USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 68
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93
The parents of Mr. Kern were born in Alsace, France, now a part of the German em- pire. In 1845 Francis Kern and wife and their one son, emigrated to America, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in one of the old, slow-sailing vessels of that time, and after landing imme- diately made their way to Fairfield County, O., securing land for farming purposes in Hocking Township. They were hard working, frugal people and became possessed of ample means that provided for their old age. Francis Kern died in 1866. Both he and wife were members of the Roman Catholic church. They had a large family of children and five of these are living, as follows : David, who is a resident of Denver, Colo .; Frank E., Joseph, who lives at Liberal, Kans .; Catherine, who is the wife of Joseph Vagnier of Hocking Township; and Clara, who lives at Lancaster, O.
Frank E. Kern attended the country schools in boyhood and helped his father on the home farm and later enjoyed additional educational advantages, attending Cobbs' Commercial Col- lege at Painesville, O., where he was graduated in 1878. He has found that this knowledge
On June 18, 1883, Mr. Kern was married to Miss Josephine Spires, who was born in Hock- ing Township, a daughter of Jospeh Spires, a retired farmer of Lancaster. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kern: Mary E., Lewis B., Walter J., Bertha F., Blanche, Harry, Irene, Clara, Ray S. and Adell. Mr. Kern and family are members of the Roman Catholic church. In politics he is an Independ- ent, being a man who does his own thinking and votes according to his own judgment.
HENRY S. ECKERT, general farmer and stock raiser, resides on his valuable farm of 125 acres, situated in Berne Township, Fair- field County, O., was born in this township, March 5, 1859, and is a son of Henry S. and Anna M. (Shaffer) Eckert.
Henry S. Eckert was born in Lancaster County, Pa., and his wife in Fairfield County, O. He was two years old when his mother died and he was reared by an aunt in Clear Creek Township, Fairfield County. When he reaclied manhood he learned the cabinet-mak- ing trade, which he followed for a number of years and then engaged in farming and stock raising. He was a man well and widely known and very highly respected. His death occurred in the early eighties. Of his children there are five yet living, namely: Jacob L., of Cotton- wood, Ida .: Catherine E., wife of H. E. Field, of Lancaster, O .; James R., living in Alberta, Can .; Henry S. ; and Clara E., who is the wife
613
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
of Dr. John B. Rosenberg, of Berne Township. The father of the above family was identified with the Masonic fraternity.
Henry S. Eckert, who bears his late father's name, was reared in Berne Township and ob- tained his education in the public schools. He has devoted his life in large part to agricultural pursuits, has his farm well tilled and raises very fine stock. On October 25, 1900, he was mar- ried to Miss Nellie F. Shattuck, a daughter of William and Mary A. (Brevoort) Shattuck, the former of whom was born in Franklin County, O., and is now deecased. The mother of Mrs. Eckert resides at Columbus, O. Mrs. Eckert was born and reared in Clinton Town- ship, Franklin County, O. Mr. and Mrs. Eck- ert have two children, Ruth and William S. In politics Mr. Eckert is a Republican.
CHRISTIAN KELLER, a leading business man at Lancaster, O., who conducts a retail grocery on the corner of Columbus and Chest- nut Streets, was born at Lancaster, December 26, 1865, and is a son of John B. and Elizabeth (Hartman) Keller.
Jolın B. Keller was born in Hesse-Darm- stadt, Germany, and came to America in 1857, locating in Logan, O. During the Civil War he was a member of Co. D, 170th O. Vol. Inf., and served as a soldier until he was severely wounded at the battle of Chickamauga. This injury was in his elbow and caused him to lose the use of his left arm. He returend to Ohio and embarked in the mercantile business at Lancaster, in which he continued until 1888, when he retired and is now in his seventy- second year. He is a member of Ben Butler Post, G. A. R. He married Elizabeth Hart- man in January, 1865, who was also born in Hesse-Darmstadt, and still survives. They are members of the Lutheran church. They had the following children born to then: Chris-
tian ; Elizabeth; John H., of Lancaster ; Chris- tina, wife of Charles Yontz, of Logan, where he is in the dry goods business ; Margaret and Ida, both residing at home; Rose, wife of Dr. U. S. Abbott, formerly of Fairfield County but now residing at Point Richmond, opposite San Francisco, Calf .; and Clara, who is the wife of X. V. L. Garrison, of Columbus, O.
Christian Keller obtained his education in the Lancaster schools and until his father re- tired from business, was connected with him. In 1888 he embarked in business for himself and now conducts the largest retail grocery es- tablisliment at Lancaster.
Mr. Keller was married in 1900 to Miss Sophia L. Rauch, a daughter of Ernest and Catherine Rauch, of Lancaster, and they have three daughters: Catherine Elizabeth, Rose Augusta and Christine Louise. Politically Mr. Keller is a Democrat and he has been a mem- ber of the city council for two terms. He has become one of the foremost business men of this city through hard work and close attention and stands very high as a citizen. He is a member of the Board of Trade in which he takes an active interest and served as president of the same for a number of years.
I. N. STEMEN, whose excellent farin of seventy-two acres lies one and one-half miles east of Bremen, O., in which neighborhood his family has long been known, was born on an adjoining farm, August 27, 1864, and is a son of Emanuel and Barbara (Welty) Stemen.
Emanuel Stemen was also born in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., his father having been a pioneer here from Penn- sylvania. It was Grandfather Stemen who cleared and improved the old homestead which is still in the family, at the present time being the home of Charles Stemen, brother of I. N. Stemen. For some twenty years Emanuel
614
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
Stemen has resided with his wife at Bremen. They had five children born to them, as fol- lows: I. N., subject of this sketch; Jennie, who married George Staker, and has three children -Mrs. Mabel Anderson, Mrs. Fern Griffin and Frances; Kate, who is the wife of Edward Turner, and has three children-Ross, Russell (deceased) and Fred; Charles, who married Emma Householder and has four children- Margaret, Dwight, Victor and Nellie; and Alice, who is a milliner.
I. N. Stemen obtained his education in the local schools and then entered upon farm work on the homestead, where he remained until 1908, when he came to his present farm. He found much improvement necessary to suit the place to his ideas of a model farm, and this work he has carried on with satisfactory re- sults. He raises the usual farm corps of this section and each year has a lot of excellent stock, a portion of which he sells. Mr. Stemen married Miss Mary McCandlish, a daughter of William B. McCandlish, and they have had three children: Ethel, who married Emmit Snyder, and has one son, Carl; Minnie, who is deceased; and Cecil, who resides at home. Mr. Stemen and family belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Republican in politics and an active and earnest citizen and has served acceptably as a trustee of Rush . Creek Township.
FRANK A. SHAEFFER, who is one of Fairfield County's well known men and sub- stantial farmers, owns 435 · acres of valuable land, separated into three farms and has lived on his home place, containing 223 acres, since the spring of 1877. He was born at Lancaster, O., June 28, 1852, and is a son of Jacob and Deborah (Welsheimer) Shaeffer.
Jacob Shaeffer was born at Lancaster when it was a small place, a son of Frederick Shaef-
fer, who had come to this section from Penn- sylvania. He engaged in farming after walk- ing the entire distance from his native state to Ohio, but was a tailor by trade. Perhaps at that early day he found but few customers, for he seems to have done but little tailoring after reaching Lancaster, where he conducted one of the first hotels. He became a man of consider- able estate and lived until about eighty years of age. Jacob Shaeffer was reared in Fairfield County and his business was tanning. He died in 1868. He married Deborah Welsheimer, of German parentage but of Maryland birth. Of their children two survive; Susan M., a resident of Lancaster, and Frank A., of Hock- ing Township. Jacob Shaeffer learned his trade in Madison Township and afterward conducted a tannery at Amanda, O., before es- tablishing himself in business at Lancaster, where he passed the rest of his life.
Frank A. Shaeffer spent his boyhood and early youth at Lancaster and learned his father's trade and followed it for a number of years there and for a short time in Texas. In 1877 he settled on his present home farm and during the many years since has become known as a breeder of Scotch-Collie dogs, for farm protection, and also a fine breed of bird dogs, for hunting purposes. His kennels are interest- ing to visit and he has ready sale for all their increase. He carries on general farming and also raises much excellent stock.
Mr. Shaeffer married Miss Flora A. Cow- den, of Lancaster, O., and they have had nine children, seven of whom survive. Clara E. is the wife of Harry Thimmes, of Hocking Township. Maria W. resides at Lancaster and is a valued teacher in the public schools. De- borah is also a resident of Lancaster, while Laura E., Frank A., Tacy and George C., all live in Hocking Township. Ralph and John are deceased. In politics Mr. Shaeffer is a
MR. AND MRS. E. V. BARR
617
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Republican and in 1900 was made land ap- praiser of Hocking Township, and in 1910 his party made him their candidate for county commissioner and his vote was far ahead of the others on the ticket. For a number of years he has been a political factor and is in close as- sociation with party leaders in the township. He has served twice as president of the board of directors of the Amanda Special School Dis- trict, exercising in looking after public affairs the same care and good judgment that he gives to his private concerns. He is president of the Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, with headquarters at Lancaster, and was one of the promoters of the same. Mr. Shaeffer and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
DAVID KING, a representative citizen and successful farmer of Rush Creek Township, residing in Section 3, where he owns 139 1-2 acres of fine land, was born on this farm, May 5, 1848, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Sortman) King.
John King was born in Thorn Township, Perry County, O., a son of Christian King. After marriage he settled on a farm of 160 acres in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, and spent the remainder of his life here, erecting all the buildings and making many improvements. His death occurred at the age of seventy-eight years and his burial was in the Jerusalem Cemetery. In politics he was a Democrat and in his religious faith was a mem- ber of the Reformed Church. He married Elizabeth Sortman, who was born also in Perry County, and she lived to be sixty-eight years of age. To them were born the follow- ing children : Margaret, who is the widow of Elias Purvis, resides on a farm of thirty-seven acres, in Rush Creek Township, and has three children-Stella, Charles and Clara; Henry,
who is deceased, is survived by his widow who lives in Rush Creek Township, with their four children-John, Berl, Clinton and Bessie ; Matilda, who is the wife of H. W. Young, of Rush Creek Township, and they have four chil- dren-Irwin, Charles, Walter and Blanche; Elizabeth, who died at the age of eight years ; and David, of Rush Creek Township.
David King has spent his life in this section of Fairfield County and is well and favorably known to all other old residents. He remained with his father on the homestead and after it came into his possession and management, he made many improvements, including the erec- tion of the present comfortable farm residence and the remodeling of the other structures. He carries on general agriculture and raises some fine high grade cattle. He is interested in the Rush Creek Oil and Gas Company.
Mr. King was married in 1870 to Miss Elmira Leckrone, who was born in Fairfield County, a daughter of James and Sarah Lec- krone, and they have three children: Violetta; Clifton, who married Verna Leckrone, and has had three children; and James Austin, who married Cora Crooks, and has had three chil- dren. Mr. King and family belong to the Re- formed church. He is a Democrat and on the Democratic ticket was elected a trustee of Rush Creek Township, to serve until 1912, when he undoubtedly will be reelected, having proved a useful and very efficient public official.
E. V. BARR, president of the Farmers and Citizens Bank, at Stoutsville, O., and one of the substantial and representative men of the place, was born in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., August 21, 1865, and is a son of David A. and Anna Matilda (Martin) Barr.
David A. Barr was born in Fairfield County, a member of a well known family.
618
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
He married Anna Matilda Martin, who was born in Marion Township, Hocking County, O., and they had the following children born to them: James Austin; Alma J., who is deceased; Estella, de- ceased, who was the wife of John G. Ginger, now a resident of Columbus; E. V., whose name begins this article; Ma- tilda, who is the wife of U. G. Broyles, of Columbus; Etta Rebecca, who resides in Rush Creek Township, and A. C., deputy county treasurer, who resides in Lancaster. The parents of Mr. Barr are members of the United Presbyterian church. In pol- itics the father is a Democrat.
E. V. Barr received a common school education and was a pupil of C. C. Miller, editor of this work, in the Ireland district, Rush Creek Township, this county. After- ward he spent one year in Kansas and two years in California, returning to Fairfield County in October, 1889. Shortly after- ward he was appointed deputy under Sheriff Amos Levan and served in that ca- pacity for two years, this being his only political office, although he has been prom- inent in Democratic circles in the county for years and is a member of the Fairfield County Democratic Committee. In 1891 he came to Stoutsville and rented the grain elevator here for one year when, in the spring of 1892, he moved to Lancaster, where he was in the carriage and imple- ment business for one and one-half years. He then sold his interests at Lancaster and spent the next year traveling for the Milwaukee Harvester Company and the following three years for the Scioto Buggy Company of Columbus. In 1897 he left the road and rented the mill and elevator again at Stoutsville and for nine years operated under lease, at the end of which
time he bought the property and still con- tinues the business. With improved ma- chinery Mr. Barr does a very satisfactory mill business, his capacity being eighty barrels daily, which is double its original output. He has proved himself one of the most enterprising men of the town, invest- ing largely and employing his own capital to start a number of successful concerns. He was one of the organizers of the Farm- ers and Citizens Bank and has been its president for the past year. The in- stitution is in an exceedingly prosperous condition.
In February, 1891, Mr. Barr was married to Miss Maggie Belle Pool, who is a daugh- ter of S. A. and M. L. Pool, who now reside at Lancaster, O. They have the following children: Lola, who is the wife of C. E. Myers; Minnie, who is the wife of C. B. Wise: F. J .; Harry V .; C. S .; and Ollie, who is the wife of Lloyd Black. Mr. and Mrs. Barr have a beautiful home here situated on one of the leading streets and Mr. Barr owns additional property to any mentioned. They attend the United Presbyterian church.
A. H. MCVEIGH, a well known citizen and general farmer of Rush Creek Township, re- siding one and one-quarter miles north of Bremen, where he owns sixty-three acres of fine land, was born in Perry County, O., April 12, 1848, and is a son of Jesse and Mary (Huston) McVeigh.
Jesse McVeigh was born in Fairfield County, but little is known concerning the early history of the family. His parents died when he was small and he was bound out to neighboring farmers until a certain age. He was, however, ambitious, and managed to secure a good ed- ucation, becoming a well informed man. Dur-
619
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
ing the Civil War he was frequently called on by his neighbors to address them on the ques- tions of the day. He was a Democrat in politics but never accepted any public office. During life he lived in both Perry and Fair- field Counties, spending the last thirty years on the present farm of his son, in Rush Creek Township, where he died aged seventy-three years. He married Mary Huston, a daughter of Christopher Huston, who moved from Pennsylvania and settled in Rush Creek Town- ship, Fairfield County. She lived also to the age of seventy-three years and both she and her husband were buried in Bethel Cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian church. They had four children: A. H., James, Alfred and Samuel.
A. H. McVeigh attended school in Rush Creek Township and at Pleasantville and after- ward a Normal School in Michigan and sub- sequently devoted some time to the study of law. Farming and stock raising, however, have been his main interests and he has resided on the homestead ever since his marriage, mak- ing many improvements and developing every resource of his land.
Mr. McVeigh married Miss Ella McCand- lish, who was born in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, a daughter of John Mc- Candlish, a well known resident here, and they have two children, William and Mary. Mr. McVeigh is a Democrat but takes no great in- terest in politics and has accepted no office ex- cept in connection with educational matters, having been for some years a member of the school board, of which he has been president for two years. He and family attend the Pres- byterian church.
S. M. OYLER, deceased, for many years was a well known and highly respected resi- dent of Fairfield County, O. He was born in
Bloom township, April 17, 1865, and died in Mt. Caramel hospital, Columbus, November 15, 1907. His father, Lewis Oyler, was a well known man in Bloom township, for many years and engaged in farming and molasses manufacturing. He was one of the overseers of Delaware College. After the death of his first wife he married a Mrs. Baker and re- moved then to Galena. O., where he still lives.
S. M. Oyler attended school in Bloom Township and afterward was engaged in team- ing, farming and butchering for some years in various places. In 1899 he bought his farm of 117 acres in Bloom Township, the old Failer farm. It is well improved property and the residence is one of the best in Bloom township. Mr. Oyler carried on general farming up to the time of his death. He was well known and very highly respected all over the county and on numerous occasions had been elected to township office, serving as councilman and also as school director. He was a man of tem- perance and cast his political influence with the Prohibition party.
Mr. Oyler married Miss Carrie Hunter, a daughter of George Hunter, who was one of the early blacksmiths at Lithopolis. He retired at the age of sixty-six years and moved to Columbus for a time but is now a resident of Canal Winchester, O. He married Cassandra Schofstall and they had the following children born to them : One who died at the age of five years ; and Carrie, Lillie, Clark and Earl. Mr. and Mrs. Oyler had four children : Vera, who is the wife of Samuel Hyme, of Royalton, O., and they have five children ; and Ralph, Esther and Kenneth. Mrs. Oyler has proven herself a very capable business woman. She retains the farm and has it under a satisfactory rental. With her children she belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Oyler was also a member. He was identified with both the
620
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
Masons and the Knights of Pythias, and was trustee of the M. E. church.
SANFORD FOOR, who has been a resident of Lithopolis, O., for thirty-eight years, has many business interests in this section, includ- ing farming, threshing and lumbering, having operated his saw-mill continuously since 1879. He was born in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, O., one-half mile northeast of this city, March 16, 1848, and is a son of Daniel and Mary (Brakebill) Foor.
Daniel Foor came to Fairfield County from Pennsylvania when he was a young man and engaged in farming in Bloom township until within five years of his death, when he retired and moved to Winchester. He married Mary Brakebill and they had ten children born to them, 7 of whom are living.
Sanford Foor had the usual school advan- tages offered boys in his day and they were sufficient to provide a good foundation. He entered into the mill business in 1879 and handles hard wood for building material. He is interested also along other lines and is one of the busy men of this place and one of the best known. Politically, Mr. Foor is a Demo- crat and for seventeen years served in the office of constable in Bloom township.
Mr. Foor married Miss Tabitha Bower and they have had seven children, Estella, who lives at home; Hattie, who died when aged eleven years; Loretta, who married William Cassidy and has two children-Evelyn and Byron ; Cur- tis, a resident of Lithopolis, who married Margaret Conaway; James Monroe, who lives at Columbus, and married Jennie Dollar ; Em- erson, who assumed the duties of a justice of the peace on January 1, 1910; and Lee, who died in infancy. Mr. Foor and family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. He is iden- tified with the Knights of Pythias.
CHARLES McGARVEY LARUE, a suc- cessful practitioner of the osteopathic system of medicine and surgery, at Lancaster, O., was born at Elizabethtown, Ky., September 20, 1880, and is a son of Thomas C. and Harriet Ellen (Miller) LaRue.
Thomas C. LaRue and wife were born also in Kentucky and the former resides in his old home there, being in his seventy-seventh year. His wife died in 1890. Of their family of three sons and three daughters, Dr. LaRue is the youngest, the others being: Vienna, who is the wife of L. W. Miller, residing in Ken- tucky; J. Byron, who is president of Owens- boro College, at Owensboro, Ky .; Flora Ellen, who is the wife of J. Lacy Overby, of Hen- derson, Ky .; Samuel T., who is a farmer near Wickliffe, Ky .; and Lulu D., who is the wife of William M. Edrington, of Arlington, Ky., where the latter is engaged in the hardware business.
Charles M. LaRue was educated in the schools of his own state, being graduated from the Owensboro College in 1905. He then be- came a student of osteopathy at Kirksville, Mo., and was graduated with the class of 1910 from the American School of Osteopathy. He located first at Indianapolis and from that city came to Lancaster in September, 1910, estab- lishing himself in well appointed offices at Nos. 132-34-36 Kirn Building. Dr. LaRue has met with a cordial reception and already has a large and growing practice. Much is claimed for the system of healing known as osteopathy and at a recent meeting of the American Osteo- pathic Association, to which Dr. LaRue be- longs, held in the city of Chicago, a prominent practitioner of this science declared this system offers a certain cure for typhoid fever. Dr. LaRue belongs also to the Ohio Osteopathic Society.
Dr. LaRue was married January 5, 1910, to
MR. AND MRS. LEWIS W. STEWARD AND FAMILY
621
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Miss Ouida May Shepherdson, who is a daugh- ter of W. V. and Ida (Jenkins) Shepherdson, of Louisville, Ky. They are members of the Disciples church. He is identified fraternally with Lancaster Lodge No. 57, F. & A. M .; Lancaster Chapter, No. II, and also to the At- las Club, a secret society of standing. Dr. LaRue is well equipped for his profession, pos- sessing not only knowledge and experience but also the personal qualities which invite confi- dence and inspire esteem.
LEWIS WILSON STEWARD, one of the substantial and public spirited citizens of Amanda Township, president of the school board and the owner of 100 acres of excellent land, was born in Clear Creek Township, Fair- field County, November 14, 1837, and is a son of Charles Steward and a grandson of Robert Steward, who was of Scotch-Irish descent.
Charles Steward was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Ohio in 1836, locating first in Washington Township, Pickaway County, and coming from there to Clear Creek Township, Fairfield County and then to Amanda Town- ship, where his death occurred, his burial being in Dutch Hollow Cemetery. He married Sarah Kuntz, who was born in Lehigh Town- ship, Berks County, Pa., and of the fifteen children born to this union, four died in in- fancy, those who survived childhood being : Lucy Ann, now deceased, who was the wife of Mr. Zuring; Thomas, who is deceased; Han- nah, who is the widow of Joseph Christy; William Henry and Mrs. Mary Ann Doner, both of whom are deceased; Lewis Wilson; James Milton, who lives in Nebraska; Mrs. Susanna Reigle, who is deceased; Sarah, who lives in Amanda Township; Charles, who lives at Ashville, O .; and Samuel, who is a resident of Clear Creek Township.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.