USA > Ohio > Darke County > History of Darke County, Ohio, from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume II > Part 53
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Mr. Baker received his education in the schools of Pitsburg
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and remained at home on his father's farm until his marriage, on August 23, 1888, to Miss Ella Hershie, who was born in Miami county, Ohio, in 1855. She is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Kolp) Hershie, natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Her- shie was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and died about 1904 and his wife died about 1908, both being buried in Miami county, where they had located on a farm. He was a successful farmer and was well regarded as an upright and useful citizen. They had eight children, of whom four now sur- vive: Frances, wife of John Shank, of Philipsburg, Montgom- ery county ; Emma, widow of E. W. Spitler, of West Milton, Ohio; Sarah, widow of John Eisenberger, living on a farm in Miami county ; Mrs. Baker.
After marriage- Mr. Baker located on a part of his father's farm, where he remained some years, and about twenty-three or twenty-four years ago began general contracting, which business he has since followed, developing an extensive busi- ness. He takes contracts for building and constructing sew- ers, roads, ditches, water works systems, street railway sys- tems, and general work, and has had contracts for building railroad branches at various times. He built a graded road from Greenville to Winchester, Ind., which is a good example of his work. He carries on operations principally in Indiana and Ohio. In 1914 he erected a handsome garage on George. street, Arcanum, and this is conducted by his son. He has a reputation for high grade of work he has done and thorough- ness with which it is completed. He is always busy and dis- plays a large amount of energy. He has reached a high degree of success through his ability and enterprise. He is popular because of his good nature and enjoys a good joke at all times. In political principle he is a Republican but in local affairs votes for the man he believes will best serve the interests of the people. He has never had time or inclination for politi- cal activity of office. His first presidential vote was for James A. Garfield in 1880. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Redmen. He got his start in business life by operating a threshing machine, which he owned and operated some four years immediately after his marriage.
Four children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Baker, all born in Darke county: Henry, living on his father's home (36) 1
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farm, married Myrtle. Miller and they have one son, Paul; Maude, born in 1891, is the wife of Earl Shidler, of Dayton, Ohio; Waldo, associated with his father in contracting busi- ness, a good citizen. and excellent business man, married Miss Floy Ayresman, and they live in Arcanum; Cleo lives at home and conducts the garage for his father. Mrs. Baker is a mem- ber of the Christian Church. The family occupy their beautiful new modern home on George street.
TOBIAS ARNETT.
Tobias Arnett, now practically retired from active business life, is one of the most substantial and highly respected citizens of Pitsburg. He and.his wife have been a hardworking couple and, have well earned the ease and comfort they now enjoy. They are simple and unpretentious, living a quiet life and help- ing various worthy movements for the betterment of general conditions in the community. They belong to old families of Darke county and enjoy the esteem of a large number of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Arnett was born on his grand- father's farm in Miami county, Ohio, January 27, 1845, and is a son of Abraham and. Leah (Friend) Arnett. The father was born on the same farm. October 18, 1825, and the mother was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, September 16, 1825. He died April 15, 1907, and is buried in Abbottsville cemetery, and. Mrs. Arnett died April 16, 1895.
Abraham Arnett received his education in the country schools and after reaching maturity operated his father's farm for a number of years. In 1850 he brought his family through the woods to Darke county and settled first in Monroe town- ship, clearing the land for his fields, and a few years later purchased a farm nearby which was in much the same condi- tion but which he thought more desirable. He cleared this sec- ond farm and lived on it some eighteen years, when he pur- chased an adjoining farm and operated it six or eight years. This was then traded for a farm just east of Pitsburg. In 1885 Mr. Hansbarger, from whom Mr. Arnett purchased. the last-named farm, bought a tract of. land where the village of Pitsburg now stands, and began laying out a village, but the venture was unsuccessful, so he sold eight acres of this
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land to Mr. Arnett and the latter built a house, which is still standing, and which is located east of the Hammel & Arnett elevator. Later he erected a handsome brick residence on South Jefferson street, opposite the home of his son Tobias. He and Mr. Hansbarger engaged in business together and for several years conducted a grain elevator in the village, which they then sold to a Mr. Smith, who carried it on for several years. Mr. Arnett was a republican in politics and served in such public offices as Road Supervisor and School Director. He and his wife were active members of the German Baptist church. They had three children, viz., Tobias; Margaret, who died at the age of six years; and Sarah Ann, who died at the age of five years, all born in Darke county.
In boyhood Tobias Arnett, the only child of his parents who reached maturity, attended the country schools near his father's farm, and remained at home until he was twenty-two years of age, when he married and built a comfortable cottage on part of his father's farm. One year later he purchased seventy-three acres of land in Monroe township, which he sold after four years and bought a farm of one hundred seventy- three acres in the same township. This last-named place was the family home for ten years and he erected all the buildings upon it in a single year, which meant a great deal of hard work and there were twenty-one persons to sit in the dining room for meals for weeks at a time. They lived some six years in a log house, then put up a much better dwelling. The children having left home to make homes of their own, he built a nice home in Pitsburg, now occupied by the Metzger family, and in 1894 he erected the pretty home they now occupy on South Jefferson street. At his father's death he was heir to a share in the elevator business, the firm name being Arnett & Hammel, but it is now known as Hammel & Arnett. Mr. Arnett has now practically retired, leaving the active manage- ment of the business to his partner and employes. His part- ner is Edward Hammel, a sketch of whose life may be found on another page of this volume.
After residing about twelve years in his present home, Mr. Arnett and his wife went to live on a claim he had taken up near Norwich, North Dakota, consisting of a half section of land, which they still own. He also owns an improved farm of eighty acres in Monroe township and forty acres of land just west of the village of Pitsburg. He is a republican in
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politics and his first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. He served one term as councilman of Pitsburg. He is a man of good principles and is upright in all his dealings, being rather quiet in manner and known for his inherent good nature, which endears him to all.
Mr. Arnett was married May 14, 1868, to Miss Margaret Arnold, who was born in Miami county, Ohio, March 4, 1849, and is a daughter of David and Hester (Alexander) Arnold. David Arnold was born August 18, 1814, and Hester Alexander was born August 1, 1826. He died in 1851, but she survives and resides in Armstrong, Iowa, with her third husband, Mr. Smith, whom she married some years after the death of Mr. Crawford. The latter she married several years after Mr. Arnold's death. Mr. Arnold is buried in Georgetown, Ohio. He was a miller and owned a saw-mill near Georgetown, also owned a farm. They had three daughters: Sarah, born Sep- tember 14, 1847, widow of William Richardson, lives with her children ; Mary, born December 15, 1844, died in infancy ; Mrs. Arnett. By her second marriage to Mr. Crawford, she had two children, only one of whom now survives, Amanda, wife of Charles Churchill, of Armstrong, Iowa. Mr. Crawford died and some years later his widow married Robert Smith, by whom she had two children. At the time of her marriage to Mr. Arnold she was of the Dunkard faith, as was he, and his father, Christian Arnold, was a Dunkard preacher.
Mr. and Mrs. Arnett have two children, both born in Darke county, Orla A. and Charles Albert. Orla was born July 26, 1868, lives near Battle Creek, Michigan, and married Rosa Minnich, by which union seven children were born, five in Darke county and two of them in North Dakota, namely: Edward O., of Battle Creek, Michigan, married and has one son, Charles O .; Ivy, wife of Russell Kenton, of Michigan, has one daughter, Thelma May; Frank, Myrtle, Elva, Ward and Chester, all at home. Charles Albert Arnett, who resides near his parents, married Miss Jennie Baker, and they have three daughters : Susie, wife of Raymond Bristley, of Monroe town- ship; Harriet, deceased, buried in Pitsburg cemetery ; Mary, at home.
Mrs. Arnett is known as an excellent housekeeper and pos- sesses a cheerful disposition, which has helped her through the hard work and trials of her early life. She is a member of the Baptist church and well known in various circles as a woman of fine character and a cordial hostess.
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LEVI MINNICH.
The Minnich family were among the earliest settlers in Franklin township and have always held a high place in public esteem. Levi Minnich was born on a farm adjoining the one he now occupies, in Section 13, March 19, 1862, and is a son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Swinger) Minnich, who came to Darke county in pioneer days. Abraham Minnich was born near Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, May 28, 1833, and died in Darke county June 16, 1914, and was buried in Newcomer Cemetery, having reached the age of eighty-one years and nineteen days. He was one of the best known and most highly regarded citizens of his part of the country, and his death was felt to be a great loss to the community. He was the seventh of the eight children of George and Nancy (Shoe- maker) Minnich, who came to Ohio March 30, 1834, bringing all their earthly belongings in a wagon drawn by two horses, crossing the Ohio river at Wheeling and cooking their meals on the way at the various taverns they passed. They were able to buy chickens at five cents each and eggs at two cents per dozen, and this formed a large part of their diet. They lo- cated about twelve miles east of Dayton, April 20th, using a sheep stable for temporary quarters; then moved on a farm where the city of Dayton is now located. Jacob Hale and wife had come the year before them, the latter being a sister of Mrs. George Minnich. The Minnichs lived on this location some two years, then located about twelve miles west of Dayton, and the years spent at the latter place furnished very pleasant memories for young Abraham Minnich. During 1838 and the early part of 1839 they lived on the Grubb farm near Coving- ton and in the spring of the latter year moved to what is still known as the Hoover farm northwest of Covington. This was the family home some ten years, when they were able to save enough money to buy for themselves. The first year they gave one-third of their grain to the landlord as rent, he taking it in shocks in the field; during the next three years they were required to thresh the landlord's share, and the last year they had to give him two-fifths of the grain they raised. In 1842 they bought a farm of 126 acres in Franklin township, for $500.00. Eighty acres of this was purchased by Abraham for $10.00 per acre when he was 21 years old and is still known as the Abraham Minnich homestead, being located on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 13, town 9,
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range 3 east. The 46 acres on the opposite side of the road is known as the Spidel farm. They located on this farm in 1849. Mr. George Minnich erected a log house on the present building site of the Spidel farmhouse. There were seven acres cleared of the land and the farm was paid for. There were very few roads at that time, what is now the Greenville and Milton pike road being the nearest. He and his wife had eight children, all now deceased: John, Jacob, Katherine, George, Mary, David, Abraham; one died in infancy. The parents of these children were buried in Newcomer Ceme- tery.
The time George Minnich was permitted to live on a home of his own was very brief, as he was called to his long home the following year. All the children were married except Abraham.
To support a widowed mother, clear the heavy timber from the land and get an education at the tender age of 17 years is unthought of by young men of the present day of modern schools and well improved farms. Neighbors were few and far between. To transform this heavily timbered land into a tillable condition was the first task and a hard one.
Centuries had been required to grow some of this timber but there was no market for it. The only disposition could be made of it was to cut it down, work it into logs, then in heaps and then the burning. To roll the logs in heaps was the hard- est task. Help was absolutely necessary. The only way to secure help was to help others for back help.
As many as seventeen days were spent some years helping others roll logs and some times several miles away in order to obtain the necessary help at home. Thus by constant per- sistent effort the amount of tillable land was increased a few acres each year.
Corn, wheat and rye were the grains raised. The latter two were threshed by tramping with the horses as there were no threshing machines to be had. The bundles of grain were placed in a circle on the ground having first been made level and clean or on a floor then tramped by horses to remove the grain from the straw.
. This was done mostly in early winter and interfered some- what in Abraham's getting the benefit of the full term of school, which was three months each year. The year he was 21 he was broken down in health because of overwork. An ailment of the heart set in. His physician said he could not
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recover. After a year's rest he regained his health, which he retained until a few months before his death. He was a farmer all of his life and most industrious and successful. He took a most active interest in public affairs and was a Republican in politics, casting his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, also voting for that grand man in 1864. He often served as road supervisor and in similar offices. He with his wife joined the Church of the Brethren November 11, 1860, and in 1881 he was elected deacon and creditably filled that office the remaining part of his life. Mr. Minnich was never content to be idle, being happiest when he was working hard or when he was helping someone less fortunate than himself. He was the last member of his generation of the family to pass away, and besides rearing their own children he and his wife took two foster children into their hearts and home, Nancy Stauffer, deceased, who married David Kreider, and Joshua Hyer, also deeased. Mr. Minnich was very fond of his home, and in the same way loved his church, his township and county in a manner that meant he would do his entire duty for each and every one of these ties. He and his wife worked very hard in their early married life, but lived to have the satis- faction of seeing their children well settled and in their last years together enjoy every comfort, in addition to having the pleasure of seeing the help they could give to others. When Mr. Minnich died the funeral was a testimonial to the great affection and regard in which he was held by one and all, for he had sympathized with the trials and troubles, as well as the joys, of his friends and neighbors. He was an upright and useful citizen and the friend of any movement for progress.
The wife of Abraham Minnich, Elizabeth Swinger, was born on the old Swinger homestead northwest of Painter Creek, July 1, 1838, daughter of Jacob and Anna Maria (Stager) Swin- ger. Her father was born in Wurtenberg, Germany, March 1, 1805, one of the four children of George and Rosanna (Stout) Swinger, who came in a sailing vessel to Philadelphia in 1814, their son Jacob then being about nine years of age. While they were on board the ship they encountered a terrific storm, which carried away the sailing gear and caused great conster- nation among the pasesngers, but they finally won through and landed safely. In 1836 Jacob Swinger purchased some land in Ohio, where it was much cheaper than in Pennsylvania, and brought his household goods in a wagon the distance of about five hundred miles, which they traveled in six weeks.
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He first bought a farm of forty acres a half mile northwest of where the village of Painter Creek now stands. One acre of this was cleared and there was an old log house on it. The cleared land was sown in wheat, but there were such wild animals as deer, wolves, foxes, catamounts and the like all around in the surrounding woods and also wild turkeys in great numbers. Jacob Swinger and wife had to endure many privations, as did other pioneers, and they worked very hard for many years. He became an extensive landowner, finally becoming possessed of over a section, part of which he ex- changed for a flour mill. He and his wife united with the Church of the Brethren in 1850, remaining in that faith until death. Heretofore she had held to the Presbyterian Church and he to the Lutheran. She was born in Lebanon county,. Pennsylvania, and died in 1893. On December 19, 1894, the descendants of Jacob Swinger and wife, Anna Maria Swinger, held a family reunion, at which five generations were present, and as guests Rev. Tobias Kreider and Rev. Jesse Stutsman were present. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Swinger were: John, Sarah, Susanna, Jacob, Elizabeth, Catharine, Re- becca, David and Samuel, the latter two being twins.
Mrs. Abraham Minnich lives on the home place, where she and her husband had lived continuously for more than 56 years, never having lived elsewhere. They had five children, Louisa, wife of Joseph Hollinger, died on the farm on which her brother, Levi, now resides; Levi; Rebecca, widow of Moses Royer; Martha, at home with her mother; Anna Ma- ria died in infancy. Mrs. Royer was left a widow, with five children, from three to eighteen years of age, her husband passing away in Decomber, 1910. With the aid of her chil- dren, she courageously continued to live on and operate the farm, which is near the old home place of her parents. They have been very successful in this and are prospering very well. Her children are: Forest M., Galen B., Virgil Abraham, Wilbur R. and John Harold. The two older sons taught school one term in the adjoining township, but as Forest was needed on the home farm, he returned and Galen went to North Manchester to attend college and fit himself for a pro- fession.
In boyhood Levi Minnich attended the country schools and attended one term at the college at Ada, Ohio. He has con- tinued his education since on his own account, by traveling and by private study. He has attended many teacher's institutes
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and has always taken great interest in educational matters. At the age of twenty years he began teaching, and for nine years taught in three districts in Franklin township. He was then requested to apply for a position of superintendent in Gettysburg and taught there one year, after spending one year with his family in California. During the interims he car- ried on farming as much as was possible, for he was very fond of agricultural pursuits.
May 24, 1888, Mr. Minnich married Miss Laura E. Netzley, of Naperville, Illinois, born near there July 28, 1867, daughter of Henry and Katherine (Brossman) Netzley, natives of Penn- sylvania. The mother was a daughter of Jacob Brossman, born in Germany March 16, 1805, and his wife, Leah Bross- man, born November 17, 1806. Henry Netzley was born Sep- tember 21, 1832, and his wife October 14, 1836. He died about 1912 and is buried in California and was a farmer by occupa- tion. His widow resides at Glendora, California. They had nine children : Rufus, of Naperville, Ill .; Mary, wife of L. S. Fey, of Chicago; Ira, of Glendora, California; Lillie, wife of Chas. Richardson, of Glendora, California; Mrs. Minnich and others, who are now deceased. Mrs. Minnich died December 18, 1909, leaving three children, and is buried in Newcomer cemetery. The children are: Beulah Naomi, born March 25, 1889, wife of T. S. Eikenberry, of Franklin township, has a son one and one-half years old, Ivan Leon; H. Spencer, born July 4, 1893, at college in Manchester, Indiana; Ruth Evelena, born September 28, 1897, at home. All graduated from the township high school. Mrs. Minnich and her parents were members of the Brethren Church.
On August 21, 1912, Mr. Minnich was married (second) to Miss Susie Forney, born in Noble county, Illinois, September 20, 1870, daughter of Edmund and Elizabeth (Hershey) For- ney. Mr. Forney was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, in 1838, and he and his wife live at Lordsburg, California. His wife was born at Hagerstown, Maryland, November 21, 1840. They had nine children, of whom three died in infancy and six survive: David H., of Raisin, California; Daniel L., of Reedley, California; Susie, Mrs. Minnich; Isaac M., of Waterloo, Iowa; Ella, wife of L. J. Lehman, of Reedley, Cali- fornia ; Edmund J., of Elgin, Illinois. Mrs. Minnich has been active in church and missionary work for many years and her work is much commended by all. She graduated in a Bible course at Mount Morris, Illinois, during 1892-93, and spent
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five years at missionary work in Chicago for the Church of the Brethren, also took a two-year course at Bethany Bible School. She was in this line of study and work some fifteen years before her marriage, much of which time was spent in Chicago. She was also at Los Angeles and Long Beach, Cali- fornia, and while at the latter place was president of the Ele- mentary Teachers' Union of Sunday Schools of the city. Her father was an elder in the church and she early developed a love for the work. She is earnest and sincere in her efforts for the church and has made many addresses along these lines. She has made a special study of conditions and practical ideas for missionary workers and is well able to express her own beliefs on the subject. She is womanly and sympathetic in her methods and has the confidence and affection of the nice class she has in the Sunday school, and the esteem and ap- preciation of the members of the church. She is bright and quick in her grasp of the work and very enthusiastic at all times. She is naturally domestic and neat in her tastes and she and her husband have a very pleasant home. He is much interested in church and Sunday school work himself and in everything pertaining to education.
At the present time he is serving as superintendent of the Painter Creek Sunday school of his home congregation the nineteenth successive year. He served several years as dis- trict Sunday school secretary of Southern Ohio. In 1901 he was appointed a member of the Sunday school advisory com- mittee of the Church of the Brethren, which position he held eight of the following ten years. In 1911 the work of a Sun- day school advisory committee was discontinued and a general Sunday school board of five members and increased duties and authority provided in its stead. Mr. Minnich was ap- pointed a member of this board and in 1914 at the Seattle, Washington conference he was reappointed for five years. Both he and Mrs. Minnich served as delegates to the Four- teenth International Sunday School Convention in Chicago in 1914.
He has devoted much of his time to Sunday school work and it affords him a great pleasure to witness the increased interest and the continual growth of Sunday school movement not only of his own denomination but others as well. He is also a member of the district temperance committee of South- ern Ohio. In 1908 and again in 1911 he served as a member of the executive committee of the Darke County Local Option
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Election. He says the saloon is the greatest enemy of the Christian Church and the greatest hindrance to the develop- ment of the human race. He hopes to see the day when we will have a saloonless nation.
Mr. Minnich has 147 acres of choice land in Darke county and some property in Canada. He and his children also have a fine orange grove in California. In his travels Mr. Minnich has crossed the continent eight times and made numerous trips to Western Canada as well as crossing our southern bor- der a few times. He loves country life and still lives on the farm bought of his father in 1888 for $5,000.00 and where he has lived since 1889, making a number of improvements in the way of new buildings and remodeling the residence. He is an able and successful farmer and has been president of numerous farmers' institutes. He follows modern methods in his work, being progressive in all his ideas. He is very fond of reading and keeps up with the events and issues of the times, in farm- ing as in other lines. He is an excellent citizen and has a large number of sincere friends. He is a Republican in poli- tics and cast his first presidential vote for James G. Blaine in 1884. He served five years as a school director in Franklin township and was elected a member of the first board of edu- cation of Franklin township under revised school law of 1904. He was one of the prime agitators of the idea of a township high school and it was largely through his efforts and work in espousing the cause that a building for this purpose was erected in 1907 and necessary provisions made for the estab- lishing of what has become a fine school, in Franklin town- ship. There was no high school which was easy of access for the children of the township before that time. He was the one who made the motion and followed the question until he gained his point. He has always been successful in his undertakings and appreciates the good things that have come to his lot, wish- ing to help make others happy and contented around him. Many who have grown to maturity remember with pleasure the early knowledge and enthusiasm for the benefit of a good education instilled into their minds in childhood by Mr. Min- nich, who always wished his pupils to look forward to the future and the development they might attain in all good things.
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