USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 66
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Dr. Sparks was married to Miss Grace Miller, of Millersport, O., a daughter of Mathias and Lavina Miller. They have one child, Josephine Miller, who was born May 20, 1907. Dr. and Mrs. Sparks are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is prominent in Masonry, being a Knight Templar and "Shriner," and belongs also to the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
LEVI BRIGHT, one of the busy and en- terprising business men of Millersport, O., dealing in hay, grain, lumber, tile, cement, hides, etc., is also a successful farmer and owns 164 acres of fine land in Walnut Township, near this town. He was born in the old log house on his father's farm in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, O., October 11, 1843, and is a son of John and Sarah (Arnold) Bright.
John Bright was probably born after his
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parents came to Fairfield County from Pennsylvania. His life was devoted to agriculture and he spent it on his farm in Greenfield Township, where his death oc- curred in 1887, when he was aged seventy- eight years, having outlived his wife. They had eleven children, namely: Thomas, Mary, Warner, Louisa, Levi, William, Nel- son, George, Jacob, Catherine, and besides several others that died in infancy.
Levi Bright went to the district school in boyhood and as soon as he was old enough, went to work on the farm. Ohio was a very loyal State during the Civil War and Mr. Bright was eager to enlist as a soldier fully two years before he accomplished his purpose. In 1863 he enrolled under Cap- tain Weekley, in Co. I, 17th O. Vol. Inf., and served faithfully until the close of the war. He took part in that memorable march to the sea, under General Sherman and participated in many very hard-fought battles but was fortunate enough to escape injury. Finally he was mustered out of the service at Louisville, Ky., and then re- turned home and resumed peaceful pur- suits. In 1879 he moved to his present farm, on which he erected all the buildings, in 1884 building his commodious modern residence. He carries on general farming but has not devoted all his time to crop and stock raising. He has been a successful merchant and before opening his present store at Millersport, he operated a drug store for two years and a hardware store for seven years.
Mr. Bright was married January 1, 1877, to Miss Louisa A. Miller, a daughter of David and Anna Miller, and they have three children: Charles, who married Lil- lian Smith; Etta A., who married Clay Reiber, and has one child, Edna; and H.
Clay, who married Ada Belt. Mr. Bright and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a Republican.
HON. A. F. TURNER, who is serving in the Ohio Legislature in his second term as a representative of Fairfield County, be- longs to a prominent and substantial family of this section which has had much to do with the upbuilding of Bremen, O. He was born on his father's farm in Berne Town- ship, Fairfield County, August II, 1861, and is a son of J. B. and Mary E. (Miller) Turner.
Jacob B. Turner was born August 19, 1835, in Madison Township, Fairfield County, and died at Bremen, July 2, 1909. When he was five years old his parents moved to Preble County, where his father died in 1845 and the widow then returned to Fairfield County with her children. Jacob B. Turner obtained his education in the district schools and followed farming until 1885, when, in association with his sons, George, Albert and William, he em- barked in a grain and mercantile business. In 1892 he erected a large mill at Bremen and later invested still further, buying the gas plant and financing other enterprises which have been promotive of much of the prosperity of this town. He married Mary E. Miller, who died in 1905 and both she and her husband were interred in the Bre- men Cemetery. Her father was Michael Miller, Sr. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Turner, eight sons and two daugh- ters.
A .F. Turner, after his school days were over, taught school for four years in Berne Township and afterward was associated with his father in the mercantile and mill-
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ing business. The store was operated under the style of J. B. Turner & Sons, and after it was sold the milling business was carried on under the name of Turner Brothers. A. F. Turner at present is not an active partner but continues as a di- rector. He is one of the charter directors of the Bremen Bank Company, which was or- ganized in 1897 and incorporated in 1906, with a capital of $25,000, and for one and one-half years he served as cashier of this institution. He assisted in the organization and was president of the Bremen Oil and Gas Company, of Bremen, which was later sold to the Carter Oil Company. Mr. Tur- ner has always been an interested citizen and an active Democrat. He was a mem- ber of the first town council of Bremen and served one term as mayor. In 1908 he was first elected to the legislature and in 1910 was reelected. He is interested in many public spirited enterprises of this section and is more or less concerned in almost all the flourishing business concerns of the place.
Mr. Turner was married to Miss Mabel Mason, who was born at Sugar Grove, Fair- field County, and is a daughter of Dr. T. R. Mason, of Columbus, O. He is identified fraternally with the Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias.
MATHIAS V. MAUGER, who is asso- ciated with his eldest son in the furniture and undertaking business at Basil, conducts the only establishment of this kind in the place and is the oldest business man in this line in this section of Fairfield County. He was born May 29, 1854, in Liberty Town- ship, Fairfield County, O., and is a son of Peter and Sarah (Stout) Mauger.
Peter Mauger and wife were natives also of Fairfield County and spent their lives after marriage on a farm in Liberty Town- ship. His wife died at the age of seventy- six years. They had three children : Mathias V .; Bradson, who died in 1902; and Charles, who owns a farm in Liberty Township.
M. V. Mauger attended the township schools and assisted on the home farm until he was nineteen years of age, when he learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- lowed for some seven years. After mar- riage he resumed farming and so continued until 1886, when he came to Basil and started into the furniture and undertaking business, being the pioneer in this line in this place. Mr. Mauger is known all over this part of Fairfield County as an efficient and honorable business man and his serv- ices are solicited all through the surround- ing territory. His furniture stock is heavy and he carries all kinds of undertaking goods and is well equipped for funeral di- recting, having both a black and a white car, together with an ambulance for emer- gency cases. Since 1907 Mr. Mauger has had his son, Elmer L., in partnership.
Mr. Mauger married Miss Catherine Zerkle, of Fairfield County, and they have two sons, Elmer Lee and Floyd E. The former married Clara Alspaugh. The lat- ter is unmarried and is well known in athletic circles, being a member of the Co- lumbus Base Ball team. Politically, Mr. Mauger and two sons are Democrats and at times he has served acceptably in various township offices. He is identified frater- nally with the Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. With his family he belongs to the Reformed church.
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CHARLES J. NESSLEY, one of the prominent and substantial citizens of Violet Township, township trustee and owner of two valuable farms, aggregating 260 acres, was born in Etna Township, Licking County, O., August 5, 1871, and is a son of George W. and Mary (Bowers) Nessley.
George W. Nessley and his wife were both born in Fairfield County, and his death occurred in 1900. His widow survives and resides at Reynoldsville. . The Nessleys have been residents of Ohio for many years, the grandfather, Jonas Nessley, coming with his father from Pennsylvania at an early day and settling near New Salem, in Fairfield County. The late George W. Nessley served more than three years in the Union Army during the Civil War, be- ing a member of the First O. Vol. Cavalry. After his marriage he removed to Licking County and settled in Etna Township where he was engaged in farming for many years. He was a highly respected resident of that section and served several terms as town- ship trustee.
Charles J. Nessley was reared in Etna Township. In boyhood he attended the country schools and later passed four terms at the Ohio Normal School and thus quali- fied himself as a teacher. However, Mr. Nessley has found agriculture more pleas- ing and profitable than school teaching and has mainly devoted himself to farming, stock raising and stock dealing, and with a large amount of success. He came to Violet Township in 1900 and has 160 acres in his home farm. All his land shows the effects of careful cultivation and good man- agement in every department.
Mr. Nessley was married September 27, 1897, to Miss Claudie G. Tussing, who was born in Truro Township, Franklin County,
O., a daughter of Whitcomb Tussing, of that section. Mr. and Mrs. Nessley have three children-Ralph Dewey, Carl Tus- sing and Mary. In his political views Mr. Nessley is a Democrat and his public spirit and usefulness to his community are shown by his performance of the duties imposed on him as a township trustee. He takes these duties seriously and is an honest and efficient public official.
PETER MAUGER, who, as a little boy of seven years wearily tramped with his parents over the Allegheny Mountains in 1837, coming from Pennsylvania to Ohio, has long been one of the substantial citi- zens of Liberty Township, where he now lives retired. He was born in 1830 in Berks County, Pa., a son of William and Eliza- beth (Molder) Mauger. The father and his family stopped for several years in Pick- away County, where he was a carpenter and farmer, then went back to Berks County, Pa., for about six months' stay, but in 1840 they all came back to Fairfield County. The father settled on land in Lib- erty Township, four miles from the present farm and there both he and his wife died, his death occurring when he was almost eighty-three years of age and his wife sur- viving to be ninety-five. They were parents of twelve children, as follows: Albert, who died when aged six months; William, who was accidentally killed by a horse when he was aged forty-two years; Abraham, who died when aged sixty-three years; Henry, now in his eighty-third year, who lives in Indiana; Peter; Mary, who lives in Oklà- lioma; Catherine, who lives east of Balti- more; Elizabeth, who resides near Etna; Joseph, who lives near Johnstown; Levi, who died when aged sixty-one years; Mar-
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tin, who lives near Baltimore; and Aaron, who died when aged forty-two years.
Peter Mauger went to school in one of the little log schoolhouses that were built by the early settlers in Liberty Township. He then helped his father until he was twenty-two years old, when he married and then worked for his father-in-law for eleven years. His first purchase of land was a tract of seventy-two acres, to which he added eighteen acres, situated near Balti- more, O., still later buying eighty-six acres. He has sold all his land, his son, Charles Mauger, owning the farm of eighty-six acres near Basil. During his active years Mr. Mauger carried on farming and stock raising and was a very successful agricult- urist.
Mr. Mauger married Miss Sarah Stout, who was born in Pennsylvania and died on this farm, October 1, 1906. They had three children : Branson, who is deceased; M. V., who is a resident of Basil; and Charles. The youngest son married Miss Emma Shriner and they have a bright young son of eight years, Roscoe Paul. In politics Mr. Mauger is a Democrat. He has been a member of the Reformed church since he was seventeen years of age, for many years was a deacon and is one of the elders. Mr. Mauger has seen considerable of his own country, having at different times visited Atlantic City, Philadelphia, the Blue Mountain region, Michigan and Canada, and has spent two winters in Florida.
C. W. BROWN, M. D., physician and surgeon at Bremen, O., is one of the younger members of his profession in Fair- field County, and considering the wide ter- ritory that his practice covers, it might be inferred that he is one of the busiest. He
was born at Lancaster, O., April 13, 1888, and is a son of R. F. and Katherine (Wil- son) Brown.
Dr. Brown was educated in the Lan- caster schools, after which he turned his attention to the study of medicine and sub- sequently entered the Starling Medical Col- lege at Columbus, where he was graduated in the class of 1910, coming immediately to Bremen. Here he opened an office and has met with a large degree of professional suc- cess. His practice covers three miles to the north of Bremen, five miles to the east, seven miles to the south and four miles to the west, which, with a constant office prac- tice, keeps him busily employed. He is a member of the Fairfield County Medical Society. He votes with the Democratic party but is active in public matters only so far as interests and intelligent and con- scientious citizen. Dr. Brown married Marie Strachan, daughter of William and Alice Strachan of Lancaster.
O. T. DOTY, a successful general farmer, who has lived on his home farm of fifty and one-half acres, situated in Liberty Township, Fairfield County, O., for the past twenty-three years, owns also a second farm, containing 140 acres, which lies in Violet Township. He was born in the lat- ter township in 1868, and is a son of J. C. and Julia (Ritter) Doty. He is the young- est of three children, having one sister, Ida F., who is the wife of David Stoltz, living at Columbus; and a brother, Henry W., who lives on the old place with the aged parents.
O. T. Doty obtained his education in the district schools and Pleasantville Academy and after his school days were over came to his present home farm. He has taken a
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great deal of interest in the place, which was the old Martin Brumbach farm, and has greatly improved it. He also operates his other farm and engages extensively in farming and stock raising and is one of the busy men of the county.
Mr. Doty married Miss Rosie Reelhorn, a daughter of Washington Reelhorn, a na- tive of Fairfield County, who died at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Doty when aged fifty-seven years. Mr. and Mrs. Doty have had three children : Hazel, who is the wife of Charles Yeager, of Liberty Township; Gladys, who died when one year old; and Helen, who is a school girl of eight years. In politics Mr. Doty is a Democrat and he served one term as township assessor.
WILLIAM M. DICK, proprietor of the Pickerington Lumber Company, at Picker- ington, O., dealing in lumber and builders' supplies, is one of the younger business men of this thriving town and one if its most enterprising. He was born in Butler County, Ala., March 31, 1883, and is a son of Meshack and Mollie (Blackwell) Dick, both of whom were born in Alabama. The mother of Mr. Dick is now deceased, but the father survives and is a resident of Kentwood, La., where he is engaged in agricultural pursuits but formerly was a lumber manufacturer.
William M. Dick was reared in Butler County and from the age of ten years he has been self supporting. As circumstances compelled him to go to work in boyhood, he had fewer favorable educational advant- ages than are afforded many youths, but he was ambitious to learn and attended night schools. He began work as a water boy in a planing mill later became an em- ploye after learning the business, and still
later, for three years was in the sawing de- partment in the mill of Flowers & Pleagler, a well known lumber firm at Forest, Ala. For several years afterward he was con- nected with the firm's office work and then became bookkeeper and assistant manager for the Koons Lumber Company, of Eu- banks, Miss. For a short time he was con- nected with the North Columbus Lumber Company after coming to Ohio, and in Feb- ruary, IQII, he established his present busi- ness at Pickerington.
On June 25, 1907, Mr. Dick was mar- ried to Miss Inez Koons, who was born at Athens, O., a daughter of Francis M. Koons, who is president of the North Co- lumbus Lumber Company. Mr. and Mrs. Dick have two children, Marion and Helen. Mr. Dick votes with the Democratic party.
PERRY MACKLIN, who resides on the old homestead farm on which he was born in 1850 and which is situated two miles northwest of Basil, in Liberty Township, is a son of Philip Macklin, who was born in Pleasant Township, Fairfield County. His father came to this county from Pennsyl- vania. During the married life of Philip Macklin he lived on the present farm and at time of his death owned 162 acres.
Perry Macklin obtained his education in the district schools and has devoted his life ever since to agricultural efforts. To the farm of 162 acres left by his father he has added and now owns 207 acres, all land well adapted to farming and stock raising. With the exception of two years passed in Illinois, Mr. Macklin has spent his life on this farm on which he has made many im- provements both in remodeling buildings and erecting new ones. His land gives evi- dence of careful cultivation and an appear-
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ance of thrift and general prosperity is evident.
Mr. Macklin married Miss Sarah F. Smurr, a daughter of Isaac Smurr, who fol- lowed the trade of a tailor at Baltimore, O. Mr. and Mrs. Macklin have two children : Ora, who married Lottie Fitzer and has two children-Iloe and Lavanche; and Ethel Fern, who is the wife of Clarence Goss and has one child, Wayne Emerson. Mr. Macklin and family are members of the Reformed church in which he has served as deacon and has been trustee for the last eighteen years. Politically he is a Demo- crat and at times has accepted local offices and has been very useful as a trustee of the township. He belongs to the Masonic lodge at Basil and to the Eastern Star and is also a member of the Grange.
WILLIAM W. STEMEN, a valued member of the board of trustees of Violet Township, where he is engaged in farming and stock rais- ing, was born on his present home farm, October 4, 1864, and is a son of Nicholas and Lydia (Brenneman) Stemen.
Nicholas Stemen and wife were born in Perry County, O., where their parents were early settlers. Grandfather Nicholas Stemen was of German extraction but was born in Rockingham County, Pa., from which section he moved to Perry County, O., and passed many years there. Nicholas Stemen, Jr., mar- ried in Perry County and when he moved to Violet Township, Fairfield County, was the father of two children, others being subse- quently born. Five of them yet survive, namely : John B., of Pickerington, O .; Nancy, wife of Wesley Mosier, of Violet Township; Lewis H. and William W., both of Violet Township; and Emma, wife of Thomas Long- streth, also of Violet Township. In politics Mr.
Stemen was a Republican but was never willing to accept public office. When he died, in 1897, the community lost a man of sterling worth. His widow survived him until January, 1908. They were consistent members of the Men- nonite church, quiet, virtuous people who set good examples to their family and in their neighborhood.
William W. Stemen grew up on the home farın and naturally turned his attention to farm pursuits. He has 164 acres which he devotes to general agriculture and is one of the leading stock raisers of the township, making a spe- cialty of Shorthorn catle and frequently hav- ing fine herds worthy of exhibition.
In March, 1889, Mr. Stemen was married to Miss Martha J. Wright, who was born in Franklin County, O., a daughter of Daniel Wright of Madison Township, Franklin County. Mr. and Mrs. Stemen have one daugh- ter, Ella M. Politically a Republican, Mr. Ste- men is loyal to his party and is useful to his township as one of its careful and observing trustees. He is interested in public affairs and movements which give promise of being gen- erally helpful and among these he places good schools and good roads. With his family he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church at Pickerington, O.
SAMUEL W. BLACK, a well known gen- eral farmer of Rush Creek Township, Fair- field County, O., resides on his well improved farm of eighty acres, which lies two and one- half miles from Bremen, O., was born on the old Black homestead in this township. where his venerable father, Robert J. Black, still lives, probably the most aged resident of this part of the county. He was born in Ireland and was brought to America at the tender age of 14 years.
Samuel W. Black has one brother, John W.
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Black, also of Rush Creek Township. A sister, Mary, is now deceased. The brothers attended the district schools and were reared to agricult- ural pursuits and both have more or less con- fined their attention to farming and stock rais- ing. In 1900 Samuel WV. Black located on his present farm, and as he has reason to believe that oil may be successfully developed liere, he is having the necessary drilling done and in the near future may have productive wells in opera- tion. Mr. Black is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a stanch Republican in his political views and is an intelligent and well-informed man. Mr. Black has never married.
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A. M. MYERS, general farmer and stock raiser, residing on his farm of eighty acres which is situated in Liberty Township, Fairfield County, O., ten miles west of Lancaster, is one of the representative men of this township and is now serving as a member of its board of trustees. He was born on this farm in 1847 and is a son of Michael and Rachel (Kratz) Myers.
Michael Myers was born in Bucks County, Pa., and came from there to Fairfield County in 1835, locating first one mile north of the pres- ent homestead, to which he moved some months later and this land has remained in the posses- sion of his family ever since. He spent the re- mainder of his life here, a man of industry and of exemplary life, his death occurring when he was almost eighty-five years of age. He mar- ried Rachel Kratz who was also of Pennsyl- vania Dutch ancestry, and to them eleven chil- dren were born, two daughters and four sons of the family still surviving.
A. M. Myers was reared on the home farm and has always lived here. When his father died he bought the interests of the other heirs and took full possession, afterward making many improvements and enlarging the farm in-
dustries and is one of the successful agricult- urists of this section. He is a man of progres- sive views and is a valued member of the local Grange.
Mr. Myers married Miss Anna Ault, a daughter of one of the old Swiss pioneers of Fairfield County, and they have had two chil- dren : Alma B., who married Edward C. Out- calt, of Basil, O., and has three children- Harry E., Iona May and Eveline; and Austin B., who married Lydia True. In politics Mr.
Myers and son are Republicans and he enjoys the distinction of having been the first Repub- lican trustee ever elected to office in Liberty Township. In 1909 he was elected township trustee and has proven himself a wise and capable member of the official board. With his family Mr. Myers belongs to the Reformed church.
THOMAS W. WRIGHT, jury commis- sioner of Fairfield County, O., and a charter member of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company, is one of the best known citizens of Berne Township, where he has resided for the past thirty-five years, devoting his land to gen- eral farming and stock raising. He was born December 25, 1852, at Lancaster, O., and is a son of Josiah and Judith A. (Church) Wright.
The Wright family is of Scotch-Irish extrac- tion. Josialı Wright was born at Wilkesbarre, Pa., and after coming to Lancaster, O., engaged in the manufacture of grain drills, being the senior member of the firm of Wright and Selby, which continued in business there for a number of years. At a later date, Josiah Wright engaged in farming in Hocking Town- ship for several years and then secured the farm which is now the property of his son, Thomas W., which was formerly known as the old Thomas Ewing farm. There Josiah Wright died in December, 1893. He was a
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JACOB T. HUBER
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man who attended closely to his business, whether manufacturing or farming, and his excellent judgment and sterling traits of char- acter were recognized by his associates and neighobrs. He was a Democrat in politics but never accepted any office except membership on the school board. He married Judith A. Church, who was also a native of Pennsylvania.
Thomas W. Wright was mainly reared in Hocking Township and obtained his schooling there. On November 6, 1879, he was married to Miss Lizzie Pearce, who was born in Berne Township, a daughter of William Pearce, a member of one of the old families of this town- ship. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have two sons, Frank J. and Orville P. Politically Mr. Wright is a Democrat.
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