USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 44
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On November 16, 1892, Mr. Gilfilan was married to Miss Retta Freed, daughter of John and Catherine (Popp) Freed, and to this union there has been born one son, Robert.
Robert, the father of John B., died August 19, 1902, while Mrs. Robert Gilfilan is living in Castine at the age of seventy- five years.
John is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Mrs. Gil- filan is a member of the United Brethren church.
Clarence Gilfilan, a brother of John Gilfilan, and, like him, one of the progressive and enterprising agriculturists of Butler township, is the owner of a farm of one hundred and ten acres, located about one-quarter of a mile east of Castine. He was also born on the homestead place near that city, Feb- ruary 7, 1875, and received his education in district school No. 7, and the Castine special school. He was reared to agri- cultural pursuits, working on the home farm throughout his school period, and at the age of twenty-one years commenced
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cultivating a tract of land rented from his father. He has con- tinued to follow agricultural lines to the present time, and his well-tilled fields, his substantial buildings and the general air of prosperity which hovers about his homestead testify to his skill and good management as a farmer. Mr. Gilfilan is a Democrat in politics, but his interest in public matters is con- fined to that taken by every good citizen who has the welfare of his community at heart. He has been prominent in the work of the United Brethren church and Sunday school, and for a long period served as superintendent of the latter.
In 1900 Clarence Gilfilan was united in marriage with Miss Bertha Peirce, daughter of Alvin and Susan (Blickenstaff) Peirce of Wayne county, Indiana, and to this union there have been born two bright and interesting children: Merrill and Dudley.
Mrs. Freed, mother of Mrs. Gilfilan, died November 20, 1903. Mrs. Freed is still living at the age of seventy-seven.
CHARLES O. MARTIN.
One of the successful business men of Darke county, Ohio, belonging to the younger generation, has illustrated in his career the opportunities that are presenting themselves to the youths of today who are possessed of enterprise, have the ability, and are not afraid of hard, persistent labor. Charles O. Martin is now owner of a flourishing mercantile business, the operations of which cover the vicinity of Savona and the surrounding country for a radius of some miles, yet but a few short years ago he entered business life in the capacity of clerk. He is a native son of Darke county, having been born in Adams township, his parents being S. W. and Josephine (Kissel) Martin.
The grandparents of Mr. Martin, John and Susan (Crider) Martin, were early resident of Adams township, settling as pioneers on land that had been entered by the grandfather during the administration of President Jackson. On this farm was born S. W. Martin, who grew up amid pioneer surround- ings, attended the early subscription schools, and adopted the vocation of farmer, which he has followed all of his life. The little eighty-acre tract that formed the original homestead has grown and developed, and Mr. Martin is now one of the large landholders of the township. He and his wife have been the parents of ten children : Earl, a resident of Versailles, Ohio;
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Charles O., Nelsa, who married W. H. Cook, and resides at Gettysburg, Ohio; Nora, deceased, who was the wife of Roy Whittington; Roy, a resident of Chicago, Ill .; William, who is deceased; Russell, residing with his parents on the home- stead, and Ruth, Anna May and Edward, deceased.
The early education of Charles O. Martin was secured in the public school at Horatio, Ohio, and later he was a student in the country schools of Wayne township. During the time he was a pupil, he spent the summer months in working on the home farm, and afterward, while teaching school for seven years in Greenville, continued to devote his summer seasons to agricultural work. Later he turned his attention to mer- cantile pursuits, and for some time filled a clerkship while thoroughly familiarizing himself with business methods. In the meantime he carefully saved his earnings and in 1908 bought the interest of E. E. Noggle, in the establishment at Savona, which place has since been the field of his activities. Through intelligent management and earnest effort, he has succeeded in building up a business that commands a full share of patronage and has made a place for himself among the substantial men of this part of the county. October 1, 1908, Mr. Martin was appointed postmaster at Savona by President Taft, and this office he has continued to fill to the present time. He is a stalwart Democrat in his political views, and his religious connection is with the Lutheran church.
On December 25, 1903, Mr. Martin was married to Miss Ann Catherine Grote, daughter of W. S. and Rose (Farren- kopf) Grote. Both Mr. and Mrs. Martin are widely known in Savona and have many friends in social circles of the village.
ELI McGRIFF.
A well-improved farm lying on West Manchester rural route No. 1, in Butler township, Darke county, is the home of Eli McGriff, prominent as a farmer and stockraiser, and that industry and perseverance are numbered among his most salient characteristics is indicated by the fact that this land has been acquired entirely through his own well directed ef- forts, for when he entered upon his career his capital consisted only of those gifts with which he had been endowed by na- ture. Mr. McGriff has the added distinction of being a native
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son of Darke county, having been born on his faher's farm in Twin township, and is a son of Alfred and Martha J. (Rynear- son) McGriff, a comprehensive sketch of whose lives may be found in the review of Ira McGriff, elsewhere in this work.
Eli McGriff's natal day was August 10, 1860, and when he was five years of age he became a pupil in the public schools of Twin township. These he attended during the winter months, and from the time he was tall enough to grasp the plow handles he began assisting his father to develop the home property. He was thus trained in mind and body and arrived at manhood eager and able to fight his own battles with the world. He had resisted the call of the cities which lured so many young men away from the soil, and considered farming his life work. Accordingly, he rented a tract of land from his father when he was twenty-one years old, and after saving a sum of money removed from Twin township to Butler town- ship, here renting eighty acres of land near the city of Castine. Continuing to carefully save his earnings, he eventually found himself possessed of sufficient capital to secure the Billy Kenton farm, and here he has since made his home. He has placed his land under a high state of cultivation, has improved it with a good residence and substantial barn and outbuild- ings for the shelter of grain and stock, and at this time has one of the best farms in Butler township. Mr. McGriff is practical and progressive in his system of farm labor and each year is rewarded with good crops, thus adding materially to his financial resources.
On December 31, 1885, Mr. McGriff was married to Miss Salome Hawes, daughter of Lycurgus and Hester (Berger) Hawes. The father, who was a'n agriculturist of Butler town- ship, died some years ago in 1904 and was buried at Castine, while the mother still survives and makes her home at Arcan- um. There were seven children in the Hawes family: S. A., Salome, Anna, Inez, I. H., J. F. and Charles. Mr. and Mrs. McGriff have had five children : Ruby, Blair B., Chester, Lloyd and Haskell H., of whom Ruby and Chester are now deceased.
Mr. McGriff is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Knights of the Golden Eagles, in both of which he has numerous warm and appreciative friends. He has been active in the furtherance of the interests of his community, and has been a stalwart friend of education, having served as a member of the school board for many years. He has been prompt in meeting all engagements, has never incurred an ob-
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ligation which he has not filled, and has wrought along lines of business integrity as well as activity.
On December 31, 1913 Blair B. was married to Shearl, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Poppaw of Darke county. They are living at the home of Eli McGriff.
The sons also belong to the Knights of the Golden Eagles.
Mr. McGriff is a stanch Democrat, but has never cared to hold office, although he has always taken an active part in seeing that the best men are elected to office.
SAMUEL BEANE.
Samuel Beane, a retired farmer residing at Painter Creek, has been a resident of Franklin township, Darke county, nearly a half century, during which he has seen some radical changes in the region. He has witnessed the development of fine farms, building of modern roads, and such improvements as provision for proper drainage, throughout Darke county. He is one of the township's most respected citizens, and has won a competence for his old age chiefly through his own efforts. He was given a start in life through a small inherit- ance, which he improved and developed, and throughout his active life was known for industry and enterprise. His home is well known for the hospitality there dispensed and the spirit of kindness and courtesy which inspires it. Mr. Beane was born two miles northwest of Alexandria, in the county of Preble, Ohio, June 18, 1843, son of Samuel and Sarah (Mills) Beane, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of New Jersey. The father was born August 14, 1807, came to Preble county as a young man and lived there until over sixty years of age, when he retired from active life and located in a nearby town, where he died in 1879, being buried in Preble county. His wife, who was born May 27, 1809, died in 1891 and was buried in the cemetery at West Alexandria. They had fourteen children, of whom ten reached maturity. Two sons were killed during their service in the Union army during the Civil War; one son was drowned at the mouth of the Columbia river in Oregon, and five children are now living; John, of Richmond, Indiana; Samuel, of this sketch; Mary, wife of Philip Sauer, of Eaton, Ohio; Benjamin Franklin, of
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Alabama; Lucy, wife of Lewis Ashworth, of West Alexan- dria, Ohio.
As a boy Samuel Beane helped with the work on his father's farm near Alexandria, and received his education in the local school. He remained with his parents until his marriage, November 10, 1867, to Miss Martha Riley, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, December 23, 1844, and is a daughter of George and Sarah (Clevenger) Riley. George Riley was born in Maryland, September 17, 1804, and died in February, 1887, being buried in Montgomery county, Ohio, and his wife, who was born in Warren county, Ohio, September 20, 1809, died March 28, 1872. They were married October 22, 1828, and carried on farming operations in Warren, Preble and Montgomery counties, during their remaining years. Twelve children were born to them, of whom two sons served three years in the Union army and one during the Civil War, and four children are now living: John L., the eldest child, is a resident of Kansas; Jacob lives at Covington, Miami county, Ohio; Mrs. Beane; David, of West Alexandria. Mrs. Fannie A. Riley, widow of another son, Cornelius, is a resident of Chicago.
After marriage Samuel Beane located on a farm near Painter Creek, consisting of eighty-one and one-half acres of fine land, and this was his home for thirty-five years, during which time he was successful as a farmer and stock raiser. His land was well adapted for growing tobacco, which he found very profit- able, and his son still raises that crop on this land. About 1902 he came to his present home, where he has twenty-nine one- hundredths of an acre of ground. He added to the house, re- paired the outbuildings. He owns ninety-six acres of land two miles east of his home, part of which is also devoted to the raising of tobacco. He has always been known for his fair dealings and upright life and has a large number of friends. He and his wife are members of the local Christian church and he is a deacon. In politics he has been a Republican until recently, having now espoused the cause of the Prohibitionists. His first presidential vote was for Abraham Lincoln the sec- ond time he was elected to the presidency.
Mr. and Mrs. Beane had three children, all born in Frank- lin township: Orville, Sallie and Forest Rose. Orville was born April 11, 1869, and has been three times married. (first) to Clara Pontius, by whom he had one child, Arthur Henry, wife and child died about one year after his marriage. He
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married (second) Minerva Penny, by which union three chil- dren were born : Wilbur E., Herbert S. and Myron D., and the mother of these children died June 30, 1909. His third mar- riage was to Regina Eisle, and one child has blessed this union, Lucy Pearl. They live on the farm in Section 30, Franklin township, where his father first began housekeeping after his marriage, and Orville Beane looks after his father's old home place. He has been very successful as a farmer and makes a specialty of tobacco.
Sallie Beane, the elder daughter, was born May 5, 1870, and is the wife of J. C. Lawrence. They live on her father's farm in Section 28, Franklin township, and have five children : Orville J., attending school at Oxford, Ohio; Nolan Lawrence, living in Miami county, married Miss Edith Kessler; Mary Alice Lawrence; George, and Albert, at home.
Forest Rose Beane, the youngest child of her parents, was born December 18, 1873, and married (first) Harry Lesher, who died in 1898 and is buried at Abbottsville. They had two children, Olive Marie, who married Clarence Unger, and they reside at Gettysburg, Ohio, and Robert Lesher, who lives with his sister. Mrs. Lesher married (second) Edward Trick, and they live in Gettysburg and have one child, Samuel.
RFUBEN KAYLOR BEAM.
A typical example of the strong manhood of Darke county is R. K. Beam, the owner of two hundred and ten acres of gocd land on the Ansonia turnpike, in Brown township. Born on a farm, he resisted the lure of the city, to which so many of his boyhood companions yielded, and set himself to the task of extracting wealth from the old home place. After more than thirty-five years spent in agricultural pursuits he has now retired and is quietly enjoying the fruits of his labors in his pleasant modern home, located two and one-half miles north of Ansonia. Mr. Beam was born December 28, 1851, in Brown township. and is a son of Solomon and Elizabeth (Warvel) Beam. The Beams and Warvels are both of German descent.
George Beam, the grandfather of R. K. Beam, was born in. Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and as a young man came to Darke county and located at Beamsville, he being a member of the family in whose honor that place was named. Subse-
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quently he engaged in agricultural pursuits in Richland town- ship, and there was born his son Solomon. The latter was given ordinary educational advantages in the old log school house, and grew up a farmer, an occupation which he followed throughout his life. meeting with well-merited success. He became a man of consequence, but died when still in the prime of life, in January 1860. He and his wife were the parents of ten children, as follows: Daniel C., a resident of Ansonia; Maria and Margaret, who are deceased; Reuben K., of this review; Pauline A., who married J. H. Ketrow; one child who died in infancy; Orinda J., who married A. J. Lickle; Leroy S., residing in Allen township; Elmira, who is deceased, and Mollie, who married Doctor Deford and lives in Allen town- ship.
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The early education of R. K. Beam was secured in the Maple Grove school, following which he became a student in the schools of Brown township and completed his education in Greenville. During all of this time he had assisted his father in the cultivation of the homestead, and when the cider man died, the fourteen-year-old youth was called upon to take upon his slight but willing shoulders the burden of the management of the property. He faithfully discharged the duties of his trust, and in the meantime gained self-reliance and experience that were of the greatest value to him in the years that fol- lowed. After seeing the family firmly established on a farm of forty acres, Mr. Beam, at the age of twenty-five years, was married and started a home of his own. After renting land for several years, he purchased a forty-acre tract, the nucleus for his present handsome property. To this he added from tune to time as his finances would permit, until he finally became the owner of two hundred and ten acres. On this he has made many fine improvements, the latest of which to be erected was the modern brick dwelling, built after the old home was de- stroyed by fire. Mr. Beam's record has always been strictly honorable, and throughout his entire career he has never been known to take an unfair advantage of the necessities of his fellowmen.
On March 15, 1877, Mr. Beam was married to Miss Sarah C. Rue, daughter of William and Lavina (Birman) Rue, and to this union there have been born nine children : Solomon A., who is engaged in the livery business at Ansonia ; Myrtle, who is deceased; William, who is postmaster at Ansonia; Daisy, who married Charles Hollerbaugh; Iva, who married Ben
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Sneary, of Rossburg; Beryl, who married Ira White and lives near Ansonia; Thomas J., who married Lydia Reigle; Vir- ginia, who married Roy Lyons, and Thelma, living at home. Mr. Beam has always taken an active part in township af- fairs, having been a member of the fair board for a number of years and also promoting other public-spirited enterprises. In politics a Democrat, he has been stalwart in his support of his party's principles and candidates, and has been elected to a number of positions of trust and responsibility, having served as a member of the school board since reaching his twenty-first year, as assessor and county commissioner for two terms each and as township trustee six years and was appointed by Governor Foraker and served one month more. Has served about twenty-five years as member of school board and was president of the board several times. Is now sixty-two years of age and has never missed voting at any election. He is still in full mental and physical vigor and con- tinues to be the same useful and energetic citizen whom his friends knew years ago.
Up to the time he was elected county commissioner old men had always been elected. The people had voted $25,000 for a Children's Home, and it was built and settled during his first term and that helped elect him the second time, and se- cured more votes in his township and county than President Cleveland did for president.
DANIEL F. AMSPAUGH.
The agricultural interests of Brown township are ably and worthily represented by Daniel F. Amspaugh, who is owner of a well-developed tract of one hundred and forty-two acres of land, located about three and one-half miles north of Wood- ington, on the Fort Recovery turnpike. The salient points in Mr. Amspaugh's life history are here presented and are not without interest, showing, as they do, what can be accomp- lished through the exercise of industry, perseverance and sus- tained effort. Mr. Amspaugh was born near Logan, in Hock- ing county, Ohio, March 29, 1860, and is a son of Daniel and Margaret (Daubeminer) Amspaugh. His father, an agricul- turist by vocation, followed farming in his native Hocking county until 1880, in which year he made removal to Darke
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county, and, settling in Jackson township, made a comfortable home for his family. He was a hard-working, honest and thrifty farmer, accumulated a goodly share of the world's goods, and died respected and esteemed by all who knew him. He and his wife were faithful members of the Lutheran church. Their cihldren were as follows: John A., a resident of Paulding county, Ohio; Tina, who married a Mr. Murray; Daniel F., Ella, who married a Mr. Denlinger; W. E., who is engaged in farming in Jackson township; Elmer, residing in Paulding county; Maggie, who became the wife of a Mr. Moyer; Lizzie, who married a Mr. Denison, and Clara, who is deceased.
While securing his educational training in the public schools of Hocking, Daniel F. Amspaugh assisted his father in cul- tivating the home farm, and when he was twenty years of age accompanied the family to Jackson township. Here he continued to help his father farm for three years more, and then, with him, entered the threshing business, to which was subsequently added wood sawing. Father and son traveled ali over the county, and the business. steadily grew in extent, the partners continuing to add to the efficiency of their equip- ment and finally buying a large and powerful engine. In Jack- son township they also established a tilemill, but later bought a farm in Paulding county, to which Daniel F. Amspaugh moved the business, and there continued to operate for seven years. At the end of that period he disposed of his in- terests to his brother and returned to Darke county, buying the farm in Brown township on which he now makes his home. He has made an excellent record in the circles of trade and agriculture by reason of his enterprise, progressive spirit and honorable methods, and has a favorable acquaint- ance. as well in fraternal and social circles. His support is given to movements of charitable and religious nature and to those enterprises which he has reason to believe will advance the public welfare. In politics a Democrat, he served four years as trustee of Brown township, but refused to again make the race. In 1908 he was elected county commissioner, an office in which he worked earnestly for progress.
Mr. Amspaugh was married to Miss Susan Zellers, daughter of Cyrus and Mary (Jenkerson) Zellers, and to this union there have been born the following children: Dallas L., Stella M. and Josie M., all attending the Ansonia high school, and Zeller W. Elsie, Gladys V., Daniel G. and Edna.
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ANDREW JACKSON LICKEL.
To the citizens of Brown township who know Andrew J. Lickel and recognize in him one of the substantial and pros- perous agriculturists of his community, it is difficult to realize that he began his career as a penniless youth among strangers. A life of industry has been crowned with success, for today he is the owner of a well-cultivated tract of one hundred and thirty-four acres of land located on the Searles road, one and one-half miles northwest of Ansonia. Mr. Lickel was born June 17, 1852, on his father's farm, near Woodington, in Brown township, Darke county, Ohio, and is a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Deikle) Lickel, natives of Germany.
Philip Lickel, like other youths of the Fatherland, served three years in the German army. In his native land, however, he saw no future ahead of him except years of toil with but little chance of accumulating a competence, and decided to try his fortunes in America. Accordingly, after the birth of his first child, he emigrated to this country, and first settled in Buffalo, N. Y., subsequently moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, and then to Wapakoneta., Auglaize county, there securing work on the canal. He subsequently moved to Woodington, to accept employment with the Big Four railroad, and, after saving some capital, turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, in which he spent the remainder of his life in Brown township, Darke county. He was an industrious, honest and thrifty man, and fairly won the respect of those with whom he came in contact in whatever community he found himself. He and his wife, also a native of Germany, were the parents of the following children: Henry, deceased, who was born in the Fatherland; Elizabeth, also deceased; Mary J., deceased, who was the wife of the late Charles Conden, and had three chil- dren : Emma, Frank and Louis; Anna, who married Isaac Locke; William, deceased; Steven, deceased, who married Netta Wampler and had one child, Tracy ; George, who is de- ceased, and Andrew Jackson.
Andrew J. Lickel was an infant when his mother died, and at that time he was placed in the home of William Gephart, by whom he was reared and educated, being put on a salary when fourteen years of age. He has spent his entire life on this farm since that time, and now has his one hundred and thirty-four acres under a high state of cultivation, with excel- lent improvements, his holdings making him one of the pros-
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perous residents of the county. His life should serve to en- encourage and inspire others to put forth strenuous effort. Mr. Lickel has taken a deep interest in fraternal matters, and is a Master Mason and a member of the Knights of Pythias, at Ansonia, in which latter organization he has passed through all the chairs and is now past chancellor.
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