USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 56
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MICHAEL C. SOLIDAY, whose 400 acres of rich farming land lie in Walnut Township, Fairfield County, O., all in one tract with the exception of eighty acres, and has been a retired resident of Thurston, O., since 1908, having turned over his farm responsibil- ities in large measure to his son. He is a member of one of the old county families and was born at Basil, O., February 2, 1854, and is a son of John Adam Soliday and a grandson of Frederick Soliday.
Frederick Soliday, the grandfather, was a Pennsylvania pioneer, of German extraction
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FRANK P. MILLER
MRS. SUSAN W. MILLER
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and possibly was born in Germany. He was one of the earliest settlers in the southeastern corner of Walnut Township. He died at Newark, Ohio, and was survived by a family. One son, John Adams Soliday, after attending the old Greenfield Academy, studied medicine, became a physiican and engaged in practice at Basil. He died in 1865, at Goldsboro, N. C., while serving in the Federal Army. His widow survived him five years. She was Elizabeth Hunt- work, who was born, reared and married in Liberty Township, Fairfield County, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Fairchilds) Huntwork, old settlers. Five children were born to Dr. Soliday and wife, namely : Frank, who is deceased; Michael C .; Mary, who is the wife of Jacob Sleckman ; Charles, who is deceased; and Cora, now deceased, who was the wife of Emanuel Miller.
Michael C. Soliday was young when his father died and he went to the home of his grandmother and at the age of eleven years was bound out to his uncle, Henry Huntwork, with whom he remained until he was twenty- one, according to the contract. For two more years he worked on farms by the month, when he married and for five years afterward lived on his mother-in-law's farm. His wife then sold her interest in that property and he then bought 127 acres in Walnut Township, which he farmed profitably and continued to add to the original purchase until it aggregated 400 acres. In the meanwhile he had done much improving and erected all the substantial build- ings now on the property. In addition to general farming, Mr. Soliday engaged in team- ing in the gas fields and had other interests, to all of which he devoted many years of at- tention and hard work.
On December 21, 1876, Mr. Soliday was married to Miss Matilda Fenstermaker, a
daughter of George W. and Rachel (Fair- child) Fenstermaker. The father of Mrs. Soliday was born in Fairfield County, a son of William Fenstermaker, who was a native of Pennsylvania. The latter came to Fairfield County in early manhood and secured land in Section 31, Liberty Township, north of Car- roll, O., although at that time dense forests covered all that section. He married a Miss Mineheart and they died about 1845, leaving a large family, two of whom survive: Julia, who lives in Rochester, Ind., and Catherine, residing at Findlay, O. George W. Fenster- maker succeeded his father on the home farm and lived there until his death, in 1854, when aged thirty-three years. He married Rachel Fairchild, a daughter of William Fairchild, who came also from Pennsyl- vania. Mrs. Fenstermaker died in 1884, aged sixty-seven years. They had five chil- dren, Mrs. Soliday, being the youngest. Samantha, the eldest, wife of Daniel Struckman : James; Calista, wife of Joseph Wilshire, living on the old Fenstermaker farm; and Fairchilds, who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Soliday have one son. Harry Lawrence. He married Ina Courtright and they have three children-Lawrence Michael, E. Emmerson and Junius. Mr. Soliday and son are Democrats.
FRANK PIERCE MILLER, who is one of Walnut Township's leading citizens and substantial agriculturists, resides on his highly improved farm of 255 acres, which is situated in Section 18, his land being well adapted to farming and stock raising and also valuable in gas production, four wells being situated on the place. He was born July 23, 1852, on his grandfather's farm in Pleasant Township, Fairfield County, O., the only one of his parents' children born in
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this state, being a son of John Q. and Eliza- where he bought his anvil and full kit of beth (Hiestand) Miller.
John Q. Miller was born in Pleasant Township, Fairfield County, December 21, 1826, a son of Christian and Martha (Strawn) Miller, both of whom were natives of Vir- ginia and undoubtedly of German-English an- cestry. By trade Christian Miller was a wagon- maker and he continued to work as such, although he bought a farm in Pleasant Township after coming to Fairfield County. He was a man of very practical ideas and a judicious father. He had six sons and he required them to work on the farm until they were eighteen years of age and then to learn a trade, leaving the choice to them, and thus each one was equipped in youth with the means of earning a livelihood out- side of farming, which all, however, fol- lowed to some extent. Both Christian Mil- ler and his wife died in Fairfield County, the latter passing away suddenly while on the way home from church. They had eight children, namely: Enos, who learned the wagon-making trade; George, who became a saddler; Elisha, who learned the business of a tanner ; Samuel, who became an expert blacksmith; Anna, who married Benjamin Macklin; John Q; Rebecca, who married Benjamin Rudesell; and Lewis, who learned the tanning business. All are now de- ceased, the last one of the family passing away when John Q. Miller died at his home in Indiana, August 21, 1911, aged eighty- five years. Until he was eighteen years of age he assisted on the home farm in Pleas- ant Township and then, according to his father's wise dictum, started to learn the trade of blacksmith, under his brother Sam- uel, and followed this excellent trade for thirty-five years, working for two years with an expert blacksmith at Findlay, O.,
tools. These implements of his trade are- still in the possession of his son, Frank P., who values them as heirlooms. John Q. Miller then carried on a blacksmith business in a shop on his father's farm for three years. He was married when twenty-six years old to Miss Elizabeth Hiestand. She was born in Liberty Township, Fairfield County, O., a daughter of David Hiestand and a granddaughter of Joseph Hiestand, the latter being a native of Germany. He married a Miss Shaffer whose father was an early settler in Fairfield County, where he entered a whole section of land. The country was a wilderness at that time and he killed a bear on the site of the old court house at Lancaster, which was then only an Indian village.
Several months after his marriage, John Q. Miller moved to Indiana and took pos- session of a farm that David Hiestand had entered there in 1830, which he gave to Mr. Miller and wife on condition that he would improve it. He made a wagon trip to the land and made some improvements there and then returned to Ohio and in the fol- low November started by wagon again with his wife and infant son, Frank Pierce, for the new home in the Indiana forest. Here, through hard work, he cleared and devel- oped a farm. He built a house and stable of logs and also erected a blacksmith shop and continued to live on the place during the rest of his life. His first wife died there in 1884, aged fifty-four years. In 1889 he married Miss Alice White, a native of In- diana, who is still living. His children were all born to his first marriage, eight in num- ber and all in Indiana except the eldest, Franklin Pierce. Ada, the second born, is the wife of James Thompson and they live
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in Carroll County, Ind. David lives in Can- ada. Catherine is the wife of George Shig- ley, of Carroll County, Ind. Amelia, now deceased, was the wife of G. W. Gwinn. Walter lives at Indianapolis, Ind. Christian makes his home in Colorado. Viola, the youngest, married Rev. David Rodgers and lived in Indiana ; she died in January, 1912.
Franklin Pierce Miller remained at home until he was twenty years of age, assisting his father during the summer seasons and attending district school mainly in the win- ters. He then entered college at Battle Ground, Ind., so named in commemoration of the battle fought there in 1811, by Gen- eral Harrison's forces when they were lured into an Indian ambush. There are yet to be seen twenty-six graves of those who fell there ninety-one years ago. After he com- pleted his college course Mr. Miller taught school in Carroll County, Ind., for seven winters and followed farming in the sum- mer. Afterwards he bought his grand- mother's farm in Indiana, containing seven- ty-five acres, and lived with her for seven years, retaining this property until 1909, when he sold it to advantage. In 1886 he moved back to Ohio and bought seventy- five acres of his present farm in Walnut Township, Fairfield County, from his sister- in-law, Rebecca Turner, which, together with eighty adjacent acres belonging to his wife, made a fine body of land to operate. Still later he purchased the additional 100 acres adjoining his other land, all of which he makes productive according to its soil and situation. He found reasonably sub- stantial buildings on the place but soon de- cided to erect a more modern dwelling and it was completed in 1905, with the comforts and conveniences which make life easier in
both town and country than it was when he was a boy. He is a stockholder in sev- eral financial institutions, including the Baltimore Bank, at Baltimore, O., and the First National Bank at Lancaster, O. In his political attitude he has always been a Democrat and at times has consented to serve in township offices. In January, 1911, he was appointed a member of the school board of Walnut Township.
On October 14, 1880, Mr. Miller was mar- ried to Miss Susan C. Wagner, who is a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Wagner, both of whom are now deceased. They were born in Walnut Township, to which section their parents had come in pioneer days. Eight children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller, six sons and two daughters, namely: Earl H., Frank C., John Q., Dottie, Ralph W., and Walter L., and two that died in infancy. Dottie is the wife of Ernest A. Lamb and they reside in Walnut Township, living near enough to Mrs. Lamb's parents to be neighborly. Mr. Miller and his family are members of the United Brethern church, in which he is an official. For many years he has been identified with the Masonic fraternity and for seven consecutive years was master of the Masonic lodge at Baltimore, O., having served longer in that capacity than any other member of the body. In all that is of importance in his section Mr. Miller is interested, his fellow citizens in general hav- ing high regard for his judgment.
F. S. CARNES, whose valuable farm of 100 acres is situated in Greenfield Town- ship, is a resident of Carroll, O., but still carries on his agricultural operations and is serving in his second term as a trustee
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of Greenfield Township. He was born in this township, May 6, 1862, and is a son of John and Eliza (Havens) Carnes.
John Carnes was born in Fairfield County, O., and was a son of Robert Carnes, who was an early settler in the county, at one time owning land near Lan- caster. John Carnes married Eliza Havens, who was also born in Fairfield County, a daughter of Nathaniel Havens, who came to this section with other early settlers. Of the children of John and Eliza Carnes the following survive: Isaac N., a resident of Baltimore, O .; Catherine, wife of Charles Bright of Findlay, O .; Louisa, wife of Homer Grable, of Licking County, O .; John W., of Carroll, O .; Mary, wife of A. L. Miller, of Greenfield Township; and Frank S., of Carroll, O.
Frank S. Carnes was reared in his native section and attended the public schools of Greenfield Township and Carroll, after which he conducted a meat market at Car- roll for four years but otherwise his time has been given to general farming and stockraising. He has a well improved farm which is very productive through the thorough cultivation he has given it.
Mr. Carnes married Miss Catherine C. Wilbert, who was born in Greenfield Town- ship like himself, and is a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Hufford) Wilbert, the former of whom is one of the octogenarians of Greenfield Township, the latter being deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Carnes four children have been born: Wilber H., resid- ing in Greenfield Township; Edith G., wife of Oscar D. Alspauch, living in Bloom Township; and Mary E. and Charles J., both residing at home. Mr. Carnes and family are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church at Carroll, of which he has been a trustee. He has also served on the
school board and as a councilman in Car- roll village and has held other offices, be- ing elected on the Republican ticket.
REV. JEROME BAPTIST MAT- TINGLY, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, at Lancaster, O., took charge of this parish in February, 1906, being reluct- antly released from his parish at Logan, Hocking County. Rev. Father Mattingly was born in Muskingum Township, Muskingum County, O., February 16, 1860, and is a son of Christopher and Teresa (Durbin) Mattingly, who were the parents of four other children.
The early ancestors of Father Mattingly, came to America in the wake of Lord Bal- ' timore and with the Gillespies, the Durbins, the Suttons, the Sapps and others, dis- tributed themselves first in Maryland and later through adjacent sections, one branch of the family coming to Muskingum County, O. Although largely agricultural, the family also has contributed to the pro- fessions and the church.
In boyhood, Jerome B. Mattingly at- tended the district schools in his native township. When he reached the proper age he became a willing student at St. Vin- cent College, Pa., conducted by the Bene- dictine Fathers, where he displayed great aptitude for study and won many prizes during his classical and philosophical courses. In 1887 he entered St. Mary's Theological Seminary at Baltimore, Md., where he completed his course and on August 15, 1890, was ordained to the priest- hood, by Rt. Rev. John A. Watterson.
Father Mattingly has always been a hard worker, gaining this reputation at school and college and sustaining it in every posi- tion he has filled. A ready speaker and a convincing theologian, not the least of his
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duties has been the explaining of Catholic William T. and a grandson of Henry doctrine and the strengthening of the Kemp. bonds of faith in neglected regions. From Henry Kemp was born in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio at an early day, locating in Hocking Township, Fairfield County, where he spent his subsequent life, dying on his farm in 1868. He had the following children: Mary, deceased, who was the wife of J. Walters, also deceased; Eliza- beth, deceased, who was the wife of George Williamson, also deceased; Sallie Ann who married a Courtright and is deceased ; John, who is deceased; and William T., the youngest of the family. 1891 until 1893, his work was largely mis- sionary, serving also some half dozen churches. In the latter year Bishop Wat- terson desired him to take charge of the parish at Athens, O., and eleven fruitful years were spent there, which included the building of church and pastoral residence, together with serving churches at Galli- polis, Canaanville, Zaleski, McArthur Junc- tion, St. John's and Lodi. The volume of work demanded the exercise of all his energies, taxing both body and mind, but William T. Kemp, Sr., grew to manhood on the home farm and became a farmer and stock man and on many occasions drove stock over the mountains to eastern markets. He lived only into early middle life, dying in 1860. He married Elizabeth Ingman, who was born in Hocking Town- ship and died June 18, 1911. She remained a widow for some years and then married Joseph Gundy, who died July 7, 1893. They had one child, Asher. Three children were born to her first marriage: Felix, George W. and William Talbert, the eldest born dying when aged fourteen years. he passed safely through all difficulties and when he was called to another field, he left behind comforting evidences of what he had accomplished. From October, 1904, until January, 1906, he served the church at Logan and there so endeared himself to the people that they were loath to part with him when he was appointed to St. Mary's, the oldest church and one of the most important in Fairfield County. Father Mattingly has 600 families under his pastoral charge and there are 400 pupils in the church school, the teachers in which are eleven Dominican Sisters. Father Mattingly has two assistants, Rev. Joseph F. Dooley and Rev. Chas. L. Walsh. In addition to his other duties and responsi- bilities, Father Mattingly has charge of the Boys' Industrial School, at Lancaster.
WILLIAM T. KEMP, who is associated with his brother, George W. Kemp in the ownership and operation of a farm of 1521/2 acres, situated in Sections 20 and 21, Wal- nut Township, Fairfield County, O., is one of the leading men of this section and a lifelong resident of Fairfield County. He was born on his father's farm in Hocking Township, June 1, 1858, and is a son of
William Talbert Kemp was a child when he lost his father and was reared to the age of twelve years on his grandfather Ing- man's farm. He then went with his mother and step-father to the latter's farm in Greenfield Township, on which he worked until he was 28 years of age. On March 2, 1887, he moved on his present farm which he and brother had bought from William Bush and on which they suc- cessfully carry on general farming and stock raising.
On February 17, 1887, Mr. Kemp was married to Miss Mary E. Griffith, who was born in Amanda Township, Fairfield
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County, a daughter of William and Ada- cultural pursuits. Since 1900 he has been line (Gundy) Griffith. The father of Mrs. engaged in his present enterprise at Car- roll, and for several years he has also been a member of the firm of King & Gundy, grain dealers at Lockville, O. Mr. Gundy is a self made man and the success which has attended his business undertakings has been the result of his own energy and good judgment. Kemp was born in Amanda and the mother in Greenfield Township and both were members of large families, the father one of eleven and the mother one of twelve children. Mrs. Kemp was the eldest born of five children, the others being: Grant, who works the home farm; Frank, who re- sides at Portland, Ore .; Charles, who is a physician at Laporte, Tex .; and Pearl, who lives with his mother. In politics William T. Kemp is a Republican ; he is quite promi- nent in township affairs and has served as treasurer of Walnut Township. Both he and brother are men of high standing and are numbered with the representative men of this section.
JOSEPH P. GUNDY, proprietor of the Carroll Mills, at Carroll, O., manufacturer of high grade flour and all kinds of feed, and dealer in grain, baled hay, straw, coal, posts and tile, has been identified with this business for the past eleven years, and is a prominent citizen of Greenfield Township, of which he is treasurer and is now serving in his second term. Mr. Gundy was born in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, O., December 5, 1867, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Buchanan) Gundy.
Isaac Gundy was born also in Greenfield Township, a son of Joseph Gundy, who was a pioneer here. For some years Isaac Gundy was in partnership with Joseph P. Gundy in the ownership and operation of the Carroll Mills, and during this time the firm name was Gundy & Son. Subse- quently Isaac Gundy withdrew.
Joseph P. Gundy was reared in Green- field Township, where he attended school in boyhood, and afterward engaged in agri-
Mr. Gundy was married to Miss Jessie Wilson, of Fairfield County, and they have two children, Cora F. and Isaac N. Mr. Gundy has always been an active citizen and his sterling qualities have been fre- quently recognized by his fellow citizens, who have elected him to offices of trust and responsibility. At present he is serving as a member of the town council.
IRVIN BOYER, county recorder of Fairfield County, O., has been a lifelong resident of this county and for many years has been an active and influential citizen in public affairs. He was born in Violet Township, April 12, 1855, and is a son of Beinville and Delina (Messmore) Boyer.
Beinville Boyer was born in Violet Township, Fairfield County, in 1833, and still lives on the same farm. His parents, Irvin and Mary (Carty) Boyer, came to Fairfield County from Pennsylvania, the old home of the Boyers being at McKeans- burg, in Schuylkill County. Beinville Boyer married Delina Messmore, who died in 1888. Her people came to Ohio from Berks County, Pa. Four children were born to the above marriage : a son who died unnamed; Irvin; Lizzie, who is the widow of A. J. Dunlap, and resides with her father; and Alice, now deceased, who was the wife of M. M. Warner, also now de- ceased.
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Irvin Boyer obtained his education in the public schools of his native county and then became a clerk in a store at Lockville for a time. From early manhood lic has taken an interest in politics and at times was ยท elected to township offices and has served as justice of the peace and as assessor. At the general election in November, 1910, he was elected county recorder and his service in this office has been very satisfac- tory. He is an Odd Fellow, belonging to Pickerington Lodge, No. 709, and he gives support to the German Reformed church, in which he was reared.
JACOB WILBERT, who is one of the well known and highly respected citizens of Greenfield Township, where he has suc- cessfully engaged in farming for many years, owns eighty-seven acres of valuable land which he devotes to general agricult- ure. He was born May 19, 1830, in Prus- sia, Germany, and is a son of Valentine and Elizabeth (Kling) Wilbert.
In 1835 the parents of Mr. Wilbert left Prussia, having made up their minds to seek a new home in America. They safely crossed the Atlantic Ocean and came di- rectly to Ohio, stopping for a short time at Lancaster, living for a few months in Hocking County, but locating permanently in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, where they spent the rest of their lives. Five of their children still live: Jacob ; Martin L., residing at San Francisco; Fred- erick, also living in California ; Peter, resid- ing at Hayward, Calif. ; and Mary A., wife of William Lake, living at Kankakee, Ill.
Jacob Wlbert had few educational oppor- tunities in his youth but had a wise father and good mother and was reared to habits of industry. Farming has been his busi- ness all his life and during his active years
he was a hard worker and successful farmer. In January, 1854, he married Miss Mary A. Hufford, who was born in Hock- ing County a daughter of David Hufford, who was an early settler there. Mrs. Wil- bert died in August, 1910, after a happy married life of over a half century. She was an estimable woman in every relation of life, a helpful and affectionate wife, a careful and devoted mother, a kind neigh- bor and a worthy member of the United Brethren church. She was beloved by all who knew her and Mr. Wilbert's bereave- ment was heavy. Of their nine children six are living, namely: David H., of Fort Wayne, Ind .; Sarah E., wife of Anthony Bender, of Carroll, O .; Catherine, wife of Frank S. Carnes, of Greenfield Township; Ellen, wife of Daniel Ridenour, of the same township; Effie, wife of Frank Coffman, of Bloom Township; and William W., resid- ing at Lake View, Logan County, O. Mr. Wilber is a member of the United Breth- ren church at Carroll, and was a liberal con- tributor to the building of the present edifice, and has served as trustee, steward and class leader. He is a Prohibitionist.
HAMILTON ELDER, who is one of the well known citizens and representative men of Walnut Township, lives on his well improved farm of 140 acres, which lies in Section 23, and owns also a farm of forty acres situated in Reding Township, Perry County, O. Mr. Elder was born January 12. 1835, in the first hewn log house that was ever built in Reding Township, it standing on his father's farm, and is a son of William and Anna (Vanatta) Elder.
William Elder was born in Frederick County. Md., where he was given educa- tional advantages, became a school teacher and in that capacity came to Perry County.
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There he married Anna Vanatta, who was born in New Jersey and had accompanied her parents to Perry County in childhood. Her father, John Vanatta was a very early settler in Reding Township and built the first frame barn there. William Elder died in his eighty-eighth year and his wife when aged eighty-three years. He acquired and cleared the forty-acre farm in Reding Township which his son Hamilton now owns. Seven children were born to Wil- liam Elder and wife, namely: McKindery; Matilda, who married Henry Swinehart; Maria, who married Morris Howler; Jeanette ; Hamilton ; Mary, who is the wife of James Haines and resides in Illinois ; and Charles, who was a soldier in the Civil War. The only survivors of the above fam- ily are Hamilton and Mary.
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