USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 69
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Lewis Wilson Steward was one year old
when his parents came to Amanda Township and he remained at home until he was twenty- one years of age and then hired out to farmers by the month. He continued to work as a gen- eral farmer for others until he married, when he rented land for himself and lived eleven years in Pickaway Township, Pickaway County. In 1885 he bought his present farmi from his father's estate and moved onto it in 1887. While he has made a number of im- provements the main farm buildings had been erected by his father and little change in them was needed. Mr. Steward carries on farming along modern lines, makes use of first class machinery and believes that it costs no more to raise good stock than poor.
He was president of the Farmers' Institute of Amanda Township for three years and had the honor of holding the best exhibition they had. In 1886 he exhibited corn at the Chicago Corn Show and took the first prize of the world, that being the last world's contest, so that he is rightly called Corn King of the World.
On October 16, 1866, Mr. Steward was mar- ried to Miss Mary Paughman, who was born in Madison Township, Fairfield County, and died November 7, 1908, aged sixty-six years. Seven children were born to them, namely : Lil- lie, who is the wife of Patrick Roberts, of Pickaway County; Calista, who is the wife of Luther Will, living in Amanda Township; William W., who is the home farmer ; Charles Kirby, a resident of Lancaster, who married Margaret Ochs; and Olive, Jennie, and Flor- ence, all residing at home. Mr. Steward has four grandchildren-Mary, Florence, Nellie and Murial, daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Rob- erts. He is a member of the Lutheran church and for many years was one of the church of- ficers. In politics he is a Republican and on one occasion was his party's candidate for
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county commissioner and succeeded in reduc- since. In the fall of the above year he was ing the Democratic majority very perceptibly.
ERASMUS DARWIN KRANER, post- master at Pickerington, O., where he has also been engaged in the mercantile business since 1872, is one of the representative citizens of Violet Township and one of its substantial bus- iness men. He was born in Fairfield County, O., January 10, 1844, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Bowers) Kraner.
William Kraner was born in Baltimore County, Md., and came to Fairfield County about 1809, accompanied by his parents, who were of German extraction. For over a half century he lived in this county, for a number of years following farm pursuits, his death oc- curring February 28, 1860, he being then in the sixty-seventh year of his age. He was also a merchant at one time, also engaged in shoe- inaking and as he was well educated for his day, was one of the pioneer school teachers. In his early political life he was a Whig and later became a Republican and was deeply in- terested in the stirring events which his polit- ical foresight saw were leading up to civil war. He vividly recalled the War of 1812. He was twice married, first to Abigall Bartlett, and sec- ondly to Elizabeth Bowers, who was born in Rockingham County, Va.
E. D. Kraner attended the district schools in his youth and also received instruction from his father. With the approval of his parents he learned the shoemaking trade and subse- quently went into the boot and shoe business at Pickerington for himself, employing several men in his shop. In the fall of 1860 he be- came a clerk for William Harner, a well known merchant, and later was in the employ of Wesley McArthur, and in 1872 embarked in the mercantile business on his own account, at Pickerington, in which he has continued ever
appointed postmaster and in spite of changing administrations, has been continued in office for over a quarter of a century. This fact is illustrative of the high esteem in which Mr. Kraner is held by his fellow citizens. For three years he was a member of the Ohio Na- tional Guard, and belonged also to a local mil- itary company when there was prospect of an invasion of the peace of the community.
Mr. Kraner was married to Miss Ella N. Holmes, who was born also in Fairfield County, O., and they had four children born to them, namely: Charles H., who is a well known physician at Pickerington; James G., who is cashier of the Pickerington Bank; and Luella M. and William H. T., both of whom reside in Pickerington, and William, now being in his first term as a student at the Ohio State University. Politically a Republican, Mr. Kraner has always given loyal support to his party but has never been particularly active in politics. He belongs to Lodge No. 340, F. & A. M., at Reynoldsburg, and has long been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Pickerington.
WILLIAM F. SHERBURN, whose fine farm of 136 well cultivated acres lies three miles west of Bremen, O., is one of the well known residents of this section and was born in Fairfield County, O., in 1859, a son of Jo- seph and Susanna (Patterson) Sherburn.
Joseph Sherburn was born also in Fairfield County, his parents having been very early set- tlers. He spent his life in his native county and died at Lancaster, when aged sixty-one years. He married Susan Patterson and they had a family of nine children, as follows : Anna C., who married Thomas Jones ; William F., subject of this sketch; David F., now de- ceased, who married Ella Rarp; Isabella A.,
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who married W. H. Winner; Mary E., who married Luther Mull, of Colfax, O .; Joseplı M., who died in infancy ; Charles H., who mar- ried Ella Coffman; Thos. A., who married Rose Littrel; and John, who is now deceased.
William F. Sherburn has been engaged in farming and stock raising all his mature life and is numbered with the substantial agricul- turists of Rush Creek township. He married Emma F. Snoke, a daughter of Samuel Snoke, who had the following children : Eliza, Sophia, Margaret, Maria, Levi, Malinda, Rebecca, Mary, Clara, Ella, Emma and Albert. To Mr. and Mrs. Sherburn six children were born, namely: Nellie May, who is the wife of Wil- liam Hardwick, of Berne township, Fairfield County; Clarence W., who married Maggie Boyer and lived in Berne Township; Simon A., Albert C. and Frank R., all living at home ; and one that died in infancy. Mr. Sherburn and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is a class leader and steward and is also a member of the board of trustees. Politically he is a Democrat but has never accepted any public office except that of school director.
L. S. BENNETT, a leading citizen of Lith- opolis, O., and town treasurer, also conducts the only drug store in the place. He was born in Plainfield, Washington County, Vt., Janu- ary 10, 1853, and is a son of Dr. Stephen and Alma (Short) Bennett.
Dr. Stephen Bennett was born in Vermont and when he came to Fairfield County, O., lo- cated first at Pickerington. He then bought the practice of Dr. Davidson, at Lithopolis, and continued thie practice of medicine here for forty years, dying at the age of eighty-two years. He married Alma Short, who was also born in Vermont and they had five children, two of whom died young, one at the age of
thirteen years, and two survive-L. S. and H. E., the latter of whom is a physician engaged in practice at Mentone, Ind.
L. S. Bennett had public school advantages and afterward was employed for three and one-half years in a saw mill. In 1879 he em- barked in the drug business at Lithopolis and has since continued in it. He has been an active, interested and public spirited citizen and for years has held offices of trust and re- sponsibility. In addition to those mentioned, he is treasurer of the cemetery fund. Polit- ically he is a Republican.
Mr. Bennett married Miss Della E. Wilson, who belongs to one of the old families of Franklin County, O.
B. F. SEIFERT, who carries on general farming in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., where he owns eighty acres of well improved land, situated one mile north of Bre- mien, was born in this township in 1878, and is a son of John and Mary (Shoemaker ) Seifert.
The Seiferts have been residents of Rush Creek township for many years and John Seif- ert was born three miles west of Bremen, O., in which town he now lives retired, being in his seventy-fourth year. During the Civil War he served as a soldier, being a member of the 17th O. Inf. He married Mary Shoemaker and eleven children were born to them, namely : Charles, West, Jolun, Alice, Della, Sadie, Bert, James, Frank, Russell and Mary, all of whom live in Rush Creek Township except the young- est, who resides in Marion Township.
B. F. Seifert attended the local schools in boyhood and ever since has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He has an excellent, well-cared-for farm, on which he made all the improvements. In 1900 he married Miss Eliz- abeth Engle and they have two children: For- rest, who is eleven years old, and Neda, who
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has reached her seventh year, both of whom are bright students at school. Mr. and Mrs. Seifert are members of the Presbyterian church. He is identified with the Republican party and keeps thoroughly posted concerning the news of the country, while he is ever ready to perform a good citizen's duty in advancing the welfare of his own neighborhood.
SIMON P. CRIST, who is one of the sub- stantial farmers and leading citizens of Bloom Township, resides on his finely cultivated farm of 160 acres and owns additional land amount- ing to 290 acres in all, and is a member of one of the oldest families of this section of the county. He was born in this township, No- vember 11, 1846, and is a son of Samuel and Margaret (Myers) Crist.
Samuel Crist was also born in Bloom Town- ship, in which he spent his life and died twenty- five years ago. His father was Simon Crist, who was of German ancestry but was born in Pennsylvania. When he came to Ohio to seek a home he settled in the woods in Bloom Township, Fairfield County and entered a quarter section of land which, in large part, still belongs to his descendants. His humble home was a log cabin built as near as possible to a stream of water, and in 1815 he erected a log barn, building it so compactly that it still stands and is one of the landmarks in the township. Scarcely less so is the brick dwell- ing that he put up in 1820, which serves still and is in fair condition. The Crists encoun- tered the usual pioneer hardships but their numbers increased and their undertakings pros- pered, and the name has always been held in high regard in this section. Samuel Crist was a Whig and later a Republican. He was one of the early members of the fraternal order of Odd Fellows, in Bloom Township, and so im- pressed his friends and family with the bene-
ficial results attending such membership that the younger generations have also identified themselves with this organization. He was a member of the Reform church.
Samuel Crist married Margaret Myers, who was born in Amanda Township, Fairfield County, O., and of their family of children the following survive: Irvin, who is a resident of Henry County, Mo., served in the Civil War as a member of the 43rd O. Vol. Inf .; Simon P., who has always lived in Bloom Township; Amos, who lives in Bloom Township; Israel W., who lives in Franklin County, O .; Samuel W., who is a resident of Cincinnati; John T., who resides at Columbus; Angeline, who is the wife of William Kiger, of Greenfield Township; Ellen, who is the wife of John Lane, of Shelby County, Ill .; Josephine, who is the wife of Jacob Benson, of Bloom Town- ship; and Margaret, who lives at Royalton, O., the widow of Ivan Kiger, late of Amanda Township. When this family speaks of the great Civil War and its attendant troubles, it recalls one brother, Milton, who enlisted in the service of his country, in the 17th O. Vol. Inf., and after being captured by the Confederates was confined in the prisons at Andersonville and Libby, where he suffered such inhuman treatment that he died from its effects shortly after being exchanged.
Simon P. Crist has followed agricultural pursuits all his life, carrying on general farm- ing and stock raising, and has also followed threshing as a business for forty-five years, being ready for this strenuous labor whenever the season comes round. He is a man of public spirit and has interested himself in the move- ments which have been beneficial to his section, and was one of the founders and is yet a di- rector of the Farmers and Merchants Bank- ing Company, at Carroll, O.
Mr. Crist married Miss Sarah A. Kiger, who
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was born in Amanda Township, Fairfield Mr. Carnes became a soldier, enlisting in Co. County, O., and is a daughter of William K, 17th O. Vol. Inf., and saw very active service before his honorable discharge and mustering out at Louisville, Ky., when the Civil War closed. Although he was but eigh- teen years old when he shouldered his musket, he braved the dangers of war, like a veteran soldier, taking part in the battles of Resaca, South Mountain, and Kenesaw Mountain, Chattahoochee River (near Altanta, Ga.), Jonesboro, Waynesboro, Ga., Savannah, Ga., Bentonville, N. C., and Raleigh, N. C., and be- ing 100 days under the enemy's fire. Kiger, a former resident, and they have three children, Ora A., Clarence W. and Charles F., all residents of Bloom Township and the two older ones former school teachers in the county. Mr. Crist and sons are identified with the Republican party as law abiding citizens but not as seekers for office. With him they also belong to the order of Odd Fellows, mem- bers of Weaver Lodge No. 486, at Greencas- tle, O., of which he is permanent secretary, while his son, Clarence W., belongs to the Patrons of Husbandry and the Grange at Canal Winchester, being recording secretary. Mr. Crist's sons are also interested together in the Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, at Carroll, O., all being progressive and practical agricul- turists, and Ora A. belongs to Marsea Grange.
I. N. CARNES, vice president of the First National Bank of Baltimore, O., in which town he has lived more or less retired since 1895, still retains his valuable farm of 163 acres, which is situated in Liberty Township, Fairfield County. He was born July 12, 1845, in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, not far from Carroll, O., and is a son of John and Eliza J. (Havens) Carnes.
John Carnes was born also in Fairfield County and settled on what is called the Carnes homestead in 1840, where he lived until his death in 1885. He married Eliza J. Havens, also of Fairfield County, and they had a fam- ily of eleven children born to them.
I. N. Carnes attended the district schools in boyhood and assisted his father on the home farm until 1873, when he married and then moved to a farm three miles north of Carroll, in Liberty Township. There he carried on farming and stock raising until 1895, when he retired to Baltimore. In February, 1864,
Mr. Carnes married Miss Susie Weist, of Fairfield County, and their one child died in infancy. In his political views he is a Repub- lican and is serving as a member of the town council of Baltimore. He is identified with Col. Valentine Cupp Post, No. 263, G. A. R., at Baltimore. For many years he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
PHILIP M. CRUMLEY, a representative citizen of Hocking Township and a member of one of the fine old families of Fairfield County, O., resides on his excellent farm of more than sixty acres, devoting it to general agriculture, including the raising of a superior grade of stock. Mr. Crumley was born July 8, 1856, in Hocking Township, and is a son of John F. and Catherine ( Miller) Crumley.
John F. Crumley was born in Bloom Town- ship, Fairfield County, while his wife was a native of Madison Township. He was young when he accompanied his parents to Hocking Township, in which section of the county he spent his subsequent life. His parents were Conrad and Magdalena M. (Feller) Crumley, who had come in their early married life to Fairfield County from Pennsylvania. John F. Crumley attended the district schools in Hocking Township and also Capital Univer-
36
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
sity, at Columbus, O. He followed agricul- tural pursuits all his life but also gave a con- siderable amount of attention to music, being singularly talented in that direction, a heritage that has descended to his children. He was an intelligent and active man in many directions, was a stanch Republican in politics and depend- able in every relation of life. He was one of the leading members of the Trinity Evangel- ical Lutheran Church and directed the church music for many years. As township trustee and also as a member of the school board he was careful of the best interests of his fellow citizens. Six children were born to John F. Crumley and his wife, the three survivors be- ing : Philip M .; Albert L., a minister, residing at Topeka, Kas .; and Mary R. Those de- ceased are Henry N., Elmer M. and Alice A.
Philip M. Crumley obtained his education in the excellent schools of Hocking Township and had the advantage of growing to manhood in a good home and an enlightened community. He has always been a reader and close observer and, like his father, has devoted considerable attention to music and is identified with all things musical in the township. He is the able director of a musical organization known as the Crumley Orchestra, which is made up of local musical talent, its members residing either at Lancaster or in Hocking Township.
Mr. Crumley married Miss Elenora Brobst, who was born in Madison Township, Picka- way County, O., a daughter of the late Peter Brobst. They have one daughter, Clara M., whose marked musical abilities have been de- veloped by study. The family belongs to Trin- ity Evangelical Lutheran Church, in which he has been church treasurer for some years. Mr. Crumley is a Republican in politics and for- merly served on the township school board and for a time was president of that body.
G. R. WEISER, a representative business man of Lithopolis, O., who, in association with G. W. Lisle, conducts the only hardware store in the place, was born at Greencastle, O., in 1853, and is a son of Samuel Weiser, a former well known farmer in Bloom township, Fair- field County.
G. R. Weiser obtained his education in the country schools, after which he learned teleg- raphy but made little use of it, as he soon went into the dry goods business. Several years afterward he embarked in the hardware line at Lithopolis, first in partnership with J. E. Court- right, who later sold his interest to a Mr. G. IV. Lisle, who, two years later sold to C. P. Lehman and the firm of Weiser & Lehman continued for twenty-two years. The junior partnership was then bought by G. W. Lisle. In addition to carrying a complete line of hard- ware, the firm deals in farm machinery, han- dles wall paper and engages in undertaking.
Mr. Weiser married Miss Ollive Shultz, a daughter of Daniel E. Shultz, a resident of Lithopolis, and they have two children : Blanche, who is attending college, and Felon- ise, who is at home. Politically, Mr. Weiser is a Democrat and is serving in the office of township clerk. He and family belong to the Presbyterian church. For about 15 years Mr. Weiser has been identified with the Masonic fraternity.
DAVID CLARK, proprietor of the Hock- ing Valley Roller Mills, located at Horntown, in Berne Township-an important enterprise of this section in a business way-was born in Falls Township, Hocking County, O., October 3, 1856, a son of George and Elizabeth (Snider) Clark, and a grandson of George Clark.
George Clark, the grandfather, came to
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Logan, O., at an early day, from Maryland, and his children were born in Hocking County. There his son, George Clark, Jr., was born and spent his life, following agricultural pursuits. He married Elizabeth Snider, who was born at Lancaster, Pa., a member of an old German family.
David Clark was reared in Hocking County and followed farming there and in Perry County before coming to Fairfield County and embarking in his present mill business in Berne Township, of which he has been sole proprietor since 1907, taking charge in September of that year. This is a first-class mill property, having a full equipment of rollers and is modern in all its machinery. Flour, meal and feed are all manufactured, the favorite brands of flour being the "Peacemaker" and the "Family Choice," and the capacity of the mill is fifty barrels in every twenty-four hours. The out- put is mainly sold at Lancaster, and in sur- rounding towns, the business houses there hav- ing found it to their advantage to buy of home manufacturers. Mr. Clark looks after the practical part of his business himself and thus ensures the satisfaction of the public.
Mr. Clark was married in Perry County, O., to Miss Mary Patton, and they have five chil- dren-Myrtle B., Chloe M., Earl W., Florence M. and Zelda M. In politics, Mr. Clark is a Democrat and while living in Perry County was a member of the school board of Mundy Creek Township. He belongs to the order of Odd Fellows, at Gore, O.
WILBUR DELLAS NOTHACKER, city auditor of Lancaster, Ohio, is also proprietor of the City News Agency at this place, and a well known business citizen. He was born at Shiloh, Richland County, Ohio, August 4, 1867, and is a son of John and Rebecca (Bur- ton) Nothacker. The father of our subject,
John Nothacker, was born in Wittenburg, Ger- many, April 26, 1837, and came to the United States in 1854, locating at Shiloh, Ohio. He had learned the jeweler's trade in his native land and still follows it in Shiloh, Ohio. He married Rebecca Burton, who was born in Wayne County, Ohio, and who died in 1907. Their family numbered three sons and two daughters, as follows: Albert J., who is a resi- dent of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Albert Mosier, of Shiloh, Ohio; Charles who died at the age of thirty-eight years; Wilbur Dellas, the direct subject of this sketch ; and Rosa, who is the wife of John Wil- son, of Ashland County, Ohio.
Wilbur Dellas Nothacker in his youth at- tended school in his native town of Shiloh, Ohio. He then learned the printer's trade there and afterward worked in various places as a journeyman printer. Coming to Lancaster in 1888, he found employment as foreman in the office of the "Republican" and for eighteen years was foreman in the office of the "Daily Eagle." On December 15, 1909 he purchased the City News Agency, which business he still conducts successfully. In politics an active Democrat, he served from 1902 to 1906 as clerk of the City Council, and also from 1908 to the present year, 1912. He was elected city auditor on the Democratic ticket at the Novem- ber election of 1911. He is a member of Elk's Lodge, No. 570, and also of the Royal Arcanum.
Mr. Nothacker was married October 7, 1891 to Miss Harriet Belle Stiff, who is a daughter of Samuel and Laura (Flowers) Stiff, of New Lexington, Ohio, and they have one son, Wil- bur Flowers, who was born September 24, 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Nothacker are members of the Episcopal Church, in which he served thirteen years as treasurer and has also been a vestryman for a number of years.
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CHARLES M. WAGNER, cashier of the First National Bank of Baltimore, O., is one of the representative men of this progressive town and is financially inter- ested in a number of its leading enterprises. He was born on a farm in Liberty Town- ship, Fairfield County, O., in February, 1868, and is a son of Andrew Wagner, who was one of the old settlers of Liberty Township.
Charles M. Wagner was educated in the district schools and afterward was engaged in a mercantile business at Baltimore for ten years. For the four following years he was with the Columbus Merchandise Com- pany, of Columbus, but in 1905 he returned to Baltimore and organized the First Na- tional Bank here, with a capital stock of $25,000. Its officers are : A. Hansberger, president ; I. N. Carnes, vice president ; C. M. Wagner, cashier; and J. W. Fenster- maker, assistant cashier. The bank is in a . prosperous condition and occupies the com- pany's building. Mr. Wagner's additional interests include the presidency of the Buckeye Lake Home Telephone Company, with office at Baltimore, while he is also secretary, treasurer and stockholder in the Fairfield Paper Company, which is the largest industry at Baltimore.
Mr. Wagner married Miss Lettie Reeder, a daughter of Abraham Reeder, whose death occurred in 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner have one daughter, Ada B., who attends school. The family belongs to the U. B. church. Politically he is a Democrat.
CALVIN W. WEISER, a leading citizen of Greencastle, O., and a general merchant here of more than twenty years standing, has ac- ceptably filled numerous public positions in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, being the
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