USA > Ohio > Champaign County > History of Champaign County, Ohio, its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 93
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Reared on the home farm, William W. Millice has lived there all his life, an active and progressive farmer. He completed his schooling in the
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Mechanicsburg schools and was married when twenty-one years of age, he and his wife establishing their home on the old Millice place, where they have continued to make their home. It was on September 18, 1895, that William W. Millice was united in marriage to Lula Moody, who also was born in this county, daughter of John R. and Serepta (Bowen) Moody, and to this union two daughters have been born, Cora Margaret and Laura Irene. both of whom are now students in the Mechanicsburg high school. Mr. Millice is a Republican and gives a good citizen's attention to local civic affairs. He is a Royal Arch Mason, past master of the local lodge at Mechanicsburg, former high priest of the chapter at that place, and both he and his wife are members of Caroline Chapter No. 39, Order of the Eastern Star. They are identified with the First Church of Christ (Scientist ) at Mechanicsburg and take an earnest interest in the affairs of the same.
SAMUEL MILEY.
Samuel Miley, a farmer of Adams township, Champaign county, was born near Westville, in Mad River township, this county, March 4, 1843. He is a son of John and Arlena (Dennett) Miley, both natives of Virginia. he of Shenandoah county and she of Page county. He was a son of John Miley, Sr. John Miley, Jr., grew to manhood in his native state and when a young man he moved to Champaign county, Ohio and married here, Arlena Dennett, who came here with her parents when young. After his marriage he settled on a farm near Westville, but finally moved to Concord township, then to Johnson township, this county, where he spent the rest of his life. He started out with nothing but he became owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He was a Democrat; and an active member of the Baptist church. His family consisted of four children, namely : Dr. Joel, who is practicing medicine near Camden, Missouri, and was gradu- ated from the Cincinnati, Ohio, Medical College; Samuel, of this sketch; Dr. Isaiah, also a graduate of the Cincinnati Medical College, a practicing physician at Anderson, Indiana ; and Mary E., unmarried, and lives at Millers- town, Ohio.
Samuel Miley grew to manhood on the home farm in Johnson town- ship, where he attended the district schools. He worked with his father on the home farm until he was twenty-five years old. On June 10, 1869, he married Elizabeth J. Ammon, a native of Millerstown, Ohio, and a daughter
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of Jacob Ammon. She grew up in her native community and was educated in the public schools. After his marriage Mr. Miley moved on the farm he now owns in Adams township, where he owns eighty acres; he also owns another eighty acres in Johnson township. As a general farmer and stock raiser, Mr. Miley has been very successful. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miley, namely; Elnora, the widow of William McNeal, who has one daughter, Harlena, a teacher in the Rosewood school; Minnie, the wife of Charles Burns of Adams township; Arlena, who married O. D. Clark; Walter D., who is single and lives at home.
Politically, Mr. Miley is a Democrat, and in the creed of this party he is a strong believer. He is at present a member of the local school board. and had served Adams township as trustee for nine successive years. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has in Mr. Miley an active member, for he belongs to Crayon Lodge No. 397, of which he is past noble grand, and was secretary for twenty years; he also is a member of Lodge No. 141, St. Paris Encampment, of which organization he is past patriarch. In addition to this, he and his wife are both members of the Daughters of Rebekah. Not only is Mr. Miley prominent in fraternal circles, but he is also an active and influential member of the Millerstown Baptist church, as is his wife. Of this church he has been clerk for forty years continuously.
CHARLES V. BURNS.
One of the farmers of Adams township, Champaign county, who believes in following twentieth century methods in lieu of those of the pioneers is C. V. Burns, who was born at Spring Hill, Harrison township, this county. July 12, 1871. He is a son of Jezekiah and Eliza (Bradshaw) Burns. These parents were born in Bath county, Virginia, where they grew to maturity. They were married, however, in Cumberland, Maryland, and at once they came to Champaign county, Ohio. They located on a farm in Harrison township, renting the old Baldridge place for a few years, then moved to Spring Hill, where Mr. Burns turned his attention to the road contracting business. After he followed this with success about seven years, he bought part of the old Baldridge farm and again moved thereto. On selling out, he moved to a farm in Johnson township, east of St. Paris, where he continued general farming with his usual success, until the spring of 1916. In that year he moved to St. Paris, where he remained until his
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death, which occurred in that village on January 4, 1917. His widow still lives there. To these parents three children were born, namely: Ida, the wife of Edward Piatt, a farmer of near Spring Hill, Harrison township: C. V., of this sketch; and Bertha, wife of John P. Kite.
During the Civil War, Jezekiah Burns served in the Union army as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, proving a faithful and efficient soldier and taking part in numerous engagements. He was, in after years, a member of the post of the Grand Army of the Republic at St. Paris. For many years he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he and his wife were life-long members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In his younger days he was a local preacher of this denomination and always took an active interest in church affairs. He was one of the useful and influential men of his locality.
C. V. Burns was reared on the home farm in Harrison township, where he attended the district schools. On December 30, 1891, he married Minnie Miley, a daughter of Samuel and Jane (Ammons) Miley. After his mar- riage, he remained on the home farm one year, then moved to the Miley place in Johnson township, but a year later moved back to the home place. In the next year he moved to the Harshman farm in Adams township, remain- ing there five years, then moved to the MeInturff farm in Harrison town- ship. After living four years there, he moved to the Harshman farm again, remaining there three years, and then moved to St. Paris, where he con- ducted a livery stable under the firm name of Burns & Mattoon for five years, and for four years more under the firm name of Burns & Malmsbury. At the end of that time Mr. Burns sold out his interest and conducted an automobile business in St. Paris for three years, and, although he sold out some time ago, he is still agent for the Ford cars in Adams and Johnson townships. During the period of his residence in St. Paris, he still operated the Harshiman farm, and in the spring of 1916 he purchased his present farm of eighty acres, three miles southeast of Rosewood, in Adams town- ship. In connection with his own farm he still operates the Harshman farm. conducting in all two hundred acres, on which he raises a large quantity of grain and large numbers of live stock annually, especially hogs, feeding several carloads for the market each year. He also deals in horses.
To Mr. Burns and wife two children have been born, namely: Hazel M., who attended the St. Paris schools, later graduating from the Moore's Business College at Urbana, Ohio, and now in the employ of the H. B. Hole Poultry Company, of St. Paris: and Cleome I., at home.
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Politically, Mr. Burns is a Democrat. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias at St. Paris, also Crayon Lodge No. 317, Independent Order of Odd Fellows of St. Paris, of which he is past noble grand, and was financial secretary for about five years ; he also belongs to the Russell Encamp- ment at St. Paris.
WILBUR T. COLLINS.
Wilbur T. Collins, a substantial and progressive farmer, owner of one hundred and twenty-four acres of choice land and also engaged in the raising of high grade stock, lives in Jackson township, two miles south and three-quarters of a mile east of St. Paris. He was born in Mad River township, Champaign county, on December 28, 1867, a son of Capt. S. and Sarah J. (Kiser) Collins.
Capt. Tandy S. Collins was born in Orange county, Virginia, on October 12, 1832, and died in February, 1907. His wife, Sarah L. Kiser, was born in Mad River township, this county, on March 28, 1842, and died on October 6, 1916. They were earnest members of the Baptist church and always displayed a warm interest in its services and good works, at the same time supporting all movements having for their object the welfare of the community. They were regarded as excellent citizens and their deaths left a void in the hearts of a large circle of friends. Captain Collins and wife were the parents of six children, five of whom are living in 1917: Charles, of Tremont, Ohio; Ida, wife of Daniel Prince, of Springfield : John P., who lives in Tremont; Wilbur, the subject of this sketch, and Irwin S., who lives in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Wilbur T. Collins was reared on a farm in Mad River township and attended the district schools in that township until he was fourteen years of age. On the completion of his school course he worked on the farm and remained at home until he was twenty-eight years old. He then married Ada D. Apple, the marriage taking place on January 23, 1896. She was born in Jackson township, a daughter of Noah and Catherine (Seibert) Apple. Noah Apple was born in Jackson township on May 21, 1840, and died on February 20, 1910. His wife, Catherine Seibert, was born in Johnson township, three miles northwest of St. Paris, on August 16, 1842, and is still living at the advanced age of seventy-five and in the enjoyment of good health.
Mr. and Mrs. Collins settled on the farm which they now occupy and
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here Mr. Collins is engaged in general farming and stock raising of all kinds, his produce in the latter line always finding a ready market, the quality being of high grade. His farm of one hundred and twenty-four acres is in an excellent state of improvement, the dwelling house and out- buildings being substantial, well-built structures. Mr. and Mrs. Collins are the parents of three children, Helen, born on October 31, 1900, who is now a student in the eighth grade in the public schools; Mary C., February 17, 1907, and Dorothy, August 23, 1909. Mrs. Collins is a member of the Lutheran church at St. Paris and is active in all church affairs, as well as taking an earnest part in the general social life and in the well-being of the community. Mr. Collins leans toward the Democratic party in political matters, but is generally found voting independently, believing that the quali- ties and qualifications of candidates are of more importance to the public interests than mere party affiliation. He has never been a seeker after public office.
ELMER G. POLK.
Elmer G. Polk, a farmer living in Concord township, this county, was born near Quincy, Logan county, Ohio, November 28, 1867. He is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Wren) Polk, and a grandson of Geba Polk, a kinsman of President James K. Polk, who came to Ohio from Maryland in 1802. Geba Polk settled in Logan county, Ohio, in a very early day, taking up one hundred and sixty acres from the government, just south of Black Lake. There he built a log cabin in the forest. Indians were still numerous in that country. He carved out a farm from the wilderness through years of hard work and privation. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and was active in the affairs of his community, helping develop his locality along all lines. He was an earnest church member. His family consisted of six children, Robert, Laton, William, Sarah, Margaret and Mary.
Robert Polk was born on the home farm in Logan county, where he was reared, working, as did all pioneer children. He received a limited education in the early-day schools. He first married a Miss Harper, by whom one child was born. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Wren, by whom nine children were born, six of whom are living in 1917, namely : Ada, wife of S. E. Caldwell, of Stark county, Ohio; Charles, who followed teaching a number of years and is now a rural mail carrier out of Zanesfield, Ohio; Mary, wife of John Barger of Salem township, this. county; Elmer
ELMER G. POLK
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G., the subject of this sketch; Eva, widow of Otho Frields and graduate of the Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, now living in Quincy, Illi- nois, where she is a successful teacher, being at this writing superintendent of the Chaddock Boys School, and Joseph, who is farming in Concord town- ship, this county.
Elmer G. Polk grew to manhood on the home farm in Logan county, and received his education in the common schools, which, however, was limited; in view of the fact that he began life for himself when only twelve years old, working out by the month for a number of years. He saved his earnings and finally had enough to start farming on his own account. He now owns eighty acres of well-improved and productive land. In connection with general cropping he raises a good grade of live stock, in fact, has made most of his annual income for many years on hogs, preparing large num- bers for the market.
Mr. Polk was married on June 22, 1893, to Hattie Myers, a native of Kentucky. She received excellent educational advantages, passing through the common schools and graduating from Augusta College. After finishing her education she engaged successfully in teaching for many years. Her death occurred in 1912. She left no children.
Mr. Polk is a Republican. He belongs to Launcelot Lodge No. 107, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Baptist church, to which his wife also belonged.
CHARLES A. McDANIELS.
Charles A. McDaniels, farmer of Wayne township, this county, was born in Harrison county, West Virginia, March 8, 1862. He is a son of Presley and Malissa (Moore) McDaniels. The father was a native of Barbour county, now in West Virginia, but formerly of the Old Dominion, and the mother was born in Pennsylvania. They located on a farm in the former state where they spent their lives. Seven children were born to them, E. E., Charles A., A. J., H. C., W. A., Anna and Margaret.
Charles A. McDaniels grew to manhood in West Virginia and attended school in Harrison and Marion counties. After leaving school he continued farming on the home place for a number of years, then began working in the coal mines, where he remained for nine years, first employed by the Hutchinson Coal Company, later by the Fairmount Consolidated Company.
(59a)
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He came to Ohio in 1904 and bought a farm of ninety-seven acres in Wayne township, Champaign county, and began improving the place by building a fine new home and a large barn. Here he has since engaged in general farm- ing and has increased his holdings to one hundred and forty-seven and one- half acres. He prepares for market a large number of hogs annually.
Mr. McDaniels was married in 1883 to Ida Miller, daughter of Cyrus Miller and wife. To that union one child was born, Lonnie Carl McDaniels. who married Mae McCarty, and has two children, Mildred and an infant. After the death of his first wife, Charles A. McDaniels married Ella King, a daughter of Green and Tena King, and to this union five children have been born, namely: Alma, who married Guy Black and has four children, Vernon, Earl. Sherline, Curtis, and Ray, Gepsey, Earl, Cladda, who are living at home.
Politically, Mr. McDaniels is a Republican. Fraternally, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and is a past noble grand of the local lodge of that order. He has been a member of the local school board for the past ten years and is at this writing president of the same. He is deserv- ing of a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, for he started out in life with very little means, as his father died when he was but a boy. and he has had his own way to make in the world; but by perseverance and close application he has become very comfortably established.
ALEX C. STEPHENSON.
One of the progressive and up-to-date farmers of Adamis township, this connty, is Alex C. Stephenson, the owner and proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixteen acres located on the Sidney and West Liberty pike, on rural route No. 1, out of Pemberton, Ohio. Mr. Stephenson was born on this farm on October 16, 1866, the son of Joseph and Lydia (Johnston ) Stephenson, both of whom were natives of Ohio.
Joseph Stephenson was born in Logan county, Ohio, May 16, 1830 .. and died on May 13. 1916. He was a son of Charles Stephenson, who came to Logan county, Ohio, as a young man from Green Briar county. Virginia, being among the early pioneers of that part of the state. He also lived in Clark county, Ohio, in the early days. The Stephenson family are supposed to be originally of Irish descent, and Charles Stephenson married Rachel Johnson, whose parents were also Virginians, and among the early
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pioneer settlers of Logan county, Ohio; although on their way from Virginia, they stopped and lived for a short time in Clark county, Ohio. Joseph Stephenson was reared on his father's farm in Logan county, and after reaching manhood was married to Lydia Johnston, who was born on the farm· where A. C. Stephenson now lives, on August 15, 1832, a daughter of Walter and Sarah ( McCrosky) Johnston. Walker Johnston was a native of Kentucky, who came with his father, Silas Johnston, to Ohio when a small lad. Silas Johnston was the first white settler in Johnson township, this county, the township deriving its name from his. He entered land from the government just north of where the village of Millerstown now stands, and here he lived the remainder of his life. Walter Johnston came as a young man to Adams township, and entered one hundred and seventy-six acres of government land in that district, and on this farm he lived the rest of his life. After his marriage, Joseph Stephenson and his wife started farming for themselves by renting land in different places in this and Shelby county, Ohio, but in 1850 they settled on the old Johnston home place, where they lived the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of five children, of whom only one son, the subject of this review, is now living. The others were as follow: Charles, who died at the age of two years; Martha, who died at the age of three years, and two, who died in infancy. Joseph Stephenson was a Baptist in his religious faith, while his wife was an adherent of the United Brethren faith. He was a Democrat in politics, and active in the councils of his party in the early days of the township, .serving as trustee of the township for several terms.
Alex C. Stephenson was reared to the life of a farmer, receiving his education in the district schools of his home township. After reaching manhood he started to farming on his own account on the home farm, where he has always lived. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and ranks among the prominent and progressive farmers of the township.
Mr. Stephenson has been twice married, his first wife having been Laura J. McCarty, to whom he was married on February 5, 1891, and to that union were born two children: Ethel, of Shelby county, Ohio, and Harry, who is living at home with his father. The mother of these children died on February 3, 1907, and on January 9, 1910, Mr. Stephenson was united in marriage to Ellen M. Maurice, the daughter of Joseph and Isabelle ( Neese) Maurice, to which union has been born one child, a son, Charles Claire, born on July 14, 1917. The family are earnest and consistent members of the Christian church at Carysville.
Politically, Mr. Stephenson is a Democrat, but is broad and liberal in
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his public views of inen and affairs. In 1916 he was the Democratic nominee for county commissioner. He has served his township as a member of the board of education for a number of years, and was township trustee for four years. In 1900 he served as land appraiser, and in 1914 and 1915 as assessor of his township, and for years has been a member of the Democratic town- ship committee.
W. H. CHENEY.
W. H. Cheney, president of the common council of the city of Mechanics- burg, one of the most active and progressive residents of that city and the owner of a fine farm of five hundred and twenty-six acres in Goshen township, not far from the city, was born in Mechanicsburg and has lived there all his life, one of the best-known citizens of that part of Champaign county. He was born on November 28, 1875, son of James H. and Beatrice S. (Tullis) Cheney, both members of old families in this county, whose last days were spent in Mechanicsburg.
James H. Cheney was born on a pioneer farm in Union township, this county, December 1, 1839, son of Jonathan and Rachel ( Williams) Cheney and grandson of Benjamin and Sarah (Cochran) Cheney, the latter of whom came from their native Virginia to this part of Ohio in 1808 and settled on a tract of "Congress land" in Union township, this county. Benja- min Cheney was one of the most forceful and influential pioneers of Cham- paign county and at the time of his death in 1834 had accumulated land hold- ings here in excess of two thousand acres. He and his wife were the parents of seven children and the Cheney family is thus largely represented in this part of Ohio in the present generation.
Jonathan Cheney, one of the children of Benjamin, was born on that pioneer farm in Union township in 1816. For upward of twelve years he represented this district in the Ohio state Legislature and for an equal period of time acted as justice of the peace in and for his home township. He became a man of substance in the community, living there until his death on March 6, 1864. In 1836 he married Rachel Williams, also a member of one of the pioneer families of Champaign county, a daughter of John W. and Eleanor (Duval) Williams, and to that union were born eleven children, eight sons and three daughters. James Henry Cheney, one of the sons of this union, grew to manhood on the Cheney farm and was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted for service as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Thirty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer
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Infantry, and in later years was an active member of Stephen A. Baxter Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Mechanicsburg. In 1860 James H. Cheney married Beatrice S. Tullis, also a member of one of Champaign county's first families, a daughter of Ezra C. and Sarah E. (Edmonston) Tullis, natives, respectively, of this county and of the state of Maryland, the latter having come to Champaign county when a child of four years with her parents, who settled on the farm in Goshen township now owned by the subject of this sketch. In 1875 James H. Cheney moved with his family to Mechanicsburg and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. he for years being a member of the official board of the same and she for many years a singer in the choir. They were the parents of four children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being E. E. Cheney, a well-known lawyer at Urbana; Brooks E., who died in 1890, and Elizabeth, wife of Marion Burnham, mayor of the city of London, county seat of the neighboring county of Madison.
W. H. Cheney was reared in Mechanicsburg and upon completing the course in the high school there took a supplementary course in Ohio Northern University at Ada. From the days of his young manhood he has been attentive to the affairs of the farm and is now the owner of a well-improved and profitably cultivated farm of five hundred and twenty-six acres in the neighborhood of Mechanicsburg, in Goshen township, operating the same from his established residence in Mechanicsburg. Mr. Cheney has always given his earnest attention to local civic affairs and to such movements as are designed to advance the general welfare of his home town and the com- munity at large and is one of Mechanicsburg's most public-spirited "boosters." For the past twelve years he has been a member of the com- mon council from his ward and for the past six years has been president of the same, giving to his official duties his most thoughtful and intelligent atten- tion. He is a Republican and has long been regarded as one of the leaders of that party in that section of the county.
One June 18, 1902, W. H. Cheney was united in marriage to Agnes Alberta Hodge, who was born in Union township, this county, October 23, 1875, daughter of Samuel and Amanda Hodge, and to this union three chil- dren have been born, but one of whom is now living, a daughter, Isabel, born on February 2, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. Cheney have a very pleasant home in Mechanicsburg and take an interested part in the general social activities of their home town. Mr. Cheney is a member of the local lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons and takes an active interest in Masonic affairs.
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