USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 13
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A kind and loving husband and father, he left his fam- ily and community bereft of one who made life better for his living. From early childhood he was a member of the Christian Church and his faith bore fruit in his earnest Christian char- acter. He believed in prohibition and voted as he prayed and did much effective work for his cause and won his associates to his way of thinking. The purity of his life and his admirable character contributed much to the moral tone of his commun- ity, and his business industry, ability uprightness have added materially to its wealth and prosperity.
W. Omer Patty was brought up at Pleasant Hill, Ohio, where he was graduated from the public and high schools.
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He later attended college at Ada, Ohio, and the Wilks Busi- ness College at Dayton, Ohio. Following this thorough prepa- ration he embarked in the grain business at Pleasant Hill with C. M. Patty and John G. Myers, which association continued profitably for a couple of years. Later he moved to Fletcher, Ohio, where he continued his grain operations for four years. In 1903 he moved to Greenville and was associated with Fred D. and Joe F. Coppock and his father, Doctor Patty, in the lum- ber business, the firm operating the landed estate of Mr. DeCamp. At the death of Mr. Patty his widow and sons and her brother, Fred Coppock, continued the business.
In the spring of 1891, W. O. Patty was united in marriage with Margaret A. Coppock, a daughter of Allen and Maria Furnas Coppock. To this uinon were given three sons, Clar- ence E., born Jan. 22, 1892; Joseph Charles, born Nov. 15, 1896, and Wm. Allen, born Feb. 6, 1907. Allen Coppock was a son of Joseph and Sarah Jay Coppock. He enlisted in Com- pany A, 147th regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and served four months as a soldier in the Civil war. He joined the Ma- sons in 1868, and is a member of Dan Williams Post, G. A. R. No. 369. Margaret Spencer, the mother of Maria Coppock, was born in South Carolina, and the father, Joseph Furnas, was born and reared in Miami county, on the farm his father entered.
In 1849 Doctor Patty and Sarah Jane Dowell, daughter of Charles and Nancy Dowell, were united in marriage, and at the age of sixty-two years her spirit took its flight to the "far away home of the soul," from a very kind, affectionate and devoted home life where her qualities shone most brilliantly. Doctor Patty was born in 1827 in Montgomery county, Ohio. He was Scotch descent on his father's side and on his mother's side French and English. He was the son of Chas. and Phoebe Pear- son Patty, of South Carolina. For fifty-two years he practiced medicine at Laura and Pleasant Hill. He was not only active as a physician, but as a citizen; was a member of the Masonic Order of Pleasant Hill. He was a man characterized by a strong mind and did much reading and thinking. The last thing he wrote in his own autobiography were these words, "Glad day when I shall set out to join not only that great company of disembodied spirits, but my own son, Omer, than whom was never better man born, nor more full of filial af- fection."
Then after two years of eager waiting he was called to this
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reunion from the home of Mrs. W. O. Patty, after a life of eighty-five years, rich in ministrations and usefulness to a large community of people in which he was a friend and coun- sellor.
ADELBERT MARTZ.
Efficiency and practical application of advanced ideas with regard to finance have marked the career of Adelbert Martz, cashier of The Greenville National Bank, which is located on the corner of Fourth street and Broadway. He has bent every energy in this direction, seeking to broaden and deepen every possible highway of knowledge, to afford the patrons of the bank every facility, and to place upon a firm foundation the credit of his institution. To Mr. Martz and men of his type Darke county owes much of its advance not only in substantial material lines, but on the higher level of good citizenship. Their lives should stand as examples for their associates, and their work honored in the years to come. Mr. Martz was born in Darke county, Ohio, September 28, 1868, a son of Jacob T. and Esther Mary (Jamison) Martz, and grandson of John Martz, and James M. and Elizabeth (High) Jamison.
John Martz and his wife were born in Pennsylvania, where he became a farmer, but moved to Darke county, Ohio, as early as 1816, when he was eighteen years of age. He located on property four miles south of Greenville, and became the owner of 160 acres of government land. This he farmed for many years, but died at Greenville in 1882, aged eighty-four years. His wife died when still comparatively young, having borne him the following children : George H., Jacob T., Elizabeth Rice, Rebecca Boyer, William, and a daughter who died when about eighteen years old. The maternal grandfather, James M. Jamison, and his wife, were also natives of Pennsylvania, who early located at Delaware, Ohio, where Mr. Jamison found good land for his agricultural operations. After many years of useful endeavor, both died, having had a good sized family, among their children being the following: Angeline E., Esther M., George W. Millie H., Lizzie, and Robert H.
Jacob T. Martz was born in Darke county, Ohio, while his wife was a native of Delaware, Ohio. He had more complete educational advantages than fall to the lot of most farmers' sons, as he was graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan University
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at Delaware, Ohio, in 1858, having taken the classical course. Following this he took up the study of law, and practiced his profession for many years, attaining to distinction in it. A man of unusual ability he naturally became a distinctive factor in the life of his community and served as city superintendent of schools from 1867 to 1888. In the latter year he resumed the practice of law and so continued until his death on February 28, 1911, when he was seventy-eight years old. His wife had passed away in 1902, aged sixty-two years, dying, as did he, firm in the faith of the Methodist church, of which during life they had been earnest and conscientious members. Their children, four in number, were: John H., who resides at Greenville; Adelbert; and James J., who also resides at Greenville; and Benjamin F., who resides at Indianapolis, Ind: John H. is ın the insurance business with offices on Broadway. James J. is superintendent of Greenville schools, taught tor eleven years, and on April 7, 1908, was elected superintendent of schools and is now serving his sixth year as superintendent.
Adelbert Martz is a product of Greenville where he was reared and educated, being graduated from the grammar and high schools, leaving the latter in 1887. Immediately thereafter he entered upon his financial career as a messenger boy for the Greenville National Bank, seeking in this way to learn the business from the bottom up. The natural ability and de- pendable qualities of the lad received recognition and he was promoted in due time to be bookkeeper and teller, and in 1893 was made assistant cashier, which office he retained until the death of F. T. Conklin, the cashier. Mr. Martz was the logical man for the vacant position and was immediately pro- moted to fill it, the action on the part of the board of directors receiving the approbation of the patrons of the bank who ap- preciated the sterling qualities of Mr. Martz. The old Green- ville Bank is one of the sound institutions of Darke county, and was established in 1874, as a private bank, developing into a state bank in 1889, and assumed its present form in 1904 with a capital stock of $100,000. Much of its present standing is due to Mr. Martz, who is a past master of its affairs, and one of the most thoroughly informed men upon banking mat- ters in this part of the State.
On May 20, 1891, Mr. Martz was married to Miss Lillian Gable, a daughter of Lucian and Mary A. (Scott) Gable. Mr. and Mrs. Martz have had two children: Joseph A. and Be- atrice. Both Joseph and Beatrice are graduates of the Green-
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ville High School. Joseph was graduated in 1909, and Miss Be- atrice in 1911. Joseph later attended the Ohio State Univer- sity and is now in his senior year. He is taking a ceramics engineering course. Miss Beatrice is now in her third year at the Ohio State University. Mrs. Martz is and has been for years a member of the Columbian Club. Mr. and Mrs. Martz are members of the Methodist Church and are highly esteemed in that connection. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and is active in that order. A Republican, he has cast the strength of his influence for the candidates of his party, although him- self not being willing to assume the duties of public office, believing that his energies ought to be conserved for those of his responsible position.
CORNELIUS O'BRIEN.
With a natural love of flowers, Cornelius O'Brien combines a practical knowledge of their needs and the best methods for producing them. As a florist he has earned a well-merited distinction and his greenhouses are noted throughout Darke county, although they are little more than a decade old. He is conveniently located at No. 146 North Broadway, Greenville, Ohio, and markets his product over a wide territory. Mr. O'Brien was born in Neave township, near Baker's store, Darke county, Ohio, January 1, 1864, a son of Cornelius and Louisa (Bryant) O'Brien, and grandson of Cornelius and Margaret (Ryan) O'Brien, and Joseph and Margaret (Adams) Bryant. Cornelius O'Brien, the grandfather, was born in Ire- land and lost his wife prior to his leaving his native land for America. His death occurred in New York State. Their chil- dren were: Michael, Patrick, James, Cornelius, Ellen, Maggie, Bridget and Mary Ann. Joseph Bryant, the maternal grand- father, and his wife were natives of England, where he died while a minister of the Established Church. His widow came to America and was a resident of Darke county, Ohio, for a number of years, dying there in 1873, when about seventy years old. She and her husband had three children: Jennie, Albert and Louisa.
Cornelius O'Brien, the father, was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, while his wife was born in Somersetshire, England. The father was reired in his native land until he was eighteen
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years old, when he came to the United States, and located in Neave township, Darke county, Ohio, in 1853, moving to Greenville during his latter years, living there retired, his death occurring in 1908, when he was seventy-seven years old. His wife died in 1889, aged fifty-five years. Although he was reared a Catholic and she an Episcopalian, they both joined the United Brethren Church of Mount Zion, Neave township, and died firm in the faith of that denomination. During the Civil war, the father enlisted for the 100-day service in the 152nd Ohio voluneeer infantry as a private and did his duty as a soldier, as.h · carried out his obligations as a private citi- zen faithfully and well. He and his wife had the following chil- dren : Ellen, who is the wife of Stephen A. Tullis, of Dayton, Ohio; William S., who is of Greenville; Cornelius, whose name heads this review; Hattie, who is the wife of James Keefauver, of Indianapolis, Ind .; Albert, who is of Union City, Ind .; Em- mett, who is of Greenville, Ohio; Joseph J., who is of Green- ville, Ohio; Edward W., who is also of Greenville; James, who is of Dayton, Ohio, and two who died in childhood.
Cornelius O'Brien, of whom we write, grew to manhood on his father's farm in Greenville township near the fair grounds, and attended the schools of his district. Until he had become of age he resided at home, rendering a filial assistance to his parents, but after that he worked for others by the day. In 1902 he established his present business and has developed it into a flourishing concern, his greenhouse comprising about 12,000 feet of glass, and his floral gardens covering ample space for his needs.
On May 18, 1889, Mr. O'Brien married Miss Cora A. Judy, a daughter of Samuel and Amanda (Karn) Judy. Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien are earnest members of the Reformed church of which he is a deacon. In politics Mr. O'Brien is a Republican, but he has never sought or desired office, as his inclinations are not for a public life, for he prefers to devote himself to his business and his home. The latter is an excellent one, his resi- dence being modern and surrounded by two acres of land.
Mrs. O'Brien was born in Greenville township, Darke county, Ohio, March 29, 1868. Her parents were both natives of Ohio, her father having been born in Darke county, and her mother in Butler county, this State. The former died June 16, 1901, aged sixty-four years, but the latter survives, now being seventy-three years old. They were farming people and during the winter months he taught school for some years, as he was
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a well informed man of superior ability. During the Civil war he served his country as a soldier for three months in the Forty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, and for three years in the Ninety-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, being captain of Company I, in the latter. During his service he participated in a number of the important and decisive battles of the war. He and his wife had five cihldren: Cora A., Minnie M., Mil- dred, Clarence, and Wilbur.
The paternal grandfather of Mrs. O'Brien, Michael Judy, married Margaret Kurtz, and both were born near German- town, Ohio. They became early settlers of Darke county and helped in developing, as did their seven sons; David, Matthias, Michael, John, Daniel, Jacob and Samuel.
The maternal grandfather of Mrs. O'Brien was Henry Karn and his wife bore the maiden name of Susan Good. Both were born in Pennsylvania, but later moved to Ohio, where he was a miller and operated a saw and flour mill and a distillery in Butler county, that State. The grandmother died in middle life, but he attained to an advanced age. They had the fol- lowing children : Reuben, John, Henry, David, Nathan, Susan, Elizabeth and Amanda.
HENRY M. COPPESS.
Descended from honored ancestry and himself numbered among the leading citizens of Darke county, Ohio, the subject of this sketch is entitled to specific recognition in a work of this character. A lifelong residence in this county has but strengthened his hold on the hearts of the people with whom he has been associated, and today no one here enjoys a larger circle of warm friends and acquaintances who esteem him be- cause of his sterling qualities of character and his business ability. In an official capacity he is now discharging his duties to the entire satisfaction of all concerned and is adding to the prestige to which he had already attained.
Henry M. Coppess was born in Richland township, Darke county, Ohio, on the 15th day of November, 1858. He is descended from a sterling line of ancestors, his paternal grand- father, David Coppess, who was a native of North Carolina, having been a pioneer settler of this county. In his native State he married Mary Smith and together they entered Darke
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county at a time when the land was mainly covered with a dense forest growth, which was infested with Indians and all kinds of wild game. They cleared and improved a farm, built a log cabin and started life here under typical pioneer conditions. This first log cabin home was subsequently replaced with a more modern and substantial residence. Some of their early experiences were far from pleasant, it being related that they found it necessary to build fires around their cabin home at night to frighten the wolves away, and that squirrels were so numerous that they practically ate up the corn crops. Here David Coppess spent the remainder of his days, his death oc- curring there, and he was survived by his widow, who died at the home of her son, John S. They had a large family of children, namely : Daniel, Cyrus, Adam, John S., David, Chip- man, Nancy, Catherine, and Mary Ann, of whom John S. was the father of the subject of this sketch. The latter was born and reared and spent his entire life in Darke county, receiving his education in the district schools. He was reared to the life of a farmer, which vocation he followed in Richland town- ship, where he developed a fine farm of one hundred and forty- two acres, in addition to which he also acquired the owner- ship of forty-four acres of land in Brown township, this county. He and his son Henry engaged in the grain business for some years at Stelvideo, this county, but he retired from active business pursuits some years before his death, which occurred in 1903, at the age of seventy-two years. He had survived his wife many years, her death occurring in 1873, at the early age of thirty-eight years. Religiously, John S. Coppess was a member of the Newlight Christian church. During the war of the Rebellion he was twice drafted for service. The first time he hired a substitute, while the second time he went as far as Camp Chase, where his company was discharged. He was prominent in the civic and public life of his community, having served as township trustee for a num- ber of years, and was also at one time a director of the county infirmary.
John S. Coppess married Rebecca Hitz, who was born in Montgomery county, Ohio. Her father, John Hitz, was a native of Germany, who came to America with a brother, land- ing at New York city, where they became separated and never again met or got into communication with each other. John Hitz removed to Pennsylvania, where he married. He and his wife started for Ohio in a one-horse wagon, their jour-
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ney terminating near Dayton, where for a time Mr. Hitz en- gaged in farming. He then came to Darke county and settled on a farm in Richland township, where they spent the re- mainder of their days, the mother living to the advanced age of ninety-three years. They became the parents of four chil- dren, Rebecca, Charlotte, Henry V. and Isaac. To John S. and Rebecca (Hitz) Coppess were born the following chil- dren : Henry M., the immediate subject of this sketch; Har- man C., of Ansonia, Ohio; C. L. V., of Covington, Ohio; Char- lotte, deceased, who was the wife of Charles Hollopeter; Ida May, wife of Milton Boyer, who resides on the old home farm in Richland township, and George W., who died at the age of eighteen months.
. Henry M. Coppess was reared on his father's farm in Rich- land township, receiving his education in the common schools. He remained at home until his marriage, when he- rented his father's farm, which he operated for six years. In 1886 he en- gaged in the grain business at Stelvideo, in partnership with his father, and is now the owner of that enterprise, which dur- ing the years has had a successful record. In 1910 Mr. Cop- pess, having acquired enough of material wealth to insure him against embarrassment, moved to Greenville, with the inten- tion of retiring from active affairs and spending his days in the enjoyment of that rest which he had so richly earned. However, in March, 1913, he was prevailed upon to accept the appointment of deputy sheriff of Darke county, which posi- tion he is now filling. The duties of the office are not particu- larly onerous, though demanding thoroughness and careful attention, and Mr. Coppess is filling the position with satis- faction to all concerned.
On November 21, 1879, Henry M. Coppess married Lucy A. Bowman, who was born in Greenville township, Darke county, Ohio, the daughter of Edward and Sarah (Honness) Bowman. Her parents were natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers in Darke county. Both are now deceased. They were the parents of five children, Elizabeth, Joseph, Lucy A., Mary J., and one who died in early childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Coppess have no children of their own, but they have an adopted daughter, Marguerite. All three are members of the Newlight Christian church. Fraternally, Mr. Coppess is a member of the Knights of Pythias, while his political views are in harmony with the tenets of the Democratic party. He is numbered among the solid and substantial men of the community, in the
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welfare of which he maintains an intelligent interest. He is the owner of one hundred and twenty acres of farm land, eighty of which are a part of his father's old farm and forty acres of his wife's former home. His career has been that of an honorable, enterprising and successful business man, and in all of life's relations he has commanded the respect and confidence of those with whom he has come into contact.
JOHN C. TURPEN.
There has been no period in recorded history when the car- ing for the dead has not been a feature of even savage life, and the ceremonies have been of a character that has been marked by the measure of civilization. Study the habits and customs of every nation and it will be found that a reverence has been paid to the dead, oftentimes such as was not given to the living, and even the most brutal savage tribes in the deepest wilderness, even those who make human sacrifices as a part of religious rites, can point to their stone crypts, their burning temples, their funeral barks, or their tree-top burials. There never has been, however, a time when the proper, dig- nified, sanitary conduct of funerals and disposal of the remains of those whose life work has ended, have been so complete as at present. Funeral directors and undertakers of the pres- ent day in America are no longer mere mechanics, but on the other hand are carefully trained in their profession and often are graduates of more than one college. Methods of body preservation which formerly were considered lost arts, are well known now, and have been vastly improved upon. Taking all these considerations into account it is easy to understand the importance and dignity of an undertaker, and one who fully lives up to the expectations of him and his profession is John Calvin Turpin of No. 118 West Fifth street, Greenville, Ohio, whose residence is at No. 214 Washington avenue. He was born four miles north of Greenville, Ohio, October 31, 1845, a son of Thomas P. and Mary Jane (Hunter) Turpen, and grandson of Henry Turpen, and John and Hannah (Dear- dorff) Hunter.
Henry Turpen married Mary Hubbard, daughter of George Hubbard the fifth, one of the prominent families of Middle- town, Conn., George Hubbard first, came to Middletown in
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1650. He was on the committee of court March, 1657, with Talcott, Mason and others. He was one of the first settlers in the colony, and was appointed with two others in 1656, to sur- vey the town of Westfield. He was born in England in 1590 and married Elizabeth Watts. Henry Turpen located in Darke county in 1837, and he and his wife died within its confines. Their family consisted of children as follows: George H., William S., Joseph J., Thomas P., Enos, Maria, Emeline, Jeannette, Sophronia and Lucy. The Turpen family is of Eng- lish origin, the American founder of it coming from England to New York State, where representatives are doubtless to be found. John Hunter was a farmer, who seeking cheaper land, came to Darke county, Ohio, when it was still a wilderness, moving hence from Warren county, same State. Both of them attained to a dignified old age. They had the following children : Mary Jane, Margaret, Eliza, Daniel D. and David.
Thomas P. Turpen and his wife were born in Warren county, Ohio, but he was taken to Darke county when seven- teen years old, and lived with his parents in Greenville town- ship until attaining his majority. Later on he moved to Greenville, where for some years he was a prominent factor in the dry goods business of that city. He was also employed by the United States government mail service. During the Civil war, when the service of loyal competent men was re- quired and so sorely needed, he was county treasurer for two terms, and while discharging the duties of this office, was also engaged in conducting a grocery. In 1871 he built the Turpen House, and conducted it for several years. His energetic na- ture found further expression in the manufacture of furniture, but at last, a few years prior to his death, in September, 1889, he retired, passing away at the age of sixty-nine years. Mrs. Turpen survived him until the following January, when she, too, passed away, both having been firm in their membership in the Presbyterian church. Their children, five in number, were as follows: John C., the subject of this review; William V., who is deceased; Daniel B., who is at Sacramento, Cal .; Frank, who resides at Birmingham, Ala., and Lucy, who died in early childhood.
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