he has seen many important changes take place, is a link between the pioneer epoch and the present. He was born here on January 22, 1832, on the old homestead in Goshen township. He is a son of James and Polly (Beales) Griswold, natives of Vermont, where they grew up and married. They remained in New England until 1812, when they came to Marietta, Ohio, traveling most of the distance by boat, the trip requiring nearly a year. They were delayed chiefly by an attack of smallpox while on their way. Later they located near Columbus, Ohio, and in 1816 came to Champaign county, settling in the wilds of what is now Goshen township. There they built a cabin, cleared and developed a farm, and endured the usual hardships and privations of pioneer life. The death of James Griswold occurred at Irwin Station and there his wife also spent her last days. They were parents of eight children, namely; Boland,
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living in Union county, two miles west of Milford; Mary, wife of Mark Malonea, who died at Irwin Station; Sarah, who married Samuel Harris of Leroy, Illinois, where he died, after which event she moved to Texas; Hosea, who moved to Illinois, where he spent the rest of his life; Phedora Jane, who died in 1842; Sylvania, wife of William Brown, who lived in Illinois and later in Union county, Iowa, where her death occurred; Olive Rebecca, wife of Ira Jones, of Van Buren county, Iowa, and Obadiah E., of this sketch.
Obadiah E. Griswold grew to manhood on the home farni where he worked hard when a boy. He received a limited education in the pioneer schools of Goshen township. He lived at home until he was eighteen years old. On January 22, 1863, he married Abigail D. Kimball, who was born in Union county, Ohio, in 1837, the daughter of Hiram D. and Catherine (Culver) Kimball, natives of Stowe, Vermont, and New York state, re- spectively, the latter being born on Lake Champlain. Mr. and Mrs. Kimball came to Union county, Ohio, in 1818, locating on a farm near what is now Milford Center, and later moved to Goshen township, Champaign county, where he established the family home on a farm, which he de- veloped from the virgin soil by perseverance and hard work. After several years the family moved back to Union county. Hiram Kimball's death occurred in Champaign county, after which his widow went to Kansas and died there. Five children were born to Hiram Kimball and wife, namely : Abigail D., wife of Mr. Griswold of this sketch; Silas, who was killed at the battle of Shiloh during the Civil War, being a member of Company F, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; N. J., who served three years in the Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and after the war lived in Union county for some time, then moved to Medicine Lodge, Kansas, where he now resides; Lucy A., the widow of D. W. Rutan, a farmer and stockman, and now making her home at Mechanicsburg, Ohio; Ira C., who served two years in the Civil War, after which he located in Eldorado, Kansas.
To Mr. and Mrs. Obadiah E. Griswold, one son was born, William J. Griswold, whose birth occurred in 1872. He was reared on the home farm in Rush township, and received his education in the district schools. He has always lived at home and is carrying on general farming, stock raising and dairying.
Obadiah E. Griswold located in 1863 at Irwin Station, Ohio, not far from the Champaign county line. After staying there for a period of thirteen years, he located on the old Kimball homestead in Goshen town- ship for a while. Later he moved to Union county, Iowa and engaged in
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farming there nine years, then returned to Champaign county, locating on the A. J. Smith place in Rush township. In 1890 he bought the eighty acres where he now lives in Rush township and has since carried on general farming and dairying there.
Mr. Griswold is a Republican; however, he has never been active«in public life.
HENRY C. ROGERS.
Henry C. Rogers, secretary and manager of the Home Telephone Com- pany of Mechanicsburg and one of the best-known farmers and stockmen in the vicinity of that city, was born on the farm which he still owns in the immediate vicinity of Mechanicsburg, this county, September 1, 1863, son of Russell B. and Lydia (Griffin) Rogers, the latter of whom is still living.
Russell B. Rogers was born in the state of Virginia and was but six months of age when his parents came to Champaign county and settled on the farm now owned by Henry C. Rogers. There he grew to manhood, a valued assistant to his father in the labors of improving and developing the home place. He received his schooling in the local schools and became a school teacher, and he taught for some years in his home community. After his marriage to Lydia Griffin, he established his home on the old home place and there he continued to live until his retirement from the farm. He removed to Mechanicsburg, where he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1893, and where his widow is still living. Russell B. Rogers was a successful farmer and at the time of his death was the owner of six hundred acres of excellent land. He and his wife were the parents of two sons, Henry C. and Francis R. Rogers, now a resident of Gotobo, Oklahoma.
Henry C. Rogers was reared on the old home farm from the days of his boyhood gave close attention to the management of the farm, becoming a practical farmer. He received his early education in the local schools and remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age. He then went to California and for seven years thereafter was a resident of the West, engaging there in a variety of pursuits. After the death of his father in 1893, he returned to the home farm and took over the management of the same. Mr. Rogers is the owner of two hundred and forty acres of excellent land and makes a specialty of the growing of alfalfa and the feeding of hogs, shipping the latter in carload lots. He has found much profit in alfalfa cul- ture and annually cultivates from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty
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acres in this admirable forage crop, producing three tons to the acre. Mr. Rogers has a tract of one hundred and fifty acres planted to catalpa trees and has sold from the same thousands of fence posts and telephone poles. He is the first man in this region to plant high-priced agricultural land to trees as a business proposition and has found the venture profitable. Mr. Rogers was the organizer of the Home Telephone Company of Mechanicsburg and is secretary and manager of the same, having developed the plant from its initial standing of two hundred subscribers to its present list of more than one thousand subscribers.
In 1914 Henry C. Rogers was united in marriage to Elsie Bumgardner, who was born in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, and who was graduated from the local high school. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers have a very pleasant home and take an interested part in the general social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Rogers is an "independent" in his political views and takes an active interest in local civic affairs.
REES H. MILLER.
The late Rees H. Miller, a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and for years one of Wayne township's best-known and most substantial farmers, who died at his home in that township in the fall of 1909, was born on that same farm, the old Miller homestead, settled by his grand- father, John Miller, in 1830, and which place is still in the possession of the family, and there resided all his life. He was born on July 18, 1839, son of Joshua and Lavina (Wade) Miller, substantial residents of that com- munity, whose last days were spent there.
Joshua Miller was born in eastern Pennsylvania in 1805, son of John and Margaret (Rees) Miller, both natives of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio in 1830, driving through with several other families that were seeking new homes in this section at that time, and settled on what has since been known as the Miller place in Wayne township, this county, where they estab- lished their home and where they spent the remainder of their lives. It was on December 5, 1830, that John Miller and his family arrived in Wayne township. The land on which they settled had been granted by the govern- ment to two Revolutionary soldiers for services rendered in the war and from their assignees was deeded to John Galloway, the old parchment, now in the possession of the Miller family, bearing the signature of James K. Polk, President of the United States. John Miller was the first to make
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improvements on the place, which was in its virgin state when he took pos- session, and the log cabin he erected there in 1830 is still standing and in a good state of preservation, a priceless relic of pioneer days in that part of Champaign county. John Miller was of the sturdy, self-reliant type of pioneers and early became an influence for good in his community, taking an active part in all proper movements having to do with the development of the community at large. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, all of whom made their homes in Wayne township. Of these children, Joshua was the eldest, the others being Mrs. Elizabeth Creviston, Mrs. Rebecca Pipple, Thomas, Joshua, Mrs. Polly Thompson, Ruth, Emma, Jane, Rees, Lydia, David and Margaret. Joshua Miller became a sub- stantial farmer in Wayne township and spent his last days on the old Miller homestead place. He and his wife (Lavina Wade) were the parents of five children, Delila Wilson, John Garland, Rees H., Lydia A. Williams and Mary Jane Devore.
Rees H. Miller was reared on the home farm, receiving his schooling in the local schools and was living at home when the Civil War broke out. He took part in that struggle as a member of Company F. One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, attached to Grant's army in Virginia, participating in the activities of that command during the hundred-days service. Upon the completion of his military service he re- turned to the home farm and after his marriage in 1868 established his home there, both he and his wife spending the rest of their lives there, her death occurring on October 1, 1906, and his, October 2, 1909, he then being past seventy years of age. Rees H. Miller was a stanch Republican. He was a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic at North Lewisburg and took an active interest in the affairs of the same. In local civic affairs he also took an active interest and for years was a member of the school board, doing much to advance the cause of education in his community. He was a member of the Friends church and his wife was a Baptist.
It was on December 15, 1868, in the adjoining county of Union, that Recs H. Miller was united in marriage to Hope Devore, who was born in that county, a daughter of Morris and Rachael (Inskeep) Devore, natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers in Union county, whose last days were spent in the adjoining county of Logan. Morris Devore and wife were the parents of ten children, of whom Mrs. Miller was the last-born, the others being as follow: Newton, who moved to Illinois; Nelson, whose last days were spent in Logan county, this state; John, who died in Iowa: Aaron.
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who became a substantial farmer of Wayne township, this county ; Hester. who lived in the West; Mary Jane; Margaret Elizabeth, of Marysville, this state, and Amazetta, who lives in Kansas.
To Rees H. and Hope ( Devore) Miller were born six children, namely : C. V. Miller, who is farming the old home place, where he always has made his home, and who is a Republican, a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge, former trustee of Wayne township and present member of the school board; Effie M., who died on August 9, 1896; Rollin J., a farmer, also living on the old home place; Lauzetta C., who for the past twenty years has been a member of Champaign county's efficient teaching force, one of the leading teachers in the county, now teaching in the Kings Creek schools, and who also continues to make her home on the old home place ; Lillian M., also a teacher, engaged as a member of Champaign county's teaching force for the past fifteen years, teaching at Mingo and Belle Center, and who also continues to make her home on the old home place, and Dorothy, wife of Stanley Strayer, of Akron, this state. Mrs. Strayer also was engaged in teaching before her marriage and for three years was a teacher. The Millers have a very pleasant home in Wayne township and have ever given their close attention to the general social and cultural activities of the community, helpful in many ways in advancing movements designed to promote the gen- eral welfare, and are held in high esteem throughout the county.
CHASE YOUNG.
Chase Young, a farmer of Union township, Champaign county, was born in Rush township, this county, November 5, 1874, a son of Thomas and Anna (Linville) Young, the former a native of Clark county, Ohio. and the latter of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Thomas Young grew to manhood in Clark county and attended the common schools there and married a Miss Hale. Not long thereafter they moved from Clark county to Champaign county, locating in Wayne township, on a farm near Cable, which Mr. Young rented and farmed there until the death of his first wife. He presently married again and rented a farm west of Woodstock for eight years, after which he returned to Wayne township, where he farmed for three years, then located in Union township on a rented farm, but later bought sixty-three acres in Wayne township, where he continued farming
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until his death in 1913. His widow survived until 1916. To these parents four children were born, namely: Hayes, Wilbert, Chase and Elizabeth.
Chase Young grew up on the farm and attended the public schools in Union and Wayne townships. He assisted his father with the work during the crop seasons when a boy, and after leaving school he began life for himself as a farmer, renting a place in Wayne township for two years; then moved to the W. S. Madden farm, in Union township, which con- sisted of two hundred and nineteen acres, and here he has remained to the present time, carrying on general farming and stock raising with very satisfactory results. He raises considerable grain each year, most of which he feeds to live stock, principally hogs, fattening an average of one hun- dred head for the market every twelve months. He is a breeder of a good grade of live stock.
Mr. Young was married December 6, 1900, to Kate Beaty, a daughter of W. C. and Alverna Beaty, and to this union two children have been born, namely : Paul, born on September 16, 1903, and Howard Young, June 6, 1905. W. C. Beaty, father of Mrs. Young, died in 1908 and his widow makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Young.
Politically, Mr. Young is a Republican. He is a member of the county fair board and of the local school board. He belongs to the Grange and is overseer of the local lodge.
WILLIAM SHERMAN COFFEY.
William Sherman Coffey, auditor of Champaign county, is a native son of this county and has lived here practically all his life. He was born on a farm in Goshen township, January 3, 1866, son of Joseph and Lydia M. (Moody) Coffey, well-known and influential residents of that township, the former of whom is still living there. Mrs. Coffey died in 1915.
Joseph Coffey, an honored veteran of the Civil War, also was born in Goshen township and has lived there all his life. He was born in 1838, son of Tatom and Rebecca (Rubard) Coffey, early settlers in that part of Champaign county. Tatom Coffey, of English and Scottish descent, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, March 15, 1800, and was but two years of age when his parents, Joseph and Sarah Coffey, came over into this part of Ohio and settled in what later became organized as Clark county, being the second family to settle within the present boundaries of that county
WILLIAM S. COFFEY.
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CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO.
It was on May 6, 1802, that they settled there and on a pioneer farm there Tatom Coffey grew to manhood. When twenty years of age he married Rebecca Rubard, who was one of the first persons born in Clark county. and in 1829 he and his wife came up into Champaign county and settled in Goshen township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, influen- tial and useful residents of that community. Tatom Coffey died on March 21, 1877. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, two sons and seven daughters, of whom Joseph was the last born.
Reared on the paternal farm in Goshen township, Joseph Coffey was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted as a member of Company I, Sixty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and with that conimand saw much active service, the battles and skirmishes in which he was engaged including Port Republic, Gettysburg, Cedar Mountain, An- tietam, Chancellorsville, the second battle of Bull Run and Dumfries. He then was transferred to the Army of the Cumberland and was in the battles at Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Kenesaw Mountain, participated in the Atlanta campaign and was with General Sherman on the march to the sea, receiving his honorable discharge at Savannah on Decem- ber 22, 1864. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Coffey re- turned to his home in this county and on April 13, 1865, was married to Lydia M. Moody and established his home in that township, where he ever since has lived, a well-to-do farmer. Joseph Coffey is an ardent Repub- lican and, fraternally, is affiliated with the Masons, a member of the lodge of that order at Mechanicsburg.
William S. Coffey received his elementary schooling in the district schools in the neighborhood of his home in Goshen township and at the age of sixteen entered the high school at Mechanicsburg. He later took a com- mercial course in the normal school at Ada and then went to Kansas, where from 1889 to 1893 he was engaged in teaching school. He then returned to this county and for thirteen years was engaged in teaching here, two years of that time being spent as superintendent of the schools at Lewisburg and two years as a teacher in the schools near Mutual. In 1903 Mr. Coffey became engaged in business at North Lewisburg and was thus engaged when he was elected, as the nominee of the Republican party, in the fall of 1911, to the office of auditor of Champaign county. Upon taking office Mr. Coffey moved to Urbana and has since made his home there. So satis- factory did his service as county auditor prove that he was re-elected to that office in the fall of 1916 for another term of two years. Mr. Coffey is a
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